Contact Mrs. Harrelson with questions regarding KSHSAA Band.

View Instrumental Music Info

Contact Mr. Cole with questions regarding KSHSAA Choir.

View Vocal Arts Info

SJA is a member of the National Speech and Debate Association, offering the full slate of competitive Speech and Drama events in the Spring “Forensics” season. We compete in three types of debate: Policy Debate is a co-curricular program in the fall semester, while Student Congress and Lincoln-Douglas debate are after-school programs in the spring.

Coach Mr. Walberg jwalberg@sjakeepingfaith.org

View Speech & Debate Info

Contact Mrs. Harrelson with questions regarding KSHSAA Orchestra.

View Instrumental Arts Info

Contact Mrs. Harrelson with questions regarding KSHSAA Piano.

View Instrumental Arts Info

Contact Mrs. Harrelson with questions regarding the SJA Pep Band.

View Instrumental Arts Info

State Champions: 2019, 2020

Scholars Bowl is a game in which two teams compete head-to-head to answer questions from all areas of knowledge, including history, literature, science, fine arts, current events, and more.

Contact coach Mr. Bradfield to get involved!

The Kansas Association for Youth (KAY) is a character-building, leadership-training, service organization directed by the Kansas State High School Activities Association. This nationally acclaimed organization provides students an opportunity to fulfill their leadership potential by planning and organizing service projects and networking opportunities with other KAY Clubs in the area.

A few other staple KAY Club projects are helping with various aspects of the Sunflower House Pumpkin Palooza fundraiser, collecting shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child, organizing a drive for Giving the Basics, writing letters to the homebound, picking up trash around school, and showing appreciation to the teachers by cleaning their whiteboards.

Anyone interested can join! Contact Ms. Joerger.

Contact Mr. Cole with questions regarding Barber Shop

View Vocal Arts Info

Contact Mrs. Wright with questions regarding the Fall Musical.

View Drama Info

Contact Mrs. Wright with questions regarding the Spring One Acts.

View Drama Info

Contact Mrs. Wright with questions regarding the Winter Play.

View Drama Info

State Champions: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

We are a member of the Kansas State High School Clay Target League. Currently, this involves Trapshooting, Skeet, Sporting Clays, and 5-stand. Trapshooting is one of the three major sports of competitive clay target shooting sports. The other primary games are skeet shooting, 5-Stand and sporting clays. They are distinguished roughly as follows:

• In trap shooting, the targets are launched from a single “house” or machine, generally away from the shooter.
• In skeet shooting, targets are launched from two “houses” in somewhat “sideways” paths that intersect in front of the shooter.
• Sporting clays include a more complex course, with many launch points.
• 5-Stand consists of a compact sporting clays course containing 5 evenly spaced stations along a field, with 6-8 traps launching singles, report pairs, and double pairs.
• Contact Coach Arron Heinerikson

View Clay Target Team Page

State Champions: 2021

State 3rd Place: 2022

Boys Volleyball takes place in the late spring, starting before spring break and ending in early May. 

View Boys Volleyball Team Page

Rugby is a team game played with an oval ball that may be kicked, carried, and passed from hand to hand. Points are scored by grounding the ball behind the opponents’ goal line (thereby scoring a try) or by kicking it between the two posts and over the crossbar of the opponents’ goal.

Lord, In the struggle that goes on through life we ask for a field that is fair and chance that is equal.  In all of the strife we ask for the courage to strive and to dare, and if we should win, let it be by the code with our faith and our honor held high, glorifying you in all that we do.

To get involved please contact Coach Rob Loney.

View Rugby Team Page

We compete at both the Varsity and JV levels in the KCMGLA league against other city programs. Our program is firmly committed to a philosophy of teaching and developing each player, and we have a very warm and positive culture.

Interested in learning more? Please contact the Coach Scott Gilman.

View Lacrosse Team Page

The St. James Science Olympiad team dedicates itself to students who want to pursue science beyond the confines of a classroom in a competitive setting.  Think of Science Olympiad as comparable to a normal sports team like track, swimming, or soccer.  As a team, we divide as individuals or in pairs to specialize in specific “events” or subjects that have varying topics from guessing how many golf balls will fit in an Olympic swimming pool to building a helicopter.  After many labs or “practices”, we take our knowledge, equipment, and devices to tournaments where the team is put to the test.  Tournaments are all-day competitions where schools from mainly Kansas and Missouri come together to see who is the best at particular events and the overall competition.  It would be like a track meet, swim meet, or game for other sports except, instead of testing physical and technical ability, they test the ability of the mind.

Now, Science Olympiad is open to everyone.  Involvement in other clubs or sports is encouraged, but you do have to have certain flexibility to make labs and meets (especially regionals and state).  Finally, you do not have to be Einstein to join.  You just have to have a positive attitude, good work ethic, and the desire to win.  

The Coding Club exists to foster community within our building for students who enjoy coding and tech-related activities. We learn together and collaborate. We also attend competitions like the K-State Hackathon and help each other with independent projects. Join us anytime!

