CRUSADER CONNECTION
CRUSADER CONNECTION
We
are excited to unveil a brand new, unique to Edgewood Initiative
COMM — CENTER OF MISSION AND MINISTRY
by Jerry Zander, Principal and Kevin Rea, President
COMM is about belonging, togetherness, connection, faith and community. It is designed to bring our students together in an environment that is welcoming, fun, stimulating, and open to all. It’s about creating a space where every student feels valued and connected. We understand that a sense of belonging and connectedness is crucial for teens today, especially in their school environment. When students feel part of a supportive community, they are more motivated, engaged, and successful both academically and personally.
COMM will offer students a place to talk openly about their faith, gather together to build community, and will include a formal meeting space for class officers and clubs to conduct meetings. We plan to bring teen friendly games and activities to draw the kids in and encourage them to stay.
COMM will bring together the roles of Campus Minister (Patricia Rivera Torres), Coordinator of Student Life (Stefanie Christensen), Community Service Coordinator (Sarah Smith) and Coordinator of School Culture (Boyce Hodge). The COMM second floor space (currently under construction) will welcome students in what is
currently known as our campus ministry on the second floor of the main building. Staff offices will be adjacent.
This initiative is inspired by our mission. We are always looking for ways to honor the legacy of our Sinsinawa Dominican founders and bring our values of Truth, Compassion, Justice, Community and Partnership to life, and COMM is one way we are doing that.
We are very excited for our students to return in August to this newly created space and staff support structure, to strengthen our student’s faith and confidence in themselves, providing a platform for them to flourish at Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart and beyond.
by Kevin Rea, EHS President
I hope this edition of Crusader Connection finds you enjoying a refreshing and peaceful summer. As I write this, I just returned from a week’s retreat in Adrian, Michigan, with the Presidents, Board Chairs and Dominican Sisters affiliated with the 13 schools that are part of Dominican Veritas Ministries.
The highlight of the week occurred when I attended a talk by Sr. Mary Paul McCaughey, O.P., about the distinctive approach St. Dominic took to making the world a better place and advancing the Kingdom of God. Light on rules yet heavy on cooperation and mission, St. Dominic assembled pairs of leading preachers who went out into the world to pursue a mission that addressed identified needs.
(Read more on page 13)
EHS President Kevin Rea
EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
EHS Principal Jerry Zander
EHS is proudly sponsored by Dominican Veritas Ministries
In early May, EHS was honored to host Diocese of Madison Bishop Donald Hying and several area priests for an informational gathering to hear more about what Edgewood offers to Madison area students. Our guests heard from EHS President Kevin Rea and Principal Jerry Zander on our Dominican mission, the current state of Edgewood and our plans for the future; Board Chair Harry Haney; Bishop Hying; EHS Ambassador Dennis McKinley ‘63; and some nice comments added by Monsignor Larry Bakke. The session ended with a “Dennis McKinley tour” of the school.
30+ year teacher and coach
Al Minnaert announces departure
“I hate the word ‘retire’,” preferring “reinvent” or “recreate.”
EHS offers thanks and good wishes to Al Minnaert, who served as teacher and coach in Religious Studies, Physical Education, Athletics, Foreign Languages and Maintenance at EHS.
“I am especially grateful for those who have been part of the FIT team with me over the years,” says Al with a special shout out to his Chicago Mission Trip buddies and other retreat helpers, saying those he has “taught, coached, or coached with give me special hope for Edgewood’s future.”
Sr. Kathleen Phelan, who served as EHS Principal from 1984 to 1989, received the Distinguished Alumna Award from Trinity High School in River Forest, Illlinois, in March.
EHS Class of 2024
Academics
• 59% graduated with a GPA of 3.75 or above with 3.82 as an average GPA.
• 111 took AP tests
• Two were named National Merit Finalists.
• 98% of this class is going on to post secondary education with 2% entering the military, taking a GAP year or still undecided.
• 50 are attending the UW system with 29 attending UWMadison.
• 73 will attend Top 100 colleges and universities.
• As a class, they earned an impressive $16.1M in scholarship dollars and accepted $3.2M.
Service
The Class of 2024 performed more than 20,750 service hours with 13 students performing more than 200 hours.
Athletics
• Nine team State Championships.
• Four individual State Champions.
• Three State Runners up.
• Twenty Conference Championships.
• An incredible 70 All-Conference Selections over four years!
Performing Arts
• Participated in a combined total of 54 musicals and 239 performances.
• Nineteen gold medals and three silver medals at 22 State Solo and Ensemble events.
• Performed in 35 District Solo and Ensemble shows as a Choir earning 30+ Excellent ratings.
• All five Seniors in Instrumental music were members of the Badger Conference Orchestra/Band with one earning five Starred Firsts or Firsts over four years in District Solo & Ensemble.
• Three Firsts in State Solo & Ensemble.
