JPII Newsletter May2013alternate - St. John Paul II Catholic High

Pope John Paul II Catholic High School
Eye of the Falcon Newsletter
VOLUME II, Issue V
Summer 2013
Servant Leadership
By Vince Aquila, Principal
May is an opportunity for the JPII community to pause and reflect on the goodness of God through
the lives of our students. As the last performance is given, the classwork winds down, the final
exam is taken, and the last essay is graded, we celebrate the accomplishments of our students with
joy, fervor, and thanksgiving. Events such as the Academic Awards Day, Senior Dinner, Falcon Day,
and Graduation at the VBC are important community celebrations that testify to the goodness of
God in our young people. I would like to share with you a couple of events in the past few months
that say a lot to all of us about the type of leaders our students are becoming.
On April 25, the class of 2013 participated in a day of service at the Downtown Rescue Mission
Campus on Evangel Drive. A busy morning of service included cleaning windows, organizing
classrooms, organizing food storage, yard work, and anything else we could do. One highlight of the day
occurred after lunch as the Downtown Rescue Mission resident softball team took on the Class of 2013
in a very exciting game under crystal clear blue skies. As it turned out, the mission had been praying for
someone to donate softball equipment for their resident team. Without knowing about the need, the class
donated softball equipment to the residents on behalf of JPII.
On May 22, a late-afternoon call came from the school to the whole JPII community to bring items that
could be shipped to the victims of the tornados that destroyed communities in Oklahoma and the Midwest.
The following morning students, parents, and teachers brought in an overwhelming amount of items to aid
our brothers and sisters in need. As the morning progressed, students started to help and eventually took
the project to completion with the packing of items to be transferred to the shipping point. True servant
leadership was demonstrated this day by our kids. May is a time to celebrate accomplishments and to
answer God’s call to serve others in Christ’s name. May you have a wonderful summer and blessed time
with your families.
ADVANCEMENT NEWSLETTER | 7301 Old Madison Pike, Huntsville, Alabama 35806 | 256.430.1760 | www.jp2falcons.org
FROM THE DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT
Dear Friends,
We have a winning class – Congratulations to the Class of 2016. The freshmen class is the class with the highest
percent of participation in the 2012–2013 Parent Annual Fund. The sophomore class came in second place,
followed by the seniors in third place and the juniors in fourth place. We are grateful to all the families that
supported the Parent Annual Fund. Thank you for the personal sacrifice you have made in order to contribute
to the Parent Annual Fund – your gift will be used to improve the quality of the education we strive to provide
your child.
Not only has our enrollment increased this year, but our scholarship awards have also increased. This year our
graduating seniors have received over $8 Million in scholarships. This represents a substantial increase over previous years. Please take a
look at the Class of 2013 listed below and know that your gifts serve to make good things happen. We are so proud of our graduates and
expect to hear of all their great accomplishments in the future.
Connie Gerlach
Director of Advancement
ELIZABETH MARIE ADAMS
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
CORY JAMES ANDERSON
U.S. Military Academy at West Point
COLEMAN OWENS ARMSTRONG
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
JESSICA RENAE BARKLEY
Colby College
EMILY CARSON BEMIS
University of South Alabama
NATHAN ALEXANDER BERG
University of Montevallo
SAMANTHA SILVER BIJVOET
Calhoun Community College
MADELINE MICHELLE BONIFAY
Auburn University
CATHERINE PAGE BORDEAUX
University of North Alabama
ALEXANDER GENE BOYER
Vanderbilt University
NOAH JACOB BRADLEY
United States Air Force Academy
AARON LEE BROWN
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
MICHAEL CHRISTOPHER BURKE
Auburn University
DANIEL AUGUSTINE BURRIS
The University of Alabama Huntsville
ABIGAIL RAE CHANDLER
Mississippi State University
MARIA ERNESTINA CHRISTL
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
JASON GARLAND CRAVER
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
ALEXIA RAYE CRONISE
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
MATTHEW JAMES CURRAN
Auburn University
MADELEINE BURKE DAVIE
Auburn University
CALVIN DESHAWN DAVIS
Marion Military Institute
KEVIN DEMITRIUS DAVIS
Marion Military Institute
JOHN JOSEPH MARIE DELANY
Spring Hill College
FITZGERALD THOMAS DODDS
Ohio University
MARIOANDRES ESPINOSA-HERNANDEZ
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
CHRISTOPHER JOHN FOELLER
Calhoun Community College
EMILY JOSEPHINE FREELAND
University of Montevallo
STEPHEN BRADFORD GASS
Auburn University
REBECCA LYNN GLOSEMEYER
University of Montevallo
SEAN CHRISTOPHER GROARK
Birmingham-Southern College
CLARA MARIA GUM
Loyola University New Orleans
THOMAS JAMES GUZOWSKI
Troy University
ASHLEY DIANE HAZLITT
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
THOMAS STEPHEN HENKEN, JR.
