The Knights` Pages The Knights` Pages

The Knights’
Pages
SPRING 2012
Remembering
Al Burch
1
Letter from the CHAIRMAN
Board of Governors
Dear Parents, Alumni, and Friends,
How wonderful it was for me to witness two events on successive nights that embody the
spirit and enthusiasm that flourish in our Bishop O’Connell community. On Friday, Feb.
3, the Knights boys basketball team hosted Paul VI in front of a packed house. Prominent
among the fans attending were students clad in O’Connell blue. I have been a fairly regular
attendee at O’Connell athletic events for over a dozen years and I have never seen a more
exuberant group of young women and young men. They and the team they cheered are a
source of great pride for our school as are all our students.
Another source of great pride is the support our O’Connell receives from you. The Annual
Gala was held the following night. The number of participants in this celebration of our
O’Connell students was very impressive and the show of support given to our mission to
provide students an education rooted in the life of Christ and to foster the pursuit of excellence
in the whole person was uplifting. My wife and I have been O’Connell parents for many years
and I have served on the Board of Governors since 2000. I can tell you that the investment
of the parents, alumni and friends of our O’Connell has come a long way in the last decade.
You have the deep appreciation of the Board of Governors and, I am certain, the rest of our
O’Connell community for your essential role in the progress made and the strides we will
continue to make.
The two events I mentioned are but examples of great things that have happened and
are happening at our O’Connell. From the award winning academic achievements of our
students to the delightful production of It’s A Wonderful Life, The Musical to the annual
Superdance for Cystic Fibrosis, evidence of the fulfillment of our mission accumulates.
Continue to consider not only how far we have come, but also how far we can and will go.
Respectfully and enthusiastically yours,
Kevin Di Gregory
Chair, Board of Governors
2011-2012 Board of Governors
Front row: Kevin Di Gregory
(Chair), Sister Reginia Ryan,
I.H.M., Judith Dunn (Vice Chair),
Dr. Anne Schaffner, Kathleen
Prebble (President), Dr. Joseph
Vorbach ’83 (Principal), William
Arendt, Michael Underwood.
Back row: Rev. Patrick Posey
’83, H. Mark Goetzman ’77,
Donald Klawiter, Donald Lynch,
Ambassador Peter Allgeier
(Secretary), Michael Hayden ’74,
Rev. Robert Rippy, Andrew
Brown, Kevin Fay ’73,
Murl Altoft (Chief Financial
Officer).
Not pictured: Arthur Bonair,
Sister Bernadette McManigal,
B.V.M. (Superintendent), and
Rev. Paul Scalia.
2
Message from the
President
Dear Parents, Alumni, and Friends,
This edition of the Knights’ Pages is indeed a special one. We honor
and remember Al Burch, one of O’Connell’s great leaders of the past.
Young and old alumni are celebrated throughout this issue. Current
student achievements are highlighted to remind us that our foundation is strong.
New initiatives such as the athletic field renovations and technology enhancements
point to a bright future. The past, present and future blend together as we all
celebrate what it means to be an O’Connell Knight.
Our presence as the largest private school in the Washington area allows current
O’Connell students and graduates to exert great influence on what is happening
in our nation’s capital and beyond. We thank God every day for allowing us to be a
witness to the Gospel message of love of God and neighbor and service to the world,
especially the poor and marginalized.
We don’t need to look far to see our students responding to this message. This year
our Superdance raised almost $140,000 for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. I would
say with certainty that very few high schools in this country have consistently raised
that amount of money in one event for one cause. Our students have been doing this
for 37 years!
Table of Contents
Chairman’s Message 2
President’s Message 3
Remembering Al Burch
4
The Time Is Now Update
6
School News
8
Annual Giving Program
12
As most of us have been preparing our taxes, many of our students have been raising
money to travel and service the poor in the Dominican Republic and Haiti over their
spring and summer break. These young people grow into the wonderful alumni we
celebrate in every issue of the Knights’ Pages. They continue to give to O’Connell and
give back to the greater community.
11th Annual
Gala & Auction
13
Why We Give
14
We close the year with two very special alumni events—the Athletic Hall of Fame
induction ceremony and our second annual Alumni Weekend, which includes our
Alumni Achievement Awards dinner. I hope you take the time to read more about
this year’s recipients. Better yet, find the time to come to one or both of these events.
We can all celebrate their accomplishments. The stories behind these recipients
will remind you of why you continue to invest in Bishop O’Connell and why it is so
important that future generations of young people have the opportunity to be part of
the O’Connell experience.
Recent Alumni Events
16
Alumni Roll Call
18
Alumni Spotlight
21
Sincerely,
Athletic Hall of Fame
23
Staff Contacts
23
Upcoming Alumni Events 22
Kathleen Ryan Prebble
MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to provide
students an education
rooted in the life of
Christ and to foster the
pursuit of excellence
in the whole person.
3
Remembering
Alward V. Burch
Teacher, Principal and Coach
The Bishop O’Connell community lost a
dear friend on Oct. 29, 2011, when former
principal Alward (Al) Burch passed away.
Burch had been associated with the school
as a teacher, coach and principal for more
than 50 years.
There was standing-room-only on Nov.
4 when hundreds of friends, former
students and family members filed into
Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in
Vienna to pay their final respects. Oblate
of St. Francis de Sales Father William
J. Metzger, pastor, celebrated the Mass,
assisted by Father John C. Cregan, pastor
of Blessed Sacrament Church in Alexandria and Deacon Paul Ochenkowski
of St. Veronica Church in Chantilly and
an O’Connell teacher. Arlington Bishop
Paul S. Loverde and priests of the diocese,
along with students, teachers and friends,
packed the church to remember the man
who died at the age of 76. Following the
Funeral Mass and burial, Bishop O’Connell
4
hosted a reception in the gym for family
and friends to gather together informally
to share special memories together.
Burch came to O’Connell in 1961 as a
P.E. and health teacher, initially coaching freshman football and basketball and
junior varsity baseball. Over the next 15
years, he coached football, basketball,
baseball and track, where one his most
notable coaching successes involved the
1963-1965 varsity baseball teams who
won 42 straight games. During his career
as O’Connell’s head baseball coach, he
compiled a remarkable record of 262 wins
and 69 losses.
In 1972, Burch moved into an administrative role at the school, when then-Principal Msgr. James McMurtrie appointed
him vice principal. “I owe a lot to Msgr.
McMurtrie,” Burch once said about his
career as a principal. “He saw it was my
dream to keep coaching, but he saw something in me that maybe I didn’t see.”
Burch was named principal of Bishop
O’Connell in 1977 by Bishop Thomas J.
Welsh, and for the next 27 years the school
thrived under his leadership. In 1993, the
school was named a “Blue Ribbon” school
by the Department of Education, and
four years later, he was honored by the
Washington Post and named a “Principal
of Excellence.”
“His genuine interest in each student and
abiding love for the high school community are well known throughout the diocese,” said Bishop Paul S. Loverde to the
Arlington Catholic Herald on the occasion
of Burch’s retirement in 2004.
Timothy McNiff, then-superintendent of
schools for the Arlington Diocese, added,
“The leadership Al Burch has provided
Bishop O’Connell High School during his
27 years as the school principal epitomizes
the uniqueness required of those individuals who are given the task of ensuring our
Catholic schools are institutions of both
academic success and Christian values.”
Burch was even recognized on the floor
of the U.S. House of Representatives on
the day of his retirement, in a tribute by
the Honorable Frank Wolf of Virginia,
saying “I am proud to call attention to the
achievements and dedication of Mr. Burch
as he ends his career as an educator and
principal.”
When asked to reflect about his time as
principal, Burch would say:
“This was the best job in the world.”
“There’s not a day I dread coming into this
school…We have an opportunity to influence an awful lot of young people, and
there is no greater satisfaction.”
After Burch’s retirement, he continued to
stay involved in the O’Connell community,
finding his niche as an ambassador to
the school’s alumni and for development
5
efforts. Most recently, Burch was an honored guest at the Sept. 13 groundbreaking
ceremony for the new athletic field.
“Al Burch has been an icon of the Bishop
O’Connell community for most of our
history and he will be missed by many
generations of parents, students and faculty members.” said O’Connell President
Katy Prebble. “In his retirement years, he
continued to be an important part of our
school family. He absolutely loved to tell
stories about kids, and his stories were
always peppered with his wonderful wisdom and humor.”
Burch is survived by his wife, Donna, and
his three children Kenneth (class of ’82),
Karen (Burch) Avvistato (class of ’85),
Kristy (Burch) Bergmann (class of ’86) and
their families.
