A magazine for alumni, parents, students, faculty and friends of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School Vol. 1 No. 2, Summer 2005
news • Class of 2005 • Fiddler Success • New Trustees
• Prep Crew Storms Henley • Redding to Nova • Hawktion in Havana
president’s letter
Dear Friends, As you read this issue, summer is winding down. For many it signals the end of the carefree days of vacation and relaxation. For us at The Prep, it marks the opening of another school year, with 250 more young boys about to embark on the wonderful journey of becoming Preppers, learning to be men with and for others. This summer was marked by the passing of four very well-loved members of The Prep community. In a one-month span in July, we were saddened to hear about the deaths of Richard Johnson ’05, Rev. Stephen Garber, S.J., John Hall and Ernest “Piggy” Wicks. These men came from different areas of our community—a young alum, a teacher and two custodians—but all were vital members of our Prep family and will be missed. While many look at their deaths as tragic, as Christians we celebrate their passing from one life to another. We will miss each one here on Earth but their deaths gave us an opportunity to celebrate their lives, to remember what made each of them special. All will live on in our memories. Summer also brings a special vitality to The Prep buildings with the arrivals of young boys and girls for our Pre-8th Grade Program. The youth and energy of these students makes for a lively summer and we would not have it any other way. A special thank you to Jason Zazyczny ’90 and Brian McCloskey ’91 for coordinating the program and for all of those who teach and support it. It is truly a wonderful experience and the first exposure to our school for many. Lastly, readers of U.S. News & World Report will get a glimpse of The Prep in the August 29 issue, which ranks the best colleges and universities. This year, there will be a section on preparing for college and The Prep will be featured. We are proud to have been included in this issue and will share more of it with you in the fall issue of The Prep News. Thanks once again for your continued support of The Prep. Happy reading!
Rev. Bruce M. Bidinger, S.J.
Front cover imag e : Stephen Albertini ‘05 with his diploma at gra d u ation at Saint Joseph’s Unive r s i t y. Photogra p hy by: Frank Raffa, St. Joseph’s Prep
inside:
school news
school features
Fiddl er on the Roof
2
Graduation
B ike Ride for Pet e’s Sake
4
New Trustees
Sp ring Spor ts Recap
12
6 10
Henley Perspec tives
editorial board
editor
Bruce M. Bidinger, S. J. Thomas F. Clifford, S. J. John T. Anderson Bruce A. Maivelett, S. J. Albert J. Zimmerman ’73 Bonny P. Barry Richard Van Fossen, Jr. Brian T. McCloskey ’91
Bill Avington ’90
Director of Marketing and Communications
designer Maridel McCloskey
McCloskey Designs
ed itor ial a ssistants Angie Falcone Nancy Moule
Development Secretary Development Services Assistant
photography Frank Raffa, Al Zimmerman ‘73, Bill Avington ‘ 9 0 , M i ke Trerotola ‘06
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Alum ni Notes
15
Obituaries
19
IBC
6
2
President Principal Vice President for Development Director of Ignatian Identity Director of Alumni Relations Director of Annual Giving Director of Development Services Assistant Director of Admission
alumni news
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The Prep News is published three times a year. Please send comments or contributions to: Attn: Editor The Prep News St Joseph’s Preparatory School 1733 Girard Avenue Philadelphia, PA 19130 or e-mail to: afalcone@sjpre p. o rg For additional information, check our website www.sjpre p. o rg
school news
Fiddler
is a Major Success
Under the direction of Tony Braithwaite ’89, the Cape and Sword Drama Society’s shows have been successes for the past decade but this spring’s production of Fiddler on the Roof surpassed it all. Fiddler sold out all nine shows, bringing nearly 3,000 people into the Theater. The production was a huge undertaking, with 80 students (Preppers combined with girls from area high schools) involved both on-stage and off. Dan Schwartz ’05 played the part of Tevye, the father brooding over the marriages of his daughters, but it was Matt Mullen ’05 as Motel that had the most interesting story to tell. Mullen got some unpre c edented help from Broadway actor John Cariani. Earlier this year, Cariani was nominated for a Tony Aw a rd for his p o rtrayal of Motel in the Broadway revival of Fiddler on the Roof. Braithwaite met Cariani and then kept running into him at functions. “Finally, I got the guts to ask him to help,” says Braithwaite. The actor showed the drama seniors around the Minskoff Theater where they had seen F i d d l e r on Broadway and then he came to Philadelphia and worked with the actors during rehearsals. Cariani also came down to see the show during its run and left impressed by what he saw, saying that some of The Pre p ’s scenes were better than what they had done in New York. “Not only was this show successful at the box office, but it was also one of the best shows that we have done here at The P rep,” says Braithwaite, who has run the theater for 11 years while also working as an actor in Philadelphia and New York. “The graduating actors join a long list of those who came before them to leave a wonderful legacy.”
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P R E P H O N O R S P O P E J O H N PAU L I I The life of Pope John Paul II was celebrated in the days immediately following the Pontiff’s passing in April. The Prep held a school-wide Mass in The Church of the Gesu in memory of the Pope during the period of mourning. The Mass—with the homily given by Rev. Bruce A. Maivelett, S.J., Director of Ignatian Identity—remembered the man who had headed the church for nearly three decades. “With the help of the Lord’s grace, Pope John Paul II strived to surrender himself to God and to give himself to those he was sent to love and serve,” Fr. Maivelett said in his homily. “The man lived in an extraordinary time and possessed an influence that many dream of and only few have ever known. Yet his witness is simply that of a good Christian.” In addition to the Mass, there was a memorial containing a portrait of Pope John Paul II, flowers and a candle in the foyer. The school was closed on the day of the funeral in honor of the late pontiff.
