Welcome to the sixty-second edition of the

Panther Press,

a biweekly electronic newsletter sent to families and friends of 

San Joaquin Memorial High School.

Friendly Reminder: When opening this newsletter in your email please make sure you click on the "View entire message" link at the end of the email message!

Parent Service Hours Obligation

Hello SJM Parents,

We want to give you some information regarding your parent service hours obligation for the 2022-2023 school year. The parent service hours obligation is 15 hours per family. (Hours can be completed by volunteering at school functions OR by donating money and/or goods – parents will receive 1 hour credit for every $20 spent/donated.) In addition, parents will also receive parent service hours credit for attending Counseling department grade level meetings, back to school night and auxiliary parent group (Boosters and Guild) meetings.

The Counseling department, Boosters and Guild provides us with a list of who attended their meetings or assisted in the snack bar or donated to functions. If your name was mistakenly left off of a list when we begin reporting hours completed in November 2022, please rest assured that we will correct our files.

If you are looking for some ideas on how to complete your parent hours obligation, please consider donations we need the most at this time. The school is currently in need of five palettes of bottle waters. If five different families would consider donating one palette each, it would help various departments across the campus and you would complete those families parent hours obligation with this one event. If you have the ability to deliver the water to the campus, we would appreciate it. If you are able to pay for the water but unable to get it to the campus, please contact Lisa Jones so she can make arrangements. Her email address is [email protected] or her direct line at 559-475-5838. In addition to bottle waters, the other area of greatest need is facial tissue/Kleenex. Specifically, we are requesting the 2-ply 230 count, per box, 10-pack that can be purchased at Costco, Sam’s Club, or other big bulk stores. If it is easier for you to simply write a check to cover that donation and you want us to do the shopping, that can be arranged.

If you are not in a position to make a donation at this time, please consider volunteering at our SJM 45th Annual Auction on Saturday, November 5, 2022. We are looking for parents, family members and friends who can assist us in the evening with check-out and at breakdown after the event. This is another event where many of our SJM Parents can complete all of their hours in one evening.

Please contact Lisa Jones (contact info. above) if you may be able to help. Your consideration of this request is greatly appreciated.

Those families receiving financial assistance have an additional parent hours obligation which was outlined in your financial aid award letter. If you have any questions or do not recall the specifics of your obligation, please contact Lisa Jones at the email or telephone number above. Thank you for all you do for Memorial!

Thank you, 

-SJM Administration

Support our 45th Annual Auction!

Our 45th Annual Auction will take place on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at San Joaquin Memorial campus! We look forward to seeing all of you there! This is a beautiful event where many Alumni come back to enjoy a special evening. 

Become a Sponsor Today! 

For sponsorship opportunities or if you have any questions, please contact Shirley Boujikian, Constituent Relations Coordinator; (559) 475-5831 or [email protected]

Scholarship Opportunity for a Current Male Freshman 

In memory of Nicholas Kauls we are currently accepting scholarship applications. This scholarship is ONLY open to a current freshman boy (Class of 2026) and a student in Memorial's soccer team. There are other important application criteria that must be met. Please review the application below and physical copies will be available in the Administration front office. If you have questions please contact Rainey Lewis, Advancement Associate at [email protected] ! 

Beautify Fresno helps Clean our city!

Memorial's Beautify Fresno club had their first event of the year on Saturday, September 24, 2022. They met at Popeye's Chicken/Mayfair Elementary near SJM in which they did trash pick up and graffiti removal for several hours. They picked up over a dozen black trash bags of waste that day. Go Panthers! 

NHS Induction Ceremony

National Honor Society Induction Ceremony took place on Sunday, October 18, 2022. They inducted 18 new members, bringing this year's roster to 35 members. The Mission of NHS is to create enthusiasm for scholarship, to stimulate a desire to render service, to promote leadership, and to develop character in the students of San Joaquin Memorial. The San Joaquin Memorial High School NHS Chapter was chartered in June 2011.

SJM's Chapter of the NHS has very rigorous selection criteria. The first requirement - Scholarship, is defined as a minimum cumulative weighted GPA of 3.9 and a minimum of 3 honors, AP, and/or college classes each semester of 10th, 11th & 12th grade. There are other criteria qualifications as well. 

Students who were inducted on Sunday:

Class of 2024

Ryland Bailey

Donato Blanchette

Mary-Ellison Hage

Isabella Hernandez

Genevieve Miller

Veer Patel

Araxi Richburg

Sky Sanchez

Romano Smith

Michael Trahan

Bret Wathen

Class of 2023

Chanel Breton

Alexander Bryan

Natalie Gonzales

Nicole Lanfranco

Sophia Reyna

Audrey Rickelman

Nicolas Safadi

NHS moderators are Lisa Cameron, Cinda deCordova and Kim Hodges.

The NHS Executive Council conducted the ceremony and they are:

President - Charlotte Burks

Vice President - Jacob Zarate

Treasurer - Joseph Cantelmi

Secretary - Juliet Hallier

Service Coordinator - Vince Smith

Historian - Giovanni Provenzano

The Keynote Speaker was Mr. Stephen Williams.

Ms. Clarissa Myers, Dean of Academics, gave the Administration's address.

