2012 Distinguished Alumni Award - Our Lady of Good Counsel High
Transcription
2012 Distinguished Alumni Award - Our Lady of Good Counsel High
2012 Distinguished Alumni Award Al Checchi ’66 | The Change Maker www.olgchs.org l Spring 2012 A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School Dear Friends, A publication of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School 17301 Old Vic Boulevard, Olney, MD 20832 240.283.3200 • www.olgchs.org e shelves in my office contain many books. ere’s Collins, Covey and Drucker, the stuff of college business classes. ere are books about heroes like St. Ignatius, Shakespeare and Shackleton. ere’s no shortage of leadership advice. OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL PRESIDENT Paul G. Barker, Ed.D. PRINCIPAL Patrick Bates ’70 BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chairman: Hank Deily ’72 Mr. Robert Alesi Dr. Paul Barker Mr. Bradlee Bolino ’71 Mr. Michael Devlin ’77 Mr. Robert Dickman Mr. Sean Fitzpatrick ’96 Mr. Dan Gillespie ’70 Mr. Robert Hass Ms. Katherine Liola ’97 Mr. Andrew Maurano ’97 Bro. Richard Mazza, C.F.X. Mr. Kevin McCormack ’86 Mr. Charles J. Morton ’83 Ms. Rita O’Donnell Bro. J. Conal Owens, C.F.X. Sr. Sharon Slear, SSND Mrs. Susan Splendido Mr. Martin Stanislav ’82 Dr. Patricia A. Thomas ’93 Mrs. Beverly Wharton-Lake Ms. Nancy Wheeler ADVANCEMENT OFFICE STAFF: EDITOR, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PR Stephanie Wilson CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER Jane DiGirolamo DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE AND FOUNDATION RELATIONS Adam Trice Our feature story highlights the remarkable story of Al Checchi ’66. In his recently published book e Change Maker: Preserving the Promise of America and in his recent remarks to students, Al acknowledged the profound influence of Good Counsel in forming the leader he has become in business and politics. Al is not alone. In meetings with alumni here in the metro area as well as at gatherings in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Baltimore and Chicago, again and again we have heard successful graduates give credit to the Good Counsel years for the formation of their core values. Visible reinforcements of the Xaverian Brothers’ virtues of humility, trust, zeal, compassion and simplicity are painted in our hallways. We celebrate them in a beautiful song composed by teacher Stan Spottswood ’81. Most of all, our teachers and staff are ever alert to ways to draw daily connections between those five words and what happens in our classrooms, in the way we greet and treat one another, and in how we judge the rightness of what we do. We also provide settings in which students learn to lead. Most compelling are the opportunities to serve as retreat leader. Several times a year we consecrate generous young men and women going out to minister to their peers. Fr. Barry Gross places their leadership in the context of following in the footsteps of Jesus, teacher of us all. I was privileged to attend the February Fire Junior Retreat. After months of training, our senior leaders were ready. Whatever their nerves in approaching their small groups and delivering a talk, it was clear that taking on a role that was challenging, purposeful, individually meaningful, and in which they would be required to exercise choice, control and discretion, leaders were being formed. We adults needed to be there, of course, but at some level we were superfluous. e senior leaders established the climate of trust, openness, safety, seriousness, support and caring that made those three days a transformative experience for all who attended. I understand why our alumni remember this retreat so vividly. DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI & PARENT RELATIONS Monica Augustyn ’06 ADVANCEMENT MANAGER Debbie McKinney MARKETING AND PR ASSISTANT Ali Kelley PRESIDENT’S ASSISTANT Jeanette McCarthy One final thing, invariably mentioned by our graduates as providing impetus for their success, is the example of their teachers. ey talk with reverence of Burns and Essig, Kolar and Dalphonse, Serafino and Slocum. ey recall, too, titans from our past – names like Guida and Trick, Raimo and Jayaraja. And of course the Xaverian Brothers – names like Br. Barry, Br. Ivo, Br. Charles and Br. Bonaventure. Boys and girls long since grown into men and women recall their teachers as persons of faith, intellect, passion and love. CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Joe Cabigas ’82 Tom Hilton ’64 Submit comments, contributions and address updates to wilson@olgchs.org. . Students at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School are seldom assigned books on leadership, but we cultivate leaders. What helped Al Checchi almost 50 years ago, remains the same today. A climate suffused with Catholic values, rich opportunities to lead and the compelling example of teachers, combine as an effective “how to” guide for young people on the path to being the leaders of tomorrow. Warmly, Sponsored Schools Paul G. Barker, Ed.D. President In March, cast members from the Spring Production of Crazy for You packed the theatre at Sandy Spring Friends School and staged eight fabulous performances. IN THIS ISSUE Al Checchi | The Change Maker Three Swimmers’ Quest for Gold Grand Celebration | Hometown U.S.A. www.olgchs.org 2 15 20 2012 Distinguished Alumni Award Al Checchi ’66 Our Lady of Good Counsel High School is proud to recognize our distinguished alumnus/alumna with an award presented annually to a graduate whose life personifies the spirit and values our school seeks to instill in its students. e Distinguished Alumni Award honors those who demonstrate a commitment to faith, service and Good Counsel; who have achieved professional success and who have made significant contributions to society through leadership, volunteerism and philanthropy. Mr. Alfred Checchi ’66, our third recipient, received this honor on ursday, April 26, at the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel Mass in the Kane Center. Following the Mass, a luncheon was held at Manor Country Club to honor Al. Craig Vincent ’12, Good Counsel SGA President, introduced Mr. Checchi to the entire student body with these words: The recipient of this year’s Alumnus of the Year Award is Mr. Al Checchi, Class of 1966. Al was born near Boston but grew up in Montgomery County and came to Good Counsel from St. Michael’s. He began at the Wheaton campus on Georgia Avenue in September 1962. At Good Counsel, Al was an outstanding student – a member of the National Honor Society and a National Merit Commended Student. He even found time to become a Certified Montgomery County Great Books Discussion Leader while still a high school student. He was Assistant Editor of the school newspaper The Talon and worked on The Falcon yearbook. He participated in JV Basketball, Varsity Track and played football all four years; he was the starting halfback on the Varsity Football team. For all those commitments, Al still found time to be involved as a leader in student government. He always 2 on campus had an interest in politics. Al was Class President and Student Activities Council President; in fact, Al was elected president of every class from the fourth grade through high school. Not content to serve only at Good Counsel, Al was also President of Montgomery County Student Government Day and Treasurer of the Montgomery County Association of Student Governments. Between freshman and sophomore year here at Good Counsel, 15-year-old Al accompanied his father to the Lincoln Memorial to witness the greatest civil rights demonstration in US history, the legendary “I have a dream” speech of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. In his recent book (published in September), Al describes his time at Good Counsel as a powerful influence on the man he became. He also describes one summer night two years after graduation with his best friend and quarterback from his Good Counsel football team, Bobby Rafferty. After playing golf together, Bobby had insisted that Al ride shotgun; Bobby was squeezed into the back seat of his brother’s car. Minutes later, a car ran a stop sign and slammed into their Volkswagen Bug. Bobby was killed “Good Counsel helped form me into the man I am today.” instantly. That event remains one of the formative experiences of Al’s life. Upon graduation Al attended Amherst College in Massachusetts, a college he chose because he heard it was the most difficult to get into. He graduated in 1970 with economics and American studies majors. He later attended Harvard where he completed an MBA. Al entered corporate America where he promptly distinguished himself. At Marriott Corporation, headquartered not far from [Our Lady of Good Counsel High School] in Bethesda, he rose quickly as he developed approaches that moved the corporation from hotel ownership to more lucrative hotel development and management at home and abroad. In his 30's, he helped investors acquire a major stake in Disney. And, while only in his early 40’s, Al organized a $3.65 billion buyout of Minnesota-based Northwest Airlines; he served as co-chairman of the airline for a number of years. Al is perhaps best known on the national stage for his unsuccessful 1998 campaign for the Democratic Party’s nomination for Governor of California. He ran against Lieutenant Governor Gray Davis and US Congresswoman Jane Harman. He was a staunch advocate for education reform, proposing a 10% across-the-board cut in all state bureaucracies to pay for more teachers, computers, books and universal preschool and after-school programs. Though he led in early polls and used a large amount of his personal wealth, Al came in second to Davis who went on to become Governor of California. Davis was subsequently recalled by the voters of California and was succeeded by someone you probably know of, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Today, Al remains as passionate as ever about what our nation can be. He blogs regularly about the current political climate on the Huffington Post website. He has recently published a book, The Change Maker: Preserving the Promise of America. He argues for getting away from today’s partisan politics and the adoption of common sense policies aimed at creating the greatest good for the greatest number. Al is married to his wife Kathryn, and has three children. Aside from his many business pursuits, Al spends a lot of time with his family and his grandchildren, which are his delight. In Today’s World, The Loving, Good person, Even alone can make a Difference. This message was introduced as Good Counsel’s philosophy of education in the late seventies, well after the time that Al Checchi walked the halls of our school in Wheaton. Yet, this phrase which defines our Xaverian heritage, is the core belief of this year’s Distinguished Alumnus recipient. The philosophy, entwined with the teachings of our Xaverian Brothers—the call to serve others and to make our world a better place—truly describes the path that Al Checchi has chosen for his own life. As a very prominent and storied leader in business, politics and public service, one would expect our honoree to be a hard, calculating and self-absorbed personality. Yet, what is so striking about Al Checchi upon meeting him, is his modesty and his passion and clear vision for making our world a better place. Al’s affable, pragmatic and charismatic personality, undoubtedly, have been the fundamental traits that have earned him respect by his co-workers and constituents alike. Al took his seat in the front row among our entire student body during GC’s large assembly on April 26. Flanked by Dr. Barker and several Good Counsel classmates, one could not help noticing that Al shifted his focus many times from his colleagues and craned his neck to capture the 360 degree view of the future leaders of tomorrow. He was seemingly captivated by those who will carry on the Xaverian tradition. Al had come home to a fraternity of sorts. He was “one of us”—a GC family member who truly understands the culture of Good Counsel and the worthiness of a GC education. After receiving his Distinguished Alumni Award, students, alumni, faculty and staff members sat transfixed with Al’s words outlining his journey that began in the halls at our former Georgia Avenue location. Although Al was honored to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award, he was also very gracious and reverent to his fellow classmates. “I’m being singled out as an outstanding alumnus, but virtually all of the people I remember at Good Counsel—my friends—would qualify for the award also. Basically, we were all cut out of the same mold. We had similar values that were inculcated in us.” on campus 3 environments, was a sense of responsibility for the people around me—a view that the job of a leader is to knit people together and have them understand where their mutual interests lie, rather than what divides them. This is what I tried to do in business and in the public arena.” “Everything I became and learned about leadership, I got from Good Counsel.” Al’s long track record of successful leadership, management and service took root