Kiwanis International’s Key Club is one of many student life programs offered at Scecina Memorial. In October, several Crusaders modeled for Kiwanis International at a photo shoot hosted on the Nowland Avenue campus. The students’ images, like the one on the cover, are being used in a number of national promotions, including the Kiwanis International Key Club brochure at left.

On the local level, the Scecina Memorial Key Club is sponsored by Kiwanis Club of Northwest Indianapolis. Current Scecina parent, Alyssa Chase Rebein, mother of Ria Rebein ’16, is the club’s Kiwanis sponsor.

Students who participated in the photo shoot included Rosette Ewing ’14 (top brochure image), Eamon Hegarty ’16, Ria Rebein ’16, Colton Howard ’16, Kendra Velazquez ’17, Will Ferree ’17, Mary O’Connor ’17, Jackson Yaggi ’14, and Claire Manley ’17 (below brochure image).

It’s official. On Thursday, March 5, 2014 Scecina Memorial’s Key Club was officially chartered by the Northwest Indianapolis Kiwanis Club. Students, parents, and representatives from Kiwanis International were on hand for the chartering ceremony and induction of members.

Joe Therber, President of Scecina Memorial and former high school Key Club member, welcomed the group. He recounted the story of Fr. Thomas Scecina, the Catholic priest who is the namesake of the school. Fr. Scecina always gave that “little extra” in his service to others. President Therber noted how appropriate it is for Scecina Memorial to have a Key Club which is committed to serving others.

John Shertzer, Chief Program Officer for Kiwanis International, presented the charter to Lydia Egan, President of the new Key Club and Larissa Biela, faculty advisor and French teacher at Scecina Memorial. In his remarks, he noted that the charter members of the club were making history by laying the foundation for future Key Club members at Scecina Memorial.

Rick Brown, President of the Northwest Indianapolis Kiwanis Club, welcomed the members of the new club and noted that Key Club members are leaders. He encouraged them to lead and serve others not only in high school, but throughout life.

Bethany Downs, Lieutenant Governor, Indy Metro Division, Key Club International, urged club members to remember the Key Club Motto: “Caring – Our Way of Life.” She installed the club’s new officers.

Key Club officers:
· Lydia Egan, President
· Trevor Grismore, Vice President
· Caroline Sausser, Secretary
· Ben Hilcz, Treasurer
· Ria Rebein, Editor

Key Club charter members:
· Andrea Douthitt
· Rosette Ewing
· Sarah Flick
· Carrie Gao
· Shelbie Lawson
· Tyler Lewis
· Corinne Maue
· Jenna Nosek
· Emura Paschall
· Kendra Rodriguez
· Megan Stockman

Co-curricular clubs and activities are an important aspect of Student Life at Scecina Memorial High School. The school currently has 20 clubs that students can join, with more planned for the coming year. Mr. Francisco Gomez, Scecina Memorial's Vice Principal and a 1998 alum, oversees Student Life programs. He took a moment to tell us about clubs at Scecina Memorial.

According to Mr. Gomez, clubs offer many of the same benefits that sports do, in that they "provide an opportunity for students to get involved, make friends, and learn life skills, such as responsibility, leadership, goal setting, and time management." He added that "well-run clubs are student-driven and have a high-level of student involvement. Faculty or staff moderators are primarily there to provide guidance and direction." 

It can be hard to juggle involvement in clubs, athletics, and academics, but Mr. Gomez notes that "through meaningful involvement in clubs, students learn self-discipline, build self-confidence and develop skills to handle life situations." Students can be involved in multiple clubs at SMHS, however Mr. Gomez advises students to focus on meaningful involvement, rather than multiple memberships.

It is easy to start a club at Scecina Memorial; it begins with a few students sharing a common interest for a club and a teacher or staff member willing to serve as the moderator. Then, the moderator and student leaders seek the principal’s approval.  That’s how the Robotics Club was formed in 2012.

Three new clubs are planned for the Fall of 2015.

• National Current Events League, moderated by Mr. Andrew Smith and Mr. Elijah Sanders, will test student knowledge of current events.
• Emmaus Communities, moderated by Ms. Angie Pometto, will focus on reading the Gospels and student faith journeys.
• Photography Club, moderated by Mr. Charles Sinclair, will teach students the fundamentals of good photography.

