Cardinal Newman Trinity

TRINITY MAGAZINE

TRINITY FOR THE CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL COMMUNITY

Bishop Robert F. Vasa PRESIDENT Dr. Linda Norman

2022 JUNE

CHAPLAIN Father John Plass PRINCIPAL Nicholas Reynolds DEAN OF STUDENTS, SCHOOL SAFETY DIRECTOR John Gilson DEAN OF STUDENT LIFE, ALUMNI RELATIONS Graham Rutherford CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Anne Devlin DIRECTOR OF ADVANCEMENT Terri Derr DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS Dan Dougherty BOARD OF TRUSTEES Fr. Moses Brown, Chaplain Teejay Lowe, Chairman (CN93) Niessia Diehl Joy Durand (UHS92) Tracy Dutton (UHS88) Ken Lafranchi Ken Molinaro (CN72) Chrystie Prokopakis (UHS80) Dan Stevens (CN84) Doria Trombetta Kimberly Waite Krissy Zichichi Dr. Linda Norman CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL A Catholic, college preparatory community, Educating students in the wholeness of body, mind, and soul, Consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church, Manifested by faith, leadership and service.

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OUR MISSION Cardinal Newman offers a college preparatory curriculum with the purpose of educating students to become people of values as well as scholars. Our focus on outstanding achievement ensures that our students become knowledgeable and skillful in areas of moral and ethical decision-making, critical thinking, accountability, technology and adaptability. Our co-curricular programs enhance the academic and spiritual dimensions of our school by providing influential activities that foster community, leadership, creativity, sportsmanship, and faith formation.

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HIGHLIGHTS 10 CAMPUS NEWS Student Life Center and Library

12 STUDENT LIFE It’s great to be a Cardinal Newman Cardinal!

22 CHRISTIAN SERVICE Student leadership through service

28 WINTER ATHLETICS A winning tradition

32 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Your vital role in our mission

36 ALUMNI Our Alumni are out of this world!

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TRINITY MAGAZINE

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

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One of the benefits of all Catholic schools is our ability to develop the human skills of our students. These “soft” skills are essential to being a successful and happy adult.

In this issue, we focus on how we help foster a spirit of compassion. So, what is compassion? A general definition is sympathy and concern for the sufferings of others and a desire to alleviate their suffering. More simply said, compassion is caring for others, and it is a central principle of Catholic Identity. Our faith tells us that God is compassionate. The Bible shares stories of his caring, and he calls us to live by following his example.

If there is any encouragement in Christ, any solace in love, any participation in the Spirit, any compassion and mercy, complete my joy by being of the same

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mind, with the same love, united in heart, thinking one thing. Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves, each looking out not for his own interests, but [also] everyone for those of others. Have among yourselves the same attitude that is also yours in Christ Jesus.

– Philippians 2:1-5 By developing compassion for others, we expand our love and tolerance for one another and recognize our many opportunities for gratitude. Both experiences impact our sense of health and well-being. I am proud of and grateful to our students, teachers, staff, administration, families, and friends who have demonstrated overwhelming compassion and strength this year. It has been a slow and challenging process coming out of the pandemic.

However, our school and community are returning to our pre-pandemic vitality and rigor with care, compassion, hard work, and determination.

I am proud of and grateful to our students, teachers, staff, administration, families, and friends who have demonstrated overwhelming compassion and strength this year.

Part of what makes Cardinal Newman so unique is that we teach our students compassion in many direct and indirect ways. Our Christian Service program introduces students to the concept and value of serving others. Their work develops leadership skills while engaging them with purposeful work and the inherent reward of helping others. As high school students, they may be doing it primarily for a grade and to meet the requirement, but time and again, alumni come back and tell us about the lasting impact their service projects had on their development as caring adults.

Indirectly, our faculty and staff maintain a safe learning environment where students support one another and feel comfortable being themselves. Cardinal Newman works as a positive peer group of young people interested in learning and adults committed to

helping them develop. It’s compassion in action.

On a different note, but with the same compassion and care for our community and the students we serve, Cardinal Newman has been engaged in a year of evaluation, analysis, and planning. This spring, we completed a very successful accreditation visit, hosting the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) accreditation commissions.

We conducted surveys, gathered evidence, held listening sessions, wrote a self-study, and developed an educational improvement plan. Representatives were impressed by many things, but none more so than the strength of our community.

The information gathered and produced from the accreditation process informs the strategic planning process that is also currently underway.

I am thankful for the twenty-six members of our community involved in our strategic planning. They have spent countless hours

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL reviewing school data, conducting interviews, and analyzing findings in this process. Their work and contributions are a form of caring for Cardinal Newman and an expression of compassion for current and future students. Be on the lookout for opportunities to contribute to our strategic planning efforts.

Cardinal Newman is more than just a school. We are a community that cares about each other and helps our students build a foundation for life.

And I am grateful to our benefactors and friends who give generously to sustain and nurture Cardinal Newman High School’s mission. Cardinal Newman is more than just a school.

We are a community that cares about each other and helps our students build a foundation for life. As we teach the importance of supporting others in our community, our students witness the support that comes from our community.

It’s a simple but powerful example of living our faith.

Please join us in celebrating the accomplishments of this year as we move forward together with compassion and determination.

In Christ, Dr. Linda Norman

CHAPLAIN’S PRAYER While we may strive with our best efforts to teach compassion to our young people, we will never be effective if we fail to include prayer. Below is a beautiful prayer inspired in part by one of Cardinal Newman’s meditations: Dear Jesus, help us to spread your fragrance everywhere we go.

Flood our souls with your spirit and life.

Penetrate and possess our whole being so utterly, that our lives may only be a radiance of yours.

Shine through us, and be so in us, that every person we should come in contact with may feel your presence in our soul.

Let them look up and see no longer us, but only Jesus.

Stay with us, and then we shall begin to shine as you shine; so to shine as to be a light to others; the light, Jesus, will be all from you.

None of it will be ours.

It will be you shining on others through us.

Let us thus praise you in the way you love best, by shining on those around us.

Let us preach you without preaching: not by words, but by our example, by the catching force, the sympathetic influence of what we do, the evident fullness of the love our hearts bear for you.

Amen.

Mother Teresa would pray this prayer every morning with her sisters after communion before they went out to serve.

Let us, the Cardinal Newman Community, adopt this prayer as our own as we continue to teach and live out this most necessary virtue of compassion.

– Father John Plass

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CARING

A CARDINAL NEWMAN PRIORITY

TEACHING COMPASSION IN A HURTING WORLD If you spend any time reading or watching the news today, it seems clear that the world is hurting. Our local struggles amplified beginning with the 2017 Tubbs Fire. The fire destroyed most of the Cardinal Newman campus.

On the heels of our recovery from this tragic event, the global pandemic disrupted every part of the world’s daily routines. Amid these significant calamities, we have experienced racial tensions, gender tensions, bitter politics, economic turmoil, and now warfare in Ukraine that threatens geopolitical politics.

To say it has been a challenge is an understatement. People, including students, have been stressed, temperamental, depressed, and anxious.

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and prepared for living in an uncertain world.

Allegorically, this sounds familiar to Bible stories in the Books of Mark and Jonah – where key characters are in a storm that threatens everyone with death only to be saved

by God. And, though society has been in a storm of late, there have been bright lights of God’s compassion and guidance for the faithful.

In recent years, the need for compassion, empathy,

tolerance, and love has been at its highest point.

