Article by Phoenix writer Ryleigh O’Neill ’28:

Latest News
Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Venturino ’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

Varsity and JV Wrestling Opens Season Strong
Article by Phoenix writer Michelle Paszek ’24: On Saturday, December 2nd, the Varsity Wrestling Team competed in the Battle at the Beach tournament at Long Beach High School, which is one of the toughest tournaments in New York State. The 19 Firebirds faced off against wrestlers from All Hallows High

Boys Varsity Bowling Team Wins Opening Match
Article by Phoenix writer Cristina Palmieri ’25: The Boys Varsity Bowling team opened their season on Monday, November 27th with a dominating 9 to 0 win over St. John’s High School. After taking an early 2 to 0 lead after a competitive first game, the team started to click and

Kellenberg Student Athletes Recognized at NCAA Ceremony
Article by Phoenix writer Cristina Palmieri ’25: On November 14th, 2023, eighteen Kellenberg seniors were honored at the annual fall NCAA Celebration. This event honors the achievements of student athletes who have committed to a college for their respective sports and celebrates their advancement to collegiate athletics. The coaches and

Girls Varsity Volleyball Wins League Championship
Article by Phoenix writer Justin McKenzie ’24 November 3rd, 2023 was a joyous scene at SUNY Old Westbury where the Girls Varsity Volleyball team rejoiced in celebration after winning the League Championship against the Sacred Heart Spartans. The Lady Firebirds’ dominance has been displayed throughout the season as the team
Activities News

KM Alumna from FIT Chats Fashion
Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Venturino ’26: On October 30, the fashion club hosted a guest speaker to discuss her experiences in the world of fashion. Moderator of the Fashion Club, Mrs. Delbrune, invited former student Charlotte D’Alessandro ’20 back to Kellenberg to discuss her experiences in the fashion industry

Students Dominate the Courtroom at Yale Invitational
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

Students Celebrate Bloomberg Certification
Article by Phoenix writer Victoria Vakser ’26: 20 students from the Junior and Senior classes have completed their Bloomberg certification from Molloy University this year. The Bloomberg Certification Program is an after-school course offered through Molloy University to members of the Business and Finance club. Interested students met after school

Blue Breaks Gold’s Win Streak at Annual Blue & Gold Show
Article by Phoenix writer Grace Andino ’25: The crowd was on the edge of their seats, anxiously waiting for a winner to be announced. Although the Gold team had a chance of winning a 4-peat victory, the Blue team secured their win with an overall score of 2,069,– as opposed
Apostolic News

Seniors Learn About Life and Death
Article by Phoenix writer Grace Andino ’25: On January 29, senior students and faculty heard an annual presentation regarding Catholic Moral Tradition and modern medicine from alumna Meagan Ledetsch. Meaghan Ledetsch graduated from Kellenberg in 2005. Since then, she attended the University of Scranton where she received a Bachelor of

Kellenberg Gathers to Celebrate Founders Day Mass
Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Venturino ’26: On January 30th, Kellenberg Memorial finished off the shortened week with a mass celebrating Founders Day. The school community will not be in school Friday for this reason, as Kellenberg celebrates the individuals who founded both the school and the Marianists themselves. This

Kellenberg Marches for Life
Article by Phoenix writer Sophia Kelly ’26: On January 23, members of our junior and senior classes headed down to Washington D.C. for the annual March for Life held on January 24. The March for Life began in Washington, DC in 1974. This peaceful, national protest is in response to

Kellenberg Welcomes the Jubilee Year
Article by Phoenix writer Michaela Dennean ’25: On Thursday, January 16, Kellenberg celebrated its first Mass of the New Year. This year is particularly special in the Church, as it is a Jubilee Year. The jubilee takes place every twenty-five years, with this year’s focus being Hope. When Pope Francis
Last Week at Mass

LAST WEEK AT MASS: “Ja te volim.”
Article by Phoenix writer Paulina Barnjak ’24: “Ja te volim.” With those three words, I am assured that I am loved, in this world and the next. I think it’s universal that society does not know how to handle the loss of a loved one. Even as Catholics, as we

Last Week at Mass: With Eucharist in Hand, I Knew God’s Plan
Article by Phoenix writer Caitlin Hanratty ’25: While many of my peers struggle to know what they are meant to do with their lives, my problem was that I naively assumed I had it all figured out. That was until my junior year of high school. In the past few

