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EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
RUSADER CONNECTION
WINTER 2012
EDGEWOODHS.ORG • NEWS FOR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS
Ambassador Mark Green Shares His Insights on Government Service
Social studies and political science teacher Wade DallaGrana had been a Peace Corps volunteer in Lesotho, 19771979, before coming to Edgewood. In 2011, during the Peace Corps’ 50-year anniversary celebration, DallaGrana was a co-presenter at the Monona Terrace in Madison (UW-Madison has provided more volunteers than any other university) for a workshop on “Bringing the World Back Home through Global Education.” He also caught up with Joseph Mbele, a man whom he met at UW-Madison in 1980 and hadn’t seen in 30 years. Mbele, who had taught in the Literature Department of the University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. is now a professor at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, where he teaches and writes about literature and folklore, African and American culture and multiculturalism in general. The two old friends also met former four-term U.S. Congressman from the Green Bay area, Ambassador Mark Green, who served in Tanzania during the administration of the second President Bush. As a result of the meeting, DallaGrana brought Ambassador Green to campus to talk with students about his experiences in the political world and serving in a foreign country.
This photo, taken by DallaGrana while in Lesotho, appeared on the “we all need a home” poster, produced by the RPCVs of Wisconsin-Madison, 2009.
Trivia Night Recognizes Brains and Creativity
Above: Let’s hope the Red Queen waited until after the questions to shout, “Off with their heads!” Middle: Alumni participated on many of the teams. Bottom: Given the condition of the patients, one has to wonder whether doctors really are smarter after all those years of medical training...!
On Friday, November 11, many parents, alumni and friends of EHS enjoyed the fourth annual Trivia Night. The contestants deliberated through eight rounds of ten questions with various categories like Nobility, EHS History and UW History. In the process, participants raised over $19,000 for the Music Department and Edgewood High School. Tables and teams were very creative again in coming up with their table themes. The winning theme was the Jail Birds table (“serving time for Edgewood”)—complete with a jail! Some other themes included the 1970s, pirates and Alice in Wonderland. We extend our thanks to our generous sponsors; the Baer Foundation, the Saliga Family, Associated Bank, the Zimbrick Family, the Merfeld Family, the Wall Family and the Wiederhold Family for helping us by backing the event. We also thank all those who donated gift cards or prizes to the event. Finally, a “thank you” goes to all of the judges and parent volunteers. Trivia Night is a playful evening during which to have fun, socialize and meet other Edgewood families while supporting all students in EHS music programs. Please visit the EHS website, edgewoodhs.org, for more information about future Trivia Nights and events at Edgewood.
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Calling All Crusaders Living an Itinerant Life
HEN A FRIEND or family member says he or she has “been called” toward a career, a vocation or cause, it evokes a sense of deep commitment and obligation, and a feeling that something is just and right. Saying “yes” to a call can drive the direction of our life, can take us way out of our comfort zone, bring about tremendous personal growth, and have a positive impact on the world in which we live. During my time in service to Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart, I’ve been able to witness, through story and archives, the life and calling embraced by Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, founder of the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa. As a young man, Fr. Samuel left his homeland of Italy and ventured to this country where he spent his life building churches, ministering to those in need, and fostering a love of learning in all he met. As a Dominican, Fr. Samuel was called to live out his vocation itinerantly. In other words, Fr. Samuel was called to take his faith and his work to the people rather than waiting for those in need to come to him.
Today, the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa continue the legacy of Fr. Samuel by living their vocation through ministries all over the world. As a Catholic high school in the Dominican tradition, EHS students learn to embrace this concept of itinerancy. Most visibly, Edgewood students bring their passions, enthusiasm and caring to those in need throughout Dane County. Each student, as part of the graduation criteria, is asked to give a minimum of 100 hours in service to the community. EHS students stock shelves at local food pantries, serve as mentors to young boys or girls, perform yard and home work for the elderly, volunteer at area hospitals and much more. In addition to more than 30,000 hours of service provided by our students each year, performing arts groups like the EHS Show Choir perform at numerous community events, our junior CROSS participants take their love of service to Chicago as part of a four-day retreat, and a number of our athletic teams have used their public exposure to support worthy local charities. This focus on living an itinerant
THANK YOU to the sponsors of Edgewood in the Community 2011:
ECONOPRINT
Madison Rotary Foundation American Family Insurance First Weber Group Foundation Harris/M&I Bank A Part of BMO Financial Group
Students, faculty, staff, parents and alumni headed off campus for the annual Edgewood in the Community service day in September. 2 • CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012
St. Mary’s Hospital Associated Bank Flad Development & Investment US Bank Dave D’Orazio/ Capital City Cleaning & Supply Pepsi Sysco
Judd Schemmel, President
life is directly in line with the aspect of the Edgewood mission that calls us to prepare our students for a life of service and personal responsibility. Whether an alumnus of Edgewood, parent of alumni, or a friend of the high school, we can all, in our own way, imitate the examples set before us by St. Dominic, Fr. Samuel and our EHS students and consciously choose to bring our faith, our works and our service to our communities. By actively seeking opportunities to serve others rather than waiting for such opportunities to come to us, we are being very Dominican and we are representing the larger family of Edgewood. Reaching out in service to others is part of an Edgewood High School education. We continue in our efforts to ensure that the Edgewood experience is both enriching and affordable for those families who value a faith-based educational setting. In addition to ongoing careful fiscal management, we recently made the important decision to increase the maximum available need-based financial assistance from 50% of tuition and standard fees to 65%. At more than $600,000 annually, our need-based grants program provides many families with the aid needed to keep EHS a part of their educational priorities. I want to offer my personal thanks as well as the gratitude of the entire EHS family to our numerous supporters and benefactors. Many have given and continue to give of their time, talent and treasure, and these gifts allow the high school to continue its important work. It is with confidence that I offer you the collective commitment of the Edgewood High School faculty and staff to fulfilling our mission. We will educate our students through a curriculum of rigor and challenge, we will enrich our students with diverse and rewarding co-curricular programs, and we will call our students to move beyond their own experiences and to live an itinerant life that includes serving others in need with a joyful and compassion spirit. Wishing you all the best in 2012.
Influential Edgewoodians The November 2011 edition of Madison Magazine featured “Madisonians who made 2011 Better.” Included in their selections were a number of people with direct Edgewood High School connections, including Diane Endres Ballweg ’71 (alumna, parent of alumni and aviation instructor), Terrence Wall ’83 (alumnus, current parent), John Wall (parent of alumni), Londa Dewey (parent of alumni and current chair, Board of Trustees), Bob Gorsuch (parent of alumni) and Velma Ritcherson (grandparent of alumnus). Congratulations go to all on the recognition for their contributions!
Campus Notes
Andy Manis for the Wisconsin State Journal
• Jeff Skiles, first officer on the crew who safely landed a disabled US Airways plane on the Hudson River three years ago,
shared the exciting tale when he spoke to Edgewood High School students. Skiles has offered to speak each semester to the aviation classes taught by Diane Endres Ballweg ’71 at Edgewood to talk about the progression of his aviation career, his experiences and the advantages and disadvantages of the profession. • Senior Phillip Fonfara was selected to receive the Diocese of Madison’s Catholic Charities Youth Faith in Action Award and scholarship, recognizing Catholic youth who demonstrate their faith by works of volunteerism and commitment to their communities.
• Edgewood football coach Alan Minnaert was named Green Bay Packers High School Coach of the Week, a program presented by the Wisconsin National Guard. The honor included several items and privileges, including a $2,000 donation to the school's football program from the Green Bay Packers, Wisconsin National Guard, and the NFL, as well as recognition of the award on packers.com. Minnaert, in his 20th season as the head football coach, led the Crusaders to their first ten-win season in school history and to the WIAA Division 3 semi-final game. • Senior George Carr scored 30 out of 30 in a blue ribbon performance at a December Math Meet at Memorial High School in Madison. Attaining a perfect score is very difficult and this was only the second time that an EHS “mathlete” has achieved it, preceded by Cedric Meyers ’07. • Five EHS students were invited to showcase their St. Croix research projects (supervised by science teacher Mekel Wiederholt Meier ’93) at the Edgewood College 7th Annual Student Academic Showcase in April 2011. The Showcase is
26TH ANNUAL EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL AUCTION AND SOCIAL
APRIL, 27, 2012 • 5:30 PM COMMONS AND WILKE GYM Returning to the Auction this year after several years of a strolling dinner is a sit-down dinner. With a shorter silent Auction and most items closing before dinner, bids will need to be made earlier! New is a better-than-ever Auction website (visit edgewoodhs.org to follow the link) that will feature the option of selecting a table of people with similar interests at which to dine, so everyone should be able to find a group with whom they will enjoy the evening. And those who can’t attend will still be able to purchase tickets in the Cash or Credit Raffle, featuring top prizes of $5,000 cash or a $7,500 Edgewood High School 2012-2013 tuition credit!
Large and small donations from alumni have become the foundation of the auction. The 2011 Auction featured sixteen live auction items. Alumni donors to the live auction included Daniel Hanrahan ’75/Celebrity Cruises; Amy (Didier ’88) and Eric Johnson/Hy Cite Corporation; Ron ’65 and Deborah Krantz/UW Provisions; Patrick ’73 and Pamela Sweeney/Sweeney & Sweeney; Peter Sweeney ’74; Thomas Walker ’75 and Jill Dal SantoWalker ’78/Midwest Family Broadcasting; and Thomas Virnoche ’82/Badger Popcorn and Concession Supply. Other alumni donors included David ’78 and Mary Beth (Sweeney ’78) Arnold, Paul ’83 and Kelly Cuta, Lori Battista LaFond ’95 and Michael LaFond, Dennis McKinley ’63, Bruce Meier ’74, Amanda Miller ‘09 and Tekla Wlodarczyk ’77. Cash sponsorships also help ensure the Auction’s success. Last year’s alumni sponsors included James Imhoff, Jr. ’62, Joseph ’68 and Sharon Daniels, Mike ’85 and Nikki (Crapser ’85) Moore, Michael ’69 and Cynthia McKenna, Mary Devine ’74, Terrence ’83 and Helen Wall, Mike ’77 and Sue (McDaniel ’78) Elliott and Bridget Murphy ’73 and Peter Healy. Please consider joining the growing list of alumni donors and sponsors. Your contributions directly support current EHS students. Please visit edgewoodhs.org for up-to-date information on the 26th Annual EHS Anchors Aweigh Auction & Social or email russbri@edgewood.k12.wi.us for donation and sponsorship information.
a three-day symposium and poster presentation that celebrates the research, scholarship and creative activity of students. Ally Cross and Ruby Herrera presented on Aquatic Plants of the St. Croix River and Its Backwaters, and Catherine DeGuire, Khuaten Maaneb de Macedo and Katie Kuecker gave A Preliminary Assessment of the Family and Functional Diversity of Macroinvertebrates of the Kettle River Based on Substrate Composition and Water Speed. • During the Thanksgiving and Advent season, EHS students donated 1620 pounds of food plus additional cash representing over 1,300 meals to local food pantries, including St. Vincent de Paul. They also donated $1,400 worth of school supplies, toys and personal items for homeless children and children with an incarcerated parent. The 145 gift boxes were packed by the STAR girls’ group and the Campus Ministry program. Through free-will offerings made at Music Department concerts, the students and faculty sent checks totaling nearly $850 to the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry and the EHS Student Grant Fund. • Parent Chris van Wagner chaperoned a group of students, including his daughter, Mary Kate ’12, on a trip to World Youth Day in Madrid last summer. Read his inspiring and humorous posts recounting the daily experiences, and close encounters with the Pope at http://my.eftours.com/ christopherv8/world-youth-day-2011-inmadrid-edgewood-and-st-anns.
