Thankfulness, Gratitude, and Appreciation
Thankfulness, gratitude, and appreciation are three words that are often referred to during the months of November and December. This is a time when we make a special effort to put the needs of others before our own and find ways to engage in kind acts towards one another, especially those who are less fortunate. 

It’s easy for us to get consumed with our busy schedules, academic and athletic competitions, and more school events than one campus can support. So, as we look forward to this Christmas holiday season and extended time away from the hustle, let us remind ourselves of what is most important in our lives. Spending quality time with family and friends, maintaining a healthy and stress-free lifestyle, and strengthening our relationship with God is a good start. 

 

Thank you all for your continued support and cooperation.  Wishing our entire school community a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

30th Annual Walkathon – A Huge Success!
The 30th Annual Christopher Columbus High School Pat Bixby Memorial Walkathon exceeded all expectations.  Not only did the event raise more funds than ever but our school community came together to create new and fun activities that fostered family spirit and provided everlasting memories. There was coco-swinging, relay races, pie throwing and a wrestling show that will be talked about for years to come.  With the funds raised, we will be able to complete our eSports Facility and support a variety of non-profit organizations like the Guadalupe Regional Middle School, The Encuentro Project, St. Jude's Children's Hospital and a new Marist Brothers Solidarity Project in Liberia.  Thanks to Ms. Ramirez, Mrs. Vento, Ms. Tellechea, Mr. Marinelli, Mr. Staiano, and Mr. Delgado.

Columbus hosted more than 200 inner city children from the San Juan Bosco Leadership Learning Center in Little Havana for an unforgettable Halloween experience.  The Mas Family Program together with the Squires, National Honor Society, Key Club and girls from Our Lady of Lourdes Academy all participated and were paired with the small children upon arrival.  Activities included art & crafts, face painting, lego building stations, lots of food and of course candy! Special thanks to Mrs. Galvez-Cuesta, Mrs. Clute, Mrs. Amador, Mrs. Cofresi, Mr. Van Hemert and maintenance staff,  CCNN, Mr. Crossman, Mr. Kumer, Mr. Lewis and Mr. Chacon.

Columbus hosted over 135 institutions from  around the globe at this year’s College Fair which took place in various location on campus. October 28th was our last day hosting college rep visits. Since September, we hosted a total of 72 which included a great variety of schools.  Thanks to our Counseling and College & Career Guidance Teams.    

In October we hosted Financial Aid Advisors from Miami Dade College who assisted the Class of 2023 families complete their FAFSA applications.  In addition, a Financial Aid Night with a financial aid advisor from the University of Miami was held for seniors and their families. The event can be viewed on CCHS's YouTube channel. Thanks Mrs. Martinez.

Two Columbus Robotics teams competed in the first qualifying match of the season at Ransom Everglades in what turned out to be a 14-hour day.  Competing against 41 of the top teams across South Florida, our "A" team ranked in 8th place and made it to the quarter finals during the elimination rounds. Congratulations to Alessandro Fernandez, Erick Gonzalez, Nicholas Guzman and Christopher Guzman.  Thank you Mr. Rodriguez.

The Columbus Cross Country Team won the Region 4 Championship with runners who made it to the top 16.   Alejandro Romagosa led the team with a 16:06, placing 4th. Followed closely behind were Anthony Scarcello (6th), Gio Armas (7th), Danny Garcia (8th), and Mario Suerias (16th).  Thank you Coach Areces.

The Columbus golf team advanced once again to the 2022 FHSAA Golf state championships after capturing their 11th regional championship.  Hans Risvaer shot a -3 (69) to win the individual title, Andres Atrio finished 2nd individually, Max Fonseca finished in 4th and Sebastian Kawas and Christian Figueredo finished tied for 11th overall.  Thank you Coach Marinelli.

