SHC MAGAZINE SUMMER 2025

A Message from Dr. Skrade magazine

At Sacred Heart Cathedral, we take the time each year to reflect on the ways we are blessed to be in the community.

The school year was filled with many memorable moments. In the fall semester, the community rallied in support of the 35th Annual Walkathon in Golden Gate Park, raising a record-setting $285,000 for the Carl Gellert & Celia Berta Gellert Atrium renovation, as well as student scholarships and student travel grants. In November, hundreds of parents gathered at the San Francisco Design Center for the inaugural SHC Shamrock Night, a new celebratory experience for our parents and our way of saying thank you for their commitment to SHC. The community marked the passing of past SHC President, Brother Ron Gallagher, FSC, who faithfully served from 2014 to 2018. His commitment, leadership and faith will always be remembered, and we will continue to honor him today and in the years ahead.

Every ending is also a new beginning. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, we bid farewell to our servant-leader, Pope Francis, and began a new chapter in church history with the first American pope, Pope Leo XIV. When you read this issue of the SHC Magazine, I hope you are inspired to take time to appreciate what the future may hold. The Class of 2025 will leave Sacred Heart Cathedral with a true understanding of what it means to serve, and I am confident that they will take what they learned here at SHC and use it as they navigate college and life as adults. We proudly honor these future, service-oriented leaders within these pages. We also pay tribute to our faculty and staff members who made an indelible impact on our community. We thank them for providing the finest Lasallian Vincentian Catholic Education to our students, and we wish them the very best on their paths ahead. We send our blessings to the Class of 2025. Live Jesus in Our Hearts, Forever.

In Gratitude,

Melinda Lawlor Skrade, PhD President

OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING

Marcus Tolero ’98

Director of Communications

Mark Pardini ’88

Creative Director

Giselle Palacios-Delmundo ’94

Communications & Marketing Graphic Designer

Lucie Duffort

Communications & Marketing Associate

Thai Chu

Photography Manager

CONTRIBUTORS

Stephanie Aclan ’25; Victoria Ball ’16; Margi Beima; Isabella Cerri-Quiros ’16; Thai Chu; Club Soda Productions; Tom Delmundo; Lucie Duffort; Mona Fowler; Luka More ’26; Brian Ong; Orange Photography; Giselle Palacios-Delmundo ’94; Mark Pardini ’88; Prestige Photography; Charlie Strella ’19; Marcus Tolero ’98; Catherine Tsang ’25

FRONT COVER: Brian Ong

BACK COVER: Tom Delmundo

SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL MAGAZINE is a publication of the SHC Office of Communications & Marketing and is published for alumni, faculty, staff, parents, students, investors, parents of alumni and friends.

SACRED HEART CATHEDRAL PREPARATORY 1055 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94109 415.775.6626 • ocm@shcp.edu

Do you receive more than one copy of the magazine? Do you need another copy? Please contact the SHC Office of Advancement at advancement@shcp.edu or 415.775.6626 ext. 564.

class of 2025

LOUIS A. MEYER ’55 GENERAL SCHOLASTIC EXCELLENCE AWARD

Evangelina Maria Alba

Kyle Amandy

Abigail Chang

Vivien Colwick

Josie England

Zephyr Eslick-Persyn

Salla Grigor

Sebastian Gutierrez

Stella Simmons

William Smith

Emily Takamoto

Zoe Tauber

Gabriela Vasquez

Samantha Wai

Isaac Wang

Benjamin Wiggins

Nicolino Will

Claire Young

Leah Zheng

This award, the most distinguished academic award that Sacred Heart Cathedral Preparatory bestows upon a graduating senior, is presented to students who maintain the highest cumulative grade point average throughout their high school careers. The award’s namesake selflessly served the school for five decades as a student, teacher and assistant principal for academics.

distinguished awards

CARITAS AWARD

Brevin Hom

This award is presented annually to the male graduate who has manifested caritas, exemplary Christian love, by giving generously of himself to others.

LABOURÉ AWARD

Adriane MendiolaFlores

This award is presented annually to the female graduate who has manifested caritas, exemplary Christian love, by giving generously of herself to others.

BROTHER CONRAD AWARD FOR SCHOOL SPIRIT

Vivien Colwick

This award—named in honor of a faculty member who devoted more than 50 years of service to this school—is presented annually to a graduating senior who has exemplified Brother Conrad’s spirit, devotion and commitment.

MATTHEW ENGLANDER AWARD

Alejandra Taylor

This award, memorializing a Class of 1964 member, is given to a graduating senior who has overcome extraordinary obstacles in the pursuit of the vocation of a student.

ROBERT WEST ’39 LOYALTY AND SERVICE AWARD

Rachel Lewis

Established by the West family, this award honors Robert D. West ’39, longtime Alumni Association volunteer. By vote of the graduating class, it is presented annually to the graduate who best exemplifies the spirit of loyalty and service to SHC.

LEADERSHIP AWARD

Rachel Lewis

This award is presented to recognize a student who makes lasting contributions to student life and inspires the school community through leadership, integrity and commitment.

class of 2025: college acceptances

290 colleges and universities across 45 states and 7 countries.

AMDA College of the Performing Arts - Los Angeles •

American University  • Arizona State University-Tempe • Azusa Pacific University • Babson College  • Bard College

Barnard College

• Bates College • Baylor University • Beloit College  •

• Binghamton University • Boise State University • Boston University • Brandeis University • Brown University  • Bryn Mawr College •

Butler University

• California Baptist University 

• California Lutheran University

•

California State Polytechnic University - San Luis Obispo 

• California State Polytechnic University - Pomona 

•

California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt 

•

California State University - Chico 

• California State University - Fullerton 

• California State University Maritime Academy

California State University-Dominguez Hills

•

•

California State University-East Bay

California State University-Long Beach

• California State University-Fresno

•

• California State University-Los Angeles

California State University-Monterey Bay

•

California State University-Northridge 

•

California State University-Sacramento 

California State University-San Bernardino

•

•

California State University-San Marcos

• Carleton College 

•

•

Hawaii Pacific University  • Hobart and William Smith • Hofstra University • Hope College • Howard University • Husson University • Illinois Institute of Technology • Indiana University-Bloomington  • Iona University • Iowa State University • James Madison University • Johns Hopkins University  • Kansas State University • Kentucky State University  • Kenyon College • Knox College • La Salle University • Lafayette College • Lawrence University • Lehigh University  • Lesley University • LeTourneau University • Lewis & Clark College  • Long Island University - Post • Louisiana State University • Loyola Marymount University  • Loyola University Chicago  • Loyola University Maryland • Loyola University New Orleans • Macalester College • Manhattan University • Manhattanville University • Marquette University  • Marymount Manhattan College • McGill University  • Menlo College • Merrimack College  • Miami University-Oxford  • Michigan State University • Montana State University • Mount Holyoke College • Mount Saint Mary's University • New York University  • Northeastern University  • Northern Arizona University • Northwestern University • Oberlin College  • Occidental College • Oklahoma City University

• Case Western Reserve University

• Carnegie Mellon University

• Chapman University 

• Claremont McKenna College 

• Clark University 

• Cleveland Institute of Music

• Colgate University 

• College of Charleston

• Colorado School of Mines 

• Colorado State University-Fort Collins

• Concordia University

• Denison University 

• Cornell University • Creighton University

• DePaul University 

• DePauw University

• Dominican University of California 

• Drexel University

• Duquesne University

• Eastern Washington University

• Eastman School of Music of the University of Rochester

• Elon University

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott 

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Daytona Beach

• Emerson College

• Emory University

• Fashion Institute of Technology

• Fisher College

• Florida Atlantic University

• Florida Atlantic University

• Florida State University

• Fordham University 

• Franklin University Switzerland

• George Mason University

• Georgetown University

• Georgia State University

• Gettysburg College

• Gonzaga University 

• Grinnell College

• Harvey Mudd College 

•

Salutatorian Lizeth Macias-Mendoza

Oregon State University 

• Oregon State University-Cascades •

Oxford Brookes University 

• Pace University • Paris College of Art 

• Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Main Campus

•

Pepperdine University 

• Point Loma Nazarene University 

• Point Park University

Purdue University-Main Campus

• Portland State University

•

• Quinnipiac University • Reed College 

• Rhodes College • Rochester Institute of Technology 

• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

• Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology

•

The University of Montana

• The University of Sheffield

• Tufts University 

• Tulane University of Louisiana

• Union College

• University College Dublin

• University of Arizona 

• University of Arkansas 

• University of Brighton • University of California-Berkeley 

• University of California-Davis 

Rutgers University-Camden

• Rutgers University-New Brunswick 

• Rutgers University-Newark

• Saint Anselm College 

• Saint Louis University

• Saint Mary's College of California 

•

San Diego State University 

• San Francisco State University 

San Jose State University 

• Santa Clara University 

•

Santa Monica College

• Sarah Lawrence College • Scripps College

•

• Seattle University 

• Seton Hall University 

• Simmons College of Kentucky

• Simon Fraser University

• Smith College

• Soka University of America

• Sonoma State University 

• Southern Methodist University

• Southern Oregon University • St Olaf College 

• St. John's University-New York • Stanford University 

• Stevens Institute of Technology

• Stony Brook University

•

Suffolk University

Temple University

• Swarthmore College 

• Texas Christian University 

• Syracuse University

•

• Texas State University

• The American University of Paris

• The Catholic University of America

• The Oberlin Conservatory of Music

• The University of British Columbia

•

• University of California-Irvine 

• University of California-Los Angeles 

• University of California-Merced

• University of California-Riverside 

• University of California-San Diego  • University of California-Santa Barbara 

• University of California-Santa Cruz 

• University of Colorado Boulder 

• University of Colorado Colorado Springs • University of Colorado Denver

• University of Connecticut • University of Delaware • University of Denver • University of Florida

