Progress: Summer 2019

Summer 2019

A Publication for Alumni and Parents

Innovation

Formation

>

>

>

MY DEAR BROTHERS AND SISTERS, In our fast and changing world, we are constantly hit by new and wonderful ways of thinking and doing. This is the definition of innovation. Life, by its very nature, requires us to innovate and change so that we may become the person that God intended us to be. As I reflected on how we experience change in our lives, I was drawn to the person of Jesus Christ. During his ministry, Jesus announced an astonishing fact that indeed the kingdom of God is within each of us. Jesus was telling his followers that God was standing in front of them, and all they had to do was to accept Him in their hearts. This was a remarkable statement because Jesus disrupted what the religious scholars at the time thought, inviting them to turn from their ways.

Today, Jesus continues to ask us to change. He encounters people who are searching and seeking, and he offers them a new way of seeing, thinking, loving and doing.

It is human nature to become comfortable with sameness and routine, but we are constantly called to step out of our comfort zone and familiarity to experience newness and growth in life and in love. In fact, this was the very message that Bishop Oscar Cantú gave our students when he visited Saint Francis and celebrated Mass in honor of Mary, Patroness of the Americas. In his homily, Bishop Cantú encouraged the community to be like Mary and say yes to God’s plan for our lives.

This pull to step out is true for education as well. Blessed Basil Moreau himself said, “How we educate the mind will change with the times; how we cultivate the heart is and will remain timeless.” Innovation in education is important because it encourages students and teachers to look for new opportunities to explore and connect to the world. From Moreau’s statement, we can see that innovation is nothing new at Saint Francis. Holy Cross schools have had this sentiment hard-wired in their identity since the late 1800s.

twitter.com/ SFHSLancers

facebook.com/ SFHSLancers

instagram.com/ sfhslancers

YouTube Saint Francis Lancers

LinkedIn Saint Francis High School

In closing, it is my prayer and my hope that as a member of the Saint Francis and Holy Cross community I may be a conduit for God’s grace. I would like to thank all of you and Almighty God for this opportunity to serve as both chaplain and acting president.

Sincerely in Christ Jesus,

Rev. Anthony J. Mancuso, EdD Chaplain and Acting President

How we educate the mind will change with the times; how we cultivate the heart is and will remain timeless.

Blessed Basil Moreau, Founder of the Congregation of the Holy Cross

From left: Fr. Tony Mancuso, Aristotle Vergara II ’19, John Robert Hickam ’19, Bishop Oscar Cantú, Rylee Abaya ’20, Juliana Yujuico ’20, Fr. Steve Kim.

Contents ARTS

11

Publisher

Fr. Tony Mancuso Executive Editor

Holly Elkins ’93

Creative Director

Carol Patane

Editorial Staff

Michele Tjin Kalix Marketing/Sarah Achenbach Design

Kalix Marketing/Jason Quick Support Staff

Nikoa Johnson Bernard Nemis Michele Quinn ’83 Diane Wilson Contributing Photographers

David Elkins Grad Images Tom Johantgen Now and Forever Photography Carla Duharte Razura Progress is published by the Institutional Advancement Department for the alumni, parents and friends of Saint Francis High School.

Email us: progress@sfhs.com

5 15 26 30 34

NEWS Academic, athletic, arts, service and faith highlights from 2018-19

ATHLETICS

INNOVATION FORMATION The impact of Saint Francis students and faculty innovators

ALUMNI NEWS Grand Reunion and Alumni Speaker Series updates

9

CLASS NOTES Alumni class news, In Memory and Little Lancers

HOLY CROSS EDUCATOR

ALUMNI

Hector Camacho, director of guidance and college counseling

26 Summer 2019 PROGRESS

2

Graduation

Class of 2019 On May 25, 2019, families, friends, faculty and staff celebrated the 61st graduating class of Saint Francis.

3

PROGRESS Summer 2019

Our ability to take what we have learned here and bring kindness where the world needs it most—that is who we will be.

-Sienna Caputo ’19

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

4

GEARED UP!

Last August, a student-built robot joined the Saint Francis “Senior Drive-in,” a parade that kicks off the school year with seniors in costumes. Seniors on the 2018 Lancers Robotics team drove their winning robot through campus to cheers and applause. In March 2018, their robot advanced to the FIRST Robotics world championship quarterfinals in Houston, the first time they qualified. The 2019 Robotics team made club history again. At the Silicon Valley Regional, because of the Lancers’ high rank after qualifying rounds, they became captains of their own alliance, an exciting first for the team. Though the team didn’t upset the No. 1 seed, it was a great performance to cap a fantastic year. “I can confidently say that this was our most successful build season and the highest quality robot we have ever produced as a team,” said sophomore Maggie Peterson.

From left: Tarun Amaranth ’19, Jeevan Prakesh ’19, Rohit Mittal ’19.

Above: Francesco Savian ’20 (second from right) and Tarun, Jeevan and Rohit.

5

PROGRESS Summer 2019

LANCER

profile Annalisa Federighi ’20 Co-captain Varsity Speech and Debate Team, 2018-19 Champion James Logan Martin Luther King Jr. Invitational, 2018-19 Qualifier California High School Speech Association State Championship for Lincoln-Douglas, 2018-19 Two-time second-place finisher Long Beach Invitational, Stephen Stewart Middle and High School Invitational, 2018-19 Among top eight finishers in each of her eight novice tournaments, 2017-18 Instructor/debate coach Freshman Experience, summer 2018 Member Chamber Choir, Guitar Club, SF Talks

“I’ve learned how to better organize my thoughts and think faster on my feet to articulate what I believe in.”

Trying debate as a sophomore: I have always felt comfortable speaking in public and thinking on my feet. A classmate suggested that I try speech and debate, so I joined the novice team and entered as many tournaments as I could to learn and improve my skills. [Last year], I didn’t have a reference point to how well I was doing, but my team was very enthusiastic.

Learning from debate: With Lincoln-Douglas, it’s two people debating ethics and morals. You can make arguments that make sense to you, and you don’t have that lag of having to consult with someone else. It’s just you steering the conversation. I really like learning about new topics and understanding how to tackle it from both sides. Sometimes I’d have really strong opinions about a topic going in, and sometimes, I knew absolutely nothing about it.

But I always feel that I can argue from either side. If I come away with an opinion, whether it was the same one I went in with or a different one, I understand what I was valuing and how I arrived at that opinion.

Mentoring debate novices: If someone feels that they’re not cut out for debate or that they don’t have the personality for it, there is no standard path to debate. [During Freshman Experience], we teach incoming students how to debate with confidence and how to make a good argument. It’s a good mentorship between newbies and upperclassmen.

What she loves about the sport: My teammates are welcoming and supportive of one another, and I love that all grades participate together. I’ve learned how to better organize my thoughts and think faster on my feet to articulate what I believe in. I know that public speaking will always be a part of my life.

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

6

Welcome to Saint Francis, Mr. Curtis!

Jason Curtis brings vision, energy and three-plus decades as a school leader, teacher and coach to his new role as president of Saint Francis High School. He also brings a lifelong passion for Catholic education and his native California.

After 19 happy years on the other coast as head of school at Cardinal Gibbons High School in the Diocese of Raleigh, N.C., Mr. Curtis, born and raised in San Diego, is ready for a homecoming.

