Delbarton Magazine Spring/Summer 2025

Delbarton Delbarton

Dear Friends of Delbar ton,

As you open the Spring/Summer issue of Delbarton Magazine, the Class of 2025 is preparing for their Prom, Commencement and life beyond Mendham Road. The underclassmen busy themselves with the last push to final exams Delbarton’s campus is in full bloom (finally!) after the longest and most challenging winter of the last several years. All are signs of the end of another annual academic cycle, our 86th

The academic year has a paradoxical sameness and newness. It is at once predictable almost to the hour, and yet it is always pregnant with possibilities and the unexpected It is a delicate dance of the new and the old It’s especially fitting, then, that this issue of Delbarton is dedicated to a theme that speaks to Delbarton’s present and future: STEM at Delbarton Today and Tomorrow

As a Benedictine Catholic school, we honor tradition while also looking ahead This issue explores how Delbarton prepares young men not only to understand the world as it is but also to imagine what it might become and to shape it for the better In classrooms, labs, maker spaces, and even casual conversations, our students engage with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics in ways that are rigorous, creative, and deeply rooted in ethical inquiry.

Leading off this issue is a feature on Sloan Kulper ’99, whose innovative MedTech company in Hong Kong is changing the way orthopedic medical devices are tested using “virtual bones” to simulate human anatomy with extraordinary precision. Sloan’s work reminds us that the seeds planted at Delbarton can grow into ventures that improve lives across the globe.

Closer to home, you’ll read about the thoughtful ways our students and faculty are exploring artificial intelligence Our AI at Delbarton feature highlights the excitement and responsibility of navigating these rapidly evolving tools and how we’re preparing young men to do so with discernment and purpose

Our investment in STEM education is also physical and long-term. The Investing in STEM at Delbarton article details a bold new vision for our Science Pavilion one that will provide state-ofthe-art laboratories and collaborative spaces, reinforcing our commitment to academic excellence and innovation.

Even as we look ahead, we remain stewards of our past. A New Roof for Old Main describes the careful preservation of our most iconic building. Old Main is where it all began in 1925 when the monks of St Mary’s Abbey in Newark acquired the Delbarton estate and established Benedictine life in Morris County, and then later in 1939 when Delbarton School began as a 7th and 8th-grade junior high school. This work is more than maintenance it is a sign of our care for the legacy that supports the mission we carry forward.

Taken together, the stories in this issue portray a school that is both rooted and reaching rooted in our Benedictine mission and reaching toward a future where knowledge and virtue go hand in hand As we continue to build and innovate, we do so with one goal: to form young men of wisdom, leadership, and faith who are ready to meet the world’s challenges with integrity and hope.

Enjoy this look into the world of STEM at Delbarton, along with our other featured stories. There is much to celebrate and even more to look forward to.

Yours in Christ and St. Benedict,

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

Artificial (and Real) Intelligence at Delbarton

By Jessica Fiddes

Oember 30, 2022, ChatGPT T) took most people by surprise. enly, online chatbots were everywhere. This fall, we uploaded the new Parent Guide to our parent portal to instantly answer questions like “When is the next jacket and tie day?”

Perhaps no industry was as instantly unsettled by AI as education.

ChatGPT disrupted online learning platforms like the education giant Chegg which spent years charging student subscribers for online answers. In November 2024, the Wall Street Journal reported, “While many companies are figuring out how artificial intelligence will change the way they do business, Chegg is trying to avoid becoming its first major victim.”

AI shook-up in-person schools as well and some reflexively rejected CGPT as a threat to the educational process. Students learn problem-solving skills from completing assignments; Relying

on AI to accomplish these tasks was counterproductive. And what about the ethics of AI use? A 2024 EducationWeek survey indicated that three-quarters of 924 surveyed schools permitted AI tools. Twenty percent limited AI use to teachers, and seven percent still banned the new technology.

From the start, Delbarton was receptive to AI. “We took a characteristically rational approach,” says Technology Integration Specialist Chuck Johnson. “As an intellectually curious institution, Delbarton saw AI as something to explore and harness for good.” But Delbarton also understood the temptations. During Orientation in late August 2024, Johnson led students through an Acceptable Use of Artificial Intelligence PowerPoint using examples that demonstrated a key distinction: creation versus duplication.

elbarton, Fr. Michael led the way by blishing AI best practices that foster pen mind while navigating the obvious ational and ethical concerns.

Among other inventive applications, Italian language teacher Dan Pieraccini feeds textbook readings into CGPT to create interesting comprehension questions and discussion prompts.

Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. led the way with his open-minded attitude. “AI offers significant educational benefits,” he says, “Especially in Catholic schools like Delbarton where personalized learning and moral development are central to our mission. AI can adapt to each student’s learning style and pace, providing individualized support and resources that enhance academic outcomes.”

Assimilating AI into our academic program raised some ethical considerations, and Delbarton strove to align AI with its Benedictine Catholic commitment to human dignity and justice “There’s a risk that overreliance on AI could diminish education’s human, relational aspects,

which are essential to fostering empathy and moral understanding,” says Fr Michael

The sudden emergence of AI tempted a handful of students to cut corners, with serious consequences. The school’s chief enforcer, Assistant Headmaster for Student Affairs Chuck Ruebling ’79, who had previously experienced the dawn of the internet during his 39-year Delbarton tenure, says “Delbarton was blind-sided by AI at first…and we were not alone.” Many schools experienced an immediate spike in academic integrity incidents

College admissions officers say they can sense adult intervention in a college essays. So too, Delbarton teachers quickly recognized the manufactured ‘voice’ of AI-created

work which landed several students in Mr Ruebling’s office, perhaps their least favorite room on campus. Delbarton soon created clearly defined AI best practices and, for the most part, those parameters have been respected.

Ironically, AI can even police itself. Chuck Johnson’s PowerPoint included this warning: “Summarizing or rewriting an AI-generated document will still be detected as AI by AI detectors and, more likely, by your very wise, educated, experienced teachers.”

AI in Delbar ton Classrooms

In the classroom, AI tools are helping Delbarton teachers to identify student needs quickly, allowing for more targeted interventions AI can also support better resource allocation and administrative efficiency, so teachers can focus more on students’ personal growth

Some Delbarton teachers are using platforms like Magic School with its sixty-plus AI-powered tools to generate lesson plans and customize academic content Assignment

AI is a gift for motivated students who use this exciting new tool to broaden their research and further their academic skills.

Chuck Johnson’s Rules

The conclusion of Chuck Johnson’s PowerPoint presentation delivered during Student Orientation:

l 8 ONLY use AI when the teacher directs you to do so on graded assignments. Unless the teacher explicitly states to use AI in the assignment, DO NOT USE IT!

l 8 ALL work submitted for a grade should be original.

l 8 AI is very useful in reviewing, relearning, or understanding concepts but be careful. AI is just that, artificial intelligence, and is not a replacement for REAL human intelligence Incorrect information and fictitious sources are often returned as responses.

l 8 Summarizing or rewriting an AI-generated document will still be detected as AI by AI detectors and more likely by your very wise, educated, experienced teachers

l 8 Do not risk your education and your future by making a poor decision with AI

Scaffolder helps students break down assignments into manageable steps Speechify, an app developed by Cliff Weitzman, a dyslexic Brown University student, reads text aloud using a computer-generated text-to-speechvoice that helps millions of people, including some Delbarton students with learning challenges, to function better in school and in life.

Delbarton students are taught early and often that submitting AI-generated work as their own is wrong and that there are serious consequences for misusing generative AI tools

arton Learning Specialist Rob n teaches freshmen how to use let, a tool that turns a student’s es into flashcards, practice zzes and tests, “Perfect for rieval practice,” says Flynn As Students with Disabilities ordinator, Flynn helps our young en problem-solve their individual ademic challenges. Flynn taught ne student who was failing AP terature how use CGPT to ustomize a literary terms test. e showed a struggling Geometry student how to input word problems into an AI program to create similar practice problems. It turns out that AI is a gift for motivated students willing to put in the extra work to address personal stumbling blocks.

Some teachers use a more hybrid approach. Students in Chris Pillette’s English class handwrite responses to a Hamlet prompt, then take home the handwritten work and enter it into

AI Basics

What is GPT?

GPT stands for Generative Pretrained Transformers.

What is Generative AI?

CGPT, requesting feedback on grammar and sentence structure. They scan the handwritten text, copy and paste the GPT feedback into a Google document, then upload both documents for Pillette’s review

AI has been a boon to Italian language teacher Dan Pieraccini who saves time by uploading existing worksheets into CGPT to create extra exercises. “Image generators that develop scenes featuring the lesson’s vocabulary give me endless variety for speaking prompts,” says Pieraccini He also develops comprehension questions and discussion prompts by feeding textbook readings into CGPT

Exploring AI goes beyond the classroom In October, Research in Science Club moderator Brian Theroux encouraged members to apply for a pre-college program, taught by Stanford, MIT, and Ivy League grad students, introducing students to basic

Generative AI, or ‘machine learning’, refers to deep-learning models that generate text, photos, and other content based on data they were trained on Generative AI uses algorithms and models (including large language models or LLMs) to learn patterns from datasets New data is then generated that follows those patterns and the machine

‘learns’. For instance, while Grammarly uses human-set rules to check grammar, ChatGPT employs neural networks to produce human-like text

Natural Language Processing (NLP):

This AI subset enables computers to understand and produce human language It’s the technology behind many educational tools, from language translation apps to automated essay graders

AI tools to design more dynamic science projects for juried research competitions

Of course, even at an ambitious school like Delbarton, not everyone embraces sudden, radical change with equal enthusiasm. A few teachers have doubled down on in-class assignments that require handwritten work but those who eschew change in any form, “ tend to leave Delbarton to find their excellence elsewhere,” says Chuck Johnson with a wry smile.

No one at Delbarton claims to have 100% finessed AI which continues to evolve at warp speed Using AI tools is very much a joint venture for adaptive educators and smart, receptive students who, every day, are figuring out optimum, acceptable ways to put these transformative innovations to work productively and ethically.

trial, and, yes, occasionally error, Delbarton is well ahead of the curve in AI best practices “At Delbarton, we must carefully consider and weigh all of these factors,” says Fr. Michael, “Ensuring that AI tools enhance, rather than replace, the compassionate and community-centered approach that defines a Benedictine Catholic education.”

teaches freshmen how to use Quizlet, a tool that turns a student’s notes into flashcards, practice quizzes and tests

Ar tificial General Intelligence (AGI):

Picture an AI able to perform any intellectual task a human can That is AGI, an aspirational AI concept where machines apply knowledge across various tasks, much like (or possibly better than) human beings.

Neural Networks:

These are the brain behind AI. Modeled on the human brain, they use algorithms (sets of instructions guiding a computer) to detect

patterns in data and play a significant role in ‘deep learning,’ an important aspect of machine learning.

What is OpenAI?

OpenAI, ChatGPT’s parent company, was founded in 2015 as a nonprofit with a mission to develop ‘safe and beneficial’ machine-generated artificial intelligence Its product Chat GPT is a generative artificial intelligence chatbot, a computer program that simulates a conver-

sation with human users. Elon Musk co-founded OpenAI, then stepped down from the board of directors in 2018 due to differing visions regarding the company’s future direction. OpenAI introduced ChatGPT in November 2022. In May, 2025, OpenAI announced that the company was transitioning to a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) "to consider the interests of both shareholders and the mission.”

A New Roof for Old Main

Fne to mid-November, Delbarton its first major Old Main roofing investment banker Luther Kountze of New York City commissioned the construction of his family’s summer home in 1883.

No vintage roof is without issues, and over its 141 years, Old Main’s slate roof was no exception Large and small leaks were ongoing emergencies and, by 2024, a patchwork of repairs over the many decades finally led to the need for a complete slate roof replacement.

On June 3, the day after Delbarton Commencement 2024, custom roofer Alden Bailey of Danbury, CT filled one side of Old Main parking lot with pallets containing 10,000 square feet of Pennsylvania black slate tiles and began to erect an exoskeleton of scaffolding

A family-owned business, Alden-Bailey specializes in slate, tile, and copper roof installations with other New Jersey customers including Princeton University, Seton Hall University, The Presbyterian Church of Morristown, train stations in Ridgewood and Chatham, and the Ambrose Ward Mansion in East Orange. Old Main was in good hands.

The company set up its equipment in the rear Old Main parking lot, with a front loader to move heavy pallets of slate around Old Main Two hundred and forty 3’ x 10’ copper sheets were delivered to custom fabricate gutter linings, valley, hip, ridge, chimneys, crickets, copper roofs, drip edge, rake edge, vent pips, roof vents and transitions. Some of the elements are quite decorative including a gutter conductor box that sports a fanciful fleur-de-lis design. In all, 7,200 square feet of copper was used for the Old Main roofing project.

Roofer Alden Bailey of Danbury, CT used a front loader to move heavy pallets of slate around Old Main.

While Delbarton continued to host academic and sports programs during summer 2024, Old Main-based employees, who typically work during the summer months, were encouraged to work remotely. Those who remained in Old Main reported that the noise level of the roofing project was surprisingly tolerable. An unusually dry summer and fall meant the Old Main roofing project continued with little disruption, and on Homecoming Day on October 5, alumni were still able to access Old Main’s Peter O’Neill ’59 Alumni Center to reconnect with old friends.

The roof process took place in stages: Removal of slate, repair/replace rotten sections of wood, add a heavy-duty

moisture barrier, replace flashing and make repairs to trim. Original corbels, the decorative trim elements under gutters, were mostly held together by paint (and hope) and needed to be repaired or recreated throughout. In fact, much of the roof had seen imperfect repairs during its lifetime which resulted in an interesting assortment of materials and techniques, bubble gum included

Unlike box gutters, Old Main’s copper gutters, also known as Yankee gutters, were hand-built on the plane of the roof by the original builders so they are not visible along the structure’s roofline. Their design was a challenge to duplicate, so roofers needed to reengineer quite a lot of it When first

On June 3, custom roo Alden Bailey of Danbury, CT filled one side of Old Main parking lot with 10,000 square feet of Pennsylvania black slate tiles.

After removing the original slate and replacing rotted sections of wood, a heavy-duty moisture barrier was added prior to installing the new slate.

