traditions at Bethlehem Academy Winter 2019
Community
P r ay e r
Study
Ministry
St. Catherine of Siena
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inside back cover
A Call to Artists
Legacy
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Agriculture
Sunshine
Robotics
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4
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A Personal Note . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 St. Catherine of Siena. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 A Living Legacy. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-5 Scholarships. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7 VEX Robotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Agriculture Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Benefactors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 TRAP Team. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Let the Sunshine In. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Rest in Peace. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Alumni Updates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 A Call to Artists . . . . . . . . . inside back cover BETHLEHEM ACADEMY 105 Third Ave. SW • Faribault, MN 55021 Main Office: 507-334-3948 • Fax: 507-334-3949 • www.bacards.org
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Table of Contents
Cover Photo Left-right: Mercedes Huerta ’22 and Maddie Gersemehl ’22 participate in BA’s “Service Day” as they work on clean up around the Faribault area after a severe, tornado-producing storm came through. Cover photo taken by Kari Tobin ’94.
Board of Directors Co-Chairs: James Beckmann Kathy Nass ’82
Board Members: Mary Jane Alexander Mary Campbell Cory Caron Melissa Casper Pat DeGrood ’90 Mike Donkers Kathy Halvorson Debbie Korman ’90 Mary Lipinski Patty Murray Mellanie Smith
Administration
President/Principal: Dr. Chuck Briscoe Assistant Principal: John Wollersheim Associate Principal/Activities Director: Ed Friesen ’86 Director of Guidance: Melissa Hansen Prioress of the Congregation: Sr. Antoinette Harris OP Chair of BA INC.: Sr. Colleen Settles OP Director of Admissions: Kris Sauer Director of Advancement: Sharon Wilson
Send us your news!
If you have story ideas, news information, photos or updates, we would love to hear from you. Please e-mail Kari Tobin at ktobin@bacards.org! Design & Layout: Kari (Schwartz) Tobin ’94 email: ktobin@bacards.org Copy Editor: Sharon Wilson email: swilson@bacards.org
Contributing Writers: Dr. Chuck Briscoe Sharon Wilson Sara Heselton '12 Matt Robinson Anne Fredrickson
Rest In Peace/Alumni Updates: Photography: Brent Zabel '05 Sr. Theresa Thomas, OP '53 Jason Hillesheim Kari Tobin '94
Bethlehem Academy a Catholic school in the Sinsinawa Dominican tradition, strives to empower its students and staff to achieve personal, spiritual and academic excellence. We challenge ourselves to love as Jesus Christ loved, to lead, to serve, to inspire and to seek the truth: VERITAS.
A Personal Note by Dr. Chuck Briscoe
One of my favorite TV shows of all time is Cheers. The theme song to the show speaks of a place where “Everybody Knows Your Name.” Bethlehem Academy is a place where everyone knows your name and we are always glad you came. Last fall, when I met with new families, I promised that their child would be known, loved and respected.
Our new Agriculture Program is just one example of responding to a need. The reception has been tremendous, and we will be building a Greenhouse this spring and will offer Horticulture as we expand our Agriculture Program for the next school year. We are doing this even while we continue to expand our Advanced Placement Courses for students.
We do this by:
Bethlehem Academy does all of these things for our students in hopes to spark a fire in them to find their gifts and follow their passions. Dominican Saint Catherine of Siena said, “Be who God created you to be and you will set the world on fire.” You never know what kind of spark will happen in an Art class, Religion Class, or Music class. You never know what might be the one that will ignite into a flame!
• Saying hello to them by name each time we see them. • Giving them an opportunity to be involved in the clubs, the music program or on an athletic team. • Creating opportunities for each individual student to grow and discover their potential and gifts. We are able to do this in part because we are a small school.
I continue to be blessed to help provide Catholic Education to students in Faribault and beyond. Thank you for also being part of that legacy of Bethlehem Academy and know that we value your support and interest in BA.
We are a small school with BIG potential. Some may feel that being a small school may have its drawbacks, but our smallness makes our potential enormous! Our smallness allows us to adapt and individualize each student experience by having courses that will challenge each student and help them grow.
Sincerely, Dr. Chuck Briscoe, President/Principal
Our smallness makes us adaptable and able to differentiate learning opportunities for students and allows us to respond to a need and a passion.
Class of 2021 participate in a day of service cleaning up at a cemetery in the Faribault/Northfield area after a severe, tornado-producing storm came through.
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St. Catherine of Siena by Sara Heselton
Sara Heselton '12 (right) and friend, Marianna Brown, visiting Siena, Italy
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first encountered St. Catherine in a significant way as I strolled the streets of Siena during a semester studying abroad in Italy. Like many of our class tours, we walked up and down the streets of this now well-known village, stopping at important sites to listen to our guide and sneaking away for a gelato or espresso around the corner. Siena particularly struck me; it was different from St. Francis’s Assisi or St. Benedict’s Monte Casino. The hills of this quiet town, decorated with ornate buildings covered in fair pinks and blues, seemed to bear the soft femininity of this great saint while almost hiding her bravery and influence.
While St. Catherine of Siena accomplished incredible things and modeled holiness in a time of great trial in the Church (not unlike today), she was, again, human. She ate meals, cleaned dishes, and mopped the floors in the very dining room in which I stood. Prayer and study were taken up in a small room in that same house as she entered into deep relationship with God. She lived from this relationship as she became more active in the world, serving the poor of Siena and influencing the Church to return again to holiness. Catherine’s ability to do such beautiful, brave things came precisely from her relationship with God. In a vision early on in her vocation, Christ approached her, saying, “Do you know, daughter, who you are, and who I am? If you know these two things, you will be blessed. You are she who is not; whereas I am He who is.” This encapsulates, for me, St. Catherine of Siena. She is a young woman from a small Italian village who has little to nothing to offer on her own, yet, when united to Christ, whom she loves and whom loves her, is able to influence the world.
