January Mustangs of the Month
Each month St. Rita of Cascia High School honors one student from each class as the Mustang of the Month. For a student to be nominated by a faculty or staff member for the Mustang of the Month Award, he must excel or stand out in at least two of the following areas: academics, activities, athletics, spirituality, or community service. Nominees for Mustang of the Month are those students who are vital elements to St. Rita of Cascia High School and whose efforts, accomplishments, and contributions to our community sometimes go unnoticed.
Senior: JP Danaher
Representing the Class of 2025 as our January Senior Mustang of the Month is JP Danaher. JP is a graduate and member of the St. John Fisher community.
JP is a dedicated and persistent Ritaman who achieved high honors (GPA 4.2-4.399) last semester. He was a captain on the football team last season, a member of NHS, and consistently volunteers with the Special Olympics unified team. JP will continue his football career next year at Harvard University. JP credits his success to his parents, friends, coaches, and especially his brothers who have supported him through all the ups and downs of high school.
A faculty member who nominated JP, spoke of him saying, “JP is a true Ritaman. He is a respectful student who greets you with a smile each day. He strives to do well in his classes, is respected by his classmates, and is a leader in everything he does.”
Speaking about his experience as a Ritaman, JP stated, “My time here at St. Rita these past years has been the best time of my life. I have made an incredible amount of friends here that I believe will continue to be my closest friends for the rest of my life. St. Rita has also opened the door to some incredible role models in my life who have helped me become a young man and who I am today. There’s no place I would rather be at than St. Rita.”
Congratulations, JP!
Junior: Donald Martin
Representing the Class of 2026 as our January Junior Mustang of the Month is Donald Martin. Don is a graduate and member of the St. Barnabas Parish community.
Don is a friendly Ritaman who brightens up our school community. In the classroom, Don attributes his hard work and success to his parents and teachers who instill in him how to be a good student and improve academically. Don is part of the football team, black student union, and fantasy sports club. Outside of St. Rita, he currently works for his family business and wants to get more involved in community engagement. This past summer, Don was chosen to participate in an engineering camp at Purdue. Don’s favorite memory at St. Rita was the freshman overnight.
A faculty member spoke of him saying, "Donald has shown growth and maturity throughout his time at St. Rita. He is a hard worker and has a friendly personality. He brings positivity to our St. Rita Community.”
Don spoke of his experience as a Ritaman saying, “My time here at St. Rita has been better than I imagined. I’ve always wanted to attend St. Rita because my dad graduated from here. I’ve been able to follow in his footsteps and have achieved many great experiences and accomplishments. I have met so many new friends and made good connections with my teachers along the way.”
Congratulations, Don!
Sophomore: Anthony Carter
The member of the Class of 2027 chosen as our January Sophomore Mustang of the Month is Anthony Carter. Anthony is a graduate of Mount Greenwood Elementary and is a member of the St. Christina Parish community.
Anthony is a bright and successful student, achieving superior honors (GPA 4.4+) in his first three semesters as well as a Heeney Award for straight A’s. Anthony is an altar server and part of the ABC, investment, and cooking clubs. Anthony is also a member of the Scholastic Bowl and Volleyball teams. Anthony was one of the representatives from St. Rita at the Student Augustinian Values Institute in San Diego last semester. He hopes to work towards NHS induction and be part of the Big Brother Program next year. One of his favorite memories this year was participating in the Winter Olympics in Mrs. Viz’s chemistry class.
In his nomination, a St. Rita faculty member is quoted saying: “Anthony is an excellent student who is starting to come into his own at St. Rita. In the classroom Anthony goes above and beyond what is asked of him. His kindness radiates throughout the school. He is a team player in everything he does and is always willing to lend a helping hand.”
When asked to speak about his experience as a Ritaman, Anthony replied, “My time at St. Rita so far has been amazing and full of fun. Although it’s almost halfway over, I’m expecting many more great things to come.”
Congratulations, Anthony!
Freshman: TJ Burgos
The Ritaman from the Class of 2028 chosen to be our January Mustang of the Month is TJ Burgos. TJ is a graduate and member of the St. Christina Parish community.
TJ was very successful in his first semester, academically achieving superior honors (GPA 4.4+) as well as a Heeney Award for straight A’s. TJ is a member of student government, the ABC program, football, and baseball teams. His favorite memories thus far at St. Rita were being a part of the freshman football team and having a successful first semester. TJ stated how proud he was to get to represent his class with this honor and knows he needs to keep up the hard work.
In his nomination, a faculty member stated, “TJ is the epitome of a Ritaman. He is kind, helpful, and hardworking in everything he does. In the classroom, he goes above and beyond to succeed as well as help his other classmates. He is involved in all aspects of our school community from athletics to student government. TJ has a strong sense of self and is a fantastic role model for his classmates.”
When TJ reflected on his time thus far at St. Rita, he quoted MLK and said, “‘Intelligence plus character- that is the true goal of education.’ At St Rita, I have learned what it means to be a Ritaman. I learned that it is most important to respect others and get along with new people. Learning and building character is what St. Rita is for.”
Congratulations, TJ!
