summer 2012
E X PLORE R
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
E X PLORE R
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
Ahead Of
The Curve P.7
E X PLORE R
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
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Having What IT Takes C o v e r
S to ry
Ahead Of The Curve
P.7
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P.12 In Students We Trust
P.10
Tomorrow’s Technology Today
P.18
Bridging The Digital Divide
P.14
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
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inside
summer 2012
what’s
H i g h l i g h t s
Snapshots
P.4-6
Class of 2012
P.16-17
Photo Gallery
P.24-27
D e p a r t m e n t s From The Hip
P.2
Letter From The President
P.3
Class Notes and Reunion Photos
Good Morning La Salle Untangling The Web
P.20
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P.22
P.28-29
Great Explorations
P.30
Births, Deaths, and Honorees
P.32
summer 2012
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From The Hip
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
I remember a few months into my first “real” job when the company got a fax machine. It quickly replaced messengers (remember that service), overnight services, and telexes (which looking back was one of the most archaic forms of communication ever known to mankind). I remember thinking how technology would eventually change the way we did business. Little did I know that it was happening under my very nose. Shortly thereafter, every desk in the company had a Wyse terminal networked to a computer that was capable of hosting internal messaging that was soon to become “email”. My employer supplied solder to the electronics industry so, over the years, I was privy to witnessing first-hand electronic peripherals and circuitries getting smaller and smaller. Technology improved, electronics got “micro”, and the world changed for the better – or at least it got easier.
President Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60 Principal Joseph L. Marchese Vice President of Institutional Advancement Daniel L. McGowan Editor Christopher M. Carabello ’82
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La Salle College High School was no different. As a student in the early 1980’s, I recall working on the lone computer – a Digital Equipment PDP-11 housed on the third floor, which cost over $35,000, ran on a whopping 256K of memory, and had reels of tape everywhere. I remember one of my classmates helping me write a program so I could keep the statistics for the basketball team. I was so impressed that all of the columns updated automatically when you entered a new stat. Who would have thought that thirty years later, Microsoft Excel would be a mainstay in the workplace. Faculty member Bob Russell pioneered La Salle’s first efforts into the world of technology. He turned the reins over to Pete Sigmund ’85 who, with the blessing of then Principal Dave Diehl ’55, launched a student Lab Manager Program and took La Salle to the forefront of technology within the world of secondary education. Over the years, the DEC minicomputer on the third floor has evolved into a bona fide Office of Information Technology with four individual computer labs and thirty servers supporting a network of over 1,600 users. The faculty laptop program, SMARTBoards, Wireless-N network, Microsoft IT Academy, and TAP Program are but a few of the many initiatives that have made La Salle a recognized leader in an ever changing world.
Contributing Writers The OfficialBonner, Magazine of La Salle College Braden MCP, MTA ’07High School C.J. Burdulis, MCTS, MTA ’12 Christopher M. Carabello ’82 Zachary K. Connor, MTA ’13 Eric W. Fox, MCTS, MTA ’12 Samuel J. French, MCTS, MTA ’14 Dylan S. Haley, MTA ’12 Robert J. Johnson Colin A. McIntosh, MCTS, MTA ’11 Jordan P. Petrellis, MCTS, MTA ’14 William J. Rose ’12 Raymond T. Shay ’00 Peter R. Sigmund, MCSE, MCTS, The Official Magazine of La Salle College HighMTA School’85 Anthony L. Silvestri, MCTS, MTA ’13 Kyle S. Stofka, MCTS, MTA ’13
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The Office of Information Technology works hand-in-hand with the Office of Communications as well as the Office of Institutional Advancement to improve communication within the La Salle community. The original website has progressed into a content management system (CMS) that uses portals to provide information to and about La Salle College High School. Multimedia Technology, which began with a morning show on WEXP (the school television station), has seen several digital design courses introduced into the curriculum. Video production has become a staple at La Salle and the multimedia gallery found on the school’s website is host to a library of student productions. One of my favorite developments, which has become popular with the advent of the SMARTPhone, is the QR Code – Quick Response Code – a matrix barcode that consists of black modules arranged in a square pattern on a white background. The information encoded is detected as a two-dimensional digital image by an image sensor and then digitally analyzed by a programmed processor. The result is typically a video or photo/graphic. La Salle uses QR Codes throughout our campus and publications to provide instant access to exciting videos and information. Ironically, the QR Code evolves from the original UPC barcode that was invented by a La Salle alum, David Collins ’53, in the late 1960’s. QR Codes can be found throughout this publication and link directly to information, videos, and photos. I am not certain what the future holds in terms of technological advancements! We will all have to wait and see, but know that La Salle College High School, its students, and our alumni will be at the forefront and ahead of the curve.
Christopher M. Carabello ’82 Editor
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Editorial and Production Assistance Barbara Franks Cathleen P. Winning Photography John Burns Christopher M. Carabello ’82 Sam Fritch Mike Maicher Brother James Rieck, FSC ’57 Regina Sacco Artwork and Design John Burns Graphic Design
Address Explorer La Salle College High School 8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor, PA 19038 215 233 2350 phone 215 836 4502 fax alumni@lschs.org www.lschs.org
The Explorer is published quarterly by La Salle College High School. The Explorer welcomes letters to the Editor concerning alumni, school, and topics covered by and in the magazine. The Editor of the Explorer reserves the right to make all decisions regarding the content and information published in the magazine.
Letter From The President Dear Explorers and Friends, On Saturday, June 2, 2012, 246 young men graduated from La Salle College High School and immediately became part of a worldwide network of over 14,000 alumni. Joining them at graduation were thirty-five members of the Class of 1962 who returned to celebrate their 50-Year Reunion. Together they shared one of the many bonds within La Salle’s caring community. The Class of 2012 was an exceptionally talented group of young men whose academic excellence was best demonstrated by its thirteen National Merit Finalists and fourteen National Merit Commended students. The Class of 2012 contained 107 members of the National Honor Society (minimum GPA of 3.50) and 100% of the Class will attend a college or university as they were accepted into 204 Colleges and Universities in thirty-four states along with two international universities. 80% of the Class earned a documented scholarship or grant, which totaled in excess of $29.3 million.
“In wisdom gathered over time I have found that every experience is a form
Effective July 1, 2012, I will assume a new position as the President of West Catholic High School. I thank each of you for all of your support over the past seven years. My time here as President has been most enjoyable and my heart fills with pride when I think of what we have accomplished together. You have been loyal and generous supporters of my Alma Mater and I am certain that the Lasallian mission will continue steadfast and strong for generations to come. I know that I am “going out on top” as La Salle is at the pinnacle of every area. I can confidently and comfortably “pass the baton” to our new administration knowing fully that La Salle College High School is securely positioned as the top independent Catholic school in the Delaware Valley. In July, La Salle will welcome Brother James Butler, FSC as its fourth President. It has been my pleasure to work with him in the past and I have no doubt that his experience and passion will keep La Salle ahead of the curve and at the forefront of secondary education. Although I will be cheering for the blue and white, know that I will always bleed “blue and gold”. My thoughts and prayers will be with you knowing each of you does the same. Keep Exploring!
of exploration.”
Ansel Adams
They excelled equally in extracurricular activities. During their senior year, they finished first or second in thirteen sports, winning seven Philadelphia Catholic Championships, eight District 12 (City) Championships, the Flyers Cup, and two Pennsylvania State Championships. The Speech and Debate Program captured the Philadelphia Catholic Forensic League Debate Championship along with the PHSSL District 11 Championship. The Competition Band received a rating Superior with Distinction at every Delaware Valley Band Competition and the band and choral concerts as well as the spring musical played to packed houses.
Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60 President
I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the success of our IT Department. During the recent academic year, our Microsoft IT Academy earned over ninety Microsoft certifications. In addition, the leadership of that department, Mr. Peter Sigmund ’85 and Mr. Braden Bonner ’07, have been invited to attend and present at the Partners In Learning Global Forum at Microsoft Corporation’s headquarters in Redmond, WA. Pete and Braden will showcase how technology can transform education and their selection to participate at a Microsoft conference is a testament to La Salle College High School being a leader in technology in the world of secondary education. Mission Statement adopted by the Middle States Evaluation Team March 2006
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La Salle College High School, a Catholic independent, college preparatory school for young men of varied backgrounds, is conducted in the tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle. Through a broad and balanced, human and Christian education, La Salle College High School guides each student in the development of his unique God-given talents and fosters a commitment to academic excellence, service, and leadership.
snap shots Scholarship Recipients
Making A Splash
La Salle College High School recognized thirty-one scholarship winners from the Class of2016 on January 12, 2012. The evening highlighted the academic achievements of these 8th grade students, and provided them and their parents with the opportunity to find out more about the programs and activities open to students at La Salle. The guests that evening were addressed by seniors Malcolm Flynn and Frank Worthington. The recipients and their parents were hosted at their table by a current senior along with a member of the faculty/staff.
The Swim Team won its 24th consecutive Catholic League Championship on February 18, 2012 at La Salle University. The program has won every championship since 1989. The following week, the Explorers won the District 12 (City) Championship for the fourth straight season. In March, the team traveled to Bucknell University, where it captured PIAA State Championship with 323.5 points, which was 113.5 point more that second place and defending state champions, Hershey High School. La Salle swept all three relays races, including setting a Pennsylvania State record in the 200 yard medley.