About Jason Curtis

• President, Saint Francis High School, July 1, 2019

• Cardinal Gibbons High School, Raleigh, N.C., 2000-19

• Principal for 13 years; Previously, assistant principal, department head, teacher and volleyball coach

• National presenter/facilitator on leadership development

• BA, History and minor, Political Science, Santa Clara University

• MEd, Catholic Education, Marymount University

Mr. Curtis with students during a campus visit last May.

I have always admired Saint Francis for its academic reputation, leadership in formation and strong school culture.

I’ve always been struck by the pride that Saint Francis students, educators and parents have for this school. Saint Francis has a strong legacy, foundation and deep tradition of Holy Cross education. Even with all this tradition, the school also has a strong desire to be a national leader among Catholic schools. The prospect of helping to shape the future for Catholic secondary education is really invigorating.

Saint Francis has exciting plans for its future.

As a leader I’m thrilled to have the chance to share a compelling vision, especially when it serves students and families in new and innovative ways. The opportunity to help Saint Francis articulate a far-reaching vision and support our team in bringing it to fruition is a wonderful challenge.

21st-century Catholic education is critical.

The world needs students who are wellformed, and Catholic schools are entrusted

7

PROGRESS Summer 2019

to form students whose education prepares them to serve the world. What we provide in Catholic education is exactly what colleges and employers say is lacking today: creativity, innovation, passion, critical thinking, ethical decision-making and an entrepreneurial spirit. The fact that these are rooted deeply in our schools’ missions and charisms makes me hopeful about the impact Catholic schools can continue to have on education across the country.

I grew up with parents who surfed. [At Cardinal Gibbons], a student asked if I would help her start a surfing club. As an educator, I’ve learned that listening carefully to students’ interests is a key part of building school culture. I hope my students see me as a person with my own passions, and that I want to share them as an educator. Any opportunity to connect with students is both a blessing and an essential part of serving this school community.

I was planning on a career in law and business and got into education by coaching volleyball. I was approached by a Bay Area high school about coaching, and it turned into a teaching interview. The minute I was in the classroom, I knew that was what I wanted to do. While teaching at Cardinal Gibbons, I was encouraged to become an administrator. Most people consider administration to be “leaving” the classroom, but I’ve found that it’s a great opportunity to support and encourage colleagues. I “left” one classroom so that I could be in a hundred classrooms.

Student leadership has been important to me since my Santa Clara University days. We need to provide students with the language, skills and opportunities to develop as leaders. Four years isn’t a lot of time, but I have seen students learn to lead and leave a strong legacy even in that short time. Even in our fast-paced, rapidly changing world, I believe that this generation still longs for a sense of permanence and an opportunity to contribute to something that will serve future generations.

Friendship Bracelets

“Everyone on the trip picked out the same friendship bracelet, and we still wear them. I really didn’t know the other students before the trip, but now we are a solid group.”

W H AT ’ S I N M Y

Backpack?

Noah Covarrubias ’19 (above) traveled more than 9,000 miles to discover the depth of his faith and expand his definition of what it means to serve.

One of 12 Saint Francis students on the spring 2018 immersion trip to Lima, Peru, Noah spent two weeks working at Fe y Alegria, a Holy Cross K-12 school in Lima.

“This trip opened my eyes emotionally and spiritually to the world around me,” says Noah, who heads to Arizona State University to study chemical engineering.

“When I was a freshman, I had all these questions and knew I could get answers through God. In Lima, I got to know the people I was helping. Through those interactions, God answered a couple of my questions.”

Hand Warmers

Headphones

“I have hand warmers in my bag for golf.

I’ve been golfing for nine years. I’ve been on the Lancer team for four years and was captain of the JV squad for sophomore and junior years.”

“I always walk around with my headphones.

I really love bluegrass music.”

Favorite Photo

“I took this photo on one of the last days of the trip.

It’s a memory like no other for me. For my Christian Vocations class this past semester, I made a video about different kinds of love, and this is the last photo in the video.”

Chemistry Worksheets and Mechanical Pencils

“My favorite thing about chemistry is having a correct answer I can work toward. I love doing problems and solving equations. And I am a mechanical pencil guy.”

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

8

2018-19LANCER ATHLETICS ACCOLADES Congratulations, Lancer student-athletes and coaches, on your 2018-19 achievements in the Central Coast Section (CCS) and West Catholic Athletic League (WCAL).

Football The 2018 Lancer team defeated Junipero Serra, 38-8, in the 2018 CCS semifinals to advance to the championship, losing to Valley Christian, 31-30, in a hard-fought match. An impressive 17 Lancers earned 2018 All-WCAL football honors, including Evan Williams ’19, who was selected as 2018 WCAL Player of the Year; Nick Robinson ’19, WCAL Fullback of the Year; Afa Sanft ’20, WCAL Most Valuable Defensive Lineman; and Joshua Pakola ’19, WCAL Most Valuable Outside Linebacker.

Boys and Girls Cross Country Teams Win Championship Titles Both the boys and girls Lancer cross country teams won fall 2018 CCS championship titles. The boys squad also clinched the WCAL crown with Lancers earning six of the top 10 times for the championship race. The girls team shared the 2018 WCAL co-champion honor with Presentation.

9

PROGRESS Summer 2019

Track and Field The girls team, undefeated in the regular season, captured the WCAL championship by taking first place in seven of the 10 events. Runner Isabelle Cairns ’21 won individual league titles in the 400-meter and 800-meter races and anchored the 4x400-meter relay to a victory, before qualifying for state by finishing third in the 800 meters at the CCS finals. The boys finished second in the WCAL and CCS. Eric Eng ’19 (1600 meters, 12th) and Scott Toney ’20 (pole vault, third) were state finalists.

Wrestling Freshman Ryan Luna (113-pound weight class) and sophomore Carsten Rawls (182-pound weight class) won their respective CCS and WCAL championships and qualified for the state tournament. Ryan is the sixth-ranked wrestler in the state of California, while Carsten is ranked 16th.

Softball WCAL league champions and WCAL tournament champions, the softball team also had eight members chosen for WCAL Softball All-League honors, including Lauren Baker ’21, who was recognized as Co-Pitcher of the Year.

Swimming and Diving Girls swimming and diving won the WCAL and finished second at the CCS championships and third at the CIF State meet.

Nicole Oliva ’20 and Brooke Schaffer ’19 placed in the top eight in four individual and relay events, and several girls set school records. The boys team also was WCAL champion.

Gymnastics The Lancers won the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League championship with several students earning high placements, including freshman Porsche Trinidad who placed first in vault, bars, beam, all-around and CCS vault.

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

10

SF Talks When 14 Lancers took the stage this past March for the second annual SF Talks, it was far more than the culmination for the student-planned TED-style event. It was a moment of personal triumph as the speakers shared transformative talks about OCD, identity, global perspectives, depression, sexual assault and more. Each student crafted a speech of substance, which student organizers hope inspired the audience to voice their own story of self-discovery and perseverance.