at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. When asked how Al accomplished so much, he recalled a saying that was painted on the old gym wall: We supply everything but the guts. “That says it all,” said Al. Those words have always stayed with him both on and off the field, in the boardroom and on the campaign trail. WaLKInG THE TaLK At the conclusion of his speech, Al was met with a thunderous applause, from students and adults alike, who were anxious to shake his hand. THE RooTs oF LEaDERsHIp anD sERVIcE Al Checchi gives gratitude for his formative years at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. “As far as I’m concerned, I got the basics at Good Counsel. I learned to read, to write, to think critically because of [my involvement in] the Student Government—this is where I learned to speak publically,” said Al. “If I look at my activities when I was in high school, my first entrepreneurial experience was at Good Counsel. We wanted to raise money for the student government, so we put on a concert—a hootenanny. It was professionally done, from the lighting to the sound, to organizing the event and selling advertising. It was a smashing success! I think what really impressed me was how many skills we learned.” Although Al Checchi concedes that during his time at Good Counsel the academic and extracurricular offerings, such as the arts, were much fewer than today, Al was very prepared to go on to college. “I didn’t encounter anything more challenging in college that I couldn’t handle. In fact, the man that I was graduating from Good Counsel, is the man I am now.” Al still remembers quotes he studied in English class. He believes he became a businessman from his experience producing and executing the hootenanny. And his yearning to serve the public began in high school, during a very pivotal time in our history. “It was an amazing and historic period of transition in America,” said Al. “The world that was there when I graduated high school, to the world I graduated from college, had so much change.” Learning the fundamental Christian principles— the sense of community indoctrinated at GC—and how they are applied to government, along with his activities as a student leader, gave him a lifelong interest in the public sector. “I’m being honored for the things I learned at Good Counsel.” “Everyone had a sense that ‘no man is an island.’ GC built an awareness of community,” said Al. “What motivated me throughout my career in the business or the public service 4 on campus Al Checchi’s book The Change Maker: Preserving the Promise of America, ends with a call for citizens to take a leadership position—a place where the government ought to go—“because our country is not getting it from the politicians.” Since writing the book, Al has written approximately 25 articles for the Huffington Post, in which he tries to present a non-partisan and substantive view on public policy. Al is currently drafting an amendment to the US Constitution. He is working with Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson, co-chairs of President Obama’s Deficit Commission, to compose a constitutional amendment on public debt. He is vetting with Simpson-Bowles, but he also plans to bring it to the Harvard and Yale Law Schools to have their constitutional scholars scrub the language. “I would expect to spend the next year or so trying to push for its ratification,” said Al. When asked about his efforts to amend the Constitution and likening it to moving a mountain, Al says, “Yes, but I’ve done that my entire career. Almost everything I did, people said ‘you can’t do it.’ I’ve assessed this, and I think it can be done.” Whatever skills and experiences he’s had, have come to bear on this. The amendment process involves talking to various constituencies, explaining why a change is in their best interest and receiving the required two-thirds vote of Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the States (38 of 50 States). “Given what I am proposing, I think it is entirely doable,” asserts Al. “We have amended the Constitution 27 times, so it can be done.” InVEsTInG FoR THE FuTuRE: GooD counsEL ToDaY Al Checchi firmly believes that education is the most important element outside of family for advancement of the individual and society. “The high school period—a time that a person is physically and mentally maturing and preparing for college, is probably more critical than college itself,” contends Al. “And so, anyone who is concerned about the future, the next generation or future generations, would want to focus on making an investment in the high school years. Good Counsel happens to have a lot going for it—and is doing it right, as experienced by all the rest of us. That’s a great investment. You’re investing in a winner.” ◆ A Day in the Life of the Hotdog Man Carl Leverenz It’s 6:00 on Sunday morning, and Carl Leverenz (a.k.a. “The Hotdog Man”) is in the kitchen at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School cooking up batch after batch of his legendary “Big Daddies” (gourmet cookies). What began as a volunteer role at the Georgia Avenue school back in 1991 became a part-time job on the Olney campus. After 36 years as an elementary PE teacher for the Montgomery County public school system, Carl was thinking about retiring when President Art Raimo invited him to come to the new school as the part-time concessionaire. Carl agreed as long as he could use the concession operation as a way for the clubs and athletic teams to raise money. Carl insisted that all teams, clubs and organizations would benefit from working in the concession stand. “Well, it’s not really part-time,” admits Carl. The concession is open every day after school and for all home games, including weekends. Carl also does all of the planning and ordering of food, manages the income and schedules the teams and student groups who want to raise funds for their programs. “I really love the students, and I get a sense of purpose by helping them raise money,” he explains. Carl was born in Buffalo, NY, but attended Springbrook High School in Silver Spring. He was a walk-on on the Frostburg University football team where he was inducted into the Hall of Fame and named an All-American player. He volunteered in the concession at St. Bernadette’s School and later volunteered in the GC concessions when his sons, Will ’95 and Chris ’97, attended Good Counsel. In the fall, Carl adds his famous pulled pork barbecue to the menu featuring his secret sauce. Carl monitors the cooking through the night and pulls the pork the following day. The original outdoor stand consisted of a pick-up truck, trailer, canopy and coolers. “I asked Art if we could build a permanent outdoor cooking pavilion,” he explains, “but he told me there was no money to do that. We were able to raise $12,000 selling cookies, and an outdoor cooking pavilion was erected.” Andy Cocozzella ’73 donated the stonework and slab for the pavilion, which is used continuously for home games throughout the fall and spring seasons. John Poulos ’77, Grounds Manager, designed and oversaw its construction. Carl’s focus is now on an upcoming triathlon, which will take place on June 24 in Philadelphia to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. His team of Good Counsel compatriots, Theresa Smith, Maryellen Morrissey and Pat Riely, will compete in a one-mile swim, 25-mile bike ride and 10K run. “I’m not sure how I talked myself into this,” he says with his wry smile. “I have two artificial knees and I’m not a youngster. My mother died of leukemia, and my son’s girlfriend has been diagnosed with the disease as well. Our team has been training hard. We meet at 4:30 a.m. to swim most mornings and work out as a team.” In reference to his part-time job at GC Carl concludes, “I am really happy to be able to support the students at Good Counsel. Sure it’s long hours, but it’s a joy to be part of the Good Counsel family.” We thank you, Hotdog Man, for your time and dedication to the Our Lady of Good Counsel High School community! ◆ on campus 5 Leading the Way in STEM Education STEM chnology...Eng e T . . . e c ineering...Mathematics n e i c S Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, Northrop Grumman, Google, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. What do these top organizations share that is critical to the education of our students and success of our nation? They share the knowledge of STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Many educators, legislators and business leaders agree that in order for the U.S. to remain competitive in an ever-expanding global economy, STEM education needs to be a key priority within our schools’ curricula. In order to remain ahead of the curve, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School will launch its first STEM program titled Project Lead the Way: Pathway to Engineering Program this Fall. The school will offer the program to a group of 15 freshmen and five sophomore students. The overarching goal of the program is to spark students’ interests and develop their abilities in STEM education and careers, particularly engineering. The STEM program is part of Project Lead the Way, a nationwide program that introduces high school students to the basic principles of engineering. It uses a projectbased curriculum in which students learn through solving engineering problems using industry-standard software and hardware. Through a four-year curriculum, students will take courses such as Principles of Engineering, Digital Electronics and Civil Engineering and Architecture. The STEM curriculum will provide project-based learning, critical thinking and problem-solving lessons allowing students to create, design, build and collaborate while applying new math and science knowledge. The first cohort of STEM students will begin its journey with the Introduction to Engineering Design, where teachers will expose students to the design process, research and analysis, teamwork, communication methods, global and human impacts, engineering standards and technical documentation. Students will also use 3D solid modeling design software to create solutions to solve proposed engineering problems. 6 on campus “We intend to expand the STEM program to include many more students as well as incorporate industry partners that can provide our students with internships and research experiences relevant to today’s careers,” states Rick Miller, Science Department Resource Teacher and STEM Program Coordinator. Over the years, Mr. Miller has been a key advocate for STEM education, and his support has been instrumental in getting Good Counsel on board with Project Lead the Way. At the 2012 Grand Celebration event, our faculty, staff, parents, alumni and Good Counsel community provided more than $39,000 to support classroom and teaching resources for our STEM program. We look forward to watching our STEM learners blossom in this new endeavor. ◆ Speech Team’s Stellar Performance Tops the State This past season, marked another outstanding performance by the Our Lady of Good Counsel High School Speech Team. During President’s Day weekend, the GC Speech team flew north for the 38th Annual Harvard National Invitational Forensics Tournament. This is considered to be the most competitive national speech tournament in the country. The three-day competition featured 3,500 students from 44 states and five countries. Top performances were turned in by the following GC speech team members: in the category of Dramatic Performance, against a field of nearly 450 competitors, Kiera Muckenhirn ’12 finished 10th in the nation with her rendition of The Last Flapper, by William Luce; Neal Davidson ’14 finished 25th with The Last Rung of the Ladder, by Stephen King and Alix Philogene ’12 finished 40th with King of the World by David Remnick. In the category of Duo Performance of Literature, against a field of nearly 300 competitors, the senior team of Bradley Raynor and Kiera Muckenhirn finished 15th in the nation with their performance of The Boy Who Fell Into A Book. Additionally, finishing in the top 20 percent of their respective events were the junior team of Dan Riley and Troy Sinha in Duo Performance of Literature for 3:59 AM: Drag Race; the senior team of Jordan Slattery and Andrew Tarquino for The Kissing Scene; and Oumou Traore ’14 in Humorous Interpretation for The Colored Museum. Finishing in the top third of their respective events were: Vincent Troutner ’13, in Original Oratory with a speech about video games; Craig Vincent ’12 in Original Oratory with a speech about immaturity; Alix Philogene ’12 in Original Oratory with a speech about hate crimes; and Andrew Tarquinio ’12 in Dramatic Performance for his rendition of Barrymore by William Luce. Also competing were freshmen Caroline McKee and Megan Lomax; sophomores Cassidy Burke, Brian Kelley, Sasha Lenus, Amira Kingori, Abby Wyatt, Amanda Nwaba and Matt Hollister; juniors Sydney Speizman, Audrey Fangmeyer, Cookie Byrne, Sierra Decker and Sylvia Samoyoa; and seniors Esteve Jimenez, Trent Emery, Rubi Perez-Howard and Erin Kelley. On March 17, Good Counsel hosted the WashingtonArlington Catholic Forensic League (WACFL) Metro Finals for Speech, with 40 schools from Prince George’s