Chaminade Now

CIF-SS

DIVISION 1 CHAMPIONS

DESPITE THE YEAR’S CHALLENGES, THE BOYS' BASKETBALL TEAM BRINGS HOME THE SOUTHERN SECTION TITLE

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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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.

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Robert S. Webb P ’18 ’20

President

Bro. Adam Becerra, fsp

Vice President of Mission and Strategic Initiatives

Kristine D. Calara

Vice President of Advancement

Luis Guerra

High School Principal

Elizabeth Gluvna ’04

Executive Assistant to the President

Janet Koller

Vice President of Finance and Operations

Rev. Ted Ley ‘58, S.M.

Chaplain

Michael Valentine

Middle School Principal

Donna (Vallely) Voogt ’79

Director of Human Resources

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Scott Alderton

Richard Boehmer

Gary M. Bohamed

Bro. John H. Campbell, S.M.

Mary Catherine Campbell

Jeannette Crawshaw

Fr. James L. Heft, S.M.

Fr. Timothy Kenney, S.M.

Jay Paul Leupp ’81

Terri Masserman

Peter Moglia ’85

Cheryl Patterson

Jennifer Prendergast

Blaise Simqu

Todd Stevens

Kimila Ulrich

Robert S. Webb

EDITOR

Patricia Fernandez ’89

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Marsha Anderson

Bro. Adam Becerra, fsp, DMin

Sara Nguyen

Robert S. Webb

PHOTOGRAPHY

Patricia Fernandez ’89

Cliff Fong

Tommy Smeltzer

Julie Sprouse

White's Studios

PRINTING

Colornet Press

Chaminade Welcomes Fr. Michael Chiuri, S.M.

Chaminade is delighted to welcome Fr. Michael Chiuri, S.M., as our new priest-chaplain. We are incredibly grateful to the Marianist Province of the United States for gracing our community with Fr. Mike.

Adapt, Change, Endure

Students and teachers make the best of a tough situation. The school year proved to be a springboard to greater innovation in the delivery of services and an opportunity to reflect and become more intentional about our mission.

Honor Roll of Donors

Students are our number one priority. Gifts to the 2020-2021 Chaminade Fund are directly invested in our students and serve as a testament to the excellent educational experience they receive.

2021 Commencements

Speech excerpts from middle school valedictorian, Sarah Churchick, and high school valedictorian, Brendan Teehan.

College Acceptances

Chaminade graduates attend the most prestigious academic institutions in the United States and abroad.

Spotlight on Service

Volunteers are an essential part of Chaminade’s operations and are instrumental in the success of many of our programs and events. This year we honor some extraordinary volunteers with the 2021 Spotlight on Service Award.

Chaminade Gala Benefit and Auction—Legacy

A night under the stars filled with live and silent auctions, a senior show, and an evident love for Chaminade students.

Alumni Spotlights

Chaminade highlights three outstanding alumni pursuing their passions and succeeding in their endeavors. Read how Emma Dawson'16 is shattering stereotypes, how Connor Hoyt '15 is doing his part, and how Dana Michelle Cook '97 inspires others.

COLLEGEBOUND

CASSIDY PULEO UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY WOMEN’S FIELD HOCKEY

PAYTON WAGNER

FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON UNIVERSITY - SOFTBALL

Ten Student-athletes from the Class of 2021 take their talents to the next level as they sign their National Letters of Intent.

KENNETH SIMPSON UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO MEN’S BASKETBALL

OSKAR STARK WASHINGTON STATE UNIVERSITY - BASEBALL

SAM WEAVER NEBRASKA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY - WRESTLING

KEITH HIGGINS JR. LEHIGH UNIVERSITY MEN’S BASKETBALL

SAVANNAH MADRIGAL CAL STATE UNIVERSITY, MONTEREY BAY - SOFTBALL

JAYLEN HENDERSON FRESNO STATE UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL

JORDAN MCINTYRE BROWN UNIVERSITY FOOTBALL

SAMMY AND JACKIE NUCHOW VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY WOMEN’S LACROSSE

GRATEFUL FOR THE MANY BLESSINGS

Robert S. Webb P ’18 ’20, President

Prior to these last 18 months, I never knew how much we could take for granted the blessing of going to school. With this in mind, it was more gratifying and rewarding than usual to welcome our community to both campuses for the 2021-2022 school year. It was heartwarming to witness students connect with each other on the first day of school, exciting to greet families at various start-of-school events, and fulfilling to gather with faculty and staff in preparation for the upcoming year. Each encounter and interaction was very special, as we were finally able to come out of our social isolation. Like most of you, since March 2020, I missed the family spirit that is a hallmark of the Chaminade experience. Over these past few weeks, it has been a joy to rekindle our connections in person, and I look forward to catching up with more of you in the coming months.

In this issue of Chaminade Now, we give thanks for our many blessings despite the challenges and setbacks we have endured during the pandemic. We celebrate our boys’ basketball team that won the CIF-SS Division I championship this summer. We welcome our new chaplain Fr. Michael Chiuri. We acknowledge and thank our donors who remained steadfast in their support of our school, even as many were impacted financially by the pandemic. Our Blue and Orange Loyalty Society donors are a special group of supporters who have given consistently every year for three years or more and know the importance of

regularly giving back to Chaminade to further our mission. We are also indebted to our incredible volunteers, especially our Spotlight on Service recipients, who give their time, energy, and expertise to ensure Chaminade has the human capital needed to keep its programs and initiatives going strong. Many of these volunteers, including the dedicated members of our Board of Directors, share their unique gifts and talents with us, and for this, we are truly blessed.

I am always fulfilled when I learn of Chaminade alumni pursuing their passions and doing their part to better our world. In this issue, you will learn about Conner Hoyt ’15 and his work for service, justice, and peace. You will also meet Dana Michelle Cook ’97, an Alumni Hall of Fame recipient, and Emma Dawson ’16, who are breaking down stereotypes in their respective fields and serving as inspiration for others. There is also a spotlight on Major John F. Miller ’65, who is paying it forward by including Chaminade in his estate plans to help ensure our school’s mission is supported long into the future.

Your prayers and support have enriched Chaminade with abundant blessings. I pray that your families also enjoy a sense of renewal as we approach the start of the holiday season. On behalf of the Chaminade family, thank you for being one of the reasons for our hope, faithfulness, and gratitude.

Chaminade Welcomes

Fr. Michael Chiuri, S.M.

Chaminade is delighted to welcome Fr. Mike Chiuri, S.M., as our new priest-chaplain! We are incredibly grateful to the Marianist Province of the United States for gracing our community with Fr. Mike to animate the charism of Blessed Chaminade, to be formed by Mary for the mission of Christ.

By Bro. Adam Becerra, fsp, DMin Vice President of Mission and Strategic Initiatives

Each one of us is called –whether to the lay life as a married or single person, to the priestly life in the ordained ministry, or to a life of consecration as a religious brother or sister.

Regardless of our vocation, we all become witnesses of the Lord, here and now. At Chaminade, we are fortunate to have exemplary Marianist brothers and priests who minister with grace, empathy, and passion for our mission.

The presence and work of our Marianist community continue to inspire our educators and animate in them Blessed Chaminade’s belief that “we are all missionaries who are on a permanent mission” to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ. In looking at the role of a priest-chaplain, it is challenging when two campuses require their sacramental ministry. From tending to day-to-day operations, attending meetings, going on retreats, celebrating liturgies, offering spiritual direction, hearing confessions, and responding to sick calls, the priest is always in demand at Chaminade.

Therefore, the Marianist Province of the United States has recognized the continued need for a priest-chaplain and has assigned Fr. Michael Chiuri, S.M., to serve at Chaminade. Current chaplain Fr. Ted Ley, S.M. ’58, will remain in residence at the West Hills Marianist Community and will help Fr. Mike acclimate to life at Chaminade. We thank Fr. Ted for his years of service to Chaminade and are delighted that he will continue to impart his wisdom and knowledge to his alma mater. Fr. Mike Chiuri has an extensive background, and we are delighted to share his journey with our Chaminade family.

Fr. Mike was born and raised in Nairobi, Kenya, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in commerce and business administration at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in 1997. Following graduation, he worked as a consultant for the African Economic Research Consortium. After earning a master’s degree in business administration from the California State University, San Bernadino, he taught at Vista Del Mar School in Culver City, California, before returning to management in the corporate sector. Under the guidance of the Marianist community in Winnipeg, he was also involved with Lay Marianist groups.

Fr. Mike entered the novitiate in Dayton, Ohio, in 2010. As a second-year novice, he was a member of the Marianist community in Eldersburg, Maryland, and served in Campus Ministry at Mother Seton Academy in Baltimore. He professed his first vows in June 2012. In the summer of 2016, Fr. Mike was assigned to the Lalanne Marianist Community in Los Angeles to complete his philosophical studies. He professed his perpetual vows in St. Louis on September 24, 2016, and was then assigned to the Marianist Seminary Community in Rome.

On January 11, 2020, in preparation for his priesthood ordination, Fr. Mike completed his Bachelor of Sacred Theology/S.T.B. degree at the Pontifical University of San Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) in June 2020. He was ordained to the priesthood at Our Lady of the Pillar Parish in St. Louis on August 22, 2020. His first priestly assignment was at Our Lady of the Pillar, and he served at other Marianist-sponsored ministries in St. Louis.

Adapt change endure

Students and teachers maKe the best of a tough situation

By Marsha Anderson

Just survive. In one of the strangest and perhaps most memorable academic years in our country’s history, survival became the sad motto of many families of students at schools throughout the U.S. Parents often had to take on home schooling responsibilities they were woefully unprepared to do, as normal school activities fell under the COVID-19 pandemic’s threat.

But Chaminade, with its ability as a Catholic, Marianist school to move quickly and nimbly, did more than just survive…it prospered. The school year proved to be a springboard to greater innovation in the delivery of services to students and families as well as an opportunity to reflect and become more intentional about our mission.

At the beginning of the pandemic in March 2020, faculty and staff met to determine how they could adapt and change to the new social distancing rules. During the fall semester, many activities and events continued to happen—but in a virtual rather than a physical space. Using Zoom and live streaming, the school rallied to embrace the changes. Our caring, hardworking educators worked almost to their breaking point to give students what they needed in this difficult year. At the beginning, workloads increased, but once staff got their bearings about how to administer their services online, things became easier.

The result? Students and teachers made the best of a tough situation by staying enthusiastic about their studies and keeping connected to the school.

“These were the moments,” as Campus Ministry’s Kate Beskid put it, “that made those long hours all worth it for me,” echoing the feelings of other dedicated staff.

The Arts didn’t miss a beat

While musical and dramatic practices and meetings were held using Zoom, performances reached their audiences via live streaming. Working from home, film students continued to make films, doing many of the assignments that in past years would have been completed in class and on campus.

As Film Program Director Karen Thumm explained, “In the fall, every class was entirely virtual. We tried to keep class expectations the same and standards of learning the same. Students created storyboards and shooting schedules, then filmed their projects. They worked on school laptops at home to do their editing and were able to borrow Canon cameras, tripods and other equipment.

“For some projects (comedies, dramas, horror films), they were challenged to deal with aspects of the pandemic. Some students addressed the comedy of being and learning at home. Even some of the horror films addressed life in the pandemic! And students incorporated masks into their storytelling where their actors were not family members.”

The school year culminated in a virtual film festival showcasing student work. Several films went on to win awards at film festivals outside of school.

Oreos are a fighting matter

High school tenth grader Derek Champnella was able to excel during virtual learning. He created an awardwinning film,"The Cookie", for a chase sequence assignment in Film II.

As the film trailer highlights, “When you have to shoot your high school sophomore year short film project during a pandemic and the only two actors you can get are your mom and dad, this is what happens. A husband and wife battle over the last snack.”

The plot featured his parents, one of whom took the last Oreo cookie while the other chased the cookie thief around the house. Because the actors were family members, they fortunately did not have to appear wearing masks.

Derek’s film won the best student prize at the 2021 Hollywood Reel Independent Film Festival.

Derek’s dad, Eric (when not starring in the cookie chase film), works in film himself. In an email to Ms. Thumm, he wrote:

As a parent, just want to say thank you for all you taught Derek about film this last year and let you know some good news: he asked me if he could submit his short film THE COOKIE in some film festivals (since they cost money to enter). To date, the film has been accepted at festivals in London, NY, Miami, Cleveland, and Stockholm, even winning an award in one and being named a finalist in another. Thinking of buying him a camera so he can continue to make films and I hope he takes more of your classes in the future.

Best, Eric Champnella

Masses and charitable work continued

Students and families were able to access prayer services virtually, sometimes for services for the entire school, sometimes for the middle or high school alone. Services were videotaped by students and staff. Small groups met weekly on Zoom for prayer. These sessions were livestreamed through the school website.

Our middle school students were still able to enjoy beloved events such as Grandparents’ Day and Blessing of the Animals, all held virtually. Our high school students were able to experience retreats via Zoom, and they were able to complete service projects independently and over Zoom to help others in a safe way. A few students were even able to report for service work in person.

Virtual service projects benefitted many lives, both those of students and recipients. In one such event, Operation Gratitude on Ash Wednesday, 140 high school students fashioned bracelets, scarves and other items for our military. Another 125 high school students organized over Zoom to make thank-you cards and letters for the school’s essential workers.

As Shawna Sedik, high school Campus Ministry director, explained, “Ministry is very personal, very relational, so it’s hard to do in a virtual format. We started Ministry Mondays, just before the pandemic, and then within the month, we were in lockdown. The sessions became an opportunity for a small group of kids to make connections, to not feel so isolated. We continued the sessions all last summer, which was really fruitful. It became a constant for the students.”

The retreat program also underwent adaptations. Normally, Campus Ministry conducts 15 overnight retreats throughout the year. This past year instead they held “retreat bites” or snippets, each with a different name and theme. The first was called, “In Trust” and the second was “Agape.” The senior retreat in February and March was adapted to feature a partly online hybrid format.

“It was an education for us too,” Sedik said. “Sometimes we have to go outside our box in order to be effective.”

To watch "The Cookie" go to bit.ly/CCP-TheCookie,

Chaminade middle school students made cards for workers during Lent, wrote letters to the military and created read-along videos of children’s storybooks. Sixth and seventh graders experienced retreats via Zoom and eighth graders were able to have their retreat in person on campus.

In the fall, Chaminade students from all grade levels helped build community by packing and distributing food to more than 1,200 families in Canoga Park.

As Kate Beskid explained, “A lot of our students were able to feel that connection with the school. There was great participation in activities. At the Grandparents’ Day Prayer Service, for example, grandparents viewed the live streaming and students sent in photos of themselves with their grandparents. We really tried to celebrate one another and our liturgical experiences this year.”

