Focus Magazine XVIII

A PUBLICATION FOR THE DOWLING CATHOLIC COMMUNITY

Another school year has come to a close and it is my privilege to share with you some highlights and recent accomplishments of our students.

I would first like to congratulate the members of the Class of 2023. These graduates have shown tremendous growth and served as outstanding leaders. They overcame many challenges and continued to live their faith by helping those less fortunate, collectively serving nearly 40,000 hours during their four years at DCHS. They excelled in academics and as a group were offered more than $9.4 million in scholarships to colleges across the nation. We look forward to following their success wherever their future endeavors may take them.

There was much to celebrate during the year, including outstanding band, choir and theater performances, success in athletics, and the list goes on. As we continually look for ways to incorporate career readiness into our curriculum, I am pleased to share that beginning with this issue we have engaged student writers and photographers to help tell these stories. I hope you enjoy their perspective on many of the great things happening in our school.

We continue to make progress in implementing the regional model that will help sustain the collective future of the 12 Catholic schools in the Des Moines Metro. Some highlights include the following:

• On average teacher compensation was increased by 7% across K-8 schools. This is a great first step towards reaching our goal of matching public school compensation within the next five years.

• As anticipated, many more families qualified for tuition assistance given expanded income guidelines and new sources, including the Diocesan Tuition Assistance Endowment established by the Ignite Campaign. As a result, 1,200 families in the Des Moines Region applied for tuition assistance which reflects a 25% increase.

• In July business operations of three pilot schools will be fully implemented. This includes tuition management, human resources and financial operations.

Now one year into implementation of our strategic plan, significant progress has been made in many areas. We recently dedicated our new maintenance facility which will better meet storage and department needs, free up space in the school building, and enhance student safety by relocating bus and maintenance activity away from the main hub. Building and Grounds is just one area of focus from our strategic plan. You can learn more about how the plan impacts student life, academics and other areas on our website at www.dowlingcatholic.org/strategic-plan.

In closing, I would like to thank everyone who has offered prayers and support as our community suffered a great loss with the recent passing of Tim Sheaff, an alumnus from the Class of 1986 and a beloved teacher, colleague and friend. In difficult times I am reminded of how blessed we are to be part of this community of faith that extends well beyond the walls of Dowling Catholic. Your continued prayers for Tim’s wife Christy and the entire Sheaff family are greatly appreciated.

In Christ,

Dr. Dan Ryan President Dowling Catholic High School and Des Moines Regional Catholic Schools

CONTENTS

Focus magazine is published for Dowling Catholic parents, alumni and donors.

OUR MISSION

Dowling Catholic High School is committed to serving the Greater Des Moines Catholic community and embracing learners of all faiths. In an environment that is faithful, caring and dedicated, Dowling Catholic forms each student to become a Christcentered leader.

ON THE COVER

The Dowling Catholic Choir traveled to Italy over spring break, returning to the spiritual center of the Church and the birthplace of the great choral tradition. The choir last traveled to Rome in April 2005 when they became the first American choir to sing for the newly installed Pope Benedict XVI.

ADVANCEMENT UPDATE

Fulfilling the DCHS mission.

CALENDAR

Find out about upcoming Dowling Catholic events.

ON CAMPUS

Two longtime DCHS faculty members retire.

FEATURE

DCHS choir trip to Italy.

WELL DONE

Success in the classroom and in the arts.

CLASS NOTES

Be in the know about alumni and friends of Dowling Catholic.

IN MEMORIAM

Extending sympathy to the families of alumni who have passed away.

TRUE MAROON

Celebrating the 2023 Distinguished Alumni award recipients.

THE PULSE

DCHS students travel to Brazil to work with the children of Terra Livre.

FEATURE

Celebrating 50 years together on Buffalo Road.

THE PULSE

DCHS recognizes year-end award recipients.

PRESIDENT: Dr. Dan Ryan

DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT: Julie Bell

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR: Tara Nelson

ART DIRECTOR: Colin Gargano

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Rachel Brown Ted Power

Staff Writers, DC Post

COPY EDITORS: Kathy Kirby Power ‘80

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER: Earl Hulst Jenny Umstead ‘89 Staff Photographers, DC Post

CONTACT

Dowling Catholic High School 1400 Buffalo Rd. West Des Moines, IA 50265

515.225.3000

www.dowlingcatholic.org

Donors make a significant impact at Dowling Catholic High School, providing crucial support to programs and resources that truly benefit all students. Thanks to the generosity of those who contribute, we are able to fulfill our mission of preparing Leaders for Life, Centered on Christ. The impact of the We Are Maroons Annual Appeal is reflected in the following ways:

Tuition: DCHS is committed to serving the Greater Des Moines community and making a Catholic education accessible to all. Gifts to the Annual Appeal helped to provide $1.4 million in tuition assistance to DCHS students during the 2022-2023 school year.

Tuition covers just 70% of the perstudent cost, with the remainder funded by parishes and the Annual Appeal. Support of the annual appeal also helps to cover the “gap” between tuition and the cost to educate each student.*

Student Life: Through faith and academics, student activities, athletics and the arts, the Annual Appeal serves the interests of our students. With donor support we are able to grow existing opportunities and launch new initiatives to help students in their faith and academic pursuits.

School Services: The Annual Appeal supports every aspect of the school’s daily operations. Dowling Catholic’s

commitment to excellence extends to the building and grounds, technology and providing competitive teacher compensation.

To donate, please visit:

www.dowlingcatholic.org/annual-appeal.

Matching Gifts: Many employers sponsor a matching gift program, providing an easy way to leverage your gift. Some of these employers include MidAmerican Energy, Wellmark and Wells Fargo. To find out if your company participates in a matching gift program, please visit www.dowlingcatholic.org/matching-gifts. The impact of your gift may be doubled or even tripled!

“My high school experience was truly special because Dowling Catholic is rooted in generosity. The teachers, coaches, donors and staff are exactly what makes the school function, and for that there is an overwhelming sense of love and support that I am so grateful to have experienced.

Throughout my high school career, my favorite memories are rooted in the spirit of the swim team when we won conference my senior year. Over the past four years, coaches and teammates became very close, and watching everyone accomplish their goals after a long season was the highlight. I will miss the community deeply, and the feeling of Jesus around me within the halls, but I am confident that Dowling Catholic has prepared me to be a Leader for Life, Centered on Christ.”

- Violet B. ‘23

The cost to educate each student for the 2023-2024 school year is $14,290 $3,088 leaving a “gap” amount of

Bash on Buffalo

Nearly 300 guests gathered in April at Dowling Catholic for the Bash on Buffalo with others joining the fun as remote bidders. In addition to parents, teachers, staff and friends of DCHS, alumni representing class years from 1966-2018 joined this special celebration marking 50 years together on Buffalo Road for the “old” Dowling and St. Joseph Academy.

John Sears ‘00 served as the emcee and guests enjoyed live and silent auctions, excellent food provided by Kue’d Smokehouse, and outstanding live entertainment from students Adrian Brown ‘24 and John Haus ‘23 and the Final Mix Show Band.

The event would not have been possible without the tremendous contributions of more than 150 volunteers and the support of local businesses. We are immensely grateful for the support of our presenting sponsor, Global Direct Mail & Marketing, and the following businesses: Anytime Fitness, Des Moines Dance DJs, Golden Rule, i2-tech, Integrity Printing, Iowa Spring Manufacturing, Stivers Lincoln Ford, Wellman’s, West Bank and Willis Nissan.

Your Gift Matters

Visit our new planned giving website now offering a free personal estate planning kit with tools for organizing your estate - saving you time, protecting your assets and helping you establish your legacy. This comprehensive estate planning kit will help you protect loved ones, organize everything in one place and save on taxes. To download your free planning kit, visit: plannedgiving.dowlingcatholic.org.

When you include Dowling Catholic High School in your estate plan, your generosity provides a faithful, caring and dedicated environment for learners of all faiths. Thank you for helping us prepare students to become Christcentered leaders who will serve the Greater Des Moines community well into the future.

