A MAGAZINE FOR MARIAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI, FAMILY, AND FRIENDS
Summer 2020
Marian Matters
Life
INTERRUPTED
Teaching Scholars with a Soul
The Big Picture - Putting Love in Action
Experiences with COVID-19 left many feeling isolated and disconnected. Marian Catholic’s Discovery in Service class led an initiative for students to help alleviate some of those feelings through a variety of service opportunities including making Memorial Day thank you cards for veterans at the Illinois Veteran’s Home in Manteno. The students’ small acts of kindness made a difference in the lives of many. Veterans pictured above: Don Cull, Bruce Mettlock, Bill Smith, and Ray Farino; Artwork by Grace Mallee '20
A Message from President Vince Krydynski '81
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Coping with a Pandemic Day by Day Life Reconnected Transforming the Soul of Education Managing COVID-19 at Home Marian Catholic Models E-Learning Success Unforgettable Experiences Moving Forward in Uncertain Times
At Marian Catholic, we met the challenge of COVID-19 head on, and shifted into the best e-learning program for secondary schools I have seen across the country. Others recognized it as well. Our e-learning program was featured in the National Catholic Education Association’s Summer 2020 Momentum magazine. Our teachers and staff demonstrated the difference of a Marian Catholic education; our students showed great resilience; and our families responded with words of gratitude and pride. As our school year ended, Marian Catholic faced a new challenge as people took to the streets to protest the killing of George Floyd. While the world questioned, our alumni and students looked to their school to see how we would respond. We, in turn, looked to the Dominican Sisters of Springfield and our Catholic leadership and responded with three words: “Prayer. Solidarity. Action.” We have developed a plan to critically look at our school and identify where we have failed our students of color. We have renewed our commitment to work with the Dominican Sisters to identify and eradicate any racial intolerances, biases, and prejudices from Marian Catholic. We cannot change the past, but we can acknowledge where we have failed to treat every person as a child of God. We have experienced significant interruptions in our lives this school year that are likely to continue next year. I believe they are given to us for a reason. There is a greater plan at work. I choose to listen. I choose to see these interruptions as a blessed thing, as an opportunity given to us by our Creator to transform ourselves and our institutions, reconsider what we deem important, and rethink the paths we are on. As we look to this academic year, we will be encouraging our students to do just that – to solve for unity in a time when we are physically, socially, and even ideologically distant – for that is what we are called to do.
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Every Student, Every Day Presenting the Class of 2020 Fine Arts in Review Athletics: Turning Sweet 16 Veritas IV Alumni Notes In Memoriam
Marian Catholic Mission Statement
Marian Catholic High School is a Catholic, coeducational, college preparatory high school within the Dominican tradition of study, prayer, community, and preaching. Marian Catholic students seek truth, exhibit personal responsibility, cultivate their individual talents, and demonstrate ethical leadership and Christian service.
Contents
At the faculty Mass this past school year, Father O’Mara spoke of life interrupted. At the time, we joked about how prophetic his words were given how Mass ended that morning. Little did we know that Father’s abrupt exit from Mass was a small glimpse into what was ahead. Anna Robertson Brown Lindsay said “How do we know but that the interruption we snarl at is the most blessed thing that has come to us in long days?” In many ways, this thought has helped me understand the “why” of what has transpired over the past several months. Perhaps the interruptions we experienced this past school year have been a “blessed thing.” They have presented a miraculous time for all of us to slow down, spend more time with our families, take control of our daily routine, take responsibility for our actions, look out for the vulnerable, and trust in God. We have a newfound appreciation for the dedication and professionalism of our educators. We have a renewed sense of gratitude for those who willingly place themselves in harm’s way. And we have joined our brothers and sisters of color in a unified chorus denouncing racism. I believe God has a plan. Even when our Lord, the King of Kings, humbled himself to be crucified, there was a plan. We, as humans, could not see it. We could not understand it even when it was explained to us, but there was a divine plan, a plan that required a transformation that confused or frightened or angered many, but eventually served to unify those willing to listen. I think we are in the midst of a divine transformation. God has presented us with a blessed thing. How will we respond?
Coping with a Pandemic Day by Day Marian Catholic’s COVID-19 Diary On Wednesday, March 4, a group of Marian Catholic administrators, faculty, and staff members met to consider the potential impact of COVID-19. Little did they know that when school was dismissed the following Thursday, it would be for the remainder of the semester. What followed was a dedicated effort by the entire Marian Catholic community to “build the plane while flying it” as Principal Tortorello referred to the ensuing weeks. Each day brought new guidelines from the CDC and state, and along with them, new challenges. Thankfully, much of the needed infrastructure was already in place since Marian Catholic had implemented 1:1 iPads and e-learning processes years before. What transpired is a credit to the resourcefulness of faculty, staff, and students. March 9
March 23-27
\\ The first communication regarding Marian Catholic’s response to COVID-19 is distributed to families.
March 10
\\ In order to appropriately plan for the impact of COVID-19, Professional Learning Communities are held for faculty to discuss e-learning, how to make lessons more engaging, and most importantly, how to create conversational feedback between students and teachers.
March 13
\\ Following directives from Governor Pritzker and the Archdiocese of Chicago, Marian Catholic announces it is closing campus and transitioning to e-learning effective March 16 until after Spring Break.
March 18
\\ Faculty cope with the first interruptions to technology.
March 19
\\ Principal Tortorello establishes morning video calls with faculty to troubleshoot any issues from the previous day. Flipgrid is recommended as a forum for faculty and students to leave feedback for each other every day. Video chats facilitate one-on-one and departmental meetings. \\ A COVID-19 page is added to Marian Catholic’s website where families can access communication updates, important health information links, e-learning procedures, and counseling and spiritual resources. \\ Marian Catholic’s Queen of Hearts Raffle, held weekly at Lorenzetti’s Restaurant, is suspended.
March 21
\\ Illinois issues a stay-at-home order in effect through April 7. All faculty and staff are directed to shelter at home.
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MARIAN MATTERS SUMMER 2020
\\ Marian Catholic celebrates A Week of Gratitude as a small way to say thank you for the sacrifices being made to keep everyone healthy and for everything students, families, alumni, friends, and faculty and staff do every day as members of the Marian Catholic community. \\ Country House, Marian Catholic’s food services provider, begins offering free packed lunches for curbside pick-up. Nearly 60,000 meals were served from March through August.
March 24
\\ The counseling department continues to support students virtually. Counselors create chat groups, and in addition to contacting students individually, send out articles, videos, and positive messages, on a daily basis.
March 25
\\ Student interactive contest #1: To relieve some of the stress of cabin fever, students were invited to take part in a TikTok contest! The winner? The women’s soccer team! \\ Student interactive contest #2: Voting in the library’s annual pet contest begins! “If looking at cute animal pictures puts you in a good mood, this is the perfect antidote to whatever ails you!”
March 26
\\ Radio station WBEZ interviews Choir Director Claire Jakubisin and senior Carrington Johnson about how Marian Catholic is continuing choir classes through e-music lessons. \\ An annual tradition, Marian Catholic’s Lenten Mission Drive begins, benefiting Water for South Sudan, an organization that builds wells for the people of Central Africa. The cause is close to the hearts of the Marian Catholic community, as the entire Marian Catholic student body read A Long Walk to Water as a One Book, One Marian selection. \\ Faculty cope with internet interruptions, affecting Zoom calls and video chats.
March 28
\\ Sean Scanlon, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, shares the first weekly recap highlighting suggestions for making e-learning work even better for faculty, staff, and students.
March 31
\\ Student interactive contest #3: Upload your best April Fool’s joke via Flipgrid!
April 1
\\ In accordance with the Governor’s stay-at-home order, leadership determines campus will be closed through April 30.
April 3
\\ Students are invited to assist the Discovery in Service class with a variety of service opportunities including: becoming a pen pal with an elderly resident in a senior living community or a veteran at the Illinois Veteran’s Home, making thank you cards for Memorial Day for veterans, making thank you cards or writing thank you letters for hospital workers, and recording books on video to share with school children.
LIFE INTERRUPTED
April 5
\\ Palm Sunday Mass with celebrant Fr. William O’Mara is shared with Marian Catholic families via YouTube.
April 7
\\ While everyone else attempts to decompress over Spring Break, Sean Scanlon works with teachers on the important aspects of course/lesson structure and ideas to help prepare for the weeks ahead. An online teacher support page provides resources for faculty including sample e-learning days, as well as how to use FlipGrid, Pear Deck, Gimkit, EdPuzzle, Zoom Hangouts, and other tools.
April 17
\\ In accordance with a message from Governor Pritzker earlier in the day, Marian Catholic announces campus is to remain closed through the remainder of the academic year. \\ Marian Catholic joins other Illinois High School Association members for Lights for the Fight. Schools turned on their athletic field lights from 8:00 p.m. to 8:20 p.m. as a sign of support for their senior students, as well as for all the healthcare workers, first responders, and other essential workers on the frontlines of the pandemic.
May 1
\\ The traditional End-of-SchoolYear Mass celebrating the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena with reflections by Marian Catholic’s Dominican Preachers is shared with faculty, staff, students, and parents.
May 2
\\ In order to comply with the State of Illinois’ stay-at-home order, Marian Catholic develops a social distancing plan for distributing caps and gowns to graduates safely via a drive-through delivery event.
Below: Nina Calkins '22 presents “The Girl by the Window” (1893) by Edvard Munch.
\\ Campus Ministry establishes a website for members of the Marian Catholic family to post and view prayer requests. Father O’Mara offered the intentions at his private Masses. Links to other spiritual resources are made available as well.
\\ Believing it was important for the Marian Catholic community to gather in celebration of the Class of 2020, the school hosts its first ever Virtual Recognition Ceremony - a joy-filled reflection of the senior class.
May 26
\\ Marian Catholic Spirit Night #2: Virtual Dance with DJ Calvin! \\ Marian Catholic Spirit Night #1: Virtual Dance with DJ Calvin!
May 5 April 20
April 23
April 15
May 18
May 29
\\ The Advancement Department raises over $70,000 during Marian Catholic’s fourth annual day-of-giving, 4Marian, with the majority of the proceeds going to support the school’s Coronavirus Tuition Assistance Fund.
