BI Word - April 2025

Vol. 6 April 2025

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Meet The Staff Annaliese Ludvigson: Senior, Co-Editor

JD Toof: Senior, Reporter

Tyler Richards: Senior, Co-Editor

Hannah Cohen: Junior, Reporter

Anna Wisneski: Senior, Co-Editor

Zoe Lembelembe: Junior, Reporter

Delaney Scanlon: Senior, Co-Editor

Emme Schuety: Sophomore, Reporter

Amelia Martinez: Senior, Reporter

Ava Morse: Sophomore, Reporter

Gigi Knight: Senior, Reporter

Ryan Keefe: Sophomore, Reporter

Abi Jiron: Senior, Reporter 2

Bishop Ireton Unveils new Chapel, Strengthening Faith and Community By: Emme Schuety At Bishop Ireton, our Christ-centered mission calls us to keep Jesus at the heart of all we do. Now, with the completion of a beautiful new chapel, we have a sacred place that welcomes all and strengthens our faith as a community.

After more than a year of construction, Bishop Ireton’s new chapel is finally finished, marking a significant milestone for our school, especially our 60th year and the Year of Jubilee, or Hope, as decreed by the Pope. This welcoming space, which now accommodates 125 people, double the capacity as before, stands as a testament to the dedication and hard work of the Ireton staff, diocese, and construction team.

One of the chapel’s most striking features is its stunning stained-glass windows, which are also a favorite of Father Noah. “Not only do these windows bring in incredible light, but they also tell a story,” he shares. The windows show sacred moments, including the Annunciation, Jesus teaching the nations, the life of St. Francis de Sales, and the presence of the Holy Spirit, offering inspiration to all who enter. Another prominent feature of the chapel is the bell tower, which Ms. Kathleen McNutt says demonstrates God's glory through its beauty and shows all who enter who we are as a Catholic school.

On March 21, 2025, Bishop Burbidge visited Bishop Ireton for a special altar dedication. This event, attended by Ms. Kathleen McNutt, the Head of School, faculty and special guests, honored the significance of the new space and encouraged the community to experience its peaceful presence. Father Noah emphasizes that the chapel is for everyone at Bishop Ireton, a place to unite in worship and reflection. “I hope that people will continue to feel welcome here, to come and pray, not just for themselves, but for the whole community.” Father Noah says, “There is so much to pray for, but we must always remember that Jesus is here. He hears us. He is waiting for us in the tabernacle.”

With the new space, comes new opportunities. Father Noah plans to hold Eucharistic Adoration, confessions, Holy Hours, and class visits to deepen students’ spiritual lives. Though the construction journey had its challenges, he believes that patience and teamwork made the project a success.

Mrs. McNutt reminds us that hope is a precious gift and that it is something we should all have. “This chapel certainly gives me hope that future Cardinals will continue to be inspired to visit Jesus through the Eucharist and find God in the beautiful silence of a sacred space.” she says.

“The chapel is a reflection of who we are as living stones, building the Body of Christ,” Father Noah says.

If you haven’t yet, we hope you take a moment to visit the new chapel and witness the dedication and faith that are now reflected in this remarkable space of worship.

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Meet The Cast Bishop Ireton’s exciting spring musical, Guys and Dolls, is coming to a close after a successful first weekend of shows! The four lead characters of the show, along with the rest of the Bishop Ireton Theater Arts family, have been working extremely hard to master this piece, so we hope you come show your Cardinal support!

Showing April 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 Donovan Furey (senior) “I have personally grown so much in my time in Bishop Ireton Theater, and Guys and Dolls has been the perfect show to bookend my experience here. My character, Sky Masterson, is a high-rolling gambler with a bunch of fun songs and dances. My favorite dance takes place in Havana, Cuba, which has given me the opportunity to learn a new dance style, as well as do some cool lifts! I hope everyone who comes to see the show has a blast!”

Erin Allen (sophomore)

Hutson Anguita (senior)

"Guys and Dolls has been such an exciting opportunity for me.

Playing Sarah Brown has been a real privilege and has allowed me to grow in my singing and acting technique, while also allowing me to have so much genuine fun on stage. The music is gorgeous, the show is just so charming, and everyone in the cast and crew has done an excellent job of bringing it to life!”

“One of the things that I'm most excited about in this show is most definitely all the music and dance numbers, specifically Nathan and Adelaide's duet. Being completely honest, I didn't think I was going to get the role of Nathan, but I think I've improved a lot and I'm excited to see the reactions of my family and friends!”

Bethany Tilahun (junior) “Playing Adelaide in Guys and Dolls has been such a fun and exciting experience! I love how she brings comedic relief while also being a heartfelt lover-girl on stage. I'm especially excited about her big musical numbers, and performing with her talented Hot Box girls. I can't wait to bring this show to life with the help of our wonderful cast, crew, choreographers, and directors!”

