Scarlet & Gray Magazine - Spring 2020

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MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL

S C A R L E T& G R AY

magazine I spring 2020

“It was exciting just to be back on campus for a little bit!”

In This Issue

Class of 2020 Adapts & Endures Celebrating MD benefactors Farewell to Mr. Pat Murphy MD turns 70!

Senior Kevin Kissinger and his mother, Carmina, at the Drive Through 4.0 Stole Ceremony in April



Greetings of Honor, Glory and Love to all MD parents, students, alumni, benefactors and friends! We hope that this latest issue of the Scarlet & Gray Magazine finds you and yours safe and healthy at home. We know that this has been a stressful time for so many. We continue to hold our Mater Dei family members in our daily prayers as we navigate these uncertain times during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before the onset of this “new normal,” the 2019-2020 school year was shaping up to be another memorable one, filled with accomplishments for our students both in and out of the classroom. In December, we celebrated, honored, said goodbye and thank you to our beloved President, Patrick Murphy and his family as they began a new part of life’s journey in Arizona after 30 years at Mater Dei. At the start of 2020, we welcomed Fr. Steve back to campus as our new President. While we anticipated some adjustments with these changes, we never imagined what was to come. In spite of these uncertain times, Mater Dei continues to deliver the best, holistic, Catholic education in the country that includes a focus on wellness, support, and of course, faith. As an Apple Distinguished School with an iPad program in its 10th year, our students and teachers were already prepared to execute a seamless transition to distance learning. The blessing of technology along with our innovative, dedicated faculty and staff have allowed us to remain connected as a community. Many traditions have evolved in order to accommodate the guidelines of social distancing. And while they are different, our hope is that our students, especially the Class of 2020, understand how much love, care, and time went into making these events as special as possible. We certainly wish things were different. This issue features two articles on pages 5 and 10 about how our students and faculty are navigating this unprecedented time.

MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL

S C A R L E T& G R AY

magazine I spring 2020

In this Issue We Are MD All School Auction: A Taste of Mater Dei......................... 4 Family Memorial & Scholarship Funds............................. 4 MD’s Leap to Distance Learning........................................5 Honor Glory Love Daily Rosary in the Grotto.................................................... 6 2nd Annual 1950 Day........................................................... 6 Farewell to Patrick Murphy ..................................................7 Josef Day....................................................................................7 Honor Roll of 2019-2020 Donors .................................... 8 Current Students Celebrating the Class of 2020......................................... 10 National Signing Days......................................................... 13 On the Case: MD Mock Trial.............................................14 BodyViz Comes to Mater Dei.............................................14 Monarch Robotics Team...................................................... 15 Faculty & Staff Spotlight: Shannon Brown ‘92........................................... 15 Class Notes.............................................................................16 70th Anniversary Fun Fact................................................19

1950

70

2020

YEARS

We are incredibly proud and grateful to our faculty and staff for their hard work, flexibility, and dedication to our school and our students. Of course, our hearts long for normal school days at our home on the corner of Bristol and Edinger. As of press time, our return to campus remains uncertain. But, we know that when we do, it will be something we cherish more than ever before. The grass will be a little greener, the windows a little brighter, and our Patroness, Mary Mater Dei will be there as always to welcome us back as she has for 70 years now.

As we celebrate this milestone, we need your help! Share your Monarch memories - the Grotto, games, lunch benches, hairstyles, uniforms, dances - we want to see them. Post to any MD social media channels with #MDCelebrates70 or e-mail alumni@materdei.org.

We are truly a community blessed by God and Mary, Our blessed Mother, Mater Dei. Let us continue to thank our God for the many blessings and gifts that come our way each day.

@Mater_Dei_Alumni

Sincerely,

Frances Clare Fr. Steve Sallot ‘72 Principal President

@MaterDeiMonarchs

@MaterDeiMonarchs @MaterDeiHighSchoolAlumni @MDHSMonarchs #WeAreMD #HonorGloryLove #MDAlumni 3


We Are MD

All-School Auction Kicks Off Mater Dei’s 70th Our annual All-School Auction, A Taste of Mater Dei, kicked off the school’s 70th Anniversary in the Meruelo Athletic Center on Saturday, February 2. With nearly 500 MD family members in attendance, it was quite the celebration! The event raised over $400,000 and the highlight of the night came from Mrs. Darlene Shiley of the Shiley Foundation who announced a $130,000 tribute gift to our ASB Center expansion campaign in honor of Patrick Murphy’s years of service to Mater Dei. Guest enjoyed delicious appetizers from Newport Rib Company, Chipotle and Wok Hei while they sipped on signature cocktails, beer and wine. Our silent auction included a chocolate factory tour and tasting at Laymon’s Candy company, jewelry items, wine and spirits tastings, Nike gear and more! Our Live Auction raised more than $100,000 including our Fund-A-Need which will complete HD touchscreen upgrades in remaining classrooms. Citrus College’s Night Shift provided a fun and lively soundtrack to close out the night. A BIG thank you to all of our sponsors, especially our Marquee sponsor, Mrs. Darlene Shiley and Checkpoint Communications, and our Presenting Sponsors, Farmers and Merchants Bank and Debi and Tom Pavlik.

Mrs. Darlene Shiley (left) and Mrs. Linda Shoaff (bottom right) surprised Pat Murphy with the big news of the night!

Dedicated Lifetime Parent and Co-Auction Chair, Mrs. Janine Poletti put in her bid on one of our exciting live auction items.

Memorial & Honorary Funds

Over the years, numerous family funds have been established at Mater Dei to support current students while paying tribute to the fund’s namesake. Two such funds were recently created by MDHS alumni in honor of their parents. Grace C. Beeuwsaert Memorial Fund Mother of NINE MD graduates, Grace Beeuwsaert and her husband Richard, were deeply committed to providing a Catholic education for their entire family. They believed the Catholic school experience offered the best environment for academic achievement, faith-building, and wellbeing of their children. In order to make covering 108 years in Catholic school a reality, Grace took an evening shift in housekeeping at a local hotel – an extension of the hard work she had already done caring for her children at home. Through this second job, she ensured all of her children could attend St. Barbara School and Mater Dei. The mission of the Grace C. Beeuwsaert Fund, established by sons Mike ’74 and Steve ’77, is to provide financial aid for children of service industry workers or those parents holding multiple jobs of a similar nature in order to provide a Mater Dei education for their child(ren). Rob Hamers Memorial Softball Fund Rob Hamers, father of Jill Gadwood ’03 and Christie Turner ’06, mentored hundreds of Monarchs in his 13 years at the JV softball coach. Rob passed away suddenly in January and his loss was felt throughout the softball community as well as the wastewater field where he was a highly respected engineer since the early 1980s. Rob’s passion for coaching went beyond working to make the girls better players; he encouraged the girls to work just as hard in the classroom as they did on the field and to use the lessons learned as teammates in everyday life. Hardwork, teamwork, leadership, and dedication were expected of his players and he knew those skills would serve them well their entire lives. Always cheering their accomplishments on the field, Rob was equally, if not more proud of his players’ accomplishments in the classroom, in college, and in their careers and adult lives. In his memory, his daughters created the Rob Hamers Memorial Softball Funds which will support need-based financial aid for members of the JV softball team. Please contact Kathleen Kelly ‘94 at (714) 850-9536 or kkelly@materdei.org to contribute to our menu of existing funds or to establish a new one. 4


Distance Learning During COVID-19: Recognizing Strengths and Opportunities Like thousands of schools across the U.S., Mater Dei moved to full time distance learning in mid-March 2020. While the safety of our entire on-campus community during this global pandemic remains a top priority, we also had to determine how to continue delivering the best holistic, Catholic education to our students even when they are not physically on campus. As an Apple Distinguished School, our one-to-one iPad program (established in 2011) provided a firm foundation

for distance learning. We have led the way in educational technology integration with an infrastructure capable of handling distance learning for several years now. This along with our amazing, caring, and innovative faculty made the transition relatively smooth and successful. “We spend a lot of hours planning and practicing for the disaster, but never really consider life after,” said Mrs. Geri Campeau ’87, Assistant Principal of Academics & Technology.