Old Main bling: Copper details shone brightly when first installed last summer By November, they had begun to develop a more muted patina.

installed, the new copper gutters and trim shone brightly in the summer sun like Old Main bling, but the copper soon began to take on a characteristically green patina. Very Delbarton-esque.

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In addition to the odd assortment of journeyman repairs, the biggest surprise during the 2024 roofing project was the discovery of a staggeringly large beehive inside the second floor balcony trim. Delbarton

D i re c to r of G ro u n d s & M a i nte n a n ce

E r i c ‘ M e r v ’ Ste i n b e rg re p o r ts, “ Th e

roofers fearlessly removed the hive by hand and took the honey home (eight 5-gallon buckets of honey and honeycomb)!” The bees were relocated to the Abbey apple orchard apiary, and arborist Br Paul Diveny, O.S.B. is relying on them to pollinate Abbey Orchard fruit trees this spring.

Steinberg confirms that Alden-Bailey was a pleasure to work with and that our roofing project was a resounding success. Check out the results the next time you are in campus and pay particular attention to the workmanship of the copper gutters and trim work. Old Main’s new slate roof is expected to protect this treasured campus centerpiece for the next century and beyond.

Meticulous craftmanship and two hundred and forty 3’ x 10’ copper sheets were required to custom fabricate gutter linings, valley, hip, ridge, chimneys, crickets, copper roofs, drip edge, rake edge, vent pips, roof vents and transitions.

It’s All in the Details

A Brief History of Slate

Slate, a fine-grained, metamorphic rock that shows no obvious layering, was formed hundreds of millions of years ago before Earth’s continents drifted apart. The stone has two lines of breakability cleavage and grain which make it possible to split slate into thin sheets that retain a natural appearance while remaining relatively flat and easy to stack Its low water absorption makes slate resistant to frost damage, another benefit for roofs in cold climates.

Slate was first discovered in 1734 in Pennsylvania’s ‘Slate Belt’ by Welsh immigrants and commercial production began in the early to mid 1800s The most famous slate deposits include those in eastern U.S. and western Europe, Brazil, and Canada. China also has vast slate deposits, and its (pre-tariffs) export of finished and unfinished slate has increased over the years. In the United States, Maine, New York, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia produce slate products. From the mid-1800s to the early 1900s, slate was the most common residential roof in the northeastern United States American slate production peaked around 1900 and dropped after WWII. From the 1940s to the present, asphalt shingles replaced slate as the primary form of roofing in America Today, slate roofing has become a unique trade in America, and slate roof repair and restoration is a skilled profession that requires years of training

A view of Washington Valley through the scaffolding in early fall 2024. The original Old Main roofers in 1883 enjoyed a similar view, but with fewer trees and, of course, no sports faciilities during the Kountze family era

I N V E N T I N G V I

T U A L B O N E S :

medtech entrepreneur sloan Kulper

WKULPER ’99 ATTENDED DELBARTON 990s, he thought he might be a laywright, and maybe a doctor, designer, ‘like Kurt Vonnegut th Buckaroo Banzai’.

r. Denise Kenny Kulper and Keith et at Boston College in the 1970’s, York City, then moved to Morristown His mother earned a doctorate in early childhood education from Columbia University and taught elementary school students After working in banking, his father founded an executive search firm. Sloan and his younger sister Kendall, now a published Young Adult fiction writer, were raised in Morristown by parents devoted to creativity

His father’s parents met in Puerto Rico, where his grandfather was stationed during World War II, and eventually settled in Cedar Knolls. One day, Sloan’s Puerto Rican grandmother asked a group of uniformed boys in Morristown what school they attended “Delbarton”, they replied, and she decided she would send her two sons to Delbarton. Sadly, her older son died at age five of a

childhood illness but when Keith was old enough to apply, his mother kept her vow He applied, was accepted, enrolled and graduated from Delbarton in 1970.

Twenty-plus years later, Keith’s son Sloan was attending a local Catholic school and enjoying academics, especially creative writing and science. His friend circle of ‘nerdy Dungeons and Dragons-playing outcasts’ transferred to public school after

At Delbarton, he tried various clubs and activities and joined the track team. Immersing himself in distance running, the arts (he wrote and co-directed One Act plays) and robotics, Sloan soon found his tribe of Delbarton

Sloan and Gahyee were married at the Hong Kong Club in a traditional Chinese ceremony on July 5, 2014.

friends and role models, including Physics teacher Greg Devine, with whom he remains closely connected today.

During a college visit, he noticed the playfulness and creativity of MIT students, so the Institute felt like a good fit. Once there, Sloan soon discovered the best learning experience on campus was working alongside researchers in MIT laboratories. While earning a B.S. in Design, he held undergraduate research assistant jobs in the Aeronautical Engineering Department, the Media Laboratory, and the Laboratory of Molecular Self-Assembly and interacted with mentors like John Maeda and Shuguang Zhang. Maeda is currently Microsoft’s Vice President of Design and Artificial Intelligence and Zhang remains a biochemist at The MIT Media Lab focused on the designs of biological molecules.

Millennials like Sloan were raised on a steady diet of Japanese cultural imports like Nintendo, anime, art and technology, so in 2002 he welcomed the chance to visit an MIT friend in Japan and found the country ‘infused with magic’. Sloan was also fortunate to live at TEP, ‘a wonderful mad-scientist art nerd coed fraternity’, and he devoted many hours as a design editor on Technique, the MIT yearbook.

Next Stop, RISD

The Rhode Island School of Design held a special place in the imaginations of design students like Sloan, ‘like an advanced alien civilization just visible on the horizon’. He noticed that RSID and MIT had something else in common: “Students from both places obsessively search the material world for answers to questions that are often spiritual at their core ” Several MIT friends also were accepted to RISD graduate programs, so a core group of friends migrated to RISD with him as he earned his Masters in Industrial Design.

Back to Asia

In summer 2005, Sloan’s MIT mentor Shuguang Zhang sent him to China’s Sichuan province to help design a new biotech laboratory. China was experiencing a period of explosive growth, and the vibrant environment seemed familiar. “The messy energy of possibility that the place exuded felt much more like the exciting aspects of the USA,” he recalls

, Physics teacher Greg Devine

At Delbarton, Sloan ran Cross Country and got involved in arts and robotics

Sloan’s first job after RISD was with KVA, a Boston-ba architecture firm with a non-profit aspect that ultima led Sloan back to Asia He traveled to Bangladesh in South Asia on a Fulbright Fellowship where he taugh design at universities and advised healthcare nonprofits

Back in Boston, several MIT and Wellesley friends had launched One Earth Designs, a social enterprise producing patented technologies to improve life in rural Asian communities. The firm’s innovative design for clean cookstoves and solar-powered water collection devices transformed people’s lives in underserved populations, and Sloan was sent to Hon Kong to lead the firm’s China-based design team There he met and fell in love with Gahyee Tsui, a Pars educated graphic designer with family ties in Hong Kong and Singapore The couple married in 2014 and Sloan jokes that Gahyee is the real New Yorker. “She lived there for 10 years before moving to Hong Kong…while I’m just a tourist from New Jersey ”

Sloan realized that he could use his design skills to solve real world problems, and he enjoyed working with physicians on medical device development projects. In Hong Kong, two goals soon became apparent: to live in China with Gahyee and specialize in medical device design.

A doctorate is not required for medical device design, but Sloan wanted to learn more about surgery, material and technologies. He considered applying to MD/PhD programs but doctor-entrepreneurs at Stanford’s Biodesign program advised him to choose a medical degree or a Ph.D. but not both. Medical technology was more appealing, so Sloan chose the Ph D route

Gahyee’s cousin, a Hong Kong-based biomedical engine suggested investigating University of Hong Kong Medic School’s Department of Orthopedics and Traumatology, Sloan was accepted into the Orthopedic Surgery and Mechanical Engineering Ph D program where his adviso Professor William Lu encouraged Sloan to collaborate with orthopedic surgeons Dr Frankie Leung and Dr Christian Fang. While working on his degree, Sloan successfully applied for research grants and recruited a postdoctoral

The Sloan family photo with Sloan’s parents Denise and Keith ’70 and younger sister Kendall.

A more recent Kulper family photo

researcher, fellow MIT alum Dr Erica Ueda Boles, to his growing team. By 2018, the group co-founded a company, Lifespans, with a bone-focused mission that was a natural progression from the core technologies of Sloan’s Ph D research.

Aging Bones

As average global life spans increase, the efficacy of rthopedic surgical devices on older bones has decreased ifespans focuses on improving outcomes for elderly atients with osteoporosis, one of the world’s fastestrowing diseases, who are often treated with outdated evices, screws and pins designed for younger, stronger ones.

What the field of orthopedics needed was a quick, nonnvasive method to develop and test more effective rthopedic devices, and in 2021 Lifespans introduced a truly evolutionary product: patented software using a particleased bone model that mimics the structural integrity of ctual bones virtual bones

Meet Alfonso™ he Future of Implant Testing

fonso™ is the first realistic software model of bone sue, allowing orthopedic device manufacturers to sign and test safer products leading to fewer postgical issues. Named for engineering collaborator f Alfonso Ngan, the software uses proprietary bone ue and foam models to produce accurate simulation ults up to 10 times faster than traditional testing labs.

stry acceptance has been impressive. Lifespans d Silicon Valley investment funding, joined the son & Johnson JLABS startup incubator, and Sloan eam travel the world to educate device manufacs and surgeons on its features and benefits. This he will deliver the keynote at the European pedic Society Congress in Davos, Switzerland. The company now provides biomedical engineering services to most of the world’s top ten orthopedic manufacturers and is the global leader in computer simulation of implant failure for regulatory testing.

Asia: In December 2024, Alan Goodyear ’72 and Sloan Kulper ’99 enjoyed dinner in Hong Kong.

After MIT and RISD, Sloan joined MIT and Wellesley friends at One Earth Designs, a social enterprise that designed patented technologies,

Over the years, Sloan and his various colleagues have earned over a dozen patents, for KVA, One Earth Designs and now for orthopedic devices and implant simulation technologies like Alfonso™. He appreciates the many collaborations that led him to create innovative products and, finally, to launch and build Lifespans.

It Pays to Have an Aspirational Grandmother

Years ago, Sloan’s grandmother had good instincts, and he was blessed with parents who valued creativity as its own reward. Following his interests, sought schools and programs where he could learn from inspiring mentors and collabor with like-minded colleagues. Ov the past seven years, he has created a successful MedTech business, and he continues to conceptualize and develop new products and technologies.

Delbarton turned out to be the perfect place to develop Sloan’s unique intellect that combined creativity and invention with risk-taking entrepreneurism, and he credits his alma mater for nurturing those interests. “I loved my time at Delbarton and, while my later education was incredibly valuable, I think teaching and community suppo the best school I attended overall.”

Sloan remains grateful for his aspirational grandmother’s intuition, and for the sacrifices his parents made to send him to Delbarton Today he makes full use of his skills while creating products that benefit humanity. Surely his fictional childhood hero physicist, neurosurgeon, test pilot and rock star Dr Buckaroo Banzai would approve

p g g, y

Sloan Kulper ’99, includes professors, surgeons and advisors.

Delbarton STEM Investing in

By Jessica Fiddes

early in the new year, Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B shared news with Delbarton families about an upcoming building project at the school: a comprehensive interior renovation of the Science Pavilion.

In an email to parents on January 7, Fr. Michael wrote, “I am excited to inform you that beginning in mid-March 2025, the Rev. Stephen W. Findlay. O.S.B. Science Pavilion will undergo a $7 million two-phase interior renovation that will dramatically renew our STEM facilities.”

The project comes as welcome news to Science Department Chairperson Brian Theroux, who, with other faculty members, was deeply involved in its design. Theroux says, “This transformative renovation will more than double the lab space available for our students and includes dedicated, state-of-the-art classrooms for physics, chemistry, and biology, providing an exceptional environment for hands-on experimentation and dynamic learning in the sciences.”

Some histor

In 1942, the you relatively inexp rienced Fr. Step Findlay, O.S.B. appointed Delba second headma Under his inspir dedicated leade Delbarton grew soon earned a p the country’s m guished Catholi independent sc Stephen retired headmaster rol twenty-five imp then served ver as the school’s Development. In Science Pavilion was dedicated in Fr Stephen’s honor, and the handsome building still stands as a testament to his lasting influence on the ethos of the school.

Somewhere, we suspect, Fr Stephen is smiling as we embark on this next iteration of the Rev. Stephen W. Findlay O S B Science Pavilion

to mid August 2025 with the replacement of the building’s entire HVAC system and conversion of the ground floor Gregory Room, currently a large meeting space, to two new general-purpose classrooms.

Phase 2 occurs from mid-March to mid-August 2026 when each existing classroom and laboratory on the Science Pavilion’s first and second floors will be converted into hybrid

“

This projec t represents Delbar ton’s ongoing commitment to providing students with the resources they need to excel academically and pursue their passions.

Brian

”

Theroux, Science Depar tment Chairperson

instructional spaces, with a classroom in front and a complete laboratory in back. Theroux says, “The enhanced facilities will also support students conducting independent research as part of our prestigious Research in Science program. Additionally, the Robotics and Engineering Club will finally have a dedicated cutting-edge workspace, realizing a long-time dream of former, revered Delbarton Physics teacher Mr Greg Devine ”

Science Department faculty members and students will benefit from this renovation project in tangible ways. Teachers will no longer share laboratory spaces with each other, an improvement that facilitates more frequent and intensive use of Delbarton laboratories for hands-on experimentation.

Independent student research is also highly encouraged and respected at Delbarton as our very active Research in Science Club attests so these improvements will benefit the school’s extracurricular programs as well During Phase 2, a second-floor dedicated room is designed for our award-winning robotics and engineering programs and an innovative physics classroom/laboratory will be added adjacent to the existing one on the first floor

Physics Lab

On completion in mid-August 2026, each science course (including Middle School Integrated Science, and Biology, Chemistry and Physics) will have two new classrooms/laboratories equipped with the most modern equipment. Theroux says, “This project represents Delbarton’s ongoing commitment to providing students with the resources they need to excel academically and pursue their passions The teachers in the science department look forward to this remarkable addition and the opportunities it will create for our current and future generations of students.”