Northwoods Golf Getaway The fifth annual Northwoods Golf Getaway at Red Crown Resort will be held this year on June 24-26. If you are interested in receiving an invitation, please contact the President’s Office at 608.257.1023 x145 or anzecar@edgewood.k12.wi.us. Thanks go once again to the 2011 sponsors: Bob Dunn ’84 and the Hammes Company, Children’s Dental Center of Madison, Park Towne Development and the EHS Endowment Investment Committee. The product sponsors were: Buchholz Planning, Lands’ End, Seville Gear and TaylorMade. In the Summer 2011 edition of Crusader Connection, Steve and Sue Hird were inadvertantly left off the list of sponsors for the Athetic Department’s E.J. Wilke Golf Outing. We apologize for the oversight. CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012 • 3
It’s Great to See You Again! 2011 Class Reunion Photos and 2012 Reunion Updates ~1961~ ~1951~
~1966~
Go to the News & Events link under Alumni at edgewoodhs.org for a link to the most recent reunion schedule updates! Class of 1952 Friday, July 13–Sunday, July 15, 2012 Contact: Patty Sullivan, patty.sullivan@yahoo.com, 608.836.7929 Friday: Informal meet and greet at 6 pm at Dahmen’s Pizza Place, 6654 Mineral Point Rd, Madison; order/pay when you get there, Friday fish fry runs $811. Cash bar. RSVP to Patty Sullivan in order to reserve enough tables. Saturday: Meet at 4 pm at Dahmen’s Pizza Place, 6654 Mineral Point Rd. Continuous dinner buffet, 5-8 pm. 4 • CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012
Cash bar. Cost: $11 per person; check payable to Patty Sullivan. Send check and RSVP to Patty Sullivan, 5 North Woodmont Circle, Madison, WI 53717. Sunday: 10:30 am at Blackhawk Country Club, 3606 Blackhawk Dr, Madison. Cash bar social followed by a brunch at 11 am. Hostess: Leonette (Miller) Huffer. Cost: $18 per person; check payable to Leonette Huffer. Send check and RSVP to Patty Sullivan, 5 North Woodmont Circle, Madison, WI 53717 Notes: 1. If you have a favorite photo or two you’d like to have posted in the room at the reunion on
Saturday, please send along with your RSVP (even if it’s a childhood photo and you want those present to guess your identity!) 2. The Class of 1952 alums gather on the second Saturday of July every year (’cuz 5 years is just too far away!) at Dahmen’s Pizza Place at 4 pm for a cash bar, followed by a dinner buffet from 5-8 pm. This is informal and not a mailing—just come and join us. We do reach as many as we can via e-mail, but we'd like everyone to be there. We usually have between 40 and 50 who show up for this each year.
~1971~
Class of 1958 classof58reunion@myevent.com Contact: Judy Hofmeister, bjhofmeister@frontier.com, 608.424.1378 or 608.333.4677 Monthly lunch, 3rd Friday: Please go to the website to find location. We try to sample all the restaurants in Madison and surrounding areas. Bring spouses; also, some have brought grandchildren. Our website keeps up with new events such as anniversaries, deaths and other events. If you have never put a profile on the website you may do so at any time! Class of 1962 Friday, August 17–Sunday, August 19, 2012 Contact: Jim Imhoff, imhoffj@firstweber.com, 443.2220 Specific plans TBA; Sunday Mass at EHS
~1981~
Class of 1967 Friday, July 6 & Saturday, July 7, 2012 Contacts: Tom Martinelli, tmartinelli@tds.net, 608.233.2850 Tom Conlin, TConlin1@wi.rr.com, 262.781.6302 Friday: 7:30 pm at Pooley’s Sports Bar. Saturday: Golf outing at 1 pm at Hawks Landing Golf Club; contact Tom Conlin. Dinner at Hawks Landing at 6:30 pm; contact Tom Martinelli. Class of 1972 Friday, June 22 & Saturday, June 23, 2012 Contacts: Peggy Lynch McCullough, 467.7925 Debbie Schiro Digney, 836.5951 John Skillrud, 833.1521 Friday, June 22, 7 pm at Babe’s Grill and Bar Saturday, June 23, 4 pm at Hoyt Park
~1986~
Class of 1977 Dates and events TBA Contacts: Joane Kaney McCloskey, Mark Collins Class of 1982 Dates and events TBA Contact: Jane Schrader Griffen, 609.1537, jane.griffin@charter.net Classes of 1957, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007 The Edgewood High School Alumni Office is not aware of any reunion plans. If you are already working on a reunion or are interested in helping, please contact Alumni Director Tammy Ehrmann at 608.257.1023 x185 or ehrmtam@edgewood.k12.wi.us.
CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012 • 5
Living theMission AWARDS PRESENTATION, HALL OF FAME INDUCTIONS AND CRUSADER COURT DONOR RECOGNITION On November 3, Edgewood High School hosted its annual event in celebration of all the different ways in which people connected to the Edgewood community contribute toward “Living the Mission.” Below are condensed profiles of the people selected for service awards. View more complete biographies of previous award winners or submit a nomination for a future winner at the “Living the Mission” link under the “Alumni” menu on Edgewood’s website, www.edgewoodhs.org.
Living the Mission 2011 award winners (l-r): Joseph Kemnitz ’65, Helen and John Burish (accepting for Adam ’01 and Nikki ’02 Burish), Katherine Wolf Punwar ’78, Jean Tiedeman Heinrichs ’50, Richard Wolf, Diane Mertens, Cubby and Elaine Wolfe.
ELAINE G. & ALAN G. “CUBBY” WOLFE Servant Heart Award Love, humility and service are exemplified in the lives of Elaine and Cubby Wolfe. Their years of service to Edgewood High School and the greater Madison community, and their ability to do this service with love and humility, are vividly portrayed when looking at their accomplishments. Elaine and Cubby have been involved in numerous and varied ministries. Elaine was actively involved in projects and programs to benefit Edgewood. She worked on the mailing of the Edge on the News, a behindthe-scenes job that goes unnoticed until the newsletter sharing important school updates stops arriving in family mailboxes! She participated in the organization and operation of Edgefest through service on a range of committees, culminating in being co-chair of the entire event. She has also volunteered at Our Lady Queen of Peace in many ways, has served on many committees at Blackhawk Country Club, been a member of its Board of Directors and president of the Woman’s Organization. She was instrumental in the remodeling of the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters’ residence on Jefferson Street, and quietly and lovingly cared for many of her 11 grandchildren every Monday for 13 years. 6 • CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012
Cubby has also devoted much time and energy to the Edgewood community as well as the Madison-area Catholic community. He served on the EHS Advisory Board, which he chaired for one term, the Endowment Committee, and he served as co-chair of Edgefest with Elaine. He served on the Board of Directors of Catholic Charities–Diocese of Madison, who recognized him with the organization’s Faith in Action Award in 2010. In addition, Cubby was a member of the Investment Advisory Board for the Sinsinawa Dominicans, volunteered in a number of different capacities for Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish, and provided service to and through Blackhawk Country Club and West Side Lions Club.
JEAN D. TIEDEMAN HEINRICHS ’50 Mazzuchelli Award for Service to Christian Education Jean has served in a number of different capacities with Blessed Sacrament Parish in Madison. An active participant in the youth ministry program, she was the coordinator of a mentoring program with West High School and was at the parish every Monday to greet the students, connect them with their mentors and serve them a home-cooked meal. She is on the Welcome Committee, and each month she prepares the Welcome
Evening materials given to families and individuals interested in joining Blessed Sacrament Parish. For many years Jean has hosted a faith sharing group at which women of all ages, young moms to senior citizens, come together each week to learn about their faith and how it works in their lives and to participate in a strong community of believers. Jean acts as a guiding light— someone who can be depended upon for support and caring advice. She demonstrates her faith and dedication to serving others by volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry, Meals on Wheels and the Young Life tutoring program for West High students.
KATHERINE WOLF PUNWAR ’78 Fine Arts Hall of Fame As Kathy was growing up, the love of music was a continuous thread in the daily life in the Wolf household. She was recognized this year along with her father, Richard “Dick” Wolf, as the first father/daughter team to be inducted into the Fine Arts Hall of Fame. Kathy was very involved in all aspects of music while at Edgewood, including band, show choir, the string ensemble and theater. Her love of music led her to the University of WisconsinMadison where she graduated with a music education degree and took her first teaching
position at Anoka-Hennepin, Minnesota School District and taught orchestra, choir and general music before moving to the Madison Metropolitan School District, where she continues today. In 2009, Kathy received a Kohl Fellowship Award in recognition of teaching excellence and the ability to inspire a love of learning in students. Kathy was also awarded a grant she used to raise funds to provide drums for community building and world music experience. In addition, she has received commissions to compose music for school districts and youth symphonies in the Midwest, has conducted music festivals and taught at music camps, and serves as a consultant for Yamaha Corporation of America. Along with her professional career, Kathy has volunteered with service organizations. She currently serves Big Brothers/Big Sisters as part of the Big Couple program with her husband Jay. She has been a Girl Scout troop leader, helped with the Edgefest Follies and the Blessed Sacrament Encore programs, directed the Living Stones choir at Lake Edge Lutheran Church, and continues to accompany the LaFollette High School musicals.
RICHARD W. “DICK” WOLF Fine Arts Hall of Fame Dick Wolf ’s musical career has been farreaching and long-lasting. After doing his college practice teaching with the EHS band, he began teaching full-time at Edgewood and though his tenure at the school spanned only four and a half years, in that brief time Dick revitalized the band program at EHS and was a lifelong influence on many of his students. He also brought new energy to the Catholic Grade School Band Program, the main feeder source for the Edgewood band. At the same time, he was an assistant band director for the UW and, along with 2009 EHS Fine Arts Hall of Fame inductee Paul Haack ’53, directed the UW Marching Band for the 1961 Rose Bowl. In 1960 he was named Edgewood’s first full-time band director, also taught freshman boys glee club, concert choir and orchestra, and was the music director for the spring musical. He was hired by the UWExtension Music Department, where he worked for the rest of his professional career except for two years as Dean of Student and Academic Affairs at the Institute for Advanced Musical Studies in Montreux, Switzerland. Dick remained involved with Edgewood as Sr. Kathleen O’Connell’s administrative representative to the Band Association Board. He also served on the Advisory Board, the predecessor of the current Board of Trustees. His career included numerous music
workshops, clinics and festivals; serving with Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras and the State String Development Program; creating educational materials; and consulting with Disney Corporation regarding the role of the arts at EPCOT. He has also been very active in the Music Educators National Conference and the Alliance for Arts Education which he represented alongside the Department of Public Instruction and UW-Madison’s Continuing Education in the Arts in receiving a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. In 2005, when the Wisconsin Center for Music Education’s new building was dedicated, the Wisconsin Foundation for School Music Resource Center was named in honor of Richard and Nancy Wolf.
