Gilmour Magazine Fall 2022

Gilmour

Sponsored by the Congregation of Holy Cross, Notre Dame, Indiana

Dear Friends, We send one copy of this magazine per household. If a member of your family has a new permanent address, please let us know so that we can update our records. To do so, visit gilmour.org/alumupdate (alumni) or gilmour.org/updateinfo (parents)

There’s been a lot of excitement on campus this fall with the addition of lights at Weber Stadium. But, did you know that the game played against James Ford Rhodes High School on August 19 was actually not the first game Gilmour has played under lights? There was one game, played on August 24, 1990, when the school rented lights for a night game against the McDonald Blue Devils.

OUR HOLY CROSS MISSION IS THE FOUNDATION FROM WHICH WE EDUCATE THE MIND AND EMPOWER THE HEART OF EVERY GILMOUR STUDENT.

TO DEVELOP THE COMPETENCE TO SEE AND THE COURAGE TO ACT IN CREATING A MORE HUMANE AND JUST SOCIETY

Living the Mission

DEANNA CARLSON NESS ’95

Gilmour was always a special place to Deanna Carlson Ness ’95 With fond memories of her first campus tour and that feeling of home, Deanna knew that Gilmour would be the place that would challenge her, provide her with opportunities and be the place that would take her outside her comfort zone.

In good company, Deanna used to drive to school with the late Mr. Teisl, who taught her to lift others up, work hard and give back. Learning about the famous Honduras service trips led by Mr. Teisl, Deanna knew then that she wanted to make an impact. She also remembers walking into Mrs. Emerson’s classroom and seeing a picture of her riding a camel in Egypt. The big world suddenly seemed a little smaller.

“As I think about the mission of Gilmour, I can’t help but reflect on the way my time in these hallowed halls helped me to see and gave me the courage to act. I recall being touched when a classmate’s family adopted children from Russia. When my husband and I struggled with infertility issues for five years, I reached out to the mother of this family, Mrs. Borden, to learn from her experience and help navigate our own story. This is why I love Gilmour.”

Today, Deanna is the mother of six children - three biological and three adopted. The Nesses’ story of adoption is one of compassion, love and faith. Deanna and her husband, Scott, were always open to the idea and it became even more real through infertility struggles. After giving birth to their oldest, Ethan, through a number of impossible circumstances and situations, the couple connected with a birth mom and jumped at the chance to welcome another new baby into their home. The Nesses welcomed Elanna into the family.

“I held Elanna moments after her birth with skin-to-skin contact, which is incredibly rare for an adoptive mother. I was holding this new precious gift and she was kicking her legs. At the same time, I was six months pregnant with her sister, Emery. She was kicking on the inside of me and Elanna was kicking on the outside. It remains one of my most cherished memories of this incredible journey that God has led me on as a mother.”

The Ness family didn’t know it at the time, but Elanna’s adoption would lead to their family growing even larger. They remained in contact with the birth mother and, when she was diagnosed with terminal cancer, she asked if they would adopt her other two children. After prayer, lots of conversation and soul searching, the Nesses said yes. They welcomed Ember and Charlie to the family shortly after giving birth to her third biological child, Ella. Their family of eight was complete.

“While I can’t give Gilmour all the credit for the way our family came to be, I can certainly point back to the lessons that Gilmour instilled within me. Seek to live a life of faith as it intersects with the world. Look for God’s presence in daily life. Don’t shy away from challenges.”

Deanna added, “As I think about all the people that could have been asked to be a part of this article, I can easily think of many others. So many have achieved so much and had such an impact in the world. I’m humbled to think that my story is worth telling. And yet, as I think about the impact that Gilmour has had on me, I turn around and think about the ways in which I continue to pass on to my children the passion to go for it.”

She continued, “I don’t know that Mrs. Emerson realized that putting a picture of her on that camel would have such an impact. She, most likely, just wanted to be reminded of a great trip. But it had an impact on me.”

Know another Gilmour alum who is out there living our mission in their daily life? Email us at communications@gilmour.org and let us know!

During her 29 years of teaching at Gilmour, Bonnie DiCillo has seen it all. Since 1978, Bonnie has been involved with Gilmour, and her love of our school and our community has only grown since. We caught up with Bonnie, former coach, teacher and now substitute teacher, to see what she’s been up to!

Wow, 44 years involved with our school and community!

Can you share a little bit more about your Gilmour journey?

While teaching at Glen Oak (beginning in 1978), I was the JV cheerleading advisor for the GA football and basketball teams. When the schools merged in the fall of 1982, I continued teaching math and coaching cheerleading (for a total of eight years), but as the varsity advisor. During these eight years, the GA cheerleading varsity squads earned many individual and team awards at camp competitions!

During my tenure at Gilmour, I taught mathematics – mostly geometry –and was Director of the Middle School for one year (1990-1991). I acted as department chair for a few years, mentored teachers seeking licensure, was inducted into the Cum Laude Society and was named “Teacher of the Year” by the Ohio Council of Teachers of Mathematics.

Altogether, I taught 29 years at Gilmour, from Fall 1978 to Spring 2007.

Throughout your time at Gilmour, what kept you here?

I enjoyed the day-to-day contact with the many students who inspired me to create opportunities to maximize learning. Designing projects was both gratifying for me and seemingly enjoyable for the students. I can also vividly recall when the Tudor House was much

Catching up

WITH BONNIE DiCILLO

more spooky and a group of seventh and eighth graders approached me with an idea to convert the school to a Haunted School for Halloween. With much time and planning, the seventh graders escorted Grades 4, 5 and 6 from the Lower School through each room that the eighth graders had carefully prepared for viewing. The spectacle ended outside, where students enjoyed cider and donuts before boarding the bus back to the Lower School. All this took place during a 30-minute advisory period! The creativity of the students was incredible!

What have you been up to since your Gilmour days?

I have been substitute teaching at both Gilmour and Mayfield High School since leaving Gilmour in May of 2007. I keep busy with proctoring SAT and ACT exams on designated Saturdays, hosting dinner on Tuesday evenings for my grandchildren and spending time with friends.

At my house we make sausage – usually in February – and wine, under the guidance of my son, David, who has been making wine for 16 years. It’s become a fantastic family affair!

So you’re still involved with Gilmour after all this time!

Do you miss the good old days full of cheerleading camps and geometry classes?

Some of my colleagues remain at Gilmour, and I miss the regular interaction with students, but age has a way of dictating the degree of involvement!

Looking back, what was the best thing about Gilmour Academy?

I don’t think I can quite pin down one thing. The community, the people, make it all worth it. The best way to sum it up is this: I just returned from a wonderful trip to Italy, and my luggage tags read: ”No matter where you travel, Gilmour is still your home.” Gilmour will always be my home.

Abby Barlett ’19

Abby was named to the "Five Under 25" list by The Business Journals.

The future is bright for Abby Barlett ’19, a senior finance major at Miami University. This past summer, she worked as an Investment Banking Summer Analyst at Goldman Sachs within the Financial Institutions Group (FIG) in Goldman’s Chicago office, and she has since accepted a full-time offer to continue with the firm as an investment banking analyst in Chicago after graduation this May.

During her internship this summer, Abby worked on a mix of live deals and client service projects for banks and specialty finance companies. At the end of the summer, she completed a case study, conducting a financial and operational evaluation of a bank.

Abby shared, “I loved my experience at Goldman Sachs and in Chicago! The FIG team is a great community and I’m so excited to begin my career!”

Abby’s journey with the firm started during her sophomore year of college when she was selected for the Goldman Sachs Women’s Possibilities Summit, a program that had a six percent acceptance rate. After completing that program, she was offered two internship opportunities with Goldman Sachs - one in private wealth management and the other, the one she took, as an investment banking intern.

Adding to her impressive resume, at the beginning of this semester, Abby was named to the “Five Under 25” list by The Business Journals. She was recognized for her work as the managing director of RedHawk Ventures, which is one of only a handful of undergraduate student-run venture capital funds in the nation. The fund invests in companies founded by Miami students and alumni, and Abby is currently working on raising a second fund to allow the group more financial flexibility.

When asked how Gilmour prepared her for her future career, Abby said that without Gilmour, she wouldn’t be anywhere close to the position she is in now. “Gilmour prepared me in more ways than one. The collaborative, yet challenging, environment prepared me for the workplace as I am pushed to learn new things every day with each task. Knowing how to work with and learn from anyone was something that I learned very early at Gilmour through the group work aspect of my education. While it may not seem like it in those moments, the teaching style at Gilmour and the way students interact with one another and teachers is a great replica of the real world.”

“Many Gilmour and Miami alumni were incredibly helpful and receptive to my questions while going through this process. I’m happy to return the favor and act as a resource for fellow Lancers!”

College Corner is a new column in our magazine. We look forward to spotlighting the great work our young alumni are doing at colleges around the world. Let us know about the exciting projects recent Gilmour graduates are currently working on at communications@gilmour.org.

The isWord Out.

Enrollment at the Lower School is up nearly 20 percent, with waitlists at several grade levels. Led by Director of the Lower School and Montessori Programs Jay Fowler ’00, the Lower School experience is one-of-a-kind, and people are taking note. When you combine small class sizes, incredible facilities and personalized instruction, all within a Holy Cross community, the result is a school experience that can’t be found anywhere else in the area. Here are just some of the highlights.

LOOPING

Each grade level teacher remains with their students for two years, eliminating the need to acclimate at the beginning of the new year, and allowing students and teachers to pick up right where they left off the previous year. The result is a truly personalized experience, in which the teacher knows students’ strengths and challenges and can tailor the experience to their needs, whether that is pushing them to achieve beyond grade level or providing additional support.

SPECIALS

Each special at the Lower School is taught by one teacher, specifically trained in that area of expertise, and he/she teaches across all grades. Students experience each special at least two times a week, allowing them the opportunity for sustained growth in each area. Spanish classes focus on both the language and culture of Spanish-speaking countries. Robotics classes, which combine coding and tech design skills, begin in Kindergarten. In music, students explore a wide variety of instruments, culminating with participation in the fifth- and sixth-grade band program. In addition, students in Grades K-6 enjoy presenting two large concerts every year in our beautiful Center for the Performing Arts. Art classes are hands-on and engaging and the incredible projects line the halls of the Lower School all year. Religion classes focus on our Holy Cross mission and the small class sizes allow for great discussion. This year, the Lower School is looking to build in combination retreats and service days by grade level. Finally, PE classes include an extended PE option, during which students enjoy skating and swim lessons right on campus.

WELLNESS

Each grade level meets weekly for a wellness lesson taught by Lower School counselor Mr. Teisl. The social emotional learning curriculum is also shared with classroom teachers so they can build it into their lessons. Students have the opportunity to read to Gilmour’s therapy dogs from Guiding Eyes Cleveland. Additionally, all grade levels learn financial literacy, developing an understanding of the value of money and the differences between wants and needs and spending and saving. One way this is brought to life is through the Lancer Bucks program. Students have jobs in the classroom and can earn “Lancer Bucks” if they complete their jobs well. Once they have earned enough, students have the opportunity to spend their “Lancer Bucks” in the school spirit shop at the Lower School.

NATURE-BASED LEARNING

Our nature-based learning program features a chicken coop, apiaries, an outdoor learning pavilion, gardens, nature trails and more. Students love the hands-on learning that results from engaging with nature and each grade level features a special area of focus within the program. For example, kindergarteners harvest lettuce and kale from the Giving Garden on campus to feed the chickens. Second graders visit our Pollinator Garden to see the traveling monarch butterflies on our milkweed plants and the hummingbird clearwing moths on our wild bergamot. They plant these and many other important native species here on campus to assist our honeybees and important native pollinators. Third graders enjoy the “Trout in the

Classroom” project, which teaches them about the life cycle of fish as they raise and, ultimately release, trout from eggs. Fourth graders study the weather and compare their data with the data collected online by the Gilmour weather station. They then complete an enviroscape activity, creating a little town and lake that mimics our Lake Erie watershed.

COMMUNITY BLOCK

Community Block at the Lower School is held each Friday afternoon. Clubs meet during this time and provide students a host of opportunities to choose from. Each is run by a Lower School teacher and options range from Crochet for a Cause (members crochet hats for area NICUs), Minecraft Club, Boardgame Club, Baking Club, Gilmour Singers and many more. The meetings allow for crossgrade interaction and provide leadership opportunities for students. Once a month, Community Block is used for a Student Recognition ceremony, during which the Lower School celebrates those students who have best lived out the Holy Cross charisms.

sports and another day Grades 4-6 meet. (Sixth graders also have the option to participate on the Middle School teams with the seventh and eighth graders.) There are also a variety of afterschool enrichment activities - Arts at the Academy private music lessons, dance lessons on campus through the Cleveland Ballet, Girls on the Run, Chess Club, Homework Club, swim instruction through Great Lakes Sailfish (which is run out of Gilmour’s natatorium) and skating and hockey lessons at the Ice Center. Students can also meet with teachers after school for private tutoring.

