2023 Fall/Winter Re-U-Knight-er

FALL/WINTER 2023

REMEMBERING

GARY SISKA

IN THIS ISSUE Our mission... to form a community

A Journey with Gary............................................................................................ 4

of faith and learning by

Mother Amata Veritas......................................................................................... 8

promoting a Catholic way of life through Gospel values and academic excellence.

The Honor To Serve........................................................................................... 10 Jane’s Cookbook................................................................................................ 11 Celebrating Excellent Teachers in Catholic Education!...................................... 12 Religious Spotlight: Fr. Gregory Frankman........................................................ 14

President: Kyle L. Groos

Dakota Bowl XLV!.............................................................................................. 15 Messages from the Principals............................................................................ 16

Director of Development: Liz Myscofski 605-575-3342 lmyscofski@ogknights.org

What’s Up at O’G High School........................................................................... 20

Executive Director Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Foundation: Nicole R. Bruning 605-575-3362 foundation@ogknights.org

A Legacy of Love................................................................................................ 24

Director of Admissions: Jenni Struck 605-575-3358 admissions@ogknights.org

What’s Up at O’G Junior High School................................................................ 23

Class Reunions................................................................................................... 26 In Loving Memory............................................................................................. 27 Alumni News..................................................................................................... 28 Creating A Christmas Tradition.......................................................................... 30 The Unseen Power of Faith in O’G Football....................................................... 32 The 33rd Annual O’Gorman Golf Classic........................................................... 35

Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools 3100 W 41st St Sioux Falls, SD 57105

Upcoming Events..................................................................................Back Cover

www.ogknights.org www.facebook.com/BishopOGKnights @BishopOGKnights @BishopOGKnights

Re-U-Knight-er is published two times annually by the Development Office and the Alumni Office for all Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools community, alumni, and supporters.

Submissions or questions can be sent to info@ogknights.org

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Ready...Set...

Wednesday, May 1st, 2024 GO GIVE O’G Day is an opportunity for us to show our gratitude and to give back to help those that desire the same Catholic education we were all fortunate enough to receive.

Currently 44% of students at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools receive tuition assistance.

Both east and west side Dunn Brothers Coffee in Sioux Falls will donate 25% of their proceeds for the day on May 1st to Go Give O’G Day of Giving!

LEVI POLE CLASS OF ‘06 “At O’Gorman not only do our children get to spend time around those that share our Catholic faith, they get to spend time with Jesus throughout their day.

This is the community that we choose for our children and we are so grateful for it!”

Decade... ...Challenge In 2023, the 1990’s won the Decade Challenge.

Who will win this year? Challenge your friends to give.

ALUMNI

t u O t h Knig

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1ST, 2024 5:30-7:30PM R WINE BAR

Join us in celebrating our alumni with drinks and appetizers!

Share your favorite O’G memories with us!

Do you have an O’G memory that you want to share with us? We’d love to hear it!

Just scan the QR code to message us or send us an email to marketing@ogknights.org. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8CWX38F

A Journey with Gary

By Doug Basche, former teacher

W

hen Gary Siska asked me a year before his passing if I would give his eulogy, I was deeply honored. At the beginning of the eulogy, I referenced the author John Steinbeck, “Travels with Charley: In Search of America.” A book about the great author’s journey with his pet cocker spaniel. Therefore, I aptly pen this article, “A Journey with Gary.” For over 40 years, I have had the pleasure of sharing many “journeys” with a dear friend. This journey will include observations from other close friends. My adventure began in 1981...

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I was hired to teach English, and my friendship began with the task of producing and advising the Knight Legend yearbook. This sojourn will be entitled: Keep Door Closed! If it is left open all the dark leaks out! This was a sign posted on the dark room door. I had the joy of being co-advisor for the yearbook with Gary. Over three decades, we took countless pictures of every conceivable event, ranging from the first day of school activities to graduation ceremonies. Gary provided the “creative juices’’ for the book. I would suggest a theme for the book, and he would go about designing the cover and assist with layout. Back in the 80’s, we had two darkrooms for photography. Gary taught the students how to develop film and how to print pictures in black and white, a lost art I might add! I never had quite the creative flair that he possessed when it came to “rule of thirds’’ and “dominant images.” It was such a great learning experience for me as well as for the students. Many times, I would go to Gary’s classroom to “discuss” yearbook stuff and I would find him working with a student on the potter’s wheel or giving suggestions to a student working on a drawing or painting. I could sense the love he had for, not only his craft, but his students as well.

Over the years, many countless students have remarked how they loved and enjoyed Mr. Siska’s classes. Just the opposite of the dark room sign, his door was always open and he left no room for darkness - only love and enlightenment for others!

Left turn Louie

The legendary Ray Cinco and I were blessed to teach Driver Education for almost 30 years. A time came when we needed an additional instructor. We asked Gary if he would like to join our team. Being a New York native born “Buffalonian”, we figured who better to comprehend the nuances of erratic driving (side note: Gary deemed himself an expert when explaining the differences between a buffalo and a bison). There were two parts to Driver Education. Part one was the calm classroom portion: lectures, speakers, and power point. Gary with his wry sense of humor kept 144 students mesmerized most of the time. Part two was entitled Over the Road. This is behind the wheel training for novice drivers. Gary was baptized in a real-world experience of chaotic driving the first week on the road. Cruising down east 18th toward Sycamore, Gary asked the student driver to make a right turn at the upcoming light on Sycamore. The Red Light!

The confused student not only didn’t realize that one must come to a complete stop at a red light before turning right, but that you also have to yield to cars on the left. The young driver blew through the red light without a care in the world, cutting off cars from the left, and the right, crossing two lanes of traffic. Followed by careening across two opposing lanes of Continued on next page

Reflection from…

Former student, O’G ‘98, and current O’Gorman High School Art Teacher, Patrick Frankman - About 15 years ago, Gary asked me to teach a couple of Photography classes.

I stayed in contact with Gary throughout Art School, and he knew that I received a degree in Photography and had recently moved back to town. I originally wanted to say no. I was petrified of public speaking! After much contemplation and encouragement, I said yes, and I loved it! Gary mentored me for the next 12 years and paved the way for me to take over the Art Department at O’G. I was blessed to have Gary as a teacher in high school and more blessed to have him as a mentor and friend.

He is the reason I found my calling in life. As friends, Gary and I shared recipes and talked a lot about food, and I mean a lot! It was almost a daily conversation. One dish that Gary and I both loved was Chinese Hot and Sour soup from Kowloon restaurant. When the restaurant closed several years ago, I made it my goal to replicate the recipe. I got pretty close and Gary agreed. I know he wasn’t just being nice when he told me it was delicious. I knew he liked it because he went back for two more bowls! I will cherish all of those moments and will be forever grateful for Gary.

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Reflection from…

Parent and long time substitute teacher Rhonda Booth - Gary loved teaching his pottery classes! All three of our children attended O’Gorman and took his class. I loved all the pottery our children made! Our son and his friend thought it would be a good idea to buy a pottery wheel to make extra money, Gary talked them out of it, thank goodness!

Gary had compassion towards everyone and always had a smile on his face.

Continued from previous page traffic, hopping the curb like a jackrabbit, and coming to a screeching halt on a well-manicured lawn. With the ignition quickly off and keys absconded, Gary, ever cool, calm, and collected, asked the young man, “Now what can we learn from this experience?”

Gary sprinted out of my moving truck exclaiming “Hey that is my refrigerator. Put it down!” I have never seen Gary move so quickly. Post script - the refrigerator’s caved in door and dented hinge found a home in his garage.

Saturn missile

Workroom cuisine

Gary purchased a new refrigerator from Sears for his kitchen. We took the journey to pick up the refrigerator. No problem, right? After we squeezed the refrigerator into the box of my truck, along with a dishwasher wedged on the tailgate, we concluded there would be no need for support straps. Even though the straps were resting on the back seat.

