The Counselor | 2017

The Counselor A XAVERIAN BROTHERS SPONSORED SCHOOL I OLGCHS.ORG I 2017

CHOOSING HIS WORDS Perspectives from Kevin Blackistone ’77, Award-Winning Columnist, Radio and TV Commentator, Professor, and Panelist

“If I knew they liked me that much, I never would have retired.”

“if you left anything in his truck after practice, you had to sing ‘I’m a little teapot’ to get it back”

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“This was an important lesson for me—to learn that someone’s opinion—a voice—could help make change or at least get people discussing issues.”

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“I was going out on missions with five to seven men, and 99% of the time half of us didn’t come back— and I attribute my survival to ‘up above.’ He had something else for me to do, it was not my time.”

“‘Yes, Adrianna, I will baptize your baby, and I will also sign your diploma and give it to you when you graduate with your two-year degree from Arupe college. Are we clear Adrianna?’”

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The GC Marching Band struts in formation towards the field for their half-time presentation. Good Counsel is the only high school in the WCAC that offers a marching band.

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Dear Friends, Pope Francis created a buzz in April when he became the first Pontiff to deliver a Ted Talk. His topic was, as you would expect, a timely call for the world to pay attention.

Titled “Why the only future worth building includes everyone,” the talk urged greater care for those on the margins of modern life. The Holy Father also spoke of his wish for a world where relationships are characterized by tenderness, inclusiveness, and solidarity.

And he praised the many “wonderful” innovations in science and technology that have the potential to improve the quality of life for us all.

The stories we share in this issue of The Counselor align well with the Pope’s encouragement for us to strive for a better tomorrow. You will read about the inspiring work of Good Counsel alumni making a mark in such diverse fields as sports journalism, civic revitalization, and business ethics.

We are proud of our alumni who, in the spirit of Pope Francis, are seeking to build a future that includes everyone.

Our cover story features Kevin Blackistone ’77. While he may be best known for his appearances on ESPN’s Around the Horn, Kevin has established a global reputation as a journalist with a compelling voice on matters of equity and social justice. Tim Welsh ’84 blends his Catholic faith, business acumen, and ability to build community to bring about positive change – real jobs, real investment – in the city of Minneapolis. Ron Hill ’72, recently appointed Professor of Business Ethics at the George Washington University Business School, is a leading scholar on compassionate leadership and socially responsible organizations.

At its May meeting, the Board of Directors formally adopted a diversity statement. It is fitting that this edition of our school magazine presents the rich variety of unique, God-given talents that together form the community of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. That diversity, spanning 59 years and multiple generations of Falcons, is a blessing.

I hope you enjoy this edition of The Counselor and see in it a compelling expression of the values handed down to us by the Xaverian Brothers and distilled in the nine simple words of our mission: We inspire our students to excel, serve, and love.

Warmest regards,

Paul G. Barker, Ed.D. President

2 LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

A publication of

OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL HIGH SCHOOL A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School 17301 Old Vic Boulevard, Olney, MD 20832

IN THIS ISSUE

240.283.3200 I olgchs.org

Graduation 2017

PRESIDENT Paul G. Barker, Ed.D.

Another Year…Another Record

PRINCIPAL Tom Campbell ’93

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BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIR | Ms. Rita M. O’Donnell VICE CHAIR | Mrs. Anne Marie “Nancy” Wheeler PRESIDENT | Dr. Paul G. Barker Mr. Erich E. Baumgartner, Jr. Mr. Bradlee A. Bolino ’71 Mr. Ralph F. Boyd Br. Stephen P. Comeau, CFX Mr. Victor M. Del Pino ’94 Mr. Michael R. Devlin ’77 Mr. Thomas F. Fay Dr. Eileen Haase Dr. Edward P. Hardiman Mr. Robert J. Hass Dr. David L. Higgins ’75 Rev. Robert B. Lawton, S.J. ’65 Mr. Philip J. Mantua ’76 Mr. Roger P. Mason, Jr. ’99 Mr. Kevin J. McCormack ’86 Mr. Charles J. Morton, Jr. ’83 Mr. Stephen E. Richter ’75 Mr. William T. Riley, Jr. ’68 Dr. Lori L. Scialabba Dr. Patricia A. Thomas ’93 Mrs. Cynthia M. Van Horn Mr. Michael W. Welch

Kevin Blackistone ’77 Choosing His Words

30 Matt Madden ’84

Making a Virtual World a Reality

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ADVANCEMENT OFFICE STAFF: Editor, Director of Marketing & PR Stephanie Wilson Chief Advancement Officer Jane DiGirolamo Director Of Alumni Relations Collin Dewitt Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Donor Relations Savannah Renehan Director of the Fund for Good Counsel Katie Rictor Digital Content and Social Media Coordinator David Radford Advancement Manager Debbie McKinney President’s Assistant Jeanette McCarthy Campaign Assistant Erica Tituana Contributing Photographers Joe Cabigas ’82 I David Radford Submit comments, contributions, and address updates to swilson@olgchs.org.

Tim Welsh ’84 Living Out Love

56 2017 Distinguished Alumnus

Father Stephen Katsouros, S.J., Ed.D ’77

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IN THIS ISSUE

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A Global

Adventure

DR. BARKER’S TRAVEL LOG FROM CHINA

Good Counsel arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday, January 11, 2017. I flew in from Chicago, a 14-hour flight over the North Pole. Director of Global Programs, Mrs. Yihung Mohs, flew in from Hong Kong. A 90-minute taxi ride (a whoppin’ US$15) brought us to our hotel just outside the inner-ring of elevated highways of the massive city. We went out to explore the Bund, a bustling area on the banks of the Huangpu River. The skyline is spectacular. There is no shortage of high rise and imaginative architecture.

Plenty of neon, too.

The “Pants” building, Beijing

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The Shanghai Maglev train has a top operating speed of 268mph. When Yihung and I rode from Longyang Road Station to Pudong Airport, the train topped out at a slacker’s pace of only 190mph; the 19-mile journey took about 8 minutes. Amazing technology.

In the sprawling airports, cavernous train stations, elevated highways, and futuristic skyscrapers of Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou we saw ample additional evidence of the Chinese economic miracle.

C hina

Old China in the midst of the new.

We saw some of the downside, too.

Air quality so bad you could see the haze inside airport terminals. Our flight to Jinan circled the airport for 45 minutes before the smog had cleared enough for us to land. I wore a mask the entire time in Xi’an as readings of dangerous PM 2.5 small-particulate pollution approached 500 (a reading of 150 is considered “Unhealthy”).

Airport parking lot in Xi’an – you can see the dirt in the air.

I saw things that astounded me: a man with a broom cleaning the dust away amidst moving traffic on three lanes of a busy bridge in Yibin; seeing almost no cars on a brand-new highway (three lanes in each direction) for 20 miles of the 25-mile drive into the city from the Xining Airport; as many as 40 identical 30-floor apartment buildings going up one behind the other in Jinan; a Lamborghini dealership on the same street where I saw a man pushing an ancient-looking cart.

How slippery was it at the Great Wall?

Ask the guy in the red coat.

And then there was the Great Wall.

It may have been the luckiest break of the whole trip – just enough snow to contrast with the brown rock of one of the man-made wonders of the world. The light mist made for a beautiful sight.

The food was consistently magnificent. Who knew there were so many ways to serve a whole fish? I learned that Chinese hospitality requires more food than those at the table could ever possibly finish. Every meal, the dishes kept on coming. And I do not remember rice being served at any of these feasts; I did not expect that. Also, I never thought I would like yak (rhymes with “ark”) but ended up eating it five different ways. Yak yoghurt and roast yak were my favorites ... and, no, it does not taste like chicken.

GLOBAL COMMUNITY

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Lest this report make it sound like we were on a two-week vacation, I want to assure you we were working hard.

We went to China with a threefold purpose: 1) to meet with families of our current students; 2) to cement relationships with the companies that market Good Counsel; and 3) to present Good Counsel to families and interview prospective students.

Good Counsel parents with Dr. Barker and Mrs. Mohs at reception in Shanghai.

The day after we arrived in Shanghai, we were thrilled to have 15 guests for a Good Counsel family reception. After a banquet dinner, we founded the China Chapter of the GC Parent Association, bestowing Falcon pins on the inaugural members. The devotion of the families was inspiring. They are very happy with GC and how we are looking after their children. Only a small number of the families actually live in Shanghai. One dad had to take two flights just to join us for dinner. You know it’s my necessary “move” to ask for support of the school.

Every family committed to support. To our consternation, some even unrolled the bills (100 yuan = USD$14.50) and left a pile of cash for the Fund for Good Counsel. We are very grateful for the warmth and generosity of our Shanghai welcome.

Once our Good Counsel business was completed, we flew north to Jinan. An industrial city of approximately 7 million, it has the reputation of having the worst traffic in China. From my vantage in the back of a taxicab, the number of cars was immense but it all somehow worked. It is a courteous sort of chaos. Cars change lanes on a whim but no one seemed to get too agitated—definitely not Montgomery County.

Enjoying street food in Jinan Dr. Barker and Mike’s parents, Mr. & Mrs. Wu, Mrs. Mohs at Baotu Spring Park in Jinan In Jinan, we met the parents of GC freshman Mike Wu. They took us to the natural springs that form a beautiful park in the middle of the city. Incidentally, I am told that one of Mike’s friends is planning to visit Mike and his family in China this summer. I could not be happier about the prospect of a first Good Counsel domestic student seeking the adventure that awaits in China. We have offered trips to the Americas and Europe for many years. Expanding our horizons to include China seems like an important next step that fits well with our school’s commitment to “international mindedness.”

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Mrs. Mohs presented to more than 200 students in Yibin.

Later, we began a tour arranged by one of our agent partners, Educatius. Over the following 10 days, our traveling companions were representatives of schools from Sacramento, Los Angeles, Colorado Springs, Phoenix, and Chicago.

We made 13 presentations and conducted about 70 interviews. We traveled 4,700 miles to Jinan, Beijing, Xining, Xi’an, Yibin, Guangzhou, and ended where we started, back in Shanghai.

We learned that there is no shortage of tremendously talented students. One 9th grader expressed his frustration that the electron microscope he had made was not focusing properly. Another gave me a copy of a book of family memories illustrated by his mom and with stories translated by him into English. That’s a little ahead of where I was in the 9th grade.

Interest in Good Counsel was strong at every location.

Our AP and IB programs draw attention. So do the quality and quantity of top-tier college admissions, and the fact that we have twice been recognized by the US Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The students are also drawn to our huge number of clubs and sports. The answer to one of our questions, “Once you’ve taken care of homework, what do you like to do for fun?” was surprising because there seemed to be only one answer. Boys or girls, it was always the same: “I like to play basketball.” Look out, NBA! Here comes China.

Yibin School It’s easy to understand the appeal of a US high school experience. The students in China deal with seems to be a relentless approach to learning. In Yibin, we visited a typical classroom: 52 students who stay together throughout the day for classes and into the evening for study. At the front of the classroom, posted for all to see, was a list with every student’s name and rank score. I am pretty confident that no GC student would want us to adopt this model.

Our strong academics require students to develop a robust work ethic. Our graduates gain access to the best schools but their experience is balanced with opportunities in clubs, sports, fine arts, service, and retreats. The Chinese students we met were clear about their wish to get away from rote learning and reliance on a national test score.

They see our country as offering opportunity that is hard for them to imagine in theirs.

Not every student we met was GC-ready. Several students still had some way to go with their spoken English. The students in the three biggest cities had more sophistication but there were enough great students for us to offer provisional admission to eight students.

I am not sure I had a clear idea of what to expect when I headed to China. Even now, after a few months at home, it is not easy to express coherently just what the experience was like. What I am clear about is that our move to enroll students from China is good for our school, for our domestic students, and the Chinese boys and girls willing to travel to the other side of the world for a Good Counsel education.

GLOBAL COMMUNITY

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Congratulations CLASS OF 2017

8 COMMENCEMENT

CLASS OF 2017

BEHIND THE NUMBERS...

307 73% $36,595,984 of students provided evidence of scholarship awards with a four-year value of

graduates

99% 41% 108 attending

colleges and universities in 30 states, the District of Columbia, and the United Kingdom

40% attending private schools

70% attending college out of state

acceptance to a four-year college

SHATTERED

attending one of US News’ Top 100 Colleges and Universities

3 RECORDS:

1. highest total scholarship dollars, set by the Class of ’13 of the class being offered a scholarship, 2. percentage set by the Class of ’14 3. per student average award, set by the Class of ’16

GC FACTS 22 IB courses 19 AP courses 45 clubs and activities 6 international educational opportunities 4% international students

COMMENCEMENT

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Emily Hall ’17, Class Speaker Imagine all the things you are capable of if you refuse to be uncomfortable in the presence of a challenge. This is what it means to be zealous. In our four years at Good Counsel, we have had values dedicated to each year: trust, compassion, simplicity, and humility. The only one we have not had is Zeal, and so I encourage you all, in your coming years as alumni, to live with zeal. Endeavor to be enthusiastic, devoted, and passionate about life. Don’t limit your experience because of fear of the unknown– live. Live with zeal. Live to grow.

Because I know we are capable of accomplishing so much in the years to come.

Dr. Paul Barker, President “Find a place in your life for being still, creating a space that lets you breathe. In a world committed to relentless communication, finding a place of silence, a place to pray, seems counter-cultural. It all takes time. And even more frustratingly, God’s answers can take even longer. Maybe you remember from Scripture how God came to Elijah not in storm, or earthquake, or fire, but in a gentle breeze. If our daily routine is relentlessly busy, distracted, and impatient we risk missing altogether the voice of God in our lives.

“Our Xaverian heritage reminds us we are formed in the common, ordinary, unspectacular flow of everyday life by a God who never tires of being patient with us.

So, be patient with yourself, with others (especially your mom and dad), and in your relationship with God.”

Mr. Tom Campbell ’93, Principal As you prepare to leave us, I encourage you to remain forever young at heart, to hold on to your enthusiasm, your energy, and your optimism for the future. I urge you to continue to make a difference in your community as you have made a difference in ours. To touch others’ lives as you have touched ours. To continue to nurture the enduring, personal relationships that have begun during the past four years in the Xaverian tradition. To continue to believe that you have something to contribute to the world and that you will make a difference. If you believe it, it will be so.

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Awards

Class of 2017 Graduation The John Jayarajah Award In Recognition of the Most Improved Student Over the Four Years I Donovan Stone

The Student Activities Award In Recognition of Outstanding Extracurricular Achievement I Patrick Ehrman

Xaverian Brothers In Recognition of the Student Best Showing the Qualities of Good American Citizenship I Jalen Lea

The Cardinal’s Award In Recognition of Outstanding Religious Dedication and Achievement over the Last Four Years I Mary Burgess

The Father Barry Gross Award In Recognition of Outstanding Servant Leadership in School and Community I Joshua Paschal

The Brother Gregory Turlik Alumni Award In Recognition of Outstanding Volunteer Service to School and Community I Katherine Martin

The Brother Bonaventure Scully Award In Recognition of the Senior with the Highest Academic Rank in the Class I Neil Coronado I Andrew Hoffpauir Mary Carbonell I Sofia Rebaudengo

The Brother Gerald Edward Award In Recognition of Our Lady of Good Counsel’s Outstanding Catholic Student I Elizabeth Homick

The Brother Mark Award Awarded to the Outstanding Senior Who Has Given the Most to Make Our Lady of Good Counsel an Exceptional School I Jackson Juska

Senior Awards Bishop P. Francis Murphy Peace Award I Taylor McDaniels Justin Thornton Award I Ryan Briggs Outstanding Citizenship Award I Quintin Henandez Ginger Burch Award for Service to School and Community I Leslie Medina

COMMENCEMENT

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Awards

Class of 2017 Department Recognizing Excellence in Each Academic Subject Donald J. Dalphonse Award for Religion I Matthew Barry Barry J. Trick Award for English I Emily Hall

Gregory A. Wood Award for Foreign Language I Sydney Melton Sylvia M. Serafino Award for Mathematics I Neil Coronado Science I Elianna Schiffrik Thomas Kolar Award for Social Studies I Samantha van Terheyden Visual Arts I Talia Skyles Theater I Chase Maselka Bradlee A. Bolino ’71 Award for Technical Theater I Alison Jackson Instrumental Music I Daniel Lidiak Vocal Music I Aiden Teter Technology I Michael Harrington Thomas Hilton ’64 Award for Physical Education I Jalen Lea

Merit Scholars The state of Maryland recognizes the top 5% of a school’s graduating class as determined by grade point average with the Maryland Merit Scholastic award. The following students have been recognized with this honor: Mary Carbonell Elianna Schiffrik Neil Coronado Samuel Redman Sofia Rebaudengo

Matthew Barry James Biggins Michael Harrington Ellen Tuttle Dillon Barreto

Anchal Shukla Colleen Morgan Emily Hall Hannah Brandes Erin Pocratsky

National Merit Scholarship Commended Students: Silvano Brugnerotto Mary Carbonell Emily Hall Russell Porter

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Sofia Rebaudengo Anchal Shukla Leigh-Ann Worthington

Deanna Bulk Emily Bartlett James Hall Elizabeth Homick Quintin Hernandez

National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist: Noah Adams National Merit Scholarship Finalist: Neil Coronado Michael Harrington Elianna Schiffrik

THE CLASS OF

2017LegacyMembers

The Good Counsel Legacy photo recognizes families who have made a Good Counsel education part of their family tradition. We are particularly excited when the children and grandchildren of Our Lady of Good Counsel alumni join our community. In recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of alumni children and grandchildren who have enrolled at the school, making the connections on our campus and across our alumni body stronger across generations. This year, 22 of our graduating seniors have parents or grandparents who attended Good Counsel, a testament to the bonds the school has with its alumni.

TOP ROW: Michael Zajac ’82, Matthew Zajac ’17, Amy Campbell ’92, Tom Hilton ’64, Clare Campbell ’17, Tom Campbell ’93, Justin Johannes ’17 2ND ROW: Patrick Grass ’76, Brendan Grass ’17, Jake Peter ’17, John Peter ’79, David Johannes ’81, Dan Corr ’17, Dan Corr ’82 3RD ROW: Dan Howley ’86, Joseph Howley ’17, Christian Copeland ’17, Paul Copeland ’82, Thomas Rogers ’80, Joshua Rogers ’17, Brady Murphy ’17, Daniel Murphy ’84 BOTTOM ROW: James Small ’85, Emily Small ’17, Mary Carbonell ’17, John Carbonell ’88, Olivia Docal ’17, Orlando Docal ’80, Catherine Burgess ’17, Michael Burgess ’87, Mary Burgess ’17, Julia Crocker ’17, John Crocker ’88 NOT PICTURED: Luis Gomez ’82, Luis Gomez ’17, Russell Hamill ’79, Madilyn Hamill ’17, Joseph McGovern ’84, Thomas McGovern ’17, Caragh Owens ’96, Brenna Owens’17, Steve Stanislav ’76, Steven Stanislav ’17, Nelson Tyler ’80, Cameron Tyler ’17

COMMENCEMENT

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Spotlight on

Aiden Teter ’17

In the arts there are generally two types of people, the “talent,” who thrive under the bright lights, and “the crew,” who work tirelessly in the shadows to ensure that all the unseen, technical aspects of a performance go flawlessly.

Recent graduate Aiden Teter ’17 managed to straddle the fine line between those worlds during his time at Good Counsel.

“I started the show up in the booth mixing, and then, when it was time for my choir to perform, I ran downstairs and snuck in the back of the house to join the choir and sing,” Aiden recalled of his first experience running the sound board in Good Counsel’s new Performing Arts Center.

As a member of the choir, Aiden anchored the bass section and also occasionally accompanied the choir on keyboard.

“Aiden is a great leader in the choir,” Director of Choirs Stan Spottswood ’81 said, “He is a tremendous musician who is able to comprehend musical notation and concepts on a higher level than most.” While Aiden’s understanding of music is beneficial to the choir, it is his understanding of sound that has helped their performances rise to another level. “Aiden has been instrumental in planning and implementing logistics in sound design that have improved the overall quality of our sound during masses and concerts,” Spottswood added, “This has affected the quality of our audio and video recordings and has had a great impact on the experience of the audience.”

Aiden’s love of sound design began before his freshman year at GC. “Back in middle school, I helped my music teacher with sound for Mass, and then when I came to GC, I got involved starting with Mass and then with the choir concerts.” Since the opening of the Performing Arts Center, Aiden has become an integral part of the Tech Crew

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working with the Center’s Director, Laurie Bautista. “He has a quick mind and an astounding depth of knowledge,” Mrs. Bautista said. “His desire to learn even more keeps him asking questions rather than trying to prove himself, which is refreshing.”

“I knew that Good Counsel had a really good choir and band program,” Aiden said about his decision to hone his talents, both on and off stage. Aiden is looking to expand on the experience he gained in high school as he seeks a profession in sound design, but he still intends to come back and help out at his alma mater. “Seeing my name listed in the program for the Christmas and Alumni Gospel Concerts as Sound Designer was one of the highlights of my high school career.” Now, he hopes to be a mentor to the next Falcon who wants to follow in his footsteps.

Spotlight on

Thomas Evers ’17

STEM Student Designs Robots for Humanitarian Land Mine Removal Thomas Evers ’17 is not your typical high school student.

In his spare time, Evers works to design and test robots to help save innocent civilians by disabling land mines and unexploded cluster bombs, save our troops by locating and disarming IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices), and save emergency disaster victims by using inexpensive robots to locate survivors. Thomas’s passion for robotics started in the sixth grade with a trip to the National Science and Engineering Festival in Washington, DC. Inspired by participants in First Lego League, a robotics program that engages youth in “playful and meaningful learning while helping them discover the fun in science and technology,” Thomas left the fair energized about robotics. Evers immediately formed a robotics club with his friends at St. Elizabeth’s School, to participate in the First Lego League robotics program.

