Delbarton Magazine Spring/Summer 2024

Delbarton Delbarton SPRING/SUMMER 2024

The Magazine of Delbarton School and St. Mary’s Abbey

The Flyfishing Chef:

Michael Peters ’70

Delbarton Delbarton

contents

Spring/Summer 2024

Delbarton.org

1 From the Headmaster

2

2 Homecoming 2023 16 The Flyfishing Chef: Michael Peters ’70

By Keith Kulper ’70, P ’99

24 A Cultural Adventure: My Year in Jordan

By Levi Schiffer ’25

30 Global Delbarton Alumnus Traveler: Ojos Del Salado

By Dr. Richard Birrer ’68

34 Around Delbarton 66 Sport Shorts

By Jared lowy

81 Abbey Notes

By Br. William McMillan, OSB

88 Alumni News 104 Why I Give

By Scott Ruesterholz ’10

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106 Delbarton Yesterday

By Jessica Fiddes

Cover Photo: by Photographer Michael Peters All photographs in this issue of Delbarton were taken by Jessica Fiddes, Jared Lowy, Craig Paris or Meghan Podimsky unless otherwise indicated.

Abbot Jonathan Licari, O.S.B., St. Mary’s Abbey President, Delbarton School Fr. Michael Tidd, OSB, Headmaster Jessica Vermylen Fiddes, Editor, Director of Marketing & Communications DELBARTON is the magazine of Delbarton School and St. Mary’s Abbey. All views expressed in DELBARTON are solely those of the editors, authors and contributors to this magazine and do not necessarily represent those of the Order of St. Benedict of New Jersey, Inc., St. Mary’s Abbey and/or Delbarton School Design: Sahlman Art Studio, Charlotte, NC Printing: J.S. McCarthy Printers Augusta, ME

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Dear Friends of Delbarton, Every so often, when Easter falls in March, our traditional two weeks of Spring Break are moved to include two days of the Sacred Triduum: Holy Thursday and Good Friday, and Easter Monday, still a traditional holiday in many parts of the world. It was thus a quiet end to March on campus, but the promise of spring combined with the joy of Christ’s Resurrection to give a new impetus of energy to the last quarter of our school year.

Right before Spring Break, Delbarton concluded a nearly two-year self-assessment and planning process required for our re-accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

This self-evaluation and planning for growth process flowed from and was heavily informed by our 2023-2030 Strategic Plan, From Strength to Strength, and culminated in a three day visit by a team of four educators from Catholic and secular private schools from the Mid-Atlantic region. Both the summary Oral Report by the Team Chair after the visit concluded on March 13, and the much more extensive written report of the team’s visit, resoundingly affirmed the consistent excellence with which Delbarton serves our young men through a Benedictine Catholic education of the highest quality. The full written report will be published soon on delbarton.org, so it can be available to the entire Delbarton family.

Asking an external agency to evaluate a school is a risk. It’s always possible that a school might not measure up to the standards used by an accrediting agency, at least in some areas of its life and operation. It’s also possible that a visiting group of evaluators may not have sufficient time or information to fairly assess the school to which they have been sent. No one wants to hear that “you don’t measure up.” Fortunately, Delbarton did “measure up,” (and then some!), so the reward of asking others to assess us was well worth it.

Maureen Nowak P’12,’14’,18,’23/MGN Photography

From the Headmaster

As you’ll see in this issue of Delbarton Magazine, we focus on several members of our community who each took risks in the pursuit of a larger goal of personal or professional growth and achievement. Every day at Delbarton we encourage risk taking (well supervised, of course) among our students. Our young men are urged regularly to take courses that will challenge them.

They try out for teams or shows or ensembles that they may not make. They go to sometimes utterly foreign places to serve people who they may know little or nothing about, because they see and honor Christ in them.

Much more often than not, these risks yield a great reward, but sometimes, they don’t. I like to think that a key element of the excellence our Middle States accreditors affirmed in their visit was a culture of appropriate risk-taking that leads to enduring growth and maturation among our students. In other words, they saw what we seek to live each day: the spirit of Succisa Virescit.

Yours in Christ and St. Benedict,

Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. Headmaster

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Homecoming

2023

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Delbarton

Class of 2003 alumni marked their 20th reunion with a $300,000 donation to underwrite the Reading Room in St. Benedict Hall.

Student Body President Abdiel Perde ’24, center, led students onto the field.

Artist John Traynor ’79, quietly sequestered in the Garden, worked on a painting during Homecoming Day 2023.

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Homecoming

2023 The new Green Wave Sports Network live-streamed the Homecoming football game against DePaul Catholic. From left are Veer Dhall ’26, Ben D’Avella ’27 and Ryan Dooley ’27.

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1988

1993

1998

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Homecoming

2023

The Bury brothers, from left, Tom Bury ’20, Matt Bury ’19 and Danny Bury ’23.

Mothers’ Guild President Rennae Pelayo P ’22,’23,’25 and Class Mother Coordinator Lisa Checchio P ’25,’29 did a masterful job organizing class parents and volunteers on Homecoming Day. Alexandra Fittin

A six-person pipe band led the procession of Delbarton students from the FAC Plaza down onto the field at Regan Stadium.

Director of Grounds and Maintenance Eric ‘Merv’ Steinberg and his hard-working staff spread hay to prevent wet feet on a soggy morning. By early afternoon, the sun emerged to shine on another memorable Delbarton Homecoming Day.

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Delbarton

2003

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Homecoming

2023

Former DMG President Sissy Hurley P ’22,’24, DMG Moderator Abbot Richard Cronin, O.S.B, his brother Fred Cronin and incoming 2024-2025 DMG President Luz Johnson P ’21,’22,’25.

Ryan Dinsmore ’03 and family, including his mother Maren Dinsmore P ’03,’08.

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2008

2013 Spring/Summer 2024

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Homecoming

2023 Fred Krom ’03 and son at Homecoming.

Pat Ryan ’03 and family, including his mother Mary Ryan P ’00,’03,’05,’07.

Alumni Association Board member Dan Miggins ’08 and Erin Moore.

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Homecoming On Homecoming morning, alumni from across the decades gathered on Ryan Family Field for a competitive game — and no injuries!

Alumni Soccer Game

Homecoming

Golf

On October 19, alumni gathered at New Jersey National Golf Club for the annual Homecoming Alumni Golf Outing. Jay Guerriero ’87 won the coveted green blazer for the third time.

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Hall of Honor On October 20, 2023, in the Fine Arts Center, the Delbarton Hall of Honor welcomed two new members: former Headmaster Br. Paul Diveny, OSB and Charles ‘Chuck’ Smith Jr. ’65.

Former Delbarton Alumni Association President Chris Bury ’91 summarized the new Hall of Honor members’ contributions to the school, making special note of Chuck Smith’s unique role as Delbarton’s first African American alumnus, and Br. Paul’s many jobs at the Abbey and School.

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Hall of Honor Members 1984 Jules G. Spada ’48† 1985 Frank D. Visceglia ’60† 1986 Lee S. Trumbull ’58 1987 Rev. Manus Duffy, O.S.B. ’60† Joseph K. Pagano ’63 W. Norman Scott ’64 1988 Edward F. Broderick ’50† D. Peter Keller ’65 1989 Edward J. Dwyer ’64 John F. Sanfacon ’57 Louis P. Thebault† 1990 Daniel Foley ’50† Carmine J. Galdieri II ’57† Robert C. O’Mara ’60

Br. Paul Diveny, O.S.B. and members of his extended family who attended the ceremony and reception to witness his induction into the Delbarton Hall of Honor.

Br. Paul Diveny, O.S.B. Br. Paul Diveny, O.S.B. was born and raised in West Orange, NJ. One of five children, he and his family were members of Our Lady of Lourdes parish. Parish activities were at the center of the Diveny family’s life. He attended the parish grammar school and then St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, NJ, where the seed of Br. Paul’s Benedictine vocation was sown.

During his high school years, Br. Paul was an active member of the CYO both in the parish and on the Archdiocesan level. Following high school, he earned his B.A. in Latin from the Catholic University of America. The call to monastic life deepened during college and, after graduation, Br. Paul entered St. Mary’s Abbey in Morristown, NJ. He professed his first vows in 1977 and began teaching Latin at Delbarton School.

While a junior monk, Br. Paul was asked to go to Rome to study, where he earned a diploma in Monastic Studies from the Pontificio Ateneo Sant’Anselmo. This first experience of living abroad was to have a profound effect on the course of Br. Paul’s life.

He professed his solemn vows in 1981 and returned home to St. Mary’s in 1982.

Upon his return from Rome, Br. Paul resumed teaching at Delbarton, the school that would be the locus of his professional and monastic life for the better part of forty years. In 1985, Br. Paul was named Assistant Headmaster at Delbarton. At the same time, the school found itself in need of a German teacher and turned to Br. Paul. He spent four summers at Middlebury College’s Language School and earned an M.A. in German. Upon completion of his degree, Br. Paul began teaching German. During this

1991 James M. Corroon ’57 Frank A. Delaney Rev. Giles P. Hayes, O.S.B. ’56† 1992 Rev. Stephen. W. Findlay, O.S.B.† William F. Sittmann ’67† Joseph R. McDonough ’68† 1993 Robert B. Collins ’56 William O. Regan† 1994 Brian T. Fitzgibbon ’74† Rev. Kenneth H. Mayer, O.S.B.† William J. McFadden ’59 1995 Edward J. Butera ’56 Harvey C. Jones, Jr. ’70 Skip Livera ’63† 1996 Kary W. Antholis ’80 Rev. Adrian McLaughlin, O.S.B.† 1997 Daniel T. Scott ’62† James E. Nugent ’69† W. Michael Murphy, Jr. ’67 1998 Kevin T. Kenny ’78 Robert E. Mulcahy III† Boyd A. Sands ’55 1999 Elizabeth T. & John G. Gilfillan III† Anthony M. Nugent ’74 Peter L. O’Neill ’59† 2000 E. Pat Brady ’70 David F. McBride ’65 Rev. Peter J. Meaney, O.S.B.†

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2001 C. Sean Closkey ’85 Donald L. Criqui Robert L. Sheridan ’81 2002 Lawrence H. McLernon ’57 J. Craig Paris ’82 2003 John F. Conner ’53 Hilda Maloney† Bill Smith ’63 2004 Abbot Brian H. Clarke, O.S.B.† Eugene ‘Doc’ Doherty ’54† J. Brian Thebault ’69 2005 Rt. Reverend Thomas J. Confroy, O.S.B.† Ronald P. Mealey ’50 William J. Waldron III ’65 2006 Brian E. Fleury† John P. “JP” Flynn ’86† Richard L. Wade ’61 2007 Patrick Henry ’57 Richard W. Herbst George H. Miller, Jr. ’52†

time, he became an active member of the American Association of the Teachers of German. He served this organization in a variety of capacities, eventually becoming its president from 2003 to 2006.

In 1998, Br. Paul returned to Rome, where he served as economo, or business manager, at Sant’Anselmo for three years. Returning to Morristown once again, he continued to teach Latin and German. He also served as prior of St. Mary’s Abbey from 2004 to 2007. In 2006, Abbot Giles Hayes, OSB appointed Br. Paul to serve as the tenth headmaster of Delbarton School. He served in this role until the spring of 2018. He now serves as the treasurer of St. Mary’s Abbey and cares for the abbey’s vegetable garden and orchard.

2008 Michael A. Ferguson ’88 John E. Luke, Jr. ’78 Chuck Smith ’63 celebrates with his proud family.

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Charles Smith, Jr. ’63 Charles ‘Chuck’ Smith ’63 was born and raised in Morristown and attended Morristown public schools, including one year at Morristown High School, before arriving at Delbarton in tenth grade where he was a basketball and football four-year letterman, cocaptain of the 1962 football team and recipient of the Athlete of the Year Award at Delbarton graduation in 1963. He went on to University of Connecticut where he co-captained the freshman football team. He was also co-chair and organizer of the African American Students Association and President of the Theta Xi fraternity.

He began his career at Johnson & Johnson where he rose to become a Product Director of First Aid Products and organized/co-chaired the Black

Hall of Honor members welcome two new inductees, Br. Paul Diveny. O.S.B. and Chuck Smith ’63.

2009 James J. McGough ’49† John C. Traynor ’79 Andrew W. Verhalen ’74 2010 James A. Ferrante, Jr. ’75 Keith D. Kulper ’70 Rev. Bruno A. Ugliano, O.S.B.† 2011 Kurt W. Krauss ’81 Peter Pizzi ’71 Anthony Passarelli† Current Alumni Association President John Ferramosca ’05 and Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. pictured with former Alumni Association presidents.

2012 Thomas A. Caputo ’57 Thomas J. Luby ’72 James G. Petrucci ’82 2013 Martin S. Flaherty ’77 Dr. Roy Horton† Jon Krawczyk ’88 2014 Fr. Beatus Lucey, O.S.B.† Taylor Price ’04 Michael J. Slattery ’59 2015 Wayne Gardiner Derek J. Maguire ’90 Frank D. Visceglia ’85 2016 Stefan A. Howells ’86 James J. Maguire P’79, ’82, ’86, ’01† Charles R. Ruebling ’79

Hall of Honor inductee Chuck Smith ’63 with Alumni Association Board member Joe Colangelo ’03 and Delbarton Alumni Association President John Ferramosca ’05.

Employees of Johnson & Johnson group. At Marcal Paper Mills, he served a Vice President of Marketing, then joined Gunn Associates as a Partner in business development serving clients including the NFL, Air Canada, Gillette, Nabisco and AT&T. At Renfro Corporation, he was Managing Director of the Dr. Scholl’s franchise.

Now retired, Smith has always believed in giving back and has done so throughout his robust career. He served as Board Chair of Grandville Academy, an inner city after-school program operating in seven states and

Tony Nugent ’74, Lee Esposito ’74, Steve Block ’71, Peter Pizzi ’71 and Dean of Admissions and Financial Aid Dr. David Donovan.

was Chairman of the Board at Trenton’s Granville Charter School. He has served as a Science Mentor for a Trenton mentorship program, and as organizing Chair of Mercer County African American Chamber of Commerce. He was on the Mercer County College Development Board and is a board member of Delancey Court Homeowner’s Association of Newtown, PA where he and his wife Marion reside. They are the proud parents of three children and enjoy spending time with their seven grandchildren.

2017 Rich Darché ’72 Brian Hanlon ’87 Rudy Marchesi ’67 2018 Andrew Anselmi ’83, P’16 Fr. Hilary O’Leary, O.S.B. 2019 John J. McNamara ’59 Robert E. Farrell ’64 Brian J. Ferriso ’84 George J. Parros ’98 2020 Michael Rosenhaus ’80 Fr. Andrew Smith, O.S.B. 2021 Terrance J. Rouse ’86 2022 Michael J. D’Agostino ’72 Bernard G. D’Andrea ’57† Fr. Edward Seton Fittin, O.S.B. ’82 2023 Br. Paul Diveny, O.S.B. Charles Smith ’63

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The Flyfishing Chef:

Michael Peters ’70

by Keith D. Kulper ’70

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Delbarton

I

n 1964 at Delbarton, Valentine Library in Trinity Hall was a comfortable place to read, do homework and make new friends during seventh grade. Sixty years ago, teachers Father Beatus Lucey, Father Rembert Reilly, and other monastic and lay faculty members assigned three hours of homework every night.

home where, much to my surprise, Michael prepared and cooked our trout for lunch! It was beyond delicious, and Michael later told me that I the first person outside his family for whom he ever cooked a meal. He still has the pan he used, a skillet his mother bought him when he showed an interest in cooking.

Michael Peters ’70 and I were classmates but hadn’t talked much.

One afternoon, seated at a library table, I took a homework break to read a copy of Field and Stream. Flipping through the magazine, a beautiful trout picture caught my eye, and Michael’s too. We started talking, quietly but animatedly, about how much we loved to fish. Head librarian Father Benet Caffrey interrupted our conversation with a stern finger snap, but a connection had been made. We promised to go fishing together.

After graduating from Delbarton in 1970, I headed to Boston College and Michael was in a pre-med program at NYU. Having accumulated sufficient credits to earn a bachelor’s degree, he decided to move in a different direction from medicine. In spring 1974, Michael graduated from NYU and headed to Paris. His goal was to attend Ecole Hoteliere de Paris, a hotel school in Paris, to learn about cooking and hospitality management.

Unfortunately, as a nonFrench speaker, he failed to qualify for entrance. After four years of French with Delbarton teacher Mr. John Sanfacon ’57 and language courses at NYU, Michael’s French proficiency still didn’t satisfy the admissions staff. As our Delbarton motto Succisa Virescit (cut down, it grows back stronger), suggests Michael refused to give up.

He got a job as a baker’s apprentice at the family-run Patisserie Tout au Beurre near Notre Dame Cathedral, a pastry shop renowned for its croissants and baked goods that attracted long lines of customers following the buttery aroma wafting through the air.

