MMI Today – Fall 2011

A

u t u m n

2 011

Alumni join Sports Hall of Fame Four MMI alumni have been inducted into the Hazleton Area Sports Hall of Fame.

Rick Barletta ’74, Al Goedecke ’45, Bill Loftus ’62, and Mike Watahovich ’61 joined the Hazleton Area Sports Barletta Hall of Fame Class of 2011 and were honored at the seventh annual induction banquet on September 18 at Genetti’s in Hazleton.

“We congratulate these men on their athletic achievements beginning at MMI and spanning many years. They are a stellar example to MMI’s student-athletes of today,” said MMI President Thomas G. Hood.

Rick Barletta ’74 has been a successful tennis player since his time at MMI. He was part of Kirby Park’s national championship tennis team in 1985, contributing victories in singles in the Middle States Regional league, at the sectional championships in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware, and culminating at the national championships in Las Vegas.

Barletta has also excelled in doubles play, ranking first with his partners in eastern Pennsylvania and fifth and sixth in Middle States in men’s doubles. His team also won men’s doubles Middle States regional and sectional championships. With his partners, he earned championship titles and medals in many events.

He served as director of Tennis City of Hazleton from 1978-79 and has been a Valley Country Club tennis pro since 1984.

Barletta has held his professional tennis registry certification since 2008.

Over the years, he has coached high school tennis players at Pottstown High School; West Hazleton High School, where his teams won three Anthracite League

T

h e

N

Goedecke

Loftus

Championships (1989-91); and Hazleton Area High School. In 1993, Barletta was named Wyoming Valley Conference Tennis Coach of the Year.

He played basketball for the MMI Preppers, including as a member of the District 11 and Anthracite League championship teams in 1973. The 1973 team was inducted to the MMI Wall of Fame in 2006.

He recently retired as a math teacher, math coach and data coach at Hazleton Area High School.

Al Goedecke ’45 played varsity basketball at MMI and East Stroudsburg University State Teachers College and semi-pro basketball with a Stroudsburg Area team.

In 1952, he returned to MMI as boys’ basketball coach and physical education teacher. Goedecke consistently coached teams that competed in playoff games in the Anthracite League and compiled a record of 166 wins and 121 losses. In 1956, the 21-4 Preppers won the Anthracite League Championship. In addition, his teams won 10 Freeland Conference crowns.

Goedecke was the coach of one of the most memorable wins in MMI Boys’ Basketball history, a 7-5 win at previously unbeaten West Hazleton in 1964. At the time, West Hazleton had won 62 straight games and needed one more victory for the state consecutive win record.

Hazleton StandardSpeaker, Sports Editor Ray Saul reported on Goedecke’s retirement from coaching, writing, “Al’s teams were always well drilled and he was a strict disciplinarian.

There were years when Watahovich there were barely enough boys out for basketball to have a varsity and junior varsity at MMI but Al juggled his personnel around and always came up with something, as his record indicates.”

Goedecke was inducted into the Anthracite League Hall of Fame in recognition of his coaching achievements at MMI. In 2008, he was inducted into the MMI Wall of Fame for Athletic Achievement.

Before coaching at MMI, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served tours of duty in Rhode Island, the North Sea, and Baltimore.

Goedecke taught and coached basketball and baseball at MMI until 1964, when he took a job with the Foster & Reynolds Co. He later worked in sales for a variety of companies, including West Penn Supply, from which he retired two years ago.

Bill Loftus ’62 was inducted to the Sports Hall of Fame as a member of the 1959 Valley Babe Ruth 15-Year-Old All-Star team. That summer, the team earned the District 4, Pennsylvania, and Middle Region titles and won the consolation bracket of the national tournament. Loftus contributed to a series of title wins through runs and superb pitching.

Mike Watahovich ’61, also a member of the team, remembered Loftus in particular for his “really good break.”

Valley’s title wins in the Middle Atlantic region sent the team to California for the national tournament, where they were eliminated in their only loss of the season.

See SPORTS, page 5

In the April 25, 1964, edition of the

e w s l e tt e r

o f

MMI

P

r e p a r a t o r y

S

c h o o l

From the President “Remember we’re all in this – alone.”

~ Lily Tomlin You would have to know Lily Tomlin (yes, I’m old enough) to know that as a comedian, she no doubt spoke the above quotation with a touch of sarcasm. But it does hold some truth, because despite how often people recite that we’re in this together, when things get busy or difficult, we frequently act alone. The ability to work together, to collaborate, is a 21st-century skill and one that we must model in the educational setting. Schools often send the opposite message: “Do your own work” or “Don’t look at someone else’s paper.” Conversely, in the adult world, we know that the biggest ideas are accomplished through collaboration and shared effort. At MMI, we realize that students learn by watching how adults interact with each other. If we collaborate in a genuine manner, they will recognize the value of working with others.

