President's Report 2022-23

GOD, FINDING US IN ALL THINGS

2022-23 PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Rockhurst High School serves the greater Kansas City area by educating Ignatian leaders, “men for others,” in the Roman Catholic, Jesuit college preparatory tradition. In the spirit of Saint Ignatius Loyola, its goal is the formation of the whole person within a diverse and disciplined environment, as one who is open to growth, strives for academic excellence, is religious, loving, and committed to justice through service.

Mission Vision

Rockhurst High School will be sought out and recognized for its ability to educate “men for others.” Rockhurst High School will, in the Jesuit tradition, foster lifelong friendships based on enduring principles and Ignatian values. It will be nationally and locally recognized as the best value-added education because of its success in developing community leaders for an increasingly diverse world.

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PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE Dear Rockhurst Community,

Magnanimity and transcendence.

A generous soul who could see well beyond himself and his present moment, St. Ignatius was an incredibly practical man and an equally incredibly magnanimous dreamer. In both capacities, he offered everything for God’s greater honor and glory, not his own.

In reflecting upon gratitude represented in this year’s President’s Report, found myself considering all the abundant good that is found in the Rockhurst community, and those two words –magnanimity and transcendence – kept coming back to me. So many people in our community offer their best not for themselves, but for something greater.

When I listen to the plans of our young men for their futures, they, too, express big dreams of helping make the world a better place, extending well beyond themselves. Men for others. Men with others. Our Hawklets have big hearts!

When I consider the sometimesmystical dedication of our teachers to the art of teaching, they offer their very lives in service to develop young men in our tradition.

Parents, alumni, volunteers, and benefactors gift us with their children and the resources to carry out our mission. This evident trust in Rockhurst is humbling.

For 2022-23, our school year theme was: God, Finding Us In All Things.

A President’s Report is a summary reflection of many people in our community who responded to collaboration with God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit in care of the mission of Rockhurst. When we respond and are open to God, God does indeed find us! How else could you explain all the good that is captured in these pages?!

A President’s Report is an annual exercise; however, this year – thanks to many good people including our Board and community stakeholders – we also spent time over the last 18 months creating a prioritized Vision for our future well beyond a single fiscal year. This Vision emboldens the excellence of Rockhurst’s Jesuit Catholic mission and identity.

Over that time, combined with consistent and critically sustaining annual support, Rockhurst has received, in total, $30.4 million of charitable investment. Some of those gifts have helped our annual operations

over the last two fiscal years ($9.217 million combined to the Eyrie Fund and the Spectacular Auction). Others were specific to facilities like the new Goppert Rock Plex ($1,796,275). Just over half of the $30.4 million has been gifted by Visionary Investors, including two anonymous $5 million gifts (the largest individual gifts in the school’s history) and a $3 million gift from Barbara and David Dehaemers ’78.

These Visionary Investments, totaling $15.9 million – were offered based on investor belief in the Vision we have outlined, to make sure that the excellence we offer to young men in the Kansas City community is available to qualifying young men based upon their ability to succeed and not their family’s economic circumstances.

These generous benefactors acted with magnanimity and for our transcendence in Rockhurst’s ability to enable greater access to our world-class education and a Rock-solid foundation that combines the excellence of our program at Rockhurst – in academics, in cocurriculars, and in faith formation – with a Jesuit vision for affordability.

It is our ultimate goal to allow Rockhurst to meet 100% of exhibited financial need for qualifying students, making the excellence and access of our school one of a kind in Kansas City. Quietly and humbly, our Visionary Investors offered support from their hearts to help us deliver the promise of Rockhurst to more and more capable young men. In addition, it is our goal to compensate so as to retain our excellent faculty who accompany our students in carrying out our mission.

This publication is a retrospective of last school year’s accomplishments. Because of those accomplishments, we

look with eager anticipation to our future to pursue securing the excellence and affordability of Rockhurst for our next generations.

With deep gratitude, offer prayers of gratitude and the Jesuits offer their Mass intentions for all who have helped this goodness shine. By responding “yes” to God’s call for the mission of Rockhurst, we are working together with magnanimity and for transcendence. And, even as we celebrate all the good represented in this President’s Report, I invite you to call to mind three questions from the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius of Loyola:

WHAT HAVE I DONE FOR CHRIST?

WHAT

AM I DOING FOR CHRIST?

WHAT

OUGHT I DO FOR CHRIST?

Eagerly looking toward our future, know of my deepest gratitude for the tremendous support of our vision, which seeks to form young men to be the kind of leaders the world needs, now and into our future.

In Christ, David J. Laughlin President, Rockhurst

High School

President David Laughlin presented Dylan Adkins ’23 and all graduating members of the great Class of 2023 with Rockhurst High School diplomas at the Commencement Exercises on May 14, 2023.

“HE HAD A HEART BIG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE UNIVERSE!”

-Pope Gregory the XV at the canonization of St. Ignatius on March 12, 1622!

“What made Rockhurst so special to me is that it doesn’t just focus on providing an excellent education. Rockhurst encouraged me to reflect on how I can use that education to serve and uplift others.”

— Thomas Kennedy ’23 Creighton University

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

It has been an honor and a privilege to serve as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Rockhurst High School, as my term came to an end June 30, 2023. This year we finally moved past the coronavirus pandemic landmines and back to a more normalized world. We went to sporting events, Masses, assemblies, classes, and lunches without masks. We began again to celebrate moments instead of “pivoting” around them. The Goppert Rock Plex, our new pool facility, led to another Swim & Dive State Championship. Alright, maybe it didn’t lead, but sure made practices more convenient for everyone. We experienced the most successful Rockhurst auction in the history of the school.

Thanks to the leadership of our president, David Laughlin, and our principal, Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, along with the remarkable faculty, staff, and ever-flexible students and parents, we managed to look forward again. We set the cornerstones of our strategic plan by sustaining stable tuition levels and at the same time closing the gap between the tuition level and the actual cost of educating a student. Another cornerstone is establishing a fund that supports and enhances our erudite faculty. Our target is narrowing the financial spread with public school levels.

was fortunate to have attended Rockhurst High and graduated as part of the great Class of 1975. My sons went to Rockhurst. My younger brother went to Rockhurst. We learned many life lessons here. Not only does it prepare you for college, it prepares you for life. It is the place that guides and enhances your spiritual formation. It is a place where you meet lifelong friends. Our class has a reunion party

every year. It has monthly lunches. The entire class is invited. And we do this on our own, outside of other alumni engagement efforts, because we are committed to one another. It is a place that teaches you how to lead, how to give back, and at the same time learn how to pay it forward. It is a place that helps you truly learn how to become a “man for others.”

As Board Chair, I was fortunate to have helped assemble a dedicated Board of Trustees from all walks of life who voluntarily helped position David and his team for continued success for years to come. The Board focuses on the long-term financial viability of the school, as well as supporting the longterm strategy designed by the senior leadership team.

We are grateful and truly appreciate the support of the alumni, the parents, and all of the selfless volunteers who make the Eyrie Fund, Spectacular Auction, the Hurtado Scholars Program, and many other efforts so successful. We can’t say thank you enough. Thank you!

At the same time, we are in awe of the generous charitable contributions of the parents, alumni, and friends of Rockhurst. Thanks to you, we have been able to provide financial assistance to nearly half of our student body. Thanks to you, we have been able to stabilize the rate of tuition increases. Thanks to you, we have been able to add an advanced STEAM curriculum. The Board of Trustees thanks you for your generosity and for leading by example.

Lastly, attended the equivalent of a nine-day pilgrimage as part of a group of eight people in Spain, from Madrid to Barcelona, to better understand the life lessons and influences that led St.

Ignatius of Loyola to form a religious order not named after himself - as was the tradition at the time - but instead named the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). I cannot come up with a better way to lead by example. And I cannot think of a better example of a “man for others” than Jesus.

Thank you for all of your support over the years. I am humbled, honored, and privileged to have met and worked with so many wonderful, thoughtful, and selfless volunteers on the Board these last 10 years. know all of you will do the same for David Staker ’88, who began his term as Board Chair on July 1, 2023.

In closing, as Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits, proclaimed: Go out and set the world on fire!

Sincerely grateful,

Owen M. Zidar ’75 Chairman of the Board of Trustees

Owen Zidar ’75, Chairman of the Board of Trustees

A silhouette of St. Ignatius of Loyola was installed in Xavier Hall in gratitude to Owen Zidar ’75.

Rockhurst High School Leadership 2022-23

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Owen M. Zidar ’75, Chairman

Frank C. Allen ’05

Gregory J. Fendler ’94

Michael L. Garrett

Amy D. Holewinski

Rev. Jeffrey C. Johnson, SJ

Gerald A. Kelly, Jr. ’73

Gregory M. Kratofil ’92

David J. Laughlin

Shannon M. Lillis

Michael T. Mayer ’82

Rev. Gerald E. Menard, SJ

Dr. Gregory F. Muehlebach ’80

Ivan L. Nugent ’99

Rev. Ronald R. O’Dwyer, SJ

Courtney A. O’Farrell

Anita P. Paredes

Stephen D. Penn

Anne P. Riggs

Jeffrey J. Simon

David M. Staker ’88

Michael B. Trigg ’96

Rev. Derrick J. Weingartner, SJ

PARENTS’ CLUB LEADERSHIP

Lori Radosevic, President

SPECTACULAR 2023 CO-CHAIR COUPLES

Shannon and Patrick Lillis (Legacy Co-Chair Couple)

