The Sentinel Shield Fall 2022

At Seton Catholic Preparatory, Your family becomes part of ours

ADMINISTRATION

Principal: Victor Serna

Assistant Principal: Pamela K. Hollerbach

Dean of Students: Julie Grindey

Director of Administrative Services: Brandy Martinez

Director of Admissions: Erminia Olivas ‘94

Director of Advancement: Tony Rodriguez

Director of Athletics: Gregg Buchanan

Director of Finance: Linda Surovick

Director of Plant Operations: Mario Hernandez

Director of Student Involvement & Activities: Robbie Peñate

Campus Minister: Amanda Bell

Chaplain: Rev. Gabriel Terrill

ADVANCEMENT

Director: Tony Rodriguez

Assistant Director: Patricia Glasser

Alumni Relations Manager: Maggie Brown ‘02

Advancement Associate: Karen Hill

2022-2023 ADVISORY BOARD

President: Bridgette Cosentino

Vice President: Bryan Davey

Bob Adlhoch ‘87

Julie Albanese

Carey Anthony

Jacque Chapman

Andrew Clegg

Nina Debelo

Perry Gordon

Norm Mendoza

Jason Pastore

John Schurz

Marjean Steinkamp

Rich Zawtocki, Liaison Board of Trustees

Rev. Gabriel Terrill

Ex-Officio: Victor Serna

Staff Support: Brandy Martinez

2022-2023 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

President: Sal Flores, Flores Wealth Management, Retired

Vice President: Rich Zawtocki, Zawtocki Law Offices, Attorney at Law

Secretary: Joe Wallace, Spotlight Signs and Imaging Solutions, Owner

Carol Dobson, Dobson Family Farms, Owner

Rhindi Eubanks Garcia ‘87, St. Mary Basha Elementary School, Vice Principal

Very Rev. Dan McBride, V.F., St. Mary’s Parish, Pastor

Gabe Ortiz, ‘88, Artoss, Inc., Area Vice President of Sales-West

Ross Robb, RLR Ventures, LLC, Owner and President

Ex-Officio: Victor Serna, School Prinicpal

Ex-Officio: Rev. Gabriel Terrill, School Chaplain

Ex-Officio: Tony Rodriguez, School Director of Advancement

Staff Support: Brandy Martinez

DIOCESE OF PHOENIX CATHOLIC SCHOOLS LEADERSHIP

Bishop: Most Rev. John P. Dolan

Auxiliary Bishop: Most Rev. Eduardo A. Nevares

Bishop Emeritus: Most Rev. Thomas J. Olmsted

Superintendent: Domonic Salce

Assistant Superintendent: Mary Bartsch

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

Greeting Sentinels,

This year we are focusing on the Charism of Love. It is always important to show Jesus’ love through our words and actions. This goal is stated in our Mission: “Loving service to others.” Taking the time to reflect on this helps us examine and expand on how we love our students, staff, faculty and community.

We have been challenged to be missionary disciples with our focus on Christ and seek a deeper understanding of God’s purpose in our lives so that we may be an effective channel of God’s goodness to others. Nurturing others through His presence by sharing our faith and deeds of compassion, I believe our mission encourages everyone to seek out and show Jesus’ love.

OUR MISSION

Victor Serna, Principal

To provide a college preparatory curriculum within a Catholic faith community focusing on academic excellence, leadership, and loving service to others.

THE SENTINEL SHIELD

Magazine of Seton Catholic Preparatory

Managing Editor: Maggie Brown, ‘02

Contributing Writer: Nicki Escudero,’02

Graphic Designer: Tony Gutiérrez

Printer: International Minute Press Chandler

The Sentinel Shield Magazine is published by the Seton Catholic Preparatory Advancement Office.

Note: Are you receiving multiple copies of The Shield? If so, please contact Patricia Glasser in the Advancement Office at 480-963-1900 x2006 or PGlasser@SetonCatholic.org

SENTINEL NEWS

Roman Holiday

Current and past Sentinels journey to Italy

By Nicki Escudero ‘02

Rome is home to so much of the Catholic Church’s history and present-day presence. Surrounding the pope’s headquarters in Vatican City, this popular tourist destination contains countless historical artworks, churches and sights to see – not to mention scrumptious food and breathtaking architecture. This past May, members from Seton Catholic Preparatory’s past and present traveled to Italy to explore Rome, Florence and Naples on foot and by bike. The trip was originally scheduled for 2020, but the pandemic delayed plans. Former Seton Catholic Latin teacher and club moderator Lindley Henson guided the group of five graduates, two current students and two faculty chaperones on their journey.