We are modeling this collaborative behavior throughout MMI. We are in the third year of our curriculum review that has led to more interdisciplinary collaboration by the faculty and in our classes. English and History are now aligned so that literature is taught in the context of the era and location in which it was written. Math teachers are working with science faculty to ensure students have the necessary math skills to properly balance chemical equations or solve physics problems. Our students are more involved in project-based learning, which requires them to work in groups and use information from multiple classes, just as they will have to in the workplace. Faculty and parents are communicating frequently to ensure the learning that occurs at school and at home support each other.

These activities do not replace the 3 R’s, but rather complement them and help prepare our great students for a lifetime of success.

Finally, alumni also play a role in the development of our students. Current MMI students want to grow up and be successful like MMI graduates of the past. I am always excited when alumni return to MMI to visit with current students. Our students love to hear stories of MMI’s past and are amazed at the opportunities and accomplishments of previous MMI graduates. Our alumni are the keepers of the MMI legacy. They recognize how their education started them on a path to success. Our alumni must share this legacy with our current and future students to ensure they realize the opportunities created by an MMI education.

So let’s make sure our students realize that we are all in this together … students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni. I know that as a team, we will continue to produce exceptional MMI graduates.

If you are in the area, let me know. I would love to show you your school and have you interact with this generation of great students.

Enjoy the fall.

Thomas G. Hood President

Published quarterly, MMI Today is the official newsletter of MMI Preparatory School 154 Centre Street Freeland, PA 18224

2 Thomas G. Hood – President

William A. Shergalis, Ph.D. ’58 – President Emeritus

(570) 636-1108 (570) 636-0742 (fax) mmi@mmiprep.org (email) www.mmiprep.org (Internet) Joseph G. Rudawski – President Emeritus

Today’s MMI The latest feature of MMI Today is this column, where we highlight some classes within our outstanding academic program. We begin with a look at Physics, a core subject at MMI, and conclude with a look at two of our exciting elective courses, Introduction to Anthropology and Introduction to Robotics.

Comprehensive Core

We are very proud of our program of studies at MMI. Our core curriculum offers challenging and rigorous courses that well prepare our students for higher education and beyond.

Physics

Instructor: Dr. Gregg Bluth

Physics is the science that deals with matter, energy, motion, and force. In the basest of terms, it is the study of

Dr. Gregg Bluth instructs students at MMI.

how things in the world interact. The Physics course at MMI explores the fundamental concepts of unit analysis, the metric system, basic problem-solving methods, and data graphing. This course offers laboratories that are designed to provide the student with experience in experiment implementation, data collection and analysis, and science writing. The history and lives of scientists are covered to give context to scientific thought processes and an understanding of the development of technology and theory. The MMI Physics course provides the basic skills for interested students to advance to the AP Physics course.

Exhilarating Electives

Elective classes are concentration areas that are pulled from MMI’s core curriculum and given extra attention in one- or two-semester classes. Electives vary from year to year to pique student curiosity.

Introduction to Anthropology

Instructor: Mrs. Lisa Ferry

Anthropology is the holistic study of humankind. This course provides the student the anthropological tools to explore the student’s perception of the world and help them understand why we, as human beings, have become what we are today.

The course examines basic concepts and issues in anthropology by looking at the Mrs. Lisa Ferry talks with her students in the classroom. sub-disciplines of anthropology.

Using Lego-based kits and CBC robot The four main subcontrollers, the students learn the disciplines are socioessentials of motor control and sensor cultural, archaeological, usage. Wheeled and walking automatons linguistic and biological are explored as well as biomorphic and anthropology. As the BEAM (Biology, Electronics, Aesthetics, student examines these and Mechanics) robotics. The course sub-disciplines, many culminates in a classroom Sumo Robot topics are explored. Some tournament that tests student team of those topics include creations. human adaptability and variation, the evolution of culture, dating methods used by archaeologists and experiencing “the dig,” the shift to food production, language: coal region slang, and careers in anthropology, just to name a few.

Anthropology will examine ideas to help students gain appreciation for cultural and ethnic diversity.

Introduction to Robotics – Form and Function Instructor: Mr. Justin Vincent

Robotics is the technology that deals with the design, construction, and operation of robots in automation. This elective course introduces students to the basic mechanics and fundamental concepts of robotics by constructing robots to complete simple tasks.

3 Mr. Justin Vincent lectures during one of his classes.

Five inducted into MMI Wall of Fame MMI held its sixth annual Wall of Fame dinner on Saturday, August 6, and inducted five new members into its Wall of Fame.