Visit www.bishopoconnell.org/memories to
read personal tributes to Al Burch written
by members of the O’Connell community.
Over $4.5 Million Committed Through
A total of $4.5 million has been raised in
cash and pledge commitments since the
launching of The Time is Now strategic
initiative in May 2011. Included in the
$4.5 million is a $100,000 gift of in-kind
services for this initiative.
The September groundbreaking on our
athletic field was the first project made
possible by this initiative. Construction
of our rectangular field is well under way,
with the projected completion date in late
May. While we are working on additional
funding to fully renovate the baseball
field as part of the whole athletic renovation project, several improvements on
the baseball field are currently underway,
including new grass and and a new fence
that helps reclaim an expanded right field.
The school expects to host its first home
football game on the new field this fall.
Mark your calendar for Saturday, Aug. 31,
when the Knights will host Bishop Ireton
at 3 p.m.
Athletic field construction on Mar. 13, 2012.
Technology
Initiatives
During the fall, O’Connell was able to
establish a campus-wide wireless network
as a backbone for a host of technology
initiatives.
iPads in the Classroom
Thanks to a generous individual donation
through the Time is Now initiative, the
school has created a mobile iPad lab, com-
plete with 25 Apple iPads, a mobile cart,
a charging station and educational apps.
The classroom iPad set has been making
the rounds in the hallways of O’Connell.
Teachers interested in integrating this
technology into their curriculum work
with the administration and the IT department to schedule their use. The iPads
have been used in AP Psychology and in
history classes for concept mapping and
for self-paced review, providing instant
and individualized feedback. In government classes, the iPads have served as an
in-class research tool.
In biology, the iPads
have helped students
prepare for an upcoming lab.
The response by both
students and faculty
members to the effectiveness of the iPads as
a tool in the classroom
has been overwhelming. Thanks to the
giving spirit at the 2012
Gala, a second set of
iPads will be arriving at
O’Connell shortly.
6
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device)
During the last quarter of the school year,
O’Connell will pilot a BYOD (Bring Your
Own Device) program. With the wireless
network in place, students will be able
to use personal smart phones, tablets,
netbooks or laptops as directed by their
teacher. The pilot program this spring
will be limited to specific classes, with a
full-fledged program to be launched in
the fall.
Technology issues repeatedly surfaced
in our strategic focus groups last year as
an area in need of critical upgrading. The
school is grateful to have the ability to
take these initial steps now.
For more information on our
technology programs, visit
www.bishopoconnell.org/technology.
QR CODE
Use a QR code
reader on your
mobile device to
view a video of
iPads in action at
O’Connell.
The Time is Now Strategic Initiative
Two of our eight science labs
will be gutted and renovated this
summer, and we expect to see
two state-of-the-art chemistry
labs for the 2012-2013 school year.
Our plans include renovating the
remaining six labs during the following two summers.
A Grateful Thank You to Our Supporters
As of March 1, 2012, the following individuals have graciously pledged their leadership support, or made an outright gift, toward
The Time is Now initiative.
Anonymous
Richard L. Abood '74
Elizabeth Abood
Michael and Kristine Albrittain '80
Sydney and Gloria Albrittain
W. Sydney and
Whitney Albrittain '83
Peter F. Allgeier
Kathleen M. Almy '70
Alumni Class of 1989
Mark and Valerie Andreotta
William and Joanne Armor
William A. Bagot '70
Ted and Lisa Bennett
Peter Bergmann '76
Suzanne Sniscak Blevins '70
Arthur and Wendy Bonair
George and Susan Boras '83
James Bourne and
Julianne Rish Bourne '83
Albert Bracht '70
Marc A. Brammer '70
Theodore A. Breiner '72 and
Maureen Daunt Breiner '71
John and Karin Brough '82
Andrew and Denise Brown
Sylvia Totten Carlson '70
Suzanne and Richard Carroll
W. Rance Cleaveland
Thomas and Pamela Cline
Thomas H. Conaty '64
Timothy M. Corbett '70 and
Kathryn Giebel Corbett '70
Luis Felipe and
Ana Maria Cordoba
David and Susan Courtney
Jeffrey and
Cristi Pola Craigmile '83
Peyton and Leslie Cross
Joseph and Cheri Cusumano
Rodney and Teresa Dade
Eva Herbst Davis '83
John and Anne Depenbrock '61
John and Kathleen Dickman
Tina Marrocco Dodge '84
Steven J. Donovan '86
Mike Doughty
Pat Driscoll
Bill and Patricia Duryee '61
Dennis E. Dwyer '61
Thomas J. Fadoul '70
Teresa Langen Fahlgren '83
Michael A. Farrell '70
Timothy Farrell and
Kathleen Barry Farrell '80
Kevin and Nancy Fay '73
Robert and Karen Fornaro
Rosemary T. Fox
Eric Fracasso
Kirk and Maria Galiani
Joseph and Jerry Gargiulo Jr.
Renee Walsh Garnett '83
Mark Goetzman ’77 and
Martha Holroyd Goetzman ’80
Thomas Griffin and
Lily Fernandez Griffin '83
Patricia Pettit Griffin '70
Bruce Gudenberg
Steven Gulley and
Constance Culosi Gulley '83
Dalton and Nan Gustafson
Edward and Anne Hall
Abdel-Rahman Hamed
Parker and
Rosemarie Harrington '75
Paul Hartmann '70
James and Judith Hathaway
James W. Hathaway '93
Michael J. Hayden '74 and
Julie Naylor Hayden '74
Mary Jane Healy '83
Kevin and Sally Healy
Kevin J. Healy
Caitlin Healy
Mark A. Henry
Jane Hayes Hohmann '70
7
Karen O'Malley Holland '70
Ralph E. Horvath and
Cathleen Campbell
John K. Hughes '70
Alexander Inglese '72 and
Karen Carter Inglese
Michael A. Ingrao '72
William J. Jacaruso
Claudia Jadrijevic ’86
Robert D. Jentgens
Paul Johnson and Judy Dunn
Mark D. Jones '83
Maggi Hanlon Keating '85
William and Dawn Kerr
Joseph Kimmitt '68
Robert M. Kimmitt '65
Mark T. Kimmitt '72
Richard Kingman '70 and
Ann Reilly Kingman '71
Donald and Marie Klawiter
Tara Laposa '93
Gretchen Laundon
Eric W. Leonard
Susan C. Leous
Mary Flaherty Lewis '70
Donald P. Libera '70
Richard and Phyllis Mayo
Loughery '70 and '70
Donald T. Lynch and
Kimberly Burnett
John and Peggy Maddox
Elizabeth Von Drehle Madeira '83
James and Dawn McDonald
Terrance McGovern and Margaret
Hogan-McGovern
Michael J. McGuire ’00
Anne Pida Mellen '70
James W. Mercer
Katherine P. Muth
Robert and Mary Ann Nirschl
O'Connell PTO
Kathleen Boylan O'Keefe '83
Kelly Olszewski-Hertel
Helen Wilkinson Petrakes '80
Thomas R. Poos '70
Todd J. Preti '83
Marie Quinn
Kevin and Sharon Reilly '77
Daniel and Mary Kay Reilly
Rui Rodrigues
Edward G. Rodrigues
Robert and Jeanne Rucks
Michelle Lalle Rush '70
Eduardo and Megan Salas
Anne E. Schaffner
Kevin S. Scully '70
Ronald and Kathleen Scully
Marcel Semaan and
Jennie Jreige Semaan '86
Reilly M. Shaughnessy '76
Paul and Rachel Sheridan '89
Neil Soloman
Amber South
Christopher and Jodi St. George
Samuel and Marian Starr
David and Karen Stuver
William and Jamie Tanis
Dennis L. Telzrow '63
Thomas E. Tiernan '72
Melissa Tierney
Rev. Stephen J. Tisinger '70
Karen M. Tracey
Michael and
Lisa Mercer Underwood '74
JoEllen Urban '82
Patricia DeIuliius Walker '70
Martin and Nan Walsh ’62
Patrick and Margaret Walsh ’62
Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley,
Emrich & Walsh PC
Jean Winslow Whitesell '73
Gregory and Donna Wilson
Jeffrey Winslow '70
Kevin P. Wuest
Raymond and
Sandra Zdancewicz '74
Global Studies
Speakers
Students enrolled in Bishop O’Connell’s
Global Studies Certificate Program continue to find learning experiences outside
of the regular school day.
Immaculée Ilibagiza
Visits O’Connell
As part of our One School, One Book
program, Bishop O’Connell was thrilled
to welcome Immaculée Ilibagiza, author
and subject of Left to Tell, during Catholic
Schools Week.
