Mustang Messenger Fall 2014

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"With a curriculum designed in the present, based on the past, and geared to the future, Bishop McNamara High School will create its own history."

Catholic Standard Reporter Norman McCarthy (May 15, 1965) ADVANCEMENT OFFICE Director of Institutional Advancement L'oreal Edmondson '98 Director of Annual Programs Alice V. Case Director of Web Communications Janice Conlon Cuellar LR '69 Director of Alumni Relations Michael Jones '96 Director of Special Events Melissa Antonio Huar LR '91 Director of Communications Robert Feasley Please contact: Advancement Office 301.735.8401 ext. 134

PRESIDENT/CEO Marco J. Clark '85

Issue Title: "Geared to the Future" On the Cover: "The Future of Bishop McNamara High School Visualized"

The Mustang Messenger is published three times each year. We welcome comments, suggestions, and information.

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PRINCIPAL Dr. Robert Van der Waag Bishop McNamara High School Advancement Office 6800 Marlboro Pike Forestville, Maryland 20747 (p) 301.735.8401 (f ) 301.735.0934

Fall2014 CONTENTS 4 President's Pen 5 Homecoming 6-11 Around Campus Bishop McNamara 100 Years Later Campus Chatter 50th Anniversary Event Information 12-13 Academic Excellence Tierra Jolly '00: Fighting for Ward 8 14-19 Talent in the Arts Victor Bah: An Unlikely Story Tri-M Music Society Induction 20-25 Athletic Pride Girl Power Mustang Fever 26-27 Faith and Service Devotion 28-35 La Reine & McNamarAlumni 'Like Mike': Michael Brooks '97 Alumni News Memorial Garden In Memory of CFC: 62489 United Way: 8895 Maryland Charities: 6137 ŠBMHS All Rights Reserved THE MUSTANG MESSENGER

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Dear Bishop McNamara and La Reine High School Family and Friends, The late Cardinal Patrick O'Boyle, Archbishop of Washington from 1948-1973, proclaimed that the occasion of the opening of Bishop McNamara High School was a "cause for profound rejoicing throughout the Archdiocese." As we celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2014-2015, the cause for rejoicing couldn't be greater. From our humble beginnings in 1964, when we opened our doors with 337 students in freshman and sophomore classes, 10 Holy Cross Brothers, and two lay faculty members, to where we are today with a record enrollment of 885 students and a faculty and staff of nearly 125, the vision and dreams of our founders, the Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross, have surpassed all expectations. Truly, there is great cause for rejoicing!

As we begin this historic and landmark year in our School's history, we are reminded that our most important mission is that given

by Christ to His Apostles — to go and teach. Grounded firmly in our Holy Cross heritage, the way that we taught in 1964 is the way that we teach today — as educators in the faith, with hope to bring. Holy Cross education stands strong on four foundational themes — Being Family, Building Respect, Educating our Minds and Hearts, and Bringing Hope. Uniquely here at Bishop McNamara, we also carry forth the vision of the late Bishop M. McNamara, for whom this school was named, to reflect the image of Jesus Christ to the world. It is from his words that our school motto, "To Think with Christ," was created and continues to guide all that we do today.

At our dedication ceremony in 1965, Catholic Standard reporter Norman McCarthy wrote that Bishop McNamara High School, "with a curriculum designed in the present, based on the past, and geared to the future, will create its own history" (May 15, 1965).

As we now begin the next chapter in our school's history, we are blessed by our proud past, thriving present, and hope-filled future!

With our growth and expansion over the years, a relevant and rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, the initiation of an iPad 1:1 program and technology integration, a thriving and comprehensive fine arts program unlike any other in the country, strong and proud athletics, and a commitment to serve the poor and marginalized, the future for this school couldn't be brighter. Most importantly, however, we are blessed to continue to have bright, talented, and passionate students under the guidance and mentorship of some of the most dedicated and caring professionals in Catholic education committed to the worthy mission of Holy Cross education.

I will close as Cardinal O'Boyle did 50 years ago: "May God bless all who labor here — and all who come to learn. And may the fruit of this labor and learning enrich our country, the church, and all the world!" I look forward with great optimism to what the legacy of Bishop McNamara High School will be for the next 50 years. Surely lives will be changed, miracles will happen, and this Holy Cross "work of resurrection" will continue to bring hope to the world. Truly, the best is yet to come!

Gracefully yours, in Holy Cross,

Marco J. Clark '85 President/CEO

@mustangprez

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he word "tradition" comes from the Latin word "traditio." Traditio, historically, means to pass on. As a Ph.D. and theologian by training, it has been my academic career to study tradition as it pertains to historical action and events.

It has also been my impetus in thinking of the 50th Anniversary of Bishop McNamara High School in broader terms, as it defines itself by a tradition of excellence, a tradition of thinking with Christ, and a tradition of innovation. To look forward to 2064, when this school will celebrate 100 years of education (and I'll be 90 years old) we must first look at the school's first days.

Since our founding in 1964, the philosophy of Bishop McNamara has promoted Christian education in the spirit of the Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C., Founder of the Congregation of Holy Cross.

Sponsored by the Brothers of the Congregation of Holy Cross, Bishop McNamara has remained dedicated to the "harmonious development of the whole person," which was the challenge given by Brother Ephraim O'Dwyer, C.S.C., then Provincial of the Brothers of Holy Cross, Eastern Province. This challenge echoed

Catholic Church on Marlboro Pike in Forestville, Maryland, Bishop McNamara is the result of the vision, as was La Reine High School, of Msgr. Peter Paul Rakowski, to build a Catholic high school for boys, and one for girls in the southern part of Prince George's County. To that end, in 1962, His Eminence, the Most Rev. Patrick Cardinal O'Boyle, Archbishop of Washington, extended an invitation to the Brothers of Holy Cross to administer and staff the new high school, which would serve the county and parts of Washington, D.C. Ten Holy Cross Brothers and two lay teachers set the course for these boys to develop into young men of character.

In 1964, Bishop McNamara came to be in a turbulent time. Located seven miles away from the steps of the Capital, the year this school opened its doors was the year that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. won the Nobel Peace Prize, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 authorized federal action against segregation, and the year that President Lyndon B. Johnson announced the 'War on Poverty.'

The 10-year anniversary of the school, in 1974, came the same year during which

In the 50 years since the school began, the vision of the founding brothers, who stayed up well into the night putting desks together for the first day of school, has not diminished. While companies, leaders, social movements, and organizations that dominated market places, political races, and social consciences have long since disappeared, Bishop McNamara has not only persisted, but also thrived.

By remaining true to Fr. Moreau, the school has continued to provide an elite education, taught and accepted students of every demographic side-by-side, and never forgotten its founding mission and goal of education through personal and spiritual innovation.

When Bishop McNamara opened its doors 50 years ago, it was an integrated school amidst national turmoil. When Heather Gossart was named the President/CEO in 1996, she was the first laywoman chosen by the religious order to ever head a school.

When we began piloting our iPad 1:1 program this year, we sought to lead the burgeoning national desire for students well educated in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

The cafeteria planned will allow for a more open, friendly setting for the student body. The environmentally friendly structure will provide a setting as progressive as the meals served.

the educational philosophy established

by Fr. Moreau, which stated, "We shall always place education side by side with instruction, the mind will not be cultivated at the expense of the heart."

Built on a site adjacent to Mount Calvary

individuality. In 1994, we celebrated our 30th anniversary while Nelson Mandela, imprisoned for 27 years, was released from prison and elected president and, during our 40th anniversary, we bore witness to the Battle of Fallujah in Iraq and the Middle Eastern conflict. In 2014, 50 years later, we celebrate the momentous milestone while educating our children about the IsraeliPalestinian conflict, the scares of Ebola, and the ever-increasing role of technology in our lives.

The expansion of our school, from the cornerstone laid in 1964 to now, and towards the next 50 years, has always been a vital part of our history. Just as the students and teachers that have walked our hallways have left indelible marks upon the culture and future of our school, our buildings are a physical manifestation of the opportunity we provide for our students to learn and to excel.

Nixon resigned and Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's homerun record. The 20-year anniversary of our school was celebrated during George Orwell's prophetic 1984 year, during which Macintosh deliberately defied the idea of oppression and loss of

In the next 50 years, as you might gather should you take a walk through the main concourse of our school building, Bishop McNamara will restructure significantly.

This move, funded by a comprehensive capital campaign by our school's leadership

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The La Reine Science Center will provide an homage to La Reine High School with a dedicated wall of history as well as state of the art resources for the students.

will, at its completion, nearly double our space and capacity as an educational institution. With the addition of the La Reine Science Center, our department that features two Ph.D. teachers will have unprecedented resources at their hands. With the addition of the student commons center, our students will be able to congregate in an informative and enjoyable atmosphere. With the addition of a memorial garden, our entire community will be able to gather and reflect upon our remarkable history in a peaceful, safe environment.

