A L U M NI
From the
Jays’ NEST Rara avis…It must be a mere coincidence that Buddy Diliberto graduatAt the L.A. Reunion were Dean Cochran ’87, with ed from Jesuit High School in 1948, his wife, Brandi, and Tommy Bourgeois ’70, with around the same time that idiolect his wife, Ann. began to be included in our collegiate dictionaries. Buddy D., his moniker Buddy D. hits the deck after taking a “punch” for many years, possessed an idiolect from Emile Bordenave ’48 during rehearsal for the like no other in the world of sports Philelectic play “Who Ride on White Horses.” broadcasting. His untimely death in The photo was originally published in the April 5, early January triggered a trip to our 1948 edition of the Blue Jay. morgue, that is, archives, which are a rich depository of Jesuit history, memorabilia, and reams of significant trivia. Where else could we discover Schroeder ’74 is a lawyer-screenwriter who wrote “A that Bernard, as he was known then, Boyfriend for Christmas” which aired on the Hallmark led a relatively quiet life while a stucable channel (read The Times-Picayune article about dent at Jesuit? Sure, he was a member Schroeder on page 11). His brother, James Schroeder of the Philelectic Society and had ’84 is also a lawyer. Sean Stratton ’83 works in film small parts in some plays. He played post production for Universal Studios. Jim Reeves IV junior varsity baseball. He was president of his sophomore class and ’82 is with the Screen Actors Guild. N ate Frizzell, Jr. ’00 is an secretary of his senior class. But who would have thought that actor. Grahme Perez ’88 is a filmmaker. Michael Lange ’66 is Bernard would become Buddy D., the legendary sports broadcaster director of communications for the Los Angeles Times. John who taught the “Aints” how to lose graciously by wearing Mouledoux ’73 is director of institutional communications for Schwegmann’s grocery bags over their heads? He once professed to UCLA. After 2-3 hours of conversing about all things Jesuit, it’s have a great interest in writing and sports but, as a student, was not always interesting to gauge the reaction of the ladies, especially the a reporter or editor with the Blue Jay. Buddy D. did not experience ones who up until that night had never been exposed to Blue Jay lapsus linguae when he told a reporter for the Blue Jay in 1982 that Spirit. One fiancé, who shall remain nameless, was overwhelmed by his Jesuit years were formative in pushing him toward a career in the “Jesuit Open House” video that was shown following dinner. “I journalism. “The Latin and Greek courses I took helped my mind had no idea Jesuit is so special,” she said, tears welling in her eyes. to function much sharper when I went to college,” he said. Then Her future husband, who also shall remain anonymous, sheepishly Buddy D. dispensed this timeless bit of advice to Blue Jays some 23 replied, “I tried to tell you, but it was hard to describe.” If you, too, years ago: “If you are not 100% sure of what lifetime career you want to get the woman in your life emotional, send the alumni office would like to pursue, don’t worry…Apply yourself, read a lot, and $10 and we’ll mail you the “Jesuit Open House” video on DVD. take a lot of English courses. English courses are very important Blue Jay Kudos…Actor Jay Thomas ’66 could not attend the because they prepare you in many other areas. I, myself, didn’t realL.A. reunion because he’s busy working in New York at Sirius ize the importance of English and writing courses when in high Satellite Radio, where he has a daily (1-4 p.m. CST) talk program on school. But I now see how very necessary they really were.” Channel 148. If you could only have heard what he said the other Come Together—The L.A. Reunion…It sure was a blast getting day about Mother’s Restaurant… Grant Estrade ’98, who owns together with other alumni in the Los Angeles area. The reunion in Laughing Buddha Nursery, and musician Ian Neville ’00 were two January attracted some 40 alumni, including several wives, fiancés, Blue Jays honored on the “40 Under 40” list published by Gambit and girlfriends to Maggiano’s, an Italian bistro near Sunset Strip. Weekly… Juan Barona ’82 was presented with the Golden Patron years agooninWheels memory of years their deceased Many of our alumni are working in the entertainment Several industry. award by Meals for his many of devoted service to Tommy Bourgeois ’70 is the senior director of program classmate, practices the organization that serves one hot meal each day to more 1992 Michael Moran, members of the Class ofthan for CBS and UPN, two networks owned by Viacom. Tommy’s wife, 1,000 homebound elders… Mitch Landrieu Mike ’78, Louisiana’s lieufounded the Friends of Michael Moran Foundation. died in January Ann Toler, is a producer for “Designer’s Challenge,” a program seen tenant governor, wasfora recipient of the League’s 1999 after battling leukemia more than twoAnti-Defamation years. on HGTV. Dean Cochran ’87 is an actor (check out deanA.I. Botnickthe Torch of Liberty Award…Dr. Frankhas Philip Incaprera From the beginning purpose of the foundation been to honor cochran.com). His wife, Brandi, is a former Miss USA and a model ’44 will be honored April 23, 2005 with the Spirit of Charity Michael Moran through the financial support of St. Jude Children’s on “The Price is Right” (check out brandisherwood.com). Roger continued on Page 26 Research Hospital in Memphis and those Jesuit students unable to pay Winter 2004 • 2005 3
GUEST AUTHOR
Jason Brown '02, currently a junior Foundation Fellow at the University of Georgia at Athens, is pursuing dual degrees in biology and political science. He plans to attend medical school and obtain a medical doctorate and a masters of public health with a concentration in health policy and administration. Jason’s travels with the Foundation Fellows have taken him to four continents, and he plans to add a fifth this summer. In addition to conquering Kilimanjaro while in Tanzania, Jason studied Swahili and tropical biology. His Tanzanian travels took him from spotting the Great Migration in the plains of the Serengeti to swimming in the Indian Ocean off the coast of Zanzibar.
