Who are those guys anyway? Reunion Update The COVID-19 pandemic forced Central Catholic to cancel or reschedule many of our events, and that included the 2020 Reunions, which were scheduled to occur August 9, 2020. The health and safety of our alumni is our top priority, but we want to reassure the classes of 1950, 1960, 1970, and 1980 that we will do a bigger and better reunion August 7, 2021! We will combine with the classes of 1951, 1961, 1971, and 1981, plus anyone from the decade of the 1940s who would like to join us. This will be a fantastic opportunity to visit with fellow Rams on the Central Catholic campus who were a year ahead of or behind you! Interested in helping on the Reunion Committee? Contact John Leineweber ’99, President of the Central Catholic Alumni Association at john@503distilling.com. Who are these students? Identify the students above, submit your guesses, and the winner will be chosen in a random drawing in September. Contact Alaina Hill, Advancement Coordinator, with your guess: ahill@centralcatholichigh.org or 503.230.1056 ext.1229. We stumped our readers of the last issue. Shelly Korbe ’84, Greg Weigel ’83, and Paul Mayer ’81 were the grand prize winners of the 1980 student fundraiser in the picture below!
If you would like to plan a reunion other than the marquee years, please review the Reunion Guide on the website and feel free to reach out to Sara Wright, Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement at swright@centralcatholichigh.org if you need further assistance. Please know that you have our prayers for your continued health and safety and that of your families. Thank you again for your support!
Alumni Board The main goal of the Alumni Board is to lead the Alumni Association to foster Ram pride and promote the welfare of Central Catholic. The Alumni Association helps to strengthen the ties between the alumni, school, and community. The renewed Central Catholic Alumni Board has been meeting since winter and is already making strides in several areas. They have been working on updating social media, advising on an interactive alumni directory, creating a survey, and planning an all-new Alumni Oktoberfest Marketplace this fall. We thank the new Alumni Board for all of their hard work and dedication.
If you are interested in becoming part of the board, or learning more about the board, please contact John Leineweber ‘99 at john@503distilling.com. We are particularly interested in more representation from the decades of the 60s, 70s and 80s. CENTRAL CATHOLIC ALUMNI --------------------------------------------------
Oktoberfest MARKETPLACE
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September 26
s Go Ram Questions? Contact Sara Wright, Director of Alumni and Parent Engagement at swright@centralcatholichigh.org or 503.230.1056 ext. 1243.
Central Catholic Alumni Board Members: John Leineweber ’99, Board President Michelle (Minier) Roseborough ’99, Board Secretary Matt Illias ’05, Board Treasurer Kate (Benz) Bethell ’03 Katelyn Callaghan ’05 Jack Holmes ’68 Ed Kropp ’75
Vicki (Harms) Okazaki ’84 Kelsey Schneider ’08 Sophie Ziels ’15
Features: On the Cover
This issue of the CC Magazine pays tribute to each member of a very special class. This is the year of the Class of 2020, and we laud each graduating senior for their Ram Spirit, resilience, and perseverance to the end.
Volume 27 • Number 2 • Summer 2020 Central Catholic Magazine is a publication of Central Catholic High School 2401 SE Stark Street • Portland, Oregon 97214 503.230.1056 • centralcatholichigh.org
Campus Highlights Page 7
Leadership Rev. Msgr. Timothy Murphy ’58, President Emeritus Colin McGinty, President Danyelle Ramsey, Principal Ellie Dir, Vice President of Advancement Board of Directors Bill Winter ’58, Chair Molly Paustian ’85, Vice Chair Harry Hanna ’93, Secretary Matt Chapman ’68 Rev. Jeff Eirvin Tim Fleischmann ’79 Dave Gorretta ’87 Therese Leineweber Colin McGinty Jonathan McGowan ’92 Connie Ozyjowski Sarah Petrone ’94 Jeannie Ray-Timoney Ellen Ridgeway Paul Scarlett Jo Willhite, Ex-Officio Publisher/Layout and Design Jolyn Winczewski Director of Scholarships and Publications
Graduation 2020 Page 8
Digital Learning Page 14
Contributing Writers Ellie Dir Colleen Newell Sara Wright Editing Team Cindy Hart Alaina Hill Colleen Newell Elaine Payne Sara Wright Contributing Photographers Alaina Hill Colleen Newell
Alumni Profile: Emily Harrington ’99 Page 18
Central Catholic High School is accredited by the Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, The Western Catholic Education Association, and The Western Association of Schools and Colleges. Notice of non-discrimination as it applies to students and employees at Central Catholic High School: Central Catholic High School admits students of any race, color, national, and ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national, or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and other school administered programs. Likewise, Central Catholic High School does not discriminate against any applicant for employment because of race, color, national or ethnic origin, or gender.
What’s Up With You? Page 20 Summer 2020 |1
WELCOME
Raphiel Lambert Counselor
Raphiel Lambert was born and raised in Northeast Portland. He made the daily commute across the river to attend Jesuit High School, where he enjoyed a successful prep career as a student-athlete. After high school, he went on to attend Boise State University on a full ride academic-athletic scholarship. There, Raphiel was a member of multiple football conference championships and bowl game winning teams. After graduating with a degree in English, Raphiel returned home to Portland and immediately jumped into coaching. His passion for coaching and working with young athletes played a huge role in his continuing his education and completing a master’s degree program in School Counseling at George Fox University. Outside of his role as a school counselor, Raphiel spends his time working as the Program Director at Grind Time Fit in Beaverton. He also enjoys “spending time with my family, training, and reading a good book.” Raphiel believes that education and athletics combine to teach young men and women competitive skill-building, discipline, and how to respond when faced with adversity. Through both, he hopes to inspire students to become lifelong learners in pursuit of becoming the best version of themselves. We had a chance to sit down and talk with Raphiel: What drew you to be part of Central Catholic? What drew me to Central Catholic is the community. Whether it was as a young high school athlete or now as an adult, I’ve always felt that the Central Catholic community was warm and welcoming. As someone on the outside, the community has embraced me with open arms and I look forward to developing even better relationships with students, staff, and community members.
Catholic High School. As an off-season trainer, I’ve had the chance to work closely with a lot of current Central Catholic athletes. Also, David Blue [Director of Diversity and Inclusion] and David Shephard [new Dean of Student Management, Safety, and Security] are two men I respect a great deal. What do you see as Central Catholic’s greatest strength and how do you plan to build on that? I think Central Catholic’s biggest strength is its ability to make adjustments. I believe that Central Catholic does a great job of evaluating their decisions to look at ways in which they can make better decisions for the future. What is your goal for this upcoming year? My goal for this upcoming year is to form great relationships with my colleagues and students. I want to cement myself as a trusted member of the community whom people can trust to follow through and get the job done. As we enter into our new school year, we are focusing on our four character virtues for the year: Kindness, Integrity, Resilience, and Conscientiousness. Which of these virtues resonates with you the most? I believe the virtue that resonates with me most is resiliency. I think at different stages of my life, my ability to persevere has proved to be a great quality of mine. Everything in life won’t go as planned and I believe that for me, being resilient in those moments or knowing how to handle those situations is extremely important. Which of these virtues will you embrace/embody as you step into your new role? Stepping into my new role I will embrace the virtue of conscientiousness. In any new environment I think that it is important to be aware of the new experiences, challenges, and opportunities that may come your way. There will be opportunities to learn from each potential experience and I think having an open mind will help one better navigate each experience uniquely.
What are you looking forward to the most about being a part of Central Catholic? For me I would say the opportunity to get to know the students. Central Catholic is a diverse school and I’m excited to be able to immerse myself in the culture and learn about the unique life experiences of the students.
David Shephard
What are you most excited about as you take on this new role? I’m excited to step into the role of a full-time counselor. I’ve enjoyed my time as a student but I’m ready to begin working with my colleagues and students each day to continue the great work that’s always taking place at Central Catholic each day. I’m excited at the opportunity to add my unique skill set to the mix and make an immediate impact on the team.
David Shephard is a native of Portland, but has lived in various places across the country, including California, Virginia, and Washington. He attended Marylhurst University where he majored in Liberal Studies, and earned his Bachelor of Theology at Bishop A. L. Hardy Academy of Theology. David considers himself a lifelong learner and plans on furthering his education.