NEW FACES Raising Loyalty and Funds for The Prep
University. At Arcadia, he helped sheph e rd the school through the fre n z i e d media coverage surrounding its name change from Beaver College. In addition, he was a fre e l a n c e s p o rtswriter for many years, working for The Philadelphia Inquire r and the Associated Press covering the Phillies, 76ers, Big Five and high school sports. He and his wife Kay live in Bensalem with their three childre n , Maura (8), Daniel (5) and Thomas (3). Missett continues her association with Jesuit education. Her father (Robert Doyle ’47) and brother (John Doyle ’96) are both P rep alums and Missett worked in the admissions office at Loyola College in B a l t i m o re for six years. She was home raising her family for several years b e f o re re t u rning to run the successful 2005 Hawktion, bringing in nearly $300,000 (see p. 8). Missett will also assist Alumni Director Al Zimmerman ’73 in preparing and executing the new Reunion Weekend (see p. 14). She and her husband, Barry, live in
(l-r) Bill Avington ‘90, Beth Missett and H. Carton Rogers ‘00
The Pre p ’s Development Office has added three new members to its staff . Bill Avington ’90 is the new Dire c t o r of Marketing and Communications, Beth Missett is serving as Director of the Hawktion/Special Events and H. Carton Rogers ’00 has moved fro m the faculty to become Development Services Assistant. Avington re t u rns to The Prep after a decade in the public relations offices at Saint Joseph’s University and Arc a d i a
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B roomall with their children, Thomas (12), Molly (11) and Jack (9). Rogers comes to the Development Office having spent the past year teaching World History as part of the Alumni Service Corps. A football standout at The Prep, he played collegiately at the University of Pennsylvania. Rogers, who lives in the Fairmount section of Philadelphia, will work under Rich Van Fossen taking care of database management and pro s p e c t re s e a rch. The new additions are just one part of the depart m e n t ’s renovation. Under the direction of Vice President J o h n A n d e r s o n, Development has made sweeping changes in staff and programming. Zimmerman remains as Director of Alumni Relations in his second year, overseeing the new Reunion initiatives. Bonny Barry is in her second year as Director of the Annual Fund and Van Fossen continues in his role as Director of Development Services. Nancy Moule, in her 21st year at St. Joseph’s Prep, is now Development Services Assistant for database and office management .
school news
Prep Cycling For Pe t e ’s Sake A large contingent of The Prep c o m munity participated in the 33rd a n nual American Cancer Society’s Bike-a-thon, riding the 62.5 mile course in honor of history teach e r Peter Reid, who is curre n t ly battling the disease. The 21 Prep people—comprised of students, teachers, alumni, staff and f a m i ly — raised $4,500 in Reid’s name for cancer re s e a rch . Overall, the eve n t brought in $1.5 million.
The ride began at the Ben Franklin Bridge in Philadelphia and ended at Lenape Pa r k , 10 miles outside of Ocean City, N. J. The Prep group was spearheaded by Brendan Ju dy ’06, Chris Gordon ’06 and Mary Clare Masterangelo, a member of the cafeteria staff who has ridden in the bike-a-thon in the past.
The Prep Museum of A r t Every spring, the Prep foyer comes alive with the art work of its students. Here are several s c u l p t u res that were on display along with paintings by Dan Corse ’06. “The Art Show is so important because it is the culmination of all of the students’ hard work,” says art teacher Deb Hilton. “It is a chance for people to see them in maybe a diff e rent light than before. Often, people are amazed at the work that is done and the students feel a gre a t pride in their accomplishments.”
C L A S S O F 2009 The Class of 2009, which will be the 158th class to graduate from The Prep, enters in September. The 250 boys, culled from more than 600 applicants, hail from all eight counties that make up the Delaware Valley. Seventeen percent come from Philadelphia, 58 percent from the Pennsylvania suburbs and 25 percent from New Jersey.
“It was another competitive year in the admissions process and there were many quality candidates applying to The Prep,” says Jason Zazyczny ’90, Director of Admission. “This class was chosen from a very well-rounded group of applicants who have not only achieved academic success but were also involved in extracurricular activities.”
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Six Honored for Service St. Joseph’s Prep is filled with more than just talented young students. There are many other men and women who work on the faculty and administration to make the school run well and to provide an outstanding experience for all of the students. This year, six such people were honored for their many years of service to The Prep. Dan Brennan and Jerry Taylor earned The Reverend Charles A. Schnorr, S.J. Service Award for their dedication to The Prep and for upholding the values of the school. Eddie Burke ’63, Charles J. Johnson and Tony Fiume were presented Ignatian Awards for their decades working on the Prep stage and behind the scenes. In addition, legendary Classics teacher Charles Kling ’61 received the Alumnus of the Year Award, honoring his many years of service to The Prep. .
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Dan Brennan
Jerry Taylor
Eddie Burke ’6 3
Charles J. Johnson
Charles Kling ’61
Tony Fiume
Brennan has worn many hats during his more than four decades at St. Joseph’s Prep. During his time, Brennan worked as a French teacher, Director of Admission, Principal, Vice President of Development and Executive Vice President, seeing The Prep through its many decades as one of the region’s elite schools.
Burke was both a teacher and basketball coach at The Prep and St. Thomas More High School, winning Catholic League Championships at both places, and he led Drexel University to the NCAA tournament and over 200 wins. In 1992, Burke returned to his alma mater to coach and serve as Director of Alumni Relations.
Taylor’s soft-spoken manner has made him a favorite of students for several decades. In addition to his work advising and teaching history, especially advanced placement courses, Taylor ran the school’s successful summer programs for many years.
Johnson was Business Manager and Treasurer at St. Joe’s Prep for 15 years. When he arrived, The Prep was on shaky financial footing after a few years of smaller enrollments. Johnson’s financial expertise steered the school through those times and established many of the modern procedures that have helped St. Joe’s Prep thrive in the early part of the 21st century.
Fiume, Director of Service Operations at The Prep, is known around the school as the “No Problem” man. Despite a lengthy list of responsibilities, Fiume handles everything thrown his way. In addition to food services, Fiume is also in charge of setting up for the various functions in the school building and handling the maintenance for the facility. Kling, who was profiled in the spring issue of The Prep News, spent nearly four full decades in the Classics Department at The Prep. In addition to helping legions of students diagram sentences in Latin and find the proper footnotes, Kling has been a longtime member of the Alumni Board of Governors.
s c h o o l f e at u r e s
CLASS OF 2005
Exits In Style “ . . . t h at life is fleeting … assume nothing … take little for granted … accept and embrace change … prize resilience in the face of adversity … and make the most of every opportunity.”
The Class of 2005 graduated from The Prep in June with the Baccalaureate Mass in The Church of the Gesu and Graduation Exercises at Saint Joseph’s University. Chris Collier, President of the Student Council, gave an address re p resenting the 230 graduates. In his talk, Collier re m e m b e red the members of his class who had died and recalled their second day of school, September 11, 2001. “In order to make sense of these tragedies, we had to learn something from them: that life is fleeting … assume nothing … take little for granted … accept and embrace change … prize resilience in the face of adversity … and make the most of every opportunity.” In addition to the Class of 2005, several members of the Class of 1955 were in attendance, celebrating the golden anniversary of their graduation from The Pre p .
