2017 Catholic High Spring Magazine-Digital Edition

Catholic H igh Spring Magazine

Lancaster

High

Catholic School

2017 Digital Edition

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Table of Contents 28

Page Title 6 Catholic High Begins Strategic Planning Process 8 In Honor of Their Son 9 Parents Stepping Up / Wish List Items 11 Catholic High Introduces New Schedule Math Trio Claims Top Honor at Regional Contest

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Freshman Earns All-State In Science Competition LCHS Honored as Program of Distinction in Music

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North Museum Partners with STEM Program Quiz Bowl Finishes Fourth

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Entrepreneurial Program Takes Off An Accidental Connection Intruder Drill Prepares Everyone When A Simple Skit Hits Close To Home Fine & Performing Arts In Action Hemlick Qualifies For All-State Ressel Earns Best In Show

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Diocese Selects St. Denis’ Christmas Card Tri-M Assists Crispus Attucks In Growing Music

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A Record-Breaking Night For Community Service Crusaders In The Community A Unique Opportunity To Give Back An Adventure for the Sake of Having An Adventure Alumni Citation Award Winners Mr. Reigner Retires From Catholic High Athletic Hall of Honor Dear State Champions: The Email That Drove A State Championship

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An Unbreakable Bond Crusader Success Celebrating Our Catholic Faith Tax Credit & Business Alliance Catholic High Alum Earns National Award A Roller Coaster Ride

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Ranauro’s Company Helping Lancaster County Boyer Named to Prestigious Women of Influence List

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Saxby’s Becomes Hot Spot on Campus Besecker’s Foundation Opens Many Doors Jankowski’s Flight Keeps Soaring Higher With Faith

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Class Notes Class Reunions

Catholic High Spring Magazine The Spring Magazine is published by the Lancaster Catholic Advancement Office.

Tim Hamer, President Mary Jo Yarris, Major Gifts Officer Kyla Hockley ‘96, Admissions Counselor Joe Sahd ‘01, Constituent Relations Director Kevin Carver, Public Relations Director Julie Waltman, Annual Giving Officer Lori Wagner ‘83, Special Events Coordinator Betty Isaacson, Advancement Services Coordinator Linda Chey, Multimedia Assistant Brooke Fisher, Communications Assistant

Special thanks to all of the contributors to this publication, including: Editor-in-Chief: Writers:

Special Contributors:

Copy Editors:

Printing:

Kevin Carver Brittany Brommer ‘18 Pat D’Elia Bryan Downey ‘17 Brooke Fisher Leslie Laird Sue Martin ‘72 Lakeshia O’Keiffe Kyle Postlethwait ‘17 Dave Sharp Sarah Veronis ‘10 Kathy Alton ‘79 Linda Chey Kyla Hockley’ 96 Joe Sahd ‘01 Deb Waters Mary Jo Yarris Kyla Hockley ‘96 Leslie Laird Sue Martin ‘72 Julie Waltman Deb Waters Prestige Color, Inc.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of this publication, and that it was created with the school’s Mission Statement in mind.

Lancaster Catholic Mission Statement

Guided by our core values, the mission of Lancaster Catholic High School is to develop students who are intellectually astute, passionately faithful and socially responsible through a rigorous and balanced educational experience.

On the Cover From left to right, Maya Dougherty ‘18, Devin McMahon ‘18 & Helena Ramos ‘18.

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Dear Friends, Lancaster Catholic High School continues to thrive! These pages tell the story of an exceptional year in which we completed the $4.5 million capital campaign for a new stadium at Rossmere, saw enrollment increase for the third-straight year, celebrated tremendous achievements in academics (page 11), athletics (page 34), the arts (page 20) and service to our community (page 27). Most importantly, our students demonstrated their commitment in myriad ways to living the Gospel values at the core of our mission as passionately faithful, intellectually astute and socially responsible young men and women!

As we approach our 90th anniversary as Lancaster County’s only Catholic High School, the 2016-17 school year has been one of looking back and looking ahead. We played the final game on the old field at Rossmere Stadium to make way for a new, state-of-the-art home for our Crusaders. In our quest to provide the best possible educational experience for our students, we designed a new class schedule which will be launched in September. This new ‘collegiate model’ schedule will extend class periods to allow more continuity and a wider array of instructional tools and approaches to be deployed by our teachers, in addition to providing time—during each school day rather than after school—for additional academic support. We achieved reaccreditation this year, but also earned the distinction for the first time of being named among Middle State’s elite “Programs of Distinction” in music.

To round out the year, we completed our first-ever strategic plan process and our baseball team won the L-L League Championship for the first time since 2013!

Our hearts are filled with gratitude for the great generosity of thousands of benefactors and friends whose gifts of time, talent, treasure and especially prayers in support of our shared ministry at Catholic High, made these achievements we celebrate possible.

I hope you enjoy the highlights and stories on these pages of the educators, students, alumni and friends who together make up the very special Family that is Lancaster Catholic High School. Go Crusaders!

Live Jesus!

Tim Hamer, LCHS President

Breaking Ground

Construction on the new Rossmere Stadium began with a Groundbreaking Ceremony on a brisk February 13, where President Tim Hamer thanked everyone who helped make the milestone possible through last year’s Capital Campaign. Warfel Construction is right on schedule with plans to open the Stadium in the Fall of 2017.

Pictured above (from left to right) are Rick & Diane Poillon, Nick Downey, President Tim Hamer, Bishop Ronald Gainer, Fr. Edward Quinlan, Dale Shenk, Principal Terry Klugh & Dave Madary.

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Catholic High Begins Strategic Planning Process This year, the Lancaster Catholic community began the process of strategically improving the school, physically, academically and spiritually, in our first ever Strategic Planning Proccess. About seventy-five members of the Catholic High community gathered in October for a seven-month planning journey that culminated on May 6th with its Convocation guided

by Dr. Bob Tift of Partners in Mission, a consulting firm focused exclusively on developing excellence in Catholic school advancement and leadership.

The process included monthly meetings where members of the community and school administration worked in six detailed groups: Academics, Advancement, Catholic Identity, Facilities, Finance and Student Life.

The committee members used our mission statement in everything that they did.

The plan is currently being finalized and will be completed by the end of June to be submitted to the Board this fall.

Once adopted, the complete plan will be available on our website under the Advancement tab.

The plan includes major facilities upgrades, new academic initiatives, and strategies on growing enrollment and enhancing the student experience.

Intellectually Astute, Passionately Faithful, and Socially Responsible

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Lancaster Catholic unveiled its newly redesigned website in March of 2017.

Congratulations

Class of 2017

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In Honor Of Their Son

by Leslie Laird

Greg Artuso ‘09, who passed away in 2015, had a strong pull on anyone he met. This past year, his parents, Dr. James and Ms. Patricia Artuso, helped grow his already lasting memory at Catholic High by generously donating new workout equipment for the training room.

“Greg was one of those people that no matter how tough of a day you were having, as soon as you saw him, you couldn’t help but smile,” former classmate John Sapone ‘09 remembered. Upon hearing that his family would be honoring Greg in this way, many of his classmates and friends commented on how this perfect gift encapsulated his spirit.

As a sports enthusiast, Greg loved track & field and golf, and he especially loved following the PGA Tour. While attending Catholic High, Greg competed in the 4x400 relay race at the 2008 Penn Relays.

“Greg enjoyed being a spectator at the relays as well,” his mother recalled. “We attended several times, including 2010 when Usain Bolt anchored the Jamaican 4x100 team to victory in a Penn-Relays record 37.90 seconds. It was very exciting!”

“When I think of Gregory, I think of service,” Physical Education Teacher Pete Anderson remembered.

“Service to God, family and, of course, country. He was one of those kids who make a teacher’s job less difficult by his mere presence in a room. I am happy to say that this donation is exactly what Greg would have wanted. He spent a lot of time in here.”

“All we can do is remember and keep him alive through our actions,” Michael Tearpock ‘09 explained. “I still play golf, watch the PGA tour, and lift/exercise for Greg because that was what he loved to do.”

Most importantly, Greg Artuso was a loving son and a loyal friend. Janet Lopez ‘09, who was friends with Greg throughout high school and college, remembers her classmate as an “amazing soul” whose “smile and laugh were contagious.”

“I felt blessed to have met him at LCHS and to have had the time with him that we did,” Beth Balasavage ‘09 recalled.

“He will forever live on with all of us and we are all tremendously grateful to have been impacted by such an amazing person,” Andrew Westwood ‘09 said.

Junior Henry Skehan gets a workout in on the equipment donated by the Artuso family.

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Wish List Items If you would like to assist in the donation of any of these items, or others on our website, please contact Mary Jo Yarris at 717-509-0313 or via email at mjyarris@lchsyes.org.

In Support of ... Our Students

The new freshman class will be getting Chromebooks instead of iPads as we transition into a more cost effective management system that will also allow better integration within the classrooms.

Sponsor a Chromebook for a student for $250

Miss Lakeisha O’Keiffe, first-year chemistry teacher, conducts an experiment with sophomore Sebastian Klemmer.

