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 3
October 25–26, 2013
Alumnae Weekend Including a reunion celebration for the classes ending in 3 & 8!
Save theDate october 25, 2013 foundation Day at AHA
october 26, 2013 alumnae celebration
• Join us for a special community gathering • Celebrate the SSNDs’ contribution to Holy Angels • Attend a class
• Mass & Dinner • Special recognition for reunion classes • Tours of the building
For more information, visit www.holyangelsalumnae.org 2
p r e s i d e n t 's m e s s a g e
contents ON THE COVER
Fifty-six years ago, in September of 1957, I got on the #82 bus which drove the length of Fort Lee Road and dropped me off in front of the Academy of the Holy Angels. Four years later, I got on a yellow school bus in AHA’s parking lot with seven other newly graduated seniors. We had exchanged our uniforms for habits and we were on our way to Wilton, CT to learn how to be School Sisters of Notre Dame. Within six years I returned to my alma mater in 1967 to live and teach with many of the sisters who had taught me, an experience both intimidating and challenging. For the next 13 years, the master teachers with whom I worked and lived formed me as a bona fide SSND educator. I thrived teaching at Holy Angels, uncovering the mistry of Chemistry for young women eager to learn. For the next 25 years I parted company with Holy Angels and moved to Boston, MA. But a phone call from the Provincial in March of 2005 radically changed my life. She asked me if I would consider being the interim president of Holy Angels. To my surprise, I heard myself saying “yes”, probably thinking that I could fill in for a year. But as you and I know, that year has extended itself into this year. Where did that “yes” come from? Fifteen years of experience at AHA as a student and as a member of the faculty, and 42 years as a School Sister of Notre Dame. Upon returning in 2005, I felt as if I had never left AHA. Returning was a homecoming, not of geography but as being called and sent by my community, whose mission is directed to education. It was a return to the heart of the matter. From 1879 until now, from Sister Nonna Dunphy to me, no one person can take credit for all that Holy Angels offers to young women today. First, it takes a vision: For the School Sisters of Notre Dame, education means enabling persons to reach the fullness of their potential as individuals created in God’s image and assisting them to direct their gifts toward building the earth. (You Are Sent #22) Second, it takes time – 134 years. Third, it takes a community: the School Sisters of Notre Dame, the strong women who have served in leadership, the highly qualified and dedicated faculty and staff, young women willing to reach the fullness of their potential, parents supporting Holy Angels’ mission and philosophy, and alumnae, friends and benefactors who faithfully and generously support Holy Angels. As I take my leave from Holy Angels, I thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for all you have done for this extraordinary school, the Academy of the Holy Angels. During this time of transition, the words of Dag Hammarskjold have become the prayer of my heart, which I ask you to pray with me, “For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes.” Gratefully,
S. Virginia Bobrowski, SSND, ’61 President, Academy of the Holy Angels
NJ Shore Relief Efforts
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Kairos Retreat
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Angels Support Newtown
IN EVERY ISSUE 3
President’s Message
4
Angel Athletes
8
Angels in the Arts
Spirituality 12 14
Angels Around the Halls
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Alumnae News
27 In Memoriam Special thanks to AHA parent Trish Mellas for the sports photography featured on pages 4-7.
tidings V o l u m e V i , n u m b er 3
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Dear Alumnae, Parents and Friends,
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Tara Brunt Director of Development development@holyangels.org Jillane Ferreira Director of Communications jillane@holyangels.org Dorrie Voulgaris Director of Alumnae Relations alumnae@holyangels.org
angel athletes
Volleyball After graduating two starting seniors, one of whom was an all-county player, Angels’ volleyball still maintained a season record of 15 wins and 12 losses – just one more loss than the previous season. The team struggled to find its rhythm in the first few tournaments of the season. However, showing resilience while competing against some of the top teams in the state: Bogota, River Dell and West Morris Central, the girls made an effort that they can be very proud of.
Tournament, and although this ranking is lower than past seasons, it was still quite an accomplishment, as the rank was given through a vote by other coaches within the county. In the Non-Public Division of the state tournament, Holy Angels was ranked 6th among all Non-Public schools in New Jersey. This ranking was also quite remarkable, as it was above that of teams with better records. This was due to AHA’s strength of schedule and the respect the program has earned throughout the state. The Varsity team made it to the final round of the state tournament at William Paterson University, where they ultimately lost, but just to compete in the finals was a tremendous feat. This year there are five seniors graduating and eight underclassmen returning. Holy Angels is continuing the fight to hold their position as a top contender in the best county for girls’ volleyball.
Following a rocky start, with player injuries and line up changes, the Angels finally found their stride after a 2-0 win over Fair Lawn and a 2-1 win over Wayne Valley. After inconsistent play and alternating between wins and losses, these wins solidified the Angels’ confidence to compete against strong teams. Following a week long hiatus due to Hurricane Sandy, Holy Angels went on a seven game winning streak, which took them through to the finals of the state tournament. They concluded the season by placing 3rd in the division. They ranked 17th in the Bergen County
Cross Country – 8 time County Champs! The Cross Country Angels had an outstanding season, winning the Bergen County Championship for the 8th straight year. They also won the Big North Divisional League Championship and all of their league meets, defeating IHA, Paramus Catholic and DePaul. They won the Season Opener Invitational, then placed second at the Bergen County Meet of Champions, second at the Darlington Invitational and second at the Maroon Invitational. They just missed placing at the State Group Meet by 8 points. The team was led by Ashley Strysko and Lydon Kersting. Lydon was also the Maroon Invitational champion. Mary Watters, Tara Hayes, Brigid Hayes and Niamh Glynn received accolades during the season, while Briana Martinotti, Patricia Das, Eva Gurian, Elena Volpe and Ciara Rhodes also contributed greatly.
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Tennis
Division Champs! With three singles players and half of the doubles Varsity team graduating last year, Angels’ tennis was left with only one returning player going into tryouts. Being seeded as the #17 team in the county by the Bergen Record was a hard stat to swallow, especially after being state sectional finalists last year. The Angels came out with high expectations, and only one week into the season it was clear that another stellar team was emerging. Together the Angels set and surpassed goals that ultimately shocked the league. They ended the season 12-6. Four of the six losses came at scores of 2-3 against the top county teams.
match of the tournament. Jackie was also defeated after a grueling three set match, and her opponent went on to win the tournament in the two singles position. The 1st doubles team had a tough but extremely close match against IHA and the 2nd doubles team also advanced to the quarter final round.
The “unstoppable singles trio” (a label given by the Bergen Record) fought one thrilling match after another. All three girls, Adrianne Alfonso, Jackie DeRocher and Christen Duff were undefeated going into the county tournament. Facing their strongest competition yet, the girls rose to the challenge. Christen lost in a fierce match to a seeded player from Demarest, whom she went on to beat later in the season. Adrianne and Jackie both advanced to the quarter final round where they both faced off against Northern Highlands. Adrianne went three long sets and fell to her opponent who was the #2 seed. League coaches all agreed that it was the
Following counties, the Angels would meet arch rivals, IHA, for the second and third time of the season. With a win against them already, AHA went 2-1 with them for the season. One of those wins was in the state semi-finals. Overall, the Angels finished as Division Champs for the second year in a row. Following the big win against IHA in the semis, AHA moved on to compete against Kent Place in the state finals. Though they weren’t able to capture the state title this year, they did not go down easily. Playing some of their best tennis all year, the day felt like a victory regardless of the outcome.
