ParentNewsletter The La Salle
FOR PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LA SALLE HIGH SCHOOL • PASADENA • CALIFORNIA • JUNE/JULY 2015
Principal Ideas Learn•Serve•Lead
If I may turn the clock back for a few moments; the end of April concluded with our celebration of our Founder’s Day Liturgy on the 29th along with our blockbuster night rally - Showdown II. The day was packed with appreciation, fun and smiles. At the conclusion of our morning liturgy, we celebrated 60 years of religious life in the person of Br. DeSales Benning.* Without a doubt, he is beloved by the students and an institution at this school having just completed 29 years of service to our students. He has been a teacher, academic advisor, department chairperson, moderator and program director. Congratulations Br. De Sales!
Lasallian Educator of the Year On this same day (April 29) we also announced and honored our Lasallian Educator of the Year, Mrs. Kjersti Holyfield.* As an alum from the Class of 2004, she teaches Physics, Biology and Anatomy. Outside of the classroom she is devoted to running and is consequently a coach with both the Cross Country and Track teams. *See article in the May ParentNewsletter
Additionally, she is the faculty coordinator of our curriculum mapping project. As a young and talented educator, she is respected by her colleagues and well-liked by her students. For the past six years Mrs. Holyfield has been working diligently to see her students succeed. It was wonderful to be able to present her with this distinguished award.
Farewell With the end of the school year having arrived, it means that we are also saying “good-bye” to some educators and staff who have served our school community well over the years. Mr. Harold Pleitez has been at La Salle since 2008. As a teacher of Spanish and French he has decided that he wanted to move to a school closer to his home. We thank and wish him well as he moves to another school. Ms. Michelle Grima who has been an instructor in Spanish, English and our Service Coordinator is moving on to new opportunities. We appreciated her four years with us in providing our students opportunities to experience serving others. Mr. Frank Laurenzello has had a quick Continued on page 2
The words of St. John Baptist de La Salle to the first Brothers "You too can perform miracles...by touching the hearts of the children entrusted to your care'" Saint John Baptist de La Salle Patron Saint of Teachers, c.1703 Meditations for Sundays 1-80.3
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Principal Ideas Continued from page 1
HAVE A SAFE HAPPY AND RELAXING SUMMER
seven years with us. In 2008, he was invited by then-principal Pat Bonacci to be our Associate Principal for Academics. In the past few years he was asked to take on other responsibilities and always accepted them with grace and understanding. Frank has been a life-long Catholic school educator and has now been invited to return to a school that he previously served. We will miss Frank’s dedication to our Mission and the students of La Salle. Dr. Susan Keens has been our School Psychologist since 2002. As a trained and respected health care professional, Dr. Keens was always available to respond to the needs of our students. She was consistently ready to support our students and families as they encountered the realities of life and all that goes with it. We are a better school because of her dedication to the emotional and mental health of our students. Our last departing employee has faithfully served this school community for 31 years. Mrs. Janet Hagen has been a terrific “team player” for the school by accepting whatever role or responsibility was required of her. She began her service by being a cafeteria worker in August 1984. Back then, the cafeteria was located where our Blakeslee Library currently resides. Following that assignment she was our school receptionist for many years and most recently has served as our library clerk. As Janet, proud mother of three graduates, Michael '89, Joshua '91 and Ryan '94, moves to her
well-earned retirement years, we are most grateful for her faithful dedication to our school and its programs. We wish all of our departing friends the best in their future endeavors and thank them for their service to the students of La Salle.
Commencement Exercises Our 56th Commencement Exercises were held on May 22 and, as is always the case, the Church of Nazarene was filled with over 1500 guests who were present to honor our newest La Salle High School graduates. The ceremony had all the joy and happiness one could ask for. I especially enjoy watching the faces of parents knowing that some of their long held dreams and desires for their son/daughter are occurring right before their eyes – graduation from high school. The personal and family sacrifices that are made by parents in order that their son/daughter attends La Salle are most noteworthy. I never take a student’s enrollment for granted. Thank you parents for allowing us to work with you during the high school years. I’m confident our partnership makes a difference!
Thanks and Appreciation As another academic year concludes at La Salle, I want to express my continued thanks and appreciation for your support and confidence this year. As Principal, I am blessed to be surrounded by a terrific and talented group of educators and support staff. They work very hard and I want to acknowledge their diligence in caring for the students entrusted to our care. For our returning families, we will be mailing to you our summer packet of information (class schedules, textbook lists, and other “stuff”) shortly after mid-July. May all of you have a wonderful, rest-filled and action packed summer!
Brother Christopher Brady, FSC Principal PAGE 2
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SM Civic Club Awardees
The Sierra Madre Civic Club is an active and inclusive group of women who support education and the community. They have raise funds to support education and have annually given scholarships to outstanding high school seniors who have contributed to the community. This year’s young awardees from La Salle are Seniors, from left, Ryan Adams, Alexi Zate, Ellery McGregor, Aoilfe Megaw and Alec Mena.
