Student Organizations

Through a broad range of clubs and activities, Catholic High School provides rich opportunities for students to explore other cultures, learn new skills, develop leadership, form new friendships and simply have fun. All of the organizations listed below are open to all students; invitations to Honor Societies are based on academic performance and members of Student Government - Executive Council and Class Officers - are selected by vote of the student body.

Dates, times, and locations of meetings will be announced in the morning announcements, which are read and posted in homerooms and on Renweb. Any student who wishes to participate should attend a meeting or contact the moderator of the activity.

Clubs

Art Club

Blue Crab Bowl Team

(Dr. Carol Stapanowich) The Blue Crab Bowl Team is named after the Virginia regional competition for the National Ocean Science Bowl. Representing Catholic High School, this team competes annually in the Blue Crab Bowl academic competition at either Old Dominion University or the Virginia Institute of Marine Sciences in alternating years.

Catholic High School teams have proven to be very competitive in the Blue Crab Bowl, winning nine times and finishing second in an additional four Blue Crab Bowls. As Blue Crab Bowl champions, our team won trips to the national finals in Miami, Florida in 2001; Anchorage/Seward, Alaska in 2008; Washington, DC in 2009; St. Petersburg, Florida in 2010; Galveston, Texas in 2011; Baltimore, Maryland in 2012; Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 2013; Seattle, Washington in 2014 and Ocean Springs, Mississippi in 2015.

Additionally, the team competes annually in the National Science Bowl, Virginia regional competition at Jefferson Labs. A competitive team has 4 members and an alternate who are selected from students with an interest in science who are willing to have lots of fun and work hard to train for the competitions. CHS usually fields an “A” and a “B” team.

Only in our seventh year of competition in the National Science Bowl, Virginia regional, CHS finished third in the state in 2009, 2010, 2011 and fourth in 2013.
New members are always welcome.

Chemistry Club

Chemistry Club

Instructor: Mrs. Jennifer McMullen
Occurrence: monthly
Start Time: 3:00 p.m.
End Time: 4:00 p.m.
Description: ChemClub invites, motivates, and encourages high school students to explore the many ways that chemistry connects to their world. Supported by the American Chemical Society, ChemClub provides fun, authentic, and hands-on opportunities for members to:
- experience chemistry beyond what is taught in the classroom
- learn about study and career opportunities in the many and varied fields of chemistry
- provide service for the betterment of their communities
- discover and pursue connections within the larger chemistry community
- develop leadership and communication skills.

Chess Club

CHS Theatre Company & Crusader Players

(Mr. Garry Manasco)
The Catholic High School Drama program, through the CHS Theater Company and Crusader Players, is dedicated to getting students involved in the art of theater. The CHS Theatre Company will produce a variety of shows throughout the school year giving students the ability to learn acting techniques, set construction, and basic lighting design. The Crusader Players, a theater appreciation club, gives all students a chance to experience the theatre arts with after-school trips and production help.

Cru Music Club

Cyber Crusaders

(Mrs. Cheryl Beauchamp) Cyber Crusaders participate in the AFA CyberPatriot program. CyberPatriot is the Air Force Association’s National Youth Cyber Education Program, created to motivate students towards careers in cybersecurity and other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Teams meet bi-monthly from September – February to prepare and participate in the National Youth Cyber Defense Competition.

The national youth cyber defense competition is an online, tournament structured event in which Cyber Crusaders are scored on how well they identify and secure known vulnerabilities on a virtual network. After a series of online qualification rounds, teams are divided into three tiers based upon their scores; platinum, gold, and silver. The top teams advance to the National Finals Competition, an in-person event held in Baltimore, Md., each spring. Winners are awarded scholarships, and all registered competitors are eligible to apply for internship opportunities.

The competition is not only fun and exciting; it also creates a career path for today’s students, fostering continued education from high school through college and into the beginning of their careers. Several current Cyber Crusaders have decided to continue studies in cyber security and computer science due to their experience with the Cyber Crusaders.

Environmental Crusader Club

(Advisor: Dr. Celeste Greene) The Environmental Crusader Club (formerly the Ecology Club) meets once a month on after school to promote a clean and healthy environment at Catholic High School and the greater Virginia Beach Community. The club participates in several activities throughout the school year to help achieve a sustainable community. The activities include maintaining the school’s native plant garden in the courtyard, beach clean-ups, tree planting and more. One of the goals of the club is to maintain Pearl School Award status for environmental stewardship by Lynnhaven River Now. New members are always welcome!