Virtual rallies helped sustain student activities

Student club activities continued at both middle and high school levels, all conducted virtually. Even with homebased Zoom activities, the middle

school Mock Trial team won second place in the Junior Division at the 43rd Annual Los Angeles County Mock Trial Competition. Speech and Debate, Model UN and Robotics clubs engaged in regional competitions via Zoom. New students were welcomed to Chaminade in an orientation by the high school leadership group LINK.

As Julie LaBelle Sprouse, director of student activities at the high school, reflected, “Despite being at home and seeing students only via Microsoft Teams or Zoom, we were able to build unity among the grade levels and celebrate our sports, clubs and activities on social media.

“The event I am most proud of is Prom. It was my goal at the beginning of the year to give the class of 2021 an inperson Prom and we were able to make it happen. It was a beautiful evening and so fun to see the seniors all back together again.”

At the middle school, Annette Damien, director of student activities, said, “Despite spending three-quarters of the school year off campus, middle school family spirit was alive. All of our faculty

and staff met with student mentors and house groups on a regular basis to ensure our students were connected to Chaminade happenings and to each other. I am proud of how our house system continued to thrive during the pandemic. Our student leaders met the challenges of Zoom and virtual activities with innovative ideas, video rallies, social media contests and live streaming games for our student body.”

Student counseling needs met through innovation

From summer College Boot Camp to college application workshops, from virtual visits by universities and colleges for students to monthly College Connection Zoom meetings for parents, families of students in grades 9-12 received background and preparation for college applications. The counseling office, working with the Diversity Team and campus ministry, presented programs on social issues, mental health and incorporating faith in one’s life.

Laura Cuneo, high school counselor, said, “Chaminade Counseling has worked hard to reinvent ourselves this past year, continuing to be available to

our families while remote, and providing the same comprehensive services. We worked hard to introduce creative new programming to reach our students more readily, rather than taking anything away. Counselors work to serve the whole student, so, as always, everything we did revolved around supporting their academic and college plans, as well as their mental health.

“We continued to meet virtually with students on a daily basis, and kept our focus on adjusting our standard outreach to ensure that we were always available to our students and families. Of course this was challenging, but both counselors and students adjusted well and we were really able to stay in consistent contact with our students. Our school therapist continued meeting with students and running her student wellness groups as well.”

“We also continued providing our parent education series through evening Zooms, finding an impressive turnout each time with that format. Topics covered ranged from helping students stay motivated during remote learning to mindfulness training for parents.”

The former in-person College and Coffee sessions for parents of all grade levels were renamed College Connections and were held in the evenings on Zoom, with presentations by counselors as well as visiting college representatives. Counselors implemented grade level meetings with students on Teams and started a new College Spotlight Series which involved inviting college admission representatives to meet and speak with students about their universities.

According to Cuneo, “We held our annual summer Application Boot Camp completely online and continued welcoming our daily visits from college admission representatives in the fall, opening them up to all grade levels via Zoom during breaks in the day.”

The Return of Athletics

When the pandemic hit, the athletics department had to reschedule more than 3,000 games. Each time the lockdown rules changed, new protocols had to be written. For each rescheduled game, staff needed to make sure facilities, officials and other teams were available. January 2021 marked the restart of cross-country competitions for the high school team and the beginning of a compressed fivemonth season for fall, winter and spring sports. In June 2021, twenty sports were going on simultaneously. Intense, but it worked!

As Athletic Director Todd Borowski said, “It was fun. Six days a week, six nights a week since January. It’s very fulfilling in that we were able to compete and for the kids to have some success. On one day, for example, we had home games in football, baseball and basketball (normally three different seasons).”

Despite the year’s challenges, the school basketball team won the CIF-SS Division One title. Basketball “season” continued over the summer, and August 27, 2021 marked the first home football game and the return to a regular sports schedule.

New

students made welcome

In March 2021, new sixth graders were welcomed back to the middle school. Organized into “stable groups,” they stayed together for activities, including orientation. Ninth graders came to campus for the first time for orientation on March 19. Divided into two groups, each group reported on different days to limit the number of students on campus at the same time. This was the first time ninth graders were able to meet each other and their teachers in person.

As I reflect on the past year, all the hardships and all the work the students did to make the most of their experience, to see the students able to attend their graduation in person was probably the best night of my whole school year and made me beyond proud of the programming and experience we were able to offer the students.

- Kate Beskid '00

Middle School Campus Ministry Director

New grads honored and celebrated

Seniors received their senior gear in a drive-through arrangement. Another drive-through event marked 100 days till Graduation in February. The traditional Senior Sunrise event was held in person in March, a tradition started by Student Activities that included a doughnut truck, photo taking, and a lawn sign for each senior that proudly read “Chaminade Class of 2021.” At another drive-through, the Tour de Nade, seniors picked up their caps and gowns and turned in their laptops. The alumni office gave each senior a congratulatory goodie bag and classmates were able to have their pictures taken with their friends.

And then there were the eighth grade students who were promoted, proudly on their way to the high school. In February, they too marked their 100 Days till Graduation with a drive-through, picking up their class t-shirts, graduation caps and gowns, and having their photos taken.

Campus Ministry’s Beskid said, “There were some great things that came out of this tragic year….When the pandemic hit, we had to become more creative about how to include the students and move away from more traditional experiences. We were able to focus on the students and help them grow in their faith. We became much more intentional in our programming. As I reflect on the past year, all the hardships and all the work the students did to make the most of their experience, to see the students able to attend their graduation in person was probably the best night of my whole school year and made me beyond proud of the programming and experience we were able to offer the students.”

All in all, while it may not have been quite the year anyone had envisioned, Chaminade school spirit— among students, faculty, and staff—remained high. Go, Eagles!

TO OUR HONOR ROLL OF DONORS

Together we raised $1,311,246 achieving 131% of the FY 2020-2021 goal.

Students are our number one priority. Gifts to the 2020-2021 Chaminade Fund are directly invested in our students and serve as a testament to your belief in the excellent educational experience they receive.*

*This list is comprised of donors who contributed to The Chaminade Fund from June 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021.

Anonymous (125)

Mr. and Mrs. Nick Abbinanti, Jr.

The Abish Family

Dr. Jamil Aboulhosn and Mrs. Julie Kasem

Ms. Shari Abrahams

Mr. and Mrs. Laurence Abramson

Sabrina Abrishamchian Butera ʼ07

Mr. and Mrs. Eric Abromson

Mr. and Ms. Julian Acebo

Mr. Joel Acker and Ms. Nancy Spaeth

Mr. Michael Acousta ʼ02

Mr. Chase B. S. Alderton ʼ08

Mr. Cody A. Alderton ʼ11

Ms. Kenedy M. L. Alderton ʼ15

Mr. and Mrs. Scott W. Alderton

Mr. Gary Aleksintser

Alice and Joseph

Joseph A. and Kelly S. Allegretti

Ms. Hiba S. Alnajjar ʼ19

Ms. Huda A. Alnajjar ʼ21

Mrs. Linda Althoff

Mrs. Miharu Altmire

Mr. Juan E. Alva ʼ88 and Dr. Annica Y. Lin

Ms. Michele S. Audish ʼ17

Mr. and Mrs. James Auld

Mr. Peter D. Austin

Ms. Skye T. Austin ʼ21

Ms. Kathleen R. Auwarter ʼ10

Dr. Edmundo Ayala and Dr. Silvia Duarte

Mr. Isaac Ayala ʼ21

Ms. Christina Azzinari

Ms. Susann Bachel

Dr. Steven Badelt and Dr. Autumn Fanning

Ms. Bianca J. Baguio ʼ21

Mr. Jack F. Bailey ʼ21

We apologize for any inadvertent errors or omissions and ask that you contact the Office of Advancement at advancement@chaminade.org so that your record may be corrected.

† Deceased

Eagle Heritage Society

Blue and Orange Society

Mr. James S. Adams ʼ67

Melodie Adams

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Adams, IV

Dr. Kami Adibi and Mrs. Carol Grgas-Adibi

Ms. Ariel Adler

Aerojet Rocketdyne

Ms. Katherine Aghayan ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Alex Aguilar

Dr. Gagik Alvandian and Dr. Afsaneh Sayeri

AmazonSmile Foundation

Dr. Gina Amenta-Shin and Mr. Richard Shin

Mr. Nicholas B. Amenta-Shin ʼ20

American Chemical Society

Amgen Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Raul Amores

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Anderson

Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Bailey

Mr. Justin Baker

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Baklenko

Dilip and Kristi Bala

Jason and Cindy Ball

Mr. and Mrs. Brian D. Balleweg

Mr. Kemani Bandy, Sr. and Mrs. Trinece Rose-Bandy

Mrs. Linda Anderson

Mr. Manuel Alberto Aguirre and Mrs. Katherine Lopez

The Ahmanson Foundation

Mr. Isaac Ahmed

Mr. Armen B. Ajemian ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Sevag Ajemian

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Akerson

Ms. Isabella A. Akerson ʼ19

The Akselrud Family

Ms. Nida Alandary

Ms. Allison B. Alban ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Angel Alban

Ms. Keara N. Albert ʼ20

Mr. and Mrs. James E. Albrecht

Austin Alderton

Mr. Zachery R. Angeles ʼ21

Ms. Jen Antonelli

Mr. John Apablasa

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Appelbaum

Mr. Jordan S. Appelbaum ʼ21

Ms. Cristina Alicia Arceo ʼ06

Mr. and Mrs. Edsel Arceo

Ms. Eva I. Aredas ʼ18

Ms. Sophia N. Aredas ʼ18

Armanino LLP

Ms. Madison L. Arnold ʼ21

Dr. Sameer and Dr. Bhavana Arora

Ms. Francesca S. Arrieta ʼ21

Ms. Jennifer Arroyo

Ms. Delaney M. Asher ʼ21

Mr. Phil Bangayan and Mrs. Marian Tsai-Bangayan

Mr. Trevor Bangerter and Mrs. Laura Benning Bangerter ʼ09

Bank of America Foundation

Dr. Richard Bardowell M.D. ʼ70

Mr. Andrew R. Barkes ʼ15

Mrs. Dorothy Barkes

Ms. Emily C. Barkes ʼ21

Mr. Jack W. Barkes ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond P. Barkes, Jr.

Joel Barlow ʼ80

Richard "Mike" Barnes

Mr. Chris Barreca and Mrs. Mona Heinze-Barreca

Ms. Manal I. Barreca ʼ21

John Barreiro and Fiona Kelly

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Barrett

Dr. and Mrs. Phil Barry

Ms. Brianna Barth ʼ07

Dr. and Mrs. Jihad Batah

Mr. Sal Batarse and Mrs. Tanya Weiss Batarse ʼ92

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Batch

Ryan and Kathy Bates

Mr. Justin Batey

Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Batmanian

Mrs. Kathleene Bauer

Mr. Noah M. Baum ʼ18

The Bayer Family

Ms. Karlyn A. Bearchell ʼ13

Mr. Kevin C. Bearchell ʼ08

Mr. Skip Beaudine

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Beausang

Mr. Harry A. Bebejian ʼ20

Bro. Adam Becerra

Ms. Amy Bednarchik ʼ95

Mrs. Cassie Bedoya

Mr. and Mrs. William Beitz

Mrs. Barbara Bell

Mr. Robert Bell

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Benard

Mrs. Elaine Bennett

Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Bennett

Mr. and Mrs. William Bennett ʼ73

Mr. and Mrs. David Benning

Mr. and Mrs. Corii Berg

Mr. Sergey Berkovich and Ms. Anna Lerman

Mr. and Mrs. Luis P. Bernardo

Dr. and Dr. Michael Bernardo ʼ90

Ms. Holly N. Berning ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Berning

Mr. Kent Berridge ʼ75

Mrs. Kristi Berthiaume Blue ʼ92

Mr. Christopher G. Bertz ʼ01

Nelly and Gary Bertz

Mrs. Kimberly E. Bertz Brown ʼ98 and Mr. Andy Brown

Mr. Scott A. Beskid ʼ00 and Mrs. Kate Lospalluto Beskid ʼ00

Dr. Annette Besnilian and Mr. George Besnilian, Esq.

Dr. Shailesh Bhat and Dr. Aarti Maskeri

Ms. Erin Biglow

Arthur and Effie Bilbaso

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Bishop

Roger and Lorraine Blanton

Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Blasko

Jenny Blaxland

Jo and Oscar Bocanegr

Mr. and Mrs. Richard A. Boehmer

Mr. Alex Bogin and Ms. Reema Radwan Bogin ʼ00

Mr. and Mrs. Gary M. Bohamed

Mr. David Boito and Mrs. Helen McBride

Mrs. Esther Bonino-Bennett

Mr. and Mrs. Scott C. Borchart ʼ01

Ms. Paige I. Borenstein ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Steven Borgioli

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Borja

Ms. Sophia F. Borkgren ʼ17

Mr. William A. Borkgren ʼ20

Mr. Scott F. Boroczi and Ms. Lisa OʼConnell

Mr. and Mrs. Todd M. Borowski

Box Tops for Education

Mr. and Mrs. Erwin B. Boychenko

Mr. Jaylen M. Braddock ʼ21

Mr. Cade R. Brady ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Brady

Ms. Rita Brandt

Mr. Baljit Brar and Mrs. Petrina Pimentel-Brar

Ms. Jennifer Brazeal

Mr. Joshua C. Breard ʼ17

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Breard

Ms. Pauline Breeden ʼ76 and Mr. Ananda Mohan Thangavelu

Mr. Joshua I. Brein ʼ21

Mrs. Jill K. Brindley ʼ84 and Mr. Paul Brindley

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Bristol

Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Brody

The Broitman Family

Ms. Alexandra H. Bromer ʼ97

Mr. and Mrs. Justin Brooks

Tony and Liz Brosamle

Mr. Blake E. Brown ʼ84 and Mrs. Maryann Gallagher - Brown

Robyn N. Brown ʼ13

Mr. Sebastian Brown ʼ21

Ms. Trinity R. Brown ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Gregg Bruno

Ms. Madeline J. Bruno ʼ21

Ms. Samantha A. Bruno ʼ21

Mr. Jonathan W. Bry ʼ21

The Bryant Family

Mr. David L. Bryant ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. James M. Buck ʼ83

Mrs. Joan Buck

Michael Buck

Mr. and Mrs. Richard Buckley

Mr. Richard D. Buckley ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Onnig Bulanikian

Mrs. Denise Bradley Bundlie ʼ87

Ms. Amanda C. Bundschuh ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Burdick ʼ60

Mr. Shawn Burke and Mrs. Pamela Burke ʼ83

Ms. Andrea Burman

Mr. Douglas Burnaford and Mrs. Maria Eipe ʼ91

Mr. and Mrs. George Buza

Mr. and Mrs. Fernando Cabaccang, III

Mrs. Patricia Caballero

Dr. Rico and Mrs. Kristine Calara

Ms. Trimeka Calderon

Mr. and Mrs. Salvatore Calderone

Ms. Jenna C. Callaway ʼ10

Mr. James Callis and Ms. Neha Datar

Mr. Joshua A. Callis ʼ21

Ms. Alexis D. Campbell ʼ13

Ms. Catherine M. Campbell ʼ18

Mr. and Mrs. Gregory A. Campbell

Bro. John H. Campbell, S.M.