Above: Endiya Terry '20 presents “Sky Above the Clouds IV” (1965) by Georgia O’Keeffe.
\\ Art Teacher Theresa Hammons launches a Virtual Art Gallery featuring the work of second semester Drawing I and II students.
\\ Marian Catholic offers a Master Class led by Kea Meyers Duggan '94, a career makeover strategist who specializes in helping others find their dream careers.
April 14
\\ Student interactive contest #4: Librarians Ann Jones and Victoria Keller sponsor a Virtual Museum contest inviting students to recreate a work of art from the Art Institute of Chicago.
May 15
\\ A cadre of parent volunteers delivers yard signs to all 213 Marian Catholic seniors!
April 24
\\ Over 75 individuals from across the country participate in a virtual Career Day to share their professional experiences with students.
April 25
\\ Saxophone quartet members Matt Hrinda '20, Skylar McLaughlin '21, Etienne Atangana '22, and Josh Bell '22, share a video performance created using the app A Capella.
\\ The Disney themed Spring Pops Choir Concert goes virtual featuring videos of Marian Catholic’s Concert Choir, Spartan Choir, and Varsity Choir.
July 26
\\ Finally! Marian Catholic celebrates the Class of 2020 with an in-person graduation on Mattio Field. Congratulations! We made it!
May 7
\\ “How-to” videos are shared with AP students to ensure their work is registered and graded by the College Board. A modified semester exam schedule is outlined for freshmen, sophomores, and juniors that offers better pacing for students and faculty.
May 9
\\ Teachers and staff begin to record FlipGrid videos for each senior to receive immediately following graduation. A total of 2600 inspirational videos were shared with graduates!
May 14
\\ Marian Catholic High School celebrated 131 juniors and seniors at a special virtual Honor Society induction ceremony.
COVID-19 has interrupted our lives in a way that no one could have ever imagined. Initially, as in other challenging times in history, the Marian Catholic community endured a collective suffering and felt a collective fear. Relying on the Dominican Pillars that are the foundation of Marian Catholic’s mission – Prayer, Community, Study, and Preaching – faculty, staff, students, parents, and alumni came together to care for one another in an uncertain world.
MARIAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
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Life Interrupted Reconnected By Fr. William O’Mara, Chaplain
Last August, I was saying Mass for our faculty and staff on the Feast of the Assumption. My theme was “life interrupted,” exemplified by the disruption of the lives of Mary and Elizabeth by the angel’s surprising announcement. Little did I know that I would dramatize the theme by almost fainting just before Communion and having to ride in an ambulance to the hospital! But my life interrupted proved to be a godsend. Despite the inconvenience and humbling experience, it brought me better health. However, my experience was nothing compared to the interruption that is now happening to the entire world: CORONAVIRUS! Death, sickness, economic setbacks, quarantines, social distancing, business and school closings, etc., are having a devastating effect on our lives not seen in decades. From our perspective, we are experiencing a dark side of Mother Nature that is even worse than earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and blizzards. Fortunately, Mother Nature usually rebounds. She is a good example of the Paschal Mystery, death and resurrection. Jesus often refers to that mystery with images from nature. I certainly do not believe that God has sent us the Coronavirus to teach us a lesson or punish us for wrongdoing, as some preachers have stated, but rather trust that God is with us in our suffering and pain as the world experiences this cross. 4
MARIAN MATTERS SUMMER 2020
It can be an opportunity for hope, courage, and transformation. In fact, I already see at least three positive results beginning to happen. First, despite the fact that we are physically distancing ourselves from one another in so many ways, we are reconnecting more than ever. The theme that “we are all in this together” is exemplified by the tremendous involvement of front line responders from the healthcare community, all of whom are risking their own health and lives. It is a reminder that deep down, we are linked together with God, and therefore, are responsible for the welfare of each person. Second, the great majority of people throughout the world are helping to stop the virus by practicing sheltering at home, wearing masks in public, and maintaining safe distancing. It is an inconvenience that we are not used to. Unfortunately,
in these days of extreme individualism, there is still a minority that doesn’t understand that our individual freedoms are always framed in the context of the Common Good. Freedom does not mean “do anything I want.” Jesus’ mandate is to die to oneself so others will have life. Third, the example of teachers, students, and parents working tirelessly to continue the education process under difficult circumstances is another example of how “we are in this together,” although separated. We will certainly appreciate the physical presence and the activities of school when we are back at Marian Catholic. Mary and Elizabeth’s interrupted lives ultimately brought Jesus Christ into the world. My hope is that the sacrifices being made will not be forgotten as we continue to work at being the Body of Christ for the world.
LIFE INTERRUPTED
Transforming the Soul of Education By Gary Kopycinski Marian Catholic’s faculty was on retreat at St. Kieran Catholic Church on Friday, March 13, when we learned that Govenor J.B. Pritzker had announced that all schools in Illinois would be closed through mid-April, 2020. The school issued a statement the same day with a plan for remote learning through Friday, April 3, observing Spring Break the week of April 6-10, and returning to in-school learning the following week. The virus that does not discriminate had other plans. During our retreat that Friday the 13th, Mr. Sean Scanlon, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, gave faculty their first tips on what e-learning might be like. The plan was, and remained throughout, to keep students “in school,” meeting during regular class periods even though students and teachers were attending online from home. So, when the first period began at 7:45 a.m. on Monday, March 16, students were expected to be present in class remotely, taking a Schoology quiz to show they were on time. The second period, which began at 8:35 a.m., required similar proof of attendance, and so on throughout the day and the next two weeks. We held school, uninterrupted, every day, and grew our classes from there. Classes then continued for the rest of the school year with every student, every day. Attendance was incredible. Many faculty began the first few days assigning classwork, due at the end of each class period, and checking the work of students each day. From there, educators
began exploring a variety of programs and apps, many already used by students and faculty, but now being employed in an entirely new context. Many of us used Google Hangouts to see and speak with our students, moving to Zoom classes as Zoom appeared more robust and offered screen sharing and a whiteboard for faculty who needed to work with students as they would using boards in a classroom. Faculty met each morning on Google Hangouts with Principal Steve Tortorello before the first period and exchanged tips. We were then invited to make a brief Flipgrid video at the end of each day, unwinding and sharing what worked, what didn’t, and encouraging each other while preparing for the next day’s sessions with our Scholars with a Soul. There were incredible varieties of teaching methods and applications employed, and we learned from each other perhaps as never before, with Mr. Scanlon and our tech staff providing constant support. The challenge to students was freeing up space on their iPads for the new apps called for in each class, perhaps parting ways with a few songs or games they might have downloaded through the years. Mr. Brian Iggins '08 who teaches in the school’s Social Studies department spent a lot of time speaking with his students. His course digs deep as an Advanced Placement class, so much of the preparatory work for the students was, “Read this, write this, do this,” Mr. Iggins said. He also used EdPuzzle, a way of showing YouTube educational videos, which requires students to answer questions while watching videos. “It forces the students to watch the entire video,” Mr. Iggins said, “It was a good way to go through the content for the 1950s on.” Mr. Iggins said he employed Discussion Board exchanges with students on Schoology where the teacher provides an introductory prompt and students respond two or three times, per the assignment, and the teacher assesses the responses provided by each student. He said he also did “in-person” discussions using Zoom. “It kind of depended on the kid, the talkative ones really liked talking, the quiet ones, not so much.” Coming from an entirely different type of classroom experience, Laura Hilger '14, shared the challenges of teaching theatre
remotely, “It was quite a challenge for me, especially because teaching theatre, that’s such a relied-on, in-person, ensemblebuilding physical activity.” Ms. Hilger said typically, in a physical classroom, “We’re hardly sitting in our seats, so I basically had to re-vamp our entire curriculum in a span of 24 hours. But I actually think that, by the end, we all got the hang of things, and we got to do a lot more research and analysis-based theatre work, which is really cool. We don’t get to get into that with Introduction to Theatre. “We got to dig deeper into things we normally wouldn’t have. It was rocky in the beginning, but I think it ended up being a positive,” she said. Mr. Tortorello had high words of praise for Ms. Kathleen Mesterharm '01, an AP English literature teacher, who, when we spoke in May, had a literary prom with her students.
Alan Enriquez '20, chose literary character Mr. Sydney Carton from A Tale of Two Cities to attend Ms. Mesterharm’s class’s virtual prom.
“Where the project was, they all had to come with a prom date who was a character from one of the stories they’ve read this year,” Mr. Tortorello said. “And they had to explain why this person was their date and why they were at the prom, and all these other things, and it tied in character analysis for these AP literature novels. And a lot of the kids dressed up in their actual prom clothes and then introduced their fictional date.” Principal Steve Tortorello saw the entire faculty essentially rethink education, with sparks of creativity coming from all departments. “So for me that word ‘variety’ really captures it all. It really depends on who the person is and how they’ve gotten comfortable in this new digital world.”
Theolog y teacher Gary Kopycinski completed 30 years of teaching at Marian Catholic this past spring. MARIAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
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Managing COVID-19 at Home: The Impact on Families
Ryan '20, Mark, Madeline '21, and Carol (Burke '81) Swanson
St. Rita of Cascia lived a hard and disappointing life, but nonetheless, God used her in amazing ways in life and death. The Marian Catholic Community united and supported our families during the pandemic whether it was through faith, education, or encouraging outreach. It was especially difficult for families to adjust from in-person instruction to e-learning in a short period of time – literally overnight. Fortunately, Marian Catholic did everything it could to make the transition easier. Carol (Burke '81) Swanson, mother of Ryan '20 and Madeline '21, was very grateful Marian Catholic already had e-learning tools in place before the unprecedented crisis. “I never thought I would hear my kids say that they wished they were at school,” Carol said, “and I think it was because they missed the routine and seeing their friends. Despite the numerous challenges we faced, having a strong e-learning foundation, made possible by the use of iPads, made the transition to full-time learning at home that much easier for students and parents.” The communication between teachers and parents was very important “At first I was scared that it would be difficult to communicate with my teachers with e-learning,” Madeline “I never thought I would hear my recalled, “but going on Zoom calls really made it easy to ask questions, making it feel like we were in the classroom.” kids say that they wished they were Throughout e-learning, Ryan noted, “Mr. Becvar would make at school, and I think it was because the classes enjoyable by asking us how we were doing and they missed the routine and seeing making jokes to lighten the mood.” their friends.” While the majority of us stayed home, others fought the virus on the frontlines. “In our home, the pandemic has stripped away many of our routines,” said Shaundra Glenn-Harvey, mother of Journey Harvey '21, and a nurse. She continued, “The pandemic forced a string of new norms for our family beginning with me leaving home to go and help in another state for approximately six weeks.” Essential workers who stepped forward during the pandemic, and their families, made sacrifices for all of us. “Leaving my child has never happened in the 16 years of her life and was worse than anything either of us had ever felt,” Shaundra explained. “The difficult part was the fact the pandemic stopped all of Journey’s extracurricular activities with her friends, which she loves.” While Shaundra was away from home, Journey was able to continue her studies through e-learning. “She would switch rooms in and outside of our home for each class,” Shaundra recalled. “Her teachers were phenomenal.” The Martin family looked for creative ways to stay positive and not focus on the limitations forced upon them. “Trips to the grocery store became more strategic,” said Angela Martin, mother of Mark Martin '21. “Planning meals and family talks were welcome forms of entertainment and unity. Mark connected with friends through FaceTime and social media. He also attended Marian’s first virtual dance party which, from what I could hear, was a blast!” After many traditional end-of-year events were canceled, Marian Catholic hosted a number of online activities for students that served as fun distractions from their at-home situations.