School
News
She gave a public presentation on her
experiences during the Rwandan genocide
on the evening of Feb. 1 in the school
auditorium. More than 700 members of
the community were in attendance as she
shared her inspiring story of faith, hope
and forgiveness.
Ilibagiza returned the following day to
address our student body during a morning assembly. She tailored her remarks
specifically to the hearts of teenagers,
having been a teenager herself when the
atrocities in Rwanda began. The students
responded with a rousing standing ovation
at the end, and long lines formed as many
waited for a few personal moments with
her to get a book signed or to just give her
a special greeting.
This event was made possible by the generous support of the Bishop O’Connell PTO.
For more information on Immaculée
Ilibagiza and the school’s One School,
One Book program, visit
www.bishopoconnell.org/lefttotell.
Ambassador Peter Allgeier, shared his
knowledge on global trade in an afternoon
session with the students. Ambassador
Allgeier currently serves on O’Connell’s
Board of Governors and is the
president of C&M
International, Ltd.,
an international
trade consulting
firm. He previously served as
Deputy U.S. Trade
Representative
Ambassador Allgeier
and U.S. Ambassador to the World Trade Organization
(WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ambassador Paul Simons joined the Global
Studies cohort for a session on the U.S.
diplomatic service. Simons recently assumed the position of Executive Secretary
of Inter American
Drug Abuse Control Commission
(CICAD) of the
Organization of
American States,
following a distinguished 30-year
career with the
U.S. State DepartAmbassador Simons
ment, where he
most recently served as the U.S. ambassador to Chile.
Read more about the Global Studies
Certification Program at
www.bishopoconnell.org/global.
A Note from Our I.H.M. Community
The Sisters of I.H.M. are so very grateful for the generous response to their request for help with the cost of the renovation project at
Camilla Hall on the campus of Immaculata University near Philadelphia. Camilla Hall is the convent home for all our Sisters who are
retired or are ill and in need of skilled medical care. It was built 51 years ago and is in need of renovations today. So, we turned to you,
and friends like you, and asked for your prayers for the project and a donation if possible. With the encouragement and leadership of our
school administration, faculty and staff, as well as the PTO, the response from DJO was once again, “amazing.” From all sectors of our
school community we received assistance, with the students’ uniform holiday being the main event this year.
We are pleased and grateful to say that a check for $10,000 was sent to Camilla Hall for the renovations. God is never outdone in generosity and so we Sisters will pray that the Lord will bless each of you for your goodness to the Sisters, many of whom have served here at
DJO as well as at St. Thomas More, St. Michael and St. James Schools of the Arlington Diocese. It is our firm hope that Mary our Mother
and Mother of our Redeemer will keep each O’Connell Community member close to her Son and within her embrace!
8
Dual Credit Students
Get Orientation
at Marymount
O’Connell students enrolled in a dual
credit program with Marymount University attended a special orientation at
the university. They officially registered
for their class using the school’s online
system, and received instructions on using
library resources. Each student was issued
a Marymount ID card, which gives them
access to all campus resources.
It’s a Wonderful Life
Audiences were wowed by the new musical adaptation of
Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life staged by the Bishop
O’Connell drama department this winter. Junior Tyler Fritz
played George Bailey as the story followed him from his childhood to his midlife disappointments, where we found him
wondering if life is worth living from the edge of a bridge on
Christmas Eve. His guardian angel, Clarence, was played by junior Michael Bonini, and his wife, Mary, was played by junior
Veronica Fernandez. With magical musical numbers added to
this classic story, the audience was charmed into finding out,
along with George Bailey, that this is indeed a wonderful life!
This year, dual credit is being offered for
two courses which are taught at O’Connell
during the regular school day: Statistics
and Forensics. Faculty members teaching
these courses have already applied for and
obtained adjunct professor status at Marymount University. Additional dual credit
courses will be offered in the near future.
Teacher Feature
Diane Cerniglia
If you pull almost any yearbook off the shelf dated anytime after
1990, you will undoubtedly find the smiling face of Diane Cerniglia peppered across the pages. Mrs. Cerniglia joined the English
department at Bishop O’Connell in 1989 and almost immediately
found herself not only in the classroom, but up to her elbows in
student council and Superdance activities. She served as a class
moderator and later as an SCA executive board moderator, before
being appointed chairperson of the English department in 2002.
Since 2008, she has also chaired the school’s accreditation selfstudy efforts, most recently submitting a two-year progress report
this past December.
Read more about the Dual Credit
and Dual Enrollment programs at
www.bishopoconnell.org/dual.
Chorus Participates
in Black History
Celebration
Members of the O’Connell Singers, the select women’s chorus at Bishop O’Connell,
had the privilege of performing “Lift
Every Voice and Sing” at the 2012 National
African-American History Month Celebration at U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters in
Washington, D.C. President Katy Prebble
and Principal Joe Vorbach, along with
music faculty members Todd Mastric and
Laura Van Duzer, were in attendance with
personnel from the Coast Guard headquarters, including Vice Commandant
Vice Admiral Sally Brice-O’Hara and Mr.
Curtis Odom, Director of Personnel Management. In addition to the O’Connell
Singer’s performance, the morning
program included poetry and words by
J.Joy “Sistah Joy” Matthews Alford and a
presentation of awards.
Mrs. Cerniglia grew up in Bethesda and was drawn to the English language at the University of
Maryland. With her freshly-minted degree in English and Education, she took her first teaching
job at Bethesda Junior High School. She later taught at Immaculata Preparatory School in Washington, D.C. After eight years, she crossed the river into Virginia and began what has now become
her 23-year tenure at Bishop O’Connell. While at O’Connell, Mrs. Cerniglia studied at Marymount University to obtain her master’s degree in school administration and Catholic leadership.
Over the years, Mrs. Cerniglia has shared her love of literature and writing with countless
O’Connell students, hoping to prepare them not only for college, but for whatever vocation they
choose in life. In 2010, she was honored by her alma mater, thanks to a nomination by a former
student who attributed her success to the influence of Mrs. Cerniglia in high school. As a result,
the University of Maryland’s Phillip Merrill School of Journalism awarded a scholarship in Mrs.
Cerniglia’s name to a future student.
“I love working with young people,” remarked Mrs. Cerniglia. “Their energy and enthusiasm
keeps me young, too. I can honestly say that I look forward to coming to school every day.”
If you think she’s had enough of high school students by the end of the school day, you are wrong.
On the weekends, Mrs. Cerniglia teaches religious education to high school seniors at St. Sophia
Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Washington, where she is also actively involved in the parish council, and is the director of curriculum for the religious education program. St. Sophia has been her
church since she worshipped there with her family as a young child.
In her spare time, Mrs. Cerniglia enjoys traveling, reading and writing poetry. She has traveled
several times to Greece, where members of her mother’s family still reside. She has also enjoyed
trips to other parts of Europe, where a favorite destination is Florence, Italy.
What books has she read recently? Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese and Unbroken—A
World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.
Mrs. Cerniglia is an avid football fan, cheering on the Maryland Terps and the Washington Redskins, both in the good times and the not-so-good times.
The O’Connell Singers
She and her husband, William, reside in Oakton, Va. They have a grown son, Mark, who lives in
Ashburn with his wife, Aleks.
9
Members of O’Connell’s championship Cross Country team proudly display their award.
Student Artwork
Receives Accolades
Congratulations to Su Jin Kim, Chrissie
Moten and Pawnee Maiden whose artwork was recently published in the annual
children’s issue of the Arlington Connection. The newspaper chose two pieces
from Su Jin Kim to include in this issue.
Her charcoal of a young girl singing was
chosen as the cover art for the newspaper.
In February, seniors Joo Ho Lee and Su
Jin Kim entered their works in the 2012
Gonzaga All-Catholic High Schools Art
Exhibition. Senior Joo Ho Lee’s self-portrait
won 3rd place in the competition, and Su Jin
Kim’s drawing received honorable mention.
Seniors Sign
Letters of Intent
So far this year, four seniors at Bishop
O’Connell signed National Letters of
Intent with their colleges of choice, in the
presence of their families, coaches, school
administrators and teammates. Lacrosse
player Courtney Cross signed with Villanova University, baseball player Greg
Krug signed with La Salle University,
soccer midfielder Regan Houston signed
with the College of William and Mary, and
soccer defender Shannon Nasca signed
with Radford University.