Natalie and Kyle Hartman ’91

Christy and Mike Poe

Amanda and Lawrence Tynes

NATIONAL ALUMNI ASSOCIATION BOARD OF GOVERNORS

Frank C. Allen ’05, President

Patrick A. McInerney ’82, President-Elect

Gerald W. Brenneman ’78

Blaise A. Gassman ’16

Spencer H. Hardwick ’07

James H. Maggard ’04

Ivan L. Nugent ’99

Nicholas J. Porto ’96

Todd A. Schieffer ’90

James C. Shay, Jr. ’11

James T. Van Dyke ’05

LEADERSHIP TEAM

David J. Laughlin, President

Michael A. Comiskey ’03, Director of Admissions

John B. DeGraffenreid, Director of Facility Management

Rev. Vincent A. Giacabazi, SJ, Principal

Kelly A. Herdlick, Executive Assistant to the President

Diane J. Marty, EdD, CFRE, Vice President of Philanthropy & Engagement

Allen K. Roberson ’84, Vice President of Administration

PHILANTHROPY & ENGAGEMENT OFFICE

Diane J. Marty, EdD, CFRE, Vice President of Philanthropy & Engagement

Adrianne A. DeWeese, Assistant Director of Philanthropy

Turner R. “Robbie” Haden ’09, Director of Communications & Branding

Moira Kelly Healy, Director of Engagement

Timothy R. Reidy ’02, Archives Director and Faculty Member

Sylvia M. Smith, Philanthropy & Engagement Supportive Services

Meredith L. Suarez, Director of Alumni Engagement

Loretta Verbanic, Gifts & Stewardship Specialist

George J. Weir, Director of Data & Analytics

Rockhurst High School also thanks Joanne Comiskey, Nancy Czinege, and Mindy Clarke for their incredible dedication to the Philanthropy &

Office and the school as

They have continually dedicated their time and talent to the betterment of the young men

Above: Members of the Board of Trustees 2022-23. Front row: Michael Garrett, Courtney O’Farrell, Amy Holewinski, Rev. Ronald O’Dwyer, SJ, Rev. Derrick Weingartner, SJ, Rev. Jeffrey Johnson, SJ, Anita Paredes, Rev. Gary Menard, SJ, Owen Zidar ’75. Back row: David Laughlin, Ivan Nugent ’99, David Staker ’88, Gerald Kelly ’73, Anne Riggs, Jeffrey Simon, Michael Mayer ’82, Stephen Penn.

Not pictured: Frank Allen ’05, Gregory Fendler ’94, Gregory Kratofil ’92, Shannon Lillis, Dr. Gregory Muehlebach ’80, Michael Trigg ’96.

Above: Former Board Chairs of Rockhurst High School gathered for a luncheon on May 16, 2023. Front row: Matt Bowen ’66, Charlie Haake ’66, Jim Polsinelli ’60, John Whitaker ’69, Tim McNamara ’73. Back row: David Staker ’88, Jon Haden ’75, Mark Teahan ’78, Ken Hager ’69, Rev. Tom Pesci, Allen Roberson ’84, Jim Olson, David Laughlin.

Engagement

a whole.

of Rockhurst and their families.

GOD, FINDING US IN ALL THINGS

Dear Rockhurst Community,

Famous Jesuit poet, Fr. Gerard Manley Hopkins, SJ, in his poem entitled When Kingfishers Catch Fire, offers us this direct line: “Christ plays in ten thousand places.”

think Fr. Hopkins’ math might have underestimated Christ, but I get the point. Speaking of math, years ago, as a student myself, I was never great at math. I had great teachers, but I neither had the aptitude nor the interest. Life has handed me many lessons to say ‘get better’ and so I have.

But one math memory from my school days was of a Disney production entitled Donald Duck in Mathmagic Land. This roughly 30-minute production from June 26th of 1959 had Donald Duck walking through a litany of examples of how mathematics existed in the reality of proportionality in nature, how mathematics has influenced history, the mathematics built into the beauty of music, in architectural wonders of the world, in games like chess, billiards, or hopscotch, in the study of probability, in optometry, transportation, astronomy, and in how we keep time. The conclusion of this short piece quotes Galileo: “Mathematics is the alphabet with which God has written the universe.”

media platforms – reading online newspapers, the ads popped for “plaque reduction”. I just wanted a toothbrush!

I guess we’ve all come to learn that algorithms in computing take “big data” about us and customize messages to us based upon what they know. Or think they know. It’s a little scary and sometimes a little ridiculous. One needs to remain selfaware when using technology.

Even if I look up the weather for a family member in another city, the algorithms start to presume more about me than may be factual. Suddenly, I’m getting airline ads, hotel ads, best restaurants, etc. I really just wanted to know if a storm was coming toward my mom!! Alas.

This is the life of consumers in a world of big data and algorithms.

What else happens with algorithms?

to send me any and every form of Catholic information about seemingly EVERYTHING! I’m proud to be Catholic, but I also like to read information about diverse world interests, sports, the arts, economics, etc. Like a few dozen posts on the Catholic faith, and algorithms make your worldview smaller, not larger. Politics? Well, the polarization and lack of dialogue is reinforced by algorithms in “confirmation bias”: I get what I already believe and have it reinforced exponentially. The result is less dialogue, heightened emotions, and not a lot of progress.

Brain science experts tell us that the system of algorithms and social “connections” help reinforce dopamine chemicals in our brain to make us feel good. And yet, we become so addicted to that reinforcement that pretty soon we’ve walked into a circumstance that might be more controlling of us than we’d like to admit.

find us at all times and in all places but God also does so in a different fashion, I’d like to take that phrase of Ignatian Spirituality and flip it a bit to encourage us to lean into the purpose of our creation, which will lead us to broader and not more narrow horizons.

And, so, I’m inviting our community into this year’s theme: God, Finding Us in All Things.

The “algorithm” of God is in relentless pursuit of us. But God does not force Himself upon us. Rather, God invites, encourages, and shows us ways to the light. But we can only find God in all things if we take the time to discern God’s presence.

in all things, only but if we take the time in prayer, faith, Sacrament, and humility to truly see the magnificence of God in our lives.

President David Laughlin announced the 2022-23 school year theme on July 11, 2022.

Recently, I ordered a toothbrush on Amazon. Next thing I know I start getting ads for dental floss, toothpaste, about gum disease, mouth rinse products and not just on Amazon, but on all sorts of social

In our social lives, these systems find the things that we prefer, like, believe, or practice, and send us messages that reinforce our own belief systems. For example, this past Easter, I “liked” a significant number of social media posts about people who “came into” or joined the Roman Catholic Church. I thought a simple “welcome” from me was part of a larger community message of welcome to the universal Church.

Guess what? Every platform of technology I used suddenly began

There is a phrase often used in Jesuit spirituality: Finding God in All Things. It expresses the spirituality of St. Ignatius of Loyola, neatly summarized in the “First Principle and Foundation”; that is, “All the created things of this world are created to help us develop as loving persons.” For St. Ignatius, sorting through the details of one’s day and seeking God’s presence in any and everything of our day, is the practice which helps us realize God’s “relentless pursuit” of each one of us. As opposed to worldly algorithms that limit, God’s pursuit of us inspires the diverse, the surprising, and the awe inspiring.

For the 2022-2023 School Year at Rockhurst, and in light of how algorithms of the world seem to

Which brings me back to other algorithms. As efficient as they might be, and as affirming of our built-in brain-based reward systems, they don’t afford us the quiet, the reflective, the prayerful, nor the objective perspective to look for God. And, God reveals Himself to us each day in all that we do.

Truly, the world is filled with God’s grandeur. Do we take the time to notice? Do we take the time to express gratitude? Regret?

Forgiveness? Reconciliation? But first, do we take the time to see that God is finding us in all things? What about love in our life? Family? Friendships?

Nature? God is there!

For example, in the newly established Jack Nestor ’34 Outdoor Lab & Classroom, our students will undertake a study of the wonder of nature and discover it in science.

As Donald Duck taught us in the 1959 video and as St. Ignatius has instructed us through the Spiritual Exercises, we can see God finding us

The Society of Jesus continues to articulate our Universal Apostolic Preferences and invites us to reflect these in our mission at Rockhurst. Among these, I think you can also see how we are called to look at how God presents Himself to us in our world. As we approach this coming school year, it is my hope that we can combine the classical humanities-based Jesuit education – one that helps students think well, write well, read well, express themselves well – and our more recent STEAM initiatives, including many project-based learning curricular initiatives, as well as all of the many activities of school, and take the properly framed time to look for and listen to God’s active hand amidst it all. To be certain, this is why all of the activity of Rockhurst surrounds itself with Sacraments, daily prayer, retreats, and community service. Helping young men to become “men for others” we have a mentor, God, who pursues us relentlessly, loves us without limit, and in coming to this realization, we imitate God, who shows us the path to our salvation. Thanks to all in our community as we look forward to another outstanding year in our tradition at Rockhurst High School. Go Hawklets!

My prayers to you and all you love, In Christ, David J.

Laughlin President, Rockhurst High School

July 11, 2022

FINANCIAL AID FIGURES

$2.7M IN FINANCIAL AID AWARDED

47% RECEIVED FINANCIAL AID

7% INCOME $125K-$150K

4% INCOME > $150K

26% INCOME $75K-$100K

12% INCOME $100K-$125K

MAKE YOUR DONATION

51% INCOME < $75K

The great Class of 1967, which remains as one of Rockhurst’s most engaged and generous alumni classes, celebrated its Jubilee Reunion over October 6-7, 2022.

“Your gift is their present… and future.” Dr. Diane Marty, CFRE, Vice President of Philanthropy & Engagement, explains the importance of charitable giving at Rockhurst to current parents during the President’s Reception on September 14, 2022.

CHARITABLE GIVING TO ROCKHURST

Percentage of unduplicated donors

4% GRANDPARENTS

48% ALUMNI

3,107 DONORS

$21,815,118 GIFTS & NEW PLEDGES (7/1/2022-6/30/2023)

Percentage of total dollar amount donated

6,805 GIFTS

17% PAST PARENTS

1% FOUNDATIONS 2% BUSINESSES

11% FRIENDS

1% FACULTY & STAFF

Businesses Grandparents

1% BOARD OF TRUSTEES

15% CURRENT PARENTS

For purposes of percentage calculation, each constituent is assigned only one constituent code as their primary constituency. The hierarchy for this determination is: Board of Trustees, Alumnus, Current Parent, Faculty/Staff, Past Parent, Grandparent, Friend. Thus, there are alumni donors within the Trustee calculation; Current parents within the Alumni calculation, etc. These numbers reflect new gifts and pledges receipted through the Philanthropy & Engagement Department 7/1/22 through 6/30/23.

