The Shield, Summer 2024

The Shield

Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School

The Shield

Summer 2024

Editor

Jennifer Smith

Director of Marketing & Communications

Contributors

Michelle Barber Director of Advancement

Emily Clavin ‘09 Community Development Manager

Dana Hanson Freelance Marketing

Jill Hobbs Jill Hobbs Photography

Lori Jones Executive Assistant to the President

Gavin Richardson Photography

How to Reach Us

The Shield Magazine

Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School 117 Caldwell Drive Hendersonville, Tennessee 37075

Email: jennifer.smith@jp2prep.org Facebook & Instagram: @jpiiknights

Our Mission

Inspired by Faith, Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School prepares students to be strong in mind, body, character, and spirit for lives of learning and service, according to the Gospel.

On the Cover

Eucharistic Procession - Pope Week Celebration

Photo by Jill Hobbs

On this Page

Parking Lot Chalk Art - Pope Week Celebration

Photo by Jill Hobbs

www.jp2prep.org

from the office of the PRESIDENT

Christ - Above All Things!

Dear Friends in the JPII Community,

My first year at Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School has been a great grace. It has been a time of looking back into the history of JPII so we can move forward with strength and clarity. I have listened to pleased and proud members of our community from years past and those who have just joined our family. I have heard countless stories about the founding days as well as periods of joy and goodness throughout the 23-year history. It is clear to me, that at our best, we have understood that each student entrusted to our care has a unique soul with a unique potential. This potential is achieved in a community of care bound in Christ. At our best, we have been a school where the standards are high, but the care for each student is even higher.

As I was listening all year, we were at the same time clarifying what the mission is of a Catholic School internally. I am very thankful to the faculty and staff who deeply engaged in discussion and dialogue over a book entitled, The Holy See’s Teaching on Catholic Schools. These teachings were centered on five marks of faithful Catholic Schools: 1. Inspired by a Supernatural Vision, 2. Founded on a Christian Anthropology, 3. Animated by Communion and Community, 4. Imbued with a Catholic Worldview Throughout Its Curriculum, 5. Sustained by Gospel Witness.

This year-long study has given JPII a common internal understanding and language about our mission. For example, the faculty believes and can articulate a supernatural vision of education that changes everything. They treasure that each student in front of them is immortal; that is, destined for heaven. The faculty are certainly developing minds and skills that will make students exceptional citizens of the United States of America, but they understand that the end game is much greater and that the education at JPII keeps one eye on the eternal. This works in concert with the fact that we are founded on Christian Anthropology. God is the author of life and the human person; therefore, all people, at all stages of life, have inherent dignity and should be cherished.

Likewise, I have been very pleased with Mrs. Dye and the Department Chairs as they are in the process of looking for natural intersections between our Christian faith and what is taught in the classroom. This strategic goal will have a profound impact over time. Where our current American culture is in line with God and His laws, it will reinforce them, and where the current culture deviates from God’s commandments, it will show a different path – a path toward what is good, beautiful, and true.

One of my favorite quotes from our beloved patron, Pope Saint John Paul II, has guided my work within Catholic Schools for years: “The greatest challenge to Catholic education in the United States,

and the greatest contribution that authentically Catholic education can make to American culture, is to restore to that culture that conviction that human beings can grasp the truth of things and in grasping the truth, can know their duties to God, to themselves and their neighbors.” Of course, the truth in the end is a person – Christ who came to set all of us free. It is in relationship with the Truth that our students understand who they are and what their purpose is, all bound in the care and demands of a God who loves them more than they can possibly imagine.

With our institutional clarity at an extremely high level, we can focus strategically on the future of the school academically and spiritually, as well as in the arts and athletics. At the same time, after much feedback from many constituents, we are progressing nicely through the Campus Master Plan process. We have engaged an architectural firm and will be able to unveil a 20-year plan by February 2025.

We ended the 2023-2024 school year with grateful hearts, and we begin the 2024-2025 school year with great hope knowing that as we put Christ Above All Things and submit our hearts to Him, he will direct the path of this beautiful school.

Peace and All Good,

Erick Chittle, Ph.D. President

“Faith leads us beyond ourselves.”

— Pope Saint John Paul II

Congratulations to the Pope John Paul II Preparatory School Class of 2024!

The 120 students in the Class of 2024 have been accepted to 154 colleges and universities (listed below) in 34 different states and 4 different countries. They will be attending 46 colleges and universities (in bold) in 16 states. The Class of 2024 includes 15 athletes who have signed to play their sport at the collegiate level. In addition, the members of the Class of 2024 volunteered over 15,000 hours of service to communities in the greater Nashville area.

Congratulations to the Pope John Paul II Class of 2024!

Alabama A&M University

Alabama State University

Appalachian State University

Auburn University

Austin Peay State University

Bard College

Baylor University

Bellarmine University

Belmont Abbey College

Belmont University Berry College

Bethune-Cookman University

Bryant University

Campbellsville University

Carson-Newman University

Case Western Reserve University Centre College

Charleston Southern University

Clark Atlanta University

Clemson University

Coastal Carolina University

College of Charleston

Colorado School of Mines

Colorado State University

Columbia State

Community College

Converse University

Cumberland University

DePaul University

East Carolina University

East Tennessee State University

Elizabeth City State University

Elon University

Florida Atlantic University

Florida Gulf Coast University

Florida Institute of Technology

Florida Memorial University

Florida State University

Fordham University

Georgia Institute of Technology

Georgia Southern University

Hampton University

High Point University

Hillsdale College

Hofstra University

Indiana Institute of Technology

Indiana University

Iowa State University

Jackson State University

Kentucky Wesleyan College

King’s College London

Lindenwood University

Lipscomb University

Louisiana State University

Loyola Marymount University

Loyola University Chicago

McKendree University

Miami University (Oxford)

Michigan State University

Michigan Technological University

Middle Tennessee State University

Midway University

Mississippi State University

Montana State University

Morehead State University

Murray State University

Nebraska Wesleyan University

North Carolina Central University

North Carolina State University

North Park University

Northern Illinois University

Northwestern University

NYU Shanghai

Ohio University (Main Campus)

Oklahoma State University

Palm Beach Atlantic University

Penn State University

Presbyterian College

Queens University of Charlotte

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rhodes College Roanoke College

Rockhurst University

Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

Rutgers University (New Brunswick)

Rutgers University (Newark)

Saint Louis University

Saint Mary’s College

Samford University

San Diego State University

Savannah College of Art and Design

School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Seton Hall University

Sewanee: The University of the South Shaw University

Southern California Institute of Architecture

Southern University and A&M College

Tennessee State University

Tennessee Technological University

Texas Southern University

Texas Tech University

The University of Alabama

The University of Manchester

The University of Tampa

The University of Tennessee (Chattanooga)

The University of Tennessee (Knoxville)

The University of Tennessee (Martin)

Transylvania University

Trevecca Nazarene University

Tuskegee University

United States Military Academy at West Point

University of Alabama at Birmingham

University of Alabama in Huntsville

University of Arizona

University of Central Florida

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Connecticut

University of Dayton

University of Evansville

University of Florida

University of Georgia

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

University of Kansas

University of Kentucky

University of Louisville

University of Maine at Farmington

University of Maryland

Eastern Shore

University of Memphis

University of Miami

University of Michigan

University of Mississippi

University of Nebraska

University of Notre Dame

University of Oklahoma

University of Oregon

University of San Francisco

University of South Alabama

University of South Carolina

University of South Carolina (Beaufort)

University of South Florida

University of Southern Maine

University of St Andrews

University of the Cumberlands

University of Vermont

University of Wisconsin (Eau Claire)

University of Wisconsin (Superior)

University of York

Vanderbilt University

Volunteer State

Community College

Warner University

Western Carolina University

Western Kentucky University

William Penn University

Wofford College

Xavier University

a message from the BOARD PRESIDENT

Dear JPII Community,

As my final term comes to a close as president of the Board of Trustees (BOT) for JPII, it felt appropriate to reflect and share some thoughts from the past six years. Borrowing from the current social media acronym IYKYK (“If you know, you know”), I was reminded that several of you may not “know” about some of the key outcomes of the recent work of the Board of Trustees.

We made progress on the following initiatives: approving the creation of the middle school program, restructuring the school’s organizational leadership model, updating institutional board by-laws, identifying the next phase of leadership, creating the strategic plan, changing the legal/business entity name, and paying off the original school loan. (As a reminder, the BOT is a partner to the administration and the Diocese of Nashville that is focused on the stability and future of the institution, not the day-to-day activities of the school.)

The above milestones are all aligned to the mission of JPII. That said, there have been moments where hindsight or situations allowed us to learn. The BOT never wavered in their commitment to the JPII family. To the past and present trustees who have been a part of this journey, thank you for the partnership. It has been a blessing to have served on the BOT, and my level of confidence has never been higher for what the future holds for JPII.

To the alumni, I encourage you all to remember where you came from: JPII. Give your resources of time, money, goodwill, and prayers. Life happens, but don’t allow high school to be an afterthought. Be a part of building traditions and a future where others may “know what you know.”

God bless,

Russell Marino Jr. 21-24 President, Board of Trustees

2024-25 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Mr. Edward Pearson Jr., President

Ms. Karen Phillips, President Delegate

Mrs. Angela Bagsby, Chair of Academics & Mission Committee

Mrs. Sharon Edwards, Chair of Finance, Building, & Grounds Committee

Mr. Cameron Goss, Chair of Admissions & Marketing Committee

Mr. Chris Meffe, Chair of Development Committee

Father John Sims Baker

Ms. Ashley Fox ‘09

Mr. Alex Isaacson ‘10

Mr. Jonathan Langlois

Mr. Zach Pelka ‘13

Mr. Lucas Pulliza ‘14

Dr. Stewart Stowers

Mr. Terry Wallace

Father Austin Gilstrap, Ex officio

JPII LEADERSHIP TEAM

Dr. Erick Chittle, President

Mrs. Jennifer Dye, Principal

Mrs. Michelle Barber, Director of Advancement

Mrs. Emily Clavin ‘09, Community Development Manager

Mrs. Lori Jones, Executive Asst. to the President

Father Nonso Ohanaka, Chaplain

Mrs. Jennifer Smith, Director of Marketing & Communications

Mrs. Laura Thigpen, CFO/COO

Mr. David Uyl, Interim Athletic Director

Dr. Charles Wade, Director of Enrollment Management

RETURNING TO OUR ROOTS

A renewed focus on our namesake Pope Saint John Paul II allowed us to lean on our founding principles as we look toward the future.

by Erick Chittle, Ph.D.

At the end of April, our entire community, along with special guests, gathered in the school’s courtyard in the shadow of our great namesake’s statue for a special blessing from Father Ohanaka. Afterward, we celebrated the 10th anniversary of the canonization of Pope Saint John Paul II with the Sacrament and the Word during a beautiful all-school Mass. This special day marked the second community-wide celebration in his honor this year. Our week-long celebration in October, affectionately called “Pope Week,” culminated with a day of activities that drew us closer to the values of our beloved patron Saint. Both celebrations of our namesake have allowed our community to pause and reflect on the beauty of a modern-day Saint who lived a life pointed toward Christ. How blessed we are to have such an example in Pope Saint John Paul II! Our renewed focus on the life and ministry of our namesake also signifies something greater for our community. Revealed throughout our twoyear strategic planning process and expressed overwhelmingly through surveys, focus groups, and conversations, we have a united desire to return to the foundational values of our school’s beginning and to the vision and intention of our first benefactors: Bishop Edward Kmiec, Ann and Monroe Carell, and many others in the Diocese of Nashville. In 1997, Bishop Kmiec arranged a papal audience for Ann and Monroe Carell, who were deeply moved by their meeting with a man who, according to Mrs. Ann Carell, had a “beautiful aura of bright light” around him and “would surely be a Saint.” So inspired by their meeting, the Carells endowed our school with its principal gift to create a place where young people may “exercise their talents that they may later enlist those talents in the service of this world that God has made.” Thanks to the Carells and other benefactors and visionaries, Bishop Kmiec confidently answered Pope Saint John Paul II’s direct question in a later meeting about what he was doing for the young people: “We are building a new high school for the young people!”

