The Shield Summer 2022
a magazine for alumni and friends of Pope John Paul II Preparatory School
Celebrating 20 Years of Knight Life
The Shield Summer 2022
Karen Phillips
Interim Head of School
Andrew Griffith
Associate Head of School for Education
Laura Thigpen
Associate Head of School for Institutional Vitality
Michelle Barber
Dean of Advancement Alumni Coordinator
Contributors
Andy Telli, Tennessee Register Rick Musacchio, Tennessee Register Michelle Barber, Dean of Advancement Jennifer Smith, Director of Marketing Saul Buda ‘18, Photographer
Editor and Layout Design
Jennifer Smith, Director of Marketing
How to Reach Us
The Shield Magazine Pope John Paul II Preparatory School 117 Caldwell Drive Hendersonville, Tennessee 37075 email: jennifer.smith@popeprep.org Facebook & Instagram: @jpiiknights
Alumni Contact
email: michelle.barber@popeprep.org
Our Mission
Inspired by Faith, Pope John Paul II Preparatory School prepares students to be strong in mind, body, character, and spirit for lives of learning and service, according to the Gospel.
On the Cover
Chris Musacchio ‘28 plays cymbals in the new Pope Prep Middle School Band. Chris is the fifth child from the Musacchio family to attend Pope John Paul II Preparatory School over the twenty-year history of the school. To read more about his family of Knights, see page 3. Photo by Kristen Weigel.
FEATURED IN THIS ISSUE 10 • GIFT OF TWO TEACHERS 16 • MAKING A DIFFERENCE BY DESIGN 18 • ALTRUISTIC ALUMNI REGULAR FEATURES 2 3 4 14 20 22 30 31
FROM THE INTERIM HEAD OF SCHOOL FAMILY FOCUS KNIGHT NEWS & NOTABLE MOMENTS ADVANCING OUR MISSION FEATURING THE CLASS OF 2022 ALUMNI UPDATES NEWEST KNIGHTS & “KNUPTIALS” GRATITUDE REPORT
To end their successful inaugural year, the Pope Prep Middle School Robotics team competes at the World VEX Robotics competition in Dallas, Texas. Pictured here are teammates Landon Smith ‘26 and Owen Oliphant ‘28. Photo Credit: Rick Musacchio
FROM THE INTERIM HEAD OF SCHOOL
In the 20 years since Pope John Paul II High School first opened its doors, there have been so many changes in personnel and programs that some may believe that the 2022 version of the school looks nothing like that of 2002. However, for perspective, we might ask Rick and Karen Musacchio, whose children span the history of the school to date. When she entered our first 4-year class in 2002, the oldest child, Annie, was equipped with the latest technology - a Palm Pilot - and navigated in a small student-body community of only 225 freshmen and sophomores. By the Fall of 2022, the experience of the youngest child, Christopher, who entered as a 6th-grader in our first 7-year class, was among our first group of middleschool robotics enthusiasts who traveled to the VEX IQ World Robotics Championship in Dallas, TX, and who daily traversed the halls as one of almost 780 students. If we ask parents Rick and Karen why they have entrusted the education of their five children, Annie (‘06, Board of Trust 2012-2018), Kathy (‘09), Maggie (‘12), Michael (‘17), and Christopher (‘28) to Pope John Paul II High / Preparatory School, I suspect it will have something to do with the promise of our mission, and the rich experiences developed to guide these young men and women to understand their potential and to develop their unique skills as they make their individual marks on the world around them.
programs have evolved over the past 20 years, each has been developed to fulfill the founding and still relevant mission to “prepare students to be strong in mind, body, character, and spirit for lives of learning and service according to the Gospel.” We see as our purpose to encourage students through opportunities to study and learn to, in the words of our recent motto, ‘be transformed.’ Romans 12:2 has admonished us with these words:
In the great variety of activities that Pope Prep offers in every area of the school - from academics to athletics, from the arts to faith life - while the
Karen Phillips
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“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” In the past 20 years, hundreds of families like the Musacchios have committed to Pope John Paul II Preparatory School for reasons highlighted within these pages. To those of us charged with creating and providing the programming that satisfies our parents’ trust, we thank all of you who have supported this school community over our 20-year history and helped define what it means to be a Knight. Grace and Blessings,
Interim Head of School
POPE PREP FAMILY FOCUS
The Musacchio Family KNIGHTS SINCE 2002
As Pope John Paul II High School was being created, it became clear that it was going to be an exceptional educational facility in the best tradition of Catholic education. The faculty and staff of the new school shared a common focus of providing a challenging, well-rounded experience that formed students for college and for life beyond. Our four graduates were tremendously well-prepared for college, with a sound foundation in the faith. When the middle school grades were added, there was no doubt that we wanted our youngest to have the benefit of seven years of a Pope Prep educational experience. The love of learning that JPII instilled has inspired our children Michael graduated from Tennessee Tech University with a bachelor of science degree in Civil Engineering. He passed the Fundamentals of Engineering exam while still in college and is now working in Nashville as a geotechnical staff engineer. He is currently enrolled in a master’s in Civil Engineering program at Oklahoma University. Maggie holds both master’s and bachelor’s of science degrees in Education with an emphasis in special education from the University of Tennessee. During her time in the Chancellor’s Honors Program at the University of Tennessee, Maggie was active in the Panhellenic community, serving as Vice President of Pi Beta Phi and holding a leadership position on the Panhellenic Executive Council. She started the diocese’s first grade-school-age Hand in Hand Options program at St. Ann and is now running a full-scale inclusion program for students with intellectual and developmental disabilities at a large Catholic school in Loudoun County, Virginia. Maggie is a Leonine Fellow of the Catholic Information Center, Washington, D.C., and a participant in the Aspiring School Leaders Program at the Institute for Catholic Liberal Education. Katherine holds a B.S. in Psychology from East Tennessee State University where she was a member of the Women’s Soccer team. She also holds a master’s degree in Applied Development Science from Vanderbilt University and a
Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Florida State University. She recently completed an internship at the Veterans Affairs Healthcare Systems in New Orleans, wherein she specialized in the rapid treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. She has since moved back to Middle Tennessee and has begun a post-doctoral research fellowship with the VA Quality Scholars program. While working with researchers in both the Nashville VA and Vanderbilt University Medical Center her work will focus on efforts to improve healthcare systems and patient outcomes as well as to reduce rates of suicide. Her work in suicide prevention with the military is a direct outgrowth of her experience in the science program at JPII and her work providing community service hours. Annie holds a BBA in Accounting from Belmont University where she was a member of the Women’s Soccer team and led the program to its first conference title and first NCAA Division I National Championship Tournament appearance. She also holds a master’s in Accountancy from the University of Notre Dame and a J.D. from Vanderbilt University Law School. Upon graduation from law school, she worked as an associate with Debevoise & Plimpton LLP in the White Collar Defense and Special Investigations groups before joining the Office of White House Counsel as a Deputy Associate Counsel where she advised President Donald J. Trump on judicial and executive nominations. Most recently, Annie served as the Chief Special Counsel to Ranking Member Chuck Grassley on the Senate Judiciary Committee and advised the Senate Judiciary Committee Republicans during the nomination of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to be an Associate Justice on the Supreme Court of the United States. Annie holds an active CPA license and lives in Northern Virginia with her husband Lucas and their three children. Photo: (from left) Lucas Croslow holding Lucy, Annie Musacchio Croslow (‘06) with Winnie, Michael Musacchio (‘17), Karen and Rick Musacchio, Maggie Musacchio (’12), Christopher Musacchio (’28), Katherine Musacchio Schafer (‘09) holding Frannie, and Jim Schafer. Annie’s youngest, Thomas, and Katherine’s youngest, James, are not shown in the picture.
KNIGHT NEWS & NOTABLE MOMENTS
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July 2021
Pope John Paul II High School officially became Pope John Paul II Preparatory School as we began our 20th year in operation as a school that serves grades 6-12. The new official Shield, P, and Knight logos were released. (1)
August 2021
On August 3, Pope Prep welcomed the first middle school students into the House System as the newest Knights. The school year officially began with the Balloons and Blessing senior tradition for the class of 2022 in the courtyard before school. (2) On August 6, the middle school volleyball team made history as the first Pope Prep middle school team to win an athletic competition. Annie Le ‘22 won 5th place with her acrylic painting in the 2020-2021 VFW Auxiliary’s Young American Creative Patriotic Art Contest. (6)
September 2021
Due to Covid restrictions the previous year, the class of 2022 did not get to celebrate their traditional Junior Ring Mass. They finally celebrated their Ring Mass on September 2, 2021. Even though the school was under mask protocols again, the class of 2022 and their families enjoyed the special tradition. (3)
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On the 20th anniversary of the attacks of September 11, 2001, Brady Green ‘25 created a memorial on campus created with 297 American flags that Brady placed to create a memorial to the 2,977 victims of the attacks that day 20 years ago. Each flag represented 10 lives lost. (4) On September 21, our community gathered for the 20th Anniversary Celebration of our school. Held in the Jim Carell Athletic Complex, attendees enjoyed dinner, dancing, fellowship, and fun. Alumni in attendance represented nearly all of the graduating classes since 2005. (5) Kira Rogers ‘22 was named a Commended Student in the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program.
October 2021
Matthew Solarz ‘22 broke the Pope Prep cross country school record in a 5K at the Jesse Owen Classic in Oakville, Alabama. Matthew broke the record with a time of 16:50 beating the previous record set by Brian Kennedy ’08. Middle school students participated in the inaugural Pope Prep Middle School Spelling Bee. The runnerup was Jenna Byrum ‘28 and the overall winner was Sophia Worzonzoff-Dashkoff ‘26, who went on to compete in the Diocesan Regional Spelling Bee in November. (8)
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The Pope Prep Theatre Department presented Arsenic & Old Lace as the fall play production. (9) During the week of October 18, we celebrated Pope Week in honor of our beloved namesake St. John Paul II. Bishop Spalding celebrated Mass with a homily that reflected on the way that St. John Paul II lived a life of faith even when he experienced hardship, ultimately allowing him to live his life to share the light of Christ. Pope Prep students and faculty partnered with Habitat for Humanity of Wilson County and the Danny Dugan alumni family on their annual Habitat building project. (7) In support of October Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Armory’s Sales & Marketing Innovate students designed a special edition PINK OUT shirt and lapel pin. All proceeds from the sale were donated to the St. Thomas Hospital Center for Breast Cancer, specifically for the mammography unit that expands access to breast cancer screening to women across Middle Tennessee. (12) Two Pope football players were nominated for the prestigious DII-AAA Mr. Football Award: kicker Andrew Southard ‘22 and quarterback Kenny Minchey ‘23.
