ST. JOHN’S NORTHWESTERN MILITARY ACADEMY
United by Tradition Also in this issue: 2015-2016 Honor Roll of Donors
Volume 36, No. 1 Winter 2017
All are invited to
Saturday, April 29, 2017 Farrand Hall Gymnasium
The Place to be During Spring Families Weekend!
This premier fundraiser features: • Fun social atmosphere • Fabulous silent auction items
• Electronic bidding • Delicious food • Open bar
Tickets:
• Tickets for adults are $75 • Call (262) 646-7289 until April 1 or $90 thereafter. or (800) 234-9097 Cadet tickets are $65. for more information.
Auction proceeds benefit every cadet, teacher, program and department at St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy!
SJNMA Commencement & Reunion Weekend 2017 SJNMA honored class years: MAY 25-28, 2017 1942–75th, 1967–50th, 1992–25th, 2007–10th
Save these dates and start making your travel plans.
The Academy cordially invites all alumni and their families to return to campus to watch the Field of Flags ceremony, attend the Founders’ Memorial Service, join the OBAA Luncheon and Dinner, and march in the Old Boys Parade and welcome the class of 2017 to your ranks. Honored class years will have their photos taken. Watch for future mailings for a complete schedule. Call the Alumni Office at (262) 646-7220 or (800) 234-9097, or register online at www.sjnma.org/reunion.cfm for the OBAA Dinner.
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SHOW YOUR SCHOOL PRIDE! The SJNMA Cadet Store is your first place for official SJNMA logo wear and gifts. Check out the featured new gear pictured here! Additional new items include: Women’s and Men’s Apparel Toddler and Children’s Apparel Fine Drinkware Decorative Office Supplies All major credit cards accepted.
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The Accomplish Jacket . . . .$68
Phone (262) 646-7133 • cadetstore@sjnma.org • www.sjnma.org/sjnma-cadet-st www.sjnma.org/sjnma-cadet-store.cfm
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Editor-in-Chief Jaime L. Buege
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Contributors
David Carl S1983 Jennifer Henery, Ph.D. COL Thomas Kastner, Ph.D. LTC James Kebisek Ann-Christin Kloth Peg Koller Anita Kopaczewski H2009 Nicole Rutherford Cindy A. Trione St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy 1101 Genesee St., Delafield, WI 53018 (800) 752-2338 www.sjnma.org The Beacon is published two times per year by the Advancement Department of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy. The editorial staff welcomes your ideas and comments. Please submit correspondence to the editor at jbuege@sjnma.org.
Board of Trustees
Jack H. Albert Jr. D.Min., Academy President Dr. Crain Bliwas N1965, Chair Joe LaRocca N1969, Vice Chair Fred Leach S1974, Vice Chair Bard Boand N1967, Secretary Mike Henn, Treasurer
Members
Bob Bramlett S1970 Lee Breitkopf S1973 Andrew Filipkowski S1968 Joseph Giammanco N1970 Bill Hummel N1968 Charles Krametbauer S1978 Anthony Lazzara S1948 John Leone The Rt. Rev. Steven Miller Kenneth Schneider Kathy Snodell Lilah Stangeland H1999 Victor E. Treviño S1958 John D. Wietzel S1964
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A SALUTE TO VETERANS Each year, St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy celebrates Veterans Day with a Salute to Veterans and Flag Pageant. This year, we recognize several veterans who have attended this ceremony for many years by sharing their stories. BEHOLD, I WILL DO SOMETHING NEW! During the 2014-2015 school year, SJNMA introduced the Living Compass Program to engage cadets in talking about the variety of decisions they make on a daily basis. Today, the program gives adult leaders a way to talk with cadets about how to live whole lives with heart, soul, strength and mind. STRIVING UP AND BEYOND First Captain Robert Hall 2017 shares his thoughts as battalion commander of the 133rd Corps of Cadets and discusses his journey through the past four years at the Academy.
2015-2016 Honor Roll of Donors Following Page 20 The Academy recognizes more than 840 donors who gave during the fiscal year.
Departments 2 3 10
This Side
12 14 16
Academics
Front & Center Esprit de Corps — Homecoming & Families Weekend 2016 Staff Development Update
19 21 24 27 28 30 33 36
Online Giving International Connections Alumni Office Update Old Boys Alumni Association Inspiring Alumni Alumni News Taps Glimpses from the Past
On the Cover The SJNMA Band marches with the 133rd Corps of Cadets in the Veterans Day Parade through downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on November 5, 2016.
THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
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This Side
Office of the President St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy Our Mission: St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy immerses young men in a culture of leadership that inspires personal growth through a commitment to excellence in Academics, Spiritual and Character Development, Athletics, and our Military Traditions.
I have been writing a “This Side” article for The Beacon magazine for 13 years. Before this, I wrote the same titled article in three other military school publications and earlier in my college newspaper. The title, of course, relates to opinions and thoughts from me or my side; however, the basic idea of This Side came from a journey I was fortunate to take when I was a junior in college. I was part of a group of young people who travelled to Africa in a program called Operation Crossroads Africa. This program was founded by Dr. James Robinson, a Presbyterian minister from Harlem. His philosophy was for American youth to go to Africa, paying their own way to work on projects under the direction of African supervisors. Dr. Robinson started his program in 1957. President John F. Kennedy modeled the Peace Corps program after much of Dr. Robinson’s effort and invited Dr. Robinson to the White House Rose Garden when the first group of Peace Corps participants were sent out. My group went to Botswana to build a teacher’s hut at a school in a village called Sehitwa in the Kalahari Desert. One of the African workers would leave the school after the day’s work. As Obuta went to the gate on a well-worn path, he would look back at all of us and say, “Come this side.” One day, I went with him. What a wonderful experience as we walked together through his village of clay and thatched huts. Obuta held my hand as we walked; a true sign of friendship and respect. His friends received me in their humble homes, and we sat on dirt floors, drank a homemade African beer concoction of berries and roots, danced, and laughed. I was glad I went to where my friend called “this side;” it changed me; it made me think and reflect. I hope these articles by the same title does the same for those of you who read them. So now “This Side” comes with a memory of other times. Times it appears, at least from this vantage point, much simpler than today. This might be because of my age now or my youth then; simple changes to be certain, but changes nonetheless, all different from the past. And, I suppose to some extent we all want times to change, but I believe if only for the better. So let’s think of my journey years ago when my new found friend invited me to “come this side.” As we think about this, I suggest we go “this side” with others so we might understand each other better and appreciate each other more.
Jack H. Albert Jr. D.Min. H2015 2
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St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Front & Center
War Memorial Room The Academy believes much can be learned from the lessons of our past and that honoring the sons of previous generations stands at the core of our founding ideals and principles. On June 10, 1949, a War Memorial Room, dedicated to St. John’s cadets who died in WWII, was opened within the Academy’s newest building, Farrand Hall Gymnasium. The War Memorial Room was intended to be a hallowed place to remind us of the sacrifices these young men made to secure our freedoms. Sadly, the War Memorial Room is rarely seen by anyone because it is tucked away in a corner of Farrand Hall Gymnasium (flanked by a washroom and a utility room). This is why we seek to find a new home for it. The Academy has secured a generous lead gift of $25,000 from VFW Soat-Vergenz Post #721 to relocate the Memorial Room to the rotunda in DeKoven Hall. This new location will ensure that the room’s intended purpose is served—a tribute to honor our beloved cadets and a reminder to future generations of what has been bestowed upon them. The FUND-A-NEED raised $9,000 during the Fall Fest Fundraiser toward our goal to match the VFW’s $25,000 lead gift for a total of $50,000. (See the Fall Fest Fundraiser article on page 18.) And recently we received a gift of $15,000 from a generous donor for this endeavor. There are significant additional opportunities to enhance this space, including refurbishing and updating the Academy crest/seal, which is a great opportunity for alumni, parents and all of our friends of the Academy. The crest is a focal point at the entrance of the new War Memorial Room and needs to be redone to include the merged crest of St. John’s Military Academy and Northwestern Military & Naval Academy. We also want to further honor our service men and women by adding six service flags to our flagpole foundation at the parade field.
The War Memorial Room in its current location in Farrand Hall Gymnasium Architect’s conceptual rendering of the War Memorial Room in its new location in the DeKoven Hall rotunda
If you would like to make a tax-deductible gift for these valiant projects, contact the Development Office at (262) 646-7118 or donate online securely at www.sjnma.org/donatenow. Thank you!
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A Salute to Veterans Veterans Day is a public holiday observed each year on November 11 to honor the men and women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces. St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy celebrated with a Salute to Veterans of the U.S. Armed Forces on November 10, 2016, in Farrand Hall Gymnasium. The annual ceremony and flag pageant featured cadets dressed in war era uniforms from World War I to the War of Terror and a parade of colors from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces. The Academy would like to recognize several veterans who have attended this ceremony for many years by sharing their stories.
Gunnery SGT Clarence Stoel United States Marine Corps Clarence Stoel joined the United States Marine Corps in November 1953. He served at many duty stations including the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, California, the Marine Corps Air Station in Cherry Point, North Carolina, and the Marine Corps Air Station in Iwakuni, Japan, where he was part of aviation operations and training duty. In South Vietnam, he was responsible for flight scheduling, flight pay and training for enlisted personnel. He was also responsible for the Ground Defense platoon in the event of a ground attack. He was an Aerial Gunner on a Huey Gunship for 102 combat missions. He was wounded in March 1968 while flying a mission and became a patient at the Great Lakes Naval Hospital in Illinois until June 1969. He was awarded the Purple Heart medal as a result of his injuries and received disability retirement after serving over 15 years. Stoel retired from the military in August 1969. He attended the University of WisconsinEau Claire from 1969 to 1973 earning a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. He was a bank examiner with the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and City of Waukesha Comptroller, retiring in April 2002.
Lt. Col. Edward William Tyre United States Army Air Corps – Europe Edward Tyre enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps following graduation from high school in 1942. After basic training, he was accepted into the 3rd Air Force Training Command where he continued
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by completing basic, advanced and combat flight training. He enrolled at Centenary College to complete his necessary college level work and was able to commission in March 1944 as a second lieutenant. He was assigned to the 12th Air Force and transitioned into combat training in the Martin Marauder B-26. This aircraft was a high performance, multi-engine attack bomber that was extremely challenging to fly. He was later assigned to the 9th Air Force, 432nd Bomb Squadron and was deployed to the European Theatre of Operations to fly combat sorties from Corsica. Then he was reassigned to Dijon, France, for the completion of his combat tour in World War II. Tyre completed over 50 combat missions with heavily opposed FLAK sorties throughout Northern Italy and very difficult tactical missions over Northern France and Germany where his group encountered the deadly German ME-262 jet fighters. After the liberation of Europe, he awaited transfer to the Pacific theatre until the Japanese surrendered unconditionally. He continued flying until his retirement from 26 years of commissioned service in March 1972. Following his release from combat duties overseas, he married Shirley Litton and has been married for more than 66 years. They raised seven children and currently reside in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Tyre is a highly decorated combat veteran having been awarded the Air Medal with nine Oak Leaf Clusters, the European Theatre Campaign Medal with four battle stars, and a Distinguished Unit Citation. He was also awarded the French Legion of Honor Medal in April 2013.
SGT Eric Holmes United States Army Eric Holmes enlisted in the U.S. Army right after graduating from Waukesha High School in 1966. He completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, and Advanced Individual Training in armored reconnaissance at Fort Knox, Kentucky. He served with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment in Vietnam from November 1967 through December 1968. The regimental commander of the 11th Cavalry at that time was Col. George S. Patton IV, the son of the famous World War II general. During his tour in Vietnam, Holmes was wounded twice in action. His unit was involved in numerous actions in the 3rd Corps area with some infiltration into Cambodia. His main objective was the support of infantry units including the 101st Airborne Division, 1st Infantry Division, 5th Marines and the ARV. He spent the remainder of his military service with the 2nd Armored Division at Fort Hood, Texas. He was assigned temporary duty instructing gunnery to Texas A&M ROTC Cadets at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Holmes was discharged in 1969 as a Sergeant E-5. He is now retired and involved in numerous veteran organizations including the VFW, DAV and the Department of Wisconsin Military Order of the Purple Heart.
SMSgt. Amos Reed United States Army Air Corps / United States Air Force Amos Reed entered the United States Air Force in early 1952 where he trained as an aircraft mechanic, primarily on the B-47
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Veterans Day
ABOVE: Clarence Stoel MIDDLE: Edward William Tyre (left) and Eric Holmes RIGHT: (left to right) Amos Reed, Henry T. Ratenski and Irv Dietscher
Stratojet and the F-84 Thunderjet. Although he had orders to report to Korea in early 1953, the death of his older brother already serving in Korea put a stop to his Korean deployment. Over the next 21 years, he was assigned to many air bases throughout both the continental United States and numerous bases overseas, which included support to the Vietnam conflict from bases in Thailand to a somewhat leisure assignment in the Azore Islands. Upon his retirement from the U.S. Air Force, Reed joined the maintenance staff at St. John’s Military Academy where he remained for 34 years until his retirement in 2008.
Lt. Col. Henry T. Ratenski United States Army Air Corps – Pacific Upon graduation from high school in 1943, Henry Ratenski joined the aviation cadet training program and later graduated from navigation school. He received additional training on new and refined top secret precision bombing and navigation systems, and then was assigned to the 315th bomb wing as an APQ-7 Eagle radar bombing and navigation officer on a B-29 Superfortress Air Crew. After arriving in Guam and completing training missions on Rota Island, Ratenski began to fly many missions until the end of the war. The 315th Bomb Wing is known for flying the “Last Mission” of World War II over Japan. This was the longest, non-stop, strategic
bombing mission of World War II, which included over 3,800 miles of travel over the course of 18 consecutive hours. Later on the evening of August 15, 1945, Japan announced its surrender while the 315th Bomb Wing was still in the air returning to its air base in Guam. Following the war, Ratenski transferred to active reserve status and retired in 1972 as a lieutenant colonel. In his civilian life, he served in various executive management positions relating to corporate finance, accounting, contracts and legal compliance functions.
Second World War. In assessment, the fleet provided critical logistical support to the war effort. Merchant ships faced danger from submarines, mines, destroyers and aircrafts. At the end of World War II, more than 8,300 mariners were killed at sea. As a result of the Merchant Marine’s outstanding and selfless service in World War II, public law was changed under the Reagan administration, which officially made all Merchant Mariners veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Dietscher left the Merchant Marines in February 1946.
LtJG Irv Dietscher
CAPT Tim Tyre
United States Merchant Marines In January 1942, after a series of both physical and mental tests, Irv Dietscher enlisted to serve with the U.S. Merchant Marines. Over his four-year service period, he served on a total of eight different ships crossing the Pacific Ocean, Mediterranean Sea and Atlantic Ocean multiple times. On one of his crossings of the Mediterranean Sea in late 1943, his ship came under fire when three torpedoes appeared to be aimed right for his ship. Fortunately for Dietscher, they all missed. Unfortunately, the three ships accompanying his ship all got hit and later sunk in the middle of the sea. The United States wartime Merchant Marine fleet constituted one of the most significant contributions made by any nation to the eventual winning of the
THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
United States Navy (not pictured above) Tim Tyre, son of Edward William Tyre, retired after 22 years of commissioned service with the United States Navy. He had several shore commands during his military tenure, most notably at The Pentagon in Washington, D.C. He was on duty at The Pentagon on September 11, 2001, and was awarded the meritorious service medal based upon his heroic actions during and immediately following the 9/11 attacks. He has broad experience in counterterrorism planning, force protection and homeland security work. Tyre has been a private pilot instructor for Spring City Aviation in Waukesha, Wisconsin, for more than 12 years while also helping to instruct the aviation programs at Carroll University and St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy.
