tidings academy of the h oly ange l s
s p on s ore d by t h e s c h o o l s i s t e rs of n otre dame
a p ub licat ion fo r alumn ae, pare nts and fr i e nd s
s p r in g 20 1 5
HOLY ANGELS DEMAREST CELEBRATES 50th JUBILEE
Pro
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ubilee! J m
you are cordially invited
a very special to join the festivities for
50 Alumnae Weekend pu
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ca arest
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Including milestone reunion celebrations for the classes ending in
5 &0
October 23–24, 2015
Save theDate
For more information, visit www.holyangels.org/reunion 2
tidings
p r e s i d e n t 's m e s s a g e
Volume Viii, number 3
EDITORS Jillane Ferreira
Director of Communications jillane@holyangels.org
Dorrie Voulgaris
Director of Alumnae Relations alumnae@holyangels.org
administration
Dear Alumnae, Parents and Friends,
Melinda Hanlon, President
president@holyangels.org
June is so full of hope and optimism. As we look forward to the relaxation of summer vacations and time to enjoy with our families and friends, we celebrate the accomplishments of our Class of 2015. To date they have received more than $18,000,000.00 in scholarship awards with a 100% college acceptance rate. This group of young women are destined to transform the world as evidenced by how they have lived their faith during their time at AHA, genuinely giving of themselves through their service to others both near and far. They truly live the words of Blessed Theresa, “With the dear Lord, what we do is less important than how we do it.” As we bid farewell to our seniors, we are looking ahead to September and the arrival of more than 600 Angels to our campus. Our incoming freshman class represents the largest enrollment in recent history here on our Demarest campus. Awaiting the Class of 2019 are the same values that have been hallmarks of an AHA education since 1879: academic excellence, moral development, integrity and service to others. As you enjoy this issue of Tidings, please be sure to read about our ever-expanding STREAM program; our Angels performing at Carnegie Hall; our nationally ranked Dance Team; another impressive showing in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards; our Angels’ Border Experience in Arizona and so much more. This year we celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of our beloved school’s move to this campus and I hope you join us for one of our many celebrations throughout the school year as we “Proclaim Jubilee”! As evidenced by our recent Middle States evaluation, Holy Angels continues to be a place where young women define their potential and receive the support and educational challenges to achieve their goals. In every area of the Middle States report, we were commended for our collaboration, responsibility and ethical approach. Our Growth Mindset initiative was well-received and all members of our school community were noted to be extremely devoted to meeting the needs of our students. Bravo to one and all! As I approach the end of my first year here at Holy Angels, I look back with satisfaction at all we have achieved together this year. I often say how blessed I am to be here at Holy Angels and I look forward to all we will accomplish in the years to come. I pray that you will enjoy a happy and restful summer.
Jennifer Moran, Principal
principal@holyangels.org
Jean Mullooly, Dean of Students dean@holyangels.org
development office Tara Brunt, Director of Development development@holyangels.org
Barbara Burklund, Development Associate bburklund@holyangels.org
contents On the Cover 27
STREAM Program
12
Angels at the Border
Featured Pages 6
Angel Athletes
8
Angels in the Arts
11
Faculty News
Spirituality 12 14
Angels Around the Halls
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Alumnae News
Blessings, Melinda A. Hanlon President, Academy of the Holy Angels
27 In Memoriam
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angel athletes Our Angel athletes have had a very successful year. Championships, awards and most of all, great sportsmanship and teamwork! Go Angels! champions for the 10th time! The cross country Angels had an outstanding 2014 season, winning the County Group B Championship for the tenth year in a row! Only one other team in the history of cross country in Bergen County has ever accomplished this feat. The Angels also won the season opener, finished second at the Maroon Invitational, and fourth at both the Bergen County Meet of Champions and the State Group Meet. The JV team won the County JV Meet, and the freshmen, who placed in every invitational meet, were second in the Freshman County Meet. Individually, the team was led by Mary Watters, who was chosen First Team All County for the second year in a row and accepted a XC/Track scholarship to Quinnipiac University. Other standouts were freshmen Tara Lyons and Rhiannon Novelli. PROMISING SEASON FOR YOUNG TEAM The winter track team was led by the 4x800 relay team of Kelly Moran, Kelly Farrell, Rhiannon Novelli and Eva Gurian, who won the Big North League Championship!
But they were not the only standouts this year. Holly Slepian was chosen as the top “All Around Athlete” in the division. Samantha Fellowes, a high jumper, placed in the League, County and State meets. Tara Lyons was AHA’s top 800m runner and was undefeated as a freshman in the 800m. Freshman Caroline McGann placed in the League and State meets in the pole vault. Sarah Laufeld was the Angels’ top sprinter and Anya Skae was the team’s top shotputter. All in all the season was quite successful, and with so many young athletes doing well, the future of the winter track team looks very bright!
COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP FOR FENCERS AHA’s fencing team had a very good year, with a league record of 10 wins, 2 losses and an overall record of 12-3, including State tournament meets. Early in the
season at the prestigious state wide Santelli tournament, the Épée squad led the way with a fourth place finish, just missing bronze by a very slim margin. Holy Angels finished 11th out of 48 teams. The Bergen County Tournament, held at Holy Angels, was a huge success. The Épée squad took first place, Foil took second and Saber took sixth, with the team winning the overall County Championship! In the State District Tournament, the Angels placed third, qualifying the team and all three squads for the Team State tournament. In Épée, Melissa Gillick captured the individual title and Alexandra Hottenrott placed fifth, both qualifying for the state individuals. In the State Tournament, the team placed 13th. At the Squad Tournament, Épée placed fifth, Foil 14th and Saber 17th. Individually, Melissa Gillick placed 6th and Alexandra Hottenrott placed 15th. TENNIS TEAM DIVISIONAL CO-CHAMPS The tennis team finished the 2014 season with a record of 13-6 overall and 5-1 in their division, earning the team the title of Divisional Co-Champions. With only three returning Varsity players, they had their work cut out for them from day one. Adrianne Alfonso returned to play in the #1 spot and senior Fiona Williams and sophomore Alison Kim stepped up in a big way to fill the #2 and #3 positions. Alfonso and Kim made it to the semi-final round of the Bergen County Tournament and for the first time in many years, Holy Angels sent a player (Williams) to the finals. A tie for third place wrapped up the tournament. This season held huge wins over IHA
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and Tenafly, and AHA never lost a home match. The girls had a nice run at States, losing in the semi-final to Kent Place. As always, the players gave 100% and displayed the highest level of sportsmanship. The Bergen Record referred to AHA’s program as “the perennial powerhouse”, motivating the Angels to live up to that name next year. VOLLEYBALL ANGELS HOLD THEIR OWN The Holy Angels’ volleyball team continues to hold its position as a top contender in the best county for girls’ volleyball. Each season brings in new talent and experience, adding to the strong foundation of the program.
The 2014 season ended with a record of 14 wins and 13 losses, a record that demonstrates the tenacity of the team, having bounced back from a very difficult season the year before. Holy Angels struggled to find a rhythm early in the season, however the girls showed resilience as they competed against some of the top teams in the state. In the Northern Valley Invitational Tournament, AHA finished third in the pool, making it to the consolation bracket. All members saw playing time and continued to show effort as they adjusted to different lineups and challenges. Their performances against the top rated teams in the state validated their place in the county and forced opponents to continue taking them seriously. This year, the team had tremendous success at home, but struggled to win games on the road. The height of the season came towards the end when the girls faced off against Ridgewood and dominated the match of three games with clean, skilled and energetic play. With a different schedule this season, AHA saw
new teams from different counties and had to adjust their style of play in order to win. A strong reputation and high level of play throughout the year gained Holy Angels a spot as 19th seed in the Bergen County Tournament. With Power Points being instituted this year, Holy Angels was ranked 16th in the NonPublic group in the State Tournament. Although the team did not go as far in either tournament as they wanted, the girls looked back at the season as a successful and fun one. Junior Lauren Dickerson was named the team’s MVP, while Senior Hunter DeBellis received the Coach’s Award. COACH OF THE YEAR LEADS ANGELS TO WINNING SEASON After losing four starters from last year’s team, the Angels had only one returning Varsity player. But the team was equal to the challenge. They finished in third place
at the Crusader Classic at Bowler City and placed fourth in the New Year’s Tournament at Parkway Lanes. At the county tournament, AHA finished second, after losing a close deciding game in the finals. They defeated Paramus Catholic once and IHA both times that they faced them in league play. The team finished second in the state sectional and for the 8th year in a row qualified for the state finals at Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick. The season finished with an 11-3 league record and with several team members receiving All-Division and All-County honors. It was an important year, gaining league and tournament experience. The team looks forward to an even more successful year ahead, as all team members are expected to return. With their award winning coach at the helm, the Angels can’t lose!