County, Montgomery County, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. Good Counsel continued their dominance by placing first and winning the State Championship for the fifth consecutive year. Many students had remarkable performances, with two GC students winning three of the six state championship events; Neal Davidson ’14 in Declamation and in Oral Interpretation of Literature and Kiera Muckenhirn ’12 in Dramatic Performance. From the WACFL Metro Finals, the Good Counsel Speech team qualified the most number of students—31 total—for the Grand National Catholic Forensic League Tournament, which was held on Memorial Day weekend. At the Grand Nationals, six team members finished among the nation's elite as National Finalists. Tanique Philogene and Sasha Lenus finished in the top ten in the nation in Oratorical Declamation, Kiera Muckenhirn and Andrew Tarquinio finished in the top 15 in the nation in Dramatic Performance, Jordan Slattery finished in the top 30 in the nation in Oral Interpretation of Literature and Bradley Raynor finished in the top 40 in the nation in Dramatic Performance. The speech team certainly captured a number of honors for the record books. Congratulations to all of the orators! ◆ on campus 7 Debaters of Distinction The Our Lady of Good Counsel High School debate team ended their 2011-2012 season with great success. Winning first place in the Public Forum Debate in the WashingtonArlington Catholic Forensic League (WACFL) and holding the distinct honor of debate league champions, were the pinnacles of their year-long efforts. The twelve active debaters put in long hours after school, meeting three days almost every week leading up to the tournament. Participation was required in all five of the league tournaments and the Metro Finals Tournament, which meant that each individual debate team had to prepare and debate the pro and con sides of six different national topics. The overall team record for the five league tournaments was 56 wins and 20 losses. No individual team for Good Counsel posted a losing record in any league tournament. The team won medals in all five tournaments, totaling seven medals—four of which were perfect (four wins and zero losses). The varsity team of Sarah Moore ’13 and Mark Metrey ’13 won two varsity medals. Several junior varsity teams collectively won five junior varsity medals. Eleven of the twelve Debate team members qualified for the Metro Finals Tournament, where GC entered four teams consisting of one varsity and three junior varsity. At the tournament, Abby Salinas ’14 and Michelle Odonkor ’14 won plaques for finishing third among the 28 junior varsity finalist teams, taking them to the semifinal round. For the varsity team, Mark Metrey and Laura Opont ’14 won the Eleanor E. Wright Award which is conferred to any debater who competed in all five league tournaments and who qualified and competed in the Metro Finals Tournament. Mark and Laura were two of only four debaters to win this award out of the hundreds of debaters across all the schools that competed in the league competition this year. All in all, as league champions, 2011-2012 was a season of significant success for the Our Lady of Good Counsel High School Debate team. ◆ Congratulations! 8 on campus 2012 r o d a v l a El S p i r T n Missio inator, B Coord -I P ) A , 2 ins ’8 011, 2012 nary (2 rew Coll io s is M r By And do El Salva Veteran As students and faculty from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School chipped rocks from the ground to even out a new schoolroom floor; lugged water in five-gallon buckets almost a mile straight up a narrow, rocky trail to a tiny hut in a dusty village or fell laughing in a heap of children during an impromptu piñata party, the goal was the same: to be the hands, feet, eyes and heart of Christ in several impoverished villages in El Salvador for one week this past January. For the third year in a row, twenty seniors and five faculty members from Good Counsel spent a week living and working with Project FIAT (Faith in Action Together) in several different communities on the outskirts of San Salvador, El Salvador. Under the guidance of the Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, these students and their teachers worked on construction projects ranging from helping a resident of the village of Zaragoza build a small cinder-block home for himself and his family, to completing a daycare center in Las Delicias begun three years earlier, to laying the concrete foundation for a small schoolroom in Caserío Ranchero Quemado in the hills northeast of the town of Ilobasco. Our Lady of Good Counsel High School seniors and faculty unload sand for concrete mixing. Good Counsel seniors mix concrete for a new schoolroom in El Salvador. Most important were the relationships formed during that week. Senior Mary Clare McNamara said, “I never thought I could form such a strong bond with so many people in spite of the language barrier. The Salvadoran people’s sense of community and how they welcomed us really affected me.” Bridget Bauman, another Good Counsel senior, observed, “That last day, when 5-year old Javier hugged me and kissed me on my cheek and told me I was his ‘mejor amiga’ – his best friend – it struck me how important the relationships were that we made that week.” Campus minister and English teacher Sean Hanel’s remarks express perhaps the most lasting impact of this service mission for all its participants: “The life lessons I learned from working alongside the people down there who give themselves up to the service of others every day, all year, year after year – that means more to me than anything we did as far as painting or building. How they live their lives as examples of Christ’s love will stay with me for the rest of my life.” ◆ GC faculty member, John Sullivan, and senior students (l to r) Mary Claire McNamara, Gabby Rosazza, Rubi Perez-Howard, Pat Rowe and Mia Matan with the neighborhood children from the village of Zaragoza. on campus 9 k a e r B r e East ip r T t a t i Hab r Manage usiness B , 8 r ’6 ntee ooney nity Volu By Bill M r Huma fo t a it b and Ha The day after Easter, in what would be a beautiful spring week, 18 Good Counsel students and five parents and faculty members left for Charlottesville, Virginia. During a busy week, the group worked for Habitat of Charlottesville and Camp Holiday Trails. Habitat builds housing in partnership with people who cannot afford traditional mortgages. The partners provide sweat equity, and in turn, get good housing at reasonable rates. The group worked on a large project that included a multi-family high-rise, duplexes and single family homes. Hanging drywall, installing a path and landscaping were among the jobs. Camp Holiday Trails is a 55-acre residential camp for families and youth with serious medical challenges. The GC group worked with camp staff to get things ready for the opening of the 2012 season – a weekend retreat for families with cancer patients. With lots of elbow grease and strong backs, the team cleaned cabins, shined the dining hall, trimmed bushes and painted fences. Evenings were spent at a church retreat house where the students cooked dinner each night. Four vans – four nights – four dinners. Each van planned a menu, grocery shopped and cooked a great meal for all. And there was free time which provided for a few visits to the University of Virginia, downtown Charlottesville, a few visits to ice cream shops and a night hike to stargaze. Next year we will remember flashlights – although there is an app for that! It was a great Easter service break with friendships forged and memories made. ◆ Good Counsel Holds Baby Goods Drive to Support Life By Maria DeGraba ’13 Each year, hundreds of students from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School attend the Mass and March for Life. This year, as a member of Students for Life, I wanted to expand our contribution to the pro-life cause in a way that would directly touch individual lives. I thought it would be wonderful to help support the women who choose life for their babies by having a diaper and formula drive at our school. The idea was supported by our Students for Life moderator and faculty member, Thomas Kolar, and the administration of the school. Fellow junior, Jackie Sheehan, also a Students for Life member, was instrumental in the organization of the drive and suggested that we could support Centro Tepeyac, a crisis pregnancy center in Silver Spring. We decided that the baby goods drive would be held on the day of the March for Life. 10 on campus The drive was even more successful than we had hoped. Baby supplies continued to arrive during the week following the March. At the end of the week, the members of Students for Life sorted the donations and discovered that we had collected more than 300 items including an estimated 45 pounds of baby food. We also collected packages of diapers, large boxes of new baby clothes and bins of baby food. On the Friday following the March for Life, we loaded two vans and one car with the donations for Centro Tepeyac. We were greeted by Isabella Sacasa, the office manager at the center, and she said that our contribution was one of the biggest donations they had ever received. She thanked us and told us how much our donations would help women in crisis pregnancy situations. We are hoping to make the drive an annual event at Good Counsel because it is truly beneficial to Tepeyac’s mission. We hope that our example will help to inspire Catholic schools everywhere to hold drives to support other crisis pregnancy centers in addition to Tepeyac. ◆ Crazy For You was an amazing show and incredible experience. We will all miss Mr. Rinke—he created a show that was more than high school standards. –Claire McCormack ’13 Crazy For You The Our Lady of Good Counsel High School’s Fine Arts Department was pleased to present eight performances of the spring musical, Ken Ludwig’s Crazy for You, at the Sandy Spring Friends School Performing Arts Center in March. Crazy for You is the story of Bobby Child, a well-to-do 1930's playboy, whose dream in life is to dance. Despite the serious efforts of his mother and soon-to-be-ex-fiancée, Bobby achieves his dream after being sent to a small Western town to foreclose on a rundown theatre and meet his true love. Many memorable Gershwin tunes were sung, including I Can't Be Bothered Now, Bidin' My Time, I Got Rhythm, Naughty Baby, They Can't Take That Away from Me, But Not for Me, Nice Work if You Can Get It, Embraceable You and Someone to Watch Over Me. Crazy for You was a high energy comedy, including mistaken identities, plot twists, fabulous dance numbers and classic Gershwin music! Crazy For You taught me so much, and it was such a thrill to tap dance on stage with my fellow actors! –Jillian Wessel ’13 Crazy For You was a remarkable experience I will never forget! The curtain will never close on the memories. –Christopher White ’12 Hilary Rinke, GC Fine Arts Teacher, directed the show involving nearly 100 students and supported by two acting casts. Students worked in every capacity including lighting and sound, props and set design, acting, costume design, stage management, sound design, publicity and house management. GC Fine Arts Department Chair, Dr. Richard Slocum conducted the orchestra, and Fine Arts teacher, Kristina Friedgen choreographed the complex and entertaining dance numbers. Be sure to look for the Good Counsel fall production of The 1940’s Radio Hour, a play centered on a small New York radio station with many unforgettable characters dreaming of making it big. ◆ on campus 11 Fathers’ club Day of service On Saturday, April 21, the Our Lady of Good Counsel High School Falcon Fathers' Club invited current fathers and their students to participate in a Fathers' Club Day of Service. A group of 80 dedicated fathers and students cleaned up the Triadelphia Recreation Area in Brookville, Maryland. They removed invasive weeds from trees in order to help them survive and thrive, cleaned up the park area, mulched trees and many other tasks. The day was a great success, and the weather cooperated. We look forward to next year's Day of Service for dads and students. A special thanks to Fathers’ Club co-chairs Brandt Boyle and Greg Brake for organizing this event (pictured on left). 