Scecina Memorial High School has always had a strong emphasis on clubs. Mr. Gomez, a ’98 SMHS graduate, remembers many club offerings when he was a student. In addition to playing soccer, he served on the Student Council as the treasurer. He smiled, remembering, “We didn’t have a lot of money, so my job wasn’t too demanding, but we were a very active club. We got a lot of things done.”

The Academic Super Bowl Team is a great example of students working together to achieve academic success. These students, and the teachers who coach them, put in countless hours reviewing and studying materials in order to prepare themselves for interscholastic competitions. They compete in various challenges throughout the year including the Indiana Crossroads Conference Competition (ICC) and the Indiana State area competition.

Members of the 2014 Academic Superbowl Team are: (Row 1, L-R) Nate Smith, Samantha Smith, Caroline Sausser, Jenna Nosek, Corinne Maue; (Row 2) Sarah Elam, Luke Manley, Jacob Marshall, Zach Burck, Emily Coffey, Ada Qu; (Row 3) Mrs. Smith (moderator), Nick Sitzman, Josh Sitzman, Carrie Gao, Miss Williams (moderator), Miss Cuevas (moderator); (Not Pictured) Galen Monroe, Olivia Page, Bo Lesczynski, Mr. Sanders (moderator).

This year they have shown their capabilities and dedication by placing 3rd overall in the ICC ConferenceTournament, while taking 1st place at the Indiana State area competition in three categories- Science, Math, and English.

The preparation begins in October in order to get ready for the spring time competitions. Students work with a coach for each of the five subjects: English, Fine Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies. The groups meet once a week to review the materials that will be covered during the competitions. The five coaches help to advise students in their review, but the students are responsible for their own research and preparation. They work together as a team to understand any questions that may come up in competition.

During competitions, students work together to answer multiple choice questions that are read aloud to all of the teams. Students consult with one another to come up with the best possible answer, then the team scores are updated accordingly. Winners are recognized for each round, and then compared to scores from other areas to determine the qualifiers for the State Finals. Over the past few years, our team has fallen just outside of qualifying for state.

After another strong performance this year, there are high hopes for a successful 2014-2015 season! If you are interested in supporting and cheering on our Crusaders, be sure to make it out to one of the competitions next year!

To learn about all of the clubs that SMHS has to offer visit: scecina.org/our-clubs.

Members of Rock Band gather for a group photo after performing at the 2014 Geist Half Marathon.

During World War II, Father Thomas Scecina was among the many POWs who lost his life on a Japanese Imperial ship. Today, students at Scecina Memorial remember the bravery of Father Scecina in many ways; one way is by naming the school’s rock band after the ship he died on, the Arisan Maru.

Scecina’s rock band began playing in the early 2000s. It was originally formed as an outlet for guitar players, since there was not much of a place for them in formal music classes. Over the course of a few years, the group grew into a full-fledged rock band. The students worked hard to achieve this through performing at concerts and small shows to raise money. Now there are so many students interested in participating in the Rock Band Club that there are two bands!

The talented group of young people who make up Arisan Maru perform on many stages throughout the year. And they take complete ownership of their performances by interacting with the audience, transitioning between songs, and selecting their own music. The club moderator, Mr. Donnie Glowinski —or “Head Roadie” as he calls himself—attests to how hard the group works. He and parent volunteer, Mr. Rob Rash, are at rehearsals to instruct the students and put together all of their talents. The result is a successful, self-motivated band.

• Little Flower Summer Fest
• Holy Spirit Festival
• St. Bernadette Festival
• OLL Festival
• Feast of Lanterns
• Irvington Halloween Festival
• Indianapolis Mini Marathon
• Geist Marathon
• St. Lawrence Festival
• Marion County Fair

To keep up-to-date on where the band is performing, follow @ScecinaNow on Twitter.

Members of the Scecina Memorial Robotics Club compete at a Vex Robotics Competition in Columbus, Indiana.

There are so many different groups for students to get involved in at Scecina Memorial High School. One of the most unique and challenging groups to join is the Robotics Club. The students who participate in the Robotics Club are faced with the task of creating their own robots; they learn how to program and code in order to get their robots ready to compete. The Robotics Club members are learning valuable lessons, not just about creating or programing, but about working as a team, delegating, problem solving, etc.