New Uniform Sale CKW and Mills
Wednesday, June 24 • Noon to 6:00pm Thursday, July 16 • 10:00am to 4:00pm LEGAL NOTICE
Neither La Salle High School nor Student Life of La Salle High School is sponsoring or is liable for any student participation in summer trips to places such as Europe, Mexico, Alaska or Hawai’i. These activities are solely the responsibility of the sponsoring person or group. School sponsored events, such Venaver, class retreats or those with Student Life, will always include the standard Parent Request Form that clearly indicates the School’s support and approval of the event. PAGE 3
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La Salle Matters A tried and true approach to describing the process by which students move from one level of education to go on to another is to juxtapose the word “graduation” (i.e. “completion”) with the word “commencement” (i.e. “beginning”). Countless valedictorians, salutatorians and invited dignitaries have resorted to this well-worn trope for decades, if not hundreds of years. It continues to resonate, year after year, however, because, unlike many over-used clichés, it actually characterizes the reality of students’ experience as one chapter of their lives ends and another begins. Whether it is graduation from elementary school, high school, and college or beyond, young people experience these moments of transition as exciting and challenging – at the same time. They are thrilled to have reached a particular moment of accomplishment and nervous about what comes next. Having spent the last 35 years listening to countless descriptions of how the graduation/commencement dichotomy is expected to play itself out, it was a bit of a shock for me, therefore, to discover at this, my 16th graduation ceremony at La Salle, that I am no less subject to this dynamic than the young people eagerly awaiting the parties that would follow their formal participation in the awarding of diplomas on Friday, May 22, 2015. For me, that dynamic typically plays itself out along the axis of “I am grateful our seniors succeeded at La Salle and am excited to see what comes next for them.” This year, however, was different. I discovered that, at the “tender” age of 60, like our graduating teenagers, I still have much to learn. My learning curve – my axis between completion and beginning – revealed itself in a rather mundane, but no less dramatic way; and here’s how…but I must digress for a moment. We have all attended various graduation ceremonies – from elementary school to graduate school. Our American culture has witnessed a PAGE 4
steady erosion of – what would have been called in an earlier era – manners. This is nowhere played out more dramatically than at school graduations where all sorts of bad behavior is tolerated in the name of “celebration.” There was a time when graduation ceremonies were viewed with the same reverence as church ceremonies. That era is rapidly withering away. So much so, that some public and private institutions are trying to “put the toothpaste back in the tube” by insisting on proper behavior on the part of parents and graduates during the commencement ceremony. I fear the effort is more quixotic than practical – a perspective I learned the hard way at our most recent graduation ceremony this past Memorial Day weekend. Do not get me wrong, as commencement ceremonies go, graduation at La Salle is fairly tame. We do not see beach balls bouncing around or seniors behaving badly on stage. What does happen – and which is problematic as our ceremony takes place in a church – is the excessive cheering and shouting by proud family members who, unbeknownst to them, drown out the announcement of the name of the next graduate in line. Even with reminders throughout the ceremony, this continues to happen. Here is how Tracy Stanciel, a middle class mother, described her experience of a sixth grade graduation ceremony on the South Side of Chicago – the title of her Blog was “It’s Graduation, not a football game.”
Let me make this perfectly clear: You should NOT clap when specifically asked not to. Nor should you whoop, holler, scream, catcall, or yell things like “Mah baybay!” or “You go, girl!” or “Work that stage! Work that stage!” (These are actual statements shouted at various children.) In the abstract, we recognize that her counsel makes abundant sense. In reality, however, over-enthusiasm often leads to the behavior she described at her child’s elementary school graduation. Then, of course, gone unchecked, it is only human nature for the next proud family to make even more noise than the one before.
ParentNewsletter With that in mind, and recognizing that hindsight is always 20/20, here is the lesson I learned and which convinced me that we are all works in progress and needing to be reminded that it is not just teenagers or college graduates – but adults as well – who are confronted by an endless series of beginnings and endings: at a particular moment, midway through the graduation ceremony, some attendees spontaneously broke out in the kind of cheering that Stanciel described at her child’s sixth grade commencement event. I was about to shake the graduate’s hand, when suddenly – and without much thought – I swung around and stared at the source of the disruption in the congregation gathered in the church. In those few seconds, the proud senior was unable to shake my hand and proceeded to walk off the stage. It did not take me long to realize the mistake I had made and the ineradicable memory of that teenager and that family with respect to that graduation ceremony that night I later sent a note of apology to the graduate but, of course, the damage had been done. I realized that, I, too, had more to learn, that I, too, must greet the future as a new beginning and to take the lessons of the distant – and recent – past and use them – as we expect our graduates – to figure out how to take advantage of the future lessons which await us. Earlier today I was exiting the 210 Freeway at the Madre Street exit. Those who frequent this intersection will know that there is an ever changing cast of homeless people who await the first car to come to a stop when the light turns red. From time to time, if I am the first one in line, I’ll give the person whatever change happens to be in my possession at that particular moment. Today was one of those days. The petite woman to whom I gave the meager coins in my possession seemed aged beyond her years. Her face was weathered by too many days of sitting in the bright Southern California sun. What was more remarkable for me was the brilliant smile she offered me as we concluded our transaction. And, as I was preparing to roll up my window, she turned to face me, with that amazing smile and said: “Take one day at a time.” I thought to myself, how often we assert that maxim to each other; and how rarely we really take it to heart. It took a homeless woman with an infectious smile to stop me in my tracks and confront me with the inescapable fact that we are all works in progress and we all must negotiate endings and beginnings one day at a time.
