Al
A Magazine of the Priory ¡ Issue #71 ¡ Spring 2019
Zappelli A mission that started 29 years ago, resulting in over 3,000 students attending Priory, comes to a close.
Board of Directors Abbot Mark Cooper, O.S.B. Father John Fortin, O.S.B. Father Benet Phillips, O.S.B. Father Martin Mager, O.S.B. Father Maurus Nemeth, O.S.B
Board of Trustees. Catherine Boyle Dave Brett Mike Calbert Mike Carusi Craig Dauchy Eileen DiGiorgio Dominique Filloux Kathryn Fitzgerald Cathy Gawne Phil Golden ‘76 Karen Gregory Tom Halbach Sandy Herz Greg Hughes Bob Larson Father Jonathan Licari, O.S.B. Pam Martinson Stephen Nachtsheim Jennifer Nash Nancy Newman Kristi Patterson Carolyn Putney Stewart Putney Beckie Robertson Dave Schinski Sally Screven Edward Sun ‘87 Jennifer Warner Anne Senti-Willis Phil Young Contact the Communications Office at 650-851-6131 or the school at 650-851-8221 Editor: Kelly Sargent Contributing Writers: Renee Casentinis ‘22, Diana A. Chamorro, Kathy Gonzalez, Carter Field ‘22, Megan Mawhinney ‘22, Amy Payne, Ben Putney, Thea Sullivan Design/Production: Jim Kirkland, J. Ennis Kirkland Creative Services Photos: Carter Baginskis ‘24, Diana A. Chamorro, Jennifer Hammer, Kathleen Gonzalez, Billy Hustace Photography, Jim Kirkland, Father Martin Mager, Cristina Rosario Peréz, Geoff Westerfield Printing: Colorprint, Mark W. Allen
I am finishing this Priorities letter on Ash Wednesday–today our students heard the Parable of the Talents, learned about our Rebuilding Together fundraiser (Lenten Talents), for Diane Robinson and her family and received a one dollar bill as a symbol of the “talent” they need to multiply over the next 40 days to provide the funding for the renovations of the Robinson home on April 27. As Father Martin mentioned in his talk about Lent, it is a perfect time for self-reflection, aspiring to our better selves, making an intentional effort to behave in a way that builds up the Priory community and the relationships that strengthen our core Benedictine values. I keep in one of my file cabinets, a folder entitled Chapel Talks. It is the repository of things that have struck me as possibilities for a chapel talk to our students, faculty, and staff. Yesterday when I was looking for another folder I saw that one and decided to take a look at what I had accumulated and there I found–The Rule of Saint Benedict: Insights for the Ages. Two pages of “insights” that Saint Benedict wrote in his Rule meant to guide his followers in finding a meaningful life. I share some of those now: Do not say to yourself “be perfect” but “be honest about what you are and you will come to know yourself and God.” Self-revelation is necessary for spiritual growth. Listen, learn and be open to one another. Humility is the foundation of our relationship and our connectedness to others, our acceptance of ourselves...the more we know of ourselves, the gentler we will be with others. It takes a great deal of time to learn all of the secrets of life...by ourselves. Benedict’s wisdom and insights, written centuries ago, provide a renewed vision for our 21st-century lifestyle and guidelines for balancing priorities in Silicon Valley. In January, the WASC (Western Association of Schools and Colleges) Accreditation team came to Priory for a three-day visit in which they sat in on classes, spoke with students, faculty, and reviewed our comprehensive Self Study. Their report was full of commendations of our school community, our Catholic and Benedictine identity, our academic program, our Board of Trustees and our school leadership, our outstanding faculty/staff and our “exceptional” financial health. We are elated with the results of their report and will continue to live out our Mission in a way that creates a culture and an environment where we always–Listen…with the ear of our heart. After 29 years of dedicated service to the Priory, Al Zappelli will be retiring at the end of this school year (you will read an article about him in this issue). I have fond memories of when he would organize five open houses a year with 25 families in attendance at each. We would serve a full breakfast to entice them to apply! Al’s commitment to Priory expanded beyond his role as the Director of Admissions for 25 years. He could be seen virtually anywhere on campus and off performing a variety of duties from setting up tables and chairs for an event to making connections with an alum over a cup of coffee. His presence will certainly be missed, and I wish him only the best as he looks forward to spending quality time with his wife Peggy and their grandchildren. His legacy lives on in our current student body and the hundreds of alumni who he introduced to the Priory Way. We are also excited about two new projects in the works. We will begin the renovation of our kitchen and dining hall as soon as school ends with a completion date of mid-September. We are also in the final permitting stages for six new campus housing units. They will be located on the Gambetta Lane side of the campus and include 2 two bedroom and 4 three bedroom units. Once finished we will provide 23 houses and 2 apartments for our faculty and staff–completion will be in May of 2020. There is a gas station in Gauteng, South Africa where they write uplifting quotes on a chalkboard–some food for thought during our Lenten season of prayer, fasting and almsgiving: Why do we rest in peace? Why don’t we live in peace too? May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears. I am a woman–what’s your superpower? In a world where you can be anything–be kind. Be who you needed when you were younger. It’s better to walk alone than with a crowd going in the wrong direction. Fall in love with yourself. As we approach spring and Easter, know that our monastic community remembers you in their prayer intentions every single day and to our Founding Monks who started the Priory in 1957, in an out of the way place called Woodside, later Portola Valley, we thank them from the bottom of our hearts. Always We Begin Again, With Peace,
Tim Molak Head of School
HEAD OF SCHOOL
Dear Priory Community and Friends,
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 4
Woodside Priory School Celebrating 61 Years of Benedictine Education
TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
At a Glance
28-29
Cambodia
Student Feature:
30-31
Father Matthew Leavy O.S.B.
Cristy Rosario PerĂŠz
32-33
Visual Arts
16-17
Mandala Project
36-42
Alumni News & Notes
18-19
MS Athletics
43-49
Class News & Notes
20-21
US Athletics
50
Monastery News
22-25
Farewell: Al Zappelli
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In Memoriam
26-27
Performing Arts
6-11 12-15
AT A GLANCE
1. Freshman students walked down from the garden after a day of work and reflection at the 9th grade retreat.
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2. During the 8th grade Washington, DC trip, the class stopped to pay their respects at the John F. Kennedy Eternal Flame.
3. 7th grade students and faculty took a break after a long hike at Outdoor Ed. 4. The 6th grade Outdoor Ed trip was a perfect time to lay back and enjoy the surrounding nature.
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5. Noah Dawson ‘24 scaled the Pinnacles mountainside
at Outdoor Ed.
6. Katie Elfishawy ‘24 was in full bloom during the MS hawaiian themed Spirit Day.
7. Pink camouflaged Freshmen were in high spirits with their Pepto Bismol themed Spirit Day.
8. Spencer Gillett ‘24 (left) had a good laugh as he, Lucile Qiu ‘22, and Renee Casentini ‘22 attempted to eat some questionably flavored baby food at a class competition.
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9. Flower adorned MS students worked together to get cars to honk during their Spirit Day.
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AT A GLANCE
10. The Sophomore class had a fun “Incredibles” themed Spirit Day.
11. Left to right: Esha Umbarkar ‘21, Ellie Chang ‘21, and Emily Warr ‘21 prepped the snack table. 12. The Class of 2020 was feeling the love and
excitement during their “Yellow Submarine” themed Spirit Day.
13. Left to right: Ila Lane ‘19, Charlie Brandin ‘19,
Claire Kim ‘19, and Xenia Gonikberg ‘19 celebrated their “Stitch” themed Spirit Day with the largest inflatable swan ever.
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14. Sophomore students enjoyed the view atop a lifeguard tower during their retreat.
