Featuring Top Chef Masters WINNER Douglas Keane ’89
Winter 2013
Falcon Once a
THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE
NEW STAFF CULINARY ALUMNI
HOMECOMING RING DAY
HIGH SCHOOL MISSION
Divine Child High School is a Catholic high school centered in Gospel values and Christian tradition. The school is rooted in a long-standing tradition of excellence and in an educational partnership with students, parents and the community. We are committed to providing opportunities that nurture each student’s academic, creative, social and spiritual growth. We are dedicated to developing youth who pursue lives of responsibility, leadership and faith in action.
Divine Child Alumni Association
Board Officers: President: Cheryl (Oros) Nelson ‘75 Vice Pres: Natalie Noeske ‘82 Treasurer: Mike Vecchioni ‘72 Secretary: position open Member Jennifer Topolski ‘85 at Large: alumnioffice@divinechildhighschool.org Contact us: 1055 N. Silvery Lane Dearborn, MI 48128 Kristin (Szpunar) Hermann ‘89 Director of Advancement 313.216.0893 khermann@divinechild.org Scott Dickey ‘85 Alumni Relations Coordinator and Editor 313.216.0892 dickey@divinechild.org Contributors: Rev. James Bilot, Mary Blicharz, Sr. Cecilia Bondy, Denise Brewis, Bob Bush, Tony DeMare, Paul Egan, Detroit News, John Gallager, Detroit Free Press, Kathryn Hinbern, Kristin (Szpunar) Hermann ‘89, Kathi Koehler, Peggy (Soma) Knuth ‘72, Karen Kruszka, Donna (Marchetti) Kuczajda ‘88, Daniel Lai, Dearborn Patch, Ruth Malhalab, Michael Martinez, Detroit News, John McTaggart, Dearborn Patch, Patricia Montemurri, Detroit Free Press, Marilyn O’Brien, Emily Owens, J. Patrick Pepper, Dearborn Press & Guide, Karen Pritchard, Jude Ripley, Scott Salowich, Dearborn Press & Guide, Matt Saxer, Sue Suchyta, Times-Herald News, Ricardo Thomas, Detroit News.
OUR HERITAGE
Since 1950, the Church of the Divine Child has been a strong Catholic presence in Dearborn and today remains one of the largest and most vibrant Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit, serving over 2,500 member families. Together, Divine Child Elementary School, founded in 1953, and Divine Child High School, founded in 1958, have grown to host the largest co-educational Catholic school enrollment in Michigan. With a heritage spanning 55 years, Divine Child High School has imparted “goodness with knowledge” to generations of students and continues to provide a Catholic education emphasizing spiritual, academic, athletic, social and creative excellence. Nearly 10,000 alumni have gone forward to build success on these values. Today, approximately 825 Divine Child High School students enjoy the opportunity to study numerous academic disciplines, compete in 25 sports, and participate in many extracurricular activities, all built on a strong spiritual foundation.
LET’S HEAR FROM YOU! Share your thoughts and photos with us and you could be published! Contact us on Facebook, twitter or by email: alumnioffice@divinechildhighschool.org.
For inclusion in the Summer 2014 issue, please submit updates and articles no later than 5/15/14. If sending photos, please provide original electronic files. Send raw or uncompressed TIF or high resolution JPG as an attachment. All content submitted becomes Divine Child property and may be edited prior to publication.
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twitter.com/DivineChildSch
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HAVE YOU MOVED?
We are constantly striving to keep our database up-to-date. If you’ve moved, please contact us:
alumnioffice@ divinechildhighschool.org
Falcon Always a
table of contents winter 2013
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11
High School News
High School Athletics
16
19
Featured Alumni
Alumni News
IN THIS ISSUE 4
Message - Pastor and Principal
16
Feature Stories
5
High School News
19
Alumni News
11
High School Athletics
21
Alumni Reunions and Events
14
Advancement Updates
24 Calendar of Events
Once a Falcon magazine is published semi-annually by the Divine Child Alumni Association for graduates, parents of graduates and friends of Divine Child High School. www.divinechildhighschool.org
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Message from the
PASTOR Dear Alumni,
With the gift of the New Year upon us, we start to think about our future and the year ahead. If you take a moment to think about this past Christmas time, you may have come up with a common denominator: relationships. God gave us the gift of His Son, Jesus, to open the way to Salvation. Through our relationship with the Lord Jesus, we come to
Message from the
Once A Falcon
the presence of God was evident or not. These two examples are just reminders that we need Divine Child High School to bring Christ into our world every day! Thank you for being proud alumni of Divine Child High School! Please continue to support our wonderful school, as we continue to “pay it forward” with the gift of Catholic education! I wish all of you good health, happiness and the gift of hope and God’s peace this New Year! Fr. Jim Bilot Pastor
PRINCIPAL
When you receive this magazine, we will have already begun the New Year. For right now, we have just entered the Advent season. I am pleased to see how our students are once again preparing their hearts for Jesus. We are first and foremost a faith community and, at this time of year, the Gospel story of the Nativity frames our understanding of why God became man for us and for our salvation. Divine Child Church and Schools gathered the first Sunday of Advent for the traditional Tree Lighting Ceremony, and I already see evidence of lives ablaze with the joy of the Good News. It is evident in the spirited performance of the 4
know the depth and meaning of life and how important our faith in God is to determine our life’s path. I pray and hope that your time at Divine Child High School helped to build the foundation for your relationship with the Lord, for He is the source of all life. We have many children in our school and we strive to bring the Lord and His mystery into every classroom. Living our faith doesn’t just happen when we go to Church or religion class. Our science teachers instill the value of life and the power of healing of the body through science. Our history teachers show how history may have been altered depending on whether
Winter 2013