Shaundra Glenn-Harvey and Journey '21
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LIFE INTERRUPTED
momentum National Catholic Educational Association
Lead. Learn. Proclaim.
Left:Angela and Mark Martin '21 Below: Diana, Terence, Cal, Clare '23, and Frances Smith
www.NCEA.org SUMMER 2020
WE MADE THE COVER! The latest issue of the National Catholic Education Association’s Momentum magazine featured a story highlighting Marian Catholic’s comprehensive e-learning program. “Preparing, Adjusting, and Moving Forward,” authored by Sean Scanlon, Director of Curriculum and Instruction, explained how faculty and staff coordinated strategies that set the bar for other schools. On the cover – Mr. Kopycinski’s theolog y class in daily prayer.
Read the full story at http://bit.ly/NCEAMomentum.
Benita, Joseph, Brandice '19, and Paul '21 Ingram
“ ... being together helped us to grow closer and bond more as a family. We found more ways to enjoy one another.”
Making the best out of being quarantined, Terence Smith, father of Clare Smith '23, said, “In truth, it has brought us even closer together. Make no mistake, we have had our moments, but we are eating together more often, and talking more often. We have all enhanced our fitness routines and feel healthier on balance. The face-to-face interactions and an actual daily schedule made a big difference for Clare. Clare was able to keep in touch with her friends and classmates through FaceTime, going on bike rides, and connecting through other social media platforms.” Parents Club President Benita Ingram, mother of Brandice Cole '19 and Paul Ingram '21, shared how her family handled their time at home. “We were blessed that my family remained healthy during the pandemic,” she said, “especially since both my youngest son Joseph and I have asthma. This was a major concern for all of us.” “My husband and I are both in the education field – he is an assistant principal and I am a school social worker. Therefore, we too had to go on remote learning. This was a challenge, balancing working with our students and staff from home and assisting our own children, like many other parents. Communication between teachers, friends, and family was the glue that allowed us as a community to all become closer through these times.” Most importantly, Benita believes that “being together helped us to grow closer and bond more as a family. We found more ways to enjoy one another. We began workout routines together, playing games, watching movies, cooking, and having conversations that we would have been too busy to have otherwise.” During the pandemic, Parents Club continued to hold monthly meetings open to all families through Google Meets. Parents Club also continued to support the school during Teacher Appreciation Week by purchasing e-gift cards for all faculty and staff members. In order to show their support for the Class of 2020, they created a congratulatory banner displayed at the corner of Ashland Avenue and Joe Orr Road. As president of the Parents Club, Benita plans to continue to move forward by “praying for wisdom and guidance as families prepare for the days that lie ahead.” MARIAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
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Marian Catholic Models E-Learning Success By Allen Marazas '64
Why was Marian Catholic able to make the shift from the classroom to e-learning successfully ahead of many other schools when Governor J.B. Pritzker closed all Illinois schools due to the COVID-19 pandemic? According to Marian Catholic’s Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Sean Scanlon, there are several reasons. “Marian has not only had a 1:1 iPad program for seven years, we have made sure that during that time our teachers were trained at using them in effective ways in the classroom.” Scanlon asserted that the student and faculty familiarity with iPads and new technology teaching strategies made the transition from classroom instruction to e-learning much easier and more effective. “When we had to move to e-learning,” he explained, “it was like our teachers had spent seven years in the ed tech minor leagues and were now getting the call to the major leagues.” Training for the new educational technology was conducted in what Scanlon referred to as Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), in which teachers work together in small groups to explore, learn, and share new strategies and tools to help improve instruction.
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During the last few months of the school year, Marian Catholic retained its daily 45-minute, seven period structure in an effort to give students a feeling of normalcy even though circumstances were radically different from their regular school experience. Scanlon said, “We saw minimal change in our overall final exam scores, which tells us that our teachers were able to deliver the same quality of content in an online environment. “Our previous e-learning days didn’t have this structure,” Scanlon continued, “and students wouldn’t do their work until the afternoon or evening. In order for the teachers to be prepared for the following day, we needed to effectively assess what the students had learned prior to 3 p.m. This gave teachers time to make the necessary adjustments to their plans for the following day.” Even so, it was exhausting for them early on, so the five days per week schedule was adjusted to e-learning on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. In this structure, Wednesdays were reserved for “Office Hours,” during which students could contact teachers via email with questions and for help. This also provided teachers time for planning and assessment. According to Scanlon, Marian Catholic’s e-learning formula worked well overall.
“We were able to deliver a quality education to our students without limiting their access to information and support,” he noted. “Since attendance was taken at the beginning of each class, the schedule was rigid. Oftentimes, our students’ friend’s schools did not require the same level of work, so this became a distraction for some.” Nevertheless, attendance remained high – Scanlon estimated attendance at around 98%. Staff followed up on “absenteeism” with phone calls. “Faculty would talk directly with students and parents to make sure they understood our expectations were a lot higher than what they were hearing from their friends and families at other schools,” Scanlon explained. Education will never be the same as it was at the beginning of the 2019-2020 school year. Scanlon hopes that Marian Catholic can take what it has learned in the past few months to make education even better. “If there was ever a time to make major changes in how we do school, it is now,” he said. “We have witnessed first-hand the importance of having strong relationships with our students, the importance of high-quality formative feedback, and how a combination of better pedagogy and the right technology tools can help us more effectively close learning gaps for our students.”
In true Marian Catholic fashion, this community has handled our transition to digital learning with professionalism, poise, and patience. I am blown away by our students’ and teachers’ commitment, focus, and determination to maintain our mission and engage the minds of our “scholars with souls.” It is a true testament to the unique nature of our school, our students, our teachers, our administration, and our families. I am constantly reminded how special Marian Catholic is during this experience, and I could not be more proud to be a part of this community.
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–Nora Zerante '11, English Teacher & Varsity Softball Coach
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LIFE INTERRUPTED
Unforgettable Experiences By Carrington Johnson '20
Like many members of the Class of 2020, the end of my senior year was not at all what I was expecting. However, it was special nonetheless. Marian Catholic put a lot of effort into making the culmination of our senior year something memorable despite the unusual and uncertain circumstances we were facing. One day, I woke up to a sign in my yard that celebrated me as a graduating senior. With this sign, I got many “honks” of congratulations from my neighbors and anyone who drove by my house. We even had a mini parade when we picked up our caps and gowns. This was definitely an experience I will never forget. Not only did I get the chance to see my teachers one more time, I also had the opportunity to accept my emotions towards leaving a community that has shaped much of who I have become and who I will be. Obviously, COVID-19 changed my life at home as well. Interestingly, I believe it changed for the better. One day we made pizzas from scratch. Now if anyone knows us, we are not pizza makers. And although we love to eat, we rarely eat together. But that day, not only did we roll out the dough, spread the marinara sauce, toss the cheese, and strategically place the sausage – we also ate as a family. Being forced to stay in the house all day brought my family closer together. Moreover, it made me appreciate the people I took for granted. For this reason, my dad, a physician, went out of his way to test my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins for COVID-19 so they could all watch me graduate virtually. The combination of the school’s effort and seeing my family made the commencement a graduation I will never forget. In addition to celebrating the graduating class, I also believe Marian Catholic did a wonderful job with transitioning from in-person instruction to a virtual platform. At first, classes maintained their normal structure. Hence, we initiated e-learning with seven 45-minute class periods. However, after the first few weeks, it was apparent that e-learning was not sustainable when done on the same schedule as traditional instruction. For this reason, Marian Catholic accommodated the needs of the students by incorporating an “office hours” day in the middle of the week. This day allotted time for us to process our new lives and adapt to the transition. Some of us used this time to sleep in and take a mental break while others used it to catch up on assignments. All in all, my teachers and the faculty were very understanding when it came to this transition, making it as smooth as possible. The crazy thing is that months have passed and uncertainty still pervades. But the one thing I can be certain about in this time of doubt is that regardless of what the fall brings in terms of instruction, Marian Catholic will continue to thrive in the face of adversity and create a uniquely nourishing environment for its students both on and offline.
A member of the Class of 2020, Carrington is attending Princeton University where she is beginning her journey to become a doctor. A member of the choir, National Honor Society, and Spanish National Honor Society, Carrington received the Marian Catholic Academic Letter with Distinction and served as Student Council Executive Board President.