Mr. and Mrs. Jose W. Campos

Ms. Natalia A. Campos ʼ19

Ms. Mary A. Cantalejo ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Cantwell

Mr. and Mrs. Guido Canzona

Ms. Sophia Canzona ʼ21

Ms. Kimberly M. Capicotto ʼ08

The Capital Group Companies

Charitable Foundation

Ms. Dominique D. Caputo ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Joe Cardona

Ms. Kristy A. Carlson

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Carlson

Ms. Emma C. Carney ʼ21

The Carpenter Family

Mrs. Esperanza Carpenter

Mr. and Mrs. James Carpenter

Mr. and Mrs. Todd A. Carper ʼ90

Daniela Carusi ʼ87

Mr. Jon P. Casey ʼ92

Mr. Ryan Casey

Ms. Netanya L. Caskey Dennis ʼ96

John, Linda and Jason ʼ06 Castellucci

Ms. Ligia E. Castro ʼ11

Mr. and Ms. Pavel Castro

Brian and Isabel Cathcart

Mr. Andrew Cavette and Ms. Shelby Foster ʼ98

Mrs. Ellen Celaya

Mrs. Brooke N. Cerniglia ʼ94

Mr. and Mrs. James Cerreta

Chaminade Boosters Association

Chaminade Parents Association

Mr. and Mrs. Eric Champnella

Robin Chandler ʼ82

Mrs. Jamie Chang

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Chang

Charities On Top Foundation, Inc

Lauren Chase ʼ88 and Keith Muller

Mr. Brandon Cheah and Mrs. Linda Vo

Mr. Andrew Chen ʼ12

Mr. and Mrs. Brent G. Cheney

Ms. Mary B. Cheney ʼ20

Ms. Mary Jordan Cheney ʼ18

Ms. Kimberly Chenier

Mr. Steven Richard Chew ʼ06

Mr. Joseph B. Chilopoulos ʼ21

Paul and Julaine Chilopoulos

Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Chirchick

The Chloupek Family

Mr. and Mrs. Sun Choi

Mr. and Mrs. Keer Choudhary

Francis Chow and Cara Chui

Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Chow

Mr. Joseph Churchill and Mrs. Sarah Pallett

Mr. Stephen J. Cinquemani ʼ75

Mrs. Alexis Cirkinyan Semerci ʼ90

The Cirlin Family

Ms. Madison J. Clark ʼ21

Ms. Mary Clark

Mr. Glenn Clements

Ms. Amanda Cluse ʼ09

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Cockerham

Ms. Jennifer Cody ʼ89

Christin Cody-OʼBrien

Mr. Dylan E. Cogan ʼ21

Robert and Amy Coiteux

Mr. Jonathan Cole and Mrs. Hailey Goodman Cole

Ms. Amanda Collins ʼ17

Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Collins

Mr. Robert Colosia ʼ85

Mrs. Reva Colover

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas J. Condon ʼ56

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Connelly

Mr. and Mrs. Ralph J. Consola

Mr. Christopher Conte

The Convoy Family

Ms. Jenna M. Convoy ʼ04

Katie Convoy ʼ08

Ms. Dana M. Cook ʼ97

Mr. Brendan J. Cooney ʼ97

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Corman

Mr. Justin R. Cornelius ʼ21

Mr. Andrew Corral ʼ21

Dr. Michael and Dr. Mary Ellen Cosenza

Mr. and Mrs. Domenic Costa ʼ88

Mrs. Rachel R. Costello ʼ94 and Mr. Dannie Costello

Mr. Rocco Covella and Mrs. Christine Marshall Covella ʼ85

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Cowgill

Mr. Todd Crabtree and Mrs. Maria del Carmen Alvarez-Crabtree

Mr. and Mrs. Jason Crawshaw

Dr. Terry Cromwell

Mrs. Dorothy Crosby Kane

Mr. Damian Cross and Mrs. Alison Laurie-Cross

Mr. James Crossley

Dr. Kenneth Croutch

Ms. Amanda Cruz ʼ20

Mr. Patrick Cruz ʼ17

Mr. and Mrs. Jon A. Cua

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cuellar

Mr. Stephen J. Culley ʼ21

Ms. Franchesca Ann Camille M. Cumpio ʼ21

Mrs. Laura Cuneo

Cathy and John Cygan

Laetitia Warden Czerniak

Mrs. Annette Dietel Damien ʼ01

Ms. Lauren Dang ʼ21

Ms. Mary Danne

Ms. Theresa Danne

Mr. Alex Datoc and Mrs. Maryann Bernardo Datoc ʼ91

Ms. Christina Davila

Mr. Brett M. Davis ʼ14

Mr. Jared J. Davis ʼ16

Jeff Davis Family

Mr. Michael Davis

Mr. Michael Davis and Mrs. Mikki Grooms Davis ʼ92

Ms. Brianna C. Davoren ʼ11

Ms. Katie Davoren ʼ16

Mr. Patrick S. Davoren and Mrs. Mary Hurdle Davoren ʼ83

The Blue and Orange Loyalty Society

This distinguished group of donors has shown their commitment to Chaminade by contributing for three or more consecutive years. Annual gifts, no matter the size, add up in a significant way when made consistently over a period of years.

Mr. Scott Davoren ʼ09

Mr. Sean P. Davoren ʼ15

Mr. Timothy J. Davoren ʼ19

Noel Davy

Mr. and Mrs. Richard De Felice

Mr. Paul C. Deardorff ʼ11

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Decker

Mrs. Betty Defensor

Ms. Danielle Del Cid

The Dela Pena Family

Ms. Victoria Delgadillo

Ms. Christina M. Delgado ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. David DeRose

Dr. Kat Derrig-Palumbo and Mr. Gregory Palumbo

Ms. Aneeshi S. Desai ʼ18

Mr. Nalin DeSilva and Mrs. Patricia Fernandez ʼ89

Mr. and Mrs. Concezio Di Gregorio

Mr. and Mrs. Craig Diamond

Mr. and Mrs. Ali Dianaty

Ms. Reia M. Dias ʼ21

Mr. Albert Diaz ʼ88 and Mrs. Sydney Hinh-Diaz

Mr. Andres Diaz

Mr. Ethan M. Diaz ʼ20

Mr. Manuel Diaz and Ms. Beth Macias ʼ85

Mr. Mark E. M. Diaz ʼ18

Mr. Matthew G. Dicker ʼ02 and Mrs. Kelsey Hornbach

The Dietz Family (Marla Jensen ʼ05)

Mr. and Mrs. Messiah Dimacali ʼ95

Walt Disney Foundation

Mr. and Mrs. Gino DiVitale

Ms. Jennifer Dixon

Mr. and Mrs. Tony Djie

Carrie Estelle Doheny Foundation

Mr. Aidan J. Dolan ʼ16

Mr. Brendan Dolan ʼ11

Mr. and Mrs. Michael A. Dolan ʼ82

Dole Packaged Foods

Mr. and Mrs. Dave Dorothy

Paul and Dianne Dorr

Mr. and Mrs. David Downing

Ms. Winnifred Doyle

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Dragun ʼ76

DriveWise Auto

Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Druez

Amy and Edan Duarte

Mr. and Mrs. Dave Dumas

Mr. William A. Dumas ʼ19

Mrs. Jennifer Dumas Layfield ʼ97

Gene Duncker ʼ67

Ms. Ella N. Dunn ʼ21

Mr. Ben J. Duran ʼ19

Mr. and Mrs. David Duran

Mr. Brayden A. Durbin ʼ20

Ms. Mandy Durbin

Mr. Brian Durham

Ms. Heather Duross

Mr. and Mrs. Dan Dworkin

Elizabeth Eagan

Mr. and Mrs. David Eagle

Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Earls, Jr.

Ms. Claudia Eaton

Ms. Heather Eato

Mrs. Catherine Eckley

Ms. Denise L. Eckstrom

Mr. Alexander L. M. Edwards ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Edwards

Mr. and Mrs. Quadar Edwards

Mr. Will Effertz and Mrs. Lisa Herbert-Effertz

Mr. David Eikenmeyer ʼ85 and Dr. Laura Eikenmeyer

Jason C. Elepano ʼ01

Mr. Michael Ellis and Mrs. Brenna Ross Ellis ʼ01

The Jim and Lauren Emerick Family

The Enrique Family

Jim Ensign ʼ70

EPI Construction

EPIC Brokers and Consultants

Equinex

Ms. Kira B. Erikson ʼ21

Mr. Eric Esby

Mr. and Mrs. Miguel Escobar

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Eshraghi

Mr. Gideon Evans

Mr. Jeffrey Evans and Ms. Cathryn Sadler

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Evans

Ms. Jennifer J. Evans Gardner

Ms. Brittany Everett

Ms. Erin C. Fabian ʼ17

Mr. Joe L. Fabian ’82 and Catherine Phalen Fabian ’87

Ms. Karin Failla

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Faillace

Mr. and Mrs. Jean Fares

Mr. and Mrs. Edmund Farrell ʼ73

Mr. Liam E. M. Farrell ʼ21

Mr. Michael J. Farrell ʼ82 and Mrs. Christine Calandra Farrell ʼ85

Mr. Saeid Farrokhi and Ms. Ferial Khorassani-Farrokhi

Ms. Emily S. Fasching ʼ21

Rocco and Laura Fasone

Mr. Luis Fausto and Ms. Liliana Haro-Fausto

Scott and Eden Feder

Mr. and Mrs. Joel Feinblatt

Mr. and Mrs. Brandon Feitelson

Chaminade launched the Challenge Success program to improve student wellness. The program is part of our Wellness initiative that was initially funded by proceeds from the Gala Benefit and Auction.

Mrs. Odette Felder

Dr. and Mrs. Christopher L. Felten

Mr. Jun Feng and Mrs. Jun Meng

Mr. Brett C. Fera ʼ00

Ms. Heather Ferguson

Ms. Deborah Ferris

Lane and Sherri Fife

The Filmardirossian Family

Dr. and Mrs. David Fine

Ms. Emilee B. Fine ʼ19

Mr. Zachary H. Fine ʼ21

Ms. Monica A. Finnstrom ʼ14

FIRST

First Republic Bank

Mr. Stephen Fischer ʼ85

Mr. and Mrs. Aaron Fitzgerald

Ms. Maureen FitzPatrick

Mr. Sean Flanagan and Mrs. Jennifer Mitchell-Flanagan ʼ87

Mr. and Mrs. Greg Fogel

Mr. Gregory Forster ʼ67

Jim Fox

Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Freelon

Mr. Leroy Freelon ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Adam Friedman

Ms. Kristi Fritschner ʼ07

Mr. Michael Fritschner ʼ09

Jane and Owen Frost

Mr. Jimmy Fu and Mrs. Shelley Li

Mr. Christopher Ful

Mr. Matt Furniss and Mrs. Kimberly Taylor Furniss ʼ01

Mr. Steve Fusco

The Gaila Family

Ms. Lauren A. Galieote ʼ17

Ms. Mackenzie N. Galieote ʼ19

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Gallagher

Jazmine Gallegos

Mr. Philip J. Gallo ʼ76 and Mrs. Eizabeth Bergman

Mrs. Cheryl Gambetta

Mike Gamble

Ms. Izabella H. Gandara ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. J Isabel Gandara

Mr. and Mrs. Roberts Gannaway

Mr. Andre M. Gaona ʼ14

Ms. Camila Gaona ʼ21

Ms. Linda Gaona

Mr. and Mrs. Alex G. Garcia ʼ85

Mr. Hector Garcia

Dr. and Mrs. Jose Garcia

Mr. and Mrs. Rudy Garcia

Ms. Venezia E. Garcia ʼ18

Mr. and Mrs. Scott Garrett

Mr. and Mrs. William Gault

Mr. and Mrs. Ray Gaytan

GE Foundation

Bonnie Geary

The Jeff Gehl Family ʼ85

Lt. Col. Dana A. Gemmingen ʼ88

Mr. Anthony J. Gennaro ʼ20

Ms. Raylee J. Gennaro ʼ19

Mr. and Mrs. Tony Gennaro

Ms. Lauren K. Gentile ʼ04

Ms. Delilah J. Ghannadi ʼ18

Mr. Dustin J. Ghannadi ʼ18

Mr. Sean Gharib and Mrs. Catherine Rometsch ʼ85

Mr. Rachid Ghossein and Mrs. Ruby Keeler

Mr. Giovanni B. Giacalone ʼ20

Ms. Natalie L. Gibson ʼ21

Mr. Sean A. Gilbert ʼ89

Mr. and Mrs.Gary Gill

Ms. Serena K. Gill ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. John Gilley

David and Ann (Givvin) Danon ʼ88

Mr. Gregory L. Givvin ʼ56 and Mrs. Marcia Givvin

Linda and Tom Givvin

Ms. Claudia Glass

Mr. David M. Gluvna ʼ06

Ms. Elizabeth R. Gluvna ʼ04

Mr. and Mrs. Joel Gluzman, Esq.

Mr. and Mrs. Phil Gofberg

Eric Golberg and Jo Cosby

Ms. Daniela R. Goldberg ʼ21

The Goldman Family

Mark and Alanna Goldman

Mr. and Mrs. Gabriel Gomez

Ms. Alina M. Gonzalez ʼ21

Bonnie Mertus Gore ʼ84

Ms. Eris A. Gorman ʼ21

Ms. Michelle L. Gorodisky ʼ21

Mr. Joseph A. Gott ʼ21

Mr. Scott Grable

Mr. and Mrs. David Graham ʼ55

Grassini Family Vineyards

Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Grassini

Ms. Michelle Grassmick

Bill and Cindy Gray

Walter Gary Gray ʼ56

Mr. James A. Green ʼ98 and Mrs. Jill Dworsky Green ʼ01

Ms. Amy Greer

The Griffin Family

Mr. and Mrs. Jay W. Griffiths, Jr. ʼ92

Paul D. Gross, PhD.

Mr. Frank Guardado and Mrs. N. Michelle Castillo, Esq.

Mr. and Mrs. Jack Guedin, Jr.