What happens when you take the walls and desks away? I really enjoy that mostly everything is the same digitally. We use the same apps to submit assignments. — Kody Rymer ’20 ASB President

It’s hard for the kids to not be together. Learning, growing, and enjoying the process every day. Teachers feel the SAME way! — Mrs. Jodi Reed Choir Director

Clockwise from left: Mrs. Marsh connects to her Chinese students; Kody is performing her senior musical - Shrek - at home; Mr. Sixta’ 09 is always spreading joy; Mrs. Slaay balances theatre class and home life; Mrs. Hart and Jameson, her grading buddy, and Mrs. Simes’ 05 connects with her Religious Studies Class.

[Distance Learning] has enriched me as a teacher and given me the opportunity to appreciate how well learning can be achieved. — Mrs. Zeyda Marsh World Languages

“It was important for us to reframe this experience and see it as an opportunity to get better. Even though the students and faculty are not together – we have found so many ways to stay connected as a community.” Through Canvas, our Learning Management System, we continue to communicate and deliver content as they are already accustomed to. Regular Zoom sessions allow for real time discussion and assessments between teachers and students. From the inception of this new normal, we prioritized the inclusion of daily prayer as well as health and wellness activities. We continue to communicate regularly with students and families that have been impacted heavily by the pandemic and offer as much emotional support as we can.

We know there is stress and concern about the future. Campus Ministry, our counselors and the entire faculty is here for our students and familes whether on or off campus. We all long for a return for normalcy. “I miss my kids, especially the comradery and daily interaction that we normally would share at the beginning of each class as well as during office hour when my former kids would come in to hang out” said Mr. Chris Llamas, World Languages Teacher & Assistant Boys Basketball Coach. In spite of the uncertainty that lies ahead, as people of faith, we are called to look beyond the academic lessons, many frustrations and disappointments, and see the human side of this pandemic.

WE HAVE TO FIND THOSE MOMENTS OF GROWTH, JOY, AND THE SILVER LININGS THAT HAVE COME ALONG AS RESULT OF THIS MANDATORY “PAUSE BUTTON.” Perhaps how we have adapted will be a regular and much improved way of doing things. Mrs. Campeau shared, “We would be wasting the opportunity if we didn’t reflect on all the things that worked well and use those in the future.” 5


Honor Glory Love Daily Rosary in the MD Grotto Mater Dei, Mother of God. As a school named for our Blessed Mother, we as a community honor her and ask her intersession daily through the praying of the Rosary. Last year, the Campus Ministry team began praying a decade of the Rosary every morning for peace in our world. Although the morning participants may vary slightly from day to day, there is always a group in the Mater Dei Grotto at 8:15 a.m. to pray. What began as a few faculty members praying for peace has grown to include staff from various departments, students and even the occasional alum. One very dedicated alum is Carol Chapman Cox ’65. Carol joins us for the morning prayer everyday as part of her daily routine. Of the daily routine, Carol had this to share, “Mary’s Grotto on our campus is such a beautiful and peaceful space… I am blessed to start each school day there in prayer with faculty and students. I feel strengthened and inspired by the student participation. The future of our world is bright because of the faith and kindness I have witnessed each morning in the presence of these young Monarchs. I’m proud to be a part of this Mater Dei Family.” We all look forward to returning to the Mater Dei Grotto once again pray with our Patroness for peace in our world.

“Fab Five” Returns for 2nd Annual 1950 Day Our beloved “Fab Five:” Patrick Murphy, Frances Clare, Bruce Rollinson, Gary McKnight and Helen Steves returned with another funny and inspiring video for this year’s giving day on Friday, October 11. Fr. Steve Sallot ’72 also had a cameo. Their hijinks took them all over campus hoping to inspire our community to help us raise $100,000 for need-based financial aid in 24 hours.

Clockwise from left: e-Sports with Mr. Baarstad, Ceramics with Ms. Davies, a cookie break in the Grotto, choir with Mrs. Reed, meeting crashers outside the conference room and a special cameo by Fr. Steve.

Longtime MD benefactor Mrs. Darlene Shiley, generously offered a $50,000 challenge grant and lent her acting talents to some videos to keep the momentum going. Knowing the competitive spirit of the Monarch community, two other donors stepped up during 1950 Day with additional challenge grants. Mark Schley ’63 encouraged alumni from the 1950s and 1960s to get involved while an anonymous current parent family motivated current parents to jump on board.

With a dynamic website platform that counted gifts in real time, we quickly met Mrs. Shiley’s challenge grant and hit $100,000 at 5 p.m. During the Homecoming football game, gifts kept pouring in. Even current students got involved with a class competition during their lunch periods. Our final total for this year’s 1950 Day: $120,783.90. Thank you EVERYONE for your support! It is great to see so many members of the Monarch family get invovled with gifts of all sizes. We look forward to next year, and yes, we are already cooking up a memorable video to inspire your love and generosity. 6


Thank You, Mr. Murphy! Two simple words don’t seem like nearly enough, but from the bottom of the hearts of the entire Mater Dei Family, thank you. As an integral part of the Mater Dei faculty for 30 years, Patrick Murphy was so many things to our school and entire Mater Dei Family. He was an administrator, teacher, coach, mentor, innovator, visionary and friend to name a few.

From Assistant Principal to President, in his years at Mater Dei Mr. Murphy was instrumental in the growth of so many campus programs and oversaw the redevelopment of Mater Dei’s campus.

From left: Norm & Cindi Morales, Pat & Marti Murphy, and Christy & Jon Frank at Mr. Murphy’s Farewell Reception in December 2019.

Josef Day In 2019, we launched Josef Day to honor Mater Dei’s longtime caretaker, Josef D’Heygers, who lived humbly on campus after arriving from Belgium from 1956 until his passing in April 2010. Our first event included a series of videos, a campus wide discussion, and special treats on April 17 (Josef’s birthday). Josef’s life is a true model of Mater Dei’s core values of Honor, Glory and Love. This new tradition will help us keep his legacy alive and continue to tell his story to the ALL generations of Monarchs. “

The COVID-19 Pandemic and our move to Distance Learning disrupted our 2nd Annual Josef Day plans. However, we followed his example and adapted. This year’s theme was to “Journey with Josef” throughout the Lenten Season and we challenged our entire community to #LiveLikeJosef. Weekly videos and daily quotes from Josef over the years reminded us of his humility, service to others, faith in God and love of the Mater Dei family. We culminated our journey with a final video at our first ever virtual Holy Week Mass.

