38 minute read
State Championships
Athletes Earn Five Titles in Spring
Spring was busy for our student-athletes! These hardworking and dedicated players took home five championship titles over the season. Meet our Jesuit High School state champions.
Men's Tennis (May)
The men’s tennis team capped off a perfect season (14-0) by claiming their fourth consecutive state championship. Peter Murphy '20 won the 6A boys singles state title for the third consecutive year, and doubles team Tommy Kallgren '19 and Jaden D'Abreo '20 earned the 6A boys doubles championship.
Men’s Golf (May)
The men's golf team won their third consecutive team state title, led by Andrew Reinhardt '20 who claimed the individual state title. Jesuit finished 28 strokes ahead of second place finishers Mountainside High School with three Crusaders finishing in the top ten.
Women's Golf (May)
The women's golf team won their second consecutive 6A state title on May 14 at Quail Valley Golf Course in Banks. The Crusaders trailed Westview by 15 shots after the first round, but made a dramatic comeback on the second and final day to win by eight strokes.
Women’s Lacrosse (May)
Jesuit women's lacrosse team earned their first-ever Oregon Girls Lacrosse Association state championship by defeating the three-time defending state champions Lake Oswego Lakers 13-12.
Baseball (June)
Jesuit's baseball team earned the title of 6A state champions in a hard won victory over Central Catholic. The Crusaders defeated the Rams 2-1 in 13 innings, which tied the record for most innings played in an OSAA state championship game.
Head Coach Colin Griffin ’00 led the Crusaders to a 26-5 season record and the program’s second state title in five years. Coach Griffin was recently named a High School Regional Coach of the Year by the American Baseball Coaches Association.
thenextgeneration
In April, 35 alumni, alumni parents and friends of Jesuit High School joined us on campus to share their career journeys with our junior class. Their inspiring stories led to active discussions and thoughtful questions. As the students begin to consider their own career path, these presentations play an important role in helping them shape the choices they make for their future.
ERIN MARTINEK ’09
I graduated from the University of San Diego in 2013 with my Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies, with a Math Concentration. This was our teaching and education major. During my time at USD, I went on a ride along and fell in love with police work. In December of 2018, I completed my graduate program and received my Master of Science in Law Enforcement and Public Safety Leadership, also from the University of San Diego.
What is your occupation and job responsibilities?
I am currently a District Attorney Investigator for the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office in Portland. I am a certified police officer and am assigned to our Domestic Violence Unit. The responsibilities of my current assignment include conducting follow up and witness interviews, collecting evidence, and performing other tasks that help prepare and further investigate domestic violence cases that are going to court.
Prior to this position, I worked for about five years as a Patrol Deputy for the Washington County Sheriff’s Office in Hillsboro, OR. While there, I helped conduct our Human Trafficking missions as a decoy, I was a member of the Domestic Violence Resource Team, the Recruitment Team, and was a Rifle Operator. I was also the only female Defensive Tactics Instructor from patrol. Through that assignment, I helped teach current and new Deputies how to defend themselves. I also taught our women’s self-defense class – Power Curves – for women in our community. This August, I head back down to the University of San Diego to begin my law school career. I hope to become a prosecutor in the future.
What do you love about your job?
I love the ability to help brighten community members’ days. When someone calls 911, that is likely their worst day. I get the chance to make it slightly better by helping people feel safe, heard, and cared for. I love interacting with new people and helping people take control of their own safety. Probably the most rewarding part of my job is watching a kid smile when I hand them a sticker or a teddy bear after they have experienced trauma.
What are the challenges in your job?
Being a police officer in general is a challenging job. It is often unsafe and comes with much conflict. However, these challenges help us grow as people. We get to interact with members of society who come from all corners of the earth, including from different cultures, socio-economic backgrounds, and life experiences. This hands-on learning and interaction with the community has taught me how many incredible people there are in our community.
What advice do you have for our students?
Jesuit High School students are in such a great position to help change the world. As a student and graduate of Jesuit, you will remember “Men and Women for Others” in the back of your mind forever. My advice is to keep that at the forefront of your decisions while also exploring your interests and passions. As a student, the world is your oyster. I advise you to go on explorations, immersions, and abroad opportunities, take different classes, shadow people in varying careers, and learn from people who have different backgrounds from you. The knowledge you gain about the world and about yourself through these various opportunities will help you identify your passion. And, once you have identified a career where you get to fulfill your passions, work will never seem like work. The biggest advice is to never stop learning. It is the key to success!
STEPHANIE KING ’10
Portland State University - Communication Studies
What is your occupation and job responsibilities?
