“Learning to love those God puts around us is so important in the Christian life.”
“We couldn’t have done this without the collective effort of every student, teacher, and family who contributed.”
“We will always be grateful for PVI. PVI teachers, staff, and coaches made [our son] the man he is today.”
“I find it most rewarding when a little girl tells me after the game that they want to do what I do.”
“Coaching with my former teammate on the same team where both of us became great friends has been one of my favorite things I’ve done in my adult life.”
P29
Go Forth and Set the World on Fire: Junior girls take in the scenery and spend time together during the October Girls Retreat held at the 4-H Center in Front Royal, Virginia.
Panther Tracks Magazine
St. Paul VI Catholic High School
42341 Braddock Road
Chantilly, VA 20152
703-352-0925 paulvi.net
Mrs. Laura Swenson Head of School
Dr. Tom Opfer ’96 Principal
Fr. Jonathan Fioramonti Chaplain
Mrs. Irene Zaso P ’18, ’21 Director of Communications and Marketing
Mrs. Eileen Kiley Curren ’98 Associate Director of Communications and Marketing; Panther Tracks Managing Editor
Mrs. Mary Ashooh Hamrick ’86, P ’19, ’20, ’22, ’23 Director, Parent & Alumni Development
Mrs. Megan Geraghty Hish ’98, P ’25, ’27 Manager of Parent and Alumni Programs
2024-2025 PVI SCHOOL BOARD
Chair: Andrew Zaso P ’18, ’21
Vice Chair: George Eastment P ’05
Fr. Donald Heet, OSFS
Christopher Hornbecker P ’27
Carlos Lama P ’20, ’22, ’25
Richard McCoy P ’24, ’26
Thomas McGonigle, P ’02, ’06, ’13
In this issue: This year, the Diocese of Arlington celebrates the third and final year of its Golden Jubilee with the theme, "Behold, I make all things new." This school year at PVI, we are excited to learn and grow with each other as we live in communion. The theme of this Panther Tracks celebrates many of the new and wonderful aspects of our Catholic school mission.
We want to hear from you. Send alumni news, photos, comments, suggestions, and corrections to communications@paulvi.net.
Digital Option and Change of Information
Would you prefer not to receive Panther Tracks in the mail any longer? We have a digital version available! Let us know if we should stop mailing you the print publication. Need to change your address or contact information? Contact advancement@paulvi.net.
Connect with PVI
New Electives to Explore
Students gain knowledge and experience in diverse subjects
Campus Life & Ministry
Living in communion, growing closer to Christ and each other
Panther Champions
Football, Girls Soccer, Girls Cross Country and Cheer won championships this fall 14
Gifts in Action
The generosity of our donors makes an impact
Broadcast Goals
Alumna Spotlight: Ariana Freeman Prather ’14
HEAD OF SCHOOL
ehold, I make all things new.” This quote from Revelation is the theme of the third year in the Diocese of Arlington’s celebration of its Golden Jubilee and the perfect accompaniment to our journey at Paul VI this year. As you peruse this issue of Panther Tracks, I hope you get a glimpse into the many new and wonderful aspects of our Catholic school mission — our new chaplain, our nine new academic electives, our new initiatives in Campus Life & Ministry, and our newest School Board members. We are blessed to have so much growth and so many opportunities, and blessed that we have the support that we do.
“I
can think of no better way to share and inspire the extraordinary than by following God’s call for renewal in our Catholic faith through our school mission.”
—LAURA H. SWENSON
Our renewed purpose and commitment to our Catholic faith is the foundation upon which our new initiatives are built. As it says in Romans 12:2, “Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.”
Prospective families and returning alumni alike often comment on the strong sense of community that they feel on campus. By seeing and acting upon all that is new, we are seeing the potential in one another, in our PVI community, and in our ability to serve one another as Jesus calls us. I can think of no better way to share and inspire the extraordinary than by following God’s call for renewal in our Catholic faith through our school mission.
Thank you for being a part of our journey. We are blessed to have each of you as a member of our PVI family.
Peace and blessings,
Laura H. Swenson, Head of School
Mrs. Swenson visited a Varsity Football practice during the week leading up to the WCAC Metro Division Championship game.
Honor instrumentalists from the Tri-M Music Honor Society represented PVI at an Honor Flight at Dulles International Airport in October.
Meet Father Jonathan
Article by Dante Massarini ’25
ather Jonathan Fioramonti is the newest chaplain for St. Paul VI Catholic High School.
Born and raised in Manassas, Father Jonathan attended Seton School and was a parishioner at All Saints Catholic Church. The oldest of nine siblings, he is very familiar with being a part of a large family, both in his home life and in his church community.
In high school, Father Jonathan’s passion was sports, especially soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. He loved playing them for the thrill of the game, but it was the people he met in those communities who had such a profound impact on him. Although he did not seriously consider becoming a priest until later in college, the example set by his teammates planted the seeds for Father’s vocation. He saw these good men striving for excellence, and when they themselves entered seminary, Father thought to himself, “Wow, maybe that could be me.”
Father Jonathan Reflects Watch Father’s video reflections to students, faculty, and staff on YouTube.
A real eye opening experience for Father was when one of the friends he played soccer with invited him to a “come and see” weekend. This was an opportunity for him and other members of the community to meet with seminarians, pray with them, and ask them questions. He didn’t really understand what it was all about, but he decided to attend and was impressed by the men giving their lives wholly to the Lord. In particular, the testimony of one seminarian, now Father Sean (who also went to Seton School with Father Jonathan!), really struck home what it meant to dedicate oneself to the holy life.
In his time since becoming a member of the priesthood, Father has been hard at work serving his communities and doing the work of the Lord. He started his ministry by preparing young adults for marriage. Now he is the chaplain at PVI and the shepherd for a flock of 1,200+ students. His favorite things about being a priest are seeing God at work in the students’ lives and helping them hear His voice. In particular, Father Jonathan loves being able to offer the sacrament of Reconciliation and forgiving sins so that students may know God’s mercy
and feel His grace working in them. He is elated as a priest, knowing that he gets to forgive sins every time he hears the confessional’s doorbell ring in his office.
Father Jonathan also has a few special devotions. He loves the Mass, of course, and being in the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist, the source of all nourishment. Thus, he tries to begin and end every single day at PVI in the beautiful chapel on campus. He also has a devotion to the rosary, and you will never catch him without one on his person. He is fond of the dual images that the rosary presents: one of a spiritual sword, and one of holding the gentle hand of Mary. Devotion to the Blessed Mother has always held a special place in Father Jonathan’s heart; in high school, two of his teammates convinced him to do a 33-day consecration to Mary. He has since greatly relied on her intercession.
“Learning to love those God puts around us is so important in the Christian life.”
