2022 Fall Compass

Going Green for the Greater Good

You know well that Our Lord does not look so much at the greatness of our actions, nor even at their difficulty, as at the love with which we do them.

- Therese of Lisieux

Carmel Catholic Community,

If you have seen our campus lately, there is no doubt you will be pleasantly surprised at the positive changes that have occurred over the last several years.

Highlights include:

• Renovation of the St. Titus Brandsma Chapel

• Opened the Kathy A. Nemmers Welcome Center

• Awarded five National Blue Ribbons from the Department of Education (Carmel Catholic is among six schools nationwide to receive this award five times)

• Developed a state-of-the-art Fitness Center with a new indoor track

• Launched a new advisory program that builds community and allows our students to discuss pertinent topics

• Established an outdoor rosary walking path around the perimeter of the campus

• Incorporated several outdoor classrooms, including the Garden of the Holy Spirit and the Circle of Friends Garden

• Redesigned engineering labs and updated all school classrooms

• Significantly increased our scholarship and financial assistance funding to over $3 million to make Carmel Catholic more accessible to families of all income levels

• Made significant upgrades in student-centered support programs related to academic and emotional health and wellness

What hasn’t changed at Carmel Catholic is our community and faith. The strength of Kairos, our Christian Service program and our passion for faith-based education remains strong. At the center of all that we do is an emphasis on the concept of love. Carmel Catholic has a love for Christ and love for one another in our education community.

Our goal is to continuously move forward with improvements to Carmel Catholic so our students will have the best experience possible. We strive to be the leader in education, which fulfills our BVM and Carmelite mission so that all students reach their greatest potential.

We cannot accomplish this goal unless we receive prayers and support. Thank you to many of you who have supported our students and helped us achieve our mission. Carmel Catholic students are blessed to have such a great community and alumni support.

Brad Bonham, Ph.D.

CCHS EXECUTIVE TEAM

President Brad Bonham, Ph.D.

Principal Jason Huther

Director of Human Resources Angelina Castillo

Chief Financial Officer John Sheehy

Chief Enrollment and Advancement Officer Brian Stith ’01

Director of Mission Effectiveness Kambra French

Chief Technology Officer Brian Blaszczyk

ADVANCEMENT STAFF

Director of Advancement Lois Poulos

Director of Donor Relations Courtney Ciampi

Director of Alumni Relations Ken Kordick

Director of Philanthropy Michael Looby ’75

Director of Volunteer Engagement Michelle (Karrigan ’92) Ptasienski Director of Community Engagement Denise Spokas

Director of Advancement Data Services Milena Stanimirova

COMPASS TEAM Writer and Editor

Caitlin Lees, Director of Marketing and Communications Designer Sarah O’Donnell, Publications Coordinator

Feature Story Writer Dave Silbar

Belong. Believe. Become.

By Dave Silbar

By Dave Silbar

School

Carmel Catholic, along with the school’s new sustainability manager, is gearing up to tackle climate change in a big way.

Go Green

Police Chief Ed Roncone

By Dave Silbar

COMPASS is available online as an easy and fun-to-view digital format as part of the school’s green initiative. To view COMPASS online, visit www.carmelhs.org/publications/.

you would like to stop receiving COMPASS in the mail, please send your request to mstanimirova@carmelhs.org.

Going Green for the Greater Good

By Dave Silbar

September marks the Season of Creation, and as a five-time recipient of the coveted National Blue-Ribbon School Award, Carmel Catholic High has embarked on a new yet loftier mission: Caring for Creation.

Beginning with the first-ever Food Waste Audit in the school cafeteria this past summer, Carmel Catholic is gearing up to tackle Climate Change in a revolutionary way.

Spearheaded by science teacher and newly named Campus Sustainability Manager Mrs. Michelle Titterton, who recently received her master’s degree in Sustainability from the University of Wisconsin, Carmel Catholic is taking a deep dive into helping educate through a new sustainable management program.

A ‘Green Team’ committee has been established and includes teachers, staff, alumni, and students. Additionally, the introduction of a brand new ‘Green Corsair’ logo unveiled early this school year signifies this new mission. Carmel’s long-range goal is to be among those considered for another important honor: A National Green Ribbon School award.

“We are turning our attention and taking a hard look at how climate change is affecting not only our lives here on campus but across the entire world,” explains Mrs. Titterton. She noted that three new classes were added to this year’s curriculum: Intro to Sustainability Business, Human Ecological Business, and Civil Engineering-Green Building.

The result was 20,000 kilowatt hours and thousands of dollars saved.

“The goal is to have the summer unplugged program morph into the school year,” explains Titterton.

“Catholic schools are uniquely positioned to tackle climate change from a scientific and spiritual standpoint,” added Mrs. Titterton. The science teacher was proud to have led the school’s first-ever “Unplugged Summer School” program which challenged teachers and staff to limit electricity use.

“Especially during weekends when Carmel can potentially realize the savings of tens of thousands of dollars in electric bills and decrease carbon emissions.”

Having spent 15 years working in the oil and gas industry before coming to Carmel, Mrs. Titterton is

“We are turning our attention and taking a hard look at how climate change is affecting not only our lives here on campus but across the entire world.”

keenly aware that when fossil fuels are burned, they release large amounts of carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into the air. Greenhouse gases trap heat in our atmosphere, causing climate change.

Already, the average global temperature has increased by 1 degree Celsius. Warming above 1.5°C risks further sea level rise, extreme weather, biodiversity loss, and species extinction, as well as food scarcity, worsening health, and poverty for millions of people worldwide.