Friends

CurrentParents

Giving Breakdown

$3,179,577 Eyrie Fund

$1,176,105 Named Investment Funds

$1,516,671 Spectacular Auction

BoardofTrustees

PastParents

Faculty&Staff Foundations

Alumni

$42,765 Capital gifts for The Goppert Rock Plex

$15.9M Visionary Investment Gifts in support of ongoing Strategic Planning

“There is nothing like the brotherhood here at Rockhurst. And it allowed me to focus on the more important things like my faith and academics.”

— August Thompson ’23 Georgetown University

Students Begin New School Year with Total Ignatian Experiences

Each new academic year begins on July 1, following the completion of the prior fiscal year.

While classes and activities are out of session except for summer programming, many students make the decision to sacrifice a week of their summer breaks to continue living the “men for others” mantra. Rockhurst offers opportunities to students off all grade levels through the Total Ignatian Experience (TIE) program.

“In a typical summer, roughly 75 to 100 Hawklets choose to spend their time, talent, and resources to attend our TIE trips,” said Alan Ratermann, Director of Ignatian Service Programs. “With almost ten percent of our student body participating each year, our school is transformed by the commitment to living for a purpose larger than themselves.”

The first TIE trips each summer are in June, which typically includes two separate week-long service trips to Rollins, TN working with Habitat For Humanity Appalachia building a home for a family in need. In June 2022, there were 28 students on the TIE Tennessee trips.

With July and the turning of the school calendar comes two more TIE options for Hawklets going above and beyond the standard annual required service hours.

In July 2022, a total of 41 students made this special commitment to local and abroad communities.

Thirty-one rising seniors in the Class of 2023, along with six faculty members, attended TIE Tijuana, traveling to Mexico to spend a week constructing homes for two different families in northwest Mexico. “I decided to give up a week of my summer for TIE Tijuana because felt that all had learned about my faith gave me a responsibility and a duty to help those less fortunate than me - and this was an immersive opportunity to do so,” said Sam Grilliot ’23. “The trip helped me to realize that I am blessed to have the time, energy, and resources to serve others.”

The following week, seven rising sophomores and three rising juniors, accompanied by three faculty chaperones, participated in TIE Kansas City, working with Jerusalem Farms and Pendleton Heights Community Garden to improve living conditions of local

residents.

“I saw the opportunity to volunteer on TIE KC as a way to help members of the community who aren’t able to provide for themselves,” said Tommy Bayhylle ’25. “I now see community service as a privilege, and not an obligation. It made me excited to go on another TIE trip before my junior year.”

Below: Thirty-one members of the Class of 2023 volunteered on the TIE Tijuana trip in July 2022, building homes for two families in northwest Mexico.

Right: Zander Nicotra ’25 painted houses and assisted with landscaping for local residents on the 2022 TIE Kansas City trip. Ten students and three faculty members participated in the volunteer experience.

AUGUST 2022

Rockhurst Welcomes New Students, Adults with Open Arms

The freshman class, Rockhurst’s Class of 2026, entered the Barry Commons’ doors on Aug. 15, 2022, as a new brotherhood of 222 Hawklets. They represented 58 ZIP Codes from across the KC Metro area, spanning 52 different feeder schools. More than half of these young men (53%) were able to join the Rockhurst community thanks to the financial aid program.

Freshman Orientation included meeting upperclassman Rockhurst Brothers, introductions and icebreakers, “Cura Program” small group assignments, meeting first semester teachers, and

Spirit Club training.

The Freshman Cura Program, short for cura personalis (care of the whole person) is a year-long program fostering a smooth transition into Rockhurst that promotes personal growth, academic growth, spiritual growth, and community building within the entering class.

The program addresses the expectations Rockhurst has for its freshmen and to connect each member of the class to all the various resources

The Rock community offers, from the social, personal, academic, and spiritual

domains within the community. Small groups of freshmen are visited often by their counselors or other visitors, such as club members and moderators and the Rockhurst Brothers. Social gatherings are also planned to connect freshmen to new people in the community or simply reinforce the bonds already forming.

Many new faculty and staff also joined (or returned to) the Rockhurst community to begin the 2022-23 academic year. (see next page).

Brock Narciso ’23, Student Government Association President, welcomed the Class of 2026 to Rockhurst during Freshman Orientation on Aug. 15.

Members of the freshman class introduced themselves to their new classmates and their upperclassman Rockhurst Brothers.

New Faculty & Staff 2022-23

Cameron Akagi

Director of Instrumental Music

Andrew Becerra

Facilities Team

Katie Bland Mathematics Faculty

Ryan Brennan

School Counselor

Dr. Kevin Coker Director of Choirs

Jane Cory

Registrar & Academic Coordinator

Yulys Espinosa Acosta

Modern & Classical Languages Faculty

Pat Goodwin Facilities Team

Kelly Herdlick

Executive Assistant to the President

Kimberly Hoglund Modern & Classical Languages Faculty

Scott Hopke

Communication Arts Faculty

Chris Hopper English Faculty

Marcy Kincaid

School Counseling Office

Administrative Assistant

Ella Lima

Facilities Team

Joe Lindgren ’04

Instructional Technologist

Billy Linscott ’09 Assistant Dean of Students

Dr. Philip Nahlik, SJ Mathematics Faculty

Ignatius Nguyen, SJ Mathematics Faculty

Fr. Thomas Pesci, SJ President Emeritus

Patrick Pribyl ’10 Theater Manager & Technical Theater Support

Cade Prins ’17

Science Faculty (Alumni Service Corps - ASC)

Dr. Tiffany Rinne Director of Library Services

Sarah Schulenberg Assistant to the Dean of Students

Mitchell Tran ’18 Computer Science Faculty (ASC)

The Goppert Rock Plex Serves as Important Resource

Twenty-four faculty/staff members joined or returned to Rockhurst for 2022-23. Pictured left to right: (1st row) Kimberly Hoiglund, Dr. Tiffany Rinne, Yulys Espinosa Acosta; (2nd row) Scott Hopke, Ignatius Nguyen, SJ, Katie Bland, Sarah Schulenberg; (3rd row) Chris Hopper, Mitchell Tran ’18, Fr. Tom Pesci, SJ, Kelly Herdlick; (4th row) Dr. Philip Nahlik, SJ, Cade Prins ’17, Joe Lindgren ’04, Billy Linscott ’09; (5th row) Cameron Akagi, Patrick Pribyl ’10, Dr. Kevin Coker, Ryan Brennan

Led by generous support from The Goppert Foundation ($1 million), the Ann and Gary Dickson Family Foundation ($500,000), and The McDonnell Foundation ($250,000), Rockhurst High School celebrated the dedication of The Goppert Rock Plex on Aug. 8, 2022.

Rockhurst purchased the building, formerly the Red Bridge YMCA, in February 2022. Not only is it the

permanent home of the swim & dive team, it also is utilized for athletic rehabilitation, STEAM-supportive academic activities, service learning opportunities, Hurtado Scholar programming, and rental partnerships with local schools.

“Today is about gratitude, trust, and opportunity,” said Paul Winkeler, swim & dive head coach, at the dedication.

“On behalf of the Rockhurst swim & dive team and the hundreds of AquaHawk alumni from coast to coast, we cannot show our appreciation enough to those who have not only invested in this facility financially, but who have invested in the young men of Rockhurst today and into the future.”

Rockhurst was selected as Kansas City Magazine’s Best of 2022 winner for the Best Private School. Rockhurst also received an A+ ranking from Niche, the market leader in connecting colleges and schools with students and families, based on academics, teachers, clubs and activities, diversity, college prep, and sports.

Benefactors of The Goppert Rock Plex cut the ribbon, announcing the official opening of the facility, at the dedication ceremony on Aug. 8, 2022.

SEPTEMBER 2022

President Emeritus Returns, Ignatian Scholarship Established

Rockhurst High School was pleased to welcome back Rev. Thomas Pesci, SJ, as President Emeritus beginning in August 2022. Fr. Pesci served as the school’s 15th president from 1993-2004. In his new role, Fr. Pesci assists President David Laughlin in mission enactment, strategic planning, Sacramental community life, and continued and enhanced significant alumni and constituent relations.

The leadership of Fr. Pesci helped move the school into its current successful state. Originally on a fiveyear agreement to serve as Rockhurst president, he made an immediate impact. Upon his arrival, the school was in debt $2 million and enrollment sat at 620 students. By the time Fr. Pesci’s service concluded in February 2004, enrollment was 1,030 students, and Rockhurst had raised more than $33.7 million during his tenure.

Rockhurst Celebrates 60th Anniversary of Greenlease Campus

On Sept. 30, 2022, Rockhurst celebrated the 60th anniversary of the dedication its Greenlease Memorial Campus.

Soon after the beginning of the 1962-63 school year, the first year following the move from Rockhurst College (now University) campus to its current location at 9301 State Line Road, Rockhurst hosted a dedication ceremony on Sept. 30, 1962.

It was a special day that featured Mayor H. Roe Bartle and the Very Reverend Linus J. Thro, SJ, Provincial of the Missouri Province of the Society of Jesus, speaking on the importance of Rockhurst to the Kansas City and Jesuit communities. Bishop Charles Helmsing blessed the chapel, school, and then offered the enthronement of a crucifix. More than 2,000 supporters were present for the dedication and the reception that followed.

Since then, 9301 State Line Road has been home to more than 12,000 Hawklets who are proud to be part of the 15,372 alumni ranks of Rockhurst High School. This fall, the Class of 1963 the first seniors at the Greenlease Campus – will celebrate their 60th reunion during Alumni Reunion Week over September 6-10.

He led the Defining Moment Capital Campaign, which included the

construction of the John and Laura Sullivan, Sr. Chapel of the Sacred Heart, the Barry Student Commons, new science labs, an enlarged performance gym, and increased the number of classrooms from 37 to 50. He also led the majority of the Millennium Master Plan, which included the construction of the Rose Theater, the atrium (eventually named the Pesci Atrium in his honor), a baseball complex, the Dining Commons, and renovations of classrooms, hallways, and the Vincent P. Dasta Memorial Stadium.

Fr. Psci, however, was more proud of the spiritual growth and direction of the school throughout his time. He loved using the “men for others” mantra when describing the Rockhurst community. He brought the Kairos Retreat Program to the school, which celebrated its 166th retreat in April 2023.