Over the next six years, Thomas would prove himself time and again as both an innovator and contributor to the robotics industry. In response to law enforcement and military units’ need for less expensive, reconnaissance robots, Thomas designed, manufactured, and programmed a small robot that could be easily replaced or repaired in the event of damage or destruction. Thomas was fortunate enough to be noticed by the US government’s robot research and test facility, a division of the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology). He exhibited his designs at various local science fairs and to Robotis, a company that commercializes personal robots. Thomas showcased his technology at the 2014 DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency) Challenge for Humanoid Robotics, and internationally in 2015 at the RoboCup Competition in Hefei, China and in 2016 in Leipzig, Germany where his team tied for first place.

Thomas, an Eagle Scout with Boy Scouts of America, was eager to structure his Eagle project around his passion and work in robotics. “I didn’t want to do the stereotypical ‘build a bench in a park’ or ‘put up some birdhouses’ project,” he said. “Those are good projects, but not what I wanted to do because I love robotics so much.” He approached NIST to determine a need that his project might address. Thomas learned about the dangers faced by military personnel during their missions to find and diffuse IEDs and cluster bombs in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the desire of the military to minimize casualties and injuries by replacing humans with robots. Thomas designed a field test, within

the restraints of NIST’s rigorous testing standards, to train and evaluate the capability of robots to detect IEDS, cluster bombs, and abandoned land mines. He designed the test to fit in a shipping container, so the system could easily be transported around the world to train people and robots. This test will eventually become a new international standard, and the Taiwanese government plans to use Thomas’s testing system next year as part of a larger robot exploration and training program.

Thomas’s Eagle Scout Project led to an internship position with NIST where he now tests robots. He is also employed part-time with Roboteam, a leading global provider of tactical ground robotic systems that support our troops.

“I like the idea that the robots I am building now will be shipped off to the Air Force and other military organizations to be deployed to save lives from IEDS and land mines,” explained Thomas.

Thomas is grateful for the knowledge he gained from the STEM classes at Good Counsel. “The entire reason I was able to do the design work for the testing system is because of what I learned at Good Counsel through the STEM classes.

The materials covered in the engineering classes taught

by Mr. Bill Jones played a large part in making my Eagle Project possible.” He also acknowledges how supportive and encouraging the robotics community has been for him and his team. “The robotics community creates a cooperative and helpful environment to learn,” said Thomas.

“A local team supplied us with an extra robot, spare parts, computer, and equipment, and held our hands to get us started.” While Evers’ accomplishments to date have been tremendous, this is definitely not the last we will be hearing about him. He was accepted to Drexel University’s mechanical engineering program and plans to continue his work to make the world a safer place.

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

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Spotlight on

Allison Battista ’19

A Passion To SavE Our Reefs Allison Battista, an honors student at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, is passionate about advancing the science behind coral reef research and conservation.

The World Wildlife Fund reports that the oceans’ coral reefs are in significant danger of extinction. An estimated 27% of the world’s coral reefs have already been irreparably destroyed, and 75% of the remaining coral reefs are currently imperiled. If present rates of destruction through climate change, overfishing, careless tourism, pollution, and coral mining are allowed to continue, an estimated 60% of the world’s coral reefs will be destroyed over the next 30 years. Allison and her research partner, Clara Benadon, reasoned that “understanding the factors contributing to the loss of coral reefs and implementing effective management measures to protect and conserve them requires more accurate, cost-effective, and efficient underwater monitoring techniques.” Their research project titled “Using 3D Modeling to Save Our Reefs: Exploring the Accuracy of Reef Assessment Techniques Using Structure from Motion” evaluated the accuracy of a new technique, Structure from Motion (SfM), for measuring coral reef ecosystems. SfM has the powerful capability to create highly detailed, three-dimensional digital models of objects or landscapes from a series of photos.

Allison and Clara constructed a 2.5 x 2.0 meter test area containing five different types of objects varying in shape, size, and complexity to serve as a model area of a section of a reef. Using a GoPro camera, they recorded the simulated reef using six different survey methods and then imported the images into a 3D modeling program to evaluate the accuracy of each method. Their results identified the most effective surveying method and the importance of using new Structure from Motion technology to “better observe and document reef changes, monitor their recovery through restoration efforts, and determine the efficacy of management actions by providing greater spatial and informational detail.”

Allison and Clara’s research project won first place in the Computer Science and Mathematics category at the Montgomery County Science Fair (MCSF). Sponsored by Science Montgomery, the MCSF is the premier science fair in Maryland held at the FDA White Oaks Campus in Silver Spring. Additionally, their project won several community awards including the US Naval Research Laboratory Award, Association for Women Geoscientists

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Award, Geological Society of Washington Earth Science Award, Genius Olympiad Award, and NOAA Pulse of the Planet Award.

Allison and Clara are thrilled to have presented their research in Los Angeles, CA, at the Intel ISEF International pre-college competition on May 14-19, 2017. Science Montgomery provided them with fully paid sponsorships to compete in the fair, along with only three other finalist teams from the MCSF. When asked about how she feels like Good Counsel helps her explore her passion in science and excel beyond the classroom, Allison talked about the help she received from Good Counsel’s faculty, especially Mr. Mike Haight and Ms. Laura Squirlock. Allison is scheduled to take two AP science courses next year along with AP math and AP foreign language. She is grateful for how many different course selections there are available to students at Good Counsel. “I love the GC community! I play lacrosse, and we are all just like a family. I love all the classes and how dedicated the teachers are. They are always there to help us and push us to reach our goals and explore what we really love to do.”

Spotlight on

Naria White ’18

Just Like Naria

On Naria White’s fifth birthday, she came to New York where she was given her first American Girl Doll. She became very intrigued in buying outfits for her “Just Like Me” doll, but she was confused as to why it didn’t look like her at all. At just seven years old, Naria began writing to Mattel, the company that manufactures American Girl Dolls, regarding her disappointment in not having an African American Girl Doll that she could relate to. Mattel responded to her with “We want every new character to receive the level of attention to detail and support that the other American Girls have enjoyed.” She cried to her mother wondering why American Girl believed African American girl dolls would not be viewed the same as girls in the past.

Throughout their interactions in the last 10 years via email and Twitter, American Girl has come a long way. In 2011, they emailed Naria, “We are very proud of the amount of diversity represented in all our doll lines and we are committed to creating dolls that represent a wide range of races, cultures, and ethnicities.” Finally, her dreams have come true.

But the ideal African American doll can’t just be encompassed into one doll. “There’s a wide spectrum of different African American girls. I would create a light skin, brown skin and dark skin dolls’ and I would definitely want to incorporate different hair textures.” If there was a doll that would represent Naria, she would be a dancer and future lawyer. Her issues would involve coming from overseas and having to deal with culture shock. “I would love to spread an advocation to young girls to tell them that they matter and to constantly strive to reach their goals.”

Junior, Naria White, moved to the United States just four years ago. Before coming to the U.S., Naria had lived overseas with her family in many places such as Ghana, Senegal, and Egypt. At GC, she’s part of the Poms team and is Co-President of the Model U.N. club. After graduation, she hopes to attend Spelman College and major in sociology.

Her ultimate dream is to become a lawyer and continue to advocate for minorities.

In her last interaction with Mattel this year, she congratulated them on their milestone in creating the first African American Girl 2017 Doll of the Year, Gabriela, but it wasn’t what she had anticipated. When Gabriela was first revealed on Good Morning America, Naria was overwhelmed with joy, which quickly turned into disappointment. It was announced that Gabriela’s story would include her stuttering issue and she would have accessories such as a boom box.

In her letter to Mattel following this announcement, she talks about how “[African American girls] are plagued by society as comical, hip-hop listening, illiterate humans… Although you might have chosen [Gabriela’s] flaw unconsciously, the first word that came to mind was: stereotype.” In the future, Naria hopes that American Girl will be able to create a doll who represents the entire African American community.

“Addy, the first African American in the line, was a historical doll who had overcome slavery.

Now the next prominent African American doll produced is an entertainer?” —Naria White ’18

STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

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A Legend Retires

Coach BOB MILLOY Famed NFL Coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Perfection is not attainable. But if we chase perfection, we can catch excellence.” After chasing perfection for the last 47 years, Good Counsel Head Football Coach Bob Milloy has decided it is time to settle for excellence.

“It’s just time,” Milloy, 73, said. “There’s no overt reason. It’s just time to, I guess, relax.”

During Coach Milloy’s career he oversaw programs at Whitman High School in Bethesda, Springbrook in White Oak, and Sherwood in Olney, but for the last 16 years he has called Good Counsel home. It was with Good Counsel that Milloy won four consecutive Washington Catholic Athletic Conference championships. Early this year he earned his 400th win as he led the Falcons to victory over Mount Saint Joe’s. His overall career record includes 405 victories, 124 losses, and one tie, with eight Maryland state championships in addition to the four WCAC titles. Milloy retires as the winningest coach in Montgomery County history.

The Pigskin Club of Washington, D.C., named Milloy “Coach of the Year” in 1981, 1990, 1996 and 2007. He was honored by the Touchdown Club of Washington, D.C., as “Coach of the Year” in 1980, 1986, 1995 and 2012. The Touchdown Club named him “Coach of the Decade” for the 1990s. He has been named to the D.C. Sports Hall of Fame, the Maryland High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame, the National High School Football Coaches Hall of Fame, and the Springbrook High School Hall of Fame.

In a career filled with difficult situations, one of that hardest things Milloy had to do was tell his players that he was retiring. “That’s an emotional moment,” Milloy said. “If I knew they liked me that much, I never would have retired.”

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Taking Over a Dynasty Andy Stefanelli ’83

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After Bob Milloy announced his retirement on February 15, many questions swirled about who would fill the shoes of Maryland’s all-time winningest football coach. Less than a month later, the questions were quickly answered as Andy Stefanelli ’83 was named to take the reins.

The announcement was not a surprise to families and alumni who know Andy and his tireless commitment to Good Counsel throughout the years. Few may know, however, that it was 35 years ago that Andy first realized he wanted the position.

In 1982, while a senior captain at Good Counsel, Andy was sitting with his teammates in the GC locker room before their game against Gonzaga. “Our football coach at the time, Tom Hilton ’64, was giving a fiery speech,” Andy recalled. “I was one of those players, who was doing whatever the coach said. I would run through that ‘wall’ for him.” Coach Hilton’s talks were inspirational and sometimes included stories about his experiences as a Vietnam veteran.

“Those speeches went beyond the football field,” Andy shared. “It was during that particular pregame speech that I realized how incredible it would be to become a football coach. I knew that I wanted to do the same thing one day.”

After high school, Andy went on to play at the collegiate level at Western Maryland College (now McDaniel). After graduation, he was offered a position as a graduate assistant to coach while pursuing a graduate degree. Since the school at the time didn’t offer a master’s program in business, and because he needed to help run his family’s business at home, he had to turn down the position.

“About five or six years later, I went back to Good Counsel for a ‘Beef and Beer’ reunion and saw Tom Hilton,” said Andy. “Hilton said, ‘Hey, why don’t you come back and coach?’” Although Andy would have been thrilled to accept the offer, he declined since he couldn’t commit the time while running his own business. Hilton, who understood his dilemma said, “Yeah, there’s no money in coaching, so go make money in your job and if you ever want to come back, we’d love to have you,” recalled Andy. “I never forgot that.

So, for the next several years while I built my businesses, got married, and raised a family, I followed the school’s football program in hopes of one day coaching.”

when a team did something—lined up a certain way—Bob just knew what to do. As a young coach, you don’t know what to do. So learning, just from watching how he would dissect and attack a defense—that part of it took a while, but I think I started to get it.”

For eight years of the last 10, Andy has been the freshman team head coach and recruiting coordinator. He led the freshman team to a 71-2 record in those years and has a long history at the youth-level as a head coach in the Rockville Football League (RFL) for over 15 years and the Montgomery County Bearcats in the Grassroots Youth Football League (GYFL) since 2010. He currently sits on the board for the RFL and is the vice-president for the league.

Now Andy will take over for Maryland sports legend, Bob Milloy, who won an unprecedented 405 games during his 50 years of coaching. He doesn’t feel pressure following Bob Milloy’s success. “I’m hoping I can carry on the great tradition Bob Milloy started at Good Counsel. I’m proud of that and I feel like I’m just an extension of what he already started. I’m not trying to start over again.”

“In terms of philosophy, it’s players first. I really want to make it just a great experience for the kids,” shared Andy.

“I’m a big discipline guy, we’re going to be structured and disciplined, but we want to make it fun and exciting for our players, and put them first.”

When Andy’s oldest child, Carly ’10, entered GC, he knew he wanted the rest of his children to attend as well. At that time, he was able to free up his schedule a bit to pursue his dream of coaching for the Falcons. “I didn’t want to coach at just any school. I wanted to coach at Good Counsel because I love the place.” He joined Bob Milloy’s staff as the JV assistant.

During that time, he really didn’t think much about being a head coach, but after learning and working under the mentorship of Bob for a decade, he realized that maybe he was poised to lead the program. “I would be amazed how

Andy and his family of Falcons reside in Rockville, MD. From l to r: Perry ’14, Jack ’20, Carly ’10, wife Estelle, Drew ’12, Margi ’18, and Andy ’83.

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After 34 years coaching GC Track and Field and Cross Country teams, Tom Arnold has decided to hang up his spikes.

No one knows the impact Coach Arnold has had on GC better than those who ran for him, so here is an “Ode to Tom Arnold,” written by Allen Meringolo ’12 and Jack Riely ’12.

AN ODE TO TOM ARNOLD By: Allen Meringolo ’12 and Jack Riely ’12 Originally appeared on Mocorunning.org “Brockett, if you don’t pass Kazunas, we run another!

Kazunas, if you let Brockett pass you, we run another!”

Anyone walking by the Andrew Kim Field in Olney, MD, on a Wednesday afternoon in early October 2009, would have heard a tall, skinny, bald man yelling this emphatically as a bunch of shirtless high school boys, dripping sweat, were lining up in a staggered formation on a field with a cone placed 400 meters in front of them.

The 2009 Good Counsel boys varsity team, still breathing hard from the tough workout just completed, positioned themselves in line, ordered from slowest to fastest with about ten meters between each other. Coach Tom Arnold explained to us that we were going to run a 400 meter sprint and that we had to catch the runner in front of us while not letting anyone catch us. Logically, it was a nowin situation. We finished the 400 with varying degrees of success and jogged back to the starting line expecting to be done when Coach Arnold said, “back on the line.”

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Exhausted after finishing the second one, we jogged back thinking, “now we have to be done.” After a second’s hesitation, Coach Arnold told us to get back on the line.

Muscles screaming, we finished another interval and began the gallows jog back. Reminiscent of the “again” scene in Miracle, we had no idea when the exercise was going to end. After the third 400, we lined up, muscles cramping, steam rising off of our bodies, hoping for a reprieve but not daring to expect one, when Coach Arnold finally seemed content with our efforts for the day and allowed us to collapse in a heap.

We had run poorly the previous weekend, and we were not hitting our assigned interval times that day. To us at the time, it seemed as if Coach Arnold was punishing us for these lackluster performances. But looking back seven years later, the point was to drive home the fact that the team’s success relied on each runner being accountable; our number one man was no more or less important than our number seven man. It was also to instill a competitive fire in us. Even when we were exhausted at the end of the race, in the last 400 meters, our focus must be to pass as many people as we could and never, under any circumstance, get passed.

WINNINGEST COACH IN GC HISTORY 34 GCAA/WMAC/WCAC TITLES:

INDIVIDUAL CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS:

Boys Cross Country Titles 1991 2001 2007 2014 1999 2002 2011 2015 2000 2003 2013 2016

Girls Track and Field Titles 1989 1995 1998 1990 1996 2003 1991 1997 2004

Girls Cross Country Titles

Boys Track and Field Titles 2016 (Assistant Coach)

1989 1993 1995

1996 1997 1998

1999 2000 2001

2002 2003 2006

1992 Cross Country Team

Twenty year NBA veteran and future of Hall of Famer Ray Allen, in his retirement letter, sums up the mantra on which Tom Arnold has built his program and lived his life, “Everybody says they’re willing to sacrifice whatever it takes to win a title...It’s not about talk. It’s getting in your work every single day, when nobody is watching.” This is how Tom Arnold would take relatively small groups of 20-30 guys and 10-15 girls, year in and year out, and consistently turn them into teams that would compete for WCAC and state titles and be a threat to finish top five at major invitationals every fall. There were no secret workouts.

Instead, it had everything to do with the passion and seriousness of purpose he brought on a daily basis for 34 years and his insistence on commitment and sacrifice from each and every one of his runners.

Where another coach might recommend his runners to put in some mileage over summer, Coach Arnold would host daily 6:00 am runs every weekday from the second week of June through the middle of August, bringing a cooler of ice

Kevin Sierka Dave McCombe Anna Quezada Erin Sicher Erin Sicher Erin Sicher Kim Hurney Matt Hanlon Matt Hanlon Kevin Graves

1987 1990 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 1999 2000 2001

Drew Abernethy Nora McCall Nora McCall Taylor Kozam Collin Crilly Collin Crilly Megan Crilly Claudia Wendt Jack Wavering Jack Wavering

2003 2005 2006 2012 2012 2013 2013 2014 2014 2015

2016 season

water and often setting the pace himself. In the first week of August every year, he organized the Concord retreat running camp which tested the limits of his runners and other runners in the DC area on the vaunted hills of West Virginia. Where another coach might suggest that athletes maintain healthy eating habits, Coach Arnold would provide a detailed guide to a healthy diet at the cross country informational meeting in June and give ‘gentle reminders’ to runners he caught eating fries and pizza at lunch.

In every way, Tom Arnold went above and beyond. He would demand academic excellence as a prerequisite for being on the team. He had no qualms about telling his absentminded boys senior captain who was late to the first day of organized practice that if it happened again he was off of the team. Coach Arnold would put in untold hours to crunch numbers and put together detailed statistical analyses and race plans, going so far as to make accurate projections of finish places for rival teams we hadn’t raced all year, solely based on their performances against teams we had ON CAMPUS

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raced. He would regularly author The Falcon Runner, an exhaustive and beautifully written recap of races, workouts, comparisons to past teams, and his reflections from, in his words, “the halcyon days of summer.” Coach Arnold led positive mental imaging sessions where he had his athletes mentally go through their entire race from lacing up their shoes to crossing the finish line.

It is cliché, but Coach Arnold always recognized that success on the cross country course was secondary to instilling habits that would serve his athletes for life. He coached the whole person. He demanded academic success, good citizenship, and a complete commitment to the team, from the best runner to the worst.

Through both the “trials of miles” experience of running GC cross country and the light-hearted environment he cultivated through his pranks and playful teasing (i.e. if you left anything in his truck after practice, you had to sing “I’m a little teapot” to get it back), he created a team culture where hundreds of Good Counsel students have found a social outlet, developed interpersonal confidence, and made lifelong friends. Furthermore, when you, as an athlete, showed loyalty to him and the team, there was no end to the ways Coach Arnold would reciprocate.

His door was always open to come chat whether it be about running, training theory, school, personal values, or philosophical questions. If you were having trouble in your chemistry class or any other subject where he was knowledgeable, Coach Arnold was always available to tutor you. His college recommendation letters sold you to any prospective college better than you yourself ever could. Whenever his alumni come back and visit him at Good Counsel, Coach Arnold always has time to reminisce about the glory days and find out how his former athletes are doing.

For 34 years, Coach Arnold demanded nothing more or less than the absolute best from his athletes. Anyone who was willing to come out everyday and work hard would do well under Tom Arnold. In addition to prolific performances from his teams and individual runners, he instilled personal responsibility, leadership, and above all work ethic in all of his athletes. After five more years of running, a combined seven coaches between us, and countless conversations with teammates, we have never encountered or heard of a coach who has dedicated so much time and put in so much effort for the success of his athletes. On behalf of Good Counsel Cross Country and Track and Field runners, past and present, and the greater DC-area running community, we want to congratulate Coach Arnold on an incredible coaching career and express our most sincere gratitude for making us the people we are today.

Coach Arnold fulfills a promise to the 1999 Boys Cross Country Team after they capture their fifth consecutive WCAC Championship.

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WCAC Champions Boys Cross Country HEAD COACH: Tom Arnold I ASSISTANT COACH: Beth Muehl CAPTAINS: George Drewyer ’17 I Sam Redman ’17 INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Jimmy Vazzana ’17: 1st Team All State, 1st Team All WCAC George Drewyer ’17: 1st Team All WCAC I Josh Rogers ’17: 1st Team All WCAC Loick Ohresser-Joumard ’20: 1st Team All WCAC I Tyler Goehrung ’18: 1st Team All WCAC

Tom Arnold entered the 2016 Cross Country season, which would prove to be his final as Head Coach, unsure of how his boys’ team stacked up. “My greatest concern coming into last fall was not just the loss of great cross country runners, but also the loss of great leadership,” Coach Arnold said, referring to the 2015-2016 Good Counsel Boys Athlete of the Year Jack Wavering ’16. In his junior and senior years, Jack had been the unequivocal leader of the team, who pushed his fellow runners hard during summer workouts. In his absence, the team got off to a slower start. “We didn’t have nearly the level of intensity as we had the prior two years.”

The team began the season humbly, quickly recognized that they were not living up to their potential and started getting serious. Captains George Drewyer and Sam Redman led the way with Jimmy Vazzana also providing leadership to newer runners. Josh Rogers impressed Coach Arnold with his steadiness. “Most guys have up and down weeks, but Josh was like a metronome,” Arnold remembered. Josh moved up from being GC number seven man to the team’s number three runner. New addition Loick Ohresser-Joumard an international student who was new to competitive running, proved to be a quick study. Beginning on the JV squad, Loick jumped up to Varsity during the season and became a solid contributor.

By the end of the season, GC Boys Cross Country was putting everything together. In the WCAC Championship, it was going to come down to GC versus Gonzaga as it has for the last decade plus. Gonzaga had beaten GC at a race earlier in the year, but not by much. “The question was could we out race them at WCAC,” Coach Arnold said, “and we did beat them pretty handily. We just raced better, much more aggressively, much more confidently than they did.”