If you have questions or have already included us in your estate, please visit our website or contact Julie Bell, Advancement Director, at 515.222.1048 or jbell@dowlingcatholic.org.

The longstanding tradition of publishing a school newspaper continues at Dowling Catholic, now in digital format. The Dowling Catholic Post is published online by a staff of student writers led by alumna Jenny Umstead ‘89, a journalism and English teacher at DCHS.

The new format launched in the fall of 2022 and was updated regularly throughout the school year with the latest news from on campus and around the community. New with this issue, the contribution of student writers and photographers can be found in the pages ahead and online at www. dowlingcatholicpost.com. Meet the staff of the 2022-2023 Dowling Catholic Post.

Flynn Milligan, Editor-in-Chief

Flynn graduated in May and was a member of the cross country and track teams. He plans to attend the University of Iowa to run cross country and track while studying journalism. Flynn joined the Post because he has a passion for sharing news in an interesting and creative way. Last year he was a recipient of the Iowa High School Press Association’s Emerging Journalist Award.

Mackenzie Branstad, Staff Writer Mackenzie will be a senior and is involved in Ut Fidem, Super Cool Service Club, Best Buddies, Student Ambassadors, cross country and tennis. She joined the Post to learn how to write news stories.

Alaina Cleghorn, Staff Writer

Alaina Cleghorn will be a senior and participates in volleyball, Ut Fidem and Students for Life. She joined the Post because she loves to write and meet new people.

Frida Gonzalez-Miranda, Staff Writer

Frida graduated in May and was a member of the yearbook staff. She joined the Post to work on her writing skills.

Macy Harnden, Staff Writer

Macy will be a junior and is on the basketball team and involved in Student Ambassadors, Ut Fidem, Special Olympics, Cards for a Cause and Students for Life. Macy truly enjoys writing which is why she joined the Post.

Ella Johnson, Staff Writer

Ella will be a junior and is involved in the performing arts, Speech and Debate, Student Ambassadors, Ut Fidem, Cards for a Cause and tennis. She has been an avid writer from a young age, even heading her own one-person newspaper in elementary school. She writes for the Post because she wants to shed light on the unique stories of our community.

Averi Langin, Staff Writer

Averi will be a senior and plays on the golf team, runs cross country and is a member of the Student Philanthropy Council. She loves to write for the Post and can’t wait for the fall when she will become the Editor-in-Chief!

Ruby Leman, Staff Writer

Ruby will be a junior and is involved in Ut Fidem, choir and track. She wrote her own family newspaper in fourth grade and has been writing for as long as she can remember. She joined the Post because she is interested in pursuing a career as a journalist and wants to learn how to take a stand for her beliefs and write about difficult topics.

Danny Pierick, Staff Writer

Danny will be a senior and is a member of Mock Trial, Academic Decathlon, track, soccer, Ut Fidem and Students for Life. He wants to learn how to write more fluently and hopes to provide the school community with great stories.

Delaney Platt, Staff Writer

Delaney will be a junior and is involved in Ut Fidem, Special Olympics and volleyball. She joined the Post because she’s always had a knack for and a love of writing.

Emily Ponxs, Staff Writer

Emily graduated in May and was involved in ceramics, Cards for a Cause, yearbook, Peer Ministry and Maroon Crew. She plans to study communications and public relations at Central College.

Marin Stark, Staff Writer

Marin graduated in May and participated in Best Buddies, Student Ambassadors, Maroon Crew and Special Olympics. She plans to attend Iowa State University to major in Event Marketing.

Mrs. Jenny Umstead, Adviser

Mrs. Umstead just finished her first year at DCHS but has been teaching for more than twenty years, primarily in the Des Moines Diocese. She has two children, Miles who just graduated from DCHS and Franny who will be a junior. Umstead is a 1989 DCHS graduate and credits her amazing teachers, especially the English teachers, with instilling in her a love of the written word. She lives in Waukee with her husband Jeff, her children, and their French Bulldog, Pearl.

Front: Macy Harnden, Averi Langin Middle: Friday Gonzalez-Miranda, Ruby Leman, Emily Ponxs, Mackenzie Branstad Back: Danny Pierick, Marin Stark, Alaina Cleghorn, Delaney Platt, Ella Johnson, and Flynn Milligan

Maroon Market

“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited me in.” Matthew 25:35

Christian service is central to Dowling Catholic’s mission with the student body collectively donating more than 60,000 cumulative hours to serving others in the community each year. At the start of the 2022-23 school year the focus shifted to include serving those in need within the school community through the establishment of the Maroon Market.

The mission of the Maroon Market is to provide food and personal hygiene items for DCHS students and their families in order to support and strengthen every member of the community. Work on establishing the market began in the spring of 2022 when the founding committee met with the Food Bank of Iowa and completed training to create the first food and personal hygiene pantry at DCHS. In August of 2022 a personal hygiene collection took place at the Senior Class Mass which helped stock the Maroon Market. The following month the first order was placed with the Food Bank of Iowa and faculty members formed a committee to clean the closet weekly, check expiration dates, stock the pantry and fulfill orders.

Donations were accepted on an ongoing basis and in January of 2023 homerooms and athletic teams completed service projects to stock the pantry. Nearly 200 individuals had been served by the end of the school year with 2,643 items donated or purchased with fundraising dollars. The Maroon Market will continue to serve DCHS students and families during the summer months. To learn more about the Maroon Market, please contact maroonmarket@dowlingcatholic.org.

> Aug 7 Dowling Catholic Golf Outing

Terrace Hills Golf Course | 8700 NE 46th Ave, Altoona

Each summer the DCHS community comes together for a fun day of golf to raise money for the Coppola Family Endowment. This fund was initiated in the early 1970s and continues to provide tuition assistance to DCHS students. To register or become a sponsor, please visit www.dowlingcatholic.org/golf-outing.

> Sept 20 President’s Council Dinner

Des Moines Golf & Country Club | 1600 Jordan Creek Pkwy, West Des Moines

This annual recognition dinner is a special event honoring those individuals who support Dowling Catholic with gifts of cash or stock totaling $2,000 or more annually (fiscal year July 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023).

> Sept 28 Grandparents Day

Dowling Catholic High School | 1400 Buffalo Road, West Des Moines

Grandparents are the guests of honor during this annual celebration. Each year our special guests have the opportunity to visit campus and enjoy refreshments, hear from student and faculty speakers, and celebrate Mass with their grandchildren.

> Oct 6 Homecoming & Athletic Hall of Fame Induction

Valley Stadium | 4440 Mills Civic Pkwy, West Des Moines

Community members are invited to celebrate Dowling Catholic’s Homecoming. Join us at Valley Stadium to cheer on the Maroons at the varsity football game. The homecoming court and Hall of Fame inductees will be introduced at half-time.

> Oct 29 Pancake Breakfast

Iowa State Fairgrounds | 3000 East Grand Ave, Des Moines

Please join us for this great DCHS tradition which brings the community together and raises money to support students and teachers.

> Dec 7 President’s Christmas Luncheon

Glen Oaks Country Club | 1401 Glen Oaks Drive, West Des Moines

DCHS parents, alumni and friends are invited to celebrate the Christmas season with a wonderful lunch, special guest speakers and entertainment from student musicians and vocalists.

For the most current event information please visit: dowlingcatholic.org/events

Farewell

With the end of the school year we celebrated the retirement of two of our outstanding teachers. We are grateful to Mr. Pete Loyd and Mrs. Trish Sackett for their many years of service and tremendous contributions.

Mr. Pete Loyd retired at the end of the school year after serving as a science teacher at Dowling Catholic since 2003. During his tenure he taught advanced placement and advanced biology and also did much of the school’s official photography for his first eight years. Prior to DCHS he taught for 15 years at St. Ignatius College Prep in San Francisco with a two-year break to earn his master’s. He and his wife moved back to Iowa in the fall of 2003 with their triplets.

He received his undergraduate degree in zoology from the University of California Davis and his teaching credentials from San Francisco State University. He earned a Master of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Graduate Studies at Iowa State University with a focus on molecular biology, evolution and education.

