DECEMBER 2016
LEARNING, FAITH & LEADERSHIP A Kennedy Catholic Lancer Publication
COMMUNI-K PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE I remember my first year as a vice principal. I was hired to replace a retired administrator that carried a concealed weapon for protection. Yes, the challenges were all about restoring new hope in hopeless situations, inspiring teachers to be faithful to their call and challenging middle schoolers to high standard of academics while accepting that the formation of this age comes with its developmental milestones! Add the commute from Northeast Tacoma/Brown’s Point to South Everett every day and my days often ended with feelings of despair, disillusionment, and my own level of hopelessness. It was about December of my first year that I first heard this song by Rich Mullins, “I Am Ready For The Storm.” Mike Prato - President The song compares a lonely sailor encountering lightning, rolling oceans, and his inability to navigate the journey to safety to each of us encountering the challenges of life, when we feel fear, abandonment, hopelessness and times when we greet each new day with tears. The song brings hope, confidence and a vision of what life with Christ will look like. Isaiah invites us in the days to come to “climb the Lord’s mountain to the house of the God of Jacob “. . . where one nation shall not raise the sword against another nor shall they train for war.” Are you ready to climb that mountain, to encounter the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding? St. Paul in his letter to the Romans exhorts us to wake up from our sleep, throw off the works of darkness, to put aside the distortions of our culture and put on the armor of light, for our encounter with Christ is upon us. Are you ready to allow Christ to fill that loneliness that only He can overcome? Last, Jesus reminds us of that encounter with God when we are called to account for our life’s work. “Stay awake, be prepared, and watch for signs.” You need not be that lonely sailor lost in the storms of life. This season of Advent calls us to prepare ourselves for something new; the birth of the light of Jesus in every part of our lives. Are you ready?
Click here to see entire 2016 Advent Reflections booklet
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE It is December. We have almost reached the midpoint of our school year. As we enter into the Christmas season and new year, we celebrate the past and look forward to the future. Our school has so much cause for celebration! This fall we completed our first season with the NPSL. Our athletes rose to the challenge offered by the new league and competed very well. Congratulations to our teams! We have begun our winter season with anticipation of great things to come, and a return of our Girls Bowling Team! The fall play ended with a successful run of 6 shows. The cast and crew shared a compelling story of family and relationships, all with a sense of humor and nostalgia. Tryouts for the spring musical are here, and we anticipate a very exciting show! On December 14 we are invited to share the musical talents of our choirs and band for the Christmas Concert.
Nancy Bradish - Principal
Our students have had opportunities to share their faith journeys as well. We have had the Girls and Boys Sophomore Solidarity Retreat, the Fall SEARCH Retreat and the Winter SEARCH Retreat. We have celebrated as a faith community with the Evening Retreat honoring our 50 years of Faith Tradition. We have brought back Adoration every 1st Friday in the chapel. Our students are deeply entrenched in their academic pursuits and our seniors are diligently working on college admissions. We announced a National Merit Semifinalist (see the October Communi-K for the full story). We have been on academic field trips and hosted guest speakers in our classrooms. This brief summary cannot possibly encompass all the academic and extracurricular pursuits of our students and staff. We are a vibrant, active school community. “It is the beautiful task of Advent to awaken in all of us memories of goodness and thus to open doors of hope.” Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Seek That Which Is Above, 1986 During this season of Advent, take time to celebrate the past and plan for the future, with the birth and second coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ at the center! Memory Awakens Hope Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger, Seek That Which Is Above, 1986 “Advent is concerned with that very connection between memory and hope which is so necessary to man. Advent’s intention is to awaken the most profound and basic emotional memory within us, namely, the memory of the God who became a child. This is a healing memory; it brings hope. The purpose of the Church’s year is continually to rehearse her great history of memories, to awaken the heart’s memory so that it can discern the star of hope.…
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IN THIS EDITION:
IN THE NEWS:
President’s Message
News Articles and Press Releases
Principal’s Message
Find all of the latest news on our website!
