T H E MAG AZI NE O F NO RT H WEST CAT H O LI C H IG H SCHOOL
S P RIN G - S UMMER 2014
Greetings From
SPAIN,
29 WAMPANOAG DRIVE & AROUND THE WORLD
L E T T E R FROM THE PR ESI DENT/CH I EF ADMI NI STRAT O R
Dear Friends, As we have opened the doors for the 54th year of academic instruction at NWC, we have completed a summer of projects which continue to modernize this wonderful building! We completed five significant projects this summer including a complete conversion from oil to gas for our heating, the installation of air conditioning in the Richard Rice Auditorium, the renovation of three hallways in the name of Father Frascadore, the completion of the two-year window replacement project, and the installation of phase two of our exterior lighting project. We hope you will come by and visit us! For those of you who have not been here in the past five years, you probably will not recognize the building! My thanks to the many donors, contractors, parents and volunteers who continue to make these projects affordable for the school. Last June we said goodbye to our senior class – the 50th graduating class of Northwest Catholic and a great group of students, athletes, performers and individuals! Academically they produced our highest Advanced Placement scores ever, and skyrocketed past the Connecticut average. They have matriculated to some of the finest institutions of higher learning in the United States. We also undertook an extensive brand study last year as we look to redefine our external messaging in a declining birth market. Our goal is to make Northwest Catholic a school of choice for any student. We also unveiled a brand new state-of-the-art website last spring using the latest technology platform. If you have not had a chance to take a look, please visit us at www.NorthwestCatholic.org. As we look to the future, our value proposition is more important than ever: Today’s students become tomorrow’s leaders at Northwest Catholic High School. As Connecticut’s premier co-ed, catholic, college preparatory school, Northwest Catholic provides a welcoming yet challenging environment that gives students a place to excel and belong as they discover their own potential. From our rigorous academic curriculum, to our exceptional athletic teams, to our inspiring student life and character building activities, Northwest Catholic provides opportunities for all students to learn and grow in a remarkable educational setting, grounded in Catholic faith and moral values. Northwest Catholic’s diverse student body, expert faculty and staff, and forward looking philosophies make it an ideal place for tomorrow’s leaders to prepare for success in our evolving global society. All my best to everyone as we conclude 2014. Please know that you are welcome at NWC and we would love to see you! Peace to you all,
David C. Eustis President & Chief Administrator
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Greetings From Northwest CAt olIC High School and Arouh nd the World
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NORTHWEST CATHOLIC AROUND THE WORLD
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FORMER NBA PLAYER CHRIS HERREN SHARES INSPIRING MESSAGE
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AUTHOR DAVID SAGE DISCUSSES CREATIVE WRITING PROCESS WITH NWC STUDENTS
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NWC LAUNCHES $10,000 RAFFLE
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NWC WEDDINGS:
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THE 1961 SOCIETY
Look Who Got Married!
DEPARTMENTS
Send us your e-mail address! Help us cut down on paper and postage, while still keeping you posted about NWC news. Send to jleary@nwcath.org.
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NEWS FROM 29 WAMP
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ADVANCEMENT NEWS
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SPORTS NEWS
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ALUMNI NEWS
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he Northwest Catholic community spreads beyond Connecticut, beyond even the borders of the United States. Our students, teachers, and alumni have traveled to every continent in the world, except Antarctica (though if you know an NWC alum who has been there, let me know). This issue features stories of travel to Europe, Central America, and Asia as well as what it’s like to experience life in the United States for the first time. These stories also show how international experiences have changed lives and perspectives. The next issue of Logos will highlight the graduation of the 50th graduating class of Northwest Catholic – the Class of 2014 – with excerpts from the speeches and photos from the ceremony. It will also look back on the past 50 years of graduations. But I need your help to make this happen. Send your favorite NWC graduation memories and photos to kspera@nwcath.org. Tell me about what you remember the most from that day or what that day means to you now, and be sure to identify as many people as you can in any photos that you submit. I can’t wait to hear from you!
The Greek word or logos (pronounced lo-gaas) is defined as “word” or “meaning.” St. John’s Gospel opens: “In the beginning was Logos (the Word), and Logos was with God, and Logos was God.” The phrase “Word (Logos) of God,” found in John 1:1 and elsewhere, shows God’s desire and ability to “speak” to the human. The Dominican Sisters of St. Mary of the Springs (the founding Order of Northwest Catholic) have been noted for their effective ability to preach the word. The mission of the Dominicans is to provide intellectual formation, social communication, and service through word and action. Our publication, Logos, conveys our mission and values through this medium of the word. Logos is published twice a year by the Communications Department of Northwest Catholic High School. Please send comments or suggestions to: Kimberly Sanders Spera ’03 Northwest Catholic High School 29 Wampanoag Drive, West Hartford, CT 06117 860.236.4221 x133 kspera@nwcath.org Editor: Kimberly Sanders Spera ’03 President/Chief Administrator: David Eustis Design:
GO media
Photography: Art Rich Photography
Meredith Moore Jefski ’96
Kelsey Baker ’14
Kerry Casey Kelley ’82
Stephen Blanchfield ’69
Megan Lemp ’04
Megan Bonney ’04
David Marceau ’95
Amy Griffin Buzzell ’97
Molly McDonald ’14
Lisa Meehan Curran ’71
Corinna Mossberg
Will Dodds ’08
Ma Re Oo ’12
October 17 at 7:30pm
Patrick Douglas ’98
Ralph Roosevelt ’65
Family of Adam Lawton ’99
Hyewon Shin ’14
ADMISSIONS OPEN HOUSE
Amy Delligan Ferrer ’99
Kimberly Sanders Spera ’03
November 9th from 1-4pm
Paul Fitzpatrick
Deacon Jeffrey Sutherland
Tina Flannery ’04
Christopher Darcy Twomey ’86
ADMISSIONS ENTRANCE EXAM
Christian Flynn ’14
UPCOMING EVENTS FALL ONE-ACT PLAY – THE ODYSSEY th
November 15th at 8am
Tzivia Freeman-Dasent ’07
SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE
Frank Genovese ’65
G&B Photography Claudia Hart
November 22 from 6:30pm-12am nd
HILL Class
FALL PLAY – METAMORPHOSES December 5th and 6th at 7:30pm; December 7th at 2pm
ADMISSIONS ENTRANCE EXAM December 6th at 8am
F OLLOW US ON FA C E BOOK
ART SHOW AND DANCE RECITAL December 9th at 6:30pm
INSTRUMENTAL AND CHORAL CHRISTMAS CONCERT December 11th at 7pm
SEARCH FOR:
Northwest Catholic High School OR VISIT:
www.Facebook.Com/Pages/NorthwestCatholic-High-School/157439657624549
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Greetings From C I l o h t A C t s Northwe and Around the World l o o h c S h g i H
The world today is truly a global society and that is no different for the community of Northwest Catholic. NWC students, teachers and alumni have traveled to all corners of the globe. Here are the stories of six members of the Northwest Catholic community – students, faculty and alumni – and how their travels have changed their worldview.
NWC STUDENTS EXPLORE THE WORLD Every year, NWC students embark on school trips to foreign countries during school vacations. Christian Flynn ’14 traveled to Costa Rica in February 2014 as part of the Social Studies Department’s annual trip abroad. Molly McDonald ’14 traveled to Spain with the HILL class (Honors Institute for Leadership in Life) in April 2014. They both reflected on what they saw and what they learned on their trips.
Christian Flynn ’14 Where did you go? What did you see and do? On day one we arrived in the capital city of San Jose. There, we visited a wildlife preservation called INBioparque, where we saw a variety of different organisms native to Costa Rica. Later that day, we also visited Poás Volcano National Park. That night, we traveled to La Fortuna, where we kayaked, visited a local waterfall, and even got to relax in some all natural hot springs. The next day, we traveled to Monteverde, where we visited a small rural school of about 10 students. After our school visit, we went on a horseback riding tour
through the mountains of Monteverde. The next day in Monteverde, we conquered South America’s longest existing zip line and visited Santa Elena Cloud Forest. The following morning, we traveled to the city of Jaco, where we braved the jungle crocodile safari. The following day was our beach day at Manuel Antonio National Park, where some of the famous movie Spy Kids was filmed. On our final night, we returned to San Jose and had an absolutely incredible dinner with a view of the entire city. We definitely had a jam-packed itinerary!
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C OVER STORY Christian Flynn ’14 (cont.) What was your favorite part of the trip? My favorite part of the trip was visiting the kids at the school in Monteverde. Seeing the hospitality and joy they showed gave us all a great perspective and appreciation for living in the US and the privileges we have. What did you learn on the trip? I think my classmates and I all learned a lot about Costa Rican customs and culture. The Costa Ricans have a phrase – “¡Pura Vida!” – which means “pure life.” It is a greeting much like “aloha” and it signifies living purely and enjoying life to its fullest no matter what. We definitely indulged in a “Pura Vida” lifestyle throughout the trip. Has the trip changed how you view your life in the US? The trip did not really change my view on life in the US, but it certainly gave me some great perspective. A lot of us (myself included) complain a lot here in America, and we need to remember that there are people out there with much fewer resources and accommodations than we that are loving life and simply happy to be living.
What do you think is the value of international travel? I think the value of international travel is learning to appreciate other cultures and kind of stepping outside our box here in America. There is a whole other world outside the US, and it is great to get a feel for different countries and learn to value their cultures.
Molly McDonald ’14 Where did you go? What did you see and do? I traveled with the HILL class to Spain in April 2014, visiting Barcelona, Madrid, Toledo, and Avila. We explored the streets of Barcelona and Madrid, visited Gaudi’s famous Park Güell, which is known for its beautifully tiled mosaic benches and sculptures, and toured museums and cathedrals such as the Prado Museum and the breathtaking Sagrada Família museum. What was your favorite part of the trip? For me, the most enjoyable part was exploring the city of Barcelona. The architecture and layout of the city is so strikingly different from anywhere I have visited in the United States. The wide, tree-lined streets and laidback atmosphere gave it a strikingly different feel as compared to a typical, bustling city atmosphere. What did you learn on the trip? Besides gaining insights about the extensive history of Spain, I learned to appreciate the different cultures and customs that I encountered. The way of life in Spain was strikingly different than that of life in the US, and I found it interesting to compare and contrast the different cultures. Has the trip changed how you view your life in the US? I think that visiting Spain has led me to realize how fast-paced life in the US is. The relaxed pace of life in Barcelona led me to think that we could all take a step back, a deep breath, and walk a little slower.
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What do you think is the value of international travel? I think that international travel is so important in gaining new perspectives and appreciation for different ways of life. It is so fascinating to visit somewhere and see an entire population of people living their lives in a virtually completely different way than you, and I think the experience offers valuable insight on the importance of respecting other cultures and lifestyles. There is so much that can be learned from seeing life in a new perspective.
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BRINGING A NEW PERSPECTIVE Hyewon Shin ’14 came to Northwest Catholic in the fall of 2011 from South Korea as part of Northwest Catholic’s International Students program, hoping to improve her English and experience a new culture. She has traveled all over the world, including Australia, Japan, China, Philippines, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Canada, and will continue her studies in the United States at Bates College. What do you like most about being in the United States? I can participate in various activities in the school, such as track and Big Band. Also, I could choose classes that I wanted to take. In Korea, because of the different education system, all students take the same courses. Also, there are many extracurricular activities outside of school, but not in the school, so I would not have had a chance to participate in school activities in Korea. What are you involved in at Northwest Catholic? I have been involved with indoor track and field, Unified Volleyball, Pep Club, the Math Team, National Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society. What is the biggest difference between life in the United States and life in your home country? The main differences are living with a host family and leaving behind my family and friends in Korea, the different school environment and studying and using a different language – English. What have you learned from your time in the United States? I have learned independence, English, Spanish, new cultures – not only the American culture but also other cultures, such as the Brazilian culture from my host family.
What do you think is the importance of international travel? I think you can learn many things through international travel, not only language and culture, but also independence and how to solve and overcome the problems you are facing, the difficulties you are in. Also, it’s a great chance to see the bigger world and expand your world view.
THE JOURNEY TO NORTHWEST CATHOLIC Deacon Jeffrey Sutherland has been a science teacher at Northwest Catholic for nine years, but his roots lie far from Connecticut. He was born and spent most of his life in Jamaica, coming to the United States only 15 years ago. He has traveled extensively throughout Mexico and the Caribbean, as well as to Canada, England, Scotland, the Netherlands, France, and Switzerland, and still returns to Jamaica twice a year to visit his mother. How do you think the experience of growing up in Jamaica has shaped you as a person? Up until college, I went to Catholic schools. I learnt the Angelus at age three due to the influence of the local Franciscan sisters. I went to a Jesuit High School at a time when 90% of my teachers
were Jesuits. It was at that stage of my life that I started attending daily Mass. I also came under the influence of the Franciscan priests at age thirteen. I then really fell in love with the Church and the Mass. It was around that time that I began serving Mass and attending daily Mass.
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What is the biggest difference between life in the United States and life in Jamaica? One of the biggest differences I have noticed is how people dress for Mass. A Jamaican would never be seen wearing shorts to Church. If you see someone wearing shorts, chances are the person is a foreigner. Also, almost all students in Jamaica wear uniforms to school. The length of the girls’ skirts is much longer. Good Friday is a public holiday and there is no commercial activity. The churches are filled with people at some form of three-hour service. What do you think is the value of international travel? International travel broadens your outlook. It shows you how other people live and that people are not that different. A colleague of mine on a trip to England during a Parliamentary election, on hearing some of the speeches, commented, “All politicians are the same; only the accent is different.”
AN AMERICAN IN ASIA Christopher Twomey ’86
For the past 12 years, has spent more time outside of the United States than within its borders. In 2002, he moved to Hong Kong after accepting a posting there with ACE Insurance. Since then, he has traveled all over the world including, but not limited to, Russia, Estonia, New Zealand, Macao, Philippines, Taiwan, China, Thailand, Indonesia, India, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, the Maldives, Cambodia, Qatar, Laos, Japan and Myanmar (formerly Burma). He currently manages ACE Insurance’s Property & Casualty operations in Vietnam and is based in Ho Chi Minh City. Why did you decide to move outside of the United States?