ONE CAMPUS

Gilmour’s three divisions - Lower, Middle and Upper School - are all housed on our 144-acre campus and students from all three divisions utilize the campus’s incredible facilities. Lower School students also enjoy regular visits from Upper School students through a variety of programs. The Todd Squad is a group of Upper Schoolers who come to the Toddler classroom to work with students on late-start Mondays. Penpals Across the Pond is a penpal program between Upper School students and their Lower School friends. Homework Club is staffed by Upper School students who come to the Lower School to help with homework. The divisions come together for an all-school Mass to start each year, for pep rallies and for family events for students of all ages.

A SENSE OF COMMUNITY

Thanks to the small class sizes and the opportunities to engage with students from other grade levels as well, the Lower School is a tight-knit community. Not only does this create

a sense of belonging, it is also an important part of how we keep kids safe. Teachers know not only their students, but all the others in the building, as well as their parents, and look out for all students, throughout the school day. But, that sense of belonging isn’t limited to the school day. The Lower School Parents Organization plans and hosts a number of gatherings for the whole Lower School family outside of school hours. Families kick off the new school year each August at the annual Back-to-School Picnic. Just before Halloween, they meet on campus on a Friday night, complete with costumes and decorated cars, for Trunk-or-Treat. Christmas Family Gathering is another annual favorite, featuring games, activities, shopping and a visit from Santa! This past spring, LSPO hosted its first Spring Carnival, which was a huge hit, and will now be an annual favorite.

The result of all these opportunities is a robust, engaging school experience with teachers who know and care about their students and are able to help them reach their potential academically, emotionally, spiritually and physically.

Some used to call the Lower School the area’s best-kept secret. With waitlists at several grade levels, it’s clearly not a secret anymore!

Interested in learning more? Visit gilmour.org/admission

AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

In addition to club meetings during Community Block, there are a variety of after-school activities for students as well. One day a week, students in Grades K-3 meet for after-school

The 2022-23 academic year opened with news of a transformational gift from The Howley Foundation.

The $28 million commitment will impact Gilmour students through scholarships for years to come and will provide much-needed renovations to the heart of campus - Tudor House and the Commons. The gift will support 48 students in Grades 7-12 with annual scholarships and will provide for a variety of capital needs at Gilmour, including a new Student Commons and dining hall as well as the restoration of the exterior of Tudor House and Tudor Gardens.

Lorie and Nick Howley at a Lancer football game with Howley Scholars Coordinator Kevin Johnson

While providing deserving students access to a high-quality education is their passion, the Howleys were looking to support Gilmour in whatever other ways would be most helpful. When asked about the school’s needs beyond scholarships, Head of School Kathy Kenny shared the urgent need for the renovation and expansion of the existing Commons building and the restoration of the exterior of Tudor House and Tudor Gardens.

The new Student Commons will serve as the campus dining hall and will more than double seating capacity to accommodate Gilmour’s current student body, and the faculty and staff of the Middle and Upper Schools, as well as to allow for future increases in enrollment. The space will feature a college-style dining layout, with enhanced dining options to meet students’ varying dietary needs. It will also serve as a gathering space for student and faculty use throughout the school day.

The renovations of Tudor House and Tudor Gardens will ensure that these 98-year-old campus icons will endure for future generations of Gilmour students, faculty and alumni. This phase of restoration will remediate the slate roof and numerous chimneys, copper gutters and flashing, masonry, windows, doors and foundation. The repair of Tudor Gardens will include the stone balustrade, steps and walkways. Once complete, these historic spaces

will once again be used for alumni and parent gatherings, and student meetings and events.

Kathy Kenny said, “I am in awe of the generosity of The Howley Foundation and their commitment to changing the trajectory of young people’s lives through education. We are so grateful for their trust in Gilmour Academy and this incredible partnership.”

Nick Howley earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering from Drexel University and his MBA from Harvard School of Business. He is a founder and chairman of TransDigm Group, a publicly traded company on the NY Stock Exchange servicing the worldwide aerospace industry. Lorie graduated with both a Bachelor of Science and a master’s degree in ornamental horticulture from Cornell University. She worked for many years in horticulture education and was the founding Director of The Howley Foundation.

Asked why they chose Gilmour for this huge commitment, Nick said, “Our Foundation’s goals align well with Gilmour’s mission of providing a strong academic foundation and significant character formation to students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. With Mike and Meg as graduates, we know firsthand the impact a Gilmour education can have.”

Mike’01 and Meg ’03, attended Gilmour for middle school and high school. Mike graduated from Washington & Jefferson College with a degree in finance. After gaining experience in commercial banking at New York City investment banking and private equity firms, he is now the managing partner at Bratenahl Capital, a private equity firm in Cleveland.

Meg graduated as a psychology major from Hobart and William Smith Colleges. She went on to earn subsequent graduate degrees at Drexel University and Rowan University and became a licensed school psychologist. She is now the Executive Director of The Howley Foundation in Philadelphia.

Mike and Meg remain actively involved at their alma mater. Mike is a current member of Gilmour’s Board of Trustees and, as an alum and a Foundation Executive Director, Meg is closely involved in the Howley Scholars program at Gilmour. Mike shared, “As graduates of Gilmour, Meg and I are thrilled with this donation from The Howley Foundation. It will provide opportunities for more students to benefit from the same academic excellence and character formation that defined our experience.”

The Howleys made this commitment to Gilmour in gratitude for the experience that their children had. Nick and Lorie have been involved at the school since their kids arrived at the

Middle School in the ’90s. In the years since, they have remained loyal supporters. Nick served on the Board of Trustees from 2002-2012 and Lorie has worked with Gilmour through the scholarship program. The Howley Foundation has been providing scholarships at Gilmour for 16 years. They started with one Howley Scholar in 2006 and have added additional scholarships each year. This past school year, there were 11 Howley Scholars enrolled at Gilmour. With this new commitment, by 2026, there will be 48 Howley Scholars enrolled each year for the next 20 years.

The Howley Foundation takes a hands-on approach with their scholars. Members of the Foundation’s Board meet with their scholars to check in, develop relationships and go over expectations. Howley Scholars must maintain a specific GPA, must remain in good standing with the school and must be involved in at least one extracurricular.

Meg commented, “We support over 800 students from around the country with tuition assistance and access to a quality education. My years at Gilmour uniquely prepared me for college and beyond. I am proud that we are able to provide the advantages of a Gilmour education to the students that we support.”

And the Foundation works to ensure that they are investing in schools at which their students are finding success. They have hired a Gilmour grad, David Corvi ’03, to serve as a consultant doing analytics on each of the schools in which they are involved. David looks at outcomes such as college placement and retention rates to ensure that the students’ needs are being met.

The Howleys also recognize the pivotal role that counselors play in the success of their scholars and ensure that the schools have the proper support system in place to help students find success. This June, Gilmour hired Kevin Johnson as the Howley Scholars Coordinator. Kevin serves as a point person for each Howley Scholar and their family. He assists them with the application process and then remains as a point of contact throughout the students’ years at Gilmour.

Board of Trustees Chair Fred Botek ’85 stated, “The impact of the Howley family and this gift cannot be overstated. These multi-year scholarships that we will be able to offer will allow deserving students the chance to shape their future through the power of education. And the capital improvements planned are centered on preserving our incredible sense of community on this campus. We are so grateful to The Howley Foundation for their vision, their leadership and their generosity in support of our shared mission.”

Meg '03, Kendra, Mike '01, Lorie and Nick Howley

GILMOUR ACADEMY | FALL

Congratulations

Gilmour 2022

CLASS OF

On a beautiful, sunny day - Sunday, May 29 - Gilmour celebrated its 73rd Commencement exercises in the Athletic Center.

In her opening remarks, Head of School Kathy Kenny shared her pride in and her gratitude for the Class of 2022. “Collectively and individually, this class has given us so many reasons to smile.” She noted that they did this in the face of incredible adversity. “It is not lost on me that during three out of four of your years at Gilmour, you had to deal with the pandemic. Your perseverance, your flexibility and your resilience have truly been exemplary and inspiring.”

She then introduced the Commencement speaker, Todd Sweda, Ph.D., describing him as the “very definition of a loyal Lancer.” Dr. Sweda currently serves as the Senior Director for the Office of Catholic Education and Formation for the Archdiocese of St. Louis, where he oversees approximately 100 schools. He is also a Gilmour Trustee and spent 15 years at Gilmour from 1998-2013, serving as an English teacher, advisor, director of the residence program, dean of students, Middle School director, dean of academic programs and planning and associate head of school.

Alex Swinarski ’22, and his dad, Trustee Edward Swinarski 

Members of the Class of ’22 applaud Dr. Sweda after his speech



Jayla Pleasant ’22, Lauren Kastelic ’22 and Grace Gainar ’22

In Dr. Sweda’s remarks, he left the Class of 2022 with three takeaways. Noting that they are referred to across the country as the “pandemic graduates,” he commended them for their strength and reminded them of some of the important lessons learned, individually and as a society, as a result of the pandemic. He reminded them of one of the most important of those lessons - to cherish their relationships. And he urged them to use their strength to act as people of resolve as they make their way in the world. He closed by saying,

Dr. Sweda addressing the graduating class  Mick Hopkins ’22 and Michael Tippen ’22

“I believe that you, the pandemic Class of 2022, will be part of the generation that’s going to get things right. You’re going to fix things, and you’re going to care for one another. We need you and we’re counting on you.”

“How do we take advantage of all the opportunities we’ve been given? Or, as Mr. Pfundstein would say, how do we ‘keep leading’? I believe that we can take advantage of this opportunity by understanding that the most valuable resource that we have in this world is time.”

“Do we deconstruct the word ‘time’ for self-serving cause and focus on the ‘I’ and ‘ME’ in ‘time’ and make that our life goal? Or do we instead give our most important resourcetime - to others and make that our life goal?”

“The time has come for us to go out in the world and live with the ‘competence to see and the courage to act.’ As Mother Teresa said, ‘Yesterday has gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We only have today. Let us begin.’”

VALEDICTORIAN

• scored class’s highest SAT score and was a National Merit Finalist

• of the 29 courses on Nina’s transcript, she had A+s in 27

• took 16 of the 18 AP courses offered

• named an AP Scholar of Distinction

• earned subject awards in math, English, French, AP Physics, AP Calculus, AP US History, AP Environmental Science and AP Chemistry

• recipient of the Oliver Seikel Award for Excellence in Science, the Harvard Book Award and the Chaplain Award

• four-year Head of School Award winner

• inducted into the National Honor Society and the Cum Laude Society

holds a black belt in Goshin Jujitsu and has been practicing since she was 3 years old

• logged more than 220 hours of community service throughout high school, including 150 spent tutoring students over the summer at St. Adalbert’s School

• served as an ambassador at University Hospitals

• volunteered at the Thea Bowman Epiphany Hunger Center for the past 10 years

• three-sport athlete

• earned varsity letters in cross country, track and golf

• member of the 2019 eighth-place girls cross country team and was recognized as First Team Academic All-Ohio

• also a member of the 2019 girls track 4x800 relay team that finished eighth in the state and earned First Team North Coast League recognition as well as OHSAA All-Ohio status

• member of Student Council, Honor Council, the Civic Engagement team and Women in STEM

• leader of Gilmour’s beloved ESPN Club completed the science and medicine pathway of Gilmour’s VECTOR program

• participated in Ohio State’s online medical camp, Vanderbilt University’s Program for Talented Youth on cancer biology and the Perry Initiative for women interested in orthopedic surgery, and shadowed the Vice Chair of the Neurological Institute at the Cleveland Clinic for her senior project

Nina is currently studying neuroscience and behavior on the premed track at the University of Notre Dame.

“I’ve come to realize that without a community we lose our identity and what’s a person without their identity? Ever since I’ve come to Gilmour, I’ve found mine and who I want to be in this community. I want to be there for my family and friends and I want to be a guiding star on a dark night for someone. This is something I believe Gilmour Academy taught me.”

“Even though we’re leaving, no matter where we’re going off to, the Gilmour spirit will always be here for us. And it won’t change. When we come back, 5-10 years later, we will still be loved and cared about just like we are today. That’s what family is.”

S ALUTATORIAN

M EGHAN

• took seven AP courses (impressively doubling up in AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC junior year so she could take Multivariable Calculus as a senior)

• took eight different classes in the Fine and Performing Arts

• received a Gold Key, Silver Key and six Honorable Mention Scholastic Art Awards for her photography and sculpture work one of her photos hangs permanently at Gilmour as the winner of the Purchase Award

• one of her photos hung last year in the United States Capitol Building as the winner of the Congressional Art Contest won awards in chemistry, English, math, French and AP Environmental Science

• recipient of the Yale Book Award and the Paul Primeau Science Award

• four-year Head of School Award recipient

• inducted into the Cum Laude Society and the National Honor Society, where she served as president founded and served as co-president of the Reach Out community service club

• honored with Gilmour’s Saint Brother André Service Award

• earned eight varsity letters - four in lacrosse, two in soccer and two in cheerleading

• recipient of the Dennis Hoynes Scholar-Athlete Award

• has played the piano since she was 3 years old and has won the National Federation of Music’s Unanimous Superior Piano Solo and Concerto Award for 13 consecutive years

• has been a dancer for 15 years, participating in ballet, pointe, contemporary, jazz and tap awarded the Ohio Dance Festival Scholarship this year

• awarded numerous other scholarships, including the STEM Goes Red for Women Scholarship, the Lands' End Leadership Scholarship and the Gates Mills Garden Scholarship

• worked as a machine operator at her family business

• attended the Advanced Space Academy at the United States Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama

Meghan now attends The Ohio State University, where she is double majoring in environmental engineering and dance.

