A magazine for alumni, parents, students, faculty and friends of St. Joseph’s Preparatory School Vol. 4 No. 1, Spring 2008
news
president’s letter
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Fr. Byron and Prep principal Michael Gomez welcome Cardinal John Foley ’53 to The Prep.
ELCOME TO ANOTHER ISSUE OF THE PREP NEWS! THIS ONE FEATURES
VISITS BY CARDINAL FOLEY AND MAYOR NUTTER. Both received rousing receptions from the students and each heaped high praise on The Prep and on those who were and are The Prep for them. You’ll meet more of our faculty in this issue. One of them, you may be surprised to know, teaches Chinese. We turned to her, Mrs.Yan Huang, for help in spelling out the letters “A.M.D.G.” in Chinese characters for a wall posting in our new Ignatian Commons, now under construction, where that famous motto will be displayed in letters from four languages. In explaining that there is a word for God in Chinese, she added that in the days of the great Jesuit missionary to China, Matteo Ricci, there was no word for God Incarnate. That triggered speculation in my mind as to whether some young Prepper, introduced to the Chinese language here, might someday become a Jesuit missioner in the tradition of Ricci, and bring both the word and name of God to unknown others who have not yet heard! Who can say? Many of you will be moved by the obituary for Father John J. McGinty that appears in this issue. He was a classmate of mine here at The Prep; we all called him “Chief.” During his years of Jesuit service to The Prep as Prefect of Discipline (a position now carrying the title “Dean”), the boys, familiar with his stentorian voice, called him “Moose.” He was a wonderful priest and friend to so many in The Prep community. Oversight and observation were tools of his administrative trade here on earth. Now we can count on his intercession from a high place in heaven. As you enjoy the entire issue, I know you will echo my words of thanks to the staff who produced it and the outstanding members of The Prep family who are featured here. Yours faithfully,
William J. Byron, S.J., ‘45 President
Cover photography by David DeBalko
inside:
editor’s note:
news SJP in the Community .....................2 Academic Highlights .......................3 Cape and Sword ..............................4 Sports ..............................................6 Communion Breakfasts...................7 f e at u r e s His Eminence and His Honor ..........8 Faculty Profiles ..............................14 Student Profile ..............................16 Parent Profile ................................17 Department Profile .......................18 Athletics Profile ............................22 Perspectives ...................................32 alumni
Hello and welcome to another edition of The Prep News. Many of my friends from high school ask me what it is like working back at The Prep after so many years. My answer is nearly always the same: I have a wonderful job and the opportunity to work with fantastic people, both colleagues and students. But this winter, in the span of just four weeks, work was even more magical.
Reunion .........................................20 Class Notes ....................................24
In the month that ran from early December to early January, we were blessed to have visits from two promi-
Weddings/Births ............................30
nent alumni, Cardinal John Foley ‘53 and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter ‘75. You will see photos from
Obituaries......................................31
their visit and also read the comments of some Prep people who know them well. However, I don’t know if the photos do total justice to the spirit that filled our halls during those special days.
Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 Michael Gomez John T. Anderson Timothy Klarich ’71 Rev. Bruce A. Maivelett, S.J. Albert J. Zimmerman ’73
President Principal Vice President for Development Executive Vice President/ Chief Financial Officer Director of Ignatian Identity Director of Alumni Relations
to a life of service in the priesthood. During his homily, he urged our students to listen for that whisper so that they too can learn what God has in store for them. Mayor Nutter’s talk in the Kelly Fieldhouse called our young men to action as well. He spoke of the oppor-
editor Bill Avington ’90
Cardinal Foley spoke of hearing God’s whisper during his St. Joseph’s Prep days, a whisper that called him
Director, Marketing and Communications
tunity that he has today and told the students of the responsibility they have as Jesuit-educated men to go
McCloskey Designs
Each session ended the same, with the men donning Prep gear and exiting to a raucous singing of The Prep
out and change the world. I thought of the movie quote “with great power comes great responsibility.”
designer Maridel McCloskey
class notes editor Angie Falcone
This is the first editor’s note for our magazine, and it will join the President’s Message as a way to give a
editorial staff Ceal Biello Beth Missett Nancy Moule Richard Van Fossen
fight song. Both days induced goose bumps. Neither will soon be forgotten.
Development Services
Director, Prep Fund Director, Special Events Development Services Assistant Director, Major Gifts
photography
bit of a first-person look at life at The Prep. If you ever have comments about the magazine or wish to chat about the contents, please feel free to drop me a line at bavington@sjprep.org. Your feedback is a great way for us to know how we are doing here at The Prep News. Hope you enjoy reading all of the wonderful things happening at St. Joseph’s Prep.
David DeBalko, Ann Iannacone, Mike Monti, Brendan Murphy’01, Frank Raffa
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@sjprep.org For additional information, check our website www.sjprep.org
Bill
school news
PREP IN THE COMMUNITY The Community Service Corps (CSC) has been extremely busy this year: • Coat/Blanket Drive: The CSC collected new and used coats for donation to the St. Francis Inn; • Thanksgiving Food Drive: The group collected food items to be included in a basket to be delivered to needy, area families. The Prep delivered food to 175 families;
PREP BOOK DRIVE BREAKS RECORD The fifth annual St. Joseph’s Prep Book Drive collected a recordbreaking 18,197 books this year, bringing the five-year total to 62,267. English teacher Joe Coyle began the drive in 2003 and has coordinated it ever since. This year, the drive teamed up with the 2nd Street Irish Society to donate the books to Sacred Heart and Mt. Carmel Schools. Books were also donated to PhilaREADS, St. Donata’s, and the Gesu School.
• Operation Santa Claus: The Prep is part of Operation Santa Claus, a program that delivers toys to low-income families. Last year, toys were delivered to 12,000 children. Teams of teens from the Delaware Valley volunteer, dress up and deliver toys to children who may not otherwise receive gifts at Christmas; • In late January, the Community Service Corps organized its annual Franklin Institute sleepover with 25 Prep students and 21 Gesu students; • Patrick Kelly ‘08 and Christopher Lally ‘08 were among 10 teens who recently visited Nicaragua to work on the new Food for the Poor housing project dedicated to the memory of Father Charles Pfeffer, a former director of the Archdiocesan Office for Youth and Young Adults. Prep biology teacher Barbara Brown, who is moderator of the CSC and also Patrick’s mother made the trip as well. The group visited the new housing, as well as another area where crude shacks are set up to be replaced, a girls’ orphanage and a dump where men, women and children scavenge and work under horrific conditions. In addition, The Prep Environmental Action and Reflection Club collected used sneakers to be reused as a playing surface or a field for underprivileged children. The Black and Latino Culture Club hosted its annual Madden Football tournament to raise money to support the Don Guanella House and the St. Martha’s Guild Christmas Baskets.
CATHOLIC SCHOOLS WEEK CELEBRATION Prep students took part in some of the Archdiocese's celebrations for Catholic Schools Week. Assistant Principal Joe Nawn brought a group of students and led discussions at a colloquium at Bishop McDevitt High School that focused on Pope Benedict XVI's encyclical, Deus Caritas Est. Cardinal John Foley '53 was present at this event [above]. In addition, Dean of Students Mark Halligan, counselor Bill Gillespie and Sam Deitch, Director of Ignatian Service, accompanied the sports teams' captains to a Mass celebrated by Cardinal Justin Rigali at the Cathedral.
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school news
Two Preppers Earn Eagle Scout Badges Prep seniors, Paul Malandra and Rob McDonald [above], recently earned Eagle Scouts status. They are the second and third Preppers of the same troop, Troop 219, to earn Eagle Scout, joining Mike McCarthy '08. Rob and Paul both are from Wayne and have been in scouting since first grade at St. Katharine of Siena School. McDonald is also the grandson of Bill McGarvey, Jr. '51 and nephew of Bill McGarvey, III '83.
JRS brings plight of refugees to Prep Religion Classes Representatives from the Jesuit Refugee Service came to speak to several religion classes about the plight of refugees throughout the world, including the U.S., where undocumented aliens are held in custody. The JRS attempts to find these refugees and provide legal assistance and other forms of support.
St. Patrick’s Day Parade The Prep Irish Culture Club, led by moderator Christie McGuire-Villareal, participated in the annual Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day parade. Joe Blake '08 led the group in a Prep cheer as they walked past the judges' platform/seating for the dignitaries, which included Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter '75.
NINE MERIT SCHOLARS AND OTHER ACADEMIC HIGHLIGHTS Nine Prep seniors qualified as semifinalists in the 2008 National Merit Scholarship Program. The students are Martin Connor, Robert Jones, Brendan Keeler, Henry Mushinski, Samuel Settle, Mark Springel, Jason Walsh, Michael Wolf, and Ryan Zehner. They join approximately 16,000 semifinalists from around the country in meeting the criteria for this prestigious honor. The National Merit Scholarship program is a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance. Founded in 1955 to conduct the annual National Merit Program, it offers talented high school students the opportunity to compete for Merit Scholarship awards. The awards are worth $33 million and will be offered next spring. Other academic highlights include: • Ninety eight seniors were inducted into the National Honor Society; • Fourteen seniors were designated National Merit Commended Students; • One was named an outstanding participant in the National Achievement Scholarship Program; • And 15 were named Advanced Placement Scholars, seven were named Advanced Placement Scholars with Honors and five were named Advanced Placement Scholars with Distinction. 3
Death of a Salesman
PREP THEATRE RECAP This year, for the first time in over a decade, the Cape and Sword Drama Society, under the direction of Tony Braithwaite ’89, is performing three shows – Death of a Salesman, Twelve Angry Men and The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Death of a Salesman and Twelve Angry Men were tremendous performances full of intensity and passion. Death of a Salesman starred David Cullen ’08 as the infamous Willy Loman, Eileen Cella (Agnes Irwin ’08) as Mrs. Loman, and Kevin Ryan ’08 and Chris Smith ’08 as their sons Biff and Happy. Twelve Angry Men, which also starred Cullen and Ryan, included the voice of Prep President Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 as the judge.
Twelve Angry Men
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INTO THE WOODS Five Prep students (Charlie Gallagher ‘09, Brian Lojewski ‘10, Stacey Grasso ‘11, Kevin Toniazzo-Naughton ‘11 and Nick Centrella ‘11) performed in Merion Mercy Academy’s Music Theater show Into the Woods.
FORENSICS UPDATE The Prep forensics team continues to achieve great success competing in tournaments at Wake Forest University, University of Pennsylvania, Bronx Science Prep, University of Scranton, Saint Joseph’s University, LaSalle University, and Princeton University. In Scranton, the team won first place in the varsity division and placed first in overall sweepstakes (combined varsity and junior varsity divisions) out of 29 schools in attendance. At the Pennsbury Falcon Invitational, SJP won first in a 37-school field winning the Ultimate Sweepstakes Champion award and the Stephen Medoff Award for Forensics Dominance, a rare accomplishment. In January, the forensics team hosted its annual grade school forensics tournament, which welcomes more than 175 students to The Prep. This tournament is run completely by Prep students.
DiDONATO EARNS HAWK HEAD Two of the city’s most famous mascots, the Phillie Phanatic and the SJU Hawk, were in attendance at this year’s Hawk Tryouts. Congratulations to senior Mike DiDonato for earning the prestigious honor of wearing the Hawk costume for 2007-2008.
GLOBAL WARMING SYMPOSIUM The Prep’s Environmental Action Club teamed up with Mount St. Joseph Academy’s Challenge 20/20 Global Warming team to participate in a Global Warming symposium at Chestnut Hill College. The keynote speaker was La Salle University Professor Henry Bart. 5
HAWKTION 2008:
Let the Games Begin Saturday, April 26 Kelly Fieldhouse hawktion.sjprep.org
school news
BREAKING THE WAVES The Prep and Merion Mercy swim teams recently completed the second “Breaking the Waves” Swim-A-Thon. The event, which raised more than $10,000, was organized by Prep math teacher and head swim coach Paul Morrissey to raise awareness of adolescent depression and suicide.
