HGP Magazine 5

Holy Ghost Prep MAGAZINE

A REAL GIFT FOR TEACHING Holy Ghost Prep teachers Father Chris McDermott, C.S. Sp., Jerry Colapinto, Gerri Carmine, Edna Ramirez, and John Fitzpatrick ’89 have prepared countless HGP students for success with their proven gift for educating young men.

ISSUE NO. 5

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SUMMER 2019

FROM THE PRESIDENT

this issue

The Heart and Soul of Holy Ghost Prep

2 Why We Teach By Matthew Jordan and Bill Doherty At Holy Ghost Prep, class sizes are small, so each teacher’s impact is immense. Each of our faculty members has unique reasons for their commitment to teaching at Ghost. It is our pleasure to share 11 of their stories in this “Why We Teach” feature.

15 A Helping Hand By Michael Bradley The annual generosity of the 11 Class of 1979 scholarship donors helps make attending Holy Ghost Prep a reality for some gifted students.

18 A Life Well Lived By Michael Bradley Ted Grabowski became an iconic figure at Holy Ghost Prep, serving as a teacher, baseball coach, college counselor, and mentor to his students and players for 46 years.

Departments

30 Campus News

33 Athletic News

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20 Brotherly Love By Joe Santoliquito Spurred by the closing of a local basketball program his autistic brother Tony attended, John Burke ’20 did something about it. With the help of 25–30 Holy Ghost classmates, Burke ran the Junior Firebirds Clinic, a basketball outlet for special-needs children and their families.

22 Full Speed Ahead By Michael Bradley

Alumni News

The Holy Ghost Prep rowing program completed its fourth year and has grown from a good idea into a crew team that has produced three Division I rowers, with more in the pipeline.

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Class Notes

Graduation 2019 By Bill Doherty On June 1, Holy Ghost Prep graduated its Class of 2019. Before they head off to college, we’ll recap the day in words and pictures.

Stay connected to Holy Ghost Prep!

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Holy Ghost Prep Magazine

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Issue 5, Summer 2019

Matt Dwyer

Holy Ghost Prep Magazine is published twice yearly by Holy Ghost’s Office of Communications and is distributed to alumni, parents, and friends of Holy Ghost Preparatory School.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

EDITOR

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS

Tim Woods DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS

Ryan Abramson ’94

Bill Doherty

Bill Doherty

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

DESIGN

Michael Bradley Matthew Jordan Joe Santoliquito Bill Doherty PROOFREADER

David Caruso CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Catalano Studio Douglas Benedict, Academic Image Zachary Durham/University of the Sciences

Karp Graphic Design HOLY GHOST PREPARATORY SCHOOL

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y Holy Ghost Prep memories are dominated by thoughts of exceptional educators and staff members who were integral to my growth and development as a student and a person. I fondly remember two teachers, in particular, who continue to have an impact on the man I am today.

The first is Father Henry J. Brown, C.S.Sp. ’50, a man I had a healthy fear of as a freshman but who became my spiritual advisor and counselor as a senior. A former Naval intelligence officer, Father Brown was the de facto disciplinarian at HGP. But the Navy-man-turned-priest was approachable, too—putting us at ease with one of his signature lines: “You can tell me anything; I’m shockproof.” In addition to teaching religion, Father Brown helped hundreds of Holy Ghost Prep young men, including me, to develop a moral compass and to learn that it is possible to combine strength with compassion.

Today we hold many important school meetings in the Father Brown Conference Room, and I believe Father Brown’s spirit is there—guiding the judgment and decision making of the people in the room.

Another Holy Ghost Prep teacher who had a profound impact on me and countless others was Mr. John Buettler ’64, the man who started the HGP forensics program and the person we all called “Sir.” John was, quite simply, one of the first adults other than family who I respected as a mentor but also loved as a person.

John Rodden ’74 tells a story that perfectly encapsulates John Buettler. If I recall the story correctly, Rodden had been asked to the Cardinal O’Hara prom, but he didn’t drive and his dad worked nights and weekends. He shared his dilemma with Buettler, who told him that he happened to be heading out that way on the exact same day and would happily take Rodden and his date to the prom. John and Arlene Buettler were not headed out that way, of course, but they selflessly took Rodden and his date to the prom, took in a movie to pass the time during the prom, and then drove the two teenagers home. John Rodden truly mattered to John Buettler, so John literally went the extra mile(s) for him.

Exceptional teachers, counselors, and moderators who care about their students and instill a faith-centered and lifelong learning mind-set in them remain the heart and soul of Holy Ghost Prep today. Yes, we have a beautiful campus and incredible facilities that enhance the educational experience, but it is our unmatched faculty and staff who make the HGP experience so exceptional, so special.

It is no surprise that our first-rate faculty loves seeing our students excel and have “a-ha” moments. It’s what makes educators tick.

Holy Ghost Prep’s true treasure is its people. Each of our teachers and staff members has a unique story behind their commitment to Holy Ghost Prep, to young people, and to learning. It’s a pleasure to share a sampling of their stories in the cover story of this issue of Holy Ghost Prep Magazine.

I hope you enjoy the entire issue of the magazine!

PHOTO CREDIT: DOUGLAS BENEDICT, ACADEMIC IMAGE

M

Features

“

Holy Ghost

Prep’s true treasure is its people. Each of our teachers and staff members has a unique story behind their commitment to Holy Ghost Prep, to young people, and to

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learning.

In One Heart and One Mind,

Holy Ghost Prep’s Executive Team PRESIDENT

Gregory J. Geruson ’79 Cover Photography: Douglas Benedict, Academic Image

PRINCIPAL

Kevin Burke

Gregory J. Geruson ’79 President @presgj g SUMMER 2019

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Why We

Teach

A

t Holy Ghost Prep, class sizes are small, so each

teacher’s impact is immense.

With a student-to-teacher ratio of 9-to-1, our teachers get to know each student personally, as well as his hopes and dreams. Each of our faculty and staff members have unique reasons for their commitment to Ghost. It is our pleasure to share 11 of

PHOTO CREDITS: DOUGLAS BENEDICT, ACADEMIC IMAGE

their stories in this “Why We Teach” feature.

SUMMER 2019 3

demanding but fair, someone who reinforces the idea that a focused effort will pay off, something that is especially important for those students who struggle to succeed at math.

She is also known for her excellent classroom management skills. She’s a teacher who can stop the most disruptive student in his tracks, with a look that makes clear the perils of crossing her. But to the students who know her well, such looks can be deceiving. “The students who were intimidated by her often missed her sly jokes and reactions in class,” says Dan Connell ’14, one of Carmine’s former calculus students. “She’s a lot funnier than many of them realized.”

>Gerri Carmine

MATH TEACHER

It started, as things often did back then, with a nun. It was Sister Anthony, a seventh grade teacher from St. Monica’s, a parish grade school in South Philadelphia, who first noticed her young student’s aptitude for mathematics. And when Sister Anthony gave Gerri Carmine the math medal at the end of the school year, it was the first time that a girl from her class had received that award.

“Let’s just say that the ‘usual recipients’ were a bit upset!” says Carmine, remembering years later the displeasure of the boys in the class who were used to winning such laurels.

ago, when the school named her its dean of studies. In that role she faced, among other tasks, the daunting challenge of creating a class schedule for every student in the school. Carmine worked tirelessly with each one to come up with the core courses and electives that accommodated the student’s preferences while providing him the best opportunity to realize his academic talents.

This fall, Carmine will return to the classroom on a full-time basis. Sure, she’ll help the new dean of studies learn the ropes, but Carmine will be back to her true love: teaching.

Without either of them knowing it, Sister Anthony set the trajectory for her young scholar’s future career. Calculus wasn’t offered as a class at her high school (the now closed St. Leonard’s Academy), so Carmine worked independently with a supportive math teacher to master the subject. A bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Saint Joseph’s University and a master’s degree in education from Arcadia soon followed.

Just as she did at St. Monica’s, Carmine will keep pushing back against the idea that subjects like math and science are fields where only men can succeed. “I realized in college that few women were pursuing careers in math or science,” says Carmine, “and I felt that I might be able to foster an appreciation for math in young women. Now that I am teaching boys, I hope they see that women can be successful in these fields.”

Ultimately her path brought her to Holy Ghost, where she has taught algebra, geometry, calculus, math analysis, and statistics over the past 22 years. Her teaching duties had to be curtailed six years

The HGP students have an excellent role model in Carmine. She has a comprehensive grasp of her subject area and an ability to explain difficult concepts clearly. As a teacher, she has a reputation for being

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Carmine’s humor and spirit are no secret to her colleagues, who can always look forward to the selection of pies laid out on the faculty dining room table every March 14 (Pi Day), as well as the homemade pizzelles (her own South Philly recipe) every Christmas season.

And Holy Ghost Prep’s math department would never have dressed up so convincingly as the Addams Family at the Halloween Assembly a few years ago, had its own Morticia Addams (Carmine) not rallied them to do so. Nor will some colleagues forget her farewell speech to her longtime friend and former math department colleague Marge Flynn, who she compared to, of all things, a box of wine: “It isn’t fancy or pretentious … but it gets the job done!”

In her roles as a teacher, department chair, and dean of studies, Carmine has been getting the job done—and done well—at Holy Ghost for 22 years now. Flynn cites her friend’s “patience, generosity, and kindness to me and my family.”

Carmine herself offers another secret to her success.

“Teaching young people helps keep me young,” she admits. “Although I still had no idea who Maroon Five were until last February’s Super Bowl!”

—By Matthew Jordan

Reverend >Chris McDermott, C.S. Sp.

RELIGION TEACHER Teaching runs in Father Chris McDermott’s family. “My father taught at Duquesne University and was a very good one,” he says. When McDermott himself was struggling as a student at Duquesne, he recalls going to his father with a question about economics. “He was able to present the material simply and understandably,” recalls McDermott.

“That’s still my ‘gold standard’ for teaching: the ability to break down and simplify complex concepts.”

Following in his father’s footsteps, McDermott spent five years as a teacher and chaplain at Duquesne and another six as a pastor in Michigan before coming to Holy Ghost in 1994. After 25 years of teaching here, he’ll be taking a long overdue sabbatical during the 2019-20 school year to explore other opportunities.

He doesn’t yet know where his time away from teaching might lead him; his interests range from working with the mentally challenged to immersing himself in Jewish studies at a local university.

McDermott has always been drawn to worlds beyond the one he has experienced personally. The desire to explore such worlds intensified in the early 1980s, when he spent four years as a teacher and assistant rector at Oldonyo Sambu (which means Striped Mountain in Masai) in Tanzania. Living in Africa, in an international missionary community, informed his teaching in profound ways, says McDermott. “Those who have had that experience stand outside of the home culture in a unique way. There is a greater appreciation and love of cultural differences.”

As a teacher, McDermott has committed himself to fostering an appreciation of those differences in his students. Assisting him in that endeavor is a boundless curiosity about the world around him.

McDermott’s passions range from

architecture to the fine arts, from poetry to film and theater, from psychology to history and culture. All of them are areas of study that he incorporates into his teaching of religion. “I love knowing and learning things. I find life and the world fascinating,” says McDermott. “I hope that I am able to share that with my students.”

McDermott’s classroom is “chock-full of stuff” that he uses in his daily lessons.

That “stuff” includes a blueprint of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, the architectural monument that has been the destination of his freshman class trip to New York every spring, and a copper ingot that was recovered from the actual wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the one made famous in the Gordon Lightfoot song.

Nowhere is McDermott’s ability to capture his listeners’ interest on better display, however, than during his homilies at school Masses. Each of them is an example of how to engage a school community in a spiritually meaningful way—a challenging task for anyone. As he does in the classroom, on the lectern he strives to find the dynamic, weaving personal anecdotes

with historical ones to convey ideas and connect with his audience.

McDermott says: “My homiletics professor used to say, ‘When you are finished with a sermon, ask yourself, So what?’ In other words, what relevance does this have for your listeners? How does it relate to people’s lives? Not in a prescriptive ‘you should do this’ sort of way, but in a way that affirms their desire to see God in the daily.”

Seeing God in the daily earned McDermott one of the greatest compliments he ever received for one of his homilies, from a retired Marine whose legs had been debilitated by his service in World War II. “He told me after the Mass that most priests talk about God abstractly during their homilies, but that I talked about going to K-Mart.” The department store’s mundane setting couldn’t be a more fitting place, McDermott believes, for finding God’s presence in our lives.

“K-Mart is where the human being lives and encounters God.” —By Matthew Jordan

SUMMER 2019 5

>Dr. Edna Ramírez What inspired you to become a teacher?

Was there a particular teacher you had growing up who played a role in that decision?

“Looking back at my life, I think I’ve always wanted to be a teacher. My mother recalls my very early games as a child were of me teaching my stuffed animals or playing teacher with my friends. The idea of sharing with others what I knew was always exciting to me. I was very lucky to have wonderful teachers both in Mexico where I grew up and here in the United States. The greatest teacher I’ve ever had was my major professor, Dr. John Whitaker, in graduate school. He was an amazing teacher and researcher, not only at UC Davis but in many countries around the world. He influenced the lives of countless students all over the world.”

How did you end up at Holy Ghost Prep?

“I am at Holy Ghost Prep by luck and some friends. By chance, a friend of mine and HGP alumnus, Brian Regli ’86, tagged me on a social media post by Tony Figliola asking for a Spanish teacher for Holy Ghost. I applied, interviewed, and the rest is HGP history. I am a firm believer that sometimes you have to trust that life will take you where you need to be, as long as you work hard. I try to share that with my junior and senior students, as they apply to colleges and then anxiously wait for decisions. Many do not believe me, until they end up in the college they were meant to be, not necessarily their initial choice.”