“Class of 2022, you have made this place home for me the past four years and given me the best times of my life. Wherever we go from here, know that I will be thinking of you guys and hoping that all your dreams come true.”

CLASS OF 2022

LIFERS

UP FROM THE MIDDLE SCHOOL

UP FROM THE LOWER SCHOOL

RESIDENCE HALL STUDENTS

TOP Meghan Bhanoo ’22, Nathan Flaherty ’22 and Riley Beiswenger ’22

 Members of the Class of ’22 prepare to enter the Athletic Center for the ceremony 2022 COMMENCEMENT C O M M E N C E M E N T

C O M M E N C E M E N T

Kathy Kenny, Alex Beedles ’22 and his mom, Trustee Sherri Beedles

 RIGHT

Trustee Dominic DiPuccio ’82 and his youngest son, Michael DiPuccio ’22 

Kyle Laws ’22, Bella Lasecki ’22 and Andrew Knaak ’22 show off their diplomas

GILMOUR TROPHY

ANDREW MAYER ’22 MEGHAN BHANOO ’22

The Gilmour Trophy is the highest honor a student can receive during his or her time at the Academy. The honor is bestowed upon the male and female in the graduating class who best exemplify those qualities the Academy hopes to instill in its graduates.

PHI BETA KAPPA

VIJA TESSMAN ’22

The Cleveland Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa was chartered in 1947 and, over the past 60+ years, has extended its recognition of achievement and intellectual curiosity to high school students throughout the greater Cleveland area. The Gilmour faculty selected the 2022 inductee because she is truly representative of the qualities of academic integrity, outstanding scholarship and all-around initiative in matters of the mind.

THE CLASS OF 2022 COLLEGE CHOICES

Auburn University

Belmont University

Bowling Green State University Capital University

Coastal Carolina University Colorado School of Mines Davidson College

Delaware Valley University Denison University DePaul University

Eastern Michigan University

Eckerd College

Elmira College

Elon University

Florida Gulf Coast University

Fordham University

Franklin Pierce University

Full Sail University

Hillsdale College

Illinois Wesleyan University

Ithaca College

John Carroll University

Kent State University

Kenyon College

Lynn University

Marquette University

McGill University

Mercyhurst University

Miami University

Northeastern University

Northwestern University

Ohio University

Pennsylvania State University

Providence College

Purdue University

Purdue University Fort Wayne Queen's University

Robert Morris University

Rochester Institute of Technology Rollins College

Salve Regina University Skidmore College

Stevenson University Syracuse University

The Catholic University of America

The New School

The Ohio State University

The University of Alabama Tulane University

University of Akron University of Colorado Boulder University of Dayton University of Florida University of Jamestown University of Kentucky University of Mississippi University of Mount Union University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

University of Notre Dame University of Pittsburgh-Bradford University of Tennessee

University of Toledo University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee University of Wyoming Villanova University

Xavier University

was recognized with a national Aspirations in Computing Award.

67 GRADUATING SENIORS had siblings, parents and/or grandparents who attended GA or currently do. One has six and one has five relatives in their immediate family.

93%

were accepted to their first-, second- and/or third-choice college or university.

15

members of the class completed the VECTOR program in one of five focus areas - Engineering and Design, Community Engagement & Law, Business & Entrepreneurship, Creativity & Personal Expression or Science & Medicine.

SENIORS RECORDED 8,649 SERVICE HOURS,

which was 120% of the goal. 70% of the class exceeded the 60-hour service requirement.

SENIOR WAS A 2X OHIO GATORADE PLAYER OF THE YEAR AND THE GREATER CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS AWARDS FEMALE ATHLETE OF THE YEAR.

MORE THAN $12.5 million

IN SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS EARNED BY THE CLASS OF ’22

10 competed on the robotics team

THAT ADVANCED TO THE QUARTERFINALS OF THE BUCKEYE REGIONAL FIRST ROBOTICS COMPETITION.

55%

OF THE STUDENTS HEADED OUT OF STATE FOR COLLEGE, WITH STUDENTS ATTENDING SCHOOLS IN 23 STATES AND ONE INTERNATIONAL COUNTRY.

QUARTERFINALISTS AT NATIONALS FOR SPEECH AND DEBATE

1 PLACED FOURTH AT NATIONAL ORATION COMPETITION

members of the class participated on one of the seven teams that finished in the

TOP 4

i n the state or made it to nationals. Four of them participated on two of the seven teams.

21% of the class

COMMITTED TO PARTICIPATE IN ATHLETICS AT THE NEXT LEVEL.

THEY ARE COMPETING IN VOLLEYBALL, ICE HOCKEY, SWIMMING, BASKETBALL, TRACK AND FIELD, SOFTBALL, LACROSSE AND FOOTBALL.

CLASS OF 5

SENIORS EARNED 2 GOLD, 8 SILVER AND 12 HONORABLE MENTION KEYS IN THE SCHOLASTIC ART AWARDS. 1 HAD HER ART HANGING IN THE U.S. CAPITOL BUILDING AS THE CONGRESSIONAL ART CONTEST WINNER.

1 WON THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF MUSIC’S UNANIMOUS SUPERIOR PIANO SOLO AND CONCERTO AWARD FOR 13 CONSECUTIVE YEARS.

22

THE TIES THAT BIND

Lauren

Tanyon ’21 and Camden ’22 Bajzer

Richard ’60, Nicholas ’22 and Vincent ’18 Barone

Alexandra ’20 and Agnes ’22 Breen

Liam ’24 and Lilliana ’22 Colaluca

Isabella ’22 and Caitlyn ’20 Compres

Paul ’24 and Margaret ’22 Dean

Armand ’19, Lena ’20, Michael ’22, Sophia ’19 and Dominic ’82 DiPuccio (not pictured: Dominic ’14 and Mathew ’17 DiPuccio)

Nathaniel ’25 and Victoria ’22 Dulzer

Pictured on these pages are the graduating seniors with grandparents, parents or siblings who attended Gilmour (or currently do).

Brendan ’26 and Kelsey ’22 Hearns

Leo ’22 and Gabriella ’19 Dunlevy

Elena ’22 and Elizabeth ’19 Espenschied

Alexander ’22 and Natalie ’23 Figurella

Megan ’30, Nathan ’22 and Kevin ’24 Flaherty

Maria ’24 and Elisabeth ’22 Flynn

Gabriel ’19, Theodore ’27, Grace ’22 and Julia ’24 Gainar Nicholas ’22 and Robert ’19 Hayek

Shea ’22 and Bryce ’20 Hofstrom

Ryan ’20, Jocelyn Julien ’85, Lauren ’22 and Christopher ’84 Hondlik

William ’17, Daniel ’22 and Benjamin ’19 Jevnikar

Annamarie ’19 and Isabella ’22 Martin

Brandon Novak ’19 and Kenyon Mau ’22

Angelina '22 and Giana '22 Lonardo

Griffin ’23 and Charles ’22 Johnson

Olivia ’27, Ella ’25, Matthew ’22 and Sophia ’23 Johnson Andrew ’24, Peter ’22 and Jakob ’24 Kavcic

Ruth Geiger ’86, Isabella ’22 and Nicholas ’23 Lasecki

Mary ’22 and Thomas ’89 Lombardo

Lucia ’24, Madeline ’22 and Phillip ’89 Martino

Aiden ’25 and Kaleigh ’22 McNamara

Olivia ’26 and Abigayle ’22 Minello

Julia ’24, Clara ’22 and Elizabeth Chiarucci ’84 Morgan Morgan ’20 and Ryan ’22 Mueller

Molly ’18, John ’88, Patrick ’22, Amy Sullivan ’88, Michael ’16 and Megan ’19 Murphy

Kaylee ’22 and Kristen ’22 Oliveto

Michael ’14 and Samuel ’22 Palumbo (not pictured: Marisa Palumbo ’15)

Lena ’25 and Ariana ’22 Perram

Courtney ’15 and Jayla ’22 Pleasant

John ’87 and John ’22 Popovich

Olivia ’19, Jimmy ’22, Jillian ’24 and Jake ’18 Robida

Ava ’22 and Tommy ’23 Moe

Megan ’22 and Gretchen Corrigan ’86 Mlinaric

Elizabeth ’21, Caroline ’22 and Owen ’25 Morgan

William ’14, Robert ’22, Samuel ’19 and Charles ’13 Sullivan (not pictured: John Sullivan ’16)

Xavier ’26 and Alexander ’22 Swinarski

Aubrey ’26 and Grace ’22 Terranova

Anders ’22 and Ella ’25 Sorensen

Vincent ’22 and Gianna ’18 Stafford

Grace ’24 and Carolyn (Taylor) ’22 Stirling

Cheryl Smith Warner G.O. '82 and Desiree Smith ’22

Cody ’20 and Michael ’22 Tippen

Michael ’19, Anna Maria ’22 and Tommaso ’16 Solomon

Jonas ’24 and Vija ’22 Tessman

John ’18, Max ’22 and Markus ’15 Treppo

Henry ’29, Trinity ’22 and Edward ’24 Turk

Mia Polisena '22, Isabella Martin '22 and Samantha Fedeli '22

Evan ’23 and Connor ’22 Underwood

Denise Amstadt ’84 and Sarah Voss ’22 Zoe ’24, Zachary ’22 and Logan Wolfe

SUPM

The Return of Gilmour’s STEMFocused Catalyst Program

Gilmour Academy’s Catalyst program has a long-standing reputation of preparing Gilmour students and alumni for careers in STEM. The program was paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but was able to resume in-person for the Summer 2022 term.

Under the guidance of Dr. Neena Goel, Gilmour students like Olivia Robida ’19 have had transformational experiences through the Catalyst program. During the Summer of 2018, Olivia worked with Dr. von Recum in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Case Western Reserve University. Her project centered on studying the effectiveness of cyclodextrin polymers in drug delivery (doxorubicin, a drug used to treat glioblastoma) in the presence of local biological molecules such as cholesterol and albumin. In 2019, Olivia and the team with whom she worked on the project were published in an academic journal, the Journal of Materials Chemistry B.

Olivia is now attending Arizona State University’s College of Pharmacy after being accepted through an accelerated program. When asked about her Catalyst journey, Olivia reflected, “I feel that my Gilmour education, and the Catalyst program specifically, has allowed me to be a successful graduate student. I look forward to being a Doctor of Pharmacy in a few short years and hope to pursue a residency in clinical pharmacy following graduation. I am thankful for the strong foundation Gilmour and their Catalyst program provided me.”

Though the program was temporarily stopped, the interest in completing a Catalyst experience did not wane and, upon its return this summer, Elena Hayek ’23, Kendall Long ’23 and Louka Babic ’23 participated under the mentorship of Dr. Goel.

Elena was able to partner with Dr. Ashleigh E. Schaffer in the Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences at the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. Elena’s project focused on understanding the effect of disease-causing RNA-binding proteins in pathophysiological mechanisms of disease. She evaluated two RNA-binding proteins for altered cellular distribution as well as novel interactions of mutant proteins. When asked

about her experience, Elena said, “Catalyst has been an unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever. It has given me insight into the world of research and medicine, where I could network and form relationships that gave me access to other opportunities. This experience affirmed my passion for science and my plans to pursue research and medicine as a career.”

Kendall also worked in the Genetics and Genome Sciences department at CWRU, working alongside Dr. Kristian Baker. Kendall studied the characterization of mutations in human UPF3 in promoting nonsense- mediated mRNA decay using the Budding Yeast Model. Mutations in the human UPF3 gene, a critical protein in promoting nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD), have been linked to intellectual disability. NMD represents an important quality control process during gene expression that functions in recognizing faulty mRNA that harbor premature translation termination codons and targeting the mRNA to rapid degradationthereby protecting the cell from the harmful effects that the truncated polypeptides encoded by these RNA transcripts could cause. With the knowledge that her Catalyst experience provided her, Kendall plans to major in biochemistry in college.

Louka had a similar experience with the Catalyst program. Reflecting on his experience, he shared, “Catalyst has opened my eyes to an entirely new view of scientific research, which I will undoubtedly want to participate in again during my higher education. The biological research I observed and performed during Catalyst greatly strengthened my desire to integrate biology in my future studies in university."

Louka worked with Dr. Edward Yu in CWRU’s Department of Pharmacology. He investigated the role of the ArpR transcriptional regulator in the virulence of Acinetobacter baumannii. Acinetobacter baumannii is a strain of bacteria that has become severely resistant to most types of antibiotics. In order to solve this important health problem, new methods must be developed to effectively kill this pathogen.

These cutting-edge research opportunities are typically not available to high school students. Elena, Kendall and Louka were able to complete this research as juniors in high school in the



Louka Babic '23  Kendall Long '23



Elena Hayek ’23

midst of their college searches. Gilmour’s Catalyst program and Dr. Goel’s guidance have provided these students, and countless others before them, an incredible foundation to pursue STEM-related fields in their future.

