The Squire
A magazine for alumni, families, and friends of Delone Catholic
Alumni Reunite to Elevate
Program
Theatre
From the Principal
Sometimes it is important to remember how schools differ from other types of businesses. The business of a school is, at least in part, philanthropic. Hence, its concern is not how to derive the largest amount of money from its services, but rather, how to make its services available to the largest group of people. This is particularly true for Catholic schools whose very mission is to provide an affordable education. Thus, schools cannot rely on tuition alone but must depend upon the generosity of others to sustain themselves. Every school takes a leap of faith when it opens its doors each year, trusting that there will be those who will step forward to fill the resource gap so that it may carry out its mission.
This is certainly true for Delone Catholic. And every year our trust has been rewarded. As I reflect on this phenomenon, 2 Corinthians 9:8, comes to mind: “And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.” Each year we receive the abundant blessings of God through every person who has shared time, talent, or treasure with our school.
I see those blessings in the generous donations to the annual fund, particularly those donations made during the Squire Impact Day of Giving, which this year totaled in excess of $100,000. I see those blessings when the whole community, including the priests of the Adams Deanery, our deanery schools, and the parent community come together to make tuition more affordable for everyone. I see those blessings when members of our faculty and staff act upon opportunities to secure resources that support the school or give their time after a long workweek to beautify our campus, or to attend an event that promotes the school. And I see those blessings when parents or alumni volunteer their time to support our music, theatre, and athletic programming or when businesses join the Squires’ Guild to donate much-needed funds, and goods and services to the school.
In this issue, we focus on but a few of the many times and ways individuals have served to bless our school. To all of you, Delone Catholic expresses its deep appreciation, and, having received God’s blessings, we hope to “abound in every good work.”
With every good wish,
William J. Lippe P’25, EdM
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Delone Catholic High School educates and challenges students spiritually, academically, physically, socially, and aesthetically within the traditions and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church. This challenge will inspire students to encounter Jesus Christ personally and to “Be Doers of the Word” (James 1:22)
Editor-in-Chief:
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Design/Printing:
William J. Lippe P’25, EdM
Julia T. Fuhrman
Proforma Graphic Concepts
Dan Badolato P’03
Jean Fielding P’24, P’27
Julia T. Fuhrman
Eric T. Lawrence ’98
Stepanie R. Leader
Valerie Lippe P’25
Delone Catholic High School Archive
Julia T. Fuhrman
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The Squire
The Squire
Alumni Reunite to Elevate Delone Catholic Theatre Program. Read more on page 2.
Alumni Reunite to Elevate Theatre Program
Spirit of a Squire
Alumni Reunite to Elevate Delone Catholic’s Theatre Program: A Tale of Friendship, Talent, and Faith
By Valerie Lippe P’25
“I’m really looking for volume and articulation,” exhorts Gabi Cranga ‘17, Delone Catholic’s Theatre Director, to a group of students sitting in a ragged row across the edge of the stage in the Delone Gymnasium. Two lights, to their left and right, illuminate the group in this otherwise dark, cavernous room. As they listen, the students lean towards each other with an easy familiarity. Their legs, dangling over the side, unconsciously begin to swing in unison. They have spent weeks practicing together, and now, at the conclusion of the Saturday night rehearsal, they have reached what might be called the calm before the storm. Tomorrow marks the beginning of “tech week,” those physically and emotionally demanding days that will lead up to the performance of Aladdin, Jr
“You make friends during rehearsals, you make family during tech week,” observes Marilyn Lopes, ‘15. She and three other Delone Catholic alumni, Joel Reiner ‘17, Joseph Staub ‘16, and Elizabeth (Rink) Reiner ‘18, have been invited by Ms. Cranga to assist in the production of this classic Disney musical. Like the four Pevensie children in C.S. Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia series, who first enter Narnia as naive and untested children and return to that magical land, when needed, as kings and queens, the four alumni return to their high school as polished and confident adults responding without hesitation to Ms. Cranga’s request for help. The five alumni forged their friendship during many rehearsals and tech weeks of the theatre program at Delone Catholic, learning to trust each other under stress.
“We have all the pieces now,” says Ms. Cranga. Tonight’s piece is microphones. “We just need to put it together.” As if on cue, a voice booms out from the loudspeaker, “Well, five seems to be working,” and seconds later, “I think I got it.”
Though there is still much to be done, Ms. Cranga remains remarkably collected. “‘Trust the process,’ is what I always tell myself.” It is not only a commitment to this time-tested theatre adage that keeps her balanced. “I’ve been praying for a while, ‘Please God, take this show, it is in your control,’” she says. For Ms. Cranga, theatre is a way to share her faith. “When I acted, I would ask God what message He wanted my character to relay to the audience.” Now, as a director, she tries to choose shows that, even if secular, convey spiritual truths. She chose Aladdin Jr. because its core messages were, “Be yourself” and “It is not what is on the outside, but what is on the inside that counts.”
Over the course of this production, she has enjoyed watching her students gain the confidence to be themselves and share their God-given talents. “They are letting their light shine,” she says. As much as developing acting skills, she wants her students to learn technical, problem-solving, and leadership skills. She also wants them to thrive socially and emotionally. “For a lot of kids, this is their place,” she notes. She consciously tries to make it a place of positivity. “I am more impressed by just how comfortable they are with each other during these rehearsals,” she says. “That is more important than putting on a dazzling and glittery show that makes the audience go, ‘wow.’ What is important to me is that our students are finding friend groups, a place to belong, and a way to express themselves with confidence. That is what I see happening, and that’s what happened for me.”
While Ms. Cranga already had an impressive performing arts resume when she entered Delone Catholic, including involvement in community theatre, serving as cantor in her parish church, and starring in her middle school’s production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, she was a bit apprehensive about starting high school. “I was nervous about where I would fit in,” she says. She made her best friend in her first play at Delone Catholic. “She hated me when we first met in Spanish class,” admits Ms. Cranga, “but, in that first show, we bonded instantly.”
The four alumni, who have now become her partners in this production, have similar stories about the transformative effects of participating in the performing arts at Delone Catholic.
Elizabeth Reiner, Costume and Music director for Aladdin Jr., became involved in the performing arts through the music program. Although she loved musicals, she did not have the confidence to try out her freshman year. She built that confidence through the chorus and the school’s instrumental program, where she played the clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophone, and trumpet. By her junior year, feeling ready to try out, she garnered one of the leading roles in the musical, The Little Mermaid
Reflecting on her involvement in the musical, she notes, “I definitely think it made me a more confident person. I was more willing to push myself.” She was one of a small group of students from Delone Catholic chosen to represent the school in the Adams County Chorus, a concert made up of selected students from each of the Adams County schools. “I never would have tried out for that had I
Spirit of a Squire
not felt confident through my experience in the musical,” she notes. She has carried that confidence into adulthood, now singing in her parish church choir.
Like Ms. Cranga, she connects her involvement in the performing arts to her faith. “I think it was St. Augustine who said, ‘when you sing you pray twice,’” says Mrs. Reiner. “Even if it is singing in a secular play, I feel like you are paying homage to God by showing everyone what He gave you.”
Mrs. Reiner also found lasting friendships from the Delone Catholic theatre program, the most important of which is her husband, Joel Reiner, Tech Director and Rehearsal Accompanist for Aladdin Jr., whom she started dating during the production of The Little Mermaid. Like his wife, Mr. Reiner found his way into the performing arts at Delone Catholic through the music program, including marching band, jazz band, chorus, and the musicals’ pit orchestra.
His only foray into acting happened by accident. The play was A Christmas Carol. “I came a little too early for practice,” he says. “I wanted to do tech, but somebody didn’t show up.” So the director asked him to fill in for the role of Scrooge’s nephew. Although this was his only stage performance, he was involved in tech for almost every theatrical production while at Delone Catholic, doing lighting and stage crew. “I went into high school not knowing a lot of people,” he says, “and I think getting myself involved in the music program and also in theatre, I met a lot of great friends.”
Responding to invitations was how Joseph Staub, Tech Director for Aladdin Jr., became involved in theatre at Delone Catholic. He joined crew for the spring musical his freshman year after his homeroom teacher asked for volunteers. While he continued in tech for the following fall production, the director of the play, who also had a stage role, would ask Mr. Staub to read his lines for him while he took care of other responsibilities. Seeing the budding actor in Mr. Staub, the director encouraged him to try out for the spring show. He did, and ended up acting in every other show during his remaining two and a half years at Delone Catholic.
