A Jesuit College Preparatory School • Founded 1818
Spring 2008
Dear Alumni, Parents, Students and Friends, 2
St. Louis University High School 4970 Oakland Avenue St. Louis, MO 63110 Telephone: (314) 531-0330 Facsimile: (314) 531-8446 www.sluh.org Mr. David J. Laughlin President Dr. Mary M. Schenkenberg Principal Mr.Thomas Becvar Assistant Principal – Administrative and Technology Services Mr. H. Eric Clark ‘83 Assistant Principal – Student Affairs Ms. Robyn L. Pilliod Assoc. Vice President for Advancement Mr. D. Michael Leary Vice President of Administration and Chief Financial Officer Mr. R. Mark Michalski ‘84 Assistant Principal – Academics, Curriculum and Instruction
SLUH NEWS
is a publication for alumni, family and friends of St. Louis University High. Questions and comments should be addressed to: Joe Patke, Director of Data, Communications and Events St. Louis University High E-mail: patke@sluh.org Some photos were taken by Ravetta Photography. Others are by Mr. Matt Sciuto ‘70 and the SLUH Photography Club.
St. Ignatius Loyola was a prolific writer of letters to his Jesuits, to benefactors and to his friends. It was not uncommon for Ignatius to end one of his letters with the salutation: “Go, and set the world on fire.” The fire, of course, was the Spirit of Christ with whom Ignatius experienced a profoundly loving relationship. From that love came his desire to share such a relationship and to ‘save souls.’ To “set the world of fire” is certainly a visionary dream. Such is the gift of Ignatius and the Jesuits to the Church and the world. Big dreams need each of us to begin to put the steps in place that allow us to chase those dreams. At SLUH, we work very hard pursuing our dreams. Our faculty and students not only think and dream big, but they put in place the concrete steps that support a broad vision. The world is a big place. And our students are “setting the world on fire.” This past year, a number of our young men, faculty and parents have committed themselves to setting the world on fire by traveling in the world for their development and for service. Last summer, a group of about 10 students and faculty member Mr. Mills traveled to the Romero Project in Camden, New Jersey to be with, learn from and serve the poor in a variety of areas. In January, our entire senior class commits to their Senior Service Projects, mostly in St. Louis, but several attended international service trips. One group traveled with parents to Honduras on a medical mission trip. Another group, annually led
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by faculty member Mr. Merriott, went to serve in our nutrition center in Honduras. These young men come to know and love young, starving infants and children in Honduras. A third group traveled to witness to Pro-Life in the annual March for Life in Washington, D.C. Organized by faculty member Mrs. Queathem and with parents and faculty attending, these students gave prayerful witness to the protection of innocent life in its earliest form. On the recent Spring Break, dozens of our students, their parents and some faculty built homes for the poor in Mexico as part of a student organized trip. “Homes” would not be as you and I understand the word, but for the very poor of this city in Mexico, it is a service providing shelter and dignity to those who have little. Also, Dr. Tai, our Chinese language instructor, took several students to China as we continue to encourage the experience of international cultural connectedness. While in China, Dr. Tai reconnected with several of our alumni who are settled and working in China. SLUH’s vision of working to connect with China over many years has a number of our alumni now raising their families and careers there. In yet a third journey, our Fathers’ Club organized a trip to Belize where fathers worked alongside their sons to provide service to those in need.
This April, our choir, under the direction of Dr. Koestner, performed at Carnegie Hall. These young men’s voices filled one of the most renowned performing arts halls in the country. For those who knew Ignatius and for those who study him historically, it is quite clear he was a pragmatic man. Ignatius used phrases like “Go, set the world on fire” with credibility, because he possessed not only the vision but the resolve to manifest that vision into a plan and then a reality. Clearly, almost 500 years later, the hand of God is identifiable in this Companion of Christ called Ignatius of Loyola. That same pragmatism to manifest Christ to the world continues to be witnessed in our work at SLUH. Our students, parents, faculty and staff are indeed doing as Ignatius taught in so many in his writings. “Go, set the world on fire.” Thank you for the many ways you continue to help St. Louis U. High always dream big! My best wishes to the Class of 2008.
God Bless,
David Laughlin President
At the CASHBAH Auction, Laughlin serves as the bugler sounding the call to the post before the live auction.
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SLUH Announces New Principal Effective July 1, 2008 Editor’s Note: This piece is based in part on a story written by Prep News Editor Jim Santel for the April 4, 2008, edition of the Prep News. You can read Jim’s article in its entirety at http://archive.sluh.org/vol72-25.pdf
Mr. David Laughlin, President of St. Louis University High School, has named Dr. John J. Moran as the school’s next principal effective July 1, 2008. Dr. Moran was named after an open search process. This process included a special committee and had the approval of the school’s Board of Trustees. Dr. Moran will replace Dr. Mary Schenkenberg who is retiring after six years in the position. In November 2007, Dr. Mary Schenkenberg announced her intention to retire at the end of the current school year. Laughlin created a search committee composed of trustees, faculty members, parents and alumni to advise him. After a nationwide search and a series of interviews, the committee recommended Dr. John Moran as the next Principal. Laughlin concurred with the recommendation and began the process of hiring Moran, who will begin his new role this summer. The core group of the search committee consisted of Tom Keeline ’68, Chairman of the SLUH Board; John Wunderlich ’66, past Chairman of the Board; Bob Bannister ’54, retired SLUH Principal; Jim Linhares,Theology teacher and Fr. Jim Knapp, S.J. ‘69, Theology teacher. In addition to this core group, there were several consultors on the committee, including parents, faculty members and students. The initial search resulted in a field of about 20 applicants. “We narrowed that down to a short list of seven, and interviewed each of them,” said Keeline. After the committee and its consultors conducted these interviews, they narrowed the field down to three finalists. Each of the finalists was invited to spend a day at SLUH talking with teachers, students and administrators. From this list, the committee recommended Moran.
Since 1994, Dr. Moran has been on the staff at St. John’s Preparatory School in Danvers, Massachusetts. Located in the northern suburbs of Boston, St. John’s Preparatory School is a Catholic high school for boys which is owned and operated by the Xaverian Brothers. Dr. Moran has served St. John’s as an English teacher, the Campus Ministry Director, the Dean of Students and is currently the Assistant Principal for Academics. Before joining the staff at St. John’s, he taught for a year at St. Bede’s Secondary School, Pietersburg, in the Republic of South Africa.
Reunion Dates for 2008 Moran is Jesuit educated, having earned an undergraduate degree in English from Fordham University and a Doctorate in Educational Administration from Boston College. In between, he earned a Masters in English from Middlebury College,Vermont. When the Prep News called Moran for an interview, he was reading the 2007 edition of the Dauphin yearbook. “I’m taking a crash course in ‘SLUH,’ trying to get to know names, faces, key events and traditions,” said Moran. He compared his first year at SLUH to that of a freshman: having to learn about the school culture while simultaneously managing a heavy work load. Dr. Moran told the Prep News that he “plans to be a very visible principal,” saying he doesn’t spend much time in his office while at school. “It’s really in my nature to be out among the students and teachers,” he said. Although the search committee and their consultors played a key role, the school’s by-laws state that the hiring of the Principal is ultimately the job of the school President. When the committee recommended Dr. Moran, President Laughlin readily concurred. “I was impressed with (Moran’s) tremendous background,” said Laughlin. “He has experience in the classroom, in the pastoral area, in coaching, and in administration. And everyone on the committee and on the consulting panels had consistently positive feedback about him.” “We had several very good applicants, so the final decision was not an easy one,” concluded Laughlin. “But I am convinced that Dr. Moran is the right choice to lead the SLUH faculty for the next several years.”
