today
SPRING/SUMMER 2020
DELBARTON
Virtual Delbarton:
Coping with COVID-19
today
DELBARTON
Spring/Summer 2020
contents
Delbarton.org
1 From the Headmaster 2 Homecoming 2019
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22 A Case for Compassion By Zack Hoyt ‘08
30 The Evolution of the Archway By Dom Rodi
36 Why I Teach By Greg Devine
40 A COVID-19 Faculty Farewell By Sarah Loveday
42 Virtual Delbarton: Coping with COVID-19 By Jessica Fiddes
51 Abbey Notes By Br. William McMillan
58 Around Delbarton School 79 Sports Shorts By Jared Lowy
92 Alumni News
Cover: Rudy Maurizi ’23 wears a facemask made by his mother Toni Maurizi P’23,’24 who sewed masks for Overlook Hospital staff members, then used Green Wave t-shirts to make masks for her two sons and for the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey. Cover Photograph: Toni Maurizi P’23,’24 All photographs in this issue of Delbarton Today were taken by Jessica Fiddes, Jared Lowy or J. Craig Paris unless otherwise indicated. Rt. Rev. Richard Cronin, OSB, Abbot, St. Mary’s Abbey President, Delbarton School Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB, Headmaster J. Craig Paris ’82, Assistant Headmaster for Advancement Jessica Vermylen Fiddes, Editor, Director of Marketing & Communcations The views expressed in Delbarton Today are solely those of the editors, authors and contributors to this magazine and do not necessarily represent those of the Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey, Inc., St. Mary’s Abbey and/or Delbarton School Design: Sahlman Art Studio, Charlotte, NC Printing: J.S. McCarthy Printers, Augusta, ME
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From the Headmaster Maureen Nowak P’’12,’14’,18/MGN Photography
Dear Friends of Delbarton, I hope that this message and this issue of Delbarton Today find you and your loved ones as safe as possible amid the COVID-19 crisis. When I was a boy, I listened to stories from my maternal grandmother about the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, in which two of her siblings died, and I remember thinking that such things were of a distant past, Although medical science has improved hugely since 1918, and COVID-19 is not nearly as fatal as the Spanish Flu was, the fear and anxiety of our 2020 experience feel remarkably like how my grandmother described her young childhood of more than a hundred years ago. The edition of Delbarton Today that you will shortly enjoy will give you a comprehensive sense of how Delbarton School and St. Mary’s Abbey have been affected by COVID19 and how we have responded to this generational challenge. You will read about how our staff and students created “Virtual Delbarton” almost overnight, and how they have continued the rigorous and academically rich Delbarton program of Benedictine Catholic education of the highest caliber despite quarantine. You will read about how our student leaders rallied to support one another academically (through a student-created online tutoring service) and emotionally. You will discover how our staff across all departments have worked hard daily to reengineer Delbarton’s operations so that we can ensure that our campus and our employees and students can return to a school ready to welcome them home. You will also discover how our parents have adapted to the dislocations facing them in their careers and homes, and how they have continued to support and sustain our students and one another despite serious hardship and suffering. One paradox of our “Virtual Delbarton” experience is that we have never before communicated with one another so often and so thoroughly. Since in-person classes were suspended on March 16, we have conducted weekly surveys of students, parents, and faculty, to monitor the performance of our online program and their health and wellness. We have held weekly online Morning Meetings that alumni and past parents and trustees have joined, alongside current students and parents. The Benedictines of St. Mary’s Abbey have launched a whole array of new
social media initiatives, most especially daily live streaming of our community Evening Prayer and Mass. Despite our physical separation, we have learned new ways of being together and mastered new tools for doing so, which will have a permanent and positive effect on the way we engage with you in the future. Our COVID-19 experience has revealed much about the character of Delbarton students and staff. Despite problems and heartaches and fears that are truly profound, our students and staff have maintained a positive Succisa Virescit spirit that expresses the essence of Delbarton. Words like “grit” and “resilience” have had much currency in education in recent years, and it’s easy to dismiss them as an educational flavor of the month. In our current context, though, the value of a deep resilience rooted in a strong faith in God’s providence and in the love and support we have for one another cannot be underestimated. Together, with the Lord’s grace, we have made our way this far in a COVID-19 affected world. Together, with God’s continued help and a renewed commitment to each other, we will continue on our journey, and welcome new young men and families to this special place that we love so dearly, this place that we together call “Delbarton.” Yours in Christ and St. Benedict,
Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. Headmaster
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On October 12, 2019, Delbarton celebrated Homecoming Day in its 80th year… 2
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David Nacchio ’99, RJ Pellegrino ’99 and Jonathan Kelly ’99 point proudly to Scott Schundler ’99 varsity jacket.
Left: Seniors JP Higgins ’20 and Cameron Krell ’20 show off the 2019 Homecoming t-shirt.
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Kendell and Alex Lee ’01 and sons enjoy Homecoming Day on campus.
Alumni Association President Tim Fitzsimmons ’95 with wife Katie and their four children.
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Green Wave Soccer Alumni enjoyed a competitive game overseen by Varsity Soccer Coach David Donovan at Ryan Family Field.
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The 1984-1985 Championship Green Wave Soccer team with Fr. Michael on right and Coaches Josh Hartle and David Donovan on far left.
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John Tonzola ’95, P’25 and sons.
Rich Sciaretta ’03 and family at Homecoming.
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Student Body President Rohan Amin ’20 led students onto the football field.
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At halftime during the Varsity Football game versus Pope John High School, the Championship team of 1994 was honored on the field joined by Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB, on right, and Athletic Director Dan Whalen, second from left.
Fr. Michael with classmates Rob Failla ’89, Brian Maher ’89 and Mike Phillips ’89, back on campus for their 30th Delbarton reunion.
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Delbarton Mothers’ Guild volunteers fed the masses at Homecoming. From left, Meaghan Pizzo P’20,’22, Kathy Krell P’20, Mary Ketchum P’16, ’20, Laurie Georgen P’20,’22, Julie Krauss P’20 and DMG Moderator Abbot Richard Cronin, OSB.
Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB and inductee Jack McNamara ’59 admire the framed print of Old Main.
Hall of Honor On October 11, the Alumni Association hosted the 2019 Hall of Honor Dinner in the Fine Arts Center and inducted four new members, John J. McNamara ’59, Robert E. Farrell ’64, Brian J. Ferriso ’84 and George J. Parros ’98…
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The McNamara family celebrates the induction of John McNamara ’59 into the Delbarton Hall of Honor.
John McNamara ’59
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After graduating from the Delbarton in 1959, John J. (“Jack”) mcnamara, esq. received a B.S. from the georgetown University School of the Foreign Service, a law degree from Fordham University, studied Quantitative Analysis in nYU Stern graduate School of Business at new York University, and Airway Science at the University of north Dakota. Learning to fly as a boy more than 50 years ago, mcnamara has flown over 100 models of aircraft. he holds an Airline Transport Pilot certificate, a commercial Pilot’s certificate, a Flight instructor’s certificate, and a ground instructor certificate with Advanced and instrument ratings. he is recognized as the first pilot/flight instructor ever certified without limitation by the Federal Aviation Administration at the highest level in every category and class of aircraft. he also has been recognized by the
governor of new Jersey as the State’s aviation expert and acknowledged as one of a handful of attorneys in the United States who have dedicated themselves to the field of aviation law. he has volunteered services of his aircraft and himself to the national Burn Victim Foundation, Angel Flight, Wings for hope and Wings over Africa. mcnamara attended Fordham Law School while working fulltime as a television copywriter. After passing the new York Bar examination in 1968, he worked at Brewster ideal/ Dairy maid chocolate where, in the first year, he increased factory efficiency by 33%. next, he was hired by the chemical Bank in their Special industries division specializing in aviation and aerospace financing, working with major national and international air carriers and aircraft manufacturers while attending nYU’S Stern School of Business. in 1972, he opened his private practice in new York
City and, in 1972, opened a New Jersey office. For over 30 years, he and his affiliates have represented domestic and foreign clients in every area of aviation law. He has consulted with the Governor of New Jersey, the heads of both Houses of the New Jersey Legislature, members of the US House of Representatives, members of the National Transportation Safety Board and the Vice President of the United States. McNamara was a charter Trustee and served as President of the Council on Aviation Accreditation. For over 35 years he has served as a Director of the Lawyer Pilots Bar Association and was a Founding Member of the National Transportation Safety Board Bar Association. McNamara has been a lifelong loyal and active member of the Republican Party and served for several years as Chairman of the Far Hills Republican Committee and as a member of the Somerset County Republican Committee. He has also
served on a variety of corporate boards including Cub Pipeline, Inc., Oldwick Equipment Leasing, Corp. and US Oil – Keith. He is married to Ann Johnson McNamara and the couple has nine children. They live on their hay farm in Far Hills, New Jersey, which is also home to many dogs, horses, dairy cows, beef cows, pigs, laying hens, roasters and broiler chickens, and over 100,000 honeybees. The family enjoys croquet, golf, tennis, ice-skating, showing dogs, foxhunting and bird hunting. He believes that, other than his parents, Delbarton School did the most to shape his life. His strong religious beliefs were inspired there, his sense of competitiveness was trained there, the education necessary to qualify him for higher studies and life was acquired there. Almost all his role models were met there, including such exceptional men as Father Stephen Findley, Coach William Reagan, Father Thomas Joseph Confroy , Father Beatus Lucey, Father Andrew Smith and all the monks of St.
HALL OF HONOR MEMBERS 1984 Jules G. Spada ’48 1985 Frank D. Visceglia ’60† 1986 Lee S. Trumbull ’58 1987 Rev. Manus Duffy, OSB ’60† Joseph K. Pagano ’63 W. Norman Scott ’64 1988 Edward F. Broderick ’50† D. Peter Keller ’65 1989 Edward J. Dwyer ’64 John F. Sanfacon ’57 Louis P. Thebault† 1990 Daniel Foley ’50† Carmine J.Galdieri II ’57† Robert C. O’Mara ’60 1991 James M. Corroon ’57 Frank A. Delaney Rev. Giles P. Hayes, OSB ’56† 1992 Rev. Stephen. W. Findlay, OSB† William F. Sittmann ’67† Joseph R. McDonough ’68† 1993 Robert B. Collins ’56 William O. Regan†
Former Alumni Association President John Tonzola ’95, P’25 introduced each Hall of Honor honoree in the Fine Arts Center Theater.
Alumni Association President Tim Fitzsimmons ’95 welcomed Hall of Honor guests to the presentation ceremony.
1994 Brian T. Fitzgibbon ’74† Rev. Kenneth H. Mayer, OSB† William J. McFadden ’59
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Bob Farrell ’64 is joined by his proud family after receiving his framed Hall of Honor print.
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mary’s Abbey who disciplined him in class and later each day trained him in sports. most of all, these priests provided enduring standards for him in the conduct of his life. in 1959 there was no preparatory school experience equivalent to the Delbarton School of St. mary’s Abbey, and there is none today.
mystique of a top school with a host of successful athletic teams and a magnificent campus made Delbarton School his choice. At Delbarton, he was an average student who was pushed to work hard in the classroom by teachers like Fr. Rembert Reilly and Abbot gerard Lair.
While a student at Delbarton, he was given the rare opportunity to play as a member of a championship football team, which was undefeated two years. he has served as one of the representatives of the class of 59 for the past 40 years and together with his wife Ann has enjoyed the honor of hosting reunion year receptions for their Delbarton friends.
A superb athlete, Bob left his mark on green Wave sports fields along with other exceptional class of ’64 athletes. A threeyear starter on the basketball and baseball teams, and one and a half years in football, made Farrell an integral part of successful Delbarton athletic teams. The 1962-63 basketball team won the State championship. in an effort to repeat in 1963-64, the team lost in the semi-finals of the State championship (with Bob sidelined by the measles) to finish 18-2. The 1963 football team went undefeated at 8-0, the last win providing coach Bill Regan with his 100th victory, and the team was ranked 10th in the
Robert E. Farrell ’64 Bob Farrell was accepted at several essex county parochial schools, and could have attended Livingston high School, but the
state. There were no tournaments or playoffs for baseball but, for three years, the team experienced a high level of success thanks to the Class of ’64 athletes. Bob accepted a combined baseball/basketball scholarship at Bellarmine College in Louisville KY, and competed against powerhouse programs like the University of Kentucky and Louisville. He played for the baseball team, serving as captain for two years, and set a several individual school records while earning a BA degree in Business Administration. In 1971, Bob earned an MBA degree in Finance from Fairleigh Dickinson University, became a Certified Internal Auditor in 1973 and a Certified Information Systems Auditor in 1975. For 33 years, he worked with a number of corporations heading up internal audit departments and served in several CFO roles. In 1986, he became a Certified Fraud Examiner and, in 1996, launched White Collar Investigations, providing fraud prevention, detection, and investigative services to clients. He also became a Licensed Private Detective in both New Jersey and Florida and, for the next 20 years, worked for public and private companies, and government agencies including the U.S. Department of State, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. A longtime member of the Delbarton Alumni Board of Trustees, Bob has cochaired Reunion and Event Committees, and focused on attracting alumni in athletics and the arts back to the School to celebrate past successes and meet up with old friends. His mission is to affirm the authentic connections of Delbarton alumni to their affinity groups.
Bob is a 50-year member of Spring Brook Country Club in Morristown, serving on the Board of Trustees for two terms, Finance Committee Chairman, 75th Anniversary Celebration Chairman, and 90th Anniversary Keynote Speaker. An avid golfer, Bob is former Club Golf Champion and Senior Club Golf Champion, and represented Spring Brook in over 100 tournaments. In February 2019, he became an Honorary Lifetime Member. He is also a member of the St. Andrews Golf Club in Scotland, where golf was born. Married to Margie since 1975, the couple has lived in Florham Park since 1978 where they raised one daughter Alison (Villa Walsh ’05) who, with her husband Geoffrey, have blessed the couple with three grandchildren, Abigail, Ryan, and Molly. Brian J. Ferriso ’84 Brian Ferriso graduated from Delbarton in 1984. He is The Marilyn H. and Dr. Robert B. Pamplin, Jr. Director of the Portland Art Museum where he is responsible for the artistic and financial oversight of the largest visual arts organization in Oregon and one of the oldest art museums and film centers in the United States. Ferriso oversees a significant national and international exhibition program that welcomes nearly 450,000 people a year to the Museum. During his tenure at the Museum he has also developed partnerships and projects with The British Museum, The École des Beaux-Arts, Paris, The Louvre, Petit Palais, The Rijksmuseum, The Victoria and Albert Museum, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, The High Museum and the Toledo Museum of Art, among others.
1995 Edward J. Butera ’56 Harvey C. Jones, Jr. ’70 Skip Livera ’63† 1996 Kary W. Antholis ’80 Rev. Adrian McLaughlin, OSB† 1997 Daniel T. Scott ’62† James E. Nugent ’69† W. Michael Murphy, Jr. ’67 1998 Kevin T. Kenny ’78 Robert E. Mulcahy III Boyd A. Sands ’55 1999 Elizabeth T. & John G. Gilfillan III† Anthony M. Nugent ’74 Peter L. O’Neill ’59† 2000 E. Pat Brady ’70 David F. McBride ’65 Rev. Peter J. Meaney, OSB† 2001 C. Sean Closkey ’85 Donald L. Criqui Robert L. Sheridan ’81 2002 Lawrence H. McLernon ’57 J. Craig Paris ’82 2003 John F. Conner ’53 Hilda Maloney† Bill Smith ’63 2004 Abbot Brian H. Clarke, OSB† Eugene “Doc” Doherty ’54† J. Brian Thebault ’69
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The Ferriso family celebrated Brian Ferriso ’84, a 2019 inductee into the Delbarton Hall of Honor for his accomplishments in the world of visual arts.
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Hall of Honor inductee Brian Ferriso ’84 is joined by friends from the Class of 1984.