While these changes will long outlast my tenure, I know from my experience at 6800 Marlboro Pike that the changes will only be physical in nature. The same spirit that guided us these past 50 years will persist in the students, teachers, and administrators that have elevated the School to the position it has gained today. I know this because, in my time as an educator at Bishop McNamara and elsewhere, never have I experienced an institution that is more devoted to its mission, nomenclature, and tradition.

We know, as a collective community, who we are, where we come from, and where we are going. As is tradition to say every morning,

"We are Bishop McNamara.

We are Holy Cross.

We choose through our words and actions to build family, show respect, educate our minds and hearts, and bring hope.

We choose to Think with Christ."

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Josephine Kalshoven '15 and Mary Korendyke '15 were named Commended Participants in the National Merit Scholarship Program. Josephine and Mary placed in the top five percent of over 1.5 million students who took the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) and entered the 2015 National Merit competition.

Breana Ross '15 was named a Semifinalist in the 2015 National Achievement Scholarship Program. Breana is one 1,600 Black American high school students to achieve this honor based on the results of last fall's Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/ NMSQT). Jordan Hinkle '15, Akosua Johnson '15, Laken Smothers '15, and Jordan Wells '15 were named Outstanding Participants in the National Achievement Scholarship Program. Jordan, Akosua, Laken and Jordan were among the top three percent of more than 160,000 Black American students who participated in this year's National Achievement Program competition.

Monica Stanley, faculty member at Bishop McNamara, welcomed her second son, Dylan on October 12, 2014 at 3:25 p.m.

He weighed in at 6 lbs. 4 oz. and 21 inches!

Monica and baby are doing very well.

Congratulations Raymell, Monica, and Cameron regarding the birth of their new son and brother.

Mustang Moments as a two-sport student-athlete, and all of the Bishop McNamara community will be rooting for her!

This summer, Josephine Kalshoven '15, Rachel Leader '15, and Michael Haynes '16 participated in a summer camp hosted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, providing students with hands-on experience and real-world simulations of the job and tactics of the FBI. The Future Agents in Training Program teaches young people how the Bureau deals with terrorism, drug cartels, interrogations and other crimes. The program is designed to help students determine whether or not a career in crime-fighting is something that they are interested in for a career.

Michael explained that he signed up for the program to "branch out and to push myself to see what I can accomplish and get more exposure in the FBI field because I want to major in forensics. I liked the criminal investigation details of the field especially."

According to Josie, "It was a fantastic opportunity that we were able to go to Hogan's Alley, the official training location for actual FBI agents, and we were able to have a hands-on experience that was second to none." Rachel added that "spending the week at the Washington Field office with real FBI agents, going to the FBI Academy and the FBI headquarters made me take a deep breath, sigh, and be content knowing that this is where I want to be."

Religion Department Chair, Adam Greer, was recently awarded the National Society of High School Scholars Educator of Distinction Award.

From June 15-19, the Bishop McNamara Campus Ministry, along with 65 students, members of the faculty and alumni volunteers, traveled to Notre Dame of Maryland University in Baltimore to participate in the Youth Leader Conference.

The Youth Leader program is a team approach to Christian leadership formation for youth that integrates Christian spirituality and ministry skills. The purpose of the conference was to empower young people in their service to their peers and the school community, as well as in their leadership roles throughout the rest of their lives.

Father Jeffrey Samaha was named a Top U.S. Executive for 2014 by National Council of American Executives. Father Samaha celebrates Mass in Moreau Chapel every Tuesday morning for the Bishop McNamara Community.

Nicole Yeargin '16 is the only girl in the highly competitive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference Football league, and probably the only girl ever to have played football in the league. Nicole, a former gymnast and a current Mustang Girls' Soccer player, is a newcomer to football.

She started training in June and was able to secure a place on the varsity football team in August. But Nicole, a seasoned competitor, is described as "a hard-nosed, fearless athlete" by her Mustang Soccer coach, Edgar Rauch '94. She admits she will have to work hard to achieve balance

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Nicole Yeargin '16 is the first female football player in the Washington Catholic Athletic Association

Reunion Information LRHS Class of 1975: La Reine Class of 1975 is planning its 40th reunion in 2015. Looking for ideas, planning committee members, and your interest in attending the reunion and planning session. Please leave a message on the Class of '75 reunion phone line at (202) 681-4345 or send email to lrhs75@hotmail.com to show your interest.

BMHS/LRHS Class of 1989: In planning phase, looking for committee members. Contact Angela Morton '89 at amdjem@gmail.com.

BMHS Class of 1995: Planning phase. Please contact Erica Counts-Logan '95 at enclogan@gmail.com BMHS Class of 2005: The class of 2005 will celebrate their 10-year reunion Saturday, May 2, 2015 on the Bishop McNamara High School campus in Alumni Hall. Please contact reunion coordinators Adriane Taylor '05 at adrianetaylor227@gmail.com or Kristian Owens '05 at kristian.owens@bmhs.org for more details.

BMHS Class of 2009: The class of 2009 is planning their five year reunion! If you would like to help, contact Director of Alumni Relations Michael Jones '96 at Michael.Jones@bmhs.org.

If you are planning your reunion, contact Michael.Jones@bmhs.org or 301-735-8401 Ext. 111.

50th Anniversary Events December 17, 2014 Alumni Holiday Party

March 1, 2015 La Reine Reunion: "Queen of Hearts"

January 17, 2015 Athletic Hall of Fame Induction

May 1, 2015 Mustang Cup Golf Tournament

January 25-31, 2015 Catholic Schools Week

May 23, 2015 Commencement Exercises

February 11, 2015 Founder's Day Liturgy

May 28, 2015 Caritas Awards Night

For further information, visit www.bmhs.org

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ierra Jolly '00 is a social studies teacher at Bishop McNamara High School and Ward 8 member of Washington, D.C.'s State Board of Education. She is moved by an intrinsic sense of right and wrong, as well as the desire to live a life that manifests the love of Christ in other people.

people who used their faith to shape their view of morality. "The peer and campus ministry truly resonated with who I was and who I am today," she said. Guided by ministry, she found her calling as a teacher.

"I always thought I wanted to be a teacher, but the instructors at Bishop McNamara reaffirmed my desire."

"Growing up, I was always taught to be true to myself," Jolly said. "I wasn't like most kids, and I knew that. My parents recognized that as well but rather than push me to conform, praised my individuality and pushed me to follow my dreams."

She received her master's degree from American University and was approached by a recruiter from Teach for America. She signed a two-year contract and shipped off to New Orleans, where she worked in schools designated as "disadvantaged."

This sense of self-assuredness led her to run for the Washington, D.C. State Board of Education despite never having held any sort of public office. "I have been called to pursue right and wrong my entire life, and this move, I felt, was the right thing to do."

The experience was profound for Jolly, who felt the problems of the New Orleans educational system mirrored those of her native Ward 8 in Washington, D.C. "The setting was different, but the problems the kids were having were the same," she said.

"I did my best to reach them as a teacher and mentor, but soon realized that to effect policy, I had to control policy. " For Jolly, it

Her story began at Bishop McNamara, where Jolly rejoiced in being surrounded by

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would take more than being an educator; she had to become a politician.

Jolly enrolled in and began working towards her Ph.D. at Tulane University and moved home to South East, D.C. "My whole life I wanted to run for public office."

Jolly initially chose to try to pursue a seat on the Ward 8 Advisory Neighborhood Commission (ANC). The ANC is a body of local government created through referendum in 1974 to consider a wide range of policies affecting their neighborhoods, from parking to liquor licenses. Only days before she was set to put in her bid for an ANC seat, the representative for Ward 8 on the State Board of Education vacated their seat. "I thought about it intensely and, a week before the deadline to get on the ballot, I decided to 'woman up,'" she said.

As an educator and native Ward 8 resident, Jolly felt uniquely attuned to the problems facing the children. What she hadn't

anticipated were the local politics involved in any kind of political move.

To get her name on the ballot, she had to get 200 signatures of people in her ward that supported her initiate. After 350 signatures, she registered her name but was promptly openly challenged as to the validity of her signatures. A challenge to signatures meant that each person who signed her support form had to be vetted to see if they were registered to vote, lived in the correct zone.

Of her original 350 signatures, 219 held up.

"I had no money to spend on the campaign, but felt that what I was doing was for the right reasons and that if I could prove my earnest intentions to my fellow Washingtonians, that would be it!"

So entrenched was some of Jolly's opposition, however, that she had to enlist the help of a pro bono lawyer. At question: "my authenticity as a member of the Ward 8 community." Despite living in the same

area of Washington, D.C. her entire life and having a family that lay roots in the 1880s, her time away in New Orleans gave her opponent a platform from which to condemn her candidacy. "It was truly disheartening to have it get so personal," she said, "because when it came down to it, I was in the race for the kids."

