Table Of ContentBISHOP KELLEY HIGH SCHOOL’S PERIODICAL
AMBASSADOR
Winter 2016-2017 • VOLUME 10 • ISSUE 1
Technology Curve
Chromebooks in
PAGE
the hands of every 8
BK student for 2017-18
PAGE 20
PAGE 26
BishopKelley.org LIVE, JESUS, IN OUR HEARTS FOREVER!
President’s Letter
Dear Bishop Kelley
Rev. Brian O’Brien
Community,
Welcome to the Winter 2016-17 edition of the Ambassador magazine. Herein
you’ll find a snapshot of what’s going on at the best high school in Oklahoma.
I feel strongly in my heart in saying that because it is evident from the results
we’re producing.
Here are some of the highlights so far in 2016-17:
Our students continue to grow in faith
BK alumni are in the seminary and in religious communities
ACT scores are at an all-time high
BK has more National Merit Finalists than any private school in the state
BK has a 2016-17 State Champion Academic Bowl and Spirit Squad,
and District Champion football team
BK continues to excel with outstanding fine arts and drama, speech
The Ambassador Magazine is published
and debate, yearbook, and athletic programs by the Bishop Kelley Advancement Office
Experienced and dedicated teachers help prepare our students Rev. Brian O’Brien
for higher education opportunities all over the country President
Doug Thomas
These things do not happen by accident. They happen because of your prayers,
Director of Advancement
through committed people working to fulfill the mission of the school, and
Lauren Hillenberg
through many generous benefactors. Director of Communications
I am so proud to serve at Bishop Kelley and to work alongside dedicated Katherine Devonshire
Director of Alumni Relations
administrators, teachers, staff, and volunteers for the betterment of our students.
Margaret Jones
What a joy it is to walk these halls! As you’ll see in this magazine, our alumni,
Advancement Services Coordinator
students, chaplains, and teachers are active in the community and working to
Robin Lewis
change the world for the better. Advancement Event Coordinator
Thank you for your continued prayers and support of our efforts!
Special thanks to:
Brother Richard Merkel
In Christ,
Russ Hembrey & BK Journalism students
We welcome your submissions and
suggestions. Please direct all updates
to [email protected].
Rev. Brian O’Brien
President
Bishop Kelley High School
3905 S. Hudson Ave., Tulsa, OK 74135
CONTENTS
2 Fantasy Congress 101
4 Volunteers & Alumnae
Support Fine Arts
POINTS OF PRIDE
7 Students Investing in BK
FAITH
Bishop Kelley students volunteered over 39,000 hours of Christian service last year.
8 Technology Curve:
Every class and event begins in prayer. Each day ends in prayer. Each school year,
Chromebooks
students attend Mass more than 15 times.
More than half of students participate in religious retreats such as SEARCH, KAIROS, and class retreats.
10 New Media Lab Tools
Bishop Kelley students volunteer on mission trips within Oklahoma and out-of-state.
ACADEMICS 11 Service Dogs Trained
Bishop Kelley has a student-teacher ratio of 11:1. Average class size is 14.
by BK Students
BK offers 21 Honors and 17 Advanced Placement classes.
The iConnect program helps students with test-taking skills, study hours, and learning strategies. 12 Baseball Diamond
100% of the Class of 2016 took the ACT and the average score for 189 students was 24.9,
Dedication
the highest in BK’s history.
BK’s Academic Bowl Team is five-time State Champions and finished third in Nationals in 2015.
14 State Champions
National Merit recognized 10 semifinalists, and nine finalists in the Class of 2017.
10 National Merit commended, and three National Hispanic Scholars. Bishop Kelley has 15 Science Teacher Explores
had 49 National Merit Finalists in the past five years.
Energy Resources
Students receive more than $750,000 in annual tuition assistance, thanks to generous donors.
About one-fifth of students receive tuition assistance.
16 Chaplains on Campus
Summer credit classes are increasingly popular. Options are: Oklahoma History, Social Justice
in Action, Basic Design, Ecology, Speech I, Personal Financial Literacy, Catholicism and World
18 BIK & Staff Milestones
Religions, Computer Science, Painting I, and Life-time Fitness.