• University of Hartford • University of Hawaii at Hilo • University of Hawaii at Manoa • University of Houston • University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign • University of Iowa • University of Kansas • University of La Verne • University of Leeds • University of Louisville • University of Maine • University of Manchester  • University of Mary Washington • University of Maryland-College Park • University of Massachusetts-Amherst • University of Massachusetts-Boston • University of Miami  • University of Michigan-Ann Arbor  • University of Minnesota-Twin Cities • University of Mississippi • University of Missouri-Columbia • University of Nevada-Las Vegas • University of Nevada-Reno  • University of New Hampshire • University of North Carolina at Asheville • University of Notre Dame 

• University of Oklahoma  • University of Oregon  • University of Pittsburgh  • University of Portland  • University of Puget Sound • University of Redlands  • University of Rhode Island • University of Rochester • University of San Diego • University of San Francisco  • University of Southern California  • University of St Andrews • University of the Pacific  • University of Utah  • University of Vermont  • University of Washington-Seattle Campus  • University of Wisconsin-Madison  • Villanova University  • Virginia Commonwealth University • Virginia Military Institute  • Virginia Tech • Wagner College • Wake Forest University • Washington State University • Washington University in St Louis  • Wellesley College • Western Washington University • Westmont College • Wheaton College - Massachusetts  • Whitman College • Willamette University  • William Jessup University  • Xavier University • Xavier University of Louisiana

 denotes matriculation

Valedictorian Nicolino Will

class of 2025 ON CAMPUS

KYLIE ABREGO

Kylie Abrego chose to stay in the Bay Area and will attend Stanford University in the fall, majoring in Economics. “I was drawn to Stanford's promise to prepare students to change the world when it faces intense uncertainty. Specifically, I loved Stanford's Economics major because it emphasizes providing students with tools to exercise judgment in policymaking.” Abrego, an i2 Program Student Director, Latinos Unidos Vice President and TEDxSHC Youth speaker, said SHC taught her to make meaningful relationships wherever she goes.

MATTHIEU BAZILE

Matthieu Bazile received acceptance from seven colleges around the country. He chose to attend Oberlin College and Conservatory in Ohio where he will double major in Organ and Mathematics. He was a California Scholarship Federation Scholar and Jubilee Choir member. Outside of school, he was the organist at St. Emydius Church from October 2022 to June 2025. “I think my life would have been so much different. As cliche as it sounds, I do not think I would be the person I am today if I had gone anywhere but SHC. The people I've met at SHC, friends, faculty and staff, and the opportunities I've had over my four years here have really shaped me.”

HELEN CISNEROS

Helen Cisneros is looking forward to the next chapter of her life when she attends the University of San Francisco, where she will major in Management. The Piro Scholar was a member of the Student Council and Women’s Ensemble, and she was the SF District 5 Youth Commissioner. She said a lesson learned at SHC is to be involved in college. “SHC taught me the importance of embracing my identity and, that no matter what, there will always be a community that accepts you if you are open to it. I look forward to finding these communities in college and beyond.”

BREVIN HOM

Brevin Hom will attend George Washington University in the fall and will major in International Affairs. During his time at SHC, he served as Student Body Vice President, The Emerald Opinion Section Editor and Admissions Ambassador and Intern. Hom said, “I look forward to moving out of the Bay Area and into a different part of the country. I also look forward to meeting new people and encountering new opportunities I would likely never have if I stayed in San Francisco.”

SAM MERAW

Sam Meraw received acceptance from 15 colleges and chose to attend Willamette University and major in English. Meraw, who was Band Co-Vice President, Drum Line Section Leader, a Percussionist in the Jazz Band and Rose Club President, said an important lesson to carry into college is to work with counselors. “Your counselors are such a big resource! If you're ever unsure about something at home or in school—they're really helpful!”

graduate profiles

FAITH PAN

Faith Pan is staying in the state when she attends the University of California, San Diego next fall. The Molecular and Cell Biology major was a TedxSHC Youth Co-Student Director & Speaker Mentor, Badminton Club President, i2 Scholar and SHC Girls Golf member. Pan said, “I will miss my teachers, friends and classmates. I'm looking forward most to being able to dedicate more time to volunteering in the hospital and my internship at City Hall because of no summer homework (hopefully)!”

CATHERINE TSANG

Catherine Tsang received acceptance from 16 colleges and decided to attend New York University. “I selected NYU because of the endless opportunities in New York City. I'll be able to explore different fields within the business world and meet people from all walks of life.” Tsang was Co-Director of Everything Everywhere SHC, Leader for Lasallian Vincentian Youth St. Anthony's, Head of Multimedia for The Emerald and an intern for the Office of Communications & Marketing. She said she is grateful to belong to an SHC family that has always uplifted her and pushed her to become the best version of herself.

SAMANTHA WAI

Samantha Wai will attend the University of California, Berkeley, and will major in Political Science. “The values I sought when deciding on a school were those that emphasize diversity, equity and political activism. These are ones that Berkeley truly embodies and is strong in its application of them by students and the university itself,” she said. Wai was The Emerald Editor-in-Chief, Speech & Debate Club member, i2 Program Scholar and Head Sound Engineer of the Tech Crew. She said, “I learned that opportunities won't come to you if you don't try to pursue them in the first place. SHC was one of the first places where I truly explored the idea of becoming someone beyond my own expectations and growing toward a place where I could feel fulfilled in my purpose.”

ISAAC WANG

Isaac Wang will attend the University of California, Los Angeles next fall and will major in Physiological Science. Wang, who was the captain of the SHC Swimming team and an i2 Scholar, said he chose UCLA because of its location and the scholarship he received. He said, “I will miss my friends, the fitness center and Japantown.”

NICOLINO WILL

Nicolino Will will attend California State Polytechnic University - San Luis Obispo next semester and will major in Electrical Engineering. Will, who served in the Student Council, Campus Ministry, Robotics Club and Speech & Debate, said, “The teachers inspired me and I learned about the type of teacher I would want to be.”

irish factoids ON CAMPUS

Mem-

bers from the Sacred Heart 1978 WCAL Championship team reunited at Oracle Park for a special tribute before the Bruce-Mahoney baseball game. Donned in green-and-white jerseys, the team gathered around the mound as Bob Baldocchi ’78 threw out the first pitch.

Recently, SHC Journalism students had a unique opportunity to learn from the pros when they visited the KQED offices in San Francisco. The students experienced a day in the life of engineers, producers, hosts and announcers and how they create TV and radio productions.

SHC students and staff proudly participated in the Winter Faith Shelter Walk at Lake Merced on April 6. The event raised an impressive $17,000 to support the San Francisco Interfaith Council’s Winter Shelter Program, which offers nightly shelter to 80 individuals from Thanksgiving through the end of March.

Economics students presented their yearly projects at this year’s Kiva Carnival. This yearly event is a culmination of the students’ efforts to learn about entrepreneurship. Proceeds from the event go to KIVA, an organization supporting global entrepreneurship in underserved communities by providing microloans to individuals and small businesses.

Moving Forward

Sacred Heart Cathedral is proud to formally announce a new strategic vision that will continue and advance SHC’s standing as the premiere Lasallian Vincentian Catholic high school in the country—The SHC Plan. Launched in 2023, The SHC Plan will elevate the school in three main areas of focus: Mission & Catholic Identity, Excellence in Programming and Stewardship and Sustainability.

“Sacred Heart Cathedral is an iconic school, and it is where it is today because we take our inspiration from our founders, the Daughters of Charity and the De La Salle Christian Brothers. For years, we have built upon this strong foundation to provide transformative experiences for our students,” President Melinda Skrade said. “We understand that to continue our mission, we have to be forward-thinking. The SHC Plan is a strategy that ensures that future SHC families can experience our unique Lasallian Vincentian education within an inclusive community.” Visit https://bit.ly/shcplan to learn more.

Vines Throws No-Hitter

Jacob Vines ’26 added his name to the Sacred Heart Cathedral baseball record books when he pitched a no-hitter against Archbishop Riordan on April 4 at the University of San Francisco Benedetti Diamond. Vines’ no-hitter was the first for the Fightin’ Irish in over a decade.