Boy, were we wrong! Cruising down 49th street and listening to music on the oldies channel, as we were approaching the bridge by Sertoma Park, we suddenly witnessed the brand new, still in the box, refrigerator catapult up and out of the truck like a Saturn missile!! The parcel returned from heaven bouncing onto the earthly concrete in the middle of 49th Street, unfortunately, during 5:00 p.m. traffic.

Turning my vehicle around at the nearest intersection to retrieve our wounded machine, we came upon an elderly gentleman quickly loading Gary’s goods into the back of a white cargo van. Upon noticing this encounter,

Reflection from…

Sitting in the teacher’s lounge, also known as “the workroom,” during lunch was always a treat with Gary. While most staffers might opt for the school’s hot lunch or to bring a sack lunch, Gary took school dining to a whole new level. He would bring mussels or some mystery meat to put in the microwave. The pungent smell permeated the workroom and brought about caustic comments from all. Gary would only smile and say “This is yummy!” It’s a good thing the staff still loved him despite this defect.

Above all, Gary’s faith pilgrimage was most important to him. He accepted Jesus as his loving Savior and, despite being diagnosed with cancer, he would find his home in Heaven. “Your life is a journey, you must travel with a deep consciousness of God.” 1 Peter 1:18. Gary did not live long enough to see his 70th birthday and thus his “earthly” journey came to an end on June 16, 2023. But what a journey it was! I miss my good friend each day. 

Current OGHS teacher, Jane Bradfield - Gary and I began our careers at O’Gorman High School together. Gary’s passion for his discipline and care of his students was second to none. He was fully committed to the mission-centric purpose of Catholic education. The first time Gary and I met, we departed our vehicles in the O’Gorman parking lot, and together walked up the long stairwell that existed at the time, to attend our new teacher orientation. That first meeting initiated a valued friendship over the next 45 years as colleagues in our common endeavor.

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Did you know

that every purchase you make in the Knight Locker helps support the O’Gorman Athletic Booster Club?

The Knight Locker is the main Athletic Booster Club fundraiser for all 23 athletic programs.

In-Store Hours: Tuesday and Thursday from 1-4pm Shop online anytime at theknightlocker.square.site 7

Mother Amata Veritas

“This Is What I Was Made For”

By Mother Amata Veritas Ellenbecker, Prioress General

S

ince the days of their founder, St. Dominic, the Dominicans have been a religious order enamored with the Truth of Jesus Christ and entrusted with the mission of preaching the Truth. With a name that means “Beloved Truth”, Mother Amata Veritas Ellenbecker, ‘93 O’Gorman alumna and the Prioress General of the Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist in Ann Arbor, Michigan, lives right at the heart of her order’s charism.

As a student at O’Gorman High School, she ran track and cross country, played in the band, and was a member of the Student Council. After college, while she was teaching history and English in a public school, she felt a growing call to teach the truths of our faith and to draw others into deeper knowledge of the love of Jesus.

Growing up, her parents always presented religious life as an option for their children’s future. Attending Mass as a family, Eucharistic Adoration, and the family rosary provided a firm foundation for her vocation. The idea wasn’t unfamiliar when, after attending a weekend vocation retreat the Dominicans hosted, she knew she was on the right path. Describing her experience of the retreat and after encountering the community, “I thought, ‘This is what I have been made for!’” She entered the convent as a postulant in 2001, professed

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her first vows in 2004, and made her final vows in 2009.

Vote of faith

“My faith brings me great joy; following the path our Lord has led me on has been a great adventure full of fulfillment. A deeper trust in God has led to a greater happiness and appreciation for our life and my vocation.

A greater life of prayer opens my eyes to all that He is doing. In my role as Prioress General, I feel like it gives me a front row seat to see our Lord’s providential love and how He is working in and through our community to bring souls to a deeper knowledge of the love of Christ.”

The Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist elect superiors democratically, as Dominicans have been doing for 800 years. Mother Amata Veritas was elected by her peers as the second Prioress General to one of the fastest growing and most vibrant religious communities in the United States. The order’s main charism is to preach the truth and they do so primarily through Catholic education. Of the roughly 145 Sisters in the community, 86 serve in 30 schools all over the country as well as one mission in Rome. The remaining Sisters are in formation, studying, or working in Openlight, the community’s effort to evangelize through

digital media and publishing. The order developed the “Education in Virtue’’ program, currently utilized by the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools and more than 800 other schools around the world.

which is why we start every day by adoring Him and then asking for the grace we need to serve His Church.”

New responsibilities

Although her responsibilities to her religious community have grown with her election as Prioress General, her family remains very important to her, and she loves to come back to Sioux Falls in the summer to visit them. “I love coming home. I love seeing my family grow and respond to the ways God is working in their lives and watching my nieces and nephews grow up. Most of the time when I visit it isn’t about what we do, but about being together as a family.” And her family feels the same way. Her sister, Kris (Ellenbecker) Ripperda O’G Class of 1991, stated “Despite our limited contact with Mother Amata Veritas, she has been a tremendous influence in our lives. She likes to remind us that God can never be outdone in his generosity.

Through His blessings and our faith we continue to feel very closely connected. During the year, we know that she and the other sisters are praying for us as we are for them. The nieces and nephews look forward to her summer visits and sharing all the high points of the year. It is such a blessing for my kids to see and hear where God has led her through her vocation. Her witness strengthens our faith.” 

Mother Amata Veritas’s new role includes traveling to the various convents and missions of the community, overseeing all the apostolic work the Sisters are doing, meeting with her Sisters and with the laity with whom they serve, speaking at retreats, and praying for the Sisters under her care. “Being elected Prioress General involves a great responsibility but is also a great joy.

Our community is on fire for proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ and working for the good of souls, a passion I share with my Sisters. To lead and support my community in this work, remaining open to the movement of the Holy Spirit, that is something I love and am excited about each day.”

Mother Amata Veritas described a typical day in her role as Prioress General to include beginning and ending her day in prayer, specifically time with the Holy Eucharist. “The Eucharist is the source and summit of our life, because it’s the presence of Jesus Himself in our midst. I can only share Him with others if I know Him myself! He is at the heart of everything we do,

The importance of family

“My faith brings me great joy; following the path our Lord

has led me on has been a great adventure full of fulfillment.”

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The Honor To Serve

By Christopher Uttecht, Vice President for Educational Services at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools

I

am excited to step into the role of Vice President for Educational Services for Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. This is a transition that mirrors the leap of faith I took five years ago when I first discovered my passion for Catholic education.

Born and raised in northeast Nebraska, I received my undergraduate degree from the University of Nebraska at Kearney and then began my educational career as physical science teacher at Wisner-Pilger Jr.-Sr. High School in Wisner, NE. While earning my master’s degree in educational administration from Wayne State College, I soon transitioned to the role of administrator and served nearly two decades as Principal at Wisner-Pilger Jr.-Sr. High School.

During our time in Wisner, my wife Stacy also began her administrative career, serving as Principal at

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Catholic schools in both Dodge, NE, and Wayne, NE. Her dedication and success in Catholic education inspired me to transition to principal roles at Cedar Catholic Jr.-Sr. High School and Holy Trinity Elementary in Hartington, NE.

Big changes

While at Cedar Catholic and Holy Trinity, where I completed a Catholic Schools Leadership Certificate from Creighton University, I had the privilege to also serve on the pastoral leadership team and pastoral planning committee. I was able to witness firsthand our church’s transition from a group of two parishes to a family of seven. In my last two years at Cedar Catholic, I was fortunate to work alongside my wife as she took over the duties as

Principal at Holy Trinity Elementary where she continues to embrace and promote the importance of Catholic education today.