SUMMER COMMUNITY READ BRINGS GA FAMILY TOGETHER FOR CONVERSATION

Gilmour’s Chief Mission Integration Officer Whitney Daly began Gilmour’s Community Read program in the summer of 2020. She thought that it could be an important way for members of the community to remain connected during the pandemic. Over the course of that summer, members read and discussed The Other Wes Moore: One Name Two Fates over Zoom meetings. Participants loved the opportunity to come together and embrace our mission, and the tradition has continued since.

This summer, a mix of alumni (from the Classes of 1968-2022), current students, faculty/staff, and current and past parents (some joining with their students), engaged in weekly discussions centered on this summer’s read, Mountains Beyond Mountains. The book tells the inspiring story of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Harvard-educated doctor with a self-proclaimed mission to transform healthcare on a global scale. The Women’s Club also chose this book as their September read and used the same conversation guide at their September meeting.

Interestingly, more than half of this summer’s participants were returners and six have participated in all three Community Reads that we have done.

One of our incoming ninth graders, who participated in this summer's Community Read, shared, "The most meaningful aspect of this experience was meeting new people who share the same desire to learn about current issues in our world. " A Gilmour parent who joined enjoyed the "meaningful conversations across diverse populations at GA."

 Dr. Goel with Kendall, Louka and Elena at their presentations GILMOUR

Gilmour Named One of “America’s Healthiest Schools”

ON OCTOBER 12, GILMOUR WAS ANNOUNCED AS ONE OF ONLY 406 SCHOOLS NATIONWIDE TO BE NAMED ONE OF “AMERICA’S HEALTHIEST SCHOOLS” BY THE ALLIANCE FOR A HEALTHIER GENERATION, A LEADING CHILDREN’S HEALTH ORGANIZATION. THE GROUP PRESENTS THE AWARDS TO CELEBRATE SCHOOLS’ DEDICATION TO SUPPORTING THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THEIR STUDENTS, STAFF AND FAMILIES.

This year, schools were recognized in nine categories: Family and Community Engagement, Nutrition and Food Access, Local School Wellness Policy, Health Education, Physical Education and Activity, Social-Emotional Health & Learning, Staff Well-Being, Tobacco-Free Schools and School Health Services.

Schools that receive a Healthier Generation Award meet or exceed best practice standards in one of these categories. This is determined via the Thriving Schools Integrated Assessment, an evidence-based tool that helps schools

identify strengths and opportunities for improving policies and practices that promote health and learning.

Gilmour was recognized for excellence in health education. Awardees must demonstrate that they provide students in Grades K-12 with opportunities to practice skills to maintain and improve health. Gilmour was recognized for its health programming, ranging from Lower School wellness classes to advisory programming to student wellness programming and Upper School health courses.

Gilmour's wellness program has been endowed by Dr. Kevin and Mrs. Kristen Stein, ensuring that the school has the resources in place to provide this level of programming for students and staff.

Head of School Kathy Kenny said, “We’re honored to receive this national recognition for our dedication to supporting student and staff wellness. I am so grateful to the Stein family for their support of our steadfast commitment to our wellness initiative and to fostering an environment in which all members of the school community can thrive”

6 seniors named national merit scholars

The National Merit® Scholarship Program has recognized six Gilmour seniors as Semifinalists and Commended students in the 2023 competition.

Semifinalists are among those who earned the highest scores on the 2021 Preliminary SAT/ National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/ NMSQT). Only 16,000 students across the country, or less than one percent of high school seniors nationally, earned this distinction. Gilmour’s semifinalist is Louka Babic '23 . He may now apply for the National Merit Finalist distinction. Finalists will be named in February and will compete for 7,250 scholarships worth $28 million.

Commended Students are among those who earned high scores on the 2021 PSAT/NMSQT. Of the approximately 1.5 million high school students who take the PSAT each year, about 34,000 receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise.

Congratulations to Gilmour’s Commended Students Aidan Flynn '23, Caitlin Ford '23, Gia Parker '23, Anna Rarick '23 and Scott Vergilli '23.

Learning in Action: GLAVE

Over the last five years, Computer Science instructor and Coordinator of Academic Technology Dan Adiletta has been hard at work developing what he calls an Experiential Learning Management System (ELMS). The program, called Glave, manages three programs at Gilmour Academy that extend the walls of our classrooms: Vector, Senior Project and the St. Brother Andre Service Program. Each of these programs was struggling with overwhelming paperwork that made it difficult to collect, organize and communicate with students.

When he received a visit from Brother Ken Kane, C.S.C., a member of the Senior Project team, Dan knew an app was the solution: “Brother Ken came into my office, and I heard an audible thump when he dropped his enormous stack of papers on my desk. He asked if I could help him streamline the process, and I knew I’d be doing some programming.”

Not only is Glave an opportunity to solve a problem for our community, but it is also a way for Dan to engage his computer science students in curriculum grounded in real-world applications. One of the things Dan teaches his students in app development is to look for ways to take tedious paperwork and a lack of transparency and see if you can ease that data by digitizing and automating it. He also encourages the use of displays to show current status and progress. “It was really a dream scenario,” says Dan. “It gave my students the perfect opportunity to learn while creating something that would actually be used by real people.”

Dan was further motivated by his early experiences with Senior Projects, which he noted “were full of some really cool experiences, but after the project was presented, it wasn’t really shared or preserved in any meaningful way. Glave gives us the opportunity to do that. Same with service hours and service projects: unless a record is taken in the form of pictures, so many of those moments go unrecognized.”

One of the advantages of the Glave system is that it allows students to track their own progress and keep a record of the things they have done during their high school years. “There are progress bars which can help students to see how much they’ve done and how much there still is to do on a host of tasks, and they can receive feedback directly from their advisors and mentors right in the same system.”

Ultimately, Dan has high hopes for the potential of Glave to be not just a hub for students’ experiential learning experiences at Gilmour, but at other schools as well. He envisions a network of schools doing service activities and sharing those experiences with their peers. “This could help us bring the social good back to social media,” he says. “It incentivizes virtuous behavior, and, best of all, it is fully aligned with Gilmour’s Mission.”

Recent grad Dom Schiciano ’22 played a key role in the development of Glave, redesigning the “theme” of the app, including the colors, images and logo, and using them to remake the email system. He says his experience working on Glave was invaluable: “Developing software as a high school student gave me real-world experience in what I wanted to do beyond the Academy. It also allowed me to be a part of a project I was passionate about and get it in the hands of real people.”

According to Dom, working on Glave offered a different perspective than typical computer science courses had. “While classes are useful for learning the skills for programming,” he says, “actually working on projects like Glave allows a student to see firsthand what it would be like working in that field. It’s also extremely gratifying to work on something that you know can make people’s lives easier.”

When asked about how he is able to do this on top of his teaching duties, Dan laughs. “I can’t say enough about how open-minded the school has been about the development process,” he says. “The support I’ve received has been tremendous, and they trust me and, most importantly, our students, to do the job well.”

The future looks bright for the computer science program at Gilmour, and Glave will always create more for students to do. “The amount of work involved is monstrous,” says Dan, “but it gives us the opportunity to allow our students to learn to develop software with real-world applications. This could conceivably allow us to create a thriving and competitive internship program pipeline for our students. And if things keep going this way, I could see us hosting an Ed-Tech Conference at GA that would allow us to spotlight the great things we do here. The sky really is the limit.”

Cedric Li ’24, Anna Grossner ’24 and Mr. Adiletta review graphics for the app

Pictured left to right: Scott Vergilii ’23, Aidan Flynn ’23, Gia Parker ’23, Anna Rarick ’23, Louka Babic ’23 and Caitlin Ford ’23

SUPM

The last day of the 2021-2022 school year was on Wednesday, June 1. On Friday, June 3, we kicked off what would be a very busy summer on campus with Reunion Weekend. That Monday, June 6 was the start of Camp Gilmour, which ran all the way through August 5. Throughout the summer months, every part of campus was filled with activity. We had students getting ahead through coursework in the Summer Institute. We welcomed campers for preschool camp, day camp, sports camps and specialty camps. Our student-athletes were back on campus for summer workouts. And we welcomed the Encore Chamber Music Institute to campus for another season of world-class music instruction led by renowned violinist Jinjoo Cho ’06 Her students, who travel from around the world to participate, lived in the dorm for six weeks while they took lessons and performed, filling the halls with music each day.

U S Y S U M M E R D A Y S

GRADUATING SENIOR NAMED STATE WINNER AND FOURTHPLACE WINNER NATIONALLY

Last spring, Grace Gainar ’22 competed in the Sons of the American Revolution Oratorical Competition, where she finished as the state winner. After then submitting a recording of her oration for the preliminaries for nationals, Grace was invited to compete in Georgia this summer. At this national level of competition, she placed fourth!

JUST WRITE TEAM MEMBERS FARE WELL AT STATES

Soon before the close of the 2021- 2022 school year, Gilmour’s Just Write team competed in the state competition at the University of Findlay. In order to compete at the state level, the writers had to qualify at regionals. The Division I (underclassmen) state team included Rachael Stasick ’24, Samantha Stutler ’24, Libby Cornette ’24 and Ruby Johnson ’25. The Division II (upperclassmen) team included Kaylee Oliveto ’22 and Kristen Oliveto ’22

The team competed against 40 schools and more than 200 students. Individually, Ruby Johnson was recognized for her poem, “Treasure’s Price” which she submitted at the regional competition. Rachael Stasick won the Director’s Choice Award for her story, “To and From - The Disappearing Man of London,” which she wrote at the regional competition.

It's a Dog's life

GILMOUR IS BLESSED WITH THREE DOGS ON CAMPUS, WHO HAVE BECOME A PART OF THE FABRIC OF DAILY LIFE AT SCHOOL.

Herman and Skipper, both yellow labs, are retired Guiding Eye dogs who are now licensed therapy dogs. Herman spends every day on campus and Skipper joins us on Thursdays. Mr. Pfundstein’s office is home base, but students are able to

pick them up and take them to class and visit with them during Community Block. Both dogs spend time at the Lower School as well.

Mindy is a 17-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, who lives with Fr. John Blazek, C.S.C. ’58. She joins him at work each day and can be found peeking out the window of the Chapel Office as students head back and forth to the Commons.

Joseph Daley '32 visiting with Skipper  Herman and Skipper with Morgan Pfundstein '27

Fr. John with Mindy GILMOUR ACADEMY

LOWER SCHOOL CONCERT BRINGS SMILES TO ALL

TO CLOSE OUT LAST SCHOOL YEAR, THE LOWER SCHOOL PRESENTED A FANTASTIC SPRING CONCERT CALLED SMILES ACROSS THE MILES, TO THE DELIGHT OF EVERYONE WHO ATTENDED. THANKS TO MS. VICKERS FOR ALL HER HARD WORK PREPARING THE STUDENTS.

Three Members of Speech and Debate Team Finish Season on a High at Nationals

After qualifying 11 to the state level of competition, three members of the speech and debate team had impressive finishes at nationals, held in Louisville, Ky. this summer. Congratulations to Clara Morgan '22 , Faith Smolik '22 and

Luke Peterson '25, who represented Gilmour well. Clara and Faith finished as quarterfinalists in Duo Interpretation and Luke was a quarterfinalist in World School Debate.

SPRING MUSICAL Once upon a Mattress

Over

CREW: Vincent D’Angelo ’25, Delaney Kilkenney ’27, Alexander Lowery ’25, Jordan Shininger ’25, Desiree Smith ’22 and Jonas Tessman ’24

CAST: Amiya Conwell ’24, Arianna DiMenna ’22, Caitlin Ford ’23, Grace Gainar ’22, Teddy Gainar ’27, Gia Hilal ’24, Ruby Johnson ’25, Matthew Lewis ’27, Anthony Marino ’24, Andrew Mayer ’22, Clara Morgan ’22, Eve Pahoresky ’22, Faith Smolik ’22, Savannah So ’23, Sami Stutler ’24, Chuck Sustar ’25, Edward Turk ’24. Trinity Turk ’22 and Maggie Whalen ’25

the weekend of April 29-May 1, Middle and Upper School students presented their spring musical, Once Upon a Mattress, directed by Ms. Janis. Congratulations to the following cast and crew members:

Stay tuned for coverage of this year's performances in the spring issue.

GILMOUR ACADEMY | FALL 2022

In February 2022, Gilmour announced an ambitious $6.5 million campaign to complete the renovation of and additions to our athletic facilities.

What began in 2019 as a three-phase renovation project for Weber Stadium has expanded, by necessity, to encompass other critical athletic facility improvements beyond Weber Stadium. The resulting “Campaign for Lancer Athletics” includes a host of projects that will make our athletic facilities safer and more competitive; allow us to use our facilities more efficiently; and provide community amenities for parking and an improved fan experience.

Our Gilmour community has responded generously to our appeal with donations over $2 million, almost 30% of our goal! We are grateful for this support, which has allowed us to begin to move forward on some of the campaign priorities.

As we celebrate our milestones, such as installing lights at Weber Stadium, we are ever-mindful of the challenge of completing the task ahead. It is only through the continued support of our community that this will be accomplished. We encourage you to consider where you may help us. Many naming and sponsorship opportunities remain.

