THE GAEL GAZETTE Bishop Gorman High School Alumni Newsletter | Summer 2019
Preserving
Bishop Gorman
History
Save 2019 The Homecoming Date!
The BGHS Legacy lives on as 69 alum families celebrate the 62nd commencement ceremony
2019-2020
notes of interest
Dear Alumni and Friends, On May 19, 2019, my husband John and I attended a very special Bishop Gorman High School graduation. Not only were we the parents of a graduate, our daughter Caroline, we were alumni of Bishop Gorman and the children of Bishop Gorman alumni. The significance of this occurred to us at the moment all alumni were asked to stand with the newly graduated class of 2019 to sing the Bishop Gorman Alma Mater. As we stood there, I looked to my right and then to my left and most of the row was standing with all the members of our families who graduated from Bishop Gorman: my parents Rossi Ralenkotter '65 and Mary Jo (Casey) Ralenkotter '68, John’s mom, Diane (Hirsch) Keating '63, his brothers, Ryan Keating '97, Michael Keating '92 and Tom Keating '90, and his sisters, Annie (Keating) Wiseman '97 and Bridget Keating Cavanaugh '03, and our brother-in-law Ted Wiseman '95. One word came to my mind at that moment-LEGACY. Two generations of Bishop Gorman graduates from the Keating and Ralenkotter families were there that day to celebrate the third generation joining the Bishop Gorman alumni community. I say community because that is what the Bishop Gorman legacy means. From the beginning, the Viatorians, faculty, and staff built a community educating the students who attended Bishop Gorman. Academics were important, but their focus was creating a community of young people who took their lead from the example of Jesus and the Catholic Church and used those teachings to give back to not only the Gorman community and the Las Vegas community, but communities all over the United States. No matter what future path the students the last 65 years have taken, many have stayed connected to the Bishop Gorman community. And many of those graduates wanted their children, and now grandchildren, to be a part of that legacy of community sending those children and grandchildren to Bishop Gorman. John and I look at all the members of both our families who have attended Bishop Gorman and see a group of successful individuals who take the legacy of what they learned at Bishop Gorman and give back to their work, church, and school communities. They share their time and talents with others and create the Bishop Gorman community in their daily lives. Being a Bishop Gorman Gael is more than the material presence of a treasured photograph, an old yearbook, or the memories of a building long gone. It is being part of a community who lives their faith, loves their neighbors, and gives back to the world around them in both big and small ways. Our daughter Bridget will be attending Gorman in two years along with many of my nieces and nephews. When she graduates in 2028, she will be an alumna and carry the faith, love, and knowledge of the Bishop Gorman community with her-the legacy of a Bishop Gorman Gael. Sincerely, John Keating '88 and Kathy (Ralenkotter) Keating '91
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summer 2019 | THE GAEL GAZETTE
Class of 2019 BGHS Legacy Continues Legacy In Action Live The Legacy Faith On Campus Homecoming 2019 Roll Call
The Gael Gazette
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Congratulations Class
The Bishop Gorman High School community marked its 62nd commencement ceremony and bid farewell to 327 members of the Center. The graduates were joined in their procession by the school’s “Golden Graduates”, members of the Class of 1969, ce family members in attendance were addressed by Valedictorian Arthur Acuña. Most Revered Joseph A. Pepe, D.D., J.C.D., Bisho invocation and presented the diplomas to the graduates.
The commencement ceremony capped off two weeks of events in honor of the graduates which started on Friday, May 3, May 14, Salutatorian, Jason Song, addressed his peers at the Academic Awards presentation. Bishop George Leo Thomas, Ph Baccalaureate Mass which was held at The Shrine of the Most Holy Redeemer on Thursday, May 16, 2019.
This year’s graduating seniors have been accepted to colleges and universities from all over the United States including: App and to the Naval Academy Annapolis, Cornell University, Harvard University, University of Notre Dame, Pepperdine University, and UNLV to name a few. The Class of 2019 boasts one Presidential Scholar, five National Merit Scholarship Finalists, two Nat National Hispanic Scholars, 40 Athletics Scholarships and was awarded $31 million in scholarships. 4
Summer 2019
s of 2019!
bers of the Class of 2019, on May 19th at the Thomas & Mack 1969, celebrating their 50th high school reunion. Friends and .C.D., Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Las Vegas, offered the
y, May 3, with the traditional senior barbeque. On Tuesday, Thomas, Ph.D., was the principal celebrant and homilist for the
uding: Appointments to the U.S. Military Academy West Point University, Princeton University, Stanford University, NYU, UNR s, two National Merit Scholarship Commended Students, seven The Gael Gazette
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legacy in action
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1. AGUIRRE- Ari Aguirre with his mother Jennifer (Schwartz) Gomez '90, his sister Alexa Mateos '11, and his aunt Elizabeth (Schwartz) Fray '88. 2. ASHE- Brandon Ashe with his mother Stephanie (Stark) Ashe '90, brother Devon Ashe '17 and aunt Diane Stark-Loff '92. 3. BARBER- Sarah Barber with her father Christopher Barber '91. 4. BELTRAM- Brandon Beltram with his mother Christina (Russo) Beltram '95. 5. BETKE- Lauren Betke with her mother Leslee (Hillegass) Betke '89.