Soccer This year, the soccer team qualified for both the county and state tournaments. They finished the season with a record of 7-11, a significant improvement over the 2-win season of 2011. Team captains Sara Carpentieri, Amanda Garcia, and Adriana Kranjac should be commended for fostering such a strong team spirit. This was a group of athletes who enjoyed playing together and it was evidenced in their successes on the field. The biggest win this year came against St. Dominic in the first round match of the state tournament. The match was played at home, with the winning goal scored by Sara Carpentieri. This was the first state tournament win for the
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Angels’ soccer program in the past 10 years. The Angels eventually lost to IHA in the 2nd round, in a well-played and closely contested match. Kristen Sherlock hit the crossbar in the first half; IHA scored against the run of play in the 60th minute and held on to win the match. AHA faculty member Megan Moran ’03 came on as Assistant Coach for the varsity team this year. Miss Moran was a great addition, and the successes of this year would not have been possible without her able management of match substitutions. All the coaches agree that this year’s soccer program was the best that Holy Angels has seen in several years.
angel athletes
Winter Track The winter track season had some amazing highlights that made the Angels and their coaches extremely proud. Lydon Kersting was chosen as the Outstanding Track Athlete at the Bergen County Relay Championships, and also won the County All-Group Championship in the 3200m. She also placed 3rd in the State Non Public A 3200m. Ashley Strysko placed in the state and county meets. Esther Michel impressed in the High Jump. Niamh Glynn, Brianna Martinotti, Patricia Das and Kira Pusch were a force to be reckoned with in the 4 x 800m Relay.
Basketball A record of 18-10 belies the thrilling season that was had by the Angels’ basketball team. A semi-final berth in the Bergen County Tournament and a heart-breaking overtime loss in the state finals had crowds on the edge of their seats. Throughout the season it seemed that the Varsity team, led by senior captains Melanie Lockett, Amanda Fields, Cate Slepian and Denise Rizzo, was a mere heartbeat away from greatness. After rehabbing from a season-ending torn ACL last year, Melanie Lockett scored her 1,000th career point in a home game against rival IHA on January 22nd. Melanie finished her career with 1,217 points, and will play for UPenn next year. She is pictured below with her parents and coaches after reaching this career milestone.
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School records were set by Ashley Strysko in the 1600m and by Lydon Kersting in the 3200m. Kristen Sherlock was AHA’s top sprinter and placed in the county meet in the 300m. Grace Jansson was the top freshman runner and was the Freshman Big North Champion in the 1600m. The Distance Medley Relay Team of Lydon Kersting, Ashley Strysko, Maggie Sheehan and Kristen Sherlock broke the school record, as did the 4 x 800m team of Lydon Kersting, Ashley Strysko, Maggie Sheehan and Kira Pusch.
AHA fencing squads won bronze medals at the district tournament in foil and saber, which qualified them for the Squad Championships. Foil squad finished 13th in the state and saber finished 16th. Two individuals, Elena Volpe (saber) and Melissa Gillick (epee), came in 5th place, qualifying them for State Individuals. Rachel Hudspeth (foil) missed the final round by just one touch.
Fencing
At the freshman and sophomore Bergen/Passaic County Tournament, Bridget Owens (foil) and Samantha Martinez (saber) won gold medals. Alexandra Hottenrott took 3rd in foil and Annie Haws took 4th in foil, with one touch separating the two of them. Katherine Dalvano and Julianna Buzzerio also came in 5th in the final pool in saber and epee, respectively. Others placing in their weapons and year were Anna Abrimian in 7th, Melanie Buchanan in 8th, Gabby Longobardi in 9th, Francesca Catral in 14th, and Annie Chung, 16th place.
The emerging talent and skill that was demonstrated during the 2012-13 fencing season brought with it extremely high hopes for next year. Twenty freshmen, sophomores and juniors made up the team, which started strong with solid victories in their first two meets. The Santelli Tournament was a little more challenging as the young AHA team went up against several senior-dominated teams. They finished 32 out of a pool of 39, but this only fueled their determination, and they steadily built a strong season from that point forward.
As a team, the Angels were 3rd overall at the District Championships, qualifying for State Championships. The State Championships were hard fought but the Angels succumbed to Governor Livingston 9-18. Governor Livingston had come in 4th at the Santelli Tournament, where the Angels had come in 32nd, so ending the season facing off with them at the State Championship just shows how far the AHA team had come, in just a few weeks. The Angels finished the season 12th overall in the State.
Bowling Patrick Dunne – Coach of the Year! Catholic. They won the Bergen Catholic Tournament, came in second in the Holiday Classic, fourth in the County Tournament and won the State Group II Championship. They finished 2nd in their group at the State Finals at Carolier Lanes in North Brunswick. The AHA bowling team was also named Team of the Year by both the BCWA and the Star Ledger. Coach Patrick Dunne was named Coach of the Year by the Bergen County Womens Coaches Association.
Division Champs! The bowling team had another fantastic season. Finishing with a league record of 12-2, they won the United Division for the first time, defeating league rivals IHA and Paramus
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angels in the arts
Dance Team Continues to Shine! first in Hop Hop and the Varsity team came in first in both the Hip Hop and Pom competitions. The Varsity Pom routine score was the highest overall, making them the Grand Champions of the competition.
On a national level, the AHA Dance Team was named First Runner-Up for the 2012 Universal Dance Association American Spirit Award. Teams from all over the country vie for this very prestigious award, which celebrates school spirit, academics and community service. It is a testament to the commitment and dedication of the girls to have achieved this singular honor. They were also featured on The Cheering Life on MSGVarsity – a TV series that focuses on successful cheering squads in the tri-state area. The team began the competitive season in December at the George Mason Dance Invitational in Virginia. The Varsity team received the Outstanding Showmanship and Best Choreography awards and took second place in the Pom and Hip Hop competitions. The JV team took first place in the Hip Hop competition, and also won Best AllAround Choreography for a JV team. In the New Year, the Holy Angels Varsity and JV Dance Teams continued to have impressive results at two major competitions in New Jersey. In early January at the Battle of the Northeast Competition, they took first place in all categories while competing against some very strong teams. The Angels received the highest score in the Hip Hop category as well as taking home the coveted Sportsmanship Award. The Angels then competed at the Barnegat Invitational where the JV team came in
The Varsity and JV teams also made headlines at the Pascack Valley Sweetheart Invitational, garnering first place in Varsity Pom, Varsity Hip Hop and JV Hip Hop. In addition, they earned the impressive Grand Championship Award, scoring the highest total of points across the board. The Angels competed at the UDA 2013 National Dance Competition at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Florida in February. This competition draws hundreds of teams throughout the nation. Holy Angels was the only team from the Northeast to advance to the final round in both Small Varsity Pom and Small Varsity Hip Hop. This is a huge accomplishment in divisions of over 75 dance teams. The Angel dancers captured top spots in each category and remain a dominant force in the Northeast.
Dean of Students Jean Mullooly and Principal Jennifer Moran were at Ramapo College, cheering on the AHA Dance Team at the 2013 NJ State Dance Championships.
A successful season concluded at the NJ State Dancers Competition at Ramapo College. There they earned the title of NJ State Hip Hop Champions. The Angels’ high-energy routine thrilled the crowd and fascinated the judges. The Varsity dancers were also awarded first runner-up for their Pom routine. The newly formed AHA JV Hip Hop team also earned the state championship for JV division. Coach Jenny Sweet applauded the girls’ accomplishments, saying, “I could not be prouder of these girls. They work hard, not only on the dance floor but in their communities through their commitment to service projects throughout the year. Their spirit and sportsmanship come through in all that they do.”
