Cougar Courier

May 27, 2023

The Final Week of the 2022-2023 Academic Year is Upon Us

 

It is hard to believe that next week is the final week of the 2022-2023 academic year. Please refer to emails sent this past week from Mrs. Michelle Connor, P'25, '28, Interim Assistant Head of School and Head of Upper School and Mr. Michael McLaughlin, Head of Middle School, for important details for the week. Also, please refer to an email from the Austin Prep Health Office regarding important medical information for both the close of this year and the start of next year.

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35th Annual Austin Open Golf Tournament a Success

We were blessed with a beautiful day on Monday for the 35th Annual Austin Open Golf Tournament, held at Indian Ridge Country Club. The event was a great success with a full-flight of golfers! You can view photos from the day here.

The Annual Golf Tournament is vital in our efforts to continue to provide exceptional educational experiences for all our students. A special thank you to alumni families for their 2023 Title Sponsorships: Pimentel Construction and Quirk Construction Corp.  This year, proceeds from the golf tournament will help support the new heating system upgrades and the addition of air conditioning in McLaughlin Hall to provide a comfortable learning environment in the classroom for our students and faculty. 

View all our Title, Lunch, Breakfast, Player Gift and Cart Sponsors here.

If you have questions about future golf sponsorships and events, please contact Ms. Susan Belanger, Assistant Head for Administration at sbelanger@austinprep.org.

Benefactors and Students Recognized at Memorial Scholarship Ceremony

We were honored to announce Memorial Scholarship recipients for the 2023-2024 academic year at a special breakfast and ceremony on Thursday. A program for the event can be found here. Students in Grades 9-11 were eligible to apply for the awards and recipients demonstrated significant academic achievement and service contributions to the Austin Prep community, among other qualities. Memorial Scholarships are available to our students due to the generosity of Austin Prep families and friends who have created funds in memory of a loved one. We are proud of our students and grateful for the support of those who make these scholarships possible. You can view photos from the event here. Thank you to all who make these scholarships possible. #Caritas 

Class of 1973 Celebrates 50th Reunion

As a part of Commencement Weekend, we welcomed back the Class of 1973 for their 50th Austin Prep Reunion, as well as the Classes of 1966-1972. It was great to welcome them back to campus! #AustinAlways Photos from the reunion can be found here.

2024 International Travel Opportunity Announced

 

Over the 2024 April Break, Austin Prep will facilitate a week-long trip to Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic. Travelers will explore sites around Berlin, Prague, and Krakow, including the concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau, as they confront the evils of the Holocaust and the theme of remembrance. There will be opportunities throughout the tour for small-group facilitated discussion, private reflection, and prayer. A complete program itinerary will be shared in the days ahead.

Ordinarily, school-sponsored travel abroad opportunities are available for all students. Given the mature content of this program, at this time, we have made the decision that this trip will be available only to students in the rising freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior classes - the classes of 2027, 2026, 2025, and 2024, who are in good academic and behavioral standing. 

Registration and a $1,000 deposit will be due in the Academic Office by July 1. Please contact Mr. Michael McLaughlin, Head of Middle School, with any questions.

Sixth and Seventh Graders Excel on National Mythology Exam

The National Mythology Exam is an annual assessment administered by the American Classical League to students in the United States and abroad who are studying classical mythology. Each year, 6th and 7th grade Latin students at Austin Prep have the opportunity to take the exam at the end of a unit on Greek and Roman mythology. This year, 40 students from Austin Prep won an award of some kind on the exam, with 11 students winning silver medals (maxima cum laude), and 5 students winning gold (summa cum laude). Congratulations!

Book Award Recipients Recognized

Each spring, members of the junior class are awarded books and prizes for their scholastic, extracurricular, and community efforts. These awards are sponsored by college and university local alumni chapters, offices of admissions, faculty, and community members.  Congratulations to all those who received an award!

Austin Prep Freshmen Participate in Model UN Conference

The Class of 2026 simulated debates on Cold War crises during Austin Prep's second annual Model UN conference. Led by History Faculty Member Mr. Jon Whalen, this event was planned by the History Faculty to engage students in several weeks of extensive research and analysis of global issues. Students were tasked with solving a global issue through drafting, lobbying and debating to pass a suitable ‘resolution’. Students were engrossed in playing the roles of delegates, speakers, and chairs, representing different countries and working together to reach a solution for the agenda they were assigned. This year students participated in ten crisis committees, focusing on current events, including the Ukraine Crisis, refugees, pollution caused by thermoplastics, and more. Student-led debates were lively and the students worked hard to represent the perspective of their assigned nation and gained valuable global perspective.

Mandarin Program Highlights Asian American Heritage Month

One of the ways in which Austin Prep promotes and recognizes the impact that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have made on our world is through the Mandarin program. This month students enrolled in the Mandarin 5 class spoke about the importance of their research by learning more about the history, science, arts, culture, language of China, Japan, and the Philippines. Their inquiry into Asian American Heritage helped them to cultivate a deeper understanding of others and promote the importance of belonging, especially in an Augustinian school. Maddox Amadin '24 spoke about how much he enjoyed learning about food and culture, while Parker Vanegas '24 was amazed in the way education differed from the United States, especially because of the standardized test known as the gāokǎo. Fischer Niehaus '24 and David VanderZouwen '24 expressed how they learned to dispel misconceptions that countries are all the same because they discovered there are so many rich cultures within the Asian diaspora. Lauren Costa '24 celebrated the fact that her classmates had been in the Mandarin program since Middle School so she appreciated how much they had gained in insight over the years. Collectively they shared that their favorite project of the year was making traditional ceremonial Japanese masks featured in this photo provided above.

Class of 2023 | A Final Farewell

It has been a little over a week since the Baccalaureate Liturgy and Commencement for the Class of 2023 and we miss the Class already! During Senior Week, the Senior Class gathered for a class photo, shown above with seniors in sweatshirts representing their college or university of choice.  We wish them the best of luck as their Journey continues. #AustinAlways.

Happy Memorial Day

As you enjoy the (extra) long weekend celebrating the start of summer with family and friends, take a moment to remember and honor all the brave men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our wonderful country. To our entire Austin Prep community, we wish you a very Happy Memorial Day.