S T. S EBASTIAN’ S WINTER 2019
M AGAZINE
2018-2019 Board of Trustees Seán Cardinal O’Malley, O.F.M. Cap., Chairman William L. Burke, III P’95,’97,’00,’04 Executive Officer, Headmaster James L. Elcock ’77, P’08 President Patrick J. Hegarty ’89, P’23 Vice President David M. Calabro ’78, P’16 Treasurer Devin C. Condron ’92 Assistant Treasurer Members: Barbara E. Connolly P’10’12’17 Timothy P. Doherty ’87 P’17 Rev. Michael E. Drea Stephen DuFour P’14’18’21 William B. Evans ’77 P’17 John W. Hueber ’71 Kathleen F. Ix P’22 Ross M. Jones P’16’17 Susanne C. Joyce P’20’23 Carolyn M. Lemone P’16’18 Shawn D. Martin P’17’18’19 Wesley D. Mateo ’03 Peter J. McLaughlin ’55 GP’13’19 John E. McNamara ’81 P’14’18 James F. Mooney, III P’18 Michael P. Muldowney P’12’16’22 Kathleen A. Murphy P’21 Mark L. O’Friel ’79 Robert M. Reardon P’15 Randall P. Seidl P’17’19 Rev. Kenneth R. Sicard, O.P. Troy L. Stanfield P’21 Kurt R. Steinkrauss ’91 P’19 Mary L. Supple P’09’10’15 Andrew Wasynczuk P’14’17 Jeanne McKenzie P’18’20 President, Guild of St. Irene Samuel Hodgson P’12’20 President, Men’s Association Charles Haley ’92 President, Alumni Association Trustees Emeriti: James A. Cotter, Jr. ’57 David F. Gately ’73 J. Brad Griffith ’58, GP’19,’23
WINTER 2019
S T. S EBASTIAN’S M AGAZINE
FEATURES
Assistant Headmaster Michael P. Nerbonne
IN EVERY ISSUE
12 Teaching the Craft of Writing
2
Headmaster’s Letter
3
Around Campus
9
Serving Our Neighbors
St. Sebastian’s curriculum places a particular emphasis on the development of writing skills.
18 Building Our Endowment
& Our Future
A look at the past, present and future of St. Sebastian’s endowment and its significance.
22 70 Years of the
Guild of St. Irene
Since 1949, our mothers’ association has played an important role in the life of the School.
10
Arrows Abroad
29
Fine Arts
34
Winter Sports
41
Class Notes
50
In Memoriam
Director of Development Richard F. Arms P’14
Editor & Designer Christine Y. Robertson, Director of Communications Principal Photographer Joey Spadoni, Digital Media Coordinator Contributor Michaela Chapman, Communications Associate Editorial Advisor Michael Deschenes, Director of Library & Information Services
26 Following a Passion,
Headmaster William L. Burke, III P’95,’97,’00,’04
Forging a Career
Conor Doherty ’01 makes a dramatic career switch to become a professional photographer.
St. Sebastian’s Magazine is published three times a year by the Communications Office. Correspondence concerning the magazine should be sent to: communications@stsebs.org St. Sebastian’s School 1191 Greendale Avenue Needham, MA 02492 781.449.5200 www.stsebs.org ON THE COVER:
12
Teaching the Craft of Writing
22
70 Years of the Guild of St. Irene
St. Sebastian’s School Mission Statement A Catholic independent school, St. Sebastian’s seeks to engage young men in the pursuit of truth through faith and reason. By embracing Gospel values in an inclusive, nurturing community and by inspiring intellectual excellence in a structured liberal arts curriculum, St. Sebastian’s strives to empower students for success in college and in life. The ideal St. Sebastian’s graduate will be a moral and just person, a gentleman of courage, honor, and wisdom, a life-long learner who continues to grow in his capacity to know, to love, and to serve God and neighbor.
A collage of St. Sebastian's writing publications reflects the depth and breadth of our Writing Program.
From the desk of the headmaster W illia m L . Bu r k e III
To grasp the essence of a school, one need but listen to the students. A mission driven School of Spirit and People, we pursue the truth through faith and reason and strive mightily to live—ever more fully—our Love God, Work Hard, and Take Good Care of One Another order of the day. Ours is truly a happy, healthy, loving community of purpose. For validation, I urge you to visit when you can and engage in conversation with our young men, for to grasp the essence of a school, one need but listen to the students. This winter, in his Corporate Chapel address, one of our seniors proclaimed: “All in this community want you to be the best you can be…I’m lucky to be in a place where we say prayers before classes and games.” So many of his brother Arrows sing similar tunes, including these: “My teachers all believed in me and gave me all the help I needed,” and: “Thanks, Mom and Dad, for sending me to St. Sebastian’s, the best school in the world.” We all feel so richly blessed to be members of our academically rigorous, spiritually deep, joy-filled St. Sebastian’s family, and we are beyond grateful to God and to the many students, families, faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and friends, who advance our most important mission by praying for us, by devoting themselves to the pursuit of excellence in body, mind, and spirit, and by showering countless gifts of time, talent, and treasure upon us. Thanks to the tremendous generosity of so many loving people, our new West Campus Center is now fully on-line, and what a positive difference it has made! We now provide many more and much better opportunities to our students and to those who serve them in the training room, in the fitness center, on the basketball courts, on the squash courts, in the wrestling room, in the video/lecture room, in the golf simulator room, in the elegant rotunda, in the grand conference room, in the courtyard, in the administrative offices, and elsewhere. We have also grown our endowment significantly and remain laser focused on raising additional funds for this vitally important arrow in our quiver. A greater endowment will enable us to take even better care of our people by controlling tuition and by boosting financial aid and faculty and staff compensation. I thank you for all that you do for your most grateful School. May God continue to bless you and your loved ones every sacred step of the way. With love and gratitude,
William L. Burke III Headmaster
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AROUND CAMPUS
News & Notes from Our School Community
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AROUND CAMPUS
Mastering
Crazy about Computers
Members of the Debate Team traveled to Kingswood Oxford School in West Hartford, CT, on February 10 to participate in its Annual Invitational Public Speaking Tournament. Joe Maalouf ’19 won the Second Place Prize in the Persuasive Speaking category and Griffin Wagner ’19 won the Third Place Prize in the After Dinner Speaking category. Over 30 students from six independent schools competed in the Tournament. The following Sunday, February 17, St. Sebastian’s hosted its Annual Parliamentary Extemporaneous Invitational Novice Debate Tournament for students who are relatively new to debate. Jack Flynn ’22 and Aidan McCarthy ’22 each won a Speaker’s Prize for their individual performances. Over 200 students and faculty from 20 Independent Schools participated in the Tournament, making this our largest Novice Tournament ever.
Peter Olson ’15, a senior at Washington University in St. Louis, returned to campus on January 2 to speak with the Robotics Team. While a student at St. Sebastian’s, Peter served as Lead Programmer for the Team during the 2014-2015 competition season. After graduating this May with a B.S. in Computer Engineering and an M.S. in Computer Science, he will head to Portland, Oregon, to Peter Olson ’15 visits with the Robotics Team. work for the Intel Corporation. In his talk, Peter covered a wide variety of topics including: his discovery and development of his computer skills during his middle and high school years; his academic journey in college that led him to his Intel internship and job; the similarities, differences, and crossover between computer engineering, computer science, and computer programming; and guidance to Team members interested in becoming more versatile and capable programmers. Peter credits St. Sebastian’s with providing a rigorous learning environment with high standards that helped him stand out during his Intel internship, particularly with regard to his ability to clearly communicate his ideas and experimental results both verbally and in writing. In addition, Peter emphasized the value of the dedicated project rooms in which students on the Robotics Team are afforded the opportunity to take chances and solve problems in an informal, creative setting.
the Art of Debate
Breaking Down Investment Strategies Timothy Malloy P’20,’23 gave a presentation on investing in stocks to the Finance Academy on January 28. Malloy has over 20 years of investment experience and is currently a Managing Director at Birch Hill Investment Advisors. He introduced students to the concept of an economic moat and discussed different investment strategies, using several real world examples to demonstrate qualities of good stocks versus those that might be too good to be true.
Assistant Headmaster Michael Nerbonne with prize-winning debaters Griffin Wagner ’19 and Joe Maalouf ’19 (top) and Aidan McCarthy ’22 and Jack Flynn ’22 (bottom).
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Members of the Finance Academy and Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne with speaker Timothy Malloy P’20,’23, a Managing Director at Birch Hill Investment Advisors.
AROUND CAMPUS
TOP: St. Sebastian’s and Dana Hall students collaborate in the “Power in Unity” Black History Month Assembly. BOTTOM LEFT: Guest speaker Jamele Adams delivers his unique blend of passion and poetry. BOTTOM RIGHT: Members of the MPA participate in the assembly.
Power in Unity
S
t. Sebastian’s students and faculty gathered in Ward Hall on February 4 to celebrate black history through poetry and music. “Power in Unity” served as the theme of this year’s Black History Month Assembly, featuring the words of guest speaker Jamele Adams. The Dean of Students at Brandeis University, Adams is also a celebrated poet known in New York and Boston slam poetry circles as Harlym 1Two5. He has become well known in the Boston area for his efforts in dealing with issues of diversity, leading workshops and helping to bring a calm and constructive unity to local high schools, colleges, and communities after racial incidents have occurred. During the assembly, students shared several of Adams’ poems, including “3walls,” “black history x,” and “MEN....of color.” The program was further enriched by a duet from violinist Christian Casiano ’21 and pianist Colin Lapus ’21, as well as several songs performed by the Dana Hall Gospel Choir, led by David Coleman. The highlight of the assembly was hearing from Adams himself as he delivered his unique blend of passion and poetry. His compelling words, along with his high energy, honesty, and humor, captivated the audience.
Five Arrows—Alessandro Barbiellini ’21, Tommy McCarthy ’20, Patrick McDonald ’20, Anthony Perez ’19 and Cole Tremblay ’19—were selected to advance to the final round of the Poetry Out Loud Competition after delivering powerful performances in front of a panel of faculty judges. Perez was ultimately crowned the champion of the school-wide competition, with Tommy McCarthy finishing in second place. Perez represented St. Sebastian’s at the State Finals on March 10. Run by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud encourages a mastery of public speaking skills while cultivating self-confidence and an appreciation of students’ literary heritage as they take poetry from the page to the stage.
Anthony Perez ’19 performs for the panel of faculty judges.
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AROUND CAMPUS
Chris Herren Shares a Powerful Message Former NBA player Chris Herren addressed the St. Sebastian’s community about his battle with substance abuse on February 13. A basketball legend from Fall River, MA, Herren was an AllAmerican, broke scoring records and was recruited by the nation’s top colleges. He realized his lifelong dream of playing in the NBA when he was drafted by the Denver Nuggets in 1999 and then traded to his hometown team, the Boston Celtics, in 2000, before losing his career and almost his family to the disease of addiction. Alcohol and drug-free since August 1, 2008, Herren has spoken to over one million students nationwide with the goal of sparking honest discussions and making a positive difference in their lives. His moving speech about his personal experiences with addiction certainly left an impression on everybody who was listening in Ward Hall that day.
Delegates Excel at Harvard Model Congress
F
rom February 21 to 24, a group of Arrows participated in Harvard Model Congress, the largest government simulation program in the United States run entirely by Harvard students. Each Arrow assumed the role of a different member of the executive and legislative branches of the federal government, adopting the individual's political positions and gaining a first-hand understanding of governmental policies and procedures. Our students performed admirably, with several of them winning awards for their efforts. Jeff Serowik ’20 and Joe Maalouf ’19 received gavels for best delegate in their committees, while Aidan Garrity ’20 and Patrick McDonald ’20 received Honorable Mention awards. This year’s delegation of Arrows continued a tradition that began when St. Sebastian’s sent its first group of students to Harvard Model Congress in 1988.
Over the course of three days, the delegation of Arrows create, debate, and pass bills at Harvard Model Congress.
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Evan Prince ’20 Wins 1st Place in CANE’s Annual Essay Contest Evan Prince ’20 was honored by the Classical Association of New England (CANE) for his first place entry in CANE’s Annual Essay Contest on March 8. Prince received his award at Holy Cross during the banquet for CANE’s Annual Meeting and also had the opportunity to read his winning entry, a poem, to the assembled professors and teachers. Although several St. Sebastian’s students in the past have won awards in this contest at the state-level, Prince is the first Arrow to win the New England-wide competition.
