Fall 2014
ESTO VIR A magazine for the Chaminade Family
Paul Stastny ’04 and Chris Butler ’05 returned to Chaminade to celebrate joining the St. Louis Blues hockey team (pg 14)
Vol. 1 No. 1
Welcome New Faculty and Staff
Steven Cremer Groundskeeper
John Hale ’03 Middle School English
Adam Holliday Middle School Science
Previous experience: Grounds maintenance at St. Louis Priory School, Chesterfield Parks Department, and BC Baseball Complex in Columbia, MO
BA Magna Cum Laude, Major, English, Minor, Theology – Saint Louis University; MA Arts English Literature – Saint Louis University Previous Experience: Saint Louis University
BA Education – Saint Louis University; BA Social Studies Northern Kentucky University; St. Louis Community College, Harris-Stowe State College Previous Experience: St. Joseph, Manchester
Chaminade College Preparatory School, an independent, Catholic day and resident school, sponsored by the Marianist Province of the United States, is dedicated to cultivating the inherent gifts, skills and talents of young men in grades 6 through 12 so that they are prepared for success in college and life. This is accomplished through emphasis on the Five Characteristics of Catholic Marianist Education: Educating for Formation in Faith Providing an Integral, Quality Education Educating in Family Spirit Educating for Service, Justice and Peace Educating for Adaptation and Change
ESTO VIR is published four times per year by the Advancement Office. Submissions are encouraged. Articles and information are edited and printed as space allows.
Danielle McKeirnan Middle School Speech and Drama
David Nolda Director of Alumni and Constituent Relations
BS Speech/Theater – Missouri State University Previous Experience: Fort Zumwalt South
BA Magna Cum Laude - English and Education-Saint Louis University Previous Experience: Grand Center, Inc., Fontbonne University, Saint Louis University
In This Issue...
Ann Samarasekera High School Spanish
Catherine Schaaf Middle School STEM
BA Spanish and International Studies – Saint Louis University; MA Spanish – Saint Louis University Ph.D (ABD) Latin-American Literature – University of Missouri/Columbia Previous Experience: Lindenwood University
BA Math/Science – Saint Louis University Previous Experience: MICDS
Welcome New Faculty and Staff 2 Letter from the President 3 Alumni Board of Directors 3 Finding the Next Generation 5 Chaminade’s Resident Program 6 Principal’s Corner 8 In Memoriam 9 School News 10 Alumni News 11 Crowdfunding 11 Save the Date 11
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Chaminade College Preparatory School 425 S. Lindbergh Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63131-2729 314-692-6687, 877-ESTO VIR x1187 chaminade-stl.org kcarroll@chaminade-stl.com
Giving Back 12 Online Shopping 13 CABN 13 Celebrate Chaminade 13 Welcome Home Paul & Chris 14 Sports Hall of Fame 15 Arctic Summer 16 Esto Vir Auction 17 Profiles 18 Alumni Mothers’ Club 19
Letter from the President Rev. Ralph A. Siefert, S.M.
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e are proud to unveil the first issue of our new Esto Vir Magazine! The goal of the publication is to continue to tell the Chaminade story and partner with the Chaminade Family to continue our school’s mission. We’ve combined our Alumni Newsletter, President’s Report and The Flyer publications and expanded our audience to include alumni, current and past parents, grandparents and friends. You’ll see stories about the Esto Vir Journey, Chaminade Traditions, student and alumni achievements, inspiring faculty and classroom stories, our global perspectives, our international resident students and alumni, the impact of our House System and inspiring retreats that develop leaders and men grounded in faith. This is an opportunity for us to tell our stories about our experiential learning and service immersion trips, take you behind the scenes, learn why an alumnus established a scholarship, made a special gift or inspired others to give back. When we began to think about what to name this publication we quickly agreed upon Esto Vir, to no one’s real surprise. As you know, Chaminade’s motto is Esto Vir and each of our current students is on their own personal Esto Vir journey of becoming a man. In a recent homily, Fr. Chris Martin ’97 summed up Esto Vir - “Becoming the man the world needs you to be!” As educators, we want our Chaminade gentlemen to develop the inherent gifts, talents and skills that they’ve been blessed with and to become confident young men ready to make a positive difference in an ever-changing world. We are blessed to have our alumni, parents –past and current, grandparents and all of our friends and benefactors partnering with us on our mission. We hope that this publication will rekindle your love and pride for Chaminade and encourage you to support our mission and engage and reconnect with the school by attending a sporting or arts event, connecting with us through our website or our social media sites, volunteering, helping build our reputation in the community through your word of mouth, donating to the Chaminade Fund, building our endowment or attending one of our fundraising events. It’s also our hope that by learning about all of the groundbreaking ways that we’re educating our young men for the 21st century that you’ll also consider recommending Chaminade for your son, grandson, nephew, neighbor or friend.
Alumni Board of Directors Mike Schlueter ’91
“True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.” - Kurt Vonnegut
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t’s that time of year again – the beginning of another school year and all the preparations that go along with it. Although my kids are only eight and ten, they seem to have the same combination of excitement and nervousness that I had at the beginning of each new year. So how do we get our alumni on campus this year? We realize that lives are busy and time is a commodity. We all fall into that world where OUR friends seem to become the parents of our kids’ friends and the guys that we spent so much time with in school seem to be, although still part of our “Band of Brothers,” less a part of our current lives. But for years there have always been those memories of the time we shared at Chaminade that draw us back together. These experiences make me smile every time I wander through the halls. The Play-Doh fights in Bro. Plumpe’s class, Mr. Michalski blowing his top, Mr. Fink letting you know that “You lose Pal!” The “smoking slab,” Jake and Elwood on the fourth floor, and Bro. Schlund threatening to flunk our entire class. These are memories that make me laugh and keep me excited about getting our class together for events at school. We all have memories like these of Chaminade. I hope that these experiences are something that we reminisce about together, and enjoy with each other more often than not. It has always been the Alumni Board’s hope that we can get our alumni just as excited about a new school year starting as the students. Whether it is the sports teams, a big reunion year for your class, Celebrate Chaminade, CABN, the Auction, an event at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts, or our Trivia Night or Golf Classic, I hope that something gets you on campus this year and excited to be part of the Chaminade Family again. Finally, I am excited to welcome our new Director of Alumni and Constituent Relations, David Nolda, to the Chaminade Family. David will be the primary liaison between the Alumni Association and Chaminade, and I am sure he will do a fantastic job. To all the active students – I hope you have a great 2014-2015 and to my fellow alumni – I look forward to seeing you on campus soon. Have a great year!!!!
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MISSION STATEMENT The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts is dedicated to supporting Chaminade College Preparatory School in cultivating the inherent gifts, skills and talents of young men in grades 6-12 independently and through an affiliation with the community that includes but is not limited to engaging and enlightening programs exhibiting the educational power of the arts. CORE VALUES WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE ARTS We believe the arts are central to advancing education and they delight and enlighten. WE BRING TOGETHER OUR SCHOOL AND OUR COMMUNITY We extend our outreach to the community and encourage them to share in our talents and passion for the arts. WE ARE DEDICATED TO FINANCIAL STRENGTH We believe continued financial strength and fiscal responsibility brought about by internal and external events is paramount to the success of our mission.
Upcoming Events
Oliver!, 2013
St. Louis Wind Symphony September 21, 3 p.m. Middle School Play Auditions September 25, 3:30 – 6 p.m. High School Grandparents’ Mass October 3, 9 a.m. Mother/Son Mass and Brunch October 5, 9 a.m. All School Musical: Man of La Mancha October 16-18, 7 p.m. October 18, 2 p.m. Mothers’ Club Fashion Show October 30, 6 p.m. Middle School Grandparents’ Mass November 7, 9 a.m. Winter Opera St. Louis November 7, 8 p.m. November 9, 3 p.m.
The Skip Viragh Center for the Arts is available for rentals. Contact Adrienne Gleeson, agleeson@chaminade-stl.com, for more information. 4 - ESTO VIR
Finding the Next Generation Hello from the Admissions Office!