Since 1977, four no-hitters have been thrown by SHC pitchers, including Carlos Deza ’78, Chris Petrini ’05, Morgan Monashefsky ’15 (perfect game) and now Vines. “It was the most dominant performance I’ve seen in 26 years of coaching. He commanded all three pitches and felt comfortable throwing any of them in any count,” Head Coach Gregg Franceschi ’94 said.

MADDAN’S CORNER

Six graduates from the Class of 2025 — Mason Char, Asher Dowdell, Conor Gard, Tristan Kwan, Liam Lyons and Alan Ramirez-Mata — are kicking off summer with a celebratory trip to Japan. The friendships were forged in preschool, grammar school, SHC and notably, in Japanese class. A course that started with green tea, rice crackers and candies inspired this 15-day adventure that came to fruition over text messages and Venmo sends.

“Freshman year, Japanese class seemed daunting— from learning a new alphabet to wrapping my head around the pronunciation of the characters,” said Char. “Through Sakudo Sensei’s careful and engaging instruction, I was able to quickly acclimate and fall in love with the language.”

Vines’ stat line looked more like a video game. In his virtuosic seven-inning performance, he threw an efficient 105 pitches, struck out 16 of 25 Crusaders batters, allowed no runs and walked only three. “Sixteen strikeouts in a WCAL varsity game is something I’ve never heard of, and that goes back over 48 years,” Franceschi said.

A Perfect Score

On March 14, the Sacred Heart Cathedral Jazz Band traveled south to the 39th Annual Santa Cruz Jazz Festival. Sixteen schools sent their respective jazz bands to the festival, all with hopes of impressing the audience and the event’s panel of judges. All bands were awarded with a score ranging from one to three, with one being the best. The SHC Jazz Band received three perfect scores from the judges. The band also received a perfect score in an evaluated sight-reading event immediately following their performance. SHC was one of five schools to receive perfect scores across the board.

Organized by Kwan, who has been to Japan many times, the itinerary includes Tokyo, Shinjuku, Kamakura, Saitama, Fukuoka and Onsens. Having missed the sophomore trip with Abe Sensei, Ramirez-Mata is looking forward to experiencing the Ghibli Museum, Benzaiten Shrine and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. For retail therapy, the guys will visit Stussy Harajuku, Oi Racecourse Tokyo City Flea Market and the Onitsuka Tiger Ginza Store.“We’ve been friends for so long, but have never done a major trip together. I’m excited to experience the culture, go shopping and be with my friends before we go to different colleges,” Lyons said.

In the fall, they’ll head off to schools in California, Alabama and Dublin, Ireland. “It’s crazy to think we’re suddenly adults who can go across the world together to experience new things,” said Dowdell. “We’re lucky to have each other.”

Heather Maddan-Dowdell ’95 is a fifth-generation San Franciscan. She met her husband, Dan, at a high school party. They have three children — Sicily ’22, Asher ’25, and Jackson ’28.

Year-End Faculty Awards

LASALLIAN EDUCATOR - RACHEL GIOVANNETTI ’05

The Lasallian Educator Award is presented to an exemplary educator whose work is a sign of faith to all who model the Lasallian charism by touching the hearts and inspiring the minds of students entrusted to his or her care.

Instructor of Mathematics, Assistant Coach of Cross Country and Assistant Coach of Track & Field, Rachel Giovannetti ’05 started her career at Sacred Heart Cathedral in 2009. For over a decade, she has fostered an environment of encouraging students to succeed in the classroom and in athletics. “Rachel has been an exemplary educator at Sacred Heart Cathedral for several years. She understands how to work with her students and push them to their highest potential,” said one colleague. “Rachel is dedicated to sharing knowledge with her students, but more importantly, forms deep connections with them to grow them into good people. I cannot think of anyone more deserving than her.”

Congratulations to Rachel Giovannetti, this year’s Lasallian Educator winner.

VINCENTIAN SERVICE AWARD: JONATHAN LIM

The Vincentian Service Award is presented to a faculty or staff member whose work is inspired by the charity of Christ and who models the Vincentian Charism by ministering with compassion, mildness, cordiality, respect and devotion.

Director of Admissions & Enrollment Jonathan Lim joined the Sacred Heart Cathedral community nearly two decades ago in 2007. Every year, Lim continues to play an integral role in promoting the school and inviting new families to join the SHC community. Under his leadership, the Admissions Department continues to attract students who truly Enter to Learn and Leave to Serve. “With a full range of exceptional skills, he manages worried and anxious parents about their children with the sole intent of helping their children get to the place that will serve them best. Jonathan made the Vincentian model his mantra. Compassion—most definitely. Cordiality. Respect for parents students and everyone all the time and devotion,” a staff member said.

Congratulations to Jonathan Lim, this year’s Vincentian Service Award winner.

Rachel Giovannetti '05

Jonathan Lim

farewells

Main Office Manager

Dede Sabella arrived at Sacred Heart Cathedral in 2000. During her 25 years of service, Sabella helped countless faculty and staff members with their requests. She greeted students, parents and community members with kindness and respect and handled any issues with professionalism and grace. She will be remembered for her kind spirit, warmth and generosity.

“For so many years, Dede was the first person to greet you no matter what was going on, she would make your day better,” Principal Gary Cannon said. “She would solve your problems, get you a sub, make you copies, but most importantly, Dede would make you feel loved and supported. As she rides off into the sunset, I hope she knows that we love and support her.”

Thank you, Dede, for your years of service to the SHC community. You will be missed. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement.

At the close of this academic year, SHC bids farewell to a host of its most beloved faculty and staff members. We acknowledge the following individuals for their many combined years serving Sacred Heart Cathedral and impacting generations of Fightin’ Irish.

Maria Apablasa

Johny Hong

Bob Bailey

Fr. Edward Chow, SJ

Mike Dagnino

Saint Roger Bountsebe Eboueme Andy Liang

Ryan Lee

Francesca Ohanessian

Dede Sabella

Mike Price

Carlisha Washington

Tony Shen Vanessa Torres

Br. John Montgomery, FSC

class of 2029 breakdown

LEGEND

Parochial grammar schools sending students to SHC in 2025

Private and public schools sending students to SHC in 2025

SHC transportation routes & stops

# OF STUDENTS ATTENDING SHC PER SCHOOL *

PARTNER SCHOOL FOCUS :

SAINT BRENDAN SCHOOL

St Brendan’s opened in the fall of 1947. Dominican Sisters from Michigan initially staffed the school, which at its largest, held more than 430 students and only eight teachers. Over the years with the addition of lay teachers, the expansion of its programming and numerous capital improvements, St. Brendan’s has evolved and expanded in ways beyond their founders’ imaginations, but it continues to honor its mission to educate students in a loving, supportive community focused on faith, leadership and character development.

SAN FRANCISCO FRIENDS SCHOOL

San Francisco Friends School in the Mission District, founded in 2002, is part of a storied 325-year tradition of Friends education. Students learn in a community grounded in the Quaker values of reflection, integrity, peaceful problem-solving and stewardship. The teachers challenge students with a dynamic curriculum that inspires curiosity, cooperation and hard work.

SAINT CECILIA

Parkside’s Saint Cecilia Parish opened its grammar school in 1930 and continues to serve K-8 families from around the City. The school is dedicated to the religious, academic, social, psychological, cultural and physical development of each individual.

St. Cecilia School provides instruction and opportunities in a Catholic community for students to pray, serve and respect others and to make choices in light of Gospel values.

Number of Students Enrolled: 350

Number of Different Partner Schools: 89

Students Living/Attending Grammar School in San Francisco: 92%

Average GPA: 3.74

GPA 4.0 and Above: 45%

CLASS OF 2029 PARENT FEEDBACK:

“WE WERE DRAWN TO SHC BY ITS OUTSTANDING REPUTATION AND ITS CONVENIENT LOCATION IN THE HEART OF THE CITY. NEARLY EVERYONE WE SPOKE WITH EMPHASIZED THE STRENGTH OF THE SCHOOL’S COMMUNITY—SOMETHING THAT DEEPLY RESONATES WITH OUR FAMILY.”

“The admissions process was exceptional from start to finish. The tour, communications, and events were all thoughtfully organized and informative, helping us feel both welcomed and well-informed.”

“OUR DAUGHTER, WHO IS A DEDICATED ATHLETE, INSTANTLY CONNECTED WITH SHC’S ATHLETIC OFFERINGS. THE SPORTS PROGRAMS PLAYED A BIG ROLE IN HER FALLING IN LOVE WITH THE SCHOOL.”

WEST PORTAL LUTHERAN

West Portal Lutheran, founded in 1951, is dedicated to educating and nurturing students as a whole in their faith and character development, social-emotional growth and academic excellence in a Christ-centered environment. The community is one where students listen to each other, acknowledge each other’s differences and points of view and work through those differences with calmness and civility.