Sports recaps continued on next page – including a feature story on the brand new Holy Angels Gymnastics team! Congratulations to Jess Leto who was inducted into the Bergen County Coaches Century Club for her 100th win as AHA tennis coach!
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angel athletes
SIGNING
DAY
Senior Paige Vignone signed her letter of intent to row for the Boston College crew team. She is pictured seated between her proud parents, Patrick and Marianne Vignone. “it’s amazing what can happen when no one takes credit.” This quote was featured on the basketball team’s t-shirts a few years ago, but it was certainly appropriate for this year. The season was truly a team effort from start to finish, from the coaches on down. Starting with a record of 2-0, the Angels then struggled a bit and were 3-2 by Christmas. At that point the team began to set short term goals, mostly coveting a good seed in the county tournament. By breaking things down into smaller pieces it became easier to prepare for each game. Every short term goal was accomplished: The team won six games in a row from January into February, and brought their record up to 11-5. The Angels played hard this season and left everything on the floor. Their coaches were extremely proud, stating that the team worked together and respected each other. The year ended with a 19-8 record, a huge improvement over last year’s 10-17.
many years. They finished the season as quarter-finalists in the North Non-Public A State Tournament with a 2-1 loss to 2nd ranked Oak Knoll. Challenged with a new schedule that brought new opponents, they worked hard to overcome this challenge and defeated many of those teams. Some notable performances were a 3-0 victory over league rival DePaul after tying them earlier in the season, and a 3-0 win over Passaic Tech. The team was led by high scorers Amanda Grisanti and Nicole Yi who both received 1st team All-Division recognition as well as Honorable Mention in the county. They were accompanied by outstanding performances from Grace Moynihan, Alexa Vecchione and Holly Slepian.
SOCCER TEAM TURNS THINGS AROUND The Angels soccer program had an exciting and monumental season, finishing with a record of 10-9-2, a winning record for the first time in
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Senior Mary Watters signed her letter of intent to run Cross Country and Indoor and Outdoor Track for Quinnipiac College. She is pictured seated between her parents, Jane and Terence Watters, along with her younger sister Catherine ’16.
Gymnastics Team Officially Launches! Two years ago, Holy Angels had a good foundation for a Gymnastics team in two very talented student athletes. Everyone was extremely excited to pursue this new arena for AHA. However, a minimum of three girls is required to qualify for team meets, so those two students, Alexis Driscoll and Darcy Ottomanelli, could only compete as independents. Luckily their participation garnered attention to “the Holy Angels Gymanstics team� and a year later AHA Gymnastics was official! They are led by Coach Stacey Sedlak, previously an All-Bergen first-teamer in 1997. The team shares a top-notch gym with Ridgewood, enabling them to practice on the very best equipment.
Driscoll placed fourth on floor and fifth on beam, and Meredith Shamamian placed fourth on bars. The team also placed third at the League Championship Meet and qualified as a team to compete at the State Sectional Competition, where they also placed third. All of these girls received All-League and All-County honors. Holy Angels looks forward to the future success of this exciting new team!
The Angels kicked off their first ever official season by placing second at the Wayne Classic Invitational with a score of 100.75. Their success continued, culminating in a winning record of 6-2 during the regular season. The girls worked hard to improve their scores and hit a team high of 105.225 at the Bergen County Championship Meet, placing third as a team. As individuals, Alexis
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angels in the arts How Do You Get to Carnegie Hall? Our Angels Know! The AHA Vocal Ensemble performed with The Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland earlier in the school year, at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The Vocal Ensemble is comprised of 23 students under the direction of Mrs. Lisa Oggioni Marciano. AHA was thrilled to be one of only six youth vocal groups from the New York area to be invited to sing with the CBOI. Junior Ciara Rhodes, who is a three time World Qualifier in Irish Step Dance, also performed at the event. The concert featured a 120 piece youth orchestra conducted by Maestro Gearóid Grant. Other featured performers included tenors Michael Bodnyk and Colm Reilly, violinist Patricia Treacy and uilleann piper Patrick Martin.
through music. Founder and CEO of the orchestra, Sharon Treacy-Dunne, saw the healing power of music and its ability to convey the message of unity and reconciliation. “The orchestra strives every day to provide young people with the tools to create connections, reconcile differences, all the while encouraging them to exceed their own performance expectations and enhance their music
education. The ability is there, CBOI just facilitates,” Treacy-Dunne said. “When I established the orchestra, my goal was to create a cross-culture and cross-community link between Catholic and Protestant school children throughout Ireland, and to educate children about commitment, tolerance and friendship through music.”
The Cross Border Orchestra of Ireland was established in 1995, primarily as a peace initiative, uniting young people from both sides of the Irish border
AHA Dance Team “Striving for Excellence!” The AHA Varsity and Junior Varsity Dance Teams achieved national rankings at the 2015 National Dance Team Championship competition held from January 30th–February 1st at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida.
Competing against 54 teams from all over the country, the Varsity Angels achieved a second place ranking while the JV team came in fifth place. AHA Dance Coach Jenny Sweet was thrilled with her teams’ results. “For AHA to achieve such success
in a program that began only four years ago is simply amazing.” Varsity CoCaptain A’Adil Ali-Jenkins echoed her coach’s excitement and attributed the team’s accomplishments to her. “We owe all of our success to our coach Jenny Sweet. She is motivating, knowledgeable and sacrifices so much for the team. Being on the AHA Dance Team over the past four years has been the most rewarding experience in my life. I was able to fully understand what it means to bond with a group of girls who all have the same goal as I do: striving for excellence.” The amazing Dance Teams finished off their winning season with first place trophies at the New Jersey State Dance Championship competition. The Varsity dancers took first in both the Pom and Hip Hop categories and the JV team won the championship title in Hip Hop.
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AHA is thrilled to announce the results of this year’s Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. All Gold Key recipients (listed below) advanced to the national portion of the award, where Myung Jin Kang won a Silver Medal for Drawing & Illustration and was also named an American Visions Nominee.
Tyara Estrada
The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards competition is the oldest and most prestigious competition for teen artists in the United States. This is the third year in a row in which AHA is the only all girls Catholic school from Bergen County to achieve recognition.