What, if any, connections do you have to Central Catholic? As a graduate of both St. Andrew Nativity Middle School and Jesuit High School, I have a lot of peers who went to Central 2 | Central Catholic Magazine
Dean of Student Management, Safety, and Security
For the past 25 years, David has served in various roles at the Multnomah County Library, Parkrose School District, Portland
WELCOME Public Schools, Rosemary Anderson High School, Right At School, Self Enhancement Inc., and Western Washington University. Additionally, he has been a small business owner for the past seven years in Washington State. David is married with five children ranging in age from 7 to 25. His favorite writer is James Baldwin, and his favorite sports teams include the Lakers, Steelers, and Yankees. When he is not working, he enjoys exercising, music, poetry, sports, traveling, and vegan cuisine. We also sat down with David to get to know him better: What drew you to be a part of Central Catholic? I believe that God led me to Central Catholic. Initially, my middle daughter was slated to attend Central Catholic in 2014, but ultimately decided to attend Grant High School. My youngest daughter graduated from Central Catholic in 2020 and she loved it! For the last three years, I’ve been able to witness first-hand the genuine love and concern that staff exhibit to each student. Who wouldn’t want to be part of a team like that? I was destined to be a Ram! What are you most excited about as you take on this new role? I’m really looking forward to learning from my colleagues and becoming more immersed within the Central Catholic community. What do you see as Central Catholic’s greatest strength and how do you plan to build on that? I believe one of the greatest strengths at Central is this community’s willingness to fulfill the will of God in serving students and families. I am blessed to honor God in my daily life as Dean of Student Management, Safety, and Security and will lead with grace. What are your goals for this upcoming year? My goal for the upcoming school year is to build strong lasting relationships with the families, staff, and students that I serve. As we enter into our new school year, we are focusing on our four character virtues for the year: kindness, integrity, resilience, and conscientiousness. Which of these virtues resonates with you the most? These are great virtues to focus on for the upcoming year. The two character virtues that resonate with me are “resilience” and “conscientiousness.” To be human is to err, but it is essential to move forward with added motivation and strength after failure. For that is a sign of true resilience. I really believe the students and staff at Central Catholic strive to be conscientious every day. People here want to do their best and honor God. Which of these virtues will you embrace/embody as you step into your new role? My goal is to embody all virtues, as each is equally important. If I were to pick one virtue for the upcoming year, I would embrace “kindness” as I step into this role. My wife often teases me for making friends with complete strangers. Whenever we go out to dinner, she says, “You are always the one to leave with a friend.”
Planned Giving
Are You a Non-itemizer? The $2.2 trillion CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security) Act passed by Congress has made it possible for those who don’t itemize on their tax returns to claim a new “abovethe-line” deduction of up to $300 for cash donations to a public charity* made in 2020. If you do itemize, the tax benefits are even greater! Those who itemize can deduct qualified tax donations up to 100% of their adjusted gross income. (The current deduction cap is 60% of adjusted gross income.) * Not available for gifts made to donor advised funds, private foundations, or support organizations. To learn more, contact Ellie Dir, Vice President of Advancement: 503.230.1056 ext. 1258 or edir@centralcatholichigh.org.
Save the Date Upcoming Events August
31 First Day of School for Freshmen
September
1 First Day of School 7 Labor Day Holiday • No School 26 Alumni Oktoberfest Marketplace
Correction
On page 12 of the Spring edition of the CC Magazine we misspelled the last name of Legacy Society member, Ed Curtin ’69. We offer our sincere apologies to Ed and thank him for his long-standing faithfulness to Central Catholic. Summer 2020 |3
HAPPY RETIREMENT
Paul Wallulis Paul Wallulis came to Central Catholic in 1980, a momentous time in the school’s history as it was the first year of its going coed. He started out teaching German fulltime and coaching freshman soccer, and admits that he learned a lot more than the students did during his first couple years. Once he hit his stride, Paul earned the unique opportunity to participate in a Fulbright Teacher Exchange and spent a year with his wife teaching in Germany. Upon his return to Portland, he reflects, “I had a tremendous experience and came back with a fresh perspective on school and life.” After several years, German classes at Central Catholic slowly lost ground to Spanish, Japanese, and other languages. Paul then followed his second passion and moved into mathematics. “My highlight from those years of teaching math,” he notes, “was in building our AP Calculus curriculum. It grew from a few students that I would tutor after school, to its current level of 60 to 75 students who overwhelmingly earn college credit on AP exams.” In reflecting on his time at Central Catholic, Paul notes that what he loves and will miss most about the school are the friendships and camaraderie he has shared with his colleagues and the lifelong bonds he established with his students. The strength of these ties was driven home this past spring in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the course of this time of Digital Learning, he was surprised by a caravan of teachers who were celebrating him. He received a video from his Math Club reminiscing about their time together, and also received a care package from a Central Catholic family. “This human touch and generosity of spirit,” Paul notes, “is what makes Central Catholic the amazing institution that I have known for the past forty years.”
quote by Robert Frost that I have always loved since I was in high school. Frost said, ‘My goal in life is to unite my avocation with my vocation.’” Rick has always loved art, especially stained glass and ceramics, so being able to teach two of his hobbies and great passions at Central Catholic was a true highlight for Rick. Another highlight of Rick’s career was his 32 years of coaching volleyball at Central Catholic. He had an astounding coaching record, with a total of 1,334 victories over the span of his 44 years coaching. Rick holds the most wins of any volleyball coach in Oregon School Activities Association (OSAA) history. He reflects on his coaching career, saying, “I had excellent athletes, very supportive parents and administrators, and a great coaching staff.” The success of Rick’s coaching career culminated in 2015, when he was inducted into the National Federation of High School Sports Hall of Fame. “It was a really great thrill,” he recalls, “but it reflected my excellent coaching staff, which I had put together over the years. It also reflected on my excellent athletes and the success that we had in developing the volleyball program over those 32 years.” Rick notes that what he loves and will miss about Central Catholic is the faith community, the camaraderie between faculty, coaches, and staff, and the youthful energy of the students. Throughout the years he has developed many friendships through volleyball or alumni with whom he has kept in touch. He looks forward to carrying on those friendships and staying connected with the Central Catholic community. What’s next for Rick? Well, for starters he doesn’t like the word retirement. “I kind of look at it as another level of adulthood,” he says. Rick will continue to be creative and make stained glass, intending to catch up on commissions that he didn’t have time for while he was teaching and coaching. In addition to continuing his artwork, he will still run the Rose City Volleyball Club, which he has been doing for 33 years. “I may be retiring from the classroom,” Rick shares, “but I’m not going to be retiring from what I do and love.”
Paul’s plans for retirement are “to kick back a bit, slow down, and live in the moment.” This includes spending more time with his wife, Mary, and three sons, Alex ‘04, Karl ‘06, and Erik ‘09. Additionally, Paul and Mary love to travel and would like to return to Germany and Austria, as well as plan some new adventures. “Who knows,” he says, “I may end up doing some tutoring in either math or German as well, since teaching seems to be in my blood.” As he closes his 40 years of teaching at Central Catholic, Paul would like to share his gratitude with everyone who made all his years possible. “I would like to start with the dear departed Fr. Wayne Forbes who hired me in 1980, up to this year’s seniors, whose last three months sadly got eviscerated by COVID-19. It’s been quite a ride, and I wish you and Central Catholic all the good times and blessings you so richly deserve!”
Rick Lorenz It’s not often you find a person who has been able to unite their passion with their career so completely, but longtime Central Catholic coach, teacher, and parent (to Jamie ‘06 and Luke ‘09,) Rick Lorenz has been doing that for 32 years. After announcing his retirement in the fall of 2019, Rick has spent his last year enjoying teaching at Central Catholic and reflecting on the highlights of his career. “There’s a 4 | Central Catholic Magazine
Jane Towle
positions in the school.
Known for her calming presence and wicked sense of humor, Jane Towle has been a familiar face at Central Catholic for nearly 27 years. Jane worked as the Attendance and Bookstore Manager, in addition to serving as the unofficial school nurse. She also managed the most sought after and coveted Teacher’s Assistant
When reflecting upon the highlights of her time at Central Catholic, at the top of her list was being able to watch her four sons (Joe ‘95, Ben ‘98, Dan ‘00, and Mike ‘04) go through high school. She is incredibly proud to have seen them graduate from Central Catholic. Another impactful and moving memory that stands out to Jane is the day of September 11, 2001. She vividly remembers that day and how the strength and support of the community shone through. “We had so many alums come back to campus to talk, to be with others to keep them safe,” she recalls. “It was really overwhelming to know the students trusted us so much.” While there are so many things that Jane loves about Central Catholic, the community aspect is something she truly loved. “I love the spirit of the school,” she shares. “I have been able to watch so many students go through the doors, sharing happy times and heart wrenching times. I hope in some way I have helped to make their lives
HAPPY RETIREMENT better.” She will miss the friendships and bonds she has created with so many students, noting, “I have felt like the school mom for students and their parents. I have formed some wonderful friendships and I will miss those connections.” Jane’s plans for retirement include a great balance of spending time doing what she loves, and leaving room for quiet and stillness. “I am not a traveler, so my husband and I pretty much stick at home.” She notes, “I am an avid reader, and this pandemic has given me the time to curl up and catch up on my pile of books.” She also looks forward to spending more time with her family. One thing she is already enjoying is sleeping in a bit. “I don’t miss the 5:00 a.m. alarm,” she says. As she closes her 27 years of working at Central Catholic and countless memories and connections built during that time, she notes, “It was a great adventure.” While she will miss all the teachers and staff, she will be back to visit.
