Duchesne Today - Summer 2020

Duchesne TODAY

DUCHESNE ACADEMY OF THE SACRED HEART–OMAHA SUMMER 2020

3601 Burt Street Omaha, NE 68131 402-558-3800 duchesneacademy.org

Duchesne Academy of the Sacred Heart, a Catholic college-preparatory high school for girls of all faiths and backgrounds, is a member of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools in the United States and Canada. The schools of the Sacred Heart Network share five goals which commit them to educate to: A personal and active faith in God A deep respect for intellectual values A social awareness which impels to action The building of community as a Christian value Personal growth in an atmosphere of wise freedom

Editor-In-Chief Mary-Ellen Doyle

Publication Designer Brittany Dorner, A08

Contributors Margo O'Connor Bieker, A71 Kevin Boughton Meg Huerter Brudney, A83 Mary-Ellen Doyle Dr. Laura McKee Hickman, A85 Abigail Jacobi, A20 Eric Krakowski Raleigh Kreis, A20 Sara McConnell Trisha Clark Meehan, A04 Bridget Morton Bruce Moore Scott Quinn Meghan Conway Rowen, A97 Emma Schartz, A20 Sarah Buda Stratman, A95 Emma Bonebrake Sudyka, A12 Adam Theel Sara Wachter, A79 Krissy Hassett Walsh, A05

Printer Aradius Group

› INSIDE THIS ISSUE ‹ 04 Letter From the Head of School 06 Preschool News

16

1918 Spanish Flu Pandemic Archivist Margo O'Connor Bieker, A71, uncovered House Journal entries from 1918 which shed light on how Duchesne operated during the flu pandemic.

08 Duchesne & the COVID-19 Pandemic 18

Academy News

30 Giving 34 Alumnae News 48 In Memoriam

19

What Mater Means to Me Emma Schartz, A20, on Mater ceremony, Mother Mary, and her mother.

Publication note: This issue was originally set to publish in April 2020, but due to the outbreak of COVID-19, Duchesne decided to postpone publication so we could include stories from the pandemic.

Please keep in mind, these stories were written at different points throughout 2019-2020.

Front Cover: A20 senior photos reveal the Sacred Heart.

Mosaic by: Brittany Dorner, A08

30

CONGÉ 2020 A vision brought to life - recap with photos from the event.

Duchesne Today is a newsletter for the alumnae and friends of Duchesne Academy, Duchesne College and Duchesne Preschool.

It is published twice a year.

Printed on recycled paper.

A Letter From the Head of School

THERE IS NO HOPE WITHOUT WORK Dear Alumnae and Friends, We’ve watched our world change dramatically this year and now our students are back on campus navigating even more change. Online learning, mandatory masks, and social distancing are just a few ways this school year will be different than those past. Yet, in the face of all the pain and challenges communities have experienced this year I am filled with hope because I believe our students are now even more committed to fighting for a better world.

St. Madeleine Sophie Barat and St. Rose Philippine Duchesne both understood the importance of hope. Sophie founded the Society of the Sacred Heart on the hope that, through a rigorous education, young women would be well-prepared to shape the future of an ever-changing world. We follow their example by empowering our students to question and equipping them to lead.

2020-2021 School Year Prayer United in the Sacr ed He art, Inspir ed to Act for Justice Jesus, We live in a world with hatred, injury, doubt, despair, and sadness.

Let us be a voice of love, pardon, faith, hope, and joy.

Enable me to listen to the voices of the marginalized.

Guide my heart as I discern how to be an instrument for justice as You are for us.

Jesus, help me to make known the boundless love of your Sacred Heart.

Amen.

Today our community is alive with hope. Whether it be the hope of our seniors looking forward to new adventures in college, the hope found daily in our classrooms as students explore new avenues of learning, or the hope teeming through our curious preschoolers, Duchesne is a place where hope abounds.

We know, however, that there is no hope without work. That is why I’m inspired by our students and alumnae working to fight racial injustices, demanding equity for all, and finding ways to lift up the voices of marginalized people. I also express my sincerest gratitude to our alumnae working in the healthcare field to alleviate the suffering caused by COVID-19.

I thank each and every one of you for the role you have played in our past and in your engagement with Duchesne in the present. I am so proud of who we are and where we have been, but our mission is not yet complete. I ask you, now and always, to continue to bless us with your prayers, your presence, and your generous financial support. Together we continue to advance the hope that is at the very foundation of Sacred Heart education.

This has been such a busy and challenging year we decided to delay this commemorative publication of Duchesne Today so we could include as many stories as possible. I hope you find inspiration in them just as I have.

Many Blessings,

Meg Huerter Brudney, A83 Head of School

4 DUCHESNE TODAY

Congratulations, A20!

SUMMER 2020 5

Preschool News

Courage & Confidence

BY SARA WACHTER, A79 They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so how many words would these precious photos be worth? It seems surreal that we have been apart for four months already. When quarantine first began, the trees were bare, and we were wearing jackets outside. Now we struggle with sweltering heat and are closing in on August – and VERY much looking forward to being together again for Preschool.

You may wonder how Duchesne Preschool was able to function once school was shut down. Thanks to a most creative and dedicated staff, who embraced Madeleine Sophie’s battle cry, “Courage and Confidence,” we were able to remain emotionally connected to our families and meet the academic needs of the children amazingly well. Within 24 hours the teachers had moved their classrooms home and learned all about a platform they had never heard of, Zoom. They conducted class twice a week and had many other pre-recorded lessons for specific skills and projects. I used Zoom for “Bedtime Stories” every night at 7 p.m., and

6 DUCHESNE TODAY

my heart melted the first time I saw my little kiddos with their jammies on and their hair wet from the bathtub, all tucked in and waiting for their stories. They joined me in reciting our bedtime prayer at the end, and then told each other “good night – I love you!” I will never forget the beauty of this ritual.

In addition to our online activities, my dog, Duffy, and I went to each house to leave a Sacred Heart chalk message for the children on their driveways. The teachers included the photos from these adventures in the children’s Memory Books. We made personal phone calls to every parent to see how they were doing, and we sent photo postcards of the teachers to each child in the mail. Finally, we had a “Drive Through Preschool Prize Day” to end the year.

Although we all mourned the loss of so many special traditions normally held during March, April, and May, we became closer in some ways.

Children met their teachers’ pets on Zoom and saw their homes. We became part of the children’s home life and supported the parents in ways we never had before. Life slowed down, families had more time to take walks and eat together, and we all gained a new appreciation for relationships and being together.

Preschool News

SUMMER 2020 7

Duchesne & the COVID-19 Pandemic

8 DUCHESNE TODAY

A R eflection from the Pr incipa l

BY DR. LAURA MCKEE HICKMAN, A85 I suppose we knew by February that a novel coronavirus sweeping across Asia was going to disrupt our lives in 2020, but the speed with which it struck our school in Omaha, Nebraska, surprised us all. Luckier than many schools, Duchesne’s staff had been moving toward online options for many years. One-to-one devices had been part of our classrooms since 2002 and we had made active use of a learning management system (LMS) since 2005. More recently, however, two very important changes occurred in the fall of 2019 that caused many of us to say prayers of thanksgiving: freshmen received their iPads in August rather than later in the school year, and we had just adopted a much more robust LMS, Canvas. These fortuitous changes helped us transition quickly and, in most cases, seamlessly to an online learning experience.

In early March, the virus crept across major U.S. routes, especially in the New York metro area, and it embedded itself among millions of unsuspecting people. Duchesne went on Spring Break March 6 and many of our families, along with thousands of Omahans, took the opportunity to travel around the country and the globe. Unbeknownst to the rest of us staying at home, it was already in Omaha as well. Planning for our return to school March 16 began immediately and regular updates from the State Department of Education and the Superintendent of Catholic Schools warned of imminent changes and potential closure.

First, planning focused on how to educate our students and staff upon their return to the building in best practices to avoid infection. By mid-week however, it was clear to everyone that at least a short-term closure was imminent. A schedule change was announced that would allow for emergency teacher training for the transition to online learning. All of that planning became moot on Friday the 13th when the superintendents of Omaha Public and Omaha Catholic closed all schools for two weeks.

Instead of returning for our final quarter of the school year, teachers gathered both remotely and in-person for training on Monday, March 16. The agenda covered best practices and step-by-step methodology for recording lessons, for gauging workload on students, for organizing communication and a host of platforms available from which to do all of these things.

Classes were up and running within days and while no one will tell you that the students experienced the same top-notch education that they would have experienced with us every day, we can say with great confidence that every student grew in every class through her continued education. Since the closure lasted the remainder of the school year and disrupted all of the end-of-year ceremonies, those efforts have paved the way for fall classes that, for the most part, can begin with the presumption of little to no unfinished learning.

I am beyond proud of our students for what was accomplished in the spring of 2020. Being a teenager in this pandemic will surely go down as one of the most difficult experiences of any young generation. Even the generations that marched off to war did so arm in arm, the camaraderie as important as the fear and upheaval in their lives. Isolation has been a special burden. As one student put it, “you took all the fun out of school and left us with only the work.” And yet, every Duchesne student rose to that challenge and completed her year. Surely, Madeleine Sophie looks at this generation and sees true Children of the Sacred Heart whose love of learning is a tonic to sadness and loss.

As the administration and staff prepare for the fall return to school, we are overwhelmed at the changes this illness forces on us. Goal 4, the building of community as a Christian value, needs to be completely re-imagined. How do we nurture our faith lives in a disrupted community? How do we continue the cherished traditions of our Sacred Heart heritage? How do we ensure that our staff and students can come to school and feel safe? How do we make known the love of God through a computer connection? The questions outnumber the answers as I write this reflection, but I am also heartened with the knowledge of the good will and incredible creativity of our community. We are leaning in on our charism and through Christ’s Sacred Heart, this community will prevail.