He is currently undertaking an ambitious $100 million campaign to expand the Museum and increase the endowment. Ferriso is also partnering with the children of renowned twentieth-century painter Mark Rothko (1903-1970) to name the expansion in honor of their father who grew up in Portland. Previously, Ferriso was Executive Director, President and CEO of The Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, OK, and held various positions at the Milwaukee Art Museum including Acting Director. He was also the Assistant Director of the David and Alfred Smart Museum of Art at the University of Chicago, Chicago, IL (1997-2000), the Special Assistant to the Director and Associate Director of Development of The Newark Museum (1994-1997). At Delbarton, Ferriso was a Studio Art teacher from 1989 to 1992, and served as varsity wrestling and lacrosse coach and was a member of the admissions committee. As a practicing artist, he studied with Frank Mason of the Art Students League, New York, NY. Ferriso’s curatorial areas of interest are architecture and contemporary art, having curated and coordinated shows on architecture, design and European art. Ferriso received a BA in economics from Bowdoin College, an MA in arts administration from New York University, and an MA in art history from the University of Chicago. He is Past President of the Association of Art Museum Directors (2016 to 2017), a Trustee of the American Federations of Arts, and a member of American Alliance of Museums and Chief Executive Organization (CEO). In 2012, he received the Foundation for Italian Art and Culture’s Excellency Award.
He and his wife Amy Pellegrin have been married for twenty-two years and have two daughters, Alessandra (20) and Siena (16).
2005 Rt. Reverend Thomas J. Confroy, OSB† Ronald P. Mealey ’50 William J. Waldron III ’65
George Parros ’98
2006 Brian E. Fleury† John P. “JP” Flynn ’86† Richard L. Wade ’61
A native of Randolph, NJ, Parros found his way into Delbarton with the Class of 1998. George was a four-year member of the Varsity hockey team and under the guidance of coaches Brian Day, Bruce Shatel, Paul Sylvester and Rob Puchniak. He and his teammates amassed three Mennen Cup Titles. The State Championship trophy would remain elusive for this group; Parros would later claim that they did not want to steal any thunder from the endless number of Green Wave players after them who would go on to win countless State titles. With guidance and help from the late, great Fr. Giles Hayes, OSB, George accepted deferred admission to Princeton University, allowing him to pursue a ’red shirt’ year of Junior hockey with the Chicago Freeze. This move would prove to be fruitful as that campaign led to a draft selection by the Los Angeles Kings of the National Hockey League. He enjoyed a solid 4-year career as a student athlete for the Tigers where he totaled 52 points and 119 PIM in 111 games. During his senior season 2002-03 he was named team captain. Parros was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the eighth round of the 1999 NHL Entry Draft. He scored his first NHL goal October 20 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas against the Dallas Stars. He recorded a goal, an assist and a major fighting penalty in the same game, an achievement known as a ’Gordie Howe hat trick’. Parros was a member of
2007 Patrick Henry ’57 Richard W. Herbst George H. Miller, Jr. ’52† 2008 Michael A. Ferguson ’88 John E. Luke, Jr. ’78 2009 James J. McGough ’49† John C. Traynor ’79 Andrew W. Verhalen ’74 2010 James A. Ferrante, Jr. ’75 Keith D. Kulper ’70 Rev. Bruno A. Ugliano, OSB† 2011 Kurt W. Krauss ’81 Peter Pizzi ’71 Anthony Passarelli† 2012 Thomas A. Caputo ’57 Thomas J. Luby ’72 James G. Petrucci ’82 2013 Martin S. Flaherty ’77 Dr. Roy Horton† Jon Krawczyk ’88 2014 Fr. Beatus Lucey, OSB Taylor Price ’04 Michael J. Slattery ’59
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2015 Wayne Gardiner Derek J. Maguire ’90 Frank D. Visceglia ’85 2016 Stefan A. Howells ’86 James J. Maguire P’79, ’82, ’86, ’01† Charles R. Ruebling ’79 2017 Rich Darché ’72 Brian Hanlon ’87 Rudy Marchesi ’67 2018 Andrew Anselmi ’83, P’16 Fr. Hilary O’Leary, OSB 2019 John J. McNamara ’59 Robert E. Farrell ’64 Brian J. Ferriso ’84 George J. Parros ’98
Inductee George Parros ’98 was joined by his brother, father and children at the 2019 Hall of Honor ceremony.
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the Anaheim Ducks team that won the Stanley cup in 2007. That summer, he brought the Stanley cup back to both alma maters, stopping first in the Delbarton Senior garden where green Wave fans had an opportunity to visit Lord Stanley’s cup in the Senior garden, then on to Princeton University where he shared the iconic trophy with Tiger fans. Parros was known for his signature ’stache, the large mustache that he grew during the season. in fact, ’george Parros mustaches’ were a popular item sold at the Anaheim Ducks team store, with the proceeds going to charity. Parros enjoyed a 9-year career in the nhL highlighted by some not-so-friendly exchanges on the ice, but with plenty of positive exchanges
in his community and, of course, the Stanley cup victory with the Anaheim Ducks remains a career highlight. in September 2016, the nhL announced that Parros had joined the league’s Department of Player Safety. in September 2017, he was promoted to head of the Department of Player Safety. Upon being promoted Parros said, “What uniquely positions me for the job is that i played the game as physically as anybody and i never once was fined or suspended.” Parros now resides in new York city with his wife of 10 years, Tiffany, and their children Lola and Jaggar.
Homecoming Golf On October 10, the Homecoming Golf Outing took place at New Jersey National Golf Club…
Jay Guerriero ’87, congratulated by Alumni Board Vice President Chris Bury ’91 on right, won the green blazer as the 2019 Homecoming Golf top golfer.
Kevin McClane ’94. Chris Siclare ’94, former faculty member Dan McCarthy and Chris Riley ’94.
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China
A Case for By Zack Hoyt ’08
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Zack and Cassie Hoyt in China.
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he firsT Thing ThaT comes To mind is her infec Tious smile . When i remember back to early January of this year, just before coronavirus entered into our collective consciousness, and the trip that my wife cassie and i took to china, the first image i see is the beaming grin of Yang, our guide. We stumbled off the no-frills budget flight, weary from our first 4-day leg in shanghai, into guilin, a city in the southern region of guanxi. at the end of the terminal, Yang held a sign with our names. as possibly the only westerners in the entire airport, i can’t imagine we were hard to spot.
A local market. Photos by Zack Hoyt ’08
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CHINA: A CASE FOR COMPASSION Zack Hoyt balances two cormorants on a bamboo pole. The birds float low on the surface of water to catch small fish.
The Reed Flute Cave, a 180 million year old natural limestone cave, lit by bright neon colors by the Chinese ministry of tourism.
Yang eagerly waved to us and as we introduced ourselves, she exclaimed “Welcome to Guilin! I’m sorry our airport is so small. It’s just a little regional airport.” For perspective, Guilin airport has two terminals and 45 gates, two more than Chicago’s Midway Airport. What ensued from this warm meeting was five days of immersive travel into rural southern China, led by Yang and our
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friendly driver Huang, who didn’t speak a word of English but emanated a gentle, stoic demeanor. Even before the origin story of Coronavirus permeated the world, sending westerners reeling at the idea of a savage people eating bat soup and putting us all at risk, there was an idea, an illusion of China established in the west long ago and still held by many today. They know nothing about us. They’re
horribly repressed by a brutal communist leader. They’re not like us. If you go there, you’ll get sick. Having spent ten days between the splendor of Shanghai and the poverty of bucolic Chinese villages, I can say confidently that the truth is far more nuanced. Our trip took us to a 180 million year old limestone cave, decorated by the Chinese ministry of tourism with bright neon
lights to highlight the beautiful formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Later, we encountered riverside cormorant fishermen, and encountered a traditional Chinese and Japanese way of fishing with trained birds tied to the bamboo raft (though these days it’s mostly a photo-op for Chinese tourists). We lazily cruised down the Li River, admiring the otherworldly rock faces known as karst formations.
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The land undulated with meticulously maintained terraces planted with grains and vegetables.
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In the evenings, we strolled along the moon-drenched narrow pedestrian streets of Guilin and Yangshuo, stopping to have tea, a drink, or a $4 foot massage where both Cassie and the old Chinese masseuse laughed over-and-over as I writhed in pain from the intense pressure, my wife assuring me that I would feel amazing when it was over. She was right (and for the record, none of this would have been possible without the Chinese language skills she acquired studying
abroad in Shanghai). Chinese kids, having likely never seen a white person in the flesh before, pointed at me and stared in wonder, exclaiming to their parents, “Look, a foreigner!” I have to admit, as an utterly average white dude, I’ve never been a novelty before. Cassie, who is of Korean descent and blended in, got a real kick out of this. Our favorite day of the trip took us deep into the mountains north of Guilin to the
Their guide Yang, on left, with Cassie Hoyt. Yang guided the Hoyts around Guilin, a city in the southern region of Guanx, and its surrounding villages.
Longji rice fields. Though I’ve had the fortune of traveling all over the world, largely due to my time serving in the U.S. Navy, I didn’t know beauty like this existed on earth. The mountain range, dotted with rustic villages and stretching as far as the eye can see, undulated with endless golden ribbons of meticulously maintained terraces upon which all manner of grains, vegetables, and plants neatly grew.
Hiking higher still into the mountains, Yang took us to the village of Ping’an (meaning “Peace Village,” so named for the settlers who sought refuge from raiding bandits high in the mountains almost 700 years ago). Here, in the modest home of a village woman, we had one of the best meals of our lives. Everything we ate and drank was made from the family’s farm, with the exception of the tofu, made by our host’s next-door neighbor because “she’s just better at it.”
A lone farmer clearing crops manually in the Longji rice fields.
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Our mouths burst with flavor from chicken and pork from animals raised right behind the house, eggplant and broccoli from the garden, sweet rice wine distilled in the kitchen and earthy tea foraged from the mountainside. Our host was as hospitable and kind as she was talented in the kitchen. On the way home, having progressed past small talk and developing a friendship with Yang, I asked for her take on some sensitive issues including conditions in Shenzhen factories, where many of her friends do backbreaking work to provide for their families, the oppression of Uighur Muslims, whom she had never heard of, and the perception of Xi Jinping’s regime. On the last subject,
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she explained that while people in the city might have the time or inclination to disagree with what goes on in Beijing, out in the rural villages, the long hand of the Communist party doesn’t grip quite so tightly. When the government provides enough seed and grain for villagers to both feed their families for the season and to sell their surplus at the market, the people are happy. When the government drags its feet on building roads to connect the villages, they are frustrated. These ‘kitchen table issues’ are not so different than those discussed in the average American household. Now more than ever, with xenophobic, racist attacks perpetuated against Asians even here in America due to the
Coronavirus, our proclivity to paint with broad generalizations and to perpetuate the dichotomy of ‘us vs. them’ is dangerous. In the same way that what happens in some of the more backward parts of the Deep South of America is not reflective of our nation as a whole, the abhorrent practices of the wet markets in Wuhan are not necessarily reflective of China. What is far harder to understand and accept is that, as a people, we are probably more alike than we are different. In its mission, Delbarton espouses the ‘importance of seeking truth, beauty, and goodness.’ Though right now, we might not have the luxury of traveling to farflung places to shape our first-hand
perspective of disparate cultures, we owe it to ourselves as both Americans and stewards of Delbarton’s mission to live those values every day. The China my wife and I saw was beautiful, its people generous and kind, and its cultural roots unimaginably deep. I hope that through my words and the photos I share here that you can appreciate China too.
Crossing the Li River, a tributary in the upper reaches of the Guijiang River.
After graduating from Delbarton, Zack Hoyt ’08 attended Vanderbilt University on a naval ROTC scholarship, served for five years in the US Navy, much of the time in Europe. This spring, he graduates from Harvard Business School.
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The Evolution of the Archway By Dom Rodi – Archway Moderator
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t was in 1806 that the first college yearbook was published by Yale University, and 1948, when, with a graduating class of twelve, the first edition of Delbarton’s Archway came into existence.
So what is a yearbook? What is its purpose? At one level, yearbooks are an invaluable family history source. Grandfather, father, brother (perhaps
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even a great grandfather or two), all are recorded for future generations to ponder over. On another level, we can see that the
yearbook is so much more than a generational listing. Yearbooks encapsulate the major events and activities of a particular year, and it does so in a number of different ways. It can serve as a memory book, a history book, a record book and/or a reference book. The 1948 edition, featuring original
photography and produced in black and white, provided images almost exclusively centered on the students, faculty and sports
teams, (these past students look so much older than students appear in 2020). These were the days when photographs were printed to size before being glued into position and, indeed, the entire post-production period, unlike today’s digital process, was a protracted, messy, lengthy business involving glue, scissors, photo prints and tedious typesetting. Looking back on that first yearbook, we can not only chart the course of Delbarton’s past but also predict its expansion in the future. As the school and community of Delbarton have grown, so too has the Archway. Over the years, added pages covered new clubs, sports and
services, and ‘themes’ were introduced to provide the book a stronger, creative, visual appearance. With traditions now firmly established, the Archway began to define Delbarton’s history. Slowly other aspects of school life, as determined by the editors of the day, began to appear. Humor emerged either photographically or in word form. Students were featured photographically, initially in formal poses then, subsequently, in quite memorable, informal ways. It is at this point we also see the quality of photography begin to improve as the quality of cameras improved. This aspect of design is important. Students of the day set out to be creative with this revolutionary technology, with some individuals using the printing method and the dark room to add further layers of creativity. In these capable creative hands, the photograph represented the spirit of the featured student.
In past seven decades, it is interesting to see just how much students have changed and how they are portrayed. The 40s issues were conservative in layout, with each senior resplendent in school blazer and tie. The 50s continued in this vein but incorporated more personal material, often in the form of prom night photos. The 60s...for many, this was a period of clinging to the past while others rushed forward, particularly the late 60s. While many Delbarton events took place and were dutifully recorded, it was the ‘forbidden’ and infamous 1969 edition that had the biggest impact on yearbook life. Banned by the administration (other than copies distributed to the senior class), all other copies were destroyed. Although little inappropriate material was present, stories of satanic imagery, improper language and hidden messages abounded and, as such, a new vision for future yearbook was to be established. As
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memory books, 60s Archways provide us with a wealth of content, all described and recorded by photography depicting amazing fashion changes, but also allowing us to look through that window with regards to hairstyles, cars, situations, humor and students’ individual approach to their literary legacy, including poems, quotes etc. On the subject of quotes, they reference not only the bestselling
books of the day, but also the lyrics of the most popular songwriters/bands of that period. That was very true in the fabulous 70s as well as the infamous 80s.
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By 1990, the Archway further transformed itself from its initial black and white publication to one using limited color sections, mainly two colors from the four colors used in printing. As printing costs lowered due to competition and the development of technology, the Archway sta began to employ color for greater parts of their publications, but still restricting its usage primarily to sections other than the senior pages. With color printing now readily available and aordable, editors could now look more closely at the cover, the results of which mimic the revolution in paperback cover design of the time.