5th Annual Falcon 5K Run/Walk On Saturday, May 5, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School hosted its 5th annual Falcon 5K Run, raising $9,500 for financial aid for students. The race is organized by the Alumni Office with the help of the XBSS team. Over 215 students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff participated in the run/walk under bright, sunny skies. The race began at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School and extended throughout the paths of the Hallowell neighborhood in Olney. Anyone who was driving or walking around Olney could not miss the large group of runners and walkers wearing the neon orange t-shirts! This year, five energetic runners, under the age of 12, enjoyed the ½ mile Fun Run, which took place on the Kline Stadium track. Our Lady of Good Counsel High School would like to thank Kevin Graves ’02, who dedicates his time and energy to make this race a success each year. Also, a special thank you to the following faculty and staff volunteers: Ana Lopez, Lauren Costello ’96, Cathie Garafalo, Will Knotek, Bob Handler, Jeanette McCarthy, Debbie McKinney, Jane DiGirolamo, Adam Trice, Ali Kelley, Stephanie Wilson, Joey Cabigas ’82 and Carl Leverenz. ◆ 12 on campus Thank y ou sponso to our 2012 Fa L Rs for y our sup con 5K Fitzgera p o rt: ld Auto Ma lls | Care BlueShie First Blu ld | Tho eCross mas No Oncolog r t h e rn Insura y Care A nce Age s s o ciates (C and Lind ncy heryl Ay a Burrel, lesworth M D) | Che Services , MD rokee In (Richard formatio Denham O’Conno n ’67) | Ca r ’s Paint fé Rio ing Serv Giant O ice, Inc. lney Bag | C hipotle el Baker and Suc y | Siste h | Pane r ’s Sand ra B wiches read | S Moss Ch evern G iropract raphics ic | Righ ttime M edical C are Senior Class Gift Continuing the Tradition On Thursday, March 29, the Class of 2012 gathered in the Dining Hall to share a special evening, which kicked off the final six weeks leading to graduation. Nearly 91% of the 280 class members attended this special Senior Dinner to raise funds for a scholarship awarded to a junior. Juniors who volunteered to serve on the Junior Planning Committee were eligible for the scholarship. They were responsible for planning the program for the evening. Last year, the class of 2011 was the first senior class to have the greatest number of participants donate to the Senior Class gift until the class of 2012. This senior class raised over $3,000! The candidates also must have displayed great effort in the planning process for the Senior Class Dinner by attending weekly meetings, performing tasks assigned and reporting his or her responsibilities. All of the junior candidates were extremely qualified for this scholarship. After much deliberation, the Senior Gift Committee selected Silvia Samoyoa ’13 as the second Senior Gift Scholarship recipient. Silvia volunteers in the tech department for theatre, working in many aspects including hair, make-up, costumes, set design and publicity. She is a member of the Speech Team, serves as the wrestling team manager, is on staff for the GC Talon newspaper, serves as the treasurer for the Latino Student Association (LSA), volunteered on the Camden service trip and was also active in the Habitat for Humanity service trip. ◆ Members of the senior class also served on the Senior Gift Committee to help select the recipient, who best reflects the criteria for the scholarship. Candidates must demonstrate commitment to activities within the Good Counsel community as well as outside involvement, emphasizing the education of the whole person and embodying the Xavieran values of humility, trust, zeal, compassion and simplicity, upon which the school is founded. Candidates must reflect a high level of commitment to scholarship, leadership and service. Senior Gift Scholarship recipient, Silvia Samoyoa ’13 (left) pictured with Alumni Director, Monica Augustyn. on campus 13 Grandparents’ Day On the lovely spring morning of April 4, we welcomed over 250 grandparents to experience GC with their freshman and junior grandchildren. Grandparents’ Day began with Mass in the chapel, followed by a breakfast buffet. Grandparents joined their grandchildren in their first and second period classes. They met teachers, played interactive games and experienced firsthand their grandchildren’s daily schedules. Some students had the opportunity to take their grandparents on a tour of the school. One of the highlights of the day was the special performance by our Fine Arts Department. Captivating the audience with their talents, fine arts students presented A Spring Musical Medley, where they showcased selections from our spring production of Crazy for You and music by our Women’s and Men’s Choruses and Jazz Ensemble. Andre Levroney, Jr. ’13 with grandparents Gertie and Ira Snell. I would like to thank all whose hard work made Grandparents’ Day such a success. I enjoyed the day and tour of the beautiful new school. Keep up the good work in molding good citizens and followers of Christ. —Jackie Grass, Grandmother of Austin ’15 Students and grandparents enjoyed a buffet lunch in the Alumni Gallery. President Paul Barker and Principal Pat Bates ’70 provided a brief history of our school and boasted about the students’ achievements at Good Counsel. Barbara Sposato, grandmother of Andrew ’13 and Elisabeth DeMarco ’15, described Grandparents’ Day as “a double-the-pleasure day.” She added, “Joining my two grandchildren for classes, taking a tour and having lunch together was a delightful treat. The bonus of meeting and conversing with other grandparents over breakfast scones was interesting and informative. Thank you for planning this sharing day. While I'm looking forward to my next Grandparents' Day, I'm sure I'll be visiting Good Counsel many times before then.” ◆ Joann Martin with her grandson, Garrett ’13. 14 on campus Jordan Crow ’13 and her grandfather, Paul, participate in classroom activities. Grandmother Dottie Zurnedden, Celia Descalzi and Donna Descalzi gather for a photo. 3 Good counsel swimmers Go for olympic GoLD! Yes…you’ve read this correctly! Congratulations to senior sarah Haase and juniors Jack conger and catherine mulquin— three Good Counsel student-athletes who have qualified to participate at the Olympic trials in hopes of earning a spot on the team that will represent the U.S. in the pool at the London Olympic Games this year! The 2012 U.S. Olympic team trials for swimming will be held June 25 - July 2 in Omaha, Nebraska, where the GC athletes will represent their club, RMSC (Rockville-Montgomery Swim Club), at one of the fastest, most exciting, suspenseful and pressure-filled competitions held in the United States every four years. QUALIFYING EVENTS: Jack Conger-100 backstroke, 200 backstroke, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly; Sarah Haase 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, 200 Individual Medley; Catherine Mulquin-100 backstroke. Both Jack Conger and Sarah Haase grew up in the Flower Valley neighborhood in Rockville, MD, a suburban haven where oodles of kids roam the sidewalks, play at the park and enjoy masterminding innocent pranks like t-peeing houses and ding-dong-ditching. At the center, is the community pool where the local children spend their long days of summer. This is the place that Sarah and Jack’s passion for swimming ignited. “We started pre-team at Flower Valley at around [age] five,” said Jack. Both Sarah and Jack started competing very early, with Sarah following the path of her older sister, Colleen ’07, who participated in the Olympic trials as well. It was when Sarah was eight that she realized she may possibly be a talented swimmer like her sibling. “I remember setting a pool record in the 25 breaststroke when I was eight, and I thought it was the biggest deal in the world,” said Sarah. “People would tell me that I had a natural stroke, but I didn’t really get serious until around middle school.” GC Swimmers Sarah Haase ’12, Jack Conger ’13 and Catherine Mulquin ’13 TYpIcaL DaY FoR saRaH HaasE: “Sarah swims six days a week, totaling nine practices each week. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday she gets up at 4:12 AM, drives to Bethesda and swims from 4:45 AM - 6:15 AM, showers, eats, comes home and gets her brother and goes to school. She then races out the door of GC at 2:45 PM since ‘“dryland”(weight training) starts at 3:15 PM. She swims from 3:45 PM until 6:15 PM, showers, gets home around 7:00 PM, eats and does homework until she collapses at around 10:00 or 11:00 PM. Saturday she has practice from 5:30-8:30 AM, eats breakfast with her teammates at Izzy’s on Rockville Pike and sleeps from 9:30 AM until 1:30 PM. She really tries to get ahead with her homework on Saturday and Sunday.” –Eileen Haase (Sarah’s mother) Sarah Haase, during the WMPSSDL meet. Sarah decided to join her current club, RMSC, because she enjoyed the sport, but more so because many of her friends from Flower Valley were swimming in the winter. “I wanted to spend more time with my friends and beat them!” explained Sarah. Sarah gives full credit to RMSC for training her to become the swimmer she is today. “Sarah got faster a lot sooner than me,” said Jack, who currently holds the seventh fastest time in the country this year in the 200 backstroke. “I was ten when I broke the Flower Valley pool record, and in my first year of club, I was faster than record holder, Michael Robb, a local swimmer who went on to place third in the To follow our swimmers during the swim trials, please visit the US Swimming website at USAswimming.org. aTHLETIcs 15 Even as a youngster, Catherine was familiar with her future teammates. “I swam against the Flower Valley team since I was eight, so we all knew of each other,” said Catherine. “I was a pretty good swimmer when I was younger,” said Catherine, who also teasingly made a point of mentioning that she would frequently beat Jack in meets. Jack Conger ’13 currently holds the 7th fastest time in the country this year in the 200 backstroke, and is seeded in the top 25. Catherine Mulquin ’13 qualified for the Olympic trials by shaving her time by an impressive 1.3 seconds. Olympic trials”. Sarah added with a smile, “Yeah, but in middle school I was faster than Jack.” In eighth grade, Jack quit all other sports teams and focused on swimming. “We knew from his first day on the Flower Valley swim team that something in our lives had changed, but truly realized his talent in the summer of 2009, when at 14, Jack swam in his first National meet,” said his mother, Bridget. The two Flower Valley swimmers celebrate each other’s accomplishments and are so close that they seem to end the other’s sentences. Yet, they are only two of the many talented swimmers in the tight-knit community at RMSC. GC’s third Olympic hopeful, Catherine Mulquin, became a member of the RMSC club at the age of six, also following in the path of her older siblings (her sister swam for Holy Cross and her brother swam at Georgetown Prep). “Catherine always took instruction well,” recalled Catherine’s mother, Marcia. “At age five, her father took her to pick up her 12-year-old sister at swim practice. They arrived a few minutes early, and while watching the team, Catherine whispered that they were doing the stroke wrong. Her father doubted her insight until the legendary coach, Dave Kraft, blew his whistle 30 seconds later and told the team they were doing the stroke wrong. We have never discussed mechanics with Catherine since.” 16 aTHLETIcs All of the GC swimmers’ families understand how important the community of fellow swimmers is for the success and support of each of their children, especially with the grueling daily schedule of practices and balancing it with the rigorous academics required at school. The regimen is daunting, but for our swimmers, it is a way of life. Sarah’s mother, Eileen, explains how Sarah balances it all. “Sarah has a strong work ethic, an incredible ability to focus, a positive attitude, sportsmanship and motivation about her swimming goals, which have definitely spilled over into the rest of her life. Sarah has something inside her that pushes her to do her best, every single lap in the pool and in school.” Jack’s mother Bridget makes a similar assessment. “The dedication is all Jack. We are here to support and comfort and to assure that he is fed and as rested as possible. Jack gives up much of his social life and personal time to devote to studies as he pursues his dream.” Whether preparing for the local meets such as the METROs or preparing for national or international competitions, it is no different. “As I have watched this long preparation process evolve, Jack’s friendships both locally and nationally have been crucial,” said his mother, Bridget. “They are truly the only people who understand the exhaustion and commitment it takes to succeed in this sport. It is heartwarming to watch the support they give each other from day-to-day activities, to traveling worldwide.” The friendships and encouragement of those who have committed to this challenging, yet incredibly rewarding lifestyle, are inspiring. Catherine recalled the moments after she qualified for the Olympic trials, when she was able to shave her time by 1.3 seconds and finish only .001 seconds under the required time. “I remember seeing Sarah running down and cheering for me when I qualified. We all want each other to do our best. It helps to have support and know that we are going through this journey together.” Looking ahead, their futures are so bright. Jack and Catherine are only beginning the college search, where they plan to continue their swimming careers. Sarah has already gone through the recruiting process and will attend and swim for Stanford University in the fall. All three student-athletes have had some incredible experiences so far in their swimming careers, with the help of all of their fellow swim mates. Many more memories surely will be made in the next few months. And together, with our swimmers, their families and the Good Counsel community, we will all watch with excitement as they continue their quest for the gold! ◆ Another