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my students to leave my class knowing their teachers care deeply about them; that learning is a lifelong process, not just something we have to do while we are in high school or college; and that they can achieve any goals they set up for themselves as long as they work consistently for it. As a world language teacher I wish for my students to have a better and wider understanding of the world beyond their daily reality, to appreciate the language and the culture of Spanish-speaking countries, and to realize that despite our differences, all humans long for the same ideals we long for in the United States.”

SPANISH TEACHER What are some of the things you value most about being part of the Holy Ghost Prep community?

“My colleagues are amazing; Holy Ghost is so fortunate to have such caring and dedicated faculty and staff. I can count on them for guidance and assistance at any moment and they are fun to be with. Some of my favorite colleagues are HGP graduates. We also have so many great students at HGP: hardworking, smart, and caring. I love watching them grow during the four years that they are under our care. They come as children and leave as young men; they look and act so different as they take their final walk on graduation day. Finally, being part of a faith-based community guides our daily lives and gives us focus and purpose. We are very lucky to be guided by the seven core components of the Spiritan schools; I am especially moved by the Openness of the Spirit, Global Vision, and Academic Excellence.”

What did you learn about yourself while writing/publishing the children’s book The Rabbit on the Moon? Do you think you’ll do another book?

“I really enjoyed writing the book, testing it with young audiences and experienced writers, attending children’s book conferences, editing and rewriting until I was finally happy with the bilingual version of the book. My friend Zach Bird is an amazing local artist and he did an outstanding job

with the illustrations. He captured perfectly the Mexican culture with his work. I would love to write other books and I have a couple of stories in mind but I need to find the time. Writing fantasy books requires to be removed from the everyday life (including the demands of teaching) and being attentive to the imagination.”

What is the biggest challenge you face teaching a world foreign language in the Instagram age?

“I actually see more advantages than challenges of teaching in the Instagram age. My students have access to so many authentic sources and tools and they are exposed to ideas that would be impossible to share with them if we didn’t have access to the technology we have. They can start the day by reading a story from a newspaper in Chile, catch a song released today in Spain, laugh at a meme from Mexico, and finish the day by chatting with their friends in the Dominican Republic. How great is that?”

As a high school teacher, you are teaching young men at an important stage of their development. What do you hope they leave your class knowing?

“My dream would be for all my students to leave my classroom being fluent in Spanish.

Although that is my ultimate goal and I keep it in the back of my mind daily, I know this only becomes true for some students after many years of hard work. For some of them, it happens in college. My overall wish is for

You seem to be a lifelong learner yourself—having a Ph.D., taking on the challenge of writing a children’s book, serving on the diversity committee here at Ghost, starting the Dominoes Club. And you seem to have married one in David. Where does that desire to always keep learning and challenging yourself come from, and why was it an important attribute to have, in your opinion?

“I often share with my students that a day when nothing is learned is a wasted day. I teach because I want to learn. I believe people should never stop learning something new every day. Teaching keeps me learning. My students teach me and challenge me to continue learning on a daily basis. The energy and enthusiasm of young people is contagious and my students never fail to deliver interesting questions and ideas.

I dislike routine, and being a teacher means coming to work and having a different day every day.”

—By Bill Doherty

>Justin Goulet ’99

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT CHAIR/ENGLISH TEACHER

As a Holy Ghost Prep alum, is there a former HGP teacher who inspired you to become a teacher? If so, who was it and what role did he/she play?

“Mrs. Posey was a great inspiration for me. She was an amazing teacher. She built such genuine relationships with her students. Her classes were tough, but extremely rewarding.”

What inspired you to come back to Holy Ghost?

“Ghost’s community really inspired me to come back. I had many mentors who helped me grow and mature. When I had the chance to return, I jumped at the opportunity. I wanted to give my students the same great experiences that I was able to have at Ghost.”

What is your favorite piece of writing/book to teach and why?

“I really enjoy teaching Bad Haircut, written by Tom Perrotta, to my sophomores. It is such a great book and the students can really relate to it. We always have great discussions on the characters and the plot.”

What is the biggest challenge you face teaching English in the Instagram age?

“My biggest challenge would definitely be keeping my students focused on their nightly readings. With their shorter attention spans, students now often look for instant gratification.”

As a high school teacher and coach, you are teaching young men at an important stage of their development. What do you hope they leave your class or the tennis court knowing?

“I hope that my students and players really leave the classroom and the court trying their best. If a tennis player competes to his fullest, I cannot ask for anything more. I hope that both my students and my players really carry this mentality with them for the rest of their lives.”—By Bill Doherty

SUMMER 2019 7

academic dean and held that position for two years. I found that job very satisfying, and I made it my mission to speak with as many students as possible who were on academic probation.”

You were awarded the 2008 Siemens AP Teacher of the Year award for Pennsylvania. What was it like to receive that award?

“That was an honor I never thought possible.

The students also played a big part in this achievement. It was the consistent high scores on the AP calculus exam that got me nominated two years in a row. It especially means a lot to me because back when I was student teaching, my supervisor basically implied that I’d never make it as a teacher. He was known to say this to many others and was clearly wrong about me. The award was presented at the annual Honors Convocation and several former students (and parents) were there.”

>Jerry Colapinto

MATH TEACHER

What inspired you to become a teacher?

Was there a particular teacher you had growing up who played a role in that decision?

“Both the good and the bad math teachers from high school. The good ones made me like the subject. The bad ones made me think ‘There must be a better way to teach this’ and that was my inspiration: to save students from inept math teachers. It may have been a particular geometry teacher, Joe Brogan, whose teaching method got me thinking ‘I can do this.’”

How did you end up at Holy Ghost Prep?

“Funny story. While at La Salle (then) College, I went to career placement for a list of private schools and applied to all. I first heard of HGP through an article about John Rodden ’74 and HGP forensics in the college school newspaper. So one January evening, the then-headmaster Father James McNally

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knocked on the door of my home in South Philadelphia. He evidently lost my phone number and really needed a math teacher to replace someone who left mid-year.”

You have been at Holy Ghost Prep since 1980. What are some of the things you value most about being part of the Holy Ghost Prep community?

“From the beginning there was much camaraderie and support from other faculty.

I still keep in touch with several former colleagues. The parent support is always encouraging and the students were and still are exceptional, thankful, and dedicated.

“I’ve seen new buildings open, a new track, a STEM Tower, and a locker room transition from ordinary to amazing. I consider myself part of the history of the school. Over the years, I created/started three new math courses and pretty much taught almost every math class we offer. I was asked to be interim

You have worn many hats in the forensics world—judging tournaments, serving as an assistant coach, helping with elementary school tournaments, even serving as a tabulator and error checker at both states and nationals. How did you first get involved in forensics and what continues to keep you involved?

“Picture this: October 1980, Anthony Figliola (whom I knew prior to when he was hired) asked me if I’d like to come to La Salle College High School and judge for HGP. I thought ‘Sure, why not? I can do this every now and then.’ Almost 40 years later, I am still semi-involved. What keeps me at it are my friendships with current and former coaches, both locally and nationally, and the many alumni that I got to know and work with over the years. I found that if you stay around long enough you even get inducted into the Pennsylvania High School Speech League Hall of Fame [2016].”

What is the biggest challenges you face teaching complex math to teenagers?

“Trying to convince them how ‘easy’ it can be if you work at it, without depending on too much technology. And attempting to instill a love for the subject in them. I get the fact that math does not come easy to everyone, and in my non-advanced classes (like regular

geometry) I try to make it somewhat simple and enjoyable. Can you say ‘fact quiz’?”

You were part of the winning teachers’ team this April on the Fox 29 triviabased game show The ClassH-Room.

First, you seemed quite comfortable on the show. Can you explain why?

And second, the teachers’ team of you, Jack Crouse, and Kevin Bushek ’04 was able to best the team of three HGP students. How fun was that whole experience for you?

“That was another thing I never would have expected. I have a reputation for knowing a ton of useless information and have won a Quizzo game or two, so I suppose I was a natural choice along with Jack and Kevin. First time on TV for me!”

As a high school teacher, you are teaching young men at an important stage of their development. What do you hope they leave your class knowing?

“Knowing that I was truly interested in their overall development. Knowing a little math and having a better appreciation for all things academic.

“They enter as freshmen and I try to start them off with a solid background in math, teach them a sense of responsibility, get them into a good classroom routine, show them that they must respect each other, and let them know what’s expected both academically and behaviorally. When they leave me (as freshmen), I am confident that they will carry this sense of academic discipline and good behavior with them.”

—By Bill Doherty

>Amanda Coopersmith

CHEMISTRY TEACHER

You were running a small private lab in Florida for five years and were doing work for the FDA, USDA, and EPA. What inspired you to leave that behind and become a teacher?

“I left the lab due to two rough pregnancies. After leaving the professional world of chemistry, I had two premature children. Ten years later, I decided to go back to graduate school and start teaching so I could keep a schedule that was close to my children’s schedules in terms of breaks and summer. I did not realize 20 years ago that I would be as passionate about teaching as I was about working in the lab. The biggest difference is that even though the paperwork load is the same, the hours away from home are slightly less and there are no weekend emergencies to get samples processed and tested.”

How did you end up at Holy Ghost Prep?

“After working at another school for seven years, we had some family illness. A year later, everyone was healthy and Ghost had an opening for a chemistry teacher. All bad events really are for a reason!”

What are some of the things you value most about being part of the Holy Ghost Prep community?

“I value the experiences of the other teachers as well as the supportive nature of the parents. I also enjoy being able to ‘circle back’ if students are struggling, adding new twists on material that presents itself from news articles, and creating unique and fun (for me, at least) lab experiments that tie directly into real-world applications.”

You received the 2019 American Chemical Society’s Philadelphia Section Award for Excellence in Pre-College Teaching in May. How did it feel to be recognized for your teaching?

“When I received the letter stating that I would receive the award, I was shocked and humbled. I love what I do and was thrilled to be recognized for my excitement in the classroom by other chemists in the area.”

As a high school chemistry teacher, you are teaching young men at an important stage of their development. What do you hope they leave your class knowing?

“That events in life will knock them down, but they need to get up as many times as it takes to continue on their desired path. I also want them to learn how to ask for what they want, but be willing to negotiate reasonably. Finally, I want them to remember to do good regardless of how well they are doing and always be willing to lift others up along the way.”—By Bill Doherty

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>John Fitzpatrick ’89 RELIGION AND LATIN TEACHER

How did you get your start in teaching?

“HGP is where I started. A college professor told me senior year that he thought I’d be good in the classroom. I sent letters to Nazareth, Holy Ghost, and St. Basil to ask if anyone needed a Latin or theology teacher. HGP was the only school that contacted me.”

What is your approach to high school kids?

“I try to be down-to-earth, easygoing, and understanding of all they have going on in their lives. I do my best to balance having fun while also being serious enough to challenge the best students in each class. I try to remember that the students can be my teachers, too.”

How would you describe your classroom personality?

“Mostly even-keeled—about 85% ‘business’ and 15% joking around. I am histrionic most days, even if just for a minute or two.

Students say it helps them stay focused. I think I do it because there’s a piece of me which likes to act, but only on a safe stage.”

Is there anything that you offer your students that’s different from what they might expect from you as a teacher?

“In religion class or on retreat, I hope I offer students countercultural perspectives. In Latin, I try to inculcate the mind-set that Latin is not a ‘dead’ language. In the World War II Club, I try to act as the interpreter of voices from the past. In service, I try to offer an example of the Spiritan charism as it’s lived in a practical way.”

What is one of the most important things that one of your classes has to offer?

“I have taught the Sexuality and Dating course most years since 2000. One of the reasons I love teaching that course is because of its potential to impact what

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type of husbands and dads our students are going to be.”

What is your biggest challenge as a teacher?

“Earlier in my time at HGP, it was finding time to work with students who needed extra attention. Other responsibilities often pulled me in different directions.

Currently, it is the transition from a more to a less ‘teacher-centered’ classroom. I am trying to be an older dog willing to learn new tricks.”

What would you say is your greatest strength as a teacher?

“I think I am a good listener. If I sense that a student is struggling, I try to find out why. Sometimes, the ‘if’ is the challenge.”

What do you like most about teaching?

“Being around young people who genuinely want to learn and seeing the excitement on their faces when they ‘get’ a concept with which they’ve been struggling.”

Is there a personal interest that you try to share with your students?

“Definitely my interest in World War II. Those men and women who fought for our freedom and for the ability for us to continue to have schools like HGP sacrificed so much. My way of thanking them is to keep the memory of them alive

as long as possible. I also believe that understanding the events surrounding World War II is essential to understanding the geopolitics of today. The ripple effects of that war continue until now.”

Which personal value do you try to foster most in your students?

“Learning something for the sake of learning it, because in ‘real’ life, you can’t always cram five minutes before you need to do something. All careers have a body of knowledge our students are going to be expected to know. It drives me crazy when students study just to get a grade on a quiz or a test.”

—By Matthew Jordan

>Mike Jacobs ’01

DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

As a Holy Ghost Prep alum, is there a former HGP teacher who inspired you to become a teacher? If so, who was it and what role did he/she play?

“Absolutely. There were a lot of teachers at HGP when I was a student who gave me the impression that teaching made them happy. As I was getting ready to graduate from college, happiness was one of my major considerations. I wanted a career that I could be proud of and made me happy. No one stands out in my mind more than John DiGiesi. He had always impressed me with his knowledge and understanding of the world around him, and I aspired to be like him.”

You graduated from Drexel with a degree in computer engineering. What inspired you to come back to Ghost?

“Drexel has an amazing co-op program that I am lucky to have been a part of. I had three great jobs during my time at Drexel, but I couldn’t see myself doing any of them for the rest of my life. Fortunately, I had stayed in touch with (former HGP teacher and coach) Mike Meistering, and he convinced me that working at Ghost might be a better fit for me.