It was an exciting opportunity to start up an entirely brand new portfolio of business and an incredible opportunity to live, work and travel throughout Asia.
How often do you come back to the US? I typically return to the US once a year in the summer over my children’s school holiday, but on occasion we go home for Christmas vacation as well, and as a special treat I managed to return to NWC for my 25th Reunion back in April, 2011! Living in Asia, however, the trip to the East Coast takes over 24 hours door-to-door and then there’s jet lag to deal with, so all that factors in to the decision of how often to go home in a given year. We do, however, love welcoming family and friends to visit us in Asia whenever they can!
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How do you think the experience of living and working outside the United States has shaped you as a person? It probably sounds cliché, but living outside the United States and particularly in a Communist, one-party state like Vietnam really gives you an appreciation for the rights, freedoms and opportunities we enjoy at home in the US and probably more often than we should, take for granted. I have always considered myself a patriotic person but living overseas, seeing other governmental systems and other societies, I have gained an even more sincere appreciation and admiration for what we have achieved as a country
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Christopher Twomey (cont.) and how the US affords everyone an equal opportunity of success. That is simply not the case in many countries throughout the world. The US is not perfect, but no country is, and while it might sound a bit silly, when I travel to a foreign country and get in line for the Immigration Officer to stamp my passport, I love the fact that it’s an American passport I hand to them. Nothing makes me prouder! What is the biggest difference between life in the United States and life in the other countries you’ve lived in? While it sounds exotic and it is in certain places for sure, Hong Kong is actually a very modern place – westernized to a degree and very cosmopolitan. In that regard I would compare Hong Kong to New York City. Singapore is also very modern and westernized, but not as cosmopolitan or “chic” as Hong Kong – maybe along the lines of a San Francisco. Singapore, however, is a great place – very clean, efficient and safe and a fantastic place to raise kids. Vietnam is a bit more chaotic than other developed places around the region and certainly more chaotic and frenetic than anywhere in the US. The first McDonald’s restaurant only opened-up earlier this year (2014) and the first Starbucks last year (2013), so while there’s an affinity towards America and American brands here in Vietnam, the opening up of American franchises and the availability of American brands of clothing, food and entertainment has been a more recent development. One of the differences and interesting parts about living overseas is the fact that without your own extended families nearby, fellow expats, be they American, Australian, Irish or Singaporean, become your family and that’s who you end up spending a lot of your time with, including weekends and vacations and your own national holidays. It’s been fun to share our American Thanksgiving traditions with all of our friends from various countries and on the other side, attending Hindu Diwali parties hosted by Indian friends or a Melbourne Cup party hosted by one of our Australian friends. What do you think is the value of international travel? There’s a great Mark Twain quote, “Travel is fatal to prejudice”,
and I do believe there is tremendous value in travelling to foreign countries, learning about other cultures, maybe even trying out a foreign language but most importantly, interacting with real people and connecting with them, if only for a few moments. By doing so you realize there is so much more that makes us similar rather than what makes us different. In my opinion, travelling to foreign countries and interacting with people helps break down prejudices and stereotypes that we may hold by seeing that we are all human beings inhabiting the same little planet. I count some of those types of experiences with random people or passersby on the streets of Hanoi, Bangkok, Paris and others among my most treasured. Listening to someone tell you about where they are from, about their family, what they do for a living and what they do for fun is for me where the rubber hits the road when I travel and where it really gets interesting! If you were to ask me would I recommend travelling or living overseas I would just leave you with another Mark Twain quote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
A LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE Kerry Casey Kelley ’82
was still a student at Northwest Catholic when one assignment changed her life and worldview forever. Here is her story, in her own words. “As part of our Northwest Catholic service project, my best friend, Marie DeMaio Mansolillo ’82, and I volunteered to help an extended family from Laos adjust to their new surroundings on Park Road. I remember that when we ventured into the house that I was very tentative. The adults did not sit in chairs and the cooking smelled so strange. At the end of that first day in the park, I knew I had grown in a fulfilling way and had been given a wonderful gift.
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Kerry Casey Kelley (cont.) After we gathered the children, ranging in age from three to eight, we would take them to the park and play, trying to teach them some English as well. I never told anybody about my compassion for these children. All I seem to remember is that even though I was exhausted by our various differences, I always wanted to take them home with me at the end of every visit. A seed was planted in my heart that year and I am forever grateful. I also remember feeling at that time in my life that my life would not be as complete unless I adopted from an Asian country. After marrying my college sweetheart and settling into our life together, we adopted three children from South Korea between 1993 and 2000. My NWC pals flooded my husband and me with baby showers, gifts, cards and supportive phone calls as we adopted our first child, John from Korea in 1993. He was 3 months old when he arrived from Seoul, South Korea. The support continued even as we relocated to Cincinnati and adopted 2 more children from South Korea. We went back to South Korea as a family in 2005 and later, when my son John turned 18, my husband took him back to Korea to meet his birthmother. This is usually an unsuccessful search, filled with tears and rejection. However, John was blessed to meet her and spend time together. Adopting from South Korea has taught my family about the high value of compassion for others in need and to be respectful of different cultures throughout the world.
very brave women and children who were very inspiring as they never gave up hope for something better to come their way. I still pray for them and to this day, those experiences make me a better wife, mother, daughter, sister, teacher, colleague and friend to others.�
International travel is important because it is interesting to participate and learn how others can survive and even thrive spiritually in difficult environments. I was recently in Mumbai, India and I found it to be an extremely healing place for me. Even though I witnessed a lot of suffering on the streets, I met some
SUPPORT NWC WHILE YOU SHOP Want an easy way to support Northwest Catholic, at no additional cost to you? Now you can support us when you shop on Amazon. Visit https://smile.amazon.com/ and log-in to your Amazon account. Then select the Northwest Catholic High School Foundation as your charitable organization and go shopping. Northwest Catholic will receive 0.5% of every eligible purchase. Just make sure you do your shopping through https://Smile.Amazon.com/, not Amazon.com.
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An Update In the cover story of the Fall 2013 – Winter 2014 issue of Logos, we highlighted NWC alum Will Dodds ’08 for his volunteer work with the Cameroon Football Development Program. Will spent several months in Cameroon, teaching children there life skills through soccer and providing soccer equipment. While he brought some equipment with him, much of it, including uniforms and equipment donated by Northwest Catholic, had to be shipped. That equipment finally arrived in Cameroon and the children look great in their Northwest Catholic uniforms!
REMEMBER WHEN? On June 4, 2014, Northwest Catholic celebrated the commencement of its 50th graduating class. We will have full coverage of the event in the next issue of Logos, but we also want to remember the 49 other classes who have graduated from NWC. So, send photos from your NWC graduation to kspera@nwcath.org with your name, year of graduation, and what you remember the most about your graduation. Don’t forget to identify as many people as possible in each photo. Your submission could appear in the next issue of Logos!
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FORMER NBA PLAYER CHRIS HERREN SHARES INSPIRING MESSAGE AT NORTHWEST CATHOLIC Former NBA player Chris Herren shared his powerful message of hope and inspiration at Northwest Catholic High School on December 11, 2013. Herren was a high school basketball legend in Fall River, Massachusetts, who realized his lifelong dream of playing for the Boston Celtics only to lose it all to alcohol and drug addiction. He shared his story of abuse and recovery with Northwest Catholic students during a daytime presentation, challenging students to embrace who they are, and not to resort to substance use in order to become someone different. Herren said that if his presentation had an impact on just one person in attendance, it would make what he did worthwhile.
Members of the Northwest Catholic Varsity Boys’ and Girls’ Basketball teams pose with Chris Herren and Northwest Catholic school administrators.
During an evening presentation that was open to the public, Herren shared more of his story and also addressed how parents can help their teens make good decisions. He told parents that 90% of adult drug addicts started as teens, usually through alcohol and smoking marijuana, and often with the teens’ parents aware of their use. Herren encouraged those in attendance to remember that addiction can begin with as little as one drink or one pill and is not a path easily reversed.
presentation I have seen in all of my years in education. It truly has had a major positive impact on our entire Northwest Catholic Community.” The impact of Herren’s presentation lasted beyond that one December day. The school held a Project Purple Day during the Winter Spirit Week, during which students wore purple clothing in support of being drug-free and signed a large poster in the cafeteria, pledging to stay drug-free.
Students who attended the presentations called Herren “one of the most inspirational people I’ve ever met” and “amazing,” saying that Herren “had a really strong message and a great presentation.”
Herren’s story has been chronicled in Sports Illustrated and Rolling Stone, on 60 Minutes, and in the ESPN documentary Unguarded. He currently mentors young basketball players and has launched a national anti-substance abuse campaign, NWC Vice Principal Brendan Canny ’86 agreed with the Project Purple, to encourage people of all ages to stand students’ reactions. “I am so glad we were able to organize up to substance abuse. Herren’s presentation at Northwest this type of event and so grateful to Chris Herren and his Catholic was co-sponsored by the school and the Tomahawk organization,” he said. “This was by far the most impactful Athletic Booster Club.
Left: Students write their name on a bulletin board in the cafeteria, a sign of their commitment to Project Purple and being drug-free. Above: Students wear purple on Project Purple Day during the Winter Spirit Week.
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NORTHWEST CATHOLIC’S SARAH MCLAUGHLIN NAMED GOVERNOR’S SCHOLAR
Sarah McLaughlin ’15 with (left to right) Karissa Niehoff, CAS Executive Director; Rita McDougald-Campbell, Governor’s Scholars Committee Chair and Donna Hayward, principal of Suffield High School and vice-president of CAS
Sarah McLaughlin ’15 was named a 2014 Governor’s Scholar – one of only 30 juniors in the state to receive this prestigious honor. McLaughlin, the daughter of Daniel and Pam McLaughlin of Suffield, was chosen from a pool of academically outstanding juniors from throughout Connecticut. The students, who were nominated by their principals, must rank in the top 5% of their class, must complete an essay, and must submit scores from standardized tests. The winners are chosen by a committee of professional educators selected by the Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS), which sponsors the program. McLaughlin is active in numerous extracurricular activities at Northwest Catholic, including the Dramateurs, Unified
Theater and Unified Volleyball. She is also a member of the Field Hockey team and the National Honor Society. “Sarah is an outstanding student who is eager to learn new things and challenge herself. She is also a well-rounded student who excels in athletics and at being a nice person,” said NWC Principal Margaret Williamson. “We are very excited for Sarah that she has achieved this level of recognition.” The Governor’s Scholars were honored at a luncheon at the Aqua Turf Club in Southington on May 22, 2014. McLaughlin is the fourth Northwest Catholic student since 2003 to receive this award.
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NWC DRAMATEURS PRESENT NEIL SIMON’S FOOLS From December 6 through December 8, 2013, the Northwest Catholic Dramateurs presented the Neil Simon comedy Fools. The play tells the story of Leon Tolchinsky, who has landed what he thinks is a terrific teaching job in an idyllic Russian village. When he arrives he finds people sweeping dust from the stoops back into their houses and people milking upside down to get more cream. The town has been cursed with Chronic Stupidity for 200 years and it is up to Leon to break the curse. But no one tells him that if he stays over 24 hours and fails to break the curse, he too becomes Stupid. Olivia Fenton ’15 as Lenya Zubritsky and Ryan Sands ’15 as Dr. Zubritsky
Mary Elizabeth Buckley ’15 as Sophia Zubritsky and Ryan DeFranzo ’14 as Leon Tolchinsky
Ryan DelMonaco ’14 as Gregor Yousekevitch and Ryan DeFranzo ’14 as Leon Tolchinsky
Ryan DeFranzo ’14 as Leon Tolchinsky, Jacquelyn Collas ’16 as Yenchna, Avery Hatch ’16 as Mishkin, and Anthony Lenczewski ’16 as Slovich
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AUTHOR DAVID SAGE DISCUSSES CREATIVE WRITING PROCESS WITH NWC STUDENTS In January, NWC English classes got a chance to learn about the writing process from published children’s author David Sage. Sage, grandfather of Tucker Alissi ’17, read excerpts from his own work and asked students to come up with what they thought would happen next in the story. He also engaged students in creative exercises, designed to get them to think outside of the box when it comes to storytelling. The first time Sage tells one of his stories, he creates it on the spot, using whatever topic or idea the group provides. Several of his stories have actually come out of his school visits, including stories about Vikings; a 500 year family immigration from Inca Peru to modern-day Colorado; the Barbary Coast pirate slave trade in the Middle Ages; rock climbing on Mt. Kilimanjaro; and whaling out of Nantucket in the 1700s.
Author David Sage with his daughter, Tierney Alissi, and grandson, Tucker Alissi ’17.
David Sage shares one of his stories with students.
ALL SOULS — REMEMBERING THE DECEASED MEMBERS OF THE NORTHWEST CATHOLIC COMMUNITY
It is the tradition of the Church to dedicate the month of November to the memory of our departed relatives and friends. At Northwest Catholic, this annual All Souls Remembrance provides us the opportunity to remember your dearly departed loved ones as members of the extended NWC family, for whom we’ll pray in a special way at our monthly school-wide Mass on Nov. 18.
We invite you to share with us the names of those for whom you would like us to pray by completing the on-line form found at www.NorthwestCatholic.org/AllSouls or by mailing the attached postcard. The names of those remembered will be brought to the altar during the offertory of the Mass and will be kept alongside the altar in our chapel throughout the month of November, with our prayers and gratitude for all you do for Northwest Catholic.
Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life; whoever believes in me, even if he dies, will live and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.” John 11: 25-26
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NORTHWEST CATHOLIC JOINS WITH UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD TEACHER FOR JAZZ WORKSHOP AND PERFORMANCE
On January 11, 2014, Northwest Catholic High School jazz musicians got a lesson in Latin Jazz. The school partnered with Ed Fast, Director of Latin Jazz Ensembles at The Hartt Community Division of the University of Hartford, for a special Latin Jazz workshop. Fast and members of his Latin Jazz ensemble, Conga-Bop, worked with the NWC student-musicians on music the students had been working on as well as selections from Conga-Bop’s repertoire. The workshop was followed by an evening performance featuring members of the Northwest Catholic Big Band and Jazz Ensemble and members of Conga-Bop. The groups collaborated on nine musical selections and had the audience clapping their hands and tapping their feet to the beat.