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6. BONIFAZIO- Michael Bonifazio with his dad Anthony Bonifazio '89, aunt Marissa Bonifazio '95 and sister Macey Bonifazio '16. 7. BURKE- Megan and Jarrod Burke with their father Michael Burke '77. 8. DASELER- Alexander Daseler with his father Frank Daseler '76. 9. ENSIGN- Brett Ensign with his mother Michelle (Andert) Ensign '88 and brother Blake Ensign '18.
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10. ENUS- Kennedy Enus with her father Corey Enus '88. 11. FILIOS- George Filios with his father Spiros Filios '87.
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12. GAUGHAN- John Gaughan Jr. with his father John Gaughan Sr. '84 and his mother Barbara (Cordani) Gaughan '84 and his grandfather Michael Gaughan Sr. '61.
legacy in action
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13. HILLEGASS- Kevyn Hillegass with her parents Scott and Kathleen (Toomey) Hillegass '88 and sister Samantha Hillegass '14.
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14. HOLCOMBE- Tierney Holcombe with her father Jaime Holcombe '78.
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15. HOUGHAM- Cameron Hougham with his father Rob Hougham '97 and aunt Rachel (Hougham) Robinson '95. 16. KEATING- Caroline Keating with her mother Kathy (Ralenkotter) Keating '91 and her father John Keating '88. 17. KOTEK- Dylan Kotek with his mother Toni (Cimorelli) Kotek '89 and father John Kotek '89. 18. LUTHY- Madison Luthy with her father Rick Luthy '88, sister Jillian Luthy '17 and aunt Kristine (Luthy) Rogers '90. 19. MAALOUF- Olivia Maalouf with her father Georges Maalouf '81. 20. MARTINEZ- Maya Martinez with her mother Maricar AngusMartinez '89, father Arturo Martinez '89 and aunt Rosemary Martinez-Kepford '83.
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21. MCCOLLOM- Mary McCollom with her mom Sirinda Glasgow '82, cousin Emily Glasgow '12, cousin Brian Glasgow '09, cousin Justin Glasgow '06, uncle Bob Glasgow '83, brother Will McCollom '14, uncle Jason Glasgow '95 and sister Suzy McCollom '16. 22. MILLER- Marisol Miller with her father Patrick Miller '91. 23. NAULT- Faith Nault with her mother Tracy (Taylor) Nault '92. 24. NUÑO- Sofia Nuño with her mother Teresa CarreraNuño '84.
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25. OLIVAS- Tony and Trevor Olivas with their mother Melissa (Hugh) Olivas '89, uncle Michael Hugh '92 and grandfather B. Dennis Hugh '66. 26. OSELAND- Niko Oseland with his mother Irene (Messologitis) Oseland '87 and brother Chandler Oseland '14. 27. POHORSKY- Kaitlyn Smiley with her step-father John Pohorsky '94. 28. RODRIGUEZ- Elizabeth Rodriguez with her father Kenny Rodriguez '93. 29. SCHMITT- Andrew Schmitt with his father Steve Schmitt '83, aunt Susie (Schmitt) Johnson '90, and aunt Tammy (Schmitt) Williams '81.
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30. SHAPIRO- Aspen Shapiro with her mother Janine (Ferrelli) Shapiro '81.
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31. STABILE- Olivia Stabile with mother Suzette (Manzur) Stabile '92 and aunt Mercedes (Manzur) Leonard '79. 32. STANFILL- Alison Stanfill with her father Jim Stanfill '83, aunt Jody Lenzie Samson '87, grandmother Patricia (Silvestri) Emeterio '58, aunt Amy (Stanfill) Huff '92, sister Samantha Stanfill '16, uncle Chris Samson '86 and cousin Cole Samson '16.
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33. STONESTREET- Christian Stonestreet with this mother Danielle (Cocco) Stonestreet '91.
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34. TAYLOR- Beau Taylor with his mother Jennifer (Falcone) Taylor '92. 35. VON TOBEL- Georgia Von Tobel with her father Jon Von Tobel '79 and her mother Dionne (Drabek) Von Tobel '86. 36. WILCOX- Morgan Wilcox with her mother Lynda (Beyer) Wilcox '82.
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37. WILSON- Kennedy Wilson with her mother Alicia (Ruggeroli) Wilson '91. 38. YOUNG- Victoria Young with her mother Tara (Reuther) Young '82.
legacy in action
Legacy in Action
CSPAN STUDENTCAM COMPETITION
ROBOT POWER
Congratulations to Zander Clinton ’21 on winning a 3rd Prize in C-SPAN’S 2019 STUDENTCAM competition which asked students to create a 5-6 minute documentary. For the 2019 C-Span Documentary Competition, students addressed the theme, “What does it mean to be American?” Students were challenged to choose a constitutional right, national characteristic or historic event and explain how it defines the American experience. In response, a record 6,318 students from 48 states and Washington, D.C., participated.
The Robotics Club finished the 2018-2019 VEX Robotics Competition season on a high note. In the VEX Robotics Competition, teams of students are tasked with designing and building a robot to compete against other teams in a game-based engineering challenge. Classroom STEM concepts are put to the test as students learn lifelong skills in teamwork, leadership, communications, and more. The BGHS Robotics Club members fielded two robots, competed in 6 tournaments (winning one Judge’s Award), and attended the Nevada VRC High School Championship held at Coronado High School.
Zander is among 340 winning students from across the country sharing a total of $100,000 in prize money. On April 10, Zander was recognized for his achievement by representatives from C-Span and from the offices of Senator Jackie Rosen and Governor Steve Sisolak who each presented him with a Certificate of Recognition.
