A Message from the President

Dear East Catholic Family,

I trust all in our East Catholic family are eagerly awaiting Christmas and some well-deserved time off. This is the last News from the Hill newsletter for 2023.

We have transitioned to the winter athletic season, and teams have begun play against other schools. We wish all of our teams good luck in their respective seasons.

One of the highlights of each school year is our Art Show and Christmas Concert which was held last night in our front foyer and auditorium. Once again, we were treated to a spectacular display of talent. Many thanks to the Fine Arts department for organizing and to the artists and musicians who shared their gifts with all of us. Many thanks also to our donors for coming to a reception prior to the show.

As you will see below, East Catholic students have been out in our local and greater community. From Model UN at the University of Hartford to a history class field trip to New York City, choirs at Lake Compounce and the Harlem Globetrotters game, shelter meals and other service work, our Eagles get out there and get involved.

Congratulations are in order for the four students who won the Knights of Columbus essay contest. Anthony Traboulsi, Gabriella Italia, Stefan Poth, and Michael Machewirth tackled the topic, “How can the Church evangelize in the digital age?” Well done to all!

Looking to next week, we will have a 1:00 dismissal on Monday, December 18^th and an 11:30 dismissal on Friday, December 22^nd. School will resume on Tuesday, January 2^nd. Please make a note that school offices are closed for the entire break to give our staff some well-deserved time off.

When we return in the new year, we will have 6 full days of class and then move into our exam schedule. Review Days are on 1/10 and 1/16 with exam days on 1/11, 1/12, 1/17, and 1/18. There will be no classes on Friday, January 19^th as there is a Faculty/Staff Retreat on that day.

Let’s have a great final week before break, and may everyone in our East Catholic family have a joyous and festive Merry Christmas and a safe and relaxing New Year!

Peace,

Sean P. Brennan '85

Chief Administrator

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Knights of Columbus Essay Winners

The Knights of Columbus in Manchester holds an essay contest each year for students to participate in. This year the essay topic was: "How can the Church evangelize in the digital age?" The contest was open to all youth in St. Teresa of Calcutta Parish in Manchester, as well as the students at East. Coordinated by Mrs. Shattuck, each religion teacher encouraged their students to write an essay and enter the contest.



We had numerous students submit essays, and the KoC selected 4 winners: Anthony Traboulsi, Gabriella Italia, Stefan Poth, and Michael Machewirth. The winning essays will now go on to compete at the state level! Congratulations to our winners and thank you to all who participated!

9/11 Memorial Visit

Mr. Link took students from his Advanced US History classes to visit the 9/11 Memorial in NYC. At the beginning of the year, he spends about 2 weeks teaching about the events of 9/11. This trip matched an experience to the lessons.

As part of the visit, he took time to show the students the name “Vincent Giammona.” Vincent was a NY firefighter that died on 9/11. Every year, Vincent’s sister comes into Mr. Link’s classes to speak about her brother and tell their story of that day. What an incredibly powerful tie-in to events from our nation’s history.



Thank you!

We would like to thank everyone who supported our Pie and Cookie Dough sale this year. We appreciate your continued support as we raise money for activities, scholarships, and other school needs.

Save the Date: Purse Bingo!

The Parents' Association will be hosting a Purse Bingo on Sunday, January 28th as a fundraiser for Project Grad. Doors open at 2:00pm. Play begins at 3:00pm. Mark your calendars so you can be sure to attend.

There will be more information to come after the holiday break, but, as we prepare for it, please consider volunteering to help with the event! We will need volunteers to help set up the event, as well as clean up after. We are also in need of raffle basket donations.

If you are able to help in either capacity (or both!), please contact the Parents' Association at echsPA@echs.com.

Penny Wars

Penny Wars are coming to the Boys Basketball home games! Come ready with your change. All proceeds benefit Project Graduation. We greatly value your support!

Next Meeting

Our next Parents' Association Meeting will be on Monday, January 8th in the first-floor conference room at 6:00PM. All are welcome!

For more information on upcoming events and volunteering opportunities, visit

East Catholic High School - Parents Association (echs.com)



Any questions? Email echsPA@echs.com.

ECCE at the Globetrotters

Students with East Catholic's Choral Ensemble will be performing the National Anthem at the Harlem Globetrotters' game on Friday, December 29th! Give them a cheer if you are in attendance!

Caroling at Lake Compounce

Choir students performed Christmas tunes at Lake Compounce last weekend to those in attendance at the park. What a fun way to warm up their vocals for the Christmas Concert later that week!