Established in 2006, the MMI Wall of Fame honors alumni, current and past faculty, staff, and board members who have distinguished themselves in the areas of athletics, business, sciences, education, government, public service, the arts, or humanities. Wall of Fame inductees are selected in the following categories: Athletic Achievement, Community Service, Professional Achievement, and Service to MMI. During this year’s dinner and awards ceremony, the following people were inducted to the Wall of Fame: Dr. Jodi (Washinsky) Lenko ’99, James L. Dei Tos, Neal Wood ’44, Dr. Joseph A. Donato ’66, and Richard Goldman ’68.

Dr. Jodi (Washinsky) Lenko ’99 was recognized in the category of Athletic Achievement. She finished her MMI basketball career as the first female to score 1,000 points. Her record still holds today with her career total of 1,104 points. From the time she began playing basketball at MMI in seventh grade, she was one of her team’s leaders. She set a number of records in MMI Women’s Basketball, many of which are still held today.

Lenko earned her Doctor of Medicine degree from Temple University School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, including a year as chief resident in the Department of Internal Medicine. She is now practicing internal medicine in the Hazleton area.

James L. Dei Tos was recognized in the category of Service to MMI. For nearly 50 years and under four presidents at MMI, Dei Tos has volunteered his services by performing numerous masonry, concrete, and handyman jobs at the school.

4

He built the concrete steps outside Old Main, which he continues to repair as needed. He also did the brick work for many windows in Old Main. Other tasks he undertook include pumping water from the old MMI gymnasium during flooding; digging the trench in the underground tunnel between Old Main and Century II to prevent water damage; and working on the parapets between the 1942-1943 addition to Old Main, constantly repointing brickwork on the building, which he still does today.

Neal Wood ’44 was recognized in the

MMI held its sixth annual Wall of Fame dinner on August 6 and inducted five new members into its Wall of Fame. From left: President Thomas G. Hood; new Wall of Fame members Richard Goldman ’68, Neal Wood ’44, Dr. Jodi (Washinsky) Lenko ’99, James L. Dei Tos, and Dr. Joseph A. Donato ’66; and Director of Advancement Kim McNulty.

category of Professional Achievement.

He spent nearly 40 years as an engineer for the Turnpike Commission and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation before retiring as the turnpike commission’s chief bridge engineer in 1991.

He worked on several high-profile projects during his career, from the Interstate Highway System to the completion of the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Wood is responsible for developing one of the most effective highway safety devices, the SNAP system. SNAP (Sonic Nap Alert Pattern) is the pattern of rumble strips grooved into the shoulders of highways to alert drivers when they stray from the road. Today, the SNAP system is in place along every major highway in America and is credited with a 70 percent reduction in drift-off accidents.

Dr. Joseph A. Donato, Class of 1966, was recognized in the category of Professional Achievement. He has operated a private practice in general dentistry since the 1970s and has offices in Freeland and Conyngham. After completing dentistry school at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Donato returned to Freeland to remain close to his family and practice dentistry where he was raised. He has been inducted as a fellow of the American College of Dentists, International College of Dentists, Pierre Fauchard Academy, Academy of General Dentistry, and American Endodontic Society.

Throughout his career, Donato has continued to remain close to his alma

mater. He served on the MMI Board of Directors from 1979 to 1988, including a year as secretary of the board. He also established an endowed scholarship, the Dr. Joseph A. Donato ’66 Endowed Scholarship Fund.

Richard Goldman ’68 was recognized in the category of Professional Achievement. Starting at one store with annual sales of less than $1 million, Goldman and his business partner grew Men’s Wearhouse into the largest chain of men’s clothing stores in North America, with more than 500 stores in the United States and more than 120 in Canada.

Goldman is widely considered the marketing mastermind of Men’s Wearhouse. He retired in 2002 after a 29-year career with the company, leaving Men’s Wearhouse and its affiliates with annual sales of more than $1.2 billion.

In 2009, he released his first book, Luck by Design: Certain Success in an Uncertain World, which has received great critical acclaim, including being named best non-fiction book at the San Francisco Book Festival. Goldman is also the founder and CEO of Ethos Alliance, a nonprofit organization with the goal of helping corporations define and implement corporate social responsibility.

President Thomas G. Hood said, “We are pleased to welcome this highly talented group to MMI’s Wall of Fame.

They join a class of men and women who have distinguished themselves at MMI, in their professions and in their communities.”

Kislan golf tournament winners announced MMI held the third annual Jake Kislan ’56 Memorial Golf Tournament in August at Split Rock Resort in the Poconos. The tournament was part of the annual Homecoming Weekend festivities.

The tournament, which raises money for the school’s student-athletes, honors the memory of Jake Kislan, an MMI alumnus and athlete who passed away in December 2008.