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OPPOSITE PAGE: Bhante Sila, a Sri Lankan Buddhist monk, speaks to cadets during chapel on October 18, 2016. He became a monk at age 16, and came to the United States in 2004 on an invitation of a Sri Lankan community in New York. He started a worship center for the Sri Lankan community in Chicago, Illinois. He currently lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and attends Milwaukee Area Technical College for an associate’s degree in youth counseling. He has a master’s degree from Buddhist and Pali University of Sri Lanka, and worked as a spiritual caregiver at Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center in Milwaukee. He spends most of his time translating spiritually important books into Sinhala, the majority language of Sri Lankans.
(left to right) Cadets Michael McNee 2020, Haowei Sun 2020 and Nicholas DiFranco 2019 discuss the benefits and challenges of working with a team in their Living Compass group on October 25, 2016.
What does it mean to be a man who can stand on his spiritual life,
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hen young men enter St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy, they expect rigorous academics and athletics. What they might not anticipate is the amount of thought and attention given to their value systems and character development. But we are an Episcopal military school, and one of the things we try to do is look at intentional ways to raise whole young men. The founder of the Academy and an Episcopal priest, Rev. Sidney Smythe, developed the four pillars on which the Academy stands: academics, spiritual and character development, athletics, and our military traditions. We say we have four pillars and those are the things that, when they walk out of here, we hope will have formed young men of honor. But sometimes we as a school struggle with integrating the four pillars. Some cadets, faculty or staff thrive because of the military
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component of the school; others because of the academics. Very few cadets have come to St. John’s Northwestern because we are an Episcopal school. Our founder knew, though, that in order to raise whole young men the balance of all of the pillars was essential. Three years ago, the Spiritual and Character Development program was charged with focusing on what spiritual life and character development had to do with the whole of campus life. The result was the Spiritual and Character Development pillar restructuring everything and asking, “If we really say spiritual life and character development is part of these boys becoming whole men, what does that look like? What does it mean to be a man who can stand on his spiritual life, who can stand on his character?” Prior to this, we had lacked any real focus; we merely had chapel twice a week and offered community service opportunities on the weekends.
So we tried increasing the spiritual life element by having chapel five days a week. It was a disaster. Then we changed chapel to twice a week and built religious studies courses into the academic curriculum for the first time in decades. Both of these decisions helped rebuild our Episcopal identity in the life of the Academy, but our advisory program was disconnected and left cadets wondering how spiritual life and character development could be incorporated into the whole of their lives. In response to this missing connection, we began seeking ways to integrate the teachings of the four pillars into the whole of the campus community. To this end, we turned to the Living Compass program for help. The program was designed to direct the corps (broken into small groups) to consider a variety of life-related themes: spirituality, stress resiliency, emotions, relationships, care of the body, rest and
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Spiritual and Character Development
Behold, I Will Do Something New!
(Isaiah 43:19)
who can stand on his character? play, organization, and vocation. Some of the faculty and staff asked to lead a group were atheists or from other religious traditions, and there was some initial uncertainty on how they were meant to engage the boys on a spiritual level. Once we explained that our intent was to get cadets comfortable talking about what was most important to them, what was stressing them out, what they thought healthy relationships looked like, etc., their fears were relieved. Our cadets have different levels of religious knowledge, and for many, spirituality is foreign to them. The Living Compass program gave us a common language. It gave us a way to talk to the boys about soul, heart, strength and mind—about how to live whole lives. In this advisory program, cadets are divided into groups by age level with eight or nine students per group, and each group is assigned a faculty member
and a staff member. Groups meet the first and third Tuesdays of the month and the monthly theme is incorporated into one of the weekly chapel services. In our advisory groups and our campus life, we have the privilege of sharing our formation with cadets from all over the world, all faith traditions, varied cultures, and diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. Consequently, in addition to the Living Compass program, the community is also participating in diversity workshops, partnering with an alumni-founded organization called “Game Changers,” and exploring faith traditions in a series called “Why Faith.” In exploring questions of spirituality and faith, we recognized that it would helpful for our diverse cadet body to hear first-hand from others who practice different religious traditions. Throughout the school year, a Buddhist monk, a Muslim Imam, a Jewish
THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
Rabbi, a Hindu priest, and pastors from different Christian communities will speak about how their faith impacts their daily lives. It is our hope that the Living Compass program will continue to help us raise whole young men. In November 2016, Dr. Jennifer Henery, director of Spiritual Life and Character Development, presented a workshop with Holly Hughes Stoner, creator of the Teen Living Compass, titled “Nurturing The Well Being of Our Teens: Heart Soul, Strength and Mind” at the biennial conference of the National Association of Episcopal Schools in New Orleans, Louisiana. This workshop program highlighted the SJNMA advisory program and sought to provide tools for other schools to engage their students in the formation of their students.
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Striving Up and Beyond F
Battalion Staff
irst Captain Robert Hall is a Wisconsin native and has attended St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy for four years. Hall hasn’t been the only cadet in his family to attend the Academy. His two older brothers, Alexander 2012 and Kendall 2009, both graduated from here. Since the first day he enrolled as a cadet, Hall’s primary goal has been to strive up and beyond what his brothers did at the Academy, doing just that with becoming First Captain of the 133rd Corps of Cadets. Some impressive accomplishments Hall has done throughout his time here include being a member of the Raider Challenge team since 9th grade, being inducted into the National Honor Society in 10th grade, and receiving the Most Valuable Player award for varsity basketball in 11th grade.
133rd Corps of Cadets Battalion Executive Officer: Cadet James Riese McClellan 2017 In charge of all Battalion Staff members; takes direct orders from the First Captain; second in charge of Battalion Staff Battalion Command Sergeant Major: Cadet Brandon Prevo 2018 Serves as head NCO for Corps of Cadets; makes sure all First Sergeants perform their duties Battalion Adjutant: Cadet Brandon Rivera 2017 Responsible for cadets records, awards, promotions and decorations
Getting to Know First Captain Robert Hall
Battalion Enrollment Officer: Cadet John “Justin” Miselnicky 2017 Assists the Enrollment Office with campus tours and reads battalion narrative for parades Battalion Operations Officer: Cadet Nicholas Galvin 2017 Keeps track of all cadet competitions, scores, superior company points and promotion tests, and writes letters of instruction for all things cadets do; third in charge of Battalion Staff Battalion Logistics Officer: Cadet Jose Rodarte Soto 2017 Provides logistics for cadets, accounts for all rifles on campus, and keeps accountability of all awards and decorations Battalion Academic Officer: Cadet Zhaole Liang 2017 Keeps track of which cadets need tutoring and arranges all tutors Battalion Color Sergeant: Cadet John “Max” Johnson 2018 Hangs the American flag every day and assists with on- and off-campus events where the SJNMA Color Guard is needed
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ABOVE TOP: Cadet Robert Hall 2017 during the 2015-2016 school year. ABOVE BOTTOM: Future First Captain Robert Hall 2017 holds the saber of his brother, Kenny 2009, as his sister, Becky, watches in preparation for the Parents Weekend parade in October 2008. OPPOSITE PAGE: Cadet Robert Hall 2017 plays in a Lancers varsity basketball game during the 2015-2016 school year.
Cadet 1LT James Riese McClellan 2017: What are your plans for the future after leaving the Academy? First Captain Robert Hall 2017: I have a couple of options in front of me, but I still yet have to decide exactly what I want to do. Q: How have you changed since you arrived at SJNMA? A: I’ve grown mentally, physically and spiritually well beyond what I could have possibly imagined. Q: How do you want to be remembered? A: A cadet who was stern, yet fair, with a guiding hand throughout his years at SJNMA. Q: What are some personal challenges of being First Captain? A: Managing the corps, homework, athletics and my own personal life at all times. Knowing that if I fail in one of those four areas, life gets a lot harder. Q: Who was your mentor while attending the Academy? A: Over the years, I’ve had two people specifically who I have looked towards for guidance in structure, SGT Adam Frame and Mr. Conrad Jorgensen. Q: What is your favorite part about SJNMA? A: My favorite part of SJNMA is participating on the JROTC Raider Challenge team over the past four years.
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
First Captain
“Success through Unity.” He has been a platoon sergeant and a first sergeant throughout his four years at the Academy. Hall has been one of my best friends throughout our time here. At first we didn’t really know each other too well due to the separation of different companies. During sophomore year, we both were platoon sergeants and started to talk more and see each other in more classes together. Over the last two years, we have gotten really close and now are working right next to each other to better the 133rd Corps of Cadets every day. Throughout his journey at the Academy, he has learned what makes a good leader and how he can apply those traits to everyone he is in charge of here. Hall has also learned a couple of valuable lessons. One lesson is if you do what you are expected to do as a cadet and be patient, over time you will be awarded appropriately. Another great lesson he has learned is to not let others bother you on what they think of you, to keep your head high, do what’s right, and focus on yourself. One final lesson Hall has learned is to be that fair leader; to have that balance of being an SJNMA cadet and being a fun high school student. This year, Hall has chosen the corps motto “Success through Unity.” His main goal for this year’s corps is to succeed being together or united. He wants everybody to be on the same page and to have cadets motivate each other throughout the year at all times. Hall plans to take the memories of knowing that he commanded a battalion of cadets and the great times that went along with it. One last thing, a funny story about Hall and me. The first day we enrolled as cadets, we both were pretty overwhelmed on what was going on all around us. We were right next to each other in the enrollment line in the academic building and our moms started talking to one another. Then the question came up from my mom asking what grade Hall was in and my mom quickly brought to my attention that he was in the same grade as me. When Hall and I first started talking, it seemed like everything was clicking, but in reality and to this day Hall still admits, “I thought you were the weirdest kid that ever lived on this planet.” Four years later, we are working hand-in-hand now to better the 133rd Corps of the Cadets every day while we wrap up the last few months of our senior year. Article by Cadet 1LT James Riese McClellan 2017
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HOMECOMING & FAMILIES WEEKEND 1
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THIS PAGE: 1: Cadet Tsion Vaughn 2020 rushes the football during the Homecoming football game at Price Davis Field at Rick Leone Stadium.
2: Cadet Jose Rodarte Soto 2017 presents his mother, Alejandra Soto, with a rose when he was honored as a senior athlete for soccer during Families Weekend.
3: Cadet Andrew Burrow 2017 with his mother, Luz Osorio, and Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. during the Senior Ring Ceremony.
4: Cadet Marco Breceda Martos 2017 is joined by his parents, Marco Breceda and Delia Martos, and Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. during the Sword & Saber Ceremony.
5: Cadet Alan Cameron 2019 with his parents, Mark Cameron and Lisa Iaquinta, sister, Samantha, and Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. during the Sword & Saber Ceremony.
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St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
2016
Esprit de Corps
On October 7-9, 2016, the 133rd Corps of Cadets welcomed families and friends to Homecoming & Families Weekend. Events began Friday with a Parents Club Golf Outing and parent/teacher conferences. On Saturday, families and friends attended the varsity football Homecoming game to cheer the Lancers to victory. The Academy also held the first annual Fall Fest Fundraiser (see page 18). On Sunday, the SJNMA Band, The Battery, Men’s Choir, and The Pipes and Drums performed a Fall Concert followed by the National Honor Society Induction Ceremony, and Senior Ring and Sword & Saber Ceremony. A Silver Rifles drill team performance and formal parade with cadet promotions and special awards concluded the weekend.
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1: Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. congratulates Cadet Juan Rosas Hach 2018 for earning Cadet of the Month for September.
2: Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. promotes Cadet Avante Siller 2021 to Private/E-2 during the formal parade.
3: Cadet Zhaole Liang 2017 (right) welcomes Cadet Ruiwen Pan 2018 into the National Honor Society and presents him with an NHS shawl.
4: Cadets Jordan Varghese 2018 (left) and Kyung Jun “Kyle” Min 2018 perform with the SJNMA Band during the Fall Concert.
5: Members of The Battery, (left to right) Franklin Schreurs 2019, Douglas
Kirkhofer 2019 and Alan Cameron 2019, perform during the Fall Concert.
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There and Back Again: The Australian Experience Since the summer of 2013, St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy has had an exchange program with The Scots College, an all-boys preparatory academy in Sydney, Australia. From July 16-August 16, 2016, Cadets Timothy Prevo 2018, Brandon Prevo 2018 and Dakota Stewart 2018 visited The Scots College to experience their cadet programs and culture.
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he experiences we had in Sydney, Australia, were something we could never forget. On the day of our arrival, our eyes were fixated on the majestic views of the city. We were taken to Bondi Beach, one of the most popular beaches in New South Wales, and had a long enjoyable lunch. Many of the birds seen in Sydney were very beautiful in color and size; I recall seeing a very colorful parrot sitting on the ledge enjoying its afternoon. After touring Bondi Beach, we set off to The Scots College with our guide, Mr. Bragg, who gave us a tour of the wonderful school. The campus was truly amazing, having an overview of the bay below us and the houses reflecting the sun’s rays. At first it seemed near impossible to be able to navigate around the school without being carried away. Being paired up with former known exchange students, Calum Hutchenson, Jack Egan and Hamish Grogan, gave us the chance to catch up with our old friends. We had many stories to tell about how school was and important events back home. Our first experience with them was at the New South Wales Firing Range. The cadets had a major tournament against other schools on how accurate they can shoot. It was very impressive to all of us on how focused one could be and react within seconds. Their favorite sport at school is rugby, which is similar to our American football, but without any protection. School rugby games were so exhilarating to watch and be a part of— everybody cheered and chanted while playing the bagpipes. During our time there, we managed to watch the rugby premiership where over 300 people showed up to watch the game. Every weekend we explored downtown Sydney and Bondi Junction. We went through almost every shop we could find. At
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the end of the day, we would still have enough energy to jump around and talk with other Australian students. After a couple weeks in Australia, we were invited to join their cadet dinner. This formal dinner was similar to our school’s Cadre promotion ceremony where every cadet was promoted and all the seniors were recognized for all their hard work throughout the years they’ve been at The Scots College. All of us toasted to congratulate each other, and we had a wonderful meal, sharing stories and the pasts of their relatives. Calum’s grandfather was part of the SAS-R, which was an elite military group similar to our Navy SEALs, and was an engineer during the Korean War. He shared stories of how he set up defenses against the North Koreans and how he accomplished missions during his service. Many people at the cadet dinner came from all around Australia. We met with military officials and some cadets from the Australian Defence Force Academy, which is much like our United States Military Academy. During the cadet dinner, we were each presented a Sgian Dubh, a Scottish dagger to honor the relationship between our two schools. For the next week, we explored the entire bay area, and we received tickets from the school to go on a field trip to the Sydney Opera House. In the Opera House, they were showing “Raiders of the Lost Ark” with a live orchestra playing every musical composition in the movie. Watching the movie with the orchestra playing made the atmosphere seem livelier with each line played. We were speechless on how magnificent and spectacular the experience was. On the last week of our trip, we were offered to climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The bridge spanned 1.5 miles across and 440 feet tall above sea level. A little known fact about the bridge was that the design was influenced by the Hell Gate Bridge in New York City. Our group took the
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Academics
Sydney Opera House (left to right) Cadets Brandon Prevo 2018, Dakota Stewart 2018 and Timothy Prevo 2018 in Sydney, Australia.
night time climb and it took about 2.5 hours to complete the walk. The sight at the summit was magnificent; we saw throughout downtown Sydney and the lights were mesmerizing. Once we looked up, we saw what was called the “dark rainbow” because the bridge made a shadowy rainbow figure in the sky. On the day of our departure, we thanked everyone for what they had done for us and departed to the airport. Going to and returning from Australia by ourselves was a challenging task; the
THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
plane ride across the Pacific took us more than 15 hours to complete and multiple terminals to get past. This year, The Scots College did not send any representatives to SJNMA, but has assured us that they will next year. We can’t wait to see old friends at that time. At the end of our journey, it was all worthwhile, and if the opportunity ever arises again, we would surely go back. Article by Cadets MSG Timothy Prevo 2018 and CSM Brandon Prevo 2018
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The New Academic Dean’s Vision “ i am excited about the academic potential of the sJnMA curriculum and the strength of the faculty who will teach our cadets.” COL (Retired) Thomas Kastner joined St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy as the academic dean in August 2016. He most recently spent two years with Amazon in Seattle, Washington, as senior manager of transportation. Since his retirement in 2012, COL Kastner spent time as a general manager for learning and performance with Mercedes Benz USA and as the superintendent and head of school of New York Military Academy in Cornwall on Hudson, New York. He ended his military career as the director of the dean’s staff at the United States Military Academy at West Point and an associate professor of mathematics. Throughout his career, COL Kastner has held positions that have developed leaders and drive organizational effectiveness. He served 30 years in the United States Army, earning several service and commendation medals. He holds a Bachelor of Science from the United States Military Academy at West Point, a Master of Science in applied mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, a Master of Science in statistics and a doctorate in industrial engineering (engineering statistics) from Georgia Institute of Technology, and a Master of Arts in national security and strategic studies from the United States Naval War College. As the academic dean at SJNMA, he is responsible for contributing to and communicating an instructional vision and focused plan for improving cadet achievement in the academic pillar of the Academy; supporting faculty in improving their instructional practices; creating a community of continuous learning for all faculty and cadets; and fostering a culture of high expectations for all cadets. He shares his vision for the academic program at SJNMA.