In his email to parents, Fr Michael praised “ the generosity of many benefactors (current families, past families, and alumni)” for supporting this exciting renovation project that reflects Delbarton’s continued focus on STEM-oriented academic and extracurricular programs.

A new, innovative physics classroom/laboratory will be added adjacent to the existing one on the first floor.

Robotics Lab

Chemistry Lab

During the renovation project, each existing classroom and laboratory on the Science Pavilion’s first and second floors will be converted into hybrid instructional spaces with a classroom in front and a complete laboratory in back

A dedicated room on floor two for popular Delbarton robotics and engineering programs will realize a long-time dream of former, revered Delbarton Physics teacher Greg Devine

faculty update around Delbarton

In November, as part of a Hudson Valley Writing Project Institute Saturday Seminar at SUNY New Paltz, Theology teacher Tracy Kessler conducted a workshop entitled Personal Narrative to Bridge Perspectives. The session covered the topic of students using short narrative writings to explore their personal beliefs and values

Kent Manno has been appointed Chaplain for the Sons of the American Legion and Legion Riders at the American Legion Post 342 in Chester, NJ He has been selected to serve as a Field Force Representative for the Directorate of Admissions at the United States Military Academy at West Point After 15 years of service in the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary as a Flotilla Staff Officer, he received an Honorable Discharge and was awarded retired status.

In January, Rock Band Moderator Dan Pieraccini’s band Forget the Whale released its third full length album The Devil You Know available on streaming platforms everywhere On March 28, Pieraccini, who teaches Italian and is Delbarton’s Director of Global Programs, hosted a presentation Bridging Borders

(continued on page 26)

Six National Merit Finalists

Among the 16,000 National Merit Semifinalists announced last September, in February six Delbarton seniors from the Class of 2025 met the requirements to advance to Finalist status in the competition. They are Jack Andreuccetti ’25, Sean Dooley ’25, Gavin Hassan ’25, Kevin Jin ’25, Ryan Readlinger ’25 and Suhaas Valiveti ’25. Winners of Merit scholarships are chosen from the Finalist group based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments

Giving Tuesday

In one 24-hour period on December 3, 2024 Delbarton received 1,071 gifts (up 46% from GT 2023) from 847 donors (up 23% from GT 2023). We raised $507,899 (up 21% from GT 2023) in support of the Delbarton Fund, the arts, forensics and athletic programs. Thanks to community-wide generosity, once again we shattered records that were set last year, and unlocked all four Challenges, earning another $60,000 in support. In the Delbarton Fund Current Parent Spirit Challenge, the Class of 2027 won the donor award with 102 donors, and the Class of 2028 won the participation award with 68 02% participation. THANK YOU to all the members of our community who joined us in this global day of giving.

Peter Wallburg Studios

Forensics Achieves at UPenn

Delbarton Forensic Society members returned home with some impressive hardware from the 50th Annual Liberty Bell Classic Tournament from February 7-9 at the University of Pennsylvania In Varsity Public Forum Debate

Michael Aiello ’26 and Raymond Xu ’26 advanced to finals and were declared Co-Champions. In Novice Public Forum Debate Jake Caravello ’27 and Ryan White ’27 advanced to Doubles and Seventh graders Remy Sardar ’30 and Elijah Massey ’30 advanced to Octofinals. Remy received the Top Speaker award and Elijah came in 2nd

Pickleball with Oak Knoll School

On November 10, the Delbarton Pickleball Club hosted a successful campus event with Oak Knoll School Pickleball Club members, an opportunity to get some outdoor exercise while making new friends. The Club, moderated by teacher/coach Tom Bennett, expects to plan similar events in the future.

(continued from page 24)

Through Asynchronous Video Exchanges at the 1st annual World Language Conference at PNW BOCES in Yorktown Heights. In his talk, Pieraccini explored the power of asynchronous video exchanges in fostering global connections among students. Using Delbarton examples from Level Up Village, he showcased how sports, leadership, climate change, cultural identity, and other engaging topics serve as a foundation for meaningful cultural exchange From April 35, 2025, he attended the Global Educators Benchmark Group (renamed the Institute for Global Learning) annual conference at Miami Country Day School in Miami, FL Pieraccini is pleased to take on the role of Delbarton World Languages Department Chairperson this July.

Director of Mission & Ministry Matthew White attended a conference hosted by the Sophia Teachers Institute on Christian Anthropology: Responding to Modern Challenges n

Wave-4-Life Club Hosts Funeral

On October 29, Fr. Michael assisted the Delbarton Wave-4Life student group to honor Jose, an indigent man who died in a nursing home without any family or friends to make funeral arrangements. The Migliaccio Funeral Home in Bayonne, NJ contributed its services and Drew Bauman, a Maplewood, NJ-based attorney, who had served as Jose’s legal guardian, organized the funeral. Students from the Wave-4-Life group volunteered as pallbearers and lectors for the Mass.

Seniors Receive EPOCH Service Awards

On April 23, seniors Jack Migliaccio ’25 and Henry Moriarity ’25 received the inaugural Al Wickens Community Service Award for their committed service to EPOCH, the afterschool program that assists special needs children in Madison, NJ Despite many other commitments, both young men devoted their free time to assisting recreational activities for local children. EPOCH has attracted Delbarton volunteerism for many decades, and we are proud that two students were the first recipients of this honor recognizing their and Delbarton’s commitment to community service.

Honoring Delbarton Veterans

Ehrenberg and Patel Named National Public Forum Debate Champions

The Delbarton community salutes Zeke Ehrenberg ’25 and Romir Patel ’25 who were named the top ranked Public Forum Debate team in the country by the National Debate Coaches Association. In April they were awarded the Averill Trophy, the organization’s highest honor, at the Association’s convention in Atlanta, GA.

On November 11, Delbarton honored Delbarton veterans, including ten deceased veterans from the St. Mary’s Abbey monastic community, at an annual Veterans Day ceremony in the Abbey cemetery. Student flagbearers marked the monks’ graves as organizer, Alumni Board member Jim Gallombardo ’81, recited each monk’s military service Prior Edward Seton Fittin, O.S.B. ’82 blessed four veterans present at the event and thanked them for their service.

Eric Feng ’28: From China to New Jersey

Freshman Eric Feng ’28 recently won Gold Key recognition in the Scholastic Art and Writing competition for his memoir A New Self. In it, he tells his story of adapting to America as a fiveyear-old when he suddenly was unrooted from his comfortable Chinese village and childhood to a new country, language and culture. Today, Eric is immersed at Delbarton where he plays tennis, writes for two literary publications, and is an active member of the Research in Science and Forensics clubs To read Eric’s story, scan the QR code.

Cody Lee ’25 Receives 2025 Cerasia Award

At a Morning Meeting on January 29, Dakota ‘Cody’ Lee ’25 received the 2025 Cerasia Award, presented annually to a student who exhibits persistence and resilience. The Award recognizes a student who embodies Succisa Virescit ‘cut down, grow back stronger’ spirit and is dedicated to the memory of the late Michael C. Cerasia ’94 who died tragically with his older brother in a boating accident during the summer following his freshman year.

A competitive pole vaulter, at a spring 2024 meet, Cody missed the far end of the mat, hitting his

head on the track. He was rushed to Morristown Memorial Medical Center for treatment and recovery

At the presentation Track & Field Head

Coach Andrew Sherwood said, “Cody’s injury challenged our team, school, and sport to stop and think about what sports are all about and what is really important at the end of the day Of course, Cody has ‘grown back stronger’ but very soon after his injury, he was already asking how soon he could get back out there with his team and his school.”

Secret Santa Gift Exchange

As if Christmas couldn’t get more thrilling, on December 18 Santa-hat-wearing Middle Schoolers gathered in Spada Commons for an annual Delbarton Middle School Gift Exchange. A good time was had by all!

Christmas in Paterson

On December 15, one hundred Delbarton volunteers distributed over 1,400 unwrapped toys donated by students to 300 families in Paterson through a distribution hosted by Catholic Charities of the Paterson Diocese. The annual Gift Drive was organized by deaneries that collected gifts sorted by gender and age. Alumni also contributed gifts at events between Thanksgiving and Christmas Fr Michael greeted Santa on a chilly collection day at Delbarton where hot cocoa and cookies were served.

Teachers of Italian Assist at Masquerwave

Gala

On February 8 at the DMG’s Masquerwave Gala, three Italian language faculty members arrived attired in red, white and green dinner jackets to help pitch Mangia in Old Main. The live auction prize included an Italian dinner for ten prepared and served by Br. Paul Diveny, O.S.B, with wine pairings selected by a Delbarton sommelier Sandra Zotti P’27. The trio’s presentation was so successful

All School Photo

In October, prior to the mysterious drones spotted in the skies over New Jersey, our favorite student drone operator Tyler Carifa ’27 captured the all-school photo on the football field that appears in this issue on pages 32-33.

that the prize was auctioned off twice for a grand total of $24,000. Our highly effective Delbarton paisanos included, from left, Dan DiMeo, Mike DelGuercio ’04 and Dan Pieraccini who also promised to attend the two dinners to tell stories of Italian culture, teach common Italian phrases and possibly even share key Italian hand gestures Bravissimo!

Digital Media Club at MSG Network

Seniors Receive NROTC Marine Scholarships

On February 4, Green Wave Sports Network members toured MSG Network in midtown Manhattan where they enjoyed an exclusive behind the scenes look into the pregame show prior to a Knicks away game. The Green Wave Sports Network hosts a busy schedule of livestreamed Delbarton sports events throughout the year

On March 5, Delbarton seniors Zeke Ehrenberg ’25 (Cornell University/ROTC) and Jadon Prinzivalli ’25 (Virginia Military Institute/NROTC) received Naval Reserve Officers Training Corp (NROTC) Marine Option scholarships, receiving $180,000 presentation checks that represent the estimated value of the financial support the U.S. Navy offers to commit to our young men during their college years Ehrenberg is an award-winning All American debater and, as quarterback, Prinzivalli led Green Wave Varsity Football during its outstanding 2024 season.

Tyler Carifa ’27

Aviation Club Visits the Intrepid Museum

On February 21, Aviation Club Moderator Rob Flynn accompanied seven club members to lower Manhattan where they enjoyed a tour of the Intrepid Air and Space Museum

Rob Flynn

Delbarton Experience Speakers Delbarton is Finalist in Wharton School Investment Competition

On February 22, incoming students and their families enjoyed a morning of presentations in the Fine Arts Center acclimating them to their next four to six years at Delbarton. Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. saved the best for last by introducing four hand-picked members of the graduating Class of 2025 to talk about their personal Delbarton Experiences Speakers included, from left with Fr. Michael, Zain Raza ’25,

Joe Ar tiglere ’25, Ryan Hall ’25 and MJ Wright ’25 who shared wonderful stories and advice with incoming students and their families.

5,000 applications, 1,800 submissions, 50 semifinalists and 10 finalists Each year, the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School sponsors a free, experiential global investment competition open to high school students from around the world. In 2025, Delbarton made the cut as a finalist in the Wharton School Investment Competition, the premiere finance competition for high school students around the world Business and Economics Club moderator Dennis Oussenko ’17, a University of Pennsylvania alumnus, led the Cornerstone Capital team of Michael Xu ’26, Jeffery Liu ’26, Alexander Choi ’26, Gavin Guo ’26, Aidan Segerson ’27, Makayo Cheung ’28 and Arsh Gupta ’28. Accessing an online stock market simulator in the role of young analysts, the boys developed a wealth-building plan for a

hypothetical young investor with $100,000 initial investment. The top ten schools included two international schools (Canada and India) and eight American high schools.

“Our students sit in the driver’s seat as decision makers of a mock investment firm, putting their economics, mathematics, and computer skills to use as they strive to win a client’s business,” says Oussenko. “The challenge puts students from around the world in touch with each other as well as with Wharton graduates and professionals from across a broad spectrum of the business and finance world.”

Meet Ten Speech & Debate All Americans

This year, ten members of the Delbarton Forensics Society were named National Speech & Debate Association All-Americans, an award recognizing competitive speech and debate achievements, academic rigor and personal success. Our ten 2025 All Americans are:

• Michael Aiello ’26

• Dominick Beck ’25

• Aiden D’Souza ’25

• Ezekiel Ehrenberg ’25

• James Freshwater ’25

• Romir Patel ’25

• Riley Ross ’26

• Suhaas Valiveti ’25

• Michael Xu ’26

• Raymond Xu ’26

Middle School Forensics

Delbarton Forensics enjoyed a busy and productive Christmas season and on December 14 at Villa Walsh Academy 8th grader Michael Simunovich ’29 placed 1st in Declamation at the Middle School Speech tournament

These young men are in the top one percent of the 141,000 student members across the country. To qualify, each student earned the degree of Super Distinction in the Association’s Honor Society (a total of 750 or more competition merit points), high GPAs and demonstrated character and leadership skills

Immaculée Illabaqiza Speaks at Delbarton

On October 29, Rwandan genocide survivor Immaculée Illabagiza addressed the school community in the FAC. In 1994 at age fourteen, Illabagiza spent three months hiding in a Hutu pastor’s 3x4 foot bathroom with seven women

The Rwandan genocide from April 7 to July 19 wiped out 500,000 to one million members of the Tutsi ethnic group who were murdered by Hutu militias urged on by corrupt politicians and a propagandistic media Illabagiza’s mother, father,

Bonetti Brothers and ACEing Autism

In May, brothers Hudson Bonetti ’25 (in dark blue) and Brayden Bonetti ’28 were in the news for introducing Delbarton to ACEing Autism, a non-profit that helps children with autism grow through tennis The boys’ parents Kirstyn and Jim Bonetti P’25,’28 and grandfather Robert Perkins, a former tennis pro, help direct the program which offers volunteer-run clinics The Paterson diocese e-newspaper The Beacon recently featured the brothers’ efforts, and the boys were interviewed about the service project on PIX11 News

two brothers and grandparents were killed, as were 900 of her 2500 classmates In her book Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust – required reading each year for juniors in our Genocide Studies class Ilibagiza shared how her Catholic faith guided her. Today, she evangelizes about forgiveness and doing the right thing to groups around the world She concluded her remarks by saying, “If you choose love, I am with you,” and Delbarton students leapt to their feet, giving her a rousing standing ovation

Faculty R E S E A R C H

Delbarton Latin and history teacher Dr. Theresa O’Byrne also serves as an Associate Researcher for the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland The article below is reprinted from the Medieval Studies Research Blog by permission of the Medieval Institute of the University of Notre Dame.

