Winter 2025 PRIDE

WINTER 2O25

volume 26 no 1

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the cover

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inside spread

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3

financials

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school news

12

athletics

16

development

22

alumni news

29

reunions

30

last word

Dear Members of the Elder Family, Where would we be without gratitude? Reflecting on this past year, I feel immense gratitude for the alumni, donors, parents, and friends who supported our students. Through your gifts of time, service, and financial support, we are here today because of your support. We offer a new class of students our hallmark faith-based education that builds student confidence in the classroom, the field, the stage, and the community. Today, our students and families are extremely fortunate that Elder has a strong endowment and financial aid program, allowing young men the opportunity to attend this fine institution. Scholarships and funds have been created through the generosity of our alumni and friends enabling Elder to offer tuition assistance and financial aid to over 90% of our student body – THANK YOU! However, many families believe the cost of a Catholic education is not feasible. Last year, the State of Ohio changed the parameters of available money from the EdChoice Scholarship program.

With this change, every Ohio family regardless of income or school district, is now eligible for financial aid to pay private school tuition. This means that with the EdChoice Scholarship, the cost of a Catholic Elder education is viable for these families, and we encourage all families to take advantage of this Scholarship. Since the EdChoice Scholarship does not cover the full cost of tuition, a young man may be eligible for additional tuition assistance such as academic scholarships and/or financial aid, bringing the cost of the overall tuition down even further.

Now more than ever, being a Panther and a part of the Elder Family is within reach.

Setting our children up for future success means giving them a solid foundation from which to begin. Since 1922, Elder has been the cornerstone of our community, preparing and equipping its graduates to be positive forces in our ever-changing world.

Thanks for all you do for our students and Elder High School!

Kurt Ruffing ’81 Principal

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From Where Does it Come to Where Does it Go? Each year, Elder High School is profoundly blessed by the extraordinary support of our generous benefactors. Your kindness ensures that a transformative and comprehensive Catholic education remains accessible to young men, empowering them to attend Elder.

We are deeply grateful to our alumni, parents, and friends for their unwavering commitment to making a lasting impact on the lives of our students. Your support lays the foundation for our young men to grow into respectful leaders and positive contributors in an ever-diverse world.

As part of our strategic vision, we strive to strengthen our Catholic identity and dedication to service by delivering an exceptional educational experience. This includes maintaining strong academic programs that challenge our students and equip them for the evolving demands of life beyond high school. To achieve this, we are committed to investing in our campus, learning tools, and the development of our faculty and staff. Thanks to your generosity, our student offerings – from vibrant campus life to robust academic and athletic programs – remain among the best.

We remain steadfast in nurturing the personal growth of the young men entrusted to our care, encouraging them to collaborate for the common good. Your gifts continue to shape their futures in meaningful ways. Because of your support, we look to the future with confidence and hope for the opportunities it holds for our students. For this and so much more, we extend our heartfelt gratitude.

Thank you for your loyalty and generosity to Elder High School!

INCOME by SOURCE Fundraising & State Grants 38%

EXPENSES by CATEGORY

Student Activities 11%

Student Activities 12%

Other Revenue 5%

Capital 6%

Plant Facilities 5%

Tuition Assistance 33%

Tuition & Fees 46%

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Instructional/ Administration & Other 43%

Elder welcomed the 250 students that make up the class of 2028 to the first day of freshman year!

Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas Judge Pat Dinkelacker, ’72, spoke to Mr. Jansing’s Business Law class.

Judge Dinkelacker spoke about his vast experiences as a Hamilton County Prosecutor, and his many judicial positions held during his career. Judge Dinkelacker reviewed his decision-making process on difficult sentencing and rulings during his more than thirty years on the bench and his continuing busy court docket.

Mrs. James’s Materials Science classes wrapped up the month of October with two field trips. They visited William Lang and Sons to learn about steel fabrication and welding.

Jeff Tuttle Sr. ’87 and Joe Schutte ‘93 showed the students a small piece of their work from the bid process, design, assembly, and installation of materials to various job sites nationally.

On the second field trip, Todd Zureick ’94 hosted the classes at Hollaender International sharing insights into the aluminum manufacturing industry.

Our school year kicked off with an All-School Mass! Special thanks to Father Andrew and Walt Kelsey ’00 for their inspiring words to kick off the new academic year.

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Yummy afternoon of making crepes for the French Club.

Members from the Elder Student Ambassador Society participated in mock job interviews. Thank you to everyone who provided this opportunity to help our students learn valuable interviewing skills.

Elder welcomes some new, and some familiar faces, to the faculty and staff for the ’24-’25 school year:

Elder’s HelpDesk, specifically Mr. Corey Amodio, was recently recognized by Lenovo, Inc. as one of the top ten percent of warranty service providers across the country. Corey’s expertise in solving PC problems and completing warranty work onsite at Elder means that students and faculty have shorter wait times and fewer computers are sent off-site for repair. This in turn saves on shipping costs, both financial and environmental. Congratulations, Corey, for this recognition.

Front row (l to r): Todd Forman ’81 - Community Service Coordinator Marshall Kellenburger - Spanish teacher Scott Heisel ’79 - Religion teacher Gage Branson - Intervention Specialist

In this year of Eucharistic renewal, Elder was blessed to be a part of one of the four national processions, as the Eucharist journeyed from Connecticut to the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis this past summer.

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Back row (l to r): Adam Duwel ’21 - Media Production & Technology Coordinator; Avin Whitaker - Asst. Strength & Conditioning Coach Greg Weber ’93 - Annual Fund Director Tommy Thamann ’20 - Math teacher Welcome to the Elder Family!

The Thomas Aquinas chapter of the National Honor Society held its induction ceremony for newly selected juniors and seniors.

Danny Meyer, ’10, shared his three “P’s“ for success in life: people, patience, and prayer. Elder’s chapter of the National Honor Society began in 1964 and recognizes students who excel in scholarship, leadership, service, and character.

Congratulations to the new members and their families!

Congrats to the 226 students who received academic honors at the Fifty-Fifth Annual Honors Convocation. The Honors Convocation calls attention to those students in each grade level whose hard work and achievement inside the classroom have earned them high marks for each quarter.

Congratulations to senior Brady Leininger who was named a Commended Student in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise.

Since 1965, Elder has fondly remembered the deceased members of its family through a celebration known as The Memorial Mass.

Elder once again honored those who have gone before us this past year and invited their loved ones to attend the Mass held in our Memorial Fieldhouse. Rev. Chris Lack was our celebrant.