The Scecina Robotics Club participates in many competitions each year; the two main competition series that they compete in are the IRC (Indiana Robotics Competitions) and VRC (Vex Robotics Competition). While competing in a VRC, students play the same games, so they are able to work within the same parameters for each of the competitions. This challenges them and the other teams to get better each competition. IRCs are a bit different. They are a series of competitions that are held at different high schools around Indiana, with each school having their own set of rules. Students are expected to build and program their robot, and then take it apart and rebuild a new model for the next competition.

One of the Robotics Clubs greatest accomplishments was during an IRC event in Columbus, IN. They were given a stock robot kit, a set of game instructions, and 12 hours to build their robot. The team did so well that they were able to beat a team of Cummins engineers. A very impressive success!

The club is open to all students, so any Crusader interested in the Robotics Club is invited to attend the call out meeting in the fall!

On a rainy, overcast weekend typical of Ireland, three musicians from Scecina’s Pipe and Drum Corps journeyed to Dublin, Ohio with their families to participate in the world’s largest Irish Heritage Festival. Included in the group were founding members Joseph (2015) and Eamon (2016) Hegarty and the corps' newest bass player AJ Gallagher (2018).

The boys spent two days at the festival learning about their Celtic heritage, experiencing demonstrations in artisanal woodworking, basket weaving and other traditional Irish hand crafts, and enjoying the sounds of musical group from across the globe.

For all three young men, the highlight of the event was the music. Eamon, the group's Pipe Major, was able to participate in demonstrations of a wide variety of bagpipes. Joseph and AJ, who provide percussion for the corps, were entertained by the vast array of drums, cymbals, chimes, and hand bells that add to the distinctive sound of Celtic music.

The centerpiece of this year’s Irishfest in Dublin was a concert given by world renowned Scottish band the Red Hot Chili Pipers. The ensemble, which features bag pipers, guitarists, drummers and keyboards, was formed in 2002, and blends traditional bagpiping standards with modern rock songs to create a musical fusion they have dubbed “bagrock”. Over the past twelve years they have released 5 studio albums, and have performed throughout Europe and North America. The desire of this unique and exciting musical group is “to bring bagrock to the masses.”

The energetic performances and eclectic sound of the Red Hot Chili Pipers is inspirational to the Crusader Pipe and Drum corps, who also play an assortment of time-honored Celtic standards, American military marches and popular rock selections by Ozzy Osbourne and Freddy Mercury.

The Scecina Pipe and Drum Corps was founded in the fall of 2012 by Eamon and Joseph Heagarty, with the help of their father John Hegarty, Scecina’s school principal. Eamon is the lead piper, and has been playing bagpipes since he was twelve years old. Joseph provides percussion on the snare drum. The brothers formed the group because they wanted to create something original to Scecina. There are no other high school corps in the Indianapolis area, and only one other group in the state of Indiana. Scecina senior Joseph Ritter joined the group in 2013. While he originally played bass drum, he now leads to the group as the drum major. The newest addition to the ensemble is freshman AJ Gallagher. He keeps time for the corps on the bass drum.

The Scecina Pipe and Drum Corps has performed recently at the Indianapolis St. Patrick’s Day Parade, at the NCAA Woman’s Rowing Finals held at Eagle Creek State Park, and at the Indy Irish Fest where they were featured on WISH TV channel 8 news. Upcoming events for the group include marching in the Veteran’s Day Parade downtown in November and a command performance at the wedding of longtime Scecina coach Kyle Padgett in the spring of 2015.

When you walk through the halls of Scecina Memorial High School, you might start seeing double.  The Class of 2018 has not one, not two, but five sets of twins.

They include:

• Max & Aubrey Lowry;
• Hannah & Chris Higgins;
• Craig & Ashley Shaker;
• Annelise & Isabelle Leffler; and
• Behira & Jaira Salgado-Soriano.

“For one small school, I think that’s quite a record,” says Kelsey Abelein, Scecina’s Director of Enrollment Management.

“High school is a lot different than grade school” said Ashley Shaker. “It’s more difficult, but also more fun.” Craig and Ashley, who only have one class together, Algebra. Both say they like being part of this unique class of freshman. “It makes us feel less weird; we always get questions like – ‘How’s it like to be a twin?’ but now it’s more normal here because a lot of people are twins,” says Craig.

