St. Xavier Magazine - Summer 2023 by St. Xavier High School

G R E A T E R

C I N C I N N A T I ’ S

J E S U I T

H I G H

S C H O O L Summer 2023

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE

Class of 2023

From the President

Tim Reilly ’76

Gratitude and joy are appropriate words for my president’s summer letter as we wrap up the 191st school year. I deeply admire and appreciate the collective talent, passion, and generosity in and outside the building that helps us achieve our mission. The 342 graduates of the Class of 2023 are strong evidence of success.

of learners are cultivated in an environment suffused with compassion and care for the whole person, then that school is a joyous and exciting place to be.” In his speech at graduation, Sam Warren ’23, enthusiastically proclaimed, “wearing a St. X shirt does not make us a Bomber or an advertisement for the school, being Men and Women for and With Others does.”

In her address to the Class of 2023 at graduation, Mrs. Therese Bower stated what a school should be, “a community of learners, a place where students and adults assemble to explore the richness of God’s creation within and beyond the school’s walls. When all the elements come together— intellectual curiosity, respect for diverse perspectives, independent thinking, reflection on the significance of things—when these dispositions and skills that characterize a community

In this edition, you will find example of the joyous and exciting events of the year and examples of the St. X community being Men and Women for and With Others and the generosity of the Long Blue Line. We celebrate many wonderful people- students, faculty, board members, volunteers- all those who make our halls a place of joy for the young men in our care. And of course, the ultimate joy, graduating 342 more members of the Long Blue Line, ready to make the world a better place.

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

With gratitude and joy,

Tim Reilly ’76 President

ADMINISTRATION Mr. Timothy J. Reilly ’76, President Rev. Walter C. Deye SJ ’66, Rector Mr. Daniel J. Lynch, Principal Mr. Robert G. Bollman ’86, Vice President for Operations & CFO Mr. Anthony E. Schad ’81, Vice President for Advancement

Inside this Issue

BOARD OF TRUSTEES Mr. Gregory G. Achten ’82 - Chair Elect Mr. G. Jeffrey Berding ’85 Mrs. Stephanie Bruemmer Mr. Robert E. Carroll ’76 Ms. Melanie Chavez Mr. Michael E. Dahm Rev. Walter C. Deye SJ ’66 - Vice Chair Mr. Brian J. Fitzgerald ’91 Mr. Lee P. Geiger ’93 Dr. Colleen M. Hanycz Rev. Paul A. Lickteig, SJ Dr. Patricia McAlpine Mr. Adam T. Mueller ’96 Rev. Gregory J. Ostdiek SJ Mr. Vivek Ramaswamy ’03 - On Sabbatical Mr. Andrew N. Recker ’97 Mr. Timothy J. Reilly ’76 Mr. Mark M. Ryan ’91 Rev. Matthew C. Spotts SJ ’04 Mr. Timothy J. Steigerwald ’83 Mrs. Linnell R. Sullivan Rev. Eric M. Sundrup SJ Mr. Nicholas J. Vehr ’77- Chair Mr. Madhu Vrishabhendra Rev. Nathan C. Wendt SJ

8 YEAR IN REVIEW:

12 WHERE ARE THEY HEADED:

14 GRADUATION SPOTLIGHT:

Activities and athletics celebrate accomplishments.

A map of the future for the Class of 2023.

Welcome to the Long Blue Line Class of 2023!

CONTRIBUTORS Jody A. Besse Joyce A. Bowman Eric N. Brass Mary Beth Bruns Cathy M. Cionni David V. Clapp Kathryn S. Dierckes Heidi B. Eveleigh Edmund L. Franchi Nathan E. Gabriel Eric M. Gammarino ’09 Grace E. DeGregorio Elizabeth A. Harris Cara L. Hester Robert R. Houston II ’23 W. Matthew Keith ’93 Nicholas B. Kemper ’06 J K Klaiber Wayne Box Miller Ralph A. Nardini ’77 Joseph M. Penno Brian S. Reinhart Aleth B. Rhoades Anthony E. Schad ’81 John A. Schrantz ’96 Stephen R. Specht ’86 Angelo J. Sylvester Andrew E. Sweeny ’68 Henry Velasquez-Solis ’24 Isaac M. Watras

EDITOR

Cover Photo: The Class of 2023 celebrates at the Cintas Center on May 25. Above Photo: The graduating class of 1973 celebrated their 50th reunion and welcomed the Class of 2023 to the Long Blue Line during the commencement exercises.

Becky Schulte

DESIGNER Jon Enia ’97, makercreative.com

PRINTING Joseph Berning Printing Company St. Xavier Magazine is published three times a year by the alumni, advancement and communications offices. St. Xavier High School 600 W. North Bend Rd. Cincinnati, OH 45224-1499 Phone: (513) 761-7815 ext. 121 http://www.stxavier.org e-mail: bschulte@stxavier.org

ALUMNI HOT LINE 1-800-572-5340 ext. 116 Direct all Letters to the Editor, address changes, or other correspondence to the above address. Postmaster: Send address corrections to: St. Xavier Magazine, 600 W. North Bend Road, Cincinnati, OH 45224-1499.

02 WE ARE ST. X

19 CELEBRATING A LEGACY THROUGH ENDOWMENT

06 VICE PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE 07 X-TRAVAGANZA: GOLDEN JUBILEE 16 PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE 17 STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

20 FACULTY FOCUS 21 ALUMNI X-CERPTS & X-PEDITIONS 25 CALENDAR

18 EXCERPTS FROM THE ARCHIVES Summer 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine

We are St. Xavier News and notes around the St. Xavier campus

Diversity, Equity, and InclusionYear In Review Wayne Miller

This past school year was another lived out opportunity for us to incorporate our Grad at Graduation principles with respect to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Not only did we have our first day long training post-COVID “Journey to Respectful Empathy”, but we continued to engage in classroom discussions regarding topics including the life Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., A Hero’s Journey and my personal experiences living through the riots of the 60’s here in Cincinnati. We presented our second annual Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s) round table with our college advising department with eight proud HBCU graduate parents who shared the benefits of an HBCU education.

Our Hands Across Campus (HAC) and Asian Pacific Alliance (APA) groups worked together to bring Mayor Aftab Pureval to campus to speak about his cultural heritage, successes, and challenges followed by a Q&A. He also remained afterwards to have lunch with HAC and APA students. Additional meaningful engagements included: • Hispanic Parents Presentation on blending into American culture. The parents were from Puerto Rico, Chile and Mexico and talked to our students about the challenges, and misconceptions they experienced. • We released our third cultural spirit wear T-shirts celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month in collaboration with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. • We created a partnership with our food services group developing menus that align with cultural holidays and celebrations like Women’s History Month that included a menu from African American Chef Lena Richards of New Orleans. This year saw an increase in DEI engagement within our community and the sharing of important information with our employees and students through multiple channels.

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

Career ConneXions Congratulations Bombers! You accomplished quite a bit through the Career ConneXions program: 116 hours of practice interviews, 110 hours of resume workshops, 63 business partners offering job shadows, mentoring and/or internships and 35 speakers during flex period. A big thanks goes the Career ConneXions student leaders, advisory board and all of the program partners for their time, talent, treasure and support of hundreds of Bomber students! To close out the school year, all students who took advantage of Career ConneXions joined an End-of-Year party this May. They got one last chance to network and thank the speakers that came in during flex, the businesses that offered them internships, job shadows and mentoring; and the volunteers who conducted one-on-one workshops. On behalf of the St Xavier Advancement department, a big thank you goes to the following volunteers who contributed to Career ConneXions: 2022-2023 Career ConneXions Student Leadership Team Colin Boscher Matthew Brady Isaac Chang Samuel Forbes Nathan Garay Christine Dauenhauer Matthew Langenderfer Henry Leuenberger Kyle Macasilli-Tan Ben Manfroy

Luke Mangano Ben Meehan Eligio Rhoades Caleb Robertson Antony Santaga Jack Schaltz Adam Schwanekamp Maxwell Schwanekamp Evan Sharp Nikolas Wibowo

Career ConneXions Advisory Board Rhonda Arledge Pat Connaughton Laura Curry Christine Dauenhaur Ed Franchi Eric Gammarino

Bill Hunt Bill Maltbie Chris McCoy Tim McDonald Tony Schad Christie Warren

Thank you to all our Partners and Speakers who gave their support!

Fine Arts Signing Day This spring 26 seniors celebrated their future plans in the Fine Arts at the Fine Arts signing day. We appreciate their contributions to our Fine Arts community and wish them all the success in their futures! Congratulations to:

Ryan Schnitter, Colin Stephens, Thomas “TJ” Mulligan, Ben Trujillo, Jonathan Zwilling, Elliott Watras, Joseph Gagnon, Alex Geoppinger, Andrew Robinson, Alexander Lopez, Gianpaolo Scheve, Jack Muzzo, Jude Weatherington, Ian Muldoon, Xavier Carnicom, Nicholas Brault, Alex Stella, Samuel Dickerhoof, Andrew Hagerman, Luke Weintz , Joseph Dressman, Ryan Walker, Michael Hamburg, Luke Fahey, Landon Keck and Corey Carter.