The Coding Club meets six times throughout the school year in room 703 during Thunderblock.

2023-2024 dates:

• Sept 5
• Oct 25
• Dec 1
• Feb 1
• March 22
• April 25

Listen to morning announcements for reminders or date changes.

Mentor: Mrs. Lemmon
Email: clemmon@sjakeepingfaith.org with questions or to join our mailing list.

https://www.cs.ksu.edu/outreach/programming-contest/

Your SJA Literary/Art Magazine.

Contact Ms. Rains for more information.

G.R.A.C.E., which stands for Girls Respond Actively to Christ’s Example, is a faith-sharing group for high school women at St. James Academy.  The group meets weekly on Monday nights, when school is in session, from 7-8:30 p.m. to pray together, foster sisterhood, build positive friendships, grow our faith by sharing our faith, and encourage and hold each other accountable.  Meetings are mostly separated by grade level but occasionally combine all grade levels.  Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores meet weekly and Freshmen meet monthly.  This club is student-run but also includes the mentorship of multiple female faculty members who attend the meetings on Mondays. 

Interested in joining? Please Contact Mrs. Walters.

Mass Ministries is a unique activity and club at St. James Academy, in that it is not something you choose, but rather something that you feel God calling and choosing you to do through prayer. Mass Ministries include the following ways to serve both God and His people through the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass:

1) Proclaiming the Word of God as a Lector;

2) distributing Holy Communion as an Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist;

3) assisting the priest at Mass as an Altar Server;

4) setting up for Mass as a Sacristan. If you feel God calling you to one of these ministries, you can email for more information.

View More about Faith Formation

We, the Men of St. James, are committed to growing in our faith and relationship with Jesus Christ. We pledge to embrace authentic masculinity in all aspects of our lives, while striving to achieve these goals by being men of prayer, virtue, and brotherhood. This is a monthly ministry aimed at building a community of faithful men at SJA!

We e-mail out all of our upcoming activities to all male students throughout the year. For more information, feel free to contact Mr. Schnitker or Fr. Mauro

Our goal in Sewing Club is to provide service to others using our sewing skills. People that are interested in Sewing Club should have some basic sewing experience. We get together to work on projects that we later donate to local charities such as Advice and Aid, Safe Home, and assisted living centers. If you have any experience with sewing and would like to use your talents in a way that benefits the community, think about coming in!

Please contact Mrs. Nunn with any questions.

This is an opportunity to learn Country Swing, East Coast Swing, and some line dances together!

Beginning after the senior retreat, we will meet on Wednesdays after school (3:30-4:15 p.m.) in the alcove outside Room 2125.

Please contact Mrs. Taylor or Ms. Rains with any questions you may have.

The Student Advancement Committee (SAC) is a dynamic group of dedicated St. James Academy (SJA) students from grades 10, 11, and 12 who are passionate about making a positive impact within their school community. This committee plays a vital role in advancing the mission of SJA through its active participation in various events and initiatives.

Members of the Student Advancement Committee serve as ambassadors and leaders during:

• Admissions Events – Represent SJA at essential occasions like Shadow Days, Open House, and Junior High events/tailgates. Share your school spirit and help future Thunder students feel welcomed!
• Fundraising Events – Contribute to the success of vital school fundraisers, including the Auction, Trivia Night, and One-Day Give. Your involvement helps support school programs and facilities.
• Alumni Events – Help build lasting connections with alumni by participating in cherished traditions, such as Breakfast with St. Nick and Homecoming.

Joining the Student Advancement Committee is an opportunity to give back to St. James Academy, enhance school events, and create a lasting legacy for future generations of Thunder students.

Applications to join are open in May of each year for the next school year.

Contact Mrs. Hellwig with any questions.

The Thunder Broadcasting Network is the official broadcast streaming home of St. James Athletics. TBN offers live coverage of many home events (athletic/non-athletic) and plans to grow during the upcoming years. The link will provide live access to that SJA event; including video, sound, updates, and commentary.

Interested in joining the Thunder Broadcasting Team? Contact Mr. Merrick

Visit TBN Homepage

Thunder For Life is a club that promotes the dignity and sanctity of life; the club participates in a variety of activities that honor life from the moment of conception to natural death. Some activities include the 40 Days for Life prayer service, Pro-Life movie nights, Life Chain, and Wyandotte Pregnancy Center volunteering. As a part of Thunder for Life, students are also invited to go to Washington D.C. and participate in the March For Life!

Meetings are about once a month before or after school; if you are interested, please contact clarkin@sjakeepingfaith.org and stay tuned for an announcement about the next meeting.

Google Classroom: 14w9eq3

Students will meet once a month to listen to a student witness about a Saint. After we will discuss how the Saint impacts us while eating snacks! Open to boys and girls in any grade.

If you are interested in joining please contact Ms. Brancato.

Mission Statement

We are a club that seeks to connect students to the environment by giving them a sense of place. We will explore the outdoors, discuss local environmental topics and contemplate how our Catholic and Christian values compel us to be good stewards of our natural resources.

