Saint Bernard Lady Saints experienced great interest in the girl’s volleyball program. Recently Shannon Mescher accepted the position as volleyball coach, and decided it was time to take a new direction with her young team by hosting the team’s first ever volleyball clinic through professionals at Middle Tennessee State University.

Under the direction of Alicia Lemauu and Queen Nzenwa, the team worked on basic fundamental skills, as well as building a team chemistry. Lemauu has played collegiate volleyball at MTSU, and Queen Nzenwa was a University of Kentucky standout and has played volleyball professionally for Spain and Finland. She will continue her professional career this coming year in France.

Both ladies have worked at many of the high schools in Cullman County throughout the summer, but have been most impressed with the campus and facilities St. Bernard offers. “I would compare St. Bernard to any community college campus,” Lemauu said. “As a matter of fact, I am quite jealous. My old high school didn’t have this.”

Nzenwa , who attended boarding school in Nigeria, echoed her comments by stating how impressed she was to find the gym up to health codes. “The facilities are just awesome.”

Sixteen girls attended and worked on techniques and drills. “These girls were very coachable. Normally with young girls there is a level of frustration. They certainly made our job easier by absorbing the information and being very open minded,” Lemauu said.

Mescher knows the road ahead of her young team will be challenging, but is pleased with the team’s dedication. “While our teams have been working on conditioning all summer, this camp has been a great opportunity to provide our junior varsity and varsity girls with not only fundamental techniques but also a team building spirit.”

Parents were involved in the clinic making sure the girls were eating a health diet by providing well balanced meals prepared in the gymnasiums kitchen. “We had such wonderful support, and are very thankful for all of their work preparing the nutritious meals,” Mescher said.

The Lady Saints will open their first home season game against Asbury on August 18, at 4:30 p.m. in the Fazi-Richard Athletic Center. To follow the Lady Saints visit the website at www.stbernardprep.com

Alumni gather at St. Bernard

Hundreds of alumni gathered at St. Bernard recently for the Annual Alumni Reunion celebrating one of the largest turnouts in recent years.

The weekend included a golf outing which consisted of 44 players. The Championship Winners of the tournament held at Chesley Oaks Golf Course were Peter Nassetta, Patrick Nassetta, Greg Clark and Matt Branch. Second place was awarded to Pete Fitzpatrick, Carl Kuchler, Tom Martin, and Harry Davies. Class Year Champ went to the Class of 1958 Joe Engel. Mixed Team Championship was awarded to John Kreger, Cheryl Kreger, Dennis Meinert and Carol Rooney., and the Prep School Champ was John Arndt.

Saturday was packed with events ranging from a town hall meeting, lunch, and a formal dinner in the Fazi-Richard Athletic Center.

The town hall meeting was presented by Fr. Marcus Voss, OSB, and Abbot Cletus Meagher. Fr. Marcus spoke of development projects underway to enhance the facilities at St. Bernard which included roofing the barns on the farm, renovations in the dining hall bathrooms, and brahma room, and future plans for the Heidrich Library Building to be utilized by the performing arts program.

Abbot Cletus addressed the town hall meeting by speaking of the Clairvaux Society which has recently been established. A leaflet about the Clairvaux Society was prepared to address the Benedictine Missions and to remember the men who had a “clear view” of what they wanted for St. Bernard, and to the men who are leading us into the next fifty years.

Lunch followed in the cafeteria and consisted of natural organic pork raised on the Abbey farm.

A dinner was served Saturday evening hosted by students and monks at St. Bernard. Guests were served a freshly tossed green salad, prime rib, steamed squash with zucchini, and garlic mashed potatoes with hot rolls and dessert.

During the dinner the Classes were recognized and had photos taken. A tribute was made to the Class of 68 Basketball Championship Team as well as to Mrs. Ruth Richards who has reached her 101st birthday. A video taken in 1971 was shown by the alumni from the Class of 1971. The evening ended with a tribute to Br. Augustine Campion, OSB, who was given a special recognition for his remarkable abilities to stay in touch with students from the college and his dedicated years of service in the ministries of St. Bernard Abbey, especially the school and Ave Maria Grotto.

Archery tournament coming to Cullman 2012-14

By Rob Ketcham The Cullman Times

CULLMAN — In Cullman, it’s rather easy for everyone to get their fill of almost any and all traditional sports, such as baseball, football and basketball, among numerous others. However, the Cullman City Parks and Recreation has struck a deal to bring a lesser-known sport to the city — archery.

According to Nicole Ard, the marketing manager for Parks and Recreation, the city will host the McKenzie Archery Shooters Association Pro/Am Tour Classic from 2012-14.