Conquering Kilimanjaro: Mission Accomplished In the jungles of Ecuador, the sun was mystic, shrouded by fog. In Prague, it reflected in a wash of colors readily visible from the Charles Bridge. On the roof of Africa, it begins to rise, but I hardly notice it. Appreciating aesthetics is not necessarily at the forefront of my mind as I pass through waves of consciousness on the side of a dormant volcano. It’s –5°F, and I am seeing snow for only the third time in my life. The wind is battering me, and my face is turning blue, a consequence of climbing all night without a balaclava. My vision blurred, 200m away from my intended target, I sit at Gilman’s Point realizing my water supply is frozen solid, and I am out of food. It’s about 5:00 a.m. I should have stayed in bed. I have been climbing for over four days now. I’ve never done anything like this, and it hits me: maybe I should have done more over the past few months to train than running six miles a week on an indoor track and taking Flintstone vitamins with my morning cereal. My body convulses in agreement as I breathe deeply but can feel no air enter my lungs, a testament to how thin the air really is. I feel more acutely aware of it than my fellow climbers, as I was born in the Crescent City, where the air is so thick one can almost see it. I don’t trust air I can’t see. Do I go on? The guides aren’t so sure, but they wait to pass judgement. Meanwhile, I pass out again, for the third time. Despite my lack of climbing prowess and obvious current medical peril, I am apparently making a better showing than many of the group. The guides are forcing seven of the eighteen climbers to go down. Among those seven are a few veterans of the Appalachian Trail and a few varsity athletes. That's how it is on Mt. Kilimanjaro in northern Tanzania—sometimes rhyme and reason flee and companions descend. I clutch the cross I received at a Kairos retreat during my junior year. I look up to the sky, eek out a prayer, and suddenly become very relaxed. I can breathe properly again! My legs are regaining sensation, and my lungs are no longer pounding as though I have just run a marathon. Standing up, much to the amazement of the guides
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Jason Brown in ’02
and a few friends of mine, I give a knowing glance to the sky, realizing what it was that has just helped me, realizing why it is that I am here. I feel my family. I feel my friends. I feel AMDG. The sunrise is brilliant, as it reflects off the glaciers crowning the sleeping volcano. Its brilliance, however, wanes in comparison to the feeling I have just had at Gilman’s Point—the feeling that has carried me the final hour and a half to Uhuru Peak. I am at over 19,000 feet, a few thousand feet from the “Death Zone” in which the human brain can spontaneously shut down. The wind is blowing at over 30mph, my toes are almost frostbitten, and dehydration is beginning to kick in, but strangely, as the Beatles sang…I feel fine.
The Life of Saint By REV. NORMAN O’NEAL, S.J.
Fr. Norman O'Neal has ser ved at Jesuit High School for a long time, 43 years to be exact. Most alumni know Fr. O'Neal as a science teacher. Retired from the classr oom for several years, Fr. O'Neal now ser ves as the Alumni Chaplain. As such, he often is the main celebrant at reunion Masses and weddings; and each year he offers alumni the oppor tunity to experience the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius Loyola. Several years ago Fr. O'Neal put down on paper the stor y of his order’s founder, St. Ignatius. This booklet has proved helpful to many people who wished to know more about this man whose life continues to influence people today. Over the next several issues of Jaynotes, Fr. O’Neal’s stor y of St. Ignatius will be serialized. But if you need the whole stor y all at once, contact the Jesuit Provincial Of fice for information on receiving a booklet. The office phone numbers are (504) 8274043 or 1-800-788-1719.
Early Life of Saint Ignatius Inigo de Loyola was born in 1491 in Azpeitia in the Basque province of Guipuzcoa in northern Spain. He was the youngest of thirteen children. At the age of about sixteen years, he was sent to serve as a page to Juan Velazquez, the treasurer of the kingdom of Castile. As a member of the Velazquez household, he was frequently at court and developed a taste for all it presented, especially the ladies. He was much addicted to gambling, very contentious, and not above engaging in swordplay on occasion. In fact, in a dispute between the Loyolas and another family, Ignatius and his brother plus some relatives ambushed at night some clerics who were members of the other family. Ignatius had to flee the town. When finally brought to justice, he claimed clerical immunity using the defense that he had received the tonsure as a boy and was therefore exempt from civil prosecution. The defense was specious because Ignatius had for years gone about in the dress of a fighting man, wearing a coat of mail and breastplate, and carrying a sword and other sorts of arms, certainly not the garb normally worn by a cleric. The case dragged on for weeks, but the Loyolas were apparently powerful. Probably through the influence of higher-ups, the case against Ignatius was dropped. Eventually he found himself at the age of 30 in May of 1521 as an officer defending the fortress of the town of Pamplona against the French, who claimed the territory as their own against Spain. The Spaniards were terribly outnumbered and the commander of the Spanish forces wanted to surrender, but Ignatius convinced him to fight on for the honor of Spain, if not for victory. During the battle a cannon ball struck Ignatius, wounding one leg and breaking the other. Because they admired his courage, the French 6
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F. W I N T E R T R A P O L I N ’ 3 1 This photo is from the 1931 yearbook and features Trapolin (bottom row, middle) on the Rifle Team.
a scoreboard up there and they were getting a signal from the field of a game some place up north. But the signal was abbreviated, so the guy who’s listening knew what to say. He would elaborate on it. … and Joe is now up to bat and his record is so-and-so. And oh, he swung at the first one and he missed it.” He was just making it up from the signals that he got. Maybe a thousand people were out there two thousand people. And that’s what they were hearing…that manufactured story about the game.