Richard Gray, Ph.D
JUNE/JULY 2015
La Salle High School
3880 E. Sierra Madre Blvd. Pasadena, California 91107-1996 • Telephone 626.351.8951 Facsimile 626.351.0275 www.lasallehs.org • The La Salle ParentNewsletter is published monthly except January and July by La Salle High School of Pasadena, Incorporated
© 2015
• Editor, Designer John Blackstock ’67 Director of Communications Telephone: 626.696.4316 • email: jblackstock @ lasallehs . org
Transforming Lives Since 1680
President
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170 Lancers Graduate at 56th Commencement Back row, Maddy McGoldrick, Dharshan Sabanayagan. Front row, Desiree Monarrez, Megan Duenas and Riley Worley.
MORE PHOTOS IN THE LA SALLE FLICKR GALLERY La Salle High School graduated 170 seniors at its 56 Commencement on Friday evening, May 22, 2015. Commencement Exercises took place at the Church of the Nazarene, next door to the School. Alyssa Villavincencio, summa cum laude, gave the Welcome Address and Kimberly Mejia, summa cum laude, was chosen by the Faculty Commencement Committee for the honor of delivering the Commencement Address. Nathaniel Chandler, summa cum laude received the La Salle High School General Excellence Award for the highest cumulative grade point average in the class. This fall, Nathaniel will attend the University of Chicago. Karina Haleblian, summa cum laude, received the La Salle Scholar Award for Math and Science while Victor Saavedra, summa cum laude, received the La Salle Scholar Award for Liberal Arts. Colin Shumate, summa cum laude, received the th
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Kimberly Mejia
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Class of 2015 "Tirning of the Tassel" ceremony.
La Salle Scholar Award for Visual and Performing Arts. Lea Bruder and David Magluyan received the John Stygles ’64 Excellence in Academics and Athletics Award. Riley Worley and Alexander Tuason received the Archdiocese of Los Angeles Christian Service Award. Haley DeSales and Justin Zumel received the Brother Celestine Excellence in Athletics and Sportsmanship Award. Tyler Artis received the De La Salle Award for academics, leadership and service. Ninty-nine percent of La Salle’s graduating class will attend colleges or universities or postgraduate academies next year and 92% of the class will matriculate to four-year institutions.
92% WILL ATTEND 4-YEAR COLLEGES
Tyler Artis PAGE 7
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Baccalaureatte Mass took place on Wednesday, May 20 at the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Pasadena.
99% of the senior Class will attend College Next Fall
Nathaniel Chandler, received the General Excellence Award
Graduating seniors above are Evan Talianko, Cameron Henerson, Aubin Schuler, Victor Saavedra and Sarah Reynolds. Yolanda Valedez received the De La Salle Service Award at Commencement, shown here with her daughters, Dianna Hurst '08 and Denise Valedez.
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Graduate Awards and Honors General Excellence Award Nathaniel C. Chandler Next in Merit Jonathan Raymundo Excellence in Religious Studies David J. Magluyan Next in Merit Monique P. Manaloto Excellence in English Mariel LoGuercio Next in Merit Colin S. Shumate Excellence in Computer Education Katelyn H. Stone Next in Merit Max S. Behrens Excellence in Mathematics Nathaniel C. Chandler Next in Merit Alison Chi Excellence in Social Studies Nathaniel C. Chandler and Jonathan Raymundo Excellence in Science Benjamin Wu Next in Merit Nathaniel C. Chandler
Excellence in Spanish Kimberly A. Mejia Next in Merit Carmela M. Smith Excellence in French Kelly A. Dominguez Next in Merit Olivia C. Pope Excellence in Visual and Performing Arts Megan B. Mathison Next in Merit Alaina D. Nugent
La Salle Scholars Math & Science Scholar Karina L. Haleblian Liberal Arts Scholar Victor M. Saavedra Visual & Performing Arts Scholar Colin S. Shumate
Pro Deo et Patria Award Aoife H. Megaw Michael G. Rossini Memorial Scholarship Nathaniel C. Chandler Excellence Award for Centurion Yearbook Karren A. Balaian
Learn Serve LEAD
Women’s Scholar-Athlete Scholarship Kimberly A. Mejia John Stygles Scholar-Athlete Award Lea A. Bruder and David J. Magluyan Brother Celestine All-Around Athlete Award Haley A. DeSales and Justin T. Zumel De La Salle Service Award Tyler S. Artis
Special Awards Joseph Antonisamy Award for Musical Arts Joseph B. Messina-Doerning Thomas Werntz Award for Art & Design Melody S. Munson PAGE 9
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From Guidance and Counseling
Enduring and Fond Memories By Susan E. Keens, Ph.D. Clinical and School Psychologist, Department of Guidance and Counseling
As I write this column, our students are taking their final exams and the senior class has already graduated. The school year seems to have passed in the blink of an eye at this time of the year.
