CRUSADER VOL. 36 ISSUE 2
Spring/Summer 2023
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A PUBLICATION OF LONG ISLAND LUTHERAN
SAVE THE DATE
HOMECOMING OCTOBER 14, 2023
All Alumni – Come “Home” to LuHi!
Join us for the Homecoming Football Game, and the Alumni Reception following the game Anniversary years of 2013, 1998, 1983, and 1973, you have milestone anniversaries this year! Please contact stephanie.wollenburg@luhi.org if you are interested in organizing your class reunion as we are poised to support you for your event. Other classes ending in 3s and 8s, reach out for help getting started if you’d like to plan a reunion event for your class.
A PUBLICATION OF LONG ISLAND LUTHERAN
VOL. 36 ISSUE 2 Spring/Summer 2023
Head of School John Buck ’02 Assistant Head of School | Principal Jessica Raba ’98 Assistant Principal for Student Life Chris Reno Assistant Principal for Academics Laura Callahan Editor Kara Martone ’03 Art Director Jeanine (Kempster) Davis ’88 Photography Island Photography Wavelight Photography
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Letter from Mr. Buck
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Around the School
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Alum Highlight
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From the Bleachers
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Inspired Spaces
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Class of 2023
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Graduation
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Faculty News
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Alumni of the Year
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Alumni News
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Memorials/Gifts
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LuHi Open
Board Chris Nicholas ’91, President Thomas Holcomb, Vice-President Elizabeth Bezrutczyk, Secretary Kathryn (Hinsch) Huffman ’05, Treasurer Joanne (Klempel) Llano ’80, Assistant Treasurer Dyan Barton John Bruno Paul Homer Connie Luciano Erik Olson ’06 Stephen Olsen ’75 Daniel Pugliese Rev. Harry Schenkel ’87 Robert Schwenkel Derek Sells ’81 Rev. Justin Vetrano
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A WORD FROM OUR HEAD OF SCHOOL Dear Friends, Inspiration is one of the most powerful emotions in life. When we experience it, we are driven to achieve, create, and unify. Inspiration helps us push past obstacles and navigate difficult circumstances. It can come naturally and unexpectedly. It can also come through an encouraging word, by observing someone else excel, or in a unique environment designed to inspire. At LuHi, we are motivated by our vision to, as a family in Christ, work together to develop compassionate and educated leaders for the future. All of our efforts are first viewed through this lens, and we consistently seek ways to inspire our community to advance toward it. We recently wrapped up a fantastic 2022-2023 school year. After several years of modified programming, we fully returned to impactful traditions such as overnight retreats. Throughout this issue, you’ll read highlights about students and faculty who have excelled spiritually, academically, artistically, and athletically. Our graduates are heading out to amazing colleges and universities, prepared with a holistic education in body, mind, and spirit. Our alumni are also highlighted throughout the issue, with an article about how LuHi prepared them for their next steps (page 10) as well as several pages of alumni updates starting on page 24. As I write to you in June, excitement is palpable on campus. The LuHi Summer Programs team is eagerly preparing for campers to arrive for weeks of fun and growth. Counselors have undergone extensive training, and our spaces are filled with water slides, athletic equipment, and more. The pool, gyms, classrooms, and fields will be filled with hundreds of young people each day. One lap of our 32 acres leaves no doubt that LuHi will be the place to be this summer to play, discover, and create. Preparations are also intensifying for our classroom wing renovation project, slated to begin in the fall. Frequent meetings with the Village of Brookville, construction managers, and architects are going well. Each day, this transformative vision for our building moves closer to reality. The result will be over 30,000 square feet of premier learning spaces that will inspire students and faculty to use their gifts to strive for excellence each day. Construction of this magnitude is no small task. This work is inspired by a bold vision that came out of our campus master planning effort in 2020. In many ways, this project reminds me of the bold, original vision that Lutheran leaders across Long Island created when first forming our school. 65 years ago, our property was purchased and construction was soon advanced to build the classroom wing where our students have learned for decades. Now, we know it is time to breathe new life into this wing. I can not wait to witness the excitement and learning in the fall of 2024! Leading up to our school’s establishment, the generosity of key individuals, families, and churches helped turn a dream into a reality. Similarly, our vision for the future will be led by those that feel inspired to give. On graduation Saturday, we received the humbling news that LuHi would receive a $250,000 gift from the Victor Nelson Living Trust. The Nelson Family was involved in founding LuHi, and Mr. Nelson remained involved in supporting and advancing our school throughout his entire life before he passed at 98 years of age. His legacy gift has inspired me and I pray that it inspires us all. The future is bright here in Brookville and I look forward to staying in touch. By the next publication of the Crusader, we will certainly have some exciting progress to share! God Bless,
John Buck, Head of School 4 the CRUSADER SPRING/SUMMER 2023
Educating the Whole Child for a Lifetime of Learning OUR COMMITMENT TO FAMILIES: LuHi is a Christ-centered, college preparatory school whose mission is to glorify God by educating young people in body, mind, and spirit By the time your child has graduated from LuHi, they will: • Develop a strong sense of joy and purpose as they work to make a positive impact in the world • Build their knowledge, skills, and experiences to successfully go on to a college or career of their choice • Be a compassionate leader who celebrates diverse people, groups, and situations • Desire to serve others as a natural extension of their faith – grounded in Christ and rooted in love
Interested in learning more about the LuHi experience? Scan the QR code or contact the Admissions Office to schedule your visit! Admissions@luhi.org • 516.626.1736 Serving Grades 6-12
Around the School Our first LuHi University (Lu-U) brought parents into the learner’s seat as they experienced the rigor (and humor) of Mr. Kennedy’s STEM classes. After some introductory modeling, parents were able to practice coding and left with some resources to continue their learning! Beyond Boundaries January 23-25 provided opportunities for students and teachers to learn alongside one another in courses designed to take students beyond the typical school experience. From the one 2x4 challenge to orienteering, to chess and LEGO, and much, much more, students and faculty alike welcomed the change in schedule between first and second semester. A traveling exhibit featured the Harlem Renaissance and provided many art and humanities courses an in-school field trip opportunity during Black History Month. LuHi’s Robotics team competed in the Vex Robotics competition at Freeport High School and placed fourth, also winning the Design Award. Juniors and seniors, along with faculty advisors, devoted time over Winter Break to serve in Puerto Rico. As LuHi continues to serve internationally amidst ongoing hurricane relief efforts, the team built a second story of a house, a septic pit, and finished concrete work on a church. In March, LuHi’s Family Association and Administration brought a speaker from Protect Young Eyes. Speaking on the topic “The Digital Culture of Kids,” parents and faculty explored building digital trust on the family level, and students were able to explore, in smaller grade-level groups, their own safety online through the lens of their value in Christ, not in social media platforms. The 11th annual Meal Packing event took place in March. LuHi’s juniors packed the 3 millionth meal during that time, and all students, faculty, staff were able to come together to support those experiencing food insecurity in our local community and beyond! We are grateful to our volunteers and outside groups who contributed, as well as all who donated to make this possible for our students. We celebrated World Languages week in March with breakfast in the cafeteria, featuring churros and croissants. Students sold Pulseras (bracelets) in support of women in Central and South America. Our annual poster contest was a great success, with winners from LuHi across many categories. An art display in the hallway featured artists of a variety of backgrounds. LuHi teachers participated in an “EdCamp”-style professional learning day where they proposed and kicked off discussions and sharing in various areas, such as teaching on a block schedule, integrating art in the Humanities classroom, supporting organizational needs of middle school students, and more. LuHi’s theater program, led by Pastor Vetrano and Mrs. Nicholson, put up a production of The Wizard of Oz to great reviews. LuHi’ Student Government planned the annual Winter Pep Rally, where we both honored the winter athletes and celebrated the return of a time-honored tradition: the faculty vs. students basketball game. While the faculty maintained their decades-long winning streak, the students put up a valiant effort! The day before Easter break, students were guided through the Stations of the Cross featuring artwork commissioned by Maria Nazarova ’22 and led by our junior Religion classes. We kicked off the countdown to graduation and moving up to high school, with the presentation of LuHi lawn signs to our seniors and 8th graders, respectively.