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President of Elder’s Pro-Life Club, Hayden Rankin, presented Naomi Langdon, office coordinator at Pregnancy Center West, a check from our Baby Bottle Campaign and October theme day.

Senior JT Hoffman has earned the title of Semifinalist in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program. About 1.5 million juniors take the PSAT/NMSQT each year.

JT is one of 16,000 top scorers on the 70th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. JT can continue in the competition to advance to the Finalist level and be eligible to win a college scholarship. Congratulations, JT and good luck in the scholarship competition.

Senior William Koch spent ten weeks of his summer break completing Army Basic Combat Training at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. The boot camp’s physical training, combat training, and field training exercises were very rigorous; however, William successfully transformed from a trainee to a soldier and graduated at the rank of Private (E2). William’s next steps are to graduate from Elder in May and then return to Fort Leonard Wood next summer to complete his Army job training. Congratulations, William!

Fifteen Elder students embarked on an incredible Spanish immersion trip to Costa Rica this past summer. The trip included a service project where the boys reconstructed a bus stop for the community.

After spending several days with their host families, learning about local cooking and culture, they embarked on an exhilarating white-water rafting trip down the Pacuare River to the Pacuare Outdoor Center. The remainder of the trip was filled with adventure, including ziplining through the rainforest, swinging on the giant Tarzan swing, hiking to a waterfall, and more white-water rafting. They returned home with a new appreciation for the language, culture, and wonderful people of Costa Rica.

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Leo Schmitz ‘27 was featured on “What’s Happening in Health” on LOCAL 12, WKRC-TV Sunday morning. Local 12 Health Anchor and Medical Reporter Liz Bonis interviewed him, his father, and Aubrey Rose Foundation Executive Director Nancy Hollenkamp to discuss Leo’s exceptional volunteerism after receiving an ARF scholarship last year. Way to go, Leo! Altiora!

The faculty service day happened at A Child's Hope International where our team came together and packaged 33,664 meals for children in Eswatini! Through the collective efforts of everyone involved, each person contributed to feeding a child for a year and a half with the work done that day.

Stacie Hill from St. William stopped by Elder to thank the guys for the coats that were collected and dropped off (see inside cover about coat drive). She mentioned how the families were deeply grateful, and the coats were greatly needed. Pictured are some of the recipients wearing their new coats.

Mrs. Lanter, Mr. Nugent, and Fr. Andrew took Elder students on a mission trip to Appalachia, Kentucky. These men completed a much-needed building project, worked at the food pantry, prayed, and played together. What a great experience!

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The crew in charge of entertainment for the Elder-Seton tailgate party for junior high students.

Kevin McLaughlin ’74, stopped by Elder to donate a monopod to ENN. It’s a piece of equipment designed for lightweight camera setups and keeping your camera stable. It will be put to good use by the ENN team. Kevin is pictured with Jeff Fuell, Gary Rogers, and Adam Duwel.

Elder’s Premier Rocket League team swept Avon Lake High School 3-0 in the state finals match in the Esports Ohio Fall Classic completing an all-perfect season!

Way to go, Elder Premier Rocket League!

The Elder News Network’s broadcast of Elder Football vs Bishop Chatard also aired on FOX 19.3! Congrats to our ENN students for this incredible opportunity to showcase their talents live on TV!

Pictured left to right: Aiden Rapien, Kaden Lively, Jeremiah Brown, and Max Noble.

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Joe Rudemiller ’02, VP of Marketing and Communications for 3CDC, spoke with Mrs. Niemer’s Introduction to Marketing class about the various roles marketing plays within a company.

Thank you to the students and volunteers who participated in Prepare Affair by helping low-income, elderly, and disabled homeowners prepare their homes for winter.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our Christmas Together Toy Drive and Toy Shop this year! Nearly 150 families, including over 350 children, were gifted toys and books.

As part of a community effort in collaboration with KeepGoing25’s Illumni-Nite event, members of Elder’s Campus Ministry team delivered luminaries, a sign, and prayer cards with words of encouragement to five families. It was a way to bring light and messages of hope to people and families facing adversity this year. The sign outside of Elder is dedicated to members of the Elder community who may need our thoughts and prayers, even if we are not aware of their specific needs.

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THE

arts

@ ELDER HIGH SCHOOL The Elder Art Department held the 2nd Annual Grade School Invitational Art Exhibition.

Thank you to the ten area schools who participated in the Art Show this year: St. Antoninus; St. Jude; Our Lady of Visitation; Our Lady of Victory; St. Catherine; St. John the Baptist, Harrison; St. Mary’s, Hyde Park; Our Lady of Grace; St. John Paul II; St. Margaret of York. Congratulations to all the participants. Thank you to Kim Knoppe ’69 for his generosity and sponsorship of this event, the grade school art teachers, and the students who participated. What a great afternoon of art!

1st Place Altiora Award Benji Witsken (St. Jude) 2nd Place Panther Award Micah Le (Our Lady of Grace) 3rd Place Purple Award Woodrow Hinton (St. Antoninus) Runners-Up/Awards of Excellence Caleb Basil (St. Mary) Jay Bruegge (St. Mary) Andrew Strange (St. Antoninus) Will Abell (St. Margaret of York)

Congratulations to the cast and crew of “Medieval Nights.” Another fine performance from The Seton-Elder Performing Arts Series.

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Awards of Excellence Declan Howell (St. John the Baptist) Michael Moeller (St. John the Baptist) Sebastian Zureick (Our Lady of Visitation) Chase Faulk (Our Lady of Visitation) Jake Held (Our Lady of Visitation) Ethan Barker (St. Antoninus) Alessandro Loeb (St. Antoninus) Mason Reggin (Our Lady of Grace) Luke Singleton (St. John Paul II) Peter Holtman (St. Mary) Samuel Patten (St. Catherine of Siena) Bryce Docter (St. Jude) Simon Yunker (Our Lady of Victory)

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13

soccer

football

This past season, our program took great strides in the right direction. After two good seasons of playing counter-attacking soccer, we set out to have a more possession-based attack. There were struggles at times, but also bright points such as the boys dominating a 4-1 win over Fairmont, #11 in the state. The Panther's leading scorer was junior Maxwell Martin, with six goals. Senior captains Connor Accurso and Hayden Rankin and junior captain Sam Bill led the midfield and helped set the tone for how we would play. Senior captain defender Austin Tettenhorst, junior captain Jack Banister, and Nicholas Luenenberger led our back line.