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haminade is thrilled to report that our admissions efforts in 2013-2014 yielded a wonderful group of incoming students including seventy-five new sixth grade students. The freshman class is 146 strong! Chaminade will have more than 800 students enrolled this year, a 5% increase over last yearcontinuing our legacy as the premiere Catholic school for educating young men! Chaminade is excited to announce that we’ve added a new program to enhance our admissions and enrollment process. The Admissions Team remains dedicated to finding new families throughout the St. Louis area. Now, more than ever, it is imperative that we reach out to prospective families and share our Chaminade story. To that end, we are launching a Refer A Family feature on our website. We hope the Chaminade Family will join us in identifying the next generation of Red Devils! The Admissions Office continues to work with the Chaminade Parent Ambassadors. These volunteers assist the office by connecting with young men and their families on a personal level, hosting Parish Coffees at Parent Ambassadors’ homes, offering personal invitations to events, and following up on Shadow Visits. The recruiting season this fall and winter will certainly keep the admissions staff busy! Director of Admissions Dianne Dunning-Gill and Associate Director of Admissions Erik Carretero will manage presentations at area High
School Nights throughout September where our current students take the lead and tell both our and their personal Chaminade stories. These admissions evenings take place all over the St. Louis Archdiocese, and Chaminade will host the event on September 17 at 6:30 p.m. Following the tradition in St. Louis, Open House will again take place on November 2, the first Sunday of the month, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Open House is an opportunity to highlight all of the programs, events and resources available at our school. Students, parents and alumni will help guide tours, and visitors will get a chance to see our students in action! Live music, pottery wheels, physics experiments, STEM modeling, lacrosse practice – all of these take place during Open House. We will have a special 10 a.m. Mass and a VIP tour beginning at 10:45 a.m. for Chaminade families and alumni. The Admissions Office will also host events that are specific for each of our entry points. On October 23, we will host the Chaminade High School Highlight Night. This event will highlight high school academic programs, Advanced Placement opportunities and experiential learning. We invite prospective high school students as well as our current eighth grade families to come and learn more about our incredible high school! Then in March, we will host the Middle School Highlight Night for prospective Middle School students and their families. Parents will hear from the administration and a panel of our students, teachers and alumni. Prospective students will participate in the Amazing Esto Vir Race on
campus with house leaders, seeing first-hand all of the activities a Chaminade student can be involved in. Chaminade’s Admissions Office is dedicated to continuing the legacy of our great school. We face many challenges in the private school community – declining numbers of young men and declining baptism rates within these age groups, among others. We face those challenges armed with an amazing school, an incredible educational experience that goes beyond simple academics, and Esto Vir as a way of life. We will continue to focus on the ESTO VIR experience that no other school in St. Louis can offer to young men. Our dedication to the development of the entire student and helping him become the man he will be separates our school from all others. This is why, 100 years from now, we will still be celebrating the generations to come! Dianne and Erik are always happy to discuss Chaminade and the admissions process with interested families. If you, or someone you know, has a son who would benefit from the Chaminade experience, please contact the admissions office at 314-692-6650. Applications are due in December for high school, and at the end of January for middle school. Please see the website, chaminade-stl.org/admissions, for more details. If you would like to offer your help as a Parent Ambassador or with tours or the BBQ at Open House, we would love to have you! Just contact Dianne or Erik.
We are excited to welcome the following alumni to the ranks as Chaminade Fathers! Ken Domash ’85, father of Garrett Domash ’18 Wally Klein ’83, father of Wally Klein ’18 David Stolze, ’79, father of Colin Stolze ’18 John Handy ’81, father of Chris Handy ’19 Matt Geekie ’80, father of Ryan Geekie ’19 Tim Kelly ’83, father of Luke Kelly ’20
Paul Grundhauser ’70, father of Nick Bagatti ’21 Justin Giessman ’96, father of Jude Giessman ’21 Mark Helmsing ’92, father of Zach Helmsing ’21 Gus Jacoby ’90, father of Cameron Jacoby ’21 Hank Slay ’95, father of Aiden Jansen ’21 Paul Lottes ’85, father of Ryan Lottes ’21
The Domashs
The Millers
Scott Miller ’89, father of Alex Miller ’21 Tim Ryan ’88, father of Mac Ryan ’21 Mike Sudekum ’93, father of Teddy Sudekum ’21 Pedro Suarez-Solar ’81, father of Pedro Suarez-Solar ’21
The Kellys
The Ryans
The Giessmans
The Suarez-Solars
The Sudekums
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Chaminade’s Resident Program Adaptation and Change at Work
- Mark Baczynski ’99 and Chris Marsek ’98
2014-2015 New Resident Students
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any things have changed over the years that Chaminade Hall has stood on the hilltop – Denny Road became Lindbergh Boulevard; the Athletictron, West Wing, and Skip Viragh Center were all built; Montezuma Hall was moved; and Waldron Hall was torn down. Different faculty, staff, and students have passed through its doors each year, but through all of these changes, the Resident Program has remained. This is not to say that today’s resident program is the same as the one that existed in 1910. Many students who today sit in classes on Chaminade’s fourth floor might be surprised to learn that those same rooms once served as the school’s sleeping quarters. For the first forty years, Chaminade was a boarding school with the occasional day student. Our students came from as close as Perryville, Sedalia, and Springfield in Missouri, to Collinsville, Illinois, and as far as Louisville, Kentucky. By today’s standards these areas are quite close, but at the time not only was the distance great, but the background of the students and their families was very diverse. Bringing these students together to live, learn, and play created the base for what Chaminade has become today. The dynamic of our resident program has changed throughout our school’s history. In the early days, all students boarded. As the 1940s
Fourth floor dormitory in Chaminade’s early days
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progressed into the 1950s and beyond, the school shifted from exclusively boarding students to more and more students who went home every night. At the same time, students from Mexico, Iran, Puerto Rico, and elsewhere started to roam the halls. The 1990s saw an increased interest from international students, and today the majority of our resident students hail
placed into a lab group with students from Thailand and Nigeria. “Not only did we learn the science material, but we also learned how to succeed as people interacting across cultures.” It’s a subtle, yet practical way to teach students how to navigate an increasingly global society. Chaminade’s International Programs Coordinator, Mark Baczynski ’99, has made
from countries around the globe. Our resident program has adapted and changed with the times but has always been an important element in our school. Today, Chaminade is proud to host nearly seventy resident students from five continents and fourteen countries. These students, who live on campus in Canning Hall, add a special flavor to the school. They share their languages, cultures, traditions, and experiences with all students in academic settings, when they participate on the sports fields, and in their everyday social interactions. Chris Marsek ’98, our English as a Second Language instructor, remembers entering Mr. Stocker’s ninth grade science class and being
lifelong friendships with resident students he met in the ’90s. “Not only did I end up rooming with Vorasak Orsiriwikorn ’99 in college for a few years, but we also have met up in Bangkok, Thailand on a number of occasions to catch up and talk to new students about our Chaminade experiences.” On a recent visit to Chaminade, graduate Daniel R. Mestres ’12 told Fr. Ralph Siefert about his university experiences and explained, “having learned to embrace international diversity while at Chaminade, I was more prepared than many of my classmates for the highly diverse student body at Indiana University, where more than 15% of the undergraduate students are international.”