In the News Support Kennedy Catholic Fall Food Drive Lancer Legacy Awards National French Week ‘O Christmas Tree Sports News Alumni Profile Class Reunions Alumni Birthdays 1st Friday Adoration Rosellini Scholarship Dinner National YoungArts Foundation Hosting International Students No-Shave November Winning Spirit Award Rotary Students of the Month Crab Feed Guide Dogs for the Blind Fine Arts News
Please Support Kennedy Catholic this Holiday Season! As we enter the holiday season, please consider including Kennedy Catholic in your year-end giving plans. For 50 years, Kennedy Catholic High School has educated over 9,500 Lancers. As a member of the Lancer Family, you know Kennedy Catholic is not just a school, but a place that offers a transformative experience. Since 1966, we have fulfilled our mission to graduate leaders following Christ in a school community that is accessible, diverse and committed to pursuing the fullest potential of every student. This is achieved through the dedication of professional faculty and staff, a diverse student body, and the generous support of parents, alumni, and the broader community. The Annual Fund supports facility improvements, financial assistance, curricular enhancements, co-curricular programs and helps keep faculty and staff salaries competitive. The success of the Annual Fund is essential to an innovative student experience and directly influences the future of the school in countless ways, visible and invisible. Together, everyone’s support has an impact. Please take a moment to prayerfully consider a gift or pledge to the Annual Fund in this, our 50th year. Gifts can be made in honor of your favorite teacher (past or present), a special alum or family member. We will notify any honorees of your kindness. Thank you for believing in all that Kennedy Catholic stands for and for making our future strong. Tax-deductible year-end donations can be made online or if you prefer to make a donation by phone, please call us at 206.957.9718 anytime. Click here to donate.
Fall Food Drive - Thank You! The Saint Vincent de Paul club collected over 17 full boxes of canned food over the month of November. During their fall retreat, on November 18, SVdP students gathered the boxes from the classrooms and took them to the SVdP downtown distribution center. They also began planning for the Adopt-A -Family/Juvenile-Detention Christmas project. They ended the retreat by enjoying the school play “Leaving Iowa”. Thank you for your support!
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Kennedy Catholic High School will present the first ever Lancer Legacy Awards to distinguished alumni in honor of the school’s 50th anniversary. The Lancer Legacy Awards will showcase the highest caliber of the school’s alumni and celebrate the depth of their accomplishments and service. The event emcee is Jim Dever, KING-5 reporter and host of Evening. This event will be held on January 14, 2017 at Holy Rosary Church in West Seattle. A reception will begin at 6:30pm, followed by the awards ceremony at 7:30pm. Performances by the Kennedy Catholic band will be accompanied by Grammy-winning composer, Mateo Messina ‘90. There is no fee to attend the event, but reservations are required by January 5 to legacyawards@kennedyhs.org. Please join President Mike Prato and Principal Nancy Bradish in honoring these extraordinary individuals. Page 4
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National French Week Mrs. Lewis’s French classes celebrated National French Week during the weeks of November 7-18. Each class formed teams who competed in a spelling contest, a fact-finding contest (life, geography, food & drink, history), trivia, tongue twisters, games of Boules/Pétanque (lawn bowling), and a Waiter Race. The students’ favorite activities were definitely the Waiter Race and Boules. Some of the students also decorated their lockers with a National French Week promotional mini poster they created with French phrases and pictures along with a hashtag phrase like #NationalFrenchWeek. We even had a French selfie booth! The entire school was invited to take part in French Week with our first “Dress French Day”. In addition to our fun activities we had our annual Penny War where students of different grade levels in Mrs. Lewis’s classes fought the battle of spare change. The students raised over $342 in two weeks with more than $15 in pennies alone! Each year the money is donated to a French-speaking area in need. This year’s donation will go to the Red Cross to help with disaster relief in Haiti after Hurricane Matthew. Care to try a French tongue twister? Have your French student demonstrate it for you! As-tu été à Tahiti? Lily lit le livre dans le lit. Si mon tonton tond ton tonton, ton tonton tondu sera!
