Shadowing & Events

Congratulations to the Rocket band members who earned superior and excellent ratings in the Ohio Music Education Solo & Ensemble Competition as well as those who represented McNicholas in the Catholic Honor Band during Catholic Schools Week.

The Science Department hosted its annual Science Fair on Thursday, Jan. 26. 35 students were invited to present their projects to a panel of judges comprised of faculty, friends of McNicholas, and Science National Honor Society members. Science teacher Ms. Mary Dennemann said, “Students have been preparing science fair projects for the 18 last weeks. We are proud of their hard work." 

McNicholas engineering students stepped up to the plate, helping Little League baseball players who use walkers and wheelchairs to field ground balls. The grabbers they designed, tested, and manufactured were delivered to the Mason Challenger Baseball team in December.

Congratulations to seniors Michael Cheek and Carly Weidenbacher who have been named Captain and Maid of Honor of the 71st annual Mardi Gras Ball. This announcement officially kicks off the Mardi Gras season at McNicholas which culminates in the annual Mardi Gras Pageant on Sunday, Feb. 19.

Congratulations to the members of the McNicholas CyberPatriot Team who earned 2^nd Place in the gold tier at the state level of The National Youth Cyber Defense Competition. Coach Mrs. Jolene Esz attributes their success to their enthusiasm and their hard work in the UC Early IT Program. “All of the students on the team are in the McNicholas cohort of the UC IT Early College Program so they have taken college level classes in Networking and Systems Administration. Their success is a testament to their hard work and the outstanding program we have here,” Mrs. Esz said.

Rockets made delicious discoveries when they combined fundamentals of science and cooking in the inaugural semester of the Culinary Chemistry class. The goal of the class is to give students a different perspective on science and an appreciation for chemistry in our everyday lives. Trading beakers for mixing bowls and Bunsen burners for convection ovens, students participated in hands-on cooking labs where they used principles of chemistry to assist them in creating a variety of tasty treats.

More than 40 McNicholas students are skipping study hall for a good reason: They’re tutoring kids at Sands Montessori, Mt. Washington Elementary, and St. Joseph Catholic School. Through a program launched in the 2021-22 school year, our students provide reading enrichment at Sands, math and language arts support at Mt. Washington, and homework assistance at St. Joe’s.

Since becoming school Chaplain and Theology teacher in 2021, Fr. Kevin Scalf of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood has woven himself into the fabric of McNicholas through his wit, sense of humor and ability to make anyone he meets immediately feel valued.

Coach Pete Collopy is building champions — on and off the playing field. Coach Pete brings diverse experience and talent to McNicholas as the school’s first Sports Performance Director.

McNicholas High School celebrated students achieving their academic best by inducting 31 new members into the Altiora Chapter of National Honor Society on Thursday, Dec. 1. The National Honor Society recognizes the achievements of junior and senior students who excel academically and fill leadership roles in the school and community.

McNicholas students donated, packed, and wrapped over 100 gift boxes to be shared with local teens through Hope Emergency. This is our ninth year partnering with Hope Emergency to help make Christmas brighter for our neighbors.

Students in the Environmental Science classes are caring for God’s creation and learning about sustainability by taking responsibility for the school recycling program. Science teacher Mr. Eric Hickman jump started the program as part of his Environmental Science curriculum. “My goal for this class is to make students aware of environmental issues and empower them to be a part of the solutions,” Mr. Hickman said.

Congratulations to freshman Louis Smith and sophomores Eli Holland and Jonathan Byrum who earned top awards in University of Cincinnati’s Early IT Fall Competition. Louis won first place in the Programming category for his Java script program that helps builders to calculate construction costs. Eli and Jonathan, who took second place as a team in the Web Development category, were challenged to create an original website that highlights the UC Early IT Program at McNicholas. 

McNicholas students celebrated fall and Halloween with pumpkins galore inside and outside the classroom! Mr. Steve Dalton's class participated in the yearly pumpkin catapult STEM lab, the English Department hosted a literary pumpkin decorating contest, and CREWs carved out some time for fun with their own contest.  