Running to Fifth
Straight State Title
For the fifth year in a row, the girls cross
country team captured the Virginia Independent School title and the Washington
Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC)
championship. O’Connell junior Devin
Nihill won both races, finishing at the state
meet with a time of 19:46, and at the very
wet and cold WCAC meet with a time of
21:24. Senior Emily Blagg finished in 4th
place in the state meet and in 3rd place at
the WCAC race.
“This a talented group of girls,” said Coach
Cindy Walls about their state meet victory.”
They were able to win because they be-
Student Spotlight
Charlie Fidler ’12
If you’ve ever heard
senior Charlie Fidler
on his violin, you might
think he was born
with the instrument
in his hand. Fidler
plays in the school’s
orchestra and pitches
in around the school
and the community
when someone needs a
“little bit of music” at a
special event.
“Charlie has a unique
view of music in that it
makes intrinsic sense
to him so he is able to compose as well as
perform music,” says Music Program Director Todd Mastric. “Because of his understanding of music, when he performs he is
able to sense the shape of the music which
leads to what we would think of as a ‘more
musical’ performance of a piece. This
awareness, coupled with his ability and
desire to work hard, makes him a special
musical talent.”
Fidler was honored this year at the Virginia
Band and Orchestra Directors’ Association
(VBODA) District XII Orchestra auditions,
by being named Concertmaster. This is the
title given to the principal violinist of an
orchestra. More than 80 violin players from
public and private schools in the district
performed scales, orchestral excerpts and
sight reading for a panel of judges.
Said Fidler of this experience, “I was able
to work with a group of extremely talented
musicians. There was quite a bit of stress
over the intensive two days of practice, but
it culminated in a great performance that
made it all worthwhile.”
He also volunteers his time, teaching violin
to younger students at a special program
at Thomas Jefferson Middle School in
Arlington.
But Fidler is far from one dimensional; he
is also passionate about rowing. He is a captain this year of the O’Connell crew team,
where he and his teammates have their
sights set on challenging national championship boats this year.
Unlike the violin, which he took up as a
seven-year-old in a small town in Nebraska,
10
rowing is a pastime that came to Fidler
relatively recently. After his freshman year
at O’Connell, a friend suggested he join
the crew team “for fun.” He participated
in a fall learn-to-row program and he was
instantly hooked. He has seen his team rise
in the ranks at the annual Stotesbury Cup
Regatta in Boston—the largest high school
regatta in the world. He trains six days a
week with the crew team, sometimes on
the water and sometimes on a mind-numbing indoor rowing machine, or “erg” as they
call them.
Fidler has managed to stay on the honor
roll at O’Connell while balancing his school
work with both his music and his rowing.
His favorite subjects are English and Theology, as he enjoys reading and analyzing materials. Fidler hopes to row competitively at
the college level and is still waiting to hear
from a few of his top choices. He would
actually like to be able to continue both his
music and his rowing pursuits, while studying psychology and business.
Come to the O’Connell Spring Concert on
Tuesday, May 1, 2012 at 7 p.m. to enjoy a
musical evening with Fidler and the rest of
the school’s musical ensembles.
lieved in themselves, their talent, and their
teammates. Each girl had an individual race
plan that was part of our overall team plan
which was executed perfectly.”
A Real O’Connell Knight
Dr. Daniel Stabile, a guidance counselor at Bishop O’Connell, received the Order of
the Star of Italian Solidarity and the title of Commendatore (Commander) in the name
of Italian President Giorgio Napolitano at a special ceremony at the Italian Embassy in
Washington, D.C. on the evening of Dec. 9.
Knighthood is the highest honor the Italian government can bestow on a foreigner. Dr. Stabile was recognized for his extraordinary leadership in American
education, having served Department of Defense
Overseas Dependents Schools, the Catholic Dioceses
of Cleveland, Ohio, Washington, D.C. and Arlington,
Va. He currently serves as the President of the National Council for the Promotion of Italian Language
in American Schools (COPILAS). Dr. Daniel Stabile (left) receives award from
Gian Lorenzo Cornado, Chief of Staff for the
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Republic of Italy.
Jack Gigliotti
Swim & Dive Team
Successes
Congratulations to sophomore Jack Gigliotti who finished first in the diving competition at both the Virginia Independent
School Championships and the Northern
Virginia Catholic Invitational this year.
O’Connell girls and boys teams both finished first in the Catholic Invitational. In
the state championship, the O’Connell boys
team finished overall in third, backed by a
first place finish by the 200-yard freestyle
relay team (sophomore Christian Tiernan,
juniors Don Tucker and Michael Luciani,
and senior P.J. DiBenedetto). The girls
finished eighth in a field of 20 teams from
throughout Virginia. Senior Elena Marsilii
led the girls team, placing third in the 500yard freestyle.
Student Blood Drive
Each year, Bishop O’Connell students
come forward in large numbers to donate
blood at school through INOVA Blood
Donor Services. This year, the student-run
Health Service Club worked in conjunction with INOVA personnel to host a blood
drive in November which netted more
than 70 pints of blood by day’s end.
The doctor in charge was Dr. Grace
Banez Sese, whose daughter, Lauren
Sese, is a senior and a member of the
Health Services Club. Members of the club
Health Services Club members run another successful blood drive.
helped organize, advertise, schedule and
run this event from beginning to end. Students who donated blood received a t-shirt
and snacks, as well as the satisfaction of
knowing they were helping to save lives.
Turkey Blitz Feeds
120 Families
For the past 15 years the O’Connell community has participated in what has been
called a “Turkey Blitz,” a two-week fundraiser to support the Thanksgiving efforts
of the Gift of Peace home which is run by
Mother Teresa’s Missionaries of Charity in
Northeast Washington D.C.
To help get the word out on campus this
year, students in the desktop publishing classes produced clever posters, and
Art Department Chairman Joe Crivella
made a special appeal during the televised
morning announcements. With images of turkeys all around the school, the
students, parents and staff members rose
11
to the occasion and donated the needed
$2,500 to provide complete Thanksgiving
meals for the more than 120 families who
are humbly served by the sisters at the Gift
of Peace home. View this year’s posters at
www.bishopoconnell.org/turkey.
March for Life
Student participation in the annual March
for Life in Washington D.C. is an O’Connell
tradition dating back more than thirty
years. On Monday, Jan. 23 approximately
200 students from Bishop O’Connell made
their voices heard and stood up for the
sanctity of human life.
Students marched along Constitution Avenue from 7th Street to the Supreme Court.
While the pace of the March was slow and
the weather was not ideal, the mood of
the day was upbeat and cheerful. Judging
by the smiles on students’ faces, the 2012
March for Life was a great success.
Still Time to Support the
2011–2012 Annual Fund
The 2011- 2012 Annual Fund has a goal of $490,000 this year. To
date, we have raised over $300,000 towards our goal. Our holiday
Matching Gift Challenge was a great success. The Challenge was set
to match up to $90,000 of gifts received between Nov. 15 and Dec. 31.
Contributions to the Annual Fund during this time totaled $93,500
which exceeded our goal.
With three months remaining in the fiscal year, we need your
financial support now more than ever to help us reach our goal of
$490,000. Your contribution directly benefits Bishop O’Connell
students by funding programs that tuition does not cover. Your Annual Fund gift supports
programs and services for students, as well as professional development for faculty and staff.
Make a gift to the Annual Fund at Bishop O’Connell High School:
77Donate
Supporting
O’Connell
online at
www.bishopoconnell.org/give.
the enclosed envelope with
a check, payable to Bishop O’Connell
High School or with credit card information.
77Return
out if your company matches
your donation at
www.bishopoconnell.org/matching.
77Find
77Donate
through your employer with
United Way #8273 or
CFC #65190.
We thank all alumni, parents, parents
of alumni and friends who support the
Annual Fund at Bishop O’Connell. Every
gift matters, no matter the amount.
Contact Cindy Krech at 703-237-1446
or ckrech@bishopoconnell.org for more
information.
New Scholarship to
Honor Coach Walls
An anonymous donor recently established the
Cindy Walls Scholarship Fund to recognize the
outstanding influence that Coach Walls has had
on young women and men at Bishop O’Connell.
For the past eight years she has coached cross
country and track teams to new levels, including
five straight WCAC and state championships
for her girls cross country teams. The donor
established the Cindy Walls Scholarship Fund
not only for girls and boys who are members of
cross country or track teams, but in general for
students who meet certain academic achievements and contribute to the betterment of the
Bishop O’Connell community. It is hoped that
this initial generous gift will create awareness to
current parents and alumni and inspire them to
contribute to this scholarship fund.
Robert J. and Elizabeth K.
