The Raider - Winter 2019

WINTER 2019

A PUBLICATION FOR ALUMNI, STUDENTS, PARENTS & FRIENDS OF REGIS JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL

REACHING OUT Raiders Make an Impact Globally ALSO IN THIS ISSUE Elevating the Single Gender Educational Experience

Transformational Gift for RJ Football Safety

Where Are They Now: Catching Up with Sr. Benita Volk, CPPS

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TABLE OF CONTENTS ON THE COVER

Will Munroe '20, Tyler Glenn and Emily Glenn '08 in Shanghai, China as part of a delegation to a summit celebrating Special Olympics 50th anniversary

SCHOOL NEWS

Message from the President 3 COVER: Special Olympics Unified Program Goes Global 4 Fireworks and Chocolate with Colten Biro, SJ 7 Elevating the Single Gender Educational Experience 8 Transformative Gift for RJ Football Safety 12 The Rudy Cup Report 2018 13

THE ALUMNI RAIDER

Raiders Reunite: Homecoming A Common History: Three Alumni Turned Coaches Alumni Spotlight: Great Raiders Around the Globe

Kevin Schnepel '98

Katherine (Zimmer) Pahl '08 Class Notes Where Are They Now: Sr. Benita Volk

COMMUNITY NEWS

14 16 19 21 23 28

Faculty Notes 29 Raider Journeys 30 In Memoriam 31 Upcoming Events Back Cover

PRESIDENT David Card '87 PRINCIPAL

Jimmy Tricco

VICE PRESIDENT OF OPERATIONS Rick Sullivan

VICE PRESIDENT OF ADVANCEMENT Mindae Russell

DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Charisse J. Broderick King

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR FACULTY & CURRICULUM Craig Rogers

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR STUDENT LIFE Bryan Timme

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR MISSION, MINISTRY & DIVERSITY Sajit Kabadi

BOYS DIVISION HEAD Karen Wuertz

GIRLS DIVISION HEAD

Tim Bauer '88

CONTRIBUTORS M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T Regis Jesuit High School, —a Catholic educational community— engages the gifts of young men and women in a single-gender environment, fosters faith in Jesus Christ and promotes justice and mercy, develops critical minds and nurtures compassionate hearts to serve others – all for the greater glory of God.

Olivia Bachmann '20 Helen Bingham Bethany Carmellini Adam Dawkins '98 Katie Haley Gretchen Kessler Paul Miller '04 Will Munroe '20

RJ Media Program Mindae Russell Trina Sandler Amanda Shepherd Hannah Smith '20 Colin St. John '01 Mary Zimmerman

DESIGN ChopBlock Collective, Ltd. PRINT Unique Litho, Inc. Printed on environmentally-friendly paper using sustainable production methods.

The Raider and Alumni Raider are published by Regis Jesuit High School twice a year [summer and winter]. Your comments, opinions, inquiries about the magazine, Regis Jesuit High School, its programs or community members including alumni are welcome to communications@regisjesuit.com. Story ideas and submissions are welcome as well.

Regis Jesuit High School admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

M ESSAG E FRO M TH E PR E S I DE N T

Dear Regis Jesuit Community, Every Raider alum knows that service is one of the key distinguishing features of a Regis Jesuit education. It’s part of our DNA, and there is no better example than our RJ Unified Program through which we partner with Special Olympics Colorado to bring our students and Special Olympics athletes together. Sure, our students are contributing service, but if my own experience tells me anything, they will receive more than they give.

‘A Jesuit school develops programs through which students experience what it means to labor with and for others in building a more just world.’

In January of 1987, I arrived at my service placement – a preschool program for low-income families in the shadows of Mile High Stadium. This particular center’s clientele tended to speak Spanish as their primary language, and as a Spanish IV scholar, I believed I was equal to the task. I quickly learned otherwise, however. Being humbled is a powerfully educational experience! While the first day was filled with anxiety and feelings of inadequacy, by the last day those feelings had turned to heartbreak over the little friends I then had to leave.

I didn’t realize it then, but my service experience was a lesson of love that would ultimately shape my future career decisions. For me, returning to Regis Jesuit as president was a way to continue to ensure that each of our students immerses themselves in service so that they too might have a transformative experience of loving one another. It’s a critical RJ tradition.

So imagine the pride I felt when we received this recent testimonial from Jillian Lesnansky '15: I currently am a Senior Nursing Student at Creighton University and went to the Dominican Republic this past summer for a medical immersion trip through Creighton.

By chance, I was paired with two other women, Emily Leister and Elizabeth (Ellie) Dorchuck, who also graduated with me in 2015. We spent a month and a half serving a rural community along the border of Haiti and the Dominican Republic. We held a medical/dental clinic during the week and lived alongside the residents of the community.

-Domain 5, Standard 14: Our Way of Proceeding

Emily, Ellie and I were all talking one night while in the DR and discussed that one of the main catalysts for our love for service and for wanting to go on this immersion experience was due to attending Regis Jesuit and the values and love of service that it instilled within us from the first day of freshman year. We just wanted to email The Raider and show all of the Regis Jesuit community how powerful Regis Jesuit’s love of service is and how it can bring three women who live different lives at the same university back together and form an unbreakable bond.

Amen Jillian! And, careful…you never know where these experiences might take you next! You can see a photo of Jillian, Emily and Ellie in the DR in the Class Notes section of this issue.

I hope you enjoy reading about our Unified Special Olympics program (which has probably kindled hundreds of flames of love all by itself), and so much more about the life of the Regis Jesuit community today.

Welcome to the 2019 winter edition of The Raider.

AMDG,

David Card '87 President WINTER 2019 T H E R A I D E R

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Unified Goes Global R J S E R V E S A S M O D E L F O R T H E S P E C I A L O LY M P I C S I N C L U S I O N R E V O L U T I O N STORY AND PHOTOS BY WILL MUNROE '20, RJ MEDIA

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he Special Olympics Club at Regis Jesuit has been partnering with Special Olympics of Colorado (SOCO) to spread its message of inclusion for more than ten years. Five years ago, the first Unified basketball team, which pairs athletes from SOCO with RJ students as players and coaches, was established at the school. That program has grown to include flag football and soccer as well, with two teams (red and white) playing for each sport.

Now the largest club on campus with more than 250 students involved, the members participate every year in a variety of SOCO events beyond sponsoring the Unified teams, including the Shindig dance fundraiser. In addition to being a wonderfully fun and community-building event, the Shindig has raised thousands of dollars for SOCO. Student enthusiasm for the Unified program may be part of the reason that Regis Jesuit was invited by Timothy Shriver, the chairman of the Special Olympics International Board of Directors, to send a delegation to the Special Olympics East Asian Youth Summit in Shanghai. From September 9-15, 2018, Olivia Hernandez '19, RJ Unified athletes Aaron Schmidt and Tyler Glenn along with faculty chaperones Emily Glenn '08 and Merideth Feik and myself ventured to China.

A more significant reason the RJ Unified program was selected is that it uses a model that Special Olympics hopes other schools will adopt. Our athletes (those team members with intellectual disabilities) are not students at Regis Jesuit. Each has graduated high school and is in their 20s. Even so, they have become an integral part of the school community. Sara Prescott, manager of Unified Champion Schools for Special Olympics International, describes Regis Jesuit as having “a true passion for promoting inclusion on their school campus/community.

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“We were interested in the similarities that students from Regis could share with students from China,” Prescott went on to say. Regis Jesuit’s program is similar to those in China, where athletes come from so-called “Special Schools” and do not attend school with the partners (players without intellectual disabilities), who attend mainstream schools. RJ’s Unified athletes have been integrated into the school community through events like our annual pep rally, which brings the entire school together to root raucously during a basketball game that pits the Rowdies against the Unified teams.

Nations like India and China aspire to develop a program as powerful and inclusive as the one we have built at Regis Jesuit. Or that of Ponaganset High School in Rhode Island—the only other U.S. high school also chosen to send a delegation to the summit. Their state is the first to have a Unified team in every public high school. Ponaganset has led the charge towards inclusion by creating a powerful pledge for their community.

The summit itself primarily focused on promoting this message of inclusion. Workshops centered on developing leadership skills as a way to facilitate this. We attended several different presentations describing Special Olympics programs from across the world, including China, Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Mongolia, South Korea, India and Malaysia. Our delegation was greeted with great hospitality. Translators were constantly at the ready, and guides helped us to navigate Shanghai, the biggest city on earth.

The fourth day brought some of the most memorable experiences of the summit. We toured Coca-Cola World Shanghai. Coca-Cola was the first ever sponsor of Special Olympics. We were then sent on assignment to travel across the city to find a person whom we were to interview.