Mary Guerra and Luis Guerra Guidewire

Mr. and Ms. Christian Gunning

Mrs. Carolina Gunter

Mrs. Denise Gunter

The Gutierrez Family

Mr. Ernie Gutierrez

Mr. and Mrs. Frankie Gutierrez

Mr. and Mrs. Brian Gutshall

Mr. and Mrs. Steve Haddad

Mr. Xander L. Haddad ʼ18

Dr. and Mrs. Arto Haddadian

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hafner

Dr. Armen Hagopjanian

Dr. Philip Haigh and Mrs. Kathleen Geary Haigh

Ms. Lindsey M. Haines ʼ96

Dr. Behrooz Hakimian and Mrs. Suzie Youssefmir

Dr. James Haljun ʼ56 and Mrs. Terry Haljun

Mr. Aidan P. Hall ʼ19

Mr. Michael Hall ʼ84

Jim and Patti Hamill

Mr. Mark Handel and Ms. Sarah Lulloff

Mrs. Farrell R. Hanifin ʼ06

Mr. Shane D. Hanley ʼ21

Mrs. Jennifer A. Hanlon ʼ98 and Mr. David Hanlon

Ms. Cheryl Hanna

Dr. Susan M. Hardie and Mr. Les Hardie

Mr. Christopher M. Harlow ʼ14

Ms. Jennifer K. Harlow ʼ15

Ray and Michelle Harlow

Ms. Stephanie Harlow ʼ12

Mr. Michael Harmon and Mrs. Mary Lipari Harmon

Mr. Sean P. Harmon ʼ21

Mr. William Harmon ʼ78

Dr. and Mrs. Scott Harris

Mr. Daniel J. Harry ʼ06

Mr. Mike Hart and Mrs. Mary Flanagan Hart ʼ96

Ms. Sandy Hart

Dr. Anush Hasratyan and Mr. Artak Hovakimyan

Ms. Hannah G. Hayes ʼ21

Mr. Vivek Hazari and Ms. Cecilia Smet

Joseph Head ʼ57

Ms. Amanda R. Heath ʼ08

Rev. James Heft, S.M.

Col. Peter Heinz ʼ73

Mr. Jason Helzner and Mrs. Sarah Jenkins Helzner

Mr. Scott Hemming and Ms. Liesl Maggiore

Mr. Jaylen A. Henderson ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Xavier Henselmann

Mr. and Mrs. Dannie Hensley

Ms. Ariel M. Herald ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Herald

Mr. Roberto Hernandez and Ms. Kathereen Gorenc

Ms. Alexa Herrera ʼ08

Mr. Christopher I. Herrera ʼ20

Mr. Gary Herron and Ms. Shirley Madrid ʼ80

Prof. and Mrs. Donald Heth ʼ67

Thomas and DeAnne Heymann

Mr. and Mrs. Clark D. Hill ʼ99

Kathy and Terry Hill

Mr. Canaan Hillery and Mrs. Michelle Festa Hillery ʼ00

Mr. and Ms. Matthew Himelfarb

Cindy and David Hizami

HMC Architects

Mr. and Mrs. Marc Hoffberg

Mrs. Margaret Holbrook

Donna (Hollenstein) and Mark Ferraro

Ms. Madison L. Holtz ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Peter Hong

Mr. and Mrs. Seung H. Hong

Mr. Roderick Hori

Ms. Azadeh Hormozdiari ʼ21

Ms. Danica N. Hosaka ʼ16

Mr. Noah Hosaka ʼ18

Simon and Catherine Hou

Mr. Jon Vartan Hovsepian and Mrs. Armene Mamian Hovsepian ʼ93

Mr. Steve Hoxie and Mrs. Melinda Miller-Hoxie

Mr. Alex Hoyo and Mrs. Alissa Levisohn Hoyo ʼ89

Pam and Rusty Hoyt

Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Hrabovsky

Mr. Gregory Hubbard and Mrs. Arionne Adams

Gold Medal Graduating Class of 1974

Mr. Doug Huberman and Mrs. Denise Marks Huberman

Mrs. Karel J. Huff

Mr. Micheal J. Huff ʼ99

Mr. Sean W. Hughey ʼ21

Dr. Stephen Hughey and Dr. Barbara Cifola

Mr. Reilly B. Humphreys ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Robert Humphreys

Late Mr. Richard Hunsaker ʼ58 †

Edward J. Hunt ʼ62

Mrs. June L. Hunter

Mr. Jialu Huo ʼ21

The Hurlbut Family

Mr. Ned Hurlbut ʼ12

Ms. Delaney C. Hurless ʼ21

Mr. Daniel Hurst and Mrs. Kimberly Frailey

Mr. Michael Hutsko and Mrs. Jennifer Trulik Hutsko ʼ94

Mr. and Mrs. Raymond Ibon

Mr. Steven Infield and Mrs. Patricia Onagan

The Irby Family

Mr. Adison J. Irby ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Chris Jackson

Ms. Camille M. Jacobellis ʼ21

Mrs. Gina MacAller Jacobellis ʼ82

Mr. and Mrs. Mark Jacoby

Ms. Arielle Jamin

The Jancis Family

Mr. Rafael Jaramillo and Ms. Nhora Mosquera

Mr. Shane Jatho

Ms. Talin Jemjemian-Mansourian

Ms. Molly T. Jenkins ʼ21

Mr. Bradley Jensen and Mrs. Carolyn Blackwood

Mr. Michael R. Jensen ʼ01

Rebecca Jensen

Mr. Candelario Jimenez

Mrs. Constance Jimenez and Mr. Robert J. McFall

Ms. Chloe F. Johnson ʼ20

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Johnson

Mr. Matthew P. Johnson ʼ20

Ms. Noelle G. Johnson ʼ16

Ms. Kira Johnson-Howe

Mr. Carey Johnston and Ms. Beverly Kajihara Johnston ʼ86

Mr. Jahanshah Jomehri and Ms. Marjan Ghazi Aazami

Jason and Michelle Jones

Mrs. Kimberly M. Jones ʼ05

Mr. Robert Jones

Catherine Josephson and William Josephson M.D.

Ms. Sabrina V. Josephson ʼ18

Ms. Violet A. Josephson ʼ21

Mr. and Mrs. Zoran Jovanovski

Ms. Hannah B. M. Jurado ʼ21

Ms. Ann Kale ʼ76

Larry and Jill Kalior

Ms. Joann Kamay

Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Kaminsky

Mr. and Mrs. Kurt E. Kananen ʼ77

The Kaplan Family

Ms. Kataeya J. Karetny-Sharp ʼ21

Ms. Michele Karpel

Dr. Mary Kasem

Dr. Barsoum Kasparian

The Kassabian Family (Integrated Image)

Mr. Dave Kathol and Ms. Peg Timmer-Kathol

The Katsambas Family

Ms. Lindsay M. Katz ʼ00

Mr. and Mrs. Byron Kavanagh

Mr. Stephen Kealoha ʼ59

Ms. Amy Keating Rogers ʼ87

Mr. and Mrs. Michael Keithley

The Kenney Family

The Marian Society is Chaminade’s most prestigious donor recognition society. It is comprised of Chaminade donors who have reached lifetime giving milestones at different levels, starting at $50,000. Members of the Marian Society are philanthropic leaders of Chaminade whose collective gifts have made a tremendous impact on the school.

2020-2021 Marian Society Benefactors

Benefactors

Kimila and Frederick R. Ulrich, Jr.

MIDDLE SCHOOL COMMENCEMENT

The Chaminade community is a very strong team made up of very dependable teammates. Through all the craziness, through all the stress and uncertainty, our Chaminade family has stuck together through thick and thin. We have persevered and remained strongly rooted in our faith.

By Sarah Chirchick Middle School Valedictorian

The following is Sarah’s commencement speech.

What a three years it’s been! Although I’m sad to see our Chaminade middle school journey come to a close, I’m grateful for the wonderful years we’ve spent here. The loving teachers, staff, and students have created a warm environment filled with positivity and kindness. From the very first day at Chaminade, this school made me feel like I’m a part of a very special team. You see, my favorite sport has always been volleyball. I have played at Chaminade and for club teams since I was eleven. The reason I love the sport is because of the exceptional teamwork that takes place both on and off the court. It’s a feeling that we are in it together, that we can accomplish anything we set our minds to. It is the same feeling that I’ve had at Chaminade for three years.

I remember my sixth-grade orientation day. At that time, I barely knew how to use a computer, and I only knew a handful of people coming to this school. As I walked onto campus, fear rushed over me, and butterflies flew around my stomach. It was like the first day of volleyball tryouts. But I soon learned I didn’t have anything to be afraid of. My compassionate WEB leaders showed me how to bond with other students in my group and gave me a crash course in different computer programs. It only took one day before I knew what an amazing school Chaminade is. Since then, Chaminade’s academics, learning environment, and staff have

My teachers have not only educated me in the specific subjects that they teach, but have also taught me discipline, life skills, and the importance of being a compassionate person.

— day in and day out — taught me the true definition of excellence. And above all, I’m leaving this school with a deep understanding of what teamwork truly is.

If you ever want to see Eagle teamwork in action, you should come watch us at Field Day. Every student is put into one of eight houses to promote community within the larger Chaminade community. I’m a member of Hunter House. At Field Day, the houses compete against each other to win house points. My first Field Day was very exciting. Until that day, I’d never seen such phenomenal teamwork. My house members were communicative and conscientious in every single event. The event that truly stood out to me was the plank race. This is a collaborative exercise where members of a team stand on two wooden planks. They then need to communicate to lift the planks and step forward at the same time. I expected that this event would go terribly, and that several of us would fall to the ground. However, it did not and we did not. We all counted to three and then stepped forward in perfect harmony — right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot. And we made it to the end without any falls! Did we win the event? No. Did it matter? No, not really. I don’t even remember who won that event — what I do remember is that we tried our best and worked together in a way I’d never seen before. I made new

friends that day and knew that if I ever needed a teammate, I had a ton who would show up for me.

Another Chaminade event that promotes teamwork and friendship are the retreats. I remember my first retreat. The theme was I am Imago Dei, meaning I am Pure Gift. The morning of the retreat, we received our group numbers. These were the people that we would be with for the entirety of the day. My best friend was in a different house, so she had a different retreat day, and all of my friends in my house were in a different group than I was. I’m not a shy person, but I’m not exactly a bold person either. So, I was nervous about making new friends. I thought that I’d be lonely for the whole day. But, I quickly became friends with other students in my group. Why? Because of the fun, team-building activities that our teachers had planned. There was one activity in particular that helped build friendships. This was a singing game. Mrs. Beskid would say a word, and the groups had to sing a song that contained that word. I specifically remember this game because it reminded me of the riff-off from Pitch Perfect. I felt like Anna Kendrick bonding with her new a cappella team. This game created so many laughs and so many friendships. The Chaminade community is a very strong team made up of very

dependable teammates. Through all the craziness, through all the stress and uncertainty, our Chaminade family has stuck together through thick and thin. We have persevered and remained strongly rooted in our faith. When I first heard about quarantine, I didn’t know what to expect. There were so many unanswered questions...When would we be able to return to school? How will the pandemic influence our grades? What will remote learning look like? When will we see our friends again? I don’t know about you, but I can’t stand unanswered questions. However, Chaminade eased my anxiety. Those stomach butterflies calmed right down because of the strong leadership and teamwork the school provided us. Their remote learning plan sounded great, and I felt confident that my teachers would continue to provide us with the quality education that makes Chaminade, Chaminade. Thankfully, my confidence was justified. Our teachers and staff members rose to the challenge and then some.

Mrs. Nicholls created interactive labs that we could complete from home, such as the scavenger hunt activity and balloon rocket lab. Ms. Bachel embraced the new distance learning behind screens by using the online programs IXL and NoRedInk that helped us master essay and research paper writing. The teachers made sure they were always accessible

It only took one day before I knew what an amazing school Chaminade is. Since then, Chaminade’s academics, learning environment, and staff have — day in and day out — taught me the true definition of excellence.

— we could email them and ask questions, and they responded as quickly as the rockets we launched in Mrs. Nicholls’ lab. They even created more fun and interactive clubs such as the cooking and baking clubs. I went from only knowing how to toast a piece of bread to mastering the French dish of ratatouille. They also started mentor meetings. Every Wednesday morning, I was able to talk to and bond with every member of my house, not just the ones in my grade level.

Chaminade has gone above and beyond to provide us with an excellent education, whether we were in person or in our bedrooms, kitchens or family rooms. They are like a group of elite coaches, demanding the best from us and setting inspiring examples every day. I would not be standing up here today without their help. My teachers have not only educated me in the specific subjects that they teach, but have also taught me discipline, life skills, and the importance of being a compassionate person. From our very first day at Chaminade, our teachers have worked tirelessly to prepare us for this day. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

Middle school has been a period of growth for all of us. In many ways, it has been similar to the evolution of a volleyball team. In sixth grade, we were novices, never having stepped foot on the court before. We were wide-eyed and pretty clueless. For most of us, it took

about one hundred attempts to open our lockers for the first time. During our seventh and eighth grade years, we began to grow confidence as a team, honing our skills and learning how to work as one unit. We learned the stages of the cell cycle, how to properly write using MLA format, and how to successfully work on group projects where everyone pulls their own weight. And now, with the help of our wonderful faculty, we are a top-level squad that knows the rules of the game and how to face anything that comes our way. The struggles that we have undergone throughout these three years have only made us stronger. We began middle school as children, and are emerging as teenagers. We aren’t the same people we were three years ago. We’ve all changed in different ways — and we’ve all changed for the better. Some of us might have improved our math skills, some of us might have learned how to treat people with compassion, and others might have finally learned how to spell the word handkerchief. (It’s a surprisingly tricky word!) Whatever changes we’ve gone through, we’re emerging as smarter, kinder people. And instead of having those orientation day anxious butterflies race around my stomach when faced with something new, I feel like a confident Olympian ready to face whatever challenges await me.

Some people may view graduation as an ending, but I urge you to think of it as a beginning. As the

author, Kate Lord Brown says, “The end is never the end. It’s always the beginning of something.” Graduation is the beginning of the rest of our lives. Our three years at Chaminade have helped to prepare us for all that is to come. I understand that change can be frightening, but I hope that you think of this change as a challenge that you are ready and well prepared for. Some of us may see each other every day of high school, and others may part ways, but the relationships that we’ve created these past three years and our understanding of what being a true teammate means will live on in our hearts forever. Congratulations, Class of 2025 — I couldn’t have asked for a better team for the past three years. Go, Eagles!

The Principal’s Council, in consultation with the senior class and the faculty, presents the honor of valedictorian to a senior with not only a high GPA, but who has been a torchbearer for the Marianist tradition, displaying outstanding leadership and involvement in activities and/or sports. This year’s valedictorian is Brendan Teehan.