“Our son has felt connected to SHC ever since his older brother enrolled. He’s thoroughly enjoyed attending games, as well as participating in both the winter and summer programs. The accessibility and engagement of SHC’s coaches made a strong impression on us and really set SHC apart.”

“THE SCHOOL’S DIVERSE STUDENT BODY AND THE ENTHUSIASM SHARED BY OTHER FAMILIES ABOUT THE SENSE OF COMMUNITY FURTHER REINFORCED OUR INTEREST. OUR SON IS PASSIONATE ABOUT BASEBALL, AND KNOWING THAT SHC OFFERS A SOLID PROGRAM WAS ANOTHER KEY FACTOR.”

discovering YOURvoice

SPEECH & DEBATE STUDENTS STAND FRONT AND CENTER

By Marcus Tolero ’98

Johny Hong sits at a desk in a fifth-floor classroom on the La Salle Campus and watches with intent. At the front of the room, Samantha Wai ’25 and Sofia Fleri ’25 stand on one side and Brett Berthiaume ’28 and Beau Jans ’28 are opposite of them. They are well-dressed and holding notes, mentally preparing for what will transpire.

It is the 3rd Annual Speech & Debate Irish Invitational, an event only open to this year’s 40 members of the Speech & Debate team. The two groups of students standing in front of Hong and the attendees will lock verbal horns in a policy debate focused on intellectual property rights (IPR), with one team (affirmative) arguing to strengthen patents, copyrights or trademarks and the other team (negative) focused on clashing with the affirmative’s case. Both teams have prepared well in advance. Studying. Researching. Writing. Practicing. They are ready for this moment. They are ready to compete. “This might not be well known, but Speech & Debate is more like a sport. It’s highly competitive and highly strategic and requires dedication. But for me, it’s not all about the students winning trophies. It’s about the students seeing themselves as capable and smart, and able to express themselves and be comfortable with their own voice,” Hong said.

Sacred Heart Cathedral’s Speech & Debate Team has seen countless students compete at some of the most prestigious speaking events and competitions in the Bay Area and beyond; however, the measurement of their success is not defined by wins and losses. It is defined by their growth as students and individuals and their journey to discover their voice.

Speech & Debate, long a part of SHC’s Club & Organization offerings to students, is two separate things. Speech involves a presentation by one or two students that is judged against a similar type of presentation by others in a round of competition. Debate challenges individuals or teams of students to persuasively argue for and against a topic—a debater’s goal is to convince a judge that their side of the topic is more valid. SHC students of all levels and interests are encouraged to participate in either speech or debate. Director of Admissions & Enrollment Jonathan Lim, who arrived at SHC in 2007 and served as an assistant coach and then head coach until 2017, said the reason all students are invited is because it’s about getting the students out of their comfort zones. “Every kid is different, and so how they need to grow or how they will grow in the program is going to look different, so the satisfaction that I would receive from that growth didn't have to be just if they're great speakers. Some kids are great speakers and not great researchers, and there are kids who are amazing researchers and not great speakers, so to see them grow however much they grow in those spaces is great.”

One of the biggest hurdles, which is not unique to Speech & Debate students, is overcoming the fear of public speaking. Christine Buell, Assistant Principal for Student Life and Instructor of Theology, arrived at SHC in 1996 and served as Speech & Debate Head Coach for several years. (She currently teaches

Public Speaking to rising 5th and 6th graders during SHC Summer Institute). “I always start my Public Speaking and Speech & Debate camp by noting that it's the number one fear over death—people fear public speaking more than death. It’s important to help people get over that fear so that they can participate more fully in everything from a college discussion and having a discourse at the family dinner table to if they're in a profession in which their voice needs to be heard for something. Giving students the skills to be able to do that, I think, is important in any profession or whatever they're going to do in life,” Buell said.

When Speech & Debate students overcome their fears, success tends to follow. According to a recent National Speech & Debate Association Student Impact Report on academic performance, Speech & Debate students, in comparison to national enrollment, have a 0.66 higher GPA, score 52 points higher on math SAT scores, score 57 points higher on reading and writing SAT scores and have a greater likelihood of meeting college readiness benchmarks. Also, Speech & Debate students are more likely to be enrolled in a top 50 college in the United States. “I have no doubt that there are a million things that it makes you better at. One is just articulating yourself—speaking and expressing yourself in a way that's clear and understandable. You also just read so much, and the stuff that you read includes review articles, really serious stuff,” Hong said. “One of the other coaches is an attorney. He said that debate made him want to be a lawyer, and he said that in high school and college, the academic work that he was doing for debate was way harder than anything that he was doing in class, which matches up with my experience as well.”

Fleri, who joined the Speech & Debate team in her first year, is the Speech & Debate President and Policy Debate Captain and competed in both speech and debate for SHC. She said her experience on the team improved all aspects of her academic performance. “Speech & Debate has taught me more than what I learned in many of my classes. It taught me public speaking and articulation skills that could never be taught elsewhere. I learned the value of explanation when speaking. The importance of staying organized when I speak. These things have helped me when giving presentations in class and taught me to be a better writer.” Fleri said. “The value of speech is crucial for your entire life and has helped me plenty. Throughout my college application and interview process, my experience in Speech & Debate helped me to compose myself well and articulate what I had to say.”

Award winners

Although there is no court or field, some would argue that SHC Speech & Debate, which competes in the Golden Gate Speech Association, resembles a high-performing athletic team. There are four coaches, including Hong, Kathy Lorentz, Grant Nilson and Chris Strunk, to support the 40 students. Coaches can spend upwards of 20 hours a week dedicated to Speech & Debate, while the students' time varies from 10-20 hours a week. There are weekly meetings where they perform practice drills including delivery, eye contact, voice intonation and pausing. They spend an exorbitant amount of time researching their topics by reviewing source materials or secondary resources found online or in print. Like an athletic team preparing for a game, Speech & Debate will also spend time scouting their opponents before an event. “We'll ask folks we know, ‘Hey, have you had these opponents? Do you know what types of arguments they read?’ And so, yeah, we have to scout,” Hong said.

Preparation will be key for a select few of the Speech & Debate Team. Andrew Blaise ’26, Braden Conte ’26, Haley Fiske ’26 and Jaden Yoon ’26 compete in policy debate. It’s the oldest form of scholastic debate in the United States. Participants focus on a single topic for an entire academic year, such as arms sales, criminal justice reform or immigration policy, and work in two-person teams to research and develop policy proposals and arguments that support them. This year's topic is “Resolved: The United States federal government should significantly strengthen its protection of domestic intellectual property rights in copyrights, patents, and/or trademarks.” For the entire school year, these four students focused on this difficult and highly nuanced subject, honing and perfecting their presentations with each meeting and competition—and they excelled by qualifying for Speech & Debate’s version of ‘postseason play.’ Blaise and Conte reached the semifinals of the California High School Speech Association (CHSSA) California State Tournament in May, and Fiske and Yoon went as far as the octafinals. All four juniors qualified for the 2025 National Speech & Debate Tournament in Des Moines, Iowa

(June 15-20), and both teams are ready to compete. “It's a dense topic, but pretty interesting once you get into the research. We're preparing on two fronts: presentation and research. We've been doing a lot of presentation practice during in-person meetings, such as being clear when we talk, making eye contact and slowing down during our speeches. In our own time, we're doing a lot of work cutting research articles about patent law and the like,” Conte said.

Despite their successes in competitions, the Speech & Debate students also give credit to their coaches. Samantha Wai ’25 was never interested in Speech & Debate before high school, but when she arrived at SHC in the fall of 2021, Wai said she wanted to get out of her comfort zone and work through her fears. “When I first began, I didn't believe I could get to a level of debating where I would feel assured in my speaking abilities and argumentation. I was afraid of what others would think of me and thought that I wasn't capable of being more than what I already was. But I continued trying and was especially encouraged by my peers and coaches, who showed me that my mistakes were part of growth and that continually giving my all toward debate is the only way to overcome my fears,” Wai said. “Now, as I'm nearing graduation, I feel fulfilled by the work I've done and hopeful that I can use my experiences in overcoming these challenges as motivation to overcome more in the future.”

Back at the 3rd Annual Speech & Debate Irish Invitational, Johny Hong sits at a fifth-floor desk and watches with intent as Samantha Wai and Sofia Fleri debate with Brett Berthiaume and Beau Jans. Both teams are presenting their opposing views on intellectual property rights in a manner you would normally see at a political debate. Control. Precision. Confidence.

“It's amazing to see their growth in terms of their self-confidence, and their ability to talk and express themselves is awesome. I get them as freshmen and then see them grow over the course of that time. It's an amazing relationship to have with kids, and it makes me feel very proud,” Hong said.

Growth is what Hong is looking for, and he sees it and hears it in their voices.

Researching topics on the fly

Showing the hardware

Instruction begins

FEATURES

How do you get to CARNEGIE HALL? Join SHC Choir!

