Prep Magazine, Winter 2020-21

Prep

SAINT PETER’S PREPARATORY SCHOOL

On the

Front Lines

WINTER 2020-21

On the

Home Front

Enduring Gifts And through the years we will treasure, with a joy beyond measure, the gifts you have given. We shall never forget.

I learned the words to Pride & Glory on a rainy Saturday in May of 1999, from the upperclassman equivalent of today’s Big Brothers. To be perfectly honest, I remember less detail about that spring orientation day than about some of my other early Prep experiences, but a few things stand out. In addition to Pride & Glory, we learned the fight song—A Peter’s Team—along with a few cheers we would likely start hearing at sporting events in the fall. The true essentials. And speaking of the true essentials, the day ended in the old Saint Peter’s Church (now O’Keefe Commons) for Mass with Fr. Azzarto. An awkward 13-year-old, who had met exactly zero of his new classmates before, finished the day knowing he was embarking on this adventure as part of a new family of Prep brothers.

All through that summer I found myself coming back to that phrase, the gifts you have given. I felt like Prep had given me one gift already: the sense of welcome I had felt at orientation. What would those other gifts be? Twenty summers or so later, I could fill a book with my answers, and I suspect every Prep alumnus will have a very different “book” of those gifts. But one year into the COVID-19 experience that has impacted so many lives in so many ways, I see members of this extended Prep family living out two gifts in particular that would rank high on my own list.

The first is perhaps a more developed version of that first gift from my freshman orientation: the absolute certainty that each of us is part of something larger than ourselves. Prep students learn to see themselves as part of a whole—a class, a team, a school community, a retreat group—and to understand themselves in relation to their friends, their family, their world, and, ultimately, with God. It underpins Prep’s mission to form young men with “the courage to advance the common good.” It guides every teacher and coach striving to make cura personalis real even when so much of school life is virtual. It’s at the heart of Fr. Arrupe’s challenge to be men and women for and with others. And it’s on full display as so many alumni work on the front lines, keeping their communities safe as healthcare workers and first responders. We’ve collected a few of their stories in this issue, but they represent many, many more.

The other gift is resilience—not just the ability to bounce back from adversity, but also the ability to bend without breaking.

It was here that I, like so many others before and since, learned the true value of giving my best, learning from mistakes, and identifying room for growth. It was also here that I watched teachers and administrators build a plan in real time to get us through the day on 9/11, do what could be done to serve the broader community, and get us back to school two days later.

A decade later I had the privilege to be in the room as my colleagues planned for our return from Hurricane Sandy. We were all in the room in those uncertain days, because virtually all of Prep’s administration and staff were working out of temporary office space in the library! And now, another decade later, the pages that follow tell just some of stories of adaptation and readaptation that have defined this school year at Grand & Warren.

Resilience has long been among the first words I think of when I think of Saint Peter’s Prep, and maybe it stands to reason that this sort of adaptability is essential to Prep’s character. Saint Peter himself went to work on his fishing boat with his brother one day and found his life changed forever. Saint Ignatius of Loyola started on the path to founding the Society of Jesus only after his encounter with a cannonball. At Prep and in the world beyond, this past year has called us time and again to change our habits, rebuild our routines, and adapt to a constantly changing set of challenges.

Prep does not only teach students to be open to growth and to seek God in all things; those values also guide the adults of the Prep community even (or especially) in challenging times. We shall never forget.

Mike Jiran, ’03 Director of Communications

CONTENTS

Prep

Cover Story 10

Volume 31 | Number 1 Winter 2020-21 Michael Gomez, Ed.D., ’91 President

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On the Front Lines Jim DeAngelo, ’85 Principal

Mike Jiran, ’03 Editor

In the year since COVID-19 came to redefine our daily lives, countless Prep men have continued to answer the call to be “men for others” when it matters most. Here are just a few of their stories.

John Irvine, ’83, P’11 Sports Editor Trish Fitzpatrick, P’07,’16 Jim Horan, ’70 Kate Lillis-Magnus Mary Anne McElroy Mike Murcia, ’08 Tom Powers Contributors Mark Wyville, ’76, P’11,’18 Select Photography Mace Duncan Ohleyer | Hotplate Original Design Concept

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Mike Jiran, ’03 Layouts and Additional Photography

Prep Magazine is a publication of the Office of Communications of Saint Peter’s Preparatory School. It is distributed in print, free of charge, to Prep alumni, faculty, staff and parents, and online at spprep.org/prepmag

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Copyright © 2021, Saint Peter’s Prep. All publication rights reserved.

CONTACT US: Alumni Relations: alumni@spprep.org or 201-547-6413 Communications: info@spprep.org or 201-547-2308

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@SaintPetersPrep

4 Questions Global education has become a key component of the Prep experience over the past several decades. But with pandemic-related travel restrictions abounding, what does global education mean today?

18 To Whom Much is Given John B. Wefing, ’60 has supported Prep’s Annual Fund each year since records begin in 1983. So when it came time to celebrate the centennial of his father’s 1920 graduation, a special gift was in order.

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Sports Cross Country takes program’s first state sectional crown; Football defends division title; Soccer reaches sectional final.

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@spprep /spprep1872 To subscribe to our weekly P-Mail newsletter, contact info@spprep.org with your name, class year (if applicable) and preferred email address.

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spprep.org /spprep

144 Grand A moment in the sun for the Class of ‘20; Prep adapts in the classroom and beyond; Remembering Ms. LaBruno; Record registration for Class of ‘25

Photo File Prep’s “front yard” turns 20.

STAY UP-TO-DATE

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Departments

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Alumni Golfers reconnect on the links; meet the Hall of Fame class of ‘21; reunions set for a comeback

ON THE COVER: As alumni brought “Men for Others” to life on the front lines of the pandemic, life back home at Grand & Warren adapted and carried on.

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For the Class of 2020, a Moment in the Sun “After 54 days of waiting, it is my pleasure to welcome you to the 142nd Commencement of Saint Peter’s Prep.” It’s typical for Bob Furlong, Prep’s Vice Principal for Academics, to be the first to speak from the podium each graduation day, as

he invites guests to find their seats before the ceremony begins. But aside from the face at the podium, not much about this moment was typical. It was July 14, nearly eight weeks after the nominal graduation date for the Class of 2020. The graduates had already received their diplomas through the efforts of teachers, administrators, and staff members who delivered them in person in May. Mr. Furlong delivered that welcome once in the morning and again in the afternoon, each time to roughly half the class. And perhaps nothing was more novel than the setting: spread across the expanse of Prep’s Keenan Field were triads of chairs, allowing each graduate to sit with two family members at a safe distance from other graduates and their guests. This was a Prep graduation like none before it, but it was nonetheless a Prep graduation, live and in person—something that had seemed anything but certain as Prep (and the world) first began to grapple with the realities of COVID-19 in the spring.

Speaking for the class, Student Council President Suvan Bhat, ’20 acknowledged the rollercoaster of emotions that had accompanied an uncertain final marking period. “I, like many of you, was partially delighted [in March] to find an email stating that school was to be closed for the coming week,” he recalled. “It felt like an early spring break.” But as the weeks wore on and the gravity of the situation become apparent, “I couldn’t stand not being in school.” The memories of that last quarter, though, would one day be woven into the lore of the Class of 2020, the stories told and retold at class reunions and in informal get-togethers with friends, the experience the graduates will carry with them wherever their lives lead them. “We have much to celebrate. We have the stepping stones in front of us...It is in this diversity of paths that we

will spread the name of Prep

to the world, and our brilliance along with it. The Jesuit values and ideals that Prep has instilled in us will allow us to overcome

and fight for better and more.”

And above all, Suvan added, “Though we are six feet apart, I feel that we have never been more together.”

Belkise Dallam, Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, guidance counselor, and this year’s faculty speaker, sounded a similar note. “Being away from our physical school building tested our community in ways that I don’t think any of us were ready for,” she said. “Some of us felt unsure because we just didn’t know what to expect... But look at us now: We are together—in the best possible way but also in a different way, at a different location—but we are here, you are here and you made it! Through it all, you made it to this very important occasion, and for that we are blessed.”

“Gentlemen, you did it,” added Prep President Michael Gomez, Ed.D., ’91, taking the moment to reflect on the many Prep gifts that transcend time and place, the gifts even this strange end to the year could not diminish. “Think of what you have acquired: the ability to reason, to articulate, to decipher, to understand, to create, to evaluate, to forgive, to ask for forgiveness, to choose, to pray, and hopefully to love more deeply. You have also acquired some best friends for life. And

you now.”

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this, gentlemen, is what we mean by Prep for life. All of this is a part of

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ABOVE, LEFT TO RIGHT: Mateo Pereira, ’20 and Jeremy Perez, ’20 led their row to the stage. Student Council President Suvan Bhat, ’20 gave the student address. Belkise Dallam, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and a member of the guidance department, gave the faculty address. BELOW, LEFT TO RIGHT: Seating was in “pods” of three, with each graduate flanked by two family members. One might think Jim Horan, ’70, VP for Planning & Principal Giving, had already seen it all since arriving at Prep as a freshman in 1966, but even he found this moment remarkable! Brendan Nestor, ’20 and his dad, Edward Nestor, ’88.

The Legacy Continues Although the unique circumstances of the Class of 2020’s graduation precluded the traditional photo shoot with alumni dads and grandfathers of the graduates, the Prep legacy was alive and well among the Class of 2020, including: • Christopher Larkin, ’20, son of Kevin Larkin, ‘82 • Nicholas Brady, ’20, grandson of Ronald Brady, ’58 and grandson of Richard Larkin, ’52 • Edmund Broderick, ’20, son of David Broderick ’89 • Brendan Nestor, son of Edward Nestor, ’88 • Jonathan Camaya, ’20, son of Jonathan Camaya, ’86 • Michael Novicio, ’20, son of Ron Novicio, ’85 • Aidan Christman, ’20, son of Brian Christman, ’90 • Daniel Onorato, ’20, son of Daniel Onorato, ’84 • Joseph DeMarco, ’20, son of Joseph DeMarco, ’85 • Michael Ohlmuller, ’20, son of Brad Ohlmuller, ’86 • Luke Donofrio, ’20, son of James Donofrio, ’81 • Deven Quinones, ’20, son of Tulio Quinones, ’91 • Joseph Doody, ’20, son of Michael Doody, ’86 • Jack Riley, ’20, son of Tom Riley, ’86 • Owen Dougherty, ’20, son of Thomas Dougherty, ’84 • Christopher Sheppard, ’20 son of Paul Sheppard, ’82 • Nicolas Gronda, ’20, son of Rick Gronda, ’89 • Bryson and Byron Shipman, ’20 sons of Rodney Shipman, ’85 and grandson of Rich Gronda, ’59 • Desmond Watkins, ’20, grandson of Kenneth von Schaumberg, ’50 • Peter Whitehead, ’20, son of Edward Whitehead, ’88 PREP MAGAZINE nPREP SPPREP.ORG nn SPRING/SUMMER MAGAZINE WINTER 2020-2120203

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The Year of Learning Differently At most times and places throughout history, the arrival of a cadre of masked Marauders would be a distinctly unwelcome sight. But the fall of 2020 was no ordinary time, and (of course) Grand & Warren is no ordinary place. After the halls of Prep stood nearly empty for six full months, classes began September 14, and the mere presence of students on campus and the return of synchronous instruction allowed Prep to feel just a bit more like Prep once more. Even amidst the anxiety—both about the logistics of this new format for the school day and about the uncertainties of the broader world, the sights and sounds of the school day were long overdue!

This return was the culmination of several months’ planning by a Return to Prep committee composed of administrators and faculty members, and its success through the first semester was made possible by the commitment and cooperation of the entire Prep community. Under the hybrid model, no more than half the student body—either the “Pride” or the “Glory” cohort, which are grouped geographically—is on campus at any given time. Two days a week, the Pride cohort meets on campus while the Glory cohort attends their classes virtually; they then switch places for the two remaining class days. A third cohort (“Spirit”) attends all classes virtually. Students can elect for hybrid or all-virtual classes each marking period, in consultation with their families.

The reduction in the number of students physically present each day allows for social distancing in classrooms and common areas. In conjunction with universal mask-wearing, daily online symptom screenings, improvements to the physical plant, and enhanced cleaning protocols, it has allowed Prep to complete the first semester with no instances of COVID-19 transmission on campus.