The 10-day trip included a surprise excursion into London when the group’s plane was delayed. The group got to add Big Ben, the London Eye and Westminster to the list of sights they saw.

In Italy, the group visited landmarks like the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Trevi Fountain, the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, the Catacombs of St. Sebastian, St. Peter’s Basilica and the Domus Aurea — constructed by Emperor Nero.

“I think it’s very interesting, especially coming from America and going to visit Europe, to see

how different a normal everyday lifestyle is,” says Liz Griffith, a member of the Seton Catholic Math Faculty and chaperone for the trip.

“Even though you’re with teachers, you’re still learning how to navigate and have the responsibility of being out of the country while seeing things you’ve only probably seen in books or on the internet. I think it’s super-important for students to get out of their shell and learn new things, from these great works of art, to how do you put a chain back on a bicycle when it pops off.”

The group explored the ancient seaside village city Herculaneum which, like Pompeii, was destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. The travelers bartered for jewelry on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence and visited the Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Rome’s largest private collection of art.

“My hope is that this trip has instilled a love of travel and an openness to experience new cultures and peoples in all the students who went on the trip,” says Jackie Peterson, another chaperone and Seton Catholic Math, JAVA and AP Computer Science Faculty.

In Rome, the group’s casa they stayed at was right outside St. Peter’s Square. Henson, who’s led Italy trips in the past, explained the landmarks’ history as they navigated the country.

Starting this year, there is a big change in our Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy. Seton is moving to a 1-to-1 solution for our new and incoming students. This means that new students will be provided a device instead of needing to bring their own. The device is a 2-in-1 Google Chromebook produced by Dell with full touch screen functionality for note taking and quick access to a keyboard. The move in this direction improves the overall quality of support and assistance we can provide to our students. It will allow IT to support our students’ hardware more easily, and devices will be more compatible with our Seton Services, like wifi and Canvas. As a safety bonus, teachers will have additional tools to monitor students from their desktops and enhance teaching in the classroom.

FOR CAPITAL CAMPAIGN UPDATES

IT specialist Amy Davis is seen working hard to set new students up with Chromebooks over the summer.

SENIOR COMPLETES WEST POINT EXPERIENCE

Senior Charles Heil has just successfully completed the U.S. Military Academy West Point Summer Leaders Experience.

Charles was chosen from more than 5,000 applicants to the program where 1,000 students are ultimately accepted. During the first week of June, the week-long session of full immersion program offered candidates an experience of life at West Point through the academics, leadership, athletics and military rigors of a cadet.

“The highlight of my week was bonding with my squad-mates and completing

the O-Course as a team,” says Heil.

The seminar, which is led by current West Point cadets, is designed to help rising seniors with their collegeselection process, while giving them an understanding of the importance of leadership and sound decision-making in their education, future careers and lives through an education from the preeminent service academy, West Point.

“This was an amazing experience, [and] this place is very special,” adds Heil. “I’m fired up for my future at West Point.”

Program offers substance abuse resources

By Nicki Escudero ‘02

High school students juggle a lot, from class and assignments to clubs and athletics, faith and family life to socializing with friends. Drugs and alcohol can derail student achievement. Using substances can have lifelong effects, as brains aren’t fully developed until adults reach their mid-20s.

To address drug and alcohol issues in high school, Seton Catholic Preparatory presents the Community of Concern each year to freshman students and their parents. This mandatory event, presented on campus since 2014, brings families together to learn about healthy decision-making and the effects of substance use.

“The longer you delay the use of drugs and alcohol, the better chances of it not affecting your brain development,” says Leah Kochis, Co-Director of Counseling/Freshman Counselor. “We want to support our students and all be on the same page to talk openly and honestly about what they’re struggling with

“These events give parents an opportunity to talk with other parents and students about how best to support their teenagers in navigating the pressures of using alcohol or drugs during high school.”

— Julie Grindey, Dean of Students

and what pressures there are when it comes to substances.”

The annual event features guest speakers, including current students who talk about why they abstain from drugs and alcohol, as well as legal professionals who talk about the consequences of substance use for both students and for parents.

