Students from Mountain Brook High School and Wenonah High School gather during the Heritage Panel training at the YWCA in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. Students from Wenonah's culinary arts program, part of the Hospitality and Tourism Academy, prepared and served breakfast for the group, as well. (The Birmingham News / Michelle Campbell)
Thursday, January 19, 2012
High School students talk racism, other issues
Students from Mountain Brook High School and Wenonah High School gather during the Heritage Panel training at the YWCA in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. Students from Wenonah's culinary arts program, part of the Hospitality and Tourism Academy, prepared and served breakfast for the group, as well. (The Birmingham News / Michelle Campbell)
Students from Mountain Brook High School and Wenonah High School gather during the Heritage Panel training at the YWCA in Birmingham, Ala., on Wednesday, Jan. 18, 2012. Students from Wenonah's culinary arts program, part of the Hospitality and Tourism Academy, prepared and served breakfast for the group, as well. (The Birmingham News / Michelle Campbell)
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Girls Basketball: Mountain Brook 61, Lee-Huntsville 40
Dennis Victory, Birmingham News, January 16, 2012 6 p.m.
Mountain Brook's full-court pressure forced 11 first quarter turnovers on the way to an 18-4 period lead in MLK Classic basketball at Samford University.
Lee scored the first basket of the game, but the Spartans reeled off the next 13 points, capped by a pair of free throws from Abby Garrett. By the time Annabelle Friedman sank a jumper with 4.3 seconds left in the half, Mountain Brook (17-5) led 38-14 and was never threatened in the second half.
Mary Katherine Pinson led the Spartans with 15 points, including converting 3 of 6 from 3-point range, and contributed four steals. Collier Ogilvie added 12 points and 16 rebounds. Garret grabbed seven rebounds.
Tiera Williams scored 13 points to lead Lee.
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Village2Village Run returns
By ANNE WOOD
Village Living
The annual Village2Village run weaves through the villages of Mountain Brook every January, but each year introduces a new route.
“You never know which hills you are going to have to go up and which ones you are going to get to come down,” said Britt Redden, who has participated in the run twice. “It is always very challenging and always best that I don’t ‘ride’ the course before the race.”
This year’s race is set for Jan. 21.
Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce President Steven Hydinger said that the pretty yet challenging course brings people from inside and outside of Mountain Brook to spend time in the neighborhoods.
“It is a lot of fun to see friends and neighbors challenging each other to do the 10K race,” he said. “The 1-mile Run is great [for kids] as well.”
“I love that you are running with so many people that you know and that you pass so many people on the way,” Redden said. “You see many families out in their front yards cheering you on.”
The race has averaged about 700 runners over the past five years, but their goal is to break 1,000 runners. Race director Beth Nigri said they started promoting the run earlier this year and using social media in addition to posters and road signs to attract more participants.
The run’s After Party will be held in the parking lot of the Western shopping center. The event will support the Chamber’s “Buy Local” initiative.
Proceeds from the run will be split between the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce and the Spartans Helping Spartans Pleasant Grove relief effort.
Runners who pre-register for the race will receive a t-shirt and a bag with items donated by merchants. In addition, there will be prizes given to the winners in each division.
The 10K will start at 8 a.m. and the 1-mile Fun Run at 9:30 a.m. on Jan. 21 in Mountain Brook Village.
To register for the Village2Village 10K or 1-mile Run, visit http://villagelivingonline.wordpress.com/www.active.com or stop by The Fitness Center, 3900 Montclair Road, #210, or Dr. Kevin Alexander, D.M.D.’s office, in Crestline.
MBHS Debaters place in Nashville tournament
The Mountain Brook High School Debate Team competed against the 55 best policy debate teams in the elite Southern Bell Invitational tournament at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville.
Philippa Straus and Evan McCarty hold their trophy from the MBA tournament.
Evan McCarty and Philippa Straus became the first MBHS Debaters to clear into the sweet sixteen of the tournament. This was a MBHS first!
Evan also tied Lee Qunn’s record set last year for number of tournament bids.
Team coach Jeff Roberts said he wishes good luck to Evan and Philippa as they prepare for the Emory tournament and as Evan has the opportunity to set the all-time MBHS bid record.
The Mountain Brook High School Debate Team competed against the 55 best policy debate teams in the elite Southern Bell Invitational tournament at Montgomery Bell Academy in Nashville.
Philippa Straus and Evan McCarty hold their trophy from the MBA tournament.
Evan McCarty and Philippa Straus became the first MBHS Debaters to clear into the sweet sixteen of the tournament. This was a MBHS first!
Evan also tied Lee Qunn’s record set last year for number of tournament bids.