Austin Tettenhosts whose season was cut short after his third devasting injury, was recognized as our Mr. Zip for his perseverance and resiliency.

Our Mr. Panther award went to Hayden Rankin, also our GCL Academic All-Star, for his professional demeanor of being first in and last out.

The football team was led by a senior class that understood the importance of having a role and doing whatever was asked. When a team faces multiple season-ending injuries, senior leadership plays a crucial role in success; especially when younger guys with little experience are asked to contribute. Highlighted by a 3-0 start, our team battled adversity on many fronts. The one thing that will always stand out about the 2024 team is how hard they competed. The hard work and perseverance paid off with a playoff win against Mason in The Pit. By week 12, we had a great combination of upperclassmen leading the way, with a significant number of underclassmen learning what it takes to be a varsity football player. Our success in 2024 will always be attributed to a senior class that knew what it meant to be an Elder football player. Led by captains Maddox Arnold, Brayden Boeing, George Guidugli, Cameron James, and Cooper Sandhas, this year’s team will certainly be a team the Elder faithful can always be proud of.

Our JV A team notched their best record in 14 years and JV B earned their best record ever to date. The future is bright with 51 of 57 players in the program returning.

TEAM AWARDS: Captains: Connor Accurso, Hayden Rankin, Austin Tettenhorst, Sam Bill, Jack Banister Mr. ZIP: Austin Tettenhosts Mr. Panther: Hayden Rankin GCL & ALL-CITY AWARDS: 1st Team: Connor Accurso, Nicholas Luenenberger 2nd Team: Jack Banister, Maxwell Martin

GCL AWARDS: 1st Team Offense: Joey Thamann, Tyrell Scott 1st Team Defense: Joey Ditullio, Alex Dugan, Derek Uran 2nd Team Offense: JT Hoffman, Christopher Paff 2nd Team Defense: Matthew Golinar, Cooper Sandhas Co-All-Purpose POY: Joey Thamann Co-Linebacker of the Year: Derek Uran ALL-SOUTHWEST: 1st Team Defense: Derrick Uran

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golf

cross country Congratulations to our seniors who have committed to using their talents at the next level!

Team A won the Bellbrook Invitational with Cayse Morgan (70) and Jack Voss (71) making the All-Tournament Team.

The cross country season began with the Cougar Two-Mile Challenge, where the Panthers finished 2nd overall. The team continued fighting with a 3rd place finish in the highly competitive twenty team Little Miami Invitational. The varsity squad also finished 2nd in the Ross Invitational, led by senior captain John Merk. The team finished 3rd at GCL and 6th at the district meet.

Team A averaged 38.5 strokes per nine holes.

Cayse Morgan was a medalist or co-medalist six times this year. He reset Elder’s record books now holding 22 records. He is a three-time All GCL Player of the Year and three-time State qualifier.

TEAM AWARDS: Captains: John Merk, Parker Smith, Toby Brubaker, Oliver Zureick Most Valuable: John Merk Most Improved: Colin Singer, Luke Vetter Mr. ZIP: Toby Brubaker

Both the A and B teams played very consistently.

While the B Team didn’t win any tournaments this year, they were at the top in most of the tournaments they played. As a team, they averaged 40.9 strokes per nine holes.

TEAM AWARDS: Captain: Cayse Morgan Most Valuable: Cayse Morgan Most Improved: Landon Meiners Mr. ZIP: Shea Macke GCL AWARDS: 1st Team: Cayse Morgan, Jack Voss, Jack Richardson, Landon Meiners 2nd Team: Mikey Moorman

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CAYSE MORGAN Xavier University (Golf)

2O24 Thank You Sponsors ALTIORA Carrie & Rob Gould Western Hills Window PLATINUM Bick’s Driving School of Western Hills Magda Dawson HCM Wealth Advisors Joel Handorf at Morgan Stanley Johnson Investment Counsel, Inc. GOLD Schmidt Heating & Cooling The Lucien Schoster Smith Team at Morgan Stanley SILVER Patricia & Albert ’58 Babey Nancy & Mike Baker Amy & Dennis ’74 Berning Linda & Frank ’76 Panzeca Michelle & Bob Stephens CORPORATE Hart Pharmacy Hoeting Realtors Hofmeyer Plumbing Kneflin Dillhoff Hils & Kruse Robert Jones Plumbing, Inc. TJ Williams Electric Co.

Thank You to everyone who supported Elderama 2024. Along with

the online auction, Super Raffle, and Family Crisis Fund we had another

successful year raising money to benefit the students of Elder High School!

A Friend of Elder Mr. & Mrs. Mike Addis Mr. & Mrs. Bernie Albers Mr. & Mrs. John Albers All Occasions Event Rental Mr. & Mrs. Todd Allgeyer Allison Landscaping – Mr. Todd Allison Mr. & Mrs. Dan Altenau Dr. & Mrs. Rob Altenau Aston Oaks Golf Course Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Aug, Sr. Mr. & Mrs. Tim Aug Mr. & Mrs. Tom Aug Mr. & Mrs. Albert Babey Mr. & Mrs. Scott Bailey Mr. & Mrs. Mike Baker Mr. & Mrs. Tracy Ballard Mr. & Mrs. Eric Bauer Mr. & Mrs. Dennis Berning Mr. Mike Berting Mr. & Mrs. Tony Bezold Bick’s Driving School, Western Hills – Mr. & Mrs. Greg Hornsby Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Biggs Mr. & Mrs. Brian Bill Mr. & Mrs. Steve Bill Margaret Bollin Bona Decorative Hardware Mr. & Mrs. Jason Bovard Mr. & Mrs. John Brandt Mr. & Dr. Eric Braun Mr. & Mrs. Jason Brewer Bridgetown Finer Meats Mr. & Mrs. Ray Broerman Brogan/Hesketh Formal Wear – Mr. Dave Brogan Mr. & Mrs. Dave Brothers Mr. Ralph Bruewer & Ms. Dorie Pritchard Mr. Tom Buening Ms. Jenny Burbacher Mr. & Mrs. Steve Burns Mr. & Mrs. Tom Butler By the Sea Salt Therapy Dr. & Mrs. Marc Cassidy Mr. & Mrs. Dan Cebula CEI Sports Mr. Selby Chidemo Mr. & Mrs. Mike Chumbley Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Ciambarella Cincinnati Art Museum Cincinnati Landmark Productions