“I have really enjoyed getting to know other faculty members during my time

at Dowling Catholic, especially folks in the science, math, foreign language and English departments,” said Loyd. “I’ve really appreciated the support of the administration, especially when it came to continuing professional development in the life science field. Both Jim Dowdle and Matt Meendering were very supportive in helping make it possible for me to attend the Nobel lectures many falls at Gustavus Adolphus college in Minnesota. I also enjoyed taking my students on zoo field trips to study animal behavior and going to Iowa State to do labs in molecular biology.”

In retirement he looks forward to having more free time to spend with family and to bike, hike, garden and read.

TRISH SACKETT

Mrs. Trish Sackett retired after 29 years at Dowling Catholic. As a longtime member of the World Languages Department, she taught Spanish and served in a variety of other roles during her tenure. She was hired to teach Spanish and yearbook and also as the assistant varsity volleyball coach.

She founded the Dowling Yucatan program and traveled for 10 years with students and four other teachers for 10 days every summer. She also served as the senior class moderator for almost 20 years, as the junior class moderator for two years, as the varsity volleyball coach and a co-moderator of the Guatemala trip. Before starting a family she even

mowed the grass for the maintenance department for a few summers.

Sackett attended Central College in Pella, Iowa, and studied Spanish, spending one semester in Merida, Yucatan, Mexico. Prior to DCHS, she taught at Highland High School in Riverside, Iowa. She and her husband have four children - Jack ‘14, Aidan ‘17, Sofia ‘20 and Ellie ‘23 - all graduates of DCHS.

“I made most of my closest friends at Dowling Catholic and I will cherish all the fun we’ve had and the memories we’ve made, although that fun isn’t over - now

I have time for more!” said Sackett. “The trips to Yucatan were the best of times with really great friends/teachers, and the opportunity to co-moderate the service trips to Guatemala has left my heart full. I hope that trip continues as there is a real need. I do want to say thank you to all the students I have had the privilege of knowing and teaching - you’ve made my career one I looked forward to every single day. Also, thank you to all the faculty, especially the World Language Department, and the staff and administrators that make DCHS such a great place to be a part of.”

In retirement she plans to enjoy watching both her daughters play tennis in college at their rival schools. She also plans to travel and looks forward to spending time with family and friends in Costa Rica where she and her husband Chris are building a house overlooking the ocean. When in town, she hopes to sub at DCHS!

PETE LOYD

“Thank you to all the students I have had the privilege of knowing and teaching - you’ve made my career one I looked forward to every single day.”

Trish Sackett

The Performing Arts Department presented the spring musical production of Guys and Dolls for the DCHS community in late April with a special matinee performance for more than 400 local parochial school sixth graders prior to opening night.

The production was recognized by Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards with Outstanding Overall Performance and Outstanding Ensemble. In addition, the following students were recognized with Outstanding Performance in a Principal Role: Elizabeth James as Miss Adelaide, Nick Pulliam as Nathan Detroit, Quentin Steinbach as Nicely-Nicely Johnson and Olivia Tice as Sarah Brown. Jack Power received Special Recognition for Performance in a Principal Role as Sky Masterson, and DCHS received Special Recognition for Student Orchestra. Nick Pulliam was also invited to do a spotlight performance at the Awards Showcase on June 1.

Alaina Cleghorn, staff writer for the Dowling Catholic Post, shares what the experience was like for Fr. Reed Flood ‘13, DCHS chaplain, who had a cameo in the spring musical production. college. “I wouldn’t have gotten to know him if it wasn’t for the musical,” said Fr. Flood. The musical is a good way for him to remember his dear friend, and the choir loft is named in Eric’s honor.

Guys and Dolls is a 1955 romantic comedy set in Manhattan. Fr. Flood made an appearance in a dance scene with a group of students. He was thrilled when Mr. Sheaff offered him a role and was so glad to come back.

“I’ve always been super grateful for the Dowling Catholic musical experience, and this was really cool to give back,” said Fr. Flood.

This was the fifth musical at DCHS that Fr. Flood has participated in. He played a wrestling coach in Footloose and accidentally forgot one of his lines. He wrote a homily based on this experience.

“Even if we mess up, God is with us and will put us back on the right track,” said Fr. Flood. “He is the master improviser.”

He played three roles in Beauty and the Beast, one of them being a dancing knife. “We sold out every single show,” said Flood. He also participated in Wonderful Town and Damn Yankees. All were amazing experiences for him because he made lifelong friends.

His senior year was very special because everyone in his group of friends went out for the musical. This is where he met his college roommate, Eric, who passed away during his sophomore year of

For the production of Guys and Dolls, Fr. Flood attended eight practices, including one six-hour Sunday practice. He enjoyed praying with the students before the show and has so much respect for them. When asked if performing in the spring musical will become an annual thing, Fr Flood replied, “Stay tuned.”

Visit

THE R AD HOME

The Dowling Catholic Choir traveled to Italy over spring break, returning to the spiritual center of the Church and the birthplace of the great choral tradition. The choir last traveled to Rome in April 2005 when they became the first American choir to sing for the newly installed Pope Benedict XVI. Read a first-hand account of the trip from Ruby Leman, staff writer for the Dowling Catholic Post.

excited for what lay ahead. Skip through the eight tedious hours and the layover in Switzerland to the actual flight from Zurich to Rome. I watched as we flew over the Swiss Alps and the Italian countryside and beaches. That’s when the realization started fighting its way through my exhaustion and jet lag. I was going to land in Italy in a few minutes.

and St. Peter’s Basilica, all filled with overwhelming grandeur. Our tour guide was a punctual local who moved us smoothly from a hallway full of medieval tapestries to a passageway full of maps of the world they knew thousands of years ago.

“Traveling, it leaves you speechless and then makes you a storyteller.” -Ibn

Battuta

At some point during your life there might be an opportunity for you to travel to another country. Should this opportunity arise, you should grab it with both hands. This year during spring break I took my first-ever international trip. I promise that wherever you are in your life any trip like this will change your life for good.

The Dowling Catholic Choir program took their trip to Rome, Italy, the center of the Catholic faith. The group consisted of around 80 kids from DC Singers and A Capella Choir and 15 chaperones. The tour was called “The Road Home” after a song in our concert repertoire. There is also a saying that all roads lead to Rome which fits very nicely.

The group left DCHS in two charter buses headed for O’Hare Airport in Chicago. We arrived in Chicago mid-afternoon,

We got to Rome and moped in the airport for an hour waiting for errant bags. Finally, everyone was ready to depart from the airport. First up was Mass, prayed by Father Downey in a special church.

On the way, we met the Purple Umbrella attached to the hand of our tour guide. The Purple Umbrella guided us throughout Rome and you could never fear being lost when it was opened in full glory several feet ahead.

Sant’Ignazio was stunning with delicate paintings of elegant angels and glorious apostles hidden in every nook and cranny. We couldn’t help but stare, slack-jawed at the wonders of architecture and artistry this church had to offer. It was so amazing that it put a few members to sleep during our Mass, or maybe that was jet lag. After dinner at the hotel, people shuffled back to their rooms for some much-needed sleep.

On the first full day in Rome, we visited many incredible churches and buildings including Vatican City, the Sistine Chapel,

Everywhere you walked there were ancient statues missing limbs and so much art that it would steal your breath. Every square inch of all of the ceilings and walls was either covered in art or had wide windows with sunlight pouring in.

After touring the Vatican Museum, we went into the Sistine Chapel. Even though there were crowds of people it was nearly silent. The kind of beauty present demands so much awe from you that most don’t have energy for talking. There were also security guards stalking around shushing the whisperers and blocking people from taking pictures.

After the Sistine Chapel, the tour guide moved us into the line for St. Peter’s Basilica, the largest Catholic Church in the world. Viewing St. Peter’s Basilica is an emotional combination of traveling to another country, eating gelato, and getting your first car all at the same time. It is massive and covered wall to wall with mosaics and statuesque marble figures. After the stunning beauty of St. Peter’s, we went outside and were sent off with various chaperones for lunch, shopping, and, of course, gelato.