SUMMER 2020 9

Reflection from a Student

BY RALEIGH KREIS, A20

best of friends. Things were working out exactly

wanted to be the kind of person to make history.

the way they were supposed to or even better than

Instead, I’m stuck in my house desperately trying

Perhaps the weirdest part of this year, if such a

I imagined. However, I knew another shoe had to

to live through it. I’m struggling to find where this

drop. I knew things couldn’t continue in such an

stormy present breaks again into a more hopeful

exponentially positive direction. The joys of my

future.

superlative can even be given out not halfway through a year like this one, is that I saw this coming. I’m not claiming to be psychic or anything. I didn’t see this coming. I didn’t anticipate that a coronavirus would sweep the world off its footing, sending thousands of the most vulnerable to their deathbeds– unable to be

senior year had to have their tipping point. I guess I expected something bad. Maybe I wouldn’t get

My Sacred Heart sisters and this Duchesne

a scholarship. Maybe I would find myself fighting

community have shown me hope. It’s in video

with my best friend. I expected another shoe.

calls with tears and laughter. It’s in the dozens of alumnae sending the senior class messages of

I didn’t expect a horde of angry cobblers pelting

support and solidarity. It’s in the ring I wear on

me with loafers, heels, and sneakers (oh my!). I

my finger, a matching accessory to hundreds of

didn’t expect to see the end of my senior year and

courageous women. I find my courage and hope

the joyous Sacred Heart traditions I had looked

in the people that make Duchesne great even as I

forward to for four years get swept to the side like

mourn the hours I’ve lost wearing Fairmont plaid

a sand castle in a tidal wave. I didn’t expect to lose

in my redbrick home on 36th and Burt. Only in

sour taste in my mouth.

so much and know everyone else, both people I

leaving that place early, could I realize just how

love and absolute strangers, are losing much more

much it means to me. Perhaps things are still

After all, the first three quarters of senior year had

than a senior year because of the same global

working out exactly as God intends them for me.

mourned out of an abundance of compassion and fear. I didn’t predict that COVID-19 would leave my country scrambled and exhausted like the way my mother likes her eggs. However, in an utterly egocentric and selfish interpretation of events, I knew something was coming that would leave a

been so sweet, spent celebrating victories with the

phenomenon. I, like so many ambitious teenagers,

Reflection from a Teacher

BY SCOTT QUINN When COVID-19 first hit, I was focused on how much we were losing, and indeed there has been plenty. But one of the joys of the Catholic faith is that it is one which embraces paradox (both three persons and one God; Jesus is both fully human and fully divine). It is a faith that invites us to see the world not as moments of “either/or” but rather as moments of “both/and.” So, while COVID-19 has indeed taken a lot from us, I have found it is also providing opportunity: to ponder the world, to create relationships, and courageously redesign the present and future to better reflect the Kingdom of God. Continued on next page 10 DUCHESNE TODAY

Reflection from Our Guidance Counselor

BY KRISSY HASSETT WALSH, A05 My daughter Genevieve has spent one quarter of her life in quarantine. When I think about how much she has grown in the last two months, I feel grateful, humbled, and shocked. Since the last time I was physically at Duchesne in March, she has gained a few pounds, started sleeping through the night (remember that grateful feeling?), rolled over, started babbling, and learned to respond to her name. She also welcomed a new cousin, my niece Giada born March 14th, whom I have yet to hold. So Goal One of the Sacred Heart calls us to educate to a personal and active faith in God.

many significant milestones have happened in

For me, nurturing that faith on Sundays at Mass with two small children is tricky enough

Genevieve’s life in quarantine. It makes me

under normal circumstances; attempting the same feat digitally from home has proven to

wonder: how have I grown during the pandemic?

be a whole new endeavor. But when I attended a Zoom Mass several weeks ago, the priest gave a short homily and then broke us into breakout rooms. The result: my preschool

While my growth might not be as visible, and

daughter, Lucy, was able to peek into a community of nuns, a community of priests, the

while I surely am also on track to gain a few

home of one of my college friends, the living room of an Omaha neighbor, and a family

pounds, the ways I have grown and stretched

friend Zooming in from halfway across the world… all in the context of a sacred, religious

still feel significant. I find myself riding a daily

experience. Sure, there was still plenty of distraction and couch jumping going on while it

rollercoaster of emotions. I miss my family

was happening, but therein lies paradoxical beauty. I am sure it is moments like this that

and friends, I am encouraged by my husband’s

inspire her to say things like, “If God is always with us, can we just skip prayers tonight?

capacity for patience. Genevieve and her

I think God can just listen to you read us another bedtime story.” One of my favorite

sister Colette bring me infinite joy and mostly

explanations of prayer over the years has been “wasting time with God,” so perhaps she is

manageable stress. Being a licensed mental

on to something… perhaps these weeks are an invitation for us to more intentionally invite

health practitioner has not excluded me from

God into our everyday endeavors.

feeling moments of anxiety, fear, panic, and distrust. So, I am leaning heavily into my faith

Goal Three of the Sacred Heart calls us to educate to a social awareness which impels to

in God, and feeling immensely appreciative to

action. Lucy calls COVID-19 “the sickness.” To her, it does not carry the same weight that

work in a school community that encourages

it does for me, and especially not for my wife who works as a nurse at a local hospital. I’ve

me to do so. A passage from Colossians brings

found Lucy’s terminology to be unintentionally (but very appropriately) ominous, but also

me peace: “As you therefore have received Christ

somewhat beautiful in its innocence and simplicity. This really struck a chord one night

Jesus the Lord, continue to live your lives in

when, amid my attempts at stewarding food and resources to those in need or devising

Him, rooted and built up in Him and established

digital ways to meaningfully meet our community’s spiritual needs, Lucy celebrated her

in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding

4th birthday. At the end of the night she said it was her “dream come true birthday”

in thanksgiving” (Col 2: 6-7). I am reminded

because no one left for work, and she got to be with her family for the whole day. During

that gratitude grows when I root my life in God.

this time of growing need, increasing uncertainty, and the widespread desire to help, I learned that perhaps my attempts to live out the Goals and Criteria would be better spent if

It’s hard not to worry about how our students are

I took a perspective that was a little simpler and a little more innocent.

doing during this time, and I hope that they are taking care of themselves. I want them to choose

I am learning to simply be present and to offer and receive love from those I encounter…

hope over fear, coping over complacency, and

for that is truly the most Sacred Heart action I can take at this moment.

love over everything. I cannot wait to be back at Duchesne with all of them and to hear their stories of growth.

SUMMER 2020 11

Te acher: Cr e ativ it y a Must

BY ADAM KLEPPER

refrigerator where I ripped away the

figured, questions asked, problems

magnet holding a paper entitled

solved, and answers shared with

I awoke on the morning of

“Tiger Room’s Daily Schedule.”

such a vitality that, unless you

Tuesday, March 17th to a new

At once I was a newly minted

were privy to it, is hard to imagine

reality. The day prior I’d virtually

preschool and online social studies

under such trying circumstances.

attended a three-hour all-faculty

educator.

With immense support from my colleagues, I launched my

meeting via a mysterious, but intriguing, app called Zoom. At

The day ran to the minute

online classes the following

the meeting Dr. Hickman led

according to the “Tiger Room’s

week. My students were dutiful

the faculty through a series of

Daily Schedule.” By mid-morning

and thoughtful. At 16 years

expectations and the technological

my child was calling me “teacher.”

old, they were the paragon of

means by which they could be met

We summoned a stuffed toy

conscientiousness.

for the remainder of the school

Leprechaun from the closet,

year. It was the first day of the 4th

researched St. Patrick’s Day songs

After two weeks of quarantine, I

quarter of the 2019-2020 school

on the internet, and a very rough

had a chance to start to process my

year. Duchesne Academy was

imitation of an Irish dance class

new home/work reality. Duchesne

closed due to the pandemic.

commenced. It was lunch time

Academy, as an institution and a

and then, mercifully, rest time. As

community, performed beautifully.

I got out of the bed on the 17th

I walked from the child’s room

Academically, we’d all performed

to a stark realization, I must

ripples of excited exclamations

very, very well. As I look back on

transition my courses to online

flowed from the bed where my son

this significant achievement it

learning and there was a four-

and Leprechaun were having the

comes as little surprise. The Goals

year-old in the next room yelling,

time of their lives. I went upstairs,

and Criteria of a Sacred Heart

“I want my juice!” “Get me UP!

fired up the computer, took a deep

school aren’t simply an institutional

Why is nobody getting me up?!,”

breath and began my new career in

mission statement, although they

he bellowed. The four-year-old’s

online education.

certainly serve that function. The Goals and Criteria are a guide on

daycare was closed due to the pandemic. As we say at Duchesne,

Since the beginnings of distance

how to live a meaningful human

Saints Madeleine Sophie Barat and

learning at Duchesne, I’m struck

life. In our pandemic stricken

Rose Philippine Duchesne, PRAY

by two phenomena. First, the

world, the Goals and Criteria are a

FOR US.

enthusiasm of my colleagues and,

beacon of purpose and connection.

second, the engagement of my

A deep respect for intellectual

I was in charge of the child, as my

students. My colleagues and I

values, we maintain, as it

wife headed out to work. Sheer

jumped right into the challenge

maintains us.

survival instinct led me to the

at-hand. Technical steps were

12 DUCHESNE TODAY

Duchesne Uses DREAM Lab to Help Doctors and Nurses

BY KEVIN BOUGHTON When doctors and nurses put out a call for more personal protective equipment, Duchesne teacher Bruce Moore went to work. Moore, I.T. Department Chair and STEAM Integration

Teacher Congé: The One When We Were Quarantined

BY BRITTANY DORNER, A08 Morale was low after the pandemic struck.

Aside from the world seemingly turning upside down, the second half of second semester at Duchene is always the most exciting – springtime, the end of the year,

Specialist, spent days in the school’s DREAM Lab using the 3D printer to make ear protectors which help prevent chafing when wearing a surgical mask for a long time; they also extend the life of the mask’s elastic straps.

The first batch of equipment was donated to Methodist Health Systems and then other hospitals in Omaha, based on need and availability. Duchesne also donated goggles, usually used for chemistry class, to healthcare workers in need of eye protection.

Ring Ceremony, graduation - the list goes

24 (Field Day), for the most part, students

on. Not to mention, the transition to

were surprised.

remote learning did not come without a need for few adjustments. Teachers knew

Students awoke on Monday to Dr.

the students needed a little break. They

Hickman sharing a video of faculty and

may have been at home, but much was still

staff members dancing in their homes

expected from them, and without being

to the Beach Boys, all donning tropical

physically in the building with friends, for

garb, and busting out their best awkward

students it was feeling like a lot of work

wedding dance moves. The students were

and little play.

then invited to go outside, let loose, and get some much needed R&R.