Andres Vazquez '21 was selected to serve as a United States Senate Page for Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth this spring and completed his junior year at the United States Senate Page School in Washington, D.C. Page duties typically include delivering correspondence and other materials within the Congressional complex, as well as preparing the Senate chamber for sessions, and carrying bills and amendments to the desk. Prior to his departure, Andy stated, “I’m excited to work, interact, and meet people who are in the same position as I want to be, a person who serves the people.” Reflecting on his five-month experience, Andy shared,
“I am immensely grateful to have been blessed with the honor to serve as a United States Senate Page during what has been a crucial time in American history.” “I was an eyewitness to the third impeachment trial in America’s history, attended the State of the Union, saw a war power vote against Iran, debates and a vote on abortion rights, needed expansion of current laws to protect the environment, and votes on Coronavirus relief. I can’t go on without mentioning my new family, the Pages! From getting books in Dupont Circle, to walking around the Navy Yard, exploring D.C. with my friend Forrest, running around the Capitol on Fridays, and all the weekend field trips along the East Coast. If there was any doubt that I wanted to become a politician, the opportunity to serve as a Senate Page dispelled it completely!” MARIAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
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LIFE INTERRUPTED
Moving Forward in Uncertain Times By Brendan Diamond
ND HER A T
10 MARIAN MATTERS SUMMER 2020
E T A PA R
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The spring semester was unlike any other in Marian Catholic’s storied history. Marian Catholic met the challenges presented by COVID-19, thanks in large part to a second-to-none e-learning program, resilient students, engaged parents, and an extraordinarily dedicated faculty and staff. As well as our online education went, however, members of the school’s leadership team recognize the limitations of e-learning and the importance of face-to-face interaction to students’ academic, social, and emotional well-being. Marian Catholic’s plans for the 2020-2021 school year reflects that philosophy while continuing to meet every family’s needs. Multiple options for the return-to-school were considered, including 100% e-learning and a 100% return to campus. In the end, in partnership with parents and faculty, and in consultation with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE), the Archdiocese of Chicago, and fellow Dominican schools, a hybrid model of 50% e-learning and 50% in-person schooling was chosen. Families can elect to have their students learn entirely from home if they feel safer doing so. For those families who choose to follow the hybrid model, they can be assured that a number of safety precautions will be in place when school begins. “First and foremost,” stated Principal Steve Tortorello, “safety is the most important and number one determining factor in all that we do.” Each morning, every student and staff member will be temperature-checked before entering the school or boarding a bus. Those with a temperature at or above 100.4°F will not be allowed to attend school that day. Likewise, extracurricular activities will take place following the guidelines of the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) or appropriate governing body; students and staff will have their temperatures re-checked before each activity, and all equipment will be thoroughly cleaned at the conclusion of the activity. Parents and families will be asked to assess their students’ health each morning; if a student exhibits any COVID-19 symptoms, s/he must stay home from school (this mandate extends to faculty and staff as well). The on-campus health clinic will have an isolation room for students who develop a fever or any other COVID-19 symptoms throughout the day. Those students who exhibit symptoms will be required to produce a physician’s note stating they do not have COVID-19 and/or a negative COVID-19 test in order to return to campus. Students (and staff ) who have been diagnosed with COVID-19, or required by officials to self-quarantine will be required to notify the school and learn (or work) from home
for 14 days before they can return to campus. Families traveling to an area requiring self-quarantine upon their return must notify the school; their students will be required to self-quarantine for 14 days. In addition to these steps, Marian Catholic is implementing the ISBE’s recommendations for maintaining health among our faculty, staff, and student body. Masks must be worn while in the building, with no exceptions. Students and staff will be required to maintain social distancing of six feet; desks will be spaced appropriately, and hallway traffic will be directed to minimize interaction. Hand sanitizer stations have been set up in every classroom, at each entrance, and in all shared spaces. Every part of the school will be deep-cleaned each night with a fogger; classroom spaces will also be cleaned throughout the day. Parents and families will be asked to conduct business with the school either by phone or email whenever possible; in the unlikely event that they must enter the school, they must have their temperature checked and wear a mask at all times. The school day will look markedly different from what the Marian Catholic community has grown accustomed to prior to the pandemic. Students will be divided into two groups. Each school day, only one group will be on campus; the other will participate in classes via e-learning. The groups will switch off so that every student will be in the building every other day. Students will receive the same material and have the same assignments, whether they are in school or at home. Classes will proceed throughout the day as normal, except with approximately half of the students in attendance. Teachers will present all lesson plans through their iPads, with students both in the classroom and at home following along. All teachers will be provided with headsets, allowing students to hear them clearly and the teacher to hear students at home. Students can break out into physical or virtual spaces for team projects. All assignments will be submitted digitally. Mass and other school-wide events will be broadcast to each student’s iPad, whether s/he is at school or at home. Of course, this model is subject to change based on future direction from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the ISBE, the State of Illinois, the Illinois Department of Public Health, and/or the Archdiocese of Chicago. If for any reason the campus must close, the e-learning schedule developed in the spring will be resumed. “In the event that we end up on e-learning,” stated Tortorello, “we are ready on a day-to-day basis to switch all kids to being at home continuing with the same classes. We’ll likely migrate to the system used in the spring: class Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday with office hours on Wednesday for students to check in and work with teachers one-on-one or in small groups for help.” This unprecedented time has led to many changes in our lives including changes to education practices and how students learn. Marian Catholic stands ready to meet every family’s needs regardless of the methods of instruction. “Our mission is to take the best ideas and do the best and safest thing possible for our families,” said Tortorello. “We look forward to seeing our students again here in the building, to welcoming them, even if it’s a different way than the past. Even if it’s a new normal, we’re really excited to see people in the building and to get Marian going again for 2020-21.”
EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY
Congratulations to the Marian Catholic Science Olympiad Team on their success at Regionals in February! The team competed in 23 events against 29 other high schools. The Junior Varsity team placed 11th overall, and Varsity placed 10th overall.
Anjelica Soto '23 participated in Broadway’s Next on Stage College Competition, in which high school- and college-aged students submit videos of themselves performing a song from the musical theatre canon to enter the competition. Anjelica made it to the high school Top 15 in the competition.
Aaliyah Merrick '22 took first place among high school sophomores in Metra’s 2019-2020 Safety Poster and Essay Contest. Students in Metra’s six-county service area created artwork and wrote essays around the theme “Obey the Signs: Look, Listen, Live.” Aaliyah, who won the freshman contest last year, received an iPad for placing first with her creative illustration.
On January 30, LINK scholar, Kaitlyn McGary '20 (far right), introduced guest speaker Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot at the 13th Annual LINK Business Council Luncheon in Chicago. LINK Unlimited Scholars is a Chicago-based institution working to change the trajectory of high-potential African American youth by providing unique programming in the classroom and beyond.
Although riding lessons were cancelled in the spring, the Equestrian Club was able to participate in a horsemanship class at Nova Quarter Horses in Mokena, Ill. in February. Pictured are club members QingQing (Ella) Yang '22, Kamori Scott '23, Seoyeon (Bess) Son '22, Lily Sun '23 (in front), Mary Udani '21, Club Moderator Ms. Jones, and Amari Carter '22 with their equine instructors Bailey (left) and Gypsy (right).
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[ EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY [
The Marian Catholic Math Team placed 2nd overall at the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics (ICTM) Regional Competition on February 25. The Geometry, Algebra 2, and Precalculus teams placed first in their competitions!
Engineering teacher and Robotics Club Moderator, Mr. Mark Evans, was featured on Parallax.com, a robotics website. As part of his interview, Mr. Evans highlighted the classes he teaches at Marian Catholic including the fact that his students made over 400 face shields for healthcare professionals.
Korina Bonilla '21 organized a food drive in May in order to help others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Food donations went to the Daybreak Shelter in Joliet, Ill. which provides emergency housing and supportive services to individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness.
Marian Catholic students Anh Huynh '21, Alexandria Flowers '20, Vanessa Nguyen '20, and Diangel Obodoakor '21 prepared and served meals to the homeless at PADS at St. Lawrence O’Toole Parish in Matteson, Ill. on January 17.
Max Cash '23, Brian LeCocq '21, Trevor Hickey '20, and Conner Bailey '22, along with Mr. Mark Evans, participated in the Southworks Engineering and Robotics Meet & Greet at Prairie State College on January 23. Students had a chance to meet and talk with industry professionals in various career fields and seek out potential internships and jobs. 12 MARIAN MATTERS SUMMER 2020
A few years ago, Taylor Trojan '21 participated in a Special Olympics event at Marian Catholic, teaching kids how to play tennis. The athletes she worked with inspired her and she saw proof that “there is ‘ability’ in disability!” Taylor currently works as a tennis instructor in her community and chose to donate a portion of her pay towards the purchase of 20 tennis racquets as well as gift several of her own racquets to Special Olympics athletes. Taylor asks everyone to “Share the ‘LOVE’ (ok, corny tennis reference, but true!) and volunteer wherever you can make a difference!”
Our Amerigo students had an opportunity during the school day to contact their families and friends back home to celebrate the Lunar New Year, China’s most important and festive holiday.
[ EVERY STUDENT, EVERY DAY [
The Marian Catholic Student Council hosted their annual Blood Drive on January 22 in the West Gym Lobby. A number of Marian Catholic students, faculty, and staff donated their blood with some even donating plasma. Every day, blood donors help patients of all ages: accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer.
In January, Marian Catholic’s Forensic Science classes visited the Indiana State Police Crime Lab - Lowell Division. It was an amazing learning opportunity for the students that included a tour of the Crime Lab as well as in-depth presentations and Q&A sessions led by several ISP Forensic Analysts and a Crime Scene Investigator.
WCIU’s The Jam stopped by Marian Catholic again on January 31 to hang out with the cheer team, fencing team, robotics team, colorguard, and band in preparation for the men’s basketball crosstown matchup vs. Bloom on February 1.
Marian Catholic High School celebrated 131 juniors and seniors at a special virtual honor society induction ceremony on May 14. Students earned recognition for their outstanding achievements in scholarship, world languages, and mathematics, with election into the National Honor Society, Latin Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, French Honor Society, Chinese Honor Society, and Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society.
Andrew Yock '19, who currently serves in the military, reached out to his former War Lit teacher, Ms. Erin Mueller, about men in his unit who had not been receiving any mail from home. Ms. Mueller then told her current War Lit class, and the students overwhelmingly said they wanted to write letters to the soldiers in training. The project was completely voluntary, and students did not receive extra credit for writing their letters. Ms. Mueller graciously provided the postage. Every student in the class wrote at least one letter, most writing two or more.