Bishop Kelley grads attend Air Force Academy, Boston College, Colorado School of Mines,
Dartmouth, DePaul, University of Dallas, Fordham, Notre Dame, Purdue, Rice, Stanford, USC, 19 Live Animals Up Close
St. Louis University, Saint Mary’s of Notre Dame, Seton Hall, Texas Christian, West Point, Vanderbilt,
and area schools such as TU, OSU, OU, and TCC, as well as many others. 2 0 In the News
CO-CURRICULARS
22 Endowments Assist
Bishop Kelley offers 13 OSSAA sports at the 5A level.
Over 10% of students participated in the all-school Fall 2016 musical, Fiddler on the Roof Students & Facilities
and more than 12% in Beauty and the Beast, the spring musical.
Bishop Kelley’s “Crest” yearbook received top state honors in 2016 by winning the 2 4 GO for Catholic Schools
Sweepstakes Award at the University of Oklahoma. BK yearbook staff won for best theme,
best ads and best headline writing. 2 6 Alumni News
Jazz and Concert Choirs performed at school events and the St. John’s Hospital administration
Christmas d inner and Southern Hills Country Club Christmas Dinner. They will perform at
Southern Nazarene University Jazz Fest in spring 2017.
WINTER 2016-2017 1
FANTASY CONGRESS 101
BK Government students pick their legislators
and learn about politics with Fantasy Congress
Matthew Sanderlin and Mackenzie Lewis, seniors, enjoyed learning about Ethan Miles and Matthew Edgeller, seniors, conducted a “fantasy draft”
the U.S. Congress in Christine Tyler’s Political Parties class. of U.S. legislators and tracked their progress.
I t was a wild and divisive political year party ranks (10 points). Scandalous activ- Senior Jacob Regan said he developed
in 2016, but that helped BK students ity by a legislator resulted in losing points. a computer program to more easily track
learn more about who represents Mrs. Tyler said her main goal in govern- his team’s results. The program checked
them in the United States Congress. ment classes, including AP Government, is whether or not a Congress member voted
AP Government teacher Christine Tyler to get her students interested and engaged with, or against his/her party, for example.
introduced Fantasy Congress last year, an in the political process. “If they come to me “My favorite part of Fantasy Congress
online fantasy simulation game where play- and say they cannot wait to vote when they was incorporating my interest in Computer
ers (citizens) draft members of the United turn 18, then I am happy. I have done my job Science into this project,” Regan said. “I set
States House and Senate, and keep track of as a teacher,” she said. it up as a program to automatically collect
their participation. the data, so to my knowledge, the program
Tyler’s “Political Parties” class is offered How to play Fantasy Congress is still running today.”
to students only during election years. She’s Teams of four players each keep track Point totals for Election 2016 boiled
had over 140 students take the class since of their Congressional members’ points down to summaries of TV ads, soundbites
2015. weekly. of speeches or town hall meetings, Election
“I absolutely loved the Fantasy Congress “Choose your teammates wisely,” advises Day resulted in 30 points for a congress
experience,” said senior Matt Sanderlin. Tyler, who reminds students that there are member’s re-election and 50 points if he/
“Mrs. Tyler did a great job of implementing 535 members of Congress, “so no need to she was elected with more than 60 percent
a point system that paralleled the United fight over them!” of the vote.
States government to my fantasy football Selection criteria are based on senators “I learned so much about our govern-
team.” with seniority, rookies, etc. Each team picks ment and the country that we live in,”
The fall 2016 draft allowed students to nine legislators and can use gender, politi- said senior Madi Brook. “Through Fantasy
research “players” by looking up available cal party, issues, age, states, etc. There are Congress, I had the opportunity to learn
information on U.S. Congress members no trades and no subbing a top legislator about the government in a more detailed
and ranking them according to preference. for a rookie. manner than I would have been able to
Students researched Congress members at “Our team’s draft strategy was to take otherwise.”
congress.org; Thomas.loc.gov; Govtrack.us; the senators and representatives who pro- Madi said she learned more about the
Opencongress.org; House.gov; and Senate. posed the most legislation and worked on inner workings of the U.S. political process
gov. bipartisan agreements to gain extra points,” up close.