After lunch

we grabbed our choir robes off the bus and headed back to St. Peter’s where we sang at a Mass. It was a profound experience singing in a church that size, however, the experience was clouded by the Mass itself. When in Rome you are supposed to act like the Romans, even if that means listening to Mass in Italian.

Tuesday was Ancient Rome day which meant we visited the Colosseum and Roman Forum. The enormity of the Colosseum was shocking, especially when our guide told us that it would have been packed with hundreds of thousands of people, all there to watch the normal spilling of blood and death that made up their regular Friday night plans.

After the Forum, we headed out of Rome to the Catacombs, the burial place of many long-forgotten souls. The Catacombs were dark, cramped, and slightly mind-blowing because there are miles of underground tunnels and secret burial chambers that have been around since the 2nd Century A.D.

and no one found them until around a hundred years ago.

Next we visited the Trevi fountain and threw in our coins according to the tradition (one coin means you return to Rome and two coins mean that you find love in Rome). Most girls threw two coins into the fountain and then went shopping and ate some more gelato with their friends.

That night we had our concert in the same church we had our original Mass. It is safe to say that the experience of singing our repertoire in Rome was life-changing because we brought the audience to tears. Making strangers cry halfway around the world by singing is

profound in different ways to different people, but everyone there was moved.

On Wednesday, we returned to St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City and saw the Pope in his weekly audience. Security to get in was ridiculously long, so we missed our scheduled time to sing for the Pope, which had everyone slightly upset. However, after the audience, we decided just to sing for ourselves and whoever else wanted to listen. Before long, we were singing our hearts out to a group of strangers.

We then visited all of the major Basilicas in Rome including the Basilica of St. John Laterine, St. Mary Major and St. Paul Outside the Wall. In each Church, we were granted a slot of time to sing for whoever was there.

Thursday was our day to visit Assisi, a picture book village in the Italian countryside. The weather was wonderful and stunning views made for a truly spectacular experience. We also got to see the birthplace of St. Clare and St. Francis of Assisi.

We left for the airport early on Friday morning and buckled in for a solid 24 hours of traveling from timezone to timezone across the ocean and finally back to Chicago. We hopped on our bus and began the tedious final stretch back home.

A few days later in class, we spent almost the entire period talking about Rome, how it affected us, and our favorite parts. I have never felt closer to a group of people than I did with the friends I made on that trip. Traveling is very special and it possesses the ability to alter your life permanently.

Speech & Debate

The Dowling Catholic Speech and Debate team completed a successful season during which they earned several individual and team titles.

The team’s success began in January at the Iowa High School Speech Association State Debate Tournament where DCHS placed second overall in team points and Collin Comito and Suzanne Bigelow finished as state champions in the Policy Debate category. Jack McGuire and Betzy Sandoval finished as semifinalists in Policy Debate; Ethan Stanley finished as quarter-finalist in Lincoln Douglas Debate; Betzy Sandoval and Jack McGuire were semifinalists in Policy Debate; Leo Klemm and Cate Sullivan were semifinalists in Public Forum Debate; and Liam Ekhardt and Ned Whipple were runners-up in Public Forum Debate.

In February the team was crowned Tournament Champion Speech Team, Tournament Champion Debate Team and Overall District Team Champion. In addition the following students qualified to compete at the national tournament held in June: Isabelle Colon Alba, Suzanne Bigelow, Collin Comito, Elizabeth James, Ella Johnson, Conrad Krantz, Reese Lovell, Jack McGuire, Betzy Sandoval and Katie Strawn. Jacob Giblin, Matthew Pierson and Catherine Sullivan were named first alternates.

DCHS captured the Iowa High School Forensic League State Speech

Mock Trial

Dowling Catholic Mock Trial completed another successful season in late March with an appearance at the Iowa High School Mock Trial State tournament where 32 teams competed for the championship title. The DCHS team Mockin’ on Heaven’s Door won all three trials to advance to the semifinals where they had the opportunity to compete in front of real judges in a courtroom in the Iowa Judicial Building.

They fell just short of making it to the championship round but had an outstanding performance. The team included Grace Kottmeyer, Tre Salazar, Sandy Wang, Robby Duran, Danny Pierick, Elizabeth Topf, Veronica Smith, Elizabeth Melcher and Quentin Steinbach.

The team was one of three from DCHS to compete in the regional tournament where they advanced with a third place finish and several students earned honors. Elizabeth Topf, Ned Whipple and Katie Strawn were awarded All-District Outstanding Attorney, and Tre Salazar, Grace Kottmeyer, Lillian Schultheis and Elizabeth Melcher received All-District Honorable Mention Attorney.

Championship title in March and also earned the state title in debate, making them back-to-back state champions in both as they repeated this accomplishment from 2022. In Policy Debate three DCHS pairs were crowned co-champions: Jack McGuire and Betzy Sandoval, Suzanne Bigelow and Collin Comito, and Kellen King and Ephraim Messer. Collin Comito was also named Top Policy Debater and awarded the Jamis Curran Trophy.

Congratulations to the entire team on an outstanding year!

Additional honors included recognition as All-District Outstanding Witness for Robby Duran, Danny Pierick, Katya Bañuelos-Moriel, Katie Strawn, Cate Sullivan and Isabelle Colon Alba, and Veronica Smith, Riley Hogendorn, Quentin Steinbach and Matthew Saegh received All-District Honorable Mention Witness.

The Burbs

The Visual Arts Department participated in the annual Burbs Art Show held in April at Johnston High School where DCHS had 20 different pieces of art selected and brought home five awards. The following DCHS students had work selected: Noelle Waller, Noah Olson-Daniel, Nazret Remodan, Estella Koenigsfeld, Sophia I Mauro, Owen Nigg, Abbie RodriguezLewis, Addi Schaefer, Cate Polley, Avery Muller, Berlin Schachtner, Lillie Brooks, Carter Coppola, Rowan Collins, Leinani Nguyen, Nate Anthony, Ava Myers, Addie Lipovac, Pilar Fisher and Natalie Felker.

Earning awards were Carter Coppola who placed third in Computer Generated Art; Estella Koenigsfeld who placed second in Oil/Acrylic/ Tempera Painting; Addi Schaefer who earned Best in Category: Jewelry; Addie Lipovac who earned Best in Category: Analog/Altered Photography; and Pilar Fisher who won Best in Category for Graphic Design. Congratulations to all who participated!

Band Awards Choir Awards

The Dowling Catholic band program is proud to recognize students for their achievements and contributions with awards presented annually each spring. Congratulations to the following 2023 award recipients:

Senior Awards

John Philip Sousa Band Award - Emily Nguyen

Patrick S. Gilmore Band Award - Katie Flaherty

Louis Armstrong Band Award - Miles Umstead

Reubin Alcoy Memorial Award - Molly Eure

Woody Herman Jazz Award - Carter Holt

Quincy Jones Musicianship Award - Aiden Volp

Mary Perlowski Spirit and Dedication Award - Chloe Abrahamson

Service and Commitment Award - Regan Pietig

Most Improved Senior - Chloe Burrows

Good Samaritan Award - Samuel Rohe

Freshman, Sophomore and Junior Awards

Sean Runyan Memorial Scholarship Award -Ethan Stanley (junior)

Michael Cargill Jazz Scholarship Award - Jacob Suresh (sophomore)

Director’s Award - Joaquin Antezan (freshman)

Director’s Award - Abbie Rodriguez (sophomore)

Director’s Award - Samuel Nielsen (junior)

The Spring Choir Concert was performed for the DCHS community at Sheslow Auditorium on Monday, May 8, 2023. The evening included special recognition of the senior choir members and the presentation of three special choral awards.

The Douglas Schultz Memorial Award is presented each year to a member of the freshman class in recognition of outstanding service to the Dowling Catholic freshman chorus. This year’s recipient was Quentin Steinbach.

Olivia Tice received the Iowa Choral Director’s Outstanding Senior Award, presented annually to a student who has demonstrated outstanding musicianship and leadership in the choral art.

