MARCH 2017
LEARNING, FAITH & LEADERSHIP A Kennedy Catholic Lancer Publication
COMMUNI-K PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE In the past 12 years, I have had thousands of conversations with amazing Lancer dads about their role with their teenage sons and daughters and along with that, their own roles as men of God. None have touched me as deeply as the father in this story. I’m standing in the home stands prior to a football game. It was early September and the sun was beginning to cross the field. As I watched our boys warm up, a father approaches me and after a short conversation, he tells me that he has less than 6 months to live. The first thing we do is join hands and pray. Our prayer was for the Holy Spirit to guide his family, to put great supporters in place to counsel, manage and spiritually nurture. Of course, his parish priest became Mike Prato - President his counsel, his closest friends became his cheer squad, and Kennedy Catholic faculty and staff worked with his two daughters to live the trial this family was encountering. If you are like me (and you are---I will soon have two daughters at Kennedy Catholic), your life undoubtedly runs full speed to hyper-speed, sometimes in the blink of an eye. Carpooling, sports, music, contests, play practice, retreats, leadership opportunities and so on! Over-committed and a breadth of passions are the outcomes of our mission, which affects us all and in the meantime, those four short years disappear before our very eyes and we ask, where did it go? So, unless you are a senior parent (the stress is now mounting for you), you fight the urge to become so busy that you lose sight of the intimacy that is fatherhood. So, I am offering an invitation to slow things down as a dad, to become curious about fatherhood in the eyes of God and take a risk to be formed along with other dads just like you. I’m not set on any particular model for what this might look like. For now, I’m planning one evening with a simple meal so we can discuss together what our time might look like. Depending on your interests, I can share a snippet from Fr. Bill Watson’s The Forty Weeks, TMIY (This Man is You), and Catholicism by Bishop Baron. We may settle on accountability groups, a simple Bible Study, or weekly discussions on fatherhood in general. At the end of the day, it is the role of the father to be the spiritual leader. Come and find out why. If nothing else, free food. To best plan the evening dinner and sharing session, please take 5 minutes and complete the survey found here. This will help me gauge interest in a dad’s group and make the best use of your time when we meet. Please complete the survey by March 15. At that time, I’ll follow up with a confirmation for the dinner gathering and request an RSVP at that time.
Kennedy Catholic High School
140S 140th Street, Burien WA 98168
www.kennedyhs.org
PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE In February we held our 2017 Freshman Retreat. The Freshman retreat is designed for our students to come together, now that they have acclimated to high school life, and forge new friendships as well as solidify their place in the Lancer family community.
Nancy Bradish - Principal
It is always with a level of trepidation that our Freshman enter into the retreat, unsure of what it will look and feel like over the course of the three days. Mr. Prato and I had the privilege of giving the opening comments and I reminded the students of my favorite bible verse, Matthew 7:7, which I had shared with them at their orientation in August: “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door shall be opened to you.” I asked the students to be open to the possibilities the retreat would provide them. I told them that if they were all in, the retreat would be life-changing.
What I witnessed over the course of the next few days was transformation in process. From opening night activities, to Friday’s community service, the basketball game where we arrived in force, and the closing ceremonies on Saturday- the students allowed themselves to experience everything the retreat had to give them and they walked away with a new sense of purpose and community. Welcome to the Lancer family, Freshman.
IN THIS EDITION:
IN THE NEWS:
President’s Message
Rotary Students
Principal’s Message
DECA
In the News
Alumni News
KATCH Auction
Easter Egg Hunt
Welcome Class of 2021
St. Patrick’s Day Dispensation
Mother Son Dance
Winning Spirit Award
Freshman Retreat
Knowledge Bowl
Sports News
French Valentine’s Day Celebration
Irene Cox McNerney World Languages
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News Articles and Press Releases Find all of the latest news on our website!
