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PantherTracks MAGAZINE FOR THE ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF SEATTLE PREPARATORY SCHOOL
THE UNEXPECTED PATHS
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HELPING EVERY STUDENT SUCCEED ROBOTICS PROGRAM LAUNCHES
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LETTER FRO M T HE P R E S ID E NT
A COUPLE SUMMERS AGO, I was walking in our plaza in the early evening when I came upon an alumnus who was checking out the construction of Adelphia Memorial Hall. We had a really enjoyable conversation. At one point he asked me if Prep admitted kids with learning needs. I told him that we certainly do if the need is moderate. I described our Learning Resource Center and the many students who receive help there and how it is viewed so positively at Prep, a source of pride and not one that carries a stigma. He told me that it was different for him when he went to Prep. He was a member of “E” class. I knew that at one time Prep had four different classes in each grade, ranging from the high of A down to D, but had never heard of an E class. He said that he and a few other students had been admitted on a kind of probationary status, E class guys who could move up to D class. D class graduates sometimes get grief from their classmates even to this day. But here is something I’ve noticed about those guys: As a group, no class has been more successful than D class graduates in starting and growing businesses, working deals and trying out ideas no one else had thought of. Why? One reason, or so I think anyway, is that many D class graduates possess qualities that aren’t valued so much in the classroom, but are highly valued in entrepreneurs. One is outside the box thinking, something that isn’t often rewarded in school. Staying within the lines may earn an A, but venturing outside them can earn a million. Another quality is adaptability. Imagine, for example, a very bright D class student who suffered from undiagnosed dyslexia. Year after year he would have to adapt to various learning challenges, finding ways to make things work that were different from how things worked for others. That builds up problem solving skills that students who learn on straighter lines never have to master, and thus never have to learn. And then, of course, that D class student would have to learn how to deal with failure. This actually goes to Prep’s motto: “Virtus in Arduis.” Building character through difficult things. It’s about grit, a quality in short supply but one that many D class graduates
possess in abundance. Those who reach adulthood without ever having experienced failure in high school are floored when it is first encountered. The D class guys? Been there, done that. Time to pick up and move on to the next opportunity. In more recent years, studies have verified what most know intuitively: There are multiple intelligences and what is considered high intelligence in one context is not in another. A D class student, for example, might have been low on what it takes for a great score on a Latin grammar test, but really high on the kind of social intelligence that leads to great deal making. Our brains are so complex; it is what we do with them that matters. A few years ago we adjusted our admissions policy to reflect our belief that we accept families when we accept students. Therefore, siblings are given the highest consideration when we make admissions decisions, and that includes siblings who have identified learning differences. This has required more resources and more cooperation between classroom teachers and the Learning Resource Center. All have responded generously. The results have been fantastic. Under the leadership of Dr. Regina Melonson, the students who receive help in our LRC are thriving. Emphasize that “help” part. Expectations are not lowered for these students – same workload, same classes, same grading scale. They just rightfully receive help to make up for a specific learning need. In fact, students who get help in the LRC are some of the brightest students, and best young people, on our campus. Prep has always been blessed by a rich blend of abilities in its student body. However, in talking to many alumni, I don’t think that Prep always recognized that richness as a blessing. The D class graduate I met that summer evening was grateful to hear about this change, and I was happy to tell him about it.
Our brains are so complex; it is what we do with them that matters.
Kent Hickey President, Seattle Prep
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PantherTracks
MAGAZINE FOR THE ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF SEATTLE PREPARATORY SCHOOL
FEATURES
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The Unexpected Paths
Four grads from the 90s share their stories of finding success in unexpected ways
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Helping Every Student Succeed
Prep’s Learning Resource Center (LRC) provides a supportive, inclusive academic environment for students with diagnosed learning differences
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A New Era for Seattle Prep and Seattle University
The Jesuit Virtual Learning Academy (JVLA) expands Matteo Ricci College and Prep course options next year
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New Robotics Program
Integrated system design focuses on engineering, math, biology, computer programming and human and machine interaction
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Education is the Basis for Everything
The Christiansen family on why supporting Prep’s Endowment Fund matters
IN EVERY ISSUE
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Sports Update Alumni News & Events Class Notes In Memoriam
ABOVE: Parents of Past Prep Students (POPPS) will gather again on April 23rd. Check out all of our upcoming events on page 21. ON THE COVER: Gavin Purcell ‘92 takes a quick break for a snapshot (in his Seattle Prep sweatshirt!) on the set of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Read about Gavin’s path to becoming a writer and co-producer of the show on page 6.
FRO M T HE E D I TO R Dear alumni, parents & friends, I am excited to share this latest issue of Panther Tracks with you, now with a subtly updated design. In order to meet our goal of providing you with a magazine that is both engaging to read and beautiful to look through, we wanted to give the layout more “breathing room” between articles and plenty of space for large photographs. I hope that you enjoy it. The theme of this edition is “Unexpected Paths,” and I had the privilege of speaking with several alumni from the 90s who have found their way into careers that they wouldn’t have expected as Prep students, or even as they first started out as young professionals. I’m sure there are many other interesting stories of Panthers who have experienced the rewards and trials of unanticipated changes in direction, be it professionally or personally. If you’re one of them, we would love to hear about it. For myself, this new Panther Tracks design is, in part, influenced by my own unexpected career path. After working for a wonderful school in Colorado for several years after college, a series of unrelated opportunities
led me to piecing together jobs as a freelance photographer. This, in turn, led me all around the country, and eventually to Seattle. Now, at Prep, I am thrilled to have a position that still allows me to take out the camera, documenting the amazing lives of our students and alumni. Taking a short trip down to Seattle’s Central District and the Seattle Bouldering Project to take photos of Chris Potts, ’97, for this magazine was certainly a highlight for me, both for the creative opportunity and to continue making personal connections with the people who make Prep such a wonderful community. I feel privileged to be able to help share your stories with each other. If something in this edition inspires you to do so, please don’t hesitate to reach out or drop by and tell us. Even if you’re camera shy. Wishing you a picturesque spring, Ben Mawhinney SEATTLE PREP PANTHER TRACKS | SPRING 2016 |
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The Unexpected Paths Facing graduation from Prep in the 90s was both an exciting and daunting time: influences like Seattle’s grunge and punk rock counter culture were juxtaposed by a world adapting to gigantic leaps in technology and business. For these four Panthers, the trip from Adelphia Hall into their careers in the new millennium did not follow a defined path, but the results
Jeff Mermelstein, www.wired.com
have been as meaningful as they are diverse.
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Chris Potts, ’97 Co-Founder of Seattle Bouldering Project, a rock climbing gym in Seattle’s Central District featuring a fitness center, retail space, and a new bar and restaurant in the space opening this spring. www.seattleboulderingproject.com
As a Prep Student, what did you think the world was going to be like when you became an “adult”? Did you think you’d stay connected to your alma mater? I was pretty sure that, even back at Prep, it would be impossible for me to work in a profession in which I’d be confined to an office or actually have to sit still for any extended period of time. Norm Hardy (Prep faculty member) can attest to how difficult it was to keep me focused. So, naturally, I had imagined myself a writer/rock musician/college professor…too bad that didn’t work out. I’m actually a bit surprised about how connected I remain to the Prep community. Last week, I had separate lunches with a classmate and two different parents of classmates. I’m still very close with many of my classmates and former teachers. I’m lucky in that I catch several Prep baseball and Mariners games with Ed Paulter (former Prep faculty member and coach) every year. Tell us the story of what brought you to this point in your profession. Did any Prep experience influence your career? Although I’d never climbed until after Prep, I distinctly remember being in Mass at St. Joseph Church, daydreaming about climbing on the ceiling, planning routes, checking out the angles. Actually, the architecture of the walls at Seattle Bouldering Project is probably informed by the ceilings of St Joes! After grad school (MFA in Creative Writing, UW in 2005), I taught Outdoor Education and History and coached baseball in Portland for five years. My main climbing partner was trying to start a gym in Seattle and he asked me if I would like to partner with him in business. We were laughably under-qualified – we didn’t have any money, no business experience, and probably a slim chance of success.
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It was inconceivable to me that I would have done anything in any way associated with “business”. But Prep’s education, which to me did a good job of balancing the humanities with math and sciences, certainly provided a foundation for me in both college and business. I try to run our business with many of the values that Prep ingrains. Do you have any stories about formative Prep experiences? Probably not that you want to print in Panther Tracks! Likely my biggest takeaway from Prep was the degree to which several of the faculty kept an eye out for me. I was pretty wildly rebellious, and it would have been just as easy to have written me off. But some of the faculty, many of whom were at Prep for decades (Norm Hardy, Ed Paulter, Paul Peterhans, Dave Thomas, SJ, to name just a few), were really supportive, regardless of how much time I spent in JUG. There were also a lot of Prep parents who kept an eye out for me, so I really appreciate that I had a community that wouldn’t have otherwise been available. What part of 90s culture influenced you the most? I was pretty strongly influenced by the music and art coming out of Seattle in the early and mid 90s. I didn’t have the best family situation and I was really drawn to the ideals of rebelling against superficiality and living with intentionality and integrity. Actually, although Nirvana and the Jesuits don’t have a lot, ostensibly, in common, there’s a similar ethos if you dig deep enough. I was also simultaneously (and maybe contradictorily) an outrageous baseball fan and a devotee of Edgar Martinez’s swing. Full disclosure: I still listen to Pearl Jam and watch probably too much Mariners baseball.
Tell us the story of how you found yourself starting your own food business. At Prep, I thought I would move to New York and work in something business related, most likely a large company. After graduation, I always loved food and had imagined that I would open a café with my best friend, Julie (nickname Peaches) when we retired. When the opportunity arose to open the location in Dublin, Ireland, I took it! I was working in management consulting and was sent to London then Dublin for a project. While there, I met my business partner, Vincent. Through a strange series of events, we decided to open KC Peaches. Can you tell us about what at Prep most influenced your career path? I believe Prep taught us to think outside of the box and to take initiative. I believe both skills are required throughout life, both professionally and personally. I am still close with a number of my classmates and cherish the time we had at Prep.
Katie Cantwell, ’96 Managing Director at KC Peaches and Peaches & Green, a café, restaurant and catering businesses based in Ireland and Chicago, IL with a philosophy of sourcing the best ingredients and applying simple techniques to extract the maximum flavor and nutritional benefits from the food they serve. www.kcpeaches.com
What typified being a teenager in Seattle in the 90s for you? I remember sitting at home and talking for 1-2 hours every Friday and Saturday night trying to figure out the most fun thing to do and then getting to go out and enjoy time with friends. I wish life were as simple now – it was amazing! However, I would not go back; I am so happy with the way things have worked out.