The countryside around Delbarton in the mid-1960s was bucolic. Ponds, rivers, and streams teemed with fish and other wildlife. We caught sunfish, sometimes bass, but rarely trout. In New Jersey we have wild brook trout, the state fish, and wild brown trout originally from Europe, as well as state-stocked rainbow trout, but in general trout are notoriously tough to catch. They are smart, fast, and almost always hide in deep pools or fast-moving cold water.

On a visit to the Peters’ Mendham home in 1965, we fished under a bridge in a Passaic River tributary where Michael caught a good-sized wild brook trout. We brought the fish

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“

I see myself as a craftsman, not so much as an artist, making food my customers enjoy and want to eat.

”

The skillet Michael Peter’s mother bought for him in 1965 when he showed an interest in cooking. After catching a fish with classmate Keith Kulper, Michael sauteed the trout in this pan and served it for lunch. Fifty-nine years later, the skillet is still in rotation in Michael’s home kitchen.

Arriving for work at 5:00 am, Michael did whatever needed to be done.

Owners and staffers spoke no English, so Michael learned how to make croissants, tartes, cakes, and brioche, and to speak conversational French.

His sense of humor and humility helped, and his work ethic and dedication ultimately won over his employers and colleagues.

Next, Michael studied for nine months at the famous Le Cordon Bleu in Paris where, in the 1950s, Julia Child learned the basics of classic French cooking. Of course, Julia went on to fame and fortune as a celebrated cookbook author and chef/TV hostess.

Michael’s class at Le Cordon Bleu included only fifteen students from countries outside France. School director Madame Brassart oversaw teaching classic French haute cuisine that emphasized impeccable ingredients, careful preparation, and elegant presentation. Over the ninemonth term Michael learned techniques and style of world-class French chefs, including how to tie and roast a chicken, and create intricate French sauces and sumptuous desserts. He earned his Grande Diplome while taking correspondence courses at Ecole Hoteliere de Paris where he received a Certificat d’Aptitude Professionelle (CAP), a process involving three consecutive days of written, oral, and practical exams conducted entirely in French while judged by top Parisian restaurant proprietors.

Michael landed his first post-studies position at Arbutus Lodge in Cork, Ireland where his boss Chef Declan

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Ryan trained at the three-star Michelin restaurant Les Freres Troisgres in Roanne, France, one of the finest restaurants in the world. Travelers to Ireland appreciate the country’s beauty, Irish pub music, and the friendliness of the people. But fine French cuisine? This was something new. Declan Ryan elevated Ireland’s reputation for unforgettable hospitality at Arbutus Lodge, and his hard work and dedication were soon recognized with a Michelin star, a first for an Irish restauranteur.

Michael’s experience with Chef Ryan next led him to a renowned French chef in Manhattan, Roger Fessaguet at La Caravelle, an extraordinary opportunity thanks to Lutece chef/owner Andre Soltner’s recommendation when Lutece had no jobs to offer. Both restaurants had received four-stars from The New York Times and customers included Rockefellers and Kennedys; Jacqueline even had her own table. Michael’s weekly pay was $175 as he assisted various stations in the kitchen. When the pastry chef quit, Michael was promoted to that position where his pastry expertise and French fluency were advantages with the Frenchspeaking kitchen staff. He filled the dessert trolley with pastries and whipped up freshly prepared soufflés and crêpes. He commuted from Hoboken and worked long hours for a year and a half until he was promoted to poissonier (fish chef) where he prepared soft shell crabs, frogs’ legs, Dover sole, striped bass and Quenelles de Brochet with Crayfish (a personal favorite of actor/director Orson Welles). Celebrity guests flocked to

Michael Peters in Paris where he earned his Grande Diplome at Le Cordon Bleu – a distinction he shared with celebrity chef Julia Child — while taking correspondence courses at Ecole Hoteliere de Paris where he also received a Certificat d’Aptitude Professionelle.

Failing to qualify for a Parisian hotel school, Michael Peters got a job as a baker’s apprentice at Patisserie Tout au Beurre where he acquired both pastry and language skills.

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about developing his own restaurant.

He learned that The Brass Rail, a restaurant near the bustling Hoboken train station, was for sale and the deal included the restaurant and bar along with several apartments. Its aging owners were eager to sell.

el and In 1987, Micha ters Pe h et yb ar M ung yo r moved thei to nd la Ire to ily fam a , rs pe ip open Sk ch seaside Fren Kinsale. restaurant in

Contemplating the purchase, Michael met with a potential investor at Maxwell’s Bar, Restaurant, and Music Club in Hoboken where he caught the eye of a lovely young woman enjoying a drink at the bar with a friend to whom she laughingly remarked, “I think I’m going to marry that guy!”

Michael walked over to introduce himself and shared the news that he was buying a restaurant in Hoboken.

She mentioned her weekend bartending skills and gave Michael her number. He called the next day, and thus the romance began for Michael and his beautiful wife Marybeth. In 1980 they were wed at Saints Peter & Paul Church on Hudson Street in Hoboken.

reet in Washington St r version on le ened al op sm rs a te g in Pe d Marybeth After operat 92 Michael an rding, NJ. 19 Ha in in n, ue w to en Av Morris ount Kemble Pierre’s on M

La Caravelle’s kitchen including Julia Child whose larger-than-life presence and distinctive voice charmed the kitchen staff.

In those days, Hoboken was in its early renaissance and a great place for young people to live and socialize. At La Caravelle, Michael began to think

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Financing included selling investor shares to raise capital to renovate The Brass Rail. After securing an attractive deal, Michael resigned his position at La Caravelle, intending to create a classic yet contemporary French restaurant across the Hudson. The evolution of Hoboken in the late 1970s and early 80s was transformative. In a city formerly portrayed as gritty and corrupt in Elia Kazan’s movie On the Waterfront, gentrification was well underway, and The Brass Rail soon became a destination for fine dining with a youthful flare. Fresh linens and flowers created an ambience that complemented the classic French and

nouvelle cuisine menu, expert service, and fine wine offerings. Customers flocked to Michael and Marybeth’s restaurant and The Brass Rail garnered positive reviews in local newspapers and The New York Times.

Investors were rewarded with dividends.

In 1984, the couple visited seaside town of Kinsale in Ireland where they discovered a 200-year-old home on Compass Hill whose purchase price included beautiful gardens and seaside views. They decided to purchase the property for the princely sum of $75,000.

Back in Hoboken, in 1987 at the height of the restaurant’s success, late one night a fire sparked by a staffer’s mishandling of cigarette ashes destroyed the ground floor and bar area. Fire and smoke damage necessitated a complete overhaul, and customers, staff, and neighbors were heartbroken. The next chapter in Michael and Marybeth’s story began.

They decided to sell The Brass Rail, move their young family to Ireland and start afresh by creating a restaurant in Kinsale. Following in the footsteps of Michael’s mentors, the couple bought Skippers, an old seafood restaurant that was well-located near the city of Cork.

As experienced restauranteurs, their goal was to create a seaside French restaurant featuring classic new French-style dishes using the freshest ingredients. Skippers’ vegetables, dairy products, meat, and fish were sourced from local farmers and fishermen, and everything in their

farm-to-table restaurant was made from scratch, including the bread.

Regional flavor flavors were featured: Lamb grazing on nearby grass covered in sea spray produced meat with a distinctive flavor.

Accolades followed, including a Michelin Guide ‘Red M’ denoting an establishment under strong consideration for a Michelin star, quite an accomplishment for a young expatriate restauranteur.

Skippers was idyllic, and life in Kinsale among the Irish people was a wonderful adventure for the Peters family that now included three children, Mark ’00, Christopher and Emily. Marybeth tells many Kinsdale stories, including the time she brought their children to school and noticed baby carriages parked outside as the mothers dropped off their children.

Marybeth questioned the wisdom of leaving babies unattended and one nearby mother replied, “Steal a baby?

Are you mad? Who would want another to take care of?”

Despite its beautiful location, Kinsale was ultimately a seasonal destination and Skippers relied heavily on summer trade, a challenging business model.

The pull to return to New Jersey strengthened as their parents aged, and in 1991 Michael and Marybeth reluctantly decided to sell Skippers.

That same year they opened their first Pierre’s – French for Peter’s — restaurant on Washington Street in Morristown where Michael’s reputation as a top chef attracted immediate support; Within weeks, people were lining up to dine in their

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Now retired from the restaurant business, Michael Peters focuses on his other passion, fly fishing.

Today, Michael Peters is president of the Hacklebarney Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a national organization with a focus on community service and conservation. The Chapter regularly invites Lyons, NJ VA Hospital residents to join members at outdoor events where they learn to fly fish.

40-seat restaurant. The couple had developed a winning formula: classic, yet new French cuisine made with impeccable ingredients and served in a casually elegant setting. Michael and Marybeth befriended Brother Paul Diveny of St. Mary’s Abbey who maintained the Abbey Garden, and fresh vegetables from Delbarton and other local farms soon appeared regularly on Pierre’s menu. By 1992, after outstanding reviews in local papers and The New York Times it was clear the restaurant was too small to accommodate customer demand, so the couple decided to relocate to a larger space on Mount Kemble Avenue in Harding, NJ. Pierre’s in Harding included a bar, banquet room, and seating for one hundred patrons in its various intimate dining areas. Originally a 1700 farmhouse beside the main

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thoroughfare south from Morristown, Pierre’s became a favorite luncheon and dinner destination, famous for great food, exceptional wines, and stellar pastries, including many of the same La Caravelle offerings when Michael served there as pastry chef.

He arrived early each morning to prep for the day and presided over a popular luncheon buffet featuring poached salmon, salads and freshlybaked bread. Marybeth seated dinner customers, and Pierre’s was a popular venue for area companies and organizations to host large groups. After Homecoming 1995, our class of 1970 held its 25th anniversary dinner at Pierre’s, with Headmaster Father Giles Hayes ’56 as honored guest and dinner speaker.

All good things must come to an end, and after sixteen years, on New Year’s Eve 2008, Pierre’s closed for good. For

two months prior, many regular customers flocked to the restaurant for farewell dinners. On their last night, Michael and Marybeth received a standing ovation from staff and customers, a fitting way to close the book on Pierre’s and begin yet another chapter.

After waving goodbye to their careers as successful restaurateurs, Marybeth focused on her love of antiques and gardening and Michael became a wine salesman, a job he embraced with enthusiasm. He represented Alain Junguenet, a well-connected French wine importer who specialized in Rhone Valley labels like Jaboulet and Chave. The unique characteristics of fine wine can be traced to climate, local water, mineral rich soil and century-old vines that produce rare vintages of unique color, bouquet and flavor. Michael’s new role took him to many of northern New Jersey’s top restaurants and private dining facilities, including Ninety Acres at Natirar, Elements in Princeton, and Baltusrol and Fiddler’s Elbow Golf Clubs. The fine wine business aligned well with Michael’s culinary training and love of wine, and he enjoyed collaborating with Desmond Lloyd at the Grand Café in Morristown to stage multi-course wine-pairing dinners.

Ten years later, it finally was time for Michael to retire for good. Fly fishing had always remained a passion and the hobby took on a more prominent role in his life: He is currently president of the Hacklebarney Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a national organization with a focus on community service and conservation.

The Chapter regularly invites residents at the VA Hospital in Lyons to join members at events where they learn to fly fish and enjoy being outdoors for the day. Many members practice catch-and-release fly fishing, and Michael encourages all types of trout fishing; In fact, the majority of trout stocked by the state may be kept when caught by anyone with a valid fishing license which is required for New Jersey anglers age 17 and up.

Trout Unlimited also encourages the conservation and preservation of streams and rivers, so Hacklebarney Chapter members are hard at work restoring a one mile stretch of the North Branch of the Raritan River in Ralston, Mendham Township, excavating silt and moving boulders to create deeper pools and stream runs.

Members are also planting hundreds of riverbank trees to reduce erosion.

When the job is complete, they’ll have created twenty new pools and numerous trout runs to enhance the habitat and offer a new stretch of the river that are conducive to trout fishing.

Today, Michael and Marybeth live in Mendham and their two grandchildren, Emily’s children Vivi and Sunny, are their pride and joy. Life continues to happily go on for the classmate I met in Valentine Library back in 1964 – a chef, entrepreneur, fly fisherman, and conservationist. Friendships begin and grow in interesting ways, and I am so thankful that Michael and I met long ago at Delbarton and have remained good friends ever since.

An original painting by Keith Kulper ’70 (author of this article) who still has fond memories of Delbarton in 1964 and the freshly cooked trout that Michael Peters prepared for their lunch.

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A Cultural Adventure:

My Year in Jordan

By Levi Schiffer ’25

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Growing up as a Jewish kid in northern New Jersey, I was constantly surrounded by cultural homogeneity.

Sundays at Hebrew School reinforced the remnants of Jewish culture I inherited from my ancestors as I engaged in traditional holiday celebrations and practiced transliteration from Hebrew to English. It was not until my experience at Delbarton that my worldview began to expand. Delbarton’s Arabic program enabled me to immerse myself in two new Abrahamic religions, completing my unique endeavor to understand the intricacies of Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and the linguistic aspects accompanying them. Mr. Zack Tabor’s engaging lessons and insistence on providing our class with a much-needed cultural and historical context on the Middle East introduced me to Arab culture, yet I felt I needed further immersion to uncover its true richness.

I applied for a summer immersion program through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) to further my Arabic studies, and I was granted a six-week scholarship to study in Marrakech, Morocco, over the summer. The small beds, humble accommodations, and scorching one-hundred-and-twentydegree heat proved exceedingly challenging at first; maybe even insurmountable. Yet, as the summer continued, I was inspired by the constant radiant smiles I saw on the faces of my host family and other locals in Marrakech. Despite facing profound challenges like a lack of access to potable drinking water, everyone I met expressed a sense of happiness and joy I had never experienced before. Their overwhelming sense of community and hospitality allowed for collective solutions. Restaurant and business owners would leave coolers of water

At the Castle of Beni Mellal in Morocco are, from left, Levi's roomate, their host mother, Levi and their host brother.

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Levi Schiffer ’25 and three King’s Academy Arabic Year (AY) students in Petra in southwest Jordan.

outside their storefronts for anyone to drink from and street vendors typically offered free fruits and vegetables to those in need. These small acts of generosity within the Moroccan community turned these daunting hurdles into small humps that they crossed as a shared community. From cooking and cleaning to weekly trips to the market for produce, entire families and groups of friends were involved in every aspect of daily life.

The laughs, grins, and giggles never stopped; it seemed like I was brought into my own personal utopia, an escape from the anxiety and pressure that awaited me back home.

The rest of the summer was packed with adventure and thrills; weekend trips to the mountains of Ouarzazate

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and the beaches of Essouira wove in and out of long school days filled with language instruction and thoughtprovoking debate. I saw significant improvement in formal Arabic, the local Darija dialect, and, surprisingly enough, French. While I attempted to converse in my target language exclusively, the occasional ‘Ça va’ or ‘Merci’ was inevitable. We enjoyed wandering the markets of the old Medina, eating endless amounts of Tagine, and exploring Marrakech’s somewhat lively social scene. This Moroccan excursion only fed my craving for further experiences; it provided me with the personal growth I needed to continue my journey, branching out and immersing myself in other cultures as well. It was then I came across King’s Academy.

The first co-ed boarding school in the Middle East, King’s Academy was established in 2007 just outside of Jordan’s capital, Amman, by King Abdullah II to bring a more Westernized form of education to his promising youth. King’s Academy hosts Amman’s elite as well as students from throughout Jordan and the world, many of whom receive full merit scholarships. I was drawn to this picturesque school in Jordan for its Arabic Year program (AY), a commitment to “allow students to make substantial progress in Arabic language study, soak in the history and culture of the Middle East and ‘learn by doing’ through off-campus educational excursions in Jordan and the region.” It was everything I had been searching for: a language and cultural immersion combined with rigorous academics that would allow me to keep up with my progress at Delbarton.

After a lengthy application and a series of interviews, I found myself alone in a tiny dorm room almost six thousand miles from home on a hot August 2023 afternoon, intimidated by the future that was to come.

However, as I began to engage with other students, the transition became effortless. I found that the hospitality and cultural values I encountered in Marrakech were not an anomaly but a norm throughout the entire region.

Weekend AY trips were a highlight, the most memorable being an overnight excursion to Petra and Wadi Rum in Southern Jordan. It was in Petra that I had my first experience bargaining with Bedouins in broken Arabic over the price of a camel ride, losing my

shoes in sand dunes, and failing miserably at dancing the traditional Levantine Dabke. While I did find myself in a sort of idyllic bubble, I still noticed the pressing reality of many Jordanians while touring downtown Amman. Yet again, the presence of radiant smiles returned. During a trip to the ancient Roman Citadel just north of King’s Academy, I met a local vendor, Ahmad, and his two children.