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College Commitment Day was celebrated on May 1 with seniors wearing the shirt of their intended post-collegiate pathway. The 7th grade class celebrated independent project work in our annual science fair. Judged by many faculty members, this event also welcomed parents to campus to see the scientific method in action! Our annual Fine Arts Festival kicked off with the Spring Dance Showcase, and continued with band, strings, and choir concerts as well as the visual arts displays in our commons and cafeteria. Students Government once again planned a fun afternoon, buoyed by this year’s Senior Prank (a mariachi band was commissioned to follow Mrs. Raba around for an hour!), celebrating spring athletics as well as engaging all grade levels and the faculty in a “Battle of the Classes” competition. Retreats continued this spring, with 10th graders spending two days at Camp Quinipet, 11th graders enjoying their onsite leadership-focused retreat day, and 8th graders returning to the Rocking Horse Dude Ranch for the first time since 2019! Convocation Chapel provided the opportunity to recognize students for their contributions in academics, arts, athletics, campus ministry, and student life. Congratulations to Chloe Findlay and Rauol Estinvil, recipients of the 2023 Pro Deo et Schola Award! Following the chapel service, our senior class went to Peppercorns for the annual Communion Lunch. Mr. Huebner’s Beyond Boundaries class once again planned a fun and engaging Field Day for our students in grades 6-10. On our seniors’ last day of school, the entire community gathered to celebrate them in a clap-out as they walked the halls for the last time. Our annual Moving Up Chapel provided the opportunity to bless the seniors and then symbolically move each grade level up in preparation for the 2023-24 school year! Junior and Senior students participated in an annual flag football game. The class of 2023 maintains a two year winning streak! Family Association hosted a year-end barbecue for all families as a celebration of the conclusion of the school year. The last week of school provided the opportunity for yearbook distribution and signing, student government elections, and a visit from Mr. Softee on the last day of school (thanks, Family Association!).
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Thank You Over $525,000 was given to support the student experience, with over 1,300 total gifts received! Here’s what we were able to do: Retreats at every grade level | Local and global servant events | Professional development Chromebooks for middle school | Academic offerings | “Yes” to 75 more families/students through financial aid
Alum Highlight
The LuHi Exp by Jessica Raba, Assistant Head of School/Principal
LuHi
’s vision gives us clear direction: LuHi is a family in Christ, working together to develop compassionate, educated leaders for the future. This year as we’ve unpacked, in various ways, the words in this statement, we have stepped back to reflect and continually evaluate our daily efforts toward that end. This practice has been instructive in countless ways, but for me, it’s sparked other questions. While our current students show, in very tangible ways, their growth as future leaders on a daily basis as we have ready access to observe them, converse with them, and see them grow, once they walk across the stage at graduation, we no longer have a front-row seat! This spring, I reached out to several graduates, spanning the past five years, and asked them some key questions. What I’ve learned as a result not only connects us to these recent graduates, but also provides some key insights as we seek to pour into those students who continue their LuHi experience in the years to come. Sophia Luciano ’22 and Cassandra Nelson ’22 had just completed their freshman years of college when we connected again. For context, members of the class of 2022 were impacted by Covid through much of high school, as they learned remotely for much of the second semester of their sophomore year, experienced a quasi-hybrid experience during their junior year, and finally returned to some normalcy at the end of their senior year. Sophia is studying Marketing at George Washington University, while also playing Women’s Division 1 Club Ice Hockey. Cassandra is majoring in History at Longwood University, with a concentration in secondary education. I asked each of them how this school prepared them for life after LuHi: Sophia shared, “I think the biggest thing that LuHi prepared me for was social acclimation. It definitely was not easy adjusting to college life — especially different people, however I remembered all of the friends I made at LuHi and how everyone had such different and interesting backgrounds. It really helped me open up to others because I could relate to so many people so easily.” According to Cassandra, “The coursework at LuHi gave me an excellent base for my college coursework. With the standards LuHi set I was able to achieve the highest GPA in
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the history department in my school and excelled in all of my classes. LuHi’s standards for writing helped me immensely with my college writing assignments.” The class of 2020 walked across the “stage” during our Graduation on the Go year, where faculty and staff fanned out across Long Island and Queens to bring graduation ceremonies to our families. Having just completed his junior year at the University of Michigan, Cameron Nichols ’20 is back in New York for the summer for an internship focused in the area of Artificial Intelligence. He shared, “LuHi had a profound impact on my readiness for life beyond high school. Despite its smaller size, the school instilled in me the confidence and ease to make friends and connect with anyone, which was incredibly beneficial when I transitioned to a much larger college environment. It’s now second nature for me to strike up a conversation and build a relationship with anyone I share a campus with. Moreover, the unique life lessons I gained from one-on-one interactions with teachers at LuHi have been invaluable in navigating adulthood. They imparted wisdom and guidance that were tailored to my individual needs and experiences, something that I have come to appreciate more as I’ve grown. These personalized lessons have helped me in making decisions, managing my time, and generally ’adulting’ with a perspective that I feel is unique to a LuHi education.” Then, I was able to check in with members of the class of 2019 who have now either graduated or are nearing graduation. For these students, much of their college experience was interrupted by Covid. Ashley Eliassaint ’19 is currently searching for her first post-collegiate job as she just graduated from NYU. Jonathan Wilds ’19 will graduate from St. John’s University this coming December with a degree in Communication Arts, with plans to continue with a Master’s program in Integrated Advertising Communications thereafter. Ashley shared, “LuHi definitely prepared me for college in terms of assignment time management. The letter-day cycle helped me organize things by priority, which became important during college, especially when classes had multiple assignments.” Jonathan focused more on cocurricular preparation: “Leadership positions and other opportunities at LuHi have prepared me immensely for life
perience at SJU. Because of Covid, I wasn’t able to get as involved as I wanted to early on, but going into Junior Year, I served as Vice President of one of the biggest organizations on campus — Haraya: The Pan-African Students’ Coalition. Senior Year, I served as President of Haraya, and was part of the Student Government Executive Board as the Press Secretary as well. In my time at SJU, I also worked as a Student Ambassador and Orientation Leader.”
“ The biggest advantage that I gave myself in school was that I was open and honest to my teachers and that helped me greatly in succeeding in high school.”