With unflinching determination, she canvased for six hours a night, barely slept, and attended every community meeting she could over the course of two months and, on election day, won with 49 percent of the vote. "It was an extremely validating feeling, but for me was just the beginning," she said. By winning a seat on the Board of Education, Jolly became one of 24 elected officials in all of Washington, D.C. and the only member of the board that was currently a teacher.

Her first meeting, she said, did not go well. "I joined mid-session so there was already a lot underway, but some of the first

topics we began discussing were the kids at 'priority schools.'" There were initiatives, largely derived from percentage studies that identified students most at risk, less at risk, "and I found that to be hugely offensive," Jolly said.

Having taught in one of the schools classified as "priority," she lobbied that these were not percentages, but children. "A lot of the time that we talk about students, we talk about percentages and about how so and so did such and such without ever humanizing our discussion topic," she said.

"If I have any effect during my tenure, it will be to change the way priority children and schools are discussed in our organization."

"It won't be easy," Jolly said. "But I wasn't raised to take the easy way out. I was raised and educated to think with Christ, and I believe in my personal mission to help these kids. I'm on the school board because no one else wanted to make things better as much as I did."

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A CHANCE ENCOUNTER

The Unlikely Story of Victor Bah

"What brought you, of all places in the world, to Forestville, Maryland to teach at Bishop McNamara High School?"

Victor Bah, the head of the African Dance program, smiles at the question. He's had a long day, and not a thing in the world but time can bring it any closer to finishing, but the question compels him to consider. He taps his fingers on the table and readjusts his sitting position, pensively positioning his body and forthcoming answer.

"I have asked myself that question many, many times," he says. "It's easy to look back now and say 'oh it was meant to be' but in April of 2001, I stepped off a flight at Dulles Airport with the clothes on my back and a single drum under my arm to a brand new country, school, and job with only my ambition to guide me."

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n Back-to-School night this year, when the parents of 885 students moved from classroom to classroom, meeting their students' teachers and learning more about Bishop McNamara, Mr. Chris Williams, a social studies teacher, wrote on his whiteboard the name of every single country to which he's traveled. A time-honored tradition, his international touring has long since covered the whiteboard in names of countries that have prompted, he joked, "smaller handwriting."

Mr. Williams always shares with the parents his love for travel and international work, but also the worth he seeks to instill in his students of being a global citizen. His favorite story, though he is far too humble to ever mention it in more than passing, was of a two-month work exchange he had in Ghana in 1994, working for the International Development Exchange.

Staying at a Presbyterian Guest House in the middle of Kumasi, Ghana, Mr. Williams set out one day to find a local scarf famous to the region. "I'm pretty sure that's what I was looking for," he said. "After 20 years, what I was looking for wasn't important but what I found was."

Asking for directions, Mr. Williams met one of the locals, who gave detailed directions in perfect English. The two struck up a conversation and the man Mr. Williams had met revealed himself to be a young, intelligent, ambitious, universitybound man interested in studying theater and the arts as well as African culture. His fluency in English, Mr. Williams joked, was key to their conversation. "In all my travels

all over the world, the people that have stuck out most have been those who spoke English because I only speak English." The young man was Victor Bah, then 22 years old and headed to the University of Ghana in the fall.

The encounter resonated with Mr. Williams who, before leaving, exchanged contact information with the young man. He told Victor that he would keep in touch. In three years' time when Victor was to graduate, he said he would do his best to help him get a job teaching at Bishop McNamara in Forestville, Maryland.

Growing Pains Victor has a near identical recantation of their meeting. He, too, discussed the incredible unlikelihood of meeting someone who was so connected and genuinely interested in creating and fostering a meaningful relationship. Where their stories differ in their telling comes in Mr. Williams' parting from Ghana. "He told me he would talk to his Principal and President and see if he could make it happen. He was very polite, but with due respect, I didn't put much weight into his words and was just sort of like 'thanks, but I'll probably never hear from you ever again.'"

Victor's initial reaction was not motivated from spite or animosity, but rather from growing up, as he put it, "self-reliant."

As a seven year old in Ghana, Victor was present during the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council's coup d'etat in June of 1979 and lived through the

lingering effects. While the takeover of the government only lasted until September of the same year, the leader, Lt. Jerry Rawlings, again led a coup in 1981 with the Provisional National Defense Council to install another oppressive Ghanaian military government that lasted until 1992.

Growing up under a military dictatorship meant political opposition was illegal, if not deadly, and soldiers under Rawling's leadership were not held accountable for their actions. As a 10 year old, Victor had to watch as government soldiers burned his apartment building, along with his family's belongings, down to the ground.

"The owner of the building was related to a woman whose sibling was married to a preacher that had been speaking out against the government," Victor explained. "There was nothing we could do or say."

The destruction of their property meant Victor's family had to separate. His father and mother initially paired off children but, under the oppressive regime, his father lost his job and his mother was quickly charged with caring and providing for her five children.

"I tell my students now, even at my age and even being in America for 14 years, that I have gone to bed more nights not knowing what or how I was going to eat the next day than knowing that I would find enough to provide for myself," Victor said.

To add to his difficulty, Victor's parents passed away while he was in the American equivalent of High School. He moved in with his older sister, who had a husband and children of her own. While this meant

"After 20 years, what I was looking for wasn't important but what I found was," said Mr. Williams

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having a roof over his head, Victor largely had to provide for himself at a young age in a struggling economy.

Victor found solace in theater. A cultural center was built in Kumasi, where he stayed, and out of sheer curiosity, Victor joined to test his mettle in the field. He began with a drumming class and, after a time of providing the background music to the actors, decided it was time to try acting as well. "My mother was always dramatic," he laughs, "so I came by it honestly." The stage called to him and, before long, Victor spent more time in the cultural center drumming, acting, and dancing than he did nearly anything else, other than being at school.

For all of the challenges in his life, Victor excelled academically. In the British educational system implemented in Ghana during colonization, students are split into two groups – the "A Group" and the "O Group" – with the former representing the best and brightest students in the country.

Even among those in the "A Group," only a percentage is ever accepted into the three universities in all of Ghana. "For a country of 24 million, we had three universities so to get in wasn't just difficult, but nearly impossible," Victor said. "People that got into a university usually would get married, buy a house, and start having kids because acceptance was just that rare."

Even more difficult was the track that Victor chose – that of pursuing African Dance and Theater at the University of Ghana. In a continent defined by the inseparable nature of culture and dance, almost no programs are more exclusive or elite than dance programs at the collegiate level. Victor, by his estimate, had to beat

out over 300 applicants for one spot. "I was never good at math, but even I know that's less than a one percent chance to get in," he said.

Leaving the Country In many African nations, "going out of the country" specifically means to leave the continent of Africa. Victor, in the summer before his final year at University, was selected to join "Abibigroma," an elite dance troupe made up of the best dancers in all of Ghana, and given an opportunity to travel and perform all over the world.

His first trip, he noted with a hint of a smile, was not "out of the country" but rather was a tour of northern Africa funded by the former Libyan Dictator, Muammar Gaddafi. "I got to meet him, shake his hand, and then as fast as I could get away from him," he said.

His next trip was to South Korea. "Growing up near a Presbyterian guest house, I was used to meeting the occasional foreigner, but to travel to Asia was like traveling to a different world for me," he said. Victor, in his time with the troupe, travelled the South Eastern Pacific as well as the continents of Europe and Asia, performing for dignitaries, heads of state, and celebrities.

"It's funny," he says. "When I was a baby and would watch TV, I would embrace the television every time I saw something that was foreign to me. My mother, seeing me do this, would tell me, 'Victor, you are going to see the world one day and will settle down some place far away from Ghana.'"

Despite his international success, Victor still

struggled when he was home in Ghana. His international travel was paid for, but little monetary compensation was added above the troupe's expenses. To support himself, Victor began selling books. Growing up reading the works of classic British and American authors, Victor found that his native town had no influx of literature.

By the time Victor graduated and bought a ticket out of the country to go live with friends he'd made traveling internationally, he had four employees selling thousands of books a month. "Some people, to make ends meet, sold drugs or whatever they could get their hands on. I realized what people needed more were books!"

H1B Visa Despite his skepticism after meeting Mr. Williams all those years before, Victor began to receive letters soon after his encounter. To Mr. Williams' excitement, Victor wrote back. Their relationship continued throughout his collegiate career until, in 1998, when Victor was weeks from graduating, he received a letter requesting a course syllabus for a high school African Dance class.