By Lucie Duffort

Every year, the SHC choir goes on a trip in which they demonstrate their capabilities in demos and competitions. They have been to Hawaii, to France, to Las Vegas… This year, they went to New York City. In 2024, the choir participated in the New York Heritage Festival, a national competition produced by WorldStrides Performing Arts. As a group, SHC choir performed pieces of their repertoire to high praise and earned themselves an invitation to return this year as a part of the Festival of Gold. According to Ryan Lee, Director of Choral Studies, “You have to get unanimously superior ratings from all the judges, which we accomplished! Their scores proved that they did the work and they did very well.” Lee also submitted a recording for SHC’s Chamber Choir to be considered as a Featured Choir in this marquee event—and won.

When he announced that they had been selected for this honor, Lee says students “were really excited—for the ones that understood right away how big it was. For the kids who weren’t in Chamber Choir last year, they were curious about being able to participate. But I told them that they are a part of the process, and it’s because of everybody’s efforts that we got to this point. This is as much for you as for the people who were in it last year.” He contacted seniors who had graduated to thank them and let them know that they had paved the way.

So, this past March, Lee headed back to New York City with over 60 student singers and five other chaperones for four days of sightseeing, rehearsal and performance.

“I like going on these trips because it’s amazing to see students in a different

context other than the classroom,” said Lindsay Rader, Assistant Director of Music, who previously accompanied the choir on trips to Hawaii and New York. “You get to know them better, it’s really nice bonding time. They get to be a little more expressive, you go through highs and lows with them. You go through fatigue and you go through excitement and you go through everything in between. And because of that, you see the kaleidoscope of each kid you are working with.”

The trip included visits to Grand Central Station, the Empire State Building, Rockefeller Center and the Statue of Liberty. The entire group watched a performance of Tony Award-winning The Outsiders on Broadway. On the Saturday before their Sunday performance, students were given a menu of options for a more personalized exploration of the city. Some went to see Chicago with Director of Dramatic Arts Anne Norland and even got backstage to meet a cast that included Bay Area native Kristen Faith Oei (a performer who started her musical career with the SF Girls Chorus and rehearsed at SHC!).

But the real goal was preparing and performing at Carnegie Hall, a striking place to discover student capabilities. SHC’s choirs sang in a mixed National Youth Choir alongside similarly ranked groups from Ohio and Kentucky, which meant creating a cohesive musical sound with a new conductor and instrumentalists, and of course hundreds of new singers. They had to learn some new methods quickly. Rader points out that this is a valuable learning experience for our young singers.

“For a lot of them, choir in high school is their first experience of being directed and being shown

how to read music, learn what to look for and how to interpret it. I think it was a great experience for them to have another data point in a conductor who does things differently. As an ensemble musician, you put away your perspective and you do what is right for the greater good, even if it isn’t how you originally interpreted something when you were practicing and learning.”

“And they got to meet people they would have not met otherwise,” Rader continues, “different students and personalities and perspectives from around the US.”

She notes that “dealing with differences and learning how to be graceful about it” is a core experience for student singers, and it offers an opportunity to express and embrace Lasallian-Vincentian values of acceptance and understanding of others that they otherwise might not be exposed to until they go away to college.

After days of rehearsals and absorbing everything New York City had to offer, students were raring to go once the time came to board the bus for Carnegie. Folders in hand, they chatted and hummed on the short ride, but once on site, conversation stopped and they took a collective breath.

Carnegie Hall is a stunning place. Arguably the world’s most famous music venue, since 1891 it has hosted concerts by such greats as Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Gustav Mahler, Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, Phillip Glass and Leonard Bernstein. World premieres of Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, George Gershwin’s Concerto in F, Sergei Rachmaninov’s Variations on a Theme of Corelli were performed on its stage. Designated a National Historic Landmark by the federal government in 1962, it boasts performances of not only classical concerts and recitals, but also genres such as jazz, rock, and popular music. The venue hosts lecture series, plays, galas, and many other high-profile events in three concert halls. It is a destination that artists aspire to play at.

It was Lee’s fourth time onstage at Carnegie, but the appeal hadn’t dimmed one bit. “I performed twice as a student and I got to be onstage once before as a teacher... It never gets old. There’s that aura. Something is so special about that space. Knowing the history and all the people that have performed there, it’s a huge honor to be able to take that stage.”

When singers filed in for their pre-performance rehearsal on the iconic Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage, their eyes widened at the expansive orchestra level of red velvet seats and the four curving balconies that would soon hold their audience. Backstage they buzzed with anticipation.

Practice makes perfect

Solo

Under Lee’s baton, and accompanied by Lee at the piano and our own Aaron Aguilar (Instructor of Social Studies) on the drumset, Chamber Choir started with Byron J. Smith’s Shout Glory, featuring soloist Noah Fink ’27. Despite their nerves, the choir eased quickly into this favorite, and Fink took ownership of the rousing gospel tune to lead the song with energy, poise and strength.

The choir continued with Joseph Martin’s The Awakening, a moving piece whose lyrics describe dreaming of a world without music and waking from that dream to sing. It was commissioned 30 years ago in part to celebrate and inspire teachers of music, and its harmonies, powerful message and emotional swells melted into each other beautifully in the hall.

The Featured Choir set concluded with Nearer, My God, to Thee, a 19th century Sarah Adams hymn, arranged by Lowell Mason. This piece featured sophomore Eva Richey ’27, whose pure bell tones were uplifted by the choir. Richey, who has been training since she was a child, said singing the solo in that moment on that stage “felt like the pinnacle of my life.”

Following the Featured Choir set, SHC’s choirs joined the larger ensemble for seven pieces conducted by guest conductor Gary Seighman. These pieces showcased a range of capabilities in a lovely collection, from Rosalyn Powell’s E Oru O, based on a Nigerian Folksong, to Morten Lauridsen’s Sure on This Shining Night, and Brian Schmidt’s arrangement of Lux Aeterna, finishing with a crowd-pleasing Craig Hella Johnson arrangement of Dolly Parton’s Light of a Clear Blue Morning

Rader notes that the students rose to the occasion in this historic hall. “Call it nerves, call it excitement, but this venue ups the stakes of their performance…our singers’ systems are activated, their nervous systems and minds and bodies are activated. That comes out in the sound.”

The National Youth Choir finished to a standing ovation.

The day following the concert, students slept in or ventured out for last bagels and to see Central Park one last time. They took pictures and collected souvenirs. They packed hurriedly and tried to sneak a peek at the St Patrick’s Day parade. But mostly, they took advantage of their last few hours in New York, cementing their experience one last time.

In the same way that a graduating class establishes the norm for those that take their place, the lived experience of preparing and performing in this type of concert, in this type of venue, in this type of city stays with a community and provides something for new students to work towards. This is a success that shows years of effort on the part of students and instructors, and the energy and preparation involved carries forward to future years. In the words of Mr. Lee:

“I’m just so proud of our students and our school. This is a huge accomplishment for us and our community, and I know our students are going to do us proud.”

Backstage jitters

WHAT WAS IT LIKE SINGING AT CARNEGIE HALL??

Amazing! The resonance of the hall made our voices sound so beautiful together when we all sang our harmonies!

– Christine Carriere ’25

It was a very surreal experience and I felt privileged to perform amongst my friends.

– Angeli Bughao ’27

It felt like an out-of-body experience.

– Haley O’Flynn ’25

It was a really cool experience, I’ve never done anything like this before and I really appreciated the opportunity. Choir is super fun, even if you don’t think you’re the best singer, because of the people you get to meet.

– Bella Alegria-Donaher ’25

Carnegie Hall was a fantastic venue. The acoustics in the room were outstanding and the atmosphere felt professional.

– Noah Fink ’25

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE PART OF THE TRIP?

My favorite part overall was exploring the city with my friends. Trips like this are what makes SHC’s choir so special.

– Angeli Bughao ’27

Going to a jazz club for the first time and experiencing jazz live. I felt like my soul left my body for the hour I was there.

– Haley O’Flynn ’25

My favorite part of the trip was tandem biking through Central Park in our free time. It was something I’ve always wanted to do and it made it better that I got to do it with a bunch of friends.

– Bella Alegria-Donaher ’25

I adored getting to sing and also enjoyed getting breakfast with my friends in the big city morning air.

– Eva Richey ’27

GET IRISH

Soaking up the applause

SPRING SPORTS RECAP

BASEBALL

Head coach Gregg Franceschi ’94 is in his second season leading the Irish boys varsity baseball team. Although under .500 in league play (12-17 overall and 3-11 in WCAL), SHC began the season 5-1 and had many memorable moments throughout the spring.

The highlight of the year was 1st Team All-WCAL pitcher Jacob Vines ’26 no-hitter against Riordan in early April. The senior threw beautifully that afternoon, striking out 16 batters while only walking three in his seven innings of dominance. His team plated four runs in support, allowing Vines to focus solely on the hitters at the plate.