Que the sneaky and ever-so-thoughtful faculty. They cooked up the idea to have

The fun continued with students receiving

a Teacher Congé - the last of which was

a postcard and a beach ball in the mail.

nearly a decade before.

One thing is for sure, there will never be While, of course, a few observant students

another Teacher Congé quite like this one.

were quick to decipher Dr. Hickman's email that was sent out on Friday, April

SUMMER 2020 13

The Student Body Pr esident's P r i z e D ay A ddr e s s

BY STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT, ABIGAIL JACOBI, A20 Faculty, staff, sisters, and any other guests that may be joining us from home, As I gaze into the camera and picture all of your beautiful faces, I realize this is not how we imagined wrapping up our year, but I am so grateful that we are able to share in this special tradition in a unique way. Though we cannot be together in person, this celebration has not lost any value. In fact, I think this may be one of the most significant Prize Days that Duchesne has ever seen. By continuing to honor this day, we have proven the strength and resilience of the Duchesne community along with its perpetual dedication to traditions. This invisible villain we are currently battling has no dominion over our Sacred Heart family.

While I was debating over what to say during this speech one day, I realized one thing that was sitting at the top of my gratitude list: in August, while deciding which jungle animals to compare the grades to in my opening convocation speech, I did not choose bats to be one of them... because that would have made for an ironically unfortunate situation.

Then I had another epiphany, coming to the conclusion that unprecedented times call for unprecedented changes to the big Prize Day speech, so I decided to abandon the jungle theme, and I wrote a letter.

It reads as follows…

14 DUCHESNE TODAY

Dear COVID-19, Your arrival was very unexpected, and it was not welcomed by any means, but I have a lot to thank you for. I know that sounds surprising, but it’s true.

Because of you, for the first time ever, the Duchesne athletics program had a completely errorless season. Our tennis team never lost a match!! The incredible Cardinal Pride track team was never defeated at a meet, and not a single person missed a shot in our state championship soccer game. If that’s not athletic hall of fame worthy, then I don’t know what is!

Because of you, A20 is going to have the longest high school career of any Duchesne class to come before us! That means we get to revel in the joy of being students at one of the best places on Earth for just a little while longer before we officially graduate.

Because of you, people stuck at home have been given the opportunity to explore their hobbies and discover new talents.

And they have been blessed with time to laugh and create memories with their families.

Because of you, we have realized how meaningful the little things can be: giving a grandparent a hug, sitting with a friend on a park bench, going out to dinner with our families, and walking around in public without a mask on.

You have made students realize how much they took their education, their teachers, and laughter over bad British Literature grades for granted.

You have revealed heroes that live around us, and as it turns out, many of them wear scrubs, not capes.

You have revealed heroes that live around us, and as it turns out, many of them wear scrubs, not capes.

You have shown us that everyone can make a difference, no matter how small their actions or role may seem.

Because of you, communities around the world have discovered how powerful they are when they work together.

There are big changes to be made in this world, and because of you, the girls of this school are going to be more motivated than ever to make it a better place.

You have exposed both good and bad leaders locally and across the globe.

You have shown us that racial inequality still exists and is unacceptable.

Because of you, for the first time in nearly thirty years, the people in the Indian state of Punjab can see the Himalayan mountain range, due to a reduction in emissions.

You have proven to us that Mother Nature repairs herself when we decrease waste and give her room to breathe.

Because of you, we know that things can’t be the same when this is over. There are big changes to be made in this world and because of you, the girls of this school are going to be more motivated than ever to make it a better place.

I saw love in the smiles of teachers and faculty members alike at the Duchesne drive-bys. I heard love from dozens of alums when they reached out to offer us encouragement in our final weeks of school. I tasted love in the homemade cookie each senior received courtesy of Mrs. Caniglia. I cried, out of love, for precious moments I lost at this beloved school, and I know many of you have as well. So, if we are to learn anything from this experience, let it be these three things: 1. Everyone can be a difference maker 2. We are stronger together 3. And despite the circumstances, love anyway Sincerely, Abigail Jacobi

Dear Duchesne community, Being apart from my Sacred Heart family has shown me that we can never be truly separated. We are connected not just through Zoom, but through the love we have for each other and the world around us. I read love in the supportive emails we received from Dr. Hickman and Mrs. Brudney during this time.

SUMMER 2020 15

A rchi v es r ev e a l Duchesne life

Du r i ng 1918 Spa n ish Flu Pa n de m ic

BY KEVIN BOUGHTON Archivist Margo O'Connor Bieker, A71, uncovered House Journal entries from 1918 which shed light on how Duchesne operated during the flu pandemic.

tried to keep the virus from spreading. The Journal notes the spread was particularly severe in the eastern part of the United States.

The Religious of the Sacred Heart started keeping House Journals when Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat founded the society in 1800. These daily records documented activities, feasts and celebrations, visitors, and changes in assignments for the RSCJ occurring in the cloister, the school, and the city.

In 2020, students are completing their coursework online using email, phone calls, and video conferencing. In 1918, students had to attend class on Saturday and give up a week of Christmas vacation to make up for lost school days. Just a week after students returned to class following the four-week closure, the first World War ended on November 11, 1918.

As Duchesne begins the school year in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is not without precedent. The school was closed for at least four weeks in 1918 during the Spanish Flu pandemic, a search of the Duchesne College and Academy archives has revealed.

The Religious of the Sacred Heart and the greater Omaha community relied on prayer and the same social distancing and closures seen today to stop the spread of the virus, with mixed results.

The first reference to the flu appears in the House Journal on October 7, 1918, when the unidentified nun keeping the journal wrote that schools, churches, theatres, and other public places were closed. The community prayed for an end to the spread of the disease, including a novena (the Duchesne community is doing the same today). The Journal tells us schools were closed and students were sent home for four weeks, from early October to early November, as people

16 DUCHESNE TODAY

The relief brought by Armistice Day was short-lived, however, when the religious noted on November 15, a mild form of influenza was spreading among some of the girls living at Duchesne. The RSCJ were worried but found encouragement when a statue of St. Michael arrived at Duchesne on the same day. They believed it was a sign of God’s protection. “We are full of confidence that our cause is in good hands,” the nun wrote.

The increasing cases of flu were enough for school leaders to send the “boarders” home again on November 17. Two days later, students not living at the school returned for class. The entry notes 16 girls became sick with the flu, and, thankfully, all survived. The Religious of the Sacred Heart were overjoyed when one girl, whose case was becoming serious, recovered after the application of “a relic of our Blessed Mother Foundress, Saint Madeleine Sophie Barat.”

Excerpts taken directly from the House Journal: Park Place – Duchesne October 7, 1918 - House Journal entry 10/7/1918 All the schools are closed on account of the terrible epidemic of influenza that is so prevalent in the east. Churches, theatres, schools and other places of public gatherings are closed in the hope of checking the spread of the disease.

November 4, 1918 - House Journal entry 11/4/1918 The Day pupils returned after four weeks of enforced absence.

A novena of prayer, fidelity, and penance was made by the Community that both the Community and the children would escape what seems to be a veritable plague. In order to supplement for missed classes, the day pupils are to attend Saturday sessions and sacrifice a week of Christmas holidays.

November 11 - 19, 1918 House Journal entry 11/11-19/1918 November 11 The Armistice for the cessation of hostilities was signed by Germany leaving the Allies victorious in the great World War. (Indiscernible writing. Possibly in French.)

November 15 A few cases of influenza in a mild form appeared among the borders. A strange coincidence occurred. A statue of St. Michael had been promised in the hope that the great Archangel would protect the Community and the children from the epidemic. The very day the flu attacked some of the children St. Michael arrived! We are full of confidence that our cause is in good hands.

November 17 As several cases of influenza appeared Reverend Mother thought it wise to send home for a week the boarders not yet attacked. The day pupils were dismissed at half-past two.

November 19 Saint Elizabeth, the patron of the house, brought back the day pupils, who are thus enabled to make up lost classes during the enforced quarantine absence. There were only sixteen cases among the boarders here, all mild cases. One which threatened to be serious was checked remarkably by the application of a relic of our Blessed Mother Foundress.

SUMMER 2020 17

Academy News

Cœur de Jésus: Duchesne’s Favorite Song taken from RSCJ Archives One aspect that sets Duchesne apart from other schools in the area, and even from some other Sacred Heart schools, is students’ fondness for their school song.

Whether it be sung reverently on exit from the Chapel after mass, screamed at the tops of lungs after a sporting match, or played at a wedding celebration, Duchesne girls all know and love to sing “Cœur de Jésus” at any opportunity.

But did you know that some other Sacred Heart schools do not have the same relationship with the song, and that students at those schools may not even know of it? So, where did it come from and what is known about our beloved school song and its composer?

A visit to the RSCJ archives fills us in on its history.

The proper title is “Les Promesses du Sacré-Cœur,” and it is attributed to Reverend Mother Betzy Nieuwland, a Religious of the Sacred Heart of Dutch origin who lived between 1848 and 1918.

As a little girl she showed outstanding musical ability, a talent that her father encouraged by making sure she had good music teachers. As a nun she was an excellent organist and choir director and often composed musical pieces for the students to perform. She spent her early years as a nun in Paris at the Rue de Varenne, where she was much loved by her students.

Later she was sent to Jette St. Pierre outside Brussels. She was the Superior there at the time that Mother Barat’s body was taken to Jette from Paris when all the RSCJ left France. She was named vicar of all the Belgian houses during the years before World War I and was Superior in Antwerp in 1914 suffering much hardship when Belgium was invaded.

She died at Arnhem (a house that no longer exists) a few months before the first World War ended.

So the next time you sing “Cœur de Jésus,” think of Reverend Mother Betzy Nieuwland. We are sure she would be pleased with Duchesne Academy’s enduring appreciation of her timeless composition.

Coeur de Jésus sauvez le monde, Que l’univers vous soit soumis En Vous seul notre espoir se fonde Seigneur, Seigneur, Vous nous l’avez promis.