Adaptability has been a key to this continued success. The schedule makes it possible for a student who is home—due to illness, potential COVID-19 exposure, or any other reason—to join his classes virtually, even on days when he would normally be on campus. This helps to balance safety with continuity of learning; for example, students whose screening questionnaire responses prevent them from attending school in person can simply participate in their regular classes remotely.

An abundance of caution prompted that principle to be applied on a larger scale in November. Faced with a nationwide rise in cases, and the potential for viral transmission due to holiday travel and family gatherings, Prep shifted pre-emptively to all-virtual learning for a period extending through the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.

“In every respect, this decision is purely preventative,” Prep President Michael Gomez, Ed.D. explained in a message to Prep parents. “It is not a reaction to any occurrence on campus...As a school community, we have done a remarkable job of implementing our Return to Prep plan and focusing on our mission.”

Hybrid classes resumed January 19, just as the second marking period wound down. Because synchronous classes continued on the same schedule throughout, the transitions to all-virtual classes and back to hybrid classes were virtually seamless.

The tireless work of the entire Prep community has contributed to an outstanding effort at making the best of challenging circumstances. But there’s no denying everyone looks forward to a day when it is again practical to have the full school on campus at once. “Despite the successes we have experienced in our hybrid schedule in advancing the curriculum and continuing our sports and co-curricular activities in some way this year so far, nothing can replace the bonds that are strengthened when we are all together here at Grand & Warren,” said Prep Principal Jim DeAngelo, ’85.

During the first week of classes, roughly half the students in Peter Welch’s Christian Ethics class connected from home (above) while Mr. Welch and the rest of the class (right) met in a classroom reconfigured to support social distancing.

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“A Perfect Fit for Prep”

Terry LaBruno: Teacher, Friend, Colleague, Champion As students and teachers returned to Grand & Warren this September, one larger-than-life presence was sorely missed: longtime faculty member and all-around Prep character Terry LaBruno. Following a brief illness, Terry passed away in the loving presence of her husband Joe on September 21.

Terry burst onto the scene at Prep in 2009, bringing a lengthy resume as a veteran math educator, and a devoted public servant in her hometown of Hoboken. She very quickly made her mark not only for her dogged determination to ensure that every student understood math, but also for her vociferous support of Prep’s student-athletes.

“Early in my career I really needed encouragement, and I felt her true support every day,” said Prep Basketball head coach Alex Mirabel.

“She never missed a game and was a mother figure to the boys on the team. She was my eyes and ears in the school and helped many players academically. She meant so much to the basketball program.”

Jon Hilliman, ’14 recalled her tenacious support even as his football career took him beyond Prep and eventually to the NFL. “She came to EVERY GAME. EVERY SINGLE GAME,” he tweeted. “Even came to games at BC and RU. Stayed in touch through the ups and downs. This is a tough day.

This hurts. She wasn’t even my teacher, she just loved and believed in me.”

Believing in every student, and approaching each interaction with care and compassion, defined Terry’s twelve years at Prep. “She helped kids feel like Prep could be their second home,” said current junior Lucas Hjertberg, ’22.

“Her classroom was a safe haven for those struggling in school or even with problems outside of Prep. Beacons of hope and light like Ms. LaBruno are much needed in today’s world.”

Erin Stark, who worked closely—and developed a close friendship—with Terry as chair of the math department, remembered her as a champion for Prep’s students. “Terry was fearless when trying out new ideas and she passionately sought out methods to enable all of her students to be

successful,” she recalled. “Her classroom was full of activity until 5pm each day, at which point she often went directly to a student game, with her beloved husband Joe...Terry’s joy for teaching and living echoed through our hallways.” Pat Laguerre, Prep’s assistant dean, history teacher and head baseball coach, and a friend and colleague reaching back to their days at Saint Mary’s, added, “Her unmatched enthusiasm was what she provided to our kids, but she shared her heart with all she loved.”

Terry retired from the math department in 2018, but quickly returned to Prep to assist part-time in the Browning Learning Center. She enjoyed the one-on-one time with students, and was very happy to leave lesson planning and exam grading behind. On the morning of Terry’s passing, Mary Durante, Director of Student Services, reflected: “This morning some of the Browning juniors remembered your extraordinary, over the top, gymnastic efforts on their behalf, like how you raced out of the center and down to the math office to find an answer to a tricky question, then raced back to help the student...and how you did that twice in one period. This was a common theme. Another theme was how you never gave up on them and encouraged them. The boys decided that we are going to honor you by ‘Being Like Ms. LaBruno,’ that we are going to try our best, never give up, and support each other.”

Grace Gualario, assistant to Prep’s principals for 30 years and a fellow Hoboken native, developed a strong bond with Terry LaBruno over the years, often carpooling to work in the morning (with Joe LaBruno serving as chauffeur) and walking home togther in the evening. Her assessment is to the point: “Terry was a perfect fit for Prep. She was a passionate person, a leader, strong, loyal, full of ideas, kind, and generous.” She recalls the closeness of the LaBruno family, starting from 7am birthday celebrations for the three daughters even after they left home, to great times at the beach, at the Feast of Saint Ann in Hoboken, and in recent years to wedding and baby showers.

The love that will continue to define the LaBruno family has long been apparent to Tony Azzarto, S.J., who spent a lot of time with the LaBrunos over the years, from attending games, to dinners, Theology on Tap, and lots of car time. “Joe always said that Terry ‘stirred the drink,’” Fr. Azzarto recalled. “She would organize birthday parties, trips to Florida and they would always check with each other on the use of the car and the games they planned to attend. When driving with them, the ‘triplets’ would be calling every 15 minutes; they loved their girls. Terry got Joe interested in the Prep games and he knew the players because of her.

They were both Packer fans…her because of him. Sundays revolved around the Packer game and Joe would cook for 20.”

Terry LaBruno is survived by her adoring husband Joseph, her loving children Danielle, Tia, and Christina, her precious granddaughters Lena and Demi Theresa, her sons-in-law Nicholas and Tim (Prep, ’08), her sister Rose Cappiello and brothers Anthony, Joseph, and Daniel Cappiello and sister-in-law Maureen Cappiello. Terry is also survived by many devoted nieces and nephews—including nephew Patrick Cappiello, ’80 and great-nephew Patrick Cappiello, ’09—and, of course, her loving, grateful Saint Peter’s Prep family.

Prep Principal Jim DeAngelo, ’85 presented Terry LaBruno with a gift upon her initial retirement in 2018. As it happened, Terry would only stay retired until that fall. But as it also happened, no gift Prep could give Terry could ever match what she gave to Prep, every day, for more than a decade.

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Getting to Know the Class of ’25...Virtually!

Like every other area of school life, the admissions process for the Class of 2025 has been a departure from the norm. But this extraordinary process, driven by extraordinary effort, has yielded an extraordinary result: 268 students had registered for the Class of 2025 as of the February 6 deadline.

John Irvine, ’83, P’11 noted this was the highest registration-day figure since he took the reins as Director of Admissions in the fall of 2002!

That strong yield was by no means guaranteed. Prep’s traditional feeders for building future classes include the Higher Achievement Program (HAP) and a robust Freshman for a Day program, along with the popular Middle School Leadership Day, Marauder Invitational Basketball Day, and the summer sports camps. The pandemic wiped out each of those programs, requiring the Admissions Department to deploy some new strategies.

In a typical fall, John Irvine and Trish Fitzpatrick would visit over 50 schools and attend numerous high school fairs. Admissions Assistant Diane Casazza normally has full days overseeing the visiting eighth graders and helping parents through the admissions process. A handful of schools did offer in-person visits, socially distanced in a classroom, one family at a time, and one even held it in the school parking lot. In an effort to create some connections with prospective students and their families, Admissions offered private campus tours; to date, over 150 tours have taken place.

Event planning was different this year, too. Typically Prep hosts a very large fall Open House, with upwards of 1,200 visitors to Grand and Warren. It’s a great opportunity for folks to see the school, the neighborhood, and most importantly, the Prep students, faculty and staff. How to replicate this?

Many hours of planning went into the virtual Open House, which saw almost 400 families participating.

Prep was able to host students on campus to take the High School Placement Test on several Saturdays over the fall. Although some students opted to take the test virtually, over 280 came to Prep and sat for the exam, socially distanced, in the O’Keefe Commons and the gym.

When it came time to plan the post-acceptance events, such as the Accepted Students’ Reception and the Ignatian Scholars Program, much creativity and care went into the content. Wanting to capture the close relationships and banter between students and faculty, Admissions asked Connor Bankuti, ‘23, to act as host. Connor was a perfect choice as he has been instrumental in the Freshman for a Day Room as its student coordinator. He said: “Even though COVID-19 has presented unprecedented changes and challenges, one thing that hasn’t changed is Prep’s mission to provide an excellent education and experience for all its students. It has been my honor and privilege to convey this message to young men considering Prep for their future. I can honestly say to them that Prep has changed my life, and they will not be disappointed...”

Another hallmark of the admissions process is Prep’s extensive home reception program, a grassroots outreach to accepted students by current Prep families. In typical years, there are upwards of forty receptions to handle Prep’s wide geographic reach. This year, stalwart volunteers conducted Zoom meetings. More people attended since they were virtual meetings and an unexpected benefit was that older Prep sons in college and beyond could take part. For instance, parents Anita and Vince McCarthy were joined both by Teddy, ’23 and by Durkin, ’18, who now attends Villanova University.

Admissions Director John Irvine reflected on this most unusual year: “This year has forced us to rethink many of our usual events and strategies. From virtual events to how we spend our advertising dollars, this was an opportunity for us to discover new techniques and to keep what can work beyond the pandemic.”

Ordinarily, Ignatian Scholars would receive a congratulatory gift at the Ignatian Scholars’ Reception. With the event going virtual, even this detail in the admissions process had to be rethought. Here, John Irvine, ’83, P’11 moves a stack of in-house-designed “Welcome to Prep” gift boxes, ready for mailing.

Sheehan Scholarship Program Extended Through 2026 Among the plethora of end-of-calendar-year gifts that arrived at Grand & Warren in December was a very special one, which will have a direct impact on next year’s admissions process for the Class of 2026.

Specifically, Jerry Sheehan, ’48, the founder and benefactor of the extraordinary merit-based scholarship program created in his name, provided a new gift of $2 million to fund tuition and fees for 25 Sheehan Scholars in the Class of 2026, who will enter as freshmen in the fall of 2022. As always, Sheehan Scholars are chosen on the basis of their performance on the admissions exam, their grammar school transcripts and recommendations, and interviews with members of the faculty and staff.

This newly-funded cohort will represent the twelfth class of Sheehan Scholars, beginning with 17 young men in the Class of ‘15 who entered Prep as freshmen in the fall of 2011, and including 25 members of the incoming Class of 2025 who will enter this fall.

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SECTION 144 GRAND Miyoko Balogh and her grandson Kevin Owens, ’21 during a virtual assembly in January. Mrs. Balogh survived the bombing of Hiroshima as a child.

Assembling From Near and Far A variety of class-level and school-wide assemblies have been a staple of Wednesdays at Prep for the past several years, since a weekly late start order was introduced in 2012. And like so many other areas of school life, this recent tradition has been adapted to the hybrid learning model of the current school year. Facilitated by Dean of Student Life Anthony Locricchio, ’96 and Assistant Librarian Sky Friedlander in collaboration with the Student Council, Student Diversity Board, Campus Ministry, and others, a varied schedule of programming has filled the Wednesday morning virtual assembly slot.

A sampling of these events includes:

• • • •

A voter registration workshop and historical perspective on voting, with Pace University Law Professor Horace Anderson, P’23.

A presentation by fantasy author Megan Whalen Turner on her creative process.

A discussion with the freshman class on Prep’s mission statement and how its words will guide their time at Grand & Warren and beyond.

A lecture on Kristallnacht with former Prep faculty member Bill Donohue, Professor of the Humanities at the University of Notre Dame, accompanied by a memorial prayer service.

• A conversation between Miyoko Balogh—a survivor of the atomic bombing of Hiroshima—and her grandson Kevin Owens, ’21.

Links to video highlights can be found at spprep.org/prepmag.

Upperclassmen Earn Academic Recognition Prep seniors and juniors have received recognition in a number of national academic programs in the course of the school year.