“The smallest changes can make a big difference in climate change and affect the poorest of the poor,” explains Titterton, who laments, “it’s the result of our lavish lifestyles causing the most damage. Carmel’s sustainability included replacing indoor and outdoor fixtures with LED lighting and installing water refill stations.

Starting in October, Carmel Catholic will join the growing number of schools utilizing food waste pick-up sent to a composting facility. Carmel plans to take this opportunity to implement a new approach to waste management in the cafeteria.

Said Carmel Catholic Principal Jason Huther, “Our ultimate goal is to get to as close to zero waste as possible, but this will take quite some time.”

Cafeteria Waste Audit

Carmel students and staff conducted the cafeteria waste audit to better understand how much waste was being generated, what type, and if it was being properly disposed of by our community. Conducting a waste audit is considered a best practice and the first step in analyzing waste on a campus.

“We learned that most of our waste is plastic,” said Carmel Principal Jason Huther. “Although it is recyclable, this does not mean that if we place the plastic bottles in a recycle bin, we are doing great things for the environment.  We want to seek ways to minimize the plastic waste.”

The Season of Creation

Carmel Catholic High School participated in the global celebration of the Season of Creation from September 1 to October 4 through special programs for students and prayers in solidarity with those most impacted by climate change.

The Season of Creation is a time to renew our relationship with our Creator and all creation through celebration, conversion, and commitment together. The Season of Creation begins on September 1, World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation, and ends on October 4, the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of ecology and animals.

The schoolwide celebration culminated with an October 4 screening of The Letter: Laudato Si Film, released by the Vatican on that day as a YouTube Original.

Saint Francis of Assisi reminded us that our common home is like a sister with whom we share our life and a beautiful mother who opens her arms to embrace us. In his prayer Laudato Si, he explains, “Praise be to you, my Lord, through our sister, Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs.”

Cultivating a Culture of Service

By Dave Silbar

With three young children, Anne Marie Mathis accumulated a plethora of baby gear back in 2010. Strollers, baby clothes, shoes, and other necessities… they all kept piling up. Spending her working days in the corporate world and always having a keen sense for giving back, she was always quick to find organizations that desperately needed all of these items to help those less fortunate.

Still, Anne Marie questioned whether her donated items were ending up in the hands that needed them most and said that she couldn’t get a clear answer in some cases. Wanting to make a difference in the world, she would leave her job and start a non-profit organization called Twice as Nice Mother and Child.

Ten years later, in 2020, Anne Marie (now a mom of seven, including Carmel freshman Brooklyn Mathis) rebranded the name to Keeping Families Covered. “We provide diapers and other basic needs to families primarily in Lake County and southern Wisconsin,” she explains. We provide support to roughly 1,200 families and 1,800

children every month with basic needs, including, of course, diapers.”

Keeping Families Covered got into diapers in 2014 when it joined the National Diaper Bank Network, which proved a big turning point for the organization. Diapers are now the flagship program for the nonprofit, which currently distributes 100,000 of them each month to local communities and more than 1 million annually.

This past July, 12 Carmel students participated in a day-long service trip, volunteering at Keeping Families Covered, where they prepared a huge batch of diapers and other goods for local distribution. Chaperoned by Carmel’s Campus Minister Erin Kerger, the group sorted, labeled, and boxed up donations and learned about the organization’s mission and the large number of families in need in their community.

“What’s especially nice is that most of these students had never heard of Keeping Families Covered, so it gave them a chance to provide assistance and learn about a new

organization,” said Ms. Kerger. “The students are familiar with larger charities such as Bernie’s Book Bank and Feed My Starving Children, but like hundreds of lesserknown nonprofits, Keeping Families Covered provides an incredible service to those in need who live right in our backyard.”

Ms. Kerger says that service trips such as this one and another on August 9, when students visited the Mission of Our Lady of the Angels Food Pantry, are important because it is one of Carmel Catholic’s most important school missions. At Our Lady of the Angels, students helped serve their sisters and brothers in Christ in Chicago with the Franciscan Sisters of the Eucharist.

“Much like the Carmelites and BVM’s mission of service and justice, these service trips allow students to help connect with our founders,” added Ms. Kerger. “We want our students to proactively reach out to the greater community, to be Christ’s hands and feet in the world today. We always encourage them to bring their individual

Community

Masses

gifts, experiences, and talents to impact the world for the greater good. I believe it also helps connect them to humanity and themselves in a way they maybe didn’t know before.”

Living in this age of COVID, social media, and instant gratification has been difficult for many young adults, especially high schoolers. This mental health emergency has undoubtedly been on the top of Ms. Kerger’s mind, especially when it comes to service to the community.

“It’s the lack of human interaction, especially during COVID, that has negatively impacted so many of our students,” she says. “Giving back to the community connects our students with humanity and provides them some assistance in overcoming a lot of mental health issues. After all, we’re social beings meant to communicate and help one another. Providing this type of volunteerism helps connect our Carmel students to humanity in a way they might not have experienced before.”

Community Mass to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of Carmel’s founding and the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on July 16.

St. Titus Brandsma Chapel

Rededication and Blessing of the Mary Frances Clarke Spiritual Center and Circle of Friends Garden on September 10.

All-school Mass for the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross and Grandparents and Special Friends Day on September 13. Our students’ grandparents and special friends were invited to campus to celebrate Mass, tour campus, and enjoy breakfast as we thanked God for all those who love, support, and mentor us.