“Asiir asab asukkar tabi’ii (fresh sugarcane juice),” he would sing at the top of his lungs. The five dinars in his daily earnings bucket did not curb his high spirits and motivation, nor did it prevent him from insisting that I take a cup of juice for free (which, of course, I did not accept). As long as Ahmad had his family, sugarcane, and music, the struggles of daily life couldn’t overwhelm his happiness.

After spending months in Jordan, I felt it was my duty to give back to the community that so graciously welcomed me. Throughout the course of the second quarter, I volunteered to tutor three Jordanian middle school students in English. Coming from a small town in Jordan and having little exposure to Western customs, their curiosity surrounding my American background was constantly sparked.

We spent the first few weeks watching Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, listening to rap, and eating copious amounts of chocolate chip cookies. The last few weeks were spent listening to Fairouz, drinking traditional Jordanian Sahlab, and watching famous Middle Eastern sit-coms. Ghaina, Ghazal, and Joud went from exchanging broken greetings and pleasantries to reading and writing English short stories in

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Arabic Year (AY) trip to the Roman ruins of Jerash, Jordan.

Delbarton student Levi Schiffer ’25 is on left in back row.

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just three short months. My halfsemester of tutoring was just a pebble thrown in the ocean of favors bestowed upon me. Yet, my contribution was a reminder that even the smallest acts of gratitude can have a lasting impact.

In the face of devastation postOctober 7th, the Jordanian community maintained their warmth and generosity. Nevertheless, political conversations became harder, more complex, and filled with more emotion.

Some students and faculty talked past one another in pain and an understandable resentment began to appear. Many felt helpless as they watched their friends and extended family suffer just a couple hundred kilometers away. The need for bridgebuilding became apparent. It was clear that there was not enough communication between Americans and Jordanians, especially among the youth. With a pronounced language barrier and significant geographical barrier, this resentment was inevitable. My deep love for both cultures and regions has fueled my determination for more interconnectedness and dialogue so that a path to peace becomes a reality rather than a distant future.

The experiences I’ve undergone during this unique endeavor have changed the course of my life. Not only have I gained critical skills of independence and self-sufficiency, but the experiences and people I’ve encountered have altered the way I view the world and choose to act within it. I’ve committed myself to

Levi teaching English to middle school students from a local public school in Madaba, Jordan.

The first co-ed boarding school in the Middle East, King’s Academy was established in 2007 by King Abdullah II outside the Jordanian capital of Amman to bring a more Westernized form of education to his country’s promising youth.

entering the world of diplomacy, hoping to foster a better relationship between the United States and the various countries of the Middle East, as well as the many peoples that inhabit them. Hopefully, I will be able to return these acts of generosity, allowing more American students to have the opportunity to see and feel the effects of those radiant smiles as profoundly as I have, promoting a more prosperous and shared future.

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Global Delbarton Alumnus Traveler:

Ojos del Salado

By Dr. Richard Birrer ’68

A desiccated cow near Laguna Verde. Located on the border of Chile and Argentina, the Atacama Desert has been inhabited since the Stone Age, and the extreme lack of moisture has preserved circa 7000 BC mummies.

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n March 28, 2023, my daughter Danielle Syvertsen (nee Birrer) and I found ourselves at 6200 meters preparing for the final push to the summit of Ojos del Salado (6983m), the world’s highest volcano. The ambient conditions were -25F and a wind of 25 mph (-40F windchill). Located on the border of Chile and Argentina, the volcano sits in the Atacama Desert.

The landscape is an awesomely harsh 1000-mile strip of land atop a desert plateau in South America filled with magnificent landscapes, history, culture, and a unique ecosystem. It is the driest and oldest

desert in the world. Evidence suggests that the desert may not have had any significant rainfall from 1570 to 1971 with the average annual rainfall since then being about 1mm.

It is also the largest fog desert in the world. The desert landscape consists of barren rocks, salt lakes, sand, and lava frozen over the eons. Some of the mountains and volcanic cones in the desert are among the oldest and highest geological formations on Earth and there are many 6000m mountains in the region. The desert has been used as a site for Mars expedition simulations.

The area has the largest supply of sodium nitrate (white gold) in the

Father and daughter have shared many climbing adventures together. As a family, Rich and his wife Christine, with Danielle and her twin brothers, climbed the tallest peaks in all fifty US states. Rich has climbed the tallest peaks on all seven continents and is one of roughly 500 members worldwide of the 7 Summit Club.

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In March 2023, Rich Birrer ’68 and his daughter Danielle Syvertsen traveled to Chile to climb Ojos del Salado (6983m), the world’s highest volcano.

After climbing Dona Ines (5100m), the group enjoyed three days of rest and relaxation at Laguna Verde (4300m), a beautiful high, emerald colored lake complete with thermal springs.

Rich Birrer packed the Green Wave on his father-daughter trek to the driest and oldest desert in the world. Evidence suggests Chile’s Atacama Desert had no significant rainfall from 1570 to 1971, and the site has been used for Mars expedition simulations.

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world, an important component of fertilizer and explosives. The desert supplies about one-third of the world’s copper, is a source of gold, silver, iron, boron, lithium, and iodine and holds over one half of the world’s lithium.

The mining industry of Chile is the major economic provider which, in a war with neighboring Bolivia during the 1800s, took the entire territory.

And because stars shine like no other place on earth due to the altitude and lack of light pollution, the desert has become the home of the largest ground telescope in the world and 66 radio telescopes.

Inhabited since the Stone Age the extreme lack of moisture has preserved mummies that go back to 7000BC. Currently, around one million people call the Atacama Desert home where they live in coastal fishing villages, mining areas, and oasis towns growing dry weather produce such as olives, tomatoes, and cucumbers and herding alpacas for a living. Despite the Desert’s extreme ecosystem, several insects and animals can thrive such as red scorpions, foxes, desert wasps, butterflies, llamas, vicunas, alpacas, huemul deer, mice, and even flamingos and penguins.

The journey to the Atacama had begun months before with equipment and training preparations. Often a pack with 40-plus lbs. was carried on a Stairmaster to simulate the climb. We joined a team of six: three Canadians and one Japanese plus the guide service. Dona Ines (5100m) was our first acclimatization climb followed by

three days of rest and relaxation at Laguna Verde (4300m), a beautiful high, emerald colored lake complete with thermal springs.

During that time, we also trekked up Barrancas Blancas (6100m) to further our readiness. Acute mountain sickness (headaches, nausea, anorexia, gas, and fatigue) affected most of the climbers although I provided medical care for the problem. Day 8 found the team at the base camp of Ojos where a rest day followed. The dry air with constant winds caused eye problems for two members. The next day we were off to high camp (5800ms) and a training climb to 6300ms. One of the Canadians climbers remained behind to recover from a viral illness.

Summit day began at 0300 hours, followed by a quick breakfast (very hard to eat or even taste at altitude) and the start of the climb. The pace was steady, but the weather conditions soon deteriorated. In time, Danielle’s fingers began to suffer tingling and numbness. She had placed ‘hotties’ in her boots but not her mittens. After a careful assessment, it was decided that we would descend, rather than jeopardize her fingers to frostbite or prohibit the rest of the team from their summit bid.

A descent without achieving the summit is always painful and difficult, akin to failure. However, it is a mountaineering as well as diving aphorism that ‘there are old climbers and there are bold climbers, but no old bold climbers.’

The mountain will always be there.

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Calder ’24 and faculty update Alex Zeke Ehrenberg ’25 Win Princeton In late March, English teachers Michael Benz ’14 and Jack O’Reilly ’14 participated in an internship at the Center for Teaching and Learning (CTL) in Edgecomb, ME, a Pre-K to 8 demonstration school renowned for its adoption of the Workshop Model. Founded in 1990 by Nancie Atwell, the first recipient in 2015 of the $1 million Global Teacher Prize, CTL encourages its faculty members conduct research, develop practices and help other educators better understand what is possible for their classrooms and schools.

The four-day internship was an opportunity to observe CTL’s research-based programs. The Delbarton English department emulates the CTL Workshop Model and Benz says, “Witnessing its application firsthand at CTL was invaluable.

There is really no replacement for seeing this teaching method in action at the school where it all started.”

On April 4, Classics Department Chairperson Dr. Rachel Carlson offered an academic talk on Fact and Fiction in Ancient Beekeeping Guides through the Department of Languages and Cultures at Loyola New Orleans, as well as a guest lecture and discussion for the course ‘Food (continued on page 36)

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and Harvard Tournament Titles In early December, the Delbarton Forensics Program competed at the annual Princeton Classic at Princeton University. In Varsity Public Forum Debate, Team President Alex Calder ’24, on right, and Debate captain Zeke Ehrenberg ’25, on left, went undefeated to win Delbarton’s third Princeton tournament championship in debate. The talented pool included 179 teams, with several top 25 nationally ranked teams. In February, at the Harvard Speech and Debate Tournament, Alex and Zeke won the Varsity Public Forum Debate title, the first Harvard tourney title in Delbarton history. In April, at the Tournament of Champions hosted by the University of Kentucky, Alex received third overall speaker honors, and Zeke took home Top Speaker honors out of 236 debaters, earning Delbarton's first TOC top speaker award in program history.

Delbarton Donates

7,616 Pounds of Food and Baby Items

On November 17, Delbarton donated 7,616 pounds of food and baby items to the InterFaith Food Pantry in Morris Plains. Deanery groups collected, boxed and labelled all donations that were then delivered to Interfaith Food Pantry in Morris Plains that serves local families in need. On December 17, students, teachers and parent volunteers also distributed thousands of toys donated by our families and alumni to hundreds of Paterson families through Delbarton's partnership with Catholic Charities.

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Delbarton Accreditation Plan is Validated

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n March 10, a fourperson Middle States Visiting Team arrived on campus to launch a rigorous assessment of our Middle States Plan for Growth and Improvement. At the conclusion of the process on March 13, the Team validated the planning document, and Delbarton was reaccredited for the next seven years by Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS), a worldwide leader in accreditation and school improvement.

After much work and selfanalysis, Delbarton identified three core objectives for growth and improvement: n

n

Academic Integrity - By 2031, Delbarton School will have created a climate and culture that fosters student commitment to and practice of the highest standards of academic integrity.

Student Flourishing - By 2031, Delbarton School will have better empowered each student to discover and actualize his unique potential, God-given gifts, and place in our community.

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Staff Development & Formation - By 2031, Delbarton School will have policies and practices to recruit, train, and support faculty and staff to deepen their commitment and effectiveness as Benedictine Catholic educators.

Jamie Bell P ’15,’17,’19,’24

T

hank you to our thirtytwo-member Planning Team, Internal Coordinators Dan Szelingowski and Jon Cote, and to every member of our community who contributed to this comprehensive self-analysis process.

The detailed, goal-oriented plan that resulted will now guide Delbarton for the next seven years.

Pictured above are Internal Coordinator Dan Szelingowski, Visiting Team members Gregory Gulkin, Kathleen McCarthy, Megan Sullivan and Keara DeMaio, Internal Coordinator Dr. Jon Cote and Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B.

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and Feasting in Greece and Rome’. Some background: “Guidebooks and manuals were a popular genre in Greek and Latin literature, and several strange examples of beekeeping guides survive from Ancient Rome. But the eccentricities of each of these beekeeping texts beg the question of how seriously the reader should take their purported aim to instruct.

By comparing these works, and closely examining their format, style, and information, one can start to suss out clues about the true uses and purposes of each text.”

Teacher and Forensic Society moderator Mary Gormley was commissioned as a contributing writer for a Speech and Debate textbook and wrote four chapters on the Fundamentals of Speech competition, an Introduction to Public Address Events, Research Tools, and Proven Strategies for Evaluating Speeches and What to Expect from the Judges at a tournament.

Theology Teacher Tracy Kessler was accepted into Hudson Valley Writing Project (HVWP) 2024-25 Invitational Institute, Leadership in the Teaching of Writing. HVWP is a professional development organization of the State University of New York at New (continued on page 37)

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Meet Our Alumni Teaching Fellows Delbarton hosted three recent college graduates in the third annual Teaching Fellowship Program, a oneyear initiative open to Delbarton alumni currently in their senior year of college. The August to May post-grad term at Delbarton gives applicants an opportunity to experience a career in a school environment and serves as a gap year for alumni embarking on a post-graduate degree program or career. This year’s Teaching Fellows included, from left, Robert Pesce ’19, Ryan Siffringer ’19 and Patrick Christie ’19. All three appreciated the support of Fr. Michael and faculty and students this year. “This has been a nice opportunity to experience what education is like and to give back to the school,” said Siffringer.

Joanna Rodriguez Dugan

(continued from page 34)

Delbarton Hosts NJAIS Marcomm Conference On January 11, Delbarton hosted a Marketing and Communications Conference sponsored by the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools (NJAIS). Organized by Director of Marketing & Communications Jessica Fiddes, the one-day event took place in the Pizzo Family Field House’s Van Rooyen Family Reception Hall and attracted seventy-five communications and admissions professionals from independent schools around the state. Later, the group enjoyed a cocktail reception in Old Main.

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Delbarton Partners with Villa Walsh for First Christ in the City Experience On February 10, Delbarton Dean of Admissions Dr. David Donovan and five Delbarton students joined ten students from Villa Walsh Academy to participate in the group’s first Christ in the City experience.

Founded in Denver, CO in 2010

by Dr. Jonathan Reyes, Christ in the City trains and empowers young people to give themselves in a radical way to make a positive change in the world.

(continued from page 36)

Paltz, with a mission to enhance the teaching of writing and promote literacy development at all education levels. During the year-long program, Kessler will enhance her understanding of literacy instruction, conduct action research, and gain skills in school leadership by actively participating in a community of professional readers and writers. “At the completion of the course, I will have earned nine graduate credits and be well on my way to becoming an expert in the teaching of writing,” explains Kessler. “I want my students to learn that writing does not only belong in the English classroom but

across the curriculum. Writing is a tool for critical thinking, but it can be a source of catharsis, joy, and especially, selfdiscovery; I want my students to embrace a writing practice!”

History teacher Kent Manno has been accepted as a member into The Second World War Research Group at Kings College London, an international organization that connects scholars who research all aspects of World War II. He also has joined the Digital Engagement Team of the Imperial War Museum in the United Kingdom and will be working through information (continued on page 38)

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Andre Clovis ’26 Receives 2024 Cerasia Award Andre Clovis ’26 is the 2024 recipient of the Cerasia Award, presented each year to a student who exhibited persistence and resilience during his years at Delbarton. He received the award at a Delbarton convocation during a Morning Meeting on February 7.

The Cerasia Award is dedicated to the memory of the late Michael C. Cerasia, a member of the class of 1994 who died tragically with his older brother in a boating accident during the (continued from page 37)

collected over the past 30 years, confirming data accuracy, adding new data and researching missing details.

In March, Latin teacher Dr. Theresa O’Byrne was officially added to the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland project as an associated researcher focusing on the records of the Guild of St. Anne, active in Dublin between 1430 and the early 18th century.

This global research project has transformed the catalog of a public archive destroyed in

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summer following his freshman year. His father Robert Cerasia P ’94 of North Caldwell witnessed the presentation as did Andre’s father Chenier Clovis P ’26,’27, his brother Hans Clovis ’27 and his teachers, guidance counselors and friends.

In 2023, Andre and his family had to cope with the death of his younger brother with whom he shared a strong brotherly bond.

Director of Diversity Equity and Ireland’s civil war into a model for reconstruction. As reported in an April 1 New York Times article, “Funded by the Irish government as part of its commemorations of a century of independence, the Virtual Treasury relies on modern technologies — virtual imaging, online networks, artificial intelligence language models and the growing digital indexes of archives around the world — but also on dusty printed catalogs and old-school human contacts…The site went online in June 2022, the 100th

Belonging Jenna Gomez says, “Although Andre and his family have experienced deep loss at an age before many do he has persevered and continues to be a light in all of our lives, quick to put a smile on his friend’s faces.

Dre gets his strength from his faith which he navigates more expertly and thoughtfully than most adults I know. We are so proud of the young man that he is and are grateful for his presence in our lives and for the strength he so freely gives.” anniversary of the records office fire, and is aiming for 100 million searchable words by 2025, a target it says it is three-quarters of the way to reaching.”

In April, language teachers of Italian Dan Pieraccini and Michael Del Guercio ’04 offered a presentation on the topic of Global Education Disasters at the Global Educators Benchmark Group’s annual conference in Montreal.