"I seriously thought he was kidding," Victor said. True to his word, however, Mr. Williams not only proposed the idea to then Principal Marco J. Clark '85, but also campaigned heavily for it. So convincing was his testimony of this young man who he'd spent only an afternoon with years before that Mr. Clark joined him in his campaign and presented the idea to then President/CEO Heather Gossart.

Mr. Williams was sent back to Ghana to meet with Victor again, on a more formal

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note, to ensure that the idea, or gamble as it was perceived at the time, could potentially work. Mr. Williams met with Victor and, again, was thoroughly impressed – the bright 22 year old he had shared a friendly afternoon with in Kumasi was an educated world traveler with a passion and level of ability unmatched in his field.

had to commit to Victor and the program.

It was a leap of faith."

The process of bringing Victor to America, however, required far more convincing than the Principal or President of the school. To allow Victor to immigrate, Mr. Williams along with Mr. Clark and Mrs. Gossart would have to secure Victor an H1B visa – a six-year work visa. They had to prove that they were bringing in Victor to fill a position that no one else holding an American passport could fill, they had to guarantee him full-time employment, and Victor's degree and credentials had to hold up to American standards.

The visa was approved in March of 2001, only months before the fateful attacks of September 11, 2001, where afterwards the H1B visa all but disappeared for several years, later to re-emerge under additional agencies with more scrutiny. "If we'd been a year later with Victor, he never would have been able to make it here," Mr. Williams said.

The reward for such effort, they realized, could serve as a signature program for the School, but the failures of such a move could be financially perilous. Bishop McNamara had, only years before, chosen to join with La Reine High School to prevent closing. "We knew what it could become – a signature program not just in the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. but in the entire region – but we didn't know how or if it would ever become that," Mrs. Gossart said. "We couldn't try it for a semester or two and see if it worked – we

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Securing an H1B visa took three years of applying, re-applying, and sifting through levels and layers of bureaucracy native only to Washington, D.C. During this time, Mr. Williams never stopped writing to Victor.

Victor, living in Australia at the time, was contacted directly by Mr. Williams and told that, if he wanted it, the position was his. "Mr. Williams had been so important to me during such a formative time period in my life, I couldn't say no," Victor said.

"And everyone in Ghana dreams of living in America one day."

And so Victor arrived in April of 2001 with the clothes on his back and a single drum under his arm. "How was your flight?" Mr. Williams asked.

Sankofa "I was brought here to create a program

unlike anything else in all of our surrounding schools, and that is what I charged myself to do," says Victor, back in the conference room. "When I began, 14 years ago, I had one drum and, in my first semester teaching, I had six kids to teach."

Word spread quickly about his program, however. During his second year, the number of students ticked upwards and, with the same attitude that prompted him to run a book-selling business while touring internationally and finishing his schooling, he decided to change what his class was about. "Every dance class in America is about movement and technique and going through motions," he said. "But that is not what African dance is about: I dance not as a representation of myself, but as a representation of my history and culture as a proud Ashanti and African man."

He told his students on the first day, as he has ever since, that, "If you are not interested in African culture, this is not the right place for you. This is a dance class, but in Africa, dance and culture are one and the same."

His students took an interest in the immersive teaching, but were captivated by the crowd-pleasing, yearly performances known as "Sankofa." In the 2007-2008 school year, Victor had to hold auditions to get into his classes, with the number of students swelling from six his first year to the course-limited 90 in only a few years.

The success, though a validation of his program, was not wrought by sheer word of mouth. "It was very hard at first," he said. "People did not understand who I was, what I did, or why they should be interested in my class but slowly, and surely, with the program on my back, I built it year after year." The man who arrived with one drum to Dulles airport now boasts over 80 drums and replenishes a wardrobe on a yearly basis of costumes for his 90 performers that can exceed 150 dollars each.

His assistant teacher, Rebecca Wilson '07, was a member of the one of his first classes. So inspired was she by her time with Victor that, while at Drexel University, she chose to study abroad at the University of Ghana with the same professors that had taught Victor years before. Wanting to follow her teacher's study of dance, she had to seek individual teachers' approval. "No one believed that an American could dance well until I explained to them who my teacher had been, and showed them what

he'd taught me," she said. "Then, suddenly, I was allowed to study in the advanced class with the other students." The teachers not only remembered Victor, but also praised

Rebecca for her background.

"So why, of all places in the world, did you end up in Forestville, Maryland at Bishop McNamara High School?"

"Sankofa," he finally says. "The word is Akan and means to remember your past while moving forward. The day I stop pushing the limit of what I can do is the day that I retire; the moment I feel like I've arrived is the moment the program should shift from my hands because, for my entire life, I have never faltered in believing things could be better.

"I believed it when I watched Rawling's soldiers burn down my home and everything in it, I believed it when my parents passed away, and I believed it when a kind stranger believed in me enough to bring me to America."

"Sankofa means to remember your past while moving forward."

"And look where that has got me – in Forestville, Maryland teaching African Dance at Bishop McNamara High School." Chuckling, he says, "As of a year ago, I'm also a United States citizen. I am truly a blessed man."

Students inducted into Tri-M Music Society The Tri-M Music Honor Society is the international music honor society for middle/junior high and high school students. It is designed to recognize students for their academic and musical achievements, reward them for their accomplishments and service activities, and to inspire other students to excel at music and leadership.

Through more than 5,500 chartered chapters, Tri-M has helped thousands of young people provide years of service through music in schools throughout the world. Tri-M is a program of the National Association for Music Education.

On Tuesday, October 21, 2014, the Fine Arts Department inducted students as well as honorary member and Distinguished Adjunct Faculty Member, Mr. Fred Hughes into the Tri-M Music Honor Society. The night was burnished by several outstanding solo and duet musical performances given by our students and then highlighted with

a solo performance by Mr. Hughes. After his performance, he gave a wonderful talk about the capacity of the arts to transform our lives. Mr. Hughes spoke thoughtfully and passionately about the power of the arts to enrich us by seeing one's life as an artist whose vocation it is to pursue excellence.

The beauty of being an artist is that there is always more to strive for while in pursuit of it. Indeed, Bishop McNamara is blessed to have an artist of Mr. Hughes' quality teaching our students along with the caliber other talented and dedicated members of our Fine Arts Department. Thanks to Ms. Francine Amos-Hardy for organizing the evening as well as the support provided by Ms. Rhoda Sutton and Mr. Conto.

Overall, this was a wonderful celebration of the arts at Bishop McNamara and one that edified all who attended. Congratulations to both our students and Mr. Hughes for being inducted into the Tri-M Music Honor Society.

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A

thletic Director Anthony Johnson's office is located in the Fine Arts and Athletics Building, at the end of a narrow hallway. Adorning the hallway are jerseys of the professional athletes that have graduated from Bishop McNamara High School. Among those athletes are Tyoka Jackson '89, Cam Chism '08, Jerome Couplin III '09, Brandon Coleman '10 and, most recently, Saniel Atkinson-Grier '09. Saniel is the first female athlete to go pro from Bishop McNamara High School, and her track uniform stands in stark contrast to the enormous football jerseys.

Her accomplishment is mirrored over in the School's main gymnasium, where her banner hangs next to one that proudly boasts of the 2003-2004 women's basketball team that went 27-1 and was ranked first

by USA Today for nine weeks. Of the four Gatorade State Players of the Year banners, three of them are for female athletes – Kalika France '03, Iman McFarland '05, and Taylor Brown '11.

"The truth is," said Mr. Johnson, "that when we merged schools with La Reine High School, we didn't just become a coeducational school, but one suddenly filled with magnificent female studentathletes." Among the Hall of Fame plaques outside of his office, eight belong to La Reine alumnae.

Being surrounded by reminders of female accomplishment on a daily basis has shaped Mr. Johnson's view of the female athlete.

"Men's sports are generally viewed as more dominant, but at Bishop McNamara that has simply never been the case," he said.

"Just look at what's going on this fall – we've got a woman's soccer team that's suddenly vying for a WCAC title, a girl kicking field goals on the football team, and an alumnus track and field star who we'll probably see in the next Olympics. Bishop McNamara is all about girl power."

Women's Varsity Soccer This past summer, two headlines were emblazoned across the sports world: the Men's World Cup and the absence of Landon Donovan from the Unites States' national team. The described "all-time leading goal scorer in the history of U.S. soccer" didn't even make the reserves.

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Goalkeeper Melanie Stiles '16, center attacking mid Anissa Mose '17, forward Paige Stephenson '17, and defender Kayla Foster '17 counted themselves among those that didn't lament the former captain's absence. Rather, they felt as if the outcry overlooked the fact that Donovan was nowhere near the top of the list for the U.S. "First off," Stiles exclaimed, "Landon Donovan isn't even the greatest goal scorer in the history of U.S. soccer. That's just so completely wrong – Abby Wambach is."