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Graduation Kudos Several academic and extracurricular awards were presented to the Class of 2005 during the Baccalaureate and Graduation ceremonies: Otis Baxter Christus Choir Award Silver Medal (Fr e n c h ) Christopher Bennett Brian Blacker Gold Medal (Matrices/Probability and Statistics) Boima D. Blake Silver Medal (Fine Arts) Silver Medal (Hawklet) Patrick Bra d l e y John McShain Award Juan Cave Silver Medal (AP Government) Brian Christ Student Council Award Christopher Collier Daniel Corse Gold Medal (Fine Arts) Silver Medal (Band) Edmund A. Cassidy Matthew Cra w f o rd G e n e ral Excellence Award Gold Medal (Chemistry) Gold Medal (Computer Science) Gold Medal (Mathletes) Peter Crispino Prep Spirit Award Student Council Award Neil Curley Julia Rogers Fine Arts Service Award Timothy Day Gold Medal (AP Statistics) Mark DelGuercio Student Council Award Silver Medal John DellaPo r t a (United States Government) Edmund A. Cassidy David DeMaria G e n e ral Excellence Award Silver Medal (AP Calculus AB) Patrick Dewechter Student Mothers’ Club A wa r d Gold Medal (AP English)
Daniel DiPasquale
Richard B. McCloskey L o yalty Award Edmund A. Cassidy General Excellence Award Gold Medal (Band) Silver Medal (Religious Studies) Student Council Award Kenneth Ewell William Gallagher Gold Medal (AP Government) Gold Medal (Spanish) Silver Medal (Fo r e n s i c s ) Connor Galvin Silver Medal (Classical A r c h a e o l o g y ) Gold Medal (English) Stephen Giord a n o Silver Medal (Honors Calculus) R e v. Pedro Arrupe Award David Gravinese Patrick Henigan Student Council Award Pre-Prep Award Theodore Hero n Stephen Iannelli Gold Medal (Honors Spanish) Michael Krause Gold Medal (German) Mark Magee Edmund A. Cassidy G e n e ral Excellence Award Gold Medal (United States Government) Gold Medal (Religious Studies) Silver Medal (AP Psychology) Mark Mai Gold Medal (Fo r e n s i c s ) Silver Medal (Mathletes) Edmund A. Cassidy A n d rew Matthews G e n e ral Excellence Award Gold Medal (Biology) Gold Medal (Physics) Gold Medal (AP Psychology) Gold Medal (AP European History) Silver Medal (AP Calculus BC) Silver Medal (Dra m a ) L u ke Matthews Edmund A. Cassidy G e n e ral Excellence Award Matthew McCabe Saint Joseph Award Gold Medal (Yearbook) Brendan McManus A n d rew Meehan Gold Medal (Honors Calculus) Silver Medal (AP English) Silver Medal (Spanish) G regory Mellen Edmund A. Cassidy G e n e ral Excellence Award H o n o rable Henry J. Bender Jr. Gold Medal (Latin) Silver Medal (English)
William Mooney Gold Medal (Calculus) Matthew Mullen Gold Medal (Dra m a ) Silver Medal (The Chronicle) Christian Myers Michael Fitzgerald Nowlan Silver Medal (Computer Science) S c h o l a r-A thlete Award Corey O’Rourke Joseph Panetta Edmund A. Cassidy G e n e ral Excellence Award Joseph P. Hauck Medal for Community Service Gold Medal (AP Calculus AB) Gold Medal Joseph Pe c o ra (Classical A r c h a e o l o g y ) Silver Medal (Modern American History) Ryan Reilly Gold Medal (Hawklet) Christopher Savage Edmund A. Cassidy G e n e ral Excellence Award The John L. Himes Gold Medal for Mathematics Gold Medal (AP Calculus BC) Silver Medal (Biology) Silver Medal (Chemistry) Silver Medal (Physics) Silver Medal (Latin) Silver Medal (Greek) Bernard E. Kueny Jr. ’53 Daniel Schwartz Alumni Award Cape and Sword Award Daniel Shindle William F. Ford Memorial A ward for Greek Matthew To m e z s ko Charles E. Barton Ignatian Service Award Jesuit Secondary Education Leo Va c c a ro Association Award Gold Medal (AP American History) Gold Medal (The Chronicle) Silver Medal (AP European History) Ronald Warren Silver Medal (Calculus) Matthew Wellenbach Edmund A. Cassidy G e n e ral Excellence Award Gold Medal (Modern American History) Silver Medal (AP Statistics) Brian White Silver Medal (German) Sean Wise Silver Medal (Matrices/Probability and Statistics) The Ignatian Medal was presented to the following faculty and staff for 20 years of service to St. J o s e p h ’s Prep: Judith Christian (English); Thomas Fitzpatrick (Physics); Nancy Moule (Development); and Alice Welsh (College Counseling).
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s c h o o l f e at u r e s
H AW K T I O N 2 0 0 5 Tu r n s K e l ly F i e l d h o u s e i n t o L i t t l e H ava n a H awktion 2005, “Havana Nights”, took place on April 30. Hosted by c o - chairs Suzie and Bill Gennaro ’79 and Marybeth and Stephen S chell ’78 – with the imagination and hard work of the Wednesday Night decorations committee – The Ke l ly Fieldhouse was tra n sformed into old Havana for the enjoyment of over 800 auction attendees who were treated to authentic Cuban food and mu s i c . The evening included the traditional car ra f f l e, silent and live auctions,
Corporate Spo nsors Alta Communications, Inc. The Haverford Trust Company Citizens Financial Group, Inc. Citizens Bank of PA Commerce Bank The Graham Company
and, new this ye a r, a casino. It wo u l d n ’t be a Hawktion without the expertise of Wm. F. Comly & Son
Mr. and Mrs. George V. Hager, Jr. Karr Barth Associates Inc.
Auctioneers who got eve ryone in the bid-
Medford Family Dental Care
ding spirit, e s p e c i a l ly when Pe n n s y l va n i a
Metro Technology Services Inc.
G overnor Ed Rendell made a surprise appearance and added two ve ry special “Days with the Gove r n o r ” to the auction block. Other highlights included live ly bidding wars for two auction items sup-
Ernest D. Menold, Inc. S a l a d Works Catering Smart & Associates Sovereign Bank
plied by Prep President Rev. Bruce Bidinger, S.J. “A Feast prep a red by Fr. Bidinger” and “ P l ay Hooky with Fr. Bidinger” b rought in over $20,000. In her first year as Director of the Haw k t i o n , Beth Missett was ove rwhelmed by the dedication and hard work of all those invo l ved in putting together this ye a r ’s eve n t . “Hawktion 2005 was a great success, as it is eve ry ye a r, because of all the wonderful people i nvo l ve d ,” she says.