Class of ’43 - Wed, September 10 (Luncheon) Class of ’48 - Fri.-Sat., October 17-18 Class of ’53 - Fri.-Sat., October 3-4 Class of ’58 - Fri.-Sat., September 26-27 Class of ’63 - Fri.-Sat., September 26-27 Class of ’68 - Fri.-Sat., October 10-11 Class of ’73 - Sat., October 25 (Stag at SLUH)
Fri., October 24 (Wives/Dates event)
Class of ’78 - Fri.-Sat., September 12-13 Class of ’83 - Fri.-Sat., October 3-4 Class of ’88 - Fri.-Sat., October 17-18 Class of ’93 - Fri.-Sat., September 12-13 Class of ’98 - Sat., December 27 Class of ’03 - Fri, December 26
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Alumni Reunions 6
Alumni gather every five years to celebrate their class reunion and share memories. Eleven years ago, they began sharing even more during their reunion celebration. It was eleven years ago that then-SLUH-President Fr. Paul Sheridan asked each reunion class to make a special gift to SLUH to endow a Class Scholarship. “I actually started the program with the students a few years before that,” said Fr. Sheridan, who is now President of Bellarmine College Prep, a Jesuit high school in San Jose, California. “During the Freshman Orientation meeting, I challenged each incoming Freshman class to begin a Class Scholarship right away, while they were still students. I asked them to earn $25 during each semester they were at SLUH, and donate that to their Class Scholarship. The boys responded wonderfully, and several classes had contributed over $30,000 by their graduation.” Inspired by the efforts of the students, alumni celebrating their reunions soon followed the students’ lead and created their own class scholarships. Each year, the alumni who are celebrating reunions are asked to make a special pledge to their Class Scholarship Fund. Over the past eleven years, every graduating class has endowed a Class Scholarship,
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S h ar i n g
from those that graduated in the 1920s to the class of 2002, who celebrated their five-year reunion last December.
Students express gratitude
More than 50% participation
ensure that their SLUH experience
Like the students before them, the alumni responded with tremendous generosity. In the past three years, over half of the alumni in reunion years have made a gift to their Class Scholarship fund. To date, gifts to all Class Scholarships at SLUH total more than $3.5 million, and these gifts generate about $200,000 per year in tuition assistance. That amounts to almost 20% of the total $1.1 million that was awarded to deserving students this year. St. Louis University High draws students from throughout the St. Louis area. The geographic and socio-economic diversity of our student body is one of the hallmarks of a SLUH education. Each year, financial aid plays a critical role in maintaining this diversity by helping to keep SLUH affordable to families from all backgrounds. More than one in four families at SLUH qualify for assistance.
The alumni of St. Louis U. High help is passed on to future generations. It is alumni support of the Class Scholarship program that ensures continuation of this tradition, and the students recognize this generous spirit. Several young men who have benefited from the generosity of the Class Scholarships have expressed their gratitude by writing letters of thanks. They are grateful to the alumni for investing in today’s SLUH students. Here are letters from three of our current scholarship recipients.
g the
SLUH E x p e r i e n c e 7
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Thank you very much for all you do for St. Louis University High School and for me. I greatly appreciate you giving me the opportunity to have a SLUH education. I hope that one day I will be able to support SLUH like you do so that I can repay your generosity. I believe that the support of the alumni is one of the many things that make SLUH so great. This is my sophomore year, and I am playing on the racquetball team, am editor on the yearbook, and am a pastoral representative for homeroom. One of the many reasons that I love St. Louis University High School so much is that there are many opportunities to be involved and to form new friendships. I love that spirituality is of great importance at SLUH. They teach us that everything that we do in our life should be for the Greater Glory of God. We are taught not just to worship God but to live our life for God. I would once again like to take this opportunity to thank you for all of your support. I greatly appreciate your kindness in making this possible. SLUH Student, Class of 2010
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I am currently a senior and looking back at my four years at SLUH, I absolutely could not see myself anywhere else. I am not aware of another school where students are so open and passionate about their studies and beliefs. . . If the need ever arises for homework help, at least five people are always willing to jump in and tell you what you need to know. That is because SLUH attracts and creates men of great character and faith who are always willing to do what they can to help one of their brothers. I have had the privilege of a SLUH education and the privilege of learning and growing along side some of the finest people I could ever meet. And it is your contribution that allows for such a wonderful institution to be sustained and grow. SLUH Student, Class of 2008
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I love going to SLUH and can’t imagine going to another school. Almost everyday I stay after school for one to two hours. I play in the pool hall, chill in the computer lab or just hang out with friends. Each week in the fall I look forward to going to the football games at SLUH. The games are a lot of fun and I get to see old friends from grade school, plus some new ones. I’m going to try out for the basketball team this season and I hope to make it. It is because of your generosity that I am provided the opportunity to attend SLUH. Hopefully with my education, I will be able to “Pay it Forward” and help others like you have helped me. SLUH Student, Class of 2011
Fall Sports 8
Round-Up
Cross Country Team Takes State Title Editor’s Note: This piece is based on a story written by Prep News reporter Stephen Kuehner for the November 9, 2007, edition of the Prep News. You can see Stephen’s entire article on-line at http://archive.sluh.org/vol72-10.pdf
The Junior Billiken Cross Country team captured its second state title in 8 years last November. In the state meet run at the Oak Hills Golf Center in Jefferson City, the SLUH runners took the title with a complete team effort. Junior John Clohisy led the team with an All-State finish in 18th place with a time of 16:31. The team from Parkway West finished the race with three runners claiming All-State honors by finishing among the top 25, including the overall first place finisher. In the process, Parkway amassed a huge number of team points. Clohisy was the only SLUH runner to finish in the top 25. If the Junior Bills were to overtake Parkway West, it would require strong races from the whole team. Coach Linhares’s boys came through. Junior Austin Cookson finished just shy of All-State honors at 26th (16:38), followed immediately by team captain Senior Dan Warner at 27th (16:39). The race came down to SLUH’s fourth and fifth men, and whether they could finish in high enough positions to overcome the lead amassed by Parkway West. Team captain Mike McCafferty, serving as an alternate, had taken up a spot on the course about a quarter mile from the finish line. “I saw our top three guys come by, and they were right where they should be, but when I saw our fourth and fifth guys, I realized we were not going to win with their current places. I started shouting, ‘We’re not winning! We need more places!’ and they started to kick it,” said McCafferty. The fourth and fifth runners for SLUH, Sophomore Caleb Ford and Senior Chris Murphy, each passed four of five runners before the finish line. Ford finished 43rd (17:06) and Murphy finished 49th (17:14), earning vital points for the Junior Billiken’s team score. Finishing
2007 Missouri State Cross Country Champions
out the race for SLUH was sophomore Bill Gabler, (55th, 17:17) and junior David Kuciejczyk-Kernan (68th, 17:24). Once the race was over, it was not immediately clear which team was the winner. “I didn’t know where Parkway West’s or Kickapoo’s number fives were,” said head coach Jim Linhares. “I couldn’t see them, and I was worried whether they had the guys to kick us out.” “It was pretty nerve-racking right after the race because we didn’t know the results,” said team captain Dave Linhares. “Then I saw Matt Lawder (’07) running towards us with his one finger in the air, yelling, ‘We won!’” With the official news that SLUH had beaten Parkway West, 113-118, the celebration began. “There was a lot of talk about whether SLUH could win without any superstars,” said Coach Linhares. It was a fair question. But the depth of the Junior Billiken squad overcame the three superstars of Parkway West to bring home the 2007 State Cross Country Championship.
Editor’s note: As the Winter Edition of the SLUH NEWS was going to press in November of 2007, several of the Fall sports teams were achieving great success. Some went deep into the state playoff system (and in the case of the Cross Country team, won the state title). As a result of these playoff performances, the last issue was going to press before the results were known. We are proud to bring you this belated round up of the Fall sports season.