Molly Reuscher After 24 years of working as a school counselor and being part of the Central Catholic community, Molly Reuscher is moving back to her hometown of St. Marys, Pennsylvania. Molly came to Central Catholic in the fall of 1996 with a background in education and counseling. Before that, she worked as a high school English teacher and taught a summer Language Arts course for incoming ninth grade students. She then went back to earn her Masters in Counseling Psychology and worked as a Mental Health Specialist in a schoolbased program. Molly always wanted to return to Catholic education as a school counselor, so when the position opened up here, she applied for it and began her 24-year career at Central Catholic as a school counselor. Molly’s impact at Central Catholic went well beyond her role of counselor. “In my time at Central Catholic, I’ve had so many opportunities to try and do different things,” Molly shares. “Whether it was Cooking Club, the Women’s Coalition, or Campus Ministry retreat programs, there were so many different opportunities to try, explore, and to grow professionally and personally.” Reflecting back on some of the highlights of her time at Central Catholic, Molly notes, “The thing that sticks out the most are the people I’ve worked with. It really is a family. It’s been so wonderful to work with so many people that are committed to what they’re doing.” She will also miss the students, the families, and being able to see where the students go to college and what they end up doing. Molly is heading back to her hometown of St. Marys, Pennsylvania to be closer to her family. With her parents, seven siblings, thirteen nieces and nephews, and five grand nieces and nephews all back east; she decided it was finally time to move back home. As she makes her move, her plans and next steps are pretty open. “I’m going to get back to Pennsylvania and be with my family; then I will try and see where I land and what opportunities present themselves,” Molly shares, “I definitely will continue to work with people in some capacity.” Although Molly will be nearly 3,000 miles away, she will always be part of the Ramily!
Tom Graff If you’ve attended a Central Catholic drama production within the past two decades, you’ve witnessed the incredible work of Tom Graff. Tom is retiring after teaching for 43 years, the last 20 teaching Drama and Speech at Central Catholic. He has produced some of the best high school shows in the Portland area, and helped foster countless students’ artistic abilities. But his true joy in teaching and directing lies behind the scenes, watching students learn, grow, succeed, and gain confidence. At the beginning of Tom’s teaching career, he shares, “The whole focus was the show and about doing the best theatrical production.” As he continued his career, the focus and joy in teaching began to change for him. “It started shifting to become all about the student, watching them grow, keep trying, and gain confidence and skills.” He enjoyed the opportunity of working with students year after year, as well as watching them physically grow up, artistically grow up, and witnessing their creative process.” At Central Catholic, Tom certainly did create an environment for students in which they could try, fail, gain confidence, and succeed. With his positivity and humor, he has the unique ability to help students break out of their comfort zones and aid in their artistic and personal development. He recognized the fear and hesitancy that many students felt in trying theater, so he made sure to welcome any and all students who wanted to try something new. “Nobody wants to be embarrassed and nobody wants to fail,” he shares, “so I always gave them an arena in which they can risk, fail, get up, try it again, and get better.” Tom encouraged any student to just walk through the door and give it a try. One thing Tom will miss at Central Catholic is his students and the entire process of working on a production. He shares, “I’ll miss everything from making the decision, to meeting with people who are going to help with sets and design, to practice, to rehearsal, and then the final production.” He will also miss the diversity and community at the school. “Central Catholic is a great place for students to be,” Tom says. “The school has a handle on celebrating the individual, no matter what your unique gifts or struggles. It’s a great place where students can flourish.” After teaching for 43 years, Tom is looking forward to much less stress in his daily life. “So much of education is driven by the bell and driven by deadlines,” he shares. “I will not miss the constant pressure.” Right now, his plans for retirement are to travel, take care of his physical health, and visit with his friends and family. He also plans to keep busy with his work as a union stagehand through the International Association of Theatrical Stage Employees, Local 28. He will always keep the Central Catholic community close, reflecting, “There’s a lot of great memories here of students doing great work; working on themselves as human beings to become better members of a community.” We offer our sincerest thanks and gratitude for our faculty and staff members who retired this year. We also thank those who are moving on to their next adventure: Wendy Bigler, Maureen Bruton, Olivia Guerra, Kirby Henningsen, Liz Jennings, Ailis Kirven, Stoja Silic, and Thomsen Young. You will all be missed! If you would like to send your well wishes visit: https://forms.centralcatholichigh.org/retirements-2020
Summer 2020 |5
ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP PROFILE Not long after they were married, Charles became ill and she cared for him until his death 27 years later. For 42 years, she worked in the business office at Pacific Northwest Bell (now known as CenturyLink) and was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America. Having grown up during the Depression, she, like many, had a great fear of being penniless and without the means to support herself. Her attitude was to do without, rather than spend and live extravagantly. Although she probably never earned more than $7,500 annually, Burtchaell says Margaret managed to save more than $250,000. Because she had no children of her own and because of her strong belief in Catholic education, it was her wish to establish a scholarship at Central Catholic to help worthy students, and Burtchaell helped facilitate her wish. After she passed away in 1987 at the age of 86, The Margaret Mary McCarthy Hoffman Scholarship was established in 1988.
The Margaret Mary McCarthy Hoffman Scholarship An Extraordinary Thing
Central Catholic has a long history of supporting our students by offsetting the cost of their tuition with financial aid and scholarships. At present there are close to 100 endowed scholarship funds, established by alumni, parents, and other friends of our school. The stories behind the establishment of these funds are usually straightforward, often borne from the wish to honor the memory of loved ones. Sometimes, they originate from a donor’s desire to “pay it forward,” to support a student at Central Catholic the way they were supported by others who came before them. Sometimes, as in the story of Margaret Mary McCarthy Hoffman, they are seemingly ordinary people who chose to do extraordinary things.
Burtchaell is passionate about the scholarship, and every year he addresses the recipients in a letter, saying “Before her death, Mrs. Hoffman decided to do an extraordinary thing: to give YOU, the students of Central Catholic, this money. I say it that way because I want you to see it that way. The money you are receiving to help with your Catholic education doesn’t come from an endowment fund, or a bank account or this big pot of money. It comes from the lifetime effort of a woman who wanted the best for you. Margaret felt great pride and comfort in her savings, but let me tell you, the real joy in her heart was in knowing how she could help you help yourself.” Anywhere from five to fourteen students benefit from Margaret’s generosity each year. If you think you are an ordinary person who would like to do something extraordinary, consider establishing a scholarship at Central Catholic High School. For more information, call Ellie Dir, Vice President of Advancement at 503.230.1056 ext. 1258.
Mrs. Hoffman’s guardian and executor, Bob Burtchaell ‘61, tells the story of how they met. “I first met Margaret in the early 1980s. A lawyer friend of mine called to ask if I might be willing to be her conservator. I was told she was a Catholic woman who was getting older, with no family. What I found was a little Irishwoman, less than five feet tall, with a failing body and wonderful spirit! We became great friends. Through the years, we talked of serious things; belief in God, commitment, of living and of dying.” Born in Cleveland in 1901, Margaret moved with her family to Portland where she spent the remaining years of her life in the Sellwood neighborhood. During her youth, she developed a deep Catholic faith, a quality that she later described as the strongest aspect of her life. Married for the first time at age 49 to Charles Hoffman, the marriage didn’t play out quite the way Margaret had hoped. 6 | Central Catholic Magazine
Bob Burtchaell ‘61 presents the Margaret Mary McCarthy Hoffman Scholarship to a deserving Central Catholic student.
CAMPUS HIGHLIGHTS
Melyssa Okazaki ‘20 is crowned this year’s Central Catholic Rose Students perform for the Theatre Department’s spring musical, Working. Festival Princess by Ellie Hylland ’19. The Rose Festival put together a While the musical was eventually cancelled due to COVID, they were special crowning ceremony to honor and recognize Melyssa. able to put on two unforgettable performances for opening weekend!