Fine Art News
www.kennedyhs.org
KATCH Auction Tickets Now Available! Kennedy Catholic’s annual KATCH auction gala is right around the corner!
The KATCH auction gala is the school’s largest fundraiser and brings together parents, alumni, parents of alumni, students and staff for a wonderful evening in support of our mission to provide a high quality Catholic education to all who desire it. This year’s Spring Fever KATCH Auction will take place on Saturday, April 1. We hope you’ll join us!
With your help, this year’s Fund-a-Need will support new classroom furniture. It is our goal to furnish as many rooms as possible. Plan to raise your paddle high! Thank you for your generous support. To purchase tickets and for more information visit our auction website or contact KATCH@kennedyhs.org
www.kennedyhs.org
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Welcome Class of 2021!
It is easy to find inspiration when walking through the halls of Kennedy Catholic High School. There is a deep sense of school spirit and pride, which is a direct result of the hard work and passion of our faculty, staff and student body. Our students work with purpose to create an atmosphere that includes everyone. Their common theme: communication, intentionality, participation and follow-through. All are honored to be part of the Lancer Nation. The pursuit of academic excellence is a hallmark of Kennedy Catholic and our staff is committed to the students entrusted to their care. Teachers excel as champions of academics, yet they are also advisors, scholars, artists and mentors. It is that direct mentorship that plants the seed of leadership in each and every student walking these halls. The gift of a Kennedy Catholic education is priceless. We are excited to welcome the Class of 2021 to the Lancer Family. An outstanding and diverse group of students make up the new freshman class. These young adults have chosen a school that will empower them, motivate them and guide them to explore their passions and achieve their dreams.
Mother-Son Dance The annual mother/son dance was well attended this year and fun was had by all. The spaghetti dinner, catered by Rico Peretti, was fabulous and our regular DJ spun tunes that everyone loved to dance to. The highlight of the evening is always the senior boy scavenger hunt which was won by Conor E. He was awarded a $30 gift card to Subway for his efforts. Be sure to join us next year for this fun event hosted by the Parent Club.
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www.kennedyhs.org
Freshman Retreat - You’ve Got A Friend In Me Our 2017 Freshman Retreat was a full weekend of activities, small group discussions, building friendships, service to our local community, supporting our state-bound basketball team, and of course the Lancer Family! Thursday evening was full of small group bonding and some line dancing. Friday morning over 275 students and 28 staff served 12 local organizations, spreading the love of the Lancer Family beyond our doors. Friday evening our group of 275+ filled the stands to cheer on our basketball team as a family. We celebrated and prayed together during our closing Mass Saturday morning. In the words of some of our freshmen: “I loved the service, it was really nice to work with my group and help clear the elderly couple’s yard.” “I feel like I know so many people now! Real Lancer Family!” “What I enjoyed most was the felling of family and the basketball game.” “I want to be part of next year’s retreat!” Thank you to our leaders, sophomore squad, freshmen, faculty, and families for making this a great retreat!
www.kennedyhs.org
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SPORTS NEWS 14 Lancers Recognized for their Winter Sports Excellence
With winter sports at Kennedy Catholic now complete, it’s time to celebrate a wealth of post-season North Puget Sound League individual accolades. Congratulations to all our student-athletes on a successful season! A full list of Lancer Athletics winter all-league honors can be found below: Boys Basketball
Girls Bowling
• 1st team all-league: Emilio M., ‘12
• Honorable mention: Kaley M., ‘11, Shayla F., ‘10
• 2nd team all-league: Matthew S., ‘12 • 3rd team all-league: Keannu R., ‘12, Trevor H., ‘12 • 2nd team 4A State Tournament team: Emilio M., ‘12 Boys Swim & Dive: • 1st team all-league: Ian O., ‘12 • 2nd team all-league: Jack F., 11, Luke D., ‘10, Ty L., ‘10.