Members attending the STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: Abraham Ahmed ’21, Jonathan Haddad ’21, Michael Pero ’20, Nguyen Vo ’20, Arthur (Ace) Acuña ’19, Vansh Chandra ’21, Fareed Sayegh ’21, Ethan Goroza ’21, Dr. Joseph Haller (Moderator). Special recognition goes to Arthur Acuña for his outstanding leadership as Club President and for sharing his expertise.
MOCK TRIAL This year the Bishop Gorman Mock Trial Team had a great year and competed at the Yale Mock Trial Invitational where they placed 6th out of 26 State Championship teams. Brooke Powell ’19 received top honors as best witness. This year’s case was a civil case and the Mock Trial Team also won 1st Place at regionals, and 3RD PLACE at STATE. At the Regional Competition, Rachel Raps '19 received the only award presented for best attorney. Brooke Powell received 1 of 3 awards for best witness and Rachel Raps received 1 of 3 awards for best attorney at the State Competition. The team is excited for next year’s criminal case, but sad to see our incredible seniors go.
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legacy in action
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
BASEBALL
With a very young team and several early injuries, the baseball team battled all season long and was able to still have another successful season finishing 21-10. Their season was cut short in the Desert Region semi-finals against Basic High School. All- Desert Region Honors First Team: Carson Well '20 Second Team: Noah Glaser '20, Tyler Avery '22, Gavin Mez '21, John Gaughan '19 (John Gaughan '84 and Barbara [Cordani]Gaughan '84), and Santino Panaro '21.
The women’s basketball team had a wonderful season. The team finished with a 23-9 overall record. The team won the local Halloween Hoops pre-season tournament, then started the regular season with a big tournament victory at the Lake Powell Holiday Classic. The ladies went on to take 2nd Place in the Southwest League 10-2. The team went on to win the 1st EVER NIAA 4A Desert Region Women’s Basketball Championship. They defeated Desert Oasis 41-39 on a last-second shot by Bentleigh Hoskins '20. Ultimately, they competed in the State Tournament and finished in 2nd Place in the State after a tough battle against defending champs, Centennial. All-State Third Team: Georgia Ohiaeri '19
in a MEN’S BASKETBALL
BOWLING
BGHS Bowling Teams had a great season! Both the men’s and women’s team worked hard and persevered through some tough matches. The enthusiasm and energy was palpable at every match, and the teams cheered each other on to do their best throughout the season. Josh Harris '21 (Jonathan Harris '78) bowled the high game for the men’s team with a 279 against Basic, and Gianna Gourley '19 bowled the high game for the women’s team with a 212 against Green Valley. We look forward to a great season next year!
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On March 1, the men’s basketball team claimed its 8th Straight State Title at the Orleans Arena. The Gaels took the victory against the Clark Chargers 68-60. But the season didn’t stop there for the Gaels. On April 4, Bishop Gorman played in the Geico Nationals in New York City against #1 La Lumiere. The Gaels went into double overtime and fought hard till the end. With the score of 74-69, the season came to an end. The Gaels finished #22 in the Nation. All-State First Team: Zaon Collins '21 and Isaiah Cottrell '20 Second Team: Will McClendon '21 Third Team: Noah Taitz '20 All-USA Nevada Boys Basketball Team First Team: Isaiah Cottrell Second Team: Noah Taitz and Zaon Collins Coach of the Year Coach Grant Rice
legacy in action
gaels action MEN’S GOLF
The men’s golf team won the Desert Southwest League Championship and finished 2nd in the Desert Regionals, qualifying for the State Tournament in Reno. At the State Tournament, the team also did well, finishing in 3rd Place. Jake Johnson '21 (Danny Johnson '90 and Susan [Schmitt] Johnson '90) had the low score of the year, shooting a 6-under par 66 in a Bear’s Best League Match. Other team members who competed with the team in Reno were: Jake Johnson, Skyler Ngo '20, Aarjav Patel '21, Leo Torres '21, Styles Stockham '22 (Kari [Wiesner] Stockham '87), and Xavier De La Rosa '19. The team returns with several top players next year, so look for the Gaels to be one of the top teams in the state again next year. All-State Second Team: Jake Johnson
WOMEN'S SOCCER
Congratulations to women’s soccer for receiving the Las Vegas Sun Stand Out Award on Tuesday, May 21, 2019. USA TODAY High School Sports Women's Soccer Coach of the Year Coach Doug Borgel
FLAG FOOTBALL
In our Inaugural season, the ladies had a lot of tough competition. Although it was a learning curve, a good time was had by all and can’t wait to see what they can do next season!
WOMEN’S LACROSSE
The women's lacrosse team had a good year, finishing with a varsity record of 11-2 in the regular season. Winning the first round of the playoffs against Somerset 13-7, they made it to the Southern Nevada Championships once again. Although they had a tough loss against Coronado, the League did recognize several of the standout players: Regan Schunk '20 was named as a US Lacrosse All-American and Ava Adamson '21 was honored with the Nevada Lacrosse Association’s Sportsmanship Award. Although lacrosse is still growing in Las Vegas, this sport continues to be fast paced and competitive.
The Gael Gazette
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legacy in action
g in a Player the Year of
Gianna Gourley '19
Congratulations!