“ I FELT POWERFUL AFTERWARD, LIKE MY STORY DID SOMETHING. IT GAVE MY JOURNEY A PURPOSE.” SERENA BUJTOR ’20, WHO SPOKE ABOUT HER DEPRESSION. Rachel Clark ’20

THE ARTSAT SAINT FRANCIS Mock Trial In February, the Saint Francis mock trial team finished its incredible run this season as the runner-up in the Santa Clara County high school mock trial competition. The Lancer team, coached by three volunteer attorneys, prepared a fictional legal case before the court.

The 2019 case dealt with cyberbullying and fake identities on social media.

C U L T I V A T I N G

( U N L I K E L Y )

R E L A T I O N S H I P S

Lancer Hacks Saint Francis’ programming club, sfhacks, hosted LancerHacks in February, a 12hour coding hackathon to solve pressing social problems. Using the Holy Cross theme of celebrating family and cultivating relationships as inspiration, 200 students from 45 Bay Area schools (8-12 grades) worked in teams to develop social-impact apps, including an app that identifies obstacles for the blind, a virtual assistant for students to keep search information private and “Apptivism,” a website and an app that connects youth volunteers to meaningful, nearby service opportunities. Attendees met computer industry experts and competed for prizes, but the spirit of the second annual event was on making an impact on the community, one line of code at a time.

11

PROGRESS Summer 2019

Winning Poster Kolbe Yang ’21 won the 2019 Saint Francis annual poster contest with his humorous illustration of unlikely pairs shaking hands and forging friendships, his interpretation of this year’s BRIC (Bring hope, Respect others, Inspire integrity, Celebrate family) theme.

For more on BRIC, visit sfhs.com/about-us/holycross-difference.

Our Town The timeless tradition and enduring message of “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder was the 2018 fall drama production. “The play speaks to different generations,” says director and drama teacher Laura Rose. “It’s about remembering the simple things in life because those things are important. Today, we get so wrapped up in so many different things that we don’t have a moment to stop.”

Bubble Boy The student-directed production “Bubble Boy” gave audiences the heart-warming story of a boy in a plastic bubble who travels cross country to win the heart of the girl he loves. Directed by Jordan Dittberner ’19, the cast and crew performed opening night in front of the musical’s author, Cinco Paul, one of the screenwriters of the “Despicable Me” movies.

Chicago A cast and crew of nearly 70 talented Lancers participated in the school’s rousing rendition of “Chicago.” Junior Noelle Merino, who played Roxie, says, “I love the adrenaline of going onstage. There’s not a feeling that can beat it. The community that you build with everybody is just amazing.”

Band Honors Junior trumpet player Stefan Popescu was selected to perform with the Santa Clara County Honor Band this past January under the baton of Dr. Ed Harris, San Jose State University.

Senior percussionist Annabel Su made the California All-State Wind Symphony and performed at the California All-State Music Education Conference.

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

12

Evenings with St. André Three years ago, Sal Chavez, coordinator of mission outreach, founded Evenings with St. André, a monthly program for Saint Francis faculty and staff to share a meal, prayer and conversation around a Holy Cross theme. Taking its name from St. André Bessette, the first Holy Cross Brother to be canonized and who is associated with hospitality, the voluntary group uses Holy Cross texts as its foundation, which offer easily relatable wisdom for contemporary readers. Representation spans faculty and staff and all disciplines, and the enthusiasm for community continues to inspire Mr. Chavez: “The group has an absolute desire to share its faith and candor. People discuss how they live out Holy Cross on campus and attach themselves to the Holy Cross legacy even though there are no longer Brothers on campus.”

Faculty Focus on Holy Cross Charism Dan Quinn’s role as associate director of Holy Cross Mission was new in 2018-19, but he is hardly new to Saint Francis. One of seven siblings who went to Saint Francis, Mr. Quinn ’87 returned to his alma mater in 1994 to teach English and coach football, positions he still enjoys. Eleven years ago, he joined the counseling department.

The Holy Cross

Tradition

“The school saw the need to foster our charism as a Catholic school in the Holy Cross tradition,” Mr. Quinn explains. “I work with our new faculty and staff on understanding our charism.” In August 2018, he developed an orientation retreat on Holy Cross identity and history. This coming year, the program expands to an offsite retreat and series of school-year faculty meetings on Catholic experiences in Mass and the language of the Holy Cross charism.

“The idea of being an educator on a campus that impacts students’ hearts and minds is very powerful in this day and age when the world feels increasingly secular,” Mr. Quinn explains of the new adult formation program. “I am constantly inspired by the people I work with when I see their humility and their desire to serve the school. We have great models of teachers who are living our Holy Cross values, and we’re working to inspire teachers to share their stories to inspire each other.”

13

PROGRESS Summer 2019

Sitting: Br. Robert Weinmann; Standing second row: Br. Bernard Wieseler, Br. Sam Robin, Br. John Crowe; Third row: Br. Richard Critz, Br. Richard Kelly

Jubilee Celebration On April 7, Br. Richard Kelly, C.S.C., and Br. Richard Critz, C.S.C., both Class of 1967, celebrated their Jubilee and the 50th anniversary of their vows. Fr. Tony Mancuso was the celebrant for the Mass at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. Also celebrating his Jubilee was Br. Sam Robin, C.S.C., who retired from Saint Francis in 2015 after 26 years of service as a mentor, counselor and spiritual advisor.

Ignite Sparks New Student Faith Community Last fall, students founded Ignite, a youth group offering Lancers space to reflect, build connections and engage in leadership roles with campus ministry. Each month through meetings, retreats and social gatherings, about 40 students from all faith backgrounds plan school liturgies, lead the yearly “Jesus: Reframed” retreat, organize service projects and support each other in prayer. The goal is to model, peer to peer, how faith is relevant to all parts of their life.

From left: Aidan Sanchez ’22, Ana Brockmann Aldasoro ’19, John Robert Hickam ’19.

I realized that we could impact others when we live out our mission and vision of being that safe environment for students.

Aristotle Vergara II ’19

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

14

Innovation

>

Formation Innovation. It’s a word often overused in education, especially at a school located in Silicon Valley. Yet, there’s no better word to describe the kind of learning, teaching, thinking, collaborating and discovering that happens each and every day at Saint Francis.

>

The desire to create something new, to work together to solve the complex problems of our world, to forge a path that is rooted in our faith tradition and mission — these notions are as much a part of Saint Francis today as they were when I entered the school 23 years ago. As we seek to prepare our students for an unknown future, now more than ever we are approaching a holistic Saint Francis education with intentionality and authenticity.

One of the hallmarks of Blessed Basil Moreau’s vision for education is to meet students where they are and to move them forward, recognizing that no two paths are the same.

While each member of our diverse Lancer family brings different perspectives and viewpoints, we have found our home in this community of faith.

In a nurturing, inclusive environment, our students are encouraged and challenged to become the thought leaders of the next generation. It is the inspiration I found during my time as a student that brought me back home to this community, and I cherish the opportunity to develop that same passion in our students. In these pages, you’ll meet a few of our innovators, each passionate and eager to find opportunities to express their unique ideas and talents through the lens of our distinct Holy Cross mission and charism.

Guided by our mission, we strive to Innovate — one of the five pillars of our Strategic Plan along with Ignite, Thrive, Unify and Steward — by creating new opportunities both inside and out of the classroom to cultivate creative exploration and missiondriven growth. This includes exciting partnerships with the global innovators in our backyard — local tech companies and startups — to offer our students cutting-edge programs and opportunities while we further explore options to expand our physical campus spaces to accommodate the dynamic needs of our students.