“During my senior year at Drexel, I worked part-time at Ghost helping out in IT and I loved it. I had spent so much time at HGP that year, that Mike O’Toole even asked me to participate in the graduation ceremony for the Class of 2006 even though I had not quite finished my credits at Drexel. I wore the Drexel gown and colors at Ghost a few weeks before my own graduation ceremony at Drexel.”

In addition to being the school’s director of technology, you also teach. Which class/classes are your favorite ones to teach and why?

“Currently, I am teaching Intro to Engineering Design, and it is my favorite so far. I get to teach students how to use tools, solve problems, and be creative. It is right up my alley. I love that we just built this Brennan Family Innovation Center, and we have the coolest tools to use: 3D printers, laser cutter, drill press, everything.”

You’re a curious, lifelong learning type of person. What do you learn about yourself while teaching?

“Honestly, I have learned that I am not as funny as I think I am. I try to make learning fun for the students by injecting jokes into some lessons, but all I hear are crickets. It’s best if I just set up the projects and show them how to solve problems and act as a moderator while they work and help them when they get stuck.”

In today’s rapidly changing world, you are preparing young men for jobs that likely don’t exist yet. What do you hope they leave your class knowing?

“I hope that they have the confidence and some skills to solve life’s problems. Everyone will face problems eventually. I hope that when they come across an obstacle, they remember that they are resourceful enough to tackle the problem head on and will eventually solve it.”—By Bill Doherty

S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 11

“I am thankful to be part of such a caring and supportive community. Faculty and staff are very competent, diligent, and truly care about students’ progress and well-being.”

What is the biggest challenge you face teaching a foreign language in the Instagram age?

“Social media helps world language students to connect to people all over the world and validates their need to communicate in other languages and understand different cultures. It makes their learning experience authentic.”

As a high school teacher, you are teaching young men at an important stage of their development. What do you hope they leave your class knowing?

>Karen Iuliano

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR OF COLLEGE GUIDANCE

You have been at Holy Ghost Prep since 2003. How did you end up at Ghost?

“I officially went on the payroll in 2003. Fun fact: I actually started working with Ted Grabowski in 2000 on a volunteer basis. My son Joseph was a sophomore, and I wanted to get involved in the school. I felt I had more to offer than hand writing Christmas cards for Father McCloskey. I was told by my friend Cindy McDonald in Admissions that Ted was in need of help in the College Guidance Office. One day a week turned into two days, and so on. I found the college process fascinating and Ted was willing to teach me everything he knew! To thank me for my ‘help,’ I was often paid with a monthly stipend. By 2003, Ted convinced me to stay and I officially went on the payroll.”

What are some of the things you value most about being part of the Holy Ghost Prep community?

“Holy Ghost Prep is truly a community. Once you become a member, it is hard to leave. You come to learn that people really do care about what happens to you. We are together as a community during the difficult times and the good times. I value the dedication of the faculty and staff and their willingness to always put the students first.”

You teach Holy Ghost Prep students and their families how to navigate through the stressful process of finding a right-fit college. What are two or three of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the process during your time at Ghost?

“There have been many changes in the college admissions process over the past 19 years. Here are my top two: 1. Technology: In the early 2000s, students hand wrote their applications and we mailed their paperwork with actual stamps.

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“I try to expand their horizons by exposing them to a different language and culture at an age when they are receptive. The experience in my classes is unique, in that the students think and speak a different language and try to put themselves in the shoes of a French person. I hope they will be inspired to travel the world, study and work abroad, and live a fulfilling life thanks to that experience. More importantly, I hope they will become compassionate global citizens.”

—By Bill Doherty

Every transcript had to be hand signed and sealed. With the addition of Naviance (2006) and the common application, the application process became easier (certainly less paperwork) and more streamlined. Admission decisions have gone from home-mailed large envelopes to looking on your online portal.

2. College rankings: The growing popularity and belief in college rankings by U.S. News & World Report and social media has increased the level of anxiety in students and parents, who feel the pressure of getting into a ‘name-brand school.’”

What’s the best advice you can give to a Holy Ghost Prep senior-to-be about the college process?

“The best advice I can give to a student beginning the college process is to keep an open mind, be an educated consumer, and remember that finding a college should be ‘a match to be made and not a prize to be won.’”

What are two or three parts of your job that provide you with the greatest sense of satisfaction?

“Needless to say, it is satisfying to hear when one of my students was accepted into his first choice college or when a parent calls and is truly grateful for my help and advice during the college process. But I think the greatest satisfaction I have received during my years on the job is when a student comes back to HGP after graduation and shares his gratitude for the education he received at HGP. The satisfaction is knowing they finally get it! It is not until they are actually in a college classroom and interacting with students from all over that they realize just how prepared they were for college.”—By Bill Doherty

>Claudine Nicolay

WORLD LANGUAGE CHAIR, FRENCH TEACHER What inspired you to become a teacher?

Was there a particular teacher you had growing up who played a role in that decision?

“Growing up I remember looking up to my uncle and one of my cousins, who were teachers. They had this aura of knowledge and inspired respect. Then in elementary school, I had this teacher whom I admired in class. She was a vibrant, patient, and dedicated young lady, and she inspired me to become a teacher. My favorite activity at home was to impersonate her and teach my dolls and teddy bears organized in rows of chairs to read and write. As a college student in France, majoring in English, I had decided to become a high school English teacher.”

How did you end up at Holy Ghost Prep back in 2001?

“I came to the United States as a teaching assistant in the French department of the University of Illinois. I enjoyed teaching advanced-level French classes to graduate students. I went on to teach French for years at the college level but I was always attracted to high school teaching. So I applied to different high schools and was recommended to Holy Ghost by a school that had interviewed me for a part-time position that I turned down because I was looking for a full-time position.”

What are some of the things you value most about being part of the Holy Ghost Prep community?

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A Helping Hand

>Patrick Hoelzle ’01 ENGLISH TEACHER

As a Holy Ghost Prep alum, is there a former HGP teacher who inspired you to become a teacher? If so, who was it and what role did he/she play?

“Mr. Jeff Danilak and Mrs. Kathy Posey inspired me to become a teacher. Taking their American Lit and World Lit classes showed me the endless possibilities of literature and language. Mr. Danilak taught me how to think critically about texts, and Mrs. Posey taught me to tap into my creativity and personal life to truly experience and love literature.

Seeing their passion, their commitment, and the respect both of them earned from their students left such an indelible mark on me that I knew I wanted to do the same things for future generations. What’s really awesome is that I got to come back to Ghost and become colleagues with two of my inspirations. How many people get to say that?”

BY MICHAEL BRADLEY

What inspired you to come back to Ghost?

What is your favorite piece of writing/ book to teach and why?

“I love teaching Romeo and Juliet! In the beginning, most of the boys think it’s just some fluffy, romantic, sobby love story. And then we read the first scene, which opens with a sword fight and a brawl between rival families (not to mention some pretty vicious insults). Wow, do their initial impressions change after that scene! The boys realize that there’s so much more to the play than meets the eye. Yes, there is the famous love story, but there are also sword fights, parties, subtle jokes, revenge, and mystery. As we go through the play, I love seeing the boys reassess their initial opinions and realize that first impressions don’t always end up being

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your last impression, which just so happens to be a theme of the play. Plus, the Leo DiCaprio movie version from the 90s is so, so, so good.”

personal life. With the STEM initiatives, our students will leave HGP as well-rounded, prepared, thoughtful, adaptable, and creative thinkers.”

You have become one of the on-campus leaders of Holy Ghost Prep’s STEM initiative. First, why is it important, in your opinion, that Ghost has made this commitment to STEM education? And second, how do you teach/prepare young men for jobs that likely don’t exist yet?

What are some of the things you value most about being part of the Holy Ghost Prep community?

“STEM initiatives are about fostering a way of thinking, not simply delivering content. The whole idea of teaching kids problem-solving and critical thinking techniques, how to use their unique creativity to solve problems, and being able to communicate effectively are central concepts in STEM classes and fields.

I emphasize those skills in my own classes, which has made me a good person to lead the charge. Additionally, because those skills are useful in every part of life, it’s important for our students to learn them because they’ll be adaptable thinkers in a lot of different situations, whether it be their career or their

Class of 1979 Scholarship recipient Gibby Brook ’16

“For me, this is simple: HGP is a family, one I’m proud to be part of.”—By Bill Doherty As the magazine was going to print, Patrick Hoelzle ’01 was promoted to the dean of academics position at Holy Ghost Prep.

PHOTO CREDIT: DOUGLAS BENEDICT, ACADEMIC IMAGE

“Holy Ghost has a special place in my life. I made a lot of memories, developed lifelong friendships, and learned how to think while I was a student at HGP. But, more importantly, HGP taught me how to be an empathetic man, something I’ve tried to bring to all aspects of my life. Having the opportunity to give back to the place that helped shape who I am today was something I couldn’t pass up. I want to help make my students’ HGP experience as memorable as mine was.”

S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 15

T “

I definitely wouldn’t be at Penn if I hadn’t gone to Holy Ghost.

It gave me the

opportunity to do just about anything.”

G I BBY BRO OK ’16

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here aren’t a lot of kindergarten students who know where they want to attend high school. But thanks to his neighbor, Gibby Brook ’16 knew he would be a Holy Ghost Prep student someday.

Jerry O’Connor ’01 used to tell Brook about how great Ghost was, and Brook was enthralled. Brook remembers hearing about the first paper O’Connor wrote while a freshman at Saint Joseph’s University. The professor gave everyone a grade but him, and wrote “See me after class” on his paper. O’Connor met with the professor and was asked, “Who did you cheat off of?”

O’Connor was stunned by the question, because he had done his own work. He told the professor that he had graduated from Holy Ghost Prep and had been properly taught how to write. Once the professor heard that explanation, he wrote an “A” on the paper and sent O’Connor away. That’s a pretty good advertisement for the school and a great way to convince a youngster that people who go to the school end up succeeding.

“I always wanted to go to Ghost,” Brook says.

While Brook first became interested in the school because of one HGP alum (O’Connor), it was the generosity of other HGP alums—namely, the Class of 1979 scholarship donors—who helped him make his lifelong dream a reality. The scholarship, which was instituted in 2014, aims to provide talented students like Brook—whose mother is a nurse, whose father is a Philadelphia police officer, and whose brother (James) also went to Ghost—with the opportunity to get an HGP education. Brook, who played lacrosse and swam at Holy Ghost Prep, also participated in the band and was a member of the math modeling and robotics teams. He is majoring in economics with a minor in biophysics at the University of Pennsylvania, with an eye on going into healthcare finance.

“I definitely wouldn’t be at Penn if I hadn’t gone to Holy Ghost,” says Brook, who grew up in the Mayfair section of

Give the GIFT of GHOST Philadelphia. “It gave me the opportunity to do just about anything.”

Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79 began the scholarship as a way to engage more of his fellow Class of ’79ers in the school’s current life. He wanted his classmates to provide opportunities for students to have experiences at Holy Ghost that are similar to those they had. Since each of them benefitted greatly from their time at the school, it only made sense that they would want to help others have the same chance of four years at a top-notch high school.

The Class of ’79 scholarship provides $2,000 to $3,000 a year for one student in each of Ghost’s four classes. The four Class of ’79 scholarship recipients during the 2018-19 school year were senior Stephen Joyce (who will attend Duquesne University in the fall), junior Henry Fina, sophomore E.J. Pohl, and freshman James Corbett. The boys receive the scholarship throughout their time at the school, and it is often a substantial factor in determining whether a student is able to attend Holy Ghost.

“This scholarship goes to a student who is academically deserving and has a need,” Geruson says. “These dollars can often be the difference in whether someone is coming or not coming.

“You might have a kid who gets a Presidential scholarship but needs additional support to be able to come to Ghost. The Class of ’79 scholarship is perfect for him.”

When Geruson came up with the idea for the grant, he reached out to some of his friends from his class and asked them to provide support annually for it. Ten of his fellow Class of 1979 grad stepped up to join him in faithfully writing checks each year to fund the scholarship: Jeff Di Paolo, Ray Glemser, Stan Glowacki, Tom Kardish, Karl New, Tom Profy, Francis Rauch, Ernie Schoellkopff, Ken Selvaggi, and George White.

“Greg asked us to support the scholarship fund, and we jumped at the chance,” says Selvaggi, the general manager of the NBC affiliate in Louisville.

“We love Holy Ghost Prep. We think it’s the best, and we want others to love it, too.

“I like the idea of a targeted scholarship from the class. I think it’s a great place to go to school. We want others to experience it.”

I

n 2014, when Mark Pabalan ’18 was preparing for his first year at Holy Ghost Prep, he had a serious discussion with his parents. He had heard about the school’s rigorous academic program from a neighbor who recommended the school.

He had met Ghost’s tennis coach, Justin Goulet ’99, and was impressed with the school’s program in that sport.

But he had a question.

“I was nervous, because it was all boys,” admits Pabalan, who is now studying quantitative finance and playing tennis at Stevens Institute of Technology.

“I was afraid there was no socializing with girls, and I wondered what was in store for me. Was it full of people out for themselves, or was it a brotherhood? I got the latter experience. It was such a welcoming atmosphere, and everybody was willing to help you.”

Pabalan was a four-year Class of 1979 scholarship recipient, and he had the opportunity to learn about the grant and the class from Geruson. He describes himself as being “totally composed and prepared” for his freshman year work at Stevens and considers himself “honored to have been at Holy Ghost at a time when it was about to blossom.”

John McCrane ’17 came to Holy Ghost from Philadelphia’s Parkwood section and just finished his sophomore year at University of the Sciences, where he is a pharmacy major and pitches on the baseball team, as he did at Ghost. He was also a never-give-an-inch, defense-first guard on the basketball squad. Because his mother was single at the time, she worked and sacrificed to get him through school. The Class of 1979 scholarship was quite helpful to McCrane’s family, and it allowed him to have an outstanding

Class of 1979 Scholarship recipient John McCrane ’17

experience that got him ready for his rigorous college life.