SOFTBALL
The softball team had a great season. The ladies made it into the Desert Regional Tournament where they lost to a tough Sierra Vista team in the first round. All-Desert League First Team: Hayley Coreas '19 Second Team: Katelyn Hunter '21
SWIM AND DIVE
The 2019 Bishop Gorman Swim & Dive Team had a season not to be soon forgotten. The campaign was filled with its share of ups and downs, but at the end of the season, the Gaels should be proud of what was accomplished.
On the team front, the women's team finished the regular season 5-1. At the State Meet in Carson City, the ladies finished in 3rd, that is a 2-place improvement from the 2018 State Tournament.
The men's team finished the season 4-2. With only a couple of seniors and a heavy underclassmen roster, the men also took 3rd Place at the Desert Regional. They qualified 3 relays and 2 individual swims for the NIAA State Meet, where the Gaels finished in 8th Place.
MEN’S VOLLEYBALL
With a young team, the men battled to make it into the Desert Regional Tournament, but their season was cut short with a loss against Clark in the first round. The team is looking forward to proving themselves next year! All-Desert Region First Team: Bradley Johnson '20
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Individually, the Gaels made a name for themselves at the Championship Meet with some star power. Audrey Yu '22 left the NIAA State meet with 4 STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS. Her performances in the 50 and 100 Freestyles earned her All-American status. Audrey was a key leg on two relays that took home gold medals at the State meet, dominating the competition and setting a new School Record in the 400 Free Relay. Emma Breslin '20 picked up two medals in the 50 Free and 100 Breast. Caroline Anderson '19 and Devyn Wingender '19 also made it individually in the 100 Fly and 200 IM, respectively. On the Spring Boards, Olivia Gordon '20 set a new school record for 11-dives and added a BRONZE MEDAL at the State meet.
Though not as deep, the men showed they could step up as a team and qualified for State in all 3 relays. Individual State Qualifiers were Morgan Ma '20 in the 50 Free and Dylan Becker '20 in the 500 Free. Morgan raced to a BRONZE MEDAL at the State Meet. Dylan’s performance at the Regional Championship also set a school record and All-American consideration status.
legacy in action
gaels action TRACK AND FIELD
The Bishop Gorman Men’s Track Team had another exceptional season full of crushing records and setting new personal best times. On Saturday, May 18, the men claimed a BACK-TO-BACK STATE TITLE.
STATE FINALS RESULTS 4x100M relay 1st Place: Ammonte Beverly '20, Rome Odunze '20, Antonio Sanchez '19, Kyu Kelly '19 school record. Long jump 1st Place: Kyu Kelly, 24'2.5" school record 200 1st Place: Rome Odunze, 21.25 school record. 200 2nd Place: Kyu Kelly, 21.58 1600 2nd Place: Massimiliano Swenson '19 school record. 3200 5th Place: Massimiliano Swenson 100 3rd Place: Kyu Kelly school record. 100 4th Place: Rome Odunze Triple Jump 2nd Place: Zion Branch '22, 46'06.75" (2nd best freshman mark in the US) 110 Hurdles 3rd Place: Zion's school record (5th fastest freshman time in the US) 4x400M Relay 3rd Place: Tim Linnert '20, Antonio Sanchez '19, Maleik Pabon '22, Donovan Coulthard '22. This season the men's team won THE FROSH/SOPH REGION, THE REGION, and the STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS. While the women's track & field team this season was a very young team, they will bring back a lot of experience next year. The women ended their season in 5th Place at the Regional Championship.
WRESTLING
Although they were a young team this year, our wrestling team competed in League play and placed 4 wrestlers in the State Tournament. Gavin Brenkus '19, Jaiden Romero '20, Jashawn Taylor '19, and Brandon Young '19 all qualified for the State Meet in Winnemucca, NV.
All-State Men First Team: Kyu Kelly, Rome Odunze Second Team: Zion Branch, Donovan Smith Jr. '20, Massimiliano Swenson All- State Women Second Team: Emilia Puskas '21
Men's Track Coach of the Year Coach Scott Cooley
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legacy in action
Climbing E BGHS 2019 Signing Days On February 6 and April 24, 2019, Bishop Gorman held signing days for students to sign their National Letter of Intent. This is a special day for student-athletes who are receiving scholarships to attend college. The Class of 2019 has 40 student athletes who signed this year! BASEBALL: John Gaughan (Barbara [Cordani] '84 and John Gaughan '84): University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV) (W) BASKETBALL: Georgia Ohiaeri: University of California, Riverside; Olivia Smith: Cal State Northridge BOWLING & ESPORTS: Brett McEachern (Christi [Thomas] McEachern '86): Morningside College, IA FOOTBALL: Cade Briggs: University of New Mexico; Noah-Falcon Kaumatule: University of Utah; Bradley Gould: Southwest Minnesota State University; KyuBlu' Kelly: Stanford University, CA; Treven Ma'ae: University of Oregon; Moses Smith: Arizona Christian University; Beau Taylor (Jennifer [Falcome] Taylor '92): University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA); Blaze Boudreau: Dixie State University, UT; Amod Cianelli: Dixie State University, UT; Jordan Mack: University of Arkansas Pine Bluff; Andrew Ruelas: University of Redlands, CA SOFTBALL: Mia Weckel: Yavapai College, AZ (M) SWIMMING: Theodor Delmonaco: Whitman College, WA; Bryce Rounds: Mount St. Mary’s University, MD (W) SWIMMING: Devyn Wingender: Cal State University, Bakersfield (M) SOCCER: Alexander Daseler (Frank Daseler '76): University of Colorado, Colorado Springs; Zachary Flannery: College of Idaho; Hayden Madsen-Gross: Elmhurst College, IL (W) SOCCER: Kevyn Hillegass (Scott Hillegass '88): Boise State University (W) VOLLEYBALL: Alexandra Washington: Southern Illinois University (W) WATER POLO: Alexandra Burke: Whittier College, CA
Congratulations to Sophia Wilson '19 for winning Best Actress in a Musical and to BGHS Theatre Director, Mrs. Elena Ferrante-Martin, for Best Direction of a Musical for the State of Nevada.