WRITING Victoria Cabales: Christine Lim: Nikki Margiotta: Caitlyn Smith:
Two Gold Keys, Two Silver Keys and an Honorable Mention One Gold Key One Gold Key One Silver Key
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Myung Jin Kang Angeiica Pasquali
Samantha Kim: Ivelisse Mandato: Maggie McCarthy: Jillian McEvoy: Molly Menapace: Ashley Misciagna: Angelica Pasquali: Elaine Ruiz: Vanessa Sakong: Danielle Saxenian: Jiin Suh:
wo Honorable Mentions T Silver Key and an Honorable Mention Honorable Mention Silver Key Honorable Mention Honorable Mention Gold Key Honorable Mention Honorable Mention Honorable Mention Honorable Mention Two Silver Keys Gold Key, Two Silver Keys and an Honorable Mention One National Silver Medal (Drawing & Illustration) Silver Key Honorable Mention Honorable Mention Silver Key Gold Key Silver Key and an Honorable Mention Gold Key, Two Silver Keys and Two Honorable Mentions Honorable Mention Silver Key Silver Key and an Honorable Mention Two Honorable Mentions
Vanessa Sakong
Risako Arcari: Jae Eun Cho: Briar Connors: Colleen Cotter: Sophia Cotter: Kayla Cristofoletti: Tyara Estrada: Renata Francesco: Olivia Guido: Lisa Harootunian: Clara Jeon: Suwon Joo: Myung Jin Kang:
Jiin Suh
ART
Danielle Saxenian
angels in the arts
faculty news
Congratulations to AHA teachers Mrs. Nancy Brizzolara, Ms. Carol Fay, Dr. Martha Weinstein and Mrs. Maureen Ferrara, who were selected to attend the 2015 Science and Religion Seminar in June hosted by The Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame. The five day program, entitled “Science and Religion: Strangers, Rivals, or Partners in the Search for Truth?” is designed for Catholic school teachers of Biology, Physics, Chemistry and Religion who wish to explore the intersection between science and religion more deeply. A very limited number of teachers from a nationwide pool of candidates was selected to attend this prestigious seminar.
AHA Art Teacher Christine Wraga married Steven DeGennaro in October 2014 in Ramsey, New Jersey. The photo above is Christine’s favorite from the day, surrounded by some of her students, who were so excited to attend her wedding ceremony.
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AHA Social Studies teacher Jennifer Cucchisi has been accepted to the 2015 PIER Summer Institute, Global Challenges: Climate Change and Food Security program at Yale University. The program will provide intensive professional development and will empower educators to better understand and explain the basic science of climate change and the significant impact it can ultimately pose on global security to their students. This educator institute is made possible with generous support from a Title VI grant provided by the U.S. Department of Education to the Councils of African and Middle East Studies at the MacMillan Center for International and Area Studies. Additional support is also provided by the Councils of East Asian, European, and Southeast Asian Studies.
Congratulations to Patrick Dunne who has been named National Federation of High Schools Coaches Association Coach of the Year for Girls’ Bowling. Mr. Dunne was chosen from among nominees from the entire state of New Jersey.
spirituality Angels Witness US Border Policies Firsthand At Holy Angels, religion is not confined to the classroom. Students are offered the opportunity to participate in programs that value reflection, personal and liturgical prayer as well as Christian action in the form of service to others. These service experiences/mission trips allow current students and faculty to partner with SSND ministries and other organizations working toward a just world throughout the US. This year, AHA students volunteered over their school breaks at Caroline House in Bridgeport, CT and the Comunidad Enlaces de Esperanza Border Experience in Douglas, AZ. Below is a reflection shared by AHA Religious Studies Chairperson Carol Fay who accompanied students Tara Mottley, Bridget O’Donnell and Patricia Krisan to the border in Arizona. Leaving behind this winter’s snow and sub-zero temperatures in New Jersey, we set off to spend February break with the School Sisters of Notre Dame in Douglas, AZ. As participants in the SSND Mission Awareness Process, we were prepared to experience the life of the community and to enter into dialogue with individuals and groups living, working and detained on both sides of the US /Mexico border.
to be credible change to the country’s immigration policies.” At every turn we were embraced by the hospitality and openness of the communities we visited: that of the sisters, of the women with whom we worked at a community garden, the young women from a drug and alcohol rehab center whom we accompanied on a walk along the desert migrant trail on the Mexican side of the border, the volunteers, workers and those being served at the migrant center and the shelter in Agua Prieta.
side of the border, noticing its foreboding height and construction that practically guaranteed injury, made us wonder who would try this and why. A very detailed tour of the border patrol station on the US side introduced us to the process and the policies that are in place for the treatment of those detained entering the US without the required documentation.
The whole week’s activities highlighted the natural environment of mountains and desert, beginning with a sunrise prayer service in the Native American style in the Douglas Mountains and concluding with sunset at a wildlife refuge.
After attending a Heal Our Borders vigil, at which the names of migrants who had died trying to cross the border are spoken in prayer, Tara wrote, “I will never forget seeing hundreds of crosses lined along the street in memoriam to the migrants who have died trying to make a better life for themselves.”
There was much information to absorb. After reading a number of articles and viewing several videos in preparation for the trip, standing at the wall on the US
Meeting a number of migrants who had been detained and deported back to Mexico and hearing their stories answered some of our questions and touched our hearts. Patricia wrote, “Before attending the trip, I never took into account the human aspect of the border issue and always thought that their problems are their problems. After the trip, I gained greater insight into the struggle of the migrants who try to enter the United States. I realized how much will and perseverance they have to try and enter our country. I realized that there needs
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Bridget found the experience a deeply spiritual one. “Meeting all of the migrants was really life-changing. It helps you realize how much you really have and how blessed you are. Though they have little, they make the most of it and thank God for all of it. That was one of the most amazing things I saw with these people.” Our experiences in both Douglas and Agua Prieta spoke to both mind and heart. The sisters planned our schedule with intense respect for the dignity of every human person that we would meet. Seeing the human face of many sides of the issue challenged every bias that we might have brought with us causing each of us to broaden our perspective.
Since returning to Holy Angels the students have given presentations about immigration in seven different classes, two workshops on the school’s Awareness Day and addressed a parish bible study group. Tara shared, “Even though this trip meant sacrificing my February vacation, I would do it again, for this experience, in a heartbeat.” We all agree.
Special Events at HOLY ANGELS grandparents day
junior ring ceremony
international night
food truck festival
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angels around the halls ACADEMICS Congratulations to the winners of the French Honor Society 2014 Creative Writing contest: Caroline McLaughlin in Catégorie A Level 3 and Brigid Hayes in Catégorie B level 5. They were selected from among 51 entries from both categories.
(violin), and Ashley Yoon (viola) traveled to Wilton, Connecticut with Mrs. Mariann Annecchino to provide entertainment at the SSND Donor Appreciation Luncheon. Amanda Hernandez, captain of the JV Holy Angels Dance Team, performed for the crowd in the 2014 Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade. At the end of the parade route, Amanda danced on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum for a live TV show in the grand finale featuring other selected dancers from across the country. A holiday spectacle in the grandest tradition, the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade is the country’s oldest Thanksgiving Day Parade. Heather Mueger landed the title role in the Bergen County Players production of Freckleface Strawberry the Musical.
AHA aspiring writers had the privilege of attending the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival’s “Student Day” at the Newark Performing Arts Center with Mrs. Nancy Schneberger: They attended large and small group sessions with poet laureates and famous contemporary poets from around the world. Mrs. Schneberger reported that the highlight of their day was attending a reading in the Victoria Theater by the National Poets Program winners and the NJCTE winners, which included our own alumna, Alana Spendley ’14, who read her work “Cartography.” Margeaux Gould ’18 traveled to Richmond, Virginia in the fall with teachers from the Mustard Seed School to participate in the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) conference. She contributed a portion of the group’s presentation entitled “Building a Persistent, Creative Mathematics Learning Community”.
THE ARTS Angel sopranos Selen Nehrozoglu and Sara Den Bleyker performed in the All-State Opera Festival. This all-day event drew aspiring opera singers from the entire state of New Jersey. AHA musicians Katherine Koh (piano), Annie Haws (cello), Mary Haws (harp), Carolina Zuluaga (violin), June Chung
AHA’s amazing Handbell Choir helped spread cheer to the retired sisters of St. Joseph of Peace in Englewood Cliffs. The group visited the sisters and entertained them, and the sisters joined them in song and even tried their hand at ringing the bells. AHA flutist Michelle Lu was thrilled to perform with world renowned flutist Sir James Galway at Carnegie Hall. She joined 74 other talented flutists on stage with him and his wife Lady Jane Galway as a part of Tim Janis’s The American Christmas Carol which has paid tribute to Sir James Galway for the past nine years. Michelle studies violin at the Manhattan School of Music in their Pre-College Division. Varsity dance team members Caroline Fernandez, Amanda Hagan, and Amanda Hernandez were accepted into New York University’s prestigious Future Dancers Program which is a 14-week highly selective advanced training regimen designed to
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support and enhance their current training. They were among the 15 selected participants from the five boroughs of New York City, as well as from Westchester County, Long Island, NJ, CT, and Philadelphia.