The Fr. Thomas Pesci, SJ, Ignatian Scholarship was created in his honor

Tom Pesci, SJ, returned to Rockhurst in 2022 as President Emeritus. He served as the school’s 15th president from 1993-2004.

by a group of private donors. This scholarship will serve current and future Hawklets by the grace of Fr. Pesci’s enduring legacy.

“During his 11 years as president, Fr. Pesci helped lead Rockhurst to remarkable new heights,” said President Laughlin. “Upon his return, a group of those who loved him and held his legacy with high regard worked quickly to organize a reception and then establish the scholarship. It was a natural gesture of generosity from many in our community who recognized Fr. Pesci’s gift of self to Rockhurst as and as a concrete action of thanksgiving to welcome him in the spirit of his care for Rockhurst.”

Anyone wishing to make a gift to The Fr. Thomas Pesci, SJ, Ignatian Scholarship can do so online (rockhursths.edu/pesci) or call 816.363.2036 and ask to speak to a member of the Philanthropy & Engagement team.

Right: Robert C. Greenlease and Virginia Pollock Greenlease endowed the gift of the real estate property on 9301 State Line Road that would become Rockhurst High School.

Left: Greenlease Memorial Campus was dedicated on Sept. 30, 1962.

Fr.

“I am most thankful for the opportunities that Rockhurst provided. From retreats to travel to athletics, I was able to do things that I wouldn’t have been able to do anywhere else.”

— Brian Humphrey ’23 United States Military Academy at West Point

OCTOBER 2022

New Program Builds Community Among the Junior Class

All Hawklets in the junior class embarked on the inaugural Junior Community Days Program over Oct. 21-22, 2022.

The goals for the two-day program and its follow-up activities throughout the year are to promote relationshipbuilding among the juniors and to reinforce the sense of community in which they are a part, all as an essential experience prior to their senior year and in support of positive mental health. The program was underwritten in part by an anonymous $20,000 challenge grant, which was matched by a grant of the same amount from the David and Janis Larson Foundation.

Each junior spent one day at William Jewell College for guided participation in the Tucker Leadership Lab, and the other day visiting one of five nursing homes in the area for one-on-one and small group conversations with residents.

“As part of its mission, Rockhurst continues to look for ways to engage students in their community, and ultimately to each other. This is an important condition for formation and looking toward a hope-filled future,” reflected Chris Bosco, Assistant Principal for Student Life. “Juniors are at a special moment on the steps for formal leadership, so providing them a

unique opportunity to enjoy moments with others helps to reinforce their ties of human fellowship.”

A telling sign of the impact of these two days was that 91% of nearly 100 juniors surveyed indicated that they would recommend the experience to future juniors.

The first year of the Junior Community Days Program included a day of team-building experiences at the Tucker Leadership Lab.

Andrew Puthumana ’24 and all members of the Class of 2024 spent time at nursing homes interacting with residents as part of the new Junior Community Days Program.

Speaker Series Connects Alumni and Students

Rockhurst’s Alumni Speaker Series kicked off in October 2022. Throughout the school year, alumni were invited back to campus to speak to students interested in their career or passions. The program was organized by Dr. Tiffany Rinne, Director of Library Sciences, and Meredith Suarez, Director of Alumni Engagement.

“Here at Rockhurst, we are proud of our vast, multigenerational alumni network. Rockhurst alumni involvement is critical to the formation of our students by creating a space for them to explore new careers, ask questions, and form the building blocks of their professional network,” said Suarez. “For the alumni community, it’s a great way to

Rockhurst Celebrates Past and Present with Homecoming, Reunion

Tradition remains an important aspect of the Rockhurst experience. The school tied together its Homecoming and Alumni Reunion Weeks to showcase the pride of its current and past Hawklets.

Homecoming Week extended from Sept. 29 through Oct. 7 and included fun and community-building activities for students, including Homecoming Mass, Spirit Day leading into the Homecoming Football Game against St. Thomas Aquinas (32-11 Rockhurst win), costume days and prizes, inter-class competitions, and the Homecoming Dance for upperclassmen.

That led into Alumni Reunion Week, which ran from Oct. 6-8, bringing

together the great Classes of 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002, 2007, 2012, and 2017.

The annual event welcomed home more than 400 graduates spanning more than 60 years. Activities included tours of campus and The Goppert Rock Plex, volunteers speaking with freshmen on the Freshman Retreat, football tailgate party, Sports Hall of Fame induction, Alumni Soccer Match, and Alumni Mass led by Rev. Michael Sheeran, SJ, ’57 followed by a reception in the Pesci Atrium.

Individual classes also planned separate events throughout the weekend. The

great Class of 1967 celebrated its 55th year reunion with a Thursday luncheon and a Saturday dinner, both on campus. The great Class of 1972 celebrated its Jubilee Reunion with a special dinner at the Hawklets Center on Saturday night.

The 2023 Alumni Week is set for Sept. 6-9, 2023 for graduation years ending in 3’s and 8’s. Learn more at rockhursths.edu/reunion.

stay connected to the school and to demonstrate what it means to be ‘men for others’ in our community.”

The first of five Alumni Speaker Series events was hosted in October with Ivan Nugent ’99, Sean McLaughlin ’01, and Henry Thomas ’06 speaking about their professions in law. In November, Ben Ismert ’94, Andrew Wade ’15, and Blaise Gassman ’16 talked about engineering. Dr. Jed Ervin ’66 and Dr. Kevin Campbell ’05 offered their experiences in the medical field in December.

In the new year, Jim Cosgrove ’83 and Brad Porter ’91 spoke about media, journalism, and writing in February. The

final session was held in April, with Ray Evans ’78 and John Carlos WaltonNuñez ’15 giving insight on careers in business and finance.

“Pretty simply, one of the most important and life-altering experiences for me was attending Rockhurst,” commented Evans. “The care and attention exhibited regularly by teachers and coaches, the bold attention to detail in assisting young men with their Faith formation, and the lifelong friends I made - all of this raised my game and elevated my life. To be any part of that for Rockhurst students today, that’s an easy choice.”

The Alumni Speaker Series connected alumni and students interested in a particular career. Brian Humphrey ’23 and Jimmy Cascone ’23 interviewed Dr. Kevin Campbell ’05 and Dr. Jed Ervin ’66 about their experiences in the medical field.

Rockhurst alumni who are faculty/staff members gathered for a photo prior to Homecoming Mass.

NOVEMBER 2022

Students loaded trucks with canned goods to deliver to one of nine local charitable organizations.

Students Lead Harvest Food Drive

Rockhurst’s annual Harvest Food Drive took place on Nov. 14-18, 2022. Student Government Association (SGA) members set the goal of each grade level donation 4,000 pounds of canned goods that would benefit local food pantries and organizations.

The recipients of the generosity included: St. Therese Little Flower Catholic Church, The Don Bosco Centers, Avenue of Life, Bishop Sullivan Center, Catholic Charities of Northeast Kansas, Christ The King Catholic Church, Redemptorist Center, St. Elizabeth Parish, and St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.

Rock Giving Tuesday Raises More Than $235,000

Giving Tuesday, the national day of giving, was on Nov. 29, 2022. Rockhurst’s own version, Rock Giving Tuesday, took place on Nov. 8, 2022.

The day is an opportunity to make a difference in the life of a Hawklet and his family, as 47% of all current families rely on tuition assistance to make the Rockhurst experience possible for their sons. Members of the Rockhurst community helped push forward the fundraising efforts.

The impact of many gifts was doubled thanks to a match challenge put forward by Sarah and Matt Davis ’86, Christen and Eric Fisher ’89, Diane and Kirk Marty, Ellen and Bob McCarthy ’72, Kristina and Joe Ursick, and an anonymous alumni benefactor.

Jennifer Olson, Rockhurst parent, volunteer, and benefactor, encouraged

her fellow RHS supporters to make a gift on Rock Giving Tuesday in support of the young men of Rockhurst.

“The opportunities and experiences that my sons have enjoyed at Rockhurst High School are such a blessing to our family. Through your support of the tuition assistance program, our community can bring many more students to have these same opportunities and experiences,” Olson said.

Jimmy Van Dyke ’05 offered the same encouragement after reflecting on his four years as a student and his many years as an alumni volunteer and Alumni Board Member.

“I support Rockhurst High School because I had such a wonderful experience during my time here, and want every young man who wants to pursue this education to have that same

opportunity,” Van Dyke said. “With just under 50% of all students requiring some form of financial aid, that doesn’t happen without support from people like you.”

Answering that call to make a difference, 207 supporters offered gifts on Rock Giving Tuesday, totaling more than $235,000.

MAKE A GIFT TO SUPPORT THE YOUNG MEN OF ROCKHURST HIGH SCHOOL.

Student efforts resulted in surpassing the school’s cumulative goal, with a final donation number of 17,156 pounds of canned goods, which averaged to 18.57 pounds of food per student.

Hawklets also filled 6, 55-gallon trash bags with winter clothing that was donated to The Don Bosco Centers.

The 2022 Harvest Food Drive also marked the first time that Rockhurst was included in the Great Ignatian Challenge, a donation competition among 18 Jesuit high schools across the country. The schools combined for more than 514,000 pounds of food in the 2022 challenge, resulting in an

estimated 6 miles of filled shopping carts. In 6 years, the Great Ignatian Challenge has led to over 1.45 million pounds of food collected for charitable organizations across the country.

The challenge was initiated in 2016 by Jim Rowen, a 1982 graduate of Fordham Preparatory School in Bronx, NY. Based on each participating school’s donation results, Rowen provided a gift to the school’s tuition assistance program. Rockhurst earned a $15,000 gift from the total of $510,000 given for the 2022 Great Ignatian Challenge.

Every gift on Rock Giving Tuesday made a difference in the life of a Rockhurst student and his family.

Above: The Rockhurst community donated 17,156 lbs. of canned goods during the 2022 Harvest Food Drive.

DECEMBER 2022

Hurtado Scholars Program Enjoys Historic Semester

The Hurtado Scholars Program began its 10th year of bringing light to potential with the start of the 2022-23 academic year.