Cincinnati Museum Center Cincinnati Observatory Cincinnati Reds Hall of Fame and Museum Cincinnati Shakespeare Cincinnati Zoo Cincy Reigns, Inc. Mr. & Mrs. Bryan Clyde Marilyn Coffaro Mr. & Mrs. Ron Coffaro Mr. & Mrs. Greg Conners Mr. & Mrs. Nick Conte Mr. & Mrs. Jim Conway Mr. & Mrs. Tom Crowe Mr. & Mrs. Ed Cummings Mr. & Mrs. Tom Darnell Mr. & Mrs. Scott Daubenmerkl Mr. & Mrs. Gene Daut Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Davis Mrs. Magda Dawson Denny McKeown’s Bloomin Garden Centre Mr. Matt Deters Mr. & Mrs. Dave Deuber Mr. & Mrs. Dave Dickman Mr. & Mrs. Terry Doherty Mr. & Mrs. Mike Dreyer Mr. & Mrs. Dan Dugan Mr. & Mrs. Mike Dusold Elder Band Elder Glee Club Elder High School Elder High School Athletic Department Elder High School Spirit Store Mr. & Mrs. Sean Ernst Mr. Kevin Espelage Mr. & Mrs. Greg Estep Fabulous Furs FC Cincinnati-Dr. Matt Busam Dave Faigle & Son Jeweler Mr. & Mrs. Chris Finke Mr. & Mrs. Mike Finke Mr. & Mrs. Frank Fiorino Mr. & Mrs. Joe Fischer Ms. Arlene Fischesser Mr. & Mrs. Brian Flaherty Mr. & Mrs. Todd Forman Mr. & Mrs. Scott Fortkamp Mr. & Mrs. Tom Foster Frisch’s Big Boy Gamble Nippert YMCA Mr. & Mrs. Dave Gardner Mr. & Mrs. Tom Gates

Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Geiger Dr. & Mrs. Stephen Gerstner Mr. & Mrs. Brian Gerth Glassmeyer Family Mr. & Mrs. Tom Goettke Mr. & Mrs. Tom Golinar Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Gooderson Mr. & Mrs. Rob Gould Great Parks of Hamilton Co. Mr. & Mrs. D.J. Gruen Ms. Margreth Gwangwava Mr. & Mrs. Joel Hafner Mr. Rob Hahn Hammann’s Butcher Shop and Deli Catering Mr. Joel Handorf at Morgan Stanley Hart Pharmacy – Dr. Sarah Priestle Haverkos Family Orthodontics HCM Wealth Advisors Mr. Chris Hebenstreit Dr. & Mrs. Mike Heile Mr. & Mrs. Toby Heile Mr. & Mrs. Tim Helmes Mr. Steven Hemsath Mr. & Mrs. Adam Herr Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Hirth Hoeting Realtors Hofmeyer Plumbing Humbert Meats Izzy’s Mr. & Mrs. Jim Jackson Mr. & Mrs. Jim Janszen Mr. Frank Jasper Johnson Investment Counsel – Mr. Jay Wertz Mr. & Mrs. Jim Jones Jostens Ms. Kate Kafel Mr. & Mrs. Bill Kammer Mr. & Mrs. Chad Kamstra Mr. & Mrs. Chuck Kelly Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Kelly Kentucky Horse Park Mr. & Mrs. Nick Keyes Mr. & Mrs. Brian Kilby Kings Island Mr. & Mrs. John Klein Dr. & Mrs. Rick Klopp Kneflin Dillhoff Hils & Kruse – Mr. Nick Levy Mr. & Mrs. Greg Kotz Mr. & Mrs. John Kraft

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Mr. & Mrs. Nick Kremm Mr. & Mrs. Steve Krsacok Mr. & Mrs. Todd Lahey Mr. & Mrs. John Lammers LaRosa’s Mr. & Mrs. Geoff Ledford Mr. & Mrs. Paul Leibel Mr. & Mrs. Mike Leininger Mr. & Mrs. Brian Leisgang Mr. & Mrs. Greg Leisgang Dr. & Mrs. Jay Leisgang Mr. & Mrs. Eric Leuenberger Mr. & Mrs. Tom Linneman Little Miami Brewing Co. Mr. & Mrs. Paul Longano Mrs. Ginger Louis Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Lucas Mr. & Mrs. Bob Luebbe Mr. & Mrs. Ken Luken Lunken Flight Training Center Mr. & Mrs. Brian Lutz Mr. & Mrs. Steve Makin Mr. & Mrs. David Mannix Mr. & Mrs. Bill Maurer Mr. Tony Mazza & Mrs. Nancy Hart Mr. & Mrs. Shaun McComas Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey Mr. & Mrs. Bob McKenna Mr. & Mrs. Tim McKenna Mr. & Mrs. Scott McQuillan Mr. & Mrs. Israel McVey Mr. & Mrs. Jon Meiners Mr. & Mrs. Tom Mendel Mercy McAuley High School Mr. & Mrs. Gregory Merk Mr. & Mrs. Bill Metz Mr. & Mrs. Rich Meyer Mike’s Carwash Chris & Donna Miliano Chris & Lauren Miliano Mr. Scott Miliano Mr. & Mrs. Tony Miliano Mr. Stephen Moeller Mr. & Mrs. Brian Mullen Mr. & Mrs. Daniel Mullen Ms. Joyce Murray NCH Bakery Newport Syndicate Mr. & Mrs. Tao Nguyen Mr. & Mrs. Brian Niemann Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Niemer Mr. & Mrs. James O’Connor Mr. & Mrs. Jason Ott Mr. Tom Otten Mr. & Mrs. Garett Pace Mr. & Mrs. Rob Paff Mr. & Mrs. Frank Panzeca Paragon Salons Peppe Ramundo & Son Custom Tailors