As of this writing, Thomas Da Costa Lobo, ’21 (pictured at right) has been named a National Merit Finalist. Each year, about 1,500,000 students enter the competition by taking the PSAT/NMSQT in the fall of their junior year, and just 1% make it to the finalist level, based on their PSAT scores, overall academic performance, and participation in school and community activities, along with other criteria. From the pool of finalists, about 7,500 students will be selected as National Merit Scholars in the spring.

Nine additional seniors (Tomek Botwicz, Sebastian Colie, Owen Fletcher, Eric Han, Shivansh Kumar, Aramchan Lee, Andrew Lin, Henry Longo, and John Thorburn) were named Commended Students in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Competition, scoring among the top 50,000 in the nation on their junior year PSAT. Based on the same test, Sebastian was also honored in the College Board’s National Hispanic Recognition Program.

In September 2020, 15 seniors and one junior were named AP Scholars based on their cumulative performance on exams in all AP courses completed to date. AP Scholars are students who have scored 3 (out of 5) or higher on three or more AP Exams.

Antonio Vivero,’22 Eli Blumenfeld,’21 Tomasz Botwicz,’21 Chase Bradshaw,’21 Connor Caloni,’21 Anthony Cinquina,’21

Sebastian Colie,’21 Thomas Da Costa Lobo,’21 Ethan Eig,’21 Owen Fletcher,’21 Eric Han,’21

Vikram Kadyan,’21 Ian Lee,’21 Aramchan Lee,’21 Alexander Russo-Disla,’21 Rodolfo Sanchez,’21

Students can attain “Scholar with Honors,” “Scholar with Distinction,” or “National Scholar” honors by continuing their outstanding performance on additional AP Exams during senior year, and no doubt many of the students listed above—plus some of their classmates!—will do just that. A list of the 42 Class of 2020 grads recognized as AP Scholars at one of the four levels can be found at spprep.org/prepmag.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Several Masses and prayer services, including the Votive Mass of Mary shown here, streamed live from Saint Aedan’s Church. A scene from Prep Dramatics’ “A Mystery, Murdered.” Prep Vox performed during their virtual Christmas concert in conjuction with the concert band and jazz band. Prep President Michael Gomez, Ed.D., ’91 addressed supporters during the Virtual President’s Reception; Johnnie Brooker, ’21 and Ryan Wallace, ’21 on the runway at the Virtual Fashion Show.

Beyond the Virtual Classroom The realities of life during the 2020-21 school year have called upon Prep (along with the rest of the world!) to adapt in every aspect of daily life.

The hybrid learning model allowed classes to continue with the talents and energy of Prep’s faculty still shining through even to those students participating from home. But the host of events and activities that usually fill the calendar—not just for students, but for parents, alumni, faculty, and staff as well!—would need to adjust as well.

Numerous Prep traditions have continued in virtual form since September. In addition to the various virtual assemblies on Wednesdays (see page 7), a number of Masses and prayer services have streamed live from Saint Aedan’s Church in Jersey City. The virtual Christmas Mass even kept another tradition alive, as the student Christmas video streamed following the conclusion of Mass.

The performing arts took over screens this winter. In December, the Jazz Band, Concert Band, and Vox performed a virtual version of their annual Christmas concert. January saw Prep Dramatics present a series of three one-act plays, “A Bowl of Soup,” “A Mystery, Murdered,” and “Ten Ways to Survive Life in Quarantine,” with each actor participating from home via Zoom.

One of Prep’s longest-running events adopted a hybrid format in November, as the Prep Fashion Show, aptly titled “Behind the Mask,” hit the runway with a small live audience of the models’ family members at The Venetian. The accompanying tricky tray raffle took place online, where a live stream of the “Men of Prep” and “Sisters of Prep,” dressed in fashions from The Tux Guys, The Tux Shop, and Morilee by Madeline Gardner, was also available. The event raised more than $75,000 for Prep.

Even the annual President’s Reception, a “thank you” to alumni, parents, and friends whose financial support bolsters Prep’s mission moved into the digital realm, streaming live from the roof of Mulry Hall.

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Woman for Others:

Mary Anne McElroy

by Trish Fitzpatrick, P’07,’16

Ask any Prep graduate of recent years to recall his most demanding and stimulating course, and it’s likely he will say it was AP United States History, I and II, otherwise known as “APUSH.” In New Jersey, this is a two-year course (the only other state where this is so is Georgia). This rigorous and comprehensive course starts in 1491, with Spanish and Portuguese explorations into the New World, and ends with the Obama administration. As longtime Knicks announcer Walt “Clyde” Frazier might say, the teacher of this marathon course, Mary Anne O’Callaghan McElroy, is both “feared and revered.” Although “feared” may be slightly overstated, Ms. McElroy is respected for both her high expectations of her students, and her firm belief that they can succeed.

Ms. McElroy came by her love of history early. It was nurtured by her Irish-American family (including a grandfather in the IRA), many of whom were teachers. She remembers visiting Saint Agnes Church in Manhattan, which houses the baptismal font of Irish president and Taoiseach Eamon de Valera. As Ms. McElroy points out, the mixed legacy of de Valera reflects the complicated history of Irish-British relations over the centuries. This was the subject of frequent conversation in the O’Callaghan home.

Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland was the birthplace of Ms. McElroy, whose father was an Air Force officer assigned to President Eisenhower’s aircraft detail. Following that tour, the family moved to Japan, Illinois, and then settled in Brooklyn. She attended Queen of All Saints School and then Saint Joseph’s High School and College. Small classes and individualized attention from excellent teachers are what she remembers about her education. Although she did not originally want to be a teacher, two important figures in her life were professors of British and Irish History, which sparked a life-long interest. She considered museum work, but instead attended St. John’s University as a graduate assistant in British history. She also had a deep interest in music. These led to a job at the Associated Press (AP).

Ms. McElroy’s career as a journalist was stimulating and diverse; unlike the narrow focus of many reporters working today, she was given freedom to write about her interests, not limited to music, but also encompassing history and current events. She met her husband Tom at the AP and they went on to have two children, Mary Anne and James. They are the proud grandparents of two with another on the way.

While on maternity leave, a friend mentioned a job opening at her alma mater, Saint Joseph. She took the plunge and found that she loved working with college students. Later, learning of an opening at Saint Peter’s Prep, she interviewed and was offered a history job, teaching World Civilizations and later Irish History. A memorable day spent observing Prep Legend Carl DeLorenzo, ’67 sealed the deal. Her longtime friend Carl reflects: “Our rooms were right across from each other so I essentially took her courses every year. I would sit in her room at times and listen, and I thought that her kids were the luckiest students in the world. Today, with what is going on politically, I often view the news through her lens of critical thinking.”

In addition, she taught for over ten years at the first Gilder Lehrman American History Saturday Academy, which provides enrichment classes in American history. Now in her 15th year at Prep, she is regarded as one of our finest teachers. “Mary Anne always has her eye on the objective and what her students need to learn next,” noted Principal Jim DeAngelo, ’85. “But she also is cognizant of them as young men and developing learners, all while holding them to the very highest academic and personal expectations.”

Highlights of her time at Prep include Emmaus retreats, trips to Gettysburg, and visits from young alumni. On a daily basis, she marvels at how “bright and funny” Prep students are; they never fail to make her laugh. Her greatest satisfaction arises from hearing graduates reminisce about things she said in class. She says that in addition to her goal of seeing students score 4 and 5 on the AP exam, even more important is that “they sit in college and be able to write and read with confidence, and to shine.”

An intensive week at Mount Vernon, studying her favorite president, George Washington, has been one of her most memorable professional development experiences.

Washington, DC is a favorite spot for travel, as is New England; she also conducts walking tours of New York City, often featured on Prep Day. Prep denizens may recall her excellent commencement address in 2014 in which she compared George Washington and Saint Ignatius, two of her most beloved and admired figures. In summing up her life and career, she simply says: “God has been very good to us.”Her many students over the years would likely feel that way, too, having been blessed by a teacher who is passionate about her work and utterly devoted to her students.

Mary Anne McElroy (second from right) and family at Saint Matthew’s Cathedral in Washington, D.C. for the baptism of her grandson Tommie. Also pictured are, from left, her husband Tom, daughter Mary Anne (holding grandson Tommie), son-in-saw Sean (holding grandson Sean) and son James.

PREP MAGAZINE n WINTER 2020-21 9

COVER STORY

Marauders On the Front Lines

by Mike Murcia, ’08

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic a year ago, members of the community called to serve the public have stood out, working tirelessly and sacrificing day by day to preserve the health and safety of others, and standing as examples of the servant leadership Jesuit education seeks to inspire. Of course, one Jesuit alumnus in particular has come to national prominence: Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s leading expert in addressing the pandemic across the United States, has been highly regarded by Americans for his leadership, values, dedication, and commitment to service. Those qualities will no doubt resonate with anyone with ties to a Jesuit institution, and it comes to no surprise how quickly and emphatically he links his recent experiences to the lessons he learned at Regis High School and at the College of the Holy Cross.

Dr. Fauci is seen by many as a pillar of strength and a testament to Jesuit values and ideals, but closer to Grand & Warren, there is no shortage of examples of those same tenets alive and well among our own Marauders. As stories and testimonies circulated from alumni working on the front lines, it quickly became more apparent than ever that the values taught at Grand & Warren remain the banners that guide us far beyond our high school years. From first responders to healthcare professionals, countless Prep alumni have answered the call to be men for others in remarkable ways. While their work has always required them to demonstrate the Ignatian values of selflessness, compassion, service to others, and cura personalis, their responsibilities in the COVID-19 era have asked them to dig even deeper.

These are the stories of seven Prep alumni on the front lines of the pandemic, shared here as a grateful testament to the courageous work of so many more throughout the Prep community.

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SECTION COVER STORY

VINCENT RUIZ, ’02 As an Emergency Medicine Physician at Overlook Medical Center’s Union Campus in Union, New Jersey, Vincent Ruiz, ’02 is tasked with assisting patients who enter the ER and addressing their immediate needs. His role requires him to carefully evaluate his patients, recognize their conditions, and calculate their next steps. It’s an environment where no two days—and no two cases—are alike, and the rapid transitions from one unique challenge to the next only add to the intensity. It’s also a path Vincent knew he wanted to pursue while he was still attending Prep. On the night of Vincent’s junior prom in the spring of 2001, his father, Vicente Ruiz, P’02, underwent emergency surgery, during which he was resuscitated. He was subsequently placed in an induced coma that lasted a number of weeks. “Seeing this happen to my father inspired me to pursue this line of work,” says Vincent. “I

wanted to be able to make that large an impact; to save someone if they needed saving. It’s necessary

to have specialists, oncologists, neurologists, etc., but I wanted to be able to point patients in the right direction.”

Vincent has spent the last decade serving as an emergency medicine physician, starting at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania and, more recently, at Jersey City Medical Center, just down Grand Street from Prep’s campus. After spending five years at JCMC, Vincent took the opportunity to transition to his role at Overlook, just before the onset of COVID-19. Being in a brand new setting added to the challenge as

the pandemic took hold: “As a new physician [at the hospital], it was almost like a powerless feeling. This is all happening at once and you have no control over it. I can honestly say, after ten years of experience in the emergency room, I had never seen this many sick people at once, and I had never seen so many patients pass away from something like this. There’s nothing comparable to this. We were being given new information every day and had to adjust to what we were seeing and how we’d approach it.”

While professional challenges were ramping up daily in the spring of 2020, Vincent’s personal life took on additional complexity. On March 11, only two days before Prep announced its transition to distancelearning protocol, Vincent’s wife, Meghan, gave birth to their son, Vincent Anthony (named after Fr. Tony Azzarto, S.J.). “Welcoming our son to the world was a blessing, but added an incredible layer of concern and worry to what we were already seeing,” said Vincent.

“There were times I was scared to come home. I didn’t hold my baby for the first month after he was born. Despite taking every precaution possible, I was concerned about him getting sick.”

With a rise in cases of patients with coronavirus, Vincent says each day in his department is still a work in progress: “We’ve gotten better at treating and dealing with COVID-19, but there’s still always uncertainty.

One of the difficult challenges we experience is not being able to predict who’s going to recover quickly. I’ve seen elderly people recover smoothly, and I’ve seen young people pass away from the virus. It’s still a work in progress. As of this fall, we are in a ramp-up phase again. I PREP MAGAZINE n WINTER 2020-21 11

COVER STORY Vincent Ruiz,M.D. ’02

want to remain as hopeful and optimistic as possible, but it’s important to recognize there is so much work needed to get done. We all need to do our part.”

