Bishop Noll Institute Noll Today Spring 2022

SPRING 2022

Education reimagined BNI seniors step into college with new Purdue Northwest program

IN THIS ISSUE Alumni giving back Eye on new tech Big Event's return Fall highlights

a letter from the principal Dear BNI supporters, I am happy to share with you some wonderful news regarding the State of Indiana providing more options to residents when it comes to education. As a leader, principal, and parent I am thankful the State of Indiana has expanded its existing Indiana Choice Scholarship Program, making it more feasible and affordable than ever to choose Catholic education!

The Indiana Choice Scholarship Program allows families from our communities to send their child(ren) to the school that best meets their learning needs, such as one of the Catholic schools within the Diocese of Gary.

Families who are enrolled at a participating Indiana Choice Scholarship school and qualify for the program have the opportunity to receive financial aid from the State of Indiana to help pay tuition. This type of financial assistance gives families an opportunity to receive a quality education at an affordable price, ultimately providing them flexibility to save for future education expenses.

Indiana Choice Scholarship Facts You Should Know: • Nearly 80% of Indiana families currently qualify for the Choice Scholarship Program.

• In most cases, the Indiana Choice Scholarship covers 100% of tuition at a Catholic elementary school in Northwest Indiana and roughly 60-85% of tuition at Bishop Noll.

• The Indiana Choice Scholarship Program allows you to use your own tax dollars to send your children to the private school of your choice.

• Saving on elementary and high school tuition offers more financial flexibility for future higher education expenses.

To see if you potentially qualify, visit NWIChoiceScholar.org.

Choice Scholarship Program Income Guidelines 2022–2023 School Year

Note: Income levels are determined in accordance with the Income Verification Rules document available at in.gov/doe/ students/indiana-choice-scholarship-program ¹Add $26,196 for each additional family member.

Household Size 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

300% of Reduced Lunch Eligibility Annual Household Income Limit1 $75,424.50 $101,620.50 $127,816.50 $154,012.50 $180,208.50 $206,404.50 $232,600.50 $258,796.50 $284,992.50 $311,188.50

This exciting legislation has empowered parents to choose great schools like Bishop Noll to ensure their child(ren) receive a great education and are well-prepared for their next steps in life. As a BNI supporter, I ask that you please share this information with parents, neighbors or family who you think may be interested in choosing BNI or another quality Catholic school in Northwest Indiana.

Being an alumna of Bishop Noll and now the school’s principal, I would love for more students to join our Bishop Noll family and experience all of the tremendous opportunities our school provides its students, ultimately helping them grow in mind, body and soul. Sharing information regarding the Indiana Choice Scholarship Program is just one of the many ways you can help us grow our student population and ensure Bishop Noll continues to flourish for many years to come.

Sincerely,

Lorenza Jara Pastrick ’01 Principal

Bishop Noll Institute, a diverse, Catholic college preparatory school, partners with local faith communities to empower young adults to live their faith in Christ through ministry, scholarship, and leadership.

2021–22 SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION Paul Mullaney ’77, President Lorenza Jara Pastrick ’01, Principal Jaime Cavazos ’94, Assistant Principal Mary Ellen O’Neill, Director of Advancement Renee Nagdeman, Director of Finance Jeff Stur ’98, Director of Admissions Marisa Renwald, Technology Instructional Coach Stacia Bolakowski, Campus Minister Paul McGrath, Facilities Manager

2021–22 BOARD OF LIMITED JURISDICTION Most Reverend Robert J. McClory, Bishop Dr. Joseph Majchrowicz ’73, Director of Catholic Schools Jeff Cipowski ’83, Chairman Mark Cloghessy ’76, Vice Chairman Dr. Jeffrey Kristoff ’63, Secretary Rev. Jeffrey Burton Larry Kalina ’69 Patrick McCloskey ’77 Dan Markovich ’98 Dr. Alex Molina ’98 David Skibinski ’76 Wallene Swentko ’63

2021–22 FOUNDATION MEMBERS Terry Quinn, President Marlene Vega Coulis ’79, Vice President Rev. Dominic Bertino, Treasurer Courtney Hilbrich Markovich ’95, Secretary Kenneth Wilk ’66

Help Us Go Green

Would you like to receive your issue of Noll Today electronically? Please notify jflorek@bishopnoll.org. It is also available at bishopnoll.org under the alumni tab.

Contact us

Noll Today is written and published in the Office of Advancement. Contact Jennifer Florek at jflorek@bishopnoll.org with questions and story ideas.

Director of Advancement Mary Ellen O’Neill Bishop Noll Advancement Office 1519 Hoffman St., Hammond, IN 46327 (219) 932-9058, ext. 1002 moneill@bishopnoll.org bishopnoll.org

New program helps seniors transition into college academic life For the first time, Bishop Noll Institute has partnered with Purdue University Northwest to allow second-semester BNI seniors to take college classes on a college campus.

Through the program, called Early Start, 17 BNI seniors transport themselves to the PNW campus in Hammond on select afternoons and take college courses for college credit.

“The goal is to expand this opportunity to more students,” said BNI guidance counselor Kevin Smith, who oversees the program. “Having students be able to start their college early, while still in high school, may give our students a step up on their collegiate classmates and credits.”

BNI Principal Lorenza Jara Pastrick ’01 envisioned this type of program for several years, expanding on a highly successful eighth-grade to high school transition program that began at Noll five years ago.

“The goal has always been to build a bridge into our high school with our eighth-grade program and bridge our students into college,” Pastrick said. “This group of seniors is the first group that will benefit from both programs. This has been in the making for years. COVID stopped our initial progress, but thanks to PNW and Kevin (Smith) we were able to make this come together in warp speed for this semester.”

Students were selected based on their GPA, credit completion and schedules.

“What we looked for were students who already had met the majority of their graduation credits to this point,” Smith said. “There are some subjects that are needed all four years, and some students have exhausted or completed all other graduation requirements. Historically, Bishop Noll does not allow early graduates, and due to this we wanted to offer students some other type of incentive for fulfilling requirements. With that in mind, Mrs. Pastrick, myself and PNW are giving students the opportunity to not graduate early, but get an "Early Start" to their collegiate futures.”

Senior Melissa Carlos is taking a speech and communication course on Tuesdays and Thursdays at Purdue Northwest. She looks forward to bettering her public speaking skills and getting the course out of the way for college.

“I think the most difficult thing is making sure you’re on time and going into a classroom that isn’t full of your peers,” Carlos said.

After high school, Carlos plans to attend a four-year college and major in social work.

“I want to work with abused children to try to better their lives,” she said.

Several participants in BNI’s Early Start college program attend a session at the Purdue Northwest campus. Shown, from left, are Sophia Cruz Miranda, Anaiz Espinoza, Octavio Bautista, Giancarlo Angel, Eric Copeland, Genesis Hernandez, Ethan Lopez, Fatima Berumen, Aaliyah Crawford, Melissa Carlos and Taylor Dafnis.

Senior Fatima Berumen is also taking the speech and communication course.

“I am looking forward to learning new things and getting a bit used to the college environment before my first year of college,” she said.

She said it may be a challenge to manage time between leaving BNI and making it to Purdue Northwest. She’s also getting used to the idea that this is a college class and she cannot procrastinate in her work.

After graduation, she plans to attend college and major in Spanish.

Although larger high schools have similar options, this is a great start for a school the size of BNI. “We are one of the very few that offer this type of opportunity,” Smith said. “We want to set our students up for future success. In the end, they will save money on the rising cost of college tuition, and be able to start their future career earlier. This is just another step on how we at Bishop Noll provide other opportunities for students to succeed.”

On the Cover

PURDUE NORTHWEST: A photo illustration showcases BNI’s PNW students photographed by Pete Doherty ’71/Doherty Images. A new program this year puts BNI seniors into college courses at the Purdue Northwest campus in Hammond.

NEW TECHNOLOGY: BNI is better preparing students for the future with several new technology upgrades.

Digital design, photography and student media classes now have access to a state-of-the art iMac lab including 24-inch iMacs with Magic Mouse and Magic Keyboard. In addition, BNI purchased licenses to Adobe Creative Cloud (BNI students use Photoshop, inDesign, Illustrator, Premiere Pro and After Effects) and licenses to Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion and Apple MainStage. Students in new photography courses have the chance to work with several new Canon TI rebel DSLR cameras.

