The John Bapst Round Table, Spring 2022

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Contents

A Tradition of Excellence 100 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401 207-947-0313 | www.johnbapst.org

MISSION John Bapst, an independent, college-preparatory school, cultivates academic excellence and personal growth, encourages exploration of opportunities, and fosters connections in an inclusive and global community.

Integrity | Achievement | Respect

ADMINISTRATION Dave Armistead Head of School

Dan O’Connell Athletic Director

Beth Campbell Director of Admission

Jason O’Reilly Academic Dean

Yue (Louisa) Deng Director of the International Program

Jordan Reeves Director of Residential Life

Angela Kearns ’92 Assistant to the Head of School

Elizabeth Wood Dean of Students

Bill Meier Director of Finance and Operations

Eric Zelz ’78 Director of Communications

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BOARD OF TRUSTEES Dan Wellington ‘73, Chair Cheryl Fasse, Vice Chair Kirsten Ismail, Secretary James Strout ‘02, Treasurer Mary Ellen Sheehan Darling ’59, Trustee Emerita Earle Hannigan, Trustee Emeritus

ROBOTIC’S “FLAT EARTH SOCIETY” IS OFF TO THE VEX WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

Kristin Coffey Canders ’92 Kim Meagher ’04 Pat Gaetani Paul Messer ‘94 Kevin Kelly Tony Pellegrini, Esq. Jim Lacadie ’71 Hans Peterson, Esq. Dan LaMontagne Meg Goggins Sanders, ‘97 Esq. Susan MacKay Matt Skaves ‘99

SENDING SCHOOL REPRESENTATIVES Linda Graban Matt Smith RSU 63 AOS 47

A FAMILY AFFAIR: SPANNING THE YEARS AT JOHN BAPST

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A FOND FAREWELL

FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL 4 UPCOMING FUNDRAISERS 7 CLASS NOTES 13

On the cover: lllustration by Eric Zelz ‘78

STAY CONNECTED. SEND US YOUR NEWS.

BY MAIL: John Bapst Memorial High School, Development Office, 100 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401-5204 ONLINE: johnbapst.org/about/contact-us THE ROUND TABLE SPRING 2022 JOHNBAPST.ORG 3

From Head of School Dave Armistead

Back to Bapst and Back to Normal

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s I reflect on the coming end of the school year, I can’t help but be amazed at what we’ve all been through and accomplished together. The class of ’22 has had four different schedules and four different kinds of school across their years here. They’ve been fully online, partially online, in-person with masks, and in-person with masks optional. We’ve had pooled testing, masking, social distancing, and more cancellations than we care to count over the past two years. The pandemic has thrown many challenges at the school yet our community has always found ways to thrive.

I’ve been impressed by how much we have been able to restore. I hope you are too.

In this year alone, we have sent students to Greece and the Galapagos Islands (a trip to Spain and Italy is coming up in June!). We’ve had a robotics team go to the world championships. We have had students return to Mount Desert Rock to continue field research on marine life. We have concerts, art shows, and dramatic productions again. Our teams are on the fields and on the courts again.

It could go without saying, but I’ll add that we have had the fantastic in-person education going full tilt. If you walk the halls at John Bapst today, you will see and hear happy, smiling students and teachers and know that we are ending this year back at full strength. It feels great to be back!

In this issue of The Round Table, you will read stories about what has been happening this past year, plus some great stories and quips from our alums. Like every year, we have made great memories this year, and we are always excited to share them from past years.

Enjoy!

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This community has always found ways to thrive...this year has been especially refreshing in how much we have been able to restore.

Students (top, clockwise) in the Galapagos Islands, on the way to Mount Desert Rock, in Greece, and on the PBS program High School Quiz Show: Maine

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Around Campus

The 2021-2022 academic year has been a busy one at John Bapst. Starting the year with mandatory mask wearing and social distancing and slowly pivoting, following Maine CDC guidelines, to a mask optional campus, members of the John Bapst community, as always, pulled together. We didn’t miss a day of classes and got back to enjoying each other and the many opportunities that make a John Bapst education so special for both our domestic and our international students. Here are a few of the highlights.

Seventeen John Bapst students qualified to participate in the Mathematical Association of America’s challenging AMC 10 and 12 competitions, covering trigonometry, advanced algebra, and advanced geometry. One of the country’s most prestigious mathematics competitions, the AMC 10 and 12 are designed to promote the development and enhancement of problem-solving skills.

Congratulations to John Bapst’s five teams competing in the Simmons Windstorm Challenge, including team “The Flat Earth Society,” comprised of Tyler McGoldrick ‘22, Shannon Murphy‘23, and Claire Metzger‘25, with instructor Mike Dudley. The FES scored first in the wave testing portion of the high school division and earned a score of 97 out of a possible 100 points in the challenge.

The Matthew R. Simmons Windstorm Challenge requires teams to design and construct a floating platform for a 1:100 scale wind turbine. Designs maximize stability under various wind and wave conditions. The FES winners were awarded a paid internship at Advanced Structures and Composites Center worth $20K yearly contingent upon their attendance at UMaine.

Eighteen John Bapst science students participated in the Maine

A scene (left) from the fall play, “Pillow Talk”; (above) students celebrating Lunar New Year.

State Science Fair (MSSF) at Colby College in March. Students exhibited a diverse range of research projects and thirteen earned awards. MSSF is an opportunity for Maine high school students to pursue their interest in science and engineering and present results of their projects to fellow students and expert STEM professionals. It’s organized by The Jackson Laboratory and Reach, a program of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance.