Offensively, the Irish were led by All-WCAL honorable mention Tedford Lewis ’26, who hit .353 while racking up 24 hits and 10 runs batted in. Second Team All-WCAL Rohan Kahns ’25 led the team with 15 runs batted in and two triples. Outfielder Quinn Middleton ’25 and pitcher PJ Vigo ’25 performed well throughout the year and earned honorable mentions. The Irish, who qualified for the WCAL playoffs and made an appearance in the CCS Division II playoffs, are loaded with talented returners and are looking forward to next spring.

boys GOLF

The Sacred Heart Cathedral boys golf team competed at a high level throughout the 2025 season. The Irish opened the year with a one-shot victory over Marin Academy. SHC’s most consistent medalist was Ryan Butler ’26, who finished the year as an AllWCAL Honorable Mention. Head coach Patrick Holmes promoted three freshmen

By Charlie Strella ’ 19

to varsity, highlighted by Mvelo Greenhalgh ’28, who was consistently a top-6 scorer for the Irish. Holmes will continue to build up the program with hopes of taking down some WCAL opponents in the near future.

PJ Vigo ’25

On the fairway

Mvelo Greenhalgh ’28 lining it up

Jeremy Marquez ’25 picks it

Tedford Lewis ’26

boys LACROSSE

In his first season as head coach, Alexander Cole has the boys varsity lacrosse team on the upswing. Cole led the Irish to their first league win in more than two years and there could have been a lot more if it wasn’t for significant injuries to several key players.

The Fightin’ Irish leaders were 2nd Team AllWCAL selection Max Castro ’25, All-WCAL Honorable Mention midfielder Jackson Perkins ’27 and goalie Conor Gard ’25 Marq McLean ’27 and Phoenix Yun ’25 also received All-WCAL Honorable Mention nods. The team finished 7th in the eight-team WCAL, with their sole league win over Archbishop Mitty, the eventual CCS Division II Champion.

girls LACROSSE

Sacred Heart Cathedral girls lacrosse was a force to be reckoned with in 2025. Head coach Skylar Simpson ’17 had her team ready to play game in and game out. A sizzling 9-1 league record led to the WBAL Alpine Division title (14-3 overall). The team was anchored by WBAL Midfielder of the Year Isabella Patnode ’25, WBAL 1st Team selections Lyla Simpson ’25, Parker Nash ’25 and Ameera Demetri ’25. In addition, WBAL 1st Team Mavis Slagle ’28 was a potent goal-scoring threat for the Irish, leading the team in scoring. Additionally, all-league honors went to 2nd Team selections Mary Clark ’27 and Scarlette Wolfe ’26 and Honorable Mention to Simone Myers ’27.

The team finished with a 14-3 overall record and will move up to the WBAL Skyline Division for the 2026 season. SHC will have a strong team next season as the competition increases.

Looking to attack

Jackson Perkins ’27

Mavis Slagle ’28

Bella Patnode ’25

Ameera Dimitri ’25 holding down the fort

SOFTBALL

After only one WCAL win last year, SHC softball improved in 2025 (12-12 overall, 3-8 in WCAL) with victories over Saint Ignatius and Presentation. The two league wins, combined with a solid 8-4 non-league record, earned the Irish a berth in the Central Coast Section playoffs.

1st Team All-WCAL pitcher/infielder Adriana Giomi ’25, 2nd Team All-WCAL infielder Arden Walsh ’25, 2nd Team All-WCAL infielder Sydney Endo ’25 and Wanda Wilson ’25 closed out their careers this spring. Giomi committed to play Division I softball at Manhattan College in New York. The 2025 season was the best the softball program has seen in recent years with the team winning their first round CCS playoff contest 7-5 over Lincoln San Jose to reach the CCS semifinals. Outfield/Pitcher Kaylen Edora ’27 earned 1st Team All-WCAL and Francesca Moralejo ’27 received Honorable Mention.

Head coach Tom Matteucci ’94 will have some star power to replace next season with the senior departures, but improvement is on the horizon.

SWIMMING

The SHC swimming program, under Head Coach Jonathan Riley, continues to take strides forward. In a season filled with younger athletes stepping up into varsity roles, the Irish broke several school records. The three records were all set at the WCAL Championships in May. Konstantin Kornach ’26 broke the 200-yard freestyle record held by recent SHC graduate Jonah Lee ’23 with a time of 1:47.53. The performance put Kornach in the top 10 at the WCAL Championships and qualified for the CCS Championships. He also qualified for CCS in the 100m butterfly.

Two underclassmen, Berlin Ring ’27 and Isabella Devlin ’27, broke longstanding SHC records. Ring, who was part of a relay team that made CCS last season, broke a 10-plus-year-old record in the 100m freestyle with a time of 55.88, good enough for 7th overall. Devlin took down a 15-year-old record in the 100m breaststroke with a 1:12.58. Both sophomore swimmers will be instrumental in the success of next year’s varsity team.

Overall, the Irish performed well at the WCAL Finals, receiving 20 additional swims, meaning athletes placed in the top 16 of their event. With such a young and talented team, the Irish swim program should continue its upward trajectory.

boys TENNIS

The Sacred Heart Cathedral boys varsity tennis team picked up two WCAL wins this season, both coming against Riordan in the final four matches of the year.

For head coach Andy Liang, progress was all he could have hoped for and he got that and more from his team in 2025. In their early April league win over Riordan, No. 3 singles player All-WCAL Honorable Mention Rowan Davin ’27 picked up a win in his matchup as did doubles partners Hayden Xie ’27 and Lucas Kwan ’27. All-WCAL Honorable Mention Liam Schreiner ’26 and James Kitaguchi ’26 excelled in their doubles match winning 6-0, 6-1. Additional award winners include All-WCAL 2nd Team Adrian Balsam ’26 and Honorable Mentions Jake Lui ’25 and Taurus Tong ’25.

Kaylen Edora ’27 takes one opposite field

Adriana Giomi ’25

Rowan Davin ’27

Taurus Tong ’25

Isabella Devlin ’27

Konstatin Kornach ’26

TRACK & FIELD

The Sacred Heart Cathedral track and field program is enjoying its most successful period under longtime head coach Andy Chan. After sending 26 athletes to the Central Coast Section Championships in 2024, 23 competed in the sectional meet headlined by Miles Cook ’25 (1600 meter), Ava Linder ’28 (400 meter), O’Bryan Flanigan ’25 (100 meter), Jasuan Mabrey ’25 (long jump and triple jump), Tessa Wehrle ’26 (400 meters) and Tati Petkovic ’26 (100 meter). The Irish were WCAL champions in two events: Cook (1600 meter) and Linder (400 meter).

Several program records were broken throughout the league finals as the Irish’s postseason success extended beyond CCS qualifying, including Cook's 1:53.80 in the 800 meter and Mabrey with a 46-foot-3-inch triple jump. The Irish continued their success deep into the spring. Cook qualified in the 1,600 and placed 8th in the CCS State Championships with a time of 4:10.73. Mabrey and Flanigan placed 13th in triple jump and 21st in the 100 meter, respectively. The 4x400 team of Wehrle, Izzy Guzman ’25, Vivien Colwick ’25 and Ava Lindner ’28 set an SHC record with a time of 3:53.01.

boys VOLLEYBALL

SHC boys volleyball had a great season in 2025 (2112 overall, 6-6 in WCAL) despite only having three seniors on the squad. The team started several sophomores this year and it paid off as the Irish rattled off 20 regular season wins, which included an outstanding 11-2 home record.

After losing earlier in the season to Bellarmine and Valley Christian in heartbreaking five-set fashion, the Irish bounced back in April to upset the higher-ranked Bells and Warriors. Other highlight wins included two against rival Saint Ignatius and two against Serra.

The Irish were led by All-WCAL 1st Team setter Sloan Dobson ’25 and All-WCAL 2nd Team outside hitter Kiran Hingorani-Iskandar ’25, who led the team to a CCS Division II semifinal appearance. Christoph Schroeder ’26 and Dylan Lee ’26 earned Honorable Mention.

SHC NAMES ANDREW KOCHEVAR NEW HEAD BOYS BASKETBALL BALL COACH

Sacred Heart Cathedral is proud to announce the appointment of Andrew Kochevar as the new Head Boys Basketball Coach. Kochevar comes to SHC from San Francisco State University where he has served as the Head Assistant for the Gators since 2023.

Kochevar was the Head Assistant at the College of San Mateo (CSM) during the 2021-22 season, where he played a key role in helping the Bulldogs to a 20-9 record and a CCCAA postseason berth that year.

Before coaching at CSM, Kochevar was an assistant at Cañada College in Redwood City. Kochevar helped lead the Colts to a 22-8 record, reaching the semifinals of the CCCAA Northern California Championship Tournament during the 2018-19 season.

“It's truly humbling to have the opportunity to coach in such a storied and respected league,” Kochevar said. “The tradition that is Fightin' Irish basketball is strong, something I take very seriously and am eager to build on.”

