Chaminade Now - Winter 2018

CHAMINADE Now WINTER 2018

MARC MERRILL ’98 CO-CREATOR OF THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR ONLINE VIDEO GAME, LEAGUE OF LEGENDS, REFLECTS ON HIS CHAMINADE EXPERIENCE

Chaminade Now is a publication of Chaminade College Preparatory. The staff has made every attempt to ensure the accuracy of information reported in this publication. We apologize for inadvertent errors.

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EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EDITOR

PRINTING

Robert S. Webb P ’18 ’20 President

Scott Alderton

Patricia Fernandez ’89

D’Andrea Graphic Communications

Bro. Adam Becerra, fsp Director of Mission Integration and Ministry

Bro. John H. Campbell, S.M.

Kevin Delaney Vice President for Institutional Advancement

Jeannette Crawshaw

Bro. Tom Fahy High School Principal

Jay Paul Leupp ’81

Elizabeth Gluvna ’04 Executive Assistant to the President Janet Koller Vice President of Finance and Operations Rev. Ted Ley ‘58, S.M. Chaplain Rev. Joseph Raj, S.M. Chaplain Donna (Vallely) Voogt ’79 Director of Human Resources Michael Valentine Middle School Principal

Richard Boehmer Mary Catherine Campbell Thomas J. Condon ’56 Joseph L. Fabian ’82 Rev. Timothy Kenney, S.M. Howard Lind Marie McDonough Brian McGilvray ’76

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jennifer Bader Bro Adam Becerra Kevin Delaney Kristi Fritschner ’07 Lee Ann Metivier Sara Nguyen Allie Scheflo Karen Thumm Rob Web

Holly Nagatoshi

PHOTOGRAPHY

Gerry Philpott

Jennifer Bader Jeff Clawson Patricia Fernandez ’89 Cliff Fong Julie La Belle Jill Lee Julie Lee Riot Games Andy Holzman/SCNG Shutterstock Karen Thumm Dan Caldwell/White’s Studios

Jennifer Prendergast Mark Sikand Gary Simons ’77 Rev. Ken Templin, S.M. Kimila Ulrich Karen Valentine Robert S. Webb

Chaminade College Preparatory admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration or its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other schooladministered programs.

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Marc Merrill ’98 The League of Legends co-creator who took on the gaming industry reflects on his experience at Chaminade.

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Annette Damien ’01 Middle school teacher describes her commitment to creating a positive school culture at Chaminade.

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Loving, Learning, and Leading Together Chaminade presents the 2017-2023 Strategic Plan.

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Dennis Haas Longtime friend of Chaminade leaves behind a lasting legacy.

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Does Faith Really Matter?

Bro. Adam Becerra reflects back on an alumna’s faith journey.

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India Laroda ’12 Alumna becomes the first biracial woman to be crowned as Miss India America.

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Class Reunions 2017 Alumni from the classes of ’67, ’77, ’87, ’97, and ’07 reunite to celebrate and reconnect with classmates.

Departments: 3

President's Message

34

Nade News

40

Community

40

Alumni Report

49

Class Notes

55

Calendar

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WELCOME, NEW BOARD MEMBERS Scott Alderton Scott is a founding and managing partner of the firm Stubbs Alderton & Markiles, LLP. He is also a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Scott is co-chair of the firm’s Venture Capital and Emerging Growth Practice Group and chairs the firm’s Interactive Entertainment and Video Games Group.

Scott advises both public and private clients across a number of industries, including technology, manufacturing, and distribution of goods in commerce, finance, the Internet, interactive video games, and new media industries.

Scott’s practice focuses on advising middle-market, technology, emerging growth, and development stage companies in the areas of corporate and securities, mergers and acquisitions, high technology, business, licensing, intellectual property, interactive entertainment and video games, the Internet and multimedia.

Scott, frequently referenced as one of the top “start-up” lawyers in Southern California, has more than 30 years of experience

Scott received his B.A. from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1982 and his J.D., cum laude, in 1985 from Loyola Law School. He is admitted to practice law in the State of California. Scott and his wife Sandi have four children, all Chaminade graduates: Austin ’05, Chase ’08, Cody ’11, and Kenedy ’15.

Jennifer Prendergast

Fr. Timothy “Tim” Kenney, S.M. spent much of his youth in Southern California. He currently serves as chaplain at St. John Vianney High School in St. Louis, Missouri. In charge of spiritual life, Fr. Tim directs liturgies, retreats, and service days.

Jennifer “Jen” Prendergast currently assists her husband Sean in the operations of his merger and acquisitions advisory firm, SRP Advisors, LLC. Her previous professional experience includes eight years at Shearson Lehman Brothers as a registered senior sales associate. She is Series 7 and Series 63 licensed.

Fr. Tim holds degrees from Chaminade University in Honolulu, University of San Francisco, University of St. Michael’s College, and the University of Toronto. He is bilingual and often celebrates Mass in Spanish. An avid traveler, Fr. Tim has visited approximately 34 countries.

CHAMINADE NOW

Scott has served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Loyola Law School, teaching Securities Regulation, and is a frequent speaker on matters relating to technology, intellectual property, capital formation and capital raising transactions, and emerging growth companies.

Fr. Timothy Kenney, S.M.

Fr. Tim has served the Marianists all over the world and in various capacities. As Provincial Director of Education, Fr. Tim helped lay the groundwork for sponsorship; created a template for the bylaws, and helped form a “Marianist system of education” for the Marianist Province of the United States. He continues to work closely with Provincial Administration. Additionally, Fr. Tim has served as principal and president of several Marianist schools.

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working with technology and emerging growth companies at all stages along their evolutionary path. Scott’s practice also includes a wide variety of federal and state securities laws matters, including the representation of venture capital funds, issuers, and investment bankers in public offering registrations and private placements of securities. He counsels both public and private clients in reverse merger and/or exchange transactions with public shell companies (i.e., alternative public offerings), and counsels issuers in connection with securities offerings and federal and state securities law reporting requirements.

Jen is an active volunteer at Chaminade College Preparatory.

Her volunteer service includes Chaminade Gala Reservations Committee Co-Chair (2014-Present); Advancement Committee (2016-Present); Strategic Planning Taskforce (2017); Boys Varsity Soccer Team Parent / Manager (2015-2017); Boys Varsity Volleyball Co-Team Parent (2015-2017); Middle School Hunter House Parent (2013-2016); Middle School Boys Soccer and Boys Volleyball Team Parent (2013-2016).

Jen is also involved in the National League of Young Men and served for many years at St. Bernardine of Siena School, where she is a parishioner.

Jen received a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of California at Los Angeles. She and her husband Sean have three sons Cade ’17, Connor ’17, and Brett ’20.

Reflecting on Our Past and Looking Boldly to the Future Robert S. Webb P ’18 ’20 President

This year, Chaminade celebrates its 65th anniversary. This milestone encourages us to reflect on our past and look boldly to the future. In this issue of Chaminade Now, I am proud to share with you our new strategic plan. After a year of examining our mission, priorities, and role in the community, we have identified key strategic priorities, and adopted a new mission statement and vision statement. This strategic plan, developed with the input of current families, alumni, faculty, staff and students, envisions the promising future of Chaminade for years to come.

This issue of Chaminade Now also introduces us to two alumni who are anchored in the school’s past and dedicated to its future success. Marc Merrill ’98 is the co-founder of Riot Games, a major player in the United States’ multi-billion dollar video game industry. Each year he invites our students for tours of his company. I visited Marc’s offices last summer and enjoyed a tour, as well as discussions about Chaminade’s role in his personal and professional growth, and our collective goal

of creating the leaders of the future. You will also meet Annette (Dietel) Damien ’01, the director of student activities and a religion teacher at the middle school. Inspired by her own experiences as a Chaminade student, she gives back to her alma mater by motivating our students to love, learn, and lead.

Also important to Chaminade’s success are dedicated donors and volunteers. In this Chaminade Now, I am honored to share the legacy of Dennis Haas, who served our school and Marianist community as a key volunteer for decades until his death in February 2017. Dennis continued his service by making a bequest gift that will enrich The Chaminade Players and our arts programs for years to come.

As a school community it is important to remember our past and the humble beginnings of Chaminade and Marianist education in Los Angeles 65 years ago. This spring we turn our collective vision forward and look boldly toward the future as we embrace our role in creating the next ambitious chapter of Chaminade history.

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CHAMINADE WELCOMES TWO NEW MARIANISTS Two Marianists from India recently joined the Chaminade family. Fr. Joseph Raj, S.M., and Bro. Kumar Kambhampati, S.M. arrived in August and quickly jumped into the rhythm of Eagle life. They both share a joyful enthusiasm with everyone around them and bring a vibrant energy to both campuses.

Fr. Joseph serves as our school chaplain, which has allowed Fr. Ted Ley, S.M. ’58 to scale down his ministerial duties at Chaminade. Fr. Ted will mentor Fr. Joseph, and continue to be present at our Masses and retreats.

Before coming to Chaminade, Fr. Joseph worked with the Marianist REDS Program in India. REDS (Ragpickers Education and Development Scheme) helps street children, young men, and women. Fr. Joseph has a B.A. in philosophy from the University of Dayton’s extension program in Bangalore, and a Bachelor of Sacred Theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.

Bro. Kumar serves as a pastoral associate on both campuses. He assists Fr. Joseph, as well as Bro. Adam Becerra, the director of mission integration and ministry, and provides pastoral care for students in Campus Ministry. Bro. Kumar will also help with and attend retreats.

In May 2017, Bro. Kumar graduated from the University of Dayton (Ohio) with a Masters in educational leadership. Prior to this, he was the director of Chaminade Vocational Training Institute in northern India, where he taught English as a second language to job-seeking students, ages 15 to 35. In 2011, he completed undergraduate work in philosophy through the University of Dayton (India) and earned a B.A. in history, sociology, and English literature from Bangalore University.