Joseph Staub ‘16 with Harrison Roth ‘27
Marilyn Lopes ‘15
“It definitely made me more confident and gave me the ability to gain leadership roles,” says Mr. Staub about that time. “By my senior year, I was one of the people that the director would trust to keep things going while he was off doing other things.” He also credits the experience with allowing him to branch out socially. Like many in theatre, he was involved in band and speech and debate. “It was really great to develop a close-knit, friend group with people who were involved in all those different activities.”
Like Ms. Cranga, Marilyn Lopes, Choreographer and Vocal Coach for Aladdin Jr., came to Delone Catholic with quite a bit of theatrical experience, including performing in a local theatre production at age nine with Dr. Maureen Thiec, who at that time was Delone Catholic’s principal. Surprisingly, Ms. Lopes admits to having been very introverted. “But if you get me into an environment in which I think I can thrive, I am ready.” She was involved in every show while at Delone Catholic, with leading roles in the two musicals.
Reflecting on how her theatre experience at Delone Catholic impacted her, she says, “I think it solidified that theatre was forever going to be a part of my life.” It led to her decision to get her Bachelor of Arts in musical theatre, which opened up opportunities, including working as a costume designer in a production at the Kennedy Center. “And now it’s wonderful to be back in the space that gave me the confidence to want to do it,” she says, “and pass that along to another generation.”
And, like many of Delone Catholic’s alumni, they have much to pass along. “Because of the different paths we’ve walked, different experiences we’ve had, we all can pull from different avenues,” says Ms. Lopes. They have brought not only their talents in staging a theatrical production but also a network of community contacts from which the production has benefitted, such as costumes from the Gettysburg Community Theater and two spotlights from the Eichelberger Performing Arts Center.
The four alumni volunteers encourage other alums to give their time to the school. “For any alumni who would want to be involved in something like this,” says Mr. Staub, “I think it’s a really rewarding experience.” They each remember the needs the school had when, as students, they did not have the resources to respond. To alumni, Ms. Reiner would say, “Now, if you see a need, you can be the one that can fix it.”
Elizabeth (Rink) Reiner ‘18 and Joel Reiner ‘17
Gabi Cranga ‘17 with 2024 Seniors
Spirit of a Squire
Not Taken for Granted: Vice Principal Tompkins’ Efforts to School Funding and College Partnerships
By Valerie Lippe P’25
In the world of private school advancement, the topic of grants has none of the sheer, attention-grabbing power of, say, capital campaigns. Indeed, the very mention of the word sometimes causes eyelids to droop. Not so with Donna Tompkins, Vice Principal. When she discusses grants, her eyes light up. This is not surprising when one learns that Mrs. Tompkins has brought over half a million dollars in grant money to Delone Catholic over the last three school years.
Her success in obtaining grants was not something Mrs. Tompkins herself could have predicted. She had no background in the area. “I’m a math teacher,” she said. Even after she became Vice Principal in 2017, she did not give any thought to grants until the fall semester of 2020, when she began her one-year tenure as interim Principal. “This was the first year of Covid,” said Mrs. Tompkins, recalling the tough year of adjusting to the new position while working in completely uncharted territory to develop a pandemic response plan. As interim Principal, information came across her desk that she would not otherwise have seen, including information on available grants.
As it turns out, Mrs. Tompkins was a quick study. When she saw the Safe Schools Grant application, it was an easy decision to act on it. Her immediate predecessor, Richard La Rocca, had contracted with a risk management consultant to perform a risk assessment of the school. The information gained from the risk assessment had set the table nicely for her to identify and itemize expenditures that fit well within the parameters of the grant. During the 2020-21 school year, Delone Catholic was awarded $5,200, a respectable sum for the school’s first-time application. After completing follow-up questions to demonstrate how effectively the school met its goals, she applied again the next year, and the school was awarded $18,000. “Okay,” she thought, “I know how this works now.”
To date, Mrs. Tompkins has brought in over $70,000 in Safe Schools grants. All around the school, one can find evidence of this grant money doing its work, from glass entrance doors now clad in sharp-looking security film emblazoned with a Squire logo design (adding the design was Mrs. Tompkins idea) to surveillance cameras throughout the building.
It was Covid, though, that opened up significant grant opportunities for the school. In February 2021, Mrs. Tompkins was contacted by Lisa Menges of the Lincoln Intermediate Unit, a governmental entity that serves as a liaison between the Pennsylvania Department of Education and public and non-public schools located within the jurisdiction of the Unit. She informed Mrs. Tompkins about Covid-related grants from a federal program called Emergency Assistance to Non-public Schools (EANS). “The most we could ask for was $13,800,” said Mrs. Tompkins, referring to the formula under which EANS grant money was distributed.
She vividly remembers the day when she received news of the award. “It was the last day of school, and we had just had our ending ceremony, and we were on our way to the year-end faculty luncheon. I stopped by my office and I had an email from Lisa.” When she saw the amount of the award, $431,000, Mrs. Tompkins assumed the same email had been sent to all the schools in the Adams Deanery, and the large dollar figure represented the aggregate amount awarded to all of the schools. Just to make sure, she called Lisa Menges. Mrs. Tompkins remembers her surprising response. “‘No, Donna, you asked for $13,800 and they gave you $431,000.’” Recalls Mrs. Tompkins, “I was almost in tears.”
She had a year and a half to figure out how to spend the money. Mrs Tompkins pulls up pages of spreadsheets itemizing all the grant-related purchases and names a few: “cabinets for storing cleaning supplies, “interactive projectors for the classrooms,” “tables for the library for social distancing,” “Tony [Poist ’78, Facilities Manager] was able to get every floor cleaning machine you could possibly imagine.” Because the grant could be used to reimburse the school for prior Covid-related expenditures, the grant award freed up money that could be spent for non-grant related purposes. This past year, she was informed that there was more EANS
money available. She applied and got an additional $68,000.
Hoping to learn the skills that produced such prodigious sums, colleagues began asking if they could sit in while she completed a grant application. Mrs. Tompkins was bemused. “I’m like, sit-in? Sure. But there’s nothing really to sit in for. I just answer the questions and ask individuals for an itemized budget for any requests.”
To what, then, does Mrs. Tompkins attribute her success? By way of answer, she recounts an anecdote. “Ten years ago, my daughter and I walked in the Susan Komen Walk, which was a 60-mile, over three days, breast cancer walk. In order to walk, you have to raise $2,500 each. And that was the point in my life when I realized, it never hurts to ask.”
“It never hurts to ask,” has become her mantra and is the reason, she believes, for her success in another initiative, the college partnerships program. Her predecessor, Mr. La Rocca, a natural networker, had entered into an agreement with Mount St. Mary’s University, under which a graduating senior from Delone Catholic who met certain academic thresholds would receive guaranteed admission to Mount St. Mary’s and a four-year scholarship award.
Mrs. Tompkins was inspired by the idea. “I googled ‘Catholic schools in the northeast,’ and I just started reaching out to these people.” As a result of her efforts, Delone Catholic has now entered into similar agreements with 29 colleges and universities, making college more accessible and affordable for Delone Catholic graduates. This year, Mrs. Tompkins has expanded the program, seeking tuition breaks for faculty who want to continue their education. Three institutions have already agreed to these tuition discounts.
What lies ahead? Mrs. Tompkins is already preparing an application for the Safe Schools grant for the upcoming year. Her wish list includes security cameras and lighting, health supplies, re-keying interior doors, and speed bumps in the parking lot. The grant rules have changed and Mrs. Tompkins is not sure if the process will be as easy this time. Nevertheless, she views the situation with equanimity. “It never hurts to ask,” she says. “The worst they can do is say, ‘no.’”
Delone Avenue Security Film
Donna Tompkins, Vice Principal
Building a Better Business Model for Catholic Schools
by Valerie Lippe P’25
A new chapter began at Delone Catholic on Feb. 25, 2024, with the rollout of its tuition restructuring plan. Together with the K-8 schools of the Adams Deanery, which adopted similar plans, Delone Catholic hosted a parent meeting to present tuition restructuring to the families of the Deanery schools.
“To understand the need for tuition restructuring,” said William Lippe P’25, Principal, “you need to keep in mind the economic model upon which our schools were founded.” Like most Catholic schools in the nation, Delone Catholic was originally staffed entirely by religious. Rev. Cyril J. Allwein was the first principal, and the faculty was composed of women religious from the Sisters of Saint Joseph, the Sisters of Mercy, and later, the Sisters of Christian Charity. “With genuinely selfless service from these women religious, salaries and benefits would have been a negligible part of the total cost to educate each child,” said Mr. Lippe. Now, with an entirely lay administration and faculty, salaries and benefits make up over 73 percent of the budget at Delone Catholic, making the total cost to educate dramatically higher, in real dollars, than when the School was founded.