He went on to explain that while many of his American classmates had never met international students and were having trouble “dealing with” their cultural differences in class and on campus, he didn’t even see it as a concern since he had been well prepared during his years at Chaminade. Chaminade’s international graduates also regularly return to visit campus and express gratitude for the preparation they received at Chaminade. They tell us they feel well-equipped as compared to their university international classmates who chose not to attend high school in the United States. Taiwanese alumnus Che Hung Su ’12 said, “the difficult lectures that many of my junior and senior year teachers gave made the lectures my professors give at Michigan State University seem easy. […] I also felt more comfortable joining clubs and meeting new people than some of my friends because of all the great experiences I had at Chaminade.” Academically, the combination of international and domestic students benefits everyone. Students in both the U.S. and China study mathematics, but each culture utilizes different approaches to solving problems. Ned Stanley ’15 found his experience working with Zhongtian Dong ’16 in calculus to be invaluable. “Zhongtian taught me that when we get stuck and hit a wall, we can look for alternative ways to achieve our goal and solve the problems given to us.” The benefit of international students in our classrooms manifests itself in a variety of lessons. A few highlights include: • During a lesson on the characteristics of ‘hero’ in Mr. Brett Desnoyer’s ninth grade English literature class, students discovered that what is valued in a hero is greatly dependent on each culture. • An assignment on the influence of media on crime in Mr. Mike Kelley’s junior literature class resulted in one group exploring the impact of media on crime under a variety of forms of governments. Resident Director and world history teacher Jim Chrismer ’85 enjoys including international perspectives in his lessons. “It’s one thing to read in a textbook about historical events, genocide,
Resident students participate in a service project preparing and serving food to a group of residents at Fr. Dempsey’s.
various political structures, economic turmoil and/or religious differences. It’s a totally different learning opportunity when you have students from across the world living on campus who can speak directly about their experiences. For example, there are students in our dormitory from
This year Chaminade welcomes students from China, Germany, Iran, Italy, Ivory Coast, Japan, Korea, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Rwanda, Ukraine, Vietnam, and the U.S. states of California, Illinois, Kentucky, Missouri, and Washington. China who know nothing about the Tiananmen Square Massacre, students from Rwanda who lived through the civil war between the Hutu’s and Tutsi’s, and young men who can discuss the differences between the U.S. culture and the
various governmental or religious structures in their homelands.” David Walz ’14 said, “One of my favorite lessons occurred in Mr. Keithley’s world religions class, when we discussed different religious beliefs with students from a variety of perspectives and backgrounds, including: Islam, Hinduism, and atheism.” Canning Hall also provides a unique service to day students. Several Chaminade families have had their sons stay in the dorm for shorter periods of time while parents are out of town. This is an experience from which all students benefit, as sharing a dorm-style room with a roommate, studying independently, and doing laundry all benefit any boy who is growing into a man. Additionally, many of our families also welcome our international students into their homes on the occasional weekend and for the holiday breaks when the residence hall closes. While our students have many opportunities to raise their Global IQ, the resident program is an important pillar in that mission. Through the years, Chaminade’s resident program has been a cornerstone in the overall Chaminade experience. It is unique to us in boys’ Catholic schools here in Missouri and in the greater Midwest. The mutual benefit that our day and resident students gain is invaluable and often leads to lifelong friendships. If you have questions about Chaminade’s Resident Program or want to get involved with the students, please contact Resident Director Jim Chrismer ’85 (JChrismer@chaminade-stl.com) or International Programs Coordinator Mark Baczynski ’99 (MBaczynski@chaminade-stl.com)
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Principal’s Corner College Readiness
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hat is more important: content or process? A continuing debate between seasoned social studies teachers might go something like this: Mr. Rone: “Mr. Chrismer, what is more important – the content of the class or the process of learning?” Mr. Chrismer: “Well, content, of course. The boys have to be prepared for the ACT and SAT tests. They must have a foundation of history to build on so they are ready for college.” Mr. Rone: “Well, Mr. Chrismer, I respectfully disagree. You have to teach them the learning process. It is the process that will allow them to gain the knowledge needed for the ACT and SAT. If students the boys are taught the skills – critical reading and writing, the ability to analyze and synthesize information – they will have the groundwork for a successful college experience.” Of course, Mr. Chrismer and I would then consult with the quintessential diplomat and peacekeeper of the department. Mr. Murphy: “Gentlemen, you need both. There must be a balance. The skills can be taught across the departments, while the content should be germane to each particular class.”
- Philip Rone, Principal
As we continue to look at the best practices for preparing our students for top colleges and universities, our faculty and administration – through research and practice – constantly finetune their pedagogy in the classroom. We have set into motion initiatives to provide all of our students, seniors to sixth grade, greater opportunities to achieve college readiness. In addition to our ongoing curriculum development, we will introduce this year three specific educational initiatives: Pre-AP/College Readiness Skills, the Esto Vir Academic Resource Center, and a new academic schedule. The Pre-Advanced Placement/College Readiness Skills have been developed by each academic department. They include standardized skills for each division and vertically sequenced for grades 6-12. These skills are building blocks that help prepare students to perform at academically rigorous levels during their time at Chaminade and beyond. They go hand-in-hand with a strong, content-heavy curriculum. Teachers in each department will know which skills students are expected to have mastered in the previous grade level, and will utilize and enhance these skills each year. The ultimate goal is for each student to have these college-readiness skills mastered by the end of their senior year. Chaminade’s new Academic Support Program will be housed in the Esto Vir Academic Resource Center, opening this year in the lower level of Frische Hall. Chaminade’s learning consultants and house counselors spent last year researching a very successful academic support program at Loyola Academy in Chicago. Under the leadership of our learning consultants, Tony DiSalvo and Beth Dunlap, we have combined all of our academic resources into the Academic Support Program. The goal is to provide our students with academic resources to promote the school’s curriculum and encourage them to be academically proactive. The center will be open during the school day, during all Academic Labs, and after school Monday through Thursday until 4 p.m. Our new schedule this year consists of a ten-block rotation with seventy minute class periods. The rationale for changing the schedule is
two-fold. The first reason is to accommodate the increasing curricular offerings. And the second reason is to provide students with added flexibility to become more independent learners. Last year we added STEM classes (Science Technology Engineering and Math) to our program and we continue to expand our college credit course selection. We now offer seventy advance college credit courses yielding over 200 college credits to our Chaminade students! We have expanded our fine arts program as well, with additional drama and broadcasting classes. Our curriculum offerings had outgrown our old schedule. The new schedule provides students with additional opportunities to take more college credit classes and a wider variety of courses. With the old schedule students were limited in their selections due to schedule conflicts. The new schedule offers increased student access to more of our curricular offerings. Our AP offerings have doubled since the old schedule came into existence. When the old schedule came into being, there were eleven AP offerings. Today, we have twenty-six AP courses. As current trends in education move from teacher-centered to student-centered learning, students will need increased flexibility with their time. It is important for students to have more one-on-one one time with teachers available to them. Consequently, within our new schedule students will each have an Academic Lab. Within the Academic Lab students will have the choice to work independently on projects, work with partners, meet with teachers, work ahead in a subject they are particularly interested in, or make up tests or quizzes they missed. Academic Labs will have a math and English teacher available to provide tutoring. Students will be able to visit with their house counselor or learning consultant to avoid missing valuable class time. Students will be able to utilize our Academic Support Program housed in our new Esto Vir Academic Resource Center for tutoring and enrichment. Within the schedule there will be an Esto Vir period. This period will be used to schedule school-wide assembles, Masses, and House events – therefore regular classes will no longer be interrupted or shortened due to these schoolwide activities.
Preparing students for college and life is the primary goal of every educator. Mr. Rone celebrates with 2014 Esto Vir Awardee Michael Faust ’14.
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The administration and faculty continue to study educational research and practices to determine the best academic college preparatory school environment. Within that journey, we have developed the three initiatives listed above: Pre-AP/college readiness skills, the Esto Vir
Academic Support Program, and our new academic schedule for the upcoming school year. Continued academic improvements are important to Chaminade - they are essential to fulfilling our mission. Offering the strongest possible academic program will allow us to reach a larger
number of students and consequently bring them to their faith. This is a sacred work and through the continued intercession of Mary and our namesake, Blessed William Joseph Chaminade, we will endeavor to sustain our mission.