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Middle School Mock Trial Repeats as LA County Champions

By Jennifer Bader Chaminade Mock Trial once again proved why it is one of the top programs in California. The middle school team successfully defended their title, defeating John Adams from Santa Monica and winning the 2017 Los Angeles County Championship. This is the 6th county championship for the middle school Legal Eagles. The 2015 and 2016 champion high school team also earned a return trip to the finals, their third consecutive appearance. The team finished second to iLead of North Hollywood.

Sophia Nations ’22 was awarded the MVP for her portrayal of the Defendant Casey Davidson, and Defense Attorney Samantha Bader ’18 received the award for the high school final. Freshman Armen Ajemian ’21 won Outstanding Defense Attorney for the entire high school competition.

Los Angeles is the largest county competition in the nation with over 150 teams and more than 2,600 competitors. Every year, the teams start in August to prepare all of the elements of a criminal case which they will argue in front of sitting judges and practicing attorneys. This year’s case, The People vs. Davidson, focused on a murder investigation at a political rally in Acorn, CA.

The members of the 2017 Los Angeles County Champions are Madison Cheramie ’22, Sophia Goldsmith ’22, Maddie Gutshall ’22, Emma Heafner ’22, Rachel Lee ’22, Luke McNulty ’22, Gabby Munoz ’22, Noelle Nashed ’22, Jonathan Park ’22, Sofia Piolanti ’22, Katie Santourian ’22, Samai Srinivasan ’22, Madison Teopaco ’22, and Sam Woznica ’22.

The members of the 2017 Los Angeles County Runner Up are Samantha Bader ’18, Dario Cardenas ’21, Chris Collins ’19, Matthew Delgado ’19, Spencer Delgado ’18, Claire Fairtlough ’19, Louis Gerny ’18, Shane Scarpace ’18, Rebecca Steinberg ’18, Skylar Takac ’21, and Julia Wilson ’19. The teams are coached by Jennifer and Bert Bader.

Eagles Win Mission League Title Chaminade Football finished the 2017 season, 6-0 in Mission League play, and are League champions after their 57-33 win over Bishop Amat.

Andy Holzman/SCNG

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Chaminade Film Wins “Best Editing”at Calabasas Film Festival

By Karen Thumm Filmmakers Aidan Hall ’19, Matthew Stewart ’19, and Robert Shainsky ’19 took home the prize for “Best Editing” in the category of Student Film at the 4th annual Calabasas Film Festival. The award was one of only five prizes given for exceptional achievement in student filmmaking. They produced their short film “iSolation” in their Film II class last year.

The film “iSolation” was produced by Stewart, written and filmed by Hall, and edited by Shainsky, with additional editing by Hall and Stewart. The film stars Jater Webb ’20 and Natalie Rowland ’17 and can be seen on the Chaminade Film Program YouTube Channel at: https://youtu.be/ Z0TTnPKJTuc Overall, four films created by Chaminade students were selected for the student film program in the festival and were screened for an audience in the Calabasas Hall on Sunday, September 17. To be eligible for the student category,

students must be currently enrolled in one of these schools: Chaminade, Viewpoint, Calabasas High School, Agoura High, Louisville, Oaks Christian, and El Camino. The four films selected from the Chaminade entries represented the work of Andy Dyer ’18, Carter Williams ’18, Mike Mariano ’18, Louis Gerny ’18, Justin Thomas ’18, Luke Macias ’18, and Tony Restivo ’18.

More information on the festival can be found at: www.calabasasfilmfestival.com

Varsity Basketball Team Travels to China In December, the varsity basketball team traveled to Beijing for the International Youth Basketball Spectacular.

Before the tournament began, they had the opportunity to visit the Great Wall and the Forbidden City, and learned how to make dumplings.

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Chaminade Student Council Receives 2017 National Gold Council of Excellence Award For its exemplary record of leadership, service, and activities that serve to improve the school and community, Chaminade College Preparatory’s student council has been awarded a 2017 National Gold Council of Excellence Award by the National Association of Student Councils (NASC).

“Receiving an NASC National Gold Council of Excellence Award reflects the highest dedication on the part of the school to providing a strong, well-

rounded student council program,” said Ann Postlewaite, National Association of Secondary School Principals (NASSP) student programs director. “NASC applauds the work of the National Gold Councils of Excellence and challenges them to continue their leadership and service to their schools and communities.”

“The student leaders that are elected and appointed to positions of leadership on student council work really hard throughout the year to make sure there is a positive culture and family spirit on campus. A lot of their work goes unnoticed, so I am proud that they have been honored with this award,” said Julie La Belle, director of students activities at Chaminade’s high school.

To meet the requirements for the NASC National Council of Excellence Award, a student council must meet a variety of

criteria. In addition to basic requirements such as a written constitution, regular meetings, a democratic election process, and membership in NASC, councils must demonstrate things such as leadership training for council members, teacher/staff appreciation activities, student recognition programs, school and community service projects, spirit activities, goal setting, financial planning, and active participation in state and national student council associations.

Those councils awarded the gold level have successfully demonstrated the highest levels of leadership.

“What makes our student council so special is the passion that each individual has for the team. Our members do not see what we do as work, but instead truly want to give back to our community,” said Kojo Boakye-Nimako ’18, associated student body president.

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COLLEGE BOUND Eleven student athletes signed National Letters of Intent to play lacrosse, baseball, golf and NCAA Division I football after they graduate from Chaminade in 2018.

LACROSSE Cate Mackel, Elon University

BASEBALL Patrick Collins, University of San Francisco

BASEBALL Charlie Beilenson, Brown University

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BASEBALL Austin Sachen, Washington University in St. Louis

FOOTBALL

BASEBALL Sean Sullivan, UC Berkeley

GOLF Will Draper, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Michael Wilson, Stanford University; Andrew VanBuren, Boise State University; Jonah Lipel, Harvard University; Parks Gissinger, Michigan State University; Dallas Taylor-Cortez, Iowa State University

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MARC MERRILL

The League of Legends co-creator who took on the gaming industry reflects on his experience at Chaminade

By Sara Nguyen

When Chaminade alumnus Marc Merrill ’98 was a teenager, he would sometimes sneak out of the house in the middle of the night and wander his neighborhood for hours. Upon returning home, he would occasionally trigger the house alarm — but figured out that if he changed his clothes outside, entered using a specific door and hid his clothes behind the downstairs couch, he could plausibly explain to his (probably bleary-eyed) parents that he was getting a drink of water and had inadvertently set off the motion sensor. “I figured out how to beat our system,” says Merrill, “which gamers do.”

What seems like fairly straightforward adolescent rebellion takes on a larger significance when you understand that Merrill’s self-identification as a gamer, and embracing the part of himself that wanted to “explore, test limits, seek adventure, and do things I shouldn’t be doing,” most likely played a large part in his going on to co-found a company that has created the most popular online video game in the world.

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“We like to joke that we wouldn’t have invested in ourselves.”

Riot Games, the company Merrill co-founded in 2006 with his University of Southern California classmate and friend Brandon Beck, is mainly known for its online video game League of Legends. If you mention League to the average person on the street, they might have no idea what you’re talking about. If that person is an adolescent male, however, it’s likely he knows exactly what it is and has spent time playing it.

“startling growth” -Fortune

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When describing League’s ascent, the press uses terms like “startling growth” (Fortune) and “full-scale phenomenon” (New York Times). To impart a sense of League’s global reach is to go from North America and Europe, where League is now officially the most played online game, to the internet cafes of Korea, and rural villages in China where, according to Merrill, “we have an opportunity to essentially create Little League.” League of Legends is the world’s largest esport, and the U.S. government has designated its players professional athletes, issuing visas to international players. When discussing

“full-scale phenomenon”

- New York Times

the infrastructure Riot supports, Merrill says, “You can play online with your friends. We manage professional leagues around the world, as well as semi-pro and tournament circuits that are continuing to evolve. There’s thousands of clubs that exist at the college level. There are many high school clubs that are continuing to pop up, and there are several colleges that are providing scholarships now to League of Legends players, and are creating varsity teams.”

Within two months of launching League in 2009, 100,000 people were playing the game. Fast forward to 2016, and Riot estimated that League had over 100 million players a month. Riot Games has grown from discussions between then-roommates Merrill and Beck, to now having nearly 3,000 employees around the world. In 2011, after the unprecedented success of League’s launch, Riot’s investor and distribution partner in China, Tencent Holdings, purchased a majority of the company for roughly $400 million, and in December 2015, bought the remainder for an undisclosed amount. Throughout all of their negotiations, Merrill and Beck made sure they were able to operate Riot Games with autonomy.

Although it’s clear that Merrill and Beck did develop League with an eye towards global distribution, even they were shocked by the scale and speed of Riot’s success, particularly given that neither of them were experienced game developers. Says Merrill, “Riot wouldn’t exist without the sort of naive optimism and belief that we could do it. Knowing what we know now, it’s so utterly improbable that my partner and I like to joke that we wouldn’t have invested in ourselves back when we were 24 and 25 and starting the company, because the challenges are immense, and the complexity is huge. There are so many other companies and people who were better positioned to do what we did than we were, that it really defies logic and rational thinking. There were a million valid reasons to say no.” To understand why Merrill, a former banking analyst and corporate marketing manager, abandoned the corporate track to enter the world of online gaming, it helps to go back to Chaminade middle school, where a pre-teen boy struggled to behave in class.

League of Legends is the world’s largest esport, and the U.S. government has designated its players professional athletes, issuing visas to international players.

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“I just always wanted to push and challenge.”

“I was one of those kids who would test limits,” says Merrill.