Film Club

Forensics Team

(Mrs. Kat Smith) Forensics is competitive public speaking. Categories of competition involve formal speech, performance and interpretive reading. It is a team academic sport that requires dedication, practice and a desire to have fun while improving self-confidence and communication skills. The season runs from November to March and the team competes in as many as 5 tournaments. All are welcome.

German Club

(Frau Nicole Laroussi) The German Club is for those students who are interested in the German language, culture and food outside the classroom environment. Students can visit German restaurants, taste and cook German foods, and view German films and theater performances. The German Club is not restricted to students who are taking German but is open to all who are interested.

International Cultural Club

Students for Life Club

(Mr. Connor Edgington)
The Students for Life Club exists to educate students, raise awareness, and lobby for the protection of life from the moment of conception until natural death. We take a special emphasis on service to our local community, and State as it has become ever more important to advocate for the right and respect for life with our own State and communities.

Anime

Broadcast Club

(Mrs. Suzanne Glenn and Mrs. Sarah Wohlers)

The Broadcast Club allows members to express themselves as visual ambassadors and videographers for the school. Students take on different roles such as news anchor team, still camera team, drone camera team, or videography. The team members come together to create student announcements and other digital broadcast media to keep our school community informed on events, deadlines and other pertinent information.

Creative Writing/Literary Magazine Club (Paladin)

(Ms. Lisa Moskowitz) Paladin, the school literary magazine, is published every spring as a product of student work. The staff is composed of students of every grade level who are interested in reading and writing prose and poetry as well as those who have an interest in art. Students interested in creative writing are encouraged to attend, as the staff will be conducting writing workshops for beginner and advanced writers as well as providing an audience for new work. The staff meets periodically in the fall and on a weekly basis beginning second semester. The Paladin staff collects writing and art from students and works to produce a magazine that represents the current student body. Participation is open to all students.

Latin Club

(Ms. Molly McOsker) “What we do in life echoes in eternity.” Explore the world of the most influential culture in history. Immerse yourself through food, lectures, film, internet, and social functions such as the Saturnalia Celebration, a film festival, a trip to the Chrysler Museum and Hampton Roads Latin Day. The goal of the Latin Club will be to promote the study and enjoyment of Latin and the Roman culture.

Model U.N.

Operation Smile

(Ms. Taylor Smith) The Catholic High School Chapter of Operation Smile was established during the 2000-2001 school year to raise money for the children's worldwide organization that helps treat facial deformities such as cleft lips and cleft palates. The goal of the club is to raise $2,000 per year. We look forward to fundraisers, donation drives, an annual cornhole tournament, and getting students involved in community service hours.

Students can attend the International Student Leadership Conference, volunteer at Operation Smile headquarters, and apply to attend Mission Training workshops if they choose to go on an actual surgical mission trip!

Philosophy Club

Robotics Club

Science Fiction Club

Spanish Club

Yearbook Club

(Mrs. Kiesha Morrison-Poole) The CHS yearbook, the Crusader, involves students from all grade levels in its production. The book covers one entire school year and is published in late summer to include the final activities of graduation, baccalaureate, and prom.

Jobs open to students include photography, copywriting, editing, and data entry as well as individual specialties such as classes, sports, features, indexing and activities/clubs. Newcomers are always welcome.

Honor Societies

National Honor Society (Mrs. Anita Ridge, Mrs. Rosalynn Pattison, and Mrs. Jennie Cox)
The National Honor Society is an organization that recognizes students for scholarship, character, service, and leadership. Students in the 10th, 11th, or 12th grades, who meet eligibility requirements as described in the school handbook, are invited to submit credentials. Faculty selection of new members occurs each spring. NHS members tutor fellow students one afternoon per week. The Catholic High Chapter of the National Honor Society is known as the Meehan Chapter.

Foreign Language Honor Societies
Each foreign language at Catholic High School has an honor society. Each of these honor societies promotes the study of its language and culture. Service activities are also undertaken. In order to be considered for membership in any of the foreign language honor societies, students must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and maintain at least an A- average in the language for a minimum of three consecutive semesters.
The honor societies are:

German National Honor Society - Delta Epsilon Phi, Virginia Gamma Rho Chapter (Frau Laroussi)
Latin National Honor Society - Association Ad Promovendum Studium Latinum (M rs. McOsker)
Spanish National Honor Society - Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica, Cápitulo Popocatepetl Chapter (Sra. Glenn)

Science National Honor Society (Mrs. Jennifer McMullen)
Membership in the Catholic High chapter of the Science National Honor Society (SNHS) is conferred during the last two years of secondary school education. The SNHS recognizes high achieving students who particularly enjoy math and science and pursue advanced or honors classes in their junior and senior year. A student must have and maintain a 3.0 (4.0 scale) overall grade point average (GPA) and a 3.5 GPA across all science classes to be a member. In addition, students must enroll in and complete at least one honors or AP level science class during their junior and senior years.