Soccerbills Reach State Final, Receive Honors The SLUH soccer team displayed impressive teamwork throughout the season, finishing with a 26-4-3 record and nearly taking the state championship in a hard-fought title game against cross-state Jesuit rival Rockhurst. In addition to the team’s success, many of the players were recognized after the season with individual honors. Tommy Meyer ‘08 was named an All-American, and Jack Twellman ‘08 earned All-Midwest honors. Both were also voted First Team All-Metro and First Team All Metro Catholic Conference.
Coach Martel gives some advice to Ryan Vincent.
Tommy Meyer, who starred on the Jr. Bills’ squad as a defender, played on the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Soccer Team last year. Meyer missed the first weeks of the Junior Billiken’s season as he played for the United States U-17 team at the Youth World Cup in South Korea. Meyer plans to continue grooming his talent next year when he joins a renowned Indiana University soccer program. His teammates Luis Soffner and Chris Haffner will also be playing for the Hoosiers next year. Jack Twellman spearheaded the Jr. Bills’ attack as a midfielder with impressive speed, finishing and decision-making. He led the team in points with 17 goals and 22 assists, an achievement that placed him second overall in scoring in the Metro Catholic Conference.
Tommy Meyer (L) and Brian Schultz
“This is one of the finest teams I have coached here at SLUH,” said Coach Charlie Martel ’73. “They played at a high level all year. They allowed only ten goals all season and scored more than three goals a game. They proved to be a very difficult team to beat and had a superb season.”
The following players earned All-State First Team and All-Metro First Team honors: Chris Haffner, Luis Soffner and David Ziegler. Nick Maglasang earned All-State Second Team and All-Metro Second Team honors. Quinn Ottwell earned All-State Honorable Mention and All-Metro Honorable Mention. The following were named All-Metro Honorable Mention: Kevin Moore, Kevin Smith, Tim Milford, Eric Carretero, Brian Schultz and Kevin Steitz.
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Fall Sports Continued from Page 9 10
Round-Up
Jr. Bill Football Team Reaches State Quarterfinal Gary Kornfeld’s team struggled early in the season, but a late-season surge made it an exciting October and November for the Jr. Bills as they earned a district title and a spot in the state playoffs. The turning point in the season was the stunning upset over a heavily-favored DeSmet squad. Going into the game, DeSmet was the #2 ranked team in the state. SLUH went out to Ballas Road and beat the Spartans by the score of 13-12. It was the Spartans’ only loss of the regular season.
Swim Team Wins MCC th Championship – Places 11 in State Relying on team depth rather than superstars, the Jr. Billiken swimming and diving team took home the Metro Catholic Conference championship and an 11th- place finish in the state meet. During the course of the season, nine members of the SLUH team had turned in statequalifying performances. At the MCC meet the Jr. Bills won first place in only three events, but managed to win the team competition easily with a lead of 75 points over second-place Chaminade. “This shows how much depth our swim team has,” commented head coach Fritz Long. “Even though we may not have won first place in many events, we were placing guys in third and fourth in a lot of events.” As the meet progressed, the SLUH squad picked up four new state-qualifying times. That brought up to 13 the total number of Jr. Billiken swimmers and divers who would be competing in the state meet.
The Jr. Bills closed out the season with three victories against their District opponents, earning a playoff berth. In a first round of the state playoffs, SLUH met their match in a Mehlville team that would eventually go all the way to the state title game. Junior running back Ronnie Wingo was selected for All-State honors on the first team. Junior Morgan Cole and Seniors Matt Rice and Dan James were selected for All-State honors on the second team. In addition, Ronnie Wingo was invited to the U.S. Army All-American Combine in San Antonio in January of 2008, one of the few Juniors invited. The prep sports recruiting website rivals.com ranked Wingo the 7th best running back prospect in the nation, and the 56th most highly-rated prospect overall…all this, after his junior year.
(L to R) Tim Dale,Will Derdeyn, Patrick Nugent and Trent Going show off their medals from the MCC meet.
Notable performances at the state meet included an impressive showing by Junior Mick Dell’Orco in the diving competition. Dell’Orco finished 5th overall in the state, earning some key team points for the Jr. Bills. In the swimming events, Juniors Will Derdeyn and Tim Dale finished 15th and 16th (respectively) in the state in the 50-yard freestyle. Derdeyn also made the finals for the 100 Yard Butterfly, where he finished 12th in the state. The 200 Yard Medley Relay of Derdeyn, Dale, Junior Mike O’Neill, Senior Mike Sizemore turned in the highest finish among the Junior Bills, earning 5th place in the state for their event. Overall, the Junior Bills finished 11th in the state.
Students and Parents Spend Spring Break in Service to Others Editor’s Note: This piece is based in part on an article written by Mark Waterman for the April 4, 2008, edition of the Prep News. You can view Mark’s article online at http://archive.sluh.org/ vol72-25.pdf
Many St. Louis U. High students participated in service projects over spring break. Some stayed close to home, spending a day or two of their break assisting with the cleanup from spring floods on the Meremac River. Others traveled as far as Mexico and Belize to help the impoverished. For the third straight year, students traveled to Reynosa, Mexico to continue Mission Mexico’s tradition of building houses for the poor. The trip is student-led and was organized this year by senior Eric Lampe and a core group of seniors. Lampe said SLUH students were responsible for raising $15,000 for required materials, coordinating flights and accommodations, conducting meetings, and coordinating the trip with Strategic Alliance, the group that oversees the mission.
The entire Mission Mexico team consisted of 54 SLUH students, parents, and faculty; 28 students from St. Joseph’s Academy; and more than 90 students from Cor Jesu Academy. The group spent four days building 11 houses in one of Reynosa’s impoverished colonias, where thousands of Mexican citizens, who came to Reynosa in search of work, have been forced to settle. The colonias, are mainly made up of poorly built houses with little or no infrastructure. The group was split into several tenperson teams, which were each assigned to build a 12 foot by 20 foot house. Despite poor blueprints and time constraints, each team managed to finish their house. The group returned home tired but satisfied. “It really moved a lot of the guys,” said Alum Service Corps (ASC) teacher Brian Gilmore ’02. “It felt good to be able to help people living in very difficult situations,” said junior Pat Nugent.
Fathers’ Club Leads Trip to Belize Also south of the border was a contingent of 19 SLUH fathers and sons who journeyed to the tiny Central American country of Belize. SLUH fathers Thom Digman ’72, and Steve Tharpe organized the trip through the SLUH Fathers’ Club and several Jesuits in Belize. Arriving on Tuesday, the group drove four hours to the southern city of Punta Gorda and went to work the next day in the Mayan village of Sundaywood. The group worked on the construction of a church in the village, which is located in the poorest district of Belize. The contingent worked on digging a foundation and pouring a concrete porch for the church building. Sophomore Kevin Conroy told the Prep News that “it was a great experience. It really exposed the poorest of the poor for us.”
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Notes
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Editor’s Note: Our thanks once more to retired SLUH Librarian Marguerite Shewman for her invaluable assistance in assembling Class Notes. When not cruising the Caribbean, Ms. Shewman scans local St. Louis publications for news stories about SLUH alumni, and clips them for us here at Class Notes. Got some news about a SLUH alumnus? Please send it to us for inclusion in Class Notes. Submissions by e-mail are preferred. Send a note to alumni@sluh.org.
1945
Anthony Grana is living in West Sussex, England, after retiring from a career in education. He taught children of Americans living overseas in such far-flung locales as the Philipines, Bavaria and England.
The Ancient Order of Hibernians held their annual Irish Emerald Ball in February. Each year during the ball, the AOH honors the Irish Person of the Year. This year’s honoree was Deacon Ed Macualey. Macauley is a basketball legend. After leading the Jr. Bills to a championship season in 1945, he went on to play college hoops at SLU, where he led the Billikens to a national title in 1948. During the 1950s and 60s, he played professional basketball for the St. Louis Hawks and the Boston Celtics, and was the youngest player ever inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame. In his retirement, Macauley became a Permanent Deacon in the church, and is known for his stirring homilies.