“I actually got kicked out of honors in middle school because I was too rambunctious, and I didn’t get along with some of my teachers.” Merrill suspects he wasn’t often challenged in class, and said, “I believed in my own capabilities, and that can be both a positive, and a significant negative. And the negative was when that would manifest negatively for others.” Asked where this behavior originated, he discusses the general angst that affects many boys at this stage in their lives. He also thinks his rebelliousness was hardwired, part of his personality from birth. “I just always wanted to push and challenge, and I think some of this is why I love games so much, why I love sports and why I love competition. I want to test myself constantly. I’m attracted to that. That’s continued my whole life.”

The younger of two sons, Merrill spent parts of his early childhood in Arizona and Pennsylvania while his father, Rick, a high flyer in residential real estate, climbed the corporate ladder. “My parents did the thing that many couples did at the time, role specialization. My mom managed the home and kids and my dad was the breadwinner,” says Merrill. His mother, Kathy, “was from a traditional Catholic background where family mattered a great deal, as did religion. She was strict but incredibly loving, very supportive, and absolutely devoted her life to her kids.” By age 33, Rick had become president of Merrill Lynch realty for the entire state of Pennsylvania. When Merrill was six, his family moved to Westlake so his father could then run Prudential’s real estate group for the entire state of California.

His parents had a balanced approach to parenting. “My mom was more supportive and had high expectations. My dad was more the hands-off type — he’d pull back, let us make our own mistakes. He would say things like ‘when the student is ready the teacher will come.’’’ At this point in middle school, however, Merrill describes himself as “directionless.” But, he says, “My parents had the foresight to recognize that at this stage the peer group becomes very

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“My mom was more supportive and had high expectations. My dad was more the hands-off type—he’d pull back, let us make our own mistakes. He would say things like ‘when the student is ready the teacher will come.’”

influential on kids. So they wanted their sons to attend a school like Chaminade that had a critical mass of people with similar values and perspectives.” This leads us to high school, where Merrill is exposed to something that had a profound effect on his life — football.

“Football took things to a whole other level.”

It was Hell Week, the summer before freshman year. Fellow Chaminade football players Matt Markis and Adam Engle (who were new transfers to the school) were resting under the shade of a tree when Merrill ambled over. “Me being the snooty little punk that I was, I walked up to Matty and Adam and said, ‘Hey, do you guys like rap?’ They looked at each other. ‘Yeah.’ I’m like, ‘Dorks!’ And then I walked away.” This interaction ended up being a significant moment in Merrill’s life because, as Merrill puts it, “Matt ended up becoming an incredibly impactful figure in my life, even though he wasn’t trying to be. He was such a solid person all around. He was authentic, honest, supportive, generous, friendly, dependable, and worked really hard at football. Despite being one of the smallest guys, he became a starter and ultimately a star.”

Merrill, still struggling to find direction, said by the end of his freshman year he would look at Matt and think, “I want to be like him.” Eventually, the two of them went on to be co-captains of the football team. They became great friends and now laugh about their initial interaction.

In addition to the values, leadership skills and lifelong friendships he gained from his participation in group sports at Chaminade, Merrill also benefited from his experiences on the class retreats. His sophomore year of college he returned to lead a retreat and describes it as an “incredible experience,” recalling, “the feeling of support from so many people reinforced the value of community.” Says Merrill, “The fact that Chaminade recognizes the importance of those experiences is one of the things that makes the culture of the school so great. It’s one of the things that separates Chaminade from so many other schools.” One of the characteristics of the Marianist education that Chaminade provides is helping students learn to become contributing citizens of the world. Merrill has exemplified this not only by returning as an alumnus to lead a retreat, but in the various times he has met with Chaminade students and those from other schools to share his experiences and provide tours of the Riot Games campus.

Merrill’s experience on the Chaminade football team made an enormous impact on his choice of future career, and the type of adult and business leader he has become. Through football, his intensity and his innate need to challenge himself and others had an outlet. “I had always loved team sports,” he says, “But then I played football and it was a whole different level of bonding with other men. It introduced me to the team dynamic that I absolutely love, and I came to really believe in the power of what you can achieve when you work together. I loved the values; I loved the violence. And it was good for me.” Merrill also wrestled, and talks about how the demanding practice schedules of both sports taught him discipline and helped him develop grit.

The Chaminade athletic coaches also helped cultivate Merrill’s leadership skills. He describes how Rudy Garcia, his wrestling coach, and Ed Croson, his football coach, “were willing to get in my face and call me out. They did it, and did a great job of it, and I respected the heck out of them. I sometimes need strength to come at me because I sometimes have strength in the opposite direction. They had the capability to command my attention and command my respect.” He says this naturally honed his skills as a leader, particularly on the football team, because, “They’d say, ‘OK, so you think we’re bad at this? Well, what are you doing about it?’”

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“I always looked at a career in gaming as an irresponsible dream.”

Video games provided another outlet for Merrill’s obsession with team sports, competition, and challenging himself. “But,” he says, “I always looked at a career in gaming as an irresponsible dream.” He says he didn’t seriously consider it until he started working on Riot. Now that he’s achieved remarkable success in that arena, he says he enjoys being in the position to help the school that gave him so much.

“When everyone tells you ‘no’ as an entrepreneur, or why something can’t happen, it’s having the rebellious nature to say, ‘You know what? I think you’re wrong. I think it can.’ Having that willingness to push through it anyway, is actually positive and is often the very force that drives change in society.”

A married father of two, he also looks at gaming from the perspective of a parent, saying, “Don’t despair if the #1 thing your kid wants to do is play online games. If they’re playing games, they’re creating. They’re developing a lot of skills that are incredibly important in the 21st century.” He goes on to say, “The gaming industry is bigger than film and Hollywood. It’s an incredibly large industry that has many career opportunities, and not just for engineers, artists and designers. We hire psychologists, we have a talent (HR) team, there are lawyers and finance professionals. We have marketing professionals and general managers. We have broadcast capabilities, TV personalities, show runners, writers, producers, and event management experts. Game companies do an incredible number of things.

And the industry is growing. There’s no way the interactive entertainment industry is going to shrink in the 21st century.”

Merrill continues to challenge himself, both physically — he still “exercises pretty intensely” and does things like attend Navy Seal training programs for CEOs — and as a gamer, business leader, husband and father. He feels a deep commitment and responsibility to the gaming community. However, for someone with his propensity to challenge what is expected of him, it will be interesting to see how that manifests in not only his future business decisions but in any other arenas he may penetrate in future decades. Says Merrill, “I think I was directionless for a long time — but I had these feelings, emotions, strong opinions and capabilities which I do think influenced others, sometimes negatively and sometimes positively. When I got more proficient at figuring out a direction, I was able to channel that angst, energy and rebellious nature in a more positive direction that would then have an impact on others. My source of leadership oftentimes comes from an emotional place. If I very much care about a particular outcome, set of values or perspective on how the world should be, I relentlessly work towards making that future thing that I have in my head a reality, no matter what the obstacles are. And I think part of that is my willingness to test limits, or challenge convention, or challenge authority — the laws that exist. When everyone tells you ‘no’ as an entrepreneur, or why something can’t happen, it’s having the rebellious nature to say, ‘You know what? I think you’re wrong. I think it can.’

Having that willingness to push through it anyway, is actually positive and is often the very force that drives change in society.”

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Annette Damien

creating a positive school culture

By Sara Nguyen

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To middle school teacher Annette Damien ’01, creating a positive school culture at Chaminade is of vital importance. She’s seen firsthand how this can positively affect not only a student’s experience of school, but also the course of their life and future career, because she herself experienced that as a high school student at Chaminade.

As a junior, Mrs. Damien took a peer facilitating class taught by Wendy Cowgill. Says Mrs. Damien, “She was somebody who first pointed out to me, ‘I know you want to be a teacher, but you know you can be a counselor, too.’” Mrs. Damien eventually went on to obtain a graduate degree in counseling, and it was Mrs. Cowgill who helped facilitate Mrs. Damien’s early training as a teacher — first hiring her as a summer school program assistant, and eventually passing her resume on to the middle school, where Mrs. Damien obtained her first full-time position as a seventh-grade religion teacher.

Twelve years later, Mrs. Damien still teaches religion, but has also moved on to teaching the Ambassador class, which is a leadership program for the middle school, and has introduced

like I was a part of the school community and helped boost my own faith.” Mrs. Damien has been on a total of eighteen senior class retreats, either as a student or a faculty leader. During Mrs. Damien’s second year working at Chaminade, she and fellow alum Kate Beskid, now campus minister, started SHINE, which is a middle school version of the LIFE program. Says Mrs. Damien, “We both valued that experience so much in high school, why wouldn’t we have the same experience for middle school students? So we brought that program here, and we’ve had SHINE now for the last ten years.”

Mrs. Damien’s training in counseling helped her recognize that investing in a positive school culture is a proactive approach to helping students. Says Mrs. Damien, “Seeing the needs of the students and the needs of the community over the last four years, my interests have evolved from individual counseling, towards creating a positive school culture, where there are less incidents and needs for school counseling.” She describes a positive school culture as one “where there is less bullying, more student engagement, more student support, more activities for the parents to be involved on campus, and more education for

“my interests have evolved from individual counseling, towards creating a positive school culture, where there are less incidents between students. it’s a proactive approach to student success.”

and started teaching a social media elective. Mrs. Damien is the director of student activities for the middle school and comoderates a club called SHINE (Students Help Inspire New Experiences), which is comprised of seventh and eighth graders interested in growing in their own faith experiences while pursuing service opportunities. She also coordinates the House System at Chaminade, a program which promotes leadership among the students while reinforcing the school community and fostering character education.

parents on certain issues.” Her involvement in Chaminade’s House System is a prime example of this in action, with various activities throughout the year that encourage school spirit and help students get to know each other. House Meetings, Spirit Week Activities, a Field Day and a House Picnic culminate in the annual awarding of the House Cup. Each of the houses also promote different pillars of character, such as Respect, Trustworthiness, Responsibility, Citizenship, and Caring.