“This was something new and different for Northwest Catholic’s musicians, especially our percussionists and jazz players,” said Director of Instrumental Music Daniel Luddy ’03. “The value of creative learning by collaboration with extraordinary professional musicians cannot be understated.” The proceeds from the concert went towards the Save Our Steinway fund to refurbish the school’s grand piano.
NORTHWEST CATHOLIC CELEBRATES BLACK HISTORY MONTH Northwest Catholic High School welcomed Deacon Arthur Miller, Director of the Office for Black Catholic Ministries, on February 28, 2014 for a special Black History Month presentation. He spoke to students from the perspective of an African American who grew up on the South Side of Chicago in the 1940s and 1950s. Deacon Miller was 10 years old in 1955 when his schoolmate Emmett Till, age 14, was brutally murdered in Mississippi for allegedly whistling at a white woman — an incident that energized the Civil Rights Movement. He told students how experiencing that historical moment changed his life, leading him to get involved in the Civil Rights Movement, even going to jail for participating in a sit-in before he went to college. He said there was no way he could not take a stand if he wanted to see change in the world. Quoting 18th century English philosopher Edmund Burke, Miller said, “All it takes for evil to prevail is for good people to do nothing.” He encouraged the students to learn from their personal history and the history of their country and be a force of change in their world. “We are so fortunate to have people in our community who have lived through significant moments in American History and who relate to young people as well as Deacon Miller does,” said NWC Principal Margaret Williamson. “His talk shows us all what is possible if we are
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willing to put forth the effort and do what is right.” Deacon Miller is an author, radio host, revivalist and retired businessman. His book, The Journey to Chatham, details the historic events surrounding the murder of Emmett Till as seen through the eyes of Till’s friends.
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BATAAN DEATH MARCH SURVIVOR AND AFGHANISTAN VETERAN ADDRESS NORTHWEST CATHOLIC STUDENTS
Northwest Catholic Principal Margaret Williamson, Social Studies Department Chair Paul Fitzpatrick, Captain Joshua Sider ’03, Dan Crowley, Northwest Catholic President David Eustis, and Northwest Catholic Advancement Officer Colby Thresher
Northwest Catholic welcomed two US veterans for a special Veterans Day assembly on November 11, 2013. Dan Crowley, an alumni parent, and Army Captain Joshua Sider ’03 addressed the student body about their own experiences in the military and how that has influenced their lives. Crowley, father of Janet Crowley Sackbauer ’69, enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in October of 1940. During World War II, he was stationed in the Pacific, most notably fighting in the Battle of Bataan in 1942. When 12,000 American soldiers and 60,000 Filipino soldiers surrendered on April 9, 1942 to the Imperial Japanese Army, Crowley and a group of his fellow soldiers refused to surrender, making their way to the island of Corregidor, where they continued to fight the Japanese. But after Corregidor fell to the Japanese on May 6, 1942, Crowley became a Japanese prisoner of war for 42 months, until Japan surrendered in September of 1945. Crowley spoke to students about the brutal treatment he and the thousands of other prisoners of war endured on the Bataan Death March and in the years that followed, including the forced labor camp, the conditions they lived in and the constant threat of execution they faced on a daily basis. He described life as a prisoner of war as “wondering each day if it was going to be your last day.”
Sider entered the US Military Academy at West Point following graduation from Northwest Catholic in June of 2003, graduating with a degree in Civil Engineering in 2007. He was commissioned a second lieutenant in the infantry and, following training at Fort Benning, Georgia, was deployed to eastern Afghanistan. He initially served as Platoon Leader in Afghanistan, later serving as Executive Officer and Assistant Operations Officer during his later deployments to the region. Sider’s awards include the Bronze Star Medal, the Combat Infantryman Badge, a Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Army Commendation Medal. He is now assigned to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York. Sider spoke to students about how Northwest Catholic influenced his decision to join the military, saying that the school encouraged him to think beyond himself and focus on serving others – something that he continues to focus on in his military service today. During the course of the day, Northwest Catholic students also signed thank you cards for veterans. The cards were created by members of the Global Awareness Club and were included in Christmas packages sent to active duty soldiers overseas.
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KUDOS TO... Eight NWC faculty members recognized in 2014 for their years of service to the Archdiocese of Hartford: James Shugrue (45 years); Betsy Quinn and Timothy Crowley (20 years); Paul Fitzpatrick, Mary Jo Foran and Deacon Richard Santos (15 years); and Jennifer Montoney and Kerri Smith (10 years). In addition, Sara Avery, Cory Carlson, John Cusson, Mark Dodd, Kristi Gillespie, John Mirabello, Jennifer Montoney, Beth Oates, Joyce O’Rourke, Helga Phillips, Katy Sibley and Kerri Smith received certificates for completion of their Adult Faith Formation program. Christopher Gosselin ’14, who was selected as the high school Grand Prize winner of the Archdiocese of Hartford’s “Fun in Faith” essay contest. The contest was held as part of the Archdiocese’s celebration of the Year of Faith in the Catholic Church. Christopher’s winning essay was described as showing “thoughtful expression to his spirituality.” He received a $500 scholarship. The NWC school winners of the American Mathematics Contest – held on February 4th and sponsored by the Mathematics Association of America. In the AMC 10, given to 9th and 10th graders, Jack Carew ’16 took first place, followed by Yiyi Wang ’16, Kevin Kearns ’16, Rachel Sullivan ’16 and Connor Murphy ’16. In the AMC 12, given to 11th and 12th graders, David Kalamarides ’15 took first place. There was a tie for second place between James Jordano ’15 and Brendan Fahey ’15. They were followed by Ryan Sands ’15 and Niles Ball ’15. The over 200 NWC students, faculty and staff who participated in the school’s No Shave November effort. Over $1000 was raised for the NWC Relay for Life team in support of cancer research. The 61 students inducted into the National Honor Society on December 16, 2013. To be invited into membership in NHS, students must have a 3.5 grade-point average and must demonstrate exemplary character, leadership, and service to their school, parish, or town.
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Owen Eagan ’14, who was named a Rising Star in the West Hartford Press. He was chosen for academic excellence, his service within the school community, and his leadership qualities. The donors to NWC’s two Red Cross blood drives. The fall drive collected 53 pints of blood and the spring drive collected 56 pints.
Kelsey Baker ’14, who received an Honorable Mention in the Discover FAA High School Architectural Drawing Competition, run by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s College of Fine and Applied Arts. The contest attracted entries from 25 states and three countries. Kelsey’s art work displayed above. Former NWC President Rev. Henry Frascadore, who was named Hartford’s town honoree for the 2014 St. Patrick’s Day Parade. Kevin Kearns ’16 (Jazz Singers and Jazz Combo) and Justin Drisdelle ’15 (Big Band), who won Judge’s Choice Awards at the Berklee High School Jazz Festival in Boston on February 8, 2014.
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Jessika Charvis ’15, who broke the pi digit memorization school record of 314 digits set by Sharon Grimshaw ’11 in 2011 and Hannah Pelton ’08 in 2006, memorizing 321 digits.
KUDOS CONTINUED... Sasha Yazdzik ’14, who represented the Girl Scouts of Connecticut on the TV program Better Connecticut.
The NWC students, faculty and staff who donated to the freshman toy drive in December 2013. Hundreds of toys were collected and distributed to families in need in the Greater Hartford area. Daniel Keating ’15, who completed the Youth Leadership Conference at Norwich University in Northfield, VT. The two-day event was sponsored by Norwich University and the Military Order of World Wars (MOWW), an organization for retired military officers.
The seven NWC student-musicians who performed as members of the Connecticut Music Educators Association’s Northern Region ensembles. Kyle Brooks ’15 (tenor saxophone), Ryan Del Monaco ’14 (trombone), Justin Drisdelle ’15 (trumpet), Katharine Jessen ’17 (clarinet), and Sarah Pranaitis ’14 (flute) performed in the Band. Drisdelle also performed in the Jazz Band, while Sarah Jessen ’17 (trumpet) performed in the Orchestra and Kevin Kearns ’16 (bass) sang in the Choir.
The three NWC studentmusicians who performed as members of the Connecticut Music Educators Association’s All-State ensembles. Justin Drisdelle ’15 (trumpet) performed in the Jazz Band, Katharine Jessen ’17 (clarinet) performed in the Concert Band and Sarah Jessen ’17 (trumpet) performed in the Orchestra.
IN THE CLASS OF 2014, 22 STUDENTS EARN FIRST HONORS EVERY SEMESTER In the Class of 2014, 22 students belong to an exclusive community of scholars: They earned First Honors (a minimum 3.67 grade-point-average) in every semester at Northwest Catholic. These students, along with many others in grades 9-12, were recognized for this accomplishment at the Honors Breakfast in March 2014, where the guest speaker was NWC Board Chair Theresa Notte Becker ’76. Front row, from left: Sarah Pranaitis ’14, Victeria Vu ’14, Bridget Pepin ’14, Thienly Nguyen ’14, Madison Mortillaro ’14, Nicole Medina ’14, Katherine Garger ’14, Tia Conover ’14, Gillian Colman ’14, Anne Berning ’14 and Kelsey Baker ’14 Back row, from left: Margaret Rose ’14, Christopher McLaughlin ’14, Aidan McDonnell ’14, Molly McDonald ’14, Kristen Marti ’14, Katherine Marti ’14, Christopher Gosselin ’14, Owen Eagan ’14, Connor Dunn ’14, Molly Deneen ’14 and Grace Deneen ’14
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A DVA N CE M E NT NE WS FOUNDERS’ CIRCLE DINNER HONORS TOP DONORS AND EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING NWC Director of Technology Beth Casey Boyle ’96 was honored with the Dr. Michael S. Griffin Teaching Chair Award for her professional excellence during the school’s annual Founders’ Circle Dinner on Oct. 3, 2013. Mrs. Boyle has been on staff at NWC since 2005. Although she primarily works as the school’s Director of Technology, she has also taught in the Mathematics and Social Studies departments, serves as the Freshman Class Advisor and is an announcer for many school athletic events. Mrs. Boyle is the fourth recipient of the award, which is presented in odd-numbered years alternating with the Rev. Henry C. Frascadore Teaching Chair Award. Principal Margaret Williamson praised Mrs. Boyle: “When Beth came to work at Northwest Catholic, she was able to shape the role of the IT Director and has been able to make adjustments over the nine years as the needs of the school and staff have evolved. Beth is one of those enthusiastic people who will look at the goal to be achieved and figure out a way to get there… Everything that Beth does is for the good of the students and faculty and she has helped to move this program forward especially in the area of technology. Students and teachers alike are able to approach her and ask her for help and she will make your problem hers until it is solved.” During the dinner, the school honored many of NWC’s most generous benefactors who donated $1,000 or more to the Northwest Catholic Fund in the 2012-2013 fiscal year. President/Chief Administrator David Eustis thanked the 33 new members of the Founders’ Circle, as well as several people who have been members for at least ten years: Danielle Schiffer Andruszkiewicz ’77 and Peter Andruszkiewicz; Rosemary Navin Dowd ’73 and Cornelius
NWC Principal Margaret Williamson presents Beth Casey Boyle ’96 with the Dr. Michael S. Griffin Teaching Chair Award. Dowd; Carol Dupuis ’80 and Michael Haylon; Neville and Tracy Graham; Thomas and Barbara Keenan; Joseph and Joyce O’Rourke; John and Betsy Quinn; John and Mary Shukie; Richard and Francine Sider; and Ronald Swanson.
Former NWC President Dr. Michael S. Griffin, former NWC President Rev. Henry C. Frascadore, current NWC Principal Margaret Williamson, and current NWC President David Eustis
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ADVAN CE M E NT NE W S
NWC LAUNCHES $10,000 RAFFLE
RAFFLE
In the fall of 2014, Northwest Catholic launched its newest fundraiser, a raffle with a $10,000 grand prize, to benefit the Northwest Catholic Fund. The NWC Fund annually supports the school’s operating budget and the educational programs and significant aid program which distinguish Northwest Catholic. Tickets are $20 each and only 2,500 tickets are being sold. The grand prize is $10,000, with a second prize of $2,500 and a third prize of $1,000. Tickets will be available at many home athletic competitions and at other NWC community events from September through November, 2014, with the drawing held on Saturday, November 22, 2014 at 10:00pm during Northwest Catholic’s 31st Annual Saturday Night Live. Ticket holders do not need be present to win. Visit www.NorthwestCatholic.org/Raffle for information about purchasing tickets or contact Advancement@NWCath.org.
30TH ANNUAL SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE A GREAT SUCCESS! The 30th Annual Saturday Night Live was an overwhelming success – one of the best attended in recent years. In addition to the traditional Silent Auction, the 2013 event featured the first-ever live auction in Saturday Night Live history, with prizes including trips to Hawaii, Block Island, and the Berkshires, as well as Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins tickets. The event also featured the always-popular Irish Pub, International Food Court, and Star Light Café; performances by several Gospel Choirs, and an interactive Game Show! Save the date for the 31st Saturday Night Live – November 22, 2014!
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A DVA NC EMEN T NEW S
NWC ANNOUNCES ADAM M. LAWTON ’99 MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP Classmates and teammates of Adam Lawton ’99, who passed away on Jan. 6, 2012 at the age of 30, have established the Adam M. Lawton ’99 Memorial Scholarship Fund at Northwest Catholic which will award an annual scholarship in Adam’s memory to a deserving NWC student. Adam loved the outdoors, receiving a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation and Environmental Studies from Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado and completing Master’s coursework in Experiential Education from the University of Utah. He was a regional representative for the Association for Experiential Education and a Certified Wilderness First Responder. Climbing and skiing were Adam’s true passions and his love of winter sports and nature extended to his profession. He was the Outdoor Experiential Education Manager at Gateway Academy in Salt Lake City, Utah – a therapeutic treatment facility for adolescent boys struggling with behavioral, developmental, and a wide array of other issues. This position afforded him the opportunity to utilize experiential activities to promote learning and growth among high school students. In his memory, Adam’s friends want to help other young, creative, athletic, and adventurous students have the opportunity to attend Northwest Catholic and follow their own passions through the Adam M. Lawton ’99 Memorial Scholarship Fund. In addition, the annual winners (male and female) of the high school division of NWC’s Scholarship Scamper 5k will be awarded the Adam M. Lawton ’99 Memorial Cup, and a trophy with the names of the annual winners will be permanently on display at NWC to memorialize Adam further.