“The academics at Ghost are focused on preparing us for the college level, so when you get to college, you are ready for it,” he says. “Holy Ghost helped make balancing my academic workload and playing baseball easier.”

Although the members of the Class of 1979 are 40 years removed from their time at the school, they still appreciate the education and experiences they received at Holy Ghost. Ernie Schoellkopff, a contributor to the scholarship, talks about having “far too much fun, in retrospect, than guys should have in four years,” but he also understands how Ghost allowed him to grow in a nurturing setting and prepared him for college and beyond.

“I learned a lot of lessons about life,” Schoellkopff says. “The teachers that I had were overwhelmingly good and caring people. They were a model for people who were dedicated to the community.”

Geruson looks at the Class of 1979 roster and the success its graduates have had—he lists an anesthesiologist, business advisors, corporate CEO, radiologist/oncologist, and several attorneys among its esteemed alums— and hopes for similar or greater feats for those who benefit from the grant.

But he also has an ulterior motive.

“One of the reasons I am doing this is that there are 40 to 50 other classes that have a dozen guys who could easily do this and have a bottom line impact on the

A Holy Ghost Prep education can be life-changing. Endowing scholarships or making Annual Fund gifts toward scholarships ensures that the best students can afford to attend Ghost, regardless of financial background. For more information on establishing a named or class scholarship, contact Matt Dwyer in the Office of Development: mdwyer@ holyghostprep.org or 215-352-6956.

school,” Geruson says. “Adding another $300–$400,000 a year in scholarships would have an enormous impact.

“It’s a no-brainer.”

As Brook considers his Holy Ghost Prep experience, he is extremely grateful to the ’79ers for the generosity that allowed him to attend the school. “It has meant everything to me,” he says. “It’s the best decision I ever made.” Brook managed the 2019 Ivy League champion Penn Quakers’ lacrosse team this season, after walking on as a goalie his freshman year and working as a student coach in 2018. He keeps in close touch with his Holy Ghost classmates and takes seriously the message he received from his benefactors when he met them while still in high school.

“They told me to give back,” he says.

“They said I should help out others so that they have the same experience I did. It’s definitely one of my goals after I graduate from college, to help someone the way [the Class of 1979] helped me.”

That’s a message even a kindergartener can understand. n Michael Bradley is a writer, broadcaster, and teacher who lives in Broomall, Pa. In addition to writing for many national publications, Bradley teaches journalism at Villanova University.

S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 17

HG P ICO N:

TE D GR A BOWSK I

A Life Well Lived Let’s face it,

there is nothing Ted Grabowski was going to do professionally that could match circling a drop zone as a passenger in a military aircraft and watching a B-52 send atomic bombs into the Pacific Ocean.

“I liked that,” Grabowski says.

He took part in Operation Dominic, a series of 31 nuclear detonations in 1962 that came in response to Soviet testing following a three-year moratorium. He was an engineer at the Frankford Arsenal in Northeast Philadelphia at the time, and it was all pretty exciting for a 24-year-old.

But no matter how thrilling it was to have a role in that level of national defense, Grabowski still maintains that his other job—as a teacher, coach, counselor, and mentor at Holy Ghost for 46 years—brought him more satisfaction.

“I think the people at Holy Ghost kept me there, the kids and the teachers,” Grabowski says.

“It’s a nice place to be, and when I retired, I knew I was going to miss it. I never felt bad when I went into work. I never said, ‘This is going to be another long day. I can’t wait until I retire.’ My time there was made enjoyable by kids who wanted to learn and teachers who wanted to help them.”

Grabowski began at Holy Ghost in 1968 and continued helping young men at the school develop until 2013.

It was an accidental pairing but one that endured and impacted the lives of hundreds. Although he filled a variety of roles at Ghost, he is perhaps best known for his work with the Firebirds baseball program, which he headed from 1968–98 and then worked with in head and assistant coaching capacities from 2000–13. He is a member of the HGP Athletic Hall of Fame, and the varsity baseball field is named for him. Through his work in the classroom and the guidance office, he helped countless students reach their academic potential and find the right college to attend.

In short, it’s hard to find someone over the past 50 years who has had a bigger influence on the school than Grabowski.

“He was an excellent leader, one you could look up to,” says Mark Iorio ’75, who pitched at Lehigh University and provided the naming gift for the Grabowski Performance Center in the Holt Center. “Whether he was a coach, friend, peer, or teacher, he was the same. He had a strong humility about him and was always a person of the highest integrity. “Today, if someone has high integrity, he tells you all about it. Ted was never like that. He was a great leader and humble at the same time.”

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BY MICHAEL BRADLEY

If it hadn’t been for a little bit of lag time in the Ghost

admissions department back in 1967, Grabowski probably would never have ended up at the school.

He was coaching basketball and baseball at Our Lady of Calvary in Northeast Philadelphia when the father of one of his players told Grabowski that his son, eventual HGP Hall of Famer Chuck Mitchell ’71, had applied to Holy Ghost Prep but hadn’t heard anything. Did Grabowski know anyone at the school?

Grabowski had grown up in the far northeast section of the city and had graduated from the long-closed Marist Prep in Penndel. He earned a bachelor’s in math and physics from La Salle University and a masters from Rider. He may not have been in the Holy Ghost orbit, but he knew someone who was.

“I told him I was friendly with Bob Custer, who was coaching basketball there at the time,” Grabowski says.

He called Custer and asked if he could find out something about the boy’s application, and in addition to saying he would look into it, Custer asked Grabowski to come to the school for a tour. During their walk around campus, Custer had a question.

“He said, ‘Have you ever thought about doing something like this?’” Grabowski recalls.

It turns out he had. Grabowski was losing interest in his job at the Arsenal, because he was doing more and more desk work—and spending less time watching giant bombs detonate.

“I remember driving to work one day and thinking, ‘I don’t want to do this the rest of my life,’” he says. Grabowski wanted to do something different, and he told Custer that. The coach’s response was surprising.

“He said, ‘Why don’t you come here and take my job? I’m leaving next year,’” Grabowski says.

Grabowski applied and was hired. He started in the fall of 1968 and immediately began accumulating responsibilities. He coached baseball. He also coached JV and freshman basketball. In his second year at Ghost, Grabowski started the soccer program.

He taught math, science, English, and physical education. There were 30 academic periods a week, and Grabowski taught 29 of them. Prep time? Forget about it.

“When I look back on it, I don’t know how I did it,” he says. “I had no life for two years.”

As if his schedule wasn’t busy enough, Grabowski had joined the Army National Guard in 1964 and would spend six years with the 103rd Engineer Battalion in Philadelphia. He spent a couple weekends a month (and a few weeks during the summer) with them, a situation that became complicated during basketball season when his two teams would often play Sunday games.

“The army gave me off in the afternoons when we had games, and I would return in the evenings,” he says.

As Grabowski’s time increased at Holy Ghost, his crazy schedule moderated, and he was able to focus more on his

teaching and baseball coaching, something that allowed him to increase his contact with students. Grabowski describes his coaching style as “laid back, but intense,” and his former players describe him as a coach who understood his players’ personalities and was able to motivate them accordingly.

Greg Olenski ’10, now Ghost’s head baseball coach, remembers Grabowski as someone capable of connecting

his senior year, Grabowski recognized his potential, installed him at first base, and watched him become an all-league player.

“I think he is 100 percent genuine and 100 percent sincere,” says Kardish, the president of Villa Joseph Marie High School and current member of Holy Ghost Prep’s Board of Trustees. “I never saw him come close to making a bad decision or saying the wrong thing. He’s the kind of person you want to grow up to be.”

Grabowski took two seasons off at the end of the 1990s to watch his daughter, Maria, run at Moravian College, before returning to the program from 2000–13. He and his wife, Nancy, have four children: Maria, Ron, Steven, and Mark. Grabowski laughs that despite his love of baseball—which endures—his children gravitated to other sports. Ron ’89 was a standout soccer player and is a member of the HGP Athletic Hall of Fame. The Grabowskis have four grandchildren.

He enjoys spending time with his family, especially his grandchildren, and continues to follow baseball closely, although today’s major league version frustrates him. “I dislike the way baseball is played these days, with the emphasis on [defensive] shifts and launch angles,” he says. Recent back surgery slowed Grabowski temporarily, but he still works in his garden and enjoys interactions with his former players and students, and reminds them that life is to be enjoyed, not endured.

“I always felt the game had to be fun and kept in perspective,” he says. “If people weren’t drawing a lot of enjoyment out of it, they shouldn’t keep playing.”

For Grabowski, watching bombs explode was fun, but impacting the lives of students gave him an even bigger charge. n

“He had a strong humility about him and was always a person of the highest integrity.”

Mark Iorio ’75 with just about any player, whether he was from the city or the suburbs. He rarely harangued the team, but he wasn’t one to let details slide, either. Grabowski loves and respects the game, and he expected his players to approach it seriously. He was able to motivate them to do that, but on an individual basis.

“He was definitely not in your face all the time, but if he had to be, he would,” says Olenski, who was named head coach at HGP last August. “He catered to the player. If you made a mistake or screwed a play up, he would pull you to the side and explain what you did wrong. He never embarrassed you.”

That is not to say Grabowski was always mellow. He recalls a game at Christopher Dock late one season. Had the Firebirds won, they would have clinched the Bicentennial League championship.

Instead, they played poorly and lost, setting up a showdown with a tough Bristol team for the title. Even worse, his players didn’t seem too affected by the loss and spent the bus ride home in what Grabowski considered was an inappropriately good mood.

“When we pulled into the school, I told [then-assistant coach and former HGP great] Chris Marchok ’83 to take them to the field and put them on the bench,” Grabowski says. “I had to cool down, so I went into the gym, splashed some water on my face, and then I ripped them.

“I was so upset at the lack of caring on their part and that they had put themselves in a tough spot.”

It was an uncharacteristic moment for the usually mildmannered coach, but it worked. A couple days later, Holy Ghost traveled to Bristol and pounded the Warriors, 12-0. By backing up his daily messages of strong fundamental play and by developing individual relationships with his players, Grabowski was able to heat things up on occasion and get the desired results.

Grabowski was also a wise judge of talent. Before the 1979 season, he told Tom Kardish ’79, who had been an outfielder the previous three years, that he was moving to the infield. When Ken Selvaggi ’79, to that point a forensics star, came out for baseball

NEXT UP: MARIE BLISS This Ted Grabowski feature is the second in a series of pieces on HGP icons. In the next issue of Holy Ghost Prep Magazine, we will profile Marie Bliss. Marie was a trailblazer at Holy Ghost as the school’s first full-time lay teacher. During her remarkable 46-year tenure at Holy Ghost Prep, she ignited a passion for science in the lives of countless HGP students— including a number who went on to become doctors, researchers, and science teachers.

S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 19

Brotherly

BY JOE SANTOLIQUITO

T

L VE

he smiling faces were everywhere—even at 9 a.m. on a brisk March 2019 Sunday morning.

Amid the bouncing balls, the lines of kids, and the stretching and white noise that came with it, John Burke ’20 surveyed the basketball court at the Holt Center, the beautiful multipurpose facility across the street from Holy Ghost Prep, giving directions and checking in with everyone he could to see how things were running.

Last December, Burke had an idea. Spurred by the closing of a local basketball program his autistic brother Tony attended, John took the initiative to do something about it. For a month, from February 17 to March 17, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. each Sunday at the Holt Center, Burke, with the help of 25 to 30 Holy Ghost classmates, ran the Junior Firebirds Clinic, a basketball outlet for special-needs children and their families.

“I wanted to do something like this once I heard what happened to Tony’s program in December,” said Burke, a Maguire Foundation scholarship recipient at Holy Ghost. “I was originally thinking of having a dance. The Tim Tebow Foundation usually has this dance once a year in February, and I was thinking along the lines of that.

“It bothered me that Tony didn’t have anywhere to go.”

It took Burke a week to prepare a presentation to Holy Ghost president Gregory J. Geruson ’79. He first went to his parents, John, a Philadelphia police officer, and Suzanne, who works for the City of Philadelphia. They were thrilled with their son’s idea, which he then presented to Holy Ghost Prep college guidance counselor AnnMarie Dougherty. She helped Burke put together an outline and arranged a meeting with Geruson last December.

Most 17-year-olds have a tendency to think about the two inches in front of their face, which today encompasses what’s on their Twitter or Instagram accounts and playing Fortnite or Grand Theft Auto.

Not Burke.

His brother Tony was diagnosed with autism when he was four. The brothers are 18 months apart.

“Ever since he was little, John’s been a part of Tony’s life in every sport and in every social event Tony’s attended,” said Suzanne, who is the mother of five, which includes her 20

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own, John and Tony, and the three children the Burkes have adopted: her nephew, Mick, and nieces, Nicole and Kylie.

“John would go to the therapy sessions with me and John.

Holy Ghost is a partner with the Maguire Foundation, a philanthropic enterprise founded by James J. and Frances Maguire in October 2000, that focuses its resources on education. The Maguire Foundation provides grants to grade school, high school, and college students so that they have an opportunity to benefit from a quality education. As part of this exceptional program, Maguire Scholars are required to achieve benchmarks in academics, class attendance, and community service participation.

“We are so grateful for our relationship with the Maguire Foundation,” Geruson said. “Their philanthropy has benefitted our Holy Ghost Prep community so much.”

The Junior Firebirds Clinic proposal was presented to Geruson in mid-December. John explained that his brother is autistic, and the gym where Tony’s program was held was no longer providing them space. Was there any way Holy Ghost Prep could help Tony and the other special-needs children?