The “Flat Earth Society, “ one of John Bapst’s four robotics teams,

has competed in the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas.

(See story, next page.) A subject of statewide news coverage, this all girls team is a winning rarity on the robotics world stage.

The Fine Arts Department has been busy with both virtual and in person events. The fall virtual art show saw many online visits, while the fall play (”Pillow Talk”), and spring musical (“Legally Blonde”) filled Sekera Auditorium, as did the beautiful holiday concert. Next up are the spring concert and spring art show.

Each of the seven fall sports programs were successful and qualified for the postseason on the merit of their seasons (despite an open tournament format.) The boys’ cross country team was runner up

at regionals and the girls finished in the top five; both teams qualified for the state championship meet.

Field hockey was the #7 seed in northern Maine and won a firstround playoff game. The golf team had a very competitive season and had three individuals (Ellie Kuhl ’24, Travis True ’22, and Justin Solomon ’22) qualify for the state tournament.

Football and cheer landed in the Campbell Conference quarterfinals.

Girls’ soccer was the #6 seed in our region and won a first round playoff game, before succumbing in the semifinal round. For the first time since 2016, the boys’ soccer team qualified for the postseason as the #4 seed in northern Maine, and won three playoff games on the way to a regional championship game.

There was more success to be had in the winter season. The boys’ varsity basketball team qualified for a prelim game as the #11 seed and won their first postseason game since 2008. They followed that up with a semifinal win (for the first time since 1996) until falling, valiantly, in the semifinals.

The girls’ varsity basketball team won their play-in playoff game before falling in the prelim round.

The ice hockey team finished #5 in Northern Maine Class B with a tough loss in the quarterfinal round.

The indoor track program enjoyed a successful season with some great individual successes at the PVC and state championship meets. The girls’ 4 x 800 relay team (Audra Brooks ‘22, Lucrezia Andres ‘23, Sherry Foster ‘23, Amber Stokes ‘22), ‘22), and Sherry Foster ‘23 in the 600m, qualified and competed in the New England Championships in Boston.

The girls’ and boys’ swim and dive teams both finished 4th in the PVC, and 8th in the State in Class B. Competition cheer finished

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second in the PVC Championship, third in the Class B Northern Maine Regional Championship, and fourth in the MPA Class B competition.

Finally, the alpine ski teams finished fourth (boys) and fifth (girls) in the MPA Class B State Competition races. Seniors Olivia Rand ’22 and Quinn Breen ‘22 were both bronze medalists in the state competition. Olivia also qualified for the All-State Shootout race and was named to the All-State team for her efforts.

And not to be overlooked, the ever-popular senior-staff basketball game was played before an enthusiastic full house, with all proceeds benefiting Project Graduation.

In our boarding program, students celebrated Lunar New Year with music, games, food, and fun, enjoyed many outings, including hiking in Acadia National Park and skiing at Hermon Mountain, saw the spirited play of the Harlem Globetrotters, and so much more.

The Harlow “Joe” Floyd Chapter of the National Honor Society inducted thirty-six students at the 2021-2022 induction ceremony held in Sekera Auditorium. The ceremony included a history of the society, speeches regarding the criteria of the organization, presentation of inductees, and musical performances.

The John Bapst Chess Team enjoyed victories in championship competition, including the Claude E. Webber Cup Championship and a first place finish in Maine’s first Scholastic Grand Prix.

Madisson Higgins ‘24 was named 2022 Miss Maine Teen USA. Madi’s passion is in advocating for first responders.

Nik Hachey ‘22 placed first in the SkillsUSA Maine and United Technologies Center statewide Collision Repair competition of the SkillsUSA Maine Championships.

SkillsUSA Maine provides students with workplace and technical skills development.

Cyrus Iarrobino‘23 was honored by the American Red Cross with a Certificate of Extraordinary Personal Action and by the Penobscot Regional Communications Center with a Lifesaving Commendation.

Cyrus made a tourniquet out of a shoelace to save his mother who had severely injured her wrist in a fall.

Read more of these stories and additional content at johnbapst.org or visit John Bapst on Facebook.

The all-girls “Flat Earth Society” competes against the world’s best at the VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas

Shannon Murphy ‘23, Samantha Ismail ‘23, and Julianna Clark ‘24 make up the team that is “The Flat Earth Society.”

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aving just returned from the exciting competitions of the VEX Robotics Championship in Dallas, Texas, the John Bapst robotics team “Flat Earth Society” has much to celebrate. At the recent world contest, the team placed a very respectable 50th out of 82 teams in their division of teams from across the globe. And what adds to the excitement is that this team is the first all girls team at John Bapst.

Samantha Ismail, Julianna Clark and Shannon Murphy are the trio that make up The Flat Earth Society, one of four robotics teams at John Bapst.

Ismail, a junior, is the team captain. “She’s probably one of the best if not the best captain I’ve worked with in the 15 years that I’ve been here,” says Coach Michael Murphy, also the school’s Director of Technology. Shannon Murphy is the driver, builder, and designer of the robot. She runs the remote control for the robot during tournaments. “I do get very nervous,” Murphy admits. “Especially driving, it’s very scary for me. But after the first couple of matches, I tend to be okay.”