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Gavin Purcell, ’92. Writer, Co-Producer of The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon based in New York City. www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show
As a Prep student, what was your sense of what life might look like as an “adult”? When I was at Prep, I was very different than I am now, especially when I was a freshman. I was very quiet, and more reserved. I was trying to figure myself out, and Prep helped give me a safe space to explore things I was interested in. When I first started, I kind of thought the world was a pretty scary place. But I knew that I wanted to see more of it and I knew I wanted to explore it. Can you tell us the story of what brought you to The Tonight Show? After I graduated from Prep, I attended the University of Washington. Going to college in Seattle was a really great thing for many reasons, but it also really made me feel
Anna Telcs, ’97 Head of Product at Not Just A Label, a platform for emerging and independent designers based in London, England. www.annatelcs.com
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like I wanted to get out of the city and explore. So when I graduated from UW I immediately went and taught English in Korea for a year, which I think is the greatest possible experience that anyone that age can have: you get to see the world basically for free at the perfect time of life to do it, but you also have to work and make a life in a foreign country. That experience really made me think about what I wanted to do and who I wanted to be. I also happened to meet Kim, a Canadian woman also teaching in Korea, who is now my wife. When we came back to the States, one of the things I’d always wanted to do was write fiction, which was a passion that started at Seattle Prep. I was involved with a Prep group called “Second Face” and had some excellent teachers who really instilled a lot of the discipline you need to have for creative work. Kim and
As a Prep student, what did you think the world was going to be like when you became an “adult”? I can’t say I had a clear vision of what the world would look like as an “adult.” I was blessed with parents who put traveling as a priority over physical objects. I went to live in London and New York in the few years during and after completing the Matteo Ricci Program. As a creative person, one could say the move to NY was inevitable, but honestly I prefer nature to city life, but believe more strongly that you have to go where the work is interesting. Tell us the story of what brought you to this point in your profession. I often say I stabbed forward somewhat blindly, knowing I wanted to be an inventor, a designer, and an artist. However blindly I moved forward, I did take calculated steps to go to design school, work for good companies offering good lessons (if not financial gain, at least at first) and it took becoming a little bit older to get to making the artwork that I am inspired to make. Currently, I’m in a moment of working on theory with schools and institutions which involves less art making, but it all flows into the story of how you create the work. Each job I’ve taken feeds into my work as an artist and vice versa.
I moved to Los Angeles, and I thought I was going to be a writer. So I applied to one graduate program…and didn’t get in. For a little time I was sort of floundering, working in a restaurant and trying to figure out what I was going to do. Then one day a friend of mine called and said there was a job as a production assistant for a television show. I’d never worked in TV before, but I knew I didn’t want to be working in a restaurant. So I got on the show, which wasn’t a great product but was a great job. My first day my boss told me that my first responsibility was to clean the refrigerator. I think Prep taught me that hard work gets rewarded, so I got to it and cleaned the refrigerator really really well. In the production meeting later that week, someone said, “whoever cleaned that refrigerator did really well, he deserved an award.” That’s when things clicked for me, and over two years I worked my way up to second producer. From there I moved on to another network, and during my six years there I started a daily, live, comedy talk show about technology called “Attack of the Show.” Jimmy Fallon was in LA at that time and really loved watching our show, so when he was trying to put together what would become Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, he brought me in for a conversation. I wasn’t sure I wanted to leave such a fun project, but a few hours after that conversation Jimmy sent me an email saying he’d like to work with me. A few weeks after that, Kim and I moved to NYC. That was in September 2008, and everything has evolved from there.
Did any particular media or pop culture in Seattle make a large impact on you? For me, as an early 90s grad, I really remember how Seattle was the center of this major movement in grunge, and how, as a kid, it really felt like the eyes of the country were on us as the epicenter of this major cultural movement. Almost Live was a big thing for me. Speed Walkers, Middle Management Suck-Up, all of that was amazing. Seattle was the one place in the country that would postpone Saturday Night Live, which is crazy! I think that really affected me because I thought, “Oh, you can do this on a smaller scale.” Do you have any advice for young graduates who are thinking about starting their own careers? Growing up in Seattle, which is not the center of the entertainment business, it took me a long time to realize that this is just an industry with a huge variety of jobs available, and that it is totally accessible if it’s something that you are passionate about. I wish more kids knew that. I also think it’s important to just keep learning throughout your whole life. If you stop finding ways to learn more, it can really slow you down in your career. Especially in this Internet era, if you can keep learning new skills, there are jobs out there for you.
Tell us about what at Prep most influenced your career path. I had a great group of friends while at Prep. Also, Collegio was a dynamic and intrepid way of introducing the cross-pollination of the humanities. Everything is connected in this world and the long format classes for Collegio helped show this relativity. Were there any pop icons during high school that you looked up to? I still love the music. From Nirvana to the Murder City Devils to TLC. I kept a few pictures in my calendars of David Bowie and Iman, Iggy Pop, Andy Warhol, Cecily Brown and Miuccia Prada, although cheesy to think about now, I looked up to these bohemians and artists to see how it was possible to live as a creative. Did you have a particular fashion style while at Prep? I was thrifting almost daily on my bus ride home through the Ave, so most likely a pair of wool sailor pants, which I eventually found in leather. I was also raiding my parents’ closets for good pieces from the 70s and 80s. Back then it was much harder to find what you were looking for, but this didn’t stop my friends and me from reinventing what we found. SEATTLE PREP PANTHER TRACKS | SPRING 2016 |
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ENDOW M E N TS
HELPING
EVERY
STUDENT SUCCEED By Katrina Freeburg, CFRE, Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving
TUCKED INTO A CORNER on the top floor of McDonnell Hall is a place where Prep’s mission comes alive on a daily basis. The Learning Resource Center (LRC) provides a supportive, inclusive academic environment for students with diagnosed learning differences. Sacred, open to growth and loving underscore all that happens here. Program director and school psychologist Dr. Regina Melonson envisioned the LRC over twenty years ago. In her first year, she helped 12 students with study skills support and standardized testing accommodations. Today, LRC services begin when eighth graders take the high school entrance exam and conclude when Prep graduates head off to college ready to take charge of their own learning. Caring. Helpful. Fun. Productive. Like a family. Visionary. Creative. The compliments flow easily from students, alumni and Prep colleagues. Alex Smith ’15 is a student at WSU who credits his college success to the LRC. “I’m 100% more talkative in class now. In a college lecture hall, that’s really important in building a relationship with your teacher.” “The best part about the LRC is how devoted the people who work there are to the students," shares one LRC user. Natalie Wong ’14, a psychology major in the Interdisciplinary Honors Program at Loyola University Chicago, is extremely grateful. “The women at the LRC inspire me. They work so hard for very little thanks. They deserve to know that they are appreciated and are making a difference
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in their students’ lives every day. Seeing women in their positions has inspired me to be like them when I am in the professional world.” Melonson leads a team of dedicated educators who surround 145 student learners with respect and care, while raising the bar and holding them accountable. Venicia Allen-Johnson, Amber Ferrese and Jessica Worsham love their work, their colleagues and their students. They all take ownership in the students’ successes and challenges. Students sense their sincerity. Allen-Johnson, a former middle school teacher, is a talented collaborator with a mastery of student advocacy. Her thorough knowledge of each backstory enables her to tailor a huge menu of services and resources into a perfect blend of support for each student. She’s the glue that ties the office to many departments across campus, including faculty, counselors, athletics and student life. Co-workers call Worsham a “true Renaissance woman.” Beyond her math and science expertise, she helps students with papers and study skills, and can easily take a pulse on an entire roomful of students. Her genuine kindness and empathy makes one wonder if she’s ever had a bad day. Ferrese is the heart of the operation. Everyone who walks through the door is greeted with “Hello, sweetie,” a sign of her maternal compassion. She marries the tech savvy and level of detail necessary to maintain a
Left: Dr. Regina Melonson working with a student in her office. Below, clockwise from back left: Amber Ferrese, Dr. Regina Melonson, Venicia Allen-Johnson, Jessica Worsham. database of over 500 students with an infectious sense of humor. LRC staff help each student succeed by giving them what they need when they need it, with dignity and respect. “The LRC empowers kids to seek out the help they need discreetly or indiscreetly (as they wish),” recalls former Prep parent Erin Cordry. That support also extends to families. “Parents of students with learning disabilities and special needs often feel they’re always fighting for, or defending, the need for services. At Prep, it’s completely different. I could not have asked for a more positive approach.” The LRC impact is clear. “Without the LRC, I don’t think I would be working as hard as I am,” writes one student. “I have learned to work hard and do my work to the best of my ability.” Another student is more direct. “Without the LRC, I would not be at Prep anymore.” Collegio teacher Cheryl Healy echoes this sentiment. “Without the LRC, we would lose a lot of great kids. Part of our mission is to educate all students. The LRC makes Prep stronger by allowing us to accept many different kinds of learners and it supports a diverse number of students in being successful.” It also reinforces Prep’s desire to enroll families, which is sometimes a challenge when one sibling has a significantly different learning style.
Alex Smith ’15 is a student at WSU who credits his college success to the LRC. “I’m 100% more talkative in class now. In a college lecture hall, that’s really important in building a relationship with your teacher.”
Healy continues, “It’s another tool in the teacher’s toolbox. The LRC is available daily for kids in a way we (teachers) aren’t able to be. They help us be more effective because of the support and resources they provide students. The LRC is one of the best programs at Prep!” One LRC learner comments, “The best part is how much everyone is not just willing, but wants to help in any way they can. You really get a sense they are trying to make school work easy for you.” Melonson reiterates her staff’s dedication. “We have team members who watch kids in Coffeehouse because that’s where they can showcase their talents and others, who although working part-time, will chaperone a retreat because a student asked. We would all do this work, even if we weren’t being paid for it.” That commitment teaches students to give back as well. “The LRC is like your best friend – always there when you need it,” says Smith. “It made me a better person. Through their generosity I became more aware of how to benefit myself and others. My senior year, I became an LRC tutor to help freshmen.” Service and generosity are additional components of the LRC’s success. This year, 85 student volunteers serve as peer tutors and 85 others as peer note takers. Generous donors to the Building Our Future campaign created a dynamic new space in 2015 for this growing program. They also expanded the LRC Endowment, established in 2006, to support the incredible services inside its walls, including professional development for the LRC staff, outside tutoring services, external diagnostic testing and testing materials. Smith thanks LRC donors for helping students whom they may never meet. “Your donation helps more than you can imagine. To the kids in the LRC, it means a lot to get the help they need to succeed. No one wants to feel unprepared for college. With the LRC, I feel more prepared than I ever thought possible.” To learn more about endowments at Seattle Prep, visit www.seaprep.org/endowment. SEATTLE PREP PANTHER TRACKS | SPRING 2016 |
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A New Era for Seattle Prep & Seattle University By Kent Hickey, President
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SEATTLE PREP IS ENTERING A NEW ERA in its longtime partnership with Seattle University. As described in the press release from the Jesuit Virtual Learning Academy, next year Prep will be participating in two online classes that will be taught by instructors at Seattle University’s Matteo Ricci College. One course, Arts and Cultural Identity, will be open to Prep juniors (maximum 10) and another course, Ignatian Discernment: The Art of Finding Your Way, will be offered to Prep seniors (also a maximum of 10). Prep students will be joined in their coursework by students from Verbum Dei, a Jesuit high school in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles. Students at both schools will earn high school and college credit. Prep has agreed to pay the tuition for the students at Verbum Dei and is seeking donors who would like to support the “Verb” students. This new articulation of Prep’s relationship with Seattle University was achieved after many months of discussion between the schools. Prep juniors have had the opportunity to “commence” to Matteo Ricci College (MRC) for many years. However, only 5-8 juniors per year have exercised this option in recent years and, of those 5-8 who do commence each year, roughly half transfer to a different college after their first year at MRC. The problem of low numbers of juniors commencing and high numbers of commenced students transferring has been compounded by the very low number of Prep seniors who choose SU after graduation. In the 2015 graduating class, for example, only two Prep graduates enrolled at Seattle University. Over the past months of review and discussion it became clear to leaders at both schools that the commencing option has been a primary reason for the low number of Prep graduates attending SU. Therefore, part of this new arrangement between Prep and SU includes the elimination of the commencing option for Prep juniors after the 2015/16 school year. Prep students
will instead experience MRC through these two classes and then, given the excellence of the MRC experience, will be encouraged to continue studies at MRC or Seattle University after their graduation from Prep. Additionally, the Admissions Office at SU and College Guidance Office at Prep will work closely together to create more opportunities for Prep seniors to explore MRC and other programs at Seattle University for their undergraduate studies. Another goal of the new arrangement between SU and Prep is to expose more students from other Jesuit high schools to the outstanding education offered at Matteo Ricci College and Seattle University. Certainly this will be
the case for Verbum Dei students next year, but as the joint offerings between JVLA and MRC expand to other Jesuit schools, additional students from across the country will become better acquainted with the wonderful educational opportunities available at SU. In 1891 there was one school, Seattle College. Though we are now two schools, our bonds remain strong. As we prepare for our shared 125th anniversary celebration this year, Prep and Seattle U are committed to continuing to collaborate in the advancement of our shared Jesuit mission. It is in this spirit that Prep and SU have entered into this exciting initiative.