First-place winners in the first flight were Neal DeAngelo ’01, Bob Gorski, John Hogan, and Shawn Menon ’01.

Second place in the first flight went to the team of Tony Badamo, John McCarrie, Curtis Pick, and Steve Walser.

Third-place winners in the first flight were Tom Brown, Robbie Brown, Mike Dolon, and Lew Dryfoos, III ’82.

First place in the second flight was awarded to the team of Elmer Blackwell, Chris Evans, Dan Marascio, and Will Samler. Second place in the second flight went to Jason Lenko, Jodi (Washinsky) Lenko ’99, Nancy Washinsky, and Michael Washinsky. Third place in the second flight was awarded to the threesome of Brian Clouse, Walter

MMI held the third annual Jake Kislan ’56 Memorial Golf Tournament in August at Split Rock Resort in the Poconos. From left: Director of Advancement Kim McNulty; first-place winners Neal DeAngelo and Shawn Menon ’01; Mickey Kislan, Jake Kislan’s widow; first-place winners Bob Gorski and John Hogan; and President Thomas G. Hood.

Hulsen, and Michael Senape ’92.

“Closest to the pin” winner was Mike Dennen and the longest drive was won

by Glenn Kushma.

Members of the Golf Tournament Committee were Frank Cabell, Rob Davis ’96, Neal DeAngelo ’01, Edward Matisak ’62, John McCarrie, Florie McNelis,

DeAnn Miller, Joanne Oakum, Cortney Repanshek, Michael Senape ’92, Sarah Seratch, Drs. Christopher and Jill Snyder, William Spear ’79, Michael Watahovich ’61, and Bruce Young.

PNC Bank was the Eagle Sponsor and Birdie Sponsorship was by John and Margaret Mary Bellezza Zoltak ’56.

Four alumni inducted into Sports Hall of Fame (Continued from page 1) However, Valley won its games in the consolation bracket, earning the team the honor of finishing as one of the top four in the United States and Canada.

During his days as an MMI student, Loftus excelled in both basketball and baseball. He also played baseball with the American Legion and at Lafayette College and played in the College World Series. Today, he is an accomplished business leader and was inducted into the MMI Wall of Fame for Professional Achievement in 2007.

He is retired chairman, president, and CEO of Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association Insurance Company, one of the oldest property and casualty insurance companies in Pennsylvania.

Mike Watahovich ’61 has excelled in basketball, baseball, weight lifting, and karate.

He played on the MMI boys’ basketball team for three years and led the region in scoring for two of those years, in 1960 and 1961. Watahovich also broke the MMI Basketball all-time scoring record with 1,445 career points. He received a full basketball scholarship to Bucknell University.

In addition to his skills on the basketball court, Watahovich led the MMI baseball team on the field for three years. In regional baseball, he served as the starting catcher for the Valley Babe Ruth Baseball Team, which competed in the Babe Ruth World Series Championship in Stockton, California.

In 1968, Watahovich became the first person in Pennsylvania to receive the prestigious Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist credentials. Watahovich competed in a number of national and international powerlifting competitions and claimed first place in the World National Powerlifting Federation (WNPF) Championships in 1994. He set world records in the squat, bench press, deadlift, and total score categories.

He earned championships in state, regional, national, and international events until he was sidelined by a shoulder injury in 1996. Watahovich then focused on training, with five powerlifters under his tutelage going on to win world championships with various organizations. He has also achieved a third-degree black belt in Tang Soo Do karate.

Inductees to the Hazleton Area Sports Hall of Fame include MMI alumni, from left, Al Goedecke ’45, Mike Watahovich ’61, and Rick Barletta ’74. Bill Loftus ’62 was not present for the photo.

He was inducted into the MMI Wall of Fame in 2010 for his many athletic achievements.

5

Alumni gather for annual Homecoming MMI alumni, faculty, staff, friends, and family gathered for the school’s annual Homecoming weekend August 5 and 6.

The reunion classes also met for individual dinners, most of which were held August 5 with one occurring a few weeks later.

Those in attendance at the picnic on Saturday were treated to an afternoon of reminiscing, including perusing old yearbooks. They were also able to participate in tours of the school and campus, including the new athletic fields and the site of the school’s future library.

Mary-Lee Hood and Joseph A. Turri ’45 share a smile.

The Class of 1958 held its annual get-together at the picnic. From left: Dr. Michael Uricheck, Robert Klotz, Dale Drake, William Mathe, and MMI President Emeritus Dr. Bill Shergalis.

Above: Eight members of the Class of 1991 celebrated their 20th reunion at MMI on Saturday, August 20. First row, from left: Maggie Mistal, Kerry Laputka, Reunion Chair Maija Pelly, and Justin Ward. Second row: Chris Laczi, Jennifer (Lovrinic) Freeman, Jason Pandolfo, and Mike Haraschak.