Auburn University
NATALIE SAMANTHA HILL
The University of Alabama Huntsville
ALEXANDER MARK HILLGARTNER
The University of Alabama Huntsville
JOHN MICHAEL HOEKENSCHNIEDER
Troy University
SIMON HÖVING
Returning to Germany
CHRISTINA HOHMANN
Returning to Germany
WILLIAM KENT JACKSON II
The University of Alabama Huntsville
BAILEY CORRIN JANSSEN
The University of Southern Mississippi
DYLAN MICHAEL JEDLOVEC
Samford University
BETHANY DOLORA JOHNSON
Wallace State Community College
JOSHUA MICHAEL JOHNSTON
Calhoun Community College
MICHELLE ELIZABETH KELLOGG
Calhoun Community College
MACKENZIE MARIE KING
University of South Alabama
ELIZABETH ALICE KIRSCH
Spring Hill College
COURTNEY MARIE KLOSKE
Auburn University
RACHAEL NICOLE KRESS
The University of Alabama
CHASE ROBERT LAURENDINE III
Auburn University
CORWIN MARKWALTER LAVOIE
Auburn University
STEPHEN GERARD LEAHY
Auburn University
DAVID LENFERS
Returning to Germany
CIARA LOUISE NAOMI MALAUGH
The University of Alabama
CHRISTOPHER THOMAS MCARTHUR
Auburn University
MAYA DEANNE MCDANIEL
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
BARBRA ANN MEWBORNE
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
MADELINE JANE MILLER
The University of Alabama
DARBY MARIE-LOUISE MOKRY
Auburn University
ALYSSA NICOLE MURPHREE
University of North Alabama
BAILEY NICOLE NASH
Villanova University
SEAN MICHAEL NASH
Boston College
EMERALDE BREANNA PARISH
MARY FRANCES PITTMAN
Auburn University
PAIGE MARIE PRYLINSKI
Auburn University
NICHOLAS EUGENE RAIMONDI
The University of Alabama
LAURA OLIVIA RODRIGUEZ
Calhoun Community College
CAMERON LEE ROSENHOOVER
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
SARAH MARGARET ROTH
The University of Alabama
MELANIE RAE SCHAEFER
University of Tennessee
SHAUN AJ SCHEURICH
Auburn University
SIMON TOM SCHÖNFELD
Returning to Germany
ZACHARY BENJAMIN SELLERS
Auburn University
STEVEN ROBERT SHEIBLEY
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
RYAN JOSEPH SOPRANO
Auburn University
RACHEL OLIVIA STOGNER
Samford University
SARAH ANN SWALLEY
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
LYDIA MARIE SWEENEY
Auburn University
ANNA CHRISTIN THOMPSON
The University of Mississippi
MICHELLE ELIZABETH THOMPSON
University of South Alabama
MARINA KATHERINE TRIPLETT
The University of Alabama at Birmingham
NICHOLAS REED TYGIELSKI
The University of Alabama
BLAISE PATRICK VEVON
Auburn University at Montgomery
LUKE XAVIER VIEGAS
Georgia Institute of Technology
ERIKA HOPE VIOLETT
Clemson University
ALEXIS SHAE WALKER
University of North Alabama
DONALD JAMES WASHINGTON
The University of Alabama
CHARLOTTE LEIGH WHITLEY
University of Montevallo
MEGAN ELIZABETH WIEGMANN
Mississippi State University
KAITLIN ASHLEY WILLIAMS
University of South Alabama
PAXTON ELIZABETH WILLIAMS
The University of Mississippi
SHANDY ELIZABETH WITTSCHEN
Mississippi State University
ABBY MICHELLE WRIGHT
Samford University

ZACHARY ROYCE CLARK
Auburn University
MALLORY ANN CLEARY
Auburn University
DANIEL JOSEPH CONFORTI
Auburn University
ABIGAIL MARIE CORBY
University of South Alabama
Class of 2013 Exceeds $8 Million in Scholarships
My Gift to JPII
ADVANCEMENT NEWSLETTER | 7301 Old Madison Pike, Huntsville, Alabama 35806 | 256.430.1760 | www.jp2falcons.org
Pope John Paul II Catholic High School
Alumni Spotlight
Current Student
2001
Theresa Javel, Class of 2001, graduated
from the University of South Alabama in
2006. She is currently a 6th grade teacher at
St. Pius X Catholic School in Mobile. Theresa
enjoys traveling abroad and singing.