J: What was spirit like at the school? We hear the phrase “Blue Jay Spirit.” Back then did you guys use the phrase “Blue Jay Spirit”? WT: Yes. It was very important and very obvious. I don’t ever remember having any student criticizing the faculty, the staff, school policy…never in the four years I was here. Never heard a student criticizing what was going on in the school. Now that develops school spirit. And a pride in the school. And it was based on not criticizing and feeling ill about what was going on. So we were proud about Jesuits. And that spilled over into everything. I never missed a ball game. In the stands it was deafening, when we were doing well and quiet when we weren’t. But mostly we were doing well. J: You mentioned earlier that you were involved in the Philelectic Society. Were you involved in any other extracurriculars? WT: I was very active on the campus after my first year. I can remember that in my third year they assigned me a good part in the play, but I wasn’t doing as well as I wanted to in my classes because I was so busy doing other things, important things, so I didn’t go into the play because I wanted to spend more time on my lessons. I was very active. J: What other activities were you involved in? WT: In my fourth year I was very active in the Blue Jay Cadets. Jesuits sent a big group of people to the first class that was held for the Citizens Military Training Camps in Louisiana. And so when those people came back from the camp, the Jesuits started the Blue Jay Cadets. And I ended up the president of it. The whole country had CMTC. Older teenagers went to a camp for a month and learned how to drill. I remember shooting a machine gun. I won a prize in that…rifles. I was on the Rifle Team. We sent a team to some national meet. And that’s about what we did. Drilled and gun practice. J: You attended Jesuit during the Great Depression. What was that like for you, your family, other students and families, and for Jesuit High School? WT: The Depression was the reason they took me. My parents could afford the whole tuition. So they took this miserable guy and let him be a student. I am totally convinced that the condition that I was in before I came to Jesuits, being so poor in ability, that if I were running the school I would not have accepted me. This was an impossible situation. I consider it a miracle what Jesuit did for me in that first year. J: What was the main form of entertainment when you were in high school? WT: Radio was a big thing. We had no television. After Loyola, I remember going past the Times-Picayune building and they had a platform with
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J: You’ve lived a long life, 92 years to be exact. What changes have you seen in society during your lifetime that have impressed you the most? WT: The things that have bothered me have been the things I see on television with the women with breasts almost poppin’ out of what they have on and the conversation that I hear on radio—sometimes blasphemous. It’s just surprising to me that there is this sort of thing. J: What about on the positive side? What changes have you seen that you would consider to be good changes? WT: Integration. I was very involved with integration. It was a difficult situation to be speaking in the south of the rights of black people. I had some real problems with people who disagreed with me. Eventually we had integration, and black people have been accepted and I see them at all levels in Louisiana. In New Orleans we have a black mayor of the city who is doing a good job, very much respected. Now this is complete opposite from the way it was when I was working on integration. I saw some ugliness. J: How were you involved in the Civil Rights Movement? WT: It started at Loyola. Fr. Louis Toomey came there to talk about integration. He encouraged us to be active on the campus. I became friendly with him and he’s the one who got me started with integration and respect for black people. I introduced it to organizations which then adopted it. J: Have you followed your Alma Mater, Jesuit High School, through the years? Have you kept up with it? WT: Always. Always read the sports page and check on what’s going on. I’m very proud to have been at Jesuit. I can’t help but be interested in what happens here. I think Fr. McGinn has done a fantastic job, and I’m glad to see the Jesuit order has left him here to continue working. When I was here, the longest a Jesuit could stay was six years. J: So thinking back on it, how do you think Jesuit prepared you for college and for life? WT: I feel deeply in debt to Jesuit for getting me started on the right track; teaching me how to think and how to study. I know it had an effect on my whole life. I’m very thankful for that. I feel that Jesuit gave me sound religious principles that guided me my whole life and meant happiness for me because I was friendly with God. And that’s important. It made me a better husband, it made me a better father, it prepared me for my many civic activities, and it made me a success in business. It qualified me for the promotions that I made in the military, and it certainly had something to do with my biography, which is now printed in Who’s Who in the World. And when I compare that with what I was before I came to Jesuit, what a difference. I became a successful, happy man, contributing to the whole world.