Teams gained points based on how Sanderlin said. “As a first time voter,” she said. “I now
many bills got sponsored, passed or were Each team’s goal was to have the most have a better understanding of how our
made law (80 points if signed by the points on the final date of the competition, Congress works because I was able to take
President) or how many times they break which was December 19, 2016. part in Fantasy Congress.”
2 BISHOP KELLEY AMBASSADOR
BK student gets inside
political perspective
from Speaker of the
U.S. House Internship
Bishop Kelley Senior Elizabeth Whelan, a National Merit
Finalist, spent last summer interning in Washington, D.C.,
with Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin), Speaker of the
U.S. House of Representatives.
W hile most teens spend their sum-
mer traveling and spending time
FANTASY with friends, Bishop Kelley Senior
Elizabeth Whelan did something different. She
CONGRESS RULES spent two weeks interning with Paul Ryan,
the United States Speaker of The House of
Representatives, in Washington, D.C.
LEGISLATION All sponsored pieces of legislation (including amendments) Whelan wrote short biographies about the
receive a higher score as they move further through the legislative process. donors who contributed to Ryan’s team. These
Congress member introduces a bill — 10 points biographies gave Ryan good information about
Bill is passed by one chamber of Congress — 25 points his campaign donors.
Bill travels to the other house and is referred to committee — 30 points When she wasn’t writing, Whelan sorted and
Bill is debated on floor of House OR Senate — 40 points read mail where she learned more about the
Bill is passed in 2nd chamber of Congress — 50 points problems people have with the government,
Bill goes to Conference committee — 60 points especially how veterans are treated.
Bill passed both House and Senate — 70 points “I was with Speaker Ryan’s financial team
Bill signed by President — 80 points and worked a 9-to-5 job in a cubicle with two
other interns,” said Whelan, who also summa-
CO-SPONSORSHIP All co-sponsored pieces of legislation (including amend- rized returned donor mail that usually consisted
ments) receive a higher score as they move through the legislative process. You of complaints toward the Speaker and the
will receive ½ of the total points earned if the co-sponsorship is known on the Republican Party.
date of the bill’s introduction. Any co-sponsor added after that date will receive 5 “I saw everything from vulgar words and
points and no additional points as the legislation moves through the process. drawings to five-paged, formatted papers. This
job of organizing the mail gave me perspective
VOTING METRICS Team receives 5 points for each vote taken by each of your
on what different constituents want from their
members. Team loses 3 points per vote not taken by each of your players.
government.”
Whelan is a National Merit Finalist at BK.
MAVERICK Team receives 10 points for each vote that breaks from party ranks.
She also took some time this summer to tour
SCANDALS Team loses 40 points for each member that becomes involved in a east coast colleges including Princeton, Yale,
scandal. Mrs. Tyler reserves the right to define what is and what is not a scandal. Columbia, Georgetown, and Villanova.
Whelan’s favorite part of her summer was
TV APPEARANCES Team receives 2 points for each appearance that your being able to experience the 2016 presidential
Congressman makes on a national news broadcast. No points will be given for election first hand. “I had an exciting and edu-
radio or newspaper. cational experience that taught me about the
inner workings of political parties,” she said.
WINTER 2016-2017 3
Pam St. Clair volunteers for musical choreography. RIGHT: Kelsey Griffin (left) and Miriam Hanisch are among the students who have learned from Pam’s expertise in dance.
Volunteer brings professionalism
and talent to musicals, dance
S urgery on both knees last year Working with Mrs. Junger and Drama public recognition of BK drama students,
may have slowed her down, but Teacher Dana Hoagland “has been a wonder- who only keep improving.
Pam St. Clair is back doing what ful experience and they deserve the credit Competition makes people better. “Years
she loves — teaching students for the increasing interest and quality of the ago we used to take anybody in the play,”
how to dance for the upcoming 2017 spring musicals each year,” Pam said. ”What they do Pam said. “But over the years, I’ve seen kids
musical at Bishop Kelley. is amazing and the time they put in is about come back and try out again. They are a lit-
Pam (mother of Spanish teacher Maggie the same as being an athletic coach. I am tle bit more confident and they make it.” Not
Gabel) teaches ballet and dance to elemen- amazed at what they do.” many boys participated years ago, “but now
tary school students during the day. When we have a huge crop of boys who are willing
“Pam works extremely
asked eight years ago to coach and teach to get up there to dance. A couple of boys
high school kids in a high school musical, well with the students have been dancing with me for three years
she jumped at the chance. and it’s fun to see their progression.”