You wouldn’t know some of them are, though. Out of the five sets, only two are identical. “We’re very different,” says Chris Higgins. “Exact opposites,” adds Hannah Higgins. The only similarity Chris and Hannah probably have is their birthday. Hannah is involved in music while Chris is involved in football.

Also pursuing different interests are twins Annelise and Isabelle Leffler. While Isabelle is studying French and competing for the cross country team, Annelise is learning Latin and playing volleyball, however, the girls spend at least some of their day together, singing in the school choir.

Max and Aubrey Lowry not only look different, but have very different personalities. “A lot of people don’t even know we’re twins,” says Max, “we've been in school with everyone for a while and they now just find out [that we’re twins].”

But everyone knows that Behira and Jaira Salgado-Soriano are twins. Their identical looks make it difficult to tell them apart until you get to know the girls. Behira is studying French and Honors Biology, while Jaira is interested in Spanish and 2D art.

All five sets have started off well in their first year as Crusaders. Ms. Abelein says they all have at least one thing in common, “all of these kids have transitioned into high school very well. They are working hard in their classes and getting involved in co-curricular activities.” And although they are part of a unique group, Ms. Abelein feels certain that each of these freshman will be successful and stand out in their own way – “each one has been a great edition to the Crusader Community!”

Trevor Grismore, a senior here at Scecina, has been accepted and plans to attend The University of Alabama next fall. Trevor will be a part of The Culverhouse College of Commerce, which has received national recognition for excellence in business education. A great place to be, since he plans on majoring in Business Management.

Trevor is the son of the late Amy Grismore and the grandson of Harold and Yvonne Grismore. He is known by his teachers for being a very friendly, courteous, and hard-working student. Mrs. Zeh Fulford, Chair of the Department of Catholic Theology, describes Trevor as “one of the kindest and most considerate students I teach. He works hard and takes every assignment seriously. He has a great big heart for service and quietly goes about making the world better.”

Trevor is an alumnus of Little Flower where he was also recognized for his service, compassion, and respect by being awarded the Hazel Elizabeth Gallagher Memorial Service Award. He continued his service to Little Flower as a Scecina student by assisting with extended care after school. And has been committed to service at Scecina by being the co-chair of the Key Club, Scecina’s service club.

Students like Trevor are great examples of living the values of Scecina, always striving to ‘give that little extra’. The Scecina Community is proud to send Trevor off to Alabama with the confidence that he will be successful in his chosen path. We are all as thrilled as Mr. Glowinski, who when he learned of Trevor’s news mentioned, “I am really excited to hear about this new endeavor for him, it will help him do some amazing things with his life. And I am sure that he is looking forward to a winter with no snow!”

Good Luck Trevor! Roll Tide!

Merry Christmas from Scecina Memorial High School, Holy Cross Central, Our Lady of Lourdes, Holy Spirit, St. Philip Neri, St. Michael Greenfield, and Little Flower!

Thank you to the staff and students at Scecina Memorial for creating this video!

Alison Bachus, Class of 2015, was awarded the Emerald Society Scholarship by the Indianapolis Firefighters – Emerald Society Chapter. President Rob Field ’82, an alum of Scecina, presented the $1,000 scholarship to Alison, a deserving student, who “is loyal, proud, and that goes above and beyond for her school, much like in the image of firefighters, who go above and beyond for others.”

Alison, an Our Lady of Lourdes graduate, comes from a lineage of Scecina alumni. Her parents, Kevin and Mary (Shackelford) Bachus, graduated in 1980 and 1982, respectively. Kevin and Mary have two older daughters, Kaleigh (Bachus) Day ’06 and Courtney Bachus ’08.

Alison is very involved at Scecina. She is a member of National Honor Society, participates in A Promise to Keep and the spring musical, and competes in swimming, cross country, and track. Alison has applied to St. Mary’s of Notre Dame, Purdue University, and Marian University. She hopes to major in Nursing or Criminal Justice, depending on where she decides to attend.

Therese Joyce, College Counselor at Scecina, was delighted that Alison received the scholarship. "Alie is a great all around young woman, and is very well rounded and involved at Scecina. Her involvement has led to great success in and out of the classroom. Alie frequently gives her time to Scecina and the community. She is always willing to volunteer as a Student Ambassador, leading events for new and perspective students and alumni. Additionally, she has been dedicated in committing hours of service in the outside community. She is viewed as a servant leader in the Campus Ministry department.”