1954
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1964
Paul Behnen is a Senior Vice President and Group Creative Director with McCann Erickson in New York. He reports that he is looking forward to the 30-year reunion this Fall, and his classmates are looking forward to another of his creative reunion invitations. Classmates and friends can contact him through his website at www. paulbehnen.com
At the annual conference of the Missouri Fire & Rescue Training Institute held last October, the Institute presented its award for “Instructor of the Year” to John Sachen of Cape Girardeau. According to the citation from the Institute, “Sachen exemplifies excellence in fire and rescue service instruction.” After retiring from his career at Mallinckrodt Chemical as the Chief of Fire Protection and Chemical Response, Sachen continues to serve as a trainer and instructor with the Delta Fire Protection District in southeast Missouri.
Tom Fava reports that after retiring he moved to a gated community in Green Valley, Arizona. Shortly after he and his wife moved to their new home, their new neighbors from across the street came to visit. Tom discovered his new neighbor was also from St. Louis. After the inevitable next question (“Where did you go to high school?”), it turns out his neighbor is Mike Spanopoulos of the SLUH Class of ‘65. They plan to watch some Cardinal baseball on TV together this summer.
1976
Summit Marketing announced in February that Tom Blood has come on board as Creative Director.
Greg Lukeman is the Executive Director of Food Outreach, a nonprofit agency that delivers food to people suffering from cancer, AIDS and HIV. According to a profile in the Post-Dispatch, the agency has nearly doubled its distributions in the seven years since Lukeman has been at the helm. Food Outreach serves over 1,400 people, providing hot lunches, home delivered readyto-heat meals, and a food pantry.
1982
The U.S. Attorney’s Offices in St. Louis and Las Vegas obtained indictments against a Las Vegas man for a multi-million dollar fraud involving investors in a gold mine. The indictment and arrest were made possible by extensive investigative work done by Postal Inspector James O’Hanlon headquartered in St. Louis. An investigation that involved undercover work, extensive searches of bank wire transfers, interviews and search warrants culminated in a raid on the home of the alleged con man in January.
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The latest musical project from Kip Loui is a rock band called “The Transmitters,” who released their second CD, called “Receiver” last December. By day, Loui is a Special Education teacher in the St. Louis school district. But his avocation is music, and he is a prolific songwriter and performer in the local music scene.
Webster Groves on Sunday, June 8, at 9:30 a.m. Bill taught at SLUH as a scholastic from 1999 to 2001. Following his ordination, Bill has been assigned to teach English and Theology at Rockhurst Jesuit High School in Kansas City.
Chris Koster is running for the position of Missouri Attorney General in the Democratic primary in August. Chris served as Chief Prosecutor for Cass County (south of Kansas City) for 10 years and has been a State Senator representing that region for the past four years.
1985
Bill Sheahan, S.J., will be ordained to the priesthood on Saturday, June 7, at the St. Francis Xavier (College) Church. His first Mass will be at Mary, Queen of Peace, in
1986
Craig Neumeier is working for the Department of Homeland Security. He announced his engagement and plans to be married in Chicago in the Fall of 2008. The Murphy Company promoted Dave Book to the position of Vice President for Purchasing and Facilities.
1987
1983
The Greater Kansas City Society of Customer Contact Professionals named Perry Ceriotti as its Call Center Leader of the Year for 2007. Perry is the Senior Manager for Accredo-Clinical Business Solutions where he leads a call center staffed by nurses and health professionals in support of the pharmaceutical and biomedical industry.
at the World Economic Forum annual meeting last year in Davos, Switzerland.
Bill Sheahan, S.J.
1986
Keith Schwab, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Physics at Cornell University. He heads a group of researchers at Cornell who are pursuing the development of “the most advanced measurement techniques to probe the fundamental quantum nature of the physical world, and to further nanoscience and nanotechnology. My major thrust is the study of fundamental quantum behavior of small mechanical structures.” Schwab was invited to present
Steve Gross, a Managing Director for Northwestern Mutual Financial Network in Chesterfield, received the company’s Managing Director Achievement Award, which recognizes overall excellence in district agency development.
1990
Greg Linhares was named the Missouri State Courts Administrator, the top administrator overseeing the state’s court system. He had been serving as a legislative liaison to the Missouri Supreme Court before being selected for the new post. Greg will begin his new job in May 2008, after completing a term of service in the Army Reserve JAG Corps.
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Around the Halls 14
National Signing Day The tradition of SLUH athletics extends beyond graduation for many alumni. On National Signing Day, which occurred February 6th, seven seniors made commitments to play sports at various colleges. An impressive varsity soccer squad, which was upset in the state title game, was represented well. Chris Haffner, Tommy Meyer and Luis Soffner committed to Indiana University, and Zane Reifsteck and Jack Twellman will be playing at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, and Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville, respectively. In addition, football standouts Drew Blackmon and Ben Evans committed to Drake University and Columbia University, respectively.
CHINESE
Exchange Program FLOURISHES
St. Louis University High School recently welcomed four students from Nanjing, China to study at the school for the second semester. This year marks the eleventh year of SLUH’s partnership with the Nanjing Foreign Language School, the premier school in Nanjing. Students from both schools have benefited from this collaboration through a unique cultural learning experience. The Chinese students – known in America as Eddie Chen, Ariel Zhou, Amelia Wang and Fred Zhu – are staying with SLUH families through the end of the school year. They will be taking a full load of coursework that spans the spectrum of subjects. Dr. Ching Ling Tai
According to Dr. Ching-Ling Tai, who began teaching Chinese at SLUH in 1987, “Nanjing students are well adjusted to SLUH life.They receive so much care and love from teachers, classmates and host families. “Their American experience is beyond classroom and textbooks. It is a people-to-people cultural exchange and enrichment process. The exchange program has generated much interest and promotes understanding of another culture. It has fostered friendships and bonds that transcend nationality.” Top: Football stars Drew Blackmon (left) and Ben Evans sign their Letters of Intent. Bottom:The soccer stars of the class of ‘08 at their signing. From Left to Right: Chris Haffner,Tommy Meyer, Luis Soffner, Zane Reifsteck and Jack Twellman.
Dr.Tai has been instrumental in cultivating SLUH’s relationship with China. Last school year, she created a scholarship dedicated to furthering cultural learning for SLUH students in China. SLUH’s strong tradition in the foreign language department is punctuated by a highly knowledgeable and committed faculty, as well as diverse offerings that include French, Greek, Latin, Russian and Spanish, in addition to Chinese.
Rauschenbach Scores 2400 Editor’s Note: This piece is based on an article written by Brad Tharpe for the December 20, 2007, edition of the Prep News. You can view Brad’s article on line at http://archive.sluh.org/vol72-15.pdf
Saint Louis U. High recently became home to yet another perfect standardized test score. As if responding to senior Steve Schumacher’s 36 on the ACT last year, senior Mike Rauschenbach earned a 2400 on the SAT. “I was just really excited,” said Rauschenbach about his score. Although that seems like an understatement, upon further consideration, Rauschenbach also credited the SLUH math department: “I was so grateful to have such good math teachers in the school; I almost would have felt bad if I missed one of the math questions.” Rauschenbach took the SAT earlier in the year and scored a 2340, an acceptable score for even the brightest of minds, but Rauschenbach said he knew he could do better. “I talked to Mr. Hannick about some of the math problems I missed, and he told me, ‘Take it again, and this time, get more right.’” Apparently Hannick’s advice helped because Rauschenbach learned of his perfect score from the College Board website. Counselor Dave Mouldon speculated that it’s more common for SLUH students to get perfect scores
15
on the ACT (there have been seven at SLUH since 2005) because “so many more of our kids take tests like the ACT than the SAT” - that is, tests of “what you’ve learned” rather than “tests of logic,” Mouldon said. He said the SLUH placement exam is one such skills-based test. According to collegeboard.com, Rauschenbach is one of 269 seniors to earn a perfect SAT score, representing 0.018 percent of over 1.4 million tests taken. Similarly, just 0.024 percent of over 1.3 million ACT tests were perfect. With such a good score, Rauschenbach has applied to Princeton, Harvard, University of Chicago, Duke and Yale, among other prestigious colleges. Although not yet decided on a major, he says he wants to work internationally, planning to minor in multiple languages. Rauschenbach currently studies Russian. “I want to work with some international government agency, but I don’t really know yet,” he said. Rauschenbach has already been accepted at Princeton University, the University of Chicago and Georgetown, and is waiting to hear from others. “Princeton is my top choice,” he said, but he has not yet made his final decision. As this issue went to press, the SLUH NEWS learned that junior Kevin Wright had achieved the top score of 36 on the ACT, making him the 10th Junior Bill in the past four years to accomplish this. The SLUH NEWS will feature more on Kevin’s achievement in the next issue.