18 DUCHESNE TODAY

W H AT M AT ER ME A NS TO ME

BY EMMA SCHARTZ, A20 Mater ceremony is the most transformative tradition I have experienced at Duchesne so far, and I believe it will continue to hold this special place in my heart forever. However, to explain this, I will need to take you all back to middle school, specifically eighth grade.

Remember the awkward social interactions and shiny braces in the hallways, along with making the first real choice about our lives most of us are given: where to go to high school. Amidst all of the excitement and puberty circulating through the air, I had my initial true experience with Mater’s presence in my life. In October of my eighth grade year, my mother passed away very suddenly due to breast cancer. This loss ripped the foundation from underneath my family’s feet. I was now expected to embark on a new chapter without the guiding light of my life, while simultaneously working with my dad and my little sister Abby to rebuild our routine and family unit.

During this time, I had a love-hate relationship with our heavenly mother, Mary. Why couldn’t she have protected my mother? How could she let one of her children on earth live without one of the most important bonds in her life? I didn’t want a mother up in heaven, I wanted a mother here on earth.

As the year continued, I often thought about what I idealized about my mother. Growing up, I never realized how accomplished she was as a small-town farm girl moving to Omaha and maintaining both a successful law career and family. What I valued about her was the little actions she did every day. This was

evidenced in baking cookies for all of the neighbors every time the seasons changed, and teaching her daughters how to care for the community around them. This was in her constant calls to her sisters in Colorado and back home in Iowa, showing us the importance of family and female bonds, even with the boundaries of busy schedules and distance.

It was even shown through her small flower and herb pots that she maintained religiously, embodying a love of and care for the smallest gifts of life God gives us. While my mother did big things in her life, such as adopting a child and working in the public defender’s office for many years, for a child, the simple actions of love and compassion are what I was able to understand and hold in my heart.

Soon, I realized that the impact and qualities of my mother did not leave the earth when she did. I saw her empathy living on in the women around me, especially in my aunts.

While I was so focused on what I was missing in my life, I failed to realize that the well of empowered women had not run dry. All around me, I saw strong females who were fighting for justice, pursuing their passions, or raising children who were going to change the world.

But how does any of this relate to Mary, the namesake of this ceremony? The ultimate model for each of these women I have described is in Mary. While I wasn’t able to spend a lifetime with my mom here on earth, I see the legacy of her values and beliefs in my female role models. This is because Mater is the connection between all of the strong

women who we each know in our lives and who we are on our way to becoming.

For my mater sponsor, I decided to honor my Aunt Peg. As I sat where you all do today, I was nervous to walk in front of my peers, and I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I wish my mother was with me at this ceremony.

But I looked around, and I saw all versions of modern Marys surrounding me. Each female model of Mary you sophomores have picked embodies this love, whether you feel it consciously or subconsciously. As you sit in the pews in front of me, I see generations of women who are now joined in a community of strength and compassion bound by the tight bonds of female love. Take the time to notice your mentor’s small acts of care and appreciate the gifts and wisdom she provides to you every day. You soon will be needed by a young girl, and their lessons are priceless.

Last Christmas, I gave each of my aunts a framed picture of Mater Admirabilis. I know now how much I value their guidance and support. I hope you carry this lesson in your own life as well.

This story is a transcript of Emma's speech to the student body at Mater Ceremony.

SUMMER 2020 19

Academy News

LATE START PROVES BENEFICIAL

BY DR. LAURA MCKEE HICKMAN, A85 In October 2018 and again in October 2019, Duchesne administered a comprehensive survey to the students to collect information about nutrition, social media use, prosocial engagement, sleep, and stress. On the most recent survey, we added two questions specifically about the new schedule: what is most appreciated, and what is the biggest concern about it.

The most exciting result of the survey is a strong indication that our students are getting more sleep and more often: • Students sleeping 7-9 hours a night in the last seven days increased from 3.97 to 4.9 days. This is a full day more of good sleep; • Likewise, the average hours of sleep in the last seven days increased from 6.53 to 7.47 (Parents report 8.8 hours!); • Students reporting that the quality of their work suffered due to loss of sleep “every day” decreased from 23% to 15%; • Student satisfaction with the new late start schedule is also very high with 99% approval.

On the other hand, stress, anxiety, and depression remain the top three mental health concerns for students and for parents of Duchesne students. These concerns mirror national and international increases in concerns over teen mental health.

As a whole school community, we continue to explore processes and messaging that can help our teens build healthier daily schedules, develop healthy coping mechanisms, and to find and feel God’s peace and love in the midst of their busy days.

20 DUCHESNE TODAY

Academy News

SELF-DEFENSE CLASS

AT D U C H E S N E

BY ADAM THEEL | CO-WRITTEN BY BRIDGET MORTON In spring 2019, PE teachers Mr. Theel and Mrs. Morton attended a training in New Hampshire and became certified instructors of the Rape Aggression Training (RAD) for women.

RAD is designed to empower women through self-defense. While this is not a martial arts course, each student will develop their knowledge, skills, and abilities through lecture, discussion, and physical resistive strategies. Students will develop the awareness that they can rely upon themselves to be safe and gain an understanding of appropriate decisions to make for their safety. They will also secure the self-realization that they have the physical power to make a difference in many situations.

RAD is offered by many community police departments, colleges, and universities throughout the United States and Canada.

In spring 2020, 30 juniors and seniors took part in this training. The ultimate goal is that every Duchesne student completes this course prior to graduation. Beginning in the 2020-21 school year, juniors and seniors will have this course added to their class schedule.

The RAD basic training will consist of nine double-block classes over the course of one semester. During the first two classes, students will be introduced to risk reduction strategies, defensive strategies, and the basic principles of defense. The remainder of the classes will be hands-on training, and students will have the opportunity to use skills they learn by striking padded equipment held by Mr. Theel and Mrs. Morton.

Once students have completed the course, RAD Systems has a lifetime return and practice policy. Students may attend, for free, any RAD basic class wherever the class is offered.

SUMMER 2020 21

TRÈS BIEN TO THESE DASH TRÈS BIEN, JAYLEESHA! In the summer of 2019, Jayleesha Cooper, A21, was honored with the National Conference of Negro Women Student in Excellence award from the Omaha chapter of the NCNW. This prestigious honor is bestowed upon African American youth who are excelling academically while also giving back to their community.

Jayleesha says, “I am very grateful to receive the award and will continue to donate my time and talents to my community, hoping to be the girl the NCNW saw as worthy of the honor.”

Jayleesha is a founding member of Duchesne's Black Student Union.

TRÈS BIEN, CALEIGH! Congratulations to Caleigh Copenhaver, A22, who recently was awarded certification in Equestrian Athlete Lettering from the United States Equestrian Federation, the national governing body for equestrian sports in the United States. Caleigh completed training and several equestrian sport competitions to be eligible for this recognition.

TRÈS BIEN T 22 DUCHESNE TODAY

Academy News

STUDENTS! TRÈS BIEN, TESS! Kudos to Tess Bowler, A21, who entered (with her long-time friend) and won the Midtown Crossing Chalk Festival and its $1,000 prize! There were 48 other artists participating in the event.

Tess is pictured on the left.

TRÈS BIEN, VIA! Via Becker, A23, danced the part of Clara in Creighton University’s Nutcracker this past December. To prepare for the role, Via practiced from 6-10 hours per week. She says that working with a cast of Creighton dancers and 30 younger students was “an amazing experience.”

TO THESE DASH STUDENTS! SUMMER 2020 23

Academy News

BRINGING NATURE INTO THE DRE AM L AB

BY BRUCE MOORE In January, I ventured to Schramm Park in Gretna to pick up 200 rainbow trout eggs. The eggs and coordinated programming, sponsored by the Nebraska Game and Parks, assist educators around the nation to teach students about conservation-oriented environmental education.

During the first weeks, the eggs were climatized into the nursery container in a large 40-gallon tank housed in the DREAM (Duchesne Research, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics) lab.

Student volunteers helped care for the eggs, tested the water, maintained the system, and fed the little fry.

The trout were then released from the nursery into a large tank, where soiled water was cycled once each week from the filtration tank into a holding bin used in the aquaponics system. This is connected to the DREAM lab’s Florafelt Vertical Garden, where plants and herbs are grown. Ultimately, the trout were grown to fingerling size before they were returned to a conservation pond located at Schramm Park in late spring.

Both of these DREAM lab systems demonstrate to students how technology, conservation, and sustainability all work together.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

BY MARGO O'CONNOR BIEKER, A71 STEAM’s beginnings at Duchesne College circa 1964.

First video camera and videotape recorder used for teachers’ presentation practice. L to R, Jeanette Kimball, RSCJ, PhD., honorary president, and Libby Gatewood Schumacher, A’60, C’64.

24 DUCHESNE TODAY

Academy News

DUCHESNE RECOGNIZED FOR SUSTAINABILIT Y EFFORTS

BY KEVIN BOUGHTON Duchesne Academy's work to reduce waste and promote sustainability has earned an international honor. Duchesne is one of three winners of the French Embassy’s G7 Eco-citizen contest.

The Embassy celebrated Duchesne’s successful work to increase the amount of waste diverted from landfills from half to more than 75%, installing roof-top solar panels, and incorporating sustainable practices into all curriculum. These practices are part of Duchesne’s plan to produce zero-waste and create more energy that it consumes by 2030.

Assistant Principal and Sustainability Program coordinator Eric Krakowski traveled to the French consulate in Chicago in March to receive the special honor and prize: a solar-powered watch made entirely of reclaimed fishing nets pulled from the oceans. French Consul Guillaume LaCroix made the presentation to Mr. Krakowski. Identical watches were presented to world leaders at the G7 climate summit in France last year.

DUCHESNE NAMED 2020 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION GREEN RIBBON SCHOOL

BY KEVIN BOUGHTON Duchesne's work to reduce waste and become more sustainable has set it apart from schools in Omaha and Nebraska. The U.S. Department of Education named Duchesne Academy a 2020 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honoree. Duchesne is the only school in Omaha and is one of just three schools in the state to receive the honor.

“Duchesne is committed to being a leader in school sustainability and it’s a challenge our students have embraced. I am proud that sustainability is not a novelty or separate program at Duchesne, it is how we live and learn,” said Head of School Meg Brudney.