Freshman Zeke Zukley, photographed by BNI photography teacher Hannah Dominiak ’12, works on a flat illustration project in Adobe Illustrator.

a message from our president New Alumni Association will unite Warriors near & far Dear BNI Family member,

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I hope this finds you well and enjoying the fullness of God’s blessings.

Recent encounters of the BNI kind have brought me to see the smiling faces of many of our Catholic Central and Bishop Noll alumni. In September, 400 gathered in our fieldhouse for our Forever Noll Centennial gala, coming home to their alma mater from all corners of the country. Reuniting with classmates made for an enriching and special celebration.

In Arizona this January and in Florida a month later, I was able to meet with numerous alumni whose graduation years ranged from 1938 to 2012. Over and over I heard of how their time at CCHS or Bishop Noll was a cherished time. Most everyone spoke of how grateful they were for their experience attending Lake County’s premier Catholic high school. Their smiling faces and their eagerness to retell favorite stories spoke to their gratitude for the education they received, the formation, the growth opportunities, the friendships.

Many of those friendships resulted in lifelong marriages.

With very few exceptions, one message was clear: Because of the positives their high school experience provided, they want to stay connected to BNI. We’ve been fortunate to see increased engagement with our alumni in recent years, and we have a wonderful opportunity to grow that engagement and build a network for alums to stay connected – not only with BNI, but with one another. We are establishing a structured Alumni Association that will include chapters from throughout the country. Our first effort gained steam in March, as a survey of Arizona alums told us they welcome the opportunity to gather for various opportunities – social, professional networking, volunteering, worshiping, golfing, other activities, and overall beneficence to BNI. A few weeks later, a virtual meeting was held with more than 10 participants willing and eager to help organize an effort in the Valley.

Similar discussions were held in Florida, and meetings are planned in the coming weeks for alumni in the Indianapolis and Minneapolis-St. Paul areas.

Among the Bishop Noll alumni attending a get-together in Phoenix in January were (from left) Paul Mullaney ’77, Rose Mullaney ’12, Denny Pasternak ’71, Leona Florkiewicz ’61, Jerry King ’65 and Jerry Salinas ’85.

In addition to geographic alumni chapters, we want to develop alumni affinity groups.

Original discussions have included starting such groups for band alumni, choir alumni, Black alumni, young alumni. Some athletic teams already have utilized Facebook pages to keep alumni student-athletes engaged with the teammates and the activity that meant so much to them while at Noll. Of course, these geographic and affinity groups are in addition to the graduation class structure that already exists (but can continue to grow).

These efforts are a win-win for our alumni and for Noll. Our alums maintain longstanding friendships, can network anew with fellow alums they might not yet know, look forward to special events in their own backyards, and receive regular communication from their alma mater. In the process, increased connectivity with Noll can lead to increased benefits to our BNI students. We have seen our wonderfully accomplished alumni speak to our students, mentor our students and support our students and our mission in many ways.

So I ask you to consider helping our Alumni Association initiative. If you’re willing to help in any way, please email me at pmullaney@bishopnoll.org and let me know how you might be willing to help. And stay tuned for continual updates.

Yours in BNI,

BIG EVENT RETURNS! 6 to 11:30 p.m.

Friday, April 29, 2022 Bishop Noll Institute Fieldhouse A virtual option for at-home attendees will allow them to watch a livestream of the event highlights and bid on auction items.

Please note: Whether attending in person or virtually, all auction item bidding will take place online.

bigevent2022.givesmart.com Visit the website to browse auction items and buy tickets.

Sponsorships and donations can also be done online.

Warrior Split the Pot Raffle (One 50/50 Winner) Donation: $10 per ticket

Paul B. Mullaney ’77 President

We are excited to announce that this year’s Big Event will return April 29 as both an inperson gathering and virtual auction.

Plans include a hybrid event, which allows more alumni and friends to support this fundraiser in whatever method they feel most comfortable. The in-person gathering will take place from 6 to 11:30 p.m. in the fieldhouse with food catered by Dal Santo’s, beer and wine, entertainment and raffles. The virtual option will allow those who wish to attend from the comfort of their homes to watch a livestream of the event highlights and bid on auction items.

We plan to have at least 100 auction items this year including past favorites and new options. All auction items will be listed online and bids will be placed online whether attending in person or virtually. A help desk will be available during the event to assist those who need help with placing bids or registering online.

Attendees must be 21 or older. Advance tickets to the in-person event only cost $50 per person. After April 22, they will cost $60 per person. All proceeds will benefit our student scholarship program.

Interested in donating a prize, being a sponsor or purchasing tickets? Contact Juli Sandoval in the Advancement Office at (219) 932-9058, ext.1005, or e-mail jsandoval@bishopnoll.org.

Please email us with any questions at advancement@bishopnoll.org.

OFFICIAL RULES: Your ticket stubs will be mailed to you. Winner will be drawn and announced at The Big Event on April 29, 2022. Winner need not be present and will be notified. Proceeds will benefit BNI Scholarship Fund. Postmark by April 24, 2022.

License #000575. Winners must be 18 years of age or older and have a valid driver’s license or state issued photo ID. If ordering multiple tickets, please include enough address labels to be used on all of your ticket stubs.

I would like to purchase ______ 50/50 raffle ticket(s) at $10 each Enclosed is my check for $______ for ______ tickets.

First and Last Name

Please make checks payable to BNI and return to: BNI Advancement Office— 1519 Hoffman St, Hammond, IN 46327

Mailing Address Email Address Phone

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A week after BNI’s Centennial celebration, the school transformed again, this time with homecoming decor and theming fit for royalty.

The Homecoming Committee chose the theme Rapunzel and brought the movie to life with purple and gold decorations, hanging lanterns and large throne like chairs in the main entrance. The festivities took place the weekend of Sept. 24 and offered a return to traditional homecoming offerings pre-pandemic. Students enjoyed Spirit Week, an outdoor pep rally, the football game with court crowning and the homecoming dance.

Class of 2022: Graduates with Distinction BNI’s Graduates with Distinction for the class of 2022 are the top academic seniors, all earning a 4.0 or above GPA. These grades also determine valedictorian and salutatorian.

Seated in front are Anaiz L. Espinoza, left, salutatorian; and Abigail Jane Wojtaszek, valedictorian. Both are alums of St. Casimir School. In the second row, from left, are Olivia Magallon, St. Casimir; Hana Franco, St. Stanislaus; Aaliyah Crawford, St. John Bosco; Emma Thrasher, St. John the Baptist; Addison R. Cipowski, St. Thomas More; Taylor Dafnis, St. John the Baptist; Darci Stailey, St. John the Baptist; Jacqueline Garcia, St. Casimir; Melissa Carlos, St. John Bosco; Millie Magaña, St. Casimir; and Vanessa Salazar, St. Stanislaus. In back are Octavio Bautista, St. Casimir; Joshua Perez, Our Lady of Grace; Kayode Olaoye, St. Thomas More; Diego Ruiz, St. Casimir; Ethan D. Lopez, St. John the Baptist; and Matthew Salazar, George Washington Elementary School.

This year’s theme was Rapunzel complete with hanging lanterns and thrones fit for a king and queen. Shown in the thrones at the dance are homecoming queen and king Julieta Wedryk and Eric Copeland. They are surrounded by their court: from left, Olivia Magallon, Abigail Wojtaszek, Adrianna Alvarez, Carolina Martinez, Wedryk, Copeland, Christian Ayala, Willie Feagin, Ethan Lopez, and Antoine Lewis.

BNI Scouts achieve Eagle Scout rank by helping others

Gianna Gaal, Genesis Medina, Antoine Lewis, Lyric Ramos and Alayah Woodward dress up for Decades Day. Spirit Week themes also included Celebrity Look-Alike Day and Disney Day. Of course the week ended with Warrior Spirit Day as a sea of blue and gold descended on the football field for a pep rally.

Addison Mosley leads the senior section to the stands as the pep rally begins.

This was the second year the pep rally took place outdoors.

