E
SACRED HEART ACADEMY
INSIDE A FOCUS ON FOOD WE REMEMBER SR. MARY JANE PAOLELLA, ASCJ, ’65 COMMENCEMENT 2018
SPRING 2018
A FOCUS ON
FOOD IT SUSTAINS OUR BODIES, SHOWCASES OUR FAMILY AND ETHNIC BACKGROUNDS, AND HELPS US BUILD COMMUNITY WHEN WE “BREAK BREAD TOGETHER.” IN THIS ISSUE OF HEART, YOU WILL MEET SACRED HEART ALUMNAE OF DIFFERENT GENERATIONS WHOSE WORK WITH FOOD INCLUDES GROWING ORGANIC PRODUCE, DEVELOPING AND DISSEMINATING HEALTHFUL RECIPES, EDUCATING ABOUT THE LINK BETWEEN FOOD AND CULTURE, AND COMBATTING FOOD INSECURITY IN CONNECTICUT. YOU WILL ALSO READ ABOUT HOW ALLEVIATING HUNGER IS WOVEN INTO THE SCHOOL’S SERVICE ACTIVITIES, AND SOME OF THE WAYS THAT FOOD FINDS ITS WAY INTO THE CURRICULUM.
Front Cover ı Clare McCurley ’21 Rises Against Hunger, Cronin Photography, Cheryl Cronin ’84 Back Cover ı Springtime at Sacred Heart, Michaela Papa
IN THIS ISSUE
4
THEIR FOCUS IS ON FOOD
SUCCESS
With the campaign’s successful completion, we move forward with construction of our new school center.
2 From the President 38 Mission Advancement
REMEMBERING SR. MARY JANE
LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES
Meet six alumnae whose love for food led them to careers in everything from organic farming to intercultural food education.
HIGHER — A 22 EVER RESOUNDING
19
OFFERS 15 FOOD SERVICE AND
We grieve the passing and celebrate the life of a beloved Sister, alumna, teacher, colleague, and friend.
Food finds its place in and outside the classroom as students serve meals to those in need, taste the foods of other cultures, and learn about healthy eating habits.
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25 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
EXCELSIOR LIVES Diane Cadrain ‘67 uses her love for fabric and her artistic talents to brighten the lives of those in difficult circumstances.
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Commencement
43
Strong Bonds
Already an experienced actor and musician, Casey Nadzam ‘21 uses her skills both to provide entertainment and to perform good works.
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Around the Academy
48
In Memoriam
FROM THE PRESIDENT Dear Friends of Sacred Heart Academy, I know that when we began the school year, no one expected the changes that we would face after only a few weeks. The news that our beloved Sr. Mary Jane, an icon at Sacred Heart Academy for almost 28 years, would soon be fighting for her life, seemed incomprehensible. A woman who seemed so healthy, was so vibrant, so brilliant, so filled with passion to teach future generations of women leaders, was going to be taken from us much too soon. But as was so like her, she accepted the news with dignity, with grace, and most of all, an extremely deep faith. She inspired me and all of us every day. Still, even in the face of this loss, we had much to be grateful for this year at the Academy. Ever faithful to our charism to spread the love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we were thrilled when, in February, our Holy Father Pope Francis officially proclaimed that Mother Clelia Merloni, foundress of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, was declared Blessed. The next step is sainthood. We look forward to the official celebration of her beatification in the fall. After the recent groundbreaking, we are ready to start construction of our new school center. More than 34 years have passed since we added on to the original building; this new space will offer so much to our school community. Completion is scheduled for August 2019, so watch for the dedication ceremony in September 2019. I want to take this opportunity to mention and thank Megan McLeod Hernandez ’74 who, together with her husband Rick, helped us cross the finish line by initiating a $150,000 dollar-for-dollar matching gift challenge that allowed us to achieve our $5 million Ever Higher campaign goal. This challenge, the largest in our history, certainly sets a new fund- and friend-raising bar for the Academy. I think you will enjoy this unique issue of HEART as you read about alumnae who focus in different ways on food: an organic farmer; a food blogger; a development officer at a statewide food bank; a dietitian; a food culture educator; and the owner of a boutique catering business. This issue also features ways in which we incorporate food in our curriculum, connect with each other’s cultures through food, and address hunger as part of our mission to create a more just world. You will also read about an alumna who uses her talent as a fabric artist to serve a non-profit in Hartford, and a student actor who uses her talents to help combat bullying. I am so proud of our alumnae and our
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E
FALL 2016
MAGAZINE
Spring 2018
PRESIDENT Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71 PRINCIPAL Sr. Kathleen Mary Coonan, ASCJ, ’76 EDITOR Beth Griffin
“Knowing Sr. Mary Jane as so many of us did, we all know the best way we can honor her is to continue to live Excelsior — Ever Higher, every day. She would expect nothing less, and want nothing more.” Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71
DESIGN Elizabeth Parker ı EP Graphic Design MAJOR PHOTOGRAPHY Cheryl Cronin ’84 ı Cronin Photography FEATURE WRITER Rhea Hirshman CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Eric Bradley ı Theology Department Chair Sarah Bradley Debbie Camner ı Director of Mission Advancement Alora Caraglio Coppola ’08 ı Advancement Associate Holly Fink ı Advancement Associate
students, and the ways in which they share their many talents, gifts, and
Beth Griffin ı Director of Public Relations
passions to build a better world.
Caroline Dearborn Raynis ’07 ı Director of Alumnae Relations
Second semester was busy with applications and acceptances to many prestigious colleges and universities; competitive sports competitions; an invitation to participate in the Connecticut Drama Association Festival; our Spirit Week; and many successes in science and math contests. I dare say, no student leaves us without participating in at least one extracurricular activity. A Sacred Heart Academy education inspires students to engage in opportunities far beyond the classroom, supporting our philosophy of education based on the whole person. We are able to offer this variety of
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Elizabeth Christophy, Ph.D. MaryLee Delaney Beth Griffin Impressions Studio Michaela Papa Elizabeth Parker Caroline Dearborn Raynis ’07
options because of people like you. Thank you for all you have done to help us to live our mission and achieve our vision of being a premier Catholic college preparatory school. On behalf of our students, who are the beneficiaries of your generosity, I thank you. Knowing Sr. Mary Jane as so many of us did, we all know the best way we can honor her is to continue to live Excelsior — Ever Higher, every day. She would expect nothing less, and want nothing more. Blessings of the Sacred Heart of Jesus,
Sacred Heart Academy is a Ministry of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. HEART magazine is published by Sacred Heart Academy for alumnae, parents, past parents, and friends of Sacred Heart Academy. To update your address, visit www. sacredhearthamden.org and click the login link, or send address changes to the Office of Alumnae Relations, Sacred Heart Academy, 265 Benham Street, Hamden, CT 06514 or alumnae@sacredhearthamden.org. Sacred Heart Academy admits students of any race, creed, national or ethnic origin, and disability status to all the rights, privileges, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate in these areas in the administration of its educational policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other schooladministered programs.
Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71 President
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4
THEIR FOCUS IS ON
FOOD FROM GROWING ORGANIC SALAD GREENS, TO CATERING DINNERS FOR A HUNDRED GUESTS, TO HELPING RUN A NONPROFIT THAT FEEDS THE HUNGRY, SACRED HEART ALUMNAE ACROSS THE GENERATIONS ARE INVOLVED IN ALL ASPECTS OF THE WIDE WORLD OF FOOD. IN THESE PAGES, YOU WILL READ ABOUT SIX WOMEN WHO HAVE TURNED THEIR CREATIVITY, WISDOM, AND BUSINESS ACUMEN TO MAKING THE WORLD A BETTER-FED AND BETTER-NOURISHED PLACE.
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Stephanie Berluti ’07 ORGANIC FARMER
Stephanie selling fresh produce, flowers, and microgreens at the downtown Phoenix Public Farmers Market.
F
arming, says Stephanie Berluti, is not for the faint of heart. “If you forget to send an email at your desk job,” she points out, “you can probably fix the situation. But if you don’t cover your lettuce fields in time before a hard frost, your whole crop is probably dead.” Stephanie’s path to farming began in her junior year at Sacred Heart, when watching An Inconvenient Truth in Sally Tyler’s current events class motivated her to help reduce carbon in the atmosphere. After obtaining a degree in global studies at Providence College, with a minor in public and community service, Stephanie went on to become program and events manager for the Northeast Organic Farming Association of Connecticut (CT-NOFA). There, she executed grants to provide training to Connecticut farmers with less than ten years of experience, organized educational events and fundraisers, and ran the organization’s social media outlets. “I had never dreamed of farming myself,” Stephanie says. “The only outdoor labor I had done was mowing my grandfather’s lawn.” But, after three years of working at a non-profit, she began to think that she wanted to get her hands dirty — and to see if she would be mentally and physically strong enough to pursue the life of a farmer. So, in 2015, Stephanie apprenticed at Serenbe Farms outside Atlanta, Georgia, which specializes in suburban farming in an “agrihood.” In 2016 she moved to
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Martha’s Vineyard, where she learned to grow organic salad greens, flowers, and mushrooms. From there, she moved to Phoenix, to train in urban/market garden farming. These experiences taught her that farmers are “renaissance people” who need knowledge and skills in everything from meteorology and plant science, to plumbing, accounting, and branding. “The stereotype of the farmer,” she says, “is a middle-aged guy on a tractor. But I’ve worked mostly with women and on women crews. Sacred Heart taught me how to communicate and work in groups, and how not to be afraid of challenging myself. At the end of the day, covered in dirt, I feel strong.” Next year, Stephanie plans to bring her skills back to her hometown of Orange to start her own farm in 2020. She will focus on market garden farming and educating customers and the community. “I get great satisfaction from interacting with customers,” she says. “For instance, when we give out samples, watching the faces of kids who have never tasted a real carrot before. We want people to know what real food tastes like.” And then there are the moments of looking over the fields and being able to see the literal fruits of her labor. She knows that farming in unpredictable New England weather will be a different undertaking than farming in Arizona, but relishes the challenge. “Wherever you farm, you get to do something different every day,” she says. “If you are bored with farming, you are doing it wrong.”
“Sacred Heart taught me how to communicate and work in groups, and how not to be afraid of challenging myself. At the end of the day, covered in dirt, I feel strong.” Stephanie Berluti ’07
Stephanie beaming over a potato plant she just dug out of the ground. These photos are from her time in Serenbe Farms in Georgia.
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Giovanna Cucciniello ’92 FOOD AND CULTURE EDUCATOR
W
hen Giovanna Cucciniello sends students abroad, she makes sure that they learn how to shop for and prepare food, and that they absorb the food culture of the countries where they are studying — just as much, she says, “as they pay attention to classes and field trips.” Born and brought up in the New Haven area, Giovanna has spent her career in education, including teaching English as a Second Language (ESL) in New Haven public schools, teaching at Quinnipiac, and being part of Yale University’s Teachers Institute where she developed curriculum on representations of American culture. For five years, she was the education coordinator of Integrated Refugee and Immigrant Services. “There,” she says, “I learned about food cultures from Afghani, Somali, Eritrean, Liberian, Iraqi, Colombian, and Cuban refugees.”
educating eaters has taken other forms.” She lectures about Italy and Italian food to community groups, as well as on issues such as the Mediterranean diet, food production and distribution, and Italy’s role in the global food economy. She has organized campus events dedicated to Roman food and foodways, and has connected to the local Slow Food Philly group, Temple’s community garden, and other area food producers working to make high-quality food products affordable, even for students.
From 2007 to 2014, Giovanna lived in Rome, where she obtained a master’s degree in the history and culture of Italian gastronomic traditions, and worked as the assistant director of the Institute for the International Education of Students (IES) Abroad Rome Center. She developed workshops and classes for undergraduates on the cultural histories of Italian food and wine, and organized food-related activities and opportunities for interpretative analysis.
Giovanna credits her interest in international education to her study of world languages at Sacred Heart. “My French classes with Madame Sabine Ruthman and Madame Elaine Lamboley ’60, and a week in Paris and Nice, enabled me to imagine a world outside my suburban backyard,” she says. Her love for and interest in food come from her family. “I was raised in a household where vegetables were grown in our backyard and canned for the winter, and where we prepared homemade breads, fresh pasta, and specialty dishes.” She enjoys food from many cultures. “I go for Indian, Japanese, Korean, Thai — and the pizza! — when I’m in New Haven,” she says. Still, her favorite food to cook and eat is southern Italian. “It’s my comfort food, and connects me with my heritage the most.”
Currently the institutional relations manager for Temple University’s Education Abroad and Overseas Campuses Program, Giovanna travels widely, leaving her less time for formal teaching. But, she says, “My passion for
Giovanna says that she also learned the importance of cultural understanding at Sacred Heart. “With today’s mobility and technology,” she says, “we are increasingly likely to come in contact with people of different backgrounds. Exploring the food of other cultures is a great way to start a discussion.”