2010 (Continued)
Phoebe Barghouty, Class of 2010, is
attending the University of Michigan. She
recently received the Mary Lou Butcher
Equality in Journalism Award from the
University of Michigan Department of
Communication Studies. Phoebe has been a
contributing writer to Forbes Middle East
since doing a very successful internship with
them last summer in Dubai, UAE.
2005
Jessica Brown, Class of 2005, graduated
from the University of Alabama in 2010 with
a degree in nursing. She is a member of the
Sigma Alpha Lambda honor society. Jessica is
currently working in the cardiac step down
unit at Princeton Baptist Medical Center
in Birmingham and the Cardiac Vascular
CICU (CV CICU) at UAB. She is currently
attending UAB studying to get her master’s degree to become a
nurse practitioner.
Mary Elizabeth Tetzlaff, Class of 2005, is
wrapping up her second year of coursework
for a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Catholic
University of America. She graduated from
the University of Dallas in 2009, summa
cum laude, as a Phi Beta Kappa member
and valedictorian. Her M.A. thesis is on preAristotelian morality and she plans to continue working on ancient
philosophy for her dissertation. She finds that her education has
prepared her well for a life in academia, not only by building the
habits necessary to handle academic requirements but also by
instilling an abiding sense of wonder and thirst for truth.
2009
2010
Vincent Delany, Class of 2009, will
graduate from West Point this May. He spent
a semester abroad in Russia. After graduation
he will be an Infantry Officer in Korea. In
his free time, Vincent enjoys paintball and
spending time with his friends.
Jacob Barkley, Class of 2010, is attending
The University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Jacob is pursuing an independently designed
degree in forensic science. Jacob has also
received his EMT national license and is
currently volunteering as a firefighter in
Cahaba Heights during the week in Birmigham
and at the Toney Volunteer Fire Department
on the weekends.
Mariana Delany, Class of 2010, is in her
third year at Vanderbilt University working
toward a double major in communication
studies and Spanish with a minor in corporate
strategy. While at Vanderbilt, she has had
many opportunities to travel and study.
She spent a month in Costa Rica studying
corporate social responsibility, a semester at
the University of Queensland, Australia, and is currently in Madrid.
When in Nashville, she enjoys exploring the local music scene and
is on track to graduate in May 2014.
2011
Katie Sheibley, Class of 2011, is currently
studying civil engineering at the University
of Alabama at Birmingham. She is active
with many student organizations on campus,
including the Science and Technology
Honors Program, the Civil, Construction,
and Environmental Engineering Honors
Program, Leadership Foundations, and Alpha Xi Delta sorority,
where she serves as Programs Vice President. She is an active
member of St. Stephen’s Catholic Chapel serving as a minister
of hospitality. In pursuit of her honors thesis research, she is
currently conducting biomedical research on the torsion testing
of bones in order to determine the efficiency of adolescent
limb-lengthening procedures. Katie has worked her way to the
position she currently holds as a supervisor at the UAB Campus
Rec Center. This summer, Katie will begin a 2-year co-op rotation
with Southern Nuclear analyzing the environmental effects of the
construction and development of the new nuclear power plants in
Waynesboro, GA. In her free time, Katie enjoys outdoor activities
such as rock climbing, mountain biking, and hiking.
2012
Evan Pardi, Class of 2012, is currently
attending the University of Oregon. In
April, he represented UO at USATriathlon
collegiate nationals in Arizona. Evan has
maintained straight A’s this year. He was also
included in a commercial for Nike, leading a
charge into the arena.
ADVANCEMENT NEWSLETTER | 7301 Old Madison Pike, Huntsville, Alabama 35806 | 256.430.1760 | www.jp2falcons.org
Spring Snapshots
Current Student
Oklahoma
Tornado Relief
PA Turnover Meeting
Senior Service Day
Window Washing
Annual Junior/Senior
Powderpuff
Engraved Bricks Reception
2012 Gala
“Vintage Vegas”
Final Totals
More than 400 guests attended the 2012 “Vintage Vegas”
Gala for John Paul II Catholic High School at the Von Braun
Center downtown Huntsville, Alabama on November
3, 2012. Master of Ceremonies was our own Alumnus,
Mr. Daniel Noland ‘05, of Huntsville, Alabama.
Gala 2012 Income and Expense Summary
Income
$156,566.50
Expenses
($66,951.65)
Net Profit
$89,614.85
The Gala was a tremendous success and could not have
been possible without our students, parents, alumni,
volunteers, donors and attendees. On behalf of all who
participated in this special evening, Beth Boyer, Michelle
Kloske, Christy Petersen and I were able to present a
check to Principal Vince Aquila for the net proceeds in
the amount of $89,614.85. This accomplishment makes
a difference for JPII Catholic High School, and for that we
are eternally grateful.
