A talent show, school-wide rosary prayer, and dodgeball? Catholic Schools Week, an annual celebration of what makes our school unique, takes place during the last week of January, which was the 28th through the 3rd of February. This year was a little different than past years, however, as there were more events scheduled than any year before. Principal Nolan Trafton decided to move the talent show and dodgeball tournament from homecoming week to Catholic Schools Week and added a school-wide rosary.
“I decided that I thought that the talent show would be a good thing to do during Catholic Schools Week, just to kind of showcase our students. Then dodgeball, kind of the same thing. I thought that would be a good idea to set that aside and have that be something special for the students.”
Junior Kelly Early appreciated the change to the Catholic Schools Week schedule. “I liked it. It was fun, because it kinda gave us something to look forward to in the middle of winter when there isn’t a lot to look forward to.”
The talent show, which occurred on Tuesday the 30th, was a big hit among students, especially senior John Pender. Pender said, “The talent show was my favorite part of the week. I really enjoyed seeing all the diversity of talents and skills in my own high school.”
Mr. Trafton also said that, “there was a good response to Catholic Schools Week, but there’s always ways to improve as well. It should be like another homecoming week. I mean, we should celebrate our school and what makes us unique.” He also said that his goal for the year was to encourage more school-wide prayer; he found that the rosary really allowed the school to connect on a spiritual level.
One activity that was particularly well-received was the dodgeball tournament. The winners, the BA Billings Ballers, upset the tournament, winning a very contentious game in the championship. Sophomore Patrick Hermanson, a member of the winning team, said, “We got what we deserved.”
Many students and teachers alike thought that this Catholic Schools Week was successful; the emphasis on faith and family spirit certainly helped the school grow as a community, and the fun activities helped to increase student engagement during the week. Two things are for certain: Catholic Schools Week was a huge success, and people cannot wait for next year.