Although he has moved onto new professional endeavors, we can’t say goodbye, for now, we’ll see you when you’re in town. Mr. Murphy, your front row seat at MD performances and sideline spot at games will always remain available for the Monarchs’ biggest fan. Thank you Mr. Murphy! We wish Mr. Murphy, his wife Marti, and family the best. Once a Monarch, ALWAYS a Monarch.

J sef day

I have a duty to help young people, to give them a good education.

The newest aspect of Josef Day includes “The Spirit of Josef Award,” which recognizes a current Mater Dei employee who exhibits the spirit of Josef by exemplifying his best traits. The recipient will be announced when we return to campus in the fall. Visit www.materdei.org/JosefDay for more and to see all videos from our celebrations. May we all strive to #LiveLikeJosef each day.

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Honor Roll of Donors

Each spring during our Annual Donor Appreciation Dinner & Ring of Honor Celebration, we are privileged and honored to thank our donors who have supported the We Are MD Annual Appeal, Honorary, Memorial & Family Funds, and the MD Vision 2020 Capital Campaign, Campus Renovation & Special Projects. We also acknowledge and thank those who have joined Josef’s Legacy Guild. With current events preventing large gatherings, we are reinvesting the funds normally allocated for this celebration directly back to need-based financial aid. We will miss celebrating with you all this year. We deeply value the generosity and support of every single donor who believes in the mission and philosophy of Mater Dei High School and the incredible students we are privileged to serve. We look forward to providing you with an Annual Report this summer which will allow us more space to properly thank donors at all giving levels for the 2019-2020 school year. Stay tuned! We apologize for any errors or omissions from the lists below.

We Are MD Annual Appeal Gifts made to the 2019-2020 Annual Fund and/or Alumni Heritage Fund at the Founders Circle level and above are listed below. These donations directly benefit current year need-based financial aid.

Honor Glory Love $10,000+

Founders Circle $2,000 - $2,499

Mr. and Mrs. J. Barney Page Mr and Mrs. Kirk Robinson Mr. Jose G. Sandoval ‘98 Mr. Robert Webber ‘59

Ms. Gail Bernstein ‘69 The LeVecke Family Foundation Mr. Mark J. Schley ‘63 Mrs. Darlene M. Shiley

Alan Battersby and Lisena Quintiliani Mr. and Mrs. Walter Childress Mr. Sal H. Flores ‘56 Mrs. Sandra Lex Mr. Thomas McCarthy ‘87 Mr. and Mrs. Stephen O’Neill Mr. and Mrs. Toby Page Mrs. Kathy Rolfes Reginald and Maria Corazon Salanga Mrs. Alicia Saporito ‘82 Ms. Rita Villalobos Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Pavlik Christopher L. Scarbrough ‘94

Marian Society $2,500 - $4,999

President & Principal’s Circle $5,000 - $9,999

Mr. and Mrs. Paul and Lissy ‘99 Burboa Mr. and Mrs. Mark Bassett Brandon and Alyson Howald Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Moiso Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Murphy Dr. and Mrs. Charles K. Thomas ‘62 Ms. Valerie M. Valdez ‘08, RN

Mr. William Appleton ‘70 Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Basso Mr. and Mrs. John Conners Mr. and Mrs. Damien Jordan Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Kramer Jason and Kim Krotts Mark and Susie Luer

Honorary, Memorial & Family Funds Gifts of $2,000 and above are listed for donors to our honorary, memorial & family funds which are created in honor or in memory of a friend or family member who has a special place in their heart for Mater Dei High School. Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. Nick Becker ‘86 The Bonfire Foundation Alex and Karen Calabrese Mrs. Katy Callender Mr. and Mrs. William Campbell Ms. Cynthia Carty Mr. and Mrs. John Cheng Mr. and Mrs. Jose and Anita Cueto ‘75 Mr. and Mrs. Terry Dedeaux Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation The Fred V. Duda Scholarship Fund Frome Family Foundation Jill C. Gadwood ‘03 Mr. and Mrs. Peter E. Garrell Marco Guido Mr. and Mrs. John B. Heffernan ‘68 8

Hodgdon Group J & P Development Ryan and Erin Kerrigan The LeVecke Family Foundation George H. Mayr Foundation McDonald Family Foundation Patriot Scholarship Program Mr. and Mrs. Joseph M. ’98 and Galyn Medlin ‘01 Mr. and Mrs. Martin Morgenstern Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Moschetti Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Motherway, III ‘84 Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Murphy Dan Murphy Foundation Brad and Chimene Neglia Mr. and Mrs. Toby Page

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Pavlik Mr. Donald Russell Oscar and Veronica Saavedra Mrs. Darlene M. Shiley Ms. Helen Steves Mr. and Mrs. Timothy L. Strader, Jr. ‘85 Mr. and Mrs. Lou Stremick Mr. and Mrs. Ken Strottman Mr. and Mrs. Bart Thomsen Ms. Christie M. Turner ‘06 Michael and Candida Urner Vicki Marsha Uniforms Ward Family Foundation: Catherine & George Ward Susan Wojtaszek


MD Vision 2020 Capital Campaign, Campus Renovation & Special Projects Gifts of $5,000 and above for ongoing campus expansion, renovation and improvements are listed below. Anonymous W. Scott and Maggie Brown Mr. and Mrs. Pat Chamberlain Ms. Frances Clare Mr. and Mrs. Joseph W. Conway, Jr. Janet Curci Family Foundation Rex and Lisa DeLong Mr. and Mrs. Dru Fanticola Farmers & Merchants Bank of Long Beach Mr. and Mrs. Jerome Fink

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Fong Mark and Susie Luer The LeVecke Family Foundation General and Mrs. William Lyon Sr. Mr. and Mrs. Michael Menzia Mr. and Mrs. James Newkirk Mr. and Mrs. Brian Niccol Nike Orco Block Co., Inc. Paz Ingredients Mr. and Mrs. Vince Pozzuoli

Stephen and Teresa Schulist Mrs. Darlene M. Shiley Mr. and Mrs. Craig Silvers Betty Sisemore Sodexo Mr. and Mrs. Frank Suryan, Jr. Sherree Vaughan Von Der Ahe Foundation Mrs. Mary Utick Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey White

Honors those members of the Mater Dei family who have remembered the Monarch Legacy Endowment Fund in their estate plans. Anonymous (5) Brian ‘66 & Carol Lee Brady Raul ‘72 & Teresa ‘72 Briseno Julia Romero Brooks ‘85 Mike Brosius ‘69 Bill Brown ‘69 Wilma Burnett* Gilbert & Jacki Cisneros Foundation Joseph Conway, Sr.* Carol Chapman Cox ‘65 Dennis V. Dietl ‘59

Josef D’Heygers* Charles Dobson ‘59 Mary Ann Duderstadt ‘64 Richard & Candice Emsiek Mike & Katherine Gerdis Bernice Heffernan* Dave ‘56 & Sandy Huarte John Huarte ‘61 Julia Inman ‘84 Kathleen Kelly ‘94 Barbara Mis Kelly Parent: ‘96, ‘99, ‘03 Michael & Lisa Knott Ronald & Patricia L’Heureux

Gordon* & Gail Lee* Tom & Dorothy McCarthy Peter* & Mary* Muth Catherine Ott* Thomas & Deborah Pavlik Ken & Carol* Petersen Robert Preston ‘66 Don Russell The Saavedra Family Mark Schley ‘63 Dolores Serna* Monica Solis ‘83 Frank Suryan Jerry Tardie ‘60*