On May 15, in the first canonization ceremony in two and a half years, Blessed Titus Brandsma, O.Carm was canonized by Pope Francis in Rome. For nearly 60 years, Carmel Catholic High School has been inspired by Brandsma’s heroic witness and blessed by his intercession. Our beloved Brandsma Chapel is one of the few places in the world named to honor him. Carmel Catholic marked this momentous occasion with gratitude and festivity on May 19.

Did You Know?

Meet Corey the Corsair

Corey the Corsair is the newest member of the Carmel Catholic community. Corey is a male Goldendoodle who will be serving up some big snuggles and kisses as he welcomes and comforts students at Carmel Catholic in his role as a therapy dog.

Corey is currently in training and will soon be a certified therapy dog. You’ll catch him most days with Principal Jason Huther or our Student Services team.

Stay up to date on the latest news from Carmel Catholic at carmelhs.org.

Saint Titus Brandsma Chapel Renovation Project Completed

Opened in 1962 as the Titus Brandsma, O.Carm Chapel, this extraordinary part of our campus has welcomed members of our Carmel community for generations. This sacred place is where students encounter Christ in Word and Sacrament, friends gather in community, and where alumni hold as a touchstone in their hearts.

Our Chapel transformation began in April of 2021, and thanks to the generosity of our many donors, renovations have recently been completed. On September 10, we dedicated the new St. Titus Brandsma Chapel, the Mary Frances Clarke, BVM Spiritual Center, and the Mary Frances Clarke, BVM Circle of Friends Garden, with special honorees and guests present. These true spiritual gifts reflect the legacy of our founders and will continue to be a gathering point for our students and extended community for years to come.

Our Director of Mission Effectiveness, Kambra French, spearheaded this renovation project and reflected on its completion. “It has been incredibly edifying to witness the fruits of our donors’ generosity already; students are gathering and connecting in the spaces, encountering beauty in the chapel, and learning about our founders in new and exciting ways. All aspects of this project bring the core of our mission that Carmel Catholic is ‘centered in Jesus Christ’ to life.”

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who led, supported, collaborated, and helped make this renovation vision a reality. As the spiritual heart of our campus, we find continual comfort, peace, and a zeal for faith under the luminous gaze of Mary, our Mother and Lady of Mt. Carmel.

Street Scenes 2023

We are thrilled to announce that we will head back to our traditional Street Scenes on February 10-11, 2023. Street Scenes will be “Celebrating the Seasons” as we go into our 49th year of this beloved event!

Would you like to be involved in Street Scenes 2023? Contact Michelle Ptasienski, Director of Street Scenes, at mptasienski@carmelhs.org.

A First For Carmel –Summer Street Scenes

The last two years have brought us some new and exciting Street Scenes events, from going virtual to outside in the summer! Our summer event was held the weekend of July 16-17, coinciding with the Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. We kicked off the event with a Mass presided over by Bishop Grob. The day continued with great bands, food, games, inflatables, bingo, the Irish pub with Irish dancers, baggo, and fantastic fellowship with the Carmel Community. It was a wonderful celebration of Carmel’s 60th year while continuing some of the Street Scenes traditions.

Did you know people who plan ahead typically leave more for family after they are gone? When you think about it, it makes perfect sense. People who plan have identi ed their goals. ey have established priorities. In doing so, they give themselves something to strive for and they make decisions with their plan in mind. With recent changes to the tax code, this is the perfect time to put your plan together or to update your plan.

• Capital gains taxes can be reduced or even eliminated with proper planning.

• You create a charitable legacy supporting the causes important to you while freeing assets for family.

• e estate tax may be reduced or eliminated.

Call or email us for a FREE WILL PLANNER and learn how easy it can be to give more to your family and charity and reduce your tax burden. ContactMichaelLoobyat847-388-3454ormlooby@carmelhs.org.

Double Your Donation

Visit

Did you know only 50% of the population creates a will?

Which side of the 50% are you?

Golf Classic

2022 Carmel Catholic Golf Classic was a great success! We were excited to return to the top-rated Glen Flora Country Club. Golfers were treated to lunch, a challenging round of golf, engaging games, pig roast with an open bar, and highly sought-after raffle prizes. With the help of many sponsors and the support of over 90 golfers and dinner guests, the outing raised more than $50,000. The Golf Classic supports families that have experienced financial hardship and assist students who have lost a parent during their time at Carmel Catholic. A big thank you to

Queen of Hearts

Raffle

“You Gotta Get in it to Win it!’

its inception, the Queen of Hearts Raffle has given out over $118,000! Want to know the current jackpot total? Want to know if or when the Queen decided to reveal herself? Want to see your name on the board through a sponsorship?

carmelhs.org/queenofhearts/ to find out more. Thank you to all that played this popular game of chance!

From the Streets of Antioch to the Streets of Libertyville, It All Started at Carmel for Police

Chief Ed Roncone ‘84

By Dave Silbar

Ed Roncone has known the meaning of hard work ever since he was a teenager, going door to door in the Antioch neighborhood where he grew up to mow lawns for extra money. Today, it’s the streets of Libertyville that Ed helps to oversee, keeping them safe as chief of police while supervising a team of investigators and first responders.

Back in the mid-1980s, it was the halls of Carmel Catholic High School where Ed roamed and where the foundation would be set, eventually leading him down the path as a security officer and a career in civil service. Like his counterpart, Retired Libertyville Fire Chief Rich Carani, Roncone is a proud 1984 Carmel alumnus.