In Memoriam
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May they rest in peace Manfred K. Malz March 10, 2014 Father of Timothy Malz ’87 Felix M. Robbins III ’59 April 22, 2014 Dee Ann Burkhalter June 7, 2014 Mother-in-law of Scott Miller ’89 Grandmother of Alex Miller ’21 Lou Thimes June 11, 2014 Grandfather of Jabril Saleem ’13 James L. Freimuth ’48 June 13, 2014 Ryan J. Candice (left CCP ’05) June 19, 2014 Brother of Anthony Candice ’05 James P. Holt ’05 July 9, 2014 James H. Gill ’59 July 14, 2014 Father of Michael Gill ’85 Brian Gill ’89 Father-in-law of staff member Dianne Dunning-Gill Grandfather of Jack Gill ’20 A. Salvador Sansone July 14, 2014 Grandfather of Spencer Snodsmith ’14 Connor Snodsmith ’16
Jesse A. Shayne July15, 2014 Son of Andrew Shayne (left CCP ’97) Grandson of retired CCP teacher Phil Shayne Nephew of Aaron Shayne ’04 Henry Menendez July 18, 2014 Grandfather of Daniel Suarez ’04 Andrew Schanuel ’17 Frances R. Boyle July 19, 2014 Mother of Michael Boyle ’67 Timothy Boyle ’74 Grandmother of Ryan Boyle ’95 Christopher Boyle ’98 M. Brad Boyle ’05 Shea Boyle ’05 Michael J. Gage July 21, 2014 Father of Michael Gage ’94 Matt Gage ’00 Irene A. Pastorek July 27, 2014 Grandmother of John Pastorek ’03 Jeanette Mattingly August 7, 2014 Mother of Daniel Mattingly (left CCP ’71) Steve Mattingly ’79 Grandmother of Joseph Mattingly (left CCP ’12) Timothy Vreeland (left CCP ’97) Martin T. Brutton ’54 August 9, 2014
Lawrence V. Covington August 10, 2014 Father of Timothy Covington ’82 Michael Covington ’84 Stephen Covington ’88 Grandfather of Brian Covington ’16 Matthew Covington ’18 Peter Covington ’18 Benjamin Covington ’20 Ralph A. Nemergut August 12, 2014 Father-in-law of Dan Schwarze ’76 Grandfather of Marty Schwarze ’14 Jack Schwarze ’16 Virginia Capone August 22, 2014 Grandmother of Jack Komlos ’17 James M. Mosby August 28, 2014 Father of Jim Mosby ’83 John Mosby ’84 Grandfather of Mitchell Mosby ’16 Karl Krupp Jr. September 1, 2014 Father of retired CCP nurse Libby LoPorto Grandfather of Jamie LoPorto ’92 Matthew LoPorto ’95 Nicholas LoPorto ’02 Jeanne M. Heck September 2, 2014 Wife of former CCP counselor Michael Heck ’72 Sister-in-law of John Heck ’71 (late) James Heck ’74 David Heck ’77
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School News Congratulations to art teacher Mark Laury on being named a 2014 recipient of the Independent Schools of St. Louis Teacher of Distinction Award. Each year, the award recognizes St. Louis area educators who have been nominated by their school and interviewed by the ISSL Heads of Schools and Board Members. Mark is one of five educators who have been selected to receive a $500 ISSL Distinguished Teaching Grant to be used toward fulfilling the grant proposal that he submitted, entitled “Creativity Begets Creativity.” His grant will allow for outside artists to present workshops and lectures to our student body for the upcoming school year. Being named one of the five ISSL Teachers of Distinction also qualifies Mark for the Emerson Teacher of the Year Award.
Chaminade has been selected as one of The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Top Workplaces. The Top Workplaces are determined based solely on employee feedback. Chaminade had a 95% response rate in which 120 of the 126 employees completed the survey. Fr. Ralph Siefert said, “Chaminade is honored to have been selected for the award and proud to be recognized as a 2014 Top Workplace, particularly since the judges were our employees!” He is grateful for the faculty and staff’s continued commitment to the school’s Marianist mission and for everything they do to help all of its students live out the school motto of Esto Vir – “Be a Man” and become the men the world needs them to be.
Mark Gorman ’15 was recently featured as the No. 8 player in the Post-Dispatch Super 30. Mark, a 6-foot-5, 235-pound tight end for the Chaminade football team, expects to have plenty of opportunities at the next level. “He dominated last year as a tight end,” Chaminade coach Antoine Torrey said. “We're happy to have him.” Last year Mark was the Red Devils’ top receiver with twenty-nine catches for 491 yards and two touchdowns. His talents attracted some Division I attention and garnered him invitations to various scouting and collegiate camps during the summer.
Jayson Tatum '16 (pictured wearing #10) and the U.S. Team won gold at the U17 FIBA World Championship in Dubai, UAE by beating Australia in the finals by a score of 99-92. Tatum had fifteen points and five rebounds in USA’s win over Australia. The team won their first six games of the competition by an average margin of 43.3 points per outing. The gold medal game brought USA’s record in FIBA U17 World Championship play to 23-0 dating back to 2010 and gave it a third-straight gold medal in the event. Jayson is considered one of the top prospects in the country in his class.
Teachers of the Year Bro. Frank Klapp, S.M. Award In 1989, the Bro. Frank Klapp, S.M. Teacher of the Year Award was established. This annual award honors a high school faculty member who is a dedicated professional in the field of education. Bro. Klapp is fondly remembered as a dynamic teacher and administrator. He was loved by students and faculty alike. As a teacher, Bro. Klapp taught English Literature and coached the speech and debate team. The senior class nominates the teacher for this prestigious award. Congratulations to Matt Coryell. Bro. Ralph A. Krull, S.M. Award In 1996, the Bro. Ralph A. Krull, S.M. Teacher of the Year Award was established. This annual award honors a middle school faculty member who is also a dedicated professional in education. Bro. Krull taught and coached in the middle school from 1943 to 1959. This award was established by alumni from that era in conjunction with a renewable scholarship that is awarded to a sixth grader who exemplifies the ideals of Esto Vir, the school’s motto: character, leadership, spirituality and maturity. Middle school students choose the teacher who receives this award. Congratulations to Jack Wilson.
Middle School Principal Todd Guidry and his wife, Carolyn, welcomed their daughter this summer. Clare was born June 10, and joins older brothers Jack and Sam.
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Alumni News Ted Ruzicka ’80 was recently appointed President-Elect of the St. Louis Association of Health Underwriters Board of Directors (SLAHU). Sean McGivern ’84 is living in Moscow teaching English to Russian business executives.
Mike ’98 and Caryn Woolley had a baby girl named Annabelle Caroline on June 14, 2014. Annabelle’s big brother is Brooks (right).
Patrick Hyde ’04 made his solemn profession of vows for the Order of Preachers (also known as the Dominicans) on August 30 at St. Pius V church in St. Louis.
Caroline and Christopher ’99 Nohr welcomed their daughter, Rebecca Eileen, on February 4, 2014.
Congratulations to Mark ’04 and Becca Zaegel on the birth of their daughter, Kara, in July.
Devon Schwab ’02 is the video editor for both Saturday Night Live and Late Night with Seth Meyers. He recently made a cameo appearance in an onscreen graphic on Late Night. Devon was instrumental to WCCP and a founding member of the Chaminade Film Festival (below). Paul ’98 and Kelly Mehan, and their son, Patrick, welcomed the newest member of their family, Charles, on July 3, 2014 (above).
Adam Fritz ’05 graduated from The Chicago School of Medicine at the Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science with a Doctor of Medicine, a Masters in Biochemical Sciences and a Masters in Hospital Administration. Adam will do a three year residency in internal medicine at Saint Louis University Hospital. David Amelotti ’10 has accepted a position with KHQA in Quincy, Illinois as a reporter. He will be on air weekdays at 5 and 6 p.m.
Crowdfunding
The New Trend in Fundraising
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he past few years have seen a real surge in “crowd-funding” using the internet to encourage gifts to specific items or causes. This past May for the first time, Chaminade joined hands with others in the St. Louis community for GiveSTL and the results were impressive. In just twenty-four hours, we received $8,460 from 116 donors exceeding our goal of $1 for every known alumnus (6,307). In fact, Chaminade placed in the top twenty in both total number of gifts as well as total money raised amongst the 500 participating charities in St. Louis. Thanks to all who participated! We feel that that this type of fundraising will be especially appealing to our young alumni donors and plan to continue the event next year as well as participate in Giving Tuesday, which is a national event focusing on donating to a charity of your choice the first Tuesday after Thanksgiving every year.