“We talked it through,” recalled Geruson. “From my perspective, I thought it was a great idea. One of the things we try and encourage our kids to do is to help those who have the greatest needs—that is part of the Spiritan charism of the school. Obviously, these kids need the attention and enjoyment we can bring into their lives.

“John would go with his brother to special-needs dances to make sure Tony was okay. That was when John was 11. He always made sure he watched over Tony. When you have siblings that close in age, there is a lot of compassion and John has always wanted to do the best for Tony.”

There is a lot of patience required in dealing with specialneeds children. It can be trying. It changes the family dynamic. Special-needs children garner more attention and awareness.

For five straight Sundays, Burke got up at six in the morning, gathered up his Holy Ghost teammates, sat at a front table in the Holt Center lobby and registered names, made sure there was enough water and soft pretzels to go around, and then watched over 80 swirling kids on a basketball court, making sure everyone’s needs were met.

During the 2019-20 school year, Burke would like to grow his clinic to 10 weeks. He knows the daily grind involving in raising special-needs children and wants to do more to help these families.

As word spread of what John was doing, local media began to flock to the Holt Center in the waning weeks of the program.

But he didn’t do it for the attention of TV cameras or to win awards, like the Markward Club Humanitarian of the Year Award he was presented in March or the special invite to Carson Wentz’s softball game in May. Instead, Burke did it for the special-needs kids in the community, like his brother Tony.

“It’s not easy, but I don’t want this to be a one-week or oneyear thing,” stressed Burke, who carries a weighted 4.35 GPA with four AP classes. “After I’m gone, I want other people at Holy Ghost to take this over. I don’t need my name on the flyer. That doesn’t matter to me. I see that my brother and these other kids are happy. All of the kids had a lot of fun. That’s good enough for me.” n Joe Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter based in the Philadelphia area who has written feature stories for SI.com, ESPN.com, NFL.com, MLB. com, Deadspin, and Philly Voice.

John watches Tony like a mother hawk.

“It’s not the easiest thing to do,” Suzanne said. “What we try to teach Tony is always follow the rules in everything you do.

Any situation, you have to carry that calmness. You always have to keep their needs in mind and you’re always going to do everything that is best for them.

“I’m absolutely proud of John and I’ll tell him that. This Junior Firebirds program that he organized gave parents a little bit of a break, because John lives it and we go through it ourselves. John was able to partner with HGP’s Athletes Helping Athletes, started by his classmate Zack Posivak, to make sure there were enough student volunteers to make this happen. You saw happy parents leaving and the kids smiling. John put a lot into this. Seeing that makes it worthwhile.”

Burke is one of four students in the Class of 2020 who attended Holy Ghost Prep through the Maguire Independent Schools Scholars program. All told, there were 12 Maguire Scholars at HGP during the 2018-19 school year—four students each in the Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022.

SWEET 16

“But the parents also need a break. Not too many 17-yearolds think like John. This program had more and more kids showing up and our students there to support them, where each of our guys gets paired with the boys and girls that are attending. It’s gotten such traction, not only finishing it out this semester, we see this as an ongoing program that John can build within the school and more of our students can be involved with it.”

Thanks to the generosity of the Maguire Foundation, the following 16 Maguire Scholars will attend Holy Ghost Prep during the upcoming 201920 school year: Class of 2020: John Burke, Nick LaRosa, Shane Love, Joseph Tufo Class of 2021: Philip Lee, Syed Naqvi, Reuben Aguilar, Tomas Vallejo Class of 2022: James Corbett, Corey Hecdivert, Conner Gallagher, Michael Georges Class of 2023: Joseph Connor, Jamal Lindsey, Damien Moore, Emiliano Salazar S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 21

FULL

S p e e d AHEAD by michael bradley

I

t is not an exaggeration to say that when J.D. Bridges strolled through the activities fair at Haverford College about 20 years ago that the various sports teams on hand recruiting participants weren’t exactly imploring him to help them prosper.

“I didn’t play any sport in high school,” Bridges says.

Then a member of the crew team pointed at Bridges and said he should join the squad. It didn’t matter that Bridges thought the guy had been doing it to everyone who passed into his line of sight.

But the skinny sophomore was looking for some physical activity and decided to find his way to the Schuylkill River, no mean feat for a Nashville native. He figured he would be a coxswain, but on his first day with the team, Bridges found his way into a boat. He rowed mostly in fours for the Fords and had “good experiences” rowing.

Although Bridges didn’t compete after graduating from Haverford in 2002—he rowed “on and off” over the past several years—he never lost his love for the sport he discovered that day at Haverford College. Five years ago, when Holy Ghost decided to start a rowing program, and then-athletic director Jim Stewart was looking for a coach, an HGP alum informed him about Bridges, who had directed crew teams at Shipley School, Moorestown (N.J.) High School, and Lower Merion High School.

A Skype interview established a connection. Further discussions yielded an agreement. And in 2015, the Holy Ghost Prep rowing program sprang to life, with Bridges at its head and a considerable collection of administrators, parents, patrons, and other angels making sure travel across the water would be smooth.

“We have had phenomenal support,” 22

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says Bridges, who stepped down as coach in mid-July because he’s moving to Ohio.

“I have worked for a lot of different ADs at private and public schools, and Jim Stewart is by far the best. He wanted to help.

He wanted to learn about rowing. And he gave me a lot of flexibility to put together the program that I hope has been beneficial to the school.

“He reached out to other parts of the school community when we needed help. Starting a rowing program is like starting a small business. It’s a massive undertaking.”

The rowing program will soon begin its fifth season and has grown from a good idea into a sound part of the Ghost

“We see tremendous value in the program from an athletic standpoint, a development standpoint, and from a college standpoint.” gregory j. geruson ’79 athletic portfolio—with plenty of potential. The 2018-19 school year marked the first time there were team members (Class of 2019 grads Will Adams and Anthony Cancelliere) who spent their entire high school careers on the water, a necessity for continuity and sustained success.

From its home base on Lake Luxembourg in Middletown Township’s Core Creek Park, the Firebird crew team has produced three Division I rowers—Zach Geiser and Shawn Donohue (both at La Salle University) as well as Grayson Bautz (Holy Cross)—and has started to develop the kind of talent and depth necessary to compete for championships.

Bridges, like any good architect, has built something that will last, a fact that will benefit the program’s new interim head coach Allison Boehm. Starting a rowing team is a substantial endeavor, thanks to the need for boats, ergometers (indoor rowing machines) to facilitate off-season training, and a substantial expanse of water on which to train and compete. It isn’t as simple as finding a field, buying some balls and uniforms, and scheduling games. But it does fit in well with Ghost’s athletic culture, and the decision to embark on the process was not done frivolously.

“The attraction of rowing for Holy Ghost is that it is popular in the independent school culture,” Stewart says. “We were careful in our decision making and took a year to 18 months. We did a lot of research and talked to people associated with a lot of successful programs.

“Then, we decided to go for it.”

During the 2018-19 school year, Ghost’s rowing program continued its evolution. While growth in depth of talent is inevitable, part of this past year’s development was geographic, as the team reoriented its focus from Philadelphia and events like the weekly Manny Flick races to the north and competitions in New York (i.e. the Saratoga Invitational, billed as “America’s Largest Sprint Race”) and New England (i.e. Founder’s Day Regatta on Lake Waramaug in Connecticut) against high school and club crews. HGP was still part of the annual Stotesbury Cup Regatta on the Schuylkill River (where they reached the finals for the second year in a row) and participated in two Flick races this season.

It fits the team’s approach to filling its boats. While some of the Philadelphia races mandate what years rowers must be in order to participate in certain races, SUMMER 2019 23

HOLY GHOST PREP GRADUATES ITS CLASS OF

Bridges created a system that positions team members in boats commensurate with their performances in practices and scrimmages.

“You make whatever boat you make,” he says. “It doesn’t matter what year you are. Everybody gets a chance to move up or down. It’s not based on your class year.

“It’s merit-based.”

2019

R

ising senior Sam Hicks definitely loves the fact that he’s at Holy Ghost.

He’s part of the swimming team—the 100-meter backstroke is his best event—and a member of a few clubs on campus. But no matter what else happens during his school day, when it’s time to get on the lake, he’s a happy young man.

“Once I started on the crew team, I loved it,” says Hicks. “Swimming is okay, but I want to go to rowing practice. It’s the best part of my day.”

Hicks joined the team as a freshman and has become a first-rate coxswain, so much so that he hopes to attend Cal-Berkeley, which finished third in the 2018 national championships. He enjoys the camaraderie within the team and the chance to lead the boat. Of course, he has a little different perspective on his job.

“I love being a coxswain,” he says. “I get to yell at the big, tall guys every day. They have to listen to me. But it’s a rush seeing the rowers get excited.

“At the 2018 city championships, I was in the lightweight four, and we were in fifth place with 200 meters to go. We pulled into third in the last minute. Being on the medal dock was one of the great experiences of my life.”

Getting Hicks and his boatmates onto the dock was not easy, and not just from the perspective of training and practice.

Those played huge roles, but the support the program has received since its inception has been invaluable. As Hicks puts it, “those boats are outrageously expensive.”

Once Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79 committed to the idea, the school made sure it would not cut corners.

“We see tremendous value in the program from an athletic standpoint, a development standpoint, and from a college standpoint,” Geruson says. “Strategic

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donors, the board, and community wanted to make it happen.”

The major donors to HGP rowing included the Landers family, Charlie Seravalli, the Gondek family (whose son Stash ’22 is a current HGP rower), Robert and Mary Roche ’17P, Peter and Dee Danna ’18P, and John and Erin Bautz ’18 and ’20P. Among the parents who gave countless hours to help the program succeed are Brian Cartin ’17P, Erin Donahue ’18P, the Bautz family, the Boyle family, the Zwiercan family, and the Adams family.

The generosity of the Landers family, for instance, helped fund the indoor ergometer room at Ghost. When the rowing program began during the 2015-16 school year, Colin Landers was a reserve catcher on the freshman baseball team.

According to Alyson Landers, his mother, Colin, now a sophomore at Marquette University, switched from baseball to rowing for a little under two years before leaving the team to focus full-time on forensics, his primary extracurricular love.

But the Landers family did not leave.

Alyson, who had served as a paid fundraiser in her professional life, devoted her talents to helping the crew team meet its capital needs. Further, she became a “rowing junkie” and joined a masters rowing program.

Others, like the Seravalli family, pur-

chased a boat for the team just last year that will serve the team well for years to come.

With season five on the horizon, the Ghost rowing program is clearly moving forward, both in terms of performance on the water and overall growth as a sport at the school.

John and Erin Bautz, whose two sons (Grayson ’18, Connor ’20) have been key members of the HGP rowing team, have witnessed this success story firsthand and are grateful for the efforts of all of the people who have made it happen. They are also thrilled about the impact the sport has had on their sons.

“Rowing is unlike any other sport our sons have participated in. It is the ultimate team sport where everyone in the boat, on land, and in the erg room must work together in order to perform at their best,” they said. “Over the seasons, we have seen true bonds created across different ages—freshmen on through to seniors—and various boats classes. When our boys look back at their rowing experience, it is their version of brotherhood that HGP always talks about that they were able to live.” n A regular contributor to Holy Ghost Prep Magazine, Michael Bradley is a writer, broadcaster, and teacher who lives in Broomall, Pa.

SUMMER 2019 25

>

PHOTO CREDITS: CATALANO STUDIO

During the graduation ceremony, special prizes and awards were presented to the following graduating seniors: The School Spirit Award: Theodore Michael Ciarciello

Medal, Overall Excellence in French: Andrew Beck

The Rev. Jeffrey T. Duaime, C.S.Sp. ’76 Award for Service Leadership in the Spiritan Tradition: Burton John Carbino IV

Paul J. Pomeroy, Jr. Student Marshal Medal (highest cumulative GPA): Michael John Calcagni Keegan Pietrak

The Sedes Sapientiae Award for Scholarship, Leadership, and Achievement: Alexander Quinlan Taylor

Silver Cups of Recognition (highest academic achievers in senior class) Thomas Francis Barbaro John Barry Andrew Beck Matthew Burst Michael John Calcagni Burton John Carbino IV David DeAngelo Jeffrey DeFrancesco Nicholas Evans Thomas Forkin John Gasiewski Brendan Gibbons Henry Glunz Liam Joseph Hart Albert Johnston-Ramirez Daniel T. Kovacevich Kyle A. Macan Brandon John McCoy Connor Andrew McGill Matthew Joseph McGinley Thomas McNulty Andrew R. Pflaumer Keegan Pietrak Nicholas John Polidoro Ryan James Power Timothy Schmidt Sean Smith Alexander Quinlan Taylor

National Honor Society Service Medal: Alexander Quinlan Taylor

Left to right: Members of the Class of 1969 took part in commencement as part of their 50-year reunion weekend

Medal, Overall Excellence in Mathematics: Andrew Beck

Valedictorian Jeffrey DiFrancesco gives his speech at the 2019 commencement exercises Jim Stewart marches in his final HGP commencement

Diane Garforth Medal, Overall Excellence in English: Thomas Forkin

Immediately after the graduation ceremony, the Class of 2019 headed down the pathway to say their final goodbyes to HGP faculty and administrators

Medal, Overall Excellence in Writing: Matthew Burst

H

Medal, Overall Excellence in Religion: Burton John Carbino IV oly Ghost Preparatory School graduated 121 seniors at its commencement exercises on Saturday, June 1 on the campus lawn behind Cornwells Hall.

During the ceremony, students were recognized for their accomplishments and were reminded that they will always be brothers, not only with fellow members of the Class of 2019 but with all other Holy Ghost Prep graduates.

“Stay connected, never lose that sense of community and brotherhood that is Holy Ghost Prep,” said Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79. “It is not as easy to do as it sounds. Friends move, life changes. But you are a remarkably close group, and my prayer for you is that that same feeling of brotherhood can always remain.”