Members of AHA’s JOY Club, Joining Young and Old, visited the JCC on the Palisades to help Demarest native Frank Lucia celebrate his 105th birthday. The girls entertained the seniors with some vocal selections, danced with them and even joined them in a session of chair yoga. Lauren Glubo, Supervisor of the ARC Program at the JCC thanked AHA in a warm and appreciative letter following their visit, saying, “You should be so proud of these girls. I have been here 23 years but never have seen such sweet girls. Whatever you are doing just keep it up.” June Chung earned a position in the violin section of the NJ All-State High School Orchestra. In celebration of Music in our Schools Month, in March, Dr. Carol Shansky, Professor of Music at Iona College, came to AHA to present a flute master class workshop. AHA’s Tri-M Music Society hosted a coffee house to benefit the Union City Music Project. The musical performances included a group of children who are currently participating in the program.
got news?
Attention current parents, students and faculty! We love hearing your news, to be shared in AHA’s monthly newsletter and possibly featured in Tidings! Send announcements and photos to news@holyangels.org
Emily DeRubertis was honored with a President’s Volunteers Service Award by The Prudential Spirit of Community Awards, for her exemplary volunteer service.
LEADERSHIP HELPING HANDS S. Carole Tabano set in motion the plans that culminated in the visit of S. Cathy Arata to Holy Angels to talk about her work with Solidarity with South Sudan. AHA’s Outreach Club organized two drives in support of the Office of Concern in Englewood. Over 3,000 diapers and 800 food items were collected from the AHA community. Members of AHA’s Power Back Club helped to raise awareness during National Teen Dating Violence Prevention Week. The girls made announcements in the morning and distributed orange lanyards in all of the homerooms to bring attention to this serious topic. Pictured L to R are juniors Christina Careri, Jenna Piccinich and Samantha Bott who helped to organize this campaign.
Dr. Marie Madonna, DDS, recently spoke at an AHA Operation Smile club meeting. Dr. Madonna, who is a practicing dentist and the mother of Stephanie Madonna, donated 100 toothbrushes and tubes of toothpaste to OpSmile as a part of her involvement in America’s ToothFairy Smile Drive. The donated oral care products were then provided to non-profit organizations. AHA sent its allotment of dental supplies with Ruby Kang and Juliet Vicari when they served on mission trips for OpSmile earlier this year.
The Jessie Banks Foundation has recognized Samantha Martinez for her strong academic performance, leadership qualities and commitment to community service. The Jessie Banks Foundation, established in 2002, is a living tribute to the life of a woman who dedicated herself to empowering others in many ways.
AHA’s Girls Rising club attended a screening of the documentary Girls Rising at the Times Center in NYC. Girls Rising tells the story of nine girls in the developing world who courageously struggle for access to an education. Special thanks to Anna L. Brown, mother of Alexandra McCartha, who serves as Special Attorney/Director of Global Diversity & Inclusion at Shearman & Sterling LLP, which arranged the screening. Pictured L to R are some members from AHA’s Girls Rising Club, along with Kaycee Jennings, Senior Producer of the film (third from left): Katherine Staff, Amanda Hernandez, Britney Burns, Odette Castillo, Sophio Castillo, Sophia Ortiz and Isabella Cho. Alexandra Alfonso won the Position Paper Award in her committee at the Rutgers Model UN Conference in New Brunswick, NJ. This year’s focus was on the role and development of civil society. Alexandra represented Afghanistan and her committee was the United Nations Human Settlements Programme.
ATHLETICS Olympia Peters is living up to her name with some amazing accomplishments to add
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to her fencing résumé. She traveled to Paris in early February to fence at Marathon Fleuret 2015 where she made the top 32 (29th place) out of 260 girls! Four days later she and her junior foil team of four girls received gold medals in the Junior 14-18 age level category at the US Fencing Junior Olympics in Richmond, Virginia. Martha Merriam continues to advance her fencing career. She competed at the North American Cup tournament in Salt Lake City, Utah in the Junior (Under 20) Category. Fencing against primarily college students, Martha came in 3rd place and received an “A” which is the highest possible ranking. She also competed at the US Junior Olympic Championship Competition in Richmond, Virginia. Martha competes in the Junior (U20) and Senior categories even though her age would place her in a younger category. For the second time, Martha placed 3rd in the Junior division. Her recent successes have raised her to number 15 in the Junior Division in the country and she has been selected to represent The United States at the Junior World Cup Competition in Italy. Kelly Sim won the International Junior Golf Tournament at Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township, NJ. Kelly shot a 78 and a 76 on two rounds to take the first place prize. Kelly was also recently named Athlete of the Week by the Bergen Record.
alumnae association president ur Alumnae network has increased! In April, we welcomed 131 Angels into the AHA Alumnae O Association. We want these graduating seniors to know that they will always be an Angel and will
always be a part of our community. The Induction ceremony took place at the last National Honor Society assembly of the year. After reciting an oath proclaiming to stay in touch and come back and visit, the ceremony concluded with my favorite part – singing the Alma Mater. I think you would all be proud to hear the fervor and enjoyment with which they sing. As always, we have been busy with events bringing our alumnae network and school community together. From the Spring Musical and Tea, to a wonderful event with our Boston area Angel alumnae, to the annual fund class signing events and most recently our legacy mothers reconnecting over a lovely farm to table dinner. All of these events keep us connected to each other and to Holy Angels. I encourage you to take part in any and all that you can. Each year seems to go faster and faster, and this one is no exception. If you have the opportunity, please come back and see what wonderful work our students have accomplished. Whether it be community service, social justice, our Arts program, sports, or our STREAM initiatives, our Angels show us time and again that they let nothing get in their way as they fly higher to achieve all that they can. I wish you happiness and some relaxation this summer, and remember to look for Angels in all of your travels. Sincerely, Karen Sullivan Camporeale ’88
E A N M U ’68 L A
NEWS
Dawn Hill ’68, Maine State Senator, was selected by fellow Democrats to the post of assistant minority leader. Her new role responsibilities include providing information on senator’s bills and working to come to a consensus as a caucus. Dawn represents the constituents in York, ME.
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Lisa Tutundgy Long ’73 is pictured below with her daughter Nicole Donovan and her new grandson, Benjamin.
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Deirdre Doyle Tolhurst ’74 has released her first book A Christmas I Remember. It is available at deirdretolhurst.com
’78
Robin Leahy ’78 and Bill Kent were married on March 29, 2014 in Charlotte, NC. Robin is the Director of Electrophysiology Services for Sanger Heart and Vascular Institute and Bill is a systems engineer with Carolinas Health Care Systems. They are living in Huntersville, NC.
’82
Three Generations! Kathleen Bohnert Davis ’61, Irene Havlusch ’15 and Maureen Davis ’85 celebrate Irene’s induction into AHA’s Alumnae Assocation.
Denise Jennings Gunter ’82 shares, “I recently spent a wonderful weekend with Virginia Kiernan ’82 and her two children, Matthew (13) and Anneliese (10) in San Diego, CA as Virginia and I celebrated milestone birthdays. The power of AHA friendships endures!”
’64
Louise Fiocchi Gunderson ’64 was recognized yet again as one of Barron’s “Top 1,200 Advisors” in the United States for 2015. This award is given annually to acknowledge exceptional financial advisors who have demonstrated excellence, professionalism and performance.
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’83
Kathy McNicholas Entwistle ’83 was one of this year’s honorary panelists for (201) Magazine’s 2015 “Women For Women: Balancing Act” event. Kathy is a Senior Vice President at Ridgewood Wealth Management Group, USB Financial Service. Pictured are long time Angel friends and book club members: (L to R) Christine Corriston ’83, Noelle Letcher Newhouse ’83, Jackie Walsh Connell ’83, Kathy McNicholas Entwistle ’83, Judy Frasco ’83, Janine Martella Binas ’83 and Caroline Dowd.
