SPIRIT Magazine Spring/Summer 2015

A Magazin e of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Ministries Corp oration SPRING | SUMMER 2015

One Campus. One Community. One World.

Spirit

Spring | Summer 2015

One Campus. One Community. One World Two men whose insights and humor have impressed me over the years are Leo Buscaglia and Mark Twain. Leo Buscaglia stated, “It’s not enough to have lived. We should be determined to live for something. May I suggest that it be creating joy for others, sharing what we have for the betterment of personkind, bringing hope to the lost and love to the lonely.” And, Mark Twain quips, “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” What a tremendous blessing to be a campus whose members are alive with learning and living – for others! Our Sisters, employees, alumni and residents exemplify what it means to go the extra mile to do the right thing. Travel, with eyes and hearts wide open, launches compassion and service. I know that my life has been forever changed as I have broken bread and breathed in the culture of Asia, Africa, Europe and Latin America. May we always be blessed to experience the world, live for something and make a lasting difference!

Sr. Adele Marie Altenhofen captured this photo of colorfully arrayed Guatemalans as they gather near the Chichicastenango marketplace.

Sister Adele Marie Altenhofen

For nearly 130 years, service has been the hallmark of our SSMO Community. We serve where we are needed most.

As a religious community, we claim an extended family that is even more expansive than our own. Just as we are grateful for the dedication and service demonstrated on our campus every day, we are grateful to those who live our charism and carry our values – not only across our region – but around our world.

As our 2015-2020 Leadership Team begins their term in June, I am confident that God’s loving presence through our extended family will continue to be a source of pride and joy for us.

The 2015-2020 Leadership Team (left to right): Sr. Rita Watkins, Sr. Juliana Monti, Sr. Charlene Herinckx and Sr. Josephine Pelster

We are truly one campus, one community and one world.

Sr. Charlene Herinckx ’66

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Table of Contents 4 One Campus. One World.

Four campus alumni – Dr. Lorna VanderZanden ’71, Cory Sepich ’00,

Alex Kinney ’06 and Madeline Tomich ’12 – share their stories of service across the country and around the world.

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18 Creating the World I Want to Live In

From hospitals and churches to homeless shelters and the arts, members of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon campus community are giving back and paying it forward. page 18

20 Hands-on Experience with A Personal Touch

Maryville’s partnership with the University of Portland enriches the lives of residents and the education of nursing students.

24 Welcoming In. Reaching Out.

Two signature events forge connections across centuries.

26 One Community. One World. page 20

The 2015 Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Jubilarians have served God across miles and generations.

30 Passion and Heart

Remembering and honoring four Sisters who devoted their lives to service.

33 Alumni Notes page 24

Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Ministries Corporation Sister Adele Marie Altenhofen, President Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Sister Charlene Herinckx ’66, Superior General Editor: Barbara Kerr, APR

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Designer/Photographer: Todd Sargood Contributors: Sister Adele Marie Altenhofen, Sister Charlene Herinckx ’66, Jeff Szabo, Madeleine Tomich ’12

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Spirit magazine is published by the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon and their sponsored ministries.

All rights reserved.

Questions, comments or address changes: SSMO Ministries Corporation 4440 SW 148th Avenue Beaverton, OR 97078 503-644-9181 spirit@ssmoministries.org

Photo credits: Photo of Sr. Maureen Kalsch courtesy Central Catholic High School. Photos of Cory Sepich ’00 by Ervin Photography of Omaha, Nebraska. Photo of Evan Tait ’12 courtesy Winong Hwang, Portland Community College. Thanks to RedTail Golf Center for hosting the “Whole in One” photo. Special thanks to Theda Hovind of Seattle University, Alex Kinney ’06, Madeleine Tomich ’12 and Dr. Lorna VanderZanden ’71 for sharing personal photos.

Front and back cover photos by Todd Sargood. The photo-illustration on the cover is a spherical panorama made by merging twelve wide-angle photographs into one seamless globe. Images created through this digital technique are often called “little planets.”

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One Campus. One World.

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or nearly 130 years, the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon (SSMO) have been committed to compassionate, joyful community service. Valley Catholic School shares in their mission by nurturing lifelong learners and compassionate leaders and fostering values of prayer, service and love.

Four campus alumni – Dr. Lorna VanderZanden ’71, Cory Sepich ’00, Alex Kinney ’06 and Madeline Tomich ’12 – share their stories of service across the country and around the world.

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The Swahili word for grandmother is “Nyanya.” “I’m often called Nyanya or Mama when nobody can remember my name,” said Dr. Lorna VanderZanden ‘71. “I love being Nyanya and hugging children, playing with them and teaching finger games.”

Dr. Lorna VanderZanden ’71: Fighting poverty that “grabs your heart”

As she explored career options for new veterinarians, she found that clinical practice would require 60 hours in the clinic, plus nights and weekends on call. As a single mother raising a young son, she was concerned about that kind of time commitment.

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efore Dr. Lorna VanderZanden ’71 flew to Africa in April, she was busy gathering items requested by friends, colleagues and students. Long basketball shorts.

Size 17 shoes. Velveeta cheese. As she noted with a smile, “These things aren’t to be found in Kenya.”

Looking at other job opportunities requiring veterinary skills, she discovered the U.S. Army Veterinary Corps.

“My first years were clinical practice with military working dogs and Navy dolphins that were used for mine detection,” she said. After tours in Utah, Texas and Hawaii, the Army “held this carrot out in front of me.

They asked if I would be interested in graduate school in microbiology.” Four years later, she earned her second Ph.D. at Colorado State and was assigned to the Army’s infectious diseases unit.

After graduating from what she remembers as the “new school” – today’s Valley Catholic High School – VanderZanden planned to pursue a career in veterinary medicine. After earning a bachelor’s degree in biology at Lewis and Clark College, she earned her doctorate in veterinary medicine at Colorado State University.

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From 1995-2006, she worked in vaccine research and development in Colorado, Maryland, Virginia and at the Pentagon. Her focus included the Ebola virus, Hantaan virus, viral encephalitis and malaria. That led to her first visit to Africa, where she was project manager of malaria vaccine field trials.

from the Centers for Disease Control telling us what to do in case of an outbreak. We have an information infrastructure. They don’t.”

After retiring from the Army as a lieutenant colonel, VanderZanden made a life-changing decision. “Having seen the dire need of so many children in Africa who have been orphaned due to HIV/AIDS, I started a small nonprofit organization. Riva Refuge, Inc. serves the neediest of children and youth, mostly in Kenya and Tanzania. Our mission is to elevate the well-being of disadvantaged people, empowering them to succeed. We believe in hitting the root causes of poverty.”