Tucked along one of Siena’s many hills is Catherine’s childhood home. On the tour, after the shock of seeing Catherine’s shrunken head displayed in a local church, we made our way to the dining room of this home. I vividly remember standing in the room, frescoes depicting various moments of this saint’s life all around me, poignantly aware of Catherine’s humanity.
I have grown in appreciation for this saint ever since encountering her in Siena. Working at Bethlehem Academy has only accelerated my devotion to her. St. Catherine of Siena radiates the Dominican mission of preaching and teaching through word and deed, and shows how everything, in truth, is born from an intimate relationship with Christ. I pray that I may imitate Catherine in this way (and many others) as I teach theology at Bethlehem Academy. We live in a time of great trial, both in society and the Church. Faced with struggle, scandal, and questions of faith, St. Catherine of Siena encourages us to go deep – to study, pray, and seek Jesus. Then, she encourages us to go bravely in the direction of holiness.
To provide a bit of context, St. Catherine of Siena is a fourteenth century Italian saint. She was born to a large family and through time, prayer, and a concerted effort to convince her parents to surrender their dreams of her getting married, she gave her life entirely to Christ as a third order Dominican. The early stages of her vocation were spent in solitude as she prayed and studied. She went on to enter into a mystical marriage with Christ (depicted in one of the frescoes along the dining room wall as Christ gives Catherine a wedding ring only she can see), courageously convince the pope to return to Rome after residing in Avignon, France for nearly seventy years, and be named one of the few female Doctors of the Church for her intellectual contribution to the deposit of faith. 3
A Living Legacy
by Sharon Wilson, Director of Institutional Advancement
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ne of the many privileges of my position as Director of Institutional Advancement is to establish new scholarships and to help oversee our current undergraduate scholarships. As I have been going through the 50 plus files dedicated to these scholarships, I am amazed by the stories these files convey. Each one of them, a living legacy to the person it honors, is an inspiration to me and to our current students who are the recipients of these awards.
As many young men do, Patrick had dreams of playing football for the Minnesota Vikings. A year before his death – when it looked like he may survive the disease, Patrick was quoted as saying, “Christmas is knowing that you have every chance to live to be one hundred and to play football.” In the article that was written after his passing, the reporter goes on to say, “Pat Brown won’t be playing football for the Vikings. His game ended a week ago. The scorecard says he lost. But if it really is true that what counts is how you played the game, then Pat Brown was a hands down victor.”
Most scholarships have been set up in memory of a loved one who has passed away. The Patrick Brown Scholarship is one of these. As I read through the Patrick Brown Scholarship file, I was touched by his story. My eye caught a newspaper article titled, “The Passing of Pat Brown- the All American”.
Patrick would have been a 1976 graduate of BA. Patrick’s heroism during his illness is an inspiration, but other stories are a celebration of life.
Patrick a 6’2 -210 lbs. Freshman, was diagnosed with Aplastic Anemia during his football physical. The 15 years old underwent a rare bone marrow transplant donated from his sister. The rarity of the transplant kept his case in the news.
Cecelia Borsch came to Bethlehem Academy in 1926, after being orphaned at age 13. Raised by an elderly aunt, she and her 3 sisters attended BA. Mary Ann Decker, Cecelia’s daughter, says, “One of her fondest memories were those of BA and how they 4
Endowed Named Scholarship
helped her in becoming a dedicated wife, mother, nurse, and friend. She told me over and over what an excellent education she and all her sisters received.”
An Endowed Named Scholarship is where the principal (BA asks for $10,000 to establish an individual Endowed Named Scholarship) is invested and portions of the interest earned are awarded to students in the form of a scholarship while a portion is reinvested. An endowed scholarship lives on forever in honor of the individual it is established for.
After graduation she went on to pursue a career in nursing. It is hard to imagine anyone leaving their small town in Minnesota during the great depression and traveling to Chicago. It is even harder to imagine a single, orphaned woman making that trek. Cecelia went on to study nursing at Loyola University and St. Elizabeth’s School of Nursing and graduated in 1934, she stayed in Chicago and continued working at St. Anthony’s Hospital before marrying and having her 3 children. Decker added “Mom then worked at Hines VA Hospital in Hines, Illinois and took care of paraplegics and quadriplegics. They were young vets and I always felt she went above and beyond to care for them. She would invite many of them to our home for dinner. Her greatest passion was being a nurse and helping those in need of care.”
Some endowed scholarships begin with a smaller amount. When a family has an amount under $10,000, (at least $1,000.00) scholarships are combined with other scholarships under the President’s Scholarship Fund. Families and others may contribute to the Named Scholarship fund annually to help grow the scholarship to the individual Endowed Named Scholarship level. Like the Endowed Named Scholarship, a percentage of the interest on the principal is distributed in scholarships to deserving students. These smaller amounts are combined with other smaller scholarships to distribute the award.
At the age of 90 and after a full, well lived life, Cecelia died in 2003. Her children established the Cecelia Borsch Nursing Scholarship in her name, in 2008, to provide tuition assistance for prospective or current students in good standing that are interested in pursuing a career in nursing after high school graduation.