As of June 30, 2014, $3,100 had been raised for the scholarship, which will allow the scholarship to be awarded to an NWC student for 2014-2015 school year. Future donations will be used to endow Adam’s scholarship with a minimum of $25,000 so that a scholarship can be awarded in his name each year in perpetuity. For more information or to donate to the scholarship, go to www. NorthwestCatholic.org/LawtonScholarship.
Be sure to Save the Date for a couple of fun events in June 2015. The 38th Annual Golf Tournament will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2015 at Wampanoag Country Club, while the 3rd Annual Scholarship Scamper 5K Road race will be held on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at Northwest Catholic High School. See you then!
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S PO RT S NEWS FROM THE DESK OF ATHLETIC DIRECTOR MATTHEW MARTORELLI ’03 “When you put a lot of hard work
Tennis team had made it their goal to be recognized in the state of
into one goal and you achieve it, that’s
Connecticut as one of the best teams around. To do this they knew
a really good feeling.” – Derek Jeter
that they would need to win a State Championship. They saw that goal
It’s an even better feeling when you watch an individual or team put in a lot of hard work into one goal and achieve it. As the Athletic Director of Northwest Catholic High School, I have had many
slipping from their grasp in their Championship match when they were losing 0-3 after the first three matches. At that point they made it clear that they had worked too hard not to achieve their goal. Watching the team rally back and win the program’s first ever State Championship, 4-3, was an extremely special moment.
opportunities to see players, coaches,
We are very lucky to have such a strong group of student leaders
captains and a combination of all
at the school, who work hand-in-hand with our amazing coaching staff
three invest so much of their time and
at Northwest Catholic. We are truly blessed to be a part of such a rich
energy in an effort to achieve a goal. Hard work is a key component to
history and tradition, both on and off the field. The athletic department
success not only at Northwest Catholic, but in life after high school.
is really looking forward to another fantastic year in sports and is
Like many of the athletic teams at Northwest Catholic, the 2014 Girls’
excited to build many more championship programs for years to come.
FALL SPORTS FOOTB ALL
their CIAC Division, but would need to stay in the top 8 to make a run at a State Championship. The team’s season would come down to the Thanksgiving Day game against Rocky Hill. With a victory, NWC would have an opportunity to play in the state tournament. What better group to lead these players in this crucial game than seniors Arthur Baranski ’14, Kenny Cox ’14, Flynn, Nate Heiden ’14 (Coaches Award), Tim Kuhlberg ’14 (Captain), Anthony Laureno ’14, Aidan McDonnell ’14 (All-Conference), Chris McLaughlin ’14 (All-Conference) and Michael Story Jr. ’14. Also leading the team were juniors Elijah Riley ’15 (Captain, All-Conference, All-State), Owen Tyler ’15 (Captain, AllConference) and Delano Robinson ’15
(All-Conference). NWC took to the field at Rocky Hill and fought until the end. Despite a rally late in the game, Northwest Catholic was unable to pull ahead of the Terriers, ending the NWC football season. However, the seniors certainly have moved the program in the right direction and the 2014 team looks to pick up where the 2013 team left off.
BOYS’ SOCCER Competing in the CCC West division is a tough task for any team but especially for the Northwest Catholic Boys’ Soccer team. The team came out every single day and played their hearts out against some of the toughest competitors in the state.
Anthony Laureno ’14 (#2) runs the ball down field, with Delano Robinson ’15 (#1) ready to block.
Under the direction of Head Coach Michael Tyler ’73, the Northwest Catholic Football team posted a remarkable 7-4 regular season record during the 2013 season. Senior quarterback Christian Flynn ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, MVP) piloted the team’s offense throughout the season, as the team scored 260 points in 11 games. After winning six of the first seven games of the season, Northwest Catholic was ranked among the top programs in
Kieran Ferrell ’16 (#11) chases down the ball, with Logan Wolf ’15 (#9) and Robert Place ’15 (#8) ready to assist.
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S P ORT S NEWS on the road early in the season, the team would go on to compete in the State Tournament for the third straight season. On the road in the first round, Coach DiGiacomo’s team would upset the higher-ranked Seymour 3-1, before losing to East Hampton in the second round. A very talented and veteran group returns for 2014 and will build on the success of the 2013 season as they look to compete for a State Championship.
Nicole Medina ’14 (right) looks to pass the ball to her sister Michelle Medina ’14 (left).
The boys never gave up, something that Head Coach Terry Philip prided himself on from the first day of practice. The team was led by four seniors: John Conlin ’14, Timothy Dodds ’14 (Captain, All-Conference), Cooper Kerr ’14 (Captain, Coaches Award) and Brian Kozak ’14 (Captain, MVP). The seniors, along with junior Robert Place ’15 (Captain, All-Conference, All-State), kept the team focused when they needed it most. One of the big highlights of the season was an overtime, come-from-behind win against Hall High School. That win came early in the season, when Hall was ranked one of the best in the State – a win that this team will remember for a very long time.
GIRLS’ SOCCER Head Coach Todd Sadler did not want to talk about it – in a team meeting or pre-game speech. All he wanted to do was get his team ready for their biggest game – the next game on their schedule. The team started the season in the midst of what would become an unbelievable streak of 48 games in a row without a loss. That streak would end with the team’s only regular season loss during the 2013 season. The team was led by seniors Michelle Medina ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, All-State, All-New England, MVP), Nicole Medina ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, Coaches Award), Melissa Nenninger ’14, Elizabeth Oakley ’14 and Maggie Rose ’14 (Captain), all of whom had played an important role in the team’s success since the 2011 season, when the streak originally started. Also contributing were Madison Borowiec ’15 (All-Conference), Anna Cronin ’16 (All-Conference) and Mackenzie Tibball ’16 (All-Conference). The Girls’ Soccer team played some of the toughest opponents in the state, finishing the regular season with a record
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of 12-1-3. Coach Sadler earned his 100th victory as the NWC coach in an overtime win at Newington High School. For the first time ever, the Northwest Catholic Girls’ Soccer team competed in the CCC Tournament, defeating three tough opponents in Tolland, RHAM, and Middletown to become the first ever CCC Girls’ Soccer Champions. As good as that championship felt, the team knew that they still had hard work ahead of them as they competed in the CIAC State Tournament. After winning their first two games in the tournament by a combined score of 11-0, the girls lost in the Class M Quarterfinals to Mercy 1-0. But the future looks very bright for the Girls’ Soccer team as they return a large number of players who are excited to start a streak of their own.
VOLLEYB ALL In her third season at NWC, Jeanne DiGiacomo posted a regular season record of 11-9. That record was enough to bring her team back to the CIAC State Tournament, a goal since the beginning of the season. Seniors Grace Deneen ’14 (Captain, All-Conference) and Rachel Poirier ’14 (Captain) came ready for the season, which opened with some of the toughest games of the season, including Farmington, Southington, and Simsbury. During that stretch of games, the seniors were focused and played at an extremely high level. Coach DiGiacomo worked with Gabriella Beaulieu ’14 (All-Conference, All-State, MVP), Deneen, and Caroline Galeota ’14 as they played against some of the best teams in the state. Mary Katherine Gilhooly ’14, Rose O’Brien ’14, Katherine Garger ’14 (Coaches Award) and Poirier were pushed to their limits as the team accomplished things that they never thought they could do. Despite facing adversity
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Katherine Garger ’14 is ready to serve the ball.
FIELD HOCKEY It certainly was a season for the record book. Head Coach Bill Mullady ’66 entered the fall season knowing that his team was going to be good. How good they were going to be was up to the players, and they wanted to be great. This team had all the talent, but competed in a strong CCC Field Hockey division. After losing a close game to South Windsor in the beginning of the season, the seniors made it their goal to step up their intensity at practice and it showed. The team posted a regular season record of 12-1-1, led in part by goalie Christina Wilson ’15 (AllConference, All-State), who posted a record 12 shutouts during the season. In their last regular season game of the year, the girls also earned the
S PORT S NE W S
Jessica Jordano ’15 (#6) looks to get the ball to Mary Elizabeth Budnick ’16, while Lauren Cenci ’15 (#16) backs them up.
Central Connecticut Conference Championship – the first in program history! Earning home field advantage through the first two rounds, the Northwest Catholic Field Hockey team faced adversity early in the Class S playoffs, coming back from behind to defeat both Immaculate and Killingly. Seniors Emma Christolini ’14 (Captain), Tia Conover ’14 (All-Conference), Jacqueline Klingman ’14, Madison Mortillaro ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, All-State, Coaches Award), Hannah Wade ’14, Victoria Walz ’14 and Amanda Whitehouse ’14 (All-Conference) made it their mission that this season would be one of the best ever for Northwest Catholic Field Hockey, and that is exactly what they did. Also contributing to the amazing season were key juniors Jessica Jordano ’15 (Captain, All-Conference, All-State, MVP) and Sarah McLaughlin ’15 (All-Conference). The support for the team was never as great as it was that evening in Simsbury where Northwest Catholic
Christopher Mangine ’14 hits the trail, with Nicholas Klingman ’17 close behind him.
finished regulation in the semifinal game tied 0-0 against Granby Memorial. While NWC lost that game on penalty shots, this Northwest Catholic Field Hockey team will never be forgotten and will be an example that future teams will try to emulate for many years to come.
CROSS COUNTRY With one senior in the entire program, the Northwest Catholic Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country teams worked each and every day with the overall goal of improving their skills. Under the direction of Head Coach Scott Fletcher, in his 29th season, that is exactly what the teams did. Christopher Mangine ’14 (Captain, Coaches Award) was the lone senior leader for both the Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country teams, and took it upon himself to teach the other members of the program what he had learned over the past three seasons about what it takes to be successful. Throughout a challenging season of Central Connecticut Conference dual meets and invitational meets, including The Blue Dragon, Going to the Sun, and Wickham, the Northwest Catholic Cross Country team came prepared and aimed for personal bests every time the starting gun fired. Juniors David Kalamarides ’15 (Captain), Adam Vancisin ’15 (Captain, MVP), and Julia Malave ’15 (Captain) all contributed to the program along with sophomores Mary McNally ’16 (Captain, Coaches Award) and Caroline Gill ’16 (MVP). Both the Boys’ and Girls’ Cross Country teams look forward to another successful season in 2014.
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Rachael Ogbonna ’16 keeps up the pace.
CHEERLEADING Loud and proud. All across Connecticut, the Northwest Catholic Cheerleading team provided much spirit and pep for the fans and players of Northwest Catholic football during the fall 2013 season. Head Coach Mischa Hadaway ’03 worked daily with her team, teaching them new moves and routines throughout the season. Senior leaders Alanna Bumbray ’14, Amy Cao ’14 (Captain, MVP), Julia Fountain ’14, Jessica Gordon ’14, Shateria Jackson ’14, and Zara Lenihan ’14 (Captain) prepared the team for all different types of conditions. The cheerleaders were ready to go, whether it was rain, sleet, or snow. The future of the squad looks bright with returning cheerleaders like Ariana
From left to right, Christal Riley ’16, Jessica Gordon ’14 and Amy Cao ’14 show their NWC spirit.
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S P ORT S NEWS Caruso ’15 and freshman Sarah Grinnell ’17 (Coaches Award). Traditions live on through these cheerleaders, who still, to this day, bring alumni flashbacks of their time at Northwest with their routines.
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ICE HOCKEY
First-year Girls’ Basketball coach Sean O’Brien ’02 was extremely excited to get to work with his team. He had heard that the group was both extremely talented and young. The team was made up of mainly juniors, sophomores and some freshmen – no seniors. While many people thought that this team was going to be good next year, not as many thought that they were going to be as good as they were this year. After winning two of the first five games, the Northwest Catholic Girls’ Basketball team won seven in a row on their way to posting a regular season record of 13 wins. The change in the pace of their offense and the way the team played defense was a difficult match up for most of the CCC West teams. In the first round of the CIAC State Tournament, Coach O’Brien led his team to a 59-53 win over Branford. In the second round Northwest Catholic headed down to Ledyard where they ran out of time as they were coming back in the fourth quarter, but ended their season with a 51-62 loss on the road. Next year’s group of seniors, Madison Borowiec ’15 (Coaches Award), Mackenzie Collyer ’15 (Captain), Haley Connors ’15 (Captain, All-Conference, MVP), Gabriella Giannone ’15, and Natalie Lorenzo ’15 (Captain, All-Conference), will have their eyes set on another run into the CIAC State Tournament.
Under the direction of Head Coach Don Melanson ’84, the Northwest Catholic Ice Hockey team took to the ice with one goal – show the rest of the state why Northwest Catholic High School was a Division I ice hockey program only two years after being a Division III State Finalist. This year the team competed on the biggest stage of high school hockey in the state of Connecticut. Seniors John Arel ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, All-State), Demitri Yao ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, All-State, Coaches Award), Jesse McLain ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, All-State, MVP), Nicholas Bragaia ’14, Zeke Angelini ’14, and William Schwartz ’14, and junior Joshua Stumpf ’15 (Captain) helped lead the team into the Division I ranks, posting a 10-8-2 regular season record. The team outscored their opponents 68-55, as sophomore Michael Camasso ’16 tended the net. The leadership from the upperclassmen helped the program make the jump from a Division III team to one of the most respected programs in the state of Connecticut. Junior Captain Stumpf is going to keep the expectations high for the rising group of ice hockey players as they look to make a deep run in the CIAC Division I State Tournament next season.
Kenny Cox ’14 has his eye on the hoop.
USA Today’s High School Basketball Coach of the Year Finalist and long-time Northwest Catholic Boys’ Basketball Head Coach John Mirabello competed in one of the toughest division schedules during the 2013-2014 season. The team played in games against two teams that would win State Championships, as well as numerous State Quarterfinalists. With only three seniors on his roster, Coach Mirabello knew that his team was young, but continued to hold them to high expectations. Senior Kenny Cox ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, MVP) took the team under his wing. He found himself shooting lights-out behind the three point line and even sank a shot from the opposite foul line, one of the most magical shots in Northwest Catholic basketball history. Senior Evan Farrell ’14 (Captain, Coaches Award) helped lead the offensive attack as fellow classmate Louis Lawson ’14 (Captain) became a force in the paint. Junior Christian Thomas ’15 also helped out the offense as one of the team’s leading scorers. With a close group of returning players, the Northwest Catholic Boys’ Basketball team is looking forward to next season as they look to improve their record in 2014-2015.