fall play that drew record crowds, the packed gymnasium for our fall sports assembly, and the hundreds of Falcons volunteering in their communities as part of our Pledge: Faith in Action campaign. The new evangelization is inspiring this generation of Falcons to identify as the “called and sent Church.” I share these snapshots of Divine Child High School today because I believe that our traditions of service above self and excellence in the classroom and on the field are unbroken. When I observe our faculty members using the latest technology to challenge students to think critically, I remember the care and attention that the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters gave my classmates and me several years ago when the tools at their disposal were chalkboard and chalk. Irrespective of the tools, our learning environment has always been defined by its strong
emphasis on measurable performance of skills. As our seniors continue to share the competitive scholarships they have earned and the selective admissions they have been offered, evidence of the quantifiable value of a DC education mounts. I realize that I am preaching to the choir to a certain extent because Falcon alumni have already experienced the return on investment of a DCHS education. Speaking for myself and my two children who are also graduates, I can attest from personal experience to the Catholic Identity that Divine Child instills, the confidence that it inspires and the faith that it nurtures. For this and so much more, I am grateful to this community. Together, we prepare the Way. Have a Blessed New Year, Peggy (Soma) Knuth ‘72 Principal
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
Divine Child National Honor Society Eighteen new members, including four seniors and fourteen juniors, were inducted into the Divine Child National Honor Society (DC NHS). Throughout the summer, DC NHS Executive Board Members Lindsey Brewis, Justin Dolkowski, Jack Mazur, Joe Moss, Sheila Nicolin, and Adam Rauh, along with NHS Adviser, Mrs. Kaye Campagnoli, and the 23 other current NHS members, planned and are currently executing various events including: • • • • • • •
Book Sales Help-A-Teacher Project (assist teachers with classroom set-up) Host the “Frosh Slosh” (dance for incoming freshmen) “Falcon Help” (tutor elementary and grade school students) Host two American Red Cross Blood Drives Collection of eye glasses for Lions Club of Dearborn Heights Upcoming: Service project to create awareness of childhood cancer
All juniors and seniors with a GPA of 3.7 or higher are invited to submit their paperwork and become part of the DC NHS selection process. New membership selection for the National Honor Society takes place in late September. The DC NHS meets twice per month.
Dearborn Symphony Instrumental Music Scholarships Congratulations to this year’s winners of the Dearborn Symphony Instrumental Music Scholarships. Recipients from the Divine Child Community include: Jessica Lesinski, Ayla Wing, Mariah Berryman, Jenni Lentz, Noah Welker, John Biscaro, John Orischak, Patrick Berryman, Jonathan Lesinski and Christian Walters.
DC Teen Attends Stratford Summer Camp Maddie Kaplan, a freshman at Divine Child High School, spent a week this summer in Ontario, Canada, as a participant at the Stratford Festival Shakespeare School. As a member of the Queen’s Company, designed for eighth and ninth grade students, she focused on Shakespearean text, voice and movement. She honed these skills through classes, workshops, discussions, rehearsals, and attendance at four professional Stratford productions, including “The Merchant of Venice” and “Romeo and Juliet.” The application process is competitive, requiring essay questions and three recommendations. Kaplan said she learned a lot about auditioning, onstage partnering skills, and how to read and speak Shakespearean works. “The most valuable things I learned are that concentration is key for a successful performance and how important the first step through a door can be for a successful audition,” Kaplan said. Kaplan also enjoyed a backstage tour of Stratford’s Festival Theatre. The weeklong camp culminated in a workshop performance of selections from “King Lear,” with Kaplan playing Cordelia, Lear’s youngest daughter. She recommends the weeklong camp to other aspiring thespians. www.divinechildhighschool.org
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HIGH SCHOOL NEWS The annual tradition at Divine Child continued as Juniors had their class rings blessed during a prayer service by Fr. Bilot and Fr. Bechill on October 11, 2013. Seminarian Tim Horst gave the reflection. Seniors wore their graduation gowns for the first time.
Spanish Club
Spanish Club kicked off the school year in September with a “Churro Chat,” in which students learned how to make authentic churros and chatted about Spanish Club t-shirts. In October, the club observed Mexico’s Día de Los Muertos holiday with a field trip to the Detroit Institute of Arts to see the special exhibit honoring this celebration. In November, Spanish Club won the annual World Cup soccer tournament sponsored by the school’s German Club. The club moderator is Ms. Kathryn Hinbern and the Officers are Hailee Zahreddine and Caryn Murray. ¡Viva el español! 6
Once A Falcon
Winter 2013
Junior Ring Day
Divine Child High School Link Crew The Link Crew is a Divine Child High School transition program that increases freshman success. Members of the junior and senior class are trained to be year-long Link Leaders who act as positive role models, motivators, mentors and teachers helping guide the freshmen to discover what it takes to be successful during this pivotal transition to high school. The Divine Child High School Class of 2017 was locked out of the gym by upper-classmen on August 21, but there was no need to report the incident to school staff. Waiting inside the gym was an enthusiastic and surprisingly loud welcome from the Link Crew and staff for the fledgling Seniors Ronnie Noonan and Jennifer Lentz Falcons. Freshmen walked through the “gauntlet,� a human tunnel extending across the floor in which leaders offered words of encouragement to make the younger students feel comfortable in their new surroundings. The welcome assembly kicked off a day of group activities focused on positive messages and getting acquainted with classmates, schedules and teachers. After the initial freshman orientation, the Link Crew sponsored a Freshman Tailgate prior to a football game, Frosh Homecoming activities, Scary Movie Night, Turkey Trot and a 100 scoop ice cream sundae after the first quarter marking period. Other events include the Christmas Link Contest and the Cram with Cocoa study sessions prior to the first semester examinations. Our Link Leaders are here to provide daily support to our freshmen academically, spiritually and socially.