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s SJNMA approaches the end of the first semester, I feel more in tune with the current curriculum and the mechanics and routine of our academic program. We have a solid program that is working to address the educational needs of our cadets. After spending my first few months speaking with faculty and staff, visiting classes, participating in parent/teacher conferences, asking questions, and learning my way around, I am now more comfortable taking a step back and devoting some thoughts to where our curriculum needs to change if we are to remain true to our commitment to provide a 21st century education to high school students seeking a host of different options after graduation. In general, I would like to see a more prescribed program for cadets anticipating their needs on one of two paths. This means more core courses and fewer electives. The first path is a contentrich college preparation curriculum with one set of branches for science, engineering, mathematics and technology, and one for social sciences, arts and humanities. The other path is for cadets who may not be looking for four-year college programs, but rather, associate degrees, specialized training and education in one of several vocations and trades. Welding, carpentry and automobile repair are trades that have appeal to some of our cadets. Underpinning each of these would be several core courses that SJNMA wants all of our graduates to complete successfully.
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I believe that we can build a program that provides a spectrum of difficulty to match the academic needs and post graduate goals of our students. I think our graduates need a basic competency in computer science. This would take the form of a year credit in either a programming sequence for those cadets who have the aptitude and interest, or a computer fundamentals sequence, which focuses on basic computer function and then visual applications such as web design, visual graphics work, etc. These two options would amount to one credit per cadet. Our graduates need to be computer literate. The programming sequence will also offer a one-semester course in data science and cyber security. I see opportunities for our most skilled cadets to help the Academy solve some of its resource allocation, facilities planning and financial problems using techniques from the programming course. This literacy is a must for students in 2016. All of our cadets should earn a credit each in art and music, which support creativity and critical thinking development. At the same time, we fill the ranks of our band, pipes and drums, and choir with talented young men. Nikola Tesla, inventor and scientist, said, “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.” Music embodies each of these and more. The traditions, ceremony and functioning St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Staff
“ ... i would like to see a more prescribed program for cadets anticipating their needs on one of two paths. ... the first path is a content-rich college preparation curriculum with one set of branches for science, engineering, mathematics and technology, and one for social sciences, arts and humanities. COL Thomas Kastner, Ph.D.
the other path is for cadets who may not be looking for four-year college programs, but rather, associate degrees, specialized training and education in one of several vocations and trades.�
of the Corps of Cadets depend on a quality music program. In concert with music is art and the opportunity for cadets to express themselves in drawing, sculpture or photography. As work continues toward the goal of a new fine arts building, it makes sense to promote and develop fine arts talent in our cadets. Cadets who are late middle school or early high school age need a solid semester course in study skills, time management and how to do homework. Many of our cadets who have not had great success in public school settings need guidance and education in how to prepare for class each day. This may sound basic, but we have to remember that cadets have many responsibilities beyond the classroom and we should arm them with additional tools to help them prioritize and manage time. The JROTC program teaches some of these skills in the Leadership 101 course, but I would like to expand content in this area. One of our constant struggles is to convince cadets that staying organized and submitting work on time are two keys to success in the classroom. Somewhat related to study skills is the need to assist cadets with college/career choice and the completion of what has become a complex application process. I would like to see a semester course in this area where cadets seeking college acceptance work with our college counselor on the application process, making major selection decisions, college locations, and so many other topics. THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
We have a good college counseling program and formalizing these interactions between cadets, parents/guardians and faculty would place the right emphasis on the importance of college choice and admissions processes. I propose to add a core course in college preparation that will cover several topics ranging from what cadets want to do to how they will survive as a college freshman. The course will require cadets to build their own resumes to help organize their many accomplishments. This course would fit well with second semester sophomore and junior cadets. The department chairs and I are doing a bottom-up review of how well connected our course sequences are within each discipline/ department to ensure cadets acquire skills and experiences at one level that provide a solid foundation for the next. The addition of core courses in what I have described as paths will require this kind of analysis for each department. I am confident we will discover a lot about our methods, course design and program architecture that will lead to a stronger overall academic program. I am excited about the academic potential of the SJNMA curriculum and the strength of the faculty who will teach our cadets. I expect we will hit a few snags as we move to implement changes over time, but we will keep our eyes on the goal of preparing young men to serve, work and contribute as outstanding citizens.
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Development Update
Appreciation Dinner A
cademy faculty, staff and cadets came together in Welles Dining Hall on the evening of October 6, 2016, to celebrate our members of The Heritage Society at the annual appreciation dinner. In honor of their selfless generosity, Heritage Society members and their guests were treated to an evening of celebration and camaraderie. The dining hall was turned into an elegant reception area for social hour with passed hors d’oeuvres, an open bar, and wonderful mood music by cadet pianists Sean Bornschlegl 2019, Skyler Chauff 2020 and Shawn Hughes 2020. After the Herald Trumpets sounded off, the colors were posted and guests sat down to tables adorned with festive fall-colored linens and beautiful fall-themed centerpieces. A fabulous dinner was provided by Sodexo before medals and certificates were presented to our upgraded Heritage Society members and inductees. Emceed by Cadet Chris Slosar 2017, the Academy first recognized longtime SJNMA supporter, Dewey Carl, who was upgraded to the Diamond level of the Davidson Circle for including the Academy in his estate plans. Sadly, Dewey passed away in August 2016. “The SJNMA family will sorely miss his friendship, smile and upbeat outgoing personality,” Cadet Slosar said. The following people were also recognized for elevating in membership: David and Judy Carl S1983, Jay and Mary Ann Graf N1966, and Fred and Teri Leach
S1974. The Academy then welcomed its six new Heritage Society members: Dr. Edward Mann and Mrs. Joy BentleyMann, John and Patty Mueller S1981, Soat-Vergenz VFW Post #721, and Sodexo. Unable to attend the dinner was elevated member Michael F. Henn.
A presentation entitled Give with Confidence and Receive: Improving Your Financial Situation with Charity was given by Dr. Mart McClellan and Mr. Tim Streid, presidents of Macro Wealth Management. Dr. McClellan, father of Cadet Riese McClellan 2017, is an orthodontist and registered investment advisor from Northern Illinois. Mr. Streid is a registered investment advisor and trained CPA and is in the process of receiving his charitable planning designation, a credential that only about 500 advisors across the country have. Together, Dr. McClellan and Mr. Streid found a unique way to help clients use their resources to help causes they believe in, while simultaneously enhancing their own personal retirement resources. Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. concluded the evening with a heartfelt thank you to all in attendance and especially to our Heritage Society members. We congratulate our elevated Heritage Society members, we graciously welcome and congratulate our newest members, and we humbly thank our entire Heritage Society group for your loyalty and commitment to the Academy and the Corps of Cadets!
OPPOSITE PAGE 1: David and Judy Carl S1983 (center) were elevated to the Silver level of the Smythe Circle for their generous pledge to the Complete the Dream; Secure the Future campaign. Also pictured are Heritage Society members Dr. Crain Bliwas N1965, Board chair (left), and Dr. Jack H. Albert Jr. 2: Soat-Vergenz VFW Post #721 was inducted into The Heritage Society at the Silver level of the Smythe Circle for their generous gift of $125,000 – $25,000 for the relocation of the War Memorial Room and $100,000 to establish the SoatVergenz VFW Post #721 Endowed Scholarship. Cory Geisler, safety chairman, accepted the medal and certificate on their behalf. 3: Jay and Mary Ann Graf N1966 (left) were elevated to the Sapphire level of the Smythe Circle for their notable gifts to the Academy over the past several years. Also pictured are Heritage Society members Dr. Crain Bliwas N1965, Board chair, and his wife, Maggie.
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4: Fred (center) and Teri (not present) Leach S1974 were elevated to the Silver level of the Smythe Circle for their generous pledge to the Complete the Dream; Secure the Future campaign. 5: Sodexo was inducted into The Heritage Society at the Bronze level of the Smythe Circle. Accepting the medal and certificate were Rick Dana H2015, Facilities and Food Service manager (left), and Dan Auger, Sodexo’s district manager. 6: Dr. Edward and Mrs. Joy Bentley-Mann were inducted into The Heritage Society at the Bronze level of the Smythe Circle. Ed and Joy are the parents of Nicholas Mann 2009. 7: Michael F. Henn H2016, treasurer of the Academy’s Board of Trustees, was elevated to the Silver level of Smythe Circle for his generous pledge to the Complete the Dream; Secure the Future campaign.. 8: John and Patty Mueller S1981 were inducted into The Heritage Society at the Sapphire level of the Davidson Circle for including the Academy in their estate plans.
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“Because of You, the Academy will continue to produce exceptional students who will be successful in their professional and personal lives.” – C/2LT Chris Slosar 2017, Heritage Society Dinner Emcee THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
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he first-ever Fall Fest Fundraiser had a great turnout in its inaugural year. The event, held in conjunction with the annual OBAA Pig & Chicken Roast on October 8, 2016, during Homecoming & Families Weekend, drew hundreds of attendees to Farrand Hall Gymnasium. Alumni, parents, cadets and other friends enjoyed a festive social atmosphere, fun games and activities, silent auction items with mobile bidding, a cash bar, and more!
In an effort to promote the SJNMA community while raising additional dollars for our Annual Fund, Fall Fest was introduced and organized by Cindy A. Trione, director of donor relations and special events, and Patti Zager, advancement coordinator. As a private, non-profit, educational institution, the Academy must rely on the financial support of our alumni, parents and friends to help ensure that our programs and facilities are the best they can be. Each fiscal year (July 1-June 30), the Development Office conducts an Annual Fund drive to help meet the Academy’s immediate operational needs, which benefit every cadet, teacher, program and department on campus. This year’s Annual Fund goal is to raise $800,000, and there are three major fundraising events in support of the drive – a Cadet Phonathon, The Excalibur auction during Spring Families Weekend, and now the Fall Fest Fundraiser. We are truly grateful for our many fantastic volunteers who were involved in Fall Fest. Kim Miselnicky, parent of Cadet Justin Miselnicky 2017, and Chrissi Illgen, parent of Cadet Nick Illgen 2017, took the lead to assist with recruiting volunteers and acquiring auction items. Approximately 100 items were received for the silent auction, including numerous themed baskets from
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the entire SJNMA faculty and staff. Judy Carl, spouse of David Carl S1983, did an amazing job decorating to create the perfect fall atmosphere. Fall Fest featured a dunk tank, which was by far the most popular activity. Drawing a crowd for the duration of the event, SFC Mike Trione, a JROTC instructor at SJNMA, was quite the sport sitting over ice cold water on a crisp fall day and being dunked at least 20 times between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. We salute ALL of our volunteers who came to help set up, work and clean up after the event! The debut Fall Fest garnered 13 generous sponsorships totaling $11,000 to underwrite the costs of the event. The Academy graciously thanks all of our sponsors as well as everyone who donated an auction item, contributed their time and talent, and/or attended. Everyone’s vested interest of coming together to make the Academy great is apparent and appreciated! Fall Fest Fundraiser proved to be a success raising $35,000 in its inaugural year. The FUND-A-NEED raised $9,000 during Fall Fest toward our goal to match the VFW’s $25,000 lead gift for a total of $50,000 for the relocation of the War Memorial Room (see article on page 3). If you would like to make a tax-deductible gift for the War Memorial Room, contact the Development Office at (262) 646-7118 or donate online securely at www.sjnma.org/donatenow. Thank you!
1: Decorations create a fall atmosphere for guests. 2: Cadet Gerald Gittens 2020 throws balls at the dunk tank. 3: SFC Mike Trione fell into ice cold water approximately 20 times during the Fall Fest Fundraiser.
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St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Online Giving
Stephen Matz, Associate Director of Donor Relations
The Power of 84
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he number 84. Why should this number, over most others, resonate with the SJNMA community? Intrigued by a potential connection (but arguably, almost solely motivated by the main point of this article), I began to investigate the number 84 as any self-respecting inquirer would—I googled “The Number 84” to see what I could find of interest. Listed below, for your convenience, is what “my research” discovered:
• The number 84 is a town (Eighty Four,
Pennsylvania). Yes—totally legit. Eighty Four is located about 25 miles southwest of Pittsburgh and boasts a population of 657. Somewhat coincidental, the town changed its name the same year St. John’s Military Academy was founded—1884. And unfortunately, a quick database search revealed that SJNMA does not boast an alumnus from this uniquely named community.
• The number 84 is the code for international direct dial phone calls to Vietnam. Feel free to bank this little nugget of information the next time you need to make that direct call.
• The number 84 is exactly how many years it takes the planet Uranus to orbit the sun.
• The number 84 is mentioned one time in the Bible (which begs the question, who is that person responsible for looking up facts like this?).
• My personal favorite fun fact: The ’84 Chicago
Cubs, a magical team for Cub nation—Ryne Sandberg, Jody Davis, Lee Smith—I could probably name the entire roster that year. And to this very day, struggle with Steve Garvey and those ugly San Diego Padre colors.
• Not to forget our Wisconsin loyalties – #84, easily
recognized by Packers fans as one of Brett Favre’s favorite targets, Sterling Sharpe.
So how does a development staffer tie all this nonsense (admittedly so) about a number into an article about St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy? Simple. In July, the Academy launched a new online tool to simplify the online donation process. It’s so simple and fast—the current average time to make a donation on this new tool is three minutes, 23 seconds. Furthermore, not only do you have the ability to make a one-time contribution online, but you can now set up recurring giving to automatically contribute to the Academy on a bi-monthly or monthly basis! Set up the information, set the term length and enjoy the stress-free benefits of automatic contributions. You may still be thinking, “That’s great, Steve; it’s easy and convenient and I’ll make sure to set up my recurring gift today. But you never answered how 84 is associated with any of this?” Eighty-four, as in $84 per month over the course of a fiscal year, will secure your place as a Premium level member within the SJNMA Leaders Circle and make a huge investment and impact in a young man’s future … and that, my good friends, is the power of 84. I ask that you consider making your commitment today:
www.sjnma.org/donatenow
THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
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A future worthy of your investment.
Since 1884, St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy has developed the minds and shaped the character of young men who have gone on to positions of leadership in business, law, politics, education, the military, and other professions. Please help us continue this long tradition of success by supporting the Academy’s Annual Fund.
You can make an impact by investing in a young man’s future today! Use the enclosed envelope, visit www.sjnma.org/donatenow, or call (800) 234-9097 to explore giving options that support our cadets.
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St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders.