Christmas Concert and Art Show

We are one week away from Christmas break and our talented artists have kicked the holiday season for us! On Thursday night, the annual Art Show was set up in the foyer to greet guests before the concert. Students' work showcased their talent in drawing, sculpture, and advanced projects.

The Christmas Concert featured all musical talent from Stage Band to Chamber Choir to the Jazz East Big Band, ECCE and Orchestra. The night ended with a festive audience sing-a-long, led by the Concert Band and Concert Choir. Thank you to the Fine Arts for all of your hard work putting this night together!

CCMC's PJ Day for the Kids!

On Thursday, December 7th, students and staff raised over $1800 and dressed down in pajamas to support the cause. Since 2022, hundreds-of-thousands of children in Connecticut and Massachusetts have worn their PJs to school and, simultaneously, have raised more than $1,400,000 in support of kids at Connecticut Children's. Each year, PJ Day has inspired more and more schools and businesses across the state of Connecticut to participate. East Catholic was proud to be part of it, once again!

Scholarships

Seniors, it is scholarship time and you should be diligently working on applying for scholarships! We have many listed on Naviance, College Board has a scholarship section, you can check on your hometown school's website, and the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving has 100's of scholarships available. Please remember that you should never pay for any scholarship services! We have transcript request forms in the school counseling office if you need any additional material to go along with your scholarship application.

Volunteer with Hartford Hospital

The Department of Volunteer Services at Hartford Hospital is offering an exciting volunteer opportunity for students who may be considering a career in healthcare.

They are looking for students who are driven to help others and would like to learn more about how a hospital functions.

Applicants must:

• Be 14-18 years of age (or will turn 14 by June 24th)
• Be available at least 6 of the 8 week program (June 24th through August 16th)
• Have a minimum GPA of 3.0 (B average)
• Be available for one 8-hour shift per week or two 4-hour shifts per week (between the hours of 8am-4pm) Monday through Friday for a minimum total of 48 hours
• Attend at least one educational session during the summer.

A MANDATORY information session will be held at Hartford Hospital on Monday, February 12, 2024 from 6:00-7:30pm.

Students who are interested in this opportunity should reach out to their school counselor for more information.

Follow this link to see a video from the 2023 Summer Program: Hartford Hospital VolunTeen Program 2023 - YouTube

Christmas Collection

Out shopping this weekend? Consider adding one more small item to your list! The students of East Catholic are collecting basic clothing items for the Manchester Head Start program. Children ages 3-5 are in need of clothing for the cold weather ahead! Whatever you choose to give is appreciated- hats, gloves, socks, boots, snowpants. Many of the children receiving the clothing are coming from previous places that have never seen the cold.

All items must be brought in by Monday, December 18th. Gifts will be delivered on December 19th. Items must be new, as Head Start isn't able to accept used clothing. See the image below for other acceptable items. Thank you in advance for your kindness and generosity and for being a light to others this holiday season!

Shelter Meals

East Catholic served its latest shelter meal on December 14th at South Park Inn. The next shelter meal will be served at ImmaCare, a 75-bed shelter based in Hartford, on Tuesday, December 19th.

Service Hours

Remember that all students are required to complete 10 hours of community service by the Spring. The holidays are a great time to get in your hours, as many organizations could use extra hands to assist in their undertakings for the community.

Although it is the student's own responsibility to search out places to volunteer, Campus Ministry does have some opportunities that are offered right here through our school, as well as a few volunteer activities with local organizations that are happening on a weekly basis. If you are in need of assistance finding an organization to partner with for your hours, please stop by Campus Ministry and they can help get you signed up!

The Day Holiday Classic

The Day Holiday Classic will be played on Monday, December 18th at Mohegan Sun Arena. East Catholic boys basketball will take on St. Bernard's at 8:00pm.

Everyone in attendance must have a ticket. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased here: https://am.ticketmaster.com/mohegan/DayBasketball2023

Girls Lacrosse Coaches Clinic

East Catholic is hosting the Girls Lacrosse Coaches Clinic on Sunday, January 7th.

Learn skills, techniques, and strategies from successful high school and college coaches to prepare for your 2024 Spring Lacrosse Season!

Visit this link to register: https://girls-lacrosse-coaches-clinic.square.site/



A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Miracle League, an organization that is dedicated to providing recreational and sporting opportunities for children with physical or cognitive challenges at accessible facilities. Visit www.miracleleaguect.org for more information.

The 2023-2024 School Calendar has been posted to the ECHS website and portal.