Our founders’ intentions for this new high school reflected the call of Pope Saint John Paul II to the young people of the world: “Education in Christian life is not limited to encouraging the individual’s spiritual growth Familiarity with the Lord, when it is genuine, necessarily leads us to think, choose and act as Christ thought, chose and acted, putting ourselves at His disposal in order to continue his saving work” (World Youth Day, 1997).

The founding faculty also found inspiration from the life of Pope Saint John Paul II, who was a scholar, athlete, artist, and most importantly, a deeply faithful and ecumenical man who had tremendous hope for the youth of the world to become the “saints of the new millennium” (World Youth Day, 1999). Our programs have always been driven by our mission to “prepare students to be strong in mind, body, character, and spirit for lives of learning and service, according to the Gospel.” We have a mission that reveals both the life of our patron Saint and our vision for our graduates who will use their vocations and careers to bring goodness, truth, and beauty into the world.

In our recently published Vision 2028 strategic plan, our renewed and sharpened vision for the formation of our students mirrored Pope Saint John Paul II’s challenge to “not be content with anything less than the highest ideals!” (World Youth Day, 2001). Although this principal belief has guided our faculty for over twenty years, we are enlivened by the call for Catholic schools to form students who “should learn to transform culture in light of the Gospel” (The Holy See’s Teaching on Catholic Schools, 2006). Future priorities will be pointed to this ideal we have for our graduates, which is expressed in our new vision statement: “to form young people who love God, self, and neighbor, seek Truth, serve others, and lead courageously.”

As a result of our desire to return to the ideals modeled by Pope Saint John Paul II, the executive leadership team and the Board of Trustees have decided to change our school’s official name to Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School and to return to using our beloved nickname: JPII.

Adding “Saint” to our name both honors the canonization of Pope Saint John Paul II and clarifies our desire for our students to see his life and the lives of all of the Saints as models for living lives that put Christ - Above All Things Using JPII as our nickname creates a more consistent acknowledgment of the man who became a Saint and who reminded young people to “follow Jesus!” (World Youth Day, 1996).

We acknowledge the transitioning to a new name and reviving our previous nickname comes only a few years after our previous name change. That change to “Pope Prep,” although well-intentioned, has drawn us away from the clarity of who we are and the intentions of our founders. However, we believe the renewed focus on our founding values inspired by Pope Saint John Paul II will guide us as we not only honor our past successes, but also envision a future where our institutional culture is evermore grounded in Christ.

Our hope is that this change to our school’s name will be met with the spirit in which we made the prayerful decision, echoed by so many voices calling us back to our founding values, with faith that our hearts and minds are pointed toward leading our students to Christ. Pope Saint John Paul II once said, “It is important, my dear friends, to learn to observe the signs with which God is calling us and guiding us. When we are conscious of being led by Him, our heart experiences authentic and deep joy as well as a powerful desire to meet Him and a persevering strength to follow Him obediently” (World Youth Day, 2005).

Pope Saint John Paul II, pray for us!

ANN & MONROE CARELL

BISHOP KMIEC BREAKS GROUND

POPE WEEK CHALK ART

KNIGHT NEWS & notable moments

July 2023

New Parent Socials

Parents of new students joining the JPII family in the fall were invited to New Parent Nights and met faculty and staff as well as representatives from the Parent Association (PAC), the Knight Athletic Club (KAC) and the Fine Arts Booster (FAB).

Xavier Burval Earns Perfect Score

Xavier Burval ‘24 earned a perfect score on the ACT. Burval is an Eagle Scout, member of the Robotics and Math team, and a musician in Symphonic and Jazz bands.

Tate Scholars

Golden Tate ‘07 came home to mentor young athletes during the Tate Athletic Skills Clinic with the help of the football team and his former teammate Brian Sneed ‘06. Following the clinic, Tate presented awards to the newlynamed “Tate Scholars”: Thomas Ajak ‘24, Katie Shea Collins ‘24, Patrick Collins ‘24, Maria Gbadebo ‘24, Olivia Sabino ‘24, and Will Spence ‘24.

House Council Summer Retreat (1)

The JPII House Council met on campus during the summer to pray for their fellow students and teachers, plan for house meetings, and prepare for the new school year as student leaders.

New Student Orientation (3,4)

Incoming students joined their new classmates after being sorted into their houses for mini-house games and an ice cream social. Congrats to the House of Pius for winning the kick-off mini-games!

August 2023

Senior Blessing and First Day of School (2)

The class of 2024 began their senior year of high school with traditional balloons, backpacks, and a blessing from Fr. Ohanaka. In remembrance of their classmate Chase Edwards, they released (environmentally friendly) balloons into the rainy morning sky.

Assumption of Mary

The first all-school Mass of the year was celebrated on the feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

Welcome New Faculty and Staff

Eleven new faculty and staff joined JPII in August. These new members of the community came from as far away as New York City and from as close as Vanderbilt University.

FFE Kickoff

The Fund For Excellence Kickoff took place during a Knights football tailgate.

September 2023

National Merit Semifinalists

Eight seniors earned recognition in the National Merit Competition: Xavier Burval ‘24 and Joseph Collins ‘24 were named National Merit Semifinalists, and Marie Gbadedo ‘24, Nathaniel Jones ‘24, Sarah Joseph ‘24, Lauryn Stewart ‘24, Luke Waites ‘24, and Alyssa Willard ‘24 were named National Merit Commended Scholars.

College Fair (5)

The annual College Fair was attended by nearly 100 college and university representatives. High school students had the opportunity to sign mailing lists, pick up materials, and ask questions in order to help them and their families discern their next steps in higher education and future careers.

Homecoming Court (6)

Chelsea Herauf ‘24, escorted by Connor Lynn ‘24, was crowned Homecoming Queen. Members of the court include Nina Houdeshell ‘24, escorted by Fred Bailey ‘24; Brooke Wermus ‘24 escorted by Sean Meffe ‘24; Morgan King ‘25, escorted by Blane Borum ‘25; Ansley Rice ‘25, escorted by Jack Davidson ‘25; Emily Tripp ‘26, escorted by Duncan St. Francis ‘26; and Abby Brizzolara ‘27, escorted by Matthew Ajak ‘27.

Service Fair

The annual Service Fair gave local nonprofit organizations and student service leaders the opportunity to connect with students. In turn, students were enabled to ask questions about the mission of each organization as they developed their Service Learning plan for the year.

October 2023

Spelling Bee (7)

Spencer Borum ‘30 won the JPII middle school Spelling Bee and went on to represent JPII in the Diocesan Regional Bee in November.

Celebration ‘23

Celebration ‘23 took place on October 23rd. A fantastic evening was had by all guests who came out to support JPII during our largest fundraiser of the year.

Pope Week/JPII Feast Day

Pope Week ‘23 included daily JPII trivia, a JPII themed assembly, an all-school Mass celebrated by Bishop Spalding, house competitions, and a Eucharistic procession with the whole student body.

Confirmation Mass (9)

Seven students were confirmed at an all school Mass with Bishop Spalding: Emerson Birchmeier ‘25, Kellan Crean ‘24, Analeigh Donovan ‘24, Hayley Dugger ‘24, James Dugger ‘24, Trent Godbey ‘27, and Ethan Llanos ‘26.

Hispanic Heritage Month

Lilah Krom ‘26 and Jordyn Kellogg ‘24 won the Hispanic Heritage Month trivia contest.

November 2023

Fall Play

The JPII Theater Department presented two performances of The Play That Goes Wrong as their fall production.

6th Grade Trip

(8)

The sixth grade class took a two day trip to Crossville, TN to participate in community building and educational activities at the Clyde M. York 4-H Center.

knight news & notable moments

Fall Athletic Signing

(1)

The following members of the class of 2024 signed to continue their sport at the collegiate level: Fred Bailey, Katie Shea Collins, Finn Donnelly, Alice Flippo, Bethany Howard, Ava Skaggs, Morgan Thompson, and Antonio Wilkerson.

Veterans Day

Tommy Lahey, Theology teacher, wrote “A Veterans Day Reflection” for the Faculty Voices Blog that focused on the virtues of sacrifice, courage and selflessness exemplified by men and women who serve in the military.

NHS Inductees

Twenty-nine new students were inducted into the National Honor Society after meeting the grade criteria and displaying the four pillars of leadership, service, scholarship, and character.

Kim Childress Wins Best Coach

(2)

Coach Kim Childress won the Best Coach of Middle Tennessee in this year’s Main Street Media “Best of Middle Tennessee.” Coach Childress is the head coach of both the high school track team and the middle school cross country team as well as an assistant coach on the women’s basketball team.

December 2023

Food Drive/Sock Drive (3)

Students supported the Ladies of Charity during the annual Christmas Basket Food Drive by bringing

in peanut butter, jelly, and crackers. Students also contributed socks to the Christmas Socks for Prisoners clothing drive led by Deacon James Booth, Prison Ministry Director for the Diocese.

Christmas Concerts (4, 5)

The JPII Instrumental and Choral concerts took place during the Christmas season, showcasing the talents of all middle school and high school bands and choirs in celebration of the holidays.

Reconciliation

(6)

The Advent Reconciliation service brought many diocesan priests and Bishop Spalding to campus to offer the Sacrament of Reconciliation to students.

Feast of the Immaculate Conception

The student body celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Conception with an all school Mass. Jim Elfers, World Languages department chair, surprised the student body with a performance of Ave Maria.

Project Linus (7)

Middle school students created 113 fleece blankets and donated them to Project Linus, which provides blankets to families in need. Students were presented with a certificate of appreciation from the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office and representatives from Project Linus in gratitude for their service.

Rotary Students of the

Month

Mary Barber ‘24 and Will Riley ‘24 were recognized as Hendersonville Rotary Club’s Students of the Month.

Young Alumni Luncheon (8)

Members of the classes of 2017-2023 were invited to campus for the annual Young Alumni Christmas luncheon.

January 2024

Coming Home Court (9)

Colin Alexander ‘24, escorted by Olivia Kennard ‘24, was crowned Coming Home King. Other members of the court included Alex Kirkpatrick ‘24 escorted by Genevieve Strickland ‘25, Tonio Wilkerson ‘24 escorted by Hannah Forrest ’24, John Lewis McLeod ‘25 escorted by Kaylee Brackmann ‘25, JJ Lynch ‘26 escorted by Trevi Ferranti ‘26, and Noah Friel ‘27 escorted by Carissa Burval ‘27.

Alumni

College Panel

The JPII Counseling Department sponsored a Young Alumni College Panel where recently graduated alumni came back to share stories and experiences of their first years at college. McCall Moss ‘23, Kate Barber ‘23, Braden Raybourne ‘23, Ben Raybourne ‘21, Ty Thompson ‘23, Zach Andress ‘23, Kenzie Stenberg ‘23, Maggie Raynes ‘23, Drue Holzen ‘23, Ty Lavender ‘23, Kylie O’Neil ‘23, Sarah Flowers ‘23, and Sam Jackson ‘22 were all in attendance.

1,00 Point Club

Men’s Basketball player Fred Bailey joined the 1,000 point club.

February 2024

Community Knight and Chili Cook Off (10,11)

The annual KAC Chili Cook Off took place on the same evening as Community Knight, bringing current and future Knights together for an evening of basketball and delicious food. Congratulations to track and field, swimming, soccer, volleyball, and basketball for walking away with the awards of the evening.

All Schools Mass

JPII was proudly represented by a group of students at the All-Schools Mass at the Catholic Pastoral Center during Catholic Schools Week.

Spring Athletic Signing (12)

The following members of the class of 2024 signed to continue their sport at the collegiate level: Donovan James, Connor Lynn, Kylie Reeves, and Elijah Robb.

Chinese Lunar New Year

The Chinese Language students celebrated Chinese Lunar New Year with an all-school festival complete with traditional red envelopes, fortune cookies, chopsticks, Chinese lantern decorating, and mask-making.

