Another school year has come to a close and it is my privilege to share with you some highlights and recent accomplishments of our students.
I would first like to congratulate the Class of 2024. These graduates have shown tremendous growth and served as outstanding leaders. They lived their faith by helping those less fortunate, collectively serving more than 16,000 hours this year and nearly 45,000 during their time at DCHS. They excelled in academics and as a group were offered nearly $11 million in scholarships to colleges across the nation. We look forward to following their success and hope they know they will always have an important place in this community. Once a Maroon, Always a Maroon.
We had the opportunity to recognize many of these graduates as well as students across all grade levels during our spring celebration assembly which you can read about in the pages ahead. We also recognized faculty and staff members for their years of service and were able to thank those who will be retiring. I am grateful for the dedication and tremendous contributions from Peg Conlon, Judy Driscoll, Molly Ryan ‘80, Joni Swedenhjelm and Michelle Dufek and wish them all the best in retirement.
This spring also brought outstanding band, choir and theater performances, including an award-winning spring musical production, as well as success in athletics, speech and debate, and more. We continue to engage student writers and photographers to help tell some of these stories and hope you enjoy their perspective on many of the great things happening in our school.
As we continually look for ways to incorporate career readiness into our curriculum, I am pleased to share that we are piloting the DCHS Career Academy, a new program designed to expose students to a rigorous core curriculum while teaching skills related to specific fields, beginning with Health Sciences and Engineering/Technology. Thirty-one freshmen were accepted into the program and will participate during their sophomore through senior years. We also continue to offer teaching and nursing classes as part of an ongoing initiative to provide career exploration opportunities and real-world experiences to prepare students for life after high school.
Looking to the future, the results of the planning study we conducted this spring in partnership with the Steier Group were incredibly positive. As we consider renovations and expansions in our campus plan that focus on increased safety and security and include a student commons space and additional athletic facilities, the feedback we received from over 400 parents, alumni, faculty, staff, coaches and supporters is greatly appreciated. The results are astounding and show overwhelming favor for a campaign and support of the proposed projects. Our next steps include seeking formal approval from the Bishop. I look forward to communicating more information soon in addition to what is included in this publication.
I am grateful for your continued support. Your partnership makes our mission possible.
In Christ,
Dr. Dan Ryan President
CONTENTS
Advancement Update
Fulfilling the DCHS mission.
Shaping Dowling Catholic’s Future
Students take the stage
Well Done
Success in and outside of the classroom.
Class Notes | In Memoriam
Be in the know about alumni and friends of Dowling Catholic.
Feature Keeping the Faith.
On Campus
True Maroon Celebrating Dowling Catholic’s 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients.
Feature Lessons from Guatemala.
The Pulse Recognizing year-end award winners.
Focus magazine is published for Dowling Catholic parents, alumni and donors.
OUR MISSION
Preparing Leaders for Life, Centered on Christ. Every Dowling Catholic graduate discovers and cultivates their God-given talents to make positive change in the world.
ON THE COVER
In June a group of 37 students and chaperones from DCHS traveled to Guatemala for a mission trip. Over four days, the team built four homes for families in need, marking 211 total homes constructed through the ImagininGuatemala non-profit program.
PRESIDENT: Dr. Dan Ryan
DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT: Julie Bell
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Tara Nelson
ART DIRECTOR: Colin Gargano
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Joe Hartman ‘24 Ella Johnson ‘25
COPY EDITORS: Rachel Brown Kathy Kirby Power ‘80
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS: Alexis Vásquez García ‘14, Jennifer Hassett, Earl Hulst, Ella Johnson ‘25 Peter Loyd, Nicole McFarland, Halle Robinson ‘24, Katie Strawn ‘25 Jenny Umstead ‘89
515.225.3000 www.dowlingcatholic.org CONTACT
Dowling Catholic High School 1400 Buffalo Rd. West Des Moines, IA 50265
Donors
make a significant impact at Dowling Catholic High School, providing crucial support to programs and resources that truly benefit all students. Thanks to the generosity of those who contribute, we can fulfill our mission of preparing Leaders for Life, Centered on Christ. The impact of the We Are Maroons Annual Appeal is reflected in the following ways:
Student Life: Through faith and academics, student activities, athletics and the arts, the Annual Appeal serves the interests of our students. With donor support, we can grow existing opportunities and launch new initiatives to help students in their faith and academic pursuits.
One such initiative we are excited to announce is a new program beginning in the 2024-25 school year - the DCHS Career Academy. Our Career Academies are designed to expose students to a rigorous core curriculum while simultaneously teaching college- and career-ready skills in specific fields.
Dowling Catholic will offer two Career Academies in the 2024-25 school year: Health Sciences and Engineering/Technology. Thirty-one current freshmen were accepted into the program and will participate in their sophomore through senior years.
School Services: The Annual Appeal supports every aspect of the school’s daily operations. Dowling Catholic’s commitment to excellence extends to the building and grounds, technology, and providing competitive teacher compensation.
Beginning in the summer of 2025, Dowling Catholic will replace the entire fire alarm
Bishop Dowling & St. Joseph Academy Societies
In recognition of our founding schools, DCHS has established a convenient giving program that provides the opportunity to make multi-year gifts and bypass fundraising solicitations.
The Bishop Dowling and St. Joseph Academy societies recognize multi-year pledges to the We Are Maroons Annual Appeal or Endowment. Donors can pledge $2,000 or more to the Annual Appeal for three or more years. Those wishing to support the endowment can pledge $5,000 annually for three or more years. While creating ease for the donor, members of our giving societies provide DCHS with a reliable revenue stream that allows the school to plan for the future.
For more information or to enroll, please contact Julie Bell, Advancement Director, at 515.222.1048 or jbell@dowlingcatholic.org. Additional information is also available at: www.dowlingcatholic.org/give/giving-societies
system throughout the school. Everything from the pull levers to the lights and buzzer system will be replaced with new technology. This is a much-needed and crucial update that will enhance the overall safety of our students, staff and visitors.
To donate, please visit www.dowlingcatholic. org/annual-appeal or return the enclosed envelope with your gift.
Matching Gifts
Many employers sponsor a matching gift program, providing an easy way to leverage your gift. Some of these employers include Principal Financial, MidAmerican Energy and Wells Fargo. To learn if your company participates in a matching gift program, please visit www.dowlingcatholic.org/match. The impact of your gift may be doubled or even tripled!
“My favorite aspect about attending Dowling Catholic is the encouragement every student receives from the faculty, staff, and entire DCHS community. Dowling Catholic emphasizes the value of being involved from the first day of school as a freshman. That support continues as students find what they are passionate about, grow in their faith, and learn to become a servant leader during our high school years and beyond.”
Ella
J. ‘25
Create Your Legacy
Many of Dowling Catholic High School’s supporters have chosen to advance the values that have been most important in their lives by providing a gift through their will. Regardless of the size of your gift, you can provide funding to help support causes important to you.
Dowling Catholic is pleased to offer our alumni, parents and friends free access to Giving Docs, a full suite of estate planning tools. Here you can easily create a simple will, make updates to an existing will and establish durable power of attorney and advanced health care directives, to name a few. You are not required to leave a gift to utilize these estate planning resources. This is our gift to you.
To get started, simply visit plannedgiving.dowlingcatholic.org/giving-docs.