The honor of salutatorian is presented to seniors who can best present the history of their class at the commencement ceremony. This year's salutatorians are Emily Barkes and Richard Buckley

SUMMA CUM LAUDE is an honor bestowed upon an individual who has achieved all A’s in every class throughout their four years at Chaminade. This year we have eight students who have achieved this goal. This year’s honorees are

NATIONAL MERIT LETTER OF COMMENDATION

The National Merit Scholarship Letter of Commendation is bestowed upon students who score among the top five percent on the PSAT/NMSQT exam. Each year over 1.5 million students nationwide compete in the National Merit Scholarship Program – administered by the College Board and based upon student performance on the PSAT – National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.

Dhruv Ahuja

Emily Barkes

Serena Gill

Reilly Humphreys

Armen Ajemian

Claire Buck

Dario Cardenas

Serena Gill

Anthony Imani

Matthew Levine

Brendan Reilly

Brendan Teehan

Cassandra Jingco

Lara Papasian

Lilly Pennington

Brendan Teehan

THE CALIFORNIA SCHOLARSHIP FEDERATION (CSF) is the oldest scholarship institution in the state of California. CSF emphasizes high standards of scholarship and community service for California high school students. The following students are CSF Seal Bearers, have met the CSF eligibility requirements and, by qualifying for at least four semesters of service, are inducted as life members of the CSF organization.

Katherine Aghayan

Armen Ajemian

Huda Alnajjar

Emily Barkes

Richard Buckley

Sophia Canzona

Nicole Cassar

Stephen Culley

Leonardo DeSantis

Reia Dias

Izabella Gandara

Siena Garcia

Natalie Gibson

Serena Gill

Michelle Gorodisky

Joseph Gott

Diego Hernandez

Christina Hong

Anthony Imani

Violet Josephson

Kiana Gabrielle LaBella

Daphne Lewis

Josephine Mutell

Connor Nazarian

Regina O’Brien

Madeline Oswald

Lilly Pennington

Kathryn Pugh

Megan Ramaswami

Katherine Schultz

Bailey Sellfors

Alana Sheehan

Erica Steinberg

Jessica Stewart

Brandon Teola

Ethan Antonio Victoriano

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

Founded in 1921, the National Honor Society recognizes outstanding high school students who demonstrate excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership and character.

Katherine Aghayan

Armen Ajemian

Allison Alban

Jordan Appelbaum

Emily Barkes

Jack Barkes

Richard Buckley

Amanda Bundschuh

Joshua Callis

Sophia Canzona

Dario Cardenas

Nicole Cassar

Dylan Cogan

Reia Dias

Valerie Dumdum

Ella Dunn

Natalie Gibson

Serena Gill

Michelle Gorodisky

Joseph Gott

Sean Harmon

Diego Hernandez

Reilly Humphreys

Jialu Huo

Anthony Imani

Cassandra Jingco

Violet Josephson

Hannah Jurado

Kataeya Karetny-Sharp

Priyanka Khanna

Daphne Lewis

Yifei Lu

Lila Manning

Madison Marker

Natalia McIlvery

Jordan McIntyre

Anthony Meguerian

Edessa Moshabad

Josephine Mutell

Connor Nazarian

Mary Nouneh

Madeline Oswald

Lara Papasian

Victoria Parks

Jacob Pascasio

Lilly Pennington

Izabella Pivo

Megan Ramaswami

Connor Reyes

Jacqueline Roshetski

Katherine Schultz

Bailey Sellfors

Samuel Shahinian

Alana Sheehan

Karan Singhvi

Sydney Smith

Erica Steinberg

Jessica Stewart

Skylar Takac

Brendan Teehan

John Van Der Wel

Bryce Weagley

THE FATHER CHAMINADE AWARD is the greatest honor the school can bestow upon a graduate. It is presented to the student who best displays the highest qualities of a Marianist education, an outstanding degree of religious, social, and academic maturity, and a great sensitivity to other people. This year the recipient is Sean Harmon.

THE BROTHER JAMES LOUGHRAN AWARD is the second highest award given in recognition of outstanding service to the school. Hard work and dependability are qualities recognized by this award. This year’s recipient is Serena Gill.

THE BROTHER LEROY VIERA SCHOLARSHIP is awarded to a senior who has been of service to the school in a variety of ways and whose hard work and dedication often go unrecognized. The recipient will also receive a $1,250 college scholarship endowed by the Ulrich Family. This year’s recipient is Bianca Baguio.

THE ST. THOMAS MORE AWARD recognizes exemplary academic achievement and is awarded to the student with the highest GPA in his or her class as determined at the end of the fall term. This year’s St. Thomas More Award was presented to Edessa Moshabad.

THE LOS ANGELES ARCHDIOCESAN CHRISTIAN SERVICE AWARD is presented to seniors who best exemplify the Christian call to serve. This year’s recipients are Sophia Canzona, Anastasia Kiser, and Skylar Takac.

THE CITIZENSHIP AWARD is awarded to the student whose high school career exemplifies the many facets of participating in school life including religious growth, social and academic achievement, and a high level of involvement in school activities. This year’s recipient is Izabella Gandara.

THE VENERABLE MARIE THERESE DE LAMOROUS SOCIAL JUSTICE AWARD recognizes a student who, throughout her/his four years at Chaminade, has demonstrated a passion for social justice and has worked to improve the lives of the student body and the broader community through education, advocacy, and works of social action. This year’s recipient is Bailey Sellfors.

THE JOHN SIKORRA COURAGEOUS HEART SCHOLARSHIP AWARD is given to the individual who embodies quiet courage, trusting faith, and a joyful, generous spirit. This year’s recipient is Emma Carney.

THE CHAMINADE SPIRIT AWARD recognizes energetic and passionate students who regularly share their enthusiasm with classmates. This year’s recipient is Amanda Bundschuh.

Reflections of a graduate

Brendan Teehan '21 High School Valedictorian

I, for one, learned that being resilient is not a one-man job, and that family spirit, which every Chaminade student touts as their “favorite CME,” holds that coveted place in our minds for a reason. Over the past four to seven years, we’ve become a family.

I feel truly honored to be able to address members of the Chaminade community today. Above all else, I just feel immensely grateful that this ceremony is taking place in person. If you’d asked me a few months ago what I thought graduation would look like, I’d picture me and my family wearing sweatpants, watching this from our couch. Needless to say, our graduation is a momentous occasion, and I want to thank everyone who made this ceremony possible, especially our ever-dedicated physical plant team.

For anyone who’s asking, yes, I’m Mrs. Teehan’s son, and yes, I’m the one who wrecked his car the night of the Back to School dance. I truly show that anyone can be the Valedictorian. But more so than that, I like to consider myself a Chaminade “lifer.” My sister went to Chaminade, my mother teaches at Chaminade middle school, and I as a student tried to involve myself as heavily as possible in this community. From the time I enrolled in sixth grade, I had a unique knowledge and experience of the school as a whole. This meant that, on a typical day, I’d arrive at school to see Violet and Ethan organizing the library, spend class listening to Frankie philosophize with Mr. Williamson, hop on a Mock Trial Zoom to hear Priyanka argue like a real pretrial lawyer, lose to Xayvion at 300m hurdles, work on harmonies with Maddy Bruno in Lord’s Chords, work backstage with Bianca while Kira and Carmen did some crazy dance moves, and leave school just in time to hear “Late Night” jamming out or the marching band practice “Jesus Christ Superstar”. I’ve seen firsthand the unmistakable talent and drive our class possesses, and the unconditional way in which we support each other in our endeavors. That doesn’t happen everywhere. And although I was becoming accustomed to my aforementioned routine, that would soon change.

We all sit at the outset of a new era, one in which our relationships will change, our perspectives will develop, and our strength and determination will be tested like never before.

At the tail end of our junior year, a few days before the onset of the pandemic, one of my teachers and I were having a conversation at the end of class, and he told me something I did not soon forget: He said our class had developed a reputation among faculty for our immaturity, respective to years past. I remember leaving his classroom upset, wishing for a way to prove him wrong, to show the faculty we had the maturity and the resilience to live through something. Little did we know, that same week, we were informed over the loudspeakers that Chaminade would be closing its doors until further notice. This is, in no way, the senior year we had hoped for or had been promised. None of us ever anticipated two weeks at home would turn into a year and two months. But in that time, we let the world know that we could weather any obstacle that came in our path. Before this year had even started, we faced countless evacuations due to fire, we lost rally after rally, and we all felt shaken up by Mr. Casey’s exploding pumpkin incident. After the virus hit us, we had an entirely new crop of issues to face: burnout, social isolation, and whatever that Wednesday schedule was. But we proved time and again that we could roll with the punches, cope with our current situation, and get the job done like the young adults we are.

We could not have done this without relying on one another. I can’t count how many times I came to Race and Gender last semester just to hear Hannah and Margaret school our class on social justice issues. Or in my physics class, when Daphne would talk to Mr. Buck about black holes and I would just nod, pretending I understood. Or when I was in choir this year, and I got to watch our beloved classmate Jack Bailey sing his heart out from his Zoom square. I don’t want to sound like I preferred senior year on Microsoft Teams, because, let’s face it, no one likes Microsoft Teams, but it was a year in which we all learned a lot more about ourselves than we anticipated. I, for one, learned that being resilient is not a one-man job, and that family spirit, which every Chaminade student touts as their “favorite CME,” holds that coveted place in our minds for a reason. Over the past four to seven years, we’ve become a family. Although that sounds trite and clichéd (I’m sorry, Ms. Denny), I have no other way to describe the bonds formed by our class in our tenure at Chaminade.

None of us ever anticipated two weeks at home would turn into a year and two months. But in that time, we let the world know that we could weather any obstacle that came in our path.

We all sit at the outset of a new era, one in which our relationships will change, our perspectives will develop, and our strength and determination will be tested like never before. Fortunately for us, we all know what it is like to be dealt a bad hand. After such a demanding school year, we get to visualize and execute an audaciously aspirational world for ourselves. Although it’s true that we live in tumultuous times, in which we necessarily don’t have all of the answers, we, as determined and aware young people, have already made the commitment to spark change where we see a need. The students sitting before you are and will continue to be change-makers, shaping school curriculum to prioritize inclusivity, organizing and marching with the Diversity Team to combat social injustice, or, like Izzy, sharing resources to help fellow students register to vote. Some of us will devote their lives to saving the planet, like Bailey, or finding the cure for cancer, like Sean, and although these goals may seem lofty, if this year is any indication, we are a class who is not easily deterred. We will continue to be as tenacious, forthright, ambitious, and wildly creative as we already are. The Class of 2021 has assuredly left its mark on the walls of Chaminade College Prep, but now we must take what we’ve learned and the memories we’ve made here, and bring them with us into our undoubtedly bright futures. And to the teacher who informed me of our class’ immaturity, I say — it’ll take more than that to keep our class down.

I want to say one final thank you to the faculty, administration, and staff for endowing us with the knowledge to succeed in our endeavors, to our friends and family, who devote their lives to helping us grow as individuals, to my own parents, Jill and Brendan Teehan, who supported me through my teenage angst and sleepless nights, and to all of you, for forging your own paths and inspiring me every day. These past two months have reminded me of how dearly I will miss our time together, but they’ve also made me excited beyond measure, because I cannot think of a group more destined to shape what is to come.

Thank you, faculty, administration, and staff for endowing us with the knowledge to succeed in our endeavors.

COLLEGE ACCEPTANCES CLASS OF 2021

CALIFORNIA STATE

Cal

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

University

University of California, Irvine 19

University of California, Los Angeles 14

University of California, Merced 6

University of California, Riverside 24

University of California, San Diego 34

University of California, Santa Barbara 23

University of California, Santa Cruz 20

CALIFORNIA INDEPENDENT COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIES

OUT OF STATE

John

Los

BE SEEKERS OF WISDOM, BELIEVE IN SOMETHING GREATER, SEE THE LIGHT THROUGH THE DARKNESS, AND BE PEOPLE OF HOPE. - LUIS GUERRA,

HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL

AND

CHAMINADE GRADUATES ATTEND THE MOST PRESTIGIOUS ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND ABROAD, INCLUDING SOME OF THE US NEWS & WORLD REPORT TOP 50 COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE NATION. TWO-THIRDS OF CHAMINADE GRADUATES ARE ACCEPTED AT THEIR FIRST OR SECOND CHOICE OF UNIVERSITIES AND COLLEGES.

INTERNATIONAL

SPOTLIGHT ON

SERVICE

Volunteers are an essential part of Chaminade’s operations and are instrumental to the success of many of our programs and events. From large and exciting events like the Chaminade Gala Benefit & Auction to the smaller, less glamorous envelope-stuffing parties, our volunteers do it all. Chaminade extends a heartfelt thank you to all our volunteers for their efforts throughout the school year .

JULAINE CHILOPOULOS P'15 '19 '21

Julaine has been an essential part of the band program since 2014 when her younger son joined band in the sixth grade. She is always a huge help to the music department, assisting with loads and loads of filing, and lately, the challenging Zoom/Hybrid mode of teaching. Julaine is loyal and dependable and always brings optimism and positivity in the moments when it’s needed the most. She will continue supporting the band program, even though her youngest son has graduated, and being a “mom” for the other band students.

PAUL BARKES P'15 '21 '21

Paul is a proud senior parent to a wonderful pair of varsity soccer players, Jack and Emily. Although they graduated high school this year, we are so grateful for all the game footage production Paul delivered for the team. Paul has provided game footage for the past three years. This school year, Paul stepped up his game by providing a livestream of the games due to the guidelines that restricted spectators. This enabled families that were unable to attend to be able to view them firsthand. Paul made a difference during the first girls’ soccer game of the year at Malibu High School as he was the only spectator allowed and the most important too — as he provided viewing access to the other families through livestream. Paul is always positive and not only supports his children but all Chaminade athletes as well. Paul truly leaves his distinguished mark on Chaminade.

CATHERINE AND JAMES CULLEY P'21

Throughout their time as Chaminade parents, Catherine and James have gone above and beyond in providing unconditional support for Chaminade. Catherine has been a constant gala ambassador for four years while James has provided longstanding security for everything from Stadium Club to events such as Holly Berry and gala. In addition, Catherine has been a mainstay helping with the Chaminade Fund, Boosters, Hospitality, and Homecoming. We are so thankful for their time, energy, and dedication to Chaminade.

LEE FREELON P'21

Lee is our decorator extraordinaire and has been pivotal in preparing and beautifying numerous events from Holly Berry to the gala. Lee is incredibly talented and blessed with creative vision and skills, allowing her to make her unique mark on every project. She is an active member of Les Dames and the Parent Association. Lee is also a proud football parent who served as a key organizer of meals for the football team. We are grateful for her artistic eye and talent for adding beauty to everything she touches.