Busenhart Inducted into Amateur Hockey Hall of Fame The first class of inductees into the St. Louis Amateur Hockey Hall of Fame was honored at a banquet held on March 2 at the Doubletree Hotel in Chesterfield. Long-time coach of the SLUH club ice hockey teams, Charlie Busenhart, was among five selected for induction in the inaugural group. The Hall of Fame is located in the Scott Trade Center. For more information, see their website at www.stlamhhof.com.
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Field House Ground Breaking 16
17
Field Danis se Hou
St. Louis University High School broke ground on the new Danis Field House on May 7, 2008. The construction is expected to be completed in the Fall of 2009. The Danis Field House will feature gymnasium space with 3 full courts…ample room for both competition and recreational use. In addition, there will be a wrestling area and office space for Athletic Department and Physical Education staff. An aerial site plan, showing the location of the Danis Field House immediately South of the current main building. The space between the main building and the field house was formerly Berthold Avenue. That portion of the street has been “vacated” by the City of St. Louis and is now the property of SLUH. However, utility easements prevent any buildings from being constructed on that strip of property.
The new facility is being named for the Danis Family, who have a long affiliation with St. Louis University High School. “The naming of the fieldhouse is recognition of the tremendous generosity of the Danis brothers – especially twins Tim and Tom ’65 and David ’61”, said SLUH President David Laughlin. With the construction of the Danis Field House, and subsequent re-allocation of space in the existing building, SLUH will achieve the final goals set out in the VISION 2000 Campaign. The goals of VISION 2000 were articulated during strategic planning Continued on Page 26
Around the Halls 18
Continued from Page 15
SLUH Students Earn Gold in Russian Competition
Seniors Michael Finucane and Michael Rauschenbach each received gold medals for their essays in the second round of the National Russian Essay Contest. Only 40 essays nationwide even qualified for this second round, and these were two of only 20 essays in the nation selected as gold medal winners. Finucane’s essay was even chosen for inclusion in the newsletter of the American Council of Teachers of Russian, as especially wellwritten.
In March, four students traveled with teacher Rob Chura to Rhodes College in Memphis, TN, to take part in the Olympiada of Spoken Russian. Patrick Quinlan, Patrick Creedon and Michael Meyer all earned gold medals at the competition, and Eliot Gusdorf was awarded a bronze.
Picture Perfect Day for SLUH Event in Florida Thursday, March 13 was one of those warm, sunny, not a cloud in the sky, low humidity kind of days. It was the ideal backdrop for an outdoor mass celebrated by Fr. Tom Cummings overlooking the 17th green of the Pelican Bay golf course in Naples, Florida. This pristine setting was “filled with God’s beauty” to quote Fr. Tom as he addressed nearly 50 members of the SLUH family who gathered for the occasion. This occasion provided the opportunity for SLUH alumni, past parents and friends in the greater Naples area to come together to celebrate Mass and receive an update on the latest activities at SLUH. The celebration of Mass was spectacular led by Fr. Tom’s reflection on appreciating God’s beauty. During an outside reception, attendees shared in food, conversation and memories about their wonderful experiences at SLUH. This event was a great success by every standard. SLUH is excited to expand this program and bring the campus and a bit of St. Louis to our alumni throughout the country. We are currently making plans for future visits to various parts of the country. If you are interested in helping SLUH host a similar event in your area, please contact Robyn Pilliod in the Advancement Office at 314-5431-0330 ext. 186.
JV Baseball Team Praised SLUH received the letter below from the baseball coach at St. Mary’s high school after the SLUH-St. Mary’s JV baseball game in April
To the SLUH Community: On behalf of the members of the St Mary’s High School Junior Varsity Baseball Team, I want to express our appreciation to the SLUH JV baseball coach and his team for their moment of respect towards a member of our team, Mike McMahon, who was tragically killed recently. We pay respect for our deceased teammate after every practice and game and honor his memory by hanging his jersey in our dugout. After the game, win or lose, we have a team prayer in his honor. Last week, after a hard-fought 7-4 defeat, we gathered to say our team prayer. The SLUH coach, whose name I failed to get during the emotion of the moment (editor’s note: Coach Scott Gilbert ’88), brought his team to the pitcher’s mound and asked to join us in our commemoration. After he said some very kind words about our team character and spirit, the Junior Bills and Dragons joined hands in prayer. After the prayer both teams applauded for Mike. For myself and our team, that small gesture speaks volumes about the character of that coach in particular and his team and the SLUH community in general. Please convey to Coach (and I use that word with utmost respect) and his team our sincere thanks. It was a simple act, but the impact on myself and our young men was big. Pat Harod Asst. Baseball Coach St. Mary’s High School
Highway Closure Has Minimal Effect When classes resumed in January after the Christmas break, students and staff who live along the Highway 40/I-64 corridor had to contend with the shutdown of the highway for a major reconstruction project. Thanks to advance planning by SLUH, MoDOT, the Metro transit system and others, the effects of the highway closure have been minimal for the SLUH family. The number of students who were tardy for school actually declined in the second semester. In addition, the number of applications for admission increased over the previous year, and included many applicants living near the Highway 40 corridor. Since the announcement of MoDOT’s plan to reconstruct Highway 40/I-64, SLUH has been actively involved in planning for the shut down. Students have benefited from a unique partnership with Metro that offers a Semester Pass, with a 50 percent savings off the normal price. In addition, SLUH implemented a late-start schedule and extended evening hours to help families adjust their commute during the first three weeks of the closure. Entrances to the SLUH campus from Manchester Road and Macklind Avenue were opened to increase access to SLUH’s campus and alleviate traffic on Oakland Avenue. The response from the wider metropolitan region has been very positive. Increased ridership with Metro, carpooling and flextime among commuters – coupled with planning from MoDOT – have aided in a nearly-seamless start to the 10-mile construction project that is slated for completion in 2010. When completed, the redevelopment of I-64 will enhance SLUH’s position as an attractive choice for young men throughout the metropolitan area. The recent application pool of over 350 students is the second-highest number in the past six y ears. Clearly, families along the Highway 40 corridor believe that a SLUH education is worth the commute. The SLUH community has been generally pleased with construction progress to date. The school continues to keep its constituents informed of the latest project developments and road conditions. For the most current updates, click the “Commuting Information” link from SLUH’s homepage at www.sluh.org.
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Around the Halls 20
Continued from Page 19
SLUH Chorus Performs In Carnegie Hall Editor’s Note: This piece is based on an article written by Brian Bettonville in the April 11, 2008 edition of the Prep News. Read Brian’s article online at http://archive.sluh.org/vol72-26.pdf
Fifteen St. Louis U. High chorus students, Chorus Director Joseph Koestner, and Theater Teacher Joseph Schulte visited Carnegie Hall in New York in April. For the students, it was the biggest concert of their young careers. They performed to a near-full house on Monday, April 4, with 18 other choirs from across the country. The chorus members sang two songs, “Gloria” and “Winchester Te Deum,” both composed by the concert’s conductor, John Rutter. The chorus sang these two songs with ten other choirs which ranged from adult choirs to university choirs to high school choirs like SLUH. Koestner said the performance received a standing ovation. “More important to me, though, is the fact that even though SLUH only had 15 out of 140 that were singing (in that portion of the concert), directors from other schools and the people who were running the program came over to me personally to remark about how well our boys were prepared and what a great sound they had and how professional they were in their attitudes toward rehearsing and performing,” said Koestner.