Team coach Jeff Roberts said he wishes good luck to Evan and Philippa as they prepare for the Emory tournament and as Evan has the opportunity to set the all-time MBHS bid record.
Monday, January 2, 2012
TORNADO RECOVERY: Spartans help other Spartans
We would like to pass along a sincere, heartfelt thank you to the students of Mountain Brook Schools, the Mountain Brook Board of Education, the City of Mountain Brook and the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce. Immediately following the April 27 tornado, they stepped forward and began a program named Spartans Helping Spartans.
This program has been a godsend to the students of Pleasant Grove. If there is a need, the program is there to fill it. Recently, to each of our schools, they delivered a large truck filled with winter coats to our students in need.
Never have they asked for, or sought, one bit of publicity, exposure or recognition. Their actions have been motivated solely by a genuine compassion for their fellow Spartans. So, on behalf of one group of Spartans to another, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
We would like to pass along a sincere, heartfelt thank you to the students of Mountain Brook Schools, the Mountain Brook Board of Education, the City of Mountain Brook and the Mountain Brook Chamber of Commerce. Immediately following the April 27 tornado, they stepped forward and began a program named Spartans Helping Spartans.
This program has been a godsend to the students of Pleasant Grove. If there is a need, the program is there to fill it. Recently, to each of our schools, they delivered a large truck filled with winter coats to our students in need.
Never have they asked for, or sought, one bit of publicity, exposure or recognition. Their actions have been motivated solely by a genuine compassion for their fellow Spartans. So, on behalf of one group of Spartans to another, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Wayne A. Byram
Principal
Pleasant Grove High School
Jarvis Watkins
Principal
Pleasant Grove Middle School
Jay Jacks
Principal
Pleasant Grove Elementary School
Supporting Sean Fredella:
By RICK WATSON, Village Living
Sean Fredella gathers with friends from Mountain Brook Elementary after returning to Birmingham from receiving cancer treatments in Houston. Back row: George Terry, Fuller Priestly, Sean, Robert Reed and Paul Tyson. Front row: Price Pewitt, Chip Porter and Patton Browning. Photo by Madoline Markham.
Blue bows lined mailboxes around Mountain Brook in December to welcome home Sean Fredella—a warrior with an army behind him.
The 11 year old has battled cancer since age two and this past year has been fighting a rare tumor. For the past several months he has taken pain in stride while receiving treatments in Houston.
“I can’t believe how strong he’s been through it all,” said his mom, Nell. “Still, the unknowns, the fear, and seeing the pain in Sean’s eyes and knowing how sick he is from all the treatments is indescribable.”
Before Sean returned home from Houston for Christmas, Laura Niemann and daughters Hannah and Courtney made and sold blue bows and encouraged the community to hang them to show their support for Sean. All proceeds from the bows went to Sean’s medical expenses.
“My kids wanted to do this to show Sean encouragement when he got home,” Niemann said.
Others from the community pitched in throughout the month to make bows. Smith’s Variety, The Scribbler and The Blue Willow all sold the bows. Some sold for as much as $40 and $50 when people were told that the money was going to the Fredella family.
Hannah and Courtney Niemann came up with the idea to sell blue bows to support their friend Sean Fredella. Photo courtesy of Laura Niemann.
The church family at St. Francis Xavier as well as the students, parents and faculty at Mountain Brook schools have all been incredible, according to Nell.
Emotions grew in her voice as she described all the things they have done for their family.
People constantly bring breakfast and dinner. At one point, an acquaintance from church organized a group to run errands for the Fredella family.
“For months, I never went to Walmart or the grocery story,” she said. People would find out what the Fredellas needed, and they handled it.
“I am humbled when I think of all the kindness shown to our family,” she said. “There are so many amazing angels in our lives.”
Mountain Brook Elementary fifth graders welcomed back Sean in December. Photo by Madoline Markham.
Sean was first diagnosed with leukemia before he reached his third birthday. The cancer was treatable and he responded well to the two and half years of treatment. He then had a central nervous system relapse and endured two more years of treatment.
On the last day of treatment, scans revealed that the cancer was back. This time it was throughout his body and in his bone marrow, which required him to have a transplant. Sean’s older brother, Ryan, was the bone marrow donor.
After the transplant battle, he did well and his life returned to normal for about three years. He played guitar, basketball, and lacrosse and kept up with schoolwork.
Then in the fall of 2011, Sean started getting nosebleeds and swollen glands. Tests revealed that cancer was back and this time it was Esthesioneuroblastoma, a rare form of tumor that’s not normally seen in children.
“Children’s Hospital in Birmingham has always been amazing, and we received outstanding medical care here and miss being at Children’s,” Nell said. “But now, with an extremely rare adult tumor, we felt that it made sense to go to the world’s largest cancer center, MD Anderson. We hope and pray that they have had a lot of experience with this type of cancer.”