State Champions! 8
Angel Musicians Spread Holiday Cheer Students from AHA’s Vocal Ensemble helped make the season bright at the Demarest Tree Lighting Ceremony on December 11, 2012. The group performed many favorite Christmas and holiday songs to the delight of their audience.
Seniors Brigid Boll, Liz Choi, Alice Cordero, Megan O’Donnell, Christine Puma, Natali Taglic and Allison Vollmer joined in song for the sisters at Lourdes Health Center located at Villa Notre Dame in Wilton, Connecticut. After much planning and practice, the Academy Orchestra also traveled to Villa Lourdes in February, to perform a community outreach concert and visit with the Sisters.
Members of AHA’s student chapter of Tri-M Music Honor Society traveled to the Franciscan Sisters Convent on Knickerbocker Road in Tenafly, NJ to share “An Afternoon of Christmas Cheer.” The outreach concert was planned and organized by chapter president Adrianna Bergstein.
Scholastic Art & Writing Awards
The Handbell Choir visited the Sisters at St. Michael’s in Englewood Cliffs. In addition to a concert and sing-along, Angels went into the audience to give the Sisters a hands-on lesson with the handbells. It was a lovely day sharing music, stories, hot chocolate and cookies.
Several Angels honored
The Art Department is proud to announce that AHA recently received 19 Scholastic Art Awards in the most recent competition. The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards is the longest-running, most prestigious awards program for artistic teens in the United States. Congratulations to our Art Faculty: Jennifer Lee, Christine Wraga and Kathryn Biskup, and to our Angels. Gold Key Award recipients (the highest level of recognition): Stella Choi, received three awards (drawing); Sophia Cotter (photography); Alexis Escandon (photography); Tara Hayes (painting); Jane Kim (painting); Danielle Retcho (photography) and Carolina Zuluaga (photography). Silver Key Award recipients: Stella Choi (drawing); Ruby Kang (drawing) and Kerianne Villareal (painting). Honorable Mention recipients: Joy Bochis (jewelry); Andrea Cho (architecture); Korinne Dizon (architecture); Jenny Kim, received two Honorable Mentions (photography); Kristiana Marcon (digital photography) and Meghan Valentine (photography). AHA was the only all-girls Catholic school in Bergen County to receive awards, as well as the only Catholic school from Bergen County to receive Gold and Silver Regional Awards.
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My Blue Period – Tara Hayes
angels in the arts
Christmas Gala
The annual Christmas concert in December set the holiday mood with seasonal favorites and carols. AHA faculty member Mr. Rob Kopil accompanied the Academy Orchestra by lending his voice to perform ’Twas the Night Before Christmas, while the Angels played softly in the background. Various musical collaborations took place that evening, with the Handbell Choir, violinists, and percussionists joining the Academy Chorus for several numbers. Other highlights were performances from Vocal Ensemble (a select group of exceptional singers) and the a capella group Grace Notes, who sang a beautiful rendering of Paul Simon’s The Sound of Silence.
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Fall Drama In November, AHA presented William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream as their Fall Drama production. Directed by Katie McSherry ’04, the show was a tremendous success. Set in Ancient Greece, two sets of young lovers find themselves at the mercy of a pair of quarreling fairies and a mischievous wood-sprite named Puck. Confusion abounds as identities get mistaken and love gets misplaced – but all ends up as it should, including a non-traditional rendering of a famous classical play by the comedic Mechanicals. AHA’s stars were Brigid Boll ’13 as Helena, Lily Cunniff ’14 as Puck, Emily Sedlacek ’14 as Hermia and Monique Smallman ’15 as Bottom.
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spirituality
Grandparents’ Day This year, the annual Catholic Schools Week liturgy included Grandparents’ Day. Grandparents spent the day at AHA, attended classes and had lunch with their granddaughters. This popular event for the freshman and junior classes drew over 140 grandparents.
Epiphany Liturgy The Holy Angels community gathered for the Epiphany liturgy in early January. As is tradition, the blessing of the campus and the placement of 20+C+M+B+13 in each doorway immediately followed. This inscription represents the current year and the
first three initials of the names of the Magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. Pictured below is Dean of Students Jean Mullooly blessing the Student Commons, and a student showing the sign that is placed above each doorway in the school.
JERSEY STRONG Shore Recovery AHA students and faculty spent a day in Toms River, NJ during their Easter break to assist in the Hurricane Sandy recovery efforts with We Are Team Jersey. We Are Team Jersey is a non-profit that organizes teams of volunteers at various sites along the Jersey shore. The Angels cleaned and painted as a home was readied for the family to move back in after months of being displaced. Angel volunteers that day were students Amanda Binetti, Ashley Duffoo, Laurie Ferreras, Caroline Hyer, Jane Kim, Anna Kohli, Claurie Lindor, Drew Mount, Grace Redford, Bridget Quinn, Ciara Rhodes, Kerrianne Villareal, Catherine Watters and faculty Jennifer Cucchisi, Carol Fay, MaryAnne Miloscia, Kathy Sylvester and Dorrie Voulgaris. Sparked by junior Kayla Quigley, the softball team traveled to Toms River just weeks later to assist We Are Team Jersey with the same home. The crew of Angels, Mr. & Mrs. Quigley and Coach Sue Liddy picked up where the previous group left off by continuing the work of painting the bedrooms, closets and floors of the home. The team members that participated were Deanna Burbridge, McKayla DiPalma, Kaliee Healey, Lauren Kaley, Nicole Macaluso, Morgan Mellas, Kayla Quigley, Lauren Saxenian and Vicky Zayat.
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Kairos Retreat
K
airos is derived from the Cursillo movement which originated in Spain in the 1940s and was adapted for high school and college youth in the 1960s. It was embraced by the Jesuit community and therefore incorporates several fundamentals of Ignatian spirituality with a strong influence from the spiritual exercises of St. Ignatius. Kairos is an experience of Christian community with a series of talks given both by peers and by adults. Prayer, group discussions and exercises are an essential part of the program. Academy of the Holy Angels’ first exposure to the Kairos retreat program was through St. Peter’s Prep High School in Jersey City, NJ, because faculty members had sons who attended the high school. The AHA program is largely based on the model generously provided by Notre Dame High School in St. Louis, MO, an SSND sponsored institution which also offers a Kairos retreat program.
In November 2011, AHA Campus Ministers Kathy Sylvester and S. Peggy McGaffney, SSND took six students to experience Kairos LXX at Notre Dame High School in Lawrenceville, NJ. This team of Angels - seniors Korinne Dizon, Renee Jozanovic, Eleni Kyriacou, Megan O’Donnell, Emma Quigley and Erica Repetto - would then become the leaders for AHA’s Kairos I.
on the cover people and experiences of their lives. The beauty of Kairos is that it comes at a time in the lives of young people when they need it the most and the experience certainly proved that point. This retreat enabled the teens to connect to God, helped them to realize how they are loved and to see how God works in their lives, and challenged them to think about how they can love others. The real worth of Kairos, however, happens through the living out of the retreat themes and convictions in the daily lives of each participant in the days ahead. Small groups will continue to meet so that the days of the retreat grow and become integrated into their lives in an organic way.