Summer 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine

St. Xavier Athletic Hall of Fame On Thursday, March 23, 2023 more than 800 attendees gathered at St. Xavier High School for the 39th annual St. Xavier Athletic Hall of Fame Induction & dinner. This event sold out two months prior to the event as the keynote speaker was Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach Zac Taylor. The event was emceed by St. Xavier’s own Rocky Boiman ’98. Rocky introduced and congratulated the five newest inductees into (as he put it it) “the greatest high school athletic hall of fame in the country”. The inductees included: Michael Basil ’09 - Baseball Fred Craig ’08 - Football & Lacrosse Matt Dektas ’94 - Tennis Christopher “Kit” French - Swimming John Tuke ’74 - Football & Tennis Coach Taylor then addressed the crowd and was a highlight of the night as he connected the Bengals and Bombers and what each is all about and how important they are in the community.

In an interview with Mike Dyer from WCPO, Taylor said he always enjoys attending a game during the high school football season at St. X. “I’ve come to many games around this city and St. X is one that I love to come watch,” Taylor said. “Coach Specht (St. X football coach Steve Specht) has always been great to me. We’ve had a good relationship. I know a lot of St. X grads that live in my neighborhood. Dads with kids at my (family) school so I’ve got a lot of respect for the school here. It’s a lot of fun to be involved in.” Taylor said high school sports in Greater Cincinnati is second to none. “I’ve lived in Florida, Texas, California and Ohio — and nothing beats Cincinnati football,” Taylor said. “I know Ohio football is big. Just the GCL and Cincinnati football as a whole is special to be a part of and watch all these kids the hard work they put in and the success they’ve had.” THANK YOU to our sponsors and all who attended and CONGRATULATIONS once again to our newest inductees.

Taste of Diversity Parents Across Cultures held their 13th annual Taste of Diversity - A Celebration of the Foods, Music, Arts & Cultures of the St. Xavier Community! St. X students did a remarkable job and showcased the diversity of cultures and countries from around the world to provide insight and education on foods, cultures, conditions and so much more. Traditional food sampling did occur at each display, as well as a buffet of a variety of traditional foods that was available for all to enjoy.

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

Service to One’s Country Since 2016, St. Xavier has recognized a total of 20 Military Academy appointees and 12 ROTC Scholarship recipients. This spring five seniors who are either attending one of the U.S. Military Academies or have received an R.O.T.C. Scholarship were honored during a special signing ceremony. Robert Houston: U.S. Military Academy at West Point Andrew Tran: U.S. Military Academy at West Point NJ Haussler: Army ROTC Scholarship to The Ohio State University Andrew Messerle: Army ROTC Scholarship to Pennsylvania State University Jonathan Wikette: Army ROTC Scholarship to The Ohio State University

National Signing Day Congratulations to our student athletes that took part in National Signing Days! Signing on April 21, 2023 Kyle Fitzgerald: Football (Florida A&M University) Reece Heisel: Soccer (Transylvania University) Liam Miller: Football (Kenyon College) James O’Connor: Soccer (Ohio Wesleyan University Signing on February 1, 2023 Evan Fleetwood: Football (University of Dayton) Robert Houston: Football (Army West Point) Bentley Meyer: Volleyball (Saint Mary of the Woods College) Vasilios Nyktas: Football (Otterbein University)

Summer 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine

Vice President’s Message Tony Schad ’81 The Long Blue Line. It’s real! St. Xavier’s Leo H. Gerbus ’53 Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is a program in which students from all backgrounds bring their unique talents, finding an avenue to express themselves by meeting the needs of others. It is an opportunity for St. X students to engage their minds and immerse themselves in experiential learning while connecting with the Long Blue Line. Want an example? This past spring break Gerbus Center Chair Tim McDonald and advisors Ed Franchi and Andy Sweeny ’68 took 20 students along with advisor, Scarlett & Gray Facilities Services president, Mark Cappel ’86 to Silicon Valley in California for an incredibly immersive experience. Here are some of the experiences for our students: • Dinner and discussion of the history of Silicon Valley at the home of Ken Koenig ’73 • A visit to Apple to discuss Apple Supply Chain Innovation with Kurt Barron ’01

• Tour and discussion at Levi’s Stadium with Brent Schoeb, Chief Revenue Officer for the San Francisco 49ers about the operations of an NFL franchise and the role of data analytics to improve the customer experience. This experience was set up by Rusty Sicking ’88 • Visit to Santa Clara University to tour the school’s entrepreneurship center and witness multiple collegiate entrepreneurship student pitches • Tour of the Intuitive Da Vinci Surgical Robotics plant • Visit and discussion with the chief of staff with Khosla Ventures, one of the largest venture capital firms in the country, coordinated by Michael Markesberry ’11 • Visit with George Lee, founder of EDF Renewables – Electric Vehicles battery innovation • Visit to the Ford Greenfield Research Labs, set up by St. X parent, Chris Wessel • Alumni Networking event at the Computer History Museum along with a venture capital panel discussion that included five St. Xavier alumni; Jeff Peters ’04, Matt Meyer ’16, Michel Green ’97, Jeff Buening ’01 and Dr. Praveen Shanbhag ’98 • Meet with Joel Podolny ’82, founder of Honor Education and former Dean of Apple University and Yale School of Management • Interactive visit with Damon Gunkel ’93 at iHeart Media • Tour of Stanford University with Matt Meyer ’16 and meeting with Dr. Ravi Majeti ’90, Co-Founder of Forty Seven Inc. • Dinner and conversation with Brad Gunkel ’90 at his firm, Gunkel Architecture As you can see it was an impressive week in the San Francisco Bay area! This amazing program is just one example of how a St. Xavier education can assist our students develop their leadership skills through real world applications. It also connects them with St. Xavier alumni around the country who are happy to share their experiences and expertise. The Long Blue Line. It really is real. Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam

Anthony E. Schad ’81 Vice President for Advancment

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

X-Travaganza 2023: A GOLDEN JUBILEE

The St. Xavier flagship event, X-Travaganza, celebrated its 50th year

Fr. Terry Baum SJ led a prayer after the guests were seated. Not delaying

in 2023 with the theme Golden Jubilee: 50 Years of X-Travaganza

one more minute, the Grand Raffle ticket drawing was held for prizes

X-Cellence. As always, numerous volunteers from the St. Xavier

of $5,000, $10,000 and $20,000. As the gourmet meal was served,

community joined forces to ensure the event’s success. Among them were

auctioneer and evening emcee, Mr. Lance Walker, opened the fast-paced

newcomers, seizing the opportunity to forge a bond with the school,

Live Auction. It was an unbelievable X-perience, as bidding was constant

while “veterans” strengthened that bond. Over its history, the school has

and ever-increasing for over 30 tempting items, including incredible trips

been grateful to all volunteers who support X-Travaganza, collectively

with an international reach – from nearby Lake Cumberland to sunny

raising millions of dollars to support the school’s educational and

Siesta Key to adventurous Lake Tahoe to fascinating Napa Valley to exotic

formational programs.

Maui in the United States; and from vibrant Jamaica to luxurious Tuscan

X-Travaganza 2023 kicked off on March 3 in the Ellis Gym with its Opening Party, Your Future is Golden at X. Chairing this event were Jamie and Ryan Chapman and Sarah and Scott McClain. Highlights included a buffet with an array of foods and superb desserts,

Italy to distant South Africa globally. Many items sold for over value, and giving X-Tend a Hand bidders – after watching an inspiring video with Greg Scruggs ’08, former NFL player and current defensive line coach for the Wisconsin Badgers – added abundant funds St. X scholarships.

entertainment by the St. X Strings and X-citing raffles and Silent Auction

Through the generosity of the entire St. Xavier community,

items. Welcoming parents of the Freshman Class of 2027 to the St.

X-Travaganza 2023 raised more than $1.1 million – an astounding

Xavier community were President Tim Reilly ’76 and Principal Dan

amount - to benefit all St. Xavier students. Thank you to X-Travaganza

Lynch, who reinforced St. X’s commitment to the incoming class, the

Director Cathy Cionni (who was honored during the evening upon her

importance of summer study skills classes and early involvement in the

upcoming retirement after leading the event the past 12 years) and her

numerous activities available at St. X.

staff, X-Travaganza 2023 Chairs Lisa and Chuck Ciccia and Leeann

The main event, held in the transformed Berning Gym on March 4, was chaired by Lisa and Chuck Ciccia and Leeann and Jim Fitzpatrick, who greeted those attending. While browsing and bidding on hundreds of Silent Auction items (in-person the evening of the event, with a virtual Silent Auction held during the week), guests enjoyed cocktails and hors d’oeuvres as well as purchasing chances on the Drink Raffle, Bourbon Raffle, Reds Raffle and Grab Bag surprises.

and Jim Fitzpatrick. The sell-out crowd – many of whom continue to support the event years after their son graduates – contributed to make every activity a fun, community-building event. These volunteers, committee chairs, donors, sponsors, auction bidders, event attendees and other supporters bring the event from the starting gate to the finish line. Through their efforts, proceeds from X-Travaganza’s year-round series of events, auctions and raffles benefit all the young men at St. Xavier.