CRUSADER
MUSINGS from DENNIS MCKINLEY ‘63
Reunions vs. Social Media
Class reunions! Are they a “thing of the past” meant only for older classes? After all, younger classes use social media to stay in touch with each other. There are valid arguments for both sides of the story. I would like to address why I think that class reunions are a fun, meaningful and special way to connect in person and not “archaic gems” that belong in museums. Social media is a worthwhile tool that allows us to stay in touch with our “circle of friends” from high school, but also has shortcomings. I use social media daily, and often find it impersonal and easily misunderstood. We also self-limit those with whom we communicate. Class reunions, on the other hand, allow us to mingle with classmates with whom we otherwise would not communicate. I try to attend every reunion held each year – some meeting every five years, others annually –which provides me with a broad perspective on reunions. Last year alone I attended 17 reunions ranging from the five-year reunion for the Class of 2018 to a 70-year reunion. Here’s what I observed not just last year, but over the hundreds of reunions I’ve visited since 1999:
People change! The five-year reunion may feel awkward, because it is the first one. As the years go on, that awkward feeling dissolves as do the “cliques” that may have existed during high school. By the way, my definition of “cliques” is someone else’s circle of friends. We each had our own circle of friends in high school, so we each belonged to our own “clique” whether or not we acknowledged it. Reunions give us the opportunity to talk with those we may have never really known during high school,
allowing us to discover that we are not all that different. We find out that those with whom we spent four of the most formative years of our lives have also experienced joys and sorrows, successes and failures, health and sickness.
Reunions can also bring some surprises. I recall at least two incidents where classmates who didn’t know each other all that well during high school started up a friendship that eventually led to marriage. Now, this is not a promise, but it has happened.
Class reunions can be fancy events including an icebreaker on the first evening and a dinner the following evening, perhaps including a tour of Edgewood HS to see what is familiar and what has changed. The reunion can also be simple by selecting a location and each person paying for their own beverages and food. In any case, Edgewood is ready to help the class get started by offering a “best practices” document, class lists, and mailing labels. One thing every reunion needs is a person or committee to step up and get the ball rolling. While traditionally, this has been the responsibility of the senior class president, anyone willing to do so can begin the planning process.
Class reunions are the same as high school – if you choose to remember the negative issues with which every high schooler contends, that will possibly be your reunion experience. If you choose to remember the positives of your high school years, your reunion may very well be a fun, meaningful, and memorable experience. Give it a try!
Scan for reunions calendar
EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
EHS students honored with peer-selected Dominican Awards
For the 11th year, Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart awarded the Samuel Mazzuchelli Award to a senior selected by his/her peers. The 2024 Mazzuchelli Award was presented to Senior Joe Powless at the EHS end-of-year Mass on May 9. The award has become one of the most meaningful traditions at EHS as seniors vote for a fellow student who has most embodied the five Dominican values of Truth, Compassion, Justice, Community and Partnership. The words Joe’s classmates used to describe included role model, leader, humble, faith, joy, hard working and friend.
To expand on this tradition and continue strengthening EHS’s connection to its Dominican roots, Edgewood has introduced the Cor ad Cor Loquitur awards for EHS freshman, sophomore, and junior students. “Cor ad cor loquitur,” Latin for “heart speaks to heart,” is a phrase regularly incorporated in Dominican reflection, planning and organizational mission statements, highlighting compassion and awareness of others.
The Cor ad Cor Loquitur awards were voted on by students in each grade level who indicated the class member they feel represents Dominican values as well as demonstrates commitment to exploring the following questions:
• Who am I and who can I become?
• What are the needs and opportunities of the world?
• What is my role in building a more just and compassionate world?
Two students each from 9th, 10th and 11th grades were identified by their peers as those who demonstrate a commitment to exploring these questions throughout all they do in academics, extracurriculars, leadership and more.
The inaugural recipients of the Cor ad Cor Loquitur awards, announced at the EHS Honors Convocation on May 17 are:
• Sylvie Klestinski and Moriah McAdams - 9th grade
• Eleanor Doro and Addie Oeth - 10th grade
• Luke Jacques and Katie Read - 11th grade
2024 EHS co-curriculars include Future Business Leaders of America
In April, seven EHS students participated in the FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America) State conference in Green Bay. Five of our students qualified to compete at state and two students participated in the Leadership Academy. It was a packed two days filled with objective testing, oral presentations, business and leadership workshops, tours of area businesses, a career fair and networking with students from across the state.
• Juniors Hannah Brinkhoff and Cade Bailey participated in the Leadership Academy.
• Juniors Tommy Bower, Hayden Meier and Gavin Patterson made it through a grueling objective testing round to the final
role-play round at state in Entrepreneurship.
• Sophomore Ella Buelling earned a spot in the final round in Business Calculations.
• Sophomore Claire Hees took second place in the state for Digital Animation of a Marketing strategy. Claire progressed to the national level in Orlando by presenting her project to a panel of three judges through two rounds at State.
Inaugural recipients of the Cor ad Cor Loquitur awards
CRUSADER CONNECTION
EHS Art Department co-hosts Holocaust and genocide traveling exhibition
EHS Art Teacher Stephanie Baertlein collaborated with Edgewood College to host a Holocaust and Genocide traveling banner exhibition in April. The exhibition featured moving stories of survivors of the Holocaust and other genocides told through their everyday, personal belongings. The Stories of Survival: Object. Image. Memory exhibition was funded by a grant from the Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation and was rented from The Illinois Holocaust Museum and Education Center. The exhibition features everyday objects that ordinarily provide convenience or comfort, take on deeper meaning, and become storytellers, in their own right, when they are remnants left from a world destroyed. Stories of Survival: Object. Image. Memory. reflects upon the individual stories of 32 survivors of the Holocaust and genocides, and conflicts including Armenia, Bosnia, Cambodia, Iraq and Syria, Rwanda, and South Sudan, told through photographs and personal reflections.
The exhibit’s opening reception included featured speakers as well as EHS student art and performances by EHS vocal and instrumental performers.
State Visual Arts Classic Awards
Six EHS Art students participated in the State Visual Arts Classic (VAC) competition March 6, competing against 60 other Wisconsin schools. The EHS VAC State team included Lily Hofstetter (11), Olivia Morsbach (11), Elisa Olson (10), Briana Runnheim (11), Sylvia Thompson (11), and Lydia Shannon (11) as an alternate for Luna Zimmerman (10). The VAC team competed in individual long-term and on-site art project prompts.