Kaitlyn Lam ’26

Kiran Hingorani-Iskandar ’25

Fierce block at the net

Miles Cook '25 eyes the finish

Jasaun Mabrey ’25

college -bound ATHLETES

Throughout their time at SHC, the student-athletes of the Class of 2025 have seen one CIF state title, two Northern California titles, one WBAL title and eight CCS titles, and set several school and league records during their four years in green, white and blue. Many will go on to compete in new colors in college, but they’ll always be Fightin’ Irish.

MAX CASTRO

Wheaton College - Massachusetts (Lacrosse)

NIALL CONNOR

Claremont McKenna College (Soccer)

MILES COOK

California State Polytechnic University - San Luis Obispo (Cross Country/Track & Field)

MADISON EADE

California State Polytechnic University - Pomona (Basketball)

FRANCISCO GARCIA

William Jessup University (Soccer)

RELL GENTZLER

University of St Andrews (Cross Country/Track & Field)

ADRIANA GIOMI

Manhattan University (Softball)

CHARLES “CAM” GREGG

Virginia Military Institute (Cross Country)

ALEX MARTINEZ

University of California - Santa Cruz (Cross Country/ Track & Field)

SOPHIA NAKAKURA

Babson College(Cross Country/Track & Field)

HAZEL NELSON

Tufts University (Volleyball)

ISABELLA PATNODE

Chapman University(Lacrosse)

OLIVIA TANGAAN

Hawaii Pacific University (Volleyball)

NAOMI VAN ZANDT

Brown University (Rugby)

ANIYAH VERSOSA

Dominican University of California (Basketball)

PHOENIX YUN

Beloit College (Lacrosse)

ALL IRISH

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student artwork: ap studio art

As in previous years, SHC Visual Arts students are consistently producing high-level work. On this spread and the following, we present the summative works of both the AP Studio Art and AP Photography classes this year, led by instructors Brian McHugh and Hannah Donkin, respectively. Great job, Irish Artists!

Finley Farmer ’26

Claire Young ’25

Grady Ryan ’25

Lila Lash ’25

Padma Ignatius ’25

Rachel Tkachenko ’25

Finley Farmer ’26

Finley Farmer ’26

Rachel Tkachenko ’25

Grady Ryan ’25

Padma Ignatius ’25

Claire Young ’25

student artwork: ap photography

Sophia Penwell Desmond ’26

Sergio Sanchez ’26

Kouya Hinoki ’26

Miles Raflofski ’26

Sofia Rapadas ’26

Kenta Lee ’26

Riley Heilmann ’26

Vincent Robinson ’26

Sofia Rapadas ’26

Nico Will ’25

Grant Davidson ’26

1965

Peter Schembri retired in 2009 as Captain after 30 years with the SFFD. He didn't stay retired. He immediately went to work for Genentech as Senior Manager of the Fire and Life Safety Programs. His planned one year turned into 16 years! He now enjoys babysitting for his 2 granddaughters with another one on the way. Pete and his wonderful wife will be married 48 years this May. His wonderful wife, Mary, wrote this!

1968

John Gallagher and his wife, Stacy, enjoy some quality time together in Baja, California in March. Life is good!

Dave Minner is excited that his granddaughter, Maeve Minner ’28, is completing her freshman year at SHC. She will graduate 60 years after Dave’s graduation! He cannot wait to share in her high school experiences and to be there on graduation day.

1973

Linda Rubel O’Rourke and Kevin O’Rourke ’72 celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary and her 70th birthday in Maui where they married. They try to visit Maui every March to celebrate their anniversary, her birthday and whale watch. They have been together since October 26, 2002, when they connected at the all-alumni reunion at Pac Bell Park. We have five grandsons between us. Kevin has three daughters and Linda has a son and daughter.

1974

Daniel Solorzano served in the United States Marine Corps from 1974 to 1978 and later earned an Associate of Science degree in Electronics from the College of San Mateo in 1985. Daniel retired in 2023 and worked as an usher for the Oakland A's from 2023 to 2024. Daniel has seven wonderful grandchildren and enjoys traveling to South America and Europe—he once ran with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain in 2000. Daniel's favorite memory from Sacred Heart was attending a school dance at Cathedral High School and seeing Chepito Areas of Santana perform live. Words to live by: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”

1975

The Sacred Heart Class of 1975 will celebrate its 50year reunion this fall. On Friday, November 7, the class will gather for a dinner at the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco. The Gold Diploma Ceremony will be held at Sacred Heart Cathedral on Saturday, November 8. Please save the dates; official invitations to follow. For any questions, contact Shawn McGuire ’05 at smcguire@shcp.edu or Mike Nerney at mnerney75@gmail.com.

Dolores “Dede” Bennick Black is enjoying life on her 10-acre hobby farm. She loves hanging out with the sheep, goats, dogs, chickens and honeybees. She said it feels like the old Green Acres TV show!

Sharon Denise Bradley received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Alameda County Developmental Disabilities Council. She worked in the field of Intellectual Disabilities/Developmental Disabilities for over 40 years specializing in adults who have multiple and complex challenges. She recently retired.

1976

Liane Barbadillo-Paiso retired from Genentech in September 2020, where she held a Management Associate position in Global Project Management for 11 years. Liane teaches Basic Ukulele classes throughout the Peninsula. She and her husband, Douglas, live in her childhood home.

1977

A few members of the Class of 1977 reunite multiple times a year to celebrate birthdays, retirements and more. Ed Vigil has remained close to this group of fellow 1977 graduates. The photo is from a birthday dinner in April 2025. Pictured clockwise: Dennis Rosario, Ed Vigil, Mike Howard, Ron Stuhler and Tom White They are looking forward to their 50th reunion.

1978

Rich Mongarro is back in San Francisco as the Vice President of Operations for the Downtown SF Partnership and Downtown Community Benefit District.

This summer, Maria Monzo is taking a cruise to Europe and will then visit her daughter and grandson who recently moved to New York City.

1982

Mark Ruane and his wife of 30 years, Alicia, live in San Carlos. Mark has had a long sales career with Olympus, Thermo Fisher and others. Their daughter, Caitlin, recently completed medical school and will be in residency at USC. The youngest, Fiona, will enter her junior year at UCLA. Mark and classmate Mike Rouan still meet up at Stanford Football Games and Friday the 13th at Capurro’s. Go Irish!!!

1985

Sacred Heart Class of 1985, save the date for your 40th reunion luncheon on November 7 for the San Francisco Italian Athletic Club. Please update your contact information with the alumni office to receive an invitation. Contact alumni@shcp.edu

1992

In early April, Zach Kellerman took part in celebrating the San Francisco Bar Pilots as they received a resolution from the California State Legislature marking their 175th anniversary. The San Francisco Bar Pilots continue to safely guide commercial ships through the San Francisco Bay and nearby waterways, playing a key role in the state’s maritime history.

1994

Award-winning SF personal trainer Greg Bianchi ’94 (thecityisourgym.com) has helped 91-year-old attorney Stuart Kaplan maintain a fitness lifestyle. They discovered a shared interest in geography and agreed that helping students to better understand their world was important. ‘Coach B’ suggested SHC as a place to help give life to their shared vision. As a result, Mr. Kaplan made a significant gift to the school, which will help fund travel opportunities for motivated, deserving students. Thank you, Stuart and Greg!

1995

Kevin Coleman visited Mr. Wilson’s Criminal Justice class to talk about his life in the SFPD and answer questions from the students.

Class of 1995, your 30th reunion is approaching on October 18 at Victory Hall. Please update your contact information with the alumni office to receive an invitation. Contact alumni@shcp.edu.

1998

Tom Lafferty was accepted to the Massachusetts Task Force 1, an urban search and rescue task force that is one of 28 national FEMA USAR teams. He was selected to be a rescue specialist which utilizes his training in the technical aspects of trench collapse rescue, structural collapse, confined space, vehicle extrication and hazardous materials. This is a highly competitive process with openings only every two years. The team’s recent deployments were to Florida and North Carolina for the hurricanes. He has been a firefighter paramedic for the past 18 years.

1999

Jean "Johnny" Curutchet, father of alumni Tommy Curutchet and Michael Curutchet '01, passed away in November 2024. Following a Mass at St. Veronica’s Church, Johnny’s life was celebrated at one of his favorite places, the Basque Cultural Center in South San Francisco, by his sons, brother-in-law Jim Kelly ’69, niece Erin Kelly ’94, family and friends.

2000

Jim Moylan partnered with FLAME to create a free competitive baseball program in San Francisco. They play in SFYBL and also local travel tournaments. This season, they provided service to over 75 kids in SF.

2001

Steve Agnos recently went to the premiere of his first feature-length documentary he edited, Salmon Run, which is available to rent/own on Prime Video and Apple TV. The film is about the local salmon fishery and the men and women who sustain it here in the Bay Area. Here is Steve pictured with the producer, Pieter Kruit and the star of the film, Bay Area fisherman Chris Iversen.

2002

Congratulations to Shannon Rowbury on winning her first Emmy Award for her work with NBC Sports during the Paris Olympics! This award holds deep significance, marking both a personal milestone and a testament to the collaborative power of teamwork. Shannon is grateful for every step along the way.