DIANE K. MERTENS Fine Arts Hall of Fame Diane has been a lifelong supporter of the arts through the classes she teaches, her many years of service on the Fine Arts Committee as a member and chairperson, and her love of Shakespearean literature. Diane began her teaching career in the Madison area and eventually found her way to Edgewood, where she continues today as the English Department chairperson. Along with teaching a variety of classes, Diane has also been involved in organizing, promoting and advising on a number of student cocurricular activities. She was the founder and served as chairperson of the Edgewood High School Fine Arts Festival, a week-long event that began in 1992. Her desire to promote student-authored literature led her to become the advisor of The Wayfarer, an entirely student-produced literary magazine that has consistently earned accolades. In addition, she has served on many committees and advisory boards within the Edgewood community, including ones addressing longrange development, students and curriculum. Outside her Edgewood teaching, Diane was twice a lecturer at colleges in Japan. She has continued studying Asian culture with visits to Thailand, China, Korea and Japan in the last several years, and brings those experiences back to share with her students. Diane’s awards and honors include the Freeman Foundation Award, presented in Fukuoka, Japan; National Endowment for the Humanities Awards from UW-Madison, the Folger Library in Washington, DC, the University of Maryland and Rutgers University; the Fulbright-Hays Award, Japan; Outstanding Teacher awards from the University of Chicago and from the Senator Herbert Kohl Foundation; and the Edgewood Alumni Appreciation Award.
ADAM M. BURISH ’01 EAA Athletic Hall of Fame Madison is a community that embraces hockey, so it was natural for Adam’s mother, Helen, to take him and his sister Nikki, then five and three years old respectively, to a local skating rink for some winter recreation. That winter afternoon was the beginning of Adam’s passion for the game of hockey, a game that has been the focus of his life ever since. Along the way, the Edgewood Crusaders benefitted from his skill and talents on the ice, skills that allowed him to develop and grow into a player for the Chicago Blackhawks championship team. Adam played hockey for the Badgers while he earned a degree in economics at UW-Madison. He helped propel the skaters to an NCAA Men’s Hockey championship by serving as a team captain and assisting on both goals in Wisconsin’s 2-1 victory over Boston College in the 2005-2006 title game. Off the ice, he was involved in community service at many schools, hospitals and youth hockey clinics and received the UW StudentAthlete Community Service Award. In 2001-2002 Adam had been skating for the Green Bay Gamblers in the US Hockey League and was drafted by the Chicago Blackhawks. He began skating professionally in 2006-2007 as a member of the Blackhawks and the Norfolk Admirals and was playing right wing for the Blackhawks when they won the 2010 Stanley Cup. Adam was then picked up by the Dallas Stars where, according to Defending Big D, “He instantly became a fan favorite in Dallas, with his personable ways and his willingness to interact with the common man. His selflessness…is a lost art [and] what he does best [is] inspire those around him.”
NIKKI M. BURISH ’02 EAA Athletic Hall of Fame Nikki played hockey for many different youth teams in the Madison area, winning the Wisconsin State title with her peewee team along with her brother when she was only 11. They both earned spots on the Edgewood High School Hockey Team, where Nikki was the first girl to play on the team. While co-captain of the UW-Madison Women’s Hockey Team, Nikki and her teammates won the 2006 Women’s Hockey National Championship. During her years at UW, Nikki also earned numerous academic awards, including the Governor’s Academic Award of Excellence, WCHA Academic Honors, All-WCHA Academic Team, the Big Ten National Scholar Athlete from the American Women’s Hockey Coaches Association, and the University of Wisconsin Big Ten Conference Scholar Athlete Award. CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012 • 7
In addition, her hockey skills earned her the WCHA Player of the Week, the Women’s Sports Advocates Award of Excellence, a position on the WCHA All-Star Team in 2005 and the UW Student Athlete Community Service Award. She studied abroad at the University of New South Wales in Australia while at UW, and played in the Switzerland Professional Women’s Hockey National League after graduation. Nikki is now enrolled in the UW Medical School. She volunteers with a wide range of organizations including UW Children’s Hospital, the Rolling Flames Wheelchair Hockey League, Bookin’ It with Bucky, and several elementary school reading programs. She has been a youth hockey instructor and a high school women’s hockey assistant coach. She serves as a student delegate on the Dane County Medical Society Board of Trustees and as the secretary and class representative for the UW Medical Student Association. Nikki was honored with the 2010 Student Leadership and Service Book Award, presented by the medical school. And as for hockey, Nikki now shares her lifelong passion as an on-air commentator for the Big Ten Network.
JOSEPH W. KEMNITZ ’65 Alumni Appreciation Award Joe is the first Edgewood High School graduate to receive the Alumni Appreciation Award, usually reserved for those who are not alumni. While Joe would not normally qualify for the award, in appreciation for all he has done for alumni through his tireless leadership, innovation and creative direction, and his dedication to the founding and stewardship of the Edgewood High School Alumni Association, the Alumni Advisory Council chose to make an exception in presenting this very special honor. Joe is a researcher and administrator at the UW Primate Research Center. He has published more than 100 scientific papers and has collaborated on articles and productions in a range of popular media in a variety of worldwide locations. While engaging in research, the administrative side of his career grew, culminating in the directorship of the center for 10 years. He is now director for translational technologies and resources in UW-Madison’s Institute for Clinical and Translational Research. He has also completed two terms on the Council for the Institute of Laboratory Animal Research of the National Academies in Washington, DC.
Joe has been honored with a number of awards and recognition including: Sigma Xi; fellow and vice-president for biological sciences of the Gerontological Society of America; Malcom Trout Visiting Professorship, Michigan State University; Geron Award for Best Scientific Paper; and the Knox Courage Award from the Wisconsin Association for Biomedical Research and Education. While Joe has been extremely dedicated and involved in his career at UW, his passion and commitment to Edgewood has never wavered. Because his work has enabled him to stay in Madison, he has also been able to continue being involved with Edgewood, both at the Campus School and the High School. He was instrumental in the creation and development of the Alumni Advisory Council, the governing body of the Edgewood High School Alumni Association which, under Joe’s direction has increased its paid membership by leaps and bounds. His willingness to help out in any way, by attending and speaking at events, serving as an advisor and communicating with fellow graduates, is an example to the rest of the Council and all alumni.
Nominate Someone for the Living the Mission Awards!
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DGEWOOD RELIES on the help of our alumni and friends in identifying people who deserve recognition. For additional information on criteria or candidates for each award, visit the “Alumni” link on the EHS homepage, www.edgewoodhs.org. Then complete the form below (or online) to nominate someone who should be considered for an award. A limited number of awards are presented annually and the names of nominees not selected in the year of nomination are retained for future consideration. We have a special need for additional nominees in the Dominican Award and Mazzuchelli Award categories. If you have questions about the awards or nomination process, please contact Director of Alumni Relations Tammy Ehrmann at 608.257.1023 x185 or ehrmtam@edgewood.k12.wi.us.
EHS Living the Mission Awards Nomination Form I nominate:
Class of ❑ Dominican Award for Service to Humanity ❑ Mazzuchelli Award for Service to Christian Education ❑ Alumni Appreciation Award
for: (if applicable)
PLEASE PRINT
❑ EHS Fine Arts Hall of Fame ❑ EAA Athletic Hall of Fame
Nominee’s Phone and Email: Nominee’s Address: Reason for nomination, with attached supporting materials:
Nominated by:
Class of
Nominator’s Phone and Email: Nominator’s Address: Return form to: Edgewood High School • Alumni Office • 2219 Monroe Street • Madison, WI 53711 Or go to www.edgewoodhs.org/alumni, select “Living the Mission” in the submenu at the left and then the link to the online nomination form 8 • CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012
Alumni in the Spotlight A-1 Values At age 10, Paul C. Cannarella ’88 was terrified that his parents could be making a mistake that would land the entire family in the street when they quit their jobs to open a used furniture business. From a humble but honest and hardworking beginning, selling pieces of furniture from their garage and repairing televisions, John and Rose Cannarella showed their children how to pursue a dream. The hours were long but eventually paid off and the fledgling business moved into a small warehouse and became Furniture and TV Trade-In Mart. As their inventory expanded, they gradually shifted to carrying both new and used, and with another move into a 10,000-squarefoot building, became A-1 Furniture & Bedding, selling only new furniture. Along the way, Paul and his brothers and sisters —John Jr., Maria and Christina — worked in the business. The success of the business made it possible to build a 40,000square-foot facility that continues to be the headquarters today, though there are now two locations in Madison with plans to expand beyond the city. Paul, his brother and parents still run the business, along with 32 employees, all of whom are dedicated to the original principles on which the business was founded: “give the customer the best value along with the best service.” The family’s appreciation for its long road from meager beginnings also shows in the generosity they provide to local non-profit organizations ranging from food banks to medical and social services and donations to the annual Edgewood High School Auction.
Speaking Out Sr. Marie Stella Storch OP ’62 was featured in “A Measure of Success” a special section the Fond du Lac Reporter. The article by Karla Kremer Breister highlighted Sr. Stella’s advocacy work in the Fond du Lac community. Though a Sinsinawa Dominican, after 27 years working as a principal, she has partnered with the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes (CSA) as the
coordinator of Justice, Peace and Ecology, networking with many other groups to try to shape corporate policy and have an impact on legislation regarding issues of human trafficking, the needs of women and children, and the environment. She is also involved with UNANIMA International, a non-governmental agency at the United Nations, that works in 72 countries around the world to stop immigrant labor abuses and the trafficking of people for slave work and sexual abuse. Sr. Stella fights for equality at home as well, participating in Holy Family Parish’s peace and justice programs and volunteering with United for Diversity, a group that tries to make the Fond du Lac community one that welcomes people of all backgrounds. In reaction to the article, Sr. Stella said, “Success means so many different things. I guess I don’t see myself as successful as much as faithful. In the work of peace and justice, you don’t often know success. You plant seeds and hope they grow, mature and blossom, but often you don’t see it in your own lifetime.”