The Indianapolis Firefighters Emerald Society chapter was established in 1994, marking its 20th anniversary in 2014. The member base is around 340 firefighters throughout the metropolitan area of Indianapolis. The Emerald Society of Indianapolis “is to provide a fraternal organization and a benevolent society for the firefighters of Marion & Surrounding Counties who share a common bond, “a firefighting related interest,” that wish to continue the fine traditions that have made firefighting what it is today.” For more information, please visit: www.indyfireemeraldsociety.org/

Congratulations to Alison for her hard work and dedication to Scecina Memorial. We also thank the Emerald Society for their interest in supporting Scecina Memorial High School, and most importantly, their commitment to protecting the lives of others.

On Sunday, December 7, Scecina Memorial students kicked off the holiday season with a Christmas concert featuring the Crusader band, orchestra and choirs. The music ranged from the traditional “Away In The Manager” to the unexpected theme from “The Game of Thrones.”

The afternoon kicked off with a rousing rendition of “Angelic Celebrations” played by the 50 member Crusader concert band. The powerful blend of horns and percussion filled the gymnasium and entertained the large crowd of friends, family, and Scecina supporters.

Following the band, the orchestra took center stage and captivated the audience with beautiful Christmas classics. Scecina sophomore Lauren Gray was enchanting on the violin during “Cantique De Noel,” while junior Jordan Harrison dazzled everyone with “A Gleeful Christmas” on the piano. The group closed out the set by featuring their guitarists with an unexpected and entertaining rendition of Carlos Santana’s “Smooth.”

Next, were the beginning and advanced choirs. Each group performed beautiful pieces by composers, such as Douglas E. Wagner and Rogers and Hammerstein. Senior Jessica Navarro sang a beautiful solo during the advanced choir’s performance of “Mary Had a Baby/Joyful, Joyful,” arranged by Roger Emerson.

The band returned to close out the concert with the Christmas classic “It’s The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year,” arranged by Chris Sharp, and the spirited “Feliz Navidad” by Jose Feliciano. Following the performance, the students and their families enjoyed a reception with yummy treats courtesy of the Scecina Baking Club and their moderators Jean Donlan and Laura Johnston.

The Scecina music program has truly flourished under the direction of Mr. Donnie Glowinski. And with over one-third of the students participating, it has become one of the largest programs offered by the school. The hard work of the students and the passion of their conductor was evident in every piece that was played and songs that were sung. An afternoon spent enjoying this inspirational and uplifting recital was the ideal way to celebrate this joyous season and to really catch the Christmas spirit.

2015 Red and Gold Queen, Sabrina Georges, and King, Dakwon Brooks

Red and Gold Week at Scecina ended on a high note over the weekend as the Crusaders boys varsity basketball team, led by senior Brian Tutrow’s 26 points, beat Triton Central 61-52.

During halftime of the game, the Red and Gold Court was presented, and the 2015 Red and Gold King and Queen were crowned.

The 2015 Red and Gold Underclassman Court: freshmen Aubry Lowry and Sam DeFreese; sophomores Natalie Donlan and Will Therber; juniors Kiley Harpold and Peyton Egan (tie) and Lex Martin.

The senior King and Queen candidates and court members were: Alie Bachus, Dakwon Brooks, Erin Flynn, Kirk Crouch, Sabrina Georges, Jake Okerson, Josie Mirabelli, Zak Spears, McKenna Ragsdale and Brian Tutrow. This year’s King and Queen are Dakwon Brooks and Sabrina Georges.

Sabrina has been in the Spring Musical for two years, Right to Life one year and Honor Roll for three years. Additionally she has competed in volleyball for three years and swimming this year. She participates in events and celebrations at her parish and plans to pursue a degree in nursing.

Dakwon plays varsity basketball for the Crusaders. Outside of school Dakwon works at Shoe Carnival and volunteers in the summer running basketball camps. He enjoys hanging out with his fellow monkboyz and his future plans include playing basketball in college while majoring in either business or physical therapy.

Scecina Choir

The music program has flourished under the direction of Donnie Glowinski. With 40 percent of students participating, it is one of the school’s largest programs. It has grown from offering Beginning Choir, Advanced Choir and Band to include Orchestra, Music Theory and Music History and Appreciation. The extracurricular Rock Band program is growing as well. It started with one band with six members and now includes three bands with 20 members.