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November 2021
For the first time since Covid interrupted the tradition, class service retreats resumed with the sophomore’s service retreat at several local nonprofit organizations, including the Nashville Rescue Mission. (10) Kicker Andrew Southard ‘22 and quarterback Kenny Minchey ‘23 were moved to the semifinalist category for the Mr. Football Award. Later in November, Kenny was named as a finalist. (11) The choral and instrumental departments joined forces to pay tribute to veterans in their first Veterans Day Concert. Before Thanksgiving break, we enjoyed the annual Grandparents Day Luncheon with grandparents who traveled from near and far to spend a special afternoon with their grandchildren at Pope.
December 2021
Aaron Weber ‘10 joined Pope Prep at the Hendersonville Chamber Luncheon as the speaker for the year-end luncheon. We were thrilled that Aaron was able to break away from his busy schedule as a stand up comedian who regularly performs at the Grand Ole Opry. Aaron also recently hosted Stand Up Nashville and was named a New Face 2021 at the prestigious Just for Laughs Comedy Festival. Summer 2022 • The Shield 5
KNIGHT NEWS & NOTABLE MOMENTS
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December 2021 (cont.)
Alumni from across the years joined current players for the annual Alumni Basketball Game, a favorite December tradition at Pope. (1) The men’s and women’s swim teams won the combined and individual team Sumner County Championships. Claire Mewbourne ‘25 was named Sumner County Female Swimmer of the Year. (2)
January 2022
KAC held their annual Chili Cook Off, which included creative table decorations, outstanding chili recipes, and the addition of desserts provided by the new middle school team parents. The Golden Ladle Award was presented by KAC President Mike Donnovan. (3) Pope students attended the annual March for Life with the Diocese of Nashville. They visited the Saint John Paul II National Shrine during their visit. (4)
February 2022
The students in the growing Chinese Language program hosted a Chinese New Year celebration for the Pope Prep community. Along with potstickers, fortune cookies, and a Chinese translation challenge, students practiced Chinese calligraphy under the guidance of Mrs. Liu and her students.
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The first Pope Prep Middle School Robotics team qualified for the state robotics tournament. The two qualifying groups included team members Parker Lloyd ‘26, Owen Oliphant ‘28, Landon Houlberg ‘27, Jacob Raynes ‘28, Griffin Lloyd ‘27, Jesse Aleman ‘27, Chris Musacchio ‘28. (6)
March 2022
The Pope Prep Theatre Department presented Godspell as the spring musical production. Rick Musacchio and Pat Watson from The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem gifted rosaries to each member of the class of 2022. (5) International travel began again for the Pope Prep students who visited France during spring break. Chaperoned by Mme. Alyson Thomas, Pope Prep French language teacher, students had a wonderful time visiting famous sites and enjoying local culture. (7) Pope’s Servpro baseball field added several beautification projects to the space, including a new legacy wall with personalized bricks purchased by friends and families of Pope. Fr. Luke Wilgenbush offered a blessing and a prayer, and former Pope 1st baseman Alex Isaacson ‘10 represented Servpro and the Isaacson family as he threw the 1st pitch at the ceremony celebrating the improvement to the facilities. (8)
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The winners of the 2022 Black History Month essay contest winners were First Place - Sophia Pendleton ‘28; Second Place - Sydney Glasco ‘27; Third Place - Bella Rose Baxter ‘25. Pope Prep English teacher Mr. Keith Jones stated, “Taking this time to think critically and write creatively during Black History Month demonstrates a dedication to learning more about the advancement of Black Americans, while also highlighting pathways moving forward to make our community inclusive for all, regardless of our backgrounds.” Swim team head coach Hadley McCrary was named the Middle Tennessee High School Swimming Association Men’s Team Coach of the Year. The Pope Prep men’s team finished in 6th place at the State Meet, which was the highest in school history. Joseph Collins ‘24 was named as the only student in the nation to achieve a perfect score on the ARK test (Assessment for Religious Knowledge). He was recognized and congratulated by Bishop Spalding for his outstanding work. Joseph is a member of St. John Vianney Catholic Church and attended St. John Vianney Catholic School before coming to Pope Prep.
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Pope Prep swimmer Blake Amlicke ‘25 was named All-American for his finish in the state meet in the 100 Backstroke. (9) Pope Prep students traveled to Atlanta to attend the Black College Expo, which brings together students and colleges to learn more about historically black universities and the college process. (10) Erin Rieck ‘25, Maria Battey ‘25, Jordan Weybright ‘25, and Kaylee Brackmann ‘25 were selected to participate in UT’s eVOL10, designed for rising 10th grade students who are interested in engineering. eVOL10 is a summer program hosted on UT’s campus in June where students explore UT’s engineering labs and facilities as they learn more about careers in engineering. There are only 32 participants selected statewide, and four of them were from Pope Prep. (11) Chamber Choir and Voices uKnighted were both invited to attend the National A Cappella Convention in Orlando, Florida. Voices uKnighted auditioned and was selected as one of 10 groups to perform in the high school showcase.
Bishop Spalding, Dr. Brad Peper, and Erin Stracener from the Diocese of Nashville led a synodal listening session with Pope Prep student representatives for the diocesan phase of the Synod on Synodality. Summer 2022 • The Shield 7
KNIGHT NEWS & NOTABLE MOMENTS
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April 2022
Organized by Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship Jennifer Dye, the first annual STEM Day was held at Pope Prep, allowing all students to experience STEM education through career panels, scientific research presentations, escape rooms, language labs, robotics house competitions, design workshops, and so much more. See page 16 for more about the alumni who were involved! (1)
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May 2022
The Middle School VEX Robotics teams qualified for and competed in the 2022 VEX Robotics World Championship in Dallas, Texas. Voices uKnighted released a music video “Lost in Japan” on YouTube and a 2nd LP, Chapter 2: No Worries, available on all streaming platforms. See page 17 for more about the alumni involved!
Lyra Link ‘22 received the Colonna Club Literary Award from the Colonna Club of Nashville for being the senior female who has shown the greatest improvement or the highest standard of excellence in English. (2)
Tori Smith ‘23 was recognized as the Choir Student of the Year. Tori was in two auditioned ensembles, Chamber Choir and Voices uKnighted, and showed incredible growth, leadership, and work ethic the entire year.
Seniors Mason Thompson and Alex Denton both received the Rotary Club Merit Award from the Hendersonville Rotary Club for their leadership, service, and commitment to their high school. (3)
Matthew Solarz ‘22 broke the school record in the 300m hurdles at the regional track meet. Matthew ran a 42.17 breaking Brandon Shockley’s ‘19 previous record of 42.61.
Pope Prep hosted the Diocesan AlphaJump Competition, an entrepreneurship challenge in which students present the products and companies they have developed over the course of the year. Pope Prep’s Savannah Hurst ‘26 won the competition with her company DryIt.
Adaline Hamlin ‘25 won the “STEM for All” award in the Tennessee Statewide Design Challenge with her project called “Stop the Slide: a Lunch Tray for Students with Disabilities.” See pages 16-17 for the complete story about her project.
The 2022 All-State Choir students included Andrew Williams ‘22, Alex Zubillaga ‘22, Sarah Joseph ‘24, and Sinead Mukolo-Villegas ‘22. (4) 8
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Chet Lax ‘23 was selected as a finalist for the Tennessee Baseball Coaches Association DII-AA Mr. Baseball Award. Chet finished the season with a .393 AVG, .473 OBP, .518 SLG, and 21 RBIs, and he was named as a 2022 All State player. (5)
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The first 8th grade graduation ceremony celebrated the students in the class of 2026. (6) Pope Prep World Language students were recognized for their achievements on the World Language National Exams in Spanish, French, and Latin. Overall, Pope students earned 7 gold awards, 14 silver awards, 17 bronze awards, and 54 honorable mentions. Thirty Pope Prep math students competed across two divisions in the American Scholastic Mathematics Association (ASMA) contests: the Junior Division and the Senior Division. Ben Amonette ‘27 (junior level) placed 29th overall and Xavier Burval ‘24 (senior level) placed 25th overall. In addition, the Pope Prep junior-level team finished 2nd place and the Pope Prep senior-level team finished in 3rd place overall. Fifty nine Pope Prep math students participated in four Catholic Math League contests throughout the year in the 6th, 7th, 8th, Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, and Advanced Divisions. Ben Amonette ‘27 placed 93rd out of 842, Noah Lim ‘25 placed 14th out of 313, Genevieve Strickland ‘25 placed 16th out of 359, and Chelsea Do ‘24 placed 28th out of 359 participants. In addition, the Pope Prep Algebra 2 team placed 10th out of 25 teams. Zach Lance ‘23 (AP Chemistry and Honors Biology), Izzy Hollman ‘25 (Honors Conceptual Physics), Nathan Gafney ‘23 (AP Chemistry and Honors Biology), and Analia Winters ‘23 (AP Chemistry and Honors Biology) were selected to present their
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year-long research projects to the Tennessee Junior Academy of Sciences. Their research projects were a part of the Pope Prep Honors and AP Research Program. Kate Barber and Stephen Strickland were selected from the Class of 2022 by the Pope Prep faculty as the Kmiec Award recipients. The Kmiec Award, named in honor of our school’s founder Bishop Kmiec, is given to the two graduates who best exemplify the mission of our school. (7) The honor graduates of the Pope Prep class of 2022 included valedictorian Anelise Rentuza, salutatorian Stephen Strickland, and honor graduates Alvin Aligbe, Alyssa Baum, Reagan Berry, Carlisle Brown, Shelby Cavalli, Clara Earley, Max Galvin, Nina Hartlage, Sinead Mukolo-Villegas, Anna Puryear, and Kira Rogers. (9) Women’s lacrosse players Morgan Thompson ‘24, goalie, and Audrey Evans ‘23, midfield, were selected to represent Team Tennessee at the national tournament. Mathematics teacher and department chair Mrs. Amanda Peper was selected by her colleagues as the recipient of the 2022 Excellence in Teaching Award. (8)
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Pope Prep celebrates the ‘gift’ of two founding teachers written by Andy Telli photographs by Saul Buda ‘18 reprinted with permission from the Tennessee Register, originally published May 13, 2022
Karen Phillips and Betty Mayberry, two key members of Pope John Paul II Preparatory School’s founding faculty that shaped the school’s culture from its establishment through its first two decades, were lauded by family, friends, colleagues and students at a dinner held Friday, May 6. “What a gift these ladies have been to this community,” said Faustin Weber, a former headmaster of Pope Prep who is now the principal at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama.
door on my teaching career, Karen Phillips calls again?” said Mayberry, who retired from Pope Prep at the end of the 2020-21 school year. “I had no intention of leaving Gallatin, but after spending 30 minutes with Hans and realizing his vision for this school, I knew then that God had a different plan for me,” said Mayberry, who was the school’s first math department chair.