It was the release of Photoshop in 1990 that led to the reinvention of graphic design and publishing. The emergence of aordable digital photography in the late 90s and the digital revolution within printing capped the transformation of the entire publishing industry. Now Delbarton designers and editors could truly unleash their graphic skills and create typography based images together with an almost infinite variety of images based
upon their new-found ability to manipulate their original photography, all this at a fraction of the previous costs and certainly a fraction of the time in creating the final product. To witness just how technology has influenced the appearance of the Archway, note the change of format in 2012 followed a year later by a radical cover approach. The cover changed, and the
interior contents also had a major overhaul. Endpapers were now a new design opportunity, as was every featured spread. Working to the highest design standards of creativity, typography and photography, this issue set the bar for future editors to meet and beat. In particular, the concept of a single black and white photograph Spring/Summer 2020
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THE EVOLUTION OF THE ARCHWAY
representing each senior took on new meaning. Editors and seniors worked together to create a single photograph that summed up the personality of the student, and his accomplishments or his interests. With students having
selected just the right quotation, the entire image then became a graphic fusion of simple, elegant typography, a well-balanced photograph and a creative idea. For today’s editors, as it was for the initial founding editors, the role of
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the individual and the impact of Delbarton brotherhood is always of paramount importance, that, and the obligation to authentically record all aspects of a year in the life of Delbarton. For Delbarton students, their days and vivid memories accompany them throughout their academic tenures and beyond, particularly their connection with the concept of Delbarton brotherhood. The Archway sought to not only recognize that fact but also to recognize those they shared their experiences with on their journey, namely, the faculty. As with the photos of past students, faculty photos reveal so much about our past and theirs. They, like past students, seem so much older looking than our
modern counterparts of the same age. Formal images evolve into greater informality as time passes, so too the growth of the number of lay teachers. Over the decades, we see the numbers of women on the faculty increase and so too their positions within the school reflecting changes in society. As these photos attest, for some, time stood still, for others the loss of hair would seem to have been fairly dramatic! In charting our journey through the evolution of Delbarton’s Archway, we should end by understanding just how far we have come since 1948. From a school that educated 98 boys and included 26 faculty members (primarily the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey), we now attract 650 young men, 130 of them the senior graduating year. The entire yearbook is designed in color throughout, but the tradition of senior pages being black and white still remains. In these modern times, the yearbook evolved far beyond its
original 1940s role. Today, we also view the yearbook as an admissions tool, something that reflects the very best of Delbarton by being the very best in its own right. Last fall, Delbarton 2020 editors embarked on their editorial journey knowing that they too would forge many of the memories that today’s students will recall sometime in the future, and perhaps those of their children and generations to come. While the 2020 Archway was nearly complete by March 16, the date that COVID-19 ended in-person classes for the year, we were able to add an addendum to reflect on this unprecedented year in Delbarton history.
that we pass as we leave Delbarton, finished students. It is appropriate, therefore, that this significant point which marked the beginning and end of our stay at Delbarton should serve as the title of or work: The Archway.â€? From the results of our eorts may succeeding senior classes find encouragement and strength to build ‘The Archway’ as a more stately bridge over the abyss of time and space to unite the members of their classes with each other and with us all who revere Delbarton as our Alma Mater.â€?
The foreword from that inaugural 1948 yearbook, written by the original editors, revealed their journalistic vision for their first edition and for those that were to follow. Their words remain as impactful and relevant today as they were back then: “In this year of Our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and forty eight, Delbarton School sends forth its first graduates from its college preparatory courses. We who have been privileged to be the members of this group wish to give visible form to many fond memories. We have taken as a medium this yearbook. As we entered Delbarton, we came through the archway of the school to come under the influence of the Benedictine monks who were to form our lives. It is through this archway
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“Why I Teach”
By Greg Devine, AP Physics Teacher
Greg Devine joined the faculty of Delbarton School in 1993. Although he spent a couple of years off campus earning a master’s degree at Harvard and teaching a year at Germantown Academy, he has taught at Delbarton in spirit for 25 years. His passion, knowledge, enthusiasm and commitment to excellence are evident in all that his does for the Delbarton community. Greg is the prototypical master teacher and inspires his students to challenge themselves and perform at higher levels. Read his explanation for why he teaches, as filtered through the COVID-19 pandemic…
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I
thought I knew why I teach.
After roughly 25 years in the classroom, I really ought to know. However, the crucible that is the current COVID-19 outbreak has cast doubt on what I thought I knew and has clarified for me the reasons why I teach.
Judith Shapiro, former president of Barnard, as quoted by Andrew Delbanco in his College: What it Was, Is, and Should Be, once told a group of youths, “You want the inside of your head to be an interesting place to spend the rest of your life.” She was speaking, Delbanco says, in praise of a broad, inclusive, general education. It seems to me that such a liberal education (in the non-political sense of the word) has the power to enhance one’s moment-to-moment existence in the world, to make life better. Knowing enough physics – knowing enough anything — to enhance one’s appreciation of life and to add joy to its finite span is a Good because appreciation and joy of life through understanding what we can understand about it is a step along the way toward finding our purpose. Getting a sense for where you are helps give you a sense for why you are there. In contrast, confusion and ignorance tend to be self-reinforcing and metastatic and they rarely breed deeper understanding of why we are a part of the world. Knowing some of the beauty of the inner workings of the physical world and the joy that comes from knowing enhance our understanding of the metaphysical world. Not knowing at least some of this beauty can only ever hold us back as agents who act in the world.
Said another way, knowing physics well enough to appreciate the beauty of the world and to enhance our joy in living in it helps make a businessman a better businessman, a lawyer a better lawyer, a doctor a better doctor, a teacher a better teacher, a priest a better priest and a person a better person. This may be reason enough to learn it, and to teach. But there is more. The act of learning physics, as distinct from knowing the physics itself, is of value. Learning physics involves the challenging mental and emotional work of finding how to be patient with oneself, of discovering creativity in thought, of confronting one’s intellectual and personal limits, of glimpsing one’s intellectual and personal potential (which may be greater than previously known), of dealing with failure, of dealing with more failure (physics can be tough!) and of coping with success, amongst many other trials. The trial of learning something challenging is its own crucible in which – to stretch the analogy – sources of weakness are burned off and personal strength remains. So the benefits of knowing and of learning physics further one’s understanding of oneself and help build personal character. This was, or so I thought, primarily why I teach physics: for the benefits paid to students by knowing and by the struggle of coming to know. They are still two of the key reasons why I teach but I must admit now, in light of the challenges of our current condition as a world of people, to a much more selfish, shallow and unenlightened reason why I teach. There is something I deeply miss right now: the minute-to-minute, face-to-
“Getting a sense for where you are helps give you a sense of why you are there.”
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WHY I TEACH
Greg is also a gifted musician and director, and former Director of the Delbarton Jazz Ensemble. Here, he directs the Wind Ensemble during the 2017 Delbarton Christmas Concert.
In 2019, Delbarton’s engineering and robotics team of John Siegel ‘20, Zach Vincent ‘21 and Jack Nelson ‘20, earned 1st Place at the Panasonic Creative Design Challenge. The team was coached by AP physics teacher Greg Devine, assisted this year by physics teacher Bob Bitler, on left. Our robotics teams earned ten wins in the “modern games”. In 1996, Delbarton entered its first CDC competition and won two or three titles in what Devine calls the ‘ancient era’. Panasonic took a hiatus from offering the competition in the early 2000’s, then resumed the CDC. Panasonic CDC took 2020 off, so Delbarton organized the first Delbarton Robotics Invitational until COVID-19 closed us down.
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face interaction with my students when we all are physically at school. Be assured: COVID is teaching me less selfcentered lessons too, but for the purposes of responding to the specific prompt of why I teach, the fact of this selfish longing must be acknowledged. I miss the student who wanders into my office unannounced with a new thought or question on physics, engineering, math, music or… anything. I miss the brief yet serendipitous hallway encounter with a student that reveals that he is having either a great day or a tough day. I miss those frequent tenths of a second in class when I can tell that a student has attained a new degree of understanding, or just as often, that more time is needed for that understanding to come and that I have a challenge on my hands as teacher. The heart of a day at Delbarton for me lies in the emergent, almost magical phenomenon that occurs when we attain a critical mass of youthful energy in one localized, physical space. It is afforded only by being together in one another’s presence. Stars do this: when a cloud of hydrogen atoms in space attains great enough density, it undergoes spontaneous gravitational collapse, a sudden and dramatic increase in density, extreme self-heating, and nuclear fusion starts. A day at Delbarton is something analogous to that. Something like magic happens. As useful as Zoom, Google Meets, Schoology and email are as substitutes for the superficial, pragmatic characteristics of a day of school, like the transmission of information and the holding of scheduled meetings, our current forced experiment in online
schooling lacks the essential but currently impossible component of physical proximity of students and teachers and the associated potential for spontaneity, serendipity and emergent phenomena. I see this proximity as essential to the thing that is Delbarton. We are doing the best we can given the moment at hand. I know that I teach first because Delbarton is a place we come together for real. Greg Devine invites former students back to inspire younger Delbarton brothers. In 2015, plasma physicist and engineer Umair Siddiqui ‘06 returned to Delbarton to lecture about the properties of ionized gas.Siddiqui is CTO of Phase Four, a startup that uses plasma to disrupt the world of jet propulsion.
At the Faculty Picnic on September 8, Greg Devine and Fr. Edward Seton Fittin, OSB ‘82 were co-recipients of the 2017 Delbarton Trustee Award for committed service to the School.
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On May 1, the eve of seniors' final week of classes, Religious Studies teacher Sarah Loveday delivered the following remarks to the Class of 2020 during a virtual Morning Meeting...
Seniors — it seems hard to believe that you will be done with high school in one week. I know that this is not what you had expected for your third term of senior year. Please know that this is not what we wanted for you. You’ve worked so hard, and I wish that you were able to throw Frisbees and footballs in the Senior Garden in the spring sunshine. You deserve that. I’m here to remind you this morning that your membership in this community continues when classes end. Your membership in this community is lifelong. The people in this school, the people in your class, have a special claim on you, and will for the rest of your life. We know you in a way that no one else will ever know you...because we’ve watched you grow up. And what a privilege that has been. The beauty of the Benedictine emphasis on stability is that no matter where you go next, wherever you go in this life, you have a home here...you have roots here. And when the world levels you, cuts you down so deep you don’t know if you’ll be able to recover, you can count on the people in this community to remind you of these roots, show you where the light
shines, and steady you until you are sturdy enough to grow again. This idea of enduring brotherhood, of rootedness, of Delbarton together, Delbarton forever, might feel like an abstraction to you right now. But I guarantee you that it is real. I’ve experienced it myself, so I’ll tell you exactly what it looks like. Most of you know that I have three little boys—Bobby is five, Neeley is three, and Flynn who just turned two. If you’re in my classes right now, you’ve probably seen them—they’ve Zoom bombed and made some pretty epic cameos. You might not know that my youngest, Flynn, has a rare lung disease. He spent the first five weeks of his life hooked up to machines in the hospital because he couldn’t breathe on his own. It was absolutely terrifying and overwhelming. I felt during those five weeks in the NICU the same way that a lot of us have felt during this shutdown—anxious, exhausted, angry, devastated, confused, unstuck in time, restless— the one thing I did not feel (and it was the saving thing) was alone. During my lowest low, my family went above and beyond to support and protect us. And my Delbarton family did, too. I felt the far-reaching embrace of this community. So many of Flynn’s nurses, doctors, and specialists were Delbarton alums and Delbarton parents. Cathy Sawtell, an angel on earth, a Delbarton mom and an incredible nurse and director in the NICU, checked in on us at the start and end of every one of her
A COVID-19 Faculty Farewell By Sarah Loveday
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shifts during our stay. For those five weeks, she sat with me during her coffee breaks and lunch hours, and we would hold Flynn, and talk about our children and the dreams we had for them, talk about this school, how special it is, how lucky we felt to be part of it. It became kind of a joke in the hospital that Flynn had an entourage, because doctors and nurses who were not assigned to him would check up on him so frequently, out of concern for him but also out of love for the thing we had in common—this special school that shapes and sustains us, this second and true home. That’s what this community does so often and so well, we look out for each other, we lend each other strength when we most need it— that’s what it means to be Green Wave for life. And you will experience this yourself in big and small ways, in celebrations and in sad times—I promise you that. Flynn’s journey is ongoing—he will have pulmonary issues for the rest of his life. He has been hospitalized eight times for respiratory distress, and each time, my colleagues covered my classes without a question and my students worked hard despite my absences. Members of this mighty Wave have dropped dinners off at my doorstep, showed up at the hospital with pizza, sat with us in hospital rooms to watch Flynn breathe. People in this community prayed for us, said Mass for us, texted us, emailed us, wrote us notes of encouragement, offered to babysit, offered to help in whatever ways they could. I will never be able to adequately express my gratitude for all of this love and support.
something so special, your final term together, to keep my son and others like him safe during this pandemic. On behalf of all families who are safeguarding someone vulnerable, thank you. I know it hasn’t been easy. I know it hasn’t always been fun. But standing in solidarity with the poor and vulnerable is the hard work we are called to do as Christians. Prioritizing the common good above our own self-interest is always an act of hope, faith, and justice. It is what heroes do. It is what true leaders do. It is what you have done so beautifully these last few weeks. We may not be able to celebrate you in person next week, but we are cheering you on, and we will celebrate you and history will celebrate you in a unique way. You will be remembered and celebrated for embodying all that this school stands for— for putting the other guy first, for rising to the challenge, for overcoming this adversity together. You are entering adulthood at a time when the world is most in need of leaders who can listen with the ear of their hearts and work together for a greater good. You give me hope for the future. You are destined for greatness, there is no doubt. But you are also, more importantly, destined for goodness. I speak for the faculty when I say that we miss you and that we are so, so proud of you. You have one week left—make it count, and end strong.
So Seniors—please hear me when I say that there are no words to thank you for sacrificing
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Virtual Delbarton: Coping with COVID-19 By Jessica Fiddes
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N FEBRUARY 27, 2020, DELBARTON hosted a meeting with communications directors from independent schools in the area. Coronavirus, a contagious disease with origins in Wuhan, China, was the top agenda item. The virus had spread to Italy. Should schools cancel spring break trips to Europe? Many already had.
The following morning, a small group of Delbarton administrators met with Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd. Spring break would begin later that afternoon, and he needed to decide about a schoolsponsored ski trip to the French Alps. The day before, another spring break trip had flown to Reykjavik, Iceland.* Reviewing data and government advisories, Fr. Michael approved the trip to France. Before adjourning, we discussed a February 26 Wall Street Journal front page story on the two-month closure of Hong Kong Schools due to Coronavirus. Such a prolonged interruption of classes seemed inconceivable to us then. Given the news from Hong Kong, we needed to prepare. In the best-case scenario, Delbarton would conduct the pandemic equivalent of a fire drill. In the worst case, we would need to deliver online classes to our students. Fr. Michael formed a COVID Management Team (CMT) and encouraged members to gather facts while Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs Josh Hartle asked teachers to plan for distance learning.
site link to families and announced that classes would resume as scheduled on the following Monday, March 16. Symbolizing how quickly the situation deteriorated, the very next day, Thursday, March 12, after consulting with administrators and experts, including current parent Dr. Raza Ahmed P’22, a member of a pharmaceutical industry task force who helped us separate fact from fiction, Fr. Michael emailed the community again, this time to suspend classes for the next two weeks. Delbarton students would now be out of school for a month. On the following day, NJ Gov. Phil Murphy closed all New Jersey schools until March 30 and assumed responsibility for deciding when state schools, including Delbarton, could reopen.
*All spring break trip participants returned safely and in good health.