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Mothers’ Club and All That Ja z z The Mothers’ Club hosted their annual Fashion Show at the Park Hyatt Philadelphia at the Bellevue in the spring. This year’s theme, chosen by chairs Pati Lombardi and Marybeth Taras, was All That Jazz. Lombardi and Taras, with the help of their committee chairs and volunteers, worked tirelessly to organize a wonderful event. The day began with a liturgy celebrated by the Prep President Rev. Bruce M. Bidinger, S.J., at St. John’s the Evangelist Church. Attendees were then treated to a lunch and an elegant display of spring and summer fashions by Elizabeth Maar of Haverford and Newtown Square. The event was a huge success and special thanks go to all of the ladies for their months of hard work and planning. The decorations committee and event co-chairs of the Mothers’ Club Fashion Show prior to the event: (l-r) Helen Quattrone, Cathy Ciccarelli, Marybeth Taras, Pati Lombardi, Carol Radomski and Kate Wachter.
Class of ’55 Returns
The Class of 1955 recently celebrated
Special thanks to the reunion commit-
its 50th anniversary of their graduation
tee for producing a memorable
from St. Joseph’s Prep with a weekend
weekend for all involved. The commit-
of events. First, there was a Friday
tee included: Jack Branka, Leo Carlin,
afternoon golf outing at Manufacture r’s
Don Flynn, Vince Garrity, Mike
GCC. Later that evening nearly 70
Hynes, Joe Lynch, Don McBride,
classmates gathered at the home of
Charlie Morgan, Bill Mulvey, Vince
Joie and Don McBride for re f reshments
Nolan and John O’Donnell.
and great conversation. The Union League was the site of the 50th anniversary dinner that Saturd a y and the weekend’s activities concluded on Sunday morning with a marc h down the aisle to be honored along with the Class of 2005 at Graduation.
Top photo: Joe and Trish Lynch Bottom photo: Don and Joie McBride
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Pictured above: (l-r) A.J. O’Brien, Joe Ryan and Leo Carlin
s c h o o l f e at u r e s
N ew Trustees Five new members have been elected to St. Joseph's Prep Board of Trustees for 2005-06: Armand
Linda Ann Galante S t ra d l ey, Ronon, S t evens & Young LLP
Della Porta '73, Linda Ann Galante, John McConnell '70, John Paul '66 and Sean Rooney '80.
Armand Della Porta ’73 Kelley Jasons McGuire & Spinelli LLP
Della Porta is a founding partner of Ke l l ey Jasons McGuire and Spinelli, L.L.P., and is m a n aging partner of its Delawa re Office. He has serve d on the Prep’s Alumni Board of G overnors for seve ral ye a r s , including a term as President. His son John Michael gra d u a ted from The Prep in 2005. He and his wife Debbi also have a daughter A i m e e, a student at Merion Mercy A c a d e my.
Galante is a partner at S t ra d l ey, Ronon, Stevens and Young, LLP in Philadelphia, serving as co-chair of the banking practice gro u p. Pro f e s s i o n a l ly, she has conc e n t rated her efforts on banking, real estate and nonp rofit corporate law. Galante is also ve ry active in her community, sitting on several boards. She was named Person of the Year by Project Rainbow and had a center named in her honor for her work with homeless women and ch i ld re n . Galante and her husband John Colussi are the p a rents of J.P., a 2005 graduate of The Prep. She served as a member of the board of the Prep’s Hock ey Pa re n t s Association.
“Each of these five people brings to the table an incredible amount of talent. Not only does each have an incredible love of The Prep, but also all bring a special expertise from their professional lives that will greatly benefit our school” —Prep President Rev. Bruce M. Bidinger, S.J.
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Sean Rooney ’80 ARAMARK Stadiums and Arenas
John McConnell ’70 Deloitte Consulting
McConnell, one of three ge n e rations of Prep p e r s , is a partner with Deloitte Consulting in Glen Mills. His areas of expertise are stra t egy and operations m a n agement, marketing and sales effectiveness, m e rge r i n t eg ration and business transformation. He and his wife Gwen have four ch i l d re n (sons John ’00, Matthew ’01 and Michael ’03 and daughter Katy). McConnell’s father, the late John, Esq., is a 1934 Prep g ra d u a t e.
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John Paul ’66 Thomas J. Paul Inc
Paul is president of his ow n cre a t ive marketing services age n cy, with clients including local, regional and national businesses and organizations. He has been ex t re m e ly active in volunteering his time on b o a rds such as the St. Jo h n Neumann Nursing Home, the Pe n nypack Ecologi c a l Restoration Trust, Mt. St. Jo s ep h ’s A c a d e my and LaSalle C o l l ege High School where he was co-chair of the $10 million capital campaign “ Fo reve r LaSalle.” He and his wife, Judy, h ave two ch i l d re n , Christopher and Laura.
R o o n ey is president of ARAMARK Stadiums and A re n a s , re s p o n s i ble for operations for all of the company’s stadium and arena accounts t h roughout the country. His leadership has been on display at many convention centers and stadiums across the count ry, including Philadelphia’s Wach ovia Center, the Pe n n s y l vania Convention Center, Oriole Park at Camden Ya rds in Baltimore, PNC Park in Pittsburgh, Gund A rena in Cleve land and Coors Field in Denve r. R o o n ey ’s innovations have resulted in many new reve nu e s t reams for ARAMARK while enhancing fan ex p e r i e n c e.
school news
SPRING
SPORTS RECAP
BASEBALL
CREW
The team’s season was highlighted by wins over LaSalle, Cardinal O’Hara and Monsignor Bonner, all ranked in the top 10 in Southeastern Pennsylvania. AllCatholic honors were secured by B r i a n Veit ’05 (first-team designated hitter), Jim Bogan ’05 (second-team outfielder) and Matt Leddy ’06 (first-team pitcher).
It was another banner year for the Prep crew program, led by the Varsity Eight’s national championship and berth at the Princess Elizabeth Cup in Henley, England (see inside back cover). The eight— comprised of Brad Adams ’07, Pat Dewechter ’05, Mike Lombardi ’06, Drew Golda ’05, Matt McGowan ’06, Ken Ewell ’05, John Connolly ’05, Mike Gennaro ’07 and Mark DelGuercio ’05 (coxswain)—also
GOLF It was another successful season for the golf team, which finished with a 14-3 record. Thirty golfers competed for the Hawks and the team placed second in the Catholic League. At league championships, held at the Golf Course at Glen Mills, seniors Andrew Battaglini, William Gallagher, William Smith and Christopher Sieck won allCatholic honors while junior William Shotzbarger missed by one stroke.
medaled at the Catholic League Championships, the Philadelphia City Championships and the Stotesbury Cup Regatta. The Freshman Eight and the Lightweight Eight earned medals at those races while the freshmen also won at the Scholastic Rowing Association of America National Regatta to complete an undefeated season in major medal races.