Despite the obstacles Vincent has overcome, he’s assured his journey has led him to the right path. “This

entire experience validated my desire to be in this work and to help people,” he says. It’s a call to serving others that Vincent

experienced in high school and was certainly molded by Prep’s Jesuit values. “I think my time at Prep significantly changed me as a person and impacted my trajectory. It prepared me for all levels of education after high school and helped me become the person I am today. All those lessons even taught me how to prepare for some of life’s most challenging situations, especially like the ones my team and I are facing today. I

don’t think I would be doing what I’m doing if I hadn’t attended Saint Peter’s Prep.”

KEN FERRANTE, ’90 A lifelong resident of Hoboken, and son of retired Hoboken police captain, Fred Ferrante, P’90, Hoboken Police Chief Ken Ferrante, ’90 knew early on what he wanted to do for a living. “Watching my father serve as a police officer, while living in the city...I had a calling to do the same kind of work,” said Ferrante. “Two

things I knew I was sure of: I wanted to work in law enforcement and coach high school football. Since 1991, I’ve been able to do both.”

Ken spent a total of twelve seasons as an assistant coach for Prep Football (1991-2000; 2011-2014) and has served a total of twentyeight years with the Hoboken Police Department (patrol officer in 1993, police sergeant on his 10-year anniversary in 2003, police lieutenant in 2008, and as police chief since 2014).

Overseeing an entire police department has its challenges, even in the best of times. But for Ken, those challenges escalated dramatically and rapidly as the pandemic arrived. “In many ways, I felt we had to reinvent policing,” he said. “With over 150 employees, I had to find ways of keeping everyone safe and put those changes into effect immediately.” By March 9, crucial changes were made to do just that. While examining the severity of calls coming in, Ferrante limited responses to strictly emergency medical services for minor calls, and police for life or death scenarios. In conjunction with the since-retired Jersey City Police Chief (and former Prep Basketball head coach) Mike Kelly, full personal protective equipment suits were ordered for both departments.

Roll call, the typical start to each police officer’s day and shift, immediately transitioned to a remote format, in which officers were given updates and 12 WINTER 2020-21 n PREP MAGAZINE

alerts through their phones.

Ordinarily an advocate for assigning two officers to each patrol car, Ken had to quickly turn from his traditional strategy and assign each car to only one officer. Routine police training was also shut down, in an effort to maintain social distancing among officers. In response to call volume initially increasing by more than 40%, in March, Ken assigned more officers to street patrol to increase deployment and decrease the volume of incoming calls. Ken recalls an incident on March 14, in which a fight broke out outside a bar on Washington Street. Due to the unusual number of calls for medical assistance and limited availability of EMS workers, Police officers at the scene had to wait an hour for an ambulance to arrive. This led Ken to immediately execute a plan with Hoboken mayor Ravinder Bhalla to temporarily close all bars in Hoboken.

Putting these, and numerous other changes, in effect helped Hoboken Police effectively and efficiently execute their duties, while maintaining health and safety guidelines. In the first month of these changes, only three police officers in Hoboken tested positive for COVID-19.

“Everything happening at once presented personal and professional challenges,” said Ferrante. “I was constantly thinking about what would happen if I lost an officer while also worrying about my family. Two people I knew well, from the Prep network, were hit really hard by this virus. Trying to help uplift their families throughout their months of recovery,

SECTION COVER STORY hearing the information they were giving me, receiving waves of information from our city administrators, trying to find the words to help uplift my city, it was all so much to balance.” Compared to an average of 10 to 20 government orders per year, the Hoboken police department received over 200 government orders in 2020.

When asked how Ken managed to handle the level of responsibility with the various impacts on his career and family life, he simply traced it back to his time at Prep. “I

learned so much about caring for and supporting others throughout my time at Prep,” he said. “Every day, I call each officer we have that is away from work on quarantine, whether due to testing positive for COVID-19 or contact tracing. I think it’s so important for me to talk to those officers and remind them that we care for them.

But that grounding in cura personalis is just one reason Ken is grateful for the education he received at Prep. “You

start learning from Prep at Freshman Orientation. Prep teaches you

about structure and organization, ranging from class management, understanding your schedule, managing your extracurricular activities and so on. That preparation helped me tackle my role and everything that came my way these last eight months. It led me through the journey of becoming a police chief.” His experience with the football team, as a player and a coach, in particular, played a crucial part in preparation for his role as Police Chief: “I talk to Coach Hansen often about my time on the football team preparing me for this opportunity and all the changes that have come with it this year. The

teamwork mentality teaches you so much about how to handle obstacles and challenges like the ones I’ve seen.

Football taught me about organization, structure, and resilience. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Saint Peter’s Prep and Prep Football.”

ARMANDO ROMAN, ’08 & WILL FONG, ’09 With over 13,000 living Prep alumni across the globe, a common sentiment shared among members of the Prep community is their surprise at how far the Prep network reaches. Whether it’s noticing someone wearing a Prep sweatshirt at the supermarket, finding out the person interviewing you for a new job is a fellow alumnus, or learning that the couple you just met while on vacation, also have ties to Prep, you’re bound to experience the excitement and surprise of unexpectedly meeting a member of the Prep family. In the case of Jersey City Firefighters Armando Roman, ’08 and Will Fong, ’09, that sentiment was taken to even higher levels.

Both Roman and Fong have lived in Jersey City their entire lives, with Armando growing up in the West Side area and Will in the Journal Square area. Both alumni knew each other as acquaintances in high school, having only graduated a year apart. It wasn’t until Armando began dating Will’s cousin, Ashley, in 2014, that they grew close. Armando was serving as a police officer for the Rutgers Police Department, in Newark, and Will was working in physical therapy in New York City. In just a span of five years, they would officially become in-laws and firefighters for the same department.

Jersey City Firefighters Armando Roman, ’08 (LEFT) and Will Fong, ’09.

Growing up, Armando knew he wanted to become a firefighter. His father, Armando Roman, Sr., P’08, was Chief of Fire in Jersey City.

“Growing up, I wanted to follow in his footsteps,” said Roman. Although his goal was to become a firefighter, he decided to also take the Police Officer Exam, in 2011, and was called to take on that role first. Armando kept his name on the Jersey City Firefighter list throughout his time as a police officer, starting with the Hudson County Sheriff’s Department in 2012, and later with the Rutgers PD. “When

I got the call to be a firefighter, I hesitated a bit. I loved what I was doing as a police officer, but I knew I had to follow my lifelong dream. My father inspired me to do this.”

Will Fong graduated from William Paterson University, in Wayne, NJ, in 2014 with a B.S. in athletic training. “I immediately started working in physical therapy, landing a job in Midtown Manhattan,” said Fong. “I always felt like something was missing. I really wanted to help people within my community and I drew a lot of inspiration from my uncle, Milton, who is a retired Port Authority police officer.” While on a road trip with his uncle, in 2016, Will was able to candidly chat about the direction he wanted to go in life, with his uncle offering reflections, tips, and guidance on how to approach this calling. That August, Will left his role in physical therapy to work for PATH while taking the Air Marshal, Port Authority Police, and Jersey City Firefighter exams. Only four months after starting his role at PATH, Will received his letter of intent from the Jersey City Fire Department. “I took the letter, sealed it in an envelope, and gave it to my mother on Christmas Day,” he said. “I was finally getting the chance to serve my community in Jersey City.”

For both firefighters, this particular call to service was amplified by their families and Prep. On September 11, 2001, Armando’s father, who was a Jersey City Fire Captain then, and Will’s uncle, were both immediate responders at the World Trade Center. Their testimonies were early examples of the call to serve others, an ideal both would learn more of just a few years later in high school. “The

idea of being Men for Others, tapping into compassion, selflessness, brotherhood, and love for others, all ties into public service and what we do,” said Fong.

With the onset of COVID-19, and ever changing health and safety guidelines, their work as firefighters was impacted right away. “As PREP MAGAZINE n WINTER 2020-21 13

COVER STORY firefighters, one thing I noticed we all took for granted was morning relief,” said Roman. “Instead of the next tour coming into our firehouse, like they normally would, they had to wait outside until we left the premises. We couldn’t even talk to them outside. We had to communicate through notes. The morning routines and shift changes were affected, but we adapted. We never took into consideration how vital those morning conversations were.” Because of the amount of groups entering a firehouse (a rotating schedule of four groups), cleanliness was heightened, with an emphasis on sanitizing and cleaning every piece of equipment each firefighter came in contact with.

Firehouses were thoroughly cleaned each day. Even cooking meals in the firehouse (a key element in the communal life of firefighters) was forbidden, in an effort to minimize the spread of germs and simplify contact tracing.

For both, the personal challenges of their work throughout the pandemic were focused primarily on their families. “Unfortunately,” said Roman, “we didn’t have the opportunity to work from home or quarantine ourselves. My father has diabetes, my mother is a breast cancer survivor, and my wife was working from home each day. I was constantly worried about bringing something home to my wife, and staying away from my parents to avoid getting them sick.” Will shared this worry, as his mother is also a breast cancer survivor. “It was tough worrying about your family at home and doing everything you could to follow the necessary precautions but not having control over what other people were doing,” he said. “In public service, you come across so many people.

One challenge we saw immediately was getting civilians to refrain from congregating while outside a fire scene. You also couldn’t just expect them to remember to wear masks in the middle of a situation like that.”

Although working conditions have improved since the spring, both remain cautious and alert when executing their roles and tasks. On their days off, they isolate themselves and study the necessary materials to help learn how to improve their craft and find opportunities to grow as firefighters. Those training opportunities have been limited because of the pandemic, with sessions limited to routines practiced only with firehouse cohorts. Still, both practice their responsibilities on their own or with each other, in the hopes of being able to grow in their careers.

Despite the obstacles, Armando and Will have found solace in the support of their loved ones. “My wife, Ashley, and Will’s girlfriend, Nicole, have supported us through and through,” said Roman. “We live on the same street in Jersey City so we’ve maintained our own pod throughout the last eight months, which was crucial when you couldn’t surround yourself with anyone else. Our partners know the level of commitment we face with work, and they grew to understand, more and more, what we do and why we do it. We don’t just get paid for what we do, we get paid for what we might have to do. The last few months of work is what we had to do.”

Beyond that, it’s also added a sense of pride among their family. “Our family is so proud,” said Fong. “They understand how challenging the job can be. They don’t focus so much on the risks of the work, but on the benefits and rewards of a career in service. For me, it feels great having an in-law working with me. My cousin being married to a firefighter makes the family even prouder. It has even inspired my cousin Patrick (Armando’s brother-in-law) to study for the exam as well.”

14 WINTER 2020-21 n PREP MAGAZINE

Justin De Castro, R.N., ’07

JUSTIN DE CASTRO, ’07 Like many Prep alumni, Justin De Castro, ’07 did not know, at a young age, what profession he would want to pursue. But he was certain of one thing: Grand & Warren was where he wanted to spend his four years of high school. “I’ll admit,” said De Castro, “the all-boys high school environment made me hesitate a bit, but Prep was always my first choice and the best decision I made. It’s always stood out as the best educational experience of my life.” While it may have taken him a few years to find his calling, Justin attributes his faith and dedication to serving others to his upbringing and time at Prep. “I was trying to rebel a bit against what my family wanted me to do for a living,” he said.

“It took some time for me to find this calling, but it’s grown to be my passion. I can’t see myself doing anything else.”

Justin is in his fourth year serving as a Registered Nurse at Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank, New Jersey. As a way to gain experience in his field, he also works per diem as a nurse at Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick. Once the coronavirus cases began to rise in New Jersey, Justin was assigned to COVID-19 units in both hospitals.

Prior to the surge of cases in March 2020, Justin and his colleagues at both hospitals were made aware of a virus on its way to the U.S. with the potential to unleash just such a surge. And as predicted, from March through May, the number of COVID-19 patients in his units rapidly grew.

One of Justin’s most notable experiences with treating COVID-19 patients was aiding a 32-year-old man during the early stages of the pandemic. It was the first time he was noticing severe symptoms from a relatively young patient. In this particular case, he was in disbelief seeing the young man’s struggle with breathing reach the point where just lifting himself out of bed to use the bathroom was a major challenge.

