List of 10 news stories.

  • SAINT MARK’S HIGH SCHOOL TO PERFORM ROMEO & JULIET 

    Mrs. Denise Blum
    Play will feature a 70s ‘twist’ and be performed Nov 11-13 
     
    Mark your calendars! Saint Mark’s High School will perform Shakespeare’s classic ‘Romeo and Juliet’ November 11-13. 
     
    The classic Shakespearean love story will feature a 1970’s twist with a Scooby-Doo vibe, according to Emily Byrne, Fine and Performing Arts Director. “We thought it would add an interesting element to the play since everyone is familiar with the storyline… why not include a throwback style to the 70’s era? You’ll see it in the set design and in the costume choices,” said Byrne. “The students are excited for the challenge of performing one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays, taking on their roles and making them their own!” 
     
    “Rehearsals are going really well, and we are excited to welcome the public to our theater. It’s going to be a fantastic show,” said Principal Diane Casey. “Saint Mark’s has a long-standing commitment to the Fine and Performing Arts. We are continuously investing in the physical facilities, as well as the curriculum, to stay on the cutting edge and to offer our FPA students the very best experience possible.” 
     
    Performances will be held Friday, November 11 and Saturday, November 12 at 7 p.m. The performance on Sunday, November 13 will be at 2 p.m. Discounted tickets may be pre-ordered online at www.stmarkshs.net/news--events/fpa-presents-romeo-and-juliet-. Pre-order prices are $10 for adults and $8 for students, senior citizens, alumni and military personnel. 
     
    Tickets may also be purchased at the door. Prices at the door will be $12 for adults and $10 for students, senior citizens, alumni and military personnel. 
     
    All proceeds benefit the Fine and Performing Arts (FPA) Department at Saint Mark’s High School.  
     
  • SAINT MARK’S HIGH SCHOOL HONORED WITH BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL AWARD THREE YEARS IN A ROW

    Mrs. Denise Blum
    It’s a three-peat for the Spartans.  Saint Mark’s High School was voted Best Private School for the third year in a row!

    The First State Favorites Awards celebrate and recognize the very best our community has to offer.  In the spring, members of the community were asked to nominate their favorite private schools.  The five schools earning the most nominations advanced to the final voting round.  Saint Mark’s earned more votes than any other private school. 

    “We are beyond thrilled to be recognized with this honor,” said Principal Diane Casey.  “We are blessed to have such a close-knit Spartan family.  Our faculty and staff work tirelessly to create an environment where students can reach for the stars and achieve success in all aspects of their lives.  This award is a reflection of their hard work and dedication.”  

    The First State Favorites-Best Private School Award comes at a time when Saint Mark’s is experiencing explosive growth.  Enrollment is up 54% over the past three years thanks, in part, to a renewed vision and bold initiatives brought about by school leadership. 

    “It is very gratifying to witness the greater community recognize, more and more each day, the unparalleled experience and limitless opportunities that await students at Saint Mark’s,” said President Tom Fertal.
  • SAINT MARK’S WELCOMES NEW CHEERLEADING COACH

    Mrs. Denise Blum
    Saint Mark’s High School is pleased to announce that Dena Iudica has joined the Spartan staff as Head Cheerleading Coach.

    Iudica’s hiring is a return home, so to speak.  She is a graduate from the Saint Mark’s Class of 1997.  As a student, Iudica was a member of the Spartan cheerleading team and served as captain of her freshman, junior varsity and varsity teams.  

    After high school, Iudica competed at the national level for Wilmington University and is a two-time recipient of the Wilmington University Spirit Award.  She began coaching shortly after graduation, serving as assistant coach at Saint Mark’s and then head coach at a local charter high school.  

    Iudica’s passion for cheerleading extends beyond the realm of traditional coaching.  She is the founder of a school mentoring program called Cheer for Fun, giving at-risk 4th, 5th and 6th grade students a chance to learn cheer and dance routines. 