“People don’t realize the difficulties of getting basic supplies for infection control if you’re in a rural village in Sierra Leone,” she said. “People who are ill can’t get to a hospital so their family cares for them. Then the family is exposed because the family doesn’t know that you need gloves. In the United States, we hear

Shoes are mandatory for school attendance. Twelve children, the driver and Dr. Lorna VanderZanden all squeezed into this tuk-tuk (three-wheel taxi) for a 1.5-mile ride to the shoe store. For many of the children, this was their first ride in a vehicle and their first set of new shoes.

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Riva Refuge provides scholarships for disadvantaged children and youth, supports girls at an anti-genital mutilation safe camp in Tanzania and provides food and medicine in Matisi, Kenya.

“We are so fortunate here in the United States,” she said. “Indigent people have some safety nets like food stamps. In Africa, there is no such safety net.”

“Our mission is to elevate the well-being of disadvantaged people, empowering them to succeed. We believe in hitting the root causes of poverty.”

“I came across twin boys two years ago. They were five years old and so starved and weak that one couldn’t even stand,” she said. “Their mother had died of HIV. Their father took a common law wife as a stepmother for the boys. They systematically starved the boys. They presumed they would die of HIV so they didn’t want to waste food on them. The stepmother wouldn’t let us take the boys to the hospital and refused to accept food from us. Finally, we found a local health services worker who could take food to the home.

Eventually, we were able to remove the boys from the home but it took five months. In the United States, we could have resolved that with a call to protective services or the police.”

Big smiles at Mama Ngina Children’s Home in Nairobi. Dr. Lorna VanderZanden has provided clothing for children at the home since her first visit to Kenya in 2004. “These kids are so full of happiness that it is overflowing,” she said.

“When I first went to Kenya, I visited orphanages and street boy homes,” she said. “You just can’t imagine the poverty. But it’s so intense that it just grabs your heart and you can’t help but go back and want to do more.”

VanderZanden’s son, Brian, runs his own business as a computer programmer in San Francisco.

Described by his mother as “a wonderful and thoughtful gentleman,” he also visits Africa to volunteer with Riva Refuge and will soon join the Board of Directors.

The Riva Refuge Vision: We strive for a compassionate world where people can flourish, living with dignity, good health, and happiness.

VanderZanden remembers her education with the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon as a nurturing process.

“It taught me that it’s not about myself. It’s about what I do for others.” she said.

To learn more: rivarefuge.org

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Each student is talented and gifted: Cory Sepich ’00

Principal Cory Sepich ’00 reads to students at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School in Omaha.

The book is about the adventures of a curious dog: “Larry Gets Lost in Portland.”

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s a “hyperactive” and “misunderstood” student, Cory Sepich ’00 never dreamed that he would one day be in a position to help other students as a teacher and a principal.

Sepich originally planned to play soccer at a college in Southern California but, after an injury, went to the University of Oregon instead with plans to attend for one or two years then pursue a career as a rehabilitation trainer. “I didn’t know what I wanted to do yet,” he said. “But I’m a firm believer that things happen for a reason. I met my wife there and got a journalism degree. I figured that, if I couldn’t play sports, I could be a sports writer. But it didn’t feel like I had much of a purpose.”

With no clear career path, he worked for a coffee roasting company and coached. “I had done some basketball coaching at Wilsonville High School with Chris Roche, who was my basketball coach during my senior year at Valley Catholic. I enjoyed it. But I had to ask myself – and my wife asked me – what parts of coaching did I like? I liked nurturing student growth and achievement. Seeing improvement. Having an impact on lives. My wife said, ‘It sounds like you really like teaching.’ And a light switch went on.”

Principal Cory Sepich describes Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School as “a community of faith, culture and learning.”

“Valley Catholic did a good job of preparing me academically,” he said. “But that’s not what inspired me as a leader. That was the sense of community.

Every single teacher cared about every single student’s individual strengths – and not just his or her academic strengths. If a student had a good sense of humor, they nurtured that. If a student was empathetic and thoughtful, they nurtured that. It wasn’t just about test scores or resumes. They cared for the entire person.”

“I went to the University of Portland,” he said. “Within the first few days of classes, I could feel my heart and soul affirming ‘This is what you’re meant to do. This is your purpose.’ And I’ve never wavered in that belief and that I’m fulfilling God’s plan for me.”

“Valley Catholic did a good job of preparing me academically,” he said. “But that’s not what inspired me as a leader.

That was the sense of community.”

After earning a master’s degree in teaching, Sepich taught at Evergreen and South Meadows Middle Schools in Hillsboro, Oregon and was an adjunct professor at George Fox University. By 2011, Sepich and his wife, Katie, were in Omaha, Nebraska. She was finishing medical school. He attended Creighton University, earning a master’s degree in educational administration and a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in organizational leadership. His next teaching position took him to St. Patrick’s Catholic School in Elkhorn, Nebraska. In 2014, he was named principal at Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School in Omaha.

As an educator, he embraces that holistic commitment.

“Each student is talented and gifted,” he said. “Each student has strengths that might not be seen right away and that need to be developed.”

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Personally and professionally, he is focused on the future. Cory and Katie Sepich welcomed their first child – daughter Frances Evelyn – in March 2015.

He wants to be “the best father and husband I can be.”

Sepich also wants the school to be a model in supporting a large and growing Latino population. “I want to develop a school and community that is highly empathetic and sensitive to many different cultures and celebrates the diversity of the school,” he said. “Where will this school be in five years? What will we be known for? What schools will ask us ‘How did you do that?

How did your community make that happen?’”

He also has strong aspirations for his school. “In five years, I want Saints Peter and Paul School to be the greatest Catholic school in Omaha – not for my own hubris but for the community’s sake,” he said. “I want it to be the school that everyone is talking about and that everyone in Omaha is proud of. There’s such a strong network of Catholic schools here – and there are so many examples of what a great Catholic school and great Catholic leadership look like – that I have a lot to draw upon.”

“There are some places where you go to school and everything is drilled into you. You know the words but not the meaning,” he said. “The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon were shown to me – not through words – but through deeds and actions. I saw the love and charism in action every single day and it became a part of who I am.”

“I am proud to be delivering lessons I learned at St. Mary of the Valley and Valley Catholic to a new generation of students ready to impact the world in South Omaha,” said Sepich. “I see myself in my students. I see my friends in my students. I see parents who love and support their children’s growth and I see my life full circle.”

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The fast-attack submarine USS Jacksonville.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Leah Stiles.

