Sentinels in Motion (January 29, 2024)
Note from the Activities Director:
“I know that true charity consists in bearing all of our neighbors’ defects, not being surprised at their weakness, but edified at their smallest virtues.” -St. Therese of Lisieux
I recently taped this quote in my office because it struck me with its simplicity and its everyday applications. In regards to sports and teams – I believe this quote holds the keys to success. By success, I mean a team's ability to reach its full potential.
The more time we spend with people, the more we tend to become annoyed by their perceived flaws (weaknesses). A small weakness can, over time, become a giant obstacle in our relationship. The first key that is highlighted in this quote is to not be surprised by the weakness of another. All we have to do is take a serious look at ourselves and our flaws - and we shouldn’t be surprised to see similar flaws in others. The second key is to be edified by the smallest virtues of others. This means not only recognizing and congratulating others for the good they exhibit, but also improving ourselves through their witness by making an effort to become more like them in this aspect of our lives.
Can you imagine a team that doesn’t appear to notice each other's flaws, constantly celebrates each other's virtuous acts, and is in a constant state of learning and growing from each other? They will fall into the habitual act of wanting the best for each other. They would be willing to do anything for their brother or sister in Christ in order to help them. They would act in love - and that is the experience we hope to create in all of our Sentinel teams.
Chris Lemke - Stella Maris Academy Jr/Sr High School Principal and Activities Director
ONE ACT - Competition Time
One Act had their competition on Friday, January 26th at Two Harbors High School. They left at 6:45 AM full of expectant energy for a day of watching and participating in the competition. Margaret Zastrow, an eighth grade student and lead in the play, said the day started off a bit rocky and they were nervous as they watched the other teams with big sets and great performances. They calmed their nerves by practicing their lines, and by the time their turn came to perform, they did great.
Director Joseph McLaughlin, says, “We didn't advance, but it was a great experience for all of us. The judges gave some constructive criticism, and the directors were very happy to have us there!” One of the critiques was that it was better to have an act like The Circus, which this team did, because it has no set, thereby requiring more imagination on the part of the actors and those watching. We look forward to seeing what this SMA team can do next season!
Basketball
The girls' team is working hard and had their first win on January 22nd against Ordean.
The elementary boys play every Saturday in the Arrowhead League. Coach Reier Sjomeling shares a great story of how our student athletes are finding ways to lead, love, and serve on the court:
"Many of my players are brand new to basketball this year, so during our first game of the season, we were pretty timid on the court. We faced a good team and got blown out 36-2. It was a tough loss, and the kids were pretty bummed. However, instead of hanging their heads and giving up, they continued to practice hard and work together as a team. A week later, we ended up winning our first game by two points (22-20) in a thrilling fashion! The boys were ecstatic about the team's turnaround.
Another highlight was when our players identified that there was an opponent with a disability and decided together as a team to let him walk up to the hoop at the end of the game and take some uncontested shots. The other player made his first basket of the season while both teams were cheering him on!"
The junior high boys have been looking for additional opportunities to play quality teams outside of the local area. For this reason, SMA has joined the Rising Stars High School League out of the Cities where they have 14 regular season games and at least two playoff games scheduled. The competition is fierce, and our boys are being raised to a new level of play. A generous donor purchased a shuttle bus to ensure our athletes can get to and from these games. Games are televised and can be seen by SMA fans online using these instructions.
Martial Arts
There are 17 students enrolled in the winter session of Martial Arts with the majority being returning students. The group is composed of many elementary-aged students and a handful of older students. Martial Arts is very different from other organized sports, and many people don’t know what to expect. Coach, Tony Merritt, explains:
“Almost everyone who starts martial arts comes in as a complete novice. If a child starts soccer or baseball, for the most part they have kicked a ball or played catch in their backyard. With martial arts, the most basic parts of the sport are completely new to most people. Even athletic people who would have an advantage at other sports don't have one in martial arts since the skills and movements are so different. If a student is good at one sport, oftentimes they can be good at another. Those skills don't translate very well to martial arts most of the time. In a way this can be a good thing. There are no first string or bench players. Everyone is one team, but rises on their own merits. The students never have to worry about being the worst player on the team or if the good players will be mad at them for messing something up. This is a great opportunity to build a child's self esteem and also self reliance. They can help encourage and lift each other up when they fail, but when they succeed, they know they did it through their own hard work and the glory is all their own and God’s.”
The team would like to expand in the future to include more high school students and/or parents, so if you’re looking for something new, give this sport a try!
There will be at least one, if not two, belt promotion tests this winter. In March the team will participate in a tournament in Duluth.
Little Flowers
By Emily Patrick
In anticipation of her feast day on January 21st, the girls learned about St Agnes. Students and moms in attendance hung on Ms. Boran’s every word as we all learned about the lambs that receive a blessing from the Pope each year on St Agnes’ feast day. The wool from those lambs is eventually used to make a stole for newly ordained bishops in Rome. The girls also learned about how St. Agnes’ love of God brought her joy even as she was persecuted during the days of the early Church. Each of the girls made a lamb prayer card holder to remind her to pray every day and grow in her love of God.
We are looking forward to hosting the Handmaids at a future meeting and continuing to learn about more saints!
Cheer/Pep Squad
The cheerleaders have been learning new skills and practicing for a performance at a pep rally during Catholic Schools’ Week. In this picture they are doing an elevator where the bases (two girls on the sides) are holding the flier (girl in the stunt) at shoulder.
Below: Cross Country Skiing
The team raced into practice with their skis in hand after the first snowfall! This week they will make the most of melted snow by having a “Hawaiian Day.”
Margaret Zastrow
Eighth grader Margaret Zastrow has really exemplified the school motto “Lead, Love, Serve” through her participation in One Act this year. As director Joseph McLaughlin says, “Margaret has really taken the lead, pun very much intended, with helping her castmates with running lines and making sure that they are prepared for competition.”
Margaret has a history in theater, having held a role in Charlie Brown Christmas at the Duluth Playhouse and helping her mom volunteer with Denfeld’s productions. She’s been surrounded by what she called “music energy” and theater with her family, so One Act drew her attention. The other driving force for joining was that she came from SMA’s St. James campus and wanted to connect with more students who had come from other campuses and schools this year. So, when she heard several were signing up for One Act, she followed suit. The payoff was just what she hoped for as she formed deeper relationships with the other actors.
Having only done full production plays in the past, Margaret was challenged by working within one scene and no set to communicate what was in her imagination clearly to the judges. Having the lead role caused her to reflect more on how her character would behave and to portray that accurately. She loved that challenge and has learned from all the new experiences. It has, in her words, “given a new view of theater”.