“Aside from the numbers, the level of musicianship is also growing,” said Mr. Glowinski. “Students are starting to buy into the expectations that I have set forward and rising to the challenge of the music that I set. We are playing and singing pieces this year that we would not have been able to in past years.”

Mr. Glowinski is bringing in outside experts to listen, coach, and offer insight into the groups. Marian University professors are coaching the band and choirs while local violinist, composer and performer Cathy Morris is working with the orchestra.

Some musical highlights from this school year:

• The Pep Band performs at all home football games and some basketball games
• The Orchestra and Advanced choir played a sacred music concert at Little Flower Church. . They performed everything from “He’s Everything” and “When You Believe” to “Be Thou My Vision” and “Pie Jesu.” Mr. Glowinski hopes to continue this as an annual fall event, rotating at different East Deanery churches
• The Advanced Choir performed at the Marian Catholic Choral Festival
• The Beginning Choir, Advanced Choir, Orchestra and Concert Band each performed four or five pieces at the school’s Christmas Concert, showcasing the hard work they did during the first semester

Upcoming events:

• East Deanery Band festival: concert with partner grade schools (March)
• Indiana State School Music Association (ISSMA) contest: The band will perform in the ensemble contest for the first time (March)
• Scecina’s spring musical: Students will act, sing, play music, build sets, direct lighting and sound for this year’s production, “Into The Woods” (April 10 and 11)
• ICC Art Showcase at Cardinal Ritter High School: Scecina’s orchestra will provide entertainment (April 28)
• Spring Music Concert at Scecina (May 17)

Scecina Pipe and Drum Corps with the Kevin Barry Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians

On Tuesday, March 17, The Scecina Pipe and Drum Corps added Kelly green to their customary uniform of red and gold to represent the Crusaders in the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade held in downtown Indianapolis. Joseph Hegarty, Eamon Hegarty, Joseph Ritter and A.J. Gallagher had the privilege of marching with the Kevin Barry Division of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.

The Ancient Order of Hibernians is an Irish Catholic organization that was founded in the US in 1836. The Hibernians raise money for a variety of charities, and provide annual college scholarships to deserving students of Irish Heritage. Corps member Joseph Hegarty was one of this year’s scholarship recipients.

Their parade performance was just one of the events on the Pipe and Drum Corps busy St. Patrick’s Day schedule. They started the day with an appearance on Fox 59 News to promote the parade and other holiday festivities. After their television debut, the group joined the Emerald Society Pipers from the Indianapolis Fire Department for a concert at the Firefighter’s Union Hall. The musicians ended their day with a command performance at a ceremony honoring Joseph Dugan, Eamon and Joseph’s Grandfather, as the 2015 Irishman of the Year.

With their excellent musical skills, and professional manner, the Scecina Memorial High School Pipe and Drum Corps represented themselves, and all Crusaders, extremely well. They are just another reason that Scecina and its students are the Pride of the Eastside!

Scecina Memorial President Joe Therber (left) and Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard (second from right) join members of Scecina's Pipe and Drum Corps for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Emerson Corridor project.

By Cari Gallagher '93

Scecina Memorial High School President Joe Therber, Community Health Network leaders, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard and several Eastside community leaders stood together on May 20 to cut the ribbon on a project that significantly improves a busy Emerson Avenue from 16th Street to 21st Street. The $2.1 million initiative was funded in part by Community Health Network, the City of Indianapolis and the State of Indiana.

“Our city is filled with strong, vibrant neighborhoods because residents, businesses and local government agencies come together to improve the quality of life for all who call Indianapolis home,” said Mayor Ballard. “The new Emerson Avenue streetscape is a terrific example of how thoughtful investment by community partners can transform a neighborhood, and I thank Community Health Network for their commitment to this area.”

Among the projects planned are improved medians, upgraded traffic signals, new sidewalks, resurfaced roads, neighborhood gateway markers, new trees and landscaping, and a multi-use trail.

The Emerson Street Corridor Gateway Project received input from a number of neighborhood groups, including: Community Heights Neighborhood Association, Little Flower Neighborhood Association, Emerson Heights Community Organization, and the Irvington Development Association.

Joining President Therber to represent the Crusaders was the Scecina Pipe and Drum Corps. The group, which includes Joseph Hegarty ’15, Eamon Hegarty ’16, AJ Gallagher ’18, and Nate Gallagher ’25, entertained the crowd with classical Celtic melodies and crowd pleasing pop songs. The group also paid tribute to the Red and Gold with the playing of the Scecina Fight Song.