— Father Jonathan Fioramonti
The motto at PVI is “Grow in Grace and Wisdom,” and this year, the area of focus and theme is “Living in Communion.” Fittingly, Father Jonathan has placed great emphasis on the importance of family. He often quotes his dad, saying, “The family that prays together, stays together.”
PVI’s advisories, which function like homerooms at other schools, are similar to a basic unit of family. Advisories consist of an assortment of students from all four grade levels. The students do not get to choose who they are in an advisory with, and this is how any family works.
Father Jonathan urges that “learning to love those God puts around us is so important in the Christian life.” This starts with repentance. Jesus’ first call in his ministry was to repent. We have to recognize our shortcomings and learn to accept help from our friends. Recognizing our weaknesses means accepting who we are as the children of God’s creation.
Father Jonathan, recalling that Plato once said to “Know thyself,” shares that this is the starting point of the Christian life. For him, it means to be Father Jonathan well, to point people to the chapel, and to be present for his community.
with Father Jonathan!
EARLY BIRD NIGHT OWL
BEACH MOUNTAINS
COFFEE TEA
Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon! (Courtesy of my mom having "tea time" when I was a little kid!)
BREAKFAST DINNER
LISTEN TO MUSIC WATCH TV
Listen to music on a long walk
GOSPEL OF MATTHEW GOSPEL OF JOHN
ADVENT LENT
WATCH FOOTBALL PLAY SOCCER!
INTROVERT EXTROVERT
RUN SWIM
VIDEO GAME MOVIE
CHIPOTLE CHICK-FIL-A
Because they always say, “my pleasure!”
CAPTAIN AMERICA BATMAN
MARCH MADNESS SUPER BOWL
FALL WINTER SPRING SUMMER
New Electives to Explore
Article by Brookie Barker ’25
Being a college preparatory school, Paul VI prepares students for life after high school, helping students expand their minds, find their passions, and inspire them to explore future careers.
This year, Paul VI has grown its academic programming and is offering nine new electives, including Christian Discipleship, Digital Video Design and Production, Introduction to AI and Autonomous Mobile Robots, Debate, Marine Biology, Intro to ASL, Intro to Robotic Design, Sports Medicine, and International Trade and Business.
These classes provide opportunities for students to delve deeper into possible career options and gain in-depth
and the All Male Choral Ensemble, which provide students with niche interests the ability to dive deeper into the arts, whether by building bird houses from scratch or unraveling conspiracy theories about classic movies.
Mr. Peter Troy, the founder of the American Dream on Film elective, created a class to study the various ways Hollywood has depicted The American Dream over the years in films ranging from “Casablanca” to “Hidden Figures.”
“Each movie we examine opens the class to discussions and reflections that often touch on history, philosophy, the arts, theology, and other academic fields,” Troy explains. Students
“What does it mean to live well?” is a question that Mrs. Kathleen Ojeda and Mr. Brendan Keane help students explore in their new elective, The Art of Living.
His elective closely follows a former graduate course he used to teach but covers a broader view of how economic growth is driven through regulating relations with foreign countries. The class has begun compiling research on different countries to see how their economies function and if they could be a potential trade partner with the United States.
In offering such a wide range of unique electives, Paul VI not only enriches the academic lives of its students, but also equips them with valuable skills and insights for their futures. These courses allow students to dive deep into their interests, whether they’re drawn to business, technology, or the arts, creating a more engaging and personalized high school experience. By nurturing curiosity and encouraging students to pursue their passions, PVI prepares students for college and beyond, setting them on paths toward fulfilling careers and lifelong learning.
Coding Meets Creativity in Robotics
Over the course of the semester in Intro to Robotic Design, Mr. Burkat’s students learned the basics of robot design, including mechanics, electronics, sensors, and programming. Students applied the engineering design process to the FIRST Tech Challenge competition robot and competed against other schools and clubs at the end of the semester.
Our robotics team, the VI Bots, had a strong showing in their first competition, the FTC Chesapeake Regional Qualifier held at the DC International School. Ranked in the top third of the teams, the VI Bots were drafted by a veteran alliance team after the qualifying matches to participate in double-elimination playoffs. Additionally, one of the top teams dropped off a trophy at PVI’s table that read, "Most Worthy Challenger." Students applied the same engineering design process and tools learned in PVI’s other engineering classes, specifically Intro to Engineering Design, Principles of Engineering and Aerospace Engineering.
continued on next page
New Electives to Explore continued from page 4-5
Eye on AI
Next stop... a world of possibilities! In Mr. Hargadon’s Introduction to AI & Applied Robotics elective, students’ views were challenged, expanded, and deepened as they explored this evolving technology. Students are pictured presenting “What is AI” and “How AI Works.”
“One interesting thing we have done to date is the Turing test of OpenAI’s Chat GPT. This is where you test if a response was generated by AI or a human. It was an epic fail for Chat!” shares Mr. Hargadon.
“The AI class utilized a project and presentation based approach that provided a fruitful learning experience,” shares Allen Riotto ’25. “Mr. Hargadon kept us engaged throughout the entire experience. Even our midterm was something I looked forward to: utilizing the concepts learned in class to create a mock company with the goals of using artificial intelligence to create change in the world.”
Students are pictured presenting “What is AI” and “How AI Works,” as well as about transformers architecture.
Students Receive College Board Recognitions
Logan Beale and Angela Thomson were two of 16,000 Semifinalists named in the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These seniors have shown exceptional academic ability and potential for success in college studies and can continue in the competition for over 6,800 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $26 million dollars.
Mariela Alvarado, Emily Ferrier, Adie Ferrufino, Sebastian Gloukhoff, Paulo Korowajczuk Nader, Julia Korowajczuk Nader, Dylan Levano, Jakob Mirkes, and Sara Ugaz received academic honors from the College Board National Hispanic Recognition Program for their strong performance in school and on assessments.
Alexandria Boland, Ethan Chisholm, Adam Delacourt, Alexander Fromm, Luke Heinze, Gabriel Herrera, Emily Maguire, Dante Massarini, Stephen Schafer, Joseph Sheehan, Marisol Sims, and Sophia Walter were named Commended Students in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. About 34,000 Commended Students nationwide were recognized for the exceptional academic promise demonstrated by their outstanding performance on the qualifying test used for program entry.
Prayer, Purpose, and Service
Campus Ministry at PVI
ampus Ministry exists to encounter students with the love of Christ, support them in their pursuit of the spiritual life, and equip them to be evangelizers, with the ultimate goal of inspiring them to a life of prayer within the Sacraments of the Catholic Church.
Campus Ministry supports the spiritual and community-building activities already present within our community, such as all-school Mass, retreats, mission trips, service, and community events. All students, faculty, and staff are “part of” Campus Ministry, as they are a part of our PVI Family.