Since Mrs. Damien attended Chaminade herself, she has the unique perspective and ability to take the experiences she valued most as a high schooler and introduce them at the middle school. One example of this is in her co-founding of SHINE. She says, “at Chaminade one of the things I really valued was going on the yearly grade level retreats. My senior year I was a member of the LIFE team, which stands for Living In Faith Experience. It’s a Marianist student group that helps with campus ministry events, mass planning and retreats. It was something that really connected me to the school, made me feel

When reflecting on her overall experience at Chaminade, one of the highlights to Mrs. Damien is “the sense of family that you have at Chaminade, both as a student and as a faculty member.

I’ve come back as an alumni teacher, and I see so many alumni invested in the school. My personal life has changed a lot in the last 12 years — I’ve been engaged, I’m married, I have a child — and seeing how all those life events are celebrated within the community, you know you’re constantly supported, not only by your coworkers but by the students. I hope I create that environment now. I like being a part of someone else’s experience of family through Chaminade.”

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2017-2023 STRATEGIC PLAN

LOVING, LEARNING, AND LEADING TOGETHER Introduction by Robert S. Webb, President

Throughout our history as a Catholic Marianist school, Chaminade College Preparatory has periodically undergone an examination of its mission, priorities, and role in the wider community. Over the past year, we have gone through a strategic planning process, and I am pleased to share with you the key strategic priorities the Chaminade Board of Directors has approved including: • Animate our Catholic, Marianist mission • Elevate faculty and staff development • Advance curricular excellence • Prepare students for success • Align campus facilities with program needs • Ensure continued financial stability

In addition, we have adopted a new mission statement, and vision statement. I invite you to learn about the goals and objectives we have identified to address each of our strategic plan priorities. Together they commit to and fulfill our mission to inspire young people to love, learn, and lead through our Catholic and Marianist traditions of a living faith, academic excellence, and moral responsibility.

The successful development and adoption of our new strategic plan was made possible through the countless hours of work and dedication our Strategic Planning Task Force conducted during the 2016-2017 school year. Together, with input gathered from across our school family, an ambitious and thoughtful path has been laid out for Chaminade College Preparatory.

Ours is a work, a magnificent work. If it is universal, it is because we are missionaries of Mary, who has said to us, ‘Do whatever he tells you.’ Each one of us has received from the Blessed Virgin a commission to work at the salvation of our brothers and sisters in the world. - Blessed William Joseph Chaminade

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Inspired by our founder, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade (Society of Mary – Marianists), Chaminade College Preparatory is proud in celebrating its Catholic Marianist tradition with students, parents, alumni, and Marianist Educators. As a missioncentered community, we pride ourselves in living out the charism and values of what makes our school distinctively Catholic.

In partnership with our families, we use guiding principles from our vision and mission statements, Characteristics of Marianist Education, and core values to inspire our students to love, learn, and lead together.

OUR MISSION We inspire young people to love, learn, and lead through our Catholic and Marianist traditions of a living faith, academic excellence, and moral responsibility.

OUR VISION Chaminade College Preparatory graduates are prepared, inspired, and equipped to: • Share God’s love by caring for others and seeking justice and peace.

• Learn, adapt, and grow with the world around them.

• Become servant leaders and positive contributors to society.

CHARACTERISTICS OF MARIANIST EDUCATION Along with the mission statement, the Characteristics of Marianist Education (CMEs) define the Chaminade experience and guide decision making.

• • • • •

Educate for formation in faith Provide an integral, quality education Educate in a family spirit Educate for service, justice, and peace Educate for adaptation and change

CORE VALUES • • • • • • • •

Love of God Discipleship of Jesus Mary as a Model Student-Centered Inclusivity Leadership Innovation Service to Others

In communities inspired by faith, we seek to live like the first community of Jerusalem, having but one heart and one soul.

- Marianist Rule of Life

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Process During the 2016 – 2017 school year, Chaminade College Preparatory set out to develop a new strategic plan that would guide a vision of excellence for the next five years and beyond. A highly collaborative process was thoughtfully planned and shared with the Board of Directors, Strategic Planning Task Force and strategic planning consultants, Netzel Grigsby Associates Inc.

The process engaged faculty, staff, parents, students, alumni, and community stakeholders to evaluate and define the school’s strengths and opportunities for success. An internal and external assessment was completed through personal interviews, online surveys, and environmental analysis.

ONLINE SURVEYS

Over 1,400 responses from parents, faculty, staff, and alumni

Eleven FOCUS GROUPS (involving 110+ people) with students, parents, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni, and community stakeholders

INTERVIEWS with visionary educators, Marianist leaders, partner schools and parishes, and board members

REVIEW of previous strategic plans and WASC reports (including parent and student surveys)

ANALYSIS of budget and financial practices EVALUATION of enrollment management process, practices, and trends

REVIEW of current

governance and operating structures

REVIEW of marketing materials and advancement/ fundraising activities

Using all of this information, a conceptual outline of the strategic priorities, goals, and objectives was drafted and presented to the Strategic Planning Task Force and Planning and Policy Committee of the Board of Directors for further review and discussion. The final draft of the Strategic Plan was unanimously adopted by the Board of Directors and bears the name Loving, Learning, and Leading Together.

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I am strongly desirous that the schools . . . measure up to the standards set by ours and that they may become models for all others of the diocese . . . .

- Blessed William Joseph Chaminade

Measuring Our Progress This Strategic Plan is a testament to Chaminade College Preparatory’s unwavering commitment to provide the highest quality educational experience to the young men and women in our region.

Under the direction of the Planning and Policy Committee of the Board of Directors, the school administration will work collaboratively with faculty and staff to develop an action plan for all the strategic priorities, goals, and objectives. Regular updates will be presented to the committee to keep board members apprised of progress. On an annual basis, the Strategic Plan will be reviewed as to remain relevant and open to new opportunities and trends. In addition, the school will provide timely updates to the entire Chaminade family that measure progress and address results.

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The Strategic Plan: Priorities, Goals and Objectives Animate Our Catholic, Marianist Mission Goal: Chaminade will advance and enrich the distinctive Catholic and Marianist values in its educational objectives.

Objectives: • Shape and enhance the academic curriculum with Catholic, Marianist values of integrating faith and reason, commitment to social justice, and developing a deeper relationship with God. • Promote a quality education of the whole person that engages faculty to develop each student’s physical, emotional, intellectual, moral, and creative qualities.

• Better define and more effectively communicate the advantage of the uniquely Marianist and distinctively Catholic education that Chaminade provides its students, families, and community.

• Engage in the Marianist Educational Network to tap into global resources that will enrich and inspire students’ learning in faith, leadership, and social responsibility.

Elevate Faculty and Staff Development Goal: Chaminade will attract, develop, and retain high-quality faculty and staff who are mission-motivated to promote the school’s Catholic, Marianist values in students’ learning.

Religion is not taught; it is communicated. Religion is instilled more deeply in the spirits and hearts of the students through the atmosphere that permeates the school rather than through teaching.

- Blessed William Joseph Chaminade

Objectives: • Evaluate and strengthen the recruitment and current hiring process to ensure it is mission-centered and efficient, positioning Chaminade to attract highly qualified candidates who have a strong sense of community, are committed to growing in faith, and have a desire to serve others.

• Utilize effective performance evaluations that enhance delivery of mission through instruction, assessment, service, and support to our students and community.

• Broaden the school’s participation in province-wide Marianist educational programs as a means of renewing the institution’s commitment to the Marianist charism.

• Establish an effective professional learning community program that provides the time and resources for onboarding and mentoring; collective inquiry and active research; attending and presenting at conferences.

• Create a robust and effective program of succession planning that identifies and fosters future leaders through mentoring, training, and stretch assignments for the institutional transfer of knowledge.

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By educating the mind and the heart, the school can form people who in turn can work at changing the very structures of their society to ensure a community of justice and reconciliation.

- Blessed William Joseph Chaminade

Advance Curricular Excellence

Prepare Students for Success

Goal: Chaminade will set the standard for college preparatory academic excellence with a rigorous, relevant, and innovative program that fulfills the school’s mission.

Goal: Chaminade will cultivate student self-reliance for success in college and beyond, emphasizing skills in communication, problem solving, adaptability, and self-advocacy.

Objectives:

Objectives:

• Evaluate and modify the academic program for consistency in vertical and horizontal alignment by subject level for all grades to provide Chaminade students with a well-rounded, challenging, and comprehensive educational experience.

• Leverage Chaminade’s commitment to family spirit to support student emotional health and well-being.

• In the curriculum mapping process, incorporate effective pedagogical methods that foster student learning of content and skills, including appropriate grade-level research practices.

• Collaborate with parents/families in support of their students’ development in self-sufficiency, personal responsibility, and decision making.

• Implement appropriate academic support systems to meet the learning needs of students, including subject-area tutors, research advisors, and online resources.

• Strengthen the college counseling program through earlier and more in-depth exposure to the college admissions process, targeted academic and leadership development activities, and exploration of potential majors and “best fits.”

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• Develop resources and programs to help students achieve a school/life balance and manage stress.

• Provide expanded in-class and on-campus opportunities for students to complete make-up work, resulting from retreat participation, early-outs and extra-curricular involvement.

Align Campus Facilities with Program Needs

Ensure Continued Financial Sustainability

Goal: Chaminade will provide exemplary facilities on both campuses to support current and future student achievement in all key areas, including intellectual, social, physical, and spiritual development.

Goal: Chaminade will preserve and honor its legacy through excellent financial management and stewardship of resources for current and future generations.

Objectives: • Develop a facilities master plan to address current and anticipated program needs through renovation, expansion, and new construction.

• Determine program priorities with related facilities needs.

• Conduct feasibility studies to evaluate potential donor support and other funding resources.