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g Every Mountain and Finding our Dreams! The perennial favorite, The Sound of Music, was presented by Gaels Theatre Guild this past March 2019. Our production graced Bishop Gorman High School with standing room only audiences for six performances in the Jim3 House of the Performing Arts. The Sound of Music is considered one of the masterpieces of the modern musical theatre and marked the culmination of the epic Rodgers and Hammerstein collaboration. The most beloved musical featured theatrical standards such as “The Sound of Music”, “Sixteen Going on Seventeen”, “Do Re Mi”, “Edelweiss”, “My Favorite Things”, and “Climb Every Mountain”. Our full company consisted of forty – five students in the cast, a crew team of fifty students and twenty– seven students in the orchestra. Additionally, eight elementary school students joined the cast to share the responsibilities of portraying the younger von Trapp children, including Cameron Feely (Lora [Crammer] Feely '98, Bella Delgado (Marisa [Bevilacqua] Delgado) '04, and Angelina Jett (Karina [Mikelis] Jett '92. The Sound of Music was directed by Department Chair of Performing Arts, Elena Ferrante-Martin, while the student orchestra was conducted by Director of Instrumental Music, Mr. Geoff Neuman.
2019-2020 Performing Arts Season OCTOBER 11-13 Fall Arts Festival DECEMBER 6-7 Winte Arts Extravaganza MARCH 20-22, and MARCH 27-29 The Annual Musical MAY 1-2 Spring Arts Spectacular JUNE 1-12 Summer Musical Theatre Camp The Gael Gazette
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live the legacy
Live
In 1954, when the Maryland Parkway campus was built, the Viatorians had one goal: to create a Catholic college- preparatory school in Southern Nevada. Since then, the legacy of Bishop Gorman has taken on a life of its own. It’s no surprise that the memories and recollections of Gael graduates have a special place in their hearts. There is a closeness and loyalty amongst all Gaels, no matter what year they graduated. In 2007, when Bishop Gorman moved to Summerlin, it was important to make sure that the presence of the Maryland Parkway
St. Francis of Assisi
campus was still felt. Moving from one campus to another, there was a point made to bring several artifacts to the new campus. A couple of staples that were brought over are the “G” tower and the statue of Mary in Senior Plaza. The House of Glory remains and the after game socials are held still held in “Ryan Hall”.
Statue of Virgin Mary
Students continue to decorate the halls during Homecoming, sing the same fight song, and carry the same spirit that Bishop Gorman Gaels always have. There are so many things, whether tangible or intangible, that are a tribute to our beginnings. As we grow, there is a deliberate effort to continue to preserve our tradition. We are expanding our Bishop Gorman hall of history to include pictures and quotes of Gaels throughout the years. In addition to the alumni reunion cases, we will have a hallway dedicated to telling the story of Bishop Gorman as a tribute to our tradition and longevity. We hope you will walk through next time you are on campus!
Senior Plaza Old Campus
Senior Plaza New Campus
Ryan Hall brick from Old Campus Original Alma Mater written by Brother Drolet, C.S.V. 16
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live the legacy
the Legacy
By Janell Gomez '97
"Gorman is a living breathing thing. It is not just a campus. It’s not a world class sports program. It is not just accomplishments or accolades. It has a soul. That soul will connect us all for the rest of our lives" - Mary Beth Higgins ’75 The "G" at the New Campus
Michelle Brekke Memorial Plaque
Moving the "G"
When you think of Bishop Gorman, some words that come to mind are family, community and legacy. Legacy is a gift that is handed down from one person to another and going to Bishop Gorman has been a tremendous gift, not only in my life, but my whole family’s life. My parents, Richard '73 and Julie (Womack) Gomez '75 started our family legacy. My sister, Salena (Gomez) Savarda '95 and I followed the tradition and my son, Brandon White '18, is the most recent alumni of the family. Soon we will have two more Gaels in the family who will graduate in 2024 and 2026.
The Gomez Family
No matter what year you attended BGHS or what campus you went to, the traditions and values that are the heart and soul of Bishop Gorman remain the same. With 40 incoming freshmen in the Class of 2023 with parents who are alumni, there is no denying this school encompasses a legacy like no other. We can’t wait to see what this year holds and are excited for our Gaels to continue to live the legacy!