These are attributes that Catholic schools, notably Cardinal Newman, develop in students right alongside solid academics. A Cardinal Newman education combines academics with a spiritual view of the world. From the foundation of our Catholic faith, we develop the whole child in body, mind, and soul to be well-rounded

Compassion is most commonly associated with helping others who are less fortunate. Still, the daily acts of kindness are moments of caring for others in various ways. Teaching compassion is challenging because it requires nurturing more than instruction and direct personal experience. Here’s how we help develop a charitable spirit at Cardinal Newman.

Christian Service and Theology As you will see later in this issue of Trinity, Christian Service is an essential program at Cardinal Newman High School. All students must document a minimum

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

of 25 hours of Christian Service each year. Seniors spend even more time developing a capstone project. Our Christian Service coordinator Perrin Cheney, guides students through a process of service selection.

It includes deep reflections on faith, a student’s interests and values, and manifests in the service performed. By researching and assisting with complex problems, students experience and understand the inequities of life and the plight of others who are less fortunate.

Students consider issues like homelessness, food insecurity, life-threatening disease, injustice, and inequality. They work on ways to help improve the situation of others and develop a

spirit of compassion. At the same time, their sense of gratitude also grows.

They recognize their many blessings and become humble rather than prideful.

When Christian Service intersects with theology classes, Cardinal Newman students gain a nuanced understanding of scripture and the Catholic faith. Our faith and scripture provide the tools to understand the many mysteries in life that can’t distill down to a mathematical or scientific certainty. And, isn’t that most of life?

Athletics When you see athletics as a ministry to develop young people, you start to understand the success of our sports teams. Deep care

and concern for their athletes drive Cardinal Newman coaches. Our motto, Heart Speaks to Heart, is displayed at every practice and competition. Athletics teach compassion, commitment, discipline, determination, resiliency, and sportsmanship in ways that a classroom can’t.

Team sports, in particular, involve the development of unity among its members, which requires caring and compassion for one another.

When our athletes compete hard and lose, compassion for one another is the salve that heals the hurt. When we win, it guides us to be respectful and supportive of our on-thefield competitors.

Arts Like athletics, the Arts is an

12,500 HRS Minimum number of average annual hours Cardinal Newman students contribute in Christian Service work to the community.

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COMPASSION CONTINUED excellent avenue of ministry for our talented faculty. In most cases, the Arts deal with interpretations of human stories. In Drama, for example, students act out stories.

Most involve a protagonist whose character arc moves from one of selfishness to one of selflessness. The same is true for Dance. The emotionality behind a piece is one of human tragedy or triumph and often the transition from one to the other. Studio Art is also about the human condition. Fine art, abstract art, sculpture, and pottery often reflect what it means to be alive and part of a time’s zeitgeist.

In each of these cases, study and understanding of compassion and empathy are inherent in the artist’s development. While their finished product tells one story, the artist went through their own transformation as the creator or performer.

They likely experienced doubt, determination, growing confidence, frustration, and ultimately the joy of creating their work. The compassion developed here may be selfcompassion.

Academics How our academics support compassion starts with creating a safe and supportive learning environment.

Students at Cardinal Newman are part of a college-bound peer group. This peer group is only 25% of the student body in a typical public school. Non-academic students often diminish the academic focus of those 8

who enjoy learning and work in light of their college aspirations. Being with other students who value learning is a game-changer. Students are comfortable and support one another. Our faculty and staff have also made a specific choice to teach in a Catholic school. They feel called to educate young people, help them grow, take risks, recover from disappointment, discover new interests, and reach their fullest potential. As a result, our faculty care for their students, treat them with respect and support them with compassion. We have high expectations matched with an unrivaled amount of support. Remember our motto? Heart Speaks to Heart? The classroom is a great place to see it in action – our faculty know to reach a student’s mind, you have to first connect with their heart.

The New Student Skills Renowned Harvard professor Dr. Tony Wagner has identified two paradigm shifts in society that requires fundamental changes in how we think about education.

These are the transition from an industrial economy to a knowledge economy and how digital native learners are motivated to learn in vastly different ways than previous generations. The vast amount of information at everyone’s fingertips and the advances in robotics and artificial intelligence make it easy to understand the need to change. As you read these skills, think about how uniquely prepared Catholic

schools are to meet this new educational challenge.

Critical thinking and problem-solving Collaboration across networks and leading by influence Agility and adaptability Initiative and entrepreneurialism Effective oral and written communication Accessing and analyzing information Curiosity and imagination

We develop these skills through our faith-based approach to educating the whole child. Students need knowledge, but they also need to know what to do with it. That largely depends on having a values-based worldview. Even though compassion is not expressly stated, its presence behind the scenes of each of these skills is necessary.

To think critically and problem-solve, one must be compassionate about the interests of everyone involved and impacted by the issue.

Collaborating across networks and leading by influence includes significant

compassion and empathy for those in the network.

Being agile and adaptable requires knowing how to adjust with compassion for those affected by the new direction.

Taking initiative and being entrepreneurial requires one to be aware of the needs, goals, and objectives of others.

Communicating requires compassion as words can cause more damage than weapons to the human spirit.

Accessing and analyzing information requires compassion for the impact the data may have on people’s lives and well-being.

Exercising curiosity and imagination are best served through the lens of compassion and empathy.

The Cardinal Newman High School learning experience – Christian Service, theology, athletics, arts, and academics – develops these very human skills. We follow the teachings of our faith, our belief in God, and our understanding of scripture.

It’s little wonder that independent studies (NonCatholic, Non-American) indicate that students from Catholic education rank highest in participating in community and civic engagement. They care about community and have compassion for its members.

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CAMPUS NEWS AT CARDINAL NEWMAN

ASSOCIATED STUDENT BODY (ASB) PRESIDENT AND VICE PRESIDENT Ricky Waite and Maguire Hansel welcome incoming Freshman at the Can’t Wait ’til Next Year dinner with one simple encouragement, “Get involved with one another and all the opportunities available at Cardinal Newman.” Maguire went on to say, “Put yourself out there and say hi to new people. I said hi to someone in my first class and we became best friends.” Making friends can feel daunting when you’re young. It’s a risk of rejection. But, a safe and caring environment helps mitigate the fear. And allows friendships to blossom.

CARDINALS

Student Life Center – Coming Spring 2023!

Our contractor, GMH Builders, with guidance from our architects QKA, is busy working on the foundation and site work for our new Student Life Center. The steelwork will begin this summer when we see our new facility “out of the ground.”

Keep up-to-date on our campus improvement work by visiting our website for the live-streaming video of the construction! www.CardinalNewman.org/Support/Campus-Updates.

The quality of the student learning experience starts with facilities. Schools are expensive to build and must last a long time. Following the loss of our campus in 2017, our community came together and helped fund its rebuilding.

The result is a campus that will serve Cardinal Newman students for decades to come. We offer the most modern classrooms in Santa Rosa and the Student Life Center is next.

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100% Paid By Donations and Insurance The Cardinal Newman Classroom building and Student Life Center and Library were funded without debt or an impact on tuition. About $9 million was donated by individuals and $16 million by foundations. Combined with $8 million in insurance settlements, we raised $33 million for two new buildings. Our community Biblically responded to our needs.

These buildings – the physical plant of Cardinal Newman – are legacy examples of what a community does out of love for its children.

STUDENT LIFE CENTER & LIBRARY

Two-Story Classroom Building From any angle, our state-of-the-art classrooms look great! The builder just shared the photo to the right with us, and we think it is an inspiring testament to all who contributed to our need! Yet, as beautiful and purposeful as the Classrooms and Student Life Center are, the miracle happens inside. That’s where our faculty members help students transform into remarkable, confident, and capable young adults. Ninety-six percent of our graduates go on to a four-year university.