Stacy and I are members of the Holy Trinity Parish in Hartington, where I also serve as a lector and eucharistic minister. We are blessed with four children and six grandchildren, with one more little one on the way. Balancing the demands of my new position in Sioux Falls while maintaining a residence in Hartington promises to be a unique adventure which will ultimately be fueled by my passion for Catholic education and deep love for my family.

I am honored to be part of Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools and hope to build on its rich tradition of academic excellence with a strong foundation rooted in our Catholic faith. 

Jane’s Cookbook

A new feature from the culinary classroom of Jane Bradfield

Oreo Balls Ingredients: • 38 Oreo cookies • 8 ounce cream cheese at room temperature • 1 cup chocolate melting wafers or candy coating • 1 cup white chocolate melting wafers or candy coating • For decorating: melted chocolate, Oreo crumbs, sprinkles, crushed peppermint Directions: 1. Place Oreo cookies in a food processor and pulse until they are fine crumbs.

2. Using a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the Oreo cookie crumbs and mix until well combined.

3. Roll the Oreo mixture into small balls and place on a baking sheet or tray that has been lined with parchment paper or wax paper. Freeze the Oreo balls for 15 minutes.

4. Place the chocolate wafers (or candy coating) in a small microwave safe bowl. Place the white chocolate wafers (or candy coating) in a separate small microwave safe bowl. Melt according to instructions on the package.

5. Remove the balls from the freezer and dip the balls into the melted chocolate. Be sure to cover the balls completely in chocolate. Dip half of the balls in the chocolate and half in the white chocolate. Place the dipped balls back on the baking tray with parchment paper or wax paper. Decorate with a drizzle of chocolate, additional crushed Oreos, sprinkles, or crushed peppermint.

6. Place the baking sheet with the Oreo balls in the refrigerator and chill for at least one hour. Keep stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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Celebrating Excellent Teachers in Catholic Education!

By Rachael Kapperman, Marketing & Communications Specialist

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e understand the incredible impact that Bishop O’Gorman Catholic School teachers have on shaping the future generation. We are proud to have an exceptional team of educators who not only deliver high-quality education but also go beyond their duty to ensure our students excel. Their hard work, dedication, and unwavering commitment to our students’ success is incredibly appreciated.

Priests, parents, and colleagues have the opportunity to nominate teachers for the Teacher of Excellence award. In the inaugural year, the program recognized four teachers. Since then, the program has grown to over 26 teachers recognized for their service to Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools and ten receiving the Teacher of Excellence award and $10,000 each. We are truly blessed to have these teachers a part of our Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools family, and we are thankful for the positive role they play in our students’ lives.

“I have chosen a career in education, but teaching at Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools has let me make a life of teaching the whole person. Getting to know my students as individuals not only allows me to relate to them, it allows me to help them grow as individuals in their academics, personal, and faith lives.”

—Nancy Carpenter

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2023 TEACHER OF EXCELLENCE AWARD RECIPIENTS

Grace Eisenberg

Chad Lebrun

2ND GRADE TEACHER ST. MARY ELEMENTARY 8 YEARS OF SERVICE

WORLD LANGUAGE TEACHER O’GORMAN HIGH SCHOOL 15 YEARS OF SERVICE

Jane Bradfield

Sonia Lewis

BUSINESS EDUCATION TEACHER O’GORMAN HIGH SCHOOL 44 YEARS OF SERVICE

PRESCHOOL TEACHER ST. LAMBERT ELEMENTARY 6 YEARS OF SERVICE

Mackenzie Siegling

Nancy Carpenter

ACADEMIC SERVICES COORDINATOR ST. MICHAEL ELEMENTARY 7 YEARS OF SERVICE

MATH TEACHER O’GORMAN HIGH SCHOOL 15 YEARS OF SERVICE

Rick Lynch

Mary Boe

MATH TEACHER O’GORMAN HIGH SCHOOL 40 YEARS OF SERVICE

1ST GRADE TEACHER CHRIST THE KING ELEMENTARY 8 YEARS OF SERVICE

Margo Smith

Kayla Schmidt

KINDERGARTEN TEACHER HOLY SPIRIT ELEMENTARY 26 YEARS OF SERVICE

KINDERGARTEN TEACHER ST. KATHARINE DREXEL ELEMENTARY 9 YEARS OF SERVICE

Congratulations to all the nominees and the recipients. Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools is blessed with amazing and talented professionals who guide our students at all levels!

If you would like to learn more about the Teacher of Excellence awards, please visit the “Parents” tab at www.ogknights.org. 

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Religious Spotlight

FR. GREGORY FRANKMAN

By Rachael Kapperman, Marketing & Communications Specialist

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n the Religious Spotlight we are showcasing some of our beloved alumni who have answered God’s call to the religious life. Please take a moment to read up on some fun history of what attending O’Gorman High School was like for each of them.

This issue, we are featuring Father Gregory Frankman, O’G class of 1971, who is a Parochial Vicar of Pastorate 5 which includes St. John de Britto, Britton; Sacred Heart, Eden; St. Joseph, Grenville; St. John the Baptist, Rosholt; St. Kateri Tekakwitha, Sisseton; St. Peter, Sisseton; Immaculate Conception, Waubay; and Christ the King, Webster.

How did you get your call to priesthood?

It was a delayed vocation when I entered the Seminary at St. John’s in Collegeville, MN. I kept getting the inspiration over the years to try seminary and finally, while teaching Social Studies at Roncalli High School in Aberdeen, I received the conviction that I should become a priest. I knew then that I would complete Seminary courses and be ordained.

Tell us a little about your family. Do you have siblings? Did they attend O’Gorman too?

All six of the Frankman children of Bill and Mary Helen Frankman, both deceased, graduated from O’Gorman.

My brother, Deacon Bill, was a senior when O’Gorman opened. Later, he taught English there. My brother, Larry, was in the first four-year class to graduate. My brother, Tom, graduated two years before me. My sister, Mary Beth, graduated two years after me. My brother, Steve, graduated about six years after Mary Beth.

Many of my nieces and nephews graduated from O’Gorman. One of them teaches at O’Gorman, Patrick Frankman.

What are some hobbies you enjoy in your free time?

I enjoy riding my Harley, especially in the Black Hills with my brothers, usually with just the youngest who lives there. I ride my ATV on the country roads around my parish communities and in the Black Hills. I enjoy camping, especially with siblings.

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What activities/sports were you involved in at O’G?

I was involved in the school paper, student council, and was a class officer a couple of years. I was a Knight Singer.

I was a two-year letterman on the basketball team and a three-year letterman on the track team.

What is your favorite high school memory?

I think it has to do with track. I was part of the 1970 medley relay team’s school record, which still stands. My senior year, I was part of the mile relay team that broke the school record many times that year. I believe that record stood for twentyfive to thirty years, but I’m not sure how long.

What teacher inspired you the most?

There were three: My brother, now Deacon Bill Frankman, in English; Fr. Bernie Weber and Fr. Tony Opem in religion.

What was the uniform policy when you attended O’Gorman High School?

It was tan pants, dark brown sport coat, and tie.

Favorite place you have traveled to?

I spent a semester in Israel while in major seminary and a sabbatical in Rome where the group concelebrated Mass with Saint Pope John Paul II in his small chapel.

Did you attend one of the Catholic elementary schools in Sioux Falls?

Which one?

St. Joseph Cathedral Grade School and Junior High.

If you could spend a day with anyone from history (besides Jesus), who would it be and why?

St. John Marie Vianney, the patron saint of priests. He had a really difficult time arriving at ordination, but is an inspirational saint who I seek intercession, especially concerning the evil one and his “little buggers” as I call the fallen angels. 

Dakota Bowl XLV!