Ours was Jason Zhan, regional manager of healthy athletes for Special Olympics East Asia (SOEA). He provides free screenings at different tournaments, assisting more than 6000 athletes a year. Our interview with him was powerful and provided a call to action. He encouraged us to take up the mantle of inclusion, sharing, “Every time I see friends, I ask them ‘Do you know Special Olympics? We have the responsibility to let more people know about SO.” Beyond our time at the summit, we also experienced some Chinese culture and the beauty of Shanghai. The annual autumn moon festival was also taking place while we were there. Moon cakes—a circular peanut butter-flavored cake with a duck egg in the center—are eaten to celebrate the occasion (and taste amazing). We also went to the Huangpu River, overlooking the beautiful skyline of Shanghai, including the Bank of China Tower and Pearl Tower.

In the months since returning, I have recognized the profound effect this experience has had. I learned to appreciate our program at the summit, but also saw room to grow, so acted with others to start making that happen right away. At our Unified Pep Rally in November, we instituted

the inclusion pledge developed by Ponaganset High School.

The impact extends to the other RJ delegates as well.

Aaron Schmidt enjoyed the trip because he was able to make “a lot of new friends.” As part of the summit, he shared a group project and presentation about Regis Jesuit and truly enjoyed interacting with the many new people he encountered. Chaperone Emily Glenn, whose brother Tyler is a Unified athlete and was also part of the delegation, said that the “opportunity to visit Shanghai was an incredible lesson.” She affirmed that the world, thankfully, values the “core beliefs of inclusion and understanding.” She found it amazing that, despite language barriers, we were able to “converse in the joy of Unified sports.” Tyler shared a similar sentiment, “loving meeting and making new friends.” He also learned at the summit that “Special Olympics is an organization that is all over the world and reaches millions of people just like me.” He loves that he has the opportunity to be a part of the Regis Jesuit Unified program because he enjoys being a “part of the great community.” (cont. on next page)

BELOW: The opportunities to make new friends and learn from them were abundant at the summit

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This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity allowed me to travel to China to focus on something I love—Special Olympics—and was also amazing, eye opening and life changing.

I am honored and humbled that I was selected to represent Regis Jesuit. We met truly remarkable people from many different backgrounds who, in sharing their stories, helped us better understand what true inclusion looks like. It is not making accommodations and forcing people together.

It is forming a community that cares for one another—something I definitely see at Regis Jesuit.

RIGHT: Tyler Glenn, Aaron Schmidt, Will Munroe '20 and Olivia Hernandez '19 in Shanghai, China for the summit celebrating Special Olympics 50th anniversary

ABOVE: The delegations from RJ and Ponaganset High School in Rhode Island – the two U.S. schools

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selected to attend the summit which also helped mark Special Olympics’ 50th anniversary

Fireworks and Chocolate with Colten Biro, SJ

BY HANNAH SMITH '20 AND OLIVIA BACHMANN '20, RJ MEDIA

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o tradition is more distinctly American than a 4th of July barbecue and fireworks. The sweet smell of smoke from the grill and explosives lingers long after the flashing lights and thunder die. Yet, when January rolls around, the aromatic vivacity of July’s green heat is lost in the snow-drifts, at best inspiring resentment and longing for that which is fleeting. Chasing after fireworks, pursuing temporary good, is not only impractical, but leaves the human spirit broken, as Mr. Colten Biro, SJ, the new Jesuit scholastic on campus, contends.

Born in Louisiana and raised in a non-Catholic family, Biro could never have imagined dedicating himself to the struggle toward the infinite and divine. His conversion attests to the power of peer evangelization. He first encountered the Catholic Church through high school friends and became an active member of the Church after his confirmation in college, where he dreamed of future success as a lawyer.

“I went to law school and did really, really well. Academics were great, I had a wonderful girlfriend; socially, it was awesome. I had two internships, but I wasn’t particularly happy, which is funny because everything on paper was great, but I wasn’t really fulfilled,” Biro recalls. He had not found the chocolate, the rich, lasting flavor of fulfillment from a life lived in service to Christ, he explained. He took time to discern the instant gratification of the fireworks from the resounding character of the chocolate in his life, and simultaneously discovered what made him feel most fully alive: deep conversations between truth seekers.

six months into law school, I took a pause to examine the year, including what was the highlight. What came up was a conversation between myself and a young man. It was about confession,” Biro remembers, continuing, I can assure you that he doesn’t remember that conversation, but it was weirdly the most rewarding moment that I had had within the previous six months. That was bit of a problem. That moment, which shouldn’t have been important, was really significant. So I started playing with the idea of being a Jesuit. To be honest, when I entertained the idea, I decided this was going to be a deal with God.” Biro, missioned to Regis Jesuit for the regency stage of his Jesuit formation, teaches English (not surprisingly) and journalism. He also actively contributes to The Jesuit Post.

He states he cannot imagine his life without the Society of Jesus. During his three years here, he hopes to challenge the Regis Jesuit community to engage in the meaningful discussion so essential to Ignatian spirituality both through classroom activities and with the girls Regis Christian Life Community, a club devoted to cultivating a strong “community of prayer and faith.”

For Biro, “it’s all about questions of how do I have faith and also experience deep pain and brokenness in the world.”

He views his mission as helping others distinguish between the chocolate and the fireworks, and he is content with that. He muses, “God has been a little bit stubborn and just continually reaffirms, ‘No, you’re supposed to be here.’

Sometimes in big ways, sometimes small.”

“At the same time, I was volunteering at a local parish and was one of the frequent people at youth group. About WINTER 2019 T H E R A I D E R

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Elevating the Single Gender Educational Experience EIGHT TEACHERS REFLECT ON TEACHING THE OPPOSITE GENDER FOR THE FIRST TIME B Y A D A M D AW K I N S ' 9 8

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n this day in his junior theology course, following a lecture, Matt Klassen '98 engages his class of 20 junior girls in a conversation about the sacraments. “Again God is without a body,” Klassen says, “Is that true? Does God have a body now? What do you think?”

Sacraments continue to be the consistent self-expression of the Church in the flux of time, they are the Church’s verba,” Klassen continues.

Just down the hall in a social studies classroom, Heidi Kabadi is incorporating documentary film into a lecture on Reconstruction in the post-Civil War South. When the film clip ends, Kabadi dramatically recounts the movement of Sherman’s troops’ march through the Carolinas. Her students, around 20 girls in all, write in their notebooks or on their iPads with vigor, making sure to catch each of Kabadi’s details for the upcoming semester final exam.

When Kabadi asks, “How did General Sherman’s promises to formerly enslaved farmers fall short?” a smattering of hands raise, and a conversation about the successes and failures of Reconstruction begins to run deep, drawing on the students’ prior knowledge from the unit.

MATT KLASSEN '98 “Like the Body of Christ?” a student asks. “In the Seven Sacraments,” another answers.

“That’s exactly right,” Klassen answers, “But God continues to have a body, but instead of it being in a single physical form for the 33 years that Jesus walked the land, it is now embodied in a community of persons. Now that community of persons is attempting to communicate what it most fundamentally is, just like every single individual person is trying to communicate.”

And after the students help, out loud, to identify the difference between the ‘little s’ sacraments and the ‘big S’ Sacraments and the ‘little c’ church and the ‘big C’ Church, Klassen asks, “What happens to the Church over time, just like what happens to every individual over time?”

“It gets older,” a student near the front of the room responds.” Klassen repeats the question. “It changes!” four or five students say in unison. “That’s right. But the 8

HEIDI KABADI “It wasn’t fair,” one student says, “It was a broken promise.”

“That’s right,” Kabadi replies, “and next class we will look at what we did years later and how that has impacted our country.” The bell rings, and two students come up to the front of the room to talk more with Mrs. Kabadi. Another group is discussing the injustice as they leave the room and continue to dialogue even into the hallway. They make plans to continue the conversation during the next class.

After teaching theology in the Boys Division for nine years, Klassen is teaching a girls class at Regis Jesuit for the first time. Kabadi has been teaching social studies to boys since she started working at the school in 2004. This is also her first year teaching girls. Klassen and Kabadi are part of a group of 42 faculty at Regis Jesuit who now teach in both divisions. Twenty of them are teaching in the other division for the first time this school year. The benefits are many, they say, including challenging them to examine closely their curriculum, planning for different learning styles and delivery methods and getting to know students and colleagues on the other side of campus.

In the classroom, the newness of the environment has tested them. “It has helped me reflect on the strategies I use in the classroom to make sure I’m choosing a variety of methods to reach all students,” Kabadi says. Klassen also sees the new challenge as an opportunity to be creative in approach and delivery. “I’m gaining new insights on material that I have taught for years in the Boys Division,” he relates. He says “encountering fresh perspectives” has been rewarding and energizing for him and helped in all of his classes.

Across campus, math teacher Nicole Dubler makes her way around the classroom to visit with small groups of two to three junior boys who are working on algebraic equations.

Her care for each student is apparent, as is her calming presence that makes the difficult math concepts a bit easier.