> 15

PROGRESS Summer 2019

At Saint Francis High School, we are shaping the future by developing the grounded, mission-centered leaders of impact that our world so desperately needs.

Katie Pittman Teekell ’00 Principal

Meet Katie Pittman Teekell ’00 ■ EXPERIENCE: Principal, Saint Francis High School, 2018Vice Principal and Assistant Principal of Campus Life, Moreau Catholic High School, Hayward, Calif., 2010-18 Head Coach, Bay Oaks Soccer Club, 2007-13 Director of Student Activities and Head Coach, Women’s Varsity Soccer, Bishop O’Dowd High School, Oakland, Calif., 2007-10 ■ EDUCATION: BS, Political Science and Mass Communications, University of California, Berkeley, 2004 MEd, National University, 2013

■ SAINT FRANCIS LEGACY: SiblingsMichael Pittman ’00 Geoffrey Pittman ’00 FamilyHusband Alex Teekell Daughters Lucy (4) and Annie (2) ■ FAVORITE CLASS AS A STUDENT AT SAINT FRANCIS: AP U.S. History with Maggi Knochenhauer

■ ACTIVITIES AS A SAINT FRANCIS STUDENT: Varsity soccer, band ■ ENDURING LESSONS: Saint Francis is where I developed my faith life and truly found a relationship with God. The most enduring lesson from my time in high school is the value of nurturing my spiritual and faith life, building lasting and significant relationships and leveraging the blessings I have been given to serve others.

■ CLASS OFFERED TODAY THAT SHE WISHES SHE COULD HAVE TAKEN: Design Thinking for Justice

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

16

Lancer

Innovators Ananya Karthik ’19

>

To think big, Ananya Karthik had to think very, very small. For the past two years at Stanford University, she’s helped to develop biodegradable nanoparticles that release drugs when hit by ultrasound waves. Her work earned Ananya the honor of being one of 40 national finalists in the prestigious 2019 Regeneron Science Talent Search (and came with $25,000 prize money, plus $2,000 for Saint Francis and a minor planet named after her).

But it’s possibilities, not resume-builders, that drive her. “If we understand how the different parts of the brain work, our discoveries can shed more light on human nature,” she explains. And, in the case of her research, potentially transform drug delivery to the brain for better, non-invasive treatments for PTSD, depression, neurodegenerative diseases and brain cancer.

The spirit of being driven to innovate pervades all my classes — creating things, asking questions — and inspires my research.

- Ananya Karthik ’19

17

PROGRESS Summer 2019

Entrepreneurship takes time, creative thought and insight. You have to work as a team and stay persistent.

- Ben Eagen ’19

Sam Gairaud ’19 and Ben Eagen ’19

>

Time, money, land and, most of all, lives. That’s what Ben Eagen and Sam Gairaud intend to save through their company Fire Bee Extinguishing, which uses drone technology to fight wildfires.

They’re passionate about finding a better way to prevent and fight devastating wildfires.

Last August, Ben even spent a week building houses with Habitat for Humanity for victims of the Carr Fire. “The current system to fight wildfires — helicopters, firetrucks, converted military planes spraying toxic retardants, and firefighters or ‘hot shots’ dropped into the fire — don’t cut it anymore,” Sam explains. “Drones have come a long way in the last five to 10 years, but fire prevention hasn’t.”

They created Fire Bee Extinguishing for Saint Francis’ inaugural Lancer Tank, modeled after the television show Shark Tank and required for the new Design Thinking for Justice elective. Ben and Sam wrote a business plan to create a drone with a hose connected to a water tanker. At Lancer Tank, held in January, they pitched their idea to the judges/tech industry experts, winning the Judges’ Selection Award. They hope to continue to develop and test their prototype, find investors and spark a needed change.

Sam Gairaud ’19 (left) and Ben Eagen ’19.

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

18

Girls Who Code Club

>

Only 20 percent of hackathon participants are women. The Saint Francis Girls Who Code Club is out to change that. “We want to create an empowering space for females to innovate and learn from each other,” says Rachel Ratnam ’19, club founder and co-president. This past winter, they hosted two all-female hackathons for Bay Area middle and high school girls.

Named for pioneering female computer scientists Ada Lovelace and Grace Hopper, AdaHacks and HopperHacks, respectively, the events attracted 200 young female programmers, plus mentors and sponsors.

During the hackathons, which were held on the Google and Facebook campuses, girls formed teams around an issue or challenge – the HopperHacks event focused on health and the environment – and worked collaboratively to create a solution, often a website or an app. Judges awarded prizes with Saint Francis coders garnering top honors. The hackathons also included coding workshops and a Women in Tech panel.

Clockwise from top left: Carolyn Chen ’19, Sohinee Saha ’19, Rachel Ratnam ’19, Isha Muthyala ’19.

19

PROGRESS Summer 2019

We want girls to know that they have a chance to change the world. We want to give them the tools and technology to do this.

- Rachel Ratnam ’19

Clockwise from top left: Maya Chandra ’21, Abigail Koornwinder ’19, Divija Hasteer ’19, Shreya Mani ’20.

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

20

Father Steve Kim

>

Location is a key ingredient in Fr. Steve Kim’s new senior religion elective, Design Thinking for Justice. “Catholic spirituality and social justice inspire students to make a change in the world,” explains Fr. Steve, director of campus ministry. “If our school was in Hollywood, I would use acting to teach social justice. We’re in the Silicon Valley, so I use technology and entrepreneurship.”

The 25 seniors in his fall-semester course explored the seven themes of Catholic social justice, enjoying hands-on, real-world practice in the design thinking process by creating a social entrepreneurship project. Last December, the class pitched its most viable ideas-turnedcompanies to a panel of judges at the first-ever Lancer Tank, Saint Francis’ version of Shark Tank and the capstone project for Fr. Steve’s class and Michael Conley’s Entrepreneurship elective.

Talking to industry experts in class and at Lancer Tank or continuing to develop their companies, students discovered just where the intersection of the three critical areas in entrepreneurship — business readiness, social impact and innovation — and Holy Cross values can lead.

The goal of learning is not to get an ‘A’ but to make a difference in the world.

- Fr. Steve

21

PROGRESS Summer 2019

It’s cool to have the tiniest insight into how that stuff works and what we can do to make life better for people.

- Aishani Aatresh ’20

Aishani Aatresh ’20

>

Coder. Problem-solver. Interdisciplinary superhero.

Bridge-builder. Aishani Aatresh takes her passion for logic and lines of code and turns them into powerful tools. As lead director of Saint Francis’ LancerHacks, the hackathon hosted by the school’s programming club, and co-founder and president of SF Talks, a student club for TEDx-style talks, Aishani views coding fluency as a basic communication skill. “If you can write an email, you can write a few lines of code to better manage your spreadsheet,” she explains. “You open up opportunities for yourself and can better connect with other people, ideas and disciplines.”

Her interdisciplinary cred includes being a computational immunoengineering affiliate at Distributed Bio, a biotech startup (Aishani spoke about her food allergies and immunology at a 2017 TEDx talk), writing for biotech organization SynBioBeta and speaking at conferences it hosts. She directs an after-school education program at the YMCA of Silicon Valley, co-founded Lancer Productions, which produces short films for Saint Francis, sings in Chamber Choir, pens a science column in the school newspaper and more – connections and communication opportunities to open the doors of possibility.