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REWIND IN TIME

STUDENT LIFE

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After two years away from the theater, the CN Dance Program returned in the Fall 2021 with a nostalgic show filled with renewed energy, “Rewind in Time,” a dance show inspired by decades of music between 1940s and 2010s. Dancers and dance teacher/director, Gabrielle Thompson, collaborated in choreography and creativity to build an amazing show that brought in record attendance. The dancers performed with gratitude and shined on stage with courage and passion. We are so proud of all of the dancers for persevering through the unpredictable challenges of the

pandemic and applaud their accomplishments throughout the semester.

A special thank you to parent volunteer coordinator, Amanda Wood, who worked tirelessly on gathering volunteers to help at the show and filled in all of the details

needed to make the show a success.

DANCE DIRECTOR Gabrielle Thompson PHOTOS: Bella Photography

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE

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The CN Dance Program presented “From the Page to the Stage” on April 28th and 29th at Sonoma Country Day School in the Jackson Theater. Dance teacher/ director, Gabrielle Thompson, collaborated with all of the dancers to create a contemporary show inspired by the literary works of classic fairy tales, fictional stories, and myths.

With modern music and original choreography, the show created a mystical adventure and thought provoking moments portraying modern day life.

Bravo to all of the dancers for their hard work and dedication.

TWO PACKED SHOWS!

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TO THE STAGE

FROM THE PAGE

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

DANCE DIRECTOR Gabrielle Thompson PHOTOS: Bella Photography

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TOGETHERNESS FROM THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

SOCIALS

The Father-Daughter dance was a great opportunity for many of the young women at Cardinal Newman to get together for pictures, dancing, and lots of food. After a delicious dinner, dads of senior girls each put together really cute and heartwarming slideshow presentations, showing off their daughters’ many funny/sweet moments from childhood, all the way up to recent events. I think it’s a super special tradition that only a community like Newman would have. Aside from that, there were tons of good snacks, including a custom candy bar where you could splurge to your heart’s content on chocolates, gummies, and jawbreakers. The dance floor was busy all night long, and it was so fun to see different grade levels dancing and cheering each other on as several girls showed off their moves in a huge dance circle (the dads joined in, of course). I personally 16

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL think that this dance was special because there wasn’t any pressure like that of a homecoming or prom. It was just a great group of girls having a genuinely good time and letting loose with their friends and fathers. Overall, I had a really great night and went home tired, happy, and full of fun new memories that I’ll carry with me beyond high school. – Katie Grant, ’24 Mother-Daughter Brunch The Mother-Daughter brunch was a wonderful experience to get to take time in the midst of a busy second semester to spend meaningful time with our moms. My mom and I got there and enjoyed time together and talking with each other and the other mothers. My heart felt warm looking around, seeing all the joy of the mothers and their daughters and enjoying the delicious warm food and much-needed coffee. It was a beautiful time to take a step back from all the craziness of senior year and spend time in prayer, surrounded by a group of beautiful women. It was special that any motherly figure was invited; the bright smile and outfit of one lively grandma accompanying her granddaughter lit up my day and reminded me of my grandma. The motherdaughter brunch was certainly a beautiful, much-needed event with prayer, good food, and wonderful conversation.

– Lily Zichichi, ’22 Mother-Son Brunch I attended the Mother-Son brunch with my mother Niessia. I enjoyed bonding with my Mom, as well as being with my friends. We enjoyed the company of our friends and enjoyed our breakfast, which was a full buffet. Getting to listen to Mr. Reynolds’ talk about the

SOCIAL EVENTS ARE ESSENTIAL TO OUR MISSION AND A KEY CARDINAL NEWMAN DISTINCTION. YOUNG STUDENTS BENEFIT GREATLY BY EXPERIENCING SAFE AND FUN GATHERINGS WITH THEIR PEERS AND PARENTS. IT’S GOOD FOR THE PARENTS, TOO. importance of mothers was one of the top moments of the brunch. This gave my mother and I time to hang out and get closer with not only each other but also with our friends. The brunch was a great experience and I hope everyone gets the chance to enjoy that special moment with their mothers.

– William Diehl, ’23

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SENIOR RETREAT Welcoming the second semester of my senior year, I was more than excited and slightly sad at the idea of attending my last high school retreat. After arriving at Mount Gilead, we took a short hike, followed by Mass offered by Fr. Plass. Next, we met our NET Retreat group leaders and began small group activities. Our retreat leaders tried to bring as much energy to the group as possible, and while it took us a couple of hours to warm up to them, we found ourselves enjoying

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games and activities. Nearing the end of our first day, we gathered around a campfire for s’mores and a very competitive dance competition between one of the counselors and Izabella Patchick, a Dance Three honors student.

The next day was filled with the same spirited activities as well as my favorite spiritual part of the retreat. During our women’s talk, I felt that our group leaders successfully conveyed what it is like to be a young woman struggling to interpret one’s relationship

with God. While the rest of the retreat had held a similar spiritual message, I felt most personally impacted by their advice and acknowledgment of social difficulties regarding exploring one’s faith.

Right before leaving, our entire retreat group played an impromptu game of football, a large number of our varsity football team being present.

While we had all been on retreat together for the past twenty-four hours, I felt the game really drew us together

and closed the experience with a sense of knowing one another more.

I could not be more grateful to have attended the retreat with my friends under the guidance of NET Ministries and Fr. Plass. The experience was spiritually enlightening and reminded me to enjoy the final months of my senior year with the people I have grown to care for these past four years.

– Meghan Do, ’22

RETREATS

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

JUNIOR RETREAT Nearing the end of March, our classmates were filled with excitement to attend our first overnight retreat. Following our arrival at Alliance Redwoods in Occidental, we gathered in assigned small groups to answer some group reflection questions. Although it was awkward at first, our time in the small groups really helped us connect more with classmates who we hadn’t previously talked with all that much. It also strengthened the bonds that we already had with the friends that happened to be in our small groups.

After our small group discussions, we got to start the long-awaited activities. The options were the Piñata Swing or the Zipline.

According to Jordan Solano, “You basically got strapped in and hoisted up by the rest of the group, then they just let go of the rope that was holding you up there. There were three seconds of freefall.” In contrast, we chose the zipline. The rickety ladder made the climb up scary, but once you were flying through the trees, it felt like you were flying. We had so much fun; we want-

ed to go again. Without a doubt, the highlight of this activity was watching Father Plass zoom on the zipline.

Once the sun went down, we gathered around the campfire to roast marshmallows and sing campfire songs. Jack Capitani and Father Plass brought out their guitars and sang some folk songs. Many joined in and sang along beautifully with them.

The next day, we departed after spiritually connecting to God through mass. It was a nice way to end our retreat because we got to reflect on what the retreat was all about: reflecting on our identities as children of God. The retreat was like a breath of fresh air, as we were feeling very burned out. We thoroughly enjoyed the Junior Retreat and are thankful that we got to experience it together. It was an amazing retreat, and we can’t wait for our next one.

– Owen Reis, ’23 and Bridget Salisbury, ’23

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Modern Band at Cardinal Newman is different than any other high school band opportunity in the region.

Under the direction of Morris Acevedo, Cardinal Newman students learn and master music using contemporary instruments and songs they hear and sing every day. It checks the key boxes for modern education – it’s relevant and engaging!

Just how relevant and engaging is best seen at performances. Modern Band treated the community to the Spring band concert on May 12. The setlist ranged from surf music to today’s country and pop hits.

Students showed off their chops -- changing instruments with ease and panache.

From guitar to drums to bass to vocals. They’ve also performed impromptu concerts at lunch and picked acoustic guitar with Father Plass on retreat. That’s one of the powers of music -- it brings people together with a universal language of time and tempo, rhythm, and words. And, like the other Arts, it helps us all locate ourselves in the world around us and strengthens the faith with have in our Creator.