Participating in the Visual Arts Classic is a huge challenge and a great accomplishment as students were given a list of limited materials, limited time, and project prompts (with no opportunity for planning). The team had to collaborate, research and study art history, and dedicate time outside of class and other extracurricular activities. The following EHS students earned Awards at State VAC and their work is shown here:
• Elisa Olson - 1st Place Long-term Painting
• Olivia Morsbach - 1st Place Long-term Printmaking, 2nd Place On-site Printmaking
• Brianna Runnheim - 1st Place Long-term Sculpture, 2nd Place On-site Sculpture
• Lily Hofstetter - 1st Place Long-term Sculpture
• Lydia Shannon - 1st Place On-site Mixed Media
• Sylvia Thompson - Honorable Mention On-site Mixed Media
CRUSADER ATHLETICS - WINTER & SPRING 2024
Crusader Athletics All-State Academic Award Recognition
NOTE: not all sports have an academic award given by their association.
Boys Basketball:
Jaspar Allaman (12)
Henry Apter (12)
Gannon Bagstad (10)
Oliver Boehme (12)
Andrew Christensen (9)
Henry Clark (9)
Ashton Fickell (10)
Will Hannan (11)
Rex Lamb (12)
Hayden Meier (11)
Jason Thompson (12)
Connor Wood (11)
Girls Basketball:
Lauren Bartelme (11)
Georgia Caulum (11)
Macey Faust (10)
Mataya Fernandez (12)
Makayla Foley (11)
Candi Agapi Gialamas (11)
Anna Miller (9)
Lilly Moschkau (12)
Erin Schauer (11)
Maren Schmotzer (11)
Olivia Schultz (12)
Beanie Thompson (9)
Mya Tomlinson (11)
Conference
Champions, Honors
Girls Gymnastics Team
Boys Tennis Team
Girls Lacrosse
Girls Track & Field
Boys Hockey Team
Rowan White (12) Player of the Year
Coach Pete Rothering - CoCoach of the Year
Dance: WACPC Scholar-Athletes
Ava Bachhbuer (12)
Brianna Donovan (9)
Natalie Hoeft (10)
Sylvie Klestinski (9)
Cassie Kohls (11)
Charlotte Larson (10)
Cate Lockton (9)
Millie Marcu (9)
Scout Moore (10)
Norah Ruth (10)
Frances Varrelmann (9)
Hailey Weyenberg (12)
Bridget Wilson (11)
Gymnastics:
Laura Drake (12)
Anna Messner (12)
Harper Roll (11)
Polly Stephenson
Denise Ta (12)
Girls Soccer:
Gabi Cahill (12)
Baseball: Henry Bishop (12)
Boys Golf:
Drew Bindl (10)
Sonoma Bever (12) named to United Soccer Coaches
STATE CHAMPIONS!
Girls Basketball
Baseball
Girls Spring North Region Team
Boys Hockey:
Ben Block (12)
Adam Burish State
Unsung Hero Award
Rowan White (12)
Kirk Daubenspeck
State Goalie of the Year Award
Dance Dance Duet
Hailey Weyenberg & Ava Bachhuber
All-State
Boys Tennis individual
Mason Robinson (12) and Mac Yackee (10) - doubles
Breck Wegner (9) - singles
Sonoma Bever (11), 1st team - Girls Soccer
Laura Drake (12), 1st team BB - Gymnastics
Ava Bachhuber (12), 1st team - Dance
Taya Fernandez (12), HM - Girls Basketball
Anna Messner (12), 1st team AA - Gynmastics
Anna Miller (9), AP All State - High HM - Girls
Basketball
Sam Moschkau (12), Boys, 1st team - Boys Track & Field 200m dash
Erin Schauer (11), 1st team; AP All State HM - Girls
Basketball
Denise Ta (12), 1st team AA - Gymnastics
Hailey Weyenberg (12), 1st team - Dance
Bridget Wilson (11), 1st team - Dance
CRUSADER CONNECTION
CRUSADER ATHLETICS - WINTER & SPRING 2024
Congratulations to EHS student athletes who signed to continue their athletic careers at the next level!
• Claudia Bloodsaw - Track & Field, Loras College
• Izzi Jaeckle - Track & Field, St. Olaf
• Trent Nelson - Lacrosse, Concordia University-Wisconsin
• Lily Olson - Tennis - Univ. of St. Thomas
• Leyton Ritchie - Volleyball, Belmont Abbey College, North Carolina
• Mason Robinson - Tennis, Edgewood College
Read more postseason recognition: edgewoodhs.org/campus_life/athletics
All-Conference - 1st, 2nd; Player of the Year (POY)
Girls Basketball
Anna Miller (9) - All Area 2nd Gymnastics
Anna Messner (12) - 2nd All Around, Floor & Balance Beam
Boys Hockey
Rowan White (12) - POY; 1st
*Unanimous
Bennett Cagle (11) - 1st
*Unanimous
Matt Richter (11) - 1st
*Unanimous
Owen Koch (10) - 1st
Davis Halbleib (11) - 2nd
Crusader Awards
Boys Swim & Dive
Jaxon VandenBrook (12) - 2nd, 200 Yd Free; 2nd,100 Yd Fly
Jack Prahl (10), Jonah Caldera (11), Michael Urzagaste (12), Jaxon VandenBrook (12) - 2nd,
400 Yd Free Relay
Boys Golf
Drew Bindle (10) - POY
Baseball
Henry Bishop (12) - Pitcher of the Year
Girls Lacrosse
Zoe Plummer (10) - 1st
Candi Agapi Gialamas (11 - 2nd
Katie Read (11) - 2nd
This award goes to a student-athlete who embodies the athletic program motto of “Working on a Championship, While Building Character,” is a good leader, embraces the concept of “Us-We Together,” represents their program on and off the field and in the classroom, and is well respected by teammates, coaches, and Edgewood faculty and staff.