The DCHS Choral Service Award is presented each year to a senior who has demonstrated sincere service to the choral program during their high school years. This year’s award was presented to Jack Power.

Congratulations to the 2023 award recipients and all of the senior choir members. We are proud to recognize these students for their leadership, dedication and commitment and wish them the best in their future endeavors.

St. Joseph Academy alumnae gathered at DCHS on Sunday, May 7 for the second annual Mass to honor Mary, as was the custom at St. Joseph Academy for many years. Mass was celebrated in the St. Joseph Chapel and alumnae visited the statue of Mary and the St. Joseph stained glass window brought to DCHS from SJA. On May 1 a longstanding SJA tradition resumed as the student body processed with a statue of the Blessed Mother around campus and into the gym. There was a blessing of the crowns that adorn all of the statues of Mary throughout the school followed by the crowning of Mary.

The annual DCHS Men’s Soccer Alumni Tournament took place on Saturday, May 20 at DCHS. Congratulations to the following alumni from the winning team: Michael Draur ‘22, Danny Griesemer ‘22, JD Harman ‘21, Parker Stork ‘21, Nathan Luu ‘21, Joe Reed ‘22, Carson Boyle ‘21, Paddy Sullivan ‘21, Ben Jurgens ‘21 and Quinn Stewart ‘21. Thanks to boys head soccer coach Jackson Teeling ‘09 for organizing and to all who played!

Nine teams and nearly 90 alumni participated in the 12th Annual DCHS Alumni Basketball Tournament on Saturday, April 8. Congratulations to the winning team from the Class of 2021, pictured left to right: (Front row) Aidan Thede and Simon Daniels; (Back row) Abe Mabior, Mikey Chase, Matt Riedl, Sam Hughes and Jack Groeteke.

The annual DCHS athletic department reunion breakfast took place on May 20 with several alumni, former coaches and staff members in attendance. The event was started in 2010 by Coach Ron Gray ‘73 and longtime DCHS athletic trainer, Del Lark. Pictured left to right: (Row 1) Mark Crouch, Ron Gray ‘73; (Row 2) Mike Skoglund, Larry Chichelli, Dave Marcouiller ‘71, Frank Schweizer, Joe Cordaro ‘67, Mark Amadeo ‘80, John LaBonia ‘58, Don Mauro ‘79, Fr. John Dorton ‘62.

Subscribe to Stories from Buffalo Road, a podcast from Dowling Catholic featuring guests with a special place in school history and unique and entertaining stories to share. Recent episodes include Coach Mark Crouch, former head swim coach at DCHS, and alumni Mike ‘74 and Julie (Schnoebelen) Haggerty ‘74, high school sweethearts who share memories about the old Dowling, St. Joseph Academy and the move to the new Dowling on Buffalo Road in 1972. All episodes are streaming now on Spotify and YouTube.

To update your information or share alumni news, please visit: dowlingcatholic.org/alumni or contact Kathy Kirby Power ‘80, alumni manager, at kkirbypower@dowlingcatholic.org or 515.222.1087.

IN MEMORY OF TIM SHEAFF

The Dowling Catholic community mourns the loss of Tim Sheaff, a longtime teacher and Director of Drama and Debate who passed away on June 21, 2023. He was an alumnus from the Class of 1986 and an important part of the DCHS family.

Tim was born on July 31, 1968, to James and Marcella Sheaff and grew up in Ankeny, Iowa. During his time at Dowling he participated in the performing arts, was a member of the debate team, and was drum major for the marching band. It was on a marching band trip his sophomore year where he met his future wife, Christy (Frueh) Sheaff ‘86.

He went on to attend The Catholic University of America and graduated in 1989 with a Bachelor of Arts in Drama. He and Christy married in September of 1990 and raised six children, all of whom graduated from Holy Trinity and Dowling Catholic.

Tim returned to DCHS in 1997 to teach drama, debate, speech and film. He served as the speech and debate coach and led his teams to competitive success at the local, regional and national level. He was chair of the Performing Arts Department, and director of the fall play and award-winning spring musicals. He founded the Debate Paradigm, a nationally recognized tournament hosted by DCHS which recently had schools from more than 20 states participate. He impacted the lives of countless students in the classroom, on the stage, and in numerous other ways.

Tim’s dedicated service extended far beyond the DCHS community. He served on the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) Board of Directors for 12 years and on the Iowa District Committee for several years. He served as the emcee for the NSDA National Tournament for nearly 20 years in addition to his duties as a fivediamond coach and member of the Board of Directors. In 2019 he was inducted into the National Speech and Debate Association Hall of Fame and in 2022 was inducted into the Iowa High School Speech Association Hall of Fame.

First and foremost, Tim’s pride and joy was his family. He is survived by his wife, Christy ‘86, his children Spencer ‘09 (Elisabeth), Bridget ‘10, Simon ‘13 (Jenna), Colette ‘16, Elliot ‘17 and Oliver ‘23, his parents James and Marcella, his sister, Pam, and his four grandchildren, Timothy, David, Joseph and Joicelyn.

As a beloved teacher, colleague and friend, his impact on the DCHS community is immeasurable. He will be greatly missed. To read more about Tim and to share memories and condolences with his family, please visit: www.caldwellparrish.com/obituaries/Timothy-Edward-Sheaff.

To watch a tribute video created by the National Speech and Debate Association, please visit: https://bit.ly/43WzpZx.

Dowling Catholic extends its sympathy to the families of the following alumni who have passed away.

Vernon Bauer ‘53

Roseann (Mauro) McCargar ‘53 SJA

Rosemary (Caligiuri) Quinn ‘54 SJA

John Allen ‘57

Frank DeBartolo ‘57

Thomas “Tommy” Formaro ‘57

Michael “Mike” Schaffer ‘57

Carolyn (Mazza) Colosimo ‘58 SJA

James “Jim” Harris ‘58

Sr. Judy Bisignano ‘60 SJA

JoAnna Schmeling ‘60 SJA

Thomas L’Estrange ‘61

WIlliam O’Brien ‘62

Dianne “Woolley” Stebbins ‘62 SJA

William “Bill” Lynch ‘63

Daniel “Dan” McGrevey ‘63

James “Jim” Neylon ‘63

Peter “PJ” Renzo ‘63

David Longcor ‘64

Gary Bianchi ‘66

Dennis Cassady ‘66

Stephen “Steve” Mackey ‘66

Steve Reed ‘67

Daniel “Dan” Reelitz ‘67

Kathleen (O’Malley) Sopher ‘67 SJA

Mary Elizabeth (Jackson) Wyss ‘67 SJA

Dominic Caligiuri ‘68

Shelia (Phelan) Higgins ‘68 SJA

James “Jim” Friend ‘69

Daniel “Dan” McKenna ‘71

Michael “Mike” Remus ‘71

Thomas “Tom” Friend ‘72

Donald “Don” Gray ’73

Vicki (Leinen) Scholer ‘73

Christine Breitbach ‘75

Sandra Goodwin ‘75

Julie Lensing ‘75

Rick Carter ‘78

Steve Reed ‘78

Sean Linthicum ‘81

Tim Sheaff ‘86

Stephen Thill ‘86

Chris Tallman ‘88

Ryan Smith ‘97

James “Jay” Hubbell ‘00

Elizabeth Green ‘09

E ach year Dowling Catholic proudly honors deserving alumni of St. Joseph Academy and DCHS with Distinguished Alumni and Distinguished Young Alumni awards. We are honored to recognize our 2023 recipients Mary Campos ‘47 (SJA), John Sarcone ‘68 and Dr. James Bisanti ‘05.

Mary (Domingues) Campos is a 1947 graduate of St. Joseph Academy (SJA). Her call to faith and helping others began when she was just a girl. She convinced her parents of the value of a Catholic education, was awarded a partial scholarship from the Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary and worked jobs around campus to fulfill her tuition responsibility.

Mary graduated from SJA at age 17. Unable to afford college, she took a series of jobs before becoming the medical secretary for Dr. Thales Griffin, a Black osteopath from North Carolina. There Mary committed herself to a life of helping others, working with Dr. Griffin for 27 years in the first bilingual practice in Des Moines.