SLUH Chorus outside Carnegie Hall
The choir worked hard for three days to put the show together. They endured a fivehour rehearsal Saturday, a three-and-a-half hour rehearsal Sunday, and a dress rehearsal Monday afternoon before the evening show. “It did take (a) toll on my voice, singing five hours one day and then three-and-a-half the next and so on,” said senior Sam King, “But for the most part it was a pretty relaxing trip. We had much more free time than we did rehearsal time.” In their free time, the group had the opportunity to sample the culture of New York, especially the theater scene. Theatre teacher Joe Schulte ’54 was named social director for the trip. Calling upon his network of former students in the New York theater and entertainment community, Schulte arranged
tickets to several Broadway shows. Members of the group split up and collectively saw many plays including Curtains, Avenue Q, Xanadu, The Little Mermaid, Passing Strange, and Gypsy. One group even had the chance to see Shakespeare’s Macbeth with Patrick Stewart playing the lead. Schulte and Koesnter also took the group to St. Malachy, which is an unofficial “Actor’s Chapel” where many actors, singers and dancers go for Mass after Saturday’s performances. SLUH alums in New York helped play host. Tom Rechtenwald ’03, the Stage Manager for The Little Mermaid, took the group on a walking tour of city. On Monday morning, the group had a memorable experience when Emmy-winning comedy writer Chris Albers ’86 gave them a tour of the sets of the Conan O’Brian Show and Saturday
Night Live. After the performance on Monday night, the entire 300-member ensemble was invited on a dinner cruise to view the New York skyline from the harbor. The trip had been a long time coming, according to Koestner. The opportunity came through the National Association of Pastoral Music (NPM). “I taught other choir directors conducting,” he said. “Through my work with them, I was invited by (NPM) to bring a choir to Carnegie Hall. They’ve been after me for about 15 years to do this. Finally, this year, the stars aligned in terms of the scheduling and the school administration being willing to let us take off the time to go.” While the chorus has gone on tours every other year since Koestner began, he cites this among the top. “It was just a really exceptional experience for everybody,” said Koestner. “It was probably the most successful tour I’ve had a choir go on since I started in 1984.”
On the set of the Conan O’Brien show, the SLUH Chorus visits with Chris Albers ‘86 (seated center). Albers is a comedy writer for NBC.
Freshman Impresses at National Piano Competition Dominic Cheli ‘11 recently placed third in the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) Junior Baldwin Piano Competition in Denver. Last November he won state, and in January he won regionals en route to the national level of the three-tiered MTNA competitions. Cheli was one of only seven national piano finalists. “My reaction after placing third in the National Piano Competition was a mixture of emotions,” says Cheli. “It was a great experience to be in Denver. It was very exciting and satisfying.” Cheli has been studying piano for eight years and regularly performs recitals throughout the St. Louis region. He also donates his time to play for a variety of charitable organizations. Recently, he performed a recital at Christ Church Cathedral. Cheli also performed in the “Live from the Garden” Classic 99.1 Concert at the Missouri Botanical Garden on Sunday, April 13th. In addition to placing third at the National Junior Baldwin competition, Cheli has received significant recognition for his talent and achievements. Among other marked accomplishments, he was the Gateway West Young Achiever this January and the Gold Medal winner – Division I – in the St. Louis Area Music Teachers’ Association Young Artist competition in 2007.
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Class Notes 22
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The Class of 1990 continues its dominance of the annual Boys’ Hope/Girls’ Hope Trivia Night held in the SLUH gym. In February, the team of Austin Hanrahan, Tom Albus, Mike Hall, Don Boyce and Bill Tomber (all of the Class of ‘90) took home the top prize at this always-competitive event. For the core group it was the sixth victory in the past seven years. The team famously retired after their fifth win in 2006 to serve
1998
Taylor Twellman led the New England Revolution into the MLS Cup game for the third time in four years. In the semi-final game against the Chicago Fire, Twellman scored on a bicycle kick that had soccer fans talking for days. Tyson Pillow, M.D., is currently doing his residency in emergency medicine at the University of Chicago. His choice of emergency medicine as a specialty was influenced by the part-time job he had as an undergraduate at Rice University. “During my sophomore year at Rice, I took EMS classes. I went on to get a paramedics license and I worked for the local 911 service.” After getting his undergraduate degree at Rice, Pillow went on to get his medical degree at the Baylor College of Medicine. Ben Rosario is co-owner of a new store for runners. The Big River Running Company opened its doors at their West County location in 2006. In March, Rosario and his partner expanded with a new branch of the store in South City, in the St. Louis Hills neighborhood. For more information, check out their website at www.bigriverrunning.com.
Tim Mooney (right) presents Bill Tomber the (aptly named) Tomber Trophy after the team’s victory in February.
as question writers and judges for the event. That year, a team led by classmate Tim Mooney was the winner. The Tomber team promptly un-retired to reclaim its crown this year.
1994
Philadelphia rock band “The Local Tourists” released their debut album in February of 2008. The album, called “Happy Birthday, Kyle” is available through several on-line outlets, and samples are available at www.myspace.com/thelocaltourists. One of the founders of the group is Brendan O’Malley. Additionally, the album features pianist Jim Ryan ‘95 on several selections.
1999
Drew Buser is completing his term as Mountbatten Fellow in London, England, this spring. The Fellowship included employment with the London branch of Deutsch Bank in the hedge fund and international banking departments, as well as finance classes at Cambridge University. Founded by the family of Lord Mountbatten of London, the purpose of the Fellowship program is to provide training and education to business school graduates from around the world, while developing social and cultural ties with England. While not at work or class, Drew was able to take advantage of travel and cultural opportunities with trips throughout Europe. Highlights included the Oktoberfest in Munich, and taking part in the famous “La Tomatina,” which is the giant tomato fight held each year in Valencia, Spain.
Captain Ken Reichert of the U.S. Army is currently serving a tour of duty in Iraq. Ken is stationed at Camp Taji, northwest of Bagdad.
2001
Matt Sinclair was signed by the Washington Redskins off of their practice squad last November. Sinclair appeared in the final four games of the season for the Redskins, primarily on special teams.
2004
Joe Germanese was selected by the New England Revolution in the MLS Super Draft in January. Germanese played on the Junior Billikens state-champion squad of 2003, and was named the 2003 Post-Dispatch Player of the Year before signing with Duke to play college soccer. Germanese was selected in the second round of the draft, and was the 27th pick overall. He joins fellow Jr. Bill, Taylor Twellman ‘98 on the Rev’s roster.
2004
Phi Beta Kappa, America’s oldest and most prestigious honor society, was founded in 1776 and is regarded throughout the country as evidence of superior scholarly achievement. The University of Tulsa chapter inducted two Jr. Bills this year…Dave Flanagan ‘04 and Brian Nienhaus ‘05.
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At the annual SLUH Alumni Racquetball Tournament held over the Christmas holidays, Phil Mathews ‘04 won the title, defeating previous winner Scott Ziegler ‘99. More than 40 alumni participated this year with SLUH racquetball coach Dr. Joe Koesnter. A special award goes to Ed Golterman ‘54 for once again being the oldest alumnus to take part in the tourney.
2005
Paul Barker is studying at Oxford University in England this year. He is making quite a name for himself, performing weekly for large crowds in London as part of an improvisational comedy troupe called The Oxford Imps. The group was featured on BBC Radio, and draws sell-out crowds to the club in London where they perform. In addition, through the university, he was able to stage a production of a play he wrote called “A Couple of Cold Ones” about college students out drinking in Chicago.