WINTER
Ava Bachhuber - Dance
Ben Block - Boys Hockey
Oliver Boehme - Boys Basketball
Laura Drake - Gynmastics
Paige Olson - Ski & Snowboard
Erin Schauer - Girls Basketball
George Siriani - Boys Swim & Dive
Kate Sweeney - Girls Hockey
SPRING
Molly Esch, Girls Soccer
Grace Baer, Softball
Henry Gill, Baseball
Sarah Gorman, Girls Track & Field
Sawyer Korb, Boys Tennis
Ben Koziar, Boys Golf
Noah Kuhn, Boys Track & Field
Kathryn Read, Girls Lacrosse
Joe Vega, Boys Lacrosse
Girls Soccer
Sonoma Bever (11) - 1st
Lily Olson (12) - 1st
Alana Johnson (12) - 2nd
Makayla Foley (11 - 2nd
Softball
Lexie Koch (12) - 1st
Kerri Morland (11) - 2nd
Grace Healy (10 - 2nd
Girls Track & Field
Gillian Koning (12) - 1st, 100m & 300m hurdles
Erin Schauer (11) - 1st, 800m run
Cate Lockton (9) - 1st, triple jump
Grace Bloodsaw (12), Claudia Bloodsaw (12), Mercy Bloodsaw (12), Liv Schultz (12) - 1st, 4x400m relay
Cece Adamczyk - 2nd, 200m dash
Erin Schauer (11) - 2nd 1600m run
Laura Drake (12) - 2nd, pole vault
Boys Tennis
Sawyer Korb (9) - 1st, 4 singles
Joe Powless (12) - 1st, 2 singles
Mason Robinson (12) and Mac Yackee (10) - 1st, 1 doubles
Breck Wegner (9) - 1st, 1 singles
Jameson Cary (12) and Zach Wolter (12) - 2nd, 2 doubles
John Buye (9) and Jordan Chesmore (10) - 2nd, 3 doubles
See page 14 for EHS inductees in Madison Sports Hall of Fame
EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS NOTES ( look for EHS MEMORIES) Submit your updates on our website or by email: ehsalumni@edgewoodhs.org
1948
Sr. Mary J. Paynter, OP, earned a B.A. from Rosary College, Dominican University; and an M.A. and Ph.D. from UW-Madison. She is professor emerita at Dominican University and Edgewood College. (See page 14 for her fascinating EHS MEMORIES!)
1953
Sr. Carol C. Coenen, OP, earned M.A. degrees in theology and public school administration. Now retired, she is a massage therapist and Reiki Master. She volunteers at Villa at Sinsinawa.
1954
Sr. Connie P. Fahey, FSM, is celebrating 70 years as a Franciscan Sister of Mary, the Sisters of St. Mary (SSM, now FSM). Her work took her from St. Louis to South Carolina to Janesville, Wisconsin. To read about her long and amazing career, go to https://tinyurl.com/4xuh5xax.
1959
Harold J. Joyce keeps busy teaching billiards and poker at the senior center. He also plays guitar at two senior retirement centers and volunteers at the Beloit Historical Society. Harold plays cards, pool, scrabble and Sudoku, plus practices piano... along with getting a one-hour nap in each day. At his church, he does readings, distributes communion and serves Mass. “Life is great so far!”
1960
Karen L. Lavin Meagher earned a B.A. at University of Buffalo. She is widowed and retired, living in Washington
Three alumni from the EHS Class of 1962 are celebrating their 60th Jubilee as Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters: Susan Duerst, OP Elizabeth “Liz” Dunn, OP Marie Stella Storch, OP
1962
James H. Hayes is retired and lives in Green Bay with his wife, Anita.
1965
Jerilyn M. Oehrlein Gorman earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UW-Platteville. She is retired and she and husband Terry have two grown children and live in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Ellen M. McDermott is retired from 50 years of civil service with the State of Wisconsin. Her volunteer service includes Salvation Army and previously Pro Labore Dei and Christian Children’s Fund. She and longtime partner Larry Davis live in Madison and have four children, seven grandchildren and one great grandchild. EHS MEMORIES: “Too many to mention, was a good education, fun, inspirational as far as future life.”
1967
John P. Kavanaugh, recently sold Kavanaugh’s Esquire Club, the longest running family-owned supper club (since 1948) in Madison.
1970
Julie A. Schneider Porto, is “retired with all her original body parts still intact. She and her second husband Bill live a quiet life in the hamlet of Sun City Center, Florida; he, too, has maintained all of his original body parts, although that was not the reason for their union. Her life is filled with duplicate bridge, audiobooks and naps. Julie still maintains her hourglass figure; the sands just keep shifting.”
1975
Patricia M. Nagle, earned an MS in Health Administration from College of St Catherine; Cardinal Stritch College. Now retired, she lives in Apple Valley, Minnesota.
