A Kennedy Catholic Lancer Publication
COMMUNI-K January 2018
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LEARNING, FAITH, LEADERSHIP
Welcome to 2018. I look forward to the new year ahead and for opportunities to engage with all of you as part of this amazing Lancer Family. I listened to an inspiring homily given on New Year’s Day and wanted to share a few points with you. The priest challenged us to take time thanking God for the grace He’s given us; His mercy, despite our shortcomings, the amazing people He’s put into our lives and even for the crosses and trials, as they’ve caused us to grow in union with Him. I am thankful for our community and the gifts you share with Kennedy Catholic.
Mike Prato - President
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To live is to change, to be perfect is to have changed often.
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He quoted Blessed John Henry Newman regarding resolutions, “To live is to change, to be perfect is to have changed often.” So, it’s ok to make New Year resolutions, but treat it like you do when you ask the priest for absolution in confession. “I firmly resolve, with the help of thy grace. . .” Pray before making your resolution. Will it draw you closer to Christ? I have learned in my own prayer experiences and inconsistencies that I fall short. Maybe putting those New Year resolutions before God is a good idea? His last point came from Father Thomas Dubay and his commentary on resolutions regarding our prayer lives. One temptation we battle is the time it takes to pray. How can we make it a priority? “When our prayer life is properly ordered, there is not the least clash between prayer, work, and our relationships with others. The lives of the saints show us this. The time we give to prayer is the best thing we can do for those dearest to us,” He insisted. Giving thanks for the graces of 2017, setting my resolutions before God and properly ordering prayer in my day gives me great hope for 2018 and the grace we will all encounter.
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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December is always a busy month with preparations for the Christmas holiday. The students and staff spent
IN THIS EDITION:
time preparing, not only to celebrate the holiday, but for the coming of Jesus.
President’s Message
Fridays during December were special
Principal’s Message
days committed to faith and fellowship.
In The News
December 1, some of our students were
Catholic Schools Week
Nancy Bradish Principal
Goodwin Memorial Scholarship
Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. December 8, we celebrated
Triple Shot Fridays
the Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass and began our
Ishmael Beah KATCH Auction 529 Plans Adoration Immersion Trips Art Students MLK Day of Service Cereal Drive Alumni Profile
attending SEARCH, and our chapel was open for First Friday Adoration,
inaugural Triple Shot Fridays. During December, we also offered reconciliation for our students for Advent. Such a powerful way to begin a month of hope and waiting- usually filled with anticipation for the holidays and the fun that they bring, but also a time of focusing on the message of Advent, “prepare ye the way for the Lord”. Our students participated in Winter Wishes, an annual tradition of giving to others within our school community. Students were able to fulfill wishes for each other. The impact of Winter Wishes was in witnessing the exchange of the wish. When the student selected a wish to fulfill, the giver did not know the name of the person for whom the gift was to be given. Often, a gift was given and new friends were made! It was heartwarming to witness the
Alumni Birthdays
genuine desire to give to others.
Alumni Reunions
The last day before Christmas break we had our St. Vincent de
Crab Feed
Paul Prayer Service and Adopt a Family presentation. This was the culmination of all the activities and celebrations for the month.
St. Teresa of Calcutta Program
Our students are witnesses to the power of the Christmas season,
NOLA Cribbage Tournament
giving to others and deepening their faith in preparation for the
Winter Wishes Fine Arts News
birth of our Lord. “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests” Luke 2:14
Blessed Pier Giorgio Sports News
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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In the News: News and Press Releases. Find all of the latest news on our website!
Save the Date for Catholic Schools Week January 28 - February 8, 2018 Join us during this amazing week of celebration on Wednesday, January 31 with an all school Mass. This year’s theme is Catholic Schools: Learn. Serve. Lead. Succeed. We are excited to welcome Fr. Raymond Cleaveland who will preside. Mass will be held in the gym at 10:35am followed by a reception in the Dillman Center. All are welcome to attend.