Perfect North Slopes Mrs. Mary Pessler Petals n Glass Mr. Matthew Peterman Ms. Stefanie Peterman Mr. & Mrs. Steve Peterman Mr. Tom Peterman Mr. & Mrs. Jon Peters Mr. & Mrs. William Phelan Mr. & Mrs. Jason Phillips Mr. & Mrs. Rodger Pille Mr. & Mrs. Rob Poulos Prestige Audio Visual Mr. & Mrs. Joe Priestle Mr. & Mrs. Ralph Priestle Mr. & Dr. Scott Priestle Mrs. Pam Pulskamp Mr. & Mrs. Mike Ramstetter Mr. & Mrs. Dave Rapien Mr. & Mrs. Tom Reckers Recreations Outlet Mrs. Jenny Reder Mr. & Mrs. Robert Reid Mr. & Mrs. Todd Richardson Mr. & Mrs. Paul Riestenberg Rising Star Casino and Resort Robert Jones Plumbing, Inc.– Bob & Jim Jones Mr. & Mrs. Doug Roden Dr. & Mrs. Rick Roedersheimer Dr. & Mrs. Mark Rudemiller Dr. & Mrs. Michael Rudemiller Bradley Rudinsky & Marci Simonson Mr. & Mrs. Kurt Ruffing Mr. & Mrs. Scott Ruth Mr. & Mrs. Tom Scheid Schmidt Heating and Cooling – Mr. Steve Hutzel Mr. Bob Schmidt Mr. Jim Schmitt Mr. & Mrs. Eric Schmitz Schott Monument – Mr. Bruce Hoffman Mr. & Mrs. Thomas Schroth Mrs. Noelle Schwartz Mr. & Mrs. John Seaton State Representative Bill Seitz Seton High School Mr. & Mrs. Rick Shockey Mr. & Mrs. Brandon Shondel Mr. & Mrs. Christian Simon Mr. Greg Simonson Mr. & Mrs. Brant Smith Mr. & Mrs. Terry Snider Soccer City Mr. & Mrs. Dan Souders Mr. & Mrs. Jim Stagge Stagnaro Distributing Stanley’s Drivers Training Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Stecher

Mr. & Mrs. Dave Steinriede Mr. & Mrs. Doug Steinriede Dr. & Mrs. Bob Stephens Mr. & Mrs. Larry Stock Mr. & Mrs. Pete Stokes Mr. & Mrs. Tim Sullivan Sullivan’s Family Foods T. J. Williams Electric Co. – Mr. Andy Vogelsang Mary Lou Tallarigo Mr. Ian Teal Mr. Tim Telger & Ms. Lisa Muhlenkamp Mr. & Mrs. Ken Thamann The BonBonerie The Children’s Theatre The Lucien Schoster Smith Team at Morgan Stanley Mr. & Mrs. Ed Thomas Thunderdome Restaurant Group Mr. & Mrs. Sean Tierney Tri-State Running Company Mr. & Mrs. John Trokan Tropical Foliage Plants, Inc. – Mr. Dale Lutz Mr. & Mrs. Frank Trotta Dr. & Mrs. Patrick Tucker Mr. & Mrs. Todd Turner Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Tuttle Mr. & Mrs. Chris Ulmer Mr. & Mrs. Tom Vale Mr. & Mrs. Andy Vandiver Mr. & Mrs. Joe Ventre Mr. & Mrs. Kent Wahl Mr. & Mrs. Jason Walter Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Ward Mr. & Mrs. Greg Weber Mr. & Mrs. Paul Weil Mr. & Mrs. Bill Welch Werkhaus Pizza & Pasta West Side Brewing Fr. Westerhoff Western Athletic Club Western Hills Window – Mr. Jason Phillips White Oak Gardens Mr. & Mrs. Paul Wienkamp Wild Birds Unlimited Mr. & Mrs. Brian Williams Mr. & Mrs. Chris Williams Mr. & Mrs. Mike Williams Mr. & Mrs. Scott Willig Mr. & Mrs. Jerry Willis Dr. Matthew Witsken Xavier University Mr. & Mrs. Todd Zureick

erama 17

The 2024 Elderama Chair-Couples were (pictured l to rt): Dan & Jen Dugan, Carrie & Tim Sullivan, Scott ’97 & Jen Ruth, and Kurt Ruffing ’81.

Altiora Award

Charlie Squeri

“PURSUIT OF THE HIGHER THINGS IN LIFE”

“LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD ”

Congratulations to this year’s Altiora Award recipient, Dan Meyer ’74!

Congratulations to this year’s Charlie Squeri Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, Marty Mullen ’73!

After graduating from Elder, Dan attended the University of Penn, Wharton Business School, graduating in 1978. Dan spent the next 16 years with P&G, Quaker Oats, and Drackett companies in various marketing, sales, and management positions.

Our honored awardee has near-perfect attendance playing in the Classic and his family may hold the record for most family members playing in a single year. In addition to being a regular golfer in the Classic, he is also a longtime Panther sponsor of the event.

In 1994, Dan co-founded Changing Paradigms, a premium private-label product company for air care, household cleaners, baby care, and other categories. Changing Paradigms expanded into an $85 million consumer packaged goods company and became a key partner with P&G to resurrect certain brands.

After graduating from Elder, his original plan of becoming a police officer didn’t pan out so he decided to try insurance. Upon graduation from the University of Cincinnati, he began working as a claims adjuster with Cincinnati Insurance. Shortly after starting his professional career in 1978, he married his wife Carol and raised four children together. He eventually became the Senior VP at Cincinnati Insurance and, in 2020, after 43 years, he retired.

In 2009, Dan co-founded Nehemiah Manufacturing, where he is currently the CEO. Nehemiah’s most important achievement is employing second chance citizens who find employment difficult because of prior felony convictions, drug and alcohol addiction, and homelessness.

Marty loves spending time with his grandkids, including attending all their sporting events and he’s constantly driving grandkids to wherever they need to go.

In 2015, Dan led a group of other businesses to follow Nehemiah’s mission to provide jobs for the second chance employee population.

This has become known as the Beacon of Hope Business Alliance, intending to offer 2,500 new jobs each year for second-chance employees. To date, over 70 companies have joined this Alliance.

Marty and Carol have a long history of service and support for Elder High School and have been involved in many fundraising campaigns, supports PAC 100, and helps with various feasibility studies.

Marty’s hard work in his professional career, his dedication and devotion to family, and his service and support of others in the Elder community and beyond have earned Marty this award.

Dan and his wife Debbie have been married for 44 years and have three daughters and three grandchildren.

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Thanks to all who supported the ELDER CLASSIC through corporate or personal sponsorships, hole and raffle sponsorships, participation, or volunteering of their time.

Another great year for the CLASSIC raising funds for faculty enrichment and development.

Altiora Sponsor

NEHEMIAH MANUFACTURING

Dan Meyer ’74, Chris Lahni ’03, Dan Wall ’81, and Michael Kenning ’06

it’s not too late to make a difference!