Another of the many impactful surprises Justin experienced ties into lessons he learned through Prep’s social justice programs and courses: “I was struck by the number of cases entering our hospitals due to patients not having health insurance while battling COVID-19. To put it simply, they knew they had the conditions but were hoping to stick it out because they couldn’t afford a visit to the hospital. Once they were

SECTION COVER STORY admitted to us, the symptoms were already too severe. That really struck me mentally and emotionally.”

As time went on, Justin and his teammates learned how to adapt to all the necessary changes in their work routines and guidelines, while also learning how to approach and handle each case coming in. “Hospitals are a lot more prepared now with the proper equipment and PPE,” he said. “It was so tough in the beginning. One particular case exposed a roof full of staff members to the virus. I was sick and, as a result, my wife, Michelle, was exposed too.”

Looking ahead, Justin says he’s hopeful for 2021 to see much improvement. As things currently stand, he takes great pride in the work he and his colleagues have done to continuously learn how to better approach each case and make the impact he always hoped he would make. With hospitals being properly equipped, trained, and prepared, scenarios have played out better and better as the weeks and months have passed. Rapid testing, for example, is a tremendous benefit Justin believes has helped the medical field handle the volumes of sick patients seen throughout the fall and winter. One observation that has struck him is the rise in mental health crises he’s seen in both hospitals—a reminder of how large of an impact COVID-19 has made. Even still, his faith, hope, and dedication to service push him to continue working as hard as he did in the spring. “There’s

a lot more work being asked of us, but I don’t mind doing it,” said

Justin. “It’s my passion. It may have affected my personal life, too, but my wife is also Jesuit educated (Saint Peter’s University) so she gets it!”

BILLY BEDFORD, ’00 It’s never too late to find your calling in life. This is especially true in the case of Billy Bedford, ’00, a lifelong resident of Jersey City and four-year police officer in the Jersey City Police Department. Before entering the police academy, just two months shy of his 35th birthday, Billy had spent over a decade building a career in marketing with his twin brother, Bobby Bedford, ’00. Billy admits that while growing up, he respected police officers and was intrigued by their work, but never felt he wanted to work in public service. That all changed in one night.

Billy and Bobby were on their way to a meet-and-greet event with mixed martial arts fighters in New York City when both brothers saw a stranger laid out on the subway tracks, experiencing, in Billy’s words, “an episode.” As passersby exclaimed that a train was approaching, Billy and Bobby quickly hopped down to the tracks and immediately helped the person up to the platform. Billy recounts, “It got the adrenaline rushing, for sure. As years went by, after that night, I kept getting this feeling that something was missing from my life. I

felt I did something meaningful, that day, and that feeling was missing.” With that experience in mind, Billy

looked into taking service tests and jumped on the opportunity to serve his hometown.

With three years as a police officer under his belt, the coronavirus pandemic presented Billy with the most challenging professional and personal experiences of his life. “Everything

changed

immediately,” said Billy. “We were constantly challenged with

figuring out how to execute our roles without personal interaction.

We were more reactive, simply staying grounded and waiting for calls.

Domestic violence calls, for example, would come in and make you plot out, in your mind, how you were going to safely respond and not bring something back home.” It comes as no surprise that each part of his duty was carefully reexamined in an effort to execute his responsibilities while somehow managing to follow health and safety guidelines.

For Billy, however, the most incredible obstacle he had to overcome was the pandemic’s effect on his interactions with his five-year-old daughter, Carmela. As a single father, Billy takes pride in nurturing his relationship with Carmela. Simply put, it’s his greatest priority. With the onset of COVID-19, and one particular scenario, Billy was left with the harsh reality of having to distance himself from Carmela for a significant amount of time. In one incident, Billy was called to assist an individual under cardiac arrest, who turned out to be deceased upon arrival. He and the rest of the responders then learned the victim might have had symptoms of COVID-19. After weeks in quarantine, and multiple rapid tests, Billy was assured he was not infected, but he knew the risks in bringing something home to his daughter were far too great: “Not seeing Carmela for two months was the right choice to make, but it felt horrible. I couldn’t have her around for my birthday. FaceTime helped, but the lack of personal interaction was really tough for me.”

Similar to their counterparts in Hoboken under the guidance of Chief Ferrante, the Jersey City Police Department implemented a number of policy changes to ensure the safety of police officers, other first responders, and civilians during the pandemic. Billy emphatically

Jersey City Police Officer Billy Bedford, ’00 and his daugther, Carmela PREP MAGAZINE n WINTER 2020-21 15

COVER STORY praised the measures taken by his teammates and leaders, ranging from repeatedly cleaning uniforms to utilizing the proper PPE on every call and watch. As time has passed, Billy has learned how to manage that same level of precaution when coming home from work and interacting with his loved ones. While it hasn’t been easy, he credits his ability to overcome the pandemic’s roadblocks to his time at Prep. “Not to discredit my parents or higher education, but I always say

I learned more at Prep than anywhere else,” he said. “If you put forth the effort at Prep, you’ll walk out with lessons that stay with you. No one in public service expected what we’ve seen.

Prep taught me the resilience and compassion needed to take on that challenge. It wasn’t easy but I’m

happy and proud to do what I do. When I look back on it, I can proudly say my preparation for all of this started the day I set foot at Prep for the HAP Program in the summer of 1995.”

JEREMY BONAFE, ’08 As a Saint Aloysius grammar school alumnus and Prep Marauder, Jeremy Bonafe, ’08 is a true Jersey City native at heart. Growing up in the Greenville area of Jersey City, Jeremy’s parents, Jesse and Fe, stressed the importance of hard work and the value of education. The youngest of three Prep brothers (Jethro Bonafe, ’98 and Jeffrey Bonafe, ’02), Jeremy grew up learning from and admiring his mother’s work.

“Watching my mom work as hard as she did, as a nurse for over thirty years,” he said, “I knew early on that I wanted to follow in her footsteps.

She worked tirelessly to send my brothers and me to Prep, and my sister to Saint Dominic Academy. She loved what she did, and I wanted to find

that same passion.”

After graduating from Prep, Jeremy initially pursued studies in pharmacy.

After careful consideration, he felt his calling was in nursing. Jeremy completed the accelerated nursing program at Villanova University, where he met his fiancée, Cindy. Jeremy decided to stay in Pennsylvania, after completing his studies, and is currently a clinical coordinator for a small, suburban hospital in Media, PA. In his role, Jeremy’s focus is to manage the flow of patients in his hospital’s emergency room. To ensure the emergency room is seeing as many patients as possible, Jeremy works to have each patient evaluated as efficiently and effectively as possible.

Once the pandemic reached his hospital, the changes were rapid. New policies and procedures were constantly being developed, and Jeremy’s team had no choice but to quickly adapt. Initially, the thought of being in a smaller hospital, as part of a suburban community, seemed hopeful.

Right away, however, Jeremy saw an influx of patients: “We’re not a city hospital but we’re surrounded by many nursing homes. A lot of patients we were seeing were older and had underlying conditions. Most of these cases resulted in deaths, and having to deal with all those deaths was the hardest part of this experience for me.”

Jeremy also had to endure the stress and worry of bringing the virus home to his fiancée. On top of a number of precautions and steps he would follow before entering his home, Jeremy also had to make sure he kept his distance from his family. In fact, this past November was his first time seeing his family, back home, since the pandemic struck. “I have a great relationship with my nephew, who I’ve missed for months,” said Jeremy. “Unfortunately, he suffers from asthma, and I was overwhelmed by the thought of putting his health at risk.”

As this winter set in, and incoming waves of coronavirus cases once again began to reach hospitals, Jeremy and his team began to prepare.

Although they’re much better equipped and trained to handle each case, Jeremy is realistic about what to expect: “Sadly, it’s starting to get bad again. We’re seeing a rise in the volume of cases and patients who are sicker than expected. When the pandemic started, we were seen as heroes. Now, a lot of times, we’re disregarded and seen as pessimistic.

It takes a lot for us to encourage each other and be as supportive as possible, while trying to help those who are most vulnerable now.”

Despite the harsh realities seen in his line of work, Jeremy finds comfort in the way he’s been prepared for it. He credits Villanova and its rigorous program for the knowledge to take on his role. On a much deeper level, Jeremy looks back on the formation of his ideals and faith; “My parents laid the foundation for my faith. Prep

really helped me

develop in profound ways. I wholeheartedly believe Prep

gave me what I needed to excel today. I’m able to provide empathetic care to my patients, and to demonstrate love and support to those who need it in the greatest time of need. Those

Jesuit ideals truly stand out and stay with you for life.”

Jeremy Bonafe, R.N., ’08 16 16 WINTER SPRING 2020-21 2020 n SPPREP SPPREP.ORG n PREP.ORG MAGAZINE n PREP MAGAZINE

4 QUESTIONS

WITH MEMBERS OF THE GLOBAL EDUCATION STUDENT BOARD

A year ago, before the word “unprecedented” became our go-to way to describe so much of what would occupy our time and minds for the rest of 2020, there were, in fact, several unprecedented high points for our Global Initiatives at Prep: the 2019-20 school year was the first with five visiting groups from our international partner schools in just the first semester­—with a sixth in the works for the third quarter; the first Brazilian group of students visited us from our newest Jesuit partner school, Santo Inácio in Rio de Janeiro; and, the first group of our very own students formed the inaugural Global Education Student Board. The Board was originally made up of six students, who not only took the lead in helping to organize events while the visiting students were with us here in Jersey City, but also have continued to shape discussions and programming on how to highlight and animate our global dimension in new ways throughout both last, and this school year.

Our exchange programs, specifically, and global education initiatives, more broadly, align with so many of the core principles that guide our shared work across disciplines and in the various offices here at Prep. Together, our aim “to foster in students an understanding of the world and the courage to advance the common good” comes from our great work fostering creativity, innovation, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and collaboration among our students on campus and beyond. It also germinates in our student-centered approach to learning, and by entrusting and empowering our students. The Global Education Student Board is currently made up of sixteen students, led by five of the original board members from last school year: Owen Fletcher, Robert McCafferty, Ethan Richards, Patrick Rooney, and Nathaniel Jablonski. Below, senior leaders Owen, Robert, and Nathaniel share a little insight into what the board does and their goals with our Global Education Initiatives here at Prep!

Tom Powers: What does global education mean to you today, in light of COVID-19?

Owen Fletcher: It means realizing that although we may not be able to travel abroad and experience other cultures first-hand, we can still form connections that will help mold us into compassionate young men when we leave Prep.

TP How is Prep staying connected to other schools during the 2020/21 school year?

Robert McCafferty: Prep is connected now more than ever. Despite the fact that we are not able to host students from other schools for our normal exchange programs, we have found a way to stay connected. Recently, we Zoomed with one of our partner schools, La Immaculada, in Lima, Peru. The board and a few other Prep students were able to converse with the students from Peru on topics ranging from school, Covid, and how our lives differ from one another. Being able to video call with other schools via Zoom is one great way we are able to stay connected during this pandemic. The great thing about Zoom is that we can connect with many different schools around the world all in one day if planned accordingly.

TP What future initiatives do we have to look forward to from the student board?

Nate Jablonski: COVID-19 has made everyone look for alternative plans to formerly traditional events. The same is true at Prep. Exchanges used to be a highlight of the year, but the pandemic has placed them

—Tom Powers, Director of Global Initiatives on hold. When we went virtual, the Board met and we started working on holding virtual, single day, exchanges with our partner schools. We are still working on the details, but we hope to see a Prep student join a virtual class in Italy, Spain, France, or Germany, while having a student from our partner school attend one of our classes. It is an enormous undertaking, and we are optimistic that we can make this event happen. We are also planning some virtual meet and greets, similar to the initial introduction you would have on an exchange.

TP What’s the biggest culture shock you’ve encountered?

Robert McCafferty: As a participant of the Spanish Exchange in 20192020, I was able to host a student in September of 2019. I was very privileged to have gotten the opportunity to help my exchange student get the full American experience. On his first day at Prep I had to go to Crew practice after school and got the chance to bring my exchange student along. We are normally transported to practice on school buses and he was fascinated by classic big yellow school buses because he only thought they were in the movies and he had never seen one in real life before. My exchange student was enthralled with many other things, but something so simple to us was so fascinating to him which really made me think about how different life is abroad in Spain.

Below: Zoom meetings between Prep and Colegio de La Inmaculada students took place in December and January.

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John Wefing, ’60

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Henry Wefing’s Class of 1920 diploma, his CBS employee ID circa 1951, and a photo from his student days at Prep.

