Spring 2023 Magazine

United States Air Force is currently home to four Men of Moeller. See how Moeller is on the map with the USAFA.

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Four Men of Moeller entered the Catholic Church on April 13. Learn about their faith journeys.

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SAGE Dining has quickly become part of Moeller’s culture. Find out all SAGE adds to the Moeller community.

Moeller Family, Moeller has always been committed to providing the highest quality education to our students and giving them an environment that encourages personal, intellectual, and spiritual growth. We take great pride in our faculty and staff, who work tirelessly to create an atmosphere of learning and exploration. It is because of this fact that we are the leaders in educating young men–and are on a waiting list for the third year in a row!

In this issue of the spring magazine, you’ll see how everyone at Moeller knows that boys learn differently, and we give them the opportunities both in and out of the classroom to excel. From co-curriculars to capstone projects, the Men of Moeller are going beyond the walls of the classroom and extending their faith and knowledge to the community. There are currently eleven Men of Moeller enrolled in three service academies and four young men joined the Catholic Church at an all-school Mass on April 13–remarkable journeys for them and our Moeller family.

I am so proud of the Moeller Family and what you all bring to make it better each day. I can’t thank you enough for all you do to support the Men of Moeller and our Mission–Catholic. Marianist. Forming our Students into Remarkable Men.

God bless,

Marshall Hyzdu ’96 President

CO-CURRICULARS Creating Community

The co-curriculars at Moeller give students an opportunity to take an interest or talent to a new level. Sharing thoughts, ideas and experiences based on a common goal is yet another way the Moeller brotherhood grows. From molecular modeling to debate, these clubs and teams challenge students and teach them communication and leadership skills.

To see a full list of co-curriculars, go to the Resources page on MoeCampus and find the “Clubs” tile.

Take a look at some of the offerings here at Moeller:

Chess Team: It was another winning season, with Moeller beating the likes of St. Xavier, Indian Hill, Madeira, and Milford for a lopsided first-place finish in the championship tournament. Every player for Moeller had a winning record. Our JV team, consisting of St. Michael’s and All Saints students, also won first place in the same tournament. The chess team seems ready to defend the title next year.

Robotics Club: Five years ago, the Robotics Club was defunct and there were zero members. Under the skilled leadership of seniors Ethan Clark, Breckin Newman and J.P. Schuette, the club has grown to 17 members, many of whom are freshmen. We have been working on rebuilding the current robots and making plans for future competitions. For many of the freshmen, this has been a great way to make new friends and learn all about robots, coding, electronics, and hardware. No experience needed!

3D Printing and Microcomputing Club: This club is new for 2023 and the students have been doing excellent work with three-dimensional printing and small computers and electronics. Led by juniors Jared Johnston and Donny Kaplan, they are building the club and learning how to build, maintain, and repair 3D printers. They are also looking for donors. If you’d like to contribute, contact Mary Fischer at (513) 238-3968.

Speech and Debate Team wrapped up its 2022-23 campaign in a banner fashion, sending a record number of participants to the Ohio Speech and Debate Association State Tournament in Austintown, Ohio. Highlights from the team this year are many:

1.) Senior Reece Bailey became the first-ever Moeller speaker or debater to qualify automatically for the state tournament by winning four bids at regular-season tournaments. To earn a bid, a competitor has to finish at least in the top six, which Reece managed in every meet this season. He also broke a Moeller record by qualifying for the semifinals at the state tournament in his category, Student Congressional Debate, a legislative body of high school students who write and debate bills.

2.) Sophomore Emmet Pease competed in the same event at the State Tournament and (after Reece) became the second Moeller speaker / debater to “bid out” to the state tournament.

3.) Senior Nathan Busam earned three bids to the state tournament; though he did not qualify to the tourney, he ends his Moeller career as the winningest debater in school history in Lincoln-Douglass debate, a philosophical-style debate in which students create cases for both sides of an issue and debate each during tournaments;

From left to right: Emmet Pease ’25, Gavin Vaughan ’25, Nick Mallow ’24, Jacob Burkhardt ’25, Alex Lind ’25

Not pictured: Reece Bailey ’23, Ryan Limbacher ’26

by:

JOURNEYS OF FAITH

One of the characteristics of Marianist education is to educate for formation in faith. As a Catholic school in the Marianist Tradition, we educate in the Catholic faith; but for those who are not Catholic, our purpose is to help students reflect on their faith, whatever it may be—that is, to make students who are Baptists better Baptists, or those who are Methodists better Methodists, and so on.

Sometimes that reflection on faith and their faith tradition leads students to the Catholic faith. This year, we have four students who—after reflection, discussion, and instruction—will be entering the Catholic faith: Boston Socha ’23. Ethan Hawyschuk ’24, Jordan Marshall ’24 and Dylan Wahl ’24. These young men have been meeting with campus minister Steve Joebgen, religion teacher Jerry DiCristoforo, and Fr. Tom, our campus chaplain, at 7:00 on Friday mornings (itself a sign of interest and commitment) as well as at other times to delve more deeply into the Catholic faith. Here they share more about their faith journeys.

Thank you...

We’re grateful for the guidance and support of Jeremy Helmes, director of the Office for Divine Worship and Sacraments and the Center for Parish Vitality, as well as Nicholas Hardesty, associate director of Adult Evangelization and RCIA for the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. We are also thankful for the support of Fr.

Left to right:

Fr. Tom Kreidler, Dylan Wahl ’24, Boston Socha ’23, Jordan Marshall ’24, Ethan Hawyschuk ’24

Fr. Tom Kreidler with reflections by: Boston Socha ’23. Ethan Hawyschuk ’24, Jordan Marshall ’24 and Dylan Wahl ’24

Craig Best (pastor of St. Francis de Sales, Lebanon, and St. Philip the Apostle, Morrow) and Fr. Ed Smith (parochial vicar for St. Margaret of York and St. Columban, Loveland).