‘O Christmas Tree Congratulations to Lancer alumna, Lydia DiGiovanni Voiland ‘85 who once again amazed the guests at the Providence ‘O Christmas Tree auction in Seattle. Her creation titled ‘We Three Kings’ sold for over $10,000. Lydia designed and developed the tree with the help of her husband, Steven Voiland, also a 1985 alumnus. She’s already planning for Christmas 2017!
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SPORTS NEWS
36 Lancers Earn All-League Honor for Fall Sports With fall sports at Kennedy Catholic now complete, it’s time to celebrate a wealth of post-season North Puget Sound League individual accolades. Lancers were well represented in this new league. Highlights include: Girls Soccer Coach Michelle Beattie who was named NPSL Cascade Division Coach of the Year and Senior Wide Receiver Jared Thurber who was NPSL Cascade Division Offensive Player of the Year. A full list of Lancer athletics fall All-League honorees can be found below: Girls Soccer:
Football:
• Cascade Division Coach of the Year: Michelle Beattie • 1st team all-division: Claire V. (11),
• Cascade Division Offensive Player of the year:
Jaclyn S. (11)
• 2nd team all-division: Bailey H. (11),
Natalie D. (9), Lauren S. (11) • Honorable mention: Julie T. (10), Maddy S. (12), Hanna S. (9) Volleyball:
• 1st team all-division: Julia W. (11th grade), Malia A. (11)
• Honorable mention: Haley M. (9), Aimee H. (12)
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Jared T. (12) • 1st team all-division offense: Bowen M. (11), Jared T. (12), Trevor H. (12), Ben G. (12) • 2nd team all-division offense: Kendell O. (11) • 2nd team all-division defense: Sav’ell S. (9), Bowen M. (11), Trevor H. (12), Primo R. (11) • Honorable mention offense: Marvin M. (12), Jacob M. (10), Primo R. (11) • 1st team all-division special teams: Ben G. (12), Trenton M.(9) • Honorable mention special teams: Julius N. (11)
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Girls Swimming:
Boys Golf:
• 1st team all-league: Shayla M. (9) • 2nd team all-league: Madeline K. (12)
• 1st team all-division: Nick F. (10), Ryan S. (12)
• Honorable mention: Grayson O. (12),
Girls Cross Country:
James N. (10)
• 2nd team all-division: Lily G. (11),
Girls Golf:
Marissa T. (10)
• 1st team all-division: Makenzie M. (12),
Boys Cross Country:
Alyssa N. (10)
• Cascade division team sportsmanship award • 2nd team all-division: Lincoln M. (12)
Boys Tennis:
• 1st team all-division: Brandon S. (11) • 2nd team all-division: Hayden W. (11)
Kress Named to Lead Lancers Boys Swim and Dive Program Kennedy Catholic High School is excited to announce Mr. Eric Kress as the newest head coach of the boys swim and dive program. Kress comes to Kennedy Catholic with recent success as head coach of the Kentridge High School girls swim and dive program, where he led them to the 2016 North Puget Sound League championship and a second place team performance in the West Central District III championship meet. He also serves as the Aquatics Director and Head Swim Coach at the Fairwood Golf and Country Club in Renton. Kress is a graduate of both Kentridge High School and Central Washington University where he majored in education. Despite not being a Lancer himself, he has plenty of red, white and blue in his family. Kress is the nephew of Dr. Christine (Pollinger) Tweedy (’81) and Steven Pollinger (’83), and cousins to Christine’s oldest girl, Marissa, a current sophomore. “Kennedy Catholic is getting a high caliber, championship level coach in the hiring of Eric. He brings with him an enthusiasm that I believe will be contagious to current and future members of our boys swim program,” said Sam Reed, Athletic Director. “I am excited to see him share his expertise with our outstanding student-athletes.” Kress replaces former head coach Sean Prothero, who resigned from the position in October after coaching in the role since 2009. Kress will be joined in the pool by dive coach Todd Wollenweber. Additional information can be found here.