To Whom Much is Given: John B. Wefing, ’60 Frequent visitors to Shalloe Hall might notice a few historical framed documents adorning the first-floor walls. One in particular held special significance in the year 2020: the oversized diploma of Henry O. Wefing, dated June 18, 1920!

In honor of the centennial of Henry’s graduation from Prep, his son, John B. Wefing, ’60, has made a special gift to Saint Peter’s to mark this milestone. A long-time donor to Prep’s annual fund as well as capital campaigns and events, John has not missed a year in supporting his alma mater since Prep began keeping digital records in 1983.

“The Prep had a deep influence upon my life and I am profoundly grateful,” John stated. “It is only right that I express that gratitude by helping financially.”

Growing up in Kearny in the 1940s and 50s, John said that “Prep” was a household name thanks to his dad and his older brother, Henry, Jr. “Hank” graduated in 1958 and was an excellent student and athlete just like their dad. Henry, Sr., graduated first in his class in 1920 and was awarded top honors in English, Classics, Mathematics, Spanish, and Christian Doctrine, all while involved in activities such as sodality and the literary and music clubs. He went on to become a writer and editor with CBS News working with the likes of Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow.

John wears his dad’s Prep ring regularly and he happily shows it off and explains its significance. His Prep Pride is genuine and his appreciation for being able to continue his education at Saint Peter’s College and Catholic University Law School is heartfelt. “None of that would have been possible without the solid foundation I received during my years at the Prep.”

John was a professor at Seton Hall Law School for 48 years. At the time of his retirement in 2016, he was Distinguished Professor of New Jersey Law and History. He is the author of a biography of Governor Richard J. Hughes, Richard J. Hughes The Politics of Civility.

“The Prep not only gave me an excellent education, which laid the foundation for my later career as a law school professor; it also introduced me to so many wonderful people, some of whom became my closest friends in life. Ed Egan, ‘60, for instance, whom I met at the Prep, was godfather to my first son.”

John’s own love and gratitude for Prep is more than a half century old and still growing, and this latest gift is just the next chapter in his family’s Prep story.

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SECTIONFILE PHOTO

ABOVE AND BELOW: These August 2000 photos show the plaza beginning to take shape, with forms in place for the retaining walls and entry steps on the west side of the street (note the removed section of Burke Hall’s “solar screen” wall to make way for the new doors. The rest of the screen would be removed as the building was converted to the Moriarty Science Center a decade later). The concrete core of the eastern wall was already in place, awaiting the decorative brick.

LEFT: The finished plaza, seen during a 2002 photo shoot.

PHOTO FILE:

This Must Be the Plaza Where is the center of life at Grand & Warren? At any time of day, in all but the most inhospitable weather, you will find Prep students voting with their feet by gravitating to the Warren Street Plaza. Its walls serve as benches, library carrels, lunch tables—even a cot, now and then, for sufficiently hardheaded (or sufficiently sleepy) Prepsters. Its gardens provide welcome greenery and shade among the concrete canyons of downtown Jersey City. Its brick pavers remain free of traffic during the school day, safely welcoming visitors and ushering students between the east and west sides of campus. Over time, Prep’s buildings have been reconfigured to treat this urban oasis as the main entrance to campus.

And of course in this year of COVID-19, its (relatively) wide open spaces have been simply invaluable—the lungs as well as the heart of Prep.

All this lively activity makes it easy to forget a time when Warren Street was just Warren Street, a humble side street warranting one small doorway at the stairwell where Burke and Mulry Halls met, a nuisance to be overcome between classes as students squeezed between parked cars, dodged moving ones, and then squeezed through parked cars again. But it was just 20 years ago that the block—and the campus that had grown around it—was transformed forever in a $1 million project, funded by the Carpe Diem capital campaign. Work began in the summer of 2000, and continued into the school year. A system of one-way stairwells and doors kept foot traffic flowing during the school day. The patience of students and teachers that fall was rewarded handsomely, however, when Prep’s new “front yard” opened in the spring.

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SPORTS

Soccer At several times during the summer, the prospect of a fall season seemed unlikely. For the first time in more than 30 years, Prep soccer did not make the trip to Pennsylvania for intense training and team-building. Facing a shortened schedule with few independent games and no County Tournament, the team was just happy to be able to take the field.

Prep finished the season at 10-6 with Anthony Warmuz registering 16 goals and 5 assists, while Jair Arriaga added 5 goals and 13 assists. Coach Josh Jantas saw 2020 as a transition year, with eight freshmen and six sophomores making varsity appearances. Despite the team’s youth, they made an impressive run to the Sectional Finals—the first time in 21 years—with wins over Newark Academy (3-1) and St. Joe’s Montvale (1-0).

Jair Ariaga was a First Team All-County Selection.

Cross Country Despite the challenges presented by COVID-19, the runners on the 2020 team made their case as being the best Prep cross country team ever assembled. The season began with a victory at the Saint Dominic Invitational at Lincoln Park. In that race, Prep ran a team average of 15:48, which stood as the fastest team average for any race in New Jersey during the 2020 season.

The runners continued their winning ways, eventually taking a tenth consecutive Jersey City Championship and a fourth straight Hudson County Title.

The amazing season was capped off by Prep’s first ever NJSIAA Sectional Title, besting runner-up Seton Hall by 31 points.

Senior Edwin Klanke committed to The University of Pennsylvania to continue his cross country career.

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SPORTS

Football Despite many pandemic-related preseason obstacles—daily health checks, practice pods, a schedule limited to league opponents—the Saint Peter’s football team hoped to play a fall season. That hope turned to determination when Coach Rich Hansen announced that, while he would continue to serve as Prep’s athletic director, this would be his final season coaching football.* The Marauders stormed out to a 4-0 start and a #1 state ranking with wins over West Orange (62-21), Don Bosco (21-7), St. Joe’s Montvale (33-20) and Paramus Catholic (25-7). Covid-related cancellations and quarantines led to a month-long layoff. With no post-season, the team played its final two games over a six-day span dropping an overtime decision to Seton Hall (25-26) and a hard battle with Bergen Catholic (15-22).

Prep ended the year ranked #5 in New Jersey. * Note: An in-depth look at Coach Hansen’s career and legacy on the Prep Football sidelines will be featured in the next edition of Prep Magazine.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP RIGHT: Coach Rich Hansen announced in September that this would be his 33rd and last season as Prep Football’s head coach. He will remain as athletic director while longtime defensive coordinator Rich Hansen III, ’03 will take over the head coaching duties. All-State quarterback Taj Bullock will continue his career at Virginia Tech. All-State defensive lineman George Rooks closes in on another sack. Rooks has committed to the University of Michigan.

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ALUMNI

Reconnecting on the Links Prep alumni are ordinarily used to gathering (and gathering, and gathering, and gathering) at events throughout the year, so the long stretch of cancellations and postponements that marked the spring and early summer of 2020 was a drastic change of pace. But while it was forced to move from its traditional June date to August, the Mack-Cali Prep Golf Tournament was still able to return for its 43rd year.

The wide-open spaces of Galloping Hill Golf Course in Kenilworth, hosting the tournament for the third year in a row, provided ample room for participants to catch up at a safe distance while enjoying a round of golf. With participation capped at 100 golfers in one morning session, a casual lunch on the clubhouse patio took the place of the usual awards dinner. As for the awards themselves, Kevin Comprelli, ’98 took the Wagner Cup as the day’s top golfer, while the Ladies’ Cup went to Kate Lillis-Magnus, Prep’s Director of Annual Giving.

Even with the reduced capacity for golfers, the event’s participants and sponsors helped Prep raise nearly $56,000.

The date and location for the 2021 Prep Golf Tournament will be announced in the spring.

BELOW LEFT: Ladies’ Cup winner (kneeling, center) Kate Lillis-Magnus and her crew. Standing, left to right: Isabella Keshishian, Anne Magnus, Peter Fischbach, Bill Mitchell.

Kneeling: Bill Lillis, ’80, Kate Lillis-Magnus, Bob Lillis, P’14. BELOW RIGHT: The Comprelli brothers made their presence known, posting the best gross foursome score as Kevin, ’98, took the individual glory and the Wagner Cup. From left: James, ’02, Kevin, ’98, Anthony, ’01, and Charles, ’05.

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Reunions Resume, in Phases At the onset of the pandemic last winter, Prep’s annual series of regional reunions was in progress, forcing the tour to be cut short. The spring milestone reunions and the usual 50th and 60th reunions in the fall were all postponed.

In 2021, reunions have begun their return. As of this writing, a round of virtual regional reunions is in progress, which will run from mid-February to mid-March. Plans are underway to host outdoor milestone reunions in late spring or early summer for both the -1 and -6 classes who would usually gather this year and the -0 and -5 classes who missed their chance last year. In addition, the Classes of 1970 and 1971 will share a combined 50th reunion weekend, October 15-17, and a combined 60th reunion for the classes of ‘60 and ‘61 is in the works for October 8-10.

“We appreciate the patience and understanding of our alumni who have had to wait for nearly a year to celebrate their milestone reunions,” said Mike Murcia, ’08, Prep’s Director of Alumni Relations. “As guidelines continue to change, for the better, our team is eagerly and anxiously planning to welcome our Prep brothers back to Grand and Warren. On a personal note, I’ve truly missed these reunions and the spirit displayed at each one.

Combining two years of milestone classes will make for spectacular reunions.”

For updates on upcoming reunions, keep an eye on spprep.org and Prep’s social media channels (listed on the table of contents page), or contact Mike Murcia at MurciaM@spprep.org.

Achievement & Service HOF Class of 2021 Prep’s Hall of Fame for Professional Acievement and Service will induct nine new members this fall, as we celebrate the class of honorees whose ceremony was originally scheduled for the fall of 2020. The ceremony will take place at The Grove, with a tentative date set for Thursday, October 14.

Further details will be posted at spprep.org/HOF2021.

For now, please join us in congratulating the Hall of Fame Class of 2021: PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS Rev. Charles Beirne, S.J., ‘56 Gen. Edward Daly, ‘83 Mark Hogan, ’83 Rear Adm. Steven Tomaszeski, ‘68

ERNIE BAKER, ’38 COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARDS Bill Lillis, ’80 Rev. William Watters, S.J., ’52

BR. PAUL HARRISON, S.J. SPIRIT OF PREP AWARDS YOUNG ALUMNUS AWARD Mike Murcia, ’08 John T.M. Chester, ’74, P’03,’05 Bob Corke, ’55

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ALUMNI

CLASS NOTES

8 Share your photos, class

notes and other news with us...Email info@spprep.org!

Attention Class of ’50!

A message from Greg Scheuermann & Ken Von Schaumburg, ’50 2020 was special for Class of ’50: our 70th Anniversary since graduating from Prep.

Through those years, classmates in the New Jersey area have met informally, usually at a monthly luncheon, where we’ve maintained the camaraderie, spiritual rapport and uplifting humor dating back to our school years. Last year Prep invited the Class of ’50 to a Mass & Class Luncheon at the school. It was all arranged … but then the virus hit and the event had to be postponed to 2021, date to be determined.

If any Class of ’50 classmate, whether in NJ or elsewhere, would like information on when the Mass & Luncheon is eventually rescheduled, please contact Mike Murcia, Director of Prep Alumni Relations, MurciaM@spprep.org.

Dear Prep,

CLASS NOTES

The ’50s Greg Scheuermann, ’50 completed a pilgrimage last year over the Camino Portugese Trail (The Way) to the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela in Spain.

He hiked 128 miles over 12 days with two friends over the Coastal Route along the Atlantic Ocean to their cathedral destination, where the remains of St. James the Apostle are kept in a beautiful, silver ossuary on a special altar. Greg, 87 at the time, notes that the Camino is both physically challenging and spiritually invigorating.

an Irish American magazine published by the Irish American Cultural Institute - USA. In addition to his articles, Duchas serialzed Ray’s novel.

He recently published his thirtieth short story. In 2018, Ray published a book of poetry, Face into the Wind, and his weekly online newsletter The Sermon I Wish I Heard now reaches about 12,000 readers in a dozen countries. Ray credits his classmates for inspiring the series in conversation at a class luncheon a decade ago.

Bill Watters,S.J., ’52 is the founder of Saint Ignatius Loyola Academy (1993), Cristo Rey Jesuit (2007), and Loyola Early Learning Center (2017) and is now working on opening Loyola School (elementary).

The four schools will form a Jesuit educational ecosystem for over 600 students from low income families who are on full scholarships.