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Demitri Yao ’14 (#22) races the puck across the ice, as John Arel ’14 (#4) keeps a defender away.
INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD
Haley Connors ’15 makes a run for the basket.
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
It is a special moment when you watch a team consistently improve day in and day out just like the Indoor Track and Field team did during their 2013-2014 campaign. They lived with the motto “Win the Day” in an effort to improve as a team, from the first day of practice until the last day in the CIAC Class S Indoor Track and Field Meet. Head Coach Patrick Williamson ’99 and his staff emphasized the development of the team’s work ethic, as they continuously instructed
S PORT S NE W S
Owen Eagan ’14 flies around the track.
of the fifteen events. In the CIAC Class S Meet, Rose O’Brien ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, MVP) shined as she finished in 5th place in the 55m hurdles, while Lauren Cenci ’15 (Coaches Award) also scored in the State Meet, placing 6th in the 1000m run. The Northwest Catholic Girls’ 4x200 meter relay team of O’Brien, Micayla Hopson ’15, Claire Hurtado ’16, and Rachael Ogbonna ’16 placed 4th. Senior Allie Kaehrle ’14 placed 9th overall in the High Jump to finish out her senior indoor track and field season. Senior leaders Ana Colliton ’14 (Captain), Melissa Nenninger ’14 (Captain), Emily Kuczma ’14, Paige Pham ’14, Shannon Kelly ’14, Hyewon Shin ’14 and Sasha Yazdzik ’14 helped lead the team to their success throughout the long season and have left the blueprints to the underclassmen for continued success next year.
athletes of all different skill levels each and every day. With just under 100 athletes competing during the season, Coach Williamson had to rely heavily on his seniors and trust that their leadership would benefit the entire program. With senior athletes like Owen Eagan ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, MVP), Brian Kozak ’14 (Coaches Award) and Barre Mohamood ’14 (Captain), it’s no wonder that the Boys’ Indoor Track and Field team exceeded expectations during the season. From their meets at the Floyd Little Athletic Center and the Rhode Island Classic, to the most prestigious Yale High School Track and Field Classic, the Northwest Catholic Boys’ Indoor Track and Field team competed on the highest of stages. In the Central Connecticut Conference Meet, the boys finished in 7th place out of the 25 teams, highlighted by Eagan’s victory in the 600m run. With these results, Coach Williamson was excited to get into the State Meet. In the CIAC Class S Meet, many team members contributed to the point total, including Eagan, who placed 6th in the 600m run, as well as the 4x400 meter relay team of Eagan, Kozak, Nicholas Ravosa ’15, and Christian MacKay-Morgan ’16, which also placed 6th. Senior leaders Ryan Allberry ’14, Christopher Armetta ’14, Marcus Bailey ’14, Marlon Bailey ’14 and Trae Brooks ’14 all provided leadership and instruction for a program that continues to be one of the top in the state. The Girls’ Indoor Track and Field team’s schedule was not any easier than the boys’ this past year. With many returning stars from the previous year, Coach Williamson was excited to see what his team could do when it came time for the post-season meets. In the Central Connecticut Conference Championship, the girls’ team finished in 6th place at the conclusion
Juniors Masciocchi and Christian Smith ’15 had outstanding performances. Sophomore Abby Oostendorp ’16 and freshmen Laura Kunkel ’17 (MVP), Hannah Nelson ’17, and Natalie Smith ’17 also scored well in the meet. With the returning group of underclassmen, the Northwest Catholic Swimming and Diving team looks to improve their regular season record and their state ranking.
Members of the Swimming and Diving team get a pep talk before their meet.
CHEERLEADING
Rose O’Brien ’14 leaps over the hurdles.
SWIMMING AND DIVING The Northwest Catholic Swimming and Diving team made waves in Connecticut under the direction of Head Coach Spencer Hartmann. How could Northwest Catholic High School successfully compete in the “Boys’ Season” as a co-ed squad? That is exactly what they did. Grabbing wins over Bulkeley, Hartford Public and Plainville during the regular season was great for team morale. What was impressive, and also a morale booster, was watching the swimmers compete and set personal best times along the way. Senior, and lone diver, Kelsey Baker ’14 (Captain, Coaches Award) improved her dive scores steadily throughout the winter season, earning her way into the CIAC Class S Boys Diving Meet where she finished in 9th place. Senior Philip Karas ’14 (Captain) and junior Matthew Masciocchi ’15 (Captain) helped lead the team into the CIAC Class S State meet, where they finished in 11th place in their division. T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
Picking up where they left off during the football season, the Northwest Catholic Cheerleading team made a ton of noise in gyms across the state of Connecticut as they led cheers, performed routines, and created excitement during the basketball season this past winter. Head Coach Mischa Hadaway ’03 worked with her group of seniors and taught them what it meant to be a Northwest Catholic Cheerleader, just like she was back in 2003. Shateria Jackson ’14 (MVP) and Jessica Gordon ’14 (Coaches Award) worked with the young group of cheerleaders, perfecting their routines while at the same time providing spirit at Northwest Catholic athletic events.
Sarah Grinnell ’17 (left) and Christal Riley ’16 (right) get the crowd pumped during a basketball game.
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S PO RT S NEWS
SPRING SPORTS B ASEB ALL The Northwest Catholic Baseball team, under the direction of Head Coach Cory Carlson, entered the year with high expectations – three of the team’s eight seniors had previously announced that they would be playing baseball in college at the Division I level. After winning 7 of their first nine contests, the Northwest Catholic Baseball team hit a difficult stretch in the season facing a number of opponents that would go deep into the State Tournament. Senior John Arel ’14 (All-Conference, MVP) took to the mound and established himself as a force in the CIAC baseball ranks throughout the season. Coming back in the latter half of the season from injury was Connor Dunn ’14, who also controlled the mound in an effort to put Coach Carlson’s team in a good position for the post-season. Zeke Angelini ’14, Luke Foran ’14, Sean Foster ’14, Taylor Luciani ’14 (All-Conference), Dylan Robinson ’14 and Tyler Waitt ’14 (Coaches Award) provided the team with the leadership that brought the team back into the State Tournament. Returning in 2015 for Northwest Catholic is a group of rising juniors, including Hunter Tralli ’15 (All-Conference), who have already set their goals on bigger and better the next time that they get the chance.
After winning three of the first four games of the season, it was clear to Coach Mayer and the senior members of the team that they were in for a good season and the likelihood of getting back into the State Tournament was good. Juniors Sabrina Carreira ’15 (Coaches Award), Colleen Goroshko ’15 and Anna Hardy ’15 helped make their captains’ last season at Northwest Catholic a memorable one, as they clinched a berth in the CIAC State Tournament. Sophomore Kathleen Yorio ’16 (All-Conference) also had a very strong season to help get Northwest Catholic into the State Tournament. Next year the team looks to continue improving their regular season record and deepen their run in the CIAC Class M State Tournament.
Lucia Barresi ’16 (right) winds up to pitch, with Kathleen Yorio ’16 (left) ready to field any hit.
GIRLS’ TENNIS
Matthew Angelini ’14 takes a swing, while Luke Foran ’14 waits for his turn at bat.
in the state, but the girls were going to have to get through tough competitors along the way to turn this season into a magical one. Sure enough, the Northwest Catholic Girls’ Tennis team found themselves fighting through the opening rounds of the tournament to face #1 seeded Westbrook in the State Finals. After losing the first three matches against Westbrook in a best of seven series, the team needed a come-from-behind miracle to win the championship. And that is exactly what they got. Slowly but surely all the matches came to a close, and Northwest Catholic found themselves tied 3-3 with one game remaining – the doubles match of Amy Cao ’14 (All-Conference) and her sister Diana Cao ’16 (All-Conference). Win and they are Champions. And that is exactly what they did. Screams and tears of joy overtook the courts at Newington High School as Emma Deneen ’14, Grace Deneen ’14 (All-Conference), Katherine Marti ’14, Kristen Marti ’14, Rachel Poirier ’14 (AllConference) and Mary-Kathryn Rogers ’14 (Coaches Award) stormed the court with Coach Piorkowski and Coach Sutherland. Anna Case ’15 (All-Conference, MVP), Charlotte Carew ’15, Gabriella Giannone ’15 and Angela Miguel ’15 (All-Conference) all looked shocked, not believing that their team just did what had earlier seemed almost impossible. The whole Northwest Catholic community looks forward to next season, as many of the leaders from the 2014 championship team come back in 2015 for a chance at defending their title.
BOYS’ TENNIS
State Champions! They did it in memorable fashion as well. It was a goal that the team had set after being eliminated in the CIAC Semifinals in 2013. After posting a regular season record of 161, Head Coach Stan Piorkowski was excited to bring his team back into the State Tournament, a place he thought they had left too soon a year ago. He knew that his team was one of the best teams
SOFTB ALL After a record of 4-16 in the 2013 season, the Northwest Catholic Softball team, under the direction of Head Coach Kate Mayer, made it very clear at the beginning of the season that one of their biggest goals was to return to the CIAC State Tournament. With a very young group of players – eleven out of the 20 players were freshmen – it looked like a difficult task. It was a new team, with many of these girls playing together for the first time, but captains Alisha Collazo ’14 (Captain, All-Conference, MVP) and Kelly Shannon ’14 (Captain) took it upon themselves to improve on last season’s record.
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The doubles team of Adam Mendoza ’15 (right) and Oliver Hasson ’16 (left) are ready for whatever their opponents hit their way.
NWC’s 2014 Class S State Championship tennis team celebrates their victory.
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
The Northwest Catholic Boys’ Tennis team competed in the very competitive CCC West division during the 2014 season. Head Coach Tim Crowley gathered his team early on in the season and talked about dedication to the program and what it was going to take to be successful. That conversation, combined with the team’s great work ethic, set them up for success. After missing the State Tournament in
S PORT S NE W S the 2013 season, Coach Crowley knew that his team had to win early on in the season if they stood a chance at making it into the tournament. Lone senior Peter Armetta ’14 (MVP) helped them do exactly that. After starting off the season winning five of the first six matches, Kyle Brooks ’15, Adam Mendoza ’15, Christian Smith ’15, Oliver Hasson ’16 (All-Conference) and Patrick Lazor ’16 (Coaches Award) helped get the team to a 9-9 regular season record and a berth in the State Tournament. In the tournament, Hasson, as well as the doubles team of Lazor and Timothy O’Donnell ’16 made it through the first round, showing that in 2015, the Northwest Catholic Boys’ Tennis team will pick up where they left off, and continue to improve their state ranking.
Jordano ’15 were a few of the players who helped the team get to where they were this past season. With so many players returning in 2015, Coach Mullady is excited to see what they can do, and hopes they can bring the team back into the State Tournament.
BOYS’ LACROSSE
BOYS’ GOLF
GIRLS’ LACROSSE Head Coach Bill Mullady ’66 entered the 2014 season with only three seniors in Emma Christolini ’14, Molly Deneen ’14 and Elizabeth Oakley ’14, but relied on the entire team to pick up from where they were a year ago. Plagued with injuries early on in the season, many individuals would end up playing in positions that they were unaccustomed to. The team finished the regular season with a record of 7-9 – good enough to get into the CIAC Class S Tournament. An underdog in the opening round, the Northwest Catholic Girls’ Lacrosse team defeated HaddamKillingworth on the road by a score of 1413, before losing to eventual champion Stonington in the next round. Lauren Cenci ’15 (All-Conference, MVP), Shannon Greene ’15 (Coaches Award), Christina Wilson ’15, Grace Hayes ’15 (All-Conference) and Jessica
Cooper Kerr ’14 helped hold down the defense, keeping the team in many games, especially as they headed into the CIAC State Tournament. One of the most exciting comebacks of the season occurred when the team rallied back to defeat Weston at St. Thomas Seminary in the tournament quarterfinals. Unfortunately, the team’s run in the tournament was cut short at Cheshire High School in the semifinal game as NWC lost to the eventual State Champion, St. Joseph. The 2014 Northwest Catholic Boys’ Lacrosse team made the entire Northwest Catholic community proud of how quickly they have put Northwest Catholic boys’ lacrosse on the map! Next year’s team looks to continue the success and once again find themselves in the position to fight for a State Championship.
John Fox ’14 looks for an open teammate.
Second-year Head Coach Peter Vlahakis had been looking forward to the start of this season since the previous June. He returned a great group of veteran players, helping the 2014 Northwest Catholic Boys’ Lacrosse team achieve a regular season record of 12-4 and earn the CCC West Championship. Seniors Chris McLaughlin ’14 (All-Conference, MVP), Aidan McDonnell ’14 (All-Conference), Mac Kearns ’14 (Coaches Award) and John Fox ’14 (All-Conference) worked together in one of the most potent offensive attacks in Connecticut, scoring a combined 234 goals in the regular season. Ryan Donohue ’14, Benjamin Elmore ’14 (All-Conference) and
Grace Hayes ’15 looks for a chance to score, as Jessica Jordano ’15 (#2) watches for any defenders.
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
Under the direction of Head Coach Scott Fletcher, the Northwest Catholic Boys’ Golf team took to the course with their eyes set on finishing at the top of the Division IV State Tournament. To reach that goal, they needed to practice daily to perfection on their home course of Wampanoag Country Club and play well in all of their regular season matches across Hartford County. Seniors Brian Kozak ’14, Thaddeus Link ’14 (All-Conference, Coaches Award), William Schwartz ’14 and Demitrios Yao ’14 (All-Conference, MVP) helped lead the team to a regular season record of 10-6, including a season-best combined score of 148 in a victory over Southington. The team earned the #1 seed in the Division IV State Tournament and headed to Timberlin in Berlin. It was here where Northwest Catholic would tie with Morgan High School after 72 holes with a score of 320. Link was the low scorer for Northwest Catholic, shooting a 77. In the tie-breaking extra hole format, Northwest Catholic lost to Morgan, becoming
Thaddeus Link ’14 tees off.