Rockhurst welcomed 11 new Hurtado Middle School Program graduates as members of the freshman Class of 2026, joining from partner schools Holy Cross (MO), Our Lady of Hope, and St. Regis Academy. Throughout their 6th, 7th, and 8th grade years, Hurtado Scholars spend five full weeks in the Summer Program, followed by the Saturday Academy during the school year, meeting every other Saturday for continued academic, social, and spiritual growth. Upon completion of and graduation from the middle school program, Scholars are given the option to attend Rockhurst regardless of their family’s financial situation.

Since the program began in the summer of 2013, seven cohorts have completed the middle school program and earned the opportunity to continue their academic careers at Rockhurst.

said Anthony Re, Hurtado

Scholars

Program Director. “Each of these young men has strived to live out the core Hurtado values of having a growth mindset and always striving to give one’s best in all things, and their early results as freshmen suggest that they will find great long-term success here while also helping our Rockhurst community to be its best, as well.”

All four grade levels of Hurtado graduates at Rockhurst (32 students in total) held an average GPA of 3.11 for the first semester. Meanwhile, in the middle school program, all three classes started the 2022-23 school year, on average, two months ahead of being “at grade level” in their academic program. That was based on standardized testing administered by the program in summer 2022.

To learn more about the Hurtado Scholars Program, visit www.rockhursths.edu/hurtado.

To make a gift in support of the program, visit rockhursths.edu/giving and indicate “to support Hurtado Scholars Program” in the comments section or contact Adrianne DeWeese, Assistant Director of Philanthropy, at 816-363-2036 x536 or adeweese@rockhursths.edu.

Monthly giving reports continue on Page 42

Hurtado Scholars enjoy much more than academic enhancement; they also take field trips and collaborate on activities such as pumpkin carving in the Jack Nestor ’34 Outdoor Lab & Classroom and swim lessons at The Goppert Rock Plex.

These 11 newest Hawklets showcased their abilities from their first day on campus, and collectively achieved the highest first semester grade point average of any of the seven freshman Hurtado classes. They earned an average GPA of 3.18 to start their Rockhurst careers.

“As our Hurtado graduates in the Class of 2026 entered The Rock in the fall, they quickly distinguished themselves through their academic achievement and their co-curricular involvement,”

A special aspect of the program is the desire for Hurtado graduates, now at Rockhurst, to serve as mentors for current Scholars in the Saturday Academy and Summer Program; oftentimes, more graduates volunteer to help than there are spots available. These young men realize they were given a special opportunity and want to give back.

“Without Hurtado, there would have been no way I would have attended Rockhurst High School, which gave me the opportunities to end up going to college,” reflected Devon Rowe ’23, who will attend UMKC in the Fall after receiving full-tuition scholarship offers from several universities.

The Hurtado Scholars Program at Rockhurst High School for 2022-23 included 34 students in the middle school program.

TOWARD A HOPE-FILLED FUTURE

Founded in 1910 Rockhurst High School has been an apostolic work of the Society of Jesus calling young men to find God in all things through a rigorous program, Faith and academic study, co-curricular activities, and social formation. This work is critically important, and our vision deepens our commitment to the students and families of the greater Kansas City area.

These words were shared by David Laughlin, Rockhurst President, in the introduction of the school’s Vision Document for 2023. That vision is rooted in Rockhurst’s strategic plan, Toward A Hope-Filled Future.

This vision is guided by the Society of Jesus’ Universal Apostolic Preferences (UAP). Rockhurst embraces and promotes these four preferences: Showing the way to God through the Spiritual Exercises and discernment; Walking with the Excluded: the poor, the outcasts of the world, those whose dignity has been violated, in a mission of reconciliation and justice; Journeying with Youth: accompanying young people in the creation of a hope-filled future; and Caring for our Common Home: collaborating, with Gospel depth, for the protection and renewal of God’s creation.

With these in mind, the Rockhurst vision includes: Building upon our Jesuit tradition in classical humanitiesbased education; Building upon our recent STEAM initiatives, which include project-based learning initiatives while seeking alumni for enhanced formation resources; Seeking co-curricular activities elected by students; Promotion Faith formation in all we do.

President Laughlin continued: I’m grateful for the great variety of input

that has helped us to shape our Vision, and look forward to keeping our community informed as we work to develop a comprehensive Strategic Plan for our future.

That input was received from all corners of the Rockhurst community, but namely from the President’s Advisory Committee.

“My class was the last class to graduate from Rockhurst High School on the old campus, so we saw the migration to the new facility. And the reason we continue supporting Rockhurst is because of the durability of its high-quality Jesuit education, and we look optimistically into the future in hoping that Rockhurst and its supporters can remain strong for the next 100 years,” said Tom McDonnell ’62, President’s Advisory Committee member, who made gifts and pledges to Rockhurst and its vision in 2022-23 that totaled $2.11 million. “When you look at what is a solution for many societal issues, it is a quality education that comes with a component of moral and ethical responsibility - and using that education to be a successful contributor to society while enacting Jesuit values.”

Please join us in this plan for a hope-filled future.

We invite you to read the Vision Document at rockhursths.edu/vision2023 or scan the QR code.

JANUARY 2023

Fr. Gary Menard, SJ, blessed the Class of 2023 as its members were missioned to their Senior Service Projects on Jan. 4, 2023

Seniors Attend Jesuit Discernment Retreat

Four Rockhurst seniors were among 30 students representing nine Jesuit high schools in a discernment retreat offered by Jesuit USA Central & Southern (UCS) Province. The retreat was hosted at the Strake Jesuit Retreat and Leadership Center, located between Houston and Dallas.

Students engaged in two days of silent prayer focused on vocational discernment, whether specifically in Jesuit religious life, priesthood, or another vocation. It was the second year of this retreat offered by the Province.

Senior Service Projects Remain Vital Part of Rockhurst Experience

Hawklets in the graduating Class of 2023 began their eighth and final semester at Rockhurst High School the same way they began their first semester as freshmen - in service to the community.

The day after Freshman Orientation, all first-year Hawklets complete a day of community service at one of several agencies throughout the city. That idea of living as “men for others” is continually stressed and demonstrated over a student’s next four years.

Senior Service Projects have been an invaluable part of the Rockhurst experience for more than 50 years, as seniors spend two-and-a-half weeks in January serving others. This participation aims to form the standard of selfless service as an opportunity, and not a requirement, as the young men set off to college and beyond.

The Class of 2023 included all 212 students volunteering at one of 37 Kansas City organizations including hospitals, elementary and preschools,

senior living centers, childcare centers, food pantries, and more. Sixty-two of the seniors opted to attend one of two week-long immersion trips in San Andrés Itzapa, Guatemala; they worked with Habitat for Humanity in Kansas City during the other week.

“The retreat is an important way to support students in discerning God’s call to them, potentially to religious life and priesthood. High school is a formative time for young people, and we want them to gain some tools and knowledge about different types of vocations that God might invite them into,” said Dr. Philip Nahlik, SJ.

Twelve Jesuits, including Rockhurst High School’s own Alex Coffey, SJ, and Dr. Nahlik, helped lead the retreat.

Joe Hausman ’23, Liam Hayes ’23, Cade Hintz ’23, and Maddux Radosevic ’23 were interested by the idea of the retreat and decided to attend to learn more about the potential calling from Christ.

“There are certainly priestly vocations at Rockhurst High School and other Jesuit high Schools in the UCS Province, and the High School Discernment Retreat provides a silent, prayerful environment for students to discern the call to consecrate themselves to Him for the service of His people as a religious and/ or priest,” said Coffey. “For those called to serve Christ as priests or religious life or in the vocation of marriage, the retreat provides an opportunity for all participants to deepen their relationship with Christ through praying with Scripture.”

The student attendees found the retreat important as well.

“I think there was a widespread interest in learning more about Jesuit life because, to me, more and more young Catholics seem to possess a deeper desire to return to the traditional roots

of the Faith - roots that, too often, seem to be attacked and modernized by most of our current culture,” said Radosevic. “Since the Jesuit tradition is over 500 years old, these young men recognize that the Order strives to dedicate itself to the pursuit of knowing, loving, and serving God, and more importantly, these young men recognize the value of that pursuit. I saw the merit in this goal of the retreat and know that the mission of St. Ignatius of Loyola is still alive and well in the Jesuit community today.”

Seniors in the Class of 2023 continued the tradition of completing Senior Service Projects, including 62 seniors who volunteered in Guatemala to improve living conditions for families in need.

Dr. Philip Nahlik, SJ, (left) and Alex Coffey, SJ, (right) helped plan and lead the High School DIscernment Retreat. Four seniors attended this retreat (L-R) Joe Hausman, Liam Hayes, Maddux Radosevic, and Cade Hintz.

Thirty students from nine Jesuit high schools in the Central and Southern Province attended the High School Discernment Retreat.

FEBRUARY 2023

Mission Week Aids Meaningful Organizations

Rockhurst’s Student Government Association (SGA) challenged the student body to sacrifice something in their own lives to benefit the annual Mission Week in February, which supports charitable organizations of each grade level’s choosing.

Freshmen selected a Jesuit refugee service working for those affected by the conflict in Ukraine, sophomores selected the KC Veterans Community Project, juniors selected St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and

seniors selected the Carmelite Convent in San Andrés Itzapa, Guatemala.

Activities throughout the week that encouraged fundraising included dress down days, the faculty vs. student basketball game, volleyball night vs. St. Teresa’s Academy and Notre Dame de Sion, Chris Cakes breakfast, penny wars, raffle prizes, and the Mission Week Board Game.

While the week focuses on fun, at the heart of Mission Week is generosity

and helping those less fortunate. Students rallied together to raise more than $26,000 for their respective organizations. Each class donated more than $5,000, and the sophomore class raised the most with over $8,500 for the KC Veterans Community Project.

In addition, members of the junior class participated in a digital card writing campaign sending letters of support to patients at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Hawklets and Moms Take Storied Event to New Venue

A long-standing favorite Rockhurst tradition continued on Feb. 5, 2023, with the Mother Son Dinner Dance. For the first time in its history, this fun event was hosted at Municipal Auditorium, where the seniors would walk across the stage to receive their diplomas just three months later.

The 2023 Mother Son Dinner Dance was one of the best attended in history, with more than 1,100 Hawklets and Rock Moms joining for the memorable night.