We must courageously modify methods and forms that have nothing about them that is immutable in order to adapt to the varying needs of time, place, and customs.

- Blessed William Joseph Chaminade

Objectives: • Optimize student enrollment that positions Chaminade to advance its Catholic, Marianist mission by targeting prospective students/families who will fully partner with the school.

• Build upon superior professional practices to secure future financial stability.

• Develop and implement an advancement plan to address the following priorities: • Generate resources to fund initiatives outlined in this strategic plan, as well as tuition assistance and merit scholarships.

• Increase philanthropic participation of alumni, parents, foundations, and all other constituent groups.

• Expand endowment and planned giving as a longterm strategy for sustainability.

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Celebrating The Chaminade Legacy Inspired by our founder, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade (Society of Mary – Marianists), Chaminade College Preparatory has remained steadfast over the last 65 years in celebrating its Catholic, Marianist traditions with students, parents and alumni. From those early days in Cheviot Hills to today, on two expansive campuses in the San Fernando Valley, more than 10,000 students have graduated from the school and gone on to pursue careers at the highest levels. The pride and dedication of the Chaminade family is the hallmark of our school and we see it celebrated every day with our students, faculty, and staff.

Part of our success is the commitment to staying at the forefront of Catholic education. Strategic planning has long played an integral role at the school. Building on our strengths and evaluating areas of growth have allowed Chaminade to move forward with key initiatives and capital projects that make the school what it is today.

Recent Achievements The Tutor Family Center for the Performing Arts is a 23,000 square-foot facility on our high school campus that boasts a 365-seat theater with storage rooms, workshop, dressing rooms, and office space. In addition, it houses classrooms for dance, band, choral, and drama, including a black box theater.

The Tutor Center showcases the talents and creativity of all students while contributing to the overall spirit of our campus community.

The Joseph A. Rauser Library Commons on our middle school campus is an expansion and renovation of an existing area into 4,600 square feet of learning and studying space. It includes an open area for studying, comfortable seating, as well as a conference room and quiet study room. It is named in honor of Mr. Rauser for his 50 years of service to Chaminade as a teacher, coach, mentor, and friend.

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65years The James V. Adams Center for Innovative Learning on our middle school campus is a new 9,000 square-foot, sixclassroom building. These flexible classrooms allow for more project-based learning activities and innovative lesson planning for teachers and students. Three large breakout areas allow for small group work and presentations. It is named in honor of Mr. Adams for his service as president of Chaminade College Preparatory from 1996-2014.

The Chaminade Endowment continues to be a significant marker for long term financial stability and resources. Since 2012, the endowment has grown by 63% to its current value of $8,700,000. These permanently restricted funds support several programs and initiatives at the school ranging from academics, arts, athletics, financial aid, and technology. The continued growth of our endowment will provide greater financial security and support to all student programs for the future.

Compensation benchmarks for all employees is an important focus. Being able to attract and retain mission-centered Marianist Educators is a high priority for the school. The school has also increased faculty and staff professional development resources to better support the needs of our colleagues who teach, mentor, and coach students on a daily basis. Over the past ten years, Chaminade has increased its professional development resources from $145,000 in 2007 to over $500,000 in 2017.

Enrolling a diverse student body from across the San Fernando Valley and beyond is a continuous endeavor. Our financial aid program allows students to attend the school who would not otherwise be able to afford a Chaminade education.

Through strategic financial planning and fundraising initiatives, the school has increased assistance awarded to families from $945,000 in 2007 to $3,467,000 in 2017. As the demand for a Chaminade education continues to rise, we will look to expand our scope of support for those deserving students who wish to enroll in our school.

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THE KENTUCKY GOBLIN SIEGE In the fall, the Chaminade Middle School Players presented The Kentucky Goblin Siege. Based on real-life events, The Kentucky Goblin Siege chronicles the madcap adventures of the Sutton Family who are convinced that their farmhouse has been invaded by aliens. This tongue-in-cheek play gave the audience an entertaining evening filled with of out-ofthis-world laughs! Directed by Michael Russ.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S

MACBETH

The Chaminade Players delivered four great and bold performances of William Shakespeare’s epic tragedy, Macbeth. Directed by Yvette Bishop.

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VENI, VENI, EMMANUEL In December, the middle school C-Notes presented Veni, Veni Emmanuel, a Christmas concert, directed by Kathy Rohrs at the Tutor Family Center for the Performing Arts on the West Hills campus. The 63-member choir sang 22 classical and modern favorites, with special performances from a cappella group C7, directed by high school student directors Denise Enrique ’20 and Brendan Teehan ’21, and the girls barbershop quartet, Chaminets.

WINTER CONCERT

The middle school band presented their winter concert in the Fr. Allen DeLong Center for Arts and Athletics. Directed by Cynthia Snyder, the band performed 30 songs, including holiday favorites such as Frosty the Snowman, Do You Hear What I Hear?, Silent Night, Jingle Bells and many more.

A NOT SO SILENT NIGHT The high school’s instrumental and choral programs presented A Really Not So Silent Night. The Chaminade Wind Ensemble, Jazz Band, Guitar Program, Concert Choir, Lord’s Chords, Chorus Class and Adult Choir came together for an evening of holiday music under the direction of Jason Delfing, high school director of instrumental music, and Danielle Duckett, high school choral director.

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COMMUNITY

Dennis Haas Longtime Friend of Chaminade Leaves Behind a Lasting Legacy

by Lee Ann Metivier, Director of Development, Leadership Giving and Special Initiatives

He often had a camera in hand, and he always had a quiet way about him. He was Dennis Haas, and he humbly and faithfully served Chaminade College Preparatory for 48 years.

More than four decades’ worth of alumni, parents, and employees built lasting connections with Dennis, and the school community was deeply saddened to learn of his passing on February 17, 2017. Dennis was 70-years-old, and he was a true friend.

His loyalty to Chaminade carried forward after February 17, when several months later, his brother, Loren Haas, contacted the school with the news that it had been Dennis’ wish to make a philanthropic contribution through a planned gift. By September an endowed fund known as the Dennis N. Haas Financial Aid Endowment was established at Chaminade because of Dennis’ dedication to and love for the school. The fund will provide tuition assistance to a student during his or her four-year high school experience at Chaminade, and will allow Dennis’ name and memory to live on in perpetuity. In addition, in honor of Dennis’ generous support of the school, the Tutor Center scene shop will be named in his memory.

Dennis joined the Chaminade family as a Marianist brother in the fall of 1969, and by the 1970-1971 school year, he was the campus manager of the West Hills campus. He served as a Marianist from 1965 to 1974. Dennis remained a fixture at Chaminade even when he was not a school employee (he was a customer hardware technical support representative for IBM after he graduated from Pierce College.) He led Kairos retreats, served as a moderator for LIFE workshops, chaperoned various student activities, and helped the Advancement Office with archives and events. Many members of the Chaminade family will remember him for the pictures he took, and the time he spent with the West Hills drama department. The 1988 yearbook was dedicated to him, “The Man with the Camera.”

A 1964 graduate of Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco, Dennis’ physics teacher was former Chaminade President, Fr. Allen DeLong. After graduating from Riordan, Dennis entered the Marianist religious community, and moved to Cupertino. He came to Chaminade by way of Honolulu Trade Tech, where he majored in carpentry.

On Friday, February 17, 1989, Dennis was honored as one of Chaminade’s first founders during Mass. He has left an indelible mark on the school family through his years of service, his uniquely simple and humble ways, and now his incredible philanthropy.

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COMMUNITY

DOES FAITH REALLY MATTER?

By Bro. Adam Becerra, fsp, DMin Director of Mission Integration & Ministry

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In the summer of 2013, I accompanied three faculty members and ten high school students to Costa Rica to participate in a Sea Turtle Preservation field experience. The Caribbean beach in Costa Rica is the most important leatherback nesting ground in the world. Our students worked directly with scientists and researchers to collect data on the leatherbacks who nest there each year. They also helped move and protect the leatherback nests, ensuring the protection of the hatchlings within.

One early morning, I was awakened by some of our students and asked to join them to watch the sunrise overshadow the coast. It was a spectacular view! As the sun came up, we were immediately drawn into the picturesque scenery that hovered over us as rays of red, yellow and orange filled the entire coast of the Caribbean beach. Captivated by the sunrise, a student next to me asked if I would take them through a guided meditation to soak in the experience. Initially, I didn’t want to because all I wanted to do was stand in silence and marvel at the joy of the sunrise. However, I felt compelled to honor the student’s request and take them through a meditation to be in sync with the energy of Costa Rica’s sunrise.

Upon the start of this school year, the same student, who is now an alumna, asked if I remembered the meditation in Costa Rica.

She proceeded to say, “Brother, you know that I am an atheist, but something resonated in me after watching that sunrise and I want to know if you would journey with me and help me understand what I am feeling.” I began meeting with her and questions about faith surfaced in our conversations as we explored the presence of God in the world. “Does faith really matter?” she asked. “Because after the Costa Rica trip and graduating from Chaminade, I began to explore the possibility of God in my life. There are two things that I attribute this to: Chaminade and Costa Rica. Chaminade instilled faith in me, which I thought I would never turn to. The retreats, Masses, service programs and religion class discussions built a foundation for me to search for meaning in the existence of God. On the other hand, the sunrise and meditation in Costa Rica was definitely a turning point for me in my life because something resonated with me that pointed me to a higher power.”

The question, “Does faith really matter?” is often asked by some of our Chaminade students today. A recent Gallop Poll suggests that one in 10 Americans don’t believe in God, a small but significant milestone. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles recently administered

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“by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.”

-Pope John Paul II

a survey to high school students ages 16-18 from various schools. The students noted that there is a wave of atheism emerging in their circle of friends because faith doesn’t matter to them. They simply have no interest in believing in God but desire to live good lives.