The disease now had a new name, COVID-19, assigned by the World Health Organization (WHO) whose DirectorGeneral Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters, “We had to find a name that did not refer to a geographical location, an animal, or an individual or group of people. It’s also easy to pronounce.” Fr. Michael hosted four alumni receptions in Florida during spring break while leading his CMT team from a distance. On March 11, Delbarton launched a COVID19 site on the School website offering facts and FAQS. Fr. Michael emailed the
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VIRTUAL DELBARTON
Welcome to Virtual Delbarton Delbarton teachers swung into action and prepared to educate 608 students remotely and on March 16, distance learning began at Delbarton, directed by a CMT team that met virtually twice each week. The mood was upbeat, and teachers and students exhibited the adaptability and resilience suggested by our School motto Succisa Virescit, cut
down it grows back stronger, which seemed perfectly designed for what was to come. By Thursday, we knew we had an issue. Weekly student and parent surveys were built into our plan, and Week 1 feedback from students and parents made it clear that teachers — who were surveyed too — had assigned too much work. “Distance learning is a substitute, not an equivalent, for being in the classroom every day,” Fr. Michael reminded faculty 44
DELBARTON TODAY
members. Boys needed more virtual class time to interact with their teachers and classmates, and more breaks from their computer screens. In less than 24 hours, Delbarton devised a more structured distance-learning program that mandated twice per week in-class sessions using Google Meets, Zoom and other live streaming platforms. Tests and assessments were more limited and, while expectations for student performance remained high, the pressure
was relieved. Freshman Projects were cancelled, lengthy research papers were shelved and, several weeks later, final exams at Delbarton were cancelled. After some initial confusion, the College Board pivoted to offer optional online AP testing. As COVID-19 continued to spread, life changed radically. By March 28, the contagion had reached 151 countries and even unaffected areas of the United States shut down to protect citizens from exposure. Parents worked from home,
colleges closed, sending their students home. In some cases, Delbarton students were tutoring their younger siblings. The Governor ordered all nonessential businesses to shut down. Everyone else needed to shelter in place at home. At first, grocery stores ran low on toilet paper, meat, bread and other basics until the supply chain caught up with demand. New York and New Jersey soon became the epicenter of COVID-19. Elective surgeries were postponed while hospitals were inundated with COVID-19 cases. The school closure hit Delbarton seniors hard, and this was especially true for spring athletes who looked forward playing for the Green Wave one last time. At first, the governing organization NJSIAA suggested a season might be possible. In early May, the spring season was cancelled, a blow not softened by the fact that everyone who made the cut for a Delbarton spring team would earn a varsity letter. “As a student I dislike this. As a senior, I hate it,” wrote one member of the Class of 2020 in the weekly survey. Meanwhile, student leaders, led by Student Body President Rohan Amin ’20, swung into action to relieve boredom at home. They organized virtual activities including an NHL Xbox tourney and group movie nights via a Netflix party app. The Lacrosse team hosted virtual group yoga sessions and met regularly with Coach Kovachik via Zoom. Campus Ministry leaders posted reflections and live-streamed Masses. Research in Science Club hosted virtual calls with professors and authors to talk about astrophysics, bioethics and COVID-19. Environment Studies welcomed alumnus Tim Siegert, PhD from Tufts spoke
virtually about COVID-19 vaccine and drug development. Ben Conrod ’20 and Matt Pfundstein ‘20 opened a Delbartonseniors2020 Instagram account and created a photo salute to each member of their class.
Communication was Key Strong communication was a top priority, and Fr. Michael and his team used surveys, and live-streamed meetings with Q&As to great effect. He posted a prayer on YouTube each morning and hosted virtual Morning Meetings every Friday that included Guidance Director Matt D’Urso, student leaders, and alumni guest speakers like Jack Kielty ’16, Pat Glory ’18 and John Paciga ‘18. Most importantly, he answered questions live. Over a thousand students, parents and teachers attended the first virtual Morning Meeting where D’Urso advised students to avoid a ‘snow day mentality’. Instead, he said, be intentional. “Impose structure on your day, take breaks, and use that time to decompress. Get a change of scenery, go outside, and maintain healthy habits: eat well, get enough sleep, physical activity.” Fr. Michael opened the Week 6 meeting with a video message of support for the Class of 2020, produced by members of the Delbarton Alumni Association Board. DelEX founder Tom Brady reported that DelEX, our externship program for rising seniors, would happen virtually by matching alumni and parent mentors for group Zoom calls with rising seniors in the Class of 2021. Fr. Michael also conducted bi-weekly virtual calls with teachers and administrators. During the first call, he thanked teachers for their survey responses saying, “We are flying blind in many ways. We rely on updates from you and your
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VIRTUAL DELBARTON
lives to confirm that we’re on track.” Technology Integration Specialist Rob Flynn also hosted daily calls with teachers to problem-solve tech and teaching issues, and created a virtual Teacher’s Lounge where educators could share their collective wisdom. In their online classes, teachers hosted guest speakers, challenged students to contests and confirmed that boys were surviving in and out of their virtual classrooms. Online class attendance was mandatory, so teachers and guidance counselors knew immediately if a boy were struggling. Very few did, and Delbarton guidance counselors remained available around the clock to help guide them. Surveys kept us constantly connected to our students’ thoughts and feelings. One student wrote, “When we have morning meetings, Fr. Michael does an excellent job of informing the students on what is going on. He is being honest so we are informed and safe.” Another wrote, “I think the school has done an amazing job at responding quickly to issues brought up by the students.”
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In Week 3, we launched the Virtual Delbarton hub on Delbarton.org to consolidate schedules, grading, and guidance news, including advice on Zoom etiquette (no PJs, please). That week, 100% of parent respondents checked Agree or Strongly Agree to the statement ‘The administration provided the necessary information regarding school operations during Week 3 of the school closure’. One parent with four children in three schools wrote, “Of the three schools, Delbarton has done the best in terms of flexibility and adapting each week to improve the student experience by putting reasonable limits on the workload and giving the students their assignments in advance.” So too, our young men impressed us with their resilience and creative problemsolving skills. When Delbarton cancelled its 38th consecutive Delbarton Blood Drive, student organizers led by Andrew Madonna ’20 promoted a virtual Blood Drive, and Alumni Board member John Ferramosca ’05 talked the Hanover Marriot into open a reception room to
From Lacrosse team get togethers to Alumni Assocation board meetings, and everything in between, Virtual Delbarton found ways to be together and connect during the COVOD-19 pandemic.
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9:00am, again in response to survey feedback. People appreciated that extra half hour every morning. Some boys ate lunch virtually with their friends. Many played board games with their families. D’Urso said, “After sixteen years together, maybe I’ll finally beat my wife in Scrabble.” He spoke about how all were coping with uncertainty, and a lack of control. When will school resume? When can I play my sport? Will someone in my family get sick and even, possibly, die?
accommodate the Drive. Podcaster Hayden Kim ’22 interviewed freshman Matthew Dooley ’23 and senior Hayden Baumee ’20 on life as distance learners. There would be no 2020 Delbarton Science Fair – until Research in Science Club members led by Will Li ’20 designed an online virtual Science Fair and invited other area high schools to join in. The April 27 event included 261 participants, 22 schools and was covered on Fox News by Neil Cavuto P’20. The White House posted a congratulatory tweet with a live link to the Virtual Science Fair site. Students needing extra help could login to the virtual Math and Writing Workshops, or tap into the online tutoring platform launched by seniors that matched students to peer tutors via Zoom calls. During Week 4, the school day was pushed back from 8:30 am to
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Participation in bi-weekly grade level student and parent guidance meetings was also strong. Questions were answered quickly and directly. If Fr. Michael or a guidance counselor didn’t have the answer, or the answer was out of their control, they said so. This level of transparency was reassuring for all. On April 20, our virtual New Family Orientation for Class of 2024 and 2026 students and parents was so successful that Fr. Michael suggested we might consider delivering the event via Zoom in the future.
The Disrupted World Outside Outside, people were dying from the deadly disease. Family members tested positive for COVID-19, many were struggling with symptoms, and every headache, sniffle and sore throat was suspect. No one was immune, and the elderly were particularly hard hit. In St. Mary’s Abbey, five monks tested positive for COVID-19 and on April 15, 89-year-old Fr. Rembert Reilly, OSB, a beloved member of the monastic community and the Delbarton Advancement office,
died from complications of the virus. Br. Jonathan Hunt, OSB also died, possibly from COVID-19 complications, and a third monk was hospitalized. To the immense relief of all, Fr. Michael tested negative for the disease. Many Delbarton families helped others. Mothers sewed facemasks for hospital staff, families donated food to soup kitchens, and Delbarton delivered its Lenten Food Drive donations to Paterson ahead of schedule. John Tompkins P’20 of JT’s Confections donated 1100 chocolate cello bags of handmade chocolates to medical staff at Morristown Medical Center. Dr. Shreni Zinzuwadia P’20,’22, an ER physician in three area hospitals, put out a call for bleach wipes when a Union, NJ hospital ran low, and hosted a Zoom call to answer parents’ questions. Several alumni, Pete Gargiulo ’06 and Joe Colangelo ’03, collaborated to deliver grocery staples to people using Colangelo’s BoxCar parking app platform.
plans were still up in the air — maybe June… possibly July — but Delbarton was determined to create a special celebration weekend for the Class of 2020. One thing was certain: we were committed to honoring this class and their families in person and on campus. On April 17, Murphy extended the school closure until May 15, a decision, but not a conclusive one, and we were still in limbo. On May 4, he finally cancelled in-person classes at New Jersey schools for the rest of the school year.
Delbarton mothers cancelled their main fundraiser, the Cosmopolitan Club Fashion Show, and then delivered their silent auction online. “Nothing was stopping them”, said Danielle Piazza, a CCS fundraising consultant who used our parents and alumni as an example of resilience and creativity during the COVID crisis. She observed that the Delbarton community leveraged technology, increased communications, affirmed the School’s mission, motivated its members and showed empathy and kindness. “You’re an example of what to do at a time like this,” said Piazza. “Everyone at Delbarton should take pride in that.”
These uncertainties and lack of control made a tough job even more difficult for those in charge. “Serving as Headmaster during the COVID-19 pandemic has been the most challenging experience of my 30 years in education,” says Fr. Michael. “We have had to reinvent or reengineer so much of what we rely on as routines in schooling. I have been incredibly blessed by the Crisis Management Team that we assembled back in March, made up of staff members from across the Delbarton School enterprise. Together, we have met twice weekly to consider the information we gathered through weekly surveys of students, parents, and faculty, to adjust regularly our “Virtual Delbarton” program to best meet the needs of our students and staff. Our team’s creativity and willingness to do whatever was needed for our young men and teachers has been a regular inspiration to me.”
The CMT brainstormed how to deliver senior class events. Prom and graduation
In the 80-year history of Delbarton, the COVID-19 pandemic was without
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Delbarton COVID-19 Management Team Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. Headmaster Chuck Ruebling ’79 Assistant Headmaster for Student Affairs Deirdre McAuliffe, RN School Nurse Jessica Fiddes Director of Marketing & Communications Josh Hartle Assistant Headmaster for Academic Affairs Dr. Matt D’Urso ‘96 Dean of Guidance Dr. David Donovan Dean of Admissions Dan Whalen Director of Athletics Craig Paris ‘82 Assistant Headmaster for Advancement Dr. David Hajduk Director of Mission & Ministry Mike Rosenhaus ‘80 Director of College Counseling Mike Pellechio Business Manager Michel Rimpel Director of Building and Grounds Rob Flynn Technology Integration Specialist Dr. Raza Ahmed P’22 Director of Global Medical Affairs AbbVie, Inc. COVID-19 Task Force
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question the School’s greatest challenge. We shared this crisis with the entire country and, in fact, with a disrupted world. Life had changed, perhaps for a long time. As a member of the CMT, I can attest to the intense commitment of Delbarton administrators and teachers to the cause of keeping our students safe, educated and mentally healthy. Fr. Michael was a consistent and exemplary leader, never wavering from his sharp focus and sane perspective. It wasn't easy. "Even in dark moments of fear, I have been led back to hope when I consider how our students and staff are committed to one and other and to Delbarton," he says. "In this sense, the COVID-19 pandemic has been a graced moment for me when I have experienced God’s presence on our community and in my life in particular.” Repeatedly, our students surpassed our expectations for how young men would navigate the utter upheaval of their lives
and expectations. Teachers developed new tactics, balanced family time with jobs, and worked extra hard to keep their students' spirits up. Parents were understanding, tolerant and pitched in any way they could. Our alumni were exceptionally supportive, attesting to the authenticity of the long green line of Delbarton graduates. Delbarton will emerge from the COVID19 pandemic stronger, more connected, and more prepared than ever before, with a new awareness of the fragility of life. Fr. Michael opened his second virtual morning meeting saying, “This won’t last forever, just longer than you’d like,” then encouraged students to demonstrate their resilience reminding them, “Like so many things that we do, we do it together.” One young man spoke for our entire community when he commented in a weekly survey, “I just want to go back.”
What We Learned n We discovered tools, like Zoom calls for guidance meetings, that made it easier to communicate virtually. n We appreciated the adaptability and collegiality of our teachers, and the resilience, grit and humor of our students, families and alumni. n We connected thru surveys, hosted live-streamed Q&As to give everyone a voice. n We confirmed that online never can replace in-person interaction. As Fr. Michael said, distance learning is a substitute, never an equivalent. n We affirmed the authentic power and reach of our Delbarton community. And we valued it now, more than ever.
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By Br. William McMillan, OSB
Abbot Elias Appointed Bishop By Rt. Rev. Edward Seton Fittin, OSB, Prior
Abbot Richard Cronin and the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey are delighted to announce the appointment by the Holy Father, Pope Francis, of Abbot President Elias R. Lorenzo, O.S.B. as auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Newark, and titular bishop of Tabuda. This announcement was made at noon today, by His Eminence, Joseph Cardinal Tobin, C.Ss.R., metropolitan archbishop of Newark. Abbot Richard Cronin, Prior Edward Seton Fittin and Br. Paul Diveny were present for the announcement and luncheon that followed. Also present were Abbot Melvin Valvano, of Newark Abbey, and Sr. Mary Feehan, prioress of St. Walburga Monastery, Elizabeth. Bishop-Elect Elias is one of three named as auxiliary bishops of the archdiocese, along with Reverend Michael A. Saporito, and Reverend Monsignor Gregory J. Studerus, both priests of the archdiocese of Newark. Cardinal Tobin said at the announcement: “The Holy Father gives new impetus to this local Church as we continue to walk forward in faith. I am delighted to share my responsibilities with these three dedicated missionary disciples.” Auxiliary bishops support the archbishop in the pastoral care of the archdiocese. Together with Bishop Manuel Cruz,
each of the auxiliary bishops will have particular responsibility for the life and mission of Church in one of the four counties that comprise the Archdiocese. A date for the episcopal ordinations is yet to be determined. Following the Cardinal Tobin’s announcement, Bishop-Elect Elias made the following statement: “My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, in his Rule for monks, St. Benedict teaches that when a monk is presented with a new task, even if he thinks that task is impossible, trusting in God’s help he must in love obey (RB 68). The task set before me today is not impossible at all, because I will have the blessing and support of so many of you.
Benedictine monks have been serving side-by-side with you in parochial and educational apostolates in the Garden State since 1838. It seems Pope Francis thinks you need one more monk. Therefore, in filial devotion and obedience to His Holiness, Pope Francis, the Vicar of Christ, I have accepted this call to service. I am also encouraged to have so many good teachers and mentors in the Cardinal, Bishops, priests, consecrated women and men, and dedicated lay faithful of this great archdiocese. As the first American Abbot Boniface Wimmer, often said, “Forward, always forward, everywhere forward!” Finally, to my family and monastic community who have nurtured and encouraged me over many years, I wish to express my sincere gratitude. With the help of so many of you, my brothers and sisters, we set out to cultivate this local vineyard in the Joy of the Gospel. Please pray for me, as I will for you. Thank you!” Bishop-elect Elias was born in Brooklyn, where he attended St. Agatha Parish Elementary School (Sunset Park) and Cathedral Prep (Fort Green), before pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Don Bosco College Seminary in (continued on page 52)
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(continued from page 51) Newton, NJ. He entered Saint Mary’s Abbey, Morristown ,in 1983, making his first monastic profession on March 21, 1985. He was ordained a priest on June 24, 1989. Bishop-elect Elias holds a Master’s degree in Liturgical Theology from St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minn., a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology from Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, and a Licentiate in canon law from The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC. Bishop-Elect Elias has more than 30
years of experience in secondary school education and administration at Delbarton School, serving as director of campus ministry, teacher and chairman of the Religious Studies Department, member of the Board of Trustees, and Vice President for Development. In the monastery, Bishop-elect Elias served as Director of Liturgy, Prior, and Rector of the Abbey Church. He also served as chairman of the Paterson Diocesan Liturgical Commission and Vicar for Religious in the Diocese of Metuchen. He was canonical counsel for Praesidium, Inc. in the
Tim, in consultation with Abbot Richard, assumed the religious name Brother Finnbar. St. Finnbar was an Irish monk of the 6th century most known for founding the city of Cork. He was famous as a teacher, especially of monks, and he is still the patron of the University College Cork. Timothy was born on August 8, 1991 in Poughkeepsie, NY to Timothy
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Additionally, for the global Benedictine Confederation, Bishopelect Elias served at the Badia Primaziale of Sant’Anselmo Rome as Prior of the monastic community, and the procurator- general. He is a founding member of the International Commission for Benedictine Education, an association of 180 secondary schools (continued on page 53) Delbarton School from 2017-2019.