Weber Stadium Lighting

On August 19, Gilmour history was made when a game was played in Weber Stadium for the first time under permanent field lights. The energy-efficient LED light systems at the top of four 90’ towers provide controlled light on the field without glare or spill impacting the surrounding area, preserving the night sky and addressing concerns that residents in the surrounding neighborhood have had about having lights there. As an additional courtesy to our neighbors to the north, we have planted 25 spruce trees as a sound buffer.

A special VIP reception for donors was held the preceding evening for a “sneak-peak” of the lights and to thank them for their generosity. The new lights allow us more flexibility in our athletic schedule for practices and games, with teams able to play at night. This fall, football, boys and girls soccer, and boys and girls cross country hosted a combined 18 home games under the lights. “Friday Night Lights” has certainly brought the fans out, with students, parents and alumni filling the stands to cheer on the Lancers!

Other improvements to Weber Stadium, including upgrades to both grandstands, security fencing around the entire stadium and expanded parking east of the Floyd E. Stefanski Ice Center are necessary to ensure a safe, comfortable and secure facility for our student-athletes and families. Fundraising continues for all of these projects.

While not part of the original plan for this campaign, special contributions from soccer and lacrosse families made it possible to renovate two rooms in the old Weber Stadium building to create a boys and girls locker room for the teams to use during practices and games.

Another project sure to improve the fan experience will be the new Alumni Pavilion, to be located just across from the main entrance to Weber and Sharnsky Stadiums. This new building will provide a covered, open-air gathering space for alumni, Lancer fans and community events. The design of the pavilion is being finalized with construction expected to be completed next year.

CEll Tower

While the original intention was to install cell towers atop two of the new light poles in Weber Stadium, delays in finalizing the specifications and design from the cell service providers necessitated a change in plans and the decision was made to move forward on the lights and install a free-standing cell tower elsewhere on campus as soon as possible. Improving cell service is a key component of our safety and security plan for the campus.

Softball Field Complex

The design of the softball field complex has been completed, and the facility will include artificial turf infield and outfield, dugouts, bullpens, a batting cage, a grandstand and a scoreboard. The complex will be constructed next to the new tennis courts where there is currently a grass soccer practice field.

This past spring the plans were sent out for a direct bid solicitation to contractors able to perform the applicable work. Three contractors submitted bids for review and the two lowest bids were brought in for further discussion of the project with the understanding that final contracts would not be awarded until the necessary funds have been raised. Originally budgeted at $1.5 million, costs of materials and labors have increased the expected cost to $1.8 million.

Generous donors have already procured many of the sponsorship and naming opportunities for the complex, but several remain.

Multisport Grass Practice Field

Plans are underway for a new multisport grass field to be built on a new site east of the planned softball complex. The new field will be regulation sized and graded for better drainage, allowing for a safer and more usable surface. It will also have a north-south orientation instead of the east-west orientation of the current field, eliminating the disadvantage of playing into the sun. The new field will also continue to provide Gilmour’s athletic teams more flexibility for practice schedules.

Stefanski Ice Center Improvements

Enthusiasm for the improvements in the Rink 2 arena remains high and participation among the hockey community is strong, with $700,000 in donations raised to date. An anonymous $100,000 challenge has added to the excitement and accelerated giving! Hockey alumni are engaged in a fevered competition by class, making donations to join the “1997 Club,” a nod to the year the hockey program was launched at Gilmour.

By making some adjustments to the original plans, the new locker room in the “cage” area of the arena will now be able to house two locker rooms, a big advantage for our growing hockey program! The locker rooms will also include “dry rooms” for equipment, and shower and bathroom amenities.

Above the locker rooms will be a second-floor viewing room overlooking Rink 2. A balcony seating area will provide fans an opportunity to get even closer to the action. The viewing room can also be used for pre-and post-game gatherings for the hockey community.

Gilmour student section

Figgie Field House

Built almost 40 years ago, the Figgie Field House is one of the most heavily used athletic spaces on campus. In addition to basketball and volleyball practices and games, the space is also used for physical education class, community activities, and indoor practice for other sports, including baseball, softball and lacrosse. Gilmour also brings in auxiliary revenue by renting the space to other organizations. The floor will be completely resurfaced with a new synthetic floor, providing a safe surface for the variety of sports and activities that will use the space for years to come.

Athletic Roadway Improvements

The last major project for this campaign is to widen and improve the roadway leading to the outdoor athletic facilities. This will include pedestrian pathways and improved lighting, providing for a safer avenue of passage at all times, especially during evening games. These

improvements will take place after all other major construction in the area is completed.

When realized, these improvements will enhance and expand our athletic facilities indoors and out, to match the caliber of our student-athletes and support their dedication and competitive spirit. Every gift, no matter the size, will help see this campaign through to completion.

To make a donation, or learn more about this project, please contact Ray Murphy at (440) 473-8089 or murphyr@gilmour.org.

Historic August 19 football game under the lights

IN HIS SPACE

STEVE TEISL ’00

Often, when someone is asked to describe the best aspect of Gilmour, they cite the sense of community. This special feeling of support and belonging has certainly been at the center of Steve Teisl’s ’00 experience, which dates back to his earliest years.

The Teisl family history has been linked with Gilmour Academy since John Gale, Steve’s grandfather, was hired as the first lay teacher in 1950. Gale held several roles over the course of his more than 40 years of service to Gilmour, ranging from chair of the English department to Head of the Upper School. Mr. Gale had an immense impact in the classroom, at athletic events and in extracurricular activities. He even lived on campus and raised his many kids in North Hall (where the Classroom Building now stands).

Steve’s mother, Rosemarie, was one of John’s children who grew up on Gilmour’s campus. She ended up meeting the legendary Tiho Teisl when he was hired at Gilmour in the early 70s. Rosemarie and Tiho married and started

a family and even lived in the Fine Arts Building at one point. Like Gale, Tiho became an enormous part of Gilmour’s culture for well over 40 years as a Spanish teacher, coach, camp director, leader of the Honduras trips and Dean of Students.

It goes without saying that the Gilmour blue and gray runs in Steve’s blood, as he has had more than 10 family members graduate from Gilmour.

After earning his bachelor’s degree in communications from Lake Forest College and a master’s degree in school counseling from Capella University, Steve accepted a long-term counseling sub position at Gilmour’s Lower School, which confirmed for him his desire to follow in his family members’ footsteps, serving in a role at Gilmour. At the conclusion of his assignment, there were no counseling positions open on campus, but he was offered a new role as an Associate Dean of Student Life and Leadership. After three years in that position, Steve took on his current role, serving as the school counselor for the Lower School.

“I can’t tell you how many questions I have for my Dad and Grandpa. I wish they were both around so I could ask them. Every single day, I wish they were around for me to bounce things off of.” John Gale passed away in 2013 and Tiho Teisl passed away in 2017.

“One of my favorite parts about being a school counselor is the ability to focus my efforts each day to ensure that students are able to receive the support they need to succeed in and out of the classroom, and strive for success in all facets of life.”

Steve also heads up the Lower School’s student recognition program - Lancer Lottery. “I take pride in instilling an excitement and confidence for our students to live the Gilmour mission and continue to grow our culture in a positive direction each and every day. The motivation to be the best they can be has reached the students in a positive way and provides them with the tools and support to overcome those challenging moments. That makes it all worthwhile.”

“I may never come close to impacting Gilmour in the ways that my grandfather and father were able to, but I know that I am appreciative of everything I learned from them. And for however long I am fortunate enough to be at Gilmour, I couldn’t think of two better legacies to strive for.”

Emily, Michael ’95, James ’93, Nick, Tiho, Sophia, Steve ’00 and Elina Teisl at Tiho's induction into GA's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015

REUNION

Reunion 2022 was held June 3-4 and Gilmour rolled out the red carpet for the classes ending in 2s and 7s.

It was a weekend of friends, family and memories for the more than 300 alumni who attended the weekend’s festivities, including the Alumni of the Year presentation (see pg. 56 for all the details about this year’s honoree Marc Stefanski ’72), the Friday Night VIP Party, the Saturday morning Golden Lancers Brunch for the Classes of ’72, an Alumni Soccer Game with Lancers of all ages, the Alumni Reunion Mass led by Fr. John Blazek, C.S.C. ’58, and the grand finale - the Head of School cocktail reception and dinner.

The Reunion Cup was presented during the party, recognizing the class with the largest percentage in attendance. Congratulations to the Class of 1962, who took Reunion by storm with 41 percent of the class in attendance! Class members came from as far as California and Nevada and Florida for the chance to be together to reminisce and share stories as a class once again.

REUNION

PUT A RING ON IT

Just in time for his 50th reunion, Warren “Woodie” Patterson ’72 was given back something he thought was long gone. Woody had given his class ring to his then-girlfriend, now-wife, Mary Claire Kelleher Patterson G.O. ’73, but the ring had been lost for 50 years. Weeks before Reunion, the Advancement Office received a call that the ring was found and Woody was reunited with it! We look forward to seeing the happy couple back on campus this June for Mary Claire’s 50th Reunion!

ALUMNUS OF THE YEAR

PRESENTED DURING REUNION WEEKEND

In a special ceremony held at the start of the Reunion Weekend festivities on Friday, June 3, Marc Stefanski ’72 was presented with the Alumnus of the Year Award by Alumni Association President Lauren Oliver ’12 and Head of School Kathy Kenny.

Stefanski was introduced by his longtime friend and classmate, Bill Mulligan ’72 . Mulligan shared that in the 35 years Stefanski has served as the chairman and CEO of Third Federal Savings and Loan, the bank’s assets have increased eightfold to more than $14 billion. He added that this growth, coupled with the company’s distinctive culture, have made it one of the most admired companies in northeast Ohio. He then shared the variety of other ways Stefanski has impacted local communities and organizations as well as Gilmour.

Stefanski was a catalyst in the formation of the Third Federal Foundation, which has donated more than $50 million to local organizations and communities.

He is the chairman of Rhonda’s Kiss, a 501c(3) he founded in honor of his late wife, Rhonda, that focuses on cancer patients' non-medical needs. Rhonda’s Kiss provides grants to partner hospitals to establish patient assistance funds, which help cover the cost of rent and utilities, wigs, oncology massage, parking or other transportation costs, as well as any other unexpected cost involved in the holistic care of the patient.

Finally, Stefanski has made significant contributions to Gilmour throughout the 50 years since he graduated in support of the school and its campus. Mulligan noted that the state-champion hockey program and the Floyd E. Stefanski Ice Center on campus

would likely not exist without Stefanski’s commitment, passion and generosity. The Ice Center is named for Marc’s late brother, Floyd, an ardent fan of Gilmour hockey and father of four Gilmour alumni, Brian ’05, Evan ’11, Gavin ’07 and Amanda ’13 Stefanski.

In his remarks, Stefanski expressed his gratitude to the school. He stated, “I have been blessed with the love and care that this school has shared with all of us who were here. It’s just a special place, a very special place.”

In presenting Stefanski with the award, Head of School Kathy Kenny remarked, “On behalf of Gilmour, the Brothers of Holy Cross, our students, our alumni and our Trustees, I hope you know how sincerely grateful we are and how honored we are to have you as an alum and a friend.”

MARC STEFANSKI ’72

 Woodie and Mary Claire at his Reunion in June

REUNION 2023,

FOR ALUMNI FROM CLASSES ENDING IN 3s AND 8s, WILL BE HELD JUNE 2-3, 2023!

59

GILMOUR RECOGNIZED AS BEST ATHLETICS PROGRAM IN STATE OF OHIO

Over the summer, Gilmour received word that we had been named the 2021-2022 MaxPreps Ohio Cup Champion.

MaxPreps is a division of CBS Sports and is an online resource that specializes in the coverage of American high school sports. The MaxPreps Cup Champion is determined by a formula that attempts to identify the best overall high school sports program in each state. Points are awarded for state championships, state runner-up finishes and national rankings, and are based on popularity of sport, participation numbers within that sport, the size of the state, the enrollment of schools in a playoff division and the number of teams participating in that playoff division. Not all sports fielded by a state are included in the MaxPreps Cup standings. A sport must be contested in 10 states in order for it to be a scoring sport in the MaxPreps Cup standings.

Gilmour earned points for its state championships in girls volleyball and boys ice hockey; its state runner-up finishes in boys golf and boys basketball; and its fifth-place national ranking in girls volleyball. Gilmour had additional state-level finishes last year that were not even factored into this ranking. The girls cross country team placed fourth at the state meet, the girls indoor track team won the OATCCC Division II/III state championship and the girls prep hockey team advanced to the Elite Eight nationally.

Athletic Director Sean O’Toole said of the honor, “I am so proud of our kids and our coaches and thrilled that their efforts were recognized on a national level. We are sometimes competing against schools with two to three times the number of students, yet our teams continue to advance to the state level of competition in a number of sports. We have a lot of multi-sport athletes here at Gilmour and they work so hard to prepare for each season. It’s terrific to see their efforts recognized.”