Jeff Hughes of RedefinED speaks to Catholic School Parents about the new school funding plan.
The conundrum for Delone Catholic, as well as for the other schools of the Adams Deanery, was how to provide the teachers just salaries and the families an affordable education. Based on a recommendation by Mr. Daniel Breen, Superintendent of Catholic Schools and Secretary for Education for the Diocese of Harrisburg, the Deanery Schools began working with RedefinED Advisors, who provided information about tax credits available through the Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) Program.
“In the spring of ‘22,” recalls Mr. Breen, “when I was in the middle of strategic vision work with the 35 schools of the Diocese, I had a heightened awareness about the need to think differently about tuition.” He recognized that there were tax credits available through the EITC program and people who were willing to participate but didn’t know how to do so. He notes that the Pennsylvania tax credit program is one of the oldest and most complex in the country, and the rules must be followed stringently. The schools would need help to properly communicate the rules to those willing to participate. “RedefinED Advisors were the bridge builders,” he states. Since 2022, RedefinED Advisors has worked with 22 schools in the Diocese, helping to bring in over $2 million in EITC funds. The positive impact on schools has been noted not only with respect to finances but also enrollment.
Mr. Jeff Hughes, Customer Relations Manager with RedefinED, can confirm this experience. As a former principal of Resurrection Catholic School in Lancaster, Pa., he worked with RedefinED to access over $100,000 of EITC funds, which enabled Resurrection Catholic to raise enrollment by over 30 percent. Mr. Hughes calls the gap between stated tuition and the actual cost to educate “‘ghost’ scholarships’ that the schools or parishes have been absorbing.” He adds, “This can’t happen if you want to have vibrant and robust schools.”
When Catholic schools find ways to fund the gap between the actual cost of education and tuition, not only do the schools benefit, but so do the parishes that support them. Mr. Hughes discovered that when Resurrection Catholic began receiving EITC funds, financial pressure on the already overburdened parish budgets was reduced.
Msgr. James Lyons, retiring Pastor of St. Joseph Church in Hanover, and former dean of the Adams Deanery is hoping for a similar result. He notes that, typically, a school is the biggest ministry of a parish. He has seen positive results from the EITC program in the past and is optimistic about the new tuition restructuring plan. “We’re headed in a very good direction by bringing tuition close to the cost to educate,” he said. Under the new plan, he sees benefits for the schools, the parents, the parish, and the taxpayers. “It can be a win-win for everyone.”
At the parent meeting on Feb. 25, Mr. Hughes outlined the basic elements of the tuition restructuring plan. Since EITC funds can only be used to replace tuition, stated tuition must be raised to reflect the actual cost of education. To shield families from this steep rise in tuition, they receive a guaranteed financial aid award, giving them approximately the same tuition obligation as in the prior year if they either apply for tuition assistance or participate in the EITC program.
The schools benefit when families complete a tuition assistance application because it helps the schools to qualify for grants from BLOCS, a nonprofit organization that collects money, in part, from the EITC program. The schools also benefit when families participate in the EITC program and direct their tax dollars to the schools’ tuition assistance efforts, receiving, in return, a 90 percent tax credit. Funds received from BLOCS or tax money directed to the schools through the EITC program can then be used for tuition assistance for qualifying students, freeing up school money to offer tuition assistance for non-qualifying students.
Mr. Hughes notes that not only school families but also Pennsylvania businesses and individuals who reside in Pennsylvania or receive a W-2 with Pennsylvania income tax withheld can potentially participate in the EITC program, making it an inexpensive way for alumni, friends, grandparents, and local businesses to support the school.
Mr. Lippe is optimistic about the new tuition model, noting that collaboration and cooperation have been, and will continue to be, essential for its success. “The decision of the deanery schools to work together on tuition restructuring made the process go much more smoothly,” said Mr. Lippe. He looks forward to the same cooperative relationship with school families. “The new plan allows us to accomplish more together than we ever could separately,” he said. “There is a common commitment by our families to secure for their children an educational alternative, in this case, one anchored in the Faith.”
The Adams Deanery Catholic school community gathers to learn about new school funding plan.
Hall of Honor Class of 2024 Inducted
By Eric T. Lawrence ‘98
Delone Catholic High School inducted its Hall of Honor Class of 2024 during a joyful celebration on Friday, Feb. 9. The five-member class brings the total number of inductees to 45 in nine induction classes. The event was celebrated with a dinner and induction ceremony held in the Sheppard Gym Lobby. Members of the Class of 2024 are:
Susan E. (Staub) Arigo ’81 – a fixture of the Adams Deanery Catholic education system for nearly four decades and a long-time coach of the Delone Catholic cheerleading program. She has spent her entire professional career at 316 North Street in McSherrystown, teaching middle school math and religion, among other subjects, at Annunciation B.V.M. School from 1986-2017 and at St. Teresa of Calcutta School since. In two stints from 1986-1999 and 2011-2014, she directed and mentored the cheerleaders, who not only supported their classmates on the fields and courts, but themselves competed against other squads at cheer camp. Several times, her teams were selected as the top team at camp, which came with an invitation to the National Cheer Association national competition. In 1991, the team earned 34th place out of more than 100 teams at the national competition in Dallas, Texas. Both in the classroom and with the cheerleading team, she is well known for her exacting standards and her ability to see potential in her charges that they are unable to see in themselves. More importantly, she has been a mentor for countless young people as they navigate the successes and challenges of young adulthood and prepare for life beyond high school.
Anne M. Kerr – an outstanding educator who spent nearly her entire career teaching math at Delone Catholic. From 1978-2016, she spent all but eight years in Squire Country, with those eight years spent teaching future Squires at St. Joseph School in Hanover. She has a unique gift for teaching the basic concepts of Algebra while clearly defining and communicating her expectations. She has continued to use these skills in retirement, both as an adjunct professor at HACC for four years and as one of Delone Catholic’s most frequent substitute teachers. Outside of class hours, she worked just as diligently, serving as the chair of the math department, National Honor Society moderator, Middle States Planning Committee member, and faculty representative to the PTO, among many others. Arguably her most influential role has been as a mentor to new faculty members, helping them grow through the challenges that come in the early years of teaching. Several of her mentees have paid this service forward to their younger colleagues, and she is always interested to hear about the growth of her “grand-mentees”. She was also among the pioneers of girls’ athletics at Delone Catholic, serving as an assistant basketball coach, an assistant coach, head coach, and volunteer coach for the field hockey program, and she was the first coach of the softball program from 1979-1983, laying the groundwork for a program that has been a perennial contender for league and district championships.
David L. Lawrence ’69 – a mainstay in the Delone Catholic Athletic Department for decades, he has been a volunteer, a long-time coach, and has served two stints as the Director of Athletics. Following the example of his parents, he has been a volunteer for the Athletic Association for most of his adult life. In the early 1990s, he joined the baseball staff as the pitching coach for fellow Hall of Honor inductee Frank Felix ’67 and Alan Felix ’93. Together, they oversaw the longest stretch of sustained success in the baseball program’s history. He was part of 11 division championships and 16 District 3 playoff appearances in 20 seasons. In December 2011, he took the reins of the entire athletic department until his retirement in 2017, overseeing scheduling, field preparation, game management, hiring of coaches, and numerous other tasks which go into providing a top-notch student-athlete experience. In retirement, he has served as a mentor to his successors and a part-time game manager, allowing the load of a 19-sport program to be shared. He further demonstrated his devotion to Delone Catholic and its students when he filled an unexpected vacancy, returning as the interim Director of Athletics from January-June 2023.
D. Stephen Mathias ’73 – a founding member of the Delone Catholic International Relations Club and a four-year participant in Model U.N., whose career has made him one of the highest ranked lawyers in the United Nations. As a freshman, he won the best novice debater award in his first tournament on the way to capping his career in the National Forensic League’s national tournament as a senior. He was elected by his peers as Student Council representative as a freshman, class president as a sophomore and junior, and student body president as a senior. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and a Juris Doctorate from Columbia University. Following a short-lived career in private law practice, he realized that public service law was a better fit. He spent the vast majority of his career from 1987-2010 working for the State Department, including a significant stint posted at the Hague, where he worked on the creation of the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, which ultimately indicted and tried over 160 people accused of war crimes, and crimes against humanity including genocide. He has received Senior Executive Service Awards from both the Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, a Presidential Meritorious Service Award in 2003, and the Director-General’s Medal from the Multinational Force of Observers, a peacekeeping force helping to carry out the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel. Since 2010, he has been the Assistant Secretary-General for Legal Affairs at the United Nations, overseeing the operations of international criminal tribunals, legal oversight of U.N. peacekeeping operations, providing advisory opinions for the International Court of Justice, the development of new U.N. legal agreements, and many other related matters.