Top right: Allan Dick, Harvey Schlesinger, and Mike Wathovich, all members of the Class of 1961, visit with each other during Homecoming.

6

Matt Gimmer ’76 visits with President Thomas G. Hood.

Bottom right: Ginger and John Shoffstall ’51, who traveled to MMI from Wyoming for the weekend, talk with Joanne Oakum, executive assistant to the president.

Homecoming: Seeing the new, remembering the old At left: Athletic Director Bruce Young poses with former students from the Class of 2006 including: Ian Kollar, Amanda Hauze, Noelle Brandmier, Anthony Orlando, and Angad Singh.

Below: The Class of 1958’s famous blue pig made its annual appearance at the Homecoming picnic.

The Class of 1996 gathered at Mea’s restaurant to celebrate their 15th reunion on August 5. Seated are Jason and Missy (Moore) Cabe with Nicole (Rinker) Rahman and her husband, Reza. Standing: Rob Davis, a member of the MMI Board of Directors, and Matt Polidora.

From left: Business Manager Michael Morrison, Dr. David Stiller ’61, Director of Advancement Kim McNulty, and Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Aprilaurie Whitley ’88 take time to stop for a photo.

Student ambassadors Marianne Virnelson and Nicholas O’Clair helped keep things running smoothly during the picnic.

John Shoffstall and Daniel Bavolack gathered at the picnic to celebrate their 60th reunion. They had not seen each other since graduation day!

Seven members of the Class of 2001 and their guests gathered in celebration of their 10th reunion on Friday, August 5, at the Meating House Restaurant in Drums. Front row, from left: Lia Urenovich, Class Advisors Donna Titus and Señor Dennis Clarke, and Reunion Chair Nina C. Dei Tos. Back row: Reunion Chair Jamie (Metzger) Gatts and her husband, Justin; Jess Herness; Crystal (Hollednak) Rodgers and her husband, Gary; Jennifer Crouse; and Cindy (Clarke) Matosky and her husband, John.

7

The Admissions Angle The 2011-12 academic year began on Tuesday, August 23, as MMI Preparatory School’s administration, faculty, and staff welcomed all 248 students to campus.

The MMI 2011-12 student body is composed of 133 male students and 115 female students.

MMI has seen a 30 percent increase in enrollment from five years ago.

President Thomas G. Hood said, “Parents and students alike are continuing to learn about MMI’s reputation for excellent academics as well as our range of extracurricular activities. Several of our grade levels are full, which further demonstrates the growing interest in MMI and the education we provide here.

All our new students add to the diverse climate that students experience at MMI.” New Student Orientation welcomed 61 new students to MMI on Monday, August 22, the day before the start of school. The new students were introduced to the MMI administration, spent time with the MMI faculty, and went on a scavenger hunt to familiarize them with the layout of the campus.

Each new student in grades seven to 11 was assigned an MMI Ambassador, who is a current student and will serve as a mentor for the new student during the transition to MMI. The day was capped off with a pizza lunch. There was great excitement in the air on campus as the new students began their journey toward an MMI diploma!

On Friday, September 2, MMI’s Student Council ran the first MMI Spirit Day of the year under the guidance of Student Council President Paul Brasavage (a senior) and faculty adviser Anthony Cusat. The afternoon began with a lunch sponsored by the MMI Parent Faculty Organization. Each MMI class was dressed in a different color representing

German, anyone?

We are looking for any alumni who took German at MMI, then continued to study or use the German language in college and beyond. If you are one of those alumni, please contact Aprilaurie Whitley ’88 at MMI Preparatory at (570) 636-1108 or awhitley@ mmiprep.org. their grade. After lunch, the student body was divided into teams across the grades and competed in a series of events led by the Student Council and members of the Class of 2012. Some of the events included: Cup Pyramid, Marble Carry, Ping Pong Course, Straw Bridge, Spoon Catapult, Nutstacker, Goal Post, Hula Hoop, and Dice Stack. The event culminated with a lip synch contest and ice cream treats.

Upcoming Admission Events for Fall and Winter

MMI will hold two Visitation Nights this year. At Visitation Night, parents and children are invited to meet the MMI Administration, learn about our curriculum and activities, tour our facility, ask questions, and meet some of our current students. Our first Visitation Night will be held on Wednesday, November 16, at 6 p.m. and the second will be on Tuesday, January 24, 2012, also at 6 p.m.

MMI will be offering only one Entrance Exam for admission to the 2012-13 academic year on Saturday, January 28, 2012, at 9 a.m.

