Activities

Book Bash is a competitive book club where students read award winning fiction and non-fiction books, then compete as a team in the spring to test their knowledge and win free books.

Contact: Mrs. Emily Bonnema 

If you have school spirit you should consider trying out for cheerleading. There are cheerleading squads for football, boys basketball, girls basketball and wrestling. Try-outs – to be determined. Cheerleading is available for freshmen through senior girls. 

Contact: Mrs. Alicia Porsch 

If you enjoy dancing, then the Dance Team is for you. Try-outs take place in May. Freshman through seniors start the season with summer practices and dance camp. The Dance Team performs at home football and basketball games as well as at competitions. 
Contact: Ms. Morgan Froehlich

Bishop Heelan has a strong tradition of excellent debate teams and regularly place in competitions. Debate is part of the curriculum and extra-curricular activities. Debaters compete in all levels, primarily Public Forum and Student Congress. Lincoln-Douglas and individual debate events are also available.

Contact: Ms. Alexis Britson 

These students make Bishop Heelan and our community cleaner. They inform others of environmental issues in our world. The club meets once a month during Crusader Time. 

Contact: Mrs. Juliane Flanery

Bible Studies/Small Groups Class Retreats Steubenville Summer Conference Weekend Retreats for those wishing to go deeper in prayer Lectors Knights of the Altar (Servianti Domini is just the 5 head sacristans, KOA are all servers) Spring Break Pilgrimage.

Contact: Mrs. Lexi Horstman 

This club advocates for the sanctity of life from conception to natural passing. Through monthly "life nights," we support pro-life causes with activities like praying outside Planned Parenthood, volunteering at Mary's Choice, hosting diaper drives, inviting speakers, providing resources, and attending the March for Life in Washington D.C.

CLICK HERE to follow our Instagram page.

Contact: Ms. Selena Thompson

Intramurals are open to all students. We play 6 weeks of co-ed volleyball in the fall with a tournament at the end. We also have a dodgeball tournament in the spring. Students enjoy forming teams with friends and showing off their skills.  

Contact: Mrs. Mindy Oberle

The Knights of the Altar is open to all juniors and seniors to serve liturgical functions for the school, diocese, and the Carmelite Nuns. 
Contact: Mr. Elliot McLarty 

Many Heelan students are members of the Sioux City Mayor’s Youth Commission – a citywide student organization that involves teens in community projects and events. Freshman and sophomores apply to be members, enjoy meetings and activities and finish their membership half-way through senior year. Some 130 teens from the City’s four high schools volunteer thousands of hours each year.

Contact: siouxcitymyc@gmail.com

The “Miracle Makers” work with the school and community to raise money for the Make- A-Wish Foundation. The money is used to grant wishes for children with life threatening illnesses. Fun events include Soctober, No Shave November, Snowball Dance, and other events; all to raise money for this wonderful cause. 
Contact: Mrs. Abby Billings 

Membership is based upon scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Good grades are only the beginning. The students apply for NHS by filling out paperwork showing their involvement inside and outside school. Faculty and staff members are invited to complete a rating sheet for the eligible candidates. Then a committee meets with the NHS  
(a non-voting member) to determine new members. 

Contacts: Dr. John Jorstad and Ms. Christina Odom

If you have taken Journalism you can help produce stories for PRIDE Online, Heelan’s quarterly electronic newsletter for students. Stories and photos could be used for social media, too. 

Contact: Mrs. Emily Bonnema 

Quiz Bowl is a long-time academic program which features competition between Sioux City and area high schools and national qualifying competitions. Students practice answering questions on a variety of subjects weekly from late September through March. Usually, 2 teams represent Heelan at competitions.

Contact: Mrs. Christy Osborn 

All students are welcome to build strength and fitness in our upgraded weight room in the CYO Center. We offer 14 strength stations for bench squats, pull-ups, hang clings and the “Crusader bridge” with bars to build strength and agility. Workouts are structured for students to meet the demands of their sports or general fitness. The center is open most days to students working out for class, sports, or personal fitness. 

Our strength and conditioning program is available to ALL students year around. We provide structured workouts in and out of season, exercise science classes, team workouts, speed camps and summer workouts and camps.  

Contact: Mr. Trevor Westhoff 

If you are interested in planning homecoming, prom, community service projects, and other student activities, then the Bishop Heelan Student Council is the club for you! The student council provides a forum for students to express their opinions and plan major student activities during the year. The council is made up of elected delegates from every class and four senior officers. Meetings are held on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month during Crusader Time. 

Contact: Mrs. Megan Schettler

The Shield yearbook captures memories of our high school years. The annual publication is created by Journalism II and Journalism III students, using Studioworks and Adobe Photoshop. Skills include writing, photography, layout and design. Both journalism classees teach news writing, technology, business and life skills that transfer into many facets. Students must pass Journalism I with a C grade or better to be considered. 

Contact: Mrs. Emily Bonnema

The Spanish Club fosters an interest in the Hispanic culture and provides an opportunity to speak Spanish in an informal setting. Club funds will benefit a child from a Spanish-speaking country.  

Contact: Ms. Jeri Sturges

If you enjoy performing solo or with groups of students, you should look into large group speeches or individual events. These groups compete in reader’s theatre, choral reading, ensemble acting, one act plays, and more! 

Contact: Mrs. Emily Bonnema 

This club promotes artistic expression and appreciation of the arts. Through art projects, crafts, guest artists, art fundraisers, visits to gallery openings and creative service projects the club encourages students to learn about the immense value the world of art offers.

Contact: Mrs. Amy Sobaski