John T. “Jack” Miller, Jr. ’65 (1947-2020) – spent nearly 40 years as a key member of the Delone Catholic Guidance Department. From 1975 until his retirement in December 2009, he assisted thousands of students as they discerned their path in life after high school. He worked with his colleagues to provide access to SAT, ACT, ASVAB and other college, career, and military preparation testing. He maintained relationships with college admissions departments, kept students and their families current with admissions and financial aid processes, and challenged students to match their talents and interests with a wide variety of careers they may have never considered. Every other year, he and his colleagues surveyed students about their career interests and secured speakers to offer real-world advice through Career Day presentations. He was also present for students through their great achievements, the day-to-day challenges of being a teenager, and some of their biggest disappointments and tragedies. At the end of each academic year, he collected the best college application essays prepared by his students, and published them to be presented to members of the faculty so they could see the impact they were having.
Hall of Honor Members
Previous Hall of Honor inductees joined the Class of 2024 for a group photo.
Front row (left to right): Diane (Neiderer) Livelsberger ’65, Anne Kerr, Danielle (Miller) Spila ’88 representing Jack Miller ’65, Susan (Staub) Arigo ’81, Sister Jackie Staub, SSJ. Second row: Tony Weaver ’73, Jack Kale ’77, Dave Swope ’68, Frank Felix ’67, Dave Lawrence ’69, Tom Staub ’58, and Steve Mathias ’73.
Hall of Honor Class of 2024
Mrs. Arigo, Ms, Kerr, Mr. Lawrence, and Mr. Mathias and members of their families were in attendance. Mr. Miller, a posthumous inductee, was represented by members of his family.
The Hall of Honor inducted its inaugural class in conjunction with the celebration of the school’s 75th Anniversary in 2015. The Hall of Honor recognizes individuals who have made a significant contribution to the school through consistent contribution of time, effort. and/or financial resources or who have improved the school and its reputation through significant professional or community achievements.
The Hall of Honor Nomination Committee invites nominations for the Delone Catholic Hall of Honor Class of 2025. For eligibility requirements, nomination forms, and biographies of previous inductees, please visit www.DeloneCatholic.org/HallofHonor. Anyone without access to a computer who wishes to make a nomination may contact the Office of Advancement at 717-637-5969, Ext. 201. Any nominees who were not selected for the Class of 2024 will be considered by the committee for the Class of 2025. Nominations must be received by Sept. 1, 2024 in order to be considered for the Class of 2025. Any nominations received after that date will be considered for the Class of 2026.
Squires in Service
#SquiresinService: Keira Slonaker ’26
By Stephanie Leader
The Spirit of a Squire fights for something bigger than themselves. When Keira Slonaker ‘26 was diagnosed with a rare subtype of juvenile arthritis as an infant, it rapidly became a significant part of her life. “It affected my joints and my skin and tissues, so basically my entire body, which means my organs can be affected too,” she explained. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), juvenile arthritis (JA) is a rare disease, affecting 21 to 403 per 100,000 population. To find support to combat her diagnosis, Slonaker began attending Camp Victory at age eight, the only camp on the East Coast for children with JA. Now at age 16, Slonaker has the opportunity to become a camp counselor in training. One of the requirements to become a camp counselor is to complete a service project that benefits the Arthritis Foundation, and that was when Slonaker got to work crafting her service project idea and decided to get not just Delone Catholic involved but another local high school as well.
As a fan of participating in different color theme nights at Delone Catholic Athletics events, Slonaker decided to hold a “Green Out,” the color for the Arthritis Foundation, at the Jan. 27 basketball games against New Oxford. She sold the green t-shirts in homerooms at Delone Catholic and worked with school administrators at New Oxford High School to sell the t-shirts to students there too. “I thought, what better thing to do than something I love and incorporate it?” she remarked. She got to work thinking about the logistics of the project. “I wanted to do something all-inclusive…I definitely wanted to include both the Squire and the Colonial, considering it was something both Delone Catholic and New Oxford would be doing.” She formulated the design, using the Delone Catholic Squire and the New Oxford Colonial around a basketball, surrounded by the phrase Fight to Cure Childhood Arthritis.
“I reached out to the athletic director at New Oxford and asked, ‘Can we do this?’” Slonaker recalled. The athletic director talked to the basketball team, and soon ordered shirts for himself and the entire team. The sales of the shirts did not stop with the presale, as Slonaker set up a stand to sell the shirts at the Jan. 27 basketball games, where Squires would be competing in four games against the Colonials, and Delone Catholic alumni championship teams would be in attendance for a reunion. Attendees soon noticed the wave of green shirts and wanted in on the Green Out. “As students started arriving at the games, they realized they could purchase a shirt, that was when I started to see quite a few people wearing the shirts in the student section,” she said. “Mrs. Fuhrman even came up and bought a shirt for the Squire. That was really cool.”
Slonaker believes that the funds raised from the sale will make an impact, but the awareness raised among young people is just as important. “High school students and students in general are the future. For them to see the shirts and realize that this is going to a good cause, and not only see themselves wearing the shirts but their friends, coaches, and everyone in the gym means that you’re standing for what is right and raising awareness,” she said.
The result of the presale and basketball game sale was impressive, with Slonaker raising over $1,500 to benefit the foundation, with some sales still pending.
“The impact that I’m hoping to make is to show that even if you are young, you can still do something that is going to mean a lot and benefit a good cause,” she said. “I was only 15 at the time I decided this was something I wanted to do. Once people see the impact you make, they’re going to say, ‘Wow, I didn’t know that was possible,’ but you know the word impossible just says ‘I’m possible!’”
Student Section in Green Out Shirts
Squires in Service
TOP LEFT
Cathy Donnelly ’26 prepares Valentines for Veterans as part of a Delone Catholic Interact Club service project for Roots for Boots, a local non-profit serving military veterans.
TOP RIGHT
Interact Club members
Melanie Rollins ’27, Allison Sullivan ’27, and Maria Marchak ‘27 tend to the club’s pollinator garden as part of their Earth Day celebration.
BOTTOM
Delone Catholic Peer Ministry went Christmas caroling at Saint Joseph and Cecilian Villages in McSherrystown.
TOP LEFT
Student Council members pose with donations from the annual Thanksgiving food drive.
TOP RIGHT
Respect Life Club moderator Mary Martz, and club member Tom Martz ’26 deliver donations from the clubs Diapers and Dollars Drive held in March.
BOTTOM
Peer Ministry and Interact Club members Colby Noel ’24, Emma Bunty ’24, Victoria Staub ’24, Olivia Kale ’24, and Lily Baker ’24 serve a Christmas tea for the Hanover Area Historical Society.
Squires on Stage
By Julia T. Fuhrman
Throughout the 2023-24 school year, our Squires and Squirettes have been entertaining audiences, while learning monumental lessons about leadership, teamwork, discipline, and sacrifice.
The Delone Catholic High School Marching Band proudly presented its 2023 field show, Fire! The show opened with Jay Bocook’s red-hot Latin classic “Aztec Fire.” Followed by the reverent hymn tune “Nettleton,” arranged by Johnnie Vinson, representing the fire of the Holy Spirit. This familiar hymn highlighted Annie Woolford ’25 on trumpet and Laurence Derkasch ’24 on alto sax. The incendiary 2023 field show concluded with the intense “Alarm,” composed by Randall Standridge.
Last fall, The Arts at Delone Catholic presented, “You Can’t Take it With You,” a comedic play in three acts by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, with endearing characters and the message that money isn’t everything, and the only thing you can take with you when you go is love. Directed by Gabi Cranga ’17, the cast and crew developed their acting and production skills before performing three shows for appreciative audiences.
Faced with coaching vacancies, the senior captains of Delone Catholic’s Speech and Debate team, determined to keep their team alive. Derf Maitland, Janet Flynn and Charles Strauss stepped in to coach and moderate the team, who made it all the way to the Pennsylvania High School Speech League (PHSSL) state tournament in March. Riley Slee ’24 placed second in poetry, Carli Hutchinson ’27 placed fourth in dramatic interpretation, and the team of Emily Flynn ’24 and Matthew Leon Abanto ’24 placed fifth in news broadcasting.