AROUND CAMPUS
Celebrating 100 Days to Graduation
Trading Places during Catholic Schools Week St. Sebastian’s celebrated Independent Catholic Schools Week in early February with a reversal of roles between students and faculty. On Student Appreciation Day, faculty and staff completed daily work duty typically performed by students. The following day, National Honor Society student volunteers led lessons in English, Math, Science, Religion and Latin, as well as covered a few basketball and hockey practices, giving them a greater appreciation for the wonderful job our faculty and coaches do each day. The week concluded with First Friday Mass for the entire School community.
The St. Sebastian’s Senior Class congregated in Ward Hall on February 26 for the annual “100 Days to Graduation” Breakfast, celebrating the milestone with a delicious meal prepared by the dining staff. While the Class of 2019 enjoyed eggs, bacon and waffles, they were addressed by Director of Leadership Gifts Mike Melley P’18,’22, Director of Alumni Programs Chris Brinkhaus ’92 and Headmaster Bill Burke. During the breakfast, the seniors took the opportunity to wish Fr. Paris a happy 92nd birthday, giving our longest-serving faculty member a standing ovation.
Robotics Team Competes in State Championship Fourteen members of the St. Sebastian’s Robotics Team traveled to Natick High School on March 2 to compete in the Massachusetts FIRST Tech Challenge State Championship. The Arrows finished with a 2—3 record, which landed them in 27th The Robotics Team competes in the State Championship at place out of 35 teams on the day (and 105 total Natick High School. teams in the state). The biggest challenge of the afternoon turned out to be the autonomous phase of the team’s robot—the very thing that had been the team’s strength in the previous competition. Small inconsistencies and a bit of bad luck kept the team’s autonomous scoring to 40 points on average per match instead of the team’s usual 60, too often the difference between a win and a loss.
TOP: Ryan Mullen ’19 covers Mr. Willey’s science class during Independent Catholic Schools Week. BOTTOM: Cedrick Rene ’20 and Miguel Vega ’19 run the 7th grade basketball practice for Mr. Albertson.
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AROUND CAMPUS
Mac Fotiades ’19 and Will Frisoli ’19 work together to prepare their chili which won the Chili Contest. Members of The Walrus staff check out the latest edition of the school newspaper.
A GLIMPSE
along Greendale Avenue
Students participate in a Stress Reduction Yoga and Relaxation class organized by Director of Health Services Jen Joyce and Sandra Clancy P’21.
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Arrows compete the in the first-ever Pi Day Math Competition while enjoying some pie.
John Farley ’19 guards Billy Queally ’20 in the March SADDness Basketball Tournament.
Serving
Our Neighbors
I
ntegral to the St. Sebastian’s mission, our Service Program lives the order of the day of loving God, working hard, and taking good care of one another. Below are just a couple of the many ways our students have served our neighbors recently.
A Saturday Morning Tradition at
The Paulist Center Over the course of the 2018-2019 school year, the junior class has continued its tradition of volunteering at the Paulist Center’s Community Breakfast Project. This year marks the seventh year St. Sebastian’s has helped serve the homeless through this program. On the third Saturday of each month, a group of Arrows in the 11th grade heads to the Paulist Center, located on Park Street in downtown Boston, to assist with setting up the room, serving the food and coffee, and cleaning up. This monthly event is just one of the Paulist Center’s many ministries which serve the poor or marginalized.
Slicing & Dicing at the
Chop-A-Thon St. Sebastian’s fathers and sons spent Sunday morning, January 27, serving together in the Chop-A-Thon at the Pine Street Inn, the largest homeless services provider in New England. The Arrows donated close to 1,500 pounds of produce and proceeded to slice, dice, and chop the food for later use. The room buzzed with activity, as the fathers and sons worked side-by-side. The donations of carrots, onions, peppers, potatoes, and assorted fruits were used by the shelter to prepare meals for the homeless over the following days. The Pine Street Inn prepares 17,500 meals each week, 52 weeks a year! This 8th annual event, organized by Men’s Association President Sam Hodgson P’12,’20 and our Director of Service Programs, John Eaton, provides a tangible way for students and their dads to make a difference together.
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Arrows
ABROAD This past March break, St. Sebastian’s students traveled to Dublin, Ireland and Rome, Italy. Although the two trips were very different, both adventures gave students the opportunity to experience another culture and return to campus with a new perspective.
St. Sebastian's students with their Irish hosts on the campus of St. Michael's College in Dublin.
Dublin, Ireland Six St. Sebastian’s students traveled to Dublin for the annual Ireland Exchange program with St. Michael’s College, an all-boys’ Catholic high school, from March 15th through March 23rd. Sophomores Ben Kaczmarek and TJ Ragnoni and freshmen John Chisholm, Griffin Cusack, Brendan Melley, and Joe Sylvester enjoyed an enriching experience with their host families and each other. The highlight of their stay was cheering on the St. Michael’s College senior and junior rugby teams to victory in their league championship matches. Apparently the fan support for the rugby matches outdoes Henry’s Corner! The boys attended classes at St. Michael’s and explored Dublin together, bonding with their host brothers. The St. Sebastian’s boys returned the favor, hosting the lads from St. Michael’s for a week in April. In addition to sitting in on classes, the visitors toured Boston and Harvard Square, attended a Red Sox game, were treated to a lobster lunch and a cookout by host families, went biking, bowling and much more! The Irish visitors enjoyed Easter with their host families before heading home. This is the 8th consecutive year St. Sebastian's has participated in this exchange with St. Michael's College. The first Irish Exchange in 2012 has blossomed into a fantastic opportunity for Arrows to create memories that will last a lifetime.
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Rome, Italy Twelve Arrows, along with faculty chaperones Josef Cressotti, Stephen Salomone, and Dr. Ryan Patrico, spent the first week of March Break exploring the historical, cultural, and archaeological sites of Rome, Italy. The group included Alessandro Barbiellini ’21, Quin Feeney ’20, Aidan Garrity ’20, Cole Hanifin ’20, Cam Howell ’21, Daniel Ko ’21, Connor McKay ’20, Evan Prince ’20, Sam Randall ’21, Max Samulka ’21, Wes Stanton ’20, and Tim Williams ’20. The students saw in person many places studied in their Latin, History, and Religion classes: the Pantheon, the Colosseum, the Forum, and the Capitoline and Palatine Hills. On site, they read and translated Latin inscriptions and historical texts, some two thousand years-old, tied to the most important buildings and monuments of the eternal city. The trip enabled the group to get to know the home of the Roman Catholic Church and the seat of the pope. The boys visited ten beautiful churches, most notably St. Peter’s Basilica, St. John Lateran, and St. Mary Major and toured the Scavi, the excavations of an ancient cemetery underneath St. Peter’s. The group returned to the Vatican to hear Pope Francis’s general audience in St. Peter’s Square. Among thousands of faithful from around the world, they listened to Peter’s successor sermonize and bless the crowd in eight languages. During a day trip to Tivoli, a small, ancient town in the mountains, the Arrows visited Hadrian’s Villa, the rustic getaway of the 2nd Century emperor, and Villa D’Este, a renaissance palace renowned for its fountains. Another highlight of the trip was a visit to the Catacombs of St. Sebastian, located just outside the city, followed by a walk along the ancient Appian Way to the Circus of Maxentius, a chariot race track from the fourth century. Eager for a little athletic competition, students raced around the grasscovered track, the winner receiving a prize of gelato. While in Rome, the boys traveled to each site by foot, walking over sixty miles over the course of the week. Happily students and chaperones were well fed, trying Roman specialties such as pasta amatriciana, cacio e pepe, and gricia. At the end of each day both students and chaperones returned to their hotel rooms exhausted, ready for a good night’s sleep, and looking forward to new surprises the next day.
LEFT: The group of Arrows take in the magnificence of the Colosseum; RIGHT: The boys take a break from sightseeing to enjoy tartufo, an Italian ice cream dessert, from Tre Scalini at Piazza Navona.
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Teaching the Craft of
Writing BY CHRISTINE Y. ROBERTSON
“I write to discover what I know.” —Flannery O’Connor This quotation, from one of the most eminent Catholic writers of the 20th century, captures the essence of St. Sebastian’s Writing Program. The act of writing compels our students to discover what it is they want to say—whether it’s to inform, to challenge, to praise or to inspire—and to express the truth as they perceive it to the world in a way that makes sense on the page. While St. Sebastian’s curriculum encourages the pursuit of excellence in every discipline, a particular emphasis is placed on the development of writing skills. Our Writing Program, with the distinctive Freshman Writing course at its core, instills in our students the ability to think critically and creatively and to write clearly, accurately, and imaginatively—skills that will benefit them throughout St. Sebastian’s, college, and beyond. WINTER 2019
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T
he origins of the Writing Program date back to the appointment of Bill Burke as St. Sebastian’s first lay headmaster in 1990. From the moment Burke was hired, Board President Jack Birmingham ’59,P’84 articulated his belief that, while every school should excel in every discipline, St. Sebastian’s would be wise to distinguish itself in one area. He suggested the focus should be on verbal skills development: reading and speaking and writing, but especially writing. A veteran English teacher devoted to writing, Burke wholeheartedly agreed. The new Headmaster asked the English Department to articulate what they would need to create a truly distinctive writing program, and he encouraged blue sky thinking in their quest to imagine the best possible program for the students. After a thorough in-house study, the department responded by sharing in these or similar words: “You could
probably never do this, but it would be great if the School could offer a distinctive writing class in one of the early years such as 9th Grade, while continuing to require the traditional grade level English literature and composition class.” Students in the writing class would ideally bang out five paragraph essays and longer pieces of exposition, compose Shakespearean style sonnets and other forms of poetry, write narrative fiction, and expand their vocabulary. The idea of a composition-only course in 9th grade was received with excitement, but required some creative thinking and bold curriculum shifts. In 1993, the St. Sebastian’s Writing Program was born, with the Freshman Writing curriculum as its centerpiece. From the day students arrive at St. Sebastian’s, their journey to becoming stronger writers begins. For those Arrows who start in 7th or 8th grade, the building blocks are laid, with a strong focus on grammar and vocabulary. As students progress from the writing of paragraphs to well-structured essays, they develop the techniques of
Students share feedback on each other’s work in the Freshman Writing course.
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brainstorming, outlining, composing and revising. As freshmen, students delve deeper into the critical craft of writing through the flagship Freshman Writing course, which they are required to take in addition to their Freshman English class. The writing course gives students valuable time to focus on their writing skills at a relatively young age. The boys learn by doing, constantly writing and revising their own work, and they receive support and constructive criticism at every stage of the writing process. Small section sizes—usually ten students—allow teachers to give regular written and verbal feedback. The small class sizes also allow students to build their peer-revision skills through discussions and exercises in the classroom. “Giving every boy the opportunity to be a member of a microcommunity and culture of sharing one’s ideas in a small class of supportive friends and classmates breeds what we all need: confidence and courage in translating our intelligence to the world,” shares Ed McCarthy, Director of the Writing Program. “I am simply wowed every single day by the fashion in which our boys learn to ‘take good care’ of one another’s writing and ideas and call each other to writing that is respectful and rich in virtues.” With the time and space to drill down further into the various elements of writing, teachers engage students by using techniques and rubrics that explore everything from sentence structure to word choice. For example, the “seven-karat diamond,” a writing exercise introduced by Headmaster Burke and still used by members of the English faculty, helps students vary their sentence structure and punctuate their writing with more sophistication. Students learn the power of selecting the exact, right word and experience the thrill of creating their own similes and metaphors.