“I was gung-ho last spring when I made the decision to teach boys,” Dubler said. “But as August approached I found myself wondering what I had been thinking. I was actually anxious and nervous; 22 years into my teaching career, I was stressed about a new school year.”

NICOLE DUBLER Dubler says she will never forget the first day of class. The boys had a heyday with a tried and true opening activity.

“My first few classes were a bit rough as I maneuvered my way through teaching the same material and being in a building where I had not established a reputation as of yet.

My jokes fell flat. I had to rethink the flow of the class,” she reports. But it was all part of the process and the journey.

Now, halfway through the year, Dubler says she wouldn’t trade her class of boys for the world. “They trust me, and l love them,” she enthuses.

And as to the growing pains that made this veteran teacher nervous on day one, they have been a blessing. “I have grown to appreciate the differences in how girls and boys learn, while also recognizing the commonality. I have so much more to learn, and it has been humbling to say the least, but I am loving teaching more this year than ever,” Dubler reports, “I love that my boys will jump in and take risks and learn from them.”

LAURA JONES Another veteran math teacher, Laura Jones also sees the benefits of teaching on the other side of campus. Jones has been teaching math and coaching varsity tennis in the Boys Division since 2010. This year she is teaching a section of honors algebra 2/trigonometry to girls. “Invigorating” is the word she uses to describe teaching co-divisionally. “It’s been nearly a decade since I taught in a coeducational setting, but it’s been a lot more than that since I graduated from an all-girls high school,” Jones recalls, “I feel like I’ve come full-circle.”

Jones also says it’s reminded her how important it is for young women to have strong female role models. “I especially feel that way about math,” she says, “The world has changed a lot since I went to college, when being a woman majoring in math and computer science found me in quite a minority. Now, I’m so excited for the opportunities that are readily available to our young women. I get excited when I talk to my girls about the possibilities that lie ahead, and all the doors that will open because they are great math students.” (cont. on next page)

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Jennifer Meyerrose, one of the original teachers hired at the founding of the Girls Division and current chair of the Fine Arts and Media Technology Department, says of her first year teaching a boys Fine Art 1 class, “It is so challenging in a new way for me. I’m trying many new ways to deliver instruction that I’ve presented in other sections.” She loves the creativity and excitement the boys bring to the classroom every day. In her class, there are a lot of laughs and even a new nickname. “They call me ‘Ms. M.’ I’ve been at RJ for 16 years and this is the first time my students have abbreviated my name,” she relates.

Back across campus in Sean O’Dea’s human geography course, the social studies department chair and nine-year Girls Division veteran, works with his freshman boys on some color coding as well. Their geo-political maps are full of color and annotations. They are gathered in groups working on studying world religions from a human geographer’s perspective. They also note the historical significance of geopolitical changes as they relate to current events.

SEAN O’DEA

JENNIFER MEYERROSE In her third year teaching English at Regis Jesuit, Mary Claire Modak was excited to jump into teaching codivisionally. As her students present analysis papers on Bram Stoker’s Dracula in her Analysis of Literature into Film course, they dig deep into important themes that go beyond the textual analysis and into the influence of literature and film in Western and Eastern European culture.

As one student presents, the others take meticulous notes.

When she asked her girls to take notes on the first day of class. Modak noticed their pencil bags were “somehow reminiscent of Mary Poppins’ bag with the amount of things they seemed to have cleverly stored away in there. I swear their writing utensils were arranged by ROYGBIV.”

O’Dea loves teaching the boys. Like his colleagues teaching across the campus for the first time, it has challenged him to look at new ways to present the material. “It forced me to reevaluate my entire skill set and employ more tools than I ever have,” O’Dea said. But on the major differences between teaching different genders, he says, “teenagers are teenagers.” He sees the initial planning for a course and the initial building of rapport interestingly different, but at the end of the day, when it comes to teaching, he says “We are all here to teach teenagers.”

These sentiments appear common across disciplines and throughout the co-divisional teaching experience.

The experience in the all-boys classroom or the all-girls classroom is at once very different and at the same time, very much the same.

Another original member of the Girls Division faculty, Jenny Lynch is teaching a section of boys freshman English for the first time this year. In her words, Lynch, who also chairs the Girls Division PE Department and has taught girls PE and English for many years, is “adoring teaching boys for the first time.” She’s had to be open to changing some things up and trying new approaches, but it’s paid off. “The teaching tools I’ve developed over the years from teaching mostly all girls have become irrelevant. Boys are their own beings in the classroom,” Lynch says.

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She says the ‘ah-ha’ moments are the best. “With my girls, I could see those moments on their faces with little audible clarification. In my boys class, when that ‘ah-ha’ moment happens, not only is it a loud ‘Ah, Mrs. Lynch! NO way!

Whoa!’ It carries through all 20 members of the class. It becomes a shared experience for all of us; I inevitably end up laughing a lot,” Lynch says.

JENNY LYNCH A lot of that laughter in Lynch’s class carries over and gives her life outside the classroom. “The mealtime conversations at work and at home are full of hilarity. As a mom of a boy and girl, I am privy to glimpsing where my children will be all too soon in the classroom,” she said.

All these teachers noted they have become particularly aware that the differences between the genders are there and they matter, but that differences are sometimes more the exception than the rule. Dubler sees the risk-taking and eagerness to solve problems in her boys classes and the deliberate processing and coding of steps in her girls classes and appreciates them both, but when she steps back, she laughs, “While I laugh about generalizations I can make, they are just that, generalizations.” She continues, “Growing up, I was the competitive one in my class trying to speed through things, turning in messy assignments because my handwriting wasn’t any good. I didn’t fit into the ‘female’ box, and none of my students fit into a gender box either.

Each individual learns differently.” The “dynamics in the classroom are definitely different,” Dubler says, but the students are so individually different that what always matters most is the individualized instruction.

Each semester, each course, each section, each classroom full of students, boys or girls, takes on a life of its own and is a beautiful journey that builds a singularly small, special family that meets for 80 minutes every other day. For these eight educators teaching co-divisionally for the first time, it’s clear that the community they build in all of their classes,

no matter how challenging, how new, how different, benefits from their experiences on the other side of campus. The life of each classroom is fed in little ways by the life of the entire community. And the teachers are the ones who bring that across and into the classroom.

O’Dea says teaching co-divisionally “has really opened up connections and relationships with more of our wonderful faculty and staff.” Klassen concurs, saying, “I definitely feel more connected to the ‘life’ in the other building than I ever have before, and I have a much better sense of the school community as a whole.”

“I love seeing the girls, (along with the boys) around campus and saying hello, or seeing them in action in their extracurricular activities and knowing them personally,” Kabadi says. “It has made the school truly feel like a unified place for me.” Dubler continues that theme, relating, “It has been a huge blessing experiencing co-divisional teaching.

I’m more comfortable as a whole in the RJ community.

I’m constantly processing data out loud, and I have some incredibly funny stories to share with friends, colleagues and family.”

Modak shares, “I feel like it’s allowed me to see more of the community and get to know a lot of teachers better. I’ve been able also to connect with counselors in the Girls Division, and I feel like that might have been a group of people I would have never otherwise known without directly working them.” Lynch relates, “My belief in what we are doing as a school community has been reestablished whole-heartedly.

This is where I want to be; there is not a better group of people to work with or better student body to teach day in and day out than at Regis Jesuit.”

Back in Klassen’s theology classroom, the discussion on the life of the Church (and the life of the church) ends poignantly with the prayer of St. Teresa of Avila: Christ has no body but yours, No hands, no feet on earth but yours, Yours are the eyes with which he looks Compassion on this world, Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good, Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet, Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

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A Transformative Gift for Football Safety

BY MARY ZIMMERMAN, DIRECTOR OF MAJOR GIFTS

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ootball is a beloved tradition at Regis Jesuit. Since 1923, the high school has fielded a football team with a spirited “can-win attitude” and numerous successful seasons. Each fall the football team kicks off the season with an opening home game that welcomes freshmen students to the RJ community.

Homecoming is enjoyed every year by thousands of fans— alumni, students, current and past parents and friends of the school who come together to celebrate and honor our school heritage. Regis Jesuit athletics, including football, provide unity and build school pride and camaraderie across campus and beyond.

The unifying role Raider football plays for our entire community makes a recent gift of $75,000 given anonymously for football helmet safety even more impactful. Not only did the timing of the gift make it possible for the school to purchase the normally $900 helmets at a discount, more importantly, it will provide the safest football helmets in the industry, VICIS ZERO1, for the entire Regis Jesuit football program without any out-ofpocket cost to player families. The gift will help us continue to ensure cura personalis—care for the whole person, a core value of Regis Jesuit—both in the classroom and on the field.