Reading to Reach Susanne Brodzeller Okas ’63 is a reader for senior citizens at the Care Center in Mineral Point, Wisconsin. She was profiled by Steve McCarthy in the Edgewood College Magazine for her unique service years after retiring from a 35-year career as an elementary school teacher. One of the Edgewood College courses she had enjoyed most was Children’s Literature, and after teaching kindergarten for 10 years, she began teaching third grade. It was then that her ability to bring stories to life was fully appreciated and she became the official “reader” for the third grade. Years later, when Sue’s mother suffered a stroke, Sue read to her as a means of keeping her engaged when carrying on a conversation was difficult. The activity director asked if she would read to other residents as well, which she agreed to do. After her mother died, Sue kept volunteering at the Care Center where she now reads weekly for an hour to a group of six to 20 seniors, most of whom are often suffering from strokes or other disabling health and mental problems. She says, “It’s a great experience reading to the older people—even despite the ones who fall asleep while I’m there. “And,” she laughs, “I have a couple ladies who don’t necessarily enjoy my reading and they let everyone in the building know they don’t want to be there.” Sue and her husband,
Jim, have twin daughters, Amy and Jenny, and a son, Andy, as well as seven grandchildren—which has meant plenty of other reading to an appreciative audience.
Increasing Output P. Buckley Brinkman ’78 was interviewed by Karen Rivedal for the “Executive Q&A” column in the Wisconsin State Journal. A Harvard MBA graduate, “Bucky” is executive director and CEO of the Wisconsin Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a nonprofit consulting agency that helps manufacturers adopt industry best practices. His previous 25 years of heading small and large companies have given him insights on how to help others thrive. He notes that Wisconsin manufacturing has been undergoing a slow but steady increase, and tends to be in clean, sophisticated industries. However, “The real threat, or huge opportunity, is…to get the right workforce in place…workers to take on the computer-aided machining and other operations on the shop floor.…We want people who are smart and forward-thinking, who can run a sophisticated piece of equipment and can interact with their peers on the floor and work as a team and are able to interact with customers.” One solution he sees is to work closely with high schools and technical colleges to provide options for students, options that were often eliminated several decades ago when there was a major push for everyone to go on to a four-year college. “Maybe that isn’t the answer for everyone,” especially since many jobs only require a two-year degree or less and some people have nonacademic hands-on skills and talents. “We need parents to think about what is best for their kids in the long run.”
Alumni Act in Rent When the Drury Theatre at The Bartell in Madison, in cooperation with the Madison Theatre Guild, opened the curtains of the Broadway musical Rent in early December, the cast included a number of EHS alumni. Joseph M. “Joe” Salvo ’03 had the role of Benny, while Amanda L. Arnold ’07, Kiley M. Hearn ’06 and Shea P. Thongnuam ’05 were members of the ensemble. CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012 • 9
25 Years of Late Bloomers Fund: As Important as Ever
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ET ME JUST SAY it was an opportune time.” This is Thomas J. (Tom) O’Neill’s description of how he started the Sister Alphonsine Fund 25 years ago, more than 20 years after graduating from EHS in 1965. But when you ask him about the “Why”— why he started the fund, why in honor of Sr. Alphonsine Billion, and why it’s so important to encourage those Alphonsine called “the Late Bloomers”— his thoughts are sparked by memories. “Sr. Alphonsine was a friend, a mentor, a tutor —but not in the traditional sense. She gravitated toward the kids who once in a while spent a little time in the principal’s office. And I can tell you we weren’t there to talk about issues of state. We were talking about issues that confronted teens in the 1960s. We weren’t bad kids, just kids who raised a little heck, really decent kids who got into stupid situations. And I was certainly one of them.” “I think it can be a little easier for schools to attend to the class presidents, the athletes, the students with the really good grades. While those kids need guidance and support, so do kids who aren’t those things. Sr. Alphonsine really took to us, and we were most often boys.” “She helped me get my first job, at $1.25 an hour. She helped me get into college with what she wrote about me, and it wasn’t about my stellar grades. But she believed in me, even when I didn’t believe in myself. And by junior year in college I was on the Dean’s list, and by the time I had a master’s degree my g.p.a. was 4.9 of 5.0. I say this not to impress, but to remind us all how important it is not to give up on kids. A lot of kids need extra support during high school, and that extra support can make a lifetime of difference.” O’Neill’s memories bring us squarely to the purpose of the fund: The Sister Alphonsine Late Bloomers Fund gives scholarships to EHS seniors who have a strong desire to improve, who are struggling and working hard but who have not yet reached their full potential, and who have financial need. Sister Alphonsine also called them “Sleepers” or “Diamonds in the Rough.” This fund has honored Sister’s memory and legacy since 1986. EHS still accepts donations to it; in fact, during this past school year, the fund received a $5,000 anonymous gift. “I check the report every year to see who has given to the fund, and it’s usually guys,” says 10 • CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012
By Kate Ripple ’80
O’Neill, whose life certainly fits the Diamond in the Rough moniker. After graduating from Edgewood, he received a bachelor of arts degree from Lewis University and a master of social work administration degree from the University of Illinois. He began his career at Chicago Catholic Charities but spent most of it as a partner in a nonferrous metals recycling company. Since the birth of the first of his two boys in 1978, Tom has been a leader in the Down Syndrome movement, both locally and nationally. Tom and his wife, Rita, have also served numerous other charities in Fort Wayne, Indiana, where they live. For his good works, EHS chose Tom to receive the 2010 Dominican Award for Service to Humanity. Back at Edgewood today, Sr. Alphonsine’s successor, Nick Burrows, who worked with and was mentored by her for seven years before her retirement, has now been with EHS for 30 years —just four years short of Alphonsine’s own tenure. Burrows considered “Alfie” his “friend and best buddy,” and has kept her legacy thriving. He tries to be true to her admonition to “Never give up on anybody. They’ll be the ones helping others later, because someone believed in them first.” “She had a gruff exterior but had the most unique ability to chew kids out and yet love them in the same sentence. It really was amazing. The kids would end up either chuckling as they walked away or saying, ‘That’s one cool nun.’ She was tiny but could motivate even the biggest, toughest football player.” Burrows says the principles of the work are the same as they were in Alphonsine’s day, but the times are a little different in that, “Kids seem more stressed out — kids with split families or under academic pressure to get into a good college. They still need that extra support and belief in them.” As for O’Neill, he can’t believe it’s been a quarter century since he started the fund, the year before Sister died. He and Sr. Alphonsine maintained their friendship throughout the rest of her life, even in its last weeks, and he was able to be present and participate in her funeral service. “She was just good — a good person, a good educator, a good teacher, a good friend. I still think about her and the influence she continues to have on my life.”
Alphie-isms
Pick yourself up by the bootstraps and get going! You’ve got a good brain up there but it’s never been used. What do you need, a cattle prod? You can’t fight city hall, so pick your battles and pick them carefully. You’ve got to bloom where you’re planted, kid! If you have a special story or memory about Sr. Alphonsine that you’d like to share, select “Alumni Services” under the “Alumni” menu at edgewoodhs.org and send it online, or mail it to the Alumni Office, Edgewood High School, 2219 Monroe St., Madison, WI 53711.
New Initiatives for the Alumni Association James Imhoff ’93, EHS Alumni Association Council President
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AM HONORED to draft this letter for the Crusader Connection as the current President of the Alumni Advisory Council (AAC), the leadership body of the Edgewood High School Alumni Association. I hope to continue the charge of the Council, which currently has a “full head of steam” thanks to the leadership of Past President, Joe Kemnitz ’65. Over the past several months, and with EHS President Judd Schemmel’s encouragement, the AAC and its Ambassadors have taken a more active role as liaisons between students/parents/alumni and the school administrators. The Council meets with President Schemmel bi-annually to exchange feedback, ideas, and direction. Many of the topics discussed with President Schemmel were addressed during his State of the School presentation earlier this month. We encourage you to reach out to the AAC with questions, concerns or ideas regarding Edgewood High School. A list of current members accompanies this article so be sure to look for a Council member at many of the upcoming school-sponsored events and activities. As Joe highlighted in his July 2011 letter, a recent initiative of the AAC was to create
an endowed Alumni Scholarship that will benefit future EHS students in the name of ALL past EHS graduates. In order to accomplish this lofty initiative, it was necessary for the EHS Alumni Association to generate revenues in excess of $10,000 through membership dues and other means. I am extremely excited to announce that we have reached our goal! Goal #1, that is. As we cross the threshold of each additional $10,000 mark, we can ensure that even more students will get the assistance needed to experience the same benefits we were able to experience as EHS students. While all alumni are members of the EHS Alumni Association, you can truly make a difference by enrolling, renewing or upgrading to one of the paid membership levels. The Council recently welcomed Derek Behnke ’07 to the group. It was very refreshing to have a recent graduate express interest in staying involved with Edgewood. Are you interested too? Many of the future initiatives of the Council will truly require a cast of thousands. We would love to hear from you if you may be interested in becoming a member of the Council, or if you would like to be an Ambassador to the Council by representing your “era” of alumni.
Become an EHS Alumni Association dues-paying member and contribute to the scholarship fund! Upgrade your base membership in the Edgewood High School Alumni Association using this form and a check payable to Edgewood High School Alumni Association or by enrolling securely on-line at edgewoodhs.org/give. LIFETIME $300 one-time payment
ANNUAL $30/year converts to Lifetime after 10 consecutive years
BASE No charge
Crusader Connection newsletter
Yes
Yes
Yes
Access to alumni website
Yes
Yes
Yes
Membership Level (across) and Benefits (down)
Again, please consider becoming more engaged with Edgewood High School. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at james@uhpwarranty.com or 608.219.5485.