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

22

You could only find a Tech and Design department like this at Saint Francis.

We’ve combined our Holy Cross tradition with entrepreneurship to teach risk-taking, innovation and collaboration.

- Joanna Vollucci

Joanna Vollucci

>

Educating innovative students requires innovative curriculum. In 2018, Saint Francis launched a new, interdepartmental collaboration, the Tech and Design department. Combining existing courses (computer science, engineering, entrepreneurship and art) and new courses like Fr. Steve Kim’s Design Thinking for Justice elective, the department is deepening the school’s culture of innovation, risk-taking, selfreflection and collaboration within the Holy Cross tradition.

Faculty member Joanna Vollucci is helping to lead the charge. A veteran programmer, she’s taught computer science at Saint Francis for three years and moderates the Girls Who Code Club. In her class, students think critically and creatively — and learn that their greatest successes in coding come when they work together. Coding will be a collaborative endeavor in their future careers, and that is the approach she champions in her class. The goal she and her Tech and Design colleagues have for electives such as Animation, Robotics, AP Computer Science Principles and more is the same: to develop leaders, designers, problem solvers and creators who will passionately and capably tackle the problems of a changing world.

23

PROGRESS Summer 2019

My relationship with certain teachers motivated me to help people who are in the same situation because I know how much they do for us as students.

- Harrison Jones ’19

Harrison Jones ’19

>

The right question can change the world. Last year Harrison Jones asked one of his teachers about the instructor’s long commute to school. The answer – like many employees in the region, the teacher cannot afford a home close to work — inspired Harrison to found the nonprofit Housing For All. “A video on homelessness in my religion class initially opened my eyes to the Bay Area’s affordable housing crisis, but it didn’t reach me on a personal level until I was able to see the effects of the high cost of living on those in my own community,” Harrison recalls.

After researching what was causing the housing crisis, which includes homelessness encampments and “towns” of RV’s along area roads, Harrison brainstormed possible solutions. He then developed a business plan for Housing For All and pitched his vision to the Housing Industry Foundation. Harrison’s program offers housing grants to eligible individuals and families (preference is given to teachers, first responders, health and mental health workers and municipal and nonprofit workers).

His inventory comes from working with Bay Area high-density housing owners to find vacant units in Santa Clara or San Mateo counties. So far, the program, which began last September, has 54 units committed and 12 people housed.

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

24

500 HOURS

26

45

Ananya Karthik’s independent, award-winning research project on biodegradable, drugreleasing nanoparticles

Saint Francis independent science research projects recognized at the 2019 Synopsys Silicon Valley Science and Technology Championship

4

Apps developed by Saint Francis students during 2019 LancerHacks

10,000

Bay Area junior high and high schools participating in 2019 LancerHacks

Lines of code written by girls, ages 11-18 at 2 Saint Francis Girls Who Code hackathons

THE LANCER INNOVATION

INVENTORY

2,000 hours Robotics team spent building Pathfinder, its 72-pound 2019 robot

4 Alumni mentors for 2019 Lancer Robotics team

25 25

Entries in the inaugural two Lancer Tank events

PROGRESS Summer 2019

$20,000 Matching gift challenge to double every dollar contributed to the SFHS Innovation Fund

From the Alumni Director

Alumni gather to enjoy appetizers and drinks at Opal, an event center, and reconnect with teachers and coaches.

Dear Alumni, and design classes and events like the Alumni Speaker Series.

Saint Francis is fortunate to be positioned in the heart of Silicon Valley, enabling us to quickly incorporate technological tools and continually benefit from the knowledge and talents of our amazing community members.

We lean on our alumni to help us advance the innovation component of our Strategic Plan by sharing their expertise with students during student hackathons, entrepreneurship

The Saint Francis Holy Cross Alumni Council is another example of how community involvement is key to advancing our Strategic Plan. Alumni Council members serve on reunion committees, plan service days and lead fundraising initiatives.

Council members continue to inspire others to join them on the 40 Lancers Scholarship roster (sfhs.com/40Lancers), a unique program providing a complete, four-year Lancer education for a student with financial need.

We could fill these pages with alumni who volunteer, share their wisdom, attend events or give financially to help students in need. One example is Carla Hamill Gross ’84, chair of the Lancer

Auction. She is a quintessential example of our dedicated alumni.

Carla’s desire to give back to Saint Francis stems partly from her experience 30-plus years ago as a student receiving financial aid. She spoke about her gratitude for her financial aid at this year’s auction, and it was inspiring to see the strength of our Lancer community.

graduating class, Saint Francis Class of ’59, will celebrate their milestone anniversary. We can’t wait to honor these important Lancer family members!

Supporting each other is a key component for any family.

Equally important, however, is taking the time to connect and celebrate! Watch your emails and the alumni page on the Saint Francis website (sfhs.com/alumni) for information about periodic alumni socials, the SF Kick-Off BBQ, the SF vs. Bellarmine Bocce Ball tournament or the Grand Reunion for the 10th, 20th, 30th, 40th, 50th and for the first time, 60th reunion. Yes, our very first

Our tradition continues…

Go Lancers!

Thank you for staying connected to your alma mater. You are an important part of the Lancer family!

Greg Calcagno ’83 Alumni Director gregcalcagno@sfhs.com P.S. Don’t miss any alumni invitations or opportunities!

Visit sfhs.com/alumniconnect to update your preferred contact information and to access alumni social media pages and events.

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

26

ALUMNI SPEAKER SERIES

Thank you to our wonderful alumni who joined us on April 12 to share their careers from architecture to venture capital. For the first time, the speaker event was combined with teacher talks and demonstrations on personal finance, bike/car maintenance and running a business, plus a nature walk, kazoo orchestra and more.

Several Lancers returned specifically because they remembered being inspired by these career talks when they were students.

“In high school, I was in mock trial, and I thought I was going to be pre-law,” said Jenn Perkins ’11, who spoke to a packed room about nursing. “I became a nurse because of my counselor, Sherrie Tasnady, and the

alumni talks.” Rufi Alday ’83, who is in sports medicine, spoke about how his first foray into this field came when former football coach Ron Calcagno asked him to tape his players’ ankles when Alday was still a student. “I wanted to give back because Saint Francis found something in me I didn’t know I had,” he said.