RELAY TEAM EXCELS AT STATES The Distance medley relay team of Chris O’Sullivan ‘10, Pat Clark ‘08, John Castillo ‘09, and Tom Iannacone ‘08 finished fifth with a time of 10:34.09 at the PTFCA state meet on March 1 at Penn State. This sets a new school record for meters, has earned them first-team Mile Split elite status and has them ranked as the 20th fastest team in the nation for this event.
WAGS WINS 100 Freshman football coach John “Wags” Wagner won his 100th game as The Prep defeated Bonner 27-0 in the final game of the 2007 season. Coach Wags has been fighting throat cancer for several years but continues to successfully lead the freshman team.
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Past Presidents of the Mothers’ Club Maura Kilroy and Ro Mullen with their sons [l-r] John and PJ.
The Christus Choir sings at Mass in the Church of the Gesu.
RADM Joseph F. Kilkenny presents the keynote address.
Wally Wachter ’08 and his mother Kate, President of the Mothers’ Club, read during Mass. Mary Cycon, Kate Wachter, Keynote Speaker RADM Joseph F. Kilkenny ’73, Prep President Rev. William J. Byron ’45, Prep Principal Michael Gomez and Melinda Seefahrt.
Mother-Son COMMUNION BREAKFAST An overhead shot shows the large crowd in attendance at the Mother-Son Communion Breakfast.
David Binder ’08, recipient of the Rev. David A. Sauter Award. Prep President Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45 presenting a homily during Mass.
Alumni/Father-Son COMMUNION BREAKFAST
The honored guests (standing) keynote speaker Dr. Andrew Von Eschenbach ’59, David Binder, Dennis Monaghan ‘08 and his father Frank, (seated) Alumnus of the Year Vince Dougherty ’48 and Suellen Monaghan. The Monaghan Family received the Rev. Charles A. Schnorr, S.J. Award for their work with Patrick’s Place.
Dr. Andrew Von Eschenbach ’59, head of the Food and Drug Administration, presents the keynote address.
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Vince Dougherty ’48 [middle] received the Alumnus of the Year Award from Fr. Byron and classmate Henry Backe.
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Your eminence and your honor… THESE TWO TITLES ACCOMPANY POSITIONS OF POWER IN THEIR FIELDS. For one, it is the acknowledgment of an outstanding career as a cleric and spokesperson. For the other, it is the next step in a career of public service and ethical decision-making. They are different men with different agendas but one thing in common — both can display St. Joseph’s Prep diplomas in their offices.
In October, John P. Foley ’53 was given news that many of his friends and family had long hoped for—Pope Benedict XVI had elevated him to Cardinal. After more than two decades as the chief communications professional for the Vatican, including many years working closely with Pope John Paul II, Foley had been appointed as the pro-grand master of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, a position traditionally held by a Cardinal. In his new position, Cardinal Foley will be helping to support Catholic causes and efforts in the Holy Land.
For Michael Nutter ’75, November’s general election as Mayor of Philadelphia was just a formality. After all, in a heavily Democratic city like Philadelphia, most of the real work was done during the primary in May, when Nutter rose from a distant fourth in the polls to win the nomination of his party. Because of his reputation as a man of integrity willing to fight for change, his election raised the morale of a city desperate for new life, for safer streets and for a plan for the future.
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that time. He was very eloquent and could think fast on his feet. John was, and still is, somebody who didn’t tell you how important he was or tell you something that someone told him to make you think he was important. He is a very humble guy and he was that way as a kid. He was self-assured but not cocky. A good bit of his humor is self-deprecating. He has an excellent sense of humor and he always did. He was a guy who had imbued in him a total honesty. I don’t think he ever cut a corner. He was scrupulous in a good sense. All of us thought that John would enter the priesthood. One of the big things he was involved in at the College was the Sodality group. It was a rigorous thing to do as far as daily prayer and Mass attendance. It was almost like doing the Ignatian spiritual exercise every day and John Foley was a leader in the group. The other guys had great respect for his commitment to it. We knew that there wasn’t going to be anyone in the seminary any brighter than John. He was ordained and soon thereafter Cardinal John Krol sent him to Rome and then we knew he was on his way. Guys sent to Rome were on the track of becoming a bishop. It was obvious to us that Cardinal Krol was very fond of John and became his patron. That was what he needed. I don’t think there is anyone better suited than John Foley to do whatever the church needs. There is nobody more tactful than John and given that he has a job that has to do with maintaining the church in the Holy Land and given all of the present problems that exist there, if anyone can sit down and have dinner and talk to somebody, it’s he. He can have a tremendous impact on that part of the world. He has a skill that allows him to disagree without being your enemy. He can advance the point without being insulting about it. The stories were two of the biggest in Philadelphia over a six-week span and both men happened to share a history that was formed at St. Joe’s Prep. These next few pages will document their triumphant visits back to 17th and Girard and also give an insight into both men in the words of people who know them well.
Gus Kueny ’53, a teacher and administrator at The Prep for more than 40 years, was a classmate with Cardinal Foley for eight years, four at The Prep and four at Saint Joseph’s College. The two remain friends and have kept in touch for the past 55 years. John was just a bright, bright guy. We had quite a few brilliant guys in that class but John was in the top two or three. He was a great guy to have in class because he knew everything and you could always ask John if you didn’t understand something. He was always very willing to help. He was an exceptional student, got a firsthonor card every marking period.
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He was a big guy on the debating team, both at The Prep and The College, probably undefeated in all of
Dr. David Burton, Professor Emeritus of History at Saint Joseph’s University and brother of longtime Prep teacher Rev. John Burton, S.J., was friendly with Cardinal Foley during Foley’s days at The College. His road to success was paved both at The Prep and at 54th and City Line. He had been in the Jesuits briefly and I encountered him when he came to Saint Joseph’s after leaving Wernersville. He was very open and welcoming and anxious to talk to me and I became anxious to talk to him. John made a very positive first impression. In some ways, he was very forthcoming but in other ways he could be silent and absorbing rather than questioning. One encounter that I remember vividly, I had given my class the assignment of reading The Prince and he said to me privately that he was concerned because the book was on the index (of books not allowed to be read in a Catholic school). We went to the Dean to get it sorted out, a waiver was given and the students were given permission.
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John was very anxious to talk to faculty outside of the classroom and to share ideas with them and ask questions with regards to the material. He came across to me as a dedicated student. The more I got to know him, the more we shared with each other, I was very sympathetic with the idea that he would go into the seminary and believed that the seminary would be very lucky to have someone like John Foley. Friendly, open and, I have to say, not ambitious. He didn’t impress me as someone out to make a name for himself. He was humble and took things as they were. He was always an outstanding student and a great mind and he proved it time after time. He was the student in the class who acted as a promoter of further discussion. All in all, our relationship was a very positive experience for me and maybe even for him.”
Actor Henry Gibson ’53, known as Jim Bateman during his high school days, is also very close with Cardinal Foley. The two were together at the installation mass in Rome and enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner together at the Vatican embassy in Rome. The below quote was from a recent interview with senior Rob McDonald ’08 for The Nose, a newspaper produced by the senior journalism course. It was extremely exciting to be there for such a great event. One of the things that I will always treasure was getting the Vatican invitation at the hotel. I scanned the card and the coat of arms that each cardinal designs for himself and there it was, AMDG, right on the cardinal’s crest. That tickled me. There was another special moment and that was witnessing his surprise, his laughter and his joy on Thanksgiving at the embassy in Rome. I presented him with a crimson SJP alumni cap, which was a gift from a freshman, Dan Sulvetta.
Cardinal Foley received another “red hat” and a personalized Prep jacket after addressing the senior class. with himself, who he was. John became friendly with my wife Peggy and she only knew the new John, worldly wise, sophisticated. He was always respectful of others. He could have very strong opinions of things but he was always respectful. And even in high school, his friends were very trustful of him and would go to him. You never had to ask him to hold it in confidence; it went unsaid and was understood because that was the kind of person he was. That was a terrific trait at a young age. For someone with as much talent, he has remarkable humility. John was never pompous where some others with his talent would be. He was quiet about it and didn’t flaunt. And he is always very gracious. A friend of mine is now retired and we stopped over to see him in Rome and it was like we never missed a beat. John took us on a tour of areas of the Vatican that people never get to see. He is just a wonderful, wonderful person.”
Vince Byrne ’53 graduated with John Foley from both The Prep and the College. To me, what is interesting about John is he is a rare blend of things. On the one hand he is very bright and brilliant and analytical but on the other hand he has a great wit and always sees the humor in situations. I have had the privilege of watching him mature over the years. I remember in the early days he would get very upset if he did not get a perfect score. But, as I saw him in the later years, he became much more self-aware, open to new ideas and very respectful of others. He grew more at ease
Longtime Prep history teacher Mr. Jerry Taylor was a mentor to Michael Nutter, who says that Mr. Taylor played a pivotal role in his life.
Top: Mayor Nutter’s visit attracted media coverage from nearly all Philadelphia TV/radio and newspaper outlets. Below: Classmates (l-r) Elijah Wooden, Tony DeVecchis, Pete Dellaporta and John DiSantis joined Mayor Nutter at his inauguration celebration.
Michael was very curious; always wanted to know why and was rarely satisfied with the answer. It was like he was thinking something through and needed a few more parts. In that sense, he was 10
A former debater, he also posed with some of the school’s top debaters of today [l-r] Dan Du Pont ’09, Ryan Zehner ’08, Matt Angiolillo ’09 and Samuel Settle ’08. not a typical teenager. He was his own man. He got along with all races and types of kids. I was absolutely not surprised that he went into politics. He had a really good job as an investment broker and he popped in one day to my office and he talked about running for City Council or Ward Boss. He came back several times after that and talked about it but the thing that stuck with me was he had a vision and clearly felt he was going into politics. I said, “and give up all that money” from being an investment banker but he had a vision and wanted to reform the city. Michael had a pit-bull attitude and he believed that he would succeed. He felt that if you are aggressive and persistent, you can make the changes. When he was a student, I remember talking with him often about right and wrong and he, never satisfied with a quick answer, would badger me. It was wonderful. Michael really does see the big picture. He sees how parts fit in and how he can use those parts. Some 4.0s are brilliant but can’t see that big picture. He’s a lot smarter than I realized. I think he is brilliant now intellectually and he has a mature passion. He will not back down. That side of him that relates well has emerged, I think that he had lots of support in that area from guys like Jim Kenney (Class of 1976). When I heard he was running for mayor of Philadelphia I hoped he would win but I really didn’t think he had a chance. I thought the good ol’ boys had it sewn up and he might get swept away but it was that bulldog tenacity of his that carried him. But he also has a sensitivity towards others and a caring that is not always visible. As a councilman, he found a way to appeal to the rich people in East Falls and the poor in West Philly. He learned from his mistakes; if he made a mistake, he would never make it again.
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Ed Foy ’75, secretary of The Prep’s Alumni Board of Governors, helped raise money for Michael Nutter’s mayoral campaign and was one of his earliest supporters. I remember my classmate Mike Nutter as a good friend who had a great sense of humor. He was smart and fun to hang out with. He was a serious student but always left time to be one of the guys. I have followed and supported Mike’s political career for many years. Supporting Mike became particularly difficult during one campaign when he ran successfully for his council seat against my cousin and fellow Prepper Bill O’Brien ’72. However, whenever I questioned a friend or client from Roxborough, Manayunk or Wynnefield about their councilman, I was pleased to hear how conscientious and effective he was as their representative in city government. Invariably they would also contribute an anecdotal story about how Mike helped them at one time or another with a city issue. Regardless of the story and the ultimate outcome the common theme was his caring nature, his effectiveness, and the fact that he always returned their phone call. It was because of my friendship with Mike and these first-person examples of his ability and willingness to serve his constituents that I became convinced that he would make a great mayor of the City of Philadelphia and made it easy for me to help promote his efforts toward that end.