Murphy Family Scholarship
The Murphy Family—(first row L to R) Colleen (in red), Katie,
Beth and Tim; (back row L to R) Barry, Christine, Bob and Terry.
12
In 1999 the Murphy Scholarship was established in
honor of Mrs. Elizabeth Murphy, beloved math teacher
and mother to eight children who graduated from
O’Connell—Robert ’67, Barry ’69, Tim ’70, Colleen ’73,
Christine ’75, Terry ’76, Beth ’79 and Katie ’82. The Murphy family recently endowed the scholarship to ensure
that their gift will continue to enable O’Connell to enrich
the lives of students for years to come. The Robert J. and
Elizabeth K. Murphy Family Scholarship awards financial assistance for two students each year, one male and
one female, who excel in math, give back in service and
are in financial need. Thank you, Murphy family for your
generous support to the mission of our school.
11th Annual
Gala & Auction
Flagship Fundraiser Supports O’Connell Programs
More than 350 parents, alumni, faculty
and friends of O’Connell gathered at the
McLean Hilton on Saturday, Feb. 4 for
the school’s 11th Annual Gala. This year’s
theme—Knights Around the World—
helped transport attendees to a magical
place, where beautiful baskets and special
gift items were neatly arranged amidst
flags and decorations from foreign lands.
The evening began with a cocktail hour
and silent auction, where the most popular
items were the homeroom baskets that
varied in theme from single-cup coffee
makers to designer purses and spa packages. The guests enjoyed a three-course dinner in the main ballroom and a fast-paced
live auction where vacation homes, special
school packages, and a reserved pew at
graduation created added excitement. One
of the highlights of the evening was the
presence of Sir Lancelot, the miniature
English Bulldog, who was auctioned off
to the highest bidder. In the end, “Lance”
went home to a very, very happy family.
In addition to the auction, raffles and other
fundraising efforts of the night, generous attendees contributed $28,000 to the
school to purchase a second set of Apple
iPads for classroom use. The event grossed
close to $200,000 to help advance the mission of O’Connell by supporting important
programs at the school, including technology initiatives, facility improvements and
faculty development.
The Bishop O’Connell community is grateful to the sponsors of this year’s Gala, the
generous donors who contributed unique
and wonderful auction items, and to the
individuals who attended and made this
such a successful evening. In addition, this
event would never be possible without the
tireless efforts of countless volunteers; we
thank all of you for your time and energy!
Special thanks to our Gala co-chairs, Julie
Gazala and Staci Meruvia, who went
above and beyond the call of duty to make
the “knight” a success!
President Katy Prebble with parent
and volunteer, Pam Benson.
Special
Appreciation
to our 2012
Gala Sponsors
Jose Cardenas ’78 and
Tina Stephens Cardenas ’79
meet their new puppy.
Excalibur Club
Alcalde and Fay
UGL – Unicco
Walsh Colucci Lubeley
Emrich & Walsh PC
Bishop’s Circle
SHW Group
Knights’ Roundtable
Kevin Foster ’01, Joe DeVylder,
Lindsey Fay DeVylder ’01 and
Sarah Greenwood.
Cardinal Bank
Flik Independent School Dining
Flynn and O’Hara
Sheehy Automotive
Sword & Shield Society
Nirschl Orthopaedic Center
RAD
Kirk & Anna Maria Galiani
SAVE THE DATE!
12th Annual Gala & Auction Feb. 9, 2013
13
Mary Taneyhill ’83 participates in the
“Heads and Tails” game.
Why We Give
Al Bracht ’70
Alumnus
Going all the way back to my days at
St. John’s Elementary, I can remember
the CYO basketball games played in the
O’Connell gym. Not only was the great big
gym available to us CYO kids, there was
Al Burch refereeing the games. Not only
was Al refereeing, he was teaching as well,
something that would touch so many lives.
In the spring of 1966 sitting in my homeroom class in 8th grade, we listened to
the public announcement every day about
who had been admitted to the different
high schools. I can remember the relief
and excitement I felt when my name was
finally announced for Bishop O’Connell.
From the first day as a freshman in the
“1-F Troop” homeroom under the guidance of Brother Anselm Deegan, I was
ready to roll. There was such a great sense
of school spirit and camaraderie.
Moving ahead four years to our senior
year, I can remember some of my friends
who couldn’t wait to graduate and move
on. It was just the opposite for me; I didn’t
want to leave. High school had been a
blast. I managed to learn a thing or two
and made some great friends that I still
maintain contact with. The unknown of
college life was frightening compared to
the security blanket of O’Connell.
Looking back on my high school years, I
can see the academic, religious, athletic
and social development that has served
me very well since then. My measure of
life at O’Connell is that I would have loved
to have my three children go to O’Connell
had we lived nearby.
Al Bracht, poses with his family (l to r): Al, daughter Sarah (21), son Jandro (17), wife Shannon,
mother-in-law, Gretchen King, and son John (24).
When the call came to support O’Connell’s
effort to improve that physical plant of the
school, I was more than happy to help. I
asked some of those classmate friends if
they would help me reach out to our class
to raise funds prior to our 40-year reunion
June 2010.
While we weren’t able to reach everyone,
those who could support the effort were
generous and we were able to deliver a
financial thank you to O’Connell. Maybe
with this new year of 2012 coming into
focus and an improving economy on the
horizon, the class of 1970 can continue to
support O’Connell.
Thank you Bishop O’Connell for my
education, my religious formation, the
athletic training and the friends you provided me with.
Tim and Lisa Bennett
Parent of Alumnus
Having just dropped our son off at college, we find ourselves thinking about
his future and reflecting on his time
at O’Connell. We have no doubt that
O’Connell has prepared him well for the
next four years—and beyond.
We came to O’Connell after searching for
the right high school for our son. He was
a bright but shy kid, and we felt that the
public schools were not bringing out his
full potential. We were looking for a high
school that would challenge him academically and provide a welcoming, engaging
environment. From day one, it was clear
that O’Connell was the right place. The
school offers a lot of AP’s and interesting
14
clubs and the student community has a
great vibe to it. Our son’s teachers were
interested in him and they challenged him
in a very supportive way. And he formed
many lasting and positive relationships
with his classmates. His O’Connell experience was incredibly empowering. His
talents in science and math were nurtured
and encourages and his faith grew. He is
now studying electrical engineering and
at one of the leading science, math and
engineering institutions in the world.
We give to O’Connell so that other kids
can enjoy the same challenges and opportunities O’Connell afforded our son.
Thomas H. Conaty ’64
Alumnus
When I heard about Mr. Al Burch’s death
and funeral last November, I felt I had
to see my friend and more importantly,
my mentor one last time. Mr. Burch was
my health science teacher and baseball
coach. As baseball coach of the Hall of
Fame baseball team of the mid-1960’s, he
instilled the perseverance to succeed and
dedication to others.
But he was more than that. His traditional
values and his goal setting pointed me
(and my teammates) in the right direction
and has enabled me to carry on through
the good times and the tough times.
That training and perseverance inspired
me to “be on the first team,” so after
leaving O’Connell, I graduated from the
University of South Carolina and was simultaneously commissioned as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps during the
Vietnam conflict.
Tom and Dianna Conaty
ter way to help raise money and see your
friends futilely flail at a little white ball?
Not only was Mr. Burch instrumental
in molding my life but I must also include
those wonderful Christian Brothers.
Initially intimidated by the Brothers,
I grew to admire their dedication and
skills.
Equally important is to put pen to paper
and write a check to O’Connell. With so
many Catholic schools closing because of
the economy, we need to support this great
school and continue the legacy of helping
O’Connell maintain its high standard of
eductation.
I think it’s important to “give back.” As
a means of giving back, I really enjoyed
being on the committee and chairing the
annual Connolly Golf Classic. What bet-
After a career in federal law enforcement,
I dove into full retirement and moved to St.
James Plantation, Southport, N.C. with my
wife Dianna, a Yorktown High School grad.
We enjoy the amenities of St. James,
especially playing the 81 holes of golf that
St. James offers and communing with the
many Northern Virginia retirees and other
O’Connell alums in southeastern North Carolina. It’s not all play though. Continuing the
inspiration garnered at O’Connell, we enjoy
volunteering and helping local charities.
Our three sons are also living in North
Carolina.
Always aspiring to be on the “first team,”
I am forever grateful to be an O’Connell
alum.
