JANUARY 2017
LEARNING, FAITH & LEADERSHIP A Kennedy Catholic Lancer Publication
COMMUNI-K PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE “By your fruit, you will be recognized“ is a line from Matthew’s Gospel that
has been both challenging and affirming this past month. On January 14, Kennedy Catholic will conclude its 50th anniversary year of celebration with the Lancer Legacy Awards. While we will be honoring these extraordinary individuals, we are also celebrating those who helped make their success possible, including faculty and staff, parents and alumni, and the community at large – those present today and those who came before us. The last 50 years has left a defining legacy that will inspire our future. That is affirming! This past November, I travelled to Taishan, China and Seoul, Republic of Korea. Both stops during my seven days of travel, included interviews and speaking engagements with high school and university staff, interacting with parents of current international students and graduates from Kennedy Catholic, furthering good-will relationships with potential partnerships, exchanging educational pedagogy and telling the Kennedy Catholic story whenever possible. After giving a speech during which I shared a recent email from one of our international students directly to me (“I love my Lancer Family” they said), a representative from the Office of International Affairs at Guangzhou University shared his version of the verse from Matthew; “If you are planning for a year, plant rice. If you are planning for a decade, plant trees. If you are planning for a lifetime educate people. Mr. Prato, you are educating students for a lifetime!”
Mike Prato - President
The challenge comes when you market your fruit, or in this case, answer the question; “Are you ensuring the deliverables of a Catholic school?” In Seoul, I met Mr. Minho “Allen” Song, father of senior Lancer, Sehee Song. I was honored to be asked to read his dissertation The Impact of Spiritual Leadership on the Employee’s Work Engagement. His research was flawless and his approach resembled much of the professional work of educators Michael Fullen and Andy Hargreaves in their book Professional Capital: Transforming Teaching in Every School. In this case, Allen approaches transformation from a spiritual perspective. Here is a man who, as Chief of Special Services Division at Samsung and responsible for Samsung’s development of work performance internationally, is allowing his desire to evangelize his faith to break the stalemate between arrogance and timidity. His goal, as he relayed in an email, is to become a full time professor teaching the importance of spiritual leadership and evangelization. I believe he will! Wow, talk about humbled! The late Cardinal Carlo Martini, Archbishop of Milan, discussed the contemporary crisis of faith in today’s culture using the symbol of the barren tree. “Each one has to wonder what the Lord looks at, our leaves, i.e., the words, intentions, commitments, programs and little fruit, or to the actual fruit which is our ability to convert others, to communicate the love of God, to give one another the spark of love for the Lord that He has placed within each one of us.” Clearly, Mr. Song has figured it out. If we look closely at our lives and to the apostolates to which we have dedicated our time and treasure; our families, our church community, our work place, do our efforts bear fruit or leaves? Are we cultivating and sharing the fruit of our own spiritual trees? As we make resolutions for the new year, look for ways you can give that spark of love for the Lord to others and in so doing, plant for a lifetime.
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE During the month of December, the staff and students spent time preparing for the coming of Jesus. Our activities and celebrations were a reflection of our mission “To graduate leaders following Christ”.
Nancy Bradish - Principal
On December 1, we hosted a 50th Anniversary Starlight Retreat. Staff, students and families were welcomed with a light supper, activities for the kids and a retreat led by Fr. Bryan Dolejsi. It was a lovely evening of faith and fellowship. The next morning our chapel was open for First Friday Adoration, Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. We had students attending a SEARCH retreat that weekend as well. 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 true message of Advent.