Game Knight

The first annual Game Knight was held on campus, offering artistic, athletic, and academic games hosted by JPII faculty and staff for future Knights in grades 3-5.

knight news & notable moments

Vocations Day Talks (1)

Sr. Ann Thomas and Sr. Mara Grace of the Dominicans and Fr. Luke Wilgenbusch visited the junior class to discuss vocations and help prepare them for discerning their future.

1,000 Point Club (2)

Women’s basketball player Bethany Howard joined the 1,000 point club.

Black History Month: Deacon Bill Hill and Seminarian

Justin Farr (Farr is pictured here with Fr. O. 3) JPII students celebrated Black History Month by honoring the importance of Black Catholics in America, complete with a visit from Deacon Bill Hill of Holy Family Catholic Church and diocesan seminarian Jusin Farr.

March 2024

Amanda Peper, Teacher of the Year

Amanda Peper was named the Goodlettsville Chamber Teacher of the Year in recognition of her support for students, her involvement with the school, and her deep faith and compassion. (See page 16 to read more.)

Spring Musical (4)

Matilda the Musical was produced by the JPII Theater Department for their spring musical. Director Zac Campbell, Music Director Kyle Hankins, the cast, crew, musicians, and everyone involved received rave reviews!

Blood Drive (5)

Campus Ministry sponsored the second Blood Drive of

the year with the assistance of the American Red Cross. Every single available appointment was taken by Knights eager to serve those in need.

Pi

Day

The math department threw an incredible celebration of Pi Day, complete with pi trivia, creative “pi-ku” writing, and a collaborative pi graph created by students during lunch.

Stations of the Cross

The Theology and Ministry class led both high school and middle school students in a contemplative prayer service centered around the Stations of the Cross in honor of Holy Week.

April 2024

Caldwell Classic - Color Run (6)

The National Honor Society, along with Mrs. Del Valle and Mrs. Galvin, promoted and planned the Caldwell Classic Color Run, with all proceeds going to benefit the Jason Foundation. The 5k ultimately ended up raising $13,000!

STEM Day and Spring House Games

The entire student body split a Friday between the annual STEM exploration day and spring house games. In the morning, students explored careers, learned about animals, presented business plans for funding, experienced culture through dance, language, art, and food, and considered the relationship between

theology and science, among many other activities. In the afternoon, all six houses competed in various competitions to gain points towards the prestigious House Cup.

8th Grade Class Trip (7)

8th graders took a class trip to Washington, D.C.

7th Grade Class Trip (8)

7th graders took a class trip to the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont in Townsend, Tennessee.

Monthaven Art Show

JPII visual art students’ artwork was recognized at the Monthaven Art Show: Hudson Nitsch ‘26, Lizzie Nowell ‘25, Addison Lynn ‘26, Aidan Mauthe ‘24, Zachary Bauer ‘28, McKayla Shea ‘28, and Scarlett Robey ‘28.

Ring Mass (9)

The juniors, joined by their parents, faculty, and underclassmen, enjoyed one of our favorite JPII traditions when they celebrated Junior Ring Mass together, which marked the beginning of their leadership as rising seniors.

May 2024

Marian Consecration

On May 1, Fr. Ohanaka consecrated the school to Mary at the end of all-school Mass to remind the student body that their path to Christ can be guided by Mary’s example of love and service.

House Cup Winners (11)

The House of Gregory once again triumphed as winners of the House Cup for the fourth year in a row. Congratulations, House of Gregory! Go, Green House!

Spring Confirmation (10)

In addition to the 8th graders who received the Sacrament of Confirmation, six additional members of the JPII community were confirmed in front of the student body at the last all-school Mass of the year: Nina Houdeshell ‘24, Evan Riley ‘24, Sammie Isbell ‘28, Kendyl Pierce ‘28, Mrs. Kate Kennedy, and Mrs. Jennifer Smith.

Most Inspirational Teachers and Coaches

Several teachers and coaches were recognized by the student body as “most inspirational” through student voting at the end of the year: Dr. Charles Wade was voted the Most Inspirational High School Coach, Mrs. Amanda Peper was voted the Most Inspirational High School Teacher, Mr. David Uyl was voted the Most Inspirational Middle School Coach, and Ms. Christy Glaser was voted the Most Inspirational Middle School Teacher.

Commencement Weekend (12)

The Class of 2024 celebrated their achievements during an incredible week that included Senior Honors Night, Baccalaureate, and Graduation. The 2024 Valedictorian was Joseph Collins, and the Co-Salutatorians were Marie Gbadebo and Sarah Joseph. The 2024 Bishop Kmiec Award winners were Mary Barber and Joseph Collins. The 2024 Scholar-Athletes were Katie Shea Collins and Hudson Smith. The 2024 Hans Broekman Service Award recipient was Anna Claire Isbell.

BEYOND THE CLASSROOM

A closer look at the JPII academic philosophy.

by Jennifer Dye, Principal

Several years ago we adopted a tagline, “Faith Leads Us Beyond Ourselves,” and while the initial thoughts likely lead you to think of service to others, I’ve always thought of it in the ways that our faith leads us to move students in academics to thinking beyond the classroom. We have always set high expectations in the classroom, moving students at all levels to achieve beyond the expectations of College Board and ACT predictive scores. Our scores have remained consistently higher than state and national averages even during Covid. One of our academic goals for next year is to move our ACT scores back to where they were prior to the pandemic. This graduating class had two National Merit Finalists and six Commended students. While ACT and SAT scores are definitely important as they determine admission to college and qualify students for scholarships, if we only focus on the test scores we miss the opportunity to prepare students for college and beyond.

As students enter colleges and careers, development of habits of mind, critical thinking skills and soft skills are critical.

Students in science classrooms develop an understanding of their world based on data and observation in middle school with the OpenSciEd curriculum and high school with Modeling Instruction. They also are challenged to ask their own questions when they design and conduct authentic research. Together these strategies allow students to view science not as something that is known but as a process of questioning and designing within the context of disciplines in our world. Many students at the high school level are presenting their research at the state level, and some move to publish and present at the national level. This way of doing science rather than learning science makes the skills built far more transferable to all areas of life. Students who are interested in pursuing a career in sciences are far

MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE LAB

more prepared for college. They seek out opportunities to research during their undergraduate careers and even publish their finds. Students graduating from JPII in standard, honors, and AP levels have all found successful careers in the sciences.

Skill development isn’t limited to the sciences but in fact is found across all disciplines in the school. World language classrooms are also immersive and interactive. Students become confident speakers as they engage in lessons that prepare them to engage with the world. Many of our graduates choose to study abroad, and some even live abroad because of their confidence in their language skills and their value of other cultures.

Social studies students put their leadership skills to the test outside the classroom in Model United Nations conferences and Youth in Government. This year, one of our students was elected to serve as the presiding Governor for next year’s conference.

English writing and communications skills are foundational for all subjects, but they also provide a creative outlet for our students as they participate in competitions throughout the year, and our graduates

have published poetry, short stories, and news stories. Math skills are also critical to the success of all students, and the strength of our math department is in the ways that they challenge students to think beyond equations to real-world applications, such as Desmos. We know math is viewed as transferable when an AP art student chooses to use math as the foundation of his portfolio and creates his pieces using skills he has learned while at JPII.

Learning is for naught without the integration and application of faith. Faith is alive not only in the theology classrooms but all classrooms. The theology department provides a space for deeply understanding the Catholic faith and invites students to grow closer to Christ each day. They also support all other disciplines as they integrate faith into their disciplines in natural moments within their curriculum. A natural integration of faith provides students the opportunity to see each discipline as part of the beauty of the creation of Christ. The hope is that they will truly begin to see how their faith can lead them beyond themselves – in their college experience, career choices, family lives, and service to their community.

MATH AT WORK

STEM DAY

Savannah Hurst presents her research project during the annual STEM Day research session.

PRESENTATION DAY

Middle school students practice their presentations for feedback during English.

Freshmen in honors algebra apply newly learned formulas to measure the height of the JPII statue in the courtyard.

faculty focus

seeing life through a

MATHEMATICAL LENS

Amanda Peper’s love of math extends beyond the classroom. It’s a way of life.

by Lori Jones

Watching JPII math department chair and teacher Amanda Peper interact with her students with excitement and joy, one would never know she swore all through college that she would not become a math teacher. However, it’s a blessing for our community that all of that changed.

Peper’s love of math is in her DNA. Her grandmother was a middle school math teacher, her mom was a math major who turned to engineering, and her dad was an electrical engineer.

For as long as Peper can remember, math has always been a part of her life. When the Christmas catalogs came in the mail, and she and her sister circled bicycles, toys, and sports equipment, Peper also selected the latest and greatest puzzles and math books.

Although she never intended to teach math, she applied as a math major in college and graduate school. She attended Clemson University as a National Scholar and was named the outstanding math student every year. She graduated with a B.S. in Mathematical Sciences from Clemson and an M.Ed. in Mathematics Education at Vanderbilt University. In addition to completing one year of a doctoral program in Maryland, she has published an article titled

“Reading Encrypted Diplomatic Correspondence: An Undergraduate Research Project” in the magazine Cryptologia.

Even as a student, Peper was a natural at teaching math. She was the go-to girl at Girls Preparatory School in Chattanooga and a tutor of any math and some science for four years at Clemson. As a grad student at Maryland, she was required to TA one section of calculus and one section of algebra. But that wasn’t enough. Unlike her peers, she signed up for extra hours in the department’s tutoring center because she loved doing math and helping others do math.

“I want them to be interested in learning more, finding truth, and doing the hard things it takes to find it.”

“I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I loved doing math and being in school,” she explained.

Peper finally answered her call to teach math after transferring to Vanderbilt where her professor connected her to the JPII founding math chair, Betty Mayberry. She was invited to give a teaching demonstration at JPII, and she suddenly had a job she hadn’t applied for or knew she wanted! Teaching at JPII is the first and only job she’s had since graduating from Vanderbilt, and this spring, she finished her 15th school year at JPII.

Peper’s mission as a teacher is apparent through her pedagogical approach in the classroom

EDUCATOR OF THE YEAR

where she challenges students to apply math in creative ways, like the popular “air cannon” activity. “I want students to be curious and excited about learning anything. I want them to be interested in learning more, finding truth, and doing the hard things it takes to find it.” With a grin, she added, “And I want them to think for half a second that math is cool.”

Her classroom strategy, in some ways, is rooted in something her high school soccer coach practiced: Before each game, he wrote a note of inspiration to each player, and the one that has remained with her is, “Choose one player and decide that you are going to make a big difference in how she plays tonight.” She applies the same sentiment in the classroom by helping students experience math in the best way possible and hopefully inspiring them to develop the same passion for math that she has. Her colleagues and students have noticed her effort. In 2023, her colleges voted her as the recipient of the Excellence in Teaching award, and in 2024, students voted for her as the recipient of the Most Inspirational Teacher award.

JPII has not only fulfilled Peper’s passion for math, but it is also where she fell in love. She is married to Brad Peper, affectionately known at JPII as “Dr. Peper,” who taught there for fourteen years. While she taught math, he taught theology in the classroom above her. This July, they celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary.

Together, the Pepers enjoy their 750-squarefoot garden. Besides measuring the plot, most people

(continued on next page)

AP AIR CANNON

The AP Calculus Air Cannon Challenge has become a favorite tradition at JPII and an example of Mrs. Peper’s interactive teaching style.

DIOCESAN DUO

Formerly the JPII theology department chair, Dr. Peper now works as the Director of Faith Formation for the Diocese of Nashville.

Amanda Peper was recognized as the 2024 Goodlettsville Chamber Educator of the Year last spring.

probably don’t see math as essential to gardening. That’s not true for Peper. When describing her garden and the many varieties of vegetables and fruits she is growing, she delights in math. There is problemsolving, measurements, geometry, data gathering, counting, percentages, etc. Each evening, she and Dr. Peper stroll through the garden, look at the new growth, and marvel at God’s beautiful creation. She delights in the geometry and symmetry found in the plants and flowers.

“I see math in everything. I think of it and see it all the time. My thought is always, how do you describe what you see in math terms.”

Her garden also allows her to explore another favorite interest – bugs! Peper was one class shy of earning a minor in entomology. She satisfies this passion as she meanders through her garden, looking for new species of insects and excitedly researching those she’s never seen.