’84
Jean Butler ’84 is the Executive Director of the Toy Industry Foundation, the charitable arm of the Toy Industry Association, and was featured in the Bergen Record for her work with hospitals, foster and military children. A program called Prescription 2 Play is set to launch in October and will fund a child life specialist for three hospitals across the country. The AHA Class of 1984 will be holding a BBQ on June 13, 2015 (raindate is June 27) at Kerry Oates Butkera’s house in Emerson! Start time: 4:00pm. All ’84 alumnae are strongly encouraged to come and celebrate 30 years! Getting together at the official reunion coordinated by AHA was a great time and encouraged this second event, to bring even more ’84 Angels together! For information check the Facebook group, AHA Angels Class of ’84 or contact Kerry at kbutkera@gmail.com or Mary Veras-Ayoub at myoub@aol.com. RSVP at www.whoozin.com/9A3-D44-73HC. Let’s make this a BBQ to remember, full of memories, laughs and re-kindled friendships!
’85
Monica Corcoran Harel ’85 was recently named Executive Director, Global Brand Messaging for Smashbox Cosmetics. Monica will be responsible for establishing a brand voice for Smashbox and translating it across all consumer touch points and retail channels. Karen Entricken Vardaro ’85 shares, “my oldest daughter Erika graduated high school this year and is a freshman at Colorado State University. Loving how her academic career is unfolding!”
’86
Lynn Ann Casey ’86 and her company, Arc Aspicio, have been recognized in Future 50 by Washington’s SmartCEO magazine. Carreen Winters Longo ’86 was recently named to the first-ever PR News’ “Top Women in PR” list. The list honors the industry’s most influential women, who have made bold advances in managing crises, developing brand messages, protecting and building brand reputations and creating content for digital platforms. Carreen is the executive vice president and global corporate reputation leader at MWW.
’96
Heather Miller Shalaida ’96 and her husband Peter welcomed their son Luke James on June 6, 2014. Luke weighed 8lbs 14oz. Heather, Peter and Luke currently live in Rutherford, NJ. Michelle Murad Wirth ’96 was honored by Advertising Women of New York and Working Mother Media at the 2015 Advertising Working Mothers of the Year. Michelle is a Marketing Department Manager for Mercedes Benz, USA.
’97
Anne Krone Zapata ’97 and her husband Tom welcomed sons Liam Zachary and Ryan Alexander on January 20, 2014. Liam weighed 7lbs 1oz and Ryan weighed 7lbs, and both were 19.5 inches long. Their son, Tommy, is a proud big brother. Liam (left) and Ryan (right) recently celebrated their first birthday.
’87
Nancy Harvier Forrester ’87 was featured on NorthJersey.com for using a crowdfunding site to raise monies for her friend with ALS. The funds went towards buying a vehicle so her friend could remain active in her daughter’s school, St. Therese, in Cresskill.
’90
Ann Mrkic Zgonena ’90 and her husband Robert welcomed their fourth child, Matthew Hudson on August 1, 2014. Matthew joins siblings Kate, Emma and Nicholas.
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Parents of Alumnae had a Wine & Cheese Reception, introducing AHA President Melinda Hanlon and reconnecting with old friends prior to AHA’s performance of Macbeth. This organization is meant to be social, and not for fundraising. Co-coordinators JoAnn Mara (Kendra ’03) and Judy Lehecka (Emily ’06) encourage and hope to see other alumnae parents at upcoming events!
’99
Megan Petersen Handeland ’99, husband Kenneth and big brother Kristian welcomed a baby girl, Kaleigh Mary, on February 27.
Margaux Peña Hufnagel ’99, husband Jim and big brother James welcomed baby boy Benjamin on December 2, 2014.
’00
Dana Russo ’00 and Peter Luppino were married at Our Lady of Grace Church in Fairview, NJ on October 4, 2013. The reception was held at the Pleasantdale Chateau in West Orange. Crystal Calabrese ’00 served as Maid of
Honor. Other Angels in attendance were Megan Feliciano ’00, Carol Heron Armenti ’99, Marianna Gugliotta ’99, Gina Gugliotta ’97, Catherine Heron Carpenter ’97, Aline Tabibian ’97 and Lauren Luppino Rodriguez ’95. The newlyweds were introduced in late 2009 by Mirtha Del Giudice, mother of Suzette Del Giudice ’95 and Michelle Del Giudice Rendo ’90. Dana works at SPNY Capital, LP, a private investment fund in Manhattan. Peter, a CFA Charterholder, with an MBA from Stern, is employed by the Asset Management company AllianceBernstein, LP. The couple honeymooned in Bora Bora, French Polynesia and resides in Lower Manhattan.
’01
Caitlin Early Greenberg ’01 and her husband Ryan are delighted to announce the birth of their daughter, Samantha Rose, who was born on January 7, 2015. They are currently residing in San Francisco, CA.
’02
Jenevieve Chimento ’02 was recently honored with the Governor’s Award for Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Jenevieve is presently a Kindergarten teacher at J. Spencer Smith School in Tenafly, NJ. She received her undergraduate degree from Manhattan College in 2006 and will complete her Master’s Degree in Teaching from Saint Peter’s University in May of 2015.
The “fairytale” wedding celebration for Megan Davidson ’02 and Andre B. Hund (formerly from Porto Alegre, Brazil) took place at the Stonehouse of Sterling Ridge in Warren, NJ on August 30, 2014. Megan and Andre were previously legally married privately on a beach in Captiva, Florida. So finally being able to plan and invite all their family members to their wedding celebration meant the world to them. Their wedding vows were re-affirmed by the minister of their church in the presence of close friends and both of their families finally in one country! Angels in attendance at the wedding were Katie Lonegan Parnay ’02, Sarah Greenberg Astorian ’02 and Jessica O’Hanlon ’02. On another note, Jessica O’Hanlon ’02 was recently awarded the prestigious “Making Democracy Work” award by the League of Women Voters of New Jersey.
’03
Sherry Sansone ’03 and her husband Stephen Engel welcomed their first son, Ryan Nicholas, on February 1, 2015. He weighed 7lbs 10oz and was 20.5” long.
Thank you to the many alumnae and current/past parents who have signed up to participate in the Angels Advantage Program as mentors. If you have not yet done so, it is not too late to share your expertise! If you can offer an externship, an opportunity for a student to shadow you, or can be a mentor via email please contact the Alumnae Office at alumnae@holyangels.org or by filling out the form: www.holyangels.org/alumnae/angels-advantage-registration
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’05
Meghan Azzaro ’05 got engaged to her college sweetheart Channing Hawkins on November 9, 2014. He popped the question at Brotherhood Winery and they are looking forward to the big day at the Stone House in October 2016.
’12 ’06
Cristina Campion ’06 was married on May 31, 2014, to Zachary Loebel-Fried, who graduated from River Dell High School in 2005. In attendance were Ann Marie Cariaga ’06, Pascal Ferreira ’06, Cathleen Carris ’06, Angie Dal Lago ’06, Christina Montepara ’06 and Laura Filon ’06.
Christina Burke ’05 married Noah Kubissa on August 23, 2014 at St. John the Evangelist in Leonia, NJ. The couple celebrated with friends and family at the Westmount Country Club in Woodland Park, NJ. Angels in attendance were Alyssa Santos ’05, Elizabeth Kohli ’05, Jaclyn Zambrella ’05, Christine Bellina ’05, Kathleen Clifford ’05 and Marissa Mazza ’04. The happy couple honeymooned in Greece and currently resides in Plano, TX.
’09
Talin Baghdadlian ’09 recently completed her work with the EastWest Institute. She is now participating in a volunteer program called Birthright Armenia in Armenia. This volunteer position is with the foreign policy think tank, Regional Studies Center in Yerevan, Armenia. Talin will then return to the US to begin preparations for graduate school in the fall.
