Gulf Pine Catholic

22 Gulf Pine Catholic • March 6, 2020 Spotlight on Schools Connor Atwell ’20 has been nominated for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program. The Wiggins native will learn later this spring if he is named a finalist. St. Patrick has a rich history of our students being named semifinalists and finalists in this program and hope that Atwell will join that list of successful Irish alumni. Eligibility for the program requires that students score exception- ally well on either the SAT of the College Board or the ACT of the American College Testing Program and that each is nominated by their Chief State School Officer (CSSO) or nominated by one of a handful of partner recognition organizations based on outstanding scholarship. Application for the U.S. Presidential Scholars Program is by invitation only. The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation’s most distinguished graduat- ing high school seniors. In 1979, the program extended to recognize students who dem- onstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the pro- gram was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplish- ment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation’s highest honors for high school students. The names of the 2020 U.S. Presidential Scholars will be posted in early May. Atwell Karen Arguelles, from the People’s Bank, was at Nativity BVM School for the very first school-wide banking day. Students had the opportunity to set up bank accounts and make deposits. Also pictured, Renae Codella of Piltz, Williams, LaRosa & Co, and pre-k 3 student, Will Codella. St. Patrick High School, Biloxi Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Elementary School, Biloxi BAY ST. LOUIS -- Saint Stanislaus is proud to announce the installation of HitTrax, an interactive, real-time metrics software designed specifically for baseball hitters, pitch- ers, and catchers. HitTrax provides student-athletes with instant feedback through mea- suring various aspects of their hitting, pitching, catching, and throwing. HitTrax is mostly seen in college baseball programs. While many baseball academies throughout the United States are using the program as well, Saint Stanislaus is the first high school in Mississippi to integrate the cutting-edge technology which is used during practice and makes practice time more beneficial for players. Each student-athlete’s information and progress is stored in the program and allows coaches and the players themselves to analyze their practices and focus on areas in which they need to improve. “Through HitTrax our hitters are able to learn more about their individual swing,” says Saint Stanislaus baseball coach Brad Corley. “The program displays an actual strike zone on the screen, which allows us as coaches to give specific feedback to each indi- vidual player.” HitTrax also offers detailed analysis on metrics such as distance, pitch speed, launch angle, and exit velocity. The baseball Rock-A-Chaws also have the option to see how they size-up to other players across the nation. HitTrax provides an opportunity for the Saint Stanislaus coaches and players to eas- ily track strengths, weaknesses, and improvement during practice. With a margin of error of less than five percent, the Baseball Rock-A-Chaws plan to improve not only their game, but also individual goals with the program. “With HitTrax, we will be able to track each player throughout his career at Saint Stanislaus,” says Saint Stanislaus Head Coach, Mark Logan. “Our players have the option to play against each other, or other student athletes throughout the nation. Doing so creates an atmosphere of friendly competition throughout the team while encouraging them to reach their individual goals as well.” Saint Stanislaus Becomes First High School in Mississippi with HitTrax Pictured, l-r, senior Braxton Bean utilizing HitTrax To submit your parish activities for Diocesan Briefs, email information to tdickson@biloxidiocese.org .