Advancement

WHY I GIVE BACK TOGETHER AS ONE!

Nicole and Eric Mintz have been part of the Academy’s parent community for 12 years. Their children, Chloe and Zach, are now sophomores in high school, Chloe at Academy and Zach at Jesuit. Nicole’s history goes back further, as she is an alumna from the Class of 1990. This year, she is the high school chair of the Parent Annual Fund.

Q: As an alumna, your family has a long history with the Academy. What do you like best about being a part of the community? A: The Academy Community is remarkable for its ability to move forward, adopt a progressive curriculum and embrace new technologies while adhering to its longstanding core values. The teachers, the coaches and the administration do an amazing job of encouraging our children to develop into young adults with a strong sense of both self and faith.

Q: Nicole, how has the Academy changed since you were a student? How is it the same? A: The Academy has always been a beautiful school, but the facilities are by far the most significant change. When I graduated, the pool was where the middle school is now. The third and fourth floors on the south side were a residence for the Sisters. I never knew there were skylights! The Bailey Center is just beautiful, and I am so proud to show it off. The field is fantastic; I’m so glad that Zach enjoyed it in middle school and that Chloe is using it now in high school. Even with all the fancy upgrades, AHN is still the same at heart. It’s a true family community, committed to educating and graduating not just the “best and brightest” but also a well-rounded student committed to education, faith and charity.

Q: Why is giving back important to your family? A: Giving back is important because our children have received so much from the school and benefitted greatly from the school’s significantly upgraded facilities.

Q: Nicole, you have been active in the Mothers Association since Day 1. How has your experience in the organization given you a better understanding of the Academy? A: I love being a part of the Mothers Association. I knew we would be at the Academy for the long haul and wanted to be involved right away. When the kids were younger, it was more that I wanted to be a part of their school life, and that was a fun way for me to do that. Now that they are older, I want to try to get more high school parents involved in the school.

Q: Are you or your husband involved in organizations outside of the Academy? A: I am very involved at Jesuit. I also help out with gift baskets for Sparkle Power, which provides goodies for children who are hospitalized for long periods. Closest to my heart is the fundraiser, Chain Reaction, that Chloe co-founded. The event donates its proceeds to the CailinStrong Foundation.

Q: Why did you decide to co-chair the PAF? A: Well, I find it hard to say no when AHN calls.

Q: What is your personal goal for the PAF? A: I would really love for all families to participate at any level for the PAF. It’s so important to support our school — 100% participation would be awesome! We’ve had more grades than ever reach 100%, but we still have more work to do.

Q: What do you want parents to know about the PAF? A: Contributing to the PAF is incredibly important to the wellbeing of the school. It sends a strong signal of approval of the administration’s ambitious vision for the school.

To date, 51% of families have participated in the Parent Annual Fund. Please remember, giving at any level is vital to the school.

Reception & President’s Dinner GUEST SPEAKERS Blessed Marie Rose Society

The Bailey Family Center of the Arts set the stage this year for a beautiful Blessed Marie Rose Society Reception and President’s Dinner. The evening began in the Valdes Gallery and capped off with dinner on the stage. Guests enjoyed an evening of entertainment by the Quarter Notes and socializing with fellow society members. Each year, the Academy hosts the event to honor those who have contributed $1,500 or more during the past fiscal year. The Blessed Marie Rose Society honors the foundress of the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, Blessed Marie Rose Durocher.

Katelyn Chau A’20 and Clare Grammig A’21 gave poignant speeches. Both students spoke of their appreciation of service and the Academy’s influence on their perspectives and the young women they have become. Chau told the guests, “Being engaged is fully devoting yourself to each action you make. It is diving into situations headfirst, with tenacity and boldness, without fear of judgment or failure. This is the type of girl the Academy fosters: a future leader, a diverse figure and an impassioned young woman of creativity and intelligence.” Grammig echoed, “This school has taught me what love truly means, and equally important, to use my intellect and analytical abilities to seek solutions and not just react emotionally. The Academy of the Holy Names has instilled an appreciation for the blessings I have had and a passion for using my abilities to serve others.”

Robert and Laurel Grammig with their daughter and guest speaker, Clare Grammig A’21.

Katelyn Chau A’20 with her mother Tuyen Chau.

Justin Wilber and Zeina Takieddine, Greg Lieb and Stephanie Crane Lieb A’99, and Brent and Blakely Kriegshauser.

Jordan and Amy Rivait with Megan and Eric Ochotorena. Rick and Marie Barkett.

Ernie and Yvette Garateix. Ruth and Fred Lynch with President Art Raimo, center.