Dinner Sponsor J.T.M

Tony Maas ’78, Joe Meyer ’81, Keith Wiesman ’89, and Jason Herrmann ’00

Cocktail Sponsors

STAGNARO DISTRIBUTING Chad Kamstra ’96

KEN STECHER ’64

Panther Sponsors

THE BLEH & CUMMINGS FAMILIES Tim Bleh ’82, and Ed Cummings ’82

CINCINNATI INSURANCE Ken Stecher ’64

DINSMORE

Harry Cappel ’88

THE GOINS FAMILY

David ’82, Brian ’85, and Mark ’86

ROBERT JONES PLUMBING

Nick ’06, Trevor ’03, Jim ’73, and Bobby ’78

KRAFT ELECTRIC

Your support of the Elder High School

Annual Fund helps provide opportunities for our students to grow in faith, academics, and character. Thank you to everyone who has already donated—you’re making an incredible impact.

If you haven’t had a chance yet, there’s still time to join in and show your Panther Pride!

John ’73, and Danny ’04 Kraft

THE MULLEN FAMILY

Every gift, big or small, matters.

Marty ’73, Mike ’98, Nick ’01, and Scott ’07

OVERHEAD DOOR COMPANY OF NORTHERN KENTUCKY

Scott Siefke ’88, Dave Willmes ’83, Mike Duwel ’91, and Mike Faeth ’88

ROCKEFELLER CAPITAL MANAGEMENT

You can donate online at www.elderhs.org/annualfund or Venmo (under Business – Elder High School)

Ross Hambleton Jr. ’94, Matt Hambleton ’98, Mike Fieler ’88, and Andrew Sullivan ’05

JOHN J. & THOMAS R. SCHIFF INSURANCE Ray Broerman ’71

Any questions, contact GREG WEBER at 513.921.3424 or webergj@elderhs.net

SUNRISE TREATMENT CENTER Dr. Jeff Bill ’96

THE WILLIG FAMILY

Gary ’68, Scott ’93, and Chris ’01

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Deacon Tom…Old Reliable

Model for Support

WHEN THE PHRASE OLD RELIABLE IS USED, MOST THINK OF SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT CAN BE TRUSTED OR DEPENDED UPON. ONE MIGHT ALSO THINK THAT THE WORD “OLD” IN THE PHRASE REFERS TO AGE AND WITH ELDER CLASS OF 1944 ALUMNUS, TOM WESTERFIELD, THAT CERTAINLY RINGS TRUE AS TOM JUST TURNED 99 THIS PAST OCTOBER. But I feel the words trusted and dependable are more fitting for a man who’s devoted his life to the Catholic faith and has been a model of support for so many in helping to raise money at Elder, Our Lady of Lourdes, Bayley and Mount St. Mary’s Seminary & School of Theology, formerly known as the Athenaeum and Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West.

Growing up with three brothers in St. Teresa of Avila parish in Price Hill, Tom was raised by his mother and grandparents. Tom described his mother as very saintly and a devout Catholic, two qualities that undoubtedly can be attributed to Tom today. Sadly, one of Tom’s brothers died of appendicitis at the age of 12 which resulted in a closer bond between the remaining brothers and their mother. Tom’s childhood memories include playing baseball and basketball with the neighborhood kids. He recalled proudly that he was instrumental in teaching a friend who would eventually go on to play in the majors for the Cardinals, how to play baseball.

When Tom landed at Elder in the fall of 1940, he was too small to play sports and most days after school were spent

helping around the house. He described himself as an average student and he truly enjoyed his time at Elder, gaining quite a few close friendships with guys during his four years.

After graduating from Elder in June of ’44, Tom, like most during that turbulent time in our history, went into the military. After serving as a communications/radio guy in US Navy for 2 years, he finished his service in ’46. He recalls being on the flotilla during WWII in the first wave dropping marines off at Okinawa while kamikaze aircraft headed straight towards their battle ships. Tom became close with several of the guys from their landing ship tank (LST) and through all they experienced, good friendships were formed that lasted long after they finished their service.

Tom returned from the war and got his BS in Business Administration from Xavier University and landed a job at DuBois Chemicals and then Chemed where he spent most of his professional career as Treasurer and CFO. As Tom was getting his career on track, he met a young woman named Dottie who was with her mother at Coney Island one sunny summer afternoon. Tom stepped aside from his Elder buddies he was with that day and rode the Ferris wheel with Dottie. While on that ride, she said to Tom, “If you’re ever in the neighborhood, maybe we can go out on a date.” Without hesitation, Tom replied, “How about tomorrow night?” Then on Nov. 25, 1948, Tom and Dottie married and would eventually raise 5 children (Linda, Carol, Tom, Mary

Ellen and Joey), 14 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.

Tom developed a special bond with their son Joey who had down syndrome. Tom lost Dottie in 2005 and Joey passed away just last year.

Involvement has always been part of Tom’s life and when not at home with Dottie raising his children and developing his inseparable bond with Joey, he got involved as chairman of the board of the Bankers Club and was charged with getting speakers to come and speak for membership gatherings.

Among those on that list of speakers were Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and Margaret Thatcher.

With his Catholic faith always being at the forefront of all Tom does, he decided to become a deacon and was ordained at the Athenaeum of Ohio – Mount St. Mary’s Seminary of the West in 1992. He’s always been close to the church and still is. Though he is considered retired, he still maintains his role in the church as a senior status deacon and does still, on occasion, get up on the altar to preach.

Tom’s benevolence is overwhelming through his support of the Athenaeum, Our Lady of Lourdes, Bayley and Elder High School. In addition to my connection with Tom through Elder and his generous support as a scholarship benefactor and a member of the Fr. Schmitt Planned Giving Society, I also work with Tom as a committee member on the Mother Margaret George Society (MMGS) at Bayley. The Society offers a unique way to honor any living or deceased loved one(s) through major gift contributions. Though Tom’s involvement in the MMGS has waned due to his age, he was

the one who originally invited me to get involved for which I am grateful.

Denny Eagan, Elder class of ’71 and former long-standing VP of finance and administration with the Athenaeum/Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, knows Tom well and simply refers to Tom as “a remarkable guy with a good heart and great love for the church and the Catholic faith.” Tom came to the Athenaeum as such a fine businessman and through his work serving on the seminary’s board of trustees, put the seminary on a more sound footing. “He himself got involved and had a gift of getting a lot of other people to also get involved in the seminary through various levels of support,” according to Denny. When the seminary was having financial troubles, Tom was instrumental in helping to raise close to $50 million through the establishment of the Bishop Fenwick Society. The Westerfield Room – a faculty lounge named for Dottie and Tom, is still in use today at the seminary. Denny describes Tom, and I’m quite certain that many would agree, as “one of the kindest – most generous and most faith filled person that you’d ever want to meet.”