RECIPE IANA
’AMATRIC BUCATINI ALL FOR IENTS ED GR IN
ozs. guanciale,
6 1/2 1 1/2 1/2 1/2 1 8
ve oil
tablespoons oli
2
etta)
cubed (or panc
medium yellow
onion, chopped
an Marzano) hed tomatoes (S g re for seasonin er salt, plus mo teaspoon kosh pepper, ly ground black teaspoon fresh flakes hed red pepper a pinch of crus rino Romano cup grated Peco o bucatini pasta pound De Cecc
14 oz. can crus
DIRECTION S
For the sauc e: In a heav y skillet, he ciale and co at the oil ov ok un ti er medium l golden brow it. You are heat. aiming for n — ab ou t 5 to 7 minut tender rath er than cris es. Be care towel. Add fu py onions to th l not to over . Remove th e rendered cook e meat and fat and saut pepper flake set aside to e, stirring co drain on a s and cook paper until fragra nstantly, un on low heat nt, about 30 til transluc about 5 to ent. Add th seconds. A 10 minutes e red dd the tom . Add the sa heat until th atoes and pa lt and pepp e sauce thic ncetta. Sim er. Simmer mer kens, abou uncovered, t 15 minut Bring a larg es. over mediu e pot of salt m-low ed water to a boil over still firm to high heat. the bite, st Add the pa irring occa sta and cook sionally, as in the skill until tender per packag et. Toss gent e instructio but ly over high ns. Drain an flame until d add to th pasta is coat e sauce ed and spri nkle with Pe FROM THE corino chee KITCHEN O se. F Add the gu an
Giovanna C
ucciniello ’9
2
My favorite Roman comfort food is an ode to simplicity – rich smoked pork, sweet tomatoes, heat from chili peppers, and the sharp, salty kick of Pecorino cheese. Amatriciana is a classic dish that originated outside the empire and was later adopted as their own. “Amatriciana” comes from Amatrice, where the dish is made in strict Amatrice fashion, without onions or olive oil.” GC
Molly Hanchuruck ’12 CHEF AND REGISTERED DIETITIAN
M
olly has always loved food. When her seventh grade peers were watching MTV, she was glued to the Food Network. During her sophomore year at Sacred Heart, Molly was intrigued when chemistry teacher, Frances Saukas, said early in the year that making waffles could be considered chemistry because of the chemical reactions during the cooking process. “During every class until spring, I asked if we could make waffles,” she remembers. Fran finally gave in and scheduled a waffle-making day — and Molly experienced firsthand the connection between food and science. Now, with degrees in both culinary arts and culinary nutrition, and with experience as a line cook, bartender, and catering chef, Molly is a registered dietitian in the cardiac intensive care unit of a hospital in Pensacola, Florida. Describing her work, she says, “When I see my cardiac patients, I ask how they have been eating and if they’ve lost any weight. Often, when people are sick they eat very little and lose weight quickly. Quick weight loss can be dangerous because the body needs energy to battle the illness. If someone isn’t eating well, we’ll discuss strategies to help them eat better. Additionally, I calculate how much tube feeding a person will need to meet caloric goals if they are unable to eat.” Molly also works with people who want to eat healthier or lose weight. She notes that her experience as a chef is useful to her as a dietitian, making her better able to help clients understand what eating healthy means. “Recently,” she says, “my supervisor had me see a family who had questions about healthier cooking. They were very upfront and said, ‘We eat out almost every meal because we don’t know how to cook.’ So I talked to them about how to prepare some simple meals and ways to be healthy while eating out. Eating healthy can be as simple as a few small changes in shopping for and preparing food.” Molly has a short list of guiding principles about food: “Everything in moderation.” “Simple is usually better.” “Eating is social.” She says, “I don’t like when I see people eating out together and instead of talking, they are staring at their phones. I love sitting down for a meal with friends or family and talking about the day. If you want to take a quick picture of the food, go ahead, but then go back to being grateful for the food and enjoy your time together.”
RECIPE FOR
INGREDIENTS
HEALTHY VEGAN BROWNIES
1
box of your favorite brownie mix
1
can of black beans
1/3
of a cup water
DIRECTIONS Drain and rinse the black beans and
add them to a blender with the water. Blend ded black beans and the brownie mix together. Bake according to directions on the brownie mix box. until VERY smooth. Mix the blen
FROM THE KITCHEN OF
Molly Hanchuruck ’12
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Karen and her daughter, Emi, age four, cooking — one of their favorite pastimes.
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Karen Lenahan ’02 CHEF AND CATERER
W
ell into her seventh year as owner of her boutique catering business — Small Kitchen, Big Taste (SKBT) in North Haven — Karen Lenahan is feeling confident about the future.
Over the past few years, SKBT’s ten full- and part-time staff have prepared and served everything from a vegan wedding at Lighthouse Point for a hundred guests, to an intimate dinner for eight at the home of a Yale dean. SKBT can handle any kind of special dietary requests, and focuses on using sustainable materials and ingredients. The website (smallkitchen-bigtaste.com) is full of ideas for events ranging from baby showers to fundraisers, and features a number of Karen’s signature recipes.
Coming from a family that — when they weren’t eating — was always talking about food, Karen has a lifelong history in the food world. At the age of seven, she was trying to cook the family meals. When she was at Sacred Heart, she had a job in catering at a local country club. At Georgetown University, where she majored in women’s studies and psychology, she worked at a deli. While working as museum manager at the Eli Whitney Museum (EWM), she obtained her master’s from UConn in finance and non-profit management, studied at International Culinary Center in New York, started a food blog, and, encouraged by her EWM colleagues, began to provide personal chef services and do some catering. Her clientele increased as word of her way with fresh, healthy, seasonal foods began to spread. Little by little Karen built her catering business and her reputation, preparing those first meals in what she describes as a “teeny, tiny rented kitchen space.” She credits her Sacred Heart education with giving her the self-assurance and work ethic to weather the stresses of developing a business (“I had a lot of nightmares that first year,” she says), and the acumen to surround herself with the right people. Now, Karen can take pride in the full-service catering company she has created as she pursues her goal of being one of the region’s premier caterers. “There is nothing that gives me more joy,” she says, “than creating beautiful food, inspired menus, personalized events, and lasting memories.”
When she is not in the kitchen or spending time with her family, you can find Karen building relationships with other women business owners — ”finding ways,” she says, “to support, encourage, and inspire and be inspired by other women in and around New Haven County.”
RECIPE FOR
MAPLE SAMBAL SALMON
INGREDIENTS 1
16-20 oz. salmon, cut into four filets
1/4
cup good quality maple syrup
2
tablespoons sambal oelek, or some simila
1-2
r chili paste
teaspoons soy sauce dash of salt and pepper
DIRE CTIONS 1. Season the fish with salt and peppe 2. In a saucepan, whisk together the maple
r.
syrup, sambal, soy sauce, and a bit of salt and pepper. Freshly grated ginger or crushed garlic would work well also! 3. Heat on medium until it bubbles, and let it cook for about 5 minutes to reduce a bit and get really thick. 4. Take off the heat and brush the salmo
n filets with the glaze. 5. Pop the salmon into the oven at 350˚f or about 10 minutes, or until the fish is firm
to the
touch and cooked to your liking.
Enjoy with radish or wasabi microgreen
FROM THE KITCHEN OF
s as a garnish!
Karen Lenahan ’02 [Small Kitchen Big Taste
]
Elizabeth Falcigno ’11
FOOD BLOGGER, RECIPE DEVELOPER, FOOD PHOTOGRAPHER
Elizabeth at work...cooking and blogging for her company, The Clean Eating Couple.
S
ix or seven years ago, in her early years in college, breakfast for Liz Falcigno was likely to be pastry with a side of super-sweet latte. While her big Italian family always ate well Liz says, she wasn’t paying much attention to what she was eating when she first went away to school. “I was doing the typical college kid routine,” she says, “but, after a while, I realized that I was just not feeling right.” She started working out, avoided junk foods, traded sugary breakfast cereals for oatmeal, and within a few weeks, she began to notice a difference. In 2013, when she moved home to transfer to Quinnipiac University, Liz started a blog to chronicle her shift to healthier food choices. As friends and family began asking for advice and food suggestions, she experimented with recipes in her family’s kitchen, and continued building
the blog while in school full-time and interning at Subway’s corporate headquarters. After graduating with a degree in marketing in May of 2015, Liz took a paid position at Subway and then moved to a job with an ad agency. As her blog readership grew and food brands began to notice her work, she realized the business potential in food blogging and recipe development. “In 2016, I made a commitment to myself,” she says, “that, within a year, I would make the blog and website my full-time job.” In order to achieve her goal, Liz had to teach herself food photography, getting up at 4:30 in the morning to practice her photography skills while she was also working on recipes and creating twice-a-week blog posts.
RECIPE D ALMOND LEO SALTE A P FOR OWNIES BUTTER BR INGREDIENTS 1
cup almond
2
eggs
cup honey melted coconut oil, tablespoons 2 t nilla extrac teaspoon va 1 wder cup cocoa po 1/4 ng soda ki teaspoon ba 1 king powder teaspoon ba 1 e chips cup chocolat 1/2 drizzling d butter, for poon almon es bl ta 1 arse sea salt tablespoon co 1/2
1/2
12
d
butter, melte
Her hard work paid off. Liz left the corporate world in January and now devotes herself full time to her company: The Clean Eating Couple (thecleaneatingcouple.com). The other half of the couple is her boyfriend, Tyler Marino, who taste tests and assists with photo shoots. Liz posts three new recipes each week, and has an audience of fifty thousand monthly blog readers, plus another forty thousand who follow her on various social media outlets. The website generates income through ads and sponsored content. Liz also works with food brands and retailers such as Whole Foods, using their products in some of her recipes and working with them on food photography and recipe development. She also does cooking demonstrations for specialty grocery stores. “I’m working all the time,” Liz says, “but I love it, especially the actual cooking. I feel very lucky that my path was so clear to me early on — I knew that I could not sit at a desk every day. And I would not be where I am without Sacred Heart, where I learned how to face challenges and was taught that there is nothing you cannot do or be if you focus and work hard.”
t a decadent bu Looking for e es th t? Try healthy trea ain uten and gr Gl ! es ni ow br olate oc ch ed with free but pack ur yo be to g in go — these are t! er dess new favorite
D IRECTIONS
1. Preheat ov en to 350˚ mix together almond butt er, eggs, hone 3. Stir cocoa y, coconut oi powder, baki l, and vanilla ng soda, baki ng extract. powder, and 4. Pour batter chocolate chip into a grease s to wet ingred d 8x 8 ba ki ng sea salt. ients. dish. Drizzle with additiona l almond butt 5. Bake at 35 er + 0˚ for 30 min utes until ed ges start to br the center — ow n. To test, insert a it should com toothpick in e out clean. 2. In a bowl,
Note: Nutriti
on facts (9 se
FROM THE KI
TCHEN OF
rvings) — Ca
lories 347; Fa
Elizabeth Fa
t 23g; Carbs
lcigno ’11
32g; Protein
8g
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Mary Kathleen Carofano ’97 FOOD BANK CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
A Connecticut Food Bank Mobile Pantry in Danbury. CFB mobile pantries operate year-round, serving an average of 3,000 people each month, at more than 45 sites, bringing fresh produce, dairy products, breads, and nonperishables to communities where transportation or other factors may affect access to food assistance.
M
ary Kate Carofano, chief development officer at the Connecticut Food Bank (CFB), wants everyone to understand that hunger is a problem in all corners of Connecticut. “Either we don’t want to believe it,” she says, “or we are too busy living our own lives to realize that one in every eight people in Connecticut struggles with hunger, and one in six children is unsure of if, when, and where they will get their next meal.” While she was a student here, a Sacred Heart service project in the Bronx was a turning point for Mary Kate. “One of the Sisters I looked up to was going and suggested I sign up. It was by far the best decision I could have made,” she says. “I knew then that I wanted to become more involved with community outreach.”
MARY KATE WOULD LIKE YOU TO
HELP END HUNGER IN CONNECTICUT
1overall in 8 1in 6 children experiences food insecurity
is the largest centralized source of emergency food in Connecticut each month serves
148,000
people through its own and member programs
last year distributed enough food for
After obtaining her degree in sociology at Albertus Magnus College, Mary Kate undertook roles in development and management in the non-profit sector, including positions with the American Cancer Society, the National Kidney Foundation, and the Arthritis Foundation. At Connecticut Food Bank, she is responsible for individual and major giving, corporate development, special events, volunteer oversight, school-based programming, and the organization’s communications and marketing initiatives. Since much of Mary Kate’s work involves direct fundraising — CFB raised more than eight million
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dollars last year — her friends and family often wonder how she asks people for money every day. “My answer is simple,” she says. “I don’t ask people for money. I ask that they become involved in our mission. How can anyone say no to providing essential food to those in need?” She notes that 42 percent of food-insecure families in CFB’s six-county service area do not receive federal food assistance such as SNAP (food stamps), free or reduced school meals, or WIC (the supplemental nutrition program for women, infants and children) because they earn more than the qualifying income limit. “But,” she points out, “these are our neighbors who are too often torn between paying the utility bill or the rent, and putting food on the table.”
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million meals a recent study showed
Volunteers are central to CFB’s mission and, under Mary Kate’s leadership, the volunteer base has grown in the last year to over five thousand individuals — many of whom have connections to Sacred Heart.
OF THE FOOD INSECURE FAMILIES IN CT
42%
in CFB’s service area DO NOT receive assistance from federal food assistance programs
73%
had to choose between food and utility bills
63%
had to choose between food and rent
68%
had to choose between food and medical care
Mary Kate’s connection to Sacred Heart remains deep. “The Apostles of the Sacred Heart are members of my extended family,” she says. “They taught and modeled compassion. They taught me to give without want, and to love without judgment. Their door is always open. In helping to feed the hungry, I carry the lessons of Sacred Heart in my work every day.” If you want to help in any way (volunteering, donating), contact Mary Kate Carofano directly at mcarofano@ctfoodbank.org or 203.469.5000, x303.