An Immediate Named Scholarship can be established to create a short term named scholarship. BA asks for a one-time gift of $1000.00 or a five-year pledge of $500.00 a year. In this case, the honored loved one is recognized, and the scholarship is awarded in the immediate scholarship year. The full amount is awarded and not invested and has an immediate impact on the lives of the recipients until the fund is depleted or the donors no longer wish to fund the scholarship.
The beginnings of a scholarship are sometimes in tribute to a parent. The Arthur and Lorraine Amundson Scholarship was established by the Amundson’s children. Art and Lorraine sacrificed to put all 6 of their children through Bethlehem Academy and the family wants to see the legacy of Catholic education continue by offering a scholarship to a student dedicated to the BA tradition. Family members and others have supported this scholarship and have even donated to it on special occasions such as the anniversary of their parents’ wedding. It becomes a special way to remember them and continue the legacy of their parents.
Contributions of any amount and at any time can be made to the General Scholarship Fund in honor of a loved one. General Scholarship Fund donations are combined into the President’s Scholarship and are distributed to students with a financial need. Anyone can donate to any Endowed Named Scholarship or an existing Immediate Named Scholarship in addition to the General Scholarship Fund. A listing of all of our current scholarships along with the intended use of the scholarship is listed on the following pages.
The scholarship folders are full of stories like these and I am honored and touched to be given stewardship of them. The reasons to establish a scholarship are varied, but in all cases, they become living legacies. Maybe you have thought about establishing a scholarship or contributing to an already established one.
Please feel free to contact me with any questions or information on establishing a lasting legacy for a loved one through a BA Scholarship. Sharon Wilson Director of Institutional Advancement
Why establish a scholarship?
507-334-3948, ext. 207
• Memorialize or pay tribute to a loved one
swilson@bacards.org
• To assist BA students in need • To honor a family member, friend, or past BA instructor • To help students continue their studies at Bethlehem Academy • To enrich the future of Bethlehem Academy When donors establish an endowed scholarship at BA, they are assisting students today and into the future!
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Endowed Named Scholarships
Steven Malecha Scholarship - designed to assist Bethlehem Academy students with a financial need
Candie Stoner Brand Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for prospective or current student interested in Math and Science
Gladeus Geiger McCarthy Scholarship - in honor of Gladeus who was a 1910 Grad and worked as a nurse during WW1 at Fort Snelling. The scholarship is given in her honor to a deserving student
Leo & Ottie Brand Scholarship - established in memory of Leo’s first wife Ottie to an incoming freshman at Bethlehem Academy
McQuoid Family Scholarship - in honor of the McQuoid Family Members: Weir and Edna Mc Quoid, and their sons Weir McQuoid, Jr., James McQuoid and John McQuoid to be given to help a future Bethlehem Academy Student in need of financial assistance
Class of 1943 Scholarship - intended to be given to one boy and one for a girl with a financial need Elizabeth LeMieux Cloutier Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for high school boy or girl with a financial need who uses their academic ability to the fullest
Frank & Edna Miller Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for a Bethlehem Academy student with a financial need
Dapper Family Scholarship/Gloria Dapper Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for financially needy children desiring to attend Bethlehem Academy
Fran & Laila "Lee" Miller Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for a Bethlehem Academy student with a financial need
Robert & JoAnne DeGrood Family Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for prospective or current student who applies Christian values in life
Patricia Jones Moxness '35 Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for a Bethlehem Academy student with a financial need
The Donahue Family Scholarship - originally established in memory of Kilian Donahue, son of Jim '96 and Jesse (Mullenmeister) Donahue '96, to provide financial assistance to a student who has siblings at BA
Robert & Doris Mullenberg Scholarship - established for deserving children attending BA Ostrom Family Scholarship - provides tuition assistance to a Bethlehem Academy student with financial need
John Benedict Dudley Scholarship established to provide tuition assistance for a junior male for tuition assistance with the criteria of financial need, strong academics and athletics participation demonstrating an outstanding work ethic with special preference given to applicants from a farm family
Dr. & Mrs. C.F. Robertshaw Scholarship - in memory of Dr. C.F. Robertshaw who practiced dentistry for nearly 50 years to be used by a student in need at Bethlehem Academy Cecelia Borsch (Milewski-Shaffer) Nursing Endowment Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for prospective or current student in good standing that is interested in pursuing a career in nursing after high school graduation
Patricia Gale Dudley Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for a junior female for tuition assistance with the criteria of financial need, strong academics and excellence in the area of arts with special preference given to applicants from a farm family
Strauss Family Scholarship - established in memory of Clemens and Annetta Strauss to a student with a financial need The Ron Thibault Scholarship - awarded to students with a financial need and an interest in the arts including: Industrial Arts, Band, Choir, Theater, and Art
Mary McKenna Friesen Scholarship - provides financial assistance to a student of need who shares Mary's love of BA and has an aptitude for Math
Duane ‘Dewey” VanOrsow Scholarship established to provide tuition assistance for a student with a financial need and does well in school and athletics
Hanlon Family Scholarship - in honor of William and Ethel Hanlon and their children Robert, Mile (Merrill) and Rita (Hanlon) Orr to a student with a financial need Lawrence Johnson Memorial Scholarships - provided to students with a financial need with preference given to freshmen
The Denis and Mary Varley Scholarship Fund - awarded to new, incoming students with a financial need who may not otherwise be able to attend BA
Clarence & Olive E. Low Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for rural students from Divine Mercy Catholic School or other surrounding Catholic Schools to attend Bethlehem Academy
William & Aleen Wells Memorial Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for high school boy or girl with a financial need 6
Mary Jean Willis '42 Scholarship - given to a Bethlehem Academy Student with a financial need
The Dr. Chris Robert Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for a Bethlehem Academy student with a financial need
Endowed Named Scholarships under the President's Fund
The Class of 1965 Scholarship - awarded to a student who cannot attend BA without the financial assistance of this scholarship
Alumni Scholarship (with donations from the Class of 2012) - established for a student who truly wants to attend BA for a Catholic Education, but may have financial difficulty.