Craig Settles ’75 has known Michael Nutter since the two attended elementary school together at Transfiguration of Our Lord in West Philadelphia. When Michael and I were at The Prep, we hung out in different circles though we had gone to grade school together. If you were to project forward then and guess where Preppers would be in 20 years, I think most
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people could picture him in business because Michael was clearly smart and maybe a little intense. Living in California when I heard about him being elected to City Council, it was a little surprising because during high school Michael didn’t seem to have that outgoing, glad-handing nature you associate with politicians. But as you watched him over the years, you’d see the intense business-like manner come to the fore and define his reputation in Council. A big transformation however, of which there was no early indication, came during the campaign. In the early days, listening to news clips and feedback from others, Michael’s campaign speaking style was reminiscent of his Council presentations – good for that setting, but not necessarily a barn burner on the public speaking circuit. Somewhere along the line Michael developed or discovered the ability to speak to a crowd in a way that made each person in the room feel a connection with him, and feel inspired to take up his call for change. His Inauguration speech and his speech at The Prep two days later were the pinnacle of that ability to connect and inspire. Even though this gift of inspirational speaking wasn’t apparent to us with him at The Prep, I have to believe it was somewhere there inside waiting for the right spark or set of circumstances to draw this skill out. It would behoove Preppers today to study this gift that Michael has turned loose on the city of Philadelphia, and make it part of their personality. This ability to connect and inspire will serve them well in almost anything they pursue in life.
Mark Meehan ’75 was active in Michael Nutter’s campaign for mayor and helped rally classmates in supporting Nutter’s mayoral campaign. Mike is a very regular guy. I know everybody says that
but he really is. At The Prep, I would characterize him as an above-average student with a booming voice and a great sense of humor, with loud laughter. He was just a really nice guy. Five or six years ago, I started seeing him on TV and saw that he had really developed as a speaker and I admired the initiatives he was involved with. He was willing to take stands that were not always popular with the Democratic Party in Philadelphia and he was willing to battle with John Street. It was then that I saw
Members of The Prep Mothers’ Club attended Mass in the Church of the Gesu and posed with Cardinal Foley afterwards.
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Mayor Nutter addressed a packed Fieldhouse, delivering his call to service for Prep students. Top right: More than two dozen members of the Class of 1975 and other alums attended the talk.
Mayor Nutter also posed with members of the 2007-08 Student Council [l-r] Gianluca Keeler ’08, Nolan Grady ’08, Joe Kelly’08, Bryan Thompson ’08, and Bill Palombi ’08. his leadership qualities and thought he could be a viable mayor. Once we reconnected, I could see that he had it all over the other candidates. He was well-spoken, articulate, compassionate, and he had great integrity. For the first time that I could remember, you had a Democratic candidate not supported by the Democratic Party winning election in Philadelphia . He bucked the system a little bit for all the right reasons and he had the smarts and the team around him to make his candidacy viable. That reputation of him as wonky nerd totally shocked me. Having known him and spent time with him one on one, there is nothing wonky or nerdy about him. He is very much in touch with the core aspects of life and you can sit down and have a conversation with him about old times or life and have a conversation that has nothing to do with politics. That image of him early in the campaign was totally alien to me. I could not understand how people could have that perception of him because he is such a genuine person. I think he is going to go down as one of the great mayors in the city of Philadelphia. The reason for that is he instituted a policy that helped to negate all the pressures that a candidate might have from special interests. Mike is not beholden to any special interests so he comes in unencumbered. That gives him some unusual free reign to do the things he needs to move the city forward, and he’ll do it his way.
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When he won the nomination, it was an unbelievable feeling because most of us didn’t think it could happen. We knew he was the best candidate but we also knew all of the road blocks that were in place. We would go to
meetings every two weeks and see how hard he was working and that really inspired us. When he spoke at The Prep, the key word that he used for the students, and what I hope they took with them, was opportunity. He went to The Prep on a Gino’s scholarship. He took advantage of the opportunity and other opportunities and created a life for himself unlike other kids from his environment. That’s the link between Mike Nutter and The Prep. The Prep gives people the opportunity. Those who take advantage of it can achieve great things, just like Mike did.
Classmates reconnect in Rome as John McNicholas ’53 attends a reception held in Cardinal Foley’s honor.
faculty profile
Faculty Profile: Yan Huang WHEN YAN HUANG LEFT CHINA NINE YEARS AGO, she never imagined she would become a U.S. citizen. After all, she loved her homeland and would never show it disrespect. Still, there she was in Philadelphia in the summer of 2007, raising her hand and becoming a citizen of the United States. It was a validation for her love of her new country and a thank you for the life that it had given her. “I love it here in America, I love living here with my family,” says Huang, who is in her third year teaching Chinese at The Prep. “I realized that I wanted to spend my life here and since that was the case, I thought it was important to become a citizen. It doesn’t mean that I don’t love China but it was just a way to show my love to the U.S.” Huang came to the United States after her husband Qiang got a job in Massachusetts. When Qiang’s job brought him to Philadelphia, Huang and their daughter Sierra followed. In addition to her three classes at The Prep, Huang also teaches at Ding Hao, a Saturday school in Delaware County, and private art classes.
offered, along with a new section of Chinese I. This year, Chinese III was added to the curriculum so that now more than 60 students are enrolled in her classes. “The students are very excited in my classes,” says Huang. “They feel that Chinese is important to their future and it is good to learn something about Asian culture. Some others just like the challenge.”
Just the fact that Huang is teaching at St. Joseph’s Prep is an indication of how some students are looking at their future and challenging themselves in new ways. In the opinion of many, China is a place where a tremendous amount of business will be done in the 21st century. Knowledge of Chinese and the ability to communicate with that country’s billions of people will be an important skill for people in business, politics and law, among other professions. Huang started teaching just one section, Chinese I. Many of those students wanted more so Chinese II was
But Huang cautions that learning Chinese is difficult for some very different reasons. First, many students are not familiar with the Chinese language, with its symbols, or the Asian culture. “For many American students, they are already somewhat familiar with the other modern languages,” Huang says. “Chinese is difficult because it is much more confusing and new. It can be frustrating.” Another reason for its difficulty is the lack of a good system for teaching the language. “Because Chinese is new to American schools and students, there seems to not be an accepted way of teaching it,” says Huang. “We keep doing it and find new ways to make
the learning system easier.” According to Huang, not all aspects of Mandarin are difficult. “One thing that is easier in Mandarin is the grammar, it is not nearly as complicated as many European languages,” she says. “For example there are no verb tenses, no relative clauses, no singular or plural. Even though the characters are very complicated, if you find out the story behind each character, it’s fun to learn.” Huang points to the 5,000-year old characters as a good thing for students to learn. “The pictography is difficult,” she says. “In English, you can look at it and try to pronounce it. In Chinese, meaning and characters are not necessarily connected. But the students inspire me because they work hard and they challenge themselves.” Huang challenges herself as well. Becoming an American citizen was an example of that. “Taking the test to be a citizen helped me learn an awful lot about this country,” she says, “but I still have a lot more to learn, especially about culture and habits. It helps me as a teacher. You should never stop learning.”
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Faculty Profile: Meredith Morgan
been very active with students. Three times she accompanied students on service, twice to Rural Retreat, Va., and once to Maryland-Eastern Shore, making her the first female to lead a service trip. It was a tangible example for students for the need to be committed to doing justice.
AFTER HER FRESHMAN YEAR AT DICKINSON COLLEGE, Meredith Morgan spent a summer in Toulouse, a city in the South of France. After all, what better way for a French major to immerse herself in French culture and further her love of the language? So, why did that woman return from France and switch her major to Classics, something she had taken years prior in high school at Scranton Prep? “The Classics are so prevalent in France that I realized how wonderful it was and decided to switch when I came home,” she says with a laugh. “In high school, I took Classics because it was a requirement but in college I realized it was the best prose and poetry ever written. To read it in the native language was beautiful and I realized I wanted to teach and pass this along to other people.” After college, Morgan continued her study in a strenuous Master’s program at the University of Pennsylvania. She then returned to her alma mater (Scranton Prep) to teach Classics for two years before 15
moving to Philadelphia to teach at the Academy of Notre Dame for two more years. Since then, Morgan has been at The Prep, where she has spent the past decade in one of the area’s top Classics Department. And though the Classics have been dropped at many schools, she sees the importance of it for today’s students. “I think that learning the Classics helps in so many other disciplines: English, history, modern languages, science, etc.,” she says. “The Classics teach students to think; it’s gymnastics for the brain.” In her teaching career, Morgan has taught in three very different environments: co-ed, all girls and all boys. She notices a difference at The Prep. “At first, of course, I noticed the male presence after two years in a mainly female environment,” she says. “But I have found that students here are very focused and are very willing to take a risk. To me, I would choose this environment over the others.” Outside the classroom, Morgan has
“I think it is important for students to see faculty outside of the classroom and to see us involved in service,” she says. “It is a great chance for them to see us as people too.” In addition, she moderated the tennis team for three years and recently helped establish the squash club after a student approached her for help. Now, a group of 10 take public transportation downtown three times a week to work out with coaches from the Racquet Club of Philadelphia. In the classroom, Morgan really appreciates seeing students make connections from the Classics to modern life. “Recently, we were reading about Nike, the ancient goddess of victory,” she says. “A student asked if that’s where Nike gets its name. Sometimes, it’s easy to take that for granted but when they see the connection, that is a great moment for a teacher.” An opportunity to help students make connections was a major reason that Morgan accompanied Classics chair Nancy Primick and 20 students to Italy over Spring Break 2007. “It was great for the students to see the places we study, especially in Rome,” she says.
student profile
Student Profile: Avery McKie ’10 IN HIS YOUNG LIFE, AVERY MCKIE ’10 HAS SEEN A LOT. HIS FATHER DIED IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHEN HE WAS 5 YEARS OLD. HE LOST HIS GRANDFATHER TO CANCER AND HIS UNCLE SUDDENLY WITHIN A YEAR OF ONE ANOTHER. Add to that a crushing football injury and it would be easy to see a kid who was mad at the world. But this is not Avery. He has an easy grin, a respect for himself and other people and a desire to make the world a better place; not bad for a young man who is just a sophomore and only 16 years old. But Avery McKie is the kind of kid who jumps into situations. In 2004, as a 12 year old, he helped his stepfather get out the Florida vote for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) during the Presidential election. Then, after his family decided to move to Philadelphia, he won the Citizenship Award at the Bala Cynwyd Middle School, despite only being there one semester. During his few months at Bala Cynwyd, Avery helped raise awareness of the situation in Darfur, hosting an event for the students and faculty there. He also raised outside interest by getting information out to the media. His work was assisted by the mentoring of Miss Karal Taylor, who nominated Avery for the Young Hero Award at the National Liberty Museum. Avery’s photo hangs in that Philadelphia museum today. “Miss Taylor was a huge influence in my life,” McKie says of his gifted class teacher. “I was taught that people can make a difference.” McKie has overcome some huge obstacles in his life. In addition to the passing of several men in his life, Avery suffered a fracture of his growth plate during eighth-grade football, ending his season, during which he had been selected to serve as captain. Through hard work and determination, he returned for his ninth-grade season at Lower Merion High School before transferring to The Prep. But he may have had some extra help during his rehab. “My mom had always been telling me to trust in God and good things will
happen,” he says. “I know that my faith in God got me through that year. Really, He has helped me through so much. I have been reassured by knowing that God has everything happen for a reason and that I would surely not be the person I am without these tragedies in my life.” Now, McKie is part of the African Genesis Institute/D’Zert Club, a 24month class in which students study African American history in-depth. The club takes three domestic field trips to places like the Underground Railroad from Detroit into Canada, the slave trail in Richmond, Va., and the Great Blacks in Wax Museum in Baltimore. The class will culminate this summer with a trip to Egypt to see the great Pyramids. “It’s a small group but growing at a fast pace,” he says. “Learning about my heritage is very important to me.”
