High schools

The St. Margaret Mary Alacoque first-graders burst out the doors when they saw that their pen pals from Trinity Catholic High School had arrived at their south St. Louis County school.

Despite that initial energy, many of the freshmen from the north St. Louis County archdiocesan high school and their young acquaintances were a little hesitant initially when greeting each other for the first time. But it didn't take long before they paired up, sitting on a classroom floor talking, smiling and laughing.

Valerie Todd was reeled in by Catholic education and the mission of St. Mary's High School in south St. Louis.

Todd, a learning consultant and academic dean at St. Mary's, is one of 10 recipients of the Cardinal Raymond L. Burke 2013 Teacher Recognition Award to be presented by Archbishop Robert J. Carlson May 9. She came to St. Mary's, an archdiocese high school for young men, in 1997 after working as a special education teacher in the St. Louis Public Schools.

There are no bells rung signaling the start of school, between classes or at any other point in the school day at St. Pius X High School in Festus.

Students move along as they need, causing no ruckus, intimidating no one -- in a relaxed manner.

It may not be the Hollywood version of school or even typical, but it is "The St. Pius Way."

That phrase was coined by former St. Pius X High School secretary Carol Schmidt in a speech at a school graduation.

A proud St. John Vianney High School community welcomed its national championship chess team home from the Super-Nationals held in Nashville, Tenn., April 5-7.

Vianney was followed by three other Missouri schools in its division: Rockhurst of Kansas City, St. Joseph Academy of St. Joseph and Crossroads School of St. Louis. The win was Vianney's second in three years.

At the tournament, Tim Ellebracht had six wins and one draw, Alex Moellering had five wins and two draws and Jack Lyons had five wins, a loss and a draw. Andrew Krekeler and Jordan Hoover had four wins.

Kylene Bauer has grown up around elderly people at an assisted living and care facility, sometimes considering them her best friends.

"I was hearing their stories, being so comfortable with them. ... When I'm bored at home I'll go over there. They give me such happiness. I just love listening to them," Bauer said.

Nadia Epps pressed her fingers to her lips and made clear that it was time for the students to be quiet: "Shhhhh!"

The fourth-graders at St. Gabriel School looked up to her and ceased their conversations.