Last Week at Mass: My Name, My Calling, My Purpose From God
Article by Phoenix writer Grace Andino ’25: Towards the end of my sophomore year, feelings of unproductivity and concern lingered in my mind. Distracted by the upcoming junior year, I questioned if I followed God’s plan for my life efficiently. Throughout my five years at Kellenberg, I’ve had the unique

Last Week at Mass: A Lady’s Lesson on Grief and Love
Article by Phoenix writer Amely Nuñez ’23: Serving as an altar server has granted me the opportunity to view the Mass in a very intimate and personal light. I have a perfect view of both the altar and the parishioners in the pews. Having seen thousands of congregants, one person
But What Do I Know?

But What Do I Know: New Year, New Me?
Article by Phoenix writer Kevin Kirley ’25: The week between Christmas and New Year’s is full of the post Christmas blues and leftover-induced stomach aches. It is usually here where the mob of people in the world wander aimlessly around their homes, probably asking themselves what day it is for the fourth day in a row. But as the calendar turns into a new year, a mammoth of a question clouds everyone’s minds: “What’s my New Year’s resolution?” And to that I ask: Why do we do this to ourselves year after year? I’ve always found the “New Year, New Me” slogan shallow and unhelpful, bordering on harmful. A ridiculously toxic, pressuring, and anxiety-inducing message portraying the “New Year” as the complete shift in your life that you’ve been waiting for. Now that the calendar year has increased by one digit and a big, shiny ball dropped in Times Square,

But What Do I Know: Don’t Rush the Season
Article by Phoenix writer Mary O’Brien ’27: I love the season of Christmas. It is not only a holiday, but a feeling that every Christian is familiar with. It brings warmth into our lives and reminds us of the comforts of home and family. It starts with childhood, and the anticipation of a break from school and the coming of Santa Claus. Every kid waits patiently for December 25th to arrive by making wish lists and working hard to stay on the “nice list.” Then, the magic of Christmas morning comes and the nostalgic site of a glistening Christmas tree with unopened presents underneath. As one matures, receiving gifts and expecting Santa matter less and less. The real meaning of Christmas is prioritized through spending time with family, giving back to those less fortunate, and above all, the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. Christmas is a great holiday and deserves the

But What Do I Know: Is the Movie Theater Dead?
Article by Phoenix writer Griffin Strauss ’25: The smell of butter flavoring and freshly popped kernels overwhelms my nostrils as I step in line for concessions. There is no line, and I walk right to the counter. I walk down the carpeted hallway dressed with lighted movie posters, popcorn and soda in hand, passing auditorium after auditorium in search of theater number six; the corridor is empty, crumpled napkins drifting between walls like tumbleweeds in a deserted western landscape. Finally, I step into the dark theater, and the silver screen displays previews for blockbuster hits and indie gems. I am the only one in the empty theater, and the sound of the kernels between my teeth echoes through the vacant room. This is the reality of modern-day cinema. I will never forget that mid-December night when I was nine years old. I stepped into a packed theater with my

But What Do I Know: Words that Last
Article by Phoenix writer Victoria Vasker ’26: There is something beautiful about a blank sheet of paper— something that awakes the mystery and excitement inside a person born to be a writer until the depths of his soul are stirred and he picks up the pen. The potential, the emptiness waiting to be filled, the lines begging for a pencil to make contact, all cry out with the promise of what could be— and who has never been intrigued by the unknown? My pencil flies across the page, scribbling, scratching, creating worlds and dreams and stories. I am lost to another realm, oblivious to everything but the words forming on the paper before me. The room is silent. The only sounds are the sharp sssht, sssht, of my hand moving along the paper and the furious scratching of my pencil as I lean over my desk. Soon my paper becomes
Academics News

Students Shine In Advanced Labs Program
Article by Phoenix writer Michelle Paszek ’24: The Advanced Labs Program is an after-school STEM group at Kellenberg where any high schooler in grades 9-12 can join in on college level labs that prepare them for what they will experience in college. “It made me appreciate science and all that
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

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
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
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
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

The Renaissance Challenge Winner: “Energy Doll” by Brandi Licato ’24
“Energy Doll” Illustration by Brandi Licato ’24