LACROSSE The Hawks rode an undefeated regular season to the Catholic League Southern Division title and advanced to the state playoffs for the fourth straight year. Pat Glynn ’05 earned All-American and allstate honors along with the league MVP award. Co-captain Andrew Cabrey ’05 also earned all-state honors. Glynn and
Cabrey were joined on the first-team, all-Catholic squad by Ryan O’Neill ’05, Steve Harrington ’06 and Brian Schuster ’06 while Vince Quinn ’06, Patrick Koehl ’06, Paul Sutton ’06 and Jim Young ’06 earned spots on the second team.
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OUTDOOR TRACK
TENNIS
The team finished second in the outdoor divisional championships. The 4 x 400 relay team of Ryan Kurtz ’06, Kevin Kearney ’06, Chris Peterson ’06 and Kevin O’Hara ’06 finished in third place in the Catholic League division at the Penn Relays and earned second-team, all-Catholic honors. In addition, the 4x100 team of Colin Wixted ’06, Juan Cave ’05, Kurtz and Brad Wright ’07 broke the school record with a time of 43.55 at the Catholic League Championships.
The Hawks won the Catholic League Championship with a 10-1 record. Brendan Judy ’06 was named team MVP and all-Catholic. Andrew Molchan ’06 was a perfect 11-0 at number four singles. Judy was joined on the allCatholic squad by Corey O’Rourke ’05, Matt Tucci ’05 and Matt DuPont ’06.
RUGBY The team started the season in the third division but moved up to Division II midway through the season. The varsity (A side) finished with a 6-2 record while the junior varsity (B side) was 5-3. The team also finished in third place at the Catholic High School Rugby Invitational at Archbishop Ryan.
Redding to Play at Nova At a news conference in The Prep library, basketball player Reggie Redding ’06 announced that he will play his college ball at Villanova University under head coach Jay Wr i g h t . Redding is part of an impressive class joining the Wildcats in 2006, including Casiem Drummond, a 6-foot-10 senior-to-be at Bloomfield Tech (N.J.), 6-10 Andrew Ott of Germ a n t o w n Academy and 6-9 Kraidon Woods of Pocono East (Pa.) “I just felt like it was the right place for me,” says Redding, who was also looking at Penn, Saint Joseph’s, Temple, Nort h C a rolina State, Pittsburgh and Boston College. P rep coach Bill “Speedy” Morris was not surprised that there w e re many programs after Redding. “Every coach remarked about Reggie’s character,” Morris said. “They thought so much of him as a young man. They also couldn’t believe how much he knew about their programs, the ins and outs on every player. That’s not surprising; Reggie’s a basketball junkie.” Redding has been part of The Pre p ’s basketball renaissance. In his three years, the team has advanced to the Catholic League championship game three times, winning two titles.
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upcoming events
Reunion2005
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
Wel com e Back
take on Archbishop Ryan at PlymouthWhitemarsh High School. Post Game—Reception for all alumni at Washington Memorial Hall (Fire m a n ’s Hall), 36 W. Elm St., Conshohocken.
ALL ALUMNI WELCOME! The Prep is hosting its first Alumni Weekend, Friday, September 30 through Sunday, October 2. While the classes from the 0s and the 5s will celebrate their reunions, all alumni are invited to attend.
7:30 p.m .—The Prep football team will
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 1 11 a.m.—Golden Years Reunion (at The Pre p ) 7 p.m.—Class Reunions for Honore d Classes of 2000, 1995, 1990, 1985, 1980, 1975, 1970, 1965, 1960 (at The P rep). Cocktails begin at 6 p.m.
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 2 10 a.m. —Annual Father-Son Communion Breakfast (at The Churc h of the Gesu with breakfast following in the Kelly Fieldhouse)
For more information, call (215) 978-1003 or send an e-mail to azimmerman@sjprep.org.
Preppers Tee It Up!
Wh a t : P rep Alumni Golf Tournament Wh e re : Philadelphia Cricket Club (Flourtown) Wh e n : Monday, May 22, 2006
Alumni Artists WANTED!
Wh o : Open to all members of the Prep community (alumni, parents, parents of alumni and friends) Cost: $250
Reservations can be made by calling (215) 9781003. The field is limited to 160 golfers. Sponsorships are also available. For more information, call Al Zimmerman at (215) 978-1003. Also, look for more information to be mailed in a bro c h u re in January.
An Alumni Art Exhibition is in the works. To enter or for more information, e-mail Deb Hilton at dhilton@sjprep.org by September 9.
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alumni news
Alumni Notes 1940s E. Michael Kienlen ’45 received the 2005 Golden Alumnus of the Year Award. Kienlen was Vice President of Sales at Gilman Pa p e r Company and has been his class representative with the Alumni Association. He and his wife, Mary Lou, have been married for 53 years and have seven children and 10 gra n dchildren. J. Paul Sullivan ’49 received the 2005 Golden Alumnus of the Year Award. Sullivan spent most of his career in sales mostly in the book industry. He and his wife, Joann, have a daughter.
1950s Robert Shallow ’52 is a licensed real estate consultant with Keller Williams Realtors in Florida. William Hamburger ’53 reports that his grandson, Colin Broderick, was baptized on March 19 (the Feast of St. Joseph) by Fr. John Wackerman, son of classmate Jay Wackerman and brother of Prep teacher Anne Smith. Colin’s great-grandfather was the late W. Charles Hamburger ’20. Vince Nolan ’55 is the proud grandfather of Seamus Hugh Diviny.
S T. M A RT I N O F TO U R S Fe atured is Monsignor Francis W. Beach and Phil Martelli ’7 2 , St. Joseph’s University Basketball C o a ch . Martelli was the keynote speaker at the sch o o l ’s Hall of Fame induction of A r ch b i s h o p Edward Adams ‘ 6 2 .
Joseph Duggan ’56, acting dean of the g raduate division at the University of C a l i f o r n i a - B e r keley (UCB), gave remarks at the annual convocation of the Gra d u a t e Theological Union (GTU), a partner with UCB. GTU’s president is James Donahue ’65 Also in attendance was Chuck Conwa y, a doctora l
candidate at GTU and uncle of Peter Cook ’ 0 2. Anthony Stevens-Arroyo ’58 served as an advisor to the Hispanic Apostolate of the Maryland Province of the Society of Jesus, which met at Loyola Prep in Baltimore.