DC Enrollment, Interest Increase Divine Child High School opened its doors this year to 824 students which is 30 more students than last year. Our freshman class, the Class of 2017, has 224 students. Did you know: * Our students attended 84 different schools before enrolling at DCHS. * Our students live in 47 different zip codes throughout the metro area. * Our families attend 42 different Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit. * 15% of our students are students of color (Asian-American, Hispanic, African-American, multiracial, etc.). As you can see, students come from all over the area to attend high school at Divine Child. Interest in the school continues to grow. We saw a 35% increase in the number of prospective students attending our annual Discovery Day and we have a 32% increase in the number of eighth graders applying to Divine Child High School for freshman year as their first choice! Many of our families are thrilled with the academic, spiritual, athletic, social and creative programs we offer. If you have a son or daughter who would be interested in attending Divine Child High School, please contact Matt Saxer, Director of Admissions, at msaxer@divinechild.org, or 313.216.0891 x268. Eighth graders can shadow for a day most school days, and seventh graders may shadow in the Spring. We also offer many athletic camps and enrichment programs in the summer months to students as young as third or fourth grade. A number of families are finding out that our Divine Child Elementary School gives many students a head start towards the high school. If you have a child who is of elementary or middle school age who might want to enroll in our elementary school, please contact Matt for more information. Elementary and middle school applications are now being accepted. Divine Child Elementary School now offers a new kindergarten program which is receiving rave reviews!
WINTER OPEN HOUSE Sunday, February 9, 2 - 4 p.m. Prospective families may preview our elementary, middle school and high school programs at our Winter Open House. No RSVP is required . . . we hope to see you! www.divinechildhighschool.org
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HOMECOMING 2013 Dancing through the Decades
Homecoming Queen, Christina Porada, escorted by her dad, Anthony Porada, ‘74
(Pictured L to R) Liz Mullen (daughter of Dave ’83 and Sue (Cinzori) Mullen ’82), Emma Woods, Christina Porada (daughter of Tony Porada ‘74), Nicole Urbanick (daughter of Barb (Sroka) Urbanick '87), Melanie Mark, Teddy Ceccarelli, and Olivia Grozenski.
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Once A Falcon
Winter 2013
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged”
Welcome New High School Staff
This year’s Fall Play was the comedy “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Abridged.” Over 50 students were involved in the production and the audience certainly enjoyed this political comedy about the little country that could!
Stay tuned for the Spring Musical, “Les Miserables,” filled with many opportunities for student involvement, on and off the stage. The musical will be directed by Elisa Noeske ‘00 and will also include over 25 members in the pit orchestra!
Save the dates: April 3 - 6, 2014
Christopher Metzger PE/Health Teacher
Natalie Karl Science Teacher
Melissa Knepshield Asst. Athletic Director
Amanda Naoum Counseling
Mary Reda Counseling
Leslie (Metcalf) Rohr ‘00 Social Worker
Stephanie Smith Theology Teacher
Anna Yanke Instructional Specialist
www.divinechildhighschool.org
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HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
High School Band and Pom Team March in the Thanksgiving Day Parade Congratulations to the Divine Child High School Marching Band for once again being invited to participate in the “America’s Thanksgiving Parade” in Detroit, Michigan. This marks the third year in a row performing for over one million people. Congratulations to the students, Mr. Bob Bush and Mr. Joe Marino for this great accomplishment. Way to go Falcons!
Photos courtesy of Ruth A. Malhalab - RAMM
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Winter 2013
HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS
Boys’ Tennis
The Team finished 2nd in the State Regional and qualified for the State Finals for the first time in school history. The team also won the All Area tournament.
Boys’ Cross Country
The team finished in 4th Place in the Catholic League Championship and won the State Regional. It was the program’s 4th regional championship in the last five years.
Girls’ Cross Country
Finished in 2nd Place at the Catholic League Championship and also 2nd Place in the State Regional.
Girls’ Golf
The team finished in 2nd Place at the All-Area Meet and 5th place in the Catholic League Championship.
Volleyball
Freshmen: won the AA Division Championship. JV: finished with a 5-3 league record. Varsity: 5-3 in the league and won its 15th District Championship!
Boys’ Soccer
Freshmen: won a total of 10 games. JV: won the AA Division. Varsity: finished with a total of 14 wins.
Football
Varsity finished the season with a 3-6 record and the JV finished at 2-5-1.
www.divinechildhighschool.org
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HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS - Proud to be a Falcon!
Laura Nemes ’15, Miraculous Run Laura Nemes, ‘15, had a personal goal in her recovery from a brain tumor to run in the final cross country meet of the year. On October 29, 2013, Laura ran in the Last Chance meet in Warren with her team supporting her the entire way. Here she is at the last 100 yards of the race. Laura was one of the last to cross the finish line, but her team had her back – and you can see them all behind her, cheering her on as she makes the final sprint home. They were surrounding her for the final ¼ mile and then let Laura fly to the finish. Laura’s mom Katie was sobbing, along with her coaches and many of the parents. What a GREAT group of girls we have on our cross country team! Laura Nemes, ‘15
Athletic Scholarship Signings
Nicole Urbanick, Christina Porada and Joe Biscaro
Congratulation to three seniors who signed official NCAA National Letters of Intent, officially accepting their scholarship offers. Those student-athletes are Nicole Urbanick, ‘14 for Basketball with The University of Detroit-Mercy, Christina Porada, ‘14 for Volleyball with George Washington University, and Joe Biscaro, ‘14 for Golf with Wayne State University. “Athletic signings are without question hallmark days here at Divine Child,” says Tony DeMare, Athletic Director at Divine Child. “One of the reasons is that we’ve been so blessed here at DC to have seen over 100 student-athletes receive Athletic Scholarships in the past 10 years. This is a testament to our athletes for sure, but also to their families, our faculty and the entire Divine Child community.” On behalf of the Athletic Department, congratulations on this achievement and we wish you a wealth of success in the future. Remember, “Once a Falcon, Always a Falcon!”