By Liz Myscofski, Director of Development

A

t the Bob Burns Dakota Bowl Press day, Coach Jayson Poppinga was excited for the season opener to be the first home game against the Brandon Valley Lynx, historically a team filled with large players. Their size, compared to the Knights was obvious as both sides took the field. But the Knights were prepared, the low scoring game came down to the final moments of the fourth quarter. The crowd anxiously awaited as the team reset from the incomplete pass. With ten seconds left, quarterback Hayden Groos completed the pass to Ryland Satter to win the game 24-21.

A perfect day

It was a perfect way to end the perfect day! 45 years in the making, Bob Burns Dakota Bowl celebrates all things O’Gorman. We continue to start the day with the Football and Cheer camps, hosting tailgating on our campus, Mass with our Bishop, Most Reverend Donald E. DeGrood, and a pre-game show full of trivia and entertainment. The Skydivers just barely missed the Coca Cola target.

The Mount Marty Trivia challenged five senior students with Knight and O’G trivia: hint Mr. Steve Kueter has

been present for all 45 games, our mascots name is Dwight not Pam, Kevin, or Michael!

Fiegen sponsored our “Shirt”, Billion Automotive and Maguire continue to be proud sponsors of the event, and the Woody Drey Volunteer Award was presented to Bob Winkels for his work on the O’Gorman campus.

We will always celebrate the day with our halftime show of fireworks presented by Guarantee Roofing, the Marching Knights band, and the Knight Vision Video presented by Eye-Site.

The campus is alive with the spirit of the Knights! While the event has changed over the years, moving the Bob Burns Dakota Bowl to the O’Gorman Campus has been one of the biggest changes. Our stadium is packed, the parking lot is full, and the community that gathers to celebrate is filled with families of all ages and sizes. We successfully raised over $200,000 for all eight Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. Our team of volunteers dedicated their time and enthusiasm to help gather donations and make the day a success.  lly raised We successfu for all 00 over $200,0 O’Gorman eight Bishop ools.

Catholic Sch

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Messages from the Principals

St. Lambert Elementary St. Lambert Elementary has been off to a busy start.

We had a great start to the school year and were able to invite our Grandparents and Grandfriends in for a morning of Mass and Bingo. The children look forward to this event every year and the Grandparents/friends enjoy the extra time with their grandchildren.

Students also kicked off the year raising donations for our Walk-a-Thon to support needs in the classrooms and school. The actual walk was the same day as Grandfriend day with students and their families walking on the bike trail at Sertoma Park followed by food and fellowship.

Our Kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders look forward to their weekly Catechesis of the Good Shepherd sessions

where they grow in their relationship with God through contemplation, scripture, and liturgy. Children in all grades enjoy their “Class Buddies” in which two different grade levels get together for activities focusing on our Virtue of the Month and reading partners.

One of the highlights as we move into some of the special celebrations of the church year is the 3rd Grade Saints Museum on All Saints Day. The students spend time researching a saint and give live presentations of their saint for family and students in the school. We all get to learn a little more about the saints on this day!

Colleen Davis, St. Lambert Elementary Principal

St. Mary Elementary St. Mary Elementary kicked off the year focusing on how to be Disciples of Christ. Every Monday, we meet in Faith Families (multiage groups of students) to learn a new virtue, discuss the lives of Saints, and work on service projects together. Students are encouraged to practice the virtues in their daily lives and staff members try to “catch” students doing a virtuous act. We pray that all of our students will be good role models to one another on our journey of faith!

Our Annual Fall Festival was a great success, raising over $50,000 for our school. It was

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a beautiful 90-degree day on October 1st! Everyone had fun with the carnival games, pumpkin patch, and food trucks.

On Halloween, the Preschool students held a costume parade and our parents treated the students with a Trunk or Treat event. It was a slightly chilly day at 30 degrees, but no one complained! We are looking forward to our Grandparent Day on November 22nd when we can show off our school to some special guests.

Michelle Shields, St. Mary Elementary Principal

Christ the King Elementary Christ the King Elementary is off to a great start! Our enrollment has increased to 150 students, filling Preschool and Kindergarten classrooms. We just wrapped up the 50th anniversary of the Walk-a-Thon, raising over $50,000.

What makes this school unique? We offer young students a nurturing learning environment that is structured, calm, and full of exciting opportunities. With small class sizes, teachers know each child individually and provide daily encouragement that allows all children to flourish and feel valued, respected, and safe. Faith is at the heart of everything we teach at Christ the King Elementary. Our

teachers and staff are dedicated to working with parents to instill a love of God and aid in developing virtue among our students. With the incorporation of Faith Families, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Mom Rosary, School Mass, Adoration, and parish support, students and their families develop a strong relationship with God that lasts a lifetime.

Julie Kolbeck, Christ the King Elementary Principal

St. Michael Elementary The 2023-2024 school year at St. Michael Elementary is off to a great start! Students and their families enjoyed a parking lot mixer the night of Open House, where they reunited with friends over games, prizes, and pizza! We’ve all enjoyed getting to know Father Andrew Thuringer and Father Dan Smith,

new priests in our Pastorate, who both visit classrooms and rotate school Masses with Father Tom Hartmann. We celebrated the Feast Day of St. Michael on September 29th with a procession of the Holy Eucharist through our hallways and classrooms. The celebration continued with ice cream treats at lunch! Our school fundraiser was moved from the spring to the fall this year and students and families surpassed their goal with one week left to collect donations.

Once again, we are reminded of how generous our St. Michael friends and families are and of how grateful we are for those who support us. We continue to teach and learn about the virtues to be

better Disciples of Christ. Students and families reviewed the virtues that were taught last year at their Mass Mingles and a new virtue is being introduced to students each month.

Teresa Hulscher, St. Michael Elementary Principal

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St. Katharine Drexel Elementary The beginning of the 2023-2024 school year has been nothing short of remarkable. We were thrilled to welcome 46 new students and their families to St. Katharine Drexel Elementary, as our overall school enrollment has reached its highest point to date with 194 students. Additionally, we welcomed three new priests, enriching the spiritual guidance and support available to both students and staff. Our annual Walk-in-Virtue fundraiser proved to be a resounding success that brought the school community together. Once again, we were reminded of the generosity of our friends and families and for how grateful we are for

all of those who support our school. Academically, spiritually, socially, and emotionally, we’ve witnessed incredible growth among our students. It’s heartening to see them not only excel in their studies but also develop into well-rounded individuals. The start of the school year has undoubtedly set a strong foundation for continued success and personal development.

Stacy Charron, St. Katharine Drexel Elementary Principal

Holy Spirit Elementary The 2023-24 school year at Holy Spirit Elementary is off to a great start! This year we welcomed 90 new students to our school family. The school year kicked off with our annual Parking Lot Party held in collaboration with Holy Spirit Parish. Families were treated to a variety of kids games, including face painting and Mr. Twister, bingo and a bean bag tournament, and the Holy Spirit Knights of Columbus served up some delicious food. The students always look forward to their weekly classroom visits from both Fr. Mason and Fr. Schaefbauer and celebrating Mass together on Thursday mornings. Our annual Halloween Carnival Fundraiser was another great success thanks in

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part to the many volunteers that helped out before, during, and after the Carnival. The Carnival serves as a great way for students and families to interact in a social setting and raise money at the same time. Most recently, we celebrated All Saints Day where each of our 3rd grade students dressed up as their favorite saint for Mass. Following Mass, families and the rest of the student body were invited down to the parish dining room where the 3rd grade students shared interesting facts and information about their individual saints.

Regan Manning, Holy Spirit Elementary Principal

OGJH We have had an outstanding fall at O’Gorman Junior High School!

The fall tends to be our busiest time of year in terms of activity involvement. Over 95% of our students are involved in co-curricular activities. Our fall athletic teams have all experienced a great success, including our 8th Grade Lady Knights cross country team capturing the Middle School Metro Conference Title. Our music groups are also off to a great start with our choirs singing at the Song of O’Gorman and our recently formed OGJH Marching Band participating in the Lake Area Festival of Bands. Many of our clubs have started including Lego League, Drama Club, Science and

Engineering Club, and Lego Club.