Wrestling
Gift Of Life
The Wrestling Team finished 10-0 in Catholic League matches and defeated Father Judge 37-27 on February 1, 2012 to win their fourth consecutive (five of the last seven) Philadelphia Catholic League Championship. La Salle trailed 19-18, but won seven of the final nine matches to win the championship. It was the first league title for La Salle head coach Richie Gebauer who took over for Pennsylvania Hall of Famer Vic Stanley. The Explorers went on to defeat the public champions from Northeast High School to win their third consecutive District 12 (City) Championship.
Mother/Son Communion Brunch On February 26, 2012, over 550 moms and their sons gathered together for the annual Mother/Son Communion Breakfast. The many mothers and sons shared quality time together over brunch at Williamson’s Restaurant in Horsham, PA. In addition to the delicious meal, all who attended had the honor of listening to Drew Morrisroe ’92, the President and CEO of CTN Solutions, Inc. and a local business leader who is committed to leadership and service. 4 | Explorer Summer 2012
La Salle College High School, along with the American Red Cross, hosted the school’s annual Blood Drive on Friday, February 24, 2012 in the auditorium. La Salle students, faculty, staff, and parents donated over ninety units of blood, which will benefit approximately 270 people in the area. The La Salle Blood Drive is organized annually by the National Honor Society (NHS) Officers, Student Council Officers, and Senior Class Representatives, who also worked during the day at the drive.
City Of Angels The Theater Program presented four sold-out performances of City Of Angles from March 22-25, 2012. Featuring the talents of over one hundred La Salle students and young ladies from area high schools, City Of Angels left audiences laughing and humming its tunes long after the curtain went down. Senior Matt Volpe played the lead male role, while seniors Anthony Buonomo, Jack Fillenwarth, and Tim Flickenscher in large supporting roles. The show was a great success, as well as a true testament to La Salle’s exemplary theater program.
National Honor Society Induction
Field Day
The De La Salle Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) inducted 119 new members (eight seniors and 111 juniors) during a liturgy and ceremony on March 6, 2012. Following the liturgy, the current NHS Officers – William Toner ’12, Ryan Herbert, ’12, Ryan Murtha ’12 and Jack Fillenwarth, ’12 – spoke about the four qualities of membership in the National Honor Society. NHS President William Toner then led the new inductees in the NHS Pledge and Principal Joseph Marchese presented each new inductee with a pin signifying their membership.
The 8th Annual Field Day was held on April 20, 2012 in honor of Fran Johnson and Mary Jo Smith, two beloved members of the faculty who succumbed to their battles with cancer. Field Day once again featured gorgeous weather, spirited competition, notable sportsmanship, and many smiles and laughs. Homerooms competed against each other in over three dozen events taking place simultaneously in four areas of the campus. Some of the most popular events included the tricycle races, the “brain-freeze “ice cream eating contest, a trivia challenge, and dodge ball. When the homerooms squared off in tug-of-war competitions, the senior homeroom, 10D, pulled its way to the top and was crowned the overall champion.
The Cup Runneth Over On March 14, 2012, the Hockey Team won their second consecutive Flyer’s Cup and fourth title in five years with a 6-3 victory over Holy Ghost Prep. On March 25, 2012, the team traveled to the Robert Morris University Island Sports Center in Pittsburgh and defeated Bethel Park High School, the Penguin’s Cup Champions, by a score of 6-2 to capture the Pennsylvania State Championship. The Explorers avenged an overtime loss in last year’s State Championship Game and captured their third State title in the last five years.
Music Fills The Air The Competition Band received a rating of “Superior with Distinction” at all of the Delaware Valley Band Competitions held during the 2011-2012 season and was recognized as the “Best Trumpet Section”. Senior Nick Owsik was named as the Outstanding Soloist at every competition. The Annual Spring Band Concert was held on May 7, 2012 in the school auditorium. Over 190 musicians – representing ten separate ensembles – performed for almost three hours. The Competition band performed Stardust under the direction Mr. Joe Vettori and the String Ensemble, featuring over twenty string instruments, played Marcello’s Introduction-Arai-Presto under the direction of Mr. Joe Ciccimaro ’57.
Branching Out On March 28, 2012, La Salle marked its 10th Annual Sophomore Branch-Out Day. The entire sophomore class, along with their fathers, and several members of the faculty/ staff traveled to over twenty different community service sites in the Philadelphia area. The sites included nursing homes, inner city Catholic grade schools, churches, homeless shelters, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The day concluded with both the sophomores and their fathers participating in a discussion period about the day, as well as the integral part community service has with the Lasallian mission.
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Tennis Anyone? The Tennis Team captured their sixth consecutive Philadelphia Catholic League Championship at La Salle University on May 1, 2012 with a 3-2 victory over Saint Joseph’s Prep. On May 11, 2012, they defeated the Public Champions from Central High School to win the PIAA District 12 (City) Championship. Brian Stefanowicz ’12 won the PIAA District 12 Singles Championship and was named MVP of the Philadelphia Catholic League for the second time in his varsity career. The team of Peter DeWitt ’14 and R.J. Napolitano ’13 captured the PIAA District 12 Doubles Title.
snap shotscontinued
Sing A Song
Start To Finish
On May 14, 2012, more than fifty students from La Salle College High School performed in the Spring Choral Concert as part of the 29th Annual Arts Festival. Under the direction of Mr. Mark Norman, the school’s Choral Director, six different ensembles performed seventeen songs including You Raise Me Up, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Happy Together, and Do You Hear The People Sing.
La Salle College High School juniors Tom Coyle and Andrew Stone placed first and second in the Boys 1500 Meter Run at the Ed Poreda Invitational in Lawrenceville, NJ. Their times of 4:02.71 and 4:04.02 rank them No. 1 and No. 2 in the United States. In April, La Salle set a new school record in the Distance Medley Championship of America at the Penn Relays, when the team of Andrew Stone, Mike DeCandido, Jack Magee and Tom Coyle ran a time of 10:10.76, which was two seconds faster than the previous record. On May 17, 2012, the Track and Field Team captured the District 12 (City) Championship at Northeast High School. The following week, Tom Coyle won the 1600 Meter Run at the Pennsylvania State Championships.
State Of The Art La Salle College High School held its 29th Annual Arts Festival and the Art Department exhibited over 400 pieces of student artwork throughout the school on May 14, 2012. Over 90% of the students who took an art class at La Salle had at least one piece of artwork included in the exhibition, which ranged from ceramics and sculptures to drawings and paintings. The student artwork was critiqued by three judges and awards were given to pieces that displayed excellence. Students from ten different courses received Awards of Excellence for a piece of artwork they produced in class. Six additional students received a “Body of Work” Award, which recognizes the quality and quantity of work that a student has produced.
Atop The Pyramid The Pyramid Club proved to be a fitting venue to celebrate the Presidency of Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60. Over 150 graduates and friends gathered to toast Brother Richard and thank him for his tremendous leadership that has propelled La Salle to the pinnacle of success. Brother Richard thanked the room and reminisced about his tenure at La Salle and how he will miss the students most of all but as an alum will continue to support the school. The surprise of the evening was a presentation by Michael Cassidy ’74 in the form of a Proclamation from the Springfield Township Commissioners Office.
Sharp Dressed Man On May 11, 2012, over 200 sharply dressed La Salle seniors accompanied by their beautiful dates attended the Senior Prom at Spring Mill Manor in Ivyland, PA. The night was filled with food, dancing, great music, and good times with classmates. All who attended, declared it a night to remember.
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Lacrosse The Lacrosse Team rallied from a 4-1 first quarter deficit to defeat Saint Joseph’s Prep 8-7 on May 23, 2012 to win the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship – the 17th lacrosse title in the sports 21-year history at the school. This was the 10th straight meeting in the championship game between the two schools, with the Explorers winning eight of those matchups. The Explorer offense was led by junior Attackman Matt Rambo who scored five goals. The following day, the Explorers defeated the Public League champions from Northeast High School by a score of 19-2 to win the PIAA District 12 \(City) Championship.
Ahead Of The Curve by C.J. Burdulis, MCTS, MTA ’12 and Anthony L. Silvestri, MCTS, MTA ’13
La Salle College High School diligently strives to stay ahead of other schools and institutions in regard to Information Technology. The school often has alumni return from prestigious colleges and universities only to report that they are disappointed by the technology offered by their current schools compared to what is offered at La Salle. Year after year this pattern continues, and year after year it becomes more apparent that La Salle’s technology is “ahead of the curve.”