The son of Italian immigrants, he fondly remembers the powerful feeling of a tight-knit community here, not to mention the daily bus rides he would take to school from a pick-up location near College of Lake County.

“One of my biggest memories from my Carmel days was how the teachers help guide their students along the way, empowering them to not only succeed but also to fail while being able to learn from their mistakes,” he says. “They also taught us how to give back to one another and our community. I understand now that the goal they were trying to achieve was to make all of us productive students and productive human beings.

Helping set the tone back then, Roncone noted how his teachers at Carmel allowed him and his fellow Corsairs to take everything they experienced during their high school years to the next level after graduation. With his classmates making up a large melting pot from across Lake County, Ed was forced to make new friends and come together as one big community.

Whether it was joining a new club, the theater and arts program, or an athletic team, it was important to Ed that new friendships evolved each step of the way. It’s that dynamic of one big Carmel family which was most influential.

“Carmel afforded me the opportunity to kind of come together in a community and broaden my horizons and perspective to see where life could take me,” he says. “Although I didn’t venture far from Lake County, I certainly ventured in many different areas, as has my career.”

Regarding parents who may be considering Carmel, Roncone didn’t hesitate when it came to what advice he would dole out.

“Parents are very savvy nowadays, and they do their research, but if their son or daughter is motivated and wants to take his/her education to the next level, then Carmel certainly affords them that opportunity. Carmel teaches the important ability not to fear taking that next step and to take new adventures. The school allows every student to chart their course, and the staff and faculty support you at every step.”

Alumni Return Day • January 11, 2023

Young alumni are invited to return to campus for Mass, lunch and to reminisce in the hallways on Wednesday, January 11. Pre-registration required.

Join the Global Generosity Movement – Giving Tuesday is November 29

We are counting on donors like YOU to show your support. Together, WE can truly make a difference in the lives of our students.

‘Carmel afforded me the opportunity to kind of come together in a community and broaden my horizons and perspective to see where life could take me.’

Graduation

We welcomed 287 new alumni on May 27. Congratulations to a wonderful Class of 2022!

We are always proud to recognize our legacy families each year at graduation. Congratulations to the following alumni parents and grandparents of the Class of 2022:

Amy (Claffey ‘84)

Benjamin Greg Benjamin ‘83

Carrie (Trocano ‘91)

Bernatchez

Michael Bowes ‘88

Martin Cappelle ‘95 Matthew Carroll ‘92

Genice Reed-Daniels ‘86

David Daniels ‘86

Emily (Rowe ‘93) Davis Lisa (Tagli ‘88) Elert Joseph Heilgeist ‘73

Jeffrey Feinendegen ‘89

Robert Graham ‘87

Patrick Graham ‘84

Jennifer (Depperschmidt ‘95) Haley Mark Herbick ‘84

Timothy Ives ‘87

Amy (Johnson ‘87) Junge Michael Keane ‘86

Filomena (Bellini ‘94) Kropiwiec

Mariann (Edlmann ‘72) Bellini

Michelle Boyce-Lobo ‘93

Horacio Lopez ‘73 Clare ManningMcConville ‘94

Jacqueline (Krase ‘86) Marcheschi

Dawn (Hagopian ‘95)

Trotta

Carrie (Cohen ‘96) Marusich

Katie (Halverson ‘92) Baugher

John McHugh ‘91

Christopher Molsen ‘87

Dona (Renaud ‘85) Morrill

Caroline (Casten ‘98) Ogurek

Daniel Ogurek ‘97 Ralph Casten ‘66 Laura (Dietz ‘92) Pfister James J. Porten ‘85 †

Alumni Faculty and Staff

Marguerite (Keller ‘87) Rapplean

Mark Rapplean ‘87

Aimee (Owczarski ‘89) Reissenweber

Shannon (Ames ‘87) Rosales

Dorie (Hertel ‘89) Roth Pandora (Fillipp ‘90)

Rouleau

Maria (Corrado ‘84)

Schneider

Sheila (Conarchy ‘88) Shrofe

David Shrofe ‘88

Julie (Farrell ‘89) Osborne

Jennifer (Kocen ‘88) Sullivan

Lori (Van Erden ‘88) Ventura Danielle (Saladino ‘97) Wegener

Jason Wegener ‘95

Gail (Hoffmann ‘71) Wegener Mark Wegener ‘68

Rebecca (Cameron ‘84) Wesolowicz

Daniel Whelan ‘89 Mary (Suter ‘83) Wiacek Randy Zitella ‘91

We are proud to call these alumni part of our faculty and staff for the 2022-2023 school year!

Front Row:

Jennifer (Hanna ‘00) Arvidson

Erin (LoBue ‘00) Major Shannon (Kouba ‘11) Lanphier Tylee Resetich ‘11

Colin Spude ‘05

Carli Sacramento ’14

Julie (Stith ‘99) Donner Sarah (Mikrut ‘93) Doyle Patricia Van Spankeren ‘95

Emily (Tourdot ‘09) Solarz

Molly Daluga ‘06

Amy Strutzel ’95

Jennifer (Slater ‘90) Burkhalter

Back Row:

Michelle (Karrigan ‘92) Ptasienski

Kevin Nylen ‘98

Haley (Hunter ‘12) Adams Kathleen (McMahon ‘68) Griffin Tara Gille ‘07

Dave Pazely ‘01

Steve Ballerine ‘89 Michael Looby ‘75

Gail (Hoffmann ‘71) Wegener

Laura Budris ‘90 Brian Stith ‘01

Not Pictured: Rebecca

(Monterastelli ‘02) Norton, Brad

Geary ‘81, Joyce (Thompson ‘89)

Haqq, Dan Henrichs ‘92.