On Saturday, March 21, 2020 (The Transitus of St. Benedict), postulant Timothy McEvoy was received into the novitiate by Abbot Richard Cronin, OSB and the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey. Near the end of his postulancy, members of the Community voted on whether to receive Tim as a novice. During the rite of reception, he received a copy of The Rule of St. Benedict, and the Benedictine cassock and scapular.
development of national standards to respond to the sex abuse cases, and currently serves on its advisory board.
"I want to thank the community of St. Mary's Abbey and Delbarton School for supporting me throughout my discernment,” Br. Finn said. "The monks and families continue to encourage me in seeking Christ above all things. I look forward to praying with you all in the time to come.”
McEvoy and Doreen Binns, also the parents of Meghan, Kristin, Shannon, and Brendan. He graduated Lafayette Township High School and High Point Regional High School, received his Bachelor’s Degree from The Catholic University of America, and his Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Notre Dame. From 2013-2017, Timothy taught at Bishop Kenny High School in Jacksonville, Florida, before joining the faculty at
Br. Finn will continue to take classes, engage in work, and live in the novitiate under the care and supervision of Formation Director Fr. Hilary O’Leary, OSB. Although he makes no vows, Br. Finn promises to live according to the Rule of St. Benedict. If he wishes to leave the monastery, he has the freedom to do so at any time. The length of novitiate is one year and one day. Please join us in congratulating Br. Finnbar and praying for his perseverance!
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(continued from page 52) in 36 countries. In 2016, he was elected Abbot President of American Cassinese Congregation, an association of 25 Benedictine monasteries in the United States, Puerto Rico, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Mexico, and Taiwan, numbering 650 monks. This is a great honor for the Benedictine Order, especially in the United State, and for St. Mary’s Abbey, Delbarton. Bishop-elect Elias can be assured of our prayers for him. Ad multos annos!
Let Us Remember
Prior Edward Seton Fittin, OSB gave a talk entitled “Forgiveness is Possible” at St. Joseph Church’s Fall Communion Breakfast in Mendham on Saturday, October 19.
Thank you to all who donated goods during the month of November for St. Mary’s Abbey’s Thanksgiving Donation Drive—our mini-van was packed to the gills! Brs. Finnbar and Will delivered the donations to Catholic Charities of Paterson. Your donations went a long way toward helping those in need.
Br. Paul wishes to thank the stalwart group of volunteers who helped with the pruning of the Abbey Orchard. God blessed us with five sunny (but often chilly) Saturdays in a row. Thanks to their help, the apple trees are in better shape than they have been in recent years. It was often hard but rewarding work. A few of the volunteers are pictured here!
“If we believe that Jesus died and rose, God will bring forth with Him from the dead those who also have fallen asleep believing in Him.” 1 Thessalonians 4:14
Mary Patricia Andreas, mother of Greg ‘Boo’ Andreas ’85 Else Benz, mother of Peter Benz ’78, Paul Benz ’81, Chris Benz ’82, and John Benz ’85; grandmother of Alexander Benz ’08, Eric Benz ’12, Michael Benz ’14 and Gabriel Benz ’21 Linda Bright, wife of longtime housekeeping staff member Willie Bright Joseph Davis, father of incoming Chief Financial and Operations Officer Matt Davis P’23, grandfather of Owen Davis ‘23 John C. Holder ’74
Br. Jonathan Hunt, OSB Margaret Jordan, wife of former Delbarton Lay Board Trustee Herb Jordan; mother of John Jordan ’76 and Justin Jordan ‘77 Peter F. Muratore, father of John F. Muratore ‘74, Robert P. Muratore ‘75; grandfather of Thomas R. Muratore ‘12 Frederick Pierce, father of Fred Pierce ’82, father-in-law of Drew Maldonado ’82, grandfather of Kevin Pierce ’13 John B. Poor, Jr, father of Sam Poor ’95 and John Poor ‘97 Fr. Rembert Reilly, OSB
Salvina Rosario, sister of housekeeping staff member Frank Cecala, aunt of housekeeping staff member Anne Marie Cecala Susan Rose, mother of Brant Rose ’88 and Todd Rose ’92 John Austin Ruvane ‘53, grandfather of Alex J. Vrabel ‘10 and Andrew W. Vrabel ‘07 John Donald Tierney, father of Donald Tierney ‘76 and Chris Tierney ‘95; uncle of Frank Lynch ‘76, Mike Lynch ‘78, Lex Crane ‘92, Ryan Crane ‘95 and Tim Plante ‘14 Joseph Tintle ‘70
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Fr. Rembert Francis Reilly, O.S.B. ;
July 3, 1930-April 15, 2020
Francis Roy Reilly was born July 3, 1930 to Anna (née Peters) and Francis Reilly, in Elizabeth, NJ. Francis was baptized at the Church of Blessed Sacrament, July 20, 1930, by Fr. Anthony Goebel, O.S.B., a monk of St. Mary’s Abbey. Francis grew up in a parish staffed by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary’s Abbey, where his monastic vocation was fostered. Francis was the older brother to Adel. Francis graduated from Blessed Sacrament School in 1944, and was enrolled at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School, Newark, from which he graduated in 1948. After acceptance as a candidate for the monastic life at St. Mary’s Abbey in 1948, Francis completed two years of college at St. Vincent Minor Seminary, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, and was sent in 1952, as was the custom, to St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison, Kansas, for his novitiate. He also did coursework at the Benedictine Mission Seminary at St. Paul’s Abbey, Newton, NJ. After profession, July 11, 1953, Frater Rembert, as he would henceforth be known, returned to St. Vincent to complete his college education. In 1956, Frater Rembert received a Bachelor of Arts degree. Frater Rembert completed his theological studies at the St. Mary’s School of Theology, Morristown,
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was often sought out by alumni who stretch across many decades. For many years, too, Fr. Rembert was the moderator of the Fathers and Friends of Delbarton.
and was ordained priest, May 23, 1959, at the Cathedral of St. John the Baptist, Paterson, NJ. On May 31, 1959, Fr. Rembert celebrated his First Mass at his home parish, Blessed Sacrament, Elizabeth, NJ. Since 1955 as a young monk, Fr. Rembert worked faithfully and tirelessly at Delbarton School, Morristown, as teacher, dorm prefect, business manager, and vice president for development.After his ordination, Fr. Rembert also did summer coursework at Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ in guidance, in 1961, and at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana in accounting, in 1966. Until very recently Fr. Rembert continued to be a devoted presence in the school’s development office. During his many decades working in the school, Fr. Rembert rarely missed an alumni gathering, and
In the abbey, Fr. Rembert served as assistant treasurer and treasurer from 1966 to 1995. He served as a weekend assistant in the following parishes in New Jersey: Notre Dame of Mt. Carmel, Cedar Knolls, administered until a few years ago by St. Mary’s Abbey, St. Elizabeth of Hungary, Carteret, and St. Aloysius, Jackson, until a few years ago. Fr Rembert also served as one of the chaplains at the many local convents of Sisters served by the abbey. To his confreres, Fr. Rembert will always be known as a faithful monk, often one of the first to arrive in choir for the Divine Office and the daily Conventual Mass. Fr. Rembert, for much of his priesthood, celebrated Mass privately every day, at which he was nourished and sustained by the Body and Blood of Christ. He was a wise counselor known for his historic memory when the chapter or the council of seniors was discussing a particular matter. Fr. Rembert has been for all of us for more than sixty years one of those monks who could always be found here at Delbarton. His confreres and alums will sorely miss
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his frank presence. One usually knew exactly where Fr. Rembert stood on a particular issue. In recent years, Fr. Rembert’s health slowed him down a bit. A pacemaker gave him a new boost. When his memory began to fail, he moved to the newly renovated assisted living wing of the monastery. It soon became necessary for him to move in the abbey infirmary, where he received devoted nursing care. Fr. Rembert remained, as much as his health allowed, ever-present at meals, the Divine Office and Mass. During the Easter Octave it became apparent Fr. Rembert needed to go to the hospital. In the quiet hours of April 15, 2020, Fr. Rembert passed safely into eternal life. Fr. Rembert took
seriously Our Holy Father Benedict’s dictum in the Prologue, whereby he never swerved from the Lord’s instructions, and faithfully observed his teaching in the monastery until death (cf. RB Prologue, 50). Fr. Rembert was predeceased by his parents, Anna and Francis, and a niece, Muriel Crisanti. In addition to his monastic family, Fr. Rembert is survived by his sister, Adel, and her husband, Ilio Crisanti, and their children: Sharon Soltmann (Thomas), Michael Crisanti (Candace), Cheryl Crosby (Christopher) and Robert (Kim), and ten great-nieces and nephews.
celebrated privately. The Office of the Dead will be sung at 6:45 p.m. Friday, April 17. His body will return to the abbey church on Saturday, April 18, followed by the Funeral Mass (live-streamed) and interment in the abbey cemetery. Donations in Fr. Rembert’s memory to support the abbey capital improvements, health care of the monks or abbey endowment may be made using the following link: https://www.saintmarysabbey.org/support-us.
Abbot Richard and the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey request the customary suffrages for our confrere, Fr. Rembert.
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Fr. Rembert’s obsequies will be
The families of Brs. Will and Finnbar visited the Abbey for Mass and lunch in the Estabrook Dining Hall on Sunday, February 24. Thank you to Sage for catering this event.
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Br. Jonathan Michael Hunt O.S.B. July 17, 1943-April 29, 2020 ; Michael Peter Hunt was born July 17, 1943 to Mary (née Hughes) and Dr. Thomas Hunt, in Elizabeth, NJ, the second of four children. Michael was baptized at Sacred Heart Church, August 15, 1943, by his uncle, Fr. Roderick Hunt, C.P. Michael grew up in a parish staffed by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary’s Abbey, where, no doubt, the seeds for his monastic vocation were sown. Michael attended Bender Memorial Academy, Elizabeth, staffed by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Walburga Monastery, and graduated in 1957. For secondary school, Michael enrolled at St. Benedict’s Preparatory School, Newark, from which he graduated in 1961. After graduation from high school, Michael spent his first two years of college at St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minn. as a candidate for the priesthood for St. Mary’s Abbey, Morristown, New Jersey. He entered the novitiate at St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison, Kansas. A year later, he professed simple vows, on July 11, 1964, receiving the religious name Jonathan. Br. Jonathan completed his college education at St. Benedict’s College, Atchison, graduating in 1966 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philosophy. Br. Jonathan began his theological
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studies at St. Mary’s School of Theology for the next three years, and completed these studies at St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville, Minnesota, and St. Vincent Seminary, Latrobe, Pennsylvania. He earned a Master of Arts in Theology, and was ordained deacon at St. Mary’s Abbey, Morristown, May 24, 1979. While teaching English at Delbarton School, Br. Jonathan received a Master of Arts degree in English from Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ. Always an excellent student, Br. Jonathan would pursue his passion for Sacred Scripture by taking summer courses in the Old and New Testaments, and the Hebrew language at Seton Hall.
In the fall 1973, Br. Jonathan began
a long career teaching at Delbarton School, Morristown. At various times, Br. Jonathan taught English, Latin and in the Religious Studies departments. Most recently, he had been teaching the youngest members of the school, the seventh graders, in a class on the introduction to the Bible. Br. Jonathan approached this with great passion. He loved the Word of God! His class notes were meticulously handwritten and filled numerous spiral notebooks. Br. Jonathan approached all he did meticulously. He even savored every morsel of food. He was especially fond of potato chips and Coca-Cola! For years, Br. Jonathan served in the abbey as lead cantor. God blessed him with an angelic voice. As a deacon, he was particularly serious about his singing of the Exsultet at the Easter Vigil. And he practiced it with determination. As a lover of Scripture, which he studied throughout his life, he proclaimed it devoutly and with conviction. Even as his physical health deteriorated and necessitated his moving to the infirmary, he insisted on attending the Office as often as he could. Although wheelchair-bound, he continued to attend the Sunday liturgy almost to the end of his life. Due to his declining health, it was
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with great sadness that Br. Jonathan had to give up many of his most cherished pursuits, especially teaching. He is long-remembered as a teacher who loved and nurtured his students. One alum from Br. Jonathan’s early days as a teacher, commented, after hearing of his former mentor’s death: “He introduced me to a world of literature that I never knew existed (no, not as a jaded senior...but as a 7th grader full of wonder)!” It is no secret that Br. Jonathan struggled for years with depression, which at times restricted his activity. This caused him not a little frustration. Yet, Br. Jonathan was determined to do his best and forged ahead. Books were a great boon to him in the more sedentary years towards the end of his life. His confreres know well how much Br. Jonathan treasured books. His confreres also know that he read them all, and had an incredible memory! Like the monks of old, Br. Jonathan studied much throughout his life.
Morris Catholic High School hosted Mardi Gras (Like Never Before) on Sunday, February 24, an event that brought together religious brothers, sisters, priests, and high school students interested in the religious life. The group celebrated mass, listened to speakers, participated in activities, and enjoyed pizza. Pictured, from left: Fr. Joe, Br. Will, Br. Patrick Winbush, OSB (Newark Abbey), and Br. Finn!
In 2004, Br. Jonathan celebrated his fortieth anniversary of vows. At the community’s annual jubilee liturgy, Abbot Thomas Confroy said: “Br. Jonathan’s love of the Word has drawn him more deeply into a careful study of the Scriptures, which he shares with his students at Delbarton. Among his many talents, God has given Br. Jonathan a beautiful singing voice, which he uses most effectively to help us all to ‘psallite sapienter’, to sing the psalms wisely, and enhance the monastic liturgy.” May Br. Jonathan now be singing the psalms and dancing with the angels! His parents, Mary and Thomas, and an older brother, Thomas Jr., predeceased Br. Jonathan. In addition to his monastic family, Br. Jonathan is survived by his sister, Margaret A. Vyssotsky of Orleans, Mass., and his brother, Donald R. Hunt and his wife, Ana (Chaviano) Hunt of Hillside, NJ, and his two nieces, Melissa Hunt Daly (Ryan), Jersey City, NJ, and Meghan Jordan (Thomas) of West Union, Iowa, and
Fr. Beatus is happy to report he has survived winter yet again and looks forward to the greening of Delbarton...and he reminds us all of the intercessory power of Our Lady of Perpetual Hope.
Assumption College for Sisters announced that it would honor Br. Paul Diveny, OSB at its annual Caring Basket Gala for his work in education. Unfortunately the event, that was scheduled to take place on March 26, was cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis
their children, Theodore and Eleanor Jordan and Sloan Daly. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Br. Jonathan’s obsequies will be celebrated privately. His body will be received at the abbey church on Monday afternoon, May 4. The Office of the Dead will be sung later that evening at 6:45 p.m. The Funeral Mass (live-streamed) and interment in the abbey cemetery will be celebrated Tuesday, May 5, at 4:30 p.m. Donations in Br. Jonathan’s memory to support abbey capital improvements, health care of the monks or abbey endowment may be made using the following link: https://www.saintmarysabbey.org/support-us.
Abbot Richard and the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey request the customary suffrages for our confrere, Br. Jonathan.
In January, Formation Director Fr. Hilary led a day pilgrimage to St. Patrick's Cathedral with Brs. Finnbar and Will. The Christmas spirit was palpable in the Cathedral, with nativity sets, beautiful flowers, and many people pausing for prayer in busy New York City. Following the Cathedral, the trio were treated to a dinner at the New York Athletic Club.
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faculty update
In December, History teacher Kevin Conn’s paper Lenape Participation in Pontiac’s Rebellion and the Beginnings of Colonial Discontent was accepted for publication in the Journal of the American Revolution. On December 17, 2019, Delbarton Director of Library Services Jonathan Kelly ‘99 was awarded a Master of Arts in English from Arizona State University. On May 20, Assistant Headmaster for Advancement Craig Paris ‘82 spoke at the Graduway Leader Summit, GLS Connect, a live virtual conference.