Speaking on behalf of the senior class and the entire student body, Patrick O’Farrell ’23 toasted to all Rockhurst

moms, saying, “Thank you to the moms involved with Rockhurst High School, because you are so important to our community. And Rockhurst students, remember to give your mom a hug tonight, because she deserves it.”

Freshmen cheered on their classmates as they represented the Class of 2026 in various games in the Mission Week Board Game.

The Mission Week Board Game consisted of competitions between grades, including the fastest buzz cut contest won by the seniors.

Junior class SGA members Adam Kopulous, Andrew Puthumana, and Jagger McCarroll presented St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital with a check for more than $6,300 from the class’ fundraising efforts during the 2023 Mission Week.

The 2023 Mother Son Dinner Dance was hosted at Municipal Auditorium for the first time. More than 1,100 Hawklets and Rock Moms attended.

MARCH 2023

Robotics Team Builds on Trajectory of Success

Rockhurst High School’s Robotics Team, The Jesubots, was formed in 2015 to compete in the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics Program. Starting from scratch, the team has made great strides over the last eight years and recently enjoyed its most successful season in program history, while also doubling the student size of the team and an increased interest from freshmen.

Eighteen student team members represented The Jesubots in the first of two Central Missouri Regional Competitions of “Charged Up”, involving alliances of three robots working together to move inflatable cubes and small cones across a 6-foot field and, and place them on tiered shelves and poles. They worked alongside alliance teams from Smith-Cotton High School (Sedalia, MO), and Blaze Robotics (Burnsville, MN), and won the competition, becoming Regional Champions for the second time ever. In doing so, the teams qualified for the World Championships in Houston in April.

“Through skilled driving, robust construction, rapid iteration programming, and good strategy, our students helped work as a group of three schools and were able to defeat each of the seven alliances present, including one comprising the 42nd and 90th best robots of more than 3,400 in the world this year,” said Tim Nendick ’08, Rockhurst Robotics Coach. “That was a defining point in the season, and what qualified Rockhurst for Worlds.”

The Jesubots’ accomplishments are especially impressive because, unlike many teams, only students work with the robot. Adult coaches and mentors serve as resources, but Rockhurst students are entirely responsible for the design, build, and fabrication of the robot. Every non-painted piece of robot was built, from start to finish, in the Rockhurst robotics lab. Coach Nendick noted that this robot had the highest level of engineering and fabrication in the history of Rockhurst’s program.

In the team’s second Regional competition, the robot experienced a major electrical failure in its motor, causing extensive damage to the control circuitry. Fixing this problem took the students most of the event time and required them to work closely with experts in automotive control system engineering and professional programmers. They were able to rectify the failure, but fell short of the finals as an alliance, ultimately being eliminated by the winning teams. However, the event marked the first time Rockhurst has received the Quality Award.

This award celebrated the students’ ability to see through the engineering and fabrication process in all its steps: from concept, to design, to fabrication, to integration. The award is given by event judges, who are professionals in the fields of engineering and fabrication.

Following the second regional, The Jesubots decided a full redesign of the scoring mechanism was needed; and the students pulled off this difficult task in ten days, from computeraided design (CAD) to fabrication to

programming. Despite the risk and significant time demands, the students ultimately showed each system of the robot to be healthy and competitionready just two days before leaving for Houston.

The Jesubots were among 624 teams representing 59 counties at the World Championships. In Rockhurst’s level of competition, there are approximately 3,400 teams worldwide; The Jesubots were one of 206 teams to advance to Worlds by winning a regional, putting Rockhurst’s season performance in the top 6% of robotics teams internationally.

At Worlds, Rockhurst’s 17 representatives started working closely with one of the highest-performing teams to run as a supporting robot. This involved re-programming a currently-working system to make it more robust. It was a gamble the students were willing to make, as supporting the highest-level teams was the only way for The Jesubots to move forward further. This gamble, unfortunately, also pushed a motor beyond its designed specifications, and caused failures through much of the first day of competition.

“The students’ choice to redesign and take a risk should be celebrated - and was ultimately the correct one to make,” reflected Nendick. “It was the most likely way for the team to advance, and the lessons learned most certainly influence our design goals moving forward.”

Kiernan Donohue ’24 and Eli Manis ’24 carried Rockhurst’s robot to the competition arena at the World Championships.

Left: Evan Angotti ’23, Atem Akuei ’23, and Henry Becker ’25 guided the robot from the control station at Worlds.

Right: The Jesubots were Central Missouri Regional Competition champions.

“From the moment I stepped into Rockhurst, the sense of community and brotherhood was very apparent and an invaluable part of my experience. No matter someone’s interests or skills, there is a place for them at Rockhurst.”

University of Kansas

— James Donohue ’23

APRIL 2023

Spectacular Auction: a Record-Breaking Evening

Many current and future Hawklets will have the opportunity for a Rockhurst education, thanks to the support raised from the 2023 Spectacular Auction.

Through the incredible selflessness and leadership from our 2023 Co-Chair Couples, this year’s event edged out the previous fundraising record from 2021. Shannon & Patrick Lillis served as the first Legacy Co-Chair Couple, returning to service after co-chairing the 2022 auction. They were joined this year for “Rock Solid” by Natalie & Kyle Hartman ’91, Christy & Mike Poe, and Amanda & Lawrence Tynes.

Shannon Lillis, who also serves Rockhurst as a Trustee, remarked of herself and her husband, Patrick, “We are both Jesuit-educated, and we deeply believe in the mission of the Catholic, Jesuit education provided by Rockhurst. It can truly be life-changing.” She continued, “We hope that the leadership continuity that the Legacy Co-Chair system provides will create

momentum from year to year and set up Rockhurst Spectacular for even greater success in the future, allowing more students to receive the level of financial assistance they need to receive a Rockhurst education.”

“Rock Solid” reached capacity, selling out at 675 registrations a week before the event. With a full house, Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, Principal, and David Laughlin, President, entertained guests throughout the night of fun and entertainment in support of The Rock. Ten incredible items, ranging from a one-of-a-kind NFL Draft experience to a dinner with the Rockhurst Jesuits to a puppy, were auctioned off live by the Nigro Brothers; and hundreds of other great items were available for bidding online.

Dinner, live music, dancing, and a toast in memory of “Rockhurst’s Mom,” Judie Scanlon, were also highlights of the evening.

SPECTACULAR RAISED MORE THAN $1.516 MILLION TO SUPPORT ROCKHURST TUITION ASSISTANCE. THESE PROCEEDS IMPACT 47% OF CURRENTLYENROLLED FAMILIES, MAKING THE ROCKHURST EXPERIENCE POSSIBLE FOR THEIR SONS.

Make sure you are part of the Spectacular fun next year - mark your calendar for April 20, 2024! Stay up-to-date at rockhursths.edu/auction.

While President David Laughlin continued to entertain the sold-out crowd, the Spectacular team gathered for a photo on the record-breaking night: Diane Marty, Lawrence & Amanda Tynes, Moira Healy, Sylvia Medina Smith, Christy & Mike Poe, Patrick & Shannon Lillis, and Natalie & Kyle Hartman ’91.

Upperclassmen Celebrated for School Leadership

The final weeks of each academic year includes the annual All-School Awards Assembly, where more than 100 students are recognized with academic and service awards for their commitment to excellence in the classroom and in the community.

Three members of the graduating class are also surprised with special Senior Class Awards that are bestowed each year.

Maddux Radosevic ’23 was honored with the Jesuit Schools Network (JSN) Award, which is given to a member of the graduating class in each of the 60 Jesuit Secondary member schools in the United States and Central America. It is presented to a deserving senior who best represents the ideals of the graduate of a Jesuit high school at the time of graduation; one who is generous with his talents, dedicated to the Gospel message, and devoted to the Christian ideals as enunciated by St. Ignatius Loyola.

Brock Narciso ’23 was honored with the Carl G. Kloster, SJ, Award, which was originally known as the Special R Award. It is presented to a senior who embodies the spirit and tradition of Rockhurst High School and is a young man who consistently puts the welfare of his fellow students above his own interests. He is distinguished by his work ethic, excellence in conduct, and outstanding devotion to the school through service to classmates.

Brian Humphrey ’23 was honored with the Rockhurst Senior Class Award of Excellence and Achievement, selected by his fellow classmates. It is presented to a senior in “recognizing possession of qualities that we hope others find in us, and having experienced and benefited from his extraordinary devotion to our class and to our school.” This award recipient also serves as the graduation speaker.

As the seniors prepare to graduate, the junior class is asked to undertake the

role of leading the school. This is done ceremoniously through the Junior Leadership Mass and Ring Ceremony. Each rising senior in the Class of 2024 received a class pin or ring, marking their commitment to the Rockhurst magis - defined by Fr. James Martin, SJ, as the more, the better, the greater, for God, not for ourselves.

Two students were also recognized with the annual Junior Leadership Awards. Adam Kopulos ’24 received the Thomas R. McGee Leadership Award, presented in recognition of outstanding leadership qualities demonstrated during junior year. Andrew Puthumana ’24 received the Joseph Patrick McCormick Memorial Award, presented to a member of the junior class who has demonstrated exceptional leadership, co-curricular involvement, service to the school, and Christian values in a superior manner.

President David Laughlin and Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, presented the Senior Class Awards to Maddux Radosevic ’23, Brian Humphrey ’23, and Brock Narciso ’23.

Luke Lewellen ’24 and all members of the rising senior class were congratulated by Fr. Gary Menard, SJ, as they received their class pins or rings at the Junior Leadership Mass.

Adam Kopulos ’24 was presented with the Thomas R. McGee Leadership Award by President David Laughlin.

MAY 2023

Rockhurst Celebrates 107th Graduating Class

On May 14, 2023, Rockhurst High School continued its tradition of hosting the Baccalaureate Mass and Commencement Exercises at Municipal Auditorium where 212 young men were elevated from Rockhurst students to Rockhurst alumni. They are now part of the 15,370-member Rockhurst High School National Alumni Association. This year’s commencement speaker was Brian Humphrey ’23, the winner of the Rockhurst Senior Class Award of Excellence and Achievement, chosen by his fellow classmates.

