The Sentinel Shield Spring 2020

THE SENTINEL SHIELD

THE SENTINEL SHIELD

Spring 2020

loving service to others.

2019-20 ADVISORY BOARD

President Kelly Brown

Vice President Ray Ciferno

Secretary Lori Shipley

Rev. Chris Axline

Rev. Timothy Seavey

Bridgette Cosentino

Jennifer Ellis

Ken Hamada

Marissa Ramirez-Ramos

Michelle Sladek

Marjean Steinkamp

Ex-Officio Victor Serna

Staff Support Brandy Martinez

Board of Trustee Liaison Rich Zawtocki

2019-2020 BOARD OF TRUSTEES

President Gabe Ortiz ‘88, Medtronic Inc., Medical Device Sales

Carol Dobson, Dobson Family Farms, Owner

Tracy Dorsey, CPA, Seton Catholic Prep and Resurrection Parish volunteer

Sal Flores, Flores Wealth Management, Registered Principal Ross Robb, Owner and President of RLR Ventures, LLC

Rich Zawtocki, Zawtocki Law Offices, Attorney at Law

Ex-Officio Victor Serna

Staff Support Brandy Martinez

DIOCESE OF PHOENIX

CATHOLIC SCHOOLS LEADERSHIP

Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted

Auxiliary Bishop Eduardo A. Nevares

Vicar of Evangelization Rev. John Parks

Superintendent Harry Plummer

Assistant Superintendent Mary Bartsch

Assistant Superintendent Domonic Salce

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

“Therefore, my beloved brothers and sisters, be firm, steadfast, always fully devoted to the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

- 1 Corinthians 15:58

Dear Seton Catholic Community,

This year, as we celebrate our 65th Anniversary, we also focus on the charism of “Courage,” as displayed by our patroness, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. She lived a virtuous life full of tragedies and heartache, but in the most trying moments, she drew closer to Christ and never strayed from His guiding light. What an example for all of us to follow.

My first year as principal in 2010-2011 was a long and difficult year for me. I ended the school year by attending a meeting for principals where the opening prayer was led by a religious sister. She began the prayer by asking all attendees who believed their job was difficult. Every person raised their hand and her response was, “Good! Doing the Lord’s work should never be easy!” I am sure we can all attest to the accuracy of this statement. While we always have the choice to give up on the Lord’s work and choose an easier path, it is courage that keeps us focused on the Lord’s will.

Seton Catholic Preparatory is celebrating 65 years of academic excellence, leadership, and loving service to others. We have countless stories of past administrators, faculty, staff, coaches, alumni, and alumni parents who have demonstrated a similar level of courage as St. Elizabeth Ann Seton. Let us commit to honor these stories by always seeking to do God’s will even in the toughest times. Regardless of how difficult the task becomes or the challenges we face as we try to choose right over wrong, let us find inspiration from the life and example of Mother Seton and of those who have come before us here at Seton Catholic.

Sincerely,

Victor Serna

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK

Celebrating our 65th year with Courage

SENTINEL NEWS

CHARISM: COURAGE

Fr. Tim Seavey: How our students face courage in today’s world

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Vice Principal Gene Sweeney shares updates

COVER STORY

From humble roots, Seton celebrates a 65 year history of service

SETON’S 10 YEAR VISION

Planning for the Future

ATHLETICS

Q&A with Girls Volleyball Coach, James Johnson

FINE ARTS

Senior’s dancing brings balance to his life

FEATURE STORY

2019 Hall of Fame Inductees

FEATURE STORY

Alumni Advisory Council

ALUMNI NOTES IN MEMORIUM

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

On the cover: Fr. Patterson and the first Seton graduating class in 1958, and our most recent graduating class of 2019.

WELCOME ABOARD!

Please join us in welcoming the following outstanding teachers, staff and coaches to the Seton Catholic Prep community:

Shelby Bonomo

English

Concordia University, BA, Education

Brittany Ecker

Theology

Aquinas Institute of Theology, MA, Theology

Patricia Glasser

Advancement Associate & Database Specialist

Creighton University, BSBA, Management

Hunter Holland

Maintenance

Mesquite High School

Christine Howard Staff Accountant

Arizona State University, AA, Business and English

Ashley Palanzo

English

University of New England, MA, Writing

Gene Sweeney, PhD

Assistant Principal

Benedictine University, BA, Communications and Teaching

Loyola University, MA, School Administration

Loyola University, PhD, Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

Sarah Swinford

Science

Arizona State University, BA, Biological Sciences

Pete Wahlheim

Head Football Coach/Physical Education

Northern Arizona University, MEd, Exercise Science

SENTINEL NEWS

Seton Catholic and St Peter’s A PARTNERSHIP OF FAITH AND CULTURE

By Colleen McCoy-Cejka, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Catholic Education Arizona

This article originally appeared in the Catholic Education Arizona October 2019 Newsletter. It is reprinted with their permission.