“So much of what the boys are asked to do in other disciplines—not just English—is predicated on good writing.” —Michael Nerbonne, Assistant Headmaster
Throughout the course, the boys are exposed to different styles and genres of writing—from historical pieces to scholarly documents, famous essays and orations, newspaper articles, periodicals and poetry—providing inspiration as they continue to hone their writing skills. As students tackle a variety of assignments, they keep a separate journal in which they free write, brainstorm, take notes and create outlines to organize their ideas. “The Freshman Writing Course has allowed me to experiment with different types of writing, from persuasive essays and creative short stories to a Karelian poem, and helped me to find my own style and my own voice,” said Jack Flynn ’22. By the end of Freshman Writing, the writing process—prewriting, drafting, revising, and editing—becomes a natural and effective method for students. Along the way, they learn to think more critically about who they are, who their audience is and how to present themselves to the world. “The goal of this class is to make sure every day our students become better writers, better readers, better speakers, better thinkers, better people. You do that every day, five days a week, for a whole year, and you’re really thinking,” said Headmaster Burke. “Most kids don’t ever get a course like that.” Toward the end of the year, each freshman submits his best piece of writing to a publication titled Freshman Voices, and their collective efforts are celebrated at Freshman Writing Night. During the
evening, the John P. Birmingham Freshman Writing Award—a most fitting tribute to the driving force behind the Writing Program—is presented to a member of the freshman class who has distinguished himself over the course of the year. By taking a writing-only course early in their high school careers, our students are able to apply and refine what they’ve learned across the curriculum at every grade level. “So much of what the boys are asked to do in other disciplines—not just English— is predicated on good writing,” noted Assistant Headmaster Mike Nerbonne. Critical and intelligent writing is thriving in all departments, reflected in the quality of biology lab reports, history term papers, geometry proofs, and religion essays. The Writing Program has strengthened the Chapel Speaking Program as well. “There has to be a good document before you can have a good delivery,” added Nerbonne. Beyond the classroom, St. Sebastian’s provides a wealth of opportunities for students to publish their work. The Quiver, our literary magazine which has won national awards, celebrates creative pieces. The St. Sebastian’s Journal recognizes academic essays. The Dart (the lower school newspaper) and The Walrus (the upper school newspaper) offer opportunities to write feature stories. Students regularly win prestigious writing awards in local and national contests. Over the past decade or so, several senior members of the Drama
Club have written the winter play. St. Sebastian’s continued commitment to writing has translated to stronger verbal skills as well, demonstrated in successful performances in debate and Harvard Model Congress. The newest addition to St. Sebastian’s English curriculum, the Creative Writing course, has been a great success as a result of the many opportunities students have had to grow as writers leading up to their final year as an Arrow. The course is one of two offered to seniors in preparation for the AP Language & Composition exam. Launched three years ago, Creative Writing has become increasingly popular, with 29 students, nearly half of the senior class, electing to take on the challenging course this year. Taught by faculty member Adam White, the workshop-style course was inspired by a fiction class he took while earning his MFA at Columbia University. Every three weeks, students submit a creative piece—a full short story, a collection of poetry, or a chapter of a novella. Three days of class are then devoted to workshopping the students’ work, with the class of no more than ten sitting around a table. “Mr. White relinquishes control over to the class,” shared Brendan Murphy ’19. “Anyone is open to take the floor to share what he likes, what he thinks needs changing. It’s been hugely positive to hear feedback from my peers.” The structure allows for deeper conversations about each piece, whether focusing on symbolism or analyzing a character.
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English teacher Adam White leads seniors in a Creative Writing class.
“Without the foundation of Freshman Writing, followed up by English classes in sophomore and junior year, students might not be as ready to take some of the risks that they do,” noted White. “They’ve already written poetry and fiction and feel comfortable sharing their work with their classmates because they’ve done it before.” During the second semester, students focus on a final project of their choice, with a 20,000 minimum word count which is often surpassed. Submissions range from plays to novellas and memoirs and the volume of work is published at the end of each year, with a copy given to each author as a keepsake. According to White, “As the year progresses and students continue to find their own voice, they
increasingly tend to take on subject matter that is most relevant to their own lives and look at it with wisdom or humor.” For his final project, Neil Melley ’18 chose to write a full-length screenplay titled “Farm Boy,” loosely based on his summer job working at Tangerini’s Farm in Millis. “Rather than analyzing the themes and motifs of some author’s story, I was able to become the author myself and tell my own story,” shares Melley, a freshman at the University of Florida. “With guidance from Mr. White, a screenwriter himself, I was able to complete my first screenplay and have continued working on it in college.” While many graduates go on to study English in college, regardless of a student’s major, St. Sebastian’s
“Learning to be a good writer doesn’t steer you towards one career; it actually opens up everything so you can do anything well.” —Chris Lynch, Chair of the English Department 16 |
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emphasis on writing prepares all of our students for the heavy academic demands of higher education. Many recent alumni report that they are frequently called on to edit their college classmates’ papers. When they join the workforce, whether as an engineer, an accountant or a lawyer, those skills continue to benefit them as they communicate complex ideas, analyze information or deliver evidence. “Learning to be a good writer doesn’t steer you towards one career; it actually opens up everything so you can do anything well,” observes Chris Lynch, Chair of the English Department. Beyond teaching our students to think critically and write clearly, St. Sebastian’s Writing Program conveys other invaluable and enduring lessons. The practice of writing and revising work based on constructive criticism instills in our students the perpetual desire to learn and improve. The first lesson faculty member Brian Richter shares with students in his AP English & Composition class is, “The essence of writing is re-writing.” St. Sebastian’s also instills an appreciation for the importance and beauty of the written word, always within the context of audience and purpose. Ryan Bacic ’11 (Georgetown ’14), an editor at The Washington Post who had his first taste of journalism while working on The Dart in 7th grade, credits teachers at St. Sebastian’s with inspiring a diligence to the craft of writing that remains with him to this day. “Beautiful writing can move us like little else,” noted Bacic. “It inspires us to remember, to learn, to act, to cry, to… change.” Writing has always mattered, and it always will. Jack Birmingham knew this nearly three decades ago when he shared his vision for St. Sebastian’s to be known as the school where boys learn to write. “I think Jack would be really proud,” shared Headmaster Burke. “And he wouldn’t even have to read anything a student had written; he could glean it from listening to a Corporate Chapel address.”
Summer Workshops in Writing & Robotics TWO SESSIONS FOR SUMMER 2019
Robotics: July 8-19 | Writing: July 8-19 or July 22-Aug 2 These two distinct workshops, run by our experienced St. Sebastian’s faculty, are an enriching learning opportunity for students looking for a challenging and fun summer experience. Open to all boys entering grades 5–9
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Building
Our Endowment & Our Future
S
BY CHRISTINE Y. ROBERTSON
ince our founding in 1941, St. Sebastian’s has evolved and changed in ways Cardinal O’Connell could not have imagined. Over the past 25 years or so the pace of change has accelerated, touching nearly every aspect of the St. Sebastian’s experience. Most visibly, the campus along Greendale Avenue has been transformed, with the West Campus Center as the newest addition. Equally important and impressive, though, is the tremendous growth of our endowment in this relatively short period of time. Through it all, St. Sebastian’s has stayed true to our founder’s ideals and has been driven by our mission. As we look ahead, significantly building our endowment through the Spirit & People Campaign is key to fortifying our foundation and investing in our future.
At 78 years of age, St. Sebastian’s is a young school compared to our peers in the ISL—many of them with histories dating back to the 1800’s and one of them to the 1600’s—and the story of our endowment is even younger. When Bill Burke became St. Sebastian’s first lay headmaster in 1990, the endowment was a mere $30,000. Drawn to the school by all of the things that money cannot buy—great people, rich sacramental life, spiritual depth, academic rigor, excellence in the arts and athletics—Headmaster Burke recognized there was also much work to be done. From the very beginning of his tenure, he signed on to the unified vision of the Board of Trustees to make St. Sebastian’s the best school we could be. Based on extensive research, it became clear that while St. Sebastian’s finances were solid, despite its small endowment, the physical plant, even after the move from Newton to Needham, was sub-optimal—especially when evaluated against competing schools in the ISL. The goal of the New Century Fund Campaign, launched in the mid-1990’s, was to enhance the campus significantly, and this vision was
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July 1, 1990
$30,000
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realized well beyond original expectations. The New Century Fund Campaign strengthened the School in other unanticipated ways as well. Recognizing the outstanding quality of St. Sebastian’s teachers, Frank and Eileen Ward P’96 donated another $5 million—on top of their already generous contributions to brick and mortar projects — to boost faculty salaries. “Frank expressed his belief that our teachers comprised the best work force he had ever seen. Not only did this tremendous gift enable us to raise teacher compensation levels significantly, but, in essence, the gift established our endowment,” shared Headmaster Burke. By the conclusion of the Campaign in 2001, the endowment had grown to $7.9 million. As the next millennium began, St. Sebastian’s had been elevated to a new plateau, advancing at a rate few could have anticipated with a growing endowment, a vastly
improved campus and greatly strengthened programs. Another remarkably successful campaign, Faith & Future, followed from 2007 to 2013, once again exceeding our fundraising goal, making dramatic improvements to the physical plant and giving the endowment another significant boost of $4.6 million. In between campaigns, annual gifts were also made to the endowment. By the time the Spirit & People Campaign was officially launched in January 2016, the endowment had grown to $31.1 million. Along the way, many generous alumni, parents and friends have established endowed funds to support the people, programs and infrastructure that make the St. Sebastian’s experience possible. Several donors have chosen to establish a named endowment fund to honor the memory of a loved one, to express appreciation of an alumnus or faculty member, or to recognize a class. Most of these funds are restricted, designated to a specific purpose, such as providing for scholarships, supporting faculty or a specific program, enhancing arts and technology, or endowing a department chair. These funds are held in perpetuity, assuring the donors that their vision will continue to make a difference in the lives of students and faculty yet unborn. Others are unrestricted, given freely to the School to be used where needed most. Over the years, numerous trustees have played an invaluable role in the endowment’s transformation. Indeed, St. Sebastian’s impressive rate of change is largely due to the school’s consistently strong leadership at the Board level. This distinguished group of men and women has never been satisfied with the status quo, always pushing the outer edges to advance. That energy and foresight has generated exceptional support at all gift levels, with a number of major contributions from both parents and alumni.
ENDOWMENT BY THE NUMBERS
$30,000
Size of St. Sebastian’s endowment when Headmaster Bill Burke began his tenure in 1990
$5 million Largest single gift to the endowment, given by Frank and Eileen Ward P’96 to support the faculty
3
Number of capital campaigns contributing to the growth of the endowment over the past 25 years
I
$22.5 million Endowment goal of the Spirit & People Campaign, which will bring St. Sebastian's endowment above $50 million
7
Number of named scholarship funds that have been established since the inception of the Spirit & People Campaign
∞
An investment in the endowment today will have an impact on St. Sebastian’s that lasts forever
December 31, 2018
$40.1 million
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“Having an endowment is analogous to a home having a foundation.” —James Elcock ’77, P’08, Board President
With a solid endowment in place, the Board’s Endowment Committee, comprised of talented investment professionals, oversees the allocation of the funds. Their expertise and dedication to St. Sebastian’s and our mission have further bolstered the endowment’s growth. Each endowment gift is carefully invested by the Endowment Committee and a portion of the income becomes available each year, supplementing the annual operating budget to support the School. The earnings generated by endowment funds have enabled St. Sebastian’s to do many positive things, such as help provide financial aid to 25% of the student body, support faculty salaries and benefits, and preserve and enhance all of the physical improvements that have been made to the School. This added cash flow benefits all current students and provides the flexibility needed to address some of our current needs. The endowment’s upward trajectory is just one part of the School’s story of success over the past quarter-century. St. Sebastian’s is now among the area’s most highly reputed independent schools, competing head-to-head for the best students and teachers. The rigor of our traditional academic program, the distinctiveness of our writing and speaking programs, the depth of our spiritual life, and our intimate and inclusive philosophy have served to separate us from the pack. With the completion of the magnificent West Campus Center—the first of the Spirit & People Campaign’s two distinct components—the transformation of our campus is complete, for now. However, we still have a long way to go before realizing some of our perennial, long-term goals, as our relatively modest endowment leaves us too heavily dependent upon tuition revenue. In this fiercely competitive independent school landscape where fiscal challenges are mounting, a robust endowment provides the greatest potential to secure St. Sebastian’s future. Clearly, the second component of the Spirit & People Campaign’s overall $55 million goal—adding $22.5 million to the endowment—is vitally important. “Having an endowment is analogous to a home having a foundation,” asserts James Elcock ’77, P’08, President of the Board of Trustees. “Growing this sustainable source of funding is critical to the School’s 20 |
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future and needs to be part of every campaign going forward.” This sentiment is echoed by Jack Doherty ’62, P’86, P’87, GP’17,’25; given his long history with the School and his current role as Business Manager, Doherty knows that every dream for improvement comes with a price—and the funds often must be found in the endowment. In a time of rising tuitions and an ever-growing need for financial aid among many families, seeking to keep St. Sebastian’s affordable is a critical goal. As we look ahead, the School remains committed to attracting and supporting deserving financially disadvantaged students, while also focusing our efforts on making the tuition more viable for middle class families who don’t qualify for full tuition assistance. A strong financial aid program—supported by endowment funds—ensures that the student body continues to be improved by young people from a variety of socioeconomic backgrounds. “A diverse student body strengthens our school community beyond measure, bringing together boys from different backgrounds with different life experiences,” shares Headmaster Burke. “Financial aid gives us the opportunity to change the course of someone’s life. A stronger endowment is key to making these things possible.” In addition to attracting talented and engaged students, a healthy endowment ensures that we can continue to hire, support, and retain the highest quality faculty and staff who love their students and stand at the heart of our excellent academic, athletic and extracurricular programs. Taking care of our faculty through competitive salaries, benefits, and professional development opportunities is right and just and critically important. In addition to scholarships and faculty support, the operating costs needed to maintain new and existing facilities have also been factored into the endowment component of the campaign. Raising funds to cover these expenses provides a restricted pool of money from which to draw, and, thus, takes pressure off of tuition. A larger endowment will also give the School tremendous flexibility to meet the needs of such challenges as a downturn in the economy. As of April 1, 2019, $8.5 million needs to be raised to meet the Spirit & People Campaign’s endowment goal of $22.5 million and raise St. Sebastian’s total endowment above $50 million. Since the Campaign’s inception, more than 261 alumni, parents, past parents, grandparents, faculty and friends have joined the many other generous members of our St. Sebastian’s family to build this valuable resource from just $30,000. Investing in the endowment is among the most meaningful and transformative ways to contribute to the permanent legacy of St. Sebastian’s. Every gift to this enduring source of funding, no matter the size, will allow us to continue to advance our most important mission, to achieve our loftiest goals, and to secure our brightest future.