Humphrey talked about Rockhurst

instilling P.R.I.D.E. (personal responsibility in daily excellence) in everything the school and its students undertake, beginning with a Freshman Day For Others on a Hawklet’s first day on campus, through a class-wide day of reflection on the final day on campus as a senior. Following graduation, Humphrey joined the United States Military Academy at West Point.

As a whole, the Class of 2023 was accepted to 172 colleges and universities with nearly $2 million awarded in scholarships. Members are attending 63 different four-year colleges, including the Massachusetts Institute

of Technology, University of Notre Dame, Dartmouth College, Georgetown University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University of Michigan, University of Southern California, The American University of Paris, and Trinity College Dublin.

Humphrey left his classmates with these parting words:

“To the 212 members of the Rockhurst High School great Class of 2023, always remember that you came from 9301 State Line Road, strived to be the best version of yourself, and always showcased that Rockhurst P.R.I.D.E.”

The Class of 2023 sang the “Alma Mater” together for the last time before being awarded their Rockhurst High School diplomas.

Kyle Stanley, Johnny Steffano, John Tancona, Caleb Teeven, and Daniel Vasquez were among the 212 members of the Class of 2023 who joined the ranks of Rockhurst High School alumni.

Brian Humphrey ’23 served as the commencement speaker after being selected as the winner of the Senior Class Award of Excellence and Achievement.

Choral Program Performs at Kauffman Center

More than 200 students representing all four grade levels were members of the Rockhurst Choral Program in the 202223 year, making it the largest single co-curricular activity in the school.

The students form four impressive vocal groups: Freshman Choir, Advanced Choir, Chamber Singers, and Concert Choir. All four groups had the opportunity to perform their final concert of the year in Helzberg Hall of

Students Serve Community Through Corporal Work of Mercy

Guided by two faculty members, eight Rockhurst students gathered at Mt. Olivet Cemetery on the morning of May 4 to serve as pallbearers for unclaimed cremains, after the county had exhausted all efforts to find family and loved ones. They helped lay to rest 32 men and women as part of the St. Joseph of Arimathea Society at Rockhurst, named after the man who helped bury Jesus.

Fr. Gary Menard, SJ, led the ceremony with a prayer, and with assistance from Steve Pierce of Muehlebach Funeral Home, the five seniors and three juniors carried the cremains one-by-one to their final resting place as Fr. Menard offered Holy Water to each.

“Let’s remember these folks who have died in our city,” offered Fr. Menard to the student pallbearers. “They might have been loved and supported in all kinds of ways in their lives, but at the end of their lives, there’s really nobody there for them. And it’s now our privilege to be there for them.”

The St. Joseph of Arimathea Society was founded at Rockhurst in 2016 and then re-established in the spring of 2021, and has continued each of the last three years. Since its inception at Rockhurst, the society has helped lay to rest more than 200 people. The burying of the dead is one of the seven Corporal Works of Mercy, which aim to relieve spiritual suffering.

Fr. Gary Menard, SJ, offered a blessing of Holy Water to each set of cremains. John Henninger ’23 was one of eight students who volunteered for the St. Joseph of Arimathea Society on May 4, 2023.

the world-renowned Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts.

Rockhurst supporters made this incredible experience possible through their generosity.

“Hosting our Spring Concert in the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts is an extraordinary opportunity for our students to showcase their talent in a world-class concert hall,” said Dr. Kevin Coker, Director of Choirs.

“Our singers look forward to this culminating experience where we highlight their accomplishments and celebrate our senior class. We recognize how unique it is for a high school to have the opportunity to perform in such a venue, and we are honored to continue to strive to uphold the tradition of excellence set forth by the past outstanding Rockhurst ensembles.”

Dr. Kevin Coker directed the Rockhurst Choirs’ concert at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts on May 2, 2023.

Mitch Forbes ’24, Dom Yarbrough ’24, Myles Carson ’24, and Brian Bessenbacher ’23 respectfully received the cremains of unclaimed men and women to lay them to rest as part of the St. Joseph of Arimathea Society at Rockhurst.

“Rockhurst challenges its students to put forth an effort that they didn’t even know they were capable of giving. This inspires students to execute all of their actions for the purpose of attaining greatness for the greater glory of God.”

— Maddux Radosevic ’23 Missouri State University

JUNE 2023

Hurtado Scholars Program Celebrates First Decade of Success

More than 100 supporters of the Hurtado Scholars Program gathered in the Applause Club at Starlight Theatre for the program’s annual “The Fire That Kindles Other Fires / El Fuego Que Enciende Otros Fuegos” celebration on June 1, 2023.

This special night put a bow on the first completed decade of the Hurtado Scholars Program at Rockhurst. Since its inception in 2012, and the pioneer group entering the program as rising 6th graders for the 2013-14 school year, 118 young men and their families have been served by the program. Scholars in that pioneer group, members of Rockhurst’s great Class of 2020, are preparing to graduate from college next spring.

The 8th grade Scholars finished their three-year program and were recognized for their hard work and dedication at the Hurtado Scholars Program graduation on May 13, 2023. All ten graduates will be attending Rockhurst in the fall.

“The Fire That Kindles Other Fires” event celebrates successes at all levels of the program, and honors two program graduates and a program supporter with annual awards. Doni Morales ’27 received the White Van Award, given to a Scholar who has exemplified the pillars (Academic, Leadership, Spiritual and Faith Formation, and Social Development) of the Hurtado Scholars Program upon the completion of his 8th grade year.

AJ Murphy ’23 received the Green Truck Award, given to a program graduate who has made the most of his

time at Rockhurst upon his high school graduation through his commitment to the values and skills he learned while a Hurtado Scholar. Murphy, who plans to study Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kansas, shared words of gratitude at the event.

“With the knowledge and values that I will have gained from both Rockhurst and KU, I want to take my engineering in a direction that can most benefit those that need it most,” commented Murphy. “Rockhurst taught me to focus on helping those in need. And although I’m not Catholic, Rockhurst has helped strengthen and build my morals and principles more than any other experience have been a part of, and for that am grateful.”

Ted and Leticia Garcia received The Fire That Kindles Other Fires Award for their incredible leadership and support of the program.

“The goodness of God’s work at Rockhurst is evident through the Hurtado Scholars Program - a program that the administration and leadership of the school were intentional about creating, and remain committed to,” said Leticia Garcia, accepting the award with her family. “And to the Hurtado Scholars - we believe in your potential.”

Anthony Re, who took over as Hurtado Scholars Program Director in 2022, reflected on another successful school year and the outlook for the future of the program.

“Here at Rockhurst, our average GPA for the Hurtado Scholars Program graduates hit 3.2 this year, and our

Scholar grads have thrived as AP students, as Kairos Retreat leaders, as participants on immersion service trips, as athletes, as thespians, as members of the Student Government Association, and in so many other ways,” remarked Re. “The Spirit is alive in these young men each and every day, and they and their families make Rockhurst a better school because of their presence and their efforts.”

The 11th year of the program, beginning in summer 2023, was highlighted by the highest enrollment ever. There are currently 33 boys in the middle school program and 34 graduates who will be freshmen, sophomores, juniors, or seniors at Rockhurst this school year.

Mark your calendar for the 2024 “The Fire That Kindles Other Fires / El Fuego Que Enciende Otros Fuegos” event on June 6, 2024!

AJ Murphy ’23 received the Green Truck Award, aided by the support of his parents, Latrice and Anthony Murphy.

Current Hurtado Scholars and program graduates attended “The Fire That Kindles Other Fires” celebration on June 1, 2023 at Starlight Theatre.

Ted and Leticia Garcia received The Fire That Kindles Other Fires Award, presented by President David Laughlin.

Senior Service Projects Remain Vital Part of Rockhurst Experience

While hallways and classrooms mostly remained empty for the summer, with the exception of summer camps and courses, Rockhurst High School’s facility and maintenance teams remained as busy as ever.

They led projects on all areas of campus to prepare for the start of the 2023-24 school year.

These projects included a three-monthlong overhaul of the air handling, so that classroom heating and cooling is more efficient, recarpeting the Rose Theater, completing phase one of a three-year planned approach to upgrading the fire alarm system, replacing two sections of the roof at The Goppert Rock Plex,

resurfacing sidewalks in various part of Greenlease Memorial Campus, remodeling the bathroom in Xavier Hall/ Ignatian Spirituality Center of Kansas City, removing diseased trees and preparing to plant new ones, creating a Security Office for Rockhurst’s new full-time Director of Campus Security (a highly-decorated 27-year KCPD veteran), repainting classrooms and hallways, undergoing a plethora of inspections to ensure all safety components are working properly, and refinishing all floors in the school’s buildings.

Summer 2023 also marked the completion of the Jack Nestor ’34 Outdoor Lab & Classroom, which

now features class gifts from two recent graduating classes. The great Class of 2021 funded the discovery pond, and the Great Class of 2022 funded the Hawklet statue.

The Rockhurst facilities team said of all the summer projects: Our role is to make Rockhurst’s infrastructure as strong as the school is academically, socially, and spiritually. We work to make things more efficient, and every year have the building in better shape than it was before. Our team members won’t be here forever, but we want to make sure that this campus is.

Andrew Becerra, Rockhurst facilities team member, prepped a hallway for paint in June 2023.

The great Class of 2022 raised the funds for the Hawklet statue and the great Class of 2021 raised the funds for the discovery pond, both located in the Jack Nestor ’34 Outdoor Lab & Classroom.