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David J. Collins ’53 Inventor Bar Code
In the late 1960’s, the railroad system adapted a barcode system using reflective tape and a light based reader that was designed by Sylvania. The coding of each boxcar helped track them as they moved back and forth across the United States. David J. Collins, a graduate of MIT, was the designer of the reflective codes. He proposed to
Within the school, there are four independent computer labs – each one with its own distinct purpose. Every lab is comprised of at least thirty computers installed with Microsoft Windows 8 Release Preview, Office 2010 Professional Plus (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), Adobe Creative Suite 6 (Photoshop, Premier Pro, Dreamweaver), and AutoCAD 2013. The Main Lab is open all day for students to work on papers and projects. During the school day, the Research, Programming, and Teaching Labs are used for various classes. Teachers can sign out a lab for their class to work on major projects and to use the Internet for research. Having all four computer labs allows classes of all types, as well as students with free time, to be certain that they will always have a computer to use. Even more impressive is the enhanced technology behind the scenes used to maintain all of these labs and faculty computers. Thirty virtual servers running Microsoft Windows Server 8 support the network. These thirty servers are in a virtual environment on eight physical host servers. Virtualization allows the servers to move between the six physical machines. If one of the six breaks, the virtual servers are relocated to another physical server to continue running smoothly and without any interruption of service. Virtualization has also greatly reduced energy consumption as well as La Salle’s carbon footprint.
Sylvania the idea of developing a blackand-white line coding system similar to the reflective codes.
Sylvania turned him down and Collins left to found the Computer Identics Corporation. Collins and his company succeeded in developing a workable barcode and reader. The first two industrial systems were installed in 1969 at General Motors and General Trading. The barcodes were very primitive compared to today’s version as they only contained two lines or digits of data, but laid the groundwork for
With hundreds of desktop computers and faculty laptops on campus as well as the student’s personal tablets and laptops, La Salle requires a lightning fast network and Internet connection, which allows teachers to show online videos in class while students are surfing without lingering speeds. A fiber optic backbone provides an Internet connection that is both fast and reliable. Fiber lines are a new technology that use light beams through glass fibers instead of slower electric signals over copper wire to connect to the Internet. Because fiber transfers data in the form of light, the network is more than capable of delivering fast Internet connection to all parts of the campus. Students and teachers are also able to connect their laptops to the campus-wide Wireless-N network, which is equally reliable as the wired network.
the modern bar codes that we use today.
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How is La Salle able to offer technology better than what is offered at bigger and more costly colleges and universities? Without question, the Office of Information Technology’s experimentation with new
and emerging technologies is the reason. La Salle is always willing to test newly-released software or a revolutionary piece of hardware. In addition, La Salle will leap at any opportunity to implement new cutting-edge technologies into the school’s infrastructure. For example, during the summer of 2011, over fifty Lenovo All-In-One touchscreen computers were purchased and installed in the newly created Research Lab located adjacent to the library. These touchscreen computers are a new type of desktop that offers the power of a tower computer with a thin monitor that students can interact with using the touch of their finger. With the release of Microsoft Windows 8, these machines will be fully capable of utilizing the touchscreen features found in the new operating system. In addition, several Lenovo tablet computers with built-in stylus pens were purchased for taking notes and schoolwork. It was determined that the tablets worked well for surfing the web, but could not be used efficiently enough for taking notes; therefore, they were not implemented in the school. That is the advantage of being ahead of the curve – La Salle is privy to both good and bad technology and can more confidently determine what is best for its network. While some new technologies don’t have the impact that was originally anticipated, others completely change the dynamic of the classroom, such as the SMARTBoard technology. La Salle College High School was the first school to have a SMARTBoard in every classroom, and is currently investigating new technologies to revolutionize the classroom experience. Already, teachers have the capability of using an Apple iPad to connect wirelessly to a projector, enabling teachers to show presentations, draw diagrams, or open applications from the tablet for the entire class to view. The students arrive each day and are confronted with a variety of technologies to test and explore. The Office of Information Technology at La Salle College High School is pleased to be working with the Microsoft Corporation in testing the newest version of Windows Server and Client. La Salle is the first professional institution to use Windows Server 8 in a production environment. This opportunity not only allows the school to preview the new software, but also helps Microsoft identify and correct any bugs in the system. More than feedback, however, La Salle also is asked for key insight into product utilization. La Salle provides direct input into this billion-dollar product. The foresight into emerging technologies and the unique relationship with Microsoft sets La Salle College High School apart from technology programs at other schools and keeps the school ahead of the curve. 9 | Explorer Summer 2012
In Students We Trust By Eric W. Fox, MCTS, MTA ’12
While most schools in the country are only now seeing the importance of teaching Information Technology skills, the Lab Manager Program at La Salle College High School has been using experiential learning to teach IT for over a decade. This team of twenty-five students works directly with the Mr. Peter Sigmund ’85 (Chief Information Officer) and Mr. Braden Bonner ’07 (Network and Website Administrator), to run the Office of Information Technology and a 1,600 user network. The students in the Lab Manager Program feel proud being an integral part of making La Salle’s technology the best in the country. 10 | Explorer Summer 2012
To understand what truly makes the Lab Manager Program distinct, it is important to know the story behind its origin. Peter Sigmund had been coaching the crew team at La Salle College High School for eight seasons when he was asked to step down as coach and focus completely on being the school’s Chief Information Officer. While already committed to the Office of Information technology, Mr. Sigmund did not want to lose the connection with the students that he had as crew coach. He proposed a student technology program less akin to a simple club and more like a sports team that would have its members running the school network, solving everyday technology issues, and fixing the more critical technical problems. His goal was to give students more than just a fundamental computer education by involving them in the work done by an actual IT Department so that they could be fully prepared for a career in the field. When Mr. Sigmund presented his idea, there was some concern that students could not be trusted to work on the school’s network; however, Principal David Diehl was willing to trust Mr. Sigmund as well as his aptitude as coach. In 1998, the Lab Manager Program was established. It quickly became a home for tech savvy students to apply and expand their knowledge. Today, teachers and administrators at La Salle College High School value the program for all the technology that has been implemented in only a few years with just Mr. Sigmund in the Office of Information Technology. Mr. Bonner was hired as a college intern immediately after graduating from La Salle College High School in 2007. He is now the Network and Website Administrator and has become another coach of the team.
James J. Edelen IV ’01 Senior Program Manager Microsoft Corporation
During his time at La Salle, James Edelen, along with Andrew Meinert, Bill Koneski, and Mike O’Connor, founded the acclaimed Lab Manager Program which empowers stu-
The Lab Manager Program operates like a competitive sports team. The team concept is so strong that Mr. Sigmund is aptly referred to as “Coach” and much like tryouts for a basketball or hockey team, students must apply in order to join. On average, 50 to 60 students apply each year, but only twenty are accepted. The application process helps the program leaders assess each student’s technical skill, ability and willingness to learn, personality, accountability, and intuitiveness. Weighing all of these factors helps keep the program competitive, dedicated, and ahead of the curve.
“Our ultimate goal is to work side by side to make La Salle’s Technology program better than any other school in the country. In this way, we win the race.” Peter Sigmund ’85 Currently, the Lab Manager Program has been receiving much attention by the media, corporations, and higher education institutions. In 2009, Drexel awarded Peter Sigmund the Harold Pote award for excellence in teaching with experiential learning. Earlier this year, a film crew was sent by Microsoft and Certiport, a globally known computer certification program, to publicize La Salle’s achievement as a nationally recognized Microsoft IT Academy and the most technologically advanced high school in the entire country. Mr. Sigmund and Mr. Bonner have also been chosen from among thousands of candidates to fly to Microsoft Corporation headquarters in Redmond, WA to present a model of the program at the Microsoft National IT Leadership Forum in late July. If Microsoft decides the program model should be duplicated around the world, both Mr. Sigmund and Mr. Bonner will then present it at the Global Forum in Athens, Greece this November. In thirteen years, the Lab Manger Program has become an example for future school computer education programs. “Any awards are a credit to all of my team,” said Mr. Sigmund, who confidently stated that his students “influence the school as much, or more than any sports team.” 11 | Explorer Summer 2012
dents to run the school’s computer network. Through the program, he gained the hands-on experience needed to transform his passion of technology into useful skills, such as leadership and teamwork, which enabled his future success. Jim attended Drexel University and started a consulting company that focused on Microsoft SharePoint. Recognized as a SharePoint expert, he was awarded Microsoft’s prestigious “Most Valuable Professional” award and then served on their developer advisory council. He also co-authored two books: SharePoint Products and Technologies Resource Kit and SharePoint Step-by-Step. Driven by a desire to improve software that is commonly used by the public, Jim joined Microsoft in 2005 to work as part of the Exchange team. He has been responsible for designing and building several key email features, including Conversation Views, Archiving, and Search. Currently, he is working on cloud-based productivity enhancements for Office 365.
Having What IT Takes
by Samuel J. French, MCTS, MTA ’14 and Kyle S. Stofka, MCTS, MTA ’13
Over the past couple decades, the technology industry has boomed from something an average person didn’t use or know about, to something a majority of people use and rely on every day. The word Certification means a lot in any industry, but is especially recognized in the field of Information Technology. Information Technology, more commonly referred to as IT, is a branch of engineering that deals with the use of computers and telecommunications to store, retrieve, and transmit information. Microsoft, a leader in IT, is making incredible advancements in the industry every year. Having a certification or multiple certifications has proven to be the most beneficial and highly regarded in today’s computer field.