As summer approaches, Peper awaits the remarkable emergence of the cicadas! Most of us see

cicadas as a nuisance, but not Peper; it is a thrill of the century. Trillions, that’s 12 zeros (1,000,000,000,000), are expected this summer in over a dozen states! “They are arriving in mid-May,” she said excitedly. “Different broods come out in different prime number intervals to minimize overlapping with other broods. That way, they will not compete for food and resources in the same year. This year, we had two groups of periodical cicadas emerge at once!” she added.

Peper’s passion for math and care for each student help her live the school’s mission and vision. She was recently named Goodlettsville Chamber Teacher of the Year! Peper was recognized for the myriad ways she meets the needs of her students and all students in the math program, including the development of a Math Lab on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, her Lean Six Sigma certification, the redesign of the course registration process (including a website for students and families), and most importantly, her deep faith and compassion for others.

the mathematics OF NATURE

Amanda Peper shared photos from her garden with her observations of the beauty and order in nature.

sunflowers with spirals of lengths that are Fibonacci numbers (and they attract insects)

the geometry and symmetry of okra that we prepare for dinner

guttant on grape and strawberry leaves

fractals in the leaves of kale

the Writing Spider and its web (not an insect, but cool!)

CLASS OF 2024 graduating with honors

JOSEPH COLLINS Valedictorian

HONOR GRADUATES PICTURED WITH MRS. JENNIFER DYE AND DR. ERICK CHITTLE

Ryan Cambron, Katie Shea Collins, Chelsea Do, Meredith McLeroy, Josiah Michel, Joseph Collins, Lauryn Stewart, Sarah Joseph, Marie Gbadebo, Samuel Whiteley, and Bella Stockton (not pictured: Anastasia Herzer)

MARIE GBADEBO Salutatorian

SARAH JOSEPH Salutatorian

HUDSON SMITH West Point Appointment & Scholar-Athlete Award

KATIE SHEA COLLINS Scholar-Athlete Award

MARY BARBER & JOSEPH COLLINS Bishop Kmiec Award

ANNA CLAIRE ISBELL Hans Broekman Service Award

faith, family, & student focus “FUTBOL”

Katie

Shea Collins credits success to family and faith values.

by Dana Hanson

Her athletic journey began when she was just three years old with something as simple as playing in a recreational soccer city league in Gallatin, Tennessee. From there, Katie Shea Collins’ growing love of the sport opened up a whole new world for her, literally taking her to other countries to play. But along the way, she had doubts, fears, and struggles, and if it weren’t for her faith, Collins does not think that she would be where she is today.

Katie Shea Collins has worked with an intense focus her entire life to develop the soccer skills that have propelled her upward through each level of the game. From playing on youth recreational and elite club teams to the JPII high school team and the United States Olympic development team (where she brought home a bronze medal in the Pan Am Games), Collins credits two specific reasons for her success: faith and family.

“My parents have supported me in everything that I’ve done, and my twin brother is my best friend,” said Collins. “There’s no way that I could have done any of this without them.”

As for her faith, Collins is a devoted parishioner at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Hendersonville. She regularly attends SEARCH retreats sponsored by the Diocese of Nashville. Having attended Catholic schools since pre-K, Collins said that she is forever grateful to her parents for putting her and her brother in the Catholic system of education, because it not only prepared her for college, but most importantly, set her up to be a Christian leader throughout her life.

“JPII is a community that welcomes everyone with open arms, but also pushes students to our limits to prove to us that the sky’s the limit, as long as we keep on working hard and believing in God,” said Collins.

Throughout her time at JPII, she has been known to regularly visit the chapel throughout the day, and she has encouraged the faith lives of her peers by inviting classmates to attend morning masses or leading underclassmen on the faith retreats. She served as a peer mentor in the Hand In Hand Options program, volunteered regularly at Habitat for Humanity, and volunteered as a youth soccer coach.

Through her soccer career, Collins has earned the opportunity to play with and against some of the top soccer players in the world, especially after being selected to the United States Olympic development U17 and U18 teams. But she’s not always as confident in her abilities as one might think.

“Sometimes I don’t feel like I deserve to be there,” said Collins. “That’s when I go to God and trust that He will help me with my confidence.”

Her biggest role model on and off the field is her mom, according to Collins. “My mom is the kindest, most caring person I know. She taught me to be a good person. But she also said the hard things to me as well,” she explained.

Collins also credits her coaches for helping her achieve her goals. “One of the main reasons that I chose Pope John Paul II Preparatory School was because I wanted to play for Coach Zack Trobaugh in high school,” she explained. “He’s a tremendous coach that really pushes me to be the best that I can be.”

Other role models that Collins mentioned included Nick Zimmerman, one of her Olympic Development coaches who worked with her on her confidence, and Auburn University soccer player Anna Haddock, who mentored her one summer.

(continued on next page)

ACE DINNER SPEAKERS

Katie Shea Collins, Bishop Spalding, and Patrick Collins

Collins’ Career Highlights

2023-24 Gatorade Tennessee Girls Soccer Player of the Year

U.S. Soccer U-19 National Team Player Pool

TEAM USA for Pan American Games, Santiago, Chile, bronze medal winner, October 2023

U.S. Soccer U-17 National Team Player Pool, Jan, 2021

National Training Camp: 4/2019, 9/2021, 2/2020, 5/2021

IMG Top 150 - Class of 2024

United Soccer Coaches - Youth All-American, 2022 & 2023

United Soccer Coaches - High School Girls - South All-Region team, November 2022

2023 All-American Game - Charleston, SC - Top XI

USL-W-Team of the Year 2023 - League Assist Leader, 2023

South Central Conference Player of the Year, 2023

ECNL All-American, U-17, August 2022

ECNL National Training Camp, July 2022

ECNL Ohio Valley Conference - Co-Player of the Year, July 2022

ECNL Ohio Valley Conference - 1st Team, July 2022 & 2023

ECNL National Selection Game, Jan 2022

USYS ODP

National Team Camp, Jan 2022

Inter-regionals - Region III Team, November 2021 [2020-21- events canceled]

2019-20 - National Team [selected, but events canceled]

2018-19 - National Team Camp [selected but unable to attend due to injury]

ID2 National Selection Tour – 2020 (London) [selected, but unable to attend]

ICC Futures – South Team, Dec 2019

High School All-American Game - Charleston, SC, Dec 2023

Pope John Paul Preparatory School- Varsity Soccer Captain, 2022 & 2023

MVP 2020, 2021, 2022, & 2023

Golden Boot, 2020 & 2021

School record - all-time goals scored - 106

School record - most goals in one season - 44

TSSAA DII-AA All Region MVP - 2022 & 2023

TSSAA DII-AA All Region Team - 2020, 2021, 2022, & 2023

All Sumner County Team - 2020, 2021, 2022, & 2023

All Sumner County Player of the Year - 2022 & 2023

THSSCA DII-AA All-State Team - 2022 & 2023

Tennessean Middle Tennessee High School Player of the YearNominee 2022, 2023

Main Street Preps All-Midstate Player of the Year- 2023

Main Street Preps All-Midstate 1st Team - 2022 & 2023

Tate Scholar

106 goals and 31 assists in 47 games

What Collins may not know is that through her faith and soccer, she too has influenced others lives at such an early age. Other students at JPII admire Katie Shea not only for her success in soccer, but also because she is truly a kind, humble Christian.

“Being on a team with Katie has been such an incredible experience. She’s an amazing leader and even more, such an amazing friend and teammate. She is the type of teammate that if you’re having a bad day or if you’re just not feeling like yourself, she will be there to help bring you up and make you feel better,” said Trevi Ferranti, a JPII soccer teammate. “Katie is the type of person to make sure everyone feels seen and loved, and she will go out of her way to do so.”

Fellow classmate Mary Barber added, “Katie Shea is truly a woman of God. She leads by example each day and pushes everyone around her to be the best versions of themselves. She is hardworking, saintly, athletic, and a well-rounded person who will do so much good in the world.”

Collins will continue her soccer career at the University of South Carolina in the fall. In June 2024, she was named the 2023-24 Gatorade Tennessee Girls Soccer Player of the Year, which celebrates the nation’s top high school athletes for excellence on the field, in the classroom and in the community, distinguishing Katie Shea Collins as Tennessee’s best high school girls soccer player.

With as many accolades as she has earned, one might think that soccer would be the biggest memory in high school for Collins, but she said, “. . . not really. I think one of the things that I will remember the most is just going to JPII events with all of my friends. That’s where I’m happy and feel loved. This truly is my faith community.”

CALDWELL IN COLOR

Katie Shea Collins (center) was part of the leadership team from NHS that planned the annual Caldwell Classic Color Run.

CLASS OF 2024 ATHLETIC SIGNINGS

One of the most exciting moments in the life of a student-athlete is signing day. Years of hard work have led up to this moment, and since only 7% of high school athletes (about 1 in 13) have the opportunity to play at the next level, this is quite an achievement. In three separate signing days during the 2023-24 school year, 15 student-athletes at JPII signed their letters-of-intent with 12 different colleges/universities to continue their athletic careers. Congratulations to these student-athletes. Congratulations, and Go, Knights!

Fred Bailey Trevecca Nazarene University Basketball

Ryan Brown Rockhurst University Lacrosse

Finn Donnelly Belmont Abbey College Bowling

Katie Shea Collins University of South Carolina Soccer

Morgan Thompson Presbyterian College Lacrosse

Kylie Reeves McKendree University Wrestling

Elijah Robb Campbellsville University Football

Ava Skaggs Trevecca Nazarene University Track

Antonio Wilkerson Cumberland University Basketball

Alice Flippo Columbia State Community College Soccer

Bethany Howard Warner University Basketball

Donovan James Cumberland University Basketball

Connor Lynn Hillsdale College Football

Aikman Warren Centre College Swim

Jaden Majors Centre College Track

that we may ALL BE ONE

Our shared faith life connects our community in ways unique to a school where “Faith leads us beyond ourselves.”

by Emily Clavin ‘09

Aschool can often be a place of constant bustle and noise: students passing in the hallway, loudly chattering and swapping tales of weekend fun; book bags unzipping, lockers clanging, shoes squeaking; teachers greeting their classes with joy and love; shouts of victory across a ping pong table (although that may be unique to this school in particular). But there does exist a place of contemplative, peaceful quiet and comforting silence in Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School: the chapel. JPII’s chapel sits at the physical center of the campus, and as the student body ebbs and flows around it, the chapel provides an anchor of calm in

the midst of the currents. Enter through the doors at any time, and visitors are instantly welcomed by soft candlelight, a muffling of the external sounds of school, and the presence of Christ in the tabernacle. In this serene place, many JPII students have come to find rest and reassurance over the past year, and it is this place on campus that best encapsulates the tremendous growth of faith seen in the school community over the past year.

Father Nonso Ohanaka, JPII chaplain, has been here for two years and understands first hand the significant growth in Mass attendance this year. “When I first arrived, there would be four people at

FRIDAY EUCHARISTIC ADORATION

daily Mass, and they were all administrators. This year, Mass attendance has grown to the point that we have had days with up to 40 people in attendance - students, faculty, and parents.” Father Ohanaka considered the reason for change when he added, “I think some of it comes from [JPII President] Dr. Chittle’s encouragement of all to feel welcome in our chapel. Additionally, many students have had good experiences with SEARCH, and they’re engaged with their faith in a special way.” Attendance in the chapel at times besides Mass is also on the rise, Father Ohanaka added. He frequently sees students in the chapel during lunch, taking time out of their day to be present with Christ in community.

“The chapel is the home where everyone can be in the presence of the King of Kings. The chapel should be a place of encounter with Christ for everyone.”