The Hot Dogger
1973
Linda A. Diederich Sebree, attended the UW-Madison medical technology program and worked as a Histologic Technician/ Immunohistolochemical Technician at St. Mary’s Hospital and UW Hospital. After her husband Jim passed away, she volunteered in Meriter Hospital’s NICU before moving to Illinois to be near her grandchildren. EHS MEMORIES “Prom, basketball games, fun times in the commons playing Euchre.”
1976
Rev. Douglas P. (Paul) Johnsen, retired after 41 years as a Methodist Minister.
1979
Michelle A. Hart Behnke, accepted the nomination for the office of president-elect of the American Bar Association (ABA) when she addressed the House of Delegates, the ABA’s 597-member policy-setting body, in February at the Midyear Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. She will become President August 2025.
1982
Gregory C. Meyer is director of electric engineering in energy operations at Madison Gas and Electric (MGE). In March, he served on a panel at UW’s Transition to Clean Energy.
1986
Dorothy (Dottie) J. Uicker Winger earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from UWMadison and is a retired teacher living in Eagle River, Wisconsin, volunteering as a Genealogy Society officer, speaker and teacher.
1987
Aaron D. Henderson earned a B.A. in Communications from The University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa. He is a marketing
1979 alumna Jennifer L. Pavlovic’s story, “The Hot Dogger,” was recently published in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Well That Was Funny. The Hot Dogger, a gadget that could cook six hot dogs at once, was a wedding gift that was re-gifted many times in the ‘80s and ‘90s to couples who graduated from EHS. “The Hot Dogger” is Jenny’s 12th story published by Chicken Soup for the Soul. Jenny, a biomedical engineer and writer with a Ph.D., currently lives in Verona, Wisconsin. She volunteers at the local library with her Pet Partners dog Brighty and is in training to be an equine-assisted coach.
CRUSADER CONNECTION
CLASS NOTES ( look for EHS MEMORIES)
specialist at MK Marketing in Stuart, Florida, with his primary focus being the design of Coastal Drive Magazine, a luxe niche publication featuring the lifestyles of the Palm Beaches and the Treasure Coast. He and wife Michele live in Stuart.
EHS MEMORIES: With Mr. Regina’s passing [see page 15], I am still amazed on how the text chain of our class communicated together. I have friends from college, but to this day I’m still closer to my friends from EHS. I owe a lot to the school - helped get me to UA and to where I am now. Those roots run deep.
1989
Mitchell M. Bradt is VP of engineering at Dashiell Corp.
1990
Capt. Michael V. Hanson retired in June after 23 years with the Madison Police Department. “Policing is really about serving the community with compassion.”
Andrew E. Messer-Hinton earned an Ed.D. from Concordia University in Chicago and is currently living in Dallas.
1997
Christopher W. Ehlers is president of Veridian Homes in Madison.
2000
Geoffrey S. Frink is CEO and co-founder of Pool Builder Lead Rocket in Austin, Texas, a company that has made the Inc 5000 five times and made the Austin Top 25 in the Austin Business Journal twice in the past 10 years. Geoff has been nominated for the Austin Business Journal CEO four times in the past eight years.
2001
Elizabeth S. Butman Finnessy earned her D.D.S. and is working as a dentist and living in Bellevue, Washington, with her daughter. She participates in yearly Guatemalan mission trips.
Adam M. Burish was recently inducted into the UW Athletic Hall of Fame. He is the only Madison native to have played on an NCAA championship men’s hockey team (2006) and to have his name etched on the Stanley Cup (2010 with Chicago Blackhawks).
Submit your updates on our website or by email: ehsalumni@edgewoodhs.org
Jennifer P. Skolaski, Ph.D. ‘01, is owner of Community & Nonprofit Leadership Consulting, LLC. She recently received the Spirit of Education Award from the Oshkosh Area School District to acknowledge her dedication to enriching the educational environment at Read Elementary. Her pivotal role in securing over $500,000 for the construction of a new fire-truck-themed playground significantly enhanced the school’s amenities, addressed the racial and income inequities within the school district, and directly benefited students’ mental health and well-being.
Jennifer also leads Winnebago County’s Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) team, earning national acclaim for their impactful initiatives in preventing overdose deaths. Jennifer attended University of Iowa, where she was was an All American swimmer and was Iowa’s female 2005 Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner, 2005 Top Ten Finalist for NCAA Women of the Year, 2005 Iowa Big Ten Medal of Honor winner, as well as an NCAA Post Graduate Scholarship Award winner. Jennifer earned her Ph.D. from UW-Madison.
2003
Brendan T. Baxter was featured in “Forty Under Forty” of In Business Madison magazine.
2004
Margaret (Maggie) H. Brick Brickerman was featured in “Forty Under Forty” of In Business Madison magazine.
2005
David J. Porto is president of Blue Plate Catering in Madison, which was recently named a finalist for Business of the Year by In Business Madison magazine.
(CLASS NOTES continued page 10)
Calvin E. Beyer ‘79 was presented with a Lifetime Achievement Award by United Suicide Survivors International and the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention at the 3rd Construction Working Minds national summit for Mental Health Promotion, Suicide Prevention and Addiction Recovery in the Workplace.
“This pursuit has been a workplace ministry since 1995 after I completed my first suicide prevention project in the workplace,” says Cal. “I felt called to a higher purpose in every professional role I’ve had.”
Cal is a human capital risk management and wellbeing consultant. He serves on the Executive Committee for the National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention and the Lived Experience Advisory Committee of the Suicide Prevention Resource Center. He is a strategic partner with national nonprofit SAFE Project (Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic) and serves on the advisory boards for MindWise Innovations, Goldfinch Health and Youturn Health.