Parents Stepping Up

by Lakeisha O’Keiffe

As a first-year teacher at Lancaster Catholic, the parents have been amazing, especially Karen Mertzman ‘92.

We were doing an empirical formula experiment using old crucibles which happened to break during our experiment, and I had no idea what I was going to do.

The next day, Sebastian Klemmer came in with a bag of new crucibles sent from his amazing mother. She just saw a need and sent them in.

She also donated a state-of-the-art goggle organizer. The Flinn Goggle Organizer is usually on every chemistry teacher’s ‘wish list’, but we are lucky enough to have it in our lab. The Flinn stores 36 goggles and has a special ultraviolet cleaning mechanism, which allows students to safely share goggles that are clean and sanitary.

In Support of ... Our Facilities

The safety of our students is paramount to everything that we do. We have found a few locations in the building that are in need of more security cameras, including outside of the locker room doors.

Sponsor a security camera for $600

Sophomore Luke Miller uses the Flinn (below) and an up-close look at the UV cleaner on the new organizer (right).

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You have an identity and a true meaning here at Lancaster Catholic.

The school provides a personal connection because everyone knows everyone. ~ Will Riva, ‘17

Catholic High Introduces New Schedule

by Sue Martin ‘72

The 2017-18 school year will see the launch of a new academic class schedule. This new collegiate-style schedule will improve the education provided to all students in numerous ways while still aligning with the Mission and Core Values of Catholic High.

Students will still have seven or eight classes for the entire school year. However, rather than having all eight classes everyday for 41 minutes, students will now have four classes every other day for 76 minutes. They will have four of their eight classes on an A-Day, and the other four on a B-Day, very much like a typical college class schedule.

This change is the result of an extensive study by LCHS faculty and administrators that began in 2013, focusing on current best practices in secondary school scheduling. The schedule was chosen because it allows for longer, more focused instruction and more in-depth learning time.

Most importantly, this model opens the schedule for students to take advantage of additional learning opportunities and support during the school day, rather than before or after school.

In addition to lunch, the middle of the day will also include a daily “Crusader Period” individualized for each student. The Crusader Period will emphasize academic support, remediation, and enrichment, and it will be on a six-day rotation, which will also allow time for club meetings within the school day instead of before and after school. Many assemblies and other school-wide gatherings – which in the past have required reductions in class time – will now take place during the scheduled Crusader Period, limiting overall disruption to the schedule.

To prepare for this change, the teacher in-services for the past three years have focused on teaching to the new model. Faculty and students are looking forward to the change and the exciting opportunities the new schedule will offer.

Math Trio Claims Top Honor at Regional Contest

Lancaster Catholic High School claimed the top team and individual honors in the 2017 Harrisburg Area Community College Mathematics Competition this past spring.

All three individuals finished in the top 10 and the Crusaders earned the top overall score, claiming first place among 26 teams in the south-central region, including Bishop McDevitt High School, Hempfield High School, Lancaster Mennonite School and Manheim Township High School.

Senior Lennon Lu (second from left) won the individual competition with the highest score, while junior Cherie Chen (left) claimed second place. Sophomore Robert Wang (right) finished tied for 10th place.

This year’s contest was held at three different HACC campuses, and each student competed electronically between the Gettysburg, Harrisburg and Lancaster campuses. This was the first year that Lancaster Catholic participated in the event.

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Freshman Earns All-State In Science Competition Freshman Daniel Baksh claimed first place in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science competition in May. In addition to winning the top award in his Biochemistry category, Baksh took home the highest honor of the competition in his category, winning the Directors’ Award for Junior High Excellence in Biochemistry.

Baksh beat out 41 of the best Science fair projects from across the state to earn that top honor. Baksh will take Honors Chemistry during his sophomore year.

Catholic High Honored as Program of Distinction in Music The Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools (MSA-CESS) recently recognized Lancaster Catholic High School for its Program of Distinction in Music.

The Middle States Programs of Distinction initiative provides external validation of an accredited school’s accomplishments in specific areas of expertise and enables schools to take accreditation to the next level.

“Programs of Distinction are models for other academic programs throughout the world,” said Henry G. Cram, Ed.D. , president of MSA-CESS. “I congratulate Lancaster Catholic High School for its commitment to music education and for recognizing the importance of the arts as a central component of the curriculum.”

The Music Program of Distinction recognizes schools and school systems that foster within students a deep appreciation for music as an expressive, creative art form and where music education is recognized as an essential component of the social and cultural fiber of society and the school.

“At Lancaster Catholic, we believe that music and the arts are at the core of our human experience,” said Principal Terry Klugh. “As many American schools have eliminated the opportunities offered in fine arts courses, we have broadened and designed our curriculum so there is something for each and every student, from a course on the history of rock and roll to opportunities to join one of our many accomplished performance groups. We are proud that Middle States has recognized this work by naming our music program a Program of Distinction.”

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By meeting the Lancaster Catholic young women during their school day, we will continue to grow the pipeline of local young women pursuing STEM education and career opportunities. ~ Terry (Boyle) Kraft ‘87

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North Museum Partners With STEM Program Lancaster Catholic and the North Museum will begin a partnership in the 2017-18 academic year called the STEM Sisters Club. North Museum Executive Director and Catholic High alumna Terry (Boyle) Kraft ‘87 created the program in 2015 to address the diminishing interest in science, technology, engineering and math.

Starting in August 2017, the program will be available to interested girls during the new Crusader period, about once a week. There will be challenges, competition and general hands-on experience that has not normally been available to our Crusaders.

“The North Museum is excited to continue the growth of the program by piloting a franchised STEM Sisters Club with Lancaster Catholic High School,” Kraft explained. “By meeting the Lancaster Catholic young women where they are and during their school day, we will continue not only to grow participation in our program but also, more importantly,contribute to the pipeline of local young women pursuing STEM education and career opportunities.”

Quiz Bowl Finishes Fourth

by Pat D’Elia

The Quiz Bowl team completed a successful season, finishing fourth in a field of thirty-eight central Pennsylvania schools in the WGAL BrainBusters tournament. Their success earned a $1,000 prize from tournament sponsor, Wellspan Health.

The Crusaders were led by senior captain T.J. Oldham (second from left) and included senior and class salutatorian Matthew Sahd (left), senior George Reich (middle), junior Salvatore Zuber and sophomores Ben Ryan (right) and Johann Imperial.

As advisor for the team, I would like to thank the LCHS students, Crusader Crazies, faculty, staff, alumni, and family members who came out to support us through five tournament matches at WGAL. The studio audience for the Final Four match included three 2011 Crusader BrainBuster Champion team members: John Wachsman ‘11, Ed Kuchinski ‘11 and Brian Cullen ‘12.

The team will now compete in the National Academic Championship to be held in Alexandria, VA in June, the first national Quiz Bowl competition for LCHS since 2011.

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Entrepreneurial Program Takes Off

by Sue Martin ‘72

Since 2013, Lancaster Catholic has offered students the chance to earn special certificate recognition when they graduate. The original certificate programs are the St. Augustine Scholars, FPA Certification and STEM Certification. This past year, Catholic High added an Entrepreneurial Leadership Program.

J. Cole Portz is the first student to earn the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program certificate after finishing his Capstone project, and he recently reflected on the value of the program to his education.

“I was introduced to the idea of a Capstone project through the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program at Lancaster Catholic. I had to develop an idea or invention and figure out how to create and market it. I wanted to create a solution to an issue that I had personally encountered, knowing that someone else has had the same problem.

While doing homework, I listen to music through a speaker I own. However, I have always wished it was Bluetooth compatible (meaning that it operates wirelessly). Instead of buying new, expensive Bluetooth speakers, I wanted to create a small, affordable device that would make any device with a headphone jack Bluetooth compatible.

Through the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program, I was introduced to Mr. Alex Sahd (’04), a sales and marketing representative for DAS Companies. Alex introduced me to a device similar to the one I had imagined. I went to the DAS warehouse where Alex began to show me what he did on a daily basis. I learned about product placement, marketing, and sales strategies. Alex took me through the process of rebranding a specific technology products company.

Through this process and my independent research, I learned how valuable programs like the Entrepreneurial Leadership Program at Lancaster Catholic are. Through this program, I have learned and developed valuable skills and strategies that can be used in any career path I choose.

I am honored to be the first Lancaster Catholic student to receive this certification and am excited to use my new skills and knowledge at Penn State next year as I pursue Mechanical Engineering.”

Beginning with the 2017-18 school year the ELP will include a partnership with Millersville University offering two dual-credit Entrepreneurial courses taught by Millersville professors at Lancaster Catholic. The ELP is open to all students beginning in their sophomore year. If you would like to contribute as a guest speaker or donate to this new and exciting program, please contact Mr. Nick Marinaro, nmarinaro@lchsyes.org.

2016-17 Certificate Earners

Senior Cole Portz & Mr. Nick Marinaro after Portz’s Capstone project.