In addition to daily Mass, Father Ohanaka exposes the Blessed Sacrament and provides the community with the chance to spend precious time with Christ’s Real Presence in the chapel every Friday. He offers confessions during lunch in the confessional that sits at the back of the chapel. Come Friday, anyone who has sat in the chapel has probably watched in wonder as a class full of students silently enter the chapel, bow or genuflect towards the altar, and then rest in the presence of Christ for ten, fifteen, or twenty minutes at a time. It is an essential part of a Catholic school that a teacher of any subject is a campus minister at heart, and the ability to share chapel time with their class is as important as learning the quadratic formula or writing a sonnet. Mr. Joshua Strope, theology department chair and Director of Campus Ministry, reflected, “Teachers are modeled

after Christ, the teacher. To be more like Christ, we must spend time with him.” He continued, “The chapel is the home where everyone can be in the presence of the King of Kings. The chapel should be a place of encounter with Christ for everyone.”

While it may be easy to assume that students feel required to be in the chapel or pray as part of their education, the reality is that they are empowered to grow in their faith because they desire to do so. The school saw a record number of students seeking to fully enter the Church this past year. In addition to the 35 eighth grade students who received the Sacrament of Confirmation in the spring through the Diocese of Nashville, there were 19 high school students who have either been confirmed this year or are undertaking the necessary requirements to receive their sacraments of initiation. Jack Valente ‘24 (continued on next page)

joined the Church during the Easter Vigil. He credited his decision to convert to his teachers, and especially to Father Ohanaka: “My teachers took the time to get to know me as a person, which allowed me to have those connections that led to deeper conversations about faith. It was also a powerful experience to be a leader at SEARCH, and I also offer the prayer before my lacrosse games, so there are opportunities everywhere to share my faith.” Valente offered the following advice to students: “Never be afraid to ask questions or get involved. There’s always going to be someone to help you at JPII.”

But the prayer life of the school is not contained only to the student body. As parents are the primary educators of the child in the tradition

“We come from a range of backgrounds and experiences, but it was wonderful to recognize how united we are in our desire to pursue God and love our families and others.”

Similarly, Evie Clausen, who has had eight children graduate from JPII with her ninth, Walker, set to graduate in 2026, spoke to the importance of sharing faith experiences across a variety of backgrounds: “We started the prayer group as a means for us to come together to pray for our community. Several denominations are represented in the group and the book studies have given us an opportunity to share our similarities and differences. These conversations have helped us build a JPII parent group that supports and celebrates each other.” She feels uplifted by the success of the group: “We’ve also created a prayer chain so we can stay connected when we aren’t together. The power of prayer is amazing and our hope is that our prayers are felt by everyone.”

of Catholic education, it is necessary that the parent community also feels welcomed and supported in growing their faith life. This has been beautifully accomplished through the Parent Prayer Group, led by the Parents Association Committee with support from Director of Advancement Michelle Barber and Father Ohanaka. Each week, parents are invited to attend Mass and then join in a book study centered around a spiritual theme. Sarah Earley, mother to Clara ‘22 and Ruthie ‘25, shared her gratitude for the opportunity to engage in fellowship with other parents: “I am very thankful that I got to participate in the moms’ prayer group this spring at JPII. The series on prayer provided encouragement and insights on a key aspect of faith that I, for one, desire to grow in.” Mrs. Earley recognized the benefit of uniting through discussions on faith: “I also enjoyed learning from and about other moms, and getting to know them on a deeper level, apart from sports events (as great as those are!). We come from a range of backgrounds and experiences, but it was wonderful to recognize how united we are in our desire to pursue God and love our families and others.”

It may seem obvious that a Catholic school would count spiritual growth as one of - if not its most important - goals. What sets JPII apart is the unique makeup of the student body. The population can almost be split equally between Catholic and nonCatholic families. But ecumenism (the practice of promoting unity among Christians) has always been a central mission of this school and our namesake. Pope Saint John Paul II declared in his 1995 encyclical Ut Unum Sint:

Jesus himself, at the hour of his Passion, prayed ‘that they may all be one’ (Jn 17:21). This unity, which the Lord has bestowed on his Church and in which he wishes to embrace all people . . . stands at the very heart of Christ’s mission.

So too the JPII community prays together and rejoices together that there is a place where spiritual growth is encouraged and celebrated. If the goal of Catholic education is to truly “educate the whole child” (The Holy See’s Teaching on Catholic Schools), then the formation of the soul is the starting point. To be united in this one goal is what binds the JPII family together, now and in the future.

FALL PARENT BIBLE STUDY

from the office of ADVANCEMENT

by Michelle Barber, Director of Advancement

JPII FAMILIES PARTICIPATE IN THE FUND FOR EXCELLENCE

The annual fund, the Fund For Excellence (FFE), supplements the school’s annual budget by accepting tax-deductible eligible donations to close the 20% gap between tuition revenue and the actual costs of providing the exceptional JPII experience for all students each year. All JPII supporters are invited to donate to the FFE, assisting in meeting the goal of 100% participation by our current

and alumni parents, alumni, former and current Board of Trust members, faculty, staff, grandparents, and friends. All donations are needed and appreciated and can be made at the secure online portal: www.jp2prep. org/support-jpii/give-now or by mailing a check to The Advancement Office, C/O JPII, 117 Caldwell Drive, Hendersonville, TN 37075

Our current parents enjoy a friendly competition between the JPII Houses each year to encourage 100% parent participation in the FFE!

HOUSE OF

Dr. Roxanne Valentino and Dr. Dan Burval with House of Gregory President Mary Barber

and Michelle Clay

Valorie and Mark Quarles

GREGORY

HOUSE OF CLEMENT

Darnell

HOUSE OF JOHN Norman Tripp and Heather Sanders

HOUSE OF LEO

Julie Oliphant and Asha Joseph with House of Leo President Sarah Joseph

HOUSE OF PETER Sean and Lisa Stevison Nick and Kelly Schimmel

HOUSE OF PIUS Luke Dalske, Michelle Amlicke, Sarah Dalske, Danielle Latham and Teresa Frisbie

TATE ATHLETIC SKILLS CAMP

JULY 18, 2023

Alumnus

& Tate Scholars Reception

Golden Tate ‘07 hosted the annual Tate Athletic Skills Clinic in collaboration with the JPII football team and coaching staff under the direction of head coach Brian Sneed ‘06. Tate welcomed female and male third through ninth grade student-athletes to the JPII campus. The day included several skill stations where student-athletes worked on speed, agility, and teamwork. Some of our current students even went head-to-head with Tate during flag football!

(top left) Tate signs autographs for admiring young fans!

(top right) Student-athletes work directly with Tate at different skill stations as they learn how to develop speed and agility. (photo by Christina Moore, Main Street Media)

(middle left) PRIME HYDRATION DRINK was the exclusive drink sponsor for the Tate Athletic Skills Clinic. Additional sponsors include Kevin and Michelle Barber of Barber Cabinet Co., CocaCola Consolidated, Doug and JJ Ebelhar of American Spirit Wear Services, Jim and Kathy Galvin of Miracle Ford, Tom and Marcia McCarthy, Kevin and Kathy McNatt, and Lillie McNatt ‘18.

(middle right) Tate works on speed training with a female athlete. (photo by Christina Moore, Main Street Media)

(center) At the 2023 Tate Scholars Reception, the following JPII student-athletes were nominated by their coaches and honored as Tate Scholars: Katie Shea Collins ‘24 (soccer), Thomas Ajak ‘24 (football), Will Spence ‘24 (basketball), Patrick Collins ‘24 (football), Marie Gbadebo ‘24 (cheerleading), and Olivia Sabino ’24 (basketball).

(bottom left) Tate and Elijah Robb ‘24 battle it out during a game of flag football. (photo by Christina Moore, Main Street Media)

(bottom right) Coach Sneed and Tate review the day under the banner of Tate’s JPII retired football jersey number.

Habitat for Humanity Build DUGAN FAMILY FOUNDATION

SEPTEMBER 16-17, 2023

The Dugan Family Foundation collaborates with the JPII Advancement Office annually to assist in building Wilson County Habitat For Humanity homes. JPII juniors and seniors, along with many parents, faculty, staff, and coaches, joined together to install insulation in two homes. Knights building community while building homes makes for a lifetime of memories. Thank you to Danny and Karen Dugan (Chelsea, Daniel ’10, and Colin ‘12) for including JPII on their annual build roster!

(clockwise from left) Olivia Sabino ‘24, and her dad, Sammy, spend quality father/daughter time while volunteering.

Mother/daughter duo Kim and Emma Chittle ’25 on their first Habitat build.

JPII Women’s Basketball Coach Kim De Marigny and Robbie De Marigny work on insulation.

Director of Advancement Michelle Barber, daughter Mary ‘24, and husband Kevin Barber sport hard hats and tool belts to prepare for a building site day.

JPII Faculty member Dan Melega and Bridgett Melega cutting out doorways.

CELEBRATION 2023

AUCTION, GAMES & FUN

OCTOBER 27, 2023

Celebration 2023, complete with glow golf, casino gaming, and a spirited live auction, brought together our Knight community for an evening of fellowship and fundraising! Thank you to all who attended and especially to all who supported us with sponsorships and auction item contributions, which combined to net over $215,000, making it the most robust Celebration yet. Mark your calendar for Celebration 2024, to be held on campus next school year on Saturday, November 9.

Celebration 2023 Co-chairs were Annette Hollis, Susan Alfieri, and Michelle Amlicke, who led the event team, including Evie Clausen, Teresa Frisbie, Brenda Goss, Mike Schaffer, and Lisa Stevison, along with a slew of volunteers.

Thank you to alumni parents Jim and Cheryl Hagy, parents of Mary Hagy ‘10, for providing delectable Chef’s Market desserts.

ANNUAL DONOR LUNCHEON

In the spirit of St. Valentine’s Day, we lavished donors with a lovely luncheon to show our appreciation for their continued commitment to JPII. As always, we remember each donor in prayer for the goodness they provide to us in His name.

Board of Trustee David Snow and Marjorie Snow catching up with current and alumni parents Jim and Sarah McLeod.

GRANDPARENT BREAKFAST

Grandparents help us grow and bloom into all that God intends, so it is always a pleasure to celebrate our current JPII grandparents annually in appreciation for their impact on our community. This year, Mike and Nita Shea and Judson and Rebecca Byler, both sets of grandparents to McKayla ‘28 and Cashel ‘30 Shea, joined us for breakfast while Mike Shea shared perspectives on nurturing grandchildren and the added value of doing so in collaboration with the Christcentered Catholic school experience at JPII. Over 300 grandparents and their JPII grandchildren enjoyed a performing arts showcase, including the middle school chorus and Voices uKnighted under the direction of Director of Choirs Miss Christina Brown, along with a piano medley performed by senior Sean Meffe ‘24 directed by Mark Weakly, Director of Instrumental Music. As matriarchs and patriarchs of their families, we thank our JPII grandparents for passing along their heritage, faith, and family lore.

Grandparent speaker Mike Shea hugs grandchildren McKayla, ‘28, and Cashel, ‘30.

CHINESE LANGUAGE PROGRAMCHINESE LUNAR NEW YEAR

In collaboration with the Advancement Office, the JPII Chinese Language program received a significant grant from the Center for Bridging Cultures, Inc. to expand tangible Chinese language textbooks, study guides, resource materials, and library books and also to share the Chinese culture campus-wide. This year, the entire JPII community enjoyed a festive Chinese Lunar New Year Celebration with many activities, including a tasting of delicious Chinese cuisine. Thank you to the Center for Bridging Cultures for your impact at JPII.

THE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION COMMUNITY SERVICE GRANT

Since JPII’s inception, The Memorial Foundation has been a great source of support for the school’s Christian service initiatives. Through the support of The Memorial Foundation, our students have assisted over 70+ nonprofit community service providers, volunteering over 20,000 individual hours annually and working four dedicated at-large community service days over the past few years. “Hats off” to The Memorial Foundation for helping Knights make a difference in Sumner and surrounding counties!

alumni FOCUS

MARY GRACE BEASLEY ‘18

Founder of The Sparkle Pageant

Currently a law student at Duncan School of Law, Mary Grace Beasley ‘18 continues to support the event she founded during her junior year at JPII after her experience as a peer mentor in the Hand In Hand Options program: The Sparkle Pageant. With a mission to “celebrate our differences, educate the community, and spread love,” The Sparkle Pageant has become an important tradition for our community over the past six years. Now led by a Board of Directors that helps to raise funds and promote the event to a broad audience, The Sparkle Pageant is held every spring at JPII and celebrates students from throughout the local area.