Thanks to All.
Michelle Nash
Chair, Gala 2012
ADVANCEMENT NEWSLETTER | 7301 Old Madison Pike, Huntsville, Alabama 35806 | 256.430.1760 | www.jp2falcons.org
FROM THE CHAPLAIN
My brothers and sisters in Christ,
What a year it has been! The 2012–13
school year is at an end! I wish everyone a
blessed and restful summer, and certainly,
safe travels for the many who will be taking
vacations. Summer is a time for family, fun,
rest and relaxation, and I pray it will be so
for you!
One of the main highlights of this past year was the election
of Pope Francis! I’m sure many of you experienced, as we did
here at the high school, the excitement and joy of being able
to witness a papal election live from the Vatican. Pope Francis,
a relatively unknown Cardinal, was a simple, humble priest
from Argentina. He has in many ways, revitalized and stirred
the hearts of the faithful with his simple, yet very powerful
messages.
Youth’s Prayer
Jesus, I put my trust in You.
Show me the disciple’s path,
and teach me Your ways that I may
follow You.
Help me to live in
communion with You
and in good relationship with others.
Fill my life with the
joy of your presence
and guide my actions with Your love.
In any moments of doubt or fear
let me find hope in Your promise to
be with me always.
Loving Jesus, I give You thanks for
the gift of this day.
Amen.
Current Student
Recently, the Pope was greeted by hundreds of thousands of
pilgrims shouting his name, and he encouraged them to shout
the name of Jesus instead. He remarked, “I want to hear you
shout out ‘Jesus’, Jesus is Lord, and he is in our midst.” As did
his predecessors, Pope Francis is always encouraging us to
direct our minds and hearts to Jesus.
As you enjoy these summer months, I too, following the
lead of our holy father, encourage you to continue to direct
your minds and hearts to our Savior. He is with us, “in our
midst,” during the busy school year, and during the restful
summer months. May God Bless each of you, and may your
faith continually be nourished and increased over the next
few months and into next school year.
In Christ,
Fr. Vincent Bresowar
Chaplain
Rocket Team
Two teams from JPII competed in the eleventh annual Team America Rocketry Challenge
(TARC) finals on Saturday, May 10 in Washington D.C. Sponsored by the Aerospace Industries
Association, the National Association of Rocketry and more than 24 industry partners, TARC
saw record turnout in 2013. Each team designed, built and launched a rocket carrying a payload
of a horizontally-placed raw egg to an exact altitude of 750 feet. Rockets were required to
land within 48-50 seconds – a mere two-second window before teams were penalized.
Pope John Paul II Team 2 finished in 4th place overall and received $2,000 in prize money
(to be split among the five team members) as well as an additional $2,000 for the school.
JPII’s other team, the Falcon Rocketeers, finished 11th overall. A total of 725 teams from 44
states competed this year; only the top 100 teams were selected to compete at the national
competition. The teams received a congratulatory letter from Mr. Patrick Scheuermann,
Director of Marshall Space Flight Center.
50th International Eucharistic
Congress
Dublin, Ireland
June 10-17, 2012
The Advancement Office Newsletter is now electronic! If you or someone you know is interested in having the latest news
sent electronically, send your e-mail address to Connie Gerlach: cgerlach@jp2falcons.org or call (256) 430-1760, ext. 150.
ADVANCEMENT NEWSLETTER | 7301 Old Madison Pike, Huntsville, Alabama 35806 | 256.430.1760 | www.jp2falcons.org
Non-profit
Organization
U.S. Postage
Paid
Huntsville, AL
Permit No. 133
Pope John Paul II Catholic High School
7301 Old Madison Pike
Huntsville, AL 35806
Dates to Note ...
Some upcoming events are listed below.
For details, please visit www.jp2falcons.org.
Summer Office Hours (Effective June 3, 2013)
Monday – Thursday 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
(Office closed for lunch from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm)
Friday – Office closed all day.
Class of 2003 Reunion
Connie Gerlach
Director of Advancement
256/430.1760, ext. 150
cgerlach@jp2falcons.org
Online Giving is available:
www.jp2falcons.org/ways-of-giving/
August 3
New Parent Orientation
August 12
First Day of Classes
August 13
www.facebook.com/JP2Falcons
Pope John Paul II Catholic High School does not discriminate on the basis of sex, race, color, and/or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its education policies, admission policies,
student aid programs and athletic programs. Pope John Paul II Catholic High School understands the content of this newsletter to be accurate, as of printing date.
For any corrections, please call 256.430.1760. © Pope John Paul II Catholic High School. Printed in the U.S.A.