Article by Phoenix writer Brooke Oldenborg ’26:
Latest News
The PhoenixOnline is the school newspaper, published by the students of Kellenberg Memorial High School. Articles are posted throughout the school week to PhoenixOnline at kellenberg.org/phoenix. PhoenixOnline covers various Faith, Academic, Extra-Curricular, and Athletic stories and features at Kellenberg Memorial. PhoenixOnline staff contribute to the school journalism publication by conceiving stories, attending school events, conducting interviews, and writing and editing articles. Membership on the PhoenixOnline staff is open to all students in grades 6 through 12. Editorship positions are available by application.
PhoenixOnline Surveys
Throughout the year, we run open surveys polling our student body on some general interest topics.
PhoenixOnline Video Segments
College Fairs at Kellenberg Memorial
Drama Club presents
You Can't Take It With You
The College Placement Office
Athletics News
Kellenberg Homecoming Is a Big Win
September 28, 2023
Article by Phoenix writer Griffin Noumair ’24: On Saturday, September 16th, the Varsity Football Team defeated St. Francis Prep by a score of 38 to 18 in the annual Homecoming game. This game is always one of the most anticipated of the year, and the team did not disappoint. Quarterback
Students Express Their School Spirit At The Fall Spirit Pep Rally
September 26, 2023
Article by Phoenix writer Allison Cortese ’26: Fall athletes represented their teams on September 15 at the Fall Pep Rally, showcasing their school spirit by wearing their jerseys over their uniforms and competing against each other in various games. The upperclassmen as well gathered in the gymnasium for their Pep
Varsity Softball Works With Wheelchair Softball Team
June 6, 2023
Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Paulich ’24: Varsity Softball’s Ava Golio, Natalie McMichael and Ariana Corrente joined in assisting the Nassau Aviators Wheelchair Softball team on Tuesday, May 30,in Eisenhower Park. They were eager to aid in this game. The firebirds spent over two hours helping the athletes run a
Girls Varsity Track and Field Team Finds Success at Two Meets
May 24, 2023
Article by Phoenix writer Griffin Strauss ’25: On May 13th, the Kellenberg Girls Varsity Track and Field Team traveled to Randall’s Island to compete at the CHSAA Intersectional Championship. The Freshman Girls’ Firebird Track Team took home the bronze plaque for third place, an achievement made more impressive since they
Activities News
Senior Alexa Mazzamuto Raises Cancer Awareness as a UN Youth Ambassador
May 22, 2023
Article by Phoenix writer Allison Cortese ’26: On February 28th, senior Alexa Mazzamuto had the opportunity to speak at an online conference for the NGO Committee on Sustainable Development-NY. The NGO CSD-NY is a non-profit organization affiliated with the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs as well as the
Kellenberg Celebrates Poetry
May 17, 2023
Article by Phoenix writer Lauren DeRiggi ’24: Kellenberg hosted an Open Mic event in the school’s auditorium. This event gave the opportunity for students to recite their favorite poems. Over 60 students in grades 6-12 participated, and many recited original poems. The Open Mic was held in honor of National
Firebird Orchestra Performs for St. Martin’s Students
May 17, 2023
Article by Phoenix writer Keira Quigley ’26: On March 15th, Kellenberg’s Firebird Orchestra had the pleasure of going to the St. Martin de Porres Marianist School in celebration of “Music in Our Schools Month,” which focuses on supporting music education in schools throughout the nation. Volunteers from the Firebird Orchestra,
Special Guest Gives Fashion Club Presentation
May 17, 2023
Article by Phoenix writer Marianne Reyes ’25: The Fashion Club, moderated by Mrs. Curley, recently had special guest Beth Chamberlain give a presentation about fashion. She presented her lecture in the Emmanuel Room with an audience of 20 students. Beth Chamberlain has over 20 years of experience in fashion history
Apostolic News
Aquinas League Pilgrimage
January 16, 2025
Article by Phoenix writer Mika-Ella Accardi ’25: On Saturday, December 14, the Aquinas League traveled to St. Barnabas Church in Bellmore to visit the relics of their patron saint, St. Thomas Aquinas. The pilgrimage included 12 Juniors and Seniors of the Aquinas League along with Mr. John Ruhl and Mrs.
