Co-Curricular Activities -
Highlights from the 2008-09 school year

The 8th Grade Quiz Bowl team placed second at the annual Catholic Schools quiz bowl tournament.

The Honors Jazz Band hosted the second annual Swing Dance for parents and alumni.

The Experimental Vehicle Team received a continuation grant from MIT-Lemelson to assist them with future projects.

The VISTA Band traveled to New Orleans over Spring Break.
Link to Mrs. Neddermeyer's blog and photos

The Chess Team finished fifth in all-state competitions. The State-Wide High School Chess League Playoffs pitted 16 five-person teams, in four rounds, based on their team record and individual player statistics. The team was composed of, in order from first to fifth board, M. Dahl ’12, A. Bute ’10, S. Dichtel ’10, T. Mulvey ’10, and M. Johnson ’11. In the end, the Cadets placed fifth, narrowly missing out on a fourth place tie with Minneapolis South. First board player Dahl, 2008 USCF National co-champion, Grades K-9, won all his matches and earned the trophy as the number one player at the event.

The 44th Annual Minnesota State Chess Association's Scholastic Chess Championships. The team players were M. Dahl ’12, A. Bute ’10, S. Dichtel ’10, T. Mulvey ’10, M. Johnson ’11, D. Patrick ’11 and D. Sosa ’12. This two-day event involved six rounds, running from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. for four rounds on Saturday and wrapping up on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. with two rounds. Final results saw the team place fifth out of 26. Individually, Dahl placed third out of 157 state-wide players and Dichtel placed first in the state out of all unrated players competing.

Saint Thomas Academy and Convent of the Visitation School hosted singer J.D. Steele, a world-renowned composer, singer and musical director. Sponsored by the VISTA Fine Arts Society, Steele spent many hours working with the schools’ choirs and taught them new songs from the gospel music tradition. The choral groups and Steele then performed at both schools during assemblies.

VISTA Productions students received coaching from one of the top, professional actors in the Twin Cities. Randy Reyes, who has performed in numerous Guthrie productions, led a free workshop for the students. The workshop, Own the Dance, was sponsored by the Spotlight Music Theatre Award program.

Academy and Visitation students presented the Winter String Jazz Festival with guest artist Randy Sabien, a world-renowned jazz violinist, composer and educator. For two days prior to the concert, Sabien was an artist-in-residence, working with students in small and large-group clinics to help them prepare for their performance of a variety of musical styles.

The U.S. Marine Corps Jazz Band worked with the VISTA Jazz Band.

The Knowledge Bowl Team placed 12th out of 24 teams at the Class AA state tournament.

VISTA Productions' spring performance of Aida won ten awards from the Hennepin Theatre Trust, which recognizes accomplishments by high schools for the 2008-09 SpotLight Musical Theatre Program.
- Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical
- Outstanding Performance by a Dance Ensemble
- Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role -C. Heaney (Amneris)
- Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role - C. Repp (Aida)
- Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role - C. O'Daniel '10 (Zoser)
- Honorable Mention Performance in a Leading Role - J. Nye '09 (Radames)
- Honorable Mention Performance in a Supporting Role - R. Wood '10 (Mareb)
- Technical Achievement - Scenic Design - L. Cashman and T. Stoeri '09
- Technical Achievement - Technical Direction - T. Stoeri '09
- Technical Achievement - Lighting Design - T. Stoeri '09

The Quiz Bowl Team placed 12th at the National Academic Championships in New Orleans.

The Experimental Vehicle Team won all its events at the 15th annual Solar Bike Rayce (May 2009). The team finished first overall, first and second in the bike division, first in the S-Class car divison, had the fastest lap (John DeMay '09 2:45 seconds, 30.5 mph), and won the sportsmanship award.

Individual Accomplishments -

All-State Students
M. Dahl '12 - Chess

All-Conference Students
K. Cooper '11 - Band
T. Grojean '11 - Band
T. Ingebrigtsen '11 - Band
S. Johnson '12 - Band
M. Riehm '10 - Band
J. Schacker '10 - Band
D. Sosa '12 - Band
J. Vickers '12 - Band