National Mathematics Honor Society (M r. Rick Pugsley)
Membership in the Catholic High Chapter of the Mu Alpha Theta National Mathematics Honor Society is open to students in grades 11 and 12, who have completed the equivalent of two years of college preparatory mathematics, including algebra and/or geometry, and in addition have completed or are enrolled in a third year of college preparatory mathematics providing their mathematical work was done with distinction. A student must have and maintain a 3.0 (4.0 scale) overall grade point average (GPA) and a 3.5/4.0 (no rounding) GPA or higher in all semesters of mathematics in which they receive high school credit. Induction to the chapter will be conducted during the first quarter of the school year.

Students in grades 10 through 12, who have completed one year of algebra, or its equivalent, with distinction and are currently enrolled in a higher math course are eligible to be associates of Mu Alpha Theta. Associates are not members of Mu Alpha Theta but are likely candidates for membership. Associates do not pay the initiation fee but are eligible to be listed with the National Office, should they wish to participate in Mu Alpha Theta national math contests. While they are not entitled to vote nor hold office in their chapter, they are entitled to attend and be heard at meetings. A student may remain an associate for only one year and then, if eligible, must be inducted as a member of Mu Alpha Theta.

National English Honor Society (Mrs. Laura Morse)
Membership in NEHS is an honor bestowed on individuals selected for their accomplishments in the field of English and in overall academic achievement. Qualifications for entrance into NEHS include a 3.5 (4.0) grade point average in English classes and a 3.0 GPA overall. Students must complete two semesters of English prior to induction as members, complete an application form, engage in service projects (Young Readers Competition) in the spring, and attend chapter meetings.

Tri-M Music Honor Society (Mrs. Teresa Browndorf)
The Tri-M Music Honor Society (Chapter 8026) recognizes students that have gone above and beyond both academically and musically. It is a service organization that focuses on creating future leaders in music education and music advocacy. Candidates for membership must have taken two semesters of music with a grade of 3.7 or better, have an overall GPA of 3.0 or better, desire to improve their musicianship, exhibit leadership qualities, and have performed at least 10 hours of community service.

Rho Kappa Social Studies Honor Society (Mr. Tom Hostutler)
Membership in the Catholic High chapter of the Rho Kappa National Social Studies Honor Society recognizes students for their accomplishments in the field of Social Studies and in overall academic achievement. Students must have completed two years of Social Studies and have a Social Studies and overall GPA of 3.5.

National Art Honor Society (Mrs. Kiesha Morrison-Poole)

Executive Council

Faculty Moderators - (Mrs. Rosalynn Pattison and Mr. Scott Melson)
The Executive Council is composed of four school-wide elected officers: President, Vice-President, Events Coordinator, and Volunteer Coordinator. The Executive Council plans and coordinates many activities such as spirit week and pep rallies, a Thanksgiving food drive, a Christmas Raffle, the selling of the CRU shirts, and other events throughout the year.

Members

President: Thomas M.
VP: Ashley A.
Treasurer: Sam A.
Secretary: Michael O.
Events Coordinator: Alan N.
Parliamentarian: Bailey D.

Class Council

Class Moderators

Senior Class

Mrs. Jen McMullen (Lead)
Ms. Maggie Hudson
Mrs. Maddie Junge
Mr. Adam Kelkis
Mr. Tom Hostutler
Mrs. Rosalynn Pattison
Mr. Scott Melson
Mr. Joe Bousquet

Junior Class

Mrs. Kiesha Poole (Lead)
Mr. Connor Edgington
Mr. Jeff Jackson
Mr. Doug Ziegenfuss
Mrs. Lisa Moskowitz
Mrs. Katherine Smith
Mrs. Anita Ridge
Mrs. Jennie Cox

Sophomore Class

Mrs. Liliana Quiroga (Lead)
Mrs. Suzanne Glenn
Mr. Robert Darrow
Mrs. Carol Stapanowich
Ms. Sarah Orleans
Mrs. Nicole Laroussi
Mr. Matt Pugsley

Freshman Class

Mrs. Annie Gallagher (Lead)
Ms. Laura Morse
Ms. Molly McOsker
Mrs. Kristin Patterson
Mr. Kyle Chormanski
Mr. Rick Pugsley
Mr. Greg Lusk