The Theology Department held their annual Heritage Week, a mini course for the freshman class highlighting the history, legacy, culture and vision of McNicholas High School. Students learned about our founders the Sisters of Saint Joseph, our namesake Archbishop John T. McNicholas, and the values and mission we continue to strive toward today.

Dr. Denver Stanfield, President of McNicholas High School, is spearheading a task force to find a qualified, enthusiastic, and experienced candidate to serve as our next Principal. 

The McNicholas Theatre Department is eager to present a heart-felt snapshot of love and nostalgia in their fall production of Kodachrome. The play will run November 3-6 at McNicholas High School in the Jeanne Spurlock Theatre. Tickets are now on sale!

McNicholas student organization Hands Across Campus (HAC) was honored for their compassionate leadership by the Intercommunity Justice and Peace Center (IJPC).  At their annual gathering, IJPC awarded the first Youth Justice Award to HAC for their work to promote justice, diversity, and inclusion at McNicholas and in the community.  

McNicholas alum Tony Ranieri ’05, guest speaker during the Science National Honor Society induction, shared how science and entrepreneurship go hand-in-hand through his personal journey with both. Congratulations to the 12 seniors who were inducted..

Congratulations to the 16 students who were inducted to The Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH). The Spanish Honor Society recognizes high achievement in Spanish and promotes continuing interest in Hispanic studies and culture.  

During a six-day service immersion retreat, 12 seniors visited eastern Tennessee to serve the rural poor and build a community both among themselves and with the people in the Appalachian Mountains. This marks the 41st year that McNicholas has traveled to areas in Appalachia in conjunction with Glenmary Home Missioners, a Catholic organization dedicated to serving the poor and establishing a Catholic presence in rural areas of the United States.

The McNicholas Mission & Ministry Team wants to remind and encourage students to walk with the two feet of love: charitable works and social justice. As the video "Two Feet of Love in Action" by the USCCB reminds us, “God gave us two feet. If we don’t use both, we don’t get very far.” As such, McNicholas expects students to walk with both feet during their four years as Rockets, requiring at least 40 hours of Christian service prior to graduation.

McNicholas welcomed 5 students from Collegi Casp, a sister school in Barcelona, Spain, for a 3-week study abroad program. During their stay, Ariadna, Ana, Andrea, Biel, and Abel lived with McNicholas host families, explored Cincinnati, and experienced life as a Rocket. They participated in clubs, cheered from the Launch Pad, attended a full class schedule, and even helped in our Spanish classes.  

President Dr. Denver Stanfield and Principal David Mueller touch base in this second episode of Conversation with the President & the Principal. Tune in to hear Dr. Stanfield discuss progress on the HVAC project and enrollment and to hear Mr. Mueller’s updates on our innovative programs such culinary chemistry and Leadership McNick.  Mr. Mueller also shares ways in which McNicholas is continuing to support students in all areas, including mental health.

McNicholas is excited to unveil Leadership McNick, its newest initiative in the development of compassionate leaders. Leadership McNick is a four-year, intentional growth experience that combines high-quality leadership training with small-group relationship building, retreat programming, vocation and career exploration, and formal and informal mentoring.

It’s almost time to boogie! McNicholas is gearing up to celebrate a disco-themed Homecoming the weekend of September 23-24.

Partnering with Lutheran Church of the Resurrection, members of the RLC collected and packed hygiene kits to send to Manna from Heaven Outreach, a group working to support the people of Eastern Kentucky who were devastated by the recent flooding. With a focus on Community, Curiosity, and Creativity, the RLC provides students with the opportunity to learn through community engagement.

Junior Remington Holder earned a superior rating for his project “Low Level vs High Level Programming Languages” at the State Science Fair this summer. He was awarded a $3000 STEM scholarship for 4 years at Ohio Northern University for this accomplishment.

Please join us in welcoming new faculty and staff members to the McNicholas family, many of whom are filling new positions in our growing community. 

McNicholas is proud of and grateful for theology teachers Mrs. Mary Beth Sandmann and Mr. Jeff Hutchinson-Smyth who were featured in the August issue of The Catholic Telegraph as “Role Models of Faith.”