15. Cole Gilbert ‘21 went to the next level dancing skills with the help of Ryan Nayebi ‘21 at the Sophomore retreat.
16. Seniors soaked in their final Spirit Day.
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AT A GLANCE
1. Shannon Fitzgerald ‘19 rushed down the field (barefoot too!) for her third touchdown at the annual Girls Football game. 2. Charlotte Niu ‘22 is shocked at Sam Rosen’s ‘21 lemon eating ability during a class competition.
3. Priory parents, M.J. Castelo (left) and John Turk, compete in the final round of the putting contest at the Priory Golf Classic.
4. Speedy faculty member Damian Cohen was a big water balloon target during Field Day. Not to worry, they got him! 5. Aniyah Augmon ‘22 had no fear on the new bungee ride at Field Day.
6. Students flung themselves into the air on the popular bungee ride. 7. JJ Lehman ‘24 got a surprise dunking as he braved the cold water in the
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dunk tank.
8. Hamster balls + water= Field Day fun!
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AT A GLANCE
9. At the highly anticipated annual Egg Drop, Mr. Trudelle took things to a new height at the STREAM Center. 10. A procession of students in festive apparel, took part in the Dia de los Muertos celebration.
11. Left to right: Oliver Trevithick ‘25, Adrian Torres ‘25, and Simon Hirsch ‘25 got into the Christmas spirit during the MS Secret Santa party. 12. The Diwali celebration was a huge hit with dancing, diya lamp painting, music, and delicious food!
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AT A GLANCE
1. Priory Model United Nations delegates displayed their many awards from the Santa Clara Valley Model UN conference. 2. Tim Molak expresses an enthusiastic thank you to the WASC Committee after a week-long visit.
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3. Rohaan Umbarkar ‘24 (left) and Augie Schlaak ‘24 perform an
animated act in the MS Play Performance class.
4. MS students harvested hundreds of ripe tomatoes in the Franklin Garden.
5. Dozens of animals showed up to be blessed by Father Maurus at the annual Blessing of the Pets.
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7. The Robotics team provided a demonstration of previous robots at the H Block Fair. 8. Beautiful new doors were installed on the chapel. 9. Casey Morss ‘20 (left) and Maya Blevins ‘20 signed “I love
you” as they recruited members for their new Sign Language club.
AT A GLANCE
6. Members of the Robotics team discussed a change in their initial plans for their robot.
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Adams’ ‘19 card trick skills. Luke started a new club called the Magic Club.
11. Hovey Clark and students from his Plant to
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Plate class proudly showcased and sold pumpkins from the Franklin Garden.
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STUDENT FEATURE 12
A Conspiring
Universe
Pronoia: the belief that the universe is conspiring on your behalf. The opposite of paranoia.
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by Kathy Gonzalez ristina Rosario Peréz finds it hard to believe that things have worked out so wonderfully, like the universe has dropped this opportunity in her lap. “It was a miracle,” she said about being offered to complete her senior year of high school at the Priory. “How can life put something I’ve always wanted right in front of my face?” In September 2017, Hurricane Maria devastated the Caribbean, as well as Cristy’s home of Puerto Rico. “The wind sounded like someone screaming,” she said. She and her family hunkered down indoors during the worst hours of the storm. When they emerged, she was surprised to see the mountains and bare trees, like they’d been “skinned,” she said. People in the community gathered that evening to clean, to support, to talk. “Everyone came together,” Cristy said, but they would have a very long future of privation to endure. However, Cristy describes herself as “a girl who always had change in her life,” so she adjusted to the lack of electricity, the military food, washing in the river. Back at school in October, Cristy resumed her demanding schedule attending her classes but had few opportunities for other activities as so many services remained unavailable, from transportation to Internet to electricity to her beloved swimming pool. Little did she know that the universe was sending a new opportunity her way. That opportunity arrived in the form of Damian Cohen, Priory history teacher. Cohen had taken a semester sabbatical to volunteer helping refugees and to visit other educational settings. He worked alongside locals and aid organizations after the hurricane. But he arrived at the Colegio San Antonio
STUDENT FEATURE
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The Rosario Peréz home was greatly damaged after the hurricane.
The Colegio de San Antonio Abad school.
Abad, Cristy’s school, with another agenda as well: to recruit a student to the Priory. Head of School Tim Molak had already approved a full scholarship as a “gesture of goodwill,” says Cohen, for a fellow Benedictine school that had suffered during Hurricane Maria. Cohen worked closely with the school’s English teacher to identify students who spoke fluent English and could thrive in Priory’s academic setting. Yet when Cristy’s English teacher announced this to her class, Cristy was suspicious. “I thought there must be some requirement that I can’t meet,” she shared. For years she had been researching American boarding schools, hoping to make her dream come true, and Mr. Cohen showing up seemed too easy to be real. Within days, Cohen set up times to interview a handful of the Colegio’s students. Cristy remembers that after classes she saw him standing by the school entrance and decided to talk to him right then. He liked her initiative; even more, he liked her “big time hutz-pah.” When Cohen mispronounced Cristy’s name, she corrected him right away. “She’s fearless,” he commented. “This is exactly what we need for this program.” Coming to an American school and leaving behind friends and family for her senior year would be very challenging, but Cohen said it was very clear that Cristy was not afraid to leave Puerto Rico. While some of Cristy’s classmates didn’t want to change schools for their senior year, that didn’t stop her. Dean of Residential Life Adam Siler says, “She has such a capacity to navigate a new place seamlessly.” Both of Cristy’s parents are teachers, and though they had some misgivings, they knew that this was the best move for their aspiring daughter. Cristy tirelessly takes advantage of her new opportunities. Besides swimming twice a day and competing, she has a full load of classes, from Physics to US History, to AP Spanish. “She could have taken her senior year easy,” says Siler, “but that’s not who she is.” “At first it was overwhelming,” remembers Cristy. All the resources were new, such as technology, emailing teachers, watching videos for classes. “I
STUDENT FEATURE Hurricane Maria damage was severe throughout Puerto Rico. used to do more memorizing,” she explains, “but here there are so many more discussions.” Cristy says Priory teachers are “not so strict. You can sit down and talk with them.” Living in the dorms has also exposed Cristy to new growth. “The RFs have given me a more mature perspective of what it is to be black in America, about racism I didn’t see in Puerto Rico. This is someone’s reality that I was blind to,” she says, “and I’m glad I’m not blind to it anymore.” Besides the deep conversations, Cristy has also tried laser tag, skiing and surfing for the first time, tried food from numerous cultures, discovered thrift shopping, and visited San Francisco. After living with no electricity in Puerto Rico for seven months, the wealth of opportunities here feels like a miraculous gift. Theology classes have become a new interest for her, such as “Pop Goes Religion” where the study revolves around analysis, “thinking about what a books says,” Cristy explains. Adam Siler adds that she’s “naturally Benedictine,” and “independent of her own spirituality, she embodies the best parts of the Benedictine tradition.” And though Cristy’s dream has come true to study at an American boarding school, this also led to another dream: college. Cristy shows passionate interest in both marine biology and interior design, and she plans to continue competitive swimming, at which she excels. “College counseling is a resource I appreciate having,” she says. “It’ll make my dream come true.” In fact, Cristy has already had at least one offer. But make no mistake: Cristy gives back. “She makes any team better,” says Siler. Cohen adds, “You don’t hear her complain much.” “It’s a huge opportunity,” says Cristy. “Why would I complain?” Gratitude runs through her response—to Mr. Crisostomo for college counseling, to Residential Faculty for “being like an older friend,” to Mr. Cohen for “all he has given me.” While it’s true that the universe sometimes seems to send hurricanes our way, it also sends gifts. The Priory community is one lucky recipient to have Cristina Rosario Peréz join us this year.
The hurricane literally stripped leaves and branches from trees.
Even waterways were damaged by the hurricane as this bare dock shows.