Stiles is right. Donovan, in international competition, has scored 57 goals. That is the most for any male competitor, but doesn't even fall in the top five for female competition domestically. Abby Wambach, the captain for the women's team, currently holds a mark of 167 international goals – nearly three times that of Donovan.

Mose, Stephenson, and Foster chime in with agreement. "Everyone went crazy when the men's team made it to the elimination games, but our women's team will probably win the world cup next year!"

Mose adds. She's not wrong either.

The injustice the four see is that women in sports aren't perceived to be as competitive, capable, or athletic as men. They intend to change that perception, however. Far from the Barbie doll caricature, the four agree that gym class is for working out, sports are for everyone, and fitness is essential to life. "I hate when girls say 'this is only gym class,'" Stiles noted. "Everyone is surprised when we're super competitive, but just because we're girls doesn't mean we can't go for it. Being a girl has nothing to do with our sense of being competitive." For the record, Stiles can squat 315 lbs. – a mark so high even her teammates rib her for it. "She's a monster, but that's awesome," joked Stephenson.

When Edgar Rauch '94 returned to coach the women's varsity soccer team three years ago, a year before Foster, Stephenson, Mose, or Stiles joined the team, his first order of business was to hold a team meeting.

Playing collegiate soccer at Shepherd University and working with local elite clubs had conditioned Rauch to approach the game with a winning attitude.

His first question for the team was to ask what their goal was for the season. During the previous year, they had won no games,

so he was curious to learn what the girls wanted from the upcoming season. "They told me, after some deliberation, that they wanted to score a goal this year," Rauch said. "And not one goal per game, but one goal in total." The year before Rauch arrived, the team had not only gone winless, but also failed to register a goal for the entire season.

The second year was better, but also difficult.

Rauch recruited three freshmen – Mose, Stephenson, and Foster – and got transfer goalkeeper Stiles. While the team was more competitive, "it was still too young," Rauch said. "Our freshmen class was very talented, but they were half the size of their competition and just got pushed around way too much." The team ended up winning five games, but still wanted more. "All of a sudden we went from a team that wanted to score a goal to a team that wanted to be a competitive name in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference."

This year has been, as Rauch calls it, "a different story." With the conclusion of the WCAC regular season, the girls finished 12-8, including exhibition games, and qualified for the playoffs. The team is not a tournament favorite, but with closely contested games against the likes of top10 nationally ranked Good Counsel, it is expected to advance deep into the tournament.

When not playing soccer for Bishop McNamara, they compete for the Elite Clubs National League – a collection of the best soccer players from the state. Over the summer, Stephenson, Mose, and Foster, members of the Under-15 team, won the America Cup National Championship while Stiles, a member of the U-17 team, finished as a runner-up.

The level of competition at the national level, Rauch said, elevates their play as well as their teammates' play. "By playing at that level, they come back and are able to share their experience with their teammates to make everyone better. By having that experience on the team, suddenly I have four more assistant coaches who are constantly holding players accountable, helping players develop, and encouraging a more focused team dynamic."

Stiles, a junior, has already committed to Clemson University to play Division One

soccer in college. The goalie averages 10 or more saves per game and is resolute in her approach towards helping the team receive the recognition she feels it deserves. "I want to win every time I go out there," she said.

"And why wouldn't I think we could win the WCAC tournament?"

(Wo)Men's Varsity Football Staples in the Bishop McNamara weight room include power racks, treadmills, and Nicole Yeargin '16. The former gymnast was always bigger and stronger than girls (and often guys) her age. "I was a little self conscious about it until I came to Bishop McNamara and was introduced to weight lifting by Mr. Jeffrey Southworth '05," she said. Her love for lifting blossomed into a full-fledged addiction as she began to feel much more comfortable with her athletic frame.

Her work ethic was so impressive that Keith Goganious, the head coach for the varsity football team, took note of the junior's strength and invited her to come out and try kicking a football for his team.

"I'd never kicked one before," she said, "and to be honest I was really bad at first." Also a member of the varsity soccer team, Yeargin was well acclimated to kicking, but never such an oblong object. "It was nothing like a soccer ball," she said laughing.

Yeargin began training in June 2014 and,

by August 30, made her first extra point against Mount St. Joseph to become not only the first female football player in Bishop McNamara's history, but in that of the entire WCAC. But that wasn't enough.

"I don't want to be a good kicker for a girl – I want to be a good kicker," she said. Yeargin has already hit kicks of up to 35 yards in practice and, by year's end, is aiming to hit kicks of over 40 yards.

Key to her role on the team has been her noted toughness. Against Liberty Christian Academy, Yeargin set up for an extra point. She was able to get the kick off, but due to a missed block, as she watched the ball sail, she was leveled by a defender.

"I wasn't really watching but the next thing I knew a guy had wrapped up my legs and I was going down," she said. "I hit pretty hard but then just laid there for a second thinking 'oh my god I just got hit!'" As the team and Coach Goganious gasped, Nicole

collected herself, and ran off the field in embarrassment. "Everyone thought I was dead because I'd hit the ground, but I was fine," she said. "I was just embarrassed that I'd been tackled!"

While her kick veered off target, her resilience was well noted among her teammates. "Everyone was sort of surprised I was alright," she said. "Once they figured out I was ok though, everyone started ripping on me."

While the season hasn't gone quite the way she's wanted – "I'm no Vinatieri quite yet," she says – Yeargin is planning on continuing to play through the rest of high school. She hopes the in-game experience, along with another summer of practice, will allow her to compete at a higher level next year. "I won't stop. I don't like when people say girls are weak or complainers. I'm not weak and I don't complain."

High Jump(er) "I was such a girly girl when I was growing up," said Saniel Atkinson-Grier '09. "I was in cheerleading, I hated going outside, and I was all about looking pretty. I had no interest in ever playing sports because the idea of sweating was not appealing to me."

"This was all until one of my cheerleading friends approaches me and was like hey do you want to try track and field?" Atkinson wasn't pleased with the idea, but decided to humor her friend. "I made my friend promise there wouldn't be bugs," she said.

Once she started running, she realized that she had a natural talent for it. "I started running, jumping, and all that and I was beating the boys," she said. "I said to myself, 'hey this is pretty fun.'"

Almost 15 years later, Atkinson still insists that her hair and make up be right, but now she does so in preparation for international competition as a professional track and field athlete. A high school Nike All-American, Atkinson attended the University of Georgia where she was a multiple time All-American and NCAA finalist before graduating and deciding to go pro.

As a professional athlete, she has traveled all over the world competing. She has also set the loftiest goals a professional athlete can set: the 2016 Olympics. Competing for

Jamaica, she most recently finished seventh at the Commonwealth Games. "The thing about track and field, jumping, and any event is that at the international stage it's always outdoors," she said. "So if I can jump in the rain and I final at the Olympics, I could be the next gold medalist." She adds, "and I can jump in the rain."

The difficulty she has experienced as a female athlete has been one of sustaining a professional athlete lifestyle while competing in a small-market sport. "Track and field is huge at the Olympics, but what people don't' realize is that there are huge competitions every year rather than every four," she said. "And female track and field certainly doesn't land you the money that men's football would." The challenge, for her and her fellow female athletes, is marketing her skills as an athlete and her look as a woman. "If you look at female athletes – Serena Williams, Lolo Jones, Allyson Felix – they're all incredibly talented athletes, but also beautiful women.

As a female athlete, it's difficult to be successful without having both."

Hesitating, she added, "But it's worth it.

Female athletes, especially now, have the ability to be their own pillar of strength and set their own limits rather than be limited by anyone. I was born to be an athlete, and that's what I'm going to be until I can no longer compete."

A Continuing Tradition As fall sports head towards their conclusion, another girls' team is set to make a meteoric rise: the women's basketball team. Headed

by Frank Oliver, the team that graduated no seniors last year, finished second in summer league play and has kept their pace by winning all of their pre-season matches.

Practicing under the USA Today banners that celebrate the past successes of the program is a constant reminder both for Oliver and his players.

"It's hard not to see those banners up above when you're practicing and playing," he said. "And that's a good thing – we know it's been done, so we know that it's something that can be done again." As Johnson would put it, "just another year of sports for the female student-athletes of Bishop McNamara High School. Go Mustangs!"

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MUSTANG A FIGHT TO THE FINISH Three regular season games still remained for Bishop McNamara entering their match against St. John's High School, but the time had come to issue an ultimatum of sorts to the Mustangs defense.

The unit had allowed an average of 46.3 points across its last four games, jeopardizing the team's hopes of earning one of four spots up for grabs in the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference playoffs.

Mustangs senior defensive back Ashton White said, "We really buckled down in practice and really took our preparation seriously, because we know we're a good team."

That much was clear Saturday, when the Mustangs overcame a halftime deficit to knock off then-No. 11 St. John's, 31-15, at home behind three forced turnovers and then, two weeks later, when the Mustangs knocked off Bishop O'Connell to secure their first postseason berth since 2009.