My role as Project Manager of Customer Success & Operations at Resident Home allows me to do little bit of everything, including staff coordinating, data and metric analytics, and assistance with company development. I am essentially my department’s “right hand woman.” Adaptability is key in my role!
What do you love about your job?
Every day presents new challenges and opportunities. I have the privilege of watching my hard work come to fruition on a near daily basis. I get to collaborate with some of the most intelligent and creative individuals I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. One of my favorite company perks is that I work remotely, which means I spend every day working from my home office or wherever my travels may take me.
What are the challenges in your job?
Working for a startup comes with many challenges every single day. Rapid growth means we are constantly pivoting to address pain points, better user experience, efficient processes, etc. I don’t think anything stays the same for very long, fluidity is everything in this industry. The work I do does not come without plenty of stressors and sacrifices along the way.
What advice do you have for our students?
TAYLOR GRAY ’02
Oregon State University Electrical Engineering with a focus in power.
What is your occupation and job responsibilities?
I am an electrical engineer for PGE in the substation group. My main job responsibility is project engineer for substation design. I am responsible for all aspects of substation design including providing quality assurance and providing engineering support during construction.
What do you love about your job?
I enjoy being able to see substations I worked on constructed, energized, and providing power.
What are the challenges in your job?
There are many challenges as a substation engineer. A problem that provides challenges is retrofitting existing substations. The challenge is installing modern technology and having it work with the older technology that is not being replaced. There is also an incredible amount of detail in designing substations. The challenge is to mitigate design errors during the design stage of a project. Any mistake in engineering can cause issues such as creating a safety hazard for construction crews, cost overruns, and delays during construction.
What advice do you have for our students?
Have fun and enjoy life but have selfdiscipline and put in the work to be successful at whatever you choose to do in life.
MIKE SKOKAN ’84
I attended the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. It is funny how life works sometimes. In 1983 the college counselor at Jesuit suggested that I apply for the Archdiocesan Scholarship at Catholic University (full tuition for 4 years). I applied. Several months later the phone rings and it's Archbishop Power calling to say that I won the scholarship. I turned down Stanford and Georgetown to go to CUA. I was a chemistry major.
What is your occupation and job responsibilities?
I am a Pulmonary and Critical Care physician for a specialty group called The Oregon Clinic. I see patients who have lung diseases both in the hospital and in the clinic. I also manage patients in the ICU who are critically ill. I see patients who have an abnormal x-ray or a mass on a CT scan. I do something called bronchoscopy where I use a scope to go into the lung and biopsy abnormalities. I also get to teach medical residents at Providence Portland Medical Center.
What are the challenges in your job?
The work can be really busy and the hours long. Age Quod Agis is harder at 3 am. We also see much suffering and death which is taxing on the psyche and the soul.
What do you love about your job?
I like taking care of patients. I like trying to make lives better. I genuinely appreciate the relationships I have with patients whom I've cared for for years. I still even like staying up all night trying to save someone's life in the ICU.
JHS Career Day Presenters
Thank you to the following presenters for sharing your time and your wisdom. We loved having you at Jesuit!
Kevin Barton '96 Julianne Brands '08 Jeremy Burroughs '95 Craig Cooley Alecia Darm '04 Jerry Davis Patrick Duffy '68 Bart Ferguson '84 Ted Ferguson '87 Kevin Fisher '95 Gina Gladstone Taylor Gray '02 Larry Jackson '86 Callie Jackson Stephanie King '10 Mark Kreutzer '77 Mike Kroon '85 Erin Martinek '09 Trevor McBride '05 Dr. Mark Mertens '73 Sean Milstead '96 Greg Phelps '84 Lauren Phillips Dr. Mike Skokan '84 Rob Skokan '86 JB Skopil '96 Monica Spoelstra Metz Angela Steiert '97 David Tangvald '83 Marianna Thielen '00 Elliott Waksman Michael Washington '80 Andrew Weiss '12 Matt Wilcox '05
telling stories & touching lives
BY KATHY BAARTS, ALUMNI DIRECTOR, AND CLAIRE MCCARTHY ‘14
Allison (Solberg) Buckmelter ’01 discovered her love for screenwriting while at Jesuit High School. She always enjoyed being a part of the fine arts department, playing in the pep and jazz bands and auditioning for plays, but it wasn’t until she took Jesuit’s playwriting class during her senior year that she found her passion for screen and script writing.
Allison says the screenwriting class was influential in many ways. It gave her the opportunity to write her first original script “Ice Cream,” a drama about people standing up for others which was performed during Jesuit’s One Act Plays.