To learn more about how their LuHi experience impacted their life beyond 131 Brookville Road, I asked: what was the single best decision you made while you were at LuHi, and why was it so important to your growth and development? Cassandra shared, “The best decision that I made at LuHi was going on the mission trip to Houston and volunteering for Habitat for Humanity. Having these opportunities allowed me to pad my resume a bit and thus receive more networking opportunities such as being able to join a sorority (due to my previous volunteer work) and receiving leadership positions at my university. These volunteering opportunities also taught me how to be compassionate towards others and allow God to work through me for others.” When Cameron reflected on this question, he stated, “The single best decision I made while at LuHi was managing the varsity basketball team. This role not only facilitated deeper
connections with my classmates, but it also allowed me to recognize the invaluable roles the coaches played. They weren’t just coaches; they served as mentors to all of us involved in the team, whether we were on the court or behind the scenes. The fact that the coaches have continued to reach out and check in on me after high school attests to the profound relationships built during this time. Ashley shared, “I don’t regret taking the programming classes and Mr. Kennedy’s engineering class. The projects, fun, and teamwork I experienced in those classes were in my major’s classes to a higher degree. Those classes gave a nice introduction to tech development cycles (product, software, content, etc)!” Finally, I asked the alumni: what advice can you offer current LuHi middle and/or high school students? Sophia shared, “I would probably say to join every club/team. I think a huge aspect of LuHi’s energy is its sports, and I definitely could have been better with that! The team culture at LuHi is unbeatable, and I wish I could have been a part of it more.” Cassandra shared, “My biggest advice for current LuHi students is to go to their teachers when they are having an issue or set back in a class. The biggest advantage that I gave myself in school was that I was open and honest to my teachers and that helped me greatly in succeeding in high school. Cameron reflected, “When I look back at my time at LuHi, my one wish is that I had stepped out of my comfort zone a bit more by participating in a wider range of clubs, even those that didn’t initially align with my interests. My college experience has taught me the value of exploring unfamiliar areas; sometimes you discover passions and abilities in the most unexpected places. While I cherished my time at LuHi and the activities I engaged in, I now recognize the value of a broader exploration of opportunities, which is something I would encourage current students to embrace.” Jonathan shared, “Some advice I have for current LuHi students is to live in the moment and make the most of your time here. All experiences you’ll have at LuHi will prepare you in some way for your future whether you know it or not. Looking back, the experiences I went through, both good and bad, have definitely prepared me for life post-LuHi.”
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From the Bleachers
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s the winter and spring seasons came to a close, LuHi athletes had much to celebrate. From wrestling to lacrosse, basketball to softball, the LuHi winter and spring teams displayed exceptional talent and determination, culminating in numerous championship titles and impressive playoff runs.
Wrestler! The JV Boys Basketball team also claimed back to back PSAA Championships, with a 55-54 victory against The Stony Brook School. The return of Indoor Track proved to be a resounding success, with several athletes qualifying for the NYSAIS tournament. Jacob Butler took 4th in 300m and Julissa Abrahams took 4th in 55m.
In the Winter Season, the Varsity Wrestling team took home the PSAA Championship title in February and competed in the NYSAIS tournament. Isabelle Bjorgvinsdottir came in 3rd place at Nationals, and was LuHi’s first Female All-American
The highlight of the winter season came from the Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball AA State Federation Championships, where LuHi emerged as the champions (see article on pg 15). In addition to the Federation title, both teams had strong
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records all season against nationally ranked opponents. The spring season brought lots of success and several championships to Brookville. The Spring Track team took 3rd place overall in the PSAA championships. The Boys Varsity Lacrosse team, competing a tough independent schedule, made the semi-finals of the NYSAIS tournament. The Girls Varsity Lacrosse team took home their second straight PSAA championship with a 12-11 victory against The Stony Brook School. They were seeded 5th in the NYSAIS tournament. The Boys Varsity Baseball team
claimed their third straight PSAA championship with a 14-4 victory against Portledge. They also qualified for the NYSAIS tournament. The Girls Varsity Softball team won a league championship for the first time since 2013, taking home the PSAA crown against Staten Island Academy 12-8. They were seeded 3rd in the NYSAIS tournament. Finally, the Varsity Golf team took home the PSAA Championship at Brookville Country Club, with team members sweeping the podium!
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From the Bleachers
SPRING SIGNING DAY
We are also proud to announce the senior athletes that have committed to play their sport at the collegiate level. These athletes were honored at our Spring Signing Day on April 18.
Isabella Zingoni, SUNY Cortland, Women’s Basketball Vincenzo Verdi, Bryant University, Football Jacques Leandre, Morehouse College, Football John Viggiani, Long Island University, Men’s Lacrosse
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Photo courtesy of Sage Media Solutions
LuHi Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball: State Champions Once Again!
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or the first time since 2011, the Boys and Girls Varsity Basketball teams both brought home the NYS Federation Championship! This is the 9th state championship in program history for the boys, and the 5th state championship for the girls.
At the Federation Championships, the Boys Varsity team had an 81-52 semifinal win against Victor, and defeated Archbishop Stepinac in the championship game 81-57 to win the Class AA crown. Jayden Reid ’23 led the scoring in the championship game with 20 points, and also hit the 1,000th career point milestone. The Girls Varsity team had a closely contested semi-final victory against South Shore, 65-60, and then defeated St. Mary’s 99-58 to also take the Class AA crown. Syla Swords ’24 finished with 27 points, and Kate Koval ’24 grabbed 10 rebounds. The Boys Varsity team (23-2) had an incredibly successful season. The squad finished second in the NIBC (National Interscholastic Basketball Conference), compiled an impressive 22-game winning streak, and ranked as high as No. 2 in the SCNext 25 Rankings. Their success extended beyond the state level, as they were crowned NYS AA Federation Champions. LuHi’s remarkable season also earned them their first-ever invite to the prestigious GEICO Nationals, further solidifying their place among the nation’s top teams. Head Coach John Buck ’02 was named the 2023 NIBC Coach of the Year. Additionally, VJ Edgecombe was named New York’s Gatorade Player of the Year and NIBC Player of the Year, with Jayden Reid receiving Second Team All-NIBC honors and Jayden Ross earning Third Team All-NIBC honors.
The Girls Varsity Basketball team (22-2) also had a historic season from start to finish. In December, the squad clinched LuHi’s first-ever NIKE Tournament of Champions title, solidifying a place among the elite teams in the nation. The program earned their first-ever No. 1 national ranking in program history. They received their first invitation to GEICO Nationals, where Kate Koval broke the GEICO Nationals Boys and Girls single-game scoring record with 38 pts in their semi-final victory. Individually, Kate Koval was recognized as the New York’s Gatorade Player of the Year, while Kayleigh Heckel received the NY Maxpreps Player of the Year honor and scored her 2,000 career point. Head Coach Christina Raiti ’12 was named Naismith Coach of the Year.
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Inspired Spaces
INSPIRED SPACES: LuHi’s Campus
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s LuHi strives to educate young people with excellence in the present, it must also actively plan for how to do so in future years. Thanks to several key, generous leaders and with the approval of our Board of Directors, LuHi will begin a comprehensive renovation of our main classroom wing in the late summer of 2023! This decision comes as a result of our five-year strategic plan, entitled Shine, in February of 2020. Shine includes four main goals to accelerate our movement towards a thriving future. The second goal of our plan is titled “Inspired Spaces”. Throughout the planning process, our community acknowledged that, while we have a beautiful campus and many incredible learning spaces, we also have buildings and areas that are in need of an upgrade. Our leadership team then made a key decision to invest in a campus master plan. This physical plan, in support of our strategic plan, took over twelve months to complete and investigated all needs and potential opportunities across our 32 acre campus. A renovation of our main classroom wing – the 100 and 200 hallway area – was identified as the priority project. The result of this work will be breathtaking. Our 31,000 square foot classroom wing will serve as LuHi’s core academic hub for decades to come. Modern, bright, flexible classrooms will allow students to collaborate while feeling inspired to grow in body, mind, and spirit. A state of the art HVAC system will 16 the CRUSADER SPRING/SUMMER 2023
provide consistent temperature control to maximize comfort and focus. The renovations will greatly enhance the student experience at LuHi. As Assistant Head of School & Principal, Mrs. Jessica Raba, shared, “With inspiring new learning spaces on the horizon, meaningful shifts in learning experiences in the tried and true courses will extend to new possibilities as we seek to grow opportunities for student learning, particularly through the opening of our new Robotics and Innovation Center and cutting edge Science labs. Those interested in Computer Science, Engineering, health sciences, and more will benefit from thoughtfully designed learning spaces which emphasize hands-on learning and collaboration with peers and teachers alike.” The renovated classroom space will also elevate LuHi’s Summer Programs offerings. Mr. Jason Wass, Director of LuHi Summer Programs, reflected, “The campus renovation project is going to allow us to take LuHi Summer Programs to yet another level.Adding state-of-the-art classrooms and amazing technology to our already abundant resources is going to be a home run! Our LuHi Country Day and GIFT Programs will see the most direct benefit, but all campers will feel the benefits of the project. We are excited to combine these new advancements with over 60 years of camp traditions.”