Geno Policicchio ‘15, Tackles Disability Geno Policicchio ‘15, a varsity defensive back, was born with a physical limitation but he has not let it hinder him. The Falcon athlete has played basketball (captain JV team), baseball and soccer, and the teenager has not been slowed by it in any respect. Divine Child football coach Steve Robb was inspired while watching Geno play basketball. Robb convinced him to join the football team. “The coach told me I could possibly be a defensive back with my skills,” says Geno, a 5’10”, 150-pound junior. “I told him ‘I’ll play.’” The concern with football, naturally, was how Geno would deal with an opponent. The junior wasted little time dispelling those concerns, registering a handful of tackles in the first scrimmage. “Really, he is an inspiration to me,” Robb says, “and if he is an inspiration to me, I know he is to his teammates, too.”
Gene Policicchio, ‘15
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Winter 2013
Surprise Homecoming from Father to Daughter Retired Marine Corp. Captain Stewart Nickless surprises his daughter, Wynter Nickless, a DC sophomore, after arriving home early from Afghanistan. As the announcer called her name out to the field at the parent appreciation football game, imagine her surprise to see her dad home two months early. “I definitely didn't know,” said Wynter Nickless. “It was very exciting.” “I was supposed to be there for six months,” said Stewart Nickless, a 22year veteran. “That turned into four, so we decided to take advantage of it. I had been watching on the other side, it's so good to see her. I'm so excited to be back with my family.”
Friday Football Frenzy Kicks Off at Divine Child For the second year in a row, the students at Divine Child High School appeared on Channel 4’s Friday Football Frenzy to promote the Falcons’ football game against Detroit Consortium. Each week, Local Four News Today reveals the nominees for the game of the week and winners are determined by votes on ClickOnDetroit.com. The home team of the winning matchup hosts a live pep rally with Local Four’s Ashlee Baracy reporting from the gymnasium on the Friday morning of game day.
Baseball Gold Medal Winners Four Divine Child baseball players from the class of 2016 became members of the Gold Medal Winning Team representing Detroit, MI-USA, in this year’s 2013 International Children’s Games, held in Windsor, Ontario. The head coach was Coach Craig Cotter, who is also a member of the DC baseball coaching staff. (Pictured L-R) Robby Cloyd, Ryan Radwan, Amani Godfrey, and Alex Reinhardt www.divinechildhighschool.org
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Message from the
ADVANCEMENT OFFICE Greetings, Falcons!
I am excited to share that Divine Child High School students and their families and friends have pledged approximately $115,000 as part of the new Pledge: Faith in Action initiative that began this fall. Students asked their families and friends to sponsor them for a day of community service by collecting pledges that will benefit the High School’s academic, extracurricular and campus ministry programs. As of December 13, 92 percent of our families turned in pledges. The students will fulfill the pledges in the spring when they complete their day of service. The service activities were carefully selected to provide students with meaningful opportunities to put their Catholic faith into action, and the feedback from students so far has been very positive. The activities will be held on March 13 and 26, 2014, and April 8 and 10, 2014, at
locations such as Gleaners Community Food Bank, the Capuchin Soup Kitchen and area nursing homes. There will also be onsite projects at Divine Child to package needed items for Children’s Hospital, Oakwood Hospital and local homeless shelters and veterans’ organizations. Thank you to the Divine Child High School Alumni who have already contributed to this new initiative. I’m asking for your support of this worthwhile endeavor and encourage you to visit our website for more information on how you can help our students grow in discipleship. I hope that Pledge: Faith in Action will become a new and valued tradition that will allow students to live out Divine Child’s mission and support it financially at the same time! Kind regards, Kristin (Szpunar) Hermann ‘89 Director of Advancement
Your Support of the Annual Giving Program Makes a Difference! In December you should have received a letter asking for your support of the Annual Giving Program. You might have found yourself asking, what exactly is the Annual Giving Program and why should I contribute to it? Divine Child’s Annual Giving Program is a vehicle for securing individual gifts from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, students and friends of Divine Child. Annual gifts are critically important to Divine Child High School because they can be used wherever the needs are greatest. Your contribution to the Annual Giving Program, no matter the size, can have a tangible impact on our students and the quality of education they receive. Here are some of the projects that your gift will support: • Increased availability of scholarships to deserving students • Additional staffing and resources for the Instructional Support Program, which benefits students with diagnosed learning differences • New auditorium seating that will be handicap-accessible and allow the space to be used for multiclass lectures • Replacement of original lockers that are increasingly difficult to repair • Enhancements to the retreat and Christian service programs • New user-friendly, mobile classroom seating and integrated technology workstations to allow greater collaboration and flexibility The future of Divine Child High School depends on the support of the entire Divine Child community, including you!