LANCER ATHLETICS

TRACK AND FIELD TEAM

Finishes

Out 2021-2022

School Year with Another Great Showing at State Level

The Lancer track and field program had another fantastic postseason. The varsity girls team won its 19th consecutive district title and then their fourth straight regional championship, earning them another trip to the state meet. Varsity boys track and field team member CJ Johnson ’22 placed sixth at regionals, punching his ticket to the state meet as well.

The OHSAA state championship meet was held the weekend after the 2021-2022 school year finished, on June 3-4, at Jesse Owens Memorial Stadium at OSU. Team members turned in some impressive performances!

The girls team placed seventh in the state in Division II, thanks to the following individual and relay results:

Karah Henderson ’22 finished 4th in the 100m hurdles

Clare Valenza ’23 finished 14th in the 3200m

Amy Weybrecht ’24 finished 7th in the 800m (and qualified for nationals)

Rielyn Jackson ’25 Karah Henderson ’22 Kaleigh McNamara ’22 Mariyah Moore ’24

Rielyn Jackson ’25 Karah Henderson ’22 Kaleigh McNamara ’22 Mariyah Moore ’24

finished 2nd in 4x100m (and qualified for nationals) finished 2nd in 4x200m (and qualified for nationals)

CJ Johnson ’22 placed eighth in discus

STUDENT SECTION OFFICIALLY NAMED

Gilmour’s student section has been showing up in force at games across all sports seasons and the Spirit Club decided it was time the student section had an official name. So, at the beginning of the school year, they asked Upper School students and faculty to submit their ideas for a name. The submissions came in fast and furious and Spirit Club then put it to a vote.

When the votes were tallied, there was an overwhelming favorite and the new student

section name - The Cavalry - was revealed at the Fall Sports Pep Rally at the culmination of Spirit Week on campus.

Whether in Lancer Gymnasium, at The Web or in the Floyd E. Stefanski Ice Center, look for The Cavalry, who will be proudly cheering on the Lancers.

At press time, our fall sports teams were still competing. Look for fall and winter highlights in our spring issue!

This list includes all alumni and family members of alumni and faculty/staff who passed away before September 16, 2022.

Gilmour Academy expresses sympathy to the families of the following alumni:

ROBERT C. DUBBS ’74

FRANCIS C. FOOTE ’52

THOMAS C. GITZINGER ’56

RICHARD O. GUARDIOLA ’54, brother of Donald Guardiola ’57 (deceased)

CHUCK GUTHRIE ’53, brother of Jack Guthrie ’50 (deceased)

NICOLE FERRARA HAZEN ’95, sister of Rick Ferrara ’97

LAWRENCE J. HELTZEL ’66, brother of Paul ’63 (deceased), Robert ’65 (deceased), Carl ’73 (deceased) and Michael ’83 Heltzel; uncle of Jennifer Heltzel Farrior ’91, Kathleen Heltzel Ricotti ’93 and Ryan Heltzel ’96; great-uncle of Isabel Schumacher ’30

DAVID L. HINCKLEY ’71, brother of Thomas Hinckley ’72

THOMAS A. HUGHES ’56, brother of Michael Hughes, Sr. ’55; and uncle of Michael, Jr. ’82 and Kevin ’88 Hughes

MICHAEL P. KILROY ’71, brother of Ted ’69 (deceased) and Timothy ’77 Kilroy

JESSICA M. KUNEVICIUS ’95, sister of Olivia Kunevicius ’97

KELLEN D. LEACH ’ 10, brother of Michaela Leach ’14

CHARLES E. MISERENDINO ’96

JULIUS A MUSCHAWEK ’52

DONALD M. SLEDZ ’59, brother of Leonard Sledz ’63

GERALD J. TALBOT ’52

CASSANDRA V. WILLIAMS ’15, sister of Sebastian Williams ’18

WILLIAM P. ZHUN ’70, brother of Peter ’66, Paul ’69 (deceased) and Robert ’71 Zhun

In addition, we extend our sympathy to the following families in our Gilmour community:

MARILYN ALTHANS, grandmother of Allison ’11, Olivia ’12, Jacob ’14, Alexander ’15 and Claudia ’17 Althans

JOHN A. AMBROSE, father of Dominick Ambrose ’81

THOMAS A. ARMAGNO, father of Thomas J. ’05, Robert ’07, Daniel ’10 and Joseph ’14 Armagno

BARBARA BAK, grandmother of Ania ’21, Andrew ’23 and Matthew ’27 Lewis

JOHN H. BORKEY, SR., father of Jeffrey ’80, Joseph ’82 and Jerrod ’87 Borkey; grandfather of Jerrod ’12, Christian ’16 and Ian Borkey

BILL BRAY, step-grandfather of Morgan Converse ’11

DOROTHY BRYAN, wife of Thomas Bryan, former Gilmour Academy athletic director; aunt of Georjanna Opalich ’09, Morgan Converse ’11, and Alexis ’10 and Spencer ’13 Antunez

RAYMOND BUGANSKI, grandfather of Owen ’18, Connor ’20, Erin and Kelsey ’24 O’Toole; and father-in-law of Sean O’Toole, Gilmour Academy director of athletics

FRANK J. CALO, JR., brother-in-law of Nina Prusock, Gilmour Academy Lower School staff

RENO CAPPELLI, SR., grandfather of Cassandra VanGorder, former Gilmour Academy instructor

ROSETTA J. CATANESE, grandmother of Ryan ’07, Robert ’12, Joseph ’14 and Vincent ’19 Catanese

JOHN R. CLIMACO, long-time special friend of Gilmour Academy

MARY F. CONWAY, grandmother of Cody Barber ’03

JAMES R. COSTABILE, JR., grandfather of Marco Costabile ’20; uncle of Joseph Cistone ’83

ANNA COTTRELL, grandmother of Katherine Rankin ’20

IRENE A. CUNNINGHAM, grandmother of Carolyn ’03, Kevin ’05 and Kathleen ’08 Benacci

CLAUDETTE M. COUGHLIN, mother of Daniel Coughlin, Gilmour Academy volleyball coach

CURTIS DeCRANE , uncle of Daniel DeCrane, Gilmour Academy director of admission and varsity boys basketball coach

MARGARET J. DIEMER, mother of Peter ’75, Robert ’77, Daniel ’78 and John ’82 Diemer; grandmother of Megan ’12, Emily ’14, William ’17 and Timothy ’19 Diemer

MARY D. ECKART, grandmother of Jillian ’05 and Kevin ’07 Eckart

ROBERT J. FAY, grandfather of Matthew, Jr. ’18 and Joseph ’21 Roddy; father-in-law of Matthew Roddy, Sr. ’86,Gilmour Academy trustee

RICHARD FELBER, father of Andrew Felber ’74

RICHARD E. FIN0TTI, grandfather of Hannah Finotti ’15

MARJORIE GAVIN, mother of Neil Gavin ’78

EARL STANLEY GAY, father of Alicia ’98 and Brandon ’06 Gay

ELVERA GRUTTADAURIA, mother of Frank ’76; grandmother of Jenna ’03 Gruttadauria

MICHAEL T. HARRIS, JR., cousin of Erika DiCello ’90, Andre ’23, Anthony ’25 and Alexandre ’29 Lacroix

GENA HENRETTA-MILLER, mother of Giavanna Miller ’26

SOOMEYAH HILAL, grandmother of Gia Hilal ’24

DOROTHY E. HOLPIT, grandmother of Hanna ’05 and Meg ’07 Kokovai

FRANK R. HONDLIK, father of Christopher Hondlik ’84; grandfather of Ryan ’20 and Lauren ’22 Hondlik; father-in-law of Jocelyn Julien Hondlik ’85

THERESE J. HUMMER, grandmother of Therese Hummer ’04

ELIZABETH HUNYADI, grandmother of Jocelyn ’15 and Olivia ’20 Hunyadi

DEBRA HURLEY, sister of Denise Gooden, Gilmour Academy housekeeping associate

STANLEY JAFFE, stepfather of Jane Patton Russell ’89

RUDOLPH F. KASTELIC, father of Dianne Kastelic Shafer ’85, Catherine Kastelic ’92 and Elizabeth Kastelic Burgei ’94

VALENTIN KAVCIC, grandfather of Peter ’22, Andrew ’24 and Jakob ’24 Kavcic

JOSEPH D. KIRINCIC, grandfather of Dechlan ’18 and Jacob ’18 Kirincic

JOSEPH M. KIRINCIC, uncle of Dechlan ’18 and Jacob ’18 Kirincic

LAWRENCE C. KRAMER, brother of Cynthia Kramer-Smith, former Gilmour Academy coach; and uncle of Brandon ’05 and Jarred ’06 Smith

DANIELLE KROVONTKO, cousin of Dennis ’86 and Jennifer ’95 Kavran

ELIZABETH M. KRYSZAN, mother of Jennifer Kryszan Kramer ’97

PATRICIA KUNDTZ, mother of Mary Beth Kundtz Schneider G.O. ’72 and Kathryn Kundtz Miki G.O. ’76

LOUIS J. LAMOSEK, SR., father of Russell Lamosek, Gilmour Academy trustee; and grandfather of Matthew ’11, Kaitlyn ’12, Joseph ’17, Christopher ’19 and Mitchell ’21 Lamosek

GREG MAMONE ’87, brother of David ’83 and Edward ’80 Mamone; and uncle of Adrian ’06 and Helen ’10 Zoller

ERNEST P. MANSOUR, former Gilmour Academy trustee; father of Mark ’76, Robert ’79, Thomas ’89 and Drew ’91 Mansour; grandfather of Brett ’08, Brian ’10, Paige ’14 and Eric ’22 Anton and Evan Monsour ’26; fatherin-law of former Gilmour Academy trustee Art Anton

EMELIA C. MASTREY, mother-in-law of Terrence Weber ’76

ROBERT J. MAYER, grandfather of Andrew Mayer ’22

ROBERT MCQUISTIN, father of

Emily McQuistin, former Gilmour Academy instructor

JOHN G. NEMUNAITIS, father of John J. ’74, Gregory ’76, Bradley ’80, Brian ’84, Marc ’86 and Michael ’93 Nemunaitis

WAYNE NIELSON, grandfather of Victoria ’22 and Nathaniel ’25 Dulzer

SAMUEL A. NIGRO, father of Michael ’84, Samuel ’87 and Jonathan ’95 Nigro

MATTHEW NOETH, son of David ’79; brother of Jessica ’07; and nephew of Gregory ’76 Noeth

MEL A. OBERLIN, father of Melanie Oberlin ’93

DONALD D. O’TOOLE, father of Sean O’Toole, Gilmour Academy director of athletics; and grandfather of Owen ’18, Connor ’20, Erin and Kelsey ’24 O’Toole

HERB PAHORESKY, grandfather of Rebecca ’19, Joseph ’21 and Eve ’22 Pahoresky

ALLAN J. PALUF, father-in-law of Reece Gerbitz ’90

RITA M. PREBUL, grandmother of Lily Prebul ’24

BARBARA PRITTS, aunt of John Reardon, former Gilmour Academy instructor

TOM RAKOVEC, father of Matt Rakovec, Gilmour Academy housekeeping associate

JOHN J. RATH, grandfather of Jack ’11 and Peter ’14 Dolan and Lillliana ’22 and Liam ’24 Colaluca

EILEEN M. READ, grandmother of Andrew Mayer ’22

MARY MARGARET RHOA, mother of Michael ’80 (deceased) and Matthew ’81 Rhoa

MARJORIE ANN BECK RITCHIE, mother of Amy Ritchie ’87, Gilmour Academy trustee

DANIEL SAUNDERS, father of Yvonne Saunders, former Gilmour Academy administrator

RONALD J. SCALETTA, father

of Ronald, Jr. ’74 and David ’76 Scaletta

SARKIS CHARLES SEMARJIAN, grandfather of Austin ’12 and Madison ’15 Semarjian

DIANE SMITH, mother of Sheridan Stull Vecchio ’95

WILLIAM J. STEPANEK, father of William ’76, John ’78, Michael ’79, Timothy ’82 and Brian ’89 Stepanek

RONALD SWENCKI, father of Paul ’85 and Mark ’88 (deceased) Swencki

WILLIAM J. TEKNIPP, grandfather of Donald Herbe ’96, Melissa Herbe Melle ’97, Brian Herbe ’05, Allison Herbe Hayes ’10 and Ryan Teknipp ’09; great-grandfather of Gregory Hayes ’35 and Edward Hayes ’37; grandfatherin-law of Kaitlin Gill Teknipp ’09

TERESA H. TRZASKA, mother of Gregory ’90 and Marlene ’96 Trzaska and Tina Trzaska Joyce ’92; motherin-law of Peter Joyce ’92

CHRISTINE M. TREU, mother of Libby Treu ’07

JOHN A. VISCONSI, brother of Thomas ’60 and Anthony ’75 Visconsi; uncle of Marissa Visconsi ’06, Michelle Poklar ’91 and Katharine Poklar Shafer ’01

DAVID WALLACE, uncle of Shannon Traynor ’20

THOMAS C. WESTROPP, father-inlaw of Lee Howley ’65 and Elizabeth Westrop '77; grandfather of Blaine J. Westropp ’08; uncle of John K. Westropp ’85 (deceased)

BARBARA B. WETHERBEE, motherin-law of Katherine Wetherbee, Gilmour Academy Upper School instructor

KYRIE LAMAR WRIGHT, grandson of Booker Lamar Wright ’86

REMEMBERING: ERNIE MANSOUR

Former Trustee Ernest Mansour passed away on May 6, 2022 with his family by his side. Ernie was a member of the Board of Trustees from 1988 until 2006, where he served on the Finance Committee. Upon retiring from the Board in 2006, he was appointed an Honorary Life Trustee.