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SPORTS NEWS CONTINUED Jared T. Named to The News Tribune All-Area Team for Football Senior wide receiver Jared T. earned a spot on The News Tribune’s coveted All-Area Team for football. Senior Ben G. joined him, receiving 2nd Team recognition for his work as the Lancers wide receiver. From the article: Jared T. Kennedy Catholic Wide Receiver, 6’4, 175, senior. Coach Sheldon Cross called Jared ”the most explosive WR in the state.” Hard to disagree with that considering he finished the year with 53 catches for 1,205 yards and 20 touchdowns, averaging more than 22 yards per catch. The three-sport athlete caught six passes for 209 yards and four touchdowns in a Week 7 win against Tahoma. What Jared’s thankful for in 2016: “I’m most thankful for my family, friends and the support from the Lancers.” Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/sports/high-school/article116778088.html
Lancers Girls Swim and Dive Shows Well at State Meet Congratulations to our girls swim and dive competitors for their outstanding performances at State. Special recognition goes to freshman Shayla M. who took 10th in the 200IM and 9th in the 100Fly, and senior Madeline K. who finished 15th in 1M Dive. Special thanks to coaches Hannah Crockett and Todd Wollenweber who guided the girls throughout the postseason. Pictured (l-r): Shayla M., Madeline K., Madelline K., and Maddie T.
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3 Cross Country Runners Compete at State Meet Three of our Kennedy Catholic cross country runners represented Lancer Nation at the highest level of their sport the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association State Championship Meet, held November 5 in Pasco.
Congrats to (L-R) Lily G. (76th overall), Marissa T. (133rd) and Lincoln M. (106th) on a series of great races. All three were back on this stage for at least the 2nd time of their careers, and all three bested their previous performances in both place and time highlighted by Lily shaving more than :50 off her time in this same event last year. A special thank you goes out to head coaches Gina Martin and Mark Davis who guided our athletes through the season.
Girls Soccer Runs All the Way into Opening Round of State Tournament The Lancers girls’ soccer team capped off an impressive season by qualifying for the WIAA State tournament following a dramatic shootout victory over Olympia High School. Following that win, the girls travelled over to Richland to face the top-ranked team from Hanford High School. While the game was tied at half, Kennedy Catholic ultimately fell in the end 3-1. This young team has a lot to be excited about in the future and will be in good hands being led by NPSL Coach of the Year Michelle Beattie.
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Alumni Profile: Demitri Pallis ‘81 Demitri Pallis ‘81 is an inventor, a manager, a business owner, and community oriented. Although he started his journey after graduating from Kennedy Catholic with a broad variety of interests, he was able to focus his enthusiasm into one business that carries his name: Demitri’s. To Demitri, a Bloody Mary isn’t just a drink. It’s what he built his successful career around and what he is passionate about. His idea started with a “special sauce” to make his own job as a bartender easier, but he quickly found his formula was in demand from fellow workers and local businesses. Today, with his special recipe, Demitri has expanded his product line and found its way into businesses and homes around the country. His Bloody Mary mix has opened up other opportunities for Demitri as well. A little more than five years ago, Demitri was introduced to the Matt Talbot Center when he was making his signature drink at an event supporting the Center. The Matt Talbot Center serves the homeless, addicted and mentally ill. Dimitri has served on the Advisory Board since, continually volunteering his time. Thinking back to his time at Kennedy Catholic, Demitri remembers starting school without knowing many people. He met new friends, many of whom he stays connected with today, and became more involved each year. He fondly recalls his time as Yell King his senior year with friends Charley Carmen and Frank Coluccio, and hated to run extra laps for Coach Merrill. He’s thankful for those lasting friendships. Today, along with running his business, he enjoys spending time with his wife and two sons.