The Raider football program is committed to the care of our players physically, emotionally and spiritually. With recent attention paid to concussion injuries and their long lasting effects, football has seen a decline in participation across all high schools in the United States. Concussion prevention is the number one

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safety concern of Regis Jesuit’s football coaching staff along with parents and players. Regis Jesuit will be one of the first 100 high schools in the United States to outfit the entire team in the VICIS ZERO1 football helmet, which has the highest rating of injury effectiveness rated by NFL players. We believe the safety technology in the new helmets will provide substantial concussion protection for our students.

Head Football Coach Danny Filleman has built a strong program with a commitment to excellence across all aspects including the health and safety for our players: “I feel football is a great tool to teach kids life lessons. There is no greater team game that demands such a variety of talent, body types, skill sets, dedication, toughness—both mental and physical— and teamwork,” he states. “As head coach, I have personal responsibility to our players to make this great game the safest it can be. We treat these players like our sons. After researching and piloting the VICIS ZERO1 helmets, we have seen a significant decrease in the number of concussions. VICIS is the helmet I want all my players to wear. This is the helmet I want my sons to wear.”

We are inspired by and grateful to the anonymous donor who has made it possible for us to provide the safest helmets available for our football program. More importantly, we are gratified that this gift will help ensure participation in a game that forms character, builds teamwork and promotes spirit and unity in our RJ community. GO RAIDERS!

Coach Filleman leads his team in prayer following a football game

REGIS JESUIT’S

ANNUAL COMMUNITY GOLF TOURNAMENT

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n behalf of our students and the entire Regis Jesuit community, thank you to all of the alumni, parents, faculty, staff and friends who participated in the Rudy Cup Golf Tournament last September. It was a wonderful day to honor Rudy Brada’s legacy, build community and support our students.

This year’s event raised $32,000 in support of financial aid at Regis Jesuit!

The 2018 tournament at The Ridge at Castle Pines was made possible in part by Sean '92 and Audra McNicholas as the Rudy Brada Sponsor. Other top sponsors included Citywide Banks, Colorado State Bank & Trust and Friends of Regis Jesuit. A special thank you to Mark Armistead '80 who continues to be integral to the success of this tournament.

Congratulations to our alums from the classes of 1998 and 1999 who earned first place and their name on the new Rudy Cup trophy! Look for information about the 2019 Rudy Cup tournament in the coming months and plan to get involved.

FOR A FULL LIST OF SPONSORS AND TO SEE MORE PHOTOS, VISIT WWW.REGISJESUIT.COM/RUDYCUP

Winners of the 2018 Rudy Cup (L-R): Phil Foster '99, Brad Weinig '99, Chris Lynett '98, Tony Giarratano '99

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Alumni Homecoming & Raiders Reunion 2018

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ow that’s what we call an alumni homecoming! It was wonderful to welcome back to campus more than 480 alumni and their families to the Alumni BBQ on Friday, October 4, 2018—the largest alumni Homecoming to date!

Proceeds from the BBQ benefitted the Endowed Alumni Class Scholarships thanks to the generosity of Sean '92 and Audra McNicholas. revised 12.17.09

Additionally, we would like to congratulate alumni from the classes of 1968, 1973, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2003, 2008 and our Golden Grads—those who graduated 50 years ago—who celebrated their Raiders Reunion milestones over the weekend with events across town from the Reunion Mass at Regis University to the 1968 golf outing to the Class of 2008 happy hour and more!

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DOES YOUR GRAD YEAR END IN 4 OR 9?

Your Raiders Reunion is right around the corner! We invite you to celebrate your reunion with us in the fall of 2019.

If you are interested in helping to plan your reunion, contact us at alumnioffice@regisjesuit.com or 303.269.8047.

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A Common History T H R E E C L A S S M AT E S T U R N E D C OA C H E S R E F L E C T O N L E S S O N S L E A R N E D AT R E G I S J E S U I T B Y C O L I N S T. J O H N ' 0 1

S

ports aren’t for everyone. Most Regis Jesuit grads don’t gather their diploma wearing a letter on their jacket, even if the vast majority have enjoyed a football game or two from the sidelines. Still, the importance of sporting in Regis Jesuit’s history can’t be denied. “It was crucial, “ Guy Gibbs '47 says of the school’s admission into CHSAA in 1967, before listing off other Catholic high schools that didn’t make the leap. “Annunciation closed; Mt. Carmel closed; St. Francis closed; St. Joe’s closed.

They all closed, for obvious reasons. Kids weren’t going to go there.”

If Regis Jesuit still exists in no small part because of sports, sports at the school have been a part of educating the whole person for decades—a way to extend the lessons of the classroom beyond the walls of the school and to build relationships and character. For three friends and graduates of the Class of 2005, they were so important that they became a way of life. Ryan Forrest '05, Dan Ficke '05 and Klint Kubiak '05 are all collegiate or professional coaches, a remarkable achievement for three grads from the same class. But, there’s more to it than just that: They also grew

RYAN FORREST '05 16

up together, in a suburban area of Denver, playing on the same teams before eventually matriculating to Regis Jesuit.

“One thing I learned from Regis is caring for people as a whole,” says Forrest, speaking to The Raider from his office at the United States Air Force Academy where he’s a baseball coach. “Obviously putting service before self, and that’s one of our pillars here at the Air Force Academy.

Being a good dude, being a ‘Man for Others.’” Forrest is in his second year as an assistant coach working with pitchers.

He grew up hurling the baseball—he also played football— and excelled at it at Regis Jesuit. In his senior year, he went 5-0 with four saves and was the winning pitcher of the State semifinal game.

“When I graduated, I went to Creighton University for my freshman year, and I walked onto the baseball team there.”

Forrest recalls. “While there, we were a Top 25 Division I baseball team. I saw the writing on the wall that I wasn’t going to pitch.” At the time, Forrest says that he might’ve been a little too cocky about his career prospects, “I was gonna get drafted and go play pro ball and: That’s it,” he

says. “So, I actually decided to transfer to the University of Maine. And I played there for three years. I had some good experiences there. I got to pitch a pretty decent amount out of the bullpen, played in the Cape Cod League for the Chatham A’s. I played in the New England collegiate baseball league in the summertime for the Danbury Westerners. So, I got some good experience, got to play at some really big places.”

“After I graduated from Maine, I moved back home and that reality of playing pro ball hit me pretty quick,” he says.

“But, once I graduated college, I knew I wanted to be a part of baseball in some way still and I wanted to help in some way. So, I moved back home and was working full time before I ended up getting a JV coaching job at Arapahoe High School for about 10 months.” From there, Forrest started looking into the professional route and ended up as a video scout for Pittsburgh Pirates. “Basically my job was to break down video of upcoming teams and put a scouting report together based upon that,” he recalls. “So, if, say, the St. Louis Cardinals were coming into town, my job was to figure out how to get Albert Pujols out, which was pretty neat. It was an invaluable experience for me.”

“I decided that I wanted to be more on-field, to help some guys get better and hopefully impact their life in some way,” Forrest says, when remembering his next steps.

He became a volunteer assistant at his alma mater, the University of Maine, where the team finished runners-up in the America East tournament both years. Next up was Millersville University, a Division II school right outside of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. For three years, Forrest got the chance to do what he had set his sights on: coaching pitching. At Millersville, the team finished runners-up in the College World Series and had four players sign MLB contracts. Before heading to the Air Force Academy, Forrest spent a year at Mississippi College. “I developed my coaching philosophy: that it’s not all about wins and losses,” he says. “It’s about getting the 35 guys on your roster all going in the same direction. Once that happens, you’re a force to be reckoned with.”

EDITOR'S NOTE: After this story was written, we learned that Kubiak and his dad both were hired to coach with the Minnesota Vikings.

Dan Ficke knows coaching philosophies well. “My dad used to coach with the Nuggets in the 80s before I was born but stayed around the Nuggets in the professional sports scene in Denver,” says Ficke. “That’s how we got to know Gary [Kubiak]. Ryan [Forrest's] dad was a cop in Cherry Hills from New York. My dad is from New York and owns a New York pizza place, so they were friends. My dad would put together the teams for us and find good coaches for us. So we all ended up playing together and all ended up going to Regis.” And, now, Dan, himself, continues the tradition as coach as assistant basketball coach at the University of Denver.

DAN FICKE '05 When asked about any names that come to mind about his time at Regis Jesuit, where he played basketball and football, Ficke doesn’t hesitate. “Coach McPhee was the first coach at Regis to believe in me, hold me accountable, and push me to be the best I could be,” he tells The Raider.

“I had tremendous respect for Coach McPhee and still talk to him to this day.” The feeling is mutual. “The first time I had Dan, he was a freshman basketball player playing at the JV level,” McPhee says from the hallways at RJ. “I always saw something in Dan that needed to be brought out. He had a vision for the game, and he always cared about his teammates.” Then, he concedes, “I was probably too tough on him.” (cont. on next page) WINTER 2019 T H E R A I D E R

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“I said to myself, ‘He should be a coach because of his passion for the game.’ He just got it,” McPhee continues.