How did you first become involved in the Hand In Hand Options (HIHO) program at JPII?

I became involved with the Hand In Hand program during my junior year of high school when the program’s teacher reached out to all the students and asked who was interested in being a peer mentor. Peer mentors worked in the Hand In Hand classroom as well as the inclusion classes to support learning. I thought this seemed like an awesome opportunity and something I’d really love to do, so I started mentoring one of the students here at the school. I fell in love with being a peer mentor, and during my senior year, I got even more involved with the program.

What was your favorite part about being a peer mentor?

I really enjoyed being a mentor because I just love helping and connecting with people. One of

my favorite parts was sitting and talking with the students in Hand In Hand during lunch. I thought that it was kind of a good time to really connect and break down the barriers between students in the program and the other students at the school. I became great friends with Isabella, and our friendship was an important part of my time in high school. She was a freshman in HIHO, and I was a senior. We had a lot in common. She was very sweet, and I kind of felt like a big sister to her. I really enjoyed that.

What impact did the HIHO program have on you?

The Hand In Hand program was super impactful on my high school career and the rest of my life. I learned to love to serve others, and I understood all of the benefits and the joy that can come from serving. I also found friendships with the students in the Hand In Hand program. We developed a real connection.

Why is the HIHO program important to our school community?

It is important for our school community to have a Hand In Hand Options program because we tend to see differences in others but through the interactions and friendships that are developed in classes and experiences together throughout the

school year, students begin to realize that students in the Hand In Hand program are actually not that much different. We are all brothers and sisters in Christ, and we have a lot more in common than we probably think we do.

Why should people support the HIHO program?

People should support the Hand In Hand program at JPII because I really believe in the benefits of inclusion. I know that at other schools you might not see the special education classroom working in such unison with what one would call the typical classroom. I just really like to see that integration that the peer mentors help facilitate. I think it’s not only good for the kids in the special education program, but it’s also really good for the other students to see students in Hand In Hand in their classes, like theology, history, and art.

What is the mission of The Sparkle Pageant?

The mission of The Sparkle Pageant is all about love and inclusivity. At first we thought that it was all about the participants, but as we’ve done this through the years, we have learned that this is also about the volunteers and the high school students of JPII. Their willingness to serve others is very inspirational, and I am very impressed with them. I believe they get just as much out of it as the participants, so it’s all about just coming together and loving one another and accepting our differences, no matter what.

What do you love most about The Sparkle Pageant?

The Sparkle Pageant participants just surprise me every year. You never know what they’re going to do. Some of them break dance on the stage. Once, a little boy got up there and played his drums. You just never know what you’re going to see, and I just love that about The Sparkle Pageant. It’s a real celebration!

It’s been so special to see how much The Sparkle Pageant has grown in the six or so years that we have been doing it, and I don’t really think it’s anything that I’ve done on my own – it’s totally because of the participants, their light, and the light of the volunteers here at JPII. It’s just so special the community coming together celebrating love and inclusivity. Our motto for The Sparkle Pageant is “life is too short to be dull, so sparkle”! I think that the community has definitely picked up on that, and the smiles during the event definitely embody that.

The Sparkle Pageant 2024

Thanks to The Sparkle Pageant’s photographer Kyle Gregory from Elegant Homes Photography for allowing us to share photos of this year’s event!

To support The Sparkle Pageant, please email thesparklepageant@gmail.com for more information.

To support the Hand In Hand Options program at JPII, please visit the GIVING page of our website www.jp2prep.org for more information.

alumni UPDATES

— 2005 —

Andrew Holt is the new Executive Principal at DuPont Elementary in Old Hickory. DuPont Elementary is a school within the Metro Nashville Public School District (MNPS). Andrew has served MNPS for 12 years as a teacher at Andrew Jackson Elementary and assistant principal roles at both Harpeth Valley Elementary and Andrew Jackson. He was named Teacher of the Year in 2019, received a Blue Ribbon Teacher award in 2015, and has been an active member in the Tennessee Principal Association for the past four years. Andrew holds a master’s degree in Instructional Practice, an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Leadership, and is currently finishing a doctoral degree at Lipscomb University with a projected completion date of December 2024. Andrew said, “I have a strong desire to work collaboratively to provide all students a high-quality and engaging education, supporting students’ social and emotional needs, and celebrating staff and faculty’s hard work and dedication”.

Melinda (Haney) Scaturro lives in Lilburn, GA with her husband Michael and son Oliver, along with their two cats, one dog, four snakes, bearded dragon, and blue tongue skink. She is the Director of Operations & Client Services at Scarlet Oak Financial Services, a female owned and operated financial planning company in Atlanta, GA. Melinda was awarded a Masters in Public Administration from Georgia State University in 2020. Melinda is the treasurer of her son’s Cub Scout pack, and spends her free time reading voraciously, playing Fortnite, and painting faux stained glass.

— 2006 —

Daniel Heering and Kristina (Courtney) Heering, both of the Class of 2006, are celebrating their 13th wedding anniversary in June 2024. Kristina and Daniel have three beautiful girls: Charly (8), Rowan (5), and Hollis (2). Daniel is self-employed as an architect and Kristina works as a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) at Vanderbilt.

— 2008 —

Elaina Al-Nimri was promoted to Partner at Bass, Berry & Sims in January 2024. Elaina is based in the firm’s Nashville office, where she counsels clients on complex business litigation across a wide range of areas including construction, real estate, environmental, securities, and general commercial disputes. Elaina is also actively involved in the firm’s pro bono initiatives and serves on the Board of Directors for Project Return, a local nonprofit organization that assists those returning to the community after incarceration. Elaina graduated from Emory University School of Law with honors in 2015 and graduated from Providence College cum laude in 2012 with a double major in Economics and Global Studies. Elaina lives in the 12 South area of Nashville with her husband, Jeff Gagliano, and their son, Ethan, who was born in August 2023.

Jordan (MacConnell) Lawson and her husband Earl, along with big brother Clayton, welcomed Isaac to the family on August 25, 2023. The Lawsons reside in Madison, TN.

— 2009 —

Emily (Mills) Clavin is married to Kevin Clavin ‘11. They live in Hendersonville, ten minutes from JPII, and are proudly raising Jack Clavin, future Knight in the Class of 2040. Emily is starting her seventh year working at JPII with the admissions and marketing teams, and Kevin works for Citi Community Capital. They will be celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary this October. Emily’s alumni siblings include Andrew Mills ‘07 and Gregory Mills ‘13. Kevin’s alumni sibling is Tim Clavin ‘10.

— 2011 —

February 27, 2023.

and

Katherine (Roy) Ketter married Robert Ketter in February 2024. They live in East Nashville and maintain friendships with other members of her graduating class. Katherine works for Deloitte in Human Resources.

and

on September 24, 2022. The

are living in

Scotty Wright works in film/TV/ commercial video production freelance for brands like Disney and Amazon and has recently added work for Pacific Science Center in Seattle, WA as an IMAX Theater Projectionist to his resume. In July 2023, he married Anita Peebles of Eaton Rapids, Michigan, who is a graduate of Oberlin College and Vanderbilt Divinity School. She is the current Pastor of Seattle First Baptist Church. The couple resides in Seattle.

Abbie (Wood) Dibble and husband Jordan Dibble welcomed their son Jack William into the world on

Alexis (Cook) Isham

her husband, Jordan Isham, will attend Stanford Graduate School of Business this fall to earn their MBAs.

Hannah Ogan

Nick Paré married

newlyweds

Hermitage.

alumni UPDATES

— 2012 —

Captain Seth Carver currently serves as a Victims’ Counsel in the Victims’ Counsel Division, assigned to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE). Captain Carver also provides victims’ legal counsel for Spangdahlem AB, Al Udeid AB, and 121 geographically separated units. In this role Captain Carver is detailed to represent victims of crimes before military courts-martial as well as in administrative and civil legal matters. Captain Carver received a direct commission in February 2021. While in Law School, he was a member of the Belmont Health Law Journal. Additionally, he interned for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the Air Force Review Boards Agency. He is admitted to practice law before the Supreme Court of Tennessee.

Creighton Couch played baseball for two years and football for four years where he served as the team captain his senior year. In addition to sports at JPII, Creighton also played rugby for the Sumner County Rugby Football Club. Throughout his high school career, Creighton was drawn to his math and science classes and knew he wanted to select a major in the STEM field. After multiple discussions with industry professionals, Creighton decided he wanted to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Tennessee. While at the University of Tennessee, Creighton continued to play rugby for the Volunteers where he served as team captain for three years. Upon graduation in 2020, Creighton began his career working in design as a Mechanical Engineer at I. C. Thomasson Associates, which is a multidisciplinary engineering consulting firm providing expertise in mechanical, electrical, controls, plumbing, fire protection, information technology, energy efficiency, and environmental services. As engineers, the firm provides construction documents for clients such as owners, architects, and contractors. This firm actually designed Pope John Paul II High School in the early 2000s. During his time at ICT, Creighton has designed buildings in multiple industries including commercial, industrial, and federal, while focusing mainly in the federal sector. Creighton’s

clients in the federal sector include the Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Justice (DoJ), the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA). Projects with these agencies are located throughout the United States and allow Creighton to be able to travel to see multiple parts of the country while visiting sites. Creighton has also had the opportunity to host two interns from JPII through Mrs. Dye’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship program. In September of 2022, Creighton married his now wife, Alex, and in November of 2023 they welcomed a baby girl named Rosemary. Creighton, Alex, and Rosemary currently live in Nashville, Tennessee.

Melissa Simpson began her career in the commercial fishing industry on a salmon seiner out of Kodiak, Alaska, after she came across an ad on Craigslist while searching for a crew. After that first fishing season, she was hooked! From Kodiak, she spent the next six months pot fishing in the Indian Ocean out of Darwin, Australia, and then it was on to tuna trolling in New Zealand. Since then, she’s done herring seining and lobstering in Maine, and scalloped and trapped fished out of Gloucester, Massachusetts. She completed an additional three salmon seasons in Alaska by fishing another seining season in Kodiak,

gill netting Sockeye in Bristol Bay, and trolling for Chinook out of Sitka. Melissa now takes her crew share in catch-and-sell fresh seafood directly to consumers, as well as distributing through small retail outlets. Both her scallops and tuna have been served at The Catbird Seat in Nashville. She is passionate about educating people about the different methods of fishing so that they may have a better understanding of where their food comes from, and how it affects both the sea life and sea folk. When she is not fishing, she lives in coastal Maine with her cat and ferret.

— 2013 —

Joseph Lascara attended Ole Miss to study Accounting, where he received his Bachelor’s (‘17) and Master’s (‘18). After graduation, he took a job in Chicago at a forensic accounting firm for three years working on fraud investigations, including the Volkswagen Dieselgate scandal. He then switched to Internal Audit at a large pharmaceutical company in Chicago. He’s traveled extensively for work over the years, and has visited 42 countries! Joseph just bought a house in Chicago this year, and in his free time enjoys running, baking, and trying new restaurants.

Maddie (Bologa) Nelson and Mitchell Nelson, both of the Class of 2013, are stationed at Ft. Cavazos in Texas where Mitchell assumed command of a tank company in 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division earlier this year. Maddie recently graduated with an MA in Theology and is due to give birth to their second child in August.

— 2014 —

Collin Bryant wed Julia Clancy at St. Peter Catholic Church in Memphis, TN, with Hogan Bryant ‘12 and Mycah Milton ‘14 serving as groomsmen. Collin is a general dentist at Alpha Dental and Julia is an optometrist at Sango Eye Care. The newlyweds reside in Clarksville, TN.

Joseph Tran spent the last five years as an Army officer serving with the 101st Airborne Division as a Reconnaissance Platoon Leader and a Cavalry Troop Executive Officer prior to being assigned to Fort Jackson, SC as an Executive Officer and Commander of a Basic Combat Training Company. Currently, he is a Captain and is transitioning out of active duty working as a military program manager intern for Google. After the military, he will continue to pursue a career in the tech or finance industry. Joseph and his wife are currently living in Lexington, SC.