The Bennett Family: Rebecca, Lisa ,
Tim ’11, Ted, Elizabeth
15
Left to Right: Mike Bowers ’82, Ted Dettmar ’82, Maria Bueno Minnick ’82, Jeanette Morin ’82,
Gina Singel ’12
Homecoming 2011
Recent
Alumni
Events
It’s become an annual tradition for O’Connell alumni to come together at the Homecoming
football game each fall. For the past few years, a lovely white tent has been set up on the
baseball field where alumni and their families came together before the game to catch up
and enjoy a catered lunch. This year was a little bit different.
Due to construction on our football field, all “home” football games this past fall were
played at Wakefield High School. Homecoming was no exception. But that didn’t stop the
alumni office from hosting the annual Homecoming event. No tent was needed to make
alumni feel welcome on a grassy hill overlooking the football field. Alumni came from the
class of 1961 through the class of 2010 and everything in between to enjoy each others’ company and to cheer for the Knights!
The Knight Train
Rolls Through DJO
A group of alumni from
the 1970s and 1980s
came together to throw
the first ever Knights’
Party last fall. This
casual event was held in
the school gym with music provided by the Fabulous Dialtones (alumnus
Peter Warren ’77 is a
member) and food catered by Tommy Gadell ’74. More than 400
alumni came out to enjoy an evening of
great fun, friendship, food and music.
Pictured: Class of ’77: Paul Bilodeau, John Greenhalgh, Suzanne Nirschl Brown, Pat McAteer,
Bill Wilkinson and Scott Carpenter.
Mark Your Calendars!
Stay Connected with DJO
2nd Annual Knights Party
will be held on Saturday,
November 10, 2012.
77The
To keep your contact information up-to-date,
visit www.bishopoconnell.org/alumni.
77Homecoming
2012 will be
Saturday, October 20, 2012,
O’Connell vs. McNamara.
Join us as we cheer on the Knights!
Don’t miss out on any upcoming alumni events!
16
Young Alumni
Pizza Party
Every year on the Wednesday before
Thanksgiving, Bishop O’Connell opens
its doors to recent graduates, inviting
them to gather in the cafeteria for an
informal pizza lunch. College students
who came home for the Thanksgiving holiday weekend caught up with
friends from near and far for some easy
conversation and a few slices of pizza.
Our young alumni are always excited to
come back and see their old friends and
favorite teachers!
Sister Maureen Christopher chats with recent graduates at pizza party.
Class of 1991 Reunion
More than 100 members and guests of the class of 1991
gathered at Clyde’s Tysons Corner on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011
for their 20-year reunion. Attendees were welcomed by the
reunion committee, which included Danielle Pindell Plewa,
Richard Boone, Allison Frischkorn Beach and Anna-Lisa
Schneider. The night officially began with a prayer of thanksgiving for friendships and memories, and blessings over
family members, over those who could not make it or have
passed on. The evening menu included passed hors d’oeuvres,
an open bar, and a pasta bar. Those in attendance hugged,
laughed and introduced spouses and significant others and
showed off pictures of children. The group danced the night
away, many staying until the 1 a.m. closing. The party unofficially continued outside and in one of the nearby hotels.
Panoramic Visions Photography
Left to right: Allison Frischkorn Beach, Richard Boone Jr, Anna Lisa Ramos Schneider,
and Danielle Pindell Plewa.
Class of 1981 Reunion
The Class of 1981 also held their 30-year reunion on Saturday, Nov. 5, 2011. Their event was celebrated at the Hyatt Regency
Dulles. A great turn-out of long time friends came for the fun with at least 75 graduates in attendance. Some even dragged
their spouses along! The evening began with a cocktail party, and was followed with dinner and dancing. The night was such
a success that another mini-reunion was held on February 25th! Go DJO Class of ’81! See you again soon.
17
Maddy Brown
Alumni
Roll Call
Francine Proulx ’61 was highlighted
in the Lifestyle section of The Washington
Post about her work as a professional
accredited appraiser. Visit
http://tinyurl.com/74fqj6l to view the article.
Michelle Deutsch LaMarche ’74 has
recently accepted a position as a Senior
Retirement Counselor at Stoneridge Creek
continuing care retirement community
being built in Pleasanton, Calif.
Megan Lipari Brown ’98 and her
husband Jimmy (teacher and basketball
coach) are the proud parents of Madeline
Kathleen, born Feb. 23. “Maddy” was
welcomed home by her 5-year old brother,
Vincent.
Andrea McHugh ’93
is a style writer living
in Newport R.I. She has
a style blog focused on
Newport fashion scene
at www.newportstylephile.com.
Ray Zdacewicz ’74 accepts the MORE award
with Bishop Loverde looking on.
Ray Zdancewicz ’74, received
the MORE award at the Youth and
Campus Ministry Appreciation
Mass and Dinner for his work with
the Northern Virginia Junior CYO.
Robert Reed ’86 has been named
the new varsity golf coach at DJO.
He has been the Head Pro at Chantilly National for nine years, and
has coached the Westfield High
School golf team for four years.
Welcome back Coach Reed!
18
Ali Renner ’03 and GP Manson
Ali Renner ’03 is marrying GP Manson on
April 27 at St. Rita Church in Alexandria.
Fellow 2003 graduates, Colleen Stoehrer
Sweeny will be here maid of honor and
Libby Muldoon will be one of her bridesmaids. Groomsmen include Ali’s brothers
Steve Renner ’06, Joey Renner ’08 and
Robby Renner ’12.
Over Christmas break, Katie Yohe ’05
and her dad Joe Yohe ’76 went to Ghana.
Katie was able to share with her father
where she had spent a year volunteering
and he was able to meet the kids, experience the village, and just have all the
stories make sense and come to life. They
visited an orphanage in the capital city
of Accra, spent a day handing out gifts to
children in the village of Kasoa, celebrated
Christmas with the Sisters and Brothers of
the Holy Cross, and visited the Cape Coast
Slave castle.
Jimmy Murphy ’06 and his dad, Bob Murphy
Jimmy Murphy ’06 reached the summit
of Aconcagua in Argentina this past January. Aconcagua is the highest mountain
in the Americas at over 20,000 feet. This
is Jimmy’s third mountaineering adventure. He and his father have already conquered Kilimanjaro in Africa and Elbrus
in Russia.
Rob Cherry ’06 is now a Certified Public
Accountant and works as an Associate
with Dixon, Hughes, Goodman LLC in
Tysons Corner.
Joe Yohe ’76 and his daughter, Katie Yohe ’05
Devon Metcalf ’08 was one of eight
Drexel University softball players to earn
NFCA All-America Scholar Athlete accolades.
Two O’Connell graduates were honored
with Virginia Tech’s Aspire! Awards which
recognize current students who exemplify
the university’s five aspirations for student
learning—Curiosity, Self-Understanding,
Civility, Courageous Leadership and “Ut
Prosim” (that I may serve). Nicole Catalfamo ’08 was recognized for her service
to the community with an “Ut Prosim”
award, and Nicholas Roberts ’08 was
honored for his Civility.
Meet Our Manager of Alumni Relations – Michelle Kannan
…and she wants to hear from you! As
manager of alumni relations, Michelle Kannan’s goal is to help alumni stay connected
with their alma mater and their friends
from DJO.
At her desk she has a complete set of
yearbooks and at her finger tips she has
an alumni database that reaches back to
opening day at Bishop O’Connell. Michelle
is a first stop for reunion planners as they
begin organizing their class reunions. During the school year, she plans other events
to help alumni feel welcome at DJO. These
include the alumni events at the fall Homecoming football game, an informal young
alumni pizza party during Thanksgiving
break, the springtime Legacy Brunch, and
the All-Alumni Reunion Weekend in June.
She also supports the efforts of the Athletic
Hall of Fame committee to host the annual
awards dinner.
Michelle works with committees of enthusiastic volunteers to organize the annual
pages of the school web site current, and
works with class moderators to engage
with their classmates on the Alumni Portal
of the web site.
If you have alumni news, Michelle is the one
who will make sure it gets into our Knights’
Pages magazine.
Michelle Kannan interviewed Joe Alonso ’78 at the
Washington National Cathedral. (See page 21).
school Gala & Auction and the Connolly
Memorial Classic golf tournament. Both of
these events bring alumni, and even parents
of alumni, together for a day of fundraising
for a great cause.
When Michelle is not busy organizing
events, she is keeping alumni up-to-date
through the monthly e-newsletter,
AlumNotes. She also keeps the alumni
19
“One of the favorite parts of my job is interviewing alumni for the magazine’s Spotlight
section,” says Michelle. “I am in awe of all
that our alumni have accomplished and am
often amazed at their individual stories.”
Michelle came to Bishop O’Connell after
two years as a development associate at St.