“The amount of love that I experienced over those three days is something that deeply impacted me. I will never again live life the same because of those girls. Each and every one of them holds a special place in my heart and I am truly grateful for the Kairos experience allowing me to have that.” –Cynthia Angulo ’13 “I came back from Kairos feeling fresh and new, while also feeling so whole and more in tune with myself than ever before. I owe my new found self acceptance and compassion for others to Kairos and the extraordinary team who made it all happen.” –Marisa Arzoomanian ’13
Kairos I was held February 8–10, 2013 and was attended by 30 seniors and 6 juniors. It was held at Mount Manessa Retreat Center in Staten Island, NY. The team worked in conjunction with faculty members Carol Fay, Joan Connelly, Carmen Quinones, Jennifer Goodell, Brianna Fabizio, Kathy Sylvester and Maryanne Miloscia. The program, which spanned three days, enabled retreatants to experience God’s love through all the
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“I formed a strong bond with the girls who participated, and the experience helped me form a closer relationship with God, my family, and my friends. I think about the amazing three days every day and I will remember it forever.” –Anna Kohli ’13 “Kairos was the highlight of my senior year and if I could give any piece of advice to rising seniors, it would be to go on Kairos, with an open heart and an open mind.” –Kylie Ambrose ’13
angels around the halls ACADEMICS Junior Lily Cunniff has been accepted into the Sorbonne, in Paris, to study Humanities and French in complete immersion. She will be studying there from July 8 to August 8 and will earn three college credits. Students in Mrs. Gail Fair’s AP Government Class enjoyed a “virtual visit” to Scotland through a live feed that linked the two schools over the internet. Students from Glenrothes High School, which is located just north of Edinburgh, Scotland, had been following the US Presidential election and researching the positions of both US Presidential candidates. Their Politics teacher, Mr. Ian Stanton, reached out to Holy Angels in order to help his students see things from the viewpoint of an American teenager. During the live conversation, topics ranged from the candidates’ positions on the economy, healthcare and immigration reform. Junior Veronica Pirog was selected as the AHA Governor’s School of Engineering and Technology candidate for the 2012-13 School Year. Junior Rachel Hudspeth was selected as the AHA Governor’s School in the Sciences candidate for the 2012-13 School Year.
THE ARTS Sophomore Ingrid Noriega had her poem, “Shower of Light,” published in the 2013 Edition of the Anthology of Poetry by Young Americans. This poem also appeared in AHA’s Blueprint last year. AHA’s literary magazine, Blueprint, received a ranking of Superior, from The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) in the 2012 Program to Recognize Excellence in Student Literary Magazines (PRESLM). Only 56 of 417 submissions achieved this ranking. Congratulations to Advisor Ms. Jean Mullooly and to Student Editors Brigit Baines ’12, Ashlee Morel ’12, and current senior Samantha Colavecchio.
aTHLETICS Freshman Caroline Annis, along with her North Jersey Volleyball Club team, recently competed in the GEVA Pathways Tournament in Livingston, NJ and took 2nd place.
HELPING HANDS
Representatives from AHA attended The Teen Hunger Action Summit in January, sponsored by the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. Pictured above are seniors Esther Pierre-Michel and Aminat Ologunebi, and freshman Grace Redford, upon their return from the day’s events. They attended workshops dealing with poverty and hunger in NJ and the United States and learned that 400,000, or approximately one in five, children in NJ struggle with hunger in their daily lives. In February, junior Toni Luciano, along with Campus Ministry, organized and ran the “Jeans for Teens” drive. Over 100 pairs of new and gently used jeans were donated to the Father English Community Center in Paterson, for teens and families in need. The Holy Angels’ Pro Life Club, Angels for Life, joined forces with Bergen Catholic’s BC Alive club for a visit to Lighthouse Pregnancy Resource Center in Hackensack, where they learned about the various services offered there. The visit included an informational session and discussion about making healthy relationship choices.
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LEADERSHIP Junior Niamh Glynn and sophomore Emily DeRubertis recently graduated from the Orangeburg Youth Court Program after completing their training program for high school students. The Youth Court, which serves as an alternative to Family Court, holds arraignments for respondents ages 9 to 16. Emily, who is considering going into the field of law, has enjoyed getting involved because it has helped her learn about courtroom procedures. Freshman Bridget Owens is also a participant in this program. Sophomores Sarah Kraus, Carina Crabbe and Ingrid Noriega were chosen to represent Holy Angels at the SSND Leadership Conference at Notre Dame High School in St. Louis, Missouri, for a four-day conference in March. They were accompanied by Ms. Andrea Orlando and Ms. Maryanne Miloscia. The purpose of the conference was to have students from SSND schools in the United States learn about the long and rich history of the SSNDs in America, with a focus on their leadership style. These three students will be part of the Junior Retreat team next year.
Attention Parents, Students and Faculty! We love hearing your news, and we want to share it in AHA’s monthly newsletter and possibly feature it in Tidings! Send announcements and photos to Jillane Ferreira at jillane@holyangels.org
NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS Seniors Julia McGinn and Natalie Chew have been selected as Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship competition. Finalists are among the top 1% of the 1.5 million students that entered the competition in the United States. Congratulations to both students for this tremendous accomplishment.
SCHOLAR ATHLETES On National Signing Day, February 6th, four seniors made the commitment to play for the college of their choice at a signing ceremony held in AHA’s Learning Commons. Pictured above, left to right, are Amanda Fields – Track (UPenn), Ashley Strysko – Cross Country (Lehigh), Amanda Garcia – Soccer (Marist) and Lisa Sesink-Clee – Track (UPenn). Melanie Lockett (not pictured) also committed to UPenn last November for Basketball.
Students in Mrs. Gail Fair’s AP History Class were encouraged to arrive to class “out of uniform” as they impersonated various historical figures from the early 20th century. Each student was invited to research a particular historical subject, dress as that person and then share their life story with the class during a meet and greet party.
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alumnae association president t seems like the winter that didn’t want to end has finally drawn to a close. I trust that you all I enjoyed the Easter Holy Days and are looking forward to more sunshine and longer, warmer days.
Although Mother Nature’s final blasts resulted in the cancellation of our class letter signing night, we will be getting those letters out to you, and hope that you have heard from one of our wonderful Angel Ambassadors during our phone-a-thon for the annual fund drive. This year’s Angelic Evening was particularly memorable as we bid fond farewell to S. Virginia. In April, we celebrated the Mother-Daughter Fashion Show, as well as the induction of the Class of 2013 into our ranks of Alumnae. Both of these events celebrated the special angelic bond that connects us all. The Alumnae Mothers’ Dinner, for all past, present and future legacy moms, took place on May 7, just in time for Mother’s Day. The annual Angels in the Arts Hall of Fame Dinner will take place on May 22 at the Colonial Inn in Norwood, NJ. This year’s deserving honorees are Michelle Holme ’96 and Michelle Edgar ’00. And while I am announcing event dates, please save the weekend of October 25-26 for our Reunion Weekend. This year we will be celebrating classes ending in 3 and 8, but as usual, all classes are invited. I look forward to seeing many of you at this special event! Our current Angels have been busy preparing for finals, AP exams and proms; and our spring sports teams are heading into exciting county and state tournament games, meets and matches. We would love to hear you cheering on the sidelines! Please stay in touch. Sincerely, Patti McGovern Hill ’78
ALU MN AE ’58
NEWS
’28
Alice Decker Reilly ’28 recently celebrated her 102nd birthday! Above is a photo of Alice with her three sons at the birthday celebration. Alice still enjoys attending functions for her ten grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren. She was very happy to have the opportunity to visit and tour the Demarest campus a few years back.