Save the Date
Upcoming Events to Put on Your Calendar 9/23 Fathers’ Club Luncheon, noon 10/3 High School Grandparents’ Day, 9 a.m. 10/5 Mother-Son Mass & Brunch 10/9 CABN 10/10 Celebrate Chaminade 10/11 Class of ‘64 Reunion 10/16 All School Musical, “Man of la Mancha,” 8 p.m. 10/17 All School Musical, “Man of la Mancha,” 7 p.m. 10/18 All School Musical, “Man of la Mancha,” 2 & 7 p.m.
10/24 Rowdy Red Raffle through 11/9 10/29 Fathers’ Club Oktoberfest, 6 p.m. 10/30 Mothers’ Club Fashion Show 11/2 Open House 11/5 Alumni Mothers’ Club Bunco Night 11/7 Middle School Grandparents’ Day, 9 a.m. 11/11 Parent Clubs lunch meeting, noon 11/14 7th & 8th Grade Mixer 11/20 Middle School Show, “Battledrum,” 7 p.m. 11/21 Middle School Show, “Battledrum,” 7 p.m.
11/22 Middle School Show, “Battledrum,” 7 p.m. 11/23 District Jazz/Band Concert, 1 p.m. 11/28 Christmas Tree Lot opens 12/4 CABN 12/5 First Friday Liturgy 12/7 Winter Band Concert 12/7 Winter Art show 12/12 Mothers’ Club Christmas Luncheon 12/14 Winter Jazz Concert 12/24 Midnight Mass
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Giving Back
Supporting Chaminade Endowed Scholarship Program
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haminade’s first endowed scholarship was started in 1996 by Kathaleen Corbett in honor of her late husband, James ’45. Since that time, many other caring alumni and friends of Chaminade have made possible a total of sixty-six scholarships, now providing support for 118 deserving young men. During the last fiscal year, four new scholarships were established: The Richard W. Boyles ’56 Scholarship Dick continues the tradition of “paying it forward” and this is the third scholarship that he has established at Chaminade. He asks that the student recipient be wellrounded, a self-starter possessing a sense of humor, participate in outside activities and have a strong desire to succeed. The Margie M. Hover Memorial Scholarship The Hoover Scholarship was established by
her children, Mike ’80, Tom ’81, Dan ’91 and Cyndi, to honor her dedication to the family unit and strong commitment to Catholic education. This renewable scholarship will be awarded to a student with a B average or better. The Patrick Kelley Memorial Scholarship Paying tribute to a life well-lived, Pat Kelley’s family and friends established the scholarship at the time of his passing. The recipient shall be outgoing, involved, energetic and hard-working. He should be involved at both Chaminade and in his community while also possessing the qualities of Esto Vir that Pat exemplified. The Chaminade Hall of Fame ’72 Football Team Scholarship On the occassion of their induction into the Chaminade Sports Hall of Fame, the players and managers of the 1972 varsity team
established this scholarship to be awarded to a student who is hard-working, dedicated, displays teamwork and exhibits “Esto Vir” on a daily basis. We are most grateful to all, especially our loyal alumni, who had a part in establishing or funding any of Chaminade’s scholarships. Scholarship gifts truly do open doors for talented students who may not have the opportunity to attend Chaminade without that support. For information on establishing a scholarship, or to support to any of Chaminade’s scholarships, contact Jan Hamilton, 314-6926652, jhamilton@chaminade-stl.com. You may also give or read more about specific scholarship parameters by going to online and following the links to Named Scholarships under Support Chaminade.
The Chaminade Fund: A Vital Component of Our Success
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or more than 20 years, the Chaminade Fund has been a vital source of funding from alumni, parents, grandparents, faculty, staff, and friends that helps to sustain the unique aspects that set Chaminade apart. The success of the fund reflects the Chaminade Family Spirit and truly makes a difference to foster the intellectual and character development of the 810 Chaminade gentlemen who study here. Gifts to the Chaminade Fund directly support the operating budget and allow us to continue to:
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Provide extraordinary opportunities for learning in our classrooms Sponsor community service and Campus Ministry programs Enhance our global curriculum and experiential education programs that offer opportunities to explore, travel and experience life beyond St. Louis
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Strengthen the financial aid program for every qualified student Expand and support our clubs and athletic programs Maintain our 55-acre campus and facilities Support emerging campus-wide needs
Thanks to the generosity of our Chaminade Family, the 2013-2014 Chaminade Fund reached remarkable milestones, including:
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Reaching 102% of our overall fund goal for a total of $528,616 – an 8.8% increase from the previous year An average gift of $315 – an increase of $35 over last year 100% participation among our faculty and staff, Alumni Board and Board of Trustees Nearly 60% of our Chaminade parents supported the Chaminade Fund
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Our alumni achieved 114% of their overall goal led by sixty-seven lead donors, who made gifts of $1,000 or more Alumni participation among the graduating class years was also very impressive with six classes eclipsing 50% and twenty-five classes reaching at least 20%!
Please visit the Support Chaminade section of our website to see a participation breakdown of these generous and supportive classes and parent donors. Congratulations and THANK YOU to all who supported the Chaminade Fund last year! We are most grateful for your continued commitment to our Catholic, Marianist mission!
Online Shopping
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haminade is pleased to launch its new Online Store, offering customized items that feature your favorite sports team or activity. You can customize any of more than forty items with a Chaminade logo and your favorite sports team (i.e. Football, Soccer, Swimming, etc.) or activity (i.e. Band, Drama, Marianist Life, etc.). We also offer the option for you to customize items with Chaminade Alumni, Grandma, Grandpa, Mom or Dad! The store will be open 24/7, 365 days a year to allow you to order any customized items for any occasion – to kick off a new season, for birthday and Christmas gifts, and more. You can access the store on the homepage or on the Spirit Store page on Chaminade’s website. The sport or activity logo that you select will be embroidered on the left chest. You will also have the option of adding a second logo (Red Devil, Chaminade Medallion or Player's Number) to your item for an additional fee. All items will be shipped free of charge to Chaminade and you can pick them up in the Spirit Store during their regular hours or you can choose to have your items shipped directly to your home for an additional shipping fee. All proceeds will be used to enhance the learning experience for all Chaminade students. If you have any questions, please contact Michelle Ostermueller, 314-692-6656 or mostermueller@chaminade-stl.com.
Celebrate Chaminade
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ll alumni, family and friends are invited to campus to celebrate Chaminade’s storied history. This night also honors our reunion classes (those years ending in 4 or 9). Dinner and drinks are provided to all who attend. Join your classmates, teammates, family, and friends. Renew old acquaintances, meet fellow alumni and enjoy being back at Chaminade. Make plans to join us at this year’s Celebrate Chaminade event sponsored by Alumni Relations. Friday, October 10, 2014 BBQ dinner beginning at 5 p.m. Chaminade Atrium Varsity Football takes on Cape Central at 7 p.m. Don Ohlms '53 Field Meet members of the Sports Hall of Fame
CABN
Chaminade Alumni Business Network
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he Chaminade Alumni Business Network (CABN) has thrived since its founding in 2012. The goal of CABN is to create a networking environment for alumni to nurture their personal and business growth while supporting that of the Chaminade community. Under the leadership of their Advisory Council, which includes Craig Palubiak ’73, Ted Ruzicka ’80, Bernie Schweiss ’80, Mike Basler ’81, Frank Ruzicka ’82 and Steve Palubiak ’05, CABN is now extending an invitation to all current and past parents and grandparents to join them at their events. “CABN’s new broader scope to include Chaminade parents as attendees and speakers is exciting for us and will make the network even stronger,” says Craig Palubiak ’73, one of the founding members of CABN. For more information on CABN’s calendar of events, please visit the CABN page online under Alumni. Make plans to attend a CABN event this year. Future dates are December 4, March 26, and May 14.