Jamie Galvin resides in Nashville, TN and is employed by Publix Super Market Corporation.

alumni UPDATES

— 2015 —

Anna (Fox) Damanskis wed Jake Damanskis with JPII alums Carlie Campbell and Meghan Sooker serving as bridesmaids. Jake works as a recruiter for an IT staffing company and Anna enjoys her work with young children and serving the disabled community. The couple currently lives in Colorado but plans are in the works to relocate to a new city in the fall of 2024.

— 2016 —

Michael Locke graduated from JPII in 2016 and attended Oberlin Conservatory where he received his undergraduate degree in vocal performance in opera. Since then he has returned home to Nashville where he owns his own business providing private music and educational opportunities to students. He also works as head of IT for Navarre Corporation where he hopes to continue his career in business development. Outside of work, Michael is a part of SONUS Choir, a Nashville based music group who tour the US and whose most recent Christmas concert was held in the Parthenon. He is accompanied by his dog Hilda in his home in Goodlettsville and has enjoyed getting reconnected to JPII as an Alum.

— 2017 —

Barber, BSN, RN, works in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt. She recently received the prestigious DAISY Award at VUMC.

Kieran (Altenbern) Madden works part time as a youth minister at her Catholic parish in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She enjoys walking with high schoolers and middle schoolers on their faith journey with Christ, and recently went on pilgrimage to Rome. Kieran, her husband, and two children are pictured on the altar after celebrating Easter Mass.

Madeline

— 2018 —

Katy Beth Boyers’ interest in journalism began during her sophomore year at JPII, when she enrolled in the Online Media class taught by Mr. Patton. She learned how to write and create content for ‘The Herald on the Hill’, the school’s on-line student newspaper. It was from that Online Media class that she went on to major in journalism at Samford University, and eventually graduate with a B.A. As of June 2022, Katy Beth is a Producer at WBKO News in Bowling Green, KY producing the 6pm and 10pm newscasts Monday through Friday. She’s helped cover breaking news, elections, and community events the last few years, with the most memorable being these election nights: Midterm 2022, 2023 May Primary, and 2023 Gubernatorial. Outside of her career, Katy Beth recently adopted a puppy named Jessie from her local Humane Society.

Saul Buda went to Lipscomb University where he studied business and marketing. He did an internship with the Public Relations and Communications team, where he took photos of new construction on campus, one of which was published in the university magazine! He then did an internship with GS&F, an advertising agency in Nashville, where he worked on projects for Hunt Brothers Pizza. After graduating from Lipscomb University, Saul worked for the family business, American Movers, Inc. He was then hired at JPII for two years as a photographer, and managed the JPII historical archives. He attended and photographed a multitude of events including areas such as the fine arts, athletics, fundraising, summer camps, and many more. After his departure from JPII he worked at Zeal TN, where he spoke about the nonprofits supported by his organization, and how others can get involved with giving back. Saul now works at Vanderbilt Hospital as a community service officer, where he helps to direct visitors throughout campus, keeps track of patient holds, secures and monitors the parking garages to keep everything on the up and up, and to help those in need of assistance. He also owns his own photography business, eyefor_ photography.

Ethan Ingram graduated from The George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs with a Master of Arts degree in Security Policy Studies. Concentrating in U.S. National Security, with a focus on counterterrorism, transnational organized crime, and Russian misconduct, Ethan is pursuing a career with the United States government to actively combat these threats. Ethan resides in Arlington, Virginia.

alumni UPDATES

William Pacwa is a corporate attorney in Holland & Knight’s Nashville office, where his practice focuses on mergers and acquisitions (M&A). In addition, William is an accredited representative with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). While in law school, he served as associate editor-in-chief of the South Carolina Law Review and as a law clerk for the Department of Justice Journal of Federal Law and Practice and graduated in the top 10% of his class.

Joel Schaffhouser recently graduated with his MBA and is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma. Joel will live in Chattanooga, TN and work for Schaffhouser Electric Company.

Liz Wood recently graduated from St. Louis University with a Masters in Occupational Therapy.

— 2019 —

Sam Aldrich attended Western Kentucky University’s Honors College and completed her Bachelor’s in Marketing and Mandarin Chinese. Aldrich credits her time at JPII for preparing her well and said, “I gained the study skills I needed to learn Chinese as an adult. I took Latin with Mr. Crowley, and his strategic approach to learning a new language was invaluable. It was clear when I started college that JPII’s approach to learning helped me be able to keep up with the workload I received having two majors.” While attending college, Aldrich started posting videos on Tiktok about her and her twin sister’s lives and eventually gained over 800,000 followers on the app which laid a foundation to begin negotiating brand deals and advertising (@ sammmtheman). This experience launched an interest in digital/ influencer marketing which led Aldrich to pursue marketing as a career path. During her junior year of college she worked as a Digital Marketing Intern at Vanderbilt University’s Innovation lab called “The Wond’ry” which led to a part-time position at Vanderbilt

School of Nursing as a Social Media Assistant for their main social media accounts as well as for their Nursing Informatics program. In addition, Aldrich also works full-time as a Marketing Coordinator for January Spring, a digital B2B advertising agency for print publishers. As a marketing coordinator she is responsible for impacting all aspects of product marketing, marketing communication, sales support, and business development. She’s part of a team which delivers on campaign support for: programmatic display, streaming TV and audio, video, paid social, paid search, and email. Thinking back on her JPII experience, she says, “I am extremely grateful to have been able to get such a valuable education with teachers that actually care and want students to succeed.” (Pictured with twin Reilly Aldrich ‘19, Jacob Young ‘19, and Alli Kolemba ‘19)

Lilyanna Moss and husband Chandler Hathaway share the birth of their first child, Clover Leigh Hathaway, born on March 17, 2024.

David Hobbs graduated from Millsaps College with his MBA and has relocated back home to Nashville, TN.

— 2020 —

Anna (Cole) Browder married John Browder and has relocated to Adairville, Kentucky where she owns and operates a small business ‘Bags by Browder’ where she hand makes fur hats and purses.

Madeline Hartlage graduated in May 2024 with highest honors and a BS in Computer Science from Georgia Tech specializing in electrical devices and AI/machine learning. She plans to work in software engineering, databases, or cloud computing. While attending Georgia Tech, Madeline was a member of an intramural volleyball team and an organization called Bits of Good which develops software applications for nonprofits in the Atlanta area, earning the distinction of Most Valuable Developer, which is given to only one developer throughout the entire organization each semester.

Cade Marino is a member of the Birmingham-Southern men’s lacrosse team and was named Honorable Mention All-American Defense by USILA. Marino earned All-American honors for the first time in his career after being named SAA Defensive Player of the Year this season. He is a senior and is the third player to be named All-American in program history. Throughout his

BSC career, Marino has been the anchor in defense for the Panthers and was recently inducted into Birmingham-Southern Sports’ Hall of Fame. This season, Marino led the conference in caused turnovers with 39 and extended his BSC program record to 139. He also started every game for BSC this season and finished inside the top 10 in ground balls per game with 3.53.

Stephen Smart graduated from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and has been selected for a prestigious internship in lighting design at the Pittsburgh Opera House where he will serve as the associate lighting designer for six shows over twelve weeks for the summer of ‘24. He will relocate to New York City in the fall to pursue a career in lighting design.

alumni UPDATES

— 2021 —

Sean Crooks recently graduated from the Future Program at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is planning a mission trip to Guatemala with his family for the summer of 2024. He plans to reside in Nashville, TN and, of course, to continue his bowling pastime.

Emily Grace Gibbons currently serves as treasurer of Sigma Tau Delta at Flagler College.

Ryder Smith has completed his junior year at Middle Tennessee State University, where he studies music composition and jazz and classical piano. Ryder has been selected to several ensembles during his time at MTSU and has performed his own compositions in recitals. Ryder was hired to play piano at Cheekwood Estate and Gardens, where he has performed for their Piano in the Mansion, Jazz Under the Stars, and Summer Tea series. He enjoys playing for projects with other musicians and composing during his free time.

— 2022 —

Kate Barber is a rising junior at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville studying Journalism and Electronic Media in the College of Communications. She has made

the Dean’s List four consecutive semesters. Outside of her academic achievements, she is heavily involved in campus organizations such as Greek life, Saint John XXIII Catholic Church, and Healthy Celebrations Running Club. In her second year as an Alpha Delta Pi member, she is currently holding the position of Intramural chair for her Chapter. Panhellenic wide, she has been selected to be a 2024 Fall Recruitment Counselor for the University of Tennessee’s Primary Recruitment. Outside of Greek Life, she is an active member of Saint John XXIII Catholic Church on campus. Kate enjoys membership in the Healthy Celebrations Running Club and works two part-time jobs as a server at Calhouns on the River and works in the nursery for Resurrection Church.

Scotty Carter made the Spring 2024 Dean’s List at Belmont College.

Connor Nute is a rising junior at Middle Tennessee State University in the School of Journalism focusing on sports media. Connor produces the Nashville Predators on-air broadcasts on 102.5 The Game. He also hosts the radio show “4’s Company” featuring weekly sports newsworthy topics every Saturday from 9:00- 11:00 a.m. with a special segment “Nutes Notes” weekly at 9:45 a.m. Be sure to tune in!

— 2023 —

alumni spotlight BAYLIE FADOOL ‘16

After graduating JPII in 2016, Baylie Fadool attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences in 2020. During her time there, she got to participate in a field course in marine biology that would shape the trajectory of her career.

After college, Baylie began working at the Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation - Shark Lab in South Bimini, The Bahamas, at the beginning of 2021. While there, she served as the Outreach Coordinator and Media Manager. This entailed handling all of the education and outreach programs, running the social media pages, and participating in all shark research activities. She has had the opportunity to appear in a documentary on National Geographic, travel to the depths of the ocean in a submarine, serve as a speaker at numerous scientific and outreach conferences, and publish her own research in a scientific journal.

She now continues with the Shark Lab remotely as a student scientist and external outreach coordinator and will be starting her Masters degree in Fisheries and Wildlife this fall. Baylie has shared her expertise with our community during JPII summer camp and as a guest speaker during our annual STEM Day.

Ava Valente is employed by iD Tech Camps at the Vanderbilt University location where she teaches coding and robotics.

alumni CONNECTIONS

top golf alumni social JULY 2023

home football game alumni tailgate FALL 2023

homecoming alumni celebrations

SEPTEMBER 2023

alumni college panel JANUARY 2024

birdie bros. alumni social FEBRUARY 2024

Bishop Welcome Scholarship

Designed as a need-based award for Catholic students who are new to Catholic education and entering the 6th-10th grade.

Bishop Bridge Scholarship

Designed as a need-based award for students entering the 9th grade who currently attend a Catholic school.

JPII Excellence Scholarship

Designed as a merit-based award for students entering the 9th grade who are recognized for their academic achievements and who live a Christ-centered life.

Empower Ministry Scholarship

Designed as a need-based award for Protestant students who are entering the 6th-10th grade and currently attending public school, private school, or homeschool.

Other need-based awards are listed on our website and are automatically awarded to select students who apply for financial aid and meet the criteria of the benefactor.

Making

Catholic education more accessible. You can join our generous donors to support our new scholarship and financial aid funds!

Due to the generosity of the Diocese of Nashville and the Empower Ministry Foundation, new need-based financial aid funds are now available for all current and future JPII students. The Diocese of Nashville has generously established The Bishop Bridge Financial Aid Fund at JPII to assist Catholic families who desire a JPII education for their children. These Bishop Bridge designated funds will help make JPII affordable by closing the gap between what a family can reasonably afford and the actual cost of attending JPII. Aiming to lessen a financial burden that could be the obstacle keeping families from even applying to JPII, let alone attending, the Bishop Bridge and Empower funds, in addition to matching donations, will combine to ensure that financial aid funds are available for current and future Knights. The Empower Ministry Foundation has established the Empower Financial Aid Fund to offer need-based financial aid to Protestant families, making the JPII experience accessible to those parents currently serving in ministry positions or to current and future students who aim to serve in ministry-related fields. If you are interested in supporting either or both of these newly established funds, please contact Director of Advancement Michelle Barber.