Craig Thornburgh* Charles Thomas ‘62 Ann Travis DVM ‘61 Dave ‘61* & Mary Utick Robert Warren ‘85 Michael Watkins Robert Webber ‘59 Ward Family Foundation: Catherine & George Ward John & Leslie Widera Mike ‘75 & Angela Wintheiser Mary Jane Wojtkiewicz ‘74 *In Memoriam

A Taste of Mater Dei: All School Auction Thank you to our incredible all-school auction underwriters and sponors. Proceeds from this event fund crucial school-wide programs and help us meet our annual operating expenses. Jaguar Land Rover Brian and Jennifer Niccol Marquee Sponsor Vigneron Sponsors Newport Beach Oscar and Veronica The Shiley Foundation FACTS Saavedra & Checkpoint Macellus and Reserve Sponsors The Shen Family Communications Lissette Fisher Allied Universal The Stephen Family The Fiss Family Security Systems Monty Wilson and Presenting Sponsor The Howe Family The Flanagan Family Belen Gallarza-Wilson Farmers & Merchants Bank Insight Financial Services Debi & Tom Pavlik The Klingler Family Vintner Sponsors Valet Underwriters Roger and Yvette Kotch Joe + Sonya Lozowski, PPS Parking Vintage Sponsors Jason and Kim Krotts Tangram Interiors George and Mara Hampton Snyder Langston Program Print Edgar and Alma Gonzalez Koastal Technical Solutions The Miranda Family Underwriters The Zinn Family The Pedicini Family The Moos Family Main Graphics Three W International The Shuster Family The Neglia Family 9


Current Students Conquering COVID with Class and Hope: Class of 2020 From the second the calendar turns to January, the countdown to graduation and the first of many lasts begins for our seniors. But this year is different… There is a constant disappointment in the back of our minds about the many last things and milestone events we are being cheated of.

– Ellie Gonzales ‘20

I miss seeing friends every day, running track, and my normal routine. I am sad I will not be able to experience any of the lasts of high school.

– Sam Neglia ‘20

It’s been hard. But, this class is so strong and I’m so incredibly proud of how everyone has been dealing with this.

– Kody Rymer ‘20

While we know that the Class of 2020 will not get to experience a typical end of year celebration and graduation, we worked diligently to make sure they felt special and loved. Through outside the box thinking, planning, and hard work, we have been able to evolve many events that would have otherwise been cancelled. Yes, they are different. But, we have enjoyed some special moments and glimmers of hope through the incredible efforts of all involved.

Surprise Senior Sign Deliveries During Easter Break Faculty, staff, and coaches crossed all over Southern California during Spring Break surprising our deserving seniors with lawn signs. When I delivered the signs it was like a mini reunion. I was able to sit and talk with several of my students, check up on them, listen to their highs and lows. – Mrs. Reed , Choir Director

Oh it was amazing! Mrs. Reed delivered it to me and it was by far the highlight of my day! I was very surprised. – James Mitchell ‘20

I had 5 signs to deliver and thought it would take me an hour or so. It took 4 hours! I spent a lot of time with each family to check in and see how things were going. Coach O’Dell, Math Teacher & Girls’ Volleyball Head Coach 10


4.0 Stole Drive Through Ceremony Nearly 200 seniors who achieved a cumulative 4.0 GPA were honored on Friday, April 24 with their hard-earned graduation stole. In years past, these students sat on the graduation stage. Now the tradition is a special ceremony marking the official start to graduation season. Kudos to our Administration, Guidance & Counseling and Activities Offices for their hard work and determination to make this event possible. “I’m thankful to all at MD who are creatively planning, organizing, and making the graduation events a reality during these challenging times,” said Carmina Kissinger, Current Parent. Seeing the students and their parents on campus for a brief moment was wonderful! The ride home was hopefully a little sweeter with each student having received a package of deliciously famous, fresh-baked Mater Dei chocolate chip cookies thanks to Sodexo.

The efforts of the school to make things special for us is really heartwarming. The 4.0 Stole Ceremony reminded me that our school really cares about us and recognizes the work we put in. - Abbie Harris ‘20

The following page lists every member of the Class of 2020. While we wished we could all be with you at the Bren Events Center and hear your name read aloud as you cross that stage, know that we are ALL proud of you. Thank you for chosing to be a Monarch, for working so hard these last for years, and for getting through this crisis with integrity and class. We salute you, Class of 2020! 11


Jacob Abaoag Collin Abe Joshua Abzun Derrick Adams Jace Adams Peter Adams Emily Adkison Amelia Adsen Christine Agnifili Kaitlyn Albano Cosette Albert Izack Alcala Tarik Aliyazicioglu Cristian Almazan Maya Alves Caroline Amling Donovan Anderson Morgan Anderson Alexandra Anest Sophia Applebee Lindsay Aquino Joseph Aranda Caroline Ashworth Peter Baird Ariana Bakian Taylor Banning Dranreb Barnuevo Tyler Barrie Allison Barry Janessa Barton Josue Basilio Linuel Bautista Sterling Beck Lucas Belinsky John Bethel James Birmingham Katherin Blazick Keith Borbridge Mayah Bosworth Ana Sofia Botero Maria-Renee Boyer Anna Bradley Sydney Bragalone James Brenninkmeijer Kathryn Brown Margaret Brown Gabriela Bucio Andrew Buckley Jessica Bui Kathleen Bui Samantha Buley Mia Burns Sophia Burton Gabriella Busalacchi Carlos Bustamante Rachel Butcher Brian Calderon Alec Calvagna Kevin Campeau Rozalyn Carlson Gianna Carmona Faith Carrillo Brennan Carroll Dante Casarin Narali Castelan Lance Augustine Castillo Diandra Catrinescu Julian Cedillo Marylin Cedillo Joseph Cefalu Alyson Cervantes Minseo Cha Kelli Chamberlain Andrew Chavez Yu Hung Chen Andrew Chorbagian Erica Chronik Miguel Cid-Rosas Michael Clark Sarah Clark Thomas Classen Enzo Consoli Sasha Constandse

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Kyle Conway Simon Copeman Ciara Corbett-Browne Luke Cortez Malia Cortez Kelsey Cox Logan Cremonesi Albert Criger Mariano Crivello Ashley Cruz Benjamin Cruz Yuning Cui Payton Curley Kaitlyn Dang Teresa Dang Amy Dao Joane Dao Kyle Dauphinee Lucas Dauphinee Henri De Beauvieres Matthew De Heras Paula Joyce De JesusCalaway Jeremy De La Torre Alexander Del Toro Matthew DeLong Elizabeth Demster Madeleine Denninghoff Gerald Dietrick Dylan DiGennaro Matthew DiSilva Tatiana Dmitruk Cameron Doan Branden Dompke Preston Doughty Cory DuBourdieu Sophia DuPont Catherine Eastman Kylie Eggers Gianna El-Bayar Ryan Ellis Grant Elsenpeter Kody Epps Matthew Erwin Evan Eschenburg Erin Esnard Aliah Esquivias Joanna Estrada Joshua Estrada Ryan Evans Andrew Faatoalia Andrew Ferguson Cecilia Fernandez Aurora Ferrell Isabella Figueroa Paul Finby Lindsey Fitz Anne Flanagan Frederic Flanagan Josephine Flanagan Braxton Flicker Jocelyn Flores Kelly Flores Julia Fong Casey Fort Ashley Fortier Skye Foucrier Erik Franck Matthew Franck Jenna Franco Abigail Frank Marlene Friedman Alyssa Frost Jacobah Fuamatu Kyle Gabriel Galvez Jack Gannaway April Garcia Cynthia Garcia Michael Garcia Natalie Garcia Nadia Gastmeyer Wesley Georgieff Liam Glenane

