THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 43, NO. 28 | FEBRUARY 25, 2022
THEIR TIME TO SHINE
Hayden king and queen receive royal welcome By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
T
OPEKA — Sometimes, all it takes to score the winning basket is an assist from another player. And sometimes, kids feel the whole team on their side. Such is the case with Trent Duffey and Maggie Lemon. Crowned Winter Sports king and queen on Feb. 11, both the Hayden High School, Topeka, seniors were the beneficiaries of the help and friendship of the community they’d joined. Trent was home-schooled by his mother Shelley in his late grade school years. He has dyslexia, a learning disorder that makes it difficult to read. Although the Duffeys are not Catholic, Sherri Cafer, admissions and communications director for Hayden, knew the family and put them in touch with Judy Cucciniello. Cucciniello was both one of
Hayden High School seniors Trent Duffey and Maggie Lemon were crowned Winter Sports king and queen on Feb. 11. Duffey is a member of the boys basketball team and Lemon serves as basketball manager for both the boys and girls teams.
the high school’s science teachers and familiar with the additional resources available to Hayden students to help them reach their full academic potential. Ultimately, her help at that critical time was one of the reasons Trent enrolled four years ago as a freshman. “When he came in as a freshman,” said his mother, “he maybe knew a handful of people just because he didn’t go to the parochial schools. So, coming in and not knowing too many folks as a freshman to the [Winter king] crowning moment — it was very emotional for [me], just to see how far he had come — how accepting everybody is there at Hayden. “He’s just had a wonderful experience there.” Trent agreed. “Being in a home-schooling environment and then coming to private school, I didn’t know what to expect,” he said. “It’s been great ever since I stepped in the door. It’s a really big blessing for me and my family that I’ve been able to go to Hayden.” While Trent, a member of the boys’ basketball team, has been receiving “assists” from Hayden both on and off the court, he’s not the only one. Ever since she started kindergarten at Topeka’s Most Pure Heart of Mary Grade School, Maggie Lemon has found a home in Topeka’s Catholic school system. As the high school’s second student with Down syndrome, Maggie also benefited from the help of Cucciniello, as well as that of outside paraprofessional and Hayden graduate Cindi (Turgeon) Smith. Assisting the students academically, said Hayden’s president Shelly Buhler, is one of the keys to >> See “STUDENTS” on page 6
LENTEN REGULATIONS All Catholics 14 years of age and older are obliged to abstain from meat on Ash Wednesday, March 2, and all the Fridays of Lent. Catholics 18 to 59 years of age are obliged to fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday — a fast consisting of one normal meal and two lesser meals, with no eating in between. It is also recommended that Catholics find opportunities throughout the Lenten season to complement their fasts with prayer, reception of the sacraments of reconciliation and the Eucharist, and positive works of charity.