"Fierce Rivalry and Newfound Camaraderie" at the National Youth Judicial Competition

By: Michael Phan, junior

STJ students at the Minnesota state capitol.

This summer, I had the chance of a lifetime to travel to St. Paul, Minnesota with my team for the national youth judicial tournament. As soon as we landed, a whirlwind of excitement and nerves swept over me. The trials were looming, and the competitive atmosphere was palpable. Yet, outside the courtroom, the scene was unexpectedly warm and friendly. It was a strange mix of fierce rivalry and newfound camaraderie—where we were rivals in the courtroom but friends once the gavel came down.

I had expected every team to be a formidable opponent, and many were. But to my surprise, some teams seemed disorganized and flustered, which underscored just how much our summer of preparation had paid off. Our team of eight—five witnesses and three lawyers—had spent countless hours preparing, working on objections, and fine-tuning our examinations. We were committed to our principles, with strong arguments and unwavering testimonies. Our lawyers expertly managed objections and delivered compelling arguments that made a lasting impression on the evaluators. One moment that stands out vividly was during a cross-examination. Our witness, Jordan Rossell, managed to use up 14 of the 20 minutes allocated to the opposing counsel. Her strategic handling of the situation disrupted their plans and gave us a significant edge. The evaluators were notably impressed, especially with our closing arguments and the strength of our witness testimonies. But the trip was more than just the trials. It was a chance to connect with high school students from across the nation, sharing stories about our different school experiences. These conversations were a reminder that, despite the competition, we were all there to learn and grow. The journey itself was filled with excitement.

Eight students represented STJ at the National Youth Judicial Competition in St. Paul, MN: Jaden Rossell, Jordan Rossell, Alex Ruona, Carter Miller, Will Alexander, Michael Phan, and Ava Donaldson.

The Mall of America was a highlight—an immense playground of shopping, roller coasters, miniature golf, and endless food options. It was the perfect escape from the tournament’s intensity and a chance to unwind and have some fun.

Reflecting on the trip, I realize how profoundly it impacted me. This experience was not just about competing; it was about sharing a journey with people who have become some of my closest friends. Spending those final trials with my team, who have been my partners in countless late-night practices and intense debates, felt like a culmination of so many shared efforts and dreams. Each argument, each witness testimony, and each strategy session was a testament to our dedication and unity.

STJ youth judicial students at the YMCA national youth judicial competition.

As we wrapped up the tournament, I couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of gratitude. Gratitude for the opportunity to stand shoulder to shoulder with a group of people who pushed me to be my best, who shared my triumphs and my anxieties. These were moments of joy, frustration, and ultimate pride that we experienced together. The laughter we shared in the quiet moments between rounds, the camaraderie in the face of fierce competition, and the unwavering support we provided each other are memories I will cherish forever. Saying goodbye was bittersweet. I found myself overwhelmed with emotion as I realized that this chapter of our lives was closing.

The reality of moving on to new challenges and paths loomed large, but so did the profound sense of having been part of something truly special. I’m incredibly grateful for every moment of this trip—for the victories, the setbacks, the lessons learned, and most of all, for the people who made it unforgettable. As we go our separate ways, I’ll hang on to all the memories of this summer and the incredible team that made it so remarkable. I’ll miss you all more than words can express, but I’m happy knowing that our experience together is something that we will never forget. Here’s to the future and to the friendships that will last beyond our time together. #wearesaintjamesschool

Lifelong Lessons at Girls State

By: Lily Everett, senior

Lily pictured with Judge Anna Manasco, STJ class of 98.

Sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA), Alabama Girls State is a week-long premier youth leadership program which offers a one-of-a-kind experience for its delegates.

It was such a humbling experience to represent Saint James School this summer at the 2024 Girl's State Program. Admittedly, I was a little nervous about going away for a week with 371 other young women from the state, but it wasn't long until I realized that this was going to be the most amazing week of my life!  The program teaches us about being good citizens, role-models, encouragers, and about how to be involved in our local and state governments.  It was truly a week of us all building each other up through compelling speakers, team time, olympic trial games, a "Red, White, and Boots" dance, and even a formal inaugural dinner! 

I met so many great female leaders from around our state including Governor Kay Ivey, Senator Kate Britt, Congresswoman Terri Sewell, and Judge Anna Manasco, who is an STJ Alumna!  I want to thank Saint James for this experience and I plan on working every day to put into practice the lessons I learned at Girl's State."

“I plan on working every day to put into practice the lessons I learned at Girl’s State.”
— Lily Everett, Saint James Girls State Delegate

"Understanding, Empathy, & Purpose" at The National Memorial for Peace and Justice

Saint James School students at The National Memorial for Peace and Justice: the nation’s first memorial dedicated to the legacy of enslaved Black people, people terrorized by lynching, African Americans humiliated by racial segregation and Jim Crow, and people of color burdened with contemporary presumptions of guilt and police violence.