Besides Geruson, the other featured graduation speakers were valedictorian Jeffrey DiFrancesco and Gregory Nowak, a 1977 HGP graduate who is a partner in the New York City and Philadelphia offices of Pepper Hamilton LLP and a practice leader for hedge funds in the firm’s Funds Services Practice Group.

In a well-crafted speech that carried the theme of positive steps taken forward while at Ghost, DiFrancesco illustrated his point with “step” quotes from astronaut Neil Armstrong (“That’s one small step for man, 26

H O LY G H O S T P R E P M A G A Z I N E

one giant leap for mankind”) and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase”).

Medal, Overall Excellence in Science: Henry Glunz

“Next year, our steps will be in new places—some close to home, and some farther away,” said DiFrancesco, who will be studying engineering at Penn State University. “But what is certain is our ability to blaze a new path, to let our light shine so that others might follow as we use the gifts we have refined here at Holy Ghost Prep to be men that are leaders.”

Medal, Overall Excellence in Social Studies: Andrew F. Plunkett

In his terrific commencement address, Nowak emphasized four themes to HGP’s Class of 2019: 1) the need to bring your “A” game in everything you do, and correlatively, to understand your limitations and to know what they mean; 2) understanding the importance of ceremony in life and why ceremony should be embraced for the purpose and meaning that it gives our lives; 3) understanding what it means to be a discerning adult; and 4) understanding the importance of mentoring and mentorship, and your role as a mentee.

Medal, Overall Excellence in Music: Patrick Byrnes

Salutatorian Patrick Byrnes delivered his address the evening before at the beautiful Baccalaureate Mass. In his speech, Byrnes—who will attend DeSales University in the fall where he will double major in marketing and theater—perfectly set the tone for the weekend with remarks that were equals parts funny, smart, and reflective. n

Medal, Overall Excellence in Spanish: Albert Johnston-Ramirez

Medal, Overall Excellence in Art: William Krohn

Medal, Overall Excellence in the Performing Arts: Kevin Nowicke Medal, Overall Excellence in Computer Science: Jack Pinkstone Medal, Overall Excellence in Latin: Matthew Burst

Holy Ghost Prep students receiving diplomas William Francis Adams Thomas Francis Barbaro John Barry Andrew Beck Jeffrey Bower, Jr. Ian A. Brick Matthew Burst Patrick M. Byrnes Michael John Calcagni Mario Enrique Calderon Gregory Calvin

Anthony Carmen Cancelliere Burton John Carbino IV Thomas Lambert Carey III James Castner Dino B. Cerquetelli III William Beckett Chapin Theodore Michael Ciarciello Avery Lawrence Clark Marc Edwin Connelly Colin Costello Daniel Cunicelli Matthew J. Dalesandro Alexander D’Angelo Kevin C. D’Auria Matthew Davies David DeAngelo Shane Deegan John R. Demmler Nick Deon Richard DeStefano Jeffrey R. DiFrancesco Cory Anthony DiMario Marko Dimitriadis Ryan Dixon Nicholas Evans John Featherstone Caleb Ferns Thomas Forkin Christopher James Galasso John Gasiewski Brendan Gibbons Nicholas Gill Henry Glunz Brandon William Golden Nkosi Graham Michael R. Hackman Liam Joseph Hart Michael Heath Owen Thomas Heffernan George James Hindley III Daniel Andrew Huslin Andrew Ronald Iannacone Zeyao Jiang Albert Johnston-Ramirez Stephen Michael Joyce Jack N. Kelly John Colin Kelly Alexander M. Kobilnyk Daniel T. Kovacevich William Krohn Adam John Lawall Hajir Likaj Kevin Patrick Long John Victor Lubinski, Jr. Kyle A. Macan Dominic M. Mancino

Eric Mark Kaden J. Marotta Shane Marotta Zachary Jordan May Brandon John McCoy Jacob P. McDonald Connor Andrew McGill Matthew Joseph McGinley Reagan McKissick John Liam McNamee Thomas McNulty Joseph G. Milici Miguel Robert Mills Patrick Hugh Monaghan Alexander John Monckton Zachary M. Moore Kevin Michael Morrison Matthew Moyer Troy Joseph Neals Kevin Nowicke Christian M. Paul Christopher Peralta Alexander R. Pflaumer Keegan Pietrak Jack Pinkstone Andrew F. Plunkett Nicholas John Polidoro Ryan James Power Aaron Raghu Shane Rankin Jack Thomas Rittenmeyer Ethan Ruppersberger Aiden Schmidt Timothy Schmidt Benjamin Charles Scuron Andrew Serafin Drew Smiley Sean Smith John Sobieski Matthew Sobon Ryan Nicholas Spangler Richard Spor III Philip Stahl Ryan Staropoli Samuel Summer Derek Matthew Swider Gregory T. Sylvester Sean Sylvester Alexandre Quinlan Taylor Christopher Hill Thompson Haorun Wang Ryan Patrick Woolerton Michael P. Yizzi Jarett M. Zelinsky

S U M M E R 2 0 1 9 27

HOLY GHOST PREP’S CLASS OF 2019:

Where They Are Headed in the Fall

H

oly Ghost Prep’s Class of 2019 is a group of spirited, unique, and talented individuals who have excelled in the classroom, on the stage, in laboratories, in community service efforts, and on the playing fields.

The Class of 2019’s collective talents didn’t go unnoticed as they submitted 728 college applications and received $17,901,372 in scholarships. HGP’s Class of 2019 is an accomplished group of 121 students who will continue their academic careers at 52 different schools in 15 different states.

“The wonderful array of college admissions offers that Holy Ghost’s Class of 2019 received is a reflection of the students’ many talents in and out of the classroom,” says AnnMarie Dougherty, Holy Ghost Prep’s director of college guidance. “As the world of college admissions becomes more competitive every year, it is a source of pride that colleges recognize Holy Ghost’s excellent academic preparation and the significant contributions that our graduates are poised to make to their college communities.”

Gregory J. Geruson ’79, president of Holy Ghost Prep, says: “The Class of 2019 has left an indelible mark on Holy Ghost Prep. It’s a credit to them, their parents, our teachers, and our College Guidance Office that they are headed to such an impressive list of colleges and universities in the fall.

They are undoubtedly prepared to make a difference within their college communities, just as they have done in ours.” n

The students in Holy Ghost Prep’s Class of 2019 are headed to the following schools in the fall (listed alphabetically):

Lehigh University Loyola (Md.) University Marist College Marywood University

Albright College

Monmouth University

Auburn University

Neumann University

Boston College

Northeastern University

Bucks County Comm. College

Pennsylvania State University

Chestnut Hill College

Pratt Institute

Coastal Carolina University

Quinnipiac University

Colgate University

Rider University

College of William & Mary

Saint Francis (Pa.) University

DeSales University

Saint Joseph’s University

Drexel University

Stevens Institute of Technology

Duke University

Temple University

Duquesne University

University of Alabama

East Stroudsburg University

University of Alberta

Elizabethtown College

University of Evansville

Fordham University

University of Michigan

Georgia Tech

University of Notre Dame

Gettysburg College

University of Pennsylvania

High Point University

University of Pittsburgh

Holy Family University

University of the Sciences

Hun School (post-grad year)

Vanderbilt University

Jefferson University

Virginia Tech

Kutztown University

Wake Forest University

La Salle University

West Chester University

D

uring the 2019 commencement exercises, Vince Profy ’65, an alum and a retired 40-year employee of the school, was presented with the Reverend James P. McCloskey, C.S.Sp. ’70 Award. The prestigious award is given annually to an “alumnus whose profound generosity, commitment, and support demonstrates a unique understanding of the mission of Holy

Ghost Prep.”

Profy is certainly a deserving McCloskey Award recipient.

An alumnus of Holy Ghost Prep, Profy graduated from Boston College in 1969 and was further formed by his Peace Corps training. After his first job at St. Michael’s in Levittown, Profy literally spent the rest of his career at Holy Ghost Prep, returning to Ghost as a librarian and English teacher in 1973.

In 1978, Profy was appointed assistant headmaster, becoming one of the school’s first lay administrators. He was responsible for overseeing much of the daily operations of the school. His dedication and tireless commitment helped propel the school forward. During his tenure at Holy Ghost Prep, Profy played operational and strategic roles in the school’s growth. He was a teacher and librarian at his core and, after earning his doctorate at Temple University, he eventually returned to those roles and remained there until he retired in 2014.

Profy was ahead of his time with his promotion of hands-on, experiential learning.

HGP alumni still recall the many trips that Profy took them on for his Local History classes. Of particular note was his initiative with Ted Hershberg’s University of Pennsylvania High School Partnership program in which Holy Ghost Prep had a yearlong partnership with a Philadelphia public school, working on significant community education. He also was a lead faculty member for Ayudanica, a Holy Ghost Prep service initiative to Nicaragua founded by Rob Buscaglia in the late 1990s. Both the Penn program and Ayudanica were model programs and represented returns to Profy’s Peace Corps roots. n

PHOTO CREDITS: CATALANO STUDIO

Vince Profy ’65 Receives the McCloskey Award

Gregory Nowak ’77 Delivers Commencement Address Nowak is a partner in the New York City and Philadelphia offices of Pepper Hamilton LLP and a practice leader for hedge funds in the firm’s Funds Services Practice Group. He concentrates his practice in securities law, particularly in representing investment management companies and other clients on matters arising under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the related Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Nowak is also the author of five books on private investment funds.

Nowak’s main messages—the need to always bring one’s “A” game, understanding the importance of ceremony in life, and understanding what it means to be a discerning adult— all resonated with HGP’s graduating seniors.

He is an adjunct professor of law at the Cornell University Law School and is an avid writer and speaker on the national legal circuit.

Lafayette College 28

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SUMMER 2019 29

Campus news Kevin Burke is HGP’s New Principal Kevin Burke became Holy Ghost Prep’s new principal this summer.

As a teacher and educator, with 10-plus years of experience as an administrator at the all-boys, Catholic, independent school St. Augustine Prep in New Jersey, Burke is an excellent communicator who is adept at building a true sense of community between faculty and students.

At St. Augustine Prep, his leadership has touched all areas of the school including curriculum development, strategic planning, faculty professional development, enrollment, financial sustainability, and student life.

A graduate of St. Augustine Prep himself, Burke is an educator who is driven by mission. He has helped lead curriculum renewal, expand faculty professional development, and ensure the alignment between both. Burke has served as an English and finance teacher, assistant dean of academics, dean of students, and, for the past eight years, dean of academics.

Burke is honored to be Holy Ghost Prep’s new principal.

“Holy Ghost Prep enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a school of excellence, and from my time on campus it is easy to see why,” he says. “After spending some time at Ghost, it is the people that made a real impact on me.

“The extremely talented faculty, staff, and administrators I met had a deep affection for the school. This love for Holy Ghost was also apparent in the school’s greatest treasure, the students. When I spoke with them about Holy Ghost Prep, they enthusiastically shared their pride. They were quite aware of the school’s long and rich Spiritan tradition, and they felt fortunate and honored to be there. I felt that same sense of honor when I was asked to be Ghost’s next principal.”

Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79 says: “I was impressed by Kevin’s enthusiasm for teaching and learning, his instant and genuine connection with the Spiritan mission of Holy Ghost Prep, his very personable nature, and the academic depth of his resume. Kevin is a teacher, an administrator, and an extremely likable, articulate, and confident leader, who has a bias for action in all he does.”

number of community service hours logged by HGP students in 2018-19 school year.

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Thirty-seven members of the Class of 2020 and one member of the Class of 2019 (Daniel Huslin) were inducted into the Venerable F. Libermann Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) of Secondary Schools on May 28.

The NHS provides a model of Scholarship, Leadership, Service, and Character for the entire Holy Ghost Prep community.

The newest inductees, in alphabetical order, are: Matthew Alexander, Ryan Alexander, John Armentani, Daniel Behr, Aidan Bell, Rafael Bonner, Stephen Bontempo, John Burke, Timothy Butler, Ian Byrne, Andrew Curry, Louis DeLuna, Anthony Ditri, Joseph Dryden, Colton El-Habr, Sean Elliott, Jack Erickson, Mitchell Feyl, Henry Fina, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Max Guiliana, Puneet Gupta, Ryan Henry, Daniel Huslin, Nicholas Madaio, Matthew McGrath, Brendan McManus, Charles Mshomba, Krishna Mysore, John Nycz, Bryce Pannone, Sean Parsons, Zachary Posivak, Jose Rosado, Matthew Stauffer, Luke van Dyke, Matthew Watanabe, and Paul Watkins.

Burke’s appointment culminated an extensive national search conducted by the school’s search committee of Gerri Carmine, Sr. Mary Dacey, Dr. John Scanlon ’01, Tim Woods, and Fr. Tom Dailey ’77—along with the help of the search consulting firm Carney, Sandoe, and Associates.

No Debating His Impact

Burke replaces Jeff Danilak, who left Holy Ghost Prep to become the Upper School principal at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware.

Burke holds a bachelor’s degree in financial economics from Moravian College in Bethlehem, Pa. He earned his master’s degree in educational leadership from Villanova University and plans to complete his doctorate in organizational leadership from Stockton University.

Burke’s wife, Carla, is an elementary school teacher, and they have two children, five-year-old Jack and three-year-old Charlotte.

Best wishes to Jeff

10,000

Holy Ghost Prep Inducts 38 New NHS Members

Danilak

After 23 years at Holy Ghost Prep, Jeff Danilak became the Upper School Principal position at Ursuline Academy in Wilmington, Delaware on July 1.

Since joining the Holy Ghost Prep community in 1996, Jeff has successfully held many positions—English teacher, coach, department chair, and Dean of Studies before becoming HGP’s principal in 2012. Jeff positively impacted the lives of Holy Ghost Prep students, and was a mentor, colleague, and friend to faculty and administrators during his 23 years of excellence at Ghost.