2011-2012 LEADERSHIP ON THE
ALUMNI ADVISORY COUNCIL OF THE
EHS ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT James R. Imhoff III ’93 VICE PRESIDENT David P. Bauer ’79 SECRETARY Elaine M. Staley ’61 TREASURER Ty M. Shea ’95 PAST PRESIDENT Joseph W. Kemnitz ’65 MEMBERS AT LARGE Derek Behnke ’07 Susan Schuman Haen ’77 Michael V. Hanson ’90 Charles K. McGinnis ’79
EHSAA ENROLLMENT Yes, I want to become a dues-paying member of the EHS Alumni Association! Please enroll me at the following level: ❑ $300 Lifetime Membership ❑ $30 Annual Membership (fiscal 07/01/11-06/30/12) First Name __________________________________ Last Name __________________________________ Maiden Name __________________ Class Year ____ Street ______________________________________ City/State/Zip _______________________________
1sr Phone: ❑ Land ❑ Cell ______________________
2nd Phone: ❑ Land ❑ Cell _____________________ Email ______________________________________
Membership Card Listing in Annual Report as Dues-Paying Member
Yes Yes
Yes
❑ I wish to waive the paid benefits and have my entire
Yes
membership be a tax-deductible contribution. Please return enrollment form and payment to:
Edgewood High School Alumni Office 2219 Monroe Street • Madison WI 53711 CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012 • 11
Musings Hospitality Is the Key by Dennis McKinley ’63
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HALLMARK OF THE Dominican tradition dating back to the very beginning with St. Dominic is hospitality. My first introduction to Dominican hospitality was when I was in grade school at St. James and my younger brother and I were asked to serve at Mass at the Edgewood convent building that stood on the east end of campus where a parking lot is now located. We would get on our bikes at 5:30 a.m. for the 6:00 a.m. service, and after Mass there was always a home-baked cinnamon roll and a glass of milk waiting for us! I was reminded how deeply engrained hospitality is in those of us carrying on the Dominican tradition at Edgewood during two of our recent visits to serve meals at the St. Martin House Meal Program. When we have sufficient staffing for the service line, either the students or I will take pitchers for refills of water, milk and coffee around to the guests seated at the tables. After all, when having guests at home, we wait on them. Why should this be any different? When I was pouring drink refills during one occasion, a man I had not previously seen there thanked me after I refilled his beverage. I responded with a smile and “You’re welcome.” He replied, “No, I really mean THANK YOU. You are the only group that doesn’t stay behind the serving line. You come out and treat us like we’re people.” I was a bit surprised, but he didn’t stop at that. He continued, “You make us feel welcome.” Something as simple as refilling a beverage sent this man the message of Dominican hospitality. Another time when we served at the meal program, we were out refilling beverages when a group of five men sitting together commented on how special it was to be served and feel like guests. They jokingly made comments like, “We’ll have to start leaving tips,” and “Someday we’ll be waiting on your table in heaven,” but their sentiments were quite clear and sincere! The table happened to be a group of “regulars” who are there most every time we serve, yet they, too, felt as though they were being treated as guests. Being served at the steam table line is what is expected by those who dine there. Being served something as simple as a beverage refill at their table changed the dimension of the dining experience for these people. So, what does Dominican hospitality mean? It’s treating other people with love and respect; as the Temples of the Holy Spirit that they are. This is what St. Dominic meant when he modeled hospitality; what Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli meant when he modeled hospitality; what the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa meant when they modeled hospitality to my brother and me and what they continue to model. And it’s what we try to pass on to the students of Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart.
Great Edgewood Experiences • Great Outcomes In the past five years, Edgewood students have been accepted to 84 of the U.S. News & World Report’s Top 100 colleges and universities. 12 • CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012
Named Scholarship Funds The Sr. Alphonsine Late Bloomers Fund (see page 10) is just one of many named scholarships that Edgewood offers every year. The newly established Alumni Scholarship is another example. These scholarships are possible because families, alumni and others have established special dedicated funds that will bear benefits in perpetuity. Most funds have been able to provide financial assistance ranging from 5% to 10% of the principal annually. Several additional examples of existing named funds to which you may contribute are listed below. Visit the publications area of the EHS website, edgewoodhs.org, and download a copy of the Annual Report to view the entire list. To establish a new named fund, a principal of $10,000 or greater is required. For more information on how to go about establishing a fund in your name or that of someone you wish to commemorate, please contact Institutional Advancement Director Mary Link at 608.257.1023 x168 or linkmar@edgewood.k12.wi.us.
Jordan F. Backus ’91 Memorial Scholarship This fund is currently being built by Jordan’s family and friends to provide assistance to sophomores, juniors or seniors who are experiencing hardship due to changing family circumstances. Particular preference is given to students who embody a love for EHS, their fellow students and the theatre.
Walter ’37 & Margaret (O’Connell ’37) Fauerbach Scholarship This scholarship was founded by Tom Tierney ’68 to honor Walter and Margaret Fauerbach, in appreciation of the opportunities they offered him and in recognition of their devotion to Edgewood.
Karen M. Kennedy ’78 Memorial Grant Established by her parents Mildred and John Kennedy in 1998, this grant is awarded to a senior who is interested in going on to college to study in the fields of health care, law or labor relations.
Paul T. Steiger ’85 Memorial Grant Terry and Mary Jo Steiger set up this fund in 1995 in memory of their son. Beginning in 2004, grants have been given to students of upstanding character and good academic standing, preferably with an interest in music and math, who are in need of tuition assistance.
Susan Meyer Sullivan ’63 Memorial Grant Timothy Sullivan wanted to commemorate his wife, an alumna who died in 1989, by establishing a grant given annually to a student who would appreciate the same education she had received.
Earl J. Wilke Grant This fund was established in 1981 by Joseph H. Flad ’40 in honor of Coach Earl J. Wilke and offers financial aid annually to student-athletes.
The Edgewood Story is Your Story Tammy Ehrmann, Director of Alumni Relations
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S THE DIRECTOR of Alumni Relations, I constantly learn about the achievements, the interesting lives, the generosity and the many contributions of service by alumni and others in the Edgewood High School community. I am especially reminded when the time comes each year to review nominations and participate in choosing the award winners for the Living the Mission Awards. Who wouldn’t be impressed? The nominated individuals are amazing people, and when you look at how they live their lives and use their talents to achieve so many lofty and ambitious goals, it is humbling to see their success. But I also hear, daily, about the everyday ways that Edgewood has influenced many of its graduates. Whether they are involved in their churches’ ministries, help plan their class reunions, give consistently to EHS or work behind the scenes to ensure others are able to receive an Edgewood education, it is also humbling to hear those stories. The 2011 Living the Mission Awards were presented in November at a dinner and awards ceremony, held in conjunction with Founder’s Day. It was a special evening for many as we gathered to celebrate the accomplishments of some in our community combined with the financial generosity of others touched by EHS. It was a striking illustration of how the two groups work together to bring out the best in one another, making the Edgewood tradition of excellence such a strong one in the Madison area and around the world. The event, which opened with a prayer given by EHS Alumni Association (EHSAA) Alumni Advisory Council President James Imhoff III ’93, was led by master of ceremonies and EHS President Judd Schemmel. See page 7 for a photo and
biographies of individuals who received awards, all of whom had been nominated at some point by others in the EHS community and then recommended by the EHSAA Alumni Advisory Council. And on page 8 is a Living the Mission Award Nomination form. Please consider submitting a nomination, either by mailing the form or a personal letter or by going to the EHS website to submit a nomination electronically. Each nomination is greatly appreciated and kept on file, which allows us to build a pool of exceptional individuals for future consideration. Another way that I often hear stories about those involved in the Edgewood community is at one of the Memorial Prayer Services or Masses that take place six times a year at Edgewood High School. We meet as a community of alumni, students, parents and children of alumni, faculty and staff, and pray for those who have died in the previous months. These opportunities to come together to pray for our loved ones are meaningful to many, and all are welcome to attend. In the week around All Souls Day, we sponsor an evening Memorial Mass. The one held last November was one of our largest gatherings in recent history. We appreciated all who braved the inclement weather to attend, and know that sharing and praying together was a comfort to many. The remaining Prayer Services for the school year are on March 28 and May 30, in the Chapel at 7:30 a.m. The current schedule of services is always posted on the website, so look there for next year’s schedule sometime this summer. We do not require any special invitations or an RSVP – simply come to one of the Prayer Services whenever you feel a need to reconnect with the Edgewood community and to pray for
Do you know of a fellow alum who is worthy of being recognized for showing exceptional concern for the welfare of others, someone who has made a significant impact on the lives of people in the community, the state or beyond? Nominate her or him for the Dominican Award for Service to Humanity or the Mazzuchelli Award for Service to Christian Education. Use the form on page 6 in this newsletter or go online to edgewoodhs.org/alumni and click on “Nomination Form.”
those loved ones who have passed. Many stories are shared at reunions and the Edgewood representatives who attend enjoy being regaled with stories of great times and experiences at EHS. One of the newest initiatives of the Alumni Advisory Council is to have representation at each reunion. This will allow those alumni ambassadors to continue their goal of listening to alums and bringing back concerns, ideas and suggestions to the school administration. Several pictures of reunions, as well as the current schedule of next year’s events, are included in this issue – take a minute to look and reminisce or plan ahead for next summer. Please keep the wonderful stories coming in to the Alumni Office. We love to hear them, share them and enjoy them all!
2016-2017 Goal: $30,000 One Scholarship Funded! Alumni Association membership dues that were applied toward the Alumni Scholarship fund, plus class gifts from the classes of 1956, 1960 and 1961, have already raised enough to provide one $250 scholarship in the 2012-2013 school year. Even though we’ve already surpassed our goal for the year, the more we raise, the larger the scholarship we can provide or the more scholarships we can offer.
2011-2012 Goal: $10,000
Your generosity in helping current EHS students has been outstanding. Thank You!
CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012 • 13
Giving Takes Many Forms in the Edgewood Community Mary Link, Director of Institutional Advancement
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HANK YOU to the thousands of benefactors and volunteers who have joined with Edgewood High School in our mission of providing an education that fosters academic and personal achievement and encourages the pursuit of core values common to schools sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa. If you haven’t already done so, I invite you to join in giving to others by contributing to our outstanding school. Your partnership strengthens our school, supports faculty, staff and students and ensures the Edgewood tradition of excellence continues today and into the future.
Throughout this issue of Crusader Connection, you will read first-hand the many ways alumni, parents of alumni, current parents, faculty, staff, students and friends of EHS have partnered with Edgewood. Take a look at how Tom O’Neill ’65 continues to support students who may need a little extra encouragement through the Sister Alphonsine Late Bloomers Fund (page 10). Amazing stories about alumni who are serving in their communities and throughout the world were shared during the Living the Mission Awards (pages 6–8). Numerous other stories of alumni doing service and making contributions appear throughout and some have even been recognized locally by Madison Magazine for their outstanding records (page 2). Congratulations to the Alumni Association and Edgewood’s generous alumni on achieving the goal of raising enough funds through memberships to create a named scholarship! I hope you enjoy this issue of Crusader Connection and encourage you to “keep in touch” by sending in your story. Best wishes for a healthy, happy and blessed 2012!
Phonathon is underway! It’s that time of year: the time when Edgewood’s friends at J. Milito & Associates make phone calls across the nation for the school, asking for support from alumni, parents of alumni, parents and friends. Please take the call and give whatever you can. We know that the past couple years may have been difficult financially for you personally—they certainly have been for Edgewood High School! Still, every gift is appreciated (little ones add up!). If you have already been called and responded, THANK YOU! If you have not yet made a gift to Edgewood since July 1, 2011, please consider making one today. You may also go to the EHS website, edgewoodhs.org, and make a contribution to a variety of different areas online at any time.
For Whom Shall We Pray? As we begin November with the celebration of All Saints Day and All Souls Day, and close the month withThanksgiving, the Edgewood community pauses to remember those who remain close to us through the Communion of Saints. If you have deceased loved ones you would like remembered during our prayers next November, please let us know with this form or by submitting names online later in the year. Please remember the following deceased people in your liturgy and prayers: ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Submitted by: ________________________________________________________ Please return to Advancement Office, Edgewood High School, 2219 Monroe Street, Madison WI 53711 or send a request with your name to EHSAlumni@edgewood.k12.wi.us. 14 • CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012
Give a Little at a Time, While You Shop Edgewood High School is enrolled to receive funds when Target charge card customers have identified the school as their choice of beneficiary. To date, Target has donated $10,300 to Edgewood High School (from just 45 people!), proving that every little bit adds up— and you don't have to do anything but make purchases you normally would anyway. Each time you use your card, 1% of your purchase amount will be credited to Edgewood. Visit https://redcard.target.com/redcard to learn more or to set up an account.