Student Activities hosted a Zoom Trivia event they called, “Quarantrivia.” Every Friday students hosted Zoom Brown Bags, engaging in Each week, close to 20 teams of students and their families participated. conversation about important topics such as: mental health, being The Shannon family was the winner of the very first Quarantrivia night. Latinx, the Congo Peace Project, and being an AmeriCorps Volunteer.
We honored the Class of 2020 with a drive-through celebration. Seniors Msgr. Murphy livestreams Mass every Sunday via Facebook and Instagram. These weekly Masses allow members of our Central decorated their cars, donned their cap and gowns, and faculty, staff, and parents cheered and congratulated them for their accomplishments. Catholic community from all over the world to gather together in prayer.
Students were able to show their talents through virtual Open Mic Nights. Abi Kim ’22 performs a song on guitar for an episode of “Keeping Up with the Quaranteens.”
This spring, the Central Catholic community made over 17,000 brown bag lunches for organizations serving those in need. The meals benefited the Blanchet House, St. André Bessette, and St. Francis Dining Hall. Summer 2020 |7
CENTRAL CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS OF 2020
GRADUATION Valedictorian Claire Jacqueline Bass
Average GPA of the Class of 2020 3.54
Salutatorian Annaliese Lynn Krausse
Christian Service hours completed 23,215
Seat of Wisdom Award Claire Jacqueline Bass Samuel Eliot Bradie Erwin Kim Annaliese Lynn Krausse Teresa Carolina Restrepo
Students who performed more than 100 hours of service 80
Archbishop Edward D. Howard Christian Service Award Ava Aline Bruins Cara Theresa Strauss Christ the King Award Marissa Adeline Johnsen Holy Spirit Award Sarah Nicole Ferroggiaro Insignis Award Giselle Natali Gutierrez Mary Katherine Hoglund Kevin Theodore Keil Krit Singh Rai Payton River Sampson DeRay Henry Seamster Jordyn Sinclair Wallace Diversity and Inclusion Award Giselle Natali Gutierrez Kai Tori Akida Ingram Philanthropy Award Madeline Kate Kern Christopher Conrad Schuver Scholar Athlete Award Claire Jacqueline Bass Sarah Nicole Ferroggiaro Kevin Theodore Keil Sutton Jens Orlando Yazzolino
Attending college next year 98% Top college choices University of Oregon Oregon State University Portland Community College University of Portland Gonzaga University Notable college choices Stanford University Northwestern University University of Notre Dame Columbia University Brown University Scholarship amount offered to the Class of 2020 $27,601,960 College credits earned through the PCC Dual Credit Program 566 Graduates attending Catholic colleges 30 Graduates whose parent(s) are Central Catholic alumni 22 Graduates who maintained a cumulative 3.5+ GPA 146
Students in the Class of 2020 248 Summer 2020 |9
CLASS OF 2020
2020 GRADUATES Philip Theodore Abraham III Tiana Yvonne Abraham Gaige Mychal Ainslie Teiya Levani Alagar * Isaiah Michael Amato Raef Cody Anderson Ifedirichukwu Austin Micheal Aniefuna James Phillip Argento-McCurdy Stuart Stagg Austin John Porter Ayres Claire Jacqueline Bass * Adaline Vida Beaupre Kalen Wren Beggs * Clyde Allen Bell III Alexander Bailey Benson * Bailey Graham Berman * Marko Antonio Beslic Gillian Lorraine Blaufus * Peter Severin Bocci Clara Ann Boime * Oscar F. Boots Samuel Eliot Bradie * Christian Kline Pulanco Bravo Zoey Talitha Bredleau-Beehler Molly Rose Brennan Adam Javier Brown Ava Aline Bruins * Sunshine Crystal Lim Bustos Isabella Cecilia Buxton Sayge Devine Bynum Julia Marie Carr Lucas Christopher Carroll * Peter James Carroll * Henry Biondi Channell * Kaixi Chen * Amara Glynn Christensen Cade Anthony Clary Gabrielle Maria Codino * Anton Francis Kyeong Cole * Elisabeth Grace College * Sophia Marie Connell Avery Alvis Conner Abigail Georgena Cooper* Josue Emiliano Corona-Solis * Owen Lipson Criswell Nina Dang * Marcus William David Jasmyn Marie DeClue * Jordyn Anthony DeClue Jackson Thomas Richmond Dennis Ruthie Anne Doneen * Anna Ryan Donnelly Bjorn Thomas Dyer Cavossiea Eason Jackson Taylor Elder Elijah Joseph Elliott Andrew Chancellor Elmore Henry Josef Els Connor McNeill Evans * lakuoeva Manatu Feimoefiafi Sarah Nicole Ferroggiaro *
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Logan James Fisher Lukas Andrew Orion Fisher * Anderson Roger Fletcher Ethan Thomas Flynn * Hayden Michael Fouts Isaiah Louis Fox-Quamme * Jaden McKenzie Fulsher René David Gaudreau Joseph Daniel Gilroy * Wilson Stuart Glass * Sophia Isabella Gonzales * Samuel Isaac Goodwill * Aidan Nicolas Gratton Logan Matthew Gritzmacher Carli Augusta Groff * Matthew Groshong Andrew Thomas Gross Maya Gueissaz-Daoust Giselle Natali Gutierrez * Ristom Habtemariam Joseph Patrick Halsey Flynn Davis aulo Creamer Hamlin * Harry Mitchell Hanna III * Gianna Orlando Hanselman Zachary Isiah Hardeman Spencer Jake Hardy * Jamie Jo Hartnell * Ultan Patrick Heenan-Roberts Milly Louise Held Mia Miyuki Hemming * Lacey Loreen Henry Ian Robert Hermanson * Kimo Warren Hiu * Mary Katherine Hoglund * Graham David Hughes Olivia Petrina Hunt Maeve Reed Huntington Grace Kathryn Hutson * Justin Tin Huynh Anthony Tyler Ilosvay Kai Tori Akida Ingram Miles Anthony Smith Jackson Nicholas Anthony Jaeger * Landon Talus James * Marissa Adeline Johnsen Carter Michael Johnson Mia Michele Jordan Atticus William Kayser Kevin Theodore Keil * Cheyenne Stelen Mairéad Kelly Logan Drew Kelly Madeline Kate Kern Erwin Kim * Miya Christina Klein * Cade Winchester Knighton Mackenzie Jane Knutson * Samuel Anthony Koberstein Aiden Daly Kola * Annaliese Lynn Krausse * George Joseph Laber William Cole Landers
Teresa Carolina Restrepo * Owen Patrick Pagones Retzlaff Elias Jacob Rheingold Jerry Rivera Peinado Thomas Scott Robbins Molly McCall Rohling * Juan Antonio Ruiz-Hernandez Madeline Christine Rust Timothy Dean Rust, Jr. Emilee Sue Lin Ryan * Hanna Kathleen Ryan Sean Doran Ryan Jordan James Saltveit Payton River Sampson Taylor Morgan Sanders Abigail Mary Schline * Leonard Van Schulak Poliakoff * Christopher Conrad Schuver * DeRay Henry Seamster Lauren Ashley Segura * Izaya Omar Shabazz Shawn Matthew Simmons Audrey Pearl Skoog * Mason Dale Smith Kalvin Rokel Souders Holden Lindauer Spencer Seneca Blue Stacy Silas Paul Starr Rose Emiline Steele * Charles Michael Steuer Colin William Stevens Cara Theresa Strauss * Genessa Madison Strauss Christopher Joseph Stuckart * Sarah Tess Tagaban-Smith * Mariko Lauren Tanada Whitney Randall Starr Thomas * Ethan Henry Thompson Noah Cade Traer Justin Hung Tran * VanAnh Nguyen Tran * Nathaniel Julian Trevino Cameron Truong * Benjamin Aiden Twilleager Braeden Michael Veary Allison Lyn Elizabeth Vermilya * Jordyn Sinclair Wallace Allison Laken Watson * Lawrence William Watson Jasper Thomas Welly Adam Lee Welsh Jameson Stewart Westhead * Kara Jane Williams Phoebe Christine Williams Aliyah Jennifer Wolf * Emmeline Luz Wuest * Shaoying Yang Yijia Yang * Sutton Jens Orlando Yazzolino * Quexzali Brascianni Zaragoza-Rios Yutao Zhang * Annika Amanda Ziels * Sasha Faith Zuckerman
Fiona Marjorie Lefor Mateo Bryan Lennertz * Bianca Jane Lindsay Natalie Elizabeth Lucas Nathan Khoi-Nguyen Luu * Curtis John Mackay Dylan Olds MacLean Phoenix MacWilliamson Cory James Marleau * Nora Morgan Maroney Katherine McKenzie Marron Anthony Justin Richard Mart Hannah Laurelle Martell Jared Joshua Martin Mitchell Henry Mason William Lewis Mathews * Neal Scott Maxwell Chloe Isabella May * Cian Hans McCann * Jack Charles McKelligon Alexie Olivia Rosetta McKinney-Craig Charles Stetson Medak Andrew Minor Aleksander Antoni Mizgajski Olivia Grace Mooers Finnigan Joseph Mooney Lillian Elayne Moore Madeline Grace Morris Kathleen Ann Nall McCaleb Patrick Nesseler-Cass Amanda Pham Nguyen * Lindsey Thao Nguyen * Vince Quang-Truong Nguyen Joseph Anton Nizich Logan Kanoa Kyotea Nomura Alastair Spence Norrie Madeline Elizabeth O’Connell Caroline Anne O’Donnell Coleton Lea O’Donnell Samuel Jay O’Leary * Lorcan Padraig O’Longaigh * Elijah Peter Oden-Orr Melyssa Helen Okazaki * Mia Hope Orsag Marianna Jestica Payne Irakoze Peace Brianna Lyn Perkins * Samuel Palmer Perkins Isabel Lena Petruzelli * Daniel Hi’êu Pham Minh Nguyen Phuc Pham Tyler D Pham * Dominic H. Phan * Katlyn Ann Pitzer Leo J. Popovich William Oliver Prentiss Krit Singh Rai * Alessandra Roma Raimondo Amadeo Seraphim Raimondo Kincaid Alexander Ramsay Jackson Hutchins Ray * Jordan Brunswick Reed Elizabeth Katherine Rees *
Graduating with Honors
(Grade Point Average of 3.8 and above)
* National Honor
Society Member
GRADUATION
Exceeded 100 Hours of Christian Service Summer 2020 |11
VALEDICTORIAN • SALUTATORIAN
Valedictorian
Salutatorian
Claire Bass is this year’s Valedictorian, with a remarkable 4.56 GPA. During her time at Central Catholic, Claire had a packed schedule, balancing her schoolwork with a long list of extracurricular activities.