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FEVER RETURN OF A DYNASTY The Bishop McNamara High School girls' basketball team wasn't dominating summer league games in 2013. That's because the Mustangs, coming off a 3-24 season, didn't even have a summer team.

But what a difference a year and a new coach can make. Under second-year coach Frank Oliver, Jr., the Mustangs came together this offseason, and the extra work began paying off with Bishop McNamara finishing second in their summer league play in a nail-biter to perennial power house Elearnor Roosevelt High School.

"We're here every single day," said rising junior Morgan Smith. "We get to put on the floor everything we've been working on."

In the pre-season, the girls have been undefeated in tournament play and kick off their season December 1, 2014 against Friendship Collegiate Academy.

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C

atherine Donley '08, now known as Sr. Catherine Maura of the Lamb, first thought about a religious vocation her senior year at Bishop McNamara High School. Informed by teachers and motivated by peer and campus ministry, "it was impressed upon me that God was known, loved and served in and out of the classroom," she said. Several of her teachers, she said, gave her the courage to grow into a Catholic, young adult.

While at the University of Maryland, Sr. Catherine led religious vocation dinners, bible studies, and involved herself heavily with the Catholic Student Center. The activities she participated in, while witnessing the faithful members of the University of Maryland Catholic Student Center, helped her further define her vocation.

When she graduated in 2012 with a B.S. double major in Business Management and Agricultural and Resource Economics, she returned to spend a year at Bishop McNamara as the Campus Minster for Outreach. The experience of being so closely related to the community's spiritual side reaffirmed her decision to respond to "God's call."

Sr. Catherine entered the St. Dominic's Monastery on November 3, 2014 – a cloistered Dominican community in Linder, Virginia. From a letter she wrote before her cloistering: "I may enter and discern that God is calling me to the vocation of marriage or He may reinforce His calling me to religious life.

I don't know what the future holds, only Whose Hands are holding the future and I trust in His Divine Providence. The entire BMHS community (immediate and otherwise) will always be in my prayers. I ask for prayers as I more fully discern God's will."

Kelly Kostelnik '08, a current photography teacher at Bishop McNamara, was one of few that was surprised by her best friend's decision to become a cloistered nun. "Cat was always taken with religious learning," she said. "Even from an early age, I had the idea that she very well might not work the average nine to five job like I was planning on doing."

The life that Sr. Catherine is entering is one

"I may enter and discern

God is calling me that

to the vocation of

marriage or He may reinforce His calling me to religious

life. I don't know what the future holds, only Whose Hands are

holding the future and

I trust

in His Divine

Providence."

of intense devotion and piety. Her daily schedule, according to general guidelines, begins at 12:30 a.m. when the Sister designated as "caller" knocks on each door to summon her fellow Sisters to prayer.

Everyone returns to sleep at 1:45 a.m. only to rise again at 5:00 a.m. to clean and observe chores for the next hour to hour and a half.

Morning mass begins at 7:00 a.m. and breaks for discussion and introspection until breakfast at 8:30 a.m. The nun's day is purposed to return praise to the Blessed Trinity and to sanctify each passing moment. The thought behind the motivating action is "All for Love" and "All for Jesus." As such, no task is too great to accomplish, for all is done for the purpose of love. Many of the nuns spend large portions of their days in activities such as quiet contemplation, cooking, sweeping, sewing, gardening, painting, and so forth.

Dinner is eaten at noon, preceding supper at 5:30 p.m.

Sr. Catherine is joined by Allan Ade '12 and Patrick Agustin '04. Allan, on June 19, 2014, was accepted as a seminarian with the Diocese of St. Augustine in Jacksonville, Florida. Allan began seminary at St. John Vianney College Seminary in Miami, Florida this past August with the plan of joining the Priesthood. Patrick is studying to be a priest in the Archdiocese of Washington. The Archdiocese of Washington comprises the District of Columbia and five Maryland counties: Montgomery, Prince George’s, Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s. It is the home of 580,000 Catholics, served by 140 parishes and almost 100 Catholic schools.

"Catherine, Allan, and Patrick are answering God's call to minister in religious life," said President/CEO Marco J. Clark '85.

"It's a point of pride at Bishop McNamara High School to provide a truly Holy Cross education, where the mind is not educated at the expense of the heart. By educating the minds and hearts of our students, we produce alumni like Catherine, Patrick, and Allan, who are well-educated, moral people devoted to making a difference in the world." He concluded with a request for the Bishop McNamara community: "I hope you all will join me in praying for the religious vocations of each of these graduates as they respond to God's call to ministry!"

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I

am Michael Jones '96, the Director of Alumni Relations, and as part of my newly held position I've charged myself with visiting and writing about one alumnus at their place of work for each issue of the Mustang Messenger.

Mike is the Head trainer at CDI in Waldorf, Maryland and, with a Harvard college degree and experience as a professional athlete in Europe, has a unique approach to, as he'd call it, "building a better athlete." In his own words, he told me that, "to create a better athlete, I train them from the inside out." What exactly he meant by this, I aimed to find out!

Mike started me out on a Bosu ball, which is a plastic ball, cut in half and given a hard top. That's the best way I can describe it. I can say with certainty that 20 quick squats on something meant to engage all of your stabilizing muscles sounds tough, and is tougher.

I finished the 20, muttering under my breath, and was onto the next exercise! Now that I was all "warmed up," Mike sent me to do pushups, while pulling on a rope attached to a weight sled that, when I reached, I was to grab and sprint with until I was told to stop. This exercise was certainly a little more complicated than my usual workout of jogging on the treadmill, but I accomplished it.

Mike and I were teammates on the Bishop McNamara football team and I wasn't about to let him get the best of me!

Following my experience with a weight sled, I was immediately led over to a tire that looked like it belonged on a monster truck rather than in a gym and was handed a sledgehammer. My instructions were simple, but effective: hit the tire with the hammer. That I could do. I tried to throw in a few jokes, but found that when I tried to speak, not much came out other than the occasional "oomph."

With the tire thoroughly beaten, I was moved onto my final exercise of the day. I was to flip the tire until the tire would flip no more. I labored like Hercules until my arms, legs, and rest of my body said to me, "Michael, you've had enough."

And so concluded my workout. I asked Mike with as much bravado as I could how long he'd had me working out. He pulled out his stopwatch and, stifling a chuckle, told me I'd been running around for 11 minutes and 35 seconds. Sitting down to ask Mike a few questions following my workout, I could feel what he meant by building a better athlete from the inside out in my stomach.

Writing this reflection on Mike Brooks' training methods, I've no snappy way to conclude my writing other than to offer my whole-hearted endorsement (and most of my breakfast) of the training methods and fantastic education being put to use by the salutatorian of the class of 1997. Check out the video of my story online at www.bmhs.org!

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McNAMARalumni '69 Charles "Chuck" Collins '69 was recently elected as the new President of the National Board of Directors for The Compassionate Friends at the 37th National Conference in Chicago.

'72 Carmelo Ciancio '72 showcased his artwork at Artworks@7th in North Beach, Maryland in October.

'74 Anita Knightly Brouse LR '74 a teacher at All Saints Academy in Rhode Island, took her science team to the World competition and won! Anita has worked all year with her team, known as Mindstorms Mayhem, All Saints Academy Robotics, to win the world prize.

'74 Jim Tippett '74 biked the Allegheny trail from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C. this fall in support of Operation Second Chance supporting our wounded Veterans.

'77 Thomas Allotta '77 has accepted the

position of Manager of Weichert, Realtors Fallsgrove/North Potomac office located at 14955 Shady Grove Rd., Rockville, Maryland. He has been in the position for 2 months now, where he leads an office of highly successful realtors. Tom would like any alum that is interested in sales and management positions to contact him at thomas@allottaresults.com.

'79 Michael Belcher '79 retired from the U.S. Marine Corps after 28 years of service as an Infantry Officer. He is currently on the faculty of the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia, where he teaches leadership and organizational transformation to senior-level government officials.

'79 Terry Davis Benelli LR '79 was appointed to the Mesa, Arizona City Council. Mesa is the 38th largest city in the United States.

'84 Leon Reynolds '84 is the recipient of the President's Call to Service Award.

Leon has served more than 4,500 hours

in communities in Charles County and Prince George's County.

'87 Ernest Reggie Smith '87 was inducted in the Hall of Fame for the Federal Government Distance Learning Association. The HOF recognizes significant career accomplishments in promoting and developing distance learning in the Federal Government.

'88 Prince George's Police Assistant Commander Captain David Lloyd '88 and several officers from District I participated in the Langley Park, "Transforming Neighborhoods Initiative" community walk. The kids had a great time meeting and interacting with their local officers, and even talked Lloyd into playing goalie.