Notaries in Medieval and Early Modern Ireland

By Dr. Theresa O’Byrne

In June of 2023, I arranged to meet my friend and fellow historian Caoimhe Whelan for a short breakfast during one of my rare trips to Ireland. I had given the rest of the day over to research, a concession of one day in what was supposed to be a family holiday. At breakfast, Caoimhe introduced me to Stuart Kinsella, Christ Church Cathedral’s Research Advisor; he was chasing down the scribes and notaries of the Cathedral’s later medieval manuscripts, and had run across a few pages at the back of my dissertation – an appendix cataloguing all of the notaries I had found in the process of investigating the life and career of Anglo-Irish author and notary James Yonge In introducing me to Stuart, Caoimhe inadvertently cancelled my vacation Breakfast was

consumed. We talked. We ordered coffee. Stuart got out his carefully compiled list of notaries. We talked some more. Soon we were ordering lunch. We compared images, debated the merits of early 20th-century drawings of documents lost in a catastrophic 1922 fire a half mile from where we sat, and began making plans. By the end of the morning, we had explored several possibilities for a project far wider than my study of James Yonge or Stuart’s study of Christ Church scribes and notaries. Every spare moment I could get for the rest of my time in Ireland was given over to notaries. (Caoimhe would go on to destroy my summer holidays the following year with a grainy image of a notarial signum taken at Sarah Graham’s lecture at Leeds, but that is a tale for another time.)

Notaries were specialized legal scribes used principally by the ecclesiastical courts to record proceedings and produce official documents. Notaries could be found in every corner of medieval and early modern Europe and were particularly prevalent on the Italian and Iberian peninsulas where they also played a role in civil courts. In England and Englishcontrolled Ireland, English civil law did not provide for notaries, and as a result they were far fewer in number. Notaries found their way, however, into civil procedures, particularly in cases where an official witness was needed. Notaries not associated with the church were paid by laypeople to produce documents that might be helpful in future cases in the ecclesiastical courts, particularly those regarding marriage or legitimacy.[1] In Anglo-Ireland, these specialized

scribes also created new, authenticated copies of documents that had become faded or damaged. Notaries also served as official witnesses in disputes, creating documents functioning similarly to a sworn deposition; their instruments record in a matter-of-fact way dramatic moments in the lives of ordinary people. For instance, a 1406 instrument of James Yonge records that Robert Burnell wanted John Lytill to place his seal on some documents; Lytill refused, and Burnell responded by seizing Lytill in a Dublin street and holding him hostage until he acquiesced.[2]

Notarial instruments are most easily identified by their signa. Each notary developed his own unique signum manuale, a penand-ink drawing that he used to authenticate the documents he created. These frequently looked like altar crosses. During the Tudor period, notarial signa became panels of knotwork.

Another instrument by Thomas Baghill records an attempt to interfere in a will. On his deathbed, William Moenes was approached by his brother, Robert, who attempted to claim William’s property, despite the objections of William himself, who even in his extremity protested that he wished his property to go to his uncle’s daughters.[3] Both of these instruments were probably intended for later use in civil cases regarding the disposition of property.

Once developed, a notary’s signum remained fixed; he would use the same signum for the rest of his career. On an instrument, the signum manuale is also accompanied by an eschatocol, a formulaic attestation that the notary has heard and witnessed what is recorded in the document and that the contents are true to the best of the notary’s knowledge. Eschatocols frequently begin with an E that can be quite plain or highly ornamented, depending on the notary. Again, notaries’ Es tended to remain somewhat fixed. The signum and

eschatocol provide a key to identifying a notary’s handwriting in other contexts For instance, James Yonge was also the scribe of over one hundred surviving documents, signed and unsigned. Notary William Somerwell, who worked for the archbishops of Armagh, was also one of the principal contributors to the registers of archbishops Nicholas Fleming (1404-1416), John Swayne (14181439), John Prene (1449-1453), and John Mey (1443-1456)

Signa have also been instrumental in identifying groups of notaries. For instance, James Yonge’s student Thomas Baghill borrowed portions of his master’s signum when developing his own [4]

Signum manuale of William Walch (fl 1525-1538) on a document created in 1525 in the Waterford area and now housed at the National Library of Ireland, D.2129. Image courtesy of the National Library of Ireland

Signum manuale of William Somerwell (fl.14221459), on a document bound into the Registrum Iohannis Mey, PRONI DIO 4/2/6, Book 3, fol 393, reproduced by permission of the Deputy Keeper of Records, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).

We’ve also discovered signa in contexts outside of notarial instruments. Of particular note is the signum of an as-yetunidentified notary in the margins of a Hiberno English translation of Gerald of Wales’ Expugnatio Hibernica. [5]

Our survey of Anglo-Irish notaries is still in its infancy, and we are seeking sources of funding. We are currently trying to document as many notaries from medieval and early modern Ireland as possible as an entry into a larger exploration of notaries’ training, scribal networks, and documents We hope to create a searchable online database of notarial marks and scribal hands for Ireland as a starting point for a more extensive resource cataloging the marks of medieval and early modern notaries of the British Isles. We would also love to see a future collaborative

Signum manuale of James Yonge (fl 14041438), deeds of the Guild of St. Anne, Royal Irish Academy 12 S 22–31, no 343 (12 December 1432). By permission of the Royal Irish Academy© RIA.

database of European notaries

Ian Doyle once wrote of palaeography that “ the jigsaw puzzle we are all working on is so big that it may need the help of every eye to try to fit a piece in it.”[6] We believe the same is true of medieval and early modern notaries This is where you, dear reader, come in.

Signum manuale of Thomas Baghill (fl 14191439). Note Baghill’s imitation of Yonge’s cross outline Deeds of the Guild of St Anne, Royal Irish Academy 12.S.22-31, no. 253 (27 January 1431). By permission of the Royal Irish Academy© RIA

We heartily invite researchers in any area of medieval and early modern Europe to let us know about any notaries or notarial signa you encounter in your own research. The project’s email address is notarius ie@gmail com

[1] C.R. Cheney, Notaries Public in England in the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Centuries. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1972, p 56; Patrick Zutshi, “Notaries Public in England in the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Centuries,” Historia, Instituciones, Documentos 23 (1996), pp 421-33, at p 426

[2] Trinity College Dublin MS 1477, no 69, 16 March 1406

[3] Royal Irish Academy 12 S 22-31, no 826, 17 April 1434

[4] Theresa O’Byrne, “Notarial Signs and Scribal Training in the Fifteenth Century: The Case of James Yonge and Thomas Baghill,” Journal of the Early Book Society 15 (2012): 305–18

[5] Trinity College Dublin MS 592, fol 6v

[6] A I Doyle, ‘Retrospect and Prospect’, in Manuscripts and Readers in Fifteenth-Century England, ed D Pearsall (Cambridge, 1983), pp. 142–6 (pp. 145–6).

arts DELBARTON N E W S

10 out of 12 on Stage at Delbar ton

On November 1 to November 3, the Delbarton Abbey Players cast and crew presented its fall play 10 out of 12 onstage in the Fine Arts Center. Anne Washburn’s play debuted in 2015 at the Soho Rep and portrays a troubled tech rehearsal by setting up a fictional backstage crew and the show’s actual backstage crew in a unique dialogue 10 out of 12 offered a unique perspective on many details involved in staging a show and

highlights a little-known Actors’ Equity Association rule stipulating that a 12-hour rehearsal day may involve a maximum of 10 hours spent working on lights, sound, costumes, and other technical elements

Tri M Music Honor Society Christmas Concer ts

On December 10, musicians in the Delbarton Tri M Music Honor Society, directed by Andrew Lyman, took a day off from classes to spread holiday cheer in local neighborhoods and communities. A group of talented student musicians in grades nine to twelve hosted three concerts during the day at the Festival of Light at the Somerset County Park Environmental Education Center, Brighton Gardens of Florham Park, and Brightview Senior Living in Randolph.

Jen Cleary

Delbar ton at The Met

On December 13, upper-level students in Delbarton’s Art Department visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art in NYC. Juniors and seniors in Studio Art, AP Studio Art, and AP Art History attended the trip, chaperoned by Ms. Yaiza Dominguez, Mr. Aidan Mehigan, Ms. Amy Rothenberg, and Ms. Caitlin Servilio. Studio Art students then started out their journey in the Greek and Roman sculpture halls, taking photographs and notes for a future etching, while AP students traveled through the vast Museum to see artists and artworks relevant to their coursework Servilio says, “This annual trip has become a much-loved part of our curriculum and a wonderful opportunity for students to be in the presence of great artworks ”

Winter Music Concer t

On February 28, Delbarton music and choral groups performed on stage in an impressive display of student talent across all grades and levels The solo performance of clarinetist Daniel Meng ’27, who is pictured here with Tri M Music Honor Society moderator Andrew Lyman, particularly impressed the FAC Theater audience. Delbarton’s Tri-M® Music Honor Society chapter offers students the chance to perform, places them in leadership positions, and gives them the opportunity to serve the wider community.

The Myster y of Edwin Drood

From January 31 to February, Delbarton audiences were treated to three rollicking performances of the hilarious whodunit The Mystery of Edwin Drood, a musical written by Rupert Holmes based on the unfinished Charles Dickens novel of the same name. Talented Delbarton actors and visiting thespians performed the show to full houses all three days.

Jen Cleary

Delbarton Artists at Work arts

Tenderness and Transformation Exhibit

From December 2 to January 6, talented artist and Delbarton art teacher Yaiza Dominguez exhibited her work in the FAC Lobby with her Tenderness and ansformation Exhibit Prior to e show Visual Arts Coordinator aitlin Servilio wrote, “Yaiza eates stunning portraits in aphite, pastel, and digital drawing Her intimate and osely observed work often focuses on motherhood and ildren, including her son, and I know the Delbarton ommunity is going to enjoy this peek into Yaiza’s studio ractice.” An Opening Reception on December 6 attracted many in the Delbarton community, including Yaiza’s tudents who were impressed by their teacher’s work

Caitlin Ser vilio Exhibits Ar t in Los Angeles

From February 15 to March 8, Delbarton artist/art teacher Caitlin Servilio’s work was shown in the Into the Hamper’s Belly group show at the Persons Unknown gallery in Los Angeles, CA In this example of Servilio’s oil paintings on canvas, the soft, fuzzy-looking attachments are made using needle punching, a fiber arts technique using yarn. Servilio says she is “inspired by nature and by how animals and plants interact, especially aspects of nature that are often overlooked I’m also interested in fragments, piles, and webs, and I find that using different media helps me represent these jumbled scenes ”

Peter Wallburg Studios

Ar tist Yaiza Dominguez Tenderness and Transformation HUMANS OF DELBARTON

In December, art teacher Yaiza Dominguez was featured in our Humans of Delbarton series

Growing up in Burgos, Spain, Dominguez came to the United States ten years ago after marrying an American. “All of my family and friends still live in Spain, and I am the only family member that lives overseas.”

Dominguez first earned her bachelor’s in teaching, then moved to the University of Salamanca for a BFA, and graduated from the University of Barcelona with an MFA. Next, Dominguez earned a Masters in Photographer from the University of Valencia. “I absolutely loved the experience of studying Fine Arts and particularly the years I spent in Barcelona,” she said “My students often ask me if I miss Spain, and the truth is that I miss it daily, particularly my loved ones, the traditions, and the food!”

Now in her sixth-year teaching at Delbarton, Dominguez reflects on her start as a World Language teacher during the Covid pandemic: “When we were remote and I taught my students how to make Spanish omelet and arroz con leche. We all had so

much fun, and it was amazing to see them cook from their homes. My former students, now graduated, still remember this and tell me about it when they come to visit ”

Today, Dominguez lives on campus with her husband and son and is fully immersed in the Art Department with teachers Caitlin Servilio and Amy Rothenberg. The trio helps Delbarton students connect with their creative side and embrace the artistic process. “I have always wanted to be an art teacher I tell my students every year that I could

not be more thrilled to be doing what I do. I hope that my passion for art passes to them and that it is noticeable to them that I truly love what I do,” says Dominguez

Scan the QR code to read Meghan Podimsky’s Humans of Delbarton profile of Yaiza Dominguez.

GLOBAL

D E L B A R T O N

The following is the pitch Director of Global Programs Dan Pieraccini delivered to students at the Global Delbarton Fair on December 4. This year, Delbarton offered a dozen travel and exchange programs, including summer adventures in China and Japan.

Icould be out of touch, but when I think of your generation, I am both envious and also a little sad. You have everything available to you at all times All the music, art, and stories that humanity has created are ever available to you in your pockets, but the most important and consuming media at any given moment for you are brainrot Tik Toks, your friend’s Snap of their forehead, and Skibidi Toilet memes

We offer you the opportunity for safe spaces, and we teach you that the world is such a scary place and that your needs and your comfort are paramount, and yet the very motto of this school begins with the words “cut down,” suggesting that adversity and challenge are not only necessary to growth, but the beginning of every hero’s journey

Perhaps that is a disservice that our generation has done to you, and that’s on us You will not grow by being coddled and protected You will not ask yourselves the difficult questions of life, about your purpose, and who you are, by listening to the things we, or your AP curriculum, VHL or Membean believe are important

“You will not

and

To rectify this situation, we are here today to provide you with opportunities to meet that which is unfamiliar and different, and rather than combat it with your experience and ideas, instead, to shut up and humbly take it in, appreciate it, and live through something different than your everyday routine. Listen carefully to the programs presented to you today, because any one of them will forever change you, as they have countless Delbarton alumni before you. And this is not hyperbole: year after year, in exit interviews, these trips continuously rank as the number one experience in graduating seniors’ recollections of their time here.

”

grow by being coddled

protected… we are here today to provide you with oppor tunities to meet that which is unfamiliar and different.

Thank you for your attention today; this could be the first day of the rest of your life.