Clark. a sophomore at Bapst, is new to the team and robotics at the school. “I do documentation,”a process that is imperative to the competition process. Clark estimates she’s spent more than 160 hours just on “the notebook,” a record of the team’s progress. “If someone else was to look at it, they could replicate the entire process.”

“Troll” is the name of the robot built by the girls for competition. There are two troll dolls on each end along with a googly eyed face on the back, and pink rubber duckies on top. One might think

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this is a distraction tactic for the other teams, but Murphy explains with a chuckle, “Yeah, it’s more just decoration...it looks really cool and we like to bling stuff out a bit.”

Prior to VEX, Coach Murphy found that the team “really gelled quickly and were able to have some early successes to build the confidence,” winning more than 50% of the tournaments in the state.

Clark added, “As we progressed, people started to really notice like – oh wow, you’re an all girls team?

That’s crazy.”

At the world championship, “there are 810 or so teams in all and roughly 80 in a division,” Coach Murphy explained. “[Our team] was in the division that was ranked the toughest by the match results.”

“Every match here is like the finals at states,” team member Ismail said. “[The world championship] has been a whole new level of competition that we haven’t really experienced yet. [We didn’t win] as many matches as we normally do, but we’re meeting so many people, and we’re still doing well.”

Similarly, team driver Shannon Murphy said the competition was different than she and her team are used to going up against in Maine. “I’m actually kind of surprised, as the driver, to have won any matches here because the quality of competition is just insane,” Murphy said. “Like, every single robot is the best of the best.”

Back home, Coach Murphy said that the team is looking forward to next year’s competition and already has several robot designs on paper. “The competition was challenging, educational, and inspiring,” he added.

-From John Bapst and media reports

WHY D WE ASK

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FUNDRAISERS

The Annual Fund at John Bapst id you know that the average cost to educate a student at John Bapst is over $14,000? And that the state approved tuition is just over $12,000?

As an independent school, John Bapst cannot rely on something like property taxes to bridge the gap between the cost of educating a student and what is paid by towns that have school choice. The school relies on its Annual Fund to bridge the gap. The Annual Fund of the school helps to cover operating expenses of the school each year – including textbooks, art supplies, instruments, technology needs, transportation to and from athletic events, and

much more. We send out two appeals each year, one in the spring and one in the fall, and we also hold fundraisers to benefit the Annual Fund. The appeals are meant to be straightforward and highlight what we do at the school and what your dollars support. The fundraisers are designed to be affordable and fun community builders. Our annual golf tournament and this spring’s Bunny Hop virtual 5k are good examples of that.

Please do what you can to help us continue to provide the best student experience at John Bapst!

Visit johnbapst.org/give/restore to give.

Thank you!

Thanks for joining the fluffle! (Yes, “fluffle” is a real word!)

Our first virtual 5K had modest but meaningful participation. The next 5K is hoped to draw more attention. As one faculty member said, “it’s nice to have an affordable, actionable way to give to the Annual Fund.”

JOIN US, Come BACK TO BAPST! July 23 to July 25, 2022 “Back To Bapst!”

Alumni weekend

July 23 - Alumni Gathering and More July 24 - Athletic Hall of Fame Induction July 25 - The Annual Golf Tournament Visit johnbapst.org and social media for more details.

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A family affair

The Murray/Higgins family has deep roots at John Bapst

First, in 1928, it was John Bapst High School. Then, in 1980, it became John Bapst Memorial High School.

Over the years and through the changes, our school has witnessed many students pass through its doors and down its hallways. Some have come alone, the first member of a family enrolled.

Others have come joining brothers or sisters already here. Still others have come, following mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles long graduated.

Upon arrival, they may have attended classes on a boys’ side or a girls’ side.

They might have met others coming from towns well beyond Bangor or countries well beyond our own.

Regardless of how and why and from whence they came, all quickly were unified as part of the John Bapst community, a community that lasts well beyond graduation.

We hope to feature additional multi-generational Bapst families in the future. Are you one? Consider sharing your story. Please contact us at info@johnbapst.org, with “Family Affair” in the subject line.

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Generation 1

Laura L. Guite (Murray) Class of 1939

Robert E. Murray, Sr. Class of 1936 Photo circa early 1940s

Generation 3

Seamus F. Higgins Class of 1996

Kevin P. Higgins Class of 1999

CURRENT Students

Lillian A. Higgins Class of 2023

Nathalie W. Higgins Class of 2025

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Generation 2

Cynthia A. Murray (Beliveau) Class of 1965

Frank J. Murray Class of 1967

Kathi Murray Class of 1968

Winifred Murray (Higgins) Class of 1973

Around Campus

Robert (Buddy) Murray Class of 1977

Generation 4

Darian F. Higgins Class of 2002

FUTURE Student

Cecilia M. Higgins Class of 2028

Meghan K. Higgins (Szylvian) Class of 2005

I

Emma C. Higgins Class of 2019

sit in the median of my family of origin. While not exactly in the middle (that spot goes to Kathi), I occupy that space between the first three, who attended Bapst in what might be considered the heyday (1961-1968) and the transition to a private school (1980).

I grew up hearing stories from my parents of a jar on the kitchen table of my grandparents’ homes which was used to collect change to donate to the school building fund. Bapst, the concept, was present in my parents’ toddler years and they graduated in ‘36 and ’39 respectively.