Seattle University, Verbum Dei and Seattle Prep Lead the Way in Jesuit School Collaboration (Press Release from JVLA) Working with the Jesuit Virtual Learning Academy (JVLA), a relationship has been forged between Seattle Preparatory School, Verbum Dei (Los Angeles), and Seattle University’s Matteo Ricci College to offer a series of collaborative, dualcredit course experiences for select students at the two high schools. This new partnership was spawned from the existing relationship between Seattle University and Seattle Prep that originally produced the Matteo Ricci College (MRC). “Forty years ago the Matteo Ricci College was founded as a collaborative venture between the university and the high school,“ stated the college’s Dean Jodi Kelly. “The college was innovative – a serious break from the traditional model of schooling. While the college has evolved over time as the needs of the university and high school have changed, our pioneering spirit has remained. This is the next bold step in our history and I want to thank the presidents of our two great institutions for their vision and leadership.” Through the new partnership, students from Verbum Dei and Seattle Prep will participate in two college-level courses offered through the JVLA by Matteo Ricci College faculty. While versions of these courses are already offered online through the JVLA for Jesuit and Catholic high schools, the hybrid design being developed for Verbum Dei and Seattle Prep will be unique. “The online experience will be paired with brick-and-mortar experiences that will foster rich meaningful exchanges between students from different cities and different school cultures,” explains JVLA’s Executive Director Jeff Hausman. “This type of collaborative design has been on JVLA’s roadmap for years. We are excited to be playing a part.” This announcement culminates a six-month strategic conversation. Said Seattle Prep President Kent Hickey, “Our Jesuit network is truly special, and Seattle Prep was looking for a way of tapping more deeply into the network to broaden the minds and hearts of our students. Verbum Dei is the perfect partner. Getting to where we want to be with this initiative will take great effort and care. We look forward to the journey and the companionship.” Verbum Dei High School is an all-male Catholic, Jesuit, college and career preparatory school complemented by a corporate internship program, serving young men of Watts and the surrounding communities. Seattle Preparatory School is a Catholic, Jesuit, coeducational college preparatory school. Founded in 1891, Prep serves 700 students from the greater Seattle area. The Matteo Ricci College is Seattle University’s innovative accelerated Humanities college offering bachelor degrees in the Humanities, Leadership, and Teaching. The Jesuit Virtual Learning Academy provides Jesuit and Catholic secondary schools online and blended student coursework and teacher professional development – complementary resources schools use to provide the best, most sustainable educational experience for their students.
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S P O R T S U P D AT E
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FALL
Girls Soccer It is one thing to have high expectations, it is another to execute and reach those expectations. Before every game this past season, all of the members of the varsity soccer team wrote “November 21” on tape on their wrists. It was the date of the state soccer championship game and the young women wanted a visual reminder of where they expected to be at the end of the season. After nearly three months of hard work and commitment, the team found itself where it expected to be, the state final. In the state final, the team proved worthy of its national rankings – #12 by Topdrawer Soccer/MaxPreps and #19 by NSCAA – and won the 3A title with a 1-0 win over Southridge of Kennewick. The skill of the team might be best summed up by Southridge coach Greg Sambrano who said, “They were the best high school soccer team I have ever seen. They were phenomenal. We battled, and they put us under pressure. Our kids battled and battled all game long. You’ve got to tip your hat to them. They’re phenomenal. We just couldn’t find a weakness.” The coaches, led by Andy Hendricks ’83, are extremely proud of the accomplishments of these young women and all of the young women in the program, including members of the JV and 3rd team. The strength of Prep soccer is its depth.
Boys Cross Country Led by its seniors, the boys cross country team had a year filled with many big improvements. The year started out with a big win for the sophomore boys group, who went down to the Woodbridge Invitational in Irvine, California and won the sophomore race out of 27 teams. The team continued to improve, but fell one place short of qualifying for the District Championships. With only two seniors graduating from varsity, Seattle Prep is excited for the future of the boys cross country team.
Girls Cross Country A young team that featured eight underclassmen in its top ten runners, the girls cross country team has a bright future at Seattle Prep. With great experience developed by running at the Woodbridge Invitational and competing against Metro’s best week in and week out, this determined group of runners will only get better. Special thanks to the seniors who put in hard work this year and showed improvement in their times over the course of the year.
Volleyball The 2015 volleyball team ended the season with an overall record of 7-15. Despite some very close losses in the tough Metro Mountain Conference, Seattle Prep was poised to make a run in the playoffs, after showing much improvement during the regular season. The Panthers excelled in playoffs finishing sixth in the Metro Tournament Championships with wins over West Seattle and Ballard. The volleyball team fought hard at the District 2 Championships, finishing 6th with a record of 2-3, with wins over Roosevelt and Lake Washington. Prep just missed a state entry by a few touches on the ball. With ten underclassmen on the varsity this past year, the future looks bright for the Panthers.
Co-ed Golf The Seattle Prep golf team completed a great fall season, including fantastic weather, with six girls qualifying for Metro and District action to be completed in May. With a 6-5 record for the boys and a 7-4 record for the girls, Seattle Prep golfers showed great improvement and a desire to get better throughout the season. Ultimately the boys had five players advance to the district tournament in the fall. The coaches are very proud of each player and want to say a special thanks to the seniors for their hard work. SEATTLE PREP PANTHER TRACKS | SPRING 2016 |
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Football Led by a dedicated core group of seniors, the football team advanced to the round of 32 in Washington state and finished with a 4-6 record overall. Despite facing a tough early season schedule, the Panthers rallied behind senior leadership and young skilled players to defeat Lakeside 35-17 and Bainbridge 28-7 to place themselves in a position to make the Metro playoffs. After a close loss to end the regular season, Seattle Prep rallied to defeat Chief Sealth in the first round of postseason action. With the young players improving and the seniors fighting to play another day, Prep battled to the end of the year but came up short in the round of 32 game against Glacier Peak High School. Seattle Prep wants to thank Head Coach Bill McMahon and his staff for helping the young men become better people and better players last season. The Panthers welcome new Head Coach Aaron Maul and his staff to the Prep community for the 2016 season.
The girls swim team had an amazing season this year, finishing with a dual meet record of 5-1 with their only loss being to the 2015 3A State Champions. Every practice, the girls were eager to learn, work hard and continue to improve. Their efforts in practice were validated in their meets, as they posted faster times each competition. Choosing a “swimmer of the meet” or “race of the meet” was nearly impossible, as each meet there were several swimmers worthy of the title. In the Metro League Championships, 23 Prep girls competed at a very fast Snohomish Aquatics Center to have an outstanding meet. Placing 4th overall in the fastest league in the state is no easy feat, and this group of girls worked very hard and was very deserving of this accomplishment. Following the Metro League meet, 11 girls competed in the Sea-King District Championships. To finish off the season, the girls had an outstanding State Championship meet. With two first places, an 8th place and a 15th, the girls placed 9th in the state as a team. Of the 29 person roster this year, 15 of the girls are seniors and will be greatly missed next year! Their leadership and knowledge of both the sport of swimming and the expectations of being a Seattle Prep athlete set a great example for the underclassmen, and the coaches cannot thank them enough for everything they did in and out of the pool this season.
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WINTER
Girls Swimming
Boys Basketball The boys basketball team played one of the toughest schedules in the nation with a team that featured only two seniors. Beginning with Metro action, Prep started 3-2 with a loss to the Garfield Bulldogs, ranked in the top ten in the country at the time. The schedule did not get any easier over Christmas break as the young Panthers traveled to Palm Springs, CA for the MaxPreps National Invitational Tournament where they met Chino Hills of California, the current #1 team in the nation. The Panthers battled for a quarter, but proved to be no match for high powered Chino Hills. Determined not to come home winless from the elite MaxPreps tournament, the Panthers won an exciting one point game vs Windward of Los Angeles. After returning home to Seattle, the team went on a six game winning streak highlighted by a scintillating one point buzzer beater over
hardwood for the Panthers next season as the Panthers will be looking to capitalize on the valuable experiences gained from this season.
Girls Basketball The girls basketball team was truly an amazing group of players! Prep finished the season 12-12, eighth in Metro, with a 12th consecutive trip to the Sea/King District tournament. The Panthers started off slowly with a few injuries, and then finally started to play tougher, stronger and as a team for each other. This was a very young team and thus experience came with each practice and each game. After finishing the Metro regular season with an 8-7 record, the Panthers faced tough loser out games in the Metro playoffs. Despite this pressure on a young team, Prep showed great resolve in defeating both Ballard and Holy Names to advance to Districts. Despite playing Mercer Island tough, the Panthers fell in the first round of Sea-King District action. This year’s team exceeded expectations for the 2015-2016 season as the year continued. With work in the summer, this young Panthers squad will only continue to improve. This will allow them to be better prepared and build additional team camaraderie for the 2016-17 season. Special thanks to the seniors and the Seattle Prep community who came out to support the Panthers.
Boys Swimming Lincoln of Tacoma in the MLK Holiday Classic at the Showare Center in Kent. Prep would finish the regular season by facing the best in the Metro League, capped off by a win over Rainier Beach at home on senior night in a packed McHugh Gymnasium. The post season would prove to be painful for the upstart Panthers, but also featured an “instant classic” in the first round of Sea-King District play. Prep would host a hot Lakeside team featuring the MVP and alltime leading scorer of the Metro League. The Panthers battled and clawed their way to a double overtime victory to move on in the district playoffs, and once again face the Garfield Bulldogs. The Panthers fought hard and made a few runs to keep it close, but in the end the Bulldogs proved too much. Next the Panthers would face Mercer Island in a loser-out game with the winner one game away from winning a state birth. It was a tough shooting night for both teams as each squad struggled to find its rhythm. In the end, Mercer Island prevailed sending the young Panthers out of the hunt for a state birth. Nine players will be returning to the
Success in swimming is dependent on a strong and lasting commitment as well as equal doses of mental and physical toughness. This year’s squad displayed those qualities admirably. From the “Mary Queen of Victory” cheer to the long hours of practice over Christmas break, this group showed the Panther spirit and competitiveness. In Metro action, the team went 5-2 including a thrilling two point victory over Blanchet. Two hard-fought and close losses to Lakeside and O’Dea spurred the team to keep training hard and focus on the postseason. In the Metro championships, the Panthers qualified all 19 members (a big feat on its own) and saw some amazing individual efforts and personal bests all around. The team was also able to come away with a solid 7th place finish overall. The District meet had its ups and downs but Prep was able to put quite a few swimmers through to finals as well as qualifying an individual and several relays for the State Championships. The Panthers finished the season strong at the State meet winning the B final (9th place) in both relays with season best times. Congrats to the 2015-16 boys swim team on a great season! SEATTLE PREP PANTHER TRACKS | SPRING 2016 |
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Prep Launches New Robotics Program
Seattle Prep’s Thomas C. McHugh Gymnasium was transformed into a high tech arena in January, as students from around Washington State competed at Prep’s inaugural Robotics Extravaganza.