There are also professional presentations on drug and alcohol trends, including topics like vaping, opioids and how companies target students through marketing and product creation.

Attendees are assigned to random groups for discussions on subjects like peer pressure and how to cope in social situations. The program helps students learn how to live true to their values. It promotes long-term thinking about the effects of substance use and provides community resources, as well.

“The Community of Concern events are my favorite events of the year,” says Julie Grindey, Dean of Students. “These events give parents an opportunity to talk with other parents and students about how best to support their teenagers in navigating the pressures of using alcohol or drugs during high school.”

Kochis says the COVID-19 pandemic caused an increase in mental health issues among the student community, which only worsen with the use of drugs and alcohol. Seton Catholic has plans for mandatory training on depression and suicide prevention through Teen Lifeline, as well.

“We want to provide students resources and information so they can make healthy decisions for themselves,” Kochis says. “It’s our job to guide them through these years and help them grow as a whole person, so they can be happy, successful and well-rounded adults.”

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

SUPPORTING STUDENTS WITH ‘EXCEPTIONABILITIES’

Seton Catholic begins non-diploma-seeking student acceptance

By Nicki Escudero ‘02

Seton Catholic Preparatory has made groundbreaking progress towards increasing inclusion on campus with the acceptance of non-diploma-seeking students. These students will work towards a certificate of completion during their four years, taking many classes in and receiving support from Seton’s Academic Resource Center (ARC).

One of the first students in the program is Connelly Roundy, a freshman who comes from Christ the King Catholic School in Mesa. Connelly is a high-functioning autistic child who’s been on an Individualized Education Program (IEP) since first grade.

Connelly initially attended public school, but in junior high, his family moved him to Christ the King for an education surrounded by a caring community. His mom, LuAnn Roundy, says the support Connelly received in Catholic school has far surpassed what he experienced in public school.

The family chose Seton Catholic for the teachers’ investment in their students, not just in helping with education, but in enabling them to become “whole people.”

Connelly, who has close to on-grade level math skills and communication skills that are closer to elementary school level, has an aide who attends class with him and helps him

“Empathy only comes with experience. Having our program, we’re inviting with welcome arms children who assumed there’s not a place for them in Catholic education.”

— Nicole Garcia, Parent and IPHS teacher

achieve custom goals. He’s working towards a certificate at graduation.

“My goal is for him to grow and become the best human being he can be,” says Roundy, a licensed professional counselor who has experience working in public school settings. “The part of school that’s so important to him is that he needs social interaction and kids who will talk to him and do activities with him.”

Seton Catholic has welcomed students with exceptionalities for several years. The ARC, created in 2019, is designed to help students with disabilities, and provide a platform for them

to learn, express and progress in their education. Last year, ARC supported more than 80 students by providing specialized learning environments and classes, sensory and learning-friendly spaces, a private testing room, customized classroom materials, peer notes, assistance with assignments and projects and more.

Jennifer Kohl, who runs ARC as the Learning Resource Coordinator, says the creation of ARC and acceptance of up to two or three non-diploma-seeking students per grade level per year provide ways to make private education more inclusive. ARC’s professional development for instructors and increasing inclusion for students of various abilities has also helped teachers become more aware of signs a student needs extra help or support at school.

While Seton Catholic continues its college preparatory mission, inclusive initiatives like these benefit

the entire community at Seton Catholic and beyond. “The environment of inclusion is vital for these students’ learning and progress,” says Kohl. “Our goal is to teach them to fly. For so many, we’ve really seen that progress. We’re teaming up with families, and we’re in this together.”

Another example of inclusion within our community is Unified Field Day held during Catholic Schools’ Week. Sentinels host a day of activities and games for special education students from around the valley. Unified Field Day is headed up by our Buddies Club which is moderated by Nicole Garcia, the Interdisciplinary Preparation, History and Speech (IPHS) teacher. Garcia has two daughters, senior Aleah, and 14 year old Mariah, who is nonverbal and has autism and Down Syndrome. This past year the Garcia sisters were able to enjoy Unified Field Day together and with many of Aleah’s classmates.

Senior Aleah Garcia (right) hugs her 14-year-old sister Mariah — who is non-verbal and has autism and Down Syndrome — during last year’s Unified Field

Freshman Connelly Roundy is a student in our non-diploma-seeking program.