That same ‘blink of the eye’ phenomenon is what I experience as I come to the end of my thirteen years at La Salle High School. My position as the full-time onsite Clinical and School Psychologist has been eliminated, so I will not be returning to La Salle High School in August with you and your students.
THANK YOU AND BLESS YOU
Before you and your students leave to enjoy your summer respite, I want to express my gratitude to La Salle High School for giving me the opportunity to have worked with you and your students thirteen years ago. I was very happy to join the La Salle family and serve the School and your students. Your participation in The Parent Education Series and The Miles To Go Drug Prevention Education Lecture Series Parent Night conveyed your interest in learning the most current information about significant areas of risk for your adolescent children. Those programs were made possible for many years through the support of the Parent Association and the Academic Boosters. The Miles To Go program will continue next year and include all of our students. This has been made possible through the relationship and support that the Parent Association Officers and Academic Boosters have developed with Jonathan Scott and Kelly Townsend, the creators of the Miles To Go Program. I want to thank the parents of La Salle High School with whom I have worked to ensure that your students received the support that they needed in difficult life circumstances. Your tireless effort to support your student’s well-being reassures them that regardless of the difficulties that arise in their adolescent lives, you will be their safe harbor. Finally, the many personal sacrifices that you make for your students, which enable them to attend La Salle High School, will be a most enduring memory for me. God bless you and your students.
Susan Keens Susan E. Keens, PhD Clinical and School Psychologist
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ParentNewsletter
Brother Timothy's Limited 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Now Available A very limited supply of Brother Timothy Mont La Salle Vineyard 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon is available exclusively for the La Salle community. Only 10 barrels of Brother Timothy’s wine are produced each year and sold to benefit the education of students in Lasallian schools who are living below the poverty line. This wine was created under the highest quality standards and is available exclusively for this sole purpose. Ten cases of this specially vinted and rare wine have been made available to the La Salle community to fund the San Miguel scholarships. This Cabernet Sauvignon is available at a price of $75 a bottle or $800 a case. Brother Timothy Mont La Salle Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is a complex and harmonious blend of reserve-quality wine in a unique special edition collector's bottle. This highly desired wine is crafted by The Hess Collection Winery from a tiny, single vineyard on the Mont La Salle Vineyard estate. The grapes are grown at the site of the original Christian Brothers winery where the late Brother Timothy worked as cellar master for more than 50 years. This Cabernet Sauvignon, created in honor of Brother Timothy, is truly "a message in a bottle" - a message of hope for Lasallian disadvantaged youth. Such efforts are part of the Christian Brothers' 300 year tradition of offering Brother Timothy Diener, FSC education that is both loving and practical. Please keep in mind that the wine has been donated by the vineyard, so 100% of the proceeds go directly into the La Salle High School San Miguel Student Scholarship Fund. Contact Tara Milton in the Institutional Advancement Office at 626.696.4381 or tmilton@ lasallehs.org to make your much appreciated and important purchase.
Matching Gifts If you are an employee of a matching gift company, we would love to work with you. This is an easy way to raise funds for La Salle. If you are not sure if your company participates you can ask your employer or contact Tara Milton at: tmilton@lasallehs.org or call 626.696.4381.
MATCHING GIFTS ARE an Easy way to help la salle
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Coach Agajanian Retires After 31 years of coaching, including the past 10 as the Lancer Head Baseball Coach, Harry Agajanian has announced that he is leaving La Salle High School.
“It’s time to explore other opportunities outside of Head Coaching duties,” Coach Aggie said. “ I have nothing but respect and admiration for the administrators, parents, and students in the La Salle community and have had a great ride here as a Lancer. I will miss my peers and (some) umpires in the game. I wish the La Salle baseball program all my best and offer my continuous support for the future” The Lancers wrapped up the Varsity baseball season with an overall record of 9 wins and 14 losses. An end of season team banquet was held on May 27 at the Altadena Town and Country Club. Coach Aggie began his high school coaching career at Bosco Tech in Rosemead, moved to Arcadia High School, and finished at La Salle where he won two league championships and took the Lancers to the playoffs five years during his ten year tenure as the Lancer skipper.