With the win, the boys earned their fourth consecutive WCAC title. It would be added to the 35 WMAC/WCAC titles that Coach Arnold had been a part of in his 30+-year career as a coach at GC. More important than the titles, Coach Arnold has left a mark on each of his runners, teaching them the value of hard work, perseverance, and believing in themselves. While uncertainty still surrounds who will be coaching GCXC next season, one thing is for sure, Coach Tom Arnold will never truly be replaced.

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WCAC Champions Girls Tennis HEAD COACH: Lee Ingham I ASSISTANT COACHES: Sophia Modi I Sol Lopez CAPTAINS: Megan Keller ’17 I Katie Phelan ’17 INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Melinda Yan ’19: MVP Award I Megan Keller: Coaches Award Katie Phelan: Coaches Award

They had been knocking on the door of a WCAC Championship for years, but in the fall of 2016, the Good Counsel Girls Tennis team just went ahead and knocked it down. After a perfect 8-0 season, Girls Tennis took five, undefeated players into the WCAC Championship Tournament. Of the six singles players and three doubles teams that entered the tournament, all nine won their first round matches. Eight of the nine advanced to the finals, which was a first for GC Girls Tennis.

“I try not to have expectations. I want them to play as a team and support each other, be good sports, and do their best,” Head Coach Lee Ingham said, “but all of a sudden the girls were just playing out of their minds.”

As well as they were playing, the championship still came down to the wire. Right out of the gates, GC was on the board in the finals as number one singles player Melinda Yan won her final match by forfeit. Paul VI kept things tight, matching each GC win with a win of its own.

It all came down to the number one and number three doubles teams, playing at the same time on different courts. The number one team was losing to St. John’s, while the number three team was in a difficult, back and forth match. In the end, Lindsey Burke ’17 and Rana Esckandari Zadeh ’19, GC’s number three doubles team took their match, which seemed to reinvigorate the number one team, who managed to scrape their way back and unseat St. John’s. It was a cinematic ending to a storybook season.

“Megan Keller and Katie Phelan would remind the girls throughout the season that they were the only undefeated team at Good Counsel. That became a motivating factor for them,” Coach Ingham said. When asked how it felt to finally bring home a championship, the coach began to laugh. “Words fail me. Every time someone mentions it I just get giggly.”

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WCAC Champions Boys Track and Field HEAD COACH: Gene Neal ASSISTANT COACHES: Rita Williams I John Fletemyer I Nigel Holder CAPTAINS: Jonathan Imes Jr. ’17 I Darnell Pratt Jr. ’17 I Jimmy Vazzana ’17 INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Darnell Pratt, Jr. ’17: 1st Team All-Met

For the first time in over 30 years Good Counsel Boys Track and Field has won back to back WCAC Championships. From 1976 to 1985 the team was absolutely dominant, picking up eight conference championships in that time. Since then, there was only one conference win in 2011. After winning consecutive titles in 2016 and 2017, GC Boys Track and Field has gotten its swagger back.

In 2016 the team won the title on the backs of its long distance runners. Many of those runners graduated after the season creating a new challenge for the team. In 2017, the team’s sprinters stepped up to that challenge. The team of Jonathan Imes Jr. ’17, Turner Roberts ’17, Savian Barrett ’20 and Darnell Pratt, Jr. ’17 won the 4 x 200m relay and set a new school and meet record in the process. Darnell Pratt also set a school and meet record on his own as he won 1st place in the 400m. Pratt tagged on two 2nd place finishes as well in the 100m and 200m races. The 4 x 100m relay team of Savian Barrett, Tremayne Stott ’18, Josh Kelly ’18 and Josh Paschal ’17 turned in a 3rd place performance.

The long distance runners didn’t let the sprinters have all the fun however. The 4 x 800m relay of Jonathan Imes, Jimmy Vazzana ’17, George Drewyer ’17 and Alex Hall ’18 took 2nd place while setting a new personal best. Vazzana also grabbed 3rd in the 800m and 4th in 1600m and 3200m races.

On the field, Josh Paschal earned 3rd place in both shot put and discus while setting new personal records.

“Our training plan for the whole season is based on a scheme where we progressively plan workouts so that our runners will peak at the championship meet,” Coach Neal explained. “The other factor is placing the athletes we have in the right places that will produce the best outcome for our team. I don’t know if it happened for every athlete, but we came pretty close to accomplishing that goal.”

After 30 years, GC Boys Track and Field is back on top. Although many of the team’s standout sprinters have graduated, the ongoing preparation for 2018 and a culture created by Coach Neal that promotes being ready to go when it’s time to compete, the team has its sights on keeping the trophy home.

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2017 NCAA Student-Athletes

The Brother Remigius Trophy is presented to the student athlete who best exhibits the qualities of leadership, sportsmanship, and integrity:

The Robert L. Windlan Outstanding Male and Female Athlete Awards Halle Graham

Sofia Rebaudengo Catherine Thomas William Burke Joshua Paschal

Brady Gilliland-Daniel

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EQUESTRIAN In its first year as a varsity sport at Good Counsel, the Equestrian Team had a fantastic year. Four members of the Good Counsel Equestrian Team, Olivia Senatore ’18, Abby Daly ’20 (pictured), Lainey Barbour ’20, and Taylor Perkins ’20, qualified for Regionals in the Interscholastic Equestrian Association (IEA). Abby Daly placed 6th on the flat and Olivia Senatore placed 7thover fences. Faith Rizvi ’17, Abby Daly, Lainey Barbour, and Taylor Perkins, also made Invitationals in the Inter-School Horse Show Series (ISHS).

The GC squad placed 7th overall out of 17 competing teams.

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ALUMNI TODAY 30 ALUMNI TODAY

Kevin Blackistone ’77

CHOOSING HIS WORDS Columnist, Radio and TV Commentator, Professor, and Panelist If it wasn’t for his father, we may not be able to count Kevin Blackistone ’77 among our most prominent alumni. When Kevin was preparing to enter ninth grade, he anticipated he would be going to the local public school in Prince George’s County with many of the friends he’d grown up with.

His father, James Blackistone, Sr., made the decision to send him to Our Lady of Good Counsel High School on Georgia Avenue in Montgomery County. “I was pretty bitter about it. The summer before I came to GC, I made the 13-and-under Babe Ruth team in PG county. I also had a newspaper route.

I had to give up both to attend summer school at GC, so I could get acclimated to a new academic environment. Doubly bitter!” recalls Blackistone, “and I remember arguing with my father throughout the year and nearly each of the following years to try to convince him to send me back to public school or even another Catholic school where I knew some of the kids.

But his father wanted a rigorous, academic environment for his son, and so Kevin stayed at Good Counsel and learned to appreciate his education and the opportunities that helped shape his career.

“Teachers like Br. John Joseph Sterne left an indelible mark on me,” Kevin explains. “He taught English and Latin, and the grammar book he used became a resource for me throughout my career.

Tom Kolar taught my AP History class, and he was also my defensive coach for football. Cortland Waifer was a member of my class, and he and I became best friends. Cortland went on to get a

degree from Brown and then joined the Marines. He died tragically in 1983 during a swimming drill off the coast of Okinawa. Tom Kolar came to his funeral. It really meant a lot to me that Mr. Kolar would take the time to be there and remember Cortland.

“Brother Joe Izzo taught religion. When he left GC, he went to Catholic University where he began to challenge the church on gay and lesbian issues. He eventually went to work at Whitman-Walker Health. In the classroom, he challenged us to determine what religion is and how it impacts social issues.

“Another teacher who left an impact on me was Gary Stein. I took an independent study class with him, and he introduced me to Cane by Jean Toomer. Toomer was a pillar of the Harlem Renaissance. This book was a novel of sorts including poetry, short stories, dialogue from a play.

It had this arresting story called, ‘Karintha’ that till this day is one of my favorite stories. [The book] opened my eyes to poetry and different styles of writing that I still appreciate, though I can’t execute them.”

Professor Blackistone in the classroom at University of Maryland. He holds the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism.

Blackistone was an athlete at Good Counsel participating in football, baseball, and track. He played freshman basketball, but quit because he felt he was “unfairly stuck on the bench.” He also worked on The Counselor, the school newspaper, which was time-intensive but something he really enjoyed. “I remember taking a field trip to The Washington Post with my journalism class and also taking a TV class. We had a TV studio upstairs in the school. I researched and wrote an editorial about the death penalty and the infamous death row inmate, Gary Gilmore, who requested to be put to death by a firing squad. All of these experiences helped me to decide that I wanted to become a journalist.”

Back in the ’70s, the big, thick, college catalogues were still the main way to learn about colleges. Kevin knew he wanted to find a school that was strong in journalism, in a big city, had an active black student body, and that was not in the DC area. After searching through the catalogue, he selected Northwestern University as his first choice.

He applied, was accepted early decision, and headed to Chicago. His time at Northwestern and in Chicago had a huge impact upon him.

“Among my professors was Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, Clarence Page. I met and created relationships with many black journalists who became life-long mentors including Jay Harris, Nancy Rawles, and Lillian Calhoun.

I began to write for a chain of Chicago neighborhood newspapers, which provided clips [for my portfolio], and I was getting paid for the work. I also worked at the campus radio station – WNUR 89.3 FM – as a news reporter, then continuity director and jazz DJ.

Kevin Merida, editor-in-chief of The Undefeated, with Blackistone (right). The Undefeated is the race and culture site for ESPN. Merida was the first black managing editor of The Washington Post before he took over The Undefeated, and he is a best friend of Blackistone.

“Nancy Rawles, who was one year ahead of me at Northwestern, helped me land a job for The Chicago Reporter, a monthly, investigative, non-profit magazine.

Writing for The Reporter allowed me to go in depth with a story and cover more racial and social issues. This was enormously fulfilling,” he explained.

After receiving his degree in 1981, Kevin took a job as a city reporter at The Boston Globe. He was offered an opportunity to attend Boston University and pursue a master’s in journalism. After a year, he left the Globe and became a full-time grad student. But before he completed

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his thesis, he had an opportunity to return to The Chicago Reporter, and he met a journalist who would have an influence on his career – Tom Brune, who is now working in D.C. “One of the most fulfilling things about my time at The Reporter was our diverse family of outstanding journalists,” Blackistone shared. “Ben Joravsky became one of my best friends. He wrote Hoop Dreams. Laura Washington, black, is a great political columnist in Chicago. Achy Obejas, Cuban, became a leading literary voice for the LGBT community.

Jeff Spitz, another of my best friends, became an awardwinning documentary filmmaker. On and on…And the founder, the late John McDermott, who marched with Martin Luther King, was one of my greatest mentors.”

I talked to my editor, and he offered me a slot on the Business Desk, where I could cover national economics and small business issues.”

Blackistone had begun to make a name for himself as a journalist and was offered a number of opportunities at newspapers including USA Today and The Washington Post.

At the same time, he was offered a column for SportsDay, The Dallas Morning News’ award-winning sports section.

I sought out the advice from a number of mentors and friends, who all agreed I should take the column. “My good friend from college, Mike Wilbon, threatened me, and said, ‘Stone [Blackistone’s nickname], if you don’t do this, I’ll come and kick your ….’ Well, I took the column, and in a short time, I knew I made the right decision,” remembers Blackistone.

Kevin remained at The Reporter for three years. One of the influential stories he investigated found that the Illinois State Lottery saturated poor and minority communities with lottery machines to a degree it did not in white neighborhoods. The lottery was forced to change its business practice.

He covered the Summer Olympics, Super Bowl, Wimbledon, the World Cup, the Tour de France, the British Open, the NBA Finals, Final Four, NFL playoffs, Major League Baseball playoffs, world championship boxing matches, and many other events more than once.

In 1986, Kevin became a reporter for The Dallas Morning News [Texas]. “The adjustment to the City Desk was one I never completely made,” he shared. “I was covering fires, police stories – all on a tight deadline. The deadline wasn’t a big deal; just the mundane stories.” The final straw was a story he was assigned at a Red Lobster Restaurant.

The restaurant had a lobster that was too big to cook, so he was sent to cover the story. “My lead was ‘Conan, the Lobster is Out of Hot Water,’ and I wrote how this infamous lobster was going to be moved to Sea World to live out his life. After a half year on the City Desk, I needed a change.

In the early 2000s, ESPN decided to start a lead-in program for “Pardon the Interruption” after its enormous success in its first year. It came up with “Around the Horn,” and they sought columnists from different regions of the country. It chose The Morning News for the Southwest because its sports section was considered the best in the country and provided turnkey broadcast technology since it had a television network. The lead sports columnist Tim Cowlishaw and Blackistone were chosen to represent The Morning News. “Around the Horn” is broadcast nationally and internationally, and Kevin appears weekly as a panelist

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to debate the sports news of the day. He’s also had stints as a sports columnist for The Guardian and @Daily, which was Ruport Murdoch’s short-lived attempt at an iPad-only newspaper.

In 2006, Blackistone took a buyout from The Dallas Morning News and decided to complete his degree from BU. He contacted the school and asked if they would take a book proposal as a thesis. He eventually submitted his thesis on a non-fiction book proposal he was researching about the life and symbolic resurrection of Jack Trice, the first black football player at Iowa State University. His thesis was accepted, and Kevin earned his master’s in journalism with a concentration in print journalism and African-American history.

In 2007, Blackistone was offered a column for AOL Fanhouse as AOL wanted to get into sports at a major level.

“I started writing one column a week and grew to three columns a week, traveling the world to cover the business of sports. Around this same time, George Solomon asked me to apply for a teaching position as the Shirley Povich Chair in Sports Journalism at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland. I didn’t really feel that I had the experience to teach, except for teaching undergrads when I was a grad student at BU. But George was persistent. I now teach one course each semester at Maryland – Special Topics in News Writing and Reporting, Sports Reporting and Writing and Special Topics in Journalism: How Sports Journalism Constructs Our World.

It’s really rewarding to help guide and shape the next generation of journalists.

“When I was growing up, my dad was a bit of a political activist and guest columnist in Maryland newspapers in his spare time. He also did a short stint in the Maryland House of Delegates. In the mid-’60s, Dad wrote a letter to the owner of the Washington Redskins, Edward Bennett Williams. He pointed out that when the team’s marching band played Dixie, spectators in the stadium would unfurl and wave the Confederate flag. He respectfully asked him not to play the song any longer. Williams wrote back and thanked him for bringing this to his attention; the song was never played again. This was an important lesson for me – to learn that someone’s opinion – a voice – could help make change or at least get people discussing issues.”

As a columnist, Blackistone doesn’t have to apologize. He wears his opinion on his sleeve. “If people don’t take issue with what I’m writing about in my columns, then I’m not doing my job. Some have called me, ‘Controversial Kevin.’”

Kevin recalls, “In 1992, I was in Minneapolis to watch the Washington Redskins take on the Buffalo Bills in Super Bowl XXVI. I was dressed in all of my Redskins regalia walking down the street into the stadium when I saw Native folk protesting the name of my home team. That was the first time it really struck me how offensive the name of the team

Blackistone worked for The Dallas Morning News in several capacities from 1986 – 2006.

“When he left the Morning News in 2006, editor Bob Mong wrote of Blackistone, ‘His thoughtful and probing journalism almost always stimulated response from readers, and, in this hyper-busy world, that’s saying something.’”

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newspaper including Danny Wholls, Tarik El Bashir, Larry Rubama, and exercise the critical importance in democracy of the First Amendment.”

Blackistone (left) with Garry Howard, Director of Corporate Initiatives at American City Business Journals, which owns The Sporting News. Garry was previously editor-in-chief for The Sporting News. was to others, and I began to write about it. Now when I write about the team, I refer to them as the Washington Football Team, and I strongly support the name change.”

Currently, Kevin wears many hats – a columnist for The Washington Post, commentator for National Public Radio’s Morning Edition, professor in the School of Journalism at the University of Maryland; and panelist for ESPN’s Around the Horn. He is also a highly sought after panelist at universities around the country on topics such as sports and race, sports and politics, sports and society, and sports journalism in general.

When asked what advice he would give to Good Counsel students who are interested in journalism or broadcasting, Kevin shared, “There are so many more opportunities for young people who want to enter the field right now. Some of the scholarship students in the Journalism Department at [University of] Maryland have had their own websites or created their own blogs or worked their way into radio jobs.

My advice to GC students who are interested in these fields is – don’t wait. Get started now by building your portfolio of experiences. Learn how to write well about a variety of topics, and read on many different subjects. Volunteer to be involved in a film or journalism club. Write for the school newspaper.”

Kevin added, “I’m dismayed to learn that The Talon doesn’t exist any longer, not even in digital form. Every student body should have its own news outlet. That’s the first newspaper I ever worked for. That was my launching pad.

I hope some GC students will bring it back and honor the tradition of those of us who got our start through this

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The winner of several honors including first- and secondplace awards for sports column writing from the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors, a Chicago Newspaper Guild award for investigative reporting , and a National Association of Black Journalists award for enterprise reporting, Kevin continues to find fulfillment in his ability to write and speak on topics of interest. He has authored academic journal articles on a variety of topics including diversity in sports media, hagiography in sports film documentaries, and the politics of the black athlete.

He was a visiting lecturer at Beijing Sport University, a Davenport Fellow at the University of Missouri, a Wharton Business Journalism Fellow at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Martin Luther King Fellow at Boston University as a grad student. He is currently a member of Dr. Paul Barker’s President’s Council of Advisors and past speaker at GC’s Young Alumni and other Alumni Business Networking events.

Kevin serves on the Board of Directors for the Society for Features Journalism Foundation and is a member of the Football Writers Association of America, Baseball Writers Association of America, U.S. Basketball Writers Association, and the National Association of Black Journalists. He also serves on two task forces for the University of Maryland – Recruiting for Academic Diversity and Journalism Education Outreach.

What’s next on the horizon for Blackistone? “I’d like to write another book, and I’m working on a documentary film on the Redskins name controversy and fight to change it. The working title is ‘Dishonorable Mention.’” He’s authored one book called, A Gift for Ron, a memoir of former NFL All-Pro player Everson Wall’s psychological and emotional journey to become an organ donor to his one-time teammate and longtime friend, Ron Springs.

“I enjoy the variety of things I do right now,” he added, although he admits that it becomes increasingly challenging to manage his calendar with the additional requests for speaking engagements across the country.

“My father had a profound influence on my life,” he concluded, “and I am grateful that he insisted that I attend and graduate from Good Counsel. The education I received set me on a path to success.”

Excerpted from the Washington Post, June 19, 2015.

Editorial by Kevin B. Blackistone

“For much of my life, at least on fall and winter weekends, I was Rachel Dolezal.

I donned a T-shirt, sweatshirt or cap emblazoned with some image and nickname of my hometown football team and cheered it on. …That’s what too many of us continue to do in and around Washington, D.C., with native peoples’ culture, all for our selfish purpose as football fans. …It is a reminder that there is nothing trivial about trivializing a people, which is why black fans of the football team I fell in love with growing up should be in the vanguard of the movement to shed it of its native imagery rather than perpetuating it. I’ve dumped my gear [Redskins fan clothing] over the years. And well before the recent trend of not writing the team’s nickname, I stopped doing it.

That is one reason two friends and I from D.C., filmmakers Sam Bardley and Kali McIver – who were part of the team that produced ESPN 30 for 30 documentary ‘Without Bias’ about Len Bias – launched a film project last summer about the practice in sports of infantilizing native people, reducing them to parts of their sum. It is, we should have known all along, a deleterious practice.

Whether it’s the football team we grew up rooting for or the logo of the Chicago hockey team that just won the Stanley Cup or the choreographed behavior of Atlanta’s baseball fans, it’s insensitive at best, dangerous at worst and infuriating to those who are objectified. …Indeed the American Psychological Association 10 years ago called for an immediate end to the use of native peoples, symbols and images in all sports. It cited more and more studies that showed mascoting was no less than racial stereotyping and had a negative impact on the identity development and self-esteem of native kids.

…You want to pretend to be Native American? You want to pretend to be black? Then see what it’s like to be at the top of those misery statistics. Go live on a reservation for a while. Or do as John Howard Griffin did during the civil rights movement to see how black people survived in the Jim Crow South: Darken your skin to appear as African American as possible and travel from city to city and record, as he did in his book ‘Black Like Me,’ how you are mistreated.

But doing those sorts of things aren’t as lucrative as selling foam tomahawks, vials of war paint, faux Indian clothing and feather headdresses, which together are also inaccurate representations of ritual and ceremony of upward of 600 native tribes in this country. And they certainly aren’t as fun as pretending you and your team are some sort of tribe. …Black football fans in particular in this city should be just as outraged about seeing the culture of others misrepresented for profit as they are of [Rachel] Dolezal doing so with theirs.” http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/redskins/ washinton-football-fans-are-as-guilty-of-culturalappropriation-as-rachel-dolezal/2015/06/19/48e202161688-11e5-9518-f9e0a8959f32_story.html?utm_term=. e67b6da8a3c9

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Jorge Lopez, Jr. ’76

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Names Jorge Lopez General Counsel After more than 30 years of logging billable hours and securing new clients as a partner for Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Field LLP in D.C., Jorge Lopez, Jr. ’76 has been appointed Executive Vice President and General Counsel for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City.

Lopez had headed Akin Gump’s healthcare practice as well as its overall government regulatory group and admits he wasn’t looking for the change. “During my tenure at Akin Gump, I represented some of the nation’s leading, academic medical centers and companies in the healthcare sector, including Memorial Sloan Kettering,” Lopez explained. “I find the change [to in-house legal counsel] to be reinvigorating. MSK has a worldwide reputation for excellence in cancer treatment and research. It’s an exciting opportunity.”

Jorge’s family emigrated to the U.S. from Havana, Cuba, when he was three years old, following the Cuban Revolution. The family first moved to Miami and then relocated to the D.C. area. He and his siblings, two brothers (both GC graduates) Luis ’78, Miguel ’82 and sister, Pilar (a Holy Cross alumna) went to Holy Redeemer.

“Even in those days, Good Counsel’s tuition was a stretch for our family,” he shared, “but our parents wanted us to have a rigorous, Catholic education.” At GC, Jorge proved to be an outstanding student, graduating in the top 5% of his class. He only received one “B” during his four years.