McKie is also interested in helping other minority students in school. As a freshman at Lower Merion, where he was elected class president, he was part of a group of students who developed a plan to lessen the achievement gap at Lower Merion and Harriton High Schools. The group presented a power-point presentation, created by Avery, to the local school board and received a standing ovation. The group also made presentations to teachers of the school as well. Now, McKie is at The Prep, “an opportunity that I could not pass up.” “You don’t see too many places like St. Joseph’s Prep,” he says. “I wanted to be around people who could bring me to my full potential and be at a school where I could get to know God on a more personal level. Being here, at The Prep, is a blessing.”
parent profile
Parent Profile: Cathleen HughesTaylor From the late 1960s through the mid80s, Philadelphia was being overtaken by graffiti artists. Many streets and facades of buildings were filled with spray painted images. These were not sights that city leaders wanted seen and, of course, residents and neighbors were not pleased either. Today, many of those same streets and buildings are still filled with art. However, today the images are murals, part of Philadelphia’s renowned Mural Arts Project led by Jane Golden. And one of the project’s first employees was Prep mom Cathleen Hughes-Taylor, mother of Alexander ’05 and Elliott ’09. At first, Hughes-Taylor’s job was mostly administrative, serving as Director of Art Education. She helped set curriculum and run projects at local recreation centers and local schools and even the Youth Study Center. But the artist inside of her needed more from her job and soon she was doing murals. “I am fortunate to have the job I do because I love my city, I love art and I love kids,” says Hughes-Taylor, who continues to do much of her work with schools and rec centers. “And to work with a boss with the vision to bring those things together has been remarkable. We have been able to see the difference that these murals can make in the lives of the community and those who create the art.” Her first project was at the Cione Recreation Center in Port Richmond. There she worked with neighborhood school children to create a mural. The project still stands on the wall, virtually untouched by vandals. “A mural project can really empower a community,” says Hughes-Taylor. “To see kids be given the ability to create something and then have the community treasure it and guard it is really special.” 17
Hughes-Taylor is a Philly native, a graduate of Most Blessed Sacrament Parish and Archbishop Prendergast High School. She obtained a degree in painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and worked there for a time before moving to England to work with her husband, a builder. With him, she did designs such as gold leaf finishing, but it was her return to Philadelphia and the Mural Project that gave her the opportunities to change the lives of young people and whole communities.
ed by members of the Mural Arts team along with students from the Kensington South section of the School District of Philadelphia and members of the surrounding community. The mural was featured in the Mural Arts Program’s 2006 calendar.
Two of her more interesting projects involved City Hall and an Islamic Society in Germantown. At City Hall, Hughes-Taylor restored a mural in the courtyard that identified the directions (north, south, east and west) and contained the original layout of Philadelphia as envisioned by founder William Penn. The original mural was designed by Francis Bacon, a city planner who is responsible for much of modern Philadelphia.
According to Golden, that is the theme of the Mural Arts Program, to “have a conversation among artists, neighbors, young people and the evolving culture of time and place.” And thanks to artists like HughesTaylor, the city landscape has changed for the better.
“Doorways to Peace” was completed on a building that housed the AlAqsa Islamic Society. She was assist-
“In Islam, the mosque functions as the center for the community,” she wrote in the calendar. “During the time I worked on this project, Al-Aqsa came to symbolize the center of an extended community-learning and celebrating through art.”
The Mural Arts Program currently has a book My North Philly. Neighborhoods. Murals. Stories. available at their website: www.muralarts.org.
Department Profile: ADMISSION OFFICE
“People are amazed by the energy and how excited we all are to welcome them here.” —Jason Zazyczny ’90
There are certain mysteries that exist among Philadelphia Catholics, for example, a papal enclave, the Blessed Trinity and the admission process at St. Joseph’s Prep. While the previous sentence might be an exaggeration, for many the process of how a student becomes accepted at a school with a rigorous admission process like The Prep can seem daunting. For many observers, the key time for the Admission Office may seem to run from October until decisions are made in January. Truth is, the admissions process really begins much earlier than that and runs until well into the summer as The Prep works to manage its enrollment for a new school year. The first exposure for many families comes during the Open House, held on the first Sunday of November. The majority of the students at Open House are seventh graders, though a healthy number of eighth graders and some younger students attend. For most, it is a very positive experience. “The Open House is the first chance for many to physically experience St. Joseph’s Prep, to see us in action,” says Jason Zazyczny ’90, Director of Admission. Unlike other schools that select tour guides and ask them to read from a prepared script, St. Joseph’s Prep gives any student the opportunity to serve as a tour guide and lead prospective students and families around the school in any manner they wish. This allows the tour guides to personalize a tour according to their interests and the interests of the prospective students.
“We want our students to be who they are on these tours,” says Zazyczny. “This gives all of our students the chance to be proud of his school and represent it.” According to Bethanne Mascio, Assistant to the Admission Director, The Prep community shines during the Open House. “The faculty and staff do a really good job of representing the school and promoting The Prep to the families,” she says. “We get a lot of positive feedback from parents after the event.” “People are amazed by the energy and how excited we all are to welcome them here,” says Zazyczny. Ceil Rooney, a veteran assistant in the office, also points to the presence of current parents at the event. “It is great to have our parents actively involved in the Open House because the new families like to hear about issues like transportation, homework, etc., from other parents who have been there,” she says. “I think that is a very helpful thing.” Another first impression for many families is information nights, held at local grammar schools and parishes in late September and October; and The Prep attends more than 60 of these annually. Brian McCloskey ’91, Assistant Director of Admission, says that for many parents at the info nights, especially those with little connection to St. Joseph’s Prep, security and safety is a pressing issue. “Sometimes we have to fight the perception of our neighborhood,” he says. “People think that it is the North Philadelphia of the 1970s and 80s and it is not that way anymore.” 18
[l-r] Brian McCloskey ’91, Bethanne Mascio, Ceil Rooney and Jason Zazyczny ’90
According to McCloskey, the best innovation for The Prep to combat that issue has been the bus transportation system, which picks students up in their neighborhoods and brings them to the school doors. “In the 1990s, that really reinvigorated the school and brought new eyes that may not have looked here without the security of knowing that transportation would not be an issue,” he says.
“Students are reviewed in a holistic approach...we are always looking to produce a certain mix of the class.” For eighth graders, the next major event on the Admission calendar is the scholarship/entrance exam. Nearly 600 students take the test annually and it is, according to Mascio, an “equalizer,” the only standardized comparison available on students. Though many people think that the exam means everything in the process, Zazyczny says that is not true. “It is one of three factors that we look at for applicants,” he says. “Although it is true that most accepted students will score in the 85-99 range, it is not the most important criteria.” He says that a student’s grades and his recommendations are also important in the process. “Students are reviewed in a holistic approach,” says Zazyczny. “We are always looking to produce a certain mix of the class. Yes we have to fill our classrooms but there are other things involved in a school. We have to fill our 19
band, we have to fill our sports teams, we have to fill our service projects, etc. If an applicant can bring something to the school in addition to an outstanding academic record, then they absolutely get a leg up but they have to be able to cut it academically here.” A committee looks at the applicants and pares it down to fill a class of 250-265. By late February, the acceptances are in and the class will be mostly set. Then the office turns its attention to the seventh graders. For these students, there is a practice test, open to boys and girls, and then the popular pre-8th grade program, a six-week co-ed program that combines academic work with extracurricular activity to make for a well-rounded summer experience. For many, this is the time when their desire to attend The Prep is formed. “Pre-8th is a big hook for many boys,” says Rooney. “My son Patrick (a 1998 graduate) did not want to come to that program but after his first few days, he decided this is where he wanted to go to high school.” Zazyczny says that the program is a good opportunity for both the students and the school. “We have the chance to get to know the student and he gets the chance to get to know us,” he says. “Although it is not an automatic for a pre-eighth student to be admitted to The Prep, it is certainly something to add to his portfolio.”
reunions
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Athletics Profile: Curt Cockenberg ’71 In 1975, Curt Cockenberg ‘71 had just graduated from La Salle College when he read about a coaching opening at The Prep. He thought he might be able to help his alma mater so he applied for the job. Thirty-three years later, he is still doing what he does best – guiding young men to become better runners, throwers and jumpers. “I never thought I would be here 33 years,” says Coach Cockenberg with a smile. “I just enjoy working with kids and seeing them develop. I’ve had offers to coach at other levels but I don’t want to leave. I like it here too much.” For nearly 100 seasons (33 cross country, 33 indoor track and 33 outdoor track), Cockenberg has had one goal, to run a program that the school, the students and the league can be proud of. That has been achieved as The Prep track program is one of the most respected in the region. “My goal is that we represent ourselves well,” Cockenberg says. “Prep cross country and track is a known commodity throughout the area and that is something I am really happy about.” Cockenberg won the Catholic League title in 1996. However, he points to the 2007 cross country team as possibly being better than that one as the team won the Southern Division and nearly defeated a very good La Salle team in a muddy league championship. “I knew we would be good this year but I had no idea we’d be as good as we were,” he says. “All of the different pieces clicked together for us this year and the kids gave us all they had. I could not have asked for more from them.” Cockenberg was a pretty good runner himself, though he jokes that he has “coached my records off the board” in events such as the 600, the sprint medley, the 1,000-yard run and the 4 x 200. Away from coaching, Cockenberg is a reading specialist at East Norriton Middle School. This is a second career for Cockenberg, who went back to school in the early 1990s after nearly two decades in the U.S. Postal Service. “I just wanted to do more with myself,” he says. He is also involved in community theatre, working in all aspects of production at different area theatres. He even directed a show at The Prep (Godspell in the early 1990s). “I love the theatre and being involved in all segments of a show,” says Cockenberg. Cockenberg and his wife Donna have been married for 22 years and the couple has two children, Marina, a junior at Fordham University, and Taylor, a sophomore at North Penn High School.
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alumni news
Biello joins Development Staff CEAL BIELLO has joined The Prep Development Office as the new Director of The Prep Fund. Ceal, who had previously worked in a part-time position in the Development Office before taking positions in the Admission Office and the Business Office, will also be responsible for directing development services and will serve as the Mothers’ Club moderator. She replaces Bonny Barry. Biello is a 1983 graduate of King’s College in Wilkes Barre where she majored in health care administration. The mother of two Prep grads
(Jonathan ’03 and Zach ’06), Biello worked at Pennsylvania Hospital, operated her own women’s clothing boutique in Jenkintown and volunteered at her children’s schools and sports teams. She and her husband John live in Holland, Pa. “I am very excited to be working in The Prep development office and to be embracing new challenges,” she says. “Having been a parent and having worked in other departments here at The Prep, I feel that I can bring a unique perspective to the position.”
FOOTBALL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Years ago, I sat in a conference room with a group of former Prep Football players. It was an enlightening moment - not so much because 25 years had passed but rather I realized how disconnected I had become from The Prep. I had always carried my Prep friends and experience with me but, nevertheless, the rigors of college, career, and family had me focused on, well, “life.” As I sat there looking at my teammates, slightly older and slightly larger than I remembered, I wondered if there were other people out there like me. Some of my fellow graduates were staunch supporters and regulars at the events and games. Several of them even had children at The Prep and some had children who were already through. But what about all the others? Were there others out there who needed to be brought back to remember The Prep experience? Hence, the St. Joseph’s Prep Football Alumni Association (the “FAA”) was born. Our intention was to go back in time and draw in those guys who would sweat and moan and fight like dogs to win...as a team, The Prep Team. Our intention was to celebrate the history of Prep Football. Later, Prep football mom Mary Beth Schell would elabo23
By Tom Dugan ’75
rate and refine our mission to “Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, and Secure the Future of Prep Football.” Well put. At this season’s last home game, I watched as the team’s seniors were honored along with their parents. As each mother received a flower, each father a firm handshake, and both a hug of sincere gratitude, I took solace knowing that The Prep will never leave them. As the players and parents stood on the field, we also honored The Prep Football Team of 1961 [pictured above]. Some of that team had been away from The Prep, some of them are fixtures and some couldn’t be found...but all were honored. And, yes, the stories of great plays and sophomoric pranks abound. As I watched the contrast of the Team of 1961 walking off and the Team of 2007 walking on the field, I stopped to wonder...which of these future FAA members will be here when they’re honored 46 years from now? As Fr. Garber once said to me, “Patience, Mr. Dugan, time will tell.”
alumni news 1 9 4 0 ’s Dr. Francis Keeley ’45 was selected as the Golden Hawk for 2007 at The Prep’s Golden Hawk luncheon. He is the father of Francis ’82 and Kevin ’93 and the grandfather of Thomas Bernardi ’10 and Ryan Keeley Cain ’11.
cottages, resort hotels, mansions and main streets along with lines of legends and lore. Rev. Donald Clifford, S.J., ’47 and the JewishCatholic Institute of Saint Joseph’s University were honored by the American Jewish Committee on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Institute, which is one of the oldest JewishChristian study centers in the nation. Robert Penrose ’47 has published a book Avalon on the Seven Mile Beach, a 500-page history of Avalon, N.J., containing more than 500 maps and photos.