Mary’s contributions to her community are endless. She was an outspoken advocate for civil rights for women and people of color and served as the first Latina woman on the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. She was a leader in the League for United Latin American Citizens and their voter registration drives and spent many hours helping families learn English and become citizens.

Mary has served on numerous boards and civic groups, including the Commission on the Status of Women - one of the first Mexican Americans appointed; Des Moines Public Schools to promote bilingual education; Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel; Commission for the Aging; Social Services Department, translator; President of Iowa Osteopathic Association; the League of United Latin American Citizens; and the Brown and

Black Presidential Forum, the nation’s oldest minority forum for presidential candidates - founding member.

She was also inducted into the Iowa Women’s Hall of Fame, the Iowa Latino Hall of Fame and has a scholarship named in her honor created by El Exito, an organization that empowers Latino youth.

Mary has three daughters, Francis Anderson and Paula Martinez, who live in Des Moines and Melody Ann Campos in Chicago. She continues to serve her community in a variety of capacities.

John Patrick Sarcone is a 1968 graduate of Dowling. During high school he received the Aquinas Key, made the honor roll each quarter, was editor of the school newspaper and participated in golf, receiving a varsity letter his senior year.

He attended Rockhurst College (now Rockhurst University) in Kansas City and graduated cum laude in 1972, earning a bachelor’s degree with a double major in history and political science. He received his J.D. from Drake Law School in 1975, the same year he passed the Iowa Bar Exam and started his legal career at the Polk County Offender’s Office. He represented indigent defendants charged with criminal offenses ranging from simple misdemeanors to Class A felonies.

He worked at the Offender Advocate Office until 1979 when he accepted a position to work as an Assistant Attorney General for Attorney General Thomas Miller. He worked as a staff attorney in the Environmental Law Division of the Attorney General’s Office until 1984 when he was appointed as the supervisor of the Environmental Law Division. He served in that position until January 1991.

In 1990 he was elected Polk County Attorney and served in that position until he retired in January 2023 after more than 47 years of public service. During his time as Polk County Attorney he served on the Board of Directors of the Iowa County Attorney’s Association for over twenty years and as President of the Iowa County Attorney’s Association in 1998. He served as the State Director for the State of Iowa on the National District Attorney’s Association and later as Vice President of the National District Attorney’s Association until his retirement. He tried numerous homicide cases including child death and domestic violence homicides.

In retirement he enjoys spending time with his wife, Nancy ‘71 SJA, their children, DCHS alumni Maria Zenti ‘96 (Todd ‘91), James Sarcone ‘98 and Patricia Beck ‘03 (James), and their ten grandchildren.

James Bisanti is a proud native of Beaverdale who attended Holy Trinity School. He is a third generation Dowling alum, beginning with his grandmother, Evelyn (Fortino) Bisanti, who graduated from St. Joseph Academy in 1947. He graduated from Dowling in 2005. While at Dowling, he was involved in multiple sports but eventually shifted his focus to academics, earning an academic medal for his efforts.

Following his graduation, James pursued his passion for science at the University of Kansas where he graduated with high distinction with a bachelor of science in biochemistry. During his time at KU, he volunteered at the local hospital and performed biomedical research with potential implications for future treatments for cancer and Alzheimer’s.

His contributions earned him recognition as a Kansas IDeA Network of Biomedical Research Excellence scholar. He was heavily involved at the KU Catholic Campus Center where he participated in both campus ministry and social support programs in the local community.

After completing his undergraduate studies, James attended medical school at the University of Nebraska, where he continued to live out the values he learned at Dowling Catholic by being actively involved in multiple underserved clinics. He completed his internship in internal medicine at the Iowa Methodist Medical Center before returning to Omaha to complete his residency in Diagnostic Radiology at the University of Nebraska. During his residency, he was awarded for having both the highest in-

P erforming Arts Hall of Fame

Jesse Donner ‘07 was inducted into the Dowling Catholic Performing Arts Hall of Fame on Saturday, April 29, 2023.

Following his graduation from Dowling Catholic in 2007, Donner attended Iowa State University where he earned a Bachelor of Music degree in vocal performance. During that time, Donner developed as a classical singer through opportunities in art song recitals, masterworks concerts, opera workshops, and young artist training with the Cedar Rapids Opera. Additionally, he received mentorship from Simon Estes who selected Donner to perform with him in the inaugural Roots and Wings tour concerts and encouraged him to continue pursuing music at the University of Michigan.

At Michigan, Donner earned a Master of Music in voice. In these years Donner would earn his first recognition in opera competitions, make a major voice change from baritone to tenor, perform his first leading opera role, and successfully audition for the young artist program at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.

In Chicago, Donner performed and understudied many roles,

training exam score and highest clinical productivity.

Following his residency, James completed his medical training with a fellowship in musculoskeletal radiology while serving as an instructor in the division of emergency radiology. James currently works as an instructor of radiology in the Mayo Clinic Health Systems where he has worked for approximately four years.

He and his wife Katy (Cortese) ‘05 currently live in Austin, MN, with their five children: Clare (13), Francesca (11), Dominic (10), Gianna (7) and Lucia (5).

To view a complete list of Distinguished Alumni Award recipients, please visit: dowlingcatholic.org/distinguished-alumni.

most notably his mainstage lyric debut in Capriccio featuring Renée Fleming and his performance as Walther in Wagner’s Tannhäuser which was praised by Opera News magazine. Offstage, Donner earned honors as the grand prize winner of the Luminarts and Belcanto voice competitions.

Upon completion of that program, Donner enjoyed a career which included a balance of opera, operetta, and concert work across the country leading up to his first contract with the Metropolitan Opera in 2020. Unable to make this debut due to the global shutdown, Donner made a transition to teaching music in the public school system earning a Master of Arts in Teaching from Eastern Kentucky University in the process. Following theatre reopening, Donner was able to realize his goal of singing at the MET and at the time of induction into the DCHS Performing Arts Hall of Fame was engaged for his third production. He shares endless gratitude for all those who helped him discover his passion for music and imparted their experience at every new stage.

The Performing Arts Hall of Fame was established at DCHS in 2004 to recognize alumni or faculty members who have achieved success in the performing arts or who have positively impacted the programs at DCHS. For a complete list of inductees, please visit: www.dowlingcatholic.org/pahof

JESSE DONNER

Faith in Action

Service to others is central to the mission of Dowling Catholic High School and just one of the many ways students put their faith in action. With nearly 30 different service groups offered at DCHS, students have numerous opportunities to serve others. While most activities take place locally, a group of DCHS students recently had the opportunity to serve abroad as they traveled over spring break to Goiania, Brazil, to work with Terra Livre, a nonprofit organization which provides education and development opportunities to vulnerable children and families.

DCHS has maintained a longstanding partnership with Terra Livre since the first mission trip to Brazil in 2005. When not traveling abroad, the service group continues to work in solidarity with the organization, focusing on understanding and eliminating poverty and participating in activities such as building homes with Habitat for Humanity, fundraising and planning for future mission trips.

During the most recent trip in March, the group spent eight days serving 95 children at the Terra Livre Center. The students played with the children and focused on

teaching life skills such as dental hygiene, exercise and nutrition. After the work day was done, students had the opportunity to be immersed in the culture as they stayed with host families.

The trip was led by Mr. Terry Clark ‘96, Director of Ministry and Formation and Theology Chair at DCHS, Mrs. Taylor Schulte, school counselor, and Mr. Ryan Lensing, a science teacher at DCHS. Like many who return year after year to

chaperone, this was the second trip for Lensing which allowed him to be more present and not only enjoy his time with the kids, but also to better observe others around him. Lensing shared his perspective in the Terra Livre Blog post, Reflections of the Glad Scientist:

“There are a million little things I noticed on this trip that I could write about here, but really they are all the same thing. What I was witnessing was Jesus; alive and working through us. I saw a group of people truly working as the body of Christ. I saw His hands bringing joy and comfort, His feet running to help, and His face spreading joy with every glance. God’s love transcends age, language, culture, wealth, and there is no better way to shine this out than to be present with someone with an open heart and that is exactly what I witnessed each and every day. I am so thankful I was given the opportunity to be a part of it and thankful for the opportunity to keep the light shining here at home.”