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The Marching Warriors performed their halftime show during the pep rally. Shown, from left, are Arianna Magallanes, trumpet; Ayanna Wash, trumpet; Diana Torres-Cruz, clarinet.

Freshmen Alyssa Niemann and Peyton Sperry pose for a photo at the dance. This year’s homecoming was the first homecoming dance since 2019 and the underclassmen’s first homecoming.

The football team continues to grow in numbers, but unfortunately lost to River Forest High School at the homecoming game.

Sophomore Nolan Beverage and senior Matthew Odegaard joined the ranks of Neil Armstrong, Gerald Ford, Steven Spielberg and Hank Aaron after achieving the rank of Eagle Scout—the highest honor in Boy Scouts. Beverage, of Griffith, belongs to Troop 45 in Crown Point. Odegaard, of Dyer, belongs to Troop 542 in Munster.

Beverage said he enjoys scouting because he learns skills needed for the real world.

For his Eagle Scout project, he painted the inside of a more than 100-year-old train depot that is part of the Griffith Historical Society.

“It felt amazing to become an Eagle Scout,” he said.

Beverage plans to graduate with an academics honors diploma and attend college to major in electrical engineering.

Beverage’s theology teacher Kevin Driscoll said their class has spent a lot of time focusing on finding purpose and meaning, and owning their God-given talents and passions.

“Nolan has discussed his Eagle Scout project with me and I can really feel his enthusiasm and pride when he shared how he poured his heart and soul into his service to others. The servant leadership required of this project is everything

Photo provided by Karlstedt Photography Nolan Beverage

the faith asks of us by our baptism, and Nolan has fulfilled that call,” he said.

Beverage’s honors chemistry teacher Mary Koster said he is a hard working student who stays focused on his work.

“He was so excited to get his Eagle Scout Award. He brought it in to show me after class,” she said.

Beverage attended St. Mary’s in Griffith and belongs to St. Mary’s parish. He has several cousins and family members who are Bishop Noll alumni.

Odegaard is another proud BNI Eagle Scout and said he was inspired by the Eagle Scout brotherhood.

Matthew Odegaard

“To be an Eagle Scout takes a long time and not a lot of Scouts achieve it. A couple of people I looked up to as a young Scout got it. I wanted to do the same. It’s a prestigious brotherhood built off charity and hard work.”

For his Eagle Scout project, he built a table for the St. Thomas More Sacristy. St. Tom’s had two existing tables that were identical and built several years ago by another Eagle Scout.

Odegaard was tasked with building a third identical table.

“That was a giant challenge for me because I couldn’t get any information about the previous Scout’s project,” Odegaard said. “My coach and I had to create a new plan. This one turned out to be a bit bigger. That wasn’t a worry because Father Mike was happy with it.”

BNI teacher Ryan Julian said, “Matt has been a dominant out-of-the-box thinker the past two years in DC US History and DC Government. He is someone who has a driven social studies brain, which is very similar to his achievements as an Eagle Scout.

He drives deep level discussions in the classroom and challenges his students to think just beyond facts, but to try and understand the complexities of history.”

school news

Students making a difference

Homecoming

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The Bishop Noll Drama Club performed “She Kills Monsters” in November, with a full inperson audience for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The "young adventurers" edition of the play was a take on the tabletop role-play game known as Dungeons & Dragons.

Sophomore Indigo Moore plays the role of Tilly/Tillius in the fall play.

Save the date: The Drama Club will perform the musical comedy Xanadu at 7:30 p.m. May 13 and 14 and 2:30 p.m.

May 15. The show will be performed in the BNI auditorium.

‘Dream’ Comes True

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A play that was first performed on stage more than 415 years ago found new life in the virtual world thanks to Chicago Shakespeare Theater and dozens of Chicago area high schools including Bishop Noll Institute.

BNI students and Shakespeare Slam team Anna Gee, Jayla Lee, Abigail Wojtaszek, and Hailey Wojtaszek performed the opening scene of Shakespeare’s classic “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in February. BNI was the only Indiana school in the program and this was its third time participating.

Anna Gee, Jayla Lee, Abigail Wojtaszek, and Hailey Wojtaszek

Hosted by Chicago Shakespeare Theater, Shakespeare Slam celebrates the power of Shakespeare and student voices.

Throughout the fall, teams rehearsed and filmed in preparation for their world premiere.

Coach and English teacher Samantha Chapleau said, “Normally, there is a competition component to Slam like a speech tournament. These past few years due to COVID, we have done a lot of things remotely and, instead of competition, have filmed scenes to be combined with the scenes of other schools into a full-length production.

I love that students have this shared finished product.”

BNI senior Abigail Wojtaszek participated in Shakespeare Slam for the second time and with Chapleau as their coach, she has learned how to understand Shakespeare’s writing.

Abigail, who is the class of 2022 valedictorian, takes college level ACP composition and literature classes at BNI. She plans to double major in theater and political science in college and said the acting skills used in Shakespeare Slam will benefit her in her college acting classes.

“I came back to SLAM because I had a lot of fun last year, and brought my sister along with me as well. I was excited to see all of our hard work being put together into a really cohesive show.”

Honoring MLK

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Bishop Noll students had the opportunity to learn more about the civil rights movement and its leader.

Before the MLK holiday weekend, BNI sophomore theology teacher Mr. Kevin Driscoll dedicated his class periods to a formation session and prayer service on the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “Today was a good reminder for me that I probably wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for the many civil rights movements King initiated,” said sophomore Omar Datt. “I shouldn’t overlook this major historical chain of events. He was a significant figure who helped open doors to more opportunities and justices for me and other people of color. On MLK day, I will take pride in myself and what I strive to do. I won’t let anybody bring me down, not just because of the color of my skin, but for who I am as a person.”

Omar Datt

Freshman Makenzie Dillahunty

Shaping The Future

To provide more hands-on experiences and expand its fine arts offerings, BNI has added classes in ceramics.

BNI’s Fine Arts Department includes traditional music, art and theater classes as well as ceramics, photography and music appreciation.

Senior Miguel Palmerin has taken 2-D art and took ceramics this year because he thought it would be an interesting experience.

He has enjoyed how hands-on the class is and how they are able to express their individuality. His completed projects include a bowl, a plate, and a coil vase.

“I found the material to be more relaxing than I expected it to be,” he added. “I believe that these more hands-on classes would attract attention from young students to join BNI.” After he graduates, Miguel plans to study medicine in college.

“But I also plan on taking a few art classes as well to express myself and relax the brain.”

Welcome To BNI

Maria Brown joins the BNI team as the attendance secretary. She looks forward to being part of BNI for many years to come.

“I enjoy the students.

They make me feel like they already know me.

All the staff has been very welcoming and helpful.”

Brown previously worked for the Department of Family Resources. Her Maria Brown husband, Deacon Martin Brown, is a 1979 BNI grad and both of her children graduated from BNI. In addition to Brown, BNI welcomed Araceli Nunez-Orozco as its main office secretary and Robert Jackowski to the theology department.

Kairos uses personal talks from peer and adult leaders, small- and largegroup discussions, periods of silence and reflection, various integrated prayer experiences, and the Sacraments to invite teens to more seriously discover God in all things.

Kairos spiritual retreats aim to bring back moments of connection

By Father Jeff Burton BNI Chaplain Do you really know the person you’ve sat next to in class for the last three years? Sometimes, we just don’t, because so much of our conversations are about those surface-level pleasantries. We may know their likes and dislikes, but we don’t really know each other.

Our annual Kairos retreat seeks to break down those walls that we sometimes put up and provides a safe and nurturing environment for students to get to know each other beyond the surface level. Having been part of Kairos retreats for the past four years, I’ve seen firsthand the difference it makes in the lives of our students. They come back refreshed and renewed. They come back with a newfound confidence, that no matter what they may be going through they’re not journeying alone. God is with them and so are others who truly care about them.

Our Kairos retreats this year have been monumental, not only in the difference they’ve made in the lives of our seniors, but in repairing some of what we’ve lost as a Bishop Noll community during the last two years.