One of the most pivotal moments in Allison’s career came when local screenwriter Mike Rich spoke to the playwriting class. Mike had won a Nicholl Fellowship in 1998 for his script Finding Forrester. Allison was fascinated by his journey and career as a screenwriter.
Determined to learn more, she asked, “How do I do this – how do I get to be a screenwriter?”
“Well, you just need to win the Nicholl,” said Mike. As she retold the story, Allison laughed at the younger version of herself who said, “Okay, cool. I’ll remember that.”
But Allison did remember and never lost sight of that goal. In 2018 she was honored with her own Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. Allison and her husband, Nicolas Buckmelter, collaborated on their winning screenplay, American Refugee, which was 1 of only 4 selected for the award from 6,895 scripts submitted worldwide.
For Allison and Nicolas, the inspiration for American Refugee came from cold-war era family history and current hotbutton issues affecting the United States. Together, they wove a beautiful story of loss and hope in a troubled time.
Next to receiving an Oscar, winning a Nicholl Fellowship is the highest honor a screenwriter can receive from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Along with widespread recognition of their talents, winners also receive a $35,000 stipend to complete another feature-length screenplay in the year following the award.
However, Allison and Nicolas did not find success overnight. They worked on a draft of American Refugee for over five years before first submitting their script for the Nicholl Fellowship in 2016. After placing in the top 50, they took the notes and feedback from the committee into consideration while editing the most recent version of the script which won in 2018.
Both high school teachers in Southern California, Allison and Nicolas juggle busy lives of working and caring for their two young children, Thomas and Greta, while still finding time to devote to their passion for screenwriting. Since winning the award, their lives have changed in many ways. Allison and Nicolas are now represented by an agency and management company, and they have their first paid writing project: adapting a French crime thriller novel for the screen.
“It’s so different to write for a project with a deadline,” said Allison. “It makes you really focus. And, unlike novels, there are also time and length restrictions for the screen. I think that makes the dialogue better. There is no wasted space in the pages.”
Allison still loves to write and enjoys the challenges of the competitive screenwriting industry. As a screenwriting team, Allison and Nicolas complement and balance each other. On each project, they work together to create an outline. Then Allison takes the blank pages and begins the story while Nicolas improves the script with each rewrite.
“You have to give it 100 percent,” said Allison. “You write it over and over until you get it just right.”
As their own story continues to unfold, Allison and Nicolas are grateful for each other and the support that allows them to continue pursuing their passion for telling stories and touching lives through screenwriting.
Class of 2019
VALEDICTORIAN Anisha Kumar
SALUTATORIANS Nolan Aylward Gregory Cowles
NATIONAL MERIT FINALISTS Rea Agnihotri Gregory Cowles Taylor Dischinger Catherine Grimme Anisha Kumar Charles Law Charles Martin
NATIONAL MERIT COMMENDED STUDENTS Sebastian Acevedo Nivedita Baniya Akash Chinthamani
Abhishek Goel Grace Joseph Nitya Krishnakumar Catherine Mudd Mitchell Nee Sona Sridharan Kathryn Thompson Grant VanDomelen Stephan Zapodeanu
NATIONAL HISPANIC RECOGNITION PROGRAM Sebastian Acevedo Trenton Martinez Sofia Nosak
SUMMA CUM LAUDE AWARD Brian Coen Gregory Cowles Catherine Grimme Rachel Gulka
Aspen Hawkins Matthew Hotchkiss Sara Sanders Heidi Schuler Samuel Wiltjer
MAGNA CUM LAUDE AWARD Anisha Kumar Charles Law Cecelia Locati Charles Martin Grace Preble Brooke Rogers
SENIOR SPEAKERS Iesha Comia Nicholas Pliska
SENIOR LOYALTY AWARDS David Brown Grace Preble
FR. HENRY SCHULTHEIS, S.J. CHRISTIAN COMMITMENT AWARD Kate Thompson
JESUIT SCHOOLS NETWORK AWARDS Vanessa Kunakornvanich Kellar McCarthy
DEPARTMENT AWARDS Campus Ministry: Kedi Hickman & Grace White Chinese: Emerald Kan Choir: Gabrielle Hanna-Choquette Christian Service: Taylor Dischinger & Madelyn Schur Computer Science: Grant VanDomelen Diversity: Naomi Kasahun & Jesse Acosta Peinado Drama: Lilly Webb English: Conor Burke French: Rachel Gulka History: Charles Martin Instrumental Music: Robert Hereth Journalism: Jane Ferguson Mathematics: Grant VanDomelen Photography: Alyssa Hughes & Payton Schleh Physical Education: Jorge Villatoro Science: Brooke Rogers Spanish: Dechen Yehshopa Student Government: Samantha Petitt Technical Theatre: Payton Schleh Theology Studies: Jack Jensen & Kathryn Thompson Visual Arts: Marielle LeFave Yearbook: Morgan Keudell, Alaina Phillips & Madelyn Schur
CLASS OF 2019 STATS 7 National Merit Finalists 12 National Merit Commended Students 207 Presidential Academic Award Winners 150 National Honor Society Members (3.60+ GPA plus service and leadership)
Total Hours of Christian Service: 33,517 Average Christian Service Hours per Student: 108 (only 65 hours of service per student is required)
College Bound: 99 percent +
TEACHER RECOGNITION Educator of the Year: Michelle Strear Sandy Satterberg Award for Excellence in Ignatian Pedagogy: Malia Bernards
2019 Graduation award winners
The following recognition is awarded by the president each year and presented to the recipients at Commencement. The Alumnus of the Year Award, Age Quod Agis Award, Pedro Arrupe, S.J. Award, and St. Peter Canisius Award all honor individuals whose deep dedication and commitment to Jesuit High School have left an indelible mark on the school and its community.