A reminder of how far I’ve come: Alex Kinney ’06

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s the U.S.S. Jacksonville approaches Hawaii, Lt. Alex Kinney ’06 is on watch. His responsibilities on the Navy’s Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine are split between serving as officer of the deck (OOD) and as the assistant operations officer in charge of a division of about 11 petty officers and one chief petty officer. As OOD, he is the direct representative of the submarine’s commanding officer, supervising the boat’s operations in port and driving the boat while at sea.

It’s not how he had envisioned his future when he studied at Valley Catholic or at Gonzaga University, where he graduated in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. During a Gonzaga economics class, a U.S. Navy recruiter gave a presentation about the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate (NUPOC) Program. Kinney remembers thinking that it would be

Officer portrait: Lt. Alex Kinney ’06, U.S. Navy

an interesting job with good benefits after graduation.

He was accepted into the program in Feb. 2009. In 2010, he attended the Officer Candidate School at the Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island.

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“Officer candidate school was challenging,” he said. “It’s meant to be both a mental and physical shock to your system to see how you would respond when subjected to both kinds of stress. If they can apply the same amount of stress in a controlled training environment, then when you actually see the same level in the real world on a ship, you can react the same way in a rational manner.”

His studies continued at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command in Charleston, South Carolina and at the Naval Submarine School in Groton, Connecticut. He joined the crew of the U.S.S. Jacksonville in Aug. 2012.

With several years of service ahead, Kinney hasn’t ruled out staying with the Navy but wants to earn a master’s degree in business administration or in electrical or aeronautical engineering. “Nuclear officers are very employable,” he said. “I’ve already received an offer from a headhunting agency.”

“This is where I believe Valley Catholic excels in setting its students up for success: the teachers direct active discourse in the classroom instead of trivializing new ideas…”

Kinney credits his Valley Catholic education for preparing him for college and the career. “I wouldn’t be where I am today if I wasn’t able to get a good education starting in fourth grade,” he said. He cites math department chair Kipp Johnson for “creating a positive and encouraging learning environment and promoting math tests and opportunities outside of school.”

Former chemistry faculty member Mike Siewald was an influence too. “While I didn’t pursue a degree which related much to chemistry, I used many of the ideas and methods he taught to help me in the naval nuclear program,” Kinney said.

He also appreciates how the school “allows students to think for themselves. I never encountered a time when I was told that my thoughts or beliefs were incorrect without demonstrable proof for objective ideas and counter-arguments for subjective ideas.”

He adds, “This is where I believe Valley Catholic excels in setting its students up for success: the teachers direct

As Officer of the Deck, Kinney supervises operations in port and drives the boat at sea.

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active discourse in the classroom instead of trivializing new ideas, which in turn leads to graduates who both understand themselves and the world around them in a clearer manner than many of their peers.”

“Each officer onboard rotates, spending about a year in the engineering department before moving on to the weapons or navigation department,“ said Kinney.

no takers, they simply roll them up and put them back into the van. I bought about four rugs while I was there, shipping them home from the base.”

Travelling the world has brought challenges – “tough if a family emergency comes up” – and unique memories like getting a temporary driver’s license in Tokyo and going to a rug flop in Bahrain.

“I’d say the highlight of my service is any time that I can drive the submarine out of Pearl Harbor on the surface,” he said. “It’s a pretty iconic image for me. It’s always sunny around Pearl Harbor. There’s usually a rainbow around somewhere. Sometimes dolphins come up and jump off the front of the submarine. We fly the American flag and our battle flag from the bridge, and it’s a good reminder of how far I’ve come to be in the position I am.”

“A rug flop is a catered dinner party event where a local rug merchant rents a house and everyone sits around a large open area like a living room,” he said. “The rug merchant brings out rugs one by one. Each rug has a specific story, a thread count, country of origin and type of thread or fabric used. Once the stack is about four to five feet high, they auction off each one. If there are

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Into Africa: Madeleine Tomich ’12 In 2007, Madeleine Tomich and her classmates were choosing countries for their reports in Courtney Ferrari’s annual Africa project. She wrote about Rwanda and “the deeply troubling genocide that took place in the 1990s. Despite Rwanda’s violent nature, the project fascinated me and it planted a tiny seed in the back of my mind,” she said. “Someday, I thought, I want to go to Africa.”

Above: Madeleine Tomich ’12 with her students at Charles Lwanga College of Education in Zambia. Below: Tomich wears a dress of traditional chitenge fabric. It was made by Chilala Daka, who runs the guest house where Tomich and her teaching partner stayed.

After graduating from Valley Catholic, she went on to Seattle University to pursue a Bachelor of Arts degree in Humanities for Teaching. When she heard about an opportunity to go to Zambia, in central southern Africa, the seed that had been planted at Valley Catholic took root. She and another teaching student, Theda Hovind, were selected to teach a writing course to first-year students at the Charles Lwanga College of Education, a private Jesuit college in Chisekesi, Zambia.

Founded in 1959 to educate teachers, the college offers only degrees in education.

On January 5, 2015, Tomich wrote in a travel blog: “It is hard to believe that only four days ago I was in rainy Seattle, waking up bright and early to catch a flight that would take me to Africa…Walking off the plane and onto Zambian soil was surreal, everything here is green and vibrant right now during their rainy season. It looks quintessentially African, yet even more beautiful than I expected.”

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The Charles Lwanga Col lege of Education is on the Jesuit mission of Chikun i, along with a few pri mary schools, secondary sch ools, a hospital, a cultur al center, and a radio sta tion. Faculty and staff for all of the institutions liv e on the mission, along wit h members of the communit y. The Zambian people pri de themselves on being fri endly and open.

Into Africa: A Journal by: Madeleine Tomich ’12

The program started a few years ago when Seattle University teaching student Kimberly Whalen visited the Jesuit Chikuni Mission in Monze, Zambia. The mission is home to a number of primary schools, two secondary schools (one for girls and one for boys) and the Charles Lwanga College of Education (C L C E), as well as a hospital and radio station. Kimberly told the C L C E principal about the writing center at Seattle University. English was a second (or third, or fourth, or fifth) language for all of their students, and college officials felt that a writing center would improve the quality of student writing there. Two years later, I landed at the Lusaka airport to teach a writing skills course to first-year students at the college.

the Chikuni Mission was My favorite person on guest charge of running the Chilala Daka. She is in if it I stayed. I am not sure house, where Theda and but k, coo to us on to teach was in her job descripti g kin coo us and our meager I think she took pity on at wh in each day and ask us skills. She would come ht, a question we rarely we were eating that nig ed it. considered until she ask

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The name of the course is misleading – it seems to imply a focus on grammar and sentence structure.

