GreatNews.Life Student Voices: Bishop Noll Institute is walking in faith

What’s recently happened?

Latin Night was celebrated during Hispanic Heritage Month on October 4 in the Bishop Noll Institute (BNI) auditorium. This event was open to the public and it honored the rich and diverse cultures of Latin America through music, dances, art, and food. 

Community members came together to enjoy traditional dances that represented countries across Latin America. Local vendors sold handmade items that showcased the traditions of a variety of countries. Items such as woven textiles, jewelry, and pottery were for sale. 

The BNI Hispanic Student Union (HSU) members hosted a food sale that featured traditional Latin dishes to raise menu for future opportunists including the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute conference. 

“Latin Night is more than a celebration; it is a reflection of community pride, cultural unity, and student leadership. It reminds us that our traditions remain strong and continue to inspire generations,” HSU Advisor Maria Patino said. 

Freshman theology students celebrated All Saints Day by dressing up as various saints and writing a paragraph of why they chose each saint. Students were encouraged to save money and use items that they already had. 

“I thought of this idea three years ago, and it has been great. Many students got Confirmed the previous year and I wanted to make a bridge from their grade schools to BNI. If the students dressed up, they would get extra credit,” Freshman Theology Teacher Jeff Smolinski said. 

In 2004, Pope John Paul ll blessed six monstrances which were distributed throughout the world. BNI had the possession of the North American monstrance on November 6. Father Ivan Alatrone processed from BNI’s chapel to the adjacent Saint Margaret Mary Catholic Church. A prayer service was held and students, faculty, staff, and parishioners were invited to participate in adoration. 

“Having the monstrance is a really big deal. It’s crazy that there’s this connection to the paper sea and the lineage of Peter the Great. It was an indescribable feeling leading the procession to the Church. It’s nice to know there are a lot of students who have faith in the Eucharist,” Junior Marco Sanchez said. 

What’s coming up?

The second performance from the BNI Theater Club is right around the corner. “Teach Me How To Cry” (TMHTC) is the upcoming fall play which will be performed in the newly renovated blackbox theater at BNI. The dates for this show are November 14-15 at 7 p.m., November 16 at 2 p.m., November 21-22 at 7 p.m., and November 23 at 2 p.m. 

TMHTC can be relatable in the sense that at school there can be students deemed as outcasts, such as the main characters. Being on the same level as the actors makes the audience feel more connected with the characters. 

The cast and crew have been working on this show since early September. This play is different from previous shows because it is the first one in the blackbox theater and the plot is eerie. 

“I have been preparing for the show by getting to know my character, Polly, and finding a way to look past her personality. Director Nora Wragg told me it is important to try to connect with the character and understand why they act in such a way instead of hating on her,” Sophomore Giomara Fornes said. 

Staff spotlight:

Dena Neville is a Senior Vocations and Social Justice teacher at BNI. She graduated from University of Dayton and majored in adolescent to young adult education with a concentration in English. She is in the Echo program at the University of Notre Dame, this is a two-year service graduate program to the Church. This means that you would get placed at a diocese around the country and you either teach or could work at a parish. In return, she will get her master’s degree for free. 

Her brother brought up the program to her. Neville knew she did not just want to go to school, she wanted to teach. She was interested in studying in English and Theology, but was too scared to pursue Theology. She did her student teaching at a public school for two years. Catholic schools were instilled in her at a young age so she took a leap of faith into earning her Master’s degree for Theology.   

“My mom was a high school teacher. Seeing her love her job was influential in my career. I also had good relationships with my teachers,” Neville said. 

After the program ends this school year, her goal is to go back to her hometown in Cleveland, Ohio, and teach at a Catholic school. Although she loves BNI, she loves her family too and thinks there are more opportunities to teach out there. 

If Neville could have picked any place to be sent to teach, she would have picked Indianapolis. When she came to BNI last year, she was questionable at first. Now, she thinks it is evident that she is supposed to be here. 

“I love the students so much. Everyday is fun, and everyone is a good sport about things. It brings a lot of joy to my life. I also like the staff,” Neville said. 

Another thing she enjoys is the faith community. It is incredible to work with students on their faith journey. In a time that is very anti-Catholicism, it is refreshing to see students who practice the faith or if they aren’t, that they aren’t shutting her out. She can feel the engagement during lectures and Mass. 

Neville helped train student leaders for Kairos retreats and she is also an adult leader. She also takes students to the nursing home especially during the holidays. 

In her free time, she loves hanging out with her friends. She enjoys catching up, laughing, and dancing with them. Neville likes to read. Her favorite genre is Mystery or Theology. She goes to concerts often, and her favorite ones she has been to are the Lumineers and Chris Stapleton. Neville also is fond of praying, cooking, and watching movies in her free time. Her favorite saints are Saint John Paul ll and Saint Faustina. 

Student spotlight:

Lukas Patton has a bright high school career ahead of him. Just being a freshman, he took on the lead role of the Charlie Brown performance this fall. He also is on the Varsity Boys Tennis team and is planning to try out for volleyball this spring.  Patton’s favorite activity has been being a part of the play because he gets to put his talent out on the stage.

Patton was voted for Freshman Class Representative. He is excited to put a positive impact on the class of 2029 and be a leader. His favorite memory so far has been the Freshman Retreat. He got to be closer to God, witness testimonies, and learn. 

Patton strives to maintain his straight A student status, get scholarships, be in spring play, make the volleyball team, and show up for his classmates. He is looking forward to helping the incoming freshmen and being a good role model. A class that he is interested in taking is Principles of Business Management. 

His favorite class he has taken is his Theater class. He goes to a theater camp each summer at Northern Illinois University and it is comparable to his class. Each day feels like a day at camp, learning about technical theater and how it works. 

“Wragg is an amazing teacher. She was truly born to become a theater teacher and director,” Patton said. 

The thought of transitioning from middle school to high school was scary, but the first two days were easy for Patton. BNI students who have graduated from his middle school, other upperclassmen, and teachers have helped him navigate high school. 

“I kept thinking BNI isn’t going to set me up for failure and they did not. This whole school has helped me. It is organized and makes me comfortable. BNI has been a great fit for me, I am happy I chose to go here,” Patton said. 

In his free time, he plays his favorite sport, volleyball and is able to be present in the moment. He likes to camp with his family.

Patton is thinking about becoming an entrepreneur, actor, or going into the medical field after high school. He likes to help and entertain people. 

“I’m grateful for the opportunities God has given me and excited to see what my future holds,” Patton said.