STUDIO ARTS Much like music, dance, and drama, the Studio Arts program at Cardinal Newman provides ample opportunity for students to grow through creativity. As the master Creator, God includes his creative spirit in each of us. Studio Art allows that to shine through students via exploration of drawing, painting, photography, and ceramics. One of this year’s most remarkable creations was a custom-painted surfboard, a featured auction item at our Spring Gala.

Shown in progress to the left, this piece of art may never see the ocean, but it’s sure to create conversational waves among those who are lucky enough see it on display.

The modern and future economy is seeking creative problem solvers, those who are agile, adaptive, and able to navigate uncertainty with intelligence and creativity. The Arts are crucial in developing these skills. And these skills apply to any career choice. It will be the creative thinker in any field that leads game-changing innovation that improves our collective futures.

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“They put on an awesome concert!

What a talented and fun group!”

– Laura Van Roy-Martinez, via Facebook comment

MODERN BAND

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

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DRAMA The Cardinal Newman drama class has been hard at work this year. They presented a showcase of scenes, monologues, and even an original song in the Fall. The class presented for two nights to excited audiences. During this Spring’s production, drama presented Pack Of Lies

by Hugh Whitemore, a tale of secrets and spies set in Cold War Era London. The students explored the struggles of what is right vs. what feels right.

STUDENT LIFE

Ethan Stanford, ’22 and Bella Alvear, ’24

OXFORD SCHOLARS Spring Oxford Scholars: Seniors Maguire Hansel, Colby Jacobs, Dante Lafranchi, Kate Hall, Jacob Jannicelli, Meghan Do, Lily Zichichi, Kathryn Clark, Preston Kohut, Neala Kelley, Eternity McDonell, Sydney Bellman.

AP ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES Our APES students are studying the effects of climate change and deforestation. As part of this course study, they have germinated oak trees to be planted in the burn areas in Sonoma County. These students will plant them and water them once a week during the dry months until the rainy season hits.

Adrian Tunev, Braxton Sasuta, Rose Meihaus, Isabella Titone, Jessica Nowacki, Sydney Saure, Julia Lubas, Katherine Clark, Kate Hall

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CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

SENIOR SUNRISE The class of 2022 kicked off their senior year with a Senior Sunrise on the football field on September 3, 2021. Over 75 seniors attended with blankets, stuffed animals, and smiles.

In addition, a gracious group of parents brought breakfast burritos and beverages for the students to enjoy. Although the seniors didn’t see the sunrise that morning, due to the foggy nature of fall in Sonoma County, seniors wanted to start the year by seeing the sunrise together metaphorically before the sun sets on their high school careers.

OLIVE OIL LABEL DESIGN In December of 2021, an organization called Farm To Pantry collaborated with the Cardinal Newman Fine Art Classes and the Graphic Design class. The project was to create a label for a bottle of olive oil that Farm To Pantry was producing. Farm To Pantry [https://www. farmtopantry.org/] is a gleaning organization based in Sonoma County. They partner with produce farms to collect all unharvested food. Farm To Pantry then distributes that produce to charitable organizations located throughout Sonoma County so that none of it goes to waste. They chose a label designed by senior Michael Gonzalez-Lopez, with art drawn by junior Sophia Passalacqua.

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COMPASSION

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CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

CHRISTIAN SERVICE CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL HAS A STRONG TRADITION OF LEADING STUDENTS IN CHRISTIAN SERVICE. OUR STUDENTS MUST COMPLETE A MINIMUM OF 25 HOURS OF SERVICE EACH YEAR, WITH A MORE EXTENSIVE CAPSTONE PROJECT IN THEIR SENIOR YEAR.

Marian Sisters reward the hard work of Cardinal Newman High School students with hot chocolate on a chilly day.

LEADERSHIP & REFLECTION

Christian Service is a hallmark of Catholic high school education and a point of pride at Cardinal Newman. The process of researching, planning, and performing service exercises several higher-order executive skills in our students. They learn initiative, develop positive work habits, complete quality research, and, perhaps most importantly, reflect on issues of interest to them.

The goal of our Christian Service program is to combine the principles of our faith with relevant, real-world actions that students can perform in service to others. Particularly those who are in greater need. The process is humbling. It makes the sentiment of, “There but for the grace of God go I” relatable. Understanding our many blessings reminds us to be grateful, even during difficult times. Serving the less fortunate also builds empathy for the struggles of others.

In the current school year, Cardinal Newman students have engaged with many of society’s most significant challenges: (Continues on page 26) 25

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CHRISTIAN SERVICE

Helping Others LIVING OUR FAITH

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Student Blake Bryson organized a “Tyler Talk” to discuss mental health. His guest presenter was Christine Lombardi with Hilinski’s Hope Foundation. Together, they shared a difficult but important story encouraging students to speak freely about their mental health and wellness.

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The St. Vincent de Paul Club sold baked treats to raise funds for Ukraine Relief, to help those who are impacted and displaced by Russia’s war on Ukraine.

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Abigail Cunningham and Sydney Saure created compost bins and held an educational day in support of Earth Day. At lunch, they helped everyone learn what is compostible and what can be recycled.

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Students volunteered their time to help Homes 4 the Homeless build shelters to help address the homeless crisis in California.

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Kimi Waller created a volleyball camp to help young athletes build skill, confidence, and resiliency so they can pursue athletics with confidence.

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Students worked with Farm to Pantry gleaning unharvested olives in a local vineyard to be made into olive oil and donated to food banks.

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Avery Jacobs with her service dog that she helped train as a service animal for the visually impaired through Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Press Democrat Youth Service Awards In the 2021-22 School Year, the Press Democrat’s Youth Service Awards nominated 125 students in the greater Santa Rosa area, including ten Cardinal Newman seniors, for outstanding community service. Left to right: • Mr. Perrin Cheney • Ricky Waite • Avery Jacobs • Eternity McDonell • Aiden Johnson • Vincenzo Bigattini • Liya Golden • Jenna Bertoli • Maguire Hansel Not pictured: • Julietta Solano • Kenneth (KJ) Born

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“HOPE SAVES LIVES”

–Jennielynn Holmes, CPO, Catholic Charities

• Advocating for the homeless with Catholic Charities and St. Vincent de Paul Society • Laboring to provide food for the hungry • Advocating against human trafficking • Striving to provide clean drinking water to schools abroad • Reversing the stigma of mental health, especially among teens • Cleaning up beaches, rivers, and forests • Fostering positive environmental stewardship skills in youth • Mentoring with Special Olympics • Preparing nutritious meals with the Ceres Community Project • Building athletic skills and confidence in youth • Collecting food for area Food Banks • Raising funds to support Ukraine Relief • Working in animal therapy settings Cardinal Newman students are tackling issues in the news and in our community.

While doing so, they reflect on the seven principles of Catholic Social Teaching and on following the example of Christ in their work of selflessness and kindness.

St. Vincent de Paul Society (SVdP) The Cardinal Newman SVdP club hosted the Regional

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SVdP Council’s President, Ron Plasse, and Vice President, James Nantell, for a constructive and informative discussion about the spirit and character of the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Our club is an official member of the Society and learned of the roughly 200-year Vincentian tradition of compassionate service in the footsteps of Christ.

Press Democrat Youth Service Awards In the 2021-22 School Year, the Press Democrat’s Youth Service Awards nominated 125 students in the greater Santa Rosa area, including ten Cardinal Newman seniors, for outstanding community service.