Golf's Perfect Champions
Tyler Anastasia
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The La Salle boys golf program set new standards in a historic Sean Kelly season. The varsity golf team was comprised of seniors Jesse Toribio, Ryan Konrad, and Cosmo Konrad and juniors Tyler Anastasia, Sean Kelly, Noah Gohrick and Zack Christopher. The team compiled an overall record of 18-0 in match play and captured the Del Rey League Crown with a league record of 10-0. The team defeated Arcadia and Maranatha in non-league play as well as sweeping league rivals Cathedral and Bishop Amat. The Lancers swept through the league prelims at Wilson Golf Course and league finals at Skylinks Golf Course earning all five spots to the CIF Southern Division Individuals at Skylinks. The team advanced to the CIF South Coast Divisional at Talega Golf Course in San Clemente. One of the highlights of the season was shooting a 7-under par in a match vs. Bosco Tech at Whittier Narrows Golf Course. Sean Kelly earned league MVP honors with a 36 hole score of 149 at league prelims and finals. Tyler Anastasia, Jesse Toribio, Ryan Konrad , Cosmo Konrad, and Noah Gohrick earned 1st Team all-league. Zack Christopher earned 2nd team all-league honors. Toribio signed a letter of intent to continue his playing career at California State University San Bernardino. The Junior Varsity team had an overall record of 9-1. Freshman Jeremy Law had a standout season shooting consistently low scores. Nicholas Reyes-Campos shot a hole-inone on a par 3 hole at Altadena Golf Course.
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Lancers Swim to CIF Finals Head Swim Coach, Mike Jafari was happy to announce that our biggest swim squad in three years sent 15 qualifiers to CIF, 12 of them moved on to the CIF Finals on May 15. "That's a huge percentage qualifying for finals," he said. Jackie Torrez captured the CIF Individual Championship in the 100 Breast stroke and the 200 IM in the Division IV Finals in Riverside on Friday May 15, 2015. See the Lancer Athletics website for final results.
From left, Jacqueline Torrez '16 , Madison Lanyi '15, Raquel Ruiz '17, Isabella Garcia '15.
India Hines '15 on the long jump runway.
LANCERS EARN LEAGUE AND CIF LAURELS
Track and Field Champs Long and Triple Jump and hurdle star, India Hines '15 had another successful track and field season, where she led the small but mighty Lady Lancer team to becoming the 2015 Del Rey League Champions. India finished the season strong at the CIF Division 4 finals, becoming the 2015 Division 4 champion in the triple jump, and placing 4th in the 300 low hurdles. PAGE 13
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The Fever Caught on!
CRAZY AMAZING NIGHT Enjoying the "Fever" were Bret and Michele Hardy P'16, '19 with Lynnea and Brent Schoenbaum P'16, '19.
The 16th Annual Crystal Ball, titled “Disco Fever,” was held on May 8 at the Langham Huntington, Pasadena and was Co-Chaired by Ellen Radle P’17 and Lisa Rico P’17,’18. The ball’s theme spanned the time of flashing lights, steady tempos and choreographed dance moves that were all “groovy” in the ’70s. Guests at the Crystal Ball were dressed head to toe in polyester, jumpsuits, loud patterns, colorful leisure suits, and platform shoes, all while enjoying a night filled with fun, laughter, fellowship, dinner and dancing. There was also the rush of excitement as guests would electronically bid on fantastic and amazing items during the silent auction. Live auction items included a six-night stay in Catalina, Staples Center luxury suite watching your favorite team, dinner with Dr. Gray and Brother Christopher, fivenight stay in Laguna Beach, and a trip to the O’Connell Family Napa Valley Winery via a private Learjet 35. Over 450 guests came to enjoy the Crystal Ball and to congratulate this year’s honoree: Ed Malicdem ’88, P’16,’19. Ed, who is currently the Director of the Glendale branch of Merrill Lynch, has served on the Finance Council and as the President of the School Board at Saint Dominic’s and on the Board of Regents at La Salle. Ed also launched Hoop-it-Up Basketball Tournament at La Salle. It is a national organization that promotes 3x3 basketball tournaments in local communities. The Crystal Ball is La Salle’s biggest fundraiser of the year. Proceeds from the evening help support the School’s academic, athletic, student life, arts and financial aid programs. The generosity and support that La Salle receives help foster each student’s unique talents and gifts through its many PAGE 14
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David and Angela Lam P'08,'09, third and second from right with their guests.
Brother Christopher Brady, FSC and Dr. Richard Gray, present gifts to the Crystal Ball Co-Chairs, Lisa Rico P'17,'18, left, and Ellen Radle P'17.
Rafael and Monica Mirasol '80, P'17,'18
Matt Wright P'16 checks his electronic bid.
Ken McFall and Emily Vaughn Henry P'18.
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16th Annual Crystal Ball may 8
The 2015 Crystal Ball Honoree was Ed Malicdem from the class of 1988, shown above with Brother Christopher Brady, FSC, far left, his wife, Monique, his son Michael '19, and his daughter Madeline '16, with Dr. Richard Gray. At left, Tony 'Starman" Delgatto P'12.'15, Parent Association President. Below, the cast from "Disco Inferno" perform.