She said the event, which will be held at St. Bernard Preparatory School, will bring in at least 1,000 professional and amateur archers for a 3-D target competition.

“This is as big as it gets,” said John Hunt, director of parks. “You’re talking about 1,000 to 1,200 of the world’s best archers.”

In addition, Ard said Parks and Recreation is estimating each year’s event to bring in at least a $1 million economic impact for the city.

“More than anything, this will be a great opportunity to showcase our city,” Ard said.

Hunt added, “We’re really excited about all the people it will bring into the community.”

According to the ASA website, each sanctioned tournament features competitive rounds of 20 life-like, 3-D animal targets made of foam. Binoculars are permitted in order to assist archers determine the target’s distance and aim correctly before executing their shot. The competitors are then scored using a scoring system of 14, 12, 10, eight, five or zero points per arrow.

While Hunt acknowledged Cullman already has the 2009-built Community Archery Park, he said the event will be hosted at St. Bernard because of the massive amount of space needed for such a large event.

The park that will eventually be set up at St. Bernard will include 20 lanes with 20 targets in each.

He said they plan to use the open land behind the school for a village and utilize the woods for a near-realistic hunt of 3-D animals varying in size, such as foxes, bears or deer, among others.

Hunt said, “We’re very appreciative of St. Bernard for letting us use their facilities for the duration of the tournament.”

With nearly 1,400 happy members belonging to one of the nation’s top parks and recreation departments, Ard said they are continuing to try and stay ahead of statewide and national trends by hosting the tournament and emphasizing archery’s popularity.

She said, “We’re very competitive, and we like to be the ones setting the trends.”

Hunt said people can prepare for what the larger-scale tournament will be like when the Cullman Community Archery Park plays host to the Bowhunters of Alabama State Tournament this Aug. 27 and 28.

Rob Ketcham can be reached at 256-734-2131, ext. 257.

St. Bernard Buzzing with Activity

The month of June is proving to be a very busy time for the St. Bernard Community in Cullman. Debris clean-up efforts in the city are expected to continue through the month of June, but that has not hampered access to Ave Maria Grotto, St. Bernard Abbey or St. Bernard Prep School.

Fr. Joel Martin, Headmaster at St. Bernard Prep School, says registration is taking place on a daily basis for both the middle and high school. School personnel are working diligently to get new textbooks ordered and to complete the scheduling process. “We are ordering several new textbooks to include all levels of English literature, AP Chemistry, Spanish, Anatomy and Physiology,” Fr. Joel said.

Applicants are showing great interest in the program offered at St. Bernard Prep. “We are delighted with the interest shown in our middle school program,” Fr. Joel said. "It’s early June and already we have twenty-one students registered for the seventh grade and twenty-five for the eighth."

The upcoming senior class will include those students who enrolled in the St. Bernard Middle School when it opened five years ago. Fr. Joel commented, “We are excited about the possibilities of this class. They have some exceptionally gifted students.”

Renovations are currently underway at St. Bernard Dining Hall to overhaul the public restrooms located in the lobby. Plans are to eliminate the unused cloak room, expand the restroom walls and install new fixtures.

Camp St. Bernard is underway during the month of June. Sixty-six students were enrolled in the first camp. The fourth camp is currently booked, but a few openings are available in camps two and three.

Youth Basketball Camp is slated to begin June 20-23 for boys; and June 27-30 for girls.

June 23-26 St. Bernard will host the annual alumni reunion. Anyone who attended St. Bernard is welcome to attend.

Ave Maria Grotto continues to welcome visitors on a daily basis. The grotto is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information regarding Ave Maria Grotto, summer camp, basketball camp, or registration to the Middle and High School, call (256)739-6682 or visit www.stbernardprep.com

Graduation Ceremonies held at St. Bernard Prep

The Alabama Pipes and Drums played “Pomp and Circumstance” which set the tone for a joyous celebration of the Class of 2011 at Saint Bernard Preparatory School in Cullman, Alabama. Twenty-four graduates, their family and friends packed the Abbey Church on Sunday, May 22, 2011, at 2 p.m. to celebrate the final chapter of their high school years.

Dr. Lewis Sumberg was the commencement speaker addressing the graduates on their service to their family, community, and country. Having published many books and teaching in classroom, Sumberg is most proud of his service to his country during World War II and demonstrated his patriotism by morphing from an academia professor with an academic hood to his proud cap identifying him as a WWII Veteran.

Traditionally at St. Bernard, honor is bestowed on distinguished alumni who have shared in the St. Bernard educational experience. Abbot Cletus Meagher and Fr. Marcus Voss honored Dr. Albert Fromhold, and Fr. Richard Martin for their outstanding contributions to society in general and for their impact of the many individual lives they have touched.