• Jenna Bertoli • Vincenzo Bigattini • Kenneth (KJ) Born • Liya Golden • Maguire Hansel • Avery Jacobs • Aiden Johnson • Eternity McDonell • Julietta Solano • Ricky Waite In an article covering the Awards, Press Democrat reporter Kerry Benefield said, “Instead of turning away, they dug in. Instead of looking out for number one, they looked out for others. Instead of getting theirs, they gave theirs.

To hear what these students have accomplished in their unprecedented high school careers is to see fortitude and hope in action.”

In the same article, Jennielynn Holmes, chief programs officer with Catholic Charities and keynote speaker for the event, told the students that to be one of the 125 nominees is to have done something, or some things, incredible. “I feel so hopeful for the future of our world because of each and every one of you,” she said. “You are all sitting here because you have gone above and beyond.”

Benefield’s and Holmes’ sentiments illustrate the positive ripple effect that happens when acting out of compassion for others – it spreads hope, inspires, and has a chance to expand.

The Cardinal Newman Christian Service Program Guided by Perrin Cheney, the Cardinal Newman Christian Service Program supports students with education, guidance, and schoolsponsored service events. In addition, Mr. Cheney helps students find opportunities for earning service hours together with their peers.

Examples include: • Restoring the grounds of the Marian Sisters of Santa Rosa’s Convent damaged in the Tubbs Fire • Working with Homes 4 The Homeless, who make modular homeless shelters deployed wherever there is a need • Praying for the incarcerated

in collaboration with the Diocese of Santa Rosa’s Restorative Justice Ministry • Collaborating with Catholic Charities in preparing home-cooked meals for their homeless shelter • Preparing and delivering emergency go-bags directly to our region’s shut-ins and elderly Cardinal Newman students have risen to the occasion in meeting the needs of others.

They reach out in compassion, reflecting Christ and his teachings. Compassion is not something you can teach to someone from a textbook or a set of theories. Instead, compassion comes from direct, hands-on, minds-on personal experience serving others. It’s a hallmark of our faith and at the heart of the Catholic Identity shared at Cardinal Newman.

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

Students at the Press Democrat’s Youth Service Awards ceremony.

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2021-22 NORTH COAST SECTION CHAMPIONS

NEWMAN STRONG

WINTER ATHLETICS: MAINTAINING A WINNING TRADITION The 2021-2022 Cardinal Newman High School Varsity Girls Basketball Team hit the ground running by going 2-1 in the extremely competitive Cardinal Newman Classic Showcase, which featured some of the top teams and players in the county. They followed with a second place finish in the Paris Twins Classic, where they competed against top teams and players in Northern California.

The month of December was highlighted by an undefeated performance in the SoCal Holiday Prep Classic in San Diego. The tournament featured wins over Serra (Gardena), Bonita (La Verne), Peninsula (Rolling Hills), and Lincoln (Stockton) high schools.

Senior Reese Searcy and Junior Abbie Mullins had outstanding performances 30

and were both named to the All-Tournament Team.

After San Diego, the Cardinals returned home to focus on league play. For the eighth year in a row, and with only two seniors on the roster, the Cardinals dominated Sonoma County Girls Basketball by going 10-0 in league play and clinching the North Bay League Oak Division Championship. Senior Reese Searcy was named NBL Oak Division MVP, and Junior Julia Brunetti was named Defensive Player of the Year.

Junior Abbie Mullins and Freshman Kate Schat were named First Team All-League.

Senior Ari Johnson was named Second Team All-League.

The Cardinals received the #4 seed in the prestigious NCS Open Division Tournament, which features the Top 6

Teams in the entire North Coast Section regardless of school size. We lost to Bishop O’Dowd by four points in the first round of section play but bounced back the following week to defeat sixth-seeded Heritage by 18 points. The Cardinals have been selected to the NCS Open Division Tournament in both of the division’s two year existence.

The Cardinals were the

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

2021-2022 Cardinal Newman High School Girls Basketball North Bay League Champions North Coast Open Division Participant Northern California Division 1 Participant Ranked #6 in NCS All Divisions-MaxPreps Ranked #5 in the State Division 2-MaxPreps Ranked #28 in the State All Divisions-MaxPreps

seventh-seed in the Northern California Division 1 Tournament. We defeated Palo Alto at home in Round One of the NorCal Tournament.

Two days later, the Cardinals went on the road to St. Mary’s Stockton, where we lost a hard-fought game 46-50. The Cardinals ended the season with a record of 23-6.

Seniors Reese Searcy and Ari Johnson played an integral role in shaping this young team and passing on Cardinal Newman Girls Basketball culture. We want to thank Reese, Ari, and their families for their commitment to Cardinal Newman, the girls’ basketball program, and their teammates. We wish Reese and Ari the very best!

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National Signings

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Baseball – Nate Phelps, Blake Bryson, Gavin Rognlien signed National Letters of Intent with Lewis- Clark State, Benedictine University, and Santa Clara University, respectively. Congratulations Nate, Blake, Gavin and coach DeBenedetti!

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Michael Gonzalez-Lopez, left (Track and Field), and Dylan Wagner, right (Football), signed National Letters of Intent to attend Dominican University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, respectively. Congratulations Michael, Dylan, and Coaches Hetu and Sanchez!

Gabriel Bardis (Football) signed his National Letter of Intent to attend Carleton College (Northfield, MN)! He was also featured on 49ers Cal Hi Sports for being awarded the Harker School Scholar-Athlete Award.

Congratulations to Gabriel and Coach Sanchez!

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Gianna Ratto (Women’s Water Polo) signed her National Letter of Intent to attend the University of Redlands (Redlands, CA)! She was joined by her family, coach, and teammates!

Congratulations Gianna!

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5

Ruby Jospeh (Wrestling) signed her National Letter of Intent to attend Northern Michigan University! Congratulations to Ruby and Coach Sandavol!

Not Shown: Mila Bettinelli (Women’s Soccer) and Gianluca Dimauro (Men’s Soccer) signed National Letters of Intent with Tarleton State University and Cal Poly San Luis Obisbo..

Congratulations Mila, Gianluca and Coaches Gilson and Corriveau!

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

MORE WINTER SPORTS:

got to the section semi-final.

Boys Soccer The 2021-2022 season challenged the Cardinal Newman Varsity Boys Soccer team to perform at their highest potential as students and athletes. As a result, they earned the North Coast Section scholar-team award for the highest team GPA and

We also thank our seniors, Jacob Carinalli, Julian Cortina, Gianluca Dimauro, Lucas Olney, and Adam Wojcik, for their leadership and dedication to the Cardinal Newman soccer program. We wish them the best moving forward!

We thank Chris Catelli and Kelcey Chaidez for their support of the boys in all aspects of their lives. The care and guidance they showed them turned our team into a family.

Boys Basketball The varsity boys’ basketball team completed a successful season highlighted by a 2nd place finish in the North Bay League – Oak and a berth in the North Coast Section playoffs. In addition, they earned the NCS scholar-team award for the best GPA in the entire Section.

In late December, the Cardinals won the Sonoma County Classic, with Gavin Vogensen being named tournament MVP. Sam Cline, Gavin Vogensen, and Lucas Mauritson earned All-league honors for their performances.

JV Boys Basketball The JV Boys Basketball team reaped the reward from their grit, determination, unselfish teamwork, and good practice habits. After starting the season with a 2-8 record, the team went 11-1 the rest of the way, including a 10-game winning streak. This turnaround also included a league record of 9-1 to capture the NBL Oak Division championship.

Congratulations to the players and coaches.

Scholar Athletes Cardinal Newman is known for our athletics, but the academic success of our athletes is underreported. Our athletes apply themselves in the classroom on par with their commitment to their sport.