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FPA Certificates Elizabeth Baker Emily Baker Helen Cao Noah Cunningham Amanda DeCarolis Grace English Victoria Estrada Anne Farmer Brian Garfield Erin Good Gabrielle Hemlick Morgan Jaquis Faith Nikolaus Will Paterson Kyle Postlethwait Bryan Zhu Emma Wolf

St. Augustine Scholar Matthew Sahd STEM Certificate Ben Sallavanti Entrepreneurial Leadership J. Cole Portz

An Accidental Connection

by Brittany Brommer ‘18

When I think of our family tree here at Catholic High, the image of an oak tree comes to mind. The enormous branches and deep roots illustrate the long line of generations of families, and how deeply rooted we are in our faith and tradition. Unfortunately, sometimes the branches from our tree become hidden for some reason and members of our family seem to disappear. So, when God shines his light on those hidden branches, it truly feels special.

This past fall, Mrs. Kathy Alton and her Honors Theology III class unexpectedly helped connect a missing branch back to our Catholic High tree. Over the summer, we were required to read a book of our choice from topics ranging from prisoners of war to atheists who converted to the faith. The book that I chose was an account of a former-atheist, Jennifer Fulwiler, and her road to conversion to the Catholic church. Something Other Than God: How I Passionately Sought Happiness and Accidentally Found It, took me through the Texan’s lifestyle as an atheist, finding her soul mate Joe, having kids, undergoing hardships and finally stumbling across the faith.

The second part of the summer assignment was to do write a letter to the author of the book that we chose and include a few questions that we would like to ask the author. Mrs. Alton wasn’t sure if she was going to actually send the letters to the author or just collect them as a graded portion of the project, but after some thought, she decided to send the letters that we wrote, never expecting anything in return.

A few weeks later, a few of my classmates and I began to bring letters into class that Fulwiler had sent back.

The letters were short and sweet due to her busy schedule, yet still very meaningful. Shocked at the unexpected response, Mrs. Alton read the letters and became speechless when she read the last paragraph.

Fulwiler, a native Texan, found time to write our class back because she recognized the name of our high school.

Her mother, Pamela Geraghty, who was a prominent figure in the book, was a student at Lancaster Catholic from 1960-62. Immediately, Mrs. Alton sent us to find the yearbooks of these years, and sure enough, we found Pamela Geraghty pictured multiple times.

In my letter, Fulwiler ended by saying, “God must have had a plan to connect me with you guys.” And sure enough He did, uncovering yet another branch to our family tree.

Texas author Jennifer Fulwiler (pictured right with her book, Something Other Than God) was an inspiration to Mrs. Kathy Alton’s Honors Theology III class. Her mother is pictured above (purple circle) in the 1962 Rosmarian in the Glee Club at Lancaster Catholic.

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Intruder Drill Prepares Everyone

by Kevin Carver

Lancaster Catholic teamed up with the South Central Task Force (SCTF) on September 16, 2016 to conduct an Intruder Drill. The exercise was held to prepare LCHS students, faculty and staff, as well as local police, responders and task force members on what to do in the event of a real intruder on campus.

The drill was the first of its kind in the region with all Lancaster Catholic students and faculty participating in the exercise. The task force also allowed and encouraged those involved to call and text 911, something that had never been done before in a drill in the entire country.

The idea of the drill came from LCHS senior Sara Kashatus, who is the daughter of SCTF Planning Specialist Ann Harach. Kashatus wondered if her school would be prepared if a shooter was in the school, beginning a process of planning that was more than eight months in the making with the SCTF and LCHS school officials.

The day began like any normal day before it was interrupted with “gun shots” around 9 a.m. Teachers and students made the decision to either evacuate the building or lockdown and hide in their classrooms if they felt the intruder posed a threat.

Local police and emergency personnel responded and entered the building, looking to end the threat. All Lancaster Catholic students and faculty eventually met at Rossmere Stadium and began reunification.

LCHS had school counselors available at the stadium and the task force provided Crisis Response Canines.

“The idea of the drill was to increase preparedness in the school as well as the community,” LCHS Vice Principal Adrienne Howe said. “We wanted participants to do what they would do if it was a real emergency, and I cannot be more proud of everyone involved in the events.”

Following the exercise, the entire LCHS student body, faculty and staff met those responsible for the drill in an afternoon assembly. Attendees asked questions, gave thanks and discussed the day’s events.

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When A Simple Skit Hits Close To Home Sometimes we read a book, see a movie clip or watch a TV show and it feels so familiar. That’s exactly what Richard Stiles felt on Grandparents’ Day at Catholic High this past April.

Stiles, along with the other 200-plus grandparents in the room, was treated to a skit from a docudrama titled Women and War, written by Jack Hilton Cunningham. The part of Helen, played by Amy Alton ‘18, detailed love letters written between Helen and her fiance, Buddy, before hewas shipped away to World War II on the USNS Buckner in 1945. Buddy called his girl “Sweat Pea”.

After the short skit was performed, Stiles pulled Alton aside and shared with her that he actually lived that skit when he was 17 years old. He wrote letters to his “Peaches” while he was on the USNS Buckner. Stiles asked if he could have a picture taken with “Sweat Pea”.

Amy Alton ‘18 & Richard Stiles pose after the Women and War skit on Grandparents’ Day (upper left)...Alton performs the role of Helen in Old Main on March 8, International Women’s Day (middle left)...Stiles standing in front of the Arc de Triomphe in Paris in 1945 (bottom left)...

Stiles writes to Alton after her skit to thank her for the memories (lower right).

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Fine & Performing Arts In Action

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1. Godspell The cast belts out an ensemble number from the Fall musical, Godspell, directed by Miss Tracy Wagner.

2. Shrek: The Musical The Spring musical was a hilarious hit, as Fine & Performing Arts’ students performed Shrek: The Musical. Junior Sheridan Schreyer played Fiona, freshman Aaron Kern was Donkey, and junior Peter Witkowski starred as Shrek.

3. Mass Choir Mr. Scott Drackley directs the choir during the All-Saints Day Mass.

4. Marching Band FPA musicians perform their halftime show at Homecoming 2016.

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Hemlick Qualifies For All-State Gabrielle Hemlick became the first violinist in school history to qualify for the Pennsylvania Music Educators Association (PMEA) All-State Orchestra after placing first in her category at the Central Regional Orchestra Festival in Hershey in March. She placed first out of sixteen second violins from 17 different Central PA counties.

The PMEA Orchestra Festival Program is a highly competitive process in which Hemlick has participated in for all four years of high school. It begins in December of each year when hundreds of young musicians across the state audition on scales, a solo piece, and sight-reading for entry.

Out of over 100 violinists in her home district, Hemlick was one of 24 second violins selected for District Orchestra, where she re-auditioned on orchestral music and placed first this year. She then proceeded to Regional Orchestra and, after re-auditioning, placed first again, while only four second violins qualified for State Orchestra.

The PMEA All-State Conference, which consists of Jazz Ensemble, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, Wind Ensemble, Chorus, Concert Band, and Orchestra took place in Erie in April.

Ressel Earns Best In Show

Art Teacher Richard Ressel ‘71 was awarded Best In Show at the Richeson75 Small Works 2017 Competition, as selected by Awards’ Juror Jan Mirenda, for this watercolor painting titled A Touch of Orange. It took the top prize and a $5,000 cash award.

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Diocese Selects St. Denis’ Christmas Card Catholic High senior Annie St. Denis was annouced the winner of the 2016 Diocese of Harrisburg Christmas Card Contest for her design, pictured to the right.

The contest was open to all 39 catholic schools in the Diocese, representing over 11,000 students. St. Denis was the 9-12 grade winner, selected from 65 submissions. Her design was sent out by Bishop Ronald Gainer over this past Christmas.

The theme of the contest this year asked for the students’ interpretation of the birth of Jesus Christ as seen through his or her eyes.

Each school was allowed to submit one entry per grade category which were; Grades K–2, 3-5, 6-8 and 9-12. The submissions were judged by Diocesan employees to the top three in each category. A winner from those finalists was then selected by Bishop Gainer.

St. Denis was also invited to a luncheon with Bishop Gainer to celebrate with her parents and teachers.

Tri-M Assists Crispus Attucks In Growing Music

by Kyle Postlethwait ‘17

It has been a joy to serve as the president of Lancaster Catholic’s chapter of the Tri-M Music Honor Society this year. We spent all our efforts raising money for the Crispus Attucks Community Center of Lancaster. The center hosts after-school events for urban children to promote their cultural awareness and build their futures.

Being a music honor society, we especially wanted to support their growing music program by donating equipment.

My peers and I were proud to partner with Mrs. Carol Rae Culliton, her son Adam ‘07 and their Robert J. Gunterberg Charitable Foundation in support Crispus Attucks and the Infamous Unstoppables Drill Team & Drum Squad.

Through our many bake sales and fundraisers, we were able to raise $5,750, in addition to our donation of drums, to give to Crispus Attucks, so that they will be able to continue promoting community prosperity by empowering the youth of Lancaster.