Our students also participated in Winter Wishes, an annual tradition of giving to others within our school community. Students were able to fulfill wishes for others that were then granted at an assembly. It was heartwarming to hear the reasons behind the gift, and the genuine desire to celebrate others. The students received a gift from the faculty- faculty members presented a video that celebrated our students. The theme of the video was “Inspire”. Teachers talked about what and who inspires them personally. It was a wonderful surprise for the students. The last day before Christmas break we had our St. Vincent de Paul Prayer Service and Adopt-a-Family presentation. This was the culmination of all the activities and celebrations for the month. I was asked to give the closing words, and after seeing the way our students and staff had given to others throughout the month, and how they prepared Christmas gifts for the families, I was also inspired. Our students are leaders following Christ. Our work with the Saint Vincent de Paul Society to provide for our community a little bit of Christmas, to grant wishes for others and to share our inspiration did indeed remind us what Christmas is all about. “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:14
IN THIS EDITION:
IN THE NEWS:
President’s Message
Winning Spirit Award
Principal’s Message
Library News
In the News
Rosellini Scholarship Dinner
Lancer Legacy Awards
Catholic Schools Week 2017
Sports News
Annual Crab Feed
New Flag Donation
KATCH Auction
March for Life 2017
Alumna Profile
50th Anniversary Cereal Drive
Alumni Birthdays
Chinese New Year
Fine Art News
Advent Day of Service and Reflection
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News Articles and Press Releases Find all of the latest news on our website!
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 to legacyawards@kennedyhs.org. Please join President Mike Prato and Principal Nancy Bradish in honoring these extraordinary individuals. www.kennedyhs.org
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SPORTS NEWS Kennedy Catholic Tabs Jackson to Lead Track and Field Program Kennedy Catholic High School is pleased to announce the hiring of Kevin Jackson to the position of head coach for the track and field program. Jackson will serve as head coach of both the boys and girls teams, and will begin working immediately with Athletic Director Sam Reed to round out his staff. The Lancers will begin their first season competing in the 4A North Puget Sound League when the spring sports season begins February 27. Jackson most recently served as the head track coach at The Northwest School (1A) since 2013, where he helped develop elite-level athletes and secured four individual WIAA state championships in 2016. He was named Emerald City League Coach of the Year in 2015. Jackson is a USA Track & Field (USATF) Level 2 Certified Coach and a voting member of the USATF Pacific Northwest Track and Field Association. He also heads up the Auburn Elite Track Club which trains athletes ages 6-18 to compete in the collegiate indoor season and the USATF Junior Olympics outdoor circuit. “I’m excited to welcome Coach Jackson into the Lancer community,” Reed stated, “In Kevin, we are getting an experienced head coach passionate about building a team culture where all athletes are trained to compete at their personal best. I trust that our student-athletes are going to be energized by his commitment toward the sport.” Jackson will take over from Carolyn Burns who resigned from the head girls coach position following the completion of the 2016 season so that she could more closely follow the successes of her youngest son, Kennedy Catholic graduate, Casey Burns ‘11, as he competes on the University of Washington track & field team. Registration for track and field as well as all of the other spring sports offered at Kennedy Catholic opens January 30 online.
Cross Selected to Coach in the Army All-American Game Head Football Coach Sheldon Cross recently spent a week in San Antonio, Texas representing Kennedy Catholic in the prestigious U.S. Army AllAmerican Bowl which is sponsored by Adidas. Coach Cross was selected to help lead the West team which featured some of the top high school talent in the country. He was joined on staff by some of the biggest coaching names in high school football. This is a tremendous honor for Coach Cross and a great opportunity to represent Kennedy Catholic on the national stage.
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Milton Earns Junior Golf Scholarship Lancer Senior Golfer Makenzie M. will be headed back to State this spring, but that hasn’t stopped her from achieving new honors in the meantime. This past week she was awarded the Duke’s Junior Golf Scholarship (a $1,000 value) courtesy of Cascade Golfer and Duke’s Chowder House, for her work on and off the course. Congrats Makenzie!
Ben G. Named To Seattle Times Annual Star Times Team Congratulations to Senior Football player Ben G. who was named to the team for his work as both a punter and a quarterback! Congrats to Ben and Coach Cross. Check out Ben’s profile and the rest of the beautiful visuals by scrolling through the link here.
Alum Jim Madrid ‘71 Works With Captains Council Members of the Kennedy Catholic Captains Council had the unique opportunity to hear from Lancer alum and founder of Advance Sports Technology, Inc., Jim Madrid ‘71, who shared with our student-athletes a few of the same words and lessons that he shares with some of the most successful companies and professional sports organizations in the world. Madrid teaches from his “7 Fundamentals of Mental Toughness” curriculum to companies such as Microsoft and Apple and sports teams such as the Seattle Sounders FC. Members of the Captains Council were fortunate to have a private and intimate meeting with Madrid, as he helped them with goal setting and developing positive affirmations that will help them in competition and in life. In all, this was a tremendous opportunity for our students, and a very generous gift back to his alma mater from Jim himself. Thank you!