Rosemary Gottuso Amendola ’58 and husband Joe are retired and living in South Jersey. Their daughter Jane lives in NY and is a high school English teacher. Their son, Scott, a professional Jazz drummer, lives in California with his wife and their two children, Sascha and Ziva. Josephine Diagonale ’58 was featured in the Delaware State News for her work in support of a bill that would lower the cost of cancer treatments. Josephine, a survivor and member of the Myeloma Foundation Support Group, said, “The financial stresses associated with cancer can be overwhelming. This bill can ease those stresses and allow us to focus on the way we live.” In May 2013, Claire Gareau ’58 will receive a Master of Arts degree in Systematic Theology from the Immaculate Conception Seminary School of Theology at Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. Claire shares, “Learning should be a lifelong quest, regardless how long the life is.”
’65
Pat Colgan McNulty ’65 recently attended a bridal fitting with her future daughter-in-law at the J Crew bridal
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shop in Los Angeles, CA, where Lena Randolph ’04 works as a bridal specialist. Lena says, “We started a conversation and soon discovered that we were fellow angels! It was amazing how much we had in common even though we graduated nearly 40 years apart. What a small world and how strong the Angels’ bond really is!”
’69
Reena Raggi ’69 is honored to have been asked to join Holy Angels’ Board of Trustees. Last year, Reena completed her 25th year as a United States judge, having served the last 10 years on the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
’72
Maria Falcone Schlenker ’72 and husband Joseph recently celebrated their 40th anniversary.
’84
Carla Varriale ’84 is a guest blogger for www.athleticbusiness.com, which is a great resource for people in the sports and recreation fields. Her blog will profile interesting and off-beat sports and recreation law cases.
’90 ’73
Two decades after teaching Ann Mrkic ’90 Advanced Placement English at AHA, Mr. Michael Moore discussed “good reads” with her daughter, Kate Zgonena. Even in retirement, Mr. Moore finds time to mold the next generation of Angels. Thank you, Mr. Moore!
Jacqueline Sullivan Tesoriero ’73 has been living in Pacific Palisades, California for the past 14 years. Her husband Joe is the CFO of Dole Food Company. They have three sons, Joe (25) who graduated in 2010 from Georgetown University and is currently a 3rd year medical student at University of California at Irvine, Alex (21) and Christopher (19), both currently attending Georgetown University.
’77
Patrice Bonsignore Dunn ’77 (on left) was featured in The Milford Mirror in February for her participation in the Shovel Brigade. Patrice is a teacher in Milford, CT and the town was recently left with 38" of snow after the largest snow storm in its history. The task of cleaning up became overwhelming, especially for the town’s senior citizens. A Shovel Brigade of over 100 people shoveled walks so that students could get to school and bus stops safely. Thanks to Jill Dion of The Milford Mirror for the photo.
’92
Breda Boyle Snee ’92 and her husband Tommy welcomed their first child, Maeve Anne, on January 17, 2013.
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’94
Celines Lorenzo Sims ’94 and husband Kyle welcomed their first child, a beautiful baby girl, Cecelia Rose on October 29, 2012. Cece was born in the midst of Hurricane Sandy but luckily all turned out fine. Proud Aunt Lynnette Lorenzo Colalillo ’95 is her godmother.
’95
Shannon Heffernan ’95 married Darren Chin on September 15, 2012 at the West Monitor Barn in Richmond, VT. Michelle Sweet Borin ’95, Erika Sweet Hensz ’95 and Janine Makhoul Gulya ’95, all friends since elementary school, were Matrons of Honor. Shannon graduated from Loyola College of Maryland with a BS in Psychology and a Master’s of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a Pediatric Oncology Social Worker at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Paterson, NJ. Darren received his BS in Civil Engineering and a Master’s of Science in Fire Protection Engineering from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts. He also received his MBA from the University of Southern California. He is employed at Deloitte in Human Capital Consulting as a manager. They honeymooned in South Africa.
’96
& Associates, P.C. Fellow Angels in attendance included Eunice Chung Davies ’00, Simone Petrella ’00, Aimee Ennis Restifo ’00, and Lorraine Ladra Pistorino ’00. After spending their honeymoon in Greece, the couple currently resides in Raritan, NJ.
Michelle Holme ’96 and Kevin Milsom welcomed their first son, Cole Xavier, on January 6, 2013.
Suzanne Pappageorge Meneilly ’97 invited a few Angels from the class of ’97 and their children to her son Drew’s first birthday party. Pictured (L to R): Alexis Robinson ’97, Catherine Heron Carpenter ’97, Suzanne Pappageorge Meneilly ’97, Allison Kane Sabo ’97, Anahid Torosian Yezekian ’97 and photo was taken by Kyle Clare Lagatol ’97.
’97
Dianne LaRocca ’97 and husband Nick Rummell welcomed Brendan Christopher on December 6, 2012 at 1:41pm at 7lbs, 13oz and 19.5 inches long.
’99
Katie Chambers Press ’99 and husband Jason are proud to announce the birth of their daughter Elizabeth Kathryn Press. She was born on March 5, 2013 at 4:47pm and was 9lbs, 21 inches long. Big brother Matthew (3 ½) couldn’t be any prouder!
’04
Christi Loftus ’04 received her Doctorate Degree in Physical Therapy in June of 2012. She is now a licensed Physical Therapist at the Hospital for Special Surgery in Manhattan.
’05 got news?
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, 2013. 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.
’00
Kristyl Berckes ’00 married Christopher John (CJ) Asakiewicz on October 21, 2012 at the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception on the campus of Seton Hall University in South Orange, NJ. The reception was held at The Manor in West Orange, NJ. The couple met while studying at Seton Hall University School of Law during a summer study program in Leuven, Belgium. Kristyl currently practices as a family law attorney in Somerville, NJ at the law firm of Lyons
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Catherine Perna ’05 married Daniel Saum (DBP ’05) on November 17, 2012. The wedding ceremony took place at Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey. Catherine says, “It meant so much to me to have my Angels next to me on my special day.” Pictured from L to R: Emily Seifried ’05, Elizabeth Hack ’06, Genna Reed ’05, Alexa Allen ’05, Erin Perna ’07, Catherine Perna ’05, Erika Saum, Jenna Stuebe ’05, Amanda Petrocelli ’05 and Angela Perna. |
’06
Alissa Bonjukian ’06 graduated from Boston University’s Sargent College Master of Occupational Therapy program (MSOT) in 2012. This past fall, she passed the National OT Board Exam and is now working as a registered occupational therapist for Village Care in New York City. She presently lives in Brooklyn, New York.
’09
Remy McBain ’09 was drafted number one overall for the professional volleyball league in Puerto Rico and officially signed a contract with the Indias de Mayaguez for spring 2014. She has just finished up her volleyball career at the University of Maryland and will graduate in May. Remy is also on the Puerto Rican National Team where she will spend this summer training, going to several tournaments around the world and preparing for the Olympics in 2016. Diana Popstefanova ’09 graduated summa cum laude from Fordham University - an entire year early! Upon graduation, Diana decided to pursue her interests in law and is currently a student at Seton Hall Law School. With just her first semester behind her, Diana is now engaged! The wedding will take place abroad in August of 2014.