Two student staff writers for the Dowling Catholic Post had the opportunity to talk to some members of the group upon their return and have shared their experiences in the following interviews.

What I was witnessing was Jesus; alive and working through us. I saw a group of people truly working as the body of Christ.

Mr. Ryan Lensing

Spreading Joy at Terra Livre

ALAINA CLEGHORN AND MACKENZIE BRANSTAD, STAFF WRITERS

Abby Ziegert ‘24 is one of the students who went on the Brazil trip. Before going on the trip, she knew she would get to have fun with the kids and was very excited.

“It didn’t meet my expectations because it went beyond them,” said Zeigert. “The outpouring of love that you receive at the center is so insane and such an unforgettable experience.”

Zeigert’s host was a family of five. She really connected with them and enjoyed having deep conversations with the mother.

“At first they were kind of shy, but learning how to communicate with them because they didn’t speak English was really cool,” said Ziegert.

She learned a lot on the trip, especially how to show compassion towards others because you never know a person’s story.

“I am so grateful for the work Terra Livre is doing and that they let us come play with the kids,” said Zeigert. “It feels so backwards because we are supposed to go in to help them but the reality is that they are teaching and loving us so much more than I could have ever expected.”

Her favorite part of the trip was the love she felt from the kids at the center who always wanted hugs and piggy back rides.

“I was still running around with kids right before we had to say goodbye to them for the last time,” says Ziegert. “The excitement the kids had to do such simple things was very special.”

Taylor Tallman ‘23 also went on the trip. From this experience she learned the importance of gratitude and living in the moment. She hopes that she can carry the joy she felt on this trip into her daily life. Before going on the trip, she knew it would be a powerful experience, but she didn’t expect it to be this amazing.

“It helped me to really get a new perspective on my life and everything I do,” said Tallman.

She felt very safe with her host family. They had a lot of passion for their culture and wanted her to feel welcome and comfortable.

“It was so crazy, just how much love they have and how much they want to give,” said Tallman. “At the end of the day I just hope we made an impact and that they experienced love throughout the week.”

Read more at www.dowlingcatholicpost.com.

MINISTRY & FORMATION 2022-2023 HIGHLIGHTS

Mass

• Daily morning prayer & adoration

• 247 daily Masses offered

• 12 all-school Mass and prayer events

Retreats

• Offered at each grade level (Metanoia, Quest, Kairos, Radix)

• Freshman Retreat & Senior Day of Reflection

Student Prayer Leaders

• 10 seniors composed daily reflection and prayer

• 4 seniors led morning and afternoon prayer

Ut Fidem

• 336 students in 58 groups

• 24 new student groups in 2022-2023

• 29 returning mentors/28 new

Revive Student Events

• 5 Sundays of prayer and speakers

• Adoration, reconciliation, praise and worship

Newsletter & Podcast

• Monthly newsletter

• Faithful 5 Podcast with Fr. Reed Flood and Terry Clark

Terra Livre: 10 students and 4 adults served

Plans underway for 2023-24 trips

61,108 hours of service donated this year

39,386 hours donated by seniors over 4 years

27,510 hours donated by juniors over 3 years

24,176 hours donated by sophomores over

10,562 hours donated by freshmen

114 lives saved through DCHS blood drive

1,000+ meals packaged

Nearly 1,000 books donated

727 pairs socks donated

150 stocking caps & gloves knitted

98 families (1,136 people) helped through Christmas Baskets

900+ cards made for hospitals, missions and other organizations

Celebrating 50 Years: Class of 1973

By the end of the school year in May 1973, the moves from Old Dowling and St. Joseph Academy to the new campus on Buffalo Road seemed like ancient history. Coed classes were a matter of daily life, and as the yearbook staff aptly illustrated, it had been a Cracker Jack kind of year.

“The people, the activities and the fun which we have tried to record in this yearbook … make up the ‘Surprise Inside’ of our product,” yearbook editor-in-chief Rick Pinneke wrote. “Unlike the true Cracker Jacks product which has only one surprise, the school year had many.”

As the Class of 1973 gets ready to celebrate its 50th reunion, here are some of those surprises.

• The cornerstone of the new school was laid Oct. 29, 1972, by Bishop Maurice Dingman.

• The Candlelighting ceremony, founded at St. Joseph Academy, came to the new school and was celebrated just before school dismissed for Christmas vacation.

• To demonstrate their sense of unity, the Class of ‘73 had seven seniors named Homecoming Queen: Cathy Vonderhaar, Sue Tutsi, Ann Gladfelder, Andy Dieter, Cindy Steffen, Devin Thimesch and Molly Maloney.

• The band Judd played at the Homecoming Dance at the Val Air Ballroom.

• Spring break in New York. 50 seniors. Broadway. Statue of Liberty. The U.N. and some shopping.

• Spring break in Colorado. Taste testing at the Coors Brewery.

• Camelot, the debut musical on the Dowling stage, added an extra performance after five days of sellouts.

• Morningstar was the band at Christmas Formal at Hotel Fort Des Moines with Mary Gallo and Chris Donhoe serving as Snow Queen and King. Mr. And Mrs. Al DiMarco, senior class moderators, were surprised with a gift on their 24th wedding anniversary.

• An Apollo moon launch and DisneyWorld highlighted the December trip to Florida for 95 seniors.

• Approximately 200 students volunteered to help with the annual Pancake Breakfast at Vets Auditorium. 5,000 people attended.

• The girls junior-senior banquet, another tradition brought from St. Joseph Academy, was at Eddie Webster’s. From the banquet program: “You never really leave a place you love. Part of it you take with you leaving a part of you behind.”

• Bishop Dingman celebrated Baccalaureate Mass in the gym on May 20, 1973.

• He also celebrated Mass on Aquinas Day, where high scholastic honors were presented to 48 seniors.

“As May of 1973 approached, many questions were answered for the soon to be first coed graduating class of the ‘new’ Dowling. We survived and thrived and were ready for the next chapter in our lives to begin. The great move from the old Dowling and SJA was a distant memory but one filled with nostalgia as we left the close bonds of all boys and all girls schools. Somehow we figured out a totally new building with a combined faculty from both schools. Many had cherished memories of their freshman- junior years with the same classmates, but we found a way to make the integration of boys and girls work and to establish what was to be lifelong friends of both sexes.

In the end the Class of 1973 found a way to build an Esprit de corps that had been the hallmark of all graduating classes before us. We were the first coed graduating class of a combined Catholic high school many years in the planning. Given the numerous academic and athletic accomplishments of our class members we hopefully set an example and standard for the countless graduating classes that would follow.”

TOM NAUGHTON ‘73

“What made the Class of 1973 great is what makes DCHS the best of class 50 years later. A student body which is a melting pot of ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds coming from across the greater Des Moines area, brought together by a shared Catholic faith. Christ-Centered leaders from the Class of 1973 have distinguished themselves in countless occupations, and as we reflect on the past 50 years we celebrate the past and cherish that we are DCHS Alums.”

MARGO (MUNOZ) O’MEARA ‘73

• Kathy Morris was Prom Queen and Approaching Storm played the night away.

• With the girls in white robes and the boys in maroon, graduation was held May 25 at Vets Auditorium.

• An undefeated football season! Heelan went down 30-0. Valley vanquished 44-29. Roosevelt routed 72-16. Ten games, 10 wins. Until the inaugural state championship playoff game.

• The first girls softball team went 25-12 and reached the sub-state final, one step away from the state tournament.

• The pool hadn’t been built, but the girls and boys swim team nonetheless competed in the Metro Conference.

• The opening wrestling meet of the season: Nov. 30, 1972. Dowling vs. Valley. More than 2,000 fans show up to see the teams grapple to a 20-20 tie.

• Brien Harvey and Dennis Carroll place at the state wrestling tournament.