In 2016, Cal helped launch the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention and Engineering News-Record named him a 2016 Top 25 Newsmaker. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) presented him with the Mental Health Industry Advocacy Award in 2022. He received a lifetime achievement award at the 2023 Construction Working Minds Summit. Cal is a frequent speaker at industry events and a regular contributor to various industry publications.
Cal and Kris, his wife of 35 years, have five grown children. They live in Maple Valley, Washington.
EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
CLASS NOTES ( look for EHS MEMORIES)
2006
Rev. Fr. Timothy G. Mergen, is returning to the U.S. Air Force to finish his commitment. He will be stationed in Okinawa for the foreseeable future.
2007
Andrew R. Scheffer is a geometry and IB math teacher in the City School District in Rochester (New York), where he and his wife and two children live.
Mark T. Stemrich is foreman at Michels Pipeline; he attended UW-Superior.
2009
William (Will) C. Madsen earned a B.S. from UW-Madison and DMD from the Midwestern University School of Dentistry. He is working as a dentist and living in Sycamore, Illinois.
2010
Noah T. Kachelski and wife Katie recently welcomed daughter Norah. The family lives in Dubuque, Iowa.
Nicolet (Nicki) M. Davis Young is a paralegal and office administrator for Krueger, Hernandez, & Thompson, S.C., in Middleton, Wisconsin.
2011
Jessica A. Rentmeester Grube is VP of Operations at Lost Boys Interactive.
Bat-Zion (Betsy) Hose, Ph.D., Research Fellow at the MedStar Health National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare, has been selected for the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) Scholars in Diagnostic Excellence Program.
Eric J. Madsen earned a B.S. from UW-Madison, a DDS from University of Michigan Dental School and a Ph.D. from University of Southern California Dental School. He is currently doing post graduate dental training in periodontics in Los Angeles.
2014
Katherine (Kate) E. Zellmer is Senior Product Manager - Provider Enablement at Homeward hospitals in San Francisco.
Submit your updates on our website or by email: ehsalumni@edgewoodhs.org
Vince Sweeney ‘69, along with classmate Randy Haines pursued a music career under the name of “Gus and Emmitt” after graduating from EHS. After that collaboration ended, Vince earned a UW degree in 1978 in journalism and mass communication, which led him to becoming an award-winning sports writer and sports editor with the Madison Press Connection, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the Madison Capital Times and the Los Angeles Times
In 1990, Vince was hired as director of trademark licensing at University of Wisconsin and joined the athletic department in 1991. He went on to became a senior associate athletic director until 2009 when he moved from Athletics to the UW Chancellor’s Office as Vice Chancellor for University Relations. Vince was inducted into the Madison Sports Hall of Fame in 2010.
In 2015, he was named Vice President for Communications at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association, retiring in 2020.
After retiring from UW, Vince started his own independent management consulting firm, Sweeney & Associates, which provides strategic communications counsel and other public relations services to executives and others in leadership positions.
For 50 years, Vince’s love of music and performing has continued to be part of his life and he now performs “solo gigs” throughout the Madison area. See www.vincesweeney.com for more on Vince’s performing career and dates and locations to hear his music.
of 1966 reunionJune 2024
Michael W. Orosz-Fagen ‘20 has a list on his phone of “things I think that should exist in this world.”
From an idea on that list, he and a friend co-created Mesh, a free service matching groups of Madisonians with potential friends. Michael is a recent graduate of St. Louis University.
“‘What we want to do is provide really fun and safe connections for people,’ said co-founder Michael Orosz-Fagen, 22, who grew up in Monona. ‘There’s no swiping. There’s no awkward DMs …’” (Cap Times: read more: https://tinyurl.com/4j55ksp4)
EHS PERFORMING ARTS
“Mary Poppins” performances were practially perfect in every way!
Mary Poppins is an enchanting mixture of irresistible story, unforgettable songs, breathtaking dance numbers and astonishing stagecraft. Thanks to the hard work of more than 80 students involved in two separate casts, crew, designers and stage management, Mary Poppins flew into the McKinley PAC at EHS for six shows in March, including some sold-out performances!
EHS Performing Arts announces 2024-25 shows
November 21-24, 2024
March 13-16, 2025
Watch for more information and ticket information! Follow @edgewoodhsdrama on Instagram
Help us be sure we have your updated contact information including:
• Full name (including maiden name if applicable) and grad year.
• Complete address including house number, full street name and apartment number, city, state, zip.
• Phone (home and/or cell).
• Current email address.
If you prefer not to receive solicitations, just let us know. Edgewood never shares contact information with outside groups.
edgewoodhs.org/alumni ehsalumni@edgewoodhs.org
If your class year ends in a 4 or a 9, this is your reunion
CRUSADER
We are doing the same at Edgewood High School of the Sacred Heart. This summer Edgewood is advancing a project of historic proportions that will bring healthy, positive change to the lives of our students, faculty and staff. Our campus is currently host to a large, committed team of construction workers who are installing a fire suppression system for safety and a new HVAC system that will circulate healthy air year round as well as bring air conditioning to all three floors of our 1926 building! Those of you who remember roasting in classrooms will understand the significance of this project! This is a once in a generation opportunity to act to improve our core learning environment at a time when it is needed more than ever. There never have been more resources available to public schools to improve their indoor air quality and heat indexes. At Edgewood we must raise funds to improve our learning spaces.
While we have secured the necessary funds to achieve this long overdue initiative, historic buildings can contain interesting surprises that require additional work. This summer’s surprises arrived in the form of a larger than usual change order that has increased the cost of the project. I am asking for your help as we aim to reach our newly revised goal. We are looking to raise $300,000 to cover the cost of the change order. This is an opportunity for you to help in any way you are able as we seize this historic moment.