Each season, our athletes and teams compete for the highest GPAs in their league, which gives us two chances to celebrate their success! Join us in congratulating these athletes for their academic prowess.

Varsity Boys Basketball Santino Acevedo Santiago Adan Sam Cline Leonardo Gonzalez Cody Guy Jacob Jannicelli Kooper Kohut Andrew Krilich Lucas Mauritson Aidan McLaughlin Charlie Oandason Gavin Vogensen

JV Boys Basketball Diego Boardman Ian Bravo Lopez Jake Joerger Jasper Kemp Vincent Pecoraro Kyle Stoesser Aidan Wedge Matthew Zichichi Frosh Boys Basketball Nicholas Bartolomei Connor Delaney Joshua Jannicelli Jesse Myers Jack Pezzolo Julius Skamarack Nathan Solomon Ben Wilson Aidan Woods Varsity Girls Basketball Julia Brunetti Lexy Cooke Nevaeh George Arianna Johnson Kassie Lindeblad Leah Martinez Leah Mauritson Abigail Mullins Natalie Rosetti Kate Schat

JV Girls Basketball Tatum Candelario Monserrath ChavezTejeda Isabella Finnerty Jenna Frampton Sarah Frampton Emma-Marija Jovanovski Brianna Marotto Christell McCormick Merhawit Zewde Varsity Boys Soccer Jacob Carinalli Julian Cortina Jordan Cunningham Liam Currie Jake Danoff Gianluca Dimauro Giovanni Dimauro Sebastien Faivre Patrick Gardner William Liu Nathan Lubega Amiel Mengistab Jacob Patterson Joshua Patterson Memphis Roetter John Simon Jordan Solano-Ignacio Jude Stone Adam Wojcik

Varsity Girls Soccer Alexandra Barnes Natalia Belmonte Mila Bettinelli Lily Carinalli Samantha Fenske Anya Halkovich Abella Hunter Neala Kelley Sofia Lightner Lauren McKeown Jayne Phillips Maddalena Ratto Marije Rechin Hennessey Saunders Kaitlyn Seawright Cheyenne Tucker Annabelle Vaughan Alexandra Vice Isabella Wright Katherine Zeleny Varsity Boys Wrestling Eshaan Badhan Chase Flint Corbin Green Anthony Velladao Varsity Girls Wrestling Jordyn Seaman

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ADVANCEMENT

Student-painted surfboard.

SPRING GALA

IT TAKES OUR ENTIRE COMMUNITY 34

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

Spring Legacy Gala This year’s Spring Legacy Gala, held on March 19, was a wonderful opportunity to gather and celebrate our re-engagement with our school community! The Un-Maskerade party was a festive evening of auctions, raffles, and contests designed to provide laughter and excitement as prizes were won and the highest bidders were congratulated. The generosity of our Our mission as a Catholic, college prep high school relies on the philanthropy of our community, which in turn, validates our Christian Service teachings. As our students give to the community they benefit directly from the gifts that come from the community. school families is admirable.

All money raised at the Gala supports the operating budget for the school, which supports teacher compensation and programming for academics, athletics, arts, campus ministry, and service programs.

2022 Ursuline Alumnae Association Crab Feed Dinner Due to the ongoing presence of coronavirus the Ursuline Alumnae Association Board of Directors made the decision to quickly pivot from an inperson Crab Feed event to a successful drive-thru event that was held on January 22, 2022. The UAA board was only able to do this with the help of Cardinal Newman community’s alumni, parents and volunteers. This group prepared and packaged 173 dinners for pick up, raising $17,000 in support of the Ursuline Alumnae Association Scholarship Fund. UAA would like to thank everyone that supported and contributed to this great annual event.

We can’t wait to host this event in person in 2023.

UAA awarded $35K in scholarships to students.

E.R. SAWYER’S JEWELRY WINNER Congratulations Nicole McKeown for purchasing the lucky winning raffle ticket at this year’s Spring Legacy Gala! Nicole won a beautiful pair of diamond earrings generously donated by Ame & Doug Van Dyke of E.R Sawyer’s Jewelers.

TUITION RAFFLE WINNER Congratulations to the Key family!

They are the winners of this year’s Tuition Raffle! Thank you to all who supported this fundraising program.

Stay tuned for next year’s raffle with ticket sales starting this August!

Save the date for 2023 – January 21, 2023

Don’t miss next year’s event - mark your calendars for February 11, 2023, for another Legacy Gala celebration!

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DADS’ CLUB TURNS OVER THE REINS

As the reins are being handed over to the next set of Dads’ Club leaders, a wonderful gathering was held at the Henderson Ranch on April 7th, 2022, to formally thank all of the dads, granddads, wineries, and local businesses that have supported the group for over a decade!

As with every Dads’ Club event, a scrumptious dinner was served; the evening menu included chicken and ribs, potatoes, and salad and was served to over 80 people who gathered at the barn at the Henderson’s home in Windsor.

The Dads’ Club has supported countless events over the years: CN Golf Tournament, Ursuline Crab Feed, Grad Nite, Graduation, and numerous campus improvement projects at CN. We are grateful for all of their energy and for sharing their love of Cardinal Newman!

We genuinely thank these leaders for all their time and devotion to CN: Jeff Bertoli, ’77 Darrell Bertacco Steve Chia Allan Henderson, ’74 Matt Hernandez Kevin Lee Joe McNeany, ’80 Hats off to the next group of Dads’ Club leaders! We are excited for them to continue celebrating and carrying out the long-standing traditions that our dads have brought to Cardinal Newman!

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CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI GOLF TOURNAMENT Foursomes gather to honor Frank Guillen in the 31st Annual Alumni Golf Tournament on Thursday, June 9th, 2022 at the Windsor Golf Club.

This year’s tournament sold out – thank you, golfers!

Happens Every Time You Give (SMILES) This year, Cardinal Newman introduced our #ThankfulThursday campaign as part of our Fund A Future tuition assistance program.

Each year, more than 36% of our student body receives tuition assistance equaling over $1.1 million awarded to our school families. We could not support this effort if it wasn’t for the generous gifts from our community!

Our goal this year was to raise $400,000 in support of this important program.

These funds will offer school families the opportunity to provide a Cardinal Newman Catholic education for their children. In many cases, they would not be able to attend Cardinal Newman without this program. We are truly grateful for all who supported this effort! It’s not too late to support this effort! If you are interested in making a difference in a young person’s education, please contact

Terri Derr at derr@cardinalnewman.org for more details. Thank you!

We also included student voice in our campaign, asking Mr. Acevedo’s Graphic Design class to create posters to encourage fellow students to adopt an “attitude of gratitude” by posting what they are thankful for each Thursday using the hashtag #ThankfulThursday. Not surprisingly, our clever and creative students came up with some winning designs. Here are the top three posters, as selected by the Advancement Team judges. In addition, each student received a gift card for their work.

URSULINE ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION CRAB FEED

Supporters graciously participated in a drive-thru Crab Feed hosted by the Ursuline Alumnae Association.

We look forward to being in person next time!

What are you thankful for? Let us know online #ThankfulThursday.

< Student designed posters in support of #ThankfulThursday.

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ALUMNI FAMILY

LORETTA HILDALGO, URSULINE/CARDINAL NEWMAN ’92

ALUMNI ACTIVITY 38

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL Pursuits are important to have because you never know precisely where they will lead. Loretta Hildalgo, Ursuline/Cardinal Newman Class of ’92, recently shared her journey with us, and we invite you to enjoy the ride.

“I left Ursuline/Cardinal Newman in 1992. I was the senior class president, a varsity track and soccer player, and in drama. I adored Mr. Rutherford (Junior English), Mr. Ray (AP Physics) and Fr. Carolyn (Freshman English).