Each year, Saint James tenth grade students visit the Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice. The Legacy Museum, established by Bryan Stevenson and the EJI, tells the story of slavery in the United States and the lasting effects it has had in history.  In confronting the past, we know our students are today becoming ready to act with character, courage, and knowledge in the future. 

Annually, STJ English teacher, Mrs. Joanna McCurdy, assigns an essay prompt for her students to complete reflecting on their experience. Please find excerpts from some of the essays below.

Saint James students at the National Memorial for Peace and Justice.

After a trip to the museum, I have been given insight into how I view myself and the way that I interact with others. The field trip has shown me that as a society we take a lot for granted. Overall, the trip was a fundamental experience in teaching me how much a person’s ancestry and generational trauma goes into their identity and how it is sometimes easy to overlook that background…This trip was enlightening in many ways. The Legacy Museum is such an important part of our community. It brings up conversations that are uncomfortable, but deserve to be talked about.” -Jakiyah Hyman, class of 2026

“The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice stand to remind people from all backgrounds to advocate for a safer world.”
— Haley Hust, class of 2026
“The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice impacted my thoughts and life by giving me more knowledge to understand identity, empathy, and the purpose of knowing history.”
— Jack Caradori, class of 2026

Purple Potato Plants

Who would love to add some color to their lunch? Saint James Community Garden Coordinator, Ms. Elizabeth Harber, led several elementary school students in the planting of a unique, brightly-hued variety of sweet potato. Purple potatoes contain antioxidants and are an excellent source of vitamins. They are delicious roasted, steamed, or even made into chips!

Saint James School’s community garden provides a vibrant, outdoor space for learning, enhances opportunities for community-building and recreation, strengthens lessons on environmental stewardship, and gives students ownership in growing healthy produce. #wearesaintjamesschool

Alabama Youth in Government- My Favorite Time of Year!

by: Ava Donaldson, class of 2024

The 2023-24 Youth Judicial “Top Team” Award- STJ!

2024 Scholarship Recipients. I was honored to be presented with the Bill Barringer Memorial Scholarship.

One of my favorite things that I have had the privilege to be a part of in my many years at Saint James is ALYIG. Alabama Youth in Government is a program run through the YMCA where students from all across the state participate in mock trials and debate legislation. I initially got involved with the program in seventh grade with their Junior Youth Legislator, little did I know that it would become my favorite time of the year. Flash forward to my freshman year where I joined a team of seven other freshmen where we competed in a mock trial on zoom for the first time. Although we did not win any of our three rounds of debate, fellow senior Will Alexander and I promised we would qualify for nationals by our senior year. This first year on a glitchy zoom call is where I first met some of the people I would soon call my best friends. Throughout the next four years I made sure I was at every youth in government event. Youth Judicial in November, Youth Legislator in February, and Youth in the City in April, I was at all of them! Year after year my public speaking skills improved tremendously and I became incredibly outgoing. These conferences were what I looked forward to every year because I got to see all of my friends and we could reminisce about all of our terrible speeches and the many times “decorum!” was yelled through the speakers. Aside from all of the unserious and funny moments of these conferences, my ever-changing Youth Judicial team became one to beat at state. In my final year myself along with seniors Will Alexander, Alex Ruona, Carter Miller, Jordan Rossell, Jaden Rossell, Madison Walton, and sophomore Micheal Phan we finally achieved what we had worked so hard for: nationals. This upcoming July we will take on the National Youth Judicial competition in Minnesota. I am so incredibly grateful to my teachers that have helped me throughout my years and all of my friends I made along the way. #wearesaintjamesschool

Science Fair- Biology Meets Art

by: Shelly Taliaferro, AP Biology teacher

left to right: AP Biology students Harrison Allen, Cole Williams, Addison Seale, Reilly Taylor, and Rylee Richardson, with their poster entitled “A comparison of fine-art faunal diversity among two museum communities - a model to utilize Simpson's biodiversity index for AP Biology.”

Recently, AP Biology students participated in the Greater East Alabama Regional Science and Engineering Fair, held at AUM, where they received third place in the Earth and Environmental Sciences and Environmental Engineering category. They advanced to the Alabama Science and Engineering Fair, held at Auburn University, where they placed third in the Animal and Plant Sciences category and also won the Biological Sciences Award for Creative Application of Biological Principles. Students received a certificate, a medal, and a monetary award. 

The science project involved AP Biology students conducting an inventory of animal "species" found in artwork at the Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts and the Jule Collins Smith Museum of Fine Art (Auburn), then calculating and comparing a biodiversity index between the two museum "communities." Due to constraints of time, transportation, suitable habitat, and weather, AP Biology classes usually use types of cars in the parking lot, different varieties of dried beans, or colorful beads as "organisms" for calculations of community diversity. To our knowledge, this is the first time an AP Biology class has utilized artwork animals for these calculations. Our approach includes a more organismal focus to the biodiversity calculations as well as known benefits of integrating art with science, such as increased student engagement, learning, and retention.