SAVE THE DATE

FOR THE 51ST X-TRAVAGANZA ON SATURDAY, MARCH 9, 2024! WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THERE! Summer 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine

The Year in Review Co-Curriculars The Bomber Bands Program The wonderful sounds of the Bomber Bands can be heard throughout the greater Cincinnati area and beyond. The Marching Bombers began their year in late July with the first of three weeks of band camp to prepare for another busy year. The marching band performed for every varsity football game, the Kiwanis Harvest Home Parade in Cheviot, the Buddy Walk at Sawyer Point, and the Walk for ALS at Winton Woods Park. The marching Bombers travel and perform at all the football games and have the honor of being named the “Bomber Football 12th Man”. Their performances have been met with much praise and appreciation as they truly are “Men for Others” offering their time and talent supporting the Cincinnati community. The concert band and jazz band performed for the annual Christmas concert November 30 and December 1, as well as the Christmas concert for the school December 16. The jazz band was

featured at the President’s Dinner, the Open House, and the X-Travaganza Opening Party. The basketball band kicked off the second semester performing for several of the GCL basketball games providing enthusiastic music for the fans and the team. This group also performed for the Welcome Gathering for the incoming students for next year. The concert band had seventeen students perform for the Cincinnati Catholic Honor Band in late January performing with other selected students from high schools in the greater Cincinnati area. This year the band performed with guest conductor Chris Nichter, the Director of Bands at the University of Cincinnati. Six of our concert band members auditioned and were selected to the District 14 Honor Band which is an auditioned group selected from over 600 high school students throughout the public and private high schools in Cincinnati area.

country. Our concert band received the highest ratings of all the bands, earning a Gold Award and the First Place Band Overall. The high score and the first-place win qualified the band to perform at Carnagie Hall in the spring of 2024. The concert band will plan to attend this special performance in New York. The jazz band performed for the 23rd Annual Michael Benson Jazz Festival with guest artist and performer, Paul Keller. The jazz band performed several professional level jazz charts with Mr. Keller including music by Count Basie, Charles Mingus, Weather Report, and Paul Keller. The jazz band, concert band, and the percussion ensemble completed the semester with a combined concert with each of the groups performing a variety music of different styles.

The concert band traveled to St. Louis during spring break and competed in a concert band festival against twelve bands from around the St. Xavier Choir Program The Choirs program was thrilled to take on many opportunities this year. Ensemble X was selected as the Choir to perform in the opening ceremony of Cincinnati’s BLINK! Parade and Festival on October 13. This tremendous honor took place the night before the fall concert themed “Darkness and Light” on October 14. In a show of Jesuit Comradery, the choirs of St. Ignatius High School traveled from Cleveland to join X-Men and Ensemble X for their performance. All of the choirs joined with the other Music Departments for Holiday Concerts on November 30 and December 1. And, again this year, Ensemble X presented the Christmas Dinner in the Black Box Theatre. The second semester of Choir at St. Xavier High School brought about many huge successes. With

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

several students earning “I – Superior” ratings at OMEA Solo and Ensemble January 26 and 16 students invited to sing in the Cincinnati Area Catholic Schools High School Honor Choir, the winter season was celebrated with strong performances in many locations. As the weather began to warm up a bit, so did the choirs! On March 11, the chorus earned a “I-Superior” rating at the Ohio Music Education Associations Large Group District Contest, qualifying the for State for the second consecutive year. Continuing with their superior ratings, a contingent of the choir traveled to St. Louis, MO over spring break, where they again earned a Gold rating and a qualification to several national festivals for the coming years. In addition to their musical success in STL, students participated in many sightseeing opportunities, gameplay and bonding, and attending Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis. A much deserved Spring Break trip! On Tuesday May 9 the choirs celebrated their Spring Choral Concert titled “The Best

Medicine: Songs of Laughter & Healing” where our students highlighted songs that inspired a range of emotions. Following the Spring Concert, the choirs participated in a recording session for their third annual album, which should be available later this summer. The choir continues to expand in both number of participants as well as types of opportunities they engage in while singing. The students’ continued commitment to excellence and drive for world-class artistic opportunities motivates an ensemble that highlights the brotherhood built through music and what is possible in an institution that continues to support a thriving arts education.

The Men in Black The 2022-2023 season for the Men in Black string ensemble was like other seasons in that we performed at school, participated in the OMEA Solo and Ensemble adjudicated event, and offered flex time performances. This season was unlike other seasons in that our performances and events included performers from the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, the Peraza Music Workshop and more. The 2022 Fall Men in Black Strings concert took place in October and for the first time included students from the Peraza Music Workshop. Violinist George Baker ’25 is both a student of St. X and the Peraza Music Workshop. It was exciting to meet his friends from the private lesson studio. The Men in Black performed in the Christmas Concerts on November 30 and December 1 which included performances by the Concert Band, Jazz Band, and choirs. Students from the Guitar Department at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music visited the guitar classes and performed many unique pieces including works by the department head, Dr. Wilke. St X guitar Theater Xavier Theater Xavier celebrated a banner season with its productions of Romeo & Juliet and Newsies. R&J was a modern interpretation of the age-old classic that swapped swords for guns and soliloquies for text messages. Driven by modern music this production enjoyed almost sold-out crowds every night and extraordinary student attendance. Opening night was especially memorable with 60 members of the cross-country team turning out to support their running mate, Luke Kleeman, who played Romeo. Also notable in the cast was St. Xavier faculty member Rev. Tom Manahan SJ, who Service & Immersion Trips We had another record-breaking year for the program with 150 rising seniors taking up the challenge to spend a week of their summer volunteering and exploring social issues in West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Cincinnati or Cleveland. The trips create a memorable week where students bond

students attended the Cincinnati Guitar Society recitals at the Wyoming Fine Arts Center around the corner. They attended a performance by Cristiano Porquedda in October and a performance by Stanley Yates in February. In collaboration with Chinese teacher Wei Yaun, Chinese and AP Music Theory students saw a demonstration of the Erhu by Kin Szeto. Kin Szeto is an Erhu player and doctoral student at CCM. Anthony Dorsey ’24 presented a flex time recital with pianist Li Way in January. Evan Cornwall ’24 and Elliott Watras ’23 were featured in a Men in Black recital during flex time in May. The Men in Black all received the highest ratings at the Ohio Music Educator Association Solo and Ensemble Adjudicated event. Evan Cornwall ’20 viola, and Elliott Watras ’23 cello performed in class A. Ryan Schnitter ’23 viola, and Alex Buysee ’26 performed in class B. Daniel Kim ’25 viola, performed in class C.

played the role of Friar Laurence. In the Spring, TX produced its best-selling show ever - Newsies. This dance tour-de-force was so popular that it oversold the seats in the theater and required seats to be added to the house every night! This show emphasized the singing and dancing talents of not only the TX students but also alumni as it was choreographed by TX alum (now theater professional) Henry Howland. Fun sidenote - instead of a traditional program, TX created newspapers, filled with info about the production, for its audiences to enjoy. over doing work together, doing housing repair, agricultural work or providing direct service like volunteering at a soup kitchen. Leaving their phones behind for the week also gives them the opportunity to get to know each other better and form lasting relationships.

Elliott Watras ’23 performed the Kol Nidrei for cello and orchestra by Max Bruch with the Northern Kentucky Immanuel School of Music orchestra at Memorial Hall in Over the Rhine last February. Elliott was the winner of the 2023 Julia Bartles Concerto Competition and received his award at the event. And, finally, the Peraza Music Workshop students joined the Men in Black again for the 2023 Spring Strings concert. The Outstanding Freshman, Sophomore, Junior, and Senior awards were announced during this event. The recipients were Keegan Hickey ’26, Alexander McLachlan ’25, Evan Cornwall ’24, and Elliott Watras ’23. Charles Castro ’26 was given the Spirit of St. X award and George Baker ’25 received the YoY o Ma award for strings. Vocalist and TX Actor, Xavier Carnicom ’23 joined the Men in Black to sing “Were I the Perfect Child of God” and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” on this concert. Community Service Programs About 1,000 Bombers signed up for year-long service activities took place after school or on the weekends. Students mentored and played with kids, provided homework help, worked with young adults with developmental disabilities and improved environmental projects. We are very proud of our students as we continue to offer our volunteer programs with no service hour requirement. Annual Food Drive Leading up to the Thanksgiving and Christmas season, nearly every St. X student participated by going door-to-door collecting food to give to local food banks. Working as a team within their homerooms, freshman and sophomore homerooms collected 67,329 pounds of food. 12 homerooms were inducted into the St. Xavier One-Ton Club this year as they collected 2,000 pounds of food on their own! Junior and senior homerooms collected food and then delivered it to their Food Bank Partner. When they arrived at the food bank, they helped put the food away and also learned from the food bank staff more about personal stories and the challenge of hunger in our city. Summer 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine

The Year in Review Athletics Fall 2022 Cross Country Bomber Cross Country hit their stride late in the season and used the momentum to propel themselves to a state runner-up finish at the OHSAA State Meet in November. The Bombers dominated the GCL meet for their 12th consecutive championship, placing four finishers in the top five for a near perfect score. The GCL rewards reflected the performance as junior Evan Trapp took Runner of the Year, Andy Wietmarschen was named Coach of the Year, and the Bombers took four of the seven First Team spots. The following week, the Bombers dominated once again as they won their 14th straight district championship placing first and six total in the top-15. They used those two meets to boost themselves into the state meet where they took their fourth ever state runner-up title. Added to their six program state titles, Bomber Cross Country is now tied for the most of any school in the state of Ohio.