Class Reunion! Attention Classes of 1977, 1987, 1997 and 2007! We look forward to celebrating your class reunions in 2017. If you are interested in assisting with planning, or if you have already formed a planning committee for your class, please email Rebecca Nuffer or call 206.957.9636.
Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday to our December Alumni! We wish you a wonderful year ahead. To make sure your name makes it into this section, head over to our Alumni page and fill in the form under “Help Us Update Our Records”. Click on the cake to see the December birthdays.
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1st Friday Eucharistic Adoration in the Chapel After Fall SEARCH Retreat, Searchers desired an opportunity to reconnect with each other in prayer and fellowship so we began 1st Friday Adoration in our chapel. We plan to continue this beautiful prayer ritual throughout the school year. Classes, faculty, parents, and alumni are invited to visit the Chapel between 7:30am-3pm on the first Friday of every month. If you wish to join us in prayer, please check into the main office before heading to the Chapel. The chapel doors will be closed with a sign outside. We will have prayer resources (books, rosaries, prayer aids, etc.) available and soft, reflective music playing. We are blessed to have such a rich tradition of prayer in our Catholic Faith. Eucharistic Adoration has enriched our community.
Rosellini Scholarship Dinner January 29, 2017 Great food. Great people. Great cause. Join us for dinner! Join us for the annual Governor Albert D. Rosellini Scholarship Dinner, Sunday, January 29, 2017 in the Kennedy Catholic cafeteria. Tickets are available at the door for $50 per person. Proceeds benefit the Rosellini Scholarship Fund at Kennedy Catholic High School. For more information, call Mr. Joe Faccone at 206.957.9721.
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National YoungArts Foundation Announces 2017 YoungArts Winners Isabella O. of Kennedy Catholic H.S. in Burien, WA is a YoungArts Merit Winner in Visual Arts. Selected from the largest pool of applicants to date, Isabella O. has been recognized for her outstanding artistic achievements and joins 691 of the nation’s most promising young artists from 40 states across the literary, visual, design and performing arts. Winners receive awards, opportunities to participate in YoungArts programs nationwide and engage with renowned mentors, and guidance in taking important steps toward achieving their artistic goals. A complete list of the 2017 Winners, all 15 -18 years old or in grades 10 -12, is available online at http://youngarts.org/winners. A special thanks to Dale Dolejsi for his instrumental role and support.
Hosting an International Student Are you interested in hosting an international student? Kennedy Catholic High School is seeking families beginning in late January 2017 and/or beginning in August 2017. For more information, please email Teri Crosswhite or call 206.957.9628. A generous stipend is available.
No-Shave November The goal of No-Shave November is to grow awareness by embracing our hair, which many cancer patients lose, and letting it grow wild and free. The idea is to donate the money you typically spend on shaving and grooming to educate about cancer prevention, save lives, and aid those fighting the battle. We are proud of this group for participating in No-Shave November at Kennedy Catholic.
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NW Catholic Winning Spirit AwardsCongratulations Helena and Steven! Kennedy Catholic High School senior, Helena is a two-year captain of the track and cross country teams, School Choir President and National Honor Society Vice President. She sings in the school Praise Band and in the Life Teen band at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Federal Way, where she has also helped teach Sunday school. She holds a 3.94 GPA.
Also a senior at Kennedy Catholic, Steven is the Choir Council Secretary, Spanish Honor Society Treasurer, Cooking Club Vice President, and a member of the National Honor Society, Human Relations Club, Pep Club, Praise Band, St. Vincent de Paul Society, and tennis and track teams. He also sings in the Life Teen band at St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Federal Way.