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Winter 2013
New Advancement Committee Needs Volunteers Volunteer involvement is critical to the success of Divine Child Catholic Schools. To help enhance the long-term success and health of Divine Child, we are creating a new Advancement Committee that will allow alumni, students, parents, administration and faculty to play an active role on teams that will build a better future for Divine Child. We currently are looking for individuals with expertise, either from their professional experience or other volunteer work, in the following areas: • Sales or Business Development • Marketing • Communications
• Fundraising • Alumni relations • Admissions/Enrollment
• Event planning • Nonprofit administration • Volunteer management
Four subcommittees will be formed (Fundraising, Marketing/Communications, Alumni Relations and Enrollment) and will meet regularly to develop both short- and long-term plans for their respective areas. We are pleased to have Jim Hughes, father of alum Jimmy Hughes ’11, agree to serve as the Chairperson of this new committee. As Executive Director of CATCH, Sparky Anderson’s Charity for Children, since 1991, Jim brings a wealth of experience in fundraising and volunteer engagement. Jim and his wife Michelle have been involved parishioners at Divine Child for more than 30 years. Jim has served both the parish and schools, including CYO football coach, PA announcer for DCHS home football games, liturgical minister and member of the Stewardship and Auction Steering Committees. Children Jesse and Jimmy attended DCES and son Jimmy was a captain of the high school football and baseball teams before graduating in 2011. A life-long Dearborn resident, Jim views the Church of the Divine Child and its schools as a Jim Hughes “jewel” in the community. “I strongly believe in all of the great Catholic values the church and the schools represent, all that they stand for and all that they offer parishioners, students and families,” Jim explains. “I’m excited to be part of this Advancement Committee because I want to do whatever I can to help Divine Child continue to be a jewel in our community,and the Archdiocese, for decades to come.” If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity to invest in Divine Child’s future, please contact Kathryn Koehler in the Advancement Office at 313.216.0891, x 335.
Welcome New Elementary School and Advancement Office Staff
Elizabeth Assenmacher Physical Education, K-8
Joan Blackley All Subjects, K
James Francek Computer, K-6
Katherine Mingle Literature, 7-8
Kathryn Koehler Director of Annual Giving & Special Events
Karen Kruszka Director of Marketing & Communications
Matt Saxer Director of Admissions
Daniela (DiRusso) Tuohey ‘02
Math & Religion, 5
Photo not available: Dwanna Crain Latin, 5-8
www.divinechildhighschool.org
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Douglas Keane ’89 Wins
I
t’s another proud moment for one of our Divine Child Alumni. Congratulations to the winner of Top Chef Masters, and owner of Healdsburg Bar & Grill in California, Douglas Keane. Douglas won Season 5 of the hit Bravo TV show and the grand-prize of $100,000 for his charitable organization, Green Dog Rescue. Formerly, Douglas owned Cyrus, which had the distinction of earning an elusive two stars from Michelin, an honor the restaurant maintained for seven years in a row. Keane, 42, grew up in Dearborn, Michigan and graduated from Divine Child High School in 1989. He’s never forgotten his roots and fondly remembers Sr. Josephenia from cooking class (see inset picture). Douglas remembers Sister ran the cooking class “with joy and patience.” Other important mentors from his DC days include his coach, Frank Yesh and Yesh’s children, Marty, Dave and Samantha.
16 Once A Falcon
Winter 2013
Of course, one cannot forget his favorite inspiration, his mom. “She is an amazing baker, especially her blueberry pie,” Douglas offers, but he particularly likes the Christmas tradition in his home where the whole family enjoys his mom’s peeland-eat Cajun shrimp for a casual dinner. “It’s so casual that we just throw shrimp peels right on the dinner table.” “I also had a mentor in the hotel management business who opened the first Hyatt Regency in Dearborn.” This mentor eventually encouraged Douglas to go into the hotel management business, where he interned at the Ritz Carlton. He went to Cornell University after DC, not a traditional culinary school. “I started to work at local bar and grills while in college. I eventually went to various places in Manhattan and just learned as much as possible.” Douglas’ current restaurant is Healdsburg Bar & Grill (aka HBG), whose burgers were voted one of Food & Wine Magazines 25 Best in the U.S. “The HBG burger is inspired
The master chef, Sr. Josephenia, prepares for a class luncheon.
by the one served at Miller’s Bar on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn,” says Douglas. He hasn’t forgotten about his Detroit roots and credits the area for instilling a strong work ethic. “Midwesterners have an amazing work ethic and tend to work harder than others.” When asked whether he had any firm projects for the Detroit area, he acknowledged that nothing is set in stone at this point but he has had the opportunity to talk to local business and political leaders. Douglas’ goal is to help create jobs in the area. “Cooking is not an art, it is a job... a skilled labor that needs to be learned.” He’d like to make local food vendors accessible so that Detroit could be the next “food culture area” similar to the explosion
Douglas in the DC Kitchen
Photo credit: Ruth A. Malhalab - RAMM Photo
of food towns like Denver, Santa Fe and Portland. “It requires a focus to empower the people of Detroit in the culinary field.” “One of the things I learned from my DC days was a sense of discipline, in a good way,” says Keane. “Cooking requires the ability to follow directions and have respect for authority. You don’t start out at
the top and you work really hard to be the best.” Douglas’ other passion is continuing to expand his charitable organization, Green Dog Rescue, a non-profit he co-founded to help dogs thrive by socializing them in a pack, their natural social structure. Douglas is a certified dog trainer and is active every day with the handson training and rehabilitation of his four-legged friends. His earnings from Top Chef Masters will go towards his charity. For more information, visit greendogproject.org. Douglas’ goal is to establish a permanent alternative home for dogs from traditional shelters. Congratulations Douglas on a job well done!
No cooking this time. Douglas Keane participates in the 2013 America's Thanksgiving Parade, on the First Merit Bank float. He took some time to chat with DCHS band members Matthias Reed, Natalie Lentz, and Alyssa Witzleben. The chef and band members were thrilled for the photo opportunity even in the chilly and snowy weather, before they marched and performed in front of thousands along Woodward Avenue and before millions who watched on WDIV/NBC.