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IN THE CLASSROOM
“Cocoy Tribe” by Renee Casentini ‘22, Carter Field ‘22, Megan Mawhinney ‘22, Benjamin Putney ‘22
In our Basic Beliefs and Values class, our group created a nature mandala. A mandala is a circular structure with a design that radiates out symmetrically from the center. We spent time searching for a spot to put the mandala, searching for materials to make it
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Renee Casentini ‘22, Carter Field ‘22 and Benjamin Putney ‘22.
We used the Priory learning competencies throughout this project. We had the opportunity to think critically in many ways. First, we needed to find a good spot for our mandala where we knew that it wouldn’t be bothered by people passing by. Next, we had to find good materials that stood out to us. And finally, we created the meaning behind the mandala. We had to use resilience throughout the project, as we couldn’t use living plants in our mandala, so we had to find many different materials on the ground and other places. We had to be creative in our design. We did this by making a mandala with a good message and a good design, with a consistent pattern. We had to communicate and collaborate throughout the project to create a mandala we liked, and to get the whole project done. To find our mandala location, we thought about what locations connect most with nature. We wanted to have a good place to display our mandala
Gathering the nature materials.
to the public too. The first spot we considered was on the path on top of the hill on the far side of the campus. We encountered a coyote and a Rhodesian Ridgeback while looking up there, but overall, the spot was a bit far to collect materials and bring them all the way up. We then walked down to the labyrinth. On the way over, we saw a jackrabbit run across the path. We followed the jackrabbit, and when we reached the end of the path, another group had claimed that spot. We had one last place to check out: a bed by the staircase next to the dining hall. We figured it would be the most convenient spot for our needs, so we started clearing the dirt. Suddenly, we spotted a kitten behind the tree next to our spot. We thought it would be a good idea to make our team name with an incorporation of all of the animals we saw. We put them into a word mixer app, then took all of the results it gave us and put them back into the generator. Then, it gave us our team name, Cocoy.
with, combining all of our ideas to design one that represents our lives and beliefs and then finally building the mandala. There were many steps to create this mandala. Now that the final product is done, we are excited to share it with all of you!
IN THE CLASSROOM
Mandala Project
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Laying out the mandala.
A sketch of the proposed mandala.
Our mandala represents life. Every step we took in constructing our mandala represented a new step in life. Through the close up lens, the individual parts of our mandala may seem insignificant, when everything is put together, one beautiful piece of art is created. For the design of our mandala, we first decided to put one bigger rock in the center and then surround that with a variety of leaves. This consists of some cypress leaves along with regular leaves that fell from trees. Those lead to a circle of smaller stones, each a slightly different shape and size. After the stones, we put some pieces of dry grass and pine branches pointing outwards. Our mandala started with a rock in the center, to represent the first stepping stone in life, a step that every person takes. Then we used the leaves to represent how we all take different paths in life but they all lead to the same goal or purpose, which was represented by a circle of stones. When we were young a lot of the goals
An unexpected team member.
that we had were very similar to each other, but as we got older they become more specific and began to differ from others, but all of us have the general goal of fulfillment in mind. Then, using twigs and leaves, we finished the outermost layer of our mandala to represent how many different outcomes there are in life. How some may seem more beautiful than others, but they all are a great end or aspect to life in their own ways. In conclusion, our mandala-making process was spiritually fulfilling. We spent time in nature, learned about our group members and ideated to build something with a message that was close to our hearts. We overcame challenges, disagreements and the rare occurrence of under-productiveness so that, in the end, we’d have a beautiful piece of art to share with the world.
MS ATHLETICS
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MS ATHLETICS FALL 2018 1. VARSITY A FLAG FOOTBALL League Champions, 8-1 overall record
2. JV FLAG FOOTBALL
League Champions, 6-0 overall record
3. GIRLS LACROSSE
Inaugural year for MS girls lacrosse was a success.
4. CROSS COUNTRY
6th Grade Girls League Champions
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MS ATHLETICS
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MS ATHLETICS WINTER 1 2019 5. JVA BOYS BASKETBALL
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6-3 overall record
6. JVB BOYS BASKETBALL 1-6 overall record
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7. VARSITY B1 BOYS BASKETBALL 2-5 overall record
VARSITY B2 BOYS BASKETBALL (Not pictured) 2-5 overall record
8. VARSITY A BOYS BASKETBALL League Champions, 10-1 overall record
9. JV GIRLS SOCCER
League Champions, 5-0 overall record
10. VARSITY GIRLS SOCCER League Runner-Up, 4-2 overall record
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FEATURE
US ATHLETICS
US ATHLETICS
FALL 2018 CROSS COUNTRY
WBAL All League HM: Ronan Byrne ‘21, Ezster Horvath ‘21
BOYS WATER POLO
PAL All League 1st Team: Daniel Cassel ‘19, Mark Hughes ‘20 2nd Team: Milan Pandey ‘19 HM: Andrew Dodson ‘21
FOOTBALL
PCAL Football Sportsmanship Award PCAL All League 1st Team: Matt George ‘19 2nd Team: David Ajanaku-Makun ‘21, Eli Roybal ‘20, Alex Yonehiro ‘21
GIRLS TENNIS
WBAL All League 1st Team: Katie Walsh ‘20, Kelly Walsh ‘19, Kylie Walsh ‘21 2nd Team: Shannon Fitzgerald ‘19, Kara Reiss ‘19 HM: Michelle Turenne ‘20
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Qualified for CCS for the first time since 2013 WBAL All League 2nd Team: Gwen Spencer ‘22 HM: Anna Barton ‘19, Olivia Beriker ‘19
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FAREWELL 22
Al
Looking Back at the
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by Thea Sullivan
It was 1990
. George H. W. Bush was President, Nirvana’s Nevermind was climbing the charts, and a thousand miles apart, Al Zappelli and Priory—neither yet quite aware of the other’s existence nor the role each would play in the other’s future—were facing similarly uncertain moments. It all had to do with babies. As in, not enough of them having been born the right number of years earlier in order to sustain enrollment at Catholic schools. It was a widespread crisis, and it meant that Al’s job in development at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, Washington—a town he and his wife loved and where they thought they’d stay forever—had suddenly been cut, along with his entire department. Meanwhile, in Portola Valley, Priory was experiencing the same enrollment challenges. In an attempt to increase its own declining enrollment, the historically all-boys school had made controversial plans to go co-ed. A core group, including some board members and Father William, who was Prior at the time, supported the move. Al had grown up Catholic in the Bay Area, attended Bellarmine, and had a vague idea of Priory. “Its perceived reputation was as a boarding school for kids that couldn’t fit in anywhere else,” he says. He had lunch with a priest friend who told him, “It’s a great school. They know who
FAREWELL
Zappelli Priory History of
they are, and the Benedictines are great educators. But I don’t know if the school is going to survive.” Still, jobs in Spokane were scarce and he and his wife Peggy, had a family of four children. So when Priory offered him the job of Admissions Director, despite the risk it entailed, he said yes. From a numbers perspective alone, the job was daunting. Of Priory’s 106 enrolled students in the fall of 1990, over half were boarders. Between graduation and attrition, the school stood to retain only 60 students for the coming year. They would need 125 just to keep the
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doors open. “That’s what I was walking into,” Al explains. It wasn’t just a numbers problem. “The admissions office kept records in a spiral notebook,” Al says with a laugh. “There was no branding, there was no advertising. They didn’t even have something in the telephone directory. They had gone through a whole series of admissions directors. The person they had hired before me, with high hopes, had said, ‘No, I don’t want the job.’” From his first day at Priory in October of 1990, Al hit the ground running. “We didn’t really speak at schools before I got here,” he says. “But I went to every feeder school I could. I put the message out to people, ‘I’m here, I will go wherever I can talk about the Priory.’”