Be a part of this exciting chapter in St. Sebastian’s story of tremendous transformation. The Spirit & People Campaign is a $55 million effort that will play a critical role in shaping the future of St. Sebastian’s. The West Campus Center—the first of the Campaign’s two distinct components— opened in November 2018 and has made an enormous impact on the life of the School. Through the tremendous generosity of our Campaign donors, the $31 million needed to build the Center has been raised. Now in its fourth year, the focus of the Campaign shifts to completing the second, vitally important, component of adding $22.5 million to St. Sebastian’s endowment. There are many ways to support the Campaign, including gifts of cash or
securities, planned gifts, and bequests. Naming opportunities are also available, such as establishing an endowment fund for a chair of a department, or setting up a fund to support financial aid or to preserve a particular program of interest. We invite you to learn more by visiting our campaign website at www.spiritandpeople.org, or by contacting Rich Arms, Director of Alumni & Development at rich_arms@stsebs.org or 781-247-0116.
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70 Years of
THE GUILD OF ST. IRENE In 1949, eight years after St. Sebastian’s was founded, the first Headmaster, Fr. Charles McInnis, made a wise decision by enlisting the help of the students’ mothers to support the School and its ideals. The mother’s association, established as the Guild of St. Irene, quickly became an integral part of the school community. Seventy years—and thousands of mothers— later, the Guild’s unwavering devotion to St. Sebastian’s continues to play a vital role in the School’s spirit and its success. OPPOSITE (from top to bottom): Headmaster McInnis with Guild Officers in November 1950; An ad for the first Christmas Shop on December 3, 1949; Students have fun on the dance floor at the Shamrock Hop, an annual event organized by the Guild in the 1950s; Mothers enjoy tea at the first Communion Breakfast on January 20, 1949; Richard Palmaccio helps run one of the games at the Christmas Shop in 1960; The cover from a book of raffle tickets sold at the 1964 Christmas Shop; The gym on Nonantum Hill is transformed for the hoards of visitors to the Christmas Shop in 1950; a mother volunteers at the Christmas Shop in 1970; Parents bid on live items at the Christmas Auction in 1997; Elaine Pietsch P'04, ’06, Celeste Wolfe P'09,12 and Patty Burke P'95,'97,'00,'04 at the Christmas Auction in 2005.
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1949 From the very beginning, St. Sebastian’s was a family affair, with parents regularly attending events in the dining hall and rooting for their sons from the sidelines. Their presence on Nonantum Hill was welcomed and encouraged by the administration and faculty of priests. As the student body rapidly grew in just a few short years, the increased enrollment prompted Fr. McInnis to seek additional support from the parents. In 1948, a group of fathers established the St. Sebastian’s Association, today known as the Men’s Association, with Mr. Harold Field P’48 serving as the first president. A year later, the mothers formed the Guild of St. Irene, with Mrs. Harold Field P’48 serving as president of the pioneer organization. The Guild of St. Irene was aptly named in honor of the holy woman who nursed Saint Sebastian back to health after his body was riddled with arrows by the archers of the Emperor Diocletian and he was left for dead. The objective of the Guild was to host activities that would provide spiritual, intellectual and social enrichment for the mothers, while strengthening the School’s mission and its programs through volunteer and fundraising efforts. It did not take long for the Guild to create an interesting and varied calendar of events, beginning with its first Communion Breakfast on January 20, 1949. Held on the Feast Day of Saint Sebastian, a Communion Mass was celebrated by Fr. McInnis at St. Gabriel’s Church, followed by breakfast at the Beaconsfield Hotel, during which the headmaster shared a thrilling account of his recent trip to Rome with the mothers. Another inaugural event included organizing the Spring Festival Dance on April 23, 1949, to which all students were invited at the cost of $1.20 per couple. 24 |
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LEFT: Mothers of the Guild of St. Irene plan their third annual Christmas Shop in 1951; RIGHT: Patrons shop the plethora of goods for sale at the 1979 Christmas Bazaar.
In its second year of existence, the Guild’s calendar was rounded out with a Day of Recollection Mass and Luncheon in October, a dinner dance in November (under the combined auspices of the St. Sebastian’s Association), a series of public lectures given by members of the faculty, regular monthly meetings and the President’s Tea in April to honor the outgoing Guild president. As the decade progressed, additional social activities were woven in, including the first fashion show in the spring of 1952, with members serving as the models. The Guild continued to sponsor dances for the boys as well, including the lively Shamrock Hop held in the gymnasium, with girls from neighboring Catholic schools invited to attend. In addition to social activities, from the outset the Guild also committed to sponsoring one major fundraising endeavor each year. Their first “Christmas Shop” was held in the gymnasium on December 3, 1949. Holiday entertainment—the arrival of Santa Claus, the lighting of a huge Christmas tree, Pierette and her frolicking clowns, and carols sung by the St. Sebastian’s Choristers—provided fun for the whole family, and lunch, afternoon tea and dinner served in the Refectory kept the patrons well fed. The booths were laden with a plethora of items for sale, from toys to leather goods and costume jewelry. When the
proceeds were totaled, Mrs. Stephen T. Kett, the general chair of the bazaar, was able to announce an overall profit of $5,600. The Christmas Shop became a hallmark event for the Guild and a major boon for St. Sebastian’s. Year after year, the mothers worked for months in advance to organize the fair, adding games, a raffle, and new forms of entertainment. The event was not only widely popular among St. Sebastian’s families and alumni, but drew in people from the community as well. As shared in a 1963 edition of The Walrus, “The night of the Christmas Shop saw a carcovered hill and a jam-packed gym. As the tide flowed in, the waves of people carried the goods out. The continuous rumble of the buyers and sellers, and the shrieks and sighs of the winners and losers made it all come alive.” Over the course of the following decades, pony rides and chance books for coveted items, such as a black and white television set, evolved into pizza and cotton candy concessions and raffles for Bruins tickets or a trip to Jamaica. The annual fundraiser continued to bring the crowds to Nonantum Hill and later to Greendale Avenue. As Vincent Gandolfo wrote in a 1972 Walrus article, “The one aspect of the entire operation which continually amazes me is how the mothers can come up with a success, year after year.
This only goes to prove that there is a great deal of devotion and support towards the school, and I am certain that in the future, this will not change.” Indeed, the mothers of the Guild have never stopped in their fundraising endeavors since that first Christmas Shop in 1949. In the mid 1990s, the annual event, by then known as the Christmas Bazaar, was transformed into the Christmas Auction & Dinner. Taking place on the first Saturday in December to celebrate the season and support the School, the auction has proved to be a tremendous fundraiser for St. Sebastian’s. The most recent auction held on December 1, 2018, raised over $500,000—a reflection of the hard work and building blocks put in place by auction committees over the past 25 years.
Stronger than ever seven decades after its formation, the Guild continues to thrive in other ways, with members dedicating themselves to a host of events and initiatives that contribute to St. Sebastian’s strong sense of community. More than half of the mothers of the current student body—a workforce of over 150—are involved in some way: helping at various events, from Homecoming to Grandparents & Special Friends Day; acting as class representatives; beautifying the grounds; organizing faculty appreciation; supporting members of the community going through a difficult time through the Care & Concerns Committee; and more! In addition to the auction, social events include the New Mother’s Coffee to welcome the incoming moms
TOP LEFT: Mothers of seniors serve as models at the Fashion Show, the Guild's annual closing event, in 2014; TOP RIGHT: Guild members help out at the bookstore tent at Homecoming 2015. BOTTOM: A group of mothers gather for the first meeting of the Lenten Book Club in March 2019.
at the beginning of the school year, a Valentine’s Day Social and the Fashion Show in May to celebrate the outgoing moms. New this year, the Guild added a Lenten Book Club to provide spiritual enrichment to its members. The Guild’s loyal support has been a cornerstone for St. Sebastian’s success. From Fr. Charles McInnis to Bill Burke, each and every headmaster has recognized the valuable role the Guild plays in the life of the school. “The mothers have so much to offer,” notes current Guild President, Jeanne McKenzie P’18,’20. “Their involvement in the Guild gives them a way to channel their talents and their energy to benefit the school. It makes it a family community as opposed to just the son’s community.” The mothers, in turn, are brought closer to the school and to each other. The same spirit and connectedness among “Arrows brothers” flourishes among the parents as well. At the Guild’s 50th Anniversary celebration in Ward Hall on October 27, 1999, Anne Mulroy P’73,’74,’76,’78,’82, GP’02 shared a sentiment that still resonates 20 years later: “As we worked together, played together, and prayed together, we developed friendships that endure to this day. These friendships grew not only from our common goals, but also from a wellspring of devotion to this School.” To the Guild members of the past and present, thank you for all the contributions you have made and continue to make to St. Sebastian’s. The collective impact of your time, talents and treasure over the past 70 years have enriched our school beyond measure.