… [she] spends over
“It’s an entirely different and rewarding “Today, it has become the norm for male
100 hours per show
experience than working with second and students to participate in musicals, whether
third graders,” said Pam, whose day job is rehearsing with on stage or behind the scenes.”
teaching in the Tulsa Public School Leaps Shows can include as many as 110 cast
the students.”
Program. It’s a partner outreach program and crew members.
with Tulsa Ballet and TPS to introduce kids “Pam works extremely well with the stu- “I think a lot of people don’t realize all the
in high-risk, low income schools to ballet. dents and is able to bring out the best in their opportunities out there, but students can
She’s able to volunteer at BK because it movement,” Mrs. Junger said. “She is abso- get involved in the theater as well as chorus,
doesn’t conflict with her work schedule. lutely brilliant in her choreography and our drama and choir,” Pam said. “Students who
Pam got started in 2008 when Megan shows would not be as outstanding as they participate in a play or musical will have so
Schaunaman Neely ‘01 choreographed are without her talents. She creates beauti- many great memories.”
Oklahoma and asked her to help with a ful dance and movements for each show and After left ACL surgery in March and right
dream scene. That was Choir Director Amy spends over 100 hours per show rehearsing knee surgery in October, she admitted being
Junger’s first year, too. Pam got her feet wet. with the students.” “stir crazy” for a while. Today, Pam and her
Since then, she’s choreographed high school Pam has seen a greater interest and a students are glad she’s back in good form,
musicals and become an integral part of the better production of BK musicals since she teaching, volunteering and being an invalu-
creative team. began volunteering. She’d like to see more able part of the BK fine arts program.
4 BISHOP KELLEY AMBASSADOR
works at the theater.
“We started directing for other compa-
nies at first, but we wanted to produce our
own shows,” Mindy said. “Running a theatre
company together has brought us so much
joy, and we love watching actors of all ages
learn and grow through the arts.”
BK science teacher Katie Thomas starred
as Lucy in A Charlie Brown Christmas, her
fourth show at Encore Theater. Her favorite
role was Glinda the Good Witch in The Wizard
of Oz.
“What I enjoy most about performing
there is how much I grow in confidence
after each rehearsal and performance,” Mrs.
Thomas said. “I took a huge leap of faith two
and a half years ago when I first auditioned. I
had never stepped foot on a stage and didn’t
even know what callbacks were. I’m so glad
I took that leap because I discovered a love
Mindy (Robertson) Barker ‘06 (shown left) with Erin Kane
for theater that I never world have found if I
didn’t get out of my comfort zone. It’s made
BK GRAD RUNS me a better teacher and coach,”
Encore Theater also offers learning oppor-
LOCAL THEATER AND tunities to budding actors of all ages through
acting classes and scholarships to underpriv-
ileged children who cannot afford the cost.
TEACHES ACTING
Through the classes, young actors learn skills
that help them in performing.
SKILLS TO ALUMNI Encore Theater offers professional classes,
“so our students not only learn the joy of the-
AND TEACHERS atre, but they learn valuable skills and proper
technique,” Mindy said. “This way, they’re
prepared to pursue theatre professionally, if
they so desire.”
F or many students, their involve- Mindy attributes her inspiration and love
With every show at Encore, actors learn
ment with the theater happily of acting to BK Speech teacher Erin Clark,
new skills to help them to grow as perform-
extends beyond their final cur- who was BK theater director from 2004-08.
ers. By running a local theatre in Tulsa, Mindy
tain call at Bishop Kelley. Mrs. Clark asked Mindy to play the piano in
Barker and her family plan to inspire younger
Today, BK alumni and teachers can stay The Fantastics, the first musical in 13 years
generations to chase their dreams as per-
active in drama by practicing and performing at BK in 2004.
formers with every show that they host.
at a Tulsa theater run by Mindy (Robertson) “Mindy was in my speech class and she
Barker ‘06. said she could play the piano. She auditioned
Mindy and her husband, Joshua, run and played phenomenally,” Mrs. Clark said.