Br. Robert Lavelle, C.S.C. remembers Ernie fondly and described him as a loyal friend and supportive leader of the Academy. He reflected, “His time, commitment and resources were most generous. He was someone I could count on for insight and counsel on complicated issues. When I look back over the years, Ernie was one of those remarkable people who had an impact on Gilmour that was not always visibly seen.”

Four of Ernie’s seven children graduated from GilmourMark ’76, Robert ’79, Thomas ’89 and Drew ’91. Five of his grandchildren are graduates of or current students at Gilmour - Brett ’08, Brian ’10, Paige ’14 and Eric ’22 Anton; and Evan Mansour ’26. His son-in-law, Art Anton, is also a former Gilmour Trustee.

A Mass of Christian burial was held on May 10 at Our Lady of Peace Church.

REMEMBERING: JACK BORKEY

Honorary Life Trustee Jack Borkey passed away on September 11. He served as a loyal member of our Board of Trustees for the past 39 years and, as former Gilmour Director of Development Dan O’Neill ’82 noted in a correspondence in 1999, he “supported every project that the school has undertaken since the late 70s.” This support ranged from scholarships to capital improvements to gifts-in-kind in support of technology to the endowment. Asked about Jack Borkey’s impact on Gilmour, Br. Robert Lavelle, C.S.C. shared, “Jack, in his way, was a person of faith and family, and with an enthusiastic way of being that was open to people, welcoming, respectful and engaging. He liked being around people and contributed much by his presence.”

Three of Jack’s sons - Jeffrey ’80, Joseph ’82 and Jerrod ’87 - and two of his grandchildren - Jerrod ’12 and Christian ’16 - are Gilmour alumni.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on September 16 at Holy Redeemer Church.

GILMOUR ACADEMY’S ABILITY TO THRIVE AND TO CONTINUE TO OFFER NEW GENERATIONS OF STUDENTS AN EXCELLENT EDUCATION IS DUE, IN PART, TO ITS MANY LOYAL FRIENDS WHO DONATE THEIR TIME, TALENT AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO THE ACADEMY AND ITS MISSION.

WAYS TO INSPIRE

Many generous donors give their time and talent, and contribute directly to the Academy’s success by enhancing our students’ experiences. There are numerous ways to engage in the Gilmour community. You can share your professional experience at the Junior Career Day, mentor a senior during their Senior Project, host a student for a semester-long internship, or meet with a student as part of his/her VECTOR experience.

Alumni also volunteer as class agents to strengthen the tie between the Academy and its graduates, which helps increase alumni support for The Gilmour Fund. Additionally, volunteers are encouraged to participate with annual engagement or through fundraising events - the Lower School’s Christmas Family Gathering; the monthly networking series sponsored by the Men’s Club; the Gilmour Academy Golf Classic in Memory of Charlie Tremont ’70; or many other social, artistic or athletic events on campus. Join others by being active participants - in the end you will make Gilmour an even stronger and more vibrant community.

GIFTS OF PHILANTHROPY

THE GILMOUR FUND - The cornerstone of philanthropy is The Gilmour Fund, our annual giving program, which has the most immediate impact upon our students. Its focus is to raise funds to help contain tuition costs by meeting a greater percentage of the Academy’s operating budget, and to provide need-based tuition assistance to deserving students who otherwise might not be able to afford a Gilmour education. The Gilmour Fund is used to attract and retain distinguished faculty, provide state-of-the-art technology and continue to grow academic and extracurricular programming. Every gift makes a difference and every gift is appreciated.

PLANNED GIFTS

Making arrangements today for a future gift to benefit the Academy is a thoughtful gesture that expresses your faith in our future. Planned giving can provide valuable tax benefits for the donor and provides Gilmour with substantial, meaningful gifts. The following are a few ways to make planned gifts:

BEQUESTS

Through your will or living trust, you can provide a legacy for causes that were an important part of your life. A will allows the donor to maintain complete control of assets during his or her lifetime with the knowledge that those assets will be distributed in accordance with the donor’s plan and enacted upon death.

RETIREMENT PLAN

A tax-efficient, flexible and low-cost option is to include Gilmour Academy in your retirement plan by naming the school as a beneficiary to a portion of your 401(k), 403(b) or IRA. In most cases, there is no cost associated with adding or changing a beneficiary to a retirement plan.

CHARITABLE LEAD TRUSTS

A Charitable Lead Trust provides current income to Gilmour Academy for a fixed period of time. The assets of the trust are then returned to the donor or the donor’s designee. Properly structured, a CLT will allow assets to pass tax-free from one generation of a family to another.

LIFE INSURANCE

A gift of insurance that names Gilmour Academy as the irrevocable beneficiary provides a tax deduction equal to the replacement value of the policy. If you continue to make premium payments on the policy, those also are tax-deductible.

GIFTS IN KIND

The Academy also welcomes donations of goods and/or services for which Gilmour would otherwise have to pay.

RESTRICTED GIFTS

The Restricted Gifts category includes contributions that a donor has designated for specific projects or programs such as endowed and restricted scholarship funds.

If you are interested in donating to the Academy, you can always donate by check or credit card using the envelope included in this Annual Report. You can also safely donate online at gilmour.org/give or, new this year, via our Venmo account @Gilmour-Academy Additionally, you can give stocks and/or utilize your company’s matching gift program. To learn more, please call Chief Advancement Strategy Officer Ray Murphy at (440) 473-8089.

NEW OHIO TAX CREDIT PROGRAM

EXCITING NEW WAY FOR OHIO RESIDENTS TO SUPPORT GA!

The state of Ohio has recently passed an initiative that can benefit you as well as Gilmour students. You can make a donation to one of two Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs) that will then grant scholarship dollars to students at Gilmour. In return, you will receive a dollar-for-dollar state tax credit, up to $750 annually.

Donations can be made at gilmour.org/SGO (just choose whether you want to give to The Catholic Community Foundation

Angel Scholarship Fund or the Ohio Association of Independent Schools SGO). Both SGOs will then donate the funds they receive to the schools indicated by the donors.

If your Ohio state tax is equal to or greater than your donation, up to $750, your donation ultimately costs you nothing. If you file Married Filing Jointly, you can receive a credit for up to $1,500, but each spouse must make an individual donation for $750.

For more information or to make your donation to one of the two SGOs, scan the QR code, visit gilmour.org/SGO or contact Patti Miller at millerp@gilmour.org.

MEMBERS OF THE CORPORATION

EX OFFICIO

Br. Kenneth Haders, C.S.C.

Provincial

Murlan (Jerry) Murphy, Jr ’64

President

Br. Robert E. Lavelle, C.S.C .

Vice President

Kathleen C. Kenny

Head of School

Fred G. Botek, Esq. ’85

Chairman of the Board

Michael J. Baird

Vice Chairman

Susan L. Chiancone

Treasurer

Michael E. Elliott, Esq. ’71

Secretary

BY APPOINTMENT

Rev. John J. Blazek, C.S.C. ’58

Lorraine C. Dodero

Br. Chester A. Freel, C.S.C.

Br. Kenneth A. Kane, C.S.C.

Lynn Arko Kelley, Esq. G.O. ’73

Br. Charles T. Smith, C.S.C.

Br. James C. Spooner, C.S.C.

OFFICERS OF THE CORPORTION

Murlan (Jerry) Murphy, Jr ’64

President

Br. Robert E. Lavelle, C.S.C.

First Vice President

Lynn Arko Kelley, Esq. G.O. ’73

Second Vice President

Susan L. Chiancone

Treasurer

Kathleen C. Kenny

Assistant Treasurer

Michael E. Elliott, Esq. ’71

Secretary

Br. Charles T. Smith, C.S.C.

Assistant Secretary

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

TJ Asher ’84

Michael J. Baird

Dean C. Barry ’84

Sherri L. Beedles

Rev. John J. Blazek ’58, C.S.C.

Fred G. Botek, Esq. ’85

Mark A. Chiacchiari ’94

Susan L. Chiancone

Joseph R. Ciuni ’77

Dominic A. DiPuccio ’82

Lorraine C. Dodero

Dr. Vicki Haywood Doe

Michael E. Elliott, Esq. ’71

Lisa Fazio-Grk

Michael A. Gleason

Br. Kenneth Haders, C.S.C.

Daniel Harrington

Michael C. Howley ’01

Daniel J. Hyland ’83

Edward J. Hyland

C. Randolph Keller, Esq.

Christopher J. Keller, Esq.

Lynn Arko Kelley, Esq. G.O. ’73

Paul E. Kiebler IV

Russell A. Lamosek

John J. Lennon

Robert J. Miavitz ’87

Paula A. Minello

Robert S. Monitello

Elizabeth Chiarucci Morgan ’84

Murlan (Jerry) Murphy, Jr. ’64

Patrick J. O’Neill, Jr. ’80

John E. Pallat III ’78

Anthony M. Panzica ’71

James R. Pender

Katherine C. Pender

Michael A. Poklar

Kenneth C. Ricci

Amy I. Ritchie ’87

Jose T. Rizo-Patron

Phillip M. Robinson, Jr. ’99

Matthew W. Roddy ’86

Kristin E. Rogers

James E. Rooney ’86

Br. Charles T. Smith, C.S.C.

Sean M. Stack

Michelle Brennan Stefan ’84

Dr. Kevin M. Stein

Dr. Todd R. Sweda

Edward J. Swinarski

Bruce E. Taylor

Dr. Steven Treppo

Charles V. Wellman, M.D. ’68

Christopher C. Winslade, Esq. ’84

E. Mark Young, Esq. ’92

Thomas C. Zucker ’87

EX OFFICIO TRUSTEES

Lauren Oliver ’12

President: Alumni Association

Keith Nootbaar

President: Men’s Club

Tara Kastelic

President: Women’s Club

Cheryl DuChez Pawlowski ’96

President: Lower School Parents Organization

OFFICERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Fred G. Botek, Esq. ’85

Chairman Michael J. Baird Vice Chairman

Michael E. Elliott, Esq. ’71

Secretary

Br. Charles T. Smith, C.S.C.

Assistant Secretary

HONORARY LIFE TRUSTEES

Anthony J. Asher

John H. (Jack) Borkey ◆

Vincent F. DeCrane

Mark G. Frantz ’65

E. Timothy Holzheimer ’61

Carole A. Keating

Ernest P. Mansour ◆

Anthony J. Martino

Frank A. Potenziani

David C. Wagner

Annual4 HONOR ROLL OF DONORS ADMINISTRATION

NEW PAVILION AT LOWER SCHOOL DEDICATED IN MEMORY OF MRS. COFFEY

When Head of School Kathy Kenny’s mother, Bernadette Coffey, passed away in November 2020, a large number of her family members, friends and former students contributed to Gilmour in her memory. In celebration of her 34 years at Gilmour, and in particular, her years at the Lower School, a beautiful pavilion was built outside the Dominican Dining Hall and an Eastern Rosebud tree planted alongside it.

GA COMMUNITY GATHERS FOR ANNUAL FAVORITE

On August 29, 110 golfers gathered at Mayfield Country Club to support the Gilmour Academy Golf Classic in Memory of Charlie Tremont ’70. Proceeds support the endowment of Gilmour’s Charlie Tremont ’70 Scholarship Fund. Thanks to the generous support of participants in this annual event, Gilmour has been able to award the Charlie Tremont ’70 Scholarship to four deserving students already!

This year’s event raised more than $30,000. Note that donors to this year’s outing will be recognized in next year’s Honor Roll of Donors as it was held in the 2022-2023 fiscal year. Last year’s tournament donors are highlighted in this issue on page 32.

Stay tuned for details on next year’s tournament!



Andy Obertanec, Melanie Forehope, Victoria Weber and Rick Solon

 Dan Hyland ’83, John Hollis ’83, Greg Ferrazza ’83 and Bill Lawless 

Steve Cajacob ’64, Don Ruminski ’64, Robert Faller ’64 and Jerry Murphy ’64



David Peterson, Kevin Shadick, Mike Andrews and Rodney Diggs

James Murray ’70, John Mills, Ambrose Murray ’67 and Bob Monitello

HONOR ROLL OF DONORS TRIBUTE

When their daughter, Kelsey ’22, was preparing to graduate from Gilmour Academy in the spring, Graham and Kerianne Hearns found themselves faced with a choice: “It’s one thing to send your daughter to a school for four years, but it’s another to double down; after Kelsey’s experience at GA, that’s effectively what we’ve decided to do with our son, Brendan ’26.”

The Hearns family’s decision was reaffirmed by the outpouring of support they received from the Gilmour community last spring when Brendan was involved in an accident. “The word community is overused in society,” says Graham, “but in this particular case it is authentic and beautifully sums up Gilmour. We believe in the opportunity, we believe in the community and we believe in the investment.”