“I’ve always had an interest in politics,” Lopez said.

“I remember an independent study on constitutional law that I took with then Brother Art Raimo that fascinated me.” Later in his career, Lopez served as a legal advisor to Bill Clinton’s presidential campaign, providing advice on delegate selection, ballot access, Electoral College and other matters. “I am a life-long political junkie!” he admitted.

Lopez was the president of the student body, wrote for the Talon and The Counselor, was the editor in chief of the Falcon yearbook, and was a member of the National Honor Society. He was admitted to Notre Dame, Georgetown and a number of other top-ranked schools, but he chose Catholic University because he received a full academic scholarship.

Jorge earned his bachelor’s (summa cum laude) and master’s degrees in economics from Catholic University and also met his wife, Ruthanne, at CU. He went on to receive his law degree, cum laude, from Harvard Law School. Following his graduation in 1984, he joined the international firm of Akin Gump as an associate and became a partner in 1993.

“The firm was looking to further develop its healthcare practice when I arrived,” Lopez explained, “so it was happenstance that led me into this specialty. One of the things I am most proud of during my time at Akin Gump is our success over many years in preserving and enhancing the special Medicare payment status of Memorial Sloan Kettering and other dedicated cancer hospitals.” Lopez is routinely ranked as one of the nation’s top lawyers for healthcare law, including by Chambers USA (2008 to 2016) and Best Lawyers in America (2013 to 2016).

He and Ruthanne are the proud parents of three children, daughter Elissa, a 2006 graduate of GC, and two sons Ryan and Riley. He served on the Board of Directors for Good Counsel from 1999 to 2008, including the years during which the Board decided to move the campus from Wheaton to Olney. He chaired and was a member of the Development Committee.

Memorial Sloan-Kettering’s Zuckerman Research Center, New York, NY

“The move to Olney was the right one,” he stated.

“We [the Board members] were considering other options including completely gutting and renovating the Wheaton site. I’m not sure that the school would still be open if we’d stayed in Wheaton. I’m really proud of what the school has become and how it continues to build on its success.”

Jorge served on the Board for Catholic Charities in Washington, D.C. for many years, and he also served as Board chair for Anchor Mental Health. “I still root for the Nationals and follow many of the other teams in the area. Our youngest son, Riley, is a freshman at NYU, and Ruthanne comes to New York for a week or so each month.

I usually go back to the D.C. area on the weekends.”

This new chapter in his career is proving to be a rewarding opportunity. Finally, he admits, “after years of commuting to D.C. and long hours at the firm, the five-minute walk to work from my NYC apartment to my office is a refreshing change!”

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Matt Madden ’84

Making a Virtual World a Reality Matt Madden ’84 was a track star while attending Good Counsel in the early eighties, and was coached under recently retired, assistant athletic director, Mark Jankovitz. “Mr. Jankovitz was probably the best track coach I’ve ever had,” said Matt, as he explained his former coach’s philosophy of listening to the feedback of his student-athletes, especially as it related to the pace of their training. “He wanted to know how we were feeling, what we were up for any given day—and because of that, we wanted to always do our absolute best for him.

It was a great relationship and such a fun time.”

So good, in fact, that Matt and fellow GC track and field standout, Paul Graham ’84, continued their education at the University of South Carolina on athletic scholarships. While there, they enjoyed their experiences as student-athletes, and were occasional roadies for their friend, Darius Rucker, setting up gigs for his band, Hootie & the Blowfish at many of the social events around campus.

Academically, Matt’s strong math and science background set him on the pre-med track, with a focus in sports medicine. “I took the curriculum and sat for the MCATs, but realized that I didn’t have the same passion for medicine as some of my colleagues did. I didn’t know what I wanted to do, but I knew I needed to have that ‘spark,’” recalled Matt. “I didn’t have it for medicine, and I knew you needed to be invested all the way when committing to becoming a doctor.”

Once Matt graduated from USC, he changed the course of his career and decided on another challenging pursuit. “I received a master’s degree in biomechanical engineering from St. Cloud State University, located in St. Cloud, Minnesota,” said Matt. “You can imagine my conversations with my parents when I told them I wasn’t going to med school, but instead, was getting a Master’s in Biomechanics.” When his parents asked what he was going to do with the degree, he told them he didn’t know.

Gollum, from Lord of the Rings Trilogy (2001-2003) He did know, however, that it was important to get back to Minnesota and bury his head in books, just so he could figure things out. “During that time, I really learned how to learn—and how to learn efficiently,” said Matt. “The pace at grad school was fast, expectations were high, and I was on my own—completely— more so than in undergrad.”

Matt took a 3D cinematography course in his master’s program, which was the first time the “spark” was lit. At the time, Matt didn’t know what he could do with 3D cinematography, especially since there were few computers and even fewer computer graphics, but he realized it was something that he wanted to continue to explore. “I’m creative and enjoy both the left and right brain activities. If I’m just doing one-sided thinking for too long, then I feel like something’s missing. In this class, I was fascinated, and wanted to know what could be done with this kind of process,” explained Matt. “It was all about cameras and 3D reconstruction. It was a bit of math and a bit science, but there was also an aesthetic to it—an artistic component with creating things in 3D.” Up to that time, movies such as Star Wars were almost entirely created with physical effects—man-made miniatures and handmade fire and smoke. “It was amazing what they did with limited technology. James Cameron’s T-1000 in Terminator 2, was the first time I saw a digital character on screen,” said Matt. “I believe I had a truly unique opportunity getting into this field in the early nineties.”

In 1992, Matt completed his master’s degree, and he married his wife, Libby. She took a job in teaching in Atlanta, GA, even though Matt was still unemployed. “We were newlyweds, so when she got the offer I told her to just take it and I would figure it out. She paid the bills out of the gate, while I tried to figure out what I would do to follow her lead.”

Fortunately, in 1993, Matt fell into a position at an Atlanta company called, Biomechanics, Inc. They had just signed a deal with a big gaming company in New York called Acclaim Entertainment, so they had the funding to bring Matt on. “I was surrounded with brilliant minds in computer graphics, engineering, and computer

programming. Those years were really like staying in school for me since I was inundated daily [with new opportunities to learn] in that environment. I brought a unique experience with my biomechanics background, so it was a great complement to the team.” Soon after, Matt became the Director of Research and Development. “Looking back, I was incredibly fortunate to be surrounded by so many bright minds for such a long time in a very intimate environment. We were a staff of like-minded people trying to improve this process that would later be called ‘virtual production.’”

Biomechanics, Inc. was a leader in the core technologies of motion capture. “The company was trying to get involved with several industries at once—government (defense), sports medicine, injury analysis, and entertainment—which I thought was to their detriment,” said Matt. “The company became a bit fractured.” In 1999, Giant Studios spawned from Biomechanics, Inc., and Matt decided to focus exclusively in the entertainment industry where he led a team of developers and engineers who created the performance capture software and pipeline that would help create creatures and worlds that would facilitate the storytelling process.

“I knew the challenges would be different for each project, which made it very appealing.”

The launch vehicle for Giant Studios came in the late nineties, when Peter Jackson, head of Weta Digital in New Zealand, called to discuss a movie he was trying to get green-lit called, The Lord of the Rings. “We had previously worked with many of the game industry professionals who had been hired by Weta to work on [Lord of the Rings],” explained Matt. “They told [Peter Jackson] that he needed to contact our company in Georgia because we had great real-time, motion capture technology—and it was the best in the business.”

Matt spent a lot of time in New Zealand in the late nineties setting up the system and characters, creating environments, and working with the visual effects company for Lord of the Rings. “It was the kick-starter for Giant Studios. Although we had worked on different scenes and shots from movies before, nothing was of the same magnitude,” said Matt.

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Matt explained the complexities of the CGI (computer-generated imagery) process. “The art department first works with the director to create the design of the character. Once the concept is approved, the modeling department turns the design into a model and applies textures. Then a rigging department modifies the surface of the model so that motion can be applied to it—so when the arms move, the surface of the body moves appropriately.. The texture and lighting department creates the imagery applied to the model surface, as well as files called shaders, which determine how the surface responds to light so that characters look believable with CGI lighting.”

Although there were many characters that used the motion capture technology, Gollum (also known as Sméagol) was the primary and most iconic character of the trilogy. Matt worked closely with actor, Andy Serkis, who was the performer for the character. Matt’s job was to take Andy Serkis’ performance, and apply it to the Gollum character in a believable away. This is accomplished by first applying markers on the actor’s body and using a proprietary software to capture his motion in 3D. Matt’s team reconstructed Andy’s skeletal motion, and re-targeted that to Gollum’s character. “Since [Gollum’s] skeleton is different from the actor’s, they used special tools to connect human motion to a three-foot, spindly, frame,” said Matt. “In those early days, the tools to control the character motion were quite limited. I needed to manipulate both the technological portion—by editing scripts and maneuvering cables—as well as the creative. It wasn’t elegant, but it worked. “ Today, Matt’s company has the ability to do simultaneous compositing.

“There was a moment in the second movie—The Two Towers [2002] when Andy was acting and producer Fran Walsh [Director, Peter Jackson’s wife] had the Gollum character live on the screen while he was acting inside of a cave. It was called the Soliloquy Scene and the character was alternating between the split personalities of Gollum and Sméagol. We added some very basic real-time lighting effects so that when he turned into Gollum, he was in the shadows; and when he turned around and became Sméagol again, he was out in the light. Just watching his motion and the effects with his performance simultaneously,

everyone started to forget the technology and were just watching the beginning of the movie being made. That was one of those moments when no one was talking, all mouths were open just staring at the screen, and that’s when I knew that this had a lot of potential.”

Today, CGI has come a long way. Now programs are more robust and user-friendly with intuitive interfaces that makes the work more interactive so a user doesn’t have to worry about the lowlevel tech underneath. “Ultimately, CGI is used as a creative tool, so the more technology is kept in the background, the more it facilitates the creative process.

“The challenge is to remove the tech from the creative process.

The goal is to help make a movie, and not a huge technology ‘show.’ That shouldn’t be the story,” explained Matt. “It just so happens that much of the work we do is on a computer, and is a combination of the actors bringing their skills to the stage and our team assisting them by displaying worlds that can’t be created physically because they’re impractical due to their size and expense.”

After the Lord of the Rings trilogy in the early 2000’s, the big game-changer for Matt was when he received the call to work on James Cameron’s, Avatar in 2006—the world’s highest-grossing film of all time. “I moved with my family to Los Angeles, and we lived there for five years,” said Matt. “The primary reason was to work on that movie. It was challenging, but it was a good time to go because our kids were still young, and we knew it would be a unique and extremely valuable experience for me.”

Matt knew that Avatar was the movie that would take CGI to the next level. “The director really understood the value of this process and was willing to invest in creating a pipeline that could leverage it.”

Other notable movies that have used the visual effects (VFX) process developed by Matt and his teams, include The Polar Express, The Chronicles of Narnia, Happy Feet, King Kong, The Adventures of Tintin, I Am Legend, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and Warcraft and upcoming movies such as, Thor: Ragnarok (Chris Hemsworth), Avengers: Infinity War (Robert Downey, Jr.), and The

Lupita Nyong’o as Maz Kanata – Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2001-2003)

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The Adventures of Tintin (2011)

Great Wall (Matt Damon). He also was involved in the production the Halo and Call of Duty game series. In 2005, Matt and his developers were awarded with a Technical Academy Award for their contribution to the motion picture industry.

After many years of success at Giant Studios, in November 2014, Matt started his own company, Profile Studios, which is among the top five companies that specializes in providing industry leading performance capture and virtual production services for film, games, and episodic content. He currently has offices in Atlanta and Los Angeles, and most of his work is in Australia, Canada, and Atlanta, since all locations offer attractive tax incentives for producers.

With a barrage of blockbuster VFX movies hitting theaters, it seems that business must be booming for Matt. He concedes, however, that when choosing a job, he needs to be very selective in finding projects that will help leverage his company. “Our projects need to be the right fit for us. We need to send lots of people, specialists, and equipment [on location], which is all very expensive,” said Matt. “The project needs to be right for the team, too. If there’s just a handful of shots, it may not make sense for us to take a job and go through all the work to win the job, plan it, and then take the team out of commission, even for just a few weeks.” Matt generally takes jobs that position his company for months, rather than days or weeks. That way, he can book his team roughly a year or so in advance.

Matt is excited for the next phase of this ever-changing industry.

VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality) are the next steps in the virtual production process. Both methods allow the actors and crew to be submersed in the virtual world while they are doing their work. This technology is in its infancy and is the next chapter of Matt’s company. They are writing special tools into their technology pipeline and using them in conjunction with other industry technology to complete the pipeline. Matt hopes that this cutting-edge technology will be incorporated as another creative tool that is accessible to the rest of production. “Users will be able to put on a pair of glasses and see their digital world in 2D and 3D on the set of their movie. Producers and directors will be able use this technology to their advantage, allowing them to do their jobs more effectively.”

Neytiri, from Avatar (2009)

Atom, from Real Steel (2011) Matt’s zig-zag road from pre-med to cutting-edge CGI technology was unexpected. “My older brother, Tim ’83, knew from the time he was 10 years old that he would be a pilot. That’s great, but that wasn’t me. I knew that I wanted to be challenged, and I liked the combination of technology and art, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do until my early twenties,” revealed Matt.

Perhaps Coach Jankovitz’s philosophy was the reason that Matt never settled for what was expected, but rather, what would help him accomplish his goal. Focusing on his talents and skills, he set a stride and paced himself to achieve success. “I would advise anyone choosing a career to be truly honest with yourself and determine what really drives you,” shared Matt. “Take that, let your mind wander, and explore what the possibilities are, because you don’t know what you will find.”

Durotan, from Warcraft: The Beginning (2016)

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Release date of Dr. Hill’s new book, The Way of the Warrior: August 10, 2017

Dr. Ronald P. Hill ’72 Professor, Dean, Lecturer, Mentor, Author, Advisor

Returns “Home” to Continue Research in Business Ethics “I had a good friend, a classmate from Good Counsel, who ended up homeless because of family and personal circumstances,” explained Ronald P. Hill, Class of 1972. “I wanted to find out more about what caused that and what effect homelessness has on consumer behavior.”

Hill speaks about the time when he was completing his Ph.D. in business administration at the University of Maryland and accepted a position at American University, teaching marketing. He was writing continuously – waiting to be published. His interest was piqued by the narrow field of how poverty influences consumer behavior. “How do the homeless, the incarcerated, those living in poverty navigate the marketplace?” he wondered.

“Good Counsel really provided the direction for much of the work I do today,” says Ron. “Attending GC during the late 60s and early 70s was a time of tremendous turmoil in the greater DC area.

To have the opportunity to have deep conversations with teachers about race relations, women’s rights, and other topics was unusual for teenagers in high school at that time. GC also provided all of us with training and a strong foundation in Catholic social teaching. Teachers like Tom Kolar made subjects like history come alive. Mr. Kolar showed us that history was not just a closed book of facts, but also it could be open to interpretation with varying viewpoints. I’m still very close to two GC classmates who I met in my freshman year. I also feel privileged to have had the opportunity to attend Mass on a regular basis.

“My father influenced my decision to pursue a business major at the University of Maryland. I was teaching martial arts while at GC, and I really loved teaching. If I had followed my heart, I might have become a high school teacher.”

“It’s about redemption and renewal. I believe we all have a moral obligation to help those who are less fortunate, and I hope that I’ve made a difference.”

Hill was named the top marketing student in the DC area in his senior year at the University of Maryland, and he was invited to enter the doctoral program in business administration at the age of 21. He earned his MBA followed by a Ph.D. in business administration in marketing with secondary concentrations in organizational behavior, government, and politics. His first teaching position was at American University.

From American to Cornell to the universities of Portland, South Florida, Maryland, and to his second stint at Villanova, Hill continued to explore his passion for those on the margins of society. At Villanova, he created and taught a course called “Social Enterprise Consulting Practicum” in the MBA program. “Working in groups of five, every grad student was matched with a client organization that was trying to foster the common good in the greater Delaware Valley. Our students completed more than 350 projects and touched thousands of lives. It really helped open the eyes of our students to provide hands-on support to these organizations.”

One of the things that Ron is most passionate about is his work with juvenile offenders as well as incarcerated men in maximum security facilities. “I questioned these men and asked where they saw themselves in five years. Many said, ‘I could be dead,’ because that’s what they knew from their own life experiences. To hear them talk about life through that lens is transformational.”

Dr. Hill has published hundreds of articles and chapters in books. He lectures around the country, and was a visiting professor in marketing at Tuck School of Business at

Dartmouth before assuming his current position at George Washington University. He serves on Dr. Paul Barker’s President’s Council of Advisors and has served on numerous non-profit boards.

Ron and his wife, Noel, are the parents of two sons – Paul, who is completing his last year of residency in radiology at Dartmouth, and Phil who is completing his degree in sports management at Drexel. Paul and his wife, Maureen, have a daughter, Olive Joan – the Hill’s first grandchild.

After a teaching career spanning 41 years, Hill is returning to the DC area to take an endowed research chair post at GW, the Visiting Lindner-Gambal Professorship in Business Ethics. “It’s an exciting time to be returning to the DC area and to have the opportunity to continue my research in ethics. I would also like to create a similar social enterprise practicum at GW to ensure that grad students have experiences leading and fostering positive change in the community,” explains Hill. Ron most recently held the Richard J. and Barbara Naclerio Endowed Chair in Business for Villanova University, a post he held since 2006. He also was Co-Director of the Center for Church Management and Business Ethics for the university.

“I am really proud to be a graduate of Good Counsel,” Ron adds. “My life’s work has been devoted to teaching and mentoring young people in the university setting as well as those whose lives have taken them on a different path, including the homeless and the incarcerated. It’s about redemption and renewal. I believe we all have a moral obligation to help those who are less fortunate, and I hope that I’ve made a difference.”

Dr. Hill with his international graduate students at the University of Maryland, College Park in 2014.

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Dr. Natalie Branagan ’97

The Framework for a Life: BLESSED, BELONG, LOVE, PURPOSE “Early on, I wanted a career where I could make a difference in people’s lives.” Dr. Natalie Branagan ’97, a primary care physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in DC, shared.

“One day, I heard a sermon at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart in DC. Father Paul shared the four truths of being a priest, which he said can be applied to each of us as we must be priests for each other. When life gets stormy, these truths can allow us to be at the center of calm.” Natalie continued, “He used the acronym ‘BBLP’. Blessed, Belong, Love, and Purpose.” Natalie has used this framework to shape her life.

BLESSED Natalie had been blessed with a Catholic education. After deliberating heavily between all-girls school Holy Cross or the new, co-ed environment of Good Counsel, Natalie ultimately decided to follow her father’s footsteps, Ed Branagan, Jr. ’62, and attend Good Counsel. “My father said ‘Natalie, the real world is co-ed so you might as well start now,’” Natalie recalled.

“Good Counsel was part of a strong foundation for my life.” Natalie explained. She joined both the lacrosse and field hockey teams while a student at Good Counsel. “Good Counsel gave me the opportunity to challenge myself. I remember as a freshman preparing for lacrosse before the season had started. I had to challenge myself to run three miles multiple times a week. During field hockey season, I remember having to perform duck walks up and down the field in the hot, August heat.”

She learned about the value of perseverance and about teamwork. She says, “This proved helpful not only on the playing field, but also during college, medical school, and after as well.”

BELONG “Good Counsel was a community. Teachers took time and a personal interest in me.” Natalie recalls, “I remember my English classes with Mr. Collins, Mr. Seel, and Mr. Trick. They attempted to bring literature out of the books and into real life by acting out scenes, much to the entertainment of their teenage audiences.” Natalie also fondly remembers her Junior Retreat. “As I look back on my Junior Retreat, I can see how that experience helped me learn more about what it is like to be a part of a community and how to care for others in that community, even if you may not know them very well.” Good Counsel better prepared Natalie to find a sense of belonging in the many communities she would encounter after high school.

“These experiences helped me to believe that I can and should make a difference in other people’s lives.”

LOVE “I remember Father Paul’s words in his sermon, ‘we need to show God’s love to others; however, we need to experience God’s love first as individuals.’” Natalie was fortunate to have not only experienced God’s love through her teachers at Good Counsel, but also through her family who continued to support her.

After graduating from Good Counsel, Natalie was admitted to Princeton University. “My experience at Good Counsel gave me the confidence to jump right into the community when I arrived.”

During her sophomore year, Natalie took an intensive course to become an emergency medical technician (EMT) and began to volunteer with the Princeton Rescue Squad.

She remembers waking up in the middle of the night during “on call” nights with a crew of other EMTs to go out and assist people with medical emergencies. “It felt very fulfilling to be able to provide immediate assistance to someone in crisis, and I decided at that point that I wanted to go into medicine.” Natalie shared.

PURPOSE After receiving her degree in molecular biology from Princeton, Natalie was accepted to the University of Maryland School of Medicine. She did her residency in internal medicine at Duke University Medical Center. She now serves as a primary care physician at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Washington, DC. Dr. Branagan provides care to over 1,200 patients annually.

In addition, she teaches primary care medicine to third year medical students from George Washington University and the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.

She also precepts resident physicians from Georgetown University during their primary care clinics.

Natalie has found many ways to serve her community.

“One of the good surprises about medicine is that I don’t think I could have ever imagined the degree to which I would play a part in people’s lives. Because I work at the VA, I take care of patients with depression and posttraumatic stress disorder. I see them during difficult times when they may be readjusting to life back home with their families, or taking on new jobs, or learning new functions with new disabilities that occurred during their time of service. I do much more than evaluate medical problems and come up with diagnoses.”

There is never a dull moment for Natalie and often her days are action-packed. She has found great importance in balancing her work and life. She spends time backpacking, hiking, painting and traveling to help reenergize and regain perspective. Recently, Natalie had the opportunity to hike part of El Camino de Santiago, a large network of ancient pilgrim routes stretching across Europe and ending at the tomb of St. James in Spain. “The trip helped me realize that I need to slow down more in my day-to-day life,” she said.