Other Ways to Give Cash—When you make a cash gift by currency, credit card or check, we both benefit. Your generosity enables us to meet our most urgent needs and carry out our mission on a daily basis and you have the ability to choose how your tax-deductible gift is used. Stock or Securities—A stock portfolio is often among the most valuable assets you own—and one that can carry substantial capital gain, or appreciation in value. With careful planning, you can reduce or eliminate capital gains tax with a gift. Life Insurance—When the original purpose for the protection of a life insurance policy no longer applies, such as to provide financial security for a spouse now deceased, your life insurance can be redirected to help support a worthwhile cause. One option is simply to name Edgewood as the primary beneficiary. (If you retain ownership of the policy, you do not qualify for a tax deduction.) Or, you can also assign Edgewood ownership of the policy as a current charitable gift. Bequest—When reviewing your will, consider including Edgewood as a beneficiary. You may choose to leave a set cash amount or a percentage of your estate, or you may choose to leave a gift in the form of savings bonds, real estate, stock or other property of value. For more information on making estate plan gifts, contact Institutional Advancement Director Mary Link at linkmar@edgewood.k12.wi.us or 608.257.1023 x168.
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ONDA DEWEY, chair of the Edgewood High School Board of Trustees, has served on the Board since 2005. Currently the president of QTI Group, she spent 25 years with US Bank and its predecessors, including 12 years as president of US Bank’s Private Client Group. Both Londa and her husband, Walter, who was a senior investment executive, left US Bank in 2007, when Londa was invited to join the QTI Group and Walter became a principal partner at Reinhart Partners. Of the transition from banking into employment services, Londa says, “It was an opportunity after working in a “financial strategy” industry to transfer many of those same skills to a “talent strategy” company. While my position at the bank provided many opportunities to travel extensively, I was glad to bring my focus back to Madison, a city I love and where I feel a true commitment.” QTI has a local business emphasis and “Giving was part of the company’s DNA even before I got there. We believe there is an obligation to give back, that business success is dependent on community success.” Londa served or currently serves on the boards of directors for several companies and organizations, including the United Way Foundation, and in 1999 she chaired the Dane County United Way Campaign. Her service to the Edgewood community goes back more than a decade. “Both Walter and I were products of public school, but when we were looking to enroll our daughter Kristin in kindergarten, my mother gave me the advice that the best thing we could do as parents was to find a place that would give our children a strong foundation and provide an environment in which they would learn, grow and thrive. Edgewood Campus School was a terrific experience for us as a family; I served on the Board of Trustees there, including a term as chair, and when it came time for Kristin and her younger brother, Carlton, to enter high school, Edgewood was the natural choice.” Of EHS, she says, “It has been an absolutely fantastic academic preparation and preparation for life. The teachers are amazing people who care, give the students opportunities, nurture their interests, and encourage them to do their best.” The Deweys also showed their appreciation in more than words. “Walter and I realized that the tuition Edgewood charges essentially provides every student with a subsidy. We had the desire to fill that gap in the cost, and to do even more. We were among the founding members of the Four-Front parents group, families who were dedicated to the mission and education of Edgewood, and made the commitment to provide a financial gift in each of the years our children attended.” Londa is proud of the recent accomplishments of the Board of Trustees and highlights some goals moving forward. “We have made progress in setting the three Edgewood campus institutions on a path that gives them the freedom to pursue their interests and needs, while continuing on the path of collaboration. There is no reason that we shouldn’t be able to find ways to develop programs and areas of cooperation that are mutually beneficial. “Of second importance is that we fill the school to capacity with students. The experience and education students receive is incredible and we would like to see as many students as possible given that advantage.”
“Third, the Institutional Advancement Office has done well in sustaining and growing support for the school and continues to initiate new programs and avenues for parents, alumni and friends to show their generosity. “And last, Judd Schemmel and the leadership team have worked hard with members of the Board and subcommittees to create a mission-based business model that balances fiscal responsibility with the mission of the school and to develop strategies for seeing that the plan is fulfilled.” In addition, Londa says, “We have a masterplan for the building and have been engaging in a steady allocation of resources to ongoing maintenance and renovation. We are determined to see that Edgewood High School continues to be a viable institution and option for families in both the short-term and into the future.” Londa also offers some insights for alumni. “I would advise those older alumni who might be looking for a career change to take a step back...think about what you really enjoy doing, what you are passionate about, and what skills you have or would need to develop. Of course, there are also the practical considerations of financial obligations. You need to find a way to marry those with your true loves. Reenergize yourself. Identify people who may work in the field already or know people to whom they can refer you. “New graduates need to remember that your first job is just that, a first job and a place to develop skills, give yourself time to increase what you have to offer a prospective employer. Submit applications to a lot of places and expect that most will not move forward. Be patient and proactive.” Most importantly, she says, to have a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, “Identify the type of work culture in which you would feel comfortable. You need to feel that what you are doing matters and that you “fit” with those around you. Work smart and hard.” Good advice, whether related to employment or volunteering, and Londa has certainly found satisfaction in both.
Photo by Noah Willman
Service, Commitment and Generosity
The Four-Front Program Four-Front was created in 2005-2006 by a group of people who believe that the strength of a school is measured by the quality of education provided. Four-Front parents are those who have made an unrestricted Annual Fund pledge of $5,000 or more for each of the four years their children attend the school. To date, the group has contributed more than $750,000. Madonna A. (Wall ’72) & Bradley A. Binkowski Charles W. & Karen Bishop Thomas M. & Susan J. Bush Frank D., MD & Cynthia L. Byrne Daniel A. & Kathy A. De Chant Walter E. & Londa J. Dewey Eric A. & Karen J. Farnsworth
Terry W. Grosenheider & Ave M. Bie David A. ’80 & Amie P. Hackworthy Susan A. (Schuman ’77) & Jeffrey J. Haen Stephen C. ’77 & Susan M. Hird Jack R. & Renee Kapinus Jay V. & Janet Loewi Daniel S. & Lisa K. Pickett Jack C. & Sarah J. Salzwedel Michael J. Schlageter Richard G. Searer & Cathi E. Wiebrecht-Searer Jay R. & Catherine Sekelsky Terry E. & Teressa Staskal Jennifer A. (Grantham ’80) & David L. Stein John G. & Leslie V. Taylor William A. & Elizabeth E. Towell Thomas A. Walker ’75 & Jill M. Dal Santo-Walker ’78
CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012 • 15
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Alumnews includes information received as of January 15, 2012.
1939 Gloria Higgins, OP (Sr. Amabilis) celebrated her 70th Anniversary as a Sinsinawa Dominican in summer 2011.
1951
Gerald M. Welch lives in Madison and in his retirement from running his family’s company of plumbing and heating contractors decided at age 70 to start a writing career. Jerry says, “At 77 I became what I call a neutral activist” focusing on “corporacracy,” the interaction of corporations and government. He has authored and published two novels and is working a a third book, a work of nonfiction.
1955 Wayne J. Macdonald and his wife, Marcia Ellis, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in June 2011. The two had met on a blind date. After college and service in the U.S. Marines, Wayne worked for J.P. Morgan Chase in Oshkosh for 31 years until his retirement as a vice president a decade ago. Marcia had been a secretary for the Oconomowoc School District for 28 years. Now the two travel the U.S. as members of the Badgerland Miata Club, entertain friends and volunteer for a variety of causes including United Way, United Cerebral Palsy and the Kiwanis. They also enjoy visiting with their three daughters and six grandchildren.
1959 Kathleen Theis, OP (Sr. Fernanda) celebrated her 50th Anniversary as a Sinsinawa Dominican in summer 2011.
1960 Sharon McKinley Betlach, who has been the program/recruiting assistant for the UW Badger Football program for 12 years, was honored with the Captains Award at the football award banquet on December 9, 2011. The award goes to a person who is not a player or coach, but who has made a major impact on UW Football. In addition to being the lone female honored that evening, she was the only award recipient to receive a standing ovation. James P. O’Leary retired from teaching four years ago but continues to coach football (which he’s been doing for 47 years!) and track at Waterford Kettering High School in Michigan. He was inducted into the Michigan High School Coaches Hall of Fame in 1994. Jim and his wife, Dawn Marie, have five children and 10 grandchildren.
1962 Henry A. and Mary Kay Spellman Gempeler have both retired and live in Madison. Henry was an attorney for Foley & Lardner, LLP and Mary Kay was a nurse at Meriter Hospital. Now their interests revolve around family (including three sons and five 16 • CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012
grandchildren), golf, Bible study, bridge, travel and volunteer work. Henry also served on the EHS Board of Trustees from 2001 to 2007.
1965 M. Kileen Campbell Prather of Port Washington, Wisconsin, continues to work as a tour manager and also writes travel articles for the websites After50Living.com and Suddenlysenior.com. When not traveling, she also writes romance stories featuring different areas of the country for readers over 50. Find samples of her writing at kileenprather.com. Both Journey Beckons and Journey to Port can now be found on Kindle.
1967 Steven F. Skolaski was profiled by Doug Moe in the “Know Your Madisonian” column of the Wisconsin State Journal in July 2011. He is president of the Oscar Rennebohm Foundation, established in 1949 by the founder of the drug store chain. Steve worked at the Rennebohm Drug Stores from 1965-1980, when he became owner and operator of Master Graphics in Madison, a company he sold to his employees in 2003. As a board member and president, Steve has been influential in the funding for a number of projects to benefit the Edgewood campus, including the college’s Oscar Rennebohm Library, the shared K-16 Sonderegger Science Center and the Great Teachers Great Programs fund that helped promote faculty and academic program development at the high school. To read the full interview, go to http://host.madison.com/wsj/ and search “Skolaski.” Steve and Carol’s four daughters are also alumni: Sarah ’91, Laura ’93, Amy ’95 and Jennifer ’01.
1969 Thomas E. and Beth (Brady ’71) Shipley now live in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. After leaving EHS in 2006, Tom became a co-founder in an investment group that purchased Greenwoods State Bank and served as its director and senior executive vice president with commercial lending and management responsibilities. In August 2011, he returned to education as president of Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield. Beth is settling into and discovering all that Minneapolis has to offer, and looks forward to resuming her professional career soon.
1971 Neil J. Fauerbach is a partner and the director of business development and marketing at Smith & Gesteland and currently serves on the Board of Trustees for Edgewood College,
where he had earned an MBA. A past president of the Association for Accounting Marketing, he has been named one of the “100 Most Influential People in the Accounting Industry” by Accounting Today Magazine. Mary K. “Molly” McGuire is a bookkeeper and swimming teacher/coach. She and her husband, Jeffrey Tasse, live in Sturbridge, Massachusetts. They have two daughters, both in college and on swim teams. Molly missed her class reunion this past summer because she was running a swim meet for the local YMCA and other area teams. She also is in charge of a triathalon group that raises money toward fighting breast cancer.