The Class of 2017 Scholarship Fund - established to provide tuition assistance for a Bethlehem Academy student with a financial need
The Harold and Marie Brazil Family Scholarship established to provide tuition assistance to students involved in athletics at BA.
Immediate Named Scholarships Amundson Family Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance to a junior or senior student whose family is dedicated to the BA traditions
Patrick Brown Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance to a sophomore boy at Bethlehem Academy.
Jim Anderson Scholarship - awarded to a boy with financial need, athletic interests, and is a student in good standing Stella Bedford Service Scholarship - awarded to a student who demonstrates a financial need and serves BA, the church, or the community with the dedication that Stella demonstrated during her lifetime The Regina Dunleavy Scholarship - presented to students at Bethlehem Academy with a financial need The Jackie Riechert Scholarship Fund - established to provide tuition assistance to a student at Bethlehem Academy who represent Jackee’s qualities of being positive and filled with a zest for life
Class of 1968 Scholarship - established for 9-12 grade students in need of financial assistance to help pay their tuition to attend Bethlehem Academy The John Derham Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for a Bethlehem Academy student with a financial need
Delores LaCanne Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance to a student who demonstrates outstanding Christian values and is motivated to apply themselves in school and church
The Helen Hanegraaf Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for a Bethlehem Academy student with a financial need
The Woodworkers Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance to two male students who have an aptitude and love for woodworking
The Lucklow Family Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance for a Bethlehem Academy student with a financial need
Crosby Family Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance to a student at Bethlehem Academy who tries hard and is involved in at least two of the three: student government, fine arts, or athletics
Bill & Otilla Schley Scholarship In honor of Bill and Otilla - established to provide tuition assistance for a Bethlehem Academy student with a financial need
We have done our best to include all of the named scholarships in this article. If we inadvertently missed any, please contact the Bethlehem Academy Advancement Office at 507-334-3948.
Don and Elizabeth Thomas Scholarship - established to provide tuition assistance to a boy or girl student at Bethlehem Academy who has attended Divine Mercy School. The recipient must be an average student or above, be active in some facet of Bethlehem Academy’s extracurricular activities, have a love of learning and a true enjoyment of life 7
VEX Robotics by Matt Robinson
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ivine Mercy Catholic School/BA's new VEX IQ robotics program is just five months old. In those short months, the program has grown from a day camp experience in early August to more than 25 students participating in grades four through eight. The action is student led-- team captains run most of the daily tasks and students are the ones making the decisions. Students have built three very different robots- each with their own strengths and weaknesses. Four hours a week, split in two two-hour sessions, the students have planned, built, tested, and often, had to try again.
score points. At the end, only one of our three teams- DMCS Overdrive made it to finals. The finals matches came and went, and they walked away with 4th place-- not bad, for a first try! Back at work the next Monday though, the cycle of engineering continued. The event had given everyone a better idea of what needed to be done. No time to complain over failures, drive systems that hadn’t worked, or parts that had fallen off. There was too much to do. The middle school students in particular came away with a new strategy: Go big, or go home. The robot had to fit within a pre-set boundary, so they decided to fill it. Two weeks to go until the second event in team history, and their robot was nearly completely scrapped. Overdrive, who had taken fourth, tried to make their robot more reliable-- parts that had fallen off had cost them in the first event, and it wouldn’t happen a second time. Raiders tried to get their bugs out, plagued by little issues that were difficult to diagnose and harder to fix.
In the dark early morning of mid-November, the students loaded their gear on a bus and went to their first event. Nobody on any of the teams knew fully what to expect-- coach included. The pace of the event, more than anything, took us by surprise. At 60 seconds per match, things go fast at a VEX IQ event. Teams would have only minutes to breathe between bouts of being in the arena, paired each time with a new ally to frantically try and 8
6:30 AM on December 8th, the kids boarded a bus again, colder, darker, and fewer in number-- some of them would be meeting their teams at the event this time, some of them were home sick, some had schedule conflicts and could only hope from afar that their teams did better this time. Short staffed and short on sleep, the kids filled in where they had to. It was to be a day of acting captains and frenzied activity. Twenty-Two teams crammed into the Loyola Catholic School Gym, and there was a lot to do. This time, they were flying a banner, like a veteran would. This time, it would be different.
the awards to conclude. Second place and a Judge’s Choice for the Cardinals, another fourth place for Overdrive and seventh place in finals for Raiders. We had done well, and just missed going to state. Captains confirmed with the judges that second place didn’t rate a state invite, and we packed up. Elated but exhausted, we rode home. So ended our first short build season for robotics. It turns out we weren’t quite as done as we thought. Tuesday, the coach got an e-mail. Excited, he forwarded it to the Cardinals team members. Second place in finals didn’t get you to state, but it turns out that first place in total score for the day did. The Cardinals were going to state after all!
As the morning progressed, the Cardinals took second, then first in their first couple of qualifiers. Nobody gave it much thought— the day was early and things could change fast. Four bouts on though, they were still at the top of the heap, and everyone started getting nervously excited. Maybe it had all paid off— months of work, two weeks of madcap reconstruction. Six bouts in, then eight, still at the top. Overdrive was in 7th, Raiders 18th. Everyone was going to finals. Batteries were swapped. Controllers were charged. Time to do it one last time for all the marbles.