That was a defining moment for Al. From that point on, together with then-Dean of Students Tim Molak, and Academic Dean Brother Edward, and many others who believed in Priory, he just pushed forward. “You couldn’t step back and worry about it,” Al says. “In order to be a Catholic school,” he adds, “You have to have faith, hope, and love, according to St. Paul. And that was part of what Father Pius was telling me that day. So I felt together we could accomplish the goal.” His hope and hard work paid off. Priory made its admissions quota that year—just barely, with fewer than 15 girls—and the school survived. Slowly, with the aid of Al’s leadership in admissions, Priory began to find solid ground. Enrollment grew, finances stabilized, and within five to seven years, admissions
Of Priory’s 106 enrolled students in the fall of 1990, over half were boarders. Between graduation and attrition, the school stood to retain only 60 students for the coming year. They would need 125 just to keep the doors open. He flew back to Spokane on weekends to see his family, who would eventually follow him down on Christmas Eve. “In a way it was nice not having the family here,” he says, “Because I would work here in the office, at my computer, until late in the evening.” But it was lonely, too, and sometimes he wondered if he’d made the right choice. One night, he hit a low point. “I was here all by myself,” Al says. “I’d call home and Peggy’s trying to run the house up in Spokane with four young kids, and I remember hanging up the phone and walking down, and seeing Father Pius’ light on. And for some reason I went in to see him.” Father Pius welcomed him in and offered him wine and cookies. “I said, ‘Father, I don’t know if this is going to work. I don’t know if I can bring my family down here.’ And he said to me, ‘You know, Al, the one thing we Benedictines believe in is hope. And unless you have hope, nothing’s going to work for you.’”
became more selective. “At that point,” Al says, “It became much more about building a community.” For the two decades that followed, Al’s work was focused on building and shaping the Priory community through the admissions process. “I made it a point to read every application,” he says. “So I was aware of every student.” Along with finding the right match between school and student, a sense of diplomacy and care was key. “If you’re truly Benedictine,” he explains, “You have to recognize the individuality of every family, every student. Even when a family departs, you hope you’ve provided some amount of dignity.” Eventually, the Admissions department expanded to include Camille Yost and Carole Mauss, and Al was no longer alone in his office. “We were a team for about 18 years,” he says. “We complemented each other.” Whirlwind recruiting trips to Asia and elsewhere around the world followed, and between long flights, admissions fairs, and parent meetings,
all the way to graduation. Thinking, and look what’s happened, lives have been transformed.’” Way back in 1990, both Al Zappelli and Priory were facing uncertain times. Today, thanks in part to his hard work, Priory is more solid than ever. Meanwhile, for Al, retirement presents its own kind of uncertainty. “I’m not sure what’s behind that door,” he admits, though he imagines it will include travel, more time with family, maybe some volunteer work in education. “Always we begin again,” he says with a smile.
FAREWELL
Al cherished small moments of downtime, some with Father Martin, who was always a good sport. “One night we were walking through Kowloon, outside of Hong Kong,” Al remembers, “And Father Martin goes, ‘Hey look! Pizza!’ and points up to the second floor. And we go up there, and we had a great meal.” It felt good to relax together, he says, after days of non-stop admissions work. Al continued as Admissions Director at Priory for a total of 26 years. Three years ago, he transitioned to a brand-new role, Senior Director for Strategic Initiatives. Since then, he’s overseen planned giving, worked with Head of School Tim Molak on issues of Catholic identity, and networked with Benedictine schools around the world. He also managed Priory’s 60th anniversary, looking back over the school’s past just as he himself was reflecting on his own long tenure here and preparing to move on. “It was fascinating diving into the history of this place,” he says. “There was the beginning of a classic college prep school by the founding monks of the 1960s and early 70’s, the affiliation with Saint Anselm’s that defined the later part of the 1970s, enrollment struggles in the 1980s, and the move to co-ed provided visions of a stable future of the 1990s began under Brother Joachim and a recommitted Board. Finally in a new century, a secure future emerged under the appointment of Tim Molak as Head of School.” What he doesn’t mention is his own important role in the school’s history, and in particular, the way his hope and hard work during a critically uncertain time helped the Priory become the thriving place it is today. Al will wrap up his career at Priory at the end of the current school year and move up to Novato where he and Peggy have bought a house. To honor him, the Board of Directors has established an endowed scholarship in his name, and Priory has dedicated the new Alumni courtyard jointly to Al and to the school’s alums, so many of whom he welcomed into Priory as brand-new students long ago. “I get to share that honor with them, which is really cool,” he says. “I don’t need a big dinner. My legacy are those names on the wall.” For Al, this, more than anything, defines his time here: the students he has welcomed in and their journeys through the school. “I will singularly miss Tuesday morning chapels,” he says. “Standing in the back of the chapel, looking out and saying, ‘I have watched the students go from 6th grade and move
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The Zappelli family left to right: Anne Zappelli Reed, Stephen Zappelli, Jake Reed, Danny Reed, Julie Zappelli Noble, Tom Noble, Al Zappelli, Sawyer Zappelli, Peggy Zappelli, Lucia Zappelli, Jeff Zappelli, Elin Zappelli, Veronika Zappelli.
Al Zappelli Endowed Scholarship Fund At the January 17th meeting of Priory’s Board of Trustees, Chair of the Board, Mike Calbert, announced Al Zappelli’s retirement from Priory effective June 30, 2019. Recognizing all that Al has given over the course of his 29 year career, Abbott Mark Cooper, O.S.B. established the Al Zappelli Endowed Scholarship Fund with a $50,000 gift from the Benedictine Directors. The endowed gift will be directed to financial aid with a student will be named the Al Zappelli Endowed Scholar annually. Abbott Mark, said he hoped “to show some measure of appreciation for a man who has given himself heart and soul to the well-being of the hundreds of young men and women he has both encouraged and accepted, and who now call Priory their alma mater.” In recognition of his service to the school, the community is invited to honor Al with a gift to the Al Zappelli Endowed Scholarship Fund.
PERFORMING ARTS 26
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Love has a thousand shadings and faces in this play we see many of them: Lysander and Hermia newly in love; Helena and Demetrius newly out of love, Theseus and Hippolyta beginning an arranged marriage to cement a peace and Oberon and Tatania at war in a marriage centuries old.
