Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Venturino ’26:
Latest News
Article by Phoenix writer Brooke Oldenborg ’26:
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
Spotlight on the Chess Club
College Fairs at Kellenberg Memorial
Drama Club presents
You Can't Take It With You
Athletics News
Firebird Wrestlers Dominate at Battle at the Beach
December 12, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Griffin Strauss ’25: On Saturday, December 7, 26 Firebird wrestlers competed in the prestigious Varsity Battle at the Beach Tournament in Long Beach. Senior Elijah “Conquering” Carrington dominated his weight class pinning the second ranked wrestler in Nassau County and beating the fifth ranked wrestler in
FCAA Celebration Honors Benefactors
November 20, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Caitlin Hanratty ’25: On November 16, the Firebird Center Completion Celebration was hosted in the FCAA for its major benefactors to celebrate the official opening of the new building on the 1400 Glenn Curtiss property. More than 500 benefactors, faculty, staff, and additional guests attended the
Girls Varsity Wins State Volleyball Championship
November 18, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Grace Andino ’25: For the second consecutive year in a row, Kellenberg’s Girls Varsity Volleyball team took home the title of CHSAA State Champions. The Lady Firebirds have been sweeping wins all across Long Island this season, tallying up an undefeated score of 14-0. After beating
“Flight of the Firebirds” Rises from the Ashes
November 4, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Mika Accardi ’25: Kellenberg is very happy to announce that Flight of the Firebirds, the official Kellenberg Podcast, has returned. After some time and much planning, the podcast was brought back to life by Mr. Beyrouty and senior Amelia Caban. Flight of the Firebirds explores all
Activities News
Speech and Debate Orates Their Way to Victory
November 20, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Delaney Clark ’25: On Saturday, November 9, the Speech and Debate Team took part in a competition against other rookie competitors of the Long Island Speech and Debate League. Five Kellenberg members participated in these debates: Jillian McLaughlin, Thomas Englese, Anna Prince, Emanuel Chamarro, and Callum
Kellenberg Sets Sail with New Sailing Club
November 20, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Mika Accardi ’25: On Saturday, November 2, Kellenberg’s newly formed Sailing Club competed in their first invitational regatta at the Waterfront Center in Oyster Bay. The Sailing Club had practiced three days a week in preparation for the regatta. Seniors John Renz and Marco Arena, Sophomore
Model UN Team Dominates at Annual UCMUN Conference
November 19, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Olivia Iorio ’26: From November 8 to 10, fourteen delegates from Kellenberg’s Model UN team traveled to their first conference of the year, the University of Connecticut Model UN Conference. The Delegates from Kellenberg participated on five different committees, and were joined by 400 other students
Freshmen Count the Candy in Halloween Raffle
November 14, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Olivia Iorio ’26: The Halloween Raffle, held from October 28-30, was spurred on by the goal of Freshman GSO (General Student Organization) to continue the excitement of Freshman Faith Day. Mrs. Egan explained, “After a very spirited competition on Faith Day, GSO thought to capitalize on
Apostolic News
Lourdes Pilgrimage: The Power of Peace
October 22, 2024
Article by Jenna McQuaid ’25: This past summer, I went on a ten-day mission trip to Lourdes, France, a small southwestern town that attracts approximately 5,000 people daily. Nestled in the foothills of the Alps, the Virgin Mary appeared to 14-year-old Bernadette Soubirous in 1858 and asked her to return
Kellenberg’s LIFE Team Travels to Catholic Underground
October 17, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Kelly ’26: On Thursday October 3rd, 2024, Kellenberg and Chaminade’s Marianist LIFE teams journeyed into New York City where they experienced Catholic Underground. Hosted by the Franciscan Friars, Catholic Underground is held in response to Pope John Paul II’s call for youth evangelization. The LIFE
Christ Takes Center Stage at XLT
October 10, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Keira Quigley ’26: On Wednesday October 2nd, Kellenberg students and faculty gathered for the first XLT of the 2024-2025 school year. XLT is a monthly religious activity that focuses on Eucharistic adoration and a witness talk from a member of the Kellenberg family. As always, XLT
Students Gather in Prayer for Rosary Prayer Service
October 8, 2024
Article by Phoenix writer Brianna Duroseau ’26: In honor of the Virgin Mary, Kellenberg held its annual Rosary Prayer Service on Friday, October 4. October is designated as a month to pay tribute to Our Lady of the Rosary. Kellenberg embraced this tradition as students and faculty united in prayer.
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