These Certifications are not easy to receive and take a lot of dedication and hard work to achieve. In the IT field, Network Administrators look for Certifications to show how qualified and how much someone knows about this field. These Certifications unlock a gateway of opportunity for people in the IT field with endless possibilities for the future. La Salle College High school is known for many great things such as academics, athletics, the arts and community service. One thing that is overlooked is the school’s IT Department. One of the best ways to become involved in technology is by obtaining one of these certifications. La Salle’s IT Academy, which is a college and career ready education program, prepares students
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to become Microsoft certified. The courses are electives that students take during the school day. Students who are interested and passionate about technology sign up for these classes to expand and enhance their knowledge of the IT field. Students gain this advanced accreditation using the most recent official Microsoft curriculum. La Salle is the only high school in the country that is a Level One Microsoft IT Academy. This is an astronomical achievement for a high school. Most adults have a hard time finding and taking classes for this field, and as a high school, La Salle is ahead of the curve teaching the future leaders the ins and outs of the industry.
At La Salle, the Microsoft IT Academy has proven to be successful due to the great instructors, heavy focus on technology, and the pure determination of students. Mr. Peter Sigmund, MCSE, MCTS ’85, and Mr. Braden Bonner, MCP, MTA ’07, are the leaders of the La Salle IT Department. La Salle is a Level One Microsoft IT Academy because of the great work of these two hardworking gentlemen. They have given up opportunities in bigger companies to come and serve their Alma Mater and make La Salle world renown in the IT field. These two men have brought La Salle’s IT Department to great heights. La Salle is now recognized by Microsoft and has been working alongside Microsoft to test and deploy the latest advancements in the business. They are consistently work-
ing with Microsoft and other technology companies to make sure that La Salle stays ahead of the curve. Mr. Sigmund and Mr. Bonner are dedicated to what they love and strive to have not only La Salle excel, but the students as well. Since La Salle is a Level One IT Academy, Mr. Sigmund and Mr. Bonner are able to teach classes during school and during the summer to help students, who want to advance in the field and gain access to receiving certifications. Mr. Sigmund takes time out of his day to teach one of his many classes about the latest and newest topics with Microsoft. He has the credentials and personal experience to help give students the information they need to pass the certification tests. These classes are classes that adults can go out in the real world and pay thousands of dollars to take and might not be able to pass the exam. Mr. Sigmund compels his students to learn, and want to learn so that they can graduate with the highest certification level that they can get. This past summer, the IT Department offered classes for anyone who wanted to get a Microsoft Certifications. These classes were taught by Mr. Sigmund and Mr. Bonner themselves; along with help from some lab managers. Not only were the classes enjoyable, but a student could relate to them because Mr. Sigmund and Mr. shared their real world experiences through stories and demonstrations. With experienced and enthusiastic teachers, over 200 students were able to pass and obtain a Microsoft Certification in the summer programs and in the classes during school year. When high school students apply to college, they list everything that they have completed in their high school years that may be beneficial in the application process. A Microsoft Certification is so much more than just some initials at the end of your name. When a student becomes Microsoft Certified, many doors open. Whether it’s another major to choose from in college or a summer job – Microsoft Certifications help greatly. Often times, colleges treat certifications like they would treat a talented athlete and a university may be more inclined to accept a certified student. Many former Lab Managers are leaders in their university’s 13 | Explorer Summer 2012
Office of Information Technology as help desk professionals or sometimes in even more advanced positions. These certifications are so much more than just another thing to write down on an application. How many high school students can say they have graduated from high school with a Microsoft Certification? Not many, but over 200 La Salle students passed a Certification in the last year alone. There are probably more students that graduate from La Salle College High School with a Microsoft Certification than all the other Level One IT Academy’s combined. La Salle offers this great opportunity to show not only that the school is recognized for academics, athletics, the arts and community service, but also for its technology department. These Certifications are not easy to get and demand time to study to receive one. Certifications show more than just a person’s knowledge and ability with computers – it demonstrates their dedication. At La Salle, a student must put in a lot of time and effort in order to succeed in his academic or athletic skills or talents; but certifications demand much more than that. Certifications are another breed, one needs the utmost determination and stamina of the mind in order to surpass and overcome the challenges they present. At La Salle this effort is recognized with one of the highest distinctions, also known as the Wall of Achievement, which stands in Saint Michael Hall. This wall records all students that have become Microsoft Certified since the start of the Microsoft IT Academy at La Salle. The list recounts the name of every student that met the challenge of certification exams and overcame them to move on to the next step in life. It is such an honor to have your name and credentials upon this wall after you graduate. La Salle shows the utmost respect for these students who have their name on this great wall.
Walter F. Raab ‘42 Chairman and CEO AMP, Inc.
Walter Raab, a CPA with nearly thirty years of service to AMP, was named chairman and CEO of AMP, Inc. in 1982 and made a heroic enterprise of a homely business. In his seven years at the helm of the $2.7 billion corporation, he doubled the size of the company by ignoring the siren song of diversification. Instead, he concentrated on growing AMP’s core business – designing and manufacturing electronic connectors and revolutionizing “plug and play” technology. Early in his tenure as CEO, Walter Raab moved decisively into the booming personal-computer and datacommunications markets and kept AMP growing close to 15% a year. He steered AMP into markets that were once impenetrable and found new business in computer networking, on-premise building wiring, and sophisticated circuitry requiring “smart” connectors of Walter Raab – entire interconnect assemblies and systems that brought greater profit margins.
Bridging The Digital Divide by Zachary Connor ’13
La Salle College High School is known for its Lab Manager Program, being a Level One Microsoft IT Academy, its partnership with Microsoft Corporation, and the ability to use all of its talent to help the surrounding community. The combination of the IT Academy, Lab Manager Program, and La Salle’s commitment to service results in Community TechServe, which uses the talents and certifications of the Lab Managers to help inner-city schools and non-profits with their technology needs. The Office of Information Technology has truly embraced the motto of “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve”. The program began as a partnership between the University of Pennsylvania and La Salle College High School to bridge the digital divide in the city of Philadelphia. In 2001, Community TechServe was a program offered by the University of Pennsylvania whereby a group of technology students would live on campus and offer their services to inner city schools for an entire month. As more and more students wanted to participate, La Salle decided to continue the program throughout the school year. The program’s main goal is to serve those in need in the spirit of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and give back to the community. One of the biggest Community TechServe projects was located over 2,000 miles west of La Salle’s campus in Wyndmoor. In June of 2010, a team of junior and senior IT students accompanied Mr. Peter Sigmund and Mr. Braden Bonner traveled to Saint Michaels Indian Reservation School in Arizona. The school was in desperate need of a network and La Salle donated thirty computers, two servers, and spent over forty man hours building the network. Preparations were made and, after a week of constructing the network in a computer lab at La Salle, it was finally ready to be shipped out to Arizona. The team flew out and met the computers at the school where they then assembled the entire network on site. Currently at La Salle College High School, Community TechServe trips are a great way for students to practice what they’ve learned in a real world environment. Trips take place after school hours and, while they don’t involve flying to a different state, they allow students to be home in time for dinner; nevertheless, provide the same sense of accomplishment.
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One recent trip involved a journey to New Jerusalem, a drug rehabilitation center located in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. The center is funded by donations and some grants from the City of Philadelphia. The Community TechServe team came in with Internet switches, servers, and workstations to help rebuild the network. If it were an actual company, each member of the team would have been paid over $100 an hour and including the cost of equipment, the job would have billed in the range of $5,000; yet, all of the work was provided in the spirit of service. Another project was Inn Dwelling, also located in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Through a grant, La Salle purchased workstations, monitors, and internet switches to replace the existing equipment. Eight Microsoft Certified team members arrived at the site and installed the workstations with software and set up the switches quickly and efficiently. The use of a certified and experienced team to help programs in our community has become an act of love. The priceless experience and knowledge gained on a Community TechServe trip is far greater than any classroom lecture. Each member of the program puts what they’ve learned in the Microsoft IT Academy and Lab Manager Program to the test by performing in real-time. They learn how to work together as a team, have assigned roles and how to take what’s been learned through reading and practicing and apply it to make a difference in someone else’s life. In many ways it’s an internship. Students are assigned tasks to complete and have to work with others – ultimately helping people who need it the most. Community TechServe allows students to assess a situation, encounter problems, deal with them in real time, and create a solution. As a leader, students learn how to manage a team and assign individual tasks to efficiently finish a project. This program is unique because it combines community service with classroom application invested beyond the walls of our school. The experience gained and relationships fosteredmake the program special for both the students and those who are helped.
Andrew J. Morrisroe III ’92 President and CEO CTN Solutions, Inc.