Ray Aumack, ’55 has kept quite busy as a writer since his retirement following 30 years in business as a human resources consultant and subsequent service as Director of Corporate Health Services at Moutainside Hospital in Montclair.

Ray, who had several hundred articles and a corporate training manual published before his retirement, shifted to writing full-time, for Duchas, Ron DeFusco, ’53 and his wife Janet enjoyed two Caribbean cruises from Miami in early 2020, before the pandemic struck. Their son Russ and his wife Donna, who live in Colorado Springs, joined them on one cruise. Two more cruises in the spring had to be cancelled due to the pandemic. Ron and Janet have lived in Orange County, California since 1967. They were blessed with the birth of their second greatgranddaughter, Wren (below left), in May 2020. Wren’s sister, Ellis (below right), “is now a delightful 3-year-old.” Ron is grateful for his health and for time spent with family nearby, but reports “we miss our normal activities and socializing, particularly cruising and church activities.”

Joe Haviland, ’55 notes the Class of ‘55 always celebrates a class reunion in September (“just because”) and this year marked 65 years since graduation...and nearly 70 years of friendship for one of Prep’s closest-knit classes!

Robert Selinske, ’59 recently retired from teaching his History of Film course at Ohlone College in Fremont, California, for more than 20 years. He is the author of Talking About Films: A Discussion Guide. If you would like a copy of the book, please contact Robert (either directly or through Prep!)

The ’60s Don Ullmann, ’60 was in his 25th year of teaching history to leisure learners at Coastal Carolina University when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

John Gawlik, M.D., ’61 recently retired from his medical practice due to an incurable eye condition. He now resides in Irvington, New Jersey.

Charles Cheek, ’62 continues to operate a pottery studio in Virginia.

His handiwork is available for purchase at cdcstoneware.com.

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ALUMNI John Fallon, ’63, was notified in October that his thesis for his second Masters degree, an M.A in Ancient and Classical History, was accepted by American Public University. In November he received a Distinguished Faculty Award from Central Texas College at Joint Base Lewis McChord, Washington.

Ed Regenye, ’63 spent the holidays in London but Malta (where the weather, he reports, is “unbeatable!”) is where he now makes his home.

He’s about to self-publish a seventh novel, Lightfoot, under his pen name of Ed Arre, and invites classmates to keep in touch: ereg@aol.com Kaz Herchold, ’64 is the Chairman and President of the Polish Chamber of Commerce in the USA. The Chamber’s role is to promote US investment in Poland and assist Polish firms with US market entry.

Herchold met with Polish President, Andrzej Duda, and Polish Prime Minister, Mateusz Morawiecki, earlier this year in Warsaw to discuss the Chamber’s mission and plans.

Kaz Herchold, ’64 and President Andrezej Duda of Poland

John Engel, ’67 wishes all his classmates well from Jupiter, Florida, and Jaujac, France!

Wally Greenhalgh, ’67 and wife Theresa welcomed their fifth grandchild, Violet Grey Bulleit.

John Gallagher, ’72 retired from his OB/GYN practice after 37 years.

Over the course of his career, he delivered 5,916 babies! John also completed his 3-year term as chair of the Pennsylvania Medical Society.

He has been in a leadership role with the society since 2003. He’s enjoying retirement, doing volunteer work, reading for pleasure, and playing with his grandson, Padhraic.

Sigmund Grudzinski, ’73 has been enjoying retirement since January 2020. “We were looking forward to being at our daughter’s re-enlistment in the Navy, but our travel plans for the year are on hold because of Covid,” he writes, but “[We] did start the restoration process on our 1985 Corvette by dropping it off at a local body/paint shop.”

Ralph Quaglia, ’73 and his wife, Nancy, retired in May 2019 to Lewes, Delaware. They are enjoying reitrement and the Delaware shore. Ralph notes classmate Jim Cochrane, ‘73 lives nearby and they have played golf together. Ralph, Jim, Len Pasculli, ’73, and their wives met for brunch in November 2019. “It was a good lead-in to the Thanksgiving holiday,” Ralph wrote.

Bill Waldron, ’73 is still building his boat rental operation, Bill’s Boats, in Seaside Heights. He plans to have 23 boats for rent in summer 2021. Check out Bill’s Boats on Facebook for more info!

Paul Florio, ’74 is counting down the days to his retirement after 42 years as a New Jersey Pharmacist. “What a way to end 37 years at the same hospital,” he muses. He adds: “My anecdote from my Prep years: Fr. Tony Azzarto, S.J. at a Prep dance....’Florio...come up for air!’ He, to this day, is my inspiration and connection to the good ol’ days at Prep. Stay healthy.”

John Rizzo, ’77 has released a new two-volume book, Moving Pictures to Move Your Soul: 95 Classic Movies for Peace, Hope, Love, and Eternal Life. Each volume is available to purchase, separately or together, on Amazon. The book ties in classic motion pictures with the Gospel messages. For those alumni old enough to remember Fr. Stroud and his “Theology of Film” course, this is like “Theology of Film” on steroids!

(More recent alumni might remember the “Finding God in All Films” course! –Ed.)

Greg Riley, ’67 is serving his second term as President of the MiddleBrook Regional Health Commission located in Somerset County. The Commission is an association of local Boards of Health establish pursuant to State statutes to provide State mandated public health services to local municipalities on a shared basis. “As a public entity, we are required to conduct regular audits of our financial records,” Greg writes. “This year, we accepted a proposal from Samuel Klein and Company, Certified Public Accountants, submitted by none other than my classmate, Wally Ryglicki, ’67, a partner in the company. Wally, keep a close eye on those dollars!”

The book is a follow-up to John’s previous work, Wisdom Learned at the Feet of the Lord: 33 Lessons for Peace, Hope, Love, and Eternal Life.

John continues to practice law in Hasbrouck Heights, where he resides with his wife and children.

Vincent Tavormina, ’69 and his wife have retired to the beaches of Delaware after 42 years.

Terry Matthews, ’81 has been appointed President-Principal at Hudson Catholic Regional High School, effective January 1, 2021.

The ’70s

Chris Krzak, ’82 has been appointed vice president for enrollment management and retention at Georgian Court University in Lakewood, New Jersey.

Dan Cunning, ’72 would be glad to hear from the Class of ‘72. Dan reports “All is well on the Western Front!”

The ’80s Albert Lascaibar, ’80 and his wife, Danet, own and operate Manatee Optometry, a small, family-run practice in Bradenton, Florida, that celebrated its second anniversary October 15.

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ALUMNI Monique and Andy Cevasco

Tom Blunda, ’87 left Credit Suisse after nearly 18 years to join JPMorgan Private Bank in Summit as a Client Advisor. He advises highnet-worth clients in all facets of wealth management including banking, investing, mortgages, and credit.

Bill Price, ’87 was recently appointed to the board of trustees at Saint Peter’s University, his alma mater. Bill has been VP of Corporate Communications at Zoetis since 2015.

Don Wilson, ’87 recently completed an assignment as the Navy’s first ever Information Warfare Commander for the BATAAN Amphibious Ready Group and Chief Staff Officer for Amphibious Squadron Eight which deployed for seven months to the European and Central Commands’ areas of responsibility. Captain Wilson currently is assigned to Commander, US Second Fleet in Norfolk, VA as the Assistant Chief of Staff for C5I/N6 with an additional role as the J6 for NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Norfolk.

Americus Abesamis, ’89 makes an appearance in Season 2 of the Spectrum streaming series LA’s Finest.

The ’90s

Chris Briamonte, ’91

Chris Briamonte, ‘91 was promoted to Director of Wealth Management at FFP Wealth Management in October. He will supervise an internal advisor team and continue the firm’s commitment to providing superior client experience. “I cannot think of a more fulfilling and satisfying profession than that of a financial advisor,” Chris said.

Tood Schild, D.D.S., ’04 practices at Paramount Dental Arts in Clifton.

Dr. Schild will make a donation to Prep for each new patient who mentions Saint Peter’s Prep!

Andy Cevasco ‘07 and wife Monique purchased their first home together in Baltimore, moving in last June.

Conor Scott, ’09 joined the Bridgewater-Raritan Regional School District this fall as Supervisor of Special Education, Grades 5-8.

The ’10s

Danny Stupinski, ’96 was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the United States Air Force. He is currently assigned to Defense Logistics Agency Headquarters at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and, in August, will take command of Defense Contract Management Agency Twin Cities in Minnesota.

Alexander Wedgbury, ’17 finished his hospitality associate degree and has successfully transferred to Cornell University, where he is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Hotel Administration.

Danny Stupinski, ’96

Billy Cunningham, ’97 was recently appointed Principal/ Supervisor of Special Services at George Washington Elementary School in Edgewater.

Lawrence Lazzara, ’98 was ranked in the top 5% of “America’s Most Honored Lawyers” for 2020 by The American Registry.

Cousins Finn Mernar (far right) and Rosie Ryan (near right) were born three months apart to Colleen (née Ryan) & Andrew Mernar ‘09 and Ingrid & Mo Ryan ‘01.

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The ’00s

ALUMNI SECTION

WEDDINGS | BIRTHS

John Armstrong’10 and Marlie Beuke, married August 22, 2020

Mark Inocencio and Justyna Gancarz, married October 10, 2020

Weddings Hank Forsythe, ’14 and Michelle Karwowska October 2019 Stephen Conley, ’09 and Kasey Viso November 3, 2019 David Finn, Jr., ’08 and Jamie West November 9, 2019 Victor Stanizale, ’07 and Maria Romero March 2020 John Armstrong, ‘10 and Marlie Beuke August 22, 2020 Mark Inocencio ’02 and Justyna Gancarz October 10, 2020

Births Danielle and Sammy Salem, ’99 son Landon Sammy, February 10, 2020 Shannon and Shaun Guarini, ’04 son Donovan Thomas, April 8, 2020 Maria and Victor Stanizale, ’07 son Victor John, May 4, 2020 Elizabeth and Mike Liccardo, ’07 son Dominic Frank, June 18, 2020

Landon Salem, born February 10, 2020

Eleonore Barone, born November 10, 2020

Sarah and Anthony Machinski, ’07 daughter Lucille Siobhan, June 27, 2020

Lucille Machinski, born June 27, 2020

Spencer Campbell-Clark born August 4, 2020

Julie and Frank Giordano, ’99 son Owen Xavier, July 21, 2020 Dave and Jerry Campbell-Clark (Math teacher) son Spencer Lee, July 30, 2020 Jenna and Francis LaMonica, ’03 son Owen Xavier, July 31, 2020 Alison (former French teacher) and Chris Caulfield, ’03 (English department chair) son Aedan Joseph, August 4, 2020 Maura Toomb Estevez (trustee and former faculty member) and Xavier Estevez daughter Marguerite Elizabeth, October 20, 2020 Natalia and Leon Suty, ’82 daughter Nicole, November 5, 2020 Margaret and Thomas Barone, ’05 daughter Eleonore Margaret, November 10, 2020 Patty Riady and Daniel Kiczek, ‘04 son Caleb, January 18, 2021

Former Prep President Jim Keenan, S.J. baptized Donovan Guarini in January.

From left: Godparents Alexandra Lynch and Kevin Guarini, ’06; Shannon, Donovan, and Shaun Guarini, ’04; and Fr. Keenan.