Rev. William Byron, S.J. ’45 [above, 2nd from left] was among the recipients of Catholic Leadership Institute’s Awards for Outstanding Catholic Leadership in November. Fr. Byron was recognized for his work as a teacher, writer, advocate and evangelist who has devoted his life to educating youth and bringing light to the message of social and economic justice.
William Gregory ’45 joined his son Bill Gregory ’73 at The Prep’s Class of 2008’s Ring Mass, held in the Church of the Gesu in March, as his grandson Ryan Gregory ’08 received his ring. [pictured above, l-r] Prep President Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. ’45, Bill Gregory, Jr. ’73, Ryan Gregory ’08 and Bill Gregory, Sr. ’45 Archbishop Francis Schulte ’45 is Archbishop Emeritus of the Diocese of New Orleans and continues to serve on the American Bishops Committee for Eastern Europe and on the board of the Catholic Near East Welfare Association. Paul Sigmund ’46, retired Professor of Politics at Princeton University, taught seminars in political theory and American politics this past fall. He also wrote articles on Chilian politics, liberation theology and scholastic philosophy. William Hemp ’46 [below] recently published his fourth work, A Sketchbook of Long Beach Island, NY. It features colored illustrations of clam boats,
Edwin McKeon ’47 was recently honored by Marines for Scholarships, receiving the Saint Davids Award (Arma Virumque Cano). The award is given annually to an outstanding supporter of the USMC scholarship program for children of deceased or wounded Marines. Over 1,000 scholarships are awarded annually. Eugene Armao ’48 has written a memoir titled
Everyman: An Autobiography: Or How a White South Philly Sicilian/American Republican of the Roman Catholic Faith Grew Up to Become a Suntanned Southern Liberal Democrat Who Wrote His Own Fictional Autobiography. Two of the chapters deal with his time at The Prep. Paul Schillig ’48 was inducted into the South Jersey Baseball Hall of Fame in the fall of 2007. Schillig coached a Camden County baseball team for some years and won a number of Camden County championships. In 1960, he initiated the baseball program at Bishop Eustace Prep in Pennsauken and in their first season the team won the parochial Class B title. In 1961, the team won the state parochial title and he was inducted into the Bishop Eustace Hall of Fame in 2001. Richard Torpey ’49 won the Ensign Class National Championship aboard “Iris Mist” for the second time in five years. Included in the crew was Kevin Torpey ’80. Rev. Msgr. Francis Schmidt ’49 is retired but is assigned to various parishes as a substitute pro tem. He is also working with “Father Chuck’s Challenge” to build homes and schools in the Caribbean.
1 9 5 0 ’s William Whelan ’51 is an assistant chaplain at Frankford-Bucks Hospital in Langhorne and performs hospice work at local nursing centers and private homes. Michael Costello ’52 and his wife Ellen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in August 2007. Classmate Most Rev. Robert P. Maginnis officiated at a Mass of thanksgiving and the renewal of vows. A gala celebration followed for family, relatives and friends.
John Gallop ’52 retired from Hercules Cement Co. as Vice President of Sales and is now working part-time as a consultant for the company, where he has worked for 50 years. He is married with eight children and nine grandchildren and enjoys golf, traveling and volunteering. Edward Mooney ’54 retired from teaching English at Father Judge High School in Philadelphia after 40 years. Leo Carlin ’55, Director of Ticket Client Relations with the Philadelphia Eagles, was nominated for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He began working for the Eagles in 1960 and has overseen their moves from Franklin Field to Veterans Stadium and then to Lincoln Financial Field. William Gallop ’55 will be celebrating 50 years of being a teacher and a headmaster in Catholic education. He is presently a teacher of Religion, English, Film Study and Shakespeare at a Catholic high school for girls outside of New Orleans. Over the years, he has taught from nursery to college. In 1984, he founded a Catholic private school in New Orleans which is thriving. Most Rev. Joseph Galante ’56 is one of the leaders and supporters of Project One, which was honored with The Peter J. O’Connor Award for Social Justice by the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Camden. Since Hurricane Katrina, more than 500 members of the diocese have journeyed to the Gulf Coast to work with those devastated by the disaster. Col. Bernard Devine ’57 (USAF-Ret) and his wife Sue recently moved to Minnetonka, MN to join two of their three daughters and three of their four grandchildren. They also have a daughter and grandchild living in the Princeton, NJ area. Colonel Devine retired from the U.S. Air Force at the end of 1991 and then was employed by MCI Telecommunications as Director of Repair and Maintenance until August 2002. Rev. Stephen Garrity, S.J. ’57 is the newly appointed assistant to the Rector of the Jesuit Center in Wernersville. He recently completed six years as Pastor of Holy Cross Church in Durham, N.C. Gerard Connolly ’58 retired after 30-plus years with the U.S. Department of Justice. He is now a volunteer docent at the Library of Congress, Folger Shakespeare Library and Smithsonian Institute. Anthony Stevens-Arroyo ’58, Professor Emeritus at Brooklyn College, was named to the Pennsylvania State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in Washington. This is a two-year term that has been approved by President Bush, in coordination with the Congress. He will gather information on civil rights issues in the state and through a series of meetings with the Advisory Committee, to make recommendations to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights.
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1 9 6 0 ’s Bernard Maguire ’60 and his wife Joyce have moved to Wilmington, N.C., after 30 years in Virginia. Warmer climates for golf, beaches and four granddaughters are the main attractions. Ron Klemick ’59 is a neighbor who introduced Bernard and Joyce to the attractiveness of North Carolina. Capt. Edward Davis ’61 was honored by the politicians in Lancaster County by naming the reopened Dillerville Road Bridge for him. Also, the Lancaster Airport Authority recently unveiled a portrait of Davis which will be displayed in the airport’s main terminal. Davis, who passed away last year, spent seven and a half years in the “Hanoi Hilton” POW camp, received three silver stars and two purple hearts, among other citations, while serving in the Navy.
Thomas Bender ’65, a trumpeter, performed in a salute to the giants of pre-war jazz and blues last summer as part of the Jersey Shore Jazz & Blues Foundation’s “Reckless Steamy Nights” concert series at the Woman’s Club of Red Bank, N.J. Bender is in demand not only as an instrumentalist but as an arranger and teacher and has performed with the Monmouth Symphony Orchestra as well as many great stage personalities. Joseph Canuso ’66 directed Theatre Exile’s “Mr. Marmalade” at Christ Church Neighborhood House in Philadelphia. “Mr. Marmalade” is a twisted romp through the mind of a four year old girl.
William Wechsler ’71 has been elected to a seat on the Board of Commissioners of Haverford Township, Delaware County.
Michael Murphy ’61 was voted a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer by his peers in 2006 and 2007. His firm, Murphy & Carmen, is located in Media.
Dr. Kevin Kelly ’72 who was Chief of Pediatric Gastroenterology at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children from 1995 to 2000, left to establish his own private practice in his specialty. His two sons – Matthew ’02, who recently completed a year in the Alumni Service Program, and Andrew ’08 are third generation members of the Kelly family who have attended The Prep. Their grandfather John Kelly was a member of the Class of 1940.
Joseph Priory ’62, a former Vice President in the Legal and Labor Department at the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News, enjoys working in his own practice doing mediation work and general practice. He and his wife Nancy live in Yardley and they have three grown daughters and four grandchildren.
Phil Martelli ’72, head men’s basketball coach at Saint Joseph’s University, spoke about his new book Don’t Call Me Coach to The Prep community in December 2007. He was invited to share memories from his Prep days and tell stories about his coaching experiences at SJU as part of the Rev. J. Vincent Taggart, S.J. Cultural Events Series.
Raymond Waity ’62, who retired from the U.S. Army in 1994 as a Colonel, has opened a martial arts studio—which teaches Karate, Tai Chi, and self defense—with his wife Joann in Muhlenberg. Leopold Andreoli, Ph.D. ’63 has been selected to serve on the National Fire Weather Research Panel. John McCarthy ’63, who retired from PricewatershouseCoopers in 2005, has accepted the position of Senior Vice President for Administration and Finance at Northeastern University. He continues to be a part of the boards of Catholic Charities, The Pine Street Inn, Boston College High School and the Finance Council for the Archdiocese of Boston.
Brian O’Neill ’67 won re-election in the 10th District for a four year term on Philadelphia’s City Council.
Dr. Richard Santore ’67 and his wife Kathy [above] will celebrate their 27th anniversary this year. Their son graduated from UCLA last year with degrees in Physics and mathematics and their daughter is a management information sciences undergraduate student in the business college at the University of Tulsa. Rev. Joseph Schad, S.J. ’68 is chaplain at Mercy Hospital in Portland, ME. He offers retreats and spiritual direction to his colleagues and the local community. Prior to coming to Maine, Joe served four years in pastoral ministry in Alaska.
1 9 7 0 ’s
Alan Smith ’70 and Peter Sigmund ’47 [above] attended a retreat at the Malvern Retreat House in the fall of 2007. Hon. Thomas DelRicci ’71 has been elected to a second 10-year term as a Common Pleas Judge for Montgomery County in the election which took place in the fall of 2007. Richard Wisniewski ’64 [above] is proud to announce the birth of his new granddaughter, Elizabeth Rose Connelly.
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Dominic Vallone ’71 received The Sister Grace Nolan Award for Social Ministry by the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Camden for his long association with the Cathedral Kitchen. He is responsible for single-handedly keeping the kitchen open for many years. He also is a member of the Board of Cathedral Kitchen and is presently the Director of Operations for the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia.
Bill Greenlee ’71 won re-election for an at-large seat on Philadelphia’s City Council for a four-year term.
Dr. Aldo Esposito ’72 is a cardiologist in the northern Virginia area near Washington, DC. He and his wife Sandi have been married for 20 years and have two sons and a daughter. Walter Finnerty ’74 is employed in the Department of Technology and Information for the State of Delaware as a Senior Systems Analyst. Thomas Browning ’75 has recently retired from federal service after 20 years. During those years, he was a U.S. Federal Special Agent serving with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division and the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service fraud and foreign counterintelligence units. He is now a VP of Corporate Compliance and Chief Security Officer at Allied Barton Security Services in King of Prussia. Joseph Sweeney ’75 and his wife Laura recently celebrated their 17th anniversary and they have two daughters, Katherine, (seven) and Alexandra (four). When not running his small money management firm, he spends time on the boards of The Boys and Girls Club, The Salvation Army and The Wine and Food Society of San Francisco. Thomas Casey ’76 was recently named Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Blockbuster, Inc. Most recently, he was managing director for Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. In his new position, Tom will have responsibility for Blockbuster’s financial, accounting and internal audit functions.
alumni news Robert Murray ’77 has been named Assistant School Director at Divers Academy International. John Prybella ’77 is currently living in Boston with his wife Meg after spending 16 years in Denver, Col. They have three daughters: Katelynn, a first grade teacher; Kristen, a second-year law student at Creighton University; and Jaclyn, who is in her third year at Franklin Pierce University.
Thomas Cellucci, Ph.D. ’76 [above] has accepted a special appointment from the Department of Homeland Security as Chief Commercialization Officer for the Science and Technology Directorate. He is responsible for initiatives that identify, evaluate and commercialize technology for the specific goal of rapidly developing and deploying products and services that meet the specific operational requirements of the Department of Homeland Security’s Operating Components and its end users. Rev. Joseph Cocucci ’76 has been named Director of Seminarians for the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington. This is in addition to his work as Director of Priestly and Religious Vocations for that diocese and as Rector of the Cathedral of St. Peter.
Hon. Patrick Dugan ’78 was sworn in as a Judge of the Philadelphia Municipal Court in September.
Stanley Jaskiewicz ’78 [above] recently received the “Strut Your Stuff Award” from the Legal Clinic for the Disabled, a non-profit corporation providing free legal services to low-income people with disabilities in the Philadelphia area.