Drew started his career in information technology when a La Salle alum, who was an IT director at a local communications company, posted a job opportunity. Drew was hired for the position and continued to work for the company while attending Philadelphia University and earning a degree in business. It was during this time that he saw an opportunity within smaller companies who were struggling to understand and implement technology platforms. Drew began consulting for these companies and, in 1997, founded CTN Solutions to provide IT services to companies with less than 1,000 computer users. The company has expanded to provide virtual/hosted services, managed services, and IT staff augmentation. For four consecutive years, CTN has been listed amongst the Philadelphia 100 fastest growing privately held companies sponsored by the Philadel-
In Community TechServe, the teachings of Saint John Baptist de La Salle are far from lost. With a certified team of skilled and experienced members, La Salle students are able to give back to the community and remember each experience for many years to come. A combination of the knowledge gained, the bridges built, and the challenges overcome make this yet another reason La Salle College High School takes the virtue of service and puts it to work.
phia Business Journal and the Wharton School Small Business Development Center. Drew is involved in a number of non-profit and charitable organizations including the Hugh O’Brien Leadership Foundation, where he has established leadership training programs for youth throughout the Balkans. He has never forgotten the La Salle mantra, ”Leave to Serve”, and has traveled extensively around the world working with people afflicted with poverty and victims of war and genocide.
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Academic Excellence – National Merit Recognized Students Front Row (left to right) Ryan Sosnader, Shashi Masireddy, Scott Jenkins, Anthony Buonomo, Emre Karatas, Dan Lynch, Thomas Mazza, and Michael Mars Middle Row (left to right) Malcolm Flynn, Christopher Bell, William Joyce, Matt Volpe, Dan Finnegan, Bill Rose, Tyler Focht, Oscar Gryn, and Ryan Herbert Back Row (left to right) Kevin Marble, Frank Worthington, Bill Toner, Jack Fillenwarth Matt Magarity, Ryan Murtha, Kyle Martin, Dan O’Brien, and Joe Vasoli
2012
Congratulations and Best of Luck to the Class of 2012
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The Class of 2012 has been accepted to the following schools:
First-Class Facilities – Technology
Extraordinary Extracurriculars – Music and the Arts
Microsoft Certified Students (left to right) C.J. Burdulis, Kevin Marble, Eric Fox, and Dylan Haley
Back Row (left to right) Alex Weber, Michael Koerner, Matt Volpe, Oscar Gryn, Nick Owsik, and Fred Gerngross Front Row (left to right) Eric Schultz, Dan Finnegan, Kyle Martin, and Dan Lynch
Academic Excellence
Extraordinary Extracurriculars – Music and the Arts
246 Seniors from 88 Elementary Schools and 64 Zip Codes
Delaware Valley Band Competitions Rating of Superior with Distinction at All Competitions Best Trumpet Section Award Best Sight-Reading Award Outstanding Soloist Award
27 National Merit Recognized Students (more than any other private or Catholic school in the State of Pennsylvania) 13 National Merit Finalists 14 National Merit Commended Students 107 Senior Members of the National Honor Society (Minimum GPA of 3.50) 98 AP Scholars (a score of 3 or higher on three or more AP exams taken during the 2010-2011 academic year) 100% of the Class of 2012 has enrolled in 91 Colleges and Universities in 23 States as well as Two International Universities
Speech and Debate Philadelphia Catholic Forensic League Debate Champions PHSSL District 11 Team Champions 18 Qualifiers to 2012 PHSSL State Finals 7 Qualifiers to 2012 NCFL Nationals in Baltimore, MD 2 Qualifiers to 2012 NFL Nationals in Indianapolis, IN
80% of the Class of 2012 has Earned over $29.3 million in Documented Scholarships and Grants
Extraordinary Extracurriculars – Athletics
Commitment to Service
First-Class Facilities – Technology
Baseball District 12 (City) Champions
265 Students Participating in Summer Service Projects in Seven Different States, South America, and the Caribbean
1 Microsoft Certified IT Professional
21 Voluntary Service Projects Heed the Call to Voluntary Community Service Seven Days a Week Two Branch-Out Days Featuring Single-Day Service at 22 Different Sites Throughout the City of Philadelphia Kairos Retreat for Seniors – Overnight Student-Led Spiritual Retreat Focusing on Relationships Student Organized School Liturgies and Prayer Services 100% Participation by the Class of 2012 in Voluntary Community Service
8 Microsoft Certified Technical Specialists 84 Microsoft Technical Associates 2 Adobe Certified Associates 25 Student Lab Managers Supporting a Network of 30 Servers, 150 Faculty Laptops, 200 Desktops, and 1,600 Users Running Windows 7 Enterprise Only Level One Microsoft IT Academy in the State of Pennsylvania Currently Partnering with Microsoft to Deploy Windows 8
Commitment to Service Making A Difference (left to right) Christopher Knight, Austin Wilker, Mike DeCandido, Kegan Moesta, J.J. Plamondon, Jon McCarry, Mike Pizzo, and Max Breitmayer
Football Philadelphia Catholic League Champions PIAA District 12 (City) Champions Golf Philadelphia Catholic League Champions Hockey Flyers Cup Champions Pennsylvania State Champions Lacrosse Philadelphia Catholic League Champions PIAA District 12 (City) Champions Soccer Philadelphia Catholic League Champions PIAA District 12 (City) Champions
Swimming Philadelphia Catholic League Champions PIAA District 12 (City) Champions Pennsylvania State Champions Tennis Philadelphia Catholic League Champions PIAA District 12 (City) Champions Track and Field District 12 (City) Champions Wrestling Philadelphia Catholic League Champions PIAA District 12 (City) Champions Baseball, Crew, Cross Country, Indoor Track and Field, and Track and Field Finished Second in the Philadelphia Catholic League Championships
Extraordinary Extracurriculars – Athletics Back Row (left to right) Matt Williams (Hockey) Kevin Quinn (Cross Country) Morgan Dougherty (Golf), Emmett Gross (Crew), Chris Szekely (Swimming), Eric Schultz (Water Polo), Corey Baiada (Baseball), P.J. Acierno (Basketball), Matt Cimato (Wrestling), and Darius Madison (Soccer) Front Row (left to right) Pat Easley (Bowling), Adam Stefanowicz (Lacrosse), Sean Burke (Football), Mike DeCandido (Track and Field), and Brian Stefanowicz (Tennis)
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Tomorrow’s Technology Today by Colin McIntosh, MCTS, MTA ’11 and Jordan Petrellis, MCTS, MTA ’14
For the past decade, La Salle College High School has been locally recognized as a leader in educational technology. With the invitation to participate as one of only fifty organizations in the world to participate in Microsoft Corporation’s elite program known as the Technical Adoption Program (TAP) – La Salle has been validated as a National leader. Almost two years ago, La Salle was approached by Microsoft and invited to join other organizations such as Boeing, Intel, Shell, Dell, and other government and military agencies. Until now all organizations involved in TAP, including La Salle, signed a non-disclosure agreement with Microsoft, which prevented prior press releases. In this program, select enterprises are given software before it is announced to the public. Enterprises then deploy it throughout their organization and evaluate for the development teams at Microsoft. During the deployment process, La Salle is asked for critical input on many conference calls and many of the school’s comments have changed this multibillion dollar product. Starting in January of 2011, La Salle joined a series of teleconferences with teams at Microsoft headquarters and other members of TAP to discuss the upcoming advancements in Windows software. These teleconferences spanned about nine months and during that time La Salle students and faculty involved in the Lab Manager Program were able to gain insight into the confidential development process at the world’s largest software manufacturer.
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The software La Salle was asked to test is the new version of the Windows Server operating system recently named Windows Server 2012 and expected to be released to the public in late 2012. La Salle was given multiple pre-release copies of this software to work with and evaluate in a test environment. After in-depth testing, both La Salle and Microsoft agreed that the software was stable and ready to be put into production. Beginning in September of 2011, La Salle was visited four times by different Senior Program Managers who travelled from Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, WA to work onsite at La Salle with students and faculty. These Senior Program Managers observed and assisted La Salle with the deployment of this software into the production environment (the network that students, faculty, and staff use every day). On September 21, 2011 La Salle became the first organization in the world to deploy four domain controllers running Windows Server 2012 in a production environment with the full support and backing of Microsoft.
Ted Swanson ’88 Chief Executive Officer IT Solutions Consulting Microsoft Gold Certified Partner
“Input and testing from our TAP partners is invaluable and helps us deliver products that exceed our customers’ expectations. Windows Server is used by hundreds of thousands of organizations around the world and we thank the students and staff of La Salle for their participation and their contribution to the next generation
Ted Swanson founded IT Solutions (ITS) after graduating with an engineering degree from Drexel University. Starting from a spare bedroom, IT Solutions has grown to become a leading IT
of this product.”
consulting firm in the
over fifty employees and
Mike Schutz Senior Director and Microsoft Server and Business Tools
Mid-Atlantic region. With
clients in ten states, ITS specializes in network support, cloud
Over the next few months, the Office of Information Technology and the Lab Manager Program worked with the software, as well as Microsoft program managers, to identify ’bugs’, aesthetic interface issues, and other potential ’bugs’ with the software. Students and faculty were able to work with next generation software and gain hands-on experience with technologies that only a handful of people outside of Microsoft have ever used. One of the most amazing technologies students were able to work with was cloud replication. La Salle was the first organization ever to test this new service when it performed a transatlantic replication of its critical systems to Microsoft’s test site in Glasgow, Scotland. To have high school students working with Scottish software engineers in a production environment was an amazing experience that gave the students a feel for a ‘real world’ experience. It is evident that La Salle students and faculty have done amazing things. Of all the enterprises involved with TAP, La Salle was by far the smallest and it was a true challenge to make a name for itself at Microsoft. However, this is a challenge which La Salle has gone above and beyond. Microsoft has placed La Salle among its most important customers, which includes For tune 500 companies, government agencies, and companies who have billion dollar IT budgets.
computing, and application development for small and medium-sized organizations. ITS is also proud to call La Salle College High School a client as well as a source of consultants as several alumni work for ITS today, including Kyle LeProvest ’10 who obtained one of the highest level of Microsoft certifications at La Salle. Ted is a national speaker on IT and cloud computing issues and has been on the advisory council for several major manufacturers. He teaches continuing education classes for accountants on disaster recovery and business continuity and is active in the Microsoft community. A national champion coxswain for the Penn A.C. Rowing Association, Ted credits his time on the La Salle Crew with teaching him leadership and determination – two traits that have served him well in business.