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a living legacy
Margaret Foy 48 yrs
Christi (Thomas) McEachern 29 yrs
Virginia Cunningham 43 yrs
Judy Ferguson 27 yrs
A Living L A huge part of what makes Bishop Gorman so special is our faculty and staff. Julianna Hilliard 16 yrs
Patricia Taris 23 yrs
Jean Poteete 43 yrs
Rick Spiritosanto 21 yrs Grant Rice 18 yrs
Tracy Goode 27 yrs
Kim Tegano 16 yrs
Kelly Ivie 22 yrs
Patti Johnson 41 yrs
Ryan Pietranton 20 yrs Elena Ferrante-Martin 16 yrs
Greg Cava 15 yrs
John Goertemiller 25 yrs Mary DeJoria 21 yrs
Kathy Glenn 31 yrs
Heather Marr 19 yrs
Kim Martinez 24 yrs
Jay Bonar 29 yrs
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Kerry Lieb 15 yrs
Sheryl Krmpotich 21 yrs
Joanne Andrews 29 yrs
Mike Wright 18 yrs
Stacy DiVento 23 yrs
Linda Fox 16 yrs
Dee Roberts 21 yrs
Michelle Healy 16 yrs
Michelle Truitt 15 yrs
To the Bishop Gorman Community,
The interaction our students have with our teachers, counselors, coaches and administrators impact them in more ways than we can ever imagine. Your high school experience is influenced so greatly by this important group of people. The Bishop Gorman legacy is present in two ways in our faculty and staff: 1. The number of alumni who come back to work at the school and 2. The years of service our employees commit to our institution. When you are wondering if the legacy is alive at BGHS just take a look at our outstanding faculty and staff… Pictured at left are Faculty and Staff who have worked at Bishop Gorman for 15 years or more. Below are Alumni who currently work at Bishop Gorman High School.
Jordan Aguilar '10 Joanne Andrews '78 Laura Armeni-Kneesel '03 Lauren (Blaney) Blasek '04 Jay Bonar '82 Greg Cava '76 Nicole (Gagnon) Davis '97 Gino DiMaria '84 Lora (Crammer) Feely '98 Jimmy Gleich '01 Janell Gomez '97 Krystal Jackson '05 Kathy (Ralenkotter) Keating '91 Christi (Thomas) McEachern '86 Bridget (Moore) Michlik '95 Nicole (Sarret) Moeslacher '95 Courtney Napoli '09 Ryan Pietranton '92 Michelle Roberts '99 Br. Dan Tripamer C.S.V. '84 Mary (Catania) Vance '05 Lisa (Blasco) Werksman '85 Jackie White '98 Mike Wright '91 Sandy (Sagel) Young '75
a living legacy
Legacy
Upon my retirement this year after 43 years, I would just like to thank you all for making my journey so wonderful. I knew I wanted to teach since the fourth grade. I took this job with the intent of only staying a year and then a wonderful lifetime career happened. Over the years, I developed many friendships that I cherish, have crossed paths with people I knew before I came to Gorman who had connections to Gorman (Las Vegas is still a small town), and even taught some of children of my students! Every experience I had during my tenure... the teams I coached (volleyball, softball, basketball, bowling and cheerleading twice) teaching PE and Health, and the switch to Science (Intro to Anatomy, Marine Biology and Environmental Science)…was amazing. I plan to continue working football and basketball games, after four decades you can’t get totally rid of me! Now it is time for me to start another chapter in my life. Thank you all for all the love, support and friendships. My love to you all... I will remember you forever. Once a Gael, Always a Gael, Jean Poteete
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faith on campus
BISHOP GORMAN FACULTY AND STAFF ARE DOING SOME GOOD THINGS! On Friday, March 15th, over 120 faculty and staff represented Bishop Gorman at Catholic Charities for a day of serving others. Five floors of hallways were beautifully painted in the single residency occupancy apartments campus of Catholic Charities, as well as nearly 2,000 toiletry bags assembled! The work was done efficiently and the staff at Catholic Charities was appreciative and thankful for all of the hard work done. This was a day when anyone would be happy to say "I'm proud to be a GAEL!"
MAKE-A-WISH SOUTHERN NEVADA MIRACLE LEAGUE On December 8, 2018, Bishop Gorman was named as the Volunteer Organization of the Year. Bishop Gorman students have completed over 2000 hours of service at Miracle League.
Way to go Gaels!
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Summer 2019
Reese Rivera '21 and Elliana Deibert '21 were recognized for their continuous volunteer efforts to Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada. The ladies have been volunteering at Make-A-Wish Southern Nevada weekly. The ladies were recognized for always willing to help and serve their community whenever they can. Reese and Elliana said that every wish that they see has left a mark on their hearts. They love seeing wishes come true. Each week, they love coming up with new ideas to make wishes come true.
faith on campus BOYS TOWN HONORS BGHS
BOYS VS. GIRLS WEEK SERVICE EVENT! Every year the students look forward to all of the fun events associated with Boys vs. Girls week! Free dress, competitions at the assembly, and a fairly new constant is the Service Event. We chose to make toiletry bags for teenagers who might be going to Project 150's Prom Closet, where they can choose the perfect outfit for a formal night at no cost. Our bags contained a few little items that would be great to tuck in your pocket or purse for the evening. This event followed our hugely successful TWICE AS NICE drive. Our recycled formal wear drive is always a hit and the people with Project 150 are truly thankful that we do it!
On January 31, Ms. Martinez, Bro. Robertson, Jashawn Taylor '19 and Mateo Portelli '20, represented Bishop Gorman at an awards ceremony held at Boys Town of Nevada where Bishop Gorman received the Volunteer Group of the Year honor. Jashawn has volunteered at events with Boys Town. Mateo represented our Matthew 25 Board as we were also recognized for the many emergency requests we have funded to clients of Boys Town over the years. In addition, Zach Flannery '19 and Freddy Aldana '21 volunteered as food servers to help the event run smoothly. Donna Pacella, Development Director of Boys Town, noted that Bishop Gorman students are always ready and willing to help whenever called upon and are valued partners with Boys Town in so many ways.