Kellenberg Celebrates the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception
December 12, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Cristina Palmieri ’25: On Monday, December 9, the Kellenberg family celebrated the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The day was made a solemnity in 1708 by Pope Clement XI and commemorates the conception of Mary without original sin. The celebrants for the three masses were Father
Ladies of Kellenberg Celebrate Annual Magnificat Dinner
December 12, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Mary O’Brien ’27: On Friday, December 6th, Kellenberg hosted its annual Magnificat dinner. This event for the young women of Kellenberg and the special women in their lives is named after the prayer offered up to God from Mary while she was greeting her cousin Elizabeth.
Firebird Families Share Christmas Cheer
December 11, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Victoria Vakser ’26: With prayer, festivities, and the school’s first tree lighting, Christmas at Kellenberg brought the whole Firebird family together to celebrate the coming holiday. The event, held on the Saturday before the second week of Advent, began with a mass and continued with caroling,
Last Week at Mass
LWAM: The Opportunity of a Lifetime
January 9, 2025
Article by Phoenix writer Grace Andino ’25: “Are you interested in becoming a Eucharistic Minister?” The bolded letters on the front of St. Thomas the Apostle’s Church bulletin made my heart jump. Though an 8-year-old me who received her Sacraments of Initiation and altar served for St. Thomas would have
LWAM: Trusting What I Can’t Change
December 3, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Brooke Oldenborg ’26: On Sunday, November 17, I decided to end my weekend with my home parish’s evening mass. This is the first mass I’ve attended fully in a while. As the priest started talking, it seemed like a normal mass, but as he continued it
LWAM: Make the Time
October 10, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Kevin Kirley ’25: Walking into St. Agnes Cathedral in Rockville Centre on Sunday, September 24 was a cathartic experience. I didn’t expect the church to be as full as it was: there were dozens of families, Moms bringing their kids from a soccer game, filling up
Last Week At Mass: Goat or Sheep?
December 7, 2023
Article by Phoenix writer Cristina Palmieri ’25: Something I have always struggled with is judgment. Especially in this society of scrutiny, I find myself passing judgment on others far too often. I would deem somebody bad for spreading rumors or for breaking rules. I would deem someone good for helping
But What Do I Know?
But What Do I Know
But What Do I Know: The Musings of a Margin Scribbler
Article by Phoenix writer Paulina Barnjak ’24: Many students dread summer reading, especially when they have to annotate and highlight in the books. But let me tell you a secret – I LOVE writing in the margins of books. Some people may view this as a destruction of property or a waste of time. If they see an annotated book on the shelf or a hand me down book from a relative, they might choose a neater, nicer book to read. The annotations might get in the way of your perception of the book. But in my eyes, that’s good – a new perspective is great, sometimes even life changing. Billy Collins writes about these annotations in his poem, “Marginalia.” I can picture myself as the people within the lines of this poem, especially in the following excerpt: “One scrawls ‘Metaphor’ next to a stanza of Eliot’s. Another notes the
December 7, 2023
But What Do I Know
But What Do I Know: Vinyl is Final
Article by Phoenix writer Cristina Palmieri ’25: Photo by Ryan Arnst on Unsplash Listening to music has always been a favorite pastime of mine where I can express myself. Many people share this hobby with me. In recent years, cultivating playlists or mixtapes has become very popular. Personally, my Spotify account has close to one hundred playlists with songs spanning countless genres and time periods. As much as I love being able to access my favorite songs at the click of a button, something about listening to an album on a vinyl record cannot be topped by digital listening. One reason I prefer records over a playlist is the storytelling aspect of an album. While this may not be true for all albums, some of them, such as David Bowie’s “The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars,” are meant to be listened to as a
November 2, 2023
But What Do I Know
But What Do I Know: CheatGPT Is Cheating Humanity
Article by Phoenix writer Griffin Strauss ’25: In our rapidly changing world, technology often outpaces our ability to adapt or even transform. This is profoundly evident in the case of ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that has recently taken over the world of writing. It enables people to cheat the system and create new works of writing with minimal input. The dangers of this are great, and yet we continue to misuse it. ChatGPT presents a plethora of issues for writers, foremost is the question of authenticity. Writers of all walks of life from academics to employees can use the software of ChatGPT to formulate reports and essays easier than ever. They simply tell ChatGPT what they want to accomplish and it executes it in minutes. When utilizing ChatGPT, the user is tapping into a database teeming with information that the user has never known. If the use of ChatGPT becomes
September 28, 2023
But What Do I Know
But What Do I Know: Crush the Evil Social Media
Article by Phoenix writer Cristina Palmieri ’25: Voltaire said “Crush the evil thing.” It sounds cooler in French, but I don’t know French. Voltaire wickedly ridiculed all of the corruptions and evils of his time. No doubt, social media would be on his radar if he lived today. Since its beginnings, social media has ingrained itself into society. There has been a lasting obsession with constantly posting updates about our lives on some sort of platform, whether it be a relationship status on Facebook or a picture of your last vacation on Instagram. However, there has been a decline in this obsession. With Twitter on a fast decline and TikTok’s existence being in jeopardy, there has been a rising conversation about social media’s impact on society within the last ten years. While some might mourn the loss of their favorite apps, I will honestly be relieved with social media’s downfall.