2015-2016 Honor Roll of Donors Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders! Thanks to the generosity from our outstanding community, the fiscal year 2015-2016 proved successful for St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy. Our Annual Fund operations goal of $750,000 was exceeded, and this would not have been possible without the kindness you and so many others give to SJNMA. Every year we are humbled by the gifts we receive and the stories that accompany them. Whether you are an alumnus, parent, faculty/staff member, or a friend of the Academy, we are all connected in this proud community, and we are sincerely grateful for your commitment. Thank you to our 840 contributors during the fiscal year July 1, 2015-June 30, 2016. Your support enables us to uphold the traditions of the SJNMA experience for our cadets and work to create an even brighter future for them every single day.
THE BEACON | SUPPLEMENT | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
2015 - 2016 REPORT TO DONORS
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The Year in Giving
2015-2016
Highlights of the Year in Giving TOTAL DOLLARS RECEIVED Annual Fund (operations plus other non-budget gifts)..................................... $1,580,315 Capital ........................................................................... $57,500 Endowment .......................................................... $1,046,397 Total ..............................................................$2,684,212
PARTICIPATION BY CONSTITUENCY Board of Trustees............................................................ 100% Faculty and Staff ............................................................. 100% Parents of Cadets ..............................................................54% Parents of Alumni .............................................................10% Alumni (260 gave) ........................................................... 6.5%
CADET PHONATHON GIFTS Pledged ......................................................................... $57,430 Received ...................................................................... $62,131
THE EXCALIBUR FUNDRAISER Gross .............................................................................$246,654
Contributed Dollars by Constituency Board of Trustees Parents $339,671 (12.65%) Foundations, of Cadets Vendors, Corporations, $224,072 (8.35%) Donor Organizations $270,489 (10.08%) Parents of Alumni $118,914 (4.43%) Faculty and Staff, Friends, Other $81,687 (3.04%)
Photo: Misti Walters, Randolph-Macon Academy
Alumni $1,649,379 (61.45%)
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Great care was taken to prepare this Honor Roll. Please accept our apologies for any errors or omissions and contact Cindy A. Trione, director of donor relations and special events, with any concerns at (262) 646-7289 or ctrione@sjnma.org.
2015 - 2016 REPORT TO DONORS
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders.
Honor Roll of Donors
REFLECTS GIFTS RECEIVED DURING THE FISCAL YEAR JULY 1, 2015 – JUNE 30, 2016.
The Heritage Society ($25,000 or more) Bruce J. Adreani S’67 and the Adreani Family Foundation Bob and Nanette Bramlett S’70 Randy Carl S’75 Dogwood Foundation, Frank and Robin Merrill S’67 Dr. Timothy and Mrs. Kathleen Goggins Jay and Mary Ann Graf N’66 Michael F. Henn H’16 Tony and Pat Kampling
John A. Leone, Bonney Forge Corporation Dave Oetting † S’51 Walter and Kathy Snodell Sodexo Victor Trevino S’58 The Estate of Harry and Fran Vorys S’43; H’87 † The Wohlers Family Foundation
The “H. M.” Founder’s Circle ($10,000-$24,999) The Armer Family Dr. Crain and Mrs. Maggie Bliwas N’65 The George H. Boomer, Sr. † N’39 Fund - Designated of The Saint Paul Foundation Dr. Eric and Mrs. Marsha Christman S’60 Xiang Gui and Merrry Wang Jack and Sugar Kirsch S’45; H’00 The Koska Family Fred and Teri Leach S’74
Phyllis Leach Drs. Lindsey and Mart McClellan Frank and Susan Morley S’63 Family of Bernard Peck † S’45 Lilah Stangeland H’99 and Roger Stangeland † S’47 Randy Stofft S’72 Jack and Peggy Sturm S’54 Phillips Waterman † S’26 The Ken and Nancy Woodrow Family Foundation
Davidson Society ($5,000-$9,999) Anonymous Bard and Kathy Boand N’67 David and Judy Carl S’83 Bill and Diane Cary S’65 Dirk and Terry Debbink, USN (Ret.) Andrew J. “Flip” Filipowski S’68 Carl Hendrickson S’70 Merideth Hmura Lon Isaacson S’66 The Margaret and James C. Johnson Charitable Foundation Glenn Jonas and Mary Tiller Jonas Lucas and Marta Kraft ’99 Peter Lukey S’66 Dr. Edward and Mrs. Joy Mann
Michael and Wendy Rosen Ken and Pat Schneider Dr. Ed and Mrs. Carla Schoenenberger Richard and Kimberly Selby SJNMA Parents Club Montana and Rebecca Stewart Joseph Tamari Joe and Cindy Tauber Henry Tews S’53 Geoff and Valerie Ward
THE BEACON | SUPPLEMENT | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
2015 - 2016 REPORT TO DONORS
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President’s Club ($1,000-$4,999) Russell Ackley S’58 Dr. Adekunle and Mrs. Victoria Adesokan James and Kathleen Ahlgrim Arthur Albert S’46 Dr. Jack and Mrs. Betty Albert H’15 Ames Police Benefit Association James and Rebecca Anderson Anonymous (2) Sonny Astani and Jo Cho-Astani Babboni Photography Robert W. Baird & Co. Foundation, Inc. Steve Ballou † S’68 Dr. Paul and Mrs. Carm Basile Rear Adm. Rebecca J. Boyle, USN Bill Bratt S’73 Lee and Susan Breitkopf S’73 Mark Cameron and Lisa Iaquinta Dewey Carl † Dr. Samuel Castillo and Mrs. Yolanda Martin CCS Raymond and Gina Christensen Van Clarkson S’91 The Honorable Joseph Cook Patricia Corbus Charles and Sandi Craig Steve Daily David and Stacey Eiken Episcopal Diocese of Milwaukee, The Rt. Reverend Steven A. Miller and Mrs. Cindy Miller Jose and Fernanda Escalante ESCO, Inc. Robert and Cathleen Faerber J. C. Fairvalley S’76 Dr. Lee and Mrs. Stephanie Faucher Holly Fawley Dr. Louis Fernandez and Mr. James Bennett Scott and Judith Fiducci Dr. John and Mrs. Maria Fischer S’89 Deborah and Peter Flaherty / American Industrial Powder Coating, Inc. David Flegel S’56 Jake and Lisa Funk Brad and Megan Gapp S’91 Claudio Garcia Cano and Claudia Gomez Sanchez Miguel and Betty Garcia S’83 Joe and Linda Giammanco N’70 Frank and Agnes Godchaux S’44 Fund, a Fund at Community Foundation of Acadiana Mrs. Norm Godfrey Jay and Dana Grinde Douglas and Jane Guffy
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2015 - 2016 REPORT TO DONORS
Wally and Eileen Hankwitz S’63 Mark Harger Mrs. Murray Harwich Murray Harwich, Jr. Peter and Susan Hasselquist The Rev. Dr. Charles and Dr. Jennifer Henery A. J. Hodges, III S’62 Stan and Annie Hooker S’62 Mike and Barbara Hoover S’71 William R. and Susan M. Hummel N’68; H’10 LT GEN Steven Hummer USMC (Ret.) Dr. Richard and Mrs. Christine Illgen Marc Jacobson Gary and Deborah Jaeger Weiguang Jia Dr. Max and Mrs. Jeanette Johnson Todd and Kristina Johnson N’85 Mark and Karen Jordan S’74 John and Judy Jung S’45 Eric and Christine Kirkhofer Jeff and Ann Knier Terry Knueppel S’54 Charles and Kimberly Krametbauer S’78 Anthony and Christine Kreiter Joe and Jamie LaRocca N’69 William and Margarida Laub Anthony and Joan Lazzara S’48 Lombard Studio, Inc. Craig and Pat Madding James and Nancy Malik Edward and Janet Mardigian S’62 Warren and Mary Marik S’63 James Marlas and Marie Nugent-Head S’55 Tom and Amy Marshall Stephen Matz Drs. Bryan and Maura Mazey Patrick and Lois McGriff S’86 Dr. Richard and Mrs. Lotte Meyer S’57 John C. and Jan M. Miller S’62 / Miller Family Charitable Fund Ellsworth Mills II N’44 Daryl and Connie Mirza Mark and Kim Miselnicky Philip Moore and Jane Anderson MSI General Corporation John and Patty Mueller S’81 Frank and Kathy Mungo S’83 National Association of Episcopal Schools Peter and Faith Nielsen Ed Noble S’46 Michael and Allison O’Donnell S’89
Old Boys Alumni Association H. S. Oliver, USA (Ret.) S’73 Dave and Cyndi Olsen Patrick and Patricia O’Rourke Luz Osorio Patrick Patterson S’86 Walter † and Naida Patterson SanDee Peller Dr. Perry and Mrs. Lynn Phillips M. Harry Piper † and Wanda L. Piper S’49 Designated Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Flint Kim Pischke Joseph and Mary Plese Thomas and Susan Polivka S’77 John and Ruth Richardson S’66 John Rodas and Lori Kelley Rodas Richard A. Rosenthal, Jr. and Patricia L. De Boom Maria Ruvalcaba Gomez Luis Javier Salido S’86 Chuck and Julie Sansone N’58 Steve and Delores Sarovich Edwin and Jill Scharf Floyd A. and Ina Schlossberg S’55 Fred and Janet Schmidt Stephanie Schreurs and Alex Oliver Dr. Albert A. Scozzari S’60 Kwang Bum Seo and Byoung Sook Choi Joe and Sue Sevenz St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Beverly Strong Chris Surville S’82 H. W. Suter Foundation Ricky and Grace Tan ’99 Steve and Anne Tews Tyler and Sarah Tobin S’67 John and Kay Trebellas S’55 Mike and Cindy Trione Carlos Valencia S’72 and Carlos Valencia, Jr. ’13 Llareli Vallin Avalos Greg and Susan Van Praag S’72 Joe and Asha Varghese Al Wagner and Chris Wagner ’13 Robert and Judy Waller S’46 John Wattles Jervis and Diana Webb S’60 Kirk and Gina Wiberg Cary Wicker ’12 Martha Wicker John and Brenda Yagla Baoji Zhou and Weihong Zheng
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Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders.
General Roy Farrand ($500-$999) Ars Graphica Willard W. Askew, Jr. N’67 Jason Babiar S’87 David and Deborah Baltazar The Alben F. Bates & Clara G. Bates Foundation Dr. Steven and Mrs. Susan Bergin Peter and Kelley Boas Terry Butz S’60 Steve and Stacy Celichowski David and Marsha Chapman N’68 Felipe Coello Ituarte MAJ Terry D. Cowles USAF (Ret.) S’66 and Mr. Timothy Zimmer John and Susan Davis Rocco and Lisa DiFranco LaVerne and Mary Evans S’47 ExxonMobil Foundation (Bob Schell S’64) David and Rose Faucher Greater Milwaukee Foundation: What If? Fund Geoffrey and Wendi Hall
Jerome “Bud” Hoffberg S’33 Institute of International Education Dale and Antonietta Johnson Robert and Natalie Jurgel Robert and Kimberly Kegley S’83 Paul and Anitamarie Kopaczewski H’09 Theresa Kraft James and Janet Kuehn Dr. Robert and Mrs. Karen Lambert S’59 Stephen and Karen Leonard John and Kelly Leone Lawrence R. Levin, Jr. S’86 William and Lois Lynch S’48 Luci Major / FUL Frank and Denise Manta S’55 Richard and Colleen Mark S’70 Juan Marquez Vega and Irasema Sanchez Montalvo Arlene Martinez Steve and Caroline Mayer
Katherine McCammond John and Sandra Miselnicky Mark Mugerditchian S’91 Carlos Newton and Adriana Reynoso Christine Nolan Rudolph A. Peckinpaugh, Jr. S’72 Timothy Prevo and Amy Choi Bob and Betty Reeder Reilly, Penner & Benton, LLP Brett and Kara Rhode COL and Mrs. Robert C. Roehrkasse, USAF (Ret.) H’07 George and Carol Schneider S’55 Dr. Robert and Mrs. Jennifer Seidl 1LT and Mrs. Jason L. Sharp, WIARNG ’05 Bill and Sara Snyder S’69 Betty Spanjer Brian and Sandy Staffeldt Steven Paul Designs Rick and Janell Stewart
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Lynette Stowell James Tauschek, DDS S’72 Ben and Kara Turner Todd and Karen Warnke John and Joanne Wiechers N’54; H’11 James Wilke S’59 Shirley Williams
KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
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Kemper-DeKoven Club ($250-$499) Edwin Bearss S’41 Lou and Sue Boers Richard Bohn S’72 Curt and Sandy Borgwardt S’63 Peirce and Ann Brawner N’46 Phillip and Kathy Brawner N’49 Douglas and Lisa Breitsprecker Dennis Brooks Tom and Barb Busse N’60 Cory Byrnes ’09 Frank and Diane Calabrese H’14 Alfonso and Ximena Calderon Bertrand and Evelyn Chauff CM Global Victor and Susan Cohn S’61 F. J. “Fritzie” Cole-Brown Oliver and Corenna Cummings Daniel and Mary Cutting S’73 Kaye Davis Fr. Richard S. Deitch S’58 The Delafield Hotel Delzer Commercial Print Rich and Sue Ellbogen S’68 Everything Summer Camp Michael Fillichio S’88 Steve and Roberta Fremgen S’64 Thomas and Kathleen Garcea Thomas Gilbert David and Janet Grabacki James Graham S’66 Robert Greene S’73 Margaretann Haag Dean and Sandra Hagness Bill Halquist Darryl Hanzelon S’66
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Paul Havel Robert and Karen Hawksley Ted Heyer N’54 Holiday Inn Express David and Celia Huante William and Judy Hunter S’80 Juan Manuel Ibarra Pablos ’98 Illusions and Design Insight Limousine & Sedan Chris Jacobson Brookes H’16 Jeffrey H. Jacobson Dean Jamrozek Waring Jenkins N’52 Robert Johannsen S’75 LTC and Mrs. James M. Kebisek, USA (Ret.) H’08 Eric and Kelly Kent Nickie A. Kerna N’71 Margaret Knell-Zalenas Don and Peg Koller Dave and Mary Jo Koppenhofer The Rev. John and Mrs. Jean Lambert S’63 Reginald and Beverly Layton Ronald Lemar S’78 Larry and Lisa Ligas L.W. Meyer, Inc. Dennis and Linda Manning Ernesto Maurer and Graciela Vaquero Michael and Brenda McClure S’60 Bruce McIntyre S’45 Charles Miller and Susan Kelly-Miller S’55 Dick and Rosalie Miller S’49 Robert and Mary Miller S’63 Edmund Moeller and Betty Harris Jeremy and Sara Monty John Mueller S’59
Kurt Nickel S’83 Joe and Carey Niemczyk H’13 Carolyn Oddsen Julyn Panicola / Park Lane Jewelry Anastasia Petersen Jeffrey and Melissa Peterson Kenneth Philipson S’56 Keith and Laurie Pitner Jeanette Ramirez Don and Ginny Raths Revere’s Wells Street Tavern Luis Reynoso Lopez and Norma Roman Bradley and Wendy Ruhland Ann Schoper Carol Schott H’99 Scottfree Salons Richard and Sharon Slosar Bradley Son and Elizabeth Freedman George Sotos S’64 Tom and Marie Stocks S’69 Jay Stuart Target COL and Mrs. Charles B. Thornell, Jr., USAR (Ret.) S’66 LTC Adrian G. Traas, USA (Ret.) S’53 Yacouba and Alice Traore Darnell Turner and Virginia Greer-Turner S’84 Randy and Fran Valentino Alois Vana S’52 Hailey VonDross Chad Berndt and Lisa Waugh-Berndt John and Sandi Wietzel S’64 Albert Young Patti Zager