Food Offers Service and Learning Opportunities
SERVICE TO OTHERS IS CENTRAL TO THE MISSION OF SACRED HEART. WE FEATURE SOME OF THE SERVICE AND CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES THAT FOCUS ON ALLEVIATING HUNGER IN OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL AS AROUND THE WORLD.
Grace Jinks ’21 doing her part, one meal at a time as a Rise Against Hunger volunteer.
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CLELIA’S CUCINA
O
nce a week, right after classes are done for the day, a dozen or so students gather in the school’s cafeteria, which on that day becomes Clelia’s Cucina (that’s Italian for “kitchen”). With food donated by the students, their families, and school faculty and staff, the crew makes sandwiches and bags them along with snacks, fruit, drinks, bits of inspiration, and often, homemade baked goods. After being decorated, the bags are driven to a homeless shelter on Grand Avenue in New Haven. “Gathering around a table is central to our identity as a Catholic school,” says Sr. Elizabeth Doyle, ASCJ, co-director of Campus Ministry. “There is a Eucharistic component, and we know that in feeding others, we are nourishing ourselves. No matter where someone is in her faith journey, this kind of service is universal.”
Students (left and above) pack lunches for a New Haven homeless shelter.
The crew makes sandwiches and bags them along with snacks, fruit, drinks, bits of inspiration, and often, homemade baked goods.
O STUDENTS AND FAMILIES SERVE THE DOWNTOWN EVENING SOUP KITCHEN
16
n most Sundays, you will find several Sacred Heart students and family members preparing or serving dinner (and sometimes doing both) at the Downtown Evening Soup Kitchen (DESK) in New Haven. Begun this past October under the auspices of Campus Ministry, working at DESK offers a service opportunity that is both meaningful and fulfilling. “Talking to people whose lives are usually very different from theirs can be eye-opening for our students,” says Blair Destito ’06, co-director of Campus Ministry, “and it’s good to have parents there to help guide their daughters through the experience.” She notes also that serving at DESK has inspired some students to think about developing additional ways to serve. “One freshman noticed that there were pregnant women at the soup kitchen,” Blair says, “and has begun to think and pray about how she can best help make a difference for that population.” So far, about fifty students have been involved with DESK, and we look forward to offering the opportunity for this corporal work of mercy next year.
RISING AGAINST HUNGER
O
n Saturday, March 10, the Sacred Heart Academy cafeteria was transformed into a mini food-packing factory, as over a hundred members of our community — students, friends, families, Sisters, faculty and staff — packaged thousands of meals to distribute to those in need through the auspices of Rise Against Hunger. Groups partnering with Rise Against Hunger are asked by RAH to raise funds for the cost of the meals (the supplies for one meal, provided by RAH, cost 29 cents) and then to organize the packaging on a
$3,000 raised
10,152
meals packaged
29¢ cost of
supplies for one meal
date of their choosing. A Lenten service project, the meal packaging took place on the 157th birthday of Mother Clelia Merloni, making the activity even more meaningful. With the nearly $3,000 raised, the Academy was able to donate and package 10,152 meals. “Mother Clelia would very much enjoy knowing that this is how we spent her birthday,” says Sr. Elizabeth Doyle, ASCJ, co-director of Campus Ministry. “While we won’t be able to arrange to have it on her birthday every year, we do plan to make Rise Against Hunger an annual Lenten event.”
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TASTING CULTURE PREPARING FOR A LIFETIME OF HEALTHY LIVING
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tudents in French teacher Anna Bouteneff’s classes create restaurant menus and food-related dialogues that they perform in class. In some of her classes, students translate English recipes into French and video themselves as if they were doing a cooking show.
Left, Catherine Herrick ’19 learning how to make mooncakes, eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival.
Spanish teacher Kathryn Marlow de Núñez says, “Teaching language is not just about grammar and vocabulary. To truly understand a language, one must understand the cultures in which the language is spoken. Food is central to culture. Different traditions are seen both in the food that makes the meal and in the rituals of the meal itself. My students explore aspects of language learning through food-related projects.” One of her recent projects involved “La Ruta del Café.” After examining the origin, history, route to the Americas, production, and use of coffee, each student selected a different natural product, followed its “ruta” (route), and explained how it could be used for ecotourism. The products chosen included foods such as avocado, chocolate, coconut, guava, mangoes, maple syrup, strawberries, and vanilla.
According to Mandarin teacher Xiuying Tan (pictured above), many Chinese people use the phrase “Have you eaten yet?” as a greeting. Food is central to Chinese culture, with each region having its own distinct dishes. Using a textbook chapter that contains dialogues about food and how to order it, Xiuying has half the students in her Chinese III honors class choose their preferred recipes (most are southern Chinese style), translate the recipes from Chinese to English, cook the food, and bring it in to share. The other half of the class rewrites a dialogue in Chinese and uses their classmates’ dishes to act out the dialogue. The class gathers in the cafeteria for the eating and the acting, and each student says a few sentences in Chinese to describe and give feedback about the food.
Although we do not have much information about the details of ancient Roman food practices, students of World Language Department chair and Latin teacher Jessica Kapteyn, Ph.D. learn about the social aspects of food in Roman life. She explains, “In Latin III, students read several works that discuss the convivium, or dinner party. Through their translation, students learn about dining culture in Rome and how the convivium — from the entertainment provided to the food served — was used as a way for Romans to both display and reinforce their social and economic status.”
“This project provides students the opportunity to learn what real Chinese food is, how to use chopsticks, and Chinese dinner table rules,” Xiuying says. ”Food and cooking methods can explain history and culture and how regions interact. China has diverse cultures and many kinds of food. For instance, in the north, dumplings are a must have for Chinese New Year, but not in southern China. Food is an integral part of celebrations in all regions of China. But no region of China serves fortune cookies!”
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Learning how to make healthy food choices is part of the curriculum in Kim Cramer Curbow’s ’81 health classes. She teaches students the importance of good nutrition and how to analyze their current eating patterns. They learn how to create achievable goals for lifelong good eating habits — such as balancing their calories throughout the day, incorporating essential nutrients into their diet, being good consumers when purchasing food, and understanding terminology (organic, MSG, low fat, low calorie). Kim says, “We discuss transitioning into being in charge of one’s own food choices, for example, when moving to a college campus.” Kim uses a variety of approaches to educating students about healthy eating. Students examine the personal factors that go into forming eating habits — such as family and cultural influences, and emotional connections to certain foods — as well as external issues such as food costs and availability. Upper-level students create seven-day meal plans that take into account factors such as essential nutrients, calorie counts, and individual food preferences. And, with so many contradictory and confusing messages circulating, she notes that students spend time critiquing websites to learn how to find accurate information about food and nutrition. Eating disorders and the myths surrounding them are also important topics. “It is essential that our students recognize the messages they are bombarded with about body image,” Kim says. “Teaching high school girls has changed in many ways over the years because of societal issues and influences such as social media. What has not changed is the willingness of Sacred Heart Academy students to discuss the important issues that affect their daily lives.”
REMEMBERING
SR. MARY JANE PAOLELLA, ASCJ, ’65 March 6, 1947 – March 26, 2018
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It is rare to pinpoint a single defining moment and a specific person who pointed you in a direction that led to where you are today. For me, that person was Sr. Mary Jane and that moment was in high school biology class. She encouraged me to apply for my first research grant as a junior in high school, kickstarting my career in science. Thank you, Sr. Mary Jane, for all that you have done for me and for countless other students. You accomplished so much in your lifetime. Your legacy will continue to inspire me and so many other young women. Jojo Corrales-Kean, Ph.D., ’93
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eloved Sister, alumna, teacher, colleague, and friend, Sr. Mary Jane Paolella, ASCJ, ‘65, died peacefully on March 26 at Sacred Heart Manor. Sister influenced the lives of countless young women both
here at Sacred Heart, where she served from 1990 until her passing, and at Cor Jesu Academy, our sister school in St. Louis. After graduating in 1965 from Sacred Heart Academy, Sister entered the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, our sponsoring congregation, the following September. She professed first vows in August 1967 and perpetual vows in August 1973. In June 2017, she celebrated her 50th Jubilee with her Sister Apostles, family, and friends at Mount Sacred Heart Chapel. Sr. Mary Jane earned a bachelor of arts in biology from St. Louis University and a master of science in biology from the University of Bridgeport. During her fifty years as a vowed Apostle, she faithfully ministered in Missouri, New York, and Connecticut as a religious superior, administrator, science department chairperson, and teacher. Sr. Mary Jane was a dynamic and innovative educator who was renowned, highly respected, and loved by students, administrators, and faculty. With help from a research team at Yale University, she pioneered a program for Sacred Heart that introduced a new field to high school education — gene sequencing — bringing a national spotlight to our school. A trailblazer throughout her years here — with several of her own articles on biotechnology published in scientific journals — she was most proud that her students have 29 sequences published in GenBank, the U.S. national genetic database, and that so many have entered the field of science. “Sr. Mary Jane was a mentor to me from the day I arrived,” said chemistry teacher Elizabeth Christophy, Ph.D. “She is largely responsible for providing our students the opportunity to work in professional laboratories and present at scientific conferences, and we credit her with forever changing our school and our community.” In addition to the research-oriented courses, Sister taught “Genetic Ethical Issues,” combining her scientific prowess with her formation as an Apostle. She developed this course to fill the void found in most high school and college science departments. Sr. Mary Jane once said, “Sacred Heart prides itself on the formation of the whole person, so it is fitting that our young women learn to combine their moral and academic education.” Sarah Egan ’99 said, “Few see science and religion as anything
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Sr. Mary Jane’s course is where I first
I’ve struggled to find the words. How do
Sr. Mary Jane had such respect and
learned molecular biology. So interested,
you celebrate a one-of-a-kind soul while
reverence for the conscience of each of
I went on to get a degree in diagnostic
acknowledging that cancer is such a
her students. You did not have to agree
molecular genetics and now work in a
soulless disease? I’ve spent my career, one
with her but you had better have a clear
molecular lab. Sister’s work at Sacred
that Sister kickstarted, fighting diseases.
and logical explanation for your opinion.
Heart led me to where I am today. I’ll
And my passion is again renewed by
What a gift to all of us!
forever be thankful.
Sister. Whether in class, in the halls, or
Sr. Luisa Villegas, ASCJ, ‘93
Angela Marchetti Yannes ‘04
after school, she was a positive force, the embodiment of love and compassion. My
but implacable foes. Sr. Mary Jane bridged the divide, finding glory in both.”
life is a million times richer because you were a part of it. Thank you, Sr. Mary Jane. Tara Cocchiarella Barreira ’02
For nearly twenty years, Sr. Mary Jane served on the Human Investigation Committee of Yale University School of Medicine, which reviews biomedical research to ensure that it is being conducted ethically. “Sister was the calming influence and always a voice of reason in science and ethics discussions. Her influence will have a
forever impact on me and on many others with whom she served on the board,” said Amy Nizen Blakeslee ‘85. Sr. Mary Jane was honored both locally and nationally for her groundbreaking work in genetics, biotechnology, and bioethics.
Sister has left a legacy of accomplishments and an insistence that we continue to move forward. “We know that the best way to honor her is to live as Excelsior women — Ever Higher every single day. Her enthusiasm, empathy, scholarship, kindness, integrity, and humility will continue to inspire us,” said President Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ‘71. “We are blessed to have learned from her. May she rest in peace and know how much she was loved.”
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3.
A RESOUNDING SUCCESS
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n November, we launched the public phase of Ever Higher — The Campaign for Sacred Heart Academy with nearly two hundred members of the Sacred Heart Academy community in attendance at the “Up, Up, and Away” kickoff event. The entertainment included a rendition of “Up, Up, and Away” by students and a performance of “This Holy Fire,” written and arranged for Sacred Heart by Eric Buggie, P ’20. David Thompson of David Thompson Architects, based in New Haven, presented renderings of the new space and spoke to the involvement of each of our constituencies in the planning process. Campaign committee member Tracy Salemme Church ’79 expressed the reasons she and her husband, Ed, supported the initiative and the need for support from all. President Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71 reminded the group that “our time is now.”
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We are pleased to report that our $5 million goal has been reached. On June 1, 2018, we celebrated the groundbreaking of our new school center! Thank you to lead donors — Megan McLeod Hernandez ’74 and her husband, Rick; The Maximilian E. & Marion O. Hoffman Foundation, Inc.; Hon. Robert Nastri, Jr. and Kathleen Nastri, Esq., P ’08, ’10, ’14, ’18; grandparents Lambert and Joan Schommer; and all who contributed to making this new chapter a reality. We are also grateful for the leadership of campaign cabinet members Sallie Vece DeMarsilis ’82, Karen S. Harris, P ’10, Francis Lamboley, Esq. and Elaine Mastagni Lamboley ’60, Stephen and Nancy LaPointe, P ’18, Sr. Mariette Moan, ASCJ, ‘77, campaign consultant David Garamella of The Giving Collaborative,
campaign director Debbie Camner, and campaign administrator Alora Caraglio Coppola ’08. Kudos to the alumnae, parents, past parents, and friends who serve on our campaign committee. Our new school center will be an educational, social, and cultural hub that enhances our sense of community, with a striking new entrance, and new student commons with art gallery. The president, principal, and admissions team will be housed in the new wing, and the alumnae relations office and alumnae board room, showcasing our heritage, will be an integral part of the new building. As a result of the building expansion, current facilities will be improved and enhanced for faculty, staff, and administrators, and the Guidance Department will relocate. The commons area will feature comfortable space for
Challenge Match Initiated by Megan McLeod Hernandez ’74 Drives Campaign to the Finish Line After graduating from Sacred Heart in 1974, Megan McLeod Hernandez continued her education at Smith College and Stanford Graduate School of Business. Even with those extraordinary college and graduate school experiences, Megan considers her years at Sacred Heart to be among the most rewarding and important in her life. Megan now lives in California. Together with her husband, Rick, she responded to the opportunity to help young women benefit from a Catholic education at Sacred Heart with an initial campaign leadership gift of $250,000 to Ever Higher — The Campaign for Sacred Heart Academy.