CHAMINADE
Alumni Business Network (CABN) Presents:
St. Louis Regional Economic Outlook Thursday, October 9, 2014 7:30 - 9 a.m. Skip Viragh Center for the Arts
Moderator: Peter Sheahan ’82,
NAI Desco Commercial | Principal and Owner Panelists:
Chris Chivetta ’80, Hastings+Chivetta | Principal Bill Corrigan ’77, Armstrong Teasdale | Partner Michael Gallagher, past parent, AccentureManaging | Director Steve Smith ’74, The Lawrence Group | Founding Principal and CEO Admission is free – Reservations are preferred Please RSVP online Contact Maureen Herrmann if you have any questions, 314-692-6717 or mherrmann@chaminade-stl.com
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Welcome Home Paul & Chris
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haminade proudly welcomed Paul Stastny ’04 and Chris Butler ’05 back to campus for a surprise visit at an all-school assembly in the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts. Earlier this summer, it was announced that the Chaminade hockey alumni were coming home to play for the St. Louis Blues. The Chaminade student body was unknowingly treated to a surprise, star-studded event slated as an all-school assembly to review the details of their new block schedule. They were pleasantly surprised to see Chris Kerber, the Blues radio play-by-play broadcaster, poised to interview Blues Head Coach Ken Hitchcock and General Manager Doug Armstrong. A few minutes into the interview, Kerber teed up a video highlighting the homecoming of two of Chaminade’s own to play for the St. Louis Blues. The video featuring Phillip Phillip’s song, “Home” set the tone of the event with emotional shots of St. Louis landmarks, Scottrade Center, footage of their NHL careers, vintage shots of their days in Chaminade Hockey and the Chaminade campus. It ended with a slide exclaiming “Welcome Home Paul and Chris.” Kerber then invited the students to get out their cell phones for “something big!” Much to the surprise and excitement of the 810 Chaminade students, Paul Stastny and Chris Butler were waiting in the wings donning Chaminade Red Devil hockey jerseys. The Chaminade Fight Song blared and red strobe lights panned the audience. The students knew that something amazing was about to happen. Stastny and Butler rushed into the audience, high fiving and fist bumping students and teachers all the way down the aisle until they reached the stage and joined Kerber, Hitchcock
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and Armstrong. The students went wild with excitement and were on their feet cheering, clapping, hooting, taking pictures with their phones and Tweeting to #WeAreChaminade and posting to Instagram, Vine, Snapchat, and Facebook. When the crowd finally quieted, Kerber invited Doug Butler, Chris’ dad, to join them on stage. They talked about what it meant to their family to have their son playing for the home team. The crowd couldn’t help but notice that Mr. Butler had something in his lap. To their surprise and delight, he presented Chris and Paul with their new St. Louis Blues jerseys. Paul and Chris removed their Chaminade jerseys to don their new Blues jerseys. Everyone cheered at the sight of these Chaminade alumni – the latest professional athletes to call St. Louis home. But it wasn’t over yet and Kerber had another surprise. He called Ellis Burgett ’15 and Luke Radetic ’16, members of the Chaminade
Red Devil Hockey Team, to come forward to receive their Chaminade hockey jerseys from Paul Stastny and Chris Butler! Once again, the students erupted as Ellis and Luke ran to the stage to meet the hockey stars. The presentation ended with an epic group selfie featuring Paul, and Chris with the entire Chaminade student body gathered in the background. Special guests in attendance to join Paul and Chris for their homecoming included Chaminade’s Board of Trustees Chair, Mark Heffernan ’82, and several members of the Chaminade Hockey Board - President Matt Hrubes ’91, Chris Coulter ’92, and former teammates Joe Radetic and Tom Brooks ’04. Also attending were several members of the Blues front office, including Chairman and Governor Tom Stillman. Chaminade extends its thanks to the St. Louis Blues organization for graciously hosting this event and to John Eilermann ’82, whose leadership was instrumental in making this event possible. Paul Stastny, a center, accepted a four-year offer to join the St. Louis Blues over as many as a dozen other offers from around the league. He has been entrenched for a decade in Colorado with the Colorado
Avalanche and Denver University prior to that, but the son and younger brother of two former Blues players chose to return to his roots. Stastny will wear his Hockey Hall of Fame father, Peter’s #26 when he takes the ice for the season opener Oct. 9 at Scottrade Center. “I wanted to go somewhere I was comfortable with and somewhere I know the lay of the land a little bit,” Stastny, said. “I was in a good position. I had good teams interested in me. I think in the end, you almost have to take a step back, take all of the emotions out of it and try to realize what’s best for me hockey-wise, not just next year, but two or three or four years down
the road. My family and I thought that going to St. Louis would probably be the best hockey decision for me.” With Paul’s signing, the Stastny family will be the first trio in franchise history to play for the same organization. Peter Stastny finished his Hall of Fame career after playing twenty-three games with the Blues covering the 1993-94 and 199495 seasons; Yan Stastny suited up in fifty games from 2007-10 and Paul will begin his career with the Blues this season. There are five other fatherson combos who have both worn the Blue Note. A two-time Olympian for the United States, Stastny had twenty-five goals and sixty points for the Colorado Avalanche last season and five goals and ten points in seven playoff games. He has played eight seasons in the NHL. Chris Butler, a defenseman, will wear #25 this season for the Blues after signing a twoway contract, meaning he will be paid an NHL salary when he’s on the Blues’ roster and a minor-league salary if he’s assigned to the club’s American Hockey League affiliate in Chicago. Chris signed his contract two weeks after Paul
agreed to a four-year contract with his home team, “It’s pretty exciting,” Butler said, “getting the opportunity to put on the jersey that I’ve watched ever since I was a little kid, the jersey that I was watching when I fell in love with hockey.” Butler, who was drafted by Buffalo in the fourth round of the 2005 NHL Draft, has played six seasons in the NHL. He was traded to Calgary from Buffalo in 2011 and has spent the past three seasons with the Flames.
Fall Sports Preview 2014
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he fall athletic teams opened with their first practice at the beginning of August. Cross country, football, soccer, and swimming each began preparation for their upcoming seasons, which began at the end of August and continues into November. In cross country, Coach Matt Crutchfield will be entering his fourth season as head coach. He will be assisted by his new coach, John Kelly. This year’s roster features seven returning seniors and nine juniors. The cross country team opened their season on August 28, at Parkway Central. Second year head coach Antoine Torrey will lead the relatively young varsity football team as they enter the season with high hopes. In addition to many other assistant coaches, Doug Taylor has returned to the sideline to help
Coach Torrey. The team will be led by seniors Dominique Bobo, Sam Frelich, Max Wilhelm, Mark Gorman, Cramon Mays, Brennan Drury, and Tommy Grossman. They opened their season on Friday, August 22 with a 50 – 7 victory over Mehlville High School, despite the fact that thirteen players did not dress due to various injuries. In soccer, Mike Gauvain begins his twentyseventh year as the head coach of the Red Devils with a roster that includes fourteen seniors. The varsity squad opened their season at home with an impressive 3 – 0 victory over SLUH. Kevin Brennan ’71 is starting his fortieth year at Chaminade, although not all of them have been spent coaching the varsity swim team. Coach Brennan’s team will be led by seven
seniors and eleven juniors. With the addition of a few of the resident students, varsity hopes to have several swimmers qualify for state again during the 2014 season. The swim team opened at home on August 27 against De Smet. The highlight of the meet was TJ Halliburton ‘17 who set a new pool record in the 100 backstroke. TJ’s time of 52.09 replaces the old record of 52.97 set by Scott Jostes ‘07 in 2006 Games are scheduled for teams in every division. Schedules, results, highlights, and access to CSPN are available to every member of the Chaminade Family online at Chaminade-stl. org. Follow the Red Devil Athletes as they battle opponents on the field, around the track, on the pitch, and in the water.
Sports Hall of Fame
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ominations for the 2015 Chaminade Sports Hall of Fame are now being accepted! Visit chaminade-stl.org to submit your nomination online or to download a printable nomination form. The deadline for nominations is October 15, 2014. Save the date for the Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at The Skip on April 11, 2015.