The Music Department once again staged two annual concerts, the Christmas Concert in December and the Spring Concert in April, featuring performances by the high school concert band and chorus, the junior band, the clarinet choir, and the jazz band. At the spring concert, the audience was treated to a percussion feature performance of an original piece, “Seashell Shanty” composed by William Frizzell ’25.
Our Squires on Stage also delighted audiences for three performances of the spring musical, Disney’s “Aladdin, Jr.” in April. Featuring Emma Wilson ’24 as the Genie, William Frizzell ’25 as Aladdin, and Mary Murry ’24 as Jasmine, the cast and crew numbered more than 50 students – a testament to efforts of director Ms. Cranga, and her fellow alumni directors, Joel ’17 and Elizabeth (Rink) ’18 Reiner, Marilyn Lopes ’15, and Joseph Staub ’16, to help creative students find a niche in the drama department.
Faith, Family, Generations
Jean A. Machemer Fielding P’24, P’27
When my son began his high school career at Delone Catholic High School in the Fall of 2020, I half-jokingly told him he was related to more people in the school than he could imagine. Having been born and raised in Gettysburg, I was quite familiar with the churches that make up the Adams Deanery. I was baptized at St. Ignatius of Loyola in Buchanan Valley and received all of my other sacraments at St. Francis Xavier in Gettysburg. Our oldest daughter attended Kindergarten at Sacred Heart, Conewago, and since inquiring deeper into my family ancestry, she may have walked the same ground as her great-great-great-great-great grandparents.
You see, my grandmother, Mary Annabelle Redding McCleaf was one of sixteen children. Her mother was Marguerite Storm and her father was Leo Redding. Her grandfather was Lewis Aloysius Storm and her grandmother was Anna Virginia Hemler. Her grandmother, Anna Virginia Hemler was one of eleven children to Philip Hemler and Catherine Mary Else. Her great-grandparents were Christian Hemler and Catherine Fleishman all with roots in Adams County. Her great-great grandfather, Joseph J. Hemler was also one of eleven children born to her great-great-great grandfather Christian Hemler who was married to Anna Elizabeth Baker. Christian and Anna Elizabeth were born in the 1730!
Now, I’m sure some of these names might be leaving you wondering who your relatives are, but my point is that we are all related through the Body of Christ and our shared tradition bound through sacramental marriages and life in the one, true church. We can reflect on this shared identity in Christ and choose to live our lives sacramentally with grace together with family who have gone before us. Let’s not forget our goal, to be with them altogether in the heavenly Jerusalem. May our family’s saints intercede on our behalf and inspire us to yearn for the eternal Kingdom of God!
The mutually beneficial partnership between Delone Catholic High School and the business community is in concert with Delone Catholic’s purpose of preparing students to become leaders in whichever vocation they are called to serve.
The Squires’ Guild, established in 2023, is an association of businesses that provide financial and professional support for the academic and extracurricular programs of Delone Catholic High School and its students in the pursuit of excellence.
Businesses can support Delone Catholic students with opportunities for career exploration and workforce development, as well as financial support for the academic and extracurricular programs offered by the school.
Thank you to these founding members of the Squires’ Guild who support our Squires through tax credit programs, sponsorships, internships, in-kind donations, and more!
ACNB Bank
Apple Automotive Group
Burkentine Builders
Cherry Tree Lane Vacations
Cedar Ridge Golf Course
Clubhouse Athletics LLC
Conewago Enterprises, Inc.
Crown Trophy, Inc.
David Ross Orthodontics
Donald B. Smith Roofing, Inc.
Doug Legore Media, LLC
Envision Total Wellness
Francis E. Klunk Electrical Contractor, LLC
G&S Foods, LLC
Groft Noel CPAs & Business Consultants, LLP
Hanover Area Volunteer Fire & Rescue
Hanover Auto Team
Hockstad Enterprises, Inc.
Home Association of McSherrystown
J. Kidder Electric
McSherrystown Police Department
Mooney Law
Myers’ Meat Market, Inc.
Proforma Graphic Concepts
Ravens Roost 32, Inc.
Roots For Boots
Smith & Company CPA’s
Smith Brothers, Inc.
Smith Elliott Kearns & Company, LLC
St. Joseph School
St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic School
Stateline Canine
Strawberry Hill Nature Preserve
The McSherrystown K
The Pub & Restaurant
Thrivent - Molly Bruce
Trummer Family Dentistry
UPMC Hanover
W. Hal Wyatt, CPA, PC
Weaver Screen Printing, Inc.
WFX Fire, Lock and Security
Visit DeloneCatholic.org/SquiresGuild or contact the Advancement Office today at 717-637-5969, Ext. 211 or advancement@delonecatholic.org to discuss how your business can join the Squires’ Guild!
SPORTS SHORTS
2023 Cross Country
In the 2023 season, the Squirettes displayed grit and determination, finishing with a 3-3 record in the division. Senior standout Samantha Smith showcased her talent by securing 13th place at the District championships and placing 91st out of 267 competitors at the PIAA championship race. Additionally, sophomore Julia Miller emerged as the team’s most improved athlete, boasting a remarkable 13 percent improvement from the previous year.
Despite narrowly falling to York Catholic and Bermudian Springs, the Squires demonstrated resilience and ended the season with a 4-2 division record. Junior Ryan Young led the team throughout the season, while junior Evan Donnelly stepped up at Districts, securing a 25th-place finish. Sophomore Cole Davis showcased exceptional growth, earning the title of most-improved runner with a 16 percent improvement over 2022.
2023 Field Hockey
Amidst our season’s successes, one of the most notable triumphs transcended mere win-loss records; it was the revitalization of our field hockey program. At the outset of summer, uncertainties loomed over our ability to field a team. Yet, under the dedicated stewardship of head coach Kristi Fields ‘87 and the exemplary leadership of senior captain Shana Zinn, our roster expanded to 17 players, signaling a bright future ahead. The Squirettes are currently engaged in rigorous offseason workouts, demonstrating their commitment to excellence. Notably, several players participated in an indoor season at the YMCA, further honing their skills and fostering team cohesion.
2023 Football
The defending YAIAA Division III champion Squires returned to the gridiron in 2023 with a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in the backfield, Gage Zimmerman and 2022 Offensive Player of the Year Brady Dettinburn. The Squires commenced their season with a challenging non-league schedule against formidable opponents in Trinity, Lancaster Catholic, and GreencastleAntrim. Despite facing adversity, the team exhibited promise in three closely-contested losses as they geared up for league play to defend their division title. The Squires opened league play with four consecutive victories, including a notable win on the road at Littlestown. The Squires emerged victorious with a hard-fought, 14-6 win in a defensive struggle that featured multiple scoreless Thunderbolt trips to the red zone and ended in a decisive goal line stand. Following two more victories, the Squires lost to Bermudian Springs in a compelling backand-forth matchup that ended 28-20. The Squires finished 6-1
SCAN CODE AND STAY UP TO DATE!
in league play for a share of their fourth division title in five seasons, and they earned a sixth-consecutive District 3 Class 2A playoff appearance. The Squires graduate 12 seniors, and once again paced the league in rushing yards, led by 1,000-yard rushers Dettinburn and Zimmerman. The Class of 2024 finished their career with a record of 26-15, three division championships and four trips to the District 3 playoffs.
Garnering postseason honors were Zimmerman (first-team running back and cornerback), Dettinburn (first-team fullback, outside linebacker, and kick returner), Levi Hohenstein (first-team tight end), J.D. Seig (first-team offensive tackle and defensive end), Domonic Giraffa (first-team guard and inside linebacker), Dominic Marino (first- team center and defensive tackle), Brayden Smith (first-team outside linebacker and honorable mention running back), Logan Ford (first-team cornerback), Nolan Kruse (first-team kicker), Chris Cole (second-team wide receiver), Denver Ostrum (honorable mention quarterback), Mason Ridinger (honorable mention inside linebacker) Zach Staub (honorable mention safety).
2023 Golf
Veteran coach Chuck Minchik was honored as the YAIAA Division III Coach of the Year after leading the Squires to a division title. Delone Catholic’s performance on the course was bolstered by YAIAA All-Star seniors Evan Glass and Kat Keller. Keller’s remarkable play carried her to a second-place finish in the girls’ Class 2A District 3 championships at Briarwood and secured a spot in the PIAA Class 2A championships. She carded a two-round score of 163 in the state tournament.