Championship Year for Our Lady Falcons! Marking their fourth WCAC Championship win in the last eight years, the Good Counsel Girls’ Basketball team completed another amazing year. Breaking a school record for wins going 30-5 and beating St. John’s in a nail-biting game, with a score of 79-76 was just the beginning. The Lady Falcons made history by becoming the first team to go undefeated through 21 games of league and tournament play. They finished the year ranked 25th in the nation by ESPN. The team also finished 15th in the nation by USA Today, and at one point in the season, they were ranked as high as 8th in the nation. Finishing each of the last nine seasons ranked in the top 20 in the Washington Post poll and finishing this year ranked 3rd in the Washington area, were other incredible accomplishments for the Lady Falcons. The team was led by seniors Faith Randolph, Morgan Smith and junior co-captains Amanda Fioravanti, Lindsey Spann and Jordan Light. They placed six players on all-league teams, including WCAC Player of the Year Faith Randolph ’12; WCAC 1st teamers Amanda Fioravanti ’13 and Lindsey Spann ’13; WCAC 3rd team player Sara Woods ’14 and honorable mention players Jordan Light ’14 and Stacey Koutris ’14. The Falcons lose just two seniors, Faith Randolph (University of Virginia) and Morgan Smith (Shenandoah University), but look forward to next year with a talented team, hoping to be the first team to win back-to-back WCAC titles, which has not been done since 2005 and 2006. Congratulations to the GC Girls’ Basketball team for another extraordinary season! ◆ aTHLETIcs 17 ATHLETIC SEASON WRAP-UP IcE HocKEY 18 aTHLETIcs The Good Counsel Varsity Ice Hockey team surprised many this year by going 5-1-1 through the season, and 2-0 in the playoffs before losing in the championship game. The team was led by captain Malcolm Combs ’13, an All-Conference and AllTournament Team selectee, who amassed six points during the regular season and four in the playoffs. Senior captains Ryan and Michael Loudon provided strong play and leadership for the Falcons. Steven Ralston ’14 led the league in scoring with 10 goals and 13 assists, while Chris Sabate ’13 had eight goals and 13 assists and Mason Leahy ’15 had 12 goals and five assists to round out the top four in league scoring. Goalie Olivia DeGraba ’13 stood tall in goal, ranking third in the league with a 4.43 goals against average. Congratulations to coaches Brent Kearney and Jim Gunn as well, for a winning season during their final year coaching the GC team! The JV Ice Hockey team was led by captains Leo Martinic ’13 and Colin Lester ’13, who provided leadership and stability on the ice. Rookie goalie Robbie Preller ’13 filled the space between the pipes and improved greatly as the season went on. Alex Arnaiz ’13, Max Gorman ’14 and Ben Masters ’13 provided the scoring punch for the JV Falcons. Relentless pressure by Brent Hurt ’13, Ben Tasto ’15, Joey Kelly ’15 and Matt Via ’14 made it tough for opponents to get good scoring chances as well. The JV Falcons look forward to the 2012-2013 season with great expectations. sWImmInG Going undefeated this year in their dual meet season, was not the only accomplishment for the Good Counsel Boys’ and Girls’ Swimming and Diving teams. The GC girls won their sixth straight Washington Metropolitan Prep School Swimming and Diving League (WMPSSDL) Championship, and the boys placed second. Their biggest meet of the year was METROs. The relay team of Brady Welch ’14, Evan Garfield ’12, Jack Conger ’13 and Ryan Edmunds ’12 placed third with victories in the 200 medley relay, 400 freestyle relay and breaking a METROs record. The girls relay team of Catherine Mulquin ’13, Sarah Haase ’12, Katherine Cleary ’13 and Makenzie Miller ’14 placed fourth and won the 200 medley relay. Sarah Haase won and broke the METROs record in the 100 breaststroke, and teammate Jack Conger won and broke both METROs records in the 50 free and 500 free. Good luck to the GC Boys’ and Girls’ Swim and Diving Teams as they look forward to next year for another successful season. cHEERLEaDInG The Good Counsel Cheerleading squad had a remarkable season. The team experienced a great deal of growth, not only with a larger squad, but new talent. Their year had an explosive start during the Friday night kick-off game against Manatee High School (Florida) and an early homecoming pep rally. The fall was exciting, as they supported the football team through another championship season. Working hard, the team put together a thrilling winter pep rally routine and completed another great basketball season. For the GC squad, cheering the Girls’ Basketball team on to another WCAC victory at the Verizon Center was a perfect ending to their season. This year they say goodbye to seniors Casey Rozek, Cassidy Holland, Courtney Fletcher, Rubi Perez-Howard and Kenzi Crow, who will all be greatly missed. BoYs’ BasKETBaLL The 2011-2012 edition of the Falcons Boys’ Basketball team kicked-off the season with an old school ‘bell’ game at 3pm on December 2 and a victory over Washington Christian Academy. Throughout the entire season, they were led by a number of underclassmen and senior Kyle Savercool. Sophomores Byron Hawkins and Tre Thomas, along with junior Andrew Calomeris all averaged double figures in scoring, while freshman Trevor Brown led them in rebounding. For their efforts, Byron Hawkins was named 1st Team All-WCAC, while Savercool, Thomas, Calomeris and Brown collected Honorable Mention accolades. The team participated in the Bullis Holiday Classic as well as the Capital City Classic in Richmond, VA, while competing in the WCAC—the country’s toughest league as deemed by ESPN—which included three teams ranked in the nation’s top 15. With so many returning players, the Falcons’ future looks bright as they continue their climb to the upper echelon of the WCAC. WREsTLInG Despite having no seniors on the team, this year’s Good Counsel wrestling team experienced many team and individual successes throughout the season. The Falcons finished the season ranked #10 in the Washington Post poll and second in the WCAC crowning five conference champions, Matt Kelly126 lbs., Philip Robilotto-160 lbs., Spencer Neff-182 lbs., Kyle Snyder-220 lbs., and Jemal Averette-HWT. Individually, the Falcons placed five wrestlers at the state tournament with three finalists qualifying them for the National Prep Tournament at Lehigh University. Adam Whitesell (106 lbs., 40-21 record) placed sixth, Jemal Averette (40-15 record) placed fourth and Matt Kelly (54-13 record) placed second. Spencer Neff (50-10 record) and Kyle Snyder (61-0 record) both won state titles for the Falcons making them the fifth and sixth state titles in school history. Kyle Snyder has finished his first two high school seasons a combined 116-0 and has yet to be taken down in any of those matches. In December, Kyle won the Walsh Jesuit Ironman and Beast of the East Tournament, two of the toughest tournaments in the nation, as well as the National Prep Tournament in February. Snyder is now the #1 ranked wrestler in the nation at the 220 lb. weight class. The Good Counsel Wrestling Team finished the season with a 19-6 dual meet record. The team looks forward to a bright future with every wrestler on the roster returning next year. By Lauren Costello ’96, Director of Special Events and Student Programs Each summer, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School offers sports camps for both the beginner and advanced player. Camps are designed for boys and girls interested in specialized sports, targeted to all levels of experience and run by some of the most talented coaches in the area. The goal of our camps is to have participants increase their knowledge and skills and leave camp loving their sports even more. Campers receive excellent care and instruction from our varsity coaching staff and players. For those who are new to the sport, our camps provide well-rounded instruction at the beginner level. Advanced campers receive skillfocused, competitive experience to take their games to the next level! Each of our camps is directed by our varsity head coaches and players. Coaches include: Bob Milloy (Football), Tom Splaine (Girls’ Basketball), Blair Mills (Boys’ Basketball), Mike Haight (Girls’ Lacrosse), Matt Durkin (Boys’ Lacrosse), Jim Bruno (Girls’ Soccer), Dylan Dempsey (Boys’ Soccer), Karen Kart (Volleyball), Carl Smith (Baseball) and Martie Dyer (Field Hockey). Camps will be held June-August. See below for each month’s activities: To register or for more information, visit www.olgchs.org and click on the “GC Sports Camps” icon at the top of the homepage, or call Lauren Costello at 240-283-3218. We hope to see you there! JunE: Boys’ Soccer | Girls’ Lacrosse | Boys’ Lacrosse | Boys’ Basketball | Baseball JuLY: Football | Co-ed Soccer | Volleyball | Girls’ Lacrosse | Boys’ Lacrosse Boys’ Basketball | Girls’ Basketball | Field Hockey auGusT: Boys’ Soccer | Girls’ Volleyball aTHLETIcs 19 24th annual Grand celebration a Huge success With more than 400 guests in attendance and 260 live and silent auction items to bid on, “Hometown U.S.A.” was another grand night for Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. The event was co-chaired again by the dynamic duo of sharon Duffy and anna Baumgartner who were supported by an incredible group of volunteers including Betty Brown, Theresa Dowdall, Lisa Ferraro, Mary Ann Flannery, Kelly Hughes, Carleen Kelley, Liz Lannigan, Hope Marlo, Jane Martinko, Karen McKay, Patty MacTigue, Trish Netter, Kathy Peters, Susan Stallings, Vas Vidi and Nancy Van Winter. The event raised more than $315,000 of critical operating support for the school. The guests entered a beautifully decorated and transformed Bethesda North Marriott and Conference Center, offering that hometown feel. New this year was the introduction of BidPal®, an amazing hand-held device that allowed guests to continue to increase their bids or check the status of their favorite silent auction items just by checking their screens. Once guests were seated for dinner, they enjoyed a poignant video tribute to all of our GC Hometown Heroes who are actively serving or who are retired from the military. Among the exciting items up for bid were: a California wine country vacation, a cook and dine experience at Ris Restaurant, gasoline for a year, 10 best seats for graduation, hand-painted creations by the GC art students and vintage art created by President Paul Barker. Funds for Our Falcons raised $39,100 for the new STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) program, which will be launched with a cohort of 20 students in the fall of 2012. We are extremely grateful to all of our parents, alumni, faculty, staff, students, grandparents and local businesses for their many generous donations. A special thanks to our Table Sponsors, Super Falcons and Fund a Teacher Patrons. ◆ Maureen and Drew Maurano (both from the Class of 1997) with Drew’s parents, Linda and Richard Maurano. 20 DEVELopmEnT The Prunka family and friends enjoy the evening. Event c Anna o-chairs, Sh Baum gartne aron Duffy and r. Barbara Phelan, Amy Bargoyne, Amanda Fangmeyer and Trish Netter. Shane and Rebecca Neff pictured with Dr. Paul Barker. t to the citemen dded ex a l a P id B ction. silent au Save the date! maRcH 2, 2013 for the 25th Annual Grand Celebration. If you are interested in volunteering for this milestone event, please contact Debbie McKinney, Advancement Manager, at mckinney@olgchs.org or 240-283-3231. The festive evening was capped off with great music and dancing. DEVELopmEnT 21 Good counsel’s Hometown Heroes At this year’s Grand Celebration event, our guests enjoyed a poignant video tribute to all of our GC Hometown Heroes who are actively serving or who are retired from the military. Good Counsel Alumni military honorees include: Daniel Angle ’08 James V. Arnaiz ’63 Matthew Arnsberger ’07 Leonard Ascosi ’66 Mark. J. Bartels ’65 Melissa Bateman ’05 John J. Blanchard ’65 Robert J. Blanchard ’69 Thomas G. Blanchard ’67 Natalie Blandon ’00 Russell Bodine ’84 Kevin Brady ’07 Edward F. Branagan ’62 Dan P. Brodt ’65 Mark Bujno ’72 Charles S. Burch, Jr. ’70 Vincent A. Campanella ’66 Ronald Cole ’86 Andrew Colins ’08 Thomas H. Colton ’65 William Connelly ’69 Justin Considine ’95 David P. Cook ’69 James P. Corless ’70 Kevin A. Correira ’85 Phillip Corrigan ’02 Kevin M. Coyne ’65 Justin T. Cristaudo ’64 Margaret Curran ’02 Alan D. Currie ’70 Merrill Curry ’62 Peter Curry ’79 Clifford C. Czarniak ’66 Bryce Dabbs ’08 Vincent T. Dameron ’66 Michael S. Davis ’62 Ronald O. Dean ’63 J.D. DeChant ’65 Daniel A. Deckert ’71 Edward J. Dempsey ’67 William G. Dillon ’69 James Donahue ’76 William M. Donnell ’70 Robert T. Dougherty ’65 Timothy P. Dowd ’76 Maeve Drummey ’11 Brendan Durkin ’11 Patrick Durkin ’09 Shane Durkin ’05 J.D. Durrett ’63 Francesca Emanuel ’11 Richard C. Erbal ’62 Michael P. Flaherty ’84 Roger Flaherty ’66 Mark Flannery ’99 Charles S. Fletcher ’64 Christopher Flores ’02 Charles L. Flott ’66 Kevin J. Foley ’65 Joseph B. Fournelle ’67 Gabriel Galindez-Bottini ’00 Grant Gates ’08 Joseph Giacofci ’64 Frank E. Giambusso ’66 Gregory H. Grabner ’62 Kevin Graninger ’00 William E. Graves ’64 Hugh Guidi ’65 Guy A. Hanks ’65 Joseph Healy ’86 David W. Herron ’62 Gary E. Hess ’65 Robert M. Higgenbotham ’63 David Higgins ’04 Charles F. Hill ’62 Raymond L. Hilley ’67 Thomas P. Hilton ’64 Theodore Himmelberg ’85 Joseph P. Hoagland ’70 John R. Holden ’66 David L. Holt ’63 Robert A. Hosinski ’67 Mark House ’85 Kevin Howard ’86 James M. Hurney ’65 Jean Inderfurth Pietrowski ’90 John T. Jaccard ’65 Francis E. James ’62 Robert Jardeleza ’86 John P. Jervey ’70 Steve Judge ’67 Joseph Kerner ’11 Evan Kikla ’09 Peter Kilner ’84 Rolando King ’76 Daniel Knowles ’10 Murphrey Knox ’96 Sidney Knox ’93 William S. Kuta ‘63 William A. L’Esperance ’63 Pamela Lander ’07 John M. Leahy ’63 Timothy Leake ’81 David D. Lewis ’66 Robert H. Luchun ’63 Matthew MacDonald ’95 Robin J. Makin ’67 Michael W. Marceau ’67 Robert T. Marchone ’62 James E. Mattingly ’62 Keith L. Maynard ’93 John M. Mazzullo ’65 Dave McClay ’66 Paul G. McDonough ’82 Michael P. McGee ’65 John A. McGinn ’67 George E. McGovern ’67 Christopher McMahon ‘86 Michael Millios ’99 Michael E. Murphy ’68 Michael L. Murphy ’62 Sean Murphy ’10 Timothy J.Murray ’66 Thomas J. Nalen ’66 Bruce Nechanicky ’03 Tyler Nechanicky ’09 Laurence C. Novotney ’62 Timothy O’Boyle ’93 Michael P. O’Connell ’64 Patrick J. O’Lone ’69 Carl Oehmann ’67 Michael F. Oristian ’63 John Ostrowski ’85 William Ott ’85 Norman Pacholski ’93 Michael Pachucki ’01 Thomas E. Paul ’67 Edward Penfield ’69 Stephen A. Petruccelli ’67 Patrick Pflaum ’91 Patrick Phelps ’66 Elaina Ponchione ’08 Matthew Poulos ’06 Matthew Reed ’95 Christina Repicky ’06 Jeffrey M. Russell ’64 Louis P. Russo ’62 Donald J. Sauer ’64 Kathryne Schilling ’99 Lawrence J. Schnaubelt ’66 Thomas W. Schnaubelt ’65 Ryan Scholl ’83 Edmund M. Sciullo ’62 Leon Scott ’62 Thomas A. Seibel ’65 Jemel E. Sessoms ’10 F. Kevin Smyth ’66 Allan Stam ’79 Russell Strosnider ’76 Edward Sullivan ’79 Thomas J. Sweetman ’65 Edward A. Tappe ’61 Bradley Taylor ’04 Elizabeth Thomas Reeves ’93 John V. Tomaasulo ’61 Joseph P. Tumulty ’67 Cesar Valdesuso ’85 Michelle Veach ’98 Edward M. Vermillion ’67 Michael Wallace ’68 William N. Wallace ’63 Michael F. Walsh ’65 Anthony Wells ’82 Gregory H. Wessel ’63 James W. Whiteside ’63 Christopher A. Wilk ’68 Eric G. Wilk ’65 William J. Williams ’65 Paul B. Winters ’66 Frederick M. Wintrich ’64 Joseph K. Wivel ’65 Laurence Young ’86 James B. Zello ’65 Paul F. Zimmerman ’67 We would like to keep this record of service up-to-date. If any alumni are missing from this list, please contact Monica Augustyn at Augustyn@olgchs.org or 240-283-3214. 22 DEVELopmEnT Candy Horman Farewell to our Long-Time Friend and Financial Leader More than 27 years ago, Candy Horman began her career at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School as the Registrar for the school. Three years later, in 1988, just as the school became coeducational, she transitioned to the role of Director of Finance, a position many faculty and staff encouraged her to apply for, based on her degree in accounting from the University of Maryland. Back then, things were much different in the world of accounting and finance. “Things were just simpler,” says Candy. “There were no computer programs, no email and no voicemail. It was just paper and pencil.” Candy has been “the money person” for the past two decades, dedicating countless hours to keeping Good Counsel safe, sound and in good standing with auditors and bond holders. She has also been a key financial problem solver working directly with many staff, parents and families when it comes to crunching the numbers related to financial aid, scholarships and tuition account records. Candy shares, “I’ve always tried to be caring and fair with whomever I’m dealing with. I always assume the best case scenario and go from there. ” Even before beginning her career with the school, Candy was involved as a parent while her two sons, Jay ’85 and Tim ’86, attended Good Counsel. She served as the treasurer for the Parents Club in 1983 and 1984, served as a member of the Board of Advisors and was an active parent volunteer. One of her two daughters (Mary Beth ’93) and grandson (Brendan ’09) are also WELcomE alumni of the school. Unfortunately, her oldest daughter, Courtney ’88, missed the transition to co-ed. To add to the equation, many of her nieces and nephews are also alumni of Good Counsel. “Good Counsel has always been a place for everyone, whether you play basketball or the clarinet,” says Candy. What struck Candy the most about the school was the “level of caring and commitment” from the people who work here. “There is a strong belief in Xaverian tradition and a natural camaraderie between faculty and students that really make Good Counsel a unique place to educate young people.” For the past 20 years, Candy has participated as a moderator for a Junior Community and for the Junior Retreat—a required three-day program that allows students the opportunity to examine their relationships with self, God and others in their lives. For her, this was a way to get to know and maintain a level of interaction with the students. A special memory for Candy was Good Counsel’s 2007 move from Wheaton to the Olney campus. “It was such an incredible experience seeing an idea finally turn into a reality,” says Candy. “I’m so glad I could be part of the planning and transition to such a beautiful school.” As Candy retires at the end of the 2012 school year, she will surely be missed by all. Her hard work and commitment to Good Counsel has truly made a difference in the lives of many past and current faculty, staff, parents and students. Bon Voyage, Candy, and thank you for all that you have done for Good Counsel. ◆ Adam Trice adam W. Trice joins the Advancement Team as the Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. In this new role, he will develop, implement and evaluate a comprehensive major gifts program from corporations and foundations to raise important financial contributions for Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. He is responsible for grant writing and management as well as the development of a comprehensive Corporate Partners Program. Adam has more than eight years of experience working for both private and non-profit organizations within the areas of business development and grants/proposal management. In previous roles, Adam served as the Director of Foundation Relations for Capitol College (Laurel, MD) and as the Student Life Major Events Coordinator at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC). Adam holds a Master’s of Fine Arts degree in writing/ publishing design from the University of Baltimore and a Bachelor of Art’s degree in English/ communications from UMBC. He and his wife, Anna, live in Baltimore County with their newborn son, Henry, and their “gentle-giant,” Bernese Mountain dog named, Cooper. When not at work, Adam enjoys writing and songwriting for a local, Baltimore rock ‘n roll band. ◆ DEVELopmEnT 23 The Norman Richards Huey, Jr. Military Scholarship n September 2011, faculty member and English Department Chair Melissa Huey-Burns established the Norman Richards Huey, Jr. Military Scholarship with a gift of $5,000 to honor her late father’s record of military service. The purpose of the fund is to provide a one-year scholarship to a student who has a parent(s) with active or retired military service and who demonstrates strong, ethical grounding and exhibits a work ethic that has resulted in academic and personal success. I Norman R. Huey, Jr., a decorated World War II veteran, served initially as a paratrooper and subsequently as a translator in the Pacific Theatre. A native of Somerville, MA, and the eldest son in a single-parent family, Norman Huey helped support his mother, sister and maternal grandparents through a series of jobs and paper routes through high school. Upon his graduation from Lexington High School, he received a Burrows Newsboy Scholarship which afforded him the opportunity to attend Tufts University, where he played tennis and intended to major in history. Once the U.S. entered World War II, his plans abruptly changed. Mr. Huey voluntarily joined the Army Paratroopers of the 11th Airborne and served with distinction in the Pacific Theatre. After completing a battery of language proficiency tests, Captain Huey was sent to the University of Chicago to learn intensive Japanese under the auspices of the Army language program, and he served as a Japanese translator and aide-de-camp to General Robert Eichelberger of the Eighth Army. He subsequently returned to the U.S. and, with the assistance of the G.I. Bill, graduated from the University of Michigan with a degree in oriental languages. He continued in the Army Reserves until the Korean War. After a stint at the Frost Advertising Agency in Boston, Mr. Huey joined the General Electric Company, where he worked until his retirement. He invented the “Show and Tell,” an educational toy which projected slides on the wall and simultaneously told stories. “Products for People” and “We Bring Good Things to Life,” were among the most successful advertising campaigns that he spearheaded for the company. “My father was able to get his start because he was awarded the Burrows Newsboy Scholarship,” Mrs. Huey-Burns explains. “I wanted to provide this same type of opportunity to a Good Counsel student. I recognize the hardships that military families experience and the risks that these families endure so that their loved ones can serve our country. Although my father never saw Good Counsel, two of his grandchildren, Ciara [Class of 2008] and Conor [Class of 2013], are part of the school community. I know he would have liked the school because of its academically challenging curricula, commitment to service and diverse community. “My sister, Robin, and I were strongly influenced by our father. He insisted that we learn about other cultures and foreign languages, and in elementary school we were tutored in French, Latin and later in Italian,” she adds. Captain norman richard huey, jr. 24 DEVELopmEnT After earning a bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College and a graduate degree from Middlebury College, Mrs. Huey-Burns launched her own career in international business development with PricewaterhouseCoopers. She used her fluency in French, travelling to Europe and Africa when the World Bank was her client. Eventually, she decided to give up her business career to become a teacher, initially serving as an Assistant Principal for four years at St. Peter’s School in Olney and currently as Chair of English Department of Good Counsel, where she has taught for eight years. In addition to Ciara and Conor, she and her husband, Paul, an attorney, have two other children, Patrick, who is an Army specialist and sniper scout, and Caitlin, who is a political reporter for Real Clear Politics. “My father used to tell us, ‘If you don’t know where you want to go, any road will take you there,’” Mrs. Huey-Burns remembers. “He instilled in us a sense of taking risks and setting goals. This scholarship provides an opportunity to recognize and reward a Good Counsel student not only for what he or she has achieved thus far, but also to support the recipient as he or she continues to prepare for the future.” Paratrooper Huey “takes flight.” The scholarship was announced on Veterans’ Day at a large community assembly to honor those who have served in the military, including a dozen Good Counsel faculty members who also participated in the assembly. Eligible students completed an application and wrote an essay on Our Obligation to Serve. Thirteen applied and nine finalists were invited for a personal interview with the selection committee comprised of Mrs. Huey-Burns, Varsity Girls’ Soccer Coach and Vietnam veteran Jim Bruno and Chief Advancement Officer Jane DiGirolamo. “Those who have been asked or who volunteer for military service are not only defined by their experiences, but also change the course of our lives through the personal sacrifices they make for the collective good,” she adds. “They do not make these sacrifices alone; oftentimes their children face the prospect of enduring multiple deployments, geographic moves and other hardships. I am honored to have the opportunity to create this scholarship in honor of my father and very proud of the committee’s decision to select Mark Metrey as the premier recipient.” ◆ If you are interested in learning more about the Norman Richards Huey, Jr. Military Scholarship or would like to make a donation to support this fund, please contact Jane DiGirolamo, Chief Advancement Officer, at 240-283-3234 or digirolamo@olgchs.org. metrey ’13 Receives First Huey military scholarship Rising senior Mark D. Metrey was chosen as the first recipient of the Norman Richards Huey, Jr. Military Scholarship. Selected for his outstanding academic record, participation in school organizations, demonstrated leadership abilities, service to the school and wider community, and his goals and ambitions, Mark will receive a one-time, $5,000 scholarship for the 2012-2013 academic year. Mark is a three-year member of the award-winning Good Counsel Debate Team, which finished first place this year among teams competing in the Washington Arlington Catholic Forensics League’s