This year’s Salutatorian is Annaliese Krausse, with an incredible 4.5 GPA. Annaliese has been able to participate in a multitude of extracurricular activities, all while balancing her schoolwork.
Claire Bass
Claire was a four-year varsity basketball player and played two years of varsity lacrosse. She participated in Constitution Team, was a Rambassador, a SADD Club officer, and served one year as Math Club Vice President. Reflecting on her four years, Claire notes that one of her favorite things about her time at Central Catholic was her relationship with her teachers. She says, “They have constantly encouraged me, supported me, and made learning so enjoyable.” Her experiences in the classroom and relationships with teachers have also shaped her character and instilled values in her, such as open-mindedness, empathy, and critical thinking. Claire reflects that what she will miss the most about Central Catholic is the community, including her friends, teachers, and coaches. She says, “I will miss walking through the halls and saying hi to friends and teachers, and seeing the amazing school spirit at sporting events.” This fall, Claire will be attending the University of Notre Dame, where she will be studying Biology and Political Science, and joining the Glynn Family Honors Program and the Trustey Family Scholars Program. Claire is looking forward to exploring new fields of study, expanding her interests by joining new clubs and organizations, and the opportunity to study abroad.
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Annaliese Krausse During her time at Central Catholic, Annaliese played soccer, was part of the swim team, and on the track and field team. She was in Japan Club, served as a Rambassador, participated in the Science Quiz Bowl, and was the co-founder of the Baking Club. Annaliese was also the light board operator for drama productions, which she notes is one of her favorite memories at Central Catholic. She says she loved doing the lights for the spring musical, especially during tech week. She recalls, “It’s so awesome to see the show come together for the first time with everything including the band, hair, makeup, costumes, and lighting.” One of her favorite things about her time at Central Catholic is the community and the friendships she formed, and what she will miss most are her teachers. Annaliese says, “They really were one of my favorite parts about Central and what made my experience here so awesome. They were always so fun, helpful, and understanding and I could tell they worked really hard to make sure all of us succeeded.” This fall, Annaliese will be heading to Northwestern University to study biological sciences on a Pre-Med track. She is excited to move to a new place and explore the city of Chicago!
PRESIDENTS’ AUCTION What a wild ride for the Twenty-Fifth Annual Presidents’ Auction! The excitement was building for the event originally scheduled for April 25 at Central Catholic, but as COVID-19 swept over the country we made the decision to postpone the auction until June 6. When it became evident that we were not going to be able to gather even on that later date, we switched gears again and transitioned to the online auction and virtual livestream event. The Ramily came together and made our first-ever virtual event a roaring success!
Ram Roaring 20s
Online bidding opened three weeks prior to the June 6 livestream event, with new items added each week. Bidders were able to sign up from anywhere in the country and bid on items such as wine tours, brunch packages, and power tools! All of the online auction items were closed 15 minutes into the livestream event, except for the featured items #1-5. The bidding on these featured items and the paddle raise were the main elements of the livestream show. Our emcee for the livestream was Rhonda Shelby from KATU, and our auctioneer was Patrick Siver from gEvents. They led us through the evening, acknowledging bidders and introducing videos from alumni, teachers, staff, and students. We appreciate the members of our Ramily who took the time to communicate how special this community is at Central Catholic. The paddle raise is traditionally focused on tuition assistance, with over 50% of our students benefiting from some kind of tuition assistance. We know many more families are struggling
this year due to COVID-19, and it is our mission to not deny any student based on financial ability. Anticipating the greater plea for assistance from our families, we created the Rams Together Fund to specifically help with this year’s need. Rhonda and Patrick invited our audience to contribute to this fund, and it was incredible watching the donations come in, proving beyond a doubt we are all “Rams Together!” The paddle raise was a huge success, raising over $225,000 thanks to all of our kind supporters and a generous $25,000 match by the Central Catholic Board of Directors. After the paddle raise, Rhonda and Patrick led us through our five featured items and more videos from students and teachers. There was even a cameo from our own Msgr. Murphy live from the studio! Congratulations to Jim King ’79, the winner of the golden ticket. He selected the Mexico vacation for some fun in the sun. There were some very exciting virtual bidding wars for most of the items. What a blast to see those bidders try and outdo one another! The Murphy and Kerr families are going to Italy; the Gast, Moran, and Mathews families are going to have private Christmas Eve Masses with Msgr. Murphy; Jeanette Christopher and Jeanette Muck will be taking trips to Mexico; and the Angelo and Hanna families will enjoy reserved parking spots at Central Catholic (Sorry kids, you have no excuse for being late now!) Thank you to new Central Catholic parents Rhonda Shelby and Dennis Williams who will be taking a well-deserved vacation in Sunriver. The night ended on a high note with Tom Franz ‘57 winning the $20,000 raffle! Congratulations, Tom, we are all eager to hear about your upcoming travels. Thank you to our presenting sponsor, the Walsh Family, and all of our sponsors. Rams, please visit and support these businesses that are truly responsible for making this event possible!
Save the Date! • Twenty-Sixth Annual Presidents’ Dinner and Auction • April 24, 2021 We hope to gather in person next year to celebrate with all of our Ramily.