AGE QUOD AGIS AWARD Michael simons
The motto of Jesuit High School is Age Quod Agis, “Do Well Whatever You Do.” The President’s Age Quod Agis Award recognizes individuals who have “done well” in the context of their association with Jesuit High School. This year, Jesuit High School is proud to present the Age Quod Agis Award to Michael Simons.
Mike, the oldest of three children, was born in Englewood, New Jersey. During his childhood, his family moved frequently due to his father’s lifelong career as a distinguished Air Force officer, which included recruiting some of the first Air Force officers to teach at the Air Force Academy while stationed in Dayton, Ohio; teaching Asian history as an associate professor at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs; being assigned to The Pentagon for four years in Washington, D.C.; and helping write The Pentagon Papers for three years at the RAND Corporation in Santa Monica.
Mike graduated from McLean High School in Virginia in 1971. He received a scholarship to play basketball at Stanford University where he was voted Most Inspirational Player for the 1975-76 season, and graduated with a degree in history in 1976.
During the year following his graduation from Stanford, Mike temporarily worked at a local radio station doing weekly short reports of Stanford sports, coached the JV basketball team at Los Altos High School, and worked at a burger joint. Teaching had always been in the back of Mike’s mind for his future career. After observing some history classes at Los Altos, he was hired by the school as an intern geography and world history teacher for one year in 1977. During that time Mike also attended the College of Notre Dame in Belmont to obtain his teaching credentials.
Mike spent the next year as a long-term substitute teacher and continued to coach the Los Altos JV basketball team. When a history teacher position opened at St. Francis High School in Mountain View, he applied for and was offered the job. For the next 10 years, Mike taught and coached track and basketball at St. Francis. He met his wife, Michelle,
on a blind date and the couple was married in the summer of 1989.
With Michelle’s family in Beaverton (she graduated from Valley Catholic High School), Mike heard about an opening at Jesuit High School in Portland for head men’s basketball coach in 1989. He became Jesuit’s head men’s coach that year and also taught history and coached track and field. In 1992, Gene Potter took over at the helm as head coach of the men’s basketball program while Mike continued to coach track and teach. In 2002, Gene asked Mike to help coach again. Mike, grateful for the opportunity, readily accepted.
For the next 17 years, Mike coached wherever he was needed in Jesuit’s men’s basketball program with roles ranging from JV assistant coach, freshman assistant coach and, for the last four years, freshman B coach. “I like seeing the improvement in my players during the season,” says Mike. “To me, that is one of the most rewarding aspects about coaching.”
In addition to his three decades of coaching contributions at Jesuit High School, Mike has substantially enhanced the history program. Apart from teaching almost every class that the history department offers during his tenure at Jesuit, he started the school’s AP U.S. history and AP macroeconomics programs in the 1990s. Those programs are now thriving today. Mike is self-taught in macroeconomics, learning the subject in the wake of the Great Recession so he could better understand it. He also taught macroeconomics, along with government/economics.
“I love coming to work and appreciate the Jesuit approach to Catholicism. The process of discernment and reflection is something I will take with me and continue to use,” says Mike. “I am so grateful for the friendships I’ve developed over these past three decades. It’s been a great 30 years.”