Bash on Buffalo
Presented by Global Direct Mail & Marketing, our largest celebration of the year took place on April 6th when the Dowling Catholic community came together in support of the 40th anniversary of the Bash on Buffalo.
Guests were entertained with onsite and remote bidding opportunities for the silent auction, an energetic live auction, delicious food, signature drinks, raffle prizes and more! With generous support from our event sponsors and the Dowling Catholic Community, over $140,000 was raised towards the purchase of a new school activities bus to replace old bus number five. This bus benefits all students as it is used to transport them to extracurricular activities, retreats, and athletic events.
The new bus will offer upgrades in air conditioning, air brakes, seating capacity, and additional cargo storage for luggage and athletic equipment.
In the spirit of service on campus and beyond, the Bash on Buffalo event committee and volunteers composed of board members, students, faculty, staff and parents provided essential support in bringing this event to fruition in support of our mission and the students of Dowling Catholic.
Save the date and join us next year at the Bash on April 12, 2025!
To learn more about upcoming events and volunteer opportunities, please visit www.dowlingcatholic.org/events.
Be a Part of the Tradition!
Dowling Club boosters have been supporting our student-athletes since 1941! You can be a part of this tradition that has raised awareness, enthusiasm and funding for our beloved Maroons for over 80 years. Dowling Club support allows us to offer a wide variety of athletics, providing students with the opportunity to learn and grow in the sports they love the most. In addition, your support enhances our athletic programs tremendously in a number of ways, ensuring all programs have uniforms and equipment, providing assistance to coaches, allowing us to maintain and upgrade athletic facilities, and more.
Joining the Dowling Club has its privileges! Boosters receive a one-time 15% discount in the Campus Store or online, special invitations to appreciation events, and sports passes to all home events (excluding tournament play). To learn more, please visit www.dowlingcatholic. org/dowlingclub. Thank you for your support. Go Maroons!
Business Directory
Do you own or operate a local business? Dowling Catholic provides the opportunity to be featured in our online business directory which is promoted on our website and social media channels and in our parent and alumni newsletters. Make a donation and your business will be shared with thousands of families, alumni and supporters! To learn more, please visit www.dowlingcatholic.org/business-directory.
Shaping Dowling Catholic’s Future
When we prepare our students to be Leaders for Life, Centered on Christ, we do so in and out of the classroom. Students engage in Dowling Catholic’s mission through faith, academics, and extracurricular activities. From our recent strategic planning process came a Campus Plan that will guide how Dowling Catholic’s facilities allow us to continue providing an excellent faith-based education and a balanced, competitive and nurturing environment for our students for decades to come. Our recent assessments made it clear that our school spaces and many athletic facilities are inadequate for student-life balance for our growing community. These projects will address many of these needs.
PROJECTS
Student Life: Designated Student Entrance and Common Area
We will create a main entrance for students by renovating the west entrance, leading to a modern student union with flexible study and gathering spaces, an updated cafeteria and kitchen, and easy access to the attendance office and other student life services. This project will also include expanded parking to the west and south, bringing all student parking on campus.
Safety: Storm Shelter and Auxiliary Gym
While a storm shelter that can accommodate the whole school community is a requirement of any
new construction, the addition of an auxiliary gym will alleviate part of the need for more practice and competition space, ultimately supporting the student-life balance that is important to our mission.
Athletic Expansion: New Athletic Arena
With a legacy of excellence in athletics, a new arena will provide the space and modern amenities for our students to remain competitive. Included are three basketball/ volleyball courts, an indoor track, new locker rooms and concession stand, expanded spectator capacity and flexibility for events and practices, like all-school Mass and community access for our K-8 Catholic schools.
New Natatorium
A new swim and dive facility featuring an eight-lane pool will allow for concurrent swim and dive practices. The flexible pool space will improve ventilation and include locker rooms, increased deck and spectator space, and connection to the arena for a common concession stand and restrooms.
Remodel Existing Spaces
Renovating our current gym will provide better spaces for all our students in physical education classes and sports. This will include new flooring, updated locker rooms, expanded weight room and wrestling room, netting system and space to add new classrooms with flexible team meeting rooms.
This spring we took the next step to bring our campus plan to life. We hired the Steier Group, a respected Catholic development firm, to conduct a planning study to gather feedback on these campus projects and determine if there is support for a capital campaign. They received feedback from over 400 alumni, parents, faculty and donors with overwhelmingly positive results.
Next Steps
The positive results of this planning study give us the confidence to pursue a capital campaign. This summer we are using the feedback from this process to determine options for phasing the campaign goals in our long-term campus plan. We will seek approval from the Diocese of Des Moines to conduct a capital campaign. We look forward to sharing more information with our Dowling Catholic community. Until then, please continue to pray for Dowling Catholic High School, that the Holy Spirit may continue guiding all that we do.
STUDY PARTICIPANTS
PRIORITY OF RESPONDENTS
Note 1: Scores were calculated by assigning a value of 10 points for a high priority, 5 points for a moderate priority and 0 points for a low priority. The cumulative value for each project was then divided by the number of responses for that project.
Note 2: Any value over 6 is considered well supported by the community.
KEY STATISTICAL FINDINGS
91% of respondents are personally in favor of a capital campaign, including 98% of those interviewed.*
81% of respondents will make a personal gift to the campaign, including 97% of those interviewed.*
119 respondents indicated they would serve in a leadership position.
*Percentages over 70% are favorable. These percentages reveal an overwhelming support.
In late April, the Dowling Catholic Performing Arts Department presented the spring musical production of Newsies for the DCHS community with a special matinee performance for more than 400 local parochial school sixth graders before opening night.
The production was recognized by the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards which celebrate the achievements of students involved in high school musicals across the state. Dowling Catholic received production awards for Outstanding Overall Performance, Ensemble, and Student Orchestra.
“Mr. Sheaff loved what he did, and he passed that on to all of us.”
Student awards for Outstanding Performance in a Principal Role were given to Ben Hall as Jack Kelly, Zoe Ball as Katherine Plumber, Ephraim Messer as Crutchie, Lewis Lentsch as Davey, and Jacqueline James as Les. Elizabeth James received Special Recognition
for Performance in a Principal Role as Medda Larkin.
The Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase was held on May 30, 2024, at the Des Moines Civic Center. Ephraim Messer was invited to perform his solo, Letters from the Refuge, and Mr. Tim Sheaff ‘86 was recognized as a 2024 Impact Award recipient.
The Impact Award recognizes educators and community members who go above and beyond to support the high school theater experience. Student nominations and testimonials from colleagues, parents and administrators are reviewed to determine the honored recipients. DCHS students were proud to honor Sheaff who led the DCHS theater department for 34 years before his unexpected passing last summer. His impact continues, with students reflecting on the life lessons he taught them about work ethic and perseverance, the value of relationships, and the immense privilege it is to make art together.
“Mr. Sheaff loved what he did, and he passed that on to all of us,” said Maggie Doud ‘24, a cast member who worked with other DCHS classmates on the nomination. The award was presented and accepted on his behalf by Eva Ruggieri ‘24.
Newsies was directed by Sarah Raymond who recently completed her second year at DCHS but who has been teaching and involved with theater for more than 18 years. She also directs the fall and winter plays and previously assisted Sheaff with the spring musical. With a cast and crew of 68 students, she was impressed with the natural camaraderie and was proud of the upperclassmen for stepping up to help the younger cast members.