The Mechanicals, our workmen, discover a love for acting and along the way Love in all of its heat, joy, changeability, obsession, destruction and compassion is an ever present transforming force. Love and it’s transforming qualities are magical, and we have played with the ideas of magic being all around us in this play. John Sugden, Director (Excerpt from play program)
All School Play
PERFORMING ARTS
Winter Concert
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Fall Concert
GLOBAL EDUCATION 28
Journey on a Blue Boat
W
hile our blue wooden boat chugged down the Tonle Sap lake through Cambodia’s heartland, we talked about what had brought us to this land. Ashton Axe ‘22 said, “I’ve traveled to places that are like the U.S., so I wanted to see what the rest of the world is like.” But for Hayden Karnes ‘21, she “wanted to learn more about the genocide and the culture.” Eighteen Priory students, along with chaperones Amy Payne, Wes Bennicas ‘05, and myself, journeyed for over 26 hours to reach this country that we knew little about beyond Angkor Wat or the genocide of the 1970s. We were schooled in Cambodia’s history on our first day when we visited Tuol Sleng, the infamous torture prison now turned museum. Our group even got to hear remembrances from Chum Mey and Buo Meng, the two living survivors. Andrew Dodson ‘21 reflected that, “It stood out how the survivors were able to forgive even after everything that happened to them. It should be shared throughout the world, to see what’s wrong and improve for the future.” At the Killing Fields Genocide Center outside Phnom Penh, we saw the sites of former mass graves and the stupa to honor the dead. After visiting the Center, Angela Wang ‘20 commented, “I feel really bad for what happened in this country. I’m happy to see that they overcame so much in a short time.” Now our Rustic Pathways guides were taking us in this blue boat to Prek Tuol, a floating village of about 2,400 families. Our guide, Ra, came from such a village, while Sothy had worked with the local principal to build muchneeded houses. On that boat, we didn’t yet know that we’d be hammering floorboards, nailing bamboo slats, and tying wires to secure banana-leaf thatching to make walls. But after two days of intense work in 95-degree weather, we accomplished our goal: two new houses that we got to present to very happy families. “On this trip the results were so tangible. We actually sat with the families in their new house,” said Olivia Carusi ‘19. Liam Chandra ‘19 added, “I was changed by the service. Actually seeing the people and how they live made me realize that all the wires I tied and the nails I hammered really made a difference.” Each night we slept in host family houses under neon-bright mosquito netting. At the end of the workday, a bucket shower was surprisingly satisfying. On our final night, Rustic Pathways guides Braden and Marina led a discussion about our service work. Aaliya Vasudevan ‘22 realized, “By doing this work, we’re not just helping these families, but we’re also taking some worry out of their lives so they can focus on something else.” Leaving the village, Romila Gargeshwari ‘22 realized that “It’s really important we did it because we might be inspired to do it again and in our own communities. I’m really privileged that this labor is
GLOBAL EDUCATION
by Kathleen Gonzalez
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something fun for me because for many people that’s their life and they just have to work.” Considering our days of intense labor and sweat, a few hammered thumbs and upset tummies, Priory students were energized by their work. “The education aspect of it, that the family will be able to send their children to school now, I feel very proud to be part of that,” said Ada Fathers ‘20. Back in Siem Reap after our village life experience, we enjoyed an abundance of fun: Cambodian-style massage, shopping in the night market, the local circus, a tuk tuk ride, and the astonishing ancient temples of Angkor Wat, Bayon, and Pra Thom. Zach Brousseau ‘20 felt that “the itinerary was really balanced between seeing the city, doing service work, and learning about the local history.” We had experienced a hefty slice of Cambodia history and culture and found the people to be so kind. As Tatsuo Kumamoto ‘19 said, “Even if the government is strict, people find a way to work around that and find a way to be happy, from old people to children. Their energy is very rooted.” Nicole Shihadeh ‘20 added, “Being involved in a community that lacks the sort of privileges I have, seeing how they’re so kind to others, helps me see the contrast in how my community distances themselves from others. The Cambodians live such simple lives but find such joy in it. We live such ornate lives but don’t always find peace in it.” Journeying home, on a silver plane rather than a blue boat, we took with us new insights along with some of that Cambodian happiness.
WELCOME
Welcome Back,
Father Matthew!
Fifty-one years ago, Kenny Leavy, a first-year student fresh from St. John’s University, solemnly knelt on the tile floor of Priory’s original, and much smaller, chapel. There, entered the order, left “Kenny” behind and became Brother Matthew.
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T
Father Matthew as he appeared in a 1970 Priory yearbook.
by Amy Payne his January, he shared the story of that sacred moment in Tuesday chapel. How a young student monk, Father Maurus, had met him at St. John’s in Minnesota and “stole” him away to visit Priory, aware that Kenny had decided early into his freshman year to join the Benedictine community. How, at the figurative end of both that drive to Portola Valley and the aisle of the chapel, he learned that his new name would be Matthew, a name he loves for it’s Biblical connection to the act of leaving all behind to follow Jesus for a discipled future of evangelism. And how, as part of the ceremony, the Prior took a large pair of scissors and clipped away five dramatic chunks of his hair, one for each wound of Jesus, which Father Matthew explained could also represent the five Benedictine Values that forevermore have guided his life. What makes this story especially meaningful is that this year, after 42 years away, Father Matthew returned to Priory to reside with Father Maurus and Father Martin in the monastery. Traveling in such fine company, he has climbed into the community’s heart as beloved monk and general doer of good. Father Matthew is a constant and varied presence around campus. He can be found delivering a homily in Tuesday Chapel, assisting an after-school woodworking class, delivering home-baked bread to the faculty lounge, teaching what it means to be human in an English class, participating in the “Focus of Care” cancer program in Biology, delivering
wine to benefactors, running the Hungarian community’s confirmation program, overseeing occasional middle-schoolers restore themselves through detention, joining Priory retreats, helping spruce up the monastery with his own personal eye for detail (see the new overhead lighting!), and serving in whatever capacity supports the dynamic team of Fathers Maurus and Martin. If one were to follow him up and down the hills and stairs of campus, it would become wonderfully clear that Father Matthew is already firmly in step with the entire Priory community. His Roots Kenny Leavy was born in the Bronx, a place of hot summer nights spent on the stoop, fire escape, or rooftop, walks taken in the middle of the street for safety after dark, love of the Yankees and a cold Pepsi. As a child, he lost his father at age eight to cancer, and later his mother to the same illness. Perhaps his strong family ties with his extended family, many living on Long Island, are part of what makes it so easy to be in community with Father Matthew. They played a role in raising him, and in a 2011 interview at St. Anselm, he said, “Along with my parents, they taught me the values of hard work, family connections, fidelity and perseverance in times of hardship, and being there for others in times of need.” They also showed him what faith was; it was his aunt who gave him his first missal. “Little did she know,” he said, “where that purchase was to lead.”
Father Matthew is surrounded by Senior students during their Spirit Day.
Though he grew up thinking he’d follow his father’s career as an auto mechanic or work for New York Bell Telephone, where he worked at 16, he learned tuition was affordable at St. John’s, and with that decision and a rejection reversed by a monk who read his appeal letter, Father Matthew’s road to becoming a Benedictine was firmly in place. First Time In Portola Valley He arrived in California during a tumultuous time for both the country and the church. It was a time of restlessness and Vatican II, but he decided his best path was to assimilate into Priory’s Hungarian world by studying the language, going to Rome, and from there, with a Italian Visa, into Hungary where he met and developed deep ties with his fellow Benedictines and Father Maurus’ family. Father Matthew fell in love with the people he met there and the Hungarian part of Priory. Over time, he felt he became a “Hungarian Benedictine located in California.” During the nine years he spent at Priory, he also furthered his education, at St. Mary’s, Santa Clara, and St. Alberts Dominican College in Oakland. He earned his Masters in Divinity and then a PhD that combined spirituality, psychology, theology and philosophy. This degree “opened me up” he says, and brought him to St. Anselm where he taught, among other things, psychology. When he became the Abbot at St. Anselm, serving in that capacity for 26 years, he still visited Priory for
trustee meetings, to negotiate land sales, etc. His link, though infrequent, remained intact. Now In August, St. Anselm sent Father Matthew to live at Priory and participate in the life of the school once again. He finds it a blessed gift to be among the Priory students, faculty, and staff, and seeks to further cultivate the Benedictine culture that exists at the Priory. It has made these past six months a rich experience. In his first Mass of the school year, he shared that he has recently taken the journey of cancer, a sharing that opened others up to him in unexpected and lovely ways. It’s a “different kind of ministry,” he says, that has drawn him further into both spiritual counseling and research on nutrition for treatment and prevention. In addition to his happiness at reconnecting so closely with the Priory community, Father Matthew is quick to comment on the environment. It’s clear, he says, “we’re all working for the same goal” and points to the Christmas faculty/staff lunch as an example. As he walked around the dining hall, he recalls how the “harmony, love, and respect everyone had for one another” was palpable. “It’s unusual,” he says, and that meal, though “a simple celebration,” was “an icon of how we operate here.” Father Matthew, it’s clear, operates exactly the same way.
The current monastic community at Priory consisting of Father Maurus, Father Martin and the newest (returning) member, Father Matthew.
WELCOME
In 1973 Father Matthew took his solemn vows in the original Priory chapel.
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VISUAL ARTS
Wood and Metal Candlestick Holder Metalsmithing by Connor Schinski ‘22
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Black and White Photo Digital Photography by Brooke Allison ‘21
Drawing in Pen and Ink Drawing and Painting by Eszter Horvath ‘21
Drawing in Pen and Ink Drawing and Painting by Jane Chen ‘22
VISUAL ARTS
“Elements Garden Line” Digital Photography by Nora Krikorian ‘22
33 “Music Inspired Imagery” Digital Photography by Manisha Khakoo ‘22
Twisted Tree Candleholder Metalsmithing by Ashton Axe ‘22
DEVELOPMENT
Happy Spring!