We continue to grow in our relationship with Christ.

Along with weekly Campus Ministry activities, our 8th graders had their annual spiritual retreat. Special thank you to everyone who made the retreat possible including the teachers, the PES Sisters and Brothers, and seminarians.

One of the most memorable parts of this year’s retreat is that we had three bishops join us! Thank you to Bishop DeGrood, Archbishop Gullickson, and Bishop Kettler for joining us on our special day.

Wade Charron, O’Gorman Junior High Principal

OGHS Fall is a busy time at OGHS with Dakota Bowl, Homecoming, and so many other fall activities.

Dakota Bowl and homecoming provided wonderful opportunities for food, fellowship, and football to kickoff the school year, and victories in both events by the Knights football team added to the excitement.

Academically, we have had much to celebrate this fall. Eight of our seniors earned National Merit Semi-Finalist status out of only 45 students in the entire state of South Dakota. Our average ACT score of a 25.4 for the graduating class of 2023 was a full six points higher than the national average and four points higher than the state average.

Many of our fall activities have recently concluded, and our excellence in activities continues with a top-five performance at state competitions in cheer, dance, boys golf, boys & girls soccer, volleyball, and girls cross-country.

Our boys soccer and golf teams, football, and our girls competitive cheer team all placed runner-up at their state tournaments. Libby Castelli was the individual state champion in the state girls’ cross-

country meet.

Our fine arts students have been equally busy. In the first two months of school, we have enjoyed our Fall Play, “The Moustache”, our Song of O’Gorman fall choral concert, and our indoor Marching Band concert, which capped off an award-winning fall season of competition. Our orchestra program qualified a record-setting eleven students for All-State Orchestra.

Students from all grade levels recently assisted with the OGJH 8th grade retreat, and registration is ongoing for our fall overnight retreat which will be held the first weekend in December. Our monthly praise and worship night, “The Well” continues to attract large numbers of students.

During this holiday season, we are grateful for the community of faith and learning that we are blessed with at O’Gorman High School.

Joan Mahoney, O’Gorman High School Principal

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2023 South Dakota All-State Orchestra

What’s Up at O’G High School

11 OGHS students were accepted to the 2023 South Dakota All-State Orchestra which was held on October 27-28th in Rapid City, SD. Owen Watson, Violin 1 Emily Rakus, Violin 1 Avila Casanova, Violin 1 Oliver Van Ruler, Violin 2 (principal player) Sophia Swenson, Violin 2 Gabriella Picconi, Violin 2 Blake Allex, Viola Javier Kovacs, Viola Landon Sohre, Cello Jonah Astrup, Euphonium Fayth Eggerstedt, Harp

Records Broke Congratulations to Maverick Jones for breaking the O’Gorman record with 2,773 yards rushing and 280 points!

Cheer Congratulations to all 10 of our OGHS dance seniors on being recognized as All-State Academic Athletes at the 2023 Class AA State Cheer and Dance Competition.

International Competitions Ruth Pardy, OGHS Senior, was selected to represent the United States for two international competitions. On June 24th, she raced in the first edition of the Olympic Esport Week in Singapore as part of the North American mixed team relay and was one of two junior athletes to represent the USA. The Esport competition was a run/bike/run duathlon relay format in which the athletes each ran 750M on a self-propelled curved treadmill, followed by a 6K ride on a bike trainer, followed by another 750M run on the treadmill. There is an additional feature to the race in that an avatar of each athlete

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is projected on screen into a virtual city course - this race was projected into a virtual Glasgow, Scotland. The avatars of all the athletes appear on the course to show position. Ruth had the fastest relay split of all the female competitors and brought her team from 4th to 2nd in the standings.

The US/Mexico combined relay team finished 3rd overall.

Ruth was also selected by USA Triathlon to represent the USA at the 2023 Junior World Triathlon Sprint and Relay Championships in Hamburg, Germany. On July 13, 2023 she joined three other female USA Triathlon

Junior Development athletes in competing against athletes from all over the world for the junior championship.

Ruth also competed in August at the 2023 USA Triathlon Youth and Junior Nationals.

Performing Arts

Song of O’Gorman

The fall production of “The Moustache” was a comedic treat full of talent. The children’s play of a Charlie Brown Christmas was performed December 8th through the 10th.

Choir students at both O’Gorman High School and Junior High School participated in the beautiful Song of O’Gorman concert in October.

Cross Country Congratulations to OGHS senior Libby Castelli who took 1st place in the 2023 AA State Cross Country Meet!

Golf The OGHS boys earned their third straight AllCity Golf Championship.

We are so proud of our boys golf team!

Youth In Music In October, the OGHS Marching Band performed in the Youth In Music Competition at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, MN with a sixth place finish!

Boys Soccer

Multicultural Club

National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists Congratulations to the eight OGHS seniors have been named Semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program. This is an outstanding accomplishment!

Congratulations to the OGHS Boys Soccer team for their second place at the 2023 AA State Soccer Championships! It was an exciting and intense game that went into overtime and ended in a shoot-out.

Congratulations KNIGHTS!

The OGHS Multicultural Club participated in the Hispanic Heritage Parade and Festival downtown Sioux Falls in September and in the Sioux Falls Native American Day Parade in October. The students spent the days recognizing the history and celebrating the Hispanic and Native American cultures.

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STATE CHAMPIONS

O’Gorman Wins First Boys Team Track Championship in School History The 2023 boys track team accomplished something that had never been done in O’Gorman history. While O’Gorman has won 120 team championships, the Knights had never placed higher than third in boys track. And the Knights claimed their first title in dramatic fashion.

Coach Strand commented that after the first meet and a few weeks into practice the coaches began talking about #undertheradar. Coming off a twelfthplace finish in 2022, the Knights certainly flew beneath the radar this season. At the state meet, the Knights were tied with Brandon Valley at 90.5 points going to the final event of the meet, the 4x4 relay. Since the Lynx didn’t have an entry in the final event, and neither did Rapid City Stevens, who was sitting at 88 points, even an eighth-place finish would give the Knights the title.

But, Kellen Askew, Kyle Konechne, Ashton Bierma, and Sam Castle had their sights

set higher. The group not only placed, they won the final race of the track meet in 3:20.18, breaking the school record and the meet record and edging Aberdeen Central by 0.45 seconds.

On their way to the title, the Knights broke eight school records, and six other team members broke into the top five of all time. Three relay records were broken (4 x 100, 4 x 200, and 4 x 400) involving eight different guys showing the depth the Knights brought to the meet.

Coach Strand points to the senior leadership on the team including Jade Anstine, Sam Castle, Andrew Dally, Bennett Dannenbring, Matt Eng, Alex Farke, Peyton Hage, Kyle Konechne, Nate Ratzlaff, and Gabe Tschetter. According to Strand, “We knew we had a great team, but we didn’t want anyone else to know. We kept it low key, and it turned out great.”

Football Our O’Gorman Football team had an amazing 2023 season with a 9-2 record taking them into the playoffs!

With wins against Roosevelt and Harrisburg, they headed off to the State Championships at the Dakota Dome where they finished as runner-up to the undefeated Lincoln. We couldn’t be more proud of our Knights’ dedication and leadership this season.

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Volleyball The young Lady Knights Volleyball team saw steady growth throughout the season.

At one point the team was 12th in the AA standings, but by SODAK16 playoff time they had worked their way up to fifth. In the playoffs, they avenged an early season loss to Roosevelt to qualify for the state tournament.

At the state tournament, the Lady Knights upset fourth ranked Watertown in the opening round to move to the semi-finals. The team capped off a successful season bringing home a fourth-place finish from the 2023 AA State Volleyball Tournament.