Tidings Faculty member Tony Negrin and his wife Olga welcomed their son, Leo Anthony Negrin, on February 8, 2020. Former administrative assistant Kristin Albarelli and husband Joe Albarelli ’01 welcomed their daughter Sarah Louise Albarelli on March 7, 2020.
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Jack Nelson ’20 Lectures on Quantum Mechanics On January 27, the Delbarton Research in Science Club was pleased to have senior Jack Nelson ‘20 deliver the fourth talk in its 2019-20 speakers’ series on the mysterious and hard-tofathom subject of quantum mechanics. The speaker series includes outside speakers, alumni, faculty, and for the first time, a student. Jack is a top notch science student who took AP C Physics, and one of the presidents of the Research in Science Club. Jack is also a member of the Delbarton robotics team, a first place winner in last year’s Panasonic Corporation Robotics Design Challenge Competition, and this year competed in the prestigious MIT Battlecode artificial intelligence competition. Next year, he will attend Carnegie Mellon, world leader in physics, robotics, artificial intelligence, and computing. Jack has long had an abiding interest in quantum physics, and has read and studied the subject intensively.
Josh Smith ’90, P’20,’21 Addresses Business & Economics Club On January 28, 2020 Wall Street veteran Josh Smith ‘90, P’20, ‘21 spoke about financial markets with members of the Delbarton Business and Economics Club. He explained the basic framework of the financial system and described money flow: how financial capital needs are matched with capital providers.
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Introducing the NEW WAVE Thanksgiving Food Drive On November 21, Delbarton introduced a new Thanksgiving Food Drive modeled on our successful one-day Christmas Gift Drive. All 35 deaneries (all 608 students in grades 7 through 12) were involved in this massive group effort. During M Block, deaneries met in classrooms, completed forms to document donations, then filled and sealed boxes. Volunteers delivered the cartons to an 18-wheeler parked outside the Science Pavilion where DMG volunteers Diane Brady, Kathy Hager, Sharon Tompkins and Rebecca VanVolkenburgh stood with clipboards, checking in each box while hard-working student volunteers hoisted cartons into the truck.
Christmas Gift Drive
Eighty Delbarton volunteers — students, parents, teachers and alumni — arrived (mostly by bus) at the Straight and Narrow Center in Paterson, NJ on Sunday, December 15 to distribute over 5,000 new toys to 272 families and 747 girls and boys. Our families generously donated over half the toys, and Joe Albarelli ‘01 and the Albarelli family, owners of Amloid, dropped off another 2,400 toys at the Center. Special thanks to the alumni and dads who helped us unload the Amloid truck. This annual Drive is truly a community-wide effort and the highlight of the Christmas season, not only for the families we served, but for all who contributed toys, volunteer hours, food and financial support.
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Parents Share Observations on Diversity & Inclusion at Delbarton
On January 13, members of our Diversity & Inclusion Parent Council shared their observations and perspectives with teachers during a morning Faculty Meeting, then answered questions about their Delbarton experiences and those of their sons. D&I moderators Jenna Gomez and Tony Negrin organized the event, and Admissions Director Dr. Donovan facilitated.
Investment Club Launches in Unprecedented Economic Climate Last fall, with encouragement from Fr. Michael and guidance from the Delbarton Lay Board of Trustees Investment Committee, Delbarton launched its first Investment Club, a group charged with investing $20,000 in seed money from the Delbarton endowment fund. In May, the Investment Club issued an annual report that included market recaps, trades, graphs, analysis and even a Political Risk Subcommittee addendum on the 2020 US Presidential Election. Prior to COVID-19, the Club portfolio outperformed all indexes and, despite the pandemic, remained relatively flat from its inception to date. As the Annual Report put it, â&#x20AC;&#x153;It has been a historic 9 months, and to come out of it relatively unharmed is clearly a positive result.â&#x20AC;?
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Mark Hammitt ’03 Addresses AP Macroeconomics Students On October 25, Delbarton AP Macroeconomics seniors welcomed back Mark Hammitt ‘03, who visited with each of the four AP Econ sections and shared financial market expertise, career advice, and trading insights with
our young men. An expert in ETFs, Mark is currently a portfolio manager at Weiss Multi-Strategy Advisers where he specializes in Fixed Income products.
Delbarton Receives Catholic Charities Award
On November 2, the Catholic Family and Community Services Award was presented to Delbarton at the Caritas Gala, an annual celebration hosted by Catholic Charities of Paterson. Campus Ministry Director Dr. David Hajduk accepted the award at a dinner event that took place at
the Birchwood Manor in Whippany, NJ. The Caritas Gala is Catholic Charites of Paterson’s annual celebration of the people it serves, and the individuals and institutions that are making a difference in their lives. The award was in recognition for Delbarton’s annual Christmas Gift Drive.
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Research in Science Club hosts Dr. Jeff Headd ’99 of Janssen Pharmaceuticals On November 13, the Research in Science Club hosted the second speaker in its new science speaker series for this year: Dr. Jeff Headd ‘99. After Delbarton, Dr. Headd studied computational biology at Brown and Duke Universities. He is now the director of commercial data science at Janssen Pharmaceuticals where his team applies data science across the entire company to help develop and test new medicines and other products.
AP Macro Class Transformed Into ‘Live’ Trading Desk On January 15, the Ryan Crane ‘95 Business Center was transformed into a ‘live’ trading desk, thanks to the generosity and talents of Paul Shea P’23. Shea, managing director at investment bank Raymond James, explained risk arbitrage to all four sections of AP Macroeconomics and used Bloomberg technology to illustrate how his team analyzes the risks, values, and opportunities of corporate mergers. When a confident AP Econ student developed a bullish opinion, Shea called his trading desk: “Buy 1 million shares of Sprint at 4 spot 91 with 2 cents of room!” The boys were thrilled to see the Delbarton order on Bloomberg’s chat feed and follow its execution.
Meet the Spanish Language Power Triangle In January, Leo Cooley ‘20, Alex Varughese ‘20, and Angel Morataya ’20 were celebrated for the leadership and initiative they demonstrated through their work on the Spanish Honor Society-sponsored programs. Both the Mentorship program (assisting younger students with homework and test prep) and the Delbarton ESL program (students teaching English to Spanish speaking maintenance and dining hall staff members) benefited from the hard work and perseverance of these three young men.
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Will Li ’21 Accepted for MIT PRIMESUSA Program Junior William Li ’21 , cofounder in 2018 of the very active Delbarton Research in Science Club, is one twenty-one students accepted for PRIMESUSA, a free, year-long math research program sponsored by MIT. Each Primes-USA student works on a year-long original research project in mathematics provided by MIT faculty.
around DELBARTON
Another Delbarton Eagle On December 15, 2019, Matthew Castellano ‘20 celebrated a significant personal milestone: he earned his Eagle Scout Rank at Troop 8 Chatham Borough’s Court of Honor.For his culminating Eagle project, Matthew created and installed bird sanctuaries at Kelley’s Pond and Shepard Kollock Park in Chatham Borough. Apart from scouting, Matthew is a member of the Campus Ministry Team, Senior Editor of the Archway, serves as a Student Ambassador and a Delbarton Arts Council Board member, and plays trumpet in the Delbarton Wind Ensemble. As an Eagle Scout, Matthew continues the tradition of giving back to Troop 8, to St. Mary’s Abbey, and to Delbarton.
Jerry Jabbour ’20 is 2020 Cerasia Award Recipient Senior Jerry Jabbour ’20 is the 2020 recipient of the Cerasia Award, presented this year to a student who exhibited persistence and resilience during his years at Delbarton. He received the award at a Delbarton convocation during a Morning Meeting on February 5. The Cerasia Award is dedicated to the memory of the late Michael C. Cerasia, a member of the class of 1994 who died tragically with his older brother in a boating accident during the summer following his freshman year. His parents, Robert and Carole Cerasia P’94 of North Caldwell, witnessed the presentation as did Jerry’s parents, Jean Jabbour and Jerry Jabbour ’92, and his grandparents and relatives.
Fly-Tying Tutorial On January 24, faculty member and Anglers Club moderator Mike Carr ‘01 offered an outstanding flytying clinic during M Block. Delbarton has a very popular Anglers Club and he is one reason why.
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Admissions Decisions… and Accepted Students Reception On January 17, applicants to Delbarton checked their emails for admissions news, the first time that the School used an e-delivery method. During the following week, accepted students received a new acceptance package in their mailboxes – displayed here by Admissions Director Dr. David Donovan and Fr. Michael — and on January 27, Delbarton Admissions hosted an Accepted Students Reception to welcome new students to the Class of 2024 and Class of 2026!
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Exchange Students from
Glenstal Abbey School In late November, four students from Ireland arrived for the annual Delbarton exchange with Glenstal Abbey School in Limerick, Ireland. Pictured here are Jack Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan, Liam Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Sullivan, Daniel Kennedy and James Cannon with Glenstal moderator Fr. Dennis Hooper, OSB. While state-side, and hosted by Delbarton families, the boys attended a NJ Devils game, visited the Statue of Liberty and enjoyed an overnight in Washington, DC.
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Spring Break Adventure in
Over spring break, Delbarton sponsored an adventure in Iceland moderated by teacher Patrick Finn. Here the group poses with the Green Wave on the Solheimajokull where they saw stunning ice formations and deep crevices formed by the constantly moving massive ice flow.
Late Winter Skiing in
France Delbarton sent a second group to schuss down the French Alps on an excursion hosted by teacher Joseph LaLiberte. Here is the group with the Green Wave on the peak of La Masse 2 in Les Menuires, France after three days of spectacular skiing. Both Spring Break trips returned back to the States safely before the COVID-19 pandemic suspended all travel to Europe.
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Iceland
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Audiences enjoyed three outstanding performances of the Abbey Players production of Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classic comedy Twelfth Night from November 1 to November 3 in the Delbarton Fine Arts Center theater. Young Delbarton actors and visiting thespians from Oak Knoll School, West Morris Mendham High School and Morristown High School created an acting ensemble that masterfully delivered the Bardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s classic.
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Merrily We Roll Along
The Delbarton Abbey Players presented three highly entertaining performances of Merrily We Roll Along on stage in the Delbarton Fine Arts Center (FAC) from Friday, February 7 to Sunday, February 9. The musical is based on the original play by George S. Kaufman |and Moss Hart, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.
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AP Art Exhibit Opens with Reception Both the art and personal statements of Delbartonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nine 2020 AP artists were on display in the FAC this winter. Filled with sketches, paintings, photographs, and more, the exhibition debuted on Tuesday, January 28 with a grand opening AP Art Reception attended by friends, faculty and families.
A Year of Music: Choral and Instrumental Concerts Music at Delbarton Concerts in November, December and February highlighted the talents of Delbarton musicians and vocalists. While COVID-19 cut short our 2019-2020 season, we still managed to celebrate some outstanding concert performances together in the FAC!
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learning around outside
DELBARTON the classroom
Dr. Christopher Thomas Addresses Respect Life Convocation At our annual Respect Life Convocation in the Abbey Church on January 23, the Delbarton community heard a presentation from Dr. Christopher Thompson, an associate professor of moral theology and the Dean at the Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Referring to moments when natural beauty momentarily silence us, he told Delbarton students, “When you are overwhelmed by the beauty of nature, that’s God reaching out and saying ‘here I am, step forward.’ The beauty of creation is the first tutorial in your spiritual life.”
Black History and Culture are Celebrated On the evening of February 28, just before spring break began and COVID-19 struck, Diversity Among Peers (DAP) and our Diversity and Inclusion Parents Council hosted a Celebration of Black History and Culture in Old Main. The event featured art by Jazzmin Imani Cox-Cáceres, a performance by hip hop artist Samad Savage, plus art, trivia, prizes and, of course, some outstanding food prepared and served by Delbarton families.
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Leading at Operation Smile In January, Cameron Krell ’20, front row on right, spent Martin Luther King weekend at Operation Smile Headquarters in Virginia Beach, teaching other students how instruct families around the world about dental hygiene and post-operative care. Cameron and the team led training in dental hygiene, CPR, post-op care, burn care and nutrition. In turn, these newly-taught students will educate the families they meet on their upcoming medical missions.
Omar Edwards Performs On January 29, Delbarton kicked off its month-long salute to Black History Month with a performance by tap dancer Omar Edwards and friends. Edwards explored the history of tap dancing, starting when African American slaves, deprived of drums, creating rhythms with their feet. “Why is tap still around? Why does this art form keep getting better? Because it keeps changing!”
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learning outside
the classroom On January 30, thirty-two members of the Delbarton Research in Science Club visited the American Museum of Natural History for a day full of science. Students and three club faculty advisors enjoyed a 90minute interactive lab Your Brain in Action, then toured Museum exhibits.
Road Trip:
Research in Science Club at Museum of Natural History
Social Justice Workshop Addresses Masculinity
French Club at Moulin Rouge On December 5, five students of French took time oďŹ&#x20AC; from classes to accompanied their teacher Maureen Pearsall to a performance of Moulin Rouge on Broadway followed by an early dinner of French specialties at Marseille.
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On January 31, the freshman class spent a morning in a Social Justice Workshop, led by student leaders, addressing the topic of masculinity. Here, TJ Parekh â&#x20AC;&#x2122;20 leads a discussion on the topic of feminism and how it relates to traditional masculine roles.
learning outside
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Sophomore Retreat at the Romero Center in Camden From December 11-13, as part of the new Delbarton retreat calendar, forty-five sophomores and six chaperones spent several days participating in the Urban Challenge Program at the Romero Center in Camden. The Retreat is designed to expose boys to what life is like for people in need. The Program also provided opportunities to give back in a variety of ways. Fr. Michael, who joined the boys in Camden, said, “I was deeply impressed by the willingness of our students to enter into the spirit of the retreat and to work at their service sites with a cheerful, giving attitude.”
Photography Club Relaunches This year, the Delbarton Photography Club, under the leadership of sophomore Robert Maffucci ’22 (on left), focused in trying as many different subjects and topics as possible, including digital, film, and iPhone photography. The process took Club members on some unique adventures, including a photo walk behind the Green Wave tennis courts where they stumbled upon a (non-poisonous) snake that instantly became the Club’s unofficial mascot.
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AP Macro at Bloomberg On November 20, AP Macroeconomics students accompanied teacher Tom Brady to Bloomberg Tower in Manhattan to tour the Bloomberg TV Studio and learn about externship opportunities. Bloomberg recognizes Delbarton as an experiential learning partner (ELP)as the School integrates Bloomberg terminal exercises into its curriculum through the Ryan Crane ’95 Business Center.
Rutgers Professor Dr. Stephen Tse ‘23 Addresses Research in Science Club In February, Dr. Stephen Tse ’23, Rutgers Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering lectured Research in Science Club members about flame function and microgravity. He introduced the topic of combustion through its evolution in art and mythology. Dr. Tse’s talk was part of the Club’s year-long speaker series.
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Fathers & Friends Headmaster’s Dinner Dance On November 16, Delbarton Fathers & Friends hosted its annual Headmaster’s Dinner Dance. The event took place at the Park Avenue Club in Florham Park…
Guest speaker Michael Johnson ’12 expressed his gratitude to Delbarton parents as he spoke about the impact financial aid had in his life.
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Cosmopolitan Club Fashion Show Succeeds Despite Pandemic
Due to COVID-19, and with less than a month to change course, the DMG rose to the challenge of hosting its first ever virtual Fashion Show. Co-chairs Karen Walsh, Maureen Smart and Laura Davis pulled off a wildly successful event in the middle of the pandemic. Creativity, perseverance and a love of Delbarton enabled the DMG to deliver a donation of $305,000 to this year’s DMG scholarship contribution. DMG President Ava Reynolds P'21 says, "We are grateful to everyone that supported us in our journey. Although the doors of the Cosmopolitan Club never got to officially open, we were all able to bear witness to hard work and efforts by our volunteers!" Despite some unique hurdles, this year the DMG donated $550,000 to support financial aid at Delbarton. The Delbarton Shop also enjoyed recordbreaking sales that contributed to the bottom line.