SPORTS SHORTS
2023 Boys’ Soccer
Guided by head coach Austin Groves, the Squires set a school record for single-season wins with 10. In a season of firsts, their regular season accomplishments earned the right for the Squires to compete in the District 3 playoffs for the first time. In the first round, the Squires upset seventh-seeded Lancaster County Christian, 3-2, in overtime. They advanced to the quarterfinals where they fell 3-0 to Greenwood on the road. With all the success on the pitch came postseason honors including juniors Angello Salazar (13 goals, 8 assists) and Michael Carter (6 goals, 7 assists) being named to the YAIAA first team, and Ethan Sevison, J.P. Groves and Fernando Salazar on the YAIAA second team.
2023 Girls’ Soccer
First-year head coach Tim Swingler led the Squirettes to an 8-7-2 record against a very difficult schedule. Their efforts earned them a first-round home game in the District 3 playoffs where they fell 3-0 to a talented Brandywine Heights squad. For their efforts Jocelyn Robinson and Molly Fleming were named to the YAIAA first team and Brielle Wittmer earned second-team honors. The young Squirettes are looking forward to building on the success of the 2023 campaign as training has commenced for the coming season.
2023 Girls’ Tennis
The Squirettes capped an incredible undefeated regular season with their first-ever trip to the PIAA tournament. Under the direction of 24th-year head coach Denise Dunn and led on the court by Ella Knox and Bailiegh Stetter, the squad finished 15-2 on the way to earning its sixth YAIAA division title in nine
SCAN CODE AND STAY UP TO DATE!
seasons. In the District 3 third-place match, the Squirettes got by top-seeded Conrad Weiser 3-2 to earn its first berth in the PIAA championships, where they were competitive in falling to Jersey Shore. Knox and Stetter won the YAIAA Class 2A doubles championships, placed second in the District 3 playoffs, and also represented the Squirettes in the PIAA doubles championships.
2023 Girls’ Volleyball
Head coach Nate Staub guided the Squirrettes to a steller regular season record of 15-3 securing the YAIAA Division III title and postseason berths. In the YAIAA championships, Division I powerhouse Dallastown proved a little too deep resulting in a defeat. The Squirettes turned their attention to hosting York Catholic in the District 3 Class 2A semifinals. After sweeping the Fighting Irish in the regular season, Delone Catholic was upset in a back and forth match. Campbell Chronister and Meredith Keefer were named YAIAA Division III Co-Players of the Year, first-team All-District, and to the All-State team. Ella Hughes was a first-team YAIAA all-star and second-team all-district. Megan Jacoby earned second-team in the YAIAA and District 3. Rounding out postseason honors was Marly Rudolph, who was named to the YAIAA second team.
SPORTS SHORTS
2023-24 Boys’ Basketball
The Squires continued the program’s recent resurgence, posting their best record in 16 years at 19-8. They placed second in YAIAA Division III, advanced to at least the District 3 semifinal for the third year in a row, and made their third consecutive trip to the PIAA tournament after an eight-year absence. Along the way, the Squires played in just the second four-overtime game in program history and the first since 1965, gutting out an 86-84 win at York Tech on Jan. 24. Camdyn Keller ’24 exploded for 29 points on the night, including the 1,000th point of his career, making him the 14th member of the Squires’ 1,000-point club. He finished his career with 1,147 points to rank seventh all-time. Keller was joined by Luke Rebert ‘26, Liam O’Brien ‘26, and Gage Zimmerman ‘24 in earning postseason honors.
2023-24 Girls’ Basketball
The Squirettes (24-4, 12-0 YAIAA IV) continued their remarkable run of consistent excellence, opening with 13 straight wins on the way to a 20-1 regular season. The only loss came to a non-PIAA school, Westtown, whose roster is loaded with NCAA Division I recruits. They captured their seventh consecutive division crown and ran their winning streak in division play to 72 games. They also have an active home winning streak of 61 straight, made more impressive by the inclusion of 10 wins in the district playoffs and four in state playoff contests. This streak sits three short of the program record of 64 set from 1987-1993. The Squirettes reached the 20-win plateau for the 21st time in 25 seasons under head coach Gerry Eckenrode, including the last eight in a row. The Squirettes reached their sixth straight district final and advanced to the PIAA quarterfinal for the fifth time in the last six seasons. Megan Jacoby ‘25 earned YAIAA Division III Player of the Year and second-team All-State honors. Brielle Baughman ‘24, Kaitlyn Schwartz ‘24, Ella Hughes ‘24, and Reece Meckley ’26, all received postseason recognition.
2023-24 Swimming
Delone Catholic’s presence in the pool was defined by swimmers who showcased exceptional talent and dedication. Representing the Squirettes in multiple meets, Gabriela Erdman ’24 and Peyton Faller ’27 reintroduced the sport to our school and earned the right to participate in postseason competitions with their performance. They both qualified for the YAIAA championships, and Faller competed in the District 3 championships, to close out a fine debut season.
2023-24 Wrestling
2023-24 Indoor Track and Field
Delone Catholic had an indoor track and field season to remember. Highlights of the team’s five December and January meets include all 20 competing athletes setting a personal-best indoor time or distance in at least one event, 18 athletes besting their lifetime (indoor or outdoor) mark, and 18 athletes making multiple improvements in the same event during the season.
The Distance Medley Relay team of Evan Donnelly ’25, Max Holz ’27, Langdon Parsley ‘26, and Ryan Young ’25 set the school record. Four more individual or relay performances rank among the top-five in Delone Catholic indoor track and field history, with another 16 ranking in the top 10. Emma Bunty ‘24 missed breaking the 55-meter hurdle record by .07 seconds, which was also the 23rd-best mark in the state over the winter. Everyone associated with the program was excited to carry the winter momentum over to the spring outdoor season.
The Squires’ season was an unqualified success, with the team posting its best record since 2014-15, which was also the last time they reached the District 3 Team Tournament. As in recent years, they had outstanding individual performances, but they were able to pair that with a depth that led to team success, finishing solidly in the top half of team scoring in every tournament of the season prior to the state meet. A strong group of upperclassmen were joined by a trio of standout freshmen to announce the re-emergence of the program. Gavin Green ’27 won his first 33 matches of the season, not falling until a narrow 2-1 decision in the 127-pound regional final. He closed the season at 35-3. Caleb Tyler ’27 locked down the 215-pound weight class with a 37-5 record, and Nathaniel Handy ’27 was 31-8 at 107 pounds, giving the team a major advantage at a weight class it had largely forfeited in recent seasons. Green and Tyler both won championships at both sectional and district competitions. Handy and Domonic Giraffa ’24 (189 pounds) placed second at sectionals and sixth at districts to qualify for regionals. Green and Tyler were the Squires’ first state qualifiers since 2020. Both went 2-2 in the state tournament to close out their stellar debut campaigns and give Delone Catholic its first wins in state competition in seven years.