www.kennedyhs.org
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New Flag Donated by the Eykel Family On December 7, 2016 we retired our current United States flag. In its place will be a new flag donated by the Eykel family. Members of the Eykel family immigrated to the United States from Holland. The ship they sailed on docked in New York Harbor on 11/23/1963, the day following the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. To honor Kennedy Catholic’s 50th Anniversary year and President Kennedy’s life, the family commissioned Washington Senator Maria Cantwell’s office to have two flags flown over our nation’s Capitol on 11/22/2016. One will be stored indoors and the other is now flying on the flag pole in front of the school. Thank you, Eykel Family, for this generous gift!
March for Life 2017
Chinese New Year
On Monday, January 23, students will have the opportunity to attend the annual March for Life at the state capitol in Olympia. Students will meet at school at 8:00am. They will take a bus to St. Martin’s University, where they will join thousands of other Catholics at the 9:30am. Mass for Life, celebrated by Archbishop J. Peter Sartain. From there they will go to the state capitol for the March. They will return to school by 2:45pm. Permission slips are due to the students’ Theology teacher by Tuesday, January 17. Parents are welcome to join us for the Mass and March. This is a great way to support the right to life for all humans, especially the unborn.
January 28, 2017, New year of the Rooster
Download permision slips here
50th Anniversary Cereal Drive For 50 years, Lancers have demonstrated a tireless commitment to our community through direct service to those in need. In honor of Catholic Schools Week and our 50th anniversary, we will ‘stuff a bus’ with boxes of healthy cereal to benefit seniors in our community through our local food banks. Alumni, parents, friends and neighbors are encouraged to join our students in this effort by dropping off boxes of healthy cereal in the main office at Kennedy Catholic between 8am-4pm on Monday, January 30. Our students will pack the bus on January 31 for delivery to community food banks serving seniors in need. We welcome everyone’s involvement in this school-wide project. For more information, contact Amy Hall. Thank you!
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What does it mean? The rooster is commonly portrayed as an auspicious image guarding and protecting the household. The message “Blessings to the World” invokes a prayer for and a cherishing of blessings. The New Year of the Rooster asks for good fortune. It is about everyone’s sharing of the joy of peace and happiness.
Advent Day of Service & Reflection On Sunday, December 11, during the middle of Advent, 60 Lancers gathered together in the Dillman Center to pray, build community, and make food for the hungry. Students volunteered time to make sandwiches, write personalized notes of cheer, and assemble everything together in lunch bags. It was chaotic and at the same time inspiring to see everyone join forces for a greater cause. As we all worked together it became clear that if we each add a drop of kindness and generosity, our collective bucket quickly overflows. In the end over 400 lunch bags, each containing a sandwich, juice box, granola bar, string cheese, and a note, were assembled. Everyone piled into a bus and delivered the lunch bags to Union Gospel Mission’s Search & Rescue to be consumed by the homeless later that evening. After, we enjoyed a few hours of touring around various Seattle neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights and reflecting on the Spirit of the season: the Light of Christ coming into our world. During the tour we stopped at several faculty/staff homes to share the snacks and hot cocoa that were so generously provided by our hosts. The students’ dedication, enthusiasm, and sense of community were impressive. A big thank you to all the faculty/staff who stepped up to chaperone or host us at their homes! Look for another day of service during Lent this Spring!
NW Catholic Winning Spirit AwardCongratulations Sophie! “A true servant leader,” Kennedy Catholic High School senior Sophie spends time before school holding the door for others, and after school tutoring, volunteering and participating in clubs, said campus minister Clare Ettensohn — including student government, National and Spanish honor societies, Lady Lancers, St. Vincent de Paul and the lacrosse team. A member of Burien’s St. Francis of Assisi Parish, she also helps lead school retreats.
www.kennedyhs.org
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Library Update With the support of many generous donors, the Kennedy Catholic High School Library underwent a major interior redesign this summer. The new space reflects the evolving nature of 21st century libraries, reshaped to meet increasing demands for flexible learning space. It includes dynamic and high-tech elements, along with flexible, collaborative and creative spaces for groups to work together in a variety of configurations. This infographic provides some statistics about library and computer usage since the beginning of the school year. In 2013, the number of books checked out during the same period (August – December) was 679. This year during the same time period, it was 1062. Of the comments from students, the most common is “it’s so much bigger!” Actually, the library is the same size, we’ve just used the space more efficiently. With the same number of linear space on our bookshelves, we still have over 12,000 books available. The goal of this project was to achieve a flexible space that allows for both quiet individual study and collaboration – where ideas and knowledge can flow and grow and transform. We are thrilled to see the data shows we are achieving our goals.