McNicholas is pleased to welcome the school’s new President, Dr. Denver Stanfield, who began his tenure at McNicholas on July 1. Meet Dr. Stanfield and listen in on our first episode of Conversation with the President & the Principal.

Congratulations to Head Football Coach Mike Orlando who won the Paul Brown Excellence in Coaching Award from the Cincinnati Bengals. The award includes a $10,000 Bengals donation to the McNicholas Athletic Department.

At McNicholas, we pride ourselves on helping students discover and develop their God-given talents, but students are not the only ones growing and challenging themselves. Teachers and staff members are also developing their gifts and finding new ways to use them to serve the McNicholas community.

As the 2022-23 school year begins, four faculty and staff members are taking on new roles and responsibilities: Mr. Bill Losekamp, Mrs. Emily Materna, Mr. Mike Orlando, and Mr. Dan Rosenbaum

Art teacher Mr. Willy Corbett will clean his last paintbrush and theatre director Ms. Teresa De Zarn will take her last bow as the 2022-23 school year comes to a close.

Congratulations to our newest graduates who received their diplomas at the PromoWest Pavilion at Ovation on Sunday, May 22. Student Body President Lauren Keith, Valedictorian Andrew Collette, and English Teacher Mr. Jeff Mulvey were nominated by the Class of 2022 to speak at the graduation ceremony.

Students in Mrs. Kendra Lonneman’s personal finance classes learned about the importance of philanthropy and supported pediatric cancer research by participating in the Magnified Giving program. 

At McNicholas, students are consistently challenged to achieve their academic best. Congratulations to all our Rockets who stepped up to the challenge this year. They were recognized at our annual Academic Awards ceremony on Friday, May 13.

At our annual Academic Signing celebration, we recognized the Class of 2022 Top 10. These 10 students have achieved the highest weighted cumulative grade point average up to and including the third quarter of their senior year: Jack Caccavari, Emma Clemons, Andrew Collette, Bobby Fechtel, Emily Fridley, Zach Geiser, Maria Klug, Ethan Koran, Arden Jakubovic, and Jason Munzel.

The senior St. Joseph Scholars highlighted the ways they have grown in compassionate leadership as they presented their Social Justice Capstone Projects.

We rolled out the red carpet for Hollywood Prom at Paul Brown Stadium with a fun night of dinner, dancing, and casino games. Congratulations to King Grant Must, Queen Ashley Jarrold, and all of the members of the Prom Court.

The McNicholas Theatre Department is excited to announce its production of Hail Mary!, a combination of laughter, deep thought, and more laughter! The show runs April 28-30 at the Jeanne Spurlock Theatre at McNicholas High School. This comedy, written by Tom Dudzick and directed by English teacher and classroom comedian Mr. Jeff Mulvey '86, will have you laughing in the (church) aisles. 

The Class of 2025 grew in compassionate leadership this week as they bonded together during leadership formation. This day of formation laid the groundwork for the Leadership McNick program, a joint venture between McNicholas and the Xavier University Leadership Center (XLC), that will officially kick off next school year.

Congratulations to student athlete Kaycie Badylak who signed to continue her basketball career with the Baldwin Wallace University Yellow Jackets.

At McNicholas, we build bridges...but sometimes we break them too! Ms. Gaskins’s Architectural Drafting students designed, constructed, and then tested the strength of their spaghetti bridges. Junior Caroline Mohahan’s brilliant design was the strongest, holding 14.1 pounds!

Twenty-six Rockets were inducted to the National Art Honor Society this April. NAHS inspires and recognizes students who have shown an outstanding ability and interest in art and supports members in their efforts to attain the highest standards in art scholarship, character, and service.

Architecture students tested the design of their egg drop contraptions during the 2022 Architecture Egg Drop Competition. Even with the added challenge of a windy day, 18 of 25 eggs made it safely from the window of the convent to the blacktop three stories down.