Mike transitioned from Jesuit this summer and plans to spend time traveling with Michelle, developing his golf game, reading more, doing home projects, and fly-fishing. He will return to Jesuit as a volunteer coach.
Mike has these apt words for the class of 2019: “Find something you love and work hard at it. It’s really rewarding.”
John Merriman ’64 and his son, Chris
alumnus of the year AWARD john merriman '64
Each year, Jesuit High School presents the Alumnus of the Year Award to an individual whose actions and deeds represent the values of Jesuit High School as found in the Profile of the Jesuit Graduate at Graduation: open to growth, intellectually competent, loving, religious, and committed to doing justice. This year, Jesuit High School is pleased to present the Alumnus of the Year Award to John Merriman ’64.
John fondly recalls his experience at Jesuit High School over 50 years ago. Three teachers profoundly influenced his life: Fr. Larry Robinson, S.J. introduced John to his lifelong love of history; Fr. Mike Schultheis, S.J.’s deep devotion to service significantly impacted John; and Pat Carroll provided him with solid foundations in reading and writing. In addition to his studies at Jesuit, John participated on the debate team, became accomplished in extemporaneous speaking, and played basketball.
After graduating from Jesuit in 1964, John attended the University of Michigan and in 1967 was named the university’s “Intramural Athlete of the Year.” After earning his undergraduate degree in history, John obtained his master’s in history in 1969 and completed his Ph.D. in history in 1972 under the guidance of Charles Tilly, American sociologist, political scientist and historian. During graduate school, John discovered his passion for the French archives.
John started his career as an educator at the University of Michigan, where he was a lecturer in history and sociology for one year before becoming an Assistant Professor of History at Yale University for the next five years and then an Associate Professor of History from 1978-83. In 1984, John was named a full Professor of History. In 1996, John became the Charles Seymour Professor, a position he still holds to this day. Among his many academic accomplishments, John earned Yale’s highest teaching award, the Howard F. Byrnes/Richard B. Sewall Teaching Prize, in 2000, and the De Vane Medal for Distinguished Scholarship and Undergraduate Teaching in April, 2019.
With his passion for the French archives, John was naturally drawn to France to conduct much of his research, writing, and teaching. He and his family took up residence first in Paris and then in the village of Balazuc in southeastern France, where
his children were in school for three years.
In addition to his continuing professorship at Yale, John has taught at the University of Lyon and the University of Rouen. For the last 45 years, he has been an accomplished researcher, professor, and writer. John has authored and edited nineteen books, among them The Dynamite Club: How a Bombing in Fin-de-Siècle Paris Ignited the Age of Modern Terror; Massacre: The Life and Death of the Paris Commune; and A History of Modern Europe since the Renaissance, now in its fourth edition. His books have been translated into French, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, Japanese, and Chinese. John is known worldwide for his participation in lectures, conferences, and media in the US, Great Britain, Australia, New Zealand, France, Canada, Poland and China. He was awarded an honorary doctorate in France in 2002, and the “Medal of Meritorious Service to Polish Education” awarded by the Ministry of Education of Poland in 2009. John received the American Historical Association’s prestigious annual “Award for Career Scholarly Distinction” in January, 2018.
John met his late wife Carol when they were set up on a date at a Harvard-Yale football game. Carol earned her master’s degree at Yale in Public Health and in History. She worked in Washington, D.C. at the League of Women Voters in Human Resources until she and John moved to New Haven in 1979. They were married the next year. John and Carol have two grown children, Chris and Laura. Both graduated from Yale and will be working for humanitarian organizations in Africa this summer.
John’s lifelong love of learning is evident in his accomplishments. He is a true man for others, constantly sharing his knowledge and experiences. John loves teaching and imparting his passion for history to his students. His research and careful historical writing serves not only the present, but also future generations.
“Jesuit meant so much to me,” says John, who attended his 50-year class reunion on campus several years ago. John’s advice for Jesuit students today is simple: “Believe in people and believe in doing good,” he says. “Life is so much more than money. Find something you love and do it!”
arrupe AWARD christopher c. smart, ed.d.
Fr. Pedro Arrupe, SJ served as Superior General of the Society of Jesus from 1965-83. He gave one of his most famous speeches in 1973 when he proposed the educational objective to form “men and women for others.” Jesuit High School’s Arrupe Award honors and recognizes those whose service is a model of what it means to be a person for others. This year we are pleased to present the Pedro Arrupe, SJ Award to Christopher C. Smart, Ed.D.
Chris grew up in California as the oldest of five children in an Irish-Italian Catholic family. He attended Marin Catholic High School where he played football and was involved in the drama program. After high school, Chris attended Santa Clara University and graduated with a degree in political science in 1983.