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Following A PASSION, Forging A CAREER
BY JOEY SPADONI
Every day on the job is different for Conor Doherty ’01. A professional fashion and commercial photographer, Doherty traverses the country generating images for top brands. From behind the lens to post-processing, he utilizes his talents to capture the beauty and importance of the subject in a way that reflects a brand's identity. Doherty believes, however, that success in the hyper-competitive world of commercial photography is about far more than just talent; business savvy, people skills, and work ethic are also essential. An artistic entrepreneur with a philosophical outlook, Doherty has found a way to combine his academic and business backgrounds with his passion for photography, and is having fun while he’s at it. 26 |
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lthough Doherty enjoyed capturing the world around him from a young age, a creative career was not always on his agenda. After graduating from St. Sebastian’s in 2001, he went on to study philosophy at Tufts University and then entered the world of finance. Over the course of the next six years, he divided his time between Wellesley, MA, and Bermuda, working as a Senior Business Analyst for the international division of a multi-national insurance company. His position pushed him to creatively problem solve, something he relished. Although initially stimulating, over time his work left him feeling unfulfilled and thinking about what he wanted to do next. Despite not being trained as a photographer, something led Doherty to pick up a camera and immerse himself into learning everything he could about the craft and the profession. He gradually began to take on freelance photography jobs and ultimately decided to make the dramatic career switch in 2012, leaving behind finance to pursue his newfound love. The transition was challenging, but Doherty ultimately persevered. He applied the many skills he gained in his previous job to building his own business from the ground up. OPPOSITE (from top to bottom): An image from the “Bliss” series, which Conor created to address climate change; A portrait of Governor Charlie Baker; Examples of Conor’s work as a fashion and commercial photographer. (Photos: Conor Doherty ‘01)
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Conor expresses his creativity in this dream-like long exposure image. (Photo: Conor Doherty ’01)
Driven by his enthusiasm for a new challenge, Doherty devoted his energies to establishing himself in a crowded industry. “There are so many talented artists who will never make the big leagues because they don’t have the drive or the business sense or the communications skills that it takes to be successful when you are self-employed,” observed Doherty. He loves what he does and it shows in the way he approaches his work with his clients and the images he delivers. Doherty utilizes a number of different elements—lighting, angle, composition—to dictate how his
subject is perceived, an endeavor that he greatly enjoys. Beyond his work as a commercial photographer, Doherty—still a philosopher at heart—enjoys creating photographs with depth and meaning. “Bliss,” a compelling image displayed as a billboard in New York City in 2017, served as a commentary on society’s general apathy towards rising sea levels. “I was trying to think of a way that I could create a visual experience that cannot only be powerful for people if they understand it but that also can be an embodiment of the collective conscious state we are in that has led
Doherty Shares His Passion with AP Photography Class Conor Doherty ’01 paid a visit to campus on March 5 to share insights into his career as a professional photographer with members of the AP Photography class. The students got a glimpse of Doherty’s workflow as he set up a mini photo shoot with professional lighting and snapped a few portraits of one of the boys. The new video classroom in the West Campus Center provided an abundance of space for him to set up his equipment. He then displayed the photographs with the projector so the students could watch as he manipulated images utilizing the same tools he uses to create photographs for his clients. The students were able to ask questions throughout the process and experience Doherty's vision and skill firsthand.
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“If you are going to work hard in your life anyway, you might as well do something that you are passionate about and find a way to make it work for you.” to this crisis.” Doherty also loves fine art and has used his camera to create dreamlike, long-exposure images with the sole purpose of expressing aesthetic beauty, rather than conveying a literal message. In order to be a successful photographer, Doherty has had to work hard, but the effort has been worth it. “If you are going to work hard in your life anyway, you might as well do something that you are passionate about and find a way to make it work for you,” he noted. This Arrow has most definitely found a way to make it work.
FINE ARTS
Room to Explore Our new MEDIA LAB AND DARKROOM allow students to explore the art of photography more in depth. The darkroom accommodates twice as many students as the previous space, enabling more students to follow the process of creating a photograph from the moment they press the shutter of the camera to watching their image emerge in the chemicals. The media lab gives students the opportunity to edit and enhance their digital images as they develop their own creative voice.
Making Art out of
SNOW
Arrows Perform in the Berklee High School Jazz Festival St. Sebastian’s musicians attended the Berklee High School Jazz Festival on January 26 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. This was the first time that St. Sebastian’s participated in the event as a competitor, joining more than 4,000 students and 275 ensembles at the largest festival of its kind in the U.S. The Arrows performed three songs: "Boogie Shoes," a funk blues song; "This Is Me," a vocal piece; and "Havanna," a Latin jazz piece. In their division, the band placed 15th, and was a huge success all around. Congratulations to our students who worked tirelessly for most of the year in preparation for this event.
Two art history students, 7th graders Seamus McDonough and Derron St. Marie, used snow to sculpt the Easter Island's Rapa Nui heads. Their masterpiece didn't take long to melt, but was cool while it lasted!
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IMAGINARY FRIENDS Dynamic Duo Write and Direct an Empathy-Themed Winter Play When seniors Anthony Perez and Cole Tremblay joined forces to produce their own dramatic production, not only did they continue a tradition of students writing and directing original plays, they created a show that tied in with the School’s theme of the year: empathy. The two Arrows, who had shared the stage on many occasions, drew on their friendship and their mutual love of theater to collaborate on this year’s winter play, Imaginary Friends.
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FINE ARTS
T
remblay’s journey with the drama club began when he was a freshman and Perez joined the squad the following year. Along the way, the two actors have had a number of roles together, such as Cartwright and Milker in Sherlock Holmes, Jay Raymond and John De Putz in A Rock and a Hard Place, Pip and Magwitch in Great Expectations, and they even opened Imaginary Friends with a two-person skit, DMV Tyrant. “My role in the process was helping Tony brainstorm and come up with the arc first, and then fit characters into that,” commented Tremblay. “Once we had the arc and characters figured out, we split it up and took on different characters for writing.” Inspired by members of the Class of 2018, who dressed up as animals for Halloween during their senior year, Perez and Tremblay wanted to create a comedy that would feature the cast in similar garb. After writing different sections, the two Arrows blended their ideas together into the final script. “I like to think, specifically with drama, we are a dynamic duo,” remarked Perez. Although intended to be a comedy, Imaginary Friends explored the difficult topic of loss. As the plot began to take shape, Fine Arts Chair and club moderator Mark Rogers recommended the two weave in the School’s theme of empathy. In speaking about the show, Perez remarked, “It deals with something where people are projecting their emotions. Everyone in the audience, I’m sure, has experienced loss at some point in their lives, and so it naturally went well with the theme.” Imaginary Friends follows Ted, played by Cam Howell ’21, who has lost his mother, and his imaginary friend, Mr. Z the Zebra, played by Alessandro Barbiellini ’21, as the two interact with a plethora of other silly characters in the world of make-believe. Perez and Tremblay intentionally constructed scenarios in which Ted, along with the audience, is exposed to the many ways in which people deal with negative emotions. “We tried to make each imaginary character a different form of coping,” said Tremblay. As for the directing of the show, Perez and Tremblay credit the talented cast and Mr. Rogers’ help as being essential ingredients in the overall success of the production. From lighting and sound to acting and directing, all the Arrows worked well together to put on a great show. On April 6, the cast performed Imaginary Friends in the Massachusetts Theater Celebration at Hudson High School and Perez and Tremblay won awards for play-writing. After such a wonderful run as members of the Slings and Arrows Players, the sky is the limit for these two Arrows.
OPPOSITE: Ted, played by Cam Howell ’21 (left), with his imaginary friend, Mr. Z the Zebra, played by Alessandro Barbiellini ’21 (right); TOP: The "Dynamic Duo," Anthony Perez ’19 and Cole Tremblay ’19, watch as the actors bring their play to life; BOTTOM: Anton the Polar Bear (Will Hentschel ’19), Ozzy the Kangaroo (Jack Hentschel ’22), Bo the Bovine (Matt Noone ’22) and Sir Penguin of Flippy Foot (Jack Randall ’19).
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FINE ARTS
Chipping In For some of our older alumni, perhaps this image sparks a memory of clearing the outdoor hockey rink on Nonantum Hill. Those were the days! On March 4, 2019, the biggest storm of the season dropped more than a foot of snow across southern New England late Sunday night into Monday morning. Two days later, the fields were still covered with snow. Determined to get training for the spring season underway, members of the varsity lacrosse team grabbed shovels and started chipping away at the hardpacked snow. It was truly a team effort, harkening back to the days when Arrows were called upon to help clear the rink after each snow fall.
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WINTER SPORTS Varsity Hockey BY COACH SEAN MCCANN
“Culture is not static; it’s dynamic. You can change it by what you say. You can elevate it by what you think. You can improve it by what you share. You can transform it by what you do.” (Jon Gordon—The Power of a Positive Team) There is no doubt that a strong culture can allow good teams to be great. But what each individual says, thinks, shares and does takes time to cultivate and the willingness of all to establish. Fortunately, this year’s team had exceptional leaders who had grown and developed together. Captains Liam Gorman ’19 and Tommy Lyons ’19 immediately set the tone for the season with the support of numerous other players. Although the season started off with a disappointing loss, the team bounced back with a strong showing against Milton. Liam Connors ’20 and Cam 34 |
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Collins ’21 both scored shorthanded goals in the second period while Luke Garrity ’20 stopped 23 of 24 shots to earn a 3-1 victory and his first win as an Arrow. Two days later, former Arrow Carl Corazzini ’97 brought St. Mark’s to Lane Arena for the first time, but the team was ready as four different players scored to establish a commanding 4-0 lead by the halfway point. Jayden Struble ’20 led the way with 4 points while Declan Maguire ’20 contributed 3 assists in an 8-4 victory. The next two games were on the road against Exeter and Brooks. Exeter jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the 2nd period before an attempted late rally by St. Seb’s fell short. However, Brooks was a different story: five different players scored as the Arrows registered 53 shots on goal, winning 5-2. Defensemen Ryan MacDermott ’20 and Joey Harney ’21 and forward Timmy Delay ’22 all scored their first career goals and Jack Moffat ’19 earned the first win of his career. The annual St. Sebastian’s Tournament was quickly approaching
and it had been nine long years since the host team had claimed the title. Winchendon was the opening opponent and Gorman and JP Milbury ’19 paced the team with two goals apiece as the Arrows won 5-1. An older Albany Academy team was the second round opponent and they were intent on avenging last year’s loss. Fortunately, three first-half goals provided enough cushion as the Arrows held on to a 3-2 win and a spot in the championship game. The Northwood School and their 23-game winning streak cruised into the game, but the Arrows were not to be denied. An excellent game by Garrity and two goals by James Davenport ’19 propelled the team to an outstanding performance and a well-deserved championship. Three non-conference games followed with the Mutch Cup game against Catholic Memorial being the first. Jack Hughes ’22 contributed with two goals and Struble had three assisted for a 6-2 win. St. Seb’s followed that with an 8-3 defeat of Williston with Tom Messineo ’21 notching
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one goal and two assists and a loss to Berkshire with Will Elias ’22 being the lone goal scorer, his first of the year. With the calendar turning to 2019, the Arrows were facing the most difficult part of the season as they balanced exams and 8 games in 27 days. Every game was against ISL opponents and none was bigger than the next two versus Nobles and Belmont Hill. Luckily for St. Seb’s, the “Liams” were ready to go as Gorman, Connors and Liam Devlin ’20 scored to beat Nobles. Three days later, Jake Lavoie ’21 scored an outstanding back door goal early in the 1st period before Devlin scored a shorthanded goal on an impressive individual effort in the 3rd period to cement a 2-1 win versus Belmont Hill. The next six games proved to be close yet exciting games as the Arrows went 5-1 with wins against Thayer and another win versus Nobles to sweep the season series for the first time in 8 years. Brendan Dumas ’21 was impressive against BB&N with two goals and one assist, while Lyons scored three in a 4-1 win against Milton for his first career hat trick and Moffatt stood tall in the goal. February was not going to be any easier with nine more contests to determine the team’s fate as the
playoffs approached. There was an outstanding performance at St. Paul’s with three shorthanded goals by Hughes, Gorman and Connors and a complete game shutout by Garrity to win 4-0. A highly ranked Proctor team came to Seb’s next but the team exploded for eight goals with Brendan Gorman ’22 leading the way with two goals and one assist while Chris Cataldo ’20 and Garrity combined for the win. The offense kept rolling into Belmont Hill as four different players scored in the 1st period to roll to a 5-2 win. The most highly anticipated game of the year against Lawrence Academy brought a packed house and a determined St. Seb’s squad. Thirteen players contributed offensively as everything went the Arrows way. Connors scored three goals while Connor Joyce ’20 contributed two en route to a 9-2 triumph. The team defeated their next three opponents with Liam Murphy ’20 playing well against Hoosac and Nolan Joyce ’23 getting his first career goal against Governor’s. With two games remaining against playoff caliber teams, St. Seb’s was trying to secure its spot in the Elite Eight Tournament. A great game against Lawrence where Henry’s
Corner travelled to Groton, MA, did not fall our way as the team lost 4-2. However, a quick turnaround provided an opportunity for the team to rebound for the Valicenti Cup versus Thayer. A hard fought game against an aggressive team resulted in a 3-2 win and a guaranteed spot in the Elite Eight. St. Sebastian’s earned a spot in the Elite Eight for the first time in its 10year history. The Arrows hosted Dexter in the quarterfinals in what ended up being an electric game that displayed speed, physicality and skill. Dexter jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, but St. Seb’s clawed back to make it 3-2 early in the 3rd period. Unfortunately, the Arrows couldn’t get the equalizer as their season ended a few days too early. At 23-6, this season was one of the best in school history and the best since 2003. Liam Gorman and Jayden Struble were voted as ALL NEPSAC East team members and Connors, Davenport, Lyons, Gorman and Struble were All ISL with Devlin and Joyce being Honorable Mention. This team was defined by its leadership and those players moving on will be missed, but next year’s team will be well taken care of with new captains, Liam Connors, Liam Devlin and Connor Joyce. Once an Arrow, Always an Arrow!