“I think it’s important to continually find our purpose.”

Remembering her sense of community and belonging at Good Counsel, Natalie adds, “We have to remember that it is not just one big ocean out there. Each one of us makes a mark on those around us.”

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Dan Brodt ’65

Pictures Worth a Thousand Words Go back in time, before Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, even computers. A time when photos were something you held in your hand, not two megabytes of data on your phone. A time when documents were filed away, instead of scanned to a database then thrown in a recycle bin. A time when a picture or document was usually the only copy of that image in existence.

Dan Brodt ’65 has spent the past 17 years dedicating his days to uncovering those tucked away images. He and fellow volunteers for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) have taken on the monumental task of recovering a picture for each of the 58,275 fallen US soldiers in Vietnam for the Vietnam Veterans Wall of Faces.

The photos that he and fellow volunteers gather are being displayed online for the Virtual Wall of Faces. The photos will eventually live in perpetuity in the planned Education Center at the memorial.

This technologically-innovative learning facility will help visitors better understand the profound impact that the Vietnam War and other wars had on their friends and family members, their hometowns, and the nation.

Dan’s work with the VVMF has been a labor of love. His dedication to combing through the archives, contacting high schools or classmates, working with the Department of Defense, and utilizing social media has resulted in approximately 9,000 faces identified of the 58,275 veterans left to be found.

“Ninety-nine percent of the methods I use to find these pictures is over the internet. I search school photos, yearbook photos, obituaries, and write-ups of the person,” explained Dan. “I also use The Coffelt Database of Vietnam Casualties, which has a plethora of Army documents that might provide a path for me to find some information that will hopefully result in a picture.”

Over the years, Dan has developed a method to his searching procedure. He begins his search at the end of the veteran’s life instead of the beginning. “The Army has great records of where someone has been or where he or she came from. It makes it a lot easier to find a picture from a soldier’s deployment, basic training, or high school.”

The path that led Dan to his work on the Wall of Faces all started with a photo assignment for the 10th anniversary of the Pentagon 9/11 attack. The Pentagon 9/11 committee contacted Dan about a picture he published of the emblem that resides in the Pentagon’s American Hero Memorial.

The committee selected Dan’s photo to serve as the template for their lapel pin used as a remembrance of the tragedy. For the 150th anniversary of Arlington National Cemetery, Dan submitted a photojournalistic article about the famous people buried at the cemetery whose faces were familiar, but their military stories were not.

“A few months later in Army Magazine, I read about Janna Hoehn’s endeavor to display a face with every name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in the new Vietnam Education Center. I immediately reached out to her, volunteered my services, coordinated our plans, and began working on finding pictures for everyone east of the Mississippi.”

Thanks to Dan’s efforts, in 2016, Maryland was named the 17th state to recover a photo of every single Vietnam veteran.

It wasn’t until the state was about to host its LZ Maryland Event [“landing zone,” a place of safety]—a weekend event in June to honor Vietnam veterans as they gather with family, friends, and a grateful public, that Brodt connected with two others who were actively involved in the same effort. Dr. Glenn Johnston, Ph.D. of Stevenson University and Jim Gerrity had been tracking down photos since 1986.

At LZ Maryland, held in Timonium, they displayed a VVMF’s Wall replica and a mobile Education Center, The Wall That Heals. Before the LZ event, the three men came together and found photos of all the fallen veterans from Baltimore City.

“Most of the time families are positive, but there are a few now and then who are harboring some resentment that their loved one was lost and are unwilling to help in the search,” said Dan. “Pictures are just not as readily available as they are today—everything has come and gone—and we are just trying to connect the dots to the right people, very much like a detective.“ Through his research, Brodt became familiar with the National Archives Research Administration in College Park, Maryland and the University of Maryland’s Archives for Maryland Newspapers. He spent much of his time examining veterans’ military histories and reaching out to their families with personal pleas for help.

As a decorated Vietnam veteran himself, Dan is a man who knows adversity. His two-year Army journey started in early April 1967, when he was a sophomore in college and his student deferment didn’t hold up for the third draft notice. “[The draftees] were 17, 18, 19-year-olds. Some fresh out of high school, some had never even worked a job for a complete year,” stated Dan. “Others, like myself, were drafted out of college. In fact, I was ‘an old man’ at 20!”

While at Ft Bragg, his great-uncle, a retired Army officer and one of the last 1st Cavalry Division’s “horse cavalry” soldiers, visited him. He mentored Dan on his choices and helped him decide to enlist for an additional year, in addition to joining the Ranger Assessment and Selection program (RASP). While in Vietnam, Dan finished his first deployment with the 1st Cavalry Division (in honor of his great uncle), skipped his 30 days return to home option and began working with a covert black operations unit under the Special Forces on Intelligence missions.

“I was going out on missions with five to seven men, and 99% of the time half of us didn’t come back – and I attribute my survival to ‘up above.’ He had something else for me to do, it was not my time.”

After his deployment, Dan attended Towson University, earned his bachelor’s degree in history and went on to work in the private sector at a telecommunications company for 37 years. Even though Dan ended his official Army contract in 1969, he continued as an intelligence analyst upon his completion of active military service in an active reserve position. He continued to aid the Department of Defense, and in 2009, the Joint Intelligence Operations Center in Afghanistan recognized Dan for his civilian contributions to Operation Enduring Freedom.

Dan credited a lot of his military success to Good Counsel and the Boys Scouts of America. “Good Counsel was an exceptional experience for me in that it taught me the great discipline that I’ve carried with me my entire career.”

If you would like to learn more about the Vietnam Veterans Wall of Faces, you can visit www.vvmf.org.

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Emily (Diggins ’96) Noll Rise and Shine Creating a Corporate Culture of Happiness “If you’re going to rise, you might as well shine!” This is the mantra that Emily (Diggins ’96) Noll lives by and facilitates for the 26-employee team she leads at CBIZ, a publicly traded consulting and accounting firm with a global client base. As the National Director of CBIZ’s Wellbeing Solutions, Emily wears many hats, and according to her employees, she supersedes expectations as the head of the department. An employee noted that “the sacrifice and unconditional support to assist us in times of need is a perfect example of living what [Emily preaches] and motivates me to impact others in the way [she has] impacted my life.” Not many people feel the same way about their boss or workplace, and that’s one of the many reasons why Emily has dedicated her career to improving corporate culture, not only through her own personal leadership model, but also by guiding employers on how to develop successful wellbeing programs.

According to research, Emily says, “One in four people experience low wellbeing and high stress, and it impacts both the person’s and his/her family’s capacity to live a happy life. In addition, it negatively affects the employer.” In order to reverse this trend, Emily and her team meet with clients across many industries, including school systems, hospitals and non-profit associations, to evaluate the wellbeing of their companies.

Through a variety of methods, Emily collects data on employees’ health risks and the company’s climate and then recommends customized strategies to improve staff wellbeing and prevent chronic disease and burnout. There are a variety of programs and practices designed to address employees’ greatest needs. For instance, to get sedentary employees moving and lower their risk for muscular skeletal injuries and high blood pressure, Emily’s team helps to implement team-based,

physical activity challenges using Fitbits and nutritional apps. They help other employers who are seeing increases in depression-related claims, as well as opioid addiction, by developing communications to educate employees, encouraging use of their Employee Assistance Program and even lowering the co-pays for employees to see doctors designated with proven records of appropriate screenings and positive health outcomes. Emily is excited to see more employers open on-site health clinics, gyms, and even build walking paths and fresh vegetable gardens to help their employees sustain healthy habits.

Workers are not the only ones reaping the benefits of these programs. In a radio interview with the Institute for Healthcare Consumerism, Emily commented on the value to companies in adopting wellbeing programs, “Employee wellbeing is proving to be a stronger predictor of health and performance than behavioral and physical health risks, demographics and healthcare utilization alone. All taken together, an employer can get a powerful picture of what’s driving costs and make better decisions about how to address it through their plan design, networks, menu of benefits and organizational culture.”

A key driver of stress for employees is finances, and Emily is helping companies address this challenge through programs that are personalized to individuals’ needs across the life cycle. One of the most attractive benefits for millennials today is a corporate-sponsored, college loan forgiveness program. Offering this assistance helps companies maintain an edge on their competitors when seeking out top talent. This type of program is a shift from the one Emily took advantage of early in her career. She completed college in three years at the University of North Florida in order to jump on the opportunity to be a research associate, first at the University of Maryland, and then at the American Institutes for Research (AIR). Through a tuition

reimbursement program at AIR, she was able to earn her Master’s in counseling and organizational development from the Johns Hopkins University, and in exchange, committed to staying employed with the company for two years following graduation. And, while tackling the dual challenges of being a student and an employee, she discovered her true path: “I knew I wanted a career that would allow me to help employers shape their benefits and culture so that their employees would thrive.”

Empowerment and community service are central to Emily’s life. Throughout her career, she has been blessed with strong female role models who challenged her to do her best work and give back. In return, Emily contributes her time as a chapter member of CBIZ Women’s Advantage program, which offers professional development and networking with women across all levels and disciplines.

Of the experience, Emily remarks, “I want to be a role model for other women, and so I invite them to join me in opportunities to be more visible and share their own voices and styles. And, I practice what I preach by participating in the National Women’s March in Washington, supporting equal pay and women’s rights, and raising funds for charitable organizations.” One of Emily’s most moving experiences was last fall, when she literally slept out on the streets of New York City alongside fellow CBIZ and insurance industry colleagues to raise more than $500,000 for services for homeless youth provided by Covenant House.

Always keeping the importance of wellbeing in mind, Emily finds opportunities to celebrate life in its various forms.

“With my job, I am literally all over the map. It’s a bonus that I get to travel and see the world, that is, in the context in which my teammates and clients work and live. It makes me happy to be able to do what I love, and my hope is that I inspire my children and others to follow their dreams.”

In Fall 2016, Emily slept out on the streets of NYC to raise money to support the homeless youth served by Covenant House.

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Kyle Snyder H’15

SETTING THE GOLD STANDARD U.S. Wrestling Phenom, Kyle Snyder H’15

Kyle Snyder H’15 has always been known for his calm and humble attitude, but his leap into the spotlight as a national Olympic hero and wrestling sensation has been quite a change from his days as a two-time Washington Post All-Met Wrestler of the Year while attending Good Counsel. “It’s never been overwhelming to me. I’ve gotten more attention [since winning a gold medal in the 2016 Summer Olympics], and I’m grateful for it, but I don’t wrestle because I want those things. I wrestle because I love the sport—learning technique, and becoming stronger mentally. It never gets to my head too much because I know the reasons why I’m doing it.”

Kyle started to wrestle when he was five. “I liked it because I was good at it,” said Kyle. Kyle’s older brother, Stephen ’11, was also a talented wrestler who attended GC. Following his lead, Kyle decided to attend Good Counsel as well. “In high school, I started to love the sport and everything that goes into it—and the reasons weren’t only because I was winning. I discovered that I liked training, going to practice, and learning how to get better.” Kyle has an incredible work ethic and attributes former GC wrestling coach, Skylar Saar ’98, for helping to instill in him a passion for wrestling beyond just winning matches. He learned the value of the sport.

During his three years at GC, Kyle won all 179 wrestling matches and became sharply aware of his desire to not only compete in the Olympics, but to win gold. So, at the end of his junior year, Kyle transferred to a high school in Colorado so he could train at the nearby Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center to prepare him to compete in the Olympic trials. After graduating, Kyle went on to Ohio State University on a wrestling scholarship.

In September 2015, 20-year-old Kyle competed for the first time in the World Championships. Kyle had a huge win over returning World champion Abdusalam Gadisov of Russia, which made Kyle the youngest World champion in U.S. wrestling history.

When asked about the outcome of the first World Championship in 2015, Kyle modestly shared, “I’m not really surprised after I compete. When I wrestle well in practice, and if I can get that version of myself on the mat, I should be in good shape. I was excited to wrestle against [the returning champion].” Kyle continued, “I’m able to contain my nerves and turn it into excitement. I value the things I can control like my effort, how much offense I can use, and my positive attitude. If I can focus on those things that are attainable every day, then it’s a lot easier to get excited during moments that scare most people.”

The Olympic Trials were being held in April the following year, but because of his incredible win in the World’s, Kyle automatically qualified for a spot in the finals. His victory in the finals at the Olympic Trials sealed his spot on the Olympic team. On August 3, 2016, Kyle headed to Rio de Janeiro as the future of U.S. wrestling.

Kyle competed in four Olympic matches; the fourth round was for the gold medal. “I always feel confident in my abilities, I felt prepared with my training, but I’m careful with absolutes, and not saying things like, I’m 100% going to win this.” So the moment that Kyle realized he won gold in the 97 kg freestyle wrestling division by beating Khetag Gazyumov of Azerbaijan, his dream became a reality. “I fell

to my knees, and I looked at my hands for a second, and then my coach, Lou Rosselli, walked onto the mat and I gave him a hug, and then I hugged my other coach, Bill Zadick.”

Kyle celebrated by circling the mat proudly displaying the U.S. flag, then walked to the cheering fans and climbed over the barrier to meet his family who were anxiously awaiting to embrace him. (Video of the final two minutes of the match can be seen at: http://www.nbcolympics.com/video/ kyle-snyder-wins-olympic-gold-freestyle-wrestling) Kyle’s younger brother, Kevin ’16, joined him at Ohio State this past fall. Kyle finished his junior year at OSU with a perfect 17-0 record, and won both the Big Ten and NCAA titles at heavyweight. Once his collegiate season was over in the spring, he immediately transitioned to the international season. Kyle competed and won his spot on the World Team in June, and he will compete, again, for the US in the 2017 World Championships in Paris on August 21-26. Kyle was recently nominated for an ESPY as best male Olympic athlete.

“I’ll keep training and keep trying to get better and stronger,” said Kyle. Two more world championships, then the Olympic games in 2020. Same goal—to try to become the best wrestler I can be,” Kyle stated. “It’s my last year of college representing the Buckeyes, and I’m excited to see what the future holds beyond that.”

Kyle has been no stranger to his old stomping grounds.

Not long after his World Championship win in September 2015, he came home to Good Counsel to share his historic events with the entire GC student body. Kyle inspired our

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students with a speech that made it clear that there are no shortcuts to greatness. He encouraged our students to look for opportunities to strengthen their faith while at GC. And following his presentation, Kyle was surprised with the presentation of an honorary Good Counsel diploma, in recognition of his hard work and dedication to our school.

Additionally, at Kyle’s request, Ohio State wrestled Maryland in an afternoon dual meet in January in the Kane Center.

There was a sellout crowd of 1,200, as fans packed the GC gym to cheer on their hometown hero.

Kyle encourages all his young admirers to never doubt themselves. “People say if you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t accomplish anything. Well, that isn’t always true,” said Kyle. “There are times where you doubt yourself, but every game or match starts at 0-0, so at that point it’s about who’s the better competitor. If you think about it that way, and value the correct things—things you can control, not only before you compete, but also while you’re training— and give the maximum amount of effort you have, then let the rest take care of itself,” shared Kyle. “If I could control the wins and losses, then I’d be a million to zero in my career. But, I can’t control whether I will win, so why focus on it? Concentrate on what you can physically and mentally control, and it will make it a lot less stressful and scary.”

“One of the best decisions of my life was to attend GC. Not only did Good Counsel prepare me for the sport aspect by giving me the best competition and making me the

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best wrestler I can be, but academically and spiritually.

My relationship with Jesus has grown tremendously since attending Good Counsel. Academically, I was very prepared for college courses. There are very few schools like GC that can prepare you to be ready and mature.”

When asked about the future, Kyle eagerly replied, “My goals now are to grow in my relationship with Christ and become stronger in my faith. There’s no better role model than Jesus Christ. I know it sounds cliché when people say, ‘Thank you, Jesus,’ but it’s the truth. The more I read from the Bible, the more I go to church, the stronger my faith grows…the more I feel the Holy Spirit working within me.

To make myself more Christ-like, I challenge myself to keep the will of God first in my mind. I find that the more I learn, the easier it becomes.”

KYLE SNYDER Olympic gold medalist (97kg) at the 2016 Rio Summer Games.

Youngest Olympic and World champion in United States wrestling history.

Two-time Sr. World Team member NCAA Champion (285 lbs. 2016, 2017) Big Ten Champion (285 lbs. 2016, 2017) NCAA and Big Ten finalist (197 lbs. 2015) All-American (197 lbs. 2015; 285 lbs. 2016, 2017) Ohio State Male Athlete of the Year (2016, 2017) Dan Hodge Trophy finalist (2016, 2017) NCAA Championships Most Outstanding Wrestler (2016) AAU Sullivan Award finalist (2017) Academic All-Big Ten and OSU Scholar Athlete (2015, 2016, 2017) CoSIDA Academic All-District At-Large (2017) Second Team CoSIDA Academic All-American (2017) NWCA Academic All-American (2015, 2016, 2017)

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Claire Wheeler ’07 From the Hardwood to the Courtroom

Wheeler ’07 Brings Her Passion to Everything She Does Her mom is a health care attorney, and her dad is an Assistant U.S. Attorney, but it took Claire Wheeler ’07 quite a while before she decided to go to law school. She is now an associate of Venable LLP’s Intellectual Property Litigation group in DC, assisting clients with intellectual property litigation with a focus on false advertising, patent infringement, trademark enforcement, and copyright issues.

“I loved my time at GC, and I often joke that I peaked in high school!” Ms. Wheeler shared. “Wheaton was a special place, and I didn’t realize until I got to college the impact that the socio-economic and racial diversity in high school had on me.” Claire sang in the choir, played volleyball, took up tennis and was appointed captain of the team by her senior year. She went from #6 seed to #2 singles and #1 doubles by her senior year. She was a Xaverian Leader, a Peer Counselor, a St. Mary’s Scholar, a member of the Black Student Association, a member of the National Honor Society, and a Freshman Retreat Leader. Perhaps her biggest passion was basketball. She was on the varsity team from sophomore through senior year, and was captain her senior year. The team won two WCAC and City titles, participated in the Nike invitational, and was ranked in the nation.

“One of my favorite classes was Mr. Remedios’ ‘World Religions’ class,” Wheeler said. “The discussions we had helped me to grow even stronger in my faith and also helped me have a clearer understanding of other beliefs.

My experience as a Peer Counselor was also instrumental in helping me to learn how to listen, motivate, and in some cases discipline my peers, which helped enormously when I was in college and captain of my basketball team.”

Claire was accepted to Harvard with the intention of playing basketball for the Division I team. “The first year of college, I was pursuing pre-med, but I soon realized that it was nearly impossible to maintain the time commitment required for both basketball and pre-med. Playing a sport in college is a year-round commitment.” She had to convince her coach to allow her to teach English in Ecuador for a summer because it would interrupt her basketball training schedule. She loved teaching and considered Teach for America when she completed college.

College took a physical toll on Wheeler. She had two shoulder surgeries, a foot injury, and suffered a concussion in basketball. She was captain of her basketball team, also in an a cappella group, and a member of a Finals Club. She was pushing herself through the injuries and practices while keeping up with her classes. “College was very secular,” she explained, “and I had to seek out opportunities to continue with my faith. All of these experiences helped me become more resilient and made me stronger.”

She graduated with a bachelor of arts in government with a secondary concentration in psychology and Spanish, and she took a position as a lobby associate at NETWORK, a National Catholic Social Justice Lobby in DC. The organization focuses on economic justice, immigration reform, healthcare, homelessness, and peacemaking.

“It was an incredible experience, but it made me question whether anyone is listening when you are on the Hill,” Wheeler shared. “It piqued my interest in law, and at that point, I believed that I could make a bigger difference if I became a lawyer and perhaps impact change. My parents were always incredibly supportive, and I know my family

sacrificed for me to attend Harvard, as the Ivy League does not offer athletic scholarships. My father always emphasized that he wanted me to be a self-sufficient woman in whatever I pursued.”

Wheeler was accepted to William & Mary Law School, and again dove into the opportunities available to be very involved in making a difference. She was selected to join the W&M Appellate and Supreme Court Clinic where she co-wrote briefs in cases before the 4th, 9th, and 11th Circuits. She served on the Alternative Dispute Resolution Team, was secretary for the Black Law Students Association, a member of the George Wythe Society of Citizen Lawyers, on the Public Service Fund Board, involved in the Students for Innocence Project, was the Minority Recruitment “Law Day” Chair for the Black Students Association, and was the 3L Class Gift Co-Chair. She also served as a judicial intern for the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

“While college challenged me physically, law school challenged me mentally,” she said. Claire was a summer associate for Venable LLP, and the firm was a perfect match for her energy and interest to learn while providing the support she was seeking.

“Venable is very family-oriented, and also is committed to pro bono work,” Wheeler shared. “Currently, I am working on a pro bono case brought on behalf of death row inmates in Florida state prisons regarding specific solitary confinement issues. My colleagues and I have interviewed 30 inmates. Our clients live in an environment where there is a real sense of hopelessness, but it is fulfilling to know that I have the resources to try to help and make a difference.”

The firm also supports community service, and Claire volunteers once a week at Garrison Elementary School in DC reading and working with a first grader. “The sixyear-old boy who I work with is a bundle of energy, and it’s frequently a challenge to keep him focused. But it is enormously rewarding to develop a relationship with this child and help him progress.

“I feel enormously blessed,” she concludes. “Good Counsel provided a value system that is central to who I have become. My high school friends are still some of my closest, and one thing I realized throughout college and law school was that my GC friends are humble and good people to their core. We learned how to respect others, and we were blessed to be in a diverse community. Good Counsel provided the preparation to be successful in whatever I pursued, and I am grateful to be a Falcon!”