’11 ’10
Kristen Gawlik ’10 writes, “On August 31, 2012, I took the biggest step (and best decision) of my life thusfar, one that I have been considering since the age of 16. I joined the convent and entered religious life! I am currently in my first year of formation, Aspirancy, with the Salesian Sisters of Saint John Bosco (Daughters of Mary Help of Christians). I believe I have found my vocation, for I have never found such joy and peace as I have now. I have a few years until I take my first vows, so I ask for everyone’s prayers as I pray for you all!”
Amanda Keanna ’10 is pursuing a major in Psychology at Loyola University Maryland. While studying abroad this past fall semester at Australia’s Monash University, she was on a field trip in New South Wales and had just climbed a mountain with a group of students and the sun was setting. She captured the moment with her camera and won the Monash University Global Student Photography competition. The award comes with $5,000 she can spend to travel anywhere in the world! The award winning photo is shown above.
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Maureen Crimmins ’11 earned All-MAAC honors at the 2012 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Championships at ESPN Wide World of Sports with a 13th place overall finish. She became the first Stag at Fairfield University to earn All-MAAC accolades in a decade for cross country. Caroline Hroncich ’11 is a Communications major at Villanova University and has been selected for an internship at the Vatican with the Catholic News Service. She will be heading to Rome for the 2013 fall semester, taking classes and working on news articles and press releases from the Vatican. This prestigious internship is not one that you can apply for, but that is strictly selected by faculty at Villanova.
GO ANGELS!
Jane Cruz ’12, a fencer for Stevens Institute of Technology, reunited with Jackie Heath ’10 and Gianna Puzzo ’11, both fencers for Johns Hopkins University, at The EWFC Championship held at Johns Hopkins University on February 10, 2013. Angels just keep flying higher!
College Angels returned to AHA for mini-college fairs during lunch, to offer advice to current juniors. Scheduling the fairs around college spring break, two events were held with the following Angels attending:
Angel Network
March 14, 2013 Meagan Abanto (Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute), Julia Aversa (Swarthmore College), Alicia Brizzolara (Fairfield University), Stephanie Espejo (Fordham University), Kayla Gentile (The College of New Jersey), Danielle Gheradi (Stevens Institute of Technology), Liz Hickey (Lehigh University), Sam Moscardelli (Roger Williams University), Nora Neus (University of Virginia), Sarah Owens (Notre Dame), Susan Piersa (Boston University), Jacqueline Raguindin (The College of New Jersey), Angela Ressa (Fordham University) and Shafag Zia (George Washington University).
The Angel Network is a sub-committee of the Alumnae Association and is open to all AHA alumnae. The group focuses on networking events, professional development and will most importantly provide mentoring and internship opportunities for current or recently graduated Angels. And the best part is that your involvement can be as small or as big as you choose – you can either be here in the New Jersey area or as far away as California!
Junior Katelyn Colman traveled on an Operation Smile mission to India in April, and AHA Faculty member and Op Smile Advisor Laura Kraytem ’79 will go to Jordan in June. Pictured below are Katelyn, Kathy Soracco Magee ’63, co-founder of Operation Smile, and Mrs. Kraytem at the Operation Smile Mission Training in Virginia. March 21, 2013 Alyssa Dumatol (Ramapo College of New Jersey), Angela Miguel (New York University), Regina Palatini (Johns Hopkins University), Katerina Rodriguez (New York University), Alison Scorese (Barnard College), Danielle Seier (Ramapo College of New Jersey) and Amber Wade (Harvard University).
Alumnae Presenters Promote Health and Well-being at AHA Awareness Day Thank you to the following workshop presenters who shared their expertise in the following areas: Marissabel Alvarez Mayol ’99 (Zumba); Robyn Assile Ziemba ’96 (Healthy Eating); Marissa Zitka Abruzzo ’95 (The Best Medicine is Right in your Pantry), Jacqueline Stephens ’04 (Stress Relief Through Movement), Sue Yurasits ’76
(Community Food Bank Service Overview). An alumnae panel spoke to juniors about careers related to personal health and development: Robyn Assile Ziemba ’96 (Registered Dietician and Owner of Hudson Dietetics, LLC ); Marissa Zitka Abruzzo ’95 (Certified Health Counselor – President of
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Hip & Healthy Kids), Jacqueline Stephens ’04 (Occupational Therapist at Kessler Institute) Shannon Heffernan ’95 (Pediatric Oncology Social Worker at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center), and Lauren McCarthy Debiak ’02 (Social Worker for Children’s Aid and Family Services).
Cindy M. del Rosario Tapan ’95 was recently a guest speaker in AHA’s Communications class. She shared her experiences as a Multimedia Journalist and her work as an Online Managing Editor and Content Curator at Columbia University. Cindy gave advice to the current Angels about the importance of internships, launching a job search and balancing a career with having a family. Pictured at the bottom of this page is another guest speaker for that class, Careen Winters Longo ’86, who spoke candidly about her experiences working in the public relations field. Careen is an Executive Vice President of Corporate Communications at the MWW Group and has been recognized at the PR News’ PR People Awards as the PR Blogger of The Year. Megan Emmich ’06 visited the AP Chemistry and Biology classes to share her experiences both as a student of the sciences and as a woman working in the field. She now works as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA.
She attributed her belief in treating patients holistically to AHA’s emphasis on educating the whole person, noting that the community-building skills that are essential in her current work were first learned at Holy Angels. Megan plans to attend medical school in the fall at The University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine.
Danielle Galka ’08 shared her final senior project for Parson’s School of Design with an AHA Art class earlier this year. She is currently working
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in the field of fashion and oversees production. Danielle shared with the class the importance of taking summer classes in advance of starting a degree in fashion and that it is especially helpful to learn sewing. Danielle found the perfect model for her designs, as Miss Moran (below left) tried on some of Danielle’s work! Leslie Cascone Rohrbacher ’86 addressed the student body at the assembly to celebrate Catholic Schools Week. This year’s theme was faith, academics and service. Leslie shared the life lessons that she learned as an Angel and what she values from her Catholic education. Leslie founded Smart Girl Enterprises, LLC, a 100% woman-owned business, dedicated to creative human capital and talent management for all types of businesses and organizations. She is a monthly blogger on catholicmom.com and writes on her personal blog, “Introducing Grace,” which was inspired by St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Leslie is also an active member of St. Vincent Martyr Parish in Madison, and a member of the Education Council at St. Vincent Martyr School. She is on the Advisory Board of the Alzheimer’s Association of Greater Northern New Jersey and the Pediatric Philanthropy Council of Goryeb Children’s Hospital at Morristown Medical Center.