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Untangling The Web
By Dylan S. Haley, MTA ’12 and Raymond T. Shay ’00
In the mid-1990s, La Salle’s Web presence began when new Principal, Michael O’Toole ’68 created La Salle’s first official Website. In 2004, the La Salle administration recognized that the Website was going to be instrumental to the school’s future marketing and communication efforts. La Salle became one of the first schools in the Philadelphia area to hire a full-time Webmaster, when Mr. Raymond Shay ’00 returned to his Alma Mater.
During the 2004-05 school year, it became clear that La Salle needed to bring the 20+ different Websites for various groups and teams under the one domain: LSCHS.org. This perfectly coincided with the school’s branding initiative to provide a consistent look and feel to all of La Salle’s communications. Today, over 100 different faculty members, staff members, coaches, students, parents, and alumni have some ability to update portions of the public Website. Even more faculty members and group administrators can update Class or Group pages in the private La Salle Portals. The Portals Beyond the 1200+ public Webpages on the La Salle Website, the Portals provide personalized and private content for La Salle’s students, parents, alumni, faculty/staff, and trustees. Teachers and Group administrators can share resources with their classes 20 | Explorer Summer 2012
and any groups that they are involved in at school. This allows for a much better user experience on the website because it adds the ability for teachers to post assignments on the class pages that are accessible by the students in the class and those students can download the assignment and turn it in all through their portals. Another aspect of the portals that makes life easier for students and faculty alike is the school calendar that is constantly being updated with sports events, school news, club meetings, etc. Each user will receive alerts from each class and group they are part of on their portals which will keep them up to date with the work they have to do and help them to manage deadlines and important dates.
be accessed without having to sign in to each one individually. This may not seem like a very important aspect of the website but it makes the website far simpler to use, logging on to every linked website is quite the inconvenience and whether it’s Senior Systems to use MyBackPack, Naviance to research colleges or build a resume, or to access their school Gmail account. Another aspect of Single Sign On that is often overlooked is the difficulty involved in implementing it into a functional system. Though it is difficult to implement, La Salle’s website is an example of how Single Sign On can greatly improve a website.
La Salle’s website also uses a resource called Single Sign On. Single Sign On allows users to do exactly what it’s name implies, it makes it so it is only necessary to log on to the portal and then several different applications that are linked to the portal can
With more and more content moving to the Web, La Salle needed to choose a content management system. After evaluating multiple solutions, La Salle chose to partner with finalsite, a content management system designed specifically
Partnering with finalsite
for schools. In the past 8 years, La Salle and finalsite have presented together at workshops and webinars for the International Boys School Coalition (IBSC), the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), Partners In Mission , the Pennsylvania Association of Independent Schools (PAIS), and the Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS). Mr. Shay, Mr. Johnson, and Mr. Bonner have also all presented best practices workshops at the annual finalsite user conference. Social Media and Emerging Web Technologies Along with the different applications of the website such as MyBackPack and Naviance, the use of social media is also starting to play a large role in the website’s functioning. Different Social Media websites such as Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and YouTube are all linked to the website in one way or another. Different posts and events that are on the website can be shared to Facebook or Twitter by users to help spread the word about what is going on at La Salle. Linkedin allows for alumni to communicate with each other and share contacts which is very useful since it can be difficult to find a job and every contact that one alumni can share with another has the chance to help them get a job. Different videos that are posted on various pages on La Salle’s website are hosted on YouTube which makes it so not only people on the website can see the videos, but also there is the chance that someone on YouTube will see the video and look into the website. This brings another point up; the fact that these posts and videos are being shared outside of the La Salle community will bring more traffic back to the La Salle Website which will spread the word about various things that La Salle is involved in such as service, sports or anything else. “Since our first day on campus, it truly has been a back and forth conversation on how La Salle can build efficiencies day-to-day, plan for a sustainable future, and provide the best user experience for their constituents on the web. We are truly grateful for their partnership.”
Rob DiMartino Director, finalsite
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Student Web Managers
Emerging Web Technologies
In the Summer of 2004, Mr. Shay began working with some students who possessed design and coding skills to revamp the LSCHS.org Website. The Student Web Managers was thus created as an off-shoot of the unique and highly successful Lab Managers Program. Today, the Student Web Managers play an important role in keeping La Salle’s Website current with ever-emerging Web technologies and standards. The Web Managers have helped Mr. Shay to manage and improve the website, going through a few major redesigns of the website working alongside him during the school year as students and during the summer as interns to make sure everything on the website is updated and well maintained.
La Salle’s advanced technology and media programs have allowed it to use technologies that are still emerging into the web community. One example of this is Ustream. Ustream presents the capability of streaming a live video onto the website so that families or interested people that live far away can watch important events such as sports games and graduation. Another emerging technology that is currently being put to use is the integration of an online campus tour. Many major colleges have this application in place, but few high schools do. This tour is currently being worked on and when it is completed people will be able to take an interactive tour of the school’s campus showing all of La Salle’s facilities such as fields and class rooms.
Classes in Adobe Dreamweaver and Photoshop Many of the Student Web Managers have honed their skills in La Salle’s Web Design courses. While a student at La Salle College High School, Mr. Shay took the Web Design Course taught then by Mr. Sigmund. Upon returning to La Salle, Mr. Shay took over teaching the course. Today, there are two levels of Web Design courses taught by Mr. Johnson and Mr. Shay. These courses utilize the software in the Adobe Creative Suite such as Adobe Dreamweaver and Photoshop. Moving forward, the Computer Science Department plans to incorporate official Adobe Curriculum and Adobe Certifications, much like La Salle’s offerings through the Microsoft IT Academy. Through cooperation with Mr. Sigmund and Mr. Johnson, these classes will likely flesh out and take on a large role in the technological aspect of La Salle’s academic program, giving many students the opportunity to get involved in a unique and interesting field of study.
Leonard X. Bosack ’69 Founder Cisco Systems
During his time at Stanford, Leonard Bosack was credited for becoming a support engineer for a project to connect all of Stanford’s mainframes, minis, LISP machines, and Altos. His contribution was to work on the router that allowed the computer network to share data between the Computer Science Lab and the Business School, where he met his wife Sandy. Together, they started Cisco Systems and he is largely responsible for first pioneering commercialization of the local area network (LAN). Leonard Bosack has also held significant technical leadership roles at AT & T Bell Labs and Digital Equipment Corporation. He became a key contributor to the engineering network technology driven by the U.S Department of Defense (ARPAnet), which was the beginning of today’s Internet. His most recent technological advancements include the creation of new in-line fiber optic amplification systems that are capable of achieving unprecedented data transmission latency speeds of 6.071 milliseconds (fiber plus equipment latency) over 1231 kilometers of fiber, which is roughly the distance between Chicago and New York City.
Good Morning La Salle by William Rose ’12
The WEXP TV Studio was founded in March of 1996 under the direction of Mr. Joseph Dempsey, former English Department Chair, and student leaders from the Class of 1998: Kevin Dougherty, Michael Heinsdorf, Guiseppe Laguda and Tim Reiley. What started as an extracurricular extension of the English Department has grown into a multi-faceted Digital Multimedia Program under the direction of Mr. Robert Johnson, Director of Multimedia Technology.
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WEXP, La Salle’s student-run in-house television station, produces a daily, live morning show which ties in directly with the Multimedia course curriculum and serves as a showcase of student-produced work every morning in homeroom. During my time at La Salle College High School, I have been involved in the Multimedia Program including WEXP and all three Multimedia Production Courses (Multimedia Production, Advanced Multimedia Production, and Multimedia Management) and currently serve as the student-leader of the program. My role as Executive Producer has greatly enhanced my leadership abilities and allowed me to share my expertise in video production with the rest of the WEXP members. Going into the Multimedia Program as a sophomore, I had very little knowledge of even basic forms of multimedia. The program provided me with the opportunity to learn and ultimately hone my video and graphic design skills. Due to my experiences in the program, I have decided to study film and video at Drexel University next year.