2004

Michael Aicardi currently lives with his wife and son in the Richmond District and manages the SF Baseball Academy. They are excited to raise their family in the City and look forward to making many more memories for years to come!

2005

Clare Sullivan lives in Boulder, Colorado. She is lucky to have two jobs she loves: working part-time as a play therapist (therapy for kids) and managing a household management business in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles, called DwellWell. She hopes to move back to SF one day and is looking forward to the 20year reunion this fall!

2006

Tina del Rosario Plank was recently announced as the Bay Area Panthers Dance Team Director. Congratulations, Tina!

Nathan Villanueva was excited to announce his engagement from the North Shore of Oahu on October 22, 2024, amongst SHC alumni. Nathan and Ashley Yu are excited about their wedding in the Fall of 2026.

2007

SFPD Officer Erika Viola of the Community Violence Reduction Team (CVRT) received the Officer of the Month award for April, along with Sergeant Bridget O’Conner of the SFPD Homicide Detail and Officer Rodney Freeman also of the CRVT. They diligently investigated an October 2024 homicide and identified and arrested the suspect.

2009

Kevin Greene was recently announced as the Bay Area Panthers Assistant General Manager for the 2025 season. Congratulations, Kevin!

2010

Gene Dawydiak married Margaret Wehner last October at the Presidio Officers’ Club in San Francisco. The wedding was attended by several 2010 classmates, including Joe Bisesto who was in the wedding party, as well as the groom’s brother Matt Dawydiak ’12 The couple is enjoying married life in San Francisco with many trips to Tahoe!

In early April, the Office of Alumni Engagement visited Unwine’d, a popular wine bar and restaurant in West Portal. Owned and operated by SHC alumni Katerina Loufas ’10 and Dino Lettieri ’98, with her brother Vasili Loufas ’13 also part of the team. Unwine’d combines Greek and Italian culinary traditions with a modern twist.

2011

Alex Cerri and Julia Attard ’18 cheering on the SF Giants for the Saint Mary’s College Night!

SEPTEMBER 27, 2025 • SAN FRANCISCO DESIGN CENTER

Paint the Town Green with current Parents of SHC

Coming this September 27, Shamrock Night returns, a unique celebratory SHC parent experience featuring music, dancing, cocktails, delicious bites and more! Mark your calendars and stay tuned for more details.

Music will be provided by one of the Bay Area's premiere dance bands, The Cheeseballs, along with SHC graduate and renowned recording artist, Marco Diaz ’93 and his latin jazz quintet. This will be an evening to remember!

Celebratory Giving Program

Listed on the following pages are the names of SHC community members’ family, friends and loved ones who are listed in SHC’s Book of Remembrance. Melinda Lawlor Skrade, PhD, the Christian Brothers and the Daughters of Charity offer prayers and Masses for the special intentions requested in honor of members of our school community each month. Please remember them in your prayers.

This list reflects contributions made from March 1, 2025 to May 14, 2025.

IN HONOR

Frank Rollo ’58

Brett & Karen Lowart IN MEMORY

Dorothy Armstrong

Scott Armstrong ’02

Anna Marie Astabie

Pete Gresh ’72 & Nancy Gresh

Kathleen & Charles White

Therese Ausquey

Mary Curutchet & Sons

Linda Astabie & Paul McHugh

Lou Barberini, Jr. ’49

Michael Nerney ’75 & Roselle Nerney

Nada Barulich

John Ivancich, Jr. ’72

Roger Bonson

Mary Curutchet & Sons

Eugene Brooks ’01

Bernie & Jim Weslow

Buckman

Terry Tandy ’68 & Miyuki Tandy

Denny Callaghan

Dennis Callaghan ’71 & Carol Callaghan

John Callaghan

Helen Thorsen

Francis Crowley

Michael Nerney ’75 & Roselle Nerney

John DeNardi

Mary Curutchet & Sons

Dennis Galvin ’53

John Zeiter, Sr. ’53 & Marie Zeiter

Beverly Reinhard Hendon ’55

Kelly Molloy

Joe Kerrisk

Dennis Callaghan ’71 & Carol Callaghan

Katherine King Bob King

“How

long has Jesus been knocking at the door of your heart, waiting to enter?”

Nada Barulich

Nada Barulich passed away peacefully in San Carlos, California on March 20 surrounded by her loving family and caregivers. Barulich, wife of the late John Barulich ’49, was a generous investor and supporter of Sacred Heart Cathedral for more than 30 years. Barulich attended countless school events and invested in numerous scholarships and campaigns. Barulich was a loving, generous, faithful and extremely talented woman who always put her whole heart and soul into everything she did. The Sacred Heart Cathedral community extends its prayers to the Barulich family and friends. May she rest in peace.

ST. JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE

Charles Love

Mark Pardini ’88 & Petra Andersson-Pardini

Dan MacDonald, Jr. ’53

Jerry Finnigan ’53 & Jo Finnigan

Robert Massoni ’53

John Zeiter, Sr. ’53 & Marie Zeiter

George Matranga ’63

Mike Morris ’65 & Carole Morris

James Mattias

Cathy Mattias

Angelo Morosi

Dick Morosi ’61

Elva Morosi

Dick Morosi ’61

Mark Mullan ’68

Marty Gent ’66 & Jane Gent

Dennis O’Rourke ’69 & Helen O’Rourke

Gerald Murphy, Jr. ’63

Deborah Carlin Murphy ’71 & Eugene Murphy

Julian Pardini ’49

Mark Pardini ’88 & Petra Andersson-Pardini

Juana Montgomery-Kleiman ’70

The Sacred Heart Cathedral Community is saddened to learn of the recent passing of Cathedral graduate Juana Montgomery-Kleiman ’70. Juana was a faithful alumna and supporter of SHC and embodied our Lasallian Vincentian mission throughout her years.

Juana was the first woman to serve on the Board of Directors of the Northern California Broadcasters Association. While living in Washington, D.C., she worked in cause-related marketing for nonprofit organizations, dedicating her life to serving others. She later joined the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Programs Office of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, where she developed numerous diversity initiatives during her tenure.

We will miss Juana dearly as a treasured member of our alumni community, and we send out prayers of peace and heartfelt sympathy to her family and Cathedral sisters.

“Do not have any anxiety about the future. Leave everything in God’s hands for he will take care of you.”

ST. JOHN BAPTIST DE LA SALLE

We remember in our prayers the alumni who have recently passed away.

Alfred Ahlquist ’72

Rey Amador ’95

Lou Barberini, Jr. ’49

Daniel Carrozzi ’72

Bob Castillo ’54

Francis Fenech ’47

Hank Flynn, II ’72

Mauricio Guerra ’95

Patty Jauregui ’95

James Lassus ’72

John Latham ’63

Joseph Latham ’56

Paul Love ’72

Robert Maffei ’49

Peter Marinos ’59

Lou Martinucci ’52

John Mauch ’54

Kaz Miura ’87

Mark Mullan ’68

Tony Palaganas ’57

Stephanie Rinaldo ’73

Richard Skidmore ’53

Steve Voss ’72

*The alumni acknowledged here are only those for whom we received notification.

CELEBRATORY GIVING

Stephen Pulvirenti ’66

Marty Gent ’66 & Jane Gent

Nancy Singleton

Shawn Singleton ’88

Richard Skidmore ’53

John Zeiter, Sr. ’53 & Marie Zeiter

Carmen Valdes Staniotes ’54

Lizabeth Staniotes

Sean White

Lori Rolovich

Steve Wilson

Mark Pardini ’88 & Petra Andersson-Pardini

Luigi Zanetti

Mary Curutchet & Sons

Emil Moy

Emil Moy, who was a teacher and mentor to many for nearly four decades at Sacred Heart and then at Sacred Heart Cathedral, passed away on Thursday, May 8. Moy arrived at SH in 1967 to teach chemistry. After years of teaching the properties of substances, he went on to teach mathematics, primarily prealgebra and algebra. He often rewarded hard-working students who showed up early for tutoring with breakfast and always made sure snacks were available to his students during class. His love and dedication to education didn’t go unnoticed. In 1991, Moy received a Certificate of Accommodation from then-Mayor Art Agnos in front of family and friends at Davies Symphony Hall during Teacher’s Week in San Francisco. After 37 years of teaching, Moy retired in 2004.

“Emil was an excellent old-school science teacher who helped forge the path leading to SHC’s innovative, new-school science teachers…Emil played an important role in making Sacred Heart Cathedral the strong college prep institution it is today,” Dr. Ken Hogarty ’66 said. “I was blessed to teach both Laura Moy Pestoni ’99 and Matthew Moy ’02 for a couple of classes each. Their character, intelligence and personality spoke loudly to Emil and his wife Marcia's nurturing.”

Moy is survived by his wife Marcia Moy, son Matthew and daughter Laura . The SHC community sends its prayers and condolences to his family, friends and former SHC colleagues. Rest in peace.