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An annual tradition at Lancaster Catholic, like most schools in the state of Pennsylvania, to dance the night away on a spring evening. The 2017 version of MiniTHON will go down as one of the most memorable nights in school history after the Catholic High community donated a record-breaking $50,313.

But to think that it all comes together in just one evening would be the farthest thing from the truth.

“This is an almost year-long activity that is run by the students,” Mini-THON assistant Kent Reigner explained.

“It takes everyone in the community to make this event a success, from the motivated students, to Beth Newill (Mini-THON Advisor), the faculty, staff and parents.”

For a smaller school like LCHS to make such a large donation speaks to the generosity and will-power of Lancaster Catholic.

This year, the event began after Mass at 6 p.m. on March 25th, and there were approximately 350 members of the community who took part in the community hours portion of Mini-THON. Almost 250 student dancers remained until 6 a.m.

The Crusaders competed in dance competitions, scavenger hunts and talent shows. They also took part in the Midnight Mile, where they walked outside with luminaries purchased in honor of individuals who have fought the fight against cancer. Participants danced and listened to live music while remaining standing all night long.

The co-chairs of this year’s event were seniors Sarah Heise and Sydney Ernst. They kept things in motion for almost an entire year by pushing the students to complete all of their activities leading up to the marathon night.

Miss Newill was also the guiding force for the students, helping them get in place to end with a record-breaking total. Last year, the students raised $33,164, and the group wanted to top that amount. Under the direction of Newill, Heise, and Ernst, the Crusaders raised almost 150% of last year’s total.

Plans for next year’s event will jump start before school is dismissed for the summer. The students will elect event chairs and sub-committee chairs and then begin scheduling events to help raise money #ForTheKids.

Whether you are purchasing baked goods at a football game or helping the student dancers raise their individual pledge goal of $80, you are helping to benefit the cause.

As for this year, the $50,313 (after the final tally) will as always be donated to the Four Diamonds Fund to help conquer childhood cancer in the state of Pennsylvania.

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A Record-Breaking Night For Community Service

by Kevin Carver

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Devin McMahon (1) and the rest of the Mother Teresa Project (2) invited Lancaster Catholic, Lancaster Country Day and McCaskey students to a formal to raise money to end homelessness in Lancaster County.

Izzy Miller & Will Riva (3) planted US flags around the school as part of Varsity Club’s Veteran’s Day Remembrance.

Harley Winters (4) and four other seniors got their heads shaved military-style after Catholic High students reached their goal by collecting over 600 toys for Toys For Tots.

Dominik Sanchez & Chase Kinsey (5) perform community service projects at the Catholic Worker House during Catholic Schools Week.

The boys basketball team (6) came together to raise awareness for lymphoma to support former teammate Joe Zukus ‘15 who was diagnosed this past winter.

Crusaders collected boxes of food (7) to give to local families in need for their Thanksgiving Food Drive through the Respect Life Club.

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A Unique Opportunity To Give Back

by Kevin Carver

Lawrence Kaufhold Jr. never knew the six Crusaders that served as his pall bearers. The 90-year-old unclaimed veteran who served in the Navy during World War II passed away on November 8 and didn’t have anyone to take him to his final resting place.

That’s when LCHS alumnus Chad Snyder of Snyder Funeral Homes & Crematory invited six Crusaders to respond to their Christian obligation to bury the dead as a Corporal Work of Mercy.

Snyder was able to obtain Mr. Kaufhold’s Honorable Discharge documents from the Veteran’s Administration, which allowed the Funeral Home to bury him at Fort Indiantown Gap National Cemetery with proper military honors.

“What a meaningful opportunity to know what it means to serve their country,” Snyder said of the six LCHS volunteers.

“It allowed them a hands-on experience that they may have never had before.”

Ben Collister, Bryan Downey, Miles McCaskey, Devin McMahon, Mike Nicklaus and RJ Van Tash all recognized the importance of the matter and immediately volunteered to serve as pall bearers. McMahon works with the homeless of Lancaster as part of his service project, while the rest of the upperclassmen are active members of the school’s Varsity Club that works closely with veterans.

“It was a tremendous honor to be a part of it,” McMahon explained. “I have so much respect for veterans. They are incredible people, each and every one of them.”

On a brisk, windy November afternoon, the six brave Crusaders carried the casket to a peaceful pavilion and were joined by about a dozen and a half veterans who displayed flags, prayed, played ‘Taps’ or paid tribute by firing volley shots. No one in attendance knew Lawrence, but that didn’t matter.

After the brief ceremony, Snyder was handed the US Flag that was draped over the coffin. He donated it back to the cemetery to fly in Kaufhold’s memory.

Each student received an empty rifle shell to serve as remembrance of the time that they put service above self for someone in need.

“It breaks my heart that he didn’t have any family,” McMahon said, “but I’m just glad that we were here for him to give him what he deserves.”

Lancaster Catholic High School | 27

An Adventure for the Sake of Having An Adventure

by Kevin Carver

Sitting in his windowless office after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University, David Grabowski ‘07 admittedly had settled into a depression. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do with his life, but he knew he needed a different view.

After a miraculous three-plus-year journey, that view came from 3,000 feet in the air.

“It’s gorgeous up there,” said Grabowski with a smile on his face.

One day, David decided that he wanted to learn how to fly a trike (basically a hanglider on top of a go-kart) and not just learn, but actually fly this bare-bones contraption across the country.

He researched everything about trikes including learning about Cal Rodgers, a pilot who first flew across the country in 1911. Rodgers’ flight began in Montauk, NY on a device that more resembled the Wright Brothers’ plane than a motorized scooter. He ended in California.

And so, after building and learning, and through numerous stumbles, missteps and personal struggles, David’s 40-day journey to retrace Rodgers’ path in reverse began on September 17. On November 2, he made one stop that his idol didn’t make, to Smoketown Airport in Lancaster County.

David landed among a crowd of about 20 friends and family and immediately received a hug from his mother.

“Usually I land at a rural airport, and there’s no one there. Having a group of people looking forward to having me here was kind of overwhelming. And, most airport managers don’t hug me when I land.”

The entire journey has been documented by his film crew, from the beginning and the lows of his struggles of why he was doing this to the highs of personal success and actual heights that reached 7,500 feet.

28 | Spring Magazine 2017

David wanted to create a story not only about what it’s like to become a pilot and what it’s like to fly across the country, but also about the country itself.

“It’s just you, all by yourself. There’s no checklist. No tour guide. Sometimes it’s worth having an adventure for the sake of having an adventure.”

After the brief stop home, David got right back in the air and finished his trip. Final destination: Montauk.

Now that this three-year detour in life is over, he’s conflicted. He compared it to running a marathon, citing that you always want to give up with about six miles to go, but you push through. “No one ever decides to run another few miles after the marathon is over.”

But he will miss the flights and the peacefulness of the journey.

“I’ll probably want to get back up in the air in a few weeks somehow. But I’m looking forward to coming back to things that I love doing, like writing and music, and rediscover them in new ways.”

After his monumental trek, David ran in the New York City Marathon with his girlfriend who was expecting at the time. They welcomed a healthy baby boy, Emmet, into the world this past March.

David was welcomed with hugs from his parents, Robert & Diane Grabowski

Lancaster Catholic High School | 29

Alumni Citation Award Winners This year’s recepients of the highest honor bestowed upon a Lancaster Catholic alumni.

Carole A. Bitts ‘58 Carole has distinguished herself throughout a storied career in music, entertainment, broadcasting, journalism and education. With her love of vocal music, encouraged by Sr. Regina Mary, Carole went on to study acting and voice in New York City, which led to performances at the Columbia Little Theater, at the Fulton Opera House, with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, and the list goes on. As a journalist, Carole worked with a number of local colleges and universities, hosted a series on WITF, worked for WGAL, and wrote for Lancaster County Magazine. As if that was not enough to distinguish Carole, she ended her professional career as a 5th grade teacher in the Donegal School District.

Beyond her professional work, Carole volunteers countless hours to her parish and organizations throughout the larger Lancaster community.

Dr. G. Terry Madonna ‘59

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Terry Madonna’s passion for history was fueled during his time at Lancaster Catholic and led him to pursue a career dedicated to exploring topics from the American Revolution to the American presidency and the American political system. Terry spent thirty-seven years at Millersville University in a variety of roles, directed the University of Pennsylvania’s Master of Governmental Administration program (Harrisburg), and now serves as the Director of the Center for Politics and Public Affairs at Franklin & Marshall College. Terry established the Keystone Poll, now known as the Franklin & Marshall College Poll, which has given him the opportunity to serve as a commentator and analyst for television, radio and newspapers across the state and beyond. Despite his notoriety in the arena of politics, Terry is most satisfied by his work done in the classroom as a professor.