Update This past year St. Joseph’s Prep instituted a volunteer-led annual giving solicitation. To mark the occasion, we named the campaign “The Prep Fund.” A special thank you goes to Judy and Phil Martelli ’72 and Elise and Charlie Pizzi, who served as the first cabinet chairs of the Prep Fund. Their ideas and insight, along with the entire Prep Fund Cabinet, were instrumental in helping us raise nearly $1.5 million. The members of this year’s Prep Fund Cabinet and all of our Phonathon volunteers have laid a solid foundation for this volunteer-run campaign that will last well into the future. We thank all the alumni, parents, parents of alumni, and friends who volunteered their time and made
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donations to this year’s effort. All of the support makes a lasting impact on the Prep community. Donations to The Prep Fund go towards funding of financial aid and scholarships, educational improvements, building maintenance and all of our many athletic programs and extra curricular activities. Tuition alone does not cover the cost of operating our school so your Prep Fund donations help to enhance all aspects of a Prep education today. For more information on The Prep Fund, call Bonny Barry at (215) 978-1003.
alumni news
1960s Archbishop Edward Adams ’62 was inducted as the first honoree in the St. Martin of Tours School Hall of Fame in Philadelphia. Prep alum Phil Martelli ’7 2 gave the keynote address at the induction ceremony. E d w a rd Burke ’63 and his wife, B.A., are the proud grandparents of Burke Peter Julien, Prep class of 2023. John McCarthy ’63 will retire from PriceWaterhouseCoopers in the fall after 37 years. He is moving on to teach at Harva r d University. Robert Wombwell ’63 is in the first class a warded the designation of chartered advisor in philanthropy from The American College in Bryn Mawr. Wombwell is the Director of Fund Development at Deer Meadows Retirement Community in Philadelphia. Joe Cinquino ’64 was ordained a permanent deacon for the Archdiocese of Baltimore and now ministers at his home parish of St. John’s in We s t m i n s t e r, Md. After retiring from the Army in 1992, he has worked part-time for a financial planning firm. Rev. Thomas Pe s c i , S.J., ’67 has been named president of Loyola Blake f i e l d , a Jesuit school in Baltimore. He takes over for Rev. Jack Dennis, S. J. , who taught at The Prep in the late 1980s. Je re Crean ’68 was selected as South Texas Youth Soccer Association (STYSA) Volunteer of the Year. Six members of the Class of 1969—Dave Bean, Tom Ke l l y, Charlie McCormick, Tom Reilly, Jim Tier and Tony Valeo— spent a week on the golf links in Ireland. 1970s Jerry McHugh ’72 was featured with a story and the cover photo on the 2005 issue of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. F ran Rabuck ’73 has joined the Advisory Board of Airset and is a frequent speaker on wireless topics and collaboration tools ra n ging from RFID, WiFi, 3G, mobile eLearning and more. Brian Dougherty ’74 was in Philadelphia at the National Educational Computer Conference in June. His new company is Airena, Inc., and his latest venture is www.airset.com, a free service that allows groups to create and share calendar information in a shared internet workplace. Michael Scullin ’75, an international lawyer with Monteverde, McAlee and Hurd, was a warded a Medal of Honor from the French region of Rhone-Alpes in recognition of a sis-
ter program that he developed between the bar associations of Philadelphia and Lyon, France’s second largest city. He recently completed a term as CEO of the Breast Health Institute and the Foundation for Breast and Prostate Health. Scullin also teaches a course on international law at Temple University and serves on the Board of Directors at the Alliance Francaise de Philadelphia. C raig Settles ’7 5 has just published his latest wireless book I Only Have ROIs for You, a planning guide on how to build a business case for mobile and wireless technology that helps you make money, save money and run a better business. E d w a rd Buthusiem ’78 was profiled in the “Reader of the Week” section of T h e Suburban and Wayne Times for giving the address at Temple University’s College of L i b e ral Arts commencement ceremony. He is Senior Vice President of GlaxoSmithKline. Buthusiem and his wife, S t e p h a n i e, live in Berwyn with their children Emma (7) and Blake (5). Stanley Jaskiewicz ’78 has been elected to the Board of Directors of the YMCA of Greater Philadelphia, joining classmate G e o f f re y McKernan. He has also been named a contributing editor of E-Commerce Law and S t r a t e g y. In addition, Jaskiewicz serves on the board of the North Penn Special Education Council and on the pastoral and finance councils of Corpus Christi Parish in Lansdale. Christopher McCabe ’79 has joined the Philadelphia law firm of Jacoby Donner, P.C., as Senior Counsel, specializing in public cont ract law and construction law and litigation. McCabe spent more than 13 years in the public sector, working for the Commercial Litigation Unit of the City of Philadelphia Law Department.
Michael Chitwo od ’81 is police chief in Shawnee, Okla., after serving in Philadelphia for 16 years, receiving 58 department commendations and supervising a number of high-profile investigations. Stephen Humes ’82 has joined the law firm of McCarter and English as a partner in the Hartford, Ct. office. His focus is on energy, environmental, utilities and telecommunications law. Bruce Marcolongo ’83 is clinical technology manager at Universal Health Services Inc., where he is responsible for the technology in 26 acute care facilities. Marcolongo has also done graphic design and photography work for several CD covers. He and his wife, Caryn, have two children, Kimberly and Nicholas. Thomas Dempsey ’84 works for GLG Partners in London where he lives with his wife, Karen, and their two sets of twins, Katie and Annie (8) and Emma and Maggie (3). Kevin Vizzarri ’8 5 is an Apache Longbow Aviator in the Army and a chief executive officer leading nearly 1,000 soldiers in Afghanistan.
Kevin Vizzarri ’85
Scott Grande ’86 is general manager of Staples. The oldest of his three daughters is set to get married next year. Sean Kane ’87 and his wife A raceli have three sons (Liam, Ethan and Brendan) and a daughter (Mary Gra c e ) . M a rc Schuhl ’88 is the new assistant head principal at Marymount High School in Los Angeles, Calif. 1990s
Christopher McCabe ’79
1980s Robert D’Anjolell ’80 is starting construction on his sixth Memorial Home location in Aston.
William Benner ’91 has been named Executive Chef of the Grand Targhee Resort in Alta, WO. Dave Jaeger ’92 is network operations manager at Arcadia University in Glenside. He and his wife, Christine, have a son, Ja c k . Brian Master ’95, a musician in Los Angeles, performed at the Arena Football League’s Arena Bowl Party in Las Vegas in May.