Football An up and down season for Bomber Football brought a great deal of growth within the program. The Bombers opened the season with an exhilarating matchup against Lakota West that came down to the game’s final seconds. They followed that up with a trip to Chicago to play on ESPN against the eventual Illinois Class 8A state champion and fellow Jesuit institution, Loyola Academy. After starting 0-2, the Bombers won their next two games and finished the regular season with a 4-6 mark. The Bombers opened the playoffs on the road at Fairfield, winning 42-28 in a tightly contested game. The season came to a close with a 28-7 loss to Moeller in a packed Shea Stadium in Norwood.

Golf For the 8th consecutive year, Bomber Golf took home the GCL Championship, dominating the season from start to finish as they won by a whopping 81 strokes. While their current streak is eight consecutive, the Bombers have won 10 of 11 and 18 of the last 22 GCL Championships, dating back to the 1999-2000 season. Golf followed up their GCL victory with a fourth straight sectional title and then a 2nd place finish at districts the weekend after. In their return trip to state after a year-long hiatus, the Bombers finished 3rd in the 12-team tournament. The Bombers saw themselves in 2nd after Day One of the event, just three-strokes behind the eventual champion, St. Ignatius. Golf ended up taking 10

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

third place by two-strokes over perennial powerhouse, Archbishop Hoban. Two Bombers tied for 11th at the tournament and all five who competed finished inside the top 35.

Soccer A 3-2 victory over GCL foe Moeller in early October was the propulsion of Bomber Soccer’s drive to their 3rd consecutive GCL title. The victory put them in the catbird as they took down Elder one week later in the last game of the regular season to take home another title for head coach Brian Schaeper’s squad. With a 5-0 victory over Colerain and a 3-0 victory over Turpin to open the playoffs, the Bombers met Springboro at Norwood’s Shea Stadium for a District Final where the Bombers fell 1-0 in a defensive minded match. Soccer finished 11-3-4 on the season, with a 4-0-2 mark in GCL play and finished 11th in the final state poll rankings. The GCL success translated into postseason honors as the Bombers saw four Bombers earn First Team honors, four more earn Second Team, one named an Academic All-Star, and head coach Brian Schaeper took home Coach of the Year. Senior goal keeper, Luke Eckert, was also named a Second Team All-State Performer.

Water Polo Playing some of the top competition across the Midwest, Bomber Water Polo finished an even 27-27 on the season. Often splitting into two teams, the Bombers took on tournaments and invitationals every weekend, traveling to Michigan twice, Columbus twice, Bowling Green, and even co-hosted what is known as the largest tournament in the Midwest. Alongside Princeton High School, Water Polo played host to the Midwest Best – a tournament featuring five of the top six boys teams in Ohio, the top two teams from Illinois, and a girls side that was comprised of all eight of the ranked teams in Ohio. The Bombers entered postseason play as the two seed in the south region where they made it all the way to the Regional Finals before falling to top-seeded Princeton. The regional final appearance was enough to qualify the Bombers for state where they finished 6th in the state. Water polo saw three earn All-State distinctions over the weekend, led by Adam Wade’s First Team nod, Wolfgan Bingaman’s Third Team selection, and Carter Meier as an Honorable Mention honoree.

Winter 2022-2023 Basketball A hot start to the season saw the Bombers head into winter break with an 8-3 record including a threepoint win over the District’s top seeded team in Fairfield and a championship at the Smoky Mountain Winter Classic in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. The Bombers finished the regular season at an even 11-11 before entering the OHSAA Tournament as an 11seed. After dramatic postseason victories over Goshen and Turpin, the Bombers fell in a district semifinal that was a rematch with Fairfield. The Bombers’ season was not without accolades. Sophomore Donovan Waleskowski was a First Team All-GCL performer after leading the GCL in scoring for much of the season. Senior Jack DeCurtins led the GCL in assists and was also named a First Team member. Fellow senior, Tommy Googins earned Second Team honors as well as All-Defensive Team honors.

Bowling The Bowling Bombers entered the 2022-2023 season with only one bowler returning from last year’s team. The Bombers scored some big wins during the season with winning the first GCL quad of the year as well as scoring head-to-head victories over GCL rivalries Elder, La Salle, and Moeller. The Bombers lost close matchups against GMC foes Oak Hills, Mason and Fairfield. They finished 4th in the Centerville Elks’ Invitational, 10th in the Holiday Classic, 9th in the Lancer Baker Bash and 2nd in the Colerain Cardinal Classic. The Bombers qualified 5th at sectionals and made it to districts for the 19th time in the last twenty years, 17 of those times as a team. Andrew Berkemeier finished with 8th most pins in a single season (9,475), Keegan Barbee rolled 8,225 pins for the 26th most pins, and Aaron Bickford threw 7,523 pins for the 38th best season in school history. Andrew Berkemeier has a career total of 13,088 pins in just two seasons putting him 27th in school history. Keegan Barbee passed his brother on career pins and currently sits 43rd. Andrew Berkemeier and Aaron Bickford were voted onto GCL First Team and Keegan Barbee was voted onto GCL Second Team. The Bombers will return all eight bowlers next season.

Ice Hockey After one of the best seasons in program history, Bomber Hockey followed up with another successful season that saw the program continue to grow as the season progressed. The Bombers finished 23-14 on the season, including a 9-7-0 record in Capital Hockey Conference play. Despite a winning record, they finished in fourth place out of six in their division, just three points behind first place. Hitting the conference tournament, the Bombers won two games in two days to reach the Consolation Championship game of the Blue Jacket Cup where they fell to Dublin Jerome 3-2. Hockey quickly moved into OHSAA tournament play, beating Elder by a convincing score of 10-0. The Bombers fell a few days later to Olentangy High School by a score of 4-2, ending their season in the process.

Swimming and Diving When a men’s team is the last group to ascend the podium at the OHSAA Championships in Canton, you know you have accomplished something very special. That is exactly what the AquaBombers did this season in claiming the program’s 43rd State crown. Winning all 3 relays (in All-American times) and two individual swims by junior Thackston McMullan (200 and 500 Free) were highlights indeed. In addition, the Long Blue Lane captured its 60th (54th consecutive) District, 53rd Sectional (53rd consecutive), 78th GCL (66th consecutive) and 39th (39th consecutive) Southwest District Classic titles. Gavin Hang [SR] continuously led a strong diving contingent, winning the Classic, GCL and District, where he established a new school record before finishing 5th at the State meet. St. X also won the Mason Invitational and Jesuit Cup. However, the biggest “show on surf” came at the Fred Cooper Memorial held at Keating Natatorium. 50 members of the Long Blue Lane were in action and all posted season best times! It was a special season indeed!

Wrestling Operating with a mix of all grade levels on Varsity, second year head coach Brandon Dean continues to grow the Bomber wrestling program. With some growing pains along the way, the Bombers also showed areas of promise throughout the season. Highlights of the season include a 1st place finish at the Everette Howard Wrestling Tournament early in the year and a 6th place finish at the GMVWA Holiday Tournament over Christmas break. The main highlight of the year may be the running of the first ever wrestling Jesuit Cup this season. Coach Dean invited the three other Jesuit schools in the state down

to the Berning Gymnasium for a day full of fellowship and competition. Once the Bombers landed in tournament action, they sent five wrestlers through from the sectional tournament to districts which is where their season would ultimately end. They’ll return a handful of varsity competitors this upcoming season and look to continue growing the program!

Spring 2023 Baseball The first season under new head coach saw the Bombers battle injuries en route to a 15-13 record on the season. Baseball opened the season a perfect 5-0 before a slew of injuries found the Bombers fighting their way above .500 heading into postseason play. They opened postseason play with an emphatic 11-1 win over Edgewood at home before falling to West Clermont in a 6-8 heartbreaker on the road in the 2nd round. The Bombers saw nine players in total earn All-GCL honors including three first teamers, three second on the second team, and three more earning honorable mention status.

Lacrosse Despite falling just short in the state championship game, Bomber Lacrosse once again put forward a season to remember. Opening the season 11-0, the Bombers rose to as high as 3rd in the Midwest, according to USA Lacrosse magazine. During that streak, they took down a Brother Rice (MI) team, 9-8, who wound up finishing 2nd in the Midwest Region. A midseason loss to Moeller started a skid that saw the Bombers lose 5 of 7 heading into the OHSAA playoffs. They picked up right where they were earlier in the season as the Bombers opened their first three rounds with a combined score of 72-6. They avenged their midseason loss to Moeller with a 10-9 victory in the Regional Finals and took down Upper Arlington 8-7 in a rematch of last year’s state semifinal. The Bombers met Dublin Jerome for a state championship, where they ultimately fell 10-12. Lacrosse finished the season 18-6 and racked up a handful of state and regional awards that were highlighted by Max Bonner and Khalif Hocker each being named as 2023 USA Lacrosse All-Americans.

Rugby Bomber Rugby continues to grow, and this season was no different. With just under 70 athletes in the program, Rugby fielded three teams – two varsity squads and a junior varsity team. The Varsity Blue team went 5-8 on the year with their wins coming over Hamilton Southeastern High School (IN), St. Charles Prep High School, St. Louis University High School (MO), Bishop Dwenger High School (IN), and Walnut Hills High School. Their season ultimately came to an end at the hands of national power St. Ignatius in the Rugby Ohio State Semifinals,

but the highlight of the year most certainly came with a 4th place finish at the Midwest Youth Rugby Tournament held in Elkhart, Indiana at the beginning of May.