MITE BOX ROCKS AT BISHOP GORMAN!
This was a fantastic year for Mite Box! By early April we had received $57,000 in donations via our Tuesday morning collections. This total doesn't even include the Miracle Minute for Africa ($7,000) and a few other collections we hosted this year. The money collected and deposited into our Mite Box fund is awarded by our student-run Matthew 25 Board to families and individuals who are on the edge of homelessness. Social Service agencies in the Las Vegas area have tremendous respect for our program and we have helped many of their clients in need. We can never thank you all enough for the help we are able to provide to others because of YOU!
The Gael Gazette
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advancement
Congratulations Golden Grads
Class of 1969
Outstanding BGHS Teachers Receive
FATHER QUERBES AWARD
In 2005, alumni and alum parents, Tim Cashman'78 and Denise (Koval) Cashman '78, endowed a fund to reward excellence at Bishop Gorman High School. The Fr. Louis Querbes Excellence in Education Award is named after the founder of the Clerics of St. Viator who were instrumental in the founding of our school over 60 years ago. These two teachers were selected by their colleagues and students and each received a $10,000 award. This year, Denise (Koval) Cashman '78 and her daughter, Samantha (Cashman) Rayburn '07 presented two teachers with their award.
Celebrating their 50th High School Reunion, members of the Class of 1969 walked with the Class of 2019 during the commencement ceremony. Ronaldo Tiberti, Darlene Russo, Joe Gallia, John McDonald, Marcella (Doblado) Custer, Mike Schneider, Candy (Hill)Schneider, Steve Custer, MaryKaye (Collins) Cashman, Tony Mark, Ward Hawkins, Ardea (Trapletti) Heiden, Cliff Klinkhammer, Connie (Diskin) Rhodes, John Mowbray, Patricia (Helfrich) Raftery, Steven Silvangni, Cindy (Hahn) Davidson, Kenneth Free, Peter Specht, Mary (Tessmer) James.
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Summer 2019
Congratulations Mr. Nathan Radzak and Mr. Andrew Giger!
advancement Bishop Gorman High School 37th Annual
Knight of the
Gael On Thursday, March 28th parents, alumni and friends gathered to honor Mary
Alice [Bauchman] '80 and Scott Nielson at the 37th Annual Knight of the Gael. Along with their children, Nick '15, Aly '17, Caroline '19 and over 550 guests, we
celebrated this very special couple who have been active members of the Bishop
Gorman community for decades. Their dedication to family, Bishop Gorman High
School, and the Las Vegas valley is an inspiration to all. There are no limits to their generosity and we are proud to call them Gaels.
We couldn't have done it without the help of our partners, Red Rock Resort Casino and Spa, Station Casinos, Breakthru Beverage Nevada, Lifetouch Photography, Encore, Michael E. Minden and Five Star Creative.
Save The Date! 34th Annual Bishop Gorman Golf Classic
Thanks to our all of our sponsors especially our Platinum Sponsors, Golden Entertainment, Stillpoint Center for Spiritual Development, the Families
of Frank & Lorenzo Fertitta, the Ellis Family, and The Tony & Renee Marlon Charitable Foundation.
A very special thanks to our contributors and student performers that helped make the evening extra special... Mrs. Elena FerranteMartin and the Gaels Theater Guild; Mr. Geoff Neuman, the orchestra, Zach Geinzer '19, Mr. Kyle Bissantz and the drum line; Mr. Jimmy Gleich '01 & ASG, and the evening’s announcer, Krish Madhura '21.
Thursday, November 7
Spanish Trail Golf & Country Club The Gael Gazette
23
DON’T MISS OUT ON THESE UPCOMING
FALL EVENTS! FRIDAY, AUGUST 23 BGHS VS. OREM, UT After Game Social
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7 BGHS VS. SERVITE, CA After Game Social
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 HOMECOMING Alumni, Family & Friends
FRIDAY-SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11-13 FALL ARTS FESTIVAL
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18 BGHS VS. DURANGO After Game Social
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 20 OPEN HOUSE
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 BGHS VS. CLARK After Game Social
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 7 BISHOP GORMAN GOLF CLASSIC Spanish Trail Country Club
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Summer 2019
homecoming homecoming 2019
The Gael Gazette
25
roll call
1980s
2000s, cont.
Coach Lou Pisani (92 years old) was the BHGS Head Baseball Coach from 1983-1987. He recently attended the 2018-2019 Varsity Baseball Opening Game! Coach Pisani is pictured with his grandson, Dominyck Bullard '20 (Lyndalou [Pisani] Bullard '74) and current BGHS Head Baseball Coach, Gino Di Maria '84 (whom he coached). In 2005, Coach Pisani was inducted into the Southern NV Sports Hall of Fame.
1990s Marilou and Jimmy Wolfram '95 welcomed their twin baby boys on January 14, 2019. Jason Andrew and Jesse James were both 4lbs 1oz and both were 15in long. Big brother, James, is so excited to have two brothers.
Matt Smith '97 was inducted into the Oklahoma State Baseball Hall of Fame on January 26, 2018.
Nick Arbelaez '98 graduated from Fresno Pacific University with his Masters in Kinesiology.
Chris and Crystal (Clausen) Grivas '97 welcomed their third child, Carter Clinton into the world on April 28, 2019. Carter weighted 8lbs 6oz and was 21 inches long. Big sister, Ivy(4) and brother, Clark (1.5) are excited to have a new sibling.