In Memoriam
Alumni
Please keep all of the deceased alumni of Delone Catholic High School in your prayers, especially those who have passed away recently:
Rosalie V. (Krepps) Toth ’42 – 10/6/23
Joseph A. Shrader ’46, P’72, P’73, P’79 – 5/5/24
Patricia M. (Myers) Coulson ’47 – 12/22/23
John W. “Lut” Smith ’47, P’72, P’73, HOH’21 – 1/6/24
Madge M. (Weaver) Eckenrode ’48, P’69 – 2/18/24
Carol A. (Rider) Kessel ’48 – 9/6/23
Catherine B. (Snyder) Panza ’48 – 1/13/23
Theresa M. (Krichten) Gross ’49, P’69, P’70, P’72 – 10/26/23
Madge L. (Cover) Groft ’50 – 9/25/23
Jeanne M. (Yantis) Hertz ’50, P’73, P’75, P’76 – 9/7/23
Nadine E. (Smith) Potts ’50 – 11/23/23
Suzanne M. (Chrismer) Smith ’50, P’83, P’90 – 1/22/24
Dolores T. (Gouker) Warner ’50, P’70, P’71, P’74 – 3/12/24
Thomas F. Bunty ’51 – 4/19/23
M. Beatrice (Young) Becker ’51 – 12/22/23
Patricia J. (Kress) Crouse ’52 – 2/19/24
Helena V. (Orndorff) Busick ’53 – 12/1/23
Donald B. Eltz ’53 – 1/11/24
Florence E. (Sanders) Entenmann ’53, P’73, P’75 – 2/20/24
M. Teresa (Redding) Speelman ’53 – 5/3/24
Deanna (Zartman) Adams ’55 – 10/21/23
Raymond P. Hemler ’55 – 11/26/23
Bernard F. Lawrence ’55, P’79, P’80, P’81, P’82, P’85 – 9/29/23
Jude T. Smith ’55, P’80, P’82, P’87 – 10/7/23
Stephen W. Jacobs ’56 – 1/14/24
Patrick E. McMaster ’56 – 2/11/24
William B. Sanders ’56 – 12/25/23
Gene F. Smith ’56 – 3/13/24
Robert J. Davis ’57 – 11/1/23
Walter J. “Pete” Chrismer ’57, P’75, P’76 – 11/16/23
Mary E. Keller ’57 – 12/19/23
James H. Britcher ’58, P’85 – 9/27/23
G. Thomas Hagarman ’58, P’80, P’82, P’86 – 10/28/23
Ingrid M. (Czapp) Luckenbaugh ’58, P’77, P’80 – 10/6/23
Susan J. (McKenrick) Powell ’58 – 9/29/23
Pauline C. (Smith) Brunner ’59, P’82, P’83, P’84, P’87 – 12/3/23
Judith A. (Sanders) Jacoby ’59 – 2/14/24
Larry F. Small ’59 – 9/10/23
William P. Smith ’59 – 2/7/24
Paul E. Topper ’59 – 1/10/24
John W. Markle, Jr. ’60 – 12/8/23
James J. Eck ’61 – 5/4/24
Burnell F. Eltz, Jr. ’61 – 4/21/24
Laura B. (Rang) Krepps ’61 – 4/7/24
Frederick J. Reck, Sr. ’61 – 3/30/24
Sister Jane O. Small, SSJ ’61, HOH’20 – 9/27/23
Jerome F. Storm ’61, P’82, P’83 – 1/31/24
Dennis M. Riley ’62 – 11/9/23
Richard J. Neiderer ’63, P’85, P’86, P’90, P’93, Former Board Member, Former Coach – 4/20/24
Gloria A. (Flickinger) Stewart ’63 – 10/17/23
James L. Poist ’64, P’96 – 4/22/24
Donald F. Murren ’65, P’87, P’88, P’92 – 4/15/24
Mark L. Murren ’65 – 11/21/23
Judith L. (Bennett) Sieg ’65, P’88, P’90, P’94 – 11/23/23
Wayne J. Weaver ’65 – 12/3/23
Robert T. Lemmon ’66 – 10/18/23
Mildred A. (Brady) Popels ’66 – 1/5/23
Donna M. (Overbaugh) Yealy ’66, P’87, P’92 – 4/19/24
Linda M. (Baublitz) Smith ’67 – 11/12/23
Pamela L. Becker ’69 – 4/11/23
Michael J. McMaster ’69 – 9/18/23
Michael J. Noel ’69 – 3/22/24
Virginia A. “Ginny” (Staub) Timmins ’69, P’89, P’91, P’92 – 11/28/23
Elaine L. (Garvick) Keeney ’70 – 12/19/23
Brenda J. (Weishaar) Lippy ’70, P’88, P’89 – 1/6/24
Susan E. (Weaver) Smith ’70 – 8/17/23
Timothy E. Smith ’70 – 10/17/23
Bradley D. Brady ’71 – 12/10/23
Judith M. (Noel) Strevig ’73, P’98, P’02, P’06 – 11/28/23
William O. Unger II ’73 – 3/26/24
Patricia L. (Trone) Womble ’73 – 1/27/24
Joanne M. (Redding) Sheely ’74 – 10/19/23
Emma V. (Shermeyer) Krichten ’75 – 1/18/24
Margaret A. (Feeser) Kahlbaugh ’76 – 10/16/23
Gregg A. Weaver ’76 – 1/28/24
Joseph H. Hertz ’77 – 9/14/23
Michelle L. (Weaver) McGraw ’81 – 11/12/23
Tanya R. (Powell) O’Brien ’90 – 10/27/23
Matthew F. DeVille ’92 – 7/1/23
Ashley E. Eline ’02 – 12/19/23
Kaitlin E. Stranick ’11 – 11/22/23
Other Members of the DCHS Family
In addition, we ask your prayers for these members of the Delone Catholic family (parents of alumni, former faculty members, former members of the Board of Directors, and spouses of alumni) who have recently passed away:
Delores M. Alwine – 5/3/24
Donna L. Arigo P’85, P’86, P’90 – 11/17/23
Sister Mary Thomas Blank, SCC, Former Faculty – 9/14/23
Alfred L. Brady P’75, P’80, P’82, P’84 – 12/11/23
Ronald Charnigo P’10 – 11/2/23
Michael A. Culp, Sr. P’96 – 3/24/24
James A. Forbes P’79, P’82 – 4/6/24
Eugene R. Funt, Sr. – 1/8/24
Ethel G. Gebhart P’60, P’64 – 10/28/23
Sister Joseph Marie Germershausen, SCC, Former Faculty –11/25/22
Juanita M. Gobel P’64, P’65, P’66, P’68, P’71 – 12/19/23
Jack E. Grim – 2/17/24
Kim J. Hain – 2/17/24
Dorothy E. Iocco P’92, P’99, P’99, P’03, P’03 – 5/2/24
Mario Iocco, Sr. P’92, P’99, P’99, P’03, P’03 – 9/10/23
Fredrick C. Ives P’94 – 2/11/24
Anthony R. Kahlbaugh – 12/26/23
Joyce E. Kale P’72, P’75, P’77, P’80, P’83 – 1/2/24
Yolanda A. Kirkpatrick P’79, P’82 – 1/16/24
Benedict H. Klunk P’80, P’84 – 8/27/23
Lovie F. Klunk P’68, P’70, P’80 – 12/29/23
Georgia L. (Brown) Lisinski, Former Faculty – 1/31/23
Loretta Lynch (Sister Loretta, SCC), Former Faculty – 6/6/23
Bernard E. Martz P’79, P’82, P’82, P’82 – 10/8/23
James R. Masenheimer P’90, P’92 – 2/24/24
Sister Marilyn McCusker, SCC, Former Faculty – 1/4/24
Winona L. Miller P’88 – 1/29/24
Marie R. McNulty P’68, P’72 – 1/17/24
Mary A. Murren P’83, P’84, P’87, P’89 – 1/4/24
Joseph A. Myers P’83, P’86 – 9/25/23
Beryl A. O’Brien P’75 – 12/10/23
Barbara A. Orndorff P’03, P’06, P’08 – 4/21/24
Ray H. Paris – 9/16/23
Earl R. Raubenstine P’82, P’88 – 11/13/23
Larry J. Redding – 2/13/24
Genevieve E. Reese P’65, P’68, P’79 – 9/6/23
Edward B. Ruppert P’11 – 4/26/24
Sandra L. Small P’76 – 9/21/23
Manuela P. Smith P’71, P’73, P’75, P’75, P’77, P’78, P’81 – 9/28/23
Toyoko Spangler – 12/7/23
Veronica A. Stough P’75 – 11/25/23
Stephan J. Stranick P’11 – 1/19/24
Sandra M. Weaver P’88, P’91 – 12/25/23
Dennis M. Wilhide, Sr. – 3/19/24
Dennis C. Winand, Jr. – 1/11/24
Sister Rita Dolores (Sister George Ellen) Woehlcke, SSJ, Former Faculty – 9/23/23
In Memoriam
Sister Jane O. Small, SSJ, a member of the Delone Catholic Hall of Honor Class of 2020, was one of seven siblings who are Delone Catholic alumni. As a Sister of Saint Joseph of Chestnut Hill, she dedicated her life to the service of God and neighbor. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in education and worked in that field for a number of years. She was later trained as a nursing home administrator to help lead the congregation’s outreach to the marginalized. She was also certified by the National Center for Housing Management.
When the Sisters of Saint Joseph received a federal grant to turn the St. Joseph Academy campus in McSherrystown into senior housing, she was one of three people who supervised the transition. She oversaw the growth of the Villages from 40 units in 1998 to a thriving community of nearly 100 units today, ensuring that this long-time pillar of McSherrystown will continue to serve residents long after it ceased to operate as a school.
At the time of her retirement, Sister Jane was responsible for the maintenance of all units. She was also a board member of the Pennsylvania Interfaith Community Program, Inc., a non-profit in Adams and York Counties that oversees senior and low-income housing projects.
Sister Jane O. Small, SSJ ’61 1943-2023
Sister Mary Thomas Blank, SCC 1926-2023
Georgia (Brown) Lisinski 1941-2023
Loretta Lynch (formerly Sister Loretta, SCC) 1939-2023
John W. “Lut” Smith ‘47, a volunteer at Delone Catholic for parts of eight decades, was the last original member of the Delone Catholic Athletic Association to pass away. He was inducted into the Delone Catholic Hall of Honor in 2021.