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Arctic Summer
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hat did you do with your summer vacation? The pool? The beach? A trip to visit family? Sixth grade science teacher John Kelly probably has one of the most unique answers to the summer vacation question. He traveled above the Arctic Circle for four weeks. John joined a team of researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Washington to begin a three year study on freshwater inputs to the Arctic Ocean from the Canadian Archipelago (a stretch of water containing many islands). The Small Canadian Arctic River Flows (SCARFs) project will measure the amount of freshwater flowing into the Arctic Ocean from small rivers in northern Canada. These measurements are important because it is the least studied and most uncertain variable in the Arctic freshwater system. The SCARFs project is run by the Integrated Laboratories for Earth and Planetary Sciences (ILEPS) at Northwestern with the assistance of a National Science Foundation grant. ILEPS, headed by Dr. Andrew Jacobson, is considered one of the top labs of its kind in the country. This project has the opportunity to fill in significant gaps in scientific knowledge about the Arctic Ocean and the contributions of small Canadian rivers to the overall volume of freshwater entering the Arctic Circle. The study’s purpose is to obtain a chemical fingerprint that can be used to determine where the water from this and other rivers goes once it enters the Arctic Ocean. Density differences limit the ability of freshwater and saltwater to dilute each other. The freshwater is typically what freezes and creates the ice cap on top of the saltwater ocean.
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Together with project researchers Dr. Matt Alkire, Dr. Robie MacDonald, and PhD candidate Greg Lehn, John packed, carried, transferred, and carted several bags and boxes worth of equipment and collection containers through Canadian customs in Edmonton, on to Yellowknife and eventually to the tiny hamlet of Kugluktuk in the province of Nunavut. A quick Google search of Kugluktuk provides some interesting statistics. It has “a tundra climate, characterized by sub-freezing mean annual temperatures, large temperature ranges throughout the year, and moderately low precipitation.” In fact, the average high temperature in July is only 51F. Trees don’t thrive in Kugluktuk. The town’s population is 1,450 – Chaminade’s student body would make up over half the town! Temperatures, sunlight, and rocky ground mean vegetation must be hardy. Even in July, large sheets of ice can still cover Coronation Bay.
Kugluktuk is a town of about 1,450 people nestled between low-lying hills and the Coppermine River. The word ‘Kugluktuk’ means ‘place of moving water.’ The root for this name, ‘kugluk,’ means ‘waterfall.’ So why such a small and isolated place? The town sits on the coast of the Arctic Ocean. That makes it ideal for gauging how far the freshwater river infiltrates the salty seawater and vice versa. The water is also much less likely to be contaminated by industry and large civilizations. Friendly people abound in small towns! The tight-knit community supports friends and neighbors much the way a family would. It’s not uncommon for fishermen to give a portion of their catch to the local Hunter and Trapper Organization. The HTO then prepares and freezes the fish, mostly arctic char, for distribution to community members in need. It was with the help of this group that John and Greg found guides and volunteers to aid their efforts over the summer. Through conversations with members of the HTO, John and Greg, along with researchers Matt and Robie, explained their goals and learned
about the small changes that have occurred in the general weather patterns in Kugluktuk. The people of Kugluktuk have observed many changes in their town with the weather, climate, and timing of events. These anecdotal changes provide a picture of an ecosystem that is rapidly changing and unpredictable. They emphasized that it is very important to them to see the Coppermine River protected and they want to better understand the changes occurring in Kugluktuk.
The river showed the extremes of the region – only days prior to their arrival, the Coppermine River was several meters higher due to the river breaking up upstream and the accompanying ice and freshwater flows. John enjoys spending time outdoors and hiking. He was able to indulge in a wilderness that is unique to the top of the world. Walking around the town, across the river delta, along the beach, up and down the hills, and through the muddy riverbanks gave him a fresh perspective on an environment few of us have the mettle for. It’s a big job that will go on for a long time. John and the team left collection materials with the HTO and their new friends so samples can continue to be gathered through the summer melt season, providing a more complete picture of the river chemistry. Read John’s blog of his trip at biologybites.com
Esto Vir Auction
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ast year’s event was the best EVER – together we raised net proceeds of $247,896 for the young men who attend Chaminade. We are grateful to all of the auction donors, sponsors, advertisers, volunteers and guests who helped make the Esto Vir Auction 2014 such a success. Mark your calendars now to attend what will most assuredly be 2015’s “Party of the Year!” Saturday, March 7, 2015 at the Frontenac Hilton! A wish list and complete listing of available sponsorship opportunities will be available soon on the Chaminade website. For more information, contact Michelle Renner, Director of Advancement Services, 314-692-6623 or mrenner@chaminade-stl.com.
Saturday, March 7, 2015 Frontenac Hilton The event last March was well attended!
Matt & Tracie Hendricks
Mike Hoover, Chris Chivetta, Matt Geekie, Jim O’Shea, Craig Wehrmann, Kevin Lyons, and Dan Behlmann - Class of 1980
Michelle Ostermueller, Michele Carter, Katie Reed and Michelle Dean
Christine Conley, Mary Lynn Wilhelm and Cindy Drury
Jerry & Lesa Keeven
John & Theresa Vella
Charlene Barlow, Ted Ruzicka ’80 and Cindy Piephoff
Mary Johnes and Vicki Gamma
Mary Lynn Wilhelm, Norm Conley, and Lenwood Anthon
Debra & John Herber and Anne & Chris ’80 Chivetta
Lisa Eilermann and Carol Schwartz
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Profiles
Getting to Know the Chaminade Family Dick Boyles ’56
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ick Boyles would be the first to tell you that he was not an outstanding student with the best grades, but that he certainly benefited from the encouragement and support of his family and the brothers who taught him at Chaminade. In fact, “terrible in school” is the way he puts it, but thanks to his father’s example of working through any problems, his good line of “baloney” and great sense of humor, he became a successful businessman. Interestingly enough, he can also credit Chaminade with making the connection of his life to his wife, Colonel Joann H. Boyles. When they first met in Chicago the subject came up that Dick attended CCP and Jo was amazed as her father, grandfather and four uncles had also attended as boarding students. In those days (the 1930s), resident students were housed on the fourth floor of Chaminade Hall, and as they followed each other year to year their sleeping quarters became known as the “Hummert Room.” Dick’s donation history to Chaminade began in the 80s with gifts solicited through the Alumni Phonathon. After the untimely death of
Jo in 2004, Dick requested donations be made to Chaminade, which he would match, in lieu of flowers. Over 400 friends and family members attended her funeral and afterwards Dick said jokingly, “I was just kidding about matching the money.” Everyone’s generosity resulted in the establishment of the Colonel Joann H. Boyles Scholarship in honor of her very full life as a volunteer, nurse and her service in the Air Force. The scholarship is designed to assist a student whose parents are active duty military personnel. A few years later, Dick decided to honor his parents, Robert and Marguerite, with a scholarship recognizing their dedication to education, volunteerism and hard work. The Robert and Marguerite Boyles Memorial Scholarship specifically includes in its parameters the recipient demonstrates “great potential and excellent grades in math courses.” Last year, Dick established his third endowed scholarship, The Richard W. Boyles ‘56 Scholarship. Although slightly uncomfortable with a scholarship bearing his own name, Dick felt that it was important to continue providing support for deserving students at Chaminade.
Because he and Jo had no children, Dick plans to continue his philanthropy in support of his alma mater. He is a longtime supporter and plans to continue contributing to and establishing scholarships at CCP so other students will have the same positive experience that he did. When asked what message Dick would deliver to current young Chaminade gentlemen Dick said, “Never give up. The Lord gave all of us gifts and traits and we need to take advantage of them, then you will be successful. You may not even recognize what those skills and talents are at a young age but they are there and if you use them you will be successful in life.”