What’s Up at O’G Junior High School Eucharistic Procession Marching Band

In September to start off the school year, the entire junior high student body participated in a Eucharistic Procession led by OGJH Chaplain, Fr. Michael Kapperman. “By bringing Jesus into the halls, we are making an act of faith by opening up to God and allowing Him to perform miracles in our lives.” – Fr. Kapperman

The O’Gorman Junior High Marching Band traveled to Chester in October to compete in the Lake Area Festival of Bands.

Softball Congratulations to the OGJH Blue team for placing third in the A division of the middle school fall league. O’Gorman Blue was coached by softball senior Ava Tobin and sophomore Taylor Miller.

Cross Country Metro champs! Congrats to the 8th grade Lady Knights on winning the Metro conference cross country title!

Homeroom Visits 6th – 8th Grade Retreat We are grateful for the transformative experience at our 8th grade spiritual retreat! Reflecting on the moments of connection, selfdiscover, and spiritual growth. Thank you to everyone who made this journey so meaningful including the high school leaders, teachers, PES sisters and brothers, seminarians, priests, and bishops!

Check out the video of the retreat here.

Each 8th grade junior high homeroom is taking a visit to the high school across the parking lot.

The students get to eat lunch with a few seniors, participate in activities such as finding classes that interest them, and sit in a high school level class.

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A Legacy of Love

By Alumni Parent Mike Heineman, O’G Class of ‘96

A

lmost everything great in my life is in some way tied back to Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

I met my wife Susie, class of ’96, at O’Gorman.

Many of my friends as an adult are friends I met at O’Gorman. We have three kids that I feel are prepared for life because of the teachers, priests, and administrators from our schools. I am grateful for the impact O’Gorman has had on my life; therefore, I want to make sure I help where I am able so we can continue to be a positive influence on families.

When Father Rutten asked me to be the representative from St. Mary on the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools School Board, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it. After thinking and praying about it for a couple days, I had to decide which was harder, attend hours and hours and hours of meeting over the next four to eight years of my life or tell Father Rutten “No”… so I have been a School Board member for the last three years, and I am so thankful for the opportunity.

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It has given me the chance to see the dedication and faithfulness of our teachers and administrators.

Being able to work alongside other people who love O’Gorman and what our school system stands for to ensure that we thrive in the future has been the most rewarding aspect for me.

Fond memories

One of the aspects that I love about my O’Gorman experience can be summed up by our parent-teacher conferences last week. We first sat down to discuss our boys in Calculus with Mr. Lindemann, then we moved on to US History with Mr. Krier, Mrs. Bradfield was next with Personal Finance, lastly, we stopped to chat with Mrs. Mahoney. These are all teachers, coaches, and administrators that have been at O’G since Susie and I went there. These are people that I trust, am familiar with, and know how my kids will be taught and treated because I have been a student in their classrooms.

My favorite memory of O’Gorman happened before I ever even took a class. It was at the incoming Freshman class dance the summer before school started. I was sitting against a pole in the lunch room because dancing hasn’t always been my thing. My buddy, Ryan Martinson, brought a girl over to introduce to me and she said, “Hi, I’m Susie Baer.” Nine years later, Susie and I got married and seven years after that we sent our first child to a Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools preschool at St. Mary Elementary.

The importance of mentorships

The O’G experience that my kids have had is one that makes me very grateful. Our oldest son, Will, now a senior, was a little lost as a freshman and was looking for his “thing” to do in high school. One of the boys that he knew from soccer, Lucas Wagner, had heard about this and invited Will to come into the weight room one day after school to lift. The coaches there changed his life. They gave him confidence and encouragement. The powerlifting coaches (Vinnie Olson, Nolan Cleary, and Colin Fromelt) transformed Will from a quiet kid who was unsure of himself into an outgoing confident young man.

Our middle son, Zach, is a sophomore and a soccer player. One of my favorite things about the soccer team is how the upperclassmen take the younger eighth graders, freshman, and sophomores under their wings.

Transitioning into high school can be a very scary thing, but to have these older boys watching out for you and treating you like a peer and not a little kid has been so important to Zach. His eighth-grade year, Mason Frtiz, a senior at the time, really set the tone for Zach about what it meant to be a part of the O’G soccer team. Wesley Zimprich watched over him his freshman year and Nick North mentored Zach in his sophomore

year. I am looking forward to Zach carrying on this great tradition of leadership now that he will be an upperclassman next year and impacting the next group of young players like the older boys did for him.

Hannah is in sixth grade at St. Mary Elementary.

Next year will be the first year Susie and I won’t have a student at St. Mary in 15 years. My best memories of my kids at St. Mary definitely happened at the school Masses: watching them altar serve at Mass, saying the reading, or bringing up the gifts. They are lucky enough to celebrate God with their friends and classmates and that is truly a gift. When Hannah comes home from her day to tell me how many siblings Father Doty has or where Father Rutten’s favorite place to eat is, makes me feel lucky that she gets to interact with amazing priests in our schools. 

A quick plea to parents with kids at our schools…

Today with so many more schools in Sioux Falls, parents have more choices on where to send their children to get an education and many students themselves are making those choices. I know from my recent volunteer time that the top two avenues people hear about our Catholic schools are from our parishes and from friends.

My plea to you is this: when you are talking with parents whose children attend other schools and they inquire about O’G, please tell them why you send your kids here and what you love about it. Offer to show them around, invite them to a game, or to visit with our admissions staff. Give them the opportunity to see what we all love about Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

If you are O’Gorman alumni with school age children who are not in the system and are thinking of a change, please reach out to the Admissions Office and they can put you in touch with me (admissions@ogknights.org). I would love to talk with you about Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools and why we choose Catholic education for our children!

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High School Reunions—because you can’t give a hug on social media!

Yes, even though you may know what your classmates have been up to via their Facebook or Instagram pages, there is nothing like seeing a friend in person. That’s why it’s so important for our alumni to come back ‘home.’

Upcoming

CLASS OF 1974 50TH REUNION

Save the date: June 28-29, 2024 For more information contact Jean Leimbach Nichols Nichols_jean@yahoo.com or 605-929-5008

CLASS OF 1963

Past

CLASS OF 1963 – 60TH REUNION

The class of 1963 had their 60th reunion on August 28, 2023 at the Alliance Event Center.

Front Row: Nancy (LaCroix) Doorn, Rita (Hey) Donovan, Barb (Dargen) Burress, Sandy (Broderick) Cannon, Peeker (Lurco) Spawn, Mike Cannon, Bill Barnett, Earl Earley Back Row: Jim Daniels, Ed Bock, Joanne (Ollerich) Berg, Jim Halde, Gary Kreutzberg, Jim Seiler, Mike Brown, Ron Staebell, Bill Vander Woude

All details can be found at: https://www.ogknights.org/alumni/alumni-happenings

Extravaganza Save the Date, Saturday, April 13, 2024 You’ve Been Knighted – April 2, 2024 Silent Auction Opens Online – April 2, 2024

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To view full obits, please scan the code or go to www.ogknights.org/alumni/in-memoriam ‘44 Dolores (Fischer ) Norberg, passed away on June 28, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD.

‘64 Mary Ellen (Connor) Richburg, passed away on December 13, 2022 in Chicago, IL.

‘51 Paul Conley, passed away on June 12, 2023 in Rapid City, SD.

‘67 Charles “Chuck” Rowley, passed away on May 10, 2023 in Andover, MN.

‘53 Gerald Gossman, passed away on November 12, 2022 in Omaha, NE. ‘53 Thomas Haight, passed away on August 18, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD. ‘53 Janet (Crow) Rebnord, passed away on October 3, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD. ‘56 Elizabeth “Betty” (Fonder) McVaney, passed away on October 29, 2023 in Omaha, NE.