Alumni Derby 2022 Ends In a Tie

Alumni Derby 2022 bragging rights go to the classes of 1967 and 1983! Thank you to all the donors for your support. If you received a towel and want to take a picture of yourself showing it off, please send it to alumni@carmelhs.org.

Athletic Hall of Fame

Several alumni were recently inducted into the Hall of Fame for 2021. We also inducted the 2022 class at Homecoming on September 30. Hall of Fame inductees are individuals whose time at Carmel was highlighted by extraordinary success as an interscholastic student-athlete, or as a supporter of the Corsairs and the greater mission of Carmel Catholic athletics.

2021 INDUCTEE

Mary Beth Berg ‘11

Matthew Diedrich ‘06

Shannon Howell ‘10

Kirsten McWilliams ‘84

Michael Morici ‘04

Sean Murnane ‘06

Taylor Pippen ‘12

Christopher Salvi ‘08

Shane Siefert ‘10

Jeffrey Smith ‘83

2022 INDUCTEE

Andy Bitto ‘81

Larry Boller ‘68

Sean McGrath ‘06

James Nolan

Ryan Williams ‘08

Tell Us You’re a Corsair, Without Telling Us You’re a Corsair

Girls Basketball Varsity vs. Alumni Game

What item do you still have from your Carmel years? Send a picture of it to alumni@carmelhs.org or tag us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. Erika Ryglowski ‘98 still has her foreign language department banner, which helped line the corridor in the late 90s.

Alumni Tent Party

Many recent alumni girls basketball players returned to Carmel Catholic on July 25 to play the CCHS varsity team (current IHSA Class 3A State Champions). Alumni participating were: Teresa Veselik ‘05, Erin Djurickovic ‘11, Jacque McClenahan ‘11, Claire Ogrinc ‘13, Kayla Quinn ‘13, Brigit Barr ‘19, Horton Shai ‘19, Caitlin Teehan ‘19, Katie Lach ‘20, Kaytlyn Matz ‘20, Emma Berg ‘21, Christine Salandanan ‘22 and Grace Sullivan ‘22.

We love seeing so many alumni together in one place! Thank you to all the alumni and their familes who came out to watch the homecoming football game from the alumni tent on September 30 as the Corsairs took on St. Patrick.

50-Year Reunions

We celebrated the Carmel legacy with three 50-Year Reunions in June. Thank you to all who returned to Carmel Catholic to reminisce with old classmates and re-meet some new friends!

More pictures taken during the event are now up for viewing at https://shop.vipis.com/carmelcatholic.

More Reunions

Class of 1977 45-Year Reunion

July 30, 2022

Class of 1997 25-Year Reunion

August 6, 2022

Class of 1987 35-Year Reunion

September 10, 2022

Class of 1992 30-Year Reunion

September 17, 2022

Class of 1982 40-Year Reunion

September 24, 2022

Class of 2002 20-Year Reunion

October 8, 2022

More pictures taken during the event are now up for viewing at https://shop.vipis.com/carmelcatholic.

Alumni, Stay Connected

Visit Campus

Alumni and family are welcome back to campus at any time for a tour to experience the exciting improvements we continue to make to our facilities and programs. Contact alumni@carmelhs.org for more information.

Alumni, Check Out Your Portal

The portal allows alumni to update their contact information, search for other alumni, see an individualized page for each class, submit class notes, view social media feeds, and much more!

For help logging in, contact alumni@carmelhs.org.

Submit a Class Note Compass welcomes news of accomplishments or changes in your professional and personal life for inclusion in Class Notes. Submit information and photos to alumni@carmelhs.org.

Alumni Social Media Carmel High School Alumni

@CorsairAlumni

Carmel Catholic High School Alumni Assocation

Milestones

1. Lauren Sczygielski-Anders ‘94, Daniel and Tom Anders welcomed a new son and brother, Charles Patrick, on December 30, 2021.

2. Phoebe Rae Solarz was born February 11, 2022, to Emily (Tourdot ‘09) Solarz and Jacob Solarz, both CCHS faculty.

3. George Milo Stith was born to Brian ’01 and Annah Stith on February 20. Brian is CCHS Chief Enrollment and Advancement Officer.

4. John W. Ross was born March 7 to Esmeralda Mora (CCHS faculty) and Jason W. Ross.

5. Brianna Jill Norton was born August 9 to Rebecca (Monterastelli ’02) Norton and Christopher Norton. Rebecca is CCHS faculty.

6. Trent Jansen ‘13 married Maria Neff on February 17, 2022, in Aruba. Wedding party members included Carmel alumni and current students, from left to right: Isabella Jansen ’21, Giuliana Jansen ’23, Trent, Vince Jansen ’16, and Andrew Holmes ‘13.

7. Michael O’Leary ‘04 and his wife Malley baptized their daughter Eve Marie O’Leary.

Maggie O’Leary-Cook ‘02 and her husband Peter baptized their son John Alan Cook. Godparents Maureen Nuzzo ‘99 and Gene Sutter ‘92.