ROCKHURST RECAP 2022-23

ACADEMICS

• Five seniors were selected as National Merit Finalists; 11 were selected as National Merit Commended Students

• Thirty-three seniors earned AP Scholar designation; seven senior earned AP Scholar with Honor designation; six seniors earned AP Scholar with Distinction designation

• Two freshmen were surprised with KC Scholars Match Scholarships

• Seven AquaHawk seniors were named Academic All-Americansthe most in program history, and Rockhurst was recognized as an All-American Team; three volleyball players were named Academic AllState; one soccer player was named Academic All-State

• Four members of the Speech & Debate Team were named Academic All-Americans

CO-CURRICULARS

• Six Speech & Debate students qualified for the NSDA National Tournament; six also qualified for the MSHSAA State Speech & Debate Championships, with five placing in the top-6 of their events

• Rockhurst’s Robotics Team, The Jesubots, won a regional tournament and qualified for the World Championships

• Brian Humphrey ’23 was selected as the NAIA’s High School StudentAthlete of Character Award winner; there is only recipient of this award from the KC Metro each year

• Seven student musicians earned a 1 (Exemplary) Rating at the District Solo and Ensemble Music Contest; four students earned a 2 (Outstanding) Rating; and three ensembles consisting of 13 students earned a 2 (Outstanding) Rating

• Five musicians earned Gold Ratings at the State Solo and Ensemble Festival; two musicians earned Silver Ratings

• Rockhurst’s Jazz Band was invited to perform at the 18th & Vine Jazz Festival at the historic Gem Theater

• Maddux Radosevic ’23 was awarded an Honorable Mention in the 2022 National YoungArts Foundation Competition, which placed him in the top 18 high school classical singers in the country

• The Mock Trial Team qualified for and competed in the Missouri State Championship, and placed in the top-12 of all teams in the state

• Rockhurst’s Scholar Bowl Team won its District Championship and advanced to the State Quarterfinals

• Rockhurst’s Theatre Department put on five productions throughout the school year, and earned three KC Starlight Blue Star Awards nominations for its production of Urinetown

• The Software Engineering Club placed 2nd in the Beginner Division and 3rd in the Advanced Division at the 30-team Kansas State High School Programming Contest

• Four students participated in the CAPS Network’s Pure Pitch Rally Kansas City

• Five students in Intro to Moviemaking collaborated on a PSA video and placed in the top-10 in the Kansas Turnpike Authority’s “Put the Brakes on Fatalities” contest

• Six students participated in Laudato Sion, an interfaith dialogue about faithful responses to Care for Creation

• Rockhurst’s Lion Dance Team was asked to perform at the KC Zoo’s Glow Wild, as well as at the Kansas City Chinese Association (KCCA) 2023 Chinese New Year Gala

COMMUNITY SERVICE

• Seniors in the Class of 2023 continued the 50-year tradition of Senior Service Projects, volunteering for 2.5 weeks at one of 37 local agencies; 62 seniors completed their service in Guatemala

• All freshmen completed four Freshman Days for Others, serving various organizations in the Kansas City area

• Each member of the junior participated in the inaugural Junior Community Days program

• Eight students participated in the ministry of St. Joseph of Arimathea Society, helping lay to rest 32 men and women with no known family or loved ones

• Forty-one rising juniors and seniors offered a week of their summer break to attend Total Ignatian Experience (TIE) Tennessee, working with Habitat for Humanity Appalachia

• Students donated more than 2,000 children’s books for the Lead To Read Program

• The swim & dive, wrestling, and baseball teams each planned their own days of community service

• The Harvest Food Drive raised more than 17,000 pounds of canned goods, which were donated to nine local agencies

• Students raised more than $26,000 during the annual Mission Week, with funds donated to a charitable organization of each grade level’s choosing

• Fifteen students traveled to Washington, D.C. for the 50th annual March For Life, the largest annual human rights demonstration in the world

• Rockhurst’s Future Docklets of America (Pre-Med Club) and Student Governmet Association organized a “Be The Match” bone marrow registration drive

• Members of Rockhurst’s Human Dignity Club and Culinary Club collected new socks and gloves and created Valentine’s Day gift bags for the homeless at the Cherith Brook Catholic Worker House

• Gio DePalma ’24 organized a St. Joseph’s Table, with all food donations then being donated to the Wyandotte Pregnancy Center

Five seniors were selected as National Merit Semifinalists and then Finalists. Pictured left to right between Fr. Principal Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, and President David Laughlin: Charlie Lundstrom, Wes Roeder, Thomas Kennedy, James Donohue, and Max Smith. Chris Bosco, Assistant Principal for Student Life, informed Diego Salinas ’26 and Mannix Palan ’26 that they were selected for KC Scholars Match Scholarships.

The Theatre Department earned three KC Starlight Blue Star Awards nominations for its production of Urinetown. Ashlea Christopher (bottom left) served as Rockhurst’s Theatre Director from 2013-2023.

Students gathered in the Barry Commons before school as Fr. Vincent Giacabazi, SJ, led a prayer over the offerings to the St. Joseph’s Table. All food was then donated to the Wyandotte Pregnancy Center.

Eleven seniors were named National Merit Commended Students. Pictured left to right between President David Laughlin and Fr. Principal Vincent Giacabazi, SJ: Lukas Pitman, Dallas Dietsch, Freddie Graham, John Tietjen, Charlie Pace, Brian Humphrey, Grant Anielak, Nolan Shaw, Joseph Torrey, and Charlie Perricelli. Not pictured: Simon Connor.

Below: Rockhurst’s Jazz Band performed at the 18th & Vine Jazz Festival at the historic Gem Theater.

Below: All members of Rockhurst’s swim & dive team, the AquaHawks, volunteered for the annual Christmas in October service day, completing home improvement projects for neighbors in need.

BASEBALL

• District Champion; State Quarterfinalist

• 18-15 record

• All-State: Colton Wemhoff ’23

• All-District:

John Diamond ’23

Marco Dumsky ’23

Colton Wemhoff ’23

Cooper Westra ’24

BASKETBALL

• District Runner-Up

• 11-14 record

• All-District:

Hayden Spachman ’23 (1st Team)

Braden Lamley ’24 (Hon. Men.)

CROSS COUNTRY

• 3rd Place at Districts

• 7th Place at State

• All-State: Henry Acorn ’25

• All-District:

Brian Humphrey ’23

August Thompson ’23

Henry Acorn ’25

Justin Waldron ’25

FOOTBALL

• District Quarterfinalist

• 5-5 record

• All-State: Andrew Sprague ’24 (1st Team)

• All-District:

Barrett Brewer ’23

Conor Sexton ’23

Micah Oder ’24

Andrew Sprague ’24

GOLF

• State Runner-Up; District Champion

• All-State: Jack Cobb ’23 (Co-State Champion)

• All-District:

Luke Walsh ’23 (2nd)

Alex Hogan ’24 (3rd)

Kyle Stanley ’23 (4th)

Jack Cobb ’23 (T-10th)

Nick Hartman ’24 (T-18th)

HOCKEY (CLUB)

• MAHSHL Quarterfinalist

• 8-12-2 record

• 1st Team All-Conference:

Jack Kenner ’23

Caleb Teeven ’23

Hayes Holmes ’24

Michael Torlina ’24

Fin Arthur ’25

LACROSSE

• LAKC Champion

• 18-0 record

• All-American: Luke McNamara ’24

• All-LAKC:

Henry Kemp ’23 (1st Team)

Jack Bichelmeyer ’24 (1st Team)

Charlie Gormsen ’24 (1st Team)

Matthew Koehler ’24 (1st Team)

Luke McNamara ’24 (1st Team)

Colin Komenda ’24 (2nd Team)

Gentry Curtis ’26 (2nd Team)

Brock Narciso ’23 (Hon. Men.)

Hayes Holmes ’24 (Hon. Men.)

Reid Moshier ’24 (Hon. Men.)

Croix Snow ’24 (Hon. Men.)

SOCCER

• State Champion

• 21-2-2 record

• All-American: Baka Kante ’24

• All-State:

Baka Kante ’24 (1st Team, Player of the Year)

Teddy Franke ’23 (1st Team)

Uchan Kohring ’25 (2nd Team)

Asende Welongo ’26 (2nd Team)

SWIM & DIVE

• State Champion

• All-American & All-State:

Caden Francois ’23

George Rebman ’23

Carson Smith ’23

Owen Stuckey ’23

John Switzer ’23

John Tietjen ’23

Evan Crim ’24

Blake Francois ’24

All-State:

Brian Bessenbacher ’23

Tony Orrick ’23

Tate Slaymaker ’23

Andy Baklanov ’25

Joseph Douglas ’25

Josh Battison ’26

TENNIS

• State Quarterfinalist;

District Champion

• 3-8 record

• State doubles qualifiers

Caleb Bridges ’25 (7th Place)

Henry Stevens ’25 (7th Place)

Nate Dierks ’24

Luke Johnson ’26

TRACK & FIELD

• 2nd Place at Districts

• T-9th Place at State

• All-State Individuals:

Brendan Kerr ’23

Kene Okpareke ’23

All-State Relays:

Brendan Kerr ’23

Kene Okpareke ’23

Max Smith ’23

Dom Yarbrough ’24

Henry Acorn ’25

Andrew Davis ’25

Bill Hayes ’25

Brayden Worsetll ’25

VOLLEYBALL (CLUB)

• KCHSBVL Champion; State Quarterfinalist

• 27-1 record; 26-0 in league play

• All-State (Hon. Men.):

Barrett Brewer ’23

Connor Gaarder ’23

• All-District:

Barrett Brewer ’23

Colin Fitzgerald ’23

Connor Gaarder ’23

Gage Heueisen ’23

Mason Kastel ’25

WRESTLING

• 12th Place at Districts

• 2-7-1 dual record

• Placed 5th individually at Districts:

Bobby Clemons ’24

Robert Purcell ’24

Luke Tyrer ’24

2022-23

The 4x100 relay team placed 2nd at State, running a season PR of 41.92 and barely missing the school record. Members of the State 4x100 team were Brayden Worstell ’25, Max Smith ’23, Dom Yarbrough ’24, and Kene Okpareke ’23.

Rockhurst Soccer won its second straight State Championship, finishing with a record of 21-2-2 and ranked #14 in the nation.

Rock Volleyball won the KC League Championship for the third time in four seasons, and went undefeated in league play. They competed in the Missouri State Tournament for the first time ever and advanced to the quarterfinals before losing in four sets to Parkway South.

The golf team shot a State-record 287 for a Par 288 course at Districts. The Hawklets then placed 2nd at State, led by individual Co-State Champ Jack Cobb ’23.

The AquaHawks won their third State Title in a row, and 14th in program history. The team set a new Missouri record with 422 points scored at the State Meet.

The Lacrosse Hawklets earned a perfect 18-0 record with a +249 goal differential en route to a third consecutive LAKC Title.

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