This year's Homecoming Game was extra special with a pre-game fan zone (featured games and prizes) and a spectacular halftime presentation.   The Columbus cheerleaders performed before the presentation of the Homecoming Court which ended with a beautiful fireworks display.  Special congratulations to Our Homecoming King and Prince (Jimmy Friguls and Duly Blanchard) and to the Queen and Princess from Our Lady of Lourdes Academy (Anabella Palacio and Brianna Tamayo).  And best of all, the Columbus Explorers won the game against Barbara Goleman H.S. (42 - 0). Thank you to our hard working SAC team of Ms. Brown and Mrs. Alonso.

 

 

 

The senior members of Columbus Swim Team had a memorable experience during Senior Night.  They had the opportunity read aloud personal letters of gratitude to their parents and took their last 50Y Free together to the close out their regular season which ended with a record of 7-3. Earlier in the month at the district meet, the 200Y Free Relay (Marc Dabby, Oliver Herrero, Gabriel Perez, and Mateo Silva) advanced to the Regional Meet as did Michael Grenier for the 100Y Breaststroke.  Thank you Coach Dukes.

Congratulations to Mr. Scholer and the Bowling team for winning the Youth Fair Tournament and going on to a strong second place finish at both the District and Regional Championships.

CCNN Live & Columbus Films Nominated for 11 National Student Production Emmy Awards
CCNN Live was nominated for seven National Student Production Awards while Columbus Films was nominated for four.  View CCNN Nominations.  View Columbus Films Nominations.  Congratulations to Mrs. Insua, Mr. Delgado and Mr. Diaz and all the students.

Columbus hosted a Special Olympics Softball Skills Clinic for students with special needs from Great Heights Academy.  Explorers in the Columbus LINK Club (Learning about Inclusion and Nurturing with Kindness) participated and worked with the students to assure they had a fun experience.  Special thanks to Mrs. Gonzalez-Rojas, Mr. Mendoza, Ms. Guzman, Mr. Nunez and Br. Al.

There were 39 Explorers who volunteered at the Global Empowerment Mission Headquarters in Doral to help those affected by hurricane Ian. Thanks to the generosity of many families and organizations who made donations, we were able to assemble 700 family care packages.  Special thanks to Br. Al, Br. Peter and Mr. Nunez. 

Elementary School Mothers Bruncheon
Our annual Discover Columbus Mothers’ Bruncheon took place in the Marcus Lemonis and Mario Sueiras Center for Science and the Arts with presentations in the Dimare Family Lecture Hall, followed by brunch and tours of the campus.  Thank you Mr. Marinelli, Ms. Tellechea, Mrs. Samanez and all the volunteers who helped make the event possible.

Columbus Canine Explorers Club Hosted Canine Companions
Our Canine Explorers Club hosted a team from Canine Companions. The presenters  came with Torin, their pup in training. They shared information about service dogs and how Canine Companions train and develop dogs from birth.

In celebration of  Hispanic Heritage Month, students participated in a Trivia Game where three students won Amazon gift cards. Congratulations to Felipe Fernandez (1st Place Winner), Carlos Carranza (2nd Place) and  William Corrales (3rd Place).  Special thanks Dr. Folch.

Coach Weber Lectured to the Black Student Organization Members 
Explorers in the Black Student Organization attended a lecture on the dangers of substance abuse given  by longtime Columbus teacher and baseball coach Joe Weber. Thank you Mr. Campbell.

Nicholas Diaz was runner up in Lincoln Douglas Debate, while Matthew Moreno took third at the 21st Annual Nova Titan Invitational.  Other notable performances came from Sven Stumbauer (finished 7th, one short of a bid to the Tournament of Champions) and Christian San Juan who also came close to placing in finals. With the success of the event, Columbus moved up in the ranks to 9th in the state and 15th in the entire Southeastern U.S.  Thank you Mr. De Tuya.

Mr. Ortega, and Campus Ministry leaders Javier Aragon, Diego Negrin, and Evan Piel represented Columbus at the La Valla Weekend Experience of U.S. Marist schools at Esopus, New York.