public forum debate competition. Mark has also received numerous individual debate honors including qualifying for Metro Finals each of his three years and being a two-time recipient of the Eleanor Wright Spirit of Competition Award. A member of the Good Counsel Varsity Baseball Team where he plays second base, he was recently invited to play on the Maryland Diamond Cutters 17 and Under National Travel and Showcase Team. An IB student with a strong academic record, Mark volunteers with St. Patrick’s Camp Shamrock Summer Program, B’nai Shalom of Olney’s Nursery School, March for Life, Marian Assisted Living facility, St. Patrick’s Thanksgiving Food Basket program, Bethlehem House in DC and the Good Counsel Falcon 5K. He has also volunteered as an altar server for his parish since fifth grade and was recently elevated to Master of Ceremonies, overseeing the masses where incense is used. Mark’s father and three uncles all served in the military and his paternal grandfather initiated the Navy’s Vertical Launch System that is now present on every Navy destroyer and cruiser. His maternal grandfather also served in the Royal Dutch Navy. His father served in both active and reserve Army units and attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before he retired after 20 years of service. Mark explains, “These men and the military’s mission of preserving freedom for people around the world have truly inspired me to want to serve in the military.” Mrs. Huey-Burns concludes, “Mark demonstrates a strong ethical grounding and exhibits a work ethic that has resulted in academic and personal success. We are extremely proud to select Mark as the first recipient and look forward to following his education and career with great interest.” ◆ DEVELopmEnT 25 Your Participation matters Annual Fund On April 28, the Class of 1968 was recognized for achieving the highest percentage of participation from its classmates to the Annual Fund for two consecutive years. The recognition took place at a Falcons’ Varsity Baseball game against St. John’s College High School. The Falcons beat St. John’s 1-0, while the “Boys of ’68” cheered from the sidelines. Joining them at the recognition was their former teacher and coach, Tom Kolar, who still coaches first base for the Varsity team. For two years, the street name directly in front of the main entrance to the school bears the “Class of 1968 Way” sign – a coveted honor bestowed upon the alumni class which has the greatest number of donors to the Annual Fund. Led by their Class Agents, Craig Cummins and Bill Mooney, in 2009-10, the Class of ’68 achieved 25.2%, and in 2010-11, they set a new record of 29.7%. Why is participation so important? “Making a donation to the Annual Fund, no matter what the size, really does make a difference to our school,” explains Paul Barker, President. “When we approach foundations and corporations for support, often one of the first questions they ask is ‘What is the percentage of participation from your board, your alumni and your parents?’ These external organizations want to know that we have a lot of support from those who are most closely associated with our school before they will consider us for a grant. In other words, the more donors we have, regardless of the size of the gifts, the more likely we will receive positive consideration for grant funding from these organizations.” Giving inspires giving. This year, for example, several classes are in a competition to significantly raise the percentage of participation among their classmates and maybe even “steal” the street naming rights. “Major gifts to the Annual Fund are extremely important to the school,” continues Dr. Barker, “but a ground swell of support from our parents, alumni, faculty, staff, grandparents and friends makes a huge difference to ensure that we reach our goal of $640,000. Many gifts – even more modest amounts – add up to help us raise these critical funds for our students, faculty and programs. I can’t over emphasize how important the Annual Fund is to Good Counsel. Without significant Annual Fund support, we would have to increase tuition significantly or cut staffing or programs.” The 2011-2012 Fund for Good Counsel will close on June 30. Have you made your gift to support the school? Your financial support and your participation matter and will make a huge difference to our community. Please use the envelope included in this issue, or visit our website at www.olgchs.org/giving and make your gift today. Let’s give the “Boys of ’68” some competition! Remember, every gift matters, every year. ◆ Dr. Paul Barker, president (left) recognizes members of the Class of 1968 on the baseball field to thank them for achieving the highest percentage of participation among their classmates for two consecutive years. 26 DEVELopmEnT On the Road…Recaps Our Lady of Good Counsel High School Advancement Office began hosting a number of regional alumni gatherings in the fall of 2011 to introduce our new president, Dr. Paul Barker, to our many alumni across the country and to reconnect with and connect area alumni to each other. So far, regional receptions were held in Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, Boston and Baltimore. If you are interested in helping to host an alumni event in your city or region, contact Monica Augustyn ’06, Director of Alumni Relations (Augustyn@olgchs.org or 240-283-3214). Geoffrey Montes ’08 Melissa Greene ’07, Meghan Cerpa ’08, Mike Devlin ’07 On Friday, January 20, alumni living in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut area gathered at the Penn Club on 44th Street in New York City to enjoy an evening with fellow Falcons and President Paul Barker; Chief Advancement Officer, Jane DiGirolamo and Director of Alumni and Parent Relations, Monica Augustyn ’06. Many alumni reconnected with classmates they had not seen in a while, met new Falcons who had just moved to the tri-state area and reminisced about their time at Good Counsel. Tim Sullivan ’89, Hugh Boyle ’98, Josh Ott ’99, Earl Hunt ’99 San Francisco area alumni gathered at Bin 38 Wine Bar on February 3, 2012, with Jane DiGirolamo, Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) for Good Counsel. The group enjoyed a chance to hear news about GC and share stories from their high school years. Pictured from left: Tom Daniel ’85; Eric Ginebra ’90; Jennifer Fischer ’97; John Heisse ’72; Jane DiGirolamo, GC’s CAO; Adam McDonough ’84 and Hugh O'Boyle ’66. Ben Yhim ’87,Ed Kushlis ’76, Alex Núñez ’89 Ryan Bottegal ’06, Claire Balkam ’06 On April 19, Jamie Ryan ’82 and Chuck Morton ’83 invited Our Lady of Good Counsel High School alumni who live in the Baltimore area for a reception at Venable LLP. Approximately 30 alumni attended this networking event. ◆ Other “On The Road” receptions have included Chicago in November 2011 and Boston in April. We look forward to many more to come! Brad Bolino ’71, Dennis Kane ’83 and Attilio Campanaro ’83 enjoy the rooftop view of the Baltimore skyline. aLumnI 27 1984 ALUMNI TODAY TONY CAPONE ’84 With a passion for acting and performing, Tony Capone ’84 pursued his dream by being an active member in the GC Theatre Department, continuing on stage at the University of Maryland and then making his way to Broadway in New York City. Now a consultant in New York City, Tony incorporates his acting and directing abilities from the stage to the business world at Exec/Comm. In 1980 Tony’s parents sent him to Our Lady Good Counsel High School, which was “the best decision they ever made,” he stated. Within the first few weeks of school, Tony was involved in the first show of the year – The Witness for the Prosecution. In the 80’s, Tony was cast in a show at a local popular dinner theatre during his junior year at GC, and performed eight times a week. The Good Counsel administration allowed Tony to leave school to perform in the matinees, and the school was extremely supportive of his dream to become an actor. At the University of Maryland, Tony declared an English major, “mainly by default,” he explained. “There were outside voices saying, ‘Do you know what your odds are of succeeding [on stage]?’ I listened to some of those voices by studying something else, but nothing really latched on.” After graduation, Tony went to New York City to audition, and he landed a role in Miss Saigon. “And the rest was history,” he said. Tony appeared on Broadway in Carousel, at Carnegie Hall and directed over 20 productions regionally and in New York. “There were outside voices telling me that the odds of succeeding were slim, but those voices were never coming from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School.” With 20 years of experience as a professional actor and director, Tony decided to alter his career path but still use the skills he acquired as an actor. He landed a consulting role as a professional trainer and coach for Exec/Comm. This has allowed Tony to go from acting on Broadway, into directing, yet again, as he coaches clients to become better communicators. Tony helps his clients develop better communication skills by providing real life scenarios and allowing them to respond and in a way, “act out,” their responses. When reflecting back on his time at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, Tony explains, “It was the academics and the Theatre Department that gave me the courage and confidence to go to New York City [to become an actor]. Good Counsel was not where those voices of doubt came from. It was that sense of community that taught me about myself and how strong I was. The school [instills] strength to all students who want to pursue their dreams.” 28 cLass noTEs TRI-ATHLETE KATHERINE PRANGLEY LIOLA ’97 By day she is Senior Vice President for Armstrong, Fleming & Moore, Inc., providing counsel and strategy as a financial planner with a focus in behavioral finance. Mornings and weekends, Katie trains hard for her next triathlon with the ultimate goal of qualifying to compete in the Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. “I bought my first bike in March 2010 and did my first triathlon, the Columbia Triathlon, in May 2010 with some Good Counsel friends,” explains Katie. “In the beginning, I trained on my own and with friends, but before the start of 2011, I knew I had to push myself more to achieve my goals. I joined Team FeXY [FE= iron and XY= Man] and started working with a coach.” Katie’s regimen includes swimming, biking and running as well as yoga, strength and core training. Her nutrition, sleep and recovery are also monitored. Her peak weekly training, as she prepared for her first Ironman in Arizona, was about 22 hours. “Normal” training for other races is between 10-15 hours per week. 1997 She adds, “It’s amazing how much you learn about your body – what it can do, what it needs, how to take care of it. Training is not just about hours in the pool, on the bike or on the road. It’s also about what you are putting into your body, how to help it recover and your mental focus.” Katie, who swam, played soccer, lacrosse and field hockey at Good Counsel, became interested in triathlons when she was at Boston College. She ran the Boston Marathon twice and was inspired by a father/son team, who ran the Boston Marathon and then competed in the Ironman World Championships in Kona. “I got into triathlons after achieving my marathon goal of running 10 marathons before turning 30,” she said. “I wanted a new challenge. The culture, the intensity and the multi-discipline training aspects of the triathlon really appealed to me. My husband, Dave, my family and many of my Good Counsel friends have been incredibly supportive,” Katie concludes. “Training requires a lot of early wake up calls and other sacrifices, but like any goal you have to put in the effort.” Katie has now competed in 12 triathlons. She embraces the Ironman Mantra, “anything is possible,” and she looks forward to her first race of the 2012 season, the Philadelphia Olympic Triathlon in June. Way to go, Katie! cLass noTEs 29 cLass noTEs 1966 1984 Donald mizell married Diana Law in 2010. Billy Kappaz founded The Dorado Group and currently serves as its Chairman and CEO. Previously, he was the President and COO of K & M Engineering and Consulting Corporation where he led the structuring and development of numerous infrastructure projects around the world including the first ever private power projects in Colombia, Jordan, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Tunisia, Ivory Coast and Senegal. 1967 Robert Goley retired from Federal service this past December after 38 years. His extended family of nine kids, eleven grandkids and a great-granddaughter have been keeping him busy. Robert is also a volunteer with the Coast Guard Auxiliary and edits thousands of photographs. 1976 Father Walter J. Tappe is the Pastor of Saint Hugh of Grenoble Catholic Church in Greenbelt, MD. Joe aloi moved to Norfolk and is currently Clinical Director of the Strelitz Diabetes Center/Chief Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Eastern Virginia Medical School. 