‘68 Shelley Burns, passed away on June 14, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD. ‘68 Deborah (Dose) Klasi, passed away on July 22, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD. ‘69 Thomas Connolly, passed away on May 3, 2023 in Las Vegas, NV. ‘73 Leo Crawford, passed away on October 19, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD.

‘59 Paul McDonald, passed away on May 15, 2021 in Pleasant Hill, CA.

‘74 Daniel Beacom, passed away on May 23, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD.

‘60 David McCoy, passed away on October 27, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD.

‘75 Michael Bolger, passed away on October 22, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD.

‘60 Margaret (O’Boyle) McGranahan, passed away on December 4, 2022 in Pensacola, FL.

‘75 Teresa (Lyons) Hegdahl, passed away on May 16, 2023 in St. Paul, MN.

‘60 David Rich, passed away on February 18, 2022 in Frisco, TX.

‘76 Bibiana Whitwam, passed away on May 23, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD.

‘61 James Gale, passed away on September 5, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD.

‘78 Jane (Norberg) Wingert, passed away on July 8, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD.

‘63 William “Bill” Roche, passed away on May 20, 2023 in La Vista, NE. ‘64 Conway Bowman, passed away on May 16, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD. ’64 Robert Burns, passed away on May 27, 2023 in Quilcene, WA.

‘80 Kathleen (Ronan) Lastine, passed away on June 5, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD. ‘83 Jeffrey Spriggs, passed away on September 10, 2022 in Sioux Falls, SD. ‘85 Jane Barnett, passed away on July 27, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD. ‘88 Sara (Tyson) Wilcox, passed away on September 2, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD.

FACULTY AND STAFF:

Gary Siska, passed away on June 16, 2023 in Sioux Falls, SD. Gary taught art at O’Gorman High School for 40 years and drivers education for 18 years before he retired in 2019. Gary was inducted into the O’G Hall of Fame this September for his Excellence in the Arts. Memorials may be directed to the family for future designation to the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Art Department.

Kevin Ordalen, passed away on August 31, 2023, in Sioux Falls, SD. Kevin was a custodian at St. Katharine Drexel Elementary for the past eight years.

FAMILY & FRIENDS OF ALUMNI:

Paige (Jenkins) McKenzie, daughter of Kristi Jenkins ‘92.

Steve Bushard, father of Tony ‘92 and Matt ‘95.

Dorothy Harding, sister of Elaine (Harding) Combs ‘68.

Beloved alumnus, Daniel Beacom, class of 1974 passed away on May 23, 2023. His name and legacy will live on through the naming of the Dakota State University track in Madison, SD. The DSU track will now be known as “The Dan Beacom Track Complex.” The naming ceremony took place on August 31, 2023. To read more about the impact Dan made at DSU, scan the QR code. Thank you to DSU for allowing us to utilize this story.

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Tom Coughlin ‘73, IEEE Life Fellow has been elected as the

2023 IEEE president-elect. He is set to begin serving as president on January 1, 2024. IEEE is the largest technical professional society in the world with over 420,000 members in over 190 countries.

Melvin Miller ‘73

is fully retired from the United States Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel after 22 years of service.

He is also a retired clinical pharmacist.

Melvin and Ethan at 3 months

is the life of industrial nomads. After several years in Mason City, IA and nearly 20 in the cement industry, he is changing directions slightly and entering the chemical lime world. He’s also taking a step away from management and going back to his roots in engineering. Jeremy has joined Mississippi Lime at their Ste. Genevieve facility, south of St. Louis, as a senior process engineer. He’s looking forward to the professional challenge, and his family is excited about exploring the area around their new home. jsmith4161@gmail.com

Lacey Babekuhl ‘07

Paul ’77 and Nancy ’77 Scharenbroich are celebrating

45 years of marriage! They were married at St. Mary’s Church, by father, Tom Heck September 1, 1978. They have two children, one deceased and two grandchildren. They attend St. Lamberts and think it’s amazing how each priest has helped them through different parts of their lives!

We are always enjoying life, trying new things and new places. In this picture, we had to put ice clips on the bottom of our feet to get to the viewing area. Paul made sure I had walking sticks just to make sure I got there safely.

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Jeremy Smith ‘95 and his family are on the move again! Such

and her husband, Franklin welcomed their second son, Dawson Stephen Hostetler in February 2023. Dawson joins an overjoyed big brother, Elliot, 9.

Rachael (Hoogendoorn) ‘07 and Chase Kramer welcomed baby Isaiah Paul Kramer on July 28. He was 9 lbs 4 oz.

Michelle (Connelly) Hoff ‘12 married Quade Hoff on September 24, 2022. They celebrated their first anniversary together and the birth of their son, Lucas Quade, on July 25, 2023.

Dr.

Lauren

Witte

‘14

graduated with her DDS from the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Dental Clinics in June of 2023.

She was also selected to be inducted to the Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society. In July of 2023, she began her residency in orthodontics at the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry.

Jessica Mieras ‘15 Whitney (Ziebell) Donohue ‘14 and Maxwell Donohue ‘14 welcomed Josephine Leigh

(JoLeigh) Donohue on June 16, 2023. She was 8lbs and 20 ½ inches. Everyone is happy and healthy.

was a member of the 2018 Dakota Wesleyan University Women’s Basketball National Championship team.

She will be inducted into the DWU Athletic Hall of Fame as the first ever team inducted at DWU.

In Remembrance

‘96 Staff Sergeant Robb Rolfing was an all-star athlete here at O’Gorman and earned a scholarship to New York College to play soccer. On June 30, 2007, in Baghdad, he made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our country. Now, 16 years later, after the official passage of the legislation occurs in Congress, this hometown hero will be honored with the naming of the largest post office in Sioux Falls. The official name will be “The Staff Sergeant Robb Lura Rolfing” Post Office Building. In addition to that, on July 4th, 2023 he also had the northbound Interstate 229 bridge over Minnesota Avenue dedicated in his honor. https://espnsiouxfalls.com/ixp/485/p/heres-why-senator-rounds-wants-to-rename-sioux-falls-post-office/

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Creating A Christmas Tradition

By Rachael Kapperman, Marketing and Communications Specialist

T

he holiday season is known for its joy, warmth, and the exchange of heartfelt greetings. One timeless tradition that embodies the spirit of Christmas is sending and receiving beautifully crafted Christmas cards. At Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools, we provide our students with the wonderful opportunity to express their creativity while spreading cheer to our Bishop O’Gorman families, through creating our annual Christmas card.

2020

Bricelyn Barch, who at that time was an 8th grader attending O’Gorman Junior High, entered the Christmas card contest. “I was recommended by the middle school art teacher because she knew I had an interest in art and drawing,” recalled Bricelyn. She said it only took her about five hours to create using colored pencils, oil pastels, and Sharpies. She thought of her idea after

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looking up examples online. Silhouettes of the three wise men is what brought her idea to life, only she wanted to add more detail of their features.

“I wanted to try and do something slightly different than what any of the other applicants would do to stand out. My only guidance was the pictures that inspired my ideas and the ideas in my head. When I learned that I was selected, I was beyond excited and loved seeing the finished product on the Christmas card knowing that my hard work had paid off. I really enjoyed creating a piece of art that others got to see and I loved the process of creating something for our Catholic school.”

2021-2022

In 2021, Lucy Myscofski, currently a 4th grader at St. Michael Elementary, added her handprints to make angel wings on the Christmas card, and in 2022, Ava Hillberg, O’G class of 23, created her design using digital artwork.

Full sculpture used in the 2023 Christmas card design.

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This year, we opted for something more 3D. O’Gorman High School Senior, Paige Clausen created a beautiful sculpture. “I wanted to make something with a hand and have it interact with something like the bird. There was a lot of back and forth between what bird I chose and trusting the process while also worrying about it breaking because of how delicate the pieces were,” explains Paige. She created it using brownstone and white stone clay, glaze, and acrylic paint.