For students on the Gila River Reservation, a Catholic high school education could only be a dream. Established in 1935 St. Peter’s Indian Mission School on the Gila River Reservation in Bapchule provides a Catholic education for kindergarten through eighth grade. The only Catholic high school in the East Valley and the Catholic high school nearest to the reservation is 18 miles away — Seton Catholic Preparatory, established in 1954. But when a family lacks transportation, 18 miles is an insurmountable obstacle. In other parts of the Valley, it is not unusual for students to travel 18 miles to attend a Catholic high school; but for these families, the 30-minute drive by car means that most students at St. Peter’s stay on the reservation for high school.

REMEMBERING MDME. DUVIAU

Seton Catholic and St. Peter’s have worked to make it possible for students on the Gila River Reservation to attend Catholic high school through an established bus route that is funded by Seton Catholic Prep.

The Seton community was saddened by the sudden loss of Florence Duviau, French teacher, in early October. Though new to Seton this year, Mdme. Duviau had made a strong connection with her students. She inspired them with her love of France and the teaching of French language and culture.  She was in the process of growing the French Program to its greatest enrollment and success.  Students will miss her thoughtful demeanor and her passion for teaching them well.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” -Matthew 11:28

“We had been talking about creating the bus route for years and finally just did it,” said Pat Brown, St. Peter’s business manager. The route was started in 2018 with just a few students.

With stops in both Casa Grande and St. Peter’s, the bus brings them to Seton and home each day.

Seton sophomore Samaira Juan, who attended St. Peter’s from kindergarten to eighth grade, is among the students who have benefitted from the bus route. She first learned about Seton in seventh grade when the admissions team came visited St. Peter’s. She knew there would be challenges, but there were so many clubs, opportunities and college prep possibilities for her.

“Only two from my class came to Seton. I wish more students from Gila River would come,” she lamented. “There is an adjustment to the culture and the work is challenging, but Seton is a Catholic school.”

Juan, who enjoys community service and someday hopes to work in law enforcement, talked at length about her experience as Junior Miss Gila River 2018-19 when she was a freshman. “I represented my community, visited pageants and other tribes, helped with events and fundraisers, and spent time with the elderly.”

As part of her Junior Miss role, Juan served the community by visiting the elderly in Sacaton. “I smiled when they smiled, and I cried when they cried,” she recalled.

Victor Serna, Seton Catholic Principal; Samaira Juan ‘22; Robert Stone, Lt. Governor of Gila River Indian Community; Katie Price, Seton Catholic Teacher; Leah Kochis, Seton Catholic Counselor

Katie Price, one of Juan’s freshman teachers, attended the farewell celebration at the end of her reign as Junior Miss. “I was beyond impressed with Sam’s perspective as Junior Miss Gila River, said Price. “She spent her year with incredible dedication to serving her community. She is a fantastic role model!”

Juan remembers fondly the way she was able to celebrate her heritage and her faith at St. Peter’s. “One of my best memories is of All Souls Day. We would sing songs at the cemetery, leaving room around us so the spirits could dance and pray with us.”

Now that transportation is a possibility, more students from St. Peter’s can share their faith traditions and cultural influence with students in the East Valley. The influence of students with experiences and traditions like Juan’s offers opportunities for Seton students to learn about and appreciate their nearby Native American brothers and sisters.

“We hope to increase the number of students at Seton from St. Peter’s,” said Seton principal Victor Serna. “We would love to graduate more Gila River students in the future!”

SETON STUDENTS CLAIM TOP SPOTS IN STATE WRITING CONTEST

Two Seton Catholic seniors were Arizona’s top winners in the 2018-19 “Letters About Literature” writing competition. Sponsored by the Library of Congress, the contest asks students to write to an author —living or dead— about how one of their works affected them personally. Raelyn Dickinson placed first in the state for a letter she wrote to author R. J. Palacio about Wonder about a young boy who was born with a facial deformity. Emma Bratko placed second for a letter she wrote to John Green, whose teen protagonist in Turtles All theWay Down suffers from anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Both students said they can identify with characters in the popular teen novels. Dickinson said she can relate to the big sister in Wonder because she also has a little brother who is considered “different.” Like the main character in Turtles, Bratko also has experienced anxiety and “thought spirals” brought on by a milder form of OCD.