• The boys basketball team reaches the second round of the district tournament in Coach John Hayes’ final season.

• The girls gymnastics team finishes the season 8-2, third in the district and fourth at regionals.

• The boys hockey team beat Valley 3-2 to win the championship game.

• Father Pfeffer pronounced the 9-2 boys tennis team the best in school history. The girls team finished the season 4-3.

• The boys golfers shared the Metro title and the girls won their sectional meet.

• The boys track team captured the Metro title.

• The baseball team went 11-1 to take the Metro title. They advanced to the sub-state semifinals before ending their season with a 24-6 record.

• The St. Vincent de Paul organization at school provided Christmas gifts for needy families.

• The sounds of music came from three groups on campus, the upper class girls group Accopiato, the freshmen-sophomore girls Glee Club, and the Mixed Chorus.

Student Awards

Each spring Dowling Catholic proudly recognizes the accomplishments of our students during the Student Service & Senior Celebration Assembly. Congratulations to the following 2023 award recipients:

AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP AWARD

Olivia Strang

Recognizes seniors who demonstrate good citizenship, a sense of responsibility and service to the community.

BERNIE SAGGAU AWARD

Flynn Milligan

Presented to the senior who best exemplifies a patriotic spirit with strong religious and moral convictions; living and professing the qualities of honesty, integrity and sportsmanship; and believing that games and life should be conducted by the rules. Mr. Saggau was Executive Director of the IHSAA for 38 years.

DCHS SPIRIT AWARD

Charlotte James & Max Dirks

Presented to students who model integrity and moral character. Their positive spirit and sharing of time and talents are true examples of Christ-centered leadership. Faculty selects seniors who best represent the spirit of DCHS.

DR. ROBERT BREEDLOVE AWARD

Ella Anliker

Recognizes a junior who best models hard work, leadership and courage while

exemplifying the Christian principles valued by Dr. Bob Breedlove, the father of several DCHS graduates and athletic team doctor for many years. He was known for his generosity as demonstrated through the countless hours of medical and personal support he provided to DCHS athletes and coaches.

FATHER JOHN ACREA AWARD

Matthew Pierson

Presented to a student who has shown commitment, dedication and determination in debate. Father Acrea founded the debate team in 1963 and impacted an entire generation of DCHS debaters.

GOVERNOR’S SCHOLAR AWARD

Nicole Pedersen & Matthew Dietrich

This award goes to seniors from across the state who have been honored by the Governor for their high academic achievement.

JACK WAHLIG AWARD

Maddox Coppola, Ryan Bobo, Catherine Wilwerding & Hannah Cotran

This award honors a retired accountant and parent of DCHS alumni who expected his children to be involved in school activities, strive for excellence, exhibit leadership and care for others. The award recognizes freshmen who excel in these areas.

JOHN HAYES AWARD

Alier Agau & Ava Petersen

Selected by the athletic department, these students exhibit strong leadership and dedication to activities, athletics and

academics; demonstrate commitment to hard work; live a faith-life modeled in service; and exude a caring and supportive attitude. Mr. Hayes was athletic director at DCHS from 1977 - 2005.

MOCK TRIAL EXCELLENCE AWARD

Tre Salazar & Grace Kottmeyer

This award is given to one senior male and female who has exemplified excellence and commitment to Mock Trial.

MOST IMPROVED GPA

SOPHOMORES: Aghawer Gai, Braulio Salcedo, Kaeh Bom, Ra’Shawd Davis, Denise Sanchez-Castillo JUNIORS: Akec Akec, Pipat Young, Ezra Rutto, Jasmine Martinez-Castaneda, Rayshawn Patton

SENIORS: Victor Rieser, Kylie Larson, Coleman Osborne, Robert Stephenson, Jolette Arreola-Duran

This award recognizes students who achieved the greatest cumulative GPA improvement in the past year.

MULTI-SPORT AWARD

Julia Moore & Ralston Rumley

This award goes to two seniors, one male and one female, who have achieved success in multiple sports during their time at Dowling Catholic. Nominees must have participated and lettered in at least two different sports during their high school careers.

SISTER JUDITH SHEAHAN AWARD

Kate Smith, Grace Frye, Lewis Lentsch & Ella Johnson

Sr. Judith Sheahan was an assistant

Awarding Excellence

Each spring Dowling Catholic recognizes faculty and staff with two special awards. Named for our founder, the Bishop Dowling Award is given to four faculty or staff members who exemplify our core values - faithful, caring and dedicated - in remarkable ways. This year we are pleased to honor Carly Montgomery , Molly Pierce , Molly Ryan and Aundra Meeks as recipients of the Bishop Dowling Award.

The John Baptiste de La Salle Award was initiated by Joe Brick and his family in 2014 in honor of Janet Brick who passed away in 2011. Each year the Brick family chooses a faculty member who represents the qualities of Janet and the philosophy of de La Salle: to work in a way that makes a difference by touching the hearts of students. We are proud to recognize Terry Clark as the recipient of the John Baptiste de La Salle Award. Congratulations to this year’s award recipients. We are grateful for their exceptional contributions to the mission of Dowling Catholic over the past year.

principal at DCHS. She was a serviceoriented leader who was meticulous with her organizational skills. The Maroon Council awards two sophomores who reflect the qualities of great leadership and selfless service.

PAX CHRISTI AWARD

Taylor Tallman

The Pax Christi student is committed to Christian faith and service and actively participates in the life and spirit of DCHS. They exemplify Christcentered leadership; have respect for fellow human beings as demonstrated through Christian service; and inspire others through words and actions to live a Christ-centered life. The recipient is selected by the senior class and delivers the commencement address.

SISTER CLEMENZA COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD

Bethany Patton & Joseph Wilwerding

This award honors seniors who have excelled in the spirit of Christian service. Sr. Clemenza, a former DCHS counselor, was known as the “go-to person” to get things done. This award is not based on the number of service hours, but on the ways the student has served the people of God.

ST. MARTIN DE PORRES AWARD

Valerie Paz-Garcia & Bernard Cofie

This award goes to junior students who are involved in activities that advocate for racial and social justice, both at DCHS and in the community.

VONNIE HESS AWARD

Mackenzie Dean & Lucas Hilligas

This memorial tuition award was created in honor of the caring mother of former DCHS president, Fr. Michael Hess. Recipients are selected based on participation in activities that fulfill Dowling Catholic’s mission of community involvement, achieving above average grades, and involvement in extracurricular activities.

Once a Maroon, Always a Maroon

Congratulations to the members of the Class of 2023 who celebrated commencement on May 26 at the Drake Knapp Center. To show our unity, all graduation gowns are maroon. The white sash represents St. Joseph Academy, one of our founding schools, and the importance of Dowling Catholic’s history. To signify the lifelong connection formed once students join our alumni family, graduates wear a medallion which reads “Once a Maroon, Always a Maroon.” Graduates also wear regalia which indicate specific honors.

THE AQUINAS KEY

St. Thomas Aquinas is the patron saint of scholars and Catholic schools. While an ardent defender of revealed truth, St. Thomas also viewed reason as a divine gift to be highly cherished. Aquinas Key recipients have a weighted cumulative GPA of 3.8 or above at the end of first semester their senior year.

NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY (NHS)

The gold honor cord is worn by all NHS members. Members inducted into the Bishop Maurice J. Dingman Chapter at DCHS are required to hold and maintain a 3.7 cumulative GPA. Through NHS activities, members represent the qualities of character, service and leadership.

SERVICE CORD

The white service cord is awarded to students who have gone above and beyond the 80-hour graduation requirement and have earned at least 155 Christian service hours during their time at DCHS.

TOP 3% AWARD

The silver cord honor is given to the top 3% of the senior class. This award is based on the weighted cumulative GPA at the conclusion of senior year.

SAVE

Please present this coupon or use code SUMMER2023 online

PLANNED GIVING

We kindly ask you to consider remembering Dowling Catholic when planning your estate, defining your legacy, and evaluating your charitable interests. Your planned gift could change the world for students you will never have the opportunity to meet. For more information, please visit: plannedgiving.dowlingcatholic.org