Walter C. Liss ’61 President ABC Televisions Stations Group
Walter Liss began his professional career in broadcasting while a student at La Salle College High School as host of his own program at a local radio station. Upon graduation, he moved to WIBF-FM as
Four years ago, the multimedia courses averaged twenty students; however, during the 2011-12 school year, over one hundred students enrolled in the three courses, and over thirty students actively participate as part of the WEXP Production Team. The multimedia department is home to many useful resources that were highly valuable in the learning process over my four years at La Salle. Every computer in our Multimedia Lab is host to the most recent Adobe Creative Suite. This industrystandard software package is used as a foundation for the courses themselves. We learn basic and advanced techniques to produce content using Adobe Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop.
an announcer while attending La Salle College. Following a career at WPVI-TV in Philadelphia, where he wrote the theme song for Action News, and WABC-TV in New York, Walter served as Chairman of Buena Vista Television (now DisneyABC Television Distribution) and its pay
Mr. Johnson, the Director of Multimedia Technology and moderator of WEXP, uses his experience as a former producer for Comcast SportsNet and Philly.com to teach students how to create and produce multimedia content for the La Salle web site and the WEXP Morning Show. Our work is also displayed on La Salle’s various social media outlets through Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. A major goal of the program is to showcase La Salle College High School and tell the school’s story through video.
television operations. In 1999, he was
I am lucky to have participated in the Multimedia Department here at La Salle. The program has prepared me to succeed in the fast-paced 21st century world of multimedia. The program presented me with the foundation that will serve useful for me in the future and I’m confident it will continue to stay ahead of the curve for future generations of Explorers. For more information about the program, visit www.lschs.org/wexp
sion Stations Group in innovative sales,
appointed as President of ABC Owned Television Stations Group and had chief management responsibility of all of the ABC owned television stations, which reach 24% of the nation’s households. Walter guided the ABC Owned Televi-
content, and technological directions and his many successful initiatives include the ongoing transition to digital technology, the launch of multiple digital channels at each ABC owned station, and the development of local station websites.
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photogallery Communion Breakfast/Hall of Fame Induction March 4, 2012
Alumni Association President Ron Bean ’86 with Alumni Service Award Recipient Ed Feeny ’62
Presenter Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60, Hall of Fame Inductee Brother James Rieck, FSC ’57, and Alumni Association President Ron Bean ’86
Hall of Fame Inductee Frank Cervone, Esq. ’76
Members of the Class of 1976 with Hall of Fame Inductee Frank Cervone, Esq. ’76
Members of the La Salle College High School Hall of Fame
Alumni Service Award Recipient Bill Benz, Esq. ’72 with Alumni Association President Ron Bean ’86
Community of Christian Brothers Gather in Honor of Hall of Fame Inductee Brother James Rieck, FSC ’57
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Golf Outing May 29, 2012
Class of 1978 – Rich Heany, Dan McGill, Marc Longo, and Kevin Walsh
Tom Mazza, Matt Campbell ’81, Gerry Binder ’69, and Gerry Binder, Jr. ’02
Golfers gather at the Philadelphia Cricket Club prior to the start of the 52nd Annual Alumni Scholarship Golf Outing
Class of 1982 – Chris Carabello, George Winslow, Ron Martin, and Joe Shott
50-Year Reunion June 1-2, 2012
Members of the Class of 1962 gather for their 50-Year Reunion
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photogallery Baccalaureate Mass May 31, 2012
Bill Toner reads from the New Testament
The Administrative Team – Principal Joseph Marchese, Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60, Daniel McGowan, Thomas Barna, and Julia Maher
Chad Chamberlain and Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ‘60
Reverend Anthony Janton, AFSC ’69 celebrates Mass
Baccalaureate Speaker and Student Council President Emre Karatas
Explorer Standouts – Gerard Thiers, Jordan Santora, Emmett Gross, Chris O’Brien, and Nick Seigel
Class of 2012 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church
Nick Owsik performs the Ave Maria
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Commencement Exercises June 2, 2012
Graduation Speaker and Senior Class President Max Breitmayer
Principal Joseph Marchese congratulates Salutatorian Matt Volpe
Principal Joseph Marchese congratulates Shashi Masireddy
Proud Explorers – Matt Williams, Tyler Focht, Patrick Hanrahan, Frank Blust, Jason Lombardi, and David Martosella
Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60 confers Diplomas to the Class of 2012
Principal Joseph Marchese congratulates Valedictorian Frank Worthington
Movin’ On – Eric Schultz and J.J. Plamondon
Graduation Speaker Shane Kensil
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classnotes 1950’s and 1960’s Dan Fischer ’50 is the great grandfather of eleven and grandfather of six. Joseph Junod ’54 and his wife, Emily, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on June 2, 2012. Herbert Matthews ’62 retired from Abington Memorial Hospital in December 2011 after 35 years.
Thomas M. Gallagher, Esq. 78, a partner in the Philadelphia office and chair of the firm’s White Collar and Corporate Investigations Practice Group, has been elected to the Executive Committee of Pepper Hamilton, LLP.
40-Year Reunion for the Original Cast of “Company”
Lou Beccaria ’63 was honored by the Phoenixville Regional Chamber of Commerce as the “Citizen of the Year” in recognition of making long-time, meaningful contributions to the greater Phoenixville community. The Class of 1967 celebrated its 45-Year Reunion at La Salle College High School on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
1970’s and 1980’s The Class of 1972 celebrated its 40-Year Reunion at La Salle College High School on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
The Class of 1977 celebrated its 35-Year Reunion at La Salle College High School on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
Phone rings – door chimes – in comes “Company”! Welcome back those “good and crazy people,” your friends, to the La Salle stage. The La Salle College High School Alumni Association has asked Ron Kurowski to reassemble Brother Gene Graham’s 1972 cast of Stephen Sondheim’s smash musical “Company.” Watch for your invitation to the matinee revival, which will be held on Sunday, October 7, 2012 in the auditorium at La Salle as they return to entertain us. Pictured from the reunion held in the Fall of 2011 are: First Row (left to right): John Conahan (pianist), Ron Kurowski ’71, and Helene McGuinn Susanin Second Row (left to right): Kathy Robinson, Mary MacAvoy, Peter Sauer ’71, Jerry Hathaway ’72, Colleen Durkin Lapowsky, Rita Kelley Schmidt, and Kate McCauley Hathaway, Third Row (left to right): Terry Fenningham ’71, Lee Wugofski ’72, Pam Williams Haney, Sue Kurowski, Joan Conklin Kozlowski, and Bob Field ’67 Not pictured: Stage Manager Kim Williams
Check Out The Alumni Portal www.lschs.org/alumni
Alumni News Additional Class Notes Alumni Directory Employment and Internship Postings
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The Alumni Portal contains alumni news and additional class notes as well as the Alumni Directory, which allows you to search for any alum of La Salle College High School. The Alumni Portal contains a list of internship and employment opportunities posted by and for alumni.
The Class of 1982 celebrated its 30-Year Reunion at La Salle College High School on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
Kevin Cregan ’82 is President-Elect of the North Carolina Chapter ACR Immediate Past President and Medical Staff, Wayne Memorial Hospital, Goldsboro, NC. Daniel J. Grasmeder ’83, a Financial Planning Specialist and Financial Advisor at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney in Glens Falls, NY, has been awarded the CFP® certification. Dan has worked at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney since 2008. In addition to providing financial planning services, he provides a variety of other advisory and non-advisory financial services, including brokerage services, to clients who seek such services.
The Class of 1997 celebrated its 15-Year Reunion at La Salle College High School on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
The Class of 2002 celebrated its 10-Year Reunion at La Salle College High School on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
The Class of 1987 celebrated its 25-Year Reunion at La Salle College High School on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
Anthony Lagreca, Esq. ’02 married Jessica Long on August 13, 2011. The couple resides in Chestnut Hill. Matt Zielinski ’06 was re-signed as a starting pitcher for the Evansville Otters. The Class of 2007 celebrated its 5-Year Reunion at La Salle College High School on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
1990’s and 2000’s The Class of 1992 celebrated its 20-Year Reunion at La Salle College High School on Saturday, April 28, 2012.
Ryan Cain ’07 is currently working for NBA Entertainment as a digital production assistant and recently signed as a kicker for the Lehigh Valley Hawks of the Indoor Football League. Tim Wittenberg ’07 has been hired into the NBCUniversal West Coast Page Program, where his primary duties were conducting NBC Studio Tours and coordinating the studio audience for the daily live taping of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He is currently on assignment in the digital marketing department at Universal Pictures, where he has been able to aid in the daily marketing demands of Universal film releases and work the red carpet at the premieres of Wanderlust and The Lorax.
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Julian Tucker ’08 graduated in May from the US Naval Academy and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Marine Corps. His service assignment is Marine Pilot.
Great Explorations
A La Salle Presence Reflected Around The World
Alumni are encouraged to submit photos of themselves sporting La Salle gear in foreign and unusual places for publication in future issues of the Explorer. Please submit hi-res JPEG files (minimum resolution of 300 dpi) via email to Christopher Carabello at carabello@lschs.org
Ain’t No Mountain High Enough In July of 2011, Bill Gillies ’74 was fortunate to join a group of climbers to Mount Kilimanjaro, which at 19,336 feet, is the tallest mountain in Africa. Bill and his party used the Western Breach, which takes a couple days longer and has more challenging aspects for the ascent as it follows the glacier on the western slope and goes through rock slides. The final 500 feet goes up over the crater rim and across the edge of the glacier. They began their journey to the summit at 16,000 feet and reached the top eight hours later.