#wearesaintjamesschool 

Prom 2024- A Night at the Disco!

Campbell (second from right) and some of her classmates from the STJ c/o 2025.

by: Campbell Wright, class of 2025

Earlier this month, the Saint James junior class hosted our annual prom. The theme for this year was “A Night at the Disco.” It was a night full of dancing, great music, and incredible decorations. I am a member of the prom club led by Mrs. Ward, along with other junior girls and officers. Our club spent the year planning out and organizing details and ideas to create this magical Prom night. The Friday before Prom, our club ensured the seniors had the best last Prom by setting up fabulous disco decorations, creating memories and sharing laughs as we set up for the night.

The Warehouse at Alley Station was groovy with disco balls, silver accents, and lots of sparkles!

Prom night began for me at Wynlakes Country Club where the entire Junior class took pictures. My friends and I had the best time taking pictures together, capturing our memories of an unforgettable night. After pictures, the class split up for dinner, delicious food combined with excitement and anticipation for the night to come. When it was time to arrive at the Warehouse, we were greeted with our beautiful decorations and a room full of disco fever. The room had a snack bar, photo booth, and stage with a perfect dance floor. Soon after arrival, the bittersweet senior leadout began and we watched our seniors close out their final high school Prom.

The sadness quickly ended when the fabulous Park Band started their music and everyone began dancing. The band kept the excitement high the entire night and everyone was sad to leave. This year’s Prom was an unforgettable night with new memories I will cherish forever.

Saint James students and their dates before Prom 2024.

Cabaret! Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

by: Nicole Jung, class of 2025

STJ Cabaret 2024

Elementary “Rising Starts”

Cabaret 2024

STJ Cabaret is an annual performance that showcases students dancing and singing. Not only do elementary to high school students perform on stage, they can work as backstage staff as well. Usually, I participate as a performer but this year, I just went to watch my friends. Seeing them at the concessions or on the stage gave me so much joy and inspiration.

Every year, Cabaret has a theme that all the songs are based off of. This year it was Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Songs like “Sweet Dreams” by The Eurythmics and “I Feel for You” by Chaka Khan introduce new music and good oldies to me. The ride back home is when I listen to the newfound songs blissfully! The sparkly outfits the performers wear are dazzling especially when they are matching for small group performances. Speaking of small groups, the dance ensemble does impressive dances that showcase their amazing talent! Other small groups have only singing in which they serenade the audience with their vocals or instruments.

Cabaret is performed for 3 nights and on the last night, it is tradition for the sophomores and juniors to make a speech for the graduating seniors. This touching occasion fills me with warmth and many of the performers shed tears for their last performance with their loved upperclassmen. It was amazing to see how much effort and dedication went into creating such a production. For next year‘s Cabaret, make sure to grab a ticket and enjoy the show!

Nicole has been a Trojan since the 2nd grade. She is a member of the STJ choir, youth legislature and youth judicial, SGA, and cheerleading. Nicole also serves as a Student Ambassador.

#wearesaintjamesschool

The National Merit Process: Months in the Making

The National Merit banner at the front entrance of the STJ campus.

My sister, Emilee, a sophomore at STJ, and my family have been very supportive during this process.

by: Will Alexander, senior

Every school year during the fall, it comes time to take the PSAT, and every year, grades 9 through 11 dread the thought of taking another four-hour standardized test. But for the juniors, those four hours have the potential to mean a lot more. When I was a junior, I knew that the PSAT was used to determine National Merit Semifinalists, but I didn’t really conceive just how big that was. After a long four hours of what felt like mind numbing testing, I walked out of the room thinking I was done with Pre-SAT forever and that was it. But to my surprise, the fall of this school year I got called into my counselor, Mr. Clinton's, office one random day. While a lot of different possibilities of why I was in there ran around in my head, not all good either, he told me I had done well enough to be a National Merit Semifinalist. With a bunch of excitement and joy, I went home that night with a letter explaining how the whole process would work from there on. After they calmed down and were able to collect their breath, my parents helped me to finish getting an application together for the next step. I had to get letters of recommendation, ACT/SAT scores, my transcript, and a bunch of other information together in order to be a candidate for National Merit Finalist. I turned in my forms, listed my expected college information, and waited. And waited. And waited. The banners and praise were very gratifying, but those months between Semifinalist and Finalist announcement felt like forever. I went from not even thinking about National Merit to it consuming my thoughts everyday all the way to one February day. In the middle of lunch, Mrs. Poplin called me up onto the stage and in that moment it felt surreal. Many colleges offer some smaller scholarships for being a Semifinalist. But being a Finalist, that’s where things really ramp up. Just like that it felt gratifying and relieving to know the whole college admission process just became that much less stressful. Now as graduation nears and I get ready to go to Auburn for my next four years, I look back on the whole National Merit Process and smile, knowing how exciting, nerve racking, and incredible it was, and just how important it is, even if it doesn’t seem like it when you’re taking the PSAT. #wearesaintjamesschool