These four days that our seniors spend together, getting to know each other and becoming aware of God’s presence in their lives, truly pays dividends in the joy and camaraderie and confidence they show. It’s a sign to us who help them along their journey that indeed God is still speaking in our world. Pray with me that our students accept this blessed invitation to open their hearts to live in the light of God’s love.

school news

Knocking ’Em Dead

Kairos, a Greek word that means, “God’s time,” calls retreatants to embrace timelessness in this intensive four-day Catholic retreat.

Kairos, which was the junior retreat prior to COVID-19, returned this year— but for seniors as they did not have the opportunity to experience Kairos their junior year.

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The real value of Kairos occurs in living out the values of the retreat in one’s everyday life, so follow-up “Fourth Day Meetings” occur at school to sustain the impact of the retreat for all Kairos alumni.

Kairos is held at LaSalle Manor, a retreat center in Plano, Illinois.

Behind the scenes with

Campus Ministry The most Campus M fulfilling part of be in Miss B an istry intern is wo ing a d getting rking wit h to in ways o nly an int help the school e r n c a n.

Senior A b igail Wojt aszek

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Catholic Schools Week

Although severe weather caused several disruptions during Catholic Schools Week including postponing the all-school Mass, the Campus Ministry team successfully organized spirit days and some lunchtime fun in between blizzards.

sports

Quezada

Ethan Lopez

Senior bowler has strong finish to season

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Megha n Bona

Students went for two different looks for the Country vs.

Country Club Spirit Day. Shown are seniors Emma Thrasher, left, sporting country attire and Kayla Arambula styled for the country club.

durer

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A giant Jenga competition took place outside of the cafeteria. Seniors Adrianna Alvarez, left, and Jackie Garcia take a turn.

s to join Campu What led me as to try Ministry w r w. I have neve something ne ng like this done anythi I have been far before and so y time as a m enjoying try intern.

Campus Minis l Alvarado Junior Ange

JV hockey team wins state tourney

Bishop Noll’s junior varsity hockey team claimed the Indiana State High School Hockey Association’s “Prep” state tournament championship on Feb. 20, capping off an incredible 25-0 season with a 5-0 victory over Lakeshore St. Joseph in the title game at The Kube Sports Complex in Hammond.

The Warriors went 3-0 to win the 12-team tournament, outscoring Munster, Crown Point and LSJ by a total of 17-0.

Leading the effort all year was BNI sophomore Erik Shelton, who was the goaltender in all 25 games.

He recorded nine shutouts and allowed opponents only 23 goals all season while the Warriors scored 143.

Shelton has played hockey for seven years and said it felt good to win the championship, noting they went last year but lost to Munster.

“This season I’m most proud of the team as a whole. We knew we were the best team in the state, and we never got too confident Erik Shelton of that title,” Shelton said. “We always performed like we should have, and it showed by us winning the championship.”

As the revived hockey program continues to grow under Coach Rich Sobilo ’83, seven of the rostered JV players for Noll were BNI students. Sobilo’s goal ultimately is to field teams consisting only of Noll students. The JV team was coached by Mike Kurczewski, father of BNI freshman Brayden Kurczewski.

Other Prep team champions enrolled at Noll include Kyle Cipowski, Christian Figueroa, Alex Herrera, Julian Orozco and Ethan Rapacz.

The coaching staff also includes BNI academic adviser Kevin Smith from the Noll Guidance Department.

Varsity hockey update

Photos by BNI junior Tayden Phillips

Campus Ministry interns had a Souper Bowl fundraiser to collect money for St. Joseph’s Soup Kitchen in Hammond.

Senior Aaliyah Crawford showcases bowls that were filled for the Cincinnati Bengals and LA Rams. Each dollar donated meant one vote for your team. For those who did not care about football, each team was also represented by favorite teachers.

The varsity team lost in the state tournament. After a year of highs and lows, a Roper Cup win, a JV state championship, and countless milestones in between, this team will be respected as one of the most award-winning teams in Bishop Noll Hockey history.

Senior bowler Ethan Lopez said bowling for BNI provided him with many great memories and skills.

“If anyone has any interest in bowling, I would definitely recommend it because it is a way to meet new people and participate in a fun sport,” Lopez said. “Even though the season is over, I have the eagerness to go and bowl because it was just one of the best experiences.”

Lopez advanced to the Michigan City Regional Individual IHSB Tournament at City Lanes Jan. 15. Lopez recorded a series pin-fall total of 567 (203-224-140) placing him a solid 6th amongst the 10 finalists at The Greater Lake County IHSB Conference Individual Sectional at Stardust Bowl II in Merrillville. This was Lopez’s first regional appearance in his two years on the BNI bowling team.

“My greatest accomplishment in BNI bowling was advancing to Regionals after placing top 10 in sectionals,” he said. His favorite bowling memory at BNI was scoring his first 200 game in sectionals.

“This season felt special not only because it was my senior year, but I felt confident in myself that I was going to be better than my previous year. I felt more comfortable and knew I had a better idea of how my mechanics should be when I am bowling.”

SAVE THE DATE Alumni and Friends Golf Invitational July 18, 2022 at Innsbrook Country Club Costs $200 per golfer and includes lunch, golf and cart, drinks on the course, dinners and prizes.

A reduced fee of $100 is available for young alums, those who graduated from 2012–2022.

For more information on sponsorships or registration, contact Juli Sandoval at jsandoval@bishopnoll.org or (219) 932-9058, ext. 1005.

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Bishop Noll has provided a quality education to more than 21,000 students for more than 100 years, in part, $320,000 because of grateful alumni, like you, who give back.

Alumni support helps provide vital funds that support our mission of inspiring academic achievement, building moral character, and nurturing spiritual growth. $240,000 To date, we have received gifts totaling $240,000 from 530 donors. We are so very grateful for your generosity.

However, this number represents a small fraction of more than 14,000 living alumni who were educated at Bishop Noll Institute. If all of our alumni could make a gift of any kind, we would more than triple our goal! Imagine the possibilities! We could offer more financial support to our many students in need, increase our teacher salaries and make many improvements to our aging school building. With three months to go in our fiscal year, we still need to raise $80,000. Won’t you give back as thanks for the great education you received when you attended Noll?

Please help us reach our goal!

If you have not had the opportunity to make your donation to our Annual Fund, we ask that you make yours today. There are a number of ways to send us your gift. Mail it to us at 1519 Hoffman St. Hammond, IN 46327. Visit www.bishopnoll.org and click on “Support BNI” to make your gift online, or call us and we would be happy to take your gift over the phone. Contact Mary Ellen O’Neill in the Advancement Office at (219) 932-9058. Thank you in advance for your generosity!

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Company Matching Gifts

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Please check with your employer to see if your gift to Noll qualifies for a matching gift from the company.

Many companies match—sometimes as much as two to three times—the amount of dollars their employees or retirees donate. We receive more than $30,000 each year in matching gifts! If your employer does provide matching gift dollars for education, obtain the appropriate form and send it with your gift to Bishop Noll. We will do the rest!

Qualified Charitable Distributions…

For alumni and friends over the age of 70½

“Qualified Charitable Distributions” (QCDs) allow taxpayers over the age of 70½ to make charitable rollovers from their IRAs tax free to a qualified charity. The amount donated also counts toward the Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) you are mandated to take from your IRA every year after turning 72.

You are allowed to contribute up to $100,000 per year tax free to qualified charities such as BNI without first having to recognize the distribution as income.

The distribution must be made directly from your IRA to Bishop Noll Institute. In other words, the financial institution that holds your IRA must make out the check in the name of the charity in order for it to qualify as non-taxable. You will need to contact the financial institution that is the trustee for your account and let them know that you want to make a Qualified Charitable Distribution. They will be able to help you through the process.

This tax break only applies to IRA accounts, SIMPLE IRA accounts, or SEP IRAs. If you have a 401(k) account or other qualified retirement account, you first would need to roll this account over to an IRA before you could take advantage of this

benefit.

For those of you who have been frustrated by being required to withdraw AND pay tax on your IRA savings, this is a great opportunity not only to help Bishop Noll but also to avoid the penalty of paying tax on your full withdrawal.

As always, we encourage you to contact your tax professional and financial adviser to make sure all rules are followed and to assist you in calculating how much you can save in taxes by using this provision. We are not in a position at BNI to provide tax, financial or investment advice.