Across the country, 39 schools, 11 districts, and five postsecondary institutions are being honored for their innovative efforts to reduce environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness, and ensure effective sustainability education.

“Our classes use less paper, we grow more of our own food, and we’re finding new ways to teach sustainable principles in our classes,” said Assistant Principal Eric Krakowski, Duchesne Sustainability Program Coordinator and Assistant Principal.

The Department of Education highlighted Duchesne's work to include sustainability practices in all its programs and upgrades to make its building, originally built in 1881, more energy-efficient.

SUMMER 2020 25

Academy News

CARING FOR CREATION & FUTURE GENERATIONS:

DUCH E S N E SUSTA I N A BI L I T Y N E W S WRITTEN BY ERIC KRAKOWSKI Since launching its sustainability plan in 2017, Duchesne Academy is proud to be the sustainability leader among Omaha area schools. Here is a glimpse of some exciting current developments in Duchesne’s ongoing commitment to being good stewards of creation: • Duchesne received a 2019 Energy Star rating from the Environmental Protection Agency by scoring in the 92nd percentile in energy efficiency among similar buildings nationwide. This marks the third time Duchesne has received this honor.

• Since installing a 30-panel solar array in September 2019, Duchesne has generated over two megawatts of clean energy on campus. This is enough electricity to power 100 average American homes for one day and the carbon offset equivalent of planting 27 trees or driving a car for nearly 4400 miles.

• In November 2019, Duchesne planted eight fruit trees on campus with the help of "The Big Garden” nonprofit community garden. The apple, pear, and peach trees were planted to the west of the tennis courts and should bear fruit within the next three years.

• In the 2019-2020 school year Duchesne began partnering with the University of Nebraska Medical Center School of Public Health to offer research opportunities to students enrolled in the “Research Methodology” class. In the spring semester, students are working under the direction of UNMC representatives to assist in gathering and analyzing data for an ongoing, longitudinal study on water quality in the state of Nebraska.

• The U.S. Department of Education announced Wednesday, April 22, 2020 that Duchesne Academy is among the 2020 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools award honorees.

26 DUCHESNE TODAY

LIVING THE GOALS: SERVICE TRIP TO KOINONIA FAR M WRITTEN BY SARA MCCONNELL In October, students and chaperones traveled to Koinonia Farm in Americus, Georgia, for a service trip. While there, they experienced how Koinonia Farm members live out the Christian faith, promote peace, live simply, and farm sustainably. Kate Joyce, A20 commented, “I enjoyed Koinonia’s mission and how all their members live it out daily. They were so welcoming, and I also appreciate how they share everything and have a detachment from material goods.”

Living and working alongside Koinonia Farm members included a variety of activities, such as a Taize worship service, enjoying the peace and serenity of nature on the farm, helping out in the Koinonia Bakery, packing bags of clothing for refugees, and cooking in the kitchen for shared, communal meals.

Highlights of the trip included volunteering at Harvest of Hope Food Pantry, visiting Habitat for Humanity Global and International Village, learning about the concept of fair trade at Café Campesino, touring the Albany Civil Rights Institute, and visiting two churches where Martin Luther King, Jr. spoke.

“The thing I enjoyed most on this trip was volunteering at Harvest of Hope Food Pantry. They had so much fresh produce for people! Most of all, I appreciated interacting with the people receiving the food; they were so grateful for my help,” commented Gracie Phillips, A20.

This trip offered plenty of opportunities to grow in faith, live out social justice, and learn more about American history. On the last day of the trip, Katie Speer, A20 wrote, “I loved this trip and wouldn’t have changed my experience for anything!"

SUMMER 2020 27

Academy News

A LESSON IN APPRECIATING LIFE HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR, DARIA BLAZAUSKAS, COMES TO DUCHESNE

BY KATELYN BLAZAUSKAS, A22 Daría Blazauskas, who is more commonly known as Dottie or Baba (grandma) to me, was born in 1939 in Ukraine. Her family owned a farm in Lviv. In 1944 when she was five years old, World War II was still ongoing and the Russian and Germans were fighting nearby.

Her family was moved out of their home and taken to a forced labor camp in Germany called Gegegen. Her family had no idea what was going on and thought they would be coming back in a short time once the front passed through their town. To prepare, her parents buried all of their valuables in the back yard for safe keeping so they could retrieve when they returned.

One of her first memories of when she was leaving was that her parents picked her up and took her to the train station where they got into cattle cars. They traveled in the cattle cars for more than a day before they finally arrived at the camps. Once they made it to the camps, the men and women were split up into groups and took showers to be disinfected. Some of her biggest memories in the camp were the constant fighting at the front, bombing near them, and the fear. In addition, she remembered being hungry all the time and specifically recalled her mom feeding her parsnips as a treat.

She was liberated after a year by the US and stayed the camp with the US soldiers for four years after that until they were able to get sponsored to come to the US. They decided not to go back to Ukraine for fear of communism and the Russians and being transported to the Siberian gulags.

28 DUCHESNE TODAY

Instead, her family came to the US through New York then went to Great Mills, Maryland, to live and work at a farm for a year to pay off their passage to the family that sponsored them. After they had finished their work, they moved to Omaha, where her sister had moved earlier to get married. There were other Ukrainians already established in Omaha, many of them working at the meat packing plants. She went to primary school at St. Patricks and high school at Mercy. She married my Dido (grandfather in Ukrainian) who came from Lithuania following the war, moved around and had three children, one of whom is my father. She finally moved back to Omaha permanently in 1987.

"Value what you have and do not take it for granted."

To share what she experienced as a war refugee and immigrant, she gave her first talk to her neighbors and decided to write her history down with her siblings before they died. She has given presentations at Saint Margaret Mary, Millard, and now Duchesne. When telling her story, she always emphasizes: “Appreciate what you have, protect your country because being without a country is worse that being an orphan, you become a Nothing, a no one–lost without identity.

Value what you have and do not take it for granted.”

M A RCH F OR L IF E PA RT IC I PA N T S L I V E

Goal Three

BY SARAH BUDA STRATMAN, A95 On January 24th, sixteen members of the Duchesne community participated in the 47th annual March For Life in Washington, D.C. The theme for the 2020 March For Life was, “Life Empowers: Pro-Life is Pro-Woman.”

Students and chaperones attended a premarch rally on the National Mall where they heard the powerful stories of abortion survivors Claire Culwell and Melissa Ohden. The “Faces of Choice” ad, featuring 14 survivors of attempted abortions, was revealed at the conclusion of the rally.

Immediately following the rally, the Duchesne group peacefully and prayerfully

marched up Constitution Avenue towards the US Capitol, bearing witness to the value and dignity of all human life.

March for Life estimates that about 350,000 people participated in this year’s event. The Catholic Voice reported that 450 members of the Omaha Archdiocese, including Archbishop George Lucas, were in attendance.

Other highlights from the trip included celebrating Mass with Archbishop Lucas alongside students from Creighton University’s pro-life group and attending a standing room only Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The group took advantage of all that Washington D.C. had to offer and visited Arlington National Cemetery, the National Museum of American History, the Washington Monument, and several memorials near the National Mall.

Before returning to Omaha, students and chaperones visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

The images we saw and the stories we heard during the whole trip were a sobering reminder of our responsibility to live out Goal 3 and to recommit ourselves to a social awareness which impels to action.

Sixteen members of the Duchesne community participated in the 2020 March for Life's "Life Empowers: Pro-Life is Pro-Woman."

SUMMER 2020 29

Giving

SAVE the DATE

MONDAY JANUARY TWENTY FIFTH SATURDAY JANUARY THIRTIETH

TWENTY TWENTY ONE

For volunteer opportunities, please visit: duchesneacademy.org/volunteerconge2021/

30 DUCHESNE TODAY

Congé 2020 CELEBRATING THE FUTURE OF OUR GIRLS

BY MEGHAN CONWAY ROWEN, A97 Congé 2020 Vision: Celebrating the Future of Our Girls brought an evening full of positive vibes and laughter for the Duchesne community. There were 500 guests in attendance at the January 25 event which was held at a new venue for Congé – the Omaha Marriott Downtown at the Capitol District. The school raised a gross amount of $637,000. The raise-the-paddle, a direct contribution to tuition assistance, raised $150,000.

Duchesne parents Kate and Brian Brownrigg (parents to Lauren A20), Liz and Tom Dervin (parents to Sophia A21), and Melissa and Patrick Duffy (parents to Bridget A21) served as co-chairs for this year’s Congé. In their Congé catalog letter they stated, “Our theme, 2020 Vision, Celebrating the Future of Our Girls, honors the unique qualities of a Sacred Heart education while looking forward to the exciting opportunities for growth. Saints Madeleine Sophie Barat and Rose Philippine Duchesne were true visionaries. They imagined a world where girls would be educated surrounded by faith and love. Our incredible faculty strive each day to inspire and pass along those values to our daughters.”

The décor was simple, elegant, and very Duchesne! The tables were adorned with Fairmont plaid runners and bows to tie each napkin. Each table had a fresh white floral bouquet as its centerpiece. These floral creations were the “visions” of 10 local designers who donated their time and talent to make our table ambiance magnifique!

The stage was highlighted with the Duchesne Academy photo backdrop and the guests watched our Masters of Ceremonies, “The Brothers Reed,” Tim and Rob Reed,

take the stage to sing a version of “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!” It was a big surprise and got a lot of laughs!!

The Congé video, produced by Duchesne parent Ben Drickey shared heartfelt testimonies from both Shirley Miller RSCJ, and our Head of School, Meg Brudney.

Both women shared their vision for Duchesne’s future and showed gratitude for all of the many RSCJ and educators who have paved the way since the start of Sacred Heart education. Auctioneer Jon Schaben and his children conducted the lively live auction, and popular items included two book clubs with freshman English instructor Ben Mihovk, reserved parking spaces at school, Berkshire B stock and golf at Sand Hills.

During the live auction, there were tears and feelings of joy when alumna Erin Fogarty Owen A89, Jayleesha Cooper, A21, and Duchesne Preschooler, Charlotte Hudson, gave testimonies about their time at Duchesne and how important their scholarships have been to them. Five-year old Charlotte wowed the crowd with her version of “Cœur de Jésus.” It was a truly special, memorable night for everyone in the room. Congé 2020 was booming with love!