Class Notes

Council (UEC) Engineer of the Year award. Senator Mitt Romney of Utah congratulated him. The UEC Engineer of the Year Award recognizes outstanding engineers with significant accomplishments in various professional engineering fields in Utah communities. Dan is an accomplished engineer who has four decades of working in space, commercial, and defense while concurrently serving on professional society boards. Especially over the past two decades, he has been highly active in serving Utah and Utah professional societies, as evident by his many publications, presentations, and patents. Dan is shown in the picture working at the 2022 Hill AFB Warriors Over the Wasatch Air and Space Show.

1978 Debra Warren recently published a 542-page biography of actor Robert Preston entitled Robert Preston - Forever The Music Man. The book is available on Amazon and in select independent bookstores.

1979

Dennis Lambert published his second book this past May FOR REAL?

Christ’s Presence in the Eucharist. In addition to writing, Dennis serves as a Deacon in the Diocese of Phoenix, where he lives with his wife Debbie ‘79, two children, and three grandchildren.

Life.” Readers will learn practical yet powerful strategies to reignite one’s passion and live a life of anticipation, abundance, and meaning.

1993

Congratulations to Nikki (White) Lazzaretto, a dance teacher at Deerfield High School, who was given a Golden Apple Award for excellence in teaching.

1994

Katie Arvidson Kralik was recently recognized as a National Board Certified Teacher and earned a Master Teacher designation from the state of Illinois. Katie teaches high school science in Oak Park, IL, where she lives with her husband and two teenage kids.

Mary C. Pasenelli (Schneider) is retired and loving life. She has lived in Phoenix since 1979. This recent picture was taken in Longboat Key, Florida.

1983

Maureen McGrain returned to Carmel Catholic in August to speak to new faculty and staff. She presented along with Sr. Mary Fran McLaughlin, BVM, former Carmel President.

1991 Eric Feinendegen recently published his first book, “The FEIN-er Things - A 52-week Guide to Living an Inspired

Samer Attar, MD (front left), orthopedic oncologist and surgeon at Northwestern Medicine, used his medical expertise in Kyiv, Ukraine. He traveled there as a representative of the Syrian American Medical Society- SAMS. Dr. Attar is no stranger to caring for patients in war zones. He also volunteered at hospitals in Aleppo, Syria, to help treat those with acute traumatic injuries.

Mary Sandberg Boyle ‘94, the first female General Manager in WGN Radio’s 100-year history, has been named as one of Radio Ink Magazine’s “2022 Most Influential Women in Radio.” With a career in media spanning more than 22 years in the Chicago market, Sandberg Boyle owes her success to patience and good timing. She says, “Take every opportunity you can to demonstrate that you deserve to be there. Take risks and accept challenges...You only have control over your attitude and how hard you work.” A big thank you to Mary for returning to Carmel Catholic this past May to speak to Mrs. Shelley Lindgren’s business class. Her presentation was part of the theme: “Girls of Today, Leaders of Tomorrow.”

1997

After a 20-year delay, Christine Drew joined the UIC Law School (formerly John Marshall) part-time evening program in August 2021 and has finished the first year. While working full-time as a paralegal for Segal McCambridge, Christine made the Dean’s List her first semester. She was recently elected to the Student Bar Association Executive Board as the Graduate/Evening Student Liaison.

1999

On May 19, CDR Brian K. Ryglowski was appointed as the Commanding Officer of the US Naval Ship Repair Facility and Japan Regional Maintenance Center Detachment, Sasebo, Japan. He resides there with his wife, Kymberly, and daughter, Allie.

2005

Dr. Keli D. Coleman, a member of the Carmel Catholic High School Hall of Fame for Track and Field, and a pediatric emergency medicine physician/clinical researcher, was inducted into the Augustana College Tribe of Vikings Hall of Fame on April 9.

2012

Nicole Nerup is known professionally as Risa Nicole. She performed in the Marriott Theater’s production of West Side Story as the shark girl, Francisca, a friend of Maria’s.

2013

Elliott Eiden graduated from Lewis University in Romeoville, IL, in 2018 with degrees in Aviation and Aerospace Technology and Aviation Management with a minor in Unmanned Aircraft. As an aircraft mechanic, his first job was with Gulfstream in Appleton, WI. He now works for a major healthcare

corporation as a mechanic for their corporate jet and has his private pilot’s license. In 2020, Elliott became co-owner and manager of Camp Lake Airport in Salem, WI, about 3 miles from Wilmot Mountain. Elliott built a small caretaker’s residence inside one of the hangars and is the onsite airport manager. He flies an ultralight and is co-owner of a 1946 Champ Aeronca Sport plane.

2018

Vincent Gerou is a Navy Builder in the U.S. Navy’s Construction Force. Vincent builds and fights worldwide as a member of the naval construction battalion center in Gulfport, Mississippi.

2021

Alex Cepon has earned his Private Pilot License at Skill Aviation.

Bella Jansen was selected as a 2022 Abbvie Possibilities Scholar for the 2022-23 school year. Scholarships are offered worldwide to the children of Abbvie employees studying at two or four-year colleges. Selections are made based on the student’s academic performance, demonstrated leadership and participation in school and community activities, work experience, and an essay. Bella is a sophomore at Hope College in Holland, MI, majoring in Marketing.

2022

Alexandra Monroe served on a week-long mission trip through the Archdiocese of Chicago. Alexandra is fluent in Spanish and served as a lead translator for a group of dentists who provided care for an impoverished remote village in Guerrero, Mexico.