There was never a question of if I would attend Bapst, though the closure of Dow AFB in 1968 and the subsequent decline in enrollment put the future of John Bapst in question. I recall my parents attending meetings during that period regarding the future of the school and their unfailing support of the importance of keeping it open. Bapst was their identity. It supported and fostered their faith life, it was a point of pride. In today’s parlance it was their tribe. But the confluence of Bangor’s changing population, Vatican II, changing social

Aodhan F. Higgins Class of 2021

norms, and economics forced a rethink of what Bapst was and its future. There were tumultuous years to follow. What started as a parochial school in 1928 had run its course and in 1980 the Diocese of Portland closed John Bapst High School. So ended that chapter.

Happily for me and my family, while John Bapst the Catholic school closed, John Bapst Memorial High School opened and continued to provide education, care, opportunities, and an expanded sense of belonging and community. Old traditions sit alongside new ones, and the Bapst community has managed to open its doors to new cultures, faces, and experiences while still fostering that sense of belonging and support.

My history with Bapst has a foot in the past and an eye to the future. It has been a place of learning as a child and support as a parent. Watching my children and now my grandchildren take their place in the Bapst family leaves me with a sense of amazement – that this idea, conceived so long ago by my grandparents’ generation and executed by my parents’ , still exists, is still relevant, and still excels. I am grateful.

– Winifred Murray Higgins ’73

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THEN&NOW On the staff of John Bapst is a unique group: those who graduated from John Bapst and have returned to be a part of the school’s staff. Here are profiles of five of them, in their own words.

Angelica Nelligan, Class of 2008 Physical Education & Wellness instructor

Attended John Bapst from Glenburn.

A legacy, with many relatives attending John Bapst and one instrumental in founding the school. school.

I

teach Physical Education and Wellness at John Bapst. Long before I was a student here, however, I had heard many stories about the school.

In fact, the school was founded by a relative, Monsignor Thomas J. Nelligan and another priest, Father Timothy H. Houlihan, in the 1920s.

My grandfather, Paul Nelligan, attended John Bapst in the early 1940s and often told a story about how he brought his pet sheep to school to play a role in the annual nativity play. It was my mother’s dream for me to attend John Bapst and I am so grateful she helped me decide to enroll.

From the moment I walked into John Bapst I loved the school and felt at home. The teachers

were kind, intelligent and inspiring. Some of my teachers are still at the school and continue to inspire students, and me, now an educator myself.

Every day I strive to be as patient and kind as my teachers were.

At the time I entered high school, I was a gymnast with skills in power tumbling. My gymnastics coach convinced me that pole vault should be my sport as gymnasts do well with coordinating their movements in the air. He was right! At my first track meet, I placed second and from that point on, my athletic focus was track and field. Our team, coached by Bruce Pratt, won the state championship every year, and I was the state individual winner for the pole vault three times. I found out that my great uncle, Jim Nelligan, had also been a pole vaulter at John Bapst and he told me that back in those days, the vaulters landed in a pile of sawdust instead of the huge mats we have now!

I graduated from John Bapst in 2008 and went on to the University of Maine as a student-athlete competing in Division 1 Track and Field and earning a spot in the top five women pole vaulters in the history of the University of Maine. I would not have been able to do this if not for the encouragement I received from my high school coaches and the

confidence I gained as a student-athlete at John Bapst.

I always knew I wanted to return to John Bapst one day and in 2014 I was hired as the track and field coach. Since I started coaching, I have had the pleasure of working with many wonderful students, including several state champions in pole vault, long jump, and high jump.

My college major was kinesiology and physical education and I completed student teaching with Dick Soucy at John Bapst, one of the kindest teachers I have ever known. My dream job was to return to John Bapst as a teacher. Before a position opened at John Bapst, I taught PE part time at Veazie Community School, Airline School, and Blue Hill Harbor School. When I finally had the opportunity to apply for the position at John Bapst, I was ecstatic when offered the job. Returning to John Bapst truly felt like coming home.

As a physical education and health teacher, my primary focus is to promote lifelong fitness and complete wellbeing. This year I designed and implemented a new class for our PE program: Personal Fitness. Now that we have an incredible new facility that provides ample opportunities for physical activities, I wanted to offer a class where students can focus on individual fitness goals and learn how to use every piece of equipment the gym has to offer in a safe and comfortable environment. I am currently a certified strength and conditioning specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. In my class, students learn how to set personal fitness goals and design their own training plans to complete throughout the semester. It has been incredibly rewarding to see students find joy in exercise and reach their goals. In fact, we had 38 new “personal records” recently.

John Bapst has played a large role in my life and I am grateful for all that it has given me. I am proud to be an alumna and a faculty member.

On our Board of Trustees

It’s not just staff who have returned to John Bapst. Twelve of our board members are also graduates of our school. Their involvement and history with the school adds valuable depth as we plan for the future. Look for seven more in the Fall edition of The Round Table.

Jim Lacadie ‘71

Kristin Coffey Canders ‘92

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Meg Goggins Sanders ‘97

Matt Skaves ‘99

James Strout ‘02

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Shyla Waring, Class of 1999 School Nurse Attended John Bapst from Glenburn A legacy, with her mother, LuAnn Morneault ’78 and grandfather Llewellyn Morneault ’56 as well as aunts, uncles, cousins, and siblings graduating from John Bapst.

Why did you or your family choose John Bapst?

We chose John Bapst because of its excellent reputation as a college prep school and because my family members are alums of the school.

What did you do while you were here?