Goodwin Memorial Scholarship In partnership with the Goodwin family and other Kennedy Catholic supporters, Kennedy Catholic High School established the Goodwin Scholars program during our 50th anniversary celebration year. A Goodwin Scholar exemplifies its namesake: passionate about Catholic education, a leader by example in the classroom and community, living their faith through care, support and empathy for others. The Goodwin Scholar is well-rounded, and seeks opportunities for growth through service, academics, faith, sports and the arts. Through their diversity of backgrounds, interests and life experiences, Goodwin Scholars enrich the Kennedy Catholic experience. This scholarship covers a portion of tuition ($3500) for study at Kennedy Catholic and will be awarded to one incoming freshman annually. The scholarship is renewable. The first recipient of this award will be a future Lancer from the Class of 2022. Mr. Goodwin was a pioneering leader in his time and through this scholarship program his legacy will continue to shape the future of Kennedy Catholic. Visit our website for application details and information on our other scholarships for incoming freshmen.
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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Triple Shot Fridays “Caffeinate your spiritual thirst with reflection, fellowship, and prayer---plus, free coffee!” This was the tag line for Triple Shot Fridays, an idea generated by the newly formed Advisory Board’s Spiritual Life and Worship committee. The invitation to join together in prayer was extended to all members of the Lancer Family. The goal of Triple Shot Fridays is to come together in collective prayer and share personal stories of living an authentic life with Christ in a Catholic high school. Triple Shot events are made possible because of the foundation and faith formation happening as a direct result of the hard work of our Campus Ministry team. On Friday, January 12, our Triple Shot of reflection, fellowship and prayer will feature Julian S. giving his testimony as a senior boy committed to his Catholic faith and Tara Bacher, a member of our Science faculty. Parents, faculty, and students, please join us Friday, January 12 at 7:15am in the Chapel. Free coffee to accompany that “jolt.” Triple Shot events will continue throughout the year to nourish our faith, inspire our souls and provide a home for God’s grace to act in us, so watch our calendar if you would like to join future events. Not able to attend? Click here to listen to some of our previous speakers.
Ishmael Beah Speaking at Kennedy Catholic The Kennedy Catholic Social Studies Department is excited to announce the speaking engagement of Ishmael Beah, author of the best-selling A Long Way Gone, Memoirs of a Boy Soldier scheduled for Thursday, February 8 during an all-school assembly. For the past 10 years, A Long Way Gone has been required reading for 9th Grade World History students providing an intimate window into the world of child soldiers and the political difficulties facing the people of West Africa. Born in Sierra Leone, Mr. Beah’s personal story is one of resilience and triumph in the face of great hardship, violence and heart-rending loss. Written in a style that students readily identify with, A Long Way Gone has proven to be a stalwart component of our curriculum. In fact, Social Studies teacher, Jeff Behrends says, it’s a book I know the kids will read with interest and it’s one of my favorite units to teach. Alumni, parents and friends are welcome to join us for the assembly on February 8 at 10am in the gym. If guests would like to attend the reception and book signing immediately following the presentation, please contact Librarian Jen Parker-Haas for details by February 1. Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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Kennedy Catholic 2018 KATCH Auction Save the Date! Saturday, April 21, 2018 On Saturday, April 21, we will come together for the adventure of a lifetime. This year the Kennedy Catholic Auction theme “Let the Adventure Begin” celebrates LIFE – the Lancer family, Inspiration, Fun, and Exploration. The annual KATCH auction gala provides financial support for the school to ensure an education at Kennedy Catholic remains accessible, transformative, and equal to the challenges of our time. Many devoted friends and volunteers make the KATCH auction the signature fundraising event of the year. Ways to support the KATCH Auction: • Register to attend the April 21 Auction Gala beginning in mid-February • Donate an item - download a procurement form and donate before February 8 • Support our Online Auction March 9 -18. Over 200 items will be available. For more information visit our auction website or contact KATCH@kennedyhs.org.