-Dan

Pieraccini

Iceland

Summer 2025 Travel and Exchange Programs

n Benedictines of East Africa and Delbarton Students (BEADS)

n Bethlehem Farm (West Virginia)

n Asia Adventures: China

n French Exchange with Les Chartreux

n Classics Trip (Rome, Italy)

n Delbarton Adventures in France

n Germany Exchange (Bildungszentrum Markdorf, Baden-Wurttemberg, Germany)

n Glenstal Abbey School Exchange (Limerick, Ireland)

n The Italian Experience

n Japan Cultural Highlights

n Rosebank College Student Exchange (Sydney, Australia)

This group enjoyed an adventure in Iceland over spring break.

Irish students visited Delbarton hosts in November for our annual exchange with Glenstal Abbey School in Limerick, Ireland

French exchange students from Les Chartreux stayed with Delbarton families in early April.

Our annual exchange program with Bildungszentrum Markdorf in BadenWurttemberg, Germany also took place this spring

STEM Report |

By Brian Theroux, Science Department Chair

Students Win Awards at Science and Humanities Symposium

On February 26, four members of the Delbarton Research in Science Club (RISC), Michael Xu ’26, Eric Feng ’28, Kevin Jin ’25 and Makayo Cheung ’28, attended the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) at Rutgers University with club moderator and Science Department Chairman Brian Theroux.

Kevin Jin ’25 Wins Research Award

Kevin Jin ’25 (Princeton University), on right, was recognized as the second-ranked oral presenter for his research Unlocking Neuroprotection: How Chebulinic Acid Targets Protein Biomarkers and Lipid Imbalance in Alzheimer’s Disease He received a $1,500 prize and an all-expenses-paid invitation to the National JSHS in Virginia in April. Michael Xu ’26, pictured on left with Kevin Jin, won recognition and a $250 cash prize from the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics for his outstanding research paper Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Perpetual Solar Flight to Cheaply Position Radio Antennas.

Delbarton Incubator Expo

On May 1, the Fine Arts Center lobby came alive with creativity and entrepreneurial spirit as twenty-two innovative products took center stage at the annual Delbarton Incubator Expo. This highly anticipated event showcased the culmination of months of hard work and ingenuity by Delbarton’s senior students. Under the guidance of teacher David Mar tin, the Entrepreneurial Studies class, aka the Delbarton Incubator, is a senior elective where students collaborate in small teams to conceive, develop, and market problem-solving products Over 45% of seniors enrolled in this year’s course, and members of the Class of 2025 put their best foot forward with their projects

Looking for your next family game night pick? Quattro, conceived by Matt Tyrone ’25 and Michael Andrisano ’25, is a strategybased card game for the whole family. The duo won the Best Pitch Award

by Yan Liu

Delbotics Team Excels in FIRST Tech Challenge

On March 2, Delbarton hosted the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) Upper Central League Championship, and our Delbotics team, moderated by Science Department Chairman Brian Theroux, emerged victorious as the winning alliance, securing a spot in the March 16 FTC NJ State Championships for the second consecutive year. Delbotics remained undefeated in all qualifying matches, setting a high standard for excellence. At the State Meet, Delbotics finished match play with the highest Offensive Power Ranking (OPR) and best Division

autonomous performance and tied for third in the state which earned the team an invitation to an FTC Premier Event this summer.

Photos

Parent Organizations:

Since December, Delbarton parents have enjoyed many opportunities to meet, learn, discuss, celebrate, contribute and socialize

December

• DMG Advent Morning of Reflection

• DMG Mixology Event

• DMG Book Club Luncheon

• Christmas Parent Social

• DMG Walking with Purpose

• DAP & PCDI Parents of Young Leaders Social

• DPGA Christmas Party

• Delbarton Toy Drive Distribution in Paterson

January

• DMG Christmas Decoration Take Down

• DMG Walking with Purpose

• DMG Book Club

• DAP & PCDI Lunar New Year Celebration

• F&F Scotch and Cigar Night

February

• DMG Walking with Purpose

• Delbarton Gala

• DMG Book Club

• DAP & PDCI Celebration of Black History and Culture

March

• DMG Walking with Purpose

• DMG Senior Mothers Dinner

• F&F Board Meeting

• Interfaith Iftar Fast and Feast

April

• Delbarton Fund Current Parent Meeting

• DMG Walking with Purpose

• DMG Lenton Morning of Reflection

• DPGA Wine Tasting

• DMG Meeting & Executive Board Meeting

• DMG Book Club

• Delbarton Blood Drive

May

• DMG Spring Luncheon

• DMG Walking with Purpose

• DMG Book Club

• Delbarton Fund Volunteer Dinner

• DAP & PCDI End of Year Social

• Inaugural Grandparents Day

June

• F&F Golf Outing

• DPGA End of Year Gathering

Why We Give: The DeSilva Family

ate ugust 0 , Joey eS a 8 a ed o campus for his freshman year at Delbarton

Commuting 18 miles from Verona, NJ was an adjustment for the family, and Joey and his parents Joe and Anna Maria quickly became accustomed to Delbarton. The DeSilvas also immediately saw the benefits for their son, which inspired them to support Delbarton financially this year.

From their first visit, they say they could feel something special in the community an atmosphere of warmth, tradition and belonging.

“Delbarton has truly become a family for us A shared sense of purpose and care makes Delbarton feel like home,” says Anna Maria.

The school’s reputation for academic excellence and character formation is what attracted Joey’s parents to Delbarton As they approach the end of their son’s first year at Delbarton, their experience has exceeded their expectations, and they have seen him grow in confidence, maturity, and selfawareness. “He’s been challenged in the classroom, encouraged on the athletic field, and supported by teachers and mentors who genuinely care,” says Joe He and his wife have appreciated watching Joey make new friends and begin to think about his unique place in the world

The DeSilvas admire how Delbarton empowers students to lead with purpose and compassion and chose to invest in that kind of education

“Supporting Delbarton means supporting a future led by thoughtful, ethical leaders,” says Joe

Investing in Delbarton aligns with the DeSilva family’s personal values and philanthropic goals in a deep and authentic way “We believe in the power of education, especially when rooted in

strong moral and spiritual foundations,” says Joe. The couple recognizes that Delbarton’s commitment to forming young men of intellect, character, and compassion mirrors what they strive to support through philanthropy “Delbarton doesn’t just educate; it shapes young men who understand the importance of service, humility, and purpose,” says Anna Maria

Both parents strongly believe that personal success is reflected not just in achievement but in how people work to elevate others around them.

“As a family,” says Anna Maria, “We feel incredibly grateful to be part of the Delbarton community. It’s brought us closer together and reinforced the importance of faith, service, and striving for excellence in all areas of life This journey has not only shaped our son it’s enriched all of us.”

From left, current Delbarton parents Joe and Anna Maria DeSilva P’28 with their children, Jayden, Giuliana and Joey ’28

sport shorts

By Jared Lowy

November 18 Signing Day

Signing Days exemplified the hard work, talent, and support that define Delbarton athletics, setting the stage for bright futures for each of these committed athletes.

Lacrosse

Jared Baudin – Lafayette

Bobby Cusimano – Air Force

Peter Falk – Trinity

Andrew Johnson – Williams

Finn McGuire – Catholic University

Will Pedicano – Duke

Bo Popham – Notre Dame

Kip Rand – Hamilton

David Rodriguez – Oberlin

Gavin Romweber – Middlebury

On November 18 in Spada Commons, Delbarton celebrated 23 student-athletes who committed to continuing their athletic careers at the collegiate level During a ceremony led by Athletic Director Dr. Tony Negrin, Delbarton recognize the Green Wave tradition of sending athletes to top-tier college programs The roster of recognized athletes included:

Alex Schobel – Babson

Tanner Shimko – Johns Hopkins

Asher Testa – Colgate

Baseball

Ryan Holman – Lehigh

Anthony Palumbo – Hamilton

MJ Wright – Lafayette

Ryan Lora – Bard

Logan Bourdoin – Ithaca College

December 4 Signing Day

Soccer

Liam McElderry – Fairfield

Wrestling

Chase Quenault – Lehigh

Alessio Peretin – Cornell

Golf

Jake Kurtzman – Franklin & Marshall

Track & Field

Peter Donini – University of Michigan

On December 4, Delbarton School celebrated National Signing Day with six senior football players committing to continuing their athletic and academic journeys.

Pictured with Fr. Michael, Football Head

Coach Brian Bowers and Athletic Director

Tony Negrin are:

Will Kramer – Williams College

Lucas Cardinale – Williams College

Andy Covello – Washington University in St Louis,

Troy Bailey – College of the Holy Cross

Phil Folmar – University at Buffalo

Lorenzo Petrucci – Bowdoin College

Cross Country

The 2024 Delbar ton Cross Country team, coached by Collin Frost, showcased a strong season, finishing with a 3-2-1 record in NJAC meets and earning third place in the NJAC Championships. The team’s performance demonstrated consistent effort and resilience in a highly competitive field this season The Green Wave’s dedication carried through to the NJSIAA Group Championships

where they claimed a respectable seventh-place finish overall Senior Sean Dooley ‘25 led Delbarton with a 13th-place finish that secured him a spot in the Meet of Champions, running with the state’s top performers this season

The JV team also made its mark with an impressive third-place finish at the Morris County

Championships. This year’s achievements were driven by both experienced leaders and a talented pool of younger runners. With a strong core set to return, Delbarton Cross Country is wellpositioned for continued success and growth in 2025

Emily Leamy P ’23

Soccer

The 2024 Delbar ton Soccer team, led by Head Coach Dr. David Donovan, put together an unforgettable season, finishing with a remarkable 20-1-1 record. Their only loss came in the NJSIAA NonPublic A sectional final against St Benedict’s Prep, the top-ranked team in the nation (Delbarton was ranked #10) Delbarton dominated its regular season, going undefeated and capturing the NJAC division championship with a perfect conference record. Adding to the accolades, the Green Wave claimed its third consecutive Morris County Tournament title, defeating Madison 5-1 in a definitive final.

Throughout the season, Delbarton secured several marquee victories, including a key win over Gill St. Bernards and an electrifying 4-2 victory against St. Ignatius of Ohio another top-10 nationally ranked squad during the Delbarton Soccer Invitational. This season’s success was a testament to the skill and determination of our talented athletes, highlighted by key senior leaders Liam McElderry ‘25 and Brady Hyland ‘25 and the scoring power of Owen Miller ‘27 and Dylan Mazzarella ‘27. With a strong core of young players set to return, the team looks primed to build on its achievements and continue its quest for excellence next year

Photos by Emily Leamy P ’23 F

Emily Leamy P ’23

Football

4 Delbar ton Varsity Football team, by Brian Bowers, capped off an ding season with a 7-3 record and clinched the Super Football Conference United White Division title again this season. The Green Wave notched impressive wins against top-tier New York opponents, defeating Iona Prep and Monsignor Farrell, while also making waves within New Jersey. Key victories included a hard-fought triumph over St Peter’s Prep, decisive wins against Seton Hall Prep, Pope John, and Paramus Catholic, and a thrilling 52-51 overtime victory against DePaul Catholic thanks to a last second Hail Mary touchdown reception that highlighted Green Wave grit and resilience

The team’s success was fueled by standout performances on both sides of the ball. Quarterback Jadon Prinzivalli ’25 led the offense with poise and precision, complemented by the explosive running of Brock Dandridge ’25 and the reliable hands of wide receiver Phillip Folmar ’25. Defensively, Delbarton was anchored by playmakers Kyle Checcio ’25 and Aidan Barber ’25, while the secondary, featuring Lucas Cardinale ’25 and standout freshman Chaz Cusimano ’28, provided consistent coverage and key stops. Despite an early exit in the playoffs, the football program, with its ‘Win this play’ motto, continues to build a winning tradition at Delbarton.

Emily Leamy P ’23

Basketball

The Delbar ton Basketball team, led by coach Matt Crane, finished with a record of 18-11, despite a schedule of top NJ programs and strong out-of-state competition.

The season opened with a challenging matchup against Fairfield Prep where the Green Wave earned a 63-54 victory After losing two out of state, out of conference games, the team earned two victories in the JP Flynn Tournament In January, team earned wins over Chatham, Morris Knolls, St. Joe’s Metuchen and DePaul Catholic, while losing a close battle Monsignor Scanlan, Mendham and St. Joe’s Regional.

In the Morris County Tournament, the team dominated Randolph with a 79-19 victory followed by a narrow 55-53 win over Madison High School and its tournament run concluded with a 73-63 loss to Morris Catholic

The Green Wave’s postseason journey featured a 64-59 victory over DePaul Catholic, advancing them in the NJSIAA Non-Public A North Quarterfinal thanks to a career night by senior Patrick Mahoney ’25. Despite their efforts, Delbarton’s season concluded on March 3 with a 64-53 loss to Don Bosco Prep With a core of young talent remaining, the future is bright for the basketball program in 2026

Emily Leamy P ’23

Hockey

Emily Leamy P ’23

The Delbar ton Hockey team, led by Hall of Fame coach Bruce Shatel, delivered one of the most dominant seasons in program history, finishing with a stellar 22-1-1 record and going undefeated against all New Jersey opponents. The team’s lone loss came to Brunswick School, but the Green Wave was flawless at home, posting an 11-0-1 record.

Delbarton swept the state’s biggest titles, winning the Gordon Conference, the Gordon Cup, and capturing its first Non-Public State Championship since 2017 The season also featured a milestone moment, as the team claimed the Catholic Memorial Tournament with a 4-0 victory over Catholic Memorial on December 28, marking Coach Shatel’s 500th career win.

Key regular-season victories included a hard-fought overtime win over CBA, two wins over Don Bosco Prep, and a crucial victory against Lawrenceville. The Gordon Cup Final was an instant classic, with

Delbarton defeating CBA 4-3 in overtime, courtesy of a game-winner by Egor Andreev ’26.

In the Non-Public State Tournament, Delbarton continued its thrilling postseason run. A dramatic 54 overtime win over St Joseph Regional in the semifinals, sealed by Sean O’Gwen ’27’s goal, sent the Green Wave to the state final. At Prudential Center, Delbarton dominated CBA 5-1 behind goals from Jack Gerne ’25, Dante Rodriguez ’25 (2), O’Gwen, and Jack Ross ’25.