Tennis A successful regular season as a team turned into a wildly successful postseason for two Bombers individually. Bomber Tennis went an impressive 21-3 on the season, with one of their lone losses coming in the Regional Semifinals of the OTCA Team Tournament. However, the team was successful in repeating at GCL Champions for the 55th consecutive year. The individual season culminated at the end of May when the doubles team of Drew Evans & Carson Dwyer won the OHSAA D-I Doubles State Tournament. The pair did not drop a set during any of their matches in the state tournament enroute to a convincing victory.

Track & Field Thanks to a tough regular season meet schedule, Bomber Track & Field excelled in postseason action as they sent eight athletes to compete across five events at the OHSAA State Meet. Highlighted by the 4x800m relay team who won state by a mere .59 seconds, the Bombers finished 9th of 75 teams in total points – good for the best finish of any team in SW Ohio. The 4x800m relay team consisted of Evan Trapp, Jack Nesbit, Alex Garay and AJ Graf. Other competitors included: Gavin Other (300m hurdles), AJ Graf (800m run), Evan Trapp & Wyatt Houchens (3200m run), and a 4x400m relay team of Gavin Pelzel, Dominic Jackson, Nesbit and Graf. Gavin Orth (7th) and Evan Trapp (4th) each put out results that landed them as All-State performers.

Volleyball Despite falling short of their ultimate goal of winning a state championship, the Bombers turned in one of the best seasons in program history. The Bombers started the season in dominant fashion at 17-0, only dropping seven-sets in the process. They moved into the playoffs at 19-1 and marched through the playoffs before falling in the Regional Finals to Moeller in a 2-3 thriller to finish their season at 22-2. Head Coach Bill Ferris picked up his 400th win along the way in a 3-1 Regional Semifinal victory over Walnut Hills. The Bombers racked up postseason awards as Bentley Meyer and Bill Ferris each won Player of the Year and Coach of the Year in the GCL, Region IV, and AllState. In total, four Bombers were named to All-GCL teams, five earned Region IV awards and three earned All-State distinctions. Summer 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine

Where are They Headed: A map of the future for the Class of 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

Summer 2023

NUMBER OF ENROLLMENTS

2 Students Attending

70 30 30 22 16 14 13 10 9 8 7 7 6 4 4 3 3

1 Student Attending

University of Cincinnati (Main Campus) University of Dayton Miami University (Oxford) The Ohio State University University of Kentucky University of Notre Dame Indiana University (Bloomington) Ohio University (Main Campus) The University of Tennessee (Knoxville) The University of Alabama Xavier University Purdue University (Main Campus) Auburn University Boston College University of Cincinnati (Blue Ash) Savannah College of Art and Design University of South Carolina University of Louisville University of Arizona Sewanee: The University of the South Loyola University Chicago United States Military Academy at West Point University of Michigan Wright State University (Main Campus) Wake Forest University University of Mississippi University of Georgia Penn State University (University Park) University of Toledo Western Michigan University Princeton University Transylvania University Elon University Otterbein University Glenville State University Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College Arizona State University (Main Campus) Kent State University Kenyon College University of Akron Main Campus University of Southern California Butler University Taylor University Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University College of Charleston High Point University Central Alabama Community College Florida State University Vanderbilt University Wittenberg University Yale University Ball State University Marquette University University of Maine John Carroll University Mississippi State University Viterbo University Saint Louis University Youngstown State University Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Valparaiso University Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Fordham University West Virginia University Trine University University of Colorado (Colorado Springs) Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Ohio Wesleyan University Stanford University Louisiana State University Case Western Reserve University Holy Cross College University of California (Los Angeles) Wofford College Ohio Northern University University of Florida Northwestern University Northern Kentucky University Tuskegee University Full Sail University University of Denver College for Creative Studies Johns Hopkins University University of Cincinnati (Clermont College)

St. Xavier High School Magazine

Graduation

On May 25, the Class of 2023 was welcomed into the Long Blue Line of St. Xavier alumni. The 342 young men ceremoniously followed the members of the Class of 1973 into the Cintas Center for the graduation ceremony upholding the tradition of the 50-year anniversary class leading the procession. Principal Daniel J. Lynch welcomed the graduates, alumni, parents and family members supporting the members of the class on this special occasion. He encouraged the graduates to continue to live the Jesuit motto of Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam, for the Greater Glory of God. President Timothy J. Reilly ’76 delivered the invocation. On behalf of the class, Samuel R. Warren ’23 reflected on his personal experience as a member of the Class of 2023 and how they have grown together into Xavier men. He encouraged his classmates to continue their lives as Men for Others. The commencement address was given by English faculty member Therese C. Bower. Her remarks reminded the graduates that the world is wonderfully rich and complex and to take advantage of every opportunity by being global citizens and experience the wonder of God’s creation. Congratulations to the Class of 2023!

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

Academic Awards 2023 The J. Harold Kotte, M.D. Biology Award Joel Emmanuel Thomas The Donald N. Berning, M.D. ’38 Chemistry Award Cole Jeffrey Schaefer The Peter A. Horan ’00 English Award Samuel Raymond Warren Chinese Isaac En-Lo Chang Community Service Andrew McAnaney Molinsky Computer Science Austin Troy Schraivogel French Matthew Gibbs Maynard German Nicholas James Haussler Health/Physical Education Thomas Dale Googins Latin Nicholas Matthew Stanis Mathematics Benjamin Edward Johnston Music Elliott Marcellus Watras Physics Dominic Richard Nadler Religion Joe Abou-Khalil Social Studies Charles David Jones Spanish Lucas Mateo Aguilar Theater Michael Anthony Hamburg Visual Arts Gianpaolo Cappellari Scheve

Graduation Awards Senior Scholar Award Samuel Raymond Warren Rev. Joseph Brennan, S.J. Award Zachary Christian End St. Francis Xavier Service Award Samuel Raymond Warren Dr. Charles Farrell Memorial Leadership Award John David Groppe Sniegocki Jesuit Schools Network Award Nicholas James Haussler

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St. Xavier High School Magazine

Principal’s Message Joy has been the theme for the 2022-2023 school year. The French Jesuit Pierre Teilhard de Chardin is famously quoted “Joy is the infallible sign of the presence of God.” In this sense Joy is not to be confused only with happiness. Rather, we can experience Joy when our God-given gifts and talents are developed to their full extent and used in service of others. A few of the many occasions where I have felt the presence of God this year: • While observing classes – the faculty members of St. Xavier and our students are amazing! • During the various school retreats (Kairos and The Emmaus Retreat in particular). • In our all-school liturgies. • Watching our students perform on stage or when their teams compete. • Throughout the Master Facilities Plan meetings as we prepare the school for generations to come. • During the funerals for the extended members of our community. • MusicFest! This list is certainly not exhaustive as there are so many activities and events at St. Xavier that are Joyful. On multiple occasions this year, we have had to deal with the death of one of our student’s parents or siblings. In each case, Bomber nation has shown up to support the family and the student in their time of need. The experience of solidarity during these challenging times is a clear sign of God’s presence for me and for the impacted families. On April 27 we held our Commissioning Mass, the final all-school liturgy of the year. This summer more than 200 juniors and 34 faculty and staff members will be participating in the 16 service and immersion trips. During the Senior Exit Interviews each year, those who have participated in one of these trips describe it as one of their top experiences in high

school. To that end, we have worked on expanding the number of trips to accommodate every junior that wants to participate. I was lucky enough to join a group going to West Virginia to learn more about Appalachian life and the experiences of coal mining communities. This time away led to a sense of unity amongst our small group, but also with humanity itself. The final day of the school year for the seniors and the last day for the underclassmen before exams begin is MusicFest. It is a spectacular occasion. The official day begins with Senior Exit Interviews, where small groups of seniors are paired with two to three faculty and staff members to evaluate their high school experience against the five pillars of the Grad at Grad. This exercise is an important piece in our communal reflection of what we can be doing as a school to live out the school’s mission more fully in the years to come. Listening to our seniors describe both the school’s strengths and weaknesses and where they developed in becoming more Open to Growth, Loving, Religious, Intellectually Competent and Committed to Doing Justice is a humbling, challenging and spiritual occasion. The remainder of the day at MusicFest includes the celebration of the year with students grilling out, student and adult bands performing, cornhole, spike ball, softball contests, pick-up basketball games, pickleball and the list goes on and on. This is the Joy that people often think of when they hear the word. It is lighthearted, fun, and free-spirited. And the experience of God is found here as well. The pinnacle experience of Joy for me every year as Principal is to shake the hands of the graduates as they walk across the stage at graduation. This year 342 seniors walked across the stage at Cintas. Sharing this journey with them over the past four years is a true blessing. Thank you, Class of 2023, ite inflammate omnia – Go and set the world afire! AMDG, Dan

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

Student Spotlight Robert Houston ’23

Robert Houston ’23 attended Nativity grade school. While at St. Xavier he participated in football, track, basketball, Big Brothers, Winton Hills Academy Tutoring and the Black Student Union. He gave one of three poignant speeches at this year’s Baccalaureate Mass for the Class of 2023. In the fall, Robert is headed to The United States Military Academy at West Point.

What advice would you give to a freshman? My advice would be to use every single resource St. X offers. It is easy to fall behind, but if you choose to use the support system available to all students, things will go well. Also, do not be afraid to ask for help. It is something I wish someone told me. Some things you cannot understand by yourself, and you will need help.