Renovation Kicks Off Throughout the entire process, we have been blessed to partner with Zubatkin Owner Representation, a firm that specializes in supporting all aspects of capital projects. Zubatkin has been a phenomenal resource for LuHi, guiding us through the architect selection process and advancing discussions with the Town of Brookville. Zubatkin’s client list is extensive, as they have partnered with reputable schools, community organizations, famous museums, theaters, and more. We are in great hands! Although the construction project will impact movement and classroom settings during the 2023-2024 school year, we are working in close partnership with Zubatkin to ensure a smooth and minimally disruptive experience. In May, we shared plans for LuHi’s Academic Village, which will serve as the main area of academic study for the 2023-2024 school year. The Academic Village (see rendering to the right) will include bright, flexible, temperature-controlled classrooms, complete with all relevant technology to engage students in deep study and exploration. It will be located on the “Middle Courts”, and include 19 modular classrooms, restrooms, a faculty lounge, outdoor tables for community building, and clear signage for wayfinding. The area will have administrative and security presence throughout the school day. LuHi’s Head of School, Mr. John Buck, shared, “It is surreal to be approaching the start of this transformative project. Years
of strategic planning have led us to this moment and I am beyond eager to see the positive impact our new learning spaces will have on students, faculty, and our entire community. I wholeheartedly believe that LuHi will be home to the premier classroom wing in all of Long Island!” Construction costs will be covered through private fundraising efforts and supported by financing through the Lutheran Church Extension Fund (LCEF). The early stages of the Rise.Shine. Campaign have been successful, raising over $6M toward a $15M goal. We look forward to keeping our LuHi community informed throughout the construction process. Be sure to follow LuHi on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates, and keep an eye out for the Fall/Winter Crusader for highlights on our progress to that point! SPRING/SUMMER 2023 the CRUSADER 17
Class of 2023
Congratulations to the 18 the CRUSADER SPRING/SUMMER 2023
LuHi Class of 2023!
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Graduation
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If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. ~Galatians 5:25
Celebrating the Class of ’23!
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n Saturday, June 10th, LuHi held its 60th Commencement Ceremony celebrating the Class of 2023. The Visscher Gym was full of family, friends, and guests of the graduating class who awaited the commencement ceremony for the graduating seniors. The Class of 2023 chose Mr. Denis Scannell to address them as this year’s commencement speaker. Mr. Scannell’s message was in response to our school year theme of keeping in “Step” with the Spirit. He shared that being in the spirit allows us to choose faith over fear, kindness over cruelty, and contentment over resentment. In a speech that was both funny and poignant, he shared many profound words with the class on this theme. He left them with this thought: “Fear lives in the future, kindness in the moment, and being in the spirit requires choosing contentment over resentment…I don’t mean to imply not to have goals or not remember the past, but only visit those places. Living in the present helps us choose contentment over resentment, and appreciation over entitlement.”
Salutatorian Sumayya Spann spoke about how quickly her time at LuHi flew by. The message she shared with her classmates was the importance of taking a breath and appreciating the moments as they happen. She shared, “What I’ve learned is that the world will always continue, there will always be a task, or an event, or an application to be submitted, so if I continue to wait, I’ll never truly breathe…So please, I implore you to take a moment to breathe and think about how far you’ve come and the journey that is yet to unfold.” Valedictorian Stella Bizekis spoke about how the community around her at LuHi – friends, teachers, administrators, counselors – as well the Lord, helped her achieve her goals and gave her support when she needed it. She stated, “The future is the unknown, and with that comes fear and new obstacles we’ve never faced. Use those around you to console you in your struggles and push you in your endeavors. In doing so, I can confidently say that Class of 2023, you can accomplish whatever you dream of for your future.”
Raoul Estinvil and Chloe Findlay, the 2023 Pro Deo et Schola Award winners, offered the final prayer of the ceremony. The Pro Deo et Schola award is presented to the senior boy and girl who exemplify a Christian life in school and their home churches, and is the highest award presented at LuHi. In addition, a special Pro Deo et Schola award was presented to James and Angela Verdi. Mr. and Mrs. Verdi were incredibly involved at LuHi while their son Vincenzo ’23 was a LuHi student. From Family Association and Bid-ForKids, to Meal Packing and supporting Crusader Athletics, the Verdi’s have been pillars of the LuHi community for the past 6 years. The ceremony concluded with a receiving line down the main LuHi hill, where students hugged and high-fived their teachers. The class gathered one last time on the LuHi field to celebrate their graduation with their classmates, family, and friends. Congratulations, Class of 2023!
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Faculty News
Coach Melanie Logan and her husband welcomed their 4th child into the world. Emerson Delois Logan was born on February 12, 2023. Vaughn, Hunter and Sloane are elated to be big siblings.
Mrs. Kim Kuck ’98, Director of School Counseling, was voted Best College Advisor on Long Island in the Bethpage Federal Credit Union Best of Long Island contest!
regards his 5 years teaching at LuHi during our early years as one of the most meaningful times in his life. “Great school, great students!” charlesandsueh@att.net
Mr. Harold Kennedy and his wife, Stephanie, welcomed their first child – Cecelia Hope Kennedy – on December 27, 2022!
Coach Christina Raiti ’12 was recognized as Naismith Coach of the Year as she continues to lead our Girls Varsity Basketball program.
Congratulations to Jon Klemp, recipient of the 2023 Randy Abbe Christian Service Award!
Former Faculty and Staff
We are saddened to report the passing of former staff member Kandy Davis on April 3, 2023 at the age of 95. Mrs. Davis worked as an accountant at LuHi after raising her children, all of whom are LuHi graduates – John ’71, Bruce ’73, Wendy ’75, and Nancy ’76.
Charles (Chuck) Hofman lives with his wife Sue in Hollywood, FL. He still
ESTATE COACHING THROUGH LUHI
Now’s the time to make or update your will. LuHi is pleased to help you set your future financial direction by offering FREE estate and will-planning services to our LuHi families, alumni, parents, alumni parents, and friends! Craig Mellendorf of SFC Estate Coaching will help you understand your options and ensure your money and assets go to those you care about. These one-on-one sessions are free, educational, and completely confidential. Craig is there to help you make your plans a reality in two virtual sessions. Craig will help you be “attorney ready” and can communicate with an attorney your desires to make sure your will/trust is completed to your satisfaction. Most importantly, these services are FREE to members of the LuHi Family. The only cost is between the attorney/financial planner and the family. For more information or to schedule an appointment scan the QR code. If you have further questions, contact Jane Lottes, Head of Advancement at 516.626.1700 x549. 22 the CRUSADER SPRING/SUMMER 2023
Alumni of the Year
Alumni Association Honors 2023 Award Recipients LuHi was honored to celebrate its 2023 Alumni of the Year during our weekly chapel service on May 3. Since 1993, this annual award has recognized those who have demonstrated outstanding professional achievements, commitment to their churches and communities, and continued involvement at LuHi. This year, we were honored to present the Alumni of the Year award to two incredible LuHi graduates. Matt Merker ’02 is the Director of Resources and Training for Getty Music, a Christian record label and events company in Nashville, TN. He is also the author of the book Corporate Worship: How the Church Gathers as God’s People. Matt is known for his hymns that are sung in churches around the world, including “He Will Hold Me Fast,” “Christ Our Hope in Life and Death,” and “I Will Wait for You (Psalm 130).” Matt is also the Director of Congregational Singing at Edgefield Church in Nashville. Matt earned a Bachelor of Science in Religious Studies and Music from Vanderbilt University in 2006 and a Master of Divinity from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in 2015. At LuHi, Matt participated in the jazz band, pep band, and pit band, and in his senior year his classmates chose him to serve as Student Council President. He often helped with chapel, traveled on several missions trips to Mexico, and participated in many service projects. He was salutatorian of his class and received LuHi’s highest honor, the Pro Deo et Schola award. Matt has been married to Erica since 2009. They have two children, Lena (8) and Isaiah (5) and live in East Nashville, TN.