S P R I N G - S U M M E R 2 014 • 29
S PO RT S NEWS the Division IV runner-up. Sean Oleasz ’15 and William Horigan ’15 return to lead the team in 2015.
GIRLS’ GOLF Head Coach Jeff Przech ’92 entered his third Girls’ Golf season for Northwest Catholic, knowing that he would need to rely on his seniors for leadership during the 2014 season. Luckily for him, he had a core group of leaders in Lauren Bellizzi ’14, Rachel Bercowetz ’14, Gillian Colman ’14, Xuan Rao ’14 and Hannah Wade ’14 (All-Conference, MVP), who were now in the driver’s seat of the program. Posting a regular season record of 8-9-1 was a great accomplishment as the team competed against teams from all over the state, some of which were State Championship contenders. Their lowest round of the season came in their final match of the season, shooting a 185 in a trimatch vs. East Catholic and Middletown. The team looks forward to the 2015 season as they return a large number of freshmen and sophomores, including Megan Weiss ’16 (Coaches Award), who should help make the team competitive again in 2015.
The Boys’ Track and Field team relied heavily on its three captains for leadership. Christopher Armetta ’14, Owen Eagan ’14 and Barre Mohamood ’14 each brought something different to the table when it came to leadership – a blend that proved to be successful. Throughout the season, the team competed against some of the most talented teams in the region and were well-conditioned to compete at the state level. Ryan Allberry ’14, Marcus Bailey ’14, Marlon Bailey ’14 (Coaches Award), Trae Brooks ’14, and Corey Jasper ’14 helped guide the squad through the meets with their experience and focus. Sophomore MVP Christian Mackay-Morgan ’16 (All-Conference, MVP) ran well in the 400m run in the Class M Championship, while Eagan qualified and competed as an individual in the Decathalon. The team has numerous returning players for the upcoming season, including Jayson Williams ’17 (All-Conference), and Coach Williamson looks forward to working with the group of returning athletes next spring. The Northwest Catholic Girls’ Outdoor Track and Field team competed during the regular season in the CCC West Division, finishing 5th in the final standings. Captains Kelsey Baker ’14, Molly McDonald ’14 and Rose O’Brien ’14 (All-Conference, MVP) guided the team during the short eight week season and made sure that they were ready to compete when it came time for the Class M Meet. O’Brien finished in 7th place, earning points for the team in the 300m hurdles. Two relay teams also placed for points – the 4x800 meter relay team of Alicia Palmer ’16, Megan Grandell ’16,
Adam Vancisin ’15 takes the lead during his leg of the relay race.
McDonald and Claire Hurtado ’16 finished in 6th, while the 4x100 meter relay team of Brittney Lundy ’16, Taryn Loftus ’15, Kelsey Geddes ’15 (All-Conference) and Rachael Ogbonna ’16 took 8th place. The team’s best performance of the day came from Allie Kaehrle ’14 (All-Conference), who placed 4th in the High Jump, clearing 4ft 10in. The leadership from seniors Alanna Bumbray ’14 (All-Conference, Coaches Award), Jessica Gordon ’14, Melissa Nenninger ’14 and Maggie Rose ’14 proved to be an important factor as the team finished the season strong with personal records being set by many of the athletes.
Lauren Bellizzi ’14 has her putt lined up.
OUTDOOR TRACK AND FIELD Patrick Williamson ’99 entered his third season as Head Coach of the Boys’ and Girls’ Outdoor Track and Field team and was excited to see what this new group of athletes would accomplish. With over 100 student-athletes competing in the short spring season, the Northwest Catholic Track and Field teams exceeded expectations.
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Brittney Lundy ’16 shows her determination to win. T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
S PORT S NE W S
NWC’S DENEEN, MCLAUGHLIN ARE NAMED CIAC SCHOLAR-ATHLETES Grace Deneen ’14, an outstanding volleyball and tennis player, and Christopher McLaughlin ’14, an accomplished football and lacrosse player, were named Northwest Catholic’s CIAC Scholar-Athletes for 2014. Deneen, of Windsor, was a member of both the volleyball and tennis teams from her freshman year. In tennis, Deneen was a varsity player and a member of the 2014 Class S State Championship tennis team. As a tennis player, she earned All-Academic honors from her freshman year and earned AllConference honors as a junior and senior. In volleyball, she was a team captain, earned All-Academic honors her junior and senior years, and earned All-Conference honors as a senior. As a freshman, she also played basketball. Deneen attends Northeastern University. McLaughlin, of Suffield, played lacrosse from his freshman year and football from his sophomore year, earning All-Academic honors every year. He was named All-Conference in football as a senior and All-Conference in lacrosse as a junior and a senior. He was named All-State in lacrosse as a junior. McLaughlin was also the lacrosse team MVP for the 2013 and 2014 seasons and was named Hartford Courant’s Boys’ Lacrosse Player of the Year in 2014. In the fall of 2013, he was also named a National Merit Commended Student for his scores on the PSAT/NMSQT. He attends Williams College and plans to play lacrosse there.
“We are so proud of who Grace and Chris have become during their years here at Northwest Catholic, and cannot wait to see what they achieve in the future,” said Northwest Catholic Athletic Director Matthew Martorelli ’03. “They are the epitome of excellent student-athletes.” The Scholar-Athlete Program recognizes a boy and girl from each high school “whose academic and athletic careers have been exemplary, whose personal standards and achievements are a model to others, and who possess high levels of integrity, self-discipline and courage,” according to the CIAC.
NORTHWEST CATHOLIC BASKETBALL COACH NAMED ONE OF AMERICA’S BEST HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL COACHES At the beginning of 2014, Northwest Catholic Boys’ Basketball Coach John Mirabello was nominated for USA Today’s America’s Best High School Basketball Coach contest. The contest started with 306 of the country’s top high school boys’ basketball coaches, with public online voting to determine who moved on to the next round of competition. Coach Mirabello won the initial state round, receiving the most votes of the six nominated Connecticut coaches. In the regional round, Mirabello finished second to Coach I.J. Pinkham of Boothbay, Maine, but thanks to the support of the NWC community, he received the highest number of votes among non-winners (over 119,000), earning him a wild card spot in the finals. That vote total was also third-highest in the country for the regional round. In the final round, Coach Mirabello finished seventh. “I could not think of a coach more deserving of receiving this honor,” said Northwest Catholic Athletic Director Matthew Martorelli ’03. “It was great to see the support pour in from the entire Northwest Catholic community, both near and far.”
Northwest Catholic Athletic Director Matthew Martorelli ’03 (left) and Northwest Catholic Boys’ Basketball Coach John Mirabello pose in front of Coach Mirabello’s USA Today’s America’s Best High School Basketball Coach finalist banner.
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
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NWC Athletes Named to All-Courant Teams for 2013-2014 Sports At the end of each season, The Hartford Courant names the best athletes from throughout its circulation area to its “All-Courant” teams for each sport. Northwest Catholic was well-represented on these teams for the 2013-2014 school year. NWC’s All-Courant athletes were:
Fall ’13 Sports
Honorable Mention
Jessica Jordano ’15 – Michelle Medina ’14 – Nicole Medina ’14 – Elijah Riley ’15 –
Winter ’14 Sports John Arel ’14 Jesse McLain ’14
Field Hockey Girls’ Soccer Girls’ Soccer Football
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Ice Hockey Ice Hockey
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Girls’ Tennis
Spring ’14 Sports Anna Case ’15
Madison Borowiec ’15 – Christian Flynn ’14 – Madison Mortillaro ’14 – Robert Place ’15 – Owen Tyler ’15 – Christina Wilson ’15 –
Honorable Mention Haley Connors ’15 Kenneth Cox, II ’14 Demitrios Yao ’14
– – –
Girls’ Soccer Football Field Hockey Boys’ Soccer Football Field Hockey Girls’ Basketball Boys’ Basketball Ice Hockey
Honorable Mention
Christopher McLaughlin ’14 – Boys’ Lacrosse Courant’s Boys’ Lacrosse Player of the Year
John Arel ’14 – Baseball Amy Cao ’14 and Diana Cao ’16 _ Girls’ Tennis (Doubles Team) Lauren Cenci ’15 – Girls’ Lacrosse John Fox ’14 – Boys’ Lacrosse Thaddeus Link ’14 – Boys’ Golf Connor Murphy ’16 – Boys’ Lacrosse Demitrios Yao ’14
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Boys’ Golf
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T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
NORTHWEST CATHOLIC FIELD HOCKEY HONORED FOR SPORTSMANSHIP Northwest Catholic’s Field Hockey team was honored with the 2013 Lucy Goodridge Sportsmanship Award by the Connecticut Field Hockey Association Official’s Board. The team received the award at the CIAC Fall 2013 All-State banquet on December 3, 2013. To be considered for this award, a team must exemplify good sportsmanship during the fall season. They are evaluated based on how well they demonstrate the values of respect, fairness, honesty and responsibility; the attitude and behavior of the players, coaches and spectators; how visiting teams are treated at the home team’s site; and the players’ respectful interaction with game officials. Team members must also be positive role models for the sport, their school and the community.
“Coach Mullady and his team are most deserving of this award,” said Athletic Director Matthew Martorelli ’03. “They have worked extremely hard at improving every aspect of their game, setting goals and achieving them together, and redefining what sportsmanship means to them. I am very happy for them!”
Alumni Athletes Mary Deneen ’12, a member of the softball team at Bates College, received New England Small College Athletic Conference All-Academic distinction for the spring 2014 season. To receive NESCAC All-Academic honors, a student-athlete must have reached sophomore academic standing and be a varsity letter winner with a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.35. Mary is majoring in psychology at Bates.
Kywane Thomas ’12 is entering his junior year at Rivier University in Nashua, New Hampshire. He has played in 25 career games during his first two years, averaging 8.3 points per game, 2.2 rebounds per game, and 1.3 assists per game. Kywane scored 21 points, recorded 4 rebounds and 2 assists in a game last year versus Endicott College. The basketball team finished with an overall record of 11-15 last year.
Nicholas Italia ’11 is entering his junior year at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts as a member of the boys’ soccer team. Over his freshman and sophomore seasons, Nick played in 25 matches. During the 2012 season, Nick contributed three points to the Falcons, scoring one goal and adding an assist. He is looking to become a big factor in the midfield and help improve the team’s overall record of 8-8-1.
Lucien Cance ’12 is entering his junior year at Nichols College in Dudley, Massachusetts. He has appeared in every football game for the Bison during his freshman and sophomore years and has a career total of two catches and two carries, totaling 20 yards at fullback. Lucien is going to be key factor blocking for the 2014 season in helping the football team to improve on last year’s 1-8 record.
J’Leen Diaz ’13 is going into her sophomore year at Castleton State College in Castleton, Vermont. During her freshman year playing volleyball for the Spartans, she played in 45 games and recorded 12 kills, 6 service aces, and 43 digs. J’Leen is looking to play a key role in her sophomore year, trying to help the Spartans improve on last year’s 1014 overall record.
Stephen Blanchfield ’69 recently won his 300th tennis match this spring as a tennis coach at Conard High School in West Hartford. This is Steve’s 21st year coaching tennis at Conard. He is also a longtime football coach at Hall High School in West Hartford. During his teaching and coaching career he has also coached basketball at Northwest Catholic, Hall High School and Sacred Heart High School in Waterbury. He started the girls’ and boys’ tennis program at Sacred Heart prior to his coaching at Conard.
Brendan McCormack ’11, a Criminal Justice major, is entering his senior year at St. Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire. He has had a stellar cross-country career at St. Anselm. In 2011, he posted a time of 31:15.5 to finish 41st at the Shacklette Invitational and also finished in 19th place at the Raider Invitational. In 2012, he posted a time of 30:15 at the Raider Invitational. He is looking to improve his own personal times, as well as help his team return to nationals, in his final year.
Nico Greco ’10 finished off his collegiate career at La Salle University as a champion. During the fall of 2013 cross country season, he finished in 1st place at the Atlantic 10 Conference Cross Country Championships. During his senior indoor track and field season, again at the Athletic 10 Conference Championships, Nico finished in 2nd place in the 5,000m. He currently holds school records in the 3,000m, the 5,000m and the 10,000m.
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
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S PO RT S NEWS
Northwest Catholic Seniors Announce Plans to Compete in College Sports Thirteen members of the Class of 2014 committed to continue playing sports in college. Of these students, five committed to Division I athletic programs. These students are: John Arel – University of Maine (Baseball)
Rose O’Brien – Saint Joseph’s University, PA (Track and Field)
Taylor Luciani – Quinnipiac University (Baseball)
Dylan Robinson – University of Massachusetts, Amherst (Baseball)
Elizabeth Oakley – Mount St. Mary’s University (Lacrosse)
In addition, eight students committed to compete in Division II or Division III college athletics, including several students attending NESCAC schools. These students are: Connor Dunn – Williams College (Baseball)
Michelle Medina – Connecticut College (Soccer)
Christian Flynn – Oberlin College (Football)
Nicole Medina – Connecticut College (Soccer)
Thaddeus Link – Saint Anselm College (Golf)
John Shea, Jr. – Trinity College (Crew)
Christopher McLaughlin – Williams College (Lacrosse)
Tyler Waitt – American International College (Baseball)
Together, these 13 students who will be playing sports in college represent 9% of the Class of ’14.
Front row (from left): Nicole Medina, Michelle Medina, Rose O’Brien and Elizabeth Oakley Back row (from left): Thaddeus Link, Taylor Luciani, Connor Dunn, John Shea, Jr., John Arel, Dylan Robinson, Christopher McLaughlin, Christian Flynn and Tyler Waitt
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T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
A LUMNI NE WS As in every school, some people who enroll at NWC as freshmen do not remain here for four years, for a variety of reasons. However, we still consider them part of the NWC family. For record-keeping purposes, NWC has followed the lead of many other schools in defining “when an alum is an alum.” The policy is that if a student completes one year at NWC, we consider them to be part of the class with which they entered, and they will be identified as “a member of the Class of ’xx.” A person in this category who wishes to be removed from or added to our database should contact Director of Constituent Relations Jane Leary at jleary@nwcath.org.