    “I am extremely excited about joining the coaching staff at Saint Mark’s,” she said.  “The school has a long history of highly competitive athletic programs, and I look forward to the challenge of continuing that legacy.”

    She continued, “We’re going to put the work in. This is a full-time sport.  Cheerleaders must be athletes, crowd leaders, spirit raisers, school ambassadors, and entertainers.”

    Saint Mark’s Athletic Director Matt Smith is enthusiastic about the latest addition to his coaching staff.  “We are excited that Dena Iudica will lead our cheerleading squad into the future.  As a former cheerleader and graduate of Saint Mark’s, we feel fortunate that the program will have her guidance,” he said.

    Principal Diane Casey echoed the sentiment.  "We are thrilled to welcome Dena Iudica as Head Cheerleading Coach,” she said.  “As a proud Saint Mark's alum, Dena brings a palpable energy and enthusiasm to the team that will surely propel them to success.  It's wonderful to see how many alumni return to Saint Mark's for professional careers."
  • SAINT MARK’S SOCCER STAR NAMED GATORADE DELAWARE GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER OF THE YEAR 

    Mrs. Denise Blum
     
    Saint Mark’s High School is pleased to announce that Maddie Schepers ’22 was recently named the Gatorade Delaware Girls Soccer Player of the Year. 

    The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated both on and off the field, distinguishes Schepers as Delaware’s best high school girls soccer player. 

    The 5-foot-7 senior midfielder and forward scored 36 goals and passed for 19 assists this past season, leading the Spartans (16-2) to the Division 2 state championship. A three-time First Team All-State selection, Schepers was named Player of the Year by the Delaware High School Girls Soccer Coaches Association. She concluded her prep career with 107 goals and has signed a National Letter of Intent to play soccer on scholarship at the University of Delaware this fall. 

    Off the field, Schepers is just as impressive. She regularly gives back to her community, volunteering locally for a soup kitchen, Habitat for Humanity and youth soccer camps. With a weighted 4.13 GPA in the classroom, Schepers has shown she is a scholar as well as an athlete. 

    “I was very surprised and excited to be receiving such a high honor,” said Schepers. “It feels amazing to be the state champ and Gatorade Player of the Year because it shows that all my hard work and the team’s hard work has paid off.” 
    Saint Mark’s Head Coach Dan Swasey has high praise for Schepers. “Maddie Schepers has exhibited dedication, passion, motivation, and a tireless work ethic to better herself as a soccer player,” he said. “Maddie does it all with a humility and quiet confidence that is rare among athletes. She has played at the highest levels but never puts herself above her team.” 

    He continued, “Maddie is as even-keel an athlete as I have coached, never getting too high when things are up and never dwelling on the lows. She balances an unbelievable competitiveness for the game of soccer while keeping her emotions in check each and every day.” 

    Saint Mark’s President Tom Fertal was quick to offer his congratulations to Schepers. “We are so very proud of Maddie and congratulate her on this well-deserved honor! Maddie embodies all that is best in student athletics. Her relentless pursuit of excellence is inspiring to all,” he said. 

    Athletic Director Matt Smith echoed the sentiment. “Maddie Schepers was a leader both on and off the field. She is a highly skilled player and is extremely deserving of this award,” he said. 

    Schepers credits a long list of supporters who have helped her get to this moment. “I would like to thank my parents for all the time and money spent taking me to practices, games, and tournaments. I also want to thank my coaches throughout the years who have had some impact on my soccer career in one way or another. Lastly, I want to thank all my teammates who pushed me to be the best player I can be because without them this award wouldn’t be possible.” 

    Schepers joins an impressive list of Spartan athletes who have earned the honor of Gatorade Player of the Year, including Tiffany Herrera ‘22 for Cross Country in 2020-21 and Savannah Seemans ’20 for volleyball in 2019-20. 