“He was a good player but there was always something else there. He had a desire to coach to and give back to the game. He cares about the kids, cares about his players. It’s not just all about the game, itself. It’s about the impact he can make in their lives. He changes their lives.” McPhee, then, recalls a story from a game. “He was running down the court and just got the daylights knocked out of him.

Once he finally got up he ran looking at me. I said to him, ‘If this game is too hard and too physical for you, I can take you out.’ He stayed in there. A light bulb went on.”

After graduating from Regis Jesuit, Ficke played basketball at Loyola University Maryland for four years. As he was finishing his master’s there, he coached basketball for a year at a Baltimore high school before heading to Wake Forest to be a special assistant to the head coach. Then, he also returned to his alma mater, Loyola, for his first full-time assistant gig. Four years ago, he landed the DU job. Ficke tells The Raider that, even if they can’t see each other all the time, the three grads speak on the phone often, offering encouragements like “a ‘congrats on the win’ or ‘keep your head up’ after a tough loss.”

The Raider reaches Klint Kubiak after a game that falls in the latter category. Kubiak calls from his car after touching down on a Sunday that saw the Denver Broncos felled by rival Kansas City Chiefs, which ended a week in which backup quarterback Chad Kelly was fired. Kubiak

KLINT KUBIAK '05 18

is an assistant quarterback coach with the Broncos. “Bill Gold was an incredible coach,” Kubiak recalls, once he brushes himself off and starts a trip down memory lane.

At Regis Jesuit, he played basketball, football and, for a year, baseball. “[Gold] was a guy who was hard-nosed and demanding but loved the players. I seriously think back to him as a guy that made me want to be a coach because I respected him so much and really enjoyed playing for him.”

Kubiak’s father, Gary, of course, also inspired his decision to go into coaching, as did Klint’s playing career winding down. “I played in the NFL for three days in a mini camp in Washington, D.C.,” he recalls. “I did a rookie minicamp there and found out pretty quick that I wouldn’t be doing that much longer. I decided it was time to get on with it and went to Texas A&M as a graduate assistant coach.

I was there for three years and got my master’s.” As a college undergrad, Kubiak had played safety at Colorado State University where he had helped the Rams reach a couple of bowl games. After A&M, Kubiak had stints with the Minnesota Vikings and University of Kansas before heading back home to the pro team his father used to helm.

“They are coaches’ kids,” McPhee says. “They always seemed to just get it. You knew Klint was going to be a coach, too. They looked at the game differently. They had that passion. They were willing to work hard. Those guys are in it for a different reason. They’re in it for character development. It’s not all about winning.”

ALUMNI

SPOTLIGHT G R E AT R A I D E R S A R O U N D T H E G L O B E

Kevin Schnepel '98

revised 12.17.09

I N T E R N AT I O N A L M A N O F A C A D E M I A B Y C O L I N S T. J O H N ' 0 1

K

evin Schnepel '98 has been all around the world,

a long conversation with University of Colorado at

but his current life may well be traceable to a U.S.

Denver Professor Dan Rees about studying there. “As

history class. “The most memorable class I had was with

I was leaving, he came running down the hall and said,

Mr. Ptak,” Schnepel says from his office at Simon Fraser

‘Kevin, I just got a grant. Do you want to be my research

University in British Columbia, bringing up memories of

assistant? And I was like, ‘Sure, sounds good.’” Schnepel

the bearded, bespectacled Joe Ptak. “It was very much,

received his master’s degree from UCD before completing

I think, my first research experience. I think that was

his Ph.D.—his dissertation looked at how labor market

important for me, piquing my interest in doing research for

conditions were affecting people’s behavior when they

a living. It was challenging, and challenging in the right

(cont. on next page)

way.”

Schnepel is an assistant professor of economics at the Canadian university, his areas of specialty being the “economics of crime, health and environment.” After graduating from Regis Jesuit, Schnepel headed for Loyola Marymount for a year before he began to think about another class of 1998 graduate. “A big reason why I transferred was that I missed my brother,” Kevin says of his twin brother Steve '98. “I was somewhat jealous of all the fun he was having in New Orleans.” Steve was attending Tulane University, and Kevin made the move to the Loyola in New Orleans, living with both Steve and Dan Murphy '98. Kevin graduated from Loyola University New Orleans at the top of the business school.

After working in Denver in accounting—Steve’s profession, it should be noted—Schnepel caught the academia bug. On a lunch break from work, he had

ABOVE: Kevin Schnepel '98 in the 1998 yearbook WINTER 2019 T H E R A I D E R

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leave prison—at the University of California, Santa

The Schnepels recently moved to Vancouver and Kevin

Barbara.

has been teaching at Simon Fraser since mid-July. “Both Sydney and Vancouver are such international hubs. They

When it came time to find his first teaching gig, Schnepel

are places that have been really proactive and open to

and his now-wife, Serena, decided to go international.

immigration over the past several decades so, Vancouver

After flying around the world for interviews, they landed in

in particular, has this very international feel to it. It’s great

Australia in 2013, with Schnepel teaching at the University

that we can have that and be within a two-and-a-half hour

of Sydney. He continued his research and teaching there

flight from Colorado.” His most current econometrics

until 2016. “My first sabbatical was a half-year leave where

research project focuses on diversion for felony offenders.

you can go visit another university and focus on your

“Regis helped facilitate this path. It’s not the right job for

research. I chose to be based at University College

everyone but it’s a dream job for me,” he says. Then, he

in Dublin,” he says. “It was quite a shock since we left

adds something for current students. “But I don’t want to

Sydney in January, which is the middle of summer, and

fool all the budding academics at Regis and make them

arrived in dark, dreary Dublin,” he says. “But, we quickly

think they get the entire summer off.”

acclimated in the pubs.”

ABOVE: Schnepel with a kookaburra friend in Australia 20

ABOVE: Pahl with some of the sweet students at St. Peter Claver in Belize

Katherine (Zimmer) Pahl '08 BOUND TO BELIZE B Y C O L I N S T. J O H N ' 0 1

F

or many graduates of Regis Jesuit—this author

teaching degree. She’s been at American Academy in Parker

included—a trip to Belize is a rite of passage. But

for six years, where she teaches kindergarten.

Katherine (Zimmer) Pahl '08 has bragging rights that nobody else does: She is the first non-faculty member to

“There was a kid who I worked with in Belize who really

chaperone students abroad. “We stayed in the same place

pushed me to become a teacher, so he was always in the

in Belize City, at a retreat house,” Pahl says, recalling her

back of my mind,” Pahl recalls from her first trip, where

first trip to Belize as a student. “And the same exact hostel

she was in the classroom at St. Peter Claver. “He was

in Punta Gorda, with the same lady who runs it with her

completely ignored by his teacher, and he had a learning

family. It was crazy being back there 11 years later.”

disability. So I always wanted to go back.” Pahl finished an inspirational book that, she says, made clear “if you

After graduating from Regis Jesuit, Pahl studied finance at

feel like doing something, you should just do it.” So, she

the University of Denver. “I interned at a finance firm and

emailed another inspiration, Patricia “Doc” McCulloch, to

set up for a job at this firm after graduation.” She quips, “I

see about going back to Belize. “She played a pretty big

was making more as an intern than I do as a teacher now.”

role in the monumental events in my high school,” Pahl

As Pahl tells it, she “realized that’s just not where my

says of McCulloch.

heart was” and went right back to DU for a master’s and

(cont. on next page)

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“I remember Katherine in my ninth grade theology class,” recalls McCulloch. “She was engaged and just a joy. Then, her senior year she went to Belize and made a connection with the people. I like to say ‘she got it.’ When Katherine asked about being a part of the delegation to Belize last year, it was a no brainer. Her experience and love of the people would shine through and the delegation of seniors would come to understand what immersion meant by watching Katherine. It is about relationship with the Belizeans that is important. Katherine gets that.”

“I got an email that she (McCulloch) had brought it up at a meeting. Everything just totally fell into place,” says Pahl.

So, this past summer, Pahl packed her bags and headed south. “It was terrifying for me, because it was really out of my comfort zone,” she says. “When I went in high school, I was with a bunch of my friends. When I went this past June, it was three adults I didn’t know and a bunch of high school girls, when I’m used to working with five-yearolds. They’re pretty different but, then, they have a lot of similarities, too.”

ABOVE: Katherine (Zimmer) Pahl '08 in the 2008 yearbook

Jenna Bolazina Palmer '08 and Anna Singleton ‘08 were

“It ended up being really great,” Pahl continues. She was married this past September to Andy Pahl and keeps in touch with her Regis Jesuit troupe. Rachel Doherty '08,

attendants at her wedding (see a photo of them in Class Notes). “I found my place. I’ve built solid relationships with the girls. There’s a group I still get lunch or dinner with occasionally.” Another trip to Belize is not out of the question.