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Beacon Club ($100-$249) William and Julie Alford David and Rebecca Allen S’91 Jeff and Theresa Ambord Anonymous (3) Area Rental and Sales Co. At the Green Bench Fashion Boutique Daniel Bailey S’81 William and Patricia Ballhorn S’60 Mike and Anne Barrett N’52 Barbara Bauleo Margaret Bell-Pignolet Noah Bern ’99 Grant and Beverly Berning N’59 MGYSGT Jeffrey Bialk, USMCR (Ret.) Thomas Bliffert N’43 Ronald and Sally Bloomingdale S’56 James Bouc N’84 John and Marilyn Breidster N’60 Chad Bruss ’99 Matthew and Laura Callahan S’87 Carl and Kathleen Campbell Dr. Ken and Mrs. Mary Jean Carlson S’45 Rick and Patty Carney S’65 Brian Cass Walter and Karen Casten S’63 Lorenzo Chambers S’81
Craig and Melinda Cheetham Tianming Cheng and Jiong Qiao CPT William and Mrs. Regina Cherwin Ronald Christianson S’81 Greg and Mary Christman S’63 Laurence Clay and Jennifer Wiedeman-Clay Frank Cohen S’72 Andrea Coppins Craig Berns Salon Spa Oscar and Elaine Dahl Shelley Daily Steve and Jennifer Daniel Kristine Daugherty Daybreak Mobil Luis De Alba Ortega and Veronica Lopez Castaneda Federico De La Madrid and Fabiola Sanchez Richard and Margaret Diefendorf S’65 Margaret Dolan Tom and Sandra Donaldson Austin and Jackie Durham George and Vicki Dwelley Audrey Eiken Richard and Jeanette Engelstad S’88 Eye Candy
Tina Francis John and Marianne Farrell S’47 Patrick and Jodi Fath Allen and Jane Favrot S’43 Jim and Terri Flaig Rafael Flores and Gloria Chevere Virginia Foley Adam Frame Denis Fraser and Linda Manson Fraser Marcus Fruchter and Mitzi Baum S’92 John Galley N’58 Jeffrey and Kimberly Gebhart Lon and Jaye Getlin N’63 Emil and Nancy Goellner S’68 Daniel and Rachel Golla H’09 Dr. Michael and Mrs. Kathryn Gotthardt S’60 John Green S’31 Charles and Sandra Greer S’66 Tom and Nancy Greyslak S’76 John Grimshaw David and Sherri Grotkiewicz William and Caroline Guanell S’55 Eric and Sandra Haberichter Thomas and Betty Haberkamp MG Hal E. Hallgren, USA (Ret.) S’43
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John and Barb Hankwitz S’60 Kristine Harger Donald and Paula Haseltine S’56 Haus of Prime Meats, Inc. Loran Hein Dave and Gloria Hess S’59 George and Janemarie Hillier Hilton Garden Inn William Hollatz S’44 Home Depot - Countryside, IL Jim and Kathy Hoover S’76 Hugo’s Frog Bar and Chop House Edwin and Susan Hurst S’58 Judith Hutto Lester and Judith Jacobs Dennis and Nancy Jaeger S’59 Paul and Donna Jakstas N’58 Kay Jancik Scott and Ann Marie Janke Greg and Judy Jansen N’72 Jazz Cellars Winery The Rev. Paul and Mrs. Carol Jefferies KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
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Sally Johnson Joe and Brenda Johnston S’60 Daniel and Susan Jones Kathryn Kampen Nicholas and Lindy Kanavas S’84 Amy Karsten Robert Kelly S’67 Gregory and LaDawn Kempf Ed and Anne Klein PNCM and Mrs. Edward M. Koch, Jr., USN (Ret.) S’71 Richard and Jacqueline Koechlein N’58 George and Sherry Kontos Laddie and Judy Korecek S’73 Warren Kostuch Kyle Kreiter ’12 Scott Kuechenmeister S’81 Gregg and Deborah Kunes Ernie and Anita Kurtock S’52 Lake Country Cigars Clifford Lardinois and Patricia DuMond S’63 Brandon LaVictor Steve and Joanne Lewandowski S’71 Charlie and Patricia Lindberg S’64 Jon and Jill Loehndorf S’56 William and Carol Lord Henry Lucherini August and Peg Luedke N’69 David † and Judith Lundberg S’53 Nicholas Mann ’09 Maplewood Brewery and Distillery Michael Marshall and Jeanette Guillaume-Marshall
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Massage Envy - Delafield James and Joanne McAvoy The Honorable Margaret Dee McGarity Kathryn McKenzie Howard and Mary McMillan Dorothy Mehlos H’79 Pedro and Roberta Menendez Merganser Fund (Bradt Family) Gary and Jennifer Metzer The James and Estelle Milch S’55 Fund of the Jewish Community Foundation William and Cynthia Milford Charles Miller Milwaukee Brewers Baseball Club Hyung Geun Min and Seo Jung Kim Terry and Hallie Moline Michael and Patricia Montemurro The Rt. Rev. James Montgomery Alan and Chris Moon N’62 Edward and Catherine Moore S’47 William and Judy Naleid S’63 Nashotah Clubhouse MAJ and Mrs. Richard H. Nelson, USA (Ret.) N’69 Ann Neshek Deborah Oliver Albert R. Olson, Jr. S’51 Deborah Olson Amy Palmer Aaron Patinos ’14 Dwight and Sharon Pawlowski Roger and Chris Pawsat N’61 Paul and Julie Payne R. Ann Perrine
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Oliver and Susan Perry S’67 Greg Peters ’05 Kent and Kimberley Peters S’73 Dr. Randall B. Peters S’74 Annie Petersen Larry and Patricia Petersen Betty Peterson Ginger Peterson Le Roy Peterson Edward and Nadine Pflueger Robert and Pamela Pole Mark and Mary Poniatowski Farhad Radfar LTC and Mrs. Kenneth Radnitzer, USAR (Ret.) N’44 Daniel Ragland Carl and Donna Rapp S’69 Col. and Mrs. Bert L. Rice, USA (Ret.) Nicholas Robinson Benny Roesler ’14 Kenneth and Pam Roessler Eduardo Romero Quiroz and Maria de Lourdes Sanchez Chavez Viviana Romero Quiroz Robert Roselle Michael Ross Alexander Roth ’11 Duane and Judy Rutherford Everett Sandefur Sean and Lisa Sander S’80 Jeffrey and Cindi Sartain William and Elizabeth Savage Armond and Janice Schmidt Quinn Schoenenberger ’16 Thomas and Gwen Schoettler S’71 Wayne Schreck S’62
Truman and Barbara Schultz S’56 Michael and Janelle Schwartz Joseph and Marlene Seo Seven-Up Bottling Company Richard and Mary Ann Sherer S’63 Michael and Mary Sheyker Ken and Tricia Shields S’68 John and Pam Simmons S’66 SJNMA National Honor Society Richard Smith S’61 Rick and Cheryl Smoot Staybridge Suites Milwaukee West Henry and Sylvia Stec Sharon Stringer Chris Tan ’99 Walter and Verna Thompson S’47 Michael Toland Dr. Michael and Mrs. Barbara Unger John and Maureen Uphues S’53 James and Tammy Van Harn Vikas and Rajwant Vohra Richard and Barbara Wagner S’59 James and Linda Wallis Ross Wandschneider S’54 Allen Watson and Irma Legree Waukesha County Technical College Thomas Weber S’85 Dr. John and Mrs. Kay Weiler Weissgerber’s Seven Seas The Weston Family: Jackie, Leslie, Tommy, Annie, Jimmy and Julie Michael Whittaker Vincent Wild S’84 Wilde East Towne Honda Stephen and Maggie Young N’45 Michael and Carol Zaruk
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
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Friends of the Academy (Gifts to $99) James Abbs and Roxanne DePaul Scott and Lynette Ahlgren H’11 Anthony and Katherine Albano Diane Allen Steven and Nancy Allen Walter and Christine Anders Scott and Lori Andersen LTC and Mrs. Matthew J. Anderson, USA (Ret.) N’66 Robert Anderson and Anita Herrera-Anderson Antonio Andres Anonymous Patrick and Therese Antony George and Lisa Banuelos Joseph Banyai N’84 Jack Batzner Peggy Bean Jon Bennett Bennolli’s Hand Made Pizza Berres Brothers Coffee James Bloom Kay Boesen John and Katie Bonner Ping Braatz Robert and Michelle Braman Beverly Branson Marco Breceda Ibarra and Delia Martos Santaella James and Christine Bremer Bruce Browning S’66 Jaime L. Buege Brian and Emily Buretta Baltazar Cano Mendez and Elda Perez Escobar Jane Carroll Christofer Case Jeffery and Rebecca Castles Bob and Pam Chamberlain N’61 Philip Chapleau S’69 Bruce and Barbara Chrisman Clear Water Outdoor Edward Cleary S’51 Chuck Coleman Susan Collar Ty Courtney Michael and Deanna Cuttill Benjamin Czarny Mariusz and Corrie Czernia
Joseph and Cathleen D’Alessandro Eric and La Vina David Rodrigo De La Pena and Karla Quijano Villarreal De La Pena Larralde Delafield Convenience Johnathan Delfosse Dean and Susan Demarais Kevin and Colleen Dermody Tristan Derr ’13 Colleen Dolan Brian Donaldson Bill Dunlop Robert Edgers N’48 Tarek Mahmoud El Sayed and Elham Ahmed Samy Eltohamy Andrew and Jennifer Erickson James Feltes Sandra Fernandez Jesus Figueroa Partida and Gabriela Perez Moreno Debbie Firkus Alan and Cristina Fishman Carlos Flores Gomez and Maria Benitez William Garbe S’62 Jose Gerardo Garcia Golzarri Galindo and Diana Guasch Inglada Harry and Leticia Glinberg Cid Gonzalez and Daniela Garza Tijerina Goodshop Holly Griffin † Grill Junkies Eric Hafeli Bradley Hammond ’15 Richard Hanson N’61 Harley-Davidson Museum Sandy Harrington Andrea Hartmann Jason and Carol Heise Jose Hicks Vega and Gabriela Lopez Sanchez Judy Hildebrandt Andy Hillmann Harriet Himes William Himmelmann, Jr. N’67 Gerardo Hinojosa Zepedo and Norma Hernandez
Wayne Hochmuth S’50 Karen Hoffmann Jackie Huang ’15 George and Karin Hueneke Stephanie Ihler Integral Recruiting Services Susan Isotalo Ahmed Jafferally S’87 Betsy Jeffery Conrad Jorgensen Harrison Kampling ’15 Robert and Kathryn Karcz Austin Kempf ’14 Joseph and Mary Beth Kiefer Stephanie Kleifgen Ann-Christin Kloth Tim and Lani Knutson Adam Konigsberg Gary and Jeri Lambert Lands’ End Jim and Fran Langerfeld Keia Legree Tiffany Lewicki LT COL and Mrs. † Fred Ley Clarkson and Nancy Lindley Carolyn Lueder Main Street Wine and Spirits Yacine Makhlouf Howard and Anne Marco S’46 Javier Mateo Alonso and Ana Cecilia Martinez Siller Alejandro Maurer ’01 Jill Mazurek Lynne McAlevey Elizabeth McLaughlin Kathleen McNamara John McNiel Ashlyn Melendez Anthony and Stacy Menting Milwaukee Street Traders Fernando Morales Guerra and Ana Quiroga Lozano Sarah Moran Laura Motel Martin and Angela Munvez Timothy and Corinne Murphy John and Nancy Murray David and Hannah Muse Krayton Nash
THE BEACON | SUPPLEMENT | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
Dario and Alejandrina Navarro Daniel and Stephanie Naze Evangeline Ndigwe Brian Nelson and Pei Wang Ryan Nichols ’14 Nooks and Crannys Steven and Laura Novick S’64 Frank and Megan Nuccio James and Sandra O’Brien John Ong N’46 Paul Parks and Ruth Anderson Parks David and Jessica Pederson Margaret Pehl Fernando Perez Juan Perez Collado and Melanie Deylyn Jeffrey Pettit S’88 Picnic Basket Quentin and Carolyn Pitluk Alexander Poirier ’15 Tom and Gina Resch Elizabeth Reuter Ivan Reyes ’15 Tomas and Patricia Reyes James Richmond Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Enrique Rodarte and Alejandra Soto Mark Rottier ’07 Erwin Sadowski and Debra KochSadowski Shawn and Nyia Sallee Jose Sanchez ’20 Carlos Sarabia Diaz and Maritza Villegas Zazueta Marsha Schaefer MAJ and Mrs. Julius A. Schallenmuller, USA (Ret.) N’46 Gregg and Susan Schneider Rolf Schou N’69 Laurence and Terri Schwartz CMSgt Steven Schweiss, USAF (Ret.) James and Yvonne Selle Fred and Vicki Severt S’62 Carol Shaffer Timothy and Erin Shramek H’12
KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
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Perry and Amy Siebers H’97 Tanya Simmons Helen Slater Small Office Solutions Eleanor Smith Jerald Smith S’68 Kelly Spence Kent and Marjorie Spicer Zachary Spreitzer Howard Sproat S’84 Michael Stadler and Holly Henrichs Starbucks Jerry Steele ’15 Michael and Barbara Steger S’44 Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Peggy Storrs Gordon Stula S’81 Kathleen Sturges
Zhiming Sun and Yan Pan Marcus Thoma Dean and Patricia Thunstrom Robert and Stacey Tompkins Alejandro Torres Garcia and Elba Luz Ocho Thomas and Cherie Trefilek Deb Turnbull H’12 Jeff and Mitzi Vanthournout Antonio Vargas Lozano and Ana Rosa Trejo Aguila Edgar Vela Mario Vela Tim Vice Robert and Sandra Vitt Pamela and Jeremy Volden Chuck and Nancy Wallace
Jefferey and Carmen Watson Kathleen White Colleen Whittle Karen Wirkus Alan and Beverly Wolfe Eric and Teresa Wozniak Mr. Tom Wright and Mr. David Wilcox George Xia Dafei Yang and Jiaqi Jing Yang Paul Zimmer Kristina Zufelt
“I give to St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy to carry on a fine tradition of shaping gentlemen and true leaders of the future.” — Anonymous
Gifts in Memory of Sherman Allen
Maurice Gilbert S’45
MAJ Edison B. Lerch S’19
Cheryl Mugerditchian
Diane Allen
Thomas Gilbert
Mark Mugerditchian S’91
Elsworth R. Bentley
Norman Godfrey, Jr. S’45
Nicholas Mann ’09
Mrs. Norm Godfrey Bruce McIntyre S’45
Rich and Sue Ellbogen S’68 MG Hal E. Hallgren, USA (Ret.) S’43 Gary and Deborah Jaeger Anthony and Joan Lazzara S’48 Lynne McAlevey Bruce McIntyre S’45 Richard A. Rosenthal, Jr. and Patricia L. De Boom Martha Wicker
Stan Lovelace S’55
R. Ann Perrine
William and Caroline Guanell S’55
Thomas Rench S’48
David Lundberg S’53
D. R. Berman Frank and Mary Culin David and Ellen Easley Ellingham Trust David Flegel S’56 Judith Greenquist Frank and Gwen Halte Mark and Marilyn Huntoon Ardys Kasabian Alison Kmosena Harry Knipp and Mary Ann Ortmayer Marilyn Rench Tyrone and Kathleen Thompson
William Buchanan S’59 Dennis and Nancy Jaeger S’59
Robert Jason Gore ’00
Richard Collins S’61
Ames Police Benefit Association
Douglas and Stephanie Mansfield
Lynn Henn
Burton Corbus, Jr. S’44
Dr. Crain and Mrs. Maggie Bliwas N’65
Patricia Corbus
Miguel Espinosa S’40 Wallie Lambrecht Ursula Stephens
Robert Howard Douglas and Stephanie Mansfield
SFC Edward F. Immler
MAJ Terry D. Cowles USAF (Ret.) S’66 and Mr. Timothy Zimmer
Wilfred Jung S’40
Ned Fasel ’09
Jerome Kraft
Arlene Groen Mr. and Mrs. Alan Hollatz Janet Hollatz W. L. Meader Family Mr. and Mrs. Ray Parrack, Jr.