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AFTER PUTTING THE GEARS IN MOTION this summer, Prep was excited to launch its new Robotics program at the beginning of the school year. The group, which typically meets a few days a week during the Window block, is led by current Prep parent Willem Scholten. Mr. Scholten brings over 10 years of experience of introducing students from kindergarten through college to the world of integrated system design focusing on engineering, math, biology, computer programming and human and machine interaction. “Everyone should do robotics at least once in their school career” he is fond of saying, and he particularly enjoys opening students’ eyes to the beautiful world of applied robotics. Seattle Prep joined the VEX Robotics program, a program that involves kids from elementary school (VEX
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IQ), High School (VEX EDR) all the way through college (VEX-U) in a fun and competitive way. VEX is active in over 37 countries with more than 15,000 teams all designing, building and competing with robots throughout the year. This program is particularly well suited for Prep, as it allows small teams of students to be very hands-on in the design, construction and programming of the robots, and focuses on getting students to apply their theoretical knowledge in the real world. Prep students have already had several opportunities to gain exposure to, and test their work against, students and programs from around the state. For its first trial run, the team spent a weekend on the campus of Central Washington University, participating in a large, multischool competition this fall. To the delight of parents
The program loves to hear from Prep alumni who are interested in helping us put on Robotics tournaments at Prep, for which we always seek adult role models as judges, referees and volunteers. Contact Director of Alumni, Garrett Cook (gcook@ seaprep.org), and he would love to make an introduction!
and Coach Scholten, Prep attained two awards while competing in the event. First, the freshman team received the “Judges Award,” which recognizes learning growth, commitment and engineering accomplishments. Second, the sophomore team was given the “Sportsmanship Award,” which recognizes the helping of other teams by being supportive and being positive. Building on this momentum, Prep hosted its first large robotics tournament with teams from across the state in January. The Thomas C. McHugh Gymnasium was packed and rocking with 46 robotics teams, made up of over 300 competitors, plus support volunteers and countless spectators. Looking forward, Prep plans to field additional teams, as well as enhance the basic skill training for the students in CAD design, learning enhanced programming techniques, and develop skills to design more advanced game-playing robots. During the off–season (April through June) the program will continue to undertake various projects to help students receive the needed practical experiences in engineering and fabrication. A huge part of the second year and beyond will be reaching out to students in middle schools and helping them get involved in robotics, an experience that is both rewarding and full of learning for our students as teachers and role models.
PREP FOR PREP FOR TOMORROW TOMORROW
I donate to Prep on GiveBIG to honor the people who made my education possible – my parents and teachers.
–Brett Franceschina ‘04
YOU CAN MAKE A BIG DIFFERENCE FOR YOUR CLASS! Visit www.seaprep.org/giveBIG to learn how to make a gift to your class endowment, then encourage your classmates to do the same. All donations made through the Seattle Foundation’s website will support endowments at Seattle Prep to help us Prep for Tomorrow.
MAY 3
MAY 3
For a list of endowments, visit www.seaprep.org/endowment.
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Alumni News & Events Spokane Alumni Event On March 13th, alumni residing in Spokane gathered at O’Doherty’s Irish Grille in downtown Spokane for a regional Panthers event. Alums and their families were treated to appetizers, beverages, and a selection of Prep gear as they shared stories from their days at Prep and fond memories of Seattle. The Panther spirit is certainly alive and well in the Inland Northwest!
Fr. Sullivan Annual Alumni Run On September 5th, alums and their families gathered once again at Lower Woodland on a crisp fall morning. Coaches Mike Niggemeyer and Ben Sauvage hosted the event with the Alumni Association in conjunction with the current Cross Country Team’s time trials. After the current Panthers ran, the alums got their chance, followed by the children. The dozens of extra runners cleared the course and were given a ranking and time and a free t-shirt. Thank you to those who participated in this annual event and if you didn’t, come out next year. We would love to see you!
The first annual Alumni Wiffle Ball Tournament! Alumni Board Chair Brian DiJulio ’79 organized our first Alumni Wiffle Ball Tournament on a blustery day in late August at Ohno Playfield at Montlake. A few dozen alums from various years battled the elements to play and reflect as others stood with hot dogs and took in the action. In the end, eight teams battled it out and we even got to see a home run out of Prep alum and NBA stalwart Spencer Hawes ’06. Thank you to all who came out and participated. We can’t wait to see you next year, hopefully with the winds under 30mph.
New York Alumni Social Alumni in New York City gathered for a social on February 1 at Sidecar in the Upper East Side. We were thrilled that 28 alumni and friends were in attendance. Represented classes spanned almost over 70 years, as attendees included Dan Lyons ’38 all the way up to three recent alums from the Class of 2015.
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Homecoming 2015 a win on and off the field On October 16th, Seattle Prep held its annual Homecoming Game. While the Panthers delighted the crowd with a big win, equally impressive was the number of alums who showed up to cheer on the team. The night started with a tailgate sponsored by the Seattle Prep Parents Association with food and beverage and a special performance by a local drumline. Alumni of the 90’s also celebrated the legacy of former head football coach Rollie Robbins at an event at the West Seattle Golf Course Clubhouse organized by James Rudolf ’96. The game was dedicated to Coach Robbins. Current teacher, baseball coach and alum Max Engel ’96 along with his newborn son, Rollie Engel, performed the honorary coin flip. An exciting night was capped off by the large crowd being serenaded by the football team with the fight song.
“Doc” Robertson Inducted into the Hall Of Fame On Friday, January 15th, in Everett, legendary cross country running coach, John “Doc” Robertson was inducted into the Hall of Fame by the Washington State Cross Country Coaches Association. Longtime friend and coaching mate Mike Niggemeyer was in attendance at the ceremony and said, “Doc had what must be the most dominant ten years in the history of the state. I can’t think of another program that had more sustained success.” Coach Robertson spent several years at the helm of Prep’s Cross Country program and also spent decades as an assistant coach and athletic team doctor for Seattle Prep. In his acceptance speech, Coach Robertson reflected, The challenge as I see it for every XC coach is convincing high school kids to accept the sacrifices in their social lives that consistent daily training requires and then have them accept the inevitable suffering that is racing a 5K. In essence, getting kids to do what they
didn’t think they could do, in large part by teaching them that consistent hard work and paying attention to details matter. Not an easy task in this day and age, and one that requires building a culture of success and getting kids to buy-in. Every coach has his or her own unique approach to accomplish this. When I began coaching, because of my medical practice, I was only at practice three days each week for the hard workouts. I quickly realized that if I didn’t have a stronger connection with the kids they would be less likely to buy in to the program. The limited time of these workouts just didn’t allow us to get to know each other very well. To remedy this, I began calling each of them in the evenings at least once a week for one-on-one conversations about any and everything. How were their grades, were they getting the sleep they needed and eating well? How were they responding to the workouts? Did they have any “owies” of concern? Just getting to know them not only as runners but also as individuals. It also gave me a chance to explain why we did the things we did and what they could expect from upcoming workouts and races. Whatever benefit these calls may have had for the kids, they were a great opportunity for me to get to know them better, get feedback on the program and motivate them as best I could. As a result I felt their commitment to the program steadily grow and as a result we became a stronger team. Bottom line, they trusted me and the process more. Congratulations on your most deserving award, Doc, and thank you for your dedication to Seattle Prep athletics!
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Prep Talks with Mark Titus ’90 On December 3rd, we staged our first installment of PREP TALKS. This series features members of our community sharing special skills and stories from their careers, answering student and faculty questions and providing mentorship to students. The December 3rd talk was titled “The Breach” and featured Mark Titus ’90. Mark is behind the film “The Breach” which looks at the keystone species of the Northwest salmon. The film touches on issues such as river dams, farmed vs wild salmon, the history of salmon in the Northwest and other keys to the salmon population. The lecture included clips from the award winning documentary, a presentation from the director and a question and answer period. Over 40 students and faculty were in attendance. Mr. Titus also filmed part of his upcoming film on campus at Seattle Prep in conjunction with drama teacher Adam Othman and with support from Prep’s film class.
33rd Annual Alumni Basketball Tournament A Success! On a sunny March weekend, Panther legends from both near and far (including a player all the way from Colorado) laced it up for the 33rd annual Alumni Basketball Tournament and a shot at hoops glory. The tournament featured three divisions, with the Class of 1994 winning the Ignatius Division, Classes of 2007/08 the victors in the White Division, and the Classes of 2010/11 as the champions of the Blue Division. In the title game, 2007/08 clenched the victory and were crowned tournament champions. New for this year, we were very excited to see a strong showing from our first women’s team, led by Kari Luttinen ’11. Congratulations to all who played and our victors. A special thanks to the tournament committee, led by Ted Plumis ’92, and all our volunteers who made this another success. We can’t wait to see you next year!
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UPCOMING
EVENTS
C ALENDAR Alumni Night with the Addams Family On February 20th nearly 40 alums and their family members enjoyed the Seattle Prep premiere of The Addams Family. The popular musical sold out several performances and had stand out performances from Juan Bernal as Gomez Addams, Lily Dowling as Morticia Addams, Lillie Brown as Wednesday Addams and James Rheaume as Mal Beineke as well as the rest of the strong cast. The Alumni Night provided complimentary tickets, reserved theater seating, a pre-show reception and a question and answer period with director Adam Othman and musical director Dr. Huntley Beyer. Thank you to all who joined us and we invite all alums to join us next year for Alumni Theater Night.
APRIL 2016 Friday, April 22nd: PARENT ASSOCIATION WINE GALA Saturday, April 23rd:
POPPS (PARENTS OF PAST PREP STUDENTS) MAY 2016 Thursday, May 19th:
SEATTLE PREP ALUMNI GOLF CLASSIC, REDMOND RIDGE JUNE 2016 Thursday, June 2nd:
BACCALAUREATE MASS Friday, June 3rd:
GRADUATION/DISTINGUISHED ALUM AWARD JULY 2016 Friday – Sunday, July 22nd – 24th:
ALUMNI REUNION WEEKEND AUGUST 2016 August 20th: Rancho Mirage Alumni Reception On Wednesday, December 30, alumni and friends gathered in Rancho Mirage, CA, for an Alumni Reception along with the families of Prep’s boys varsity basketball team. The team traveled to Palm Springs over Christmas break to participate in the prestigious national MaxPreps Holiday Classic, giving alums in the area the chance to cheer on the Panthers over the course of the tournament. The reception featured food and fellowship, as well as a special piano rendition of the original Panther Fight Song, performed by Josh Parker ’46.
PANTHER WIFFLE BALL CLASSIC ON OHNO FIELD AT MONTLAKE PLAYFIELD SEPTEMBER 2016 September 19th:
MASS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT September 30th:
HOMECOMING, WEST SEATTLE STADIUM
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CLASS N OT E S 1940s
1950s
Chuck McHugh ’42
John Fitzgerald DDS ’51
Chuck is enjoying his elder years at The Ida Culver
John is teaching at UW Dental School, Department of Oral Medicine,
House Ravenna. Dr. John Mirante ‘50 also resides at
mentoring junior and senior dental students and RDH (hygienic) on
The Ida Culver House Ravenna.
treating medically compromised patients.
Greg Lambert ’43 Greg and Mary Kay have 12 children, 18 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Greg is a Navy pilot and a graduate of the University of Washington. The happy couple are still very active traveling and love going out on their boat.
Fr. John Topel, S.J. ’52, Fr. David Leigh, S.J. ’55 and Fr. Bob Grimm, S.J.’65 Fr. Topel (50 years a priest), Fr. Leigh (60 years a Jesuit) and Fr. Grimm (50 years a Jesuit) celebrated together their Golden Jubilees in October 2015. The three Seattle Prep alums concelebrated Mass in honor of their dedication. Fr. Topel spoke in his homily about the sacrifice of Jesus and how it extends to all of us, to act priestly. “And so it is not Fr. John Topel or Fr. David Leigh or Fr. Bob Grimm who is offering this holy sacrifice, but Jesus, our great high priest; we are the agents who help you enact Jesus’ saving action in your own lives.” Fr Topel went on to remark, “So your priestly task is the same as ours, to empty yourselves out as servants of one another. That is what we have experienced from all of you. We three have experienced that love from our parents, the nuns who taught us and the Jesuit teachers at Seattle Prep.” Congratulations to all three proud sons of Seattle Prep and thank you for your dedication and sacrifice to our faith.