    About The Gatorade Player of the Year program: Gatorade annually recognizes one winner in the District of Columbia and each of the 50 states that sanction high school football, girls volleyball, boys and girls cross country, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls soccer, baseball, softball, and boys and girls track & field. In addition, one National Player of the Year in each sport is selected. 
  • Student Council Fundraiser - Junior Class


    MAGIC CAR WASH LINK
    FUNDRAISER CODE:  stmark22
     
  • SPARTAN SPEED SWEEPS AT DIAA STATE CHAMPIONSHIP Saint Mark’s Boys And Girls Track Teams Bring Home Two State Championships

    Mrs. Denise Blum
    Saint Mark’s is making room in the trophy case! 
    The Saint Mark's Boys and Girls Track & Field Teams made history last weekend, bringing home two state championship wins for a sweep at the DIAA State Track & Field Championship!

    The girls team entered the competition as the reigning state champs, bound and determined to defend their 2021 title. They quickly racked up team points with six individual/relay state championships, four state runner-up performances, a bronze medal run and, quite frankly, impressive finishes from every single athlete on the roster.

    Spartan Head Coach Mike DiGennaro has high praise for his team. “I am extremely proud of the girls for going back-to-back. In two years we combined to score over 320 points. Those numbers are huge,” he said.
    The Saint Mark's Boys Track & Field Team earned the first boys state championship in school history. They ran up their team points total with two individual state championships, two state runner-up performances, four individual/relay bronze medals, dominant performances by the Spartan throwers and a maximum effort from the entire team.

    “I am so proud of the boys for winning the first title in school history,” said DiGennaro. “It was a goal from day one and I credit our whole program for believing that we could do it.” 

    He continued, “I am so proud of this entire team. I cannot even call out one athlete for stepping up because every athlete on both teams contributed to our team titles. There were so many amazing moments. Saturday was the greatest day in Saint Mark's Track and Field history. I am extremely grateful to be a part of something special. I can't wait to put up those two banners and place our trophies in the case!”

    Listed below is a summary of the individual awards earned by Spartan team members.
    SAINT MARK’S GIRLS TRACK & FIELD INDIVIDUAL MEDAL WINNERS:
     
    STATE CHAMPIONS:
    • Spartan Senior, Tiffany Herrera '22, became a State Champion in both the 1600m and the 3200m.
    • Spartan Junior, Danielle McGonigle '23, became a State Champion in both the Triple Jump and the High Jump.
    • Spartan Senior, Sarah Hessler '22, became a State Champion in the discus.
    • Spartan Freshman Twins, Alexis and Arianna Donovan '25, Ava Malgerio '25 and Reagan Garibaldi '25 became State Champions in the 4X200m relay.
     
    STATE CHAMPION RUNNERS-UP:
    • Spartan Freshman, Ava Malgiero '25, earned the silver in the pole vault.
    • Spartan Junior, Danielle McGonigle '23, earned the silver in the long jump.
    • Spartan Senior, Sarah Hessler '22, earned the silver in shot put.
    • Spartan Senior, Isabella McKenna '22, earned the silver medal in the triple jump.
    BRONZE MEDALIST:
    • Spartan Senior, Stephanie Herrera '22, earned the bronze medal in the 1600m.
    SAINT MARK’S BOYS TRACK & FIELD INDIVIDUAL MEDAL WINNERS:
    STATE CHAMPIONS:
    • Spartan Senior, Max DiOssi '22, became a State Champion in the shot put.
    • Spartan Senior, JaBri White '22, became a State Champion in the long jump.
     