Retiring principal Dr. Mary Schenkenberg enjoying the evening as the Honorary Chair of CASHBAH.
Weddings and Engagements
The following alumni have announced their wedding or engagement in the past several months: Class:
Alumnus:
1986
Craig Neumeier, to Charyl Farney
2000
Matt Haywood, to Katharine Carnahan Buckley
2000
Matt Birke, DDS, to Christine Grant (Viz 2000)
Got some news about a SLUH alumnus? Please send it to us for inclusion in Class Notes. Submissions by e-mail are preferred. Send a note to alumni@sluh.org.
365 Churches in 365 Days 24
Editor’s Note: Large sections of this piece are excerpts from an article that appeared in the April 7, 2007, edition of the Chicago Tribune written by the Tribune’s religion reporter Manya Branchear.
David Heimann went on a year-long religious pilgrimage in 2007 during which he circled the globe and visited 365 churches in 365 days. During his travels, he mourned the death of Jesus on Good Friday in the presence of Pope Benedict and celebrated the Easter Vigil in St. Peter’s Basilica. He traversed the back alleys of Beijing where Chinese Catholics largely worship in secret. He visited the cathedral in Las Vegas where gamblers seek forgiveness. He wandered the ruins of churches and sanctuaries that have suffered the trials of time and persecution. Heimann is a graduate of the SLUH class of ’93, and served as an Alum Service Corps volunteer at SLUH during the 1999-2000 school year. He chronicled each step of his journey on his blog, www.adsodalitatem.org (Latin for “toward solidarity”), and linked satellite images from Google Earth® to many of the churches he visited. After finishing his master’s in divinity at Loyola University, Heimann worked as a youth minister at St. Ignatius Parish in Rogers Park, IL. But Heimann could not shake his dream of an around-the-world pilgrimage, and his Spiritual Director, Fr. John Haughey, S.J. encouraged him to go forth. Heimann formed a nonprofit group called Ad Sodalitatem, solicited donations for the journey and sought the blessing of Cardinal Francis George, who gave him a letter of introduction should he encounter obstacles on his travels. George called Heimann’s intentions of promoting a worldwide understanding “honest and noble.” Heimann’s travel itinerary corresponded with milestones around the world. He celebrated the Chinese New Year in Beijing and spent Holy Week in Rome. He was in Jerusalem for Pentecost and in Mexico for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe. It wasn’t easy. He admits that while in Rome, he contemplated heading home. “God and I had words last night,” Heimann blogged on Good Friday. “What is he doing with me? Why am I on this?” But he also dined with a priest from Rwanda who helped answer those prayers and inspired him to go on. Heimann said he received Communion inside grand Gothic
cathedrals, Romanesque basilicas and a cinder-block box with stained-glass windows. He also has worked in soup kitchens and classrooms. “The Catholic Church is responding to people in very different economic situations, from affluent to working class to the very, very poor,” Heimann said. “Each of those communities is trying to live the gospel in a different way, so their response is different.” While his ministry is grounded in the Roman Catholic tradition, Heimann does have Protestant support. Members of Willow Creek Community Church, an evangelical “megachurch” in Chicago, and other churches made pledges to fund the pilgrimage. The total cost came to about $29,000. “I am humbly amazed that even though I told them I wanted to visit Catholic churches, they were still extremely supportive,” he said. “It is hard enough just to live in this world. Who has time to fight over religious differences?” Heimann arrived back in Chicago last December, in time for Christmas.
At press time, SLUH learned of the death of Fr. Martin Hagan, S.J. The next issue of the SLUH NEWS will feature a tribute to Fr. Hagan.
Around the Halls
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CASHBAH SUCCESS On Saturday, April 5th, the SLUH family celebrated the 39th annual CASHBAH dinner-auction in the Backer Gymnasium. This year’s event was called Run For The Roses…The Billikentucky Derby. It was a huge success, bringing in a total of over $602,000 in revenue. After expenses and raffle prizes are paid, the event will net over $525,000 for tuition assistance at SLUH.
Junior Zack Stein Competes With
Cycling’s Pros
Auction items included a wonderful package for the Super Bowl in Tampa, Florida and a complete package to the baseball All-Star Game scheduled for Yankee Stadium this summer. Both were donated by Anheuser-Busch. Lovely antiques and jewelry were up for bid, as well as a stunning array of vacation packages including stays in vacation homes in Maine, Florida, Colorado and more. The premier item of the night was a week’s stay at a fabulous 8-bedroom ocean-front villa in the Dominican Republic that was offered courtesy of alumnus Tom Cooke ’78.
The Chairs of CASHBAH ’08 – Run For The Roses pose for a photo with SLUH President Dave Laughlin, who is dressed for the part as the Kentucky Derby bugler, and SLUH Principal Mary Schenkenberg, who was the night’s Honorary Chair. Left to Right: General Chairs Mary Pat Santel and Peggy Sizemore; Honorary Chair Mary Schenkenberg; SLUH President and Race Bugler Dave Laughlin; Alumni Chair Mark Mantovani ’72, and Parent Chair Dan Barrett.
In the growing sport of bicycle racing, most cyclists are lucky to achieve a Category 3-level ranking, particularly in the highly competitive St. Louis cycling community. Amateur racers begin with a Category 5 ranking. The elite professionals are Category 1. As a Junior in high school, Zack Stein has already ascended the ranks to a Category 2 racer after only two seasons of racing. During that time, he finished an astonishing tenth place in the nation at the Junior Nationals Road Race in Pennsylvania, and has won five state-wide championships in various racing events. While he currently races on the local circuit, he hopes to earn a national championship in the future and would like to race in Europe.
Field House Ground Breaking continued from page 17
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sessions held in the late 1990s. During the planning process, the Board of Trustees called for improvements in seven areas:
take their seats.” In addition to the competition gym, there will be an adjacent gym space which will be for auxiliary and recreational use.
1- Reduce class size and teaching loads to enhance an alreadystrong academic program. 2- Increase scholarship endowment funds to provide more financial aid. 3- Provide adequate, secure parking. 4- Create more on-campus athletic fields, especially for baseball, soccer and track. 5- Build a larger, more suitable cafeteria. 6- Add more gymnasium space to accommodate practice and recreational use. 7- Create a common area for the offices of student clubs and organizations, bringing them together to create a “campus hub.”
Another feature of the Danis Field House will be a large room that will serve as a wrestling gym. “Wrestling is a winter sport, so this room can be used for other purposes in the fall and spring,” noted Laughlin. Potential uses include serving as a large-group
Items 1-4 were addressed in earlier phases of the campaign. The construction and renovations that began in May will address the final three items on the list – gym space, cafeteria and a student “hub.”
meeting room, a study area and a testing location. This room will also benefit our theater program, since our wrestlers currently practice in the “loge” section of the theater (a balcony section above the main seating area) during rehearsals for our winter plays. It can be very distracting for both wrestlers and thespians. The new wrestling room will eliminate that conflict.
The main feature of the Danis Field House will be the competition gymnasium. “The gymnasium floor will be below ground level, making for a dramatic entry way,” noted SLUH President David Laughlin. “It will be a ‘top loading’ gym, so that fans entering the building will see the gym floor below them as the
The Danis Field House will be a brand new facility, but the planners are ever mindful of tradition.
