2022-2023 De La Salle Alumni Annual Fund

DE LA SALLE ANNUAL FUND

In Support of Need-Based Financial Aid

2022-2023

Opportunities Abound

HELP THEM

THRIVE

Opportunities Abound

HELP THEM

THRIVE

It is truly a fantastic time to be a La Salle Explorer.

With so much to see, do, play, study, perform, and excel at, opportunities to thrive are most certainly abound here at 8605 Cheltenham Avenue. Sure, we still have soccer, football, and lacrosse. But the recent additions of squash, volleyball, and rugby make way for a multi-faceted athletic experience that has never been as immersive as it stands today.

On the technology side, our state-of-the-art Robotics Lab is a hands-on dynamic space where collaboration, automation, and machinery converge for incredible learning experiences.

Speaking of technology, have you ever heard of an MBAT Lab? Short for Music Business and Technology, this new course instructs students on the area of recording technology, as well as engineering, mixing, and mastering music.

With the ever-evolving digital age, it has also become necessary to reassess things like the McShain Library—now called the McShain Center—where student collaboration and interaction, not books, are the focal point. And finally, the newly unveiled Concentrations Program allows students to choose their path by exploring various career fields in engineering, global business, and the IT world.

Access to these incredible opportunities is facilitated by our ability to offer need-based financial aid to the young men today in pursuit of a life-changing La Salle education.

Join us as we strive to open the doors to 8605 to an even broader socioeconomic profile of students, with a gift to the 2022-2023 De La Salle Annual Fund today!

WHAT’S THE LATEST AT 8605?

NEW OPPORTUNITIES ABOUND...

2022 RUGBY STATE CHAMPIONS In only their 10th year of existence, the 2021-2022 La Salle Rugby team defeated St. Joe’s Prep in the D1 PA State Championship to claim their first-ever state title.

Head Coach Jessica Nedzwecky was named Rugby PA’s Coach of the Year and Santi Sturla ’22 was named Rugby PA’s High School Player of the Year.

“La Salle is a place that embraced me for who I am as a black South African student athlete and a servant leader.

La Salle’s inclusive environment allowed me to strive for greatness in whatever sport, activity, club or extracurricular that I applied myself in. La Salle has opened many doors for me in my life; I was a part of the National Honors Society, Secretary of the Class of 2022 for student council, played rugby, wrestled, did a ton of community service and service trips, tutored middle schoolers at La Salle Academy and the Rising Homework Club, was a Student Ambassador and a Servant Leader. I could not have achieved these milestones and goals at La Salle without the support of my brothers, faculty, staff and mentors, especially Brother James Butler and Principal Fyke. The alumni at La Salle are supportive—they always make it their mission to help create opportunities and open doors for other La Salle alumni who recently graduated.

This shows that they live up to La Salle’s motto Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve.”

BANTU BANTI ‘22

UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE

“Throughout my time at La Salle I was fortunate enough to be around such a great community every day and build a strong brotherhood that will last me a lifetime.

The brotherhood at La Salle, especially while playing football and rugby, has played a pivotal role in my life to provide opportunities for me.

Former La Salle alumni advocated for me during my senior year and now I have the privilege and opportunity to be a part of an incredible education system. I hope that one day I can pick up the baton and play my part in the alumni network to provide for future La Salle students on their path to success.”

SANTI STURLA ‘22

UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

MBAT (MUSIC BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY) COURSE AND LAB This new offering here allows students to learn in the field of recording technology, as well as engineering, mixing, and mastering music, capped off with a collaborative project of creating their own EP using musicians from La Salle’s music department or an array of digital resources.

“Music Business and Technology (MBAT) and MBAT Advanced are classes offered in La Salle’s brand new music computer lab.

Students learn how to record their music using the latest professional music software. Class discussions and assignments make students aware of the everchanging state of the music business and how musicians compete to survive in today’s market. La Salle students complete the class with a collection of skills that will give them a jumpstart ahead of the competition and learn in a state of the art music lab that is rarely found in a high school.”

MR. GREGORY SNYDER

MUSIC INSTRUCTOR

“As members of Explorer Robotics, students get an opportunity to work side-by-side with mentors who work as professionals in STEM fields.

Additionally, team members are given leadership roles to aid in the design, manufacturing, and programming of a competition robot each season.

Other members of Explorer Robotics work in marketing, business, and community outreach as way to bring robotics and STEM into our community. One of the main ways we help the community is by starting elementary and middle school robotics teams at area schools. To date, Explorer Robotics has helped to create 15 robotics teams in the Philadelphia region and at two schools in Kenya and Nicaragua.”

MR. RYAN MCDOWELL ‘01

ROBOTICS COACH AND FACULTY MEMBER

LA SALLE ROBOTICS The La Salle Robotics Program has evolved into an incredible STEAM experience, focused on the principles of engineering, competition in the FIRST Mid-Atlantic Robotics Championships, and a robust service component for sharing their talents with middle schoolers and the local community.

THE MCSHAIN CENTER The McShain Center for Digital Research and Collaboration, almost 10,000 square feet of newly renovated space named in honor of John McShain, “The Man Who Built Washington,” contains two stateof-the-art classrooms along with seating for over 150 students to study independently or collaborate in small groups.

“We are creating opportunities for students to become active learners inside and outside the classroom.

The newly designed McShain Center is a space for students to collaborate and learn from each other. It also has the added feature of academic support for students who need to meet with a teacher or National Honor Society tutor.”

MR. OWEN SCHUGSTA FACULTY MEMBER AND MCSHAIN CENTER STAFF

CONCENTRATIONS PROGRAM The new Concentrations Program at La Salle allows students to embark on an innovative pathway where they earn credentials and certifications in various career fields through coursework, electives, clubs, and experiential learning. These customized pathways in Engineering, Global Business, and IT will help a young man discover and pursue his passions.

“La Salle has launched an exciting initiative to take student learning to another level.

The Concentrations Program offers students the option of designing a pathway that will enable them to gain valuable insights from linking courses within our curriculum, experiential learning from clubs and activities and through off-campus site visits, interviews, and internships, service-learning opportunities, as well as independent research and guided reflections. The first three concentrations in the areas of Engineering, Global Business, and IT Professional are available to current juniors (Class of 2024) and sophomores starting this fall with additional concentrations coming on board in 2023-24.”

MR. NICHOLAS COGGINS DIRECTOR OF CURRICULUM, INSTRUCTION, AND ASSESSMENT

HELP THEM THRIVE AT 8605

Each year, support from our devoted alumni community allows us to offer the incredible opportunity of a life-changing Lasallian education.

Help us open the doors at 8605 to young men from across the Delaware Valley with a gift to your alma mater today!

DE LA SALLE ANNUAL FUND

In Support of Need-Based Financial Aid

2022-2023

MISSION STATEMENT La Salle College High School—a Catholic, independent, college preparatory school for young men of varied backgrounds—is conducted in the tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle.

Through a broad and balanced, human and Christian education, La Salle College High School guides each student in the development of his unique God-given talents and fosters a commitment to academic excellence, service, and leadership.