'89 Phil Honore '89 was just named the new Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department Deputy Director of Recruitment.

Tyoka Jackson '89 premiered on the Big Ten Network as an in-studio analyst. Tyoka, a former Penn State defensive lineman and a first-team All Big-10 selection in 1993, played 12 seasons in the NFL with the Dolphins, Buccaneers, Rams, and Lions.

He retired from football in 2007.

'93 Dr. Tiffani Webb '93 wed Mr. Timothy Walker on August 3, 2014 at 1:00 pm. Dr. Webb and Mr. Walker's Royal Wedding took place at the Palace in Somerset, New Jersey.

'97 Congratulations to Nicole Romney Dixon '97 and Derrick Dixon '97 as they welcome their new edition to the family, Sophia Grace Dixon, who was born on July 17, 2014. Sophia joins big sister, Courtney.

Ed Moore '97 married Tiffany Thomas on October 4, 2014.

Whytnee Foriest '08 and Ricardo Silva II at their wedding!

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'98 Diane Critchlow Davenport '98, along

McNAMARalumni with her husband, welcomed a baby girl on September 17, 2014: Carli Diane Davenport!

Chioke Johnson '98 married Johnson on August 31, 2014.

Tanea

Chris Lamberth '98, based in New York City as a classically trained actor, received his MFA from the Theater Conservatory at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL. He has worked with a variety of headliners including, Chris Hardwick, D.L. Hughley, Marc Maron and Maria Bamford to name a few. Lambreth biggest achievement was being featured in a "Fisher Nuts" commercial that aired on ESPN2. He hosts a weekly podcast called the "The Mundane Festival" which is available on iTunes, Podbean, and Stitcher radio.

Robyn Wood '98 married Tye Frazier on September 26, 2014 at the Army Navy Country Club.

'99 Erin McGuire '99 is writing for The Irish Times.

On September 2, 2014 at 4:50 p.m., Kim Folsom Surratt '99 and husband, Frank, had their second child. Oakleigh Dawn Surratt weighed in at 9 lbs. at birth and was 21 inches long.

Georgetown University. They plan to be married August 8, 2015.

Ben Killon-Conrad '02 just graduated from the Howard County Firefighters School and is currently a firefighter in Ellicott City, Maryland.

'04 Congratulations to Michael Garrett and Ariana DeCampo Garrett '04 on the birth of their daughter, Giuliana Konstantine Garrett, who was born on June 13, 2014 at 7:54 am. She weighed only 5 lbs. 1 oz., and was 18 inches long. Giuliana was born on a special day: Ariana's birthday and Father's Day. On May 30, 2014, Charis Jones '04 sang the National Anthem at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. for the Washington Mystics.

'05 Congratulations to Alexandra Roane '05 for placing 1st in the NPC Universe Championship Class F. With this win, Alexandra received her professional bodybuilding card (International Federation of Bodybuilding).

'06 Meagan Gillis '06 is currently pursuing a Master's in Music Performance at the

Cleveland Institute of Music. This summer, Meagan plans to audition for the Music Under New York (MUNY) Program, a group of performers who are featured in the most popular mezzanines of the New York Subway system. She will be performing Ragtime Xylophone solos with piano accompaniment.

Lynella Charles '06 recently received her Master of Education in School Counseling from Bowie State University. Lynella previously earned a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies with a Minor in Sociology from Pennsylvania State University.

Brittany Copeland '06 completed her first year at Hampton University for a Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. Her white coat ceremony was held on July 26, 2014. The ceremony is a rite of passage into the medical world.

'07 Maggie DeCesaris '07 spent the summer of 2011 on a two-month tour around Europe. This trip inspired her to continue to travel, experiencing the rest of the world and its cultures. As of 2013, she has lived in the Netherlands as a permanent resident, loves learning the language and being immersed in such a different way of life. In the coming years, she aspires to continue her travels, seeing and learning firsthand as

'00 After offering to Ave Maria Press (operated by the Congregation of Holy Cross) the possibility of some slight adjustments within their first edition textbooks in terms of typographical structure, wording, scriptural references, etc., Justin McClain '00 has been hired to be one of the textbook draft proofreaders. His first job will entail proofing a 320-page forthcoming high school textbook.

'02 Tara Jamison and Terrance Bright '02, each of Alexandria, Virginia, announced their engagement. Terrance, son of Sylvia Fisher of Seat Pleasant, Md., graduated from BMHS and earned an undergraduate degree at the University of Maryland.

Each also received a graduate degree at

Maya Smith '11 exploring glaciers!

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McNAMARalumni much of the world as possible.

Rashard Proctor '07 and Lysha Fuentes '07 were married on August 2, 2014 in front of family, friends and numerous Bishop McNamara Alumni.

Meagan Mazzei '07 and Chris Marshall '07 tied the knot on May 17, 2014 at St. Mary's of the Assumption Church in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

'08 Caitlyn Cusick '08 and Vince Lubetski '08 are engaged!

Vince is a third-year medical student at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine's Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine program, which he completes in June of 2016. Caitlyn passed her NCLEX-PN (National Council Licensure Examination for Practical Nurses) last year and is a Licensed Practical Nurse in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The Parlor Room Theater Company, run by Bishop McNamara alumni Frank DiSalvo Jr. '05, Thomas DiSalvo '08, and Dillon DiSalvo '10, presented "The Nerd" by Larry Shue, a fastpaced comedy full of laughs.

Whytnee Foriest '08 married Ricardo Silva II on June 21, 2014 at the Hampton University Memorial Chapel. "We met while in college there (at Hampton) and graduated together in 2011," she told us.

Ricardo is a retired NFL safety and current D.C. Teach for America corps member.

Whytnee is currently a Sutherland Fellow completing her Ph.D. in the department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Maryland, College Park.

Liam St. Hill '08, graduated from Shenandoah University in June with a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. He will be accepting the position to be the head assistant coach for the women's soccer

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team at Shenandoah University starting August 1, 2014.

'09 Leannah Amos '09 has been recognized

by Frostburg University for excellence in academic achievement for the spring 2014 semester. Leannah has been named to the university's dean's list, which means she must undertake a minimum of 12 credit hours and earn a cumulative semester grade

impoverished children with sponsors.

Saniel Atkinson-Grier '09 competed for Jamaica in the Women's High Jump final at Hampden Park during day nine of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on August 1, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland.

Christopher Townsend '09 is attending Bowie State University to pursue his Master's Degree in Public Administration.

Christopher is also the starting middle linebacker for Bowie State's football team.

We have heard from Alex Powell '09 who has completed his first year at the University of Baltimore School of Law. Alex is earning very high marks in his classes, has been chosen to be a Teaching Assistant for "Introduction to Lawyering Skills/Civil Procedure" and will be inducted into the Royal Shannonhouse Honors Society in the fall. This past summer, he worked as a paid intern at Bates & Garcia, a criminal defense and civil litigation firm in downtown Baltimore.

'10 Regina "Gina" Calloway '10 graduated December 21, The Parlor Room Theater Presented "The Nerd by Larry Shue" 2013 from the University of Maryland College Park with a point average of at least 3.4 on a 4.0 scale. Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology This is the third straight semester of honors and Minor in Linguistics. Regina was for her as she pursues her degree in Exercise able to pursue various interests during her and Sports Science. time at University of Maryland, College Park including the study of Korean, Brandon Beall '09 graduated from The participation in the Global Public Health University of Akron with a Bachelor of Scholars program, and serve as ViceScience degree in Computer Engineering - President of the Sports and Chinese Coop Education. Brandon made the dean's Cultural "Terp Wushu" club. This fall Gina list the last four semesters at UA. began pursuing her Ph.D. in Cognitive Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh In January of 2015, Meagan Beach '09 on a full scholarship. and her sister, Jennifer Beach '15 will be traveling to Uganda for two weeks Taylor Faulkner '10 graduated Magna with an organization called Compassion Cum Laude from Howard University in International (www.compassion.com), May 2014. Taylor received her B.A. in a Christian ministry that matches Legal Communications. She is a member

McNAMARalumni of Alpha Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and was captain of the Howard University Bisonette Dance Team.

Taylor has taken over as the Head Coach of the Bishop McNamara Dance Team.

'11 Stevenson University is recognizing Stephanie Ayres '11 for all of her hard work and dedication on the 2014 softball team. Stephanie helped fuel a remarkable season for the team that totaled 10 or more hits in eight games. Last season, the Stevenson Mustangs went to their first-ever appearance in a conference championship game.

Eddie Pak '11 will be graduating from University of Southern California next year!

Camella Rourke '11 will be part of the United States Air Force Academy Cadet Summer Language Immerson Program in Morocco, where she will study the Arabic culture and language. Once back in the USAFA, she will serve on the Cadet Leadership Team for basic cadet training.