34 “The growth on the hills is a metaphor for the growth that happens in the classrooms, on the field, in the gym and the pool, in the studios and labs, in the Garden and the Dorms, on the court and the theatre and in the casual interactions between teacher and student.“
Our winter rains coalesce in January and February, painting Portola Valley and the 51 acres of Woodside Priory School a vibrant green. This oasis in the heart of Silicon Valley is indeed flourishing and accentuated as a place of healthy growth. The growth on the hills is a metaphor for the growth that happens in the classrooms, on the field, in the gym and the pool, in the studios and labs, in the Garden and the Dorms, on the court and the theatre, and in the casual interactions between teacher and student. Day in and day out, our incredibly dedicated faculty and staff assist our students in creating meaningful and balanced lives. That dedication and commitment was palpable during the candle ceremony at our recent Faculty and Staff retreat. “Priory: A Place Where Relationships Matter“ was organized by Campus Minister Molly Buccola and led by Father Matthew Leavy, O.S.B. Gratitude was the overwhelming theme during the candle ceremony, for the monks, for our students, for each other and for the opportunity to be a part of this extraordinary community. Father Matthew emphasized our work is not just about information, but formation and ultimately, transformation. Your support of this transformational work through time, talent and treasure makes all the difference. We are exceedingly grateful to our parents, alumni, alumni parents, grandparents, and friends whose consistently generous support assists in our ability to provide each student with an exceptional educational experience. This year’s Annual Fund is evidence of this gratefulness with 87% of all parents participating so far, thanks in part to the devoted volunteers and leadership of our 14 Annual Fund Class Chairs pictured here. Devoted volunteerism is abundant at Priory– thanks to the leadership of PPA Co-Chairs Carolyn Putney and Kristi Patterson and Gala co-Chairs Lisa Putnam and Nicole Chambers, our parent community works to build community is support of every single student at Priory. Our alumni outreach continues to expand and engage 2,000 alumni around the globe. The increased number of college-aged alumni who visit campus has amazed and inspired our faculty. Alumni parents recently returned in large numbers as well to help pack special treats to be sent to college alumni for Valentine’s Day. Evidence of the impact the Priory community has made on all their lives. We are making a difference here in Portola Valley. With abundant generosity, commitment and dedication to our Benedictine values, we advance our mission of assisting students in creating meaningful and balanced lives, developing as lifelong learners and stewards, and productively serving a world in need of their gifts. We couldn’t do it without you. With gratitude,
Suzanne Couch Director of Development
DEVELOPMENT
18-19 Annual Fund Class Chairs:
Left to right: Norma Alvarez, Mollie Hudner Thompson, Laurie Kacin, Mary Duling, Donna Chandra, Martha Deevy, Jill Malott, Helen Amick, Kristine Collins, Nancy Rosenthal, Susie Schinski, and Kelli Tomlinson.
Along with their financial support, parents included notes of support:
Class Participation
“Thank you for the wonderful, life-changing work you guys do with the kids, community, and frankly our world. Believe me, I know the difference it made in my life, and seeing our kid after just a few months at Priory, it has only gotten better with time. Priory Rocks!” – Jose Maria Zertuche ‘89 P ‘22
6th grade: 92% 7th grade: 91% 8th grade: 87% 9th grade: 93% 10th grade: 88% 11th grade: 79% 12th grade: 77%
“There aren’t many schools like Priory. The teachers find strengths in their students; nurturing them in the best learning environment possible. Watching our sons grow into confident, knowledgeable, compassionate individuals encourages us to support their school in any way we can.” – Mary Duling P ‘19 ‘20 “Our family has enjoyed seven wonderful years at Priory, and as our son exits, we feel it is even better positioned for teaching the next generation than when we arrived. That should be our goal as parents: let our kids enjoy the gifts provided by parents that came before and leave gifts for the benefit of the many students that follow. Priory’s balance and care for our kids is why we donate. We encourage every family who has the capacity to give in accordance with their ability to do so–it is money well spent!” – Anne and Eric Harrison P ‘16 ‘19
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ALUMNI PARENTS 36
Once a Priory Parent... Always a Priory Parent! When a student graduates from Priory, their relationship with the school doesn’t end and the same is for all Alumni Parents. Annually, this special group is invited back to campus for a pair of events to mix and mingle with old friends and meet new ones. Kicking off the year, the Classes of 1984-2018 were represented at the Alumni Parent Social on September 27. On a warm fall evening in Church Square, past parents enjoyed the opportunity to see and hear about all that is new on campus, including officially meeting Father Matthew Leavy. During Father Matthew’s remarks, he spoke about his deep connection to the Priory– where he began his monastic vocation–and how impressed he is that the school has flourished into the community it is today, with credit due to generations of Alumni Parents who paved the way for the current community.
ALUMNI PARENTS
A Happy Priory Valentine’s Day
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A time-honored and cherished treat for all Priory graduates currently enrolled in college, each February the Alumni Office mails 200 dozen or more Priory cookies to dorm rooms across the country for Valentine’s Day. Adding to the surprise is the support of Alumni Parents, who come together to lovingly create the cookie packages.
ALUMNI
Social Rewind Priory...coming to a town near you! Upcoming Alumni Events Alumni Reunion April 13, 2019 Palo Alto Social June 13, 2019
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San Francisco Social Bringing together alumni from the Classes of 1983 to 2016, the Priory spirit reverberated through the Coin-Op Game Room in San Francisco on July 20. Alumni and guests enjoyed socializing over drinks and appetizers with Head of School Tim Molak, Father Maurus Nemeth, Alumni Director Diana Chamorro, Faculty Alumni Liaison Todd Turner and Director of Strategic Initiatives Al Zappelli, while trying their hand at the many of vintage pinball machines.
San Francisco Social August 8, 2019 Priory Golf Classic September 23, 2019 #Love4Priory October 22, 2019 Thanksgiving Alumni Basketball Game November 27, 2019 Thanksgiving Alumnae Soccer Game November 28, 2019 Home for the Holidays December 19, 2019
New York Social Gathering at the Empire Hotel rooftop in Midtown on August 2, alumni from Brooklyn, Manhattan and New Jersey convened with Diana Chamorro to reminisce about their time at Priory, reconnect with old friends and meet fellow alumni living in the area.
Montero Alumni Game December 21, 2019
Left to right: John Wynne ’63, Thomas Wade ’63, Shoshana Levitt ’13, Rebecca Wilson ’11, Richard McCoy ’64 and Kristof Horompoly ’06
ALUMNI Nashville Meet-Up While traveling for a conference, Assistant Head of School/Upper School Head Brian Schlaak invited former students to join him for dinner at Moto Cucina + Enoteca in downtown Nashville, Tenn. on November 28. First-year faculty members, Omar Brown and Sandra Kelly, also joined the alumni quartet and Schlaak for a lively dinner.
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Left to right: Brian Schlaak, Katie Nachtsheim ’15, Alex Schreiner ’07, Omar Brown, Sandra Kelly, Jocie Schreiner ’10, Mitch Calbert ’15
Home for the Holidays An annual tradition for Priory’s youngest alumni, the Classes of 2015-2018 kicked off their Christmas break at the Home for Holidays social in Founders Hall on December 21. The festivities featured Father Martin’s famous pizzas and the opportunity to reunite with friends, Tim Molak, Father Maurus, Todd Turner, Diana Chamorro and meet Father Matthew.
ALUMNI
Alumni Games Panthers Before Turkeys
Kicking off Thanksgiving break is always better with fellow Panthers!