As we parted, I asked Tom what advice he would give to a young man at Elder today. He said, “Every class you should take advantage of because in some way or another, it’s going to influence your future.” Regarding his support of Elder, he added, “In my day, a lot of the kids couldn’t go to Elder because their parents couldn’t afford it, which rings true today, and that’s the reason I give back and why Dottie and I created the Thomas E. and Dorothy M. Westerfield Scholarship and why Elder is included in my estate plan.”

Honoring the lives of Elder Alumni who have recently gone before us. A complete listing of deceased graduates can be viewed at www.elderhs.org/Alumni.

John H. “Jack” Hendy, Sr. ’49

June 28

P. Timothy Carroll ’64

July 16

Theodore M. “Ted” Penker III ’49

October 22

Ronald F. Trefzger ’65

June 10

Robert J. Vesper ’50

June 23

Gary P. Bubenhofer ’65

June 15

William A. “Bill” Maxwell ’51

July 27

Timothy H. Santel ’66

September 10

Francis A. “Frank” Boerger ’51

August 18

Paul E. Brunner ’67

November 13

Charles J. Stein ’51

October 21

Bernard C. Butscha, Jr. ’68

August 17

Emanuel D. “Pep” Palmisano ’51

October 22

Gregory A. Sowders ’68

August 29

Frank A. Goldschmidt ’51

November 20

Thomas A. “Gator” Ledonne ’68

September 19

Gerald J. “Jerry” Kroger ’52

June 11

Mark W. McDevitt ’68

October 9

Frank J. Mueller III ’52

August 5

Kenneth L. Moorman ’68

October 12

Anthony F. “Tony” Krimmer ’53

May 31

Paul J. Lohbeck ’68

October 19

George P. Dehler ’53

November 10

Thomas P. Coffaro ’69

August 17

Thomas I. Hayden ’53

November 20

Thomas P. Weikel ’69

September 23

Elmer S. Lay ’54

July 4

William J. Nolan ’70

June 26

William R. Vogt ’54

November 12

Philip J. DePaoli ’70

November 9

John M. “Jack” Reddington ’54

November 15

Robert W. Kessler ’71

August 19

Raymond C. Weber ’55

July 6

Anthony F. “Toby” Stoller, Sr. ’71

November 15

Donald J. Olberding ’55

August 10

William J. “Bill” Daley ’72

July 16

Richard C. Zahneis ’55

October 18

John A. Bain ’72

October 24

William T. Reilly ’55

October 20

Gary D. Langenbrunner ’73

June 3

Edward R. Reynolds ’56

June 28

William A. Lynn ’73

September 19

Louis J. Arnold ’56

October 12

William A. “Bill” Anderson ’73

November 23

Paul H. Kohls ’56

October 17

Mark W. Renzenbrink ’74

June 21

Richard E. Dwenger ’57

June 27

Steven P. Morgan ’74

August 29

William G. “Bill” Rohe ’57

July 19

Jeffrey A. Kanoza ’74

October 9

Thomas J. Ciampone ’57

August 16

Albert P. Holzmeister ’74

November 24

Thomas B. Eppinghoff ’57

November 23

Michael R. Walters ’75

July 11

David T. Jeanmougin, Sr. ’58

March 2

Michael A. Hicks, Sr. ’76

September 24

William J. “Tex” Ridder ’58

November 29

Joseph C. Somori ’76

October 17

Robert W. Ring ’59

September 11

Charles A. “Chuck” Mastruserio ’76 October 29

Frank C. Evans, Jr. ’59

November 4

Terrence E. Allgeyer ’77

November 19

Robert P. Doerflein ’59

November 23

Chris M. Habig ’79

August 5

Frank R. Kerley ’59

November 29

Thomas J. Colley ’79

September 30

Robert O. Beckmeyer ’60

June 27

James R. Eckerle, Jr. ’80

November 7

Russell F. Poland ’60

August 24

Richard M. “Dick” Mancini ’81

November 22

Jerome E. Heidemann ’60

November 21

Paul E. Tepe ’85

August 23

Robert J. Kohake ’61

July 22

Scott A. Martini ’86

June 14

James F. Cummings, Sr. ’61

September 19

Keith A. Scherer ’87

July 20

Frederick J. Wehby ’62

June 11

Andrew S. Fortman ’89

September 4

Alfred L. “Len” Perry, Jr. ’63

June 29

Danny L. Simpson, Jr. ’91

August 13

Daniel J. Gilday, Sr. ’63

August 11

James B. Ellis ’91

September 1

John F. “Jack” Kramer ’63

September 10

George W. Nieman ’92

July 9

Kenneth A. Frank ’63

September 24

Andrew R. Accurso ’98

June 22

Donald M. Massa ’63

November 3

Mark E. Bales ’98

November 10

Bernard J. “Jack” Stahl ’64

June 3

Peter A. O’Shaughnessy ’00

August 9

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On June 20, St. Catharine of Sienna Church honored FR. ANTHONY DATILLO ’66 who retired as pastor following 23 years of faithful duty to the parish. Ordained 40 years ago, Fr. Tony presided over 300 weddings and 1,003 baptisms and laid to rest over 900 souls having counseled and comforted their mourning families. He will continue to serve the Family of the Most Holy Eucharist.

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After 47 years of hospital service, DAN KREIMER ’61 has resigned from Mercy West Hospital. During his time there, Dan worked every Monday evening and every other weekend and covered many other shifts over summer months. His teaching at Elder has inspired many students to enter the field of pharmacy, including five currently on staff at Mercy West. Pictured with Dan (center) are MARK MAYHAUS ’80, MARK JOHNSON ’78, DON BISHER ’79, and BRIAN BISHER ’07.

Not pictured: TED DeMATTEO ’79.

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Despite their celebration at The PAC being rained out, several members of the 1984 STATE CHAMPION ELDER BASEBALL TEAM gathered later in the day to reminisce about their feat 40 years ago. The Panthers were 13-8 before capping off the season with 11 straight wins to capture the title! Pictured are (front row, l to r) SEAN MASON ’85, DAN BLEY ’84, STEVE SOLORIA ’85, BILLY MEIER ’84, DAVE NEVILLE ’84, and (back row) TIM KELLER ’85, CHRIS NICHTING ’84, GREG SIEGMUNDT ’84, MARTY NOVAKOV ’84, DENNY BLEH ’84.