Annemarie Hansen ’12, currently studying at Boston College, was so moved by the Boston Marathon bombing that she knew she had to do something. She was not able to earn a place in the 2014 Boston Marathon, but instead ran the Providence Marathon. Her mom encouraged her to consider the NYC Marathon this past November. Annemarie’s dad, Dave, had run the NYC Marathon before and she wasn’t going to run it without him by her side. In fact, a story about them was featured in the Bergen Record the day after the event. As a former AHA Crew Team member, Annemarie was never a runner, but she says now, “ I don’t know if I’ll know how to stop running after this.”
’11
Alyssa Merkle ’11 is a biochemical engineering student at University of Connecticut while balancing the role of New England Patriots cheerleader. She is one of 10 on the squad who are pursuing STEM careers. “I love that when I go to cheering events, I’m able to say that I’m going to school for biomedical engineering just to see the look of shock on their face,” Merkle told UConn Today.
Barbara Carletta Chen ’85 traveled from Bejing to AHA’s Food Truck event! She is pictured with AHA Director of Alumnae Relations Dorrie Voulgaris.
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Olivia Michael ’12 was featured on the College of New Jersey website for her internship at CNBC assignment desk. She is majoring in marketing with a minor in journalism. Olivia has gained tremendous experience at CNBC, filming on location at the NYSE and even conducting man-on-the-street interviews. In June, Olivia will also be competing in the Miss New Jersey pageant with her eyes on the Miss America pageant in the fall.
’13
Reid McLain ’13 was honored during Family Weekend at Bucknell University with the Samuel Ziegler Prize. This award honors a student whose preliminary examinations in English, during the first year at the university, have shown the greatest proficiency in the elements of English composition. Alexandra Weiss ’13, currently a sophomore at Fairfield University, recently participated in a service trip on the border during her winter break. While on this service trip she continued her ties to the School Sisters of Notre Dame when she met S. Lucy who worked with AHA on a similar trip.
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’14
Gabrielle Palumbo ’14 was selected to the USCAA Second Team All-American for the 2014 soccer season. She was also Honorable Mention Player of the Week three times during the season for her outstanding defensive play. The Albany College of Pharmacy Panthers had a winning season, claiming the HVIAC Championship. They continued their season at the USCAA National Championships in West Virginia in November. Gabrielle was the only freshman to start for the team.
We love hearing from our alumnae! We want to celebrate with you by sharing your good news and accomplishments with the entire AHA community. Send your news and photos for the next issue of Tidings to alumnae@holyangels.org by June 30, 2015. We love pictures, and we want you to look good! Photos that are below the acceptable resolution for print will not be published. Here are some tips for sending us digital photos that will look fantastic in print: • Make sure your camera is set to the best photo setting (usually “FINE”) so that your photos will be 300dpi or higher • Do not send photos directly from your phone, as they are automatically sized down to a lower resolution • Please “attach” your photo to the email, just as you would a document. JPEGs are preferred.
The tradition of tea prior to the musical continued this year. Alumnae and their guests enjoyed the AHA production of The Drowsy Chaperone. Angel alumnae in attendance were: Joanna Calabrese Ariyan ’95, Daria Galbo Ballard ’94, Alicia Luizzi Baranowski ’77, Maura Slattery Corcoran ’86, Lauren DeLucia ’95, Donna Macri Fatovic ’88, Maire O’Dwyer Houston ’91, Stephanie Sapaskis Karlis ’95, Barbara Bertolini Luizi ’49, Rosemary Leyden Lynch ’62, Danielle DeMaria Orlofsky ’91, Joanne Benedetti Parlamis ’95, Jo-Anne Lynch Pospischil ’92, Rodalynne Girado Rettew ’95, Allison Andres Umbricht ’91 and Stacey Wunsch Zwernermann ’88.
The alumnae in the Boston area gathered for a tour of the newly renovated Harvard Art Museum followed by lunch at the Harvest Restaurant in Harvard Square. A very special thank you goes to Katie Chambers Press ’99 who works for the museum and arranged our tour. In attendance were: S. Virginia Bobrowski, SSND ’61, S. Francis Miriam Conway, SSND, Cookie Puig Dolan ’75, Jane Dubois ’66, Karen Gallagher ’78, AHA President Melinda Hanlon, Margaux Pena Hufnagel ’99 and her son Ben, Eileen McIntyre ’67, Jillian Giliberto Miller ’00, Katie Chambers Press ’99, Nancy Vargas ’81 and her husband Kevin, and AHA Director of Alumnae Relations Dorrie Voulgaris.
Each year, alumnae mothers are invited to the stage during the Ring Ceremony to present rings to their daughters. Pictured below are: Diane Carozza ’88 (Amanda ’16), Patricia Muller McDevitt ’81 (Michele ’16), Geraldine O’Shea Wacker ’88 (Kelly ’16), Maureen Reuter Gallo ’80 (Christina ’16), Andrea McDermott Hyer ’80 (Caroline ’16), Laura Barbieri Longobardi ’84 (Gabrielle ’16), Mary Veras Ayoub ’84 (Sara ’16), Marlene Godfrey Den Bleyker ’83 (Sara ’16), Patricia Ronan Moser ’87 (Monica ’16), Mary Lou Donohue Owens ’85 (Bridget ’16) and MaryKate Ficca Menapace ’90 (Molly ’16).
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a c a d e m y o f t h e h o ly a n g e l s
Angel Network Bianca Monaco ’09 visited Sociology and AP US Government classes. She is currently teaching in Miami as a part of the Teach for America program.
The Awareness Day 2015 keynote speaker was Elizabeth Reynoso ’90 (pictured below with Principal Jennifer Moran and President Melinda Hanlon. Also present for a career panel were Christine Umali ’99, Jeanine Dargis ’02 and Catherine Perna Saum ’05. Two alumnae were also workshop presenters: Kate Branciforte ’08 and Daniella Bazzini ’08.
Claire Quinn ’09 visited the International Studies class prior to returning to her post in Nicaragua for the Peace Corps. Kelly Quirk Ceperly ’00 was the featured speaker at AHA’s Catholic Schools Week Assembly. Kelly shared how the foundation of her social justice education has helped her as the Director of the Bowery Resident’s Committee in NYC.
Daneille Mazza ’08 spoke about her journey in becoming a cosmetic chemist to Nancy Brizzolara’s chemistry classes.
Mona Bachani ’07 gave a presentation about Hinduism to the World Religion classes. She is pictured with Religious Studies teacher Kathleen Walsh, and her sister Ashley ’16.
Talin Baghdadlian ’09 presented on her experience studying abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia to Jennifer Cucchisi’s International Studies class. Talin has a degree in International Relations.
Elizabeth Reynoso ’90, Food Policy Director for the City of Newark, shared, “It is so great to be home because this is where I developed a hunger to make a difference in the world.” Joahnna Morrison Volpi ’99 was the speaker at the Junior Ring Ceremony. Dana Dorgan McCarren ’89 spoke at the NHS Induction Ceremony this year.
Kimberly Redmond ’01 gave a presentation on working as a journalist for local papers and now for nj.com, the largest website for local news in the state. Olivia Michael ’12 spoke to the Communications class about her past internship with CNBC and her current one at the Today show.
Caitlin Daniels ’14 spoke to the International Studies class about her OP Smile mission trip to Nicaragua. She also Sculptor Kathleen Kohl ’05 spoke at the shared her first year college experience Art National Honor Society Induction. at Holy Cross where she is majoring in Political Science, Peace and Conflict Photo courtesy of UPENN studies and Women and Gender Studies.
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A
lumnae Weekend kicked off on Friday October 24th, with the celebration of the SSND Foundation Day. Alumnae were treated to a dramatic presentation by Blessed Mother Theresa portrayed by S. Marie Justine Nutz ’55. Alumnae were then able to attend classes or tour the campus prior to having lunch with AHA faculty and staff. Saturday night the celebration continued with the annual Alumnae Mass followed by a welcome reception and another opportunity to tour the campus with current Angels. At the conclusion of mass, there was a presentation of the classes. In keeping with tradition, the “golden” Angels were presented with yellow roses, recognizing their celebration of more than 50 years since graduation. The class of 1964 joined this golden group for the first time as they marked their 50th reunion milestone. The class of 1989 also received roses in honor of their 25th anniversary. Each class took time to pose together during the night and those photos can be viewed at www.holyangels.org/ reunion. The rest of the evening gave those in attendance an opportunity to reconnect and share memories, but most importantly time to catch up with old and new friends.