Encore Theater, which produces shows that “She kept saying ‘Yes’, when I asked her to
touch the hearts of the entire Tulsa com- try something and get involved… I think
munity. Mindy and Joshua grew up doing she kept finding her gifts and tried some-
theater, met at a community theatre, and thing even if it was difficult. She also doesn’t
were married there. The couple shares a pas- take ‘No’ for an answer which makes her so
sion for the arts. successful.”
Her enthusiasm for learning carried over Last winter, Mindy graciously offered BK
upon graduation when Mindy performed in students and teachers free tickets to A Charlie
many TV shows, including Jersey Boys, Pretty Brown Christmas production at her theater.
Little Liars, and Scandal. In less than a decade, She taps cast members from the BK family.
she’s already directed over 50 productions Mindy has donated summer acting les-
Mindy (Robertson) Barker ‘06 and her husband
and acted in 60 plays. sons for the BK Auction. Junior Erin Kane also Joshua Barker operate Encore Theater, Tulsa.
WINTER 2016-2017 5
ACADEMIC/ATHLETIC
EXCELLENCE
Bishop Kelley High
School OSSAA
Academic Team
State Champions
26
BK has won Academic State
Championships since joining the OSSA
2015-16 Wrestling, Girls Soccer
2014-15 Wrestling, Girls Soccer
2013-14 Girls Basketball
2012-13 Girls Basketball, Girls Golf, Girls Soccer
2011-12 Volleyball, Girls Basketball, Boys Track
The BK Mock Trial team won the Oklahoma Bar Association’s Mock Trial Competition on Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
2010-11 Wrestling
2008-09 Girls Basketball, Girls Track
2005-06 Volleyball
2004-05 Boys Cross Country
2002-03 Girls Basketball
2001-02 Boys Golf
1999-00 Boys Cross Country
1997-98 Boys Basketball, Girls Golf
1996-97 Girls Golf
1995-96 Girls Golf
1992-93 Volleyball, Boys Tennis
1990-91 Girls Basketball
Number of Academic State Titles
Won by Sport
Girls Basketball 1991, 2003, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014
BK won a state Yearbook competition for Best Design and Best Yearbook. Girls Golf 1996, 1997, 1998, 2013
Wrestling 2011, 2015, 2016
Girls Soccer 2013, 2015, 2016
Boys Cross Country 1999, 2004, 2005
Volleyball 1992, 2005, 2011
Boys Track 2012
Girls Track 2009
Boys Basketball 1998
Boys Tennis 1993
Boys Golf 1992
Number of Consecutive
Academic State Titles
Girls Basketball 3 2012, 2013, 2014
Girls Golf 3 1996, 1997, 1998
Wrestling 2 2015, 2016
Girls Soccer 2 2015, 2016
Boys Cross Country 2 2004, 2005
BK Boys Cross Country received the 2016 Distinguished Academic Achievement Award from the Oklahoma
State Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA). The top seven boys achieved above a 3.75 grade point Totals updated through the
average to be eligible for the award. Pictured (left to right) is junior Manny Montanez, senior Josh Ward, 2015-2016 school year
junior Bridger Rives, senior Ryan Evans and junior Nich Barone. Not pictured are junior Matthew Gibson and
sophomore Carson Been.
6 BISHOP KELLEY AMBASSADOR
BK Investment Club originator and organizer Alex
INVESTING IN Webber came up with an idea for students to invest in
the market. BK Alum Tom Flanagan is helping a group of
15 students understand the ups and downs of investing
in publically traded companies. Pictured (left to right)
BK STUDENTS,
Turner Snapp, Alex Webber, Ethan Miles, Nich Barone,
Cole Swords and Jaxon Schultz.