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On December 15, parents of recent graduates in the Classes of 2019-2015 gathered in Old Main for a little Christmas cheer in an event sponsored by the DMG.
DMG volunteers, led by Sissy Hurley P’22, DMG President Ava Reynolds P’21 and Siobhan Papantonis P’17, ’20,’22, transformed campus with Christmas trees and décor.
The Fine Arts Center was also beautifully decorated by a team of volunteers including DAC President Lynn Alexy P’19,’21,’23, on ladder, and Deirdre Quinn P’14, 20,’23.
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Abbot Richard Cronin, OSB, DPGA Presidents Marlene and John Iaciofano P’99 and DPGA Moderator Br. Paul Diveny, OSB.
On December 5, Delbarton Parents of Graduates hosted its annual Jazz Concert in Old Main…
Jazz Concert Photos by Erin Manahan P’19
Marybeth Tamburro P'18, Mike and Suzie Maguire ’82, P’12,’14,’17,’18, John Tamburro P'18, and Jim Maguire ’79, P’10,’11,’12,’14,’17.
DPGA Moderator Br. Paul Diveny, OSB with Tess Lewis P’03,’13 and Tom and Marylyn McLaughlin P’09,’11,’14,’19.
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Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB, Julie Royse P’17,’19,’22,’24, Jennifer Millar P’19, ’21,’23, Abbot Richard Cronin, OSB, DMG President Ava Reynolds P’21, Nancy Tobin P’19, ’22 and DMG Vice President MaryBeth Savas P’09,’21.
Shop ’Til You Drop Delbarton parents and friends enjoyed a welltimed, perfectly-curated shopping experience at Shop Til You Drop from November 18-20 at Spring Brook Country Club…
Class of 2015 alumni parents enjoy meeting Delbarton friends and doing some early Christmas shopping at this annual Delbarton event. From left, Jen Bray, Allison Murray, and Susan Lodge.
In addition to selling branded gear and accessories, the Delbarton Shop introduced this new collectible Christmas ornament.
Fr. Michael checks out the wares of photographer Charlie Clarke ’03 who did brisk business selling his framed photographs of iconic matchbook covers.
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By Jared Lowy
Jack Alexy Wins 100-Yard Freestyle at Winter Junior National Championships Junior Jack Alexy ’21 traveled to Atlanta, Georgia early December to complete in the Winter Junior National Swimming Championships (18 & under). Swimming for his club team, Somerset Hills YMCA, Alexy swam the 50, 100 & 200 yard freestyle along with the 100 backstroke events. Jack had very successful meet, achieving new personal bests in three of the four events. The highlight of the meet was the 100-yard freestyle where Jack won the National Championship for the second year in a row. Jack’s winning time of 42.87 seconds is the 2nd fastest ever swam by a 16 year old.
Majmudar Brothers Named US Squash Scholar Athletes
Brothers Adam ’20 and Anand Majmudar ’22 earned US Squash Scholar Athlete awards for the 2018-19 school year. US Squash Scholar Athlete Award recognizes high school students who excel in both the classroom and on the squash court. High School students who have a 3.5 or higher GPA at the end of the school year and have played in four US Squash accredited singles tournaments or approved number of SSP matches are eligible to apply for the award. Adam is now a two-time recipient in the Boys Under 17 category while Anand is a recipient in the Boys Under 15 category.
Jessica Fiddes
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Football
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By Jared Lowy
The Delbarton Football team had a very strong season in 2019, finishing the season with a 6-4 record and a home playoff game. The Green Wave, coached by Brian Bowers, opened the season against a new opponent in Landon School in Bethesda, Maryland. The team came away with a close 34-27 victory before heading back to New Jersey for a special showdown with St. Anthony’s.
On September 14, the Green Wave “hosted” St. Anthony’s in the opening game of The Battle For the Bridge at MetLife Stadium. Hosted by the New York Giants, the boys got to experience a wonderful kickoff on Friday night before heading to MetLife Stadium early Saturday morning for their game against St. Anthony’s. Delbarton lead most of the game, but ultimately fell just short to St. Anthony’s 16-14. After another close loss to Woodrow Wilson High School in Camden, the Green Wave began to hit their stride, starting with a big 39-37 triple overtime win over DePaul High School. Lead by the play of quarterback Cole Freeman ’21, receiver Gary Lewis ’21 and linebacker Sean Link ’20, the boys went on to win their next two games including a 24-19 win over Pope John on Homecoming Day. With a chance to win their division, the Green Wave fell just short to rival Seton Hall Prep, losing 16-14 on a last second field goal. With wins over Morristown and Clifton, the Green Wave received a hard-earned home playoff game in the Non-Public, Group 4 opening round against Notre Dame High School. Unfortunately, the Green Wave season came to an end on November 9 as Notre Dame High School defeated Delbarton 34-31. With many key players returning next season, the future remains bright for the Green Wave. Paul Ricciardelli P’19,’21
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Roy Ritchie P’21
Cross Country
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The Cross Country team, coached by new head coach Chuck Johnson, opened the season with high expectations and a great group of seniors to lead the team. Anchored by Stephen Daly ’20, and Harrison Vives ’20, the team finished the NJAC competitions with a 5-1 record with wins over Chatham, Pope John, Morristown, Morris Hills and Mount Olive.
In the invitational portion of the season, the Green Wave improved greatly from last season, earning second place overall at the New Balance Shore Coaches Invitational in Holmdel, while Daly took 1st place in the event.
NJCTC Championships and third place in the NJSIAA Group Championship. With his performance at the Group Championships, Stephen Daly qualified for the Meet of Champions and finished 72 out of 178 at the MOC on November 23 at Holmdel Park.
The Green Wave also performed extremely well at championship time, taking second place overall at the Spring/Summer 2020
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Soccer
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Delbarton Soccer, lead by head coach Dr. David Donovan, opened the 2019 season as the #1 ranked team by nj.com. The team did not disappoint, going 13-0-1 in the regular season, including a span of six games where the Green Wave outscored their opponents 21-1.
Captain Brendan McSorley ’20, lead the Green Wave in scoring, netting 16 goals while chipping in with 10 assists. Junior Curt Calov ’21 had another solid year for Delbarton, scoring 12 goals with 11 assists while cocaptain Ivan Scotto ’20 chipped in with 13 goals and 5 assists. New starting goalie Derek Polanco ’21 anchored the Green Wave in net, making 55 saves on the season. In the Morris County Tournament, the Green Wave defeated Mendham and Chatham before winning a thrilling overtime game 3-2 vs. Morristown in the semifinals. The finals saw Delbarton face an unfamiliar foe in Montville High School. After falling behind 1-0 in the first half, Maximus Cresti tied the game before Luke Geleta ’20 converted a penalty kick to give Delbarton a 2-1 lead in the second half. Montville tied it up 2-2, but only 43 seconds later, McSorley converted a perfect pass from Scotto to give Delbarton a 3-2 lead and the Green Wave their third straight Morris County title and sixth overall in seven years. In the NJSIAA Non-Public A North Tournament, the Green Wave opened with a dominating 7-1 quarterfinal win over St. Joseph Montvale before losing a heartbreaker to Pingry in the semifinals, 1-0. After the season, Brendan McSorley earned 1st Team AllConference, All-County and All-State honors while being named a United Soccer Coaches All-American. Photos by Paul Ricciardelli P’19,’21
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Photos by Andrew Sherwood
Winter Track
Green Wave Indoor Track and Field, coached by Andrew Sherwood, enjoyed another successful winter season on the track. At the Anthony Passarelli Invitational, Jon Nguyen ’20 placed 2nd overall in the 55m shuttle hurdle relay. At the Cliff Back Invitational in January, Nguyen set a personal record in the 55m hurdle and took first place in the 55m dash. On January 11, Stephen Daly ’20 represented Delbarton in the 3200m event at the Stanner Games, coming in first place. Two days later, the Freshman/Sophomore team participated in the county tournament at Drew University, taking home first place overall. At Eastern Sates in mid-February, the distance medley relay team earned 6th place overall, while Elijah Hills ’21 set a personal record and junior indoor school record in the shotput. Stephen Daly ’20 finished his season with an 11th place finish.
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Basketball
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Green Wave Basketball, coached by Dan Whalen, had another successful season on the hardwood, finishing with a 21-5 record, a trip to the Morris County Final and a home state playoff victory. After opening the season with a 65-51 win over Mendham, the Green Wave launched its home schedule with the opening round of the JP Flynn Tournament. After defeating Wayne Valley, Delbarton lost to tournament champion West Morris, but rebounded in the third place game, defeating Mendham once again, 53-41. The team enjoyed a 10-2 run after the tournament, before opening up the Morris County Tournament with a victory over Whippany Park. After its first round win, Delbarton defeated Mendham and Roxbury, setting up another championship round matchup with West Morris. In a packed gym at County College of Morris, Delbarton fell to West Morris 52-48, taking second place honors in the Morris County Tournament. With a 20-4 record, Delbarton earned a home game in the NJSIAA Non-Public A North Tournament. The Green Wave didn’t disappoint, defeating Pingry 61-44. This is the second straight season the Green Wave earned a home state tournament game, winning both. The season concluded on March 6 as Delbarton fell to St. Joseph Montvale 49-47. Senior Jerry Jabbour ’20, who averaged 11 points per game, led his team in field goals made and rebounds. Dean Smith ’20, Isaiah Washington ’20, Rohin Bobba ’21, CJ Kirst ’20 and Gary Lewis ’21 all helped lead Delbarton this season.
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Lisa Mita
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Hockey
Green Wave hockey team, coached by Bruce Shatel, rebuilt this season after appearing in three straight state championship games finishing with a 10-10-3 record overall. The team faced some of the toughest opponents in the state, including Bergen Catholic, Seton Hall Prep, Don Bosco Prep and the eventual state champion CBA. The Green Wave played extremely hard against Seton Hall Prep, defeating the Pirates twice
while outscoring them 6-1. They also recorded big wins over Gloucester Catholic, Malden Catholic, and the Hill School. The team dropped their opening round game in the Gordon Cup Tournament to Gloucester Catholic before rebounding to defeat St. Joseph Metuchen 8-0 in the second round of the NJSIAA NonPublic Tournament. The season would end a few nights later when Gloucester Catholic upset the Green
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Wave 4-3 in overtime. Delbarton was lead this season by seniors Mark Darakjy ’20, J.R. Cagnassola ’20 and Ben Conrod ’20 while junior Brett Cleaves ’21 was solid in net once again, earning third team allstate honors this season.
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Bowling
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Squash
Lisa Mita
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Green Wave Bowling, coached by Kacy Kane, had a successful 2019-2020 campaign. The team earned 51 points, for a 0.520 win percentage. Jeremy Cavuto ’20 and Rafael Muniz ’21 were named to the 2nd All Conference Team this year, and team captain Zac Ambielli ’20 was named as an honorable mention. Muniz competed in every varsity game this year, 42 in all, and put up an astonishing 179 average, with a high game of 234. Ambielli had the high game of the season for the Green Wave with a 246. The team had a number of very close matches against some district powerhouses. The Green Wave was able to earn a victory over Chatham this year and nearly pulled off an upset against Morris Knolls. While several key seniors graduate from the team, the future looks bright with new members, like Andrew Reale ’23, who made significant contributions this year.
Green Wave Varsity Squash, coached by Craig Paris '82, finished the season with a 7-14 record. Playing one of the most competitive schedules in recent years, the team had some big wins over Millburn High School and back-to-back wins on a road trip to Philadelphia against St. Joe's Prep and Radnor H.S. The team competed in the High School Nationals this year in Connecticut, finishing 16th in Division 4, placing them 64 out of 112 teams. Led by seniors Adam Majmudar ’20, Theo Coughlin ’20, Peter Gajewski ’20, and Ivan Scotto ’20 and strong support from seniors Ben Scalero ’20, Shane Stanton ’20, Harry Mason ’20, Aiden Thompkins ’20, and Brandon Liu ’20. Junior Tripp Robinson ’21 and Sophomores Anand Majmudar ’22 and Will Robinson ’22 rounded out the starting line up. Individually, Robinson placed 5th in the N.J. State tournament, and Adam and Anand Majmudar were selected US Squash Scholar athletes.
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NJ.com
Green Wave Ski (22-3), coached by Kevin Malkin, hit the slopes in an unusually warm skiing season at Mountain Creek. After a 2nd place finishes in the Giant Slalom race 1 and 2, the Green Wave earned 1st place in the Giant Slalom race 3. At NJAC Championships, Thomas Johnson â&#x20AC;&#x2122;21 helped lead the way for Delbarton, who took home 2nd place behind Vernon. At the Race of Champions, Mayes finished 8th overall with Thomas Johnson finishing 11th and Evan Dolan 17th overall. Tyler Mayes '20 earned 2nd team all-state honors while Johnson earned 3rd team all-state.
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Wrestling
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Chris Toohey
W I N T E R W AV E Delbarton Wrestling, coached by Bryan Stoll, came into the season with several clear goals, both on the team and individual level. With dominating performances by senior wrestlers and impressive debuts for new members of the Green Wave, the team’s depth became an asset for the Green Wave this season. Delbarton finished the season ranked No. 1 in the statewide Top 20, winning the Morris County Tournament, Non-Public A title, District and Region titles, two state champions and the title of Team of the Year by NJ.com. Anthony Clark ’20 (138lb) continued his dominance on the mat, shaking off an injury- plagued season by winning his third state championship in four years. Clark defeated Will Grater of Bergen Catholic 4-0 in the final after holding off Michael Cetta of St. Joseph 3-2 in the semifinal round. The Princeton-bound senior is one of only 167 wrestlers in the history of NJ wrestling to compete in four straight finals, ending his career at Delbarton with a 140-10 record. Sophomore PJ Casale ’22 returned to the mat after a devastating football injury ended his fall season short with a broken leg. Casale, who came in second place last year in Atlantic City, put together a 41-3 record this year, capped off by a 4-2 decision over #1 ranked Kyle Jacobs in the 220lb final. Casale earned his first state championship and looks to be a force for the Green Wave in the next two seasons. Andrew Troczynski ’22 was a major force for Delbarton all season long, earning a second-place finish in the 145lb class. Dante Stefanelli ’20 also earned second place in Atlantic City after a dominating season that saw him come into the state championships with number 1 ranking. Newcomer Tyler Vazquez ’23 made a big impact for Delbarton at 106lb, taking third place while Nico Nardone ’21 earned third place as well with a dominating 14-3 major decision. Simon Ruiz ’23 (3rd Place) and Joe Davi ’23 were major contributors for Delbarton all season long. 2020 was a remarkable and historic season for Green Wave Wrestling.
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Swimming
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Green Wave Swim, coached by Pat Savidge, once again had a great season in the pool, finishing with a 10-2-1 record overall and a third consecutive Morris County Tournament title. After a big 125-44 win over Morristown Beard to open the season, the Green Wave took on a very tough Mountain Lakes squad. Delbarton swimmers swam their best, ending in a 85-85 tie. After a loss to Chatham, Delbarton went on to win its next seven meets. In the
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Morris County Tournament, Delbarton and Park (Whippany & Hanover) were tied going into the final relay. Delbarton took home second place, defeating Park (5th place) to win our third straight county title. Leading the way this year for Delbarton was junior Jack Alexy â&#x20AC;&#x2122;21. At the County Tournament, Alexy helped anchor the medley relay team, as well as setting a new country tournament
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record in the 100-meter freestyle. Alexy also won the 100-meter backstroke. At the Meet of Champions, he set a meet record with a 20.08 time, winning the 50yard freestyle and won the 100-yard freestyle. With a great core of swimmers returning next season, the future is bright for the Delbarton Swim program.