I was on the cross country, swimming, and spring track teams. My favorite memories are of spending time with friends and participating in sports.

Favorite or funniest memory?

It’s hard to choose just one. My favorite memories are of spending time with friends and participating in sports.

Where did you go from here?

I graduated from UMaine with my bachelor’s degree in nursing, moved to Portland and worked in the hospital there for six years. After getting married (to another John Bapst alum, Nate Waring, from my class of 1999) and having our first daughter, we moved our family back to the Bangor area so that our children could grow up closer to family and one day attend John Bapst.

Why did you come back here to work?

And why do you stay?

I loved my time at John Bapst and have really great memories from school here. I was looking for a change of pace from hospital nursing and the schedule was a good fit for my family. I have been here for 5 years now and I’ve really enjoyed working with students and families. Having an international boarding program has been a great learning experience for me and something that not every school nursing job offers. It’s very nostalgic to walk the halls of John Bapst and see students experiencing some of the same things that I did at their age.

Ben Hale, Class of 1999

Social Sciences Department Chair Attended John Bapst from Holden Why did you or your family choose John Bapst?

Well, I don’t remember a lot of the reasoning behind decisions by my middle school self, but I recall being impressed by the music program at John Bapst and wanting to be a part of it.

What did you do while you were here?

I was involved with the band and tried a variety of sports (Track, Cross Country, Football, Nordic Skiing, Baseball) though I was not particularly good at any of them.

I might hold the JV Baseball record for most strikeouts in a season, by a hitter.

It was at John Bapst I really started to get interested in history and government.

Favorite or funniest memory?

I still remember going to Washington DC to perform with the band at Clinton’s second Inauguration.

Where did you go from here?

I earned my BA in Political Science from UMaine and then thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2004. Soon after I went to teach English as a Second Language in Incheon, South Korea. I came back and earned my Masters of Arts in Teaching from UMaine and have been teaching at John Bapst for the past 10 years.

Why did you come back here to work? And why do you stay?

Admittedly, it was a little strange to come back to teach at Bapst, but I came back with the start of the International Student Program as the English as a Second Language teacher.

I have since transitioned to teaching in the Social Sciences department (for reference, I am in Mr. Cowan’s old room) and really enjoy working with students as a teacher and club advisor for Model UN and the Outing Club.

Eric Zelz, Class of 1978

Director of Communications Attended John Bapst from Bangor A legacy, with his mother, Rachel Paradis ’43, ’43, daughter Charlotte ’15, and two brothers, an uncle, and a nephew graduating from John Bapst.

Why did you or your family choose John Bapst?

John Bapst has always been a part of my family. Growing up, it was a natural progression from St. John’s Grammar School. My family’s history with the school and the great education and friendly environment it offered made it a wonderful fit.

What did you do while you were here?

I enjoyed a variety of clubs and activities, including photography, chess, drama, yearbook, Key Club, and National Honor Society.

Favorite or funniest memory?

It’s hard to pick the funniest memory, but I must say getting on “Dick Stacey’s Country Jamboree” with Pat Perry ‘78 and others, pretending we were from Halifax, was fun. We won a bet with Mr. Liebow.

Where did you go from here?

I earned my BA in Art at Bowdoin College then spent 31 great years at the Bangor Daily News, eventually becoming Editor of Graphics and Design at the then 100,000 circulation paper. I also started illustrating children’s books, a real joy for me. A new one is coming out in September.

Why did you come back here to work? And why do you stay?

The chance to work with Mel MacKay and build a new gym was quite a draw as I was looking for a way to help my old school. One doesn’t always get the chance to be involved in something one believes in so strongly. To me, John Bapst is that thing.

Around Campus

Jason Moreau, Class of 2001

Modern and Classical Languages Department Chair, English Faculty Attended John Bapst from Glenburn

Why did you or your family choose John Bapst?

It had a good reputation and, although it was no longer a parochial school at that point, it still had quite a pull on the Catholic families of the area. My parents didn’t force me to come, but they certainly encouraged me.

What did you do while you were here?

I was even more introverted than I am now, but I was involved in Mr. Burgess’s debate team and in a few drama productions, including one directed by Ms. Burns.

I was also briefly on the ski team—I finished all my races dead last.

Favorite or funniest memory?

I will always remember the ice storm of 1998 and the cancellation of midterms, which was a big deal.

Where did you go from here?

After discovering the French language and studying abroad, I got my undergrad degree from Marlboro College, which is sadly now defunct, and did graduate school at Dartmouth and Princeton (still in business last I checked), followed by a teaching and research fellowship at Brown.

Why did you come back here to work? And why do you stay?

The lifestyle that came with higher education wasn’t doing it for me, and I was tired of living out of state and being on the road so much. My wife was already working here, and some of the teachers who influenced me the most were still working here, so it was a unique opportunity, and I have never really looked back. The most important factors keeping me here are the freedom to innovate that I have as a teacher and the high quality of students.

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Thank you

MR. MAC!

John Bapst’s beloved Alfred McIntyre will be retiring in June, 2022 after 37 years. Director of the Jazz Band, John Bapst Chorale, and Band and Chamber Ensemble, Al “Mac” McIntyre has filled our halls with music since 1985. Through state championships, assemblies, homecoming celebrations, plays, musicals, and bringing music into the lives of countless students, Al McIntyre has shown us all the musical spirit of John Bapst. Thank you, Mac!