Cadet Rourke will spend the entire fall semester at West Point Military Academy as part of the Service Academy Cadet Exchange Program.

Maya Smith '11 went to Juneau, Alaska this summer for a research opportunity to test a computer program that she wrote that deals with the melting of ice. She shared her experience: "We did a starter hike to the Mendenhall Hall glacier and next we finally hiked up to the Juneau Ice field, climbing up almost 4500 ft. of elevation. For the next two months, I spent my time researching and living on glaciers. While I was there I did Isotopic Research on different snow pits that were dug for mass balance purposes. I collected samples of rain, snow, and ice - all done on Tuku Glacier. We traveled across the Lemon Creek Glacier, Ptarmigan Glacier, Tuku Glacier, Matthes Glacier, and the Llewellyn Glacier. I also did surveying work on the Demorest Glacier. I traveled 80 miles from sea level up to the glaciers and back. I went from Juneau, Alaska to

Atlin, British Columbia, Canada!"

Alex Vinci '11 has an internship with Global Citizens in Soho this semester. She is on their "content" team that involves creating articles for their web page.

Katrina Warren '11 has taken a semester off from college to volunteer in Malawi to assist the teachers.

'12 Anthony Brown '12 is keeping a busy schedule these days! He was recently recruited to write for The Baltimore Wire, a Fan Sided Network Sports Blog and he recently got the opportunity to meet Mike Wise of the Washington Post.

Brittany Lynch '12 is currently a Honors Junior Political Science major with a concentration in International Affairs and Psychology minor on a full tuition scholarship at Howard University. She serves on the Student Council and has maintained a 3.85 GPA. This summer, she is interning at both the National Institute of Mental Health and the Pentagon in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy.

Matt Nunez '12 was honored with one of his photos in the new Forbes magazine.

Matt says about the picture, "That day, students gathered to film a video for the Harlem Shake craze, and they dressed as outrageously as they could. I submitted this photo because it captures the unique spirit that makes St. Edwards such a fun school. We do not have a football team or a large student union to help build campus community, so we find alternative ways of coming together. This is what I love the most about my school: we break the mold of schools driven by sports or student organizations."

Alexis Michaela Smith '12 is currently in her third year of college at Marymount Manhattan in New York City with a major in Communications and a minor in Business and Fashion. She is going to school full time and working as well, but has managed to be on the Dean's list every year.

'13 Shadia Musa '13 has completed her first year at University of Maryland, Baltimore County as a Physics Education major, a member of the Sherman STEM Education Scholars Program. This program is for students interested in pursuing a career in STEM Education. As a part of the program, she has served as a student ambassador for recruitment events, providing her the opportunity to present to fellow scholars the importance of STEM education and the lack of minorities pursuing careers in the STEM fields.

Shadia has received the Undergraduate Research Award to complete research for the 2013-2014 school year. She works with Dr. Susan Hoban, a physics professor at UMBC, completing research on comets, focusing on the composition of cometary volatiles and creating a program in the computer language, Python, that is able to organize and plot data on various periodic and non-periodic comets from NASA's Planetary Data System. Shadia, who is a servant leader intern teaching at the CDF's Freedom Schools this summer at Lakeland Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore, met with UMBC president, Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, and Congressman Donna Edwards.

Felicita Rich '13 was named to the Spring 2014 Dean's List at Wake Forest University, an honor for students who achieve a 3.4 grade point average. This is Felicita's third semester at Wake and her third achieving Dean's List. In addition, Felicita is in Women's Club Golf, University Wind Ensemble, and is part of the Catholic Community at Wake.

'14 Ayanna Jordan '14 has won her first title, Miss Maryland Nationwide 2015, and she is going to Vegas next year for Nationals.

Alex Myers '14 was selected to join the Penn State undergraduate freshman council as a voice for 8,400 of his fellow classmates. He is a double major in International Politics and Communications.

Marquell Proctor '14 was featured on the Swim Team for Frostburg University.

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Memorial Garden Dedication

The pictured Bricks, Pavers, and Benches are available to purchase and personalize in memory of your loved ones. Bricks are $250, Pavers are $500, and Benches are $1,000. For further information please contact L'oreal Edmondson at 240.455.9618 or Loreal.Edmondson@bmhs.org.

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in loving memory Eugene Bell, father of Lauren Bell '10 and Lena Bell '14, passed away in August 2014.

Michael Lauermann, father of alumni Keri Lauermann '12 and Kyle Lauermann '10, passed away on July 5, 2014.

Danny Brown, father of Danielle Brown '04, died on July 15, 2014.

Sally McBride, mother of Maryann McBride LR '71, Jane Latta LR '72 and the late Barbara Facini LR '76, passed away on August 22, 2014.

Jeanette Caracciolo passed away on August 13, 2014. She was the mother of Cathy Cavey LR '70 and Patty (Glenn) Stewart LR '74.

Marie "Reese" Carter passed away on October 12, 2014. Marie was a longtime employee at Bishop McNamara High School.

Barbara McDonald Cusato LR '70 of Chantilly, Virginia, passed away on September 20, 2014.

Marie Ida DiZebba Earnshaw, mother of George Earnshaw '69, passed away on October 8, 2014.

Elaine San Fellipo, wife of Frank San Fellipo '71, passed away on October 19, 2014.

Hattie Lee Gavin, grandmother of Jayde Gavin '07, passed away.

Raymond F. Gleason, father of John Francis Gleason '70, Ellen Mary Gleason LR '69, Thomas Raymond Gleason '85, Kathleen Gleason Kirtley LR '83, Patrick L. Gleason '72, and Nancy Gleason Krejci LR '80, passed away on July 9, 2014.

Verian Guillory and Wilfred Guillory, parents of Lisbeth Guillory-Greene LR '81, Raquel Guillory Coombs LR '85 and James Guillory '93, passed away on July 12 and July 16, 2014.

Willa Haley, grandmother of Charis Jones '04 and Gregory Jones '01, passed away.

Dennis Heiston '88, husband of Colette Rohan Heiston LR '86 and son of Donna Wildman Heiston LR '65, passed away on October 20, 2014.

Thais Hill, mother of Greg Hill '07, Nicole Hill '08, and Grant Hill '10, passed away.

Gregory Horner '84, brother of Daniel Horner '83, passed away on September 9, 2014 in Kansas City.

Mary Doris Musselman, mother of Stephen Musselman '73, Dr. Robert Musselman '79, Thomas Musselman '83, Patrick Musselman '84, and mother-in-law of Patricia Trainor Musselman LR' 83, grandmother of Kyle Musseman '17, and Erin Musselman '14 passed away.

Shirley Palmer, sister of Joseph Palmer and sister-in-law of Bishop McNamara staff, Rita Palmer, passed away on October 21, 2014.

She is also the aunt of James Palmer '78, Mary Chin Palmer LR '80, Edward Palmer '83, and Douglas Palmer '87.

Brother Eli Pelchat, C.S.C. passed away on May 13, 2014.

Doris (Dion) Racine passed away on July 26, 2014. She was the mother of Marie Racine Ziobro LR '72, William Racine '73, Thomas Racine '75, Michelle Racine Baker LR '78, and Paul Racine, Jr. '82.

Donna Michele Ranere, mother of Michael Ranere '88, passed away on October 7, 2014.

Waverly K. Roberts '11 passed away on July 4, 2014.

Lauren Mitchiner, sister of Rux Mitchiner '97, passed away on July 31, 2014.

Major General Dr. Arthur Sachsel, father of Jeffrey Sachsel '84, passed away on Sept. 19, 2013.

Brother Alexander Thomas Stroz, C.S.C. passed away on October 4, 2014.

Richard John "Dick" Todd, father of Mark Todd '76, Susan Lucas LR '77, Greg Todd '78, Tim Todd '85, John Todd '88, and MaryBeth Beck LR '91, passed away on June 28, 2014.

Wykesha Trip Esq. LR '92, passed away on August 5, 2014.

Willie B. Inge, father of Brian Inge '04, passed away on August 24, 2014.

Dell Warren, Sr., father of Dell Warren '77, passed away on October 15, 2014.

Anthony P. "Tony" Laubach, long time supporter and friend of Bishop McNamara, passed away on June 22, 2014.

Jeff Wencel '70 passed away on July 7, 2014.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."

John 14:1 THE MUSTANG MESSENGER

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BISHOP McNAMARA HIGH SCHOOL 6800 Marlboro Pike Forestville, MD 20747-3270 301.735.8401 www.BMHS.org

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OUR MISSION Bishop McNamara High School, a college preparatory school in the Holy Cross tradition, exists to educate and form young men and women in and through the Catholic faith. The school challenges its students to think with Christ, a thought animated by the Gospel, manifested in service and informed by academic excellence.

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Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Forestville, MD Permit No. 2048