Averi (Harper) Robinson ’09 is the Deputy Political Director at ABC News, where she oversees campaign coverage and manages a team of reporters. Averi has covered several high-profile political events during her career, including the 2020 presidential election, the Democratic primary, and the general election. She is also an adjunct professor at New York University’s Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute. Averi is an alumna of University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she studied broadcast journalism. She holds a Master of Science degree in journalism from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism. She is a proud member of the National Association of Black Journalists. During her time at LuHi, Averi was involved in various sports and activities. She participated in Varsity Track and Field, was the editor-in-chief of The Charger, was captain of the Step Team, and served as Student Government Treasurer. She was a HART mentor, a Mathlete, a member of the National Honor Society and JSA. She also played a season of JV Basketball. Averi is married to Ken Robinson, and the couple has lived in Brooklyn since their wedding in 2021.
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Alumni News 60s Caryn McDermott ’64 is retired and enjoying life in Tampa with her husband Patrick. Caryn is a big Gator fan and can be found in the stands at any number of home games. cmcderm154@aol.com Nancy (Battaglia) Jenkins ’65 is retired and happily living in Setauket, NY. abilgailsplace31@gmail.com Ken and Susan (Stadtlander) Schwinn ’66, ’66 have lived in Bonita Springs, FL since 2003 They have owned Schwinn Tours & Travel since 2005 and enjoy traveling the world. They have been blessed with 53 years of marriage. beowulf71@aol.com Rev. Richard Finck and Bonnie (Steinke) Finck ’67, ’67 live in Chester, VA. He is semi-retired and they welcomed their 10th and 11th grandchildren this spring. TheRev220@gmail.com Arthur Smith ’67 lives in LaGrange, IL and works for Sustainable Futures, L3C. He is Editor of Climate Policy Insights on Substack. www.sustainablefutures. substack.com We are saddened to report the passing of ♰ Alfred Lapadula ’68. Christine (Wilshusen) Clarke ’69 retired and moved to Ocean Ridge, FL. She loves getting together with LuHi friends, enjoys time with her 3 kids, and adores her 6 grandchildren. clarkeca@aol.com
70s Vinny MdCoy ’70 lives in Ruskin, FL with his wife Sonja. They have 4 children. While retired, Vinny continues to spend time working with programs for young athletes. vinnymccoy@yahoo. com Warren Aplin ’72 and wife Sandra live in Jupiter, FL. They have 6 grandkids and one on the way. He sold his business in insurance appraisal but is still consulting which feels like a hobby to him and he enthuses, “they pay me for it!” He loves his old cars, which we can attest to as a phenomenal collection, seen when he hosted an alumni 24 the CRUSADER SPRING/SUMMER 2023
gathering at his home in April. He loves LuHi Homecoming, is sorry he missed his 50th, and invites classmates to come visit when in the area. waplin@ aplininsurance.com
of local church and community pantries, the LI Council of Churches, and Island Harvest. scarprn@gmail.com
It is with great sadness we announce the passing of ♰ Larry Lesnick ’72 on September 12, 2022. He is missed by his mother Eileen, sons Andrew and Austin, and brother Michael Lesnick ’74.
Mike Russo ’80 lives with his wife in Doylestown, PA. His 12th audiobook has just been released and is available where you get your audiobooks. His podcast, Creative Care Unit, features an interview with fellow alum and audiobook narrator Quintin Allen. For more info, go to merusso.com. gtmrusso@verizon.net
Scott Lippmann ’72 is retired and shares, “We fulfilled a dream and moved to the mountains!” lippmann.scott@gmail.com Kathryn (Muench) Spada ’72 is a retired RN and lives in Wilmington, NC. 1023kat@gmail.com Donald Wood ’72 lives in Copiague with Peg, his wife of 44 years. He is the proud grandfather of Ryan Joseph Wood born May 2021. Don would love to hear from you at pegdon1@verizon.net. Jacqueline Frederick ’73 lives in Greenville, SC where she works for DaVita Renal Care. jfrederickrd@bellsouth.net We are saddened to report the passing of ♰ Geoffrey Lengenfelder ’73 on February 12, 2023. We are saddened to share the passing of ♰ Kristale (Kym) Grant-Francios ’76 on March 24, 2023 from cancer. Jane Cruickshanks ’77 recently joined us at our Aventura, FL Connecting and Growing Event. She lives in Pembroke Pines and is a Certified Financial Planner.janejcmfinsv@bellsouth.net LuHi is thankful for Susan CusickCarpenter ’78 and husband Jeff who stepped up at the Bid-for-Kids Auction to sponsor the 2023 Meal Packing Event. We were blessed by their support and that of many other attendees and volunteers to pack 163,872 meals distributed to a number
80s
Congratulations to Judge Norman St. George ’81 on his appointment as New York State’s First Deputy Administrative Judge, the second-highest ranking administrative position within the NY State Judiciary. Prior to taking the bench in 2018, Norman headed his own law firm. Karl Drusch ’82 lives in Midlothian, TX and is CEO/Owner of TrueAero, a company in the aviation industry. kdrusch@psgjets.com Gerhard (Jerry) Preussner ’82 and his wife Millie live in Apopka, FL and have three children. Jerry is a pilot who works in private jet rental. jpreus1972@aol.com We are saddened to report the passing of ♰ Greg Johnson ’83 on May 7, 2023. Debris (Harring) White ’83 still lives in SW Florida and works as a contract support specialist. On her current project, she calls Everglades City and Chokoloskee Island her home. dwcapecoral@earthlink.net John Carpenter ’84 lives in Florida. During LuHi Florida visits in April, he shared his volunteer work with Called Higher Adventures. Working with parents and churches, Called Higher volunteers give teens an opportunity to grow in Christian character and life skills through sailing and music ministry opportunities. Roy Labrador ’84 and wife Anissa live in Lakeland, FL. Besides his fulltime job, the couple also have an antique business. Follow them @suncoastvintageduo.