At Chaminade, we are grounded in a robust Catholic, Marianist tradition. There are many opportunities for students to grow in their faith and develop a personal relationship with God. One of the greatest treasures that the Catholic Church embraces is its intellectual tradition, which is grounded in both faith and reason. In his 1998 encyclical Fides et Ratio (Faith and Reason), the late John Paul II writes, “Faith and reason are like two wings on which the human spirit rises to the contemplation of truth; and God has placed in the human heart a desire to know the truth — in a word, to know himself — so that, by knowing and loving God, men and women may also come to the fullness of truth about themselves.” John Paul II notes that, “The more human beings know reality and the world, the more they know themselves in their uniqueness, with the question of the meaning of things and their very existence becoming ever more pressing.”

As Chaminade students grow in their own personal selfconsciousness, some would say that there is a continued struggle to question God’s existence. The survey that was administered by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles found this to be a living reality today in some of their high schools. Does this mean that Chaminade compromises its Catholicity with the posing question? Absolutely not. In fact, it strengthens our living faith and Catholic tradition at our institution. It

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challenges us to explore the bigger questions that require the integration of both faith and reason to reflect upon an infinite and loving God. Through this conviction, I believe that Chaminade students engage in a journey of personal self-consciousness. Our academic courses strive to integrate the notion of faith and reason to help them experience the beauty and presence of God actively working in their lives.

It also helps our students to reflect upon the mystery of God, the incomprehensible reality that sometimes questions about God can be left unanswered. The alumna that I journeyed with, reflected upon her personal experience of God’s existence through nature. The Caribbean sunrise and meditation in Costa Rica was the beginning of her selfconsciousness. Her guiding platform was Mother Nature — the aesthetic creation of God’s beauty for all humanity to marvel upon. Thus, this became her reality and cornerstone in her belief that indeed, God exists today, and she is no longer an atheist.

The journey of personal self-consciousness is also accompanied by a comprehensive retreat program offered through Campus Ministry. At the middle school level, the 6th-grade retreat I am Imago Dei…I am Pure Gift helps our students reflect on their relationship with God as being made in his image and have been given certain gifts to share with the rest of the world. The 7th-grade retreat, I Choose Courage helps students to stand up for what is right, treat others with respect, and be the people that God created them to be.

Finally, the 8th-grade retreat Called and Chosen challenges our students to take on the gospel values of Christ and be charitable towards one another.

At the high school level, Pillars retreat introduces our freshman to our Marianist charism: to be formed by Mary for the mission of Christ. Students learn how to embrace faith, create community, be inclusive, emulate Mary, and be passionate about our mission. Lumos is designed to help sophomores understand themselves as “light for others,” show their good works and glorify God. It is part of our Catholic, Marianist tradition to help them derive their radiance from Christ and reveal Him to others. Emmaus is a community building retreat for juniors focused on recognizing Christ in their everyday life. Our Catholic, Marianist tradition challenges them to strengthen their sense of family spirit and to support and love each other.

Finally, the Kairos retreat experience helps our seniors reflect on who they are and who they want to be as they experience the power of God’s love for them. We believe that to form our students in faith, we have to give them time to reflect and listen to better understand God’s call in each of their lives. The journey of faith in our Chaminade students will be an ongoing adventure as they continue to develop their sense of who they are and who they want to be as they realize that God is actively working in their lives.

Along with a comprehensive retreat program, there is the celebration of Mass with our students. The Eucharist is the “source and summit of our Catholic faith.” This cannot ever be compromised. The power and strength drawn from the Eucharist invites our school community to be nourished by the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the Eucharist, we help our students aim to live a life of holiness because Jesus is truly present in each one of them as they go out and carry out the Church’s mission — to help others on the road to holiness. Whether Catholic or non-Catholic, our students know that every time we celebrate Mass, we acknowledge the gift of God’s presence in each other and pray as a family to strengthen our sacred bond that unites all of us as his children.

nurturing Christ in others is the anchor for our service program. Her fiat (yes) to the Angel Gabriel was a message from God that was strong and forceful, and although she was her Son’s perfect disciple, it is clear from scripture that Mary did not understand all that Jesus said and did. She pondered upon the Angel Gabriel’s message of bringing her Son, Jesus, into the world. Mary accepted what was at work in her Son as a mystery which she could never fully understand, but grew in discipleship to her Son, learning from Him the Good News He would eventually share with the world. Thus, the Apostolic Works Service Learning Program is not only a call to action for social justice, but also to ponder as Mary did as a way of developing our student’s personal consciousness.

So: “does faith really matter?” It does. Without it, Chaminade College Preparatory would not exist today.

Family Spirit would be just a word. Academic courses would be minimized to simple facts without hope. The arts and athletics programs would be confined to physical conditioning and self-expression without reaching their highest potential to empower each other with Catholic values of faith, hope, and love. Clubs and leadership opportunities would build community but no action with Gospel values. Thus, as students continue to wrestle with this question, Chaminade College Preparatory is committed to preserving our 2,000 years of a Catholic living faith and tradition and instilling our Marianist charism in our students—forming Christ in them so that they may go out and nurture Christ in others!

Finally, the personal self-consciousness in our students leads them to serve through our Apostolic Works Service Learning Program. The service program empowers our students to be leaders of social justice and give a direct service to communities in need through various methods of outreach and transformation. Following a praxis-theorypraxis model, this spurs our students to question why service and transformation are necessary, what changes have to be made, who needs to be served, what motivations move one to serve, and how to act upon adaptations and changes that might be practically affected. This model goes in line with our Catholic, Marianist tradition. Mary’s mission of

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India LaRoda Defining her Crown and sash

by Kristi Fritschner ’07 Assistant Director of Alumni Relations

After a year-long competition, India LaRoda ’12 was crowned Miss India America 2017 on August 5, 2017 at the Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel. The daughter of an AfricanAmerican father and East Indian mother, she is the first biracial woman to win the pageant in 25 years. “I define my crown and sash, not the other way around,” she states. Her parents raised her to proudly represent both cultures and live the values she learned through Sai Baba Bal Vikas, a Hindu course similar to Sunday school. India says Chaminade provided a place where her Hindu faith and rich cultural background could flourish alongside Catholic, Marianist values.

Winning the Miss India America pageant is only the beginning for India, who plans to use her platform to advocate for diversity, equality, and smiles (literally). At age eight, India watched a documentary about a doctor performing surgeries to help children with cleft lips in Cambodia and realized she wanted to help. Now, India is a member of the Young Leadership Circle for Smile Train, an international non-profit organization that provides cleft repair surgery to children in over 85 developing countries. Next year she will travel to India to both visit family and represent Smile Train, since more than one-third of their surgeries are performed there.

In addition to representing organizations, India is studying to become a pediatrician. She has been dedicated to academics since she began attending Chaminade in ninth grade, but academic success has not always come easily. India credits her teachers at Chaminade with helping her overcome academic challenges — specifically math teacher Mrs. Barbara Tweedy and science teacher Mrs. Jan Garcia. India recalls sessions where Mrs. Tweedy used countless creative methods to illustrate math principles, while Mrs. Garcia offered endless patience.

“They never gave up on me,” says India with a smile. She also attributes her determination to administrator Mr. Greg Klee who advised her, “It’s not about how long it takes — it’s that you get there.”

Since graduating from Chaminade, India has simultaneously attended Santa Monica College and Pierce College. She also works as a behavioral interventionist, assisting special needs children and young adults with daily tasks—experience she hopes will make her a more unique pediatrician. “There is always a way to make a positive impact,” she says. Next year, India will continue her studies at Loyola Marymount University, majoring in Biology and English, and minoring in French. She hopes to earn her medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. Meanwhile her vision, actions and perseverance define India LaRoda’s reign as Miss India America.

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CLASS REUNIONS

THE CLASS OF 1967 celebrated their 50-year reunion this year. Several classmates started the weekend early, spending several days on Catalina Island before journeying to West Hills for Homecoming Weekend. On Friday, September 15, nearly twenty alumni attended a campus tour and the President’s Pre-Game Party. They were invited onto the football field prior to kickoff to be recognized as Golden Eagles – those who have been alumni for 50 years or more. After the victory over Bakersfield, the Class of 1967 adjourned to the home of alumnus, Randy Madey ’67, to continue the celebrations.

The following day, the class gathered at Sagebrush Cantina for lunch and attended their reunion party at the Warner Center

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Marriott. Over 30 guests – a majority of whom were alumni – celebrated with dinner, drinks and a special presentation.

Each alumnus received a commemorative golden diploma and spoke for a few moments, sharing how he had spent the 50 years since graduating from Chaminade (turn to page 49 for individual class notes from the Class of 1967). The Class of 1967 is a testament to Chaminade’s family spirit – fifty years later, these gentlemen still think of themselves as brothers. Thank you to the 1967 Reunion Committee for their enthusiasm and generosity – Scott Adams ’67, Bart Carrillo ’67, Gary Meck ’67, Michael Mihelich ’67, Steve Painter ’67, Dick Pittenger ’67, Mike Streff ’67, and Dr. Harry White ’67.

THE CLASS OF 1977 came together during Homecoming Weekend to celebrate their 40-year reunion. The weekend started off on Friday, September 15, 2017, with a campus tour and the homecoming football game vs. Bakersfield.

On Saturday, September 16, over 40 guests gathered at the Warner Center Marriott for dinner, drinks and two slideshows. Thank you to the Class of 1977 Reunion Committee for their hard work – Dan Derby ’77, Judith (Landon) Nakabara ’77, Kelly (Fennell) O’Connell ’77, Patrick Smith ’77, and Dianna (Pelka) Vanoni ’77.

THE CLASS OF 1987 kicked off their 30-year reunion celebration by attending the campus tour and homecoming football game vs. Bakersfield on Friday, September 15, 2017. The next night, September 16, more than 40 people gathered at the Warner Center Marriott to mark the occasion with dinner, drinks and reminiscing.