“Newsies was a good show to get a lot of kids involved,” said Raymond. “I was impressed with how many stepped outside of their comfort zone to audition for the first time, including several seniors. It created a ripple effect
such a great cast to be with and they worked together very nicely. The older kids set such a great example and I am very grateful they really stepped up to help. I felt very privileged to be with this group.”
Included in that group are her colleagues, Quinn Tipping ‘09, director of choral music, Lindsey Hughes, assistant director of choral music, and Nick Hoover, assistant director of bands and percussion director, whose talent and experience were instrumental to the show’s success.
The spring musical is one of three shows produced by the Performing Arts Department each year. Save the date for the fall play which will be presented to the community on October 24-26, 2024.
Before the final performance of the spring musical the DCHS community remembered and honored Mr. Tim Sheaff ‘86 with induction into the DCHS Performing Arts Hall of Fame. His leadership and work over 26 years brought speech and debate achievements at the highest national levels, and countless plays and musicals to life on stage. The award was accepted by his wife, Christy Sheaff ‘86.
Timothy E. Sheaff Speech, Debate and Drama Endowment
An endowment has been established at Dowling Catholic High School in honor of Timothy E. Sheaff ‘86. Read a tribute from Quinn Tipping ‘09, Director of Choral Music who invites parents, alumni and friends to help perpetuate his incredible legacy. To contribute, please visit www.dowlingcatholic.org/sheaff.
For many of us, Tim will forever be “Mr. Sheaff”: that voice booming from the table in the back of the auditorium, doling out his signature snark when we bumbled through a scene on stage, but also screams of praise when we delivered the essence of a moment he had envisioned. Do you remember?
Mr. Sheaff taught us to pay attention to what was really being said in a song, a monologue, in a ‘beat’ before delivering the punch line. What was the real meaning, and why should we care? None of which was done to elicit louder applause from the audience (remember how he felt about audiences), but it was so we understood something more deeply than we had before - so we got to the Truth.
I attended DCHS (class of ‘09) and was a student of Mr. Sheaff. I returned to DCHS in 2015 as Choral Director and was fortunate to call Tim a colleague in recent years. I am grateful for the time I had to learn from Tim. I was fortunate to work with him on 12 Spring Musicals, eight as music director. What that ultimately means is that I got to hear his musical pre-show speeches 12 times; how “Sweeney Todd” at the Stoner Theater changed his life; and really learning for the first time in my life that “we are so, so fortunate to get to worry about Art.” Do you remember?
What became clear to me working with Tim is that he wasn’t just a great director: he had a charism for teaching. Tim was always seeking out the teaching moments he felt passionate about sharing with high school students, showing us all how to look for what was important and enduring in a work of Art. Mr. Sheaff inspired us to create Art, made greater because it was something we did together. He knew how that process could change us, and he wanted us to carry that with us for the rest of our lives.
Mr. Sheaff’s all-too-soon passing in June 2023 was deeply felt by all of us who shared Art with him. We were fortunate to have been inspired and shaped by him. And now, we can help carry on his legacy through the support of this special endowment which will be used to fund future productions here at DCHS.
Supporting the Tim Sheaff Endowment is an opportunity for us to come together to honor Mr. Sheaff and give thanks for all he did for us during that formative time in our lives.
For the future Artists, for the continued pursuit of Truth, for Mr. Sheaff: please consider giving.
Sincerely,
Quinn Tipping ‘09
Choral Director & Performing Arts Department Chair
The Legacy of Speech & Debate
The Dowling Catholic Speech and Debate team completed a successful season that included several individual and team titles and 10 students qualifying to compete in the national tournament held for the first time in Des Moines June 16-21, 2024.
The team attended 18 tournaments throughout the season and hosted an additional six, including four for the parochial middle schools. Among several highlights, DCHS won two state championships at the Iowa High School Speech Association State Tournament. Seniors Jack McGuire, Betzy Sandoval, Collin Comito, and Suzanne Bigelow repeated as state champions in policy debate, and juniors Leo Klemm and Cate Sullivan won the Iowa High School Speech Association State Championship in public forum debate. Senior Reese Lovell was also the state champion in Informative Speaking. At nationals, Conrad Krantz cleared to the outrounds in two events - Extemporaneous Commentary and Impromptu Speaking.
The program is directed by Simon Sheaff ‘13 who succeeded his father, Tim Sheaff ‘86, following his passing last June. In addition to serving as the director of drama debate at DCHS since 1997, Tim Sheaff spent nearly 20 years emceeing the national competition and was a mentor to coaches and competitors from across the state. He was inducted into both the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) Hall of Fame and the Iowa High School Speech Association Hall of Fame in 2019.
Often dubbed the voice of national high school speech and debate, the NSDA honored Sheaff by dedicating the national competition finals stage in his name. The “Timothy E. Sheaff National Awards Stage” will also be used for next year’s tournament which will again take place in Des Moines.
“As an emcee, he was known and loved for his voice,” said Simon Sheaff of his father. “His goal was always to use that voice to amplify the voices of students.”
Academic Decathlon
Months of hard work paid off for Dowling Catholic’s Academic Decathlon team with success at the regional and state level, culminating in two students being invited to participate in nationals for the first time in DCHS history.
The topic was “Technology & Humanity” and students prepared for tests covering literature, social science, science, art, music, interview, essay, speech and math. At the 2024 Des Moines Regional Competition, DCHS finished first in the Super Quiz Bowl and had 17 individual award winners competing against students from Johnston, Urbandale, Denison, Lincoln, Roosevelt, East, Hoover and North.
At the state competition, the team finished fourth with three students earning individual awards. Katya Banuelos-Moriel finished as state champion in interview; Jacob Suresh was state runner-up in math and science and third in literature; and Max Fazio finished third overall in all categories in the alternate division. Jacob Suresh and Max Fazio went on to compete in the National Academic Competition held in late April in Pittsburgh, PA.
The team was led by Ms. Kasey Tickel, Spanish teacher and World Language Department Chair, who has coached the Academic Decathlon teams at DCHS for the last 12 years. Congratulations to the entire team on their success.
Tennis State Champions
The Dowling Catholic girls tennis team was crowned Class 2A State Champions after a 5-1 victory over West Des Moines Valley in the title match on May 31, 2024. This was the third consecutive title for the team which finished the season with a 17-0 record. The team included Ava Petersen, Grace Frye, Juju Mauro, Presila Edward, Victoria Bakros, Ella Johnson, Payton Blume and Mady Pierron.
Grace Frye and Juju Mauro earned the state doubles title, coming from a set down in the championship match to win versus Johnston. Victoria Bakros and Presila Edward placed eighth in the doubles tournament, and the team also had four individual qualifiers.
Ava Petersen, Grace Frye, and Juju Mauro were named to the all-state tennis teams, and the coaching staff of Aaron Chalstrom, Matt Seidl and Jacqueline Pose were named coaching staff of the year.
“It was an incredible season by this group of girls,” said Chalstrom. “They really bought into the idea of making tennis a team sport. They genuinely care about each other, want to see their teammates succeed, and play for each other. While winning is fun, I know they are going to remember how close this team became, how much fun they had on road trips, and how much they enjoyed each other more than any tennis that was played. I am so proud of this group.”
> Aug 5 Dowling Catholic Golf Outing
Terrace Hills Golf Course | 8700 NE 46th Ave, Altoona
Each summer the DCHS community comes together for a fun day of golf to raise money for the Coppola Family Endowment. This fund was initiated in the early 1970s and continues to provide tuition assistance to DCHS students. Registration and sponsorship information is available at www.dowlingcatholic.org/events.