9TH GRADER MAKES PILGRIMAGE TO MEXICO

Freshman Jalen Peters joined thousands of others in an annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Francisco Xavier in Magdalena, Sonora, Mexico in early October. This tradition runs annually between September 27 and October 5 and celebrates with a feast throughout the week. Pilgrams participate on foot, bike and horseback.

Leaving from Tucson, Jalen’s group of four journeyed approximately 46 miles over the course of three days, mostly on the side of a busy federal highway. Sponsors will travel with the walkers, driving ahead a few miles and preparing an area for resting, meals, and camp when it’s time to sleep for the night.

Participants are often “called” to make the pilgrimage, with many praying for a special intercession from St. Francisco Xavier. Prayers, songs and reflections are shared

MOVING ON

Seton Catholic faculty and staff bid farewell to five colleagues who retired in May: Jane Pearson and Trish Nash (English Department); Tom Darby (Social Studies), Robin Noudali (World Languages); and Kathy Carpenter (cafeteria). During the end of year luncheon, Seton Principal Victor Serna presented the Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Award to Pearson and former Assistant Principal David Sorkin, who left Seton in June to become principal of St. Hubert Catholic School in Chanhassen, Minnesota. The award honors faculty and staff for their dedication and leadership in upholding the mission of Seton Catholic.

along the journey. It is a physical and very emotional experience.

The journey ventures through Nogales, then to small towns and villages along the desert. They travel up hills, across rough gravel, down dirt roads and even through running streams. As they approach Magdalena, the group will stop for special prayer at a tree outside the property, then complete the final two miles to the statue of St. Francis. They bless themselves and carry on the old tradition of “lifting the statue.”

Jalen is part of the Tohono O’odham nation, and their tradition dictates that most activities are done in sets of four. When the decision is made to participate in this pilgrimage, an individual is committing to walk four consecutive years with the fourth being a celebration of completion. This was Jalen’s third year out of the four, and he looks forward to celebrating his completion next year!

Jalen Peters pictured second from right, with some of his family and walking partners.

Seton Catholic PrincipalVictor Serna, center, congratulated retirees Jane Pearson, Trish Nash, Tom Darby, Robin Noudali and Kathy Carpenter at the May 2019 staff luncheon.

Isat in newly renovated historic classroom A3 at lunch on a hot Wednesday afternoon in late August with a hope that I wouldn’t be the only one showing up. Mr. Serna and I co-moderate the pro-life club, who’s mission it is to promote a culture that respects, protects, loves, and serves all human life. Three students trickle in. Okay, thats a start. Three more rambunctious boys who I was sure were lost or in the wrong classroom.

“You here for the pro life-club?”

“Yep,” one of the boys chirped as they found their seats. Maybe I was wrong for second guessing that Seton could produce a solid pro-life club. A few more students joined us and we began the meeting with prayer.

I asked them, as it was the first meeting of the year, “Why are you here?”

The answers came quickly. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but it seemed that they had already thought about it. Members of the club voiced their desire to build community around the sanctity of life and standing up for what is right. They mentioned the importance of coming to this club as friends together, the

CHARISM: COURAGE

need for involvement and advocacy on campus, and a passion about defending what they believe is true. I couldn’t have said it better.

The 2019-20 school year at Seton Catholic will be marked by an emphasis on Courage, one of the four charisms so evident in the life of our patroness Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton. In what might be described as the darkest part of her life, Saint Elizabeth did not give into despair but displayed a heroic courage that made her the mother, the wife, the friend, the saint that she was.

One of my favorite parts of her life was the incredible and risky voyage she took with her husband William across the Atlantic Ocean from New York to Italy. While in the Bay of Gibraltar near Spain, quarantined because William himself was dying of tuberculosis, she wrote an entry in her journal, speaking of the courage that wasn’t a strong mother and wife pulling herself up by her bootstraps, but really an intervention from God. With all odds stacked against Mother Seton, she recorded a dream in her journal on November 8, 1803:

“I was climbing with great difficulty a mountain of immense height and blackness when near the top, almost exhausted, a voice said, ‘Never mind, take courage there is a beautiful green hill on the

Students help prepare food for migrants near the Mexican border.