Even with extraordinary college and graduate school experiences, Megan considers her years at Sacred Heart to be among the most rewarding and important in her life.
students to study, unwind after school, and create strong bonds. The newly designed main entrance is also about safety, allowing for full control of visitors, including the management of guests. By investing in the security of our building and grounds, we are providing an environment in which students and faculty can feel safe. We are pleased to share renderings from David Thompson Architects on these pages. David and his team are working with members of the Sacred Heart Academy Advisory Council’s building and planning committee to ensure the best possible execution of the plans. We will continue to update you on the progress and invite you to be a part of the ribbon cutting ceremony in September 2019 (details to follow). We ask for your continued prayers for God’s guidance as we see this project to fruition.
In the spring, to help drive the campaign to the finish line, Megan created a dollar-for-dollar challenge grant — up to $150,000 — that allowed us to achieve our $5 million campaign goal. This challenge gave donors the opportunity to multiply the impact of their gift, so all gifts, regardless of size, had the potential to do far more good. We are so grateful to Megan and Rick Hernandez for creating this challenge — the first of its size in the history of the Academy.
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EXCELSIOR LIVES DIANE CADRAIN ’67 Diane teaches felting at several Connecticut locations, including the New Britain Museum of American Art, and works with a partner to instruct clients at Hartford’s Chrysalis Center on the art of patchwork quilting. Chrysalis serves people who are homeless, mentally ill, unemployed, veterans, victims of domestic violence, and those struggling with substance abuse. “The people who use the Chrysalis Center live in a very different socioeconomic world than mine and have different mental capabilities. I had to get used to this reality. I’ve now come through that learning curve to a realization that the Chrysalis clients are not that different from any other people in my life. My Chrysalis hours are some of the most joyous of my week,” Diane notes. While many of the students are beginners needing frequent assistance, there are now a few who are more experienced and who are able to help their less-experienced classmates — a development she calls “gratifying.”
Diane Cadrain ’67 working in her home studio.
O
ne of four girls, Diane Cadrain watched her oldest sister graduate with the last class of “Greene Street Girls” at the original Sacred Heart campus in New Haven and then go on to begin her life as a postulant with the Apostles of the Sacred Heart. “Our parents required my sisters and me to write Linda a letter every Sunday afternoon,” Diane remembers. “I felt I had nothing to say, but wrote anyway. From that experience, I learned to take words out of my head and put them on paper. In that way, Linda’s entry into the convent made me a writer.” After graduating from Albertus Magnus College in 1971, Diane moved to Columbus, Ohio, to complete a master’s degree in English at Ohio State University. She then married her husband, Joe, and moved with him to Washington, D.C. to study at the Georgetown University Law Center. When she and Joe returned to Connecticut, Diane worked as a staff attorney for the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities
until the birth of her daughter, Julia, in 1982 prompted her to take a work-from-home job writing and doing legal research. Over the next ten years, Diane gave birth to two more daughters, Leah and Lucia, and rediscovered a childhood passion — fiber arts. “The ultimate acts of physical creation — pregnancy and birth — inspired me to continue creating, but with my hands,” Diane says. “My first creations were banners celebrating their births. Then I moved to patchwork quilts, Halloween costumes, clothing, potholders, curtains, and tablecloths.” Recently, Diane also learned the art of felting. Now, she receives positive feedback on her fabric creations, and awards and recognition, including first place in the 72nd Annual Connecticut Artist Exhibition at the Slater Museum in Norwich, and Best in Show at the Cape Cod Art Association’s 2017 National Juried Exhibit. She has been featured as a guest artist and contributor at local galleries, and her work has appeared in several art collection books.
Diane believes this spirit of giving was first planted during her years at Sacred Heart. She recalls how the Sisters supported and nurtured her in a way previous public school teachers had not. Though Diane has explored several spiritual paths since graduating — marrying a Jewish man, raising her daughters in both Catholicism and Judaism, and ultimately merging many of her Catholic beliefs into her current participation in a Unitarian congregation — she still seeks to live by Jesus’ words. “One of the core Catholic concepts I retain is that of the goodness of Jesus, not only as reflected in His own life, but as reflected also in the lives of others. ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me,’ ” she says. “And it is that spirit, received from Sacred Heart, that animates me. Or, in the words of Mother Clelia Merloni, ‘Caritas Christi Urget Nos.’ ” You inspire us, Diane Cadrain ‘67, this issue’s Excelsior Woman!
We hope you enjoyed reading about an exceptional alumna who inspires us. This column is dedicated to Sacred Heart Academy’s Excelsior Women. Nominate your Excelsior Woman by emailing alumnae@sacredhearthamden.org. 24
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT CASEY NADZAM ’21
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hen freshman Casey Nadzam took the stage during last November’s Sacred Heart Academy musical, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, she was already a seasoned actor at age 14. Having performed in White Christmas, The Music Man, and Annie, among others, as well as several cabaret
productions, Casey brings a wealth of experience in the performing arts.
Somehow, Casey manages to balance her dedication to the arts and service with her responsibilities at school... her drive, determination, and focus on a goal are rare, especially in people her age.
Casey’s first stage appearance was in a community theater production when she was just six years old. In the eight years since, she has amassed hundreds of hours of performance time and thousands of hours of dance, voice, and acting lessons in New York. A typical week for Casey involves a time commitment of more than eight hours of lessons, and more when she has shows scheduled. She also dances competitively for Performing Arts Studio Be, another activity that demands frequent rehearsals. “I train a lot,” Casey says. “I take dance classes five times a week at Studio Be in North Haven as well as in New York at Dance Molinari, Retter Entertainment, and Broadway Dance Center.”
She also takes vocal lessons with renowned voice coaches Michelle Natalino and Bob Marks. When asked what motivates her, she describes dreams of a future in acting. “I want to attend college at Julliard, and even perform on Broadway. But for that to happen, I need to work hard.” Casey also uses her talent for several charitable causes, most notably performing in a production in San Francisco that tackled the plight of teen bullying. “The event was such a great experience,” she remembers. “It started over the summer when I did an anti-bullying show called ‘Peace, Love, and Cupcakes.’ It’s about a middle school girl who is bullied for being different but finds her voice and stands up to the bully in the end. The production was sponsored by No Bully, a great non-profit organization that helps combat the effects of bullying. About a month after the production closed, No Bully selected three cast members to go to San Francisco to perform in their event, Broadway Against Bullying, and I was one. At Broadway Against Bullying, there were performers from the Broadway shows Hamilton, Groundhog Day, and more. All of the performers were incredible. We were the only kids there, so we were nervous, but after we performed we got a great round of applause. In February, I performed in New York in another one of No Bully’s events.” Casey has also performed in an event called Lyrics for Life and participated in a music video to raise awareness for suicide prevention. Last year, she teamed up with other young Broadway enthusiasts to sing at a children’s hospital. Somehow, Casey manages to balance her dedication to the arts and service with her responsibilities at school. “I have to be conscientious when making a decision about doing a show to make sure I won’t miss school,” she says. Casey’s drive, determination, and focus on a goal are rare, especially in people her age. We are confident that they will carry Casey far and are eager to see what bright lights are in her future.
Student Spotlight appears in each issue of HEART, profiling students who excel in unique ways. If you would like to nominate a student for Student Spotlight, please email bgriffin@sacredhearthamden.org. 25
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CLASS OF 2018
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Sacred Heart Honors Top Five! Valedictorian Eunji Lee, a National Merit Finalist, served as president of National Math Honor Society, treasurer of National Honor Society, and captain of Moody’s Mega Math Challenge. A member of French National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Art Club, Key Club, and Mock Trial, Eunji represented Sacred Heart at the Southern Regional and All-State music festivals. Eunji received the Yale University Book Award, the University of Rochester Xerox Award for Innovation and Information Technology, and the National Center for Women in Informational Technology Aspirations in Computing Award. She earned silver and bronze on the National French Exam, was an AP Scholar with Distinction, and was a semi-finalist in the USA Biology Olympiad competition. She has won awards at the CT Science and Engineering Fair, the Institute of Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Competition, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and she was selected to the Yale “Discovery to Cure” program to work in the Clinical Chemistry Department.
Salutatorian Amy Zibron was a member of National Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society, Math National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Art Club, Moody’s Mega Math Challenge, Math League, Medical Researchers Club, Mock Trial, and orchestra. An AP Scholar with Honor, Amy earned gold, silver, and bronze medals on the National Latin Exam, was awarded the University of Rochester Bausch and Lomb Science Award as a junior, and twice placed second at our science fair. A volunteer at Yale-New Haven Hospital for two summers, Amy also served as a volunteer at the CT Science and Engineering Fair, and as a Math and Science National Honor Society peer tutor. During summer 2017, she traveled to Alaska for a pre-college environmental conservation study with Brown University. Amy will attend The Honors College at University of Vermont and major in animal and veterinary sciences.
Eunji will major in computer science at Stanford University.
Third in her class, Arushi Khanna was a member of National Honor Society, National Latin Honor Society, Math National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Book Club, Classics Club, Math League, Medical Researchers Club, and Moody’s Mega Math Challenge. Awards and certificates include AP Scholar with Honor, National Merit Commended Scholar, Harvard Book Award, and summa cum laude and gold medals on the National Latin Exam. The Moody’s Mega Math Challenge team, which she captained, placed in the top 200 out of 1,121 teams, across the nation. Although her first love is Latin, Arushi speaks Hindi and has been teaching herself to write Hindi and learn German. She is an active volunteer at Connecticut Food Bank, Derby Public Library, and Griffin Hospital. Arushi will attend Case Western Reserve University where she will double major in classics and biomedical engineering on the pre-med track.
Fifth in her class, Audrey Seyfried was a member of National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, Photography Club, Stage Crew, Yearbook, and Campus Ministry. She was also on the golf team. Audrey served as an assistant teacher in The Angels of Mary Program and volunteered with disabled and non-disabled children at Milford United Sports. She interned at Orchid Design,
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Fourth in her class, Maia Jakubowski was a member of National Honor Society, Math National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, Art Club, Key Club, Medical Researchers Club, and Peer Connection. A four-year varsity tennis player serving as captain this year, Maia also competes as a member of the U.S. Tennis Association (USTA). Honors include the Gettysburg College Book Award, magna cum laude on the National Latin Exam, honorable mention at the Connecticut State Science Fair, and participation in the Congressional Arts Competition. An accomplished artist (redbubble.com/people/MaiaJak), Maia is also a recreational piano player and piano performer. As a rising junior, she shadowed a surgeon and currently provides patient care as a volunteer at Midstate Medical Center. Maia will attend Boston College where she will major in biology.
where she learned to design and fabricate medical tools and learned computer-assisted design (CAD) software. Awards include the St. Michael’s College Book Award for Academic Achievement with a Social Conscience, silver and gold medals on the National Spanish Exam, ranking on the Global Mathematical Talent Probe, and Environmental Sciences Medalist with second honors at the CT Science and Engineering Fair. Audrey will attend the University of Tennessee at Knoxville as an architecture major.