1973 Mary Anne Thurber was profiled extensively in The Cap Times of Madison upon her retirement from the Police Department on Jan. 9. [A previous article about her career based on a feature column in the Wisconsin State Journal was printed in the Summer 2011 Crusader Connection].
1975 Joseph W. Shulla ran a business producing roll-top desks for 20 years and then shifted his focus to home additions and remodeling. But after he put a screened porch onto a lakeside home, only to be told by the DNR that it was too close to the lake, rather than tear it down he lifted it up with a crane and set it back down on a few dozen 55gallon drums. Voilà! Instant “pontoon porch!” Sure enough, it floated, and he now hopes to market and custom build them for others. See his 20'x36' double-deck version, available for rental on Lake Monona in Madison, at pontoonporch.com
1976 Gary D. “Joe” Sweeney is a business consultant, speaker and author. He co-authored Networking is a Contact Sport, which made it onto the best selling books lists of The New York Times (#14), Wall Street Journal (#2) and USA Today (#1) in October 2010. One of his key messages regarding networking interactions is that good things are more likely to happen when you focus more on what you can give others and less on what you expect to gain from them. For more information on Joe and the book, visit allstarnetworkinggym.com/book.
Teresa A. Hanneman Watson and her husband, Frank, live in Highland, Wisconsin, where she works for KwikTrip. They have three sons and two daughters (one of whom graduated from Edgewood College in 2010) and are the proud grandparents of three grandchildren. Teresa remembers, “Band was the most important class to me. It got me through some rough times. And the Pep Band was the best social life any teenager could have.”
1980 Kathleen L. Venn retired from service with the U.S. Army in May 2001. She did two tours of active duty in Germany: at Landstuhl Army Hospital in 1991 during Operation Desert Storm and at Würzburg Army Hospital in 1996-97 during Operation Joint Endeavor. Kathy and her partner, Byron Abell, and their two daughters moved recently to Vandergrift, Pennsylvania.
1981 David P. Schmiedicke has been hired as finance director for the City of Madison. From 2001 until accepting the new position, he was the State of Wisconsin’s budget director.
1984 John J. “Noop” Sweeney, co-owner and president of Brave New Workshop Theatre oversaw the move of the troop into its own building at 824 Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis. The Brave New Workshop has been performing original satirical sketch comedy and improvisation since 1958, longer than any other theatre in the United States. The Brave New Workshop began after Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus aerialist Dudley Riggs survived a near-fatal fall from a trapeze. He decided, for obvious reasons, to move to a less risky career and started his own “Instant Theatre Company” with a cast assembled from the circus and vaudeville circuits. The Brave New Workshop moniker was assumed in 1961. In the more than 50 years since its founding, the Brave New Workshop has put on more than 250 original productions and exposed over 3 million people to the theatre’s unapologetic brand of comedy and improvisation.
1985 Michael T. Donovan and his wife, Deanna, live in Chicago, Illinois, where he is an attorney and partner at Baker & McKenzie LLP. Mike earned degrees from the University of Notre Dame, UCLA School of Law and Georgetown University Law Center in 1989, 1992 and 1994 respectively. He believes Edgewood helped him hone the essential skills of critical thinking, writing and public speaking that have been instrumental in his success since high school.
1987 Stephen J. Mackesey, an officer with the Madison Police Department, received a letter of recognition from the MPD for his work with four other officers in tracking down stolen property. What they had
been looking for was a bike — a very special bike. The $3,500 racing bike is one that was ridden in charity events to raise money to fight juvenile diabetes by a mother whose 13-year-old son died of the disease. It turned out that the thief apparently had second thoughts and abandoned the bike alongside the road where it was found by another person who was attempting to sell it on Craigslist, for $1. The officers, who were friends of the bereaved mother, recovered the bicycle five weeks after it had been stolen and on the day that would have been her son’s 15th birthday.
1990 Brian D. Hammermeister and his wife, Sunni, are now living in Ft. Myers, Florida. They have two children, Madison and Brisun. Anthony D. Junck is a radiology resident at LSU in Shreveport, Louisiana.
1992 Kathryn M. Giswold Ferris, DDS has been practicing dentistry since 2000 and joined Monona Dental in Monona, Wisconsin, in October 2011. A third-generation dentist, her father is William K. Giswold, DDS ’59. Jeffrey M. Ripple is a program manager for supplier quality at Apple Inc. in the San Francisco Bay area. Jennifer A. Schwab Schwartz and her husband, Bill, have just moved to a new home in Westminster, Colorado. They have two children, Lance and Alex. Jenny works for IBM as a security specialist for SAN Administration.
Warsaw, Indiana, as a scientist in the area of biomaterials research and development, creating new materials and coatings for medical implants and reconstructive devices. Outside of work, she mentors female high school students in selecting careers through the Non-traditional Employment for Women program. In addition, she enjoys travel, volunteering as a basketball coach for the local YMCA youth leagues and playing volleyball several evenings a week year-round.
1997 Stephanie A. Knorr Cook is the director of major gifts in New York City for Villanova University. She and her husband, Matt, enjoy life in the Big Apple. Jennifer L. Derrick Olson and her family live in Hartford, Wisconsin. Jennifer has two children, Kaylie and Wynter, and four step-children, Brad, Michael, Nikita and Derek. Her husband is Jay Olson. Jenna reports that she still keeps close friendships with her EHS classmates and is thankful for her teachers who were caring and helpful.
1998 Brian E. Katz is an instrument repair specialist with Ward-Brodt Music in Madison. This past fall, he joined a group of 17 other volunteers, including musicians from Lincoln Center’s Jazz Orchestra, who traveled to Havana, Cuba, to help repair and provide musical instruments and supplies. When he returned from the trip, he was interviewed for an article by Chris Martell in the Wisconsin State Journal.
1995 Andrew C. Meece and his wife, Annie, have a son, Everett Crockett, who celebrated his first birthday on October 13, 2011. They live in Denver, Colorado, where Andy works in sales for the Hyatt Corporation. Jessi E. Sweeney Pacetti is now outreach coordinator for the Blackhawk Church on the far west side of Madison. She and her husband, Bill, live with their two daughters in Verona, Wisconsin.
1996 Elizabeth M. Perepezko earned an undergraduate degree in materials science and metallurgical engineering at Case Western Reserve University followed by a master’s in biomedical engineeringorthopedic biomechanics at UW-Madison in 2002. She went to work as a volunteer with Engineering World Health in Nicaragua, where she repaired and installed hospital equipment and trained staff in maintenance and repair of the equipment. After returning to the U.S., Elizabeth took a job at the Cleveland Functional Electrical Stimulation Center doing clinical engineering research on robotic rehabilitation therapies for stroke patients. Currently, she works for Biomet in
Brian works on repairing a damaged saxophone. Photo by Laurel Marx
According to Brian, once word got out in Cuba, “People came with their instruments from all over the country.” And while the volunteers had anticipated serving mostly students, Brian noted, “Even professional musicians and some members of the national symphony came. The Cubans treat their instruments like it’s all they have. I realized how people in the U.S. take a lot of things like education for granted.” While the technicians were working their repair magic and training their Cuban colleagues to do similar work, American and Cuban jazz musicians shared lessons in improvization and musical styles. In all, about 170 musical instruments were repaired, and as a result of the trip’s success, the Cuban government established an instrument repair program in Havana to help more musicians after the volunteers left and there are plans to conduct a second mission to the country.
CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012 • 17
2000
2003
2008
Elizabeth Boucher Dawson received her JD and Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law from Lewis & Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon, in May 2011. She is currently employed as an honors attorney by the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, in Washington, D.C., where she and her husband, Steven Dawson, now reside. Treon M. Glenn is living and working in Washington, D.C. He serves in the office of Senator Bill Nelson (D-Florida) as a legislative correspondent.
Cesar C. Salinas lives in Windsor, Wisconsin, and works for the City of Middleton Police Department.
Gregory R. Spevacek, a senior at Marquette University, is pursuing a major in history with minors in theology and political science. Greg works as a student employee coordinator and as an audiovisual technician at Marquette, and is also active as a sacristan in the university’s Campus Ministry program. He served as an intern for Rep. Paul Ryan at the U.S. House of Representatives and was a general intern for the John McCain campaign for President. Greg spent a summer working as a service coordinator for the YouthWorks! organization where he was a liaison between volunteer church groups and the local communities they served, often engaging with them at work and ministry sites. Last summer he was a “swing driver” for a Blackfeet Reservation mission trip sponsored by Our Lady Queen of Peace Parish in Madison. Greg earned one of three Association of College Unions International I-LEAD Region 8 Scholarships awarded in 2011. Alexander R. Wolfe is a senior majoring in sports science with a sports science cluster minor at Northern Michigan University. Before he graduates in May he will have logged over 1,000 hours in the “Superior Edge,” a student development program encompassing a wide range of experiential activities complementing classroom instruction to provide students with a distinct advantage by preparing them for lifelong learning, graduate school,
2001 Elizabeth M. DeMuth Burns and her husband, Erik, have moved back to Madison from Minneapolis. Betsy has joined the UW Foundation as development director for the College of Engineering. William J. Siitari is the director of accounting for the Big Ten Conference in Park Ridge, Illinois. He has held this position since June 2010. [Note: in the Summer 2011 edition, partially inaccurate information was provided due to misinterpretation of a submission. We apologize.] Heather M. Waldeck received her PhD in biomedical engineering from UW-Madison in December 2011. She had previously earned two BS degrees and an MS, all of them also from the UW.
2002 Marianne M. Junck earned an MD degree from Creighton University School of Medicine in Omaha, Nebraska, in May 2011. She currently is fulfilling a transitional residency at St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to be followed by a dermatology residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin beginning in July 2012. Before going on to medical school, she had received an undergraduate degree in biomedical sciences from Marquette University in 2007.
2004 Daniel J. Ackerman is a 3rd class petty officer serving in the U.S. Navy on the guided missile destroyer, USS Mitscher. He would appreciate mail at EN3 Daniel Ackerman, Division A, USS Mitscher DDG-57, FPO AE 09578-1275.
2005 John C. Clarke lives in Milwaukee where he is employed as a wealth strategist associate for Northern Trust. He formerly worked for Great-West Retirement Services after graduation in 2009 from UW-Milwaukee School of Business Administration with a degree in finance. Megan E. Potts Hardin is a director of religious education and youth ministry at St. John Vianney Parish in Janesville, Wisconsin, where her husband, Wes, is also a youth minister.
2006 Richard P. Burke graduated from Marquette University in 2010, and pursued his entrepreneurial spirit, launching an on-line savings program similar to Groupon. Richie’s company, called GoGeddit, currently has offers from primarily Wisconsin-based businesses related to dining, entertainment, golf, travel, sports tickets and lessons and more. He continues to work at expanding the number of companies using the site to promote their products and services. Like many young entrepreneurs, Richie also has made the decision to use a share of his company’s profits to support a worthy cause, and 1% of all revenues generated by the site go to the MACC Fund (Midwest Athletes Against Childhood Cancer).