1977 The 2011 WCAC Football Championship game against Gonzaga was enjoyed by all Falcons, including many alumni who stopped by the Picnics by Gerard tailgate, by Daniel Wallace ’77. Pictured here are Tom Whalen ’77, mike Fitzgerald ’77, Dan Fitzgerald ’78, Daniel Wallace and Bob mcaleer ’78. Tony Fletcher earned his private pilot's license. Pictured is his temporary certificate presented by the FAA examiner who gave him his final check ride. GC President Paul Barker with chris Heck, President of Business Operations for New York Red Bulls, Inc. (Major League Soccer). Chris oversees the business and commercial aspects of the club and Red Bull Arena. Previously, Chris served as Senior Vice President for Marketing Partnerships for the National Basketball Association. Paul Barker, President, and Jane DiGirolamo, CAO, visited with Chris in January, and he provided a guided tour of the New York Red Bulls Arena, located in Harrison, NJ. 1989 1979 colonel peter curry entered the U.S. Army in May of 1983 and served 26½ years until his retirement in October 2009. 1983 Ryan scholl is currently serving as Commanding Officer (CO) of the USS Ashland. Ryan has been married to Kimberly for 24 years, and they have two children. 30 cLass noTEs 1988 Actor mark povinelli plays Todd on the NBC series, Are You There, Chelsea? and was in the movie, Mirror Mirror, with Julia Roberts. 1990 peter Torti (pictured in front of the NY Stock Exchange with GC President Paul Barker) is currently the Director of Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc. located in New York. 1991 2001 major patrick pflaum is currently deployed in Afghanistan. claire steinbraker Dipippo married David DiPippo on June 25, 2011 in Corolla, North Carolina. 1993 amanda (mandi) Bullough Workman and her husband welcomed their daughter, Kamryn Adele, on May 4, 2012. Kamryn joins her brother, 18-month-old Charlie. 1995 Katrell mendenhall is scheduled to star in a reality show called “Chicagolicious” on the Style Network. matthew Reed is a current member of the Air National Guard and has been previously deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq. anastasia oristian arab graduated from the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine on May 3 and will be starting her career as a resident physician in obstetrics and gynecology at Genesys Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc, MI. Anastasia celebrated this accomplishment with her 4-month-old daughter, Ava Lynn, who was born on January 3, 2012, her nine-year old daughter, Laila Marie, and her high school sweetheart and husband of 10 years, PJ Arab. 1998 Kristen Bitter Worch and her husband, Ryan, welcomed their third child, Vincent James, on January 26, 2012. He was welcomed with hugs by big sisters Grace (4) and Hadley (2). Pictured are: Claire DiPippo ’01, Sarah Deyhle ’01, Marie Steinbraker ’06, Lara Steinbraker Salyer ’98, Shannon Dorsey Young ’01, Lauren Brayer ’01 and Julie Waugh ’01. Not pictured, but at the wedding were: George Steinbraker ’94, Michelle Quinones ’01, Michael Quinones ’98 and Nicole Conto ’02. ashley Holland Vincent and her husband, Zak, who reside in Indianapolis, IN, welcomed their first daughter, Charlotte Adele, on January 31, 2012. 2002 matt augustyn and his wife, Megan, welcomed their first child, Sophie Ann, on February 28, 2012. Sophie was 8lbs, 11oz and 21 inches. Matt’s sister, Monica ’06 (Director of Alumni Relations), is Sophie’s godmother. Matt, Megan and Sophie currently reside in Bethesda, MD. 2003 1999 chris monroe was inducted into the George Washington University Hall of Fame on February 18. He is currently playing pro basketball in Europe. Liz cowan sheil and her husband, Ryan, would like to introduce their first child, Braden Michael, born on March 9, 2012. Braden was 8lbs, 6oz and 21 inches. cLass noTEs 31 cLass noTEs 2004 meghan stafford received her Master’s of Education degree from Lynchburg College in January and is pursuing a job as a high school counselor. She is also registered to run the Marine Corps Marathon for the second time in October and is raising money for wounded soldiers and their families. 2006 Drew Gloster and Tyrell Jones have both signed to play in the Professional Indoor Football League. They will be playing for the Columbus Lions in Columbus, Georgia. Neither knew that the other had signed for that team, and they look forward continuing their friendship that started at GC. 2007 nadia abascal graduated from Barnard College in 2011 and is pursuing her Ph.D. in chemistry at Yale University. Nadia is studying organic chemistry in the labs of Professor Scott Miller. 2008 Daniela poss was named to the Capital One Academic All-District Women’s Basketball Team, selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America. Daniela, a chemistry major with a 4.0 GPA, was named to the NCAA Division III All-District 2 team that includes every team in eight states, mostly in the Middle Atlantic and New England regions. matt Dennison was accepted as a Master’s Degree candidate at Salisbury University. His field of study is geospatial/geoscience information systems. Elaina ponchione, former lacrosse goalie for Good Counsel and a member of the US Naval Academy Women’s Lacrosse team, graduated from the Service Academy in May. stephen Hayes completed a great year at the main Sorbonne in Paris, France. He graduated from American University in Washington D.C., this May. Stephen was on the Dean’s List at American, where he studied international politics. Stephen also was an officer of the school’s Debate Team. mary swarthout was one of six athletes from The Catholic University of America to be named to the 2012 AllLandmark Conference Teams on May 4. Mary leads the Landmark Conference in lacrosse goals, points and caused turnovers. 2011 maeve Drummey is currently enrolled in the US Naval Academy Preparatory School (graduation 2012). Maeve has accepted appointment and received Congressional nomination for United States Naval Academy, Class of 2016. sean sutton, a freshman at UNC-Chapel Hill, received his first ACC Championship win in the 400 meter dash. Sean finished with a personal best time of 46.84 seconds. alex Honsberger completed her first year at Mount St. Mary’s. She made the Dean’s List and is involved in the Honor’s Program. Alex is the president of Educators for Justice Society, a member of Best Buddies, a Freshman Ambassador, and she will be a Resident Assistant for the 2012–2013 term. We want to hear from you! Please email the Director of Alumni Relations, Monica Augustyn at Augustyn@olgchs.org. ALUMNI BUSINESS NETWORKING On March 15, the GC Alumni Office and Patrick Howley ’87 hosted the first Alumni Business Networking event. With over 40 alumni in attendance, it was a successful evening of networking and exchanging business cards. The next event will be on Thursday, September 27 at M&T Bank, Rockville, MD 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. Hosted by Kevin McCormack ’86. Save the date for the next Business Networking Social! 32 cLass noTEs More information will be provided through the Alumni e-Newsletters. If you do not receive emails from GC, contact the Alumni Office (Augustyn@olgchs.org) to update your contact information. We hope to see you there! In mEmoRIam God our Father, Your power brings us to birth, Your providence guides our lives, and by Your command we return to dust. Lord, those who die still live in Your presence, their lives change but do not end. I pray in hope for my family, relatives and friends, and for all the dead known to You alone. In company with Christ, Who died and now lives, may they rejoice in Your kingdom, where all our tears are wiped away. Unite us together again in one family, to sing Your praise forever and ever. • Embelina Banfield, mother of Donna Trotta, grandmother of Danielle ’02, Jacqueline ’06 and Nicholas ’10 • Jeffrey Paul Beaupre ’88 • Carl E. Berger, father of Erik C. Berger ’84 • James R. Bergmann, father of Mike ’80, Brian ’82, James ’87 and Tracy; grandfather to Patrick ’09, Timmy ’11, Katherine and Katie ’13 and Kevin ’15 • John V. Cuff ’70, father of Julie ’04 and brother of Bobby Cuff ’66 • Margaret Davitt, mother of John ’70, Emmit ’75 and Chris Davitt ’78 • Edward Dougherty ’63 • Mr. Lee Fangmeyer, father of Jeanne Crossland, Mary Jo Lanzer, Karen Swarthout, Beth Poulos , Fr. Lee Fangmeyer ’79, Mark Fangmeyer ’80 and James Fangmeyer ’83; grandparent of Michael ’97, Daniel ’00 and Mary ’08 Swarthout; John Jr. ’03, James ’04, Matthew ’06, Andrew ’08, Luke ’12 and Patrick ’14 Poulos; Mark ’05, Andrew ’07, Laura Lee ’10, Michael ’13 and Matthew ’13 Fangmeyer; James ’11 and Audrey ’13 Fangmeyer; and five great-grandchildren; past board member. • Maria Magdalena Garcia, mother of Veronica Garcia ’00 and Christina Garcia ’08 • Jesse Houston, Sr. , father of Jesse Houston ’68 • Marilyn Judge, former GC History teacher; mother of Stephen ’67, John ’70 and Larry ’75 • William Kolar, father of Tom Kolar (GC faculty), John ’71, Dan ’73, Grandfather to Kathleen Kolar Quinn ’90 and Sara Kolar Moran ’94 • Elinor Fox Massuchi, mother of Tom Mazzuchi ’74 • Thomas McCarthy ’75 • Mary Mueller, mother of Kerry Mueller ’11 • John A. Murphy Jr. ’74 • Beth Polletto ’03, daughter of Kathy and John Polletto • Jennie Serra, mother of Gene ’71 and Stephen ’74; grandmother of Danielle, Jennifer, and Mary Grace • Molly Shaffer, mother of James ’67, William ’74, and the late Thomas Shaffer ’75; mother-in-law of Robert Leginus ’68 • Karen Rosenblatt, mother of Joe ’11 and Andrew ’13 This spring, GC created an award in Justin’s memory called The Justin Thornton Award. It was given to a student who demonstrates Xaverian values. The Justin Thornton Award was awarded to nathan Incognito ’12 at an all-school assembly on April 30. Justin [Class of 2010] was very close with many alumni from the classes of 2009–2011. Justin never spoke of his suffering from cancer, never complained and never asked for pity, but instead he made people laugh. He fought for his life every single day walking through those hallways of GC. It is in the Good Counsel hallways that he fought most of his battle with this cancer, before he could even set foot on a college campus. On February 1, 2011, a falcon flew to heaven. His quote should always be remembered in GC “On my rise to success, no suffering, no reward.” I am trying to explain the importance of Justin to you because he was a role model for not only one graduating class but three years full of students. Justin Thornton 1991-2011 –Sarah Kane ’09, a good friend of Justin’s The video of the award can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skGhO50Sg00 cLass noTEs 33 News and Events Good Counsel’s “Tip-Off Classic” Basketball Tournament presented by Legacy Investment & Management. Friday, November 30 through Sunday, December 2, 2012 AMPIONS! H C E R U T U BUILDING F rts Camps Eight teams (four local and four out-of-town teams) will compete in a 3-day championship-style tournament. Spo Summer Youth Ages 5 to 14 tball ★ Girls’ Baske l al tb ke as B s’ Boy se ★ Girls’ Lacros Boys’ Lacrosse r ★ Boys’ Socce Girls’ Soccer ll yball ★ Footba Baseball ★ Volle lney, MD igh School, O od Counsel H Go of dy La ur -3218 Located at O ★ 240-283 WWW.OLGCH S.ORG ALUMNI NETWO BUSINESS RK Upcomi n g events : ursda y, Septe m 6:30 – 8 :30 p.m ber 27, 2012 . at M&T Bank, R ockville Hosted , MD by Kevi n McCo rmack ’ 86 REUNION D WEEKEN ber 26 – Friday, Octo ctober 27 Saturday, O eekend for Reunion W d “7”. ing in “2” an classes end nions lgchs.org/reu Visit www.o formation. for more in “ & ” 27 THURS DAY, S EPT. 13, 201 2 30 An Steve Dnual Golf To ean u r n at Arg a ment yle and Manor th Countr y Club R s e c e Catere ption t d by O o follow utback SteakH Contac ouse t Monic a Augu august styn at yn@olg chs.org Friday, October 5 Athletic Hall of Fame Recognition at the GC v. DeMatha football game! Game at 7:00 pm Inductees for the 2012 Hall of Fame: Cliff Brown ’66 The 1994-1995 Girls’ Basketball Team Roger Mason ’99 Maggie Curran ’02 VENDOR SHOW NOVEMBER ATTN : ALL A Join U LUMNI s! Saturday, November 10 hosted by the Mothers’ Club Sunday, November 11 Annual Alumni Memorial Mass Wedn es GC A lumni day, Nove m N Locat ight at th ber 23 rd e ed in Bethe Barking D og sda, M D! NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 253 SILVER SPRING, MD A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School Change Service Requested 17301 Old Vic Boulevard I Olney, Maryland I 20832 Friend Us | Follow Us | Learn About Us at olgchs.org Get Ready for Some Football! EVENTS AUGUST AUGUST 24, 2012 23 First Day of Classes 24 ESPN Live Football: GC @ Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas) Good Counsel v. Bishop Gorman SEPTEMBER 8 Football: GC v. St. Joseph Regional (NJ) @ Naval Academy 13 30th Annual Steve Dean Golf Tournament 27 Alumni Business Network OCTOBER 5 Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony Homecoming Game: GC v. DeMatha 14 Admissions Open House 18 St. Francis Society Dinner 26-27 Reunion Weekend for Classes Ending in “2” and “7” to Vegas? it e k a m Can’t er of our eith e game live at th ch at w e m Co parties: PN viewing two local ES ia: In DC/Virgin In Maryland: Turtle The Greene ey, MD ln O in d locate RFD C ashington, D W in d locate Broadcasting LIVE from Las Vegas on ESPN! For further information, please visit our website at www.olgchs.org/ESPN