Ethan Hawyshuck:

“Throughout my time at Moeller, I have been able to grow immensely in my faith. From the impactful religion teachers to my stint as a member of Campus Ministry Executive Board, my experiences at Moeller have brought me to a new path on my faith journey: becoming Catholic. I was previously blessed to grow in my faith at IHM with Fr. Tom, resulting in my being baptized at age 12 in a nondenominational church. Now it is time for me to take another leap and enter the fullness of the Catholic Church. The rich tradition and community which I have experienced, especially in our formation group, have led me to this decision. I look forward to taking the next step in my faith journey along with several of my Moeller brothers and Fr. Tom.”

Dylan Wahl:

“I remember when I was first drawn into the Catholic faith: Last winter in religion class, we were learning about what Catholic men were called to be. What first drew me in was how men were called to be the spiritual leaders for their families. This was an idea I had never heard of until this particular class, and it got my attention. Afterward, I looked more deeply into the faith

and what the Church believed, and was drawn even more in by the answers the Church offered to a lot of my questions. At the start of this school year I was on the edge, wondering if and when I would want to start the process of converting. It wasn’t until after I had a sudden surgery to remove a tumor from my abdomen that I finally made my decision — in part because of the time I had to reflect on what I was going through, and on all with which God had blessed me. Fr. Tom’s visits to the hospital also played a large role in me finalizing my decision. He would pray with me and gave me a rosary, which I now pray almost every day!”

Boston Socha:

“Coming into Moeller, I really didn’t know what being a Catholic meant; I barely knew anything about Christianity. I grew up believing in God, but my family never went to church all that often. So when I first got to Moeller, my first religion class was the first real exposure I had to Catholicism. Learning about scripture was very interesting to me, but I never really took any action on it; it was more like an interesting history class. It was like that all the way

until my junior year, when I took classes with Mr. DiCristoforo. The more I learned, the more I found my beliefs aligned with those of the Church. Going on K-117 (the Kairos retreat) in my senior year is what really cemented my desire to be a Catholic. I found myself really opening up about my religious journey through Moeller, and that is when I sought out Mr. Joebgen and Fr. Tom to see what I could do about it. I’m very excited to continue my journey with all my brothers at Moeller.”

Jordan Marshall:

“After my first religion class at Moeller, it started to dawn on me that I wanted to learn more. Attending prayer services and singing songs for football really set me on the path of joining the Catholic Church. Faith formation with my football team brought me closer to my teammates, my community and family. The main reason I wanted to become Catholic is because I feel like I’m being called to a bigger purpose than just football. My relationship with God is helping me become the man I am. I think my purpose is to help kids and the community and that is what God is calling me to do.”

New members of the Catholic Church and their sponsors.

On Stage with Will Strasser

Will Strasser found a love of playing guitar when he was just seven. Will has been taking lessons and performing for over nine years; he plays guitar, bass, keyboards, and drums.

His talent and dedication led him to the School of Rock, where he was selected for the house band at the School of Rock in Mason. This is the music school that inspired the popular movie School of Rock with Jack Black.

The house band is made up of select musicians, performing the music of bands from Heart to Pink Floyd. They perform at venues around Cincinnati like the Redmoor and Memorial Hall, sometimes playing more than fifty shows in a year.

House band musicians are true leaders and team players with a strong work ethic. They are expected to be reliable and committed and possess a great attitude. Members this band are selected by a rigorous audition process, and are evaluated by judges through live performance of several songs. They also must demonstrate a solid understanding of music theory, answer questions, and exhibit poise and skill on demand.

Creating Handmade Leather Goods ...

Moeller seniors Quinn Herron and Justin Barger took their senior year to another level of experiential learning by becoming aspiring entrepreneurs. Together, they founded Frogman, a small fashion accessory business that takes pride in offering customers simple and uniquely designed wallets and accessories. Each wallet, belt, or keychain is hand-crafted and handstitched. Through trial and error, Quinn and Justin have learned to work with the best quality leather with techniques acquired through many months of work. Frogman Leather is not just a good way to make money,

but an opportunity for them both to learn about all the aspects of running a business, from production to sales to taxes. They believe it’s smart to make their mistakes now, because it will smooth out the process of starting a business in the future.

Over the past months, Frogman Leather has brought in thousands of dollars in revenue while raising up to $150 for Moeller’s El Salvador Experiential Trip. Quinn and Justin now are a step ahead of their fellow classmates in college for business. Quinn hopes to pursue entrepreneurial studies at either Miami University or Dayton, while Justin will

Connecting Catholic Schools Through Service

As the world begins to settle back into normalcy after the pandemic, it is important to recognize some of the gaps in our lives that need to be filled. There is a trending global narrative that implies the idea that society will never fully recover, and, instead, will have to embrace “the new norm.” Here at Moeller, though, one senior had the courage to reject that notion; Stephen Adams, Moeller’s student body vice-captain, focused his Capstone project on breaking the narrative of accepting a new norm by forging a path that would help forge the way back to a healthy lifestyle through volunteering. And while Moeller students have always had opportunities to volunteer–through Matthew 25 Ministries, through freshman days of service, through mission trips–Stephen Adams sought to infuse service opportunities with a fresh sense of purpose. The result: the joint service partnership of Catholic high schools.

Stephen created a coalition of schools–beginning with Moeller, St. Xavier, St. Ursula Academy, and Mount Notre Dame–to work together in an effort to offer service opportunities that would scaffold students’ social skills as they build social competence by working cooperatively with students from the other schools in the coalition. Working side-by-side with peers from different schools–all with the same goal–helps students to shed the feeling of isolation by developing behavioral habits

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for Good

be starting a career after serving our country in the Army National Guard. They both hope to bring what they have learned with Frogman Leather to businesses of their own one day.