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Timothy Welsh ’84

Living Out Love

For Tim Welsh, Class of 1984, ‘love’ is the driving force behind every thought, action, and accomplishment in his life. Welsh was born into St. Ann’s, a Catholic Charities affiliated infant home and was adopted by his parents six weeks later. He looks back at that moment in his life with recognition that Catholic Charities not only provided a home at a time when he was most vulnerable and in the greatest need, but also baptized him and quite literally placed him into the hands of God. Welsh clarifies “to be clear, those hands were not simply the figurative hands of God imagined by the poet or the painter. They were actual human hands, the hands of the caring sisters and nurses at the infant home, and then, ultimately the hands of my parents.” For Welsh, the image of being placed into another’s hands has profoundly impacted the way he strives to live his life. “I believe that every day, God places someone—either figuratively or literally—into our hands. And the challenge for us is, are we going to love them?”

As he reflects on his life, Welsh can easily identify the moments when he was placed into someone’s hands and how they rose to the challenge of loving him, especially during his time at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. Welsh recognizes the donors whose generosity enabled him to attend Good Counsel through scholarships and financial assistance. These helping hands inspired

him to create the Richard M. Burns and Richard Slocum Scholarships, so that he could provide that same generosity for other students. As editor of the Falcon News, Good Counsel’s school newspaper, Welsh remembers being placed into Mr. Joe McCall and Mr. Richard Burns’ hands, along with the school’s principal at the time, Brother Barry Fitzpatrick, who all rose to the challenge of loving him by inspiring him to have big aspirations for himself and encouraging him to apply to Harvard. “I would never have dreamt that big without them.” Mr. Burns even worked to help Welsh bring his Harvard application essays up to par, which he acknowledges as “having made a huge difference and allowed me to get in, which was life-changing.” On Junior Retreat, Welsh’s parents wrote him a letter describing their love for him and what a special person he was, which was a powerful and profound moment he remembers. He and his wife repeat this gift of a letter with their own three children, William, Katherine, and James, every year on their birthdays. In the spirit of the Good Counsel retreat, Tim and his wife use this special tradition to love their own children and take time to remind them of what special people they are.

Receiving the “Life of Distinction” award from Catholic Charities

McKinsey’s global Learning and Development team, which created Partner University, an innovative learning program profiled in Chief Learning Officer magazine and won the 2016 Gold Medal for Excellence in Leadership Development from the Brandon Hall Group. In addition to those roles, Tim also invested significant time supporting and coaching individuals. He served as a member of the firm’s committee that is responsible for evaluating senior partners and was recognized in 2016 by Twin Cities Business for being a “Marvelous Mentor.”

Welsh cares passionately about helping the MinneapolisSt. Paul community to thrive. He is one of the founders of the Itasca Project, a coalition of business, government, and non-profit leaders focused on building a vibrant economy and improved quality of life for all people in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metropolitan area. The Itasca Project has been profiled in The New York Times, the McKinsey Quarterly, and in Thomas L. Friedman’s New York Times best-selling book, Thank You for Being Late.

Tim Welsh with his wife, and children Katherine, James, and William.

Based in Minneapolis, he recently joined U.S. Bank as vice chairman of Consumer Banking Sales and Support. Prior to his July 10 appointment, he was a senior partner at McKinsey & Company, a global management consulting firm based in New York and London. Over the past 26 years with McKinsey, Welsh held several leadership roles to help guide the global institution in meeting its mission. He was one of 30 elected senior partners who served on the McKinsey’s Shareholders Council. Much of his work with the Council, and within McKinsey more broadly, was rooted in his passion for helping people to keep learning and growing so that they achieved their full potential. Specifically, Tim led

In addition, Welsh serves as Board Chair for the Greater Twin Cities United Way, and is President of the Board of Trustees at St. Paul Academy and Summit School.

He also serves as Immediate Past Chair of the Board of GREATER MSP, Governance and Audit Committee Chair for the GHR Foundation, and as a member of the boards of the Minnesota Orchestra, Commonweal magazine, and Minnesota Philanthropy Partners. Tim’s work in the community has been recognized by the Mayor of Minneapolis, and by Catholic Charities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. This past year, Welsh was awarded “The Life of Distinction Award” from Catholic Charities for his longstanding dedication and support to those most in need in the St. Paul and Minneapolis communities. His most recent volunteer work with Catholic Charities is to help

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At the opening of the new Dorothy Day Center, Tim Walsh is pictured among local leaders in the St. Paul, MN community, including: Senator Amy Klobuchar, Archbishop Bernard Hebda, St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman, and Tim Marx (CEO of Catholic Charities).

realize the new vision for the Dorothy Day Center, a daytime service and resource center for adults that offers medical and mental health care, hot meals, showers, internet access, laundry facilities, and employment counseling.

Welsh strongly asserts that “Good Counsel made a huge difference to me, and I would not be the person that I am unless I had come here.” He recalls a phrase that Good Counsel promoted to students that significantly impacted him during his time at the school and later in life, “Even alone, a loving man can make a difference.” Welsh explains, “That sentiment really inspired my community involvement.

I had decided that I had been given a bunch of gifts and that I was going to use them in the best possible way in my community. We have been able to do something pretty cool [with the Itasca project] and that came from Good Counsel.”

Welsh received the Christian Gentleman Award at his GC graduation. At the time, he didn’t appreciate the award, feeling like it would have been better to get a leadership award or Valedictorian, but over the years he has come to realize the enormous wisdom in the award, which honors a person who is or tries to be a loving, caring person. “[The award] represented something that was so profound and important. And, in fact, my 16-year-old son, when he heard

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the story [about the Christian Gentleman award], said ‘Dad, you’re not getting a Life Distinction Award, you’re just getting your second Christian Gentleman Award’.”

When asked about how he would encourage people who feel like they have limited resources to make an impact, Tim responded, “All of us can love people wherever we are. The scale is not important. It is the fact that each of us tries, in our own way, to reach out to those around us and somehow touch them and make their lives better. I believe that God puts someone in our hands every day. That could be here at Good Counsel. If you are a student, it could be another student. But somebody is going to come into your life who needs to be loved. Sometimes it is a hug, sometimes it is gentle encouragement, sometimes it’s a pat on the back.

Those are all forms of love, and they matter enormously.

Think about it, imagine if every day someone was placed in our hands and that we loved them the same way that the people of Catholic Charities loved me, or the way that the Xaverian Brothers teach us to love here at Good Counsel.

Think about how much better the world would be. You can do this, every day, each of us can do this. No matter how resource constrained you are. If you are doing this for others, someone is doing this for you.”

1967

James Perretta ’62 welcomes Joe Howard ’67 to the Golden Falcon Club.

Celebrating A New Class Of Golden Falcons The Class of 1967 gathered to celebrate its 50th reunion on May 24; however, the event included some very special guests. Earlier this year, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School launched the Golden Falcon Club, a distinguished membership that honors the alumni of every class that has passed the threshold of 50 years since graduating from GC. Nine members from the class of 1962 joined the class of 1967 to help welcome them to this newly established club.

The evening started with a cocktail reception in the Dining Hall, and featured a slideshow of yearbook pictures and a memorabilia table. The fun and the reminiscing continued as class members and their spouses and guests gathered for dinner. The evening concluded with guided tours by

Dr. Barker, where the attendees were in awe of the new Performing Arts Center.

The following day, the 50th reunion members joined the Class of 2017 at the commencement ceremony held at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. Following graduation, the class of 1967 gathered for lunch at GrillMarX in Olney, Maryland, where they continued to share more wonderful stories about their GC experiences and the Xaverian Brothers.

The Class of 1967 hopes to keep the party going for Reunion Weekend on October 27-28.

Thank you to the Class of 1967.

Congratulations on your 50th reunion, and welcome to the Golden Falcon Club!

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Our Lady of Good Counsel High School alumni from the classes ending “1” and “6” gathered to reconnect on Reunion Weekend during the weekend of November 4, 2016. The event kicked off Friday night with the annual alumni tailgate. Brews and barbecue were offered to our alumni and their families, while younger, “future Falcons” enjoyed a moon bounce, face painting, coloring, bracelet making, and lawn games. After the tailgate, guests headed to the stadium to attend the GC vs. nationally-ranked DeMatha football game, televised on ESPN. For some alumni, it was their first time on the Olney campus, and the enthusiasm for their alma mater was infectious.

On Saturday morning, GC hosted the Jabari Outtz Memorial Alumni Basketball game in the Kane Center. Good Counsel Boys’ Varsity Head Coach, GJ Kissal ’91, welcomed 20 alumni players and more than 30 spectators to the game honoring the memory of Jabari ‘95, a former standout guard for the GC Basketball Program. In attendance at the event were Jabari’s sister, Hasina ’00, and mother, Janice.

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That evening, the party continued in the Alumni Gallery.

Good Counsel President, Dr. Paul Barker, welcomed the members of the reunion classes in a pre-celebration toast.

Laughter could be heard well into the night as alumni met up for class dinners and nightcaps. Classes of 2006 and 2011 met off campus at Tommy Joe’s and Blackfinn Ameripub respectively, for their celebrations.

The Alumni Office would like to extend a huge thank you to all our class chairs and volunteers who helped make Reunion Weekend such a success.

Classes ending in “2” and “7”—it’s your year. Save the weekend of October 27-28, 2017, and plan to join us to reconnect with your classmates and former teachers.

For more information or to help with the outreach, email Collin DeWitt, Director of Alumni Relations, at cdewitt@olgchs.org.

Classes ending in “2” and “7” IT’S YOUR YEAR! Save the weekend of October 27-28, 2017, and plan to join us to reconnect with your classmates and former teachers. For more information or to help with the outreach, email Collin DeWitt, Director of Alumni Relations, at cdewitt@olgchs.org.

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We are All Works in Progress Distinguished Alumnus 2017 | Father Stephen Katsouros, S.J., Ed.D ’77 On April 26, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School recognized Father Stephen Katsouros, S.J., Ed.D ’77 as the 2017 Distinguished Alumnus award recipient. He gave the homily and spoke to the student body at the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel Mass.

Over the past three years, Fr. Steve’s lifetime of dedication to education and service to the poor and marginalized have found their ideal setting. He is the founding Dean and Executive Director of Arrupe College of Loyola University Chicago.

Named after the Jesuits’ 28th superior general, Father Pedro Arrupe, who challenged society to think of new ways to educate young people, Arrupe College offers a unique, two-year program to motivated students with limited financial resources and an interest in transferring to a four-year institution after graduation. The university not only seeks to develop students educationally, but also provides the financial, social, and community support to ensure that students graduate with little or no debt.

Arrupe College is making a crucial impact in Chicago under Fr. Steve’s leadership.

During Fr. Steve’s homily, he referenced many young people he has worked with at Arrupe and how that experience has changed the way he views higher education. “My colleagues and I have seen students who have come to believe in themselves through their grit, persistence, resilience, goodness, generosity, and through their faith in God,” he stated. “We have come to believe that they are the future of higher education. This isn’t just a nice thing that we are doing or a service trip. We believe that these students are influencing how colleges and universities will be operating going forward. We believe this is how Jesuit higher education will be going forward – we are learning from these students. We’ve come to believe that there are new models in higher education because of these students.”

Fr. Steve’s homily also addressed how Good Counsel has helped him become who he is today. He shared that he gained confidence in himself because of the Good Counsel experience. “I came to believe in myself as a student because of instructors like Pat Bates and Greg Wood.

I came to believe in the value of community because of the ways that Barry Fitzpatrick promoted community. I came to believe in myself as a writer because of extraordinary instructors like Frank Ludwig, Sissy Gallagher Glading, and Barry Trick. And I really came to believe in how

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Barry Trick (former GC teacher/administrator), Mike Heyden ’77, Barry Fitzpatrick (former GC principal), and Greg Wood (former GC French teacher) look on as Fr. Steve celebrates Mass.

transformative service is, because of the experiences and what I learned from the late, great Brother Greg Turlik.”

Fr. Steve doesn’t just talk about service. His visionary, educational leadership makes him sought after as a board member and consultant. He has served on the Good Counsel Board of Directors. He currently serves on the boards of Regis University and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School. He is an invited participant on the Board of Loyola University Chicago. He is a consultant to Saint Meinrad Seminary, Edmund Rice Christian Brothers Schools, Saint Catharine College, Carondelet High School, Provincial Assistants for Education, and St. Vincent DePaul School.

Fr. Steve told the students that he learned at GC that [service] is less about doing for, but more about being with.

Our mission at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School focuses on inspiring our students to excel, serve, and love.

It is hard to imagine a more mission-focused recipient for the 2017 Our Lady of Good Counsel High School Distinguished Alumnus Award. We look forward to following the continued impact of Fr. Steve’s service and innovation with higher education in America.

“It wasn’t like there was this big bolt of thunder, and of all of a sudden they [Jesus’s friends] knew who Jesus was and what he revealed - it was gradual for them, it was a process, it was a journey and it’s a reminder to me that we are all works in progress. We don’t have it figured out, you may not have it figured out as students at Good Counsel, and I don’t have it figured out as an alum who’s been out for 40 years. We are all works in progress.“

EXCERPT FROM FR. STEVE’S HOMILY: “I don’t teach, but I do visit classes [when I can]. I was in a class a couple falls ago. It was a writing class—Freshman Communications. Students had choices what they wanted to write about. One student wanted to write about gang violence in Chicago, another student wanted to write about being a Muslim, another student wanted to write about tattoos, another student wanted to write about immigration issues. And this one student—Adrianna—was looking at me, and said, ‘I want to write a paper about being a teenage mother, because I’m pregnant.’

“I don’t have a good poker face, and while I’m happy about new life all the time, going to college and having a new baby are often incompatible activities. Adrianna sensed my disappointment and looked me in the eye and said, ‘Father, you’re going to baptize my baby, right?’

I said, ‘Yes, Adrianna, I will baptize your baby, and I will also sign your diploma and give it to you when you graduate with your two-year degree from Arupe college.

Are we clear Adrianna?’

GC Senior Lindsey Burke, and President, Dr. Paul Barker presented Fr. Steve his award as the 2017 Distinguished Alumnus.

“So…Eric, Adrianna’s son, was born last March; he’s a year old. Adrianna’s on the Dean’s List. She has a 3.75 [GPA].

She’s going to graduate this summer. And yes, I did baptize her son, Eric.”

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The sun was shining, the greens were rolling, and the beverages were flowing on September 8, 2016, as we celebrated the 34th Annual Steve Dean Golf Classic. The alumni, parents, Corporate Partners, faculty, staff, and friends gathered to play Argyle and Manor Country Clubs in honor of alumnus Steve Dean ’67. This year each participant received a blue and white GC golf umbrella, a necessary gift after last year’s soggy outing. After the tournament, Outback Steakhouse generously catered the awards banquet back at Good Counsel.

Thanks to the support of numerous sponsors and individuals, the golf tournament successfully raised more than $40,000 for the Steve Dean Scholarship Fund. The fund was created 30 years ago in honor of Steve Dean ’67, who passed due to complications related to cerebral palsy. At the Junior Leadership Mass on March 29, Good Counsel awarded four rising seniors with $5,000 each. Abigail Jenkins ’18, Deson Flood ’18, Kayla Miller ’18, and Alexander Hall ’18 were selected based upon their involvement in academic, social, and athletic programs, and each of them—much like Steve—exemplify a love of Good Counsel.

The Advancement Office would like to give a special thanks to the sponsors, participants, and volunteers who continue to make this event a GC tradition. Save the date—August 28—for the 35th annual day on the links! Sign up early to ensure your spot.

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Five More Falcons Inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame

Left to right: Mike Haight I Frank Valois I Vicki Anagnostopolous I Josh Ott I Kaili McLaren On March 25, five new members were inducted as part of the Hall of Fame’s 2017 induction class. The “Class of 2017”: Vicki Anagnostopolous ’06 (girls’ soccer), Kaili McLaren ’06 (girls’ basketball), Joshua Ott ’99 (boys’ lacrosse and football), Frank Valois ’96 (boys’ baseball), and Mike Haight (girls’ lacrosse). More than 110 guests joined them for a special reception in the Dining Hall.

The Athletic Hall of Fame ceremony took on a new look in 2017. The Athletic Hall of Fame Committee decided to move the event to a weekend in the spring, add a keynote speaker, and discontinue coupling the event to an athletic game. The keynote speaker was GC Alumnus Kyle Synder H ’15, 2016 Olympic Gold Medalist, 2017 NCAA Wrestling Champion, and 2016 Wrestling World Champion.

The Hall of Fame was created to recognize accomplishments and contributions of individuals whose participation in Falcon athletics has brought distinction and honor to the program.

Keynote speaker, Kyle Snyder ’13 addresses audience

Of the thousands of student athletes and coaches who have participated in athletics at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, just 99 individuals and two teams have been inducted into the prestigious GC Athletic Hall of Fame since it was created in 1989.

Congratulations to the 2017 Good Counsel Hall of Fame inductees.

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Havana Nights On the evening of Saturday, March 4, 2017, a warm Latin breeze chased the winter chill from the halls of the Alumni Gallery and the Kane Center at Good Counsel. Over 360 parents, alumni, grandparents, Corporate Partners, faculty, and staff, arrived dressed in vibrant hues of reds, blues, pinks, oranges, and yellows ready for a night of casual and relaxing fun. The tropical sounds of Stan Spottwood’s ’81 Latin Trio played in the background while guests enjoyed signature mojitos; lined up to take photos adorned with silly glasses, wigs, and hat props; or found their way to the cigar rolling station to order hand-made, Cuban-style cigars. Meanwhile a fierce competition was underway, as guests raced to outbid one another on over 75 silent auction items.

When the DJ announced dinner, guests witnessed the almost magical transformation of the Kane Center to Havana, Cuba. After a quick stop by the tiki bar for a pre-dinner drink, guests made their way to tables adorned with tropical flowers, palm leaves, and twinkling candlelight.

A quiet moment of prayer and reflection, led by Father Tom Lavin, and a welcome from Dr. Paul Barker preceeded the lively roar of conversation and laughter from the crowd. The Good Counsel community in attendance rose their bid paddles high during the Funds for Our Falcons Live Appeal to help make GC students’ dining experiences more enjoyable with a Dining Hall renovation. Brad ’71 and Debbie Bolino; Tom ’66 and Andrea Dickerson; Tom and Patricia Fay; Dave ’75 and Lisa Higgins; Ed Reilly, Jr.; and the V&S Foundation all stepped up to be heroes of the live appeal by each donating more than $5,000. Their generosity was contagious, and over the next ten minutes, 117 donors collectively raised over $94,000 for the Dining Hall Renovation Project.

With spirits high, guests made their way to the dance floor for a Salsa Soul Train competition. Couples shimmied and shook their way down the dance floor, one-by-one, until a winner was announced. The dance floor remained packed with people looking to keep the good times rolling.

Havana Nights was truly a night to remember and would not have been possible without a team of dedicated volunteers led by Sandra Boissonniere P’17. Thank you to all of our donors, corporate sponsors, dedicated volunteers, and staff for making the night a huge success.

Don’t miss out on next year’s fun. Mark your calendar and plan to join us for the 30th Annual Grand Celebration on Saturday, March 3, 2017. For more photos, visit http:// www.olgchs.org/support-good-counsel/grand-celebration

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In November, Good Counsel welcomed nearly 200 members of the Saint Francis Xavier Society to a special dinner to celebrate their generous financial support of Good Counsel’s mission.

The night included special recognitions to leaders in our community.

Russ ’79 and Paula Hamill received the Our Lady Award, which recognizes an individual or family within our school community who has provided outstanding volunteer work and tremendous commitment to the school. Russ and Paula Hamill, parents of five Falcons and one future Falcon, have spent countless hours supporting the Good Counsel Community. Whether it is through volunteering as prom boat chaperone, traveling with the football team, or speaking at senior parent prom meetings, Russ and Paula routinely, freely, and graciously offer their time to support the students, faculty, and staff of Good Counsel.

The 1958 Cornerstone Award was presented to Al ’66 and Kathy Checchi. This award is given to recognize outstanding philanthropy and volunteer support to Good Counsel. When the Georgia Avenue school was in need of a gym, Al and Kathy stepped forward to donate the funds to create the Rafferty Center. This facility was named in memory of Al’s best friend and classmate, Bobby Rafferty.

Additionally, Al got involved with the building project for the new campus and served as honorary chair of the Olney Campus Campaign. He and Kathy stepped up again when they agreed to co-chair the campaign for the Performing Arts Center. They generously made a leadership gift of $2 million to support the campaign – one of the largest gifts in school history.

Helton Rodriquez ’18, a scholarship recipient shared his appreciation for the academic, leadership, extracurricular, and spiritual opportunities he has received from school. Helton said, “No matter how many times I may complain about how stressful junior year is or how scary it is to start thinking about what college I want to go to, the fact that I get to be a Falcon is an honor and a privilege that I would never want to give up.” He adds, “It is because of donors and supporters of Good Counsel, that I have been given certain opportunities in life that I wouldn’t otherwise have had.”

Paul Barker, President, summarized the evening. “We are deeply grateful to the growing number of parents, alumni, grandparents, faculty, staff, corporations, and foundations, who provide faithful leadership support to the school. Your generosity makes an enormous difference for our students and the GC community.”

Russ ’79 and Paula Hamill

Al ’66 and Kathy Checchi

Helton Rodriquez ’18

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A LASTING

LEGACY

Grieve not…nor speak of me with tears…

Be joyful and talk of me as though I were beside you.

I loved you so…and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His Hand.

Cashen Bohlander ’18 Memorial Scholarship Cashen Bohlander ’18 passed away of natural causes on March 16, 2016, at the tender age of 16. Her parents, Bob and Sharon, and brothers, Cameron and Ben, feel that loss every day. “Not a day goes by that we don’t think of her and miss her compassion, her curiosity, her determination, and her joy for life,” shared her mom, Sharon. “Cashen valued her friendships and loved her family beyond measure. She worked extremely hard to be a successful student and was a proud member of the Ryken Studies Program.”

A graduate of St. Peter’s Catholic School, Cashen played freshman basketball at GC and was a member of the pottery club. She provided food for So Others May Eat (S.O.M.E.) and hoped to attend several school service trips. Her family, friends, clergy, teachers, classmates, coaches, and neighbors had an enormous impact on her. The Good Counsel community rallied around the Bohlander family and each other to provide support during her funeral and memorial service.