Recognized for its tremendous season, the team was named NJ.com Team of the Year, with Gerne and Rodriguez earning First-Team All-State honors, goalie George Cote ’25 landing on the Second Team, and O’Gwen making Third Team. With a season for the record books, Delbarton Hockey has reestablished itself as the gold standard in New Jersey hockey.

Squash Bowling

Opening the season with back to back 7-0 victories, the team also set a new school record of 1105 pins Captain David Reale ’25 became the program’s career pinfall leader and tied a school record with a 279 game, while Connor Tyrone ’25 delivered a career-best 571 series The team shattered a school record at the Brick Memorial Tournament (1119 pins) and captured the NJAC title with a 29 17 total. Delbarton won its first Morris County title, upsetting top-seed Kinnelon and defeating Chatham in the final. In the sectional final, Delbarton rallied in the second game to defeat Nutley, securing their first-ever sectional championship Though the team fell in the Group 3 Semifinals to #1 St. Joseph (Metuchen), Delbarton finished with a 13-11 record, three major titles, and a season for the ages

Delbar ton Squash, led by Head Coach Craig Paris ’82, wrapped up a 7-14 season and secured key victories over Canterbury School, Poly Prep, St Joseph’s Prep (PA), Malvern Prep, and the Master’s School. Delbarton pushed elite competition to the limit, with narrow losses to the Hill School, Nichols (NY) and University School (OH). At the High School

Nationals, our players battled through close 3-4 losses to Greenwich High School and Scarsdale before finishing strong with a 4-3 win over Darien High School to earn a 12th place Division IV finish out of 16 teams. With a foundation of committed players, Delbarton continues to build a strong program

Emily Leamy P ’23

Skiing

The Delbar ton Ski team, led by first-year head coach Ken Johnson, delivered an outstanding season with strong performances across the board Skiers dominated key races, taking first place in both the third slalom race and the first giant slalom race In championship events, Green Wave skiers secured an impressive second-place finish in the JV Championships

At the state competitions, Delbarton was runnerup in the Slalom State Championships and earned third place in the Giant Slalom States The season culminated at the Race of Champions, where Cur t Friedrich ’27 capped off the team’s success, winning the Giant Slalom and finishing fourth in slalom, for a fifth-place overall finish. Delbarton Skiing proved itself as one of the top programs in the state, setting the foundation for greater seasons ahead.

Kathryn McKeever Photography, LLC

Kathyrn McKeever

Wrestling

Tom Horak NJ Advance Media

Delbar ton Wrestling, led by Head Coach Bryan Stoll, delivered a historic season on the mat, finishing with an impressive 22-4 record and cementing itself as one of the top programs in New Jersey. The Green Wave captured both district and regional titles, sending all 14 wrestlers to the state championships in Atlantic City.

One of the season’s defining moments came in a thrilling 30-29 victory over national powerhouse Blair Academy the first in program history before a raucous home crowd in Clarke Gym. The team then battled to a runner-up finish in the NonPublic Tournament

In the NJ State Individual Tournament, Delbarton brought home 10 medals, including three individual champions: Cameron Sontz ’27 (113 lbs), Jayden James ’26 (150 lbs, Penn State), and Alessio Perentin ’25 (165 lbs, Cornell). Ryan DeGeorge ’27 (132 lbs) finished as runner-up, while Chase Quenault ’25 (138 lbs, Lehigh) and Tommy Marchetti ’28 (120 lbs) took third. Other medalists included PJ Terranova ’27 (106 lbs, 5th), Nick Schwar tz ’28 (144 lbs, 5th), CJ Betz ’26 (190 lbs, 4th), and Trevor Jones ’26 (157 lbs, 8th).

Jayden James was honored as NJ.com Wrestler of the Year after an undefeated season With a 2025 season filled with milestones, Delbarton wrestling has once again raised the bar for excellence in the New Jersey wrestling community

INDOOR Track

Delbarton’s Indoor Track and Field team, coached by Andrew Sherwood, had a standout season, highlighted by key performances and championship wins. The team placed 2nd at the Morris County Relays and 3rd at the Morris County Championships, while finishing 4th at the State Relay Championships where Delbarton set new records, winning the distance medley relay, 4x800, and shot put titles. In the distance medley relay, Sean Dooley ’25 closed his last 200m in a blistering 29.8 to outrun CBA’s AllAmerican anchor crossing the line in a Nationals and Penn Relays qualifying time of 10: 32.40. Earning state titles with Dooley in the event were John Cuzzocrea ’25 (NYU), Hans Clovis ’27 and William Van Etten ’28. This was the first time Delbarton won this event since 2010.

Senior Peter Donini ’25 (Michigan) was the undisputed star of the season. He claimed the state championship in shot put at the State Groups and followed it up with a victory at the Meet of Champions, securing the shot-put state title

On the national stage, Donini finished 2nd at New Balance Nationals in Boston before capping off his incredible season with a 1st-place finish at Nike Nationals in the NYC Armory

With plenty of young depth and championship performances this season, the Green Wave indoor track squad looks to make waves once again next winter.

Sean Rose

Swimming

The Delbar ton Swim team, coached by 2025 NJAC Coach of the Year Patrick Savidge, put together a remarkable season, finishing with an 8-5 record and proving to be one of the most competitive squads in the state The season opened with a statement win over St. Peter’s Prep, setting the tone for an impressive campaign. The team went on to claim second place at the Morris County Championship, showcasing its depth and determination.

One of the most intense rivalries of the season unfolded against Seton Hall Prep. After a heartbreaking 86-84 loss on January 3, Delbarton got its redemption in the Non-Public A quarterfinals, defeating Seton Hall Prep by the same 86-84 score to advance to the semifinals. The season ended in dramatic fashion against Pingry, with both teams tied at 85-85 Delbarton ultimately falling in a razor-thin tiebreaker.

Key contributions came from standouts Dalton Brooks ’26, Dom Narduzzi ’27, Femi Oshodi ’26, and rising star Max Ciechanowski ’28, all of whom played crucial roles in Delbarton’s success With such a strong performance this season, the program is primed for even greater achievements in the future.

Photos by Emily Leamy P ’23

Emily Leamy P ’23

sport shorts

Middle School Champions!

Delbarton Middle School won championships in all three winter sports With just sixty Green Wave middle schoolers in the mix, this achievement was even more remarkable.

Wrestling Dominance

Basketball Victory

Middle School Basketball players won the Greater Morris Junior School Coaches Association (GMJSCA) tournament, beating Rockaway Boro in a title-clinching 40-33 win.

Middle School Wrestling crowning four individual champions and one runnerup at the Middle School Championships at Newark Academy: Robert (Bobby) Checchio ’29 (#1 150+ lbs), John Kinney ’30 (#1 109115 lbs): John Matter ’30 (#1 95-99 lbs), Marco Priore ’30 (#1 100-108 lbs) and Dean Erskine ’29 (#2 125-135 lbs)

Hockey Triumph

Middle School Hockey had thrilling 3-2 victory over Montclair Kimberley Academy (MKA) in the championship game Alex Wu ’30 scored the goal and the team had an impressive 8-2 record despite having only nine players on the roster

More Recruited Athletes

February 28, 2025 Delbarton celebrated another nine athletes who will continue their athletic careers at the NCAA level starting next fall

John Cuzzocrea Jr. – NYU – Cross Country

Luca Lopez – UPenn – Football

Brady Hyland – Hamilton College – Soccer

Tyler Jackson – Bucknell – Football

Aidan Barber – Colby College – Football

Front row:

Jack Tonzola – Washington College – Sailing

Dominick Beck – Brown – Golf

Kyle Checchio – Franklin and Marshall –Football

Brock Dandridge – Johns Hopkins – Football

On April 24, 2025, Delbarton celebrated three additional athletes who will continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level next year: Elbrus Majagah – NYU – Wrestling

Luke Azzinaro – Lafayette College –Basketball

Patrick Mahoney – Trinity College –Basketball

Rosemary Castellano P ’27, ’29

Michael Priore P 28, 30

THE ONE SHEET Egor Andreev’26

What’s the one surprising thing about playing hockey in the U.S. compared to Russia?

Hockey here is faster and more physical. In Russia, it’s smarter, more strategic, and skill based. The difference comes from the rink sizes*.

What’s one piece of advice you’d give to a younger player dreaming of a state title?

Believe in yourself and your teammates.

You moved here from Russia. Tell me about the journey to Delbarton. What was the hardest part of that transition?

It was a long journey that began in 2022. I lived in Turkey for a year, spent a few weeks in Malaysia and Kazakhstan, stayed in Mexico for a month, then moved to San Diego. After a few days, we went to Boston for a month before finally settling in New Jersey and Delbarton in 2023 The hardest part was not knowing where we’d finally stop and start building a life

Is there one game this season that stood out to you the most?

The Gordon Cup final It was unpredictable, and no one knew what the final score would be Thank God, we were the winners that day

You played a huge role in winning the state championship. What was going through your mind in the final moments?

That we finally did it we just made history

Do you have a pregame ritual or superstition?

I always tape my stick after warm-ups. I also grab a coffee before the game, usually from Starbucks.

What’s the one goal or play from this season you’ll never forget?

My OT game-winner in the Gordon Cup final

What’s one thing people don’t understand about the life of a high school hockey player?

How busy we are especially if you play club hockey during the high school season You leave home at 6:30 AM and return at 10 PM. On top of that, you still have to do homework and prepare for tests.

Who would you want to play against one-onone in the NHL?

Colorado Avalanche center Nathan MacKinnon

What’s the one trick you use to get locked in before a big game?

It’s simple: I listen to loud music. It helps me focus, get into the game mentally, and follow my pre-game routine

Do you have one secret to handling pressure on the ice?

I try to do something good during my first shift whether it’s making a hit or getting a shot on net That gives me confidence for the rest of the game

Hockey Head Coach Bruce Shatel described his player Egor Andreev’s path to Delbarton as ‘a Netflix special’. Born in St. Petersburg, Andreev and his family fled Russia because of the war with Ukraine. From Russia to Turkey, Malaysia, Kazakhstan, Mexico and finally the United States, this Delbarton hockey player talks about his journey to Delbarton, Gordon Cup and NJ State championship moments, and what it takes to win. * At 200

abbey

notes

By Br. William McMillan, O.S.B.

Bishop Elias Lorenzo, O.S.B. attended the Canon Law Society of America’s Annual Convention in Albuquerque, NM from October 14-17, 2024 and the fall USCCB plenary session in Baltimore, MD from November 11-14, 2024 During that meeting, Bishop Elias was appointed co-chair of the USCCB’s National Catholic Muslim Dialogue with Imna Kareen Irfan from Chicago, IL. He made the annual retreat with bishops from Region III (NJ & PA) at Bethany Center, Lutz, FL from February 3-7, 2025, which Bishop Frank Caggiano (Bridgeport) preached He later attended a conference of The Neocatechumenal Way in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from February 17-22, 2025 at the invitation of the Apostolic Nuncio, Cardinal Christope Pierre, to all USCCB bishops.

In February, Br. Paul Diveny, O.S.B. began a ten-part series for alumni on the Rule of St. Benedict Organized by the Ora et Labora committee of the alumni, “Living by the Rule” offers the participants an introduction to the Rule of St. Benedict both in its historical context and the way it is currently lived in monasteries today. The course meets once a month in Vincent House

(Continued on page 69)

Fr. Philip Waters, O. S. B. Appointed Administrator of St. Mar y’s Abbey

On April 9, 2025, Abbot Jonathan Licari, O.S.B., President of the AmericanCassinese Congregation of Benedictine monasteries, appointed Fr. Philip Waters, O.S.B., a monk of Newark Abbey in Newark, NJ, as Administrator of St Mary’s Abbey for a threeyear term, effective August 1, 2025.

Fr. Philip was born in Bayonne, NJ, and grew up in Westfield, NJ His parents were members of Holy Trinity Parish, and he graduated from the parish elementary school, then attended St Benedict’s Preparatory School in Newark, NJ. After graduation, he began studies for St Mary’s Abbey, first at St. Bernard’s College in Cullman, AL, and then at St. John’s University in Collegeville, MN.

Following his sophomore year at St. John’s, in 1965, Fr. Philip entered the novitiate at St. Mary’s Abbey in Morristown, NJ, under the direction of Father (later Abbot) Martin Burne, O S B Following his first profession of vows on July 11, 1966, in the new St. Mary’s Abbey Church, Fr Philip attended Seton Hall University,

graduating in 1968. After a year of Theology at St. Mary’s Abbey, he joined the Newark Abbey community, which was formed after the separation of the Newark and Morristown monastic communities into independent abbeys in 1968. Fr. Philip attended Union Theological/Woodstock Seminary in New York City and was ordained a priest in the Newark Abbey Church on September 16, 1972.

When St. Benedict’s Prep reopened in 1973 after a oneyear reorganization, Fr Philip taught English and coached track. He also earned a master’s degree in English from NYU, was president of the New Jersey Catholic Track Conference,

served as a certified state track official and occasionally even drove a St Benedict’s school bus. In the monastery, he spent several terms on the Senior Council and served as the Abbey sub-prior. On weekends, he also assisted at several local parishes

In 1984, the president of the Congregation sent Fr Philip to St. Mark’s Priory in South Union, KY, where he served as Prior and Newman Chaplain at Western Kentucky University. Returning to Newark in 1987, he resumed

teaching at St. Benedict’s, officiated track meets and served as Abbey Procurator One of Fr. Philip’s proudest moments was Delbarton School’s invitation to start the first race during its inaugural meet at the school’s new Passarelli Track in 2010

In 1995, Fr. Philip was appointed pastor of the St Mary’s, the Newark Abbey parish, and he served in that role for the next thirty years He continued to teach at St. Benedict’s, was chaplain at Newark Beth Israel

On November 9, 2024,

Elias

Medical Center for twenty years and served the Archdiocese of Newark as Dean of Deanery 20: Central Newark.