He also helped usher a major shift in the teaching and learning process at Holy Ghost Prep by incorporating the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) program, 21st Century teaching, and efforts in STEM education to inspire student interest and success in the design process.

“The Upper School principal position at Ursuline Academy will provide Jeff with a great opportunity to work in a leadership role at another first-rate independent school,” says Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79. “At Ursuline, Jeff will be able to continue to grow his skill-set, while once again fostering innovative educational practices in a faithbased community.” “We wish Jeff, his wife Beth, and their daughters Julia and Page all the best.”

Tony Figliola, who taught at Holy Ghost Prep since 1980 and served as the architect of one of the nation’s finest high school forensics programs, decided to retire during the 2018-19 school year.

Friendly Competition Back in April, a team of three Holy Ghost Prep students competed against a team of Holy Ghost Prep teachers on the Fox 29 trivia-based game show The Class-H Room.

The HGP student team was made up of Tony Carbino ’19, John Gasiewski ’19, and Ryan Power ’19.

They matched wits against the Holy Ghost Prep teacher team of Kevin Bushek ‘04, Jerry Colapinto, and Jack Crouse, and the Holy Ghost Prep teachers prevailed.

In addition to obvious bragging rights around school, the winning teachers’ team also received a $500 donation to a cause of their choosing, the Ghost Around the World service trips.

During his remarkable career, Figliola taught English and public speaking, and he built Holy Ghost Prep into a forensics high school powerhouse unlike anything the state of Pennsylvania has ever seen. After he took over from the program’s founder, John Buettler ’64, the Figliola-led Firebirds won 36 Philadelphia speech championships, 18 Pennsylvania state championships, and produced over 100 individual state champions and 27 individual national champions.

But Figliola’s impact went well beyond Holy Ghost Prep’s trophy cases.

“Tony instilled a confidence and skill-set in countless HGP students over the decades, and he has stayed connected and mentored many of these young men throughout their adult lives,” says Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79.

Figliola is a member of both the National Speech and Debate Association Hall of Fame and the PHSSL Hall of Fame. In addition, he received the prestigious Marcella E. Oberle Award for Outstanding Teaching at the 2017 National Communications Association annual convention.

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Athletic news HGP Launches Ireland Exchange Program Holy Ghost Prep successfully launched the school’s newest signature program, a Spiritan exchange program with Blackrock College, one of HGP’s “brother” schools in Dublin, during the 2018-19 school year. First, a group of HGP students, along with faculty moderators Trish O’Connor and Tom Croskey, flew from Philadelphia to Dublin on January 2 and came back to the states on January 11. While there, HGP students toured Northern Ireland, attended high school classes at Blackrock, participated in a joint workshop with the other Spiritan high schools in Ireland.

Amanda Coopersmith Named ACS Teacher of the Year Holy Ghost Prep chemistry teacher Amanda Coopersmith received the 2019 American Chemical Society’s Philadelphia Section Award for Excellence in Pre-College Teaching on May 22 at the McCall Golf and Country Club in Upper Darby.

Coopersmith was awarded this impressive distinction for her unwavering dedication to her Holy Ghost Prep students.

“I am excited and humbled,” says Coopersmith. “It is certainly a great honor.”

Since arriving at HGP in 2014, Coopersmith has inspired countless students through her passion for teaching. “I want my students to develop a healthy curiosity, and, dare I say, even a passion about the connection between chemistry and the world around them,” she says. “Two of my main goals are to inspire students to become lifelong learners of science, and to help them see how what they are learning in the classroom connects with the world they live in.”

Coopersmith teaches chemistry, honors chemistry, and AP chemistry at Holy Ghost Prep. Prior to Holy Ghost Prep, she taught at Villa Joseph Marie in Holland for seven years. Coopersmith also ran a small private lab in Florida for five years— doing work for the FDA, USDA, and EPA. “Everything I do is motivated by my students,” Coopersmith says. “I not only want to help students understand and master scientific concepts and processes, but to build essential skills to motivate students to work hard, rise to challenges, and go further than they have before in applying what they are learning to new situations.”

As the second half of the Spiritan exchange program, 10 high school students and two teachers from Blackrock College traveled from Ireland to visit Holy Ghost Prep from April 14-20. The Blackrock contingent took part in classes on April 15-16, attended a Phillies game, and also enjoyed educational trips to Philadelphia and New York City before flying back to Dublin.

On the Tee for HGP Realizing Their Dream

The annual Holy Ghost Prep Golf Classic, which benefits HGP athletics, will be held on Monday, Sept. 30 at the Union League Golf Club at Torresdale. Go to www.holyghostprep.org for more information or contact Tara Carbino in the Development Office at tcarbino@holyghsotprep.org.

Fourteen members of the Class of 2019 will continue their academic and athletic careers in the fall. The 14 HGP Class of 2019 graduates, in alphabetical order, who will be participating in collegiate sports are: TONY CARBINO | cross-country/track & field, Duquesne University CORY DIMARIO | baseball, DeSales University CALEB FERNS | swimming, Albright College NICHOLAS GILL | swimming, Marywood University NKOSI GRAHAM | soccer, University of Evansville LIAM HART | golf, Drexel University ANDREW IANNACONE | swimming, Rider University JOHN MCNAMEE | baseball, Rider University ETHAN RUPPERSBERGER | soccer, East Stroudsburg University PHIL STAHL | baseball, Monmouth University RYAN STAROPOLI | baseball, Lehigh University SAM SUMMER | lacrosse, Marist College GREG SYLVESTER | baseball, Chestnut Hill College JARETT ZELINSKY | track & field, West Chester University “These 14 young men represented Holy Ghost Prep with class, and I look forward to their continued success at the collegiate level,” said Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79.

Getting the Call to the Hall Six former Holy Ghost Prep student-athletes were inducted into the HGP Athletic Hall of Fame on Saturday, January 26.

The six former standouts who comprised the newest HGP Athletic Hall of Fame induction class were: DAVID D’AULERIO ’86 | soccer DAN HARMON ’86 | soccer GREG WINTHER ’02 | soccer MICHAEL IVCIC ’03 | ice hockey JAMIE COUSART ’04 | basketball CHRISTIAN LUPICA ’11 | track & field In addition, HGP’s 1974 PIAA state championship basketball squad was honored that night as a “Team of Distinction.”

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Headed Home

Jim Stewart, who served as Holy Ghost Prep’s athletic director for the past 27 years, is leaving Ghost this summer to become the athletic director at his alma mater, Malvern Prep.

“Jim loves Holy Ghost Prep, but the decision to return to Malvern Prep, where he graduated in 1986, represents a homecoming for him,” says Holy Ghost Prep president Gregory J. Geruson ’79.

“Malvern is a school where Jim ‘grew up’ while his father served as a teacher and then in leadership for four-plus decades. Jim built his career as a consummate sports professional at HGP while building a program that is committed to coaching and athletic excellence.”

Goal-Oriented Individuals Ben Morschauser ’20 and Dan Kovacevich ’19 were both recognized for their special talents on the lacrosse field.

Morschauser, a Division I talent with over 100 career goals and 200 career points, was one of just 12 midfielders chosen to the 2019 allstate team. He finished as one of the state leaders in points during the 2019 season with 130, and joined players from public, private, and Inter-Ac schools as an all-state selection. It marks just the second time in school history that HGP boasts an all-state lacrosse player.

Kovacevich, who overcame an early-season injury to finish as one of HGP’s top all-time goal scorers, earned 2019 Academic All-American honors. Blessed with a net-snapping lefty shot and a 4.4 GPA, Kovacevich was an obvious candidate for Academic All-American recognition.

Led by this lethal one-two scoring punch, Holy Ghost Prep (1010 overall record in 2019) completely turned around its season, reaching the PIAA District 1 Class 2A semifinals before falling to reigning state champion Bishop Shanahan. Reaching the district semifinals was quite an accomplishment for a Firebird team that once sat at 1-8 on the season.

Stewart’s impact on Holy Ghost Prep was substantial. In addition to managing the leagues, schedules, and games for the school’s 34 interscholastic and intramural sports, he led an athletics program that was not only successful, but won with class—as evidenced by HGP’s three straight years as the winner of the PIAA District 1 Sportsmanship Award.

“Holy Ghost Prep is a special place,” says Stewart.

“I learned so much over the past 27 years and have been fortunate to have had an extremely supportive administration, faculty, coaching staff, parents, student-athletes, and alumni. To be a part of a Spiritan community has been extremely valuable to me. I’m very proud of the traditions that our coaches and student-athletes have built over the years.There have been so many success stories as a result of their commitment to excellence and creating meaningful seasons.”

Stewart used sports to make a difference off the field, too. He spearheaded Holy Ghost Prep’s partnership with Coaches vs.

Cancer. And after his mom, then just 60, lost her six-year battle with the disease, Jim teamed with two other HGP colleagues to start the CARES Walk. Since its inception in the fall of 2004, the CARES Walk has raised over $150,000 to aid in the effort to find a cure for cancer.

“While saying farewell to Jim is bittersweet, we know that Jim has built a great program that will be a wonderful opportunity for a new athletic director,” says Geruson. “We wish Jim all the best.”

Magical Season First-year Holy Ghost Prep head baseball coach Greg Olenski ’10, one of the best players in HGP’s storied baseball history, will never forget the 2019 Firebird squad.

That’s because HGP’s 2019 baseball team added to the program’s already rich history this spring, finishing with a gaudy 23-2 record and winning both the Bicentennial Athletic League and PIAA District 1 Class 5A titles.

“The players, coaches, and memories will hold a very special place in my heart,” admits Olenski. “I am extremely pleased with the way this group competed day in and day out, setting the tone for the future of this program.”

Olenski credits a talented and deep senior class—a group that includes three Division I players in catcher Phil Stahl (Monmouth University), pitcher Ryan Staropoli (Lehigh University), and first baseman John McNamee (Rider University) and two D-III players in Greg Sylvester (Chestnut Hill College) and Cory DiMario (DeSales University)—with laying the groundwork for the program’s future.

righty, posted a 3-0 record with a 2.30 ERA and 50 strikeouts in 38-1/3 innings.

“Culture-wise, we established a championship one—it is now an expectation to play in District 1 championships year in and year out,” says Olenski. “I wish the seniors nothing but success in their future endeavors, and I challenge the returning and new players to come even hungrier in 2020.”

Despite significant personnel losses, the winning is expected to continue for the Firebirds in 2020. Will Binder (.443 average, 4 HRs, 28 RBI) returns next year as the centerpiece of the Firebirds’ offense, along with Andrew Curry and Jack McDermott (.476 average in 2019).

In addition, the program is blessed with a number of proven arms, led

by John Neeld (7-1 record, 1.20 ERA with 32 strikeouts in 34-2/3 innings in 2019).

“We will have a great staff headed by John Neeld, followed by Shane Turpin, Zac Newsham-Quinn, Jared Minnichbach, and Nick Henn,” says Olenski. “Our pitching staff is going to have a ton of depth.”

Stahl was one of the state’s most feared hitters this spring, batting .506 as a senior with 10 HRs and 37 RBI. Staropoli, the hard-throwing 34

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Alumni news ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT:

Mark Walder ’02

Staying the Course

Leave a Lasting Legacy Consider Naming Holy Ghost Prep in Your Estate Plan

By Michael Bradley Mark Walder gave himself a year. If he could become a golf instructor in that time period, he would continue pursuing the game he played “for fun” through his high school and college days.

Make a gift that costs you nothing

If not, there was always that undergraduate degree in business he had in reserve. It wasn’t a bad fallback option, but Walder never had to put on a suit and enter the world of high finance.

His yearlong experiment as a PGA apprentice worked out, and he hasn’t left the links since.

today by naming HGP in your will or trust. To discuss estate planning

Walder never had to get “a real job.” He fell in love with the game at DiJulia Golf in New Hope, under esteemed coach Dom DiJulia, while learning how to be an instructor and he has remained there for more than 10 years. He enjoys working with players of all skill levels and ages, although he does admit to being particularly excited when he gets to tutor competitive golfers and help them solve their problems. It’s a pretty good way to earn a living.

“When people come to see me, it’s usually the best part of their days,” he says.

Walder’s day brightens when he heads to the Union League Club at Torresdale to coach the Holy Ghost Prep golf team, a position he has held since 2015. A 2002 HGP grad, Walder had already been providing private lessons for “half the kids on the team,” when some parents let him know that coach Gary Nolan had left the school and that the position was open. After a couple interviews with then-Ghost AD Jim Stewart, Walder came on board. It was a perfect marriage of Walder’s love of his alma mater and substantial coaching acumen.

In 2018, Golf Digest recognized Walder as one of its Top Young Golf Teachers in America for his work with DiJulia Golf. His efforts at Ghost have been equally impressive. In 2018, the Firebirds finished second in District I, and Liam Hart ’19 was third in the state tournament, a year after he captured the PIAA title.

options, please contact Matt Dwyer in the Office of Development: mdwyer@holyghostprep.org

Trip Down Memory Lane The Holy Ghost Prep Class of 1969 made its triumphant return to Bristol Pike for their 50th class reunion. The group of 26 Golden Firebirds returned to campus to reconnect and reminisce at the reunion dinner on Saturday, June 1 after a dozen of them had marched earlier in the day in the Class of 2019 commencement exercises.

Hart has been playing golf since he was three, so it’s not as if he needed Walder to overhaul his swing. But Hart, who is poised to begin his college golf career at Drexel University, appreciates Walder’s ability to improve his approach to the game.

“The biggest thing he has helped me with is the mental game,” Hart says. “He hasn’t worked on my swing a lot, but he helped me a lot with the state and team playoff tournaments. They can last up to six hours. I didn’t have a good attitude when I was a younger golfer, but by the time I was a junior, it was the strongest part of my game.”