Our objective was to teach critical thinking through writing, so most of the course involved class discussions and free writing.

This type of writing is difficult to learn. It is even stranger when you have grown up in an educational system that does not focus on student opinion or ideas.

I thought that this would be a problem, and that I would struggle to get students to debate with each other and with me. However, I had no problem getting the first-year students to reason and argue with each other. Rather, I found myself having to cut discussions short. Sometimes, I would leave the classroom and hear the discussion roaring up behind me again.

At the Chikuni Parish, we met Fr. Kelly Michel o, a young Jesuit priest, wh o is director of the par ish’s home-based care progra m, which serves those wit h HIV/ AIDS. Fr. Michelo also monitors the radio sta tio n, which broadcasts lesson s by mentor teachers to remote rural schools. He took us to the closest school , about 30 minutes away by car along poor roads. The sch ool building is relatively new but is little more tha n concrete walls and a roo f. They are planting a gar den to teach children how to grow vegetables and to pro vid e food for the school.

ded reminded us that we nee Mrs. Daka consistently we the power went off and to plan ahead – what if y man of one This is just couldn’t cook anything? ing com nce and privilege examples of our ignora d of us had ever considere into Zambia – neither power would go off while the possibility that the r, it was a frequent we were cooking. Howeve outside , we built a small fire occurrence. Sometimes ch or dinner. the house to cook our lun

Mrs. Daka also kept us entertained with storie s from her life and advice about how to be good wives. We learned about her family: seven siblings, three childr en, one grandchild, and 36 nieces and nephews. Mr s. Daka doesn’t have a lot of free time but, when she does, she loves to sew .

One afternoon, we went over to her house to fin d that she had brought her Singer sewing machine out to the front porch and was sitting peacef ully in the Zambian sun, sew ing a new dress.

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I was there to teach writing skills, but I feel I gained and learned more from the students and faculty than they did from me. It helped show me how grand and large our world is, and it helped put into perspective my life and my work. I will always cherish the memories and lessons I found in Zambia.

Yvonne Nabda (far left) is the energetic direct or of the Mukanzubo Cultural Center. Her goal: preser ving and teaching the cultur e of the Tonga people. The center houses and teache s about 15 young girls about their traditions. The gir ls perform at various eve nts and learn to make tradit ional baskets, jewelry, clothes, and more.

It is my hope that the students at Charles Lwanga College of Education will remember not only the policy we discussed, but the way that we discussed it and the way in which I tried to help them find their voice in a conversation. I hope that they will take it to their classrooms and inspire a new generation of students to think openly and critically – and to live valiantly.

to know the at the college, getting I spent most of my time Sr. Charity was son ts. My go-to per faculty, staff, and studen cy section of era of the language and lit Bbalo, (center) the head when she was only the Sisters of Charity the college. She joined in Norway. ter’s degree in education 18 and received her mas ds, as well as fascinating backgroun All of the faculty have iring teachers. excellent advice for asp

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Left to right: Sr. Colleen Schmitt, Sunshine Pantry Director Sharon Straus and Sr. Delores Adelman. The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon volunteer at the Sunshine Pantry, which will receive the proceeds from Soup’s On 2015.

Creating the world I want to live in From hospitals and churches to homeless shelters and the arts, members of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon campus community are giving back and paying it forward.

A patient at Portland’s Providence St. Vincent Medical Center receives Communion. A homeless woman finds shelter and a warm meal at Rose Haven. A daughter encourages bone marrow transplants in memory of her father.

“I have volunteered at St. Joseph Shelter in Mt. Angel to help Sr. Marcella Parrish, SSMO, and Sr. Terry Hall, OSB. I have served on their board and on the board of the Salvation Army Veterans and Family Center in Beaverton.” – Sr. Ruth Frank

Those are just a few of the ways in which members of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon (SSMO) campus community serve beyond the campus. Their reasons are as unique as their stories.

“In addition to supporting Soup’s On to fight hunger, I give massages to cancer patients at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. My reason is ‘pay-back time’ for my good health.” – Sr. Delores Adelman

“I have been volunteering at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center for more than 10 years. I volunteer as a Eucharistic minister and will soon receive my 750-hour pin.” – Sr. Janice Boogaard

“For almost 40 years, I’ve been a member of a group of women interested in deepening our spirituality and working toward peace and justice. We meet once a month at different homes to discuss books and DVDs and to talk about spirituality and current issues. Once a year, we make a retreat together.” – Sr. Barbara Jean Laughlin

“I volunteer at Rose Haven twice a week, preparing food in their warming kitchen. Rose Haven is a day shelter for abused, battered, and homeless women and children.”

– Sr. Jean Marie Van Dyke

“I volunteer at Medical Teams International every Tuesday.” – Sr. Lawdean Lamberger

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“My husband, children and I volunteer at St. Vincent De Paul every month, filling and distributing food boxes.

My husband is a member of the Knights of Columbus.”

– Heather Gentry, 2nd Grade Instructional Assistant, Valley Catholic Elementary School

“I do a lot of volunteer work with the Be The Match Foundation. My dad died from non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

I continue to work with them to honor my dad but also to help all those patients who benefit from Be The Match. I’ve been lucky enough to meet people whose lives were saved because Be The Match found a bone marrow transplant donor for them. When I meet them and their families, I know I’ll never stop volunteering.” – Kristi Bray, Department Chair, World Languages, Valley Catholic Middle and High Schools

“I have been volunteering as a mentor for Catholic Charities for about a year and a half. My mentee is an eighth-grader from Nepal who loves music, his family and, most of all, playing soccer. The mentoring program provides an opportunity for youth from refugee families to establish other adult relationships and to have access to cultural and academic guidance as they adjust to life in America.”

– Jeff Szabo, Multimedia Specialist, SSMO Ministries Corporation

“My family volunteers regularly at the Oregon Food Bank.

My daughter is a regular dog walker at the Oregon Dog Rescue. I’ll soon meet with the Pies for Peace organization because they’re looking for an ‘Act 2’ leadership to continue pie making and donations to Mercy Corps. I volunteer because I’m blessed and believe in paying it forward.

I own the responsibility to work to create the world I want to live in.” – Mary Linden Bell, General Ledger Accountant, SSMO Ministries Corporation

“I’m in charge of marketing and advertising at Pilgrim Lutheran Church in Beaverton and built our church website. I’ve been volunteering in this capacity for well over 10 years because it gives me an opportunity to give back while using my gifts and talent that God has blessed me with.” – Linda Lawyer, Graphic Design Faculty, Valley Catholic High School

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“I serve on the audit committee for the Archdiocese of Portland.” – Mary Augustyn, Chief Financial Officer, SSMO Ministries Corporation

Soup’s On 2015 will be held on

“My love of the arts drew me to Portland’s Profile Theatre, where I served on the board for two years.