 

Keep our Confirmation Candidates in your Prayers
Our Confirmation candidates have been preparing for the Sacrament of Confirmation.  The ceremony will take place on November 29^th.  Pictured here are the candidates during a prayer meditation.  Please keep them in your prayers.  Thanks to Mr. Gonzalez Mr. Andres Aviles, Mr. Matthew Chica, Mr. Rafael Diaz, Mr. Emmanuel González, Mr. Andrew Harriman, and Campus Ministry leaders Sebastian Arritola, Nicholas Aulet, Ethan Cruz-Diaz, Jonas Delgado, Diego Negrin, Christian Pico, and Antonio Roca for their leadership and service.

The Castaways Against Cancer Raised a Record $300,000
The Castaways Against Cancer proudly closed out their 2022: Carry On Tour with record success. The team raised upwards of $300,000 that they donated to the Sylvester Cancer Center to fund projects in life changing cancer research. They could not do this without the support from the CCHS family and are so grateful. The team looks forward to seeing what’s in store for the 2023 tour. This will be their 24th year!

Administrators from Archbishop Moeller High School in Ohio, a prestigious all-boys Catholic school, visited Columbus to tour campus and share ideas. It was a beneficial meeting for both schools.  

The Columbus Car Club was invited by Ford of Kendall to visit the Miami Auto Show to learn about the Ford Asset program taught by Sheridan Technical College.  Earlier in the month they put on a Car Wash Fundraising Event benefitting the My Kori Story Foundation. Thank you Mrs. Alonso. 

The Columbus Connects Leadership Lecture Series kicked off a new year of exciting lectures on October 13th with Florida Supreme Court Justice John Couriel '96 and Former Justice Raoul G. Cantero '78.  Columbus is one of the only high schools in the state to have multiple alumni serve as justices on this court.  Several Columbus Debate and Mock Trial students were in attendance.  Special thanks to moderator Mr. John Lynskey '78 and the Chairman of the Lecture Series JB Aleman '84.

Drive for Hurricane Ian
The Columbus Hurricane Ian Drive collected food items and supplies which were delivered to Florida’s west coast. It was a true team effort.  Thanks to everyone who supported the drive. 

New light pole banners showcasing the five Marist Pillars have been installed in the parking lot and along Champagnat Way and Marist Circle. The banners help our school community keep our pillars top of mind:  Simplicity, Presence, A Sense of Family Spirit, In the Way of Mary.  Thank you Mrs. Marti.

After completing his Eagle project in benefit of Winston Park K-8 school, senior Jaime Rodriguez was able to fulfill one of his dreams and earn the rank of Eagle Scout.  His project involved  fundraising and purchasing materials to refurbish seven picnic tables at Winston Park school.  He also recruited and led volunteers in this improvement project.  He is proud that he was able to make a difference for the students and teachers of Winston Park. 

Congratulations to junior Sebastian Marin for his success at the 2022 Palm Beach Open Olympic Weightlifting Competition.  He took 1st place in both the Snatch Lift (210lbs), 1st place in the Clean & Jerk Lift (265 lbs) and 1st place as the  overall youth male lifter.   

Mrs. Yadira Reynaldo and Mr. Roger Bowman represented Columbus at the Sharing Our Call program at the Marist Brothers Center at Esopus, New York.

Mr. Explorer Turned 1
It’s been one year that the new Mr. Explorer mascot was created and arrived at Columbus. Happy Birthday Mr. Explorer!  You do a great job building school spirit and representing our school.  Thank you to Mr. Connell for being his keeper.

Now you can view our new Always Ahead :60 commercial spot at the Regal UA Movie Theater at The Falls Shopping Center.  It is scheduled to play before every movie through December 22^nd.  If you haven't seen it VIEW IT HERE.   CPride! 

Marist Youth (Co-ed student faith community) meets every Tuesday at Columbus from 7:00pm – 8:30pm. High school adolescents, from any high school, are invited to attend.