SHERRY HIGGINS P'16 '21

Sherry has been an outstanding volunteer for the boys' basketball program for the last four years. She has operated the shot clock at all home games for all three levels of basketball, not only during the season but in the summer as well. She helped in every area available, including the entrance door, as an emergency driver for the players, and an awesome parent organizer. Her warmth, compassion, and guidance to welcome and include every parent to the Chaminade basketball family have been a blessing for new families and all of us. We are going to miss her immensely in every aspect of the basketball program. Thank you, Sherry! You’re absolutely the best!

MARCIA MICHAEL P'21

Marcia has served as an exemplary volunteer. Even though she prefers to work behind the scenes, her presence is always felt as she is the first to show up to help at Mundy’s and stays long after most have left to make sure the premises are impeccable and ready for the next game. Her hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed. She is a proud football mom who manages to do all that she does while still being able to watch and root for her son as he played for the Eagles. Thanks, Marcia, for your dedication to Chaminade!

FAREWELL TO OUR DEDICATED BOARD MEMBERS

Chaminade’s sincerest gratitude goes to four Board Members who termed off at the end of May. Over the last six years, these individuals have volunteered their time and expertise to ensure our school upholds our Catholic, Marianist mission and runs effectively and efficiently. Thank you, Brian McGilvray ’76, Gary Simons ’77, Rev. Ken Templin, S.M., and Karen Valentine P’92 '95.

HELENE NAJM P'14 '17 '21

When Helene takes on a task or a project, there is never a doubt that everything will get done impeccably. She is an exemplary volunteer and a great friend with impressive attention to detail and a knack for problem-solving. We have been fortunate to have Helene share her wisdom and talents with us. She has contributed countless hours and has left such a positive mark on every part of Chaminade, from the Parent Association and Les Dames to Hospitality, just to name a few. We have been blessed to have had her as a loyal volunteer for our school.

HEIDI SMITH P'13 '15 '21

Having Heidi on your team means that not a single detail will be overlooked as she always works tirelessly to ensure that things are executed flawlessly. In addition to her commitment and dedication, Heidi brings a warm and positive personality that makes working with her so enjoyable. She can always be counted on to help, and she has such creative ideas when problem-solving. She is always the first to volunteer for the toughest job, leading by example for the rest of the team. We would like to extend our thanks to Heidi for her many years of dedication as a member of the Parent Association, Homecoming Committee, and Father-Daughter Dance Committee, a valuable parent-volunteer since 2005.

MARCI STARK P'14 '18 '21

Marci has consistently served as an instrumental member of our Party Book, gala Senior Show, and the gala organizing committee year after year. From brainstorming events to consulting on planning, she has always been creative, graciously available, and willing to help with all gala endeavors. In addition, Marci has been essential to the Senior Show, serving as its chair for many years. She is also a proud baseball mom, incredibly supportive of the baseball department and its families. Thank you, Marci, for your amazing generosity, initiative, and unwavering support!

NIKKI WILLIAMS P'16 '18 '21

Nikki served as the Gala chair for Magical Journey in 2016 together with Alicia Lind. She has been a pivotal member of our gala planning team for years, especially for all of her work collecting gifts and preparing and packaging them into beautiful baskets. Her gorgeous basket arrangements are always impressive, and her photography skills are top-notch. She has been a wonderful volunteer for Chaminade all of these years, and we are grateful for all her efforts and hard work.

KYM TILLMAN P'21

Kym has been the team parent for girls’ soccer for the past three years. As a vital part of our CIF Championship 2020 team and mother to Faith Tillman ’21, she has successfully coordinated all team functions, including the best senior celebrations we have ever had. Kym is not short on energy and goes beyond expectations when it comes to planning an event. Team pasta parties were amazing home-cooked feasts and provided a great team bonding experience. This year had its challenges with coordinating games and travel due to restrictions, but the team was always informed of the details. Kym will be missed in the soccer program. Thank you for all you did, Kym, in making every player’s experience awesome!

CONSIDER JOINING THE RANKS OF OUR VOLUNTEERS

You will find that volunteering is one of the best experiences for parents, and along the way, you will forge new and long-lasting friendships.

LEGACY

CHAMINADE GALA BENEFIT & AUCTION

The Chaminade Gala Benefit and Auction Legacy held on May 21, 2021, at the Skirball Cultural Center was special this year as it was our first inperson gathering after more than a year. Parents, alumni, and friends enjoyed an interactive program that brought together at-home audiences with our in-person guests. Our livestream audience, who joined us from home, enjoyed a pre-show wine tasting with Rideau Vineyard and celebrity host Kristin Hensley and dinner from Ruth’s Chris. The night under the stars was filled with live and silent auctions, a senior show, and an evident love for Chaminade students.

Guests raised their paddles to raise funds for our Fund-A-Need initiative Amplify, which is adding state-ofthe-art audiovisual technology to both campus gyms to support our students’ intellectual, social, physical, and spiritual development. These enhancements are necessary to provide the best experience to our students and families. The Uribe Sports Center (high school campus) and the Father Allen DeLong Center for Arts and Athletics (middle school campus) are the heart of our two campuses. It is where we come together as a school family to nurture spiritual development through prayer services, celebrate family spirit

with rallies and events, and display our student’s talents through live performances.

We are indebted to Gala co-chairs Karen Friedman P’20 P’22 and Lori Shroyer P’20, P’23 who pushed forward with the event despite the COVID-19 pandemic. They helped raise vital funds to ensure Chaminade provides the very best education possible for our students. And we are grateful for all the volunteers who shared countless hours to make the gala a success.

Lacrosse Field Laboratory From

By Sara Nguyen

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - EMMA DAWSON '16

When Emma Dawson was a junior at Chaminade, her AP Biology teacher, Mrs. Bell, gave her the book Microbe Hunters by Paul de Kruif. At the time, Emma had shown an affinity for science and medicine but was unsure exactly what her future career path would be. The book, which chronicles the lives and discoveries of the earliest scientists and doctors to identify microbes and develop vaccines, had a profound effect on Emma. She recalls a particular scene in the book that describes the moment of scientific discovery thusly: “…regardless of the question you’re asking, you’re the only person in human history to know that piece of information before you decide to share it.” Says Emma, “Something about that quote really moved me. It made scientific discovery sound exciting in a way that I had never considered it before. I realized, hands down, that was what I wanted to do with my life.”

Emma Dawson ’16 Shatters Stereotypes About Scientists

Fast forward seven years, and Emma is in the process of earning her Ph.D. at MIT and has just co-authored her first article in Scientific Reports, titled, “Stable retention of chloramphenicol-resistant mtDNA to rescue metabolically impaired cells.” When asked to describe her research in layman’s terms, Emma explained the process of mitochondrial transfer, whereby cells transfer their mitochondria (“famously described as the powerhouse of the cell”) to each other in order to perform functions like repair tissue damage, or in the case of cancer cells, to create tumors. Emma and her co-authors developed a new way to study this process. Mitochondrial work has been Emma’s focus thus far, and she spoke of her research with pride, saying, “I found this process to be incredibly interesting and something that I hold quite dear to my heart because I studied it for four and half years.” She also noted that concentrating primarily on mitochondrial research helped her gain her footing as a young researcher, saying, “[It’s] a very niche field, which was perfect for me as an undergrad because it meant that any question I asked was a new question — versus, for instance, the breast cancer field — it’s very competitive, very cutthroat, and a lot of people are working on that. [The mitochondrial work] was the perfect opportunity for me as a young researcher to get my foot in the door and start asking big questions that I knew other people weren’t working on.”

“I think [Chaminade]

helped shape

me

into the person I am today, 100%. They really want you to be well-rounded. It’s about forming these relationships and taking things away that can help you in the future, and ultimately coming away not just thinking of yourself as an athlete, or a drama kid — it’s knowing that you can do all of these things.”

Emma’s path to MIT started back in that AP Biology class with Mrs. Bell, who in addition to recommending reading material, also encouraged Emma to reach out to professors at Cal State Northridge. She ended up volunteering at a lab there, which led to an interview and eventual work at a lab at UCLA, where she earned her undergraduate degree in microbiology, immunology, and molecular genetics. Emma currently works in the lab of Dr. Robert A. Weinberg at MIT, saying, “He’s famous for discovering the first cancer gene in humans in the 1980s. It’s a very prominent, very high-intensity lab. [Working there] has just further solidified my desire to work in that field and do academic research for my career.”

With parents in the entertainment industry and what Emma describes as a somewhat

“eclectic” background, her future career in academic research was not a foregone conclusion. Emma describes taking ballet classes and exploring various activities as a child, but said it quickly became clear that her real passion was playing sports. By the time she was in middle school at Chaminade, she was playing flag football and soccer, then lacrosse in high school, eventually becoming co-captain of the varsity lacrosse team. Emma also served as an athletic trainer at Chaminade and described that and lacrosse as her two most memorable and influential extracurricular experiences there. At the time, Miss Liceraldi advised the sports medicine team, and Emma says she was the faculty member she was closest to during her high school years, saying, “From day one she got me thinking about my future in science, gave me so much responsibility at a young age and really took me under her wing. She made an incredible impact.” Emma valued the closeness she developed with her lacrosse team and the positive effects of being the go-to person on the sidelines at sports events when working as an athletic trainer.

When reflecting on other experiences at Chaminade, Emma described being involved in everything from student council to the ambassadors program to helping build sets with the drama club. In particular, she highlighted the way in which she and other students participated in these activities — that they had a high degree of responsibility — saying, “I remember being interviewed by other students to be a part of some of these student groups, then later turning around and interviewing others.” She also recalled that in middle school, she and other students were encouraged to start thinking about the way they presented themselves and including practicing things like shaking hands. Said Emma, “I was a part of so many things because the school gave you the opportunity to do so many things — they made it feasible. One of the best things I took from Chaminade was the fact that it allowed me to be so diverse

in my skills. I was involved in so many clubs and activities. I felt so grateful to have all of those tools in my arsenal.”

While Emma thrived in her involvement in sports and her other activities and was evolving into a wellrounded person, when she decided to specialize in academic research, she said her parents did express some doubt, saying, “You’re so social, are you sure?” We discussed the stereotypes that scientists still encounter, and it is a testament to the support from Emma’s family, the Chaminade community and Emma’s belief in herself that she felt confident enough to follow her own unique path. “I was incredibly fortunate. It was the one obvious career for me. I was considering medicine for a while, given my sports med background, thinking, ‘If you like biology, you should probably become a doctor.’ I feel like that’s a very normal thought process for people. At the same time, I do think that I never completely escaped medicine. All the research I’ve done has to do with biomedical research and understanding diseases at the molecular level and treating people. I’ve never gone completely into full basic biology research, but it’s been a good way to mix those two interests.”

As scientists, Emma and her colleagues at MIT are considered essential workers during the pandemic, so while some college students were required to do distance learning, Emma was required to be on-site and available at MIT’s Cambridge campus. The pandemic has brought the work of scientists like Emma to the forefront of the national conversation, reminding people that while under normal circumstances the news cycle might draw the general public’s attention elsewhere, the work of scientists and others who typically work in relative obscurity remains a vital need. On a related note, she explained how scientists need to be able to talk

about their research in a way that is comprehensible to the general public. Emma’s ultimate career goal is to have her own lab at an academic institution, and she is clear-minded about her need to integrate these different facets into her work.

Emma was exposed to some of these thoughts while she was still at Chaminade. After reading about microbiologists in Microbe Hunters, she continued diving into more books about academic research, saying, “I remember reading these stories — about the competition, the brilliance behind it, and these people’s lives just intertwined with the work — and thinking it was just really cool.” When asked about whether her athletic background enabled her to naturally connect with the competitive aspect of research, Emma agreed, saying, “A lot of people don’t think about academic research in that light. They think about people being in a dark basement somewhere running experiments. And it’s not like that at all. It’s incredibly collaborative. I loved reading biology books and one talked about how as a faculty member you need to be ‘an academic socialite.’ You need to be able to talk about your science in a way that other people can understand, and you need to be able to communicate with other people, and not in the traditional way in which we think about scientists.” Emma reflected

on the ways her family, her community and her individual personality may have affected the choices she has made and how she navigates her career, and how integrating the various aspects of her background may have helped her succeed. She laughed at one point, saying “Maybe growing up with parents in the entertainment industry did have some influence, since when I present my academic research, I do try to make it as entertaining as possible.” She credits the Chaminade community as well, saying, “I think it helped shape me into the person I am today, 100%. They really want you to be well-rounded. It’s about forming these relationships and taking things away that can help you in the future, and ultimately coming away not just thinking of yourself as an athlete, or a drama kid — it’s knowing that you can do all of these things.”

“I

was a part of so many things [at Chaminade] because the school gave you the opportunity to do so many things — they made it feasible. One of the best things I took from Chaminade was the fact that it allowed me to be so diverse in my skills. I was involved in so many clubs and activities. I felt so grateful to have all of those tools in my arsenal.”

Biking Justice for

By Sara Nguyen

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - CONNER HOYT '15

Conner Hoyt ’15 doing his part to advance our country’s racial progress.

Conner Hoyt was stunned and emotionally gutted by the killing of George Floyd. Rather than letting his feelings subside, he decided to act. “To see it captured in such a raw and distressing way…at first it sickened me, then it really moved me,” he says. “I thought to myself, ‘Even if it’s at a snail’s pace, as long as I’m pushing the ball in the right direction I can live with myself.’”

Two months later, Conner planned, researched and completed a 401-mile “mobile protest” in which he biked from Richmond, Virginia to Washington, D.C.

He met the fundraising goal he set of raising $10,000 for the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) while also, according to his website bikingforjustice401.com, calling attention to the racial inequities faced by black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) in the United States. The 401 miles represents a mile for each year since the slave trade was brought to the United States. Along the way, he documented his journey on Instagram at #biking4justice401, describing each stop in relation to its significance in our country’s racial history.

When asked where his social conscience came from, Conner says, “I can’t pin it down to one specific thing…it’s a collection of different experiences. It’s a cliché but growing up, my mom would say, ‘treat others how you want to be treated.’ I was able to surround myself with empathetic people at Chaminade and at college (the University of Maryland).” He says his parents “harped on the importance of new experiences” and acknowledges that going away for college helped him grow up quickly. “Meeting different kinds of people helped, especially at college, which was so diverse. Spending more time with people from different walks of life — it’s impossible to do that and not gain a greater sense of empathy. Seeing these events play out and what a visceral pain it causes people — it’s hard not to be moved. But growing up with the Golden Rule was the backbone of everything.”