Frogman Leather products are available to buy at the Alley Boutique in downtown Loveland. They are also available online at frogmanleather.com (make sure to read the “About Us” page for a more in-depth look at the company’s story).

ATTITUDE AND ALTITUDE ARE EVERYTHING

At an altitude of 7258 ft. on the campus of the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), four outstanding cadets from Moeller dined with President Marshall Hyzdu ’96, Alumni Director Barrett Cohen and VP of Advancement Mary Fischer.

“They were outstanding young men as Moeller students, but to see them thriving in this environment is pretty special,” said Hyzdu. “To think that Moeller played a role in their success cements the importance of Moeller’s Mission and the impact it has on all our young men”

These cadets—Eric Wills ’18, Xander Kennedy ’19, Jackson Garrett ’22 and Michael Antaki ’22—are

become. “It’s surreal how far I’ve come and grown over the years. And the transition from Moeller was seamless. There are a lot of similarities between Moeller and the Academy, both academically and athletically,” he said. “Moeller instilled discipline in me very early. It was a great fit.”

exemplary in their own right. With only one hundred days left at the Academy, Eric reflected on not only his time there but on how Moeller prepared him to be the man he has

The four cadets are part of a prestigious group of young men and women who had steep competition to get their acceptance. But that doesn’t stop there. Michael Antaki continues to impress his first-year peers and leaders. Pursuing a double major in physics and astronautical engineering, Michael

USAF Chief Master Sergeant Randy Kwiatkowski

There are currently Men of Moeller in service academies.

current Men of Moeller will be added to this list upon graduating from the Moeller Class of 2023: Connor Christenson (Air Force Academy)

Joe Ginnetti (Air Force Academy)

Matt Seliga (Naval Academy)

Tommy Stines (West Point)

Carson Titus (Air Force Academy)

is also playing club lacrosse while still completing all of his requirements for military training.

Moeller will be sending three more recruits next year. Joe Ginnetti ’23, Connor Christenson ’23, and Carson Titus ’23 will be joining this elite group at the Air Force Academy in the fall. The Moeller brothers who came before them set a good foundation for their success.

Logan Nelson ’16 graduated from the Academy in 2020. He currently is serving his country as a first lieutenant in the USAF.

“From what I have seen in recent years, Moeller has become a feeder school to the military academies,”

commented Nelson. “As a graduate of both, Big Moe’s Mission is similar to the Air Force Academy’s; both are focused on building character. The eighth grader that wants both a challenge and a well-rounded education becomes a Man of Moeller by building character. Then that Man of Moeller seeks refinement of those values in higher education.”

Nelson continued that Moeller’s advanced STEM programs and athletic prominence gave him an advantage from day one. Because of the classes available at Moeller, he was able to test out of several general education STEM classes. This in turn, gave him more time for

extra-curricular or research. “Time was a scarce resource there. Sometimes USAFA felt like one big four-year competition. You are ranked among your entire class in athletics, academics, and military. The athletics at Moeller, and the competitive mindset that came with it was a great segway into USAFA’s system.”

The relationship with USAFA is strong, and it will continue to be so with the quality of our Men of Moeller and its reputation for excellence. United States Air Force Chief Master Sergeant Randy Kwiatkowski who led the tour and hosted the visit asked, “What are you guys doing there at Cincinnati Moeller? It is incredible!”

Colonel Arthur Primas, Director of Admissions, United States Air Force Academy Marshall Hyzdu ’96

Xander Kennedy, Barrett Cohen and Mary Fischer

Clockwise starting above: Joey Kobos ’25 and Hayden Sauer ’25 sell a chance to win a bucket list item to Tina and Jack McAneny. | Cooper Ralson ’24, Brendan O’Sullivan ’24, and Braylon Cox ’24 strike a pose ready to welcome guests. | Jennifer Kobos, Rhonda Wabrick, and Heather Sauer looking striking. | Tommy Stines ’23 rockin’ the ’stash. | 10x Raffle winner Ruth Kelly with 10x Raffle sponsor Prolink’s Mike Munafo ’00.

Clockwise starting above: School captains Stephen Adams ’23, Joe Ginnetti ’23, and Micah Pitts ’23 getting the crowd ready to raise the paddle. | Joe and Marla Hricovsky get a visit from Who Dey! | Adam Ganz ’23 ready to hand out some bling. | Current and past Men of Moeller belt out the Alma Mater, led by Bro. Ron.

SAGE is SETTING A GOOD EXAMPLE

By: Deacon Nathan Beiersdorfer

W

hen SAGE first came to the table, many at Moeller (including myself) raised an eyebrow. From time immemorial, the two kings of the high school cafeteria had been frozen food and fried food.

SAGE proposed to depose both.

The idea of fresh, scratch-made food prepared by chefs every day seemed too good to be true. The thought that this model could satisfy the appetites of nine hundred teenage boys seemed unrealistic. The thought that students would no longer pay as they went, but instead every student and staff member would eat unlimited lunch, seemed too much of a paradigm shift.

Yet as they complete their second year at the Moeller, SAGE has not only delivered on every promise, they are hitting their stride.

The one-two punch of Amy Stull, food service director, and Phil Bailey, executive chef, along with a host of dedicated staff, have become a model of outstanding service to our students. Many families have experiences of Amy personally calling them to discuss their son’s dietary needs.

But more than that, the SAGE team made an effort to become a part of the family.

One of SAGE’s first hurdles was to discover what the Moeller men would eat. Though they offer a salad bar, fresh soup, and sandwich bar daily, there are also two rotating mains that are geared toward the taste of our students. When asked about any unanimous favorite foods among Moeller students, Amy replied, “Anything cheesy, and all hot sauces. Surprisingly, they love curries, Cajun Alfredos and especially Buffalo chicken mac-andcheese.”

What don’t they like? “Tuna casserole ... I heard about it for months,” laughed Amy. “They also won’t eat any stews.”