The beautiful thing about this project is that every year will continue to be unique by having our own students from different grade levels share their artistic abilities. So, whether you receive a card this year by mail or email, remember the talent being shared with you this Christmas while wishing you peace, love, and joy. 

“I really enjoyed creating a piece of art that others got to see and I loved the process of creating something for our Catholic school.”

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The Unseen Power of Faith in O’G Football

By Dylan Majeres, O’Gorman High School Senior

M

y name is Dylan Majeres, and I’m a senior at O’Gorman High School. I’m left guard and middle linebacker on the football team, and I’m also a part of Campus Ministry at O’G. When people hear the phrase O’Gorman Football, maybe they think of Coach Kueter and all the success he had in the past. Maybe some people think of the 2019 state championship team or even the deep playoff runs in recent years. What most people don’t have in their minds is faith.

He connects the ups and downs of football, the ups and downs of life, the ups and downs of becoming a man, and, most importantly, the ups and downs of faith. This year’s philosophy is about staying on the narrow path.

This talk doesn’t just stay in Fargo. Coaches reference it throughout the season and players remind each other to stay on the narrow path, even when it’s hard. Our mindset of the team and how we plan to progress as a football team throughout the season all stemmed from that Bible passage that was read at the beginning of June.

Staying on the narrow path

We don’t pray to win

Once you’ve been around the O’Gorman football program you start to realize how much faith is integrated in the football team. To start the season, the team takes a trip up to Fargo, North Dakota for camp. At Fargo, head coach Jayson Poppinga gets up in front of the whole team, reads a Bible verse and relates it to the season.

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Before every football game, Coach Poppinga takes time out of his offensive meetings and reads scripture.

We’ve spent hours preparing for a football game: hours of practice, time spent watching film, and studying the offensive and defensive game plans for the week. It is all about to culminate in less than an hour, and yet here

we are in the locker room hearing Scripture. Before we take the field for warmups, Coach Olson, our line coach, leads us in prayer beginning every prayer with the phrase: “We don’t pray to win, we play to win.

We pray for clear minds, good health, and wings on our feet.”

All eyes on God

Right before the game, myself and a group of players that are considered leaders on the team, take our helmets off, circle up, hold hands, bow our heads, and say a little prayer. This prayer is special to me because it’s moments before the opening kickoff happens and all eyes are about to be on us. Yet the prayer that one of us says almost always is a reminder that all eyes are ultimately

on God. Other team members noticed us starting to do this, and were drawn to it. A simple minute long prayer had team members intrigued and choosing to join in.

It’s the little things where faith is integrated that make a big impact. I feel that O’Gorman is the only place where you get to experience this. These are just the little things that I mentioned. I didn’t even include the big things that are more well-known such as team Mass before every game, the service projects that the team does throughout the summer, and even going to Mass together as a team on weekends. So next time you hear someone talk about O’G football, hopefully, something that crosses your mind is faith. 

“The football program strives to use football as a way to practice skills that will produce great young men of faith who live out character traits of discipline, focus, mental toughness, and dependability. We emphasize that character needs to be in all aspects of our lives. Our priority is always Faith, Family, then everything else, and we focus on living those priorities in everything we do in the program. Serving others in the community through our partnership with the Banquet and the Project S.O.S, serving our teammates through encouragement and how we treat others at practice and in the community, and serving in our school by choosing to do the little things in the halls and classrooms that make a difference. The coaching staff continually focused on how football is a proving ground for life. The team’s weekly pregame scripture reading focuses on how the passage applies to what we are dealing with in our team and how we can live it out in our lives. The coaching staff wants players to see that scripture and faith isn’t just for Sundays and Mass but matters everyday on and off the field.”

—Jayson Poppinga

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GIFT CARDS

THAT GIVE BACK! Purchase your Holiday gift cards for gifts, thank you presents, and stocking stuffers! Each gift card purchase earns your family tuition credit AND helps another family with tuition assistance! The only program that allows you to give back through your regular shopping and gifting!

Local and national businesses include: Bagel Boy Barnes & Noble Bath & Body Works Buffalo Wild Wings Century Theatres CherryBerry TC Referee Culver’s DSW (Designer Shoe Warehouse) Fareway Fazoli’s Get-n-Go Holiday Stationstores (Circle K) HyVee iTunes Juice Stop Kohl’s Lewis Drug

Look’s Market Menards Minervas/Grille 26 Panera Papa Murphy’s Pizza Ranch Pizza Ranch Fun Zone (41st St. Location Only) R Wine Bar Qdoba Mexican Grill Scheels Sioux Falls Ford Starbucks Subway Target Texas Roadhouse TJMaxx/Marshalls/Home Goods WalMart/Sam’s Club West Mall 7

DOWNLOAD THE RAISERIGHT APP!

Use the mobile app RaiseRight to purchase eGift Cards with your mobile phone or device. It’s an easier way to earn tuition credit!

Download the RaiseRight app* from the Apple App Store or from Google Play. Then, sign in with your (formerly ShopWithScrip) username and password, or create a new account on the app.

Access your eGift Cards right away. Check out with payment information already saved to your account.

*FIRST TIME USERS MUST email giftcards@ogknights.org to receive your enrollment code.

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GET A HEAD START

ON YEAR-END

TAX PLANNING 605-575-3343

TAX-WISE CHARITABLE PLANNING STRATEGIES Here are some ways you can shift tax dollars to charitable dollars and support future generations of Knights.

IRA Charitable Rollover – Persons age 70½ or older can rollover up to $100,000 from their IRA to a qualified charity like the Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools Foundation. This may lower your income and taxes.

Outright Gift of an Asset – Make a gift of stock, real estate or another asset, avoid paying capital gains tax on the transfer and receive a tax-saving charitable deduction.

Donor Advised Fund (DAF) – Make a tax-deductible gift to a DAF, which gives you the ability to make grants to your favorite charities this year and in future years.

Zero-Tax Gift and Sale – Make a gift of part of an investment or property you intend to sell, avoid paying capital gains tax on the sale and receive cash back.

MAY WE HELP? If you would like further information on end-ofyear planning strategies, please contact us. We can help you create a plan that meets your needs and goals.

BishopOGLegacy.org

The 33rd Annual O’Gorman Golf Classic

was a successful day for the Athletic Boosters! Held on September 25th at Spring Creek Golf Course, the 112 participants enjoyed a beautiful day of golf! The tradition of the O’Gorman Golf Classic was started by devoted parents of O’Gorman High School students as a way to generate extra income to help offset athletic costs.

The Msgr. Andraschko Cup was introduced as a way to recognize Andraschko’s dedication to golf and the top flight of each tournament. Adding to last year’s list of names will be this September’s winners: Quintin Honerman, Wade Miles, Mike Zuidema, and Mike Fielder.

A special thank you to all the volunteers and sponsors who support this event. This year we raised just over $20,000 for 23 athletic activities at O’Gorman High School!

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE 2024 GOLF CLASSIC Monday, September 23 at Spring Creek Golf Course Shotgun start at noon

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O’Gorman-Cathedral Alumni Association 3100 W 41st St • Sioux Falls, SD 57105

Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit #841 Sioux Falls, SD

ON THE MOVE: If you have moved recently or plan to do so and know your new address, please avoid extra postage costs by notifying the Development Office: 605-335-6557.

Upcoming Events

2024 Open Houses JAN 25

O’Gorman Junior High School

JAN 29

O’Gorman High School

FEB 12

St. Katharine Drexel Elementary, Christ the King Elementary, and St. Lambert Elementary

FEB 13

St. Michael Elementary, St. Mary Elementary, and Holy Spirit Elementary

Extravaganza APR 2

You’ve Been Knighted

APR 2

Silent Auction Opens Online

APR 13

Save the Date

Other Events MAR 18

Holy Hoops

MAY 1

Go Give O’G