Thank you! Presenting Sponsor
The Walsh Family • Bill and Margaret Walsh
Platinum Sponsor
Sause Bros. • Matt ’78 and June Hainley
Gold Sponsors
Dooney Family and Leonard Adams Insurance Sheri Dooney and the Dooney Family Joe Van Haverbeke ’58 Northwest Pump and Equipment Mark ’73 and Amy Mathews Troutdale Sand and Gravel Brian ’77 and Melissa Moran
Silver Sponsors
The Archdiocese of Portland Columbia Bank First Republic Private Wealth Management Hunt Painting Bill ’66 and Cindy Hunt • Stephen ’89 and Deme Hunt Bill ’58 and Jane Murphy Northwest Control Company Boiler and Combustion Services Summer 2020 |13
DIGITAL LEARNING MASS WITH MONSIGNOR MURPHY. OPEN MIC NIGHT. BROWN BAG CHARACTER CONVERSATIONS. GEOMETRY CLASS. CHRISTIAN SERVICE PROJECTS. TUESDAY NIGHT TRIVIA. FINALS. GRADUATION. These are the typical events you would find a Central Catholic student participating in this past spring, but with one caveat, they were all done virtually or socially distanced. From academics to student life to campus ministry, our entire school community embraced and adapted to the digital world in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The spirit and resilience of our Central Catholic community was never demonstrated more clearly than during these past three months of distance learning. Although our students, teachers, and staff were out of the building, the learning and community connection continued online. Like thousands of schools across the country, Central Catholic’s move to an all-digital platform was a stark transition for our community. But Digital Learning, educational instruction and learning that takes place online, is not new to Central Catholic. Our students and teachers have become very familiar with Digital Learning days over the past several years. The integration of Digital Learning was initiated three years ago when Portland experienced a massive snow storm in the winter of 2017. The inclement weather forced Central Catholic to miss eight days in a row of school, and proved to be an eye-opener for school administration. From this experience, they realized it would be beneficial to have an option for Digital Learning so students could continue achieving their learning targets. Extended snow days also required make-up days at the end of the school year, and, as Principal Danyelle Ramsey shares, “Nobody wants to go to school through the end of June.” Central Catholic began working Digital Learning days into the school calendar a few times each year. This allowed students and teachers to practice distance learning and be prepared in the case of extended snow days. Ramsey notes that it served the school very well in terms of being prepared, however, “It was no preparation for what long-term Digital Learning would look like during a pandemic.” This past spring, as we heard increasing news of the inevitable spread of COVID-19 within our own city, Central Catholic started planning for a period of extended Digital Learning. On March 6, administration pivoted from a regular school day into Digital Learning for students and led teachers through a full in-
service day. It was a vital opportunity to prepare for a potential long-term closure of campus, and to create expectations for teachers and students in a day-to-day classroom setting. This planning proved to be essential, because by Thursday, March 12, Central Catholic made the official announcement to close campus and move to Digital Learning. While most schools were announcing a closure of only one or two weeks, Central Catholic decided to close for an entire month. “We wanted families to understand that this was very serious,” Ramsey shares, “and that we would be moving to this model for a long period of time.” It was also decided that, unlike the practice adopted by most schools in the state during COVID-19, students at Central Catholic would continue earning letter grades, rather than pass/ no pass on their report cards. Faculty and staff gathered one last time on March 13, finalized their teaching plans, and nailed down last minute details before the first day of Digital Learning the following Monday. Social Studies teacher Geoff Stuckart remembers this quick transition, saying, “We had, essentially, a three-day weekend to transform from our usual in-person teaching to teaching online. This included creating a physical space to teach from home, as well as adapting our lessons to a digital environment.” From the collective work of the entire school, Central Catholic transitioned to Digital Learning virtually overnight. “Within 24 hours, we went from a brick and mortar school to a fully operational digital school with a plan in place. And our plan was comprehensive,” Ramsey notes. “This plan included everything from how counselors were going to serve students, to our Student Life team putting together newsletters and activities, to how Campus Ministry would provide for the spiritual welfare of our students.” Every single person in the building had a role in this plan, was committed to it, and executed it in a short time period. Within the first week of Digital Learning, our teachers discovered very quickly that engagement with students online does not compare to that of a physical classroom setting. Despite this challenge, they found creative and innovative ways to engage their students. Stuckart notes, “I tried a few different approaches, using Zoom calls for class discussion and instruction, recording audio to accompany PowerPoint slides, and using Canvas practice quizzes to help students check their own work. It’s hard not to be able to walk around the room and speak with students, so I tried to be purposeful in emailing and specifically asking how they were doing.” After completing the first week of Digital Learning, our school entered into spring break. This break allowed administration to hear feedback from students and faculty, and make adjustments to protocols in order to meet students’ needs. One need that came to light was their access to technology. “A lot of our students were surviving with a phone as their only source for technology,” Ramsey says. Fortunately, Central Catholic has mobile computer labs, and so administration was able to lend students laptops to use for the remainder of the school year. After spring break ended, our school community came back with a renewed energy and readiness to continue Digital Learning. Our teachers came back with incredibly creative and innovative Summer 2020 |15
DIGITAL LEARNING ways to engage our students. For example, the Digital Photography class worked with the English Department to represent a student’s poem with a unique photo that captured the poem’s essence and theme. Murray Ferguson made a new video every day for his class, which included him baking or sharing something about himself. Stuckart shares some of the highlights he experienced with his classes; “We prepared and held a full mock trial via Zoom in my Street Law class. Our Constitution Team coached students from All Saints for the middle school version of the We the People program. And all of the students in my Government class wrote to an elected official about an issue they care about and asked for changes.” These are just a few examples of the many ways in which our community did not let Digital Learning limit their classroom experiences and student engagement. In addition to academics, some of the most outstanding and engaging moments during our Digital Learning experience were through Student Activities. As Ramsey notes, “The joy of our community is that we all love being here and all love being together.” Finding ways to stay connected outside the classroom was fundamental to maintaining the social, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of our students. While faculty prepared for Digital Learning, the Student Life Team, (consisting of staff from Student Activities, Campus Ministry, Christian Service, and Diversity and Inclusion, as well as students on Student Council and in the Presidential Leadership cohort) was simultaneously hard at work planning for ways to keep our community connected. Matt Horne ‘88, Dean of Student Life, ensured that the team was well prepared, and began meeting with them every day for a full week before the campus closed. They initially focused on building infrastructure for their digital platforms, as well as how to best reach the community. One of the biggest challenges that Student Life first identified was our community’s access to technology and a general understanding of how to participate. As a solution, they created a newsletter that was sent out each Friday, which included events for the upcoming week, instructions for participation, and sign-ups for service projects. “It trained everyone on how they can find information and how they can participate,” Horne shares. The earliest and most visible ways our community remained connected was through Central Catholic’s social media sites. Student Life collected and posted hundreds of photos from our students and families. “We focused on things that people wanted to see; smiling students, pets, and people reading books. Really positive stuff,” Horne says. “These were all things we knew would be appealing to people, and so we went above and beyond. At least during this stressful time our followers could look at something and smile.” Student Life continued to offer opportunities for service projects, which was a way to connect our community and allow students to meet their Christian Service requirements. One outstanding service project they coordinated was a sack lunch drive for organizations in Portland helping individuals in need. The first sack lunch collection benefited Blanchet House, and our community ended up making over 10,000 sack lunches, double the 5,000 we were expected to provide. As the participation and energy behind this remained strong, Student Life continued to organize sack lunch drives for other ministries around Portland. Within just a few short weeks, the Central Catholic community made and delivered over 17,000 sack lunches. This response demonstrates the generosity of our community, as well as their willingness to step up and help out in a time of increased need. Top Photo: Melyssa Okazaki ‘20 donned her cap and gown and covered her car in decorations for the Class of 2020 drive-through celebration. Bottom Photo: Students decorated paper bags for the sack lunch drive with messages of hope, healing, and love.
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While the students were missing in-person activities, the creativity and ingenuity of our Student Life team allowed for several Central Catholic traditions to still take place. One of those traditions was Open Mic Night, which is a student talent show that has been around for decades. With some thoughtfulness and planning, students were able to produce three episodes of a virtual Open Mic Night, which they named, “Keeping Up with the Quaranteens.” Students pre-recorded themselves showcasing their talents in music, art, cooking, and comedy and their videos were then stitched together and premiered on YouTube. The Student Life team was able to take another tradition, Battle of Brilliance, and adapt it to a digital format for students and their families. Battle of Brilliance, which is normally a
DIGITAL LEARNING week-long trivia competition amongst the student body, became a weekly event that was held over Zoom. Battle of Brilliance ran over the course of eight weeks with over 150 different teams participating. The Student Life team even helped Holy Trinity Catholic School set up and execute a similar version for their own community. To ensure our students were engaged in thoughtful and stimulating conversations outside of the classroom, Student Life established weekly Brown Bag Character Conversations via Zoom. These conversations were created and presented by our students, and they covered a range of topics, including mental health, vegetarianism, volunteer programs, and the Congo Peace Project. The last and potentially the most impactful Brown Bag was a conversation about racism in the United States. This conversation had 175 participants, which included current students, staff, alumni, parents, and incoming freshman. Providing a space for engaging conversation proved to be impactful and necessary for our student body. The spiritual welfare of our students and community was something that our Campus Ministry team made sure to continue to support. They worked with students to create daily video prayers, which they shared each morning on all social media platforms. They also hosted weekly call-ins where students could simply call and talk to the Campus Ministry team. Additionally, the school extended its spiritual offerings to the entire Central Catholic community through weekly livestreamed Masses with Msgr. Murphy on both Facebook and Instagram, with hundreds of Central Catholic alumni, family members, and friends from around the world tuning in each week. Finally, in order to honor our seniors, a group that perhaps was most impacted throughout this time, our community went above and beyond to make the Class of 2020’s final experiences at Central Catholic memorable. We put on a senior drive-through
celebration in which the families decorated their cars and seniors donned their caps and gowns. They were cheered and congratulated by their teachers, counselors, and coaches, and it was a wonderful send-off for the Class of 2020. Additionally, faculty and administration filmed award ceremonies and premiered them live on YouTube so the entire community could watch at the same time. This included College-Bound Athlete Recognition, Senior Awards Presentation, Baccalaureate Mass, and Commencement Ceremony. Horne notes, “The work we did to honor our seniors this year was above and beyond any school I know of. We worked hard to make this special for our seniors.” Reflecting on the incredible success of the events and activities that kept the Central Catholic Community connected, Horne notes that it wasn’t easy work. “This was a superhuman team effort by our entire faculty, staff, and students. The whole community was very committed and engaged in trying to make the best of the situation,” he says. While there were limits, by and large, the efforts of everyone made Central Catholic stand out. “We received very positive feedback,” Horne shares, “and so many people thanked us for making them feel connected and proud that they were a part of Central Catholic.” With all of the hardships and stress that have come as a result of COVID-19, the opportunities for growth and learning have been, and will be, instrumental for our community. Ramsey shares, “I think that the best we can do in these challenging times is to figure out how we cannot be stuck where we were, and see opportunity for a different way forward in the new realities of the world we live in.” The Central Catholic community did just that during the pandemic. We recognized the needs of our students and families and worked hard to meet these needs. Whether it was through providing academic and personal support for our students, offering fun activities to connect with each other, or fostering our students’ spiritual and mental wellbeing, we listened and responded to our community during these difficult times.