On Friday, January 20, 2012 (an Act 80 Day in the Hazleton Area School

District), MMI will host the third annual Bring a Friend to School Day for the mid school. This program allows our current students to bring one friend with them to school for the day to see what we are all about. He or she sits in on classes, enjoys lunch and participates in clubs in the afternoon. During last year’s Bring a Friend to School day, 31 visitors spent the day with us.

For more information on any of the upcoming events or the admission process, please contact Director of Admissions and Financial Aid Aprilaurie Whitley at (570) 636-1108, ext. 136, or awhitley@mmiprep.org.

Summer Camp

The 2011 Summer Camp Program was a great success! MMI offered 10 camps including: Storybook Theatre, Artful Antics, Cooking Camp, Robotics, Crime Scene Investigations, Pets on Parade, Harry Potter’s Magical Mystery Tour, Egyptian Dig, Movie Making, and Basketball. A total of 142 campers enjoyed fun-filled camps while spending the day on the MMI campus.

Admissions Office looking to hear alumni comments The Admissions Office would like to hear about your experience at MMI! Tell us how MMI gave you an advantage, whether it was in college, post graduate studies, your career, or simply life in general. With your permission, your comments and recollections may be used in future publications, promotions, and recruiting materials.

MMI at a glance Student profile

248 students (133 male, 115 female)

Classes Sixth grade: 24 students Seventh grade: 39 students Eighth grade: 22 students Ninth grade: 46 students Tenth grade: 35 students

8

Eleventh grade: 44 students Twelfth grade: 38 students

Faculty: 20 full-time, 5 part-time Student-to-faculty ratio: 10.5 to 1 Faculty degrees held (bachelor,

master, doctorate, other): 25 hold bachelor’s degrees; 19 hold master’s degrees, and two hold doctoral degrees.

More than 76 percent of our faculty hold a master’s degree or greater.

Average faculty years teaching at MMI: 10.3 years Average class size: 16 students

For the 2011-12 academic year, 60 percent of MMI students received needbased financial aid. There was $893,050 of need-based aid distributed among 148 students. The average need-based award was $6,034 per student. MMI also gave the $850 Academic Excellence Award to 67 students for the upcoming year for a total of $56,950 in merit-based scholarships.

Alumni Notes What’s happening with MMI graduates around the globe Maria Dei Tos ’05, daughter of Nick ’71 and Patricia Dei Tos, spent two weeks this summer touring China. In Zhongshan, China, she stayed with a fellow American who is currently teaching English through the Bond Institute of China. Arriving in Beijing after a 23-hour train ride, she visited Tiananmen Square, The Forbidden City, Summer Palace, Temple of Heaven, and numerous historic pagodas. The Great Wall of China consumed one day of her trip, making it well worth the trek.

After walking three miles along the wall, she tobogganed down!

The famous night market was a favorite stop – live scorpions, starfish, and snails barbecued to Maria Dei Tos ’05 took this photo of the Great Wall of China your liking. According to Maria, while visiting the country over the summer.

“It was an awesome trip and so interesting to see how the process of a Westerner teaching in an Eastern country works.”

Julianne Lawson ’98, daughter of Paul and JoAnn Lawson, was recently awarded an MBA in Operations from Wilkes University. Also, earlier this year, Julianne was promoted to a Senior Civil Engineer Supervisor in Bridges with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation.

Christopher M. Polashenski ’03, son of Edward and Jessica Polashenski, earned his Doctor of Philosophy degree in Engineering from Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth College. He was awarded the John C. Woodhouse Environmental Engineering Prize and the Excellence in Teaching Award. Christopher is employed by the United States Army Research and Development Center in Hanover, NH.

Memorials

Library Memorials, Annual Fund Memorials and Honors donated between July 15 and September 15, 2011 In memory of Ed Abrams Mr. Nicholas Nemesh

In memory of John Heidrich Dr. and Mrs. John J. Della Croce ’73

In memory of Laurence Stone Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Hood

In memory of James Ballard Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Hood

In memory of Robert James, Sr. Dr. and Mrs. John J. Della Croce ’73

In memory of Alfred Stortz Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Hood

In memory of Joseph Beltrami Mr. Daryl Boich Mr. John P. Rodgers

In memory of Patricia Morse Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Hood

In memory of Elizabeth Tomaino Dr. and Mrs. John J. Della Croce ’73

In memory of Emily Nillis Dr. and Mrs. John J. Della Croce ’73

In memory of Eleanor Toman Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Hood

In memory of Rev. William O’Hara ’71 Mr. Nicholas Nemesh

In memory of Conrad Wittig Dr. and Mrs. John J. Della Croce ’73

In honor of Dr. Joseph Donato ’66 Mrs. Ann G. Krusinski

In memory of Bernice Reczkowski Dr. and Mrs. John J. Della Croce ’73 Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Hood