I was headed for Stanford to pursue my dream of getting into space.

The transition to the “big pond” of college was rough. I sorely missed the intimacy and authenticity of our religion classes and retreats and struggled mightily to adapt to a strictly secular version of academia. No more quotes from mystic Thomas Merton to kick off Physics class. No more meditation in the chapel with Sr. Lillian!”

Cardinal Newman is an everexpanding family of alumni “Luckily I made my way and graduated with a B.S. in Biology in 1996. I had big dreams of building the greenhouses we would need on Mars. I got an internship in the Astronaut Office in Houston and started off on a new adventure there. I was in Houston two years, met astronauts, and worked on the International Space Station Program. But I was homesick for California! I found a research position at NASA Ames and returned to the Bay Area. While there I got to go to the Canadian Arctic for two weeks of field work, camping on a remote uninhabited island.

I then moved to L.A. to start Graduate work at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) where I worked with the astrobiologists at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Through them I met Hollywood director James Cameron and was invited to be on screen talent for his documentary about taking astrobiologists to Titanic depths of the ocean to study the life there. If you have Disney+ you can watch me in the IMAX Documentary, “Aliens of the Deep.”

From Caltech I worked for the X Prize Foundation and then NASA Headquarters, then I was a blogger for Wired Science and finally started leading my own workshops training the next generation of space leaders.

Loretta Hildalgo in the Disney+ IMAX Documentary, “Aliens of the Deep.”

She met Director James Cameron while working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and was invited to be on screen talent for the documentary.

I got married to another space explorer and we bought tickets in 2005 to take a suborbital flight on Virgin Galactic. Later they hired him to be the CEO and me to train their young staff. I wrote a book called, “The New Right Stuff: Using Space to Bring Out the Best in You.” We also started a space holiday called Yuri’s Night that is celebrated every year around the world, in Antarctica, in space, and (also on Disney+) in an episode of Miles from Tomorrowland!

I am currently launching a new program called SpaceKind that invites people who love space to come and do the deep reflection (and reading of mystical quotes) that can help put what we do in perspective and do the work to bring our best

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“Cardinal Newman alumni connect current students with the real world” selves to space. What we do in space sets a precedent for many generations to come.

I got to be at Sir Richard Branson’s spaceflight in July and it looks like my flight will be in the second half of 2022. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate 30 years since graduating from this incredible place that believed in me and gave me so much.”

Noah Booker, CN’88 (shown above), followed his brother, Aaron, to Bellingham, WA 20 years ago after graduating from UC-Santa Cruz. He has a landscape restoration business. His son is a Sophomore at University of Washington and his daughter will be going to University of Oregon next year in their honors program.

Aaron, CN’84, graduated from UC Davis, then moved up to Bellingham, WA where he met his wife Kelly in 2003.

They have two children - one a junior and the other in 8th grade. He’s been doing live streaming for events for the past 18 years, adding the management of technology for a K-8 private school last year plus teaching a podcasting class too.

Third brother, Matthew, CN’86, has his PHD in History from Stanford and is a full professor at NC State. He’s on leave now and is the VP of Scholarly Programs at The National Humanities Center in Raleigh. His oldest daughter is a graduate of Bowdoin and his younger child is a Junior at Stanford University.

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< Eric Vukicevich, CN’05, is assistant professor of botany at Connecticut College in New London. He teaches and does research in sustainable agriculture and mycology, facilitating the campus farm. A great school in a beautiful area, he has enjoyed being there the past three years. Here’s a picture of the little campus farm (in the summer). He says, “Send us your plant people!”

The Booker Brothers

Chess Lopez, Ursuline ’06, makes her major motion picture debut in “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” the latest film from Marvel. Lopez plays the role of Amalia, a superhero who can punch through stars to reach other dimensions. >

Dani Gilson (left), CN’17, met First Lady Jill Biden when Mrs. Biden visited recipients of CARES ACT grants in Truckee Meadows on March 9th. Dani was selected to represent her class in the meeting. >

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL “Some Rules are Meant to be Broken” Article in the New York Times by Nina Reyes, August 13, 2021 Mary Devon Dietzen, Ursuline ’07, sister to Greg, CN’02, and Peter, CN’11, and daughter of Joe and Patti (Konicek) Dietzen, Ursuline ’75, was featured in this New York Times article. While working for the RAND Corp in Santa Monica in 2018, Mary Devon decided to forego her rule against dating work colleagues after a couple of conversations with Lance McDonald, who shared common interests and enthusiasms with her.

The result was a Santa Rosa wedding at the end of July 2021! Congratulations!

Class Reunions

Class of 1972 – 50th Year Saturday, September 3, 2022 at Wild Oak Contact: Mike Keefer at mikekeefer2@gmail.com Class of 2007 – 15th Year Saturday, Auction 13, 2022 at CNHS ACC Contact: cnuhsclassof2007@ gmail.com. Details at CN/ UHS Facebook Reunion Page

Alumni Association Committee Re-engaging After COVID With new opportunities to host Alum events, we gathered a group of alums interested in joining our Alumni Association Committee. On May 2nd, our kick-off meeting brought together alums from the 70s, 80s and 90s, all eager to help support the reengagement of our alumni community. A huge THANK YOU to these alums for stepping up to help: Chris Bertoli, CN ’82 Jeff Bertoli, CN ’77 Ted Grafe, CN ’94 Justin Hansel, CN ’92 Brian McGee, CN ’86 Demian Reddy, CN ’95

Unable to attend the meeting, but offering to help are: Tom Nunes, CN ’81 Chris Vaughn, CN ’74 Holly Wheadon, UHS ’93

To join this energetic group please contact our Director of Alumni and Community Engagement, Graham Rutherford at rutherford@cardinalnewman.org.

The Alumni Legacy Scholarship Recipients Cardinal Newman Alumni Association Each year the Cardinal Newman Alumni Association offers legacy scholarships to children and grandchildren of Cardinal Newman alums, both young ladies and young men. Congratulations to the following students who received a CN Legacy Scholarship after submitting their essays for the Committee to review.

Devon Bertoli, Jonah Bertoli, Griffin Lewis, Hannah Maida, Jacob Salonga, Estelle Stevens, Olivia Stevens, Kaylin Suacci, Giana Tamayo, Gianna Teldeschi, Dylan Whittemore.

If you would like to contribute to these Alum based gifts, open to the children and grandchildren of CN graduates, please send your support to the Advancement Office. The more contributions and successful fundraising, like the Alumni Golf Tournament, helps more students.

Ursuline Alumnae Association The Ursuline Alumnae Association also has scholarships to CN for the children and grandchildren of Ursuline graduates, primarily supported by the Crab Feed. They were able to help 34 students this year, who also wrote essays, a generous action, congratulations students!

Ryleigh Barbour Ryan Bello Devon Bertoli Jonah Bertoli Gianna Castello Christian Chandler Jon Chapman Keely Dickey Avery Edwards Nevaeh George Penelope Kantor Will Liu

Colin Lopez Abigail Lopez Jenna Lubas John Lubas Jake Lubas Audel Madrigal Hanna Maida Leah Martinez Sarah Martinez Lauren McKeown Riley Murphy Keegan Murray Chavez

Devlin Murray Chavez Tucker Peterson Miles St. Clair Olivia Stevens Estelle Stevens Zachary Thomas Davis Walsh Lucas Warnell Katherine Wheadon Blake Williams Talia Woods

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INCOMING CLASS

We are excited to welcome 162 new incoming Freshmen to the Cardinal Newman experience next year! They represent 38 area middle schools, with Rincon Valley Middle School our largest referring school. At our “Can’t Wait ’til Next Year” dinner, 130 families joined us – just over 400 in total attendance. It is so rewarding to share in their excitement about getting into Cardinal Newman! The next four years are critically important for their growth, development, and maturity – a responsibility we take seriously as part of our individual and collective ministries. So, welcome Class of 2026; you’re in great company!