Alumni Basketball Game Each year, the night before Thanksgiving, the Priory community gathers for a fun and competitive battle between the current and former Panthers at the Alumni Basketball Game. This year’s game we welcomed more than 25 alumni and alumni parents to Gambetta Gym for a pregame reception and the game.
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Alumnae Soccer Game Led by alumnus and veteran girls’ soccer coach Henry Arredondo ’02 and assistant coach Kaitlin Bonfiglio ’12, former soccer players laced up their cleats on Thanksgiving morning to square off with the current team at the second annual Alumnae Soccer Game.
Left to right: Molly Simpson ’12, Erin Simpson ’14, Lexi Garrity ’14, Caitlin Teoman ’14, Alison Perna ’12, Lauren Allen ’10, Lena Bhagat ’18, Kaitlin Bonfiglio ’12, Mariana Galvan ’13
ALUMNI Remembering Coach A year after the passing of beloved teacher, coach and alumnus Joe Montero ’76, alumni, the monks, faculty, staff, current soccer players and the Montero family celebrated his life in a most befitting way–the inaugural Joe Montero Coed Alumni Soccer Game on December 22. Father Maurus Nemeth opened the morning with a tribute and prayer for Joe, before generations of Priory students, from the 1970s to present, enjoyed a spirited game.
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Father Maurus Nemeth opens the inaugural Montero Alumni Game with a prayer and remarks.
Left to right: Lindsay Montero, Jeff Wise, Joe Montero III, Andrew Daniel, Reed Sullivan and Eric Turnquist ’12
Left to right: Father Matthew Leavy, Erhard Wegman ’76, Tim Cain ’78 and Father Martin Mager
ALUMNI
November 27, 2018 was a historic day for the alumni community, as graduates from around the globe spanning the Classes of 1962 to 2018 came together over a 24-hour period to show their #Love4Priory! Priory’s inaugural giving day showcased the alumni community’s gratitude for their school and dedication to paying it forward to support the next generation of students. Throughout the day, a #Love4Priory Leaderboard tracked superlatives.
GIVING DAY LEADERBOARD
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12 A.M. Class Captains Emma Beriker ‘12 Kyle Berka ‘09 Kaitlin Bonfiglio ‘12 Kimberly Carlisle ‘11 Emily Chapman ‘00 Nathan Feldman ‘09 Riley Munks ‘13 Kathleen Ruiz ‘01 Caelum Shove ‘09 Emre Sonmez ‘13 Ed Sun ‘87 Humphrey Yang ‘05 3 A.M. First Gift Elizabeth Thomas ‘09 9-10 A.M. Youngest Alum Donor Max Fairon ‘18 New York City Represented Shoshanna Levitt ‘13 Rebecca Wilson ‘11 10-11 A.M. The Founders—The 1960s Patrick Dougherty ‘66 Michael McEntee ‘66 12-1 P.M. Showing Love Around the Globe Tarek Abu Zayyad ‘87—London Richard Lun ‘87—Hong Kong Johnny Yu ‘87—Hong Kong
Young Alum Class Leader— Class of 2017 Konstantin Larin Megan Love Manny Salas 1-2 P.M. The Founders Part 2—The 1960s George Ronay ‘67 2-3 P.M. Class of 1987 Leadership Gift of $4,800 Unlocked Tarek Abu Zayyad Paul Chang Peter Doyle John Harrington Christian Honeker Matthew Janopaul Richard Lun Martin Sullivan Ed Sun Brian Tang Johnny Yu 3-4 P.M. Largest Class Participation from the 2000s—Class of 2009 Kyle Berka Danielle Boross Constance (Hiller) Churchman Nathan Feldman Courtney Lee Shajee Rizvi Caelum Shove Mike Szabados Elizabeth Thomas Claire Dennis Alyssa Thunen
Showing Love Around the Globe Part 2 Guillermo Maafs ‘85—Mexico Mathias Nagy ‘03—Germany 4-5 P.M. The Founders Part 3—The 1960s András Csaplár ‘64 5-6 P.M. Making Their Gift in Honor of Their Grad Year Kayla Noguchi ‘12 7-8 P.M. Unlocking Al Zappelli’s $500 Match Brian Bevilacqua ‘11 Arshia Ehsanipour ‘09 William Harryman ‘07 Susan Lyon ‘05 Chasen Rapp ‘09 Ted Tabacco ‘05 8-9 P.M. Class of 2016 Represented Megan Buiocchi Mirthia Prince Figuereo 9-10 P.M. First Gift from Class of 2010 Lauren Allen 10-11 P.M. First Gift from Class of 1988 Jean Henri Lhuillier 11-11:59 P.M. Closing Strong Gregory Mohr ‘77 Anthony Shu ‘12
1967 + 1969 Left to right: Tim Molak, Myo Denis Lahey ‘69, Rev. Piers M. Lahey ’67 and Father Matthew. The Lahey brothers returned to campus this fall and spent time visiting with former teacher Father Matthew.
2011 While in Asia for an admissions trip, Director of Admissions Matt Lai reunited with former students, Mina Kim and Jennifer Suh. Mina currently is in law school in Korea and Jen is applying to Clinical Psychology PhD programs in the United States.
CLASS NEWS & NOTES
Class News & Notes
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1998 Suzi Kovacs and her husband, Zsolt Komuves, traveled from the Southeast to celebrate 2018 Thanksgiving with the monastic community.
2003 Julie Melen (left) and Tara Scarioni reconnected with Father Martin during a visit to campus.
During the fall semester, Connor Mather returned to campus to speak to the dorm residents about the different possibilities students have following graduation. He shared how he attended community college for two years, before earning a scholarship to UCLA. He is now on the cusp of graduating from Duke’s School of Nursing, a top-5 program in the nation.
CLASS NEWS & NOTES
2012
2013
Jennie Christensen is in her second year of law school at the University of Notre Dame. She plans to work at a law firm this summer in Chicago.
Recent Santa Clara University graduate, Jackson Larango rang in the Christmas season with former teacher Christine Hemiup.
On November 27, Anthony Shu reflected about his time at Priory and how it influences his work at Second Harvest Food Bank at Chapel. His talk officially kicked off the school’s annual holiday food drive.
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In addition to her day job as a Radiation Effects Engineer in the Hardware Engineering Center, Space and Airborne Systems at Raytheon Company, Krysten Pfau is a member of the Angel City Chorale. This past fall the choir competed in America’s Got Talent, reaching the semifinals.
Kimberly Ho will graduate from the University of San Diego with degrees in accounting and finance this spring. She has already been offered a job with Ernst and Young following graduation.
Olivia Peek is a senior advertising major at the University of Oregon. Following graduation this spring, she plans to remain in the Pacific Northwest and get a job in Seattle or Portland.
While on Christmas break from Colgate University, Ashley Jones and her a cappella group, the Swinging ’Gates, performed on campus on January 14.
CLASS NEWS & NOTES
2015
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Valentine’s Day was made a little sweeter for alumni currently in college from Los Angeles to Montreal and beyond, as they received their Priory cookie packages. With a touch of nostalgia and undoubted excitement, alumni shared photos of their packages on social media.
Are you following Priory Alumni on social media? facebook.com/woodsideprioryalumni instagram.com/prioryalumni twitter.com/priory_alumni
CLASS NEWS & NOTES 46
2016 Mike Fitzgerald is studying computer science, philosophy and cognitive science at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He enjoys skiing with John Gregory ’16 every chance he gets. John Gregory took the fall semester off from Colorado State University to hike the Pacific Crest Trail with his sister, Kat ’12. After hiking more than half of the trail, over 1,000 miles, he suffered a stress fracture and Priory classmates, Mike Fitzgerald ’16 and Gigi de Fort-Menares ’16, drove over eight hours to get him from the hospital. In addition to his studies, he currently is working as a farrier, packing guide and vet assistant in Colorado.