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Class of 2020
“You will forget what people did, you will forget what people said, but you will never forget how people made you feel.” – Maya Angelou
Congratulations 213 GRADUATES • 36 HONORS DIPLOMAS • 32 ILLINOIS STATE SCHOLARS INCLUDING QUALIFYING INDIANA
Dear Marian Catholic Graduates, While this is not a normal year, I think that Maya Angelou’s sentiment still holds true. Years from now, we’re not going to forget this year; we will remember 2020 for a long, long time. But what will fade, years and decades into the future, are many of the specifics. You will forget what your most difficult e-learning assignment was. You will forget which Facetime chat you had with a friend. You will forget what you binged on Netflix. You will forget what your favorite TikTok videos were. But what you won’t forget, is how people made you feel: how your friends made you feel, how your parents made you feel, and how the faculty and staff at Marian Catholic made you feel. I hope that in this unforgettable year, filled with chaos and challenges that no class has ever had to overcome before, that the thing you take away from this is just how much the Marian Catholic family loves you and cares about you. I hope it was evident in the cap and gown pick-up. I hope it was evident in the signs that popped up in your yards. I hope you know that the staff of Marian Catholic loves and cares for each and every one of you. And I hope years from now that is what remains. You will forget what people did, you will forget what people said, but you will never forget how people made you feel. –Principal Tortorello '04
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[ CLASS OF 2020 [
Celebrating Our Graduates Beginning with the Class of 2020, Marian Catholic discontinued the practice of class rank. Over the past decade, with more and more colleges no longer considering class rank when determining admissions, high schools across the country have chosen to eliminate class rankings. According to a 2019 National Association for College Admissions Counseling (NACAC) report, only 9% of colleges nationally saw rank as having considerable importance over admissions cycles from 2016 to 2018, compared with 23% in 2007. Fewer than half of U.S. high schools still report class rank. This year, rather than name a Valedictorian and Salutatorian, student speakers at graduation included the Senior Class President (as has been tradition), and two students (one female, one male) who were nominated and selected to receive the Marian Catholic Dominican Veritas Award. The Veritas Award is the highest honor that can be bestowed on students who have truly modeled and lived out the mission of Marian Catholic to “seek truth, exhibit personal responsibility, cultivate their individual talents, and demonstrate ethical leadership and Christian service” throughout their high school career.
Kandis Fletcher
Senior Class President “These past couple of months, it seems like everything unexpected has been thrown our way...You can’t let the unpredictability of life or other people’s shortcomings affect your character or take away from your hard work. It’s easy to get caught up in what isn’t going our way... but we can’t forget to make the most of life and celebrate everything we do have. We can’t always control the circumstances that life hands us, or even how people make us feel, but the thing we can always control is how we respond. At the end of the day, as long as you’re proud of yourself and keep your integrity, that is what matters the most.”
STUDENTS • 86 NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY MEMBERS
Payton Ramsey
Dominican Veritas Award Recipient
“Each of us have a story of where we come from, but no matter what path we took, we all found our way to Marian. And Marian has become a chapter in each of our stories. Over the past four years, we have come to learn not only more about the world, but about each other, and ourselves. Our Marian community has shared some unique experiences that have shaped the stories that we will tell for decades to come...Use the gifts God has given you and those you have developed here at Marian. Use them for good. Use them to share your story, your faith, and to help better the world.”
Cruz Arteaga
Dominican Veritas Award Recipient “COVID-19 has cut short our time as seniors, but it hasn’t stopped our success. Living like this isn’t easy, although it has given us time to remember and appreciate everything that has happened in our lives inside and outside of high school...Now it is our turn to take the next step and prepare for our future and take advantage of the opportunity Marian has created for us. It is our time to take on the world and pursue our passions. The life ahead of us is very bright and full of success. Through God, all things are possible. He will never leave your side. He will lead us to continue to pursue the Four Pillars of a Marian Catholic student: Prayer, Study, Community, and Preaching.”
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Class of 2020: Go Preach Your Story Agnes Scott College Skylar Walker Augustana College Genevieve Gehring-Gervase Aurora University Samantha Barrett Ball State University Jenna Furlan Adam Haney
DePaul University Ali Hamza Mary Keith Grace Rado Payton Ramsey Allison Thieman Neelam Angelica Warren-Pal Dominican University Tyler Van Es
Baylor University Eternity Sledge
Eastern Illinois University Shannon Fitzgerald Riley Forsythe Julianna Holloway Judah White
Benedictine University Joshua Coats Darius Mahone Cameron Smith
Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester Matthew Hrinda
Bowling Green State University-Main Campus Nikolas Gerretse
Florida A&M University Taalib Ferguson Sierra Green
Barry University Shealee Munsey
Illinois State University Chase Beckley Nathan Bennett Leandra Cabrales April Del Rio Brianna Foxworth Ashley Frazier Casimir (CJ) Heneghan Paris McCullough-Williams Alyssa Reichert Jaylen Scott Endiyah Terry Aria Whetstone Illinois Wesleyan University Dylan Engel Kevin Scott Johnson Indiana State University Michaela Ariel Jackson Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis Umang Sahi
Loyola University Chicago Samantha Avila Caroline Bell Madison Marcum Ruby Melendez Kayla Moore Paige Parker Marquette University Keagan R Morgan Analise Segarra Michigan State University Zivana Labovic Ky Le Thao Nguyen Moraine Valley Community College Vania Franco Justin Haney Selena Salvador-Earl Martin Wilson Morehouse College Jibril Griffin
Purdue UniversityWest Lafayette Faith Allen Cruz Arteaga Hailey Croak Benjamin Goncher Brenna Grooms Uchechukwu Onyeukwu Evangelia Panos Zachary Schilling Claire Shenker Ryan Staack Marissa Velazquez Daniel Wallace Rend Lake College Ethan Alexander Roosevelt University Gerald Floyd III Juliana Horta Ashley Saul
New York University Sheldon Lewis II
"Our world needs more people like you." 28 AP SCHOLARS • 8 AP SCHOLARS WITH HONOR • 21 AP SCHOLARS WITH DISTINCTION
4 NATIONAL AP SCHOLARS • 5 AP CAPSTONE DIPLOMAS • 1 AP SEMINAR AND RESEARCH CERTIFICATE
Bradley University Treyvon Kozup
Fox College Cheyanne Painter
Butler University Connor Horwath
Grand Canyon UniversityTraditional Campus Kerris Norfleet Karli Ochoa Jenna Zivat
Calumet College of St. Joseph Demetrius Draper Carroll University Robert Grill Carthage College Melina Dud John Roe City Colleges of ChicagoHarold Washington College Jessica Reyes-Reynoso Coe College Nigel Pennington-Flax Columbia College Chicago Delaney Phillips Armando Solis Jr. Crown College Brandon Kelly Culver-Stockton College Sydney Powell
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Hampton University Jada Calvert Imani Hooper Jaylah Rather
Indiana UniversityBloomington Kaitlin Clary Jordan Kostick Kyle Kwok Yanming (Simon) Yang
Niagara University Adam Huekels
Iowa State University Maksim Deev Trevor Hickey
Pennsylvania State University Hien Anh Pham
Iowa Wesleyan University Prentiss Luster
Prairie State College Jack Biegler Melissa Coyt Sam Mari Gutierrez Ernesto Mendez AnnaMarie Piattoni Miguel Rosales
Harvard University John Hatcher
Jackson State University Myles Taylor
Hope College Victoria Nielsen
Jefferson (Philadelphia University + Thomas Jefferson University) Lily Osuch
Howard University Ariana Armstrong Rhayna Berryhill Armani Clay Kandis Fletcher Illinois Institute of Technology Rodney Fears
Joliet Junior College Margarita Fernandez Lewis University Oluyemi Elutilo Jasper Waddington Loras College Jonah Hickey
Northern Illinois University Christian Hamilton Kenneth Norwood Amarachi Nwawueze
Princeton University Carrington Johnson Purdue University Northwest Janina Abrinko Christian Alexander Alexandria Bland Erynn Escobedo Kiersten Gora Jason Rebultan Simon Uhrick Alexandra VanDerAa
Saint Louis University Beckett Clasen Alexandria Flowers Haley Knueppel Romy Macasaet Courtnee Napue Jessica Stickler Saint Mary’s College Molly Brown Surayyah Elsharif Bianca Faso Mollie McKone Saint Xavier University Thomas Cellini Hailey Isaac Jayden Jones Monica Lofton Rebecca Mogbo Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Brian Obi Grace Owolabi Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Kiegan Chivers Grace Mallee Christopher Rouse
[ CLASS OF 2020 [
Members of the Class of 2020 will be attending 95 colleges and universities in 27 states, the District of Columbia, and two countries, the United Kingdom and Japan. Highly selective schools include Harvard, Princeton, the University of Chicago, the University of Notre Dame, New York University, and Washington University in St. Louis. #CelebrateMarian
Spoon River College Trevor Thurston Stetson University Destiny Nichelle Woody Tennessee Technological University Kyle Lavin The New School All Divisions Fiona Keating The University of Sheffield Zexuan (Calvin) Cai The University of Tennessee-Knoxville Alec Gonzalez The University of West Georgia Kiara Terry
University of NebraskaLincoln John Perrot
University of California, San Diego Hyowon (Elena) Kim
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Aamina-Nikole Adebayo Juliann Craft Alexis Delgado Anthony Helsel Alanna Leedy Nyia Nelson Jordan Williams
University of Chicago Dominick Angellotti
University of Iowa Ahron Ulis
University of Dayton John Malloy John Ringo Jr. Ryan Swanson
University of Louisville Laila Middleton Jeremiah Nobles
University of Southern California Alan Enriquez
Tulane University of Louisiana Savka Popovic United States Navy Jaclyn Cornet
University of Delaware Thanh Quang (Benny) Nguyen
Trinity Christian College Kevin Colin Isabelle McNeil
University of Illinois at Chicago David Guevara Dejontae Jones
Trinity International University-Illinois Elijah Barnes
University of Illinois at Springfield Madison Lockwood
University of Miami Sarah Shubert University of MichiganAnn Arbor Timothy Caballero Oluwakemi Johnson University of MissouriColumbia Desani Ambrose Destiny Durden Destiny Earl Dante Ross Kayla Sydnor
University of Notre Dame Erik Curtis Daniel O’Shea University of Sioux Falls Bryce Jackson
University of Southern Indiana Elijah Jones University of St Francis Nicole Krizmanich University of Washington, Seattle Haneul Joy Kang Valparaiso University Meshach Melton Isabella Pressler
Waseda University School of International Liberal Studies Yun Hyun (Jason) Kim Washington University in St Louis Kaitlyn McGary Nakita McNeal Western Illinois University Luis Hernandez Jr. Stephanie Iacovetti Xavier University Erika Wojtanowski Gap Year – Philippines Khadijah Ishola Trade school Luke Martinson Undecided Vanessa Lopez Mario Prancevic Luis Solis Fabian Tovar Information available as of August 25, 2020
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Fine Arts
BAND P.R.I.D.E. 1 The Marian Catholic Symphonic Band remained undefeated at the 40th Annual State of the Art Catholic High School Concert Band Competition on February 22. In addition to winning class 3A and awards for Best Brass and Best Percussion, the band was named overall Grand Champion. The Concert Band and Cadet Band were both in exhibition this year. (left to right) Erik Curtis '20, Ruby Melendez '20, Matt Hrinda '20, and Dante Ross '20 Director Greg Bimm received
the first State of the Art Lifetime Achievement Award
in recognition for having changed the course of music education in the community, not only in Catholic schools, but public schools as well.