Thank you to the Class of 1987 Reunion Committee for planning such a wonderful event – Anthony Butler ’87, Jessica (Zada) Elder ’87, Amy Keating Rogers ’87, Lisa Macias-Flavin ’87, Carol (Phalen) Molnar ’87, and Margaret (Bacon) Smith ’87.

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THE CLASS OF 1997 celebrated their 20-year reunion during Homecoming Weekend in September. Alumni returned to campus for a tour and the football game on Friday, September 15. Over sixty guests attended the reunion party on Saturday, September 16 at the Warner Center Marriott. The Class of 1997 celebrated their milestone with dinner, dancing, and a slideshow. The Reunion Committee also organized a livestream to the class Facebook page so classmates who were unable to attend could enjoy the party. Thank you to the 1997 Reunion Committee for making this event such a success – Sarah (Ibrahim) Andrade ’97, Victoria Bender ’97, Robert Jadon ’97, Chris Lebedeff ’97, and Jenn (Kiljian) Mankerian ’97.

THE CLASS OF 2007 celebrated their 10-year reunion on Saturday, September 9, 2017, at The Victorian in Santa Monica. More than 60 alumni attended the event where they enjoyed beverages, a taco bar and an evening of reminiscing. Thank you to the 2007 Reunion Committee: Kaila Armendariz ’07, Janelle Burdette ’07, Kristi Fritschner ’07, and Stephanie Young ’07.

RETURN TO THE NEST

On Thanksgiving Eve, young alumni gathered at Sagebrush Cantina in Calabasas, for the annual Return to the Nest party. Over 130 alumni from the classes of 2004-2015 attended.

They enjoyed a photobooth, beverages, appetizers and catching up with fellow Eagles.

Photos from the event can be viewed on the alumni website.

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ALUMNI CHALLENGE #FORCHAMINADE

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THANK YOU to all the alumni donors who made the first Alumni Challenge a success! On September 19, 2017, you showed the power of Chaminade’s alumni community as you came together to support our amazing students, faculty and staff and met the challenge: gain 250 alumni donors in 24 hours to secure a $10,000 challenge gift from an anonymous donor.

highest number of participants:

CLASS OF

408

2017

DONORS

51.2% of donors have graduated since 2000

$1 $1000 Smallest donation

Largest donation

Almost every graduating class participated in giving

35,708

$

TOTAL RAISED (including challenge gift)

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ALUMNI ON CAMPUS On August 29, 2017, thirteen alumni returned to campus to participate in the 6th Annual Career Night organized

by Bro. Jack Dempsey, S.M. The alumni represented a variety of professions within STEM, business, the arts, and beyond, and spoke with students seeking advice on possible careers and fields of study. Pictured left to right: Kyle Pearson ’11, Pam Meyer ‘76, Christian Klawitter ’91,Tim Denton ’04, Kimberly Bertz ’98, Vincent Consolo ’98, Fr. Ted Ley ’58, Hadi Abrishamchian ‘04 Not pictured: Christine (Calandra) Farrell ’85 , Tommy Hollenstein ’78, Brian Lopez ‘96, Bill Sack ’79, and Mike Schwieger ’63

On October 5, 2017 Sean Walsh ’81 and Jit Bhattacharya ’96 particpated, as panalist, for Chamiande’s AP Capstone Forum on Corporate Social Responsibility. The forum, held in the Media Center of the Condon Center, gathered 60 AP Capstone students for a day of higher learning.

Walsh, a principal at Wilson Walsh George Ross, provided a perspective on corporate social responsibility (CSR) from both the private and government sectors while Bhattacharya, chief technology officer at Fenix International, privided a perspective from the social enterprise world.

Sean Walsh ’81

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Jit Bhattacharya ’96

CLASS NOTES 1950S Stephen Kealoha ’59, a student and resident of the original Chaminade campus in Cheviot Hills, has been appointed to a leadership role in Catholic Charities for the Diocese of Honolulu.

1960S Scott Adams ’67 enlisted in the Navy in 1969 and was an aircraft controller for four years. Following his time in the Navy, Scott attended college and became very involved in environmental causes and energy efficiency. This lead to a career in renewable energy development with the California Energy Commission in Sacramento, California where he has been employed for almost the last 20 years. 1 Bart Carrillo ’67 attended UCLA after graduating from Chaminade, later working as an investigator and in other areas of law enforcement. In his late thirties, Bart decided to attend law school. He now has his own practice prosecuting discrimination cases. Bart married the love of his life, Laural, and they reside in California. 8 1

James Demeter ’67 and his wife, Diane, have opened their own winery called the Demeter Family Vineyards. In his previous years, James was in a band called “The Heaters,” signed by Capital Records. Thanks to Brother David Reeves’ electronics class, this love of music led him to open his own guitar shop where he designed amps, recording consoles, microphone pre-amps, and more. James still enjoys music as he navigates the wine industry. 2 Gene Dunker ’67 and his beautiful wife Pat enjoyed the holiday season at their home in Carson City, Nevada.

Now retired, they enjoy their new life in the country. Gene is busy with his historical fraternity (E Clampus Vitus) and also serves as a docent at the Nevada State Museum and Capitol Building. Pat volunteers at a local cat rescue when she’s not caring for her two horses. Of course, with all the casinos, shows and many other activities, there’s always fun in the air.

To celebrate their 25 years of marriage, they recently renewed their vows at St. Mary in the Mountains Catholic Church in Virginia City. It’s the oldest Catholic Church in Nevada. 3 2

Rick Ensign ’67 attended the University of Utah with fellow Chaminade classmate, Les Szukala ’67. He first walked onto the basketball team there, and finished his time in Utah playing rugby. Rick married the love of his life, Cheryl, and welcomed three children and two grandchildren. Rick has been in the travel business for 45 years, allowing him to travel to great ski areas, amazing golf courses, and more. Cheryl passed away in March 2017 and attending his 50-year reunion with his Chaminade “brothers” during this difficult time meant the world to him. 1 Greg Forster ’67 received a degree in Business Administration from Loyola Marymount University following his graduation from Chaminade. He enjoyed many years in retail working for companies like the May Company and Pottery Barn, later venturing into sales in the housewares industry. Greg eventually started his own business, Greg Forster and Associates, in Irvine, California. He has two sons and currently resides in Laguna Niguel, working as an advanced funeral planner.

Greg attended his 50th class reunion and had a spectacular time reconnecting with his old classmates. 4 3

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Jim Hagan ’67 attended Loyola University for his undergraduate education, graduating in 1971. He started several small mortgage companies over 47 years, and eventually became executive vice president for Fieldstone Mortgage. Approximately 10 years ago, he became a loan officer in the Carlsbad area. Jim lost his wife of 30 years, Vicki, in October 2016. He celebrates her memory with his five children and nine grandchildren. 5 Don Heth ’67 received a Ph.D. in Psychology from Yale after graduating from Chaminade. He became a professor at the University of Alberta for 37 years in Edmonton, Canada, and loved seeing the inherent enthusiasm and curiosity of students. Don now lives in British Columbia with his wife, Sue. He is thankful for his Marianist education that encouraged exploration and adventure. 6 Ted Hutchison ’67 had been a successful dentist for the past 41 years, practicing in Lompoc, California. He planed to retire at the end of 2018 and enjoy time with his wife, Lisa.

He received a bachelor’s degree and a master’s in business administration from UCLA after Chaminade, and went to UCLA Dental School for his doctor of dental surgery. His oldest daughter is a professor at USC and his youngest daughter is a student at UCSD. Ted passed away on January 5, 2018. 7 Fred Lemke ’67 celebrated his 50-year reunion in September. After graduating from Chaminade, he attended University of Oxford in England where he studied Egyptology.

Upon his return to the U.S., he studied at San Fernando Valley State College (which is now CSUN) and earned a teaching credential. Fred taught at Lincoln High School before going

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into the retail business for Bullocks Wilshire. Eventually, he became a buyer for Broadway Department Store and was responsible for purchasing glassware and china for all 43 branches. Fred is currently in the wholesale stationery business.

Gary Meck ’67 currently lives in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he and his wife of six years, Maggie, enjoy golfing and all the entertainment Vegas has to offer. Prior to moving to “paradise,” he worked at Universal Studios as an electrician for many years with James Watters ’69. Gary keeps in touch with many classmates on social media and recognized all of his classmates at the 50-year reunion. He designed hats and t-shirts to commemorate the event. 9 Mike Mihelich ’67 transferred into Chaminade his junior year of high school and experienced the Chaminade spirit of brotherhood early on when he contracted valley fever and pneumonia. He was the “new kid” but his classmates came to visit him in the hospital. Mike became a lawyer and has been practicing for the past 35 years. He and his wife, Lynn, have been married for 28 years and have three children. Mike was happy to be back with his brothers from Chaminade for their 50-year reunion. 2 Steve Painter ’67 graduated from UC San Diego and worked in the construction business for fifteen years before switching to consumer products. At the age of 55, he started his own storage and organization company, which he sold to a large corporation in 2014. He met his wife Cathi in Louisville, Kentucky. They have been married for 35 years and have one daughter, Brittney. 10

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Dick Pittenger ’67 joined the Navy after graduating from Chaminade. He served on a destroyer in the Pacific, specializing in pilot search and rescue. He returned to Los Angeles where he worked for Western Airlines and then Delta Airlines. He retired after 48 years in the airline industry. He has three children and attended his 50-year reunion with his second wife, Melissa. 10

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John Solt ’67 is a poet and Japanologist. He attended UC Santa Barbara and first went to Japan after winning a game of roulette; he was poisoned by a blowfish and returned to the U.S. for treatment. John later returned to Japan where he got married and earned a master’s at Sophia University in Tokyo.