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C h e ck out The Prep’s n ew Spirit Sho p without l e aving your home or office. Go to www.prepspiritshop.org to get the latest Prep merchandise
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alumni news
Rob McElhenney ’95 is star, creator, executive producer, writer and director of the new FX sitcom, It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia. Louis Pauzano ’95 is in his final year of pharmacy school at Temple University. Thomas McGlaughlin ’96 has enrolled in Temple Law School. Rob Olszewski ’9 6 is starting Jefferson Medical College in the fall. B rad Scalio ’96, who obtained a Master of Science degree in meteorology in 2003, has decided on a career change and recently g raduated from the Metropolitan Po l i c e Academy in Washington, D. C. He has assumed his duties as an officer in the nation’s capital. Michael Shea ’96 is working at International SOS, a Philadelphia-based company that provides medical and security services to international travelers. He will spend much of the first year working in Singapore. John Bobiak ’97 and his wife Sarah play competitive ultimate Frisbee and have competed in tournaments in Ohio, Pe n n s y l vania and New Jersey. In the spring, he ran his second Boston Mara t h o n . Joseph Orzechowski ’97 g raduated from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and will be an emergency medicine resident at Albert Einstein Medical Center. Ryan Dunn ‘99 is attending graduate school at Bond University in Australia. Philip Gravinese ’99 was awarded a $40,000 fellowship from the National Science Foundation. His project, I n t e g rated Science Teaching Enhancement Partnership, is part of a larger $1.7 million grant awarded to Florida Institute of Technology’s Marine Science prog ra m . Phil Martelli Jr. ’99 is an assistant men’s basketball coach at Manhattan College. M i ke Rady ’99 secured the role of Kostas, a young, carefree Greek fisherman who befriends Lena (Alexis Bledel of G i l m o r e G i r l s), in the 2005 film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants .
2000s M i ke Day ’00 and John McConnell ’00 founded the Xtreme Biker Association (XBA)’s Xtreme Bike Ride to the Shore, a 90-mile bike ride beginning at The Prep and ending at the Jersey Shore. Vincent Gravinese ’01 earned a spot on the dean’s list at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Mass. Chris Ku rek ’01 was co-captain of the swimming and diving team at the College of the Holy Cross in Wo r c e s t e r, Mass. Kurek was joined on the team by fellow Preppers Matt Talucci ’02 and F rancis Sweeney ’04. Patrick Hughes ’02 is president of the student body at Saint Joseph’s University, where he was also managing editor of The Hawk newspaper. Three members of the Class of 2002, Jo s e p h Ke n n e y, Martin Quinn and Michael S a n t o ro were awarded the prestigious Sutula Scholarship in the Department of Accounting from Saint Joseph’s University. The scholarship is awarded to junior accounting majors based on scholarship, leadership and participation in various accounting societies.
Mulekicker Classic and the Cape May Invitational. Vanelli also placed sixth overall in the NEIGA Championships to earn all-New England honors. Last spring, Fairfield University Alumni Association named him Student-Athlete of the Year and he was also on the MAAC all-academic team. Pete Mellen ’03 played lacrosse for Middlebury College in the Division III national championship game, held at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL Eagles. Doug Barry ’04 has published his second book, Wisdom for a High School Grad.
Calendar of Eve n t s SEPTEMBER 6
Classes Begin
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Alumni Board of Governors Meeting Mothers’ Club Meeting and Liturgy
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Reunion 2005! • Prep Football vs. Archbishop Ryan, 7:30 p.m. • Reception following for all alumni at Washington Memorial Hall (Fireman’s Hall), 36 W. Elm St., Conshohocken
OCTOBER 1
Reunion 2005 • Golden Years Party, 11 a.m. (The Prep) • Reunions for Classes Ending in 0s and 5s (1960-2000), 7 p.m. (The Prep)
2 Michael Santoro ’02, Joseph Kenney ’02 and Martin Quinn ’02
Michael Vannelli ’02, a junior at Fairfield University, was named a Cleveland Golf AllAmerica Scholar, the first Stag in history of the p r o g ramto receive the honor. Vanelli won two tournaments during the 2004-2005 season, taking medalist honors in both the Army’s Fall
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Reunion 2005 • Alumni Father-Son Communion Breakfast (Church of the Gesu/Kelly Fieldhouse), 10 a.m.
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Mothers’/Fathers’ Club Meeting
NOVEMBER 4-6,10-13 The Cape and Sword Production of Inherit the Wind (Time TBA)
Tell Us Your New s. . .
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Mothers’ Club Meeting/Liturgy
We are interested in what you are doing. Please fill out this form and mail it to: The Prep News, 1733 Girard Avenue, Philadelphia, Pa. 19130 or e-mail afalcone@sjprep.org
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Wednesday Night JUG
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Prep Football vs. La Salle (at La Salle University)
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Homecoming
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Alumni Board of Governors Meeting
Name:
Class:
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News:
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alumni news
Alumni Births
ObiO tu baitruieasries
Mary Grace to A raceli and Sean Kane ’87
REV. STEPHEN A. GARBER, S.J.
Elena Esperanza to Nicole and Stephen Posivak ’87 William Reid to Elisa and Timothy Potero ’87
G e n e rations of Prep students know the low but powerful voice of Rev. Stephen A. Garber, S.J.. A longtime chemistry teacher at The Prep, Fr. Garber died of complications from cancer in July at the age of 81 but his memory will live on for decades to come.
Nathaniel James to Helena and James Harron ’89 Caroline Grace to Heather and John Coyle ’90 Patrick Francis III to Kimberly and Patrick Devlin ’91 John Vayda “ Ja c k ” to Christine and Dave Jaeger ’92 Victoria Rose to Nicole and Joseph Botta ’93
“He was a master teacher and really engaged the students,” fellow teacher R e v. Frank Ske c h u s, S.J., said in an article in The Philadelphia Inquirer. Fr. Garber arrived at The Prep in 1960 after stints at Gonzaga College High School and Saint Joseph’s University. Once named head of the department, he made it his goal to raise money for new equipment. Famously, Fr. Garber saved the science lockers when a fire ra vaged the old Prep buildings in 1966.
Mary Grace Kane
John Vayda “Jack” Jaeger
Alumni Weddings John Darmohray ’92 and Kristine Kipphut Michael Cardamone ’92 and Imina Imsirovic Michael Higgins ’92 and Lauren Wysocki John Bobiak ’97 and Sarah Sylvia W. Sean McLaughlin ’98 and Lizann Gallagher
Alumni Deat h s
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RICHARD JOHNSON ’05 Just weeks after a smiling Richard Johnson ’05 left The Prep’s graduation ceremony at Saint Joseph’s University full of promise and hope for the future, he became a bitter reminder of the reality of life. Johnson, who had a scholarship to St. Joe’s to study political science, was killed near his South Philadelphia neighborhood. He was 17. Prep Principal Rev. Thomas Clifford, S.J., remembers a student who excelled in languages. “That was a real strength of h i s,” Fr. Clifford says of Johnson. “It is such a sad situation. He hadn’t even scratched the surface of his potential.”