!

te a d e ve th

sa

SATURDAY, APRIL 27, 2019 RENAISSANCE HOTEL STAPLETON

A Wave of Fun in Support of Regis Jesuit High School!

SECURE YOUR SPOT AS A SPONSOR OR UNDERWRITER TODAY! Learn more: regisjesuit.com/SupportLARK 22

General admission tickets will go on sale in March.

Class Notes 1950s Fr. Albert Rotola, SJ '54 celebrated his 50th anniversary as Jesuit priest on Saturday, August 19. He presided at a Mass with concelebrants Fr. Hugh Guenthner, OSM and Fr. Mark Franceschini, OSM at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Denver.

1980s Eric Bradac '87 is a systems engineer at Timberland. He and his wife Luanne are parents to three RJ grads, Keegan '13, Baylor '15 and Brooke '17. BELOW: Tim Bauer '88 and Adam Dawkins '98 were joined by fellow Regis Jesuit faculty members Joe Lagan (pictured) and Bruce Raymond to Ride the Rockies, raising funds and awareness in support of those experiencing homelessness.

1960s Thomas Gleason '67 is the vice president of public relations for Forest City in Denver. Prior to joining Forest City, Thomas served as the director of governmental relations and communications for the Stapleton Development Corporation. He is also the former deputy director of the Denver Metropolitan Major League Baseball Stadium District.

Bob Zarlengo '68 reflected on the 50 years since he graduated from Regis Jesuit and its impact on his life in the weekly blog Inspire & Ignite. Check it out at www.regisjesuit.com/InspireandIgnite.

1970s Jerry Caruso '70 was honored as a Denver7 Everyday Hero for his efforts assisting families through Caruso Family Charities.

David Steiner '71 is a founding partner of EKS&H accounting firm.

Richard Ott '73 was named as a finalist to become a Denver County Court judge last September.

Scott Crandell '74 retired in 2016 as assistant managing editor for the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell, Mont. He previously worked at The Denver Post, Great Falls Tribune and Hungry Horse News. He enjoys hiking and skiing in Northwest Montana.

Larry Finch '74 was elected as the new chair of the Board of Trustees for Regis Jesuit High School.

Several members of the classes of 1978-85 played in the Tom Bendel Memorial Golf Tournament, where they celebrated the life of the late Tom Bendel '80. Participants included eight RJ graduates: Sean Bendel '78, Kevin Moore '80, Terry McAleer '81, Vince Porreco '81, J Novotny '82, Tony Capra '82, Tom McAleer '82 and David Skul '85. This year’s event raised $1800 for the American Cancer Society.

Robert Reich '88 was elected to the Regis Jesuit Board of Trustees and serves as the chair of the school’s Audit and Finance Committee.

1990s Peter McGahey '92 will graduate in May from Minnesota State University, Mankato with a doctorate of education in educational leadership. His dissertation is entitled What Happens Now? Coaching and Leading Following A Student-Athlete Death - A Phenomenological Study. He looks forward to helping guide and mentor coaches, administrators and athletic departments.

Sean McNicholas '92, president and CEO of Service Systems Associates, was announced a finalist for the EY 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in the Mountain Desert region.

These awards recognize entrepreneurs who excel in innovation, financial performance and personal commitment to their business and communities.

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BELOW: Coach Rick Wolf hosted more than 30 alumni back on Lou Kellogg field for an alumni soccer game. If you are a former RJ soccer player and are interested in playing next year, contact the Alumni Office at alumnioffice@regisjesuit.com.

2000s Ben Meininger '00 is managing director, head of Western Region for Commercial Mortgage Lending at AIG Investments in Los Angeles.  BELOW: Joey '03 and Leeah Lechuga welcomed their second son, Evan Anthony, on June 10, 2018.

Malik Robinson '92 was named a fellow in the 2018 class of the American Express Leadership Academy 2.0 at the Aspen Institute.

Chad Iske '94 joined the Charlotte Hornets’ coaching staff.

Matthew F. Weisbrod '95 received his MBA from Washington University at St Louis, Olin Business School.

Stephen Castellani '97 passed the Ad Valorem exam to become a staff appraiser for the Teller County Assessor’s office in Cripple Creek.  BELOW: Bernie Sauer '97 and McKenzie Weed '10 were married on June 2, 2018 in the Blessed Rupert Mayer Chapel at Regis Jesuit.

John-Paul Maxfield '99 and his bandmates from Coal Town Reunion played at reunion celebration in October for the Classes of 1988, 1993, 1998.

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Evan Cicchinelli '04 is senior construction manager with Lockheed Martin.  BELOW: Casey '04 and Tessa Clement welcomed McKenna on January 14, 2018. Casey is a mortgage loan originator at Hallmark Home Mortgage-Colorado.

RIGHT: Christian '04 and Lilla O’Dwyer welcomed third child, Grace Clare, on August 14, 2018. Christian is a vice president at Innovest Portfolio Solutions and serves on Regis Jesuit’s Investment Committee.

RIGHT: Simon Bruce, future Raider of the class of 2036, was born on Thursday, August 9 to Doug '04 Lestikow and his wife Brooke. Doug is the vice president at Closet Factory.

Michael Koenigs '05 hosts a new Facebook Watch show entitled More in Common Show, featuring inspiring stories of Americans who come together despite their differences and find common ground in unexpected ways.

Alex Demarco '06 recently married Mike Dobratz and is a therapist at Savio House.  BELOW: Andee Hendee '06, pictured with classmate Taylor Backes '06 and Gretchen Kessler, was married on October 20, 2018 in Longmont to Andrew Tuttle. The couple lives and works in Chicago.

Tomas Gallegos '07 was hired as the new principal of St. Rose of Lima Catholic School.

Leah (Bolders) Jiru '07 had her third baby girl, Carson-Avery Anne, on August 20, 2018.

Klay Kubiak '07 was named head coach of Strake Jesuit High School’s football team in Houston.

Amy Maas '07 married Kyle Montour in September 2018.

Chrissy (Murphy) Judson '07 had her first child, Alexander Murphy Judson, on August 24, 2018.

Bridget Toomey '07 married Benjamin Ryan on August 18, 2018. Bridget is a nurse residing in Denver.

Larisa Barber '08 is the CEO and co-founder of Kingdom Animals in New York City. She graduated from the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Ruth Barlett '08 is teaching middle school math at Notre Dame Academy in San Diego.

Lindsay Bourne '08 lives in Alexandria, Virginia and works as a contracts specialist for the Department of Defense.

After graduating CU’s College of Media, Communication and Information, Alexander Kirk '06 worked as a broadcast director at KGWN-TV in Cheyenne and KRDO-TV in Colorado Springs.

He is now a broadcast director at KUSA-TV in Denver where he directs 9NEWS Mornings. You can see a photo of Alexander in the Raider Journeys section of this issue.

Patrick Moore '06 works for the United Launch Alliance.

Conch Beery '07 became a winemaker after reading an ad in Texas Monthly for the new Texas Tech Viticulture and Enology program in 2009. He attended TTU and became one of their first graduates of the Viticulture and Enology program. He now works as a winemaker for the brand his family started four years ago, called J. Cage Cellars. He also is the cellar master for Long Meadow Ranch.

Lauren Burke '08 has nine and five year-old daughters. She has her BSN and has been a registered nurse for three years. She’s currently working on the postpartum floor at Parker Adventist Hospital.

Tayler Corbisiero '08 lives in New York, having spent the last six years working in sales for various tech startups.  BELOW: Katherine Zimmer '08, pictured with classmates Rachel Doherty '08, Jenna Bolazina Palmer '08 and Anna Singleton '08, married Andy Pahl this past September. She chaperoned the Girls Division summer service immersion trip to Belize in 2018. Read more in the Alumni Spotlight section of this issue.

Kaitlyn Culliton '07 presented Counterfeit Fairies and Con Artists in Early Modern Drama at a Before Fairy Tales lecture series at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland.

Stephanie DePrez '07 is studying at the Professional Choral Institute in Aspen.

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Leland Procell '08 represented the United States at the World Skydiving Competition in Australia this past October. Currently, he is the manager and safety officer of the new skydiving facility in Fort Collins, Orange Skies Free Fall Center.

Whitney Beery '09 is assistant director of guest services at Jordan Winer. Like her brother Roger “Conch” '07, Whitney also graduated from Texas Tech.

Ty Blach '09, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, talked to the National Catholic Register about his love of baseball and his Catholic faith.

Kara Geraci '12 just finished serving as a Jesuit Volunteer at Xavier Jesuit High School on the island of Chuuk in Micronesia.

Eric Heringer '12 is a petroleum landman for Wolfe Resources in Denver.  BELOW: The Boys and Girls Swim & Dive Teams joined together to participate in and donate to Swim Across America last August at Chatfield Reservoir. The team raised $8915 for Children’s Hospital smashing the team goal of $5000. Missy Franklin '13 and 15 other Olympians joined nearly 100 swimmers, including those from RJ’s Swim & Dive Teams.