In memory of George Woelfel ’37 Mrs. Kathleen Haentjens Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Hood

In memory of Lorie Ferrey Dr. and Mrs. John J. Della Croce ’73

In memory of Lamay Sensenbach Dr. and Mrs. John J. Della Croce ’73

In memory of Anna Yurko Dr. and Mrs. John J. Della Croce ’73

In memory of Samuel Budge Mr. Nicholas Nemesh In memory of Stephen A. Chyko Mr. and Mrs. Thomas G. Hood

In memory of James Gasper Dr. and Mrs. John J. Della Croce ’73

9

Milestones

Events in the lives of the MMI Prep family Weddings

Klovekorn ’84 and Wendy Kilburn; and their families.

Marc S. Cusat ’03, son of MMI faculty member Anthony and Elaine Cusat, married Natalie Tavares at St. Dominic Catholic Church in Philadelphia on July 16. Marc and Natalie reside in Warminster, PA. Sarah Kashubski ’06, daughter of Karen and Robert Kashubski, married Michael Chips in Pasquerilla Spiritual Center on the campus of Penn State University. Sarah is a 2010 graduate of Schreyer Honors College at Penn State and is pursuing her doctorate in political science at the University of Pittsburgh. The couple now resides in Pittsburgh.

Stephen A. Chyko passed away on September 2. He was the brother-in-law of longtime MMI faculty member Anthony Cusat.

Jay Hess Confair ’48 passed away on June 21. His wife of 57 years, Dorothy, wrote, “He was very proud of MMI and the education he received there. He read every mailing sent to him, finishing always by saying ‘fine school.’”

Robert J. James, Sr. passed away on July 28. He is survived by five children, including current parent Kathleen Purcell and her husband, David, and eight grandchildren, including Brittany Purcell ’11 and Kristen Purcell ’14.

Kevin Kost ’04, son of Frank and Kathleen Kost, wed Andrea Sidari at St. Patrick’s Church in Scranton. A 2008 graduate of Kutztown University, Kevin is a senior graphic designer in Edison, NJ.

Patricia McNelis Morse passed away on July 25. She is survived by her husband of 55 years, William L. Morse, Jr. ’52; their three children, William L. Morse, III, Robert S. Morse, and Elizabeth M. Collins; and their families.

Birth

Laurence Stone, husband of Mimi (Haentjens) Stone, passed away in Colorado on September 10. Larry was the brotherin-law of MMI faculty member Grete (Haentjens) DeAngelo ’92, Gavin Haentjens ’94 and Colin Haentjens ’08.

A daughter, Abigail Maria, was born on June 3 to Anna (Kasprzak) Meyers ’99 and Jacob Meyers.

Mileposts Anna Stefanik, mother of Martin Stefanik ’58, celebrated her 91st birthday on August 26.

Gordon Woodring, father of Beth Woodring ’79, celebrated his 90th birthday on July 9 with a surprise party held at Top of the 80’s restaurant.

Deaths James Ballard passed away on August 10. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Nancy Louise; daughters, Belinda

George W. Woelfel ’37 passed away on August 29.

Following his graduation from MMI, George received a degree in Civil Engineering from Lehigh University while participating as a member of both the varsity swimming and wrestling teams. He later founded Nescopeck Construction and Woelfel Engineering Co., which built many Hazleton-area buildings and more than 18 river bridges on Interstates 80 and 81. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Marguerite; three daughters, Marguerite Woelfel, Elizabeth Paterson, and Clarissa Confer ’83; and two granddaughters.

Faculty member earns second classroom grant MMI chemistry teacher Laura Petro has received a grant to enhance the teaching and learning of chemistry in her classroom for the second year in a row.

She has been selected by the American Chemical Petro Society’s Hach Programs Advisory Board to receive a $1,227 grant. The American Chemical Society – Hach High School Chemistry Grant will support Petro’s efforts to improve chemistry education and knowledge retention.

10

Through the grant funds, Petro will be able to purchase hot plates equipped with a magnetic stirrer, which will be used during laboratory experiments. The

hot plates will be used throughout MMI’s Science Department, from sixth-grade Life Science to Advanced Placement Biology and Advanced Placement Chemistry.

“This grant will allow us to replace older hot plates that no longer work effectively with new equipment that provides students with the ability to heat a solution, as well as stir it in order to dissolve a compound or produce a homogenous mixture. This basic, yet imperative, component of the science laboratory will allow our students the opportunity to advance from basic experiments to more advanced research projects efficiently and effectively,” Petro said.

Petro also received an American Chemical Society – Hach High School Chemistry Grant for the 2010-2011 academic year. That grant, in the amount of $1,145, enabled her to purchase

laboratory equipment and demonstration kits covering topics such as balancing equations, reaction rates, acids and bases, stoichiometric calculations and voltaic cells.