Pieraccini and Del Guercio have also combined their skills as (continued on page 40)

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Wesley Gabriel ’26 Achieves in Stock Pitch Contest In 2020, as a Delbarton 7th grader, Wesley Gabriel ’26 was challenged by his Algebra teacher to register with and explore Investopia, a resource for beginner and experienced investors. That exposure piqued his interest and he became a self-taught investor. At age 12, Wesley used his birthday money to open a Fidelity custodial investment account and this year, as a member of the Business and Economics Club, he applied to the Young investors Society for the Certified Young Investment Analyst (CYIA) Designation which required

entering a stock pitch competition. His written analysis of a Texas-based oil and gas company earned him the desired CYIA certification, and his report was selected as a top 100 from up to 1,000 pitches from around the world. Gabriel was invited to present his paper to a panel of finance professionals at the Global Youth Investment Summit on May 29-30 at Cornell Tech in NYC, and to attend a Bloomberg networking event with industry professionals.

Fact: Delbarton is one of a handful of high schools to offer a dozen Bloomberg terminals as

part of its AP Macroeconomics course.

At first, Gabriel's youthful analysis and decision-making produced less than stellar results. He slowly developed more skills — and, presumably, a cast iron stomach — and is now solidly in the black. Read more about Wesley Gabriel's experience on delbarton.org/about-us/news.

Middle School Alumni Speaker Series On April 5, the Delbarton Middle School debuted a Middle School Alumni Speaker Series with an inaugural presentation by Frederick Honold ’70.

The Series is designed to stimulate aspirational thinking, encourage early goal setting, and develop intentional skill-building in our middle schoolers.

Honold spoke about his AT&T and consulting career, asked the boys about their career goals, and discussed specific skills they can start developing to achieve their objectives. The next guest speaker in Cimino’s class was Paul Nolle ’10 on April 17. After a brief introduction, Nolle, a lawyer specializing in private equity, fielded rapid fire questions from the boys about everything from his profession to how hard Mr. John Thompson's classes were – so the rumors are true!

– yet how much he enjoyed them. Our third guest speaker was Mike Griffin ’91. On May 6, he spoke to middle schoolers about drop-shipping, advertising and the role of technology in business.

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Building Public Speaking Skills at Meeting of the Minds (continued from page 38)

licensed realtors at Keller Williams Midtown Direct in Maplewood. In June, Pieraccini will be initiated as the State Vice President of the New Jersey Elks Association.

Mission & Ministry Director Matt White was accepted into the Creighton University Catholic

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Each year, John Thompson’s AP Modern World History classes conduct several debates to fulfill a History Department goal of improving upon each student’s public speaking skills. The debates include Socratic Seminars, Paideia Discussions, Formal Debates, Fishbowl Debates, and a Trial. Annually, Louis XVI is guillotined (or not) depending on the strength of his

defense team. On February 20, Thompson’s class conducted a The Meeting of the Minds seminar. Each student selected a historical figure – from Niccolo Machiavelli to Sojourner Truth, Genghis Khan to Confucius — then portrayed him or her during the roundtable seminar that our young men enjoyed the experience as much as their teacher did.

School Leadership Certificate Program and will start taking classes this summer.

his older brother, four-year-old Julian.

Tidings Delbarton faculty members Jenna Gomez-Nourie and Christian Gomez welcomed their son Matias Adriano Gomez on April 14, 2024. Matias joined

Senior Major Gift Officer Allison Malavasi and her husband Kyle welcomed their son Luke Thomas Malavasi on May 7, 2024. n

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Kent Place Students Spend Day at In a celebration of Women’s History Month, on March 8 students from Kent Place School embarked on a “student exchange” day at Delbarton, an experience that allowed these young women to step into the shoes of Delbarton students, immersing themselves in the vibrant atmosphere of the all-boys school. The event

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served as an excellent opportunity for both groups to break down stereotypes and misconceptions.

Guided discussions and activities provided a platform for the young people to trade perspectives on gender dynamics, challenges faced, and achievements celebrated.

Mean Girls Films at Delbarton When Mean Girls arrived in theaters in January, some moviegoers may have noticed a familiar setting: the film’s climatic winter talent show scene was filmed in the Delbarton Fine Arts Center theater. In March 2023, set designers transformed our stage into an over-the-top winter wonderland.

Once the stage was set, a cast of stars, including producer Tina Fey, and over 200 extras arrived on campus for a two-day shoot to capture the actionpacked scene in the FAC.

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Students Attend UN Sustainable Goals Summit In September, a group of Diversity Among Peers (DAP) and Current Events Club members attended the two-day 2023 United Nations SDG Summit. Zain Raza ’25, Arjan Singh ’25, Arsh Chahal ’25, Kelvin Pierre ’25, Hunter Terborg ’26, and Max Rodriguez ’26 met with other students to discuss Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The seventeen SDGs provide a practical, effective way to tackle poverty, violent conflict, human rights abuses, climate change, and environmental degradation.

On February 22, the boys shared their UN Summit experiences with fellow students in a presentation that was recorded and

shared with the Stimson Center, the foreign affairs think tank that invited Delbarton to the UN Summit.

Seniors Exit in Style On May 3, the final day of classes for Delbarton seniors, members of the graduating Class of 2024 'pranked' the school by hiring a mariachi band to play them out. A good time was had by all!

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Governor Christie Visits Delbarton On March 6, the American Politics Club at Delbarton organized an on-campus discussion with former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie P ’12, ’19, an event arranged

by Club student leaders Brayden Karpinski ’24, Zeke Ehrenberg ’25 and Hunter Terborg ’26. Christie shared his insights on his motivation and career path, his experiences as governor of New Jersey, and his reflections on leadership. He is the father of two alumni, Andrew ’12 and Patrick Christie ’19; Patrick returned to Delbarton this year to serve as an Alumni Teaching Fellow. “This place is an extremely important place to me and my family,” said Christie, as he urged students to appreciate and value their Delbarton years.

year, forty-five Delbarton students across the two cohorts Students This completed three sessions and earned their certification through Neighborhood House to be peer ambassadors, prepared Earn Peer Morristown to have conversations about mental health issues and concerns. As school’s Peer Ambassador program continues to evolve, Ambassador the students are strategizing ways to encourage their brothers to take Certification advantage of this peer-to-peer mental health program.

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learning outside the classroom Matthew Bocchi Inspires Delbarton Students

On November 10, Matthew Bocchi addressed a Morning Meeting.

After his father’s death in the terrorist attacks of 9/11, Bocchi masked his emotional pain for years by self-medicating with alcohol and drugs. Now in longterm recovery, Bocchi wrote Sway, the first book about the terrorist attack authored by the child of a 9/11 victim. He shared his inspiring story of hope and perseverance, and later spoke to Delbarton Middle Schoolers in a separate session.

Producer/Director Kat Lazo at Delbarton On April 4th, Delbarton hosted Kat Lazo, a dynamic director, producer, and public speaker known for her insightful reflections on Hispanic identity who shared personal anecdotes and valuable lessons about how to become the architect of your life and take responsibility for your unique journey.

Delbarton Hosts New Jersey Catholic Schools Diversity Conference On December 16, Delbarton hosted its second We Are Called New Jersey Catholic School Diversity Conference sponsored by Delbarton and St. Benedict’s Prep, and guided by student leadership from Delbarton, St. Benedict’s and Oak Knoll School. The Conference, organized by Jenna Gomez, Delbarton’s Director of Diversity and Community Belonging, included cohorts of administrators, teachers, trustees, alumni and students. Workshops throughout the event showcased student leaders from around the state.

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Mission & Ministry Report

The Delbarton Retreat Experience For over 35 years, the Delbarton Retreat program has exemplified our core mission to enhance brotherhood and community, encourage faith development, and foster growth in character, Benedictine values, and the regular practice of the Faith. Each Delbarton student experiences an annual retreat guided by Mission & Ministry Director Matt White and Assistant Director Mike Fitzgerald who are assisted by upperclassmen volunteers and administrator and faculty chaperones.

2023-2024 Retreat Calendar

Middle School (Day of Recollection) For Middle Schoolers, their first Delbarton retreat experience takes place one morning on campus when 7th and 8th graders meet to learn about the Benedictine monks as well as their way of life and the Hallmarks of a Benedictine education.

Oct. 11, 2023

Freshman Retreats Delbarton Freshmen spend a weekend on campus in the St. Mary’s Abbey Retreat Center guided by upperclassmen who help them integrate into the Delbarton community, as well as to grow in their faith and their relationships with God, family, and themselves.

Sept. 29-30, 2023 Nov. 10-11, 2023 Dec. 1-2, 2023 Jan. 19-20, 2024

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Mission & Ministry Report

“

The middle school

retreat in October taught me multiple valuable lessons about how important solidarity and prayer are within our

”

relationship with God.

Jameson Ebrahim ’28 Sophomores Delbarton Sophomores spend three days at the Romero Center in Camden, NJ where they immerse themselves in the precepts of Catholic social teaching through service in Camden and experience the power of empathy.

Nov. 1-3, 2023 Dec. 6-8, 2023 Jan. 31-Feb. 2, 2024 April 17-19, 2024

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Juniors

Seniors

For Delbarton Juniors, their offcampus four-day Kairos Retreat fosters encounters with Christ in His people, His word, and the sacraments. Students are encouraged to grow in awareness of the opportunities to meet God in our world, through nature, and especially in others.

Concluding their Delbarton retreat experience, seniors travel to St. Joseph’s Shrine in Stirling for one day where they learn about continuing and strengthening their faith after they graduate from Delbarton.

Jan. 23-26, 2024 March 5-8, 2024 April 9-12, 2024

Oct. 10, 2023 Jan. 23, 2024 April 16, 2024

DELBARTON

arts NEWS

Art Students at The Met

On December 4, junior and senior studio art students enjoyed a field trip with teachers to The Metropolitan Museum of Art where they spent a great day touring, sketching, and appreciating one of the world’s finest art museums.

Delbarton Arts Hosts Alex Maxwell’s Antithesis Last fall, Delbarton Arts was proud to present Antithesis, an exhibition by New Jersey-based artist Alex Maxwell. The collection of works on paper, which included screen-print and collage, was on display in the Fine Arts Center in December and January.

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arts NEWS

Abbey Players Perform A Flea in Her Ear

Amit Banker P ’24,’27

From October 27-29, Delbarton audiences enjoyed three dynamic performances of this year’s fall play, A Flea in Her Ear, presented by Delbarton Abbey Players. Written by French playwright Georges Feydeau during the Belle Époque in 1907, the classic farce featured mistaken identities and non-stop hilarity during the fast-paced Abbey Players production.

Violinist Nicholas Yoo ’24 at Julliard On March 2, Nicholas Yoo ’24 celebrated his senior graduation recital at Julliard with strong support from his Delbarton brothers and their families. As a violin major since 8th grade, this was a milestone for his Pre-College Diploma and Nick later said, “I want to give a huge thank you to all in the Delbarton community who came that night to watch my performance, which was the culmination of my twelve years playing the violin.”

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arts NEWS

Jazz Ensemble at Lincoln Center On February 1, musicians in the Delbarton Jazz Ensemble, accompanied by Arts faculty member Andrew Lyman, on right, and teacher Christian Lopez on left, visited Jazz at Lincoln Center to attend a private jazz rehearsal.

Andrew Lyma n

Jazz Ensemble Performs at Gatsby Ball On February 24, the Delbarton community followed the green light to the Great Gatsby Ball.

Gala co-chairs Margaret Mahoney, P ’25, Melissa Pecoraro-Segerson, P ’24,’27 and Dawn Towle, P ’24 transformed The Venetian in Garfield, NJ into a scene from the Roaring Twenties to create a wildly successful event to benefit the Delbarton financial aid program. Delbarton Jazz Ensemble musicians were suitably attired in white dinner jackets and Ensemble Director Andrew Lyman, far right, took this selfie to capture the moment.

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Yankee shortstop Anthony Volpe ’19 and his Delbarton fan zone on December 1, 2023.

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arts NEWS

Anything Goes at Delbarton From February 9-11, audiences were treated to three performances of the classic Broadway musical Anything Goes presented by Delbarton actors and visiting thespians. Anything Goes follows the comedic misadventures of ocean liner passengers and crew members as they navigate love and mistaken identities. With timeless Cole Porter tunes and a plot full of farcical escapades, the Delbarton production was a hit that had audience members humming show tunes long after the final curtain call.

One Acts 2024 From April 26-27, Delbarton audiences were invited to witness student creativity at the Delbarton One Acts 2024. From the witty charm of The Philadelphia directed by Donovan Perry ’25 to the gripping intrigue of The Thief

by Bridget Lomax from Academy of St. Elizabeth, and the thrilling twists of The Experiment by Brent Holland, the One Acts performances showcased talent and originality on stage in the Fine Arts Center.

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DELBARTON

arts NEWS

Winter Concert Showcases Musicians and Vocalists On February 28, the Delbarton Fine Arts Center hosted the annual Winter Concert, showcasing the impressive collective talent of our student musicians and vocalists. A highlight was the performance of Violin Concerto No. 3, Mvt. 3 by 8th grader Mason Chu ’28 which earned this talented young man a rousing standing ovation from the audience.

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GLOBAL DELBARTON

Glenstal Abbey Exchange In December, five students from Glenstal Abbey School in Limerick, Ireland were hosted by Delbarton families. During their stay they attended a Delbarton dance — 24 hours after they landed — toured NYC, Washington, DC and attended classes at Delbarton. Guests and their Delbarton hosts are

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pictured outside the Abbey Church after Mass on December 8 with Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B., Abbot Jonathan Licari, O.S.B. and Prior Edward Seton Fittin ’82, O.S.B.

GLOBAL DELBARTON

German Exchange

Pat Finn

On April 5 to April 17, a co-ed group of eight German students, accompanied by two chaperones, spent two weeks living with Delbarton host families, part of Delbarton’s continuing exchange program with the Bildungszentrum Markdorf near Friedrichshafen, Germany. The group enjoyed sightseeing, dining and excursions in Manhattan and Washington, DC and attended classes to sample the Delbarton academic experience.

Iceland Chaperoned by faculty members Patrick Finn and Br. Will McMillan, O.S.B., Delbarton students traveled to Iceland during Spring Break where they explored glaciers, lava and ice caves, witnessed the splendor of the Northern Lights, and ziplined over Iceland’s breathtaking landscape. Cold plunges, hot saunas, local foods, and mythic tales of Vikings and trolls created a full immersion experience into the culture of Iceland.

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Summer Travel and Exchanges Rome Study Program

German Exchange

China

This summer, twelve intermediate Italian students journey to Rome for two weeks of morning conversation and composition classes, and afternoons and evenings of full immersion in the Eternal City that include art tours, cooking classes, and cultural day trips in the Lazio region and beyond.

From June 7 to 20, four students who hosted German exchange students at Delbarton in March will accompany faculty member Kevin Conn to Germany to reconnect with Bildungszentrum Markdorf students while experiencing an authentic European adventure to complete this annual exchange.

French Exchange

Glenstal

This summer marks the maiden voyage of our new exchange with Les Chartreux, a high school in Lyon, France. Six Delbarton students who hosted French exchange students in March will experience a twoweek homestay filled with cultural activities and adventure, including a weekend in Paris.

Tried and true, our yearly exchange with Glenstal Abbey continues again for Delbarton students who hosted Irish boys.

They’ll spend two weeks in the quaint county of Limerick, enjoying some of Ireland’s best weather and finest hospitality.

For the first time in recent history, Delbarton ventures to the Orient. On an ambitious tour of China’s eastern coast, fifteen students will experience a full schedule of cultural highlights that span ancient empires to ultra-modern tech hubs. Our intrepid travelers will visit Beijing, Shanghai, LuoYang, Xi’an and more cities and towns during a transformative experience that we hope becomes an annual Global Delbarton option.

Football in

Italy

Six Delbarton football players led

by Green Wave Varsity Football Head Coach Brian Bowers had the honor of representing the USA in the American Football Worldwide USA versus Italy game in Milan, showcasing their skills on an international stage and fostering global connections through sportsmanship. Team USA ended their trip to Italy with a 34-2 victory.

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GLOBAL DELBARTON

FIAT - Service Trip to El Salvador From June 8 to June 18, Delbarton students will travel to El Salvador on a service mission to help build homes while also learning about and experiencing the culture, geography, people, language and cuisine of El Salvador.

Service Trip to

West Virginia

BEADS in Kenya The annual BEADS (Benedictines of East Africa and Delbarton Students) trip to Kenya is on hiatus in June 2024. This travel experience allows students to offer service for the apostolates of Sub-Saharan Benedictine communities, focusing particularly on their schools.

From March 24 to March 29, three students traveled during Spring Break with faculty members Mike Fitzgerald and Philip Schochet to Bethlehem Farm in WV, a Catholic community in Appalachia that transforms lives through service. The group did hands-on community service projects, engaged in social justice activities and prayer and reflection during this annual service mission.

French Exchange In early March, Delbarton families hosted eight students and two teachers for two weeks from Les Chartreux, a high school in Lyon, France on the first leg of our new French Exchange. The boys’ first full week in the United States began on March 4 with an urban adventure with upper level foreign language students, traveling together into the city to The Metropolitan Opera for a special sneak peek of the opera Roméo et Juliette and lunch downtown at Eataly, the first of several NYC excursions during their stay.