OPPOSITE: The victorious varsity hockey team after defeating Catholic Memorial in the 25th Annual Kevin Mutch ’80 Memorial Hockey Game. LEFT: James Davenport ’19 fires a shot into the offensive zone. RIGHT: Liam Gorman ’19 prepares to make a move.
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Varsity Wrestling BY COACH STEPHEN SALOMONE
The 2018-2019 season was a momentous one for the St. Sebastian’s wrestling team. With much anticipation, the team inaugurated the new wrestling room, which is arguably the nicest wrestling facility in the ISL. Finally having a space on campus to call their own, and under the guidance of Coaches Ryan, Willey, Salomone, and Adkins, the wrestlers hit the mats hard in November in preparation for the long and arduous season. When the end of the season arrived in February, the team had its second best performance in the 11year history of the program, finishing 36 |
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with an 8-8 record, which is only the second time the season concluded with a record at or above .500. The team had no wrestlers in multiple weight classes, and some matches came down to a single bout. This is a testament to the determination and grit of the wrestlers who stepped onto the mat throughout the season. The team was excited to welcome a crop of newcomers to the sport. Andrew Hahm ’22 and Jake Babigian ’20 joined the team this year and learned more and more wrestling skills as the season progressed. Andrew finished his rookie campaign with four non-forfeit wins, often against more experienced opponents. Devlin McCool ’19 was the rare senior who decided to challenge himself with wrestling. His toughness impressed the coaches each time he competed, and he finished with
six wins on the season. He is a classic example of the athlete about whom the coaches say, “if only he would have come out for wrestling earlier . . .” Matt Behman ’19, though technically not a newcomer to wrestling, decided to return to the sport after a long hiatus. In spite of nagging injuries, his enthusiasm and raw athleticism led to a 5th place finish at the GravesKelsey ISL championship tournament, just missing out on advancing to the New England Prep championship. Ben Frisoli ’22 filled the 106 lb. weight class this year, and he certainly made an immediate impact on the team’s success. He was undefeated in dual meets and finished with seventeen non-forfeit wins. He placed 4th at ISLs and went on to a 7th place finish at the New England Prep championship. He received Honorable Mention All-ISL, and the
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coaches are eager to see him build on this success in the coming years. The returning veterans on the team also achieved noteworthy success this season. Nick Vallace ’21 tallied fourteen wins on his way to a 3rd place finish at ISLs and an 8th place finish at the New England Prep championship. He led the team with 43 total match points earned for the team score. Scott Behman ’21 battled injury and illness this season, winning eight matches total but finishing with a strong 3rd at ISLs and 7th at New England. Nick and Scott both earned Honorable Mention All-ISL and have been selected by their teammates as captains for the 20192020 season. Other returning veterans who contributed to the team were Andy Duong ’20, Henry Gennari ’21, Jack Mahoney ’21, Nick Merageas ’21, Will Perri ’21, and Sam Randall ’21. The squad was rounded out by seniors Jack Hynes, Chinedu Okwerekwu and Anthony Perez. Chinedu finished his final season with four wins and, as he explained in his senior chapel speech, a deeper appreciation for the character-
building aspects of the sport. Jack unfortunately had a season-ending elbow injury in December, yet as team captain he remained a leader for his teammates. He was always at practice when he was not working to heal and rehab his elbow, and his commitment to the team was an invaluable example for the younger guys. Anthony was the other team captain, and without a doubt he led the way in sweat and effort in the practice room. He wrestled tough at ISLs, and though he was disappointed to miss advancing to the New England Prep championship, he stepped up and won a tough final match to place 5th. The team will miss all the seniors next season, and their legacy will be felt for a long time on the mat. Penn State head coach and wrestling legend Cael Sanderson once said, “Wrestlers compete as individuals, yet the sport builds comradery like no other.” St. Sebastian’s wrestlers know this truth, and with the young and experienced group coming up, there are certainly great days ahead for the wrestling program.
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ATHLETIC AWARDS The following student-athletes were recognized for their performance during the winter season at an Athletic Awards Assembly on March 5.
BASKETBALL All-League ISL: Ben Kaczmarek ’21 Honorable Mention All-League ISL: Miguel Vega ’19 Fr. Daniel J. Gilmartin Award: Given by the coaches to the St. Sebastian’s basketball player who possesses the qualities of commitment, teamwork and outstanding attitude.
Miguel Vega ’19
HOCKEY All-League ISL: Liam Connors ’20, James Davenport ’19, Liam Gorman ’19, Tommy Lyons ’19, Jayden Struble ’20 Honorable Mention All-League ISL: Liam Devlin ’20, Connor Joyce ’20 ALL NEPSAC East Hockey Team: Liam Gorman ’19, Jayden Struble ’20 Jack Doherty Award: This award is presented to the member of the St. Sebastian’s varsity hockey team whose commitment to excellence and devotion to the game has repeatedly been evidenced by aggressive and spirited play and selfless contribution to the total team effort.
James Davenport ’19
SKIING All-League ISL: Billy Queally ’20
WRESTLING OPPOSITE: Devlin McCool ’19 squares off against his opponent in St. Sebastian's new wrestling room. ABOVE: Nick Vallace ’21 pins his opponent and receives encouragement from his coaches.
Honorable Mention All-League ISL: Scott Behman ’21, Bennett Frisoli ’22, Nick Vallace ’21
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Varsity Basketball BY COACH GEORGE MORELLI
The 2018-2019 Arrows basketball season began like no other in a new and amazing athletic facility. The roster was a diverse one this year—from newcomers to veterans—bringing a range of experience to the court. New additions to the team this year included: eighth graders Trevor Mullin and Zion Simmons; sophomores Lolo Garcia and Lyndel Erold, both new to St. Sebastian’s, along with their classmate Patrick Wade; and a bit longer in the tooth, senior Nick Price. In addition, the team was lucky to have the services of new managers, seniors Emmanuel Messele and Justin Charles, and junior David Thai. Three-year members of the varsity basketball team were senior co-captains Miguel Vega and Connor Bertsch, along with fellow senior and returner Alex Cherry. Co-captain elect Trace Gotham represented the lone returning junior and the returning sophomores, co-captain elect Ben Kaczmarek, Lou Hansen and Yves Kayihura, rounded out this year’s roster. The final record, 9-16, does not tell the story of how well this team competed, accomplishing some things no team in recent history has been able to achieve. The team defeated rival Belmont Hill twice, both on the Belmont campus, secured two Class A wins in the Seacoast Tournament, and rallied for an improbable comefrom-behind victory versus Groton, overcoming a 10-point deficit with under three minutes to play, to name just a few of the highlights. None of these things would have been possible without the outstanding leadership of the senior team members. They led by example both on and off the court, 38 |
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TOP: Ben Kaczmarek ’21 drives towards the hoop; BOTTOM LEFT: Miguel Vega ’19 fends the defender; BOTTOM RIGHT: Lyndel Erold ’21 attacks the hoop.
displaying grit and determination throughout the season. Each season has its own identity and moments that make it unique and memorable. This season, every player had their moment. Here are a few that stand out: Kaczmarek’s three pointer with seconds left, completing the aforementioned comeback versus Groton; Erold’s step-back jumper that turned out to be the game winner versus Belmont Hill; the shooting barrage of Bertsch and Vega’s shot down defense that led to an upset victory versus Governor’s; Price’s backto-back three pointers that put Rivers on their heels at least for a brief period; and the tangible void left in practice
following Cherry’s injury versus Rivers. As always, the Henry’s Corner turnout versus Belmont Hill creates an atmosphere that encapsulates what high school sports is all about—a game where records never matter, but always remind us of why we compete. The seniors will be missed for sure, but with the young talent in the program there is a buzz and optimism that makes the coaches wish for next November to hurry up and get here. On behalf of athletic director and assistant coach, David Hinman, thank you for all the support of the parents, friends and alumni of the St. Sebastian’s basketball program, Henry’s Corner and benefactors of our new gym. Go Arrows!
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Squash BY COACH BEN BROWN
The St. Sebastian’s squash team had a very successful inaugural season in our new facility: six beautiful new courts in a bright, open arena. The number of players almost doubled from what it had been in the past, and consequently the school could field two teams for the first time in the program’s history. Coaches Ben Brown and Andrew Conway ’06 reprised their roles from last year, while new faculty member Matt Donovan ’13 joined the ranks. Additionally, Coach Ray Lindsay, a former coach of the Luxembourg National Team with over 30 years of squash experience, was brought in to help the players work on their technique and overall understanding of the game of squash. The new facilities allowed the team to practice or play every day, so all players were able to
improve dramatically over the course of the season, even those who were completely new to the sport. The team was also able to host its first ever home matches, and they were well attended by fans throughout the season. Last year, the team only graduated one senior, so there was a solid core of returning players who were able to take the helm. This year’s team was led by seniors Jack Dumouchel, Andrew Ko, and Brian Piatelli who all maintained the top three ladder positions over the course of the season and played in their share of difficult matches. Sophomores Daniel Ko, Aidan Mulvey, Conor Mynahan, and Juan Oliva and freshmen Dylan Knightly and Nolan McGovern rounded out the top end of the ladder and they all competed in scoring positions during matches. With such a young squad this year, it bodes well for the future of the team as they continue the next chapter of St. Sebastian’s squash in their new facility.
TOP: Jack Dumouchel ’19 races after the ball; BOTTOM: The squash courts as seen from above during a match.
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Varsity Skiing BY COACH OLIVIA UHLMAN
The ski team had another rewarding season on the slopes. Competing against some impressive ISL skiers, as well as the conspiring forces of Mother Nature, many skiers set personal bests on the course. Despite a modest record, coming in 7th out of nine teams in the ISL, the team experienced wins in ways not measured by timing equipment. Coach Olivia Uhlman took the reins this year, aided by new assistant coach Thomas Moriarty and the guiding wisdom of the program’s head coach, Deirdre Rynne Annan. The coaching staff thanks the upperclassmen for their added support and leadership this season. Having graduated most of the competitive skiers over the past few years, many JV skiers had their first runs on the varsity knoll this year. Led by captain Teddy Hoppe ’19, the returning varsity skiers helped mentor newcomers, encouraging them and providing technical guidance, inspecting the race course each week. Other senior veterans of the team, Nolan Prince and Jack Gallagher played an important part in securing finishes for the team in both the GS and Slalom
races. They also both performed well at the Class A NEPSAC’s at Mount Sunapee. Throughout the season, Ted Duffy ’19 led by example, quietly taking care of tasks like equipment management and snack cleanup, modeling what it means to be a great teammate. Similarly, Jack LeBlanc ’19 hoisted team spirits by strong finishes on the JV hill and keeping a positive attitude in the face of any challenges. These seniors have been with the team for as many as 4-6 years, and saw it grow from a small squad to a championship team. They leave a great legacy! Besides the personnel changeover, this season saw some unique challenges. It was a winter marred by low snow totals and staffing difficulties at the training mountain. That meant skiers often attended practices without a race course set. It is difficult to train with only running drills and trying to apply those techniques during free runs, instead of practicing turning around gates like during a race. Despite all this, the skiers showed poise and patience throughout the season. In terms of health and growth, the team had a number of successes. Besides a couple pre-season injuries, they were fortunate to stay accident-free all season. Disqualification from missing a gate or popping off a ski is a problem
Jack Gallagher ’19 (left) and Nolan Prince ’19 (right) race down the slopes. (Photos: Risley Sports Photography)
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that has plagued many skiers the past few years. This year they worked hard to dig in their edges and make it down the hill, despite tough courses ranging from slushy rutted snow to sheets of ice. These efforts resulted in at least four solid finishes, and the resultant ability to place, each week. There were even a handful of races with no DQ’s on the varsity knoll at all! The coaches joke that this year the best advice in a speedbased sport was to tell their athletes to effectively “slow down,” or “don’t go as fast as you can.” The skiers listened well and determined when and how much to push themselves. One skier in particular, Billy Queally ’20, has been working on improving his completion rate over the past few years. His efforts paid off, earning his second All-ISL title this season! In spite of trying conditions, the skiers progressed as individuals and celebrated small victories over the course of the season. Aided by a strong junior class and other veterans on the team, they are in good hands for next year. Evan Prince ’20 and Billy Queally ’20 will rely on their experience and the example of previous captains to lead the team as co-captains. Thank you to parents, fans, and the school for your support! The team is looking forward to even more growth next year!
