Heard in the Halls - November 2018

November 14, 2018

Welcome to Heard in the Halls!

We encourage you to read all the current blogs, or click below to quickly go to a section.
ATHLETICS | COUNSELING | BAND | CHOIR | THEATER | JROTC

Athletics

Volleyball

by Ellen Schafer ’10, Head Coach

Volleyball finished the season with many things to celebrate. CDH Volleyball earned the Minnesota Volleyball Coaches Association Academic All-State Gold award. This award recognizes the team having a collective average GPA of 3.75 or higher. Along with this award, three seniors earned a spot on the academic all-state team. Congratulations to Emma Hamilton '19, Maddy Indehar '19, and Callahan Rios '19.

Congratulations to Mia Scanlan '20 for earning a spot on the SEC All-Conference team for digging 455 balls and having a 93% serve-receive rating on the whole season. Congratulations to Emma Honsa '20 and Grace Coyle '20 for earning SEC All-Conference honorable mention. 

Alpine Ski

by Carrie Freitag, Head Coach

CDH Alpine started dryland on November 12, and we still have spaces on the roster! If you enjoy spending your winter outdoors, and improving their skiing talents, you should join us as a member of this great team. Come check us out. Contact Coach Carrie Freitag or ask one of our team members. Racing experience is not necessary!

Winter Competitive Dance

by Ali Pendergrass, Co-Head Coach

The Winter Dance Team is in full swing and preparing for a great season! Listed below are some upcoming Competitions/Performances. Come out to cheer on the CDH Dance Team.

• Monday 11/19: Conference Competition at Moundsview High School
• Monday 12/3: Conference Competition at Eastridge High School
• Saturday 12/15: Competition at Rochester Mayo High School
• Tuesday 12/11: Performance at Boys Varsity Basketball Game at CDH
• Friday 12/21: Performance at Boys Varsity Basketball Game at CDH

Gymnastics

Gymnasts wanted! All backgrounds and skill levels are welcome to join this small and energetic team! Contact Coach Nicole Cleeton at if you would like to join the team.

Girls Hockey

by Brooke White-Lancette, Head Coach

The girls hockey program has a new and exciting outlook this season. The returning players bring exceptional leadership, which complements the hard work and tenacity of the incoming 9th graders. Returning coaches Brooke White-Lancette, Jenna Westerham and Alli Altmann, along with new coaches Randy Westerham, Emily Klatt, and Riley Olson, set out to establish team unity, while fostering a positive culture. The staff aims to help players reach their full potential.

The season got off to a great start with a team-building trip to Alexandria, MN. This was the first overnight road trip for the program, and a great opportunity for the players, coaches, and families to kick-off the season together. All agreed the trip was a great success!

The early season schedule will definitely test the Raiders, with a scrimmage vs. defending Class A State Champions, Breck.  Early season games are scheduled against rated Blake (#2) and Edina (#1 and defending Class AA State Champions).

Our depth will be our strength this year. The 12 returning players will provide excellent leadership for our new players. We expect our 9th-grade players to make an impact right out of the gate. Our chemistry, speed, grittiness, and competitive level will result in many entertaining games this season.

Beyond the rink, players continue the tradition of giving back to the community. The first event was this past Saturday when several players helped mentor young girls participating in the "Try Hockey for Free" program. The event proved to be very successful and an opportunity for our girls to act as role models.

The Raiders are in action this Friday, November 16, hosting the defending state champions, the Edina Hornets. The Junior Varsity game begins at 5:15 p.m., followed by the Varsity game at approximately 7:15 p.m. We are the home team so the games will be at Charles M. Schulz-Highland Arena. Come cheer on the CDH Girls Hockey Teams! Go Raiders!!

College Counseling

by Joan O’Connell, College Counselor

Private Scholarships for College

Many private organizations offer scholarships to students intending to go to college. CDH seniors can find private scholarship information on their Naviance accounts. Just log in, click on “colleges,” then “scholarships & money,” then “scholarship list” to find the most up-to-date list. All of the private scholarships that we have been made aware of will appear here and students can get all the application information they need in one spot. You can also search a national scholarship database by clicking on “national scholarship search.” Please remember to check these resources throughout the winter and spring, as they are continually updated.