“I am so very grateful to this community and to God for providing me an opportunity I could not have imagined,” said Phillips, who was the school’s first dean of studies. She was planning to retire at the end of this school year but has accepted the position of interim head of school for the next year while the school searches for a new leader. Phillips and Mayberry have known each other since their teen years when their families lived a few houses apart in Gallatin. Mayberry’s first teaching job was filling in for Phillips leading her sixth-grade class for two weeks. Later, they were colleagues at Gallatin High School, where Phillips was the department chair for social studies and Mayberry chair of the math department. Both were hired by Hans Broekman, Pope Prep’s founding headmaster, in 2001 to help open a new diocesan Catholic high school in Hendersonville. “I am so blessed that God has designed such a wonderful plan for my life,” Mayberry told the more than 300 people who attended the dinner at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Hendersonville, hosted by the Pope Prep Board of Trustees. “Who would have thought that just when I was contemplating retirement from the Sumner County schools and was convinced that God was closing the
Betty and Eddie Mayberry enjoy the Board of Trustees Dinner, which was in celebration of Mayberry’s and Phillips’ careers as educators and founding teachers at JPII.
When Mayberry joined the Pope Prep faculty, she was attracted by the challenge of building a math department from scratch, she said. “It took us all working together: parents, colleagues, students, friends and family to build this shining city on the hill.” Mayberry was already recognized as a leader in mathematics education. She had received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics Teaching in 1993 and she was part of a cadre of math teachers from across the country assembled by Texas
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Instruments who would teach other math teachers how to use the company’s graphing calculator in their classrooms. As she was helping to open Pope Prep, Mayberry was also the incoming president of the Council of Presidential Awardees in Mathematics, a national organization, and president of the Tennessee Mathematics Teachers Association. “As Betty likes to say, since the math department is always in the basement, it has to be the foundation of the school,” said Jennifer Dye in introducing her. “And it is. “Betty invested not only in her students but in her colleagues as well,” said Dye, the director of innovation and entrepreneurship at Pope Prep. Like Mayberry and Phillips, Dye came to Pope Prep from Gallatin High and was the school’s first science department chair. “She always encouraged me to push through any challenges in my way,” Dye said of Mayberry. “She has the knack to see the potential in others.
Founding headmaster Hans Broekman introduces the Mike McLaren Financial Aid Fund to the Pope Prep community.
“She truly believes every student can be successful … even when the students didn’t believe it themselves,” Dye said. “She loved them as much as she loved math, and they loved her back.”
“It’s hard to teach students who aren’t confident,” he said. When he asked Mayberry why she took those classes, her response was “because I can have the most impact on those students.”
When Weber was a new headmaster at Pope Prep, he noticed that Mayberry was teaching four of the lowest level math classes, which often include students who lack confidence in their ability to learn math.
“I say this as the highest possible compliment,” Weber said. “THAT’S a teacher.” The praise was just as effusive for Phillips. “I realize now how lucky I was to hire her” as the school’s first academic dean, said Broekman, who traveled from England where he is now the principal of Liverpool College, a school for students ages 4-19. “Karen’s yes (to his job offer) created Pope John Paul II High School,” he said. “There’s no doubt about that.” “Through her presence, her kindness, her generosity of spirit,” Weber said, “she made this place special.” “Karen’s vision is woven into the soul of Pope John Paul II,” Andrew Griffith, the assistant head of school for academics, said of Phillips in his introduction of her.
Former headmaster Faustin Weber shares his praises for Mayberry and Phillips during the Board of Trustees Dinner on May 6.
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“Karen’s vision of education was not simply about the head; her students knew she loved and cared about them deeply,” Griffith said. “For as passionate as our 2009 Advanced Placement National Teacher of the Year was about history or Youth in Government, her
students always knew that she cared more about them as people than their scores on a national exam. She believed that to educate students was to feed the head, the heart and the soul – and she gathered others that shared that vision. “She modeled and lived the servant-leadership of Christ and in doing so she has touched generations of students and colleagues,” Griffith said. Phillips took a 13-year break in her teaching career to raise her children. Soon after she returned to teaching in 1990 at Gallatin High, “it dawned on me … that I truly loved the way I spent my days,” Phillips said. “I enjoyed learning how to develop lessons that would engage students. I reveled in their enjoyment of working with the subject matter. “But more than this, I loved getting to know them as individuals, having them surprise me with astute observations, seeing the ways that their concern for others guided collaborative group endeavors in the classroom, seeing them outside the classroom where they revealed their talents by performing on the athletic field, stage or debate chambers,” she added. “I loved developing a new community of learners each year … these students were my amazing, talented, ambitious, gritty, cheerful, appreciative, challenging community.
Alumnus Alex Abdo ‘12 visits with honoree Interim Head of School Karen Phillips.
The Mike McLaren Financial Aid Fund
“In saying ‘yes’ to moving back into the classroom, I came to understand teaching as a ministry,” Phillips said, “a way of serving others with the talents and skills that I possessed.” At the dinner honoring Phillips and Mayberry, which closed the school’s 20th year, the Board of Trustees also introduced the Mike McLaren Financial Aid Fund in honor of the school’s former dean of students who died in 2020 from injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident. “One of the musketeers is missing,” Broekman said of McLaren, whom he brought with him to Pope Prep from Subiaco Academy in Arkansas in 2002 to help open the school. “Anybody who was there at the beginning knows there will never, ever be another Mike McLaren,” Broekman said. “He was a force of nature, a friend, a genuinely good man.” McLaren loved his students, Broekman said. “They were all his children.”
“Mike McLaren was not only a teacher but a true educator. He strove to present to young people a vision of an examined life of abundance, without compromise, without surrender to the seductive siren calls of mediocrity and conformity. He saw in each kid something which they themselves could not yet see in themselves. Something beyond the problem and challenge of today, beyond their disappointment and pain. This is the incarnated spirituality of the true educator, the guide who will encourage, cajole, and occasionally force us to be better than we thought we could be.” – Hans Broekman, Founding JPII Headmaster To support the gift of Catholic education in memory of Mike McLaren, please scan the QR code to visit our giving page on the Pope Prep website (https://www. popeprep.org/support-jpii/give-now). Choose “The Mike McLaren Financial Aid Fund” in the designation dropdown menu.
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FROM THE ADVANCEMENT OFFICE
Advancing Our Mission The Pope Prep community supports our mission in so many ways throughout each year. Whether members of our community contribute their time, talent, or treasure, we value these gifts as they support our current students and faculty and advance our mission. As a small token of gratitude, we highlight here some of the generous gifts from the 2021-22 year.
Memorial Foundation Grant Supports Christian Service Program
Fund For Excellence Shines Brightly
Since the school’s inception, service to others is at the core of the Pope Prep experience. All Pope students fulfill annual individual service hours as well as collective project-based community service experiences. It is in collaboration with annual Memorial Foundation support that the Pope Prep Christian Service program has flourished over the past 20 years providing in excess of 400,000 volunteer hours to Sumner and surrounding counties. The Memorial Foundation’s mission is to improve the quality of life for people through support to nonprofit organizations. The Memorial Foundation responds to diverse community needs, assisting agencies that focus on: Access to Quality Health Care Services, Human & Social Services, Education, Senior Citizen Enrichment Services, Youth and Childhood Development, Substance Abuse Programs, and Community Services. The Memorial Foundation partners with nonprofit organizations, such as Pope Prep, to collaborate in addressing the needs and improving the quality of life in our community. Throughout the 2021-22 school year, under the direction of Mr. Daniel Dion, Pope Prep Service Coordinator, students served at 75+ agencies generating 15,000+ volunteer hours in addition to helping throughout the community on four service retreat days.
Each year the Pope Prep Advancement Office, in collaboration with the House Parents, hosts a schoolwide annual fund drive. This year the Be the Light annual fund campaign encouraged all families to participate by making a donation of any amount in order to “light” their family’s candle. Pope Prep families answered the call with 83% of all Pope Prep families participating in the school’s annual fund drive. Pope Prep is indeed the shining city on the hill. Thank you for your participation and a huge THANK YOU to our House Parents who assisted in making the fund drive a success!
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FFE Be the Light Campaign Chairs Jim and Sarah McLeod FFE House Chairs Clement (82%) ~ Mark and Valorie Quarles Gregory (88%) ~ Kevin and Nina Collins John (82%) ~ Clifton and Beva Darden & Cravens and Leslie Priest (pictured above) Leo (81%) ~ Lance and Mary Bentley & Dale and Gretchen Van Gorder Peter (83%) ~ Jeff and Peggy St. Peters Pius (82%) ~ Jamie and Rhonda Spurlock
Original Commissioned Painting Donated by Artist Bill Puryear
Hand In Hand Options Program Receives $125,00 KIND Foundation Grant
Bill Puryear is a Vanderbilt graduate and a veteran of the Korean War. He taught at Vanderbilt, Fisk, and University of Tennessee. He was founding Treasurer of Nashville Memorial Hospital and of Pope John Paul II High School. He serves as Chairman Emeritus of The Memorial Foundation. He retired in 2000 as Senior Partner of the CPA firm he founded in 1962 to devote full time to painting and writing. In honor of the school’s 20th anniversary, Puryear donated a commissioned original painting showcasing the beautiful Pope campus with our beloved Mike McLaren coaching soccer on the field below the school’s courtyard.
Knights of Columbus members from Council 9132 at Our Lady of the Lake Church in Hendersonville and Council 10010 at St. John Vianney Church in Gallatin donated $125,000 to the Hand In Hand Options Program through the KIND Foundation, which provides funding to meet the needs of those with intellectual disabilities. At a reception hosted by the school’s advancement office, Michelle Barber, Dean of Advancement, expressed appreciation for the good work of the Council members and the KIND Foundation saying, “Over the past 25 years these gentlemen have labored lovingly to fundraise for the benefit of those with intellectual disabilities. Today their generosity blesses our HIHO program with a substantially generous grant gift.” The school’s HIHO program launched in 2004 and has been recognized nationally for the caliber of the program, its faculty, and the amazing students it serves. “These funds provide us with a unique opportunity to take great ideas for program enhancements and expansions off the ‘wish list’ and put them on the ‘to-do’ list,” said Kim Shaver, the director of Hand In Hand Options at Pope Prep. “We are now able to entertain ideas that prior to receiving this grant were out of the realm of possibilities.”