From an early age, Chris aspired to be a teacher and was inspired by his grandmother and through travel and reading. Impressed with the Jesuits’ commitment to education and teaching of the whole person and rooted by his Catholic upbringing, Chris decided to enter the novitiate in August 1983. After two years at the novitiate, Chris studied philosophy at Fordham University. He was assigned as a regent to Jesuit High School in Sacramento in 1987, where he taught ethics and American government, moderated yearbook, and coached cross country and track and field. After much discernment, Chris determined he was being called to be a husband and father and left regency in 1989 but remained at Jesuit Sacramento. He married his wife, Kathy, in 1990 and son Ryan was born in 1992.
Chris became Athletic Director at Jesuit Sacramento in 1995. He also taught AP U.S. history and obtained his master’s degree in education at the University of San Francisco. In 1999, he attended the very first JSEA conference for athletic directors. Chris, who felt called to work at a coed school, interviewed for the position of Athletic Director at Jesuit High School in Portland, Oregon. Chris was offered the job and became Jesuit’s Athletic Director in August 2000.
In 2005, Chris stepped into the position of Vice Principal of Student Life. “Working with teens is life-giving,” says Chris. “It can be challenging at
times, but it’s a privilege to be a co-learner and co-educator with them.”
Chris became Jesuit’s Academic Vice Principal in 2012, and in 2013 was accepted into the University of Portland’s educational leadership program where he obtained his doctorate in educational leadership and learning in May 2016. During this time, Chris was encouraged to look at more leadership positions and opportunities and ultimately decided that he wanted to be a principal. With that goal in mind, he applied for and was offered the job of principal of Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland after a national search. “As a lifelong learner and mission-driven Catholic educator, I am filled with enthusiasm and gratitude for the opportunity to serve the community of Bishop O’Dowd High School,” says Chris.
Chris leaves a lasting legacy at Jesuit High School. His countless contributions spanning Chris’ tenure include helping create a mission statement for athletics for all Jesuit high schools; creating processes and systems for how Jesuit adds programs to its myriad offerings; beginning the work of recognizing and working with the Counseling Department on student health and wellness; the creation of the Professional Learning Community (PLC) model and a process for curriculum mapping so various departments can effectively evaluate curriculum in terms of Ignatian pedagogy and the profile of the Jesuit graduate; helping research and implement Jesuit’s 1:1 program; and supporting the creation and growth of the position of Vice President for Professional Development and Innovation.
During his nearly two decades at Jesuit, Chris was also the director of Jesuit’s summer session program, taught speech and debate, and coached mock trial. Some of his fondest memories relate to the drama program, which he oversaw for a number of years and helped guide to even new heights.
“One of the great gifts of my time at Jesuit was sharing the JHS experience with my son, Ryan, between 2006-10,” says Chris. “Ryan’s involvement in athletics, drama, and choir provided us with the chance to have a number of great father-son experiences. Ryan was truly ‘formed and transformed’ during his time at Jesuit High School.”
Chris has the following wisdom for the Class of 2019: “Seek and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened to you. Always trust in God.”
20 19 ALUMNI WEEKEND
Alumni Weekend 2019 kicked off with the Alumni Golf Classic on Thursday, September 26. In the midst of a cool, rainy fall, we were blessed with a three-day window of no rain (and partly sunny skies!). The golf tournament was wonderful -- thank you to Steve Elorriaga ’76 and Trevor McBride ’05 for their leadership. Friday was a special day as we welcomed the Class of 1969 back for their 50-year reunion. The tailgate was filled with alumni from all decades, enjoying the great food of Ernesto’s and cheering on our Crusaders. On Saturday, the alumni baseball game was played and the series is now tied 3-3 for the even and odd graduate years. Thank you to everyone who attended Alumni Weekend events. You always have a home at Jesuit High School!
Left: Welcome home, Class of 1969! We were honored to celebrate 50 years with you! Above: The tradition of alumni baseball continues to bring our alumni back to Sprunk Stadium.