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CLASS NOTES
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Students enjoy lunch in the Refectory on Nonantum Hill in 1952.
CLASS NOTES
WHAT’S
NEW? Keep your classmates up to date on your accomplishments, family members, travels, or anything else new in your life. Send us photos, too!
Submit class notes and photos online at:
stsebs.org/classnotes Deadline for next issue:
JULY 10, 2019
Photos will be published based on quality and available space. Please be sure to send the highest quality image possible and identify everyone in the photo.
1950
Jim Harnedy reports: “During the holidays, I connected with several Arrow Classmates: Jim Allen, a fellow Mainer. Jim Delay, who leaves the Cape for sunny Florida in the winter. Jim is still writing and had a novel, Invasions on Hickory Road: A Comedy of the Hidden Realities, released in the late fall of 2017 (available on Amazon and local book stores). John Gazzola is living back on the South Shore; his wife, Pat, is suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and is in an extended living facility. I also spoke with Gerry Powers; he is still living in Jamaica Plain and hanging in there, like the rest of us old Arrows. My editor at The History Press contacted me last week to tell me that my new book, Forgotten Tales of Down East, Maine, is to be released on May 13. This book has a series of quirky vignettes that would be in the average Maine history text book. The book is a part of the publisher’s series of
Forgotten Tales of each state. I know that Massachusetts, New York and Utah have been published. I’m still holding down the fort here in Bucks Harbor, Machiasport, with Duncan, my wonderful, West Highland White Terrier.” (see photo)
1956
Moe Maloney retired from BC about a month ago where he had a computer— but left that behind and now the only way to be in touch is by PHONE! He was the school baseball coach for about ten years and for the past 20 years, he was Director of Community Services which was a group that brought community needs and BC students together. He shares that he loved getting the students involved with neighborhood needs throughout the city and is sure that some of his students had life-changing experiences while serving the needs of other less fortunate neighbors.
’65
’50 LEFT: Jim Harnedy ’50 with Duncan, his West Highland White terrier. RIGHT: 1965 Classmates Tim Sullivan, Ed Davis and John Hickey recently enjoyed lunch during a trip John made to visit his 97-year-old mother.
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CLASS NOTES
1959
Dr. Gerry Burke Healy, Past President and Past Chair of the Board of Regents of the American College of Surgeons, was one of thirty surgeons from around the world selected to the first class of the Academy of Master Surgeon Educators of the American College of Surgeons. This group was selected for their contributions to surgical education, as well as innovations in surgical care. He is currently Professor of Otolaryngology—Head & Neck Surgery, at Harvard Medical School.
‘children,’ six grandchildren, five siblings and a 93-year-old mum in Australia. Favorite spot—overlooking the Glasshouse Mountains, Maleny, Queensland, Australia, which is near the late Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo. I had a triple bypass right after 9-11, a widowmaker stent in 2008 after going into Heart Failure. The long term use of significant dosages of diuretics had led to stage 3 kidney failure. Dialysis is on the horizon. Considering my dad passed suddenly at age 50, when I was 14, I consider myself blessed to still be reasonably functioning at nearly 76.”
1960
1963
David Barlow shares: “I am gradually retiring from my anxiety and related disorders clinic at Boston University and spending more time on Nantucket along with some travel. But the big news in our family is that my daughter and her family are returning to Boston after 20 years in Colorado, and that our two grandsons, Harrison (14) and Colby (12), will be entering St. Seb’s in the fall in the 9th and 7th grades. Needless to say, Beverly and I are thrilled at the prospect!”
1961
Graham Govon reports: “I retired from Bath Iron Works, Shipbuilders and Engineers in 2008 after a 40year career in Bid & Proposal, Cost Control, and Procurement Cost & Price Analysis and Negotiation. I had the distinct pleasure of meeting John Wayne in 1976 at the launch of the Frigate FFG-7, Oliver Hazard Perry. Married since 2001 to a lovely Australian lady. I have made 12 extensive trips to Australia. I have two married ‘children’ and 2 lovely granddaughters. My wife has two
’60 David ’60 and Beverly Barlow.
Andrew Nemethy writes: “My remarkable family refugee story was known to many of my classmates, but not that I was raised in the first livable solar heated house ever built in the U.S., in Dover, MA. The Boston Globe Magazine of March 24, 2019, published the story of how I got my ‘sunny disposition,’ as I used to joke.” The article, written by Andrew and entitled ‘In 1948, we were human guinea pigs in the strangest house in Dover,’ can be found at www.bostonglobe.com/ magazine/2019/03/24.
that he co-wrote with his wife will be published by the ACRL (Association of College and Research Libraries). He has two grandchildren on the West Coast, his son’s daughter in San Francisco, and his daughter’s son in Seattle. He and his wife spend as much time as possible in their home in Vermont. He notes, “It is amazing where you run into St. Sebastian’s alumni. I am no longer surprised when I meet them in Germany, China, or wherever I might travel.”
1967
1971
James Freedman is retired from full-time work in global healthcare administration. He is still active in the field of education and leadership development. Jim divides his time between teaching in the Manning School of Management at UMassLowell, and in summers at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing, China. Later this year, a book on leadership development in higher education
Greg Cronin shares: “I’m proud to announce that I’m a first-time grandfather. My oldest son, Patrick, and his wife, Catherine, had a baby boy. He looks like a Latin scholar, just like me! Also, getting ready for our 50th! Meanwhile anyone who wants to play hockey in Tampa/Sarasota Florida in April 2020... National Father/Son/Daughter Pelican Cup Tournament, contact me! GO ARROWS!!!”
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CLASS NOTES
(1971 continued...)
’77
Gleason Gallagher spent some time thawing out in Naples, FL, during March. While there, he ran into Tim Ready ’63 in the 3 ft. section of the pool. He adds, “Next year, we need more of the boys for golf.” (see photo)
1977 ’71
Tom Vasquez shares: “My wife, Donna, and I recently became proud grandparents of Luca Thomas Vasquez. We are now the 4th generation of the Vasquez family in the town of Watertown.” (see photo)
1990
’68 Gleason Gallagher ’71 enjoyed a little blarney at the Naples St. Patrick’s Day Parade. n Tom Vasquez ’77 with his grandson, Luca. n Paul Maaloof ’68 (center) enjoys dinner with his classmate, Jay Carlson ’68 (left) and Jay’s wife, Jeani.
STAY CONNECTED Follow us on Instagram @StSebastiansSchool Like us on Facebook /Stsebs Follow us on Twitter @StSebsNeedham Connect with us on LinkedIn St. Sebastian’s School Alumni, connect with us by joining our Facebook Group! Search “St. Sebastian’s School Alumni” or use the url www.facebook.com/groups/stsebastiansschoolalumni
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Rev. Dr. Virgil Glenn reports: “After five years of study, I received my Doctor of Theology (Th.D.) from Andersonville Theological Seminary (Camilla, GA) in the field of Pastoral Theology in February, 2019. Currently, I am the pastor of Ward Chapel/Cain-Grant A.M.E. Church in Kansas City, Missouri. I live in Overland Park, Kansas with my wife, Rev. Rachel Williams-Glenn, with our two daughters, Denver and Virginia.”
Share your IDEAS for Alumni Profiles Do you know an alumnus you would like to see profiled in an issue of St. Sebastian’s Magazine? Tell us about it! Send an email with your suggestions to our Communications Office at communications@stsebs.org.
CLASS NOTES
1992
Brian Faherty is appearing in two episodes of Season 2 of Amazon Prime’s “The Tick .” He was also in the second episode of the new FX show “Fosse/Verdon.” (see photo)
’92
1999
C. Todd Patterson writes: “On March 7, my wife, Kara, and I welcomed our first child, Zachery. We could not be more excited. Never one to sit still, we are also in the process of moving back to the British Virgin Islands. We had hoped to be in attendance for my 20th reunion, but unfortunately, we will be gone by then. I hope to see you all at a future reunion.”
’99 Brian Faherty ’92 on an episode of Amazon Prime's “The Tick.” n Zachery, son of C. Todd Patterson '99 and his wife, Kara.
2000
After 4 years as an Infantry Officer, Andrei Doohovskoy and his wife, Mary, have settled in Littleton, MA. They have three daughters ages 5, 4 and 2. The kids love going fishing, camping and all things homesteadrelated. Andrei is working in Supply Chain Management and still keeps up on his interest in Russian and Central Asian affairs.
2002
Dr. Patrick Murphy reports: “My wife Jess and I are living in Canton, MA, with our three children Aubrey (6), Whitney (3), and Jake (1). Life has been fun and full of adventure with this crew. I am a partner at Murphy Dental Group in Milton, MA, where I have been practicing with my father since graduating from Tufts Univ. School of Dental Medicine in 2011. I hope this finds everyone doing well and looking fondly back at our time at Seb’s.” (see photo, next page)
Arrows Career Panel Reception The St. Sebastian's Alumni Office hosted a Career Panel Reception for members of the Classes of 2010 through 2018 on Thursday, January 3. Arrows gathered in the new video classroom in the West Campus Center to hear from four panelists: Connor Smith ’07, Brian Egan ’04, Michael White ’01, and Conor Doherty ’01. They each spoke about their fields, including financial services, commercial real estate, technology, and photography, as well as their respective paths. The panelists stressed the importance of internal and external networks, offered advice and answered questions. The session concluded with the whole group networking and exchanging ideas and information.
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CLASS NOTES
Photo courtesy of Army West Point Athletic Communications
2006
In February, Ted Dillon and his wife, Jenn, welcomed their first child! Ren Dillon was born on February 14, 2019, weighing in over 9 pounds. (see photo) Ted recently left his post of 8+ years as Managing Director at the Bostonbased marketing and consulting firm Captains of Industry to spend several months learning to be a dad before moving on to his next (yet to be determined) adventure. Ted and Jenn live in Charlestown with Ren and their fox red Labrador retriever, Moxie.
2007
Emilio Tangerini shares: “I married the love of my life, Alexandra Anderson, on October 20th in Boston. There were many Arrows in attendance! Fun time had by all!” (see photo)
2009
Dalton MacAfee ’13
Hobey Baker Award Nominee Dalton MacAfee ’13, a senior at West Point and captain of their hockey team, was nominated for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award, college hockey’s most prestigious honor. Established in 1981, the award is given to a player who demonstrates strength of character, sportsmanship, and academic achievement as well as excellence on the ice. A Systems and Decision Sciences major at West Point, the defenseman was voted team captain for the 2018-2019 season and finished the year having played 39 games, scoring 10 goals and 25 assists. MacAfee led West Point in scoring and was second on the team in goals and first in assists. He played a total of 108 games for the Knights accumulating 17 goals, 52 assists for a total of 69 points in his career. “Dalton was an extremely motivated and determined player both on and off the ice while at Seb’s,” commented Sean McCann, the St. Sebastian’s varsity hockey coach. “He had a presence that commanded the attention of his teammates while providing the leadership that the younger players would follow. He had energy, enthusiasm and an infectious personality that brought the team closer together.” Congratulations, Dalton, on this incredible honor.
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Zachary Simon is engaged to fiancée Jillian Sullivan (see photo). He is expected to graduate MIT this July with a Master of Business Administration and begin working at State Street Associates. They are planning to wed in July as well.