If you wish to discuss the impact a charitable rollover would make at Bishop Noll, or if you wish your gift to be used for a specific purpose, feel free to contact Director of Advancement Mary Ellen O’Neill at (219) 932-9058, ext. 1002, or at moneill@bishopnoll.org. We are grateful for any consideration you might give toward this method of donation

BNI 1921 Legacy Society Honor BNI with a bequest

Did you know you can honor and support Bishop Noll Institute with a gift that doesn’t cost you anything during your lifetime?

Over the past 100 years, many alumni and friends have made the important decision to leave a lasting legacy with a planned gift.

Planned gifts represent a special dedication to Bishop Noll Institute and ensures our continued success long into the future.

We invite you to become a partner in advancing our mission by making a planned gift to Bishop Noll. A planned gift gives you the opportunity to leave your legacy in the halls of BNI and in the hearts and minds of our students for generations to come.

Benefits of Planned Giving

· A planned gift makes an important impact to Bishop Noll Institute that doesn’t cost you anything during your lifetime. · A planned gift is a witness of your desire to be a good steward of the gifts God has given you. · A planned gift may have some financial tax benefits for you and can add protection to your assets. · Regardless of your income level, there are several ways you can make a significant contribution to Bishop Noll Institute through a planned gift. A percentage of your estate or a flat dollar amount are the simplest ways to make a planned gift.

Other options include bequests/wills, a gift of real estate, trusts and annuities and beneficiary designations naming Bishop Noll on a life insurance policy, IRA, 401(k) or a savings account.

When you inform us of your planned gift intent, you become a member of the 1921 Legacy Society, named for the year Catholic Central High School was founded. The 1921 Legacy Society recognizes you among those who have a special commitment to Bishop Noll Institute’s mission of providing excellent academics in a community of Catholic values.

We are most grateful to those who have already honored BNI through a bequest. May they rest in peace.

Thanks to the generosity and wise planning of friends like you, Bishop Noll Institute will continue its mission of educating students mind, body and soul for the next 100 years.

If you would like to know more about making a planned gift to benefit Bishop Noll, please contact Mary Ellen O’Neill at (219) 932-9058, ext. 1002, or moneill@bishopnoll.org.

2012 Alumna Hopes Scholarship Encourages Others

For the 10-year anniversary of her graduation, Chloe Johnston ’12 decided to give back to her alma mater by creating a scholarship.

For the scholarship criteria, Johnston paid homage to her own history at BNI. “My parents didn’t go to college so they worked very hard to put me through Bishop Noll. I wished there was a scholarship just for Illinois students that could have helped.”

Scheduled to begin for the 2022-23 school year, the Chloe L. Johnston ’12 Scholarship is designed to help two BNI students each year. It will give preference to Illinois residents who are Black or biracial students at BNI. Prospective recipients must submit an essay. Recipients must have and maintain a 2.0 GPA to keep their scholarship. The scholarship will be $2,500 for one year.

Johnston said she hopes the scholarship inspires other young alumni to give back to BNI whether via volunteer efforts or financial efforts. They have a responsibility to pay it forward, she said, but she sees little engagement from young alumni. She hopes she can help change that.

When looking at current scholarship offerings, Johnston noticed they typically honor older and deceased alumni.

“I wanted to be a young alum giving back to where I received my education.”

After graduating from BNI, Johnston majored in political science at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign. She interned with large banks before a fellowship on campus her senior year helped her find her path.

As a voice of the student body she planned programs for the 40,000+ undergraduate students at U of I. “That’s what really sparked my knack for social justice and people development.”

After graduating in 2016, she moved to Atlanta and worked for Nestle.

“I was a first generation college graduate. I really wanted to make money after college. I learned a lot moving out of this area but still had a passion for education, equity and people development.”

She returned home to Chicago and worked for Teach for America—teaching special education in Englewood. She followed that with a job at the Obama Foundation in Chicago.

“I worked closely with President and Mrs. Obama to launch their youth development program. It got young people involved in political discussion and community service.”

She also worked on the foundation’s Community Leadership Corps program, creating the application and choosing the inaugural cohort. She also helped start Black at the Obama Association.

In November 2020, Johnston was approached by a Twitter recruiter and interviewed for a manager role on its inclusion and diversity team—a space she had long been interested in. She is now a program manager for Twitter’s inclusion/diversity/equity

and accessibility team, IDEA for short. She consults with Twitter leaders to make their business more equitable and inclusive.

“We make sure that no matter what background you have, working at Twitter is going to be a place where you can show up and be yourself.”

Outside of work, she is involved in the U of I Black Alumni Network and previously served as its president.

At BNI, Johnston worked on the JourNoll and played tennis all four years. She was voted as most quotable for the class of 2012.

She also met best friend Jordan Wilson while at BNI and the two have remained close for more than a decade.

Both were inspired by history teacher Mr. Trafny who made history relevant for them.

“In AP US History, he got me really excited about learning the history of this country but also understanding how history repeats itself and how history shows up in modern day times always. He really planted my seed to research things and be intentional about what questions I ask when meeting new people or learning new things about different cultures.”

As Johnston’s scholarship begins, she looks forward to reading the application essays and hearing the applicants’ stories.

“High school is a very stressful time. It provides a community where you can figure out what you like about yourself—what passions you want to explore—what people make you happy and what things bring you joy. I’m honored to be a part of their If you are interested in high school journey. I know how setting up a scholarship, formative it can be around your please contact Mary Ellen self esteem and self worth.”

O’Neill in the advancement She encourages students to office at moneill@ take risks and said that has been bishopnoll.org or (219) her most valuable lesson in life.

932-9058, ext. 1002.

giving back

annual fund update

Bears ticket raffle supports 1974 Warrior Spirit Scholarship

BNI parent Bill Downs was ecstatic to win a set of Bears tickets in the Bear Down for BNI online ticket auction.

He took his 10-year-old son, who is a huge Bears fan, as a Christmas gift. It was his first time seeing them in person and they had a great time. Through the generosity of an anonymous donor, Bishop Noll auctioned off four Chicago Bears tickets with all proceeds supporting the Class of 1974 Warrior Spirit Scholarship.

PB Time

To help replenish the Food Bank of Northwest Indiana with a staple item, Bishop Noll students collected 1,100 pounds (950-1,000 jars) of peanut butter this winter. This exceeded the goal of 800 jars.

For the past 14 years, Bishop Noll class of 1967 alum Bob Homrich has challenged Bishop Noll students to collect peanut butter to donate to the food bank. Homrich donates to Bishop Noll’s Annual BNI senior Layne Krask Fund as a thank you for its collection efforts.

Students who donated 20+ jars of peanut butter were Eric Copeland, Layne Krask, Abigail Wojtaszek, Enrique Romo, Gabrielle Merritt and Hailey Wojtaszek.

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Elizabeth Buksa ’19 posts impressive grad stats: 2.5 Years 2 Majors 3 Sports Seasons 1 Full-Time Job Secured

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When Elizabeth Buksa ’19 graduated from St. Xavier University in December, she did so after only five college semesters—with a double major, three seasons of playing college volleyball and an internship all under her belt.

Thanks to the 26 college credit hours she earned as a student at Bishop Noll and seizing an opportunity to take more online courses during the pandemic, Buksa has achieved her goals of graduating early and finding a full-time job in her field.

Taking dual credit courses at Bishop Noll put Buksa at an advantage by almost a year, she said. She entered St. Xavier’s business school pursuing majors in digital marketing and management and taking 18 credit hours each semester. She also found success playing college volleyball, which she dreamed of since playing volleyball at Bishop Noll.

“I always had this passion for it because it related to life,” said Buksa, of Munster.

“Volleyball is essentially a game of mistakes. Everyone is going to make a mistake on the team, but it's how you learn from the mistake and build yourself up. I think that sport relates to life, and that’s why I was passionate about it.”

Buksa credits Bishop Noll teacher Marisa Renwald with helping make her college dreams come true.

“It was a combination of what I learned from her in English and mass media. I liked how she taught her students and pushed them at the same time,” Buksa said.

“She really improved my writing skills, and that has helped me so much along the way. It’s such an important aspect that I’ll be doing in my job as well. She also took time after school to show me how to put volleyball recruitment videos together. She helped me be able to play in college.”