Holly Fawley
Lucas and Marta Kraft ’99
Jeffrey Manson ’98
Juan Garcia S’81
George LaShelle N’41
Miguel and Betty Garcia S’83
Ellsworth Mills II N’44
Denis Fraser and Linda Manson Fraser
Michael Fasching S’66
MGYSGT Jeffrey Bialk, USMCR (Ret.) John and Judy Jung S’45
Bernard Gerber Dr. Edward and Mrs. Joy Mann
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Ralph Mehlos H’76 Dorothy Mehlos H’79
W. S. Murphy S’37 Margaret Pehl
James Novak S’64 Rich and Sue Ellbogen S’68
Rudolph Peckinpaugh, Sr. S’43 Rudolph Peckinpaugh, Jr. S’72
The Rev. Paul A. Perrine, Jr. S’52
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
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Peter Rice S’75
Coach Ben Slavin H’97
Michael Trader S’59
Harry Vorys S’43
Robert Johannsen S’75
Lon and Jaye Getlin N’63
Dennis and Nancy Jaeger S’59
Carrie Rock
Richard Son S’48
Wallie Lambrecht Ursula Stephens
Bradley Son and Elizabeth Freedman
LTC Herbert A. Trapp, USAF (Ret.) S’37
The Weston Family: Jackie, Leslie, Tommy, Annie, Jimmy and Julie
Robert Rydman S’39 William and Carol Lord
Clayton Schott Carol Schott H’99
Harvey Schuster S’45 David and Judy Carl S’83 Randy Carl S’75
Keri Wagner
Wayne Schreck S’62
Sodexo
MGEN Ralph H. Spanjer, USMC (Ret.) H’96
H. Scott (Spike) Van Norwick S’58
Kenneth Yonan S’65
Tom and Sandra Donaldson
Elizabeth McLaughlin
Roy Spanjer N’44
Fran Vorys H’87
Betty Spanjer
Thomas and Susan Polivka S’77 Fred and Janet Schmidt John Wattles The Weston Family: Jackie, Leslie, Tommy, Annie, Jimmy and Julie
Kenneth H. Suter S’38 H. W. Suter Foundation
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Bill and Diane Cary S’65
KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
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Thank you for your continued investment in our future leaders!
Gifts in Honor of William Abbs ’03 James Abbs and Roxanne DePaul
The Giammanco Family Steve and Delores Sarovich
Kyle Jaeger ‘05 Gary and Deborah Jaeger
Amy Karsten Albert Young
Stewart Randall H’81 Marcus D. Fruchter and Mitzi Baum S’92 Rudolph A. Peckinpaugh, Jr. S’72
1LT Jason L. Sharp, WIARNG ’05 Dr. Richard and Mrs. Christine Illgen
Coach Tom Sorbo Daniel Bailey S’81 Ronald Christianson S’81 William and Judy Hunter S’80 Scott Kuechenmeister S’81 Sean and Lisa Sander S’80 Darnell Turner and Virginia Greer-Turner S’84 Thomas Weber S’85 Vincent Wild S’84
Cindy Trione Daniel and Rachel Golla H’09
Robert Zalenas ’17 Margaret Knell-Zalenas
Matching Gifts American Express Applied Materials Baird Foundation, Inc. ExxonMobil Foundation GE Foundation The Home Depot Foundation The Samuel Roberts Noble Foundation Wells Fargo Foundation
KEY: † Deceased Heritage Society Member Leaders Circle Member The 1884 Society Member
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St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | SUPPLEMENT | THE BEACON
Delta Epsilon Phi
International Connections
Ann-Christin Kloth, German instructor, presents Cadet Jose Escalante Espinal 2020 with a National German Honor Society certificate and patch during the 8th Grade Promotion & Awards Ceremony on May 25, 2016.
Cadet Carsten Gottfredsen-Kromke 2016 received a National German Honor Society certificate, patch and graduation cord from Ann-Christin Kloth, German instructor, during the Senior Awards Ceremony on May 20, 2016.
“ i have been working on perfecting my German for three years. i have given it my all to not only be as proficient as possible on everything we learn, but go beyond and push myself to gather as much information as i can on every subject we were taught. Getting inducted into the national German honor society was, for me, an amazing reminder of what hard work can do and a motivation to keep going forward.” – Cadet Jose Sanchez Rendon 2017 Delta Epsilon Phi, the National Honor Society for high school students of German, recognizes the outstanding academic achievement of learners of German. The organization was founded in 1968 by Käthe Wilson at Coral Gables High School in Florida, a devoted American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) member, to reward scholastic achievement in the study of German and to promote interest in the study of German language, literature and civilization.
or get inducted during their senior year, they also receive a graduation cord. Nearly every year, despite its rigorous standards, cadets have been inducted into the National German Honor Society.
Delta Epsilon Phi chapters may be established in accredited public and private senior high schools. Chapter sponsors must be teachers of German and members of AATG. Wisconsin Alpha Kappa, the chapter of St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy, was established in 1992.
In 2014, St. Johns’ Northwestern established a chapter of Junior Delta Epsilon Phi, the National Junior Honor Society for students of German. It recognizes the outstanding academic achievement of learners of German in middle and junior high schools. That first year was an outstanding year in which seven cadets (two high school and five middle school cadets) were inducted.
To be eligible for induction, cadets must have completed a minimum of three semesters of German with a 3.6 grade point average in German and have an overall grade point average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale. They also have to be active in German activities and community service. Eligible cadets are traditionally inducted into Wisconsin Alpha Kappa during Commencement & Reunion Weekend at SJNMA. They receive a patch and certificate. If they are existing members THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
To be eligible for induction into Junior Delta Epsilon Phi, cadets must have completed one year of German with an 85% average in German and have an overall grade point average of 85%. They also have to be active in German activities and community service. Eligible cadets traditionally will be inducted into Junior Wisconsin Alpha Kappa during the 8th Grade Promotion & Awards Ceremony. They receive a patch and certificate as well. WINTER 2017
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ABOVE TOP: (left to right) Cadets Liam Griffin 2020 of North Carolina, Mason Funk 2019 of Ohio and David Lee 2021 of Oklahoma prepare to carry the flags of their home states during the Flag Ceremony on September 22, 2016. BOTTOM LEFT: Cadet Connor Vitt 2017 represents the Federal Republic of Germany during the Flag Ceremony on September 22, 2016. BOTTOM RIGHT: Cadet Kenny Seo 2017 represents the state of Colorado, which is nicknamed the “Centennial State” for entering the union in 1876, 100 years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Flag Ceremony Celebrates Diversity For more than 30 years, St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy has held a Flag Ceremony at the beginning of the school year to recognize the home states and nations of cadets enrolled that year. Since 1884, young men from nearly every state in the United States and many countries around the world have walked the hallowed grounds of SJNMA and joined the “long gray line” of the Corps of Cadets. This cherished Academy tradition was held this school year on September 22, 2016, with flags hung representing cadets from 20 states and 22 nations. As flags were introduced, information about each state or nation was shared and cadets from those states or nations stood. Flags were hung in Welles Dining Hall for the school year with state flags of the United States displayed along one wall and flags for the nations represented along the opposite wall. The diversity of young men from within the United States and around the world reinforces the Academy’s long history of producing global citizens that communicate and function in a diverse and ever-changing world. 22
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St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
International Connections
Mexico’s Independence Day Mexico’s Independence Day is a national holiday celebrated annually on September 16 with fireworks, parties, food, dance and music. Decorations in the colors of Mexico’s flag—red, white and green—are displayed throughout towns. The holiday is celebrated on the day Miguel Hidalgo, a Mexican Catholic priest, is believed to have made a cry of independence in Dolores, a town in Guanajuato, Mexico. On September 16, 1810, Hidalgo made a speech to motivate people to revolt against Spain due to changes in the government’s social and political structure. He was captured and executed during his army’s fight against Spanish soldiers in July 1811. After more than a decade of war with Spain, Mexico’s independence was finally declared in September 1821. For the past several years, the Consulate General of Mexico in Chicago, Illinois, has invited the SJNMA Color Guard to participate in Mexico’s Independence Day ceremony. Three cadets share their experiences of participating in the ceremony on September 15, 2016.
Cadets celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day in Chicago on September 15, 2016.
Every year on September 15, the Mexican Independence Day is officially celebrated. This year, a group of six senior cadets from SJNMA, three of us from Mexico, attended a ceremony held in Chicago. There are a lot of Mexicans that have moved to that area. They gather each year and have a large celebration in Harrison Park. They have singers, dancers and other performers representing the Mexican culture. The celebration and gathering begins several hours before the actual ceremony starts around 9:00 p.m. and the people enjoy the day. As one of the senior-ranking Mexican cadets, I was elected to take part in this event. Our duty was to present the colors of the Mexican flag to the Consul General of Mexico in front of everyone attending, and properly escort and guard the flag. I did not expect to be in front of so many people; I thought it was going to be a small event. It was surprising how many people attend this ceremony. It was really an honor to be able to represent my country like that. We were all nervous, but filled with pride. When we heard our national anthem being played and our flag waving in front of us, we couldn’t have felt more honor. We got to meet the Mexican ambassador for Illinois, a really important representative for our country. It was a great experience. I have had the chance to represent my school before in some other color guard events, but this was my favorite one. I got to appreciate my own culture, and I can’t forget what a great opportunity it was! Article by Cadet 2LT Emilio Garcia Cano Gomez 2017
At the beginning of the school year, we were able to go to Chicago with four fellow Mexican cadets to perform a color guard at the Mexican Independence Day festival. As two American cadets who do not speak Spanish, we both knew this experience would definitely bring us out of our comfort zone and expose us to some traditions that we were not used to. As a country as diverse as America, it was amazing to see how a specific group of people outside of their home country were able to come together and celebrate their nation’s independence. Everyone at this festival was filled with a lot of pride for their country and it was a great thing to see. We were able to not only learn more about the Mexican culture, but it also really showed us a whole different side of the world. Even though we were in a city in the middle of the United States, it really felt like we were in Mexico. It made us really appreciate all that the international cadets must go through when they come to SJNMA. Being surrounded by people who speak another language and have different traditions than you can be hard. When we were put in that situation, it showed us the difficulties international cadets must go through when they come to the United States. The traditions that we saw at the festival, which included dancing, singing and eating, were great for us to increase our appreciation for the culture itself. This experience is something that we are so happy to have been able to participate in this year. It has also motivated us to hopefully go to Mexico sometime in the near future with some of the Mexican cadets at SJNMA to be able to experience more of this culture and the values that they believe in and hold true. Article by Cadets SSG Christopher Slosar 2017 and SGT John “Max” Johnson 2018 THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
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Fellow Old Boys and Alumni, The 133rd year of the Academy is well underway. This year’s Corps of Cadets is comprised of boys from 20 states and 22 countries. Think of that diversity! There are many colleges and universities that would be very envious of those demographics. Homecoming & Families Weekend saw a great attendance of alumni and Old Boys. Many Old Boys commented on how great a Homecoming weekend it was. The football team had an impressive 26-14 victory over Hope Christian High School. Two new events were held on a beautiful fall day. Fall Fest Fundraiser was an event in Farrand Hall Gymnasium that included numerous games and a silent auction. Outside were activities such as face painting and a dunk tank. SFC Mike Trione of the JROTC Department took the “plunge” on numerous occasions. Over 500 people were served by alumni and Old Boys at the legendary OBAA Pig & Chicken Roast. Under the direction
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of Diane Calabrese, a former parent and Honorary Old Boy 2014, the beauty queens of Illinois assisted at the roast as part of their volunteer program. It was great fun and a successful event for the school. Another new event that Saturday evening was the fundraising dinner and program called “A Night with Lancer Legends.” Over 100 guests recognized the Honored Athletes, Darryl Hanzelon S1966 and Ronnie Williams S1980. Unfortunately, Mr. Hanzelon, who lives in Florida, was unable to attend due to Hurricane Matthew. I plan on making a trip through Florida this winter and present him his award. Coach James Duggan, who was equally disappointed by not seeing Darryl, spoke about Darryl’s prowess as a pitcher, who threw three no-hitters while at St. John’s. He was a very talented basketball player during his tenure as well. Ronnie Williams S1980 is still the
basketball career scoring leader at the University of Florida. That mark has stood strong since 1984. Ronnie gave a very humble talk about his time at St. John’s. He mentioned how the Academy helped him become a better student and achieve over a 3.0 GPA, and gave him the discipline and focus to succeed at the University of Florida. On a personal level, it was great to have Ronnie back as we were roommates back in 1980. He promised he will be back on campus more often to offer his support to the Academy. The 2006 SJNMA State Basketball team was recognized as the Honored Athletic Team this year. Assistant Coach Perry Siebers gave a recap of that season. He described how the entire corps was excited and behind the team, and how the previous two seasons impacted the run up to the 2006 championship. Trevon Hughes 2006, the captain and All-State player, was unable to be at the event as he is currently playing professional basketball
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Alumni Office Update
in Turkey. However, Trevon was gracious enough, before he left the country, to videotape a wonderful testimonial about his SJNMA experience as well as giving a “hello” to those in attendance. By the way, Trevon hosted a few weeks of youth basketball camps this past summer at Farrand Hall Gymnasium. Keep an eye out for dates of the Trevon Hughes Basketball Camps next summer. Some of the “Lancer Legends” who spoke about their time at the Academy included Nate Myers S1974, Steve Murphy S1977, Alex Moyer S1981, Lorenzo Chambers S1981, and Duane Mlachnik S1980 and his son, DJ Mlachnik 2011. They shared individual stories how the Academy impacted their lives. Each man ascertained that they are who they are today due to their experiences at SJNMA that helped them turn from boys to men. One of the unique assumptions we receive from some of our Old Boys every year is, “The school is not the same like when I was there ... it’s not as tough as when I was there ... it is so different from when I was there.” Let me ask, what is the same 20, 30, 40 or 50 years later? Let me assure you, the four pillars of the Academy, which is 133 years old, are still in place and practiced. Is it done a bit differently from your time or mine? Of course it is. However, our young men are better prepared for their next stage in
life—just as we were—be it a few years or decades earlier. ACADEMICS Our academic class size averages 8 to 10 students. Over the past 20 years, nearly 100% of SJNMA graduates are accepted to colleges and universities. An individual program is designed for each cadet through Project Lead the Way, which is a science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) curriculum. Some of the other programs offered include Aviation Science, Scouting, Marching Band, Pep Band, and Pipes and Drums. SPIRITUAL AND CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT The Spiritual and Character Development program is still built on the historic Judeo-Christian foundation set by Rev. Sidney Smythe. Chapel is three times a week with opportunities to attend one’s own denomination services as well. The Academy still immerses cadets into a leadership culture that refines their character. Good character is essential to good leadership. ATHLETICS Twelve sports are offered and participation is mandatory. The athletic facilities are some of the finest in the area as evidenced by them being utilized for summer camps by the Milwaukee Brewers, international soccer groups, and numerous basketball camps as well as nationally acclaimed wrestling programs. Additionally, more and more alumni are helping identify potential cadets who may have athletic abilities. Some may choose to attend a school where they would have the opportunity to play earlier in their careers and/or to have the opportunity to play multiple sports versus less opportunities at their larger schools.
OUR MILITARY TRADITIONS Yes, there still are parades! The Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade, the Milwaukee Veterans Day Parade, and numerous parades on campus and in the surrounding community. The Corps of Cadets does not always carry rifles, however, as some venues prohibit them. The guard path is alive and well. Feel free to visit campus and on many days you will see a few cadets who are keeping that time-honored tradition going (with rifles). Silver Rifles, Color Guard and the Raiders programs are also offered. Check the SJNMA website for updates and events on Buckets & Bowling, the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade, 5th Thursdays, and Commencement & Reunion Weekend in 2017. Keep in touch and pass along contact information of any of your former classmates who have not been updated or are not receiving communication from the Alumni Office. Carry On.