In Memoriam

Alumni

Ronald Baciak ‘66

Jana (Kos ‘89) Ferguson

Theresa Freeman-Tutaj ‘82, mother of Jerome ‘13, Veronica ‘14, Maggie ‘16, Devonte ‘17, Erin ‘20 and Emma (former student) Tutaj; sister of Margie ‘80 and Ronald ‘89 Freeman

Kurt Knigge ‘76, brother of Kevin Knigge ‘73 and Kim (Knigge ‘75)

Ramlow; brother-in-law of Joseph Seaverns ‘68

Julian Lomeli ‘17

Peter Murphy ‘12

Fr. Tom Seibert ‘67, brother of Jean (Seibert) Sullivan ‘69

David A. Smith ‘88

Susan Tucker ‘68

Thomas Yingling ‘69, father of Alisa ‘93, Charlie ‘95, and Sam Yingling ‘98; sister of Grace (Yingling ‘67) Golden

Family

Diane Adamick, former CCHS faculty

Brian Scott Aden, husband of Kathleen DeCaire-Aden ‘83; father of Perry ‘10 and Abigail ‘19 Aden

Margaret T. Andres, mother of Rev. Timothy P. Andres, O. Carm. ‘76

Sr. Lou Anglin, BVM

Ginette Bance, mother of Patrick Bance ‘94; grandmother of Drew Bance ‘26

Raymond A. Beitzel, father of Gerald Aquino ‘74

Peter Bloom, father of Jennifer (Bloom ‘87) Ficenec and Elizabeth (Bloom ‘90) Deck; father-in-law of Timothy Deck ‘89

Rafael P. Carreira, grandfather of Thomas ‘16, Matthew ‘18 and Michael ‘20 Wattelet

Richard P. Cavenaugh, father of Richard F. Cavenaugh ‘78

Michele Kristin Chernesky, sister of Matthew Chernesky ‘19

Dolores Condon, mother of Mary Lynn (Condon ‘77) Barrette and Michael Condon ‘79

George A. Couvall, grandfather of Georgie ‘22 and Billy ‘24 Couvall

Kathy Cullinan, mother of Tracy (Cullinan ‘82) Healy, Jim ‘85, Tim ‘87, and Mike ‘88 Cullinan

Shirley M. Dato, mother of David ‘75 and Mark ‘77 Dato; grandmother of Ben Dato ‘14

Marilyn Downes, mother of Elizabeth (Downes ‘97) Zomchek; mother-in-law of Greg Zomchek ‘97; grandmother of Lauren Zomchek ‘24

Richard Drott, grandfather of Ryan ‘18, Maddie ‘22, Colin ‘23 and Sarah ‘23 Whelan

Christian Eubanks, former student and sister of Cierra Moye ‘14

William K. Flood, father of Kevin Flood ‘82, Michele (Flood ‘83) Mele, Michael Flood ‘84, Deborah (Flood ‘86) Diorio, Christopher Flood ‘88, David Flood ‘89, and Coleen (‘95) Geary

Carol Freeman, mother of Leslie (Freeman ‘95) Nurczyk

Judith Elizabeth Glogovsky, mother of Wendy Murray ‘89

Patricia A. Hain, mother of Patricia (Neel ‘88) Carrick

Eugene R. Hebior, grandfather of Jacob ‘09 and Susannah ‘18 Sinkovec

Barbara Horcher, mother of Lawrence Horcher ‘75 (deceased)

Donald Ingram, grandfather of Katie Ingram ‘22

David Walter Johnson, father of Amy (Johnson ‘87) Junge, CCHS Board member; grandfather of Nora ‘22 and Nicholas ‘24 Junge

Carol E. Johnson, grandmother of Kathryn Tarpey ‘08

Garnet L. Kane, grandmother of Daniel ‘15, Dillon ‘15, and Erin ‘18 Kane

Therese King, grandmother of Tess Micheli ‘21 and Sean King ‘24

Jon H. “Jack” Kordt, grandfather of Wrigley Kordt ‘22

Ann Larson, mother of Margaret (Larson ‘86) Levin

Joanne Marie Laskowski, mother of Deborah (Laskowski ‘81) Meyer, Kathyrn Laskowski ‘83, Richard Laskowski ‘85, Gail Laskowski ‘86, Linda (Laskowski ‘87) Plass; grandmother of Ashlen ‘10, Renee ‘12, and Madisen ‘18 Meyer

Mary Elizabeth Leccesi, wife of Anthony Leccesi ‘72

Josephine Lentino, grandmother of Mary (Lentino ‘11) Harris, Anne Lentino ‘14, and James Lentino ‘18

Philip Clark Mangus, father of Jacqueline (Mangus ‘81) Nesci-Homer, Karen (Mangus ‘84) Coari and David Mangus ‘86

Pádraig McAlister, grandfather of Aideen ’21, Cara ’23 and Joseph ’25 Cazzini

Charles Logan McEwen Jr., father of Jill (McEwen ‘75) Spude and Gary McEwen ‘77; grandfather of Ryan Spude ‘02 and Colin Spude ‘05, CCHS faculty

Cecelia Jean McNeil, mother of Donna (McNeil ‘78) Blaul

Evelyn McWilliams, mother of John McWilliams ‘82, Kirsten McWilliams ‘84 (deceased) and Justine McWilliams Sennott ‘91

