Article by Phoenix writer Grace Andino ’25:Read

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
Athletics News

Boys Varsity Volleyball — Truly Perfect
Article by Phoenix writer James Watkins ’26: The Boys Varsity Volleyball team rose to the occasion and made Kellenberg proud finishing with an undefeated spring 2025 regular season. The boys met their goals due to their unstoppable persistence and dedication to see a new version of themselves on the other

Firebirds Defeat Chaminade for NSCHAA Championship
With a walk-off hit in the eighth inning, the Kellenberg Varsity Baseball team clinched a 3-2 victory over Chaminade on May 27 to claim the NSCHSAA League Championship title in a ceremoniously grand fashion at Hofstra University. In the bottom of the extra frame, sophomore Andrew Noe struck the clutch

Varsity Softball Plays for Something Greater
Article by Phoenix writer Victoria Vakser ’26: After a tiring three days of trimester exams, the Varsity Softball team put off their Easter Break for just a little longer to play in the Annual Benefit Game at Molloy University. The friendly non-conference competition was held to benefit the Long Island

Ladies Place 3rd at Intersectional Track Championship
Article by Phoenix writer PhoenixOnline Staff ’25: The Lady Firebirds were on fire at their Freshmen/Sophomore Intersectional Championship meet with some incredible performances across the board on Saturday, May 11. Marley Dyasi led the charge as Kellenberg’s top scorer of the meet, striking gold in both the freshman discus and
Activities News

Kellenberg SMART Program: “The Greatest of these is Love”
Article by Phoenix writer Mary O’Brien ’27: It’s 2:52 PM, and the final bell has just rung, signifying the end of another school day. Students are at their lockers, putting their blazers and ties away, many of them getting ready to go home, go to practice, or another after school

Whodunit Hit Thrills Audience
Article by Phoenix writer Margaret Nitkewicz ’26: This past weekend, Kellenberg’s very own Drama Club put on two outstanding performances of Agatha Christie’s “A Murder Is Announced.” After countless hours spent rehearsing in the Kellenberg Auditorium (and occasionally Room 240), the small but mighty cast finally got to share their

Junior Musician performs with Prestigious Ensemble
Article by Phoenix writer Griffin Strauss ’25: This past weekend Zach traveled to Syracuse New York to take part in the New York State Band Directors Association Honors Band. As a participant, Zachary was identified as one of the top musicians in all of New York State. The weekend was

Cultures Club Promotes Black History Month
Article by Phoenix writer Karim Adetayo ’25: The KMHS One Heart One Mind Many Cultures Club celebrated Black History Month with presentations on fashion, dances, HBCUs, food, music, and a fun Family Feud event to end the celebration. These events that took place throughout the month showcased the vast, rich,
Apostolic News

ETV Produces Pope Leo XIV Coverage
Article by Phoenix writer Natalie Lezcano ’26: On May 8, Kellenberg Memorial High School students and faculty buzzed with excitement as the papal conclave announced the name of the new pope, Pope Leo XIV. In the hour leading up to the announcement, a few faculty members were granted the opportunity

Rain Dampens May Crowning, but Not Marianist Spirit
Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Kelly ’26: Due to inclement weather, the annual May Crowning took place indoors on Thursday, May 29. On a typical year, the ceremony would be held in the school parking lot, with a fire truck from a local volunteer fire department assisting the chosen faculty

ETV Produces Coverage on Pope Leo XIV
Article by Phoenix writer Natalie Lezcano ’26: On May 8, Kellenberg Memorial High School students and faculty buzzed with excitement as the papal conclave announced the name of the new pope, Pope Leo XIV. In the hour leading up to the announcement, a few faculty members were granted the opportunity

Students Travel to Spain for Project Understanding
Article by Phoenix writer Grace Andino ’25: Kellenberg students traveled to Spain as a part of Project Understanding over February Break. Project Understanding is a Long Island based program that facilitates interfaith dialogue between Catholic and Jewish students on a shared pilgrimage. Students are nominated by their church or synagogue
Last Week at Mass

Last Week At Mass: A Therapeutic Lord
Article by Phoenix writer Nick Cortese ’23: As of late, I have been reflecting on myself quite a bit. People tend to downplay the idea of junior year being stressful until they get to junior year. Now, I’ve been having bad days here and there, one of such being this

Last Week At Mass: It’s Been A While
Article by Phoenix writer Angelo Tsassis ’22: Honestly, I was a bit nervous to come back after such a long time. Each Sunday, I thought to myself, I should really get back to Church this week. But no, there was always some obligation I had that was more important at

Last Week at Mass: A Mass and a Meet for Season’s End
Article by Phoenix writer Amir Jeudy ’22: At 9am in the middle of Sunken Meadow Park, hundreds of runners, middle school and high school alike, come together with their parents and coaches to pray before the races. The Mass, celebrated by Kellenberg’s Fr. Albert Bertoni, S.M., might be an odd

Last Week At Mass: Birthday Sunday
Article by Phoenix writer Isabel Connolly ’23: It was a 73º sunny day, perfect weather for a birthday. The sixteenth birthday has been heralded as some important stepping stone in an adolescent’s life. It’s this wonderful year where everything is supposed to happen. With it comes the idea of sweet
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.

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

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

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
Academics News

Poetry Is Alive and Well at Kellenberg
Article by Phoenix writer Keira Quigley ’26: Poetry Week, an annual week-long event sponsored by the English department, was held from April 28 to May 2 this year. During Poetry Week multiple events were hosted by various English Department teachers after school. Mrs. Tochelli hosted an event called Rhyming Rendezvous,

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

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

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
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.

The Renaissance, Artwork by Lauren Reyes ’26, “New Friends”
Artwork by Lauren Reyes ’26, “New Friends”
The Renaissance, “The Road of Friendship” by Theresa Stender ‘29
The Road of Friendship by Theresa Stender ’29 The road of friendship is difficult to know because sometimes it lasts a lifetime while sometimes it

The Renaissance, Artwork: “Pink Dogwoods” by ChloeAnn Cajuste ’28
“Pink Dogwoods” by ChloeAnn Cajuste ’28
The Renaissance, Poetry: “Lilies” by Aren Saraydarian ’26
Lilies by Aren Saraydarian ’26 I see the sun arising high, A cloud not known in all the sky. Awaiting me a journey lies, A
The Renaissance, Poetry: “Death isn’t Soft, Oscar” by Erin O’Connor ‘25
I’ve heard that Death is soft so that when we hold it, it does not callous our hands. But when I play the guitar you

The Renaissance, Photography: “Soft Glowing Lamp” by Sophia Sontag ’27
“Soft Glowing Lamp” by Sophia Sontag ’27