Anselm’s Abbey School in Washington, D.C.
Michelle is originally from St. Petersburg,
Fla. She received her undergraduate degree
from Furman Univeristy in Greenville, S.C.
and her Masters in Public Administration
from the University of South Florida. Michelle can be reached at 703-237-1437 or
mkannan@bishopoconnell.org.
In Memoriam
Timothy Ragan ’61
January 20, 2012
Barbara Anne Orsinger Adolfson ’65
November 18, 2011
Elizabeth Keating Meehan ’68
February 29, 2012
Chris Breiner ’83
February 14, 2012
Monica Valdizan ’94
March 1, 2012
Brother James King
former faculty member (1968)
October 27, 2011
Alward “Al” Burch
former teacher, principal and coach
(1961-2004)
October 29, 2011
Jason Clark ’08 has been a leader on the
Georgetown University basketball team.
He was recently named All Big East first
team.
Mo Williams ’10 is a first year student at
the U.S. Military Academy (West Point).
He was recently honored with the first
Patriot League Rookie of the Week award
of the 2011-12 season for his efforts in the
Black Knights’ two basketball games at the
All-Military Classic hosted by Air Force.
Kendall Marshall ’10 is a finalist for the
2012 Bob Cousy Award, given to the top
collegiate male basketball point guard annually spanning across all divisions within
the game by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. The selection criteria
emphasize leadership, team work, success,
and fundamentals as being critical parts
for the game of basketball as a point guard.
Read more at www.cousyaward.com.
Kevin Fay ’73
Recognized by
Leukemia &
Lymphoma Society
Kevin Fay ’73 is being honored at this year’s
Leukemia Ball in Washington D.C., where he
will be presented with the first-ever James
L. Eichberg Lifetime Achievement Award.
This award was established in memory of
Jim Eichberg, a long-time volunteer and
supporter of The Leukemia & Lymphoma
Society who made service to others an
integral part of his daily life. The award recognizes the outstanding accomplishments
of an individual who has demonstrated
significant dedication and commitment to
the mission of Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, thereby making a significant impact on
the lives of patients and families. The recipient must also have demonstrated the same
longstanding commitment to community and volunteerism as the award’s namesake,
James L. Eichberg.
Kevin is the first recipient of this great honor. Kevin Fay is the founder of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS’s) Congressional Honors Program and has been a
long time advocate for increased funding for leukemia research and 15-year Leukemia
Ball Executive Committee member. He has helped raise more than $3 million dollars
through private donations and attendance at the Balls. Kevin has been a tremendous
asset to the Bishop O’Connell Community. He is the immediate past chairman of the
Board of Governors of Bishop O’Connell High School, having served as Chairman from
2006 through 2011. Kevin was also featured in the February 25, 2012 issue of the National Journal for his upcoming honor with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
20
Pvt. Tommy Farrell ’11 with Dr. Dan Stabile
Pvt. Tommy Farrell ’11 recently graduated from U.S. Marine Corps recruitment
training at Parris Island, S.C., earning a
sharpshooter’s medal along the way. He is
headed to Camp Geiger in North Carolina
for his next assignment.
Deon Thomas ’11 is a freshman in the
School of Industrial Labor Relations at
Cornell University. His perspectives on
the difficulties of obtaining an appropriate
summer internship were recently published in the Cornell Daily Sun. Read more
at http://cornellsun.com/section/opinion/
content/2012/02/24/let-stress-resume.
Deon Thomas ‘11
Keep in Touch
Keep us informed of births,
weddings, graduations and
other celebrations!
Send your news to
alumni@bishopoconnell.org.
Alumni Spotlight
Joe Alonso ’79
Joe Alonso, stonemason or rock star?
Spend a day with
him at the Washington National
Cathedral and you
might be asking the
same question.
Joe graduated
from O’Connell in
1979 and joined
the Stonemason
Union of D.C.
After serving his
apprenticeship and
working on stone
projects around the
Washington metropolitan area, he secured
a position as a stonemason at the National
Cathedral in 1985. When the construction
of the Cathedral was completed five years
later, and the final finial was put in place,
Joe was promoted to the position of head
stonemason. For the next twenty years,
Joe and his team of masons and carvers
spent their time maintaining, restoring
and adding to the existing structures.
Everything changed on Aug. 23, 2011
when a 5.8 magnitude earthquake 100
miles southwest of Washington shook the
foundation of the Cathedral. At that point,
the life of the Cathedral changed and the
vocation of stonemason was quickly thrust
into the limelight.
Joe and his craftsmen now find themselves in the midst of repairing the damage
to this beautiful gothic structure, which
many estimate to take more than ten years
to complete. The total repair costs may
run as high as $15 to $20 million.
Just as major repair work was beginning
in earnest, progress hit another snag.
While working to secure the tower and
the scaffolding in early September, a crane
collapsed, diverting construction work
and delaying the planned reopening of the
Cathedral for nearly two months.
“Believe it or not, throughout the course of
this adversity, there have been a number of
little miracles,” said Joe.
He relayed several examples. First, the
pinnacle that initially fell off the tower
could have easily caused significant dam-
age had it fallen onto the roof over the
nave or even worse, onto the ground. But
somehow it fell back onto the roof.
In the crane incident, the crane had just
secured a final piece of steel on the scaffolding that secured the tower. It had just
cleared the building when it collapsed.
Had this not have been the case, many
of the men working up there could have
been in serious danger. Also, had the crane
fallen at a slightly different angle, it would
have hit nearby office buildings where
more people were working.
There is still quite a bit of work to be done
in the restoration of the Cathedral, but for
now the structure is stable and safe. Joe
and his team are working indoors for the
winter months, recarving stones. Though
it will be a long road, Joe and his team of
stonemasons and carvers, along with the
staff and clergy, will be working together
to fully restore the National Cathedral.
Amanda “Mandy” Renaghan Taylor ’94
The words “community organizer” or
“activist” can conjure up a variety of
preconceived notions. But a new brand
of community organizing is sweeping the
nation and its focus is on improving public
education in low income communities and
communities of color. Amanda “Mandy”
Renaghan Taylor ’94 is an advanced doctoral candidate at the Harvard Graduate
School of Education (HGSE) where she
and a group of two HSGE professors and 14
fellow classmates conducted an intensive
case study on community organizing and
school reform.
The team studied groups across the country
who have successfully engaged in community organizing for education reform,
examining how their efforts resulted in
real change in their schools and districts.
Amanda’s team worked with the Northwest
Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition in
New York City, and the results of this research have been published in a new book
entitled A Match on Dry Grass: Community
Organizing as a Catalyst for School Reform,
by Mark R. Warren, Karen L. Mapp, and the
Community Organizing and School Reform
Project (Oxford University Press: 2011).
Amanda shared some of the highlights of
their work. “Leaders with the Northwest
Bronx Community and Clergy Coalition were concerned about severe school
overcrowding in Bronx public high schools.
After working with organizers, they discovered that New York City was planning for
future enrollment levels in Bronx public
schools that had the expectation of 64
percent of their students failing,” she said.”
The leaders then worked with school of-
21
ficials and politicians
to reduce overcrowding. This process
not only improved
schools, but also
empowered the local
leaders to continue
to press for positive
change.”
Amanda is now
working on her
doctoral dissertation, focusing her
attention on racial issues in teacher-student
relationships. Specifically, she is studying
how white teachers think about race in
their teaching practices and how district
and school policies affect teachers’ racial
understandings. Amanda’s work involves
two schools in the same suburban school
district with different demographics. The
superintendent for the district has established an important initiative to address
the achievement gaps based on race, and
Amanda is documenting the implementation of this policy in both schools.
Amanda’s interest in education reform stems
from her early years as an inner-city high
school English teacher, where she saw firsthand how social inequality affected student
learning opportunities and experiences.
As an adjunct professor, Amanda has taught
a class at American University called “Race,
Class, and Power in International and
Intercultural Education.” She is currently
the director of graduate admissions and
financial aid for the university’s School of
International Service.
Upcoming Reunions
Class of 1962 is planning their 50-year
reunion for Sept. 28-30 at the Marriott
in Fair Oaks. Contact Margaret McGarry
at mmcgarry2005@yahoo.com for more
information.
Upcoming
Alumni
Events
Class of 1967 is planning a reunion
for Saturday, June 23 at Bishop O’Connell.
More information will be released via email as the date gets closer. Please update
your e-mail contact information with the
school if you have not already done so
(contact alumni@bishopoconnell.org).
For more information on the reunion,
contact Jeanne Whyte at
jeannewhyte@verizon.net.