1
“ This is just a wonderful, wonderful profession. All of this stuff is really the product of
kids. All the music comes from kids. Hundreds and hundreds of kids. All of the performances, whatever has been awarded…whatever we’ve done, it’s always been the high school kids that have played. So this award is really on the shoulders of hundreds and hundreds of kids…It’s 42 years of kids who worked hard, practiced hard both together and by themselves…And so all of this stuff, is all those guys…And all of us should celebrate that these kinds of things are possible on the shoulders of wonderful, hardworking high school students.” –Greg Bimm
2
2 Prior to the transition to e-learning, senior band members mentored students from Infant Jesus of Prague School on Friday afternoons. Matt Hrinda '20 and Sarah Lamb were just one duo who shared their love of music. The legacy continues!
SPEECH 3 In February, Marian Catholic’s Speech team advanced all 15 of its events to a very competitive Sectional Meet. Three students qualified for the IHSA State Competition, Abimbola Adekoya '21 (4th Place in Informative Speaking), Kaitlyn McGary '20 (4th Place in Oratorical Declamation), and Alex Korfiatis '21 (Extemporaneous Speaking).
3
CHOIR 4 Originally scheduled for May 5, Marian Catholic’s
Choirs took their Disney Spring Pops Concert virtual!
Even though they couldn’t perform together physically, students worked on performances on their own and “together!” Selections included “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” and “Colors of the Wind.”
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4
[
FINE ARTS IN REVIEW
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VISUAL ARTS 5 Visual Arts teacher Theresa Hammons showcased student artwork via a Virtual Art Show that featured creations by Drawing I and II students.
5
6 Members of the Class of 2020 transformed Marian Catholic’s student parking lot with a little paint and some amazing artwork. After months of planning, seniors took advantage of the opportunity to reserve their own parking space that they then painted with their own design. Students and their families gathered on Sunday, October 6 for a spirited and inspiring event that demonstrated our vibrant school community in action.
Drawing artists (left to right) Diana Lara-Velasco '22, Haily Isacc '20, and Ashley Saul '20 “Bee” is for Bianca Fasso '20
6
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Athletics
By Kevin Kelly '80
While many lives were derailed from routines and normal milestones during the latter portion of the 2019-20 school year, the Marian Catholic men’s and women’s basketball teams made sure they didn’t miss out on one accomplishment...Turning Sweet 16. Both squads completed successful seasons by advancing to the IHSA Sweet 16 in state tournament play.
MEN’S BASKETBALL The men’s basketball team capped off a second straight East Suburban Catholic Conference championship by putting together an impressive postseason run. After winning the Marian Catholic IHSA 4A Regional tournament, the Spartans (25-8) faced a third meeting against crosstown rival Bloom Township, which had prevailed over Marian Catholic by 17 points in both previous matchups. Led by seniors Ahron Ulis (game-high 19 points) and Yemi Elutilo (15 points), the Spartans stunned the team that opened the year ranked #1 in the state, 47-45, at Bloom’s McCann Gym. The sectional final with an Elite Eight bid on the line against Thornton was cancelled because of the Coronavirus pandemic. “Playing against a lineup that was full of Division I recruits, we needed to dictate tempo and control many
20 MARIAN MATTERS SUMMER 2020
aspects of that matchup against a superior-talented team like Bloom, explained veteran Marian Head Coach Mike Taylor, who earned his 300th victory for the Spartans earlier in the year. “Our seniors stepped up at critical moments and the entire squad executed a gameplan to near perfection. “Bloom’s team was as talented as any the South Suburbs have produced in a long time, and the victory stands out as a huge trademark in Marian basketball history. Particularly for the seniors, it’s extremely disappointing that these young men didn’t get the opportunity to take the next step. We were really looking forward to the challenge of playing a great Thornton team.” Along the way, in a banner campaign, Marian Catholic also captured second place in the Chicago Heights Classic and third place at the Hinsdale Holiday Classic, while seniors Elutilo, Elijah Jones (Southern Indiana) and Ulis copped ESCC all-conference honors.
The Iowa-bound Ulis was also named ESCC Player of the Year and gained several All-State and All-Area honors. “Especially Ahron Ulis with the loss of some talented pieces from the previous year, this group really molded together to make a name for itself and peaked at the right time,” Taylor praised. “Ahron was a key component of the IHSA third-place team in 2018 and he just raised his leadership level to make everyone around him better in the last couple years. He’s clearly on the list of all-time greats in Marian basketball.”
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL For the women’s basketball squad, the Sweet 16 appearance was a repeat performance. The Spartans, who compiled a 26-9 overall mark, captured the Rich East IHSA 3A Regional title and advanced to the Hillcrest Sectional finals before a brilliant second-half comeback effort fell short against Providence Catholic.
[
ATHLETICS
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Clockwise, from bottom right: Evey Gervase (Augustana Volleyball), Savka Popovic (Tulane Beach Volleyball), Dominick Angellotti (University of Chicago Baseball), Alec Gonzalez (Tennessee Baseball), Zivana Labovic (Michigan State Soccer), Ahron Ulis (Iowa Basketball), Elijah Jones (Western Illinois Basketball), Adam Huekels (Niagara Baseball)
“The 19-20 team was absolutely special,” according to Head Coach Dan Murray, who eclipsed the 400-win mark for his varsity career during the season. “The focus and effort that they showed as an entire unit on a daily basis was extraordinary. We had a great mix of young talent with exceptional leadership from our upperclassman. It was the unity, pride, effort and support of one another that made this team so special that I will always remember.” Murray has led his teams to 20 or more victories in five of his seven seasons at Marian Catholic. Both he and Taylor were named Illinois Basketball Coaches Association District 8 Coaches of the Year. The Lady Spartans compiled plenty of hardware during the campaign, winning the Tampa Bay Classic at Christmas, and earning second-place finishes at the Waubonsie Valley and Marian Catholic Invites. Much of the nucleus returns for the Spartans to signal a bright 2020-21 campaign, as the squad earned some outstanding individual accomplishments. Four-year standout Samantha Barrett '20, will take her talents to Aurora University to compete as a student-athlete in basketball, cross country, and track. During her final two years
at Marian Catholic, she participated in four varsity sports (softball). Barrett was also honored with the prestigious Doug Damon Award at Marian Catholic for her Samantha Barrett excellence in academics and athletics. Meanwhile, freshman Brianna Hill was selected by a panel including NBA standout Steph Curry to compete in the Brianna Hill Underrated Tour finals in the California Bay Area (postponed because of COVID-19). Hill, who earned ESCC all-conference honors along with junior Jalynn Alexander, was one of just 32 females nationally (top eight from the Chicagoland area) to earn the selection for the event Curry founded. While Marian Catholic athletes were disappointed at not being able to experience a spring sports season, the year concluded with many great accomplishments to celebrate.
14 MARIAN CATHOLIC STUDENT-ATHLETES FROM THE CLASS OF 2020 COMMITTED TO COMPETE IN COLLEGE ATHLETICS:
Dominick Angellotti (baseball) University of Chicago Elijah Barnes (football) Trinity International University Samantha Barrett (basketball, cross country, track) Aurora University Evey Gervase (volleyball) Augustana University Alec Gonzalez (baseball) University of Tennessee Adam Huekels (baseball) Niagara University Bryce Jackson (football) University of Sioux Falls Kevin Johnson (football, volleyball) Illinois Wesleyan University Elijah Jones (basketball) University of Southern Indiana Zivana Labovic (soccer) Michigan State University Darius Mahone (football) Benedictine University Savka Popovic (sand volleyball) Tulane University Ahron Ulis (basketball) University of Iowa Jasper Waddington (soccer) Lewis University
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CELEBRATING A RECORD YEAR AT
Thank you to all those who attended and supported Veritas IV, Marian Catholic’s annual scholarship gala. The event raised a record $134,000 in net profit – all of which will benefit Scholars with a Soul and provide the opportunity of a one-of-a-kind, Catholic high school education to students who could not afford it otherwise. Your generosity has opened up the future to these deserving young men and women. Over 150 alumni, families, and friends, joined the Dominican Sisters of Springfield and Marian Catholic faculty and staff on February 21, 2020 in the transformed the Sr. M. Paul McCaughey, OP Leadership Center for an evening of entertainment and celebration. Val Warner from Windy City LIVE emceed the night, which featured performances by the Marian Catholic Saxophone Quartet and members of the Marian Catholic Varsity Choir, student speakers, and a live auction. Lucky winners outbid one another for exciting items that included: a weeklong stay at a private villa in Burgundy, France; the chance to throw out the first pitch at a White Sox game; tickets to the CMA Awards; and an instant wine cellar. The evening was capped off by the presentation of the Dominican Legacy Pillar Award posthumously to Sister Mary Blaise Galloway, OP. Forty-five of Sister Blaise’s 67 years of ministry were devoted to Marian Catholic. Although she served as vice-principal, registrar, and tutor, her first love was teaching math, impacting the lives of thousands of Marian Catholic alumni. Sister Blaise helped establish the Dominican-centered community that today remains very much at the heart of Marian Catholic and our Veritas celebrations. Sister Rebecca Ann Gemma, OP, Prioress General, accepted the award on behalf of Sister Blaise’s family.