AP Lit Scholars Celebrated Reading Pride 

Miss Frye’s AP Lit scholars celebrated reading Pride and Prejudice with a tea party Socratic Seminar. Scrumptious culinary delights (many homemade by the students themselves) and delicious conversation provided an elegant and capital experience. What an accomplished and classy group that Jane Austen would adore.  

Memorial Student Spotlights

Memorial Student takes 1st Place at Big Fresno Fair 

Congratulations to Audrey Boyer '26 for her 1st place entry at the Big Fresno Fair in the Junior Exhibits Fine Arts division. Audrey is a freshman and this was her first time submitting an entry to the fair.

Dallas Renteria '25 rakes 5th Place at CMAC

Congratulations to our very own Dallas Rentería '25 for placing 5th place overall at CMAC last week! We are all very proud of you! Go Panthers!

Congratulations Brandon Ramirez '23! 

Congratulations Brandon on crossing the 2000 Yard Mark in your SJM career! Go Panthers! 

Congratulations Girl's Tennis on your Senior Night!

Congratulations Girl's Volleyball on your Senior Night!

Homecoming Week 2022

2022 Homecoming Tailgate (10/21): Football & Tacos... Click on the photo below to register! 

Emma by Panther Playhouse 

SJM's Drama Needs Props!

This semester, the drama program is putting emphasis on sets and costumes, which means they are in need of different things for EMMA's production. If you click here you'll see the last couple of items they still need, please donate or loan to our Drama class.

Here's a list of additional props the Drama team needs:

1. Two spherical potted shrubs 

2. One 1800s looking umbrella (not frilly) 

Please email Grace Robinson, Performing Arts Teacher at [email protected] if you are able to donate or loan some of the mentioned items.

Thank you all and please spread the word!

All-School Mass is on November 1st

November Prayer at the Fountain!

Service Deadlines!

Dec. 1 - Fall Semester Service Hour Deadline

· 50% of Required Service hours need to be verified and approved by this date in order to participate in Extracurricular Activities

· 9th grade: 7.5 hours

· 10-12th grade: 10 hours

Mar. 1 - Senior Deadline (100% complete)

· 20 hours

Apr. 1 - Frosh, Soph, Junior Deadline (100% complete)

· 9th grade: 15 hours

· 10th & 11th grade: 20 Hours

Save The Date!

77th Annual St. Patrick's Day Golf Tournament!

Looking for a Host Family 

There is an amazing opportunity to expand your cultural horizons waiting for you! An exchange student from Indonesia who is already a student at Memorial needs a new host family. She is the recipient of a prestigious scholarship for her exchange year and has already made connections with students and staff. She is Christian and would love to remain at our wonderful school, but needs a host family from within our school community. She is friendly and outgoing and an excellent student. She especially loves art, singing, and drama. She is family-orientated and would love to share her culture with your family. For more information please call or text AFS Volunteer Coordinator Marie Edwards at 559-259-2586 or by email at [email protected] ! 

November 1st is an Important Admission Date!

The SJM 2023-2024 Application for incoming freshmen and fall transfers will open on Tuesday, November 1, 2022 on the SJM website. Help us spread the word by passing this information on to prospective parents and students! For assistance in the application process or to schedule a tour of the SJM Campus, contact Bianca Blanchette, Director of Admissions at (559) 268-9251 EXT 139 or [email protected] ! 

Dress-up Days for Friday Night Lights

Let’s get ready to have some fun under the FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS! Here are our themes for the next 4 games! Stay tuned for more details, but start working on those dress-ups now! Let's Go Panthers… Win BIG!

SJM Peer Tutoring

Students please scan the QR code above to sign up to get a tutor for any subject. This QR code will be necessary for students as well as parents to have access to the tutoring platform. Parents you can also create an account to check your students progress with tutoring. 

2022-2023 Yearbook 

Please click on the image below to read the Fall 2022 Counseling Newsletter

FAFSA - College Financial Aid Application is now Open

All parents of seniors are encouraged to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). This application is required by colleges and by the California Student Aid Commission to award need-based and merit-based financial aid. A Step-by-step guide can be found here. 

Join SJM's Parent Guild! 

Why join the SJM Parent Guild?

One of the many reasons parents in the Central Valley choose to send their children to San Joaquin Memorial High School is the community of fantastic families and their quality of character.

Like-minded parents and staff that share in the moral development, catholic faith and ethical standards of children - THIS is what sets SJM apart from other schools in the area.

The best way to participate in and contribute to that community is to join the SJM Parent Guild because you'll:

•Get to know parents, staff, and students!

•Be “in the know” for all campus activities!

•Parent Guild brings the fun and it’s the best way to get your mandatory parent hours!

To learn more go here. 

Purchase your SJM Athletic Boosters Club Membership Card 

You can get your SJM Athletic Boosters Club Membership Card TODAY!

The mission of the San Joaquin Memorial High School Boosters Club is to provide fundraising support to the school’s athletic programs.

Funding for facility improvement projects and general athletics operations are the club’s main focus.

Become a member of the Boosters Club today! By joining the Boosters Club, you are helping to improve the quality of facilities and equipment for our student-athletes.

Club dues are $100 for two memberships or $50 for a single membership for the school year. Cards provide admittance to all home Panther athletic events (excluding playoffs) for the 2022-23 school year.(pass will be mailed to the address you provide – pass must be presented at home games at all times for free admittance).

Click here to purchase you membership card. 

 Click here to  Donate to SJM!