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CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

CN ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP

The Cardinal Newman Alumni Association offers scholarships each year to the children, both young ladies and young men, of Cardinal Newman alums. These legacy students, both incoming and returning, are offered the opportunity to submit essays to the Alumni Association who review and determine scholarship winners. Winners are chosen based on their essay content, and do not undergo a financial needs assessment like our tuition assistance program.

One of this year’s scholarship winners, Olivia Stevens, Class of 2023, wrote these encouraging words to incoming students new to the Cardinal Newman community.

AN ESSAY FOR INCOMING STUDENTS High school is a different, exciting, and stressful new aspect for an incoming student. It was a noticeable change when I transferred from a private Catholic middle school with roughly 30 students in my class to Cardinal Newman which had over 200 incoming freshmen.

The class structures, the sports, and the social aspect were completely skewed from what I was familiar with.

As a freshman, you are jumping into a completely new chapter of your life and it can be frightening. However, my advice to you is to remind yourself that you are not alone and that every other incomer is equally as nervous.

Cardinal Newman is a strong

community and an extremely supportive one. With interactive retreats and rallies, freshmen have the ability to integrate and socially connect with the school and their peers. Don’t be afraid to get involved, sign up for service opportunities on the weekends, they are constantly being offered. If you enjoy arts such as dance, music, or pottery, take advantage of the access Newman has to all of the above. I joined the student council as a freshman, it allowed me to play a role in campus life and should be considered.

I would strongly support playing a sport or two; many of my friends have stemmed from the relationships I developed through competition and work with teammates.

The experiences and lessons you learn

through sports are so important and can shape you as a person.

Commitment, perseverance, and the feeling of support from a close nit group of girls are what I gained from playing lacrosse and having amazing coaches. Challenging yourself to take on academics as well as sports puts you on equal footing with many other students at Cardinal Newman. As a freshman, you do not need to feel nervous because you are not alone, and the opportunities for you to do what you love and develop your personality are right in front of you.

– Olivia Stevens, ’23

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Education Today EDUCATION IS EXPERIENCING A TEACHER SHORTAGE AS QUALIFIED CANDIDATES LEAVE THE PROFESSION IN SEARCH OF BETTER PAY AND RECOGNITION FOR THEIR EDUCATION AND EXPERTISE. WHAT PARENTS SHOULD KNOW

Cardinal Newman High School believes that the best way to ensure lasting student success is to put the best possible teachers and staff in front of students. Therefore, we strive to recruit and retain high-quality and professional educators for all positions, including coaches and support staff.

Simply said, we’re picky. Cardinal Newman is committed to preparing young adults for success in college and life. We seek only the best, most caring educators in the marketplace. We require that they be comfortable with, if not passionate about, teaching in alignment with principles of the Catholic faith. This assures that we have the right combination of compassion, support, values, and standards to challenge our students with academics while wrapping them in the spirit of faith, community, and support. Teaching at Cardinal Newman is a calling.

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Pandemic exhaustion and professional fatigue Unfortunately, across the nation, teachers and educational leaders are experiencing exhaustion from working under the added stress and uncertainty of the pandemic for the last two years.

As a result, they are leaving the profession in numbers never seen before.

When asked, something beyond the pandemic has happened. Teachers have always been motivated by providing an essential service to students, their families, the community, and future generations.

Unfortunately, during the pandemic, educators bore the brunt of many of the frustrations parents and society were feeling. Rather than being honored and appreciated for the professional services they invested their lives into, they felt marginalized, verbally attacked, and often made to feel like overpaid babysitters.

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL On the contrary, teachers are well-educated, highly organized, and creative professionals whose skills easily cross over to other opportunities.

As they shift to other careers, the education industry is suffering both a shortage of great educators and a rising demand for their compensation. Naturally, Cardinal Newman believes teachers should be well paid.

The industry’s challenge is that 80%+ of our budget goes to salaries and benefits.

Education is still a laborintensive process.

Whether paid by taxes or tuition, what the market can bear drives the budget formulas for teacher pay.

Cardinal Newman offers competitive pay and excellent benefits, which are more affordable through the Diocese. We strive to provide a positive culture of teaching to students who are dedicated to learning.

Fortunately, we have low teacher turnover this year.

Nevertheless, it has been challenging to find quality educators for our openings.

Please join us in showering our educators with respect and appreciation. Of course, none of us are perfect, but let us meet those moments with grace and understanding to work together on appropriate solutions.

Some have mentioned a desire to contribute donations in support of teacher compensation. That can be done through our general fund, Day of Giving, and adding to our endowment.

Compensation is not the only tool of recruitment and retention. Facilities, funding, and families are important, too.

Having modern and adequate facilities contributes to a positive work environment.

Faculty and staff feel supported to perform their best when their classrooms are functional and well equipped.

Social events that bring our community together -parents, students, and faculty – build a sense of belonging and provide opportunities to express gratitude for each other. These three groups are working in partnership for the betterment of the student, and getting to know one another socially strengthens those relationships.

Capital campaigns are used to fund facility needs that have a specific financial cost and timeframe. Operating expenses, in contrast, recur year after year, which makes it more challenging to fund increases in compensation.

It might be the perception that one-time donations can support a slight pay increase. But, the following year requires meeting those increases whether the gift occurs again or not. For this reason, contributions made to grow our endowment are most appropriate. Forecasting supplemental income from the endowment is more reliable over the long term.

We will have to navigate this new challenge together, so please reach out if you have ideas to help with our ongoing recruitment and retention efforts.

Samples of student posters for teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week >

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PREPARING

ALWAYS AN EYE ON IMPROVEMENT

ACCREDITATION AND STRATEGIC PLANNING In March, Cardinal Newman completed its accreditation renewal process with the Western Catholic Educational Association (WCEA) and the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC). The accrediting process is intentionally rigorous and requires institutions to complete a comprehensive self-study examing all aspects of their operations and mission. The WCEA and WASC send a visiting committee to the school to verify the selfstudy’s accuracy and look for other opportunities for improvement or celebration.

Cardinal Newman staff and community members worked collaboratively to complete the initial self-study for over a year. The result is an 46

Educational Improvement Plan and a recommendation for Accreditation for a set number of years.

were inspiring to them. In addition, the resiliency shown by faculty, staff, families, and students was noteworthy.

While we have areas for improvement, the Visiting Committee was genuinely impressed by the Cardinal Newman community and our collective response to the loss of our campus to fire.

The rebuilding campaign and progress made to date

The Accreditation process and results dovetail with a Strategic Planning process initiated by our Board of Trustees. With our physical campus rebounding from disaster, the Board rightly felt it was a good time to envision the next five to ten years

for future Cardinal Newman students. We hired Partners in Mission, a non-profit consultancy specializing in strategic planning for Catholic schools and universities.

We started with a similar process of reviewing our “domains” of operations and collecting them into a book of knowledge. Then, we surveyed parents, faculty, and students to gather their input on our direction and how we can best meet the needs of students moving forward. We’ll be continuing this process with more discussion and reflection. Ultimately, we will produce and share a strategic plan for our entire community.

It will be a guide reflective of the values and goals of all stakeholders to continue the Cardinal Newman tradition.

CARDINAL NEWMAN HIGH SCHOOL

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Non-Profit Organization

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4320 Old Redwood Highway | Santa Rosa, CA 95403

Life requires faith.