Parents and volunteers helped set up a special surprise, a photo of every single graduate, for the Class of 2020 Commencement Ceremony. Summer 2020 |17
ALUMNI PROFILE Throughout her experience at Central Catholic, Harrington’s teachers helped to foster the realization of her own gifts and talents, and guided her vocation. One teacher who proved to be a very prominent figure throughout her four years of high school was religion teacher Maria Fleming. She notes that Fleming provoked in her deep thought and reflection, encouraging her to ask difficult, complex questions about faith and how we use the gifts God gave us. Central Catholic also helped cultivate her motivation to use her gifts in service to others. Harrington recalls, “I felt really compelled and assured that the gifts that I had been given were ones I should share with my greater community.” She continues, “I wanted to be a nurse, and nursing for me was so much more of a vocation than a profession. It was so closely aligned with my faith and all of the virtues that were instilled in me through Catholic education and faith.” The support she received during her time at Central Catholic, as well as her experiences volunteering at Blanchet House, served as important steps in her future as a nurse and continued work with Blanchet House.
Emily Harrington Class of 1999
As one of the four tenets of our Vision for Success, Central Catholic strives to develop our students into critical thinkers, who are the best versions of themselves, prepared for where their gifts meet the world. But what does that look like when our world is undergoing a pandemic? In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis and the perils that have struck our world and local communities, Central Catholic graduate Emily (Hatten) Harrington has remained steadfast in bringing her gifts into everything she does. One of the ways in which her gifts shine most brightly is through her work and involvement with Blanchet House, a connection that began while she was a student at Central Catholic. This decades-long involvement with Blanchet House, the formation and support from Central Catholic, and her vocation as a nurse, have all culminated into a moment in which her gifts most pointedly meet the needs of the community and world today. Like many students at Central Catholic, Harrington came to know of Blanchet House as a service offering to fulfill her Christian Service hours. She volunteered many hours in the humble dwelling of their old building, serving countless meals to its residents. Unique to her service experience, however, was how deeply the mission of Blanchet House resonated with her, and how this mission coalesced with her desire to become a nurse. Looking back on her experience volunteering at Blanchet House, Harrington recalls, “The mission to me was always so closely aligned with how nurses deliver their care in that ministry of meeting people in stride, without judgement, in a comprehensive way.” 18 | Central Catholic Magazine
After graduating from Central Catholic, Harrington went on to attend the University of Portland’s (UP) School of Nursing. She graduated from UP with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 2003, and soon afterward entered graduate school at UP to become a Family Nurse Practitioner. Throughout her time as an undergraduate and graduate student, Harrington maintained her service with Blanchet House, due in part to the close relationship that UP has with the founders of the organization. Harrington recalls a moment while she was in graduate school that really propelled her relationship and involvement with Blanchet House forward. For one assignment, she had to complete an exercise of writing a mock grant. Afterward, she went back to Blanchet House and wrote a grant to get them additional refrigeration for their food storage. Harrington explains, “It was at that point when I really interfaced with Blanchet House, became good friends with the then-executive director, and realized that this was a special place where I wanted to direct my efforts and involvement.” After earning her master’s degree in 2006, marrying fellow Central Catholic alum, Joey Harrington ’97, and then settling back in Portland at the conclusion of Joey’s professional football career, Harrington was approached to join Blanchet House’s Board of Directors in 2013. She was sought out primarily for her role as a Nurse Practitioner, in addition to her connection with the Harrington family. This came after Blanchet House erected their new building in 2012, and began to entertain the idea of having some semblance of health care services to offer their residents. She notes that at the time, “They certainly provided food and shelter and a safe place for recovery, but they were hoping to bring on some expertise in medicine and/or social services.” Creating a dedicated health clinic at Blanchet House was a feasible concept at the time, as there was already a large presence of nursing students providing health services. The UP nursing students had long been completing their community health and mental health rotations there.
ALUMNI PROFILE As the needs of residents at Blanchet House increased and became more evident, Harrington took the step toward establishing a care facility that could meet these needs. In 2017, Harrington and her husband, Joey, approached then-Dean of UP’s School of Nursing, Dr. Joane Moceri, about the idea of creating the Harrington Health Clinic, a clinic that would be established within Blanchet House and be permanent in offering healthcare services to residents. This idea took off and soon received the attention and support of several different partners. The current partnership of this nurse-run health clinic resides between UP, Volunteers of America, and Blanchet House. Today, the need for health care services, especially for the most vulnerable in our society, has risen tremendously during the pandemic, and so too have the needs of residents at Blanchet House. “Under the guise of the COVID pandemic, so many things have shut down or stalled,” Harrington explains. “Consequently, the need for mental health services, the need for primary care, and the utilization of telehealth have become really amplified as our residents have found themselves locked down there.” While the needs of Blanchet House residents were rising, simultaneously, the aid from nursing students who were providing these health services was quickly disappearing. The UP nursing students were being sent home to resume classes online as schools across the country closed their campuses due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Very quickly, Harrington stepped up, along with two other nurses who are faculty members at UP, to hold clinic at Blanchet House three days a week. They have been holding clinic since mid-March, and are scheduled to continue doing so through the end of September. Harrington’s work in the health clinic during the pandemic, while a tumultuous time of limited staff and increased need, has also been a catalyst for the health clinic. “We’re moving quickly and really establishing an impactful presence down there,” Harrington notes. Even in this time of telehealth and caution with in-person visits, Harrington has helped to establish a plan in partnership with Providence Health & Services. “We made the agreement with the support of Providence and their Express Care services that if at any point our residents started to develop symptoms that were suggestive of COVID, that we would have the capacity to ramp up our clinic services to five days a week,” Harrington explains. “But thankfully we have not had any close scares with our residents’ suggestive symptoms. It’s great to have some additional support services to make sure that our residents are staying safe, well managed, and are out of the hospitals.”
and service at Blanchet House with homeschooling her two boys, Jack (11) and Emmet (8). “It’s definitely been a bit of a juggling act,” she shares. “The biggest thing, while there is certainly that tension of being present at home and then being present at Blanchet House, is that I think it’s really important to be modeling to my boys that this service is something I can do and should do.” Harrington does not compartmentalize her work with Blanchet House, but instead shares with her children the importance of service and care for the most vulnerable in our society. She explains, “This is very meaningful work, attuning to the needs of the very most vulnerable and the most fragile, and we can’t just continue to think inwardly. We have a lot of privileges and a lot of access to things that, on a day-to-day basis, we don’t even recognize that it comes to us naturally or subconsciously.” She continues, “It’s really important for me to continue to be a model for my sons, and to come home and talk about my experiences with our residents at Blanchet House. I probably overshare with my kids, but I think it’s really important for them to understand that their gifts are going to be called on as well.” As a nurse, leader, and mother, she reflects that she has “a great opportunity to lead in a brave and daring way.” Connecting her experience with her leadership and being a nurse, she says, “We don’t take ‘no’ well, and if obstacles are put in front of us, we always try to find the path of the back door, especially when it’s for those we serve.” She continues, “I think about that all the time when I am being asked to serve or lead in a difficult way, thinking of the ‘collective all,’ it’s not about me; it’s about the ‘collective all’ that needs those services and needs that attention.” Harrington’s work and leadership has transcended her initial high school service requirements and grown into a decades-long engagement through which her own gifts and vocation as a nurse so completely align. Even after graduating from high school more than 20 years ago, the impact of Central Catholic, its community, and the relationships she made remain influential to her life today. She shares the impact of attending Central Catholic, “It certainly transformed a lot of elements of my life. So many of the factors that are in place right now in terms of my relationships and ability to make inroads and lead, whether as a nurse or a board chair, comes from the relationship that I built while I was at Central Catholic.” This alignment is a true example of Central Catholic’s mission and vision of preparing students for where their gifts meet the world, especially in a time when they are needed most.