A reflection by Fr. Tim Seavey, Chaplain

other side—and on it an angel waits for you.’”

Courage is the “virtue of bravery in facing difficulties, especially in overcoming the fear of consequences in doing good.” The student who exemplifies moral courage demonstrates pursuing a Christian moral course, regardless of the possibility of incurring disapproval, contempt or even public shame... At least that’s what’s on our website. I can sum it up for us in some more digestible words: courage is doing the right thing even if it’s unpopular.

I guarantee you I’m nowhere near the social status “popular,” but I think I can tell you what’s unpopular in the world today: plaid

skirts and shorts that go down to your knees, wearing lanyards, tucking in your shirt, waking up to get to daily Mass, staying after school to work hard on your grades, spending a day feeding the homeless, standing up in front of a billion dollar industry with a rosary in your hand to pray for the unborn, going out of your way to make the new students feel welcome, bringing needed supplies to immigrants on the southern border, and forgiving the wrongs of others. Living the Gospel of Jesus Christ is unpopular. Yet our students, the Seton Sentinels, have the courage to do it every day. Somehow they remain, at least in my eyes, pretty cool. Like all virtues, courage is built up over time. Small choices every day can be courageous. We don’t need to be heroes and save the day to demonstrate our courage. It’s the small acts of kindness, the stepping out of our comfort zone, the love we have for everyone from all walks of life which make Sentinels courageous. Luke 16:10 says, “The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones.” In this sense, trust is like courage. It’s the small acts of courage that help us make the heroic acts of great magnitude when the opportunity comes along.

Mr. Serna started off this year’s Welcome Back assembly with a

short clip from the major motion picture, Evan Almighty. Morgan Freeman plays a character who represents God in this familyfriendly comedy loosely based off the biblical story of Noah and the Ark. The clip gave our students something to think about as Morgan Freeman asks a stressed out and timid character about her doubts:

“Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous?”

Bishop Olmsted doubled down on this call to be courageous. At the first all-school Mass of the year celebrated on the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, he issues this challenge, calling every Sentinel to courageously join him in the spiritual battle that the youth must engage in today.

“‘Fight the good fight of the faith!’ St. Paul exhorted a young man named Timothy. And St. John Paul II never tired of repeating the words spoken by the Angel Gabriel to Mary: ‘Be not afraid!’”

Sentinel students and faculty are challenged everyday to do what is right. What is right is not always popular, but we do it anyway. It’s what makes us proud Sentinels, to rise to the occasion, to be courageous this school year and always.

The House of St. Anne makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for those in need at Midwest Food Bank

Students pose near the Mexican border on their Kino Border Initiative immersion trip, which helps make humane, just, workable migration a reality.

Juniors help with art projects at Oakwood Creative Care for the elderly

ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE

Seton Completes Self-Study

For the past year, Seton Catholic Preparatory has been working on a planning and accreditation process guided and sanctioned by the Western Catholic Education Association.

WCEA’s accreditation process helps to ensure that schools are committed to continuous improvement focused on high achievement for all students.

The process involves three main steps: a self-study by the school community, the creation of an Action Plan, and a site visit by a committee composed of educators from other schools.

The self-study process asks the school to comprehensively evaluate itself related to the areas of:

• Catholic Identity

• Organization

• Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment

• Support Services

• Resources (Enrollment, Finance, Development)

The process was very inclusive, with all faculty and staff invested in one of the above five categories, and groups meeting several times during the school year. Data collection was crucial to the process, as statistical data must be provided to support the final report and ensure it accurately reflects the current state of the school.

Once the school had reflected on its data, the most important phase of the process began: the development of a schoolwide Action Plan. This Action Plan serves as the strategic planning guide for the school as it moves forward with the school improvement process determined by the strengths and areas of growth identified in the self-study.

There are four major areas for vital growth on which we are tentatively focusing our work for the next five years around:

• Revisiting our Mission and Integral Student Outcomes to ensure they reflect our Catholic community and its desires for our student outcomes upon graduation and in life.

• Expanding our material resources to ensure all students have an ability

to attend Seton, and that our plan has the capacity to allow for our growth and expansion of our enrollment.

• Broadening our student support to address the needs of our diverse range of learners.

• Strengthening our capacity to support the teaching and learning community.

The visiting team will be here in March, and once they affirm the plan it will be published on the school website and will guide our improvement moving forward. For more information about the specifics of the plan or if you have any questions, please contact Dr. Gene Sweeney.