“I wanted to give back because Saint Francis found something in me I didn’t know I had.” — Rufi Alday ’83

SPEAKERS Kevin Avery ’89

Chris Kassel ’95

Mark O’Brien ’88

Rufi Alday ’83

Maureen Naylor Keller ’96

Anupam Pathak ’00

Megan Boesiger ’11

Ryan Klaus ’12

Jennifer Perkins ’11

Brent Brennan ’91

Brad Libuit ’02

Shubha Raghvendra ’12

Mary Elizabeth Moritz Brown ’02

Coban Lopez ’97

Madeline Roemer ’12

Jeff Bui ’87

Matt McCormick ’83

Heidi Schmuck Scharrenberg ’95

Mark Colella ’91

Collin Mehring ’09

Cheryl Owiesny Schwamberger ’87

Tommy Coster ’84

Phil Mirenda ’12

Dennis Shea ’92

Tony Mirenda ’78

Joe Tarantino ’90

TV writer and comedian sports medicine architecture

college coaching

recruiting and human resources orthopedic surgery venture capital

broadcast journalism social listening attorney

NCAA referee real estate

software engineering

music production

construction design and management

chef and restaurant owner

construction design and management

Nick Difu ’89

Andrew Fischer ’02 education

Ann Quinn Halkett ’90 marriage and family therapy

27

law enforcement

PROGRESS Summer 2019

David Mori ’82 engineering

Nicole Ng ’04 research science

sports management

mechanical engineering nursing

product management

mechanical engineering

licensed clinical social worker college coaching firefighting

business sales

ALUMNI IMPACT:

Tristan Raisch ’09

Mapping the Future of Heart Health Tristan Raisch was shooting for the stars when he graduated from Saint Francis. “I was convinced that I wanted to work on rockets,” he says of his plans to study aerospace engineering.

Inspired by the real-life applications of Dr. Poelzing’s work at Virginia Tech, Tristan asked for a research position in his lab. Dr. Poelzing agreed and persuaded Tristan to get his PhD in the university’s new Translational Biology, Medicine and Health (TBMH) graduate program after earning a BS in mechanical engineering. His graduate work with TBMH included a groundbreaking study with the cardiac surgery unit at Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Va. “It all came back to Mr. Ikezi’s class,” says Tristan. “Everything I do has to do with light and optical signals.”

His love of engineering solutions to problems, sparked during Chihiro Ikezi’s physics class at Saint Francis, and his passion for wrestling – Tristan Raisch was on the Lancer wrestling team for four years – took him from Mountain View to the Blue Ridge Mountains of Blacksburg, Va., and Virginia Tech. There, intending to walk-on for the Hokie wrestling team, Tristan was ready to declare a major in aerospace engineering before a conversation with a mechanical engineer in the campus’s Christian Fellowship group convinced him otherwise.

Tristan switched to mechanical engineering, interned with the Celanese chemical plant, and added a biomedical engineering minor after hearing a lecture on cardiac research from Dr. Steven Poelzing.

Tristan studied how the cells in the heart communicate, specifically, cell-to-cell electrical signal miscommunication during atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common cardiac arrhythmia in the U.S. His team examined the space between adjacent heart cells – the perinexus, a term coined

by Tristan’s colleague Dr. Rob Gourdie – discovering that patients with AF have wider perinexi between their cells than non-AF patients. “If the space is too large, the second cell cannot hear the order to activate, so each cell does what it wants, leading to cells moving at different times and causing problems,” Tristan explains.

Using electron microscopy, Tristan and his colleagues were the first to identify and measure these small spaces between cells in the human heart. The study earned Tristan a National Institutes of Health fellowship – the first by a TBMH graduate student – and the

findings are helping to develop better, more effective heart treatment.

Tristan, who defended his PhD earlier this year, now works as a postdoctoral fellow in Dr. Daniel Conway’s lab in the Biomedical Engineering department at Virginia Commonwealth University. He and the research team continue to study how to regulate the perinexus to modulate cardiac conduction.

“I love science, though it’s a lot different than what I imagined. It’s exciting,” Tristan reflects. “The Holy Cross tradition definitely influenced my life. The service and leadership I learned at Saint Francis have stuck with me. I really want to serve with my career and make a mark on the world by improving it.”

His future, he says, may include running his own lab or working in industry or government regulation, but it’s the translational piece of his research that pulls on his heartstrings: how research can apply directly to patients, with data from treatment circling back to the lab. Whatever the path, he carries the lessons he learned at Saint Francis with him from Mr. Ikezi and his Lancer wrestling coaches and math teachers Matt Danna and Todd Meulman. “The Lancer wrestling room developed my discipline, drive and commitment,” says Tristan. “I had great coaches and teachers who showed me how leadership was done.”

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

28

’59

’69

’79

’89

’99

’09

Celebrate friendships, relive memories and rediscover your high school connections

Nearly 500 guests attended the 2018 Grand Reunion.

at the

& Grand Reunion

Saturday, September 14, 2019 sfhs.com/reunion2019 Class of 2008

SCENES FROM THE 2018 GRAND REUNION Class of 1998

Class of 1978

29

PROGRESS Summer 2019

Class of 1968

Class of 1988

Class Notes Dave Obenour ’60 was elected to the Earthquakes Hall of Fame. He worked for the soccer team from 1974-80 as the club’s first-ever athletic trainer. He also served in a variety of other capacities, overseeing equipment, team administration and public relations.

Additionally, Dave learned enough Serbo-Croatian to help translate between former Quakes head coach Ivan Toplak and the players.

Dan Rodriguez ’66 was inducted into the Sigma Nu Fraternity Hall of Honor for his exceptional work in the University of Oregon alumni community, including a term as national president. Dan served as the associate vice president of alumni affairs at the University of Oregon. Dan and his wife, Carol Abell Rodriguez HC ’68, live in Eugene, Ore. Diane Vollman Madrid HC ’68, Jean Mahoney HC ’68, Mary Jeanne Oliva HC ’68, Karen Furia HC ’68 and Patty Murray Hardy ’68 (not

HC ’68 Reunion Committee

We’d love to keep you informed about alumni events and hear your latest news. Please visit sfhs.com to submit class notes and update contact preferences.

pictured) planned an extensive 50th reunion honoring their Holy Cross Class of 1968. The Crusaders shared scrapbook pages, Holy Cross trivia and a continental breakfast at the historic Headen-Inman House in Santa Clara. Reminiscing continued over lunch at Mariani’s Inn & Restaurant and culminated with a rousing chorus of the Holy Cross school song.

William “Bill” Martin Belef ’69 began his professional career with dental technician training while a member of the armed forces. After 13 years in the military, he became a lab technician in the medical device field. Later he worked for several Silicon Valley startups, including multiple positions as principal engineer. He is presently a consulting engineer involved with the development of new and emerging technologies. Bill lives in San Jose’s Willow Glen neighborhood with his wife, Cheryl, and their beagle, Gracie.

After 35 years in health care, Rich Currier ’69 is retired and enjoying painting in his studio and fly fishing in the Northwest. Rich and his wife, Beverly, were blessed with their first grandchild.

Bob Davila ’69 is retired and enjoying traveling, golfing and relaxing.

Robert Reilly ’71 is a retired United Airlines captain. Robert and his wife, Karen Orrock Reilly HC ’71, reside in Bucks County, Pa. They are excitedly looking forward to seeing classmates at their 50th reunion in 2021!

region of Kenya. Sabore’s Well’s primary mission is to provide safe access to clean water by digging wells and installing storage systems. Additionally, they are building preschools and providing high school scholarships to ensure accessible, quality educational opportunities. In January 2019, Sabore’s Well welcomed its first group of students to its newly opened Naretu Academy.

Michael McMahon ’75 retired from the financial services industry and moved to La Jolla where he pursues his passion for road cycling.