David Carl S1983 Director of Alumni
OPPOSITE PAGE: Alumni who attended “A Night with Lancer Legends” on October 8, 2016. THIS PAGE: Ronnie Williams S1980 received the 2016 Honored Athlete award.
THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
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Alumni & OBAA Gatherings Homecoming & Families Weekend
N1960 and N1961 alumni at the homecoming football game on October 8, 2016. Alumni gather during the homecoming football game halftime.
OBAA Chris Madding Memorial Golf Outing Attendees of the OBAA Chris Madding Memorial Golf Outing in Illinois on July 29, 2016, included (LEFT) Craig Madding (left), father of Christopher Madding S1991, and his friend, Ted Delang, and (RIGHT) Lucas Kraft 1999 (right) and his uncle, Tom Zellmer.
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St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Old Boys Alumni Association
Old Boys Alumni Association Board of Directors 2016-2017 Officers Chuck Krametbauer S1978 President Jim Hoover S1976 1st Vice President Michael Fillichio S1988 2nd Vice President Greg Van Praag S1972 Treasurer Michael Dayton S1971 Secretary
Board Members John Bartizal S1986 Cory Byrnes 2009 J. C. Fairvalley II S1976 David Hess S1959 Michael Hoover S1971 Joe LaRocca N1969 Keith Pabish S1977 Scott Pace N1969 Ted Roth S1974 Bill Sanders S1974 Pete Waskel S1976 John Wiechers N1954 Bill Wiles S1966 David Zirngibl 2002
A President A Message from the OBA during
r great time for your OBAA July 29, 2016, marked anothe g at dding Memorial Golf Outin the annual OBAA Chris Ma ather, Mt. Prospect, Illinois. The we Old Orchard Golf Course in I de our outing a great success. food, beverages and course ma the nk donated their time. I also tha want to thank everyone who . A great gratefully spent their money 63 people who attended and lley David Carl S1983, J.C. Fairva shout-out goes to Scott Beil, el O’Meara S1984 who , Kevin Pancratz and Micha ing dd Ma aig Cr , ahy Le ve Ste anding. Again, S1976, fit of $4,500, which was outst pro a had g tin ou r Ou nt. sponsored the eve e in 2017 and be among the SJNMA calendar for the dat the tch wa ase Ple all! you thank first to sign up. your calendar: nts should to be marked on The following upcoming eve 14, 2017 Back the Lancers – January ade – March 11, 2017 Par Chicago St. Patrick’s Day 17 The Excalibur – April 29, 20 Weekend – May 26-28, 2017 ion Commencement & Reun ed with these events volunteers to assist. Get involv d nee l wil nts eve se the of e Each on and the OBAA. is is a great w.sjnma.org/donatenow. Th ww at e her is rm tfo pla ing A new online giv ch as you want every e to donate as little or as mu on ry eve and h eac for y nit the rest of your opportu made monthly, yearly or for be can s ion nat Do . my ade month to our Ac t. life—whatever fits your budge t mistake.” “Your best teacher is your las r S1978 Charles “Chuck” Krametbaue OBAA President
H.M./Davidson and Smith/Slavin Walkway Brick Program Donate a brick in memory of a classmate or engrave a brick in your name! For a tax-deductible gift of $300, a brick can be personalized with the name and year, as appropriate. For more information about the H.M./Davidson and Smith/Slavin Walkway Brick Program, call the Alumni Office at (262) 646-7220 or (800) 234-9097. THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
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Inspiring Alumni
The Megalis Brothers Transform a Hobby into a Small Business Ari 2000 and Paul 2005 Megalis
not to be discouraged by the term “never,” the sJnMA alumni set out and became the first combination craft brewery and distillery under a single roof in the state of illinois.
RIGHT: Paul 2005 (left) and Ari 2000 Megalis
I
t’s 5:43 p.m. on a Thursday evening in late October. The Chicago Cubs are in the playoffs and the city is bustling with an anticipation for which it’s not accustom. Tucked away on what seems to be a certain dead end Chicago city street, stands an unassuming brick warehouse building in the vibrant neighborhood of Logan Square. On the roof is a relatively large billboard sign that overlooks I-94. It features a dapper gentleman tipping his top hat as if to say, “How do you do?” to the traffic warriors pushing through their final battle of their workday. Welcome to the home of Maplewood Brewery & Distillery, the vision of two brothers, Ari 2000 and Paul Megalis 2005.
The official launch for Maplewood Brewery & Distillery occurred the first week of October 2014. The inaugural libation, The Charlatan American Pale Ale, just won the 2016 GABF American Pale Ale bronze medal (#3 of 157 entries). Since that first week, the former homebrewing brothers, along with childhood friend, Adam Cieslak, have developed 12 additional brews and will be launching their first spirit during winter. One additional spirit is currently aging and will be available in early 2017 while three more spirits are planned for a later release. 28
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Born and raised within the hospitality industry, the Megalis brothers felt quite comfortable with the idea to launch a craft brewery. After all, they were seasoned homebrewers with keen minds for business. Ari earned his MBA from DePaul University while Paul secured two masters from Loyola University in accounting and operations management. Only challenge with the brewery idea—they wanted to open a distillery. Recognizing the time and start-up expenses for a distillery, they reworked the business model, circled back to their original passion, and decided to launch a craft brewery in conjunction with the distillery. Not to be discouraged by the term “never,” the SJNMA alumni set out and became the first combination craft brewery and distillery under a single roof in the state of Illinois. As with most human interaction, interviews seem to flow better accompanied with an adult beverage. Ari and Paul were happy to indulge our interest with one of their newest brews, Guatemalan Bam Bam. For those who seek the particulars of craft beers, the Guatemalan Bam Bam is a collaboration between Maplewood Brewery and Chicago Metric Coffee. The fruity and citrusy hops were carefully paired with a light roast Guatemalan single origin St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
ABOVE LEFT: Maplewood Brewery & Distillery ABOVE RIGHT: The Charlatan American Pale Ale won the 2016 GABF American Pale Ale Bronze Medal.
coffee to create a beautiful auburn hued ale, and it is absolutely delicious! Over the next two hours, the Megalis brothers led us through anecdotes, which outlined the last 10-15 years since their tenure at SJNMA. They shared how various paths ultimately transformed their basement hobby into a promising small business within two years. The passion for their products coupled with the enjoyment they get from the creative process is palpable. We learned much about the craft brewing industry and the distinctive culture surrounding it, the sometimes frustrating navigation of rules and regulations (attributing some of these successes to skills developed while at the Academy), as well as an insightful perspective into to the life of a cadet at SJNMA during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Growing up in the western suburbs of Chicago, the brothers were aware of SJNMA through an older cousin, Kosta Eliopulos 1998, who attended SJNMA. “I’m pretty sure our parents had conversations with our relatives about the Academy and believed it to be the best place for us,” said Paul. Consistent with many SJNMA alumni memories, Ari and Paul acknowledge their initial reluctance to attend the Academy. “No. It really wasn’t a choice for either of us, but we didn’t go into it completely blind. Our cousin was still there my freshman year. That made the transition a little easier,” recalled Ari. Being five years apart, the Megalis brothers did not attend at the same time, but their experiences seemed to play out similarly. The older Megalis became involved with hockey and rugby while earning the rank of battalion executive officer by his senior year. Ari specifically remembered, “I suppose it wasn’t until my junior year when I started to earn privileges where I really started to enjoy being at SJNMA.” The younger Megalis earned company captain while participating in soccer, hockey, rugby and bagpipes. Paul recalled, “Life as a cadet seemed much more difficult those first two years. The discipline was at the forefront of that experience.” Yet both acknowledge that it was through those challenging years where the foundational attributes were instilled including leadership, THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
confidence, discipline, and the ability to craftily navigate strict guidelines to achieve their goals and stay out of the commandant’s office (as noted above – a key transferrable skill). Toward the end of our discussion, we posed two direct questions to the Megalis brothers. “Are you glad your parents enrolled you at SJNMA and if so, when did you first recognize its benefit?” Both were quick to reply “yes” and coincidentally, both believed to acknowledge its benefit during the same period of their lives. “Within the first couple of weeks of freshmen year in college. Dorm life was new to everyone on my floor. I can recall thinking, ‘Been here. Done this.’ While others were struggling with life on their own and away from home for the first time, I was good,” said Ari. Paul added, “Same here. The first couple of weeks, that new freedom was different, but I was able to fall back on the self-discipline and time management skills I learned at the Academy. That ability to get focused when it counted, usually towards the end of the semester—those skills definitely helped me through college and after.” As we conclude, one can only estimate the true influence SJNMA had on each brother. The conversation isn’t really if it did, but more of how much it did. Even Maplewood’s slogan “Be Fluid” almost sounds as though it could have been bronzed on a side the beacon and been a regular proclamation from the headmaster himself, had he been a homebrewer. Maplewood Brewery & Distillery is located on Chicago’s near-north side. We encourage you to visit Ari and Paul Megalis online at www.maplewoodbrew.com. A tap room at their facility is scheduled for completion soon and the Megalis brothers are happy to oblige tours. The brothers also specifically requested us to acknowledge that SJNMA boasts a small yet accomplished group of alumni who have successfully launched breweries and distilleries in recent years along with very well-known and award-winning homebrewers. A tip of the hat from the home of The Charlatan and congrats to each of them for their accomplishments and efforts. Be fluid!
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Richard Ellbogen S1968 and his wife, Sue
Donald Johnson S1948 (left) and Philip Johnson S1950
Donald R. Johnson S1948 lives in Piedmont,
California, and visited campus October 13, 2016, on his travels from the University of WisconsinMadison where his grandson attends graduate school. After graduating from SJMA, he was drafted in the U.S. Army. He worked as a metallurgist and worked at U.S. Steele, the Bechtel Corporation and retired from the Public Utility Corporation. His brother, Philip Johnson S1950, owned a printing company called Willard Graphics, which their father formed in 1919. He attended Marth Park Junior College, but dropped out and went to work for his father who had a stroke, and then he moved to Florida in 1956 to run the business until his retirement in 2002. The brothers enjoyed their visit to SJNMA before leaving for their homestead in upper Michigan.
Swinger-Ellbogen, of Chicago, Illinois, travelled to Cuba in March 2016. They first visited Havana where they got a glimpse of how difficult life has been for residents as they strolled the Plaza de la Richard and Sue Ellbogen S1968 Revolucion. Then they during their visit to Cuba. travelled to a small town in the Pinar del Rio Province that is an agricultural area where fruit, vegetables, coffee and tobacco are grown on small plantations and farms. They also visited the waterfront city of Cienfuegos on the southern coast of Cuba that is referred to as the “Pearl of the South,” and concluded their trip in the city of Trinidad on the Caribbean coast of central Cuba. Mrs. Swinger-Ellbogen wrote an article about their experience, which readers can obtain by contacting the Alumni Office. John Roggow S1968 and Chuck Winter S1968 attended the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) vs. United States Military Academy at West Point football game on November 5, 2016, in which the USAFA won 31-12. They have been attending football games together since Winter graduated from the USAFA in 1972. Earl R. Bash S1969 visited
campus October 4, 2016, with his wife, Sherry, and two friends. They recently moved from Saginaw to Petoskey, Michigan. He is looking forward to his 50th reunion in 2019.
John Minniece S1950
of Texas recognized an SJNMA sweatshirt at LaGuardia Airport while on a summer trip with his daughter, Laurie. Cadet Franklin Schreurs 2019 of Wisconsin was traveling on summer vacation with his mother, Stephanie Schreurs. His older brother, Henry Schreurs, graduated from SJNMA in 2016.
Earl and Sherry Bash S1969
Robert W. Gale S1970 visited campus with his wife, Judith,
August 9, 2016, while on their way to the Wisconsin State Fair. He had not visited campus for 46 years. They live in Mokena, Illinois, where he retired as a Cook County Sheriff. They have six children.
John Minniece S1950 (right) and Franklin Schreurs 2019
Will Askew N1967 currently resides in Lighthouse Point,
Florida. He is performing with Hurricane Harmonizers, a male barbershop chorus in south Florida that sings a cappella in barbershop style and Broadway show tunes. To learn more, visit www.hurricaneharmonizers.com.
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Robert and Judith Gale S1970
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Alumni News After 36 years, Pataisan “Tai” Bodhidatta S1980 of Bangkok, Thailand, and Duane Mlachnik S1980, varsity basketball head coach at SJNMA, had a chance meeting on campus September 8, 2016. Bodhidatta and his wife, Ruddi, were in the United States with their son, Shamu, as he joined the 2016-2017 University of Washington Huskies golf team. Pataisan Bodhidatta S1980 (left) and Duane Mlachnik S1980
COL Eduardo Jany N1982 is director of Security for the
Americas (Western Hemisphere) at Bloomberg. He led security operations for the media at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. Often with celebrities, dignitaries and heads of state, he had the pleasure of spending time with some of our nation’s best leaders and thinkers including two past CIA Chiefs, Robert Gates and General David Petraeus. COL Jany looks forward to connecting with alumni in the New York area.
COL Eduardo Jany N1982 (left) and General David Petraeus
In October 2016 while traveling on business in Manila, Philippines,
Jeffrey Pettit S1988
from Wisconsin met with Arnold Santillan S1986. Arnold Santillan S1986 (left) and Jeffrey Pettit S1988
Ernesto Antillon Bours S1989 visited campus August 10, 2016, while on a family vacation. From their home in Obregón, Sonora, Mexico, he and his wife, Lucy, drove to Delafield, Wisconsin, with many educational stops along the way for their three children, Lucia, Mariana and Ernesto Jr. They continued their trip to Minnesota to visit his wife’s family and then west for more sights before their return home. He works at Luma Agricola Erab, S.A DE C.V. Ernesto Antillon Bours S1989 and his family
Dr. John Fischer S1989 of Manassas, Virginia, was appointed as Marcel L. Pradella S1983 became VP of business development
in November 2016 for OMNITEK, a global patent holding, publicly traded, engineering group. They have bleeding edge technology in sustainable energy, natural gas engine solutions, diesel to natural gas engine for repowering trucks, locomotives, and power generators. Pradella also will continue with his other passion of buying and selling heavy equipment, trucks, tractors and trailers through A-1 Truck & Trailer in Chicago and Oklahoma City.
The Summer 2016 issue of The Beacon announced the marriage of
Ryan Neal S1984 and Beata Zanone in March 2016, which was
held in his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. They had a second celebration in August where they currently live in Portland, Oregon, and a third in September on a Mediterranean cruise ship in Santorini, Greece, to celebrate with her family from Poland.
professor of military and emergency medicine by the University of Pennsylvania in August 2016. He presently works at Fort Belvoir Community Hospital in Fort Belvoir, Virginia. He and his wife, Maria, have two children.
Kevin B. Dryman S1992 and his wife, Valerie, of Buffalo Grove,
Illinois, are the proud owners of an AKC Registered Champion Basset Hound named Hoss. They began showing Hoss in October 2015, and in July 2016, he earned his AKC Champion status at the Waukesha Kennel Club’s annual show in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Hoss is their first show dog and this is Dryman’s first time as a handler in a show ring. Kevin B. Dryman’s S1992 AKC Registered Champion Basset Hound, Hoss
Continued on next page THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
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Alumni News Continued Trevon Hughes 2006 held
the Trevon Hughes Basketball Camps at SJNMA in July 2016. He returned to campus in August to speak to the Lancers football team about their upcoming season. Hughes is currently playing basketball in Turkey. Trevon Hughes 2006 speaks to players at his basketball camp.