W H E R E Y ’ AT
Harold F. Dittmann, Sr. ’43 trained for six months at Fort Bragg, N.C. just three days after graduation. He spent the following three years in the U.S. Infantry and was among the first to land on Normandy. He was the assistant Catholic Chaplain and battlefield medic. He was involved in five major battles, wounded twice, and honored with the Bronze Star twice. In 1945 he attended Loyola University New Orleans to earn a degree in psychology and then he went to Tulane Medical where he graduated as a clinical psychologist and biofeedback therapist. Harold survived cancer surgery and is now classified as cured. He retired after 33 years of practice. “The rest is up to God,” says Harold. Earl Higgins ’59 retired in 2002 after 26-plus years as assistant director of staff attorneys at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. He is also a retired commander, U.S. Naval Reserve. In addition to being a freelance writer, Earl is a part-time National Park Service ranger in the Barataria Preserve of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park near Marrero and Crown Point. Tom Kitchen ’65 was recently named chief financial officer and executive vice-president of Stewart Enterprises, Inc., the Metairie based funeral services provider. Kitchen joined the company's board of directors in February 2004 and will continue to serve as a board member. Tom comes to Stewart from Equitas Capital Advisors, LLC where he served as an investment management consultant. During a 25-year career with Avondale Industries, he served at various times as chief financial officer, president, and board member. Tom also volunteers as chairman of the President’s Advisory Council of Jesuit High School. He and his wife Connie live in Lakeview. Ashton J. Ryan, Jr. ’65 has been appointed to the board of directors of Stewart Enterprises. Ryan serves as president and chief executive officer of Firstrust Corp. and its lead bank subsidiary, First Bank and Trust. Bruce M. Guenin ’66 is working at Sun Microsystems in San Diego. He leads a team involved with the exploration of hardware architectures in the design of a supercomputer, which, if built, would be the most powerful one to date. The core technology exploited in these designs, developed by Sun Labs, received the Wall Street Journal’s 2004 Technology Innovation Award. Bruce is also an associate editor of a technical trade publication, and the chairman of an electronics industry standards committee. He and his wife, Anita, are enjoying San Diego very much. The weather and wide range of activities are unbeatable. Bruce has spent a fair amount of time sailing, and still enjoys playing classical guitar. His son, John, graduated from the University of Virginia last year and is gainfully employed as a computer professional by the university. Henri M. Louapre ’69 has been named chairman of the board for Loubat Equipment Company. He has served as president since 1994.
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Kenneth Williams ’75 was recently promoted to associate professor with tenure in the School of Music at Ohio State University. He has presented scholarly papers on cross-cultural training of piano teachers for the European Piano Teachers Association in Budapest and the International Society for Music Education in Stavanger, Norway. He publishes frequently in music journals, and received the “Article of the Year Award” from the Music Teachers National Association for an article in American Music Teacher. He is currently serving a two-year term on the board of directors for the Music Teachers National Association. During the summers he teaches piano at the Interlochen Center for the Arts near Traverse City, Michigan. His wife, Hild Peersen, is a professional clarinetist; and they enjoy performing music for piano and clarinet. They live in Columbus, Ohio. Gregory Roberts ’77 is in his fifth year as dean of students at Bishop Brady High School, in Concord, NH. He took over as head varsity football coach for the Brady Giants this fall and led Brady to its first undefeated regular season (9-0). His oldest son, Erik, is a sophomore engineering student at Virginia Tech and a member of the lacrosse team. His daughter, Jessica, is a sophomore at Brady and helped the girls lacrosse team to an undefeated state championship season; she is an All-American cheerleader and participated at the BCS Championship game at the Orange Bowl this past January. Scott Mattson ’78 has been promoted to major in the Wyoming Air National Guard, serving as inspector general for 153 aircraft wing; Scott is also finishing his seventh year of teaching junior high school. John Meyer ’78 was named assistant chief of staff for information architecture for the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command, headquartered at Stennis Space Center, MS. He received a BS in Computer Science from the College of Mechanical Engineering at Tulane University and an MS in National Resourcing Strategies from the National Defense University in Washington, DC. In this new position, he is responsible for all matters relating to Information Architecture—including governance, data, applications, and infrastructure— for the global operational Naval METOC command. He married the girl he dated at the Jesuit Military Ball in his sophomore year and has three children, ages 21, 15 and 6, as well as a new granddaughter, born November 17, 2004. Patrick J. Veters ’79 with his wife, Susie, are the proud parents of two Blue Jays, namely Christopher, a sophomore, and Ryan, a prefreshman. A third son, Michael, is in 5th grade at St. Dominic's. Christopher and Ryan are fourth generation Blue Jays. Pat and Susie both serve on the board of directors of Willwoods Community, which oversees the operation of Malta Park, Malta Square, and Malta Court, all of which provide assisted living residences for the elderly in the New Orleans area. The Willwoods Community board also oversees the