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ALOHA DOCTOR
Congratulations to Dr. Vincent Fortanasce P'91, '94,'97 winner of the fabulous Hawai'i drawing. The winning ticket was drawn by Brother Christopher at the Crystal ball. Shown above, Dr. Fortanasce was presented with his winning certificate by Ellen Radle P'17, Co-Chair of the Crystal Ball and Robyn Tapert P'16, Chairperson of the Hawai'i Opportunity Drawing. Dr. Fortanasce will enjoy eight fabulous days in beautiful Maui Hawai'i. This is a Pleasant Holidays vacation for two, including round-trip airfare from LAX with $300 in food and beverage towards restaurants and room service. This luxurious vacation also includes two tickets to the fabulous Myths of Maui Luau and made possible by a grant from the William H. Hannon Foundation. Dr. Fortanasce purchased his lucky ticket at the La Salle Golf Classic held in October 2014. Congratulations to Robyn Tapert for an outstanding year in ticket sales. Last year Hawai'i ticket sales totaled $7,500. This year Robyn succeeded in selling $11,200 in tickets. Thank you Robyn! All proceeds go directly to La Salle High School. Maybe next year will be Members of the softball team did a wonderful job selling "Opportunity your lucky year! Aloha Dr. Fortanasce! Drawing" tickets during the silent auction. Above are Vanessa Dwyer '16, Paula Damas '16 and Kolby Deziel '17.
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From the Vice President for Mission
Mind the Mission By Patrick Bonacci, AFSC, Vice President for Mission
I extend my sincerest congratulations to all of our recent graduates. As someone “kindly” reminded me at this year’s ceremony; “you’ve seen a few of these now”. In fact, I have seen a few of these – my first one as an employee of La Salle began with the Class of 1986. In reality, my attendance at graduations here goes back before 1986. I attended numerous La Salle graduations while I was a teacher and administrator at Assumption of the BVM in the '70s and early '80s. For those of you doing the math; yes, I am that old! Connecting with these hundreds of graduates has truly been one of my deepest-felt honors and blessings. They and their families continue to be in my prayers.
MY MANY WONDERFUL GRADUATION NIGHTS
Speaking of events that will last, Mr. Ed O’Connor and I began a new practice this year that I am sure will continue. We hosted in late May a lunch for the 51 students who informed us that they were receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation this school year. In prayer and conversation during our lunch, we acknowledged the personal and spiritual commitment these students made to their Catholic faith. Each student was also given a special medal that had the image of the Blessed Mother on one side and Saint La Salle on the other. On the opposite page of this newsletter, you will find a listing of these students. Additional photos of the event that Mr. Blackstock kindly took can be found on the La Salle Flickr photo gallery. As we wrap up this school year, I wish all of you a restful and family-filled summer and I share the following prayer with you:
Loving Father, I thank You that You provide us with times when we are able to stand aside from the business of the world. It was You who took Your own disciples aside to rest awhile and I thank You for this vacation – so that I too may take time apart and gain physical refreshment and renewal – not only physical Lord, but emotional and spiritual refreshment too. (http://prayer.knowing-jesus.com)
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La Salle Students Receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation Sarah Adams, St. Rita Elizabeth Ayala, St. Frances of Rome Toby Baylon, St. Felicitas and Perpetua Sebastian Beltran-Moeller, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Kathleen Brady, St. Rita Wyatt Cimino, St. Rita Jonathan Clarizio, St. Rita Christopher De la Mora, St. Rita Justin DeMesa, Holy Angels Max DoVale, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Michelle Encinas, St. Rita Katerina Esquivel, Holy Angels Grace Fallar, St. Paul (Jacksonville, Florida) Erin Flores, Holy Family (Glendale) Jocelyn Flores, St. Ignatius of Loyola Annabel Genton, Holy Family Michael Gibbs, St. Felicitas & Perpetua Grant Fosselman, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Arielle Fong, St. Luke Steven Froio, St. Rita Lizette Gallegos, St. Andrew Annalis Guzman, St. Philip Owen Hart, St. Rita Philip Ibarra, Holy Angels Phillip Krings, Holy Angels Dominic Leis, St. Dominic
Harrison MacDonald, St. Rita Danielle Magluyan, St. Luke Alexandra Mandigo, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Melissa Mariscal, St. Luke Alyssa Martinez, St. Felicitas and Perpetua Sammy Martinez, St. Dominics Gabriella Navarro, St. Philip Colin O’Connor, Holy Name of Mary Dustin Pavon, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Gina Puccinelli, Holy Family Tommy Radle, St. Rita Ravin Rhodes, Holy Angels Carlos Rico, Holy Family (Glendale) Jennifer Rodriguez, Assumption (East Los Angeles) Martin Rosales, Holy Angels Jake Rose, St. Rita Tommy Samples, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Audrey Sayer, St. Philip Ryan Sparks, St. Rita Dylan Stover, St. Rita Taylor Tomko, Holy Angels Julia Torres, Holy Family Brianda Valdez, Resurrection Lauren Veneri, St. Philip Justin Zuniga, St. Luke’s
ACCEPT THE HOLY SPIRIT
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From the College Counseling Center
College Center News By M. Teresa Baldonado and Owen Hou ’90 College Counselors
Class of 2015 Congratulations to the Class of 2015! We wish all members of this class good luck as they begin their college years. We have really enjoyed helping each and every graduate find their college “match.” We look forward to staying in touch and would like our graduates to serve as a resource for La Salle students to contact to learn more about their college and their freshman year experience.