2013
Mike Petro is one of five novices who entered the Maryland and USA Northeast Provinces of Jesuits last September. He will spend this first two-year Novitiate program at Saint Andrew Hall in Syracuse, NY. Patrick Healy joined the roster of the Boston Cannons, becoming the first St. Sebastian’s alumnus to play lacrosse professionally. Healy played lacrosse at Notre Dame, starting in all fifteen games as a senior. As an Arrow, he played on the varsity lacrosse team for four seasons and was ranked as the number one player in Massachusetts by BostonLax his senior year.
CLASS NOTES
’07
Have you joined
’02
ARROWS
CONNECT? ’05
’06
Become a part of our amazing network of Arrows you can tap into anytime, from anywhere! Joining our networking platform for the St. Sebastian’s community is easy; you can even log in with your LinkedIn or Facebook accounts.
Expand your network Connect with classmates ’09 Emilio Tangerini ’07 married Alexandra Anderson on October 20, 2018. Arrows in attendance included: Kenny Csaplar ’07, Tommy Stratton ’08, Xave Jacoby ’08, the groom, Charles Tangerini ’62, Charles Tangerini Jr. ’08, Jack Doherty ’07, Eddie Doherty ’99, David Ryan ’07, and Timothy Cintolo ’07. n Dr. Patrick Murphy ’02 with his wife, Jess, and three children. n Ben Coskren, son of Nick ’05 and Kaitlyn Coskren, born on July 9, 2018. n Ted Dillon ’06 with his newborn son, Ren. n Zachary Simon ’09 with his fiancée, Jillian Sullivan.
Advance your career Be a mentor Register today:
www.arrowsconnect.org WINTER 2019
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GREAT GIFTS
for Grads & Dads! Looking for the perfect graduation or Father's Day gift? Whether you are a student, family member, or alumnus, wearing St. Sebastian’s gear is a great way to demonstrate your Arrows pride. We are ready to help you stock up on black and red apparel, from shirts and hats to coffee mugs, ties and blankets. St. Sebastian’s offers the greatest variety of items and sizes in its online store through Amerasport.
Shop online at: www.stsebs.org/store
Patrick Healy ’13—the first St. Sebastian's alumnus to play lacrosse professionally—scrimmaged against Michael Calabro ’16 and Jack Frisoli ’17 when the Cannons faced off against Harvard's team. n While serving as a guest lecturer at his alma mater, Middlebury College, on January 8, Headmaster Bill Burke broke bread with four Arrows currently studying at the liberal arts school, including Matt Daniel ’15, Raffi Barsamian ’17, Charlie Gordon ’15, and Weston Brach ’16. n St. Sebastian's staff members Jim Rest and Josef Cressotti were happily reunited with former colleague and St. Seb’s alum, Mike Petro ’13, at the Jesuit Gala in Boston on April 9.
View St. Sebastian’s Magazine online Did you know that St. Sebastian’s Magazine is available online? View the publication, including recent back issues, in a flipbook format on our website at: www.stsebs.org/magazine
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CLASS NOTES
Arrows Gatherings IN FLORIDA &
CALIFORNIA
O
ver March Break, the Alumni & Development Office headed to warmer climes for St. Sebastian’s annual receptions and visits in Florida and California. From March 14 through March 26, Headmaster Bill Burke, Rich Arms and Mike Melley had the opportunity to enjoy spending some time with many Arrow alumni, past and present parents, and friends of St. Sebastian’s. The trip kicked off with a reception at Chip ’67 and Bobbie O’Hare’s beautiful home at the Loxahatchee Club in Jupiter on March 15. The following day, a dinner hosted by Tom ’57 and Donna Regan was held at the Pelican Yacht Club in Fort Pierce, with Henry Lane ’49 and his daughter, Jennifer, in attendance. On March 18, Jim ’58 and Nancy Coleman hosted a reception at the Vineyards Country Club in Naples. From Florida, Headmaster Burke and Rich Arms headed west to California where they met with a number of alumni in Los Angeles and San Francisco.
Three generations of Cooks, John and Joette P '91, Alex '91 and Kate, Teddy and Charlotte, with Bill and Patty Burke at the Vineyards in Naples. n Carol and Jay LaMarche P'91,'93 at the home of Bobbie and Chip O'Hare ’67 at the Loxahatchee Club, Jupiter. n Jennifer Lane, Tom Regan ’57, Henry Lane ’49, Bill and Patty Burke, Donna Regan, and Rich Arms at the Pelican Yacht Club in Fort Pierce, FL. n Barbara Daley P'02 and Nancy Coleman at the Vineyards in Naples. n Chip O'Hare ’67, Karen Birmingham, and David ’57 and Elsie Norton at the O'Hare home.
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IN MEMORIAM We extend our deepest sympathy to the families of the graduates and friends of St. Sebastian’s School whose deaths are reported with sorrow.
Carl A. DeSimone, Jr. ’54
Carl passed away on December 28, 2018. An energetic and hard-working member of his class, he played varsity football and baseball, was on the Debate Team, and also participated in Minstrel Show and as a Sacristan. After graduation, Carl received his Bachelor’s degree from Boston College and his Master’s degree from Boston University. He worked tirelessly both as an educator and later as an independent sales representative. He also served proudly as a Lieutenant Commander with the Naval Reserve for 20 years. Carl greatly enjoyed working in his garden, cooking, travelling and music. He is survived by his wife, Cecelia, his daughter, Nina, sons Carl III and Joseph, grandsons Joseph and William, and sisters Louise and Denise. He is predeceased by his brother Paul ’55. Paul E. “Skip” LaJoie, Jr. ’55 Paul passed away on January 24, 2019. While at St. Sebastian’s, he was a member of the varsity football, basketball and baseball teams. Paul was the only boy in his class listed as a member of the nation’s first line of defense, the National Guard. After graduation, he became the owner of Northern Floors, Inc. in Winchester, MA. Later in life, he drove for several local excavating businesses. Skip held a profound passion for cars. For countless summers, he called Winter Harbor on Lake Winnipesaukee his home, where he enjoyed spending time with family and friends, boating and jet skiing. He and his wife enjoyed 45 years of love and laughter, two daughters, four grandsons, one cat, one dog, two houses, five boats, four jet skis, six snowmobiles, too many cars and trucks to count. He leaves behind his long time companion, Christine, his daughters, Pam and Jodi, his grandsons, Tim, Kyle, Brendan, and Brian, and brother Peter. 50 |
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Sean Kenney ’90 Sean passed away on February 28, 2019. During his days as an Arrow, he was a member of the varsity football team. After graduation, Sean went on to Wentworth Institute and was a member of the Glaziers and Glass Workers Local #1044. He was loved by many people and enjoyed his family most of all. He is survived by his daughter, Kristen, his mother, Ruth, and his brother, Evan. Daniel F. O’Leary, Jr. ’59 Daniel passed away on March 26, 2019. During his time on Nonantum Hill, Dan proved himself to be a fine example of the true St. Sebastian’s student. Math and history were his favorite subjects, and he played for the hockey team each year. After graduation, Dan attended Tufts University. He was a veteran serving with the U.S. Navy and owned and operated Sun Down, a clothing manufacturer in Lowell, MA, for many years. He is survived by his longtime partner, Lorraine, his son, Daniel, two daughters, Tara and Katherine, his brother, Joseph, his sisters, Nancy and Deirdre, 8 grandchildren, nieces and nephews. John E. Spenlinhauer III ’58 John passed away on February 12, 2019. While at St. Sebastian’s, John developed a love of math. After graduation, he attended Boston College and then, with his brother, took Spencer Press over from their father, expanding it first into a successful weboffset operation in Hingham, MA, and eventually moving to Wells, ME, to become the 6th largest privately owned printing company in the USA, with over 700 employees. John loved numbers and was an early adopter of computers and spreadsheets. He developed new systems and integrated new technologies, streamlining the process from press to mailbox, putting Spencer Press at the forefront of catalog printing for decades. He was inducted into the Printing Hall of Fame in 1998 for his contributions to the industry, and was a proud member of Web Offset Association board of directors. He is survived by: his wife, Paula; his brother, Stephen ’66; four children, Sepp, Meg, Eric and Emmy; two stepchildren, Jennifer and Rachael; 11 grandchildren; and nieces and nephews, including Michael ’94.
IN MEMORIAM
Walter Sullivan ’52 Walter passed away on March 22, 2019. As a student at St. Sebastian’s, Walter always had a friendly manner and ready smile. He played varsity football and baseball, and wrote for The Walrus. After graduation, Walter went on to Boston College and served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring as Commander. He had a long and distinguished career as a manufacturer’s representative of heavy construction products, and he was active in the industry until his retirement in the late 1990s. He is survived by his wife, Sandra; children Mark, Andrea, Timothy, Christopher and Amy; eight grandchildren; his sister, Marie; and 14 nieces and nephews. Thomas F. Walsh, Jr. ’57 Thomas passed away on February 8, 2019. While at St. Sebastian’s, he held his own in all subjects, preferring math above all others. Beyond the realm of books and sports, his great love was cars. After graduation, Tom served in the Air Force from 1957-1961, then went on to study at Bentley College. He was employed for many years at Hertz in East Boston as a manager until his retirement, then went on to manage FAE in Braintree. He will always be remembered for his optimism and his love of life and his family. Tom especially loved the precious time spent with his wife, Mary, on their weekly “fun dates.” He is also survived by: his daughter, Marianne; sons Thomas, Lawrence and Donald; grandchildren Ashley, Meghan, Stephanie, Liam, Sean, and Kayla; and great-granddaughter, Layla.
This listing contains deaths reported before April 1, 2019. To see a complete listing of Alumni who have passed away within the past twelve months please go to www.stsebs.org/inmemoriam. To report a death of a St. Sebastian’s alumnus or relative to the Development Office, please contact Kelsey Kane at kelsey_kane@stsebs.org.
ALUMNI RELATIVES & FRIENDS Marion C. Donahue March 4, 2019 Wife of Philip ’57 Joann Renita Dottin January 9, 2019 Mother of Randall ’90 R. Elaine “Buzz” (Ulrich) Frawley January 24, 2019 Mother of Dave ’72 and Jim ’82, grandmother of Matt ’96 and Tim ’98 Sullivan Joseph K. Gilligan March 4, 2019 Husband of staff member Maureen Gilligan Robert P. Hegarty January 28, 2019 Father of Pat ’89, grandfather of John ’23 Louise M. Kapples March 24, 2019 Grandmother of John ’16 and Henry ’18 Robert E. Maguire March 11, 2019 Father of Bob ’73 and Dennis ’76
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Humanity
Founda on Excellence Special
Leadership
Family BLESSING Possibili es Brotherhood Character
Belonging MORE
Opportunity CAMARADERIE
Deliberate
One word. One gift. Dedica on
Peace-of-Mind Awesome
Supercalifragilis cexpialidocious
LOVE COMPASSION Ohana
Community
What does St. Sebastian’s mean to you? Inspired by Headmaster Burke’s selection of a one-word theme for each academic year, we invited members of our school community to choose one word that best describes what St. Sebastian’s means to you and to make one gift to the Annual Fund in honor of that word. The words above are just a few of the many responses we’ve received from alumni, parents, past parents, grandparents and faculty. Individually, each word tells a story; collectively, they reflect what makes St. Sebastian’s a special place. Please consider making a gift in honor of what St. Sebastian’s means to you and sharing a word that captures your experience. Just one gift, your gift, can have an impact and give current and future Arrows the chance to write their own story.
Gifts can be made online at www.stsebs.org/give or via Venmo at @stsebs Fiscal year ends June 30, 2019.
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What legacy will you leave?
Fr. Harrington leads a Science lesson in 1966.
As you look back fondly on your St.
Sebastian’s days—on your teachers, coaches and classmates—think about how you can help ensure future St. Sebastian’s students have an education that is just as exceptional and life-changing as yours.
For more information about gift planning and including St. Sebastian’s in your estate plans, visit or contact Rich Arms, Director of Alumni & Development, at 781.247.0116 or rich_arms@ stsebs.org.
If education changes lives then charitable gifts to education help make that change possible. Learn how a charitable gift to St. Sebastian’s, like a bequest in your will or living trust, can match your goals, values, and what you hope your lasting legacy will be.
Monsignor Charles D. McInnis Society
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The Arrows celebrate after scoring a goal in the quarterfinals of the Elite Eight.