“Mr. Mac is an unforgettable music instructor.

His talent for engaging students, getting us excited to perform and trusting us with complicated new material led to our first Jazz Band State Championship victory, a memory I cherish deeply.

Whether through his work with the choir, band or jazz band, Mac’s love for teaching shone through and I truly enjoyed my time as his student.”

– Tori Mason ‘10

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“Mac is an amazing teacher.

He always makes time for his students and makes sure he talks to every single person to see how they are doing. He is the perfect combination of relaxed, silly, and serious which makes his classes engaging and fun.”

– Kailee Soucia ‘22

“Al is one of those colleagues that is always trying to make you smile and enjoy the moment. It’s been a pleasure to work with him and see him inspire students.”

– Melissa Burns

John Bapst Fine Arts Director

THE ROUND TABLE / Joann Talbot Lumino ’53 is still enjoying life in Hampden.

Muriel Dinsmore Munz ’54 celebrated her 65th wedding anniversary and has three sons, five grandchildren, and four great grandchildren.

Gail Trefethen Juber ’57 is married with six children, eleven grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. She is a retired accounting manager with her BS degree from the University of New Haven in 1979.

Katherine McHale Powell ’60 sends her greetings to fellow alumni. She still enjoys her part-time government contract playing music for Masses at nearby Eglin Air Force Base. She has been a church musician since she was 15!

Laurie Hoffer Chavira ’64 and her husband, Oscar, stay busy.

They are healthy, happy, love each other, and love God. They are grateful for their faith and continue to minister to others in whatever way is needed.

Paul McGuire ’64 is finally retired at the age of 74 2/3. He is now able to sleep in EVERY morning!

Jim Soucie ’65 is still curious about how things are made, how they work, get repaired, and why they break. He is a mechanical engineer who put himself through college working construction during the summers. He stayed working construction through the recession and finally got to use his degree in 1979 and retired in 2018.

If anyone wants to know anything about old 3-cylinder Saabs, ask Jim. His favorite show is “How It’s Made”.

Edward Stover ’66 is a retired Senior Project Engineer (electrical).

He and his wife Mary have three daughters, six grandchildren, and three great grandchildren. He is also retired from the US Navy.

Peggy Ann Caron Whitson ’71 has retired from the radiation oncology profession and enjoys

living in the mountains of Tennessee.

Michael Lamson ’73 is retired, but still consulting. And golfing!

Bill ’75 and Susan White Baker ’76 welcomed their second grandson, Cohen William Baker, in May 2021.

Mary Alice Boyd White ’95 wanted to share that she was married on October 2, 2021, and is now Mary White!

Megan McBurnie ’06 did a Pediatric Critical Care Fellowship at Mass General Hospital in Boston.

Zac LaPierre ’08 owns and operates ‘This Lil Piggy’ food truck with his wife Anna. The truck features barbecue and can be found around the Bangor/Brewer area.

Nikki Holland Atkins ’10 is a Pharmacy Manager in Skowhegan.

She and her husband, Dylan, married in 2018, and welcomed a beautiful baby boy, Finnegan, to their family in January, 2021. They reside in Pittsfield.

Jason McBurnie ’10 is an optometrist in Crown Point, Indiana.

Morgan Rublee ’10 and Dillon Jordan ’10 reunited in 2019 while both were working in Europe.

Morgan was an English teacher and department chair at Foxcroft Academy and Dillon is a Captain in the U.S. Army. The John Bapst “sweethearts” had an October 2021 wedding. They will reside in El Paso, Texas, where Dillon is stationed.

Marissa Rublee ’11 is a registered dietician nutritionist and is currently working as a counselor at Kaleidoscope Eating Disorders & Diet Recovery Center in Portland.

She was married to Cameron Campbell in September 2021, and they reside in southern Maine.

Amber Oakes ‘12 graduated from the University of Maine with a BA in Communication Sciences and Disorders, an MA in Human Development, and a certificate in

Special Education. She has done work in human services as an ed tech, and was a coach for Orono field hockey and Brewer middle school softball. She serves on the The Maine Educational Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing board in Falmouth. Currently an American Sign Language teacher at Brewer High School, she lives in Brewer.

Madeline Branch ‘12 graduated from American University in 2016 and lives in Washington, DC., working at the U.S. Department of State.

Rebecca (Leathers) Severance ‘12 graduated from Maine Maritime Academy with her BS in International Business & Logistics in 2016 and then went to graduate school, earning a Master of Science in Global Logistics & Maritime Management. She went on to work with Pepsi Beverages in Stratford, CT before leaving to join Ahold Delhaize USA (parent company of Hannaford) where she is now managing freight transportation.

She lives with her husband, Wade, in Raymond, ME. Maria Ullo, Ph.D. ‘12 earned her Bachelors of Science at Rensselaer Polytech for Biology in 2016.

She next pursued her Ph.D. in Biomedical Science at Albany Medical College and is currently a postdoctoral research scientist at Massachusetts Institute of Technology in a lab where she’s studying the biochemistry of proteins implicated in cancer.

Sian Douglas ‘13 graduated from Mount Holyoke College, South Hadley, MA, with a degree in economics in 2017. She went on to graduate school at UMass Boston in 2019 with a degree in Applied Economics. Originally an international student herself, Sian would be happy to share advice _ especially for international students”

Class Notes

Casey McGuire ‘13 graduated from Oberlin College in 2017, with a major in Geology and minors in Environmental Studies and Anthropology. She has worked as a park guide, a hydrologic technician for the USGS in Augusta, and now work as a consultant hydrogeologist for an environmental consulting company in Scotland.