We invite you all to a very special
Alumnae Weekend celebrating AHA’s 50th Jubilee of our Demarest Campus!
Also including a special reunion for all classes ending in 5 & 0
October 23-24, 2015!
Alumnae Weekend
Class Reunions
To view more photos or to order prints, go to
October 24-25, 2014
www.holyangels.org/reunion
t h e l at e s t h a p p e n i n g s i n
Over 100 students, staff and volunteers joined forces in the fall to construct a greenhouse on AHA’s campus. Science Department Chairperson Nancy Brizzolara thanked the student volunteers, saying, “Project Greenhouse is your project. You are the builders, the installers, the farmers, researchers and contributors to the food banks and your contagious enthusiasm has spread through this community.” The purpose of Project Greenhouse is to build a functional greenhouse, power it with solar panels, plant seeds that will grow to seedlings that can be transplanted to a large garden, and harvest the crops for donation to local food banks. Students have been empowered in the process from the beginning, gaining experience in budgeting, safety, planning and design, construction, accessorizing, planting, harvesting, and disbursing products. Project Greenhouse will afford students with a hands-on opportunity to carry out crosscurricular studies in Biology, Environmental Science, Physics, Mathematics, Engineering, and Technology. Students will explore not only the mutual interaction among these fields but will be challenged to consider the moral and humanistic implications presented by scientific inquiry as well. Principal Jennifer Moran emphasized that Holy Angels promotes what she calls “citizen science with a moral imperative.”
scan the qr code to learn more about AHA’s stream program!
@ AHA
Five students applied and were selected to attend the TEDYouth Conference at the Brooklyn Museum of Art earlier this year. They are pictured below, L to R: Kiana Luscher, Alexandra Meyers, Ruby Kang, Renata Francesca and Sophia Cotter. See their video essay at holyangels.org/about-us/videos.
Holy Angels’ “Space Angels” have been busy researching their assignments as a part of their work for NASA’s Center for Lunar Science and Exploration. They presented a preliminary research project entitled “Moon 101” via Adobe Connect, working in pairs to offer an analysis of three photos of the moon’s surface. After their presentation, they fielded questions from Mr. Andrew Shaner of the Center for Lunar Science and Exploration, who commended them on their work. They have also worked with Dr. Jeffrey Plescia, who is on a SSERVI (Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute) team with the Applied Physics Lab at Johns Hopkins University. Recently the girls competed with other high school teams to present their research at the Exploration Science Forum at the NASA Ames Research Center and made it to the semi-final round. Pictured below, L to R are Siddhi Patel, Samantha Ryan, Jami Rizzo, Vivian Wang, Samantha Pereira and Francesca Boccia.
Six AHA students were selected to participate in The Perry Outreach Initiative hosted by New York University Center at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. Named in honor of the late orthopedic surgeon Dr. Jacqueline Perry, The Perry Initiative is dedicated to inspiring young women to study orthopedic medicine and engineering. Although women are well represented at the nation’s medical schools, they are less likely than men to specialize in these fields. The Perry Initiative aims to reverse this trend by encouraging female students to consider a career in orthopedics and engineering. The group of 36 total students was guided by an all female team of orthopedic surgeons, residents and mechanical and bio-medical engineers. The girls performed several types of mock orthopedic surgeries including a spinal fusion for scoliosis, a knee replacement and an external fixation. They used power tools to create a fracture in a bone model and then were required to repair it using plates and screws that would provide the most stability. Participants were also invited to attend presentations from top women physicians and scientists who shared their experiences and offered invaluable advice on achieving success. Pictured left to right are four of the AHA juniors who participated in the program: Kiera Feldner, Samantha Martinez, Allyson MacConchie and Adrianne Alfonso. Junior Kelly Mandella and Senior Kiana Yee also participated but are not pictured.
Holy Angel’s Environmental Science class has been participating in NJ Fish and Wildlife’s program TIC (Trout in the Classroom). The goal of the TIC program is to increase awareness of freshwater health in NJ by raising Brook Trout and releasing them into a local stream. To learn more about the trout, the class went to the Pequest Trout Hatcher in Oxford, NJ in the beginning of the school year. There they learned about the anatomy of the trout, feeding patterns, survival requirements, and the different types of trout. Approximately 300-350 fertilized eggs were delivered to AHA in October by volunteers from Trout Unlimited. After delivery of the eggs, the students were responsible for caring for the fish. They conducted daily water assessments including pH, KH, GH, Ammonia,
Nitrite, Nitrate and temperature. Additionally, student volunteers do weekly water changes of the tank to ensure the health of the trout. Soon the class will travel to Rindlaub Park in Saddle River, NJ to release the trout into the Saddle River. At the start of the TIC, students were told that a survival rate of 10-15 fish would
be a success, and the Angels far exceeded that rate by releasing 219 fish! Ten AHA students, along with Business and Technology teacher Mrs. Karen Camporeale, spent the day at Microsoft’s New York City offices in March to participate in a program called DigiGirlz. The daylong event featured demonstrations and presentations aimed at helping young women interested in careers in business and technology. The program also allowed the students to get an inside look at what it’s like to work at Microsoft. The following AHA students attended: Lucy Worden, Victoria Cabales, Monica Moser, Jamie Rizzo, Kelly Farrell, Julia Canney, Jillian Valdez, Jessica Danylchuk, Molly Doyle and Eleanor Kim.
ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Jennifer DeLucia Garafalo ’91 and Coach Patrick Dunne
The Academy of the Holy Angels Athletic Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have enhanced the Holy Angels program either as an athlete, coach or contributor. Nominees must exemplify the highest standards of sportsmanship, ethical conduct and moral character. In short, nominees must be a positive role model, worthy of being emulated by current and future students. Jennifer DeLucia Garafalo ’91 It was at Holy Angels that Jennifer’s passion for athletics was fostered and her leadership skills fine-tuned. Jennifer played soccer on the Varsity team in her sophomore and junior years. But her passion for basketball began in her freshman year. She started her AHA basketball career on the Junior Varsity team in 9th grade and quickly moved up to Varsity by sophomore year. Junior and senior year, Jennifer was co-captain. That final season, she scored her 1,000th point and became the first Angel to do so in AHA history. Jennifer also served on the board of the student Athletic Association. Her involvement at AHA was not strictly athletic; she was a member of the National Honor Society, Math Honor Society, French Honor Society and Model UN.
University. Jennifer works as an Oncology Regional Business Director for Janssen Biotech which is a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson.
After graduation from Holy Angels, Jennifer attended Brown University. She played four years of basketball, winning the Ivy League Championship with her team three years in a row. They were the first women’s team in the Ivies to get an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. In 1994, she was awarded the Brown Women’s Basketball Hustle Award that recognizes extra effort both physically and mentally as well as a competitive attitude that pushed both the athlete and her teammates. Jennifer also played softball during her freshman year at Brown.
Patrick Dunne Patrick began his teaching career at Holy Angels in 1988. He has been an active member of the Social Studies department and moderator to various clubs. As an avid bowler, it was a seamless transition to the role of coach in 1998. That year, the bowling club began and with so much interest, became a Varsity sport the following year. The call to “Unite and Strike” could be heard on the PA encouraging the fan base of students and faculty to support the Angels at their matches at Bowler City.
Jennifer graduated from Brown with a degree in Psychology and has been active in their NJ alumni association chapter serving as Co-President. She continued her education and attained a Master’s in Public Health from Rutgers UMDNJ and an Executive MBA from Rutgers
The Angels have reached the state sectionals each year since 2008. They won the league title in 2013 and 2014 and the Bergen County Tournament in 2014. The team has garnered the coveted Team of the Year title by the Bergen County Women’s Association in 2013 and again in 2014.