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GLOBAL DELBARTON

Ski Adventure in Bozeman, Montana From December 31 to January 5, members of the Delbarton Ski Team were the guests of Peter Stewart ’86, his wife Kris and their two young sons at Hardscrabble Ranch in Bozeman, MT. The Stewart family spent fifteen years in the heart of Bozeman, then jumped at the chance to acquire more land, raise animals, plant a garden, and enjoy life surrounded by mountains. Ski Team Head Coach Kevin Malkin, sixteen Delbarton skiers and seventeen parent chaperones (who stayed at local Airbnbs) enjoyed skiing at Bridger Bowl and experiencing life on a guest ranch. The Delbarton Ski Team has signed on for a repeat adventure at Hardscrabble Ranch in 2025.

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STEM Report

| By Brian Theroux, Science Department Chair

“In theoremate id operatur” (In theory it will work!)

Yan Liu P ’26

The Delbarton Research in Science Club (RiS) is a hub for learning and research throughout the year that inspires students to pursue research and intensive study in science related fields. The club motto is In theoremate id operatur: “In theory it will work!” This year’s student leaders were Jack Grbic ’24, Kevin Jin ’25, William Du ’24 and Nicholas Yoo ’24 guided by faculty advisors Mr. Brian Theroux, Dr. Chris Dittrick ’05, Mr. Pete O’Connell and Mrs. Elizabeth Mainardi.

Guest speakers and in-house trivia competitions kept the neurons connecting at Delbarton.

Delbotics Achieves in First Tech

Challenge The Delbarton Robotics team – aka Delbotics — had a strong performance at the league championship hosted by Delbarton on March 3, earning the six best performances of its season and eight of the team’s top ten scores and dominating the field in all categories. Our engineers were poised for battle in the First Tech Challenge (FTC) State Championships on March 17 at Hillsborough High School.

College to share his experience working with medical research involving a patient who has both mesothelioma and pancreatic cancer.

In December, Theology teacher Tracy Kessler presented short case studies about ethical dilemmas in the science community.

In September, Steven Clark shared his “Search for Beyond Standard Model Particles with the CMS Detector at the Large Hadron Collider” at the invitation of physics teacher Christopher Costa.

Delbarton alumnus Austin Hurley ’22 joined us from Bates

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In January Dr. Andrea Viegas P’24 who currently works at Novartis gave a fascinating talk on her career and journey through the world of pharmaceuticals and managing international clinical trials.

Multiple students launched science research projects during the first semester.

Kevin Jin ’25 made waves with his investigation of The Neuroprotective Effects of Chebulinic Acid and Gallic Acid on Novel Targets in Alzheimer’s Disease.

Ian Grenda ’24 investigated hydrogen peroxide fuel cells as part of the Governor’s STEM Scholars program.

Jack Grbic ’24 pivoted from his successful 2023 AI Architecture project to Inspiring Urban Planning with Slime Mold Mimicry.

Michael Xu ’26 has built a solar powered airplane drone capable of sustained automatic flight for his project SkyLinker: UAV Perpetual Solar Flight to Cheaply Position Radio Antennas.

Middle Schooler Erik Feng ’28 was constructing a mechanical model of the human heart and circulatory system as an investigation at the intersection of hydrodynamics and anatomy.

Edvin Korpela ’26 and Thomas Murphy ’26 worked on designs for a remote-controlled surveillance submarine that they hoped to launch into the Delbarton Pond this spring.

Delbarton students competed in the Terra North Jersey STEM Fair on March 23 at Kean University and the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium at Rutgers University on February 26.

The Research in Science Club also hosted four in-house trivia competitions in the first semester in preparation for the interscholastic competitions coming up this semester. The Biology and Physics Olympiads took place in early February, and the Chemistry Olympiad at the end of the month. The team of Kevin Jin ’25, Kear O’Malley, Mark Sebastian, Tim Pinheiro,

Ian Grenda, Cortland Forstner and Neil VanKirk ’26 represented Delbarton at the NJ High School Regional Science Bowl at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory on February 24.

Finally, the 6th Annual Delbarton Science Fair took place on April 12 featuring projects and presentations from our grades seven through twelve STEM-focused students. The RiS Club is open to all and seeks to inspire students to pursue research and intensive study in science related fields during their Delbarton years.

Michael Xu ’26 and Kevin Jin ’25 Win Awards at Terra North Jersey STEM Fair In March, Kevin Jin ’25 and Michael Xu ’26 represented Delbarton at the Terra North Jersey STEM Fair where Xu won the ISEF Grand Prize, including an all-expense-paid trip to the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). The Fair took place from May 11-17 in Los Angeles, CA and is the world’s largest pre-college STEM competition, with over 1,000 high school science projects from all over the world. For his research project, SkyLinker: UAV Perpetual Solar Flight to Cheaply Position Radio Antennas, Xu also received the Naval Science Award from the Office of Naval

Research, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers NJ Section Young Engineer Award.

Jin’s research project The Neuroprotective Effects of Chebulinic Acid and Gallic Acid on Novel Targets in Alzheimer’s Disease earned second place in the Cell Biology category.

Delbarton Research in Science Club moderator Brian Theroux also won the Partners in Science Teacher Award in recognition of excellence in fostering scientific research among high school students.

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around delbarton

Parent Organizations: Since January, Delbarton parents have enjoyed many opportunities to meet, learn, discuss, celebrate, contribute and socialize both on and off campus.

January • Fathers & Friends Nourish NJ Farmers Market • DMG Parent to Parent: Self Defense Class with Scott Carrell • Come and See Parents Night • DAP & PCDI Lunar New Year Celebration

February • DMG Meeting & Executive Board Meeting • 2024 Delbarton Gala • DAP & PCDI Celebration of Black History and Culture

March • DMG Parent to Parent: Health Advocate Speaker • DMG Lenten Morning of Reflection • Basketball Banquet • Ski Banquet • DMG Senior Mothers Dinner

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April • Squash Banquet • Wrestling Banquet • Interfaith Iftar Fast and Feast • Swimming Banquet • Winter Track Banquet • Spring Faculty & Staff Appreciation Day • DPGA Wine Dinner • Hockey Banquet

May • DMG Spring Luncheon • DMG Walking with Purpose End of Year Luncheon • Come and See Parents Night • DAP & PCDI End of the Year Social • Rugby Banquet • PCDI Executive Board Dinner

June • Fathers & Friends Golf Outing • Tennis Banquet • DPGA Cocktail Party • Baseball Banquet • Spring Track Banquet • DPGA End of the Year Gathering • Lacrosse Banquet

Reoccurring monthly events include: DMG Walking with Purpose DMG Bible Study DMG Body and Soul DMG Book Club

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sport shorts

By Jared Lowy

Cross Country

Green Wave Cross Country, led

by Head Coach Collin Frost, concluded a successful season, kicking off at the Trails of Miles Opening Night where John Cuzzocrea ’25 secured an impressive 7th place finish overall.

In NJAC competition, the team finished with a 4-2 record, securing victories over West Morris, Mt. Olive, Randolph, and

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Montville. At the NJAC Sub Varsity Championships, Matthew Fic ’27 claimed the top spot with an outstanding performance, followed by Oscar Cuzzocrea ’27 in second. Delbarton earned 3rd place overall at the NJAC Championships and a 2nd place finish at the Morris County tournament.

John Cuzzocrea’s impressive season earned him a spot at the

Meet of Champions after placing 15th overall at the Non-Public A Championships. Everett Jania ’24 (NYU) finished with a 20th place finish at the Non-Public A Championships, and Ryan Readlinger ’25, Joe Shaefer ’25, Jania, and John Cuzzocrea earned NJAC All-Conference Honors. With a core of young, high-performing runners, Green Wave Cross Country has a bright future ahead.

Soccer

Green Wave Varsity Soccer marked its thirtieth season guided by Head Coach Dr. David Donovan with final record of 18-22. The season opened at Red Bull Arena with a 3-3 tie against Seton Hall Prep. Delbarton achieved at the Delbarton Soccer Invitational despite a 2-0 loss to St. Benedict’s Prep. The team would go on to win 17 of their next 18 games during the regular season.

The Green Wave captured another NJAC division title and a second consecutive Morris

County Tournament Title after defeating Hanover Park 3-0.

Owen Miller ’26 delivered a stellar performance by netting three goals, while James Anroman ’24 (Gettysburg) made three saves to ensure a shutout victory. In state tournament play, Delbarton beat Oratory Prep and Don Bosco and ended its run with a 2-1 defeat to Seton Hall Prep in the Non-Public A Sectional final before a packed fan zone at Ryan Family Field.

FA L L I N G U P Photos by Emily Leamy P ’23

Captains Shea Coughlin ’24 (Lehigh), Andrew Casiano ’24 and Aidan Donovan ’24 led the team in 2023; Coughlin received first-team All-Conference honors, along with All-County and FirstTeam All-State recognition.

Casiano and Donovan earned AllConference honors as well.

Brady Hyland ’25, Liam McElderry ’25 and Jack Lobosco ’24 anchored defense while, in goal, Anroman and Reid Comeaux ’24 earned nine shutouts over the course of the season.

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Football

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FA L L I N G U P

Green Wave Varsity Football, led

by Head Coach Brian Bowers, electrified fans with a historic 10-2 season and a trip to the NonPublic Championship at MetLife Stadium. The journey began with a 34-13 road victory over St. Anthony’s and a 20-17 loss to Malvern Prep. A come-frombehind win against St. Peter’s Prep propelled the Green Wave to five consecutive wins, including a 30-6 triumph over Pope John and a Homecoming 28-0 win over DePaul Catholic.

A monumental clash against #2 St. Joe’s Regional resulted in a gripping 24-21 victory, and secured Delbarton a #2 ranking. After edging Don Bosco 14-10 in the quarterfinals, Delbarton emerged victorious in the semifinal at home against Seton Hall Prep 38-23 before a crowd of 10,000 fans. The

team fell short in the State Final against #1 Bergen Catholic, succumbing 24-14 on November 28 night at MetLife Stadium.

Quarterback Christian Zebrowski ’24 (Middlebury Baseball), running back Ryan Trafford ’24 (Naval Academy Football and Lacrosse), and Phil Folmar ’25 spearheaded the offensive charge anchored by Jake Macce ’24 (Duke) and Ryan Creegan ’24 (Villanova), while the state’s top defense, led by Connor Martin ’24 (UPenn) and Dallas Hurley ’24 (Wake Forest), showcased its dominance throughout the season.

Photos by Emily Leamy P ’23

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Basketball Varsity Basketball, coached by firstyear Head Coach Matt Crane, soared to new heights this season, finishing with an impressive record of 22-5 with notable victories against Oratory Prep, DePaul Catholic, and an out-of-state win against Regis High School. Despite lacking size, they compensated with relentless defense and sharpshooting.

Led by captains Michael Van Raaphorst ’24 and Lincoln Zimmermann ’24, alongside standout performances from Patrick Mahoney ’25 and Will McGinty ’24, the team showcased unity and determination. Johnny Riley ’24 (Dartmouth Football) was a major contributor off the bench for coach Crane this season and big man Anthony Palumbo ’24 added size in the paint for the Green Wave. Their crowning achievements include the NJAC American Division championship and the Morris County Tournament Championship where Delbarton defeated Mendham 47-46. Van Raaphorst earned County Tournament MVP, Zimmermann secured his place on the all-tournament team, and Mahoney and McGinty were recognized for their contributions as well.

This season was just the beginning for the Green Wave. With eyes set on the future, Delbarton aims to build upon its successes and face greater challenges in next season.

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Hockey

Varsity Hockey, coached by Head Coach Bruce Shatel, had a 18-7-0 record with victories over St. Augustine, Catholic Memorial, Pingry, CBA, Bergen Catholic, and Fairfield Prep.

The team won the Catholic Memorial Tournament title, defeating Catholic Memorial 4-2 before a 9-0 win over Bishop Feehan in the tourney final. In the Gordon Cup tournament, Delbarton beat Bergen Catholic and St. Augustine Prep, losing 4-2

in the finals to #1 Don Bosco. In NJSIAA Non-Public competition, Delbarton beat Bergen Catholic and Pingry, with a semifinal 4-2 loss to St. Augustine.

The team was led offensively by captain Max Pendy ’24 (Princeton) with 26 goals.

Goalkeeper George Cote ’25 earned three shutouts and a .918 sv%. Offense was bolstered by Egor Andreev ’26, whose dynamic play sparked scoring, while Liam Donnelly ’26, Dante

FA L L I N G U P Photos by Emily Leamy P ’23

Rodriguez ’25, and Jack Gerne ’25 were notable contributors.

Defensively, the team was anchored by captain Michael Padula ’24 and Jack Sedlak ’24 supported by Matthew Peng ’27, Peter Goffredo ’25, and Sean O'Gwen ’27.

With just five graduating seniors, the team’s future shines bright with potential next winter.

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Bowling Varsity Bowling, led by Coach Kacy Kane, had a successful season, finishing with a 12-11 record and competed in the State Sectional finals. The team swept Morristown, Chatham, and Madison twice and took games from some powerhouse teams this season, including Kinnelon, Roxbury, Morris Knolls, Morris Hills and Bergen Catholic.

The team was anchored by David Reale ’25, Luke Towle ’24 and Steven Corcoran ’24 who were joined by Matt Tyrone ’24, Connor Tyrone ’24, Luca Scotto ’24 and Cole

Dionyssiou ’24. Reale tied the school record 279, sharing the record with the late Tim Gearty ‘16, and broke his previous high series record with 767. The team also set a new team high game record of 1069 at the Crusader Classic, one of the six new tournaments that the team traveled to this year. Reale made First Team All-Morris County and First Team All-Conference, while Towle made Second Team AllMorris County and Second Team All-Conference, while Corcoran and Matt Tyrone also earned Honorable Mentions in both categories as well.

Squash The Varsity Squash program, led by Head Coach Craig Paris ’82, played a challenging schedule, finishing with an 813 record. Led by the dynamic duo of freshmen William Choi-Seem 27 and Daniel Meng ’27 the team displayed determination and skill on the court.

Balanced leadership was provided by seniors Colin Pryma ’24, Max Lacz ’24, Willie Doyle ’24 (Amherst Lacrosse), and Jack Gibbons ’24. Junior standout Will Kramer ’25 also contributed as a key member of the starting lineup. Michael Banker ’24, Angus McDonald ’24, JohnMyles Dziadzio ’24 and Aidan D’Souza ’25 rounded out the team. In late February, the team traveled to

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Philadelphia for the High School Nationals, competing in Division 3. Despite facing very tough opponents throughout the weekend, the team showcased its ability to battle, clinching the 14th spot in the division and an impressive 46th overall out of 112 teams. Standout performances included 3-1 records from Choi-Seem, Meng, and Kramer.

The 2024 season was marked by growth, teamwork, and memorable achievements, setting a strong foundation for future success on the squash courts.

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W I N T E R WAV E

Skiing

Varsity Ski, coached by Head Coach Kevin Malkin, had a very successful season in 2023, finishing at 46-11 overall. The season looked promising despite the loss of two contributing seniors. With four returning starters, including seniors captain Liam Larson ’24, Hayden Van Vliet ’24, and 3-year varsity starters captain Ryan Johnson ’24 and captain Louis Friedrich ’24, along with experienced upperclassmen, there was plenty of optimism. The team performed incredibly well in 2024, finishing the regular season 49-1 and an overall 66-2 record.

The season began slowly due to warm temperatures, but freshman

Curt Friedrich ’27 made an immediate impact. In the three Slalom races, Delbarton secured two first place finishes and a second place, and in the three Giant Slalom races, the team earned three first-place finishes.

Individually, Louis Friedrich won one of the six races, Johnson consistently placed in the top five, and Curt Friedrich won two out of six races.

Heading into the Race of Champions, four out of six team members qualified: Louis Friedrich, Johnson, VanVliet and Curt Friedrich. Louis placed 2nd in slalom and 4th in Giant Slalom, while Curt won Slalom and finished

Kathryn McKeever Photography, LLC

2nd in Giant Slalom earning him the overall title. At the giant slalom state race, Delbarton secured 1st place, led by Curt Friedrich (1st place), Louis Friedrich (3rd place), and Johnson (7th place). However, day 2 of the race brought challenges, with 2 DNFs, leading to a 2nd-place finish.

Despite not achieving their goal of winning the NJ State Title, the Green Wave demonstrated its competitive spirit. With the graduation of four varsity starters, the team remains focused on returning to the top aided by a strong JV team along with returning underclassmen varsity skiers.

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JJ Quenault P ’25, ’27

Wrestling

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W I N T E R WAV E Varsity Wrestling, led by Head Coach Bryan Stoll, had an outstanding season, marked by a Non-Public state team championship and four individual state champions. With a dual meet record of 16-4, the team showcased its strength and resilience throughout the season.