Click here to watch the dedication ceremony www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU3CkoFXiT0 

For more information on the project, visit eCommunity.com/east

By Cari Gallagher '93

It is the rare music group that can command an audience in the tens of thousands, but on May 2 and  May 16, that is exactly what the Scecina Rock Band did.

Making return appearances at the OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini Marathon and the Geist Half Marathon, Scecina’s talented singers and musicians performed for capacity crowds on both occasions. Their set list offers today’s most popular songs by Bastille and Imagine Dragons, as well as classic hits by the Beatles, The Jackson 5 and other iconic music legends.

Founded by Scecina math teacher John Riley, and originally intended as guitar club, the group has morphed into a full-blown rock and roll ensemble that includes 18 Scecina students divided into three bands: freshman, JV and varsity. This tiered system allows Crusader underclassmen a chance to be involved in one of the most popular clubs at Scecina, while learning the ins and outs of performance, musicality and showmanship from the more experienced juniors and seniors.

This year’s Rock Band is led by six members from the Class of 2015: drummer John Rash, guitarists Kevin Walters and Jack McLaughlin, bass player Audrey Petrone, Alex Verbarg on the trumpet, and singers Chastin Henley and Jessica Navarro.

Through the Scecina Rock Band program, students are exposed to a variety of music ranging from today’s top songs to classic hits made famous by their parents’ and grandparents’ generations. The groups perform across a wide range of musical genres as well, playing rock songs by The Kinks, catchy pop tunes by Megan Trainor, and country ballads by Dolly Parton.

It’s not too late to catch a performance by the Scecina Rock Band. The next stop on their summer tour is a gig at the Little Flower Parish Festival on Friday, May 29, from 5-8 p.m. They will follow that with two free concerts at the Holy Spirit Parish Festival on Thursday, July 9, from 4-9 p.m. and Saturday, July 11, from 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

By Beth Murphy

Scecina students found raising money for their school can be a lot of fun. This year’s Campus Crusade walkathon on May 11 now is in the history books, and it was a historic day.

Each year Scecina students and staff participate in the Campus Crusade walkathon to raise funds for important school missions. Here are some highlights of Campus Crusade 2015:

1. We walked off campus for the first time in many years, making it a true “walkathon” and a better experience for our students. Students and staff walked a 3-mile route around the Little Flower neighborhood.
2. Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Officers Mike Woida (father of Abby ’18) and Romeo Joson (father of Libby ’18) volunteered to helped mark the route and control traffic. Parents Debra Flynn, Barbara Frain, Judith Higgins and Amy Petrone volunteered at parent stations; and parents Julanne Sausser and Karen McInerney walked with the students.
3. Our local firefighters at Station 20 on Emerson Avenue led one lap of our route and also helped fill our dunk tank. They also gave our students a nice arcing spray from one of their hoses during the walk. Thank you, Station 20!
4. The senior class won a visit from the Wyliepalooza ice cream truck for being the top class in Campus Crusade participation with 56.9 percent of the class bringing in donations of $50 or more. Wyliepalooza operates a premium ice cream shop on East Washington Street in Irvington.
5. The sophomores raised the most money of the four classes, $3,518. The sophomores won the chance to throw at the dunk tank target for the first ceremonial dunking of Principal John Hegarty. 
6. The students raised $8,767 toward tuition assistance, to help their fellow students. They designated the remainder of the money for Student Life (clubs and athletics): $2,308.50; Academics: $1,158; Campus Ministry, $216.50; and Care of Campus (facilities): $330.
7. Twenty-six students each raised $100 or more for Campus Crusade: Matthew Baggott; Julia Blastic; Maria Cleary; Jodie Everhart; Sarah Flick; Regina Forster; Trevor Grismore; Jayla Henderson; Shelbie Lawson; Jacob Lenne; Destiny Price; Jaira Z. Salgado Soriano; Ashley Shaker; Craig Shaker; Will Therber; Grace Wright; Christian Schreiber; Mitchell Donlan; Spencer Douglas; Sabrina Georges; Aaron Lee; Koy Pruitt; Hunter Reese; Michael Rosswurm; Christian Schreiber; and Kaylee Thompson. These 26 students together raised $2,800!
8. The students who raised $100 or more were entered into a drawing for $250. The winner was senior Mitchell Donlan.
9. We had a dunk tank! President Joe Therber, principal John Hegarty and teachers Pat Tucker, Jeff Getty, Brad Purcell and Elijah Sanders, and director of communications Beth Murphy all got dunked by our students.
10. The students and the staff reached our goal by raising $14,000 to help our school. Thank you!