Conner grew up near Chaminade and didn’t think he would ever leave Southern California, but life had other plans for him. Towards the end of high school, a friend showed him around the University of Maryland, and Conner says he loved it immediately, eventually double majoring there in journalism and Spanish. It was Conner’s first experience at a public school, and it was eye-opening. He was around more people of color, and says, “As a Spanish major, I was in class with students with Latin American roots — everywhere from Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, to El Salvador — often first-generation immigrants, and they really put things in a different context. We’d discuss different events, and they’d say, ‘the United States has been doing this for decades.’” Conner had studied the Spanish language from a young age, and says, “The appreciation that speaking a second language gives you for another culture opened my eyes a lot. Once

you’ve immersed yourself in another culture, you’re liable to be sympathetic and empathetic to a third. It primes you to hear other people out and learn from their experiences.” He also credits Chaminade faculty with furthering his Spanish skills, saying, “Señora Olsen challenged me more than any other teacher, and I was grateful for it. She would also provide reminders along the way about how challenging myself would pay dividends in the long run.”

Other teachers at Chaminade also introduced Conner to the value of the humanities, saying, “I loved my English teachers - Mr. Williamson, Ms. Poole, Ms. Juarez. When you sit down with a book and discuss it with other people, it’s easier to bridge gaps in opinion because you’re talking about something in the context of the book. That passage that you’re talking about has a real-life comparison. It’s tethered to the human experience somehow. The English teachers were absolute experts at facilitating these discussions. I came into school emotionally underdeveloped, and it helped me shape my voice.”

kids, but seeing kids who would rack up hundreds of community service hours, seeing what a lot of my peers were capable of — it’s impossible not to feel inspired by that. The values played an enormous role, as did the educators and peers I was lucky enough to be surrounded by. In a way, it’s a cyclical environment — others’ achievements can motivate you. I’m really grateful I did get to see that at that developmental age.”

Conner majored in journalism, partly influenced by his love of sports, saying, “As soon as I realized I couldn’t be a professional athlete, I wanted to be the

follow what’s going on in the Statehouse and at a national political level. I think so many people have been turned off by the political process that it’s hard not to be totally indifferent to it.” Conner described how he and his peers “came of age” during the 2016 election and the effect it had on him, saying, “My frame of reference is politicians stoking fears and pitting us against each other.”

"I experienced culture shock [on my bike journey]. I got a better sense of how other people live. A parting lesson from the trip is that I need to do more and we all need to do more to push ourselves out of our comfort zone.”

person on TV talking about the athletes.”

Although he identifies as an atheist, when asked whether the values emphasized at Chaminade, like the charisms of service, justice and peace, may have also influenced him, he says, “It did rub off on me. When you frame an education that way, and are surrounded by people who are so empathetic, with teachers who are keen on hammering that home, it’s impossible not to be impacted by that and have it leak into other areas of your life. By no means was I one of these extraordinary

But he realized during college that he didn’t like sports writing. A capstone class where he reported on the Hill and government affairs changed his focus. Says Conner, “It was so far outside my comfort zone, but it really sparked my interest. From then on, I became a news junkie.” He considers it critical to keep up with political affairs, saying, “The moment you cease trying to learn is what got us where we are now. Beyond gaps in information access and things like that, I think there’s a lack of curiosity about other people, other ways of life, or even just doing your basic civic duty, which to me is (at a minimum) to read the news,

Railing against that tendency and searching for a sense of connectedness and understanding for others, rather than allowing darker angels to lead him, no doubt played a part in Conner’s soul-searching and call to action, as did his experiences during and following college. While in college, he interned at a marketing agency that works closely with the federal government but only had job openings in Atlanta, so Conner headed there following his graduation. That job didn’t work out, so he took a different job in Atlanta, only to get laid off in April because of the pandemic. Says Conner, “Falling on your rear-end a lot makes you a more empathetic person. Going to a brand-new city like Atlanta, not knowing anybody, being laid off twice in six months…all of this softened my heart in a lot of ways. I was able to empathize with people who had been laid off from a job. But thankfully, I had it easy. I was able to come back home and my parents supported me, but the whole time I kept thinking to myself, ‘it’s a coin flip.’ I could’ve been born into a family that wouldn’t have been able to support me and it’s hard not to reckon with that. And I say that knowing that this small hardship for me was miniscule compared

to what a lot of people in this country go through.” He speculated that these experiences “primed him” to be more inclined to act following George Floyd’s death.

Conner is currently training for marathons and is hoping to do more fundraising, saying, “I don’t want this to be a one-time project.” He says he’s been writing a lot about the two weeks in August that he spent doing his 401-mile ride for justice. Going forward, he wants to “keep doing some sort of endurance feat as a way to continue to draw attention to this cause in particular and to raise money. That much I know.” Being an avid cyclist, he also wants to encourage more equitable access to cycling, saying, “I just got involved with the East Coast Greenway Alliance. They have this trail that runs from Maine to the Keys, and part of their mission is expanding access to the trail, and expanding visibility.” He understands that this goal would have to come in tandem with more equitable access to bikes, saying, “I would love for other people to experience the joy I’ve experienced on a bike. As a sport, it’s also another clear example of inequity. It’s problematic because there are so many barriers to entry and we price a lot of people out. Expanding access to low-income communities and communities of color is important because, to be totally cut and dry, biking is such a white-washed sport. It would be hypocritical to continue going on these rides without acknowledging the elephant in the room.”

Conner also hopes to continue working with the NAACP, saying he specifically chose to support that organization because he recognized that they are capable of effecting change. He says, “They’ve been advocating for people of color with their voter registration

efforts, and have a proven track record of success.” He said they were happy to receive his donation and could not confirm for sure but believed the funds would be used to help support voting efforts in communities of color.

When asked for any lasting memories from his 401-mile ride in August, Conner spoke about an event that occurred right at the beginning. He started his bike ride in rural Virginia, 50 miles from Richmond, and arrived at the Airbnb he was staying at, recalling, “This jolly man comes and greets me. He’s got 10 kids, plus his wife and his father living on this huge farm with him.” The next day, the farmer ended up offering Conner a ride into town, and as they were chatting, Conner felt a bit apprehensive, saying, “I was thinking maybe this guy might not want to hear about this ride I was doing. Well, after we got to talking, I came to find out he was as worldly as they come, shattering every stereotype and preconceived notion I had about this farmer in the middle of nowhere with this enormous family. He hosted international students on his farm, was an agricultural professor, and had traveled all over the world doing his agricultural work. It was a good sign for me at the start of the trip and more importantly, it was a good learning experience.” He continued, “Part of me thought the ‘learning’ part of the trip had stopped when I did my research beforehand. I plotted out all I was going to post and what I was going to see, and I thought, ‘I’m not going to learn all that much, I’m just going to be seeing everything in person and hopefully I can teach others.’ That experience right off the bat just knocked me off my high horse. It signaled to me that I still had plenty to learn myself — that these two weeks could offer me a lot and I needed to approach this with

an open mind. It set the tone for the experience and was a really formative day for me. So, I remember it well.”

Conner concluded by saying, “Selfishly, beyond the money raised and the attention being called to these issues, just being able to get outside and explore for hours at a time for two weeks straight was unbelievable. I was learning not just from meeting people along the way but from the landscape as well. I experienced culture shock. I got a better sense of how other people live. A parting lesson from the trip is that I need to do more and we all need to do more to push ourselves out of our comfort zone. It’s easy to talk down about a whole group of people when you don’t understand how they live or why they do the things they do. When you throw yourself into their position without a pretext and without an expectation of what that might yield, you’re bound to learn a lot and grow a lot as a person. I’m happy this afforded me the opportunity to do that.”

“Race and racism is a reality that so many of us grow up learning to just deal with. But if we ever hope to move past it, it can’t just be on people of color to deal with it. It’s up to all of us — Black, white, everyone — no matter how wellmeaning we think we might be, to do the honest, uncomfortable work of rooting it out.”

— Michelle Obama

other side Lens on the of the

By Sara Nguyen

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT - DANA MICHELLE COOK '97

Dana Michelle Cook ’97 owning your story, inspiring others, and the importance of a nurturing environment.

As a producer and documentary filmmaker, Dana Michelle Cook has always felt more comfortable behind the camera lens. But when we spoke for this profile, she had been filmed the night before for Chaminade’s speaker series and laughed about her discomfort, saying, “I had my director of photography, Rudy, film me. We set-decked my apartment — it was a whole thing. I was curled up in a ball on the floor watching myself. This is why I’m a producer, so I’m behind the camera! I can’t handle myself on camera.”

Overcoming these sorts of uncomfortable feelings on a regular basis, and inspiring others (particularly young girls) to do the same, is an essential part of what Dana and her friend/collaborator, filmmaker Sarah Moshman, set out to do when they created and produced the documentary The Empowerment Project: Ordinary Women Doing Extraordinary Things. The documentary highlights the experiences and accomplishments of eight women in various industries. It was filmed by Dana, Sarah, and the rest of their all-female crew over the course of a 30day cross-country trip from Los Angeles to New York City. In keeping with the spirit of the film, the crew also turned the cameras on themselves, reflecting on their own personal histories and sharing their thoughts as they bonded over the course of the filming. Says Dana, “I basically had a meltdown when Sarah pitched The Empowerment Project as us filming ourselves. ‘We’re making a documentary about other women; I really don’t want to sit there myself!’ But I’m glad we did. We knew that we were going to grow a lot on that trip, and I think that comes across when you watch it. You can really see our evolution together.” Upon completion of The Empowerment Project, the filmmakers took the film on two national tours, screening it at places as varied as schools, women’s groups, universities, organizations, and corporations. It has also screened in over 20 countries.

In a similar vein, Dana’s additional efforts as a filmmaker and storyteller all embody a common goal — bringing attention to issues that can evoke social change. Her Emmy award-winning short documentary Growing up Strong: Girls on the Run highlights Chicago’s Girls on the Run program for middle school girls, which focuses on building self-esteem and communication skills in young girls at an age when they are most susceptible to negative self-images. She started a Chicago-based production company, Freeheart Creative, with humanitarian and communications professional Katie Wilkes, and their Emmy-nominated documentary series, Seeing Brave, spotlights female global humanitarians working to mobilize communities in Kenya, Syria, and Rwanda. Other recent projects include producing original content for the Obama Foundation and Oprah’s Weight Watchers (WW) 2020 Vision Tour. With the Me Too movement highlighting the ways in which vulnerable individuals have been subjected to sexual harassment and assault, particularly in the film industry, Dana has also earned her certification as an intimacy coordinator in order to facilitate high-quality work on topics related to intimacy while keeping actors safe and protected in the process.

Dana’s current focus on uplifting, feminist, socially-oriented work is no accident. It stemmed in part from a defining incident in 2012 when she was working as a reality show producer on the show Toddlers and Tiaras. On Talkhouse.com, Dana wrote a blog post detailing the incident titled, “How I Hit Rock Bottom in Reality TV and Found Myself as a Feminist Filmmaker,” where she describes being “instructed to get an extreme close-up of a set of bleached dental falsies being shoved into a fiveyear-old’s mouth.” She wrote, “Behind

the caked mascara, this tiny human looked at me, her eyes as big as saucers… her look was one of desperation, a cry for help…” She continues, “At the time, I didn’t understand how I’d fallen so far into work that was poisoning the minds of America. I was failing myself, but even worse, I was failing this little girl in front of me,” and goes on to say, “That day on set, I made myself a promise: to run as far and as fast from my soulsucking career as a reality TV producer as I could – and never look back.” Sarah Moshman was there during what Dana described as “what rock bottom feels like.” Sarah’s own experiences working in reality TV coincided with Dana’s, and after many discussions, the seed for The Empowerment Project was planted. Writes Dana, “Sarah and I kept coming back to the idea that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see.’ With how they saw women presented, how could girls know what they had the potential to become? They couldn’t.”

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dana is keenly aware of how her own environment and family history affected her upbringing and development.

“My (maternal) grandparents came from China, from Canton, and had an arranged marriage. My grandmother was 15, my grandfather was 25 — because that’s how it was. She was a baby having a baby. They came over on a boat, and my grandfather’s father had an herb shop in San Francisco, but then they settled in Sacramento. My mom talks about when she was born, she was the oldest, and then my grandmother had three more children. It was important in the house that they learn English. They did go to Chinese school on the weekends but my grandparents were like, ‘You learn English first before you learn Chinese. We need you to fit in.’ Because the kind of discrimination my grandparents were

facing — they couldn’t get work because there was so much discrimination at the time. I think my grandfather was beaten up in the street. It was all of that, because there was so much hatred towards the Chinese and the Japanese at the time.” She continued, “My mom talks a lot about how her mother treated her: ‘I (was) her hired help.’ They had a really rough relationship. She pledged to never be the way that her mom was to her (with her own child).”

In an Elements of Being podcast interview with her friend (author, host and producer Michael Moody), Dana spoke about how growing up with supportive parents fostered her curiosity and helped lead her to her future career. “I feel curiosity is the root of finding your purpose,” she said, and when asked about the roots of her curiosity, she responded, “I think it’s always been a part of me. It might be a result of being raised in a household with parents that have always been encouraging, though. I’m an only child — I had a lot of that attention, love, and encouragement to go out and pursue what made me happy. I thank my parents for that…I know a lot of situations (where people) don’t have that kind of encouragement. We never worried financially. Both of my parents had blue-collar jobs, though. My dad is a mailman, and my mom worked for the phone company. We didn’t come from a very rich existence, but we were always comfortable. Because we were comfortable, I didn’t have to take a bunch of jobs growing up to help my family, and I think that created space for me to be curious.”

Her mother’s good intentions notwithstanding, Dana laughs, “(My mom) will still comment on how I look…she’ll say, ‘You look old, did you sleep last night?’ Typical Asian mom.

She’s so blunt. (It’s a) watered down, soft version of how her mom was to her. I expect it to a certain point because I’m used to it. Whereas my dad is this big teddy bear, like, ‘Dane, everything you do is amazing, you’re so wonderful.’ I was joking that he’s like my agent.” Dana’s parents gave weight to her opinions, even as a child, and even regarding her choice in schools, leading her to attend Chaminade for both middle and high school. Says Dana, “My parents wanted me to go to Louisville! They wanted me to go to the allgirls school because they didn’t want me to be around boys. But all my friends were going to Chaminade, so I wanted to go where my friends were going.” Pondering an alternate history where she attended that all-girls school, she laughs, musing, “I think I would’ve been more focused. I don’t think I would’ve been as distracted by boys, because I was very distracted.”

Boys aside, Dana acknowledges the positive ways Chaminade shaped her, saying, “It is a very nurturing, loving, empathetic environment. It feels familiar. If you grew up in a family that has raised you that way, it’s an easy transition because you really do feel like you have cheerleaders in your corner.”