Thank you to everyone who attended the event to celebrate our gem, Duchesne, on 36th and Burt Street!

Pictured above are Congé co-chairs Kate & Brian Brownrigg, Liz & Tom Dervin and Melissa & Patrick Duffy.

SUMMER 2020 31

Giving

C

B

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F

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DU CH ES NE

A CAD EM Y

January 26, 2019

MARRIOTT CAPITOL DISTRICT

1

Student Congé volunteers hanging out before the event begins

2

Kate Brownrigg, Lauren Brownrigg, A20, and Brian Brownrigg

3

Jim Brudney and Meg Huerter Brudney, A83 (Head of School)

4 Jayleesha Cooper, A21 5

Nancy Ortman Ryan, A49/C53, and Madeleine Ortman Begley, A49/c53

G

H

I

J

K

L

6

Tom Rowen, Patrick Duffy, Katie Risch Bakhit, A94 (staff), and Trisha Clark Meehan, A04 (staff)

7

A group of student volunteers pose for the camera while enjoying a well-deserved break

8

The silent auction was a great success

9

Michelle Balas, Kelly Kula, Angela Langenfeld, and Beth Rankin

1 0 Meg Huerter Brudney, A83 with speaker Charlotte Hudson 11

Thank you to the Marriott - Capitol District for providing a gorgeous backdrop to the event.

SUMMER 2020 33

Alumnae News

DASH CAREER CONNECT

BY TRISHA CLARK MEEHAN, A04

Speakers at Duchesne:

3 Kiley Clemens Freeman, A05, Director Commercial Strategy

Jordan Anderson, A10, Senior Zookeeper at Omaha's Henry

and Experience Design at Union Pacific

On November 8, 2019, Duchesne students

Doorly Zoo & Aquarium

Kate Tomka Gerber, A05, Marketing & Communications

Dr. Allison McGee Ashford, A99, Physician at

Specialist at TEAM Software

UNMC/Children's

4 Abby Cheshier Goranson, A96, Senior Structural Engineer at

Victoria Baltimore, A14, Event Producer at planitomaha

LEO A DALY

Emily Friel Barr, A05, Associate Professor of Occupational

Camille Brown Hawk, A86, Partner/Attorney at

at the school, enjoying morning wellness

Therapy at Nebraska Methodist College

Walentine O'Toole, LLP

activities and spending the afternoon in

Rachel Kohles Burke, A01, Clinical Pharmacist at

9 Kate Nelson Holthaus, A11, Optometrist at

VA Health Care System

Vision Specialists of Omaha

Kelly Chase, A12, Social Media Manager at Zaiss and Company

6 Megan Bieker Jeffrey, A02, Assistant Public Defender at

Liz Gasaway, A06, Deputy Public Defender in Seward

Douglas County Public Defender's Office

County, NE

Stephanie Stephens Kasparek, A02, Project Coordinator at

and touring campus, which was organized

Julie McGargill Gust, A02, United States Probation and Pretrial

Sirius Computer Solutions

by alumna Tricia Brundo Sharrar, A89.

Services Officer for the United States District Court District

Gina Keplinger, A13, Program Manager at

of Nebraska

Nebraska Writers Collective

Eleanor (Sam) Skrupa Hohman, A83, CEO of Credit

Jacqie Kupfer Leise, A01, Director, Advertising Operations at

Advisors Foundation

Verizon Media

Abby Nelson, A14, Intern Architect/Student at

2 Anna Mahoney-Goughnour, A05, Account Executive at

BVH Architecture/UNL

Center Trophy Company

Sophia Petrow, A10, Marketing and Sales Consultant at

Julia Robinson McCarville, A04, Executive Director of

Union Pacific

American Lung Association in Nebraska

Hannah Petty, A16, Technical Media Producer at Channel

Tracie Jones McPherson, A89, Director of Communications at

10/11 NOW News Channel

Visit Omaha (City of Omaha)

Dorian Hill Stanfield, A90, Business Systems Consultant at

Jordan Moser, A12, Fourth Grade Teacher at St. Pius X/St Leo

Mutual of Omaha

10 Misha Wees Nadeau, A05, Pharmacist at Kubat Pharmacy

Jamison Lucchino Sweet, A88, Data Analyst at Mutual of

Jessie Simpson Ness, A03, Salon Owner at ROAR Beauty Parlor

Omaha

1 Erin Fogarty Owen, A89, Director of Communications and

paused from their regular schedule of classes and participated in the school-wide Career Day event. Freshmen and sophomores stayed

small group sessions with alumnae who spoke about various careers. Juniors spent the day at Creighton University taking college classes

Seniors embarked on a new adventure this year, shadowing alumnae at their job sites throughout the Omaha area. Students and alumnae alike thoroughly enjoyed the day.

Many thanks to the following women who participated in sharing their career journeys with our students this year!

Marketing at Buffett Early Childhood Institute at the

34 DUCHESNE TODAY

Senior Hosts:

University of Nebraska

Stephani Hanson Bazata, A01, Senior Systems Consultant -

7 Krystal Kremla Peteler, A90, Assistant to the Music Director

Enterprise Architecture at Union Pacific

for Archdiocese of Omaha

Caitlin Kolb Benton, A05, Historic Preservation Specialist at

12 Kristin Stoesz Pratt, A00, Director, Customer Management

Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture

Marketing at First National Bank of Omaha

Rachel Morello Cole, A95, Senior Director Alumni Relations

Elizabeth Fairchild Schaben, A91, Middle School Academy

and Donor Engagement at Creighton University

Zoology Teacher at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo

Amy O'Connor Chisholm, A79, Director of Development at

8 Morgan Dugdale Shradar, A95, Nurse (Clinical Coordinator)

Project Harmony Child Advocacy Center

at Nebraska Medicine Biocontainment Unit

Molly Davies, A93, EL Teacher for Omaha Public Schools,

Theresa Thiel, A04, Senior Account Partner at Verizon Media

Central High School

Jaimee Trobough, A95, Director of Communications at

11 Katie Dixon DeSantis, A96, Owner of Vitality Bowls

The Big Garden

Dr. Mary Finnegan, A90, Dermatologist at Braddock

Chelsey Wehrmann, A11, Speech Language Pathologist for

Finnegan Dermatology

Omaha Public Schools, Benson High School

Elise Fountain, A09, Unit Director at Boys & Girls Clubs of the

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Alumnae News

CLASS NOTES Diane Morin Nelson, A63 was the 2020 Alumni Achievement Citation recipient for Creighton University’s College of Arts and Sciences. Diane serves on boards for Heartland Family Services, the Healing Arts Board at the Buffet Cancer Center, the Nebraska Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, and the Christian Urban Education Service (CUES). Diane and her husband, former Nebraska Governor and former U.S. Senator Ben Nelson, have long served children and families in Nebraska, and were honored in 2016 as Voices for Children in Nebraska’s honorary family. Diane and her husband were Congé co-chairs in 1988, and Diane served on the Board of Trustees in the 90’s. She is now an active member of Children of Mary.

Abigail Hasebroock, A04 completed an Ed.D. in Curriculum and Instruction at Loyola University Chicago.

In October 2019, Abigail was inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu, the international Jesuit Honor Society, receiving one of the highest honors bestowed by the university.

Her dissertation is titled "Teacher Leadership: A Case Study in the Preparation of Future Teacher Leaders" and identifies how teacher education programs can explicitly and implicitly incorporate teacher leader skills and experiences to shape candidates' world views and transform them into change agents. Dr. Hasebroock currently teaches English Literature and serves as an Instructional Coach and Teacher Association Representative at St. Ignatius College Prep in Chicago, Illinois.

KEEP US UPDATED! Send news and photos to: Alumnae Relations Director, Trisha Clark Meehan, A04 at tmeehan@duchesneacademy.org 36 DUCHESNE TODAY

Thalia’s painting Dayafterdayafterdayafterday Thalia Rodgers, A13 opened The Union for Contemporary Art’s 2020 exhibitions series with You make my heart smile but you also make my eyes cry. Thalia’s art was displayed from January 21-March 14, 2020; this was their second solo exhibition. Thalia received a BFA in painting and drawing from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and currently lives and works in Omaha as an artist and educator.

Ellyn Hess Zaia, A70 visited Casey McHugh O’Brien, A70 at her home in Orange County, CA in October 2019.

The pair spent a week in Rancho Mirage, CA and enjoyed their time shopping and visiting some of Casey’s favorite dining spots. Casey also made a trip to St. Louis last year and said hello to the new statue of St. Philippine at the Cathedral Basilica.

Alumnae News

CLASS NOTES

Majel Connery, A97 performed her first solo show in Omaha over the holidays. Majel’s show, sponsored by Ann Wollen-Fager Shapiro A97, Meghan Dowd Schlattman A97 and past parents Nancy and Darrell Fager, benefited Duchesne’s performing arts program. This was part of a nationwide tour of small house shows that Majel performed. Majel received her undergraduate degree from Princeton, then a doctorate in musicology from The University of Chicago. She became an academic and then took a turn into professional music for the past few years. She composes, records, and tours her own solo electronic work. Majel was featured in Omaha Magazine in April 2020.

Duchesne staff member Jacqui Caniglia ran into alumna Mia Thomas, A18 at No More Empty Pots in May 2020. Mia had finished up her semester at Wheaton College at home and interned at No More Empty Pots over the summer, making the most of time at home during the pandemic.

Nancy Williams, cofounder and CEO of No More Empty Pots, serves on the Duchesne Board of Trustees. Mia is now working at Duchesne Academy, helping Jacqui with Sophie's Kitchen.

Sarah Murray, A10 is starting a new job in New York City at the world’s largest and most awarded digital production agency, MediaMonks. As PR and Communications Director, US, she will work to build and sustain the company’s reputation through public relations and marketing efforts to fuel growth.

Members of A95 connect via zoom during the pandemic!

Kirsten Nelson, A18, was featured in the Omaha World-Herald in December 2019 for the launch of her online clothing boutique, Shop Nelly. Shop Nelly is catered to high school and college students. Kirsten is currently studying business administration with a focus on entrepreneurship at University of Nebraska at Omaha.