After the presentation of diplomas to each senior, Fr. Joel Martin announced this year’s graduation awards. Minji Kang received the valedictorian award while John Russell was named salutatorian. In giving the general excellence medal, the highest award given to a graduating senior, Fr. Joel stated that “the criteria for this award requires that a student must be enrolled at St. Bernard Prep for the last two full years, be dedicated to academic excellence, exercise leadership and represent the values of the school.” The 2011 General Excellence Medal was awarded JC Albritton.

Minji Kang’s farewell address spoke of the challenges facing a new high school graduate, memories created, and friendships made. In her valedictory address she said, “Graduating from high school is not the endpoint of our journey through life; only the beginning. We just finished writing one chapter of our life journey successfully, now it is time for us to write another chapter.”

“You will never know what will happen next when you go to college,” she continued. “Never be afraid of the new beginning, for Helen Lowla said, ‘You will never win, if you never begin…’ Remember when we all first started at SBP we were all afraid, but look at us now,”

She concluded her remarks with a quote from Richard Bach, "Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or a lifetime, is certain for those who are friends."

The Class of 2011 garnered $1.8 Million dollars in scholarship offers to colleges and universities across the country.

St. Bernard student wins the 4th Congressional District Art Competition

Haleigh Black, recently won “Best of Show” at the 4th Congressional District Art Competition held at Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, earning the St. Bernard Prep Senior exhibition rights at the U.S. Capitol for one year.

Haliegh’s work titled “Perpetual Use of the Mind’s Eye” was entered into the mixed media category, having used paper sculpture, watercolor, acrylic paints, chalk pastels, metal, and various other mediums. Her great- grandmother, Irene Graham, served as a model for drawing the woman pictured on the left side of the piece.

“I wanted the pieced designed to convey that we as humans should make use of our imaginations frequently throughout our entire lives,” Haleigh said.

Her picture depicts an aged woman’s profile that is looking at a clock, symbolizing the many years lived and the many things seen and remembered over time. These remain within in mind as she carries them with her in an active imagination.
“I created the woman’s profile in a way that allows the viewer to see the imagination inside her head. It is filled with creations and dreams like that of a child,” Haleigh explained.

Mrs. Mona Ivey, art instructor at SBP, received the news of Haleigh’s winnings just days after tornados ripped through Cullman County. Ivey said, “I am so proud of Haleigh and her accomplishments. Her artistic ability has been demonstrated over the last few years and I look forward to seeing what her future holds.”

Haleigh was presented with a ‘Best of Show’ trophy, $500 cash prize, and two round-trip airline tickets to Washington, D.C. for the National Exhibition Reception. In addition, her work will be exhibited in the Nations Capitol for one year.

Haleigh is the daughter of John and Sabrina Black of Cullman. After graduation from St. Bernard Prep School, she plans to build an art portfolio at Wallace State Community College with the goal of transferring to the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

St. Bernard wins Gold at State Track Meet

Saint Bernard Prep’s inaugural year of track and field has had its share of success during the 2011 academic year. The team finished with a very strong showing at the AHSAA Track and Field Championship held recently at Birmingham Southern College.

“We may be small, but our team put SBP on the ‘track map’ in the State of Alabama winning six gold medals, one silver, and one bronze and finishing in the top ten places in various running events over the two days,” Track Coach, William Calvert said.

Ayleana Mami, an 8th grade student, struck gold twice by claiming the State 1A Championship in both the 1600 meter run (5:49) and the 3200 meter run (12:23).
Freshman, Logan Ayers finished 10th place in the 400 meter dash with a time of 1:05 and also ran the 200 meters dash finishing in 16th place.

Overall the two girls’ team finished with 20 points, to earn 13th place overall out of the 35 schools that qualified athletes for the state meet.

Four young men won gold by competing to win the 4 X 800 Relay with a time of 9:04. Team members included Will Faulk, Sean Moriarty, John Russell, and Levi Schaefers.
Faulk took 2nd place in the 1600 meter run (4:49); 3rd place in the 3200 meter run (10:49); and 7th place in the 800 meter run (2:08).

Russell claimed 4th place in the 1600 meter run (5:12); 6th place 3200 meter run (11:49); and 8th place in the 800 meter run (2:12).

Samuel Robles placed 20th in the 300 meter hurdles.

The five boys competing at state scored 32 points to finish 9th place of the 35 teams participating.

“I couldn’t be more excited about the track program,” Calvert said. “I am proud of our students and really excited about their accomplishments and the future of our program at St. Bernard Prep."