Girls Basketball • 1st team all-league: Miyu M., ‘12 Wrestling • 2nd team all division: Bowen M., ‘11 Gymnastics • Honorable mention: Emily H., ‘12, Claire H., ‘10
USA Youth Wrestling Club – Lancer Wrestling Club USA Youth Wrestling Club – Lancer Wrestling Club meets Thursdays and Fridays from 5:00pm - 6:30pm in the gym (3/2/17 through 5/5/17). Boys and Girls ages 4-18 are welcome. For questions, feel free to contact Perry Sampley at sampleyp@kennedyhs.org or Coach Domingo Gomez at dgomezn6@gmail.com. No cost for training, but must have a USA membership card to participate. www.usamembership.com
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www.kennedyhs.org
Boys Basketball Returns to Dome, Advances to State Quarterfinals Led by Head Coach Don Hoffman, the Lancers boys basketball team once again qualified for the WIAA State Tournament in their first year at the 4A level. After dropping their first District playoff game, the boys rebounded by winning their next three games to qualify for the WIAA Regional Round. They followed up a win over Kentridge, with a dominating win over Glacier Peak in the opening game of State. Ultimately the season came to an end with a quarterfinal loss to State runner-up Union and a consolation loss to Federal Way.
Boys Swim Team Finishes 12th in the State Tournament A huge round of applause is due for our 2016-2017 Boys Swim team who finished 12th overall in 4A at the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association State Swim & Dive Championships. Highlights included: the 200 medley relay (8th), 200 free relay (9th), 400 free relay (11th), Ian O. in the 200 free (16th) and Jack F. in the 50 free (10th). Congratulations to State participants (pictured l-r) Ian O., Jack F., Ty L., Ben K., Riley D., New P., Luke D. and Coach Eric Kress.
Captains Council Shares What it Means to be a Lancer Student-athlete This winter, members of Athletic Director Sam Reed’s Captains Council sat down and answered a simple question, “What does it mean to be a Lancer student-athlete?” Their answers reflect the core covenants of the athletic department: servant leadership, passion, integrity and grit. Those answers are now being released online and throughout the building over the course of the spring. If you are interested in following this campaign, please follow @OurLancerNation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
www.kennedyhs.org
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Remembering Irene Cox McNerney Many of you will remember Irene Cox McNerney, a former staff member and parent at Kennedy Catholic. Irene worked here for 38 years in a variety of positions, including maintenance, uniforms, and the Athletic Team Manager before retiring in 2004. Irene was a dedicated member of the Lancer family and beloved by many. Sadly, Irene passed away on Sunday, February 26, 2017. Eternal rest, grant unto Irene, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May she rest in peace. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.
The World Languages Department The World Languages Department of John F. Kennedy Catholic High School celebrated our annual Honor Society Initiation on February 9 in the school chapel. After a few words from Principal Nancy Bradish and world language teacher advisors, the Honor Society Officers of American Sign Language, French, Latin and Spanish led their respective portion of the ceremony in their different languages initiating new members and recognizing current members. It was wonderful to see so many family members in attendance! A simple reception was held after the ceremony in the Dillman Center. Congratulations to all the initiates, and their families, along with current members! The prerequisite for new membership into the World Languages Honor Society is 3.5 GPA in their language.
American Sign Language Honor Society officers and teacher
French Honor Society officers and teacher
Latin Honor Society officers and teacher
Spanish Honor Society officers and teacher
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www.kennedyhs.org
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 Luke C. and Kyra T.