For 53 years, the basketball, volleyball and wrestling teams have made their home in the Backer Gymnasium. “I was hesitant about this whole project at first,” said Athletic Diretor Dick Wehner, “because of all the memories and tradition of the Backer Gym. But the bottom line is that we must do what is best for the boys at SLUH.” In order to honor that 50-plus years of tradition, SLUH requested that Hastings & Chivetta
(the architects designing the Field House) incorporate some features that will be reminiscent of the current gym. Most notably, the main interior wall of the Field House will be constructed of the same style and color of brick that is visible in the current gym. “I also want to be sure that ‘ThreePoint Jesus’ is installed in the new place,” said Wehner, referring to a five-foot tall crucifix that has hung for many years high on the wall of the Backer Gym. With a nod to Notre Dame University’s famous
“Touchdown Jesus,” the crucifix in the Backer Gym has long been known as “Three-Point Jesus.” “With three full courts, the Danis Field House will provide some space for kids who never got to use the old gym. We’ll have room for recreational uses, like pick-up basketball games. I’m thrilled about that,” concluded Wehner.
so much more. We hope to have the ability to sub-divide the area into smaller, more intimate spaces which will see a lot of use. It is anticipated that all-school Masses and assemblies will be held there, in addition to alumni reunions, team and club banquets, mixers, dances and many other events.
After the Danis Field House is
“We use the gym for so much more than athletics, and that causes scheduling conflicts that
completed the master plan calls for the renovation of the old Backer Gym and surrounding rooms. The space will be converted into a “multi-purpose commons.” The commons will serve as SLUH’s new cafeteria, with a state-of-theart kitchen and serving area. The commons will feature a dining area that will be substantially larger than the current cafeteria. “It will be a great environment for students to eat lunch, and will become the student ‘social center’ as well.” said Joe Rankin ’83, SLUH’s Director of Facilities. “But it will function as
impact student use. We use it for student assemblies, all-school Masses, trivia nights, CASHBAH, mixers, you name it,” said Rankin. Whenever there are non-athletic events in the gym, the facilities staff must put down a protective cover on the floor, set up tables and chairs, raise the baskets and so on. Setting it all up and then taking it all down after the event takes hours. For each event, the gym is unavailable to the sports teams and PE classes for at least a day. For big events like CASHBAH, that can stretch into a week without a
gym. “I know it’s frustrating for the coaches to lose the use of the gym, and my crews spend countless hours putting down and taking up that floor covering.” Another area that will be improved by the new construction is the Danis Lobby. This space was originally intended to be a formal entryway, welcoming visitors to the Backer Gym and the Shulte Theater. “Over the years, the
Danis Lobby has become our ‘catch-all’ solution for holding events. It was never designed to be a banquet facility, yet we hold over 40 meetings, banquets and receptions there each year,” said Rankin. “Once this round of construction is completed, the Danis Lobby can be used as it was intended.” With the new Danis Field House and multi-purpose commons, most of the conflicts between athletic and non-athletic events will be eliminated. Non-athletic events
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Field House Ground Breaking 28
will take place in the commons, and the three gym courts of the Danis Field House can be used almost exclusively for athletics, recreation and PE classes. Once the existing gym has been renovated into a new cafeteria and multi-purpose commons, the school can turn its attention to the space currently occupied by the existing cafeteria. Although plans have not been finalized, the current strategy is to move the offices of the Principal and Assistant Principals into one portion of this space. Then, after that move is complete, the existing offices at the center of the building could be converted into a “student
hub,” with space for student organizations, clubs, and activities. The new Danis Field House and multi-purpose commons, along with the facilities built during the past four years, will effectively change the orientation of the campus. “Our main entrance used to be on the North side of the building, facing Oakland Avenue,” said Laughlin. “That made sense 75 years ago, when most students and visitors arrived at SLUH via the Oakland Avenue streetcar line. But the streetcars are long gone and the vast majority of students, staff and visitors arrive by car. When this work is completed, our main entrance will be on the South side
of the building, served by a fourlane entry boulevard. Clustered immediately around that entrance will be the Joe Schulte Theater, our banquet and assembly facility, our main office, and the athletic facilities…which places the four areas most visitors to our campus are looking for within a few steps of the new main entrance. It will be a convenient and attractive new ‘front door’ for SLUH.”
A view of the competition gym, looking down from the street-level entrance. Note the additional gym space in the background for recreation and auxillary use.
Calendar Of Events May 3-4 Senior Follies – Schulte Theater 7 End-of-School Liturgy – SLUH Gym Ground Breaking Ceremony for Danis Field House 9
June 14 Father/Son Golf Tournament – Forest Park 28 Alumni Day of Service *
July 11 Alumni Golf Tournament – Forest Park *
September 10
lass of ’43 C Reunion Lunch
12-13 Class of ’78 and ’93 Reunions 19-20 Class of ’83 Reunion
October 3-4 Class of ’53 Reunion 10-11 Class of ’68 Reunion 25 Class of ’73 Reunion
17-18 Class of ’48 and 26-27 Class of ’58 and ’63 ’88 Reunions Reunions
Senior Prom
18 Graduation Mass & Dinner 25 Graduation, 1:00 p.m. at Powell Hall
Senior Lock-In
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Memorial Day * See the alumni portion of the SLUH website for complete details and on-line registration.
Seniors relaxing on campus.
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St. Louis University High School
2008 Alumni Golf Tournament 30
DATE:
Friday, July 11, 2008
LOCATION:
Norman J. Probstein Golf Course (Forest Park)
FORMAT:
Four-Man Scramble - Regular Flight and Senior (age 50+) Flight
PROGRAM:
Registration 11:30 a.m.
Luncheon 12:00 Noon
Shotgun Start 1:00 p.m.
~~~Refreshments Available on Course~~~
Cocktail Buffet 6:30 p.m.
Awards Presentation 7:00 p.m.
FEES:
$150.00 Per Person
$600.00 Per Four Man Team
SPONSORSHIPS: $200.00 Per Hole Sponsor
$750.00 Per Hole Sponsor and Four–Man Team
Entry/Sponsorship Form Team/Company Name:_______________________ Team Member: __________________________________ Team Captain (Contact Person):________________ Team Member: __________________________________ Street Address: ____________________________ e-mail address: __________________________________ City:______________ State:_____ Zip:______ Phone:________________ Regular Flight: r Senior Flight: r
(age 50+)
______ Player(s) @ $150.00 each = $____________ ______ Team @ $600.00 each = $____________ ______ Hole Sponsor @ $ 200.00 each = $____________ ______ Hole/Team Sponsor @ $750.00 each = $____________ Total Remitted: $______________________ Please mail entry form and check no later than June 30, 2008, made payable to: Or, Sign-up via the website at St. Louis University High School www.sluh.org/alumni/ Alumni Golf Tournament 4970 Oakland Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63110-1402 For further information, please call Ben DuMont, (314) 531-0330, Ext. 311, or e-mail him at dumont@sluh.org
D a u p h i n P la y e r s
present:
42nd Street
31
Child’Play s In February, Dauphin Players presented 42nd Street, starring seniors Sam King and Patrick Probst supported by a huge cast of singers and dancers. Earlier in the year, the Players performed a drama called Child’s Play, set in a Catholic boarding for boys in the 1970’s.This production starred senior Jack Dryden, and juniors Mark Holzum and Jack Erbs.The stage crew received many compliments for the spectacular, intricate set that was constructed for the play.
There’s Still Time To Make A Difference There is still time to make your gift to SLUH this fiscal year. All gifts received by June 30, 2008 will be recognized in our President’s Report published in the fall. So much of what our young men achieve is made possible by the generosity of our alumni. Annual gifts to SLUH provide resources for each of our students to reach his potential. With your help, we are providing our young men with a strong foundation to become the leaders of tomorrow. Whatever the motivation for giving – gratitude to SLUH, appreciation for the SLUH experience, the need to give something for the benefit of others or some other reason – each gift to the Alumni Annual Fund plays an important role in fulfilling SLUH’s mission. The Annual Fund provides alumni with the opportunity to be directly involved with the success of our students. Gifts can be mailed to: SLUH Advancement Office, 4970 Oakland Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110. For those who would prefer, gifts also can be charged to a credit card on-line by visiting www.sluh.org, then click on the alumni tab and select Contribute to SLUH on-line.
Non Profit Org. U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
St. Louis University High
A Jesuit College Preparatory School • Founded 1818
Backer Memorial 4970 Oakland St. Louis, MO 63110-1402
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