Top: Fran Orlando ’14, Georgia Prim, Kristi McBride and Meredith Beary ’09 (Team Lululemon) at the Golf Classic. Bottom: Members of the Class of 1989 enjoyed getting together before the game and then afterwards at West Coast Drinkery. Top Left: Megan Melvin ’99 and her son show their Crusader pride! Bottom Left: Mike Hughes ’79, Dave McBride ’76 and Kathy Baarts enjoy the sunshine during the BBQ. Top Right: Brendan Cunningham ’99 and Mike Mosser ’99 catch up with James Osborne ’99 and his family at the Alumni BBQ. Middle Right: Freshman football players escorted the Class of 1969 to the field during halftime. Bottom Right: Molly Wolfsehr Boone ’99 and Susie Petrie ’99 enjoy catching up during the 20-year reunion celebrations
Photo by Ken Waz
showing courage
on and off the field
BY KATHY BAARTS, ALUMNI DIRECTOR, AND CLAIRE MCCARTHY ’14
For a few days in the spring of 2019 Keanon Lowe ’10 was a household name. News stations and citizens across the nation praised Keanon for his act of heroism and bravery in disarming a student wielding a gun at Parkrose High School, where he worked as a security officer and coach.
“I had no idea that I would one day have to put my life on the line like I did yesterday for my students,” Keanon tweeted after the incident. “When confronted with the test the universe presented me with, I didn't see any other choice but to act. Thank God, I passed.”
In the moments following the incident, after the threat was controlled, Keanon said he immediately felt compassion for the student and spoke to him with kindness.
“I could comprehend what was going to happen next for the student, so I wanted to be there for him,” Keanon told Portland sports writer John Canzano on the radio show ‘the Bald Faced Truth’. “I was there for a reason.”
Six days later at the Senior Awards Ceremony, Jesuit High School honored Keanon with a Man for Others Award “in deep gratitude for his outstanding character, courage on behalf of the Parkrose High School Community, and service as an alumnus of Jesuit High School.”
During the assembly, Keanon spoke to the student body about his journey to find meaning after the death of a close friend and classmate. His inspiring message to the Class of 2019 was centered on the importance of finding his purpose through service.
“Life is not about you at all,” said Keanon, “but about what you are able to do for others.”
Even as a young man, Keanon was focused on family and community. Through watching his older cousins attend Jesuit and compete under the lights of Cronin Field, Keanon knew he wanted that same experience. After talking to his mom about the possibility of attending Jesuit for high school, the family made the decision to move from Gresham to Beaverton in order to make Keanon’s dream of being a Crusader come true.
In the fall of 2006, Keanon stepped onto Jesuit’s campus not knowing anyone but determined to find a home in his new community. As a freshman football player he made enduring friendships with fellow classmates Nick Alfieri, Dominique Forrest, Jordan Lewis, and Taylor Martinek.
After attending public schools for nine years, Keanon appreciated the close community at Jesuit. He remembers that it was a breath of fresh air to come to a school where everyone was kind to each other and he was able to get to know his classmates on a deeper level.
Keanon recalls one class that set the foundation for his four years at Jesuit and beyond: Mr. Hazel’s Freshman English Class.
“I was held to such a high standard, and I wasn’t sure if I could get there,” said Keanon. “I would come early or stay late to work through the material. I ended up getting a good grade, but the whole experience was the most rewarding part. I learned so much, and it set me up for success.”
As a star football player, Keanon worked hard on and off the field during high school, and it paid off when he received a full-ride scholarship to play football for the University of Oregon. Keanon spent five years at the UO and was a threeyear starter for the Ducks. During his senior season, he was voted Most Inspirational Player by his teammates and, as a team captain, led the Ducks to a Rose Bowl Championship.
“Keanon is an all-around great guy,” said Doug Brenner ’13 who played football with Keanon at Jesuit and the UO. “He was always a great leader and would go out of his way to help the younger players. Even as a star player, Keanon remained humble.”
After college, Keanon took a position as a coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and later the San Francisco 49ers. He adjusted to the new lifestyle and appreciated the experience to work and travel across the country, but missed being home near his family.
In the summer of 2017, Keanon returned to Portland to coach at Jesuit for his younger brother Trey’s senior year. He was glad to be home learning from Coaches Ken and Gene Potter again and loved the opportunity to see his brother’s final year at Jesuit. A year later, he accepted the position of head football coach and security officer at Parkrose High School in Portland. In one year as the head of the Parkrose football program, Keanon transformed the team. He propelled the Broncos from a 23-game losing streak to five wins in a single season and an appearance in the playoffs.
“Keanon’s success at Parkrose does not surprise me,” said Jesuit’s head football coach Ken Potter. “During his playing days at Jesuit, he continually made those around him better by demonstrating a work ethic second to none, a genuine love for his teammates, and an understanding of the importance of community.”
Keanon says he sees similarities between the Jesuit and Parkrose High School communities in the way that people know and care about each other.