Back to the cycle. Identify. Design. Test. Record. Repeat. Things to fix. Tricks to learn! This program has been so successful that we are planning to expand the program into the high school Spring 2019!
The middle-schoolers watched the action in the early bouts of finals with anticipation— the low-seeded teams went first, building up to the 1st and 2nd seeds at the end. BA's Cardinals and Albany, MN’s Robots in Disguise would be the last match of the day. Practicing together, they had managed an almost unbeatable 22 points nearly every time. The 3rd and 4th seeds had something to say about it though— they managed 23 points in 60 seconds. The last match would have to be perfect to beat that, or even to tie. It started well but it didn’t last. Bad Luck dropped what could have been four points right out of the arena. The entire crowd audibly groaned. That was the match, and they still had 40 seconds to go. Without those four points, the alliance between the Cardinals and Robots in Disguise didn’t have the time or points left in the arena to win it. Still, No Recriminations waited for the drivers when they got back to their team. Instead, they celebrated the distance they had gotten, thanked their new friends from Albany and waited for
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Photo of a similar greenhouse being built at another school. Greenhouse will be built at BA in late spring of 2019.
Ag Program is Outstanding in Its Field by Anne Fredrickson
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hether students pass corn fields on their way to school or just start their day with Wheaties, they all have a connection to agriculture. For students who may wonder what school has to do with their everyday life, Bethlehem Academy’s agriculture studies program provides a simple answer: everything.
As the only agricultural education program at a Catholic high school in Minnesota, the series of classes is as unique as it is popular. Students who choose the elective courses start with the year-long Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources class, and may choose to follow it with a semester of plant science. As the program grows, staff plans to add an animal science course and the only Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapter in Rice County.
From the food we eat to the fuel we pump, agriculture touches many parts of our lives, whether we are farmers or city dwellers. Teacher Bernt Halvorson shows students those connections as part of the innovative program that weaves science, technology and business lessons together with hands-on learning.
Halvorson, the pioneer of the program, holds a bachelor’s in agricultural education from the University of Minnesota and actively works at his family’s turkey farm in Morristown in 10
addition to teaching. “I saw a need for this kind of program and pitched it to Dr. Chuck Briscoe,” Halvorson said. “He was all for it, so we brought together a committee of people in the community, from the local implement dealer, the co-op, bankers who do agriculture loans, agronomists and soil scientists, and everyone was behind it.” Halvorson acknowledges the involvement of the local community as crucial to the success of the program. “Without the community’s support, the program fails,” he said. But instead, the Bethlehem Academy program is growing. BA received a grant and community support to fund a greenhouse for the plant science course, and Halvorson hopes to add another teacher to the program. Meanwhile, student demand for the courses keeps increasing. Bethlehem Academy senior Abby Strodtman enjoys that the class is hands-on and that the lessons apply outside of the classroom. “We get to use a lot of different tools to collect data, which I enjoy,” she said. “My favorite things to do in school are hands-on experiments or projects, which we get to do a lot in this class.” The hands-on learning model and practical applications make the course attractive not just to Bethlehem Academy students, but to students from Faribault High School, who come to BA to attend the class with their Cardinal peers. Faribault High School senior Mikayla Wetzel was excited for the chance to take the class since she is involved in 4-H and FFA in Medford, but found academic opportunities lacking to pursue agriculture in Faribault. Wetzel, who raises and shows beef cattle and plans to study agricultural business in college next year, likes the change of pace that the class offers from the rest of her school day. Both students see value in the program whether or not one plans to study agriculture in the future. “For students who are not looking for a career in agriculture, it is a good way to learn about where their food comes from and what it takes to produce food to feed the world,” Wetzel said. Strodtman agreed that the applications are wide. “We need farmers to feed the world, but we also need people to assemble the tractors and farm machinery. We need people to give farm loans, and scientists to develop fertilizers and weed killers,” she said. “So much goes into farming other than the farmer planting and harvesting their crops. This class helps get kids excited about all aspects of farming.”
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ben·e·fac·tor /ˈbenəˌfaktər/ noun
a person who gives money or other help to a person or cause.
synonyms: patron, benefactress, supporter, backer, helper, sponsor, promoter, champion
Left-Right: Shelly Malecha '89, Phyllis Malecha, Sue Nasby '82, and Jim Malecha, Jr. '75
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Left-Right: Phil and Julie Zweber, Lisa Sammon, Mary and Mike Richie (honorees), Kate and Tim Tonjum Scot Gardner with son, Erik.
n the first Saturday in December, over 150 people gathered in the Bethlehem Academy cafeteria to honor the 2018 inductees into the Court of Honor at the annual Benefactors Brunch. Benefactors come in many shapes and sizes and this years’ honorees represent a wide variety of service and dedication to BA.
volunteer efforts and support for the school. They cite the clear sense of what it means to do the right thing as one of the greatest benefits their children received while attending Bethlehem Academy. This year a family was also inducted into the Court of Honor. The Phyllis and late Jim Malecha Family was represented by Phyllis and Jim’s children and grandchildren. In 2001 Jim and Phyllis created the Steven Malecha Scholarship Fund to honor their son Steven, who passed away unexpectedly in 2001. Their purpose in creating the scholarship fund was not only to remember Steven but to give other children an opportunity to attend BA. They understood the struggle of parents who work to send their children to BA, and they wanted to be able to help. When Jeffrey died in March 2010 and Scott died in May 2010, Phyllis and Jim wanted them all to be remembered and honored with the Malecha Scholarship Fund as well. With the family’s generous donations over the last 17 years, every year a student who may not have otherwise been able to afford to attend Bethlehem Academy has been able to continue their education at BA. The Malecha Scholarship Fund became a Permanently Endowed Scholarship in 2016.