I’m in my fifth year serving on the board of the Portland Metro Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America. In 2014, I was chapter president.”

– Barbara Kerr, APR, Chief Communications Officer, SSMO Ministries Corporation

Saturday, Oct. 3 in the Valley Catholic Athletic Center. Proceeds will benefit the Sunshine Pantry, which provides food, amenities, housewares and clothing to those

“I teach middle school Confirmation classes at St. Andrew Lutheran Church in Beaverton. I also serve on two committees. The Worship, Music, and Arts committee oversees the worship and music life of the church community. The Kids and Teens committee manages programs for children of all ages. I also sing in the choir and serve as cantor from time to time. All of these activities give me great joy.” – Pat Christiansen, Sixth Grade Science and Health Teacher, Valley Catholic Middle School

in need and struggling in Oregon and Southwest Washington. Since it began in 2010, Soup’s On has raised nearly $48,000 to fight hunger.

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Hands-on experience with a personal touch Maryville’s partnership with the University of Portland enriches the lives of residents and the education of nursing students On a Friday morning at Maryville, University of Portland nursing student Lisa Locke asks resident Renae Frame about the activities that keep her healthy and engaged. Down the hall, nursing student Meghan Bradford visits Sr. Evelyn Schwall to see if she needs assistance getting dressed.

Locke and Bradford are students in the University of Portland’s nursing program. They are members of a new cohort that has been studying for just a few weeks. This semester – and this time at Maryville during the spring of 2015 – are the start of their 18-month journey to becoming registered nurses.

Nursing students learn in classroom settings and through hands-on training.

Rossi added, “Different groups of students come to Maryville each week. Working with clients, they are able to apply what they learned in labs and in course work, which is great. They have an introduction to professional nursing practice, which is what this course is.”

Sara Rossi, RN, is a clinical instructor at the University of Portland’s School of Nursing. “This group is working on basic skills,” said Rossi. “They spend a lot of time working in a classroom setting and in a lab. At Maryville, they’re practicing communication techniques and how to interact with a geriatric population.”

Nursing student Jessica Rasmussen said, “We get the residents up in the morning and help them bathe and dress. If they need assistance with breakfast, we will sit and help them eat. Or we will just sit and be good company if they need a little encouragement.”

The students have lab studies once a week, learning how to take vital signs and listen to the lungs and heart. “They’re learning everything that a nurse needs to know to begin their career,” Rossi said. “And they’re able to apply that. Each nursing student is paired with one certified nursing assistant. They shadow and assist them. We meet in the morning before they start and again at the end of the day to review what they’ve done and learned. Each week, the group has more skills that they can utilize. “

She added, “Nursing is about interactions and communication. It’s about learning individual needs so that we can provide the best care for every single person – beyond what we can learn in classroom. It’s hands-on experience. It’s interpersonal connection.”

Interacting with older adults who need long-term care is especially appealing to nursing student Lisa Locke.

“There’s a certain level of empathy that you acquire from working with people in long-term care and I feel like a lot of nurses miss out on that opportunity,” she said.

“It’s really important to immerse yourself in that kind of environment so you have a great stepping stone.”

Nursing student Lisa Locke (center) and Clinical Instructor Sara Rossi, RN, assess the health care needs of a Maryville resident. A video of the nursing students at Maryville is available at youtube.com/valleycatholicschool.

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Maryville Director of Nursing Delores Focht noted, “When long-term residents come to Maryville, they consider it their home. Others come here for rehabilitation to prepare to return to their own homes.

Maryville provides a good foundation for nursing students who are interested in both.”

Sara Rossi said the partnership between Maryville and the University of Portland was a natural one.

“The University of Portland is Catholic-based so we are always seeking out groups that are education-focused,” she said. “It’s the first time that we have been here. It’s very exciting.”

“Nursing is about interactions and communication. It’s about learning individual needs so that we can provide the best care for every single person…”

As their skills increase, the students will take part in clinical visits two days a week, working full shifts with registered nurses. They’ll work at hospitals and in the community – everything from pediatrics to mental health.

In their last semester, during the summer of 2016, they’ll take part in a “capstone.” They’ll have the opportunity to specialize in a health care area and work with an organization in that field. “That’s realworld nursing,” said Rossi. “They’ll be working toward being more independent. By the end of their capstone, they should be ready to be a licensed nurse with a full patient load.”

But their time at Maryville will always be special.

“They may have been dreaming about this career for years and working so hard to get to this point,” said Rossi. “This is their first opportunity to really feel like a nurse. They love it.”

Clinical Instructor Sara Rossi, RN (left) and nursing student Lucia Cronin bring warmth and expertise to their visits at Maryville.

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Welcoming in. Reaching out.

Two signature events forge connections across centuries.

L

ois Nordberg Baity’s face lit up with excitement as she entered the chapel of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon (SSMO) Motherhouse. A student on the SSMO campus in 1948 and 1949, she was excited to return after many years away. Baity joined nearly 300 guests at a community open house, held as part of the Sisters’ yearlong celebration of 2015 as the “Year of Consecrated Life.”

The open house featured tours of areas seldom seen by campus visitors, including the bakery and coolers.

Guests who climbed a set of narrow, curved stairs were rewarded by a rare opportunity to visit the historic dome. One guest was especially eager to share her connection to the Sisters: her grandmother was a member of the SSMO Community in 1913.

The first stop on the tour: the beautiful and historic SSMO chapel.

Sr. Krista von Borstel (left) welcomes Lois Nordberg Baity, who attended the SSMO campus schools in 1948 and 1949.

A tour highlight: Sr. Delores Adelman shares the rich history of the SSMO dome.

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A sea of bid cards at the sold-out 2015 Valley Catholic Gala.

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right smiles from Valley Catholic students provided a warm welcome for 360 guests at the 2015 Valley Catholic Gala at Portland’s Montgomery Park. Emcee Amy Troy of FOX 12 news and auctioneer Jim Jungers of Stokes Auction Group charmed the audience at the sold-out evening, hosted by the SSMO Foundation.

The “Light a Fire” event to raise dollars for financial aid set a gala record, providing vital support for current students and lighting the way for the next generation.

Back row (left to right): Larry Shields, Tim Sheerin, Rosie Cortes, Rorie Leone, Jill Shields, Jan Leone and Sr. Juliana Monti. Seated: Julie Sheerin, Sr. John Therese Miller and Cathy Kramer.