June 6, 2023
Academics News
Junior History Trip Sparks Appreciation for the U.S.
October 30, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Mary O’Brien ’27: From Washington’s Headquarters to West Point Academy: On October 18th, the class of 2026 made their own trip down the Hudson on an academic journey to broaden their knowledge of American History. Leaving Kellenberg at 6:15, the 42 sleepy juniors made their first
Students Send Shivers Down Your Spine at Fright Club
October 22, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Griffin Strauss ’25: On October 22, Bro. Peter Sennett, S.M., held a meeting for the creative writing contest Fright Club in room 122. Middle and high school students alike joined to share their ideas for horror short stories and get assistance from Bro. Peter to make
Kellenberg Seniors Attend Molloy Common Read
October 15, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Mika Accardi ’25: On Wednesday, October 9, ten Kellenberg seniors had the opportunity to visit Molloy University for Molloy’s annual freshman Common Read. Each year, Molloy assigns a book to their incoming freshmen class, after which the author of that book is invited to give a
Students Dominate the Courtroom at Yale Invitational
September 25, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Kelly ’26: On September 13, the Kellenberg Mock Trial team set out on their first invitational of the year, the Yale Bulldog Invitational. The team skillfully delivered examinations of the witnesses, presented their case, and introduced evidence in their greatest attempt to prevail in the
Firebird Crosswords
The Renaissance
An important extra facet of the academic life at Kellenberg Memorial is the literary magazine, Renaissance. Published twice a year in Fall/Winter and Spring/Summer issues, it contains the creative writings and artistic talents of students from grades six through twelve.
The creative voice heard in the poems, short stories, essays, and art is often unheard in the day-to-day work within the classroom.
Prose: “Childhood Christmas” by Ciara Bice ’25
“Childhood Christmas” by Ciara Bice ’25 Waking up on December 1 to find the Elf on the Shelf and open the Advent Calendar there is
January 20, 2025
Renaissance Views Powerful Documentary
Article by Phoenix writer Griffin Strauss ’25: Photo credit: Mary O’Brien The Renaissance gathered together to view the 2015 documentary “I Come From,” a film
January 9, 2025
Poem: “A dusk was come” by Viktoria Vakser ’26
A dusk was come; the earth a sullen quiet Had raised to protest Night’s impending gloom, And pulled the tired land to noiseless riot, Forestalling
December 7, 2024
Poem “The freedom we chase” by Kylie Mummendey ’25, The Renaissance Challenge Winner
The freedom we chase Kids’re so quick to grow up, they dream of being “free” They race through long grass barefoot, past playgrounds and climbing
November 22, 2024
Poem “The Gossamer Curtain” by Victoria Vakser, ’26
Sometimes Time seems but a sad joke Millions of tiny pictures Bright, flashy, Cheap. All crowded Into a frame which reads, Your Life. But if
October 18, 2024
The Renaissance Challenge Winner: “Energy Doll” by Brandi Licato ’24
“Energy Doll” Illustration by Brandi Licato ’24
February 5, 2024