Prints ($100) and gclees ($1,000) are available for sale with proceeds benefiting the needs of Pope John Paul II Preparatory School and may be purchased here by scanning the QR code.
Project Graduation 2022 A great time was had by all at this year’s aftergraduation event which provided a festive atmosphere for the Class of 2022 to gather for their first Pope Prep alumni event. Our newest AlumKnights thank the following donors for making the event possible: Greg and Mary Garretson (Benjamin ‘10, Samuel ‘16, Amanda ‘20) Chick-fil-A Gift Cards Rick and Charlotte Gonzalez (Reed ‘09, Rachel ‘14, Grant ‘16) Beech Bend Park Complimentary Tickets
Jerry and Sarah McNair (Reanna ‘18, Abigal ‘19, Aidan ‘22) McDonald’s Gift Cards Natalie Beatty Parris ‘09 Main Street Pizza & Pub Gift Cards Whit Brown ’07 Cash Grab Inflatable Kate Barber ‘22 & Emily Leonard ‘22 Saint Pope John Paul II Tiny Saints Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church Memorare Prayer Card
The Shield • Summer 2022
Design
Making a Difference by Some people might consider STEM-based, scientifically innovative classes places where data and numbers take priority over empathy and service to humanity. However, the Pope Prep Innovation & Entrepreneurship program sees the possibilities of STEM careers differently. Perhaps it is because our mission states that Pope Prep will support students and graduates for “lives of learning and service, according to the Gospel” that Mrs. Jennifer Dye, Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, developed a program that begins with empathy and ends with improving lives through innovation. Throughout last school year, freshman Adaline Hamlin ’25, a student new to the Pope Prep Hand in Hand Options program, attended Pope Prep Genius Hour club after school, a club created by Dye that allows students to explore, research, and develop STEM projects. During one of the initial meetings, Adaline was challenged by Dye to think of a problem that exists in our school for which she could help engineer a solution.
written by Jennifer Smith students to “consider how they can improve their school, community, or world by re-imagining an existing physical space, system, product, or service so that it is more equitable, accessible, or efficient.” In May, Adaline Hamlin earned the “STEM for All Award” at the Statewide Design Challenge with her project called, “Stop the Slide: a Lunch Tray for Students with Disabilities.”
Dye explained, “Adaline has an amazing heart. As we were walking around the school brainstorming about potential problems we could solve, Adaline immediately thought of her friend who had trouble balancing her lunch tray, which would cause her food to slide. After that, we spent the next few weeks drawing, planning, and building a prototype of her idea to create better stability on the lunch tray. Her first prototype was created using straws and a larger cup.” Adaline tested the prototype in the cafeteria, and she shared her design and ideas for improvement with the Pope Prep 3D printing club members, who helped her print a more permanent and cleanable option. Now, Adaline’s design can be shared with other schools that may have students with similar challenges. Schools can easily 3D print the design and use it on their trays. When Mrs. Dye realized the potential of Adaline’s idea and design, Dye decided to help her enter the Statewide Design Challenge, which challenged
Adaline shared, “I felt surprised to see my project win the award. It made me feel happy because my whole family is so proud of me.” Since May, Adaline has been featured on Nashville’s News Channel 5 and in several print publications, including the Tennessee Register. She wants to share her design with other schools and institutions with populations that might benefit from using the adaptable design.
Summer 2022 • The Shield 17
Altruistic
Alumni
Creighton Couch ‘16 Internship Program
Creighton Couch ‘16 served as a mentor in the Pope Prep Innovation and Entrepreneurship program this year. After graduating from UT Knoxville, Creighton earned a placement as an engineering intern and was then hired as a full-time employee of I.C. Thomasson Associates (ICT), the same engineering firm hired by our founders when building our campus in 2000. Along with being a mentor for Analia Winters ’23, Creighton conducted mock interviews with the internship students in January as they prepared to enter their placements.
Patrick Griffin ’12 Cathleen Humm ’15 Baylie Fadool ’16 Garrett Wencel ‘18 STEM Day
During our first annual STEM Day at Pope Prep, four alumni guest speakers who are working in STEM careers helped educate our students on how their work during high school might transition into careers in the future. Baylie Fadool ’16 (bottom left photo) serves as the media manager at Bimini Shark Lab in the Bahamas. Patrick Griffin ’12 (bottom right photo) is a graduate student at The Sinclair Lab at Harvard Medical School. Cathleen Humm ’15 (top photo) works as a groundwater modeler at Geosyntec Consultants in Washington, D.C. Garrett Wencel ‘18 (top photo), a soon to be graduate from UTK with a degree in Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology, will be attending Columbia University, College of Dental Medicine in the fall. 18 The Shield • Summer 2022
As Pope alumni enter into higher academia and settle into careers, many of them choose to give back to Pope by donating their time and expertise to support learning for Pope Prep students. We love seeing our alumni engaging with current students on campus (and virtually)! Here are some highlights of the alumni volunteers who participated in various events throughout the 2021-22 school year.
Jack Safford ‘13 Videography
Jack Safford ’13, founder of Safford Films in Nashville, worked on several projects throughout the year at Pope Prep, both as a paid professional videographer and as a volunteer alum who mentored several Knights Media students as he developed film projects. Beginning with “hype videos” for the football team, Jack quickly won the respect of our current student athletes for his videography and editing talents and his ability to create inspirational videos highlighting Pope athletic talent. Subsequentially, the Pope Marketing department hired Jack to produce an advertisement, and Director of Choirs Mike O’Neill hired him to produce a music video entitled “Lost in Japan” for Voices uKnighted. You can check out Jack’s work on his website: https://saffordfilms.com/
Jamaal Thompson ‘17 Knights Media
Jamaal Thompson ‘17 worked throughout the year with the Knights Media students to help them develop interview and broadcasting skills as a way to make positive change in the community. As an undergrad at Tennessee Tech University, Jamaal was a founder of the CODE (Center of Diversity Education) Organization and the Qrack the CODE podcast. He spoke to students about his experience as a podcaster, interviewer, athlete, and leader on his college campus. After graduating from TTU in May 2021, Jamaal returned to work on his master’s as he pursues a doctorate in Exceptional Learning for At-Risk Populations with a concentration in program planning and evaluation.
Josh Humphries ‘19 Songwriting
Josh Humphries ’19 worked with Voices uKnighted as they recorded their 2nd EP, Chapter 2: No Worries. When Josh was one of the original members of the group, he wrote the song “Wish It Away” in memory of one of his best friends, Coleman Midgett, who tragically died in a car accident in November 2017. When Voices uKnighted originally recorded the song in spring 2019, Josh sang the lead vocals. As the group decided to re-record this special song this year to use as an audition piece and to include on their latest album, Josh returned to campus to help prepare the student singers.
CELEBRATING THE CLASS OF 2022
Congratulations to the Pope Prep Class of 2022! The 135 students in the Class of 2022 have been accepted to 146 colleges and universities (listed below) in 37 different states and 4 different countries. They will be attending 51 colleges (in bold italic) in 19 states. They have been offered hundreds of scholarships totaling over $1,577,319 during their college careers. The Class of 2022 included 25 athletes who signed to play their sport at the collegiate level. In addition, the members of the Class of 2022 volunteered over 16,000 hours of service to communities in Sumner and surrounding counties. Congratulations to the Pope Prep Class of 2022!
Asbury University ATP Flight School Auburn University Austin Peay State University Baylor University Bellarmine University Belmont University Benedictine College Berry College Birmingham-Southern College Calvin University Carson-Newman University Catholic University of America Central Michigan University Centre College Chatham University Christian Brothers University Citadel Military College of South Carolina Clemson University Coastal Carolina University Coe College College of Charleston College of the Holy Cross Columbia State Community College Cumberland University Davenport University Denison University DePaul University East Tennessee State University Eckerd College Elmhurst University Elms College Elon University Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Daytona Beach) Emory & Henry College Fairfield University Fairleigh Dickinson University Fashion Institute of Technology Fisk University
117 Caldwell Drive
20 The Shield • Summer 2022
Florida Southern College Florida State University Fordham University Furman University Georgetown University Grand Canyon University Hanover College Hendrix College High Point University Indiana University Indiana Wesleyan University Lipscomb University Lock Haven University Louisiana State University Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Maryland Loyola University New Orleans Maine Maritime Academy Marian University Maryville College Miami University Middle Tennessee State University Mississippi State University Montana State University New York Institute of Technology Notre Dame College Nova Southeastern University Oglethorpe University Ohio University
Hendersonville, Tennessee
Oklahoma Wesleyan University Pace University Providence College Purdue University Rhodes College Rider University Roane State Community College Roger Williams University Rollins College Saint Leo University Saint Louis University Samford University Santa Clara University Savannah College of Art and Design Seattle University Sewanee: The University of the South Southern University and A&M College Southern Wesleyan University Spalding University Syracuse University Temple University Temple University, Japan Campus Tennessee College of Applied Technology Tennessee Technological University Tennessee Wesleyan University
www.popeprep.org
Texas A&M University Texas Christian University The College of Wooster The University of Alabama The University of Edinburgh The University of Tampa The University of Tennessee (Chattanooga) The University of Tennessee (Knoxville) Tiffin University Trevecca Nazarene University Trinity University University of Arizona University of Brighton University of Cincinnati University of Dallas University of Dayton University of Denver University of Florida University of Kentucky University of Maine University of Memphis University of Miami University of Mississippi University of Missouri University of Nevada University of New England University of New Haven University of North Alabama University of North Dakota University of Notre Dame University of South Carolina Vanderbilt University Volunteer State Community College Western Carolina University Western Kentucky University Wheeling University Wingate University Xavier University Xavier University of Louisiana
admissions@popeprep.org
615-590-6005
THE NEXT LEVEL
W
hile there are eight million high school athletes competing in various sports across the country, only 6% will play at the collegiate level.
Robert Carroll Hanover College Baseball
Tino Ferranti St. Louis Univ. Swimming
Steph Carter Maryville College Football
Max Galvin Centre College Swimming
Triston Conger Cumberland Univ. Basketball
To achieve this goal, those individuals must display passion, talent, will, determination and grit. The perseverance to overcome obstacles, face adversity, and carry on when others may quit is imperative.