Delbarton Wrestling stood out in various prestigious tournaments, securing 8th place at Powerade and 6th place at the Beast of the East. Additionally, the team earned first place at the inaugural Catholic School Duals where the Green Wave defeated Don Bosco and St. Peter’s Prep by a combined score of 132-6. Their dominance continued at the Morris County Tournament, where they clinched a county championship for the remarkable 15th consecutive time.

Capping off the team portion of the season, the team earned the NonPublic state championship, defeating St. Joe’s Regional 30-25, further solidifying their status as a powerhouse in high school wrestling.

Emily Leamy P ’23

Delbarton Wrestling was named the Region 5 team of the year and received the prestigious honor of being named NJ.com NJ team of the year. They also led the pack in the NJ State individual championships, winning the (unofficial) team point competition.

and dedication on the mat.

Freshman Cameron Sontz ’27 emerged as a standout, clinching the 106-pound state championship.

Ryan DeGeorge ’27 followed suit, securing the 126-pound NJSIAA state championship and making impressive showings at various tournaments. Alessio Perentin ’25 (Cornell) won his second straight state title, clinching the 165-pound state championship and Vincent Lee ’24 (Duke) won his first state championship at 215 pouds.

Other standout performers included PJ Terranova ’27, Dan Jones ’24, Chase Quenault ’25 (7th place at 132lbs), Jayden James ’26 (2nd Place at 138lbs), Trevor Jones ’26, CJ Betz ’26, Louis Cerchio ’24 (2nd Place at 175lbs, Cornell), Elbrus Majagah ’25, and Connor Martin ’24 (2nd Place at 285lbs, Penn Football), all of whom demonstrated their prowess by clinching titles and podium finishes in their respective weight classes at various tournaments and championships this season.

With a season marked by triumphs at both team and individual levels, Delbarton Wrestling has lived up to its reputation as a force to be reckoned within the sport of high school wrestling.

Individually, Delbarton wrestlers showcased their exceptional skills

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INDOOR

Track Indoor Track and Field, coached by Andrew Sherwood, had another strong season this winter, highlighted by new school records set in various events, both track and field.

Kicking off the season at the Lid Lifter at Drew University, Paul Quense ’24 set a new meet record in the pole vault event. At the Tony Passarelli Invitational, Quense once again won the pole vault event, this time with a jump of 13-6. Peter Donini ’25 took 2nd in the shot put event, where he shined all season long, leading to an appearance in the New Balance Indoor Nationals where he nearly broke school records, finishing with a national ranking of 18.

Ryan Johnson ’24 (Penn State) set a new meet record in the 55m dash at the Pietrewicz Invitational at the NYC Armory and broke the Morris County championship record time in the same event in January, while the team earned 2nd place overall. The team also earned 2nd place at the Morris County Relays and 3rd place at the Non-Public A Groups.

At the Meet of Champions, Ryan Johnson flew through 55m dash in a time of 6.30s in the final to place third in the state.

In the pole vault, Paul Quense and Andrew Batista ’24 (Bates College) performed at a high level with Paul securing 4th place at 14 feet. Quense finished his senior season as the second-ranked vaulter in school history and a two-time nonpublic champion. Peter Donini made the podium in the shot put, with a seventh-place finish at 54’8. His throw was one inch away from a school record set in 2014.

At the New Balance Indoor Nationals in Boston Joshua Akakpo ’27 ran a new personal best and new Delbarton freshman record in the 800m in a time of 2:04.09. Ryan Johnson competed in the 60m, having never run in the event before. His times were each new personal bests and new school records as the reigning school record holder in the 55m. Ryan finished his senior winter as the Delbarton School record holder in the 55m, 60m, and 200m.

With a strong underclass team, expectations are high for the Green Wave next winter.

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Swimming

Varsity Swim, led by Head Coach Patrick Savidge, wrapped up the 2023-24 season with a commendable 10-4 record, reaching the Non-Public North Quarterfinals after a decade-long absence, clinching a solid second place in the Morris County Championship, trailing only behind Chatham, ranked #5 in the state.

Despite the departure of six seniors, including a 2-time state champion, the team exceeded

expectations, notably defeating Newark Academy in the NonPublic North tournament, and showcasing remarkable depth in their lineup.

W I N T E R WAV E Photos by Emily Leamy P ’23

the NJSIAA state semifinal and developing the talented core of underclassmen and the expansion of the swim program, with an eye on surpassing their achievements next winter.

Led by standout swimmers such as Mike Fialcowitz ’24, Jonah Kim ’24, Dom Narduzzi ’27, Femi Oshodi ’26, and Dalton Brooks ’26, Delbarton displayed both talent and resilience throughout the season. Looking ahead, the team sets its sights on reaching

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On November 8, a record nineteen Green Wave Class of 2024 athletes signed NCAA Letters of Intent to continue their athletic careers in college next year including…

Nineteen Green Wave Athletes Sign NCAA Letters of Intent Baseball

Lacrosse

Soccer

Aiden Dill – Seton Hall Jack Harley – Virginia Tech Christian Zebrowski – Middlebury Rhys Shannon – Tufts University Louis Friedrich – Hamilton University

Alec Delgado – Bowdoin College Willie Doyle – Amherst College John Finkeldie – Lafayette College Kieran Hoffman – Kenyon College Gabe Reiter – Washington and Lee Patrick Roelke – Lafayette College Jack Sartorius – Williams College Ryan Trafford – United States Naval Academy

James Anroman – Gettysburg Shea Coughlin – Lehigh University

Hockey Max Pendy - Princeton

Track and Field Everett Jania – NYU Andrew Batista – Bates College Wrestling Daniel Jones – Princeton University

On February 8, Delbarton celebrated nine additional Green Wave NCAA Letter-signing athletes.

Nine Athletes Sign NCAA Letters of Intent The nine athletes and their sport and college commitments are:

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Austin Quandt – Lehigh University

Wrestling

Football

Louis Cerchio – Cornell University Luca Stefanelli – Cornell University Vince Lee – Duke University

Connor Martin – University of Jake Macce – Duke University Pennsylvania Ryan Trafford – United States Naval Nick Parlavecchio – Hamilton College Academy Aaron Shivas – Franklin & Marshall College

Delbarton

sport shorts

New York Yankees

Anthony Volpe ’19 Wins 2023 Rawlings Gold Glove Award, Receives Delbarton Medal On December 1, New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe ’19 received the Delbarton Medal, the school’s highest honor.

Volpe finished his first season with the Yankees as the first Yankee rookie to hit at least 20 home runs and steal 20-plus bases, yet it was Volpe’s fielding that made him truly shine this season for the Bronx Bombers; He become the first Yankee rookie in history to win the Rawlings Gold No matter where I played, whether it was the Glove Award which recognizes Bronx, Camden Yards, or even Fenway Park, I would superior individual fielding performances in both the National always hear ‘Go Green Wave’! and American Leagues. The Gold Glove is widely considered one of the most prestigious defensive awards in baseball.

“

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Volpe surprised the Delbarton student body by appearing at a Morning Meeting after an inspiring introduction by Athletic Director and Varsity Baseball Assistant Coach Dr. Tony Negrin. Pictured here are Negrin, Anthony Volpe ’19, Baseball Head Coach Bruce Shatel and Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. Volpe thanked Delbarton for supporting him through his journey to the Bronx, saying, “No matter where I played, whether it was the Bronx, Camden Yards, or even Fenway Park, I would always hear ‘Go Green Wave’!”

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sport Tony Negrin

shorts

Basketball Coach

Dan Whalen is Honored

On January 13, Delbarton Dan Whalen’s remarkable 39-year career as a Delbarton coach, teacher and Athletic Director at Delbarton was celebrated at halftime during a thrilling 50-49 victory over Oratory Prep. Athletic

Director Tony Negrin paid tribute to Whalen, saying, “You have pushed all of us always to strive for success, and that is the reason why the Delbarton Athletic Department is considered one of the best in the country.”

Surrounded by his colleagues and family, Whalen accepted a tribute banner that has a place of honor in the Abbot Brian Clarke Gymnasium.

Two Delbarton lacrosse alums, in Cornell history and looks to help Delbarton Alumni Mike Long ’19 and CJ Kirst ’20, lead the Big Red to another Duo Named 2024 were named 2024 captains of the championship run in 2024.

Cornell Lacrosse Cornell men’s lacrosse team by the In addition to team captain, CJ Richard M. Moran Head Coach Kirst also carries the Cornell Captains Connor Buczek.

Cornell University

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2022 team captain Mike Long, returns as a 5th year senior after missing much of last season due to an injury. During his short 2023 season, Long still scored 13 goals and had 10 assists for the Big Red. Kirst returns for his senior year in 2024 after a 2022 season where he was the team’s offensive MVP and a Tewaaraton Award finalist.

Kirst is tied with 65 for the second-most single-season goals

Lacrosse “Hard Hat,” the same honor that Mike Long had for the 2022-23 season. The Hard Hat memorializes the late George Boiardi who passed away in 2004 after tragically being struck in the chest by a ball during a game.

With Boiardi’s number 21 on the hard hat, the hat is symbolic of what every member of the Cornell Lacrosse program daily strives for both on and off the lacrosse field.

abbey notes

From November 9-12, 2023, Prior Edward Seton Fittin, O.S.B. ’82 attended the annual priors’ meeting at St. Leo Abbey, St. Leo, FL with many of the Benedictine priors in the United States. The conferences were given by Abbot Cuthbert Brogan, O.S.B., abbot of St. Michael’s Abbey, Farnborough, England.

St. Mary’s Abbey will host the priors in November 2024.

Help Catalog the Art of Fr. Beatus Lucey, O.S.B. While Fr. Beatus Lucey, O.S.B. is no longer with us, his art lives on in the lives of many in the St. Mary’s Abbey and Delbarton community. On the advice of a professional appraiser, Fr. Beatus’s confrere Br. Paul Diveny, OS.B. is attempting to catalog the many works of art Fr. Beatus shared and sold over the years. If you are blessed with a work of art created by Fr. Beatus, please email a photo of the piece and a description, including measurements, to Br. Paul at smatreasurer@delbarton.org. Thank you for helping Br. Paul as he embarks on this comprehensive cataloging process.

During spring break, Prior Edward was a guest of Dr. Norm Scott ’64 and his wife Susan at the Ocean Reef Club, where he was the visiting priest for a week, celebrating daily Mass and hearing Confessions. Prior Edward was recently appointed for a renewable three-year term to the Board of Trustees of St. Anselm’s Abbey School, Washington, DC. The abbey school, near The Catholic University of America, is sponsored by the Benedictine monks of St. Anselm’s Abbey, with its own governance.

Br. Will McMillan is Guest Reader In February, Br. Will McMillan, O.S.B. visited his sister Sarah Coler who teaches third grade at Immaculate Conception School in Annandale, NJ where he read a story to her students, asked questions about the book and answered their questions about his life as a monk.

Bishop Elias Lorenzo, O.S.B. continues to maintain a busy schedule including… n

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January 2-6: Annual retreat for the bishops in Region III (NJ & PA) at Bethany Center in Lutz, FL. January 28: Presided at the conclusion of the 75th anniversary of the dedication of St. Leo Abbey Church, St. Leo, FL. Archabbot Martin dePorres Bartel, O.S.B. was the homilist.

By Br. William McMillan, OSB

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March 21: Presided and preached at St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, PA for the Solemnity of the Transitus of St. Benedict.

May 20-22: Attended the Eastern Regional Conference of Canon Lawyers in Syracuse, NY.

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June 11-14: Attended the USCCB plenary assembly in Louisville, KY. June 17-20: Attended the Institute on the Catechism at the University of St. Mary of the Lake Mundelein, IL.

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Alumni Ora and Labora’s First On-Campus Project

On March 3, Abbey Garden and Orchard keeper Br. Paul Diveny. O.S.B. welcomed alumni and several young sons for the first on-campus alumni service project organized by Joe Colangelo ’03, Ted Lawless ’03 and Tyler Hudson Crimi ’08 and the Alumni Association Ora and Labora committee. On a beautiful late winter day, the team cleared brush, brambles, sticks and stones near the east fence in preparation for fence repair and replacement by the Delbarton Grounds & Maintenance crew.

Colangelo acquired a Delbarton seal brand and presented all volunteers, some of whom arrived with clippers and handheld shears, with branded leather work gloves in exchange for their hard work.

Thank you to all alumni and sons who pitched in at St. Mary’s Abbey!

Bishop Formation Program From February 19-22, Bishop Elias Lorenzo, OS.B. participated in the ongoing formation program for bishops sponsored by the Catholic Leadership Institute in Tapatio Springs, Boerne, TX. The program included bishops from the U.S., Canada and Haiti, five of whom were his classmates and ordained to the episcopate in 2020.

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abbey notes

Fr. Gabriel Mark Coless, O.S.B. January 24, 1931 – February 12, 2024

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One of our senior and most beloved confreres, Fr. Gabriel Mark Coless, O.S.B., returned home to the Lord on the morning of February 12 in the Abbey Health Care Center, as his confreres were praying Matins. Fr. Gabriel was born in Bayonne on January 24, 1931, to Mark Coless (the anglicized version of Marco Colasurdo, as he became known upon on arrival at Ellis Island), a pharmacist, and Bolesława “Bessie” Boneska.

According to Fr. Gabriel’s file, his mother, Bessie, was born in New York Harbor.

Fr. Gabriel was baptized Mark Philip at Our Lady of Assumption Church, Bayonne, May 4, 1931. The Coless Family was blessed with five children: Mark, Thomas, Robert, Louis and Marie. The family moved to Newark, where Fr. Gabriel was confirmed by the Most Rev. Thomas A. Boland, archbishop of Newark, at their parish, St. Bridget’s, on June 11, 1943. Fr. Gabriel attended St. Bridget’s Grammar School, and was accepted at St. Benedict’s Prep for his secondary education. Fr. Gabriel was graduated in 1948. One of his classmates was Francis Reilly, later Fr. Rembert of St. Mary’s Abbey (+2020).

After graduating from St. Benedict’s Prep, Fr. Gabriel was a divinity student at Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, before applying for admission to St. Mary’s Abbey. Fr. Gabriel

and on November 28, 1967, was awarded a doctorate in Liturgy.

completed his novitiate at St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison, KS. He professed simple vows, July 11, 1953, and completed his undergraduate education at St. Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa. From 1954 to 1956, Fr. Gabriel studied Latin at the University of Notre Dame, South Bend, IN. In Morristown, he completed his theological studies at St. Mary’s Abbey School of Theology and was ordained priest by the Most Rev. James A. McNulty, bishop of Paterson, May 25, 1957. Fr. Gabriel celebrated his First Mass at Blessed Sacrament Church, Newark, on May 26, 1957.

From 1956 to 1959, Fr. Gabriel studied Romance Philology at Columbia University in NYC. Beginning in 1964, Fr. Gabriel was enrolled at the Pontificio Ateneo Sant’Anselmo, Rome, where he studied Liturgy and Patristic Theology. June 7, 1966, Fr. Gabriel was awarded a Licentiate degree,

Fr. Gabriel is remembered as a great educator in a variety of institutions. From 1951 to 1958, at Delbarton School, Morristown.

From 1958 to 1964, he taught at this Alma Mater, St. Benedict’s Prep. After returning from Rome, Fr. Gabriel taught at both Delbarton School until 1972 and at St. Mary’s Abbey School of Theology until 1971. He also taught at Caldwell College, Caldwell, NJ, for several years: 1971-1973. Beginning in 1968, however, Fr. Gabriel began a long and distinguished career on the faculty of Drew University, Madison, NJ. He taught a variety of courses in the Religious Studies program on the graduate and doctoral levels. These were often intimate seminars on very specific topics. One example is a thorough reading of Dante’s Divine Comedy in Italian! Even though he had not taught at Drew for a number of years, Fr. Gabriel was still fondly remembered by colleagues at the time of his death. Throughout his life Fr. Gabriel radiated a love of language and words. This was especially apparent in his preaching.

Fr. Gabriel distinguished himself in the areas of preaching and liturgy especially within monastic circles.

In the aftermath of Vatican II and the ensuing liturgical reforms, Fr. Gabriel was instrumental in the (Continued on page 82)

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abbey notes

(Fr. Gabriel Mark Coless, O.S.B., Continued from page 81)

major overhaul of the liturgy at St. Mary’s Abbey. He is largely the architect of the current Divine Office and was involved in collaborative revisions in the 1990s in his capacity as chairman of the abbey’s liturgy committee. For more than 40 years, Fr. Gabriel selected the non-scriptural readings for Vigils. With his astute mind, he carefully combed through a variety of sources, both ancient and modern to select just the right text. Some of these readings could be dense and required the reader and listener to concentrate closely.

Others could be more whimsical as the occasion warranted. He was always open to suggestions from the brethren. He also composed the Universal Prayers still used today at the Conventual Mass for Sundays, solemnities, and feasts.