> Sept 19 President’s Council Dinner
Des Moines Golf & Country Club | 1600 Jordan Creek Pkwy, West Des Moines
This annual recognition dinner is a special event honoring those individuals who support Dowling Catholic with gifts of cash or stock totaling $2,000 or more annually (fiscal year July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024).
> Sept 27 Homecoming & Athletic Hall of Fame Induction
Valley Stadium | 4440 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines
Community members are invited to celebrate Dowling Catholic’s Homecoming. Join us at Valley Stadium to cheer on the Maroons at the varsity football game. Homecoming festivities will include the introduction of the Homecoming Court and Hall of Fame inductees and a performance from the alumni band.
> Oct 3 Grandparents Day
Dowling Catholic High School | 1400 Buffalo Road, West Des Moines
Grandparents are the guests of honor during this annual celebration. Each year our special guests have the opportunity to visit campus and enjoy refreshments, hear from student and faculty speakers, and celebrate Mass with their grandchildren.
> Oct 27 Pancake Breakfast
Iowa State Fairgrounds | 3000 East Grand Ave, Des Moines
Please join us for this great DCHS tradition which brings the community together and raises money to support students and teachers.
> Dec 5 President’s Christmas Luncheon
Glen Oaks Country Club | 1401 Glen Oaks Drive, West Des Moines
DCHS parents, alumni and friends are invited to celebrate the Christmas season with a wonderful lunch, special guest speakers and entertainment from student musicians and vocalists.
For the most current event information please visit: www.dowlingcatholic.org/events
Karissa Schweizer ‘14 will compete in the Olympic Games in Paris after placing third in both the women’s 5,000 and 10,000-meter run at the U.S. track and field trials in Eugene, Oregon. This will be Schweizer’s second trip to the Summer Olympics. In Tokyo in 2020 she placed 11th in the 5,000 meter and 12th in the 10,000.
Teagan Kavan ‘23 , a pitcher for the University of Texas, led her team to second place finish versus Oklahoma in the Women’s College World Series. She was selected to the All-Tournament Team and is the only Texas freshman to throw a complete game shutout in their WCWS debut. She was also named Big 12 Freshman of the Year.
After finishing her college career as the all-time Division I scoring leader, Caitlin Clark ‘20 was recognized as a two-time winner of the Honda Cup, earning the prestigious award for the second straight year on June 24, 2024. In her first 13 games with the Indiana Fever, she became the fastest player in WNBA history to record 200 points and 75 assists and has helped the WNBA set attendance and viewership records.
The DCHS Boys Basketball program hosted the annual Alumni Tournament where the Class of 2014 finished as the 2024 Alumni Tournament champions! Congratulations to Nick McMurray , T.J. Strain , Johnny Harmeyer, Nick Walsh, Eric Fardal, Colton Rupprecht, Ben Olson and Griffin Trout!
Listen to the latest episode of Stories from Buffalo Road featuring Robert “Bob” Nizzi ‘58 who served at Dowling High School for 24 years as a teacher, dean of students, counselor, and football coach. In 2020, Nizzi was recognized for his tremendous impact on the DCHS community with the Distinguished Alumni Award. All episodes can be found streaming now on Spotify and YouTube!
To update your information or share alumni news, please visit www.dowlingcatholic.org/alumni or contact Kathy Kirby Power ‘80, alumni manager, at kkirbypower@dowlingcatholic.org or 515.222.1090.
The third annual St. Joseph Academy Alumnae Mass was held on Sunday, May 5, 2024, in the St. Joseph Chapel. Thanks to everyone who attended and to Msgr. Steve Orr ‘66 who celebrated Mass and shared stories of SJA and Dowling. Save the date for next year’s Mass: Sunday, May 4, 2025, at 3 p.m.
The annual DCHS athletic department reunion breakfast took place on May 18, marking the 15th year for the event started by Coach Ron Gray ‘73 and longtime DCHS athletic trainer, Del Lark. Pictured front row (left to right): Ron Gray ‘73, Mark Crouch. Row two: Pat Civitate ‘47 SJA, Mike Skoglund, Larry Chichelli, Don Mauro ‘49. Row three: Joe Cordaro ‘67 , Fr. John Dorton , Frank Schweizer . Back row: Mike Burkert, Sharon Hanson, Bob Hanson, Dave Marcouiller ‘71, Mark Amadeo ‘80
The annual DCHS Men’s Soccer Alumni Tournament was held on Saturday, May 25. Congratulations to the following alumni from the winning team: Mark Hentschel ‘11, David Lyle ‘11, Sam Waggoner ‘12, Luke Davis ‘14, Alan Diaz ‘14, Rafael Verduzco ‘14, Raul Barrios ‘16 and Alex Perlinger ‘17. Thanks to boys head soccer coach Jackson Teeling ‘09 for organizing the event and to all who participated!
On May 1, 2024, the DCHS student body gathered at the Maroon Memorial and processed with a statue of the Blessed Mother around campus and into the gym to celebrate May Crowning. The ceremony included a blessing of the crowns that adorn the statues of Mary throughout campus and our new liturgical tapestries, a gift from the Class of 1973 that will be displayed during all-school Masses. Thanks to Kathy (Brien) Ricker ‘64 SJA for joining us to crown Mary as we carry on this longstanding tradition that began at St. Joseph Academy.
In April several Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary (BVMs) traveled from their home in Mount Carmel in Dubuque to visit Dowling Catholic. Included in the group were Sr. LaDonna Manternach , BVM president, Sr. Carol Marie Baum ‘60 SJA, Sr. Diane Forster, a former teacher at the Academy and Dowling, Sr. Mira Mosle , a former teacher at the Academy and Dowling, and Sr. Kathleen Mullin ‘56 SJA
The sisters spent two days visiting with students and faculty about the continuing mission of Dowling Catholic and St. Joseph Academy, attended Mass with students led by Fr. Reed Flood ‘13, and enjoyed a luncheon with SJA alumnae. The picture was taken in the Narthex in front of the stained glass windows of saints, originating at SJA.
Dowling Catholic extends its sympathy to the families of the following alumni who have passed away.