Fresh vegetables are also an important part of the SAGE model, and Moeller students have been major fans of SAGE’s green beans, peas and brussels sprouts. “I can give parents any of our recipes if they’d like to try and get their sons to eat veggies at home,” said Amy.

Among the other adjustments SAGE has made has been to move from plating all meals for the boys to allowing

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Amy Stull, Food Service Director

them to self-serve. “At first, they feasted on this. We worried they would eat us out of pantry, but the SAGE home office told us to be patient. And, sure enough, the boys evened out after a couple of weeks. Now, they get through the line faster and they waste less because they are taking only what they want,” said Amy.

Beyond the lunch hour, Amy and her team find ways to serve the community. For example, they work with the counseling dept to discover any students with food insecurities. “It’s always helpful if we can provide a little extra for the weekend or a snow day.” SAGE also works with the Last Mile, who picks up the food remaining after insecurities are addressed.

Another addition in their second year, SAGE is weighing and composting all food waste. “We are proud that we are a zero-waste kitchen,” said Amy.

Amy is also a big fan of experimenting with food and getting Moeller guys to try things out of their comfort zone. An initiative called the Adventure Bite brings in interesting and different foods for festive days like Chinese New Year. She also has fun with holidays like Cinco de Mayo, the day when SAGE served seven thousand soft tacos at Moeller, “it’s a day I won’t soon forget,” Amy reflected with a smile.

Asked about big ambitions for ’24, Amy’s eyes lit up. “We had an Eagle Scout, Owen Speed, make us three large raised beds in the courtyard. I hope to get our garden going this summer where I can grow herbs, tomatoes and peppers to start,” she said. “And I’d also love to get a cooking club off the ground.”

To the Moeller Family, SAGE has been a welcome regime change in the world of high school lunch service, making fresh and healthy food a reality for our students and faculty, and quickly becoming an indispensable part of the Moeller community.

What are their faves?

LEFT TO RIGHT:

Anything cheesy, and all hot sauces. Surprisingly, they love curries, Cajun Alfredos and especially Buffalo chicken mac-and-cheese.

Marianist Values, Moeller Commitment

Each year, we celebrate Founder’s Day and honor individuals who embody the spirit of Blessed Chaminade. This year’s recipients are Pete and Claudia Kimener, Kevin Wood and Moeller alumnus Derek Williams (1991).

Pete and Claudia Kimener have embodied the characteristics of a Marianist education with their long-time service and commitment to the needs of our school community. Mr. Kimener has been a member of Moeller’s Board of Trustees over the course of the last 27 years, and has been instrumental in school safety improvements as well as the improvements that have grown our campus. The Kimeners have also been supporters of the scholarship program at Moeller, helping to ease the burden of families who seek a Moeller education for their sons and find themselves in need of financial assistance. Their faith in Christ and willingness to serve his Church demonstrate how Kimeners take seriously the words of the Gospel.

Kevin Wood has served as Moeller’s LIFE moderator for seven years and has ensured its growth and success not only here at Moeller, but also at the provincial level. He is on the coordinating team for the summer LIFE retreat, which serves student leaders from ten different Marianist schools. Kevin was member of the IT and advancement teams, an Eveslage house Mentor teacher, and has continued to volunteer his time with our LIFE community. His leadership with our Lent program C40M impacted many students including Zaragoza House Chaplain Eric Paolino ’20. “Mr. Wood was an incredible mentor for me throughout my time at Moeller. Not only did he continuously go out of his way to support me and my education, he was consistent in his efforts to aid my development in the LIFE program and grow my faith. I truly grew spiritually as a result of Mr. Wood and his guidance.”

Derek Williams is an English teacher at Moeller and has been a mentor teacher in Zehler House since the beginning of Moeller’s House System. Derek coached football at Moeller and now calls games for Moeller broadcasts. Derek has been a faculty leader of countless retreats, providing guidance for young men and serving as a powerful witness of faithful service. Most recently, Derek has focused his efforts on working with students through the Marianist Community Development program and the Vision Initiative, two programs he founded to fulfill the mission of the Marianist charism. The goal is to not only welcome students from all backgrounds, but to foster an appreciation of many cultures amongst all our students. Even on the toughest days, Derek never loses his sense of humor, using laughter and lightheartedness to help students relax and refocus. His positive energy and genuine care and concern for the well-being of others is what makes Derek an invaluable part of the Moeller Family.

For over 60 years, Archbishop Moeller High School has been working toward one Mission—Catholic. Marianist. Forming our Students into Remarkable Men. These are men of faith, men of academic excellence, and men of character.

1960 s oc i e t y 1960 Leave a Legacy

When Archbishop Moeller High School opened its doors in September 1960 to freshmen from 15 parishes in the northeastern part of greater Cincinnati and Hamilton County, something very special started to happen: a brotherhood of men emerged that was so powerful, that over 60 years later, it remains strong and vibrant.

For over 60 years, Archbishop Moeller High School has been working toward one Mission –Catholic. Marianist. Forming our Students into Remarkable Men. These are men of faith, men of academic excellence, and men of character.

When Archbishop Moeller High School opened its doors in September 1960 to freshmen from 15 parishes in the northeastern part of greater Cincinnati and Hamilton county, something very special started to happen; a brotherhood of men so powerful, that over 60 years later, it remains strong and vibrant.

Now, as then, the Mission of Moeller depends upon the generosity of alumni, parents, and friends who make planned gifts to the school. The 1960 Society is an invitation to all members of the Moeller Family to be the ones that secure Moeller’s future through planned giving commitments and ensure that the school’s sacred Mission lives on forever, leaving a legacy for those that follow.

Now, as then, the Mission of Moeller depends upon the generosity of alumni, parents, and friends who make planned gifts to the school.