Fr. Gabriel will long be remembered for his dramatic interpretations of Scripture or other readings. These would often be accompanied by gesture or intonation for emphasis or dramatic effect. His preaching was brilliant, insightful and intriguing.

One never knew quite what to expect, and one was rarely disappointed. As was noted at the Requiem Mass sung on the day of his death, Fr. Gabriel was entirely focused on the kerygma of the Word. The Greek word itself means “to cry or proclaim as a herald.” Fr. Gabriel was every bit a prophetic voice or herald. Even in his latter days, living the abbey health center, Fr. Gabriel was an active

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participant in the Sunday Mass celebrated in the solarium, whether as a lector or spontaneous cantor of the psalm! His kerygma was only silenced and stilled by the effects of his mortality, of which he was most mindful.

When he moved to the Health Center, it was necessary for him to relinquish most of the spaces he occupied throughout the monastery. Those given the task of going through his personal effects became well aware of his love for books, thousands of which had to be sorted. Many needed to be returned to the abbey library or to the person from whom they were acquired. Fr. Gabriel was the quintessential Renaissance man.

He loved art and music, as the hundreds of LPs in his collection can testify. He often listened to music while he was working or studying in his office. As his hearing worsened, so did the rest of the community.

Fr. Gabriel also faithfully ministered in various parishes and to local women religious. He authored many articles published in journals and was widely known as a retreat master. Fr. Gabriel also enjoyed membership in many organizations: The American Academy of Religion, the North American Academy of Liturgy and the New Jersey Herb Society of America, to name a few. He would often use his herbs for home remedies and concoctions served at Christmas gatherings. His mulled wine was a

regular and familiar fragrance during the holidays.

Fr. Gabriel was a well-traveled man and explored many parts of the globe. He enjoyed the immersion into different languages and cultures. One of his notable experiences was his participation in the East-West dialogue with monks and nuns from the Christian and Buddhist traditions. In the mid-80s, he was part of a group of Benedictine monks and sisters who traveled to India to experience the monastic life in Tibetan Buddhist monasteries. This trek included a visit with the Dalai Lama. On his return to the monastery, Fr. Gabriel regaled the brethren with a slide presentation.

Even in his declining years, when a fall and ill health rendered him more and more frail, Fr. Gabriel remained as he always was: Cheerful, welcoming and without guile. When the warm sun shone, you could be sure Fr. Gabriel would be seated outside the health center, basking, even if it wasn’t a balmy summer’s day. Music was often heard from his room, and Fr. Gabriel was at peace in his chair with his life well lived and loved.

The Funeral Mass and interment in the abbey cemetery were celebrated on February 16.

Donations in Fr. Gabriel’ memory to support abbey capital improvements, monks’ health care or abbey endowment may be made via the St. Mary’s Abbey website under ‘Support Us’.

abbey notes

Fr. Simon Patrick Gallagher, O.S.B. May 2, 1944-October 10, 2023

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eventually discerned that he was called to Holy Orders, and pursued theological studies at nearby Drew University, Madison, and Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, where he earned the M.Th. degree.

Fr. Simon Patrick Gallagher, O.S.B. returned home to the Lord shortly after midnight on October 10, in the Abbey Health Center. Fr. Simon had been in declining health for many years, and for the last six was a resident of the Health Center.

As he had become an invalid, he required constant care, which was faithfully rendered by the nursing staff.

Fr. Simon was born in Orange, New Jersey, to Patrick and Winifred (née Moran), both born in Co. Mayo, Ireland. Fr. Simon had two sisters: Fran and Cathy, who were twelve and fourteen years older. The middle-class family lived in Maplewood, and were parishioners at St. Joseph Church, then staffed by the Benedictine monks of St. Mary’s Abbey, later Newark Abbey.

Here Fr. Simon encountered the monks who would educate him and inspire his vocation. Fr. Simon attended St. Benedict’s Prep, Newark, from which he graduated in 1962.

After graduation, Fr. Simon matriculated at the College of the Holy Cross, Worcester, Ma., for one year. Next, he entered St. John’s University, Collegeville, Minn., under the auspices of the monks of St. John’s Abbey. He entered the

novitiate at St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison, Kansas, and pronounced simple vows July 11, 1965, as a monk of St. Mary’s Abbey. Fr. Simon remained in Atchison for another year of college, which he then completed back in New Jersey at Seton Hall University.

The 1960s was a time of societal change and renewal within the Church ushered in by the Second Vatican Council.

Monastic life was also caught up in this. Ordination to the priesthood was no longer considered the ‘norm’ for monks. Abbot Martin Burne, to promote renewal, appointed Fr. Simon, non-ordained at the time, as subprior of the monastery in 1970, a position he held for several years. This was the first time a non-clerical monk would be appointed to leadership. Yet Fr. Simon

Fr. Simon was ordained a priest on March 24, 1973. His priestly ministry included service at various weekend missions, local convents, and well written and insightful homilies, appreciated by his confreres at the Conventual Mass and those to whom he ministered in the local Church. After ordination, Abbot Leonard Cassell appointed Fr. Simon to serve as socius of novices, and to work in Delbarton School in various capacities, which would mark much of Fr. Simon’s life for the next two decades. He taught both English and Religion and served as a dormitory prefect.

Fr. Simon also worked in the school’s fundraising efforts, assisting Fr. Stephen Findlay with the computerization of the development office.

Sadly though, within a short period of time, Fr. Simon would lose both of his parents, and older sister, Fran, to cancer. In 2016, Fr. Simon would also lose (Continued on page 84)

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abbey notes

(Fr. Simon Patrick Gallagher, O.S.B., Continued from page 83)

his sister, Cathy to Alzheimer’s.

Consequently, Fr. Simon was able to empathize with human suffering and grief. He would use that gift in a new ministerial opportunity as a hospital chaplain. He completed Clinical Pastoral Education at Clara Maas Hospital, Belleville.

Fr. Simon worked as a chaplain at Benedictine Hospital, Kingston, New York, conducted by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Walburga Monastery, Elizabeth.

Fr. Simon also ministered for a short time as a hospital chaplain in the diocese of Burlington, Vermont, and at Greystone Psychiatric Hospital, near St. Mary’s Abbey.

Soon health issues began to curtail Fr. Simon’s ministry. In the last twenty years of his life, Fr. Simon’s physical ailments would keep him from the company of his confreres.

Regrettably, he became more and more reclusive within the communal life at St. Mary’s Abbey. There were times when Fr. Simon would engage in efforts at recovery from alcoholism, but not always as he might have wished. Fr. Simon was intelligent and wellinformed and could be quite social and charming. His comments at chapter meetings were usually intelligent and insightful. Yet as his health declined, these qualities became less apparent, as he slowly disappeared into his suffering.

By 2017, it became necessary for Fr. Simon to take up residence in the Abbey Health Center. The fiercely independent Fr. Simon would, in the last six years of his life, become increasingly more dependent on the round-the-

clock care of the nursing staff.

He became bedridden and unable to engage with visitors, or even attend the Sunday Mass each week in the Health Center’s solarium. Shortly after midnight on October 10, Fr. Simon let go of his frail, emaciated body and the long years of suffering. He quietly drifted off to sleep in the Lord.

No words can express the gratitude owed to the nurses, who devoted themselves to Fr. Simon’s care. Fr. Simon is survived by nieces and nephews. The Funeral Mass and interment in the abbey cemetery were celebrated on October 16.

Donations in Fr. Simon’s memory to support abbey capital improvements, monks’ health care or abbey endowment may be made via the St. Mary’s Abbey website under ‘Support Us’.

Knights of Columbus On March 12, Prior Edward Seton Fittin, O.S.B. was invited by the Knights of Columbus to serve as the chaplain for the Charity, Unity, Fraternity Degree Exemplification ceremony at St. Brigid Church, Peapack. At the ceremony, Ted Lawless ’03 joined the Knights. Knights of Columbus District Deputy James Gallombardo ’81 was the presiding officer, and Dr. P.J. Levinsky ’08 was the presenter on Unity.

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abbey notes

Two Alumni Baptisms

Joseph Alexander Noelke, son of Michael Noelke ’11 and Molly Noelke, was baptized by Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. on April 6 in the Abbey Church.

Delbarton alumni Jack Noelke ’09, Donny Alvine ’11, Robbie Kautzman ’11 and Hunter Dougherty ’11 shared in the celebration.

Congratulations to Patrick Joseph Prior son of Kevin Prior ’10 and Anne Prior, on his Baptism on April 7. Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. presided at the service, and Delbarton alumni Brendan Prior ’14, Cole Riccardi ’12 and Matt Iammatteo ’10 shared in this joyful celebration in the Abbey Church.

“If we believe that Jesus died and rose, God will bring forth with Him from the

Let Us Remember dead those who also have fallen asleep believing in Him.”

1 Thessalonians 4:14

Michael Bazala, stepfather of Adam Miller ’93

Henry ‘Hank’ Karsch ’82

Joanne Bourne, mother of Business Office Associate Jackie Smith

John B. LaVecchia ’50, father of John V. LaVecchia, Jr. ’81

Fr. Gabriel Coless, O.S.B. Albert H. Cote Jr. ’58

John Manahan, Jr., father of Jay Manahan ’89, P ’19, fatherin-law of Delbarton Events Director and Parent Liaison Erin Manahan P ’19, grandfather of John Manahan ’19

Amelia Doherty, mother of Bob Doherty ’84

Timothy McEvoy, father of Br. Finnbar McEvoy, O.S.B.

Christopher Durang ’67

Nick Milovic, brother of Mary Johnson, Delbarton Administrative Assistant for Athletics

Ralph Ercole, father of Jonathan Ercole ’06, Justin Ercole ’09 and Christian Ercole ’11

Barry Murphy ’59

Laurence Fell P ’89, father of Delbarton faculty member Tim Fell ’89 Fr. Simon Gallagher, O.S.B. Francis Haynes ’48 Joan Heaton, mother of Ken Heaton ’78 and Tony Heaton ’81, grandmother of Anthony ’11 and Alexander ’13 Dr. Mohammad A. Khan, father of Akhtar Khan ’82, Bali Khan ’83, Aslam Khan ’85 and Taj Khan ’87; grandfather of Nate Khan ’15 and Keegan Khan ’16

Laura Petrillo, mother of Andrew Petrillo ’16 and Mike Petrillo ’20 Gloria Rionda, mother of Jose Rionda ’84, Mark Rionda ’88 and Miguel Rionda’92, grandmother of Jack Rionda ’28 Richard J. Traynor, father of John Traynor ’79, Tom Traynor ’87, Rich Traynor ’90 Francis Quillinan ’49 Nancy Webster, mother of Advancement Database Manager Melanie Bowers and mother-in-law of Football Coach and Teacher Brian Bowers.

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wedding The

Album

Michael Helmer ’10 and Kelly Elizabeth Waters were married on April 6, 2024 at St. Teresa of Avila Church in Summit, NJ followed by a reception at Fiddler's Elbow Country Club in Bedminster, NJ with Delbarton alumni James Burke ’10 and Kieran Burke ’03 in attendance. Delbarton Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. officiated at the service.

Anthony Heaton ’11 and Dr. Jacqueline Fox were wed on June 24, 2023 in Sun Valley, ID with many Delbarton alumni in attendance Groomsmen included Alexander Heaton ’13, Peter McMullen ’11, Jack Smith ’11 and Matt Killian ’11. Other alumni attendees were John Barney ’11, Jack Breit ’11, Dean Brierley ’11, Patrick Foley ’11, Drew Higgins ’13, Spenser Huston ’11 and Jack Molloy ’11. Also present at the four-day wedding festivities were Anthony’s father Anthony Heaton ’81 and his Delbarton classmate John McHugh ’81.

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wedding The

Album

Briana Travers and Christopher Jagoe ’14 married on December 10, 2022, at St. Clare Church in Westerly, RI with a reception at Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Stonington, CT. Christopher’s brothers and many members from the Class of 2014 attended the wedding. From left are Jack O’Reilly ’14, Michael Maguire ’14, Jack Lynch ’14, John Jagoe ’22, Stephen Jagoe ’18, Michael Mumma ’14, Ian Sullivan ’14, Nicholas Serratelli ’14, Parker Pearson ’14, Christopher Jagoe ’14 and Briana Travers, Charlie Niebanck ’14, Bobby Maguire ’14, Siddarth Balaji ’14, Colin McCormick ’14, Robbie Siegel ’14 and Trevor Pearson ’14.

Share Your Wedding News with Us! To submit wedding news for the next issue of Delbarton Magazine, we invite you to email details of your wedding details – names, date and location — with one high resolution wedding photo to Jessica Fiddes at jfiddes@delbarton.org.

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alumni news

Winter Class Reps Dinner On January 23, Delbarton alumni gathered for a dinner meeting in the Victorian Room at the Madison Hotel…

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The 2024 Joseph R. McDonough ’68 Award was presented to four young alumni responsible for launching the Delbarton Private Markets Association.

From left are Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B., Alumni Association President John Ferramosca ’05, McDonough Award recipients Hunter Dougherty ’11, Cole Higgins ’11, Michael Johnson ’12, Jack Kowalik ’13 with Assistant Headmaster for Advancement and Alumni Craig Paris ’82. (Missing: Mike Noelke ’11)

Young alumni Thanksgiving Event On November 23, young alumni gathered on campus in the Van Rooyen Reception Hall to celebrate at our annual pre-Thanksgiving event. Each guest contributed a gift to the annual Delbarton Toy Drive.

Washington, DC Christmas Cheer On November 30, Washington DC alumni gathered at Bobby Vans for some Christmas cheer at an event organized by DC Chapter leaders Taylor Price ’03, Tim Curry ’95 and Dave Yampolsky ’00.

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alumni news

Hoboken Reception On December 7, alumni met in the upstairs private lounge at Mills Tavern on Washington Street in Hoboken for the annual Hoboken Christmas Gift Drive. The event was hosted by the Alumni Association’s Hoboken Chapter.

Jersey Shore Reception On November 30, the Jersey Shore Chapter hosted a Christmas reception for Shore area alumni at Spring Lake Golf Club in Spring Lake, NJ. Guests arrived with unwrapped gifts to donate to the annual Delbarton Christmas Gift Drive.

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alumni news

Boston Gift Drive On December 14, Boston-area alumni gathered at Bostonia Public House for the first Alumni Chapter Toy Drive competition. Thank you to Pete Chambers ’11, Fernando Limbo III ’08 and Michael Semeraro ’07 for organizing the Christmas event.

Alumni Squash Reunion On December 28, former Green Wave Squash players competed on the courts at the Chatham Club at an annual event hosted by Head Coach Craig Paris ’82.

Class Notes: 1964 Andrew Breuder’s youngest son, Philip, has left active duty service as a Lt. Commander in the Navy JAG Corps, but is staying in the Navy Reserve. He recently took a job as a staffer in Senator John Cornyn’s office (R-TX) in DC. In October, Andrew began teaching one day of a two-week course in a

ircraft accident investigation for the Southern California Safety Institute in Redondo Beach, CA. This looks like it will be a recurring quarterly trip to CA for this teaching.

2014 Christopher Jagoe and Briana Travers married on December 10, 2022, at St. Clare Church in

Westerly, RI with a reception at Saltwater Farm Vineyard in Stonington, CT. Christopher’s brothers and many members from the Class of 2014 attended the wedding. The couple welcomed their daughter Lucy Ryan Jagoe on November 29, 2023. (See Wedding Album)

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alumni Tony Negrin

news

Alumni Basketball Game The Alumni Basketball Game was on the boards at Delbarton January 13 when former Green Wave basketball players enjoyed a game after watching a Green Wave win against Oratory Prep. At halftime, former Varsity Basketball Head Coach Dan Whalen was honored for his 39-year coaching tenure.

Alumni Hockey Reunion On December 27, former Green Wave Hockey players met at Beacon Hill Club in Summit, NJ for a rousing game on the ice at an annual event was hosted by the Delbarton Alumni Association.

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alumni news

Young Alumni at Boston College On February 17, Fr. Michael hosted a group of twenty-five young Delbarton alumni studying at Boston College for the BC vs. University of Miami game at a reception was sponsored by Kevin and Vanessa O’Malley P ’24.

Alumni Paddle Night at Noe Pond Club On a frigid February 29 leap year evening, Delbarton alumni met at Noe Pond Club for some bracing paddle tennis competition. The event was hosted by the Delbarton Alumni Association and sponsored by Joe Colangelo ’03 and Owen Lee '03.

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New York Reception On February 21, over one hundred and seventy Delbarton alumni gathered at the New York Athletic Club for our annual NYC reception hosted by Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. and sponsored by Andrew Grabis ’95…

Will Gaertner Jr. ’98, John Tonzola ’95 and Grant Hewit ’02.