Editor’s note: In our last publication, we mistakenly omitted the exciting news that Anne M. Minton, A85, was named Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer (BOC). Anne previously served as chief operating officer and has been part of BOC since 1998. We apologize to Anne for this mistake and are proud to call her an alumna.

Alumnae News

Alumnae Reunions

ACADEMY 1969 Front row: Celine Smith Robinson, Dolores Cunningham, Karen Codahl Cloonan, Micki Matthews Colquhoun, Corinne Quinn Rodgers, Jean Lysaught Hull, Kathy Tighe Seidel, Joyce Glenn, Mary Adams Totten, Mollie Sullivan Torbik, Joan Cortney Arce, Patty Cimino Heller, Anne Coffey Rog Back row: Mary Brown Reich, Jane March Brownlee, Ann Evans, Mary Ellen O’Keefe Wychulis, Rita Henry, Mary Beth Shaddy, B.J. Keating Thiele

ACADEMY 1969 Ann Evans, Jane March Brownlee, Anne Coffey Rog, Mary Brown Reich, Mary Ellen O’Keefe Wychulis, Mollie Sullivan Torbik, Dolores Cunningham, Joyce Glenn, B.J. Keating Thiele, Kathy Tighe Seidel, Mary Beth Shaddy, Joan Cortney Arce, Micki Matthews Colquhoun, Celine Smith Robinson

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COLLEGE 1969 Front row: Ann Brandenburg Schroeder, Joyce Ohlinger Cockson, Nancy Nelson Jensen, Jane Zents Kelley, Kathleen Sloup, Mary Brady Tilton, Ellen Grinden Carmody, Ann Hoarty Swagerty; Back row: Diana Glenn Svehla, Jean Henry Seibel, Carol Spurrier Kelly, Theresa Papke Schrad, Kate Bradley

Alumnae News

ACADEMY 1949 Nancy Ortman Ryan, JoAnne Frenking Klosner

ACADEMY 1979 Front row: Laura Roach Schnackel, Margaret Manhart Locke, Ellen Hotz Muller, Janie Fitzgibbons Mikuls; Back row: Mary Kizer Phelps, Anne Sullivan Morris, Ann Jeffrey Uryasz, Sara Wachter, Margaret McKeon Ryan, Ann Knowles Tjaden, Marilyn Witt Tampke

ACADEMY 1984

Front row: Jill Higgins Egan, Liz Rouse Barton, Lisa Palmer Gell; Back row: Margy Lindsay Ford, Lisa Czerwinski, Amy Begley Masker, Kimberly Swassing, Kathy Davidsaver Todd, Michelle Fulton; Missing: Kristine Cherek Hacker, Ja'Nae (Michelle) Reams, Roxanne Robinson.

ACADEMY 1974 Jan Elston, Diane Glow, Eddy Cogan Butkus, Maura Duffy Domeier, Michaela Marcil Belatti 

ACADEMY 1979 Front row: Laura Roach Schnackel, Ann Jeffrey Uryasz, Margaret McKeon Ryan, Marillyn Witt Tampke, Sara Wachter; Middle row: Mimi Markel, Susan Rada Wilson, Susan Marchese, Marcie Hannigan Peterson, Mary Kizer Phelps, Anne Sullivan Morris, Janie Fitzgibbons Mikuls Back row: Nancy Heavey Chase, Marge Haney Jenkins, Francie Coffey Conrad, Joan Selling Johnson, Margaret Manhart Locke, Ellen Hotz Muller

ACADEMY 1984

Jill Higgins Egan, Margy Lindsay Ford, Liz Rouse Barton, Lisa Palmer Gell, Lisa Czerwinski, Michelle Fulton, Kimberly Swassing, Amy Begley Marker, Kathy Davidsaver Todd; *Missing: Kristine Cherek Hacker, Ja'Nae (Michelle) Reams, Roxanne Robinson.

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Alumnae News ACADEMY 1999

Back row: Katie Gross Watts, Stephanie Klich Collura, Kate Linden Sampson, Martha Chaput Olson, Colette Hughes Martin, Kelly Sampson Elliott, Emily Ramacciotti, Lindsey Jochim DeGeorge, Joan Potter Molly Crouchley Cihal, Sara Zabrowski; Front row: Liz Dixon Lange, Catherine Conley Fonner, Kumari Birusingh Durick, Maggie Comstock, Leigh Bothe Shea, Amanda Smith, Kate O’Connor Hunley, Helen Halm Sykora, Kathleen Tinley

ACADEMY 2009

ACADEMY 2004

Back row: Abigail Hasebroock, Laura Foley Weingarten, Erin Kouba Peters, Sara Milbrath Pereira, Maureen Meyer Raynor, Julia Robinson McCarville, Liz Capadano Pierce, Margi Rauchut Biesler; Middle row: Sarah Kolb, Bridget Wilwerding Flaherty, Genevieve Maliszewski, Maria Kukula Dorman, Alison Kunsemiller Bylsma, friend; Front row: Maria Gutowski Bornski, Trisha Clark Meehan, Nora Hickman Blake, Nellie Sires, Barb Cunningham, Clare Bieker Liston

ACADEMY 2009 & 1979

Back row: Katherine Capadano Nordhues, Katherine Leszczynski, Mara Rosemary Costello Pflug (A09), Cara Gomez Zimmer (A09), Margaret Clemens McDermott, Catherine Foley Wieczorek, Molly Dineen Goedken, McKeon Ryan (A79), Janie Fitzgibbons Mikuls (A79), Mary Mikuls (A09), Hannah Gerhardt Espelund, Meghan Martin, Anna Trimble; Front row: Maureen Langdon Williams (A09) Meredith Pentzien, Madeline Kramper Quinn, Cally Pflug Owens, Paige Slavik

ACADEMY 2014

Back row: Bailey Petty, Kathryn Zieno, Sam Stoupa, Olivia Kuester, Hannah Lingo, Elizabeth Krings, Amber Vaughan, Elise Fulcher; Front row: Natalie Strawhecker, Kelli Brooks McBride, Nicole Amato, Steffi Emig, Victoria Baltimore, Elizabeth Walsh

ACADEMY 1959

Back row: Marty Holbrook Smith, Mary Kay Kanouff Hrupek,Ann Naughtin Kineen, Karen Miller, Susie McCormack Pearson, Patt McSahne Bradford, Font row: Babe Stryker Feeney, Jane Egan Archibald, Dede Prince Conway, Diane LaPorte Young

Alumnae News

COLLEGE 1949 Betty Ann Duffy Costanzo, Gloria Hughes Meier, Marcella O'Neill Elston, Claire Riley Murnan, Fritzi Rossbach Fry

COLLEGE 1959 Judy Rowen Johnson, Sue Sherman Mooney, Bev Polito Finnigan, Clare McManus Decker, Jeanne Gatewood Henry, Jo Ducey Lawton (kneeling), Sally Sampson Brady, Mary Christy Leahy, Cathy Doolan Buckley, Mary Fogarty Monson, Barb Bideaux Kaplan, Kate Laux Geiger, Carole Fitzgerald Hayes, and Jane Chaney Martin

COLLEGE 1964 Back row: Mary Owen Mears, Barb Haun Broderick, Barb Johnson Rundquist, Deanie Christy Thomas, Joan Barbarossa O’Rourke, Kathy Rinzel Van De Walle; Front row: Ann Barmettler Hug, Libby Gatewood Schumacher, Priscilla Keeley Cotton, Mary Ellen Kauth Olsson, Kathy O’Brien Maher, Charlotte Sloup Smith, Mary Michele Kirchner Fitzpatrick, Susan Donahoe Herbert

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Alumnae Weddings H e at h er E ger m ay er , A94 to Will Selby

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S h a n non O’B y r n e , A08 to Dennis Lammers K r ist e n D obl e m a n , A10 to Neil Basford

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L uc y F i nocch a iro , A10 to Josh Charvet

Ju l i e Z a borow sk i , A10 to Philip Rogiers f g h i

A bby D e L ong , A11 to Colin Grimes

A n na P et row, A13 to William Bakkek

N ata l i e S t r aw h eck er , A14 to Jack Matuell a

C h e l se a K e n ton , A08 (Duchesne staff) to Josh Carlson

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Alumnae News

Alumnae Babies b Amy Beehner Roland, A92, a daughter, Beatrice Anne c Olivia Clark Gottsch, A95, a son, Edmund Michael d K atie Gerweck Krovance, A97, a daughter, Nor a Ann e Gabrielle Hopp, A00, a son, Theodore Dennis Atkinson

Courtney Dobleman Burgess, A01, a daughter, Gabrielle RenĂŠe f Trisha Clark Meehan, A04, adoption of son, Atticus Michael (age 3) g Emily Friel Barr, A05, a daughter, Adeline Elizabeth h Emily Schulte Berigan, A06, a son, Lee James i Megan Knowles McKinzie, A06, a son, Charles "Charlie" Flynn

Rebecca Fuller Kingma, A07, a son Theodor Elias Kingma j Nicolette Green Kerns, A07, a daughter, Wilhelmina Mae k Hannah Gerhardt Espelund, A09, a son, Emmett Lafayette l Hilary Pflug Engelkamp, A10, a son, Augustine Thomas m Emma Bonebr ake Sudyka, A12, a son, Charles James 44 DUCHESNE TODAY

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Alumnae News

2019 Memorial Mass

On November 5, 2019, Duchesne held our annual Memorial Mass. We invited families of our alumnae who have passed away over the last year to a special Mass in remembrance of their loved ones. This year, we displayed the senior photos of each alumna who had passed in the Courtney Ann Emery Art Gallery. This display stayed up for a few weeks so our students, faculty, and staff could take a moment of prayer and reflection to honor these women.