Douglas with a rescue from Green Dog Rescue
Support Your DC Culinary Alumni California
Tom Beres Douglas Keane
Michigan
‘85 Networks Cafe and Catering ‘89 Healdsburg Bar & Grill
Chris Gadulka ‘94 Dennis Griffin ‘88 Steve Guibord ‘93 Louie Iaquinta ‘79 Robert Kazanowski ‘64 David Landrum ‘97 Mike Osinski ‘00 Joseph Rogala ‘63 Michael Severence ‘00 Jason Stoops ‘91 Donna (Marchetti) Kuczajda ‘88 Aubri (Marchetti) McNamara ’97 Donna MacDonald ‘77
Burbank Healdsburg
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse Birmingham Big Apple Bagels Canton Double Olive Dearborn Benny’s Pizza Westland Mason’s Bar and Grill Livonia Two James Spirits, LLC Detroit Andiamo-Dearborn Dearborn Rogala’s Bar and Grill Garden City Try it Raw Birmingham 5ive Restaurant Plymouth Chocolate Celebrations Dearborn Heights Chocolate Celebrations Dearborn Heights Chocolates by Donna
We know many Divine Child Alumni are in the Culinary or Food Services Industry and we apologize if we did not include you in the above list. Please email us at alumnioffice@divinechildhighschool.org to update our records.
www.divinechildhighschool.org
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Dave Landrum ’94 Opens Two James Spirits Detroit — Peter Bailey and Dave Landrum are raising a glass and resurrecting an industry. The duo, along with partner Andrew Mohr, quietly opened Two James Spirits in Corktown in September and started selling their locally made bourbon, gin and vodka. The opening of their distillery on Michigan Avenue is thought to be a milestone for the city: for the first time since Prohibition, liquor is being produced - legally - within Detroit’s borders. “Detroit seemed like the perfect fit with all the new businesses and the entrepreneurship spirit,” said Mohr, who has been friends with Landrum since his days in the restaurant business. “It’s been exciting to be part of history.” “It says there’s opportunity there ... distilling’s not just Kentucky and Tennessee anymore,” said Frank Coleman, senior vice president for public affairs at the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. “It’s a very positive development.” Two James is named after Landrum’s and Bailey’s fathers — both named James. The duo met at the University of Michigan before Landrum debuted his culinary skills at Cafe Felix in Ann Arbor, while Bailey studied science. The distillery, with a tasting room that is open Thursdays through Sundays, not only marks the rebirth of spirits-making in Detroit, but it is also another sign of the industry’s continued growth in the Great Lakes State. The tasting room sits in a former taxi cab garage and features a round concrete bar, cool light hangings and cut-out whiskey barrels on a far wall that offer glimpses into the back room where the liquor is made. At Two James, the libations are nods to the city’s past. Its Black Widow Bourbon is a revived 1920s 18 Once A Falcon
Winter 2013
recipe, and its 28 Island Vodka is named after the 28 islands on the Detroit River rum runners used to hide their contraband. It is one of a couple of dozen small distilleries in Michigan, a number that has jumped from just four in 2008. They craft a wide variety of liquor: aged whiskeys, vodkas, and brandies. The American Distilling Institute says Michigan ranks fourth in the country in the number of
small distilleries, behind California, Oregon and Washington state. The American Distilling Institute predicts there will be roughly 450 small distilleries nationwide by 2015. “Small-scale distilling is on an upswing in a major way,” Coleman said. “It’s growing very rapidly.” Michael Martinez - The Detroit News
David Landrum, ‘94, from Two James Spirits, LLC.
Ken and Laura Miller of Canton announce the engagement of their daughter Martha Miller ‘07 to Brandon McAleer, son of Gary and Cathy McAleer. Martha earned her bachelor of science degree in nursing at Eastern Michigan University and was just accepted to nurse practitioner school. She is a registered nurse at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital ER. Brandon is a South Lyon High School graduate who earned a bachelor of science degree in nursing at Madonna University and hopes to start nurse practitioner school as well. He works as a registered nurse at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital on the neurosurgery/urology floor. The couple were engaged in Tampa, Florida, and the wedding is set for Sept. 5, 2014, at the St John’s Center in Plymouth.
ALUMNI NEWS Thomas Groesbeck ‘02: Thomas married Amy Zacharski of New Baltimore on October 5, 2012, at the Grosse Pointe Academy Chapel. Rev. John Lehner, OSFS, celebrated the marriage ceremony. Kyle Groesbeck ‘98, brother of the groom, was the best man. Adam Pietrzyka ‘97 and Andrew Roman ‘98 were groomsmen. A reception followed at Blossom Heath Inn in St. Clair Shores. The happy couple met while working at Bed, Bath & Beyond in Ann Arbor where Tom is Operations Manager. Amy graduated from Eastern Michigan University as a Behavioral Psychologist and is employed at The Guidance Center in Southgate. They currently reside in Belleville, Michigan. Alex Norman ’09: Alex graduated from Kalamazoo College cum laude in July with a B.A. in both English and German. She was awarded The Fugate Senior German Award for Excellence from the Kalamazoo College German Department and was then awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to Germany. The Normans are extremely proud of her and would like to thank the Divine Child English Department faculty and special thanks go out to Mr. Young and Mr. Courage ‘98 for fostering her love of languages. Liz (Giza) Bloomfield ’01: Congratulations to Mrs. Liz (Giza) Bloomfield who married Andrew Bloomfield over the summer.
Falcon Connection: Valassis is a marketing services company located in Livonia, not far from Divine Child High School so one would think you may find one or two alumni working there. At last count there are eight DC alumni working for the widely recognized company! With a wide range of years covered and various job titles, Monica (Venegas) Higgins ‘91, David Terski ‘93, Kelly (Przybylo) Onusko (attended 97-99), Shea Kisabeth ‘02, Erin Webster ‘03, Caitlin Steele ‘07), Ryan Gonzalez ‘08, and Jason Popiel ‘09 have found that the Divine Child High School experience is still strong and helped them in their success.
(Pictured L to R) Erin Webster, Shea Kisabeth, Monica (Venegas) Higgins, Jason Popiel, Ryan Gonzalez, Caitlin Steele. Not pictured David Terski and Kelly (Przybylo) Onusko.