Offerings to Students:
Campus Ministry facilitates teams of students who serve the spiritual needs of their peers, while growing deeper in their own faith. Students can contribute to Campus Ministry through:
• Visiting the Chapel – Jesus is always present in the Eucharist in our Mary, Mother of the Church Chapel. Students are welcome to come for even a few brief moments between class, before or after school, and during lunch. Fr. Jonathan is always nearby and desires to hear confessions whenever a student wants to receive the sacrament.
• Liturgy Team – This team of students serves by preparing the Panther Athletic Center for all-school Masses. Students serve as sacristans, lectors, ushers, and altar servers.
• Mission Trips – Sophomores through seniors may apply to serve on a PVI mission trip. There are mission trips to Camden, New Jersey through DeSales Service Works during the school year, and our juniors will be serving the needs of rural Appalachia this summer.
• Sacramental Prep –19 students received the Sacraments of Initiation and entered the Catholic Church in spring 2024. PVI has a robust program to assist students in this discernment and preparation. Forty students are exploring the Catholic faith this academic year!
• Bible Studies – Student Bible studies are offered around interested students’ schedules. Bible studies often take place during study halls and after school, offering time to share in fellowship with each other and be fed by the Word of God.
“The positive experience and environment that I encountered on my Junior Retreat greatly influenced my decision to become a Retreat Team Leader. This has been one of the most impactful leadership roles that I have been a part of here at PVI. Not only am I leading a group of juniors on their faith journey, but I have been witness to an exponential growth in my own faith life. Retreat team leaders are in a unique position when it comes to the effect that can be had on juniors, serving as a role model and someone who they can look up to and inquire about their faith.”
—
JOHN NOEL ’25
I said, “I do not know how to speak. I am too young!”
But the Lord answered me, Do not say, “I am too young.”
To whomever I send you, you shall go; whatever I command you, you shall speak.
— JEREMIAH 1:6-7
Mass Appeal
What is Pack the Chap? On the first Friday of every month, many students attend the 7:10 a.m. Mass and fill Mary, Mother of the Church Chapel, aka “Pack the Chap.” It is a wonderful way to start the month!
In addition to this popular tradition, Advisories attend Mass in the chapel as a group a few times during the semester and Advisories sit together during all-school Mass in the PAC.
Retreat Team Leaders
The seniors on the PVI Retreat Team attended their own retreat this fall to grow in prayer, community, and leadership skills. These seniors facilitate small groups on Junior Retreats throughout the year, and commit to living high moral standards as witnesses to Christ working in their lives.
“I chose to be a Senior Retreat Leader because I love guiding young women, like myself, closer to God. I am not an expert at all on the faith, but I love sharing my own experience and advice with girls I can relate to. I have already served as a leader on the October retreat, and it was truly a rewarding and wonderful experience.”
— OLIVIA LATTANZE ’25
CAMP U S L I F E ROUNDUP!
Generosity in Action
Mid-November at PVI means one thing… Hunger Action Week!
Paul VI partnered with Food for Others, a food bank and pantry in Fairfax, to support families facing food insecurity. As is tradition, friendly competition added excitement, with students earning points for their Advisories based on the type of items donated, including canned meat, mac and cheese cups, shelfstable milk, juice, and more.
This year’s donations focused on the Power Pack Program. These packs are sent home on Friday afternoons with students facing food insecurity and contain meals that students can make themselves.
The Student Government Association (SGA) led the initiative with the support of Advisors and Big Brothers/Big Sisters and well over 200,000 food items were collected.
“Our goal was to reach 100,000 points, and we are beyond grateful to announce that we surpassed this, thanks to the incredible generosity of our school community,” said SGA copresidents Nisha Downey and Luca DiClemente. “We couldn’t
DID YOU KNOW?
PVI has been donating to Food for Others for 20+ years.
PVI stocks 1/3 of Food for Others’ pantries for the entire year.
have done this without the collective effort of every student, teacher, and family who contributed.”
PVI’s efforts were featured on 7News DC’s Good Morning Washington. Students are pictured above with senior meteorologist Brian van de Graaff. Scan the QR code to view the segment!
Riding the Wave to Victory
Panthers enjoyed a Hawaiian-themed Rally in the Valley before the first home football game. A new addition of a “signature” Panther Punch from the tiki hut was a big hit.
School Board Update
Paul VI is excited to introduce the three newest members of the School Board.
Carlos Lama P ’20, ’22, ’25
A lifelong member of the Diocese of Arlington, Carlos attended Queen of Apostles Catholic School and Bishop O’Connell High School. After graduating from Virginia Tech, Carlos began his over 20-year career as a network engineer. He currently resides in Chantilly, Virginia with his wife, Michelle. They are members of Corpus Christi Catholic Church.
Ever an advocate of Catholic education, Carlos has faithfully supported the Saint Timothy School and Paul VI communities where his daughters attended. Isabella ’20 attends the University of Tennessee, Sophia ’22 attends the University of Notre Dame, and Natalia ’25 will graduate from PVI this year.
Carlos enjoyed volunteering at St. Tim’s by assisting in art, computer, library, and PE classes, as well as class events and field trips. Once his children began attending PVI, Carlos became an active member of the Parent Ambassadors since its founding in 2020. Carlos now looks forward to this opportunity to continue advancing PVI’s valuable mission.
With the passage of time and his children growing into lives of their own, Carlos can often be found enjoying movies (tub of popcorn required), donating platelets at the Red Cross, watching Virginia Tech football, or visiting Blacksburg, Virginia, which he’s affectionately designated his “happiest place on Earth.”
Rick McCoy P ’24, ’26
Rick McCoy is an active member of Corpus Christi Parish and lives in Stone Ridge, Virginia, with his wife, Yanneth, and their two daughters. Shawna ’24 is currently a freshman at High Point University in North Carolina, and Melissa ’26 is a junior at Paul VI. Prior to PVI, both girls attended Saint Timothy Catholic School. A resident of Northern Virginia for the last 24 years, Rick still calls the Midwest home and cheers for his hometown Chicago sports teams regardless of their record. As a sports enthusiast, he had the great joy of coaching both of his daughters and many of their classmates in lacrosse and basketball throughout their grade school years. He very much enjoys seeing many familiar faces from those days around the PVI campus.
In addition to coaching his girls, Rick was a frequent volunteer at St. Tim’s and helped establish the safety team for both the school and the parish. His 21 years of military service in the special operations community, combined with five years of police work focused on gangs and drugs, and his current career as a government contractor focused on counter-narcotics and anti-terrorism has allowed him to bring a well-rounded perspective to school safety.
Rick began volunteering at PVI as a mentor to the boys junior retreats in 2019 before Shawna started her freshman year. He continues to do so and is always impressed by the quality of young men being formed by the PVI community. He is an active member of the Parent Ambassadors and a leader in the Knights of Columbus Council 13468, where he leads their support of the PVI Options Program and Special Olympics.