The 1960 Society is an invitation to all members of the Moeller Family to be the ones that secure Moeller’s future through planned giving commitments and ensure that the school’s sacred Mission lives on forever…leaving a legacy for those that follow.

Leaving a legacy to those who follow begins with a conversation about where your passions and interests align with Moeller, its Mission, and the Men of Moeller. Let’s explore together opportunities to leverage the power of the Moeller Endowment to advance Moeller’s important Mission in the future.

Leaving a legacy to those who follow begins with a conversation about where your passions and interests align with Moeller, its Mission, and the Men of Moeller. Let’s explore together opportunities to leverage the power of the Moeller Endowment to advance Moeller’s important Mission into the future.

For those who have included Moeller High School in their estate plans, sharing those plans today will open the door to designation of your gift, position Moeller to maximize the impact of the gift, and provide Moeller the opportunity to appropriately engage our partners in personally meaningful ways including enrollment into the 1960 Society.

For those who have included Moeller High School in their estate plans, sharing those plans today opens the door to designation of your gift, positions Moeller to maximize the impact of the gift, and provides Moeller the opportunity to appropriately engage our partners in personally meaningful ways including enrollment into the 1960 Society.

We invite you to begin a planned giving conversation today. Learn more by contacting Mary Fischer at (513) 238-3968 or mfischer@moeller.org.

We invite you to begin a planned giving conversation today. Learn more by contacting the Mary Fischer at (513) 238-3968.

Moeller’s Own

WRITERIN-RESIDENCE

Now in its second year, Moeller’s writer-in-residence promotes and exemplifies the craft and ideals of professional writing, the creative arts, and the written word. Through innovative workshops, demonstrations, special programs, and working alongside other Moeller teachers and professional guests, the writerin-residence—alongside students—explores composition ranging from real-world occupational and business writing to personal expression via nonfiction, song, journaling, film, theatre, and literary and genre fiction. The writer-in-residence models professional artistry via a national and international career and reputation by publishing original work in books, magazines, and anthologies and fosters an environment throughout the Moeller community of creativity, self-expression, and better command and enjoyment of the language arts.

Geoffrey Girard writes nonfiction, thrillers, historicals, and speculative fiction and is a New York Times bestselling author who has published more than twenty books with traditional publishers. His books have been translated into German, Italian, Polish, and Turkish, and several have been optioned for film.

Mr. Girard has also taught at Moeller for nineteen years, and was the department chair of English for ten years before being named Moeller’s first writer-in-residence. He currently teaches honors freshman English and the creative writing elective, and has also taught writing at Miami University, Seton Hill University, and Mount St. Joseph University, where he was an adjunct professor teaching courses in both writing and short fiction. At Moeller, he’s also taught journalism, horror and Gothic fiction, AP English Literature and Composition, and philosophy in literature. He’s been a guest speaker or led writing workshops at many festivals and conferences, including the Marianne D. McComb Biennial Conference on Creative Writing (Miami University), the Texas Library Association, the Nashville Book Festival, Decatur Book Festival, Thrillerfest, DragonCon, GenCon, Books by the Banks, Context, Scarefest, Conglomeration, Hypericon, Showmecon, Chattacon, SCBWI, the SOKY Book Festival, NKY YA Festival, Buckeye Book Festival, PennWriters, Marcon, and the Ohioana Festival.

“When I first started my writing career, other authors further along the path were always there to help guide me,” he said. “[I] could not have done this without them. It’s been a privilege to try and do the same for others.”

I couldn’t have done it without all of the guidance of the writers who helped me along the way.

In 2013, Simon & Schuster published two Girard novels simultaneously—Cain’s Blood, a techno thriller, and Project Cain, a companion novel for teen/YA readers: the latter was nominated for a Bram Stoker award for Superior Achievement in a Young Adult Novel. In 2018, Girard was hired by Adaptive Studios to reimagine an unfinished Alfred Hitchcock project. The result was the novel Mary Rose, later optioned for film with a screenplay also by Girard. His young-adult thriller, Truthers, about 9/11 and conspiracy theories, received a starredreview from Publishers Weekly; School Library Journal called it “A beautifully written, captivating must-have that will hook readers from beginning to end.”

Mr. Girard also co-writes and ghostwrites memoirs and nonfiction (including at least one New York Times bestseller), media proposals for film and print, and op-eds for publications including the New York Post and FoxNews.com. He has written work-for-hire fiction, ranging from middle grade books to westerns, under various pen names. In 2019, he co-wrote African Samurai: The True Story of Yasuke, a Legendary Black Warrior in Feudal Japan, which was later optioned for film. He has written about everything from COVID and undercover police work to eighteenth-century botanists, the 1921 Tulsa race massacre, WikiLeaks, and the early history of personal computers. He’s been contracted to write and manage projects by globally recognized musicians, academics, journalists, political pundits, comedians and actors.

Before all that came business writing. “As an English lit major, I could [already] write better than most folks, because all we do is write essays, discuss language, and read the world’s greatest writers,” he said. “You learn to write well by reading a lot and writing—it’s pretty simple.” Straight out of college, Mr. Girard worked in advertising and public relations as a copywriter and manager: “I’d done a PR internship in college as a backup to my teaching plans and that career path opened up first, so I followed it.” For a decade, he wrote news releases, radio ads, sales sheets, direct mail, customer newsletters, and other material for the insurance, telecommunications, and software industries. “This, the business writing, is where I truly learned how to write—to be precise, clear, and persuasive. I could never have developed as a writer, or thinker, if I’d only written fiction.”

Later, shifting his attentions to a new invention called the internet—and picking up a degree in software development from the University of Cincinnati—he opened his own web company to write technical white papers and create, host,

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Girard signing books at Writers of the Future Awards Ceremony at the Beverly Hills Hotel.

Conducting vital research in Kyoto, Japan for African Samurai and a more-local book event/signing for the teen novel Truthers.