Two Sentinels attend Arizona Girls State

By Pamela Hollerbach

Juniors Aleah Garcia and Sara Liburdi attended the Arizona Girls State Program in June 2022.

Sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary, the Girls State Program provides young women who are juniors in high school the opportunity to come together to study state government. Attendees understand that they are an integral part of the political process.

Students learn the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities of Americans to make the world a better place, and that the future is up to them. Together attendees create their own government where they execute all political processes, experiencing both successes and real life problems. Girls State is a positive and tangible program in Americanism.

Aleah and Sara have both demonstrated a strong interest in history and government. The selection process includes an application and interview process with our local chapter of the American Legion Auxiliary. During the application process it was discovered that Aleah is a legacy attendee.

Aleah’s Grandmother Mary Anderson-Law attended Girls State in 1948. Nicki Garcia, Aleah’s mother and IPGHS teacher at Seton Catholic attended in 1997. Aleah’s uncle Tommy Romo also attended Boys State in 2000. A few years ago, the Women’s Auxiliary of Arizona invited Mary AndersonLaw, who was then, the oldest living Girls Stater in Arizona, to be the keynote speaker. Both Mary and Nicki were able to speak to attendees that night, further instilling the duties, rights and privileges of an American voter to the attendees.

Aleah indicated that she was very excited to have the opportunity to spend time with like-minded girls and to be a part of a

student-run political process. She learned about the campaigning process, and how to cooperate with and support others in a common goal.

Aleah also mentioned how interesting it was to be in an arena where not everyone has the same political ideals.

“Democracy is awesome!” she shared.

Sara felt that Girls State pushed her to make new friends and create an effective form of government in a very short period of time. With this experience, she not only learned about how our United States government works, but also learned a lot about herself. This experience further solidified her plan to practice law as a career in the future and follow her passion for the pursuit of justice and equality for all.

Spending the week having intellectually stimulating conversations with girls who both share and disagree with her political and ethical viewpoints, Sara came to further appreciate the value of diversity and differences among individuals.

Now that they have returned to Seton, they will share their experiences and advocate for a brighter future. They will also serve in the mission of Girls State to advance the understanding of patriotism and responsibility of citizenship.

EARNING COLLEGE CREDIT THROUGH AP COURSES

The first two weeks of May is a busy time with students preparing for and taking Advanced Placement — or AP — exams. May of 2022 saw 134 sophomore through senior students take a total of 231 exams across 15 subject exams. Scores range from 1-5, with scores of 3, 4 or 5 earning college credit at various universities. Of Seton students taking the exams, 60 percent earned a score of 3 or higher.

Calculus BC — the highest level math course offered at Seton — showed positive results. All students who took the exam earned a score of 5!

The relatively new course — AP Computer Science, which has only been offered for three years — also saw all students taking the exam each earn a 5! This course introduces students to computer science through programming. Fundamental topics in this course include the design of solutions to problems, the use of data structures to organize large sets of data, the development and implementation of algorithms to process data and discover new information, the analysis of potential solutions and the ethical and social implications of computing systems. The course emphasizes object-oriented programming and design using the Java programming language. Java is also an elective Business class offered beginning sophomore year.

WELCOME NEW FACULTY & STAFF

Lisa Belensky, Theology

Marissa Birus, Chemistry

Mike Evans, Science

Tony Gutiérrez, Fine Arts

Regan Larish Hunter, English

Noah Loungarikis, Math

Eric Nash, Math & Science

Robbie Peñate, Director of Student Involvement & Activities, Theology

Tony Rodriguez, Director of Advancement

Juniors Aleah Garcia and Sara Liburdi participated in the 76th annual Arizona Chapter of Girls State.

Charism:

By Rev. Gabriel Terrill

Why did God create humanity?

It’s a simple question that we may ask in faith, but inspires us by challenging our understanding of who we are in relation to God. Some may say that it was for the sake of some purpose, that we were made to fulfill some task. We might say that God created us because we are necessary, but how could this be? God is the perfect being, you can neither make Him greater or lesser than He is; therefore God does not ‘need’ anything.

So if this is the case, what motivated God to create us?

To put simply, God created us out of love. We are the result of an overflowing of God’s goodness, and we exist not because we are ‘needed’ but because God loves us and desires that we exist. At the center of our relationship with God is love itself, and it is this same love that we celebrate as a community this upcoming year as our Seton charism.