If you are interested and able to help, one way is to send in a check or, if you would like to have a conversation about a major gift, you can contact me directly at my email: kevin.rea@edgewoodhs.org.
Several families have already given to this historic project and left a family legacy. I hope you will consider joining them through your participation.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your consideration in supporting this momentous project in the life of Edgewood High School to enhance the quality of life for our students, faculty and staff.
Surely St. Dominic would approve of our plan!
God Bless and Go Crusaders!
EHS Crusader Fund is our most important giving priority
The Crusader Fund is EHS’s most important giving priority. As a private Catholic high school, we do not receive federal, state or diocesan support and rely on philanthropic support to bridge the gap between tuition and the actual cost to educate each student.
Your tax-deductible, unrestricted gift is the best way for parents, alumni, and friends to make a meaningful difference in the breadth and depth of programs and resources available to our students, and keep an Edgewood education more affordable for families.
Scan the QR code or go to edgewoodhs.org/support to learn more.
Be a Leader; Make a Difference
The Leadership Circle is an exclusive group of benefactors who demonstrate a strong commitment to Edgewood’s mission. Cumulative annual gifts of $2,500 make an immediate impact on our school community and inspire others to follow their example of generous support. Members are invited to private events throughout the year. To learn how YOU can make a difference, please contact the EHS Development Department.
Diamond Circle
$50,000 or more
Eddie Circle
$20,000 to $49,999
Crusader Circle
$10,000 to $19,999
Gold Circle
$5,000 to $9,999
Maroon Circle
$2,500 to $4,999
(HVAC Project - continued from page 1)
Sr. Mary J. Paynter OP, ‘48
EDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL
EHS MEMORIES: I arrived at Edgewood High School as a freshman in the fall of 1944 when news of the success of the U.S. efforts after the Normandy landings was encouraging. Hopes for an early end to World War II were growing, and students back then were praying for their brothers, fathers, and uncles to return safely from the war zones. I loved the challenge of the classes at EHS! The Sisters who taught me are all now in heaven, but their memory and the gifts and the inspiration they shared remain. And, of course, not all the teachers were Sisters back then… I had E. J. Wilke for biology—yes, in class we dissected a few small creatures, I recall, but mostly we heard about the preparations for the next weekend’s games from “Coach.” E.J. had come to teach/coach at EHS in 1929, and he was in his prime in the 1940s! He would go on to remain a pillar of the EHS community until 1965. I graduated in the class of 1948. Sports were “big” back then, BUT so was music! In 1944, Igor Stravinsky (yes! that musician) gave his only Madison concert at Edgewood. By the way, he and his companion, Nadia Boulanger, were personal friends of an Edgewood music teacher, Sister Edward Blackwell. And… I took piano lessons from Sister Edward … until the day she said that we would stop doing music (since I obviously had little or no talent!) and instead we would meet for poetry lessons. And, yes, she was correct! That worked, and I eventually became a professor of English. At Edgewood High School, I learned to love studying literature (Sisters Estelle and Natalie), and history (Sister Albertus Magnus and Sister Cajetan), as well as finding new interests—in Latin (Sister Melchior) and French (Sister Catherine Moran). I loved taking art classes with Sr. Philomena and others-- AND, for a major project, we senior art students were enlisted to paint several panels of the walls on the first floor (near the offices and the then-chapel) portraying the life of St. Dominic! Yes, maybe those should be uncovered and restored! Who over-painted them? Although EHS was relatively small during my time (about 500 to 600 students), it offered a superb education--one that set me on the road to get a scholarship to Rosary College (now Dominican University), and later, a scholarship and teaching assistantship in graduate school at the University of Wisconsin. Plus, my early study of French at EHS along with a glowing recommendation from Sr. Catherine Moran, enabled me to be awarded a French Government Fellowship to study comparative literature at the Sorbonne, University of Paris. BUT, best of all, the generosity, the joy, the scholarship—the inspiration of the Dominican Sisters at Edgewood High School, led me to join them in 1956! ---And I have lived “happily ever after!”
At the 61st Annual Madison Sports Hall of Fame Banquet in May, EHS graduating senior Rowan White received the Madison Area Sports Commission Madison Sportsman of the Year. Rowan is pictured in top photo with Head Coach Pete Rothering.
Edgewood Boys Golf and Girls Basketball coaches also received the American Family Insurance The Don Liddicoat Agency Special Achievement Award in recognition of their WIAA State Championship seasons. Accepting the award was Head Coach Lora Staveness for girls basketball and former Head Coach Jordan Brown for boys golf.
Crusaders are everywhere!
Betty McGuire Casey ‘58, who lives in Palm Springs, California, reported that she was visiting her daughter in Beaverton, Oregon, recently. While she was there, Betty volunteered at the Holy Trinity food bank (EHS SERVICE!) and started to talk to the manager, who turned out to be Charlie Knapp ‘83! “Edgewood alums are all over the place!”
EHS Hall of Famers
CRUSADER CONNECTION
in MEMORIAM
Names of deceased alumni below represent deaths we were informed of by our publication date. x = attended but did not graduate with the class.