Harrington’s role in stepping up to provide and manage services for the health clinic is indicative of the leadership skills she holds. Yet her role as a leader was recognized far in advance of her efforts throughout the pandemic. In June of 2018, after five years serving on the board, Harrington was appointed the Board President for Blanchet House, the firstever woman president of Blanchet House’s Board of Directors. She filled this role until the end of her two-year term in June of 2020. Her leadership qualities not only manifest themselves at Blanchet House, but within her personal life and family as well. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Harrington has had to balance her time Summer 2020 |19
WHAT’S UP WITH YOU? On January 29, 2020 All Saints School honored parishioner Wally Shepard ’56 for his “faith-filled devotion and dedication to All Saints parish, school, and its CYO program [which] has left an indelible mark and legacy of loving service that will forever be a part of the All Saints community.” All Saints dedicated its gymnasium to Wally who was a student, teacher, and coach at the school. Dr. Julio Omier ’92 was selected as the Palm Springs Unified School District’s “District Certificated Administrator of the Year.” He also successfully defended his dissertation and completed his doctorate in March of 2020.
Sarah Hainley Lax ’00 and Brendan Lax ’00 welcomed a son, Finnegan Joseph, on February 23, 2020. He joins sisters Cora (8) and Lucy (6). Jaime Pavel-Tallbut ’00 and husband Dave Tallbut welcomed a son, Nash Gunnar, on January 31, 2020.
Mia DeVincenzi ’03 and husband Alex Beam welcomed a daughter, Ava Marie, on April 19, 2020.
Theresa (Wong) Bigler ’08 and Jeff Bigler ’08 welcomed a daughter, Loretta June, on January 16, 2020. Chelsea Corrado Coussens ’04 and wife Meg welcomed twins, William Daniel and Marjorie Suzette, on December 26, 2019. They join big brother, Mac (2).
Chelsey (Bigler) Gordon ’05 and husband Kel welcomed a son, Koa, on January 27, 2020.
Arianna (Nassib) Fouad ’08 and husband Rafik welcomed a daughter, Chiara Nancy, on February 11, 2020. Arianna also let us know her mother, Anna Nassib, retired from teaching this spring. Anna taught Spanish at Central Catholic for almost 22 years. Besides teaching, she also worked as the cheerleader coordinator, activities director, headed several clubs, and helped to launch International Days. She left in 2009 to help start Southwest Washington’s first Catholic high school, Seton Catholic Prep.
Joe Segal ’05 and wife Cara Uy-Segal welcomed a son, Caleb Joseph Uy Segal, on May 4, 2020. Andrea (Lieberg) Bemis ’02 and husband Taylor welcomed a daughter, Pepper LeRoux, on March 14, 2020. Danny Bradach ’02 recently received the Golden W award, the highest award given to staff, community members, and students at Wilson High School, where he has been working as a counselor and coach for five years. Danny was recognized for his work in helping to establish Unified Soccer and Basketball, which joins people with and without intellectual disabilities on the same team. Due in part to Danny’s contributions, Wilson was named an Oregon and National Unified Champion School by Special Olympics earlier this year. 20 | Central Catholic Magazine
Michele (Rasmussen) Hill ’06 and husband Geoff welcomed a daughter, Madeleine Rose, on May 26, 2020. She joins big brother Mason (3).
Max Virnig ’09 and wife Kelsey welcomed a daughter, Millie Jo, on April 17, 2020.
Shannon (Deyerling) Deems ’07 and husband Tyler welcomed a daughter, Rennie Marie, on April 14, 2020. She joins big brothers, Elliott (4) and Owen (2).
Kellie (Healy) Mount ’10 and husband Nathan welcomed a daughter, Lucy, on May 2, 2020.
WHAT’S UP WITH YOU? In Memory
Laura Schaeffer ’11 and husband Dustin Englebert welcomed a son, Oakley River, on May 10, 2020. Rachael Smith ’11 was recognized by her employer, Providence Portland Medical Center, for her outstanding work as a nurse and was awarded the 2020 Nurse of the Year “Innovator Award.” She has been working at Providence for three years.
Taylor (DeMars) Ka’ahanui ’12 and Austin Ka’ahanui ’12 welcomed a son, Ka’imikai, on May 20, 2020. ••• Fun Fact: Loretta June Bigler and Koa Gordon are cousins and born only 11 days apart!
Dick Pizzo ’44
Quilt of Valor Recipient Dick Pizzo ’44 recently celebrated his 94th birthday and is happily residing at Emerald Heights, a retirement resort in Redmond, Washington. He shares a recent honor he received, a Quilt of Valor provided by the Quilt of Valor Foundation (QOVF), an organization whose mission is to cover service members and veterans touched by war with comforting and healing quilts of valor. The photo of Dick, a veteran of WWII, was taken at the surprise presentation of his quilt. Pizzo enlisted in the United States Army shortly after graduating from Central Catholic. He served as a combat infantryman for two years in the 3rd Battalion, 27th Infantry, earning a bronze medal for his service during the liberation of Leyte and Luzon (Phillippines) as well as an Asiatic Pacific Service Medal, a Victory Medal, and a Good Conduct Medal. As the war was winding down and U.S. forces occupied Japan, he also served as a mess sergeant. Dick says, “My military experiences were not very heroic; near misses, but fortunately, I didn’t have to kill anyone.” He does say that his role as a mess sergeant was a good fit for him as “Cooking and baking have been a longtime hobby and avocation of mine since I was about ten, and when I worked in a bakery as a teenager. I cooked an Italian dinner once for an alumni gathering at Central Catholic and for a short time, was a chef-partner at a restaurant-night club in Milwaukie. I directed the senior class spaghetti feed fundraiser when I was a teacher, vice principal, and boys’ swim coach at Lake Oswego High School and prepared special dinners at the Newman Center at University of Oregon. I once prepared a dinner for the Eugene Opera and have been the guest chef for three dinners here at Emerald Heights.” Thank you, Dick, for sharing the many ways you’ve shared your gifts with the world!
Robert Louis Shindler ’43 June 19, 2019 Salvatore Donald “Don” Dindia ’47 March 20, 2020 Joseph Andrew Labadie ’47 March 9, 2020 Lawrence Jerome “Jerry” McElligott ’49 March 16, 2020 Eugene Edward Brosterhous ’53 May 6, 2020 John A. Maddocks ’55 May 3, 2020 Steven J. Pongracz-Bartha ’56 April 6, 2020 Gayle David Barrow ’57 March 31, 2020 Allen Henry Cannard ’57 March 5, 2020 William Francis McDonald ’57 June 1, 2020 Barry Lawrence LaValla ’58 March 1, 2020 John Murphy Hunt ’59 March 5, 2020 David Frank Guasco ’62 April 16, 2020 Philip Anthony Carbone ’63 January 20, 2020 Dennis Robert Nollette ’69 March 30, 2020 Sarah Diane (Duncan) Marek ’89 March 17, 2020 Tiziano “Tiz” Dalla Gasperina, Alumni Parent February 26, 2020 •••
We are saddened to report that alum and former teacher David Guasco ’62 passed away on April 16, 2020 after battling a long illness. After graduating from Central Catholic in 1962 and the University of Portland in 1966, David served in the US Air Force, retiring as Major after 21 years. After earning his MBA at the University of Puget Sound, David enjoyed a second career, returning to Central Catholic as a math teacher for 12 years, where he was beloved by students and teachers alike. Emily (Hatten) Harrington ’99 remembers him as one of her most influential teachers, recalling that, after a somewhat rocky start in his classroom, “he found a way to help me recognize the potential I had, as I was getting ready to head off to college. He ended up being one of my most steadfast and consistent supporters, someone who was truly in my corner.” Paul Wallulis, a longtime colleague of David’s has similar recollections, “Dave was a reliable and trusted colleague for many years. I have fond memories of our time working and collaborating together for the benefit of our students, and I am sorry to hear of his passing.” David retired from Central Catholic High School in 2002. Our condolences to Marlene and the extended Guasco family on David’s passing.
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