DC Alumni Involved in Local Theatre Production DC Alumni were involved in the production of “Random Acts of Theatre” at the Ford Community and Performing Arts Center this past September. The theatre is a joint effort of the Dearborn Area Theatre Association (DATA), the Dearborn Community Fund and Dearborn Recreation and Parks. The evening was a wonderful production to kick off the Dearborn Community Theatre Season! The best part is that all of the proceeds go directly to the DATA High School Theatre Scholarship Fund. Former Divine Child High School Theatre Director Karen J. Pritchard was the producer of this year’s show. DC Alumni involved in the production included Philip X. Walling ’74, Mary Melonio ’75, Elisa Noeske ’00, Kori Bielaniec ’06, Christopher Rivard ’08, Matthew Miazgowicz ’10, Monica Melonio ’11, Jillian Drapala ’11, Becca Graf ’11, Sara Howard ’11, Kyle Lepore ’12, and Blaise Hebert ’13. Current DC Theatre Director Elisa Noeske ‘00 appears in the selection from “Other Desert Cities,” as well. Last year, DC students Adrienne Walling ‘13 and Harry Totten ‘13, received scholarships from DATA.
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Congratulations to Cheryl (Oros) Nelson ’75, who was honored at Ford Field on October 19, 2013 for her 30 years of service in Catholic education!
Congratulations to Cara Ruetz ‘13, who was on the September cover and also featured in Metro Detroit’s Styleline magazine.
Steve Kerr ’09: In May 2013, Steve was sworn in as a 2nd Lieutenant, US Army. The ceremony was attended by DC alums Dr. Michael Kerr ‘72, Dianne (Uetz) Heiss ’80, Kevin Kerr ‘06, Duncan Miller ‘09, and proud parents Tim ’77 and Denise (Uetz) Kerr ’78. Steve participated in and eventually coached the University of Michigan Army ROTC teams at the German Armed Forces Proficiency Badge competition in Indiana and the Ranger Challenge competition in Kentucky. He graduated from Army Airborne School as well as Army Air Assault School during the various summer breaks. This May he also graduated at the top of his Army ROTC class at U of M and ranked in the top 10% of commissioning. DC Track Coach Randy Williams was chosen by Steve for the honor of “First Salute.” Randy has been a coach, mentor, friend, and fellow National Guardsman.
Steve Kerr ‘09 and Randy Williams
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Congratulations to Brian O’Donnell ‘91, who was re-elected to the Dearborn City Council!
Michelle Kerr ’12: Michelle, a cross country runner at Hope College was recently presented with the NCAA Elite 89 Award. The Elite 89 award is presented to the athlete competing in a NCAA championship with the highest cumulative grade point average among all of the competitors. Kerr, who is majoring in nursing, has maintained a 4.0 grade point average. Michelle is the daughter of Tim ’77 and Denise (Uetz) Kerr ’78.
ALUMNI REUNIONS
25th Reunion Class Members Make Class Gift As part of their 25th Reunion celebration, members of the Class of 1988 collaborated on a class gift of $13,250, which will be used to support Divine Child High School’s Instructional Support Program for students with diagnosed learning differences. Earlier this year, a 1988 alumna approached the High School with the idea for a reunion class gift after seeing a similar program at her college alma mater. “She wanted to establish something like that at Divine Child,” recalled principal Peggy Knuth ’72. Soon several other alumni wanted to
contribute and together they worked with Mrs. Knuth to figure out how the money could be used. This group, some of whom have special needs students in their families, was thrilled to learn about Divine Child’s Instructional Support Program. “It is a blessing for us to be able to contribute to Divine Child’s courageous efforts to put the appropriate supports in place to mainstream more special needs students and make those students feel like they truly belong,” they explained. Thank you to the Class of 1988 for
Jeanne (Dunne) Berger, Amy (Hart) Parent, Donna (Marchetti) Kuczajda
Joyce (Lanning) Mueller, Kimberly (Patrosso) Gorsuch, Scott Mulcahy
this generous gift! Do you have a Divine Child class reunion coming up? If so, please consider how your class might be able to give back to Divine Child through a class gift. For more information on how to incorporate a class gift into your reunion plans, please contact Kristin Hermann or Scott Dickey in the Advancement Office at 313.216.0891. *The group of alumni who suggested the class gift have asked to remain anonymous.
Gabrielle Senatore, Marco Monea ‘66, Chris Boudreau
In Memoriam The Divine Child community joins in prayerful remembrance of those who have died this current school year. Our deepest sympathy and prayers go out to the families and friends of: Sharon (Bogosian) Beaudoin, Eileen Gorski, Michelle (Whalen) Sugg
• • • • • •
Edward Altesleben ‘99 Gerald Droze ‘63 Kathleen (Biernacki) Jaksik ‘69 Thomas Kubeshesky ‘85 Jack Marchewka ‘00 Diane (Szpond) Smith ‘70
“Happy are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors for their good deeds go with them.” Revelations 14:13 Jay Deyonke, Beth (Jary) Krakowiak
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ALUMNI EVENTS
21st Annual Falcon 5K Run The 21st Annual Falcon 5K was held on August 10, 2013. The run is dedicated to the memory of Mark Carpenter ‘66, former DC track coach. Hundreds of runners and walkers of all ages and abilities participated in this event, which started at Levagood Park. The three events included the free Tot Trot, the Mile Fun Run, and the 5K Run. This year’s winners were Courtney Brewis ‘09, currently attending Grand Valley State University, and Nick Soter ‘12, currently attending Michigan State University. The Falcon 5K is a fundraiser for the Dearborn Divine Child High School Girls’ Cross Country Team and the Divine Child High School Alumni Association. Thank you to Jim Demmer ‘75, of Jack Demmer Ford Automotive Group, for sponsoring this annual event!