Jenna Gillis Davenport Univ. Lacrosse
Callie Goodwin Asbury University Volleyball
During the 2021-22 school year, 25 Knights took their talent to the next level and signed letters-ofintent to continue athletic careers in college. Congratulations to these athletes.
Sam Jackson North Park Univ. Baseball
Emily Leonard Univ. of Miami, FL Dance
Maygan Miller Western Carolina Volleyball
Logan Penhollow Indiana Wesleyan Football
Tyler Robertson Roane State Baseball
Elle Hemmelgarn Sewanee Track
Kate Hobbs Tennessee Wesleyan Volleyball
Max Huffine Centre College Football
Benson Montini Cumberland Univ. Bowling
Jackson Noble Maryville College Football
Kyler Oathout Hendrix Collge Baseball
Cole Shaver Rhodes College Football
Clara Early Sewanee Lacrosse/XC
Korbin Smith Sewanee Swimming
Katelyn O’Neill Southern Wesleyan Soccer
Andrew Southard UT Chattanooga Football
Connor Tuerff Centre College Basketball
Katie Whiting Trevecca Nazarene Soccer Summer 2022 • The Shield 21
ALUMNI UPDATES
Tania (Buda) Willmann ‘06
— 2006 — Allison Erkman ‘06
Fr. Peter Gautsch, O.P. ‘07
Alyse Christine Berry ‘08
Maxson Bolster ‘08 22 The Shield • Summer 2022
Dr. Adrienne Krebs Conger is currently a ICU pulmonologist at Vanderbilt Medical Center. She is married to another alum, Tyler Conger ‘06, who is employed in the residential building industry in Nashville. They have two young sons and reside in Nashville. Allison Erkman earned a Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine. She married Sebastien Rassinoux in November 2016. Allison has also competed at World Championship level in horseback riding. Tania (Buda) Willmann attended the US Air Force Academy after graduating high school. She graduated college in 2011 and went on to serve as an Intelligence Officer in the US Air Force. Throughout her time in the Air Force, she worked primarily for joint organizations and finished two tours to Afghanistan. Currently she is Vice President of Security Support Operations for Warner Bros. Discovery. Tania got out of the ActiveDuty Air Force in Oct 2021 but continues to serve as a USAF Reserve Officer working for the Defense Intelligence Agency for her
Allie Thompson ‘07
reserve job. She relocated to Hollywood, CA with her new civilian job. She and her husband, who is a government civilian, have a son, born April 2021.
— 2007 — Fr. Peter Gautsch, O.P. has served the past three years in campus ministry and on the faculty at Providence College and will be assigned in the summer of 2022 to Rome to begin work on a doctorate in theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum). He has also continued playing and recording with the Hillbilly Thomists. Their music is available on Spotify, Apple Music, etc., and their third album will be out in the summer of 2022! Chelsea Leavell earned a promotion to SRO Corporal with Robertson County Sheriff Office on February 23, 2022. Allie Thompson was promoted last year to Benefits Specialist with Philips HealthTech as part of the North America Rewards Center of Excellence. She has worked in HR for seven years and is pursuing SPHR certification.
Timothy Cravens ‘08
— 2008 — Alyse Christine Berry graduated from TTU with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education in 2013. She married Aaron West on June 30, 2018 and started working as the kindergarten teacher at St. John Vianney Catholic School in Gallatin, TN in August of 2018. Maxson Bolster is a current homeowner and works as a case manager in mental health facility. Kelsey Stinnett Carlisle is working part time as a dental hygienist in Memphis and raising her son Elijah, alongside her husband Steven. Jack Timothy Daniel (Timothy Cravens) earned an A.A.S. in Mechatronics Technology from Volunteer State Community College on May 7, 2022. Adrienne Knox married in July 2017. She and her husband welcomed a baby boy, TJ, in August 2019 and a baby girl, Adelaide, in October 2021. Anthony Korzeniewski celebrated nine years as an electrical engineer with Canrig Drilling Technology in March 2022. He previously graduated from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in February 2013.
ALUMNI UPDATES
Cassie Missimer McDowell ‘08
Cassie Missimer McDowell graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from UTK with honors and a Master of Science in Medicine from Trevecca Nazarene University. She is currently employed as a Physician Assistant at the Dept. of Veterans Affairs Hospital in Nashville in the department of neurosurgery. Cassie is married to a Kentucky native, Brad, and they have one daughter, Macy (2) and a golden retriever, Tucky. They live locally in Old Hickory. Kathleen Witte Ninke moved last April from Texas to a city much closer to home (finally)—Louisville! She and her husband are both TV news reporters at WAVE News. They are loving their new town. In December 2020, Kathleen graduated from a distance Master’s program at the University of MissouriColumbia’s celebrated journalism program. Her goal is to one day teach the subject to college students. Kathleen is glad to now be a short drive away from many of her fellow JPII/ Pope Prep alumni as well as her family in Nashville. Alexandra Patterson had the opportunity to present at the Association of Boarding Schools (TABS) conference in Boston, MA in Winter 2021. Her presentation stemmed from her dissertation work at Johns Hopkins
Kathleen Witte Ninke ‘08
Alexandra Patterson ‘08
University, where she is currently pursuing her doctorate in educational leadership. Recently, she and a colleague have begun consulting with independent schools about creating more inclusive communities. Alexandra was recently named a Central Penn Business Journal Woman to Watch.
Ashley briefly served as an Outreach Policy Advisor at the US Dept. of the Treasury prior to starting at Vanderbilt Law School (Class of 2024). Ashley was selected as an inaugural NAACP Legal Defense Fund Marshall-Motley Scholar (full law school scholarship for aspiring lawyers committed to pursuing civil rights work in the South).
— 2009 —
Ann Marie (Zobl) Whitaker has two children, Parker (4) and Maddox (2). She is currently teaching in Gallatin, TN while still living in Hendersonville.
Kelsey (Clifford) Abernathy recently received her Master of Science in applied behavior analysis through Lipscomb University. She will be taking her board exam to become an official Board Certified Behavior Analyst. Emily Clavin is married to Kevin Clavin ’11, and they are expecting their first child in June 2022. Emily just finished her fourth school year working at Pope, and she is looking forward to her fifth year at Pope with a little Knight. Ashley Fox earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Washington Univ. in St. Louis in 2013, and from 2013-2020, she worked in nonprofit and local government space in Washington, D.C., primarily serving as Communications and Community Outreach Director and later Deputy Chief of Staff to a city council member. In 2021,
Kelsey Stinnett Carlisle ‘08
Emily Clavin ‘09 & Kevin Clavin ‘11
— 2010 — Melissa MacConnell graduated veterinary school in 2019 and began working at Banfield Pet Hospital in Murfreesboro, TN. At the beginning of 2022, she was promoted to Chief of Staff of my hospital. Later this year, Melissa will be getting married to her fiancé, Taylor Adams. Bryan Mainhardt DMD is a dentist in Clarksville and is married to Dr. Laura Aristizabal, who is also a dentist that practices in Goodletsville. They are presently building a home in Nashville.
Ashley Fox ‘09
Ann Marie (Zobl) Whitaker ‘09
Bryan Mainhardt ‘10 Summer 2022 • The Shield 23
ALUMNI UPDATES
Allegra Harpootian ‘11
— 2011 — Maci Arms ‘11
Genevieve Guerry ‘11
Maci Arms just moved back to NYC this January after the pandemic and continues to work as a professional dancer. In the past couple of years, she has performed in “Christmas in the Air” in Biloxi, MS, will be featured in the opening credits for an upcoming show on NBC, performed on The Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum, and can also be seen on “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”. Maci also started a small business and Etsy Page “BeLeaf Glassware” during the pandemic making custom glassware, which she has continued to run while working as a professional dancer. Genevieve Guerry is currently working on a doctorate in integrated coastal sciences at East Carolina University at the Coastal Sciences Institute.
Sed Lanas ‘11
24 The Shield • Summer 2022
Allegra Harpootlian started a new job at the American Civil Liberties Union as the communications strategist for all of their national security, technology, and privacy work. Since she started, she has had the honor of working a Supreme Court case that called on the government to stop religiously discriminating against her clients — three American Muslims who
Rick Modrzynski ‘11
were unlawfully spied on by the FBI; she has ensured Clearview AI can no longer treat people’s unique biometric identifiers as an unrestricted source of profit; and she has worked tirelessly to make sure Americans across the country have the civil liberties and civil rights they are constitutionally-owed. Allegra is extremely happy to announce that she’s engaged to her partner of four years, Irvin McCullough IV, who is the Press Officer at the German Marshall Fund of the United States. He proposed at sunset at Piazza Michelangelo, which overlooks all of Florence, Italy. Sed Lanas is continuing his dream and working his freelance career in the heart of Los Angeles since leaving Nashville in 2015. He loves what he does while making a living in the field of movies, commercials, music, and arts. His parents added, “Although as life evolved and changed to adulthood with many responsibilities and seriousness of life especially during this pandemic one thing for certain remains, Sed is the same humble, kind, and very caring person who we are so thankful for above all, and we are proud to share his journey from the land of dreams to our Pope John Paul Hendersonville community.”
Scotty Wright ‘11
Rick Modrzynski graduated from Belmont University College of Law in May 2022. He will be sitting for the bar exam in July and seeking employment in civil litigation at a Nashville firm. Carson L West is a product analyst at AllianceBernstein. Scotty Wright marked nine years in the Film/ TV Industry this spring. In 2020, he was the Digital Imaging Technician (DIT) for a film called “Old Henry” that was selected for the Venice Film Festival in September 2021. On a feature film called “Midday Black Midnight Blue,” he worked as DIT in Summer 2021; the film was recently screened at the Seattle Independent Film Festival and will be playing at other fests across the country throughout the year. In Fall 2021, Scotty worked as Video Assist on the upcoming independent film “Dreamin’ Wild” starring Casey Affleck, Zooey Deschanel, Beau Bridges, and Walton Goggins. In Winter 2022, he began working with Light Iron Panavision as a Dailies Assistant for films and tv shows in production to be seen in theaters and on various streaming platforms.
ALUMNI UPDATES
Autumn Folse ‘12
— 2012 — Ian Clausen and his wife Ché will be adding a little boy to their family in July 2022. They currently own and operate a professional paint company serving middle Tennessee. Autumnn Folse graduated from Berry College with a Bachelor of Science in 2016 and from University of Dayton Law with a Juris Doctor degree in 2020. Autumn is now employed by the National Parks Dept., Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. She has two fur babies, Roman & Lola Folse. Lennart Funke is currently a Manager at MercedesBenz, the Head of Program Management at Mercedes pay. In September, however, he will return to the US as he will be starting the joint degree Master of Business Administration & Master of Arts in Education at Stanford University.