He has studied Asian languages and worked in photography exhibits. John has three children and five grandchildren. 6 Mike Streff ’67 came from Illinois to attend his 50-year reunion along with his wife, Didi. After graduating from UCLA, Mike went to Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia, and became a Marine. He served as a radio intercept officer in F-4 Phantom aircraft. After an honorable discharge, he began a skateboard business in Santa Barbara, California, and moved to Aspen, Colorado, in 1978 to promote snowboarding. Mike later earned an additional degree in civil engineering and moved to Illinois where he currently works for a water management company. 11 Harry White ’67 is one of five brothers who attended Chaminade. After graduating from Chaminade, he attended Stanford University and University of Oregon dental school.

He also has a postdoctoral degree in orthodontics from the USC. He met his wife, Cathy, while studying at USC; they have been married for 39 years. Harry opened his orthodontics private practice in Laguna Niguel in 1977. Over the years he has taught as a clinical instructor at USC and UCLA, and traveled around the US and world teaching orthodontic courses. In 2005, Harry took on a part-time role at his practice, allowing him more time to coach baseball, football and golf. Harry and Cathy have one son, Harrison, who recently graduated from Yale University and was drafted by the Miami Marlins to play professional baseball. Harry was instrumental in planning the Class of 1967 50-year reunion. 12 Greg Widner ’67 graduated from Chaminade and began working for Broadway Corporation. He also worked for Western Airlines and Delta Airlines before switching to Carrier Corporation, where he worked for 39 years. He is now retired and lives in Cathedral City, CA, and loves to travel. At his 50year reunion, Greg recalled racing classmate Jim Hagan ’67 daily on Cohasset Street. 4

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1970S Teresa (Uribe) McGilvray ’78 and Lauren (Hill) Emerick ’82 organized a team of Chaminade alumni to participate in the Los Angeles Rose Run benefiting the Disney Family Cancer Center on October 8, 2017. More than 30 alumni helped support “Team Chaminade” in the fight against cancer by participating in the run itself or sponsoring the team. Team Chaminade raised the most funds of all the teams that participated in the run thanks to generous alumni donors. Pictured left to right: Brian McGilvray ’76, Celine McGilvray ’12, Joe Norton ’88, Candice Fritschner, Teresa (Uribe) McGilvray ’78, Carrie Crow Montenegro, Rosett (Crow) Schoenwald ’77, Rachael Emerick ’12, Mike Dolan ’81, Kimberly Dolan, Jim Emerick, Lauren (Hill) Emerick ’82, and Karen Young ’82. 13

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NADENEWS

1990S Rachel (Wean) Costello ’94 celebrated Homecoming with her family, three generations of Eagles: Shy (Wean) Suttles ’91, Tyler Suttles ’21, Ed Wean ’63 (a football coach at Chaminade), Chrissy Wean ’96, and Rachel (Wean) Costello ’94. 13 15

Jit Bhattacharya ’96 was the head coach of the USA Women’s Master’s Ultimate Frisbee team. The team competed in the 2016 World Championships in London. 15

2000S Anthony Lok ’01 and Paul Veradittakit ’01 climbed Mt. Baker in July 2017. Mount Baker, also known as Koma Kulshan or simply Kulshan, is an active glaciated andesitic stratovolcano in the Cascade Volcanic Arc and the North Cascades of Washington in the United States. It’s almost 11,000 feet high. 16 16

Elizabeth (Cassel) Moore ’03 was married to Ryan Moore on August 5, 2017. A traditional mass and ceremony were held at St. Paschal Baylon in Thousand Oaks, followed by a beautiful evening of dinner and dancing at Spanish Hills Country Club in Camarillo. Following the wedding celebrations, Elizabeth and Ryan enjoyed a beautiful Caribbean honeymoon in St. Lucia. 17 Danielle Epler ’05 is in her final year at the University of Indianapolis, finishing her doctorate in clinical psychology.

She is currently living in the Philadelphia area doing her internship at a large community mental health center. Dani’s focus is to working with autistic children.

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Emily (Rumack) Cruden ’06 married Kellan Cruden on May 28, 2016 in Granada Hills, CA. Meredith McNaughton ’06, Katya Dekadokh ’06, and Amanda Lynch ’06 were her bridesmaids.

Derron Juarez ’06 proposed to Julianne Thomas at a winery in Paso Robles on October 21, 2017. They look forward to the wedding celebrations ahead. 18 Farrell (Ulrich) Hanifin ’06 married Bobby Hanifin on July 22, 2017 at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Beverly Hills, and celebrated with a reception at the Jonathan Beach Club, Santa Monica. The wedding party included Chaminade alumni Bianca Collins ’06, Pardis Tabrizi ’06, Ricky Ulrich ’11, and Lauren Ulrich ’04. 19

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Kenny Hsu ’07, Julian Rubel ’07, Kabir Sagoo ’06, and Jake Sheets ’09 completed a hike over the summer in honor of the beloved math teacher and High Sierra Club moderator, Mr. Steven Mussack ’67. All four were members of the High Sierra Club while at Chaminade. 20

and Frank Ramirez ’07. Chaminade has provided longlasting friendships for Kaitlin and she is very grateful for them. Kaitlin and Nate headed to New Zealand and Fiji over the holidays for their honeymoon and are excited for their future as husband and wife.

Kaitlin Nickols ’07 and Nate Cordray united as husband and wife on October 7, 2017 in Santa Barbara at the Saint Barbara Greek Orthodox Church followed by a reception at the Belmond El Encanto. Kaitlin and Nate met five years ago through his brother and soon realized they were high school rivals (Nate went to Notre Dame.) Kaitlin and Nate's bridal party included four Chaminade alumni, Crystal Vine ’07, Chrissy Hann ’07, Laura Madden ’07 and Alexander Nickols ’09. Also, Kaitlin’s father, Nick Nickols, coached the girls field hockey team at Chaminade from ’03-’10.

In addition to the Chaminade alumni in the bridal party shown above, many other 2007 alumni joined the festivities including Annie White ’07, Tracy Gould ’07, Kat DiCanio ’07, Andrea Crisali ’07, Nick Purcell ’07, Scott Carr ’07,

Pictured back row (left to right): Taylor Plummer, Chrissy Hann ’07, Leah Waxman, Emily Waxman, David Fox, Josh Cordray, Steven Cullity, K.C. Croal, Alexander Nickols ’09. Front row (left to right): Lauren Madden ’07, Lauren Williamson, Jessica Benson, Brittany Benson, Crystal Vine ’07, Rachel Hymes, Kaitlin Nickols ’07, Nate Cordray, Anthony Piedra, Jimmy Escobar. 21 Jade Cagalwan ’08 was featured on the Stage Directions blog in August 2017. The article detailed Jade’s experience as a woman of color in the ever-expanding world of stage management. Jade is currently a Production Manager for Cal Poly Pomona’s Department of Theatre and New Dance and is a member of Gabriela, a Filipina activist group.

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Alexandra Epler ’08 graduated from the University of Indianapolis with her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology and is now a practicing clinical psychologist living in Indianapolis. Alexi is in private practice and specializes in working with children and their families.

Brad Barbagallo ’09 wed Madison Gironda on Saturday, August 12, 2017, at Sherwood Country Club. There were several Chaminade alumni in the bridal party including Taylor Bess ’11, Andrea Ferris ’11, Mike Fritschner ’09, Tim Rowley ’09, and Denis Shepherd ’09. 22

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Denis Shepherd ’09 debuted in his first national television commercial for Southwest Airlines for the “Behind Every Seat is a Story” advertisement campaign. Denis portrays a member of the “state” basketball team who are hoping to make it all the way to the championship game. The commercial premiered in September and has been featured on Sundays, during Sunday Night Football, the World Series and other primetime events. 23 25

Cole ’12 and Blake Rutherford ’14 hosted the 2nd Annual Ruther Brother’s Challenger Baseball Game on November 18, 2017, benefitting the Simi Valley Challenger Baseball League. The Challenger League allows young people with special needs to play baseball. 24 Rachel Barker ’15 and Paige Fescke ’15 both competed for the USA at the 20th World Maccabiah Games, an international Jewish and Israeli sporting event held every four years in Israel. 10,000 athletes competed in this year’s game in July 2017. Rachel played softball and Paige played basketball; both teams won gold medals. 25 25 24

IN MEMORIAM Theresa (McDonough) Brehove ’77 – September 14, 2017.

Craig Eden – November 26, 2017.

Father of Lyndsay (Eden) Rosen ’07.

Katie Semer – January 7, 2018.

Mother of Sarah Semer ’20.

Gary Boudreau – December 13, 2017.

Father of Gary Boudreau ’86, Kathryn (Boudreau) La Fontaine ’88, and Jennifer (Boudreau) Ponce ’89.

Ted Hutchison ’67 – January 5, 2018.

Matt Sequiera ’91 – August 27, 2017.

Kerri Pearson – September 9, 2017.

Mother of Kyle Pearson ’11.

Joseph Shumovich, Jr. ’77 – December 21, 2016.

Bro. Anthony Pistone, S.M – December 6, 2017.

Sebastian Weiskopf ’11 – July 3, 2017.

Edmond F. Cass – September 6, 2017.

Father of Edmund C. Cass ’08.

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UPCOMING EVENTS 2018 Mar 14 San Francisco Alumni Reception Mar 24 Chaminade Gala

Woodland Hills Marriott Apr 11 San Diego Alumni Reception

STAY CONNECTED! facebook/chaminadealumni

Apr 17 Los Angeles Alumni Reception May 10 South Bay Alumni Reception

For more information on any of the upcoming events, please contact the alumni office at 818.444.1750 or email alumni@chaminade.org

@chaminadealumni instagram/chaminadealumni youtube/chaminadecollegeprep

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Office of Advancement 10210 Oakdale Avenue Chatsworth, CA 91311-3533

A LOOK BACK - 1998 HOMECOMING COURT