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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.
Catholic Schools Week 2017 January 29 - February 4 Join us during this amazing week of celebration on Wednesday, February 1 with an all school Mass. The theme for Catholic Schools Week this year is “Catholic Schools: Communities of Faith, Knowledge and Service.� We are excited to welcome Father Radermacher 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.
Click here for more information www.kennedyhs.org
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Kennedy Catholic High School KATCH Auction Saturday, April 1, 2017 - Save the Date! The annual KATCH auction gala plays a significant role in helping provide 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 for the school. It is a great opportunity to come together as a community, celebrate the Lancer family and simply enjoy an amazing PARTY! Ways to support the KATCH Auction:
• Register to attend the April 1 Auction Gala beginning in February
• Donate an item - download a procurement form (link to form) and donate before January 19 • Support our Online Auction February 17-26. Over 200 items will be available. For more information visit our auction website or contact KATCH@kennedyhs.org.
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Alumna Profile Dedication and commitment were requirements to be a part of Kennedy Catholic’s award winning drill team in the 1980’s. Patti Skoda ’87 had both. The girls on the team worked together at competition and in the classroom, encouraging each other and forming a strong community. The pressure was intense as they were always working to win the next award, but they never failed to keep the crowd’s spirits high. That dedication and work ethic was modeled by her parents who made the commitment to send Patti and her sister to 12 years of Catholic education to provide a strong foundation for their future. After graduating from Kennedy Catholic, Patti found her passion in Human Resources. In her career, she is skilled at understanding what motivates people to do their best in their work. Part of this is exploring the uniqueness of each individual and their capabilities to understand and appreciate the diversity they bring to the organization. She reflects on the sense of community and support at Kennedy Catholic that pushed her to work towards achieving important goals and supporting causes that matter to her. Whether this was intense drill team practices or selling chocolate bars for fundraising, she always gave it her best effort. One of those causes has turned into a team effort with her young son. Together, they sponsor a child in Honduras as part of the Nuestros Pequeños Hermanos organization. NPH provides housing, schooling, and a strong community where orphaned and vulnerable children are supported and given a nurturing home. It is a worthy cause Patti is passionate about continuing to support.
Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday to our January 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 January birthdays.
www.kennedyhs.org
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FINE ARTS NEWS
Festival of Catholic High School Choirs On January 30, Kennedy Catholic Choir students will once again return to the home of the Seattle Symphony to participate in the Archdiocesan Festival of Choirs. The 2017 Festival of Choirs will feature a men’s choir of 200+, a women’s choir of 450+, a select mixed choir, and a combined 680+ voice choir for the finale. Students from ten area Catholic high schools will perform, both alone and all together on the beautiful Benaroya Hall stage, as a part of one of the only non-competitive events among the schools. This year’s Festival Choir is conducted by Dr. Vijay Singh, composer, arranger, and professor at Central Washington University.
All-State Symphonic Choir Sophomore Emily D. and senior Steven T. will be participating in the All-State Symphonic Choir in Bellevue, WA over President’s Day weekend. Senior Helena Ducusin will be participating in the All- Northwest Treble Choir. Over 3,500 students submitted recordings for this honor and fewer than 25% were accepted. Good luck!
Kennedy Catholic Elementary Band Program Happy New Year! After a VERY busy Christmas concert season, our young musicians turn their attention to 2017 Honor Band auditions! More details will follow on the results! For more fine arts news, see the BSHARP newsletter or like our Facebook page!
Tickets are $13 and may be purchased from choir students, Mrs. Brown brownl@kennedyhs.org or at the door.
Artwork made by Mr. Dolejsi’s Introduction To Art class. Inspired by pop-art style but focusing on the use of symbolic color.
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