Georgia Glowaki Trinity Goff Viari Gomez Ellison Gonzales Diego Gonzalez Sebastian Gonzalez Sophia Gonzalez Igor Grabowsky Karen Gracidas Boden Groen Alex Guldjian Jolie Gustave Paul Habeeb Peter Hagan Chase Hall Abigail Harris Mia Hawkins Trevor Hedges Lexis Hernandez Rebecca Hernandez Natasha Hill Alizea Hinz Wyatt Hittesdorf Cindy Ho Andrew Hoekstra Gretchen Hohenstein Austin Hombrecher Marion Horning Eric Hu Jianyang Huang Jake Huarte Jake Hulina Zelia Ibarra Simon Ingram Lauren Jackson Hannah Jacobsen Morgan Jennings Felicia Junanto Mason Kalamian Patrick Keegan Hannah Kerekes Grace Kiehnle Camryn Kiernan Hannah Kierulff Dabius Kim Nicole Kincaid Kevin Kissinger Athena Kitsinis Samuel Klapper Heidi Klingler Georgiana Kobzeff Kaitlyn Koshar Valerie Kramer Jillian Kridle Sophia Landreville Andrew LaPuzza Archibaldo Lara Peter Lara Allyson Le Amanda Le Joy Le Susan Yen Xuan Le Caroline Leber Amanda Ledesma Munsu Lee Sophia Leo Swe Leonard Daniel Lerma Raymond Leutele Kamuta Levasa Charles Levis Grant L’Heureux Ruolin Li Tingrui Liao Gabriella Linares Nicholas Lising Andrew Liwag Markus Llanes Diego Lopez Juan Lopez Keelyn Lopez Bradford Lowe Matthew Lucescu William Ludovico

Kaitlyn Magallon Jack Maguin Race Mahlum Sean Mahoney Long Mai Evan Manzo Caroline Marfice Joseph Marheine Nicholas Marheine Tautai Marks Chloe Marmaud Tatiana Marocco Bryan Martinez Kyla Martinez Nadia Martinez Samantha Martinez Kyla Martinsen Emily Matthews Danielle Mattson Faith McGrath Lauren McGrath Kayla McIntosh Steven McKimmey Joseph McLaughlin Kelly McManus Jingyi Mei Therese Meier Priscila Mejia Victoria Mejia Savannah Mello Emilie Mena Antonio Mendez Kevin Mendez Reagan Merk Cassidy Meyer Madelyn Mickey Jenna Mierczynski Turner Mills Jalyssa Miramontes Natalia Misra James Mitchell Rebecca Mock Lily Mohtashami Amber Molina Lily Molkara Damarys Mondragon Noelle Montemagni Nathan Moore Jacob Moos Hector Mora Shona Mora Maggie Moran Samuel Morehouse Jackelyn Moreno Sofia Moreno James Moriarty Bolin Mu Fiona Mulholland Michael Muller Noah Nashed Jaime Navarro Dean Neeley Samuel Neglia Brett Nelson Kennedy Neppl Corey Nerhus Jillian Neustadt Kenrick Ngo Celina Nguyen Diamond Nguyen Duy Nguyen Elizabeth Nguyen Ethan Nguyen Jasmine Nguyen Joseph Nguyen Kaely Nguyen Nathan Nguyen Quy Nguyen Truong Nguyen Ty Nguyen Vi Nguyen Miabella Nicasio Victoria Nichols Ivy Nielsen

Madison Norell Abbey Nosek Lauren O’Donnell Matthew Oglesby Allison O’Heany Lillian Olson Thomas O’Malley Keith Openshaw Riley Orcutt Diego Oseguera Adan Osorio William O’Sullivan Jesse Pacheco Kiana Palmer Haley Palutzke Dominic Parisi Paris Paz Patrick Pazon Antonio Pedraza Brittney Pena AtlantisMarie Perez Jeffrey Petersen Lauren Petroff Lauren Pham Ryan Pham Phuc Phan Lili Phung Cameron Pickell Ietse Piens Stella Pozzuoli Sarah Price Kaia Pronger Aidan Prukop Jiahao Qian Ricardo Quezada Megan Quiggle Raelene Ramos Jacob Rand Jaden Rea Casey Reagan Matthew Real Jacob Reed Zachary Reed Megan Reh Ryan Reimers Kassia Resendiz Jessica Reyes Paul Rhee Liliana Rigdon Morgan Righeimer Dario Rimicci Adam Rimland Koby Robins Saydh Robles Brandon Rodriguez Izabella Roeser Makenna Rogers Marissa Rojas Victoria Romero Elizabeth Romeyn Rhodes Rosenthal Isabella Ross Maximo Rossi Yuqi Ruan Cruz Rubio Dakota Rymer Sebastian Saintignon Martin Salazar Louis Salcedo Mark Samaniego Sarah Sanchez Chloe Savard Lauren Schaeffer Nicholas Segovia Kiera Selbo Moses Sepulona Dylan Serna Madison Seybold Summer Shaffer Kaden Simcox Nicolas Simons Nickolet Smiggs Austin Smith Gwendolyn Smith

Troy Smith Paige Solano Anthony Solano Laris Talia Solis William Solomon Joseph Solorio Raesheille Sosas Ifeoluwa Soyoye Michelle Spivey Austin Stanton Alyssa Steele Benjamin Sullivan Leanne Brigh Sumbong Austin Sun Isabelle Ta Lexi Tanghal Lauren Tarnoff Jake Tavernetti-Carroll Evelyn Taylor Tu Thai Colleen Thomas Sophia Thomas Ethan Timms Benjamin Tjan Carter Tolan Zachary Torres Khoi Tran Nathan Tran Thu Tran Thuan Tran Dang Duong Truong Francis Truong Amelia Tuaniga Sefita Tupe Sean Turk Emily Upham Natalie Urquidez Garrett Valenzuela Riley Gabriela Valeriano Dung Van Taylor Vangrin Paiton Vasin Ruben Vazquez Cristian Vega Annemarie Verkuylen Gabriel Vigeland Geoffrey Von Der Ahe Audrey Vu Christine Vu Elaine Vu Huy Vu Timothy Vu Yanni Vu Ava Walters Wenyao Wang John Warburton Peter Wassef Lauren Wasson Henry Waterman Patrick Watkins Alyssa Watson Colin Weaver Emilie Weaver Joshua Weiland Potter Kaiya Whelan Kenneth White Nathan White Taylor Wilkison Jamie Williams Shane Woodman Brian Wu Nan Xue Addison Yake Yiguo Yan Yuxin Yao Megan Yglesias Jacqueline Yocam Sophia Zarcone Sofia Zerza Vanessa Zolg