Therese Hjelm ’78 is the cofounder of Sabore’s Well, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of women and children in the Maasai Mara

Sabore’s Well founded by Therese Hjelm ’78

Members of the Saint Francis Class of ’78 40th reunion planning committee celebrate at the Saint Francis Grand Reunion. (In addition to the Saint Francis Grand Reunion on campus, the group organized a golf tournament, a tennis tournament and several additional gatherings honoring the important milestone.) The committee included Bobby Montalvo Jr., Donna Marie Lera, Ryan Buhk, Kelly Connelly, Ann Hogan Wilson, Jeffrey Mardesich, Debby Daly McCaig, Barbara Higdon Cooper (not pictured: Kathy Radish Vlahov, Mark Larwood lll, Felicia Faravelli Soares).

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

30

Michael Lawless ’78 lives on a ranch in Locust Grove, Okla. Michael and his wife, Kathy, have seven children and seven grandchildren.

He frequently travels to the Bay Area conducting business for his engineering consulting business, Lawless Consulting.

Jeffrey Mardesich ’78 retired after 40 years of state service as a psychiatric technician, medical technical assistant and peace officer at the Salinas Valley State Prison and Agnews Developmental Center.

Jeffrey and his wife, Marilyn, enjoy traveling, watching movies, taking walks and spending time with their five children and four grandchildren.

Jeffrey is the creator and manager of the Class of ’78 Facebook page.

Phil McCarty ’78 was ordained a permanent deacon for the Diocese of San Jose. Phil and his wife, Kerry,

are members of the Saint Christopher Parish in San Jose. McCarty assisted Fr. Tony at the Saint Francis Grand Reunion Mass during the Class of ’78 40th reunion celebration.

Leeann Kiehm Bongiorno ’89 is celebrating 28 years of marriage to Andy Bongiorno. They have three married sons and two beautiful grandchildren, Scarlett and Lincoln.

Jennifer Geno Day ’83 has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in counseling psychology from Loyola Marymount University.

Jennifer, her husband, Adam, and their teenage daughter live in Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Trudy Milburn ’89 is the State University of New York, Purchase College assistant dean of liberal arts and sciences. Trudy co-edited and published the book Engaging and Transforming Global Communication through Cultural Discourse Analysis.

Catherine Marken Boyle ’84 is a volunteer attorney for the Northern California Innocence Project, a program for the Santa Clara University School of Law that promotes a fair justice system and seeks to exonerate wrongfully convicted prisoners. Catherine met her husband, Rich, while students at Stanford University. They have three children.

Tom Schott ’89 was promoted to president and chief executive officer of Cupertino Electric, Inc. and serves on their Board of Directors.

Tom and his wife, Jami Brice Schott ’90, reside in Los Altos Hills and have four children, Joey ’20, Anthony ’23, Christina ’23 and Thomas ’23.

Chris Guslani ’84 is the owner of Bay Area Water Heaters, LLC. Chris and his wife, Lynn, enjoy traveling in their RV and spending time with their four children, Ben ’11, Lucas ’13, Joey ’15 and Kelly ’17.

Phil McCarty ’78

Mike Marinchak ’88

31

PROGRESS Summer 2019

Mike Marinchak ’88 is a channel sales manager at Pure Storage in Mountain View. Mike and his wife, Jennifer, are parents to Maile ’23 and Maddox. Mike enjoys fishing with fellow Lancers including Ed Geise ’87, who captured the photo of Mike and his steelhead trout while fly fishing on the Trinity River.

Laura Dougherty Elliott ’90 and her husband, Zach, live in Danville with their four children, Jake, Luke, Madison and Grace. Laura enjoys fielding foul balls with the San Francisco Junior Giants Balldude/ Balldudette Program.

Derek Smith ’91 finished his PhD in biology at the University of Washington. Derek is presidentelect of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences. Derek and his wife, Brook Landers, welcomed their first daughter, Livia Opal.

Jenna Whitman ’91 was appointed to a judgeship in the Superior Court of Alameda County by former

Christina Pasetta ’05

Gov. Jerry Brown. Previously she served as a judge in the 1st District Court of Appeal. Jenna earned a bachelor’s degree from Yale and her juris doctorate from Georgetown University Law Center.

Gregory Roumbanis ’95 graduated from John F. Kennedy University with a master’s degree in counseling and psychology. Gregory became a California licensed marriage and family therapist and manages a practice in San Jose.

Colin Bateson ’01 married Lynn Matsuoka Sullivan on Vashon Island in Washington. The ceremony was officiated by Stephen Cook ’01 and Erin Atkinson Cook ’01. Ian Kenworthy ’01 was a groomsman and Adrienne Bateson Riccardi ’03 was best woman. Colin graduated from the University of Virginia and earned a PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Washington. Colin works for an engineering consulting firm.

Aditya Nagarajan ’03 is a corporate attorney for Cisco Meraki and is the proud father of a baby boy.

Jennifer Maillo Nunes ’04 and her husband welcomed daughter, Hazel Nunes, in June 2018.

Danny Cowan ’05 is the senior manager, public affairs for Starbucks Corp. in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Following a three-year assignment in Hong Kong, Danny now resides in London.

Anna McMaster ’09

Christina Pasetta ’05 married Ehren Snyder in Davenport, in August 2018. Laura Prang ’05 served as a bridesmaid.

Kinjal Vasavada ’13 is a Stanford University graduate and is pursuing a medical degree at Tufts University School of Medicine.

Eric Johnson ’06 and Samantha Williams ’06 welcomed their first child, daughter Sydney, in January 2019.

Riley Quinn ’15 is the recipient of the New England Football Writers Association’s Jerry Nason Award for senior achievement. Riley played his final football game for MIT against Riley’s Lancer co-captain, Zack Toussaint ’15, a senior offensive lineman at Johns Hopkins University.

Zack’s Blue Jays advanced to the NCAA Division III playoffs.

Carlos Amistoso, husband of Marie; father of Janet ’92, Duane ’90; grandfather of Claire ’19 and Katherine ’22

Vrinda Vasavada ’16 is studying economics and computer science at the Stanford University School of Humanities & Sciences. Vrinda is co-director at She++, a non-profit organization that empowers underrepresented groups in the field of technology.

Evelyn Carmichael, mother of Candy Volta; mother-in-law of Chris Volta (faculty); grandmother of Casey Volta ’12

In Memory Debbie Lynn Ackeret, mother of Nikoa Johnson (staff)

Tim Jurka ’06 and Ely Emmañina Estoesta ’06 married in 2016.

Tim is a director of machine learning at LinkedIn, and Ely is a faculty administrator in the Stanford University Department of Economics.

Anna McMaster ’09 married Ben Slease in Malibu, and honeymooned in Bora Bora. Her wedding party included her sister, Eryn McMaster ’20, Priya Mathew ’09, Merty McGraw ’09, Haley Kannall ’09 and Molly McMullen ’09. The couple lives in West Hollywood where Anna is the proprietor of Glow PT and Wellness, a concierge women’s health therapy practice.

Francesca Ferrari ’10 earned accolades for her title role in the North Carolina Theatre production of A Night with Janis Joplin.

Josh Lauck ’17 and Garrett McCarthy ’17 earned 2018 first team All-Conference baseball honors in the Coast Golden Gate League while playing for the Mission College Saints.