Harvey Schonbrun, Ty Trayner and Tom Holt. Sr. Lisa Perkowski, IHM, with Carol and Todd Schweitzer.

Jeff Thompson and Velen Diaz Thompson A’83 with Chris Hill and Kim Wilmath Hill A’05. The Academy Quarter Notes.

HONORING THE HOLY NAMES Legacy Society

Keynote speaker Linda Danco MacGregor A’79 enjoys the luncheon with her granddaughter Sofia Peralta, mother Rosemarie Christ Danco S’56, daughter Lisa Peralta and granddaughter Liana Rodriguez.

The Academy established the Holy Names Legacy Society to benefit the AHN Endowment and future needs of the school by providing financial assistance for students, professional development for faculty and staff, and maintenance of the facilities. To learn how you may join the Holy Names Legacy Society, please contact Debbie Gavalas at (813) 835-3522 .

Encouraging new planned gifts as a means to build the school endowment was a focus of the first phase of the Academy Ascending capital campaign. The campaign goal of securing 20 new planned gifts was exceeded with 26 new commitments, bringing the current total to 37 members. In December, the Academy thanked those who have made a commitment to the school in their estate plans.

This year’s featured speaker was Linda Danco MacGregor A’79, who comes from a long line of Academy graduates. She is a fourth-generation student educated by the Sisters. Her grandmother, Hazel Rothert, was a member of the Class of 1928, and her mother, Rosemarie Christ Danco, graduated from Sacred Heart in 1956. Her great-uncles attended The Convent of the Holy Names in the late 1800s when the school was downtown. MacGregor has at least 55 family members who were educated by the Sisters!

She credits the teachers and administrators for helping her toward an engineering program. “I was in high school in the late 1970s. While that period might be characterized in many ways, one factor was the success of NASA and the entry of women into technical careers. The teachers and administrators recognized this trend and steered those of us that liked math and science towards engineering college recruiters. Brilliant!” she exclaimed.

MacGregor attended Vanderbilt University, where she earned an environmental engineering degree. Her career has included a variety of “water” consulting roles and placements with state governments. She is currently the water department director for the city of Gainesville, Ga., where she is responsible for the $80 million water, wastewater and stormwater operations.

Even after she graduated from the Academy, MacGregor turned to the Sisters for guidance. She credits Sister Mary Glavin for helping her “navigate rough seas” during her college years while Sister Mary was serving as pastoral minister at Corpus Christi Catholic Church. MacGregor also had an ongoing relationship with Sister Rose Christina Momm. MacGregor says when the two first reconnected, she “talked to me at length at that very moment, as if she had been expecting my call and as if she had nothing else in her agenda for the day.”

Although the Academy has a new look, MacGregor earnestly remarks that the tradition of a Holy Names education remains. “The internet, 3D printing and even air conditioning are today’s essentials that Hazel and her uncles could not have imagined. But the nurturing and empowerment of young people, especially young women, are the same over the 100-plus years that my family has been fortunate enough to be part of this very special community,” she said. “I hope the traditions of the Sisters last for a very long time to come. I know I speak for thousands of alumni when I say thank you for helping so many of us to be, rather than to seem.”

It is the members of the Holy Names Legacy Society that will ensure the mission and charism of the Sisters of the Holy Names will continue for generations to come.

HOLY NAMES LEGACY SOCIETY MEMBERS

Anonymous (4) Diana and Harold Astorquiza Schezy and Steve Barbas Patricia Power Bohannan A’77 Beverly Bush A’55 Jeanette Campbell Capella A’86* Irma Jean Simpson Doke S’52 Edmund J. Foody Richard Gonzmart B’67 Kimberly Valenti Grandoff A’77 Angela Ferrante Guagliardo A’59 Jane Hardin Kay Culbreath Heller Patricia Miller Herrmann A’55 Theresa and David Jones Debbie and Sam Lazzara Stephanie Crane Lieb A’99 and Dr. Gregory Lieb Debra S. Lubrano Linda Danco MacGregor A’79 Sheryl and George W. Martz Jr. Angela Spicola Morgan A’67 Terri Costantini Naylor A’68 Dorothy Corfield Norton A’60 Vivien A. Oliva A’63 Barbara and Anthony Scarpo Jan and Anthony Scicchitano Patricia Torres A’68 Terre Tulsiak Raulniña Uzzle-Harris A’82 Candace and Michael J. Valdes B’77 Mattie Tison Vega A’59 Sharon and Robert West Isabelle Williams A’48 Christopher Winiarz A’97 *Newest member