Scot Gardner has been an invaluable supporter of the mission of Bethlehem Academy for 41 years and has touched the lives of many hundreds of students in the BA community through his love of music. Scot started teaching at BA in the Fall of 1977. In his first year of teaching he had just 16 band members; in the ensuing years he grew the program to include more students and opportunities. He started a marching band and formed the jazz ensemble, BAJARÉ in the late 1980s. He occasionally provided music for BA theater musicals and has filled in as the choir director at various times. Over the years, hundreds of Bethlehem Academy students have benefited from the caring musical instruction of Mr. Gardner. To Scot, the reason he has devoted his career to Bethlehem Academy is three-fold: he loves the people he works with, he loves the kids, and he just likes it here! Mike and Mary Richie moved to Faribault and were introduced to the Catholic community in 1991. Both Mary and Mike had been raised Catholic, so their support of Catholic education is not unexpected. All three of the Richie children attended Divine Mercy Catholic School before heading to Bethlehem Academy. Katie graduated from Bethlehem Academy in 2008, George in 2010, and Nora with the Class of 2013. All the of the Richie children were active in both athletics and various service organizations during their high school years. It was their children’s activities that led Mike and Mary to the various
Son, Jim Jr. and daughters Sue and Shelly attended the brunch along with their spouses and many of the grandchildren of Phyllis and Jim. Service and support are a family affair and their combined dedication to BA through generous donations as well as hands on help have benefited Bethlehem Academy over the years. Choosing the inductees to the Court of Honor is extremely difficult given the great support BA receives from so many. Thank you to ALL of our benefactors who have contributed time, talent and treasure to secure Catholic education for all. 12
You've Come a Long Way Baby! by Todd Rost
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n 2008, the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League (MNSHSCTL) was started by a man named Jim Sable. At that time there were three teams with a total of 30 kids in the program. With an official organization to manage the operations of the league, it grew quickly. The league doubled the number of teams and student athletes for five consecutive years, and by 2014 the MNSHTCL Championship was the largest shooting event in the world.
1st BA Trap Shooting Team
2018 BA Trap Shooting Team
to the range. The kids were having fun and the program continued to grow. Bernt and I took 20 kids to Alexandria for the 2015 State Championship. 2016 and 2017 were fairly similar with about 35 kids participating and 17 kids going to Alexandria for the State Championships and Troy Marquardt, Paul Wilder and Dave Ashley joining the coaching team.
The 2018 season also saw 35 Bethlehem Academy students participating as one of the 348 trap teams with 11,600 2018 BA Trap Shooting National Team members. The State Championship shoot in Alexandria had 8,100 student athletes in attendance shooting over nine days.
2018 BA Trap Shooting State Team
In 2011 two coaches started the Bethlehem Academy Trap Team with five students. The BA kids were: Joey Pleskonko ʹ13, Beau Reuvers ʹ16, Jarret Spitzack ʹ12, and Taylor Kaiser ʹ13. They were joined by Mitch Meese from Faribault Senior High School since the Faribault High School team had not been organized yet. Industrial Arts teacher Steve “Stub” Noble and Joe Pleskonko coached the five student athletes in the inaugural year of trap at the school. At the time only 20-25 schools were participating in Minnesota State High School Trap. Steve and Joe would drive the five kids to the Caribou Club and Hunting Preserve in Le Sueur every week to shoot on the trap field at the club. Former Olympic trap shooter and Caribou Club owner Randy Voss helped coach and assisted the team.
The Minnesota High School Clay Target League is still growing but has slowed because of the lack of shooting facilities around the state. Nationally, the High School Clay Target League has expanded into 20 states with almost 22,000 members. 2018 also brought with it the first National Championship and in July I had the pleasure, along with Troy Marquardt of taking five of our student athletes to the first USA High School Clay Target League National Championship. The competition was held at the Michigan Trap Association Home Grounds in Mason, Michigan. Our team was made up of Tiernan Donahue ʹ19, Olivia Morelan ʹ19, Nick Tonjum ʹ19, Bo Dienst ʹ21, and Ashley Rost ʹ21. Tiernan and Nick shot in the individual competitions with Tiernan Donahue shooting his first 50 straight. The Nationals drew about 2,200 student athletes from around the country. It was a tremendous opportunity for our team to meet and get to know kids from all over the United States. The League put on a country music concert featuring musician Lucas Hoge for all of the participants with a “meet and greet” afterwards.
Joey Pleskonko went on to win the Junior Varsity top honors in a shootout that year at the Minneapolis Gun Club. In 2014 when I joined the program and began to help coach along with Noble and Pleskonko we had 14 kids and the team was shooting at the Morristown Gun Club. The State Championship was held in Alexandria, Minnesota as it had outgrown the Minneapolis Gun Club.
The Bethlehem Academy Trap Team has been a great opportunity for all of the kids and couldn’t happen without the fantastic support of our wonderful parents and tremendous volunteers. We will continue to move forward with the league’s mission of safety, fun and marksmanship as the kids continue to make memories that will last a lifetime!