Mike Pigott ’54 Mike continues his work as a tax professional and wonders how
Class of ’45 The class of 1945 gathered for the 70th consecutive
many classmates are out there.
year in late August! Bob Markey ’45 organized
Tony Zimmerman DDS ’56
the luncheon at the Seattle Yacht Club. A strong
Tony finally retired after a rewarding 49 year career in dentistry.
contingent of classmates shared a meal, stories and
Recently, he spent two weeks with his wife, son and daughter visiting
many memories. Congratulations on this special
Uganda, enjoying the beautiful countryside, very friendly people,
tradition!
and donating soccer balls to many of the schools.
George Taylor ’45
John Barnes ’56
George has been married to Norma for 63 years,
After graduating from Seattle U in 1962, John taught school and
they have 5 children, 13 grandchildren and 11 great-
coached in the Auburn School District. After retiring, he drove a
grandchildren. Family keeps them busy all year long.
shuttle bus for the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center for 21 years,
George is still enjoying good health.
retiring in 2013. He married Sandy in 1968. They have two daughters and three grandchildren.
Jody Melia ’49
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Jody met his wife of 62 years at Prep’s Garrigan Gym.
Jim Walsh ’56
He first saw her on a bus and it was love at first sight.
Jim’s memories of Seattle Prep are clouded by the uproar surrounding
He still can’t believe that you can love someone so
the end of the Ice Age, he says. He was Seattle Prep’s first National
much. He married at 21, she was 18. They had 7 kids.
Merit Scholar in 1956, the first year the award was offered.
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1960s Marco Magnano ’60 and classmates from ’60 On September 16th, members of the class of 1960 got together at the Magnolia Pub. The event was a success and Marco hopes that they can have several more get-togethers in the future and connect with even more classmates.
Mark Frisby ’60 Mark Frisby ’60 has been named head tennis coach for the Panthers. Coach Frisby brings a wealth of experience to the court, having coached at the high school and collegiate levels.
Kelly Corr ’66 Kelly Corr has decided to retire and call it a career. He was recently on the cover of the 2015 Super Lawyers magazine with the feature story titled “ We’ve got to get Kelly Corr, Why Nirvana, Alaska Airlines and Hearst wanted him around; Bill Gates and Courtney Love, not so much.” The article, by Ross Anderson, includes many aspects of Kelly’s life including his childhood and family life, early career milestones and his success as a named partner in the firm, Corr Cronin Michelson Baumgardner Fogg & Moore. When speaking of his childhood, Kelly recalls being the eldest of five brothers, Casey ’73, Pat ’76, Chris ’79 and Kerry, their father was a police officer and mother a nurse. The boys all went to Catholic schools growing up. Lifelong friend and classmate Tom Keefe ’66 says, “It was a loving supportive family. Their dad would come home from work, take off his sidearm, then sit at the dinner table and ask each boy about his day.” Corr was a talented student who graduated at the top of his Seattle Prep class and landed at Williams College in Massachusetts. He started thinking about law and found himself as an intern for U.S. Senator Warren Magnuson. He recalls a conversation between Sen. Magnuson, Sen. Scoop Jackson and Sen. Walter Mondale where Kelly was able to observe a moment that shaped Kelly’s legal style. While Jackson took a hard line, Magnuson instead took the tack that the people of Washington were hurting and if Mondale helped he would appreciate it and not forget it. Kelly preferred the style of Magnuson. Kelly has been a lead in cases involving Nirvana, Bill Gates, Hearst Publishing (Seattle P.I.), The Wilson Sisters and Alaska Airlines just to name a few. He also was deeply involved in the State Bar Association, chaired the Young Lawyers’ section, worked on AIDS issues and won the State Bar’s President Award in 1989. King County Superior Court Judge Richard McDermott says of Kelly, “He is a lawyer’s lawyer, the kind of hardworking, skilled and intelligent attorney all of us would aspire to be.” Congratulations on your great career and deserved retirement. We look forward to your next success as co-chair of the Class of ’66 Reunion committee.
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Brian Gough ’67 Brian is praying for some Seattle rain in Southern
1980s
California this year and looking forward to joining
Mykel Tulloch ‘80
Don Kardong ’67, Pat Irwin ’67 and Tom O’Leary
37 years ago Mykel spent
’67 at the Bloomsday Run in Spokane this spring!
his first day in the United States on the campus
Patrick Prociv ’69
of Seattle Prep and is
Pat flew from Seattle Prep directly to the UW,
celebrating his first year
banked hard right, and attended Clover Park
as a U.S. Citizen. Mykel
Vocational Tech, obtaining his FAA Aircraft
lives in Miami Beach but
Mechanics Certificate in 1972. He has been
remains an avid Seahawks
married 43 years to Michele Dorratcague, who
fan!
had volunteered at Prep dances. Pat worked for US Navy Aviation at sea and shore. Over the course of 38 years, Pat worked in many facets of the professional general aviation maintenance industry. A great joy for Pat is teaching this honorable profession at South Seattle College’s Aircraft Maintenance Technicians’ program. Pat and Michele have three sons and one grandson, Alex, aged three. A fond memory for Pat was playing a part in 1977 of the restoration of Bill Helsell’s classic Beechcraft Staggerwing airplane (featured story in the Fall ’15 Panther Tracks). He wishes to thank Bill for this opportunity and Seattle Prep for the solid foundation for his life.
1970s
Rocky Rhodes ’83
Class of 1975
In January, Rocky made a decision to benefit fellow Rotarian Tony
The class of 1975 met for a reunion this fall for
Falato. The inspiring story starts with Rocky’s move to Simi Valley
a two-day event at Stafford’s Restaurant and
where he met Tony at their Rotary Club. When he learned his friend
for a boat cruise. The event was led by Doug
needed a kidney, he volunteered to have a blood test to see if they were
Dragovich ’75.
a match. He was not, but Cedars Sinai is leading the nation in nonmatched donor transplants that are only possible with a living donor. Rocky went ahead with the transplant, citing inspiration from his stepmother who donated a kidney to a stranger at age 70. “If she can do it, I can do it,” He said. “Knowing that this really cool human being gets to stick around a little bit longer, that’s pretty gratifying.” Rocky said. Here’s to great health for both Tony and Rocky and thank you for your humility and generosity of spirit.
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Bill Hall ’89 Bill married Candice Bassell from Wichita, Kansas at the Seattle Aquarium in August 2015. In attendance were Charlie Hall ‘94, Brad Kaloper ‘89, David Martin ‘89, Kevin Judson ‘89, Doug Spence ‘89, Aurora (Almeda) Martin ‘89, Andy Taylor ‘89 and the spirit of David Ames ‘89. Good times
1990s Sean Connell ’94 Sean has spent several years at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C. and has been actively involved in the U.S.–Korea Free Trade agreement and the early stages of the TransPacific Partnership that concluded last year.
were had by all and honeymoon is scheduled for Tanzania in July 2016.
David Gravenkemper ’89 David, his wife Stephanie and their two boys, Jack and Mikey moved to Sydney, Australia in October. He is working for Major League Baseball where he will be in ticketing and marketing for the six Australian baseball teams.
Bryce Fisher ’95 In January, Prep welcomed alumnus Bryce Fisher ’95 back to campus for a special ceremony in conjunction with the NFL. As part of the NFL’s community outreach program, Bryce presented Seattle Prep with a golden football in honor of his Super Bowl XL appearance as a Seahawk. The presentation celebrated the mutual success of Bryce as a player and business leader and the role Prep played in his success. Speaking of his time at Seattle Prep, Bryce said, “I learned to be more than just a 14 year old football player. Prep is special because they require you to volunteer and give back. They work to make you a better person and it has caused me to become the man and father I am today.” Congratulations to Bryce for his outstanding service to the community and his success on the gridiron and thank you for your continued support of your alma mater!
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Marc Dela Cruz ’97 Marc returned to Seattle from New York last November as a member of the cast of the musical If/Then at the Paramount Theater, a show that follows two different paths of a woman’s life. The highly regarded musical starred Idina Menzel, who starred in Rent, Wicked and the Disney movie, Frozen, and Anthony Rapp of the hit show and movie Rent. Marc grew up in the Magnolia neighborhood and was especially proud to return to the stage that launched his early career in some of Seattle’s fine local productions. Some of Marc’s other credits include, My Fair Lady, Miss Saigon, Allegiance and High School Musical.
2000s Josephine Hidalgo ’97 and John Hidalgo ’00 Josephine and John were spotted by the Seattle Prep delegation on a pilgrimage to see Pope Francis in September of 2015!
Molly Burns ’97 Molly Burns and her husband Juan Fernandez welcomed their beautiful daughter, Rocío Nella Fernandez Burns, on December 6, 2015.
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Theresa (Hornick) Larson ’99 Theresa is set to launch her first book, Warrior, an autobiography that will debut this spring. Here is the description of her work: In this inspiring memoir, a former female Marine platoon leader recalls the wars she has fought—on the playing field, the battlefield, and inside her own soul—revealing how overcoming the harrowing circumstances in her life helped her ultimately redefine what it means to be strong and what “perfect” really is.
Maria (Papasedero) Vermeer ’00 Maria and her husband Nick recently had a baby, Amelia, who celebrated her first birthday on November 30th. Maria and Nick live in Seattle
Theresa Larson has lived multiple lives. At ten she was a
and Amelia is a sweetheart who brings a lot of joy
caregiver to her dying mother. As an adolescent, an All-Star
to their lives.
high school, college, and professional softball player. As a young adult, a fitness competition winner, beauty pageant
Clay Packard ’00
contestant, and model. And as a grown woman, a high-
Clay and his wife Meghan are expecting their first
achieving Lieutenant in the Marines, in charge of an entire
child, a boy, in early April.
platoon while deployed in Iraq. Meanwhile, Theresa was battling bulimia nervosa, an internal struggle that ultimately cut short her military service when she was voluntarily evacuated from combat. Theresa’s journey to wellness required the bravery to ask for help, to take care of herself first, and abandon the idea of “perfect.” In Warrior, she lays bare all of these lives in intimate and vivid detail, examining extremely personal and sometime painful moments and how, by finally accepting the help of others, she learned to make herself whole. From growing up in a log cabin outside Seattle to facing down the enemy in Iraq, Theresa’s journey demonstrates that good health and happiness is a daily, intentional act that requires persistence and commitment.
Jimmy Twining ’01
Theresa hopes that through sharing her story, she will help
Jimmy married Laura Smith at St. Patrick’s
inspire others to empower themselves, embrace their inner
Church in Tacoma on September 27, 2014, with
warrior and re-define strength. Startling and funny, terrifying
the reception following at Chambers Bay.
and triumphant, heartbreaking and inspirational, Warrior is
Wedding party included Seattle Prep alums Anne
at heart a story of perseverance and success—of a determined woman who is a model for everyone struggling to conquer their own demons. Theresa shows that asking for help can be an act of courage, and that we are stronger than we think when faced with seemingly impossible odds.
Marie ’03, Jeff ’05 and Paul ’08 Twining, and Matt Hunt, Nick Walker and Marcus Ohno, all class of 2001! Jimmy and Laura are living in Tacoma and expecting their first child.