1970’S Michael R. Abruzzo ’70 was named the Golden Apple Award Winner for 2014 as the High School Teacher of the Year for the Vista Unified School District in San Diego County, California. He recently finished his 34th year of teaching, his 31st in Vista. Mark Caldarella ’73 and his wife Kate have returned to Connecticut and are now living in Old Saybrook, CT. Casey Sabella ’73 is married with four children and two grandchildren. He resides in Waterbury, CT, where he is a pastor of a non-denominational church that works with regional churches and pastors of all denominations. He is currently working on project to share stories of extraordinary people who live next door through writing, photography and video.
1980’S Jean-Paul Rebillard ’88 started as President of the Health Systems and Hospitals Division of Medical Protective, Berkshire Hathaway’s dedicated healthcare liability business, in April 2014. He lives outside Philadelphia with his wife Kate, a travel agent and retired lawyer, and their son Jack.
1990’S Jeffrey Przech ’92 earned his master’s degree in writing in 2013. He is also working on recording the first record for his band, The Bus Drivers, as well as a solo record, both of which should be released by the end of 2014. Joye Thaller ’94 started a new job in May 2014 as the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Coordinator at Bunker Hill Community College in Boston, MA. She supports students in STEM fields, in everything from academics and internships to coordinating field
trips and speakers. Jason Lambert ’95 has taken a new role with Sikorsky Aircraft as the Director of the Turkish Utility Helicopter Program, a licensed co-production program to manufacture Black Hawk helicopters in Turkey. Jason, his wife Lisa, and their children, Jay and Brooke, are happy to be back in Connecticut and have relocated to Trumbull. John Shukie ’95 was recently named to the Board of Directors of the Special Olympics of Colorado He has also started his own consulting company, Forward Progress (www.forwardprogressac.com), which assists universities with student-athlete academic progress. Danielle Watt, Ph.D. ’97 is a visiting Research Scientist in the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics at Umeå University in Umeå, Sweden. Her research focus is on the mechanisms of how DNA is metabolized, copied, and repaired to prevent mutations that may lead to diseases such as cancer.
2000’S Delroy Ross ’01 helped found the Faith, Hope and Joy Foundation, a non-profit organization that has been providing medical clinics and food programs to children living in poverty in the Dominican Republic. John Brickley ’02 was recently named the new weekend studio host for SportsCenter AllNight on ESPN Radio on Fridays and Saturdays from 1am-7am ET. He serves as a national syndicated host for a show that consists of the top stories and highlights in sports. John also served as a studio host for the 2014 FIFA World Cup on ESPN Radio as well as the 2014 NBA Eastern and Western Conference Finals. Besides his duties as a studio host, he also can be heard weeknights as an update sports anchor for ESPN Radio from 10pm-6am ET.
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Melissa DeLeon ’02 is currently pursuing an MBA in Healthcare for the Elderly, after earning her bachelor’s degree in gerontology. She is engaged to Jason Foryan and will be getting married in March of 2015. Stephanie McQueen ’03 is now a Major Gifts Officer at Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford, CT. She was an Annual Giving Officer at Trinity College from 2007-11, when she moved to Wesleyan University as the Assistant Director of 25th and 30th Reunion Programs. Sean Horan ’06 is in the process of completing his Master of Science in Bioethics at the Alden March Bioethics Institute at Albany Medical College. In September 2014, he will begin his Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine, as well as a Master of Science in Integrative Medicine Research, at the National College of Natural Medicine in Portland, OR.
2010’S Gustav Haflin ’10 was named the Max Y. Litman English Prize Award winner during the College Honors Ceremonies at Western New England University. This honor goes to a graduating English major who has demonstrated superior skills in literary analysis and written communication. Haflin graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in Secondary Education-English in May 2014 and was a member of the Alpha Lambda Delta and Sigma Tau Delta honor societies. Gabriella Marandino ’10, a member of Assumption College’s Class of 2014, was presented with the departmental award for Human Services and Rehabilitation Studies (Concentration in Communication Sciences and Disorders) as part of the College’s 30th Annual Undergraduate Symposium. Sixty seven students were recognized for academic excellence during the ceremony.
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2010’S
CONT.
Girls Gone Mild!
Alexander Picciano ’10 graduated in May 2014 from the University of Virginia: School of Architecture. He has moved to Washington, D.C. and is working for PN Hoffman as a project engineer on a development in Bethesda, Maryland. Katherine Sitaro ’10 graduated from Siena College in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science. She works at 3M Health Information Systems as a Software Quality Engineer. Nathan McKenzie ’12 will be spending the fall 2014 semester studying abroad at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.
Members of the Class of 1971 gathered in Kiawah, South Carolina last year to collectively celebrate their 60th birthdays. Pictured from left to right: Jeannie Carpenter Redick ’71, Kitty Jo Bracken Reynolds ’71, Lisa Meehan Curran ’71, Amy Hughes ’71, Jo-Anne Graham ’71, Sue Milligan Szymaszek ’71, Joan Hogan Reinhart ’71, and Ursula Codraro Hunt ’71.
THE NORTHWEST CATHOLIC FUND NEEDS YOU! To reach our goals for the Northwest Catholic Fund each year, we rely on the generous support of the members of the NWC community who believe that giving is an important way to show support for the school and its mission. Whether it be leadership gifts which inspire us all, or small gifts from recent graduates, every gift of every size is essential to achieving our financial and participation targets. In fact, often the participation (i.e., the percentage who contribute) of our community in annual giving is a criteria which foundations use to assess our worthiness for grants to accomplish major projects. It is only with the participation of our entire community that we will be able to ensure that Northwest Catholic continues to provide the excellent educational experience in the Catholic tradition that we have come to value and expect.
Donate securely on-line at www.NorthwestCatholic.org/GiveOnline
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ALU M N I NE W S
Ma Re Oo ’12 was honored with the Connecticut Immigrant and Refugee Coalition’s Immigrant Award at the 17th Annual Connecticut Immigration Day Ceremony held at the State Capitol. Mary is a Karen refugee who was born in the Mae La Refugee Camp in Thailand after violence against Karen people forced her parents to flee Burma. She arrived in Hartford at age 14 with no knowledge of English. Mary was honored for her volunteer work with the Connecticut Karen Community Association, Catholic Charities, and the Cathedral of Saint Joseph. She also serves on the parish council at the Cathedral of St. Joseph and is a choir member at the University of Saint Joseph, where she is majoring in Social Work.
Mark Mossberg ’12 took home third place in the Governor’s Cyber Aces State Championship in Massachusetts in May 2014. The contestants worked in a simulation program called SANS NetWars, which the US military uses to train officers in network warfare. The program tests a number of skills, including digital forensics and vulnerability assessment. For his third place finish, Mossberg received a scholarship and opportunities for more training in the field of cyber security.
Several Northwest Catholic alumni were in attendance at the second annual Kevin McGuire Memorial Golf Tournament at the Marshfield Country Club in Marshfield, MA on June 23, 2014. The tournament was held in memory of Kevin McGuire ’72 and benefited Medical Missions for Children. Representing NWC (from left to right) were Thomas McGuire ’67, Ralph Roosevelt ’65 and Peter Fay ’66.
Tzivia Freeman-Dasent ’07 graduated Cum Laude from the Southern University Law Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on May 10, 2014. She has moved back home to Connecticut to begin practicing law.
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Weddings
Megan Bonney ’04 married Patrick Ward in Cambridge, MA on May 25, 2014. NWC alumni in attendance included Kelly Curran ’04 and Kevin Bonney ’07.
Megan Lemp ’04 married Matt Tracey on June 21, 2014 in Watch Hill, RI. Both graduated from Fairfield University in 2008, which is where they met. The couple now lives in New York City. Liisa Walsh Sloat ’04 and Brenna Milbier ’04 were members of the bridal party.
Recently Married? We’d love to include a photo in a future issue of Logos.
Tina Flannery ’04 married Michael Chokas on April 12, 2014 at La Notte in East Windsor, CT. The couple met at the Hartford Police Department – Michael is an officer and Tina works in the Fiscal Division. Janice Girandola ’74, the bride’s mother, and Sandra Tyler ’74, the bride’s godmother, were in attendance.
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T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
E-mail KSpera@nwcath.org a photo and some details about the wedding and your family.
ALU M N I NE W S
Bib Babies
Ryan Buzzell and Amy Griffin Buzzell ’97 welcomed Avery Sarah on April 22, 2014. Avery joins proud big brother Connor, age 2. Avery’s grandfather is former NWC President Dr. Michael S. Griffin.
James Jefski ’95 and Meredith Moore Jefski ’96 celebrated the birth of their third child, Caroline Grace, who was born on April 23, 2014. She joins big brothers Drew and JT.
Patrick Douglas ’98 and his wife Karla celebrated the birth of their second son, Dylan Jack, on June 4, 2014 in Bristol, CT. Dylan weighed 9 pounds and measured 20 inches long. He joins big brother Ethan.
Had a baby? Get a bib!
Amy Delligan Ferrer ’99 and her husband Safhe welcomed their second daughter, Sofia Elizabeth, on December 12, 2013. She joins big sister Isabella and family in Bristol, CT.
David Marceau ’95 and his wife Kelly welcomed daughter Lauren on February 18, 2014.
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
We’d love to include a photo of your baby in a future issue of Logos. Please request your bib from Jane Leary at JLeary@ nwcath.org. Send a photo and some details about the baby and your family afterwards to KSpera@nwcath.org.
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ALU M NI NE W S
IN MEMORIAM Northwest Catholic extends its prayers and sympathies to the families of those in our community who passed away October 1, 2013 - March 31, 2014. To ensure accuracy, we require that In Memoriam notices be accompanied by a newspaper obituary. Please notify KSpera@nwcath.org of any errors or omissions.
ALUMNI Ellen Mary Abruzzo-Magana, member of the Class of ’72, died March 26, 2014 at age 60. She was born February 1, 1954. Sister of Michael Abruzzo ’70 Joanne Hary Farrell ’65 died Saturday, March 15, 2014, at age 66. She was born April 26, 1947, in Hartford, the daughter of the late Peter Hary and Mary McDonald Hary. Sister of George Hary ’73 Geraldine A. Luksic ’69, 61, died November 1, 2013. Born in Hartford, daughter of Geraldine (Whitaker) Luksic and the late Michael F. Luksic, she lived most of her life in West Hartford. She received a B.S. from St. Joseph College (now the University of St. Joseph) in West Hartford, CT. She was an active member of St. Mark the Evangelist Church, West Hartford. Geraldine was employed at Hartford Office Supply as a Supervisor for over 30 years. Cousin of Jim Dionizio ’65, Peggy Dionizio Arseneaux ’66 and Northwest Catholic Board Member Gail Dionizio Lonczewski ’71 Daniel E. Lynch, Jr. ’78 died suddenly on November 10, 2013. Dan was born on February 12, 1960 to Daniel E. Lynch, Sr., Esq. and Alice Walsh Lynch. He graduated from Providence College, Summa Cum Laude, in 1982 and went on to earn his JD from Western New England School of Law and his LLM in tax law from New York University. Husband of Amy Randall Lynch ’78, father of Daniel Lynch ’09 and Kathleen Casey Lynch ’10; brother of Susan Lynch Galeota ’76, Patricia Lynch Fagan MD ’81 and Kevin Lynch ’85; brother-inlaw of Mary Randall DMD, ’72, Margaret Randall Brodeur ’79, Patricia Randall Taylor ’84, and the late Joseph Randall ’70 John Joseph Rice, Jr. ’80 passed away on March 16, 2014 at age 51. Born in Hartford, he was the son of Mary (Seymour) Rice and the late John Joseph Rice, Sr. John served his country honorably in the United States Air Force and graduated from Central Connecticut State University with a degree in Construction Engineering. He
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spent his professional career working in the construction industry, including constructing the Channel Tunnel (or Chunnel), the rail tunnel under the English Channel that connects England and France. John worked as an estimator at Stone Construction Company, Inc. in Southbury, CT and as a sales engineer for Tilcon Connecticut, Inc. Brother of Mary Rice Sternberg ’76 and J. Thaddeus Rice ’77; uncle of Tyler Rice ’16 and Shayne Rice ’18 Timothy Sarr ’83 died unexpectedly on November 9, 2013 at age 48. Tim was born in Hartford, son of the late William B. Sarr Jr. and Helena (Fogarty) Sarr. He graduated with honors from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in 1987. Tim was a highly regarded research scientist in the pharmaceutical industry, working for well-known firms including Bayer, Merck, and most recently Lycera over the course of his career. Brother of William Sarr ’71, James Sarr ’72, Kevin Sarr ’79 and Mary Sarr ’80 Thomas M. Sheridan ’70 passed away on December 31, 2013. Tommy was born in July of 1952 in Hartford, Connecticut, son of the late John J. Sheridan and Alexandra (Alice) Freda Sheridan. Tom received his B.A degree from Central Connecticut State University with a major in English. Tom was the lead singer in the Bloomfield-based STUBBY-K band and later, BOOTLEG band, playing great music from the 60’s and real rock ‘n roll. Tom was employed by ADVO initially, then Valassis for twenty-seven years as a client services specialist. Barbara Beck Stiles ’71 had celebrated her 40th wedding anniversary with husband John Stiles Sr. the day preceding her death. Barb was a proud alumna of the University of Connecticut. She was also a founding member of the South Hanover Elementary School PTO, serving as its President for several years. Subsequently she was elected and served as a member of the Lower Dauphin School Board for eight years. She was also the Co-Owner and operations manager of The Gift Box for eleven years. Terrill Ann (Sargent) Theroux ’68 died
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
December 23, 2013 at age 63. She was born October 18, 1950, in Willimantic, the daughter of the late Elmer G. and Claire (Tremblay) Sargent. In 1970, she graduated from the Art Student League in New York, N.Y. In 1986, she graduated from Mitchell College in New London, with an associate’s degree in psychology and in 1988, graduated Magna Cum Laude from Connecticut College in New London with a bachelor’s degree in psychology. Terri was a former recreation director at Mary Kenny Nursing Home in Waterford, and she owned and operated Dream Design, LLC, an arts and crafts home business. Brian Patrick Tierney ’65 passed away peacefully on February 14, 2014 at age 67. He was born to the late John W. and Dorothy (Davis) Tierney in Medford, MA on January 10, 1947. Brian was a proud firefighter with the West Hartford Fire Department for 30 years. He was a Captain when he retired and was the President of Union Local 1241 for several years. Husband of Karen Parutka Tierney ’65; brother of Christine Tierney Costello ’65 Noreen Elizabeth (McNamara) Waller ’66, departed this life after a brief illness at Hartford Hospital on August 9, 2010 at age 62. She was born in Hartford on September 21, 1947, the youngest daughter of the late Michael A. and Ruth E. (Monohan) McNamara. Noreen was a graduate of The Hartford Secretarial School, graduating as a Medical Secretary. She had been employed by the late Richard J. Fauliso, MD, and retired from CIGNA after 22 years of service.
