brothers mean BUSINESS

and maintain bridges between CBHS and the local business community, creating unique partnerships and professional development opportunities for CBHS students.”

Council members also serve as guest speakers, lead career discussions and offer networking opportunities for students.

To be eligible, Rishi had to be a senior with at least a 3.0 GPA. And, per CBHS regulations, he had to have no unexcused and less than five excused absences during the year prior to the internship, as well as no tardies during the year prior to the internship. It goes without saying that a candidate, such as Rishi, had to be in good standing with no history of discipline issues. The school wants to be sure that a student can proudly represent CBHS in the workplace.

After satisfying those requirements, Rishi submitted his application at least two months prior to the beginning of the semester during which he wanted to complete his internship. He also had to configure his class schedule to accommodate a work schedule during either 1st-3rd period or 6th-8th period.

“In Rishi’s case, he is tackling a heavy-duty course load to round out his high school career, going to class for five periods a day, then reporting to work daily from 1 to 5 in the audit department at Reynolds Bone & Griesbeck,” explained Currey. “His internship will count towards his graduation requirements as a 1/2 credit elective per semester.”

“Having this internship has given me a better understanding of the inner workings of an accounting firm,” said Rishi. “This real-world experience adds greatly to my classroom learning and has shown me that accounting is a good career choice for me. I’m extremely grateful to Mr. Currey and Coach Kelso for giving me this opportunity. It is the first time that we’ve had this internship and I hope it opens doors for other students in the future.”

"Rishi has been an extremely valuable asset to Reynolds Bone & Griesbeck,” said Mary Apple, Human Resources manager. “During his time with RBG, he has helped with work paper organization, distribution testing, sample selection, census reconciliation, forensic audits, internal control reconciliation testing, and external audit preparation. Coworkers describe Rishi as personable, agreeable, hardworking, and eager to learn. We are grateful to have Rishi on the RBG team!”

“Rishi’s experience speaks to the opportunities that can arise from our alumni's strong commitment to giving back to their alma mater," Brummer concluded. "It also demonstrates a concerted effort on Christian Brothers' part to engage local, CBHS-affiliated companies to connect with students interested in pursuing a career in business beyond high school. These connections are symbolic of the generational support we see daily at CBHS. Our community is helping set our students up for long-term success.”

Emily Adams Keplinger is a Memphisbased freelance writer, editor, and the proud mother of a Brothers' Boy, Ellis Adams Keplinger '16.

By Emily Adams Keplinger

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, students at CBHS are continuing to receive a robust education, both in and out of the classroom. A key component to the education being received outside of the classroom is the school's internship program, which places qualified students as interns with local businesses, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies.

According to Dr. Jamie Brummer, principal at CBHS, "The empirical knowledge they gain through internships gives them a leg up in college and with post-graduate job placement.”

The internship program guidelines stipulate that, “Students eligible for the program spend a semester gaining valuable hands-on experience in a professional organization related to their specific career interests. The internship opportunity is accomplished by a partnership between CBHS and an employer, where an agreement is made to manage and complete specific objectives established prior to beginning the internship for the purpose of maximizing professional growth for students, as well as defining what success looks like for all parties involved.”

One such intern is senior Rishi Patel, who plans to major in accounting in college.

“Rishi took Accounting I as a sophomore and Honors Accounting as a junior,” said Rob Currey, AP Economics teacher and chairman of the Business Department.

“He wanted to do more his senior year, so he entered our internship program. His accounting teacher, Buster Kelso, reached out to CBHS alumni and supporters at Reynolds Bone & Griesbeck, one of the largest accounting firms in Memphis.”

“In Rishi’s case, he is going to do this internship all school year, not just for a semester,” said Kelso. “This could be the first time that a high school student has worked at a CPA firm as an intern locally. The experience Rishi is getting is above and beyond what most high school students usually get to experience.”

Currey also serves as the school liaison for its Business Advisory Council, composed of CBHS alumni and other friends of the school who want to have a stake in the business education of students. The council is in its third year, meeting quarterly when possible to advise the school about what employers want in the workforce, which in turn impacts what is taught in the classroom.

Dan Robinson '78, Business Council member and attorney at Evans Petree PC, added, “Our council provides guidance and support to the business faculty and CBHS administration regarding the development and maintenance of a powerful, relevant, and unique high school business program. Our goals are to build

On November 21, we began the year-long celebration of our school's sesquicentennial anniversary in 2021, marking the Christian Brothers' arrival in Memphis and honoring their imprint on the generations of Brothers' Boys who have walked our halls since 1871. We celebrated Mass with Bishop Talley in St. Peter's Catholic Church (West Tennessee's oldest), mere blocks from our first campus on Adams Avenue, complete with a performance by our historic Band of Brothers. That evening, we recognized this year's distinguished alumnus, J. Richard Buchignani '66 among his peers, fellow alumni, and longtime school supporters.

1) Br. Chris Englert joins Band Director Patrick Bolton '95 and Br. David Poos for a performance by the CBHS historic band.

2) Beth and J. Richard Buchignani '66 following his acceptance of the 2020 Distinguished Alumnus Award 3) David Cook '69 and wife Theresa following Mass 4) Bishop Talley celebrates Mass at St. Peter's Catholic Church brothers’ open friday nights at tom nix stadium alumni golf tournament

Our alumni events were a bit different this year, but what we lacked in numbers, we made up in spirit!