The book is available on Amazon and select book stores nationwide. Theresa has also offered alumni and friends two free chapters at www.warriorthebook.com. SEATTLE PREP PANTHER TRACKS | SPRING 2016 |
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Kris Dales ’04 Kris married Madalyn Alexander on August 15, 2015 in Mazama, WA. Kris is currently pursuing a Master of Arts Education degree at Vermont College of the Arts. Madalyn is a fourth-grade teacher in Renton Public Schools.
Laura (Blangiardi) Hosford ’04 Laura and her husband, Ned Hosford, gave birth to a daughter, Isla Mahealani Hosford, on August 12, 2015 in Seattle. They are overjoyed to welcome her into their lives!
Vanna Waldron ’04 Vanna is studying Nurse/Midwifery at Seattle University.
Mark Laughery ’05 Mark spent the summer of 2015 working in Kenya.
Young Alums at Homecoming
Megan McClean ’06 Megan graduated from Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, in May 2015, Cum Laude and with high honors in her third
Anne Marie Twining ’03
year core clerkships. She received her undergraduate degree from
Anne Marie recently moved back to Seattle and
University of Washington in Neurobiology in 2010. Currently, Megan
is excited to begin a job in the Neonatal Intensive
is completing her first year medical internship in the Chicago area. In
Care Unit at Seattle Children’s Hospital. Anne
June 2016, she will transfer to the University of Missouri to complete
Marie received a Masters of Science in Nursing,
her residency in Dermatology. Congratulations, Dr. McClean.
with Honors, from DePaul University in Chicago.
Richard Maguire ’07
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Sarah (McCarthy) Jaffe ’04
Richard is attending medical school at Eastern Virginia Medical School
Sarah married Colin Jaffe in September 2015 at a
in Norfolk and, after years of hard work, was commissioned an officer
ceremony in Brooklyn, NY. She and her husband
in the United States Navy Reserve, Medical Corps. He is on track to
currently live in Brooklyn.
graduate in 2019 and intends to be on permanent active duty.
| SEATTLE PREP PANTHER TRACKS | SPRING 2016
2010s Jack DeShaw ’10 Jack continues his ascent in the front office of the Seattle Mariners. He started as a game day staff member and now is a full time event services manager for the local baseball club.
Charlie Spencer-Davis ’11 Charlie is working at Pennon Construction.
Gabriela Chacon ’10 Gabriella graduated from Arizona State University in 2014. She is currently in her second year teaching 6th & 7th grade science at Connolly Middle School in the Aspire Program for gifted students. She
was
awarded
the
Tempe,
Arizona
School District’s Rookie Teacher of the Year for 2014 – 2015 for her work in LEGO Robotics, Tempe’s Geeks’ Night Out and her successful fundraising efforts so her class could adopt an endangered wolf. In the summers, Gabriela works as a researcher
Brendan Larson ’12
for ASU in their Sustainability in Education
“Eight years later and we’re still celebrating Max Bertell0tti’s 13th
program where she will begin her Masters in
birthday. Nothing’s changed.”
Education in the fall.
Jackson Clough ’12 Jackson was featured in an article in the Whitman Pioneer highlighting his career on the basketball court and how his role has changed due to an injury his senior year. Jackson suffered an Achilles tendon injury early in his campaign and was ruled out for the season. The head men’s basketball coach at Whitman College engaged Jackson and encouraged him to be a player coach. This took Jackson’s leadership to a new level and he has excelled. Coach Bridgeland noted in the article that his high school experience at Seattle Prep as a multi-sport athlete, a quarterback, point guard and pitcher, made the transition a natural. “He was an extraordinary player before the injury but after the injury, his leadership went to a whole other level.” Congratulations to Jackson on his maturity as a student athlete. He is a proud example of the attributes that Seattle Prep is so very proud of.
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Andrew Hermann ’13 Andrew, a current student at Xavier University, has put his Christian Service experience to good use in the form of a program he named, Better World Beans. While on his service trip to the Dominican Republic, he spent time in the community of Franco Bidó in 2011. He has gone back to the community every year since. He wanted to create a business that would offer the farmers a competitive price for their coffee. Says Andrew: “Better World Beans buys directly from a newly formed cooperative of families in Franco Bidó. I pay the farmers more than 3
Tere Calloway ’13
and 1/2 times what the normal commodity market has been paying
Tere has transferred to Alabama A & M to play
them and I work with them to assess needs and connect them with
football. He is expected to make an impact for the
resources and knowledge to improve their methods, grow better coffee,
Bulldogs in the upcoming season.
and sustain the land. Because I hope to go into the field of Agroecology, I am trying to introduce methods of sustainable agriculture that can create better quality coffee, feed the community and create new economic development.” Good luck Andrew on your new venture and thank you for serving the mission of social justice.
Joe Hardy ’14
Jordan Tolentino ’15
Joe had a great first year at the University of
Jordan is finishing his first year at the
Wisconsin, Madison. He ran all year and thrives
U.S. Naval Academy and has recently
in the college and on the team. The Badgers went
appeared in the school’s spring
to the NCAA Division 1 Championships in fall
musical.
2014 and Joe won the Big 10 conference 1500 championship in the spring of 2015.
WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
Jonathan Khalfayan ’15 Jonathan, a freshman at Stanford, is a proud member of the #13 ranked Cardinal Lacrosse Team and has scored two goals to date.
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Submit your stories to Garrett Cook, Director of Alumni Relations, at alum@seaprep.org.
PLANNED G I V I N G
EDUCATION IS THE BASIS FOR EVERYTHING By Katrina Freeburg, CFRE Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving
Is education one of your family values? For many people, estate planning is a way to honor important individuals and organizations in their lives. You can provide for your family’s future and leave a legacy at Seattle Prep. Visit prepfortomorrow.org to learn more. Individuals who make a gift to Prep in their estate are invited to join the Panther Legacy Society. Contact Katrina Freeburg, Director of Major Gifts and Planned Giving at kfreeburg@seaprep.org or (206) 577-2237 for details.
SENDING THEIR SON Peter ’11 to Seattle Prep was an easy decision for Jack and Ann Christiansen. Both were raised with a when (not if) you go to college mentality. “Education is the basis of everything. We wanted Peter to be well-rounded, to know there is a larger world out there,” said Ann. “You’re a piece of a larger puzzle.” As an only child, and the only member of his St. John’s class to attend Prep, Peter stepped a little out of his comfort zone, but Prep’s reputation for academics matched the emphasis his parents placed on education. “My parents always stressed education. It’s a privilege, not a right. They taught me to work for it – and work hard – because it was such a great opportunity. Looking back on it now, I’m very grateful,” said Peter. “It was super well-rounded in athletics, academics and socially. I’m just thankful to be a Panther!” Prep also reinforced the family’s value of volunteerism and their Christian faith. The family culture at Prep was equally attractive. Even before Peter arrived, connections to the Prep community became evident. Family friends and Prep alumni, Kris Bundy ’79 and Michele Thornquist ’81, wrote letters of recommendation for Peter’s application. Jack’s friends and sailing buddies told stories of rumbles in the Arboretum after the O’Dea football games. “It almost seemed like the rumbles were just as important, if not more so, than the games themselves,” Jack recalled. These conversations helped Peter start to realize how big, and how small, the world really is. He was joining a larger community. “Even now, when I’m out in a Prep shirt or hat, people will approach me and start telling me their Prep experiences.” Peter recently played cards with Spencer Hawes ’06. The two never crossed paths at Prep, but a lacrosse buddy of Peter’s created the connection. At Prep, Peter joined the football and lacrosse teams, serving as the lacrosse captain his senior year. Kairos was another highlight. It made such an impact that Peter volunteered to be a leader his senior year. Dr. Huntley Beyer nurtured another of Peter’s passions: singing. “Choir was awesome! I always enjoyed singing, and I had never done choir
before, but Dr. Beyer is the man and made it so much fun.” “As parents, we didn’t appreciate Prep until after the fact. It was a grind when we were in the throes of it (balancing academics and extra-curriculars). ‘What do you mean football went late?!’” Ann recalls telling her son. “‘You have tutoring!’” Peter’s gratitude is one reason he donates to his class endowment every year. “My parents blessed me with a great high school education that prepared me to go to college. That is something not everyone gets to do. If I can give someone else that chance to get ahead in life and thank my parents at the same time… It’s such a small sacrifice to give such a great gift.” Jack and Ann’s gratitude for Peter’s experience at Prep is the reason they decided to leave a bequest in their estate to the Class of 2011 Endowment. “Prep gave Peter such a boost and head start in education and life,” Jack said. Ann remembers writing the tuition checks every month. “It was tight, but I knew it was totally worth it. Both Seattle Prep and St. John’s were worthwhile investments. Peter’s college scholarships more than covered what we paid at Prep.” “We all want the best for our children,” Ann added. “I feel for people who want that experience for their child and can’t make it happen. Education is the basis for everything; it’s never wasted.” Updating their wills took some time, but the decision to support Prep did not. “We waited 20 years to do this. We won’t take that long next time. We had to ask ourselves, ‘Where do we want to be? How do we make that happen? How do we preserve our son’s well-being? Are there other organizations we want to support?’ We think of it as a life plan – this is what we’ve done so far and where we are. Our estate plans are a guide to help those who are important to us. We’re choosing to do it this way and it’s good. You try to plan so many other things in life, so why not plan a little now, so that the produce of your life is shared with the people you want, in the way you want.” Peter completely supports his parents’ decision. “I think it’s a great way to continue their legacy, and reach out to help people when they’re gone. You can’t receive, unless you give first.”
SEATTLE PREP PANTHER TRACKS | SPRING 2016 |
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IN MEMORIAM Richard Raymaker ’41
The following is a list of deceased Seattle Prep alumni and friends who we were notified about by March 11, 2016. Please join us in prayerful remembrance of those who have passed away.
avid theatergoer and enjoyed sports, music Richard passed away December 2nd at and movies. He loved interior design and Northwest Hospital after a long illness. He is remodeling as well as creating furniture and decorative artwork. He is survived by survived by his loving wife Evelyn. wife Chloe, son Kurt ’76, daughters Nicola Robert “Bob” Logan McIver ’42 and Elizabeth, five grandchildren, four of Bob passed away on February 19th. He was his eight siblings and many members of his preceded in death by his wife Helen Strons extended family. McIver in 2002. Bob was a lifelong Seattleite, graduating from Prep and Seattle University. Henry “Hank” Elliot ’49 Hank passed away on November 21, He served in the United States Navy during WWII as a radioman second class on the USS 2014. Hank was born in Aliquippa, PA. He graduated from Seattle Prep and received a Dupage. He is survived by sons: Robert ’71, Terry Bachelor’s Degree from Seattle University in ’72, John ’73 and James and his daughters: 1954. He then served in the Marine Corps for Kathleen Gierzak, and Mary Jo Rerucha; and three years. He worked for IBM for 30 years. His career brought his family from Seattle, ten grandchildren. to Denver, to San Jose and Beijing then back Stanley “Stan” Sifferman ’43 to Seattle for his retirement. After Hank Stan passed away on October 14th. retired, he devoted his time to developing Following his graduation from Prep, Stan charities, traveling and playing tennis. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He dedicated his skills and expertise to "build was selected for the V-12 Naval College the capacities" of numerous non-profits. This Training Program and commissioned as a work gave him the most satisfaction of his 2nd lieutenant in 1945. After the war, Stan professional career. In his death he donated received his degree in meteorology from the his body to research through the University University of Washington and was hired of Washington Donor Program. by Dr. Irving P. Krick for his long-range Hank is survived by his wife of 63 years, forecasting and weather modification firm Betty; his children Suzanne, Kate, Nancye in Denver. He returned to Seattle in 1961 to and Carl Elliott ’81; and eight grandchildren. work for the Boeing Company. He retired in Robert “Bob” Kokesh ’49 1990. Bob passed away peacefully at home on Stan loved watching local sports teams and his passion was playing golf. Stan is survived September 23rd. He attended St. Edward, by his wife of 30 years, Frances “Rusty”; his Seattle Prep and Seattle University. After sons: Joseph ’69, Bob ’70 and Mark ’73; nine graduating with a degree in English grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren. Literature, he worked as a Surplus Line He is also survived by his brother Paul ’48. He Insurance Broker for Voigt Walker, was preceded in death by his wife, Kathleen; transferring to their Portland office in 1962. daughters, Mary and Peg; granddaughter, In 1982, he started Kokesh & Co., which he ran until he retired in 1997. Nikki; and second wife, Doris. Bob was an avid hiker and loved exploring Richard “Rick” Eisen ’49 the West Coast mountains. He shared his Rick passed away on January 16th. He was love of the outdoors with his family on a native Seattleite and long-time resident skiing and fishing excursions. He always had of Mercer Island. He attended St. Therese his Leica camera in hand to get the perfect School, Seattle Prep and the University of photo. After college, he traveled to Europe Washington. He spent his entire career in via steamship and made several return various managerial positions with the Bon visits including business trips to Lloyd's of Marche. Rick was a devoted Catholic, an London. He is survived by his wife, Arlene;
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daughters, Vanessa and Theresa; and one granddaughter.
