Mission Drive Day

Jesuit High School's annual Mission Drive was a tremendous success this spring, generating nearly $11,000 after the completion of Mission Drive Day on Friday (April 23)!

The campus was teeming with fundraising activities Friday morning, as Jesuit students and faculty raised money on the final day of the month-long Mission Drive through small fees associated with games, activities, food, and various competitions.

The generosity of the student body during weeks of homeroom collections had put the $10,000 goal within reach before Mission Drive Day. The homeroom of teachers Jason Ault and April Bombka was the school's most generous this year, collecting $550. On Mission Drive Day, Bombka also raised an additional $1,070 through sales of baked goods, and teacher Paula Collazo raised $473.

Jesuit's Director of Community Service, Andy Wood '92, had established a goal of $10,000 raised for Mission Drive 2021 at Convocation in March. Last year's Mission Drive, held during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, was an entirely virtual event, and it raised $10,000 for Feeding Tampa Bay. This year's Mission Drive benefits the migrant ELS program at the Jesuit mission in Belize.

The Mission Drive dates back to the 1930s at Jesuit, though Mission Drive Day was established early in the 21st century. One of the school's great annual traditions, the Mission Drive has been a means for Jesuit students across generations to help thousands of people in need. In recent years that has meant reaching children in need in locales such as Belize, Colombia, Nicaragua, and El Paso, Texas.

Among the winners of the various Mission Drive Day games and events on Friday were Caleb Williams '21 and Wade Woodaz '21, who earned the prestigious Beil-Menendez Award by winning the bocce tournament; Eddie Benito '23 (1st), Ben Tempest '21 (2nd), Jacob Gargula '22 (3rd), and in the Super Smash Bros. tournament; and the spikeball champions were John Barreto '21, Dominic Cartaya '22, Luis Kortright '22, and Dominic Pawlusiak '22.

The day concluded in the Tiger Palace with a school-wide music concert featuring the full array of Jesuit musicians performing before an enthusiastic student body. It was punctuated by Jesuit's electrifying drumline, led by drum major Edward Morrison '21, and the upside-down drumming of Miggy Sumagang '21. Click to view video of Sumagang in action.

View below a photo slideshow from Mission Drive Day.