Chris Hornbecker P ’27
Chris Hornbecker is a retired CEO, three-time entrepreneur/ founder, and two-time listee on the Inc500/Inc5000 list of fastest-growing privately held companies. His experience includes serving on the Board of Directors for various non-profit organizations and participating in multiple CEO groups in Northern Virginia. Chris is passionate about teaching leadership and the importance of culture/strategy in driving organizational success.
Chris is an avid youth sports fan and believes in teaching leadership, teamwork, and the value of hard work for long-term results through team sports. His coaching experience spans boys lacrosse (Cavalier/Ashburn Bandits), girls lacrosse (CYA/Ashburn Bandits), and ice hockey (Ashburn Icehouse). Chris also served Maryland Twisters cheerleading as a team parent.
Chris and his wife, Julie, reside in Ashburn, Virginia, with their daughter, Bree ’27, and three dogs. Their son, Chase, a sophomore, and daughter, Lane, a freshman, attend college in Clemson, South Carolina. In their spare time, you’ll find them all enjoying time at Lake Anna, boating and wake surfing.
Girls Cross Country are State Catholic Champs
On October 22, 2024 the Varsity Girls Cross Country team won the Virginia State Catholic Championship held at Occoquan Regional Park. The top five runners who factored into the scoring to secure the win were Catherine Richards, Lauren Parker, Lilly Wahl, Lauren Ivey and Elise Fitzgibbon. The boys also performed well with seniors Logan Beale and Chase Garcia leading the team to a third-place finish. On October 26, the team ran well at the WCAC Championships held at Kenilworth Park in Washington, DC, with the girls team taking second place overall. Logan Beale ’25, Catherine Richards ’25, and Lauren Parker ’26 earned All-WCAC honors.
2024 WCAC Metro Division Champions
Varsity Football won the 2024 WCAC Metro Division Championship on Friday, November 22, 2024 at Marvin F. Wilson Stadium at the Prince George’s Sports & Learning Complex. The Panthers defeated St. Mary’s Ryken 27-17 to cap off a historic season and win PVI’s first WCAC football championship in 25 years. After falling behind early 7-0, the Panthers leaned on their trademark toughness and power to pull away with the win. The team finished the season with the best record in school history at 10-2.
A WCAC Championship for Girls Soccer
Varsity Girls Soccer won the WCAC Championship held at Carlini Field at Catholic University on November 3, 2024. Senior Leah Anand scored the game’s only goal in the 10th minute, and the Panthers put up an organized and disciplined defense, repelling several attacks to hold the O’Connell Knights scoreless and secure a 1-0 victory. The Panthers were able to avenge their two regular season losses against St. John’s and O’Connell and secured the program’s first WCAC Championship since 2016.
First Place in Game Day and Traditional for PVI Cheer
In November, the Varsity Cheer squad competed in the UCA Triangle Regional Competition in Raleigh, North Carolina, where they took first place in both the Game Day and Traditional Divisions, outperforming every team in their division by at least 10 points and earning the highest score of the entire competition for their Game Day routine. This marked the first time in school history that PVI Cheer earned a regional championship for both routines in the same competition.
Fueling Ideas and Collaboration
Mr. Dan Barlow, director of the newly created Business Development office, sponsored a Community Partners Coffee on October 23, 2024. Attendees had the opportunity to hear about ways to get involved in the PVI community, including learning about our school’s various business clubs. The morning also included PVI trivia, Chick-fil-A breakfast, and opportunities to network with other business leaders.
In spring of 2025, PVI will be launching a Community Partners Program. The annual sponsorship program is intended to establish mutually beneficial relationships with businesses. If you are interested in getting involved as a PVI Community Partner, email Mr. Dan Barlow, Director of Business Development, at dbarlow@paulvi.net.
Student leaders from our business clubs enjoyed networking at the event.
Fore a Good Cause
On Monday, November 4, 2024, over 100 golfers enjoyed a beautiful course, great weather, and each other’s company at the inaugural PVI Open held at Chantilly National Golf & Country Club. Team Hachmann took home the top prize, and Team Unni came in second. Thank you to all the sponsors and volunteers who made the event possible. Thanks to your generosity, we raised about $18,000! We appreciate your support of our Catholic community and are excited for next year’s PVI Open. Stay tuned for details.
IMPACT. The definition of impact can undoubtedly be negative, suggesting a car crash, a collision in football, or the sound when something breaks. Impact, however, also means to influence or affect. Think of the impact a smile or a kind word can make on a person’s day, how the impact of prayer is transformative, and how one’s impact on a person can positively affect him or her and be truly life-changing.
To those who give to the Fund for Paul VI, thank you for the profound impact you have had on the lives of so many, and for contributing to the legacy that has grown over the past 41 years.
Your impact is felt in numerous ways.
YOUR GENEROSITY HAS...
Thanks to your giving, tuition assistance continues to grow.
Thanks to your giving, our students have an additional nine electives from which to choose this year.
Thanks to your giving, we are able to fully fund junior retreats, so that all students can experience spiritual growth.
Thanks to your giving, we have adopted a more holistic approach to scholarships and increased the number of merit-based scholarships offered at PVI.
Thanks to your giving, we are able to live out the Beatitudes, helping those whose families are in crisis.
Thanks to your giving, our Exceptional Learning program offers students who think and learn differently the opportunity to discover and develop their God-given gifts and talents.
“Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
— MATTHEW 5:16
Thanks to your giving, we have added state-ofthe-art safety measures to our campus.
ANNUAL REPORT
St. Paul VI Catholic High School is thankful to the donors who, together, make a Paul VI education accessible and possible for our students. Scan the QR code to view our Annual Report of donors who chose to give to Paul VI in the last fiscal year (July 1, 2023 — June 30, 2024).
Your gifts to the Fund for Paul VI enhance our caring, Catholic community and help provide the PVI experience. Your generosity helped support the following:
$28,650 College & Career Counseling
$105,550 Campus Ministry
$12,775
$30,000
$3,300,000
$56,000
Why do you give to PVI?
“Perhaps the greatest gift I have ever received was the gift of the Catholic education given to me by my parents and the many priests, religious, and lay educators who taught me through the years. I can never repay the love and care they gave to me, but in a small way I can help others receive their own gift of Catholic education with financial support. I am very grateful for that opportunity.”
What does PVI mean to you?
“Our three children and our nephew (now all adults) are PVI alumni, and so PVI to me is a very important part of our family, then and now.”
—TOM MCGONIGLE P ’02, ’06, ’13
What impact did PVI have on your child?
“We moved to Northern Virginia at the beginning of our son’s freshman year. We loved the atmosphere of Paul VI and knew it would be a good fit for him. We grew to appreciate that PVI would help our son grow spiritually and academically. Our son made lifelong friends. We will always be grateful for PVI. PVI teachers, staff, and coaches made him the man he is today.”
—KASEY MILLER P ’18
ONE DAY. LASTING IMPACT. MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR OUR 2025 DAY OF GIVING.