Class of 2018 College Acceptances Adelphi University Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Albertus Magnus College Allegheny College American University Anna Maria College Arcadia University Arizona State University Assumption College Auburn University Barry University Becker College Bentley University Biola University Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania Boston College Boston University Bowling Green State University Brevard College Bridgewater State University Bryant University Bucknell University Butler University California College of the Arts Carnegie Mellon University Carthage College Case Western Reserve University Central Connecticut State University Champlain College Coker College Colgate University College of Charleston College of the Holy Cross Colorado State University Connecticut College Cornell University Curry College Davidson College Dean College DePaul University DeSales University Drexel University Duquesne University East Carolina University Eastern Connecticut State University Elms College Elon University Emerson College Emmanuel College Endicott College Fairfield University Fairleigh Dickinson University Fashion Institute of Technology Flagler College Florida Atlantic University
Florida Gulf Coast University Fordham University Franklin Pierce University Full Sail University Gardner-Webb University George Mason University Georgia Institute of Technology Gettysburg College Goucher College Grand Canyon University Hampton University Hofstra University Indiana University Iona College Ithaca College James Madison University Jefferson University John Jay College of Criminal Justice Johns Hopkins University Johnson & Wales University Juniata College Kean University Keene State College Kenyon College King’s College La Salle University Lasell College Lee University Lehigh University Lesley University Louisiana State University Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Maryland Lynchburg College Lynn University Manhattan College Manhattanville College Marist College Marquette University Maryland Institute College of Art Marymount Manhattan College Marywood University Massachusetts College of Art and Design Massachusetts College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences Merrimack College Michigan State University Middlesex Community College Monmouth University Montclair State University Mount Saint Mary College New York University Nichols College North Carolina Wesleyan College Northeastern University Northern Michigan University Northern Vermont University
Norwich University Ohio University Otis College of Art and Design Pace University, New York City Pennsylvania State University Plymouth State University Pratt Institute Providence College Quinnipiac University Regis College Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Rhode Island School of Design Ringling College of Art and Design Robert Morris University Rochester Institute of Technology Roger Williams University Rowan University Rutgers University Sacred Heart University Saint Anselm College Saint Francis University Saint Joseph’s University Saint Michael’s College Saint Peter’s University Salem State University Salve Regina University San Diego State University San Francisco Art Institute School of the Art Institute of Chicago School of Visual Arts Seton Hall University Seton Hill University Sewanee, The University of the South Siena College Smith College Southern Connecticut State University Springfield College St. Edward’s University St. Francis College St. John’s University St. Lawrence University Stanford University State University of New York at Albany State University of New York at Cortland State University of New York at New Paltz State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry Stetson University Stonehill College Stony Brook University Suffolk University Syracuse University Temple University The Catholic University of America The College of Saint Rose The George Washington University The New School The University of Alabama
The University of Arizona The University of Scranton The University of Tampa The University of Texas at Austin Trinity College Union College University of Alaska, Fairbanks University of Arkansas University of Bridgeport University of Connecticut University of Dayton University of Delaware University of Hartford University of Kentucky University of Maine University of Maine at Farmington University of Maryland University of Massachusetts, Amherst University of Massachusetts, Boston University of Mississippi University of New Hampshire University of New Haven University of North Carolina at Asheville University of North Carolina at Charlotte University of North Carolina at Wilmington University of North Texas University of Pittsburgh University of Rhode Island University of Richmond University of Rochester University of Saint Joseph University of San Diego University of South Carolina University of Southern Maine University of Southern Mississippi University of St. Andrews University of Tennessee, Knoxville University of Vermont University of West Florida Utica College Valparaiso University Virginia Tech Wagner College Wake Forest University Wesleyan University West Virginia University Western Carolina University Western Connecticut State University Western New England University Wilkes University Winthrop University Worcester Polytechnic Institute Xavier University Xavier University of Louisiana York College of Pennsylvania
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Four years ago you walked through these doors and became SHA girls. Today you leave as Excelsior Women and enter a world that is FINALLY ready for you. Tara Cocchiarella Barreira ’02 2018 Commencement Speaker
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ı AROUND THE ACADEMY ı
Avishan Montazer and Claire Donelan Named 2018 SCC Scholar Leaders Avishan Montazer ’18 and Claire Donelan ’18 were selected to represent Sacred Heart Academy at the Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) 24th Scholar Leader Banquet. At the event, 46 scholar leaders, two from each member school, were recognized for outstanding scholarship and leadership in their respective schools and communities.
AVISHAN MONTAZER ’18 non-profit Couture for Charity. Her involvement was inspired by her mother’s nine-year battle with breast cancer. She serves as director of social marketing and hopes to continue partnering with this organization while in college. During the summer preceding senior year, Avishan interned at AXA Advisors, researching mutual funds and variable annuities, and reviewing initial projections of life insurance. Avishan says that her leadership positions at Sacred Heart have taught her to work well with others and how to lead. She will attend the University of Connecticut where she will major in materials science and engineering. This remarkable young women is sure to leave her mark. Avishan is a strong-minded and enthusiastic individual. She is also a natural and compassionate leader, an innovator, a voice for her peers, and a shoulder when they need it.
CLAIRE DONELAN ’18
Outside of school, Avishan volunteers with the
In the classroom, Claire views her most challenging course as her most enjoyable one. She was named to the Sacred Heart honor roll all four years and was a member of the French National Honor Society. A four-year varsity field hockey and lacrosse athlete, Claire captained the lacrosse team junior and senior years and the field hockey team during senior year. In the fall, she was named to the All-State first team and the All-State academic team for field hockey. In her community, Claire is on the board of the National Charity League, where she has served as tea chair, father-daughter chair, corresponding secretary, and vice president; currently, she serves as president. Claire was recognized with the Wendy’s High School Heisman Award, which honors the accomplishments of the best high school seniors in the nation. These students share the values of giving back to their communities, treating people with respect, and excelling in the classroom and on the athletic field.
During her time at Sacred Heart, she has taken six AP classes and two UConn Early College Experience (ECE) classes. She earned high honors all four years, and is a member of National Honor Society, and the Math, Science, and Spanish National Honor Societies. During sophomore year, Avishan placed second on the National Spanish Exam, and as a junior, third. Avishan was a member of Student Council all four years, this year serving as president of the executive board. She was co-president of Key Club, a member of Peer Connection and Prom Committee, and had leads in the musical in junior and senior years. For her sense of community spirit and academic excellence, Avishan earned the Villanova Alumni Association Book Award as a junior.
A member of Student Council all four of her years at Sacred Heart, Claire also served as class president sophomore, junior, and senior years. As a senior, she was co-president of our Random Acts of Kindness (RAOK) Club and was an active member of the Pro-Life Club, Key Club, and French Club.
Claire spends summers working as a lifeguard and camp counselor at Fairfield Beach Club, where she enjoys working with elementary school children. Some students raise the bar. They work harder, show more passion, and lead by example in the classroom, on the field, and in their communities. Claire is one of those students; she leads with confidence, inclusivity, and focus, and others follow.
In the fall, Claire will enroll at the University of Tennessee and there is no question that her voice and presence will make an impact. She plans to major in business or marketing and communications.
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ı AROUND THE ACADEMY ı
Haley Bothwell ’18 I Our 2017 - 2018 Scholar-Athlete “The lessons I have learned on the track and in the classroom have helped me discover who I am and what I want to work for. The hard work and perseverance I have put into my classwork and training has helped me to become a strong, independent, Excelsior Sacred Heart woman. The friendships I have made and the challenges I have faced will be the keys to my success in my future endeavors.” Haley Bothwell ’18
All-State twice, won eight state championship medals and holds four school records, went to Nationals and Penn Relays…just outstanding,” said coach Pat Redding. “And her sportsmanship was always as exemplary as her performance. It has been my pleasure to coach her for eight seasons.”
Congratulations to senior Haley Bothwell, this year’s Scholar-Athlete. Recognized for her cumulative grade point average, varsity sports participation, community service, selfdiscipline, integrity, and leadership, Haley was honored at the 35th Annual Connecticut High School Scholar-Athlete Awards dinner in May. “Haley is so much more than the sum of her grades, her test scores, and her extracurricular activities,” said guidance counselor Anna Patel. “She is a young woman with a moral compass and an ability to make everyone around her better.” A member of the National, Science, and French Honor Societies, Haley earned high honors and was a 4.0 scholar-athlete all four years at Sacred Heart. She served as both indoor and outdoor track captain, was twice named to the All-SCC first team and twice to the All-State first team, and was this year’s Southern Connecticut Conference (SCC) winter scholarathlete selection. As a member of the 2016 and 2017 sprint relay teams, Haley helped to bring national recognition to Sacred Heart; both teams made it to the national championships, a first in our athletic history. “Achieving success in track requires hard work, discipline, time, and effort. Haley consistently applied these values to her sport and to her academics. She was named
Haley volunteers at Oxford Public Library, helping organize story time for young children and craft time for adults, and serves as a Girl Scout troop leader. She is also a talented musician, who has played flute for 12 years and was the orchestra’s flute section leader for four years. She was twice selected to participate in the Connecticut Music Educators Southern Connecticut Festival and is also skilled in piccolo, guitar, piano, and saxophone. In addition, Haley was an active member of Peer Connection, Key Club, STAR Programmers Club, Photography Club, and French Club during her time at Sacred Heart. Having been accepted early decision, Haley will attend Johns Hopkins University in the fall. She joins a distinguished group of young women at Sacred Heart — scholar-athletes who have taken on the challenge of our rigorous academic program while excelling in athletics. Always representing Sacred Heart in the best possible light, Haley consistently worked hard in the classroom, in orchestra, and on the track, and she inspired her classmates, teammates, teachers, and coaches to always bring their best.
Academy Celebrates Newest Sister Antonine Signorelli, ASCJ Scholars Incoming freshmen with the highest entrance exam scores and those who demonstrate outstanding academic potential are selected to receive the Sister Antonine Signorelli, ASCJ Memorial Scholarship each year. Established in 1993, the scholarship honors the life, philosophy, and achievements of the Academy’s founding principal. These students display
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strong academic success with promise of future accomplishment, and, they truly affirm the Academy’s motto, Excelsior. This year, we welcome four new Antonine Scholars: Mehr Chhatre of Hamden; Isabelle Giaquinto of Hamden; Nikita Khanna of Derby; and Molly O’Neill of Fairfield.
Our newest Sister Antonine Scholars and their families attended a March reception held in their honor, hosted by the admissions office and current Antonine Scholars. Sacred Heart is proud of these young women and all members of the incoming Class of 2022.
Leadership Coach Speaks to Key Club
Drama Club Shines at Connecticut Drama Association Festival
Vivian M. Ciampi, principal at Professional Coaching, LLC, a leadership and communications coaching firm, recently addressed more than two hundred members of the Sacred Heart Academy Key Club. The interactive presentation focused on leadership, with discussions on gratitude, confidence, and communication. Keely Greiner ’18 offers her impressions: “Vivian Ciampi is a confident and eloquent speaker and a leader in her field, teaching with experience and leading by example. Her talk was engaging and relatable, and she drove home her point of understanding before being understood through compelling stories from her life and others.” Providing leadership/strategic coaching and workshops since 2014, Vivian helps professionals communicate clearly and effectively in the workplace. Clients include: ITT, Travelers Property Casualty, Zurich Insurance, Harvard Business School, and Fairfield University. An adjunct professor at Central Connecticut State University and Quinnipiac, where she teaches business communications and personal effectiveness, Vivian has published articles in more than twenty journals and industry sources. She holds a master’s in business administration in finance and marketing from UConn and a bachelor of arts in economics from Fairfield University. Key Club, established in 1990, has the largest club membership at Sacred Heart, and serves the school in numerous ways. Director of Admissions Elaine Lamboley ’60, who has served as the club’s moderator for all 28 years, notes that members are instrumental during Open House, when they give tours and assist with presentations in classrooms. They also visit dozens of feeder schools throughout the fall with the admissions staff. “Key Club members are essential in promoting the school,” she says. “Speakers like Vivian Ciampi help them build the leadership skills they need as our school ambassadors, as well as in other areas of their lives.”
Students perform at the Connecticut Drama Association Festival in March. In March, the Drama Club performed a one-act play, Stories I Ain’t Told Nobody Yet, at the Connecticut Drama Association (CDA) Festival. Established in 1936 and one of the oldest state secondary school theater organizations in the country, CDA offers students and teachers a wide variety of educational theater experiences in which to grow and learn. Inspired by the poetry of Jo Carson, the play included an original song composed by sophomore Christina Casper. The Connecticut Drama Festival is the culmination of theater activities for CDA. This statewide gathering of secondary school thespians includes drama groups from schools from all over Connecticut who converge to perform their best work, share techniques and insights, make new friends, and immerse themselves in an enriching theatrical experience for an entire weekend. Although the festival features awards for outstanding dramatic achievement in many areas, the festival’s focus is not on competition, but on enrichment and community in a celebration of theater. The weekend includes workshops in lighting,
costume design, and other technical fields, as well as acting and directing workshops that help students, teachers, and other interested thespians hone their crafts. Our Drama Club received the Eve Ensler Award for their play about female revelations, healing, and deep emotional truth. Individual performance awards were given to junior Samantha Dorsi, sophomores Miranda Buckheit and Christina Casper, and freshman Cecilia Dondorful-Amos. The ensemble included seniors Sophie Camizzi and Meredith McConnell, juniors Clare Bassano, Genesis Brito, Caroline Godbout, and Catherine McEachern, sophomores Christeena Aaron, Megan Harkins, Justine Junga, and Abby Noniewicz, and freshman Alexa Davidson. The production was stage managed by junior Amanda Hopkins and designed by junior Yanling Fang. Drama Club moderator MaryLee Delaney offered praise for the students. “I am so inspired by the courage and talent of this company,” she said. “We will return in 2019 for another joyful experience, thanks to the support of our administration.”
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ı AROUND THE ACADEMY ı
Seniors Recognized for Excellence in Arts
Sacred Heart Legacy Strongly Represented in Class of 2022
The Connecticut Association of Schools (CAS) annually honors two seniors from each member school who excel in the performing and visual arts while possessing the qualities of scholarship and leadership. Congratulations to Brittany Barbour ’18 and Amelia Rozear ‘18 who were selected for excellence in the performing arts and visual arts, respectively. We are proud of these students and thank them for their many contributions to the arts at Sacred Heart.
Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Seminar Selections Classmates from 1995 with their incoming freshman daughters were excited to reunite at Incoming Freshman Orientation. Left, Isabelle Giaquinto ’22, Megan Walsh Giaquinto ’95, Kimberly Gryga Johnson ’95, and Paige Johnson ’22.
Left, Emily Carchia ’20 and right, Alyssa Harduby ’20. Each year, one sophomore is chosen by the Social Studies Department to represent Sacred Heart at the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership (HOBY) Seminar, and a second sophomore is chosen as alternate. Selection is based on essays on leadership. This year’s delegate is Emily Carchia ’20, with Alyssa Harduby ’20 serving as alternate. Founded in 1958, HOBY has a mission of inspiring and developing our global community of youth to lives dedicated to leadership, service, and innovation. HOBY seminars are conducted annually throughout the United States, bringing in both local and international high school students. These seminars allow select students to participate in unique leadership training, service-learning, and motivation-building experiences. We congratulate Emily and Alyssa.