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All of this would not have been possible without what the Bergen Record called the “master builder.” This description fits Patrick perfectly and explains why he was named girls’ bowling Coach of the Year in 2013. Though not part of the inaugural years, Patrick got in the swing of things and began coaching the golf team in 2003. Again, Patrick taught many of the newcomers the game skills needed to succeed. The Angels were league champions every year from 2010-2013 and state finalists in 2012. In 2012 the team was named Bergen County Team of the Year and Patrick was again named Coach of the Year. A Bergen Record reporter described Patrick’s success: “Slowly but steadily, coach Patrick Dunne built the depth that enabled Holy Angels to become one of New Jersey’s best girls golf programs.” In 2010, the Bergen Record named Patrick the girls’ golf Coach of the Decade saying, “Dunne has led the program the previous seven years, among the longest tenures in North Jersey. He never has a superstar, but turnout is almost always high and his players improve.” Through all of this, Patrick teaches integrity and sportsmanship to all of the Angels on both of his teams. He encourages them in an atmosphere of learning and sharing where lifetime friendships are built. Patrick has felt that support of his current and past players during recent years at the Mary Dunne Bowling Tournament. This annual event raised funds for Coaches for Cancer in memory of Patrick’s beloved wife Mary. Again, Patrick teaches us all that an afternoon of friendly competition for a good cause brings out the best in all of us.
in memoriam ALUMNAE Mary Alice Britz ’72 Claire Browning ’71 Sister of Kathleen Browning ’88
Eileen Crimmins Gerity ’50 S. Jane Halligan, SSND ’64 Colleen Finnegan Hautau ’63 Sister of Lucy Finnegan Boyle ’71, Marybeth Finnegan Hubbard ’76 and the late Margo Finnegan ’69
Katherine Kemp Miller ’75 Sister of Rosemary Kemp ’71
Patricia Jones O’Rourke ’59
Helen Falco
Aristine Terrell
Grandmother of Julia DeSimone ’15
Grandmother of Tamika Archie ’00
Boyd Goodell
Theresa Therrien
Grandfather of AHA faculty member Jennifer Goodell
Aunt of MaryElena Bafundo ’18
Jeanette Gorecki
Aunt of AHA staff member Dorrie Voulgaris
Mother of Joan Gorecki Lasser ’75 and Jeanne Gorecki Spychalski ’75
Joseph Hartney Father of Patricia Hartney Byrne ’70
John Haws
John Kelly
Aunt of Katerina Lallos ’15
Father of Annemarie Kelly Lee ’78
Mary G. Kennedy
Geraldine Hannan Seiler ’55 FAMILY & FRIENDS George Andreassi
Grandmother of Rebecca Kennedy Oleszkiewicz ’96
William Kreush Husband of Mary Ann Nowicki Kreush ’51 and father of Cynthia Kreush Fochesato ’79, Loretta Kreush ’80 and Patricia Kreush ’81
Catherine LaMonica
Grandfather of Olivia Cseh ’16 and Kyra Cseh ’18
Grandmother of Katherine Kohler ’17
Lois Azzollini
Father of Inji Lim ’18
Mother of Jennifer Azzollini Andrada ’98
Ione Backus Grandmother of Elizabeth Saccoliti ’16
Lauretta Baggs Mother of Bonnie Baggs Egan ’61
Richard Bator Father of Elizabeth Bator ’93
Marian Bolger Mother of Rita Bolger-Cima ’75
Helen Branciforte Mother of AHA Board Member Joseph Branciforte and Grandmother of Kate Branciforte ’08
Walter Browning Father of Kathleen Browning ’88 and the late Claire Browning ’71
Gerald Calabrese Father of Janet Calabrese Merrill ’66
Joseph Callan Father of Teresa Callan Orth ’80
Jim Capone Uncle of Olivia Capone ’18
Anne Cerruti mother of Carol Cerruti Panasuk ’74 and Ellen Cerruti Pearce ’75
Milton Congress
Byungkyu Lim Robert Meier Father of Jennifer Meier Toole ’04
Antonio Messina Grandfather of Gabriella Messina ’15
John Miller Uncle of Jacklyn Miller ’15
Thomas Naughton Father of Kathleen Naughton ’81 and Patricia Naugton Kelly ’83
Chris Ohly Husband of Karen Vanacek Ohly ’77
Lourdes Pisarri Mother of Di Ana Pisarri ’92
Mary Pizza Aunt of AHA faculty member Jennifer Cucchisi and Aunt of Drew Mount ’16
Liliana Raia Grandmother of Julia Rondos ’15
George Roy Father of Patricia Roy Wolf ’83 and Catherine Roy Spies ’85
Robert Rush Husband of Anne Tarsney Rush ’82
Madeleine Finkel Sackheim
Uncle of Inaya Spradley ’18
Mother of AHA staff member Catherine Korvin
Maureen Conneen
Clara Sanna
Mother of Elizabeth Conneen McMahon ’84
Irene Dalis Mother of Alida Loinaz ’76
Stephanie Dombroski Mother of Katherine Dombroski ‘14
John Zanetti Father of Eleanora Zanetti Schian ’84
Ann McCabe Moran ’56 Sister of Agnes Hoar Hughes ’51 and the late Anne Marie Hoar Cavallaro ’47
Peggy Wright Mother of Penny Wright Byrd ’72, Pam Wright Bilash ’76 and Amy Wright Sharkey ’78
Father-in-law of Geralyn Parent Haws ’82 and Grandfather of Anne Haws ’15 and Mary Haws ’18
Sister of Elizabeth Jones McIntyre ’57 and the late Katherine Jones McEntee ’56
Patricia Hoar Rushforth ’50
Nancy Worsnop
Grandmother of Alison Sanna ’02
John Mark Schaeffer Husband of Francesca Cappelletti Schaeffer ’69
Gerard Slattery Father of Kathy Slattery Pareti ’72, Jane Slattery Garrambone ’74 and Diane Slattery Barbera ’76
Wendy Zavolas Michael Zubrick Husband of Christine Daley Zubrick ’65
Doris Cooney, mother of Janet Cooney ’66, Patricia Cooney O’Connor ’69 and Kathleen Cooney Wiener ’74 and grandmother of Samantha Wiener Henry ’05, Allison Wiener Duggan ’08 and Lauren Wiener ’11 passed away in November 2014. Doris was a past president of the Parents’ Guild and was bestowed the title of honorary alumna. She was instrumental in the move from Fort Lee to Demarest and took great care to make sure that the sisters’ rooms in the convent were move-in ready down to the last detail.
Academy of the Holy Angels has made every effort to verify the accuracy of the data contained herein. We apologize for any errors or omissions and ask that you bring them to our attention for subsequent correction. Submissions for In Memoriam should be sent to the Office of Alumnae Relations: 315 Hillside Avenue, Demarest, NJ 07627 or email at alumnae@holyangels.org.
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READERS: The Post Office does not forward Tidings. Postal regulations require the school to pay for every copy not deliverable as addressed. Please notify us directly of any changes of address, giving both the new and old address. PARENTS: If this publication is addressed to your daughter and she no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumnae Office at 201-768-7822 x211 or by email at alumnae@holyangels.org.
Mario Spola, father of Theresa Spola Doyle ’69, Maria Spola Muller ’71 and Andrea Spola Lupo ’82 passed away on January 21, 2015. In 1982, Mario and his wife Theresa began funding a four-year scholarship to Holy Angels for graduates of St. Therese in Cresskill, supporting a student each year that would otherwise not have been able to attend. In addition, their generosity extended even further and most visibly in AHA’s Spola Science Center. In 2005, Mario and Theresa were awarded the AHA Legacy Award. We at the Academy of the Holy Angels have been privileged to have been entrusted with the education of their daughters and all of the past, present and future Spola Scholarship recipients, and are deeply grateful for Mario’s unwavering support as a champion for catholic education.
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