DECA State Career Development Conference In early March, four students in the Kennedy Catholic DECA program competed at the DECA State Career Development Conference. These four qualified to compete at SCDC after their success at the regional conference last month. Over 3,000 students from around the state converged in Bellevue to compete in business-scenario role plays, written events, and presentations. Our students performed very well and have set high standards for DECA students next year!
www.kennedyhs.org
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ALUMNI NEWS Alumni Profile Vince McCluskey ’10 has always had a strong connection to Kennedy Catholic. His father, Brian McCluskey, was a beloved member of the staff, until he passed away in 1996, teaching religion and leading SEARCH retreats. His brother, Nick McCluskey, followed in his father’s footsteps working with the SEARCH retreats, as well as teaching history. Now, Vince is coming back to his alma mater as head coach for the Boys’ soccer team. While a student at Kennedy Catholic, Vince was actively involved in a wide range of activities. Not only was he a varsity soccer player, he was also a part of the French Honor Society, Relay for Life, and an immersion trip to Cape Town, South Africa. He dedicated himself to being an exceptional person in every aspect of his life. After graduation, Vince continued his passion for soccer with the University of Puget Sound. The highlight of his time there was playing and winning a Northwest Conference Title and scoring a golden goal in overtime of the first round of the National Tournament in 2014. For the past two and a half years, Vince has been a member of the Tacoma Stars indoor soccer team. On the team of 25, many of them are locals, just like Vince. When not playing himself, he is busy coaching students of all ages, from as young as 8, up through high school. Now, he is excited to share his experience and passion as head coach for the Boys’ soccer team at Kennedy Catholic. As Vince puts it, “soccer is a lifetime of emotions rolled up into 90 minutes,” and he is looking forward to sharing his experience and helping the students win. After all, for him, coming back to Kennedy Catholic is like coming home.
The Art and Science of Anesthesiology Members of the Kennedy Catholic Science Club were lucky to hear from Colonel Mark Schierenbeck, DNP, MHS, CRNA, at their weekly meeting February 14. Mark has been a CRNA with the United States Military for over 20 years and has worked all over the world. When he is not deployed, he leads classes to train the new generation of Nurse Anesthetists. Mark’s presentation, titled The Art and Science of Anesthesiology, gave a detailed description about the study of anesthesiology, and the possible career paths. He spoke from experience about innovative surgeries, including awake neurosurgery, and what it is like to work in a remote outpost while deployed. Mark engaged with the students, broke down the hard sciences they would need to know in his field, and challenged them with the technical terms involved. Special thanks to Science Club advisors Ryan Kyler and Joseph Skillman for hosting Mark!
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www.kennedyhs.org
Camp Fihavanana - Empowering Madagascar’s Youth Through Experiential Learning
Attention Classes of 1977and 1997!
Co-Founded by Jessica Razanadrakoto ‘13
If you’re from the class of 1977 or 1997 and are interested in planning your reunion, we want to hear from you! Kennedy Catholic is here to support you in any way possible.
Camp Fihavanana equips students with the tools to succeed. We instill confidence, demonstrate collaboration, and generate a passion in our students to continue learning. The lessons we teach at Camp Fihavanana are not ones that can be found in a book or studied in a class. Our hands-on approach empowers Malagasy students to become leaders and make positive changes in their communities. The first pilot camp will be held July 28 - August 12, 2017 in Moramanga, Madagascar. To learn more, visit http://www.campfihavanana.org/
Contact Rebecca Nuffer, Alumni Relations Manager, at nufferr@kennedyhs.org, or visit our website for more information: http://www.kennedyhs.org/alumni
Service Reflections from Ixtapa, Mexico In December, my mom (Christine Tweedy ‘81), sister, and I travelled to Ixtapa/ Zihuatanejo, Mexico to perform dental care for young children who could otherwise not afford any kind of health care. My mom is a dentist, so she brought my sister and I along to work as dental assistants in the clinic with her. For the most part, we filled cavities, applied crowns, and extracted rotten teeth from the 70 children we treated. This mission trip was really eye-opening for me because, prior to this trip, it had never even crossed my mind that some children are not even granted the privilege of health care. We also treated children who live in the city’s landfill because that is the only place their parents are able to earn money. This experience has made me much more aware of and grateful for everything I have in my life. Service is important because it helps people understand other ways of life and helps them appreciate all they are given in their life. Service also provides a connection between different types of people who are in need of different things, because it is all of us who make up a community and society, a country, and the world. -Sophomore Marissa T.