Why did you decide to attend St. Xavier? My mom was pushing for me to go to St. X. As I started to look into myself, I knew it was the place for me. St. Xavier is where I am challenged and surrounded by hardworking and supportive people.

What is the St. Xavier Advantage? The St. Xavier Advantage is all about the academics. Everyday we are challenged academically to be the best we can be. We have teachers that set us up perfectly for success in college. And from what I hear from people in college now is that this stands true. St. Xavier helped prepare them to be organized and know how to manage their work. So, I am happy to have this advantage and use it to help myself this upcoming year.

Why did you choose West Point? I chose West Point because I know it will set me up for a succesful future. I know it will not be easy, but St. X has prepared me to face challenges and persevere. What did you learn at St. X that will help you be successful in the Military Academy? Perseverance is probably the biggest thing I have learned over the past four years. I’ve come to understand that things do not always go as planned, but it is what you do with what you have that matters. I cannot expect change if I do not do anything. So, I must work hard to get the results that I want.

What is your favorite memory/experience at St. X? My favorite experience at St. X was probably Big Brothers. I have two younger sisters and always wanted a little brother. St. X gave me that opportunity. For the past two years, I have been partnering with my little buddy. We have had nothing but fun and will continue our relationship past my four years at St. X.

Anything else we should share about you? I am just thankful for the opportunity I have had at this school. I have met a lot of people that have helped me become a better student, athlete and overall person and I am blessed for all of those encounters.

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St. Xavier High School Magazine

excerpts from the ARCHIV E S

Nicholas Kemper ’06, Archivist

It was a balmy May evening in 1971, and the St. Xavier concert band, under the capable direction of Mr. Gilbert Curtis, was performing their final piece of the night in the Benson Gymnasium: Tchaikovsky’s celebrated “1812 Overture.” Traditionally, cannon fire and chimes are used during the dramatic conclusion of the Overture, a piece written to commemorate Russia’s victory over Napoleon in 1812. But cannons were a tough sell for a high school band performance, even in 1971. The students’ original concept called for using pyrotechnics, but safety concerns quickly eliminated that option. The next idea was to utilize a starter’s pistol, which was indeed a safer alternative, but the resulting sound effect created more of a “crack” than the desired “boom.” Finally, one band member came up with the idea of using shotguns with blanks. The blanks, used to train hunting dogs, were touted as being twice as loud as standard shotgun shells. It was as close to cannons as they were going to get. The stage band had practiced the piece for over two months, but there was only one rehearsal with the shotguns. As test firings were being conducted, a breathless and red-faced Dick Klus—then Assistant Principal—stormed into the gym demanding to know what the *heck* was going on. Mr. Klus’ concerns were eventually assuaged, however, and he reluctantly accepted the proposed plan. The show went on with a variety of pieces by the likes of Sousa, Strauss, and Rogers & Hammerstein. As the concert began to draw to a close, the young musicians readied themselves, hearts thumping and adrenaline pumping, in anticipation of their big moment. As the “1812 Overture” neared its explosive climax, three members of the trombone section slipped silently away from their chairs and disappeared behind three upright tables near an outside exit. Each trombonist picked up a 12-gauge shotgun loaded with blanks and prepared for the big finale. 18

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

They waited until the timing was right and then fired the first shot into the air. One unsuspecting audience member squealed, another ducked and hit the floor. The next four shots followed in short order, and with the first series complete, the guns were quickly reloaded. Again, the three students commenced firing. Shot after shot reverberated throughout the gym as the band continued to play. However, the final reload did not go according to plan. The spent shell resisted being pried from the chamber, and the clock was ticking. The panicked trombonist eventually cleared the shell, but he had almost no time left to reload. In one fluid motion, he chambered the shell in the gun’s breech, snapped the gun together, cocked the single action, raised the stock to his shoulder, and promptly dislodged the front cover of a nearby EXIT sign. As paper wadding and acrid smoke filled the air, the awestruck audience roared its approval. According to the 1971 yearbook, the show was “a smashing success” and “turned out to be the best in the history of St. Xavier.” Looking back on it, trombonist Steve Albers remarked, “All shots did not go off exactly as Tchaikovsky had scored them due to the difficulty of the firing team hearing exactly where the band was in the composition. But we still thought we did him proud.” Special thanks to Steve Albers ’72, John Woelfel ’72, and Joe Felix ’73 for their recollections of this fun and unique episode in St. Xavier history. Front cover of the spring concert program in 1971.

Celebrating A Legacy Through Endowment Ralph A. Nardini ’77

In 1989, a young attorney, Cindy Fazio, volunteered to help with the Mock Trial program at St. Xavier High School. As a new attorney with Strauss Troy, she was asked to temporarily “help out” with the team at St. X. That big step, that decision to help, became a commitment to the young men of St. X that would last 33 years! And what a commitment it was! Cindy became the heart and soul of the Mock Trial program at St. Xavier High School. She wasn’t just a moderator and coach; she became a part of the fabric of the school. The students involved in the program knew Cindy was going to push them, to make them reach further than they thought possible, while helping them find talents they didn’t know they had. Cindy, along with her mom Rose, became the face of the St. X Mock Trial program.

“her boys” could do more than they thought possible. Cindy was always there for the students in the Mock Trial Program and now those students, along with parents and colleagues, have made sure the program will always remember her. The Cynthia A. Fazio Mock Trial Program will memorialize the loyalty, love, and passion Cindy had for the students and school she served for so long. Cindy, we will miss you and your pursuit of the Magis you brought to all of us!

In 2008, Cindy received the Magis Award from St. Xavier High School. The Magis Award is given to recognize and honor those who have made exceptional contributions of service to the school. Cindy also served as a member of the Board of Trustees for St. X from 2012-2018. Her talents as an attorney, a volunteer, and a program moderator made her a great addition to the Board. It was no wonder why, after Cindy passed away, there was such an outpouring from alumni and parents to memorialize Cindy by naming, and endowing, the Mock Trial Program for her. Cindy touched the lives of alumni in all walks of life. Attorneys, doctors, and teachers all benefitted from the influence and coaching of Cindy. Cindy could be demanding and hard on her students, but never made them feel they couldn’t do what she was asking of them. She was that proud mom at the competitions who knew

Summer 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine

Faculty Focus Isaac Watras

Mr. Isaac Watras began his career at St. Xavier in 2007when his oldest son Elliott was just three years old. His journey alongside his son epitomizes St. Xavier. Why did you decide to bring your gifts to St. Xavier? I was invited to conduct strings at St X and my son, Elliott, saw himself as a Bomber immediately. I told Elliott that he had to practice cello but he could play any sport he wanted. Hoping he would become a basketball player, I took him to as many sports events as I could in those early years. Football grabbed his attention, but he saw Luke Massa ’10 suffer a broken collarbone and a horrible wrist injury inflicted by a wide receiver from Elder. He decided not to play football. When we went to a hockey game, the stars aligned. The game was at the Gardens which was just a cool place to visit. Before he knew anything, he was given some hot chocolate. Then we walked down a dark tunnel, and he could hear the sounds and see glimpses of the players—GCL night Moeller v St X— zipping back and forth in heavy gear with sticks. Once we were in the stands, Will Foote’s ’12 sister couldn’t resist him and asked to hold him and watch the game with him. Of course, we were sitting near Andrew Armstrong’s ’11 father, Neil. Elliott watched the game with an astronaut! After the game, I took Elliott into the St X locker room, and Will Gieringer ’11, the St. X goalie, gave Elliott a puck with the St. X logo on it. Elliott may have been aware that Will played cello at St. X, and that was that. My entry into St. X was serendipitous. Coming from a public school, particularly one going through a difficult time, I had very little knowledge of or exposure to private schools. I was not aware, but my dad always thought very highly of St X. Ellen Stephens, the strings director before me, knew that I was developing an interest in conducting, and she wanted to step down from her roll at St. X. She asked me for my resume and recommended me. I cannot really describe what I do as conducting, but I do wave my arms around quite a lot.

What is the most rewarding thing about being part of the St. Xavier community? My first year at St. X, I signed up to chaperone a service trip and found myself feeling overwhelmed at the blessing during the Commissioning Mass. I am grateful to serve as co-director of Liturgical Music during our all-school liturgies, and it is always that mass—the Commissioning Mass— that reminds me of that time and my motivation to serve this institution. 20

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

Not only do you teach, but you lead our Strings Program. Tell us about that program and the students involved. I came to St. X as a cellist interested in conducting a string ensemble. It was immediately apparent to me, however, that the guitar is important to this community. There are good string players in every freshman class, but every freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior lives in a household or is in a household more than twice a week that owns a guitar or two. Everybody is or knows a guitar player. So the strings program at St. X, the Men in Black, is an ensemble of 75+ guys wearing concert black. 15-20 of them play violin-family instruments and they are in front of a belt of about 55 guitar players using a mix of steel string, classical, and electric guitars. We play a lot of unique arrangements, “Celtic” tunes and rely heavily on improvisation. I am very happy to have witnessed several our students— Henry Baker ’20, Luke Black ’20, Daniel Dorsey ’21, and Jack Cooskey ’22 for example—continue their string playing into college. This past school year, Dr. Wilke’s guitar studio from CCM visited our classroom, and we had several students attend events organized by Dr. Wilke. I am hopeful that I will see our alums pursue guitar as a college major in the future.