Jonathan Woods 2001 (center) at the 68th Primetime Emmy Awards with his production team of “A Year in Space,” (left to right) Christina Clusiau, cinematographer, Jeffrey Kluger, executive producer and “Apollo 13” author, Marco Grob, codirector, and Shaul Schwarz, director. (photo by Shaul Schwarz)
Jonathan Woods 2001 and his production team produced
a documentary for TIME magazine called “A Year in Space” that was nominated for an Emmy Award in the category for Outstanding Short Form Nonfiction or Reality Series in September 2016. “A Year in Space” follows Astronaut Scott Kelly on his record-setting one-year stay aboard the International Space Station—part of an ambitious experiment to determine if humanity’s grand dreams of traveling to Mars can ever be achieved. With unprecedented access, TIME’s filmmakers chronicle Kelly’s mission in a 12-episode series. “A Year in Space” also follows Kelly’s family back home including his twin brother and retired NASA astronaut, Mark, who is serving as the other half of a unique controlled experiment, comparing how identical bodies and identical genes respond to a year in decidedly non-identical environments. In “A Year in Space,” technology, biology and the ambitions of humanity will converge in ways they never have before.
Matthew Montemurro 2010 was promoted to sergeant on
September 30, 2016, as a non-commissioned officer. He enlisted in 2011 and is stationed at Fort Hood as a flight medic. Fort Hood, a U.S. military post located in Killeen, Texas, is named after Confederate General John Bell Hood.
Charles Hernandez 2011 met with the SJNMA Raiders team
while they were visiting Fort Benning, Georgia, for a Raiders meet on November 4, 2016. Hernandez graduated from U.S. Army Airborne School that day, and then they all enjoyed lunch at the famous Four Winds Restaurant. Charles Hernandez 2011 (fourth from left) and the SJNMA Raiders team
Joshua Czebotar 2003
visited campus September 19, 2016, with his fiancé, Melissa, from Seattle, Washington, where he works for security at Facebook. They are looking for a place to celebrate their wedding and the Noble Victory Memorial Chapel on campus is at the top of their list. Joshua Czebotar 2003 and his fiancé, Melissa
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RADM Ronald H2013 and Mrs. Charlene Kurth visited
campus October 26, 2016, from their Florida home where they are doing well and enjoying retirement. RADM Kurth was Academy president from 1998 to 2004.
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Taps
Alumni Wilbert A. Eich N1932 passed away October 14, 2009, in
Glenview, Illinois, where he was president of Eich Management Corporation for 30 years. He was a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves for 23 years. He and his wife, Barbara, enjoyed traveling to 66 countries after his retirement. Warren R. Furbeck S1936 passed away October 14, 2015, in
Houghton, Michigan.
Scott Johnston Hinsch Sr. S1941 passed away March 6, 2015, in
Sidney, Ohio. He was born in Piqua, Ohio, in 1923, and married Margaret Whitehead in 1947 who passed away in 1999. Hinsch attended Purdue University, and joined the U.S. Army in 1943. He served in the Field Artillery during World War II until his honorable discharge as a first lieutenant in 1946. He was owner and president of the Champion Cutter and Fixture Company. He served as trustee of Piqua Memorial Medical Center and Upper Valley Medical Center (UVMC) for 49 years, and was Piqua Memorial Board chairman for 13 years. In 2012, he was elected director emeritus at UVMC. In 1952, he became a director of the Piqua National Bank and Trust Co., and served as president for four years. He also served on the Board of Directors at Citizens Heritage and Fifth Third Bank of Western Ohio. In 1947, Hinsch organized the Miami County Society for Crippled Children and Adults (Easter Seals) and served as the Seal Sale chairman until it became a state organization. He was a director and trustee of the Miami County YMCA and retired as director emeritus. He volunteered for other organizations including Meals on Wheels, Miami County Metropolitan Housing Authority (board member), Miami County American Heart Association (served one year as chairman), Edison State Community College Nursing Advisory Committee, and Piqua Improvement Corporation.
Saul Cohen S1945 passed away March 28, 2016, in Highland
Park, Illinois. He joined the U.S. Army after graduation from the Academy. He returned home to attend the University of Illinois, and ran the family business his grandfather founded in 1880, Leeco Steel Company, retiring as chairman in 1997. Jerre R. Maynard S1946 passed away January 26, 2016, in
Excelsior, Minnesota. He graduated from Hillsdale College in Michigan in 1951, and worked at the Ford Motor Company in sales and marketing for 35 years. In the 1950s, he worked sales on the Edsel, which was considered one of the 50 worst cars of its time. His brother, Bruce Maynard, was a 1944 graduate of SJMA. Lester McDevitt S1946 passed away May 27, 2016, in Ponte Verde, Florida. He worked as a pilot for Pan American World Airways. John F. Bangs Sr. N1947 passed away April 26, 2016, in
Oshkosh, Wisconsin. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, vice president of E.P. Bangs Trucking Company, and operated the G. I. Company. He was president of the Four Freshman Appreciation Society and also was their music mart marketer. Continued on next page The SJNMA Alumni Office thanks all alumni who provide us with information on your fellow classmates. Please continue to notify us at (262) 646-7220, (800) 234-9097 or akopaczewski@sjnma.org.
Remain Forever in this Place
Where Brotherhood Transcends Time ...
Contact: Anita Kopaczewski Director of The Columbarium and Assistant Director of Alumni (262) 646-7220 or akopaczewski@sjnma.org
Visit us online at www.thecolumbarium.com THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
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Thomas Borgwardt S1949 passed away July 19, 2016. He was
William Schaefer S1963 passed away October 1, 2016, from
a civil engineer for Milwaukee County for over 35 years and retired as the airport engineer for General Mitchell International Airport. A resident of Delafield, Wisconsin, he enjoyed daily walks around town, golfing and life on Lake Nagawicka.
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Originally from Chicago, Illinois, he was a resident of West Palm Beach, Florida, where he owned an accounting firm for 42 years. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, and the father of Scott Schaefer S1993 and Greg Schaefer 1996.
George E. Warner S1954 passed away October 2015 in
Chicago, Illinois, from brain cancer. He was the owner of Warner Wallcovering Company in Chicago. Jeffrey Dean Flegel S1962 passed away June 23, 2016, in
Racine, Wisconsin. He received a degree from Milton College, and married Rosa E. Eginal in 1994. He was vice president of Reliance Controls Corp. in Racine, and a member of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church and the Racine Yacht Club. He was a published author and had designed several northern Wisconsin residences. He treasured the time with family and friends on his boat, Time Machine, at his summer home in Sister Bay, Wisconsin. Philip C. Lewis S1962 passed away July 17, 2015, at the age of
70 after a long battle with cancer. He graduated from Western Michigan University with a masters in political science. Due to an ROTC commitment with a two-year active duty requirement upon graduation, he moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where he was stationed at Fort Benjamin Harrison. He later became an adjunct professor at Oakland Community College in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and in 2001, began teaching psychology and government at Marian High School in Birmingham, Michigan, where he earned the nickname “Dr. Phil.” He retired from Oakland Community College in 2010 and Marian High School in 2011. Peter Barrington Hutton S1963 passed away June 25, 2016,
from cancer. Born in Detroit, Michigan, he studied painting, sculpture and film at the San Francisco Art Institute. He was an American experimental filmmaker known primarily for his silent cinematic portraits of cities and landscapes around the world. He also worked as a professional cinematographer, most notably known for Lizzie Borden’s “Born in Flames,” Sheila McLaughlin and Lynne Tillman’s “Committed,” various films by Red Grooms, and Albert Maysles’ “The Gates.” In 1987, he was awarded Best Cinematography at the Sundance Film Festival for his work on Phil Hartman’s feature film “No Picnic.” In 2011, the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress selected “Study of a River” as one of 25 films annually chosen. He taught filmmaking at CalArts, Hampshire College, Harvard University, SUNY Purchase and Bard College where he served as director of the Film and Electronic Arts Program since 1989. Much of Hutton’s career was influenced by his time in the U.S. Merchant Marine.
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Richard Sherer Jr. S1963 passed away August 7, 2016, in
Canton, Ohio. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, he graduated from Mount Union College with a Bachelor of Arts in economics. He worked for a number of very diverse employers, most recently retiring as paving products manager from Belden Brick. His other employment included vice president of paving for Whitacre Greer; president and owner of R.D. Williams Office Supply/Kay’s Hallmark; Area 8 coordinator Ohio School-toWork for the State of Ohio; sales manager for Furbay Electric Supply and Mansfield Electric Supply; sales representative for Canton City Blueprint; and teacher/coordinator in Plain Local Schools. Sherer was a 14-year employee at the former Joe Slaughter Menswear. He was a member and chairman of the Central Stark County Mental Health Board; member and chairman of the Alliance Area Chamber of Commerce, and recipient of their Entrepreneur of the Year Award; was a cofounder of the Alliance Area Development; and a longtime member of Stark County Port Authority. He served as president of the Alumni Council of Mount Union College. He was most recently a member of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Massillon and a former longtime member, lay reader, vestry member and senior warden of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Canton. He was a board member of both the Alliance and Canton Rotary Club with perfect attendance for 34 years and was president of the Canton Rotary Club in 2013.
James Novak S1964 passed away May 16, 2016, in Clearwater,
Florida. He is a graduate of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois, where he was a resident for many years before he retired. He served as a director on the Academy’s OBAA Board of Directors and was an avid supporter of his old school attending events on and off campus. He especially enjoyed attending the Chicago St. Patrick’s Day Parade to cheer on the Corps of Cadets. He worked at a variety of financial and investment institutions through his life. He was interred in The Columbarium on campus on September 10, 2016.
Paul Blackwell, Jr. N1967 passed away December 15, 2016, in
Jenks, Oklahoma, after a long illness.
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy | THE BEACON
Faculty and Friends Robert Ringa S1967 passed away November 10, 2016. He
earned a Bachelor of Science from the University of Denver in 1971 and graduated from Worsham College of Mortuary Science in 1972. Before assuming leadership of the family funeral home in Lake Villa, Illinois, he served as vice president of a major furniture manufacturing company for 20 years. He also served as president of the Lindenhurst-Lake Villa Chamber of Commerce for four years and served on boards of directors for many additional community organizations in Lake Villa and the surrounding communities. He was a lifelong member of Prince of Peace Church serving as an usher for many years.
ABOVE: The passing of John Stephen Ballou S1968 in May 2016 was reported in the Summer 2016 issue of The Beacon. His father, Frank “Bill” Ballou S1948 (second from left), and two of his six sons, Michael Ballou and David Ballou (center and second from right, respectively), interred Ballou at The Columbarium on campus September 27, 2016. Tony Greco S1968 (far left) shared over a 50-year friendship with Ballou and gave a heartwarming eulogy at the service. David Carl S1983, director of alumni (far right), also attended. Cadet acolytes read two lessons and bagpipes lead attendees to the site. Cadets presented an honor guard, color guard and 21-gun salute. Ballou S1948 gave his son’s service flag to the Academy. Ballou’s grandfather, Frank M. Ballou, is a 1924 graduate of SJMA and is buried at St. John’s Chrysostom in Delafield, Wisconsin.
Terry Jon DeWall S1969 passed away September 1, 2016, in
Springfield, Illinois.
Jay Douglas Diehl N1991 passed away June 5, 2016, in Oregon, Illinois. Formerly from Mt. Morris, Illinois, he attended Virginia Military Institute after graduating from NMNA. Mark Bello 2006 passed away August 18, 2006, in Park Ridge,
Illinois.
THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
Joshua Bard Boand passed away June 24, 2016, in Barrington,
Illinois. He was the son of A. Bard Boand N1967, a member of the SJNMA Board of Trustees, and the youngest brother of Stephen, who attended Camp Northwestern for five years, and Brandon N1990. DuWayne “Dewey” Carl passed
away August 16, 2016. He was the father of Randy Carl S1975, David Carl S1983 and Mary, and father-in-law of John Mann S1969. After high school, he earned an athletic scholarship to play football and track at the University of WisconsinMadison. From 1953-1955, Dewey Carl (right) with he served in the Army Corps Dr. Albert in May 2016. of Engineers, and in 1959, he graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire with a Bachelor of Science in education. He worked for the Neenah Joint School District for 11 years. In 1964, he married Beverly Sturm and raised three children. After his father-in-law passed away in 1973, Carl worked for Sturm & Sons, Inc., in Manawa, Wisconsin, where he was plant supervisor, personnel director, director of operations and vice president of the Board of Directors. He retired in 1999. He was an active member of his community having been a member of the Manawa Lions Club for 42 years, an alderman for the city of Manawa for 12 years, and a supporter of SJNMA. He enjoyed golfing, attending football games, and spending time with family and friends.
Terry Kohler, grandfather of Kashon Kohler 2002 and son
of former Wisconsin Governor Walter J. Kohler, Jr., passed away September 20, 2016, in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. He was president and chairman of the board of Windway Capital Corp., chairman of The Vollrath Company, and past chairman of North Technology Group.
Deborah Chadeayne Oliver passed away July 18, 2016,
in Rolla, Missouri, at the age of 88. She graduated from Visitation Academy of St. Louis in 1944 and Georgetown Visitation Junior College in Washington, D.C., in 1946. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, a founding member of the Hawks Inn Historical Society in Delafield, Wisconsin, and a founding member of the Friends of the Library in Licking, Missouri. She was preceded in death by her husband of more than 60 years, Lt. Col. USMC (Retired) Samuel C. Oliver, in 2012. They were married in 1951, had seven children, and lived on the SJMA campus where he spent six years as director of public relations and recruiting. They were known for their parties and love of politics. They are interred together at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery in St. Louis.
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Do you know when this photo was taken or recognize the individuals?
BELOW: Cadets playing in the snow
ABOVE: CIRCA 1920 Cadets ice boating on Lake Geneva
BELOW: 1967 Cadets sing Christmas carols
LEFT: 1970s Lake Geneva Christmas parade
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ISSUE YEAR WINTER 2017
St. St.John’s John’sNorthwestern NorthwesternMilitary MilitaryAcademy Academy || THE THE BEACON BEACON
Glimpses from the Past
Do you know when this photo was taken or recognize the participants?
ABOVE: Cadets present the Boar’s Head
ABOVE: 1961 Cadet Brad Perrigo S1963 as a Boar’s Head woodsman
RIGHT: 1951 Midwinter Ball
LEFT: 1981 Cadets and their Midwinter Ball dates get ready for a sleigh ride
THE BEACON | St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy
If you have questions or comments about Academy history, contact Peg Koller, SJNMA librarian, at pkoller@sjnma.org.
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NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID DELAFIELD, WI PERMIT NO. 14
St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy 1101 Genesee Street Delafield, WI 53018-1498 CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
2017 Upcoming SJNMA Events March 4-5 ............ Midwinter Ball, SJNMA Campus
September 10 .... Founders’ Day Ceremony and Parade, SJNMA Campus
March 11 .............. St. Patrick’s Day Parade, Chicago * April 28-30 .......... Families Weekend, SJNMA Campus April 29................. The Excalibur, Farrand Hall Gymnasium, SJNMA Campus May 25-28 ........... Commencement & Reunion Weekend, SJNMA Campus * May 26 .................. Leaders Circle Reception, President’s Home, SJNMA Campus July 28................... OBAA Chris Madding Memorial Golf Outing, Mt. Prospect, Illinois *
October 5............. The Heritage Society Appreciation Dinner, SJNMA Campus October 6-8 ........ Homecoming & Families Weekend, SJNMA Campus * October 7............. Fall Fest Fundraiser, Farrand Hall Gymnasium, SJNMA Campus November 10 ..... Veterans Day Ceremony, Farrand Hall Gymnasium, SJNMA Campus
For more information on upcoming Academy events, visit www.sjnma.org.
* To register online, visit www.sjnma.org/event-registration.cfm.
Don’t miss any of the action...
Stay in Touch Contact the Alumni Office at (262) 646-7220, (800) 234-9097 or akopaczewski@sjnma.org for event details and registration or to update the Academy with your news and information. Also, be sure to follow us online:
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Parents of Alumni: If The Beacon is addressed to your son who no longer maintains a permanent residence at your home, or for any change of address, please notify the Alumni Office by calling (800) 234-9097. Thank you!