9 minute read
NEWS: Student and alumni highlights and profiles
LANCERS IN THE NEWS
New Saint Francis Administrators
This fall, Saint Francis welcomed one new administrator to the school community, as well as three Lancer administrators into new leadership roles, while rolling out an updated administrative structure to better support the school’s students and educators. The revised Executive Leadership Team, which comprises members from the Institutional and Leadership groups, will support and manage Saint Francis’ curricular and co-curricular programs to ensure an outstanding, accessible Holy Cross education for our students.
Meighan Wilson Friedsam ’97
Vice Principal of Curriculum and Instruction, overseeing the school’s academic vision and programming
Former Dean of Faculty (2016-2022) and Holy Cross educator (2003-current)) “I’m deeply committed to the Saint Francis community and to fostering a transformational Holy Cross educational experience for all students. As vice principal of curriculum and instruction, I am thrilled to have more opportunities to engage with students, educators and parents and to advance our shared efforts in creating opportunities for our students to develop as creative, courageous and compassionate leaders of impact.”
Therren Wilburn
Director of Athletics
Former Assistant Director of Athletics, Cathedral Catholic High School, San Diego, and Director of Athletics, Palo Alto High School “I look forward to leading the department that has been a model of success for educationbased athletics in Silicon Valley. I want to share the experiences and lessons that I’ve gained in my career to build upon the established Lancer culture. More than anything, I am looking to be a role model to our student-athletes and the Saint Francis community.”
Natalie Lai ’06
Director of School Culture and Belonging
Holy Cross educator (2017-current) including affinity group moderator, ninth-grade Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) program lead, SF Family Club moderator, freshman student council co-moderator, Holy Cross Achievers tutor and mentor, and anti-bias curriculum lead for the English Department “I want to serve and expand in the ways that I contribute to the inclusivity and growth of our school community that is rooted in our Holy Cross tradition and values. Cultivating relationships with students, educators and families inside and outside of the classroom in various capacities is what I eagerly look forward to in this new role.”
Michael Pilawski
Vice Principal of Campus Life, managing all the major co-curricular programs, namely Athletics, Student Activities and the Dean’s Office
Former Director of Athletics (2004-2022) and Holy Cross educator (1997-current) “The opportunity to work with the talented educators in Athletics, Activities and the Dean’s Office is something I am looking forward to greatly. I am excited about partnering with our parent community and continuing to find ways for our students to thrive and lead in our campus life inside and outside of the classroom.”
Georgetown Law Connects with Lancers
Saint Francis is one of three Bay Area high schools partnering with Georgetown Law School to bring more students of diverse backgrounds into the legal profession through Georgetown’s Early Outreach Initiative.
Last spring, Saint Francis students had the opportunity to meet with Georgetown Law students about their experiences applying to law school and their interests in law. During the semester-long program, 13 Lancers spoke with practicing attorneys in a range of fields from patent law to medical law. The program included events to hone skills relevant to law, such as workshops on opening statements and negotiations.
Anika Jain ’22, a Brandeis University freshman and Humanities Fellowship program participant who studies politics and journalism, participated last spring. She is most interested in civil rights law and environmental law, and the Early Outreach Initiative gave her a vital perspective into the profession since no one in her family works in law. One highlight has been her ongoing connection with the lawyer mentor assigned to Anika through the Georgetown program – just one example of the insight and resources, otherwise inaccessible, to help Anika chart her course to law school.
“Ultimately, I want a career in public service where I can help people,” she says. “I believe that studying political science and law will provide me with the building blocks to get there.”
LANCER profile
Andrew Adkison ’23
Saint Francis Family Club mentor, junior and senior years TEDx Co-director Lancer Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Board Member National Honor Society Athletic Director’s Council World Languages Honors Society Varsity football since sophomore year, captain, 2022 Varsity basketball since junior year Varsity track since junior year BRIC Brothers, member Lancer Legacy: Sisters Kennedy Adkison ’21, Katherine Adkison ’24 and Kayla Adkison ’26
(Top) Andrew receives the Holy Cross Award at an assembly. (Right) Andrew on the football field.
Why is mentoring freshmen and helping them orient to the school through the Saint Francis Family Club (SFFC) important to you?
Everyone sees themselves in the freshmen. The transition from eighth grade to high school can be a little intimidating. The biggest thing for incoming freshmen is that they just lack experience with high school. SFFC gives them that experience. When I was a freshman, my older sister Kennedy was one of five SFFC freshman mentors in her advisory class, but the role of SFFC has since expanded. Now there are around 100 SFFC mentors, and each freshman advisory class has 25 students with five to six mentors per advisory. My mentors talked about their experiences at Saint Francis and outside of the school. They helped us find our own path. This year, my sister Katherine is a mentor and Kayla is being mentored as a freshman. I knew freshman year that I wanted to be a SFFC mentor. I was looking for opportunities to help people.