2000s
Ryan Cuen '02 and Rana FaraneshCuen '00 welcomed their beautiful daughter, Layla, into the world on July 12, 2018.
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Summer 2019
Brendan Keating '00 and Kati Keating welcomed their fourth daughter, Morgan Evelyn, on October 23, 2018. She is being well loved by her big sisters, Ireland (6), Kerrigan (4), and Lily (4). Carli (Portz) West '06 and Nate West welcomed Nolan Stephen on January 30, 2019, at 6:55am. Baby Nolan was 8lbs, 8oz. Mom and dad are overjoyed with their sweet boy!
Marie Mills '09 married Brendan Leake on December 15, 2018, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Las Vegas, NV. The wedding party included Alumni: Maid of Honor, Paula Sayegh '09, Matron of Honor, Julie (Larson) Tully '09, and bridesmaid, Sandra Sayegh '04. The happy couple lives and works in Las Vegas, NV. Kimberly Orf '09 married Matthew Fox barefoot in the sand on March 16, 2019, in Redondo Beach. In attendance was Bridesmaid, Courtney Davis '09.
Devin Altschul '09 and Jeff Malm '09 were married in Las Vegas on December 8, 2018. The couple met at Bishop Gorman and started dating during their senior year. Alumni members in the wedding party included father of the groom: Christopher Malm '81; Riley Altschul '11, Spencer Altschul '14, Larson Altschul '18, Delaney Malm '15, Ali Cashman '09, Camille Ewing '09, Desiree Garrett '09, Chelsea Carvalho '09, Stephen Manthei '09, Joey Rickard '09, Tyler Wagner '09, Jerry Mitchell '09 and Johnny Field '10. The happy couple resides in Las Vegas with their dog, Miley. Dani (Reilly) Green '02 and Michael Green '02 welcomed their fourth daughter, Eloise Mary Green on March 7, 2019. Big sisters Reilly (7), Sophie (6), and Madeleine (1) are excited to have a new baby sister.
Allison (Cordova) Monette '03, was named Director of Communications and Brand Management at Vegas PBS. She will direct strategic marketing and communications. Monette holds a BA in Communications from the Univ. of San Diego and a Master of Communication Management from the University of Southern California. She volunteers as Public Relations Chair for the Junior League of Las Vegas. Baby girl, Sloane Grace was born on March 19, 2019, to Anna (Robertson) Cooper '02 and Jeffrey Cooper. She weighed 9lbs,12oz and was 21.5in long.
2010s AC Patterson '11 was recently hired as the MinnesotaVikings Offensive Quality Control. He was once the youngest (22) D1 Offensive Line Coach when he was hired at Portland State. Victoria (Monahan) Taylor '10 and husband, Trevor Taylor, welcomed their daughter, Emerlyn Victoria, on August 26, 2018.
Jilliann Parraguirre '12 recently achieved her graduate degree from Sotheby’s Institute of Art in London, with her Master’s in Art Business. Last fall she was hired by Paddle8 Auction House in New York City, NY where she now resides. Katarina Murzl '10 was recently promoted to Marketing Coordinator at Kaos at the Palms Hotel this past March.
Tavin Hays '17 was elected Captain for the Iowa State Soccer Team 2019-2020.
Amanda Morton '15, recently graduated from The University of Arizona with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Arts, Media and Entertainment. She has been offered a job with Insight Global, a staffing and recruiting agency in Los Angeles.
roll call
Joey Ballaro '04 and Rayanne Mulieri were married on June 23, 2017, at The Mansion at Glen Cove on Long Island. Alumni in attendance included Nick Porter '00, Michael Porter '06, Andrew Gephardt '04, and Mike McKinlay '04.
Hannah Cava '12 recently joined the Disney Theatrical Group, as Production Project Manager for “The Lion King” Worldwide. She is also on tour with Google, as a Line Producer for Grow With Google. She spent 2 years in NY, where at the time, she was the youngest Production Manager on Broadway. Spencer Henry '15, graduated in May, from the University of Nevada Reno with a Bachelor or Arts degree in English Writing, and minored in Psychology. Spencer looks forward to attending law school in the future.
In May, Patrick McGurk '14 graduated from University of Nevada Reno with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering. Patrick plans on joining the army in the future.
Sophia Araujo '14 recently finished her first year of Optometry School at the Ohio State University and received her white coat, symbolizing the beginning of her clinical education.
In Our Prayers Gail (Karas) Maloney '59 passed away peacefully with her family by her side on July 5, 2018. She was a graduate from Gonzaga University and a lifelong educator. She loved to travel and enjoyed gardening and yoga. Gail will be missed by her husband, Patrick; son, Josh; and her sisters, Sylvia Karas '60 and Cathie (Karas) Wilke '66. Joseph Rodrigues, a proud Bishop Gorman supporter, died peacefully surrounded by his family on March 20, 2019. He was preceded in death by Caroline, his wife of 63 years; his brothers, George and Gilbert; and sisters, Gloria, Alice and Inez. He is survived by brother, Albert; and his five children, Vikki Rodrigues '70, Danny Rodrigues '72, Patti Puliz '74 (Allen '74), Tony Rodrigues '76 (Mary '77), and Tom Rodrigues '77 (Alicia); 14 grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and many other family members. Joseph will always remain in our hearts.
The Gael Gazette
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