2015 brought changes to the coaching lineup with Bernt Halvorson replacing Steve Noble and the departure of Joe Pleskonko. Paul Sonthiemer and a group of other great parents helped coach, score and chauffeur a group of 30 student athletes 13
Let the Sunshine In
by Sharon Wilson, Director of Institutional Advancement
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n the winter of 2017, Bethlehem Academy launched the Windows Project Initiative. The goal is to replace all of the 50-year-old classroom windows with more energy efficient and brighter windows that will allow the sun to shine in! Thanks to a generous group of donors, the $500,000 project is more than half-way completed. All of the windows on two sides of our main school building have been replaced and the difference is remarkable - inside and out! Our students are now able to work with natural light streaming through the windows and despite having one of the coldest winters in the books, they have been toasty warm with the newest energy efficient glass and framing. We are all looking forward to spring when teachers will be able to open the windows to let in a warm breeze that will hint at the summer to come. This project has been completed in stages with the money collected going directly into the replacement construction costs. Our goal is to raise the additional $45,000 for phase 3 this spring with construction to continue this summer. We will launch our final phase for completion of the windows in Fall 2019.
The Numbers $500,000
Windows Replacement Project Cost
$300,000
Dollars raised for phase 1 and 2! Complete! †
$200,000
Cost for phase 3 and 4
$55,000
Please consider assisting with the completion of this project by donating the cost to replace a window or to refurbish an entire classroom! Stop by the school for a tour and see the change these windows make. Contact the Advancement office with any questions. Please send your donations to Bethlehem Academy/ Windows Project, 105 3rd Ave SW, Faribault, MN 55021.
Dollars currently raised for phase 3 †
$2,500
Cost per Window †
Why help with this project?
“ Many Individuals and families have historically contributed to BA to help the school operate and thrive. While I was a student at BA, I benefited from the generosity of those donors. When I heard about the windows project, I was compelled to contribute as a way of paying it forward for the future of BA. With the help of some additional contributors, we can complete this final phase of the window project and they will look great for years to come.” - Leo Varley ’75
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$10,000
Cost per Classroom
Rest in Peace Please remember our deceased friends and alumni in your prayers. (word received between September 7, 2018 - January 10, 2019)
1939 James R. Sheady passed away September 7, 2018 at his home in Faribault. He was a member of the first class of boys to attend Bethlehem Academy graduation with the class of 1939 1946 La Don M. (Dusbabek) Johnson, age 89, passed away in Stuart, FL on October 25, 2018. 1948 Grace (Frejlach) McDonald of West St. Paul passed away September 18, 2018. 1949 Elizabeth (Mandell) Heymans, passed away on December 1, 2018 in Albany, MN at the age of 86. 1950 Phyllis (Caron) Kuhlman passed away September 30, 2018 in Faribault, MN. She was preceded in death by her husband Arnold.
Alumni Updates
Richard '49 and Janet '51 Misgen have moved to Stillwater to be near their daughter and son-in-law.
Geraldine Kline '57, writes, "I am enjoying my position as a docent at the Milwaukee Art Museum. I also usher for the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts. Recently I began volunteering one morning a week at Penfield Children's Center (2-year olds). My life in retirement is full and enjoyable." William Helling '53 is the Chairman of the Fleckenstine Beer Truck Restoration Committee! Ron '56 and Luci '58 Nelson celebrated their 61st wedding anniversary on November 28, 2018. They have four children, 15 grand children and 6 great-grandchildren! Patricia Trutnau '61, writes, "I taught elementary school in Shakopee from 1966-1973, married Dean Trutnau in 1973 and had 3 children: Robert (works at Rahr Malting-they grow all the malt for your beer), Angela (a shakopee police sargent), and Tricia (works in loan department at Wells Fargo). I lost my husband to ALS in 2008. My mother, Otilla Schley, is 95 and lives with me. She is still very sharp." Clayton S. Condon, father of Richard Condon '57, was celebrated for his 100th birthday in August at two gatherings, one in Skokie, IL, and one in Waseca, MN. He was also honored at Wrigley Field at a baseball game as a WWII veteran. of 1965, celebrated their ← Tom and Linda (Hale) Sammon, class 2018. 22, June 50th wedding anniversary on
1952 Cecilia M. Friesen, age 84, of Faribault, MN died on January 6, 2019 at Oak Hill assisted living in Grand Rapids, MN. 1953 Jerry Castle Passed away October 1, 2018 at the age of 83 in Marine on St. Croix, MN. 1956 Mary (Duffney) Wohlers passed away October 31, 2018 at the age of 80 in Phoenix, AZ. 1958 Judy (Beecher) Gillis passed away unexpectedly September 8, 2018 at her home. She is preceded in death by her husband, Jerome "Dutch" Gillis '55. 1958 Mona Ann (Boggie) Reardon of Langley, WA passed away October 4, 2018 1960 Albert "Bill" Goblirsch, age 76, passed away October 29, 2018 in Alexandria, MN. 1962 Donna (Lord) Sawatzky of Medford, MN passed away November 23, 2018 at the age of 74.
→ The Bethlehem Academy high school class of 1958 celebrated their 60th reunion in September, 2018. Left to right, row 1: Judy (Reinardy) Cernohous, Jeanne (Langer) Hein, Patricia (Parkos) Hackett, Betty (Jandro) Mullenberg, Katie (Frejlach) McDonald, Diane (Tousignant) Garry, Marlene (Stanton) Gustafson, Ina (Larson) Skoglund, Jean (Langeslag) Gillis, Row 2: Gene Wobbrock, Diane (Johnson) Olson, Roman Malecha, Mahlon Duffney, Marty Speikers, Judy (Crosby) Claffey, Connie (Smisek) Clark, Kay (Swanson) Kohl, Jim Kohl, Dale Bond, Don Monson, Bert Johnson, Harry Brown, Jim Langevin Registered for reunion but not pictured: Bob Novotney, Bruce Shaffer, Don Skluzacek, Jake Gillen, Ann Chappuis Van Ryn, Susie (Malecha) Voegele
1963 Robert "Rob" Kline passed away on November 21, 2018 in Rochester, MN at the age of 73 1965 William James Lentz, of St. Pete Beach, FL passed away September 30, 2018 at the age of 71.