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Legacies from the incoming Class of 2022 were recognized this winter at the annual orientation for incoming freshmen. Ten class members have mothers who are alumnae and four have grandmothers who are alumnae. Twelve class members have one or more sisters who are current students or graduates of the Academy (14 sisters in all). Members of the entering class come from 25 towns and 36 feeder schools. “Sacred Heart legacy is again strongly represented in this class. We are particularly struck with the number of alumnae who are sending their daughters to Sacred Heart. The presence of these young women at the Academy is a testament to the importance that families place on the
The following members of the Class of 2022 are Sacred Heart Academy legacies: Ava Bauknecht, granddaughter of Lucille Esposito Sette ’52 (deceased); Elizabeth Carchia, daughter of Regina Heimann Carchia ’88; Hayly Caruso, daughter of Cori Campion ’98; Jenna Davis, daughter of Christine Tyszka Davis ’92; Alia Della Rocco, granddaughter of Breamand Gamberdella ’68; Claire Flanagan, daughter of Mary Bauer Flanagan ’87; Isabelle Giaquinto, daughter of Megan Walsh Giaquinto ’95; Gianna Gregoriades, granddaughter of Francesca Cianciolo Gregoriades ’70; Ella Guth, daughter of Kellie Ciaburro Guth ’88; Paige Johnson, daughter of Kimberly Gryga Johnson ’95; Taylor Patton, granddaughter of June DeBowes Patton ’65; Emma Quaranta,
values learned here, and their desire to ensure that the Sacred Heart tradition continues,” said Director of Admissions Elaine Lamboley ’60 in welcoming the Class of 2022.
daughter of Marci Garofalo Quaranta ’87; Emma Riemann, daughter of Maricele Cornejo Reimann ’90; and Ava Szerszen, daughter of Danielle Pettola Szerszen ’96.
Eunji Lee Named National Merit Finalist Eunji Lee ’18 received notification from the 2018 National Merit Scholarship Program that she has been named a finalist in the competition. Finalists have outstanding academic records throughout high school, are endorsed by their school principal, and earn SAT scores that confirm their earlier qualifying test performance. Approximately half of all finalists will be selected as Merit Scholarship winners, earning the title of Merit Scholar. In the fall, Eunji will attend Stanford University, where she is looking forward to exploring her interests in research, science, and technology while continuing to share her music. Congratulations, Eunji. Sacred Heart is proud.
Watch Out for Leader of the Pack We are happy to announce the Sacred Heart fall musical, Leader of the Pack! This Broadway hit musical celebrates the life and times of Ellie Greenwich, whose doo-wop sounds skyrocketed to the top of the ’60s charts. The story of Ellie’s rise to fame and fortune is punctuated with a hit parade of her music — “Chapel of Love,” “Da Doo Ron Ron,” “Be My Baby,” “Hanky Panky,” “Do Wah Diddy Diddy,” “And Then He Kissed Me,” and, of course, the title song, “Leader of the Pack.” Chosen because of the many opportunities for strong female roles and dancers, Leader will be performed at the Shubert Theater during the second week of November. Director MaryLee Delaney is looking forward to beginning the rehearsal process, joined once again by the award-winning choreographer Janet Gambardella Bracale ’77 and producer Kim Cramer Curbow ’81.
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Mother Clelia Merloni Is One Step Away from Sainthood The Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus announce with great joy that the miracle attributed to the intercession of their Foundress, Mother Clelia Merloni, was recognized with a unanimous affirmative vote at the Ordinary Session of Cardinals and Bishops for the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. On January 27, 2018, Pope Francis cleared the path to her beatification by approving the miracle attributed through her intercession. The only remaining step is the establishment of the date of the celebration by Pope Francis. Sr. Clare Millea, ASCJ, ’65, former Superior General for the worldwide congregation of the Apostles, said, “For 12 years I visited all of the communities and ministries of the Apostles in countries throughout the world and I was always impressed by the many people who were speaking about Mother Clelia — not just Sisters but lay people, priests, and others. It was wonderful to see the love and inspiration she brought to so many with her story. So I was overjoyed to find that she will now belong to the universal Church and can stand as an example of a beautiful way of holiness by expressing the heart of Jesus to others.” The approval by Pope Francis was the final phase of the process recognizing the miracle under examination by the Congregation for the Causes of Saints. The Holy See originally opened Mother Clelia’s cause for canonization in 1988; she was declared Venerable Clelia Merloni in December 2016 by Pope Francis. The congregation of the Apostles of the Sacred Heart of Jesus was founded by Mother Clelia Merloni in 1884 in Viareggio, Italy.
VISIT US @ sacredhearthamden.org 35
ı AROUND THE ACADEMY ı
Diversity Week Embraces the Many Cultures at Sacred Heart SHAdes of SHA is a student organization that promotes recognizing diversity and building unity through education and the celebration of differences. The organization hosts an annual Diversity Week, culminating in a school-wide diversity assembly that includes a cultural performance, a speaker, and the much anticipated cultural fashion show. This year, we welcomed Mexican folk dancers from the Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Yale, and Syrian architect and artist Mohamad Hafez. Founded in 1998, Ballet Folklórico Mexicano de Yale is a group of undergraduate students dedicated to the expression of Mexican culture and traditional folk dance. As the only Mexican folk dance group on Yale’s campus, Ballet Folklórico seeks to enrich students’ cultural knowledge and to serve as a resource for the greater community. Performing dances inspired
by the traditions of various Mexican states, Ballet Folklórico prides itself on representing one of the most unforgettable parts of Mexican culture. Mohamad Hafez, born in Damascus, raised in Saudi Arabia, and educated in the midwestern United States, presented a lecture and slide show about his life and art. His art is both deeply personal and political, reflecting the turmoil in the Middle East through the compilation of found objects, paint, and scrap metal. Own Your Story, the theme of this year’s fashion show (some participants pictured above), celebrated the diversity of cultures at Sacred Heart and around the world. More than thirty students and faculty members dressed in clothing reflecting their cultural backgrounds for the always anticipated fashion show.
New Website Launched! The Sacred Heart Academy website has a new look. Advancement Associate Alora Caraglio Coppola ’08 and the communications team have built the new site through OnMessage, a Blackbaud product that complements OnCampus, our current learning management system for students and faculty. The new site features a complete redesign that is fully responsive, allowing users optimal viewing whether they are browsing on a desktop, tablet, or smartphone device.
! UPDATEDts
r for even √ Registe ations on d e ak √M at’s NEW √ See wh lendar ca ew N √ t ic conten am yn D √
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Reading and navigation is easier than ever. Website users can now register for events, make donations, or find out what’s new at Sacred Heart with minimal resizing, panning, and scrolling. The site also has single sign-on for parents, students, and teachers. Check out the new calendar and more dynamic content at sacredhearthamden.org. We are still building new pages and adding information, so visit us often.
Reaccreditation Process Moving Forward Every ten years, independent schools in New England undergo a comprehensive evaluation based on the published Standards of Accreditation of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The purpose of this process is the reaffirming of institutional accreditation.
Dean of Students and new teacher mentor Sr. Judith Musco, ASCJ, ’61 and Dean of Studies and safety chair Annette Vasaturo, P ’02, ’05, ’11 serve as NEASC chairs. President Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ’71, Principal Sr. Kathleen Mary Coonan, ASCJ, ’76, Dean of Academics Sibani Sengupta, Ph.D., P ’16, Director of Mission Advancement Debbie Camner, and faculty member Susan Vitale round out the NEASC steering committee.
(mission), Susan Nelson (program), Anna Patel (enrollment), Bobbie Davis and Sibani Sengupta, Ph.D., P ’16 (evaluation & assessment), and Sr. Lisa Retort, ASCJ (governance) serve as standards chairs.
The Academy first began the reaccreditation
Kerry Alexander, P ’21 (experience of the students), Barbara Badore, P ’10 (resources to
We have completed the first phase, the selfstudy, which engaged our entire community in structured analysis, self-reflection, and planning in response to the NEASC standards. The final document, which includes recommendations and commendations, will be submitted to the visiting committee in July 2018. The team will be
process in spring 2017. During the academic year, faculty, staff, and parents worked diligently on the research and writing phase for each of the standards and have now completed the required self-study component.
support program), Maria Cammarota (infrastructure), Cheryl Celentano, P ’21 (administration), Alora Caraglio Coppola ’08 (communication), Kim Cramer Curbow ’81 (health & safety), MaryLee Delaney (faculty), Holly Fink
on campus in the fall for the peer review phase, in which the committee — made up of personnel from peer schools — observes and evaluates, informed by the self-study and based on the NEASC standards.
Please enjoy this feature where, in 265 words or so, we capture a snapshot of life at the Academy with words from a faculty or staff member, a student, or an alumna. Alora Caraglio Coppola ’08 ı Advancement Associate
I
t’s been ten years since graduation day for the Class of 2008 — since we emerged from the heavy, maroon doors of the Philip
Paolella, Jr. Recreational Center, each clutching a single red rose and a pristine diploma cover. The gilded Excelsior logo on each cover glistened in the sunlight and we tossed our caps in celebration of sisterhood and all that was to come in college and beyond. Now, ten years later, though paths lead far, I feel an appreciation and admiration for my sisters that I could not have articulated that summer after my senior year. My four years at Sacred Heart Academy provided a safe environment to learn about myself, my passions, my faith, my friendships, and my place in the world. For me, this June also marks the collective ten years I’ve spent
at the Academy, continuing to learn about myself, grow in confidence and in faith, and be nurtured and empowered by the Sacred Heart community. Joining the Office of Mission Advancement six years ago recommenced my personal journey here. I came home to a place full of memories and lessons taught. One in particular from former English teacher Allyson Wuerth remains with me — that our writing is never finished. A paper can always be revisited and revised, she explained, echoing Leonardo da Vinci who said, “Art is never finished.” I am forever grateful to be back home at Sacred Heart Academy, continuing to explore and grow into the woman I am meant to be. Graduation did not mean that my journey was finished, only that I was ready for the next chapter.
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ı MISSION ADVANCEMENT ı
A Ship-Shape Voyage of Generosity SACRED HEART’S 2018 AUCTION
Anchoring their hearts in giving — Front, from left, Anne and John Cropp, P ’18, Sr. Sheila, Mary ’84 and Earl Tucker, P ’07, ’08, ’10, ’13, Susan Horvath, P ’18. Back, from left, Kathleen and Bob Nastri, P ’08, ’10, ’14, 18, Nancy LaPointe, P ’18, Karen Harris, P ’10.
With event chairs Steve and Jackie Fitzgerald, P ’16, ’18, ’22 (pictured above), and their talented steering committee at the helm, a fabulous evening was had by all at this year’s auction. Held at Anthony’s Ocean View, a wonderful seaside location, we Set Sail with Sacred Heart Academy and Anchored Our Hearts in Giving amid great company, stunning decorations, delicious food and libations, and one-of-a-kind items available for bid.
scholarships, raised $70,000.
Close to three hundred guests gathered and nearly $155,000 was raised to benefit our students. Again this year, the mobile technology Text2Bid was used for the silent auction, offering an alternative to the traditional bidding process. The live auction was the most spirited ever, garnering $50,000. Hands Up for Heart, always the most memorable part of the evening because it supports need-based
Many thanks to our generous alumnae, parents, students, and friends for helping in so many ways to make our signature benefit a success. What a great crew! — with all hands on deck. You donated beautiful items, volunteered, contributed to Hands Up, purchased raffle tickets, and attended the auction. Thank you for strengthening our community and helping to raise vital funds to support scholarships.
Thank you to Honorary Chair Jocelyn Maminta, P ’19, co-anchor of Good Morning Connecticut and WTNH News8 medical reporter; master of ceremonies Brian Smith, AM1220, WQUN host, for charting our funfilled “sail”; and Eric Hummel, for returning as auctioneer for the fourteenth consecutive year and ensuring that we “anchored our hearts in giving.”
Eric Hummel, our auctioneer
Sailing to success — Auction Chair Jackie Fitzgerald, P ’16, ’18, ’22 with Gift Chair Donna Sandillo, P ’20. 38
A GREAT SUCCESS For the fourth consecutive year, we participated in #GIVINGTUESDAY, the global day of giving that kicks off the giving season for everyone, everywhere. Encouraging personal philanthropy and charitable giving during the holiday season, #GIVINGTUESDAY embraces the Sacred Heart Academy spirit of service and community.
Enjoying the evening — Rita and Rick Brenchak, P ’18.
Advancement Associate Holly Fink is already planning for #GIVINGTUESDAY number five. “Fueled by the power of social media, collaboration, and love of Sacred Heart, our fifth #GIVINGTUESDAY promises to be an opportunity for our entire community to support us in making this one-day campaign the largest, most successful to date.” Mark your calendars for Tuesday, November 27, 2018. #SHAgives
2017
2016
@SacredHeart DONORS
DONORS
157
247
$ RAISED
$ RAISED
30,000
21,300
MEAN $ GIFT
MEAN $ GIFT
191.08
86.23
@globally DONORS
DONORS
2.5 million
1.56 million
$ RAISED
$ RAISED
300 million
168 million
# OF COUNTRIES
# OF COUNTRIES
150 +
98
MEAN $ GIFT
MEAN $ GIFT
120.40
107.70
Ready to set sail — Captain Sandy D’Ambrosio and Honorary Chair Jocelyn Maminta, P ’19.