bidog0411@gmail.com Aaron Wilson Jr ’84 and his wife live in Apollo Beach, FL where he is enjoying retirement after working for the State Department. aaronwil722@yahoo.com Stacy Parker ’85 and wife Jackie live in Cape Coral, FL where Stacy is a Senior Associate at Tesla. His job takes him around FL, and at home he assists wife Jackie in her catering business – Hummingbird Table. They are proud to have a grandchild currently attending LuHi. tapsdad@yahoo.com Robert (Lueck) Simpson ’85 is still training and playing basketball ever since his years at LuHi. deafcali@aol.com Ellen (Gnam) Halka ’86 works as a STEM instructor for IFLY indoor skydiving. She lives in Charlotte, NC with her daughters Victoria and Ashley. ellenhalka@yahoo.com Edward Little ’86 is a managing partner of Project Dojo LLC (Business Management Consultant in Zimbabwe). He consults with small to medium sized businesses, entrepreneurs, and those seeking investor funding. edwardlittle@gmail.com David Weigand ’86 lives in Dallas, TX. He says that anyone who knew him, knew he was obsessed with cars. He just celebrated his 30th anniversary with Toyota Motor North America and feels blessed to work for such an amazing company for so long. daviddkw@mac.com Gina D’Errico Brennan ’87 lives in Orlando, FL with her husband Michael. They have two children, Christina and Michael. Gina is self-employed as an Executive and Team Coach. gina@coachmystrengths.com Angela Corley ’89 lives in St. Petersburg, FL and works as a TV host and talent on various programs and networks. hello@anjicorley.com
90s Keith Dussich ’92 and wife Sara are living in Palm Beach Gardens, FL and announce the arrival of baby Avery on April 17, 2023. kdussich@yahoo.com
Kim Napolitano-Perry ’92 and her family recently sold their home and relocated to a larger home in Oxford, ME where she can expand her small business, Perry Home Naturals. Her work can be found in over 85 stores nationwide and growing. ksnapolitanoperry@gmail.com Jane Lottes ran into Patrick Charon ’93 at Mill Neck Manor’s Gatsby Gala. He was there supporting his dad as Interim Exec. Director at Mill Neck Manor School for the Deaf. Patrick and his wife live in Bayville, NY. Madalena Piccininni ’98 is excited that daughter Isabella Zingoni graduated from LuHi with the Class of 2023. Bella is a 4-year varsity basketball player and team captain. bellamp22@aol.com We are proud to announce Say It Out Loud, the book, the podcast, the online community support group created by Vasavi Kumar ’99. Her journey and work has helped people move past their insecurities and rock-bottom moments, so they can rise to their fullest potential and do good work in the world. vasavi.kumar@gmail.com
00s Heather (Ferrante) Cathrall ’01 is happy to announce the birth of Max Ryan, born August 2022. Max’s big sisters Ashley and Valerie were excited for the arrival of their little brother. Heather currently resides in NJ with her family
and is the Admin Dir for Clinical Trial Support at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Paul Rickmeyer ’01 and his wife Melissa have 3 daughters and live in Lithia, FL where Paul serves as Director of Strategy, Plans, and Policy for the U.S. Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT). paul.rickmeyer@ gmail.com Kim Kalish ’02 is an award winning storyteller with over 30 million views on her digital work. She has brought her lauded solo show, The Funny Thing About Death, to LA, NY, and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It is a series of interconnected stories about all the wacky things she did while grieving the love of her life. kimkalish.com Jordan Hinsch ’04 lives in Miami and works for BISNOW, a commercial real estate news, media, and events company. jordan.hinsch@gmail.com
Sarah (Leopold) ’08 and Stephen Scarnato ’09 are happy to announce the birth of son Callen Lewis, born on Aug 12, 2022. He joins sister Aria (7) and brother Leopold (5). They recently purchased a home in Jamesport and co-own and operate two businesses on the North Fork – Long Island Vine Care and New Roots Wine. longislandvinecare.com, newrootswine.com
10s Brendan Keating ’10 lives in Oakland Park, FL and works at Stiles Corporation, one of the largest real SPRING/SUMMER 2023 the CRUSADER 25
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Alumni News estate companies in South Florida, as a development manager. brendan. keating@stiles.com Taylor Trimarchi ’10 and husband Casey were married in September 2022 and live in Woodbury, NY. Taylor has her own production company called Sweet T Productions where she collaborates and works on celebrity, fashion, ad campaigns, and editorial shoots. taylor@sweettprod.com Jamie Boyko ’13 lives in Lake Worth, FL and works as an artist and repertoire intern. jaimepboyko@gmail.com IMG-1875.JPEG
Elijah Walters ’14 is living in Orlando, FL and working as a hospital chaplain. He recently received his MS in Spiritual Care from AdventHealth University. chaplainwalters@gmail.com Matthew Kim ’15 recently relocated to Atlanta, GA where he accepted a new job with Abbott. matthew14kim@gmail.com
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?tab=rm&ogbl#label/Inbox%2FAlumni%2FUpdates+for+Crusader/WhctKKXpRbGMfNNWGGKWbPvTvMnWHhsbLrBcFMMV…
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Nico Carl ’17 and Lexi Siino ’17 completed their 2000-mile hike of the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine. Great LuHi friends and a phenomenal experience!
Graduated? Got married? Welcomed a new baby? Moved or changed jobs? We love to share your updates with the LuHi Community! Please reach out to jane.lottes@luhi.org and stephanie.wollenburg@luhi.org with any updates to share in the next Crusader!
Meredith Klenkel ’17 lives in Winter Park, FL and works as a copywriter. meredithbklenkel@gmail.com
20s Congratulations to Zion Tracy ’22 who committed to play football for the Penn State Nittany Lions this fall after attending college prep school St. Thomas More School in CT. Mrs. JoAnn O’Brien was happy to watch Emma VonEssen ’22 play at a Hofstra women’s basketball game this season. Emma hit a 3-pointer and they got together after the game.
LUHI DATES TO REMEMBER Homecoming October 14, 2023
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Bid-for-Kids Auction November 10, 2023
Mealpacking
March 10-12, 2024
Near or Far - Travels Bring Connections from 1960s to 2010s The Connecting and Growing Trip to Florida in April was a phenomenal way to reconnect with alumni and friends over a whirlwind 6-day tour. Head of School John Buck and Head of Advancement Jane Lottes traveled 1900 air miles and 753 miles by car to hold 5 events, as well as a number of visits in Orlando, Tampa, Sarasota, Bonita Springs, Aventura, Jupiter, Grant, Winter Park, and Longwood. They were blessed to reconnect with over 50 members of the LuHi Family – including current and former Board members, alumni across the years, and former faculty. Our annual NYC Connecting and Growing Event followed on May 10. It was a true rooftop experience at the Monarch on W. 35th Street. The faces of LuHi alum who live and/or work in NYC change a bit from year to year, but the stories, advice, professional connections, and reconnections are always the highlight. Jane Lottes enthuses, “Near or far, you are always a member of the LuHi Family. It is so nice to travel to you so we can celebrate your joys and also share exciting plans for LuHi!”