Fr. Bilot hits his stride.
DC Students participate in the fun!
Divine Child Catholic Schools present the 23rd Annual
Members of the Carpenter Family at the Mark Carpenter memorial
Red Carpet
Galaand
Saturday, March 15, 2014
Auction
6:00 p.m. Divine Child High School
For more information or to volunteer, please call 313.216.0891 x224 or visit us at DivineChildAuction.org 22 Once A Falcon
Winter 2013
‘09 Graduate Part of Winning Tradition
The Grand Valley State cross country teams had a banner day at the 2013 NCAA Division II Cross Country National Championships, as the women’s team claimed their third national title in the last four years. The women’s team dominated the field, tallying 54 points to easily outdistance second place Adams State. Courtney Brewis ‘09, daughter of Denise and Rick Brewis ‘75, finished 17th to earn 14 team points. The 3rd Annual Divine Child Golf Classic was held on August 16, 2013. This year’s four man scramble was hosted at the Dearborn Country Club. Thank you to all the alumni and friends who participated in this event and to Carl Salmonson who took the photos! Special thanks to our Hole Sponsors and Gift Sponsors. The event raised $8250.00 for the Divine Child Alumni Association Falcon Legacy Scholarship Fund which awards two half tuition scholarships each year to incoming freshmen of DC Alumni.
Special Thank You to our Sponsors Autocatalyst Recycling Corp. - Kathy Swierlik Bifano Eye Care - Dr. Chris Bifano ‘84 Boloven, Tiano & Associates CPAs - Franca Tiano ‘87 Commercial Lawn Mower - John Murphy ‘72 Councilman Robert Abraham Councilman Brian O’ Donnell ‘91 Councilman Thomas Tafelski Dearborn Italian Bakery Jack Demmer Automotive Group - Jim Demmer ‘75 Divine Child Men’s Club New Double Olive - Steve Guibord ‘93 Educational Data Systems - Kevin Schneiders ‘90 Great Lakes Foot and Ankle Institute - Dr. Matthew Hansen ‘93 Hemming, Polaczyk, Cronin, Whittoff & Bennett PC - Chris Polaczyk Home Repair Contracting - Tim Sarb Hubbard, Snitchler & Parzianello PLC Hunter Mechanical - Tempstar.com Iversen’s Bakery Express The Kimberly Anne Gillary Foundation - Randall Gillary Landscape Consultants - Mike Opiela ‘72 Leon’s of Dearborn Lighthouse Plumbing Services, Inc. Mayor John B. O’Reilly Packaging Concepts and Design - Tom Barszczowski ’97 Pierino Frozen Foods - Gianni Guglielmetti Pizzeria on Wheels LLC Plymouth Endodontics - Dennis M. Gut ‘67, DDS Mike Sareini for City Council Tom Spagnuolo Spartan Forms Inc. - John Martin ‘77 State Representative George T. Darany Jeff Stone ‘91 Varsity Ford - Ann Arbor - Jeff Stanford ‘95 Tijuana’s Mexican Kitchen Voran Funeral Home, Inc. Wayne County Commissioner Gary Woronchak Yogurtown, Inc.
Dr. Chris Bifano ‘84, Jim O’Brien ‘80, Mark Rakecky ‘84, and Paul Blazo ‘84
Michael Soter, Nick Soter ‘12, Jimmy Hughes ‘11 and Jim Hughes
Pat Blazo ‘83, Dan Brookshire ‘83, Mark O’Hagan ‘83 and Mike McInnis ‘83 www.divinechildhighschool.org
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Divine Child High School Office of Advancement 1055 N. Silvery Lane Dearborn, MI 48128
Dedicated to Excellence . . . Spiritually, Academically, Athletically, Socially, and Creatively
WINTER OPEN HOUSE
25001 Herbert Weier Drive Dearborn, MI 48128 313.562.1090 www.DivineChildElementarySchool.org
S
lG oo ch
rades 9 - 12
Hig h
8
Elem e
hool Kinderga Sc rt e ry
n-
nta
Sunday, February 9, 2014, 2-4 p.m.
1001 North Silvery Lane Dearborn, MI 48128 313.562.1990 www.DivineChildHighSchool.org
Over a Half-Century of Catholic Education
Prospective students interested in attending Divine Child High School can spend a school day with us. The visit includes observing classes, touring the school and enjoying a complimentary lunch, all with a Falcon Student Ambassador. Full day visits are scheduled from 8:00 a.m. until 2:15 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet our students and teachers, view our facilities, and experience firsthand much of what makes Divine Child great. Please call Matt Saxer, Director of Admissions at 313.216.0891 x268 to register.
Important Dates to Remember
19 24 25-26 27-31
January Msgrs. Weier/Kucyk Scholarship Recital Freshman Acceptance letters mailed Science Fair Catholic Schools Week
5 9 10 19 22-28
February Sophomore Retreat Winter Open House Sophomore Retreat Sophomore Retreat Winter Break
1-2 5 9 12 12 13 15 19 26
“Falcon for a Day� Shadowing Program
March Winter Break Ash Wednesday Winter Winds Concert Freshmen Orientation Junior Boys Retreat Pledge: Faith-in-Action - Freshman Gala and Auction Junior Girls Retreat Pledge: Faith-in-Action - Sophomores
3-6 8 10 17-27 25
April Spring Musical Pledge: Faith-in-Action - Juniors Pledge: Faith-in-Action - Seniors Easter Break Forensics Showcase
May May Crowning Art Show Spring Band Concert Choral Concert Prom AP Exams Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement June 2-5 Final Exams
1 2-12 4 5 9 5-16 18
Dates are tentative so please check the website to confirm. http://divinechildhighschool.org/