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Diocese of Charlotte celebrates Catholic Schools Week

ANNIE FERGUSON arferguson@charlottediocese.org

For one week each winter, spirit-filled students in Catholic schools across the country take a break from the everyday to celebrate the unique educational gifts offered at their schools.

Bishop Peter Jugis illustrated some of these gifts in a video message shared with students across the Diocese of Charlotte.

“We’re growing,” he said. “The Diocese of Charlotte now has nearly 8,000 students and 800 teachers and staff at 20 Catholic schools. We are united in one mission: to pursue excellence in all that we do, forming students to be disciples of Jesus who exemplify the virtues of faith, hope and charity.”

Bishop Jugis lauded the students’ service to the community, especially during the 50th anniversary of the diocese in 2022.

“From organizing food drives, to cleaning up parks, to collecting comfort items for people experiencing homelessness, your efforts made the anniversary very special, and illustrate why we are one of the fastest growing Catholic school systems in the nation. Our schools offer a rigorous, fully accredited education that develops the whole child and prepares students for success.”

For nearly 50 years, Catholic Schools Week, organized by the National Catholic Education Association, has provided an opportunity to showcase the positive impact Catholic schools have in the lives of students, families and their local communities. This year’s national theme is “Catholic Schools: Faith. Excellence. Service.”

Festivities for schools in the Diocese of Charlotte included special school Masses, community service projects, open houses, and days honoring the nation, those with religious vocations, service men and woman, teachers and parents.

Other spirit-building activities and traditions abound, including the wellloved faculty vs. student volleyball and basketball games.

More online

At www.catholicnewsherald.com : Find more coverage of Catholic Schools Week, including many more photos and videos

STUDENT-FACULTY MATCHUPS

Charlotte Catholic High School held their faculty-student basketball game Feb. 3, and Christ the King High School in Huntersville is hosting a faculty-student volleyball game. Other games will be hosted at various Catholic elementary and middle schools.

Basketball is especially competitive at Bishop McGuinness High School in Kernersville, and Catholic Schools Week has a special way of bringing out the fun for the entire school.

Faculty members and students sign up to play against each other in a 30-minute game with a running clock. Members of the school’s basketball teams are barred from playing in the faculty-student game and instead serve as referees and coaches.

The game was an exciting finale to the fun-filled week, with students and faculty packed into the gym on Friday, Feb. 3, the last day of Catholic Schools Week.

Bishop McGuinness Senior Class President Tate Chappell said she looked forward to seeing athletic trainer Brittany Price, play in their faculty-student basketball game.

“I know how much she loved it in high school,” Chappell explained. “As a basketball player for Bishop McGuinness, I love watching students and teachers playing the game I love, while most importantly having fun with it.”

Organized by Student Council Moderator and history teacher, Lee Coble, the game is highly anticipated among students as they are not allowed to play until their senior year. The student roster is capped at 15 due to overwhelming interest in facing their teachers on the court.

The faculty members are slightly less enthused.

“We usually have a pretty good turnout faculty-wise with somewhere between six and 10,” Coble said. “A lot of people will say they’ll only play in emergency situations.”

The game typically features a half-time performance from the cheerleaders and the crowd doing the “roller coaster” in the stands. Coble said there are usually some “shenanigans with scoring” and a lot of humor from students commenting during the game with the mics.

Throughout the week leading up to the game, a fair amount of “trash talk” between the students and teachers circulated through the halls – all in good fun, of course.

Before the big game, Ryan Porter, a senior, said he was looking forward to “dunking on my history teacher.” He added, “I am so blessed to be in an environment where we can have this fun event.”

There’s also a bit of a myth about Coble scoring 50 points in one of the past games.

“I enjoy watching the teachers try to hoop. I am looking forward to dropping 50 on Mr. Coble’s head,” Senior Riggs Handy said with a good-natured laugh. “Mr. Coble can’t guard me.”

Sofia Wolff, Student Council executive treasurer and a cross country and track athlete added, “I love when the superintendent [Dr. Gregory Monroe] plays in the game because he’s a great basketball player, and the students are always surprised. I look forward to seeing what hidden skills the teachers have when they’re playing basketball. It’s always shocking.”

Father John Putnam, chaplain of Christ the King High School, and Dr. Gregory Monroe, superintendent of Catholic Schools, cut the ribbon at the grand opening ceremony Jan. 19 for the Fulford Athletic & Activity Center. The 21,800-square-foot facility includes a full-sized court and two cross courts in the gymnasium, expanded seating for more than 720 spectators, men’s and women’s locker rooms for home and visiting teams, and performing arts space.

TROY HULL | CATHOLIC NEWS HERALD