Academic Super Bowl
Sponsor: Mr. Steve Rode
The Academic Super Bowl consists of five squads that address questions in different academic disciplines. The 2008-09 competition topic is "Norse Culture and Its Influence on the World." The squads and their coaches are:
- English - Ms. Rose Rogge
- Math - Mrs. Jeanne Thomas
- Fine Arts - Mrs. Toni Wallace
- Science - Mr. Ron Hickman
- Social Studies - Mr. Steve Rode, Mr. Dave Wathen
Band
Sponsor: Mrs. Leslie Goth, and Mr. Alex Smith
Concert Choir
Sponsor: Mr. Rob Hutchinson
Concert Choir is an elective class offered to interested students; no audition is required. The Choir performs at winter and spring concerts as well as special events including a spring feeder school tour and at school liturgies. During the spring semester, students have the opportunity to compete at the Indiana State School Music Association Solo and Ensemble contest. Mater Dei students regularly advance to compete at the state level.
Dance Cats
Sponsor: Mr. Alex Smith
Coach: Ashley Kiesel
The Dance Cat Team performs with the band in the fall, at home football and basketball games, and at national competitions. The team attends a camp each summer to learn new routines and improve their skills. Tryouts are in late spring.
Super Mileage Car Team
Sponsor: Mr. Bob Schleter
website: www.materdeisupermileage.com
Each year in late April, the Indiana Mathematics, Science, and Technology Education Alliance (IMSTEA) sponsors a statewide competition for high schools. In this competition student teams conceive, design, and build fuel-efficient cars in an attempt to get the highest gas mileage. The Mater Dei team has had great success. The past three years they have placed 2nd, 3rd, and 1st in 2005 grasping both the high school title and international collegiate title in Marshal, Michigan for the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) Super Mileage Challenge. They also have received the coveted People's Choice Award. The team begins meeting in October each year to start the designing and building process.
Liturgical Ensemble
Sponsor: Mr. Mark Freeman
The Mater Dei Liturgical Ensemble is a group of students who spread God's word through contemporary Christian music. This dynamic group performs at school liturgies and in the greater community at grade schools, parishes and other Christian churches.
National Honor Society
Sponsor: Mrs. Debbie Haton
Students are inducted into The National Honor Society based on their academic achievement. As a group, these students participate in various school-sponsored events such as Open House, Grade School Visitation, and Back-to-School Night. Members also conduct fundraising drives for worth causes: Tsunami victims, Ark Crisis Nursery, and Ozanam Family Shelter. National Honor Society members are also available for tutoring both at the high school and grade school level.
Newspaper
Sponsor: Mrs. Lee Ann West
Students enrolled in journalism produce four issues of the Wildcat Hi-Lights newspaper per school year. Journalism is available to sophomores, juniors, and seniors who have an interest in writing, photography, or digital design. As part of the course, students participate in photographing and reporting on various school events, marketing the newspaper, and designing each issue. This course also encourages the development of life skills, including communication skills, the ability to meet deadlines, and the ability to work cooperatively
Peer Mediation
Sponsors: Mrs. Kathy Weber and Mrs. Wynn Mitchell
Peer Mediation is a program that trains students to help other students experiencing conflict with their peers. It is a rewarding program for both the mediator and the one being mediated. What students learn about conflict resolution in peer mediation will be beneficial for their entire life.
Mediations are always supervised by two teachers, Mrs. Kathy Weber and Mrs. Wynn Mitchell, but it is designed to be a student-driven program. In August 2006, new mediators were trained and there are approximately 25 trained students participating in the program. Referrals come from counselors, teachers, and sometimes the students themselves.
In its tenth year, Peer Mediation Program has helped over 170 students resolve their conflicts, trained over 300 mediators to not only help solve these student conflicts but be an instrument of peace and resolution in their community when they leave Mater Dei.
Pep Club
Sponsor: Mrs. Kim Alles
The Pep Club at Mater Dei is all about promoting school spirit. This group of students support the efforts of all extracurricular activities by making posters, decorating hallways, and performing skits at pep assemblies-all in the spirit of acknowledging the hard work of our students.
Prom
Sponsor: Mrs. Angie Strehl
The prom, which takes place in the spring each year, is an event planned and orchestrated by the junior class and their parents. The Prom Committee holds planning and decorating meetings throughout the year choosing the theme, songs, and gifts for the prom.
Service Club
Sponsors: Mr. Joel Claycomb
The Service Club is a service organization to the greater community. Students work with daycare centers, nursing homes, food shelters, and other organizations and people that need help. The main activities are raising money and collecting clothing and supplies for the homeless and unloading trucks at St. Vincent's Food Pantry. Activities vary throughout the year. The Service Club meets during Wildcat block and occasionally before and after school.
Speech and Debate
Sponsor: Mrs. Donna Lefler
The Speech Team is open to all Mater Dei students. The purpose of the Speech Team is to promote public speaking and oratory skills, while at the same time promoting the interpretation of literature. Students compete at the local, regional, state, and national level, and are encouraged through a spirit of fellowship, competition and achievement. Levels of recognition are awarded with ribbons and trophies. The 2007-08 school year rewarded the team with a First Place Ranking at Sectionals and a Fifth Place Ranking in the state of Indiana.
Spell Bowl
Sponsors: Mr. Steve Rode and Mr. Dave Wathen
Mater Dei Spell Bowl team is made up students who compete with other area high school students with the potential to compete at the state level.
SMART Moves
Sponsor: Mrs. Valorie Dassel, Youth First Counselor
Students who are members of SMART Moves educate 4th graders who are enrolled in the feeder grade schools on ways to resist peer pressure and the dangers of drugs and alcohol. These students attend training and serve as ambassadors to the grade schools.
Teens for Life
Sponsor: Mr. John McMullen
Mater Dei Teens for Life is a student organization devoted to students' awareness of the critical life issues of our time: speaking up for the sacredness of human sexuality and marriage; chastity and development of a healthy sexual identity; the right to life of the unborn; the care of the elderly and terminally ill; capital punishment and the death penalty; and the hot topic of human cloning and human experimentation and stem cell research. Students will learn about ways to advance a culture of life and a civilization based on love and truth.
Theatre
Sponsors: Miss Jennifer Potts
Each year students at Mater Dei stage two play productions: a drama in the fall and a musical in the spring. Students' involvement includes acting, musical accompaniment, stage and costume design, lighting crew, sound crew, stage crew, advertising and promotion, ticket sales, and other behind the scenes activities.
CHOICE (Choosing Healthy Options While Inspiring Classmates and Educating)
Sponsor: Mrs. Valorie Dassel, Youth First Counselor
CHOICE is a group of peers working together to make better choices by educating themselves and their friends on the dangers of alcohol and drugs. The group sponsors activities and themes throughout the year. These include red ribbon week, alcohol awareness week, substance abuse awareness week, National Drunk-Drugged Driving Awareness Month, National Children of Alcoholics Awareness Week, Kick Butts Day, and The Great American Smokeout. This group meets monthly.
Yearbook
Sponsor: Mrs. Lee Ann West
The Mater Dei Hi-Lights yearbook is produced annually by juniors and seniors enrolled in the Student Publications course. This course, which is available to students who have taken journalism, focuses on writing, photography, and digital layout and design. Through their participation in this course, students develop leadership skills, communication skills, the ability to work cooperatively, and the ability to meet deadlines.
The 2008-2009 yearbook staff consists of:
Maggie Hurm and Heather Wargel (Editors in Chief),
Stephanie Bittner,
Juliette Faraone,
Rachel Rexing,
Valerie Wire, and
Rachel Yingling.