Returning now to St Mary’s Abbey as the Abbey Administrator, Fr. Philip’s wide range and depth of experience suit him especially well for his new role. As Administrator, Fr. Philip holds all the usual responsibilities and authority of the Abbot of St. Mary’s Abbey, without the title of ‘Abbot ’ His chief responsibility will be to assist the monks of St. Mary’s Abbey as they plan for their future and discern what kind of person they wish to serve as their permanent abbot

(continued from page 68)

Abbot Jonathan Licari, O.S.B., Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B., and Br. William McMillan, O.S.B. will travel to St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota from June 15-19 for the 55th General Chapter of the American-Cassinese Congregation.

Prior Edward Seton Fittin ’82 completed his first year as a trustee at St. Anselm’s Abbey School, Washington, DC. During spring break, at the invitation of alum Dr. W. Norman Scott ’64 and his wife Dr. Susan Craig Scott, he spent a week at the

(Continued on page 71)

Bishop

Lorenzo, O.S.B. officiated at the Baptism in the Abbey Church of Dan Uribe ’04 and his wife Christina Garcia’s newborn twin daughters Penelope and Isabel. Proud big brother Sebastian also witnessed the service, and he too had been baptized by Bishop Elias

Fr. James A. O’Donnell, O.S.B.

October 5, 1929 – February 1, 2025 9

Our senior and beloved confrere, Fr. James O’Donnell, O S B , 95, after a full monastic life, and having persevered in the monastery for threequarters of a century, was released from this world on February 1 in the Abbey Health Care Center

Fr. James had been in failing health and living in the health center for several years. Initially he was still able to attend the Divine Office and Mass with regularity. As his mobility diminished, however, his movements were more and more restricted. Until quite recently, he took an active part in the Sunday Mass celebrated in the health center. In the last few months, Fr. James, always a man of few and carefully chosen words, was confined to his bed, and would call out as if to be united with his deceased loved ones and confreres

Fr James was born of good Irish stock in Elizabeth, New Jersey, on October 5, 1929, to his parents, Patrick and Annie.

The O’Donnells were blessed with three daughters as well: Mary, Hannah and Anne. The family were parishioners of St Mary’s Church, Elizabeth, where James was baptized and later attended grammar school In

1943, James entered St. Benedict’s Prep, Newark, from which he was graduated in 1947.

After graduation, James enrolled at St. Vincent College, Latrobe, Pa. His undergraduate studies were interrupted in July 1949 by novitiate at St. Benedict’s Abbey, Atchison, Ks. Upon completion of his novitiate, Fr. James professed simple vows, July 11, 1950. The young monk returned to Latrobe to complete his college studies in 1952. When Fr. James was clothed as a novice in 1949, he was given the name Eric But, according to a letter from Fr. Hugh Duffy, of St. Mary’s Abbey, dated May 27, 1950, Fr James was given permission from Abbot Patrick O’Brien to revert to his baptismal name, James.

Once Frater James completed college, he was sent to Rome to study theology at Sant’Anselmo. While in Rome, Fr. James earned a Bachelors and Licentiate of Sacred Theology. On May 26, 1953, Fr. James made his solemn profession at Monte Cassino; less than a year later, on February 25, 1954, Fr. James was ordained deacon at the Archabbey of St. Martin, Beuron, Germany. On June 28, 1955, Fr James was ordained priest at St. Peter’s Abbey, Assisi, Italy, by Bishop Giuseppe Placido Nicolini, O S B Later that summer, Fr James celebrated his Mass of Thanksgiving in his home parish, St Mary Assumption Church, Elizabeth.

After completing his graduate studies in Rome, Fr. James returned the United States in 1957 to begin a long and distinguished life in education and administration. Fr. James taught Latin for several years at his alma mater, St. Benedict’s Prep. Then, in 1960, Fr. James began a long teaching career at St. Mary’s School of Theology and Delbarton School, both in Morristown From 1956, Fr James served in a variety of capacities: vocation director

(Continued on page 71)

(continued from page 69)

Ocean Reef Club, Key Largo, FL, offering daily Mass in the interdenominational chapel, and being available for other pastoral ministries.

On March 16, Fr. Edward Seton delivered a talk, “St. Joseph: Do Not Be Afraid,” at St Mary’s Church, Nutley, as part of the parish’s annual St. Joseph Novena Each weekend he continues to celebrate Masses at Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Church, Bernardsville.

Bishop Elias Lorenzo, O.S.B. attended the Canon Law Society of America’s Annual Convention in Albuquerque, NM from October 14-17, 2024 and the fall USCCB plenary session in Baltimore, MD from November 11-14, 2024. During that meeting, Bishop Elias was appointed co-chair of the USCCB’s National Catholic Muslim Dialogue with Imna Kareen Irfan from Chicago, IL

(Fr. James A. O’Donnell, O.S.B., Continued from page 70)

(1956-1962), cleric master (1960-1964), prior (1968-1972), headmaster (1972-1975), subprior (1998-2000), novice and junior master (1982-199 1), and finally as treasurer (20002015).

From 1978-1982, Fr James had a significant experience, about which he spoke often. He went to Rome as director of the newly-founded monastic renewal program at Sant’Anselmo During this time, he also served as procurator for the American Cassinese and Swiss American Congregations While in Rome, Fr James met monks from all over the world. He must have made a lasting impression In later years, monks from St. Mary’s would often be asked about his wellbeing

Fr. James’ confreres will always remember him as a man of few words, but deep wisdom and insight. He embodied that great monastic virtue of discretio. As a result, he was frequently elected by his confreres to serve as delegate to the general chapter, or as a member of the abbot’s council. His faithful attendance at the Divine Office and Mass, his regular practice of lectio, and his well-prepared homilies revealed a man of faith and steadfastness Living as long as he did, one is reminded that Fr. James was a man of great patience and peace, always concise, composed and calm. With a bit of irony, Fr. James would often spend his leisure enjoying the adventures of a Zane Grey novel.

He made the annual retreat with bishops from Region III (NJ & PA) at Bethany Center, Lutz, FL from February 3-7, 2025, which Bishop Frank Caggiano (Bridgeport) preached He later attended a conference of The Neo-catechumenal Way in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from February 17-22, 2025 at the invitation of the Apostolic Nuncio, Cardinal Christope Pierre, to all USCCB bishops.

Fr. James’ body was received at the abbey church on February 6 and the

Office of the Dead was sung at 7 p m Viewing was on February 7 and the Funeral Mass and interment in the abbey cemetery were February 7 Donations in Fr. James’ memory to support abbey capital improvements, monks’ health care or abbey endowment may be made on the St Mary’s Abbey website under ‘Support Us’ Abbot Jonathan Licari and the monks of St Mary’s Abbey request the customary suffrages for our confrere, Fr. James.

From November 6-10, 2024, the monastic community of St. Mary’s Abbey hosted a meeting of the Benedictine Priors of North America Pictured here are First row: Abbot Charles Wright (Oceanside, CA), Abbot Jonathan Licari (St. Mary’s Abbey, Morristown, NJ), Abbot Joel Macul (Newton, NJ); Second row: Br. Nicolaus Wilson (Lacey, WA, Fr. Edward Seton Fittin (St Mary’s Abbey, Morristown, NJ), Fr. Samuel Springuel (Washington, DC); Third row: Br. Leven Har ton (Atchison, KS), Fr. Killian Loch (Latrobe, Pa), Fr. Linus Klucsarits (Cullman, AL); Fourth Row: Fr. Marcario Mar tinez (Benet Lake, WI), Fr. Benedict Lefebvre (British Columbia), Fr. Augustine Kelly (Manchester, NH).

Every year the Chrism Mass is celebrated by each diocesan bishop in his cathedral with the priests, religious and parish representatives to bless oil used for the Sacraments throughout the year. On April 15, Delbarton seniors assisted with other high school students to present oil for blessing. From left are Jack Migliaccio ’25, Henry Moriarity ’25, Abbot

Jonathan Licari, O.S.B., Br William McMillan, O.S.B, Joe Ar tiglere ’25 and Matias Deicas-Sykora ’25

Let Us Remember

“If we believe that Jesus died and rose, God will bring forth with Him from the dead those who also have fallen asleep believing in Him ” 1 Thessalonians 4:14

Brendan Brown ’88

John F. Donohoe, Jr. ’88, son of John F. Donohoe, Sr. ’60; nephew of Edgar Donohoe ’62, Tom Donohoe ’67, Bill Donohoe ’69, Michael Donohoe ’72, John Goldsmith Sr P’97,’00,’04, Jim Maloney ’56, Tom Maloney ’60, Walter Maloney ’76 and Robert C O’Mara ’60; cousin of Edgar Donohoe, Jr ’85, Tom Donohoe ’95, Bryan Donohoe ’96, John Goldsmith ’97, Will Goldsmith ’00, Matthew Goldsmith ’04, Robert O’Mara, Jr. ’84, Matthew O’Mara ’87, Gerry O’Mara ’88, Hugh O’Mara ’94 and Sean O’Mara ’98

John Fiddes Jr., husband of Marketing & Communications Director Jessica Vermylen Fiddes; father of John Fiddes III ’03, Hugh Fiddes ’05 and Cameron Fiddes ’08; uncle of Michael Vermylen ’95, Tom Vermylen ’99, John Vermylen ’01, James Vermylen ’14, Mark Vermylen ’14, Teddy Vermylen ’17 and Harry Vermylen ’20

Michael Grogan ’55

William Gusmer, father of Thomas Gusmer ’79, Peter Gusmer ’81 and Dave Gusmer ’86

John M. Hanlon, father of John P. Hanlon ’81, Timothy J. Hanlon ’84, Brian M. Hanlon ’87, Kevin C. Hanlon† ’88 and Jane Gomez P’25; father-in-law of Pedro Gomez P’25; grandfather of Brett A Hanlon ’11, Troy R Hanlon ’15, Timothy J Hanlon ’22 and Colin Gomez ’25

Patrick W. Luciano, father of Patrick Luciano ’85 and Matthew Luciano ’91

Jamie McCormick, father of Caleb McCormick ’27

John F. O’Callaghan Sr., father of John (Jay) O’Callaghan ’88, Brian O’Callaghan ’94; grandfather of Jack O’Callaghan ’20, and Patrick O’Callaghan ’21

Fr. James A. O’Donnell, O.S.B.

Siobhan Papantonis, mother of Andrew Papantonis ’17, Daniel Papantonis ’20 and Aidan Papantonis ’22

James Santoro ’18

Michael J. Slattery, Sr. ’59

Ellen Somerville, mother of Michael Somerville ’90

Leon Theroux, father of faculty member Brian Theroux

Jay Trumbull ’59

Margaret Walsh, former Delbar ton Director of External Relations; mother of Kevin Walsh ’82 and Jonathan Walsh ’89

Joseph Zavodny ’09

On May 3, 2024, Abbot Jonathan Licari, O.S.B. officiated at the Confirmation services for thirty-one young men and women in the Abbey Church that was witnessed by many family members and friends A reception followed in Old Main.

Kelvin Pierre ’25

wedding The Album

On October 12, 2024 B Elias Lorenzo, O.S.B. offic at the Nuptial Mass for alu Keith Levinsky ’09 and Charnley at Our la Perpetual Help Chur Bernardsville

October 26, 2024,

On

Charles Stavitski ’99 and Alicia Masucci were married at St Patrick’s Cathedral His brother Lawrence Stavitski ’95 served as Best Man.

James Visceglia ’18 and Willow Wolff were wed on February 15, 2025 at St. Mary’s Abbey, with Prior Edward Seton Fittin, O S B ’82 officiating Several classmates paused with the couple and Fr Edward Seton for a photo op. From left are Billy Schroeder ’18, Jaden Buckner ’18, Prior Edward Seton Fittin, O.S.B. ’82, Willow and James Visceglia ’18 and Matt Clark ’18.

On December 14, 2024, Kevin Buczkowski ’09 and Julia Harvey celebrated their nuptials in Newport, RI with Mass at St Mary’s Church followed by a reception was at the Ocean Cliff Hotel. Pictured in the photo from left are Ryan Harpster ’09, Fernando Limbo III ’08, Alex Loloia ’00 (cousin of the bride), Julia Harvey and Kevin Buczkowski ’09

alumni news

Past Presidents Dinner

Cybersecurity Panel Discussion

On October 23, a gathering of Delbarton Alumni Association past presidents enjoyed dinner in Old Main together at an event organized by Assistant Headmaster for Advancement & Alumni Craig Paris ’82.

Legal Panel Discussion

On October 28, the Delbarton Alumni Association hosted a panel discussion about legal professional pathways and careers. Moderated by Matthew Immatteo ’10 and Patrick Fischer ’15, panelists included Kur t Krauss ’81, partner with Wilson Elser, John Iaciofano ’99, attorney with Bramnick Law and Harry Townsend ’15, an associate in the Corporate Department of Paul Hastings LLC.

October 24, the Alumni sociation sponsored a panel scussion with alumni in the ybersecurity field. Panelists ncluded Dean Mekkawy ’99, VP of Product Management at Qrpt, Jamey Nugent ’99, Google Senior Incident Response Consultant and Dave Weinstein ’06, Global Chief Information Security Officer at Standard Industries. Weinstein has held NJ State and federal tech and cyber positions and has been featured on CNBC and MSNBC.

Wall Street Reception

Alumni Thanksgiving Warm-up

On November 27, young alumni from the past fifteen years joined Fr Michael and Alumni Board members for the annual Young Alumni Thanksgiving event in Pizzo Family Field House’s Van Rooyen Reception Hall. Some guests arrived with unwrapped toys for the Delbarton Christmas Gift Drive that benefits Paterson families through Catholic Charities

Boston

Aidan Nowak ’12, Fernando Limbo ’08, Ken Krilla ’90 and Jonah Kim ’24

On November 7, the Delbar ton Alumni Association hosted its annual reception at Wayfair HQ at the invitation of Wayfair cofounder Steve Conine ’91…

Alumni Association Vice President Joe Colangelo ’03 and Liam Larson

Fr. Michael, Jeff Whelpley ’96 and Michael Ryan ’07

Craig Paris ’82 with 2019 classmates, from left, Chris Sieger t, Ed Walsh, Thomas Catapano, Frank Gialanella and Mike Hare.

’24

Delbarton Athletic Director Tony Negrin and Derek Maguire ’90

Jersey Shore

On December 4, Jersey Shore alumni enjoyed a pre-Christmas reception hosted by the Delbarton Alumni Association This year’s alumni arrived with gifts for

Hoboken

On December 10, Delbarton alumni gathered at Black Bear Bar & Grill for some Christmas cheer, and they generously more unwrapped toys to our Gift Drive for Paterson families.