Peggy A. Dusbabek of Faribault, MN, wife of Ed Dusbabek '53, passed away October 24, 2018 Ruth Gillen, wife of Jake Gillen '58, died December 21, 2018
The Bethlehem Academy high school class of 1968 celebrated their 50th reunion on the weekend of September 21st & 22nd, 2018 in Faribault at Joe’s Sports Bar. We had a Friday night reception, attended a BA football game, and later, a gathering. On Saturday we started with breakfast, toured BA, and finished with our main reunion event. Pictured l to r, row 1: Dan Sheady, Ann Sammon Platt, Sharon Maas Schreck, Mary Lentz Murphy, Mary Jo LeMieux Chapman, Becky Sammon, Claire Balfe Ludwig, Joan Deney Trahan, Maureen Hasenbush, Mary Kay Smisek, Marcia Eiler Schroder, Charles O’Connor, Mary Schulz Paquette, Donna Rezac Cummans, Marie Mahoney Eide Row 2: Marc Hugunin, Jim Schlatter, Dave Larson, Cheryl Schema Peterson, Tammy Morris Boe, Mary Jo Madigan, Mary Benson Nelson, Patty Schmitz Pflaum, Cathy Varley VonRuden, Becky Rodosovich Richie, Kathy Mullenmeister Lenarz, Chuck Pettipiece, Jerry Strauss, Bill Wells, Row 3: Laura Gillen Hansen, Jan Hanegraaf Bettner, Claude Chmiel, Mary Hass McGovern, Tom Smith, Stephen LaCanne, Jim Pettipiece, Patrick Dudley, Kevin McVay, Steve Roell, Jamie Jasinski Erickson, Pat Meillier
→
1970 Susan (King) Martinson of Faribault, MN passed away at the age of 66 on November 22, 2018.
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Bethlehem Academy Alumni!
o t l l a C A
Artists
Calling all Bethlehem Academy alumni Visual Artists, Musicians, Poets, Writers, Architects, and all other areas of performing and visual creativity. Come, join together, and share your creations in a vast gathering exhibition at the Paradise Center for the Arts here in Faribault, MN in the Fall of 2020.
Please consider joining the exhibition and sharing your work with the community. Your work(s) will be displayed in a professional gallery space. Pieces may be sold or exhibited on loan, that is your choice. Pieces may be works that you have recently created or completed while you were a student here at BA or in college. Please consider joining in on this endeavor. Our goal is to fill the Carlander Gallery space and the Vranish Gallery space at the Paradise Center for the Arts. Artists beginning this journey to bring together as many alumni as possible are: Diane Lockerby '66 – Pottery & Ceramics Linda Hillesheim-Murphy '70 – Textiles & Ikebana Bernt Halvorson '09 – Intarsia John Schoolmeesters '15 – Visual Arts Noah Battles '16 – Musician If you are interested, please contact Jason Hillesheim, Bethlehem Academy Art Department, via email at jhillesheim@bacards.org or Sharon Wilson at swilson@bacards.org. More event details will follow!
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Today's total of $128,500 does NOT include ANY amounts from our $65,000 matching gifts. Until we105have a FULL Third Avenue SW • Faribault, MN 55021 MATCH for this amount, we will not Parents: It is our intention to send one copy of the Traditions per household. include anymultiple of itcopies inat this If you received address, or if you want to give us a our total. As of today, new address for an alumni son or daughter who no longer lives with you, we still please have contact us $37,750 at advancement@ bacards.org. Thank you. that must be matched by Febraury 28, just 34 days from now. IF YOU HAVE NOT MADE YOUR 201617 ANNUAL FUND DONATION, PLEASE HELP TO ACHIEVE THIS MATCH. Thank you to all who already blessed this school and its students with your gifts. We are SO grateful for the tremendous support that enables us to continue our rich 152 years of serving our students with a top-notch, faith-based education. Know that we pray for you regularly!
Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage
PAID
Faribault, MN 55021 PERMIT NO. 44
You can BABA when shopping on Amazon You cannow nowsupport support when shopping on by using the AmazonSmile program. Simply log into your Amazon account via www.smile.amazon.com and choose "Faribault B A Inc." as the charity. Your normal Amazon account will work with the AmazonSmile Amazon by using the AmazonSmile program. site! Forlog more information on the program visitand https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/ch/about Simply into www.smile.amazon.com choose “Faribault B A Inc.” as the charity. Your normal Amazon account will work with the AmazonSmile site! For more information on the program visit https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/ch/about 2 019 BETHLEHEM AC ADEMY
Save the Date!
Cardinal
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1 Must be 2 . d n e to att Admission: A $25 entrance fee will include your admission for the night,
delicious food, 2 drink tickets, & $1,000 Casino Cash! Cash Raffle, T uition Raffle, and Outdoor Raffle Available! Fund-A-Need: Hallway Doors: $58,000 to replace all Hallway Doors
Join the Committee, donate an item for the Auctions, make a Cash Donation, or become a Sponsor! If interested, please contact Sarah Croke, 507-400-5974 or ascroke@yahoo.com, Kari Tobin, 507-334-3948 or ktobin@bacards.org, or Sharon Wilson, swilson@bacards.org
See website for more details and event schedule!!
www.babsnight.weebly.com
GOLF CLASSIC Friday, August 2, 2019
at Faribault Golf Club in Faribault, MN