lost reunion angels It’s time for the class reunion and we’ve lost touch with the following Angels. We would love to reconnect with these alumnae. If you are in contact with any of these classmates, please encourage them to contact the Office of Alumnae Relations at 201.768.7822 x211 or alumnae@holyangels.org. Class of 1938 Mary Clarke Maureen Dowling Frances Durkin Charlotte Galli Marie Galli Muriel Horandt Margaret Jennings Barbara Jorgensen Muriel Koch Marian Kremers Audrey Leer Marie Leitchenfield Muriel Lynch Noreen Maloney Audrey McCarthy Kathleen Mooney Mary Moore Elizabeth Mullen Anita Schiffer Ruth Thourot Janet Wallum Class of 1943 June Albert Hilda Boyle Mary Alice Brendle Mary Broderick Grace Clayton Helen Connell Mary DeKovessey Colleen Hill Eleanor Jerome Theresa Mathey Ann Marie McGuinness Jessie Palmisano Margaret Palmisano Irene Reitnauer Marian Rooney Patricia Struppmann Alice Twomey Rosemary Tyndall Class of 1948 Jacqueline Reynolds Nicoletta Santeusanio Rosemarie Schmitt Mary Somers Lois Strauss Class of 1953 Marjorie Bohne Irmgard Braun Clare Codyre
Marjorie Goulding Joann Griffin Joan Holland Paula Kirvan Elizabeth McCreary Isabel McNulty Barbara Murphy Mary Jean New Janet O’Brien Mary Riegert Jeanne Tomasini Judith Wilson Janet Zenorini
Class of 1968 Joan Banks Marianne Benzoni Margie Carr Colleen Costello Maryellen Costello Pam Doherty Jeanmarie Farrell Rita Gardinier Jennifer LaFurno Debra Marshall Linda McKenna Maureen Meehan Carmen Mercado Donna Miccio Alicia O’Connor Cathy O’Neill S. Schiffino Barbara Sohm Joan Stiehl Joanne Thropp Adrienne Wert
Class of 1958 Marianne Boylan Yvonne Casale Imelda Conlon Marilyn Coughlin Rita Donnelly Marie D’Urso Barbara Garofalo Rosemary Ranieri Maryellen Walsh
Class of 1973 Janet Addeo Mary Arnone Therese Boles Bonnie Broomhead Jean Carlsen Maureen Casey Nancy Clark Claire Collins Eileen Cullen Carol Cunningham Carol D’Errico Christine Dowd Margaret Fredericks Pamela Galdi Angela Gasparro Michele Gioia Katherine Hollenstein Diane Hovick Janet MacFarlane Juliann Mahony Tara McDonough Hilda McGlew Jean McMonagle Mary Alice Miller Diane Mulhearn Maureen Murphy Annemarie Oliveri Carol Paguaga Aleida Rojas Therese Shenton Phyllis Spendley Bernadette Stengel Gerianne Thivierge Mary Williams Cynthia Wright Anita Zitani
Class of 1963 Laurette Atkinson Joanne Colonna Patricia Cosby Jo-Ann Costa Ellen DeGennaro Linda DeNicola Katharine Duffy Gale Dunphy Mary Esposito Kathleen Farmer Patricia Feeley Gail Fitzpatrick Kathleen Gaffney Eileen Galvin Juanita Gernannt Beth Gillen Nancy Gobeil Barbara Hamilton Mary Hennessy Catherine Hynes Arleen Keane Helen Malanchuk Patricia Marotta Francine Martin Marjorie McAuliffe Mary Loretta McGinley Marie Mitrani Helen Moore Diana Palazzi Patricia Palitto Hilda Preschele Francine Quaglio Melanie Roberts Kathleen Rowan Marie Simonti Denise Stack Ellen Von Dohln Eileen Whooley Mary Ellen Williams
Class of 1978 Sandra Andrade Georgette Brousseau Christine Brown Deborah Calabrese
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Elaine Comeau Loretta Consoli Elizabeth Donlon Elizabeth Griffin Wendy Gruja Mary Beth Hogger Elaine Kiernan Penny Kolbe Jacqueline Koster Sally Kruger Kathleen Lavin Catherine Lombardi Ellyn Maestro Elizabeth Monteverde Ann Perraud Annette Singer Anne Marie Skvarla Nancy Vanacek Class of 1983 Sandra Anderson Karen Ascrizzi Barbara Balsamo Rose Barry Susan Brennan Wendelin Brown Janice Brunell Jeanine Chibbaro Christine Doxey Eileen Doyle Kimberly Fletcher Jacqueline Flynn Kara Hille Vera Ianniello Yuko Ishihara Maria Isnardi Valeska Lau Joan Lavin Anne Maher Shawn McDermott Cecilia McGlew Sue Ellen McKenna Cecilia McSherry Catherine Mikelis Gina Morrow Frances Piccini Mary Ann Picinich Mary Powers Victoria Puig Erica Reedy Alice Rodgers Denise Sneyers Allison Spina Bernadette Tone Heather Turner Lillian Wessel Class of 1988 Rosangela Bazzarelli Marla Berberian Linda Braddock Maureen Conroy Christine Costa Nicole DeFino Elizabeth Finkeldie Barbara Froeschle
Sally Hur Samiah Husain Christine Ipek Maritza Jauregui Patricia Kirwan Geraldine LaSala Daphne Mateos Caroline McGuire Mary Metzger Keiko Morris Nicole Olson Lori Reseska Meredith Ulrich Tracy Valentich Maureen Welby Suzanne White Joan Yang
Class of 1993 Sybil Armstrong Elizabeth Bator Danielle Bonica Michele Cerullo AnnMarie Hester Cheryl Maffia Rosalia Maurice Yvonne McKeon Alexandra Nagy Cynthia Papaleo Jennifer Picinic Stephanie Severino Sandra Ugras Elissa Vieni Lori Visich
Susan Walsh Stephanie Wendt Class of 1998 Anca Arnautu Raluca Arnautu Theresa Barlow Heather Blackley Allyson Caikowsky Adriana Cereste Alison Hartigan Adria Heibler Jiwon Kim Julie LaFerrera Bryn Neuenschwander Emily Neuenschwander
Lauren Orbe Marsha Pangilinan Kerry Reilly Jennifer Rooney Genevieve Torrente Stacy Ugras Dana Vecchione Class of 2003 Gina Kwon Cristina Melo Stephanie Razon Tara Veselsky Christina Zisa
Make new friends, learn new things, and spread your wings! Creative courses designed ESPECIALLY FOR GIRLS entering grades 5–9 in Academics, Crafts, Cuisine, Dance, Design, Fine and Performing Arts, COOP Prep, & much more! June 24th – July 3rd One Week or Extended Sessions Available!
315 Hillside Avenue Demarest, NJ 07627
201.768.7161
Course details at www.holyangels.org/summerfare
Special Events at AHA Beefsteak Dinner
Talent Show
in the Fall of 2012 JUNIOR RING
father/daughter event
Angels
newtown
In the wake of the tragedy in Newtown, CT, the Angels were especially anxious to reach out to the community to offer support. During lunch periods, AHA students made paper snowflakes to decorate the schools as was requested by the Newtown PTA. The snowflakes were gathered and prior to being shipped, they were blessed at the Epiphany Liturgy. These simple paper creations, made with love, were also carrying prayers of comfort. Holy Angels’ hard working therapy and goose dog, Luke, and social worker
S. Mary Foley, SSND were called to Connecticut by the President of Therapy Dog International. Luke was the only disaster stress relief dog available to respond in the tri-state area. S. Mary and Luke arrived in Newtown just days after the shooting and continued to assist in the weeks that followed. S. Mary shared, “The first day we arrived, we just stood around the memorials they had set up. There were no children around, but there were a lot of adults. They just came over and basically just knelt down and hugged him. They said to me, ‘Thank you for bringing him, it’s so good to be able to pet him.’ The people just felt really good being around him.” S. Mary and Luke later shifted their work to the St. Rose of Lima parish and their religious education classes. One of the first grade classes they worked with had suffered the loss of three of its students. S. Mary said, “Many of the younger children were still frightened, holding
Luke takes a break from his therapy duties to get some love from the Angels.
onto their parents. Some were only able to let go once Luke was there and they had the chance to hug and pet him, and others would not talk to counselors without Luke present. The parents are just so grateful and he’s so gentle with the kids, it’s just great. Once in the classrooms, Luke knows right where to go and is good at handling stress.” S. Mary has learned to recognize when the stress is getting to be too much for Luke and when he needs a break. She says, “The dogs pick up so much of the stress of the people. It’s just incredible how much stress they pick up, so we try to rest them for a few minutes every hour to give them a little break.”