As part of the Guardian Angels School’s CANabilities Program, McNicholas hosted the eighth grade class from GA, leading them through a morning of witness, reflection, and activities fostering kindness and compassion.

Parents, coaches, and student athletes gathered on Monday, March 28 to celebrate the 133 athletes and 22 seniors who competed in the exciting and successful winter sports season. Special congratulations to seniors Cloe Jones and Trey Gardner who won the Bonded Together award.

The Athletic Department is pleased to announce its newest members of the Hall of Fame: Marie Jubak Flath ’08, Pat Stricker ’85, and Chris Wilson ’95.  The three inductees, who brought notoriety to our volleyball, football, basketball, and baseball programs, were recognized at the Hall of Fame Induction Celebrations on Tuesday, March 22 and Wednesday, March 23, along with the 2001 State Champion Women’s Basketball Team.

Congratulations to senior wrestler Pierce Taylor who captured the Division 3 State wrestling title at 144 pounds. Pierce is a stand-out on the mat, earning back-to-back GCL Coed Championships, Sectional Championships, and District Championships, as well as GCL Coed Wrestler of the Year titles.

The World Languages Department celebrated National Foreign Language Week with fun, food, and “Fallas.” Activities included "Ojos de Dios" crafts from Mexico, “Fallas" from Valencia, and a Greek temple building project.

McNicholas celebrated its 70th annual Mardi Gras on Sunday, Feb. 20 with the crowning of King Conner Dute and Queen Lauren Keith. The 56 students on the court and honor guard were recognized for the ways that their gifts have strengthened the McNicholas community and beyond.

All three seniors who were announced as National Merit Semifinalists in September have advanced to Finalist standing. Congratulations to our National Merit Finalists Ethan Koran, Erin McManus, and Jason Munzel!

The McNicholas Theatre Department is excited to announce the high-rolling fun of our spring musical production of Guys and Dolls. The show will run March 10-12 at the Anderson Center Theatre. With Broadway veteran Ms. Teresa De Zarn directing the show and a talented cast of McNicholas students, Guys and Dolls is a sure bet.

Around McNicholas, you will often hear the phrase, “Once a Rocket, Always a Rocket.” So when one of your own is about to play on football’s biggest stage, we don’t just cheer (though we’ve been doing a lot of that!).  We act. To support 2004 McNicholas graduate Kevin Huber, senior Grant Must designed and marketed a “Rockets show their stripes” t-shirt whose proceeds benefit Huber’s FUR Foundation.

When Bengals punter Kevin Huber won a game as a McNicholas Rocket, he and his teammates would have gathered on the steps of the McNicholas High School convent building and counted out the score with a “Boom Chicka Boom” cheer. As Huber heads to the Super Bowl, the McNicholas football team and student body cheered a “Boom Chicka Boom” in his honor.

Congratulations to senior Conner Dute whose achievement on the American Legion Americanism and Government Test has earned him the State Award and an all-expense-paid trip to Gettysburg, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.  

Congratulations to senior Zach Geiser who placed first in our school-wide Poetry Out Loud competition for his recitation of “Dream Song 14” by John Berryman. Zach will move on to the regional semi-finals for an opportunity to compete at the state level.

Congratulations to the Rocket band members who earned superior and excellent ratings in the Ohio Music Education Solo & Ensemble Competition. Band Director Keith Nance said, “These musicians have worked hard and it shows. They are a dedicated bunch who know how to focus on what’s important.”

Rockets presented science fair projects ranging from exploring nutrients for hydroponically grown kale plants to testing the effectiveness of antibiotics on bacteria. The first place winner was sophomore Carly Kent. 

Conner Dute ’22 and Conner Gibson ’22 were both awarded Gold Keys for their architecture work. Connor Dute was recognized for his pizza oven rendering, Rock-In Park, and Conner Gibson received his Gold Key for The Cozy Comb, a plan for sustainable living for displaced persons. Both Conners will move on the National Scholastic competition.

Rockets grew in compassionate leadership today thanks to Hands Across Campus (HAC), our inclusion and diversity student organization, who organized an assembly whose topic was autism and theme was “Show me my neighbor.”