A special thank you to this year’s sponsors: Diamond Anonymous Eileen & Tim Bergen The Keith Family Summa Cum Laude Margie Pelino Cum Laude Chris Cummings '76 & Ann Jones The Goldberg Family Marty '77 & Jan Oosterbaan Honor Roll Arnie Bauer Grant Orthodontics Robert '67 & Teresa (Griffin '67) Hudzik James Hughes '84 Kickert School Bus Lines James '05 & Mari Murphy Chicago Heights-Park Forest Rotary Club
Join us next year for Veritas V on Friday, February 26, 2021!
Sr. Rebecca Ann Gemma, OP 22 MARIAN MATTERS SUMMER 2020
Michael Peabody '12, Mary Simons, John Peabody '15, and Tom Peabody '07
Cathy Lilek, Dr. Shirley Morris, and Robby Cifelli '12
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4MARIAN 2020
Occurring a month after e-learning began at Marian Catholic, 4 Marian Catholic took on a new look and a new challenge. In recent years, we’ve had phonathons, dress down days, Zarlengo’s treats, and more, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced a completely digital day of giving on Monday, April 20. Having received news that a number of Marian Catholic families were being impacted by the Coronavirus, the Coronavirus Tuition Assistance Fund was born and donors were asked to consider making a gift to the fund to help those who were facing financial challenges. As always, Marian Catholic was deeply moved by the generous and loving spirit of the Marian Catholic community. 4Marian 2020 raised over $70,000 with about $43,000 of that going to the Coronavirus Tuition Assistance Fund! Thank you to all who donated and made an investment in our Scholars with a Soul and in the future of Marian Catholic.
Dante Ross '20 and David Goodman of Auction Results
Sr. Santina DeLuca, OP '62 and Mike Bruni '86 MARIAN CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL
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Alumni Notes
1989
John St. Clair '89, in his 17th season as head wrestling coach at Lemont High School, was named the 2019-20 Daily Southtown Wrestling Coach of the Year. Lemont went 32-2, setting a single-season school record. John also serves as Lemont’s varsity football running backs coach.
1990
Loyola Academy football coach John Holocek '90 was interviewed for a lengthy feature by sportswriter Bob Asmussen in the Central Illinois-based News-Gazette. John’s teams have been incredibly successful since he took over, winning state titles in 2015 and 2018 and making the championship game four other times.
1998
Tom Rohn '98 and his wife Liz recently celebrated the birth of their first child, a daughter named Cecilia. He also became a lay member of the Dominican Order in 2019. Tom works as a statistician for the federal government.
2000
2004
2005
Sarah Padove '05 was awarded the National Sports Law Institute’s Charles W. Mentkowski Sports Law Alumnus of the Year, 2020. Sarah is the Senior Coordinator of Baseball and Softball Development with Major League Baseball.
2007
Former NCAA pole vaulting champion and two-time Olympic Trials qualifier Melissa Gergel '07 was the featured guest on episode 7 of the pole vaulting-centered podcast One More Jump. Melissa discussed the wild roller coaster ride that is post collegiate pole vaulting and all the incredible coaches who helped her to become one of the best pole vaulters in the United States. A video of the podcast can be found at bit.ly/onemorejump7.
2010
Sam Beck '10 married Katie Neenan on November 23, 2019 in Katie’s hometown of Columbus, Ohio. The couple lives in Fort Worth, Texas where Sam works in supply chain management.
Elisha Peterson MD, FAAP '00, Director of Chronic Pain at Children’s National Hospital and Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine at the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services, was honored as “Top Doc” in Northern Virginia in Pain Medicine. In addition, Peterson was selected as a Mayday Fellow, to provide public engagement and leadership training for pain experts. Elisha also completed the 2020 Dopey Challenge, part of the Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, running 48.6 miles in four consecutive days. Houston Texans coach Bill O’Brien announced that offensive coordinator Tim Kelly '04 will be head play caller for the 2020-2021 NFL season. It is Tim’s second season as offensive coordinator but first as the person who calls the plays on gameday. Tim will also serve as quarterbacks coach.
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Regina Ceragioli '10 has taken the next step in her vocal performance career as a featured performer with the Santa Fe Opera in Santa Fe, N.M. Regina attended Butler University on a music scholarship, majoring in biology and music. She later attended Northwestern University’s graduate program in vocal performance, graduating in 2016. In May, Megan Reynolds '10 was inducted into the Elmhurst College Athletic Hall of Fame. Megan starred as a volleyball player at both Marian Catholic and Elmhurst. Megan was Marian Catholic’s Women’s Volleyball MVP in 2009.
2011
Amanda Dickman '11 got engaged to Jameson Dague in September 2019 and chose Leap Day, February 29, 2020, for their wedding. The couple met in their teen years when they played in a wiffle ball league. Now, Amanda is a registered nurse working in trauma surgery at Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn.
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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:
Most Rev. Lou Tylka By Brendan Diamond
ALUMNI NOTES
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1988
When entering the priesthood was first recommended to the Most Rev. Lou Tylka '88, he thought it was a crazy idea. He had just completed his first Kairos retreat as a leader when the associate pastor at his parish, Fr. Dan Danowski, broached the subject. “I had always admired the priests and been active in the church,” Tylka said, “but I’d never had the idea of going into the priesthood.” Now, some three decades later, Bishop Tylka was ordained and installed as the Coadjutor Bishop of the Diocese of Peoria on July 23, 2020. Bishop Tylka’s journey has been a fascinating one, one deeply rooted in the Catholic faith. As a young man, he was an altar server at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Homewood, and he carried his faith with him to Marian Catholic. He also remained active at St. Joe’s, being a member of the teen club at the church. His faith first led him to adventure slightly outside the confines of Marian Catholic in his senior year, when he was blessed to be able to go on a Kairos retreat offered through Brother Rice, before such retreats had started at Marian. This led to him becoming a leader of the very first Kairos retreat at Marian Catholic, which was where his journey toward the priesthood started. “Father Dan from St. Joe’s was the priest for that Kairos,” he explained. “Afterwards, he asked me to think about being a priest. The possibility of priesthood never “I found that the more occurred to me; I told him he was crazy. I opened my mind to But I couldn’t stop thinking about it.” hear the question, the After Marian, Tylka settled upon more I realized what Purdue University as his college. Still God was calling me to,” keeping up with his faith, he attended he recalled. “I began to Mass every Sunday and sometimes think, Is this what the during the week, still prayerfully Lord wants me to do?” meditating on what Father Danowski had said to him. “I found that the more I opened my mind to hear the question, the more I realized what God was calling me to,” he recalled. “I began to think, Is this what the Lord wants me to do?” After Christmas break, Tylka transferred to Purdue’s Hammond campus to be closer to his mother, who was sick. Realizing the call was not going to go away, he decided to transfer again, this time to what was then called the Niles College Seminary in Niles, Illinois. “I said to myself, If I’m serious, I need to be in a place that’ll help me explore that question,” Tylka stated. “I needed to go someplace where people would journey with me.” It turned out to be a fortuitous transition: following his completion of studies at the Niles College Seminary, Tylka turned to the more intensive Mundelein Seminary for formal training to become a priest. He was ordained in 1996 and spent 24 years as a parish priest.
But nothing could have prepared him for the call he received just a few short months ago. “I had just come into the office and was turning on my computer when my cell phone rang,” Tylka remembered. “The number that came up was a Washington D.C. number. I had been getting a lot of calls about my car warranty lately, so I almost didn’t answer, thinking it was a sales call. But the Spirit prompted me to answer anyway, so I did.” It’s a good thing he did, too: the call wasn’t from his car manufacturer, but from Archbishop Cristophe Pierre, the papal nuncio (ambassador of the Holy See) to the United States. Archbishop Pierre informed Tylka that he had been chosen by Pope Francis as the next Bishop of the Diocese of Peoria. “I started shaking and had to make sure I was fully sitting down,” Tylka recalled. “When I hung up the phone, I was sitting at my desk, and the first thing that went through my mind was, Breathe.” It took him a few minutes of steady concentration to realize that this was indeed happening, and he was being made a bishop. Now, Tylka serves as Coadjutor Bishop with Bishop Daniel Jenky, who is nearing retirement. When Pope Francis accepts Bishop Jenky’s retirement in the next couple of years, Bishop Tylka will take over as sole Bishop of Peoria. Bishop Tylka knows that he owes a debt of gratitude to Marian Catholic for being such a formative part of his faith. “One of the great lessons I learned at Marian was to be able to discern what our gifts and talents are and what they can be used for,” Tylka remembered. Indeed, it appears that Bishop Tylka’s gifts of faith and courage will be put to spectacular use in Peoria.
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ALUMNI NOTES
2012
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Matt Lamb '12 and Briana Morgan were married on July 4th at St. Joseph Parish in Hammond, Ind. in a traditional Latin Nuptial Mass. They met through their pro-life activism. Wedding party members included alumni Paul Lamb '14, Chris Gliottoni '14, John Gliottoni '13, Matt Anderson '12, James Lamb '10, and Sophia Sesto '14.
2013
On January 6, Andrew Gasbarro, Jr. '13 was hired as a full-time police officer by the Village of Homewood. Andy graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a degree in liberal arts and sciences in 2018.
CAREER DAY Invite
Manage Participants Share Screen
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A big THANK YOU to all who made our first-ever Virtual Career Day a huge success!
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2018
Jalen Vernon '18, drum major for Hampton University’s marching band, had the opportunity to play and march at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City. Jalen is a tenor saxophone player who marched his freshman year and was awarded the position of drum major his sophomore year.
Traditionally, freshmen and sophomores gather together with some 30-40 alumni and friends of the school to learn about potential careers in which the students might be interested. This year, however, an in-school event was obviously not feasible. Instead, Marian Catholic opened up Career Day to all students, freshmen through seniors, and conducted Career Day virtually, with students learning about careers from alumni and friends through Zoom chats moderated by faculty and staff.
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Indiana University Track & Field athlete Kelly Mindak '17 was named a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar for 2020. Distinguished Scholar Award recipients must have earned Academic All-Big Ten recognition in the previous academic year, must have been enrolled full time at the institution for the entire previous academic year (two semesters or three quarters), and earned a minimum GPA of 3.70 or better during the previous academic year, excluding any summer grades.