The road has also been long and difficult for her husband, Todd, and her other two sons, Patrick, 17, and Ryan, 15, but they are holding strong with the support of their family and community.
“Todd is an amazing husband. He’s a rock,” said Nell. “He holds down the fort when Sean and I are in Houston. He helps keep things as normal as possible for the other two boys. My mom, Joanna Boland, has been wonderful too.”
The fight is not over yet for Sean. After these rounds of chemotherapy, he will require surgery to remove the tumor and further radiation and possibly more chemo before this battle is won.
Sean’s heroes are Spiderman and Superman, but they could learn something about strength from this young warrior.
To keep up with Sean, visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/seanfredella.
By RICK WATSON, Village Living
Sean Fredella gathers with friends from Mountain Brook Elementary after returning to Birmingham from receiving cancer treatments in Houston. Back row: George Terry, Fuller Priestly, Sean, Robert Reed and Paul Tyson. Front row: Price Pewitt, Chip Porter and Patton Browning. Photo by Madoline Markham.
Blue bows lined mailboxes around Mountain Brook in December to welcome home Sean Fredella—a warrior with an army behind him.
The 11 year old has battled cancer since age two and this past year has been fighting a rare tumor. For the past several months he has taken pain in stride while receiving treatments in Houston.
“I can’t believe how strong he’s been through it all,” said his mom, Nell. “Still, the unknowns, the fear, and seeing the pain in Sean’s eyes and knowing how sick he is from all the treatments is indescribable.”
Before Sean returned home from Houston for Christmas, Laura Niemann and daughters Hannah and Courtney made and sold blue bows and encouraged the community to hang them to show their support for Sean. All proceeds from the bows went to Sean’s medical expenses.
“My kids wanted to do this to show Sean encouragement when he got home,” Niemann said.
Others from the community pitched in throughout the month to make bows. Smith’s Variety, The Scribbler and The Blue Willow all sold the bows. Some sold for as much as $40 and $50 when people were told that the money was going to the Fredella family.
Hannah and Courtney Niemann came up with the idea to sell blue bows to support their friend Sean Fredella. Photo courtesy of Laura Niemann.
The church family at St. Francis Xavier as well as the students, parents and faculty at Mountain Brook schools have all been incredible, according to Nell.
Emotions grew in her voice as she described all the things they have done for their family.
People constantly bring breakfast and dinner. At one point, an acquaintance from church organized a group to run errands for the Fredella family.
“For months, I never went to Walmart or the grocery story,” she said. People would find out what the Fredellas needed, and they handled it.
“I am humbled when I think of all the kindness shown to our family,” she said. “There are so many amazing angels in our lives.”
Mountain Brook Elementary fifth graders welcomed back Sean in December. Photo by Madoline Markham.
Sean was first diagnosed with leukemia before he reached his third birthday. The cancer was treatable and he responded well to the two and half years of treatment. He then had a central nervous system relapse and endured two more years of treatment.
On the last day of treatment, scans revealed that the cancer was back. This time it was throughout his body and in his bone marrow, which required him to have a transplant. Sean’s older brother, Ryan, was the bone marrow donor.
After the transplant battle, he did well and his life returned to normal for about three years. He played guitar, basketball, and lacrosse and kept up with schoolwork.
Then in the fall of 2011, Sean started getting nosebleeds and swollen glands. Tests revealed that cancer was back and this time it was Esthesioneuroblastoma, a rare form of tumor that’s not normally seen in children.
“Children’s Hospital in Birmingham has always been amazing, and we received outstanding medical care here and miss being at Children’s,” Nell said. “But now, with an extremely rare adult tumor, we felt that it made sense to go to the world’s largest cancer center, MD Anderson. We hope and pray that they have had a lot of experience with this type of cancer.”
The road has also been long and difficult for her husband, Todd, and her other two sons, Patrick, 17, and Ryan, 15, but they are holding strong with the support of their family and community.
“Todd is an amazing husband. He’s a rock,” said Nell. “He holds down the fort when Sean and I are in Houston. He helps keep things as normal as possible for the other two boys. My mom, Joanna Boland, has been wonderful too.”
The fight is not over yet for Sean. After these rounds of chemotherapy, he will require surgery to remove the tumor and further radiation and possibly more chemo before this battle is won.
Sean’s heroes are Spiderman and Superman, but they could learn something about strength from this young warrior.
To keep up with Sean, visit http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/seanfredella.
Mountain Brook 62, Austin 49 Austin News: The Huntsville Times, December 28, 2011 6:57 p.m.HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- The Mountain Brook Spartans beat the Austin Black Bears 62-49 in the second game of the.
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