Irish Insights: Counting blessings and a state title at BMCHS

With Thanksgiving approaching, we found it a good time to check in with students and staff and ask the question: “What are you most grateful for this year?”

The Irish are grateful for …

Reagan Fulfer Reagan Fulfer 

Senior Regan Fuller said she’s most thankful for the support of her family. While in her second year of debate, Fulfer’s freshman self could not imagine what she has accomplished so far. 

“They let me read over my cases and give them a bunch of speeches even though they don’t want to hear them,” Fulfer said

She credits her family for the courage it took to pursue debate and other challenges she might face.

“They encouraged me to apply to schools I was afraid to and to pursue debate and I ended up really liking debate,” Fulfer said.

Susan SmithSusan Smith

Personal Finance Teacher Susan Smith said she is also most grateful for her family and how her faith contributes to it. In particular, Smith is grateful for the opportunity to share her faith with her daughter both help you grow as a person a mom and a wife

“I am able to share my faith with my daughter and help instill that in her as she grows and it helps us create family traditions and family values,” Smith said.

Smith said her daughter has helped to enjoy the little things.

“Having younger kids, you hit pause on always being in a rush to stop and teach new things or laugh at the little things that maybe you miss out on,” Smith said.

Sarai CeranoSarai Cerano

Junior Counselor Sarai Cerano said she’s most grateful for her faith. Cerano, a Rosary Catholic School and Bishop McGuinness Catholic High School graduate, first experienced the importance of faith through her education. For her, her faith is a constant support.

“I feel like I'm really thankful for my faith because in times where I don’t know what to say God is always there,” Cerano said. 

Laney MaguireLaney Maguire 

Sophomore History teacher Laney Maguire said she’s grateful for her friends and students because her family lives far away and her students make life interesting. 

“My family is very spread out and so my friends are like my family,” Maguire said. “I spend all my important moments with them.”

Matt Housh  Matt Housh  

Staff member Matt Housh said he is grateful for his job at McGuinness because it combines two of his favorite things: being in the kitchen and being a part of each student’s day. House added that his job seems familiar because his mother was a youth minister at the archdiocese growing up.

Gardner reflects on volleyball championship

Sometimes, revenge is doubly sweet. After losing to Mount Saint Mary Catholic High School earlier in October, and seeing the Rockets win the state title a year ago, the No. 1-ranked Irish beat their rival when it mattered most, taking a 3-2 win in the Class 5A state final.

“I feel like we played as one team, and our team chemistry was really good, especially since it was The Mount we lost to earlier in the season,” said senior Emma Gardner, who scored the deciding point with a spike kill. “We wanted to do a rematch.”

For Gardner, the match was particularly important because the team was victorious after only four sets.

“We thought it was gonna be five sets, so we came ready for five sets,” said Gardner who will be graduating early with plans to play for Long Beach State University in California.