How do you memorialize an amazing young person whose life ended too soon? For the Bohlander family, it was extremely important for Cashen to be remembered in a

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tangible way to help others. They decided to create the Cashen Bohlander ’18 Memorial Scholarship to be awarded to students who, like Cashen, will benefit from the support and encouragement of their learning challenges provided in GC’s Ryken Studies Program. Bob and Sharon had a big vision – to create a four-year scholarship for an incoming freshman who has been accepted into the Ryken Program and who has demonstrated financial need. Their dream was to choose a new incoming freshman the following year and add a new freshman every year for as long as they were able to do so.

With this vision in mind, the Bohlanders set to work on reaching out to relatives, neighbors, parents, and friends to seek support. But they also wanted to make an immediate impact for members of the Class of 2018 – Cashen’s classmates. Before the outreach began for the four-year scholarship, they generously funded a two-year scholarship to two members of the Class of 2018 (juniors) who are in the Ryken program. The scholarships were presented by the Bohlanders at the Alumni Memorial Mass on November 1, 2016, to Ashley Hystad ’18 and Kyle Fritschi ’18.

When news of the freshman scholarship in Cashen’s name began to reach the school community, Stephanie Saturni P ’14, ’18 was able to offer a generous matching opportunity through the V&S Foundation. The Foundation agreed to match any donation received by January 31, 2017, dollar- for-dollar, up to a maximum of $10,000. Gifts began to pour in – both large and small. To date, more than $96,000 has been raised in cash and pledges toward this scholarship – a testament to the impact that Cashen and her family have made on so many others. The first four-year recipient of the Cashen Bohlander ’18 Memorial Scholarship is Nicoletta Sideris, a member of the Class of 2021.

“Cashen lived her life with a great deal of vigor and love.

We believe that she is looking down at us and smiling,” Bob Bohlander shared. “She would be happy to know that we are doing something to help another student who will benefit from the Ryken Program and being part of the Good Counsel community.”

“We have been blessed by the outpouring of kindness and generosity from our family, neighbors, friends, and the entire GC community,” added Sharon. “Thank you for your prayers, thoughtfulness, and for helping us remember Cashen. God bless you.”

If you are interested in supporting the Cashen Bohlander ’18 Memorial Scholarship Fund, please visit www.olgchs.org/cashen. Or mail your contribution to: Advancement Department, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School, 17301 Old Vic Boulevard, Olney, MD 20832. Be sure to include: Cashen Bohlander Scholarship in the memo section of your check.

Founded in the Xaverian tradition of academic caring, Good Counsel’s Ryken Studies Program supports highly motivated students with mild learning differences. One of the most sought-after programs in the metropolitan DC area, the Ryken Studies Program assists students in their core courses (English, mathematics, religion, science, and social studies) through the use of varied teaching styles and strategies that focus on skill development in small group settings. The goals of Ryken are to prepare students to be successful in college and help them to become autonomous learners by developing and reinforcing compensation strategies for their learning disabilities.

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WElcome JULIE POTTER Chief Advancement Officer

There is a sign on my desk that defines passion as “do what you love and love what you do.” As I begin my first month as chief advancement officer, I am already inspired and impressed by the dedication and passion of the Good Counsel community.

While I am not a graduate myself, my husband, Greg, is a 1991 graduate, my niece is a current student, my niece and nephew are both recent graduates, and my sister-in-law serves as president of the Parents Association. Our family ties to the school run deep and I am thrilled to join the team.

Prior to coming to Good Counsel, I spent 21 years in higher education at the University of Maryland, my alma mater, serving most recently as Campaign Director leading the University’s planning efforts for Fearless Ideas: The Campaign for Maryland, a $1.5 billion comprehensive fundraising campaign, the most ambitious in University history. Before that, I served as Director of University Relations working with our College Park Foundation Board of Trustees and prior to that I spent 16 years with Maryland Athletics in various capacities in major and annual gift fundraising, marketing and communications, and event planning.

Throughout my career, what is most important to me is building strong and long-lasting relationships with our alumni, friends, parents, and donors. As an advancement team, my promise to you is this: we will not take your generosity for granted. Every day we will work hard to keep you connected to Good Counsel.

As Good Counsel closes in on its 60th anniversary, I hope you will take the time to reignite relationships with former class members, faculty and staff, and witness first-hand the talent of the current student body. Football games, arts performances, networking opportunities, and events held around the state and in regions across the country, are all great ways to get and stay involved.

Quite simply, our team is here to help you stay active, stay connected, and stay passionate.

Thank you for your support and I look forward to meeting you soon.

Julie Potter

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Head Back to School Every year, we open our hearts and our doors to welcome grandparents of the freshman and junior classes and invite them to become a part of the GC community for an eventful morning.

This year Grandparents’ Day was held on November 18. More than 330 grandparents joined us for Mass, a breakfast buffet, and a morning full of quality time with their grandchildren. Grandparents were able to attend two classes and fully engage themselves in learning. Some even walked out with homework assignments!

Following classes, they were invited to the new Performing Arts Center to watch their grandchildren and other talented Good Counsel students perform in Men’s Choir, String Ensemble, GC Theatre Company, and Poms.

Grandparents are a vital part of Good Counsel’s school community and the educational experience of our students. We are deeply grateful to all of them for supporting their grandchildren’s education at Good Counsel.

Good Counsel’s next Grandparents’ Day will take place on Friday, November 17th for the grandparents of the classes of 2021 and 2019. A postcard will be mailed in the fall with more information.

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THE POWER OF ONE Sara Tappan ’91 ...knows

what an impact one person can make.

Sara was an avid cross country and track runner at the Academy of the Holy Cross and loved her coaches, Tom Arnold and Mark Jankovitz. In 1987, her freshman year of high school, Holy Cross and Good Counsel shared many of the same coaches.

In fall of 1988, Good Counsel became co-ed, and Sara’s coaches stayed with Good Counsel. Sara wanted to attend Good Counsel but she knew she would need financial assistance.

She has lost touch with Mr. Ford but often wonders if he knows what a ripple effect his gift had. Sara currently teaches at Good Counsel and hopes that one day her children will experience the community here. “There are so many opportunities to serve at Good Counsel. I want my children to experience what I did.”

As Sara spends her days teaching a new generation of Falcons, she is constantly reminded of Mr. Eugene Ford and the power of one.

Sara applied and hoped for the best. Soon, Sara received her acceptance to Good Counsel and a letter that a generous donor was providing significant financial assistance for her tuition. This would make it possible for Sara to attend for the rest of her high school career.

Sara received the name of her benefactor, Eugene Ford, and quickly wrote him a thank you note. A relationship formed that would last through much of her educational life and career. Sara sent Mr. Ford notes on how she was doing in school, how her team was performing, and the general happenings of high school life and future plans.

When Sara graduated from college, Mr. Ford offered her a job. She managed a community center in Anacostia. Here she helped kids with their homework and gave them a safe space to spend their after-school hours. Sara loved that she was able to serve this community and in a small way give back to Mr. Ford.

Good Counsel instilled a strong sense of service in Sara, and her gratitude for her generous donor never faded. Years later, Sara was given the opportunity to change another life as hers had been. Roosevelt was a boy she had worked with in Anacostia. He was a smart kid with the world pushing against him. His siblings spent much of their time on the streets, while his parents struggled with addiction and were often homeless. Roosevelt shared with Sara his dream of one day going to college. With Mr. Ford’s kind generosity burning brightly in her heart, Sara and her mother helped pay for Roosevelt’s tuition to Temple. “He is such a good young man,” she said, fondly. “He’s doing so well now.

He owns a home, has a great job, and travels the world. It was a tremendous opportunity for me to pay it forward.”

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“There are so many opportunities to serve at Good Counsel.

I want my children to experience what I did.”

—Sara Tappan ’91

On April 5, Good Counsel held it’s first-ever Day of Giving. For 24 hours, hundreds of students, alumni, faculty, staff, parents, and friends came together to grant opportunities and transform lives.

In one day, the community raised $146,413 for the Fund for Good Counsel! The Fund for Good Counsel helps provide financial aid as well as academic enhancements that make our community so unique. Thanks to your generosity, our future is filled with life-changing tomorrows!

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A New Face at GC Savannah O’Toole Renehan Corporate, Foundation, and Donor Relations Dear Good Counsel Community, Thank you for the warm welcome I have received over the past six months from my new colleagues and GC parents, alumni, and Corporate Partners! I joined the staff as the new Director of Corporate, Foundation, and Donor Relations in January, and I can honestly say that I have never worked for an organization that was more welcoming, encouraging, and supportive. It didn’t take long before Good Counsel started to feel like family.

I come from a large, Irish-Catholic family based in Maryland. I have five brothers and sisters, 26 aunts and uncles, seven nieces and nephews, and 58 first cousins, so if you have ever met a Renehan, O’Toole, Cavanaugh, Collins, or Alexander, the chances are great that you have met a family member of mine. I am the proud mother of two children, Camryn, a precocious, two-yearold girl, and Jameson, a sociable, one-year-old boy. The two of them do a great job keeping my husband, Kenny, and I properly sleep deprived. I am thrilled to be working for Good Counsel, and in many ways, working for a Catholic high school feels like coming home.

I am the very grateful product of Catholic education starting with St. Marks Elementary School in Adelphi, MD, followed by Holy Redeemer Elementary School in Berwyn Heights, MD, and culminating at The Academy of Holy Cross High School in Kensington, MD. While I didn’t attend Good Counsel, I do have fond memories of visiting the Wheaton campus for various dances. I graduated from the University of Maryland College Park in 2008 with a B.A. in English Language and Literature, specializing in Creative Writing.

Over the past four years, I managed the University of Maryland’s Corporate Partners in Computing Program by cultivating corporate and alumni relationships, fundraising for school initiatives and priorities, matching corporate interests with department projects, and soliciting and on-boarding new corporate partners. I am eager to continue applying my knowledge and skills to grow and strengthen Good Counsel’s Corporation and Foundation program.

There are a number of exciting ways that organizations can partner with the school, in addition to a redesigned Corporate Partners Program, the school has several corporate sponsorship opportunities throughout the year including the annual Grand Celebration and Steve Dean Golf Tournament. If you would like more information about how your organization might get more involved with Our Lady of Good Counsel, please do not hesitate to reach out to me directly. My door is always open, and I welcome your suggestions about ways that we can continue to make Good Counsel the best place for our students.

Savannah O’Toole Renehan

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CORPORATE PARTNERS PROGRAM 2016-2017 Our sincere thank you to all of the businesses and organizations that support Our Lady of Good Counsel High School through our Corporate Partners Program. We are so grateful for the support of our Corporate Partners and hope you will let these organizations know you’re part of the Good Counsel community when you patronize their businesses.

If you would like more information about how your organization might get more involved with Our Lady of Good Counsel, either through our Corporate Partners Program or other event sponsorships including the annual Grand Celebration and Steve Dean Golf Classic, please do not hesitate to contact Savannah Renehan at 240-283-3384 or srenehan@olgchs.org.

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CLASS NOTES at ’s Wh ?

New

Tell us your latest accomplishments and milestones by submitting your news to Class Notes. Please note, Class Notes may take up to 12 months to appear as a result of the publication schedule. Photo submissions are welcome and are published as space permits. Please submit original, high-resolution photos (300 dpi or approximately 1MB). Submit your class note online at olgchs.org/classnotes or e-mail information to cdewitt@olgchs.org. We can’t wait to hear from you!

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Richard Ebersole is a retired Tennessean living with his wife Anita, enjoyed the 50th reunion!

After devoting 28 years of his career to Blue Ridge School, science teacher Paul Fehlner is retiring. His contributions to the school are significant as is his impact on so many young men throughout nearly three decades. Beyond teaching science courses, he coached a number of sports and directed the Saturday Morning Performing Arts program. He also had a huge impact on protecting the biodiversity and ecosystem of the school’s campus.

After almost 30 years in Rockville, Robert Goley moved to rural Pennsylvania, to a beautiful retirement home on a lake. His wife Judith and he have both had to deal with cancer but are doing okay. He was happy to connect with old friends at the 50th reunion!

Carl Oehmann retired from Raytheon in 2009. He now enjoys spending time with his wife Katharine.

Linda Roberts (previously James Allen) retired in 2012 after nearly 29 years with FINRA, including the last 15 years as a senior executive in finance. She now volunteers annually with Global Volunteers, serves on the board of Dignity USA, an LGBT Catholic organization, and sponsors two children in India through Unbound.

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Michael Garner recently received the Distinguished Alumnus Award in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University, where he works as an adjunct professor in the Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology.

Michael Murphy feels privileged to be an adjunct professor at Marymount University and work with teachers and administrators from across the country.

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Frederick Ellrod published two short stories – “Rescue Redux,” science fiction, and “The Green Song,” fantasy – in small-press anthologies in September 2016 and launched his website at RickEllrod.com.

1974

A few members of the class of 1974 enjoyed a mini reunion at the Nationals Playoff Game October 2016.

Bart Crivella, Charlie DeSando, and Tim Hogan rooting hard for the Nats.

1976 Thomas J. Hurney Jr., was elected president of the Association of Defense Trial Lawyers (ADTA) during the group’s 76th annual meeting in Nashville, Tenn., in April 2017. The ADTA is an invitation-only organization of defense lawyers that accepts only one prime member in any city with a population of less than one million.

The ADTA invites as members lawyers who are “proven and recognized successful professionals possessing the highest skill level of a defense trial attorney in civil cases.” Tom is a member of Jackson Kelly PLLC in Charleston, West Virginia. He has over 34 years of experience as a trial lawyer, litigating and trying commercial, wrongful death and traumatic injury cases in state and federal courts. Tom is also a Fellow of

the American College of Trial Lawyers and an associate member of the American Board of Trial Attorneys.

He is a past president of the Defense Trial Counsel of West Virginia, which named him its “Lawyer of the Year” in 2014. Tom earned his J.D. (cum laude) from the University Of Dayton School Of Law in 1983 and his bachelor of science degree from the University of Dayton in 1980. He and his wife Julia live in Charleston and have three 50 Years children.

1977 Michael Bowe released his first novel, Skyscraper of a Man, 35 Years in March 2017. The San Francisco Book 30 Years Review awarded it 5 out of 5 stars and summed up their 25 Years review as follows: “A balanced combination of fact, fiction, engaging 20 Years dialogue and a flurry of twists and turns, Skyscraper of a Man is a stunning and inimitable debut with 10 Years Silver Screen potential.” Michael lives on Vashon Island in Washington State, 5 Years a short ferry ride from downtown Seattle. Skyscraper of a Man is available on Amazon and at select retailers.

1978 Tom Falcinelli retired as a sergeant after 30 years with Montgomery County, MD Police, and continues to practice law at Bay & Falcinelli, in Rockville, Maryland, where he has been for 30 years. He has walked away from football refereeing after officiating high school, NCAA, Arena, and NFL games. He does, however, remain involved in football, where he is in his 5th season as the Director of Football Officiating for the Indoor Football League, which is the premier arena football league in the USA.

1980 The Virginian-Pilot’s editorial page editor, Donald Luzzatto, is leaving to become the vice president for civic engagement at the Hampton Roads Community Foundation. Luzzatto, has been at the helm of the editorial page since 2009, when then-editorial page editor Dennis Hartig retired. He’s been at The Pilot since 2000 in newsroom roles that included metro editor and Suffolk bureau chief before he became an editorial writer in 2004.

1981 David Andrew Kane currently works as the CEO Kane Real Estate Services.

His wife Anne Trevisan-Kane, works as the President of Kane Printing Services. They both enjoy raising their four children. Their oldest son Andrew is attending the Naval Academy (3rd Year), their oldest daughter, Maddie Jane, is currently attending Colgate (2nd Year). They have twin boys: Michael attends St. John’s College High School (senior), and Brendan attends St. Anselm’s Abbey High School (senior).

Patrick Reynolds and Joe Lozupone watched together on a sunny April day as their sons squared off in a college baseball game. GC classmates Rick Miller and Tony Rogers also witnessed the contest. Joe’s son, Joseph, plays shortstop for the Washington College Shoremen in Chestertown, MD, and Pat’s son, Conor, plays the same position for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays in Baltimore. The boys competed well in the contest, and everyone enjoyed the mini-reunion of the GC Class of 81. After the game, Rick Miller reintroduced himself to longtime JHU baseball coach Bob Babb, having played football for Babb at JHU in the early 1980s. The two exchanged stories of gridiron greatness from days gone by.

On May 6, 2017 Joe Wolf was ordained a permanent Deacon in the Baltimore Diocese.

1982 James (Jay) Mooney recently finished teaching his 15th year in Montgomery County Public Schools. He is starting his 12th year coaching football at Walt Whitman High School. He started a charity campaign to buy and donate books for schools in the country of Colombia called Books for Barranquilla (https://www.gofundme. com/getbooks). His son, Trevor, is a senior at Berklee School of Music in Boston as a bassist performer. His daughter, Brianna, is a sophomore at Salisbury University. Jay recently married Margarita Giraldo.

1985 John Lynch is teaching 6th grade math at Sligo Middle School. This is his 27th year of teaching. He is also the assistant freshman girls’ basketball coach at Good Counsel.

Christopher Deccre is moving from Northern Virginia to Philadelphia as a new Development Manager for Dunkin’ Brands covering Northern Delaware, South Jersey and Metro Philly. He is looking forward to a change of scenery after 22 years in the DC area and working for a great brand.

1986 Greg Viland is currently working as a sales manager at Siempelkamp and enjoying vacationing with his wife Kari.

1990 Michael DeRose had an opportunity to watch his nieces, the DeRose triplets (Kayla ’18, Grace ’18, and Taylor ’18), compete for the WCAC Girls’ Lacrosse Championship. He couldn’t be more proud of their talent, passion, and drive for excellence in the sport.

CLASS NOTES

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35 Years

1991 In May, Pat Pflaum was promoted to the rank of Colonel in the U.S. Army.

He is currently attending the Naval War College in Rhode Island and will move to Fort Drum, NY, this summer.

Pat will be the senior legal advisor for the Army’s 10th Mountain Division. He is married to Amy and enjoys raising his two daughters.

1995 Kari Gaskins McDonough and husband, Jerry, had a baby girl, Elle Alessandra, on March 15, 2016. She is the best thing to ever happen to them and has brought so much joy. They hope to bring her to a GC event in the near future.

Patrick Myers and wife, Colleen, welcomed their third child in November. Baby Andrew joins big sister, Julianne, and big brother, Evan.

1996 Tracey Adams is living a wonderful life on a farm, growing lemon trees and making great lemonade.

Valerie Asch Antillon is now based in the Philippines. She is managing a resort on Camiguin Island where they offer freediving, yoga, and adventure tours. She has been married for the past seven years with two boys, now five and four years old.

Christi Crovato has four children who she homeschools. Her family is currently stationed in Monterey, California where her husband, Devin, is attending the Naval Postgraduate School.

78 CLASS NOTES

30 Years Carolyn Fisher Skeins welcomed new baby, Christina Marie, 25 Yearson December 28, 2016.

1997

20 Years

Jose-Ricardo Garcia is working as a personal trainer and enjoying life.

10 Years

1999

5 Years Meredith Hoar Garcia-Tunon and husband, J.P., welcomed Colin Lewis GarciaTunon on July 24, 2016.

Their 3-year-old, Sean, is happy to be a big brother!

Joshua Ott, and wife, Lizzy, welcomed a new addition to their family, India Ott, in November 2017.

Kellie Plucinski was named Long and Foster Real Estate Inc.’s “2016 Top Producer.”

2000 This past season, Rolando Sanz made his Metropolitan Opera debut in Mozart’s Idomeneo under the baton of Maestro James Levine, in a production that was simulcast in cinemas worldwide via MET Live in HD. He returned to the MET roster for productions of La Traviata, Salome, and Fidelio, and made his Michigan Opera Theatre debut as Ragueneau in Cyrano. Following a return to the Spoleto Festival USA as tenor soloist in Beethoven’s Choral Fantasy and Mass in C Major, Rolando made his Asheville Symphony and Apollo Orchestra debuts as tenor soloist in Beethoven’s 9th Symphony. Rolando lives in Chevy Chase with his wife, Jacquie, and two children, Luisa and Gabriel. He is the Founder and Producing Artistic Director of Young Artists of America at Strathmore (yaa.org).

2001 Sarah (Deyhle) and Cary Hudgins welcomed a baby girl, Vivienne Marie, to their family on December 9, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina.

Vivienne and her big brother, Maverick Tucker, enjoyed a tour of Good Counsel this past summer.

2002 Bobby McAleer and his wife, Kacey, welcomed a baby girl, Adeline Gray, on December 12, 2016. He and his family recently moved to Burke, VA in May 2017.

2003 Stephen and Dana Wheeler welcomed baby number two on June 10, 2017.

Their daughter, Maya, was two years old on June 9. They currently live outside of Charlotte in Huntersville, NC. This July will mark the 10th anniversary of an annual Ocean City, MD trip with fellow alums Brian McKinney, Tim Robinson, and Rob Silk.

Paul Rigney has been busy in his third year as a photographer for NBC News. In April he flew to Asia with Vice President Pence where they visited Seoul, Tokyo, Jakarta, Sydney, and Pago Pago. While in South Korea, they visited the DMZ between North and South Korea and got a front-row view of the armistice line between the two countries.

2004 David Higgins married Mary Jane MacCready on April, 29, 2017 in Detroit, MI. His brother and sister, Jack ’09 and Charlotte ’06, were both in the wedding, as well as Alex Demeo ’04.

Kimberly Miller Krichbaum married her childhood friend, Matthew, on December 17, 2016 at St. Andrew Apostle Church. The Wedding party included alumni Christopher Beckett ‘95, Shannon Cron (Miller) ‘99, Ashley Dyson ‘04, and Tommy Berry ‘05. They also welcomed son, Cameron Bryant, on Valentine’s Day 2017 with big sister, Lily Kathryn.

2005 Erica Alfeche married Allan So, in New York City this past May. The ceremony took place at the Church of the Blessed Sacrament in the Upper West Side, followed by the reception at the Loeb Central Park Boathouse.