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ı MISSION ADVANCEMENT ı
Heart to Heart Giving Day On February 14, Sacred Heart hosted a one-day campaign that gave our community the opportunity to honor a faculty member, Sister, or program that has made a difference in their lives. Valentines of recognition were sent to those honored and, throughout the day, donors shared stories, memories, and photographs on our social media platforms. Thank you to those who participated in and donated to our first Heart to Heart Giving Day.
Morgan Dubay ’20 and Annette Vasaturo, P ’02, ’05, ’11
I wanted to share that I will always remember all that Sr. Mary Jane Paolella, ASCJ, ’65 did for me when I was a student. I wouldn’t be who I am, or where I am today, if it were not for her. My son is named MJ, and someday when he’s older, I will explain to him that many people think MJ stands for Michael Jackson or Michael Jordan, but for me, MJ is a different star, a different hero… Sr. Mary Jane. Sister inspired me and countless other Sacred Heart students, and if I ever influence just one young woman in the positive way she has influenced me, I will call that an achievement. Jojo Corrales-Kean, Ph.D., ’93
Mrs. Annette Vasaturo, P ’02, ’05, ’11, dean of studies, is one of the most genuine people I have ever known and I feel blessed to have her in my life. She is calming, generous, and lively! She is extremely passionate about her faith and inspires me every day to become a better Catholic and a better version of myself. I cannot begin to thank her enough for everything she has done for me at Sacred Heart Academy. Morgan Dubay ’20
Mission Advancement Team Members Present at ACAAP In March, Office of Mission Advancement team members Alora Caraglio Coppola ’08 and Holly Fink presented at the Association of Catholic Admissions and Advancement Professionals (ACAAP) spring conference at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. The ACAAP biannual conference gathers advancement and admissions professionals from across New England for professional development and networking opportunities. This presentation, titled “Content Management: How to Ensure Online Communications are Advancement Driven,” discussed creative strategies for maximizing digital engagement with students, parents, alumni/ae, and friends through a careful streamlining of messages. They led an informative session emphasizing the importance of segmentation and personalization of messages across social media platforms and email marketing campaigns. Alora and Holly have presented on multiple occasions at ACAAP regional and area conferences on social media, school branding, one-day giving campaigns, and online communications. They have been invited to speak at the Archdiocese of Hartford’s “Creative Conversations” event, to be held in the fall, about best practices for social media for schools.
The Sacred Heart Academy In 2007, former principal Sr. Ritamary Schulz, ASCJ, ’59 established the Heritage Society to give alumnae, their families, and other friends an opportunity to make bequests to Sacred Heart Academy. Charitable bequests may include cash, stocks, real estate, or other property. We welcome open discussions with you or your attorney, accountant, or financial advisor on the specifics of including Sacred Heart Academy in your estate plans. Please contact the Office of Mission Advancement at 203-287-8181, x318 for further information. 40
Answering the Call This year, parents, alumnae, and friends were encouraged to “Answer the Call” when National Honor Society students made phone calls to support the Annual Fund. Advancement Associate Holly Fink worked with Laura Mocciola ’18 to coordinate forty student volunteers over 12 evenings during the fall and winter. More than $20,000 was pledged, and meaningful exchanges took place between students and donors. Alumnae returned to campus in late spring to hold the alumnae phone-a-thon, reaching out to those celebrating reunion years. Alumnae “answered the call” by responding generously. The Sacred Heart Academy Annual Fund donation is the most important gift you make each year because it supports the entire Sacred Heart experience and communicates your confidence in our mission, vision, and program. Gifts have an immediate and direct effect on today’s students and an immeasurable impact on their future. If you have not yet donated, please do so today. All gifts made by June 30, 2018 will be credited to the 2017-2018 Sacred Heart Academy Annual Fund and published in the fall issue of HEART magazine in the Honor Roll of Giving section.
The Promise of Excellence The Promise of Excellence, a booklet providing information on how to support endowed and named scholarships, is available. It describes the ways in which gifts to the Sacred Heart Academy Endowment Fund help reduce tuition for recipients and secure the dreams of talented young women who qualify to attend the Academy, regardless of their ability to pay. This booklet encourages donations in any amount to the Endowment Fund and explains that donors have the option of establishing named scholarships with gifts of $15,000 and more. Scholarships are more than dollars — they are priceless investments in our students and they strengthen our community. RECENTLY ESTABLISHED NAMED SCHOLARSHIPS The Mary-Ann P. Haran Memorial Scholarship Fund established by the Quinn family
Please contact Debbie Camner at 203-287-8181, x318 to request a copy of The Promise of Excellence or for information on contributing to the Endowment Fund or establishing a Named Scholarship.
First Friday FUNd established by Philip DeGennaro & Mary Stanton DeGennaro ’81, Mary Gaffney Dunn ’80, Marguerite Heffernan Everett ’81, Sandra Ramadei Fillion ’80, Jeffrey Granquist & Frances Pellegrino Granquist, Esq., ’80, Judith Keating Killoy ’81, Nancy Navarretta ’80, Bernard Pellegrino, Esq., Susan Pursell, M.D., ’80, Kathleen O’Neill Regan ’81, and Ann Kelleher Winch ’81 Mary & Joseph Attianese Scholarship Fund established by Joan Attianese ’63
Hearts Community
Janet Garrison Criscio, Class of 1969 Memorial Scholarship Fund established by Sherri M. Matteo ’69
HONORARY, MEMORIAL, AND
COMMEMORATIVE DONATIONS Did you know that you can make a tax-deductible donation to Sacred Heart Academy in honor or memory of someone, or to commemorate an event or milestone? We will notify the individual or family of your contribution and publish it in the Honor Roll of Giving section of HEART
of the
magazine.
Award Nomination Form
The award will be presented during a Mass of Celebration on Friday, December 7, 2018. A reception will follow for family and friends of the recipient. We invite nominations for the Hearts of the Community Award. Nominees may be alumnae, friends of the Academy, and former or current parents and faculty. Please submit nominations to: Sacred Heart Academy, Office of Mission Advancement, 265 Benham Street, Hamden, CT 06514 or alumnae@sacredhearthamden.org using this form.
For more information, contact the Office of Mission Advancement at 203-288-2309, x318.
Name of nominee _______________________________________________________________ Phone _______________________________ Email ___________________________________ Address Affiliation:
______________________________________________________________________ Alumna_____
Parent_____
Faculty_____
Friend_____
Reason(s) for nomination _________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ Nominated by __________________________________________________________________ Phone _______________________________ Email ___________________________________ Address _______________________________________________________________________
sacredhearthamden.org
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in our
Jamie Coady ’94
Past and present members of the Alumnae Leadership Team celebrate Jamie. Recipient of the 2018 Hearts of the Community Award, Jamie Elizabeth Coady ’94, was honored at a First Friday Mass this past winter, giving students the opportunity to be part of the celebration. Recognizing Jamie’s compassion, commitment to community, and contributions to her alma mater, the Academy presented the award to this passionate and vibrant woman who has improved the lives of hundreds of young children. “Jamie was the ideal choice for the award. She is a longtime member of the Alumnae Leadership Team, and her insights and contributions are always welcome and respected. She epitomizes the meaning of Excelsior and strong bonds, and I am honored to call her my friend,” said Ann Criscuolo Pari ’67, P ’94. As assistant principal of John S. Martinez School in New Haven, Jamie is a highly skilled instructional leader with a strong commitment to the academic and social development of her students. Her ability to partner with students and parents, to assess needs, define preferences, and use specific instruction to facilitate growth and learning has taken her from the classroom to her current position. She has held positions including 21st Century Afterschool site coordinator, summer school building leader, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) school-wide coach, teacher facilitator, and administrative intern. “I always wanted to have a positive impact on the lives of others. As a child, I wanted to be a teacher. In college I went off path a bit; however, after some reflection and hearing what God was calling me to do, I returned to
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Jamie proudly displays her award with Sr. Sheila. my childhood dream. Now, I combine my leadership skills with my desire to serve children and give back to the community. I take each day as an opportunity to influence the lives of children, to be a positive role model, and to provide a safe space where my students can develop both their emotional and academic intelligence.” In addition to her training and certification in elementary education and educational leadership, Jamie has a BS in political science from Southern Connecticut State University, and an MS from SCSU in urban studies. Her achievements include: a nomination for the New Haven Public Schools TAPS Award in 2016 for her contributions to and support of students and employees, SCSU’s University Leadership Award, and appointment to the Connecticut State University Board of Trustees. Jamie served our Alumnae Association as recording secretary (2012 to 2014) and president (2014 to 2016). Simultaneously, she volunteered as recording secretary, vice president, and president of the East Haven Sons and Daughters of Italy. Her “extracurricular” interests include playing the piano, attending concerts, watching sports, and cooking. Jamie’s advice to current students: “Follow your heart. Sometimes, the journey won’t be as smooth as you anticipate, and you might make mistakes and find yourself doing what you never intended. That’s when you reach down inside and find the faith and determination that was developed here at Sacred Heart. You will find the path you are meant to be on, because you are an Excelsior woman!”
ı STRONG BONDS ı
RED & WHITE LINE 1953
Sylvia Olivo Fappiano has seven grandchildren, and her first great-grandchild was born in December. She is active in the Miller Senior Center in Hamden and sings with “Miller Melodies,” a group that performs at local assisted living centers and nursing homes.
1956
Nicolina Diana Gontarz became a greatgrandmother in March.
1958
Dorothy Miniter Bruno and her husband are enjoying retirement and are thrilled to have time to spend with their granddaughter.
1964
Susan Marchitto Ricciardi is a part-time tutor at West Woods School in Hamden. She retired as a teacher from the New Haven public schools in 2004.
1966
Johanna Coletta Fallert has been involved in environmental activism with the Dutchess County Progressive Action Alliance of New York since January 2017. Nancy Bretton Hannans and her husband, Albert, live in Waldorf, Maryland. They are the parents of two daughters and have five grandchildren. Nancy retired from teaching a few years ago and is grateful now to be able to pursue her passion as an artist. Her paintings celebrate the virtues of wise women. Rosemary Sullivan and her sister, Sharon Sullivan Norby ’61, live in Alton, New Hampshire.
1967
Marilyn Hunihan Kojkowski is happily retired in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. After several surgeries
in 2017, Marilyn exclaimed, “With patience and faith, I’ve been blessed with recovery and credit my strong bonds from Sacred Heart for enabling me to reunite with ’67 alumnae by celebrating my 50th reunion from afar. God bless the internet!”
1969
Mary Ann Kelleher Kiely received a master’s degree in pastoral ministry from Boston College, School of Theology and Ministry in May 2017. She is currently a chaplain at Beverly Hospital and she and her husband, Tim, and rescue pup, Gracie, live in Rockport, Massachusetts.
1976
Sherri Matteo, Ph.D. retired in May 2017 from Varian Medical Systems. She enjoys volunteering at local theatres, libraries, and the children’s division at Lucile Packard Hospital of Stanford University. “I am very happy and excited that I was able to establish a scholarship at Sacred Heart Academy in memory of my best friend, Janet Garrison Criscio ’69. I am also thinking of moving back to Connecticut!” she said.
Gail Fappiano Pritchard has been married to husband William for 37 years. They have three children: Meg, who lives and works in Boston; Laura, who was married in October 2016; and Jay — married to Leandea for three years — who recently had their first child, Millie. Gail is a triage nurse in Manchester, New Hampshire, and previously worked in the maternity ward at Elliot Hospital in Manchester for thirty years.
1973
1978
Sheryl DeCaprio Hershonik recently celebrated 39 years of teaching and leadership when she retired as a New Haven public school principal. Her school, Worthington Hooker, was named a National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence. This award recognized the school’s success in closing the achievement gap. Currently, Sheryl is coaching for the Higher Order Thinking (HOT) schools organization and is eagerly awaiting her first grandchild. She lives in Hamden with her husband of 33 years, Stan.
1974
Margo Flaherty Burke has retired from her social work career and now enjoys acting as director of confirmation at St. Mary’s Church in Clinton, where she oversees fifty teens each week. Margo takes art lessons in oil, acrylic, and watercolor. “My husband has not retired so my ‘retirement travels’ are not expansive; however, Lucille Mentone ’74 and I get up to the Berkshires for an overnight quite often,” she said.
Elizabeth “Beth” Barone Ranchinsky has a new grandson, Daniel Joseph.
1981
Maria Asis-Gilbride, M.D. received the Lee Burton Award for her work with medical students in the Ob-Gyn Program at Yale.
1982
Melissa Patton Sullivan is a new empty nester. Her oldest, Emily, is pursuing her master’s degree at American University. Abigail is working as an interventionist and is pursuing a master’s degree in elementary education at University of St. Joseph in West Hartford. Gregory is a freshman at Georgetown. “While I figure out the next phase of my life, I will be traveling with my husband, Tim, and enjoying my family and friends,” said Melissa.
1985
Let us know.... If you’ve moved, married, or changed your name, please contact us with your updated information. Also, share noteworthy accomplishments and/or events with fellow alumnae! Submit photos (jpg) and news to alumnae@sacredhearthamden.org. The subject line should read Red & White Line.
Anna Brodzik applied for and was granted the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act
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ı STRONG BONDS ı (WIOA) Scholarship to attend CCSU where she completed the Multicultural Multilingual Medical Interpretation Program. She is now waiting to take the exam for Certification Commission of Healthcare Interpreters (CCHI) credential.
1988
Jessica Hyde-Cadogan was promoted by Travelers in July 2017. Her daughter, a student at St. Matthews School, received her First Holy Communion in May.