Class of 2016 VISIT COLLEGES THIS SUMMER
In May, we completed our meetings with all juniors who have submitted their College Planning Survey for Juniors. Your students received a list of prospective colleges on Naviance to investigate. Summer is a good time to research and visit colleges and work on a personal statement. Ms. Baldonado and Mr. Hou highly recommend all students narrow their college list down to 6-8 schools by the Fall.
Camp College The College Center will be offering a three-day seminar for rising seniors. The purpose of this course is to provide hands-on interaction with students who need additional help with their college planning and application process. At the completion of this course, students will have created an organizational system, completed two college essays and learned in depth about college visitations, interviews, recommendations, financial aid, and developed a much better understanding of the colleges’ selection process. The cost of Camp College is $225, which includes the Summer Institute registration fee. The complete summary of the course can be found online at www.lasallehs. org, ‘Summer Programs’. Choose: one session remains. August 10 – August 12, 8:00am to 12:00pm.Please contact Mr. Hou should you need more information on Camp College. PAGE 20
A College Planning Survey for Seniors and a parent questionnaire will be available on Naviance mid-July. Both student survey and parent questionnaire are due to their counselor by September 8. Ms. Baldonado or Mr. Hou will meet with each member of the class of 2016 to review their college list in the Fall before the college application period. To minimize the number of meetings for our parents, the Senior College Information Night will be held on the same evening as our Back-toSchool-Night on Thursday, August 27. Seniors and their parents should mark their calendars to attend the mandatory College Information night. During this meeting, we will be discussing the application protocol/paperwork, letters of recommendation, essay writing tips and lots of other pertinent information.
Plan to Visit Colleges Visiting colleges during the school year is one of the most valuable experiences in the college planning process. Not only does it help your student determine whether a college is a good fit, it also sends a strong message to the college admission office that your student is seriously considering their college. Looking at next year’s calendar, the best time to plan an out-of-town visit is during mid-October, as there will be no school on Friday, October 9, Monday, October 12 (Columbus Day), and Wednesday, October 14 (Standardized testing for all non-seniors).
Standardized Testing All members of the class of 2016 should have taken the ACT and/or the SAT by this time. Students who plan to apply to certain east coast colleges should also take two SAT Subject exams in the Fall. A list of colleges that require/recommend SAT Subject Tests can be found at http://www. compassprep.com/admissions_req_subjects.aspx.
ParentNewsletter Although the UCs no longer require two SAT Subject Tests, they are still recommended and strongly recommended for engineering and science majors.
Fall Exam Dates SAT Reasoning AND Subject Tests October 3 November 7 December 5
ACT September 12 October 24 December 12 Register early! Registration deadlines are usually about five weeks before the test dates. For those students who have not taken an SAT prep course, Princeton Review will be offering a four-week SAT prep course on campus late September for students taking the October 3 SAT. Test 1 Saturday Class Thursday Class Tuesday Class Thursday Test 2 Saturday Class Tuesday Class Thursday Test 3 Saturday Class Tuesday Class Thursday Test 4 Saturday Class Tuesday
August 29 9:00am – 1:30pm September 3 3:00 – 6:00pm September 8 3:00 – 6:00pm September 10 3:00 – 6:00pm September 12 9:00am – 1:30pm September 15 3:00 – 6:00pm September 17 3:00 – 6:00pm September 19 9:00am – 1:30pm September 22 3:00 – 6:00pm September 24 3:00 – 6:00pm September 26 9:00am – 1:30pm September 29 3:00 – 6:00pm.
JUNE/JULY 2015
Class of 2017 The class of 2017 will be taking the PSAT on Wednesday, October 14. PSAT/NMSQT stands for Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test. It is a standardized test that provides firsthand practice for the SAT Reasoning Test. It also gives you a chance to enter National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) scholarship programs. All Junior students will be taking the ACT at La Salle on February 6, 2016 for no charge. The Juniors will register for the ACT during Mentor Period in September so there is nothing to do on your part. In addition, most juniors will be taking the SAT Reasoning test for the first time in the Spring of 2016. If the family is considering a testprep course for the SAT, we suggest you choose a program that finishes close to the test date. Those students who are involved in a winter sport, theatre or have a full schedule during the months of January, February and March, might consider taking a test prep course over the summer or during the Fall and take the SAT in October.
CHECK SAT AND ACT TEST DATES
Utilize Naviance! Remind your student to add their school and non-school activities and awards they received during freshman and sophomore years in “My Resume”. This is a great place to gather information and keep it organized for the college application process. Also, complete the ‘career interest profiler’ assessment. Successful completion of the ‘career interest profiler’ assessment will generate a report that will provide your student with important information about ‘matching occupation list’. Your student will learn about careers that match their characteristics, their personal strengths and blindspots, how they negotiate in their daily life, and a host of other useful information.