Donna Schreder Matuzak ‘73 There wasn’t much Donna wasn’t involved in at Lancaster Catholic as a student, and the same can be said of her time as an alumna. Donna was involved with the Phon-A-Thon during its early years and continues to give of her evenings in October to pick up the phone on behalf of LCHS. While her children were at Catholic High, Donna volunteered with the March Madness Committee and began an 8-year run of serving as a chairperson for the Lancaster Catholic Carnival, which was no small undertaking. Though Donna’s children have graduated, her service to Lancaster Catholic continues as she has emceed our Purple & Gold Gala for two years and is currently serving on the Golf Committee, the Strategic Planning Committee, and is a member of the School Board. Donna gives so freely of her time to Lancaster Catholic because she recognizes that the legacy and tradition must continue.

Dr. Maribeth Schreder LeBreton ‘77 Maribeth’s involvement in the Health Careers Club at Lancaster Catholic seems to have become a self-fulfilling prophecy as she has dedicated her professional work to the field of nursing. In all of Maribeth’s roles, she has ultimately worked in service to her patients, whether that be in a surgical step-down unit, intensive care unit with cardiac patients or with high-risk patients with complex needs who require assistance in their transition from hospital care to managing their own healthcare from home.

In order to provide what is best for her patients, Maribeth has remained committed to ensuring that she is as well-educated as possible having recently earned her Doctor of Nurse of Practice degree from Widener University. Maribeth is to be commended for her dedication to improving the health literacy of her patients, which changed the process system-wide at Lancaster General Hospital.

Jim Weber ‘81 While Jim Weber is known to many as the owner of Weber Advertizing and Marketing and has done quite well for himself professionally, Lancaster Catholic chose to honor Jim for his service to humanity. Jim, along with his wife Jennifer, organizes and directs The Cookie Sale, which is a fundraiser for Cross International’s Hunger Relief Program with the funds being earmarked for Haiti and Nicaragua. What began in 1997 as a service project with his CCD class at St. Joe’s, has become a major endeavor that spans parishes and organizations throughout Lancaster County. Estimates from the 2016 Cookie Sale indicate that approximately 2.5 million people will be fed, which is after a $20,000 donation was made to a school in Haiti that was damaged by Hurricane Matthew. Jim’s dedication to this mission and ministry has led to almost 10 million people being fed through this endeavor.

Lancaster Catholic High School | 31

Mr. Reigner Retires From Catholic High

by Dave Sharp

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Kent Reigner, esteemed math teacher, retired following the 2016-17 year after spending 45 years educating the youth of Pennsylvania. He began his career at Chichester High School in Chester County. He spent many years teaching math and serving as the athletic director at Conestoga Valley High School, and he finished up his storied career here at Lancaster Catholic.

Mr. Reigner is one of our most revered educators. He is highly regarded by his colleagues and beloved by his students. He was always willing to help out in any way possible. For example, he volunteered to be co-chair of MiniTHON for the past two years. This undertaking involves a tremendous amount of work above and beyond his teaching workload.

The LCHS community will miss Mr. Reigner and wishes him all the best in his retirement. His retirement plans include traveling and spending time with his family.

Purple & Gold Gala APRIL 7, 2018

32 | Spring Magazine 2017

Athletic Hall of Honor

Lancaster Catholic High School held its annual Athletics Hall of Honor Ceremony with a basketball filled class and celebration.

All three members of the induction class, Tony ‘Pops’ Arcudi, Kristin (Hirschler) Gilhool and Kari (Kubala) Null, played or coached basketball at elevated levels of greatness.

The evening was filled with wonderful friends and family, great stories, a few laughs and even a few tears.

Arcudi was presented by his old friend Sam Paone ‘54, and ‘Pops’ gave a short but sweet speech where he remembered his late wife, Mary Ann. The entire boy’s basketball program, where Arcudi still helps out and never misses a game, showed up for his induction and each member of the team greeted him with a congratulatroy hug prior to the ceremony.

Arcudi joined the LCHS family in 1987 as an assistant boys’ basketball coach. After 27 years as an assistant coach at Lancaster Catholic, he was looked up to by players and families as a mentor and father figure. Coach Arcudi coached for over 54 years and dedicated his time to teaching, molding, and mentoring young boys into better players and people.

Bill Hayek presented Gilhool, and he remembered a few good stories of her career and his daughters’ in-

teraction with her, including presenting Gilhool with a poster-sized image of her sharing a laugh with his daughters with her big hoop earrings.

Gilhool ’90, helped the Crusader girls’ basketball team to three L-L League Section Championships, two L-L League Championships, three PIAA District III Championships, PIAA AAA State Championship Runner-up in 1988, and the PIAA AAA State Championship in 1989.

She is the third all-time leading scorer at LCHS with 1,301 points and grabbed over 1,000 career rebounds.

The final presenter was Ron Kubala ‘65, Kari’s father.

He fought through proud tears to introduce his daughter and remembered her with kind words and great stories about how he may have bent the rules to allow her to play early.

Null ‘96, was an All-Star for the basketball team finishing her career with 1,003 points and leading LCHS to the PIAA District III Championship and PIAA AAA State Championship in 1996. She was named the team defensive MVP, L-L League Section III All-Star, L-L League All County All-Star and Reader’s Choice 2nd Team All-Star during her junior season. During her senior year, Null was named L-L League Section III All-Star, L-L League All-County and PIAA District III All-Star.

The 2017 Hall of Honor Recepients (l-r) Kristin (Hirschler) Gilhool, Tony ‘Pops’ Arcudi and Kari (Kubala) Null.

Lancaster Catholic High School | 33

Dear State Champions: The Email That Drove A State Championship

by Kevin Carver

34 | Spring Magazine 2017

2016 State Champions (left to right) RJ VanTash, Sean McNamara, Will Riva, Lauren Bird, Head Coach Ron Weaver & Thomas Bird.

RJ VanTash, Will Riva & Lauren Bird celebrate at a school rally.

The subject line read ‘Dear State Champions’. That was the email sent from Crusader head coach Ron Weaver to his golf team - in the preseason.

On October 26, 2016, the Lancaster Catholic golf team followed through on that prophetic electronic letter with the program’s first State Title. Led by five upperclassmen, four boys and one girl, the Crusaders captured their preseason goal with a 10-stroke victory.

It was the cherry on the top of an amazing season that saw individual and team success from the first match. Yet, if you ask Weaver, this State Championship was built before the season even started.

“There were so many times that the selflessness of the team came through at practices and in discussions with who should play this round or that round,” Weaver explained. “I knew this was going to be a special season.”

The talent that LCHS had this year was unprecedented, and the consistency of that depth was the key to achieving the ultimate prize.

Junior RJ VanTash captured the Lancaster-Lebanon League Title earlier in the month, but seniors Will Riva and Lauren Bird each recorded top-5 finishes in the region and district tournaments.

All three claimed top-10 honors at the individual portion of the PIAA State Championships, but all five golfers selected on the day of the team competition came through to earn the crown, just like they did all season.

Riva, the team captain, posted the best score for the team on the magical afternoon, but junior Thomas Bird and senior Sean McNamara both posted great scores and continued to underscore their importance to the team depth.

“From 1-to-7, we were the most consistent team every time we stepped on the course this year,” Weaver added. “That consistency was the key to our success all season.”

In all, it marks the 23rd PIAA State Title in Lancaster Catholic Athletic history, and it kick-started an amazing year of success for the Crusaders.

~ Ron Weaver ‘77

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There were so many times that the selflessness of the team came through at practices.

Lancaster Catholic High School | 35

An Unbreakable Bond

by Bryan Downey ‘17

Bryan Downey, Christian Sweigert, Rufus Fulton IV & Ricky Poillon walk out as captains of the 2016 football team. The boys basketball team after winning the LL League Championship (top right) and the baseball team poses with the LL League Championship trophy in May.

Being a part of three athletic teams at Lancaster Catholic has provided memories that I’m sure will last a lifetime. Sure, scoring a touchdown, making a three-pointer and smacking a double are cool, but my favorite memories come from the teammates and friends with whom I was surrounded. The opportunity to play football and basketball in front of the raucous Crusader Crazies put a smile on my face every time I ran onto the field/ court. To be engulfed in a tight battle, and then look into the stands and see the student body and even faculty members rooting us on, illustrates the family atmosphere that sports provide at Lancaster Catholic.

There could not be a stronger family bond than that which I shared with my teammates. Our 2016 football team, after a long and grueling summer, came together to be the first LCHS football team to win a Section Title in five years. Our 2017 basketball team, led by eleven close-knit seniors, also garnered hardware with our school’s second ever Lancaster-Lebanon League Title, and a Pennsylvania District 3 Title. In the spring, our 2017 baseball team won the school’s second Lancaster-Lebanon League Title. There is a common theme here - 2017 was a special year.

Five, ten, or even twenty years from now, when my friends and I come back to LCHS and see “2017” plastered on banners all across the gym, I hope we will all remember the bond our teams and classmates shared in this incredible year. Truly, our 2017 teams became brothers by putting ourselves on the line for each other and sacrificing personal glory for team success. However, this bond didn’t end at the sidelines. Partnered with the Crusader Crazies, 2017 was a year that perfectly embodied what athletics at Lancaster Catholic are all about.