Lucille (Giacomuzzi) Quinn ‘43 SJA
Grace (Friel) Rooney ‘43 SJA
Roselea (Hafner) Grassman ‘45 SJA
Ella (Maher) Harkin ‘45 SJA
Mary Jane (Chicchelly) Houge ‘51 SJA
Jean (Herkes) Daly ‘53 SJA
Richard “Dick” Morris ‘53
Margaret (Bray) Heger ‘54 SJA
Carol (Loomis) Lang ‘54 SJA
Frank Scaglione ‘54
Nancy Stefani ‘54 SJA
Carmela (Romeo) Brown ‘56 SJA
Ronald “Ron” Coppi ‘56
Harriet (Monahan) Funaro-Jones ‘56 SJA
Dennis “Denny” Hurley ‘56
Fr. Dennis Strachota ‘56
James Allen ‘57
Ronald Norris ‘57
John “John Pat” Dorrian ‘58
Nicholas “Nick” Laria ‘58
Joe Lovell ‘58
Martin “Joe” Emerson ‘60
David Keller ‘60
Dennis Mooney ‘60
Mary Patricia (DuBay) Nielsen ‘61 SJA
Frank Dodge ‘62
Katy (Dunn) May ‘62 SJA
Thomas “Tom” Griffiths ‘63
Thomas “Tom” Laurenzo ‘63
George Oster ‘63
Anthony “Tony” Farao ‘64
Michael “Mike” Garvey ‘64
Joseph “Joe” Caligiuri ‘65
Janice (Clinton) Franklin ‘65 SJA
Vickie (McDonald) McColley ‘65 SJA
George McCrea ‘65
Frances (Landers) Funk ‘67 SJA
Lynette (Gillespie) Sharp ‘67 SJA
Jeff Soliday ‘67
David Thielman ‘67
Patricia “Patty” Timmons ‘67 SJA
John DePhillips ‘68
Mary (Friend) Spracklin ‘68 SJA
Barbara (Cunningham) Griffin ‘69 SJA
Linda (Beltrame) Chivers ‘70 SJA
Ann (Mahoney) Culver ‘70 SJA
Paul Munoz ‘70
Jon McCarthy ‘71
Richard “Rick” Cox ‘72
Toni (Scartozzi) Celsy ‘77
Paula Burns ‘79
Mark Sarcone ‘80
Brian Bartemes ‘84
Heidi (Cassler) Scuffham ‘84
Todd Givant ‘88
Jeffrey “Mike” Smith ‘02
Dakota Ramirez ‘12
With a mission grounded in faith, daily practice
is an integral part of student life at Dowling Catholic High School. Through theology classes, school-wide daily prayer, Mass and Christian retreats, faith-life activities are part of the normal routine. After high school, however, many students find themselves at a crossroads in their faith journey as they navigate new environments and challenges. Although many colleges offer resources to help students grow in their faith, statistics show that this is a time when many young adults begin to waiver.
To offer support and guidance for students seeking to strengthen their faith, Dowling Catholic launched a new program in 2017 called UT Fidem, Latin for Keep the
“Participating in an Ut Fidem group at Dowling Catholic helped me to realize Christ’s presence in everything I do.”
Faith. The goal of the program is to develop Dowling Catholic students into intentional disciples who will keep the faith for the rest of their lives, particularly through college.
Ut Fidem supports students through the formation of small groups that meet weekly and are actively discipled by an adult faith mentor. Students grow their devotion to personal prayer, the Sacramental life, and understanding of Church teachings. In the first year, Ut Fidem began with 17 groups which included 97 students and 16 mentors. At the end of the 2023-24 school year, there were 72 active groups consisting of 410 students. A total of 932 DCHS students have participated in Ut Fidem since 2017.
The program is led by Addie (Magruder) Croegaert ‘11, the Ut Fidem director, and Kirby (Power) Gepson ‘18 and Ryland Jones, Ut Fidem coordinators. Croegaert has begun to expand Ut Fidem to other Catholic high schools across the country and currently oversees the programs for
schools located in Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.
“From the very beginning, we’ve talked about transformation,” said Croegaert. “We hoped Ut Fidem would help students go beyond the surface and transition their faith into their own. No longer would faith be a class requirement or a Sunday obligation. Instead, their Catholic faith would become a part of their core identity, impacting every aspect of their life. Additionally, it’s been our prayer that every soul that comes into contact with the ministry would come to better know Jesus Christ and His Church. This includes every adult mentor, coordinator, prayer warrior, and family.”
Ut Fidem also provides opportunities for DCHS alumni to stay connected after graduation. Each year Ut Fidem hosts an alumni event over winter break which has included more than 100 attendees at each for the last three years. The Ut Fidem team also works to connect all graduates to at least one person at their future
college, typically either a Focus missionary, a campus minister, or an older Ut Fidem alum. They have also hosted reunions at the University of Iowa and Iowa State and are currently in the fourth year of holding alumni summer bible studies. The goal is to bring alumni back together to show them that they are not alone in living their faith and to help them learn to go deeper in prayer, read scripture, and understand how to live a Catholic life as a college student.
Every year the program also offers Ut Fidem Missionary Discipleship Scholarships to eight graduating high school seniors. These students are witnesses of the Catholic faith who have committed to ongoing formation throughout the summer and will participate in faith formation at college. The scholarships pay for an encounter experience for up to four years of their time in college ranging from retreats to conferences.
“Participating in an Ut Fidem group at Dowling Catholic helped me to realize Christ’s presence in everything I do,”
“No longer would faith be a class requirement or a Sunday obligation. Instead, their Catholic faith would become a part of their core identity, impacting every aspect of their life.”
said Peyton Hamilton ‘24. “He is present in my schoolwork, my friendships, my prayer life, and everything in between. Although it is such a small section of our weekly meetings, sharing my holy moment from every week has been extremely eye-opening and fruitful in my faith life. Having the opportunity to look back on all of the small and large moments from my week helps me to understand that Christ works through everything that I do. Every holy moment that I share helps me draw closer and closer to knowing God’s eternal love for me.”
Plans for the program include a continued focus on mentor development, increased alumni involvement, and expanding the Ut Fidem pilot program for DCHS parents which began with five groups last year.
“The main goal for the Ut Fidem ministry is to inspire students to not only live their faith while they are in high school but to learn to be lifelong disciples of Jesus, in and past college,” said Gepson who was involved with Ut Fidem as a student at DCHS. “We want to lead them to prayer, the Sacraments, and to make authentic friends centered on Christ. We had 24 alumni who led Ut Fidem groups this year, six of whom are Ut Fidem-specific alumni so clearly it’s working. We are ultimately trying to help more students become saints and love Jesus and do his will.”
Ministry & Formation
2023-2024 Highlights
Mass
• 300 daily Masses offered
• 12 all-school Mass and prayer events
• Reconciliation offered approximately 150 days by Fr. Acrea during the school year
Adoration
• Approximately 962 hours
• Available every day 8am-2:30pm
Daily/Class Reconciliation
• Sacrament of Reconciliation provided daily during Primetime and after school
• 4 weeks over 2 semesters of class Reconciliation
• 15 priests assisted in Advent Reconciliation
• 13 priests assisted in Lenten Reconciliation
Retreats
• Metanoia - 28 freshmen retreatants
• Quest - 45 sophomore retreatants
• Kairos - 170 junior and 3 senior retreatants
• Radix - 32 senior retreatants
Class Retreats
• Freshman Retreat - 348 freshman
• Senior Day of Reflection - 320 seniors
Retreat Leadership Students
• 76 seniors helped facilitate the Freshman Retreat in the gym in September
• 77 seniors attended the Servant Leaders Training retreat (25 males/42 females)
• 48 seniors served in 60 leadership positions on the Metanoia, Quest and Kairos retreats
Retreat Leadership Adults
• 38 adults served in 44 leadership positions on the Metanoia, Quest and Kairos retreats
• Fr. Flood, Fr. Downey and Fr. Acrea provided sacramental presence for all of our retreats
• Student-led meetings (Kairos retreat follow up) every Monday Jan-Dec
Iowa Seal of Biliteracy
The Dowling Catholic World Language Department is proud to announce that 65 students completed the rigorous process to earn the 2024 Iowa Seal of Biliteracy this spring.
This year DCHS had students earn the Seal of Biliteracy for Spanish, German, Portuguese and Vietnamese. To earn the Seal, students must show proficiency in English and another language through an online test that assesses speaking, reading, writing and listening.