    STATE CHAMPION RUNNERS-UP:
    • Spartan Senior, Vaughn Highland '22, earned the silver in the shot put
    • Spartan Sophomore, Logan Klein '24, earned the silver in the discus
     BRONZE MEDALISTS:
    • Spartan Senior, Casey Winnington '22, earned the bronze in the 3200m.
    • Chad Dohl '24, Logan Klein '24, Charlie Manelski '24 and Patrick Lamb '25 earned the bronze in the 4X200m.
    • Logan Klein '24, Charlie Manelski '24, Patrick Lamb '25 and Shawn Hanggodo '23 earned the bronze in the 4X100m.
    • Sean Kemske '25, Matthew Cox '24, Topher Lord '23 and Connor Gebhardt '24 earned the bronze in the 4X800m.
     
  • CYBERCLASH IS BACK!

    Mrs. Denise Blum

    Saint Mark’s High School To Host Second Annual Esports Tournament  
     
    Attention middle school gamers! CYBERCLASH is back! 
     
    CyberClash 2022 is an Esports tournament hosted by Saint Mark’s High School, in partnership with The Esport Company. 
     
    Competitions will take place this summer in Rocket League and Valorant. The stakes will be high with several Saint Mark’s scholarships up for grabs. Members of the first place team will each be awarded a $20,000 scholarship to attend Saint Mark’s ($5000/year). Competitors on the second place team will each receive a $12,000 scholarship ($3000/year) and third place team members will be given $8000 scholarships ($2000/year). To make things even more interesting, the CyberClash MVP will earn an additional $20,000 scholarship ($5000/year)! All winners will also be granted spots on the coveted Spartan Esports Team! 
     
    Registration is open to sixth, seventh and eighth graders. There is no cost to enter. The deadline to sign up is July 10. The tournament will start July 25 and will include six weeks of competition. The championship round will take place live at Saint Mark’s on September 24. 
     
    Saint Mark’s Esports Manager Chris Ruffini is busy making plans for CyberClash 2022. "I am excited that Saint Mark's will be hosting one of the biggest high school esports events in the area,” he said. “This is a chance for students to show off their skills, compete against others and build a gaming community. Esports brings so many of us together!" 
     
    President Tom Fertal is the driving force behind the Spartan esports program. He recognizes that esports is much more than just an extra-curricular activity for students. “Saint Mark’s continues to lead the way among secondary schools in the exciting and emergent field of esports,” he said. “As universities across the country continue to expand programs to prepare students for careers in this multi-billion dollar industry, we are thrilled to support young students as they journey into this field.” 
     
    For additional information and to register for CyberClash 2022, please visit https://theesportcompany.com/saint-marks-cyberclash-2022/
     
  • Saint Francis de Sales Award Recipients

    Diane Casey
    Wednesday evening we celebrated 10 of our seniors who were recognized as Saint Francis de Sales recipients. The award is presented to an outstanding senior for excellence in faith development, scholarship, service, leadership and citizenship. The following seniors have made us proud to call them Spartans.


    Alyssa Ayala, John Massimo Diossi, Kathryn Fausnaugh, Lily Fish, Leah Pala,
    Evan Pickering, Tyler Satterfield, Lindsay Sawyer, Devin Smith, Katie Wenrich
  • Saint Mark’s Students Pitch “Honest Mechanics” at the 2022 Diamond Challenge Summit

    Ms. Rachael Casey
    The Diamond Challenge is a 3-day global high school entrepreneurship competition created and hosted by University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship, ranked a top 50 program for entrepreneurship studies by the Princeton Review and Entrepreneur Magazine.  Representing Saint Mark’s High School, senior Luca Bracalenti, junior Abigail Catts (contributing team member, not present for the summit), senior Brandon Cell, and senior Andrew Fuska pitched a business plan for “Honest Mechanics” to two panels of judges in the category of “Business Innovation Teams.” 
     