Tommy Rudawsky ’15, O’Donnell House Captain
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et me just start by saying that simply put, I absolutely love this school. I have been at Chaminade since sixth grade and I have enjoyed my time here more than you could ever imagine. I am very proud of where I go to school. Anytime someone asks me where I go, I sort of stick my chest out and say “Chaminade College Prep” with great pride in my heart. This school has been so instrumental in who I am as a person today. I have learned so much from the faculty here, and I have experienced many great times with my classmates. I am excited for senior year and I am very excited to go to college, but I am NOT excited to leave this great place. To be 100% honest, I think that I will be very emotional on my graduation day. I am just so thankful to this school for all that it’s been for me, and I love this place with all that I am. I want to talk about a very important part of “We Are Chaminade,” and that’s the alumni all over the world representing
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Chaminade proudly. Currently in the NBA, we have David Lee and Bradley Beal, who have both graduated from here within the last fifteen years. And they are NBA Stars. This past summer, the Blues signed Paul Stastny and Chris Butler, two CCP alumni. And I can’t forget Ben Bishop, another Chaminade guy who is a phenomenal young goaltender for the Tampa Bay Lightning. In soccer, 2001 grad Brad Davis represented Chaminade proudly when he started for the U.S. Men’s National Team this summer in their game against Germany. These are the Chaminade grads just in the world of sports that make us all so proud. But Chaminade doesn’t just have graduates that succeed in athletics, we have many alumni who currently work here, and they excel at what they do every day. An example of this is Mr. Andrew Schmitt ’95, who is a freshman and sophomore social studies teacher that electrifies this school every day with his passion to make Chaminade a great place. If you’re ever just walking in the halls and you hear a loud noise, or if you hear someone talking very loudly, it’s probably Mr. Schmitt. The passion that he has for this school is inspiring, and it’s why he is a perfect example
of “We Are Chaminade.” Another CCP alumnus who works here that is great at what he does is Mr. Eric Burdge ’89, who is a high school math teacher and one of the O’Donnell House deans. Simply put, he is a very nice man, who cares deeply about the Chaminade community and strives to make this school the very best it can be. He is a coach, a teacher, a dean, and is overall a huge presence within the Chaminade Family. These are just a couple examples of the many alumni we have that still do great things here at Chaminade. Not only athletes and teachers, but entrepreneurs, doctors, actors, lawyers, priests, and many other fields of work are being occupied by hard-working Chaminade graduates. It is so cool to me when I meet someone who has graduated from here in the past, because no matter who they are or what they do, I feel an instant connection to them. There is an unwavering bond that ties all Chaminade students together, and that is the Chaminade brotherhood. This is such a unique feature of this school, and it’s why the mantra of “We Are Chaminade” is perfect, because we are one brotherhood, and altogether, We Are Chaminade.
Bro. Jim Eppy, S.M.
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n 1983, Bro. Jim Eppy, S.M. began his tenure at Chaminade at the age of twenty-two. At the time, he was the youngest of the thirty-four Marianists living and working at the school. He chose education as a career because he enjoyed virtually all of his own school experiences. He liked high school and being part of a school community. Working with teenagers has always been energizing for Bro. Eppy. Bro. Eppy points to the boarding program and the middle school as two aspects that make Chaminade stand out amongst Marianist schools.
“Chaminade’s long, interesting, and welldocumented history also make it noteworthy. I have been part of that history for thirty years and have spent almost my entire adult life living and working at Chaminade. That’s what makes it so special to me.” In Bro. Eppy’s time at Chaminade there have been many changes – schedules, technology, and buildings, to name a few. But for him, the most striking has been the transition to a faculty and staff made up almost entirely of lay people. Today there are three professed religious on staff, and he is the only teaching Brother. “I never imagined that this is how the school would evolve, but in fact things are working well. I enjoy teaching in the company of my former students and my many good friends on the faculty. “I see how the boys grow and benefit every day from the many good things their parents do for them. Children are precious gifts not only to their parents but to all of us; we need to give them our best self.”
He has some simple advice for his students, past and present: “Work hard; be honest; give generously.” Bro. Eppy’s math classes are incredibly challenging and he accepts nothing but the highest effort from his pupils. His dedication to the students is apparent, and much appreciated by both his students and their parents. Many graduates come back and praise his rigorous calculus and geometry classes as a tremendous preparation for college. And while their college courses are far from easy, the processes and techniques they learn in classes like Bro. Eppy’s prepare them to meet the challenges brought before them. His effect on students can be felt years after they leave the classroom: “I think Bro. Eppy was my favorite professor. The enthusiasm he had teaching was something I always remember. My brother’s the same way and we still talk about him here and there,” said Paul Statsny ’04.
the Chaminade mission, too. Their son, David, graduated from Chaminade in ’05, and together the LeGrand family has embraced the Marianist values. Through the years Larry has served on the Board of Trustees, actively participated in the Fathers’ Club and has provided significant financial support to sustain the Chaminade mission. As a member of the Board of Trustees, Larry often met with John and developed their business bond and lasting friendship. Dot has
also been a wonderful CCP volunteer and has been instrumental in re-establishing the Alumni Mothers’ Club this year. The partnership between John Shinn and the LeGrands goes well beyond the formation of the scholarship. Oftentimes, Dot receives either an email or phone call from John sharing updates regarding his work and family life. She recognizes that John is a hardworking young man who demonstrated great potential – even at an early age. His admiration for Larry is deeply appreciated and very touching to both Larry and Dot. They strongly feel the scholarship is a small, yet meaningful way to provide financial assistance for Chaminade students. It is truly the “gift that keeps on giving.”
The Larry LeGrand Entrepreneurial Scholarship
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everal years ago, John Shinn ’81 established a scholarship in gratitude for a wonderful Chaminade mentor and friend. The Larry LeGrand Entrepreneurial Scholarship is awarded to a Chaminade junior who is acamdically sound and participates in extracurricular activities. In addition, the student has an entrepreneurial vision and demonstrates good citizenship in the classroom and in the community. John, president and founder of PPS Plus in Biloxi, Mississippi, is a successful alumnus who is grateful for his education and inspired by a fellow member of the Chaminade Family. His respect and admiration for Larry LeGrand is one small way John feels he can pay it forward. As for Larry and his wife, Dot, they are tremendous ambassadors for
Dot & Larry LeGrand
The Shinn Family (John, far right)
Alumni Mothers’ Club
T
he Chaminade Alumni Mothers’ Club provides opportunities for all moms whose sons have graduated from Chaminade to gather, socialize and reconnect with the Chaminade Family. Their mission is to continue the Family Spirit of Chaminade with Alumni Moms through enrichment, social, prayer and community service activities. The group will be led by Barbara Kruse, President; Kathy Fritz, Secretary; Dot LeGrand, Treasurer; and Mary Jo O’Connell-By-Laws and Communications. Whether your son graduated in 1974, 1994 or May 2014, you are a member of this active and supportive group! We hope that you will participate in any or all of the fun activities planned this year in support of the Family Spirit that is and always has been Chaminade!
Halloween Care Package Party for College Freshman – Class of 2014 Moms, October 23, Linda Verseman’s Home Chaminade Mothers’ Club Annual Fashion Show, October 30, 5:30–9:30 p.m., Skip Viragh Center Alumni Moms’ Bunco Night, November 5, Chaminade Atrium Alumni Moms’ Christmas Collection for Fr. Dempsey’s, Date and Time TBD Mothers’ Club Christmas Luncheon, December 12,10:30–1:30 p.m. – Forest Hills Country Club Moms’ Night Out at Chaminade, January 28, 7 – 9 p.m. – Chaminade Atrium Valentine Care Package Party for College Freshmen – Class of 2014 Moms, February 5, Angela Forte’s Home Private Tour and Lunch at the Art Museum, March 25 Mothers’ Club Morning of Reflection, March 27 8 a.m. – 12p.m., Skip Viragh Center 2nd Annual Chaminade Alumni Moms’ Welcome Back Spring Luncheon, April 29, Skip Viragh Center For more information about any of these programs, please visit the Alumni Moms’ page on the Chaminade website, which can be found under Alumni. All Chaminade Alumni Moms are welcome to join us! Contact Barbara Kruse, 314-984-8967. ESTO VIR - 19
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Celebrating Our Tradition Chaminade’s Vibrant History
Since 1910, autumn has brought students (left, 1910) and football (above, 1928-1929) to Chaminade.
“Teaching is only a means that we employ to complete our mission that is, to educate in Faith...” -Blessed William Joseph Chaminade