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Gifts for the Good of God’s Children Many thanks for gifts received from these friends, recorded from 12/1/22-5/31/23, as well as the many matching gift corporations that support our donors and school. Terry Abernethy Melissa Allocco and Matthew Luginbill Elizabeth Alvarez Sherry and George Anderson Anonymous Jocelyn and Stephen Appel Soyeon and Sungmin Bae Norm Balliet Elizabeth Macaluso and Constantine Baris Dorothy Barritt Justin Barton ’99 Carolyn Hyatt and Edward Basche Laura Bauer and Leonard Diana Paula Oyarce and Joseph Baumgarn Susan and Andrew Bebry ’74 Kelly and Paul Becht Judith and Rev. Dr. David Benke Dell-Ann and Thomas Benson Elizabeth and Paul Bezrutczyk Jennifer (Gross) ’90 and Robert Blackwood John Blyskal ’08 Lindsay and Matthew Boorman Rosanna Perotti and Mohammed Bouzaidi Joseph Bracconier ’99 Judith and Joseph J. Bracconier Peter Breuer Jennifer and Eric Brown Julia Brown Sharon Brown ’77 Kasey and John Buck ’02 Valerie (Poulos) ’65 and Thomas Cairns Carolyn (Spice) ’68 and Savino Calabrese Kathryn Cammarata Tara and Burton Carbino ’85 Dorothy and Jason Carter ’85 Alexa Cavacchioli ’09 Colleen Jones-Collie and Frederick Collie Monique and Philip Comiskey ’77 Meg and William Cosentino Julie (Hahn) ’00 and JT Cox Donna Dachs ’69 Barbara and Rev. Dr. Gary Danielsen ’65 Tina and John DeBellis ’75 Susan Devine Patricia and William Diedrick Dorothy Diehl ’77 Edita and Terence Dolce ’75 Daniel Doyle ’89 Gary Dreyer ’73 Donna and Edmund Dunn Alex Ebanks ’08 Pamela Ellison ’75 Allison (Hahn) ’05 and Ed Elowson Judy Emiliano Chris and Peter Eriksen ’65 Tina and Randy Fairhurst Lucia and Steven Fangmann Sharon and Larry Faust Deisy Fernandez and Mario Diaz Lauren Fix ’65 Marjorie and Patrick Fortune
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Milka Rodriguez-Francisque and Patrick Francisque Sarah and Timothy Froehlich ’92 HuiYing (Chen) ’65 and TaWei Fu Laurie (Sorenson) Giambrone ’81 Becky and Rodney Giesselmann Rev. Anthony Giordano Lydia and Michael Giossi Kaitlin Goldgraben ’05 Nora and Howard Graves ’69 Pat and William Griffith Janet and David Hahn Katherine and Ronn Hall Karen and Bryan Hallock Bryan Hallock ’16 Kyle Hanson Rosemary and Donald Harty ’75 Gary Hecker ’67 Kathryn Heid Barbara and James Heine Henry Herfurth Christine (Aufricht) ’66 and Stephen Heyse ’66 Anna Hinsch ’09 John Hinsch ’65 Lisa Ricketts-Holcomb and Thomas Holcomb Jana and Paul Homer Ellen (Trapp) ’72 and Steve Hornacek Kathryn (Hinsch) ’05 and Anwau Huffman Jennifer (Jacobs) ’86 and Clayton Gates Sandra and William Jacobsson Sabine Jerome-Paillant and Axene Paillant Rita and Charles Johnson Madelaine and Christopher Jones Janna and Daniel Kalin Herbert Kanarick Lori (Rufrano) ’94 and Craig Katinas Kristin (Hahn) ’03 and Matt Kehoe Agatha and Thomas Kelly Hyoun and Joseph Kim Haeyoung Ahn and Stanley Kim Florence Klemm Jacquelin and Jonathan Klemp Brianna Klenkel ’14 Carla and Bill Koch Jane Kramer Eva and Stephen Kratzke ’69 Edward Kuck ’71 Anissa and Roy Labrador ’84 Deborah Lang ’87 Xiaocheng Wang and Liyan Li Bette and Kenneth Lippmann Nan Litterer Joanne (Klempel) ’80 and John Llano Christine Lombardo ’00 and Christopher Prokopowicz ’00 Jane and John Lottes Diane Lucchese Judy and Al Lundquist Jennifer and Michael J. Malherb Suzanne and Richard Marra Dominic Martone ’08 Caroline and John Martone
Kara (Schwenkel) ’03 and Nathanael Martone ’03 Lisa and David Mascolo Lori (Sauter) ’72 and James Mason ’71 Caryn (Gettler) ’64 and Patrick McDermott Ian McDougall Rosemary and Griffith McNair Jennifer McNamara Denise Merkle Karen (Meyer) Koproske ’75 Janice and Jeffrey Moeller James Montesantos ’04 Bruce Moore ’66 Alycia and Raymond Morell George Moyse Karen and Joseph Mucciaccio Pamela and Brian Murphy ’74 Barbara (Mutz) Muze ’78 Mary and Bill Nader Jeanine and Kageki Nagao Dana and Chris Nicholas ’91 Marjorie and James Nicolas John Olita ’08 Catherine and James Ollivierre Cristina and Stephen Olsen ’75 Erik Olson ’06 Deborah and Wayne Olson ’73 Laurel (Cammarata) ’04 and Rory O’Mara Ann (Tyson) O’Neill ’66 Heather Palmore Nicole Passeggio ’80 and Charles Hart Gretchen (Trinklein) ’68 and Bob Patti Brendale and Corey Pegues Samantha Perovich ’06 Michelle Perrotta ’13 Christopher Petrullo ’08 Linda (Lopez) ’83 and Keith Petry ’83 Vincent Piazza ’09 Carla and Nigel Pilgrim The Plezimond Family Janice (Weber) ’86 and Jeremiah Plumley Beth and Brian Pollatz Denise and Daniel Pugliese Carla Quatraro-D’Arcy ’94 Jessica (Hinsch) ’98 and Douglas Raba Kerin and Douglas Rausch ’89 Maura McGinnity-Rausch and Erik Rausch ’86 Joyce Rausch Kelly and Christopher Reno Kerri and Timothy Ressmeyer ’78 Dianne and Lazaro Rodriguez Denise Rosario and Donald Rivas Heather and Christopher Ross Karen and Raymond Rostan ’69 Finn Rothman ’86 Christine and James Rowe Loretta and Frederick Ruff Heather and Anthony Rugel Rebecca and Dwayne Russell Lisa and Rev. Harry Schenkel ’87 Leslie and Mark Schmotzer Amy and Peter Schwing Christopher Shaw ’69
Easter Memorials Catherine and Jeffrey Shaw ’72 Marcia Sink ’72 Janis Slepian David and Lois Sommermeyer Alice (Bostwick) ’78 and Norman Sorenson ’78 Eleanor Sorrentino Jill and Edward Stammel Meredith and Daniel Stanton ’94 Rebecca and Grayson Stephenson Jamelle (Watson) ’88 and Michael Straker ’91 Lauren (Hoffmann) ’72 and Richard Straub ’68 Allison (Ruff) ’83 and James Sweeney Cathy (Bopp) ’84 and David Swezey ’84 Barbara and Joseph Tammany Marietta and Anthony Tartamella Matthew Teng ’02 Kathy and Rev. Christopher Thomforde ’65 Kathy and Townsend Thorn ’78 Tracy and Marc Trafficanda Ginnie and Bruce Treiber Christene Tucker ’01 Neina and Rev. Justin Vetrano Gina Darocha and John Viggiani Jean and Rev. Charles Vogeley Catherine (Moyse) ’81 and Anthony Vollono Barbara Ward Linda and Lloyd Wardley ’69 Jeff Weigand ’85 Joan (Bischoff) ’69 and Brian Welcker Donielle and Steven Welti Margaret and Paul Wenger Janice White Linda and Phillip White Stacy Scott-Wilds and Jonathan Wilds Marianne and Neil Wolfram Stephanie Wollenburg and Tom Arapidis Martha and Joseph Xuereb Akin Gump AmazonSmile Carp Industries Corp. - Jon ’84 and William ’85 Carpenter Concordia College-New York Concordia University-Wisconsin Givinga Island Pavement Cutting Co., Inc. Ann (Tyson) O’Neill ’66 Josh and Jan Davis Family Fund-Christian Community Foundation LuHi Auction LuHi Bowling League Lutheran Church of Our Savior, Patchogue Marsh & McLennan The Melinda (Andrews) ’66 and Marlin Fitzwater Foundation Nanoia Recycling Equipment - Fred vonBargen Primary Research Consultants, Inc. Sentinel Innovation Sorenson Lumber, Inc. St. Luke’s Lutheran Church, Farmingdale St. Peter’s Lutheran Church, Greenport Thrivent Financial UKOGF Foundation The William Raymond Motz Family Charitable Trust
We express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the following people in whose memory LuHi received memorial gifts during the 2023 Easter season. These gifts support Long Island Lutheran’s current students through financial aid and scholarships, preparing students to be compassionate, educated servant leaders through their LuHi experience.