That investment has produced a massive return, according to Kerianne. “Across the board, Gilmour provides incredible programs. The strong academic program helped Kelsey prepare for college. Those challenging classes taught her to be able to think critically, and Socratic seminars have helped with her college transition. The arts program, including photography, helped to ignite her passions. And the sports programs allowed her to hone in on personal growth, teamwork and discipline.

“In every way, Gilmour helped our daughter grow.”

Graham and Kerianne are particularly impressed with GA’s Self-Assessment program, which tasks students with the important practice of reflection and personal goal-setting. “Those presentations help students to take inventory of the results of their hard work,” says Graham. “They are a tangible representation of your child’s growth, which, as a parent, is rewarding to witness.”

“The fact that Gilmour provides built-in time and space for these growth opportunities is key,” says Kerianne. “In addition to those reflective practices, the growth provided by activities such as service and volunteerism is strong on the campus. Obviously, students are required to complete a set number of hours of service, but most go above and beyond that number. It’s something that is woven into the fabric of what Gilmour does.”

When asked why they have chosen to support Gilmour, Graham and Kerianne stress the sincere desire to be part of the tradition of giving that is so well-established. “When you look around the campus,” says Kerianne, “it is apparent how many people have contributed in the past to make Gilmour so special. Countless people, including the dedicated staff and the passionate teachers and coaches, have given their time and talent and treasure to create this beautiful environment, so it’s really important for us to make sure those resources are there for students down the road.”

“You want the tradition to continue,” says Graham. “You’ve been the beneficiary of that tradition and those who have gone before you, and you want to play some small part in that, as well.”

Philanthropy IN FOCUS

Graham and Kerianne Hearns

HONOR

Philanthropy IN FOCUS

’12

When Austin Semarjian ‘12 served on the Middle School Student Council at Gilmour, he had an opportunity to be a part of a momentous moment: the groundbreaking of the then-brand-new Athletic Center. “It was so satisfying to have that opportunity,” Austin says. “To be a part of the creation of a space that would be so useful for so many people.”

Little did Austin know at the time that this experience would be a portent of things to come.

After his graduation from Gilmour, Austin attended the Fisher School of Business at The Ohio State University, earning a degree in finance. When he returned to Cleveland to start his career, he worked for a year at DDR, a real estate investment trust, before joining his family company.

“I joined just when we were starting to grow. When I joined, we had 14 employees,” he says. “Now we have 42.”

Austin currently handles leasing for Industrial Commercial Properties. His role allows him to make a tangible impact on the community in ways that would make the Holy Cross community proud. “We buy old manufacturing plants or malls that are dying, and we breathe new life into them. We take something that is worn down, and we fix it up and bring new businesses and new jobs back to the area.”

One of the things Austin is most proud of is the company’s expansion to other areas of Ohio and the country.

“It’s very exciting to be able to put into practice those ideas about the competence to see and the courage to act,” he says.

Austin appreiciated much about his time at Gilmour, but, in particular, he noted the family orientation of the Academy. “Being a smaller school, it was nice to have teachers who know you,” he says, “And my best friends today are all people I first got to know during my time at Gilmour.”

That feeling is one of the primary reasons for Austin’s continued support of the school.

“It’s important for me to see Gilmour succeed,” he says. “That’s where I grew up. I want people to be proud to have gone there, and proud to have their kids graduate from there. I like the idea that Gilmour is the best, that it provides the best opportunities for its students. That’s why it’s so important for us to give back: the people before us gave, and provided those opportunities for us. It’s our job to do that for the next group. Together, we keep the institution rolling.”

Austin stresses that while financial contributions are important, they aren’t the end of the line for a Gilmour grad. “You have to be in the community showing that you are proud to be a Lancer. Whenever I have the opportunity, I encourage people to check out what’s happening at GA.”

Austin says the alumni network has also played a role in his success. “The connections that Gilmour provides are top of the line,” he says. “And for good reason. When I’m hiring someone, and I see they graduated from Gilmour, that says something about that person; it tells me they are people of high character with values that align with my own. That Gilmour connection is a leg up in my book.”

Austin Semarjian

Philanthropy IN FOCUS

Callahan ’75

For Kevin Callahan ’75, the preservation of history is a driving passion. Over the years, he has accumulated an impressive collection of rare books, including Dickens, Kipling and Francis Bacon, to name a few, that allow him insight into the lives of our forebears. According to Kevin, holding onto that history “gives you a sense of past people and past institutions.” He continued, “That’s why it is so important to me to support Gilmour: it is an institution that has produced so much good in the community, and that history must be preserved to ensure future generations learn from and understand that potential.”

Collecting is a long-term process. You don’t just acquire a set of items and then say ‘I’m done now.’ “Philanthropy is the same way,” says Kevin. “A long-term commitment often brings more value, personally, than a single gift.”

Kevin’s personal and professional experience has taught him the value of those long-term commitments. He has been in the real estate business for more than 40 years and has served as a 20-year member of the Gilmour Board of Trustees, having been deeply involved in two capital campaigns. He is a Senior Partner at Premier Development Partners, located in Independence, that is both a construction company and a development company that owns and manages more than 6,000,000 square feet in Northeast Ohio, and in six states.

Healsosenthistwochildren(Kevin,Jr.’11andMaryKate ’12)tohisalmamater,believingin thepoweroftrustedinstitutionstoproducemeaningful outcomes.

Kevin has been a longtime supporter of the Academy as a part of the Blue & Gray Society, a group of donors dedicated to supporting The Gilmour Fund annually. Ray Murphy ’65, who helped to establish the Society, hails it as “a way for the Academy to honor and thank its most generous alumni, parents and friends, who provide more than half of the Annual Fund support for Gilmour each year.”

That continuous support allows for the development of ongoing relationships that allow for fruitful and gratifying connections and partnerships, says Kevin. “Meeting with alumni of all different generations has allowed me to better understand the meaning of the Gilmour Family and the importance of the Holy Cross Mission and our Catholic identity. We truly are all in this together.”

Much like the items in his collection, Kevin believes that the value of an acquisition lies in the ability to pass it on to others. “It is so important to provide access to the resources we have at our disposal to those who might otherwise never experience them,” he says. “A great education should be within reach of anyone who wants it.”

When asked about his vision for the future of Gilmour, Kevin says the course of our fate is in our own hands. “The competitiveness of the Cleveland market is high, but the Gilmour community can be just as strong as we want to be. We need to reach out to alumni here and around the country to continue to tell the Gilmour story and keep alumni involved.”

Kevin

“A great education should be within reach of anyone who wants it.”

THE GILMOUR FUND

BLUE & GRAY SOCIETY

In recognition of the Academy’s most generous donors, Gilmour created the Blue & Gray Society. Members have all contributed at least $2,000 to The Gilmour Fund, our annual giving program, during the 2021-2022 fiscal year. Their steadfast support and leadership is a confirmation of their faith in our future and of their belief in the Holy Cross commitment to “educate the mind and the heart” of our students. The membership of the Blue & Gray Society brings together Trustees, alumni, parents, grandparents, alumni parents, friends, and faculty and staff members.

In the society’s 20-year history, members have contributed $11,057,000, providing the foundation for the incredible growth the Academy has seen in that time.This year, the group contributed $776,778 to The Gilmour Fund, which was about 80 percent of the dollars raised for the annual giving program in the 2021-2022 fiscal year.

Some members of the Blue & Gray Society have been loyal supporters since its inception. One such member is Kevin Callahan ’75 Don’t miss the story on age 18 of why he is so passionate about supporting Gilmour.

Please note that only donors who have given to The Gilmour Fund appear on this list. Many of our constituents have loyally supported other large Gilmour initiatives throughout this fiscal year, such as the 75th Anniversary Gala and the Campaign for Lancer Athletics. Please see all lists in this publication for a comprehensive overview of our loyal donors.

HONOR ROLL OF DONORS THE GILMOUR FUND

IN FOCUS

Tim Panzica ’73

When Tim Panzica ’73 was a child, his father taught the family an object lesson in philanthropic budgeting. “My dad would show us three stacks of money, which he pointed to in turn, saying, ‘Faith is first, then food, then family, in that order.’ That lesson has stayed with us ever since.”

When he was a student, Tim says it was hard to realize the value of the GA experience during his four years on campus. “It wasn’t until I got to college that I recognized how well-prepared I was because of GA. Even more importantly, when I started getting into business, I realized just how strong the GA family network was. Doors were opened that I would not have thought possible.”

After what he describes as an inexplicable nineyear foray down the path of going to dental schools and building a dental practice, Tim decided to sell it and expand his role at the family construction business started by his father, Nacy. “We were expecting our third child and I wanted to work with my brother, Tony ’71, and my father in growing the business.”

After 25 years, the third chapter in his life unfolded when he left the construction business. Tim became an owner’s rep, in effect, an independent facilitator of construction projects. The pursuit had flexible time requirements which, in turn, allowed him plenty of time to pursue other passions and nonprofit areas of interest that have always been close to him, primarily Catholic ones.

He and his wife, Donna, have since become very engaged supporters of numerous Catholic organizations throughout Northeast Ohio.

When asked why he has decided to be so generous with his resources, Tim has a simple answer: “To

whom much is given, much is expected. I have won the birth lottery and, therefore, my gifts need to be shared.”

But it is the mission of Gilmour that makes it such an attractive target for Tim. “Absent the Catholicity as part of its mission, Gilmour would be just another secondary education institution. GA offers a unique experience in the competitive ecosystem of private and independent schools in Northeast Ohio. Its Catholic character and Mission-focused mindset is vital to both maintaining a competitive edge and creating thoughtful, compassionate and engaged citizens.”

Tim believes in paying it forward. “Years ago, past alums gave money to the Academy that helped to support my experience there. They didn’t know me, but they recognized the importance of creating educational opportunities for future generations. It’s my turn to do the same for the next generation.”

That’s one of the reasons Tim has decided to become a member of the Holy Cross Society, whose members have included a bequest to Gilmour Academy in their wills. “I’ve chosen to leave my gift to the school unrestricted, as I believe that the organization knows better than I do what its needs are. This allows Gilmour to use the gift in a manner it best sees fit to advance its mission.”

Tim believes his path in life has presented him with great privilege, but also great responsibilities. He has decided to confront both with the same philosophy: “Happiness is a choice. Choose happy!”

“My dad would show us three stacks of money, which he pointed to in turn, saying, ‘Faith is first, then food, then family, in that order.’ That lesson has stayed with us ever since.”

FRED G. BOTEK ’85

CHAIRMAN, BOARD OF TRUSTEES DEAR FRIENDS,

As a little boy in what was then called CCD class, my favorite song was This Little Light of Mine. I liked holding a finger up as if it were a candle as we sang and, more importantly, the message and challenge of letting our light shine: “Ev’rywhere I go, I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, oh let it shine.”

As an adult, I often counsel students (whether solicited or not) to be “scholarathletes, or scholar-musicians or scholaractors” with the focus on the scholar piece. They should make the most of themselves academically so that doors open and so they can touch lives more fully. And they should participate in extracurriculars for the lifelong memories, relationships and character building. Recently, Gilmour Trustee Jim Pender wrote to me about “the power and potential of the scholar-athlete, the Gilmour setting, and the opportunity to involve as many coaches and young people as possible in that universe.”

The hugely impactful Howley Foundation commitment helps avail a Gilmour education to many students who could not otherwise dream of it, which will open doors and

benefit us all in a myriad of ways. And the stadium lights have already built excitement in a way that Gilmour students and fans have dreamed of for decades.

These lights, both literal and figurative, are gifts and blessings for which we are most thankful. With them comes the responsibility to take the best of who we are, both individually and as part of the Gilmour family, out into the world and touch lives. “Ev'rywhere I go, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, oh let it shine.”

Thank you for your support,

G. Botek ’85 Chairman, Board of Trustees

Fred

HEAD OF SCHOOL

KATHY KENNY

DEAR FRIENDS,

The theme of this issue is “Shining a Light on Gilmour Academy” as we celebrate all the incredible things happening here on campus. From the $28 million commitment made by The Howley Foundation to the debut of our long-awaited stadium lights as part of our multi-pronged Campaign for Lancer Athletics, and from starting the school year with record enrollment numbers to being named Ohio’s Best Athletics Program by MaxPreps and one of America's Healthiest Schools, there is a palpable energy here and we plan to just keep building on the momentum.

Of course, central to all of this is you. Without your loyal support, these things quite literally could not happen. The generosity of this community never ceases to amaze me. Each time we have a need, you rise to the challenge and help us meet it and we are so grateful.

I am blessed to be surrounded by a community so wholly dedicated to our Holy Cross mission of educating both the minds and the hearts of our students. That looks different for each child, and your generosity allows us to provide the depth

and breadth of experiences that exist at Gilmour, in state-of-the-art facilities, with faculty and staff personalizing their experience every step of the way.

The theme for this school year is “Option for the Poor,” which is about far more than just doing service. This charism calls us to come together, to stand side-by-side as a family, and to give of ourselves, in whatever way we can, so that no one is left behind. That is exactly what you, our loyal supporters, are doing. Thank you for being part of the important work we do here at Gilmour. Your generosity is truly making a difference.

May God bless you and all you love,

Kathleen C. Kenny Head of School

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