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With vast experience in special effects, design engineering, and exhibit fabrication, founder and president SCOTT WOLFRAM ’94 (seated right) opened Working Studio, Inc. in 2006, a destination for anyone searching for a studio that loves to solve challenging problems in unique ways with a background in many different disciplines. The ever-growing studio and team of professionals celebrated its expansion into a new space on Muddy Creek Road by hosting an open house this past October.

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SELBY CHIDEMO ’10 and his mother, Margreth Gwangwava, visited with Principal Kurt Ruffing and donated to the Family Crisis Fund this fall. Both are appreciative for what Elder did for them when Selby was a student and now would like to “pay it forward” by helping other students in need. Margreth is the president of Constant Seniors Care LLC and Selby is the VP.

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just moved? job change? recently married? new addition to the family? E-mail brian bill at billbd@elderhs.net or simply scan this QR code with your mobile device!

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Class of

In November, NATE SCHAERER ’22 was sworn in as a full-time firefighter with the Colerain Township Fire Department.

Elder teacher and township trustee, Dr. Matt Wahlert, presided over the ceremony as Chief Allen Walls and Nate’s father SCOTT ’90 took part in the ceremony.

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The 11th Annual T.J.’s “Race with the Wind” was yet another success. Proceeds from the event benefit the T.J. DOHERTY ’98 Memorial Scholarship at Elder. On July 22, 2012, T.J. was struck by a car while riding his bicycle in Boulder, Colorado. He died two days later.

T.J. was a passionate athlete and philanthropist, competing in races all around the world.

In the years since this tragedy, family and friends have gathered to remember him in this joyous, competitive spirit.

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Congratulations to DENNIS JANSON ’68 and the late JOHN FAY ’75 who were inducted into the Greater Cincinnati Journalism Hall of Fame as presented by the Greater Cincinnati Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists!

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Visit the Alumni page at ElderHS.org to keep up-to-date on Alumni events and reunion information.

THE POWER OF CONNECTION

by DON BONAVITA ’84, 2025 Alumni Board President

There’s something undeniably special about being a part of the Elder High School community. Whether you’re an alumnus, a parent, a current student or simply a friend of Elder, the spirit that defines our school is unmistakable. For those of us who remain deeply involved, Elder isn’t just a place where we once spent our days; it’s a foundational part of who we are.

For decades, my father, Dominic Bonavita, was a cornerstone of the Elder community, leaving an unforgettable impact on everyone he encountered. Whether you were a student, parent, teacher, or guest, he had a way of making you feel like you truly belonged. His warm handshake, radiant smile, and sincere words transformed every interaction into something meaningful. His trademark phrase, “If no one has told you yet today, I love you,” was more than just words—it was the guiding principle of his life. My father’s selfless dedication to Elder was honored in numerous ways, including being named an Honorary Elder graduate and receiving both the Alumni Spirit Award and the esteemed Altiora Award. Following in his footsteps has been a natural and fulfilling path for me. The relationships I’ve built through Elder continue to enrich my life, and supporting new generations of Panthers brings me great joy.

What do I enjoy most? It’s the people; the energy in the Pit on a Friday night; the teachers and staff who give their all to help students succeed; the alumni who remain connected, no matter how many years have passed. Together, we are Elder—bound by a shared commitment to excellence and an unwavering belief in what this school stands for Altiora- “Strive for the Higher Things.”

I’m honored to serve on the Alumni Board and am especially proud to take on the role of Alumni Board President for 2025. As alumni, you also have the opportunity to stay connected with the Elder community by joining us for the many events we host throughout the year.

We sincerely thank outgoing board member ANDY SPINNEY ’91 for his dedicated service and commitment to Elder High School. Additionally, we are excited to welcome new members to the Board: PAUL DAVIS ’71, DAN ANDRIACCO ’95, DAVE RIGDON ’07, and JACOB STIENS ’21.

For those of you who are already part of the Elder family, Thank You for keeping the tradition alive. To those who are just discovering what Elder is all about, Welcome you’re in for something truly extraordinary. There’s no place quite like it.

Altiora!

Don Bonavita ’84

MARCH 1

MARCH 11

ALUMNI GOLF OUTING SIGN-UPS

ALUMNI AWARDS

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MARK YOUR CALENDARS:

SOFTBALL LEAGUE REGISTRATION DEADLINE

• JUNE 6 ALUMNI GOLF OUTING • AUGUST 8 ALUMNI FAMILY PICNIC • OCTOBER 13 EBA GOLF OUTING

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FRIENDS OF ELDER

Travel

Join us as we explore

Montana’s Big Sky Country (July 15-25, 2025).

For more information about this trip and other upcoming trips, contact Linda Guetle at 513-451-1227 or njgii@outlook.com

LIUZHOU, CHINA, & CINCINNATI

connection

Since 1988, Cincinnati and Liuzhou, China, have been united as sister cities, fostering cultural and educational exchanges that have bridged continents and created lifelong connections. At the heart of this partnership are Joe ’79 and Lisa Hamrick, who have been involved with the organization for the past 21 years. For the last six years, Joe has served as Executive Chairman. The two of them have organized exchanges primarily for teachers but also for other professions. This past October, Joe wanted to add a new twist to the exchange: pickleball. On a trip that would redefine the word 'hospitality,' Joe and his teammates from his Class of 1979 pickleball league and their wives, introduced the sport to Liuzhou. While Joe frequently spoke about the warmth and kindness of the people in Liuzhou, the hospitality we were shown surpassed even his highest praises. “The welcome we received from the Foreign Affairs Office, teachers, and students was overwhelmingly positive,” said Jeff Stowe ’79. “Everywhere we visited we were treated like celebrities.

The people we met could not have been more gracious. They really appreciated that we visited their city of Liuzhou.”

The mornings were immersed in Chinese culture and the afternoons were spent teaching pickleball with demonstrations at local high schools and colleges. Given their mastery of ping pong and badminton, it is no surprise how quickly the students picked up the new skill. Between practice sessions, we were treated to incredible meals, each one a feast displaying an abundance of local traditional dishes to sample and savor.

After leaving Liuzhou, we spent a week in Beijing and Shanghai, exploring the Great Wall, Forbidden City, and the futuristic skyline of Shanghai. As we laugh about some of the stories now, it became clear that the true highlight wasn’t the destination, but the company. Those friendships, rooted in the halls of Elder and strengthened over the years, turned this trip into something far greater than we ever imagined.

So, while China might not have been on our bucket lists, the memories we made there—and the reminder that you can take the guys out of the West Side but never the West Side out of the guys—will stay with us forever.

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