Two fellow alumni stood by her side as bridesmaids, Cecilia Majors ’05 and Tracy Regino-Suarez ’05, and several alumni were also in attendance.

Keith Lavon and his wife, Danielle, are proud to announce the birth of Adelyn Shirley Lavon on February 21, 2017.

Adelyn was born at 8 lbs, 7 oz, and 20.5 inches.

Nick Kostreski traveled to Denver to compete on the NBC reality show American Ninja Warrior-Season 9.

He made it to the Las Vegas finals last season as a rookie. His high school senior superlative was “Most likely to be on the reality show Fear Factor.” Sadly, the show was canceled the same year he applied, but through Ninja Warrior, he is still able to live up to his high school dream.

At the end of March 2017, Matt Sinkiat was promoted to Practice Administrator for Johns Hopkins Community Physicians in North Bethesda, MD. It is an outpatient, internal, and family medicine practice of Johns Hopkins Medicine with seven healthcare providers.

2006 Kevin Cravedi started employment with Kelly Government Solutions as a contractor at the National Institutes of Mental Health.

MacKenzie Green earned her MBA from Columbia Business School in May 2017.

Lauren Clark Tubbs was married in July 2015 and started a graduate program at Trinity University for a Master’s in Occupational Therapy in September 2015.

Charlotte Higgins met NBC’s Jenna Bush at the USA House in Rio during the 2016 Summer Olympics. She and her cousin, Margaret, were getting manicures and Jenna Bush walked through with her TV crew doing a special for the Today show. While they didn’t make the cut for the show, they were able to spend a few moments with her!

Kevin Lacey was hired at Paramount Pictures and is working as a runner on both The Doctors and Dr. Phil.

After graduating from Good Counsel, Frank Lozupone continued his education at Saint Francis University where he received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a concentration in forensics and a minor in criminology. He graduated in May 2010. In May of 2016, Frank received his law degree from The University of Baltimore Law School. He passed the Bar exam in July 2016. He is now a judicial clerk for Judge Thomas Ross in Queen Anne’s County Circuit Court.

Frank recently became engaged to Heather Mascetti of Odenton, MD. The wedding is set for April 2018.

Tessa Raden earned a master’s degree in arts management in 2014 and was married April 2017.

Cristina O’Brien graduated with a bachelor’s degree in special education from Towson University and earned a master’s degree in education and integrated technology in June 2015.

She has been a special education teacher for five years at Montgomery County Public Schools.

Teddy Bisrat married Lauren Jacoy ’08 on August 15, 2015. He is an IT contractor for NIH in Bethesda.

CLASS NOTES

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20 Years

2007

10 Years

Alyssa (Hammerley) Shook married 5 Years on July 17, 2015 Christopher Shook at St. Joseph-on-Carrollton Manor Catholic Church in Buckeystown, MD. GC graduates in the wedding party included bridesmaid, Elyse Gillen ’07 and the bride’s brother, Landon Hammerley ’15.

alumni maid of honor, Mary Catherine Evans ‘10, best man, James Brady ‘10, bridesmaid Katherine Kundrat ‘07, groomsman Harrison Dyson ‘07 and groomsman, Luke Weichbrod ‘07.

In February 2017, Lauren Filocco launched OpenBarre in College Park, MD. The studio offers barre classes and hosted its first Women’s Empowerment/ Self-Defense Seminar with Krav Maga Maryland in May.

2009

Anton Jurlano works as an ICU Nurse in California.

2008

Laura Hutchison Baker married Andrew Baker on June 11, 2016, at Holy Cross Church in Garrett Park, MD. Bridesmaids included Christine Hutchison ’09, Molly Hutchison ’16, Amanda Campbell ’07, and Sara Schneider ’07.

Ryan Rote ’08 recently completed walking the entire Appalachian Trail, a 2,190 mile walk from Maine to Georgia.

Ryan started his venture on July 2016 and completed it November 11, 2016. He was the 47th person to walk the entire trail in 2016 from North to South.

Rebekah Sewell Alcalde married David Alcalde on September 18, 2016.

The couple met in Mr. Essig’s Spanish 101 class during their freshman year.

The couple celebrated with many GC alumni, including Christine Fields ’08, Carlos Aguilar ’08, Stephanie Guidara ’08, Ché Ross ’08, Elias Lopez ’08, and the bride’s father Gerry Sewell ’70.

Not pictured but present: Eileen Ghent ’07, Eddie Ghent ‘03, and former teachers, Steve Ghent and Leslie Young.

Emily (Evans) Brady married Kevin Brady in Baltimore, Maryland on November 26, 2016. They were surrounded by family and friends as they married at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Baltimore. Included in their wedding celebrations were fellow GC

80 CLASS NOTES

Jack Higgins graduated in May 2016 with his Masters in Physiology and Biophysics from Georgetown University.

Laura Petrocci is currently working as an interior designer at a commercial architecture firm specializing in healthcare facilities in Dayton, OH. Kyleen Armstrong Clarke and Jordan Clarke ’08 married on June 4, 2016.

They began dating in 2007 while attending Good Counsel, where they first met in Chemistry class. They stuck out the long distance through college and while Jordan played professional basketball overseas and Kyleen attended graduate school. They are moving to Charlottesville, Virginia where Jordan will attend University of Virginia Darden School of Business.

35 Years

Nine Falcons from the Class of 2009 gathered for brunch in April. The girls try to get together frequently for birthday celebrations, winery trips, or brunch. Pictured is Jillian Alm, Ally Henig, Kristin Downs, Stephanie Meinhardt, Danielle “DJ” Lozupone, Monica Tan, Kelly Tracy, Katherine Resutek and Lauretta Ruppert.

2010 Michael Bitonti is traveling and getting some life experience under his belt. He landed in Vail, Colorado for the winter season and Hawaii for the summertime.

Michael is loving the ride so far, and will set his sails for Australia in September. Through his many adventures experiencing different cultures and people, he has discovered that the values instilled in him while at GC have come to fruition.

First Lt. Stephanie R. DeRiso is assigned as a Military Police Officer to the 549th Military Police Company, 385th Military Police Battalion, Fort Stewart, GA. She is currently serving as a Military Police Platoon Leader in Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve—a mission demonstrating to NATO allies and the world the continued American commitment to peace, security, and stability in Europe. Prior to her

commission, she enlisted in 2012 and served as a Mortuary Affairs Specialist with the 673rd Quartermaster Company, Dover AFB, DE. In 2015, DeRiso graduated as a Distinguished Military Graduate from George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, with a bachelor of science in criminology, law, and society, with a concentration in homeland security and a minor in intelligence analysis— Cum Laude and Honors College Distinction. She is currently pursuing a masters in professional studies in emergency and disaster management at Georgetown University.

This past August, Meg Miller became a postulant in a religious order called “The Handmaids of the Heart of Jesus.” They are a diocesan order in New Ulm, MN. They assist the Bishop and parish priests in things such as religious education, teaching, and spiritual direction. Their life is very simple, yet joyful. She will be receiving a habit and new name this coming August when she becomes a novice.

James and Molly (Burns) Brady were married June 25, 2016. They were voted biggest flirts at GC. Molly is a RN for UMD Proton Center and James is a Corporal for Montgomery County’s Department of Correction and Rehabilitation. They live with their dog, Reese, in Columbia, MD.

30 Years Alex Honsberger visited Petra Schubert in25 Boston, Years MA, this past March.

Petra and Alex Years enjoyed the20 very chilly weather while exploring downtown 10 Years Boston.

2012

5 Years

Venezia Ferraro Shiblie and Vanessa Zhang met up in Miami, FL for a weekend vacation together to catch up and see the city.

The picture is by the Wynwood Walls where they saw an array of fabulous artwork and ate some of the best Pan con Lechon they’ve ever had.

Alexandra Apgar-Arpin just finished her first year of veterinary school at Kansas State University

2014 Samuel (Jake) Lichtenstein is finishing up his tour in Germany waiting on his new assignment. He has been working on his promotion to Sergeant and going on many missions.

Alex Valverde of Olney was named to the Dean’s List for the fall 2016 semester at Washington University in St. Louis. Valverde is enrolled in the university’s Olin Business School.

2011 After graduating from York College of Pennsylvania in December 2015, Jennifer Lawless moved to the suburban Philadelphia area. She started her career as an educator at St. Cyril of Alexandria School in the fall of 2016. She is currently teaching 5th grade.

CLASS NOTES

81

In Memoriam

Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon them. May their souls and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace.

Our Lady of Good Counsel, Pray for Us. Amen.

James Edward Arenz ’63 Michael Barnes ’75 Domenick Bellia ’73 Ginger Birch | Manager and employee of the cafeteria 1972–2006 Ralph Birch | Grandfather of Anna C. Rogers ’10 Joseph Burke ’76 Kevin Cassidy ’74 Deacon John Cermak | Religion teacher 1981-2001 Josephine A. Checchi | Mother of Al Checchi ’66 David Conklin ’84 Joseph Connors | Father of Joe ’69, Ed ’72, John ’75, Grandfather of Mike ’03 and Patrick ’99 Rosemary Deily | Aide in the Business Office and Guidance Department 1976–1983, Mother of Hank ’72 and John ’79, grandmother of Kathleen ’03, Lara ’05, and Caren ’10 Gerald “Jerry” Dewitt ’70 | Brother of Robert Howard, Jr. ’68 Charles Eaton ’72 Stephen Elmendorf | Father of Richard ’13 and John ’16 John L. du Fief | Father of John ’76 William R, Harding ’74 Frank “Jim” Lee Hewitt, III | Father of Corey ’95 Michele Brelia Kachemov | Mother of Ruth ’15 and Zach ’13 Andy Kranking | Father of Katie ’11 Pauline B. Mangin | Library assistant 1980-81 Paulette Jeanne Mantzouranis | Mother of George ’83 and John ’84 Harry McLaughlin | Father of Jeff ’74, Kevin ’76, Tim ’77, Denis ‘78, and Keith ‘79 Father David Mudd | Chaplain and Latin teacher 1988-1990 Alan Peters ’82 Mike Raleigh ’82 Meredith Carrick Rinaldi | Wife of Will ’62 Brother Bonaventure Scully | Principal 1970-1980 Kevin Sheahin ’88 Pauline and Joseph Sinsky | Parents of Richard ’70 and Robert ’72 Nancy Stefanelli | Mother of Andy ’83 and Guy, grandmother of Carly ’10, Drew ’12, Perry ’14, Margi ’19, and Jack ’20 Jay Witte ’73

82 IN MEMORIAM

Let Perpetual Light Shine Upon Them Several long-serving members of the Good Counsel family passed away over the last year. We also want to pay tribute to the family of Candace (Candy) Horman, who died in November 6, 2015, and who was inadvertently omitted from the last issue of The Counselor.

CANDY HORMAN Born May 26, 1945, Candy Horman was a member of the Good Counsel staff from 1985 through 2012. Initially, she served as Studies Office Secretary/Registrar but then moved to the Business Office where she served first as Business Manager and then as Finance Director. Candy’s three children attended Good Counsel – sons, Jay ’85, Tim ’86, and daughter Mary Beth ’93.

Her grandson, Brendan, graduated in 2009. Candy was a steady and competent leader of the Business Office for many years. We are especially grateful for her leadership and support as she oversaw the finances during the exciting yet daunting move of the school from Wheaton to Olney.

VIRGINIA (GINGER) LEE BURCH Virginia (Ginger) Lee Burch was a Good Counsel “kitchen staple” from 1972 to her retirement in 2006. Ginger began as assistant to Bro. Charles, the cafeteria manager, but very quickly took charge of the kitchen. Her staff was extremely friendly and reflected Ginger’s outgoing personality. In the morning she greeted the GC faculty and staff with hugs. Her team enjoyed dressing in costumes at Halloween. She is one of GC’s most famous icons – beloved by all.

She was the mother of John, Jr.; James; Robert ’73; and Janet; and grandmother of current GC faculty member, Amanda Burch Kerkhoven; Michael ’05; Matthew ’07; Sara; Katie; and the late Ryan. Ginger passed away on June 26, 2016, but she will remain in the GC history books as one of the VIPs of the school community.

BROTHER BONAVENTURE (GERARD J. SCULLY) Born Gerard J. Scully on January 24, 1928, in Baltimore, Br. Bonaventure entered the Xaverian Brothers in 1946. He received his bachelor’s degree from the Catholic University, a master’s in chemistry from the University of Detroit; and a second master’s from Loyola University in Chicago. He did post-graduate studies at MIT, Brown, Bowdoin, and Notre Dame. Following several teaching assignments at Xaverian schools in Massachusetts, Kentucky, and New York, he was appointed the fourth principal of Our Lady of Good Counsel High School and served from 1970 – 1980. His tenure was marked by many challenges in the educational and political arenas. He was a visionary for educational change, which sparked the creation of curricular and facility initiatives at the school, including modular scheduling, new electives, AP courses, a television studio, the first school orchestra – to name a few. At Br. Bonaventure’s death on September 1, 2016, General Superior Brother Edward Driscoll wrote to the Xaverian community, “enthusiasm, boundless energy, love for his vocation as a Xaverian Brother and a certain restlessness are Bonaventure’s signature life themes. These ever so evident qualities fired his passion for whatever endeavor he was engaged in.”

IN MEMORIUM

83

A Blast from the Past!

The way things were‌ Students from the Class of 1967 compete in a rowdy game of donkey basketball in the Wheaton school gym.

84

ALUMNI Save the Date!

AUG 28 Annual Steve Dean Golf Classic

NOV 1 Alumni Memorial Mass

NOV 9 Saint Francis Xavier Society Dinner

JAN 4 Young Alumni Speed Mentoring

FEB 10 Bob Milloy Retirement Roast MAR 24 Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony & Reception APRIL 26 Distinguished Alumnus Award Celebration and Feast of Our Lady Mass

MAY 23 & 24 Class of 1968 50th Reunion Celebration

CALENDAR

2017-2018 AUGUST

PANTONE 289 CP

PANTONE 289 CP

PANTONE 110 CP

23 24 28 29 29 30

Incoming Parents Reception Freshman Convocation 35th Annual Steve Dean Golf Classic First Day of Classes STEM Internship Showcase Freshman Parents Back-to-School Night

SEPTEMBER

A

H

OCT 27 & 28 Alumni Reunion Weekend, Alumni Tailgate

HLETI C

1 Opening School Mass 6 Sophomore, Junior, Senior Parents Back-to School Night 13 Mothers’ & Fathers’ Club Kickoff Stewardship Mass 19 Parents’ Association Open Meeting 19 26 Eighth Grade Parent Information Night

E

AT

EVENTS

LL

O F FA

M

2019 ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME ALUMNI – Submit nominations for your fellow classmates and former teammates to be considered for the 2019 Athletic Hall of Fame.

OCTOBER 12 13 14 15 19 21 27-28

To submit a nomination, please fill out a nomination form by going to olgchs.org/HallofFame.

Nominations are due by April 1, 2018.

Fall Instrumental Concert Fall Choir Concert Father/Student Paintball Outing OPEN HOUSE Corporate Partners Coffee & Conversation Homecoming Dance Alumni Reunion Weekend

NOVEMBER 1 Alumni Memorial Mass 3-4, 10-12 Fall Theatre Production, And Then There Were None and The Real Inspector Hound 15 National Honor Society Induction 17 Grandparents’ Day 22-24 Thanksgiving Break

DECEMBER

Classes Ending in 7 and 2 I October Reunion Celebration We invite you to GC this fall to reunite with classmates during Reunion Weekend 2017! It’s sure to be a funfilled weekend re-connecting with friends and faculty, and remembering all of your fondest memories of being a Falcon!

Classes 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, and 2012 – We need Reunion Captains to help plan the weekend of events and to reach out to classmates.

If you’re interested in serving as Reunion Captain, in any capacity, please contact: Collin DeWitt I Alumni Office I CDeWitt@olgchs.org I (240) 283-3214

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1 7 8 8 9 13 14 16 21-1/1

Feast of St. Francis Xavier Mass Scholarship Appreciation Breakfast Admissions Application Deadline Feast of the Immaculate Conception Mass Mothers’ Club Vendor Show Instrumental Music Concert Vocal Christmas Concert Family Day of Service Christmas Break

Falcon Alumni Business Network

EVENTS CALENDAR

2017-2018 JANUARY PANTONE 289 CP

Are you looking for a career change?

Are you looking to hire new personnel?

PANTONE 289 CP

PANTONE 110 CP

2 4 12 13 13-20 22 27

Class of 2017 IB Recognition Ceremony Young Alumni Speed Networking Event Alumni Gospel Concert Father/Student Day of Service El Salvador Mission Trip March for Life Dads, Daughters, and Desserts

Are you looking for new selling prospects?

Connect with strong and loyal referral sources?

Tap into the vast and rich network of professionals within the Good Counsel Alumni Network!

The Falcon Alumni Business Network provides events and opportunities as an opportunity for our alumni to make career and business connections with fellow alumni in the Good Counsel community.

All alumni from various industries and levels of career experience are encouraged to get involved.

FEBRUARY 3 Father/Student Bowl Night 7 Parents’ Association Open Meeting 21 Jazz Ensemble Concert 22 Mothers’ Club Paint Nights 23 Talent Show

For more information about the program contact: Collin DeWitt, Director of Alumni Relations cdewitt@olgchs.org

MARCH 3 Grand Celebration Incoming Freshmen Registration 9 Family Day of Service 10 16-17 Spring Musical, The Music Man 22-24 Spring Musical, The Music Man 24 Athletic Hall of Fame 29-4/6 Easter Break

Interested in sponsorship opportunities?

It’s a great way to get involved and market your business. Contact Savannah Renehan, Director of Corporate, Foundation, & Donor Relations, at srenehan@olgchs.org or (240) 283-3384.

Have you moved or changed your mailing/email address? Keep us up to date!

Please visit olgchs.org/classnotes to update all contact information to ensure you receive invitations for your class gatherings and other pertinent alumni information.

APRIL 11 DAY OF GIVING 15 Mothers’ Club Mass & Brunch 18 Junior Leadership Mass 21 Prom 26 Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel Mass & Distinguished Alumnus/a Award Ceremony 26 Volunteer Appreciation Night

HELP KICK-START THE CAREERS OF OUR YOUNG ALUMNI Join us on January 4, 2018, for the Annual Young Alumni Speed Mentoring event. Young alumni participants have the opportunity to join experienced alumni in a series of 10-minute roundtable discussions. Table moderators will share their professional backgrounds and provide information/advice on how one might get involved with a particular career field.

MAY 1 Corporate Partners Appreciation Reception 8 Senior Parents Farewell Reception 11 Spring Vocal Concert Spring Instrumental Concert 12 16 Incoming Freshman Mothers’ Breakfast 20 Senior Mothers’ Mass and Brunch 23 Class of 1968 50th Reunion 23 Senior Awards and Breakfast 24 Graduation at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception

Join Our Lady of Good Counsel High School on Monday, August 28, 2017 for the Steve Dean Golf Classic. This years’ Steve Dean will be played at two of the area’s premier courses, Manor Country Club and Argyle Country Club.

Registration and additional information are available at www.olgchs.org/stevedeangolf.

Be sure to register early to ensure your course selection as well as your spot, we expect both courses to sell out quickly!

Experienced alumni from various public and private industries within the local Maryland/Washington D.C. area will lead the discussions. Industries represented include: Medicine/Healthcare, Law, Government, Marketing, Business Development, Financial Services, Accounting, Banking, Engineering, Information Technology, Entrepreneurship, Education, and more. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to leverage the Good Counsel alumni network for the chance at a job, internship, or connection!

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GC BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS

CONNECT WITH US!

GC Network on LinkedIn: Be sure to follow the Our Lady of Good Counsel High School company page as well as join the GC alumni-only group on LinkedIn. To search for the alumni group, please type in Our Lady of Good Counsel Alumni. It’s a great outlet to exchange ideas, knowledge, and opportunities. Join GC alumni today!

INTRODUCING THE BLUE & GOLD CARD! Being a part of the GC community just got a bit sweeter! GC families, check your mail for the Blue and Gold Card to access sweet annual deals and discounts offered by our Corporate Partners. For more information, visit: olgchs.org/blueandgoldcard.

Is your business interested in partnering with the GC community?

Contact Savannah Renehan, srenehan@olgchs.org or (240) 283-3384, to learn more about our Corporate Partner’s program.

Grandparents: Don’t Miss the Big Event!

WE NEED YOU! …to be a Class Agent

Do you like to stay connected to your GC friends?

Would you like more opportunities to catch up with classmates and other GC alumni?

Help us stay connected! Consider being a Class Agent for your class. Good Counsel is looking for alumni who want to connect with classmates, keep them in touch with GC, encourage them to attend reunions and other events, and share ways to support our alma mater. If you would like more information about becoming a Class Agent, contact Collin DeWitt, Director of Alumni Relations, (240) 283-3214.

COMING SOON!

Each year, we invite the grandparents of both the freshmen and junior classes to spend a day at school with their grandchildren.

This year, Grandparents’ Day will be Friday, November 17, 2017. Mark your calendars and join us for our favorite day of the year!

If you would like to be invited and also receive the school’s magazine and other news-related information about Good Counsel, please register today at olgchs.org/grandparents.

Contact Erica Tituana, Communications Specialist, at etituana@olgchs.org or (240) 283-3369 with any questions.

A new way to support your Falcons through the Fund for Good Counsel. Stay tuned…

NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 1400 SUBURBAN, MD

A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School

Change Service Requested

17301 Old Vic Boulevard I Olney, Maryland 20832 PARENTS OF ALUMNI If this issue is addressed to a son or a daughter who no longer maintains a permanent address at your home, please notify Collin Dewitt, Director of Alumni Relations at cdewitt@olgchs.org.

Learn About Us at OLGCHS.ORG

COMMENCEMENT 2017 “Pray the words that appear on our seal, ‘Faciat Maria nos Videre’, ‘Mary, make us to see’; to see the path God has in store for your life and to be the person you are meant by God to be.”

—Excerpt from Principal Tom Campbell’s commencement address