2017 Matthew Carusi returned to campus on January 17, to speak at an all-school assembly about how his work with the Fisher House Foundation, an organization that supports military, veterans and their families during a medical crisis. He first worked with the organization as part of his Senior Project and shared how he has continued to support it.
Scotty Harris is playing NCAA Division I men’s basketball at UC Santa Barbara. Mirthia Prince-Figuereo is spending her spring semester at Barnard College studying abroad in Aixen-Provence, France. Lindsey Schoenthaler is taking a gap year from Boise State and is pursuing ministry at a nondenominational Christian Church. After discovering her calling to work in speech pathology, Avery Singson transferred to Boston University and enrolled in the 12th-ranked program in the United States. She is enjoying exploring Boston, interning at Massachusetts General, and connecting with classmates Jack Herrera ’16 (Northeastern) and Alejandra Sanchez ’16 (Boston University). Rachel Wolff spent the fall semester of her junior year studying abroad in Madrid, where she lived with a host family and all her classes were in Spanish. Cris Yuan is studying at UCLA and conducting neuroscience and psychology research.
Christian Fotré is majoring in Environmental Design with a focus on Architecture at the University of Colorado at Boulder. He is loving his experience there and was on the Dean’s List last semester. Loving living in New York City, Sophia Lipp is studying at NYU and making films. Eugene Miller is balancing working toward his mathematics degree at Trinity College (Conn.) and running marathons. Manuel Salas is studying biology at the University of San Francisco and a member of Pre-Dental Society, Mecha, Raza Unida, Brother Connection, and PACT group. Nicolas Tan is a sophomore Biomedical Engineering major at Northeastern University. Beginning in January 2019, he is participating in a six-month co-op job as a research assistant at the Harvard Samuel Labs, which is part of the Harvard University’s Department of Physics and Center for Brain Research.
Derek Abarca was selected as the alumni speaker at the Peninsula Bridge fundraiser and was a recipient of a college scholarship on November 1.
Joseph Calderon is getting fully immersed in Spokane and studying at Gonzaga University. He is volunteering with a community program called the Walking School Bus; working with the AVID program, tutoring students to prepare them for college readiness; and recently won his first intramural soccer championship. Lucas Harris is enjoying his freshman year at Pitzer College and is a member of Pomona-Pitzer men’s basketball team. Miranda Prince-Figuereo is currently studying Film and New Media at Wheaton College (Mass.). In addition to her studies, she is a member of a step dance team and taking advantage of exploring the Northeast.
Left to right: Derek Abarca ’16, teacher Omar Brown, Brandon Zelaya ’21, Community Engagement Director Gulliver LaValle
Vincent Cullinan had a great first semester at Loyola Marymount University. He’s having fun exploring extracurricular activities and the culture Los Angeles has to offer.
The Priory Golf Classic title went to the homegrown team of Rocky Chan ‘10, Daniel Hoffman ‘12, and Humphrey Yang ‘05 on October 22. It was a mini reunion at Los Altos Golf & Country Club, as fellow alums: Maxwell Barnes ’12, Conor Bonfiglio ’14, Jason Kado ’01 and Bryan Quinn ’01 were also in attendance.
CLASS NEWS & NOTES
2018
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CLASS NEWS & NOTES 48
Did you get your Priory sunglasses this year? Thanks to all the alumni who came from near and far to visit campus this past year! Next time you’re in the area, be sure to stop by Priory, catch up with the monks and former teachers, explore the new buildings on campus and see the Alumni Office for your Priory sunglasses! If you know you’re going to be visiting campus and would like to arrange a tour or shadow a class, please email alumni@prioryca.org.
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CLASS NEWS & NOTES
MONASTERY NEWS 50
The Brother Edward Englund, O.S.B. Benedictine Leadership Institute Last summer, educators from 15 Benedictine secondary schools throughout the United States met in Lisle, Ill. for the first Benedictine Leadership Institute (BLI). Developed as a three-year formation program for persons interested in furthering their careers as administrators in a Benedictine high school, the three-year curriculum has been designed to cover topics dealing with Benedictine heritage, charism and wisdom tradition. The Institute is named in honor of Brother Edward Englund, O.S.B., who, before his death, was a member of the International Commission on Benedictine Education and a long-time leader for collaboration among Benedictine schools. Hosted at the Lisle campuses of Benedictine University and Benet Academy, as well as at the Sacred Heart Monastery and Saint Procopius Abbey, participants from the Priory included teachers Andrew Lee and David Rafoni, as well as administrators Tim Molak and Al Zappelli. This summer, Year Two of the BLI will take place on the campuses of Saint John’s University, Saint John’s Prep and the College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota. Saint John’s Prep is the host school for this year’s BLI. The week-long activities will provide an opportunity for current lay educators, staff and administrators to build community and discover best practices in Benedictine education.
1937-2019
For more than 40 years of his life, Louis Kovács contributed to the Priory community in a variety of ways. He first arrived at the Priory in 1963 when he joined the monastic community for the next 11 years. He then began a family together with his wife Klara. Both their children attended Priory, Suzi graduating in 1998 and Zoltan in 2000. Having received his degree in Horticulture, Louis served the Priory community as chief gardener and groundskeeper, planting countless trees and brush over the years. The towering redwoods which line our entrance road were started by Louis from seed. As a teenager in Hungary he apprenticed as a cabinetmaker and put those skills to profitable use here at the Priory as well. His handiwork in wood can be seen in many places at Priory, most strikingly in the Priory chapel where he made the choir stalls and altar. His decades of devoted service for tending the Priory playing fields was recognized by naming the front playing field in his honor as the Louis Kovács field. Following their retirement from the Priory in 2005 Louis and Klara lived for a while in Porterville, CA and then 10 years ago moved back to Hungary, the place of their birth. For the last several years Louis has been suffering from Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. His funeral will take place in Keszthely, Hungary on March 20, with Father Maurus presiding. Louis and Father Maurus grew up together as next-door neighbors in the village of Hahót, and in 1956, during the aftermath of the Hungarian Revolution, escaped together to Austria. After spending some months in refugee camps there and later in Holland, they both emigrated to Canada in 1957, settling in Vancouver. Both came to the Priory in 1963 and entered the monastic community. Louis and Klara both received the Priory’s Saint Benedict award in grateful recognition of their decades of service to the Benedictine spirit upon which the Priory was founded and continues to operate. May he rest in peace. The date and time for a Memorial Mass for Louis here at the Priory will be announced in the near future. Condolences may be sent to his wife Klara at okosanyu@aol.com, his daughter Suzi at pinklily98@aol.com and his son Zoltan at zoltan@ikovacs.com.
IN MEMORIAM
Louis Lajos Kovács
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Welcome Home
Celebrate • Reconnect • Rediscover
ALUMNI REUNION Saturday, April 13, 2019
All Alumni are Welcome! Celebrating the Milestone Classes of:
1964, 196 9 , 1974 , 197 9 , 19 84 , 19 8 9 , 19 94 , 19 9 9 , 2 0 0 4 , 2 0 0 9 , 2014 For more information & to RSVP: prioryca.org/reunion Questions? Please contact the Alumni Office at 650.851.6176 or alumni@prioryca.org
Alumni Mass: Priory Chapel 4 p.m.
REUNION SCHEDULE:
Dedication of Al Zappelli Alumni Courtyard: Immediately following Mass
Reunion Celebration: LaureL STREAM Center 5 p.m.
Featuring Craft beer bar generously supported by Gordon Biersch & Matthew Patzer ’16
Woodside Priory School 302 Portola Road Portola Valley, CA 94028 (650) 851-8221 fax (650) 851-2839
NON-PROFIT ORG US POSTAGE
PAID
MENLO PARK,CA PERMIT #805
Address Service Requested
ROARING
TWENTIES Priory Gala
D i n n e r • Da n c i n g • Au c t i o n
Saturday, March 30, 2019 Sharon Heights Golf & Country Club For more information, please visit prioryca.org/gala