GIFTS IN MEMORY OF Robert and Katie Andersen Loretta and Lawrence Bauer Charles and Georgianna Beers William & Dorothy Bollander Barbara Brunworth Alfred Carpentier Robert Collins and Virginia Collins Wenzel Ann Cosentino Gilbert Cusick Arnold and Dorothy Danielsen Marge and Dick Demro Emanuele/Sola Family Carol Heinzerling-Goodhue Thomas Herstol ’65 Judith R. Hinsch ’70 John W. Lottes Marianne and Joseph Macy Kathleen McCormack George McLeod Mary Ellen Moyse Ollie Moyse Ollie Moyse Ann and Edmund Ocker Our Parents Our Parents Richard Rausch David Sorensen ’91 Thomas Stammel ’64
Cindy and Robert Carpentier ’73 Laura Bauer and Leonard Diana Susan and Charles Beers Susan and Charles Beers Gerald Brunworth Cindy and Robert Carpentier ’73 Cheryl (Collins) ’69 and John Rossi Margaret Maggiotta and William Cosentino Susan (Cusick) ’78 and Jeffrey Carpenter Barbara and Rev. Dr. Gary Danielsen ’65 Jane and John Lottes Geraldine and August Emanuele Catherine Heinzerling ’71 Nancy Norman ’65 Paula Oyarce and Joseph Baumgarn Jane and John Lottes Rosemary and Griffith McNair Alycia and Raymond Morell Donna McLeod ’69 George Moyse George Moyse Catherine (Moyse) ’81 and Anthony Vollono Jean and Rev. Charles Vogeley Carla and Bill Koch JoAnn and William O’Brien Joyce Rausch Edward Sorensen Sue and Charles Hofman
GIFTS IN HONOR OF The Lord Jesus Eva Carpentier Cail Casserly ’01 Matt Casserly Jillian Davis ’24
Anonymous Cindy and Robert Carpentier ’73 Peter Casserly Peter Casserly Patricia and William Diedrick
In Memory and Honor We express our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the following people in whose memory LuHi received contributions between 12/1/22-5/31/23. GIFTS IN MEMORY OF James Anderson
George Kalemkeridis
Lawrence Rubinstein
Charles and Janet Antonius
Marilyn Karsch
Rev. Edward H. Stammel
Grace Berry
Jung Kim
Erika Tegelman ’90
Sherry and George Anderson William Meyn
Susan Devine
Pierre Andre Brutus
LuHi Faculty & Staff Kasey and John Buck ’02
SuiMing Chen and Hsin-Teh Chen Jenna Chan HuiYing (Chen) ’65 and TaWei Fu
James Coogan Donna Coogan
Carlton Coppin
LuHi Faculty & Staff Kasey and John Buck ’02
Amy Cornella ’90
Ottilie and John Tegelman Stephanie and Richard York ’66
Gilbert Cusick
Jane and John Lottes
Florence Davis
Gemma Power Systems, LLC Jane and John Lottes LuHi Faculty & Staff
Phyllis Dawson
Geraldine and August Emanuele
Elinor and Fred J. Dorsch
Janis (Dorsch) ’76 and Greg King
Al Eford, Jr. ’74
Kasey and John Buck ’02 Tina and John DeBellis ’75
Emma and Frank Fix Lauren Fix ’66
Judith R. Hinsch ’70
Emily Franchina and Franklin Perrell
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Janet and David Hahn
Elizabeth Karsch and Christopher Malloy LuHi Faculty & Staff Kasey and John Buck ’02
Maria Matos
Kasey and John Buck ’02 Jane and John Lottes Stephanie Wollenburg
Victor Nelson
Association of Lutheran Secondary Schools Kasey and John Buck ’02 Janet and David Hahn Jane and John Lottes Rosemary and Griffith McNair Peggy Schade Suzanne Puls and Robert Schwenkel Catherine (Moyse) ’81 and Anthony Vollono Stephanie Wollenburg and Tom Arapidis
Ann and Edmund Ocker Kathy and Kevin Ocker ’69
Marilyn Ollivierre
LuHi Faculty & Staff Kasey and John Buck ’02
Steven Papadimitropoulos LuHi Faculty & Staff Kasey and John Buck ’02
Our Parents
Rachael and John Buck
Lorraine Rose
LuHi Faculty & Staff Kasey and John Buck ’02
Thomas Ross
LuHi Faculty & Staff Kasey and John Buck ’02 Rosemary and Griffith McNair
Donna Coogan
Edward Stammel, Jr.
Ottilie and John Tegelman
Pauline Thomas Earl Thomas ’84
Robert Threadgill ’84
Barbara (Brown) ’84 and John Simms
George Ulich Eleanor Ulich
Margaret Zobel Jane Kramer
GIFTS IN HONOR OF John D. Buck ’02 Janice White
Pearl Chow
Rosemary and Griffith McNair
Lucas M. Crespo Jennevee Crespo
Chris Nicholas ’91 Eric Thomas
Denis Scannell Diane Lucchese
Sumayya Spann ’23 Gwendolyn Fortes
Fred vonBargen
Lisa (vonBargen) ’85 and John Mueller
Stephanie Wollenburg
Joyce and Rev. Alan Wollenburg
Lutherans who helped me flee Latvia Oskar Cibants
The LuHi Open on June 15th, held at Brookville Country Club, was a day that many
eagerly anticipated. While the sun stayed hidden for a few hours, the light radiating from our attendees more than made up for the cloudy day. We had some excitement on the course action as Brandon Tapia ’23 almost had a hole in one on his par three! Many LuHi friends and helpers volunteered throughout the day to support the event. At dinner, we celebrated some incredible members of the LuHi Family who exemplify our Core Values of Christian Love, Community, Family and Excellence with the Rev. Ed Visscher Award. Our first recipients were the Tapia Family. Blanca and George Tapia are involved and engaged LuHi parents, and are parents of Julianna ’26, Brandon ’23, and Brianna ’18. In their remarks, they described their first LuHi Open House where they were sure everyone was just “faking it” – no school community could be as incredible as what was portrayed. But, as parents, they have found it to be true! Our second honoree was Dan Doyle ’89, who was surrounded by classmates, teammates and even former opponents. Dan shared how former LuHi Basketball Coach Bob McKillop moved into his neighborhood when he was a kid. He introduced Dan to LuHi, and as they say, the rest is history. Dan, forever a competitor, also locked in his desire for the “best LuHi Open ever” by making a $100,000 sponsorship to the event. We are truly grateful for his generosity. Prepare now for next year and put the LuHi Open – June 20, 2024 – on your calendar for a memorable day of golf and a special way to support the LuHi community.
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Long Island Lutheran Middle & High School 131 Brookville Road, Brookville, NY 11545 516.626.1700 | www.luhi.org
ATTENTION ALUM PARENTS! Did you receive multiple copies of this Crusader? Please tell your kids to email Stephanie Wollenburg at stephanie.wollenburg@luhi.org with their current address so they can receive their copy at the correct address as well as be invited to regional events near their current home.
Please Keep in Touch Here are a few ways to stay connected:
@LuHi facebook.com/LiLutheran Long Island Lutheran High School Alumni and ask to join!