529 Plans and High School Education 529 Education Savings Plans can now be used to pay for K-12 education; including Catholic school tuition. Changes approved in the new Tax Cuts and Jobs Act extend the use of 529 Education Savings Plans. 529 plans are tax-advantaged investment accounts originally designed to help families pay for college and can now be used for approved K-12 education expenses. Check out these great resources to learn more about the changes: What is a 529 Plan? What are the new changes to 529 Plans? New York Times Article Savingforcollege.com
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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Jesus Wants More Time With You - Adoration Kennedy Catholic’s Eucharistic devotion has grown over the past two years. Last year, we started first Friday Adoration as a way to bring Search retreatants together in prayer and reunite small groups. On our most recent Search, after Searchers settled into a prayerful stance in front of the Blessed Sacrament for Adoration, it became clear to Campus Ministry that the priests were going to be 45 minutes late for Reconciliation. Mr. Skillman calmed everyone’s nerves as he reminded us that “Jesus doesn’t make mistakes. Jesus must want more time with you so sit here with Jesus. What is Jesus saying to you?” For most Searchers, this extended Adoration proved to be the most powerful part of Search. At our most recent first Friday Adoration in January, over 30 students and faculty gathered before school to pray together and have a Search reunion. Throughout the day, two to three classes visited the Chapel for Adoration, approximately 250-300 attending in total. What a gift this form of prayer has been to our Kennedy Catholic culture.
2019 Service Immersion Trips and Classes Kennedy Catholic offers exciting international travel opportunities to Cambodia and Ireland for students who will be 16 by June 2019! These two service immersion trips for summer 2019 are accepting applications starting the week of January 8. Earn ISLE credit hours, a semester credit in either 12th grade Social Studies (Ireland/Cambodia) or 12th grade Theology (Cambodia only), and spend two weeks traveling in country. Classes will start as part of the 2018-2019 school year. The Ireland classes are held twice a month on Wednesday evenings; Cambodia classes are held twice a month on Mondays. Both trips happen during June 2019. For Ireland information please contact Mrs. Parker-Haas. For Cambodia information please contact Mrs. VanderPlas.
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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Student Artists Inspired by Yayoi Kusama Art students are excited to incorporate works based on the Yayoi Kusama infinity mirrors room exhibition that was recently at the Seattle Art Museum. Art students will be working on sculptures this next semester to put inside the room. Mrs. Hines built a replica of the mirror rooms that is pictured to the left. You can check it out any time in the art room.
MLK Day of Service Join us for MLK Day of Service on Monday, January 15 from 9:15am-2:30pm. We will spend the day serving with EarthCorps at Cheasty Greenspace. Parents and alumni are welcome to join us! Buses will leave Kennedy Catholic promptly at 9:15am - meet at the flagpole. We will arrive back at 2:30pm. There are 30 spots available at a first come first serve basis. For more information and to sign up contact Ms. Lopez at lopezs@kennedyhs.org.
Catholic Schools Week Cereal Drive Please join us this Catholic Schools Week to help those in need in our community through the second annual “Stuff the Bus” Healthy Cereal Drive. We encourage all students and their families to participate in this effort by bringing at least one box of healthy cereal to school on or before Tuesday, January 31, 2018. Students will pack the bus for delivery to food banks in the community. We welcome everyone’s involvement in this school-wide project. For more information, contact Sam Crawley at crawleys@kennedyhs.org
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
ALUMNI NEWS JO
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Alumni Profile: Gretchen Seay ‘89 Gretchen Seay ‘89 has always been driven by her intellectual curiosity. She was deeply involved with the Junior Statesmen of America (JSA) and German clubs during her time at Kennedy Catholic, and participated as a German Exchange Student the summer before her junior year. There, her passion for international studies continued to grow. Thanks in part to the small classes and community at Kennedy Catholic, Gretchen was mentored by teachers and staff who guided her during her time as a student and beyond. Mr. Joe Kennedy, advisor for JSA, was particularly influential. His club was a mix of politics and debate. To build on his club lessons and give students more hands-on experience, he arranged for the Washington Supreme Court to come to campus and moderate a debate by members of the JSA club. During college, Gretchen was able to continue honing her language skills by acting as the Russian translator at the University District Food Bank. With a passion for international studies, Gretchen had hoped to work for the Foreign Service and be a part of bringing down the Iron Curtain. However, with the collapse of the Soviet Union around the time she graduated from college, there was less need from the US government. With her extensive language skills, Gretchen chose to work for the private sector, living abroad in Russia for a short time. As the co-founder and Managing Director of Clearsight Advisors Inc., Gretchen has demonstrated her ability to thrive in the business world, both nationally and internationally. During her 10+ years of experience, she has worked incredibly hard, being recognized with several Deal of the Year awards, and the Max H. Block award., and most recently, the honor of being named to the list of Most Influential Women in Mergers and Acquisitions. With such a busy schedule, Gretchen makes sure to take time for herself and her family. A recent transplant to Dallas, TX, she balances the demands of her career with the joy of her family. Some things haven’t changed; she’s sure to find some time each winter to ski, and still has the travel bug (only now, with a family along for the ride).
Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday to our January alumni! We wish you a wonderful year ahead! Click here for the full list. To make sure your name makes it in this section, head over to our Alumni Page and fill out the form under, “Help Us Update Our Records.”
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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Attention Classes of 1978, 1988, 1998, and 2008! We look forward to celebrating your class reunions in 2018 with you. If you are interested in joining a planning committee, or if you have already formed a planning committee and have not been in contact with us, please contact Rebecca Nuffer (nufferr@kennedyhs.org).
Join Us! - Crab Feed Register now! This year’s Crab Feed will feature a wine raffle, photobooth, great food, and butter kits available for purchase. Also new this year, the Crab Feed will be an open seating event. January 27, 2018 | 5pm $60/person
$65/person after Jan. 1
Buy your tickets now here! Contact crabfeed@kennedyhs.org with questions.
St. Teresa of Calcutta Program On September 4, 2016 in St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City, His Holiness Pope Francis canonized Mother Teresa during the Sunday Mass celebrated as part of the Jubilee for workers and volunteers of mercy. Tens of thousands of people witnessed the ceremony, including 15 government delegations and 1,500 homeless people from across Italy. In honor, the former Blessed Mother Teresa program will now be the Saint Teresa of Calcutta Program. The Saint Teresa of Calcutta program provides a bridge to independence by maximizing a student’s fullest potential through our comprehensive program of study, reinforcing of executive functioning skills, self-advocacy, and an emphasis on preparing our students for the competitive 21st century. To learn more about the program, contact our admissions team.
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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Save the Date NOLA Cribbage Tournament Mark your calendar for the 2018 NOLA Cribbage Tournament! February 9 in the Library 5:30pm $20 suggested donation, pay at the door 5:30pm doors open 6:00pm refreshments 6:30pm 1st cards are played
Winter Wishes Every December, students look forward to Winter Wishes, and this year was no exception. Winter Wishes begins with Random Acts of Kindness performed by all students. Then there are Giving Tree wishes granted by any student who chooses to grant wishes and finally there are wishes granted by the ASB (Student Government) during the Winter Wishes assembly. All of these activities take place during Winter Wishes week. Leading up to this week, students make wishes for friends, teachers and families. These wishes are vetted by the ASB and determined if they will be fulfilled on the Giving Tree or during the assembly. Once this has been determined, the Giving Tree is placed in the cafeteria for everyone to take a wish and help grant it. The joy on students’ faces leaves everyone with a warm holiday feeling as we all experience the joy of giving.
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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Elementary Band Program The beautiful sounds of Christmas are still ringing in our ears! The feeder band program participated in thirteen concerts this past month. A joyful time indeed! Honor Band 2018 season is about to commence with auditions occuring in January. For many of our students, being selected for this performance group is the highlight of the school year.
Choirs Returning to Benaroya Hall Kennedy Catholic’s choirs are in final preparations for their return to Seattle’s beautiful Benaroya Hall, on Monday, February 12, 2018. The 2018 Festival of Choirs will include a combined choir of over 500 voices – students from ten area Catholic high schools. In addition to the combined choir, each choir from each school will perform alone on the beautiful Benaroya stage. This year’s Festival Choir will be conducted by Dr. Brian Galante, composer and choral director at Pacific Lutheran University. Advance tickets are just $13 and may be purchased through any choir member. Tickets will also be available at the door.