Aedan Caulfield, born August 4, 2020 Maggie Estevez, born October 20, 2020

Dominic Liccardo, born June 18, with big brother William

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ALUMNI

VITA MUTATUR NON TOLLITUR (LIFE IS CHANGED, NOT ENDED) Through January 31, 2021

Alumni

Richard J. Keller, ’55

Paul S. Hummel, ’69

John G. Condran, ’56

Roger M. Chaffiotte, ’44

Charles J. Trainor, ’56

Michael Baranski, ’70 Cousin of Ralph Quaglia, ’73

Francis H. Walsh, ’44

Herbert Rea, ’57 Brother of Kenenth Rea, ’62

George I. McCusker, ’45 Brother of Rev. William McCusker, S.J., ’38†; father of William McCusker, ’77 Rev. Msgr. Thomas G. Madden, ’47 Uncle of Gerald T. Madden, ’81 and James M. Madden, ’82

James Mack, ’58 brother-in-law of Bruce Woerner, ’74; cousin of Edward Waterbury, ’48, James Waterbury, ’54†, and Kenneth Hampton, ’59

William T. Valente, ’46

John M. Ragazzo, ’58

Bernard M. Hartnett, Jr., ’47 Son of Bernard M. Hartnett, ’18†; brother of Kenneth Hartnett, ’52 and Jude Hartnett, ’58†; father of Edward Hartnett, ’78 (former Prep trustee); grandfather of Eamon Hartnett, ’08; former Prep trustee; 2005 Legends of Prep honoree

John J. Szeigis, ’58 2008 Athletic Hall of Fame honoree

Robert J. Brady, ’48 John P. Murtha, ’50 Brother of Thomas J. Murtha, ’49† Hubert J. O’Toole, ’51 Former Prep trustee; 2005 Legends of Prep honoree; Grandfather of Conor Long, ’12, and Emmet Long, ’15 Donald K. Ryan, ’51 Brother of Michael J. Ryan, ’49, Liam J. Ryan, ’54, and Douglas M. Ryan, ’59 Bernard C. Schroeder, ’51 John B. Gray, Jr., ’52 Joseph Herlihy, ’53 Cousin of Gerald P. Lally, ’56 Terence McGurn, ’53 John D. McHugh, ’53 Brother of Daniel McHugh, ’57 and Peter McHugh, ’57 Thomas E. O’Neill, ’53 John L. Donnelly, III, ’54 Dennis F. Murphy, ’54 Vincent J. Doyle, ’55

Philip R. Martorelli, ’59 2007 Athletic Hall of Fame honoree William P. Petix, ’59 Nicholas P. Acocella, ’60 John J. Behson, Jr., ’60 John F. Farina, ’60

Robert T. Corcoran, ’70 Richard Pompliano, ’70 Edward C. Parlock, ’71 Joseph G. Rasmusson, ’75 son of Donald Rasmusson, Sr., ’44; brother of Donald Rasmusson, Jr., ’72 and Peter Rasmusson, ’79; uncle of Daniel Rasmusson, ’06, Gregory Rasmusson, ’06, Stephen Rasmusson, ’08, Christian Rasmusson, ’12, and Pierce Rasmusson, ’16 Robert J. Carroll, ’72 Frank A. Zolli, ’72 brother of Alexander Zolli, ‘67 and Albert Zolli, ‘80; uncle of Christopher Zolli, ‘06 and Stephen Zolli, ‘09 Herman P. Weber, ’73

Rev. Arthur B. Schute, ’60

Anthony N. Uva, ’77 Brother of John Paul Uva, ’83

Joseph J. Galiastro, ’61 Father of Joseph F. Galiastro, ’95; Classics and English teacher, 1965-86

James H. Clark, Jr., ’81 Son of James H. Clark, ’52†; father of James H. Clark III, ’15

Edward Corrigan, Jr., ’62 Gary M. Schumacher, ’64 Mark Scheurer, ’65 Uncle of Robert X. Scheurer, III, ’84, and Joseph Scheurer, ’86; great-uncle of Robert X. Scheurer, IV, ’19, John Scheurer, ’21, Michael Scheurer, ’21, and James Scheurer, ’22; cousin of William J. Scheurer, ’53†, Bill Scheurer, ’86, Joseph Nicoletti, ’83, Mark Nicoletti, ’83, and Joseph Nicoletti, ’13; father-in-law of Dominick Della Fave, ’91 Robert T. Armistead, ’67 Brother of Matthew Armistead, ’70† Louis R. Erhardt, ’68 Son of Louis A. Erhardt, ’32†; brother of Jack Erhardt, ’74 and Paul Erhardt, ’79

Joseph Donargo, ’81 Darin Jasovsky, ’85 Jefferson Cartano, ’90 Brother of Oliver Cartano, ’89 and James Cartano, ’96 Azam Riaz, ’95 Brother of Ahsan Riaz, ’99, Mohammad Riaz, ’00, Asif Riaz, ’03, and Essa Riaz, ’10 Brian J. O’Reilly, ’05 Richard Zadroga, ’08 Great-grand-nephew of Thomas Finn, Sr., ’28†, grand-nephew of John J. Finn, Jr., ’52†, William D. Finn, ’55, Thomas B. Finn, Jr., ’58, David P. Finn, Sr., ’65, and Edward F. Finn, ’67; nephew of Loren Hart, ’91; cousin of

John J. Finn III, ’81, David E. Finn, Sr., ’82, P’08, ’09, ’14, James T. Finn, ’85, Thomas Finn, ’87, Roy Jimenez, ’88, Paul Lempa, ’88, Michael Zadroga, ’92, Edward F. Finn, ’93, Robert E. Finn, ’94, the late Daniel M. Finn, ’99, Patrick Farrell, ’99, David P. Finn, ’07, David E. Finn, ’08, Sean Finn, ’09, John Zadroga, ’10, Ian Garner, ’11, Conor Finn, ’14, and Anson Hart, ’24 Brendan M. Dolaghan, ’10 Brother of Mark Dolaghan, ’06; cousin of Jack Dolaghan, ’08

Family of Alumni Helen Argyelan Mother of Michael Argyelan, ‘68, Robert Argyelan, ‘71, and James Argyelan, ‘76; Assistant to the Principal, 1973-91; 2006 Prep Hall of Fame honoree.

George O. Barton Father of Paul Barton, ’75 Patricia Battista Mother of Joseph Battista, ’02, Prep Alumni Board member, and Michael Battista, ’14 David L. Beesley Father of David K. Beesley, ’04 and Patrick Beesley, ’06 Jeffrey M. Berezny Father of Jeffrey J. Berezny, ’91 Christine Boyle Daughter of Eugene C. Boyle, ’56 Tom “T.C.” Carey Uncle of Thomas Fitzpatrick, ’07 and William Fitzpatrick, ’16; brother of Trish Fitzpatrick, Director of Marketing & Public Relations Luis E. Collar Father of Luis Collar, ’93 Aurelio Delgado Father of John Paul Delgado, ’94 Helene C. Donaghue Mother of Charles Donaghue, Jr., ’75

Vita mutatur, non tollitur. Life is changed, not ended.

28 WINTER 2020-21 n PREP MAGAZINE

ALUMNI Richard E. Dobronsky, Sr. Father of Richard Dobronsky, ’83; grandfather of Matthew Dobronsky, ’21 Lucy Dowden Mother of James Dowden, ’78 and David Dowden, ’83, former trustee Ann Duncan Mother of Keith Duncan, ’94 Robert J. Eisele Father of Leon R. Jablow, ’87 Janet Faherty Mother of George Faherty, ’72 Irene A. Fego Mother of Vincent Fego, ’81 Marie B. Feeney Mother of Robert Feeney, ’74, Terence Feeney, ’76, James Feeney, ’78, and John Feeney, ’80, Prep Alumni Board member; Grandmother of Matthew Feeney, ’10 and Michael Feeney, ’14

Kevin E. Hennessey Father of Jeffrey Hennessey, ’84 and Kevin P. Hennessey, ’94

Bianca R. Miller Mother of Steven F. Miller, ’68 and David P. Miller, ’73

Mary Ann Horsfield Mother of John Horsfield, ’95; grandmother of Charles Burt, ’23

Zigmont A. Molesky Father of Andrew Molesky, ’04 and Charles Molesky, ’13

Patricia F. Kachel Mother of Jeffrey Kachel, ’89† and Brian Kachel, ’94

Ellen Rose Nestor Wife of Joseph M. Nestor, ’42†; mother of Joseph R. Nestor, ’76; grandmother of Patrick E. Long, ’00, Michael W. Long, ’05, Alex J. Long, ’10, and Brendan Nestor, ’20; sister-in-law of John A. Nestor, ’41 and Patrick J. Nestor, ’55; aunt of Francis X. Branagan, ’75, Joseph Branagan, ’77, Michael Nestor, ’85†, Robert Nestor, ’86, Edward Nestor, ’88, and Patrick Nestor, ’90.

Margaret Kelly Mother David Kelly, ’89 and Matthew Kelly, ’96 Mary P. Kennedy Mother of Michael Kennedy, ’79 Henrietta Krzak Mother of Chris Krzak, ’82 Elizabeth and Joseph LaBruno Parents of Paul LaBruno, ’83 and David LaBruno, ’86

Dorothy Nielsen Wife of Robert E. Nielsen, ’49

Dorothea A. Fitzhenry and Kevin R. Fitzhenry Parents of Kevin M. Fitzhenry, ’86 and Daniel J. Fitzhenry, ’87

Theresa A. LaBruno Aunt of Patrick Cappiello, ’80; greataunt of Patrick R. Cappiello, ’09; mother-in-law of Timothy Miller, ’08; Math teacher 2009-2018; Browning Center staff 2018-20

Elizabeth L. Flinn Wife of John D. Flinn, ’49; mother of Thomas D. Flinn, ’74

Mildred Pasculli Mother of Leonard Pasculli, ’73 and Patrick Pasculli, ’75

John P. LaFond Father of Sean LaFond, ’02; grandfather of Cooper LaFond, ’24

Grace Gargiulo Mother of Peter J. Gargiulo, ’77; wife of Anthony S. Gargiulo, ’46†

Judith Lee Wife of Joseph Lee, ’66†; mother of Michael Lee, ’93

Irene M. Gomez Mother of Joseph F. Gomez, ’84, Stephen C. Gomez, ’87, and Prep President Michael A. Gomez, ’91

Elizabeth Leyn Sister of Max Leyn, ’14

Stanislawa Gurdak Mother of George P. Gurdak, ’70 and John A. Gurdak, ’75; grandmother of Anthony Gurdak, ’03 and Frank Gurdak, ’03 Patricia “Patsy” Horan Sister of James C. Horan, ’70, Prep VP for Planning & Principal Giving

Mary Ann Lisa Wife of Charles Lisa, Jr., ’73 Elizabeth MC Mother of Rafael E. Auz, ’07 Paul McKenna Father of Brian McKenna, ’98 John McNulty Father of John McNulty, ’81; grandfather of Jack McNulty, ’12

Eileen O’Connell Wife of William O’Connell, ’49†; mother of Timothy O’Connell, ’82

Mohammad Riaz Father of Azam Riaz, ’95†, Ahsan Riaz, ’99, Mohammad Riaz, ’00, Asif Riaz, ’03, and Essa Riaz, ’10 Richard Riccio Cousin of Anthony Verdoni, ’60; History teacher, 1963-68 Hugh J. Roarty Father of Hugh J. Roarty, ’91, Joseph Roarty, ’96, and Denis Roarty, ’00; brother-in-law of J. Barry O’Connell, ’58†, Jack Caulfield, ’71, and Denis O’Connell, ’72; uncle of Edmund Caulfield, ’00, Chris Caulfield, ’03, and John O’Brien, ’08.

Carolyn F. Romano Mother of Frank Romano, ’86;

grandmother of Frank Romano, Jr., ’06 and Anthony Romano, ’16 Eileen Rooney Mother of Matthew A. Rooney, ’67 and Charles J. Rooney, Jr., ’69; wife of Charles J. Rooney†, 1993 Legends of Prep honoree and forner math teacher.

Marion D. Scalzo Mother of Robert Scalzo, ’97 Michael L. Scarpa, Jr. Father of Michael A. Scarpa, ’14 and Anthony Scarpa, ’19 Michael Slootsky Father of Matthew Slootsky, ’94 Thomas Timoldi Father of Damon Timoldi, ’85 Louis Usarzewicz Father of Mark Usarzewicz, ’87 Mary McCabe Venditti Wife of Michael Venditti, ’71 Ellen Finn Zadroga sister of John J. Finn, Jr., ’52†, William D. Finn, ’55, David P. Finn, Sr., ’65, and Edward F. Finn, Sr., ’67; grandmother of Richard Zadroga, ’08†, Ian Garner, ’11, and Anson Hart, ’24; aunt of John J. Finn III, ’81, David E. Finn, Sr., ’82, James T. Finn, ’85, Thomas Finn, ’87, Edward F. Finn, Jr., ’93, Robert E. Finn, ’94, Daniel M. Finn, ’99†, and David P. Finn, ’07; mother-in-law of Loren Hart, ’91, great aunt of David E. Finn, ’08, Sean Finn, ’09, and Conor Finn, ’14.

Family of Faculty & Staff Robert Norton Father of Jessica Norton, Assistant VP of Finance Dorothy Zawistowski Wife of Robert Zawistowski, former science teacher and bowling coach

PREP MAGAZINE n WINTER 2020-21 29

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