operation of WLAE-TV, the official television station of the Archdiocese of New Orleans. During the past year, Pat also was elected to serve on the board of regents for Our Lady of Holy Cross College. George Kingsmill ’80 lives in New Albany, Ohio with his wife Katherine and their children Kate (see Bib List), Anna-Kennon (7), and Dustin (16). George is currently the vice-president of stores and operations for Limited Too, a New Albany-based clothing store that targets “tween” girls with 575 locations. Nicholas A. Sensley ’80, MBA, is the owner and chief solutions officer of Cross-Sector Solutions, LLC, an international consulting firm that facilitates problem-solving processes to the benefit of communities around the world. John E. Paisant, Jr. ’81 opened his own Lakefront restaurant, Pontchartrain Point Café (located where the old West End Café used to be). Pontchartrain Point Café opened in December 2004 and John says that many Blue Jay alumni are regulars. Prior to venturing out on his own, John spent 13 years at Semolina’s where he last served as chief operations officer. Gregory P. Maurin ’83 teaches theology at Jesuit High School in Tampa and also serves as assistant coach for the cross country team, which won its third state title this year. He has completed ten marathons, and recently finished the Philadelphia Marathon in 3 hours and 15 minutes—averaging 7:27 per mile for the 26.2 mile distance. He is now qualified to run in the prestigious Boston Marathon in April 2005. Pablo E. Carrillo ’87 is on the staff of U.S. Sen. John McCain and has recently worked on several high profile Congressional issues, including the 2005 defense authorization bill. John B. Maitrejean II ’91 recently left the Navy after serving nine years as an aviator, completing his last tour at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C. John is currently pursuing his MBA at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. After graduation, he will be pursuing a career in marketing and business development. John can be reached at jmaitrejean2006@kellogg.northwestern.edu. Sean Higgins ’92 graduated from Oglethorpe University and now lives in New Boston, New Hampshire, where he displays “Live Free or Die” on his truck’s license plates. He works for Toadstool Books. His wife, Julie, has New Hampshire plates on her car that are personalized with “Where Y’at”—and she’s not even from New Orleans! Mark B. Heim ’94 is a sports copy editor for the Mobile News Register, and his wife, Amy, is principal of St. Vincent dePaul School in West Mobile. Etienne R. Sabate ’94, a captain in the U.S. Army Artillery, has been given the command to “stand up” a new battery under re-organization plans of the Third Infantry Division. His new
A L U M NI WHERE Y’AT, MAN? unit has been field tested in California, Louisiana, and at its base in Fort Stewart, GA, near Savannah, for return to Iraq in 2005. Alex Schott ’94 received his master’s in film from Chapman University in 2002. In December 2004, he was appointed director of the governor’s office of film and television development. He currently resides in Metairie with his wife, Kelly. Tevis B. Vandergriff IV ’94 reports that his rugby club just completed the first 8-0 record in Division I Mid-Atlantic Rugby Football Union history. The Charlotte Rugby Football Club’s average margin of victory was 30 points. Tevis reports, “For any ruggers out there, this tighthead prop will see you on the pitch. Finally, to my fellow Blue Jays, especially my ’94 classmates, I hope all is well and please let me know if anyone is in or will be in the Charlotte area. My email is tevisv@excite.com Cheers!” Marcus Scott ’95 recently moved to the Houston area where he serves as the director of operations at an inner city charter school. He earned a masters degree in organizational management in April ’04 from the University of Phoenix. Matthew Higgins ’96 graduated from UNO, followed the lead of his patron saint, and is now a tax officer with the Louisiana State Department of Revenue and Taxation in New Orleans. Greg Wilde ’96 recently married Dr. Jennifer Genuard. The ceremony was held at Georgetown University. Blue Jays Brian Usher ’97, Lee Kwan ’96, Taylor Norton ’98, Mike Paulhus ’96, Steve Serio ’96, and Mark Wilde ’98 were in attendance. The newlyweds are completing their residencies at Christiana Medical Facility in Wilmington, Delaware. Stewart R. Shields ’97 works at Planning Associates of Louisiana, LLC Mass Mutual Financial Group in Financial Services where he provides small business owners with financial solutions. He also authored and published a book, The Genesis War: First Prophecy. He married July 10, 2004 and now lives in Mandeville. Eric Cusimano ’97 is currently vice-president of creative development for Maxso Entertainment Group, a production company that revolves around the LiL Maxso Brand. In case you’re wondering, LiL Maxso is six-yearsold and is billed as the world’s youngest rapper. Eric also has been doing some session guitar work—his “real passion”—for Virgin Records. Ryan J. Morehead ’98 graduated with a BBA in banking and finance from Mississippi State in May 2002. He received his MBA from UNO in May 2004. He recently married Jessica Fontenot of Lake Charles. Ryan enjoys refereeing high school and college basketball games and umpiring high school and college baseball games. Emile Louapre ’99 graduated from the University of Colorado in 2003 in Political Science. He has recently moved back to New
LET US KNOW AT JESUIT HIGH. You enjoy reading about fellow Blue Jay alumni. They enjoy reading about you. Take a couple of minutes to tell them WHERE Y’AT, MAN!
Mail to Jaynotes, Alumni Office, Jesuit High School, 4133 Banks St., New Orleans, LA 70119 or email to alumni@jesuitnola.org.
Name Class Phone (day) Phone (evening) FAX E-mail Address City
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News about yourself (or other grads); please limit your entry to 100 words:
Orleans and is working as a manager for Reginelli’s Pizzeria in Kenner. Christian Higgins ’00 graduated from the University of Florida in May 2004 and is teaching English to bored, uncooperative French high school students in Rouen, Normandy, France. Justin Kurtz ’00 graduated in May 2004 from the College of Charleston in South Carolina. He completed his Bachelor of Humanities and Social Sciences degree in English and his Bachelor of Arts degree in Theatre (scenic design.) He is currently a student at the Culinary Institute of America, “the world’s premier culinary college,” earning his degree in baking and pastry arts. Robert J. Conrad III ’00 graduated from Washington and Lee University in June 2004. He works in D.C. as an analyst for New Media Strategies, an online marketing firm. Chris Zainey ’01 was selected as a Senior Class Favorite at the University of Mississippi. He was also named to Who’s Who in America’s Colleges and Universities. Chris is majoring in
journalism and political science and will graduate in May 2005. Brad Borne ’03 is attending college at Spring Hill in Mobile. Presently he is a sophomore and is studying psychology, with a minor in film. Kevin Bray ’04 has received the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) Frank J. Corsaro Scholarship. Bray attends the University of Florida and is majoring in biomedical engineering. Scholarship winners are selected on academic merit.