Joan Millimaki, grandmother of Allison (Kukla ‘92) Engman

Kevin Minor, father of Kristina ‘06, Jasmine ‘11, and Brienne ‘15 Minor

Jack Allan Morabito Sr., father of John Jr. ‘77, Kirk ‘80, Kerick ‘83 and Anthony ‘89 Morabito; father-in-law of Claire (Paulson ‘80) Morabito; grandfather of Grace ‘17, Evan ‘20, and Gabriel ‘24 Morabito

Ronald Louis Mrowiec, grandfather of Matthew ‘15 & Scott ‘17 Mrowiec and Samson ‘15 & Bella ‘22 Niemotka

William J. Nemanich, father of Robert Nemanich ‘75, Cathy (Nemanich ‘77) McNulty, Paula (Nemanich ‘77) Hyatt, Thomas Nemanich ‘78, Ann Marie Nemanich ‘81, John Nemanich ‘84, & Judy (Nemanich ‘88) Bernhard; father-inlaw of Katherine (Kamhout ‘78) Nemanich

John A. Neumann, father of Catherine (Neumann ‘76) Kaspar

Elaine Nolan, mother of Jim Nolan, former CCHS Staff member

Nancy Nozicka, mother of Nicole (Nozicka ‘02) Gas, Peter ‘05, Laura ‘08 and Michael ‘09 Nozicka

Anthony P. Nuzzo, Jr., father of Jordan Nuzzo ‘11 and Sierra (Nuzzo ‘14) Lewis

Doris Virginia Obenauf, mother of Harvey Obenauf ‘68, Ronald Obenauf ‘69, Darlene (Obenauf ‘70) Dummer, and Marjorie (Obenauf ‘73) Hubbard

William M. O’Malley, Sr., grandfather of Ryan ‘06 & Colin ‘08 O’Malley

Sally O’Rourke, grandmother of Charles Wild ‘23

George J. Pannhausen, father of Megan (Pannhausen ‘90) Weaver & Kendra Pannhausen ‘93

Eulogia Zaide Perez, mother of Evelyn (Perez ‘80) Balitaan; grandmother of Cristina ‘06, Matthew ‘07, Diana ‘10, & Zachary ‘13 Balitaan and Isabelle ‘15 & Isaac ‘18 Reyes

Joey Petrusky, son of Leigh Ann (Hoselton ‘77) Petrusky

Jean Elaine Pope, grandmother of Brittany ‘10 and William ‘12 Pope

Michael E. Rayunas, husband of Maureen (Abernathy ‘79) Rayunas; brother-in-law of Brian ‘71, John ‘71, Michael ‘75, Robert ‘78, Mark ‘83, William ‘88 Abernathy, and Katherine (Abernathy ‘76) Huber, Colleen (Abernathy ‘79) Michals, & Mary Jo (Abernathy ‘81) Risetter

Harold J. Schafer, father of Cindy (Schafer ‘77) Eichelberger & David Schafer ‘79; grandfather of Joshua ‘98 & Adam ‘01 Eichelberger and Bradley ‘10 & Matthew ‘13 Schafer

Maurice K. Shiu, father of Fr. Christian Shiu, chaplain of Carmel Catholic

Gavin A. Short, son of Elizabeth (Schrank ‘91) Short

Rosemarie Ann Simon, mother of Robert Simon ‘82, Rita (Simon ‘84) Tarpey (former CCHS Staff), Mary Simon ‘85, and Peter Simon ‘87; grandmother of Brittany Tarpey ‘14

William R. Stark, father of Lauren (Stark ‘11) Filippini and Amy Stark ‘15; father-in-law of Dino Filippini ‘10

Joan M. Stoyanoff, mother of Christopher ‘75, Marc ‘78, & Michael ‘81 Stoyanoff; mother-in-law of Linda (Novak ‘79) Stoyanoff; grandmother of Katie Stoyanoff ‘10

Edith B. Strazer, grandmother of Jaime (Strazer ‘95) Pyrek

Mary Svete, mother of Constance (Svete ‘67) Kenney and Robert Svete ‘74

Michael Theriault, father of Jenna (Theriault ‘03) Moccio

Stanley J. Trygar Sr., father of Stanley Trygar Jr. ‘72 & Robert Trygar ‘76

Lawrence Ventimiglia, grandfather of Katie Ingram ‘22

Bennie Wagner, grandfather of Zachary ‘08 and Dirk ‘10 Wagner

Julia Warren, mother of Debra Warren ‘78

Robert K. Wegge, father of Linda ‘74, Kurt ‘75, and Mark ‘78 Wegge; father-in-law of Victoria Smock ‘79; grandfather of Sean Wegge ‘07, Sarah (Wegge ‘08) Overturf, Michelle Wegge ‘10, and Dana Wegge ‘13

Dolores J. Weis, mother of Jeanne (Weis) Swanson ‘77, Joanne (Weis) Urbanski ‘79, Catherine Weis ‘81, Joseph Weis ‘84 and Caroline Weis ‘85; grandmother of Eric Urbanski ‘07, Catherine (Swanson) Kemen ‘08, Ryan Urbanski ‘11, Bridget Swanson ‘13 and Colleen Swanson ‘14

Kenneth Wyman, grandfather of Nicole ‘00, Michael ‘02, Michele ‘10, and Matthew ‘13 Boston

Marian Zochowski, father of Mariusz ‘00 & Natalia ‘05 Zochowski

Carmel Catholic High School relies on the school community to inform us of the passing of alumni and family members. If a newspaper or funeral home obituary is available, we would appreciate a copy or link sent to alumni@carmelhs.org.