Kennedy Catholic Alumni Class Web Pages are now live! As part of our ongoing commitment to enhance our school website and alumni communications, we invite you to join us in connecting with your Lancer classmates through new Alumni Class Web Pages. Through the pages, you’ll be able to share information and news, find classmates, share photos, and more, all in one place. We look forward to seeing your class memories and connections come to life through photo sharing, discussion posts, and more. If you would like to participate, but have not yet received a setup email, please contact Rebecca Nuffer.
Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday to our March 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 March birthdays.
www.kennedyhs.org
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St. Patrick’s Day Dispensation With St. Patrick’s Day falling on a Friday (March 17) during the Lenten Season, Archbishop J. Peter Sartain is granting a one-day dispensation of abstaining from meat on that Friday alone. The faithful are encouraged to choose another day in the same week to abstain from meat and to perform some other penance or work of charity on March 17 to assist in their spiritual Lenten journey. Abstinence from meat is to be observed by all Catholics who are 14 years of age and older. Ash Wednesday and all Fridays of Lent (and Good Friday) are days of abstinence. Fasting, almsgiving and prayer are the three traditional disciplines of Lent.
www.kennedyhs.org
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NW Catholic Winning Spirit AwardCongratulations Madeline! The captain of Kennedy Catholic’s cheer squad and swim and dive team, Madeline “is constantly challenging herself as a student and a leader,” said campus minister Clare Ettensohn. She volunteers with Seattle’s Union Gospel Mission’s Search and Rescue program and has made a service-immersion trip to Cambodia. A member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish in Burien, she has a 3.844 GPA.
Knowledge Bowl This fun group of friends and retired Kennedy Catholic staff, recently enjoyed some time together in Arizona.
Kennedy Catholic sent three teams to the regional Knowledge Bowl tournament in Tacoma this February. We are competing at the 4A level for the first time and one of our teams qualified for the State tournament on March 18 in Marysville. This is our second year in a row qualifying for State.
Pictured from L-R: Dean Etzkorn, Dave Danforth, Loretta Merrill, Tom Merrill, Madeline Etzkorn, Sue Strong, Mary Danforth, Margaret Bourgette, and Bob Bourgette.
Ms. Lewis’s French 3 Class Celebrates Valentine’s Day
www.kennedyhs.org
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FINE ARTS NEWS Elementary Band Program March is Music in the Schools Month! Daily, nine Catholic elementary schools are filled with musical sounds from general music classes to our own feeder band program. The joy of creating music is an incredible experience. Watch our work in action with upcoming spring performances. Stay tuned!
Don’t Miss These Upcoming Fine Arts Events! April 11- Thespian Society Induction Ceremony (Kennedy Catholic Theatre) May 6- Wenatchee Apple Blossom Parade (Wenatchee, WA) May 17- Elementary Band Festival (Kennedy Catholic gym) May 19-21- Lancer Acts (Kennedy Catholic Theatre) May 22- Instrumental Spring Concert (Highline PAC) May 25- Spring Choral Concert “Pieces of Peace” (Highline PAC)
Camelot As Kennedy Catholic High School celebrates its 50th anniversary, it seems only fitting to produce the musical that is most strongly associated with John F. Kennedy, his work, and his legacy. Camelot is the story of King Arthur and his quest to transform his kingdom into something better. The play features such beloved songs as If Ever I would Leave You, How To Handle A Woman, and The Lusty Month Of May. Over 30 students are currently working together to tell a story that is big, charming, challenging, and timeless. We hope you’ll join us! Performances are March 16-18 at 7pm and March 19 at 2pm at Highline Performing Arts Center.
www.kennedyhs.org
For more fine arts news, see the BSHARP newsletter or like our Facebook page!
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