The State of Iowa awards the Seal of Biliteracy “to value language as an asset, to recognize the value of language diversity and cultural identity, and to prepare students with 21stcentury skills that will benefit them in the labor market and the global society.”
Career Academy
Dowling Catholic is excited to announce a new program beginning in the 2024-25 school year. The DCHS Career Academy program is designed to expose students to a rigorous core curriculum while simultaneously teaching college- and career-ready skills in specific fields such as arts, business, health sciences, human services, hospitality and engineering.
Two Career Academies, Health Sciences and Engineering/Technology, will be offered at Dowling Catholic in the first year. Thirty-one current freshmen were accepted into the program and will participate during their sophomore through senior years. Kasey Tickel, who has taught at DCHS for 25 years, will serve as the program director.
Dowling Catholic also offers teaching and nursing classes as part of an ongoing initiative to provide career exploration opportunities and real-world experiences to prepare students for life after high school.
At the end of the school year, we celebrated the retirement of several teachers and staff members. We are grateful for their many years of service and tremendous contributions.
Michelle Dufek
Michelle has served as a math teacher at DCHS since 2021.
Judy Driscoll
Judy has taught English at DCHS since 1998 and also served as the directed study supervisor.
Joni Swedenhjelm
Joni has served as a staff accountant and most recently, an accounts receivable specialist in the Business Office since 1998.
Molly Ryan ‘80
Molly has served as the Food Service Director since 2006 and has also been involved with cooking for the football camp every year, helping with the swim team, and with countless other events.
Peg Conlon
Peg has taught science at DCHS since 2000. She has also coached girls basketball, softball, volleyball, and golf and served as the concessions manager.
*Not Pictured
It has been more than 60 years since Father John Acrea was ordained into priesthood. During that time he has served as a teacher, a coach, a principal, a vocations director and in parish ministry. In retirement he serves as the spiritual director at Dowling Catholic High School, working alongside Father Reed Flood ‘13, Father James Downey ‘11 and the Campus Ministry team to help students become Leaders for Life, Centered on Christ. Joe Hartman, a recent graduate, wrote about Father Acrea’s meaningful impact on the DCHS community.
The Man, The Myth, The Icon: FATHER ACREA
By Joe Hartman ‘24
Father Acrea is the kind of person who doesn’t like having attention focused on him; he is one of the most humble people. He would always prefer to celebrate others, but on February 6, 2024, DCHS students, faculty and staff came together to celebrate his 88th birthday.
Father Acrea started at the all-boys Dowling High School in 1962 where he taught English and Theology. He remembers the day he packed up his classroom at the old Dowling High School, put it in his car, and drove it to the “new” Dowling Catholic High School.
He was the first coach of the speech and debate team. He recalls the day that he got called into the office and asked if he would be
willing to be the coach. He saw it as something new to learn and took on the role with enthusiasm. He went on to win multiple state championships and to place fifth in the nation one year.
In his current role, he enjoys celebrating reconciliation and preaching to students. He takes comfort in the fact that students who are struggling are willing and able to reach out to him and ask for help. He feels he has helped more individuals in this manner than if he had kids of his own.
Father Acrea has always gone out of his way to help people who need someone to talk to and is someone others strive to be like. From the halls of DCHS, students shared the impact Father Acrea has had on their lives.
“Fr. Acrea is the definition of what it means to be a Maroon. Every interaction I have with him, whether it’s reconciliation, spiritual direction, or just saying hi to him in the hallway, I feel drawn deeper in my relationship with God. His devotion to Dowling Catholic and the Lord is something I aspire to mirror. He has had a huge impact on my high school experience. I would urge everyone to take the step to have an encounter with him because it will be life changing and will help your faith life immensely.”
- Chole Nielsen ‘24
“Father Acrea has been such a huge blessing to me and the Dowling Catholic community. I love seeing him for Reconciliation, conversation, and in the hallways during the school day.” - Jack Seda ‘24
“Praise God! Fr. Acrea exclaimed this any time that I brought good news about how I was doing in my faith. He seemed so happy and excited for my success.”
- Jack McGuire ‘24
“Fr. Acrea has been extremely influential in my faith journey. He has been a beacon of good humor and soulsaving. Without Fr. Acrea I would have never got to where I am now with my faith.” - Isaiah Seymour ‘24
Each year Dowling Catholic proudly honors deserving alumni of St. Joseph Academy and DCHS with Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Alumni awards. We are honored to recognize our 2024 recipients Chris Coleman ‘83, Dr. Lumea Howard ‘06 and David Cordaro ‘12.
Chris Coleman is a 1983 graduate who was honored to be elected class president and to serve as captain of the cross country team during his time at Dowling. Following high school, he attended St. Ambrose University where he was student government president. After college, he served for two years as a Vista Volunteer in Appalachia, Kentucky.
Chris spent the first half of his career at the United Way as Vice President for Annual Campaign and Marketing. He was also a founding member of the Beaverdale Neighborhood Association and a past officer. He has served as president of the Better Business Bureau for 19 years and has been elected to serve and lead the community as a Des Moines City Council member for the last 26. Over the past two decades, he has led several regional government groups and been elected Chair of the Board for the Homeless Coordinating Council, Catch Des Moines, Metro Waste Authority, the Metro Planning Organization, and the Metro Advisory Council.
His contributions to the community are tremendous and include planning and directing the Catholic Youth Camp at the St. Thomas More Center in Panora and the high school and confirmation retreats for the Diocese of Des Moines. He has tried to honor the opportunities Dowling Catholic has given him by giving back and paying forward through service, leadership, civility, and standing up for the values he learned as a student.
What he remembers most about his experiences at DCHS are how kind and interesting his classmates were and how they made him a better person. He also remembers the teachers and their incredible sense of mission and concern for all of them, all while sacrificing higher salaries and benefits so they could be at Dowling. No other institution has been as important to himself, his dad, alumnus Ron Coleman ‘57, and the five children he shares with his late wife Marcie: Nick ‘11, Maggie ‘12, Jesse ‘14, Katie ‘16, and Ellie ‘21. No other honor could mean as much to him as his life story has been told through the people of Dowling Catholic.
Dr. Lumea Howard, DO, is a 2006 graduate of Dowling Catholic. During high school, she was a National Honor Society member, National Merit Scholar, Presidential Scholar, student ambassador, and graduated magna cum laude.
She went on to attend Benedictine College on a full-ride presidential scholarship where she received the Benedictine College Biology Department Award of Excellence. She attended medical school at Des Moines University where she was recognized with the DMU Betty Chu Award. She completed her internal medicine residency at University of Iowa UnityPoint Internal Medicine where she was the chief resident.
She currently serves as the director of the Internal Medicine residency continuity of care clinic site in West Des Moines. She and her husband Robert Howard share five children: Benedict, Ignatius, Genevieve, Augustine and Dominic.
What she remembers most about her experience in high school is the deep and lasting impact Dowling Catholic had on her life. It is where she began to fall deeply in love with her Catholic faith, met her future husband, and decided to pursue a career as a doctor. To this day, she and her husband remain friends with those same people they met in high school, friendships that extend back more than 20 years.
David Cordaro is a 2012 graduate of Dowling Catholic and a third-generation alum. During his time at Dowling Catholic, he was heavily involved in the arts, including Drumline, school musicals, and the A Capella, Chamber, and Show Choirs. He also was a member of the National Honor Society, National Council on Youth Leadership, and the Students for Life Club.
He earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from Iowa State University and graduated from the Honors College with distinction. During his studies, he participated in the Architectural Association’s Spring Semester Programme in London. He was a member of the Iowa State University Drumline and was involved with The American Institute of Architecture Students (AIAS), DATUM Journal of Architecture, and numerous initiatives with his local church.
He currently resides in Chicago where he is the senior manager of communications for the Chicago Chapter of The American Institute of Architects (AIA Chicago) and the editor of Chicago Architect magazine. He previously worked as an architectural designer for Jahn/ and as a program instructor for the Chicago Architecture Center.
He has and continues to serve his community as chair of the Together in Joy Gala for St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church and as an associate board member for Architreasures, which helps facilitate participatory art and design projects in underserved Chicago communities.
Among numerous honors and awards, David has been recognized with the Stewart Research Award, the Hansen Architectural Design Prize, and the Spiros Mentzelopoulos Book Award. He was awarded participation in a yearlong intensive leadership program as a William Wilberforce Fellow and received the University Honors Program Funded Research Grant, the Kocimski Fund Award Research Travel Grant, and was recognized as an Extraordinary Young Adult by Catholic Digest magazine.
He remembers early morning drumline practices, late-night show choir rehearsals, and after-school musical run-throughs, but the strong sense of community stands out as the foundation of his most cherished memories at Dowling Catholic. He has found that being part of this legacy, one that has embraced his family for generations has been incredibly inspiring. Throughout elementary and middle school, he looked forward to being surrounded by the welcoming environment. Now, after graduating, he’s grateful for the lifelong friendships that blossomed within the DCHS community.
To view a complete list of Distinguished Alumni Award recipients, please visit www.dowlingcatholic.org/distinguished.
Band & Color Guard Reunion
All former DCHS band and color guard members are invited to revive a Dowling tradition and join the 2024 Alumni Band! The band will perform at the DCHS Homecoming Football Game on Friday, September 27, 2024, at Valley Stadium.
A rehearsal and social gathering will take place on Thursday, September 26, and on Friday, alumni band members will play with the current DCHS band during the first half of the game and the Alumni Band will play the fight song and riffs during the second half. For more details and to RSVP, please visit www.dowlingcatholic.org/band-reunion
The players, cheerleaders and coaches from the 2014 State Football Championship team are invited to a 10-Year reunion celebrating the season on Friday, October 4, 2024, when DCHS hosts DCHS Ankeny Centennial at Valley Stadium at 7 pm. Please RSVP online: www.dowlingcatholic.org/football2014.
Many classes are holding reunions this summer and fall. Check out all the details here: www.dowlingcatholic.org/reunions
Building More Than Homes: Lessons from Guatemala
By Ella Johnson ‘25
The thirty-seven travelers on Dowling Catholic’s 2024 Guatemala mission trip were entering the fourth hour of a one-hour bus ride. Fresh off of three consecutive build days, we were driving south on a rainy Saturday morning to the Pacaya Volcano.
Having already exhausted a round of Go Fish, card tricks, 21 Questions, Chopsticks, Rock Paper Scissors, Look Up Look Down, and Wavelengths, we were quickly running out of childhood games to pass the time when we heard a sudden pop and inhaled the fumes of what could be nothing other than a flat tire.
Entering my senior year at Dowling Catholic, I have had the unique opportunity of going on a high school trip each of the past three summers. Large group travel has taught me many things, but perhaps the most prolific lesson has been to embrace flexibility. The flat tire in Guatemala was just a test. Yes, it was cramped on the bus. Yes, some were battling motion sickness. Yes, the wait for our rescue bus would throw off the schedule for the rest of
the day. But things happen for a reason.
Our delayed trek to the volcano gave the skies time to clear up. In this case, embracing flexibility meant more time on Guatemala’s famous Chicken Bus, and, more favorably, a dry ascent to the summit of the volcano with views unobstructed by raindrops. It was well worth the wait.
A mere day later, our flexibility would be tested yet again. A breakfast that ran long was followed by a zipline ticket line that ran long, which was followed by an outfit change that ran long ahead of a rescheduled Mass time. The “longs” we had accumulated throughout the day made us late to the Antigua market, cutting our shopping time short.
Steadfast in our flexibility and dressed in our Sunday best, we made the rainy walk to Antigua’s central park where the market vendors awaited. Just as we crossed the street to our destination, I caught sight of a face I thought I would never see again. It was the face of a friend I made on the tennis court, one whose friendship carried into the
hallways of Dowling Catholic before she moved to Spain two years ago. My quizzical stare broke out into a smile as I approached her and we locked eyes, exclaiming each other’s names in disbelief as we rushed for a hug.
Once again, I was reaping the reward from embracing flexibility while
About the Contributor
Senior Ella Johnson will serve as Editor-in-Chief for the Dowling Catholic Post, the school’s digital student newspaper. Ella is also involved with the performing arts, speech and debate, student ambassadors, Student Philanthropy Council, Ut Fidem and tennis. She received an Emerging Journalist Award from the Iowa High School Press Association which provides a scholarship to attend either the University of Iowa Summer Journalism Workshop or Drake’s Media Now journalism camp.
traveling. Had we not been running late and adjusting our schedule all day, I might have never been on the same side of the road, in the same central park, in the same city, in the same country, at the same time as my long-lost friend.
Our weekend in Guatemala had surely been one of trusting the process, but that is a lesson that comes with any form of travel, and the rest of our week in Guatemala was not just any form of travel. This was a mission trip, and with that came an even larger lesson.
Those in the Dowling Catholic orbit are certainly familiar with the school’s mission to prepare “Leaders for Life, Centered on Christ.” It is a phrase that has echoed in my head since I entered high school, and after spending three years at Dowling Catholic and traveling 2,500 miles south, my high school’s mission was fully realized on the mission trip to Guatemala.
Over four days, our team of travelers built four homes, marking 211 total homes constructed through the ImagininGuatemala non-profit program and impacting an equal number of families whose lives have been touched by servant leadership.
As a returning traveler on Dowling Catholic’s Guatemala mission trip and a 2024 Dowling Catholic graduate, Zeb Fitzgerald has served on two of the 211 ImagininGuatemala homes, learning valuable lessons from the very start. Reflecting on his experiences, Fitzgerald
shares, “The first time taught me that there are some people on this Earth that truly have it worse off than I do and that there was something I could do to help.” Building on this realization, he adds, “Going on the trip a second time felt like something I owed to myself and the people of Guatemala.”
Kirby Gepson, a first-time traveler on Dowling Catholic’s Guatemala mission trip and a 2018 Dowling Catholic graduate who has since returned to Dowling Catholic to work as an Ut Fidem Coordinator, related her experience on the trip to a quote by St. Francis: “It is in giving that we receive.” Elaborating on this, Gepson emphasizes, “We say we are going to give of our time and energy and resources to help the poor, but when we go, we see that the people who are poor in materials are rich in faith, love, and joy. It always makes me realize that I’m the one that’s poor in my faith, and I need to rely on God more like they do.”
These are the lessons that set a mission trip apart from any other form of travel. With each brick laid and each nail hammered, all thirty-seven of us were not only building a home but building perspective. Experiences like the Guatemala mission trip open our eyes to what matters, and as a result, we choose not to fixate on flat tires, rainy weather, or disrupted schedules, but instead, we choose to trust the process and put our energy towards serving others, knowing that we all grow along the way.