I am proud to be a member of the LCHS Class of 2017, and it has been an honor to be a part of the 2016-2017 athletic teams that have forever left their mark on the banners hanging in Berger Gymnasium.

36 | Spring Magazine 2017

Lancaster Catholic High School | 37

Kiki Jefferson (left) had a fantastic sophomore campaign. She earned USA Today First-Team AllState honors, becoming the only underclassman on the five-player list. Jefferson also netted her 1,000th career point in January becoming the first 10th-grader in the Lancaster-Lebanon League to achieve the feat in recent memory.

Jefferson and a host of experienced Crusaders led the Lancaster Catholic community on another long playoff run. The team reached the Final Four of the PIAA 4A Girls Basketball Championships.

The Crusaders (below) finished the 2016-17 season with a 24-7 record and defeated Bishop McDevitt, 62-46, in the PIAA Quarterfinals to reach the Final Four.

Tonys’ Joyful Ride

38 | Spring Magazine 2017

by Tony Mrakovich ‘17 I was given the opportunity to drive for former NASCAR driver Kenny Schrader in the ARCA Racing Series.

We are running part time this year preparing for a full season next year with the team. After that, we have some connections into Hendrick Motorsports and Richard Childress to hopefully create more opportunities in the future!

We ran two races this year in Nashville and Indiana.

Both were 200 laps of craziness and we were able to come home 8th and 9th place.

Crusader Success Girls Soccer reached Districts for the first time since 2008.

Softball finished with a .500 record at 10-10 for the 2017 season.

Field Hockey finsihed 13-6-1 and reached Districts for the fourth time in the last five years.

Girls Lacrosse finished a successful season as a co-op with Lancaster Country Day as runners-up in the Lancaster-Lebanon League.

Girls Tennis reached the PIAA Championships after taking second place in the District. Lancaster Catholic won first and second place in both the singles and doubles in the Lancaster-Lebanon League.

Volleyball had a tremendous first season, pairing with Lancaster Country Day. The Crusaders were 8-10 in the inaugural campaign.

Girls Swimming finished strong as senior Kayla Sudbrink qualified for the PIAA Championahips.

Boys Lacrosse scored its most wins in a season and qualified for districts in 2017. The program is a co-op with Lancaster Country Day.

Lancaster Catholic High School | 39

Celebrating Our Catholic Faith

The spring of 2017 brings much to celebrate and be grateful for regarding vocations! As we gear up for our November celebration of Pillars of Truth, an evening to honor alumni vocations and religious who have served the Catholic High community, we pause to mark some current milestones. We celebrate the priestly ordination of Joshua Cavender ‘07, the diaconate ordination of Timothy Sahd ‘97, and three 25-Year Anniversaries of Ordination for pastors Father Allan Wolfe, Father Dan Powell and Father John McLoughlin, CSSR. Rev. Josh Cavender, was ordained as a priest of the Diocese of Harrisburg on June 3, 2017 by the Most Reverend Ronald Gainer, Bishop of Harrisburg at St. Patrick’s Cathedral. Son of Rob (Director of Facilities at LCHS) and Dr. Jane Cavender, Josh is the oldest of five brothers and a 2007 graduate of LCHS, where he ran track, wrestled, and played football and chess.

It was at LCHS that he began seriously discerning his vocation. After graduating from Juniata College, Cavender attended seminary at Mount Saint Mary’s in Emmitsburg, MD. “I cannot thank Lancaster Catholic enough for the formation as a Catholic man and the excellent education that she has provided me. It was at LCHS that I started to become academically proficient. I found a good group of friends, and learned under many teachers who taught me much more than how to pass a test or write a paper. I hope that I am able to give back to my Alma Mater that has been so good and nurturing to me!”

Rev. Mr. Timothy Sahd is the most recent Crusader alumnus to be ordained a transitional Deacon. Sahd grew up in Columbia, PA attending Holy Trinity Catholic Church and Holy Trinity Catholic School before attending LCHS. Upon his graduation in 1997, he attended St. Bonaventure University graduating with a degree in journalism after which he worked in his field for nine years before returning to his family’s recycling business. He discerned his call to the priesthood and entered St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in 2012. For the next year, Deacon Sahd can be seen and heard serving the parish of St. John Neumann in Lancaster, PA until his ordination to the priesthood expected in May of 2018.

“What I loved about Lancaster Catholic was the way the teachers were invested in the progress of their students. I’m full of gratitude for the gift of Ordination to the Diaconate. I can’t imagine living any other vocation, despite the fact that I’ve loved all of my previous jobs.

This is what, I believe, God has made me for.”

40 | Spring Magazine 2017

Oldest son of Dr. Allan and Mrs. Julianna Wolfe of Annville, PA, Rev. Allan Wolfe, grew up under the guidance of the late Msgr. Thomas Smith, who became his mentor and predecessor. He was ordained in Harrisburg by the Most Reverend Nicholas C. Dattilo in May of 1992 after graduating from the Pontifical College Josephinum in Columbus, OH. Father Wolfe has served parishes and high schools in both Dauphin and Lancaster counties and currently serves as the pastor of both San Juan Bautista and St. Joseph parishes since 2003 and 2014 respectively. In addition, he is the chaplain for the Lancaster City Fire and Police Bureaus and associate chaplain for the Order of Malta, and provides both a radio show and prison ministry. He has blessed Lancaster Catholic High School for the past 21 years as Chaplain and loves the rhythm of the school that shapes its students and keeps him young. We are grateful for his presence and service!

New to service in Lancaster County, Dan Powell has already made himself at home and is a familiar face in the halls of Catholic High. After graduation from St. Vincent Seminary in Latrobe, PA, he was ordained with Wolfe in May of 1992 by Bishop Dattilo, Powell has since served as pastor and college campus minister at various parishes and colleges throughout the Diocese of Harrisburg.

Assigned as pastor of St. John Neumann parish in 2015, he also serves as administrator for St. Anne School and on the Finance Committee of the LCHS School Board.

Rev. John McLoughlin, is a member of the Redemptorist priests of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer (CSSR) who have been serving the Ephrata community since 1914. Born in Brooklyn to Irish immigrant parents, Tom and Rose McLoughlin, he grew up in a Redemptorist parish and eventually attended the Redemptorist Minor and College Seminaries before graduating from Washington Theological Union. He was ordained at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. in May of 1992 and has since worked in missionary and parish work in Dominica, St. Croix, Baltimore, and since 2009 at Our Mother of Perpetual Hope Parish in Ephrata, PA. His love and commitment to Catholic Education sees him at everything from LCHS football games, plays and musicals to celebrating Masses with the players and casts. Fr. John is a welcome face to faculty, staff, families and students, and if he isn’t at a ball game he is on a Kairos Retreat team, or serving the LCHS School Board. Fr. John was also a winner of the 2015 NCEA Distinguished Pastor Award.

Ten alumni join Bishop Ronald Gainer, as seminarian servers, deacons, and concelebrants in addition to several pastors, a former principal and relatives of graduates at the 2017 Baccalaureate Mass.

Lancaster Catholic High School | 41

Tax Credit & Business Alliance Pennsylvania allows qualifying businesses to redirect a portion of its state tax dollars to Lancaster Catholic High School through the Tax Credit Programs. The Educational Improvement Tax Credit (EITC) and Opportunity Scholarship Tax Credit (OSTC) Programs serve as transformational tuition assistance funds for our students and families.

Lancaster Catholic’s Business Alliance Program is your one-stop-shop for numerous year-long LCHS marketing & advertising opportunities by providing true marketing value across a wide variety of multi-platform advertising methods!

The Business Alliance Program helps to underwrite all the Academic, Athletic and Fine & Performing Arts involvement opportunities that we are able to offer our students.

Charles F. Snyder Funeral Homes & Crematory “Chad and I are incredibly grateful that our business has the opportunity to help make Lancaster Catholic High School more accessible to students by providing tuition assistance funds through the EITC & OSTC Educational Tax Credit Programs! Our family is blessed and honored to have 3 generations of the Snyder family attend LCHS and we look forward to continuing this with the 4th generation of Snyder’s!”

~ Chip ‘70 & Chad ‘00 Snyder

Ganse Apothecary “I really enjoyed my time at Lancaster Catholic and it definitely helped prepare me for the future. My wife, who is also an alumna, and I wanted this same strong sense of community and family, grounded in our faith, for our children’s education. This is why they are enrolled in one of the local Parochial Schools and we look forward to having them excel at Lancaster Catholic High School as well! I am thrilled that Ganse Apothecary is able to redirect some of our state tax dollars to our local Catholic schools! We have to pay taxes regardless, so why not have a say in where some of it goes?”

~ Greg Ganse ‘97

“Each one of my teachers encourages us to challenge ourselves every day to fully develop all of our God-given abilities. Thank you to all the businesses who participate in the Tax Credit Programs because your continued support means we are able to earn a first-class education in a Christ-centered environment.”

~ Gavin Morales ‘20

42 | Spring Magazine 2017

Business Tax Credit Participants, State Representatives, School Administrators and beneficiaries pose at the 2017 Tax Credit Celebration.