Arts Hall of Fame The induction into the AHA Arts Hall of Fame will be held on May 22, 2013 during the Angels in the Arts Annual Recognition Dinner. The Arts Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have enhanced the Holy Angels Fine and Performing Arts programs and exemplify the highest standards of ethical conduct and moral character. In
short, nominees must be a positive role model, worthy of being emulated by current and future students. The inductees for this year are pictured below. Look for full coverage in our next issue of Tidings! Michelle Edgar ’00 VP of Business Development at Red Light Management
Michelle Holme ’96 Associate Creative Director at Sony Online Entertainment Michelle has worked closely with a diverse roster of artists and companies, creating compelling visuals and unique brand strategies for each. Some of these clients include Bruce Springsteen, Jay-Z, the Yankees, John Legend, The Roots, Aerosmith and The Fray. Michelle is directly involved with every aspect of imaging and branding; developing concepts for and directing photo shoots, creating logos, producing custom font families, designing album covers, packaging and campaigns and creating concert and retail merchandise. She has even had the opportunity to paint one-of-a-kind, customized guitars for Bruce Springsteen, some of which are on display in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. She has been nominated twice for a Grammy, winning in 2012 for Art Direction for Bruce Springsteen’s Darkness on the Edge of Town box set.
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Michelle was previously the Director of Brand Partnerships at Warner Bros. Records, where she developed partnerships that aligned the artists with entertainment and media franchises and commercial brands. She has worked with a diverse roster of Warner artists including The Black Keys, Kimbra, Josh Groban, Outasight and Common. Michelle is also Founder/Executive Director of Music Unites, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing music education to underprivileged children in underfunded inner city school systems. The goal is to transform inner city landscapes by empowering urban youth through music. The current initiative is in NYC: the “Music Unites Five Borough Youth Choir Campaign” which aims to launch youth choir programs in schools in each of the city’s five boroughs.
in memoriam ALUMNAE Marianne Badala ’51
Christine DesVergers
Gary Kunst
Daughter of Madeline Fay O’Connor ’63
Father of Heather Kunst Gold ’00
Leonard Dian
Carmela Link
Husband of Dorothy Zenorini Dian ’48
Mother of Jennifer Link ’85
David Ficca
Lawrence Malloy
Father of MaryKate Ficca Menapace ’90 and Grandfather of Molly Menapace ’16
Father of Virginia Malloy Curry ’72 and Donna Marie Malloy Whelan ’75
Sister of Roberta Frasca Fulford ’41 and the late Justina Frasca Muller ’34, Agatha Frasca Billington ’37 and Emma Frasca Billington ’41
Martin Galle
Anne O’Reilly
Father of Susan Galle Becdach ’94 and Barbara Galle Rivas ’04
Mother of Sharon O’Reilly Kenny ’86 and Michelle O’Reilly Coyle ’90
Veronica Flynn Leo ’69
Peggy Georges
Russell Pronovost
Mother of Susan Georges Breithaupt ’83 and Grandmother of Tessa Breithaupt ’14
Grandfather of Ashley Pronovost ’16
Sister of Virginia Badala Marcus ’55
Mary Carol Van de Weghe Ditaranto ’66 Sister of Pamela Van de Weghe Miller ’68 and Catherine Van de Weghe ’70
Mary Frasca Dukehart ’45
Sister of Shannon Flynn Dolan ’78
Theresa O’Neill ’53 Barbara Scrofani Pisano ’58 Sister of Michelle Scrofani ’61
Maureen McDermott Shepard ’49 FAMILY & FRIENDS Rose Antonucci Mother of Dolores Antonucci McCormack ’59
Robert Guinta Husband of Sunda DeCotiis Guinta ’68
William Hayes Grandfather of Kelly Hayes ’11, Tara Hayes ’13, Brigid Hayes ’14 and Clare Hayes ’16
Alfred D. Haynes Grandfather of Eliza Haynes ’14
Peggy Keating Mother of Margaret Keating ’83
Ruth Belthoff Grandmother of Kaitlin Belthoff ’04 and Grace Belthoff ’16
Camillo Bocchi
Edward Kennelly Husband of Bernice Grothues Kennelly ’53
Marvin Schlenker Father of Sally Schlenker Pfabe ’88 Husband of Theresa Gedalye Schreiber ’73 Father of Michele Scozzafava Gervino ’91
Joseph Shalhoub Father of Cyndi Shalhoub ’79
Anne Sibilia Mother of Roberta Sibilia Steinberg ’69, Regina Sibilia Sullivan ’71 and Renee Sibilia Yuhas ’76 and Grandmother of Lindsay Steinberg Grady ’96 and Lauren Yuhas ’05
Grandmother of Kristi Kenny ’12
Lois Zunin
Marilyn Day
Patrick Kiernan
Aunt of AHA faculty member Maryanne Miloscia
Grandmother of Corinne Day ’13
Grandfather of Kristi Kenny ’12
correct
tidings
Anthony Scozzafava
Dolores Kiernan
?
Are you the recipient of
Paul Schreiber
Grandfather of Rebecca Kraus ’12 and Sarah Kraus ’15
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.
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.
Walk with Angels paver stones are commemorative gifts that last a lifetime!
Perfect for congratulations, memorials, thank yous, graduations or any occasion! Order form is available online at www.holyangels.org/walkwithangels
Alumnae News
Memorial Gifts*
Dome Society*
Send us your news and photos to be featured in the next issue of Tidings, by June 30, 2013!
Holy Angels is very grateful to alumnae and friends who designate AHA as the recipient of memorial gifts in lieu of flowers. Envelopes are available for memorial gifts upon request.
By making a gift through your will or living trust you will provide support for future women leaders. Your gift can be given as a specific amount, as a portion of an estate or as a remainder share.
Email Dorrie Voulgaris at alumnae@holyangels.org
*For more information regarding Memorial Gifts or the Dome Society, contact Tara Brunt at 201.768.7822 x224
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s p o n s ore d by t he school si sters of not r e d a me
there are many ways to support holy angels Annual Fund (unrestricted) Unrestricted gifts provide the essential flexibility to enable Holy Angels to take advantage of opportunities that arise and to meet the demands and challenges of educating students with a competitive edge. Scholarship/Financial Aid
Make every Angel’s dream of attending the Academy a reality! Express support for the school’s future by giving a gift to the Scholarship/Financial Aid Fund. Academic Programs
Academic excellence is of utmost importance and the Academy continues to raise the bar for student success. Gifts made to the Academic Programs support all aspects of the curriculum such as technology, equipment, research materials, books and special programs. Spirituality and Service Programs
The Academy offers programs for spiritual growth of the school community through retreats, religious studies, service programs and school wide Awareness Days. Gifts made to the Spirituality and Service Programs will ensure that the SSND mission continues. Athletic and Activity Programs
A strong and varied extracurricular and athletic program enhances the student experience, whether she participates in one or more of the 60 clubs and activities or on one of the 23 athletic teams. Gifts made to the Athletic and Activity Programs support the physical and social development of Holy Angels students. Fine and Performing Arts Program
Fine and Performing Arts come alive in courses that enrich, enhance and fulfill creative aspirations, while co-curricular programs are exciting, extensive and comprehensive. Gifts to the Fine and Performing Arts Program support our belief that each student has unlimited creative potential and enable students to explore a variety of artistic outlets.
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