“Today, however, we have to realize that a true ecological approach always becomes a social approach; it must integrate questions of justice in debates on the environment, so as to hear both the cry of the earth and the cry of the poor.” ― Pope Francis, ENCYCLICAL LETTER LAUDATO SI’ ON CARE FOR OUR COMMON HOME

Join our Google Classroom, code: f6zctxu

Contact Mr. Thomas athomas@sjakeepingfaith.org for more information.

Our primary mission is to encourage and recognize high academic achievement in American Sign Language studies for high school and college/university students. The American Sign Language Honor Society seeks to enrich the learning experience of those studying ASL.

For more information, please see Mrs. Hurd.

The purpose of the NAHS chapter is to inspire and recognize those students who have shown outstanding ability in art, bring art to the attention of the school and community, and serve the community using our artistic skills and talents.
Some service-type projects that we do yearly in the National Art Honor Society are Memory Projects,(portrait drawings for children in crisis or poverty situations throughout the world) and decorative clay crosses for Catholic Charities (and they have a project for us to help decorate their office spaces this year with drawings of the Corporal Works of Mercy), among other services such as face painting and posters and murals for various parish school auctions, Lemon-out face painting, & painting pumpkins for Sunflower house. Your science teachers have a project they would like help with as well and that will be one of our first projects.

How do I qualify?
The main requirements are: 12 points from the above type services EACH YEAR, 95% Visual Art Gpa, 90% overall GPA. (Yes, freshmen can join!!!) It is open to all years.

You cannot begin to earn points or join the National group, however, until you have enrolled in an art class at SJA. I will keep track of the projects you do and when you have your points you will receive a certificate. At that point new members may start writing it on your resumes. Previous members can write on for each previous year. The National Association requires a $5 dues, which we will collect at our first meeting. (Details on date coming soon!) Probably Blue time of Thunder block Wed/Late start Watch for a following email.

Even if you are not interested in being part of the Honor Society or you have just not been able to take Intro to Drawing yet, you can still participate in any of the projects we do; you are more than welcome and don’t have to be members to create and serve with us! You can do all the fun art stuff as an ‘art club’ member without the grade requirements.

We usually have several competitions you can compete in during the year, which also can be counted for “points”. Our first ongoing competition will be working on projects for the Archbishop art Exhibit (due date Feb. 1st as we have to narrow to 10 entries)- The theme this year is: “Eucharist, May We Never Lose Our Wonder”.

Joining?
We communicate most everything that will be happening through GroupMe chat. You can email me if you are interested and I will “invite” you via email, and you can accept by adding the app. Feel free to email me to invite you to this even if you are THINKING about joining, because we rely on this over announcements, emails and such. I am also asking you to join the google classroom: ktfu4s6 where I will post access to the google doc that shows how many points each member has and get links to various competition requirements, etc. 

Email Mrs. Henderson with any questions.

Selection to the National Honor Society is an “honor recognized throughout the nation” and “is both the public recognition of accomplishment and the private commitment to continued excellence on the part of the new member” (National Honor Society Handbook, 15^th edition, p.23).  Qualification to the NHS is based upon outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service to the school and community.

Academic scholarship is based on the student’s cumulative , weighted grade point average; potential members need a cumulative, weighted grade point average of 94.5 or higher, as of the end of the second marking period of the eleventh grade school year.  Students meeting this criterion will then be informed of the responsibilities and obligations of NHS membership, and given the opportunity to support their candidacy for National Honor Society membership by completing an application packet.  Students will thus have the chance to illustrate how they meet the other criteria of membership: leadership, service, and character.

For more information, please see Mrs. Kolich.

The National Speech & Debate Association’s Honor Society recognizes middle school and high school students for participation in speech and debate activities. Students earn distinction through speech and debate competition, as well as community service, public speaking, and leadership activities. Members are eligible to join the Honor Society once they have earned the required number of points.

For more information, please contact Mrs. Ishmael.

The Capítulo Santiago (St. James Academy Chapter) of the Spanish National Honor Society promotes the study and teaching of the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures, both within the building and throughout the greater community. Members of the Spanish National Honor Society dedicate several hours throughout the year to Spanish tutoring at St. James and at Holy Cross Catholic School. Events include hosting a Latin Dance Night, visiting the Day of the Dead Altars at the Mattie Rhodes Gallery, enjoying authentic Hispanic foods at local bakeries and restaurants, and hosting a Cena Familiar (Family Dinner) at St. James for Hispanic families within our community, when we enjoy Latin dancing, authentic food, and Spanish conversation.

Students enrolled in Spanish 3 Honors or above, who have earned a grade of 90% or greater in their last semester of Spanish, and who also have an overall GPA of 94.5% or above, are invited to join. Members must receive a teacher recommendation and maintain an active status in working towards the success of our events such as tutoring, and the family dinner.

If you have any questions, please see Senora Toledo.

The Tri-M® Music Honor Society is the international music honor society for middle level and high school students. It is designed to recognize students for their academic and musical achievements, reward them for their accomplishments and service activities, and inspire other students to excel at music and leadership.

For more information, please contact Mrs. Harrelson.