1 9 8 0 ’s
James Kenney ’76 won re-election for an atlarge seat on Philadelphia’s City Council for a four-year term. Michael Banach ’77 has retired from the Philadelphia Police Department after 27 years with the rank of Inspector. He is now a District Manager with Allied Barton Security Services, managing contract security in the Philadelphia mega-market. He also is an adjunct faculty member at Saint Joseph’s University, teaching a course in the Graduate Criminal Justice program. Christopher Churchill ’77 recently joined the law practice of Barley Snyder LLC. He works primarily with the firm’s Health Law Group in Lancaster, as well as in the Berwyn office, concentrating in the areas of health care, technology, business transactions and commercial litigation. Charles Dougherty ’77 and his wife Shannon have lived in North Carolina for 14 years. They are raising seven children, ages 15 to 1 1/2. Thomas Holmes ’77 is an economics professor at the University of Minnesota where he teaches Economics 101 to 1,100 freshman.
Paul Bonhage ’83 and Theresa are proud grandparents of Madison, born in January 2007 to Paul Bonhage III ’05. Rich Gannon ’83, a former NFL quarterback, is now an announcer for CBS Sports and broadcast his first game at Lincoln Financial Field as the Eagles played the Miami Dolphins this past fall. During the game, CBS showed footage of Gannon playing for The Prep in 1982. Patrick Kelly ’83 was recently promoted to President of Harry W. Gaffney & Co., where he has been employed for 19 years involved with chemical sales and distribution.
Peter Vossenberg ’79 is teaching at the Orlando Culinary Academy’s Le Cordon Bleu program in Florida where he is the Professor of Food and Beverages. Peter and his wife Kathleen, who also works at the Academy as a Chef Instructor, are planning to open a small business in Florida.
Councilman Kenney was on hand as Mayor Michael Nutter ’75 spoke at The Prep
Thomas Monari ’82, Senior Manager of Accenture, reports that his oldest child, Jane, is attending The Juilliard School, majoring in operatic voice.
Joseph Fleming ’80 and Camden Churches Organized for People (CCOP) will be honored with The Monsignor Doyle and Monsignor McDermott Award for Parish and Community Ministry by the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Camden. CCOP is a powerful, faith-based community organization working to transform conditions for individuals and families in Camden. John Kearns ’82 is a Technical Writer at Morgan Stanley and lives in Manhattan with his wife, Daisy, and stepson, Wang Zhi. His book of short stories, Dreams and Dull Realities, has recently been published, his novel, The World, was published in 2003 and his novel in progress, Worlds, was a finalist in the 2002 New Century Writers’ Awards. He has had several off-off Broadway plays produced, including Sons of Molly Maguire, In a Bucket of Blood and Designers with Dirty Faces. Anthony Cocco ’82 has recently moved to Woolwich, N.J., a rural farm area in South Jersey with his wife and two children. He is an IT Director in a large school system and also runs a consulting practice.
Patrick McCloskey ’83 served as Logistics Coordinator of the Philadelphia Marathon, Half Marathon and Rothman 8K which were held in November. Lawrence Reagan, Ph.D ’83 is a recipient of JDRF’s Advanced Postdoctoral Fellowship (20002003) and is continuing his research with a JDRF-funded project studying how diabetes impairs insulin action in the brain, and whether this has an effect on brain functions. He is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, & Neuroscience at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine. M. Patrick McCloskey ’84, a former partner with Lazard Ltd., has been hired by energy broker Evolution Markets to launch an investment bank focusing on carbon emissions trading and clean energy. Matthew Brennan ’87 and his wife Mary live in Media, with their two children, Ryan and Matty. His business, Precision Healthcare Management, provides practice management services to physician practices in the Philadelphia and southern New Jersey market. Kevin Hogan ’87 and his wife have three children and live in “beautiful and historic Trenton, N.J.” They were recently awarded a grant from the Trenton Historical Society to help in the exterior restoration of their 19th Century Victorian home. Kevin is executive editor of Scholastic Administrator magazine, which is based in New York City. Stanley Jaroszewski ’87 is a manager of Information Technology with Johnson & Johnson. He and his wife Caroline reside in Doylestown with their two children, Lauren and Henry. John Grugan ’88 is a partner at Ballard Spahr Andrews & Ingersall, LLP. He and his wife Megan live in Bala Cynwyd with their four children.
Rev. Thomas Fitzpatrick ’82 was ordained a priest in 2004 and was appointed Rector of St. Joseph’s Cathedral in Sioux Falls, SD. 26
Timothy Connell ’88 is working as a performing musician and music teacher. While he still plays many instruments, his primary focus for several years has been the mandolin. He just recorded a full-length album of Brazilian music with his band Rio Con Brio, and shares co-songwriting credits on the recently-released album of his brother, Brian Connell ’95. He lives in Portland, OR with his wife Claire and their 5 year old son Quinn. Antony Braithwaite ’89, Director of The Prep’s Cape and Sword Drama Society, appeared in a one-man show, Say Goodnight Gracie, at the Act II Playhouse in Ambler in the fall of 2007. Say Goodnight Gracie chronicles the career of the famous George Burns and his beloved wife and comedy partner Gracie Allen. Also, Tony was a judge for a new television pilot. New Century Television, which is based in the Philadelphia area, produced the pilot of a new television series, American Actor, a show similar to American Idol but focused on acting. During the Christmas season, he starred in the 1812 Production’s holiday show, a homage to the old television show That Was the Week That Was. In January, Braithwaite directed the musical The Fantasticks at the Kimmel Center. The cast and crew included several Prep alums, namely, Howie Brown ’99, Joe Mallon ’99, Will Dennis ’01, Dave Serratore ’06, Andrew Matthews ’05 and Matt Silva ’03.
Robert Campbell ’91 is the CEO/owner of Allied Solutions Group, Inc., a business that prepares military and civilian emergency planners and responders for a variety of incidents. He and his wife Amy live in Newport News, Va., with their two daughters. Matthew Connors ’91 has been named Assistant Sports Information Director and Coordinator of Special Events at Philadelphia University. Kevin Currie ’91 participated in the 2007 Philadelphia Dragon Boat Festival as part of the Momenee and Associates, Inc., Friends and Family racing team.
Eugene Bell ’95 has been appointed the Executive Director of the Martin dePorres Foundation, which was established many years ago by Ambassador Matthew H. McCloskey, Jr., and has many Prep connections. Brian Connell ’95 released his debut album, “The Sordid,” on Looky Here Records. He and his wife Kristen live in Athens, Ga., where he teaches English at Athens Academy. Patrick Connell ’95 recently relocated to Boston from Oregon with his wife, Melissa, and daughter, Annabella. He is working for Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition providing computer expertise for a new distance learning master’s program for United Arab Emirate citizens.
Edmund DeHoratius ’91 has written
Introduction to Latin, Revised First Edition Study Guide and Reader, meant to accompany Shelmerdine’s Introduction to Latin. This text will give help to students learning Latin, and provide numerous additional readings and grammatical explanations. In the book, DeHoratius mentions former Prep Latin teachers Charlie Kling ’61 and Dr. Henry Bender ’63. Major Geno Rapone ’91 recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq with the 111th Fighter Wing, Willow Grove Air Reserve Station.
Benjamin Crowley ’95 is a MBA candidate in Asset Management and Real Estate at the Kogod School of Business at American University. He recently married Courtney Ford, daughter of Dr. Francis Ford ’64. Michael Egan ’95 participated in the 2007 IronMan World Championships in Hawaii which took place in October 2007. The IronMan entails swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and running a full marathon (26.2 miles). Mike credits his training partners from Cadence, his coach, friends and family for inspiring him.
Marc Schuster, Ph.D. ’91 has published a book, Anthony Casdia ’89 recently married Beverly Battista. Frank Costa ’90 was the best man and the wedding ceremony was held at St. Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D.C. James Harron ’89 recently joined Equity International as Senior Vice President of Investments. Equity International is a Chicagobased private equity fund that focuses on real-estate related investments globally. Anthony Schiavo ’89 and his wife Rachel are currently living in Pennsauken, N.J., and they just celebrated the birth of their fifth child, Justin Michael. Anthony is currently marketing manager at Jessica Kingsley Publishers in Philadelphia and he also runs his own Catholic small press, Arx Publishing, with classmate Claudio Salvucci ’89. He published his first book earlier this year, Belisarius: The First Shall Be Last, under the pseudonym Paolo A. Belzoni. It’s the first of a trilogy on the late-Roman general and owes a lot to the classical education he received at The Prep.
1 9 9 0 ’s Daniel Bodell ’90 who was recently married in San Diego, Calif., has been named a partner at Gordon & Rees, LLP. Matthew O’Brien ’90 moved his family to Adelaide, South Australia recently to work on the Australian Destroyer project. His boys (9 and 7 years old) are attending a Jesuit school called St. Ignatius Junior College and are playing Aussie Rules Football and cricket. His daughter, Rosemary (3 years old), is also enjoying the kangaroo parks. 27
The Greatest Show in the Galaxy: The Discerning Fan’s Guide to Doctor Who, which examines the long-running British series of Doctor Who in relation to such contemporary phenomena as cosmetic surgery, consumerism, reality television and road rage. John Darmohray ’92 is currently working as an Environmental Scientist for Ransom Environmental in Hamilton, N.J. Previously he was employed as an Aquatic Ecologist at Mount Rainier National Park, where his research was published in a scientific paper titled “Amphibian and Wetland Survey of Mount Rainier National Park.” He and his wife Kristine live in Philadelphia. Christopher Murphy, Esq. ’92 is an attorney with Murphy & Carmen in Media. Eric Tenuto ’92, who has been teaching Tae Kwon Do in Philadelphia and New Jersey, has recently achieved the rank of Master (4th degree) in that sport. John-Vincent Mercanti ’93 served as the Casting Director on the Broadway production of Cyrano de Bergerac starring Kevin Kline and Jennifer Garner. He also served as a Producing Associate on the production. Christopher Lord ’94 graduated from the Submarine Officer Advanced Course in June 2006 and was recently selected for promotion to Lieutenant Commander. He is currently serving as the Strategic Weapons Officer on board the USS Rhode Island (SSBN 740).
Joseph Murphy ’95 will mark the start of his third year with Callaway Golf in Carisbad, Calif., in November. Callaway is the foremost industry leader in golf manufacturing, reaching $1 billion dollars in worldwide sales in 2005. In 2006, he was recognized by his peers as one-half of the 2006 Sales Team of the Year for the work they did in the Milwaukee/Green Bay section. He lives in Encinitas, a small, quiet coastal town about 30 minutes north of San Diego. Patrick Boyle ’96 and his fiancé were guests on the HGTV Network show Spice Up My Kitchen that originally aired in August. The show takes old kitchens and gives them a makeover. Daniel Murphy ’96 works as Vice President with National Benefit Partners, plays basketball and pursuing acting opportunities. Michael Shea ’96 was recently promoted to the position of Group General Manager, ICT position for International SOS. He will be relocating from Philadelphia to Singapore with his wife Allison and 6 month old son, Harrison. Joseph Whalen ’96 is currently doing Market Research in India. John Bobiak ’97 is a research scientist with Bristol-Myers Squibb. He and his wife Sarah live in East Windsor, N.J., with their daughter, Gabriella. Nicholas Groch ’97 is living in Philadelphia and is employed at Blackney Hayes Architects. He recently completed the Philadelphia Marathon in 3 hours, 1 minute; it was his first marathon.
alumni news
Christopher Heuisler ’97 has recently reprised his role as Cole on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns, which began in August 2007. Prior to that role, he was in Eastern Europe where he starred in his first foreign film portraying a young Ernest Hemingway. The still untitled film expects a strong run in the 2008 Independent Film Festivals. Last summer he starred in the film, Placebo, which should also come out in 2008. Brian Madden ’97 received his J.D. degree from Villanova University School of Law. Joseph McGlynn ’97 is an Assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia. Peter Pecoraro ’97 is employed in pharmaceutical sales with Allergan, Inc. He is living in Ardmore and is pursuing his M.B.A. degree from the Villanova School of Business. Derrick Walker ’97 recently graduated from Weill Cornell Medical College with a degree in Medical Sciences. He is doing his internship at Albert Einstein Medical in Bronx, N.Y.
Loyola Blakefield in Towson, Md., and has directed student service trips to Arizona, New Mexico, Jamaica, and Mexico.