Class of 1972 is planning their 40-year
reunion for the weekend of October 19-21.
For more information about the reunion or
to get information about the next planning
meeting on Feb. 3, contact Ed Blackadar at
saylr7@aol.com.
The Class of 1977 is planning their
35th reunion for the weekend of Nov. 9-10.
Contact Suzanne Nirschl Brown
suzanne44brown@gmail.com or Peter
Warren pwarren@optimos.com for
information.
Class of 1987 has begun planning
their reunion for the weekend of October
20, 2012. The events include:
77Friday,
19 Oct: Happy Hour/Alumni
Reception, Tysons Corner Marriott
77Saturday, 20 Oct: Homecoming
Football Game vs McNamara, DJO
77Semi Formal Dinner & Dance,
Tysons Corner Marriott
77Sunday, 21 Oct: Mass, DJO Chapel
77Reception, DJO Library/Old Busport
Contact Brad Felling at bgbfelling@yahoo.com
or Tina Ward at obxfamily@gmualumni.org.
Class of 2002 is planning their 10-year
reunion. Please contact Jennifer Booze
(boozej@gmail.com) or Kelly Flannigan
(flanigan.kelly@gmail.com) if you would
like to help with the planning!
All-Alumni Reunion Weekend, June 8–10, 2012
Come back to
DJO to celebrate
and reconnect!
Annual Alumni Awards
Reception and Dinner
Friday, June 8 at 6 p.m.
Join us for a cocktail reception and dinner,
as we honor our exceptional alumni:
77Distinguished
Alumni Award
Kevin J. Fay ’73
Kevin Fay is an alumnus, a past parent
and a tireless advocate and volunteer
for Bishop O’Connell, having served
as chairman of the Board of Governors
from 2006 through 2011. He is the
President of Alcalde & Fay, and is an
internationally recognized specialist on
environmental and energy issues with
particular emphasis on governmental policies involving the atmosphere
and climate. In his spare time, he has
devoted countless hours to promoting
and fundraising important community
efforts, from the McLean Little League
to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,
where he is being honored this year
with the James L. Eichberg Lifetime
Achievement Award. Read more about
Kevin Fay on page 20.
77Young
Alumni Award
Amanda Renaghan Taylor ’94
Amanda Taylor started out as an innercity teacher, who quickly recognized
some inequities in the public school system. While building a career in school
administration, she has been working
with a team of doctoral candidates at
Harvard University to bring light to the
productive work of community organizers in improving at-risk schools, and
addressing achievement gaps based on
race in schools around the country. Read
more about Amanda Taylor on page 21.
77Knights
Spirit Award
Bob and Paola (Egge)
Pizzano ’81
In addition to running a contracting
business, Bob and Paola Pizzano have
raised a wonderful family and dedicated
themselves to making a difference in the
lives of children with developmental
challenges. Through the Joey Pizzano
Memorial Fund (JPMF) and in conjunction with the Fairfax County Park
Foundation and the Virginia Board of
People with Disabilities, the Pizzanos
spearheaded the opening of Our Special
Harbor, a 7,000-square-foot, zero-waterdepth “sprayground” in Franconia. In addition, their foundation provides funding
and classes for water safety education for
families of children with disabilities.
Family Mass and Brunch
Sunday, June 10 at 10 a.m.
Come back and celebrate Mass with us in
the student chapel. We will follow this
special Mass with a light brunch in the
cafeteria. Please join us!
Classes ending in -2 and -7, this
is your time to party! Please contact
the alumni office so we can help you arrange a reunion during the All-Alumni
Reunion Weekend!
Please let us know you are coming!
RSVP to alumni weekend events at alumni@bishopoconnell.org or call Michelle Kannan
at 703-237-1437. Awards dinner tickets are $10 each. There is no cost for the family
brunch, but RSVPs are necessary.
22
Athletic Hall of Fame 2012 Inductees
The athletic department and the alumni office are pleased to be honoring eight alumni who will be inducted into the Bishop O’Connell Athletic Hall of Fame this year.
Please join us for the induction ceremony and awards dinner on Saturday, Apr.28 at
5 p.m. in the school cafeteria. There is a cost of $40 per person in advance, and $50
at the door. This includes dinner and a cocktail reception. Contact
alumni@bishopoconnell.org or call 703-237-1437 to reserve your seat.
Meet the 2012 Hall
of Fame inductees:
John Friede ’67,
Wrestling
John compiled a career
record of 53-3. He won the
St. Albans tournament his
senior year and was named
the tournament’s outstanding wrestler.
Ted Breiner ’72,
Football, Wrestling
In football, Ted was the
MVP and was selected to
the Washington Post AllIndependent School team.
In wrestling, he won the Virgina Independent School tournament and was runner
up at the St. Albans tournament.
Mike Storm ’77,
Modern Pentathlon
Mike won a silver medal at
the 1984 summer Olympics
in Los Angeles. He came in
5th place in the individual
competition and led the 3-man United
States contingent to 2nd place in the team
competition.
Eileen O’Brien
Prophett ’88, Soccer,
Basketball
In soccer, Eileen was a
co-captain and named the
team’s best offensive player.
She was a 1st team all-conference selection
and received a scholarship to William
and Mary.
Get ready to golf!
Kathy O’Brien Krug
’88, Soccer, Basketball
In soccer, Kathy was a
co-captain and MVP in her
junior and senior years, and
a 1st team all-conference
selection. She was a Washington Post 1st
team All-Met player and received a scholarship to William and Mary.
Moira White Smith ’91,
Softball
As the team’s pitcher, Moira
was the team MVP and
twice selected to the WCAC
1st team. She received the
Arlington Better Sports Club award and
was a 2nd team Washington Post All-Met
her senior year.
Delaunta Cameron ’94,
Football, Basketball
Delaunta was a starter in
basketball but excelled in
football. His honors include
Virginia independent
all-state selection, all-conference, allNorthern Virginia, and Washington Post
2nd team All-Met. He became an All-ACC
linebacker at Georgia Tech and played
with two NFL teams.
Terrence Wilkins ’94,
Football
Terrence was elected in
2006 and will be inducted
this year. Terrence accounted for 21 touchdowns and
established a new single-season rushing
record of 1,617 yards his senior season.
Terrence’s honors include: 1st Team AllMet and All-State. He received a scholarship to play football at the University of
Virginia and was all-purpose back for the
Indianapolis Colts.
The 24th Annual
Joseph W. Connolly Golf Classic
Friday, May 4 • Laurel Hill Golf Club, Lorton, Va.
www.bishopoconnell.org/connollyclassic
23
The knights’ pages
Spring 2012
BISHOP O’CONNELL
HIGH SCHOOL
6600 Little Falls Road
Arlington, VA 22213
703-237-1400
www.bishopoconnell.org
ADmINISTRATION
Kathleen Ryan Prebble
President
Joseph E. Vorbach III, PhD ’83
Principal
Rev. Phillip M. Cozzi ’94
Chaplain
Sr. Catherine Hill, I.H.M. ’66
Dean of Academics
Meghan Lonergan
Dean of Students
ADVANCEMENT
Cindy Krech
Associate Director of
Advancement
703-237-1446
ckrech@bishopoconnell.org
Michelle Kannan
Alumni Relations
703-237-1437
mkannan@bishopoconnell.org
Kim Aubry
Advancement Services
703-237-1447
kaubry@bishopoconnell.org
COMMUNICATIONS
Mary Jane Spurlock
Director of Communications
703-237-1425
mjspurlock@bishopoconnell.org
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT #6479
MERRIFIELD, VA
6600 Little Falls Road, Arlington, Virginia 22213
www.bishopoconnell.org • 703-237-1400
CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED
Athletic Hall of Fame
Saturday, April 28, 2012
5 p.m. in the cafeteria
24th Annual
Connolly Golf Classic
Friday, May 4, 2012
Laurel Hill Golf Club
www.bishopoconnell.org/golfclassic
Grandparents’ Reception
Thursday, Apr. 19, 2012
Festival of the Arts
9 a.m. in the convent
Saturday, May 5, 2012
6–9:30 p.m.
Coming
Events
Spring Drama Production
The Matchmaker
Apr. 20–22, 2012
www.bishopoconnell.org/theatre
Legacy Mass & Brunch
Sunday, Apr. 22, 2012
10 a.m. Mass in the school chapel
with brunch to follow
24
Class of 2012 Graduation
May 31, 2012
Basilica of the National Shrine
Tickets are required
All-Alumni Reunion Weekend
June 8–10, 2012
www.bishopoconnell.org/alumni