Basketball Dreams to Broadcast Goals
Ariana Freeman Prather
’14
“I take pride in trying to outwork everyone in my field. I’m the ultimate competitor and that leads to success,” shares Ariana Freeman Prather ’14
Her work ethic, along with her passion and drive, has led Ariana to a successful career in broadcast journalism.
While at Paul VI, Ariana helped lead the Girls Varsity Basketball team to a VISAA state championship all four years, as well as the program’s first WCAC championship. In addition to her athletic achievements, Ariana dreamed of being a broadcast journalist from an early age and worked hard to achieve it.
“Since high school I knew I wanted to work on-air. During my junior year, PVI hosted a Career Day. I was reluctant to go at the time as a 15-yearold ‘know-it-all,’ but it was required. There, I met a reporter who worked at Channel 9 who I asked to shadow for a day. I was instantly captivated by the bright lights, shiny camera, and his bold personality speaking into a microphone.”
After an impressive high school and collegiate basketball career, Ariana pivoted to broadcast journalism, with stints at CBS News and NBC Sports Washington. She now works as a courtside reporter for the National Basketball League in Australia.
After PVI, Ariana went on to play basketball at the University of Louisville on a full scholarship and made it to the Elite 8. She then transferred to play at the University of Colorado on a full scholarship, graduating with a degree in journalism and minor in communications. She returned to Virginia and earned her master’s in sport management from George Mason on a full scholarship.
“I owe a lot to PVI for molding me into the person I am today, specifically Coach Scott Allen and his great coaching staff. The teenage years are pivotal in setting kids up for success in the future. The perfect balance of discipline and love that Coach Allen gave me will always have a special place in my heart.”
— ARIANA FREEMAN PRATHER ’14
A focus on building connections and strengthening her network was Ariana’s playbook for reaching her goals in sports journalism. “I never stopped taking steps that I believed would get me in front of the camera. I joined the morning news team at PVI, did endless internships in high school and college, and ultimately, networking gave me my start in reporting. I would always ask people who worked on-air if I could shadow them, if they could teach me what they do. Sure enough: when opportunities opened, they would think of me. I slowly but surely got to where I wanted to go and have never needed to apply for a job — that is how powerful networking is.”
During her graduate studies at Mason, Ariana worked part-time for the Washington Commanders and began her career on-air. She had a four year tenure at CBS News where she worked her way up from news associate to associate producer. She covered the NBA’s LA Clippers for Bally Sports West and served as a sideline reporter for the WNBA’s Washington Mystics for NBC Sports Washington during the 2023-2024 season.
NBC Sports Washington (now Monumental Sports Network) was the first broadcast to produce a full WNBA pre/post game show, and in June 2024, Ariana and the team were awarded a Capital Emmy Award for their work. She reflects, “I could not be more proud of our hard work being recognized as well as the tremendous growth we see in WNBA coverage worldwide. Women’s sports deserve the same respect as male counterparts.”
Ariana also recently added the title of “Mom” to her accomplishments. Around the same time they became parents, she and her husband relocated to Australia for the season, where her husband plays basketball for the National Basketball League’s (NBL) Brisbane Bullets.
Now, 7-months postpartum, Ariana works as a courtside reporter for the NBL, which is broadcast on ESPNAU. “Growing up, I certainly never saw living in Australia in my future. But it is a testament that if you work hard enough, your skills can be taken anywhere you decide to go!”
Ariana reflects on her time at PVI and how it influenced her future. “I owe a lot to PVI for molding me into the person I am today, specifically Coach Scott Allen and his great coaching staff. The teenage years are pivotal in setting kids up for success in the future. The perfect balance of discipline and love that Coach Allen gave me will always have a special place in my heart.”
“I am also grateful for the wonderful teachers, counselors, and front office staff I had at the time. When I think about my high school experience at PVI, I remember bright smiles, endless laughs, and happy moments. Even when I did get my phone taken away and had to pay 20 bucks for it back!”
According to Ariana, being a student-athlete during her formative years taught her discipline. “It is not easy juggling school and sports. You have long practices, mandatory study halls, conditioning, and still need to perform in class. Now, as an adult I truly have a ‘go-getter’ mentality that pushes me to go the extra mile in everything I do.”
One of Ariana’s favorite quotes perfectly exemplifies her vision, initiative and drive: “If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough.” Ariana plans to keep pursuing her big dreams, and in doing so, she serves as a role model for the next generation.
While at PVI, Ariana helped lead the Girls Varsity Basketball team to a VISAA state championship all four years, as well as the program’s first WCAC championship. She is the all-time leading scorer and rebounder in PVI history, for both boys and girls basketball.
“Motherhood has made me soak in every moment and appreciate the small things like never before. I find it most rewarding when a little girl tells me after the game that they want to do what I do.”
In 2023, Ariana served as a guest speaker at the Girls Basketball team banquet. She is pictured with Scott Allen, Varsity Girls Basketball Coach.
Data Driven
Brendan Wiggins ’04
“I’ve always loved cars. It’s been a part of my psyche my whole life,” shares Brendan Wiggins ’04
Brendan’s passion inspired him to help start a car club at PVI, a spark that ultimately shaped his career. Today, Brendan is a leader in leveraging data-driven decision-making and AI to innovate and enhance the safety and efficiency of some of the world’s largest vehicle fleets.
“During my sophomore year when we were all getting our driver’s licenses, my friends at PVI were all car guys too,” he reflects on the origins of the Car Club.
“Honestly, we often just hung out and talked about cars: what was coming out, projects we wanted to do, hypotheticals of cars we wanted to build, or what we wanted to do with cars we had. This was right around when the first Fast & Furious movie came out, and we were very focused on tuning cars up, how to make them faster and change various components. We also organized events after school where students could stop by and we’d demonstrate how to change a spare tire. We did quite a bit of safety education, but a lot of the club was us just hanging around, talking about cool cars. We even did a fundraiser where people could smash up an old car for donations.”
This early enthusiasm for cars did not directly influence Brendan’s college studies. After graduating from PVI, he attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and earned a degree in archeology.
“Oddly enough, in 2008, they weren’t hiring a ton of archeologists. Since I’d always been an auto enthusiast, I flip-flopped my hobby and career.” He began working at a local tuning shop that sold performance parts and supported several motorsport racing teams. Brendan even tried his hand at racing, including competing in the iconic Pikes Peak Hill Climb in 2011.
After a few years, Brendan returned to school and earned an MBA in business analytics from Wake Forest University. Shortly after, he was recruited by PepsiCo and moved to Dallas to work with Frito-Lay on vehicle replacement strategy. “It’s an oversimplification, but at what point do you quit fixing an old truck and just buy a new truck — I was involved in the decision-making process for that,” he explains.