Gerry Faust Hall of Fame Class of 2023

- Frank Russo,

The Archbishop Moeller High School Alumni Association realized the incredibly special nature of the school’s athletes and coaches by establishing a Hall of Fame to pay tribute to those who have given so much to their alma mater. It was also most appropriate that this would be named after one of the cornerstones of the school and its athletic programs, Gerry Faust. Over its first 40 years, over 150 athletes, coaches and special contributors have been inducted into this Hall of Fame. This year’s honorees are:

Todd Fitz ’98 was named All-Ohio Volleyball Player of the Year in 1998, the second year in back-toback state championships. Todd continued playing volleyball at the University of Dayton. In his junior year, he led the team to a top-25 finish in the national tournament and to a top-ten finish his senior year. Todd was also the club president and player-coach of the team. His senior year he was selected for the university’s Edmund Rolinski Award which recognizes an outstanding senior in leadership and service. Todd is the chief engineer/sub-division lead in

the Materials Research Division at Honda Auto Development Center. Todd and his wife Beth, reside in Marysville, Ohio and have three children: Caroline, Owen, and Evan.

Ryan Fitzpatric ’98 was a member of the track and field team where he set a district record. He set a regional record in the high jump as a senior with a leap of 6’11 ¼”. He went on to Purdue where he was a four-year varsity athlete, All Big 10, All American and Academic All Big 10 and a NCAA qualifier. Ryan lives in Evendale with his wife, Ashley, and two children: Elaine, and Rhys.

This class entering the Hall of Fame truly embodies the Moeller spirit of Brotherhood and service.”

Athletic Director

Eric Gobin ’08 was a member of the wrestling team and team captain. He was a three-time state placer and had 147 career wins and 56 pins. He went on to West Point where he was a three-year varsity athlete in wrestling. He was deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. Since retiring from the Army, he has been a middle school teacher and wrestling coach in Hazelhurst, Wisconsin where he lives with his wife, Jenna.

Timothy Kremchek, MD, is the team medical doctor for Moeller athletics and co-founder of Beacon Orthopedics & Sports Medicine. He has dedicated over two decades to the health and wellness of Moeller student-athletes and many other high school and professional athletes. Dr. Kremchek filled the role at Moeller following in his father’s footsteps. Dr. Kremchek is also the team doctor of the Cincinnati Reds, and the team physician for alma mater Wittenberg University and Wilmington College. Recently, Dr. Kremchek continued his commitment to Moeller by making it possible to build a baseball stadium at Moeller’s new Bucher Athletic Complex. The new stadium is the first baseball home field in Moeller’s history.

Monty Madaris ’12 was Moeller’s leading receiver in 2011 with 118 receptions for 2001 yards. He has the career record by a wide receiver with 25 touchdowns for 150 points. He went to Michigan State University where he was ranked

fourth on the team in catches (24) and receiving yards (310) in his senior year. He started the first eight games of his senior season and played for the Cincinnati Bengals in 2017. He is a senior associate for Matthews Real Estate in Cleveland, Ohio.

Doug Rosfeld ’97 was a member of the Moeller volleyball team and member and captain of the football team. Doug launched his coaching career at Moeller as an assistant football coach. He also started the Moeller rugby program, leading them to their first state championship. He was on the coaching staff at the University of Cincinnati where he played football for four years and was a starter and captain for three of those years. Doug was also head football coach of the Crusaders in 2018. He currently works with the Cincinnati Bengals as their director of coaching operations. Doug and his wife, Abbie, live in Montgomery, Ohio. They have six children: Will, Emma, Adele, Patch, Hope, and Roman.

Brent Suter ’08 played basketball and baseball at Moeller. He is one of 15 Moeller baseball alumni who have advanced to Major League Baseball. At Moeller, he hit seven triples in a single season–the second-best total to date. He went on to Harvard University to play baseball. He started with the Milwaukee Brewers organization in 2012, after being a 31st-round draft pick. Brent is currently a pitcher with the Colorado Rockies.

He lives in Anderson Township with his wife, Erin, and their two boys. Moeller also honors men who have made an impact as a student coach and as an assistant coach. This year’s recipients are:

Jim Huster ’73 is this year’s Habegger Award recipient. This award is given to those who gave outstanding service to Moeller athletics during their time at Moeller.

Jim was a student manager for the football, basketball, track, and baseball teams–including the 1972 baseball state championship team. Jim retired from Macy’s as a financial executive in 2021. He lives in Cincinnati and has a son, Ryan.

Jim Lippincott is this year’s Bro. Choquette Award winner. This award was initiated and first awarded in 2017. This award goes to a coach who has made a significant contribution to his sport, coached for at least ten years, and who is not currently coaching at Moeller.

Jim was a longtime assistant coach and defensive coordinator for Moeller football and served as athletic director. He was the defensive coordinator for the 1982 and 1985 state championship teams with Coach Steve Klonne. After leaving Moeller, he became the director of football operation for the Cincinnati Bengals. Jim returned to Moeller as defensive coordinator, winning two more state championships under John Rodenberg. Today, Jim lives in Mason with his wife, Lu Ann.