Stacie Hewitt ‘12
Alexis (Cook) Isham ‘13
They currently have three children Bron (5), Emelyn (3) & Keira (1).
Hanson ’13 on March 14, 2020.
Ashley (Montgomery) Roberts recently coauthored two research publications. She married Zach Roberts in 2018 (photo on page 30)and is a military spouse with a deployed husband. Ashely starts rotations for medical school in Paris, TN this summer while simultaneously working on a Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management. She is also PATH certified to teach kids with disabilities horseback therapy.
— 2013 — Anna Borowek recently graduated from medical school. Verena Danschyk is currently studying law at the University of Münster.
Stacie Hewitt’s son Ezra Spicer was born on Feb. 1, 2021. Stacie, along with two other partners, bought her company Wardlow Auctions in January 2022.
Alexis (Cook) Isham married Jordan Isham in September of 2020 and celebrated with family and friends in October of 2021. She also successfully summited Mt. Kilimanjaro in March of 2022.
Ashlyn Miller accepted the role of Marketing Director and Event Coordinator for Lone Elm Whiskey in Forney, TX where her husband, Logan Miller, is the master Distiller.
Evelyn (Southard) Hanson is a 2017 graduate of Samford University College of Nursing. She is currently a Labor & Delivery Nurse at Hendersonville Hospital. Evelyn married Matt
Paul Kirby & Maria (Myers) Kirby - Dr. Paul W Kirby, MD will be beginning his residency as an Emergency Medicine Physician at the University of Alabama in Birmingham starting this summer. Dr. Maria Kirby, PT, DPT will be continuing her career as a physical therapist at Ultimate Edge Sports Medicine also located in Birmingham. The couple is in the process of relocating with the excitement of serving the community of Birmingham and growing in their chosen healthcare professions.
Lennart Funke ‘12
Ashlyn Miller ‘12
Dominick Massa graduated from Ohio State Dental School in 2021. He is finishing a one-year AEGD (General Dentistry) residency at the South Texas Veterans Healthcare System in San Antonio. He will be returning to the Nashville area in July and joining the Donelson Dental Center and Springhill Dental Center.
Paul Kirby & Maria (Myers) Kirby ‘13
Aphiwut (Mek) Nitinunsupakit graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in operations and supply chain management and international business from Drexel University in 2018. Mek has been working in food manufacturing and exporting in Thailand since 2018.
Summer 2022 • The Shield 25
ALUMNI UPDATES
Kyndal Hale ‘14
Zach Pelka ‘13
— 2013 — (cont.)
Gina Botsko ‘14
Collin Bryant ‘14
Caitlin Barnes ‘15 26 The Shield • Summer 2022
Zach Pelka - After graduating Wharton in 2017 and co-founding and selling several fintech companies, Zach is now the co-founder of Une Femme Wines - the fastest growing sparkling wine brand in the United States. Co-founded with his sister, Une Femme works with women winemakers across the country and focuses on developing premium, sustainable sparkling wines. They have recently experienced explosive growth with major partnerships with Delta Airlines (the official sparkling wine of Delta), Marriott (featured by the glass at every Ritz Carlton, St. Regis, JW Marriott, and Autograph collection in the US), and many more. They are partnered with top investors, celebrities, athletes, and beverage industry professionals in the world. Anastacia (Ana) Volz currently works as Director of Project Access Nashville Specialty Care (PANSC). They help connect the uninsured, low income with specialty care services in Middle Tennessee. Anna added, “If you or someone you know would be interested in giving back through volunteering with PANSC, don’t hesitate to reach out! Go Knights!”
Angelo Calvo ‘14
Zach Abdo ‘15
— 2014 —
— 2015 —
Gina Botsko graduated from medical school in May of 2022. She will be an OBGYN resident physician at St. Thomas in downtown Nashville.
Zach Abdo works at ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. He is the regional liaison for Latin America (trilingual), training more than 19 foundations in the region to improve their fundraising in order to provide more medicines, equipment, housing, etc. to kids who have cancer in their home countries. This work supports St. Jude’s and the World Health Organization’s mission to increase survival rates for pediatric cancer around the world.
Collin Bryant graduated magna cum laude from University of Dayton in 2018 and from The University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Dentistry 2022 [Excellence in Prosthodontics Award from the American College of Prosthodontists]. Collin is beginning his dental career at Bluff City Dental in Memphis, TN. Angelo Calvo graduated from Tennessee Tech University as an engineer with magna cum laude honors in 2018. Angelo is now living in Raleigh but will soon be moving to Austin, Texas. For the past 3.5 years, he has been working as an engineer at a software company called Okta. Kyndal Hale is married to Elliott Lee of Mt. Juliet, and they had a beautiful baby girl June 1, 2021, McClain Collins Lee. Kyndal is currently a floral designer at Brown’s Florist.
Caitlin Barnes received her Bachelor of Science in biology from Belmont University in 2019 and is currently working on her doctorate in ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Christian Cook works for Oracle NerSuite in software sales. Jake Easter recently moved from Montgomery, AL, working in the Governor’s Office of Alabama, to Washington D.C. to work at the American Enterprise Institute, where he researches labor economics and workforce development policy.
ALUMNI UPDATES
Ali Rostek ‘15
Jake Easter ‘15
Ali Rostek graduated from Baylor University with an accounting degree. She has written songs on Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube under the name of Lil Money Ma.
to modify and adapt life and work styles to get through the challenges. Congratulations, Dylan, for your most recent job promotion in 2022! Thank you JPII community, and Go Knights!”
— 2016 — Izabelle Barnett graduated in 2020 from University of Mississippi with a Bachelor of Science in geological engineering. She is Project Engineer 2 for Kiewit Foundations Co. and has worked on Central-70 Projects in Denver, CO and Project Blue Sky in Taylor, TX. Izabelle was the 2021 Kiewit Foundations Co. recipient of the “Hard Hat Award,” given to two employees with >2 years of employment for outstanding performance. She was co-author of article written for ADSC Foundations Drilling Magazine spotlighting the Central-70 Project (May/ June Issue) for 2022. Sarah Brau is currently working for Teton County Weed and Pest as the invasive control crew lead on Nation Elk Refuge in Jackson, WY. Dylan Lanas graduated from the University of Alabama in 2020 and now works as an account executive/PR in St. Louis Missouri. His parents added, “He was part of the many 2020 Covid college groups who resorted to having
Allie Riley graduated from Centre College with a Bachelor of Science in behavioral neuroscience and from Xavier University with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (cum laude). She is now an ER nurse in Cincinnati. Riley Southard was a 2020 graduate of the University of Dayton, College of Civil Engineering, and he currently works at Ragan Smith. Christopher Stinnett graduated from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 2020. He is currently working in the supply chain industry for KCH Transportation. He recently got married in April 2022. Christopher’s wife, Reagan, also graduated from UTC in 2020 and is a nurse at Franklin Dermatology Group. They live in downtown Nashville and are hoping to stay in the Nashville area forever. Taryn Wallace will be graduating in August from Vanderbilt University with her Master of Science in Nursing, specializing in pediatric primary care. She plans to work as a nurse practitioner.
Sarah Brau ‘16
— 2017 — Grace Eatman graduated magna cum laude from Tulane University in December 2020. She is now pursuing a master’s degree in early childhood special education at Vanderbilt University and will graduate in May 2023. Hannah Jones graduated summa cum laude from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in May 2021 with a major in supply chain management, a collateral in international business, and a minor in English. While at UT, she completed the Chancellor’s Honors Program. Currently, she is a rising 2L law student at Belmont College of Law in Nashville. For the summer of 2022, Hannah is clerking at the Tennessee Attorney General’s office. Braden Sanford graduated with a master’s degree in May 2022. He started working full time as an Organizational Development Sr. Specialist at Dollar General, and he has moved back to the Nashville area.
Izabelle Barnett ‘16
Dylan Lanas ‘16
Taryn Wallace ‘16
Braden Sanford ‘17
Summer 2022 • The Shield 27
ALUMNI UPDATES
Jonathan Alford ‘18
— 2017 —
Brady Slaughter ‘17
(cont.)
Brady Slaughter graduated in December 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering. He is currently working for Oshkosh Corporation as an engineer in the Mobility Systems group.
— 2018 — Ethan Ingram ‘18
Katherine Ruttenbur ‘18
Jonathan Alford finished his undergraduate at Tennessee State University magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in agricultural science. He completed two internships with a federal agency called APHIS and presented research on Cave Algae in Mammoth Cave National Park at the National Association of Black Geoscience conference twice (2019, 2021). Currently, Jonathan is a graduate student at Tennessee State University studying environmental science. He is also working full time under Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services. He plans to pursue a doctorate in environmental health and strives to become an environmental scientist that handles environmental issues affecting urban communities and water sources.
Peyton Knight ‘19 & Parker Knight ‘22
Leah Swan ‘18
Lilly Parker ‘19
Jack Evans graduated from Tennessee Tech in December 2021, and he got engaged to his girlfriend of five years in March 2022.
Leah Swan graduated from Berry College in 2022, and she currently works at the Nashville Zoo as an animal care assistant in the behavioral husbandry unit.
Ethan Ingram graduated from Belmont University summa cum laude with a degree in International Politics and History. He will be attending The George Washington University in the fall, striving for a Master of Arts in security policy studies. Danielle Rosselli will work at a Nashville internship at Amped Digital Media in the summer of 2022, and she will graduate college in December 2022. Katherine Ruttenbur graduated from the University of Tennessee in 2022, and she will be attending Lindsey Wilson College for graduate school in the fall of 2022. Abigail Solarz graduated from Coastal Carolina University in August of 2021 summa cum laude. She received the President’s Award at commencement. Abigail interned at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium for six months as a water quality intern, and she is currently an animal care monitor at the Texas State Aquarium.
— 2019 — Peyton Knight will be a senior at Birmingham Southern College where he is majoring in psychology. Lilly Parker is about to begin her senior year at Samford University in the Moffett and Sanders School of Nursing. This past fall, she received her white coat to honor the beginning of her clinical experience. During her time at JPII, Lilly was able to travel to Haiti for two summers, and she participated in the NovEx Nursing Experience. Lilly added, “Thanks to JPII, I was able to know going into college that I wanted to study nursing. I cannot wait to continue my studies.” Luke Wiley is participating in a study abroad in Paris, France at Cite’ Universitaire for the month of July 2022. He was an inaugural recipient of the Dr. Jane Harbaugh Research Experience Award at UTC, which was a $7500 scholarship that will cover the cost of the trip and classes. Luke is also going to be presenting at the American Psychological Association conference in Minneapolis in August.