Sudbrink Oral Surgery “Sudbrink Oral Surgery is proud to partner with the students of Lancaster Catholic High School by serving as a Gold Sponsor of the Business Alliance Program. Personally, my wife and I have seen the tremendous benefit the Lancaster Catholic High School experience has had on our children. We also see how involved the Catholic High students are within our community. Sudbrink Oral Surgery is honored to stand with so many great businesses within our community as help ensure all the students at Lancaster Catholic High School fully develop their God-given abilities.”

Crusader Fact: 52% of the LCHS student body received tuition assistance during the 2016-17 academic year.

~ Dr. Steve Sudbrink “This was my first year ever singing or acting in front of an audience. I can not begin to thank all of our Business Alliance sponsors enough for allowing me and my classmates to be involved with all the amazing Lancaster Catholic’s Fine & Performing Arts opportunities!”

Crusader Fact: LCHS offers over 70 clubs, activities and athletic programs to our students.

~ Jisela Teron ‘20

For more information on how you can get involved in the Tax Credit or Business Alliance Programs, contact Joe Sahd ‘01 at jsahd@lchsyes.org or 717-509-0313 Lancaster Catholic High School | 43

Catholic High Alum Earns National Award Harriet Ryan ‘92 was one of three writers for the Los Angeles Times that won the bronze award for Investigative Journalism in the 10th annual Barlett & Steele Awards in October 2016.

Ryan was the lead reporter on the Times piece “OxyContin’s 12-Hour Problem”.

The Times investigation found that OxyContin, the nation’s bestselling painkiller, wears off hours earlier for many patients than its claim of 12-hour relief, worsening the addiction epidemic surrounding the drug.

In reporting the story, Ryan obtained thousands of pages of internal documents from Purdue Pharma, covering more than three decades of the drug’s development and marketing.

A Roller Coaster Ride

by Brooke Fisher

Robert Cybulski ‘13, a Lancaster Catholic graduate and fourthyear student at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and his team of five other RIT Theme Park Enthusiasts are chugging their way to the top of the thrilling rollercoaster design industry.

In November of 2016, Robert and his team decided to take the plunge to present their creativity nationally at The Ryerson Invitational Thrill Design Competition, hosted by Universal Creative in Orlando, Florida.

Cybulski led, as the President of the team of the Theme Park Enthusiasts, when it came to completing the three challenges in the competition. The challenges consisted of retrofitting a ferris wheel to keep children in open gondolas, designing a rollercoaster that could not exceed 40 miles per hour, and redesigning the well-known Teacups ride to make it more appealing to teenagers.

Judged by the senior staff at Universal Creative, the RIT team won all four possible awards - for each individual challenge and the overall award. In addition, each member of the team was surprised with internship offers to join the team at Universal Creative, the research and development team responsible for designing rides and attractions for Universal Parks & Resorts theme parks.

After sweeping the competition on the national stage, Cybulski was honored with a prestigious individual honor at RIT, the Outstanding Undergraduate Scholar Award.

As part of the honor, he was able to recognize a high school teacher that had a profound influence on his academic career and he chose Mrs. Pat D’Elia (pictured above), a math teacher at Lancaster Catholic High School.

Since 1976, RIT has honored the top 1% of students that are able to maintain a record of academic excellence while also giving back to the community through civic or volunteer work, conducting research, or being engaged in co-op or work in their field of study.

Each of the students honored has achieved the distinction of maintaining a minimum grade-point average of 3.85 out of a possible 4.0. All have completed at least 83 credit hours of study, more than two-thirds of the credit hours required for a baccalaureate degree. In addition, selection of students was based on other factors complementing academic achievement, including creative work, service on student committees, civic activities, employment and independent research.

44 | Spring Magazine 2017

Ranauro’s Company Helping Lancaster County

by Sara Veronis ‘10

Two decades have passed since Matthew Ranauro ‘97 graduated and left Lancaster County, but the self-made entrepreneur has recently returned home. With his wife, Elise, and two daughters, Emerson and Harper, Matt made the trek from Colorado, and it was during this move that sparked his current company BeneFix. Matt’s excitement to continue his business was thwarted by complications of finding new medical, dental and vision coverage for his employees. He was shocked and honestly disappointed by how complicated the process was. How in 2016 was there no simple way to do this? Matt had to wait nearly two months to change health plans for his company.

After some serious research and a lot of chatting with folks in the insurance industry, Matt decided he would create his own solution. And that’s how his current company, BeneFix was born. BeneFix is a simple platform that generates health insurance quotes across all carriers in a real-time. It’s a one-stop-shop similar to Kayak/Priceline.

By offering a digital platform to manage small business benefits, agents can run quotes on BeneFix in a matter of minutes instead of days. BeneFix guarantees 100% accuracy, efficiency, and increased ROI. Others in Matt’s position would no longer waste time waiting.

BeneFix currently has seven full-time employees including, Sarah Veronis ‘10. BeneFix launched an internship program this summer and out of 300+ applicants, brought on students from UPenn, Georgetown and Temple.

Matt says he can’t think of a better place to grow his start-up. He plans for BeneFix to be a conduit for tech growth in Lancaster County.

After Catholic High, Matt attended Parsons School of Design where he focused on refining his software development and design skills. He was fortunate enough to be hired by R/GA, an advertising agency in New York City, and work closely with Nike for 5 years, developing websites and apps for NikeRunning. Matt left the Big Apple and headed west to San Francisco and Boulder, Colorado. In Boulder, Matt worked for Crispin Porter + Bogusky as a Technical Director leading teams and projects for Burger King, Coca-Cola, and Domino’s.

He credits LCHS art teacher Dick Ressel for his success. Mr. Ressel believed in him, taught him to be persistent and to always make the best of every single day’s challenges – he taught Matt how to be a problem solver. Matt said his years at LCHS helped mold him into a well-rounded, motivated person, and taught him the importance of a strong community and relationships.

As a founder and CEO, Matt plans to get involved in the new LCHS Entrepreneurial Leadership Program.

Boyer Named to Prestigious Women of Influence List

Veronica Boyer ‘00 had a well-rounded experience at Lancaster Catholic High School. Graduating at the turn of the century, she was involved in music, athletics and numerous clubs and activities.

Currently, Boyer’s focus is on litigation at Mette, Evans & Woodside Attorneys at Law in Harrisburg.

After practicing law for over eight years, she was recently named one of Central Penn Business Journal’s 30 Women of Influence for her demonstrated commitment to both her clients and the community.

After her time at Catholic High, Boyer attended Penn State University, where she graduated with high distinction with a degree in criminology and earned her law degree at Washington University in St. Louis.

“LCHS instilled in me a faith in God and myself that enabled me to succeed and overcome many obstacles throughout my life,” Boyer recalled. “My teachers and coaches at LCHS gave me support and the inspiration I needed to believe in myself. Those values have carried me through trying times and continue to motivate me every day of my life.”

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Saxby’s Becomes Hot Spot On Campus

by Brooke Fisher

Saxby’s Coffee has become a very important place on campus at Millersville University since it’s opening in January 2017. The local and friendly atmosphere of the new coffee shop on campus is packed with students as they make extra time for a pit stop on their way to class, meet a group of friends for lunch, or sit down for a few minutes to cram before a big exam.

Saxby’s Coffee started in 2005 as a single corner café in Center City Philadelphia and has grown to a 30-unit hospitality with cafés in more than nine states, inlcuding a number of them located on college campuses.

Saxby’s Coffee has partnered with Millersville University’s Entrepreneurship program to create the first Experiential Learning café in the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Educaiton (PASSHE) and second in the nation.

The café at Millersville will operate soley under student supervision. The goal of this program is to offer real world experimental learning opportunities where students can earn credits toward an entrepreneurship minor.

Gabrielle Spica’s journey since graduating from LCHS in 2013 has led her to become the first student Café Executive Officer (CEO) at Saxby’s Coffee.

After graduating from high school, Gabrielle traveled to Guatemala where she lived for six months, giving her a new found appreciation for her family and being close to them. She attended HACC for two years after arriving home and eventually transferred to Millersville because of the Public Relations and Entrepreneurship programs.

Gabrielle’s journey with Saxby’s began with a rigourous application and interview process in the fall of 2016.

After being hired in September, Gabrielle began training that required weekend commutes to Philadelphia while still balancing her 15-credit college class schedule. She was named the student CEO on January 3, 2017.

Since the café was brand-new to campus, Gabrielle played a key role in hiring and training it’s 25-person team, made up of all students. She is receiving a full semester’s worth of academic credit and a stipend for running the café.

Gabrielle plans to graduate in May of 2018 with goals of continuing a career with Saxby’s and eventually owning her own café here in Lancaster. She looks back fondly on her time at Catholic High, thanking all of her teachers, especially Mrs. Kathy Alton for teaching her favorite religon class. She also valued her time as a Eucharistic minister.