Steve Avon, uncle of Brian ’99, Jenny (Telles) ’01 and Beth ’10 Kathleen Axelsson, mother of Marcus ’12 and Marlena ’17 Phil Bank, husband of Jill; mother of Cassie ’10, Thomas ’13 and Jennifer Raymond J. Berryessa ’60 Terri L. Boskovich, wife of Peter ’71; mother of Sarah (Villalobos) ’02, Peter ’04, Mark ’06, Rachel ’08 and Rebecca ’08 Joanne Brice, former Holy Cross teacher Arthur Brown, father of Tim Brown ’80

Bill Crawford, longtime SFHS bus driver, husband of Ella Richard D. Dixon, father of Kathleen Crowley ’81, Sherri Morfin ’84; grandfather of Meaghan Crowley ’07, Patrick Crowley ’10, Paige Crowley ’14 and Katie Morfin ’15 Louise Kiely Dolcini, mother-in-law of Michael Reedy (SFHS board chair); grandmother of Gannon Reedy ’07, Kiely Reedy ’09 and Raymond Reedy ’14 Maria Eichler, wife of Lothar; mother of Erika ’91 and Oskar ’94; grandmother of Kurt Johnston ’21 Linda Giannini, mother of Mimi ’88 Carmella Giannotta, mother of Pasquale ‘72 and Cassie; grandmother of Pasquale ’06, Rachaella ’07, Giovanni ’09 Harold B. Grant ’59 Susan Roberson Hamlin ’74, sister of Joseph Roberson ’65 (dec.), Christopher Roberson ’67 and Timothy Roberson ’70 (dec.); sister-in-law of Lorie Lloyd Roberson ’70 HC James Kiehm ’61, father of Brian ’81, Robert ’83, Loriann Fulton ’85, Leeann Bongiorno ’89 Dieter Kopal, husband of Ethel; father of Kristine (Cohen) ’95 and Hans-Dieter ’00

Christopher Kehir ’10 received his master’s in business administration with an emphasis in finance from San Francisco State University in December 2017.

Ray Loughlin ’68, husband of Patricia Loughlin Sharon Annesley Luddy ’64 HC, husband of Ron Luddy ‘64 John Lynd, father of Stacy Reitmeir (board member); father-in-law of Jeff Reitmeir ’81; grandfather of Eric Reitmeir ’15 and Curtis Reitmeir ’17 Wamaitha Kobaga-Miller, wife of Kemp Kaboga-Miller, mother of Clovis ’07 and Njoroge Josh Lauck ’17 (left) and Garrett McCarthy ’17.

Dorothy Makley, mother of Kevin (president emeritus); grandmother of Lisa (Grilli) ’97 and Joe ’01 Steven Martin, former teacher and water polo coach Rita McDevitt, mother of Margaret (Torres) ’73, John ’77, Michael ’78 and Mary (Gofen) ’83 William J. Murtha ’62, father of Bill ’83 (dec.), Julie (Geraci) ’85 and Ellen (Rivera) ’88 Br. Bernard Palmeri, C.S.C., former teacher and coach Christopher M. Picetti ’09 Mary Ellen Pozos, mother of Catherine ’83; grandmother of Carlos Constantinides ’16 (former staff member) Br. Leonard George Reeson, C.S.C., former teacher Harold Reichstein ’60, husband of Susan Reichstein Maureen Rooney, wife of Kevin Rooney (former science teacher) Timothy Rossovich ’64 Kathy Spencer, mother of Michael ’67, Pat ’69, Jeff ’72, Kelly ’80

Kinjal Vasavada ’13

Riley Quinn ’15 (left) and Zack Toussaint ’15.

John Troyan, husband of Elaine; father of Shannon ’19

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

32

Gia, daughter of Tim ’03 and Sofia Marrion, granddaughter of Nigel (SFHS iPad 1:1 program manager) and Sue Marrion

Andres Jaxon, son of Estevan Guerrero and Elsa Bejines ’09

Adela (left) and Hadley (right), daughters of Michael ’08 and Jessica Von Schell ’08 Marconi

Ryder, son of Rand y ’90 and Kristen Lim

Mateo, son of Chase and An gelina Altamirano ’05 Johnson

d les, son of David an David “Chip” Char ncirik ’98 Amanda Loosse Hr

(right), twin ) and James Steven (left oskovich B h ra and Sa s of sons of Nick and grandson ’02 Villalobos ’71 vich Peter Bosko

Little Lancers

If you are the proud parent of a Little Lancer, please email LittleLancer@sfhs.com, and we will send you a Lancer onesie for your baby. Please include your address, which size onesie you would like (6 months, 12 months, 2T or 3T) and the names of all members of your family.

of Der Conor, son

ela Hope rick and Ang

Sophie Claire, da ughter of Michae l ’07 and Catie Calca gno

’99 Bents

Mirai Grace, daughter of Brandon ’04 and Megumi Juan

Eleanor, daughte r of Mike ’03 and Sarah Gawley

33

PROGRESS Summer 2019

Everett, son of Scott Dodge and Sand Oceguera-Dodge ’98

y

HOLY CROSS EDUCATOR Director of Guidance and College Counseling

Hector Camacho

fosters students’ social-emotional learning HOW DID YOU BECOME A COUNSELOR? I decided early on that I wanted to be an educator because of the teachers I had who really focused on relationships. I was teaching at a continuation school where students were struggling with graduation requirements. That’s when I turned to counseling.

Good teaching takes into account the other things happening in students’ lives. When I moved to a middle college, which is high school on a college campus that includes college credits and work study, I did academic advising, then joined Saint Francis in 2013 as a teacher and counselor.

WHY IS COUNSELING SO FULFILLING TO YOU? It’s the ability to see the child as more than just a student in a classroom. It’s empowering and essential for students to process how and what they are feeling. When I became director of guidance and college counseling, a lot of what we were doing was reactionary and addressing students’ immediate needs. We continue to meet these needs, but we’re creating proactive programs to help students develop a sense of resiliency and teach them skills of self-awareness and self-management that people need in life.

EXPLAIN THE SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL LEARNING (SEL) PROGRAM. The goal is to help students identify what they are feeling using the words of SEL. How can they identify the growth mindset of what they had previously seen as failure and now view it as growth? We’ve never been explicit about teaching this before, but it’s really going to reap benefits as they encounter challenges in school, college and beyond. This past year, as part of our Strategic Plan, we’ve piloted an advisory program for 50 freshmen to teach them concepts about selfawareness and self-management, two of the five core SEL competencies. [Healthy relationships, social engagement and thoughtful decision-making are the other three.] Each faculty advisor had 25 students and met with them individually, in small groups and as a whole. We’re already seeing success with our pilot class. Next, we roll it out to the entire incoming freshman class and will continue with the pilot class.

WHAT HOLY CROSS VALUE RESONATES WITH YOU? I always think about hope. A lot of the struggles students face daily are tied to an absence of hope.

Hope is essential to our sense of purpose. I like our students to see that their teachers have hope in them and for their future. Hope creates empathy. If you have hope, you can create it in others.

Summer 2019 PROGRESS

34

PROGRESS

Saint Francis High School Institutional Advancement 1885 Miramonte Ave Mountain View CA 94040-4098

visualInspiration

1. Alex Mihalko ’20 won first place and Best in Show for the Rotary Club’s Young at Art 2019 competition. 2. Kennedy Adkison ’21 3. Kelly Lu ’21 4. Aidan Mahon ’22 5. Samantha Phillips ’22 6. Eva Voelker ’20

3 1 5

2

6

4