ALUMNI UPDATES
Noah Croy ‘20
— 2020 — Noah Croy has been accepted into the Southeastern Conservation Corp’s summer internship program participating in an archeological excavation at the Cumberland Island National Seashore. He will be part of a small team of students working on preservation and conservation efforts. He finished his sophomore year with his fourth Dean’s List honor. Noah was employed throughout the year with the UTC Recreation Center and will return as staff in the fall. Russell M. FernandezSelles is a member of the Embry Riddle Aeronautical University music group “AcaFellas,” and for the last two years, he has been a proud cadet in the Air Force ROTC. Russell is also a member of the ERAU Robotics team and the ERAU Protecting Animal Wellness Society (PAWS). Madeline Hartlage studies computer science at Georgia Tech with a specialty in AI and electrical devices. She has enjoyed her experience so far playing intramural volleyball, developing web-applications for nonprofits, and creating and playing games with new roommates and friends. Madeline has worked as a Game Guide for The Escape
Aspen Whittington ‘21
Game in Nashville, TN, and she is employed now as a website developer for the Computing and Society facility at Georgia Tech. Dominik Rollins sponsored a fellow JPII alumna Addison LaScola (Cochrane) ‘20 as she entered the Catholic Church. In May, Dominik proposed, and they are now engaged with a wedding set for 2023.
— 2021 — Kaelyn Bullard will be continuing her studies and solidifying her major at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the College of Architecture and Design.
Russell M. Fernandez-Selles ‘20
Sean Crooks is going to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the fall of 2022. He is looking forward to the program. He will be roommates with Nolan Beasley. Grant Silkwood is studying business at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and playing for the UT Men’s Rugby Team that won the collegiate national championship for 7’s rugby last December.
Madeline Hartlage ‘20
Dominik Rollins & Addison LaScola (Cochrane) ‘20
Aspen Whittington was catcher for the Danville Jaguars softball team, which finished 7th in the nation in the NJCAA DII National Softball Championship in Oxford, AL in the spring of 2022.
CALLING ALL ALUMKNIGHTS!
Sean Crooks ‘21
Please join us for
POPE HOMECOMING 2022! Friday, September 16th Pope vs. Baylor Register at the alumni tent next to the entrance of the Jim Carell Athletic Complex. At halftime, enjoy the alumni reception in the KAC portico. After the game, alumni, alumni parents, faculty, and staff are all invited to an after party (location TBD).
Grant Silkwood ‘21
Saturday, September 17th Class of 2012 Reunion Party Class of 2017 Reunion Party For information about registration, please contact Michelle Barber (michelle.barber@popeperp.org). Summer 2022 • The Shield 29
newest Knights & Knuptials
Cooper Bennett Grisard
James “Jack” Kendrick Clavin
Luther Dante-Marcellous Clausen
Catherine Southard Harvey ‘10 married Gaines Harvey
Tanner Hale ‘12 married Sarah Murray
Christian Cook ‘15 married Mandy Orcutt Cook
born April 20, 2022 to parents Rachel ‘12 & Bryan Grisard
on May 1st, 2021.
Luke Whittington ‘15 married Karene Robertson on March 26, 2022.
30 The Shield • Summer 2022
born June 28, 2022 to parents Emily ‘09 & Kevin Clavin ‘11
on October 31, 2021.
born July 10, 2022 to parents Che & Ian Clausen ‘12
on May 21, 2022.
Christopher Stinnett ‘16 married Reagan Stinnett in April 2022.
POPE JOHN PAUL II HIGH SCHOOL
Gratitude Report 2019-2020
Summer 2022 • The Shield 31
THE POPE JOHN PAUL II SOCIETY Pope John Paul II High School recognizes, honors and thanks donors who have made permanent provisions for JPII in their estate plans. Anonymous Mrs. Joan Bernardin Monsignor William Bevington Estate Mr. and Mrs. Michael Shea Monsignor Philip Thoni Estate Mrs. Elizabeth Wehby Estate
KNIGHT’S COURT SOCIETY ($10,000 AND ABOVE) Advancement for Catholic Education Anonymous Battelle Education Diocese of Nashville Mr. and Mrs. Daniel J. Dugan Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Fox, D.D.S. Ms. Allison Isaacson Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McNatt Nashville Catholic Business Women’s League Mr. and Mrs. Dan Singelyn Mr. and Mrs. John Sooker Mr. and Mrs. Golden Tate The Memorial Foundation Mr. and Mrs. William Wood
LORDS & LADIES SOCIETY ($5,000.00 +) Anonymous Mr. and Mrs. Larry Borders Mr. Gordon Carroll Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Cook Mr. and Mrs. Tom Givens Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Heagarty II Mr. and Mrs. Britt Hunt Mr. and Mrs. Fred Knox Mr. and Mrs. Russell Marino Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Tim McCarthy Miracle Ford Sumner Medical Group/Drs. Mark and Jennifer Uhl Taylor, Pigue & Marchetti, PLLC Mr. and Mrs. James Tuerff Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Wantz Mr. and Mrs. Keith Watts 32 The Shield • Summer 2022
PAGE & SQUIRE SOCIETY ($2,500.00 +) Ms. Taylor Anderson Mr. and Mrs. Barton K. Bagsby Sr. Mr. Clark Baker and Dr. Carolyn Baker Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Bender Mr. and Mrs. Scott Bryant Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Crum Mr. and Mrs. Bryan Edwards Mr. and Mrs. James Harrison, Jr. Mr. Mike Lott Mr. and Mrs. L. Gino Marchetti Jr. Mechanical Resource Group LLC NovaTech Our Lady of the Lake Church Mr. and Mrs. J. Runyon Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Strickland Dr. and Mrs. Chad Swan YourCause, LLC Trustee for The HCA Foundation
CABALLARUIUS SOCIETY ($1,500.00 +) Mr. and Mrs. Chad Bone Castleman Inc. Christ The King Church COCA - COLA BOTTLING CO. CONSOLIDATED, INC. CyberGrants LLC Mr. and Mrs. Mark Deffendall Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Hite Illinois Tool Works Foundation JC Garrett III Family Foundation Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Kauffman Mr. and Mrs. James Mcleod Mr. and Mrs. Shay Oliphant Overbrook School Mr. and Mrs. Brian Raybourne St. Cecilia Academy St. Henry School Mr. and Mrs. Jeff St. Peters State Farm Companies Foundation SunTrust Bank The Nancy M. & Victor S. Johnson, Jr. Foundation, Inc. Mr. and Mrs. Greg Tuerff Mr. and Mrs. Terry Wallace Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Kirk Whittington
Summer 2022 • The Shield 33
COAT OF ARMS SOCIETY ($1,000.00 + ) Mr. and Mrs. Walid Al-Nimri Mr. and Mrs. Scott Bagwell Mr. and Mrs. Lance Bentley Mr. and Mrs. Zac Campbell Cinco De Mayo Inc. Dr. and Mrs. Adam Davis Mr. and Mrs. Mike Deely Dr. William Gavigan Mr. and Mrs. Scott Gettelfinger Mr. Vince Gill GradPro of Tennessee, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Holt Mr. and Mrs. Michael LaLonde Ms. Judy Lyon Mr. and Mrs. Ed Mayberry Mr. and Mrs. Thomas McCarthy Mr. and Mrs. Michael O’Neill Peace Communications, LLC Mr. and Mrs. J. Edward Pearson Mr. and Mrs. James Peters Ms. Karen Phillips Pinnacle Financial Partners Mr. and Mrs. John Reding Mr. and Mrs. Michael Schrampf Mr. and Mrs. Peter Schulert Dr. and Mrs. John Shea St. Joseph Church Mr. and Mrs. Stansell Ms. Katie Stenberg The Benevity Community Impact Fund Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Thigpen Mr. and Mrs. Clay Tidwell Dr. and Mrs. Joshua Young
“I have found that what makes JPII stand out is how close the relationships are between teachers and students. This has helped me become more successful in those classes ultimately showing me how important it is to keep close relationships in the future.” - Darwin Mendoza ‘21 34 The Shield • Summer 2022
BLUE & GOLD SOCIETY ($1.00 +)
Mr. Alexander Abdo Mr. and Mrs. WM Adams Mr. and Mrs. Timothy Adcox Mr. Gareth S. Aden Mr. and Mrs. David Aguiare Mr. and Mrs. Houston Akin Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Altenbern Mr. and Mrs. Anthony Amorese Mr. and Mrs. Gene Arender Dr. and Mrs. Christopher Ashley Mr. Stephen Aud and Dr. Patricia Aud Ms. Pamela Autry Dr. Jon Backstrom and Dr. Maureen Gannon Mr. and Mrs. Marcus Baldini Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Barber Mr. Richard Barry Mr. and Mrs. Gary Baum Ms. Mary D. Beasley Ms. Natalie A. Beatty Dr. and Mrs. Steve Bennett Ms. Leigh Bentley Mr. and Mrs. Robert Berry Mr. and Mrs. Philip Best Mr. and Mrs. David Blanton Dr. and Mrs. Stephen Bollig Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bologa Ms. Madeline Bologa Ms. Dolores Bonvissuto Mr. and Mrs. David Borum Ms. Linda Borum Mr. Michael Borum Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Bourget Ms. Mary Brahos Mr. and Mrs. Clint Bridges Mr. and Mrs. Tyrus Briggs Mr. Robert Brockus and Mrs. Paige Nicholl Mr. Winder Buchanan Mr. and Mrs. Chris Buell The Reverend Andrew J. Bulso Ms. Cheryl Burgess Mr. and Mrs. Joe Burks Dr. and Mrs. Dan Burval Ms. Mary Byrnes Dr. and Mrs. Christopher T. Callaghan
“Over my four years at JPII, I have grown holistically as a person by creating new friendships, challenging myself academically, pushing myself athletically, and learning how to think creatively in order to prepare for life after high school.” - Hannah Grubbs ‘21
