Student: Jimmy Gricus
Grade: 9
Freshman, Jimmy Gricus, was chosen as October’s Crusader of the Month. He attended Central Middle School and his parish is Most Holy Redeemer. Jimmy decided to attend Brother Rice High School because his father is an alumni and it was important to Jimmy to carry on the legacy. His favorite subject is Science and he really enjoys class with Mr. Dunne. “I love it here so far. There are lots of great people.” Jimmy plays on the school’s soccer team and his dream is to one day be a professional soccer player.
Three words that describe you: “Dedicated, kind, hardworking.”
When nominated, the following was said of Jimmy, “He has great willingness to help others in the classroom and collaborate on the soccer field. His positive attitude shows he’ll go far at Brother Rice.”
Student: Andres Andrade
Grade: 10
Andres Andrade was nominated as October’s Sophomore Crusader of the Month. He attended Grace Christian Academy and is a member of the St. Agnes Parish. He plays soccer for Brother Rice and is also a member of the Robotics Club. In his free time, Andres likes to build things, including computers and RC cars. To no surprise, his dream career is engineering. His favorite subject is IT with Mr. Parker because he loves to learn about computers.
Three words that describe you: “Weird, funny, and nerdy when it comes to building things.”
In his nomination, a Brother Rice faculty member said, “Andres is truly interested in learning and never afraid to step up to help. He has a great sense of humor and brings energy to those around him.”
Student: Mick Arundel
Grade: 11
Junior, Mick Arundel, was nominated as October’s Crusader of the Month. Mick attended St. Catherine of Alexandria School and is a member of their parish.
Mick recently scored a perfect 36 on his ACT and is currently ranked #1 in his class, achieving straight A’s every semester thus far. Mick plays on the basketball team and also participates in the Robotics Club, Politics Club, Advocacy Club, and is a member of National Honor Society and Student Council. His favorite subject is Math and is one that he excels in as he hopes to be an Engineer one day.
Speaking about his experience at Brother Rice, Mick says, “Brother Rice has been both fun and challenging. I’ve met a lot of new friends over my three years, and I am excited to finish out the rest of high school here. I chose Brother Rice because it seemed like the best fit for me. The academics combined with athletic opportunities made Brother Rice stand out.”
Three words to describe yourself: “Hardworking, goal-oriented, and genuine.”
The following was said about Mick in his nomination, “Mick is a great, well-rounded student who is focused and involved. He sets a great example to those around him and really shows what it means to be a Crusader.”
Student: Edgar Valadez
Grade: 12
Representing the Class of 2022, Edgar Valadez was nominated as October’s Crusader of the Month. He attended St. Nicholas of Tolentine and has excelled at Brother Rice, ranking amongst the top students of his class. Edgar participates in Student Council, National Honors Society, Politics Club, Diversity Club and Mock Trial. He first became interested in Brother Rice when he attended the math program here for 8th graders. His favorite subject is Chemistry because he loves the challenge it provides and because he hopes to one day become an Oncologist.
When describing his experience at Brother Rice, Edgar says, “I would say that my Brother Rice experience has been great! There is no way to fully describe how friendly and supportive everyone is. I highly enjoyed my academic career here and extracurricular life here.”
Three words that describe you: “Honest, methodical, and thoughtful.”
A faculty member said of him, “Edgar thrives when he is being challenged and always goes above and beyond expectations. He is curious and self-motivated and I know he’ll do great things after Brother Rice.”