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In Memoriam ALUMNAE DEATHS Michaela Ancona, A69, sister of Carla Ancona Morin, A71; and Maria Ancona Sauvageau, A83 Jeannette O’Connor Rader Barry, A54/C58 Margaret Neary Beitenman, C50, mother of Liz Beitenman Killips, A80; sister-in-law of Ellen Rosell Neary, C46; grandmother of Kyle Guenther Flanagan, A02; Dani Killips Dickel, A03; and Ann Guenther Akhmejanov, A08 Mary Ann Davey Belford, C51, great-grandmother of Marie Rohling, A21 Mary Kay Rinn Berigan, C52 Lydia Fuhrman Cahoy, C38 Constance Coad Cofield, A60 Frances Rossiter Connealy, C51 Mary Henry Costello, A58/C64, mother of Meg Costello Andres, A96; sister of Ann Henry Becker, C60; Jean Henry Seibel, A65/C69; and Rita Henry, A69 Joyce Krall Egan, C58 Donna Getscher Ewing, C68 Sharon Sweeney Friedrich, C62 Sr. Mary Louise Genest, OSM, C58 Theresa Frankman Hall, C60 Joan Reefe Heafey, C53, sister of Maureen Reefe Caniglia, C52; sister-in-law of Sharon McDonnell Reefe, A57; aunt of Sheila Reefe Isaacson, A86; great aunt of Casey Reefe, A16; and Courtney Reefe, A14 Emma Louise Hewitt, A64 Rosemary Nelson Holeman, C62 Joan Goettsche Hathaway Kay, C56

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Sharron Vavak McKenzie, C66 Patricia Sullivan Plith, C54 Sharon Maillard Robinson, C61 Mary Ann Sedlacek, C53 Barbara Kalhorn Simpson, A48/C52 Mary Lou Rooney Sinnott, C60 Marguerite Fangman Stejskal, C49, mother of Anne Stejskal Abdouch, A73; sister-in-law of Toni Donahue Fangman, C60; aunt of Sally Fangman Suder, A68; Kathy Tighe Seidel, A69; Mary Fangman Laughlin, A70; Michele Tighe Kalhorn, A71; Molly Fangman Bingaman, A80; and Shayla Fangman Edwards, A88; great aunt of Katie Kalhorn Lauer, A98; and Madeline Clauff, A11 Margie Donahoe Walsh, A46/C50

November 1, 2019 – Aug. 1, 2020

FRIENDS AND FAMILY Mary Lenore Fischer Allred, cousin of Sr. Mary Pat Ryan, C56

Marian Fitzsimmons, grandmother of Alex Emig, A10; Katie Emig, A11; and Steffi Emig, A14

Frances Ambrose, mother of Anne Ambrose, A81; and Mary Ambrose Maystrick, A72; sister of Mary Patricia Burns Leininger, A53

Rita Gannett, mother of Theresa McCoy McMorrow, A74

Paul Bangura, father of Vivat Bangura Shanks, A94; and Sira Bangura, A97

Virginia Gayou, grandmother of Elizabeth Erker, A11; Maddie Erker, A1; Audrey Erker, A17; and Tara Erker, A19 LouAnne Glick, aunt of Virginia Snake-Bumann, A20

William Barnes, husband of Virginia Johnson Barnes, C62

Darrell Griep, father of Sheila Haggas (former Head of School); great-grandfather of Carolyn Kruszynski, A18

J. Clarice ‘Dee’ Bartek, mother of Cecelia Bartek, A87; grandmother of Evelyn Bartek-Miller, A22; and MaryRose Bartek-Miller, A24; aunt of Shayla O’Brien (Duchesne staff)

Cathy Hall-Hamann, aunt of Trisha Clark Meehan, A04; Michaela Clark, A12; and Maria Clark, A13

Zach Beck, stepbrother of Abigail Mihulka, A23; and Zoey Mihulka, A21

Michaela Connolly Harper, aunt of Stephanie Connolly VanKat, A02; Meghan Connolly Vaglio, A04; Kate Moffatt, A14

Frank Bemis, father of Kathleen Bemis Russell, A85; and Nancy Bemis Stanley, A89; grandfather of Emma Russell, A15

Harold Hug Sr., grandfather of Alex Hug, A15

John Cleary, husband of Jan Cleary, C46; father of Susan Cleary Johnson, A64; Candace Cleary Conwell, E64; Anne Cleary, A76; and Ellen Cleary, A77; father-in-law of Anne Marie Tribulato Cleary, A74

David Jellen, husband of Mary Beth Glode Jellen, C68

Dan Crouchley, father of Molly Crouchley Cihal, A99; and Anne Crouchley, A01 Betty Davis, grandmother of Elizabeth Erker, A11; fatherin-law of David Erker (Board of Trustee member) John Desmond, husband of Sally Skutt Desmond, A53 Eleanor Drzaic, grandmother of Juliana Garro Drzaic, A21 James Dunlap, husband of Joan Mailliard Dunlap, C52; father of Mary Dunlap Capadano, A73; Meg Dunlap D’Costa, A79; Suzanne Dunlap Carl, A81; Monica Dunlap Thiel, A83; Amy Dunlap Dickas, A86; and Jennifer Dunlap Livingston, A89; grandfather of Theresa Thiel, A04; Liz Capadano Pierce, A04; Katherine Capadano Nordhues, A09; Emily Dickas, A13; and Grace Dickas, A16

Rita Hug, grandmother of Alex Hug, A15

Helen Kenney, grandmother of Ruby Kenney, A18; mother of Steve Kenney (Board of Trustee member) Donald McCall, grandfather of Kathryn Walsh, A06; and Elizabeth Walsh, A14 Theodore McKercher, father of Katie McKercher, A04 Gerald Milbrath, grandfather of Mary Milbrath, A20 Donald Miller, grandfather of Mary Beth Reed, A11; Anna Reed, A14; Madeline Reed, A16; Abigail Reed, A19; fatherin-law of Robert Reed, Jr. (Board of Trustee member) Cynthia “Cindy” Moore, mother of Caroline Moore Hinrichs, A00; and Madeleine Moore, A08 Daniel Murphy, husband of Sara Jane Ryan O’Brien Murphy, C60; brother-in-law of Sr. Mary Pat Ryan, C56; Julie Ryan McConville, C57; and Margie Ryan Holzfeind, C70 continued on next page...

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In Memoriam FRIENDS AND FAMILY Alfred “Fred” Pisasale, grandfather of Cara Pisasale, A21

Jacob Thiele, son of Elizabeth Keating Thiele, A69

Dan Pogge, husband of Maureen O’Hearn Pogge, A70; father of Melissa Pogge Stanley, A98; and Therese Pogge Creswell, A96; cousin of Emily Cunningham Kozlik, A70; nephew of Catherine O’Hearn McGrane, C45; uncle of Katie Poggie Zimmerman, A94; Carrie Pogge Wortmann, A01; and Maggie Pogge Schumacher, A01

Fr. Jerome F. Treacy, S.J., great-uncle of Alice Eide Wasser, A99

Catherine ‘Kitty’ Prinz, mother of Maureen Prinz Stavas, A75; Pauline Prinz Marvin, A77; and Betsy Prinz Gier, A81 Richard ‘Dick’ Prinz, father of Maureen Prinz Stavas, A75; Pauline Prinz Marvin, A77; and Betsy Prinz Gier, A81 Kathy Rowen, mother-in-law of Meghan Conway Rowen, A97; sister-in-law of Judy Rowen Johnson, C59 Anthony Seina, husband of Mary Donahoo Seina, A59; and father of Mimi Seina Post, A86 Anne M. Sloup, grandmother of Megan Sloup, A21 Des Smyth, father of Frances Swanson (Duchesne faculty) Stuart (Bull) Snake, uncle of Virginia Snake-Bumann, A20 Lenore Snake-Bumann, mother of Virginia SnakeBumann, A20 Lisa Stearns, former Duchesne teacher Don Stormberg, husband of Rosalie Loy Stormberg, C51; brother-in-law of Shirley Loy, C57; father of Becky Stormberg Zill, A74; and Jennifer Stormberg Preimesberger, A79; father-in-law of Diane Glow Stormberg, A74; grandfather of Courtney Stormberg Hinrichs, A02; Sarah Stormberg Estep, A05; and Logan Stormberg, A13 George Stryker, brother of Babe Stryker Feeney, A59

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Louis Tribulato, father of Mary Lucien Tribulato Lynch, A72; Anne Marie Tribulato Cleary, A74; Barbara Tribulato Brannen, A76; Toni Tribulato, A80; Suzanne Tribulato Vogel, A81; Paula Tribulato, A85; and Carla Tribulato Johnson, A87 Charles “Chuck” Trimble, husband of Anne Trimble, A58; father of Katherine Fenz-Trimble, A92 Milton Walsh, father-in-law of Cathy Jenkins Walsh, A85; grandfather of Katie Walsh, A18 Robert J. Walsh, husband of Margie Donahoe Walsh A46/C50 James Wagner, husband of Katherine Martin Wagner, C64 Donald Welch, grandfather of Clare Reinhart, A19; and Meg Reinhart, A19; father of Heidi Reinhart (Duchesne faculty) Virginia Wernimont, grandmother of Cindi Kramper Auth, A91; Laura Kramper End, A94; Molly Kramper Donovan, A96; Keri Kramper Dillon, A01; and Madeline Kramper Quinn, A09; great-grandmother of Clare Kramper, A20; and Mary Kramper, A23 Helen Jones Woods, mother of Cathy Woods Hughes, A64

We apologize if there are any omissions or misrepresentations in this memorial list. Thank you for continuing to inform and update Duchesne.

-The Alumnae Office

November 1, 2019 – Aug. 1, 2020

"At the very moment you think yourself overw helmed by sor row, He w ill lift you up and gi ve you pe ace."

-St. Rose Philippine Duchesne

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Non-ProďŹ t Org. US Postage PAID Omaha, NE Permit No. 161

3601 Burt Street Omaha, NE 68131 DuchesneAcademy.org Parents: If this issue is addressed to a daughter whose permanent address is not at your home, please contact the Alumnae Director, Trisha Meehan at 402.810.9960 with her new address.

Class of 2020 Duchesne Prize Miss Clare Ann Kramper

Success in Studies Prize Miss Victoria Lynn Fleming

Stuart Creativity Award Miss Raleigh Lynn Kreis

Spirit of Kindness Award Miss Caitlin Flynn Copenhaver

Sportsmanship Award Miss Caroline Elizabeth Ortman Miss Grace Elizabeth Phillips

Outstanding Athlete Award Miss Lauren Marie Goertz Miss Abigail Nicole Jacobi