Class of 2018 This year, the Class of 2018 registered on Naviance during Mentor period. Naviance is a college planning website where students can research colleges, their interests and careers. Your student can start keeping track of their school and non-school activities and awards they received College Counseling Continued on page 22 PAGE 21
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College Counseling Continued from page 21
during freshman year in “My Resume”. Naviance is a great place for students to organize and keep track of their information for college applications. Parents also have a personal log-in. Please contact Ms. Baldonado if you have not received your unique registration code for Naviance. Both the classes of 2018 and 2019 will take the ACT Aspire on Wednesday, October 14. The Aspire replaces the PLAN and Explore and is the new precursor to the ACT. Please note that the ACT is as widely accepted among the colleges as the SAT. In addition to providing practice for the ACT, Aspire has a unique section that tests science skills, which provides valuable feedback to our science department.
that they are passionate about (athletics, music, theatre, academics, etc.) or give their time to an organization that can use an extra pair of hands, (contact Mrs. Kirchoffer for non-profit organizations in the San Gabriel Valley).
Fall College Tours
All students and parents who are interested in learning more about these liberal arts colleges and universities and interested in hearing more about the CTCL philosophy – namely that there are great college options for every student (not just for the strongest students) and that the college search should focus on finding the best match for each student – are invited to attend. There is no cost to attend and pre-registration is not required. Please read Loren Pope’s book or go to www. ctcl.com for additional information on the colleges in the CTCL group.
We will again be touring colleges this fall and we will kick-off by visiting UC Santa Barbara, UC Santa Barbara
California State University, Northridge, and California Lutheran University in September (date to be determined). The Bay Area Tour will be held during the Spring Semester (on Friday, February 12 and Saturday, February 13). We will be visiting UC Berkeley, Stanford, Saint Mary’s College, University of San Francisco, Santa Clara University and UC Santa Cruz.
NHS and CSF Registration
General Information
Ms. Baldonado and Mr. Hou wish all La Salle families a restful and safe summer. We will be in the office over the summer so please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have regarding college counseling.
Students should use their summer time wisely. It is a great time to read (helps build vocabulary and critical thinking skills), find a job (helps with time-management and communication skills), participate in an activity Page 22
The colleges featured in Loren Pope’s book Colleges That Change Lives (aka CTCL) will have an information session and a college fair on Sunday, July 26, 2015. There are two sessions: 11:00am and 3:00pm. (Choose one to attend). Hilton Los Angeles/Universal City Sierra Ballroom 555 Universal Hollywood Drive Universal City, CA 91608
If your student is eligible for membership in the National Honor Society (NHS) and/or the California Scholarship Federation (CSF), please remind him or her to register. The deadline to register for both NHS and CSF is late August. CSF and NHS applications will be available on August 28, 2015.
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SAVE THE DATE!
23rd Annual Lancer Golf Classic and Banquet Monday, October 12, 2015 Beautifully Renovated Glendora Country Club • Four-Person Scramble • 11:00am Shotgun Start
BIG DAY FOR THE LANCERS OCTOBER 12
• Auction and Opportunity Drawing
All-Play Golfer's Package Includes:
Green Fee and Cart, Range Balls, Bag Tag, Putting Contest, Hole-In-One Prize, Lancer Classic Golf Gift, Lunch on the Course, Complimentary Beverages on the Course (Beer, Soda, Water), Foursome Picture, Delicious
ALL LEVELS WELCOME Calloway Scoring System Special Young Alumni (’01-’15) Discount For more information, please contact: Tara Milton 626-696-4381 or tmiltom@lasallehs.org
Proceeds to benefit La Salle’s Academic, Arts, Athletic and Financial Aid Programs PAGE 23
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Check your School calendar for event times and dates
June/July Highlights June 22 Summer Program Begins Office Hours: 7:30am to 3:00pm
SUMMER SCHOOL JUNE 22 to JuLY 23
NEW UNIFORM SALE JUNE 24
ATHLETIC PHYSICALS JULY 11
June 24 CKW / Mills New Uniform Sale Dining Hall 12:00 - 6:00pm July 3 Independence Day School Holiday July 4 Independence Day July 11 Athletic Physicals PE Room 9:00am -1:00pm July 16 CKW / Mills New Uniform Sale Dining Hall 10:00am - 4:00pm
July 23 Summer Program Concludes August 10 All student Forms and Electronic Signature Forms are Due August 18 Special Schedule New Student Welcome 8:00am to 2:00pm August 19 Special Schedule Student Information and Planning Day Full Dress Uniforms (with Ties) Yearbook and Student ID Photographs 8:00am to 12:20pm August 20 Special Schedule First Day of Classes 8:00am to 12:20pm August 26 Liturgy Schedule Dress Up Day No Late Start August 27 Back to School Night
NEW UNIFORM SALE JULY 16
The Athletic Department reminds you that Lancer Athlete Physicals will take place at La Salle on July 11, from 9:00am to 1:00pm in the PE Classroom. Please contact the athletic trainer, Tim Rasmussen with questions. Email: trasmussen@lasallehs.org.
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