Please remember Jesuit High School in your will. Call 504483-3813 for more information about Planned Giving. Winter 2004 • 2005 13
THANKSGIVING DRIVE
Thanksgiving Drive 2004 “From thy bounty…” In a school of many great traditions, one of Jesuit’s greatest traditions is the annual Thanksgiving Drive. For at least seven decades, Jesuit students have been providing needy families of New Orleans with a basket of food at Thanksgiving. What began as an event sponsored by the school’s Sodality now is overseen by the Service Projects Director and is homeroom based. Every student, every Blue Jay participates in the drive. Current Service Projects Director, Helen Brewer, guided this year’s Blue Jays through all aspects of this “great endeavor,” as she refers to the drive. The Jesuit High School family fed 546 families, the most ever. Each of Jesuit's forty-eight homerooms adopted at least seven families; two homerooms provided for ten families. Others participate, too. The secretarial staff, the administrative team, the librarians, the student council, the CLC, and the Key Club all adopted families. Even a few individual teachers and their families adopted families. And then there’s the Class of 1983. All they do is provide turkeys for all but 25 families. Brennan’s Restaurant provides 25 extralarge turkeys for the larger families being fed. The Class of ’83 also provides all the food items for 175 families, food items which Jesuit’s Alumni Association organizes, packages, and delivers. As early as August, Brewer begins receiving letters from families requesting a basket. After the drive the homerooms fill out evaluation forms on each family thus providing important information as to the families’ neediness. An important element of the drive remains that students actually deliver the baskets to the families so they see what they are doing, why they are doing it, and for whom they are doing it. Ryan Cabos ’09 of Homeroom 807 had this very experience. “We delivered food to a family with eight children. The bedroom was in the kitchen. Beds were next to the stove. Delivering the food felt good. They needed it.” For many members of the Jesuit family, the day before Thanksgiving simply is the best day of the year. And that day begins early. Marc and Darlene Robert, parents of alumnus Marc ’04, open their Canal Street grocery at 5 a.m.—at their expense—so that students can purchase the perishable items to fill out their baskets, and at a discounted price. While shopping, the students get to enjoy a hot breakfast compliments of the Robert family. Then it’s back to school for the prayer service and delivery of the baskets. In the midst of the delivery of the Thanksgiving baskets, there are stories, many I’m sure we don’t even know about. But we do know about two of this year's stories. 14 JAYNotes
One of Jesuit’s teachers stopped at Robert’s grocery on his way home to purchase some items for the house. He spotted one of his students and his father filling up a cart with all the ingredients of a Thanksgiving basket, including a turkey. The teacher knew they had already delivered a basket to a family. When this teacher questioned the student, he found out that while delivering a basket to a family the student and his father had met a neighbor whose basket had not been delivered. The neighbor would soon receive a Thanksgiving basket due to the generosity of the student and his father. Another recipient of a Thanksgiving basket called a homeroom teacher to express her gratitude and speak about the young man who delivered her basket. During a conversation with the student and his father, she mentioned that her family has problems during the winter because their gas heaters are not connected and she has difficulties getting them connected. The cold weather is a problem for her family. Some time later the young man and his father returned with, not one, but two electric heaters. Blue Jay Spirit is alive and well. The Thanksgiving drive unfolds in phases, beginning with, of course, fundraising efforts in the various homerooms. On the day itself, students gather at Robert’s Market. In the second photo from the left, senior Ernesto Posedas weighs a couple of heads of lettuce while (top photo) English teacher Gale Alexander supervises grocery buying with her seniors, from left, Matthew Farmer, Leo Lasecki, Bryan Hayes, Sean Brennan, Alex Wheatley, and Eric Simmons; in middle photo, Paul Fitzmorris ’06 and Jason Papale ’06 carry groceries up the steps to a waiting family. Photo at right: (l-r) David Castillo ’06, John Love ’08, Bola Akingbola ’06.
A L U M NI
BLUE JAY FOOTBALL
On the Air…and On the Net Indeed, Jesuit football was on the air successfully used this service for its final again this season. And, once again, Jesuit game and found that 1,395 fans around fans around the world could access the the world listened to the game via the broadcast via the Internet. Danny Internet. This figure ranked the one Riehm ’00 once again handled the playJesuit football game 27th out of the by-play. Jude Young ’95 joined the seventy-seven organizations using broadcast team as the analyst and color Broadcast Monsters during November— commentator. Jude brought to the team and several of those organizations some radio experience as he already hosts streamed two, three, or even four a weekly fantasy football program. programs. Danny, of course, honed his announcing The day of 34,000 fans attending a skills as the voice of the Jays over the past regular season prep football game may four years, actually beginning as the sidebe “history”; but with the fans at the line reporter for the original announcer. Blue Jay announcers Danny Riehm ’00 (left) game, the radio listeners, and the Broadcasting a game is no small pro- and Jude Young ’95 enjoy calling the action. online “streamers,” Jesuit football may duction. First, airtime has to be found, just have that many followers for each sometimes a tricky proposition. Listeners may have noticed that no of its games next season. single station was the “home” of Jesuit football. In fact, three difSeveral Jays wrote in with their reaction