By Corinne Maue '16

Hi, I’m Corinne Maue and a senior at Scecina. I am the president and a founding member of Scecina’s Key Club, one of the newest extracurriculars Scecina offers. Key Club is a service club supported by Kiwanis International, with the core values of caring, inclusiveness, character building, and leadership.

This June, I attended a meeting at the Kiwanis Club of Northwest Indianapolis, from which we are sponsored. The primary purpose of this meeting was to induct the new Key Club officers for each of their sponsored schools, and to congratulate the winners of college scholarships they offer. One of our Key Club members, Andi Douthitt ’15, won the Mason Bell Scholarship, which is given to a senior who demonstrates excellent citizenship, respect for others, and displays leadership. The Northwest Kiwanis Club gave us our start, and we were grateful for this meeting an opportunity to thank them again.

Scecina’s Key Club got its start in May 2013, thanks to Mrs. Alyssa Chase-Rebein. Mrs. Chase-Rebein is a Scecina parent, and is involved with the Kiwanis Club of Northwest Indianapolis. Kiwanis is an international volunteer organization headquartered here in Indianapolis, which is dedicated to serving our community. Kiwanis sponsors Key Clubs, the high school version of a Kiwanis club, throughout the nation. As a member at Northwest Kiwanis, Mrs. Chase-Rebein saw the opportunity to bring a Key Club to Scecina, and our club was given its spark. After months of formation, we were officially chartered in January 2014 and have been working to serve Scecina and the Indianapolis community ever since.

Being in Key Club has been an incredible experience, and I have learned so much from it. I have served as president of our Key Club for the 2014-2015 school year, and will continue in this position until I graduate in May. My fellow officers (Ria Rebein ’16, Maggie Mayer ’16, Lea Thompson ’16, Brandon Schroedle ’16, Sean Murphy ’16, and Lauren Ryan ’16) and I are thrilled to lead the club this year, and are making plans to improve upon our service from last year.

This past year, we have worked hard to complete many different service projects. Some of these included making Valentines for Veterans, cleaning Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and the Scecina batting cages, and leading our second annual Coat Drive for Catholic Charities. Our goal for the 2015-2016 school year is to complete at least one service project per month.

We, the members of Key Club, would like to thank the Scecina students, faculty, and community for their support and welcome any students wanting to join us. If you have any questions, please email us at scecinahskeyclub@gmail.com or stop by our weekly Tuesday morning meeting.

By Beth Murphy

Scecina’s Advanced Choir and Orchestra performed their second annual Sacred Music concert on Oct. 21 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church to a great and enthusiastic crowd.

“I thought the concert went very well,” said Scecina music teacher Donnie Glowinski, who directs the choir and orchestra. “The students performed challenging music, some of it beyond their skill level, and did a great job making it musical.”

Glowinski said he listens and searches through the summer to find the right music to appeal to the students and fit the “sacred music” category.

This year’s concert featured unique choices such as “Bring Him Home” from “Les Miserables,” featuring senior Py Khonwai as soloist; “He Lives in You,” from “The Lion King;” and “Baba Yetu,” which written as a video game theme.

“Baba Yetu" is the first song written for a video game (“Civilization IV") to win a Grammy. The lyrics are a Swahili-language translation of The Lord’s Prayer. Scecina’s rendition featured a solo by Scecina guitarist Clay Garner.

Scecina violinist Lauren Gray performed alone for “Remembrance” by John Williams and also was the featured soloist for “Psalm 8 (Adonai, Adonenu)” by Dan Forrest.

The program also included “River Flows in You,” “The Blessing,” “Singabahambayo,” "Where True Joy is Found," “A Prayer for Peace” from the movie “Munich,” and “On a Hymnsong of Philip Bliss.”

Glowinski conducted the first Sacred Music concert last year at Little Flower Catholic Church with plans to continue in future years by rotating through the East Deanery churches. The date and church for the 2016 concert are still to be determined.