Although two of Buksa’s three college seasons were affected by COVID, her volleyball team broke several school records during her last season.

“(College volleyball) was definitely different from high school with all the traveling. I had to learn how to manage my time if I had to miss class … doing work on bus rides is very difficult.”

During her second year at college, all courses transitioned online due to the pandemic. She found a way to turn that into an opportunity by doubling up on coursework.

“The second semester we were online, I was taking 27 credit hours with only two of those classes in person. I didn’t plan on graduating in three years—I was just revamping my schedule.”

After that, she realized if she continued to work hard, she could graduate early and head into the workforce. Of all her achievements in life, she said she is most proud of being able to graduate in five semesters without taking any summer courses.

While at St. Xavier, a Catholic university in Chicago, Buksa said she was able to branch out and get involved in everything the school had to offer. She was a peer tutor and a professor assistant. She also served as marketing director for the Student Activities Board, which planned oncampus events for students.

In January, Buksa reached her careerlaunching goal when she took on her new role as a marketing and human resource generalist at Jupiter Aluminum Corp. in Hammond.

Following a summer internship with the aluminum scrap recycling company, she stayed on board as her college schedule allowed. She said finding the right internship was a challenge, and the pandemic affected the types and number of internships available.

“I knew that experience would help me a lot,” she said. “I was researching constantly

on job boards and looking at corporations nearby that offered internships. I was so drained from having classes online for three semesters, I really wanted an inperson internship.

“In marketing, many jobs were remote.

I really had to broaden my horizons and, thankfully, I chose a major that allowed me to do so. I can now do a lot in the business sector, so I looked into human resources.

The HR field is a people person job.”

To keep with her passion for volleyball, Buksa will continue to play in a few coed volleyball leagues and is coaching a 17-18-year-old club volleyball team at the Hammond Sportsplex.

“Coach Buksa is the type of coach who is invested in each player,” said player Victoria Piskol, a junior at Bishop Noll, noting their shared connection to Noll.

“Being able to have a coach where you can relate to them both on and off the court has been fun to experience.”

Hall of Honor recognizes alumni for their ongoing contributions to BNI Rosemary Coleman ’42, the Schreiner family, Michael and Lori (Prahovich) Whelan ’85 inducted

To cap off Bishop Noll Institute’s 100th school year, several alumni were honored for their dedication and service to the school. Alumni Rosemary Coleman, class of 1942; Michael and Lori (Prahovich) Whelan, class of 1985; and the Schreiner family were inducted into the school’s Hall of Honor during the annual donor reception and Hall of Honor ceremony Nov. 12, 2021.

Michael and Lori (Prahovich) Whelan, 1985 graduates of Bishop Noll Institute, were honored in the “Outstanding Leadership” category during the school’s Hall of Honor induction ceremony. They are pictured with their daughters Shannon, Bishop Noll Class of 2012, and Megan, BNI Class of 2017, who both attended Catholic universities and found careers in Catholic education.

All In The Family

The oldest of five siblings, Buksa said her parents, Dan and Julie, always taught her to set a good example for her siblings. They include Mary, Bishop Noll Class of 2021; Luke, a current BNI junior; Grace, a BNI sophomore; and Abigail, a student at St. Thomas More School in Munster.

“We try to go above each other's goals, but we do so in a way that’s friendly and we’re all very close,” she said. “They ask me for advice and help, but they also do a great job at mapping out what they want to do with their life. They all have skills that they excel in. Even though we are super competitive with achievements, we’re all going to be doing something different based on our individual skill set.”

Buksa’s father, Dan, is a 1984 graduate of Bishop Noll. Elizabeth said he had already set in stone that his children would attend his alma mater.

“He has a very strong belief in Catholic education and, because he was a graduate of Bishop Noll, he specifically chose that for what they have to offer in education and faith.”

“As a Bishop Noll alum, it is one of the joys of my life that my children are able to follow in my footsteps at Bishop Noll,” Dan Buksa said of the investment made in his children’s future. “For me as a parent, entrusting the spiritual, academic and athletic development of my children for part of the day to an institution that has guided young people for 100 years now is a true blessing. This journey has been worth every sacrifice that my wife and I have made.”

The Schreiner family, descendents of John L. and Henrietta Schreiner, were honored in the “Outstanding Catholic Family” category for a legacy of 100-plus years of engagement with Bishop Noll Institute.

The Schreiner family, descendents of John L. and Henrietta Schreiner, were honored in the “Outstanding Catholic Family” category for a legacy of 100-plus years of engagement with the Catholic high school.

John L. and Henrietta sent their 11 children to the school for three decades, from the first day of class on Sept. 16, 1921, when it opened as Catholic Central High School, until their last child graduated in 1950. Many of those 11 siblings also sent their children to Bishop Noll, and later-generation descendants attended Noll until 1990.

Also in the early 1990s, Anthony Schreiner’s children began a scholarship for Bishop Noll students in their father’s name, and it is still awarded annually to this day.

Dr. Richard Schreiner, Bishop Noll Class of 1963, accepted the award on behalf of his family, several of whom were in the audience.

“Thank you Noll for all you have done.

Thank you, Grandpa and Grandma Schreiner, for doing what you did. I’m not sure how many of us could do that, but it’s been wonderful,” he said.

Rosemary Coleman, a 1942 Catholic Central graduate and English teacher, was honored in the “Outstanding Alumna” category for her dedication to the school.

“Bishop Noll was always front and center in her mind,” Bishop Noll’s Director of Advancement Mary Ellen O’Neill said of Rosemary, who was inducted

Rosemary Coleman, a 1942 Catholic Central High School graduate, was honored posthumously during Bishop Noll Institute’s Hall of Honor ceremony.

posthumously, having died in March. “She communicated with our office often— always wanting to know how she could make the school a better place.”

Rosemary endowed scholarships in memory of both of her siblings – John, who was killed during World War II, and Margaret. Recently, Rosemary created an endowment in her parents’ names to support arts programs at Bishop Noll.

In addition, Rosemary, herself an artist, donated most of her paintings to Bishop Noll. They are now displayed in the school’s Media Center.

“We talked about how we could honor her. She had honored her brother, she had honored her sister and she had honored her parents; but no one honored Rosemary,” O’Neill said. “So I am proud tonight that we can induct her into the Hall of Honor. She deserves it.”

Michael and Lori (Prahovich) Whelan, 1985 graduates, were honored in the “Outstanding Leadership” category. The high school sweethearts have made a lasting impact on the school, including keeping their 1985 classmates connected, volunteering on several committees, serving on the school board and leading several renovation projects throughout the school.

“The vision of Michael and Lori is to follow through and execute,” Bishop Noll President Paul Mullaney said at the induction ceremony. “Michael and Lori are dedicated family people, dedicated Catholics and loyal BNI Warriors. For their leadership over the years, which continues to this day, we are very grateful and we recognize that leadership tonight.”

With his knowledge of the construction industry and belief in Catholic education, Michael took a lead role in projects to make the building more functional and beautiful. He also served as Bishop Noll’s school board president for several years.

Lori has assisted with several fundraisers and took the lead role as chairperson of the Centennial Gala, which celebrated the school’s 100th anniversary this September.

The Mary M. Whelan Memorial Golf Outing, organized by the couple the past several years, has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Bishop Noll facility projects.

Their dedication to Catholic education can be seen in their daughters: Shannon, Bishop Noll Class of 2012, and Megan, BNI Class of 2017, who both attended Catholic universities and have chosen careers in Catholic education.

When accepting their plaque, Lori thanked their parents for their hard work and sacrifice, making their own Catholic education possible.

Said Michael: “We’re humbled, we’re honored, and go Noll.”

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noll notes 1949

Charles Coddington writes, “looking back at my life of 91 years this February is very rewarding.

My wife and I have been blessed with wonderful children, grandchildren and almost 25 great-grandchildren. It has been a good life. I have many things to be thankful for, including my wonderful years at Bishop Noll where I made so many great memories and friends.”