to the broadcasts: ferent stations carried the four broadcasts. The week before a game, “This is awesome. Got some other Jesuit guys in Atlanta that I will pass Jesuit's Director of Development and Public Relations, this on to.” Pierre DeGruy ’69, would search for available airtime. Because Beau Higgins ’85 of commitments to carry other programming, the same station was Atlanta, GA not always available. For instance, WTIX-AM was available for “Thanks for the notice (about the broadcast). Dallas Jesuit is doing the Friday night games but not Saturday games because of its commitsame thing at the same time. The results are highly popular, even better ment to broadcast Tulane football games. On the other hand, when we win.” BizRadio WGSO was available for Saturday games, but not Friday Fr. Phil Postell, S.J. ’56 night games. And for the playoff game against East St. John, only President, Jesuit College Prep Dallas, TX Slidell station WSLA was available. Add to this equation the need for a station that streams its broadcasts over the Internet, and the “I have been following the team’s season from over here in the Dallas web becomes quite tangled. But DeGruy came through, putting area. Congratulations are in order for Coach Eumont and the team. Going undefeated during regular season is a significant accomplishment. four of the final five games on the air. It is hard for me to believe that I was a freshman at Jesuit the last time we While DeGruy was working his magic to find airtime and get went undefeated. I wish that I could be at Tad Gormley Friday night to the message out to alumni around the world, his office-mate, Mat help cheer the Blue Jays to victory.” Grau ’68, Jesuit’s Alumni Director, was organizing all the Gary Bougere ’66 wrap-around material for Danny and Jude. Pre-game and halftime Dallas, TX guests had to be recruited, questions had to be created, and back“I’m listening from Bangkok, Thailand. I’m here traveling on business. ground information had to be researched. Then reports of school The broadcasts are great.” events-—such as alumni reunions, Homecoming events, and Open Al Esparza ’80 Bangkok, Thailand House—had to be put down on paper for Danny and Jude to “advertise” during the broadcast. “This is outrageously great. I even got a Holy Cross guy (another Nawlins expatriate who lives and breathes for the old days in our old And, of course, Danny and Jude had their work to do: home town) to listen in. We need more of this. Want a stronger alumni researching the Jays’ opponent, updating statistics, and sharpening association? Broadcast ALL the sports….It gives us that instant tie back their knowledge of the prep football scene in the city and even the to the old alma mater….This is how Notre Dame hangs their centuriesstate. old alums together….My father broadcast Notre Dame football on netThe result was quite a professional production. And one that work radio for 16 years. Before his death, Fr. Edmond Joyce (VP of ND Athletics for centuries) was quoted as saying that the network radio covwill only improve with age. Next year look for—really, listen forerage of ND’s football games was the single most important communica—-increased statistics coverage during the game due to the additions tool Notre Dame had for gluing the alumni and the subway alumni tion of student statisticians. And look for enhanced streaming together—NATIONWIDE! And gaining their unending support for service provided by Broadcast Monsters, a national service that what has become the second most endowed university in the world.” provides for broadcasts via the Internet regardless of the station Russ Wester ’65 carrying the game or even if the game is being broadcast. Jesuit Baltimore, MD Fall 2004
17
S W I M M I NG
18! Two years ago Jesuit’s swimming team was tied with Acadia High School’s volleyball team for most consecutive State Championships in LHSAA history. Last year when Acadia’s volleyball team lost and Jesuit’s swimming team won at the State Meet, the record belonged to the Blue Jays. This past fall the 2004 Jesuit Swimming Team extended the streak to 18 when they once again captured the State Title. This incredible streak of championships started in 1988 when many of the swimmers on today’s team were not even born. Since then, the Jays have won every District, City, and State Championship…18 legendary years! The most impressive aspect of this run has been that each team in these 18 years has been unique. And, again, this year’s team proved no exception. Early in the year another coach referred to this team as “Robert Casey and a bunch of no-names.” Well, here are the State Champion “no-names.” Seniors Jeremy Call Rober t Casey* Sean Gipson Michael Heier Matt Juge Brian LeBon Wayne Pierce Aaron Ranson Alden Settoon* Alex Wheatley * captains
Juniors Cor y Bender C. Chamberlain Jef f Ganucheau Michael Grennan Ryan Hathaway Matthew Hobbs Cullen Wheatley
Sophomores Kyle Bradford Michael Collins Matt Gassan Ian Hoerner G. Malbrough Mar tin Roth Santi Rodriguez Chris Staudinger
Freshmen Napoleon Beniot A. Bevinetto Chris Brodt F. DeBraum Brandon Har vey Jay McKinnie John Tor torich
This was a team, with each swimmer contributing to this victorious season. This was not a Jesuit team loaded with Division I prospects and super-stars; rather, this was a team in which every swimmer realized his role and executed it to the best of his ability. The dual meets began in September with the Jays traveling to south Louisiana to swim against Vandebilt Catholic High School. After defeating Vandebilt, the Jays traveled Uptown to defeat the Greenies of Newman. Due to Hurricane Ivan, the team lost almost a week of practice and was forced to rearrange the dual meet schedule. The next meet matched the Jays against Br. Martin, which was defeated by a Jesuit team that was starting to swim well. The last dual meet of the season featured Rummel, which had a strong team this year. But the men in blue and white prevailed to end the season with a perfect dual meet record. Then the second season began. The District Meet proved to be a measuring tool of where the Jays were in