Photos from the SSMO Open House and Valley Catholic Gala are available at flickr.com/valleycatholic.

Videos of both events – including videos showcasing each stop on the SSMO Motherhouse tour – are available at youtube.com/valleycatholicschool.

Devon Bathon ’10 receives a warm greeting from Valley Catholic Director of Campus Life Mary Donovan. Bathon shared his campus experiences to “Light A Fire” among Gala supporters.

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One Community. One World.

The 2015 Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon Jubilarians have served God across miles and generations.

Back row (left to right): Sr. Marie Bernadette George, Sr. Marcella Parrish and Sr. Sara Goggin. Seated: Sr. Elma Heesacker (left) and Sr. Marilyn LeDoux. Sr. Sara Goggin will celebrate her 50th Jubilee. The other Sisters will celebrate their 60th Jubilees.

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ll campus alumnae, the 2015 Jubilarians of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon (SSMO) were inspired by Sisters from an earlier generation. From service on the SSMO campus to English classes in Haiti to providing food and shelter for migrant workers, they have forged their own legacies.

Victoria, resides at age 102. Her travels have taken her to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, the basilicas of Lourdes, France and to Lebanon to visit family.

“I was a teacher and two of my students became priests,” she said. “Another student became a Sister. They’re the joy of my life.”

•••

•••

“I’ve wanted to be a Sister of St. Mary of Oregon since I was in the sixth grade,” said Sr. Marie Bernadette George ’55. “We had a Sister who inspired us through her love of God. I wanted to be like her and inspire others to love God.”

At Bishop Alemany School in Mission Hills, California, Sr. Sara Goggin ’64 teaches religion and inspires service.

Born in Townsend, Montana, she says she “first encountered the spirit and spirituality of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon at Holy Cross School in Portland.”

After graduating from St. Mary of the Valley (Valley Catholic), she attended Marylhurst, Portland State University and the University of Oregon. She has spent 47 years as a teacher, serving at St. Mary of the Valley; Regis High School in Stayton, Oregon; Holy Cross (now Archbishop Murphy) High School in Everett, Washington and Eastside Catholic School in Bellevue, Washington.

Born in Butte, Montana, she grew up in Portland, Oregon, attending Holy Cross Grade School, Immaculata Academy and St Mary of the Valley High School (now Valley Catholic). She received a bachelor’s degree in education from Marylhurst College (now University).

At Bishop Alemany, students put faith into action.

Funding their service by recycling, they cook and serve weekly dinners and sack lunches for 130 guests at a winter homeless shelter. In the Santa Clarita Valley, they build homes for veterans through Habitat for Humanity.

Sr. Marie Bernadette George goes riding near Roy in 1993.

Her teaching career took her to St. John’s in Milwaukie, Sacred Heart in Tillamook, St. Mary’s in Spokane, St. Boniface in Sublimity, St. Matthew’s in Hillsboro, St. Cecilia in Beaverton, Our Lady of Sorrows in Portland, St. Francis in Roy, and Holy Trinity and St. Mary of the Valley/Valley Catholic in Beaverton. On the Sisters’ campus, she also worked at Maryville, where her mother,

With service at schools in Oregon, Washington and California, Sr. Sara Goggin is dedicated to student success.

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“We’ve been taking students to Haiti to teach English in a school that’s sponsored by the Archdiocese of Baltimore,” said Sr. Sara. “That has made it so clear to me that education is the answer for so many of the issues that our world faces. I teach religion. I’ve taught math, science and history. All of that is to bring awareness to young people that, having experienced Christ themselves, they need to bring Christ to others.

Sometimes, that’s through service.”

and she impressed me so much that I wanted to become a Sister. When I did, I wanted to serve God by being myself and by loving and serving others.”

She went on to attend St. Mary of the Valley High School and continued her education through classes at institutions as diverse as Portland Community College and Notre Dame University. Her travels have taken her to Europe and the Holy Land. But her heart is on the SSMO campus. “I felt I was a service person in the Community and I loved that role,” she said. “I took night classes that allowed me to become more creative in areas like cake decorating, painting and calligraphy. I’ve used all of those to support our Community.”

••• Sr. Elma Heesacker ’55 has devoted her life to serving other Sisters. “I was able to do work – cooking and driving and serving as sacristan – that allowed other Sisters to do their work,” she said.

••• “I’m proudest of my work with children in the arts, said Sister Marilyn LeDoux ’55, “I love teaching art. I love teaching other subjects too, but art was my specialty.”

The third of 10 children, she was born in Forest Grove, Oregon. After attending Thatcher Public School, she started third-grade classes at St. Francis of Assisi Grade School in Roy. “Sr. Thomas was my third-grade teacher,” said Sr. Elma. “She was a Sister of St. Mary of Oregon

She was born in Astoria, Oregon, but her family moved a number of times so she attended grade school in Shafter, California and in Seaside, Milwaukie and Portland, Oregon. After earning a bachelor’s degree in education at Marylhurst, she taught at schools across Oregon including St. Boniface in Sublimity, St. Mary’s in Stayton, Our Lady of Sorrows and St. Andrew’s in Portland, Visitation in Forest Grove, St. Matthew in Hillsboro, and Holy Trinity in Beaverton. She also taught at St. Mary’s in Spokane, Washington. For many summers, she taught religious education in parishes in Oregon, Washington and Montana.

After retiring from teaching, she returned to the SSMO campus. “When I came home, I started volunteering with Valley Catholic first and second graders and found great joy in teaching them art,” she said. “It was wonderful.”

“I have wanted to be a Sister of St. Mary of Oregon since I was in the eighth grade,” she said. “It is my only choice of lifestyle and I take great joy in it.”

Sr. Elma Heesacker took night classes to learn creative new skills including cake decorating.

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“When I was four, my family moved into town from a logging camp,” Sr. Marcella Parrish ’55. “We had been living in a large log cabin with an outhouse. We had one hour of electricity per day.”

When her mother took her older brother to register for first grade at St. Mary’s School in Stayton, Marcella went too. “We met with Sister Theresa Margaret Yettick,” she remembers. “I was four so I could only really see her shoes. I loved her shoes and I wanted to be what she was. I made a big decision that day.”

Sr. Marcella Parrish in front of Casa Adele, which provides clean and safe housing in Mt. Angel for migrant workers and their families.

“It has all been in service to people,” she said. “I love being a Sister of St. Mary of Oregon. The Sisters have an inner sense of peace and beauty that attracts a lot of people. I’m just so happy to be part of it.”

The 2015 Jubilarians will be honored during a Mass on Sunday, July 26 at 1:30 p.m. in the Our Lady of Perpetual Help Chapel of the SSMO Motherhouse.

