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

Spotlight on Woodworking Club
Spotlight on Culinary Club
Spotlight on the Chess Club
College Fairs at Kellenberg Memorial

Athletics News

Von Receives Coach of the Year Honor

Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Kelly ’26: This winter, our very own Mrs. Catherine vonSchoenermarck was named Coach of the Year for Region 1 by the AVCA. The American Volleyball Coaches Association awards the top High School Girls Volleyball Coaches for their unwavering commitment to their respective teams. This award

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Boys Varsity Track has Stellar Performance at States

Article by Phoenix writer Cristina Palmieri ’25 & Sophia Venturino ’26: Over the winter break, our Boys Track and Field team competed at the New York Catholic State Varsity Championships. The team was one of only two Long Island Schools to qualify and the highest ranking Long Island school. The

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Bowling Team Dominates State Tournament

Article by Phoenix writer Cristina Palmieri ’25: In a string of athletic victories, three Firebird bowlers travelled up to Buffalo for the state tournament. Outstanding athletes Juniors Chloe Horstmann and Kerri Callahan and Senior Emma Dolan all qualified for the tournament based on their regular season average. The girls not

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Firebirds Defeat Flyers in Final Seconds

Wednesday night, the Boy’s Varsity Basketball team defeated Chaminade at Chaminade with a score of 46-42. The stakes were high, as Kellenberg and Chaminade were fifth and fourth seeds, respectively. The score was neck and neck throughout the game, leading to high tensions as the game progressed. Senior Jordan Leach

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Activities News

Students Celebrate Haitian Independence Day

Article by Phoenix writer Justin McKenzie ’24: On Friday, January 5th, the One Heart, One Mind Many Cultures Club hosted the Haitian Independence Day Celebration in honor of Haitian Independence Day which is recognized on January 1st. Kellenberg students from all backgrounds showed up to join in on this celebration

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Kellenberg Honors Veterans With Annual Tribute Dinner

Article by Phoenix writer Keira Quigley ’26: On Thursday, November 9th, 2023, Kellenberg hosted its annual Veterans Tribute Dinner, welcoming 350 people with over 100 of them being veterans. This event was an opportunity for Kellenberg students to bring a family member or friend who served in the military and

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Seniors Bond at World Language Retreat

Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Kelly ’26: On Thursday, October 26th, senior students in the Spanish, French, and Latin clubs headed up to Stella Maris for an all-day retreat. The beautiful, sunny day started with a Mass celebrated by Fr. Thomas Cardone, S.M. Students said readings in Spanish and French,

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Apostolic News

May Crowning Ceremony Honors the Blessed Mother

Article by Phoenix writer Caitlin Hanratty ’25: Students and faculty gathered outside to celebrate Kellenberg’s annual May Crowning on May 23. Every year, the statue of Mary outside the main entrance is adorned with flowers by a selected member of the Kellenberg staff. This year, Mrs. Neeson did the honors

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May XLT Closes Off School Year

Article by Phoenix writer Brooke Oldenborg ’26: The last XLT of the school year was held on Wednesday, May 22. Each XLT welcomes students to come together, have fun, and celebrate in the Adoration of Christ. After a dinner in the school cafeteria, students and faculty moved into the auditorium

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Last Week at Mass

Last Week at Mass: A Russian Orthodox Girl at Liturgy

Article by Phoenix writer Victoria Vakser ’26: “Blessed is the Kingdom of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, now and ever, and unto the ages of ages!” With these words the lights came on, the choir sang a majestic “Amen,” and the Orthodox Divine Liturgy began. March

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LWAM: The Opportunity of a Lifetime

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

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LWAM: Trusting What I Can’t Change

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

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But What Do I Know?

But What Do I Know

But What Do I Know: The “Importance” of Sleep

Article by Phoenix writer Michelle Paszek ’24: Photo by Bruce Mars on Unsplash Sleep – the one thing that everyone agrees they can never get enough of. Recently, all I’ve been hearing about is sleep. With the last trimester of the school year coming to a close and final exams creeping just around the corner, the one recurring topic of conversation that I hear is how nobody is getting enough sleep to be considered healthy. Science always tells us teenagers that we need 7-9 hours of interrupted sleep a night, with some studies going even further to suggest that this number isn’t enough. Anything less than the recommended amount is said to lead to definitive negative side effects, which can include difficulty concentrating on everyday events, reduced academic performance, and trouble remembering things. And yet, I, a sixteen year old teenager, feel fine with a very much less-than-recommended average of

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But What Do I Know

But What Do I Know: An Animal Sanctuary Made Me A Vegetarian

Article by Phoenix writer Grace Garcia ’23: Plant-based. It’s the new popular phrase in the media utilized to avoid a negative connotation of the V-word. Yes, I mean vegetarian or vegan. The two words are not synonymous and have important differences; however, both involve moral, religious, or health reasons. A vegetarian is a person who does not consume meat. In contrast, a vegan is an individual who does not eat any food derived from animals and does not purchase nor utilize products made from animals, like leather. For my eighteenth birthday this past February, I chose to celebrate my birthday at a 360-acre animal sanctuary located immediately outside of New York called Tamerlaine Farm. Tamerlaine is owned by close family friends Peter and Gabrielle. They were motivated to become vegan as they became educated about the horrors of the food industry, such as veal crates, forced molting, and debeaking. These

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But What Do I Know

But What Do I Know: The Case for Senioritis

Article by Phoenix writer Isabel Connolly ’23: As the first snow falls, so do seniors’ test scores. It’s inevitable. As we drudge our way through the late winter slump, high school seniors lose interest. It is a phenomenon colloquially termed ‘senioritis.’ The word is the bogeyman, waiting in the shadows of a senior’s first semester, ready to antagonize teacher and student alike. Senioritis is an all too real reality for myself and my classmates. There comes a moment where every senior has the epiphany that what they are doing now is simply a prelude to their future. It shouldn’t be too difficult to figure out why we seniors become disengaged. Especially for the class of 2023, high school has been turbulent. We have had to deal with the mundane in never-before-seen circumstances. We worked through it all with an end goal in mind, which, for my peers and myself, was

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Academics News

Senior Writers Focus on Journaling

Article by Phoenix writer Michaela Dennean ’25: “Staring at the blank page before you…” Above is easily one of the most instantly recognizable lyrics of the 2000s. “Unwritten” by Natasha Bedingfield acted as a powerful ballad for young and old, and it continues to be a hit today, over twenty

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Junior History Trip Sparks Appreciation for the U.S.

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

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Students Send Shivers Down Your Spine at Fright Club

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

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Kellenberg Seniors Attend Molloy Common Read

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

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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.