Christina Long ‘13 is a veterinarian near Denver, CO. She graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in London in June 2021 with a degree in veterinary medicine, and from UC Davis in 2017 with a degree in animal science. She continues to enjoy music, having sung with the London Symphony Chorus during vet school. One of their albums was nominated for a Grammy last year.

Ashton Ortiz‘13 studied Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Biomechanics at the University of Arizona, graduating in 2017. She is now working for the biotech consulting firm, Verista, as a senior project engineer and is in management and execution at Abbott Rapid Diagnostics, doing validation on their Covid test production lines.

Lauren Tribuzio ’14 graduated from EMCC and is employed by the Bangor Fire Department as a Paramedic Firefighter.

Jiazheng (Bob) Sun ‘15 graduated from Georgia Tech in 2018 and Carnegie Mellon University for graduate study, earning computer science degrees. Currently in the greater Seattle area, he works as a software engineer and is now about to join Niantic as a software engineer.

G. Owen Leaden ‘15 graduated from Marist College in 2019.

Following research with IBM, he interned at a data backup company, before moving to ConEd (NYC Utility) and risk management in their Information Security Department. He is currently

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Class Notes

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at Flashpoint Intelligence as a security engineer. He enjoys life in New York City, hopping around Queens and Brooklyn.

Rongcan “Phoenix” Sun ‘16 graduated from Case Western with a BS in Biochemistry in January 2020. She started her Master of Public Health at Yale in August 2020 and will be graduating with a MPH in Environmental Health Sciences. Next up, a move to Greensboro, NC and work as an associate consultant in the R&D advisory team for Syneos Health.

Megan Tribuzio ’17 attends Husson University and is employed as a police officer for the Belfast Police department.

Chuong “Peter” Dong ‘18 has been engaged in the malware reverse engineering field (analyzing ransomware). His work has been recognized by major groups in the field, including the FBI. Peter has been interviewed by international news outlets, including Reuters, regarding the 2021 Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack. He went on to earn an internship at FireEye/ Mandiant, a reverse engineering team, where he will continue in a fulltime position. Peter is quick to “dedicate [his] success” to John Bapst Engineering and Technology Department Chair Mike Murphy.

LET US CONNECT YOU!

Current students always welcome the opportunity to be in contact with alums to learn about your professional path, experience, and expertise.

If you are willing to chat in-person or via Zoom, offer a shadow, or lend insight in another way, we’d love to hear from you! Please let us know by emailing info@johnbapst.org and typing “Connect with an Alum” in the subject line.

Thank you!

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A SPECIAL TRIBUTE: John F. MacKay

J

ohn Bapst sadly notes the passing of one of our “re-founding fathers.” John F. MacKay, LTC, U.S. Army Retired, died April 16, 2022.

In 1980, those closely connected with John Bapst High School faced an important decision. The school had just been closed by the Catholic Diocese of Portland, and the challenge faced was whether a private school could reopen in its place in time for fall classes.

Ever the public servant, John refused to believe John Bapst High School should be closed. Within three months, he and three others (Bill Lindsay, Earle Hannigan, Joe Sekera), along with the support of countless others, petitioned the diocese, worked with the former staff, and incorporated a new school.

John Bapst Memorial High School reopened in September of 1980 as a private school.

Thanks to the commitment of John, John Bapst has become one of the top private schools in New England, serving students from Bangor and its many surrounding communities, as well as students from around the world. As John himself said: “We had a dream the school would survive; it is now very much alive.”

John will be dearly missed and forever in our hearts.

Our condolences to his dear wife, Ann, and his entire family.

IN MEMORIAM

Our deepest sympathies to the families and friends of the following John Bapst alumni and friends who have passed on.

Alumni

Sophie Shaboski Wood ’37 Richard “Dick” Martin ’46 Francis W. Boyle ’48 William C. Hughes ’49 Kenneth J. Harvey ’51 John “Tim” Timothy Smith ’52 Denise “Dee Dee” Hachey Ketchen ’55 Margaret “Anne” McManus Sage ’55 Brian F. Murray ’56 Robert “Bob” W. Reynolds ’58 Joseph E. Brooks ’60 Ernest L. Gray, III ’61 Robert John Cota ’62 John A. Leeman, Jr. ’62 Michael J. McInnis ’64 Peter Thomas Bosse ’65 John M. Samways ’65 Robert D. Cochrane ’68 William J. Leeman ’68

John “Tom” Thomas Tennett, Sr. ’68 Ellen Andrle Breindel ’75 Michael F. Dionne ’77 Jacob “Jay” Munson ’86

Friends

Joseph C. Alex Rhonda J. Bickmore Mary S. Boyd Larry E. Bragg Anthony “Tony” Joseph Brasslett, Sr. William A. Charpentier, Sr. Margaret “Marge” Cecelia Hunt John F. MacKay, LTC, U.S. Army Retired Coco Pacholski John “Randy” Perry II Helen Placella Beverly Ann Rogers Larry R. Smith Sophia L. Wirta

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Sherry Lowe ‘62 Sherry Lowe lives an interesting, busy and productive life, including being recently awarded the Key to the City of Bangor. She visited her alma mater as she made plans for her upcoming 60th reunion. In her words: My father left when I was eight years old and my mother struggled to support me and my three sisters.