Left to right: Sr. Hugh Copenhaver, Sr. Catherine Stoltz, Sr. Marie Bernadette George, Sr. Marilyn LeDoux, Sr. Michael Marie Rausch and Sr. Christopher Hertel.

This photo was taken at the Copenhaver family cabin near Glacier National Park in Montana.

The Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon campus is located at 4440 SW 148th Avenue in Beaverton, Oregon.

After attending college at Marylhurst and teaching elementary school in Portland and Grand Ronde, she earned a master’s degree in mathematics at Gonzaga University. She taught high school classes in math, chemistry, and religion as well as electronics, photography and auto mechanics, eventually serving as a principal. She spent three terms on the SSMO Leadership Team and six years as assistant superintendent of the Archdiocesan Catholic Schools in Portland. For the past 15 years, she has served at St. Joseph Shelter in Mt. Angel, Oregon.

The Sisters’ biographies are available at ssmo.org.

The 2015 Jubilarians share their experiences at youtube.com/valleycatholicschool.

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Passion and Heart Remembering and honoring four Sisters who devoted their lives to service Every life has its own unique impact. As the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon (SSMO) mourned the passing of these Sisters, they celebrated their remarkable lives and their service on the Sisters’ campus and across Oregon.

Sister Francisca Cuna: a gentle and caring heart Francisca Cuna was eager to learn and to serve. Born in Querendaro, Michoacan, Mexico in 1970 and baptized as Ofelia, she received her early education in Mexico. She earned an associate’s degree and a license as a Certified Medical Assistant at Portland Community College. It was a remarkable accomplishment for someone who learned English in her 30s.

After living at the SSMO discernment house, Sister Francisca entered the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon as a novice in 2000 and professed perpetual vows in 2007.

While living at the SSMO discernment house, she received word that her father was seriously ill. She went to Mexico to be with him and stayed with her mother for two weeks after her father’s funeral. Shortly after returning to Oregon, she learned that her mother also had passed away.

Sr. Francisca Cuna (front, right) joined Sr. Catherine Hertel (back row, left) in congratulating students who earned GEDs through studies on the Sisters’ campus.

“Sister Francisca’s gentle and caring heart made her a wonderful and treasured caregiver,” said SSMO Superior General Sister Charlene Herinckx. “Being reliable and trustworthy, she was someone who would take action when you were seeking medical advice or assistance. As one of twelve siblings and a member of our small Community, Sr. Francisca deeply touched the lives of all those who knew and loved her. May she rest in God’s presence.”

From 2002 to 2010, she served the residents at Maryville. From 2010 until the day before her death, she served her own Sisters in the infirmary of the SSMO Community. Sister Francisca died unexpectedly at the SSMO Motherhouse on Nov. 17, 2014. She was 44.

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Sister Maureen Kalsch: a courageous pioneer

In 2000, Sr. Maureen became the first woman in the role of associate principal of academics at Central Catholic High School. In 2008, she was the first woman to serve as the interim principal of Central Catholic. Sr. Maureen was elected by the Sisters to serve two terms on the SSMO General Council (2000-2010).

As an elementary school student in Hillsboro, Oregon, Maureen Kalsch ’73 couldn’t have known that she would one day become a pioneer for women in education.

Born on December 31, 1954, she attended St. Matthew School before enrolling at St. Mary of the Valley, known today as Valley Catholic.

Sr. Maureen Kalsch died on Jan. 5, 2015 at the SSMO Motherhouse. Sister Charlene Herinckx said, “Sr. Maureen dealt courageously with cancer for almost two years. During her final year of ministry at Central Catholic, she received chemotherapy and radiation, rarely missing school. She exemplified our core value – to live valiantly.”

Sister Mary Grace Schonlau: a passion for education By the time Sr. Mary Grace Schonlau ’54 was in the sixth grade, her family had moved from Peoria, Illinois to Tillamook, Oregon, where she attended Sacred Heart School and Tillamook Catholic High School. For the last two and a half years of high school, she attended St. Mary of the Valley High School (known today as Valley Catholic).

Ram pride: Sr. Maureen Kalsch and students welcome the school mascot at Portland’s Central Catholic High School.

After graduating in 1973, she began studies at Oregon State University (OSU). Her studies in home economics and education were interrupted for one year when she entered the novitiate of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon in 1975. Sister Maureen earned a master’s degree in education from OSU in 1983 and a certificate in school administration from Lewis and Clark College in 1994.

Sr. Maureen began her teaching career at her alma mater before being assigned to Regis High School from 1980-84. She returned to St. Mary of the Valley as a teacher, director of student activities, public relations coordinator, and director of admissions. Beginning in 1991, she also served as vice principal, serving on the team that planned the successful transition of Valley Catholic into a coeducational high school.

As a first-year notice, Sr. M. Grace Schonlau enjoyed time with her parents at Easter.

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Born on August 27, 1936, Sr. Mary Grace followed the example of her aunt, also known as Sr. Mary Grace, a Sister of St. Joseph of Wichita, Kansas. She entered the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon in 1953. After completing her novitiate year, she attended Marylhurst, earning a bachelor’s degree in education. In 1968, she earned a master’s degree in mathematics at Gonzaga University.

In 1985, after summer school sessions at St. Mary’s College in Moraga, California, she graduated with a master’s degree in theology.

In 1939, at age 17, Sr. Elizabeth Ann was received as a novice in the Community of the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. From 1941 until her retirement in 2005, Sister Elizabeth Ann worked as a housekeeper at Sacred Heart in Gervais, St. Matthew in Hillsboro, St. Andrew and St. Stephen in Portland, St. Boniface in Sublimity, Sacred Heart in Tillamook, and St. John in Milwaukie.

Dedicated to providing a pleasant home atmosphere, Sister Elizabeth Ann cooked, baked and did laundry.

When she wasn’t serving in a parish, Sr. Elizabeth Ann worked in the laundry and kitchen at the SSMO Motherhouse, cooking for up to 100 resident students and more than 200 Sisters. She canned fruits and butchered beef and poultry.

Sr. Grace shared her passion for education as an elementary school teacher at St. Cecilia’s in Beaverton, Sacred Heart in Tillamook, and St. Andrew’s and Our Lady of Sorrows in Portland.

She served as principal and teacher at St. Pius X School in Portland. Her ministry as a high school teacher took her from Regis High School in Stayton to Tillamook Catholic High School and La Salle High School in Milwaukie.

Sr. Grace served on the Archdiocesan Board of Education from 1984-88 and as a mentor for new Directors of Religious Education in the Archdiocese of Portland from 1993-95.