Her involvement in sports and the academic rigor at Chaminade were two of her biggest takeaways, beginning with the application process: “I remember it being a pretty intense process to apply and go to the interview. I felt well prepared going into Chaminade, but it was the next level. The first few days of school, I remember thinking, ‘This is serious business.’ It felt rigorous. I thought, ‘I’m playing sports, I’m going to school and I have to figure out how to balance this and have a social life’ because I really cared about that.” She laughed as she recalled, “Your parents can’t help you with your homework anymore. I remember the day my dad looked at (my homework) and was like, ‘I’m sorry. I can’t.’ I think I blacked out. I was like, ‘What? What do you mean, you can’t?’ I remember that moment so clearly. He was in his recliner, and I looked him dead in the eye

"So much of what I say, I need to live. It’s the power of owning your own story, the power of amplifying your voice and amplifying others’ voices who don’t have that space. That’s the storytelling I want to continue to do — to amplify women’s voices specifically who don’t take up that space. I want women to take up space. I want them to use their voice. I want young women to use their voice."

"Chaminade was, upon reflection, an opportunity to be great. When you’re young you don’t appreciate these things. I couldn’t wait to get out of school... But the opportunities we had available within those campuses, middle school and high school, the access to the brilliant minds of our teachers, our coaches, and our mentors, anyone that was there to support you being the best version of yourself, that’s really why everyone is there. They want to inspire young minds."

and was like, ‘What do you mean? Is this a cruel joke, that you’re telling me you can’t because you’re lazy?’ And he was like, ‘I don’t understand it.’ I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m on the island! I have to figure it out on my own!’”

Being part of an athletic team, says Dana “was such a huge part of my identity.” She says, “When I was in kindergarten, I was on the swim team. It was the first team I was on. Then basketball, volleyball, track, and soccer. When I got to Chaminade, I continued to play basketball and volleyball. I loved the camaraderie, being part of a team, the discipline of playing. It was a community, an instant community. Playing sports and being on teams was just a grounding place for me. It was always a homecoming. It didn’t matter what sport I was playing. It always felt

like coming home to the same group of people — that we were continuously lifting each other up. There was never any bad blood because you had to work together in so many capacities. Playing sports through Chaminade was really so defining to my experience.”

Outside of her efforts at school, in Dana’s free time, there were inklings of her future career. In her Elements of Being interview, Dana spoke about “running around with a video camera” as a child, saying, “My parents had a video camera, and I would recruit all of my friends to make skits. I would write a script — a skit for us like Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous — or play teacher and student and then record. Anything from long storylines to little blips. I’d recruit my aunt to pretend like she was evicting us. I don’t even know where I

got these ideas. I felt like I had a wild imagination and I loved filming. I loved it. I loved telling stories through film. When I was in college, I thought, ‘Well, I live in LA, the opportunities are sort of endless —maybe I do want to get into film and television!’’’

Balancing the competing demands of school, sports, and a social life while growing up prepared Dana well for college and the pressures of her future work as a producer. She says, “I played volleyball for four years — that was so time consuming. You have practice, and you have six hours of homework. It was insane. I remember going to bed at two in the morning all of high school. When I went to college, UC Santa Barbara, not a bad school, pretty good school, I exerted maybe 10% of the effort because I was so prepared, and I graduated

with like a 3.9. High school was college, and college was high school. Everything seemed easy after that.” She continued, “The thing you don’t realize when you’re in school, when you’re thinking, ‘Why am I taking this specific class? What does it mean? When am I ever going to use it? Why am I doing this?’ It’s easy to be a naysayer, but you realize that you get into the grit, you dig into the work, and that kind of grit and rigor — that was the biggest takeaway from school in terms of what I now apply to my career. Because so much of what production is, are 18-20-hour days. My last job was with Oprah. I was on tour with her, and we worked 77 days straight. So when you talk about having the wherewithal to put your head down, do the job, and do it well, maintain a high quality from beginning to end, and to really be proud of the work you’re doing, it was that kind of rigor and determination, just being a warrior in a way, that was what I took away.”

Dana reflected on how it is often only through the benefit of time, broader life experiences, and connecting the dots as an older adult that people come to realize how their experiences growing up, even difficult ones, may shape them in positive ways. She says, “Chaminade was upon reflection, an opportunity to be great. When you’re young, you don’t appreciate these things. I couldn’t wait to get out of school. I was like, ‘The world is so wide open and ripe. There’s so much out there. I can’t wait to get to college.’ But the opportunities we had available within those campuses, middle school and high school, the access to the brilliant minds of our teachers, our coaches, and our mentors, anyone that was there to support you being the best version of yourself, that’s really why everyone is there. They want to inspire young minds. I felt that with some of the teachers, but I didn’t realize how lucky we were to have access to what we had access to. The teachers felt so accessible professionally

but also personally — some more than others for sure — but there was so much involvement beyond the classroom. Teachers would come to our games. They felt very involved in your life and wanting to see you succeed. Wanting to know that you were set up for success when you had that cap and gown on, and you walked off the campus and walked out into the world. You really felt like those teachers wanted you to just not get in your own way and see the potential in yourself.”

Understanding how she was inspired and supported by others as a child has now led Dana to want to do the same for the next generation. Regarding her experiences touring with The Empowerment Project, Dana said, “How do you create something that can inspire? We took The Empowerment Project on two national tours, coast to coast, and we screened at elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, women’s groups, Facebook, Pixar, Arlington National Cemetery…and time and time again, we would hear from these girls. We would screen the film and then we’d lead an assembly and have a conversation about it and pose this question, ‘What would you do, if you weren’t afraid to fail?’ — which was the mantra of the piece. And we would have young girls and boys come up to a microphone and say out loud what they would do if they weren’t afraid to fail. And it was so empowering, so incredible to feel like we were passing the torch. To essentially give permission to say the scary thing out loud and to own your dream. Because that’s really what we wanted — we wanted young people to feel so bold — bold enough to say this in front of their school and in front of their peers.”

It is an ongoing process to not only do work that inspires others, but also feel comfortable serving as an inspiration yourself. Dana acknowledges that being able to own your accomplishments fearlessly is a challenge that she continues

to work on herself, saying, “We fall into it so easily, dipping in and out of moments of confidence and then going back into the imposter syndrome. It happens to everybody, but I do think it happens to women more. I think that’s something that needs to be discussed. Why are we standing in our own way? Why can’t we have the confidence and the belief that we are doing the things that we’re doing, we’re accomplished, and we can say it out loud? Why can’t we just own it like men own it? Why is that so difficult?” She continued, “Women undervaluing their accomplishments and standing in their own way…I think that a big part of The Empowerment Project was us seeing that the way women are negatively portrayed in the media was in direct relation to the lack of women in leadership roles. So that’s back to, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see.’ But also, we do undervalue our accomplishments and we do tend to play small. There’s so much that happens when you’re young, and I even did that. Chaminade wanted to honor me as an alumna and I’m like, ‘Why do you want to honor me? I’m not worthy, there are a million other people.’ Even after having a lot of really great accomplishments in my life, I still don’t feel worthy of it. It was cool to be honored, but there are so many people who are doing great things. Why me? I hate being on camera. It’s why I’m a producer. I’m behind the camera. I loathe [being in front of] it.” She concluded, “But so much of what I say, I need to live. It’s the power of owning your own story, the power of amplifying your voice and amplifying others’ voices who don’t have that space. That’s the storytelling I want to continue to do — to amplify women’s voices, specifically those who don’t take up that space. I want women to take up space. I want them to use their voice. I want young women to use their voice.”

After you are out in the world in your late 20s, you realize what a benefit it was to go to Chaminade as you fall back on that moral compass.

Blessings are to be shared

By Marsha Anderson

Major John F. Miller

(ret) ’65

This story begins with a hammer—a hammer put in the hands of John Miller by the Marianist Brothers back in 1963. John’s family had just relocated to California in the summer before his junior year. “I was 15 ½, and I didn’t know anyone. What could have been devastating turned out to be fabulous,” he said.

A week after they arrived in California, he visited Chaminade, where the brothers were hard at work building an addition to their home. All summer long he joined them in pounding nails. Not only did the extension grow, but so did his feeling of being part of the Chaminade family. When school started that fall he still didn’t know any other kids, but he quickly made some lifelong friends.

40th Wedding Anniversary of Major John F. Miller (ret) ’65 and Gail Miller from 2019

“It was truly a wonderful experience,” he reflected on his two years at Chaminade.

After graduation, John attended Seattle University. “The whole package of a Catholic education is important for people growing up. It gives them something they can always fall back on when they have meaningful decisions to make.”

While in college, he majored in business and participated in ROTC. Following graduation, he entered the U.S. Army as a second lieutenant. He volunteered for Vietnam, arriving there in December 1970. Twelve months later, he was assigned to a missile unit in Chatsworth, then Korea, Fort Bliss (Texas), and Fort Ord and the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. There John met his future wife Gail, a Naval Officer, at the Navy flying club where he taught her to fly.

After they married, they found that juggling two military careers took some planning and flexibility, arranging for assignments together in Germany and Washington, D.C.

After 20 years, John retired from the Army and began his second career. He flew for TWA and retired from American Airlines years after their merger. The couple moved to Williamsburg, Virginia, in 2008.

Nowadays, they maintain an active volunteer life as Eucharistic ministers. They serve in the church’s funeral ministry, where they assist families at a difficult time. John also volunteers as a tax aide at their local library.

Both treasure the feeling of having an impact, of helping people. They credit their families and their education for developing that important moral compass.

“After you are out in the world in your late 20s,” John said, “you realize what a benefit it was to go to Chaminade as you fall back on that moral compass.”

“We have been so blessed, so fortunate, we felt we needed to share,” he explained. So the couple sought out causes that can make an impact on others after they are gone. They selected Chaminade as one organization that can make a difference and included the school in their will.

EAGLE HERITAGE SOCIETY

was established to recognize donors who have included Chaminade in their estate plans.

Determining the right gift is just as important as making the gift. There are many options in your estate planning from which you can choose.

BEQUESTS: Include Chaminade in your will or living trust. A bequest is a simple, flexible and versatile way to ensure Chaminade can continue its mission for years to come. Bequests will cost you nothing in your lifetime.

RETIREMENT PLAN ASSETS: Make a gift while leaving more of your estate to your heirs. By naming Chaminade as a beneficiary of all or a portion of a retirement plan, you avoid both the estate tax and income tax due

QUALIFIED CHARITABLE DISTRIBUTION (QCD): If you are over the age of 70 ½, a QCD allows you to make a tax-free donation of up to $100,000 per year directly from your IRA or Roth IRA to Chaminade.

INSURANCE: Making Chaminade a beneficiary or owner of a life insurance policy is an easy and inexpensive way to make a meaningful future gift while generating a charitable income tax.

CHARITABLE REMAINDER TRUST: A charitable remainder trust will help you maintain or increase your income while making a significant gift to Chaminade. This type of gift has the potential for an income tax deduction and upfront capital gains tax avoidance.

CHARITABLE LEAD TRUST: The income from a charitable lead trust can be directed to Chaminade for an established number of years. At the end of the term, the trust becomes the property of the individuals named by you.

This is general information about tax benefits and planned giving instruments. You should always consult your attorney, estate planner or financial advisor on such matters.

For more information on including Chaminade in your estate plans, please contact Kristine Calara at 818.360.0615 or kcalara@chaminade.org

NOT PICTURED:

Kimberly Brady ‘89 and Cade R. Brady ‘21

George Gomes da Costa ‘86 and Donald Ciceri ‘21

Shiang Do ‘92 and Michelle L. Gorodisky ‘21

Christine Farrell ‘85, Michael Farrell ‘82 and Liam E. Farrell ‘21

Laura Fasching ‘88 and Emily S. Fasching ‘21

Monica Helm ‘88 and Karina T. Helm ‘21

Terrence Hill ‘83, Kathleen Hill ‘89 and Garrett T. Hill ‘21

LEGACY FAMILIES

Each year, Chaminade recognizes the commitment of our alumni legacy families. There is nothing more exciting than seeing Eagle pride being passed down from generation to generation. This year, 16 alumni legacies graduated in June. We look forward to seeing our newest members of the alumni family at special events in the years to come.

Bryce M. Weagley ‘21 and Lisa Weagley Lisa ‘84

Gina Jacobellis ‘82 and Camille M. Jacobellis ‘21

Pamela Jenkins ‘81 and J Molly T. Jenkins ‘21

Frank Macias ‘84 and Elena Macias ‘21

Brian Shaw ‘74 and Brendan G. Shaw ‘21

Sheralyn Suttles ‘91 and Tyler D. Suttles ‘21

Sarah Yahraus ‘88 and Deven J. Yahraus ‘21

Nicole M. Teola ‘21, Daniel Teola ‘82, and Brandon D. Teola ‘21

Andrea Yolo ‘91 and Anastacia I. Yolo ‘21

HOLLY BERRY

Save Datew

Sunday, December 5 | 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

IN MEMORIAM

Bobby Alderman ’14 – January 14, 2021

Brother of Sofia Alderman ’22

Anthony J. Casey – January 7, 2021

Father of Brian Casey ’89, Jon Casey ’92

Charles H. Carney – June 7, 2021

Father of Emma Carney ’21, Nick Carney ’19

Jack Bailey ’21 – March 15, 2021

Brother of Teddy Bailey ’23

Michael Donner ’85 – December 10, 2020

Husband of Claudine Rossi Donner ’86

Steve Dunn ’84 – April 23, 2021

Brother of Peter Dunn ’86

Paul Daniel Gross ’95 – August 28, 2020

Brother of Laura Gross ’94

Richard (Dick) Hunsaker ’58 – December 6, 2020

Chris Johnson ’06 – October 23, 2020

Jeffrey Kim ’92 – October 13, 2020

Brother of Eugene Kim ’94

William J. Lee ’60 – April 2021

Rosario Leone – November 8, 2020

Father of Michael Leone ’84

Cheryl Looney – November 19, 2020

Mother of Elizabeth Looney ’05

Sylvia McAller – December 21, 2020

Mother of Gina McAller Jacobellis ’82; grandmother of Alphonse ’07, Joey ’10, Vinny ’14, and Camille Jacobellis ’21

Ali Montazeri – December 19, 2020

Father of Kevin Montazeri ’24

Fr. Jim Mueller, S M. – March 19, 2021

Keller Norris – December 29, 2020

Father of John Norris ’23 and Sophis Norris ’21

Nina Pan – December 23, 2020

Mother of Gillian Yee ’20 and Justin Yee ’23

Victoria Pacheco ’14 – October 30, 2020

Joseph Rauser – December 11, 2020

Father of Steven Rauser ’91, David Rauser ’94,

Danielle Rauser ’96, and Michael Rauser ’98

Robin N. Rousselet – November 30, 2020

Father of Kendra Rousselet ’07, Skyler Rousselet ’04

Paul A. Sharpe ’80 – June 24, 2021

Stacy H. Smeltzer – January 9, 2021

Mother of Nathan Smeltzer ’13

Vickey White – October 31, 2020

Mother of Taylor White ’14