Send Us Your Alumni News or Update Your Contact Information EHSAlumni@edgewood.k12.wi.us or under the Alumni tab at the EHS website, edgewoodhs.org Or mail this form to Alumni Office, Edgewood High School, 2219 Monroe Street, Madison WI 53711 PLEASE PRINT
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18 • CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012
Class of
careers and life as engaged citizens. Alex has done everything from Make a Difference Day to participating in the President’s Round Table. He spends a lot of his time working for Bay Cliff Health Camp giving him practical experience for physical therapy. Alex also participated in the Student Leader Fellowship Program, a two-year, nationally recognized program committed to developing competent, ethical and community-centered leaders by providing student fellows with a series of unique experiences. He works in the Center for Student Enrichment as a leadership programs coordinator. In May 2011, Alex was elected president of the NMU Telion chapter of Mortar Board, a national honor society for students with senior class standing. Members actively contribute to campus life through service projects. The NMU Telion chapter is dedicated to two national projects: Reading for Life and A Matter of Ethics. Of his very full schedule, Alex explains, “I would say take the time to find your passions and values in life. You aren’t able to reach your full potential until you are doing something that you love. Once you find this passion, do whatever you can to pursue it. Everything else will fall into place. You’ll have that intrinsic motivation that will help you succeed. In addition to that, serve your community. I believe that community service is a fundamental necessity to happiness in one’s life.” Alex’s parents are A. Robert Wolfe ’79 and wife Susanne; his grandparents are Alan “Cubby” and Elaine Wolfe, who were awarded the Alumni Appreciation Award (see page 6).
Despite the emphasis that has been placed on the importance of social media in organizing protests worldwide in the past year, Allie’s take was slightly different. “I think social media is excellent for visibility and information sharing. But it doesn’t mobilize people. So for the people who want to engage on issues, it’s easier to get information. But those who wouldn’t protest anyway aren’t going to come just because they see something on Facebook.” And as for her own future, Allie says, “I love being a student. I could definitely see myself in grad school, possibly in education policy.”
2009
Sean P. Baxter ’96 and his wife, Amanda, had their first child on December 9, 2011. Sean, Amanda and Genevieve Marie live in Madison. Genevieve is the first grandchild for Lee and Patrick J. Baxter ’69. Jessica L. Flesch Buye ’95, her husband Corey Buye and their three-year-old son, Johnathan Gordon, welcomed Michael Robert on November 24, 2011. A month later, Amy R. Flesch ’00 and Sean M. Blum ’99 and their four-year-old daughter, Ella, welcomed Emilia Claire Blum on December 30, 2011. Jeanne and John M. Flesch ’69 now have four grandchildren. Heidi A. Handel Fluhr ’86 and her husband, Jeff, are parents of a daughter, Kendall Faith, born on July 29, 2011. Kendall has a 12-year-old sister, Marleigh Hope, and she is the ninth grandchild for Phil and Mary (Mundt ’58) Handel. John D. Harrison ’98 and his wife, Liane, became first-time parents on January 16, 2011 with the birth of Eleanor “Elea” Eva. The Harrisons live in Mazomanie, Wisconsin. Anthony D. Junck ’90 and his wife, Laura, are parents of their third son, Kainoah Anthony, born May 1, 2011. He joins Luke and Levi, ages 6 and 4. Grandparents include Arlene and Marlen F. Junck, MD ’60. Kara Conway Mulligan ’94 and her husband, Mark, have a daughter, Maggie Jane, born on June 8. Maggie’s big brother, Conor, who was two at the end of June, is still enamored with her. Robyn T. Lee Parker ’94 and her husband, Erich, were blessed with the birth of a daughter, Paige Therese, on June 24, 2011. The Parkers reside on the north side of Chicago, where they have connected
Rachel E. Becker is enrolled in nursing school at Marquette University. She worked at Camp Gray for the past two summers, as a kitchen assistant/ counselor and as the camp health assistant. Peter E. Birke is one of seven juniors at Washington University in St. Louis selected to participate in its first Civic Scholars Program, sponsored by the Gebhardt Institute for Public Service. Peter, an economics major with a minor in public health, will be pursuing two years of civic leadership coursework, have a mentor in public service and receive a $5,000 scholarship to support a project or internship. Alexandra N. Gardner, a junior at UW-Madison, serves as chair of the Associated Students of Madison’s (ASM) student council, the student government body that represents the campus’s 40,000 students. Allie became active in the ASM in part because of proposals to break the Madison campus away from the UW System being aired after the election of Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker last spring. The group has also been vocal on potential changes to the amount of tuition assistance available and the rising costs of attending the university. In an interview with Todd Finkelmeyer for the Capital Times, Allie discussed many of the intiatives in which the ASM has become involved, including changes in voter ID laws and their impact on students, and recent inflammatory reports about reverse discrimination in admission to the UW.
FACULTY AND STAFF Summer 2011 saw special anniversary years for a number of Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters who had been on the EHS faculty and staff. Sr. Ruth (Estevan) Roland, who was business officer 19681970, celebrated 70 years as a sister. Celebrating 60 years were Sr. Rita Clare (Antonine) Dorner, who taught music, 1965-1976, and Sr. Mary Therese (Loran) O’Malley, who taught math 1957-1964. Sr. Ann Marie (Carita) Palmisano and Sr. Laura Goedken, who each served in various capacities 1971-1978 and 1978-1986 respectively, celebrated their Golden Jubilee.
MARRIAGES Jennifer R. Sarbacher ’00 married Kyle D. Stiklestad on September 24, 2011 in Oregon, Wisconsin.
BIRTHS
with others from the Edgewood community through their church. Kathryn B. Tierney Sands ’97 and her husband, Jim, are the parents of a daughter, Tierney Elizabeth, born on August 6, 2011. The Sands, including Tierney’s brothers Connor and Jackson, live in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. Proud grandparents are Tom Tierney ’68 and his wife, Mary Jo. Marissa A. Sarbacher ’99 and her husband, Saynit Keokanya, have a son, Aidan Kang, who was born on October 30, 2011. The Keokanya family, including 10-year-old Xavier, lives in Waunakee, Wisconsin. Kathryn M. Maturi Stafford ’96 and her husband, Jim, welcomed their third child on September 13, 2011. Benjamin Brigham’s older siblings are Teddy and Molly. The Staffords live in Novato, California.
DEATHS Edgewood lists names of deceased alumni as we become aware of their deaths, usually when a family member or friend shares the news. Please contact the Alumni Office so we can let others know and remove the deceased from our mailing list. Thank you! 1931 Margaret L. Zadrazil Frisch 09/12/2011 1934 Mary Frances Browning Fall 01/18/2012 1936 Mary Jane Fawcett Johnstone 12/16/2011 1937 Mary J. Murphy McFadzean 07/31/2011 1937 Catherine M. Karls Ophime 07/27/2011 1937 Charline K. Fischer Pollow 10/05/2011 1937 Rita I. McMahan Underhill (Roth) 08/07/2011 1939 Bernadine Koch Hammer 11/13/2011 1940 James E. Kleinheinz 12/26/2011 1940 Mary Catherine Lynch McCann 09/11/2011 1941 Mary Jeanne Hoffman Fischer 04/19/2011 1941 Robert D. Gordon 12/16/2011 1942 Rosemary Young Johnson 10/09/2011 1942 John E. Skelton 08/31/2011 1943 Alice M. Tiedeman John 06/24/2009 1944 Joseph P. DiCristina 11/19/2011 1944 Lorraine M. Behnisch Sachs 12/03/2011 1945 August A. Strassman 08/29/2011 1946 Thomas F. Gallagher 10/26/2003 1946 John W. “Jack” Kurth 07/22/2011 1947 Franklin J. McNutt 09/13/2011 1947 Mary Ellen Bryson Pfirman 02/20/2011 1947 Donna Clausen Roberts 06/01/2010 1948 Jeannette A. DiLoreto Zifka 06/18/2009 1949 Ellen M. Burke 09/25/2011 1949 Ruth L. Brunner Maier 08/12/2011 1949 Mary Lou Devine Sagan 10/17/2011 1950 Donna J. Hauser Heiss 10/03/2011 1950 Elaine A. Burmeister Henry 11/06/2011 1951 Sr. M. Margaret Savoy Meicher, OP (Clara) 11/11/2011 1951 Sally L. Saubert Binger Wheeler 09/22/2011 1953 Mary K. Fleming Cage 11/21/2010 1954 Barbara A. Endres Mascari Mathis 07/16/2011 1954 Donovan E. McCabe 09/07/2011 1956 Mary M. Schmitz Geniesse 11/24/2011 1959 David P. Whalen 12/23/2011 1959 M. Joan Heibel Zanoya 01/03/2012 1960 Marigene L. Wellentin Davis 11/04/2011 1963 M. Sheila Coffey Ward 04/30/2006 1963 Philip L. Zweifel, PhD 12/27/2011 1982 James M. “Jay” Blondin 01/16/2012 1984 Ellen M. Roach Consigny 12/09/2011 CRUSADER CONNECTION, WINTER 2012 • 19
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Save these dates for upcoming events! February 14-17 Fine Arts Festival February 16 Grandparents’ Day Breakfast March 5 National Honor Society Induction March 22-25 West Side Story March 28, 7:30 am Memorial Prayer Service April 27 EHS Auction & Social, Anchors Aweigh
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End of Year Liturgy Honors Convocation Commencement Memorial Prayer Service E.J. Wilke Golf Outing Northwoods Golf Getaway
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2011-2012 EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL BOARD OF TRUSTEES Note: This listing represents the status of the Board in July; new appointments will be made in August. Information on Board members is available at the EHS website, edgewoodhs.org Londa J. Dewey, Chair The QTI Group President Parent of Alumni Ave M. Bie Quarles & Brady, LLP Managing Partner Current Parent Michael A. “Mick” Casey Frank Liquor Company Chief Financial Officer Parent of Alumnae
Paul M. Cuta '83 Engberg Anderson, Inc. Partner/Architect Current Parent Joseph A. Daniels ’68 Joe Daniels Construction Co., Inc. President Parent of Alumni
Maggie Hopkins, OP Edgewood College Assistant to the President for Mission Mark E. Lefebvre UW Foundation VP – Health & Life Sciences
Coleen M. Brady Flad ’68 Parent of Alumni
Paula A. McKenzie St. Mary’s Hospital Director of Pastoral Care Sinsinawa Dominican Associate
Rev. Dr. Alex Gee, Jr. The Nehemiah Community Development Corp.
Katherine Michalski Rist, ’98 Foley & Lardner, LLP Associate
David A. Hackworthy '80 Baird HGMR Investment Management Managing Director/Portfolio Manager Current Parent & Parent of Alumni
Judd T. Schemmel Edgewood High School President Current Parent
David L. Stein Associated Bank Director, Retail Banking Current Parent Thomas A. Walker ’75 Mid-West Family Broadcasting President Current Parent & Parent of Alumni Counsel to the Board Timothy C. Sweeney ’66 Sweeney & Sweeney, S.C. Parent of Alumni