preparation for the State Meet. At this point in the season the times from this meet can be a great indicator of how well the men will swim at State. The team swam well in the first of the “big three” (District, City, and State), defeating the opposition with many of the Jays swimming their best times to date. The Metro Championships, known to the older swimmers as “City,” turned out to be the fastest meet of the year up to this point. The Metro Meet allows schools from all different divisions to compete against one another, which is unique because in district and state the competition is limited to divisional opponents. The team won the meet to extend its city/metro winning streak to 22 consecutive years. Incredibly, the Jesuit Swimming Team has won this meet every year since 1984. Again this year the State Championship meet was held at the Kiefer Lakefront Arena. The meet featured over 500 swimmers, all competing to be the best in Division I. After looking over the heat sheets for the two-day competi20 JAYNotes
tion, it was obvious that this meet would be between Catholic High of Baton Rouge and Jesuit. The Jays’ results at the State Meet are as follows: 200 Medley Relay
200 Free 4th
5th 7th 8th 200 IM 2nd
4th 5th 8th 50 Free 1st
3rd 5th 7th 100 Fly 2nd
4th 5th 12th 100 Free 1st
4th 6th 7th 500 Free 2nd
3rd 5th 14th 200 Free Relay
4th place
1:40.74
Sean Gipson Wayne Pierce John Tortorich Aaron Ranson
Back Breast Fly Free
Michael Heier
1:48.75
Ryan Hathaway Michael Grennan Cullen Wheatley
1:49.66 1:51.89 1:53.72
Robert Casey
1:56.49 AAC
John Tortorich Alden Settoon Brandon Harvey
2:01.42 2:02.37 2:07.77
Aaron Ranson
22.38
Alex Wheatley Cory Bender Sean Gipson
22.74 22.92 23.43
John Tortorich
52.93
Cameron Chamberlain54.44 Garrett Malbrough 55.28 Jeremy Call 57.10 Robert Casey
47.99
Alden Settoon Alex Wheatley Cullen Wheatley
49.18 50.03 50.93
Ryan Hathaway
4:58.76
Michael Grennan Michael Heier Chris Brodt
5:01.08 5:03.36 5:19.17
1st Place
1:28.41
Cameron Chamberlain Aaron Ranson Robert Casey Alden Settoon 100 Back 4th
5th 9th 100 Breast 8th
9th 13th 15th
Sean Gipson
56.26
Garrett Malbrough 56.63 Cameron Chamberlain59.49 Wayne Pierce
1:04.24
Michael Collins Chris Staudinger Napoleon Benoit
1:04.92 1:06.94 1:07.93
J E S U I T T O D AY
CROSS COUN TRY
The 400 Free Relay team was so excited about swimming the race that a false start prevented the team from scoring the winning relay and an All-American Consideration time. The results clearly show the true team effort, with nearly every swimmer on this 2004 State Championship Team contributing to the victory. The team won the meet by 60 points, scoring over 400 points. Both coaches, Bret Hanemann ’85 and Billy Newport, were pleasantly surprised at just how well this team swam at State. Coach Newport observed, “This team really buckled down after the hurricane, training with intensity and conviction. I think that’s why we swam so well.” So well, in fact, that it reaped yet another State Championship— 18 in a row.
Blue Jay runners on the Cross Country team are all smiles as they pose with the State Championship trophy, their second in a row. Kneeling (l-r): Adam Tosh ’06, Cullen Doody ’08, and Chad Guidry ’08. Standing (l-r): Greg Stokes ’05 (manager), Casey McMann ’07, Coach Rodney Louque, Brett Guidry ’06, Brett McMann ’05, Kyle Breaux ’05, Cory Guidry ’08, Coach Peter Kernion ’90, Kenny Ehrhardt ’07, Ernie Svenson ’06, and Michael Krouse ’05 (manager).
Swimming Team (left) celebrates 18 State Championships in a row.
Cross Country Team Repeats as State Champions This year’s cross country team wanted to prove that last year’s state championship was no fluke. They wanted to establish the cross country program as an elite program with expectations of a reasonable shot at State each year, much like the wrestling and swimming programs. They wanted to win State. Again. And that’s exactly what the Blue Jay runners did in Natchitoches on November 16 as the team scored 41 points to second place Br. Martin’s 49 points. In a solid team effort, the Jays placed six runners in the top twenty and three of those in the top ten. Junior Brett Guidry, last year’s individual champion, again led the Jays finishing 2nd overall this year. Brett was one of only three runners to break 16 minutes, clocking in at 15:52 over the 3.1 mile course. For the second year in a row, senior Brett McMann finished in the top ten, this time coming in 7th. Junior Adam Tosh was Jesuit’s other top ten runner, finishing 9th. “This year’s team had very high expectations of what they should do this season,” says Coach Peter Kernion ’90. “Their youth and inexperience showed early in the season, but they developed and matured quickly.” Coach Kernion characterizes this year’s team as hard working and determined. “This year’s team was very aware of carrying on a winning tradition that was started last year. They didn’t want to mess things up.” And, of course, they didn’t. The Blue Jay runners earned the trip to the State Meet by winning the District Championship. In the District Meet the team placed all seven runners in the top ten. Brett Guidry won the meet with a time of 15:27. The future looks bright for the Jays as an already young varsity squad will be replenished with runners from the District Champion JV team and the Junior High team which finished 2nd in district. Looking to the future, Coach Kernion says, “There is no reason why we can’t continue to be a top team in the state.” So look for the Jays to be competing for the State Championship again next year.
District 1st 4th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
Brett Guidry ’06 Brett McMann ’05 Adam Tosh ’06 Cory Guidry ’08 Cullen Doody ’08 Kyle Breaux ’05 Ernie Svenson ’06
15:27 16:10 16:22 16:24 16:24 16:25 16:38
State 2nd 7th 9th 11th 12th 17th 48th
Brett Guidry ’06 Brett McMann ’05 Adam Tosh ’06 Cory Guidry ’08 Kyle Breaux ’05 Kenny Ehrhardt ’07 Cullen Doody ’08
15:52 16:26 16:34 16:41 16:46 16:59 17:48
Recognition Brett Guidry ’06 Brett McMann ’05 Adam Tosh ’06 Cory Guidry ’08
All All All All
State and All Metro State and All Metro State State
Winter 2004 • 2005 21