We receive the command from Jesus in the Gospel of John to love one another as He has loved us. This command from our Lord calls us to recognize the great love God has for us. The love of God itself is infinite, and we are invited into an ever deepening understanding

“We are the result of an overflowing of God’s goodness, and we exist not because we are ‘needed’ but because God loves us and desires that we exist.”

of that love. At the center of our faith we hope in the love of God which conquers all things including sin, suffering and death, itself. We may experience difficulty or suffering or hatred in life, but we are always welcomed into the loving and healing embrace of our heavenly Father.

We see this in the parable of the Prodigal Son in the Gospel of Luke as the son, worn down by sin and suffering, is embraced by his loving father who forgives all, heals all and restores all. This same love is shared with each and every one of us who seek a relationship with the Lord in faith.

As we deepen in our understanding of God’s love, that love of God extends beyond just us and is shared with everyone we meet, whether they be family, friend or foe. God’s love is contagious and cannot be contained. In light of this great gift of God’s love, we pray that this year, as we celebrate the charism of love in our community, that we may grow in a more intimate relationship with the Lord and grow in our capacity to love others; starting with those we encounter in our community every day at Seton Catholic.

P rayer and S ervice at S eton [Pa SS]

dayS returning to thi S year

We are so excited to be able to reinstate our Prayer and Service at Seton days, or PASS days, this year! Previously, these were days on which all of our Freshman, Sophomore and Junior students and staff would participate by spending time in the community doing acts of Christian Service. It was a good way for them to make a positive difference and to get to know one another at the same time.

Last year, PASS looked quite different. Instead of going out into the community,

students chose a charitable organization and found creative ways to donate to that organization through collections and drives on campus.

This year we are thrilled to get back out into the community and share God’s love with those who are most in need. PASS days are crucial to our mission and to shaping our students into the graduates we want them to be. We want our students to dream big about how they can make the world a better place.

To that end, we have re-envisioned how PASS days will work so that we can make the biggest difference possible in our community. Rather than just sending out those students who are new to the Seton community, we will be sending entire Houses to partner with charitable organizations throughout the Valley.

We can’t wait to see the impact that so many students can make when they combine their efforts to truly become God’s hands and feet to others.

Students on a Pass trip in 2019.

Students on a PASS trip in 2018.

FINE ARTS

Setting the Stage

The behind-the-scenes magic of Seton Catholic Theater

When audience members take in a production like “The Addams Family” in the 400-seat Seton Catholic Theater, they’re watching the culmination of several weekends of stagecraft work by up to 60 people or more. Cast, crew, volunteer students, alumni, parents and families come together to design set pieces, build fantastical scenes, create magical props and coordinate lighting effects. The result is a seamless show that looks like it could run in a professional theater.

Every year, Seton Catholic’s stagecraft capabilities increase. The Seton Catholic Fine Arts Department already has several storage spaces around Seton to house set pieces that are recycled and transformed into something new for other shows. This year, the department plans to use an even bigger storage space for unique pieces like the sleigh from 2019’s “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” that became the carriage in this year’s “Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella.”

For some props that can’t be ordered online or purchased at Goodwill, Seton Catholic’s stagecraft team designs them from scratch. One unique item, featured in 2020’s “Mary Poppins,” was the bag the titular character pulls a hat rack out of. Seton Catholic Fine Arts Department Chair Stanci Snow’s husband and a Seton Catholic family created a telescoping hat rack that could shrink down and get longer, but still stay standing and support items.

For “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,” a family built a stone altar that could collapse and be put back together each show, while being solid

enough to hold a student on it.

“It was really cool to see the way this family problem-solved that,” says Snow, who also teaches Stagecraft, Choir and AP Government. “So much of what we do is a very collaborative process. It’s 50 percent art, 50 percent engineering, so there’s a very specific skillset when it comes to assembling a stage.”

In addition to the dazzling props and sets, Seton Catholic also has a new, crisp and clean cyclorama this year that resides on the back wall of the stage. The cyclorama enables the crew to generate myriad lighting effects and projections, from creating the illusion of a garden by using leafy textures, to displaying the name of the show on-stage before the performance commences.

The Fine Arts Department, with help

from the Seton Fine Arts Association, is constantly upgrading other stage technology, as well, such as lighting.

For students with diverse talents and interests, Snow says there are endless ways to contribute in the stagecraft process at Seton Catholic.