How does SFFC work?
We lead freshman orientation for two days before school starts. We’re with them all day, give tours around campus and talk about campus life. Throughout the year, we meet with our [assigned] freshman advisory class once a week. Ms. Lai, our advisor, creates the curriculum, and we go through various topics like listening and taking care of our emotions. We do different activities and try to make it fun. We use it as a space where they can grow and learn.
What do you get out of the program as a mentor?
Being a mentor has definitely inspired me to be a leader and follow a career path that involves leadership. I am planning to apply to the military academies. SFFC gives you a chance to connect with younger kids and gives you a new perspective on interacting with different types of people. In sports, as older athletes, we have to set an example. Words are really powerful, but I think that the biggest thing that younger kids look up to upperclassmen for is their actions and how they perform. I have been blessed to have good mentors in my family, coaches, teachers, older students. I just want people I mentor to grow to be leaders themselves someday.
What have you learned about leadership as a TEDx co-director?
It’s definitely helped me work better with other people and see different perspectives. Everyone’s different with certain abilities and experiences. You need to take people’s personal stories into account. The biggest thing with TEDx is that, sometimes, you just want your story to be shared because it isn’t always heard or told in the way you want. TEDx gives people a chance to share their story and give back to the community.
LANCER ATHLETICS NEWS
ABOUT MR. WILBURN
n Former Assistant Director of Athletics, Cathedral
Catholic High School, San
Diego, and Director of
Athletics, Palo Alto High
School n B.S., kinesiology and sport management, and M.S., sport management, San
Jose State University n Co-founder and Executive
Board member, the First
Chance U. Foundation n Youth sport coach, YMCA of Silicon Valley; past volunteer roles include basketball coach, Menlo
Park City School District; food distributor, Second
Harvest of Silicon Valley
Mr. Wilburn, second from right, with former Saint Francis athletic directors (from left) Tim Houlihan, Steve DeMaestri and Michael
In July, Saint Francis welcomed a new director of athletics, Therren Wilburn, a talented administrator who is passionate and purposeful about the role athletics play in the development of students’ body, mind and spirit. We asked him to reflect on his new role leading Lancer athletics.
ATHLETICS IS A GREAT AVENUE TO BUILD PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS THAT LAST THROUGHOUT ONE’S LIFE. Innately you learn how to assimilate with others while learning to define your role for the greater good. I think some qualities that athletics teaches are time management skills, how to make ethical decisions and understanding how effort often equals results.
EDUCATING THE WHOLE HUMAN IS A KEY ELEMENT OF THE HOLY CROSS MISSION AND CORRELATES DIRECTLY WITH ATHLETICS. It’s my job to remind coaches that we are investing holistically into our student-athletes’ wellbeing, on and off the playing surface.
I AM MOST EXCITED TO JOIN A THRIVING ATHLETICS COMMUNITY AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE. Not often in athletics are you able to join a program with such tradition and respect among competing schools. It’s wise to assess current practices and then, with innovative thinking, implement changes that make the department more efficient. That’s the mindset I am taking into my first year here at Saint Francis.
From top: The softball, baseball and volleyball teams celebrate big wins last spring.
2021-22 Sports Accolades
The 2021-22 school year was historic for Saint Francis High School. CalHiSports.com named Saint Francis “State School of the Year” for its remarkable sports achievements. It marked the second time in 29 years that the school earned the top spot, thanks to an unforgettable 2021 fall football championship and strong finishes in softball, baseball and boys volleyball. Of note:
• Softball wins first-ever California Interscholastic Federation
Northern California Division I championship • Baseball and volleyball win the Central Coast Section (CCS) titles • Jessica Oakland ’22 named State D1 Girls Athlete of the Year and
Ms. Softball Player of the Year • Sydney Stewart ’22 named Most Valuable Player of Premier Girls
Fastpitch All-American Softball Game • Terry O’Donnell ’87 named California State Coach of the Year for
Girls Swimming and Diving, awarded by the California Coaches
Association • Jonah Carson named 2022 VolleyballMag.com National Boys
High School Coach of the Year • Greg Calcagno ’83 named State Football Coach of the Year by
Cal-Hi Sports • Girls cross country wins CCS and places fourth in the state