VISIT OUR WEBSITE TO LEARN MORE. www.jp2prep.org

JPII COMMUNITY BUSINESS DIRECTORY

2024

The businesses listed on the following pages in the JPII Community Business Directory have been voluntarily submitted for publication by individuals affiliated with Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School for informational purposes only. As a maturing school community, our alumni, alumni parents, and current parents represent many goods and services available in the marketplace. The school is not promoting any listed business, nor is it responsible for any benefit or harm one could incur from consulting with or employing businesses listed herein. Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School intends to provide this directory to our community in an effort to connect affiliated businesses to affiliated consumers - taking our motto of Knights helping Knights to a new level of connectivity. In the late fall, we will email our community, including current and alumni families, to update the JPII Community Business Directory. Please watch for the email to include your business in our future publications!

Advertising, Marketing, Promotions

Sol Performance Marketing, LLC

Andrew Smith ‘13

Colorado Springs, CO

615-487-4987

andrew@solperformancemarketing.com www.solperformancemarketing.com

Up To Eleven Marketing

Len Silverman

Goodlettsville

615-851-8767

len@uptoelevenmarketing.com www.uptoelevenmarketing.com

Animal Services

Hidden Acres Farm - Horse Boarding

Maria Mauthe

149 Barker Rd, Nashville 615-391-3036 hiddenacresfarmtn@gmail.com hiddenacresfarmtn.com

Architecture

Full Concept Residential Design & Drafting, LLC

Cher Anderson

114 Nogs Garden, Gallatin 704-771-9539

cheranderson2021@gmail.com www.fullconceptdrafting.com

Automobile Repair & Service

Hendersonville Firestone

Jamie Houdeshell

111 Indian Lake Boulevard, Hendersonville 615-824-9005

jhoudesh@comcast.net www.hendersonvillefirestone.com

Automobile Sales

Newton Nissan of Gallatin

Michael Abbondanza 1461 Nashville Pike, Gallatin 615-451-6827

mike@newtonmotorgroup.com www.newtonnissan.com

Banking

Arrius Capital

Charles Lyons 811 W 7th St Suite 1200, Los Angeles, CA 90017

615-957-6880

charles@arrius.co www.arrius.co

Beauty Services & Barber Shops

Nash Tans-Custom Spray Tanning

Denise Buck

2037 Old Drakes Creek Rd, Hendersonville 615-431.9334

nashtans@outlook.com www.nashtan.com

Building & Construction

Leverick Homes

Jeremiah Pierce

2058 Woodruff Ave, Greenbrier

615-239-8789

jeremiah@leverickhomes.com www.leverickhomes.com

Master Builders by Bagsby Ranch

Bart Bagsby 1628 Long Hollow Pike, Gallatin 615-812-9800

bart@bagsbyranch.com www.bagsbyranch.com

Moseley Paving LLC

Sonny Moseley

1881 Long Hollow Pike, Gallatin 615-477-6132

moseleypaving@gmail.com www.moseleypaving.com

RCG SMART CITIES LLC (playgrounds, rubber surfacing, concrete edging, solar lamps)

Roy Cantillano 510 Hartmann Dr, Lebanon 931-542-8787 info@rcgsmartcities.com

StillWaters Construction, LLC

John Keightley

311 Bluebird Drive, Goodlettsville 615-851-4884

stillwaters.john@gmail.com

Business Services, Business Sales, Mergers and Acqusitions

Nashville Business Brokers

Julie Cameron, J.D. 4117 Hillsboro Pike Ste. 103-350, Nashville 619-200-6682 julie@nashbb.com www.nashbb.com

Child Care Services

The Goddard School - Hendersonville

David Brumley

108 Cinema Dr, Hendersonville 615-822-9300

HendersonvilleTN2@goddardschools.com www.goddardschool.com/schools/tn/hendersonville

The Goddard School - Gallatin

Kara Brumley

1059 Kennesaw Blvd, Gallatin 615-561-1515

kara.brumley@goddardschools.com www.goddardschool.com/schools/tn/gallatin

Dental

Donelson Dental Center Dr. Dominick Massa ’13 120 Donelson Pike Suite 103 615-885-1695 info@donelsondentalcenter.com www.Donelsondentalcenter.com

Entertainment

GO USA Fun Park

Alex Abdo ‘12 2270 Armory Drive, Murfreesboro 615-895-7888 info@gousafunpark.com www.gousafunpark.com

Event Service & Venue

Bagsby Ranch Angela Bagsby 1628 Long Hollow Pike, Gallatin 615-452-1376 angela@bagsbyranch.com www.bagsbyranch.com

Hi-Fi Media Co. Matt Self ‘09 P.O. Box 23631, Nashville 615-601-2605 matt@hifimediaco.com www.hifimediaco.com

Financial Planning

Joey Montalbano CFP® CLU® ChFC® CASL® RHU® REBC® WMCP®| Joey Montalbano 174 Saundersville Rd #403, Hendersonville joey.montalbano@nm.com www.joeymontalbano.com

Wood Financial Group, LLC

Wesley Wood 181 E Main Street Suite 7, Hendersonville 615-826-5749 susannahwood@me.com www.woodfinancialgroup.com

Fitness

Swish Works

Antonio Zuazo 90 Volunteer Drive Suite 410, Hendersonville 615-991-5181 tony.zuazo@swishworks.net www.swishworks.net

Align Fitness

Alexis Jones (Agbunag) ‘06 Nashville and surrounding areas 615-476-9461

alexis.alignfitness@gmail.com www.alignwithalexis.com

Food Service & Trucks

Little Caesars Spring Hill

Craig & Denise Buck

4886 Port Royal Road Ste. 170, Spring Hill 931-487-9884

springhilllittlecaesars@gmail.com www.littlecaesars.com

Little Caesars Providence

Craig & Denise Buck

630 S. Mt Juliet Rd, Mt Juliet 615-754-1818

mtjulietlittlecaesars@gmail.com www.littlecaesars.com

Little Caesars Old Hickory

Craig & Denise Buck 14819 Lebanon Rd, Old Hickory 615-773-7999

oldhickorylittlecaesars@gmail.com www.littlecaesars.com

Graphic Design

Modern Creative Studio

Alexis Jones (Agbunag) ‘06 1704A Simpkins Street, Nashville 615-476-9461

alexisjonesdesign@gmail.com www.amoderncreativestudio.com

Health & Wellness

Manage Your Rx

Dr. Toie Alston 116 AGNES RD, KNOXVILLE 901-268-1205 pharmacist@manageyourrx.com www.manageyourrx.com

Touch of Joy - Massage Therapy

Olivia Ivanov 211 Indian Lake Blvd, Suite B, Hendersonville 615-601-1775

touchofjoymt@gmail.com www.Touchofjoymt.com

Healthcare & Physicians

Kokua Analytical Consultants

Michael Twilbeck ‘08 73-4363 Kehau Nani St, Kailua-Kona 808-345-0805

mike@kokuaanalytical.com www.kokuaanalytical.com

Liv Medical LLC

Edwin Feagins Jr. ‘07 615-915-8626 livmedicalco@gmail.com www.liv-medical.square.site

Middle Tennessee Nephrology

Dr. J. Mathews Joseph 270 E. Main St., Gallatin 615-452-3250 jmathewsjoseph@yahoo.com www.mykidneymtn.com

Summit Eye Associates, PC

Josh Young 5410 Old Hickory Blvd, Hermitage 615-883-2356 jyoung@summiteye.com www.summiteye.com

Insurance

Scott Bryant, State Farm Insurance & Financial Services

Scott Bryant 1810 Madison Street 931-648-3071 scott@scottbryantinsurance.com

Tuerff & Sons Insurance

Greg Tuerff 1050 Glenbrook Way, Hendersonville 615-661-8034 gtuerff@comcast.net www.tuerffandsons.com

Landscaping & Lawn Care & Outdoor Cleaning

B.C.S. Window Cleaning (& pressure washing)

Scott Baxter 1566 Drakes Creek Rd., Hendersonville 615-828-9029 thebaxtersare@att.net

Dorantes Company

Raul Dorantes 3216 West Hamilton Ave, Nashville 615-586-0149 or 615-485-2825 gloriacorderoperez1@gmail.com

Legal Services

Runyon & Runyon

Raymond Runyon 301 Main Street, Clarksville 931-647-3377

rfrunyon@runyonandrunyon.com www.runyonandrunyon.com

Adams and Reese LLP

Cole Braun

1600 West End Avenue, Suite 1400, Nashville

615-259-1034

cole.braun@arlaw.com www.arlaw.com

Printing & Branding

ImageLife Signs

Michael Martini

921 8th Ave S 615-970-6200 michael@myimagelife.com www.myimagelife.com

Media & Publications

Main Street Media of Tennessee

Dave Gould

333 W. Main St., Gallatin 615-452-4940

dgould@mainstreetmediatn.com www.mainstreetmediatn.com

Orthodontics

Morris Orthodontics

Dr. Rich Morris

207A Indian Lake Blvd. 615-431-2787

admin@morrisbraces.com www.morrisbraces.com

Smile Construction Orthodontics

Dr. Clayton Fulks

118 Maple Row Blvd, Ste B, Hendersonville 615-824-8929

drfulks@smileconstruction.com www.smileconstruction.com

Religious Institutions

Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church

Father Austin Gilstrap 1729 Stop 30 Road, Hendersonville 6158243276 office@ololcc.org www.ololcc.org

Photography

Jill Hobbs Photography

Jill Hobbs

615-579-6231

jillhobbsphoto@gmail.com www.jillhobbs.com

Real Estate & Rental Properties

Eddie Cox Team at Benchmark Realty

Eddie Cox

131 Saundersville Rd, #130, Hendersonville 615-429-7572

eddie@eddiecox.net www.eddiecox.net

Jennifer Tieche -SimpliHŌM

Jennifer Tieche

118 Saundersville Rd, Ste 150, Hendersonville 615-972-9048

jennifertieche@simplihom.com www.JenniferTieche.simplihom.com

HJL Properties (Commerical and Residential Rental Properties & Development)

Maria Mauthe 208B McGavock Pike, Nashville 615-889-7372 maria@hjlproperties.com www.hjlproperties.com

Middle Tennessee Property Group

Luke Naylor

201 Holly Ln, White House 615-852-6861 mtpgllc@gmail.com www.mtpg.managebuilding.com/Resident/public/ home

Retail

Brown’s Florist

Christy Hale

269 West Main Street, Hendersonville 615-824-0857 brownsflorist@comcast.net www.Brownsflorist.net

The French Shoppe

Leigh Masters 2817 West End Ave Ste 120, Nashville 615-327-8712 info@frenchshoppe.com www.frenchshoppe.com

HoytCo, LLC DBA Cricket Wireless

Earle Hoyt

413 Myatt Dr Ste A, Madison & 124 Maple St, Gallatin 615-865-4337 & 615-452-9961 hoytcollc@gmail.com www.cricketwireless.com

Luther’s Liquors

Maria Mauthe 15565 Old Hickory Blvd, Nashville 615-889-7372 info@luthersliquors.com luthersliquors.com

117 Caldwell Drive

Hendersonville, Tennessee 37075

615-822-2375

FRIDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL, SEPTEMBER 13

Homecoming on the Hill - JPII vs. The Webb School

5:30 p.m. AlumKnight Tailgate @ the Alumni Tent food, beverages, and JPII swag for you and your family

7:00 p.m. Kick Off free tickets for alumni and family

8:00 p.m. Halftime Reception for AlumKnights @ the KAC Room food, beverages, and JPII swag for you and your family

9:00 p.m. Post-Game Gathering @ The Rudder restaurant for all AlumKnights (and a guest) and AlumKnight Parents

The Rudder - 126 River Road, Hendersonville

REUNION WEEKEND, SEPTEMBER 13-14

Classes of 2009, 2014, and 2019 will have private reunion events planned by the Alumni Office and the Class Agents.

Please update your contact information using the QR codes below, and watch for information on the alumni page of the Pope Saint John Paul II Preparatory School website and social media pages.

www.jp2prep.org

Facebook: JPII Alumni

Instagram: popeprep_alumknights