How would you describe the St. Xavier Advantage? I was happily surprised to see Elliott choose to pursue a degree in cello at Miami University. Hockey has been the priority for so many years. Regardless of his major, though, I have known he is leaving high school with the St. X Advantage. To me, that advantage is having the values and skills our students take away. One of the plaques we have on the walls in the music area lists the recipients of the Walter C. Deye, S.J. award. (Elliott is not listed.) During the most recent open house, there was a moment I was looking at this plaque with Walter Deye. I told him that when Elliott was born, I had wished that I could summon a guardian angel to stand by Elliott’s side and protect him from broken collar bones, shattered wrists, and all the pain the world would throw at him. As parents do, I have grown to see that an angel shielding him from those fights on the ice and other challenges would not have been helpful. When he was in elementary school, Elliott said to me, “I will finish sixth grade at Fairview, go to Walnut for seventh and eighth grade, finish high school at St X. I will be a varsity hockey player and face Moeller on GCL night. And then I’ll go to Miami in Oxford.” Next year, he will be a freshman at Miami as a double major in English and Cello. St X has been Elliott’s North Star, and he has shaped himself into what we call the Grad at Grad. That work ethic, those values and his willingness to serve will be his guardian angel. That is his St X Advantage.

X-tra Notes I have another son. His name is Benjamin. He also plays cello (required) and hockey (his choice). He has a very different story.

News from the Long Blue Line

Alumni X-Cerpts 60’s

00’s

10’s cont’d

Jim Wihebrink ’64 was inducted into the Northern Kentucky Athletic Directors Hall of Fame on January 18, 2023.

Benton Kubicki ’03 performed live on

2nd LT James Sherlock ’18 earned his Army Ranger tab

70’s Patrick O’Brien ’72 was inducted into the Naval Academy Rugby Hall of Fame Class of 2022 back on October 7, 2022. O’Brien played rugby for four years at the Naval Academy and was team captain and president his senior year.

Stephen B. Schmidt ’74 recently performed

The Today Show with country singer/songwriter Jordan Davis.

Vivek Ramaswamy ’03 announced his candidacy for the 2024 United States Presidential Election.

Minh Nguyen ’05 finished a four-year term as president of OpenStreetMap US, a nonprofit that promotes open-source geospatial data in the public and private sectors.

Greg Scruggs ’08 was named defensive line coach for the University of Wisconsin. Luke Kuechly ’09 was inducted into the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame.

at the top-level jazz club Birdland in New York City.

Dan Spraul ’75 was honored by the Character Council of Cincinnati as one of the 2023 Heroes of Character as a role model and leader in the classroom and community. Members of the class of 1975 gathered to support Dan: From L-R: Mark Schmerge, Greg Shields, Dan Spraul, Tom Lindeman, Dan Lozier, and Mike Russell.

80’s Lawrence ‘Chip’ Chinery ’82 published his new book, “Charging Mount Stand-Up: My First Year On The Road,” documenting his start in comedy in 1988-89, and Cincinnati’s vibrant comedy club scene in the 1980’s.

90’s Antonio Smith ’99 was named a Top 5 Finalist for the prestigious Educator of the Year Award from Cincinnati Public Schools for his work and dedication to inspiring his math and science students at Ethel M. Taylor Academy.

March 10. Next stop is Germany and United States Army Garrison Hohenfels Training Area to train NATO troops.

20’s Kellen Roddy ’20 was named to the 202223 Academic All-America Men’s Swimming & Diving team and was distinguished as an Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for NCAA Division III. Roddy is a junior at Johns Hopkins University and won a second consecutive national title in the 1,650 freestyle race.

10’s

Bobby McAlpine ’20 was elected Undergraduate Student Government President at The Ohio State University.

Jordan Guskey ’14 was named Kansas Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association

Kobe Rodgers ’21 and the Nova Southeastern Sharks claimed the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball National Championship in March in Evansville, Indiana, completing a perfect 36-0 record.

Nathaniel (Trey) Lampley ’14, and a graduate of Washington University ’18 was accepted into a Dermatology Residency at George Washington University and graduates from University of Cincinnati College of Medicine on April 22, 2023.

Matthew Bult ’15 completed flight training with the United States Marine Corps. He earned his wings as a Naval Aviator and will be piloting Ospreys in Okinawa, Japan. In addition, he was named to the Commodore’s List with Distinction for academic and flight excellence.

Nick Maurer ’22, Aarav Kukreja ’22, and CJ Fiorito ’22 placed as finalists in DePaul University’s Blue Book publication, an annual anthology featuring the best writing from high school students in the United States.

Zack Beard ’22 won his first collegiate golf tournament individually and his team won the title as well at the NKU Jewell Tournament at Elks Run. Zack had rounds of 72-68-68 and won the title in a one hole playoff with birdie on the first hole.

Sean Clifford ’17 led Penn State to a Rose Bowl Game win over Utah and was named Offensive MVP of the Game. Clifford was also drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Grant House ’17 helped Arizona State Men’s Swimming & Diving break a new school record in the 800 free relay with a time of 6:05.08 at the NCAA Division I Championships. Summer 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine

IN MEMORIAM 1953 1964 1952 1950 1944 1966 1962 1957 1959 1966 1955 1966 1979 1957 1960 1971

Edward ALF Robert BENKEN Norbert BERGMANN Fred BOEHLING Paul BOGENSCHUTZ Pierre BOURGEOIS Robert BRUNS Michael BURLINGHAM Thomas CANNON R. Michael CLEAR Frank CUNNINGHAM Harry DAVIN John DONALDSON Donald DURITSCH Arthur FISCHER James FLANAGAN

1981 1956 1949 2014 1959 1978 1975 1956 1956 1957 1967 1963 1972 1962 1960 1972

Paul FRIEDMANN Jerry GERDES Robert GRAUE Garrett GRONOTTE Timothy HAAS John HANEKAMP Gregory JONES Leo KAMMERER John KINDT William KREBS David KRESS Thomas MCDONALD Brian MEYER C. Stephen MEYER James MIEHAUS Gregory MILLSON

1946 1967 1974 1986 1973 1952 1961 1973 1965 1962 1972 1971 1972 1947

John MORITZ Daniel NOLAN Shawn O’BRIEN Thomas PEARSON Robert PERAZZO Paul REBHOLZ James RITTER Paul ROGERS Timothy SCHAEFER Robert SCHUERMANN Jon SIEVE Michael SWEENEY Thomas USHER Justus WILDHABER

WEINBERGER Matt Weinberger ’09, assistant St. X golf coach, and his wife, Maggie, welcomed their first child, Sophia, into the world! Congratulations!

SMITH Congratulations to Jacob Smith ’10 and his family on the birth of their son, Wesley Jacob Smith!

BIRTHS CONNAUGHTON Congratulations to Pat Connaughton ’06 and his family on the birth of Theodore John Connaughton, born on April 11!

X-Peditions

SCHINKAL Congratulations to Daniel Schinkal ’12 and his wife Brooke on their newborn son, Gavin, born on May 9!

On the globe, the Long Blue Line is the equator. In St. X parlance, the Long Blue Line of alumni and student body appears all over the globe. Bomber blue turns up all over the map and we want the evidence. Send us your pictures wearing St. Xavier High School gear or hoisting a copy of a St. Xavier magazine at an exotic locale or local landmark. Maybe a picture of Bombers at the Pyramids of Egypt or posing at the Pit. Either way, let us know where you’ve been displaying your X pride. Send your high-resolution digital images to Becky

1. Affinity Program Giving Officer Kathryn Dierckes on her trip visiting the Field of Dreams in Iowa. 2. Members of our alumni in Chicago participated in an alumni service

Schulte at bschulte@stxavier.org, fill out the online form at www.stxavier.org/xpedition, mail the form to St. Xavier High School (Magazine), 600 W. North Bend Road, Cincinnati, OH 45224, or scan the QR code on page 24.

project at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. 3. Longtime math teacher Dick Piening reunited with fellow former math teacher and longtime varsity golf coach Joan Whitaker in March in Hilton Head, South Carolina. 4. Ann (past Board Chair) & Gerry Berger, parents of Nick ’05 & David ’10. Debbie & Greg Elsner, parents of Michael ’20. Back row left to right: Kathleen & Mike Stenger ’79 (past

Board member), parents of JD 2011. Mike ’79 & Jackie Bergman, parents of Bobby ’12 on vacation in Cancun, Mexico. 5. Two former St. Xavier Golf teammates, Zack Beard ’22 (left) and Nolan Schuermann ’21 (right) competed with 13 other universities at the Savannah Intercollegiate at The Club at Savannah Harbor over this past Presidents Day weekend. 6. Celebrating Uncle Al’s 90th birthday party. Front row, left to right: Ted Mechley, Sr. ’63, Dan Mechley, Sr. ’56, Albert Mechley, Jr. ’51, Braden A. Mechley ’54 and Mark Mechley ‘97. Back row, left to right: Braden J. Mechley

’88, Jonathan Hoehn ’07, Dan Mechley, Jr. ’84, Pat Mechley ’62, Norb Mechley ’64, Ted Mechley, Jr. ‘89, John Gartner III ’83 and Josh Kaufman ’97. 7. Organized by Bob Carroll ’76, the Class of 1976 get-together was held at the Indian Mound Bar and Grill in Norwood. The Class gets together each month for supper at various different locations around town. They refer to their gathering as the STOTM (Second Tuesday Of The Month) event. 22