Congratulations to the following Monarchs who have signed a National Letter of Intent to continue their athletic and academic careers at the collegiate level. These student-athletes join an elite group of young men and women blessed to participate in collegiate athletics. Their hard work, dedication, countless hours of preparation and the support of their family has paid off in the opportunity to continue playing the sport they love. Best of luck next year Monarchs! Baseball Grady Birmingham - University of Dallas Garrett Riley - Grambling State University

Soccer (Boys) Liam Glenane - Cabrini University Ricardo Quezada - Waldorf University

Basketball (Boys) Devin Askew - University of Kentucky Ryan Evans - Cal Poly SLO Aidan Prukop - Cal Poly SLO

Soccer (Girls) Janessa Barton - Concordia University Mia Burns - Boise State Sophia Leo - University of Wisconsin, Green Bay Kelly McManus - University of California Los Angeles Megan Quiggle - University of Utah Jake Tavernetti-Carroll - Illinios Institure of Technology

Basketball (Girls) Camryn Kiernan - Concordia University Cheer Maya Alves - University of Colorado, Boulder Jacob Rand - University of Southern Florida

Softball Marlene Friedman - University of Arkansas Jolie Gustave - Syracuse University Hannah Jacobsen - Cal State Monterey Bay Allison O’Heany - Harvard Riley Orcutt - University of Georgia Atlantis Perez - University of Akron

Football Kody Epps - Brigham Young University Jacobah Fuamatu - San Diego State University Ray Leutele - University of New Mexico Race Mahlum - University of Oregon Tai Marks - Colorado State Myles Murao - University of Washington Cruz Rubio - Cal Poly San Luis Obispo Martin Salazar - Portland State Benjamin Sullivan - University of La Verne Nate White - University of Pennsylvania Bryce Young - University of Alabama

Tennis (Boys) Jake Huarte - Westpoint Khoi (Henry) Tran - University of Mass, Dartmouth

Golf (Boys) Andrew Hoekstra - CSU Long Beach

Tennis (Girls) Natasha Hill - Arizona State University

Gymnastics Sarah Clark - Arizona State University

Track Morgan Jennings - University of California, Irvine Nadia Martinez - California Baptist University

Lacrosse (Boys) Andrew Buckley - Concordia University Peter Hagan - University of Utah Zachary Torres - Benedictine College

Swimming (Girls) Madelyn Mickey - Boise State Lily Olson - Illinois Alyssa Watson - Utah

Volleyball (Boys) Sebastian Lara - Loyola University, Chicago

Lacrosse (Girls) Georgia Glowaki - University of Tampa Liliana Rigdon - Corban University Peter Adams - Boston University

Volleyball (Girls) Meg Brown - Pepperdine University Lauren Tarnoff - University of Miami Mia Tuaniga - CSU Long Beach Vanessa Zolg - Marist College

Rowing Erica Chronik - Creighton University Caroline Leber - Clemson University Casey Reagan - University of Wisconsin-Madison Maddy Seybold - Stanford University

Water Polo (Boys) Jack Gannaway - Santa Clara University Maximo Rossi - UCLA Colin Weaver - Massachussets Institute of Tech

Sailing Gretchen Hohenstein - University of Hawaii at Manoa Jeffrey Petersen - United States Naval Academy

Waterpolo (Girls) Mia Adsen - Scripps College Sasha Constandse - Harvard Paris Paz - UCSB Taylor Vangrin - USC 13


On the Case: MD’s Mock Trial Team By: Maggie Ambrose ’21, Co-Captain

Members of the Mock Trial Team prepping for our cases at the Santa Ana Courthouse rooftop.

Did you know that Mater Dei’s Mock Trial Team is nearly 10 years old? Mock Trial combines law-related education with tournament style competition. Using a criminal court case, students explore current legal and constitutional issues. Each year, student teams from over 40 Orange County high schools enact every role in a trial with the guidance of attorney and teacher coaches. The teams meet at the Santa Ana Central Courthouse for up to eight rounds of competition. Real judges preside at the trials and real attorneys sit in the jury box and score the competition. Mock Trial is a state and national effort and is sponsored by the Constitutional Rights Foundation. The winners of each county meet for a state competition and then the winners of each state meet for a national competition.

This year’s team had a great season. Our team finished in the top eight teams in Orange County aided by all of the new faces that we added to the team this year. We are only the second Mater Dei team in the last 10 years to get this far into playoffs. Mock Trial is single elimination once we reach playoffs and the team that beat us, El Dorado Gold, went on to become the top team in Orange County. We gained powerful experience this year that will help us to hopefully progress further in the coming season. Though we will be losing several valued team members as they graduate at the end of this year, we will have a strong team that will be ready to face whatever is coming next season.

BodyViz: Comes to Mater Dei Our Science Department is pleased to announce the rollout of BodyViz software and curriculum in our Life Science courses. Mater Dei will be only the second high school in the world to integrate this cutting-edge software into our science curriculum. Providing 3D visualizations created from real CT and MRI scans to augment curriculum and learning, BodyViz’s advanced 3D technology provides a virtual, but realistic experience for students giving those interested in medical careers an edge by extending their learning using real human anatomy instead of diagrams and animal dissections. With access to the BodyViz library of scans, students will learn to diagnose several pathologies. While working remotely, teachers have been training on this software in order to integrate it with student iPads this year for our Anatomy & Physiology courses. Students will have access to this advanced technology even now in these unprecedented times and will enjoy exciting virtual dissections and activities. Returning to campus this fall, we will also have state-of-the-art BodyViz stations for Top: Science Department Chair Mrs.Kimberly Lawrence testing the BodyViz software. collaborative virtual dissections and practice in Bottom left and right: Real scans of human anatomy integrating with iPads and laptops diagnosing pathologies. Our goal is to double the amount of BodyViz stations by the Fall to bring this technology to all of the students who could benefit. Visit www.materdei.org/bodyviz to learn more, contribute to the program, and see short demonstration videos. 14


Monarch Robotics - Providing Ingenuity & Experience The Monach Robotics team is truly a unique student experience at Mater Dei. Guided by Mr. Mel Morallos ‘02 and amazing parent and alumni mentors mentors Joe Frayne ’96 (Blizzard), Paul Hinz (Boeing), Rick Potter (Boeing) and Paul Sicking (Siemens), the team spends countless hours after school using the engineering design process to design, build, and continue to improve their robot. The students employ Computer Aided Design (CAD), power tools, 3D printers, the CNC machine, and write thousands of lines of Java code to program a functioning robot to meet the challenges of a three-day competition where over 50 teams pit their innovations against one another. Students can be called to create a robot that can shoot foam balls into a target 10 feet off the ground that can also pick them up and navigate across a field while five other robots are trying to accomplish similar tasks. Students often join Robotics with little to no experience, but in just one year they learn so much. Current students interested in this field can take Robotics & Engineering or AP Computer Science to give them the foundational skills--or just to learn engineering/ problem solving while they’re involved in MD’s many other activities. Mr. Morallos shares one of his favorite stories of an MDHS alum putting her robotics skills to use while studying aerospace engineering. “She told me that she programmed a robot to move every 15 minutes in the study room because the motion light sensor would turn off while she was in there. She could stick to her studies and never be in the dark!”