All vehicles — from heavy-duty trucks to local delivery vans — fell under Brendan’s purview. Toward the end of his time, he took on managing PepsiCo’s autonomous vehicle program, conducting early testing on self-driving technology. He later shifted focus to the role of machine learning and AI in fleet management, particularly predictive maintenance, which uses vehicle data to anticipate which part might fail next.
Brendan poses on the job with several of FritoLay’s new electric Tesla Semi Trucks.
The Panther participates in a Car Club fundraiser (circa 2003) where people could smash an old car for donations.
“PVI cultivated curiosity. It was where I got my first exposure to computer programming. A broader curiosity really started at PVI — of diagnosing and science and enjoying education — of me being an academic at heart. I learned to find and validate information.”
— BRENDAN WIGGINS ’04
“At the time [2016–2018], we really didn’t know if it was going to work. I was involved in some of the really heavy data analytics and machine learning. We got pretty good at some things, such as being able to tell you about two weeks before your battery would fail.”
This role involved extensive collaboration with PepsiCo’s telematics provider. “Telematics is like a GPS tracker, but much more robust. It tracks location, has an accelerometer for driver behavior, and collects all the vehicle data — engine fault codes, check engine lights, and so on. All that went into a company we used called Geotab.”
In 2021, Brendan made the leap to work directly for Geotab. Today, his expertise lies in data-driven decision-making for large vehicle fleets. “I work with the usual suspects like Amazon, UPS, PepsiCo, Hertz, and others. My specialty is extra-large enterprise fleets of about a hundred thousand vehicles or more.”
Brendan notes the similarities between his background in archeology and what he does now. “Similar to archeology, you’re looking at data, looking for small indicators that add up to a bigger picture. Nobody has it all written down for you. You have to read the tea leaves to figure out what is really going on.”
According to Brendan, PVI fostered a strong foundation of critical thinking skills and an inquisitive mindset.
“PVI cultivated curiosity. It was where I got my first exposure to computer programming. A broader curiosity really started at PVI — of diagnosing and science and enjoying education — of me being an academic at heart. I learned to find and validate information.”
Harnessing his curiosity and applying it to new challenges, Brendan explains how emerging technologies like generative AI and machine learning have been able to transform the industry.
“There’s a lot of hype right now around generative AI, like Chat GPT. Machine learning allowed us to take some of the expertise we had, which still required a human to look at the data, and scale them up to a fleet of a hundred thousand vehicles. That was really transformative in our ability to take the next step to making these vehicles safer and more reliable.”
“For the layperson, it’s going to come into play with safety. In a lot of the work we’re doing, there’s a big piece of driver behavior. The machine learning is starting to be able to score and help fleets make better decisions about when to send drivers to certain places or which routes to take.”
Brendan finds his work deeply rewarding, because it enables him to enhance safety and sustainability for some of the largest fleets in the world.
“I get to help make the world safer and greener. We’re helping fleets put the right electric trucks on the right routes, and they buy more because they worked well. We help identify your riskiest drivers, and what behaviors you need to coach to avoid accidents. My influence in the industry has grown to the point where I have a voice to be able to help do that. And that’s important to me.”
Any advice for students as a PVI alumnus? “Yes — people will ask who you want to be, and what you want to do, but you don’t need to know where your path will take you right now. Just know where you want to take the next step. Follow your passions, work hard, and you’ll never be bored along the way!”
Brendan races in the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in 2011.
Like father, like daughter, Brendan’s newborn daughter Walker shows early signs of being a vehicle enthusiast.
What’s New?
1988
Claire Heller Hargreaves ’88 �� and her husband Barry are heartbroken to announce that on Monday, May 20, 2024, John (“Jack”) Patrick Hargreaves, loving son, brother, and friend, passed away at age 20. Please pray for her family.
1989
On Saturday, November 8, 2024, Beth Kennedy Beavers, Jen Gehris Wells, Heather Sheldrick Thompson, Amy Strada Storey, Shane Petersen, Paul Wells, Dennis Wolstenholme and Doug Okay �� met up at the Wells’ home for a mini reunion. “All eight of us are members of the Class of 1989 and graduated 35 years ago! We had a great time watching our graduation and graduation party video, paging through yearbooks, and reminiscing,” writes Jen.
Share your latest milestones and accomplishments by submitting your news to Class Notes. Email alumni@paulvi.net to be included in the next issue. We can’t wait to hear from you!
2002
Rachel Andrews ’02 �� is Global Head of Meetings & Events at event technology company Cvent. In August, she won the Visionary Award from Smart Meetings at the Smart Woman Summit which celebrates exceptional leaders in the meetings and events industry.
2003
Nicole St. John Nesheim ’03 �� writes, “Antonella HensonVendrell ’18 was an absolutely amazing coach for my daughter in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. We are thankful to have a fellow Panther in town!”
Class of 1994 Celebrates 30 Years
Thank you to James Nellis who organized a reunion for the Class of 1994 at Audacious Aleworks in Fairfax on October 12, 2024.
Pictured left to right, bottom row: William Leggett, James Nellis, Melissa Hish, Courtney Willis Banks, Gretchen Beasley, Lori Harkin Huse. Top row: Melissa Veneracion, Michael Kelly, Linda Matthews Johnson, Donna Prosser Thomas, Bonnie Velazco Criado, Tim Becker
For the Long Run Teammates Turned Coaches
As Paul VI students, Matt Mozingo ’99 and Tim Hish ’98 were teammates on the Cross Country team. This season, they have come full circle and are coaching the team together.
“Coaching at Paul VI has been a great experience. I benefited tremendously from my time at PVI and on the cross country team in particular, and it is a lot of fun to work together with the next generation of Panther runners. My favorite part of coaching has been witnessing our student-athletes improve over time and grow together as a team. It is really rewarding to see them put in the effort on a daily basis, and then having that effort pay off with improved results in our races.”
Tim Hish ’98 (left) and Matt Mozingo ’99 (right) pose with members of the Girls Cross Country team after the WCAC Championships on October 26, 2024, where the girls finished second.
— MATT MOZINGO ’99, HEAD COACH
“Coaching with my former teammate on the same team where both of us became great friends has been one of my favorite things I’ve done in my adult life. PVI Cross Country gave me an understanding of teamwork and perseverance that served me incredibly well in my endeavors after high school. Being given the opportunity to help today’s PVI students learn how to persevere through adversity as a team and seeing firsthand the improvement in the runners over the season is extremely rewarding to me.”
— TIM HISH
’98,
ASSISTANT COACH
2003
Fr. Nicholas Barnes ’03 �� and Mrs. Pam McCarthy, former PVI Spanish teacher, had an unplanned Advisory reunion recently. Pam writes, “My husband and I have been celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary this year and we attended the Diocesan Jubilarian Mass for couples celebrating 25 and 50 years. I was joyfully surprised to see one of my former students, advisee Nicholas Barnes ’03, (now Father Barnes), concelebrating the Mass for us! At the reception afterwards, we took our photo with Father Barnes.”