IN MEMORY Thomas Byrne '28 Wilton DeMarco '29 John Grady '31 Henry Dougherty '32 James McDermott '39 John Caulfield '40 Rev. James Gormley, S. J. '41 Joseph C. Tuinman '41 John Devlin '42 Robert McCairns '42 Dr. Edward Devine '43 James Gillin '44 John Seese '44 William Ward '44 John O'Rourke '45 Thomas Park Jr. '46 Paul Schreiber Jr. '46 Jeremiah Carney '47 Harold Monahan '47 Eugene Visco '47 Joseph Murphy '49 Richard Budney '51 Joseph Przybylski '52 Joseph Taddeo '52
Fr. Garber had many achievements in his life, such as developing the SAT test for chemistry and teaching teachers how to prepare students for the exam. But it was his impact on students that was his true measure. He is survived by his sisters, Margaret Curl and Elizabeth Garbin.
James McNaney '54 Edward Borowski '55 Matthew Conwa y ' 5 5 Dr. Robert Gruszka '55 Joseph Ott '55 Dennis Malloy '57 Anthony Bateman, Esq. '58 David Nuttall '59 Richard Malloy '61 Michael Hedgepeth '62 Joseph Kurek '63 James Barry'66 Francis McGuire '72 Michael Cantwell '73 John Delaney '76 Kelvin Solomon '78 Lt. Col. John Spahr '81 Kenneth Fleischman '93 Richard Johnson '05 Rev. Stephen A. Garber, S.J., Chemistry Teacher Ernest "Piggy" Wicks, Custodial Staff John Hall, Custodial Staff
Fr. Clifford pointed out that Johnson, who was a National Achievement semi-finalist, took three years of Greek to go along with his Latin and modern language requirements. In an article in the Philadelphia Daily News, Johnson’s mother Catherine Young said of her son, “it’s such a waste of life. He had so much ahead of him.” Sadly, Johnson is the third member of the Class of 2005 to have died. Patrick Monaghan died in February of 2003 and Thomas Byrnes passed away last summer.
JOHN SPAHR ’81 John Spahr ’81 died doing what he loved, flying in defense of the United States of America. Spahr’s body was found in early May after his F/A-18 Hornet fighter jet and a second Marine aircraft crashed in southc e n t ral Ira q . "Everyone should get down on their knees tonight and thank God they have people like John Spahr protecting us," Leo Carlin Jr. ’ 8 1, Spahr's friend and football teammate, said in an interview with the Philadelphia Daily News. Spahr was on his second tour of duty in Iraq and had previously served in Operation Desert Storm. He was an executive officer of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 323, based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Calif. Spahr is survived by his daughter, mother, four older sisters and brother.
Alumni Gather Across the Nation Alumni gatherings are being scheduled throughout the country this year. Here are some of the places where meetings will be held: New York
October 12
Boston
October 26
Washington D.C.
November 16
Florida Atl.
January 26
Florida South
January 27
Phoenix
February 9
San Diego
February 11
Florida Gulf Coast
February 16
Los Angeles
February 23
San Francisco
March 10
Seattle
March 8
Dallas
April 6
Houston
April 7
Chicago
April 20
Baltimore
April 27
Denver
April 24
Check upcoming magazines and your mailboxes for locations and more information. If you would like to know more, call (215) 978-1003.
Future Pre p p e rs Take Note! St. Jo s ep h ’s Prep is hosting events for those entering The Prep in the fall of 2006 or 2007: • Fall Open House: Sunday, N ovember 6, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. • Scholarship/Entrance Exam (Eighth Graders): Sunday, November 18, 9:30 a.m. • P ractice Entrance Exam (Seventh Graders): Saturd ay, April 8, 9:30 a.m. For more information, call the Admission Office at (215) 978-1958.
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Pe r s p e c t ives This new feature in “The Prep News” will look at an event through the eyes of a member of The Prep community. This first issue takes us to Henley-on-Thames, England, hours after the St. Joseph’s Prep Varsity Nine boat finished second in the world’s most prestigious event. The following was written by all nine members of the boat and first published on a blog that can be found at http://crew.pre p p i c s . c o m.
Sunday, the day of the championship, was an emotional one. After a pre-final night of biting finge r n a i l s , f i d geting in our seats and feeble attempts to i g n o rethe growing tension so that we may snag at least a couple hours of precious sleep (which , inev i t ably, we re spent dre a m i n g about what successes or failures might come), we did indeed arise rather well re s t e d . But, while we may have been re s t e d , we we re also fully awa re that we we re about to compete in one of the most monumental events of our rowing care e r s . P re-race time tends to bring out sides of rowers that you would not normally see. This particular pre-race bro u g h t levels of focus that would seem diff icult to reach in any other situation. The gravity of all that lie behind and, even m o re so, ahead weighed heavily on us all. We were forced to summon up s t rength and courage from very distant, and perhaps frightening, parts of ourselves. It may be argued that in the 30 minutes before the final at Henley, one can learn more about himself and his boat mates than he would ever have imagined. Welcome to the show. They say it is best to embrace the n e rves that begin to take over during those agonizing minutes on the starting block. It doesn’t seem to make very
Brad Adams ’07, Pat Dewechter ’05, Mike Lombardi ’06, Drew Golda ’05, Matt McGowan ’06, Ken Ewell ’05, John Connolly ’05, Mike Gennaro ’07 and Mark DelGuercio ’05 (coxswain).
much sense, re a l l y. Everyone has experienced anxiety. Take that normal, everyday “I’m late for work” tension, multiply by a hundred and stick it right down deep inside your core. Then you may begin to see how massive a task it is to convince yourself that you need these nerves to perf o rm at your optimum level. Be assured, in that department we were not found wanting. We rowed the race of our lives…we knew we had to. In that last split second between the dropping of the flag and our bodies kicking into action, all that we had learned from our coaches, our teammates, and – most import a n tly – ourselves, allowed us to rise above all the nerves and the tension, and indeed to perform to the best of our ability. We can confidently say that Eton did the exact same thing.
No one ever really rows a perfect race, not even in the Princess Elizabeth Cup Final at Henley-on-Thames, England. However, the desire, the will, and the courage shown in both lanes of the course during that race were, in fact, p e rfect. We could not have been beaten by a classier group of guys. It was our privilege to race a crew that demanded nothing short of their best p e rf o rmance, and we believe they can say the same about us. July 3, 2005, was a day that we will remember for the rest of our lives. It was the culmination of everything we had learned from the best coaches a round with the support of so many. We would like to deeply thank everyone for the incredible opport u n i t i e s p rovided to us throughout this memorable season, and we wish the best of luck to Prep Crew in the future .
Reunion ‘05 Friday, September 30 through Sunday, October 2 see ad on p. 14
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