LITERALLY
M any alums invest in the the pros and cons of each. The top choice diversified portfolio whose proceeds are
future of Bishop Kelley stu- gets a portion of the investment funds. given back to SMU students as business
dents. Tom Flanagan (‘97) is This approach teaches club members scholarships.
investing, quite literally, in what to look for in potential investments, While Mr. Flanagan wants students to
the futures of BK students. growth opportunities and threats to their learn more about investing, he’s also hope-
The BK Investment Club started in the investment. Three branches gives the club ful that they’ll use that knowledge to help
fall of 2016 with a $5,000 grub stake from a bit of a diversified portfolio. them in the future.
Mr. Flanagan, a former financial advisor who
now works in commercial real estate.
BK senior Alex Webber came up with
“We’ll keep
the idea while visiting Southern Methodist
University, which he plans to attend this fall. re-investing anything
“The college tour guide mentioned that
we make, and we’d
his friend was involved in an investment club
which was Boulevard Investment Group,” eventually like to
Webber said. “I researched it and called the
build something on
guy, who was a student at SMU. He encour-
aged me to get one going in high school. I campus,” Webber said.
came back and told Father O’Brien about it Alex Webber with BK Alum Tom Flanagan
and we had a meeting with Mr. Flanagan.”
Webber recruited several BK students
to get involved, and more signed up during In the beginning, the Club has set modest “I would love for people younger than age
club enrollment. goals, but they are looking at the long term. 40, like me, to be able to give back to Bishop
The BK Investment Club chooses to “We want to invest wisely and pass along Kelley,” Flanagan said. “The school really
invest in sectors of the economy such as the money to next year’s club.” Swords said. made a difference in my life and it would be
Technology, Healthcare and Energy. Club The club has philanthropic goals which great to have more recent alumni participat-
members join one of those three branches are long term. “We’ll keep re-investing any- ing. Fewer than 7% of BK alumni gave back
to research promising companies in which thing we make, and we’d eventually like to to the school last year. That number ought to
to invest. At meetings, they make presenta- build something on campus,” Webber said. be a lot higher. That is our goal and one that
tions about the various options and debate The SMU group, for example, is a student-run we can achieve.”
WINTER 2016-2017 7
Chromebooks in
the hands of every
BK student for 2017-18
T hanks to a recent major grant from the Mary K. Chapman Foundations, all 72
faculty members at BK have Chromebooks and they are learning how to use
them. The plan is to get students these computers so that digital learning can
happen seamlessly and with less reliance on paper and copying notes by hand.
The Mary K. Chapman Foundation grant Members of the BK faculty Erin Clark’s Speech and Debate
provided enough resources for the school have been training on how to students are collaborating and
to purchase two mobile labs, one with 40 best utilize Chromebooks for conducting research for class
Chromebooks and the other comprised of 30 instructional purposes. projects online.
Chromebooks. Students were able to begin “EdTechTeacher is providing three day- “The students are using the Google
utilizing the technology now rather than long sessions, face-to-face, with faculty platform extensions to work on shared
starting in August when the school, with the members,” said BK’s Acting Principal, Judith documents, making it easier for groups to
success of its annual auction event, plans to McMasters. “We had 25 members of the communicate and work on homework while
have in place a Chromebook for every stu- faculty who spent much of their Dr. Martin in different locations,” Clark said. “Before we
dent to use, take home, and keep as their Luther King, Jr. holiday on campus learning had Chromebooks we had folders and bind-
own when they graduate. more about how to engage students in new ers which may or may not stay organized and
Proceeds from the April 22, 2017 Auction ways of learning. In addition, they provide 12 make it out of the locker and be brought to
will be used to purchase an additional 850 individual modules that tutor faculty in spe- class. Now the digital platform is easily orga-
Chromebooks, so that when added to the cific Google tools. Our faculty has embraced nized and always makes it to class. “
70 Chromebooks already purchased for stu- the training and is very excited about this Speech and Debate instructor Linda
dents, every student will have a Chromebook new technology.” Shipley said before she started using her
at the start of the 2017-18 school year. Chromebook, she scheduled lab/library time
8 BISHOP KELLEY AMBASSADOR
Description:Welcome to the Winter 2016-17 edition of the Ambassador magazine. Herein . BISHOP KELLEY AMBASSADOR .. Cole Swords and Jaxon Schultz.