Howard Buck ’50 Howard passed away peacefully at his home in Sammamish on November 17th. Howard attended St. Mary Elementary and Seattle Prep, followed by Gonzaga and Seattle University, where he earned an MBA in Finance. In college, he participated in ROTC and served two years in the Army as a Lieutenant in an ordinance division in Germany. Howard was a loyal employee of the Boeing Company for 45 years, and retired as the Director of Finance for the Shared Services Division. No one who knew Howard could miss his infectious passion for sports. In high school he played basketball and baseball, and also played baseball at Gonzaga University. He spent countless hours coaching and refereeing youth sports, sharing his passion with generations of kids. He also played in the Old-timer's Fast Pitch Softball League with his brothers and his sons, and he was an avid golfer in retirement. Howard is survived by his wife of 62 years, Colleen Riley Buck, and his six children, Michael, Gary, Teresa, Kelly, Sean and Brian, as well as his 11 grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren.
Victor “Tony” Angelo Manca ’50 Tony passed away on September 3rd. He lived a full life surrounded by family and friends. He grew up on Queen Anne and mainly Capitol Hill, attended St. Anne and St. Joseph grade schools, Seattle Prep and Seattle University before graduating from UCLA in 1954. He served two years as a U.S. Army officer. He was known for his work at Frederick & Nelson for many years as Food Division Manager. He also worked in sales at Weisfield and Manca Imports. For the last 30 years, he devoted his time and energy to his real estate investments. He was an active parishioner at Our Lady of Fatima, especially enjoying coaching his children's grade school sports teams. He had been a talented pitcher throughout his grade school, high school and college years, and sports always
remained a primary interest, especially his Seattle Mariners. Tony was married to Kathy (Humes) for 57 years and had four children: Anthony, John, Joe and Angela Gardner; 12 grandchildren, including Will Gardner ’19; and two greatgrandchildren.
John “Jack” Tallman ’51 Jack passed away in Roseville, CA on July 2nd. He was born in Chefoo, China, where his father, a naval officer, was serving on a destroyer on the old "China Station." As the son of a naval officer, Jack’s family moved often, and during his early years, he attended more than 12 schools between kindergarten and junior high school. Following his father’s retirement from the Navy, the family settled in Seattle where Jack was able to put down some roots. He enrolled at Seattle Prep, which, according to Jack was “run by the splendid Jesuits who provided outstanding role models.” He described his four years at Prep as the most beneficial and influential of his life. In 1951, Jack entered the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in 1955. He was awarded his Navy wings of gold on December 12, 1956, and began his career as a Navy fighter pilot. He reported to the VF-64 squadron and began flying the F-3 Demon. His first cruise was aboard the USS Midway where he achieved Centurion status (100 carrier landings) as one of only a handful of aviators to achieve that mark during the 195859 cruise. For two years, July 1962 to June 1964, he served as an exchange officer, flying with 899 Squadron at Yeovilton, England. While there, he flew the DeHaviland Sea Vixen and the Hawker Hunter T8. Upon his return to the United States he began flying the Navy’s most advanced fighter, the McDonnell Douglas F-4B Phantom. Jack earned a Master of Science degree in Management at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA. He was promoted to Captain USN and his last active duty assignment was as Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Point Mugu, CA. Following his command of
NAS Point Mugu; he retired from the US Navy in September 1983. Upon retirement from the Navy, he obtained employment with Northrop Corporation in Pico Rivera, CA. He retired from Northrop and moved to Grants Pass, OR, where he was an instructor at Rogue Community College, teaching business and computer courses. His students nominated him for inclusion in the 1994 edition of Who's Who Among American Teachers. In 1995, Jack moved to Colfax, CA. He found happiness in his home on “Hayford Hill.” He particularly enjoyed exploring the North and Middle forks of the American River, running, playing tennis, skiing in the Lake Tahoe area and flying out of Beale AFB. Jack is survived by three sons; John Tallman Jr., Patrick Tallman and Michael Tallman; and five grandchildren.
Don Isham, Jr. ’52 Don passed away on September 9th. Don graduated from the University of Washington in 1956, with a B.A. in Political Science, having worked summers at a Ballard lumber mill and as a seaman in the Merchant Marine. In 1956, Don began serving as a carrier fighter pilot for the U.S. Navy, flying a Douglas AD Skyraider and he served as weapons officer on the U.S.S. Midway during a deployment to Japan. He joined the Naval Reserve in 1960, flying out of Sand Point and Whidbey Island Naval Air Stations, and retired in 1982 with the rank of captain. In 1960, Don entered law school at the University of Washington, and began private practice in 1963, retiring in 2010. Don was a member of the Northgate Rotary Club, the Caribou Hunting and Fishing Club, and the National Rifle Association, and he supported charities assisting Native Americans. Don is survived by his wife Martha; his ex-wife Victoria Isham; his children: Brett, Brooke and Bryce Isham; and his stepchildren Chap and Warren Taylor and Martha Collins.
Richard “Dick” Tessier ’52 Dick passed away on November 23rd. Dick graduated from Seattle University in 1957 with a Bachelor Degree in Commercial Science. He joined the ROTC and attained the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the Army Reserves. While at Seattle U, he met Virginia "Ginny" Stevens and they married June 4, 1958. In 1959, Dick started working at Seafirst Bank/Bank of America and retired in 1997 after 38 years of service. He held a number of positions during his career including Dexter Horton Branch, Industrial Branch, Head Office, and Credit Manager of Special Credits. In 1962, Dick and Ginny moved from Seattle to Kirkland, where they raised their four children. Following Dick's retirement in 1997, Dick and Ginny built and moved to their dream home at Wapato Point on Lake Chelan in Manson, WA. Dick loved living there (busy summers and quiet winters), spending time with family and friends, boating, swimming, golfing and snowshoeing. Dick was involved in the community and was a member of the Wapato Point Architectural Committee and served on the Board of Division II Homeowners Association. In 2012, Ginny passed away, and in October 2014 Dick moved back to the Seattle area to a retirement home (Bellewood) in Issaquah to be closer to his family. Dick enjoyed coaching little league baseball, following and watching Seattle's sports teams, wine making with his banking buddies, boating, fishing, traveling, collecting antiques and art, reading and crossword puzzles. Dick was an active parishioner of the Catholic churches wherever he lived: St Brendan (Bothell); St John Vianney (Kirkland); St Francis de Sales (Chelan); and Mary Queen of Peace (Sammamish). Dick is survived by his children: Stephen, Lori and David; and three granddaughters. Dick is preceded in death by his wife Ginny and son Mark.
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James “Jim” Malneritch ’54 Jim passed away on December 14th. He was born Jan 17, 1937 to Martin and Helen Malneritch. He was married to Patricia Mullally for 55 years. Jim's Catholic faith and his family were most important in his life. He was preceded in death by his son Paul, survived by his wife, Patty, his four children and nine grandchildren.
Kenneth “Kenny” Flajole ’56
break in his studies from 1970 to 1974 when he returned to Seattle due to health problems. He then went to Nome, AK and spent some time there before returning again to Seattle. After his studies, Tom was offered a position teaching Latin in Arlington, VA. He taught there until his retirement in 1991. During this period, he earned many accolades from parents and students alike. Tom enjoyed spending time with his students as well as his numerous nieces and nephews. He traveled abroad as much as possible, traveling to Europe and spending time with his Irish nephews and niece when they were growing up, and in later years with their families. His brother, Victor, father of the Irish McKays, had died suddenly leaving a young family behind. Tom took a great interest in their development and was like a father figure to them. In 2011, Tom returned to Seattle, settling into Ida Culver House in Ravenna. There he made many friends who will miss his unique personality.
Kenny passed away peacefully on October 26th. Kenny grew up in Bremerton and commuted by ferry to Seattle Prep each day. The friendships he made while attending Prep were lifelong. Soon after graduation, Kenny began a career at United Parcel Service, where he would stay for 33 years. In 1959, he married the love of his life, Colleen Moore, and they spent the next 57 years together – never away from each other for more than a few days at a time. Kenny will be remembered for his quick wit, his homegrown tomatoes, love of family and friends, fondness of fishing and his dedication to the Michael “Mike” Salter Burris ’58 Washington Huskies football program. Mike passed away at his home on February Kenny is survived by his wife Colleen, and four children: Dennis, Brian, Theresa and 11 surrounded by his loving family. Mike Douglas; nine grandchildren and one great- was born in Minneapolis and moved with his family to Seattle at age 10. He graduated grandson. from Seattle Prep in 1958 and entered the Thomas “Tom” McKay ’56 Jesuit Seminary the same year, intending to Tom passed away peacefully on Feb 28th. fulfill a vocation as a priest. He earned his He was the 12th of the 15 McKay children. degree from Gonzaga University, and had Like all of his siblings, he graduated from ever since been a passionate follower of his Cathedral Grade School. He graduated from Zags' basketball program. Prep with honors in 1956. On graduation, he Mike began his teaching career at Jesuit joined the Jesuits, graduating from Gonzaga High School in Portland in 1968, while still University with honors in Philosophy, studying for the priesthood with the Society English and Classical Languages in 1964. of Jesus. In 1970, he decided to leave the After leaving the Jesuits in 1964, he stayed at Society, prior to ordination. Gonzaga, receiving his Masters in Philosophy He met and married Suzanne Koenig in in the summer of 1964. Portland, and in September 1972 they moved In the ‘60s, Tom taught Philosophy at to Seattle, when Mike accepted a teaching Lewis College in Illinois, St Leo’s College position at John F. Kennedy Memorial High in Florida and Pacific Lutheran University School, where he would teach mathematics in Tacoma. From 1968 to 1976, Tom did for the next 42 years. graduate studies in Philosophy at Tulane Mike's years at Kennedy were some of the University in New Orleans. There was a most fulfilling and meaningful times of his
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life. Mr. Burris never thought of teaching as "work" but rather as a labor of love. He adored his job and was terribly fond of and dedicated to the students he taught and the friends he made, establishing relationships that were treasured. He also enjoyed the many summers spent working at Longacres race track. Mike is survived by Suzanne, his wife of 44 years; children: Christopher, Stephanie, Matthew, Jennifer and Jonathan; and six grandchildren.