In most years, Career Day is a major event at Marian Catholic High School.
Marian Catholic Career Day 2020
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The results were off the charts: some 80 participants joined our student body in separate sessions to discuss everything from teaching and law to optometry and medicine. Alumni from the '70s, '80s, '90s, '00s, and '10s were represented, along with five non-alumni who graciously joined us. The students asked pertinent questions of our presenters and got very involved in what was a massive undertaking, particularly for the event’s coordinators including Director of Instructional Technology Sean Scanlon, who helped set up all the technology for the day.
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ALUMNI NOTES
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MARIAN MASTERS COVID-19 brought many changes to Marian Catholic, including the interruption of our alumni events. To try to bring something new to the table, Marian Catholic held its first-ever Marian Masters masterclass with alumna Kea Meyers Duggan '94 on Tuesday, May 26, 2020. Kea is a marketing professional, turned life and career makeover strategist and professional speaker, who teaches people how to stop working jobs and doing things they hate, and to plan their next steps with confidence. The topic is near and dear to Kea’s heart because she spent more than 20 years working in some amazing marketing positions but ultimately, they made her soul die a little more each day in profound ways. Now she blends her Type A-ness with a little bit of “woo” to help people gain the clarity they need, hold their feet to the fire, and create the plan of action they crave to take their life and career in a new, courageous, and more fulfilling direction. Kea has been featured on Elite Daily, Career Contessa, The Success Diaries podcast, Rising Tide Society/HoneyBook, Corporate Career Girl, and Chic Work Chick. She also serves also as the Head of Mindset + Inspiration at The Goodness Collaborative.
Marian Masters are “masterclass” happy hours designed to help our alumni and friends hone their skills and knowledge. If you are interested in sharing your expertise with the Marian Catholic community, please email us at alumni@marianchs.com!
2020 MARIAN CATHOLIC ALUMNI GATHERING IN NAPLES Nestled on 125 tropical acres along the Gulf of Mexico, The Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club was the backdrop for the February 29, 2020 Alumni & Friends Regional Gathering sponsored by Tony Zagotta '84, Ed & Patricia (Fischer '62) Willard, and Dave Zajac '68. The Florida gathering was an occasion to rekindle old friendships and create new ones with members of the Marian Catholic community. Facilitated by Marian Catholic Advancement Team members Vince Krydynski '81, President, Colleen Peabody '05, Vice President, and Carol (Burke '81) Swanson, Director of Engagement & Stewardship, the get-together was the latest in ongoing outreach to distant Marian Catholic alumni, parents, and friends. Thank you to everyone who attended and helped create lasting memories!
Colleen Peabody '05, Vince Krydynski '81, John '88 and Tammi Nicola, and Amy and Dave '88 Gasbarro
The day started with our Dominican Prayer, followed by a short slideshow and video including a recap of Veritas IV and updates about our school community and later, lunch. In response to the success of the event, a return visit is planned for Tuesday, February 2, 2021. If you are interested in joining us and would like to receive an invitation, please email Carol (Burke '81) Swanson at cswanson@marianchs.com or call 708-756-9775. Florida snowbirds are reminded to send Carol their Florida address. See you in Naples!
Curt Ribando '65, Marcia Burnside, Lee Redman '65, Stephanie Redman, Patricia Lees Kingham '65, Patricia Kennedy Menoni '65, Bill Murphy '65, and Barb Murphy
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Remembered Celebrating the lives of alumni, family, and friends Steve Adams Tom Adduci Gustavo Albear Holger Alberts Roseann Albrecht Paul Allegro '68 Edward A. Antonietti Glenn Arndt Mary Jean & Julian Atwater Patricia Aylmer John Bac Dale Baikauskas William & Rose Baikauskas Roy Baker Anne Barry Georgia Batchos Concetta Benequista Dolores A. Bergen William J. Bergin '64 Jolyn Bishop '75 John T. Bizzotto Lorraine Bolda Gilbert Bogs Richard Bremigan Robert J. Broniewicz Kathleen Brossmer '75 Sarah Brownlee Lori Brucato '79 Anthony Bruno Carolyn Bryan Becky S. Burgey Anne T. Butkus Annette Calder Anthony Caposey Rick Carter Bernie Cassierie Brian Charlton Josephine Ciccone Fred Cieco Jamal Clay '19 Carole Clements Dolores Clyne Ben Corradetti Marlene Cottman Mary A. Cutarelli Bonnie M. Damiani Gail ( Johnson '66) Davis Owen Deckinga Joseph Dee Mary Doggerr Bonnie Donahue November 25, 2019 to June 11, 2020
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Frank Donahue Patrick Doyle Paul Dyrek Vina M. Eagan Eileen Edmisten Gary Eichberger Rose M. Elliott Shirley N. Elliott Kathleen F. Farrell Concepcion Ferreira Joseph Fitzgerald Mary Margaret Flanagan Michael Foster '10 Donald Fritzsche Sr. Mary Blaise Galloway, OP Brian J. Gambino Marty Garofalo Algenio Genine Joseph Gentile John Giancola Jim Gibbons Sr. Mary B. Gibbons Richard J. Giesing Julie A. Good Therese A. Gray Kathleen Greco Phyllis Gubbins Andrew Guschwan, MD Sally Guzzino Janie Haffner Blake E. Hannett '17 Brittany Hansen James K. Heffeman Ronald Herrick Shelly Hietala Sandra Lynn Hijuelos Luther Howard Marzella Howard Bernard Jablonski John Jankauskas '73 Raymond J. Johnsen '75 Jeffery Johnson Sandi Johnson Marcus Jones Peter Jonikaitis John Joyce Herman Juhant Peter Katauskas Gloria Keating Lynn Klederhouse Brian Kochanski '94
Kenneth F. Koppers Virginia Kotynski Leonard Kowynia Charlotte Kriss Rose Kristina Joanne Krop Bonita Kurowski Albert Lamere Charles Lantry Courtney (Linthicum '87) LaTour Margaret Lawlor Margaret Leja Nancy Leli Merlwin Lindner Angel Lopez Fred Luscombe Sam Madia Sr. Virginia Magero Michael Manno Gloria Marguire Aimee Martinez Laura Martinez Paul Massucci Ann Mastandrea Dave Mattio '66 Alex McCann Edward McCarthy Marilyn McGannon Mary McGinnity Thomas Mendoza Joseph Merson Valerie Middleton Jim Morgan Mike Mulchrone James Neath Donna Nieckula '69 Susan O’Connor '86 William O’Meara William Palcek Mary Ann Pasquinelli Sandy (Tisocco '92) Patty Mary Peterson Peter Pflanzer Margaret Piolo Carmina Planera Mary Lou Plomin Helen Pocic Erin M. Polanski '84 Elaine Polley, D.N. Deena Porter Nancy (Molander '71) Price Martin Pulcini '65 Patricia Pyles
Lucille Quanstrom Leon Redman '65 Daniel Reilly Joan L. Richmond Gib Rimsnider Marsha Rimsnider Lily Riney Cindy Rivnayak James Ross Mary Kay Rozema Robert Ruff Catherine Ryba Stan Salabura Dina Marie Salvador Roberta Salyer Mary A. Sambol William Sanders Jill Sauerbrier '69 Melvin Schneider Carolyn Sesto Tom Shane Louise Sims Frances Skalski Gerald Slavik '66 Colleen Small Fr. Chester Smith Martha K. Smith Catherine Snow Louise Sobieck Joseph Spinozzi '66 Robert Spinozzi Ann St. Aubin Aldo Sulli Nancy (Kovac '64) Syrovatka Georgine M. Szawars Sarah Taylor Sr. Mary M. Teipen, OP John Thar '66 Derek Torres '93 Robert Triumph Battistina Vallese Nick Vellegas Louis Venditti Rocio Vowell Loretta Wallyn Robert West Geraldine R. Whitney Eva Wilczynski Joan Wisniewski Brandon A. Woods '12 James Yursik Dolores Zaggotta Linda Zagotta Daniel Zilligen '71
This is Why Your Gift Matters Sending our three children to Marian Catholic High School was the best decision we could have made. Marian Catholic promotes academic excellence by providing a rigorous learning environment with the support of the faculty. Marian places the highest value on developing young leaders who are confident in their faith and who gain the tools and knowledge to move forward. Marian has provided our children with a challenging and individualized academic environment that has prepared each one of them for college. As parents, we could not be more pleased with the investment we have made in our children’s futures by choosing Marian Catholic High School. THE BROWN FAMILY Daniel '80, Nora '17, Molly '20, Sue, and Ryan '15
We are blessed to have the opportunity to send our children to such a prestigious college preparatory institution that embodies our family values of faith, family, service, and prayer. Marian has cultivated our children’s academic strengths and talents, as well as their spiritual, social, and emotional growth. THE INGRAM FAMILY Joseph, Benita, Brandice '19, and Paul '21
Attending Marian Catholic allowed our children to grow academically, social-emotionally, spiritually, and athletically each in their own way. My husband and I both work locally in the south suburbs each in the education field. As educators, we both appreciate the way the teachers met our children where they were, but pushed them in a way they would excel and in a way a parent would want to see them encouraged. They made and have kept relationships with their peers, teachers, security department, athletic coaches, custodial staff, office staff and principal. Being the recipients of Dominican and Golf Endowment Scholarships afforded my children an education that prepared them for their college careers and we couldn’t be happier that we chose Marian Catholic for our children. THE GERVASE FAMILY Geneviere '20, Todd '18, Todd, and Michelle
What will you imagine for our future Scholars with a Soul? Make a Gift Now at www.marianchs.com/apps/pages/marian-fund-donation
Marian Catholic High School Advancement Office
700 Ashland Avenue Chicago Heights, IL 60411 708-755-7565 www.marianchs.com
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Are You Ready to be a Spartan?
Contributing Writers Brendan Diamond Gary Kopycinski Carol (Burke '81) Swanson Kevin Kelly '80 Josh Ladner Allen Marazas '64 Director of Marketing and Communications / Editor
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Cecily Fultz 708-980-2451 cfultz@marianchs.com
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Colleen Peabody '05 708-996-4652 cpeabody@marianchs.com
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