1952

Sharon A. Magurany writes that they lost their precious daughterin-law, Sharon M. Mannion, to cancer—“with the loss of one angel, we gained a new life—our third great grandchild. July 13, 2021; my Mike had a stroke, doing well but with speech impairment.

I guess when we make our own future plans, God has a laugh.

Hope you, my fellow classmates, are well and know you are in my prayers. God bless you, stay safe, God is good!”

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1953

Mr. and Mrs. John R. Quinn will celebrate 64 years of marriage in May.

1964

Kate Thomas Parnes has lived in the San Francisco area since 1967.

She is a retired special education school administrator with three children and two grandchildren.

1966

Richard Pachniak and his wife, Janis, celebrated their 50th anniversary in May 2021. They live in Schererville and enjoy retirement. They have two daughters and three grandchildren keeping them busy.

2025. Start planning to go now if we have one, let’s make it a big turnout. 50 is special. Have a great and safe 2022.”

1981

Kevin Fech is director of Lutheran Social Services with the Connections program. He is also a cancer survivor.

1988

Lisa Prahovich Heglund volunteered with the Give Organization for two weeks in Zanzibar, Africa. While there, she was fully immersed in their culture and served at their school teaching and doing construction.

Father David Tyson and his team at Holy Cross College received recognition from Newsweek for their vision and growth in recent years.

1975

Ron Saenz writes, “hope all is well with fellow 1975 classmates as we approach that age 65 milestone and hopefully still have a 50th in

Pamela Martin Otero received her masters degree in nursing science on Dec. 11.

2007

Kim Kasper is living in South Africa and working as a candidate patent attorney. Last year, a prototype of one of her designs won the Jac van der Merwe prize for innovation for its innovative aspects and commercial potential. It is the largest prize in Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Engineering. Kim’s project was a simplified automated dispenser for granulated substances such as sugar, tea, coffee and spices with a dispensing mechanism intended to reduce mechanical wear.

2010

Brendan O’Neill is a detective corporal at the Hammond Police Department currently assigned to the Northwest Indiana Violent Crimes Task Force of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

1972

Alexa Evans writes, “finally the day has arrived. I will be retiring from the Air Force on Dec. 31, 2021.

I had 21.5 years with AT&T and before that almost 20 years with the former Inland Steel. It has been a good run. Looking forward to retirement and our 50-year class reunion. Time sure flies when you are having fun!”

1999

2012 1999

Jimmy and Amy Moricz Holmes write they are still in love for more than half their lifetime. “We have been blessed with two boys, James E. Holmes V and Evan Holmes, who make life interesting every day. Happy to be home again in Whiting, Indiana.”

Eileen O’Neill is a manager in the Products & Technology practice at PwC. She specializes in the Governance, Privacy and Ethics sector that empowers PwC to build trust with its clients through differentiated digital assets, driving transparency and accountability throughout the digital asset lifecycle.

Thomas Clements ’08 finds success in biological sciences thanks to BNI Dr. Thomas Clements is a biological sciences professor at Vanderbilt University. His research centers around genetic engineering and developmental biology. Prior to his success in research and teaching, he found his love for science thanks to Mr. Jeff Cochran, a former chemistry teacher at BNI. “I was always interested in science and math, but my time at BNI really solidified my love of the field,” Clements said. “Mr. Cochran was just so cool, goofy, and he made chemistry fun. He made me realize that scientists can be goofy people with personalities, too.”

About 17 years ago, biology teacher Ms. Becky Dostatni ’00 taught at BNI for the first time as a student teacher. In her first biology class was Thomas Clements. She later taught him his junior year in physics.

“He was super bright and most importantly had a passion for science,” she said. “He always had all of the skills necessary for science—curiosity, perseverance, open-mindedness and skepticism.”

At BNI Clements was active in sports and other extracurriculars. He played soccer and basketball, but was the most successful in track. In drama club, he was able to really succeed and find himself as a person.

“I gained so much confidence in myself through drama and I cannot thank Mrs. [Fredi] Conley enough for setting up an environment like this where self-fulfilling journeys like that are possible,” Clements said.

Clements says that because of Conley, he had the ambition to start his own science improv team down in Nashville called Improv Science Theater 4000.

After graduating BNI as the salutatorian in 2008, Clements attended Purdue University and majored in biochemistry and minored in biology and forensic science.

He graduated in 2012 and moved to Houston, Texas, to further his studies at Rice University where he earned his Ph.D. in biochemistry and cell biology.

While in graduate school, Clements became a published scientist.

“During my time at Rice, I worked on projects centered on improving CRISPR-Cas9 genetic engineering in the zebrafish model organism and then used this model and tool to study brain development and neural angiogenesis,” he said.

David Verdeyen ’55 shares class memories David Verdeyen writes, “Greetings from a 1955 graduate. I have many memories and will share a few. I really enjoyed the recent Noll Today.

My favorite teachers were Sr. Andrew who taught World History and Coach Buckley who taught American History.

He made us keep file cards on each president with name, political party, years in office and significant events during the term. I still have those cards!

In typing class, the teacher had a loud clicker she used to get our attention. She put it down one time and left the room.

One of the guys (not me) took it and stomped it until it was flat and threw it out the first floor window. She came back in and in a panic looked for it. It was her most valued treasure. He looked out the window and said there it is. He jumped

out and handed it to her. She was crushed and left the room. In a few minutes, the principal arrived and told all the boys to show up in his office at 6 a.m. the next morning. I, of course, showed up, and at noon, he got to me. He said, ‘relax, I found out who did it at 6:05’ and proceeded to have a great conversation with me about my future.

We had a great basketball team led by Ron Loneski. Three players went to start at major college programs: Ron to Kansas to play with Wilt Chamberlain, even outsourcing him a game or two. Bradtke went to Notre Dame. Hammond High had Frank Radovich who went on to start at IU and was drafted into the NBA. They beat us in the first game of the state tournament. We also played Indianapolis Crispus Attucks with the great Oscar Robertson. I heard Radovich was a Catholic and had he come to Noll, it would have been the greatest high school team of all time.”

“It has been a wonderful life and Noll was part of it. I have included a picture of detention in 1955.”

David went on to St. Joseph’s College, graduating in 1959 and then to teach high school chemistry for 36 years followed by 20 more years as an adjunct chem teacher in the junior college. He and his wife celebrated their 60th anniversary and have three children and five grandchildren.

Clements’ felt a keen interest in zebrafish because they have a unique ability to naturally repair their heart muscles.

He used a modified form of a popular DNA editing tool to knock out genes in zebrafish. He compared how many have the normal wild type and how many have a type with mutations.

In his current role at Rice University, Clements teaches courses, and continues his research interests with two undergraduate students working full time under his leadership. He wants to encourage the next generation of scientists to be creative and open-minded in their researching processes.

“ANYONE CAN BE A SCIENTIST!” Clements said. “You don’t have to fit within a certain stereotype, you don’t have to be at the top of your class, and you don’t even necessarily have to like math! Scientists come in all shapes and sizes. One of the best skills a scientist needs is persistence and willingness to change their opinion when presented with new, credible information.”

— By BNI JourNoll staff writer Addison Cipowski

Justin Figueroa ’14 works as NASA engineer

OWN A PIECE OF BNI HISTORY The documentary “Forever Noll: A Century of Mind, Body and Soul” highlights 100 years of Lake County’s premier Catholic high school.

Narrated by Phil Ponce ’67, noted Chicago television journalist, DVDs are now available for $20 (shipping included.)

ORDER ONLINE AT: forevernollshop.givesmart.com or email jsandoval@bishopnoll.org to arrange to pay and pick up at BNI.

Justin Figueroa attended Purdue University where he majored in aeronautics and astronautics engineering. Figueroa currently works at NASA verifying and validating flight software on NASA’s Orion spacecraft, its multipurpose crew vehicle that will fly on the upcoming Artemis exploration missions to the Moon and later Mars.

His first involvement with NASA was designing a payload that was funded by NASA and launched on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket in July 2018. At this time, he was a full-time college student.

The New Shepard is a vertical-takeoff, vertical-landing, crew-rated suborbital launch vehicle that is being developed by Blue Origin as a commercial system for suborbital space tourism.