Sister Grace Schonlau celebrated her 60th Jubilee in 2013.

Sister Elizabeth Ann Vanderzanden: home is where the heart is Sr. Elizabeth Ann Vanderzanden ’38 treasured a feeling of home, perhaps because she moved so much in her youth. She was born Marjorie Agnes Vanderzanden in Nebraska on August 24, 1922. When her family moved to Oregon, she studied at St. Francis School in Roy, Hillsboro Union High and St. Mary of the Valley High School, known today as Valley Catholic.

Sr. Elizabeth Ann Vanderzanden (left) near the fortress and castle of Lisbon, Portugal.

There were also years when Sr. Elizabeth Ann worked directly with the resident students, washing and ironing clothes, bathing the younger girls, reading bedtime stories to them and supervising the charges of the older girls. She is remembered as someone who reached out with love and compassion, acting as a surrogate “mom” to girls away from home.

Sr. Elizabeth Ann Vanderzanden died on Dec. 30, 2014, five months after celebrating her 75th Jubilee.

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Alumni Notes

Barbe Jenkins-Gibson ’65 owns the Christmas Cottage in Lincoln City. As it marks its 41st anniversary, Christmas Cottage is the oldest year-round Christmas store in Oregon.

Jenkins-Gibson hopes that classmates will reach out to her as the class of 1965 prepares to celebrate its 50th reunion.

Meredith Donovan Aronson ’05 and her husband, Kevin, welcomed their first child, Jack Andrew, on Feb. 24. Meredith notes that Jack Andrew “will definitely be a Valiants fan” since his grandmother is Valley Catholic Director of Campus Life Mary Donovan and grandfather Mark Donovan serves on the SSMO Ministries Board of Directors.

Deborah Keeffe (Hall) ’86 is living in London, England, with her husband and two sons. She is an active member of her children’s school community at The American School and fondly remembers her time on the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon campus.

Emily Maurer ’01 recently returned to Oregon after 13 years. After attending college in Pennsylvania, she worked for the Delaware Department of Transportation for nine years as a bridge engineer. She is now “working at the Oregon Department of Transportation, enjoying family and all the outdoors that Oregon has to offer.”

Carmen Hinckley ’04 works at Pacific University as a program associate for the School of Professional Psychology. She is also the editor of The Adoption Constellation online magazine, which publishes articles, stories, a blog, and other content relating to adoption.

Stephanie Johnson ’09 has been accepted into the direct entry RN to MSN Nurse Practitioner program at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. She completed her B.A. in Health Science at Carroll College in May 2013. During the specialty year, she will complete three clinical rotations at sites across the country. She plans to specialize as an Adult-Gerontology Nurse Practitioner and would like to work with patients with chronic and short-term neurological conditions.

Stephanie currently works as an activity assistant at a memory care community in Portland, Oregon and an outpatient physical therapy aide at Providence Portland Medical Center.

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Evan Tait ’12 scored the leading role of Link Larson in “Hairspray” at Portland Community College’s Sylvania Performing Arts Center.

Tait, who was profiled in the Beaverton Valley Times, calls it “one of my dream roles.”

(Photo courtesy Winona Hwang, Portland Community College) Victoria Johnson ’13 is an environmental policy major at Colorado College, minoring in Russian. Her travels and studies have taken her from the Rocky Mountains to Moscow’s Red Square. She is scheduled to study in Russia in May 2015.

New Horizons

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Congratulations to the Valley Catholic Class of 2015

Class of 2015 members (left to right) Sarah Connelly, Wilder Boyden, Kevin Alexander, Connell Morantte and Kathleen Shew.

“A

great school takes all its students seriously, as individuals, students, artists, athletes.

It works constantly to feed their best natures, to educate their imaginations and offer every sort of activity that might make their dreams even nobler, more exciting…and true.”

– Ross Thomas, Valley Catholic High School Principal Kathleen Shew excelled onstage in “As You Like It” and on the girls swim team which took gold at the 2015 district meet and earned sixth place honors at state.

National Honor Society member Connell Morantte performed in choir, with liturgy band and on stage and earned the rank of Eagle Scout by leading a volunteer team that created an outdoor classroom at Valley Catholic.

In academics, activities, arts and athletics, members of the Class of 2015 have left an impressive legacy.

Valedictorian Kevin Alexander is a National Merit Scholar who gave memorable performances in theater productions as diverse as “The Servant of Two Masters” and “Bye, Bye Birdie.” Sarah Connelly helped lead the girls soccer team to two state championships and was named 4A Player of the Year in 2014. Wilder Boyden and his teammates won the 4A state championship in boys cross country and were named 2014 Division II Boys Team National Champions by the High School Track and Cross Country National Coaches Association.

As they pursue interests as diverse as biology, physics, business and creative writing, their impact will be felt far beyond our campus. They and their classmates will continue to strive for excellence – and live Valiantly – to make their dreams come true.

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PERFECT APPROACH

At the “fore”front: Campus and community leaders (left to right) Kathleen Parry, Bob Weber, Sr. Adele Marie Altenhofen, Mayor John Cook, Mayor Denny Doyle and Allison Waibel Gates ‘05

To follow through:

In 2015

the annual “Whole in One” Golf Tournament

will bring the community together as never before. Beaverton Mayor Denny Doyle and Tigard Mayor John Cook will join golfers at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club on Wednesday, Sept. 16. The tournament supports Valley Catholic students, Maryville residents and the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon. Tee time is 1 p.m.

We also build community by inviting alumni to come home to the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon campus. In 2015, we’ll host Alumni Reunion Weekend from Sept. 18-19 for all SMV and VC alumni and it’s a special year for classes ending in 5s and 0s. Our alumni return from across the country – and around the world – to catch up with friends and make new memories.

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Whole in One Golf Tournament Caroline Fogarty 503-718-6486 cfogarty@ssmoministries.org Class Reunions Allison Waibel Gates ‘05 503-718-6482 agates@ssmoministries.org

4440 SW 148th Avenue Beaverton, OR 97078 www.ssmoministries.org

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A Rose in Portland Grows

Each year, thousands of visitors are drawn to the natural beauty and stunning views of the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, Oregon. As they stroll from the Royal Rosarian Garden to the Rose Festival Queens Walk, they also learn about the history of the Portland Rose Festival. The first Rose Queen was crowned in 1908 but Valley Catholic students weren’t eligible to compete until more than a century later, when the school entered 4A athletics in 2014.

Senior Clara Cannon seized the opportunity and was crowned as Metro West Princess. In making history on the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon campus, she has also joined a special community of young women connected across generations. We congratulate her and honor her for her Valiant spirit.