Faculty-Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Shannon Brown ’92, RN One of the latest Monarchs to return home to Mater Dei is Mrs. Shannon (Rhodes) Brown ‘92, School Nurse. “Never in a million years did I think I would be working at Mater Dei, but sometimes God directs you to places you would never expect! she shared. A graduate of Sts. Simon in Jude, Shannon was a four-year member of the MD swim team and enjoyed Campus Ministry Retreats. Outside of school, she worked as a Huntington Beach City lifeguard, combining her love of the ocean with her call to help people. A third generation nurse, Shannon always knew she was destined to follow in the footsteps of her mother, an ER nurse, and grandmother, an OR nurse. She attended Arizona State University and completed her Master’s in Nursing at St. Mary’s College in Moraga. Her specialty is in pediatrics. Shannon’s impressive career includes working as a Pediatric Oncology Nurse at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford, as the Bone Marrow Transplant Coordinator at CHOC, and at UCLA as a Pediatric Liver/Small bowel Transplant Coordinator. She accepted her first leadership position at Hoag Hospital and later served as the Director of Nursing at Mission Hospital. When asked about transitioning to Mater Dei, she said, “I loved working in the hospital setting for 20 years, but found that I was becoming frustrated with the business of healthcare and was ready for a change.”

Shannon has implemented new programs and services in the areas of health and wellness for both faculty and staff at Mater Dei. This initiative has brought new visitors on campus including students from Santa Ana College’s Nursing Program and therapy/ companion dogs to help with stress and anxiety for anyone on campus. Shannon has also worked on building protocols to bring the Health Service Office up to current practice by adopting the application of Appryse, an electronic health records system. She is always looking to expand this office and dreams of it growing to function like a college campus health center. “Our students spend 8-12 hours a day at Mater Dei, so finding time to see a provider is challenging at best. I would love to offer a host of health services for our students, such as physicals, vaccines, urgent care visits as well as mental health services. You can’t care for the body without addressing the emotional health of a student,” Shannon shared. Mater Dei is so lucky that Shannon answered the call to come home. Her passion for our students is evident and she will no doubt inspire more generations of Monarchs to pursue a career in nursing or one that involves helping people. “My hope for our students is that they follow their passion and remain open to whereever they are being called to go. Mater Dei has prepared you to be anything you want to be!” 15


Class Notes 1950s

Paul Buberl ’57 is doing well, living in Long Beach staying active, mobile, and upright during these new times. Enjoyed following Bishop Barron daily during Lent and looking forward to a new chapter in his life. You see, Paul lost his beloved Judith after 59 years together last year and his life has substantially changed. He continues to praise and bless our Lord Jesus every moment and distinctly knows that he is holding his hand and leading the way. God’s blessings on all his classmates, both here and beyond.

1960s

Cynthia (Armstrong) Robinson ’66 retired from Southern California Edison in December 2018, after 49 years of service, working primarily in the area of Renewable and Cogeneration contracts. Now she is spending her free time by taking ballroom dance at Arthur Murray in Riverside. Cynthia was fortunate to travel to Cancun in early 2018 with members of the Murray family for a dance competition, and also Prague in July. She was able to stop in Poland as well to visit Treblinka and Auschwitz.

Mary Lou (Beckwith) Bigger ’66 will become a great-grandmother for the first time in October 2020. Congratulations, Mary!

Rick Muth ‘67 has been blessed with a 40+ year marriage, 2 daughters, 2 son-in-laws and 4 wonderful grandsons. He continues to work, be a 16

community volunteer, and has served on the board of The Segestrom Center for the Arts for 32 years. While at MDHS, Santa Ana College, and USC he competed in distance running where he finished in the top 10 of all time at each school. He continued his love of running until 69 years old, when he stopped competing in the masters track events. Rick’s ORCO Block & Hardscape is aiming to hit their 100th year (Est. 1946) of a family owned company with always thinking of ways to improve. With his free time he is hoping to solo pilot till at least the age of 80. He was grateful for his four years at Mater Dei High School.

1970s Allen Alves ’70 retired in January 2019 after spending 41 years in the steel business in sales, operations and management positions. Allen and his lovely wife Cindy live in Houston and have three kids between them. To keep himself busy, Allen is a substitute high school teacher for the Klein ISD and also performs various functions for his church in addition to competing in 5 & 10k races. During football season, he and his son Matt attend every Texas A&M football game, home and away. J. Michael Palin ’75 and his wife Candace have lived and worked happily overseas for 25 years in Australia and New Zealand. Their daughter, Brianna, will be graduating from University later this year and is planning a move to Japan. Best wishes to all in the infamous class of ‘75.

Mike Crowley ’77 last year, starting on Ash Wednesday and ending on New Year’s Eve, Mike walked across America from Laguna Beach to Delaware on a mission for the Lord to let people know God is shining his light on their paths, that he loves them very much and that he’s warning us time is running short. This year, starting in July, he will do the same and walk from Upper Peninsula Michigan down to Key West. Videos of his trip at: www.iLikeMike.com or www.YouTube.com/iLikeMike Gregory Graham ’79 currently resides in Garden Grove and takes care of his parents, but his goal is to one day move out of the state.

1980s Denise Galindo ’80 has been enjoying giving back to the community of Santa Ana, the city in which she was raised. Her teaching job is hard, but yet so rewarding. Denise is blessed with three children and six grandchildren who all live in Orange County. Recently she has attended a reunion for her elementary school, St. Anne Parish School. She is a parishioner of Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano and volunteers her time there teaching catechism. God is good all the time! Her family proudly owns Las Golondrinas Mexican Food Products which was established in 1984, with five locations in South Orange County.


Michelle (Gilderman) Lilies ’80 retired from Homeland Security Investigations as a Special Agent on September 28, 2019 after 23 years of employment. Besides conducting investigations and assisting in the prosecution of criminals; she was the only female Special Response Team member in the country from 2007-2014. She worked alongside the Secret Service and assisted in protecting the 2016 presidential candidates including President Trump, and also other world leaders during the United Nations General Assemblies. She is married to Brad and has five children/stepchildren and one grandson. She resides in the Dallas/Fort Worth area of Texas, near DFW. Jeanne (Parsons) Redeman ’83 is completing 30 years in the Forensic Science Field. She has worked many high profile cases and has worked for two law enforcement agencies and one private forensic company during her career. Jeanne is married and her daughter is a freshman in high school. She is living in San Diego and enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, and exploring new areas. Harold Ducote ’85 was a school administrator and taught middle school social studies and mathematics for 11 years in and around Indianapolis in the public and parochial schools. Harold left education and now works for Indiana Medicaid,

providing healthcare to over 1.4 million people in Indiana. He has been married for over 10 years and they have a 9 year old son. They are active in their Catholic faith at Saints Francis and Clare of Assisi Parish in Greenwood, IN. Peter O’Hara and Anne O’Brien O’Hara ’88, high school sweethearts, were selected as “Family of the Month” from The Knights of Columbus, Council for December 2019. Peter and Anne were married in 1995 and have four children: Garret ‘17 attends the University of Utah, Tess attends college at San Marcos, Kate is a junior at Mater Dei, and Sophia is an 8th grader at St. Joseph School. The O’Hara Family has been giving of their time and talent to the activities and ministries of St. Joseph Parish for many years. https:// stjosephplacentia.org/news/knightsof-columbus-family-of-the-month-fordecember-2019 Byron Quiros ’89 is a Costa Rican American actor, director and choreographer from Los Angeles. A graduate of UCI’s top-ranked drama program, Byron has enjoyed success in film, television, and on stage. He most recently starred in the Pulitzer Prize winning play Anna in the Tropics, where he earned an Outstanding Performance by a Featured Actor in a Drama from Stage Scene LA. Byron also starred in the Tony Awardwinning Broadway play Take Me Out. He starred in the short films Jane Love, winner of Best Horror Short Film at the 2018 IFS Film Festival, and Hot Seat, an official selection of the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. He has guest starred on television programs such as JAG, Medium, and CSI: Miami.