Eduard Moldoveanu Pâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;22
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National Signing Day On November 13, a record 13 Green Wave athletes signed NCAA Letters of Intent to join collegiate Division I and II athletic programs next fall. The 13 Class of 2020 athletes, their colleges of choice and sport are... Carter Cecil - Lafayette – Lacrosse Jack Cerza - Villanova – Lacrosse Tommy Jepson - Boston University – Lacrosse Patrick Dooley - University of Tampa – Lacrosse Liam Gray - Rutgers University – Lacrosse Cole Krauss - Duke University – Lacrosse William Schwarick - Siena College – Baseball Aidan Kane - University of Delaware – Baseball Mark Darakjy - Northeastern University - Baseball Kieran Calvetti - Bucknell University – Wrestling Luke Chakonis - Duke University – Wrestling Luke Geleta - Drexel University – Soccer Brendan McSorley - Providence College - Soccer Their families and coaches witnessed the signing which took place in the Fine Arts Center at Delbarton School. Soccer Coaches David Donovan, Josh Hartle and Mike Del Guercio were on hand along with Baseball coaches Bruce Shatel and Tony Negrin, Lacrosse Coach Matt Kovachik and Wrestling coaches Bryan Stoll and Rick Cimino.
Lukas Ungar ’20 Signs National Letter of Intent On December 18, Lukas Ungar ’20 signed his NCAA Letter of Intent to join the Stanford University football program next fall. Ungar, a four-star recruit tightend, signed his National Letter of Intent in the Quiet Study at Delbarton School, with his parents Katherine and Mark Ungar of Mendham, along with two of his sisters, and head football coach Brian Bowers and Assistant Coach Matt Leotti.
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Alumni News
Boston On October 22, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB and the Delbarton Alumni Association greeted Bostonarea alumni and friends at the Wayfair Corporate Headquarters on Copley Place in Boston. Our host was Wayfair co-founder Steve Conine ’91… From left, former classmates Taylor Doherty ’08, Fernando Limbo ’08, Malakai Freeman ’08, John Logan ’08, Zach Hoyt ’08, Jon Leanos ’08 and Senior Major Gifts Officer Matt Campbell ’08. Fr. Michael and Boston reception host Steve Conine ’91. Cassie and Zach Hoyt ’08, Director of Senior Guidance Mike Rosenhaus ’80 and Tristan Manley ’17.
Derek Maguire ’90, Anders Johnson ’00, Megan Bury P’19, ’20’23 and Chris Bury ’91, P’19,’20, ’23.
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P.J. Hemmer ’12. Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB and Tom Salovitch ’14.
Assistant Headmaster for Advancement Craig Paris ’82 and George Taylor ’89.
Alumni News
Greenwich, CT Brian Carroll ’89 and Fr. Michael.
On October 30, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB and the Delbarton Alumni Association hosted a reception at the Ginger Man in Greenwich, CT…
John Luke ’78, Alumni Association President Tim Fitzsimmons ’95, Ralph Yearwood 74, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB, Kurt Krauss ’81, P’20 and Lay Board of Trustee member Brad Williams P’18.
Nick Taro ’00, Chad Jones ’02 and Brian Reilly ’13.
Joe McCurdy ’00, Tim Fitzsimmons ’95, Andrew Keane ’95 and Anthony Aromando ’91.
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Alumni Celebrate Christmas Together
Madison, NJ
Washington DC
The Delbarton Alumni Board celebrated Christmas together on December 17 at the Bottle Hill Tavern in Madison.
On December 18, Delbarton alumni gathered at Bobby Van’s Steakhouse in DC to share some Christmas spirit.
Chicago, IL
Convent Station
Alumni in Chicago celebrated the season on December 18 at a meet-up arranged by John Glynn ’90, on right.
On December 23, the Class of 1982 enjoyed a Christmas reunion at Rod’s Steak & Seafood Grill.
Hoboken, NJ On December 11, alumni and friends met at Mills Tavern in Hoboken for the annual Alumni Christmas Toy Drive. A salute to John Ferramosca ’05 for organizing the troops. He also joined us in Paterson for the gift distribution.
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Photos by Garrison Block â&#x20AC;&#x2122;12
Alumni News
Paterson, NJ
Alumni, parents and students did the heavy lifting on December 15, one day prior to our gift distribution in partnership with Catholic Charities in Paterson. Thank you to Joe Albarelli â&#x20AC;&#x2122;01, the entire Albarelli family and their business Amloid for the truck-sized contribution of wonderful toys!
Spring Lake, NJ On December 5, Delbarton alumni celebrated the holidays at the Delbarton Alumni Jersey Shore Reception at Spring Lake Manor in Spring Lake.
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Paddle Tennis On January 10, a great group of alumni turned up for some match play at the annual Alumni Paddle Tennis event at Morris County Golf Club.
Las Vegas On November 14, Delbarton alumni and friends met for dinner at Bally’s BLT Steakhouse in Las Vegas, NV at an event organized by Jim Gallombardo ’81.
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On Friday, December 27, Green Wave alumni squash players met and competed at the annual Alumni Squash Reunion at the Chatham Club hosted by Green Wave Squash Coach Craig Paris ’82, P’13,’15,’19.
Alumni News
Green Wave Basketball Reunion On January 18, basketball alumni were welcomed back for a game and to honor the Class of ’92 Championship team. They joined the 2020 Green Wave Varsity team for a photo.
From left, Green Wave Varsity Basketball Coach Dan Whalen, Bart Plank ’92, Matt Diczock ’92, Mark Aromando ’93, Jerry Jabbour ’92, P’20, Tim Mahoney ’92 and Bob Farrell ’64.
Atlanta Reception On January 14, a conference brought Delbarton to Atlanta where Fr. Michael spoke at a reception for Delbarton alumni at the Cherokee Town & Country Club. Our hosts were Jane and Jack Nichols ’72.
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Alum Reps Dinner On January 22, 2020, Delbarton alumni gathered at the annual Winter Reps Dinner Meeting at the Madison Hotel…
Dave Yampolsky ’00 received the Joseph R. McDonough ’68 Award for his contributions to the Alumni Association this year. From left are Alumni Association Board President Tim Fitzsimmons ’95, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB, Dave Yampolsky ’00 and Assistant Headmaster for Advancement Craig Paris ’82.
Fr. Michael addressed alumni, then answered questions.
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Father/son Delbarton alumni class reps Tony Heaton ’81, P’13 and Alex Heaton ’13.
Former McDonough Award recipients with this year’s winner. From left, Jim Gallombardo ’81, Dave Lewis ’78, P’03,’13, Dave Yampolsky ’00, Steve Block ’71, P’13 with Alumni Association Board President Tim Fitzsimmons ’95.
From left, McDonough awardee Dave Yampolsky ’00 with brother-in-law Steve Maybe, his sister Rachel Maybe and his parents Paul and Michele Yampolsky P’00.
Alumni News 2 0 2 0
The Sunshine Tour
From February 29 to March 6, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB and the Delbarton Alumni Association hosted five events in Florida.
On February 29, a group of alumni and friends enjoyed a great afternoon at the PGA Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens.
Hank Collins P'90,'92,'96, George Marshall P'90 and Gerry Collins P'90,'92,'96
Pat Hennessy P'88,'91, GP'23, Jack Magnier P'82, GP'09,'10,'19 and Mary Hennessy P'88,'91, GP'23
Al and Maryanne DiLella P'23 and Peter McCurrach
On March 3, Fr. Michael hosted a luncheon at the Sea Oaks Beach & Tennis Club in Vero Beach...
Stewardship Associate Alexandra Fittin, Sandra Fittin Pâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;82, Fr. Michael and Prior Edward Seton Fittin, OSB.
Kevin Maher '61, P'90, GP'19 and Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB.
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Fr. Michael, Eileen and Pat Luciano P’85,’91 and Joe D’Alia ’50, GP’08.
Harvey Jones ’70 and Fr. Michael.
The next day, Delbarton alumni and friends gathered at The Breakers in Palm Beach for a cocktail reception with Fr. Michael… Will Forbes ’19, Greg Goetz ’19, Paul Spada ’18 and Regan Paris ’19.
Tom Hoban ’91, Tim Vecchione ’03, Miguel Rionda ’92 and Director of Senior Guidance Mike Rosenhaus ’80.
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Regan Paris ’19, Nancy Paris P’82, GP ’13,’15,’19 and Assistant Headmaster for Advancement Craig Paris ’82, P’13,’15,’19.
Alumni News
On March 5, Fr. Michael hosted lunch at the Rathskeller for young alumni currently studying at the University of Miami.
Paula Ebben, Diane Ebben P’88,’90, John and Penny Kramer GP ’22,’25.
Michael Murphy ’67, Felicia Grant, Ricki and Jay Terzis ’65, P’00,’02, ’03.
Finally, on March 6, Fr. Michael joined Delbarton alumni and friends for lunch at Talis Park Golf Club in Naples, FL. John Fiddes P’03,’05,’08, Director of Marketing & Communications Jessica Fiddes P’03,’05,’08, and Sue and Stuart Fiddes.
Richard and Adele Mattern P’95,’08 with Midge and Tom O’Brien P’95, GP ’17,’20.
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NYC Reception
Brothers Larry Stavitski ’95 and Chuck Stavistski ’99…
…and brothers Andrew Badenhausen ’19 and Jack Badenhausen ’15.
On February 13, 2020 Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB, and the Alumni Association hosted a reception at New York Athletic Club. NYAC member Andy Grabis ’95 sponsored the event…
Steve Block ’71 and Alfred D’Agostino ’69.
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Tyler Hudson-Crimi, ’08, Marcello Cricco-Lizza ’07, Chris Jagoe ’14, Charles Niebanck ’14 and Sid Balaji ’14.
Alumni News
Scott Ruesterholz ’10, Fr. Michael, Paul Nolle ’10 and Michael Zochowski ’10.
The Class of 2012 was out in force at the New York reception. Front row: Garrison Block ’12, Dave Reed ’12 , Jack Rogers ’12, Michael Johnson ’12; back row: Andrew Christie ’12, Kevin Kennedy ’12, Chad Heal ’12, Mike Manley ’12, Sean Maguire ’12, Henry Bolo ’12 and Mike McCluskey ’12.
Jonathan Ramirez ’12 and Mike McGarrity ’86.
From left, Heidi Williamson, Erin Manahan P’19, Tess Lewis P’03,’13, Alexandra Fittin, Maria Van Kirk, Melanie Bowers and Jessica Fiddes P’03,’05,’08.
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The Wedding Album Mark Corwin ’08 and Laritza Mendoza were married on May 4, 2019 at Smoke Rise Village Inn in Kinnelon, NJ. From left are Dan Miggins ’08, Dan Naturman ’08, Mark Corwin ’08, Laritza Mendoza, Chris Corwin ’04, Matt Perry ’04 and Vince Cortese ’08.
Robert Gallic '06 and Lauren Williams were wed on November 2, 2019 in Arlington, VA. Pictured here are Nicholas Cherami '02, Conor Troy '06, Lauren Williams, Robert Gallic '06, Brian Gallic '20, and David Weinstein '06.
Andrew Kristiansen ’08 married Brenna Sweeney on April 6, 2019 at the Basilica of Notre Dame, with several Delbarton in the wedding party including Matt Zucker ’08, far left, Best Man Peter Kristiansen ’10 on far right and Rich Gonzalez ’08, 2nd from right.
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The Wedding Album
Justin Collins ’04 and Michelle Silva wed on New Year’s Eve 2019 at Lucy’s Camp in Dripping Springs, TX. From left are Chris Boniakowski ’04, Hugh Fiddes ’05, Chris Woodford ’07, Demian von Poelnitz ’04, Justin Collins ’04, Cameron Fiddes ’08, Michelle Silva Collins, Patrick Maguire ’04, Ryan Quick ’04, John Fiddes ’03, Brad Walsh ’04 and Bennett Haynes ’04.
Connor Esposito ’06 and Taylor McKenna were married on September 7, 2019 at Castle Hill in Newport, Rhode Island. Pictured from left are Mike DelMauro ’06, Eric Bicknese ’06, Griffin Kern ’06, Colin McGuire ’07, Max Dorne ’06, Dara Asaadi ’06, Will McIver ’06, Mike DelGuercio ’04, Connor Esposito ’06, Dave Chillura ’06, Jack McBride ’07, Ben Dorne, T. J. O’Donnell ’07, and Harry Dorne ’09.
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Making Waves
George Taylor ’89 on Learning, Business and Giving Back On February 28, George Taylor ’89 addressed Tom Brady’s AP Macroeconomics classes on the importance of life-long learning, how to navigate the world of finance and, most critically, why to give back. “Do small things with great love”, he advised the boys as he spoke about his current work with St. Anthony Shrine Ministries in Boston. Fittingly, Taylor visited Delbarton on a dress down day for the School’s Solidarity Sleepout, an effort that raises funds for the homeless youth helped by Covenant House.
Football and Soccer at Notre Dame Last fall, Notre Dame Football faced Virginia Tech and some former Green Wave Soccer players got together at the game. From left are Patrick Finn ’13, Luke Bell ’19, Tyler Bell ’15, Brian Finn ’16, Tommy McCabe and Matt Smith ’16. Later, Brian Finn received the Spirit Award from Notre Dame Soccer. The Award is presented to the player who sets a great example for teammates on and off the field.
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Young Alumni Earn Bloomberg Certification at Delbarton
In early January, two young alumni, Matt Douglas ’17 and Casey Shoemaker ’17, visited Delbarton’s Ryan Crane ’95 Business Center for two days during their college winter breaks and successfully completed Bloomberg Market Concepts, a self-paced online course that features modules on economic indicators, currencies, fixed income, and equities. As a result of their work, Matt and Casey gained Bloomberg certification. Delbarton alumni are invited to reach out to AP Macro teacher Tom at Tbrady@delbarton.org for more information on how to earn Bloomberg certification in our Bloomberg-terminal equipped Ryan Crane ’95 Business Center.
Andrew Badenhausen ’15 Returns to Teach Art Classes During his winter term break from Dartmouth, young alumnus Andrew Badenhausen ’15 returned to Delbarton to substitute teach in the Art Department, covering for a teacher who was off on a medical leave of absence. Here Fr. Michael greets Delbarton’s youngest educator after a Morning meeting in the FAC on February 25.
Alumni Win Pond Hockey Title Presenting the championship team from the 2020 Bar Stool Sports Pond Hockey tournament at Lake Winnipesaukee New Hampshire. These Delbarton alumni won the Prep Division title, which includes athletes who played prep school hockey. Teammates from 2014: Michael Gilfillan ’14, Will McCarthy ’14, Sean McLaughlin ’14, Will Moss ’14, Peter Welch ’14. From 2013: MJ Melillo ’13, Harrison Newman ’13.
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Class of ’81 Lunch On October 27, a group of ’81 and ’82 alumni gathered to enjoy good food and great conversation at the Dublin Pub in Morristown, inspired by a visit from Chicago by Tom Pace ’81. Fr. Andrew and former Delbarton history teacher and swim coach John Romagna joined them for lunch. On left, Tom Pace ’81, Michael Gilfillan ’82, Pat Collins ’81, John Romagna, Tony Watt ’81 and Ken Villano ’81. On right, John Gilfillan ’81, Fr. Andrew Smith, OSB, Tom Hanifin ’81 and Jim Gallombardo ’81.
Class of 1982 Lunch On January 8, members of the Class of ’82 got together for lunch at The Market Taverne in Morristown with classmate Peter Shoemaker ’82 who was in town from LA.
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Hockey Reunion on Ice On October 26, despite a furious comeback from a 5-1 deficit, Lehigh held on to win 5-4 over the Wildcats. From left are David Gilfillan Jr. ’18, Ken Burgess ’18 and Max Williams ’19.
Delbarton Brothers in Peru Delbarton brothers Jason Rossi ’19 and Luke Rossi ’12 shared this photo of the pair hiking on Rainbow Mountain in Peru last summer during a combined service mission and outdoor adventure. The picture is in the running for the Alumni ’Wave the Flag’ Contest.
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