“Being at Parkrose, I am inspired to do well,” said Keanon. “There were so many adults that cared about me and helped me find success. I want to be able to carry that forward by caring about these kids and being a good role model for them.”
Every day he continues to live out his message of serving others through his selfless and humble attitude. When he was presented with the opportunity to be a hero at Parkrose High School, he did not hesitate to risk his life to protect others. Keanon is truly a Man for Others and an exemplar of a Jesuit High School graduate.
Keanon Lowe and family enjoy time together while cheering on the Blazers.
FROM DREAM TO REALITY
Victory Academy, a school for students with autism co-founded by a Jesuit parent, celebrates 10 years
BY CLAIRE MCCARTHY ’14
When Jesuit parent Tricia Hasbrook and Thea Schreiber met at an autism conference in 2003, they dreamed of a magical school to help meet the unique needs of their sons who were both affected by autism. The problem was no such school existed in Oregon.
After years of careful consideration, planning, and work to make the dream a reality, they launched Victory Academy in the fall of 2009, a school dedicated solely to the academic, therapeutic, and medical needs of children with autism.
Over the past ten years, Victory Academy has grown from a single classroom with eight students to a fully accredited K-12 school with 80 students. Today, visitors to Victory Academy are greeted by a beautiful new school building situated on four acres of pasture property in Wilsonville. Inside, the light-filled school features classrooms and offices tailored specifically to the needs of students with autism.
“The truly unique part of Victory is we meet the student where they are,” said Co-Founder and Director of School Tricia Hasbrook. “We are able to adapt to the needs of all students with autism and specialize curriculum and therapies for each individual student.”
Tricia’s son, AJ, attends Victory Academy while her eldest son, Nathan, is a junior at Jesuit High School. “Jesuit is everything it promised to be and more,” says Tricia. “Nathan has really grown
as a student and as an individual.” Jesuit and Victory Academy have similarities in their holistic approach to education. “Both schools put the student first and value the development of the whole student.”
Victory Academy students receive personalized learning plans and are placed in a classroom of their peers to best serve their learning needs. The team of teachers and specialists integrate and utilize social cognition, speech and language, occupational, and behavioral therapies in the classroom. They also offer students the opportunity to learn and practice life skills, such as cooking or doing laundry, which are not often taught in traditional classrooms.
Community based instruction is another integral part of Victory’s curriculum. Students look forward to lunch outings at restaurants to try new cuisine or afternoon trips to the movie theatre to practice leisure skills. Victory also offers extracurricular activities in athletics, art, technology, and theatre.
“Victory was started by two moms with personal experience raising children with autism,” said Co-Founder and Director of Operations Thea Schreiber. “We understand our families’ needs and we really love these kids.”
Before Victory Academy, both Tricia and Thea, like many other parents of children affected by autism, found themselves feeling overwhelmed balancing appointments with different therapists and specialists, while also worrying if their children’s needs were being met in a public school classroom. Victory Academy helps alleviate many of these worries for parents.
“Victory provides the culture and environment I want for my student,” said Lisa Handley, the parent of a current Victory student. “I know he will be supported, he will be around peers, and his needs will be met. I feel a sense of relief when I drop my student off because I am confident that the staff at Victory knows and loves my child.”
Like Tricia, Lisa also has ties to Jesuit High School. Her oldest son, Sam, graduated in Jesuit’s Class of 2018 and is currently playing lacrosse at the University of Pennsylvania (see page 41). Sam was one of several Jesuit students who completed his Christian Service project at Victory Academy.
One of Victory Academy’s most unique activities is the Transition Program. Students 13 years of age or older can spend a few afternoons a week at an internship with a local business, typically accompanied by a Victory teacher for support. The Transition Program helps students practice their social skills, build relationships in the community, and gain confidence and work experience. Ten students have been hired by these employers and are receiving pay for their work.
The school has also begun developing a post-graduate program that would continue to help address the needs of Victory students after high school. Over the next year, Victory will focus on building more working relationships with local businesses and identifying more opportunities for community, recreation, and independent living. Their goal is to have a pilot program ready for Victory Academy’s first graduating class in 2020.
“With Victory Academy’s support, students are able to exceed expectations,” said Tricia. “Our dream is to have the post-graduate program so that our students continue to feel supported and successful at every stage of their lives.”
As Victory Academy is already one dream come true, it seems certain Tricia and Thea will make their next dream a reality too.
Left: Victory Academy. Top: Victory Academy Co-Founder and Director of School (and JHS parent) Tricia Hasbrook and CoFounder and Director of Operations Thea Schreiber. Bottom: Victory Academy's classroom and art room.