CURRENT FAMILIES Carl Armetta, uncle of Nicholas Armetta ’12, Alessandra Armetta ’14, Christopher Armetta ’14, Peter Armetta ’14 and Kirsten Armetta ’17 Samuel Edward Brown, grandfather of Suliman Foster ’17 Elaine M. Cameron, grandmother of Daniel Errico ’12, Chris Errico, member of
ALUMN I N E W S
IN MEMORIAM (CONTINUED) the class of ’14, and Michael Errico ’16 Donald C. Forster, grandfather of William Forster ’17 Jack Foster, grandfather of John Foster ’16 “Butch” Earl Gordon, grandfather of Zachary Rice ’14 and Kyle Rice ’17
Benjamin John Buckley, grandson of John Tamburro ’69 and Catherine Peck Tamburro ’69 Marianne Therese (Foster) Cosgrove, mother of Dr. Ellen Cosgrove Czajka ’70 and Mary Cosgrove Allard ’73
David William Hasson, grandfather of Oliver Hasson ’16 and Madeleine Hasson ’17
Matthew Condel Couloute, Sr., father of the late Michelle Couloute-Richard ’84, Matthew Couloute ’88 and Michael Couloute ’89
Ruth Jacobs, grandmother of Ian Jacobs ’18
Janet Ficks Dahill, mother of Robert Dahill ’66
James Joseph McCormack, grandfather of Molly McCormack ’07, Meghan McCormack ’08, Kathleen McCormack ’12 and Patrick McCormack ’15
William G. “Bill” Davis, father of Damien Davis ’71, Paul Davis ’74 and Maureen Davis Grabowski ’77; grandfather of Kathleen Grabowski ’11 and Meghan Grabowski ’12
John T. Nahorney, grandfather of Stephen Nahorney ’16 Kathryn Mary (McNicholas) O’Hara, grandmother of John O’Hara ’07, Kathleen O’Hara ’11 and Elizabeth O’Hara ’15 Amaury Piris, father of Brandon Piris ’15 Joseph E. Serafin, Jr., uncle of Laura Serafin ’17 Peter J. Thomson, uncle of Mary McNally ’16 Dolores Vaughn, grandmother of J.K. Vaughn ’06, Ryan Vaughn ’08, Tanner Vaughn ’12 and Hope Vaughn ’15
ALUMNI FAMILIES Peter S. Antink, Jr., father of June Antink Kaminski ’73 and Sandra Antink Desrochers ’76 Russell Irving Armstrong, father-in-law of Marc Melanson ’78 Sandra Belliveau, mother of Lisa Belliveau Yuhas ’86 and grandmother of Taylor Craig ’12 Mary (Murphy) Bowie, mother of Katherine Bowie Green ’69, Thomas Bowie ’73 and Kevin Bowie ’77; grandmother of Michael Spalla ’02; aunt of Nancy Scully Bannon ’73, Director of Admissions, John Scully ’75, Sally Scully ’77, James Scully ’79 and William Scully ’80
Helen (Benusis) Dudzinski, grandmother of Celina Marquis ’08, Brooke Denver ’09, and Jacqueline Denver ’13 Jule Ann (Connor) Fiocchetta, mother of Bill Fiocchetta ’72 and Ann Marie Fiocchetta Claffey ’74 Eleanor “Ellie” Kinnane Flaherty, mother of Mary Rose Flaherty Palmese ’78 and Patricia Flaherty ’80; grandmother of Eilish Flaherty, member of the Class of ’15 Mary Gerard (O’Connell) Flaherty, mother of Meg Flaherty ’77, Ann Louise Flaherty Steinle ’79, Susan Flaherty ’82 and Julie Flaherty Livingstone ’84 Jane (Farrell) Flannery, mother of John Flannery ’79 Leo P. Frechette, Jr., father of Terri Frechette-Brainerd ’70 and Fr. Rick Frechette ’71, C.P., DO Alfred Peter Granato, grandfather of Luke Granato ’03, Catherine Granato ’05 and Elizabeth Granato, member of the Class of ’07 Ann (Johnson) Griffin, mother of Mark Griffin ’70, Timothy Griffin ’76 and Maura Griffin Yerger ’78 William J. Kerrigan, Jr., father of Colleen Kerrigan Ryan ’86, Shannon Kerrigan Moore ’87 and Kelley Kerrigan
T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
DiPippo ’89; father-in-law of Jeff Moore ’87 and Drew DiPippo ’87 Rena (Tonino) Lenge, mother of Albert Lenge ’67 and Marguerite Lenge Weaver ’69; mother-in-law of James Weaver ’68 and William Keenan ’69 Dominic A. Maradie, father of Joan Maradie ’72, Donna Maradie ’73, and Gloria Maradie Reddy ’76 Richard L. “Dick” McCusker, grandfather of Kevin McCusker ’05 Helen (Lenox) McGlynn, great-aunt of Jay Leary ’05 and Sean Leary ’07, aunt of Jane Leary, Director of Constituent Relations William D. Molloy, father of Randy Molloy ’65, Patricia Molloy Teich ’70, Michael Molloy ’73, Mark Molloy ’77; father-in-law of Jean Donnelly Molly ’78; grandfather of Maura Riley ’85, Daniel Riley ’86, Christopher Molloy ’95, Jennifer Molloy Dinardo ’98, Margaret Molloy ’07 and Katherine Molloy ’11 Patricia Cunningham Norko, mother of Marybeth Norko Buckley ’78, Julie Norko Burns ’81, Sarah Norko St. Denis ’85, Molly Norko Cropsey ’86 and Gretchen Norko Ganey ’88; mother-in-law of Thomas Buckley ’78; sister of George Cunningham ’65; aunt of George Cunningham ’88 Mildred V. (Barter) Patterson, grandmother of Connor Quinn ’02 and Mary Quinn ’06 Dr. Byron L. Perry, brother of Brandt Curry ’77 and brother-in-law of Kerry Kearns Curry ’77 Francis N. Repoli, grandfather of Joseph Repoli ’13 Bette (Dillon) Roemke, mother of Betsy Roemke Graves ’73, Suzanne Roemke ’76 and Edward Roemke ’76 Margaret “Peggy” (Kennedy) Samolyk, mother of Brian Samolyk ’75, Debbie Samolyk McMillan ’76, Keith Samolyk ’78, Stephen Samolyk ’81, Audrey Samolyk ’82 and Jennifer Samolyk ’88 Vincent J. Scully, father of Patti Scully Lane ’82 and Liz Scully Johnson ’83
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Marion P. (Dalton) Sponzo, mother of Thomas Sponzo ’68, Anne Marie Sponzo ’76, Suzanne Sponzo Bertrand ’78, and Michael Sponzo ’80; aunt of Kathleen Dalton ’77, Brian Dalton ’82, Michael Dalton ’85, and Jennifer Dalton Antonia ’86 Dr. Michael T. Sponzo, father of Thomas Sponzo ’68, Anne Marie Sponzo ’76, Suzanne Sponzo Bertrand ’78, and Michael Sponzo ’80; uncle of Kathleen Dalton ’77, Brian Dalton ’82, Michael Dalton ’85, and Jennifer Dalton Antonia ’86 Joseph V. Walsh, cousin of Devin Walsh ’06 and Lukas Walsh ’08; nephew of Patricia Walsh, Director of Advancement Dolores Watson, aunt of Renee Thresher Howard ’82, Scott Thresher ’86, Michelle Thresher ’88 and Byron Thresher ’94; sister-in-law of Colby
Thresher, Advancement Officer Lillian T. (Mach) Wesa, grandmother of Liisa Walsh Sloat ’04 and Katy Walsh ’09 Maurice Wintrode, father of Barbara Wintrode Morris ’72, Janice Wintrode Conboy ’76, Carol Wintrode Maksimow ’77 and Paul Wintrode ’80
FACULTY, STAFF, AND ADMINISTRATION Mary S. (Griffin) Ciccarello, mother-inlaw of Megan Ciccarello, NWC staff member
FRIENDS Ann Fazzina, aunt of Jean Lam, a friend of NWC Rev. Arthur J. Murphy, Pastor Emeritus of St. Thomas the Apostle Church and former South Catholic High School faculty member Patricia Rosoff, Academic Dean of Humanities at Kingswood-Oxford School Connie Whitty, mother of Colleen DiSanto, principal of St. Thomas the Apostle School
Gretchen Doucette, mother-in-law of Valerie Doucette, NWC faculty member Monique Dubois, mother-in-law of Fabienne Dubois, NWC faculty member Mickey Watkins, mother of Nancy Martin, NWC faculty member
REUNIONS 2014
If you graduated from NWC in a year ending in 4 or 9, your reunion year is 2014!
The CLASS OF 1979 reunion will be held on Friday, November 28, 2014 at Wampanoag Country Club in West Hartford, CT. Contact Maura McNally Kearns ’79 (kearnsm1@yahoo. com) or Sarah Chambers Lorenzo-Genck ’79 (slgenck@ sbcglobal.com) for more details. The reunion for the CLASS OF 1989 will be held on Saturday, November 29, 2014 at Maneeleys in South Windsor, CT from 7:00pm-midnight. Contact Kirsten Longley ’89 at gunnarfourpaws@yahoo.com for more details. The Class of 1999 reunion will be Friday, November 28, 2014 at the Butterfly, 831 Farmington Ave, West Hartford, in a private area. Email NWC1999reunion@gmail.com for more information.
The CLASS OF 2004 reunion will be Friday, November 28, 2014 at City Steam Brewery in Hartford, CT. Contact Jody Biancamano ’04 (Jody.biancamano@gmail.com) or Lauren Martocci ’04 (Lauren.martocci@gmail.com) for more details. We are also looking ahead to the 50th reunion of the CLASS OF 1965! That reunion will be held on June 6, 2015 at Wampanoag Country Club. Visit www.NorthwestCatholic.org/50thReunion for more details on this special reunion.
> Visit www.NorthwestCatholic.org/Reunions for details on all upcoming reunions.
Help us find lost alums! Visit NorthwestCatholic.org/Alumni Update your e-mail address so you are kept in the loop. Contact Jane Leary, jleary@nwcath.org.
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For Planned Giving Northwest Catholic High School MEMBERS OF THE 1961 SOCIETY
“ENDOWING OUR FUTURE” Northwest Catholic faces our second half century with justified enthusiasm. The history of its first 50 years of accomplishments is exceptional. Graduates of our school have achieved notable success and leadership in education, religious life, business, military service, law, medicine, and other fields. They have also given back generously to support their school’s mission. The 1961 Society is established to encourage future support of Northwest Catholic through planned gifts to increase endowment. This effort assures a continued strong financial future and allows us to provide financial aid to deserving students, as well as keeping future costs of a Northwest Catholic education as manageable as possible. To the right is a listing of current members of the society. We would be pleased to learn of others who may have made this provision, or are considering it. Please contact Colby Thresher, Planned Giving Officer, at 860-2364221, ext 156, or CThresher@NWCath.org. Or Pat Walsh, Director of Advancement, at 860-236-4221, ext 138 or PWalsh@NWCath.org.
Theresa Notte Becker ’76 and Clint Becker Drs. Catherine Foley Bodak-Gyovai ’65 and Levente Bodak-Gyovai +Clarence Bourret (AP) Timothy F. Bourret ’73 +Maureen Dennehy (Former Faculty) Rev. Henry C. Frascadore (Former President) Karen L. Fritsche (Friend) Frank Genovese ’65 and Susan Genovese John and Barbara Ginnetti (AP) (GP) Kevin Grenham ’78 and Beth Grenham +Martha Johnson (Friend) Philip F. Kelly (AP) (GP) Jean Lam (Friend) William Murphy ’67 and Katherine Murphy Jane Z. Reardon (AP) (Former Faculty Spouse) +Anne F. Satriano (Friend) Dennis P. Sullivan (AP) +Elizabeth P. Sweeney (Friend) Colby and Anita Thresher (AP) + Denotes Deceased
Frank ’65 and Susan Genovese
Frank Genovese was a member of Northwest Catholic’s first graduating class. After Northwest Catholic, he attended UConn, enlisting in the U.S. Marines Corps after his first year. Returning to UConn, he completed his undergraduate studies, and met his wife Susan, a graduate of Randolph College in Lynchburg, VA. Susan, an actuary, is also a strong education advocate, and has served on the Board of Trustees at Randolph College. Frank and Susan are parents of three sons. After UConn, Frank obtained his MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia, and began a career of purchasing, improving, and selling businesses. For many years he taught a very popular and intense course at Darden: “Acquisitions of Closely Held Enterprises.” In addition, Frank has established several Darden Fellowships with generous gifts to provide continuing financial aid. In the past decade, Frank and Susan previously made substantial gifts to two capital campaigns at Northwest Catholic.
“We want our passion for educat ion t o be seen and applied after we are gone.” T H E M A G A Z I N E O F N O R T H W E S T C AT H O L I C
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If you receive a copy of Logos for your son or daughter who has established a separate permanent address, please notify us at jleary@nwcath.org or 860-236-4221, x131
Northwest Catholic Alumni Can Connect Through NWC Alumni App Northwest Catholic High School alums can now connect through EverTrue, an alumni mobile app! You can connect with graduates from your hometown or around the world – search for alums by name, class year, and more – and get updates on news from NWC.
With the app, you can... • Find and contact other NWC alumni nearby, wherever you are • Search the directory for classmates and friends • Filter searches by industry, company, school, range of class years, etc. • Keep up with NWC news and events in one aggregated stream • Make your annual gift to NWC through the quick, easy, and secure mobile giving page.
It’s free, secure, and easy to download to your iPhone, iPad, or Android. Scan to download now! Learn more at www.NorthwestCatholic.org/AlumniApp