Rotary Students of the Month Each month the Burien White Center Rotary recognizes students who:
• Continuously provide service to the local community and/or in the community outside the school
• Maintain a positive attitude toward others and toward learning • Act respectful to peers and teachers • Work to improve and/or maintain good grades • Practice good citizenship • Actively participate in classroom discussions and activities Congratulations to names here Ben G. and Riley M.
Click here for more information www.kennedyhs.org
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Guide Dogs for the Blind Guide Dogs for the Blind is a non-profit organization that provides service dogs for the blind and visually impaired free of charge. The program relies on hundreds of volunteers across the West Coast to foster a puppy for a year before it returns to the Guide Dog campus in Oregon for professional training. These puppy raisers receive the puppies at the age of 8 weeks, and their job is to teach the dog basic obedience and to socialize the dog before it returns for formal training. Samoa was the second dog I raised, and he was able to come to school with me with the support of Kennedy Catholic High School. The students were wonderful with the dog and very polite about asking to pet him. Samoa slept under my desk during each class and knew that when the bell rang, it was time to leave. He participated in fire drills, pep assemblies, band concerts, and many other school activities. Coming to school was a fantastic way for him to become comfortable around people. Samoa went to campus for training in August, and was paired with his new partner in late November. We flew down to see Samoa one last time and talk with his handler, Ron, for the graduation ceremony. He told us that Samoa had already saved him from being hit by a car backing out of a driveway during training practice. Ron has never had a dog before in his life. He has only been blind two years, and in just the few weeks of knowing Samoa, he said it feels like he has his independence back and is “reborn�. It was remarkable to see how much Samoa has made a difference in this man’s life. We are incredibly proud of Samoa and hope he will go on to have a wonderful career as a guide with his new partner. -Samantha S. - Class of 2019
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FINE ARTS NEWS
Choir Notes On November 15, Excalibur was invited to participate in the CWU Fall Choral Classic. One of fifteen choirs to participate, they performed very well and had an invigorating clinic with Dr. Nicole Lamartine from the University of Wyoming. Congratulations! On November 17, the Troubadors and Kennedy Singers participated in the regional choral assessments at Lindbergh High School. They sang in front of choirs from other schools in the area, were judged by three respected choral educators, and were given a workshop with ideas to improve. Congratulations to the Kennedy Singers for receiving a Superior rating at this event!
Band News On Saturday November 5, our 123-member Kennedy Catholic Lancer Marching Band and Color Guard performed in the Auburn Veteran’s Day Parade. The students performed extremely well, despite the very rainy and wet conditions. This was an adjudicated event, and in our division of bands that participated we received 2nd place just behind Sumner High School. And out of all 26 bands that performed we placed 4th overall! Last year in this same parade we placed 7th in our division and 10th out of 33 bands. The marching band also had a very successful football season along with our football team. As many of you saw, we performed within the stands and added some choreography and chants to pump-up our team and the crowd. We also accomplished our first full field show at homecoming! We had a great time pumping up the crowds with our 3rd quarter rock band.
lot of great things to say about our students and their performances. Now we are gearing up for a few “gigs” around the community and our Christmas Concert. Our chamber orchestra has been performing at a few of our school masses and had a great performance at our open house event. They now are preparing for our annual Christmas Concert and Christmas caroling at a few local retirement homes.
Kennedy Catholic Elementary Band Program It is concert time! Bands at nine Catholic elementary schools will be sharing their gift of music at their local programs. Christmas music provides a reflective and magical touch to this holy season! Blessings of Christmas Joy to all!
Plan to attend the Christmas Concert at the Highline Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, December 14 at 7 PM. This concert, featuring all of our instrumental and vocal musicians, is sure to put you in the Christmas spirit!
On November 8, the Jazz Band performed in their annual regional assessment and did extremely well. This was our first official performance of the year and the clinicians had a
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For more fine arts news, see the BSHARP newsletter or like our Facebook page!
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