2 0 0 0 ’s Edward Turner ’00 and Steve Harris ’99 were selected by Philadelphia Daily News reporter Ted Silary to be on the paper’s all-city baseball team over the past 30 years. Turner, who is currently a teacher in The Prep Classics Department, was selected as an infielder and Harris as an outfielder. Neal Dhand ’01 is a budding film director/producer finishing his master’s at Rochester Institute of Technology. He is in pre-production on a feature film Sleep Shift, a murder mystery and psychological thriller. Timothy Johnson ’01 and Brian Whelan ’94 qualified for the UPA’s Club Ultimate Championships which took place in Sarasota, Fla., in the fall. Johnson plays for a team from Princeton, N.J., while Whelan is a member of Philadelphia AMP.
Patrick Donohue ’98 is currently living in Baltimore, Md., with his wife Emily. He is a Network Systems Engineer at Loyola College and is pursuing his M.B.A. degree in Business Security through the University of Baltimore/Towson University. Peter Mikochik, Ph.D. ’98 earned his Ph.D. from the University of Pennsylvania in Organic Chemistry and is currently living in Connecticut, where he is a postdoctoral researcher at Yale University. James O’Connor ’98 was the coach of the United States women’s rowing team that competed at the Pan American Games this past summer in Brazil. He is the women’s lightweight varsity coach at Georgetown University. Peter Castagna ’99 has recently accepted the position as Director of Communications at Salesianum School in Wilmington, Del. Philip Gravinese ’99 graduated from Florida Institute of Technology in May with a master’s degree in Marine Biology. His research focused on the lucrative and economically important Florida Stone Crab fishery. Michael Rady ’99 appeared in CSI: NY and also two episodes of ER in the fall. He will have a recurring role on a new show called, Swingtown, which will be shown on CBS in January. He is also co-starring in the soon-to-be-released sequel to the movie Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants. Angelo (A.J.) Rizzo ’99 is a novice with the Jesuits in the Maryland Province. A graduate of the University of Scranton who recently earned an MA in pastoral counseling from Loyola College in Maryland, A.J. worked in campus ministry at
Lts. Colin Graham ’02 and Thomas Cahill ’02, USMC, graduated from The Basic School (Fox Co.) in March 2007 and Logistics Officers Course in August 2007. Colin is assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment -3 on Okinawa, Japan while Tom is assigned to Combat Logistics Regiment-1, Camp Pendleton, CA. Justin Hopkins ’02 was a featured singer with the Ocean City Pops this past summer. He has been studying voice in Siena and Milan, Italy and gave a “Farewell Concert” at The Prep in the fall before he left. Michael Johnson ’02 is currently employed as Campus Minister at Archmere Academy in Claymont, Del. Prior to that, he was New Account Opening Team Leader at Lockwood Financial Services, Inc., a subsidiary of the Bank of New York Mellon Corporation. Raymond Perfetti ’02 earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree from Stevens Institute of Technology in Business and Technology with honors in 2006. He is currently a creative coordinator for Concentric Communications’ special events production team in New York and enjoys living in Hoboken, N.J. Michael Santoro ’02 recently passed the CPA Exam and has begun his second year working for PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP in Philadelphia. Charles Strowhouer ’02 graduated from the University of Delaware and played on the Men’s Rugby team for four years. He is currently a student at Rutgers School of Law in Camden, N.J.
Brian McGrath ’01 [above] recently graduated as a Second Lieutenant from the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Va. Gregory Connors ’02, who served as a member of the Alumni Service Corps last year, is part of a “Story Tour Van” project that is traveling around the Philadelphia region to get people’s stories for use in an upcoming arts festival.
William Sullivan ’02 recently completed a yearlong internship as a writer at U.S. News and World Report and is currently a first-year law student at Harvard. Christian Barlow ’03, who graduated from Virginia Tech in May and is heading to medical
Michael Damiano ’02 graduated from Saint Joseph’s University in 2006 with a BS in Business Administration with a concentration in Decision and Systems Sciences. After graduation, he volunteered as an Alumni Service Corps member at The Prep and is now working at Liberty Mutual Surety as an I/S Analyst. Harry Gillin ’02 worked as a Policy and Media Researcher for the mayoral campaign of Michael Nutter ’75 following an internship for Nutter while a City Councilman. Harry now works in the Office of Development and Alumni Relations at the University of Pennsylvania where he is pursuing his Master’s Degree from the Fels School of Government.
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school, spent two months in a volunteer placement in a Cape Coast, Ghana hospital in western Africa. Barlow used his medical knowledge to help the poor of the country through a program called “Projects Abroad.” John Brewster ’03 graduated from U.S. Navy basic training in the fall and is now at the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Training Center near Charleston, S.C., training to become a nuclear qualified Machinist’s Mate. Michael Haas ’03 was drafted by the New York Titans in the fifth round of the National Lacrosse League’s recent draft. Haas, who was a standout in lacrosse at Villanova University, credits his former coach Jacques Bagley ’90 with encouraging him to play indoor lacrosse. John Infanti ’03 graduated from Syracuse University and is now a news producer for WYOU in Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. He also does a podcast about the Philadelphia Phillies twice a week that is available on iTunes by searching “Philscast.” Thomas Meehan ’03 received the Chick Award from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Mass. This award, which honors Holy Cross grad Larry Chick, recognizes the student-athlete who goes above and beyond expectations as a member of the rowing program. David Morris ’03 is enrolled in a Master’s Program at Carnegie Mellon in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Infrastructure Management. He was awarded a partial fellowship and will be a teacher’s assistant. Mark Zoller ’03 is playing professional basketball in Plasencia, Spain for Plasencia-Galco in the LEB Plata League and has been starting since the third game of the season. Mark played at Penn and twice won the Ivy League title. Philip Cimbak ’04 is co-captain of the Georgetown University Lightweight Crew Team.
The team was invited to row at the Henley Regatta in London where he rowed with John Connolly ’05, who previously rowed at Henley with The Prep Crew in 2005. At The Prep, Phil was a member of the boat that won the 2004 SRA National Championship in the Varsity Lightweight 8 and he was given the most dedicated rower award.
Christopher Piltin ’04 was named captain of the Holy Cross Crew team for the 2007-2008 season. Last season, he was the stroke of the second varsity eight which finished second at the Jesuit Invitational and first at the Knetch Cup.
Shawn Duff ’04 was selected co-captain of the University of Delaware Men’s Crew for 20072008. He follows Dan Fitzpatrick ’03, who was a co-captain for 2006-2007 for the Blue Hens. As a varsity heavyweight oarsman, he has been named first-team all Colonial Athletic Association Conference in 2005 and 2007, and second-team in 2006. Andrew Gordon ’04 is a junior at Harvard University, where as a freshman he created the Harvard College Globalization Project. Before entering Harvard, he traveled to Spain where he took a Spanish course in Seville. After his European experience, he secured a job at a small Jesuit school in the Andes Mountains in Ecuador where he taught English to second and eighth grade students for six months. He is a member of the national fraternity, Sigma Alpha Epsilon, which honored him with a special feature regarding his “gap” year experience. Joseph McElwee ’04 was appointed captain for the Georgetown University Crew for the 2008 season. Joe was a cross country runner and baseball player at The Prep. Spencer Petticrew-Shawcross ’04, a senior at Hamilton College, received the Kellogg Essay Prize. The prize, established by Charles C. Kellogg, a 1849 Hamilton College graduate, is awarded to a junior, sophomore and first-year student, each of whom have excelled in English essays. Spencer received the award for his work during his junior year at Hamilton where he is a creating writer major.
Michael Robinson ’04, a senior at Trinity College, earned a berth in the Aztec Bowl, a Division III all-star football game that pits players from the U.S. against a group of all-stars from Mexico, and on the all-academic teams for the NESCAC and the region. Michael and Mark Noonan ’04, a senior at Wesleyan College, squared off in the last collegiate game for both players, with Trinity winning 32-14. Above, Mike Robinson (#60 Trinity) and Mark Noonan (#9 Wesleyan). F. Shannon Sweeney ’04, who was co-captain of The Prep swim team, has been named a cocaptain of the Men’s Swimming and Diving Team at Holy Cross. He is the second Prep student in recent years to earn that honor at Holy Cross, following Matt Talucci ’02, who also was a captain at The Prep and Holy Cross. Jim McKenzie ’06 worked his way as a redshirt freshman into the position of starting center for the Syracuse University football team this past fall. Chris Whitney ’07 emerged as starting quarterback at Villanova University in 2007.
PREP AT THE SHORE
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alumni news
Prep Weddings
Prep Births
Peter Vossenberg ‘79 and Kathleen Ahearn [1] Anthony Casdia ‘89 and Beverly Battista Daniel Bodell ‘90 and Dawn Willis [2] Gregory Kuklinski ‘94 and Dawn Dunbar [3] Benjamin Crowley ‘95 and Courtney Ford Kirk Brown ‘96 and Susan Stewart Brian Madden ‘97 and Kate Toolan Andrew Mescolotto ‘97 and Natalie Pappas [4] Brian Roselle ‘97 and Erin Therese Himan Thomas Bettner ‘98 and Melissa Mitchell Ryan Carney ‘98 and Amy Gurzo [5] Jeffrey Kelly ‘98 and Alycia Appicello [6] Sean Killeen ‘98 and Amber Rubeo [7] Andrew Farrell ‘99 and Maureen Schulte Joseph Kadlec ‘99 and Mary McKenna [8] Kevin Stefanski ‘00 and Michelle McCarthy
Ella Maria to Ben and Anne Smith, Prep Modern Language Teacher [1] Julia Michaela to Ian and Christina McGuire-Villareal, Prep Classics Teacher [2] Karleigh Gianna to Denise and Mike Sullivan, Controller [3] Tessa Josephine to Sarah and Michael Gomez, Prep Principal [4] Charles Vincent to Bridgette and Vincent Stinger ‘78 [5] Reagan Anderson to Christine and Drew Griffin ‘89 [6] Justin Michael to Rachel and Anthony Schiavo ‘89 Nicholas Michael to Monique and Frank Costa ‘90 [7] Patrick Henry to Diana and Jack O’Neill ‘90 [8] Caroline Marie to Michele and David Osinski ‘90 [9] Daniel, Jr. to Anne Marie and Daniel Sweeney ‘90 Sarah to Amy and Robert Campbell ‘91 Mia Felicia and Michael Joseph to Judy and Joseph Falcone ‘91, Prep Math Teacher [10] Aidan Joseph to Bonnie and Timothy Kain ‘91 [11] Keira Anne to Melissa and Sean Moule ‘92 [12] Max Hugh-Joseph to Danielle and Dennis Mullin ‘92 Brady Patrick to Megan and Kevin Crow ‘94 Brigid Anne to Alicia and Thomas Farren ‘94, Prep Modern Language Teacher Deidre Therese to Carrie and Curry Gallagher ‘94 [13] Lily Elizabeth to Jill and Greg O’Neill ‘94 [14] Annabella to Melissa and Patrick Connell ‘95 [15] Kevin Robert to Beth and Robert Deegan ‘95 [16] Claire Taylor to Kate and Dennis Hart ‘95, Prep History Teacher Leah Elizabeth to Jodie and Timothy M. Murphy ‘95 Clare Margaret to Francine and Thomas McGlaughlin ‘96 [17] Pearl Elizabeth to Erin and Louis J. Cicalese Jr. ‘98
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Front row: Chris Lisko ’90, Joe Bodell ’62, Dan Bodell ’90 [the groom], Brendan Sharkey ’90, Tom Fitzpatrick ’90; Second row: Larry Romano ’90, Steve Kiley ’90, Justin Bodell ’93 4
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Craig E. Harris, Jr. ’97, [best man] is second on the left, Andrew Mescolotto ’97 [groom] is to the right of the bride, Natalie. 5
Ryan Carney ’98 and his bride Amy at their wedding with Best Man Patrick Carney ’04 and Groomsmen John Civilico ’98, Emmett McGinn ’98 and Tim Kelly ’98. Also present were guests Scott Gorman ’98, Adam Siegel ’98 and Sean McLoughlin ’03.