The McNicholas Athletic Department is excited to announce the hiring of Darlene Tierney as the Girls’ Volleyball Head Coach.

Seniors Jack Spears and Stephanie Schmitt have been named Captain and Maid of Honor of the 70th annual Mardi Gras Ball.

Please join us in welcoming three new faculty and staff members to the McNicholas family. Mr. Pete Collopy joins the Athletic Department as a strength and conditioning coach, Mrs. Julie Miller has returned to McNicholas as full-time math tutor and co-teacher, and Mrs. Andrea Wheeler joins us as a full-time co-teacher in the English Department.

McNicholas engineering students learned real-world skills and provided a valuable service to the community through a semester-long partnership with May We Help.

Twelve students were inducted to The Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica (SHH). The Spanish Honor Society recognizes high achievement in Spanish and promotes continuing interest in Hispanic studies. 

Junior Peter Anderson and senior Gabrielle Gruppo's photographs are on display in the Studio San Giuseppe Art Gallery at Mount St. Joseph University as part of their Selections biennial exhibition.

St. Joseph Scholars spent the day serving and learning at the Cincinnati Recycling and Reuse Hub.  Scholars sorted recyclables, “shopped” for reusable items, and learned about ways that they can be more sustainable in their daily lives.

The McNicholas Theatre Department performed Music Theatre International’s All Together Now! to sold-out audiences on November 12-14. This brand new musical revue was part of a world-wide event celebrating theatre.

Parents, coaches, and student athletes gathered in the Bogenschutz Gym to celebrate an exciting and successful fall sports season. During the Fall Sports Awards program, Athletic Director Drew Schmidt recognized the accomplishments of teams and individuals, applauded the spirit of the Launch Pad and Rocket fans, and thanked the seniors for four-year commitments to their school and their sport.

Congratulations to student athlete Pierce Taylor who celebrated his intent to continue his athletic career as a Division I wrestler at Ohio University. Pierce is a decorated three-sport athlete and is currently ranked in the Ohio Top 20 for the Class of 2022 wrestlers.

During October, McNicholas Rockets for Life challenged our community to reflect more deeply on the dignity of every human life through prayer, a Pro-Life Poster Contest, a Cup-Cake Day, a clothing drive benefiting A Caring Place, the annual Evening for Life, and more.

Over the past month, Hands Across Campus (HAC) has led our community in the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, a time dedicated to recognizing influential Hispanic Americans and their positive impact on society.

The Rocket Marching Band started their competition season off with two strong performances at the Lebanon High School Band Invitational and the Goshen Band Invitational, bringing home trophies as Lebanon’s Fan Favorite and Goshen’s Reserve Grand Champion.

In addition to the three seniors announced on Sept. 15 as semifinalists in the 2021 National Merit® Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) program, six are being recognized as Commended Students: Emma Clemmons, Andrew Collette, Bobby Fechtel, Emily Fridley, Zach Geiser, and Joe Walters.

The McNick Minute podcast will be hosting its first live podcast of the 2021-22 school year on Wednesday, Sept. 29 at 6 p.m.

Congratulations to the ten members of the Class of 2022 who were inducted into the Science National Honor Society on Wednesday, Sept. 22. These students excel in and show a passion for science related fields.

McNicholas is excited to celebrate Homecoming this weekend! We will kick off the celebration with a Homecoming Field Day & Pep Rally on Friday, Oct. 8. Weather permitting, the pep rally will be held at Penn Station Stadium beginning at 9:45 a.m. Parents are welcome to join us; students will be dismissed at 11:15 a.m.

Sadly, due to a COVID cancellation, we are unable to play the Friday evening Homecoming football game. As such, there will be no on-campus activity on Friday evening.

McNicholas High School is proud to announce that seniors Ethan Koran, Erin McManus, and Jason Munzel are semifinalists in the 2021 National Merit® Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) program. Semifinalists represent the top 1% of seniors nationwide based on the results of the PSAT/NMSQT test the students took as juniors.