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631

students

$11.3 million

Merit-Based Scholarship Awards Earned by Class of ‘16

18,413

community service hours performed last year

95%

Catholic High graduates pursuing Higher Education

52%

LCHS Families Receive Financial Aid

19

Catholic Retreats Lancaster Catholic High School | 47

Catholic High Holds First Annual One Day of Giving This spring, the Lancaster Catholic Advancement Team held its first annual One Day of Giving. The online-based fundraiser was a vital part of the Annual Fund with a goal of 100% participation.

Catholic High proudly announced that every donation was matched dollar for dollar, thus doubling the donation made by anyone who gave online on April 5th, thanks to some very generous benefactors.

Those who gave saw their donations benefit every student and potential student through the Margin of Excellence. Overall in the 24-hour window, the campaign had 277 donors raise $118,027 toward the Annual Fund.

With the focus being on participation, LCHS decided to include current students, too, reminding them that it’s not how much you give, but that you give. The Advancement Team challenged the students to give $4 of their own money, not their parents’ or #4fromthepocket. During the One Day of Giving, students stopped by and dropped off their donation in their personalized envelopes.

It built comradery and competition among the homerooms because Julie Waltman’s soon-to-be famous cookies were on the line for the class that had the highest participation.

Mary Elizabeth Wagner ‘19 drops off her donation during the One Day of Giving (above) and PJ Kegel’s homeroom won the student competition with 100% participation, as each student received a dozen of Ms. Waltman’s freshly-baked warm chocolate chip cookies.

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Besecker’s Foundation Opens Many Doors

This past fall, Joe Besecker ’75 and his wife Martha purchased the old Jewish Community Center located on Oregon Pike in Lancaster and transformed it into the Emerald Foundation Community Center. Nicknamed The E, the mission of the foundation (and the building) is to better serve our local community by supporting the efforts of numerous nonprofits and charity organizations, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters and the Literacy Council of Lancaster-Lebanon.

As an alum who recognizes the tremendous value of a Lancaster Catholic education, Joe immediately reached out to LCHS and helped form a new academic initiative for our students this school year. With his son Jeb ’17 as student leader, nine LCHS seniors enrolled in an independent study in the Technology Room at The E’s with LCHS President Tim Hamer serving as head moderator. The ten LCHS seniors met with CrowdJoy, an event app company based in Doylestown, as they learned a variety of skills in several areas, including digital cartography and business prospecting as well as soft college and workforce skills such as effective communication, teamwork, organization and prioritization.

The students were tasked with the creation of interactive maps for each of the 24 NASCAR venues in the country to provide the venue content crucial to the brand marketing efforts. This included acquiring as much information around each venue to make the attendee experience as robust as possible. Additionally, the seniors were tasked with creating a list of prospects for sales outreach efforts. All of their efforts not only provided a strong data foundation and solid sales pipeline for CrowdJoy’s new flagship mobile experience, Connect, but also handson experience for the students.

Joe and Martha Besecker are the proud parents of four amazing children – three of whom are proud Crusaders and the youngest who is enrolled in one of the partnering Catholic parochial schools.

Joe and his son Jeb ‘17 after the baseball team won Lancaster Catholic looks forward to the continuation of this academic the 2017 L-L League Championship. partnership and opportunity for our students with the Emerald Foundation and CrowdJoy for years to come! For more information on this academic program and/or to learn how you can support it, please contact Joe Sahd ’01 by calling (717) 509-0313 or emailing jsahd@lchsyes.org.

Jankowski’s Flight Keeps Soaring Higher With Faith Lieutenant Tyler Jankowski, M.D. , is soaring through life after Lancaster Catholic thanks to his work ethic and deep Catholic roots. After switching his career path early on in college, from baseball player with sights on the MLB to focusing on academics to a career path in the medical profession, Jankowski feels passionate that he made the right choice.

Jankowski is currently serving in the United States Navy at the Naval Air Facility in El Centro, California.

“Catholic High helped me develop a strong work ethic, self-discipline, and laid the foundation for rock-solid morals and values that I draw on today,” he said. “The family environment at LCHS is so strong, it is very similar to the closeness found in the Navy.”

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Class Notes Julia Bucher ‘70 retired from York Colege of PA. She now Tim Flood ‘09 is an Associate Business Analyst at is teaching online and part time for several universities and PromptWorks, a software development company in serves as a consultant to the PA Department of Health and Philadelphia. the Ameircan Cancer Society.

Hans Kessler ‘10 received his Law degree from The Law Jim Stengel ‘73 was inducted into the Marketing Hall School at the University of Notre Dame in May. of Fame in May. The former Global Marketing Officer for Adele Grabowski ‘11 earned her master of music degree in Procter & Gamble is the President and CEO of The Jim early music voice from Yale University in May. Stengel Company, LLC. Emily Saporetti ‘12 received a master of science degree in Peter Barber ‘86 & Brian McCaskey ‘86 of Two Dudes forensic science and law in May from Duquesne. Emily has Painting Co. , have been certified as a B Corp by the nonaccepted a position as a DNA technologist at Bode Cellmark profit B Lab. To earn the designation, the 40-employee Forensics in Lorton, Virginia.

Lancaster city painting contractor had its business practices measured against B Lab’s rigorous standard for social Matthew Schreder ‘12 graduated from Duquesne with a and environmental performance and transparency. Two bachelor of science in business administration.

Dudes is the second Lancaster County company with B Maggie Anater ‘13 graduated from Duquesne in May with Corp designation. a bachelor of science in nursing. In July, she will be commisScott Martin ‘90 was elected to the Pennsylvania State sioned into the nurse corps of the Navy.

Senate, representing the 13th District.

Bryan Haberstroh ‘13 of Columbia graduated from New Andrea Schopf ‘93 was featured in Lancaster County Mag- Jersey Institute of Technology, College of Architecture and azine for her creativity and works of art using seashells. She Design on May 16 with a bachelor of science in industrial cites LCHS’ Dick Ressel as her inspiration. design.

Lauren Zink ‘94 was inducted into the American Platform Tennis Association’s Hall of Fame. This is APTA’s highest honor, bestowed on individuals who have made great acheivements in playing platform tennis or in the growth and development of the sport.

Karoline Loretan ‘13 graduated summa cum laude from Hobart & William Smith in with a double major in English and French and francophone studies with a minor in international relations in May.

Nevin Pagan ‘13 graduated from St. Francis with a bachelor Sarah (King) Ganse ‘98 was named the president-elect of of science in occupational therapy. the Junior League of Lancaster, Pa. Kiley Sharp ‘13 graduated with a bachelor of science in Joe Chiccarine ‘04 and his wife, Jackie, welcomed their exercise science and health promotion from Cabrini Unihealthy and happy son, Patrick, at 12:32 a.m. on January 1, versity in May. She also made Dean’s List for the Fall ‘16 2017. He was the first born baby in the New Year in Lancaster and Spring ‘17 quarters.

County.

Megan Garner ‘14 was one of only four juniors recognized Brendan ‘05 & Mary (Rose) Whalen ‘07 were married at for outstanding academic excellence in the business manSacred Heart Church in Lancaster on November 26, 2016. agement major at University of Delaware, Alfred Lerner It was a true Lancaster Catholic affair, as eight of the 12 College of Business and Economics. members of the bridal party were Catholic High graduates.

Kelly Daggett ‘15 reached the NCAA Final Four for the second-straight season in women’s lacrosse as a sophomore midfielder at Penn State. Kelly scored 15 goals and had eight assists while majoring in agricultural sciences.

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Class Reunions Class of 1952

Class of 1972

The 65th Reunion of the Lancaster Catholic Class of 1952 The 45th Reunion of the Lancaster Catholic Class of 1972 will take place in September. Look for your mailing early in will take place June 22 & 23, 2017. Friday’s Happy Hour lothe summer. cation will be announced shortly, while Saturday’s Dinner & Dance will be held at the Conestoga Country Club from Class of 1957 6-11 p.m. with music provided by Pocketful O’Soul. Contact Save the Date for the 60th Reunion of the Lancaster Catholic Debbie Aichele Keys: deborahakeys@aol.com.

Class of 1957 on September 30, 2017, at the Lancaster Tennis & Yacht Club. More details to follow. Contact Janet Kreiner at Class of 1981 717-394-7003.

The 36th Anniversary of the graduation of the Class of 1981 will be held at Burning Bridge Tavern during Homecoming Class of 1967 Weekend, October 21. Contact Dan Cotchen: dcotchen@ The 50th Reunion of the Lancaster Catholic Class of 1967 lchsyes.org. will take place on Friday & Saturday, September 22 & 23.

The Classmate Mixer will take place at the Knights of Co- Class of 1992 lumbus on Friday from 7-11 p.m. Saturday’s festivities will be The 25th Reunion of the Lancaster Catholic Class of 1992 held at the Hamilton Ballroom with food & drink provided by will take place Saturday, October 21. Contact Joe Heffern at the Greenfield Inn and music & dancing provided by the Roof 484-437-6432 or joerheffern@gmail.com. Keep an eye out for the Facebook page, too.

Rockers. Contact Terrie Finger: tjfinger712@gmail.com.

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