2004
Ryan Ferry ’04 and his wife Kati French Ferry ’05 welcomed their 8th child, Adonis Zeus Ferry, on June 4, 2024 in Fairfax, Virginia. Kati was also the keynote speaker at the American Women’s Interpretive Dance Conference in Orlando, Florida in July and hopes to be back to competing by December! Not Pictured.
2011
Meagan Astorino Gregg ’11 �� and her husband Alex welcomed Luca Xavier on August 8, 2024. Luca was baptized into the Catholic Church on October 26 at Saint Mary of Sorrows in Fairfax. “Siblings Kinsleigh and Lochlan are so in love with their new baby brother, and we’re all feeling so blessed,” writes Meagan.
2013
Although Taylor Kiechlin ’13 �� spent her two years in PVI Theatre on the stage, it took her less than a semester at University of Mary Washington to find her true home behind it — in stage management. While at UMW, she managed a record number of shows, with musicals as her primary focus. Her first professional contracts came while she was still in school, when she spent the summer of 2016 on La Cage aux Folles at Signature Theatre and the pre-Broadway tryout of Come From Away at Ford’s Theatre. After graduating in 2017, she worked at the Tony-Award recognized Williamstown Theatre Festival. In 2018, following a residency at Philadelphia-area theatre Bristol Riverside Theatre, she settled back in the DC area, where she has since become a very “booked and blessed" member of Actor’s Equity (AEA), the union of professional actors and stage managers. Over the course of her career she has collaborated with musical theatre legends such as Cynthia Erivo, Rachel Chavkin, Bernadette Peters, and Susan Egan, and has been on stage management teams for 30+ productions at many of DC’s most prominent houses, including Signature Theatre, The Kennedy Center, Ford’s Theatre, Round House Theatre, Studio Theatre, Folger Theatre, Woolly Mammoth Theatre, and Shakespeare Theatre Company. She also works on large scale events such as the annual Hispanic Heritage Awards aired on PBS and the Ford’s Theatre Annual Gala, spends summers stage managing at the Great Lakes Center for the Arts in Michigan, and has even dipped her toe in field of teaching, returning to UMW to mentor students alongside her former teacher. Currently, she is spending the holiday season as the AEA Assistant Stage Manager on the world premiere musical A Hanukkah Carol, or GELT TRIP! The Musical at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, and will be working on In the Heights at Arlington’s Signature Theatre this spring.
ALUMNI TAILGATE
�� Beth Alessi Fraser ’93, Tim Brown ’87, Mike Ferrier ’89, Mary Ashooh Hamrick ’86, Mac Cannon ’95
�� Dominic Taddeo ’98, Tim Hish ’98, Megan Geraghty Hish ’98, Connor Hingston Heaney ’98, Cristin Jones Gaskill ’98, Nicole King Merz ’98, Lauren Dragelin Labbe ’98
�� Joe Adelman ’01
�� Conner Westberg ’24, Brian Revor ’24, Mark Revor, Beth Hrastar Revor ’90
�� Danny Mulhall ’88, Lisa Nadolski Sincere ’95, Andrew Sincere ’88
Back Home for Homecoming
We were delighted to welcome alumni and their families to our annual Alumni Tailgate held on Friday, October 11, on Alumni Hill at Luke McGuire Stadium.
�� Mary Ashooh Hamrick ’86, Tom Gardner ’86, Mary Lynne Bucaro Duncan ’89, Ona Bolton
�� Donna Prosser Thomas ’94, Will Leggett ’94, Melissa Hish ’94, Brendan Cox ’94, Tim Becker ’94, Bonnie Velazco Criado ’94, James Nellis ’94
�� Shoutout to Moe’s Southwest Grill owned by Frank Maresca ’87 for being a food vendor!
�� Erin Dowe Joyce ’99, Sheila Heller Powell ’99, Kristin Farrell Burger ’99, Kerry Williams Wyss ’99. Erin is holding Madeleine, future Panther, Class of 2039.
High Flying Hero
TOP GUN’s Tyler Alger ’12
LT Tyler “JFK” Alger ’12 attended the United States Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York where he earned his bachelor’s degree and was selected to go to the U.S. Navy flight school. In flight school, he was stationed in Pensacola, Florida; Corpus Christi, Texas; and Kingsville, Texas; where he flew the T-6B Texan II and the T-45C Goshawk. From there, he moved to Virginia Beach to learn how to fly the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet in preparation to support the U.S. Naval Aviation enterprise in the fleet. He then joined the VFA-86 Sidewinders in Lemoore, California, a F/A-18E Super Hornet squadron that deployed to the European Theater on the USS George HW Bush, one of the Navy’s 11 nuclear powered aircraft carriers. “After completing my time at VFA-86, I was lucky enough to be selected to attend the United States Navy Fighter Weapons School, or TOPGUN, in Fallon, Nevada. Since graduating TOPGUN in December of 2023, I have been instructing Carrier Air Wings at the Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center here in Fallon before they head out to sea to deploy,” writes Tyler.
2015
Marcela Luna ’15 �� married Stephen Abramowitz on August 17, 2024 in Somers Point, New Jersey. The couple met while pursuing degrees in Communications at James Madison University. They were married at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and had a reception at Linwood Country Club filled with family, friends, and a lot of dancing. Marcela’s bridal party included Gabriela Baker ’15 and Kaitlin Jahn ’15. Marcela and Stephen live in Somers Point, New Jersey with their dog, Kona, and they enjoy being at the beach year-round. Marcela works as an event coordinator and sales manager for a wedding venue and Stephen works in corporate affairs for a healthcare marketing agency. In the spring, they’ll be traveling to France for their honeymoon.
2017
Isabella Gordon ’17 �� graduated with her Master’s in Physician Assistant Studies, MPAS from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston and has begun her career in inpatient neurosurgery.
2019
2nd LT Jack R. Houser ’19 �� graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a major in Supply Chain Management from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK). Determined to lead others, Jack sought additional challenges as he enrolled in, and completed with honors, the UTK Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) program where he served as flight commander and inspector general. As a result of this competency as a leader in AFROTC training, he was presented with the National Defense Transportation Association award for transportation, logistics, and passenger travel. Upon commissioning to the U.S. Air Force, Jack serves as an Aircraft Maintenance Officer at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas, home of the 7th Bomb Wing.
Pictured is Tyler flying a F/A-18F Super Hornet.
Tyler is pictured with his childhood friend Bobby San Martin and Derek Jeter at the game.