Mr. Smith began as a volunteer in the 1950s, and he served in a wide variety of roles in nearly every sport offered at Delone Catholic. He lined fields in preparation for football, field hockey, baseball, and softball. During games, he served on the chain crew for football, and as a scoreboard/clock operator for football, basketball, and wrestling. Outside of Delone Catholic, Mr. Smith served as a youth baseball umpire in McSherrystown for many years.
His two children and three grandchildren are Delone Catholic alumni
John W. Smith ’47 1928-2024
Sister Rita Dolores (Sister George Ellen) Woehlcke, SSJ 1946-2023
Sister Marilyn McCusker, SCC 1940-2024
Sister Joseph Marie Germershausen, SCC 1923-2022
Alumni News
Dr. Joshua B. Slee ’03 fostering Faith and Science at DeSales University
“Be who you are and be that well.” Dr. Joshua B. Slee ‘03 shared the motto of DeSales University with the students being honored at the annual Academic Banquet hosted by the PTO on Monday evening, April 29. Dr. Slee serves as the Division Head of the Division of Sciences and Mathematics and as the Department Chair of the Department of Biology at DeSales, one of Delone Catholic’s nearly 30 college partners.
Dr. Slee returned to his alma mater to share the wisdom accumulated throughout his career in academia with the students in the top 10 percent of their respective classes and their families, who gathered to celebrate academic achievement, along with faculty and local pastors. Dr. Slee encouraged students to explore the possibilities presented to them and to “Let your passion guide your path.”
“Grit,” he told them, “is the most significant indicator of success.”
And Dr. Slee cautioned students to foster all aspects of their life - not letting other things to interfere with nurturing their spiritual life.
Dr. Joshua Slee is a 2003 graduate of Delone Catholic High School where he was a member of the basketball team and active in campus ministry. He received his BS in biotechnology with a minor in chemistry and his MS in biotechnology from Marywood University in Scranton, Pa. For his master’ s research, he studied exercise-induced asthma and the effect of air pollution on lung function. He then earned his Ph.D. in cell and molecular biology from Lehigh University, where he helped discover a receptor for heparin and investigated the anti-inflammatory roles of heparin and shear stress in cardiovascular disease. Dr. Slee completed a postdoctoral fellowship at The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (The University of Pennsylvania) where he explored the use of CD47, a marker “self” recognition to the immune system, to promote the biocompatibility of medical devices. Having been involved in the study of inflammation across different body systems, his primary area of interest is inflammation and the body’s cellular responses to it. His lab
utilizes cell and molecular biology techniques to understand how vascular cells transmit and respond to inflammatory and anti-inflammatory signals from their environment. His work has been presented at national meetings and published in a variety of peer-reviewed journals.
At DeSales University, he serves as Division Head of the Division of Sciences and Mathematics and as the Department Chair of the Department of Biology. He routinely teaches Introduction to Cell Culture, Cell Biology, Immunology, and Designer Genes. Dr. Slee resides in the Lehigh Valley with his wife and son. When he is not teaching and conducting research, he enjoys kayaking, traveling, cooking, and family trips to Dorney Park. He is an active member of Notre Dame of Bethlehem Parish, a member of the Knights of Columbus Trinity Council 313, and Assembly 931. Dr. Slee is a member of the American Society of Cell Biology, the American Society for Cellular and Molecular Biology, and the Lehigh Valley Molecular and Cell Biology Society, which he co-founded.
August 10
Delone Catholic Night at the Revolution
August 22
Annual Bonfire | Aug. 22
October 11-13
Homecoming Weekend
April 5
Girls’ Delone in the Dark
October 3-5
Homecoming 2025
*Dates subject to change. Check www. DeloneCatholic.org for latest information.
Alumni News
Class of 1954
Rita (Nicholson) Weaver and Phil Crouse donated $600 on behalf of their class to Delone Catholic, and Mrs. Weaver also presented scrapbooks that she created over the years documenting the class’s history to be preserved in the Delone Catholic High School archives.
Class of 2004
Sarah (Lupp) Russell became a financial aid administrator for Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center’s School of Nursing at the end of July 2023. She loves her job, the students, and her co-workers
Class of 2010
Justin Main and his wife, Jordyn, welcomed daughter, Evelyn Louis, in January 2023. She was baptized in September at Immaculate Conception Church, York.
Evelyn Main is baptized by Rev. John Kuchinski as her parents and godparents look on.
Reunion News
Will
you be
having a class reunion in 2024 or 2025?
Even if it is a not an anniversary that ends in a “0” or a “5”, please let us know. Many classes get together monthly, annually, or on a different schedule. If you are the coordinator of a reunion, please contact us with your information so that we can provide you with updated information on your classmates. We’ll also include your information on our website so those who are interested can find out what is being planned.
Please contact the Office of Advancement so we can help you get the word out. As information becomes available on upcoming reunions, it will be added to the website. Please check DeloneCatholic.org > Alumni & Friends > Reunions.
Office of Advancement
717-637-5969, Ext. 211 advancement@delonecatholic.org
Class of 1957 | Reunion Luncheons
The Class of 1957 meets for lunch at 12 p.m. on the first Monday of every month at Hoss’s Steak and Sea House, 1180 Carlisle Street, Hanover. All are welcome.
Class of 1958 | 66th Reunion
The Class of 1958 will hold its 66th Reunion on Friday, Sept. 13, 2024 at Hickory Bridge Farm Restaurant, 96 Hickory Bridge Road, Orrtanna. For more information, contact Donna (Schriver) Brewer at 717-334-3298.
Class of 1961 | Reunion Luncheons
The Class of 1961 meets for lunch at 12:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month at Hoss’s Steak and Sea House, 1180 Carlisle Street, Hanover. All are welcome.
Class of 1965 | Reunion Luncheons
The Class of 1965 meets for lunch at 11:30 a.m. on the first Wednesday of each month.
From September-May, the location is Dutch Country Restaurant, 946 Baltimore Street, Hanover.
In June, July, and August, the location is Crabbs Tropical Treat, 2279 Carlisle Pike, Hanover. All are welcome
Class of 1966 | 59th Reunion
The Class of 1966 will hold its 59th Reunion on Saturday, April 26, 2025 at Inn 94 Restaurant, 4805 Carlisle Pike, New Oxford. For more information, contact Pat (Breiner) Webb at paw4893@gmail.com or Julie (Houser) Hawbaker at 717-632-0620.
Class of 1974 | 59th Reunion – Golden Diplomas
The Class of 1974 is planning its 50th Reunion for the weekend of Oct. 11-13, coinciding with Homecoming 2024 at Delone Catholic. Plans will be communicated directly to classmates. For more information, contact J.D. Miller at 717-688-6393.
Class of 1979 | 45th Reunion
The Class of 1979 will holds its 45th Reunion at the Mansion House 1757, 15 West Main Street, Fairfield from 6-10 p.m. on Sept. 14. More details will follow. For more information, contact Karen (Smith) Smith at 717-451-3043 or barkarsmith@comcast.net, Mary (Rider) Klunk at 717-634-8712 or mseklunk@gmail.com, or Julie (Breighner) Kuhn at 717-965-7252 or irish1212@verizon.net.
Class of 1989 | 35th Reunion
The Class of 1989 will hold its 35th Reunion on Saturday, Sept. 28 at Highland Taps & Tables, 925 Westminster Avenue, Hanover. More information will be sent directly to classmates.
Class of 1999 | 25th Reunion
The Class of 1999 will hold its 25th Reunion on Saturday, June 29 with events throughout the day in the Hanover area. For full details, contact Juli (Kale) Megonnell at 717-968-1370 or julimegonnell@comcast.net.
Reunion News News
Class of 1953 | 70th Reunion
The Class of 1953 held its 70th Reunion at Inn 94 Restaurant on Sept. 16, 2023.
Class of 1998 | 25th Reunion
The Class of 1998 held its 25th Reunion at the Markets of Hanover Public House on Sept. 30, 2023.
Class of 2003 | 20th Reunion
The Class of 2003 held its 20th Reunion at the Battlefield Brew Works & Spirits of Gettysburg Distillery on Nov. 4, 2023.
140 South Oxford Avenue McSherrystown, PA 17344
www.delonecatholic.org
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If you are an alumnus, or a parent of an alumnus or a current student, at Delone Catholic High School, you should be receiving The Squire and communications about reunions and other events. If this information is not getting to you, please contact the Office of Advancement to update your contact information.
What’s New in Your Life?
Send alumni news of weddings, births, personal/professional milestones, deaths or other items of interest to the Office of Advancement.
We would be happy to include any accompanying photographs with these news items in upcoming issues of The Squire. You can also send prayer requests by clicking on the Alumni menu at www.DeloneCatholicorg.