    Under the direction of their teacher and advisor, William Simpson, this enterprising team developed a business model to bring car maintenance tools into the twenty-first century.  “Honest Mechanics” seeks to give car owners the power to detect mechanical problems and navigate solutions and pricing via a Bluetooth-connected OBDII sensor.  This sensor links to a subscription-service application which provides detailed diagnostics, information on DIY solutions, and lists of certified “honest” and reliable mechanics and auto shops, including fair pricing models, for when the job is too big for the DIY approach.  The team has built out a 3-year plan for developing and marketing the application and sourcing content to support the user experience.  Their participation in this summit is the pinnacle of their study in a year-long entrepreneurship course offered for the first time at Saint Mark’s in the 2021-22 school year.  Leading up to this experience, “Honest Mechanics” participated in two additional competitions: The EntreEx Challenge, also coordinated through Horn Entrepreneurship, and The Saint Mark’s Entrepreneurship Challenge, featuring local business leaders and SMHS alumni.  It was through the UD sponsored EntreEx competition in which “Honest Mechanics” was named a semifinalist, and qualified to present at the Diamond Challenge.
     
    Luca said of the experience, “After months of hard work and dedication we cultivated a successful product.  Now onto the next step, we hope to become successful entrepreneurs out of the classroom and into the real world.” Mr. Simpson added that “I didn’t know what to expect from the program, but I have been blown away by how helpful Felica Harrington and the entire Horn Entrepreneurship staff have been.  This really allowed our students to fully experience this amazing program, with fantastic results even after one year.” 
     
    In addition to the pitch sessions, SMHS students were able to meet and network with the other 31 Business Innovation Teams and 32 Social Innovation Teams in attendance at a variety of events including cultural experiences, an evening gala, entrepreneurship workshops on topics ranging from leadership skills to ideal working environments to roundtable discussions with established innovators.  The event culminated in a ceremony featuring keynote speaker Markevis Gideon, co-founder of NERDit Now. 
     
    Additional entrepreneurial ideas developed in Saint Mark’s entrepreneurship class included: an allergy-friendly snack delivery service, a range-of-motion brace to facilitate ACL recovery via Bluetooth, an alternative to bulky pre-workout containers, a tie subscription-box for stylish consumers, and a long-term solution to taping hockey sticks every day.  Not surprisingly, Saint Mark's reports a significant increase in desired entrepreneurship class enrollment in the coming 2022-23 school year!
  • SAINT MARK’S HIGH SCHOOL WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR OF FINE & PERFORMING ARTS

    Mrs. Denise Blum
    Saint Mark’s High School is pleased to welcome Emily Byrne as Director of Fine & Performing Arts. 
     
    Byrne brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Spartan FPA department, having spent the first part of her career as an internationally acclaimed mezzo soprano.  She has traveled throughout the United States and Europe performing opera, musical theatre and oratorio. 
     
    In addition to her many performance credits, Byrne is a seasoned educator, comfortable in instructing students in a wide variety of musical genres.  She is passionate about “helping students find their own unique voice through an understanding of vocal technique and style.” 
     
    Byrne spent five years at Devon Preparatory School as their choir and band director, theatre teacher and music director.  Her favorite directing credits include Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Godspell, Grease, Beauty & the Beast and Mary Poppins.
     
    Prior to her arrival at Devon Prep, Byrne was on the faculty at The Shipley School in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania as a vocal instructor and voice coach for their spring musical.
     
    Byrne has big plans for the Spartan FPA program and is ready to hit the ground running.  “I am excited to continue the tradition of excellence at Saint Mark’s High School while innovating the programs to attract today’s student,” she said.  “Students, parents and alumni can expect to see big changes including new classes, ensembles, and programs that are meant to elevate the students’ day-to-day experiences at Saint Mark’s while offering world-class training for budding artists, whether in the art studio or on the stage.” 
     
    Principal Diane Casey is enthusiastic about welcoming Byrne to Saint Mark’s.  "The Spartan community is thrilled to have Ms. Emily Byrne as our new Director of Fine and Performing Arts,” she said.  “Emily comes to us with extraordinary credentials and experience that will assist our students in fine tuning their skills and talent.  She is gifted and talented in the performing arts and will be a great role model for our young aspiring artists.” 
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