Daniel Cox ’94 and family Chicago, IL

Jeff Liebert and family Traverse City, MI

Bill Fitzpatric ’24 Bonaire Island, Caribbean

Matt Held ’02, Eric Fox ’02, John Buckley ’98, Brian McGraw ’96 and families on the beach

Jon Gill ’16 Del Rio, TX

Len Stallo ’64 and family Siesta Key, FL

Andrew ’93 and Todd Burwinkel ’91 Tulum, Mexico

Stone Busler ’24 and Londen Murphy ’25 Florida

Barrett Cohen University of Colorado

#FLAGPLANT

The Munafo Boys Madison Square Garden to see Miles McBride ’19

Dan Funk ’15

Louis, MO

Jeff Dornoff ’82 Colorado

Moeller Molecular Modeling Seattle, WA

John O’Connor ’66 Great Smokey Mountains

Terry Ray ’83, Kyle Fitzpatrick ’08, and Gary Conliff ’83 Arlington, TX

Rob Hudson ’93 and Ryan Nagel ’94 Atlanta Motor Speedway

Geoffery Girard and Outdoor Education Class Montana

Luke Blasi ’19 St. Peter’s Basilica

TheMarianist Society recognizes the commitment and support of Moeller’s most generous and mission-minded investors. Members take a leadership role by making a minimum annual donation of $1,000 or more during one fiscal year, July 1-June 30. These generous gifts support the area of greatest need and helps to ensure the quality, security and effectiveness of our facilities and campus. For more information, contact Marla Hricovsky in the Advancement Office at (513) 791-1680 x1305.

Marianist Society Members

President’s Circle .............................. $25,000 +

Founder’s Circle $10,000 to $24,999

Principal’s Circle ................................. $5,000 to $9,999

Crusader Circle $2,500 to $4,999

Marianist Circle .................................. $1,000 to $2,499

Emerging Leader’s Circle ................... $250 to $999 Alumni age 30 and under

Moeller Teachers and Counselors: The Leaders in Educating Young Men.

and market web pages for clients ranging from a German countess to a national chain of karate schools. Then came what he calls “an early midlife crisis,” and the recognition that he’d originally wanted to be a high school teacher and writer. He’d started an MA in English at Xavier University with plans to someday teach, but in class heard about an opening at Moeller. “Within a few months of deciding again I was going to be a teacher, Moeller had offered me a contract and home for twenty years,” he said. “Let’s say I strongly believe in providence.”

Mr. Girard’s first book, Tales of the Jersey Devil—a collection of thirteen original stories based on American folklore—was published the same year he joined Moeller. (The publisher later contracted three more Tales of… books.) Shortly after, an educational publisher hired Girard to write a teen-reader adaptation of The Iliad and he was contracted by the Black Library (Warhammer) to write fantasy novels: “None of the Warhammer books ever actually it to print, but I learned a ton while getting close.” These near-misses pushed him back toward his early love of speculative and fantastic fiction. “I’d started writing fiction for fun by the fourth grade,” he said. “Ripoffs of Lord of the Rings, Sword of Shannara, Mary Stewart’s Merlin series, scribbled into notebooks. It was all fantasy stories—elves, orcs, swords. Then I was on to comic books, and I wrote and drew those. Next came my Stephen King phase. My first ‘novel’ was about a teen who turns into Santa Claus and fights monsters. I’m

old enough that it was typed on an actual typewriter. I entered my high-school writing competition as a freshman and won first prize—a nice hardback thesaurus, which I still have. I suspected, hoped, writing was in the future. It was, alas, another twenty years before anyone ‘rewarded’ me much again for my fiction. Okay, I got third place as a senior, but…”

Since his return to fiction, Mr. Girard has written and sold more than sixty short stories, appearing in several best-selling anthologies and magazines, including the Stokernominated 2010 anthology Dark Faith, edited by Maurice Broaddus and Jerry Gordon. He was also a winner of the 2004 “Writers of the Future” competition, spending a week in Hollywood working beside top authors and earning a slot in the annual anthology. His debut short-story collection, First Communions, was published by Apex Books in 2016.

In high school, Mr. Girard was a freelance journalist for The Cherry Hill Courier covering local sports events. His first play, an adaptation of Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle In Time, was produced in 1990. (He is now working on his second.) In 2021, he launched Ellipses Media, which produces content for print, online, theatre, and film, and Ellipses Press, a publishing house for memoirs and social/ political nonfiction. The same year, he founded Tales Of... a quarterly magazine for YA readers, for which he is publisher and editor-in-chief. For five years, he has volunteered at UpSpring, an afterschool program for teens experiencing

homelessness, leading workshops in creativity.

“I write because I love to learn and purposely choose projects that offer the chance for me to understand new things. One book had me living in Japan for three weeks. Another had me unexpectedly armed on the US–Mexican border because we were in a cartel-held area,” Mr. Girard remembered.

“People write for different reasons, and in many different forms,” he added. “My aim as writer-inresidence is to help reinforce the skills and fun and power of writing, of the arts. It matters as much now as ever—maybe even more, once robots are doing all our jobs and we’re looking for worthwhile stuff to do with our time and talents. Other teachers promote and teach writing and creativity, but as writerin-residence, that can become my sole focus. To try and get young men interested in sharing words and stories and ideas in whatever form: song, comics, podcasts, film, theatre, editorials—and yeah, even giant epic fantasy novels.”

As writer-in-residence, Mr. Girard has been a guest teacher for Moeller classes including: journalism, art, AP Bio, religion, Moeller’s new Student Run Business, AP Gov, and various English classes. He oversees the Moeller Writing Club, the Squire literary magazine, Project BlueGold-and-Greenlight (a new film competition/program with the AV department), and new school trips to Montana and England built upon immersions into the arts. He hosts a college-essay workshop each fall for seniors needing to tackle the infamous application essays, and

arranges for outside writers and creators, from New York Times bestsellers to TV personalities and playwrights, to visit Moeller classrooms.