The Class of 2022 gathered for prayer and play as part of Senior Sunrise, a tradition that marks the beginning of their final year at McNicholas High School

Congratulations to senior Erin McManus who was awarded the Junior Science Award from the Mercy Health – Anderson Hospital’s Physicians Charitable Foundation. 

Junior Gia Guessford presented her project at the State Science Fair this summer where she scored a superior rating and won first prize for the Milt Austin Aquatic Science Award.

McNicholas is excited to welcome Father Kevin Scalf of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood as School Chaplain and Theology Teacher. 

Please join us in welcoming eleven new faculty and staff members to the McNicholas family, many of whom are filling new positions in our growing community. 

McNicholas is excited to announce the Big Read for Summer 2021, What the Eyes Don't See by Mona Hannah-Attisha.

Congratulations to our newest graduates who received their diplomas at the PNC Pavilion at Riverbend Music Center.

SAIL students connected with 69 alumni between the Classes of 1960 and 1972 through a pen pal program. 

After 45 years of service, Mr. John Norman taught his last class at McNicholas High School and exited the school building amidst the cheering of students and staff.

Congratulations to freshman artist Lucy Timko whose artwork was selected as one of twelve designs for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Bicentennial Holy Cards.

Senior Bella Dawson received the Spirit of Sr. Dorothy Stang Award for exemplifying Sr. Dorothy’s values, including outreach to others and care for creation.

Ms. Mel Gaskins, recent recipient of the Scholastic Educators Art Award, and her Architecture students tested the design of their egg drop contraptions.

COVID may have put a stop to our traditional annual Art Show, but it has not limited the creativity, productivity, or talent of our Rocket artists!

Three student athletes participated in an additional celebratory Signing Day, making a total of 12 student athletes from the Class of 2021 to commit to college-level sports.

Congratulations to the Class of 2021 Top 10 who were honored at an Academic Signing celebration.

Thirteen students, who were inducted to the Science National Honor Society in September, have spent the school year providing science-related service.

Twenty-three students were recognized for the ways that their artistic talents and creativity make our world more beautiful.

Senior Anna Rahner has been named a semifinalist in the 2021 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program, landing her among the top 0.0002% of graduating seniors in the United States.

At McNicholas, we partner with professionals to give our students opportunities that build on classroom learning.

The juniors and seniors celebrated Prom on Saturday, April 25 at Paul Brown Stadium with a fun night of dinner, dancing, and casino games.

McNicholas theatre presents The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to sold out audiences.

Rockets earn Superior and Excellent ratings in the Ohio Music Education Spring Solo & Ensemble Competition.

On National Signing Day, McNicholas celebrates six student athletes and their intent to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level.

Morgan Vogler, Class of 2017, speaks to faculty and students about taking steps toward sustainable living.

Senior Isabella Bonner wins a Silver Medal in the National Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition for her exceptional work in ceramics.

The McNicholas St. Vincent de Paul Youth Conference helps members grow in compassionate leadership through service learning.

McNicholas celebrates its 125th Kairos retreat.

Students team up with CancerFree KIDS to fundraise for and spread awareness about childhood cancer. Rockets raised over $15,000.

Jakob Tucker places second in the Ohio Poetry Out Loud competition.

Seniors Ayden Bailey and Aimee Gauger are crowned king and queen of the 69th annual Mardi Gras.

The gym floor inside McNicholas High School’s Larry Bogenschutz Gymnasium is named in honor of longtime basketball coach Jerry Doerger.

Rockets present projects in COVID-safe science fair. 

Freshmen Amanda Braig and Taylor Ferenc and junior Shannon Whitely win Poetry Slam contest.

Seniors Ian Philips and Madison Isaacs named Captain and Maid of Honor of the 69th annual Mardi Gras Ball.

McNicholas Board of Limited Jurisdiction votes unanimously to approve a motion in favor of naming the main gym floor in honor of Coach Jerry Doerger.

Rockets celebrate Martin Luther King Day by participating in a service learning opportunity through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul's Ozanam Center.

McNicholas recognizes three seniors on National Letter of Intent Signing Day.