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Believe: A Champion Origin Story Written By: Annaliese Ludvigson and J.D. Toof The Bishop Ireton Girls Basketball Team has carved its name in history, capturing the Throne National Championship Title as the #6 seed—a testament to their grit, resilience, and unshakable teamwork. Their journey was nothing short of remarkable, with a season that began back in August, filled with early mornings, late-night shootarounds, and countless hours of dedication. Reflecting on the experience, Senior Jaylen Manning shared that the most satisfying win came against Bishop McNamara, a team to whom they had fallen three times before, making their semifinal victory “a true full-circle moment.” She emphasized the bond and relentless work ethic that fueled their success, proving that their team was something special.

Ending the season with back-to-back state titles and now a national championship, they never lost their intensity, making the victory even sweeter. As the seniors prepare for the next chapter, Jaylen expressed, on their behalf, bittersweet emotions, cherishing the relationships she built while feeling confident in carrying the heart and life lessons from high school to college. Senior Anaya Wilson had this to say: “Winning a national championship was one of the best feelings I've ever felt, and it feels even better that I got to do it with my favorite people.”

Coaches and players alike shared their mantra to “believe” in themselves and their ability to achieve greatness. MVP Nyla Brooks had one final message about their accomplishment, “Our biggest thing was to Believe; we did that and won a National Championship, which was a great feeling ending my senior year.”

Shooting guard and senior Kayla Washington reiterated Brooks’ point, stating that the team “has always preached to believe in what we want to accomplish.” “It was that belief,” Washington says, “that made [them] National Champions.” In her celebration speech at the “Cardinals Crowning,” Coach Kesha Walton spotlighted her word of the season: “Believe.” She highlighted the importance of the team’s losses as valuable moments for growth and emphasized their endless tenacity, faith, and achievement. “They accomplished the goals they set out for the season,” she said. “Winning Nationals capped off an amazing season filled with hard work, talent, and BELIEF.” Congratulations to the entire team on this incredible achievement—you have made your fellow Cardinals proud!

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Wheels of Kindness: Honoring a Bus Driver Who Goes the Extra Mile By: Emme Schuety Bus Driver Appreciation Day is officially on April 21, 2025, but every day is a celebration for Mr. Charles Hawkins, Bishop Ireton’s beloved bus driver. Better known as Mr. Charles, he has been with Bishop Ireton for 15 years, driving the Bishop Ireton bus for 12 of them. Mr. Charles “likes making everybody happy and driving safely,” which can be felt in how the students react to seeing him when they walk on the red and white Bishop Ireton bus. Senior Brady Mull, an Ireton baseball player, raves, “Mr. Charles is one of my favorite people at the school. He’s a very underrated individual and he does so much for all of us. He’s always so happy and excited to be with us.” Sophomore Emmy Shuety rides the bus to and from the Metro and shares her thoughts about Mr. Charles: “I ride the bus in the morning and he is so nice! He always says good morning and is so kind to everyone on the bus.”

Even during the interview, Mr. Charles sported a smile and chuckle when describing his job.

He drove the National Champion Ireton Girls Basketball team back to school after their victory and was so excited. “I thought that was such a great thing for them!,” he said. Mr. Charles knows that driving the students is his number one priority. “I drive at a safe speed and get them there on time so they feel good because sometimes when they are late, they don’t feel good and don’t play as good so I try and get them there on time.”

Ms. Kaitlyn Gerke sums up how everyone feels, “For the last seven years, anytime the Swim and Dive team has to take the bus I cross my fingers we get Mr. Charles. His contagious laugh and smile always make our bus rides! Although his interactions with coaches, teachers, and students are brief, they are impactful. We are lucky to have him as part of the Cardinal community.”

Thank you to Mr. Charles - we appreciate you on April 21st and every day!

Ms. Ashley Perez, Asst. Athletic Director with Mr. Charles

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Imagine This...

By Ryan Keefe My favorite book series is “What if you had an animal ‘something?’” because it shows what you can do if you had something like an animal nose, feet, eyes, etc. It is cool to imagine what you would look like if you had an animal nose, but even cooler to learn what special thing you could do with that nose. The books also help you learn about animals and what they use these things of theirs for. My personal favorite book in the series is, “What if you had an animal home?” because it is possible to have a home like theirs. If I had an animal home, I would choose either the beehive because you would have room service or the termite because you could shape into the room of your dreams.

What would you choose? Here are a few examples from the book series: If you had three-toed sloth hair you’d make lots of friends.

If you had great horned owl ears you’d be a star at Marco Polo.

If you had a rhinoceros nose you’d be the perfect body guard.

Bishop Ireton’s faculty and students told me what they would want to have: Kate Hare - Black Bear Black Bear means you'd only spend the winter there, but you'd by comfy for months.

Emily Christensen - Bowerbird Bowerbird means you'd be the neighborhood decorating contest's biggest winner.

Mr. Mike Lewis - Beehive Beehive means you'd have your own room plus room service.

Ms. Mary Kate Wiedemer - Hermit Crab Shell Hermit Crab means you'd have shelter wherever you go.

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April Strands

By Abi Jion and Tyler Richards

S P R L SO T I B O SM AN S F A L Hint: April showers bring May flowers. X GR E L L S E T WO E R A S I GR A ETMI E I NE R E S 7 Theme words

(Key on back page)

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Have a safe and happy Easter and Spring Break, Cardinals!

Answer Key:

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