VOLUNTEER to be a class agent. Do you keep in touch with your HGP classmates on a regular basis? If so, we need you. Please contact Jackie Gear at jgear@holyghostprep.org to become a class agent.

Fifty Years of Forensics On November 16, Holy Ghost Prep will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the school’s renowned forensics program with an on-campus celebration. All forensics alums are encouraged to come back to Ghost to celebrate this milestone and to raise a glass to the program’s architects, John Buettler ’64 and Tony Figliola (the latter retired during the 2018-19 school year). To register, please visit www.holyghostprep.org/forensics50.

“I enjoy helping the kids improve their dedication and drive and to achieve their goals,” Walder says. “It’s great.”

PICTURED IS HGP GOLFER LIAM HART ’19, ALONG WITH HEAD GOLF COACH MARK WALDER ’02

or 215.639.2102, ext. 203

In July of 2018, Walder learned he was a finalist for the Top Young Golf Teachers award and was asked to fill out a detailed, “seven to eight pages” questionnaire that he submitted in August. When he didn’t hear anything for several weeks, he figured nothing would come of it.

Then, a week before it was announced publicly in November, Walder learned he had earned the honor. “It was awesome,” he says. “I was euphoric.”

He reports that the designation has already resulted in a spate of new clients for his work at DiJulia Golf, which is part of the Golf Channel network of teaching facilities. In the summer months, Walder is on the lesson tee from “8 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” but he loves working for DiJulia, an “amazing boss” who, thanks to his Golf Channel affiliation, has access to cutting-edge teaching technology like the TrackMan launch monitor. It’s a good spot for Walder, who admits that he would be “giving up a lot to leave” DiJulia.

He plans to stick with the Holy Ghost program, too.

“We have some players with good individual pedigrees,” he says. “But the team is unusually deep.”

And with Walder in charge, certainly well taught.

Ten at Penn This September, Holy Ghost Prep will have the following 10 alumni at the University of Pennsylvania: Three freshmen | MATTHEW BURST, TOM FORKIN, and ALBERT JOHNSTON-RAMIREZ (pictured) Two sophomores | ERIC D’ANGELO and MATT HOFFMAN Two juniors | JAMES NYCZ and NICK POSIVAK Two seniors | GIBBY BROOK and JOE IWASYK And a PennPORT Fellow in Developmental Neurobiology | EZEKIEL CRENSHAW ’04

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Class notes Looking to get more

1990

Please take a moment to send us information for the next issue of Holy Ghost Prep Magazine.

We would love to hear from you, and we are all interested in what you are doing with your life.

Please send information (including high-res photos) to either Jackie Gear, director of annual giving and alumni engagement, at jgear@holyghostprep.org or Bill Doherty, director of communications, at wdoherty@holyghostprep.org.

INVOLVED?

1972

x Serve as CLASS AGENT to help promote HGP

1984

manager and trial attorney. Upon retirement, Breen taught at Villanova University Law School and served as director of Villanova’s Low Income Tax Clinic, representing disenfranchised taxpayers before the IRS and U.S. Tax Court. Presently, he remains active at Villanova and Jefferson University as an adjunct professor in graduate tax. Dave resides in Yardley, Pa. with his wife, Kristine.

1974 Dr. Steven F. Boc has been in practice with the Foot & Ankle Center of Philadelphia for more than 30 years. He has extensive experience in reconstructive surgery of the foot also an associate professor of surgery at the Drexel University College of Medicine. He and his wife, Sara, reside in Haddonfield N.J. and have two children and four grandchildren. His daughter, Allison Boehm, will be the interim head crew coach at Holy Ghost Prep

Chris Sullivan, an audio design engineer on the 2019 Kenny Chesney tour, hosted HGP rising seniors Ryan Fitzpatrick and Jack Nycz on an unforgettable LEAP externship. Sullivan has been employed exclusively in the music business and has worked with a diverse group of artsts as a mix engineer, consultant, and designer.

this upcoming season.

1987

1980

Scott Christensen recently deployed as the Science & Technology Advisor to U.S. Forces Korea (USFK). His mission is to expedite technology solutions that are tailored to the needs of the warfighter by providing advice, assistance and support to soldiers and commanders as well as delivering enduring capabilities that make major contributions to operational capabilities, readiness, training, and safety. Scott will also serve as the primary liaison officer between USFK and U.S. Army Futures Command (AFC).

Kenneth Rouse started a medical device sales and consulting practice called Little Rose Consultants. The company markets innovative products focused on helping patients and practitioners in specialties like anesthesia, critical care, wound care, surgery and wellness in acute care, surgery centers, outpatient facilities, all the way through the entire spectrum of care. His company has quickly established a presence in theeastern Pa., N.J., and Delaware healthcare markets.

Rouse’s first hire was fellow Holy Ghost Prep Class of 1980 grad and fellow HGP Athletic Hall of Fame member Craig Baudendistel.

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events and giving

x Volunteer for CAREER DAY or LEAP

Dave Breen retired from the Internal Revenue Service after a 40-year career as a group

and ankle, along with limb salvage. Dr. Boc is

Work with the HGP Alumni Association in offering your time and talent to the school

Mike Gujda, a senior audit group manager, hosted Anthony Ditri ’20 for a LEAP externship at TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank, at the bank’s Cherry Hill, N.J. head-

Chris Assenmacher ’86 and his wife Michele made a generous naming gift of a physics lab in the STEM Tower. This investment in Holy Ghost Prep will lay the groundwork for young men to blossom into vibrant, thoughtful adults—just like it did for Chris and his brothers Peter and Greg (also HGP alums). We really appreciate Chris Assenmacher’s years of generosity to the school—whether it’s his leadership gift to name this lab, serving in the past on HGP’s Board of Trustees, hosting the forensics team for a great meal when they compete in the D.C. area, or rallying a bunch of your fellow 1986 grads to make a significant scholarship gift.

RYAN BECKER ’98 / President rbeckernd@gmail.com

Greg Nini is an assistant professor of finance at the LeBow College of Business of Drexel University. Nini teaches classes on financial institutions and markets and conducts research in a variety of areas related to corporate finance and capital markets. His research has been supported by various grants and published in top finance journals, and he really enjoys when a former Firebird shows up in his class (“I’m an easy A for HGP grads.”) In addition to his position at Drexel, Nini is also a fellow of the Wharton Financial Institutions Center and a visiting scholar at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.

Nini lives in Wynnewood, PA with his wife and two daughters, ages 7 and 11, and occasionally puts on the basketball sneakers.

1991

(HGP’s student externship program)

JOE PARGOLA ’96 / Co-Vice President joe@pargola.net

KEN LORENCE ’05 / Co-Vice President 64lorence@gmail.com

1998

Kirk Daulerio is the co-founder and Executive Vice President of Partner Success at AdmitHub, an educational/tech startup that uses artificial intelligence like chatbots to help prospective and current college students navigate orientation, get financial aid, sign up for classes, and apply for housing.

AdmitHub is currently used by over 30 colleges and helps those schools lessen their “summer melt” rate, meaning students who accept an offer of admission but do not show up for class in the fall. quarters. Anthony has a strong interest in accounting and math and spent two days with bank officials, recent college graduates, and colleagues to experience a career in financial services. We appreciate Mike and all of our LEAP mentors for giving back to Ghost.

Pete Puleo has decided to leave Holy Ghost Prep to teach math at the Pennington School in New Jersey. In addition to teaching and serving as the math department chair at Ghost, Pete was also an integral member of HGP’s tech committee and education committee. We wish Pete the best of luck at Pennington School.

1993 John Spera serves as the Head of the Global Brand and Digital Health Marketing organization for LifeScan, a world leader in blood glucose monitoring and integrated digital solutions in Malvern, Pa.

taught on Hawaii Pacific University’s 42-foot motorized catamaran in Kane’ohe Bay. In addition to teaching marine science and oceanography courses, Iacchei conducts research that uses DNA of marine animals to answer questions to inform fisheries management and marine conservation.

Matthew Iacchei, Ph.D. is an assistant professor of marine biology at Hawaii Pacific University. He currently lives on the North Shore of O’ahu, teaches at the HPU campus in Kane’ohe, and many of his classes are

Barry Weidner and his wife Jocelyn have owned their own gym business for the past 11 years. They have three children—six-year-old Emma, four-year-old Brady, and one-year-old Sam—and live in Horsham, Pa. SUM M E R 2019 39

CL ASS NOTES

TAP INTO THE POWER of the HGP Alumni Business directory at

www.holyghostprep.org/ alumnibusinessdirectory

2003

Brett D’Andrea was honored as one of the “Standouts Under 40” in the construction industry by the Subcontractors Association of Delaware Valley, while his cousin Matt D’Andrea ’98 was chosen one of the 2019 Best of the Best in the Carpenter category at the same awards ceremony. They both work for D’Andrea Bros. Concrete Co., Inc., a family-owned business located in Bensalem, Pa. specializing in union commercial construction.

2005

will be 10-10-2020) at The Chapel of the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit at Holy Ghost Prep.

2007 Larry Stickley, CPA serves as the controller for Ceres Partners, LLC where his primary functions include overseeing accounting for Ceres Partners and its affiliates. Prior to that, Stickley worked at PricewaterhouseCooper for over six years in Philadelphia and Chicago. As a tax manager, he prepared the consolidated tax returns and audited the tax provisions of clients in the insurance and financial services industry.

Matt Sawyer is the CEO and co-founder of AdWap, an acronym that stands for “Advertising With A Purpose.” AdWap is a media platform that allows individuals to give to charities and causes simply by watching video ads on their devices. In other words, by watching the ads, you’re donating money to a cause you care about—without spending any of your own. Organizations currently benefitting from AdWap viewership include Penn State’s THON, Operation Underground Railrod, Project ALS, The Trust for Public Land, and dozens of others.

2013 John Malin II is a student at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM).

Prior to PCOM, Malin received his bachelor of science in biology from the University of Notre Dame.

John Chalovich is a sales and marketing operations manager at Mighty AI, a Seattle, Washington-based company that generates high quality training and validation datasets for teams building computer vision models for autonomous systems. John earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration in 2017 from the College of William & Mary.

Dr. Daniel Lewis is a dermatology resident physician at Penn Medicine. He recently published a book called Practical Ways to Improve Patient Adherence.

Matt Kling graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University in May and is working as a news producer at KVVU-TV, the Fox affiliate in Las Vegas.

2016

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Today

More than 50% of Holy Ghost Prep students benefit from financial aid and that number increases each year. You can redirect your Pennsylvania state taxes as scholarship grants to Holy Ghost, helping tomorrow’s leaders today.

The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and the Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) are Pennsylvania tax credit programs that allow Pennsylvania businesses and individuals that pay applicable taxes to receive up to a 90% tax credit to be used by schools like Holy Ghost Prep for financial aid.

EITC funds provide direct support to need-based tuition assistance subsidies for Holy Ghost Prep students.

OSTC further augments the support options available for students whose neighborhood school is low achieving.

“I discovered the EITC program in 2016 and quickly learned that this state legislation allows me to send my PA tax dollars to Holy Ghost to be used for scholarship grants. My tax dollars now support the hopes and dreams of our current students, and the process was extraordinarily simple!”

2010 John Pearce graduated from Temple University School of Medicine in May 2018. He began his residency in neurological surgery at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago in July 2018.

Ryan Callahan is a rising sophomore majoring in the philosophy of politics and law at Emory University in Atlanta. As a freshman, he served as the assistant sports editor of The Emory Wheel, the school’s student newspaper. In addition to The Emory Wheel, Callahan was the Residence Hall President for Harris Hall FYE and a freshman representative on the Pre-Law Society Executive Board. He also spent his freshman year free time either loudly cheering for the Philadelphia 76ers or hoping for care packages of Tastykakes.

EITC FUNDS HELP TOMORROW’S LEADERS

To learn how to designate your Pennsylvania tax dollars to HGP, please contact Matt Dwyer, Executive Director of Development, at mdwyer@holyghostprep.org or 215-352-6956.

James Phillips III, after defending his thesis, earned his Ph.D. in mathematics in May 2019 at the University of Virginia. He will be starting an appointment at Wellesley College in the fall.

Kenneth J. Lorence, the co-vice president of the HGP Alumni Association, and Karen Rubio were engaged on the Smithsonian National Mall in Washington, D.C., last August. The happy couple will be married on October 10, 2020 (yes, their wedding date

2018

2015

2009 Brett Antosh and his wife, Kate, welcomed a daughter, Hayleigh Rose Antosh, into the world on March 15 at 10:26 a.m.

All-Star Game and the MLB Futures Game.

A former Holy Ghost Prep star who was a second-round pick of the Cleveland Indians, Jones continues his ascent up the minor league ladder. In June, he was ranked MLB. com’s No. 44 overall prospect in all of minor league baseball. Jones was elevated to ClassAA Akron in July.

Nolan Jones was selected to play in both the 2019 Carolina League Baseball High Class-A

—BOB WATTERS ’81

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Holy Ghost Prep Magazine Office of Communications 2429 Bristol Pike Bensalem, PA 19020 www.holyghostprep.org

MARK YOUR CALENDAR x September 15 Freshman Mothers’ Tea x September 30 Holy Ghost Prep Golf Classic x October 3 Welcome Reception for Freshman Fathers x October 5 Alumni Soccer Game x October 5 Reunion for classes ending in 4s and 9s x October 20 Admissions—Open House x November 9–10 HGP Craft Show x November 16 50th Anniversary Celebration of HGP Forensics x November 23–24 HGP Drama Society—Fall Play x January 23 Alumni Association Networking Reception

Save the Date Sunday, September 8, 2019 Mass of the Holy Spirit and HGP Family Picnic 10:00 a.m.

Register at holyghostprep.org/mass.