“We say we are going to give of our time and energy and resources to help the poor, but when we go, we see that the people who are poor in materials are rich in faith, love, and joy. It always makes me realize that I’m the one that’s poor in my faith, and I need to rely on God more like they do.”
Student Awards
Each spring Dowling Catholic proudly recognizes the accomplishments of our students during the Student Service and Senior Celebration Assembly. Congratulations to the following 2024 award recipients:
AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP AWARD
Adalyn Krueger
Recognizes seniors who demonstrate good citizenship, a sense of responsibility and service to the community.
BERNIE SAGGAU AWARD
Andrew Schumacher
Presented to the senior who best exemplifies a patriotic spirit with strong religious and moral convictions; living and professing the qualities of honesty, integrity and sportsmanship; and believing that games and life should be conducted by the rules. Mr. Saggau was Executive Director of the IHSAA for 38 years.
DCHS SPIRIT AWARD
Alier Agau & Ava Petersen
Presented to students who model integrity and moral character. Their positive spirit and sharing of time and talents are true examples of Christ-centered leadership. Faculty selects seniors who best represent the spirit of DCHS.
DR. ROBERT BREEDLOVE AWARD
Jack Flori
Recognizes a junior who best models hard work, leadership and courage while exemplifying the Christian principles valued by Dr. Bob Breedlove, the father of several DCHS graduates and athletic team doctor for many years. He was known for his generosity as demonstrated through the countless hours of medical and personal support he provided to DCHS athletes and coaches.
FATHER JOHN ACREA AWARD
Cesar Duran-Oropeza
Presented to a student who has shown commitment, dedication and determination in debate. Father Acrea founded the debate team in 1963 and impacted an entire generation of DCHS debaters.
GOVERNOR’S SCHOLAR AWARD
Ava Petersen and Audrey Stone
This award goes to seniors from across the state who have been honored by the Governor for their high academic achievement.
JACK WAHLIG AWARD
Benet Brown, Robert Beecher, Jacqueline
James & Kathleen Warren
This award honors a retired accountant and parent of DCHS alumni who expected his children to be involved in school activities, strive for excellence, exhibit leadership, and care for others. The award recognizes freshmen who excel in these areas.
JOHN HAYES AWARD
John Foth & Kate Nelson
Selected by the athletic department, recipients of the John Hayes Award exhibit strong leadership and dedication to activities, athletics and academics; demonstrate commitment to hard work; live a faith-life modeled in service; and exude a caring and supportive attitude. Mr. Hayes was the athletic director at DCHS from 1977 to 2005.
MOCK TRIAL EXCELLENCE AWARD
Robbie Duran & Elizabeth Topf
This award is given to one senior male and female who have exemplified excellence and commitment to Mock Trial.
MULTI-SPORT AWARD
Nick Frerichs & Liv Hall
This award goes to two seniors, one male and one female, who have achieved success in multiple sports during their time at Dowling Catholic. Recipients must have participated and lettered in at least two different sports during their high school careers.
SISTER JUDITH SHEAHAN AWARD
Ryan Bobo & Ginny Heddinger
Sr. Judith Sheahan was an assistant principal at DCHS and a service-oriented leader with meticulous organizational skills. The Maroon Council awards two sophomores who reflect the qualities of great leadership and selfless service.
PAX CHRISTI AWARD
Chloe Nielsen
The Pax Christi student is committed to Christian faith and service and actively participates in the life and spirit of DCHS. They exemplify Christ-centered leadership; have respect for fellow human beings as demonstrated through Christian service; and inspire others through words and actions to live a Christ-centered life. The recipient is selected by the senior class and delivers the commencement address.
SISTER CLEMENZA
COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Atem Deng & Peyton Hamilton
This award honors seniors who have excelled in the spirit of Christian service. Sr. Clemenza, a former DCHS counselor, was the “go-to person” to get things done. This award is not based on the number of service hours, but on how the student has served the people of God.
ST. MARTIN DE PORRES AWARD
Ajoung Ajoung & Alma Drazi
This award goes to junior students who are involved in activities that advocate for racial and social justice, both at DCHS and in the community.
VONNIE HESS AWARD
Grace Frye & Lewis Lentsch
This memorial tuition award was created in honor of the caring mother of former DCHS president, Fr. Michael Hess. Recipients are selected based on participation in activities that fulfill Dowling Catholic’s mission of community involvement, achieving above-average grades, and involvement in extracurricular activities.
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
This award recognizes students with the greatest cumulative GPA improvement in the last year.
Juniors: Angeleen Lara-Calderon, John Bright, Jose Perez, Isabella Garcia, Angelo Vacco
Seniors: Alivia Ousley, John Mitchell, Rosalyn Terrazas, Kale Jackson, Amira Juma
Choral Awards
The Spring Choir Concert was performed for the DCHS community at Sheslow Auditorium on Monday, May 6, 2024. The evening included recognition of senior choir members and the presentation of three special choral awards.
The Douglas Schultz Memorial Award is presented to a member of the Freshman Class in recognition of outstanding service to the DCHS freshman chorus. This year’s recipient was Jolenne Bigelow.
The Iowa Choral Director’s Outstanding Senior Award is presented to a senior who has demonstrated outstanding musicianship and leadership in the choral art. This year’s recipient was Grace Hochberger.
The DCHS Choral Service Award is presented to a senior who has demonstrated sincere service to the choral program during their high school years. This year there were two recipients: Alier Agau in the Dowling Catholic Singers and Owen Leyser in the A Cappella Choir.
Congratulations and thank you to the seniors for their leadership and dedication!
Band Awards
The Dowling Catholic band program is proud to recognize students for their achievements and contributions with awards presented annually each spring. Congratulations to the following 2024 award recipients:
Senior Awards
John Philip Sousa Band Award - Brett Gifford
Patrick S. Gilmore Band Award - Jackey Fang
Louis Armstrong Band Award - Samuel Nielsen
Reubin Alcoy Memorial Award - Mitchell Cook
Woody Herman Jazz Award - Blake Selser
Quincy Jones Musicianship Award - Lauren Reinsvold
Mary Perlowski Spirit and Dedication Award - Olivia Reisdorf Service and Commitment Award - Savannah Givens
Most Improved Senior - Jack Seda
Good Samaritan Award - Ethan Stanley and Ned Whipple
Freshman, Sophomore and Junior Awards
Sean Runyan Memorial Scholarship - Arturo Reyes III (junior)
Michael Cargill Jazz Scholarship - Abbie Rodriguez (junior)
Director’s Award - Abby Hunter (freshman)
Director’s Award - Layla Crosthwaite (sophomore)
Director’s Award - Grace Aerisolphal (junior)
Awarding Excellence
Each spring Dowling Catholic recognizes faculty and staff with two special awards. Named for our founder, the Bishop Dowling Award is given to four faculty or staff members who exemplify our core values - faithful, caring and dedicated - in remarkable ways. Congratulations to Dola Osaga, Andy Reid, Kate Leo and Peg Conlon!
The John Baptist de La Salle Award was initiated by Joe Brick and his family in 2014 in honor of Janet Brick who passed away in 2011. Each year the Brick family chooses a faculty member who represents the qualities of Janet and the philosophy of de La Salle: to work in a way that makes a difference by touching the hearts of students. We are proud to recognize Dr. Erin Pommrehn as the John Baptist de La Salle Award recipient. Congratulations!