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

2 6

1. Class of ’71 Quarterly Class Lunch at Clovernook Country Club. 2. The 1982 Social Club held its annual retreat in Lake Norris, TN in April. Pictured are Front Row: Mark Jacob, Michael Doll, Joe Dusa, Mike Kelly, Matt Vehr, Pat Monahan, Brad Blust, Tim Michel, Back Row: Brendan Burns, Bob Dehner (Roger Bacon), Paul Rolfes (Oak Hills), Brian Eve (Roger Bacon), Dr. Kevin Reilly, Doug Sammons, Greg Dittrich, Greg Niklas, Dave Kircher, Paul Schmerge, Jim Carroll (Roger Bacon), Jonathan Bordeaux. 3. Bill Thurman ’61 and Jill Thurman, retired faculty member, reunite with Carol Lee Morgan in Fort Meyers, Florida. 4. “The Harbour Lights” performed in Cincinnati from 1975 to 1979. After a long hiatus, they recently held a 45-year reunion at the home of Tom Trautmann ’71 in Charlotte, NC. Pictured are three of the seven band members (L to R): Tom Heitkemper ’71, Tom Trautmann ’71, and Robert Bunning ’71. Honored guest at the party was Art Bender ’69. 5. Our very own archivist Nick Kemper ’06 sporting his St. X gear in Holland! 6. Tony Gambino ’74 celebrated his daughter’s wedding with fellow classmates from the Class of 1974 Dan Burke, Brad O’Connell, John McDonagh, John Aerni. and Dave Eveleigh. 7. Members of the Class of 1975 held their monthly luncheon to reunite together in January. 8. Former St. X classmates attend the wedding of Joe Thurman ’06 and his wife, Jessica Beaird Thurman, in Fort Meyers, Florida. Pictured are Pete Puttman, Willie Thurman ’05, Nick Hautz ’06, Bill Thurman ’71, retired faculty Jill Thurman, Josh Pedrix ’06, Danny Webb ’06, Andy Ackerman ’06, Nick Rolfes ’06, and Matt Schiller ’06. 9. Glen Grimme ’67 and Paul Grimme ’42 celebrate Paul’s 98th birthday in Crescent Springs, Kentucky, 81 years after graduating from St. X! 10. Gianpaolo Scheve ’23 and Eric Scheve ’89 are pictured in front of a Ferrari Challenge 458 which Gianpaolo drove around a racetrack at 139 mph in Modena, Italy, the birthplace of the Ferrari. 11. Joe Thurman ’06 and his wife, Jessica, were married on January 20 in Fort Meyers, Florida. 12. St. X graduates Joe Wells ’08, Jack Wells ’10, and Ben Wells, Jr. ’04 attend the Northeast Hamilton County Republican Club Pancake Breakfast where they heard from keynote speaker Vivek Ramaswamy, ’03. 13. Rick Slusher ’94 and Mark Pelzel ’94 cheering on the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC Championship Game in Kansas City, Missouri. 14. Derek Endres ’05, Jay Endres ’73, Shaun Endres ’00 and Bruce Endres ’01 hike to the ‘top of Africa,’ Uhuru Peak, Mount Kilamanjaro at 19,341 feet in Tanzania. 15. Jeremy Schewe ’95 and his father, George, walked 316 km of the el Camino (French Route) in 2 weeks in March of 2023 to commemorate the loss of a family member. Jeremy’s nephew, Elliot Warren (’27), continues in the Long Blue Line starting classes this fall. 16. The St. Louis Alumni Chapter held an alumni event hosted by John Schrantz ’96 and Steve Specht ’86 at Helen Fitzgerald’s Irish Pub.

16 Summer 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine

X-Peditions What is up? You can let us know in a variety of ways–send a photo for our X-Peditions feature or tell fellow Bombers about your wedding, a recent move, your latest promotion, a family addition, your retirement or other news via the Alumni X-cerpts pages. Just fill out and send in the form below. We’re looking forward to hearing from you soon.

HOW TO SUBMIT PHOTOS • Scan the QR code • Email your submission to Becky Schulte at bschulte@stxavier.org • Fill out the online form at www.stxavier.org/xpeditions • Mail the form to St. Xavier High School (Magazine), 600 W. North Bend Road, Cincinnati, OH 45224

1. The Indianapolis Alumni Chapter held its Mass and brunch in April at the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. President Tim Reilly attended and presented the Indianapolis Alumni Chapter Scholarship. 2. The May 3 Houston Alumni Chapter Dinner with special guest Steve Specht ’86. 3. Members of the Class of 1969, Terry Horan ’69 and Rob Heidt ’69, visit the Carrick Winery outside of Queenstown, New England. 4. Batesville-area alumni and friends met on March 2 at Big Four Cafe in Batesville, Indiana. 5. Nick Kelly ’06 on his family trip to Hawaii. 6. Steve Kastner ’87, his son, Henry Kastner ’21, and nephew, Christopher Farrell ’23, on a Christmas trip to Naples, Florida. 7. The Colvin Family, Thomas ’67, Josh ’92, and Adam ’96, on their family trip to New Orleans. 8. Zachary Guskey ’11 visited The Basilica of Bom Jesus, the burial place of St. Francis Xavier in Goa, India in November 2022. 9. Alumni on a St. X Golf Trip: : L to R (first row) Craig Test, ’75; Neil McDermott, ’75; Jim McCullough, ’75, Mike Hart, ’75, Mark Zenni ’75, (second row) Joe Deters, ’75, Fred Lohmann, ’71, Tom Ionna, ’72, Tom Fessel, ’75 (third row) Jim Proctor, Steve Gay, ’75; Steve Ionna, ’75; Dean Backscheider, ’75 (last row) Joe Heeley, Pat McCullough, ‘76; Jim Richardson and Randy Freking, ’75. 10. Gerald Eskoff and grandson Grant Garrett ’23, joined by Grant’s mother Amy Eskoff-Garrett, touring the St. Xavier campus during spring break. 11. Matt Keith ’93 and James Ficker ’05, members of the 501st Legion, an international Star Wars costuming club, volunteered at the Cincinnati Rollergirls Star Wars Night. 24

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023

Calendar August 1: Young Alumni Golf League 2: Class of 1961 Luncheon at Hofbrauhaus in Newport, KY at 11:30 a.m. 5: Cross Country Alumni Race and Social at St. Xavier High School at 6:00 p.m. Registration and info at: www.stxavier.org/ ccalumni2023 8: Young Alumni Golf League 9

Class of 1958 luncheon at Blinker’s Tavern (318 Greenup St., Covington, KY 41011) at 11:30 a.m.

13: Young Alumni Golf Outing 13: Indianapolis Alumni Chapter – Indy Indians Outing. Contact Ed Franchi at efranchi@stxavier.org for more information. 15: Young Alumni Golf League

Alumni Gatherings & School Events Fall 2023

September

October

21: Class of 1964 luncheon at The Metropolitan Club in Covington, KY at 11:15 A.M. 22: Class of 1973 Golf Outing at the Mill Golf Course (Morning) and Gathering at St. Xavier High School (Evening)

3: 1973 Soccer Team 50-Year Reunion. 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. dinner and drinks in the Reynolds Room. 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. Home soccer game against Elder. More information to follow.

22-23: Class of 1983, 40-Year Reunion

6-7: Class of 1978, 45-Year Reunion

22-23: Class of 1988, 35-Year Reunion

6-7: Class of 1993, 30-Year Reunion

29-30: Class of 1963, 60-Year Reunion

6-7: Class of 1998, 25-Year Reunion

29-30: Class of 1968, 55-Year Reunion

6-7: Class of 2003, 20-Year Reunion

29-30: Class of 2013, 10-Year Reunion

6-7: Class of 2008, 15-Year Reunion 11: Class of 1958 luncheon at Blinker’s Tavern (318 Greenup St., Covington, KY 41011) at 11:30 a.m. 14: Cleveland/NE Ohio Alumni Reunion Tailgate. Contact John Schrantz ’96 at jschrantz@ stxavier.org for more information.

21: Alumni Golf Outing at Western Hills Country Club 26: Detroit Alumni Reunion Tailgate – Wayne State University. Contact John Schrantz ’96 at jschrantz@stxavier.org for more information.

Hausfeld Memorial Earlier this year the St. Xavier Community was saddened to learn about the passing of Ed Hausfeld, longtime German and Latin teacher who offered over four decades of service to teaching young men at St. X. Please continue to keep Ed and his family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

Thank you! Thank you to our three retiring staff members for their service. The results of your career lives in the Long Blue Line and will long be remembered. You have made a difference. With gratitude and admiration, we celebrate your retirement, hoping you will visit often, knowing you are always welcome back to St. Xavier, your home. Mr. Don Brichler – Director of Security Mrs. Cathy Cionni – Director of X-Travaganza Ms. Diane Siefert – Business Office

Summer 2023

St. Xavier High School Magazine

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F I N E ART S H ALL O F FA ME F R I D A Y, M A Y 3 , 2 0 2 4 HONORING: PETE EGBERS ’97 – VISUAL ARTS K E V I N K E R N ’ 9 2 – T H E AT R E CHRISTOPHER KIRADJIEFF ’90 – MUSIC T H E R E S A R E B E C K – L I T E R AT U R E DENNIS O’BRIEN – SPECIAL HONOR 26

St. Xavier High School Magazine Summer 2023