As a dancer and choreographer, Byron has worked with a variety of artists including Grammy winners Usher and Ana Barbara. He is the creator of one of the hottest dance workouts in Los Angeles, Red Releve, a fusion of ballet and modern burlesque.

1990s Roger Morante ’92 has written educational Crash Course workbooks for teachers and students who wish to study US History, World History, Government and Politics, Economics, Biology, Psychology, and Literature. His books can be used with John Green and Hank Green YouTube videos online effectively hybridizing the educational platform for students who are interested in distant learning. PDF’s and other online educational source materials can be requested and purchased at morante13@ crashcourse.org. Dr. Ryan McGarry ’99 an emergency room doctor for Keck Medicine of USC and a Los Angeles filmmaker, produced the six-part Netflix documentary “Pandemic: How to Prevent an Outbreak.” It debuted in January, but recent events have pushed it into Netflix’s “Top 10 in the U.S. Today.” https://www.latimes.com/ california/story/2020-03-21/doctorryan-mcgarry-netflix-film-predictedcornavirus-pandemic

SUBMIT A CLASS NOTE www.materdei.org/classnote or e-mail kkelly@materdei.org

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2000s Alejandro “Alex” Mares ’01 is a Felony Trial Attorney with the Monterey Public Defenders Office. He attended Loyola Marymount University and received his law degree in 2016 from Southwestern School of Law. Jonathan Kelly ’03 recently competed in a race of 1,000 swimmers. The current was so rough that lifeguards had to pull 350 swimmers from the water. Jonathan was able to finish and came in 203rd, 8th in his division! Nicole Smith Morse ’03 has been recognized as Development Professional of the Year by Real Estate Forum and GlobeSt.com as part of their Women of Influence issue. Nicole has more than 15 years of experience in the Construction and Real Estate industry, including positions held in Asset Management and Property Management. She holds PMP certification with the Project Management Institute, OSHA 10 certification, and has completed numerous Project Management, Construction, ADA, Estimating, and Real Estate courses over the last 15 years. https://hillmannconsulting.com/ women-of-influence-class-of-2019/ Christopher Scott Murillo ’03 recently finished his second semester as an Assistant Professor of Scenic Design in the College of Communication and Fine Arts, Department of Theater Arts and Dance at Loyola Marymount University. Christopher is thoroughly enjoy ing his time as a full time faculty at one of the top undergraduate programs for theater arts in the nation. He is so excited to begin this new journey in his academic career and wants to thank everyone who has supported and guided him along the way. Grateful!

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Jacqueline (Petruzzelli) Homan ’06 moved to Maui, HI in November 2017 and married Kama Homan, in December 2017. They just had their first child, a daughter, Kalea a Kee Homan on February 11, 2020. Jacqueline is a business owner on the island that serves all destination brides with hair and makeup services for their wedding day. Elise Weinberg ’07 recently became Assistant Chief of Staff to former Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis, who is Supervisor for the First District of Los Angeles County. Previously, Elise served as the Supervisor’s Child Welfare & Social Services Deputy, managing safety net policies. Anne Marie Sanguigni ’08 moved to London after college and started a band, CHARMPIT. The band released their debut album, Cause a Stir, on April 3rd 2020. The album focuses on female friendship & self-actualisation. Cause a Stir is available on Spotify, Bandcamp, or 12” vinyl from SpecialistSubjectRecords.co.uk.

2010s

Isaiah Navarro ’13 founded the Military Children’s Charity, (MCC) was founded by Isaiah (a lifelong Marine Corps dependent) when he was a freshman at Mater Dei High School. Today, Isaiah, is the Chief Executive Officer of the charity he originally started in 2010. MCC collects and distributes new gifts year-round to Military Family Program Officers, who

in turn distribute these gifts to their military families. They also provide gifts year round to military children who have lost a parent in service to our nation. Isaiah received two Bachelors of Science degrees, one in Aerospace Engineering and a second in Mechanical Engineering from UCI. In 2016, Isaiah received a private tour of the Pentagon by the Marine Corps Commandant’s staff to say thank you for his incredible service to our nation. www.militarychildrenscharity.org

Karlie ‘13 and Katie Lou ‘14 Samuelson are taking on the WNBA. After stellar college basketball careers at Stanford and University of Connecticut respectfully, the Samuelson’s are shooting to team up once again with the Dallas Wings. Lou was the fourth overall pick in the 2019 WNBA draft, after one season with the Chicago Sky, she was traded to the Wings. Karlie has been a professional for three years having spent time overseas as well as in the WNBA. Time will tell when the summer WNBA season will get underway. When it does, it will be fantastic to see these two Monarchs back on the court together again!


In Memoriam Michael Adams ‘61 Teresa Nellesen Adams ‘81 Ronald Arlt ‘90 Margaret Wagner Bahan ‘64 Kathryn Morris Benhote ‘66 Raul Briseno ‘72 David Buzan ‘79 Stephen Caplis ‘62 Vickie Galvan Casas ‘93 Michael Clement ‘03 Mary Nix Coker ‘68 Susan Conmey ‘68 Dwight Curran ‘56 Jean Fairley ‘59 Una Feeney ‘74

1950

Frederika Vercruysse Flandrois ‘58 Alexandra Baquerizo Foster ‘71 Lori Harrigan ‘92 Gregory Kelly ‘69 Michael Little ‘57 Richard Litzinger ‘61 Karen Carlson Lombardi ‘84 John Maher ‘84 Jack Markel ‘53 Colin McCaughey ‘82 Warren Michaelis ‘65 Theresa Paino Morris ‘55 Maria Bettencourt Myers ‘62 Terence O’Shea ‘69 Carolina Pinell ‘96

70

James Pond ‘77 Vincent Rodgers ‘77 Louie Rodriguez ‘73 George Roncaglia ‘64 Barb Hoyt Sanchez ‘79 Eduardo Sanchez ‘55 Kristin Santoro ‘99 Anthony Schmidt ‘74 Joe Solis ‘62 Steve Straub ‘1987 Julianne Goossens Svoboda ‘76 Brian Turk ‘89 Lauren Valencia ‘98 Tom Wetzel ‘53 Cody Yellen ‘11

2020

YEARS

70th ANNIVERSARY FUN FACT: Origins of the Alma Mater

Did you know? Sr. Bridget McKeever of the Sisters of St. Louis, one of the original teaching orders at Mater Dei High School, wrote the lyrics to the “Alma Mater” while Paul Salamunovich, a Grammy-nominated, American conductor and educator, composed the music. The “Alma Mater” mater is sung at the conclusion of all school rallies, games, graduation, and even some school Masses. Over the years, the tradition has evolved to include students linking pinkies and jumping in unison as they chant “HONOR, GLORY, LOVE.”

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NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE SANTA ANA, CA

MATER DEI HIGH SCHOOL 1202 West Edinger Avenue Santa Ana, CA 92707 www.materdei.org • (714) 850-9534

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