Mr. and Mrs. Benjamin Callister Mr. Christian Carpenter Mr. and Mrs. Greg Catignani Mr. and Mrs. David Cavalli Mr. and Mrs. Jason Chaffin Mr. and Mrs. Paul Childress Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Clausen Mr. and Mrs. Roy Claverie Mr. and Mrs. Steve Cleek Mr. Matt Clemens Mr. and Mrs. John Clinard Mr. and Mrs. Tom Clinard Mr. and Mrs. Michael J. Colello Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Mark Compton Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Connolly Ms. Anne Cook Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Cooper Mr. and Mrs. David Couch Mr. Joshua Crain Mr. and Mrs. Jeffry Creager Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell Creel Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Crooks Mr. and Mrs. Mark J. Crowley Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Croy Mr. and Mrs. Michael Curlee Mr. and Mrs. Ira Daniel Mr. and Mrs. Kenny Davis Mr. and Mrs. Vincent De Bates Mr. and Mrs. John DeLaney Mr. and Mrs. John Dempsey Mr. and Mrs. Klaas DeWit
The Reverend Amanda and Mr. Luke Diamond Dr. Tracey Doering Mr. and Mrs. Brad Dorr Mr. and Mrs. Rick DuBois Ms. Ginger DuBose Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Dye Ms. Meridith Dyer Mr. Tony Earley and Mrs. Sarah Bell Earley Rev and Mrs. Ronald Eatman Mr. and Mrs. Doug Ebelhar Mr. and Mrs. James Elfers Mr. Ron Estrada Mr. and Mrs. Glenn Farris Ms. Cheryl Ann Fassler Mr. and Mrs. Lorentz Feltes Ms. Margaret Finaly Mr. Don Forczek Mr. and Mrs. Sean Forrest Ms. Winifred Forrester Father Chester Forsythe Mr. and Mrs. James Galvin Jr. Mr. and Mrs. James Galvin Mr. and Mrs. Corey Gardner Ms. Amy Gaynor Mr. and Mrs. George Gebhardt Ms. Nancy Gennusa Ms. Laura Gibala Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Golden Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Goodwin Mr. and Mrs. John Goodwin Ms. Erin Gould Mr. and Mrs. Dan Grant Mr. and Mrs. Mike Grubbs Mr. and Mrs. Scott Grytza Mr. and Mrs. Charlie J. Guerry Mr. and Mrs. Chris Hammel Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Hammond Mr. and Mrs. Tim Hammond Mr. and Mrs. Matt Hanson Mr. and Mrs. P. Anthony Hanson Mr. Samuel Hargrove Ms. Rachel Harrison Mr. Kenneth Hartlage and Dr. Juliet Daniel Mr. and Mrs. James Haymart
Summer 2022 • The Shield 35
BLUE & GOLD SOCIETY ($1.00 +)
“With the support of the faculty at JPII, I have been able to grow as a student in terms of my work ethic and character. Nearing the end of my four years, I feel prepared to have success in the rest of my academic career.” - Jackson Smith ‘21
Mr. and Mrs. Mike Hemmelgarn Ms. Janet Hensel Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Herzer Mrs. Kelsey Hill Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hisrich Mr. and Mrs. Gene Hixson Mr. and Mrs. David Hobbs Mr. and Mrs. Dan Hollis Mr. and Mrs. Taylor Holmes Holy Rosary Academy Mr. and Dr. Jason Holzen Mr. and Mrs. James Hooper Dr. and Mrs. William Hovenden Mr. and Mrs. James Hover Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Huffine Mr. and Mrs. Michael Hughes Ms. Sarah Humbert Mr. and Mrs. Kent Hurt Mr. and Mrs. Amro Ibrahim Mr. and Mrs. Dave Inman International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers-Local 429 Mr. Alexander Isaacson Ms. Clair Ivanov Mr. and Mrs. Harold Jacobs Mrs. Rebecca Jansing-Kaestner Ms. Helene Jeffrey Ms. Cassidy Johnson Mr. and Mrs. David Johnson Mr. and Mrs. James Johnston 36 The Shield • Summer 2022
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Jones Reverend and Mrs. Jeff Jones Ms. Christine Kennard Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Kennedy Dr. and Mrs. Paul Kniery Mr. and Mrs. Steve Knight Ms. Shannon Konkel Mr. and Mrs. David Krebs Mr. and Mrs. William Krispin Mr. and Mrs. Theodore Kritikos Mr. and Mrs. Shawn Lance Mr. and Mrs. David Lassiter Mr. and Mrs. David Latiolais Mr. and Mrs. Henry Lau Ms. Lindsey Lavender Dr. Lisa M. Laya Mr. and Mrs. Danny Ledford Ms. Anna Lee Mr. and Mrs. Josh LeMay Mr. Stan Link and Mrs. Melanie Lowe Mr. and Mrs. Bruce Long Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Mainello Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mamolo Mr. PB Mamolo Mr. and Mrs. Adam Markham Mr. and Mrs. Jack Marquardt Mr. and Mrs. Kevin Marsh Mr. and Mrs. Courtney Masters Mr. and Mrs. Phil Matisak Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Mauthe Ms. Beverly C. Maxwell Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Mazur Mr. and Mrs. Kevin McCaslin Mr. and Mrs. Terry McClanahan Mr. and Mrs. Michael McGhee Mr. and Mrs. Robert McGrath Ms. Sarah McIlroy Mrs. Jody McLaren Mr. Dennie McMahon Mr. and Mrs. Chris Meffe Mr. Bryan Melcher Mr. and Mrs. Joe Melvin Mr. and Mrs. Salvador Mendoza Mr. and Mrs. Chris Mesecher Ms. Shirley Metcalfe Ms. Alice Miller Ms. Amber Miller Mr. Mickey Miller
Ms. Emily Mills Mills Uniform Company Mr. and Mrs. Kennith Minchey Mr. and Mrs. Hector Montalvo Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Montgomery Mr. and Mrs. Ruben Montgomery Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Montini Mr. and Mrs. Rob Montini Mrs. Heather Moss-Gad Mr. and Mrs. Tim Muller Mr. Sam Murray Mrs. Melissa Musacchio-Croslow Dr. and Mrs. William Nason Mrs. Abby Newby Mr. and Mrs. Jim Nichols Mr. and Mrs. John Noble Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Oathout Mr. and Mrs. Jason Orendorff Mr. and Mrs. Greg Orr Prof. and Mrs. Eldo Osaitile Mr. and Mrs. Donald Owens Mr. and Mrs. Robert Page Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Parker Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Parker Mr. and Mrs. Robert Parker Ms. Jeanne M. Patterson Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Patterson Mr. and Mrs. John Peel Mr. and Mrs. Mark Pennington Mr. and Mrs. Brad R. Peper Mr. and Mrs. Jason Petrino Mr. and Mrs. James Peyton Ms. Sonya Picchietti Ms. Betsy Pierpaoli Mr. and Mrs. Bob Pitts Mr. and Mrs. Merlin Popp Mr. and Mrs. W. Cravens Priest Mr. and Mrs. Martin Puckett Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Puryear Mr. and Mrs. Robert Putman Ms. Mary G. Pylant Ms. Patricia Redmon Mr. and Mrs. Brian Reed Ms. Anelise Rentuza Mr. and Mrs. George Reynolds Mr. and Mrs. Grant Rice Mr. and Mrs. Scott Rice Mr. and Mrs. Steve Riley Ms. Elizabeth A. Roach
BLUE & GOLD SOCIETY ($1.00 +) Mr. and Mrs. John Robertson Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Robinson Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Roche Mr. and Mrs. Doug Rogers Ms. Rebecca L. Ryan Ms. Sharon P. Sanders Mr. and Mrs. Charles Sanger Mr. and Mrs. David Scaggs School Facility Management, LLC Mr. and Mrs. Chad Sellers Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Semrow Mr. and Mrs. Lane Shaver Mr. and Mrs. Danny Shockley Ms. Katie Shuff Mr. and Mrs. Brian Silkwood Mr. Fred Singleton Jr. Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Singleton Mr. and Mrs. Marius Sipos Mr. and Mrs. Robert Slaughter Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Smart Dr. Ginger Smith Mr. and Mrs. Ron Smith Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Smith Mr. Tim Smith and Mrs. Lisa Fowler
“Over my time at JPII, I have experienced the family-like community every day as I walk through the halls. JPII has allowed me to grow as a person and a leader, learning more about the values in life that matter and shape the people we are becoming.” - Liam Leonard ‘21
Ms. Kelly Smits Mr. and Mrs. Christopher Snow Ms. Susan Snyder Mr. and Mrs. Solarz Ms. Blanca Solis Mr. and Mrs. James Spence Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Spivey Mr. and Mrs. Jamie Spurlock St. Matthew School St. Stephen Catholic Community Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Staggs Ms. Salina Sullivan Mr. and Mrs. Joel Surber Mr. and Mrs. Jed Sutton Ms. Shara E. Terrill Mr. and Mrs. Craig Thomas Mr. and Mrs. Mike Tidwell Ms. Haley Topper Drs. Mark and Jennifer Uhl Mr. and Mrs. Hal Van Metre Mr. and Mrs. Edward Vaughn Mr. and Mrs. Fred Vordermeier Dr. and Mrs. Charles Wade Ms. Joline Waites Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Wallace
“JPII has allowed me to thrive as a student by providing a renaissance atmosphere through its vast athletic program and academically rigorous courses.” - Callie Keightley ‘21
Mr. Skyler Moots and Mrs. Ellen E. Walsh-Moots Mr. and Mrs. Melvin O. Warnecke Mr. and Mrs. Quinn Wasden Mr. and Mrs. Mark Weakley Mr. and Mrs. Edward Weaver Mrs. Jo Lind Weaver Mr. Kerry Webb Mr. and Mrs. Joe Wegenka Mr. and Mrs. Scott Wettengel Reverend and Mrs. Peter Whalen Mrs. Patricia Hannigan and Mr. Duffy White Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Whiting Mr. and Mrs. Robert Whittaker Mr. and Mrs. Robert Wieber Ms. Suzi Williams Mr. and Mrs. Douglas Wilson Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey Witte Mr. and Mrs. John Yanacek Mr. and Mrs. Fred Zahn Mr. and Mrs. Scott Zell Mr. Michael Zikovich Mr. and Mrs. Tony Zikovich Mr. and Mrs. John Zobl
“My favorite aspect of JPII is the community because it’s a community that not only gave me support but also helped me grow in my faith and academics.” - Bailey Jones ‘21
Summer 2022 • The Shield 37
Save the date!
n o i t a r b Cele 2022
Saturday, October 22nd
Mark your calendars to join us for dinner, drinks, music, live auction, casino games, mini golf, fellowship, and fun as we celebrate our amazing Pope Prep community! Email michelle.barber@ popeprep.org for ticket and sponsorship information. 21+ event