—By BNI JourNoll staff writer Addison Mosley

15

noll notes

reunions

2017

Jailynn Thomas graduated from Noll with a 3.64 GPA and the honor of being a two-time sectional champion and four-time regional qualifier for women’s golf.

16

Jailynn currently serves as assistant director of admissions at Barton, recruiting students from two counties in North Carolina in addition to the states of Georgia and Florida.

“I have already accepted more than 200 potential new Bulldogs and look forward to working with so many more.”

In a few months she will complete her MBA at Barton College and use that degree to continue to work in higher education and impact the lives of future students.

Class of 1957

Her last semester of nursing school, she spent at University Hospital in Indianapolis on a hematology/oncology unit where she was able to interact with oncology patients and their care daily. The job process came quickly as job opportunities needed to be narrowed down. She graduated in December 2021 with her BSN and also accepted a job position as an oncology RN at UChicago Medicine.

After graduation, she continued her successful academic and athletic career 14 hours away from home at Barton College in Wilson, North Carolina.

“During my time as an undergraduate student, I was incredibly involved on campus.

I fulfilled many leadership roles including serving three years as the president of Campus Activities Board and three years as the captain of the women’s golf team.

I also played a big role in helping first-year students transition from high school to college through serving as a student ambassador as well as a peer leader. Through these roles I was able to give campus tours to prospective students, speak on panel discussions with parents and families, and co teach a first-year seminar course alongside a faculty advisor. I even helped organize one of our college’s most successful fundraising campaigns while interning with the office of donor relations.

Upcoming Reunions

feedings and other medication administration. She maintained detailed records of patient therapies to make appropriate care recommendations.

“Bishop Noll truly prepared me for all that college and my newfound professional life have to offer. I was constantly challenged in the classroom by teachers who would not accept anything less than my best work. Those same teachers along with other staff members recognized the importance of graduating wellrounded individuals and fostered my leadership abilities outside of the classroom. Until this day I am still incredibly thankful for the overwhelming amount of support I received from a countless number of individuals at 1519 Hoffman Street. BNI warriors truly are ‘the best, the brightest, and the boldest.’ ”

Anissa Villagomez graduated from Indiana University with a degree in community health.

She was a Hudson and Holland Scholar, which supported her as a first generation college graduate.

During her time at IU, she stayed active in the Bloomington community working with kids through Big Brothers Big Sisters and College Mentors for Kids. To be more involved in healthcare, she volunteered with Hospice House.

As she graduated in May 2020, she took an internship with IU Health Hospital in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation.

Her advice to other students is using the resources available to you. “Your college campus is there for you to explore and reach out to those within your interests.” She would like to start seeing more minorities like herself be more involved in the healthcare system.

She is always open to any questions that anyone has. Her youngest brother just started Bishop Noll in the fall so she always strives to be a role model for him. The teachers at Noll served as role models to her to never be afraid to seek out her goals.

As COVID-19 spiked during this time, she made the decision to apply to the accelerated nursing program at IU. She was accepted in the fall 2020 cohort. During her nursing career, she worked as a home health aide to a TBI patient.

She assisted with G-tube

Abbi Damacio accepted a fulltime position as a manufacturing engineer at General Motors. She will be joining the Technical Rotation and Career Knowledge Program at GM following graduation.

2018

Save the Date: The Class of 1957 will celebrate its 65th reunion on Saturday, September 17, 2022, at Youche Country Club in Crown Point.

The committee will provide more details soon. For more information contact Russ Marcinek madbver@sbcglobal.net or Phyllis James phyllisjohn612@sbcglobal.net.

1957 prom grand march

Class of 1965

A 57th reunion/75th birthday is planned the weekend of June 10–12, 2022. On Friday, June 10 there will be a gathering at Bullpen Bar & Grill in Schererville. On Saturday, June 11 there will be a reunion at Andorra Banquets in Schererville. A cash bar begins at 6 p.m. Dinner is at 7 p.m. and costs $40 per person. Sunday is left open for individual plans.

RSVP by May 30 with choice of one or both days, names of attendees and remittance made out to BNI Class of 1965. Mail to: Cheryl Lorance, 7444 Magoun Ave., Hammond IN 46324. There are numerous accommodations in the area. Contact Elaine Bielefeld ebielefeld1@att.net or (219) 696-1805. Or email Cheryl at cheryllorance@sbcglobal.com.

Class of 1971

A 50+1 year reunion is planned from 5 to 9 p.m. Aug. 27 in the Bishop Noll Institute cafeteria. For more information, join the Facebook group: Class of 1971 Bishop Noll Institute Alumni. Or contact Pete Doherty at (219) 670-2092, dohertypar@aol.com.

Class of 1972

A reunion is planned the weekend of June 3, 2022. Plans include a poolside reception from 6 to 10 p.m. June 3 at Innsbrook Country Club in Merrillville, a dinner program at 6 p.m. June 4 at White Hawk Country Club in Crown Point and a 10 a.m. Mass June 5 in the school chapel with brunch after. The class has a Facebook group: 1972 Bishop Noll alumni.

Class of 1973

Classmates are invited to join the class FB page: Bishop Noll Class of 1973 alumni. For more information, email Robert Skibinski at skibinski2@aol.com.

Class of 1982

1972

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A reunion is planned to take place during the Big Event April 29 at BNI. Tickets to the Big Event are available online. See page 3 of this issue for more information. Classmates will also meet from 6:30 to 9 p.m. April 30 at Northwoods Falls on Indianapolis Boulevard in St. John. The class has a Facebook group: Bishop Noll Class of 82. For more information, email jv3271@ameritech.net or k.payonk@ma.rr.com.

in memoriam Please remember those who have gone to their eternal rest.

1938 1942 1947 1947 1948 1948 1949 1949 1951 1952 1954 1954 1954 1957 1955 1957 1957 1957 1958 1958 1958 1959 1960 1960 1960 1960 1961 1961 1961 1965 1966 1967 1967 1967 1967 1967 1968 1968 1968 1968 1969 1969 1969 1970 1970 1970 1972 1973 1973 1974 1975 1975 1976 1976 1976 1982 1986 1987

Lillian Schreiner Radigan Lawrence J. Broviak Ruth Lauerman Broviak Bernard J. Korczyk Ann Babinec Miskovich Marcella Deppen Welty Sr. Rosemary Ferus Jean Marie Kaiser Kleven Paul Rettig Leonard Eilbacher William J. Curley Carolyn Knapp Gozdecki Gerald “Jerry” Mazur Annette Miller Bernacke Joseph A. Clune Geraldine Keck Messenich Mary Frances Collins Rosenbecker Larry Sommers Anna Mae Knight McCarthy Eugene Rodriguez Robert Zurad Geraldine Adams Pastore Edward W. Ciesielski Bernard Kundich Peter J. Reynolds Ernest Roth Cecilia Ramirez Baez Patricia McNicholas Giancola Carl Watroba Fred Rodriguez John “Jack” Luberda Jill Berger Ronald M. Bondi Richard J. Mlynarski Philip J. Paul James. J. Potesta Richard Grycaj Catherine Spisak Heaston Lawrence L. Peters Nilcza Santiago John J. Conway Richard Igras Elizabeth Spisak VanderWoude Cornell C. Collins Roger Mola William J. O’Connor Kenneth Germek Tricia Hajduch Knight Mary Louise Gima McClain Theresa G. Arredondo Carol Bresnahan Brainard Thomas J. Kubacki Mary Daly Therese Morton Hajduch Heidi Brandush Kowal Nancy Sadowski John R. Mosser Steve Flores

A note from the Advancement Office: If there is someone who has passed away who is part of the Bishop Noll family, we appreciate you letting us know.

You can contact Mary Ellen O’Neill at (219) 932-9058, ext. 1002, or moneill@bishopnoll.org.

17

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them.

May their souls and all the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Amen

1519 Hoffman Street, Hammond, IN 46327 (219) 932-9058 Address Service Requested

Whether behind the lens or the subject matter, students in BNI’s new photography course have completed a variety of projects to learn about different photo techniques, compositional rules, editing in Adobe Creative Suite, and using DSLR cameras.

Shown are senior Romeo Casiano, left, taking photos and senior Caesar Perez, right, serving as a model. Fine Arts Department electives now include photography, digital design and student media.