1989
Donna Damm Dognin is co-founder and executive director of Veterans Strong Community Center, a non-profit information and resource center in Bristol. The center helps educate veterans and current service members, and connects them to benefits and resources. Donna has been a veterans’ advocate for six years, managing the center for the last two. She and husband, Adrian, and their two children, Luke and Amy, live in Terryville.
1991
Susan Cadella Collins is on the planning committee for the local Comedy for Cancer event. This year marks the fifth anniversary of this benefit.
Amy Harris Stamp opened Craftivate, a DIY art and craft studio for all ages that takes a relaxed, fun community approach to crafting and unlocking the creativity that lies within. Founded in 2015, the studio is located in Wallingford. Craftivate offers private parties, fundraisers, and events at the studio as well as at breweries, wineries, and other public venues. Visit the website at craftivatect.com.
2006
2001
Emily Petruccelli is environmental compliance manager at Bozzuto’s Inc., a wholesale distributor of food and household products. She is the mother of two boys.
2004
Tatianna Wisniewski Cariani is a third grade teacher in Hoboken, New Jersey. She and Matt were married in July 2016.
Samantha Lombardi Girardin married Daniel in October 2016 in Newport, Rhode Island. “My two best friends from Sacred Heart were there by my side. Strong Bonds! Alyssa Camire on my left and Lauryn Kosturko on my right,” she reported.
2007
2005
Jenna DeMarseilles Addison is a nurse practitioner in surgical oncology at Norma Pfriem Breast Cancer Center. She married in 2015 and her daughter, Elizabeth Anne, was born in May 2017.
1998
Virginia “Ginny” Bauer Tagliatela was featured in the North Haven Courier as Person of the Week for her work in special education. In the article, she credits her time at Sacred Heart Academy for her interest in persons with disabilities. “I had the pleasure of volunteering at Clelian Heights for two summers during my high school years,” she said. “That experience solidified my career choice. I’m forever grateful.”
2000
Kristen Kearney, Esq. was named a “Top Women of the Law” honoree by Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly. This accolade celebrates outstanding achievements of exceptional woman lawyers. She was also named a Massachusetts Super Lawyer “Rising Star” in both 2016 and 2017, an honor given to no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in Massachusetts. Kristen practices white collar criminal defense and complex business litigation at LibbyHoopes, P.C. in Boston.
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Ashley Abel, owner and founder of Ashley Abel Photography, took this photo at the wedding of Kalin Bilides Haley. Pictured here are Kalin and her husband and their parents depicting love that lasts through time. The sensational picture went viral on Yahoo News, ABC News, and other news outlets.
Mina Farahani graduated from Chicago Medical School in 2014. She completes her ophthalmology residency this month at Cook County Hospital in Chicago. In July, she will move to southern California with her husband and their dog, Cannoli, to complete a cornea and external ocular disease fellowship at the University of California at Irvine.
STAY CONNECTED Office of Alumnae Relations FOLLOW USING
SACRED HEART ACADEMY ALUMNAE
2013
Alexa Parisi completed a master’s degree in communications from Bryant University. She hopes to work in marketing, communications, or human resources within the food industry.
2015
Valerie Maignan and Melvin Campbell became engaged on November 11, 2016 at Sleeping Giant State Park. The will marry at Aria in Prospect this October.
Alexis Stamos is keeping busy with her two daughters, Parelea (6) and Maxine (2). Pictured here, they are attending Frozen on Ice: A Dream Come True, in Bridgeport. “It was a special winter treat from mom,” Alexis said.
Laura Kohrn Prescott is a project manager for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research projects at NYU Rory Meyers College of Nursing. She works with the faculty at NYU, Yale, and Emory.
2008
2010
Danielle Szymaszek is a drama teacher at Davis Street School, a pre-K through 8 arts magnet school in New Haven. Most recently the school put on the play Lion King Jr.
2011
Gabrielle “Gabby” Hummel recently participated in a service oriented spring break program.
2017
Katherine “Katie” Mackey attends Loyola University Maryland. She is a biology major in the pre-med program and hopes to work as a dock manager this summer.
Julia Berv recently graduated as a physician assistant and hopes to find employment in Boston, where she is living. Katherine “Katie” Winkle works at Yale-New Haven Hospital in the pediatric oncology unit.
Lauren Cirkot, a digital marketing manager in Wilton, is quite the international traveler. The photo depicts her in front of the world’s tallest building in Dubai. Lia Moreggi works as a partnership manager on the non-profit team at Alex and Ani. “There is a real need for corporate partners to take action and show support,” she says. Lia’s parents have been her inspiration since they, along with Lia, have worked with the Sunshine Kids Foundation for the past four years. Lia also served on the committee of the recent Kidding Around event at Boston Children’s Hospital.
ADEMY
SACRED HEART AC
KEEP IT IN THE
FAMILY
STRONGBONDS
Alumnae Cookbook! Calling all who bake, cook, or barbecue! The Office of Alumnae Relations is working on an alumnae cookbook! KEEP IT IN THE FAMILY by sharing your favorite recipes with your Sacred Heart sisters and our entire community. Currently seeking recipes in the following categories: “Around the World,” “Wooster Street Fare,” “Dinner in 60-Minutes or Less,” “Barbecue,” “Savory Sides,” “Salads,” “Desserts,” “Appetizers,” and “SHA Survival.” Please submit your recipe to alumnae@ sacredhearthamden.org, indicate your category, and include “Alumnae Cookbook” in the subject line of your email. Don’t forget to include your name and class year. More information in the next issue of HEART.
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ı STRONG BONDS ı 2017 - 2018
YEA R in R EVIEW SEPTEMBER • The Greene Street Girls Luncheon is still the talk of the town. Next year’s event will be moved to the spring; think Kentucky Derby hats.
• At the Reception for Legacies before Open House, Sr. Sheila O’Neill, ASCJ, Ph.D., ‘71 addressed the group and introduced legacy families. • All alumnae in attendance received a favor at the annual Wine Tasting event.
OCTOBER
NOVEMBER
• The Annual Musical is always a favorite event for alumnae. This year’s production was Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. Members of the Future SHA Alumnae Club (left) staffed the alumnae area and offered gifts to those alumnae who came to see the show. • Chapel Bells, always held on the Thursday before Thanksgiving, remembered our deceased alumnae and relatives at this annual memorial liturgy. • On Young Alumnae Return Day, following chapel, returning alums from the classes of 2014 - 2017 enjoyed cookies and hot chocolate. This year’s event was especially fun because of the additional time available for socializing with former faculty and classmates.
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DECEMBER
• Legacy Mass was attended by a record number of participants, including grandmothers, mothers, and aunts. • For the first time, Sr. Sheila challenged alumnae who do not live nearby to participate in the Alumnae Christmas Stocking Drive Challenge by bringing the idea to their communities. Alumnae from throughout the country responded to Sister’s Stocking Challenge, contributing hundreds of stockings to their local charities, while local alumnae prepared over two hundred stockings to benefit children in our area.
FEBRUARY • Administrators, students, faculty and staff, alumnae, and family joined in chapel to celebrate Jamie Coady ’94, this year’s Hearts of the Community recipient.
MARCH • At this year’s Wine, Cheese, & Chocolate Social, alumnae joined forces to create baskets to support the auction — Set Sail with Sacred Heart Academy & Anchor Your Heart in Giving. As always, alumnae in attendance at the auction were recognized and enjoyed connecting with other alumnae at the event.
APRIL/MAY
• A Regional Gathering for alumnae took place at the New York Athletic Club. Alumnae in the greater NYC area enjoyed connecting and networking. • The Class of 2018 joined the ranks of alumnae at Alumnae Induction, one of the most meaningful and longstanding of our traditions. 47
ı IN MEMORIAM ı Sacred Heart Alumnae Mary Ann Blondin Cassidy ’56
Mary Canty, mother of Molly Canty ’06
Marie Pace D’Amato ’52
Colette Cavaliere, mother of Carolyn Cavaliere Graziano ’81
Philip Lendroth, husband of Donna Ambriscoe Lendroth ’68, father of Rebecca Lendroth Hyland ’01
Fortunata “Tina” Coletta, mother of Johanna Coletta Fallert ’66
Walter Lipka, father of Michele Lipka ’88 Walter Lyons, father of Sarah Lyons Brandi ’89
Louis Conte, father of Patricia Conte Melillo ’67 and Laureen Conte Prota ’70
Robert MacDonald, husband of Joanne McDonough MacDonald ’64, father of Kristin MacDonald Ward ’88, brother of Debra MacDonald O’Leary ’81
Merylee DeLise ’65 Theresa Fay ’09, sister of Jessica Fay-Carrano ’00 Jennifer Kryznl Fleischer ’91 Barbara Anderson Granucci ’59 Dolores Matriciano Guzzio ’54
Joseph Cusano, Jr., brother of Grace Cusano Festa ’58
Anele Rumbin Harrington ’55 Patricia Danick Kakalow ’65 Jessica Keib ’12, daughter of April Fisco Keib ’87 Beverly Konopka Keller ’59
Leucio DiBrigida, father of Assunta DiBrigida Slane ’97 Michael Gagliardi, father of Dawn Gagliardi ’89 Philip Gannon, father of Mary Anne Gannon Tomlinson ’80 and Margaret Gannon Ferraro ’82
Judith Lenzi-Magoveny ’58 Sarah Sicignaro Nardi ’55 Sr. Mary Jane Paolella, ASCJ, ’65 sister of Anne Marie Paolella Ferris ’72 (deceased); faculty Lisa Valenti Scarpa ’76, mother of Kristen Scarpa ’07, sister of Cathy Valenti Freschi ’78, Carole Valenti Dupont ’80, and Anne Valenti Sypek ’84 Catherine Marro Spaziani ’54 Carole Turro Wulster ’63
Rosalie Gesino, mother of Cynthia Costello Blankenship ’83 Leonard Grabowski, father of Eileen Grabowski Stephan ’82 Marianne Haesche, mother of Melissa Haesche Lillis ’91 Priscilla Hauser, mother of Kristen Hauser Murphy ’90 Gerald Heffernan, father of Marguerite Heffernan Everett ’81
Sacred Heart Family Josephine Angeletti, mother of Nita Angeletti ’67
William Keating, Sr., father of Marybeth Keating ’78, Claire Keating Rich ’80, and Judith Keating Killoy ’81
Silvio Beltramello, father of Kathleen Beltramello ’68, Carol Beltramello Hough ’71, and Ellen Beltramello Greim ’75
Robert Klimczak, husband of Michele Buonocore Klimczak ’78, father of Grace Klimczak ’07
Deacon Robert Brunell, Sr., father of Mary Brunell Pursell ’82, Gloria Brunell Ybarra ’83, and Phyllis Brunell Lobo ’84
Mary Agnes Larson, mother of Kathryn Larson ’78
Norma Canning, mother of Cheryl Canning Smith ’69 and Dr. Normajean Canning Cefarelli ’78
John E. Leary, father of Kathleen Leary Roberge ’88 and Maureen Leary Minnick ’90 (deceased) Kathleen LeMay, mother of Denise LeMay Coogan ’85
Mary Manicone, mother of Rosemary Manicone Plachtyna ’78 Kenneth McCusker, father of Maureen McCusker Van Ness ’75, and Patricia McCusker ’76 Dr. Arthur McDermott, brother of Kathryn McDermott Clabby ’60 Mary Ann Mitchell, mother of Tracy Mitchell ’83 Dominick Pestone, father of Ramona Pestone Moore ’79 James Reidy, husband of Karen Walsh Reidy ’74, father of Bridget Reidy ’07, Clare Reidy ’09, and Deirdre Reidy ’14; advisory council member Joseph Reilly, husband of Vivian Carloni Reilly ’58, father of Meredith Reilly Lin ’91 Christopher Rynne, father of Christine Rynne Beirne ’89 Dolores Schierholz, mother of Frederika Schierholz Johnson ’74 Nicole Smith, daughter of Roberta Delay Smith ’53 Mary Stanton, mother of Mary Stanton DeGennaro ’81 Richard Stanton, father of Mary Stanton DeGennaro ’81 Anita Valente, mother of Geralyn Valente Beers ’81 Dennis Volpe, father of Tara Volpe Keating ’97
This memorial listing includes information as of April 15, 2018. Information about deceased persons received after this date will appear in the fall issue of HEART. Please contact the Alumnae Office when an immediate family member or a graduate has passed so that we can express our condolences and remember that person in prayer.
“On the Road” Alumnae Regional Gatherings We are looking of individuals to host Alumnae Regional Gatherings in Boston, Hartford/Springfield, Long Island, New Jersey, Rhode Island, or elsewhere! Contact alumnae@sacredhearthamden.org.
PLEASE VISIT SACREDHEARTACADEMY.ORG ALUMNAE PAGE FOR A CALENDAR OF OUR 2018-2019 EVENTS.
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PLEASE SUPPORT THE 2017 - 2018
SACRED HEART ACADEMY ANNUAL FUND
YOUR GIFT MATTERS. Your donation has an immediate and direct effect on today's students and an immeasurable impact on their future. To make a tax deductible gift online, or to set up a recurring gift, visit
sacredhearthamden.org/give
THANK YOU! Gifts received by June 30, 2018 will be credited to the 2017 - 2018 Sacred Heart Academy Annual Fund and published in the fall issue of HEART magazine’s Honor Roll of Giving section. sacredhearthamden.org
Sacred Heart Academy 265 Benham Street Hamden, CT 06514-2801 Address Service Requested