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Curt Ritter ’89, Tommy Bury ’20, Chris Bury ’91 and John Crucs ’91.

alumni news

Gianni Vinci ’18, David Gilfillan ’18, Connor Gilfillan ’18 and Tommy MacCowatt ’18.

Brian Regan ’73, Assistant Headmaster for Advancement and Alumni Craig Paris ’82 and Martin Flaherty ’77.

Alumni Association President John Ferrmosca '05 and Vice President Joe Ferraro '95.

Kevin Hartley ’16, Dan Cimaglia ’16, Nick Diana ’16 and Emerico Vespucci ’21.

Peter Butler ’19, Derek Lattmann ’19 and CJ Gasser ’19.

Tyler Hudson-Crimi ’08, Joe Colangelo ’03 and Paul Kingsbery ’03.

Fr. Michael addresses alumni at NYAC.

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Florida

During Spring Break, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. and the Delbarton Alumni Association embarked on its annual Sunshine State Tour…

The first stop was in Naples at Talis Park Golf Club on March 18 with Mass offered by Fr. Michael, followed by a luncheon.

Next, on March 19 Delbarton alumni and friends gathered at John’s Island Club in Vero Beach.

The John’s Island event hosted by Megan and Stewart Massey, P ’06,’08,’11, and Mary and Steven Ketchum P ’16,’20, pictured here with Fr. Michael. (Missing: Mary Ketchum P ’16,’20) The final stop was a cocktail reception at The Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach as alumni, parents, and friends came together to celebrate the spirit of Delbarton

Delbarton alumni connected at The Breakers in Palm Beach.

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alumni news

Washington, DC On April 18, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. hosted the annual Washington D.C. reception at Sequoia Restaurant which attracted fifty-plus alumni from across the decades.

Fr. Michael with classmates Patrick Ryan ’21, Quinn Zebrowski ’21 and Alex Paulius ’21.

Dave Yampolsky ’00 and Taylor Price ’04.

Connor Ketchum ’20, Ian Feeley ’16 Chris Accardo ’23, Jack Pryma ’22, Harry Vermylen ’20 and Chris Nichols '20. and Jack Chambers ’17.

Michael Helmer ’10, Ian Musselman ’95 and Matt Tully ’01.

Charles ‘Babe’ Feldman ’69, Tim Broas ’72 and Kurt Krauss ’81, P ’20.

Chicago On May 1, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. hosted a dinner reception at Smith and Wollensky for Chicago-area alumni who enjoyed reconnecting with each other while learning about current events and future plans at Delbarton.

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After their Shark Tank presentation, Steve, Allison and Kevin emerged victorious with two new partners, Sharks Laurie Greiner and Mark Cuban, who, together, paid $300,000 for ten percent of the company.

Delbarton Entrepreneur:

Meet Like Air®

By Jessica Fiddes

On January 19, 2024, Like Air®, a family-owned brand of puffcorn made a splash on the national stage with its appearance on Shark Tank. During the episode, Like Air® Co-Founders, siblings Allison Atieh Lin and Steve Atieh ’01, with their brother and CFO Kevin Atieh ’07, competed for an investment from the Sharks to continue building their snack venture.

In 2020, Allison, a busy mother of two young daughters, was inspired to create a school-safe gluten-free snack. With just 50 calories per cup, four popular flavors and a unique, melt-inyour-mouth texture, the snack food contains no artificial ingredients, flavors, or preservatives. With no hulls or kernels, Like Air® is an easily digestible snack that can be safely enjoyed by all ages. Like Air® launched on Amazon in March 2020, just in time for the Covid pandemic when people were nesting at home, in a venture supported by friends and family members that included several Delbarton alumni. The company is

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currently headquartered in Madison, NJ. How did the Like Air® team do on Shark Tank? We are pleased to report that Steve, Allison and Kevin emerged victorious and armed with two new partners, Sharks Laurie Greiner and Mark Cuban, who, together, paid $300,000 for a ten percent share of the company. Prior to their Shark Tank experience, the product line already was distributed in 3500 retailers across the country and shipped nationwide via Amazon and likeairsnacks.com. But the Shark Tank exposure certainly didn’t hurt: the company doubled sales in many of its retail outlets the week after the episode aired and the Like Air® team is excited by the distribution doors these two Sharks can help open.

Like Air® co-founders Steve Atieh ’01, Allison Atieh Lin and company CFO Kevin Atieh ’07 during the Shark Tank filming.

Look for Like Air® products in your local supermarket and follow the company on Facebook/Instagram/TikTok @likeairsnacks to enter their signature daily giveaways – over 14,000 winners and counting!

If you have an interesting Delbarton alumnus entrepreneurial story to share, please email ‘Delbarton’ editor Jessica Fiddes at jfiddes@delbarton.org.

alumni news

Tenth Annual Abbot Giles Hayes ’56 Shooting Classic On May 9, Delbarton returned to Hudson Farm for the Tenth Annual Abbot Giles P. Hayes ’56 Shooting Classic where shooters tested their sporting clays skills in the Andover, NJ woods…

The winning team of Herman Kurtz, A.J. Papetti ’82, P ’13,’14,’17, George Parsells P ’17 and Alex Badalamenti P ’20.

Jeff Paguirigan P ’24, Jim Gallombardo ’81, Peter Barron P ’28 and Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B.

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Making Waves

Murphy Fitzpatrick ’17 and Parker Pridgen ’15 at Bardough NYC Two young Delbarton alumni and childhood friends are taking a different path from typical college graduates heading to NYC. Murphy Fitzpatrick ’17 and Parker Pridgen ’15 are managing Bardough, a casual bar and Italian restaurant in Hell’s Kitchen. Fitzpatrick’s father and business partner own and operate eleven popular pub-themed venues including Legends and Playwright’s Tavern. Located on West 46th Street, Restaurant Row, Bardough is Fitzpatrick and Pridgen’s first venture. This spring, they were rebranding another venue just up the street, transforming a Mexican-themed restaurant into Backstage Tavern, a 500-patron capacity classic pub. Both restaurants are perfect for families or groups attending shows on Broadway.

Garry Jenkins ’88 Installed as Bates College President On May 4, Garry Jenkins ’88 was officially installed as President of Bates College, receiving the keys of the office that signify passing down authority through the college’s presidential lineage. The ceremony had been delayed from late October by the tragic October 25 mass shooting in Lewiston, Maine, home of Bates College. In his Rising Together address, Jenkins said the ceremony “represents exciting beginnings and celebrates some historic firsts. I feel, intensely, the weight and honor of standing before you today, embodying many firsts. In many ways, a rarity in higher education leadership. I remember a time, not too long ago, asking, would our nation’s most selective colleges ever be open to a Black

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president? To an openly gay president? Would that be possible? Was that a dream too big? I am so glad that today, with places like Bates in the world, and with people like those who make up this community, no dream is too big.” Jenkins’ former Delbarton English teacher Joanna Sanferrare and his classmate Alex Hanna ’88 were present to witness his formal installation.

Making Waves

Class of 2019 Classmates in the U.S. Army After graduating from Washington and Lee University in May 2023 on an ROTC scholarship, Sean Doherty ’19 was commissioned as a second lieutenant and advanced to the 19-week Basic Officer Leadership Course at Ft Moore, GA. In March, he graduated from Ranger School at Ft Moore, GA and is currently posted at Fort Carson, Colorado.

Green Wave on the High Seas

Thomas Bizub '19 graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in May 2023 as a commissioned second lieutenant in the Infantry branch. In April, he graduated from the Basic Officer Leadership Course at Fort Moore, GA (adding the Blue Chord to his dress uniform signifies an Infantry officer). Thomas now leads a 40-soldier platoon at Fort Bliss in El Paso Texas. He’ll remain within the Infantry branch for two years before transferring to the Signal Corp (Cyber Security) Branch for the remainder of his 5-year military commitment.

San Clemente, CA Reunion Alumni gathered for an impromptu reunion at San Clemente Golf Course in California on April 5, including Jim Gallombardo ’81, Jim Loughlin ’81, Ken Gomulka ’81, Mike Criscito ’81, Dan Miggins ’08 and Jim’s son-in-law, USMC Staff Sergeant Ross Garrie.

In April, three intrepid alumni sailors Michael Murphy ’67, Jim Huebner ’66 and Skipper Brian O’Keeffe ’67 enjoyed a ten-day sailing adventure together in the French West Indies, sailing out of Martinique, then on to Guadeloupe and Dominica.

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Making Waves

Sumorwou Zaza ’07 Speaks at Great Gatsby Ball On February 24, Sumorwou ‘Z’ Zaza ’07 spoke at The Great Gatsby Ball, the annual Delbarton gala dinner dance. Organizers sponsored a ’paddle raise’ and invited guests to help Delbarton purchase two new school buses with the objective of ending Delbarton’s decade long reliance on third party transportation providers. As the Gala Honorary Guest, Z delivered a powerful speech about his Delbarton experience and how the Delbarton-provided busing paved the way for his high school experience. “I’m really thankful for that bus,” he started. “Because later in life, I learned that bus was the answer to a mother’s

prayers.” Parents responded to his words and contributed over $240,000 during the event to secure the new vehicles.

After graduating from Harvard with a BA in Government with Secondary in Education, Z worked as a Booz Allen consultant, then served as a Director at The Huffington Post before cofounding and serving as CEO of NICKLpass, an ‘E-Z Pass for news’ that provides businesses with instant access to over one hundred paid news subscriptions.

Delbarton Innovates at Annual Incubator Expo On May 1, the Fine Arts Center lobby came alive with entrepreneurial spirit as twenty-two innovative products took center stage at the annual Delbarton Incubator Expo. This Shark Tank-esque event showcased the hard work and ingenuity of students in Dave Martin’s full credit Entrepreneurial Studies senior elective where boys team up to design products, then write business and marketing plans to launch their

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businesses. The seven alumni judges, pictured here with Martin and his students, included Jack Kiernan ’01, Owen Lee ’03, PJ Calello ’90, Stephen Bienko ’94, Dan Camiglia ’16, Sviatoslav Lesko ’09 and Joe Colangelo ’03.

Judges chose Smoke Stacker, an innovative meatsmoking device designed by Alex Calder ’24, Ted Mendrzycki, ’24 and Marc Pisciotto ’24, as the winning product.

Alumni Service & Connection Day

DC alumni had a great time helping a local nonprofit called So What Else organize its food bank stockroom and prepare the facility for a fundraiser they were hosting that night. Special thanks to the chapter’s youngest helper, John Tully, son of Matt Tully ’01, who was a masterful organizer.

On the weekend of April 27-28, in solidarity with the 13th Annual Run It Out 5K which continues to honor the legacy of late Delbarton Athletic Director Brian Fleury P ’19, three Delbarton Alumni Association regional clubs participated in service projects as part of the first Alumni Regional Service & Connection Day.

Chicago alumni Kevin Robinson ’01, Luke Hemenetz ’08, Brien Walsh ’08, John Glynn ’90, Rich Wickel ’78 and John Rosellini ’03 gathered with families to participate in the 5k and collected $300 in donations for Catholic Charities of Chicago and the Wilmette Food Pantry.

The Alumni Association Los Angeles chapter hosted a very successful inaugural run on a beautiful day on the West Coast.

Special thanks to Cutty Cuthbert ’99 for organizing the event.

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alumni news

“Why I Give”

By Scott Ruesterholz ’10

Former Delbarton Student Body President Scott Ruesterholz is a graduate of the Class of 2010 who lives in Florida, has a career in financial services and, outside of work, is a twice-published author.

Scott with his family, including his parents Kevin and Virginia Ruesterholz and his sister Katie Ruesterholz.

I

t is a fairly universal sentiment that the fortunate should give back. I was raised this way and suspect most of you were as well. As someone who has been blessed, I have sought to give back, doing so relatively early in my life. As I focused on where to give, I had a three-pronged test: Give to cause that matters to me; Give to an institution I can impact; Ensure that my gift is used wisely. Delbarton is a place where giving is not an obligation but a blessing. This is why I have sought to make an impact relatively early in my life.

Delbarton matters to me.

To me, Delbarton stands for three things: excellence, resilience, and community.

Outside of my family, nothing shaped my values more than Delbarton. From academics to sports to extracurriculars, we strive to be the best—state

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champions. Often, we succeed!

There is something special about rewarding excellence across disciplines. Yet, failure is never frowned upon; it is an opportunity to grow. Succisa virescit! This helps every student achieve their potential.

Even now, I struggle to relate to “classic” high school films about the cliques of those years. Yes, every school has its jocks and nerds (proud nerd here), but at Delbarton, we got along, ate lunch together, studied together, and rooted for each other—a brotherhood.

Delbarton is a true community.

In my senior year, everyone was open about colleges they applied to, and we all rooted for each other to get in. I assumed this was normal. I learned later how unusual this was. Elsewhere, students kept secret where they applied, for fear of shame if they got rejected or rival students

applying just to “block them.”

That thought is unimaginable, but that’s because I went to Delbarton.

Beyond these values, Delbarton is where I discovered my life’s passions, from economics to politics. It provided me a safe space and incredible support during turbulent patches in my young adulthood as I came to accept my sexual orientation.

Unconditional love is the greatest gift; my family has given this to me in droves. But as a senior, after some of my darker moments, to be hugged by Brother Paul and told “it’s alright” and shown love by every member of the community, well that’s a gift that I can never pay back. It has filled me with joy and the most profound gratitude ever since.

Life’s ups and downs are not constrained to teenage years, and during my downs, the

alumni news

Delbarton community provides support. Once a Delbarton brother, always a brother. I have been fortunate to have Delbarton stand by me; I am proud to stand with Delbarton.

I want to ensure that Delbarton experience is as impactful in the future as it was for me and that our community is open to the best applicants, regardless of need.

A gift to Delbarton matters.

As a donor, I feel joy in seeing my gift’s impact. Just look at Delbarton. The campus is so different than even a decade ago, our student body is larger, and the endowment is more secure. Donating to an institution with a multibillion endowment will do little to impact the day-to-day. Here, our gifts matter. Frankly, even as it is secure, Delbarton is still under resourced relative to where it could be—the work isn’t done. I know how much Delbarton molded me. I want it to have that

impact in a year, decade, and century. Gifts make this possible.

Delbarton will use my gift wisely.

I work hard for my money. I take little joy in wasting it myself and far less in the idea of someone else wasting it for me. I trust Delbarton to use gifts judiciously. There are visionaries who cannot operate and operators with no vision. Few do both. In Father Michael, Delbarton has one such man. He came my junior year. In my sophomore year, there were 3 or 4 on the speech & debate team— it was chaotic. By my senior year under his stewardship, we were up to 40 students, and it’s only grown since.

I knew that he was the proverbial man with a plan.

Many more have discovered this as he shepherded Delbarton through our transformational Brotherhood campaign. I trust Fr. Michael, and I don’t say those words lightly. That matters immensely to me. Particularly

as a young giver, the role of the monks is critical. Beyond using gifts prudently, it matters that gifts are used consistently with the values of the institution as I know them. The monks provide long-term stability and an “owners’ mentality.” While many institutions no longer stay true to their principles, Delbarton will.

This is why I felt comfortable making a planned gift. A planned gift, to me, is relatively painless, since you won’t be around to spend the money, anyway, and hopefully, in my case, that check won’t be cashed soon. My concern was whether I can trust that the users of the gift will stay true to my beliefs, years down the road. Knowing there is permanence to the decision makers here gave me confidence that a long-term gift will not fund an agenda I am not impassioned about.

I give to Delbarton not simply because I feel I “should” but because I want to. I sincerely hope you consider doing so as well.

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yesterday E

Delbarton

By Jessica Fiddes

ach issue of the Archway is an interesting annual snapshot of Delbarton. Case in Point: Archway 1970.

Created by Editor Kevin McCabe ’70 and team, the book is filled with black and white photos that demonstrate creative compositions and interesting graphic effects. All patron ads were illustrated by junior Robert Blake ’71 who went on to become a successful children’s book author/illustrator, producing Dog, The Perfect Spot, Akiak and more. For his senior page Michael Peters ’70, featured in this magazine, chose a simple gilt-framed head shot. The background of Frederick Honold 70’s yearbook photo shows a Formal Garden with statues on pedestals that, wisely, were later moved indoors. Enjoy this sampling of Archway 1970.

Archway editor Kevin McCabe ’70 in 1970.

Keith Kulper ’70 who wrote about his classmate Michael Peters ’70 for this issue of Delbarton.

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Featured on the cover of this issue of Delbarton, here is Michael Peters ’70 back in 1970.

A sign of the times: Bob McHugh ’70 smoking in his Archway 1970 senior photo.

A selfie by Mark Block ’70 demonstrates the creativity of the Archway 1970 team.

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yesterday

Note the garden statuary on Frederick Honold ’70’s senior page. (See him on page 39 of this magazine, back on campus this spring to talk careers with our seventh graders.)

A sample of Rob Blake ’71’s ad drawings.

Students in 1970 are usually captured attired in jackets and ties.

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