Be vigilant about college scholarship scams. Beware of any scholarship organization that asks you to pay a fee, promises scholarship money, or touts money-back guarantees. Don’t be fooled by official-sounding names that include words such as “National,” “Federal,” or “Administration.” Never supply your credit card information to a scholarship site.

College Application Deadlines

A reminder to seniors that your CDH College Application Contract (Purple Sheet) is due to the Counseling Office no later than Monday, December 10, in order for your CDH supporting materials to be sent prior to the Christmas Break. Remember that the Counseling Staff will also be on break, so we must have your requests by December 10 for any January 1, 2019 deadlines. We realize this can be a stressful time for seniors, so please see your counselor if you need assistance.

Theater

by Katie Kreitzer, Theater Director

Believe it or not, many Cretin-Derham Hall students have never seen live theater. Surprisingly, only about half of the students who enroll in the Acting 1 course, have seen live theater.

So, please consider giving the gift of theater to a young person in your life this Christmas! The CDH children’s play, Merry Christmas Strega Nona, is a perfect gift that definitely keeps on giving. This charming show, based on the beloved children’s book by Tomie dePaola, is sure to warm hearts.

Set in the town of Calabria, Italy, Strega Nona (played by Emma Hamilton ’19) is a grandma character who loves to make ‘feasts’ for the people in the town. Unfortunately, her bumbling assistant, Big Anthony (played by Andrew Bussen ’19), makes it impossible for Strega Nona to prepare anything. The charming story helps children realize that Christmas has a power and magic that needs no wizardry or spectacle. Because, as Strega Nona says, “Christmas has a magic of its own.”

The 35-member cast of Merry Christmas Strega Nona has been working hard to create the atmosphere of an Italian community. The set reflects the beautiful illustrations of Tomie dePaola and everyone is getting excited to perform for an audience. Once again, CDH will welcome grade school children will be coming to CDH to view the play on Wednesday, December 5, and Thursday, December 6. The show opens to the public on the evening of December 6. Tickets are already selling fast. 

Thanks to all our patrons who attended the fall Blackbox play, Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. The audiences frequently commented on the cast members’ ability to jump from comedy to drama in a matter of seconds. Teenage audiences, in particular, had fun participating in the direction that each show would take.

If you haven’t experienced a CDH Blackbox show, make sure you put it on your calendar for next year. Blackbox shows are one of my favorite things about directing at CDH. Audiences have the opportunity to truly connect with the actors. Most of the time, the actors are literally steps away from the audience, which makes the experience intimate and unique.

The theater year is off to a fantastic start. We hope to immerse you in the Christmas spirit as transform our stage into Calbrini, Italy in December. Get your tickets today!

And, don't forget about the 25-year Lillian Theater Anniversary Celebration coming up in January. You will receive an invitation in early December. If for some reason, you don’t receive one, please let us know. CDH Theater fans don’t want to miss it!  

Band

by Donna Novey, Band Director

Music Notes:

• The annual Band Cake Breakfast, held on October 14, was a great success with tasty pancakes and a ‘bandtastic’ raffle. The band raised almost $10,000 for the next trip in 2020. We appreciate our community's support.  
  
  
• Jazz Band rehearsals began on November 6.
  
  
• The first trimester was action-packed and ended on a high note with the Fall Concert. The band performed a wide variety of music from marches, to Jewish wedding dances, to a selection inspired by the musical accomplishments of Benjamin Franklin. There was also a tribute to band member Owen Loftus, who passed away on October 5, 2018.
  
  
• Everyone’s favorite time of year is coming soon! World’s Finest Chocolate sales begin this week and go through December 14. Chocolate bars are still only $1 and boxes of Mint Melt-a-Ways are $2.
  
  
• The Music Department will hold it’s annual Christmas Concert on Wednesday, December 12, at 7 p.m. in the Joe Mauer Field House. It will be quite a celebration with performances by the Chamber Singers, Choral Artists, the 9th Grade Concert Choir, the Jazz Band, the String Ensemble, and the Concert Band.