“For students who like to build, construct or paint, or have an interest in engineering, carpentry or anything of that nature, it’s a really good way to get some hands-on experience in a safe environment,” Snow says. “There’s so much to learn. No matter which side your brain is on —engineering or creativity — there’s certainly something for you to do.”

Check out Seton Catholic stagecraft in action in the fall production of “Peter and the Starcatcher” showing Oct. 14-16.

Alumna takes over as new Fine Arts chair

Alumna and Fine Arts teacher Stanci Smith ‘13 is our new Fine Arts Department Chair.

Stanci has taught many Fine Arts classes at Seton Catholic including Choir and Stagecraft. Additionally, she has directed the plays and musicals for the past several years. Stanci is excited to take on this new role in addition to the classes she teaches and productions she directs.

Fine Arts Dept adds new courses

The 2022-2023 school year has several new Fine Arts classes. Both classes are semester-long offerings where students will be able to explore the field of Dance as well as Audio Production.

Dance Survey class will offer students the opportunity to explore dance styles including — but not limited to — Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary/Modern and Hip Hop. Students then perform at the end of each semester. This exposure allows students the opportunity to enroll in a full year of dance courses, Dance I, or audition for Dance II or Company Dance. We look forward to seeing these new dancers discover their hidden talents.

The focus of Audio Production is to learn the basics of recording an audio signal into a digital audio workstation [DAW] on a computer. Students will learn how to use the DAW to create an entire song using standard instrumentation from scratch to recording, mixing and mastering the song. Students will learn modern recording and production techniques for using this technology both inside and outside of the classroom setting. This is the new cutting edge trend to create music, and we are excited to hear the students’ masterpieces.

Coach Karen Self to be inducted into AZ Sports Hall of Fame

After 30 years of coaching, Coach Karen Self has been recognized, celebrated and inducted into Hall of Fames across the country and around the state, including the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, the Arizona High School Athletic Coaches and our very own Seton Catholic Prep Hall of Fames. Now, Coach Self will be adding the prestigious Arizona Sports Hall of Fame to her distinctions.

This is the highest honor for a coach in the state of Arizona, and we are so proud that Coach Self calls Seton Catholic Prep home. Karen will be

Field

in Pro Football Hall of Fame ATHLETICS

inducted along with professional athletes Larry Fitzgerald from the Arizona Cardinals and Jennifer Gillam from the Phoenix Mercury, along with other Arizonans who have made a contribution to the world of sports.

Despite all of the awards, what means the most to her is the impact that she has had in her student athlete’s lives and the community.

“Working daily to help develop our current players, it’s hard to put into context the impact of a career,” Self said. “But, ultimately, that is the goal of every coach, to make an impact.”

namesake

John Omohundro was a volunteer and parent at Seton Catholic Preparatory, taking ownership of our baseball field and elevating it to one of the best in the state. He also contributed to the football and softball fields using his own valuable time. His impact was so significant that our baseball field is named the John Omohundro Field.

In his “regular” job, John was a trainer for the Arizona Cardinals, and spent 42 seasons building relationships with players, keeping them healthy after inevitable injuries to keep their career long.

“Having a head athletic trainer you can trust as a player that you know has your best

interest at hand allows you to make informed decisions about your health and well-being,” recalled former Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald.

The Pro Football Hall of Fame is now awarding John Omohundro as one of five in the first “Award of Excellence,” which notes their contribution to the game. His name will be on a display inside the Hall of Fame museum.

Girls teams recognized for sportsmanship

While we are proud of our student-athletes’ accomplishments on the field, we are more proud of how they conduct themselves both on and off of the field and represent our school.

This year, Softball and Girls Basketball programs were both honored with the Arizona Interscholastic Association [AIA] Sportsmanship Award for demonstrating high character and respect during their seasons.

Sentinels welcome new coaches

Coaches Carter Aby and Gina Wood are joining the Sentinel team to lead the boys basketball team and Spiritline, respectively.

“We think that [Coach Wood’s] experience as a collegiate cheer squad leader and knowledge of the world of Spiritline puts her in a position to enhance the program here,” says Athletic Director Gregg Buchanan.

Coach Wood began coaching

cheer camps at Seton during the summer.

“I want to take this program to the next level in both competition and community spirit,” says Coach Wood.