2010s Jacob Zaemes '10 graduated in May with his medical degree from the University of Virginia. The newly-minted Dr. Zaemes has started his internal medicine residency at Georgetown University Hospital in Washington, DC. Sierra Montoya Barela '11 was honored by Westword as one of 100 Colorado Creatives.

Andrew Bell '11 is a senior account executive for Tax Guard in Boulder.

Dalton Pontarelli '11 is a strength and conditioning coach at Duke University.

Katie Simons '11 works at Ascent Protein in Denver as an associate scientist in the research development and quality department.

Kendal Pontarelli '13 is going to graduate school to study optometry after attending Baylor.  BELOW: After graduating from the University of San Diego, Emma vonTscharner '13 spent the last year in Italy teaching English through theatre. Pictured with Emma are her RJ friends, Emma Bohn '13 and Kaitlyn Leister '13, who visited her there. vonTscharner is now student teaching in the Denver area, and Leister recently was engaged to Sean Morton.

Alex Todd '11 married Jimmy Martinez, Jr. at Our Lady of Loreto on July 19, 2018. Alex is a nurse at Children’s Hospital Colorado.  BELOW: Jenny Evans '12 and Jake Bennet were married on June 30, 2018 at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church in Fort Collins.

Jenny’s brothers Michael '97, Patrick '99 and Daniel '04 were also in the wedding party. Fr. Phil Steele, SJ '66 celebrated the Mass with Jenny’s cousin J.P. Evans '18 as altar server.

 BELOW: Ashley Wilson '13 and Trey Ahern '13 would like to announce their marriage and thank Regis Jesuit High School for bringing them together. Their wedding was held on October 6, 2018. Soon after meeting their sophomore year, they began dating. They both graduated from Colorado State University in 2017. They credit Regis Jesuit as the reason “we were able to root our relationship in Christ and were given the tools we now need to establish a strong Catholic family.”

 BELOW: Dorothy Deane '14 and William Woodbery were married on September 2, 2018 at St. Aloysius Parish at Gonzaga University in Spokane, Wash. There were many Regis Jesuit alumni involved in the wedding including; Bernie Sauer '97 (ceremony pianist), bridesmaids Gabriela Barrios '14, Makayla Schmitt '14, Shannon Able '14, Brittany Mills '14, Daisy Deane '14 and groomsman Daniel '12 and Dominick Deane '16.

 BELOW: Ellie Dorchuck '15, Emily Leister '15 and Jillian Lesnansky '15 experienced a medical service immersion trip this past summer in the Dominican Republic.

Quin Cotton '16 continues to excel in the outfield at Grand Canyon University. He was named the Western Athletic Conference’s top player this spring.

Michael Berrian '18 traveled to Calgary for the World Powerlifting Championships where he earned a silver in the deadlift and a bronze overall.

Reilly Hilbert '14 has found a passion for touring Shakespeare theatre productions through jail facilities and schools. She has recently toured Julius Caesar and Hamlet and will soon tour Macbeth. She also recently became certified by the Department of Corrections to teach acting classes and bring shows inside facilities specifically for detainees. Reilly credits her commitment to serving others to Regis Jesuit.

Natalya King '14 started her own healthy/beauty retail line, BodyLoveByTal, which has a retail outlet at the District Shops in Cherry Creek.

Mallory Kummer '14 will be serving in the Alum Service Corps at Loyola Academy in St. Louis next year.

Just before his college graduation last May, Cody Lippert '14 and his business partners launched the app WildRide. He and the other four owners of the app developed the business in a Gonzaga University accelerator startup course.

Anna Ptasinski '14 graduated from Lafayette College in May 2018 and is currently coaching RJ Girls Basketball with her former coach, Carl Mattei.

Kelly Simons '14 graduated from TCU in May. She works for the Dallas Cowboys in the suite sales and services department.

Collin Stover '14 is part of an up and coming band in Fort Collins called Places Back Home that plays all along the Front Range and is looking to release their first album soon. Check them out on Facebook: www.facebook.com/PlacesBackHome.

RIGHT: Caspar Placke '18 completed the final event in the six-week Cadet Basic Training in August, which was a 12-mile march back from Camp Buckner to West Point.

ALUMNI MENTORSHIP SERIES Thank you to the alums listed below who participated in the most recent Alumni Mentorship Series.

Rob McGregor '87 – Law Enforcement Don Krattenmaker '88 – Energy Andy Boian '90 – Politics TJ Maxfield '93 – Finance James Houtsma '98 – Law Jared Carlon '98 – Design Kenneth Stable '05 – Finance Taylor Backes '06 – Retail Andrea Tagtow '08 – Nonprofit Emily Keller '08 – Hospitality Kelly Brown '09 – Nursing Ashlyn Frederick '11 – Photographer/Philanthropy Declan Brown '14 – Engineering Natalya King '14 – Entrepreneurship If you are interested in sharing your professional experience with today’s Raiders, please contact the Alumni Office at alumnioffice@regisjesuit.com

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Where are they now?

S R . B E N I TA V O L K , C P P S O F D AY T O N

Where do you live now and what are you up to?

I live in Windsor Gardens and am involved in many things. One of my favorites is volunteering with Earthlinks where I have the opportunity to work with people who are or have been homeless and reconnect them to our world through a large garden.

Earthlinks is located at 13th Street and Decatur, where they own some plots of land and buildings. I’m drawn to ecology and doing something good for the world.

One of my greatest passions is reading, so I read A LOT! I love to immerse myself in a good book! I also really enjoy road trips. Recently, I have been in California, Utah, South Dakota where I got to see the buffalo round up, Wounded Knee and Mt. Rushmore….all impressive for different reasons.

THEN Sr. Benita in the 1983 yearbook

What years did you teach at Regis Jesuit and what were the subjects you taught?

I taught on the north campus of Regis Jesuit from 1982-90 and returned to RJ to teach in the Girls Division from 2004-08. When teaching AP English, I loved that you could always get your chops into the material and meaning. Poetry and writing were some of my most favorite things to teach. The process of teaching writing to our students and seeing how they progressed was so wonderful.

What were some of your fondest memories of your years at Regis Jesuit?

What touched my heart the most was the energy and enthusiasm of the kids. They were so wonderful to work with. Also, the sense of community and the camaraderie with my colleagues was so important and made every day a joy.

What’s the best part of retirement?

I love to learn, so am taking a Spanish class. Most enjoyable is the open schedule and the mornings. Sitting with a cup of coffee watching the sun rise feeds my soul.

What advice would you give young women and men today?

Stay open! You have a lot coming at you—try to stay grounded and evaluate what you see, hear and feel.

Any special thoughts to send to the Regis Jesuit community?

Life goes fast. Pay attention and be grateful! And always listen to the Jesuits!

What made you laugh during those years?

The crazy energy and enthusiasm of the students!

What do you miss most about Regis Jesuit?

I miss the challenge of teaching adolescents and the learning that comes with those challenges. Their energy and enthusiasm is like no other.

What are you most proud of during your years at Regis Jesuit?

I’m proud of the work that I did with the Silent Retreat for seniors, giving them an opportunity to sink their teeth into three days of reflection and silence that they learned to appreciate.

That’s a real gift for the rest of their lives. I’m also proud of the fact that I never got cynical over the years: it was always a joy to work with our students.

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WHAT BENITA'S COLLEAGUES SAY

NOW

Sr. Benita poses with Megan (Dempsey) Langfield '10, who now teaches English at RJ and considers Sr. Benita one of her role models

WHAT BENITA'S COLLEAGUES SAY ABOUT HER...

FROM DANIELLE BRIGMAN: Sr. Benita is one of my most favorite people. It was a dear treasure getting to know her and teaching with her my first few years at Regis Jesuit. We shared more than curricular insights, but hearty laughs and major life decisions. I am blessed to call her my friend, and to think of all the ways she has enriched my life... She played a very special role in my wedding, she represented an out-of-town godparent at my daughter’s baptism and on a more frequent basis, she is an awesome movie buddy.

Affectionately, I call her Benita Pita and BP truly is a gift from God. FROM GRETCHEN KESSLER: I got to watch Sr. Benita, a master teacher who instilled a true love and passion for learning into her students. She taught them to think, to create and to appreciate the gifts of literature, especially poetry. Students would just light up as they spoke about Benita! They loved her for her passion, deep sense of caring and because she taught them to appreciate the world in a new light. Benita hasn’t changed….her passion still shows through in all she does and who she is. I love her!

FROM RALPH TAYLOR: Friend, colleague, inspirer! Benita’s great strength was her ability, as teacher and poet, to plant seeds in the minds and hearts of her students and readers. A thought, a wish, a phrase would be planted in the souls of those who knew her. These seeds would often grow into something beautiful, provocative, enlightening. She will always be with us.