We moved a lot, sometimes staying with relatives, and the five of us even hitch-hiked from Oklahoma City to Bangor, thinking that our father wanted to take care of us – but he didn’t.

I had a wonderful experience at John Bapst High School. It started when I became Catholic while living at St. Michael’s Children’s Home. My divorced mother took an extra job at St. Michael’s to help support us and they offered housing for my sisters and me during the week. I was a scholarship student at Bapst.

Two of my sisters also went to John Bapst.

Teachers who influenced me were Sister Mary Jerome, who taught English including Shakespeare; Sister Mary Luke, who was the principal; and Sister Mary Raymond, who taught history. She was the first person to tell me I was smart and I needed to work harder.

I know they were all as surprised as I was when I won the Betty Crocker Homemaker of Tomorrow award for my class, a national exam given to senior girls. In short, John Bapst helped instill in me the confidence to go on and do some pretty great things!

Victoria Caesar Greeley, Bapst Class of 1951, encouraged me to enter the Miss Bangor Pageant my senior year. She taught me how to walk in high heels, discuss current events, and even made the clothing I wore in the pageants.

I competed in 1962 with Anna Capparelli ‘61, Patty Kinney Knowles ‘62, and Lorna Perry Capparelli ‘62.

(In 1962 our apartment burned and

Bangor’s Madisson Higgins ‘24, ‘24, Miss Maine Teen USA 2022, met Miss Bangor 1964 Sherry Lowe ‘62 as Sherry was presented the Key to the City of Bangor recently. Inset: As Miss Bangor, 1964.

I was the Illinois coordinator for an art project for peace in 1985 using skills learned at Bapst and various jobs.

The Peace Ribbon was a grassroots project with participation worldwide.

Lorna loaned me a beautiful gold dress for prom.) Anna won that year. I decided to keep trying, and won the third year.

Being Miss Bangor served as a springboard for many exciting things in my life. I went to the WLBZ-TV station to do a promo for

the Miss Maine Pageant. They asked if I would be interested in applying for the Weather Girl job, so I spent my year doing the weather, Monday through Friday evenings.

I also participated in the show Weird on Saturday nights with Eddie Driscoll. I made a lot of appearances and met many wonderful people. I worked for Hertz Car Rental, renting cars to passengers arriving at the airport, where I became interested in becoming a stewardess. I was hired by United, went to Chicago for training, and was based there. As Miss Bangor, I was invited to christen a B-52 Bomber that Dow Air Force Base named “The City of Bangor.” The bomber made many missions.

When the Cold War ended, Russia

Alumna Profile

and the United States agreed to “cut apart” the B52s. Last year, the Tillamook Air Museum in Oregon received the cockpit of that bomber to refurbish and display in their museum, which is seven football fields long. (Youtube The Tillamook Air Museum An Introduction). The museum director, who contacted me through Facebook and Linkedin, has been interested in my stories about the day of the christening.

The exhibit will be ready in June or July and I plan to attend the opening.

In Chicago I met a University of Illinois Ph.D. candidate in speech and hearing science, John Lowe III, and we have been married 55 years. We have two sons and three grandsons.

I was the Illinois coordinator for an art project for peace in 1985 using skills learned at Bapst and various jobs. The Peace Ribbon was a grassroots project with participation worldwide. (YouTube “The Peace Ribbon 1985” or see youtube.com/watch?v=9cqDjA7ueqM). People depicted what they couldn’t bear to lose in nuclear war on 18 x 36-inch fabric panels.

The panels were joined to form a ribbon intended to circle the Pentagon on the 40th anniversary of the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The number of panels received was so large that it circled Washington, D.C. from the capital to the Pentagon and back, about 15 miles. Aside from my family, I am most proud of my participation in this project.

I went to college and studied nursing, graduating at 46 years of age – just in time to help pay for the five college degrees our sons completed.

After graduating 60 years ago, I am still proud of John Bapst and glad it continues to educate young people. If any of them have the blessed life I have had, they will be happy.

–Sherry Lowe ‘62

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JOHN BAPST MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL 100 Broadway, Bangor, Maine 04401-5204 johnbapst.org

YOUR GIFT TO THe annual fund helps make educational trips like this possible Please make a gift today at johnbapst.org/give/restore

Find your john Bapst adventure Student research on Mount Desert Island Rock, part of Dr. Tanya Lubansky’s Field Biology class.

COMInG UP IN THE FALL ISSUE:

Look for stories and pictures of graduation, reunions, our annual report, and any news you’d care to share!

SEND US YOUR NEWS

Contact us by email (ezelz@johnbapst.org or jtower@johnbapst.org) or send us a note at 100 Broadway, Bangor, ME 04401.

Ways To Give TO OUR ANNUAL FUND Thank you for supporting John Bapst.

• Give online at johnbapst.org/give/restore Gifts can be made via check, cash, or credit card. Give by phone at 207-947-0313, ext. 115 • Pledge now, give later.

• Scan the QR Code Stay connected John Bapst strives to stay in touch with you. Enjoy our website, johnbapst.org, our social media presence, and The Round Table, our alumni magazine, to keep up with all things John Bapst.

QUESTIONS? CONTACT US. Eric Zelz ‘78 Jen Tower Development Associate Director of Communications and Alumni Relations jtower@johnbapst.org ezelz@johnbapst.org

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