Tyler piloted one of four Navy jets in the flyover before Game One of the 2024 World Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
Alex Horan ’19 �� attended Saint Anselm College, where he earned a double major in Criminal Justice and Behavioral Neuroscience and completed a Master’s in Criminology and Criminal Justice. At Saint Anselm, he walked on to the crosscountry team and was captain his junior, senior, and graduate years. Alex’s favorite highlight of college/grad school was participating in music ministry with Hilltop Worship, through which he played contemporary Christian music at Mass and Eucharistic Adoration. “Something I will always love PVI for is its ability to minister to its students and the community; even as a lifelong practicing Catholic I felt that my faith grew tremendously while at PVI. It was a joy to carry these same principles with me to college and to participate in the evangelization of my college community through music.”
Alex recently graduated from the New Hampshire Police Academy and is starting the field training evaluation program with the Hudson Police Department. Alex writes, “This is my dream job, and I credit a large part of any success I have had to the education of the Diocese of Arlington’s Catholic education system, and PVI. I definitively realized that I wanted to work in law enforcement while I was a student at PVI, and received constant guidance and encouragement from teachers, counselors, and advisors. PVI prepared me to do well in college and grad school, and college and grad school prepared me for the police academy. I’m incredibly grateful to the PVI community for my time as a Panther. The PVI community is in my prayers, and I ask that you also pray for me as we continue to strive to Live Jesus!”
2024
John Hohmann ’24 �� entered the Catholic Church this past summer, and received his First Communion and Confirmation. His friend Carson Hill ’23, another alumnus who was in Options, served as John’s sponsor, and a PVI group came out to support John on his special day. “We felt so much love. Carson helped and supported John and I am very grateful for Carson’s support; it shows what a wonderful person he is to help his friend through this spiritual journey," shares John’s mother Hope. “Our time at PVI has had a profound effect on our family, — we have never been happier and more connected to Christ."
Second Verse Singers Hit the Right Note in College
“My time in choir was incredibly formative during my years at PVI, giving me some of my lifelong friends and unforgettable memories. I knew that in college this would be the first thing I would explore,” shares Gaby Flores ’22
Now at William & Mary, Gaby is a member of the Barksdale Treble Chorus, the college’s official treble voice ensemble. “I have met some of my best friends, served on the executive board, and performed in many places over the past two years. I have loved fostering the joy of singing, and I am so grateful to PVI for giving me the inspiration to do so.”
Cole Wade ’24 also values his involvement in music at PVI. “I was in the St. Cecilia Chamber Choir all four years and sang all types of music, from Disney princess songs to African spirituals to dramatic Italian ballads.”
Cole can now add another music genre to his repertoire: Japanese. He is a member of Kaminari A Cappella at Rochester Institute of Technology. “We arrange and perform songs exclusively from Japan, including J-pop, city pop and original soundtracks from Japanese media. We learn the Japanese to perform both visually and vocally, demonstrating how music transcends language.” Kaminari recently released its first EP, First Strike, now on Spotify and Apple Music.
�� Cole Wade ’24 is a member of Kaminari A Cappella, the youngest a cappella group and only Japanese music centric group at Rochester Institute of Technology
Gaby Flores ’22 sings with William & Mary’s Barksdale Treble Chorus. She is pictured with fellow PVI graduate Lex Nguyen ’22 after a concert.
IN MEMORIAM
The Paul VI community extends its prayers and condolences to the relatives of faculty, staff, alumni, students, parents and friends of the school who have passed away recently.
John (“Jack”) Patrick Hargreaves | son of Claire Heller Hargreaves ’88; nephew of Jean, Greg ’89, Laura ’90, Matt ’96, Tim ’97, and Sheila ’99
Caryl Finnerty | mother of Cathy Finnerty Caputo ’93, Erin Finnerty Phipps ’97, and John Finnerty ’00; grandmother of Faith ’24, Henry ’26, and Quinn ’27 (Caputo)
Jack Finnerty | father of Cathy Finnerty Caputo ’93, Erin Finnerty Phipps ’97, and John Finnerty ’00; grandfather of Faith ’24, Henry ’26, and Quinn ’27 (Caputo)
John Joseph Mihalyo, Jr. | grandfather of James ’26 and Lucy ’28
Mrs. Mazie Lex | former PVI Business Manager
Bill Erikson | father of Sarah Walter, PVI Website and Digital Marketing Specialist
Matthew McCarthy ’92
Susan Elizabeth Myers | mother of Ken ’87; grandmother of Mac ’22 and Kenny ’22
Lisa Slaby Gillingham ’86
Caroline Rebecca Valentine | mother of Megan Valentine Maso ’94; grandmother of Caroline ’22, Ethan ’24, and Ryan ’27
Katherine Elizabeth Sexton | mother of Laura Sexton Bickart ’88, Amy Sexton Howe ’90, Adam Sexton ’95, and Julie Sexton ’04
Burman H. Skrable | father of Chris ’91, Kelly ’94, Carolyn ’96, and Laura ’98
Steven G. Revor | father-in-law of Beth Revor ’90, PVI Librarian; grandfather of Nathan ’16, Megan ’18, and Brian ’24
Mary Jane Moran | former PVI Finance Office and Panther Den staff member; mother of Kevin, Meg ’01, Timothy ’03, Terrence ’09, and Kelsey ’10
Sarah Short MacDougall ’88
Nancy McAteer Cannon | mother of Erin Cannon Krass ’92 and Mac Cannon ’95; grandmother of McKayla ’25, Bailey ’26, and Liam ’27
Ron Maurizi | grandfather of Emma ’26 and John ’27 (Ladowicz)
Gonzalo Romero | grandfather of Grant ’22, Cameron ’25, and Caroline ’27
John Vertin Adams | father of Robert ’89
Carolyn Sue Verbage Budd | mother of Christy Budd Kloc ’87
Christopher C. Hicklin | father of Kevin ’94 and Colin ’01
Captain James B. Groff | father of Nancy Groff Fishenden ’88
Dennis Edward Turner | father of Sandra Davidson, PVI Exceptional Learning faculty
James Millar Scott | father of Craig Scott, PVI substitute and class proctor
Eugene Onusko | grandfather of Brian Ruck, PVI Director of Safety & Security; great-grandfather of Brody Ruck ’27
Lorraine Porcelli | grandmother of Charlotte ’26 and Melanie ’28
Edward Tiffey | grandfather of James ’24 and Nora ’26
Julie McMahon ’89
Eternal rest, grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace.
Mark your calendars for March 29, 2025 for the highly anticipated Black vs. Gold Gala: Be Legendary, where our PVI community will come together for a night of spirit, generosity, and friendly competition.
The night will include:
• Live auction
• Silent auction
• Raffle prizes
• A delicious meal provided by Ford’s Wicked Catering
• A rocking good time with dueling pianos Felix and Fingers
Put on your best black or gold attire and get ready to be inspired! This fun and unforgettable night will support the programs and students of Paul VI. The “raise the paddle” portion of the evening will support Campus Ministry. Hope to see you there! For more information, visit www.paulvi.net/gala.