Delbarton Collegiate Events

Boston College

On November 1, the Boston College Delbarton Collegiate chapter gathered at Gianni Restifo ’21, Garret Larson ’21, Ethan Cho ’21, and Andrew Gaston ’21’s apartment for pizza and a Halloween-themed meet-up where they watched their Delbarton classmate, Columbia quarterback Cole Freeman’21, run the ball in a televised game versus Yale (Columbia won 13-10)

Wake Forest

On November 10, nineteen young alumni studying at Wake Forest got together for a Delbarton Collegiate Dinner at Barcelona Burger & Beer Garden

Notre Dame

On November 16, a dozen young alumni studying at Notre Dame took a break for pizza and cornhole at Perry Tripido ’24’s house.

Villanova

On December 5, Delbarton Collegiate at Villanova held an event at the Topgolf in King of Prussia at an event organized by Daniel Kraft ’21.

Bucknell

On December 10, alumni studying at Bucknell took a break to meet at the Bull Run Tap House at an event sponsored by Delbarton Collegiate and organized by Delbarton Collegiate representative Tiarnan Nowak ’23.

Alumni Spor ts Reunions

On January 18, former Green Wave Basketball players enjoyed a pickup game in the gym at an event hosted by Head Coach Matt Crane and former Head Coach Dan Whalen. Delbarton Varsity Basketball went on to lose a close game 76-72 to Monsignor Scanlon High School (Bronx, NY).

Basketball

Hockey

On December 26, former Green Wave Hockey players met at Beacon Hill Club to reconnect and enjoy some quality ice time together.

Squash

On December 27, Varsity Squash Coach Craig Paris ’82 hosted some court time for former Green Wave Squash players at the Chatham Club.

Platform Tennis

On a chilly January 16 evening, Delbarton alumni gathered on the courts at Morristown Field Club for some terrific platform tennis competition. Their reward? A signature Delbarton Alumni Association beanie to prevent frostbitten ears.

New York Reception

On Februar y 27, over 200 alumni met for the annual Alumni Association reception at the New York Athletic Club. Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B. updated attendees on the upcoming Delbar ton Alumni Career Center slated to open Old Main in fall 2026.

Pictured here are Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B., Alumni Association

President Joe Ferraro ’95, Gianni Vinci ’18 and Director of Advancement & Alumni Craig Paris ’82. Vinci was presented with the Joseph R. McDonough ’68 Award in recognition for his remarkable work the with the Delbarton Collegiate initiative, an expanding network of alumni clubs on college campuses.

Winter Alumni Reps Dinner

In addition to state of the school remarks from Fr. Michael, several guests spoke at the annual Winter Alumni Reps Dinner at the Madison Hotel on Januar y 21.

Florida

On March 10, alumni, families and friends gathered

Palm Beach

The Green Wave rolled into the iconic Breakers Hotel in Palm Beach on March 11 where alumni, parents, and friends enjoyed an evening reception with Fr Michael

Florida

John’s Island and Vero Beach

The final stop on our 2025 Sunshine tour was John’s Island Club in Vero Beach on March 12 where Fr Michael said Mass followed by lunch together.

Thank you to ever yone who joined us on our 2025 tour of the Sunshine State!

Class Notes:

1975

Ariel Flores and Jim Picillo, Class of 1975, had a 50th Reunion in Boquete, Panama and they hope to repeat it at Homecoming 2025

2008

Luke and Jessica Hemenetz welcomed Nathan Francis Hemenetz on November 26, 2024. Nathan joined big brother Zachary in their family

Washington, DC

On April 3, Delbarton hosted its annual alumni reception in Washington, DC. This year we moved to a new venue, the Cosmos Club on Massachusetts Avenue.

and

.

With Fr. Michael are Bill Deegan ’75 and his wife Melissa Kern, our hosts at the Cosmos Club.

Chicago

Thank you to the alumni who joined us at Smith and Wollensky on April 30 for the Alumni Association’s annual Chicago reception hosted by Headmaster Fr. Michael Tidd, O.S.B.

Babe Feldman ’69

Tim Broas ’72

This year’s winning foursome was Herman Kurz, A.J. Papetti ’82 P’13, ’14, ’17, AJ Papetti Jr. ’13 and George Parsells P’17 AJ Papetti Jr earned High Shot honors with an impressive score of 94.

Abbot Giles Hayes ’56 Shooting Classic

On April 28, alumni, parents, friends and faculty gathered at Hudson Farm in Andover for the 11th Annual Abbot Giles P. Hayes ‘56 Shooting Classic. Fr. Michael launched the event with the traditional cannon blast.

Private Markets Event

On April 10, Delbar ton Private Markets Alumni enjoyed a reception together in Manhattan at Eataly.

Making Waves

Middle School Speaker Series: Year Two

Jim Gallombardo ’81

The Delbarton Middle School launched another exciting year of the Alumni Middle School Speaker Series on November 5, welcoming Jim Gallombardo ’81 as the first guest of the season. Organized by Middle School Director Rick Cimino, the series aims to inspire students to set goals, think ambitiously, and build essential skills early on. “Middle school is not too early to begin thinking about what one wants to do when one grows up,” Cimino noted when he introduced the series last year. Gallombardo shared insights from his accomplished career in technology He now serves on the Delbarton Alumni Board, chairs the Alumni Networking & Mentorship committee, and volunteers with the Knights of Columbus, where he has earned Presidential Volunteer Service Awards for his dedicated service.

Jim Petrucci ’82, P’10,’25

On November 12, Jim Petrucci ’82, P’10,’25 was the third alumnus to participate in the 2024 Middle School Speakers Series Jim Petrucci founded J.G. Petrucci Co., Inc. in 1987, one year after graduating magna cum laude from Princeton where he co-captained the football team He has guided his company through 35 years of steady growth and a leadership in real estate development and design-build construction in NJ and PA as a major developer role of the Interstate 78 corridor.

Rick Cimino

Rick Cimino

Dan Miggins ’08

On November 7, Dan Miggins ’08 was the second alumnus to participate in the 2024 Middle School Speakers Series. After graduating from Delbarton, he earned a B.S. in finance and marketing from Lehigh University Originally from Maplewood, then Short Hills, he now lives in Los Angeles where he works in commercial real estate handling large, distressed property transactions and outcomes. Describing the many ways he has tapped into the Delbarton alumni and parent network, he encouraged middle schoolers to do so as well as they navigate through school, college and life

Class of 1975 in Panama

This winter Ariel Flores ’75 and Jim Picillo ’75 enjoyed a practice Delbarton 50th Reunion in Boquete, Panama and they say, “We hope to repeat it at Homecoming!”

Hempitecture Update

Two alumni from the Class of 2009 continue to build their sustainable building supplies business Hemptecture. Founder Mattie Mead ’09, on right, and his business partner Tommy Gibbons ’09 recently announced that their company has received an $8 4 million contract from the Department of Energy to bring their manufacturing technology to the east coast. Hempitecture is currently raising a financing round available to the general public, and this will catalyze a more formal Series A in 2025. Mead writes, “Perhaps the news of Delbarton boys storming the Capitol for decarbonization might be of interest to Delbarton readership!”

Making Waves

Ole Miss Reunion

Delbarton alumni enjoyed a mini reunion at the Ole Miss vs. Georgia game on November 9 in Oxford MS Tim Deegan ’81’s son Jack is a senior at Ole Miss and David Higgins ’87 son Jack is an Ole Miss junior. Joining in the fun were Chris Higgins ’80 and his brother David Higgins ’87. The Ole Miss Rebels beat the Georgia Bulldogs 28-10 From left are David Higgins ’87, Chris Higgins ’80, Tim Deegan ’81 and Craig Flinn ’83.

Ar

t in Las Vegas

In November, Ken Gomulka ’81, Jim Loughlin ’81, Darryl Bell ’81 and Jim Petrucci ’82 had a great time in Las Vegas viewing an exhibit of African American art from the Petrucci Collection that opened at the Bellagio Art Gallery. The American Duet exhibit featured sixty-one pieces from the Petrucci Family Foundation Collection www.pffcollection.com that focused on the intersection of Jazz and African American art Petrucci reports, “We also had a few great meals (and cigars) and visited the Hoover Dam!”

Tommy Pigott ’11 is Deputy Assistant Secretar y of State for Global Public Affairs

In January, Tommy Pigott was named the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Strategy, Outreach and Events in the Bureau of Global Public Affairs, joining the State Department and the Trump-Vance administration Previously, Tommy worked as Strategic Communications Director at the Republican National Committee and has a decade of communications experience He earned a BA from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and an MA from the George Washington University School of Media and Public Affairs

Class of ’73 Summer Reunion

Delbarton Class of 1973 celebrated its 50th reunion last year. Mike McCann ’73, who lives in North Carolina and visits his brothers in New Jersey each summer, shared this photo of a mini reunion with his Green Wave classmates including, from left, Mike McCann ’73, Bill Quinn ’73, Brian Monaghan ’73 (who hosted at his home), Jim Monaghan ’73 and John Bendokas ’73.

Sean Maguire ’12 on Jeopardy

On December 23, Sean Maguire ’12 was a contestant on Jeopardy While he didn’t win the night, he held his own and exited with an extra $3,000+ dollars in his pocket for the pleasure of appearing on one of his family’s favorite TV shows.

Polar Plunge at Jersey Shore

On January 1, members of the Delbarton Alumni Association Jersey Shore Alumni Chapter organized an alumni plunge in the cold Atlantic Ocean to ring in the new year. Brian Hanlon ’87 and Grant Hewit ’02 were joined by Jim Maguire ’79, Jason Wyatt ’98 and Ted Lawless ’03 in Sea Bright, NJ for an invigorating dip in the 45degree water.

Making Waves

Ed Lozzi ’67

Steps Down from United Nations Post

In January, Edward Lozzi ’67 concluded his four-year appointment as Press Secretary to Bidenappointee the Honorable Sim Farar, United States Representative to the UN General Assembly. In 1990, Lozzi was appointed by White House Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater to his White House Press Advance staff through 1993 on behalf of President George H. W. Bush. Lozzi is a former Delbarton Varsity Football fullback who played for the University of Tennessee from 1967 to 1969. His number 29 jersey was recently included in a USA Today article about players in the 100-plus year UT history who proudly wore that number. In 2025, Lozzi celebrates the 35th anniversary founding Edward Lozzi & Associates Public Relations based in Los Angeles. The City of Los Angeles issued a special Proclamation honoring his PR firm

Pickleball Entrepreneur

Mark Vermylen ’14 Hosts NYC Event

On November 4, Delbarton Pickleball Club members traveled to New York City with club moderator Tom Bennett, thanks to the generosity of Delbarton alumnus and pickleball entrepreneur Mark Vermylen ’14. Vermylen is the founder of House Pickleball, a paddle branding and sport event-planning firm Delbarton Pickleball Club cofounder Hunter Terborg ’26, pictured here on left with Vermylen, later reported, “Everyone had a wonderful time hanging out and competing in the West Village… I am glad that I had the opportunity to connect with Mark and collaborate on an amazing event Hopefully, there will be more to come in the Delbarton Pickleball and House Pickleball partnership.”

Sailing in the Grenadines

On their annual alumni sailing adventure, this winter Michael Murphy ’67, Jim Huebner ’66 and Brian O’Keeffe’67 landed with the Green Wave on the island of Mustique in the Grenadines

Tom Bennett

Tim Royse ’19 Talks About the Path to Medical School

On February 7, Tim Royse ’19 offered a presentation to members of Delbarton’s Research in Science Club on the process of applying to medical school Royse is a graduate of Boston College and a first-year medical student at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School. Delbarton students were keenly interested in hearing him speak about what, for many, may seem like a daunting process Tim talked about his Delbarton experience, his education, internships, networking and the med school application. Ryan Scalfani ’25 organized the event for his fellow club members.

Donald Rissmiller ’94

Lectures on Economic Research and Forecasting

On March 6, Donald Rissmiller ’94, founding partner of the economic research firm Strategas, returned to Delbarton at the invitation of teacher Dennis Oussenko ’17 to talk about his career in economic research and forecasting with members of Oussenko’s AP Macroeconomics classes. During a mid-morning Activity block, Rissmiller gave a similar talk to members of the Delbarton Business & Economic Club (he is pictured here with club members after his presentation) Rissmiller has directed Strategas’ macroeconomic research since

2006 and oversees the firm’s thematic research and high-frequency econometric forecasting. Prior to co-founding Strategas he was an Economist and Managing Director at International Strategy & Investment (ISI) Group. Frequently quoted in the financial press, he is past president of the Forecasters Club of New York and serves on the board of the Global Interdependence Center (GIC) based in Philadelphia. Rissmiller graduated from Harvard magna cum laude with an AB in Economics.

Michael Xu ’26

yesterday

By Jessica Fiddes

The 1975 Archway yearbook is another fascinating snapshot of campus life fifty years ago. Gerard Novak ’75 served as Editor in Chief. Associate Editor was Francis Payne ’75, Photography Editor was Edward Magalski ’75, Managing Editor was Peter Loevy ’75 and Mr. William Crane served as their faculty advisor. Together, the team created a lasting document of fourth quarter twentieth century life at Delbarton.

students relied on pay phones where coins were required and privacy was unheard of

Fr. Giles Hayes, O.S.B. ’49 was Dean of Studies in 1975 Later, he was Delbarton School Headmaster and, ultimately, was Abbot of St Mary’s Abbey

In 1975, former Headmaste Fr. Stephen Findlay, O.S.B, for whom the Science Pavilion was later named, served as Director of Development.

he Driver’s Ed rogram used this Delbarton-branded ual-control car nd accepted dvertising from Wiss Brothers in Morristown.

chway Editor in-Chief rard Novak’s senior ge cleverly mimics a wars Scotch ‘Do-ers’ file, a popular ad paign in 1975.

The Delbarton message board in 1975.

Fr. Andrew Smith, O.S.B. on right, mans the Delbarton Book Store

A student in uniform studies at is Delbarton dorm room desk

security circa 1975.

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