Blessed Pier Giorgio - Patron at Kennedy Catholic Blessed Pier Giorgio has officially been named our Patron at Kennedy Catholic by Archbishop Sartain. A recent Vatican post regarding his canonization to sainthood was tweeted out by a young woman representing Young Catholics for Social Change. “He represents the modern Catholic. He is one of us!” Blessed Pier Giorgio was known to be funny, energetic, athletic, humble, and serious about his faith. His invitation to pursue holiness was unconventional, ordinary, and impactful. Archbishop Sartain is one of the world’s leading Pier Giorgio experts. In a blog post published in July, Archbishop Sartain was asked what drew him to the saint for which he replied, “As a young man about his age, I was moved by his extraordinary life, and how at such a young age he integrated his deep love for God, a profound life of prayer, an active life of sports, leadership in various Catholic groups, his love and service of the poor, and his treasuring of good friendships.” We are thrilled and honored to announce Archbishop Sartain will join us for mass to introduce Blessed Pier Giorgio to our community. Please join us! Wednesday, February 28 at 10:30am in the Goodwin Gymnasium. All are welcome.
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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Winter Search Reflection by Kelsey Harrington Winter Search was a remarkable weekend. The energy of the Holy Spirit was palpable; it was a true encounter of the Kingdom of Heaven. Every Search Retreat has four goals that create our pillars: Be yourself. Love deeply. Grow in faith. Never stop searching. And when these are fully lived and entered into, we experience heaven on earth: · When we feel comfortable enough to be our authentic selves – flaws and all – and know we are loved. · When we engage with others in a loving and supportive community; when we are fully present. · When we know we’ve been transformed by an experience, and walk forward on our journey of faith. When one of these happens it’s a beautiful glimpse of the Kingdom. But, man, when all of these happen constantly and repeatedly over a 3-day retreat, it is a powerful and life-changing experience. It is a reminder that Heaven is not a far-off, distant, unknown entity. Heaven is here, in our midst, waiting to be sought after and discovered, even in our day-to-day lives.
Sam H. Named National Freshman of the Year by MaxPreps MaxPreps, one of the Nation’s leading sources of high school sports news and information, named Kennedy Catholic Freshman Sam H. their Freshman of the Year as part of their National Class of 2021 team. Sam’s honor was then covered in local media including the Seattle Times and The News Tribune. You can read the full articles here and here.
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
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January Brings a Chance to Honor Winter Sports Seniors As January progresses, each of our winter sports teams will take time during their last regular season home event of the year to celebrate their senior student-athletes who have invested so many hours perfecting their craft and supporting their team. These seniors will also be recognized formally at our all-sports banquet. BOYS SWIM – Tuesday, January 9, meet begins @ 3:00 Jack F., Trey H., Brendan K., Aidan K.,Tyson N., Luke S., Brendan S. GIRLS BOWLING – Thursday, January 11, match begins @ 3:00 Jordan H., Skylar K., Kaley M., Lane M., Nicole R. BOYS BASKETBALL – Friday, January 19, game starts @ 7:00pm Anders H., Matthew M., Will S., Daeshawn W. BOYS WRESTLING – Wednesday, January 24, match begins @ 7:00 pm Micheal B., Gil L., Bowen M., Pat M., Kendell O. GIRLS BASKETBALL – Friday, January 26, game starts @ 7:00pm (presentation at 6:50) Lauren S., Tamaia W., Jaclyn S.
Fall Sports Photos Available for Purchase Many of you are already using the NPSL Athletics website to stay current on schedule information, league standings and more, but did you know that it is also the go-to place for access to high-quality photos of high school athletics around the region? Professional, freelance photographers are shooting NPSL competitions, including many featuring our own Kennedy Catholic Lancers. These photos are then made available for sale and sent directly via e-mail as high-resolution digital downloads for you to keep, print and share. Photo galleries can be found online here. Check them out today! These photos by Erik Pontius
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org