Patrick “Pat” O’Brien ’59 Pat passed away peacefully at home February 3rd. Patrick graduated from Seattle Prep and Seattle University and received a Master's Degree in Education from Pacific Lutheran University. He began his career in education with the Bethel School District in 1965, where he was a teacher, principal and district administrator. Upon retirement from Bethel, Pat worked for the Steilacoom School District as interim principal in various schools and on many building projects. He was an active member of WASA and Pierce County Principals' Association. He was also a member of Tacoma Country and Golf Club. Pat loved fishing, pheasant hunting, time spent in Hawaii and most of all his family and friends. Pat is survived by his wife of 50 years Janet; children, Michael and Trish; and five grandchildren.
John Logan ’60 John passed away on Saturday September 6, 2014 with his family at his bedside. John was a Road and Traffic Engineer for King County for 30 years, retiring in 1992. He then opened his own consulting business as an expert witness, instructor and engineering consultant and served on several national civil engineering boards and committees. John was a member of the Knights of Columbus for over 50 years and Past Grand Knight K of C - Council 676. In his semi-retirement he owned and raced horses for the last ten years at Emerald Downs with his partner in crime Dino. With a sunny disposition
and a zest for life, a brilliant smile and those bright blue Irish eyes, John always rooted for the underdog. Two of his favorite sayings were “You would know that if you read the newspaper!” and “Silence is golden!” John is survived by his wife Barbara and children: John Joseph Logan, Jr. ’79, Katherine Logan, Scott Stidell and Kimberley Stidell. He is also survived by four grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, five nieces and nephews, and extended family.
Gerald “Jerry” Lemmon ’62 Jerry lived in Johnstown, CO and passed away on September 18th. Jerry grew up and resided in the Seattle area for most of his life, attending Burien schools and then Seattle Prep. Jerry worked at Unigard Insurance in Seattle and Bellevue until moving to Wisconsin in 2004. Jerry is survived by his wife, Sara Anne (Evans); children: Mark, Douglas, Corinne and Christina; and six grandchildren.
Eugene “Gene” McGrath ’62 Gene passed away on September 12th. Gene completed 16 years of private education, graduating from Seattle Prep and Seattle University with a degree in Business and a Regular Commission in the US Army. He served in Vietnam as an Artillery Battery Commander and was awarded the Bronze Star and Army Commendation Medals. After his military service, he had a 25 year career with US West Communications. Gene retired as the District Manager for Community Affairs for the Tacoma area in 1990. He and his wife, Cindy, moved to Southern Nevada in 1998 to enjoy the peace and beauty of the southwest desert. Gene also served on the boards of the Tacoma Rotary Club and the Tacoma Chamber of Commerce, and was on the Parish Council of St. Charles Borromeo Parish in Tacoma. In Pahrump, he was an active parish member in Our Lady of the Valley Catholic Church. Gene is survived by his wife Cindy; children: Michelle, T. J., Keith and Scott; and 10 grandchildren.
Gregory “Greg” Rockwell ’62 Greg passed away on October 25th in Palo Alto, CA. Greg attended Seattle Prep, where he was student body president and continued on to Stanford University. He graduated from Willamette Law School and University of Washington’s Business School. Greg was appointed to serve on the Medical Disciplinary Board. He married his high school sweetheart, Mary Wheatman Rockwell in 1969. They raised three sons and were married 46 years. Greg was very active in his Catholic faith. He loved daily Mass. In June 2006, he received Seattle Prep's Alumni Distinguished Service award. He shared his strong faith with his Jesuit priest friends. Greg was also involved in the Catholic Newman Center. Greg was a member of the Washington Bar Association, UW Club, Seattle Tennis Club and life member of the Seattle Yacht Club. Greg is survived by his wife Mary, his mother Kathleen, his three sons, Mark, Ryan and Jamie; and four grandchildren. He also is survived by his siblings: Jim ’69, George, Lynn, Mary and Bobby.
Peter Grimm ’70 Peter passed away on February 20, 2016. He was born the middle son of nine brothers and raised on Capitol Hill with the other large Catholic families of the 50's, Peter developed a lifelong sense of the joy of the loyalty and inclusion that derive from team play. He never forgot those Jesuits who mentored him through his teen years at Seattle Prep and Seattle University ('74). He attended the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (now Midwestern University). It was during this period that he met, Dawn Winters and her daughter, Robyn Bell. They married and became a family in 1978. After a residency in Radiation Oncology at UCLA, Peter was accepted to the Swedish Hospital Tumor Institute Group, and returned to his beloved Seattle in 1985. When he returned to Seattle and his love of boating and fishing, Peter noticed a degradation of the fishing fields. He began raising salmon fry in incubators at his cabin on Hood Canal. He joined a consortium of fishermen, scientists, tribes, government entities and citizens known as the Hood
Canal Salmon Enhancement Group and later was honored to be on the board of Long Live the Kings, an organization that seeks to coordinate the efforts of salmon groups across the state. Peter was a private practice physician who collaborated nationally and internationally with academic physicians and other clinical doctors to conduct research into the diagnosis and outcomes of prostate cancer treatment. His specialty was brachytherapy, a minimally invasive surgery that plants tiny short-lived radioactive seeds next to cancer cells. Introduced in Europe, he and his partner Dr. John Blasko of the Swedish Hospital Tumor Institute Group brought it to the United States and pioneered its development and implementation in the US in the late 80's. In 2012, Peter left the group to establish the Prostate Cancer Treatment Center. Over his lifetime he personally treated more than 6,000 patients and trained more than 6,000 physicians in the procedure. He traveled throughout the world giving lectures, training, and consulting with policy makers in countries such as Japan, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Mexico, Argentina, and Spain. In addition to the numerous articles he published in scientific journals, he was the lead author of the Prostate Cancer Treatment Book, a handbook for patients with chapters written by an international expert in each treatment choice. He founded the Prostate Cancer Treatment Foundation, whose mission and purpose is to help patients make informed choices about treatment. Peter was granted three patented improvements that are in use today. He was privileged to be asked onto the board of The Pacific Northwest University of Health Sciences, a new medical school starting up in Yakima. One of his proudest moments of 2015 was the graduation of the school's first contingent of medical students. Peter is survived by his wife, Dawn, his son Justin ’99, his daughter Robyn (Bell) Vera ’93; three grandchildren; and his eight brothers: Thomas ’63, Robert, SJ ’65, Larry ’67, Gerry ’69, Chris ’73, Paul ’75, Scott ’76, Patrick ’ 77 and one sister, Suzie; as well as numerous nephews and nieces, many of whom are Prep alums or students. SEATTLE PREP PANTHER TRACKS | SPRING 2016 |
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Friends: Annabel Branigan, widow of Tom Branigan ’39 Eileen Brennan, wife of Robert Brennan ’59 Cecilia “Fritz” Carlson, mother of past trustee, Norton Carlson; grandmother of Craig Carlson ’83, Andy Carlson ’86 and Kathleen Carlson ’91
SAVE THE DATE
William David James Guppy, son of Paul Guppy ’77, nephew of Joe ’73, Tim ’79 and Mark ’80
HONORING THE CLASSES OF:
Meg Healey Magee, mother of Kate Magee ’11 and Luke Magee ’13 Marian Martineau, widow of Napolean Martineau ’38 Sue Mecham, former Seattle Prep Development Office staff member; Managing Director of the Fulcrum Foundation Cathleen Meyer-Parker, wife of Josh Parker ’46 Andy Royer, brother of Charlie Royer ’82 and Nancy (Royer) Lau ’83; uncle of Frances Royer ’18 and Chaz Royer ’19 Cecilia “CeCe” Ruttkay, mother of Brianna Ruttkay ’99 and Bryan Ruttkay ’99 Charlotte Ninneman Sollars, wife of John Sollars ’46, mother of Mark ’73 and John ’77 Jamie Stamper, brother of Geoff Stamper ’65 and Kevin Stamper ’66; uncle of Michaela Lynam ’11 and Natalie Lynam ’15 Dorothy Stitt, wife of Jim Stitt ’52; mother of Jim ’77
FOR MORE INFORMATION VISIT WWW.SEAPREP.ORG/ REUNIONS, CONTACT
Jerome Zech, father of Jerome ’70, Joe ’75, Jack ’77; grandfather of Ann ’00, Jerome ’02, Jessica ’09, Jennifer ’10, Meghan ’15 and Matt ’17
OR EMAIL GARRETT
Panther Tracks is published by: Seattle Preparatory School Kent Hickey, President 2400 11th Avenue East Seattle, WA 98102 206-577-2141
www.seaprep.org
THE ALUMNI OFFICE AT (206) 577-2149, COOK, DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS, AT GCOOK@SEAPREP.ORG.
DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING: Ben Mawhinney bmawhinney@seaprep.org DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI RELATIONS: Garrett Cook gcook@seaprep.org DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT: Liz Brennan lbrennan@seaprep.org
P A N T H E R A L U M N I W E E K E N D FRIDAY, JULY 22 6-8 P.M. Alumni & Friends Social on the Seattle Prep Campus
Class photos, campus tours and appetizers and beverages hosted by the Alumni Office.
Mary Ellen Warfield, mother of Tom Warfield ’75 and Don Warfield ’83
Spring 2016 Volume 25, Number 1
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1931 1936 1941 1946 1951 1956 1961 1966 1971 1976 1981 1986 1991 1996 2001 2006
Welcome back to campus! Don’t miss Panther Alumni Weekend 2016. All alums are encouraged and welcome to attend. Make it a weekend to remember!
SUNDAY, JULY 24 10:30 A.M. Golden Panther Brunch
Mass in Our Lady of Montserrat Chapel A special brunch will be offered for our Golden Panthers (Seattle Prep graduates of 50 years or more) in the Patricia & James Navone ’54 Great Room, hosted by the Alumni Association.
DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT: Jordan Alcantara ’10 jalcantara@seaprep.org Stephanie Benjamin sbenjamin@seaprep.org DESIGNER: Mathes Design PRINTER: ColorGraphics
Becky Burns bburns@seaprep.org Katrina Freeburg kfreeburg@seaprep.org Shannon Hendricks shendricks@seaprep.org PHOTO CREDITS: 2015-2016 Yearbook Staff, Michael Danielson Ben Mawhinney
If you would like to send a letter to the editor, update your information, or contribute a written piece for consideration to Panther Tracks, please send the information to the address listed, or e-mail alum@seaprep.org. Seattle Prep is an inclusive community, and as such, publishes letters to the editor and class notes as submitted by our alumni and friends. These submissions do not necessarily represent the values or beliefs of Seattle Preparatory School.
| SEATTLE PREP PANTHER TRACKS | SPRING 2016
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FLAT IGGY 1. Cut out Flat Iggy. 2. Take Flat Iggy with you to work to oversee your work productivity. Perhaps he should sit at your dinner table to say the blessing. Or, Flat Iggy could tag along on your weekend trips or family gatherings. Wherever you take Flat Iggy he will be sure to brighten your day. 3. Mark the time you and Flat Iggy spend together with pictures so you both have keepsakes and memories that last a life time. Then post on the Seattle Prep Alumni Facebook page or share on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #FlatIggy or share at alum@seaprep.org.
NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID SEATTLE, WA PERMIT NO. 1082 2 40 0 E L E V E N T H AV E N U E E A S T S E AT T L E , WA 98102- 4 0 9 8
www.seaprep.org
PARTING SHOT
HOMECOMING 2015: At the Homecoming festivities on October 16th, 2015, Panthers from many generations honored the life of former faculty and head football coach, Rollie Robbins. As a special tribute, Prep math teacher, freshman football coach and baseball coach Max Engel ’96, who played under Coach Robbins, performed the coin toss with his son, Reggie, and his newborn son Rollie, named after his former coach. The Panthers went on to beat the Bainbridge High School Spartans 28-7.