Additionally, Petro was selected as the 2010 Outstanding Chemistry Teacher by the Susquehanna Valley Section of the American Chemical Society.

At MMI, she teaches Advanced Placement chemistry, general chemistry, biotechnology, ethics, chemistry laboratories, applied research, organic chemistry and sixth-grade science.

“Grants such as these allow our students to learn chemistry in a handson fashion using the most up-to-date equipment,” said MMI Vice President Dr. Jaclyn Fowler. “Ms. Petro is an example of our outstanding faculty and we applaud her for securing this grant for our school for the second year in a row.”

Faces in the Crowd “Faces in the Crowd” is a new section to MMI Today featuring MMI students and faculty members. Through these articles, newsletter readers will have the opportunity to learn more about members of the MMI family.

Chava “Eve” Kornblatt – Class of 2018 With a birthday of October 24, 2000, sixth-grader Chava “Eve” Kornblatt is the youngest member of the student body in the MMI halls this academic year. Chava joined our family after completing fifth grade at the United Hebrew Institute in the Wyoming Valley.

She enjoys singing and reading, is a yellow belt in karate, has a little brother named Sol “Shlomo,” has a long-haired cat named Jasmine, and won first place in the science fair held at UHI. Chava also participated in the

2011 MMI Summer Camp program, completing Storybook Theatre, Artful Antics, Crime Scene Investigation, and Pets on Parade.

Chava’s parents, Joseph and Georgia Kornblatt of Kingston, said, “Chava has always been an eager learner, and MMI’s reputation for fostering students’ interests and developing their unique skills is very impressive. We know she will receive a rigorous, but nurturing, education at MMI and are looking forward to watching her thrive.”

Chava “Eve” Kornblatt participates in one of MMI’s summer camps this year.

Paul Brasavage – Class of 2012 This year’s Student Council president, Paul Brasavage, started at MMI in eighth grade during the 2007-08 academic year. Paul’s favorite class is Advanced Placement Calculus and his top college choice is Bucknell University, where he hopes to study Chemical Engineering.

Paul has received numerous academic accolades during his tenure at MMI and has earned a spot on the President’s List every year he has attended the school.

Paul Brasavage receives an award from President Thomas G. Hood at convocation ceremonies in May.

While at MMI, Paul has been involved in a tremendous number of extracurricular activities, including the Drama Club, Robotics, the MMI Ambassador Program, Varsity Cross Country, the Mock Trial Team, and the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science. Paul is the son of Mark and Bernadette Brasavage and lives in Freeland with his family.

Ms. Grete (Haentjens) DeAngelo ’92 – Faculty Grete (Haentjens) DeAngelo is a member of the Class of 1992 and returned to MMI as a Social Sciences teacher in 2006. She is a graduate of Lehigh University, where she received a Master of Arts degree in History and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism.

In 2011-12, Ms. DeAngelo is teaching sixth-grade Geography, ninth-grade American History, and Advanced Placement U.S. History. She also teaches an elective in Journalism for prep school students. At MMI, she is a mentor-teacher in the third year of the National Writing Project, which means she works with other faculty members to help strategize how to incorporate more student writing into their classes, even math and science.

“What I love most about MMI is that even though the campus has changed, the technology in the classroom is updated, and a lot of the faculty and administration are new, the atmosphere is identical to when I was a student here. It’s amazing to walk down the hall (past my old locker!) and hear kids talking about their classes and really sounding excited about what they’re learning. It’s intellectual discussion about philosophers and writers and science, not just ‘What did we have for homework?’,” Ms. DeAngelo said.

In her free time, she enjoys lifting weights, walking, and geocaching with her boys, and she is new to the study of tai chi. Ms. DeAngelo resides in Sugarloaf with her two sons, Louis, 8, and Jeffrey, 6.

Ms. Grete DeAngelo teaches a class at MMI.

11

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE

PAID FREELAND, PA PERMIT#11

MMI Preparatory School 154 Centre Street Freeland, PA 18224 Address Service R equested

Freshmen take to streets of Freeland in annual pajama parade

Seniors and freshmen pose for a photo on the steps of Old Main following the annual pajama parade that is part of the freshmen students’ orientation day. The annual rite of passage has been held each year since the 1950s and is a student highlight at the beginning of each school year.

Entrance Exam Testing Date Important Dates 2012-2013 Admissions – Jan. 28, 2012

Applicants report to the MMI Main Office (Ridge Street entrance) by 8:45 a.m.

Visitation Night. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 16 Founder’s Day . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . November 23 Drama Club Production . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 2 & 3 Holiday Concert . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . December 14 Visitation Night. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . January 24