Ashley Campbell named 2011 Sandy Alomar, Jr. Scholarship Recipient

On Monday evening Saint Martin graduate Ashley Campbell was the recipient of the 2011 Sandy Alomar, Jr. Scholarship. In a pregame ceremony, Ashley was presented with the $2,000 college scholarship. Ashley will be attending John Carroll University in the fall.

There were several members of the Saint Martin community at the ballpark Monday evening including Molly Vaughan, Mary Grasela, Susan Hren (with her son Will!), and fellow graduates Adam Trotter, John Williams (in seats given to them by Corporate Work Study Partner, Shurtech) as well as Lauren Harvey, who was thrilled to attend her first baseball game.

The Indians held an early lead but the Rockies staged a six-run rally in the fifth inning against pitcher Fausto Carmona, with Troy Tulowitzki's grounder to third bouncing off the base for a game-tying double. That set the stage for Jason Giambi, who hit a go-ahead homer in his return to Designated Hitter. Despite the 7-8 loss, it was a very exciting evening for Ashley and the Saint Martin Community!

The Cleveland Indians, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, announced the creation of the Sandy Alomar, Jr. Scholarship Award in 2009. The scholarship, created as part of the Sandy's induction into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame, is given annually to a graduating Saint Martin de Porres High School senior who meets scholarship criteria and demonstrates academic excellence, community service/volunteerism and has a financial need.

In recognition of his achievements both on and off the field throughout his 11-year career with the Cleveland Indians, Sandy Alomar, Jr. was the 33rd player to be inducted into the Cleveland Indians Hall of Fame in August '09. The six-time All-Star lead the Indians to five consecutive (1995-1999) AL Central Division titles. Sandy Alomar, Jr. was also a 1990 Gold Glove and AL Rookie of the Year winner and a 1997 All-Star MVP. Sandy was the heart and soul of championship teams and shared those leadership skills while participating in numerous community outreach initiatives benefiting NE Ohio.

Thank you to the Cleveland Indians, especially Sandy Alomar Jr. for your continued support of our school community. Go Tribe!

Here Comes Summer

Soon after final exam blue books are graded, many teachers at Saint Martin begin yet another semester, continuing their own education. Saint Martin Science teacher, Angela Yeager, has been selected to participate this summer in global graduate studies that focus on studying desert and marine ecosystems on the Baja peninsula.

Angela will be studying at the UNESCO World Heritage site, Bahia de los Angeles on the Sea of Cortez. In this biosphere reserve, the group of educators will work to apply the fundamentals of field methods - such as capture/recapture, pitfall traps and line transects - to ecological questions and conservation practice.

Angela is one of more than 350 U.S. and international educators and graduate students selected to travel with the program from Miami University’s Project Dragonfly. At sites in 12 countries in Africa, Australia, Asia and the Americas, these educators will engage with international colleagues and scientists to work together to bring about local and global change.

The program builds on Earth Expeditions, a partnership between Project Dragonfly, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens, and partner institutions worldwide. Since 2004 Earth Expeditions has been engaging educators and other professionals in educational and scientific research at vital conservation sites across the planet.

Along with teaching science at Saint Martin, Angela also coaches our track team, with Theology teacher, Megan Weiss and Spanish teacher, Mark Dougherty. Safe travels, Angela!

The Closing of Another Transformational Year

The Class of 2011 has been busy this week in preparation for their commencement this Sunday, June 5^th. We are so very proud to be graduating another class of young men and women who are curious and open to continuous learning, effective communicators, creative and innovative thinkers, actors, and workers, spiritually conscious, caring and responsible— and all of whom have been accepted to a college or university. Their culminating week at Saint Martin is deserving of many celebrations!

Wednesday evening the Senior Awards Banquet took place at Saint Martin, honoring students who, throughout their four years, really showed our school community what it means to be “Saint Martin.” Awards were given to honor the values of our school: Work, Study, Serve, Lead, Pray.

Father Robert Marva, OFMCap., along with the Campus Ministry department at Saint Martin, held a beautiful Baccalaureate Mass on Thursday evening at St. Vitus Parish. Steve Suding, Vice President of Mission, described the evening well, “It was such a moving and inspirational prayer experience. It was also a true experience of the entire Saint Martin community (students, families, faculty, staff, board) coming together to thank God for his wonderful blessings."

In their final act as students at Saint Martin, the Class of 2011 will proudly march down the streets of the St. Clair/Superior neighborhood this Sunday before our Commencement. We invite you to join us this Sunday at 3:45pm to line the streets of St. Clair as the Class of 2011 makes their way to the Slovenian National Home. It is a powerful symbol of the hope that this class of students provides for our families, our neighborhood, and our city!