“For years, I felt like a goof talking about my other job as a professional writer,” he said. “The last thing I wanted was for my students to be rolling their eyes, thinking ‘Oh great, Girard’s gonna start talking about Girard again.’ But the more my writing career grew, the more difficult it became to discuss writing in class without using what I’d done, or was currently doing, or the insight of some other writer I’d just met at some convention, as a reallife example. It was just easier to explain things with genuine examples. And it also showed that English teachers weren’t full of it:

what we were teaching in class had real-world applications. So over time, I finally decided it was okay to discuss my own writing experiences more: the good and bad, the nuts and bolts of professional writing in all its many shapes. The writerin-residence idea wasn’t too far behind. And Moeller’s commitment to that idea, to what it represents, is notable and special,” he added “Few of our students will go on to write fiction for a living, but some will write on the side—and one could become the next J.K. Rowling or Hemingway. Meanwhile, many will become journalists and marketing copywriters and digital media producers and entertainers and community leaders. They might end up writing homilies, or legal briefs. And they’re all going to write memos, or technical white papers,

business proposals, sales sheets, speeches to give their employees, letters to senators or home associations. And many will become lifetime journalers, or write lyrics for their weekend band, or short scenes for some theatre troupe they joined at age forty. Language and artistic expression is a lifelong craft and journey, and our goal is for Moeller’s students to carry that truth with them as they continue their own life journeys—wherever they may lead.”

Geoff Girard has a BA degree (Washington College) and MA (Miami University) in English literature and an MFA in creative writing (Miami University). He is currently studying journalism at UC.

4.) Freshman Ryan Limbacher won the GMV tournament in Humorous Interpretation, earning him a trip to the state tournament to perform his rendition of “Jerry, The Wizard School Dropout.”

5.) Sophomore Gavin Vaughan qualified for the state tournament in Student Congressional Debate by placing in the top six at the Greater Miami Valley (GMV) Conference meet.

6.) Moeller’s first-ever Duo Interpretation pair of junior Nick Mallow and sophomore Jacob Burkhardt qualified to the state tournament in their category by placing at the GMV Conference meet, earning them an opportunity to perform “Luigi and Mario” in Austintown.

Besides these accolades, Moeller’s team grew in number this season— not only in participants, but with coaches, as English teacher Jonathan Bennett joined the squad as a leader in speech activities. Congratulations to all these young men—not only for representing Moeller so well, but for engaging in such a grueling, meaningful activity that will continue to impact them for the rest of their lives.

Moeller Molecular Modeling Team (MO3):

This team partners with a scientist and learns about a protein being studied in his lab. The team then tells a story of their research using visual aids and a 3D-printed copy of the molecule. This year, they are once again working with Dr. JaiJie Diao from the Department of Cancer Biology at UC Medical School. Their current project centers around human

autophagy-related protein #9 (ATG9A), which helps keep cells healthy by assisting in the process of eliminating worn-out organelles and proteins. They presented the ATG9A story at the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology’s annual conference March 25–26 in Seattle, WA.

Engineering Club: Led by the charismatic freshman Jake Kalmyer, this club has grown substantially. Anyone who has a passion for finding out how things work, taking things apart, and putting them together has a home here. We take on projects from inside and outside the school. No experience is needed. Meets: M block in 206 (except on College Knowledge days) Moeller Smash Bros. Club: Now in their fifth year, they meet twice a week. The club gatherings are open both to casual players just looking to have some fun along and more serious players looking to compete. A dozen or so regulars attend virtually every meeting, with about the same number dropping in and out at various times. It’s a great opportunity for students to get involved.

Sports Analytics Club: Led by Jim Prugh, this noncompetitive organization uses data to look at all major sports and discuss the numbers behind the games. Who are the best players? The best teams? What trades and draft picks are good or bad? We apply basic statistics to create our own analyses, predict season records, and measure consistency for players in all sports, from football to baseball to soccer. We also learn

some of the basic functions in Excel to organize and analyze data. Great for anyone interested in fantasy sports, or just understanding sports in general.

Medical Sciences Club: This club meets once or twice a month and provides speakers and presentations on different facets of the medical field. This club seeks to not only help teach about the work of doctors and premedical studies, but to also show sides of the medical world students never knew existed.

Finance and Investment Club: Led by teacher moderators Melissa Evans and Amanda Ocariz and students Ethan Hawryschuk ’24, Joel Brown ’23, and Henry Brown ’25, this club consists of 40 students competing in a stock market competition and meeting monthly to listen to business speakers. During the 2022-2023 academic year students listened to local business leaders and entrepreneurs, as well as a New York stockbroker and a finance manager. From these businessmen, many of whom are Moeller graduates, the club learned about high school opportunities, college options, future career paths, money management, leadership skills, and what it takes to be an entrepreneur. Moeller’s Finance and Investment Club gave students the opportunity to see options for their financial paths and their career paths.

Stephen Adams / Continued from page 9

that are inclusive and cooperative while also providing a sense of self-validation as students recognize the value of their work. “Doing something good for someone else… helps you to feel better,” Adams suggested.

The Joint Service Partnership of Catholic Highschools that Stephen Adams developed is a group of student leaders

them as they move on. The strategy that Adams chose for continuing the coalition will help develop an unintended–but essential–sense of autonomy while it builds executive functioning skills in those who choose to be a part of the coalition. Through his Capstone project, Stephen Adams leaves a legacy here at Moeller–a Marianist legacy that

10th Annual

To purchase a ticket, go to https://moeller.org/23golfouting

Save The Date: Monday, July 17, 2023 Shaker Run Golf Club

President

Marshall Hyzdu ’96

Principal Carl Kremer

Dean of Academics

Christine Brookbank, Ed. D.

Dean of Student Life

Mike Shaffer

Design

Tara Grewe, Communications Director

Editors

Mary Fischer, Director of Advancement

Tara Grewe, Communications Director

Photography

Bruce Crippen, Bruce Crippen Photography

John Martin, John F. Martin Photography

Archbishop Moeller is an all-male, college preparatory school known for being the leaders in educating young men. The nationallyrecognized House System, campus ministry, retreats, exchange programs, cutting-edge technology, and athletic success all make Moeller the best high school in the country.

Catholic. Marianist. Forming our Students into Remarkable Men.

Left to right: Ollie Hamre ’25, Josiah Love ’23, RJ Speigle ’23, and Jackson Patterson ’25 show off their products from Moeller’s Student Run Business.