FACULTY & STAFF NOTES

 BELOW TOP: Emily Dacus, girls counseling

assistant, married Tom Gerwick on October 6, 2018, Bernie Sauer '97 was the pianist for the ceremony.

FUTURE RAIDERS Latin teacher Joey Lechuga '03 and his wife Leeah welcomed their second son, Evan Anthony, on June 10, 2018.

TIED THE KNOT BOTTOM RIGHT: On June 2, 2018, music teacher

Bernie Sauer '97 and science teacher McKenzie Weed '10 were married by Fr. Wally Sidney, SJ, former Regis Jesuit president in the Blessed Rupert Mayer Chapel on campus.

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Raider Journeys

A recurring feature in The Raider , where we share photos from members of the globetrotting community of Regis Jesuit.

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1. Alexander Kirk '06 showing his Raider pride in front of Edinburg Castle in Scotland last August.

2. For the third consecutive year, Brianna Tolkacz '20 claimed the World Championships in pleasure driving in Louisville, Kentucky.

3. Ben '16 and Katie '19 Collings experience summer on the Ruth Glacier in Denali National Park in Alaska last July.

4. A recent flight into Geneva, Switzerland First Officer Tom Merrill '05 and Captain Jess Shaw '96 worked on the same flight crew.

Both alums fly the Boeing 757 for FedEx out of its base in Cologne, Germany.

5. The Filsinger and Card Families had RJ alum Hayden Fitzpatrick '09 as their guide on the Snake River in the Grand Tetons.

6. Summer 2018 found Brody Elliott '19 visiting McGill University in Montreal, Quebec.

7. During a visit to Trinity College, Whitman Hamilton '19 refuels with a burger.

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To submit a photo for inclusion in Raider Journeys, send your picture(s) [resolution of 300 dpi or better – standard for most digital cameras and smart phones] to communications@regisjesuit.com.

In Memoriam

The entire community of Regis Jesuit extends its sincere sympathy to the family and friends of loved ones who have died recently. The following are remembered in our prayers:

Alumni Listed in ascending order by year of graduation Thomas X. Kelley '41 Douglas L. White '45, father of Stephen White '74 and cousin to Fr. Robert L. Sullivan, SJ '54 Arthur C. Cito '46 George E. Mucilli '48, brother of Roy† Mucilli '66 Roy Mucilli '66, brother of George† Mucilli '48 Paul A. Smith '48, father of Robert '78, Michael '81, Stephen '85, and Danny† '92 Smith Michael F. Morrissey '49

J. Victor Vifquain '50, brother of Larry Vifquain '58 Donald M. Lawless '51 Thomas J. Danahey '53 Jerry L. Kral '61 Michael J. Dolan '63 Donald E. St. Louis. '65 Thomas K. Bertram '68 Keith E. Bechard '69 Timothy P. Tynan '72, brother of Sean '75, Matthew '83 and Eddie Tynan and cousin of Michael '67, Peter '71, Dennis '85, Edward '12 and Mackenzie '15 Tynan

Martin G. Anthony '74, son of Ward† R. Anthony '42 Larry Mares '74 James C. Chambers '78 Vincent J. Jannicelli '02, cousin of James Jannicelli '06 Matthew J. Greenwald '05 Oliva C. Shipp '16, sister of Grace Shipp '14

Edna G. Doyle, wife of William† '38 and mother of Michael Doyle '67 Gerard O. Goeke, brother of Jesuit Superior and math teacher Fr. Jim Goeke, SJ Rhone G. Hamilton, father of Roman Hamilton '20 Jeanne Joulié, mother of French teacher Regine Joulié-Kuttner and grandmother of Pierre '12, Nicolas '14, Thomas '17 and Daniel '20 Kuttner Christopher L. Moore, brother of Stephen Moore '64 Derion Moy, son of Cassandra Moy, former RJ employee who worked in the Business Office for 11 years

Patricia A. Murray, mother of Kevin Murray '84 Marjorie J. Noonen, mother to Martin '85, Matthew '87, Mark '91 and Michael Noonen Jacqueline Reynolds, wife of Terrence Reynolds '56 Molly C. Stevenson, mother of Will '03 and Mamie '08 Stevenson Judy Teeples, mother of Facilities Director Ben Teeples Stacey Jo (Trimmer) VandeKoppel, mother of Quinlan '14 and Kelly '18 VandeKoppel Angela A. (Angie) White, mother of math teacher Nicole Dubler and grandmother of Audrey Dubler '18

Family & Friends Listed alphabetically by last name Mary T. Blake-Foster, stepmother to Thomas Foster '96 Mary Anne Casey, mother of Patrick Casey '85 Patricia Ann DeCarlo, mother of Matthew DeCarlo '78 and aunt to Richard '76, Gerard '78 and Scott '81 Rouse Paul DeMar, Jr., father of Girls Registrar Liane Catellino and grandfather of Brainna Catellino '12 Irene L. Diaz, mother of Don Diaz '72, grandmother of Kito Acosta '13 and great grandmother of Maria Ulibarri '21

We have also been informed recently of the deaths of the following alumni and extend our sympathies and prayers to their loved ones.

Listed in ascending order by year of graduation William R. Martin '47 Leroy A. Witaschek '47 George C. Roche '52 Raymond Reddick '55 Michael C. Betka '56 Kevin Maguire '59 James Skolout '59

Paul D. Bruns, Jr. '61 Jerry Bohn '62 Steve Cuthbertson '62 Michael J. Hart '63 Donald A. Primavera '65, brother of Douglass '58 and Dennis '59 Primavera

Robert D. Saindon '65 John A. Davis, Jr. '68 John Granato '68 Greg C. Hughes '68 Lawrence P. Makowski '68 Gregory J. Mangan '68 Gregory Osborn '68

Timothy R. Theisen '68 Patrick P. Thornton '68 Donald Turner '68 John Brunger '70 Laszlo Dekay '85

† Also deceased

The names recorded in this section represent those made known to us between May 1, 2018 and November 30, 2018. Any deaths occurring after that date will be listed in the summer 2019 issue. We make every effort to account accurately for the passing of any alumnus/a, student, faculty or staff member as well as that of any of their parents, spouses, siblings or children. If we are aware of other relationships the deceased had to members of our community, we do our best to list them as well. We also share news of the deaths of all members of our extended community on the In Memoriam page of our website (www.regisjesuit.com/inmemoriam).We sincerely regret any oversights or errors that may occur.

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Final 02.28.10

PARENTS OF ALUMNI: If you are still receiving your son’s or daughter’s Raider even though he/she no longer lives with you, please let us know. We will update our database and send the magazine directly to him/her. Also if you are not receiving our monthly e-magazine, The Raider Connection, and would like to, please update your email address with us. Contact the Advancement Office at advancementoffice@regisjesuit.com or 303.269.8022.

Calendar Highlights Spring 2019 Friday, February 22............................................................................................................................. New Raider Night – Class of 2023 Thursday, February 28................................................................................................................................... Alumni Mentorship Series Friday, March 1............................................................................................................................................................ First Friday Mass Friday, March 8 – Sunday, March 10....................................................................................RJHS Theatre Spring Production: Eurydice Monday, March 11...................................................................................................................................................... Vox Lucis Concert Tuesday, March 12...................................................................................................................... 14th Annual Diversity Day Conference Friday, March 22..................................................................................................................................... LARK Madness Gift Gathering Monday, March 25 – Friday, March 29..................................................................................................... Spring Break – NO CLASSES Wednesday, April 3 – Tuesday, April 16............................................................................................................... LARK Online Auction Friday, April 5............................................................................................................................................................... First Friday Mass Tuesday, April 16...............................................................................................................................................Canta Belles Easter Vigil Friday, April 19 – Monday, April 22...................................................................................................Easter Break – OFFICES CLOSED Wednesday, April 24.................................................................................................................................................... Spring Jazz Night Thursday, April 25.................................................................................................................................................. Mass of Thanksgiving Thursday, April 25-Friday, April 26.......................................................................... RJ Theatre Student-produced Work by Shakespeare Saturday, April 27........................................................................................... LARKaloha Dinner-Auction at the Renaissance Stapleton Monday, April 29............................................................................................................................... Co-divisional Instrumental Concert Tuesday, April 30....................................................................................................................................... Co-divisional Choral Concert Thursday, May 2.............................................................................................................................................Student Awards Ceremony Friday, May 3............................................................................................................................................................... First Friday Mass Friday, May 3.....................................................................................................................................................Raider Legacy Breakfast Sunday, May 19.............................................................................................................Boys Graduation at Ellie Caulkins Opera House Monday, May 20...................................................................................................................Girls Graduation at Boettcher Concert Hall

FOR MORE INFORMATION: www.regisjesuit.com 303.269.8000

CONNECT WITH US!

For full details on all upcoming events at Regis Jesuit, visit www.regisjesuit.com/calendar.

All events are held at the school unless otherwise noted.