Date of Death
1937 Kathleen R. Snell Choren ............................. 8/15/2023
1942 Paul H. Dalton ........................................... 10/28/2003
1947 Howard F Mazanet ......................................... 6/9/2024
x1947 Catherine A. Adler Andersen 4/26/2024
1948 Col. William J. Moran 3/12/2023
1948 Elaine M. Ripp Saber 2/20/2024
1950 Richard R. Doll 3/16/2024
1950 Dorothy M. Frederick Sorge ......................... 5/24/2024
1951 Leroy (Skip) F. Berigan.................................... 3/6/2024
1952 Nancy Lee Jones Kazynski............................... 4/5/2024
1952 Barbara A. Pope Loney 2/23/2024
1952 Marilyn A. Nachreiner Piontek 9/12//2023
1952 Marilyn T. Statz Raffel 7/2/2024
1952 Shirley M. Baines Teteak 3/15/2024
1954 Sheila M. Eagon Kava ................................. 11/20/2023
1954 Joanne S. Jackson Thuesen .............................. 3/4/2024
1956 Joyce M. Verthein Huber 5/10/2024
1959 Michael L. Mackesey 3/22/2024
1959 Mary A. Phillips Youngwirth 10/1/2020
1960 Elizabeth (Betty) H. Zastrow Schuster 3/17/2024
1961 Patricia A. Corona Delany ............................ 3/20/2024
1961 Karen L. Keleny Lemberger .......................... 2/13/2024
1961 Genevieve A. Buechner Lynch......................... 2/1/2024
1962 David A. Caulum 6/16/2024
1962 Benedict (Jim) J. Neuhauser 3/13/2024
1962 John (Jack) R. Sweeney 3/17/2024
1964 Mary C. Gotfried Thornton 5/15/2024
1965 Mary Ann Day Klopp ................................... 2/18/2024
1965 Hubert (Bert) F. Mullooly, Jr. .......................... 6/1/2024
1967 David A. Wright ........................................... 3/16/2024
x1967 Carole J. Arra Weinberg 6/8/2024
1968 John H. Gallagher 3/10/2024
1968 Geralyn H. Lynch Slack 3/8/2024
1969 Patricia K. Roth Carroll ................................ 1/13/2024
1973 Scott M. Shimanski ...................................... 5/24/2024
1977 Helenita S. Jaramillo Harrigan ...................... 8/31/2023
1977 Timothy P. Kehl 5/13/2024
x1978 Don J. (DJ) Ahrens 3/20/2024
1986 Michael J. Zychowski 1/11/2024
1993 Eric L. Weimert 5/20/2024
1993 Jon T. Carlsen ................................................. 5/2/2023
x1997 Stephanie A. Branstetter .................................. 2/3/2024
2009 Joshua D. Burrington.................................... 3/11/2024
2009 Amanda G. Miller 4/23/2024
Former EHS teacher Don Regina passes away
Longtime EHS faculty member Don Regina passed away March 12. He began his Edgewood career in January 1979, teaching honors courses in American Literature and British Literature, American Multicultural Literature, and Journalism/ College Writing, saying he “worked to teach students to read fine literature perceptively and develop their higherlevel thinking skills.” He also served as the Envoy Student Newspaper Moderator and Boys Cross Country Coach. Don received the Herb Kohl Foundation Teacher Fellowship, Norman Bassett Foundation Teaching Award, and was a member of the Wisconsin Cross Country Coaches Association and the National Council Teachers of English.
Read Don’s obituary and learn how much Edgewood and his students meant to him: www. cressfuneralservice.com/obituaries/ donald-regina (scan QR code at right)
Memorial donations honor Crusaders
Honor deceased Edgewood alumni, family members and supporters with a memorial donation.
Donations in memory of a deceased loved one can be designated to the area you wish to support. edgewoodhs.org/support/make_a_donation
Contact: 608-257-1023; development@edgewoodhs.org
Please notify us of EHS alumni deaths
Please email ehsalumni@edgewoodhs.org if you become aware of the death of an EHS graduate:
• Full name of deceased (including maiden name if applicable)
• Graduation year
• Date of death
• Copy or link to obituary
Or complete online form: https://tinyurl.com/umdku7nw
2219 MONROE ST MADISON, WI 53711
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Families of alumni:
If this publication is addressed to a family member who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify the Alumni Office at:
EHSAlumni@edgewoodhs.org or in writing or by phone so we can update our records with new contact information.
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HIGH SCHOOL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Board members are prayerfully and strategically selected with the intention of using their expertise to benefit EHS, both currently and in the future. Those interested in joining the EHS Board can email President Kevin Rea: kevin.rea@edgewoodhs.org.
Tom Browne
Senior Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
UW-Madison College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
Current Parent Parent of Alumni
Jane Clark
Board Secretary
CEO/Managing Partner
Lake Effect HR & Law, LLC
Currrent Parent Parent of Alumni
Matthew Darga
COO, Hoffman Mfg. Corp. Parent of alumni
Harry Haney III Board Chair Parent of Alumni
Bill Karls VP/Controller TruStage Parent of Alumni
Dawn Meier Partner, Point Gardens Apartments
Current Parent Parent of Alumna
Jessica Palermo ‘04 COO, LPG Investment Management
Kevin Rea President, Edgewood High School
Current Parent Non-voting member
Kara Roisum Coordinator of Catholic Mission & Culture, Diocese of Madison Office of Catholic Schools
E.G. Schramka Board Treasurer
Exec. Director, Irwin & Robert Goodman Foundation, Inc. Parent of Alumni
Nikki Stafford VP Pediatric Services and President, American Family Children’s Hospital
Current Parent
Margaret Watson CEO, Steve Brown Apartments/ SBA Management Services
Current Parent Parent of Alumni
Lynn Wood Board Vice Chair VP, Wood Communications Group Parent of Alumna