Choir

by Isaac Lovdahl, Choir Director

Everyone is invited to the annual CDH Choir Christmas Dinner on Saturday, December 8, at 6 p.m. in the Joe Mauer Field House. There will be student entertainment in the form of solos, duets, and choir songs.

Appetizers, entrees, and desserts will be catered by DeGidio's Restaurant. There will also be a snack bar with coffee and apple cider. Tickets are on sale on our website right now!

We will also host a silent auction that includes student artwork and so much more. If you, or someone you know, owns a business or has access to goods or services that would be of interest to others, please consider contributing an item/service to our silent auction. Contact Isaac Lovdahl to make a donation.

The Music Department will hold it’s annual Christmas Concert on Wednesday, December 12, at 7 p.m. in the Joe Mauer Field House. It will be quite a celebration with performances by the Chamber Singers, Choral Artists, the 9th Grade Concert Choir, the Jazz Band, the String Ensemble, and the Concert Band.

JROTC

by LTC Jamie Fischer, SGM David Berrisford, and MSG Ken Peloski

Since our last article, a great deal has happened…

Our most exciting ceremony of the year, Diamond Promotions, occurred on October 26. This year’s process was highly competitive. Read more about the Diamond Promotions. 

Diamond Officers will lead the 240-strong Corps of Cadets through numerous activities and events over the rest of the school year, concluding with the Twilight Parade on May 15, 2019. In addition to preparing for the parade, each Diamond Officer will manage a special project for the long-term benefit of the Corps. The Brigade and Battalion staffs will guide the Corps through a continuous improvement program. Select officers will plan, coordinate, and supervise the Upper Midwest JROTC Challenge for approximately 350 JROTC cadets coming from 15 other schools on February 1, 2019.

Co-curricular programs have been busy. Our Color Guard presented the colors at Diamond Promotions and will also support many upcoming varsity sporting events. The Rifle Team has started practicing for competitions and will endeavor to qualify for the Regional JROTC Championships this month. Our Honor Guard continues to perform duties at wakes and, on November 3, they assisted with the CDH Gala at the University of St. Thomas. Both the Armed and Unarmed Regulation Drill Team is practicing for upcoming competitions later in the winter. Orienteering had its first training event of the year. Many cadets participated and the spring season looks very promising.

Four seniors will attend the annual West Point Society’s Student Leadership Seminar on November 16. Working with other local high school students, mentored by local Senior ROTC and West Point Cadets, our students will explore a series of ethical challenges and ways to lead their communities through them.

Our seniors have begun to lead the Brigade. Many planned and supervised activities at Camp Ripley. Those in key leadership positions have initiated the Continuous Improvement Process for the year. They are currently reviewing our mission, vision, and values to identify desired outcomes and set goals using the SMART model. They are planning, organizing, and running the weekly leadership labs.

Every year, all able cadets complete the JROTC Cadet Challenge, which consists of five events. These events are the shuttle run, pull-ups/flexed arm hang, crunches, the v-sit stretch, and a one-mile run. The highest scoring companies in each battalion are Bravo Company/1st Battalion, Charlie Company/2nd Battalion, and Foxtrot Company/3rd Battalion. In addition to company awards, nine of our cadets – Erin Hannon, Chris Walsh, Alesana Anetipa, Martha Enestvedt, Sofia Heer, Danny Vrtis, Reagan Rapp, Margaret Musolf, and Edmundo Villalva-Lijo – scored in the top 50 percent in each event, thus earning additional recognition. Finally, Edmundo Villalva-Lijo and Margaret Musolf earned the top scores for the brigade.

Seniors should be finishing Senior ROTC applications and Academy nominations. Juniors who are considering military service should be doing their research on which branch, school, and major. As always, we are available to answer questions.

Contact LTC Fischer at jfischer@c-dh.org or 651-696-3386 to make an appointment to talk about options. Follow us on Twitter @JrotcCdh.