Happy Valley Six members of the Class of 1977 traveled to State College, PA on February 16, 2012 to take in the Big Ten basketball game between Penn State and the University of Iowa. The Hawkeyes are coached by Fran McCaffrey ’77 and a minireunion took place before the game. Pictured (left to right) are Joe Talecki, Joe Brooks, Fran McCaffery, Mike Weinrich, Bill Vacchiano, Del Markward, and Brian Buzz McShea.
Smile and Say Cheese Peter Keenan ’58 (left) joins fellow classmate, Thomas Pyle ’58, in front of the state capitol in Madison, WI in November of 2011.
Royal Greeting Joe Ragg ’73 (left) and Rick Target ’99 (right) met in Dehli, India with the last living descendant of the “Raj” in India. 30 | Explorer Summer 2012
HALL OF ATHLETICS
Inaugural Induction Friday, September 14, 2012 Auditorium COACHES
TEAMS
ATHLETES
John “Tex” Flannery ’40 • Head Football Coach for Twenty-Nine Years • Record of 147-115-13 • Won Three Catholic League Championships and Two City Championships • Legendary “Storyteller” and Mentor to Four Decades of La Salle Athletes
1945-46 Basketball Team • Won the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship • Captured the First City Championship in School History • Played in front of the largest crowd in State history (at the time)
Thomas Gola ’51 • 3-Time All-Catholic Basketball Player • Led 1950 Team to Catholic League and City Championships • Leading Scorer in La Salle History – 1,392 points • State Champion in the Half Mile
1957 Football Team • Undefeated Season • Won the Philadelphia Catholic League Championship • Won the City Championship
John “Jack” Stanczak ’89 • Three Sport Athlete and Captain of All Three Teams • All-Catholic in Football and Baseball • League MVP in Football and Baseball • Quarterbacked 1988 Football Team to an Undefeated Regular Season
Charles “Obie” Obrien • Head Basketball Coach for Thirty-Four Years • Record of 541-286 • Ranked 5th in Wins and Years Coached among all Philadelphia High School Basketball Coaches • Won Six Catholic League Championships and Three City Championships
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We Welcome We Remember (as of May 25, 2012)
Bill Ryan ’68 and his wife, Maureen, welcomed a baby daughter, Erin, on August 15, 2011. Michael Clemente ’89 and his wife, Jen, welcomed a baby boy, Michael Joseph, on March 17, 2012. James Maloney ’93 and his wife, Megan, welcomed their third child, Katherine Caroline, on January 23, 2012. Katherine joins big brothers Aidan and Patrick. Tim Curran ’97 and his wife, Jennifer, welcomed a baby boy, Sean Timothy, on February 17, 2012. John “Jack” Hammond ’97 and his wife, Jenna, welcomed their first child, a boy, Brady Alan, on February 24, 2012. Gregory Vizza ’98 and his wife, Erin, welcomed their first child, a baby boy, Gabrielle Patrick, on April 19, 2012. Kevin Dougherty ’00 and his wife, Louise, a baby girl, Caroline Louise, on May 12, 2012.
Andrew D. Bertucci ’48 Charles M. Boyle ’43 John L. (Jack) Carlson ’62 William de Pasquale ’51 Thomas J. Derago, Sr. ’53 Charles F. Donnelly ’48 David M. Flannery ’47 John J. Flynn ’72 James F. Garberina ’51 Thomas J. Ginty ’40 Joseph M. Groetsch ’37 John C. Kautz ’60 Thomas J. Kriegner ’00 George J. McDermott ’45 William J. O’Brien ’47 James J. Reilly, Jr. ’44 Charles W. Sutter ’33 John R. Tiller ’60 Thomas D. Yannessa, ’58, brother of Francis ’60 and Joseph ’63. Dominic J. Yanni, Jr. ’68, brother of the late Nicholas ’66.
Margaret Ann Atkinson, mother of Joseph ’88 and grandmother of Sean ’10.
Rose M. Lemma, grandmother of the late 1LT Travis L. Manion, USMC ’99.
Elizabeth Burrell, mother of Ronald ’64 and Carl ’67.
Janet Manion, mother of the late 1LT Travis L. Manion, USMC ’99.
Brian M. Casey, nephew of Brother Richard Kestler, FSC ’60.
Elizabeth McCloskey, mother of John ’62, James ’64, and Daniel ’81.
Frank D’Aulerio, father of Michael ’79.
Honorable Frank J. Montemuro, father of Frank ’74, Michael ’77, and Anthony ’81 .
Alfred H. Devincent, father of Alfred ’94. Joseph Donnelly, father of Kevin ’07 and Patrick ’09. Helen Ferrier, grandmother of Michael ’11. Richard C. Firely, Sr., father of Richard, Jr. ’97. Rose Marie Grindle, grandmother of Eric ’00, Patrick ’04, and Craig ’06 O’Neill.
Arelen J. O’Connor, mother of Thomas ’00. Thomas J. Shallow, Sr., father of Thomas ’84. Joseph Shutteworth, father-in-law of Michael Hearn. Jeannette Szostak, mother of Robert ’72 and Gary ’76, grandmother of Robert, Jr. ’04 and Steven ’10.
Maryann Haley, mother of Brian ’83 and Chris ’86, grandmother of Colin ’07 and Dylan ’12. Michael F. Jeffers, father of Michael, Jr. ’65.
We Honor The End Of An Era by Christopher M. Carabello ’82
A commute that began on the first day of school in September of 1951, ended with quiet fanfare some sixty-one years later on May 18, 2012. In between, the La Salle community became privy to a bona fide legend. As a freshman, Dave Diehl came to La Salle College High School from Saint Vincent de Paul School in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. He was a star athlete, excelling in football and basketball. He graduated as a member of the Class of 1955 and went on to break Catholic school barriers by attending Temple University on a football scholarship. 32 | Explorer Summer 2012
After two years teaching at Saint Thomas More High School in West Philadelphia, he returned to his Alma Mater in 1961 and embarked on a 51-year career in a variety of roles. He taught algebra, history, religion, and most recently, economics. He served as a department chair, guidance counselor, and Director of Financial Aid. He was Assistant Principal for sixteen years and, in 1989, was named the school’s first lay Principal. An enviable string of athletic championships, the construction of Saint Michael Hall, and the launch of technology all mark his career as Principal. The David Center is named in honor of him and Brother David Albert, FSC and portraits of each of them hang prominently in the staircase of the building. Dave Diehl was a mentor in and out of the classroom. He coached football, basketball, and golf and contributed to many a championship. In 1990, he was inducted into the La Salle College High School
Hall of Fame and the David T. Diehl Scholarship Fund was established to provide financial assistance for needy students who might not otherwise be able to attend La Salle. In 2001, he was named the Lasallian Educator of the Year. Dave Diehl is the consummate survivor having managed to successfully outlast, outwit, and outplay five decades of La Salle students and their parents. He delicately and successfully balanced the ever-shifting demands inherent in an institution whose very nature is change. By the time Dave Diehl became Principal, he knew the power and responsibility centered in his office.
He cherished the idea of “the power of the power not used.” La Salle College High School will miss his dedication to moderation and to balance.1 During the Commencement Exercises held on June 2, 2012, David T. Diehl ’55 received the Presidents Medal in recognition of service to his Alma Mater, the Christian Brothers, and Lasallian education. The entire La Salle community wishes Dave and his lovely wife, Carol, a very happy retirement. 1 Bernard and Edward McCabe, “Waiting By/For/On/With Dave,” Explorer, Summer 2000, 12-13.
Homecoming ‌the tradition continues. Friday, September 14, 2012
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Inaugural Induction of the Hall of Athletes
Dedication of Sterner Hall
7:00 pm
The Pit
The Auditorium
11:00 am Dedication of the former West Wing in memory of Brother Rene Sterner, FSC
Varsity Soccer vs. Central Catholic High School 12:00 pm Bartley Field Cross-State Rivalry as the Defending Catholic League Champions take on the Christian Brothers school in Pittsburgh.
Family BBQ 1:00 to 3:00 pm New Athletic Fields
Varsity Football vs. Cardinal O’Hara High School 3:00 pm Springfield High School Stadium Watch the Defending Catholic League Champions tackle a perennial powerhouse.
Halftime Ceremony Recognition of the inaugural class inducted into the La Salle College High School Hall of Athletes
$20 per person Free for Children 12 and Under Price includes BBQ, Beverages, and a Ticket to the Football Game Park at Springfield High School and Walk Across Paper Mill Road to the New Fields RSVP by Friday, September 7, 2012 Register online at www.lschs.org or call (215) 233-2350
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E X PLORE R
The Official Magazine of La Salle College High School
La Salle College High School 8605 Cheltenham Avenue Wyndmoor, PA 19038 Change Service Requested
La Salle Auction Saturday, November 3, 2012 New Auction Technology! Guests will now be able to bid from anywhere in the room on a hand held device. More Social. More Fun.
New Advertising Opportunity! Your ad will appear in the 2012-2013 Family Directory and the Auction Catalog if placed by August 1, 2012. For more information please contact the auction office at 215.402.4915 | Explorer Summer 2012 or 34auction@lschs.org
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