Coach Aby has previously coached at Desert Vista High School and an Arizona Select club team. He was also a dominating college athlete at Benedictine University Mesa, where he still holds school records.

Athletes recognized for academic success

The Sports360AZ All-Academic Teams honor athletes who participated at the varsity level during the year and earn a 3.5 weighted GPA or better OR a 3.0 unweighted GPA or better.

65 Winter athletes were honored:

Boys Basketball — 14

Girls Basketball — 9

Boys Soccer — 14

Girls Soccer — 19

Wrestling — 9

87 Spring athletes were honored:

Baseball — 11

Softball — 10

Boys Tennis — 6

Girls Tennis — 8

Beach Volleyball — 14

Boys Volleyball — 14 honors

Track and Field — 24 honors

WINTER AND SPRING ATHLETIC RECOGNITIONS

Girls Basketball

Karen Self — 4A Coach of the Year, Region Coach of the Year

First-Team All-Region

Amelie Cartagena

Sasha Daniel 4A Player of the Year, 4A Defensive Player of the Year, Region Player of the Year, Region Defensive Player of the Year

Second-Team All-Region

Caitlyn Benally

Sophie Morales

Honorable Mention All-Region

Mia DiPuccio

Raigan Gregston

Boys Basketball

First-Team All-Region

Zach Strauss

Second-Team All-Region

Jake Morris

Honorable Mention All-Region

Jackson Adlhoch

Charles Heil

Baseball

First-Team All-Region

Jacob Brown

Charles Heil

Nicholas Johnston

Tommy Steinkamp

Second-Team All-Region

Gerard Gerken

Michael Williamson

Honorable Mention All-Region

Josh Hamrick

David Ossanna

Softball

First-Team All-Region

Sasha Daniel

Sierra Daniel — 4A Offensive Player of the Year, First-Team All-4A; Region Offensive Player of the Year

Laney Ferrance

Bella Hernandez

Second-Team All-Region

Bella Gump

Ashley Gyhra

Aliana Ortega

Honorable Mention All-Region

Sarah Sladek

Boys Volleyball

First-Team All-Region

Isaiah Kubasak

Nick Pirrotta

Honorable Mention All-Region

Armin Abdoll

Santiago Gamez

Bobby Heim

Boys Soccer

First-Team All-Region

Marcos Castillo

Santiago Gamez

Mason Gordon

Girls Soccer

First-Team All-Region

Larissa Blanchard

Second-Team All-Region

Rylie Kelly

Sarah Krick

Kylie Monks

CLASS OF 2022

College destinations of the Class of 2022

SENIOR AWARDS

ST. ELIZABETH ANN SETON AWARD

Michael Kossler and Rachael Martinez

CAMPUS MINISTRY AWARDS

Courage: Thomas Welsh

Determination: Samaira Juan

Faith: Laney Ferrance

Love: Kamryn Benvin

DEPARTMENTAL SENIOR MEDAL AWARDS

Business: Josh Morris

Drama Fine Arts: Luisa Casillas

English: Nicole Bellin

Fine Arts: Audrey Wood

Math: Justin Sichmeller

Physical Education: Michael

Williamson

Science: Josh Morris

Social Studies: Justin Sichmeller

Theology: Audrey Wood

World Languages: Christina Joslin

AP SCHOLARS

“AP Scholar with Distinction” — students who receive an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, AND scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams:

Nicole Bellin

“AP Scholar with Honor” — students who receive an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, AND scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams:

Aine Boyle

Rachel Martinez

Josh Morris

“AP Scholar” — students who receive scores of 3 or higher on three or more

AP Exams:

Kamryn Benvin

Antone De Luz

Nicole Engelbert

Jalyn Gryskiewicz

Christina Joslin

Michael Kossler

Sarah Krick

Hannah Lichtenwalter

Kathleen Rafford

Emily Sanders

Brianna Stevenson

Audrey Wood

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

National African-American Recognition:

Adaora Mobisson

National Hispanic Recognition:

Rachael Martinez

Adaora Mobisson

Juan Cruz Ramirez Ramos

Letter of Commendation

Aine Boyle

Christina Joslin

Kathleen Rafford

Emily Sanders

Audrey Wood

Certificate of Merit:

Hannah Lichtenwalter

Michael Kossler

audrey Wood

V aledictorian

nicole Bellin

S alutatorian

Kathleen rafford

Jalyn