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Jeffrey Kelly ’98 and his bride Alycia, with brother Jonathan Kelly ’01 and his sisters. 8
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[Front row, l-r]: Dean Hill ’11, Daniel Hill, Joe Kadlec ’99. [Back row, l-r] John Steplewicz ’66, Al Georeno ’52, Kurt Schmel ’90, Drew Hill IV ’95, Brad Hill ’04 and Drew Hill III ’69.
[l. to r. beginning at the bottom] Trevor Echelmeier ’03, Sean Killeen ’98 [groom], Amber Rubeo Killeen, Brian Blacker ’05, Jim Daly ’03, Fr. Michael McCormac ’66, Ryan Killeen ’01, Drew Blacker ’04, Brendan Echelmeier ’95, John Fry ’98, Mike Washlick ’98, Dave Jacquette ’98, Jermaine Slade ’98, Pete Belz ’98, Brian Finnegan ’98, Jim Anderson ’98, Al Perry ’98, Jerry Rafter ’98.
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Obituary
Calendar of Events REV. JOHN “MOOSE” MCGINTY, S.J. ‘45 July 27, 1928 - November 4, 2007
Fr. McGinty, known to a generation of Prep students as “Moose,” served as the Prefect of Discipline at The Prep for a decade. Despite the strict manner in which he performed his job, or perhaps because of it, he was beloved by many alumni, who were grateful to Fr. McGinty for his fairness and for the way that he helped to mold students. Fr. McGinty served two tenures at The Prep and the 1970 Chronicle yearbook was dedicated to him after his final year. In his final days, memories of his days at St. Joseph’s Prep warmed his heart. “One day, I went home and found a yearbook from 1970 which was dedicated to him,” says his niece Winnie McKie. “The next day, when I talked to him, I reminded him of that. He smiled and said, ‘That’s a good memory!’ The Prep meant so much to him. It was his heart and soul.” Though Fr. McGinty had not worked at The Prep after 1970, he did come back to many functions through the years and was a fixture at Wednesday Night JUG. His last visit to his beloved alma mater came in February 2007 when he helped celebrate the announcement of the capital campaign and tour the old Jesuit Residence where he had lived for many years.
REV. JAMES A. MARTIN, S.J. ‘21 August 30, 1902 - October 1, 2007 Prior to his death, Fr. Martin was the oldest Jesuit, living to be 105 years old. But his life was more than longevity, it was a living example of priestly obedience and the willingness to lead others. Rev. John Langan, S.J., who gave the homily at Fr. Martin’s funeral mass, had these thoughts: “The two noteworthy accomplishments which were particular sources of pride for him were his service as a chaplain in the U.S. Army in the Mediterranean theater during World War II and the building of Loyola Retreat House in Faulkner (Md.) at the end of the 1950’s. In both he was able to lead as a man of action and to guide as a man of Ignatian spirituality. They were both accomplishments which involved bringing men together to work in a good cause and which manifested Jimmy’s virtues and gifts in ways which sustained people in hard times.” Fr. Martin spent the last 25 years of his life in pastoral work and then as part of the Jesuit community at Georgetown University, where he was the subject of several articles written in the Hoya, the University’s student newspaper, and other local media outlets. Fr. Martin, born in Wilkes-Barre, was an outstanding athlete during his years at The Prep. He was offered college athletic scholarships and a major league baseball contract at the time of his graduation but he instead entered the Jesuit Novitiate at Shadowbrook in West Stockbridge, Mass. Retaining his love of athletics, he established and coached a championship basketball team while teaching in the Philippines during his years of Jesuit formation in the 1920s. After his ordination at Weston College in 1934, he held several academic positions, among them Assistant Dean of Men at Georgetown from 1939-1940. 31
APRIL 24 Junior Ring Mass 26 Hawktion 29 Senior Exit Conversation M AY 1 Feast of the Ascension Class Masses Alumni Board of Governors 2 Sophomore Conversation 7 New Mothers Reception 13 Board of Trustees Meeting 14 Mothers’ Club New York Bus Trip 15 Senior Talent Show 23 Underclassmen Award Ceremony 30-6/1 Class of 1958 Reunion 31 Baccalaureate Mass in the Church of the Gesu The Mystery of Edwin Drood, the spring production of the Cape and Sword Drama Society, will be held on May 8, 10-11 and 14-18. For more information go to www.sjprep.org/theatre. JUNE 1 Commencement Ceremonies (@ Saint Joseph’s University) 11 Mothers’ Club Appreciation Liturgy and Brunch 16 Summer School begins 23 Pre-Eighth Grade Program begins
The Speedy Morris Basketball Camp for boys ages 8-16 will take place in the Kelly Fieldhouse on June 9-13 and 16-20. For more information, call 215-978-3303.
Rest in Peace Rev. James A. Martin S.J. ‘21 Frank M. Clancy ‘43
William A. Lamb ‘53
Richard F. Johnson ‘35
Robert G. McGill ‘43
Joseph E. Hafner ‘55
Joseph P. Monaghan ‘35
Joseph P. O’Connell ‘43
J. David Obrecht ‘58
W. Donald Cooke ‘36
Harry R. Mayer ‘44
Philip J. Gilson, Jr. ‘61
Joseph J. Lihota ‘37
Rev. John P. McGinty S.J. ‘45 Joseph A. Sweeney, Jr. ‘61
George L. Carroll ‘38
Edward L. Sarno ‘47
Andrew P. Mason III ‘73
Joseph A. Janson, Jr. ‘38
Walter F. Mullen ‘47
Alfred J. Roberts ‘76
Harry M. Byrne ‘40
William W. Carroll ‘48
Anthony C. Kudzmas, Jr. ‘76
Leon S. Staub ‘41
Paul J. DiBlasi ‘49
Thomas F. Byers ‘80
James C. Buckley ‘42
John M. Coy ‘50
Peter J. Burke ‘81
James F. Dougherty ‘42
Joseph G. Costa Jr. ‘51
Wayne C. Chalow ‘82
John R. Fasy ‘42
Frank M. McDonnell ‘52
Darryl M. Davis ‘83
Frances A. Brady ‘43
James T. Aylmer ‘52
Steven Griffith ‘99
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Perspectives English teacher Andrew Whelan has embraced the idea of faculty service and has accompanied students on trips to places such as New Orleans, Rural Retreat and, as this article will detail, Navajo Nation in New Mexico.
Their interest in my work, however, is never as evident as when they pepper me with questions about The Prep’s service trips, and my experiences on them. I can see in their eyes a conflicted mix of real gladness for my exciting and worthwhile journeys, and some regret that their ‘jobs’ don’t offer such extraordinary opportunities. In those moments, I feel like the luckiest guy I know.
My closest friends in life are the guys I grew up with. College years gave me a long list of pals whose friendships I still value and need, but it’s my handful of friends from Maple Glen, who I cherish most.
For the last two summers, I have traveled with religious studies teacher Stephen Oldham [top photo, below] and a group of eight incoming Prep seniors to St. Mary Mission in Tohatchi, N.M. We stay for about 8 days.
Distance and families and overly busy careers have not interfered with our earnest efforts every several weeks to meet for a meal. It is a tradition I hope never fades, no matter the way our lives will surely continue to change and grow. Our dinner chatter is lively and loud as we offer updates on family, health, and job appointments. We retell endearing stories from our upbringings that never sound stale, thanks mostly to the layers of harmless embellishments that now bury the original tales.
Tohatchi is a modest, Native American community of about 1,100 residents in the high desert on The Navajo Nation in the northwest corner of the state. The Navajo Nation is the largest of all the U.S. Native American reservations, and its 17 million acres extend into Arizona and Utah. Most of that acreage is hard, windy, wide-open space.
After long goodbyes and promises to stay in better touch, I always drive towards home acutely aware of the same things. I feel joyful, and indescribably fortunate to be so genuinely known. But, too, I am often confused by pangs of odd guilt. I think back on the conversations of the evening, specifically when we talked about our ‘jobs’, and I can see clearly through my mind’s eye that when I talk about my work at The Prep, my enthusiasm among my friends is unmatched. In reflection, I am actually somewhat embarrassed for loving what I do so much. Maybe I should tone down my excitement, I wonder. I mean, aren’t people supposed to hate their jobs? Inevitably, and regardless of my very deliberate attempts to share the attention, when with my friends the topic always manages to make its way to my work. Whether it’s a funny anecdote from my sophomore American Lit class, a great idea a film student proposed, or an ambitious interview a young journalist secured, my friends listen intently to my stories as if they actually know the kids to which I am referring.
The closest city to Tohatchi, or at least as we here in the East think of cities to be, is Gallup, N.M., which is off the reservation and about a 50-mile drive south on Route 491, through the red, arid sandscape. For sure, Gallup has a Walmart, a KFC, a Dollar Store, saloons, a Domino’s Pizza — everything you could want, right? Back up the lonely highway in Tohatchi, there is a quiet gas station, a modular post office, and a mini mart. There also, standing proudly out of the dust and sand at the end of the town’s main road, is a bright, white, little Catholic church with turquoise window trim and a sparkling, high steeple. This is St. Mary’s Church, and it is central to the Tohatchi community. Two worldly, happy, sun-dried Franciscan priests, as well as a few amazing nuns and lay people associated with the order, run the St. Mary Mission and all its educational events and community programs. Besides the church, the mission is basically a compound of several trailers, a few garages and sheds, five traditional oneroom Navajo dwellings called hogans, and a parking lot of gravel and dirt. Lining roughly the mission’s perimeter is a flimsy connection of fences – some made of metal links, some of rusty wire, and some of splintered wooden rails – which, rather than act as any kind of border or 32
property line, is more meant to deter the free-ranging horses, cattle, and a persistent proliferation of stray dogs. The dominant elements of the Navajo trip are threefold: the land, the sun, and the people. The land, and all the life it supports, is magical and sacred to the Navajo. From the smallest pebble to the largest buffalo, all nature is to be respected equally. All life, they say, holds lessons and stories, and all life is a mysterious gift. The land for the Navajo is home, and it is their real connection to their past — a past marked with beautiful, creative spirituality, as well as brutality and genocide at the hands of European explorers and early U.S. governments. The Navajo Nation is at about 5,000 feet above sea level, which is a lot closer to the sun than we are accustomed. Besides the sun’s symbolic meaning and life-giving force, it absolutely dictates the daily Navajo routine because of the sheer power of its blazing white light – which reflects from all directions off an endless sprawl of sand
and rock – and the mercilessness of its heat. From about noon to 2 p.m., folks on the mission seek the indoors to eat slow lunches together, settle paperwork in front of oscillating fans, or, not unlikely, nap. We learned after a couple days that resting during the hottest hours was smart, not lazy. It is the Navajo people, though, that leave the most vivid impressions on my memory. They are serious people of intense faith who carry in their dark eyes and stoic faces the history of their people’s struggles. In the past, they battled “the Anglos” for their land and their survival. Today’s battles look different, but they might be as devastating. Poverty, alcoholism, obesity, diabetes, and depression are epidemic on Native American reservations. The elders will tell you despairingly that, among the youth, the Navajo language and the ancient Navajo traditions need to compete with MTV, fast food, drugs, the internet, the action in Gallup, and the everlasting pursuit of teenage coolness. Our purpose when we go to Tohatchi is to serve the Navajo and St. Mary Mission in
whatever capacity they need us. We have painted hogans; leveled washed-out dirt roads; delivered food baskets to the homebound in the farthest reaches of the reservation; installed gutters to better drain the occasional rain; repaired wind-weary street signs; split fire wood; assisted the bible school; collected strewn garbage; assembled furniture; built stone walls; and filled hundreds of water balloons for a fast and refreshing midday water fight with the Navajo children. It was my great mentor Steve Oldham, though, who taught me service comes in many forms. I tend to only be satisfied at the end of the day if I am sore and sweaty from hard work in the sun, and therefore I expect the same from those with whom I labor. Steve, however, so wisely showed me that talking to the Navajo people could be more valuable than painting their homes. Listening to their stories perhaps is more significant to them than hammering nails and oiling squeaky hinges. Being with them, even quietly, might be the best gift we bring.
Prep senior models [with Prep Principal Michael Gomez, 3rd row, far left] at the 2008 Mothers’ Club Fashion Show
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