SETON WELCOMES

NEW VICE-PRINCIPAL

Dr. Gene Sweeney brings extensive experience to the role of assistant principal at Seton Catholic Prep.

Dr. Sweeney comes to Seton from Winamac, Indiana, where he recently served as the assistant principal of Winamac High School.

Dr. Sweeney has served in a variety of educational leadership roles that include superintendent, assistant superintendent for learning services, high school principal, and associate principal for instruction. He has also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Notre Dame.

Dr. Sweeney has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and Teaching from

Benedictine University, a Master’s Degree in School Administration and a Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from Loyola University. He has significant training in the areas of leadership development and instructional improvement including work done at the Harvard Principal’s Center. Most recently, he has served as an educational consultant working to transform educational programs across the country. Dr. Sweeney and his wife Maggie have four children, Ryan, Lauren, Maura, and Connor. He and his family are enjoying being members of the Seton Catholic family!

Dr. Sweeney being interviewed by students for an assignment in theology class.

“You are beautiful for you are fearfully and wonderfully made”

Psalm 139:14

Mindful of the belief that all human beings are made in the image of Christ, we seek to foster spirituality and inclusion among all members of our student body.

Goals of the ARC program:

For each student to be as fully integrated as possible into the total life of the school community.

To support with welcoming acceptance students with diagnosed disabilities, and further promote respect for human life by helping all to more fully realize the value and gifts inherent in each of God’s children.

To provide tiered assistance and interventions for students in need of support to achieve academic success in a college preparatory setting.

To provide training and classroom support to general education teachers in an inclusive environment.

Expanded Academic Resource Center

Provides Varying Levels of Academic Support

Seton Catholic Preparatory has created the Academic Resource Center (ARC) which provides academic support to students with learning differences. ARC offers a tiered approach designed to provide a supportive and inclusive education designed for students diagnosed with mild to moderate learning disabilities, other health impairments and executive functioning deficits who would benefit from specialized support.

Under the guidance of Jennifer Kohl ‘98, the program has its own designated ARC room where students can receive support, take extended time tests and have access to quiet testing spaces. Mrs. Kohl has a Bachelor of Social Work, a Masters in Education/Curriculum and Instruction with a focus in Counseling, and this year will finish her Masters of Arts in Education/Special Education.

ARC is offering three tiers of academic support:

1. The Resource Program is the first level of support and is for students with a history of documented learning differences, who, with additional assistance, can succeed within the competitive college-prep curriculum at Seton Catholic Preparatory. The ARC Team (parents, counselors, resource coordinator, students, and teachers) create and implement a student support plan (SSP) with classroom accommodations appropriate to the student’s diagnosis. Students may utilize the ARC room for assistance with prioritizing assignments, test preparation, study skills, and organization. ARC will be open for enrolled students during 8th hour and is student initiated.

2. The Academic Learning Program is for diploma-bound students with documented mild to moderate learning disabilities or other health impairments. This tier offers support and assists the academic and organizational needs of students through a structured, specialized learning environment. Academic courses include: ARC IPHS, ARC Strategies, ARC Math, ARC Math Success, ARC English, and ARC Foreign Language. Courses are offered on a semester basis, both for credit and non-credit purposes. Decisions regarding credits are made on an individual basis.

3. The Academic Options Program is in the planning stages and has a two to four-year implementation plan. This is the most intense and programmed level of support and will provide an innovative, inclusive special education program for students with moderate intellectual or cognitive disabilities who cannot access the general curriculum. This program provides the opportunity for non-diploma seeking students to grow socially, spiritually, and academically alongside their peers in a Catholic environment. The program focuses on academic as well as vocational skills, with each student’s education plan being highly individualized. The Peer Mentor program will be reintroduced as an integral part of the Academic Options Program. The vibrant network of students will provide one-on-one help, friendship and encouragement throughout the school day.

Seton Through The Years

1954:

Seton was founded by Fr. Joseph Patterson. After opening St. Mary’s elementary school, it had always been Fr, Patterson’s goal to have a high school where students could continue their Catholic education. Initially, Seton primarily served the migrant farming families in Chandler and surrounding cities. Fr. Patterson brought the Sisters of Charity to teach at this new school on Williams Field Road which was the only Catholic high school in the area. Because the Sisters of Charity, Sr. Mary Ronald our first principal, helped staff and build up the school and students, the school was named for their patroness, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton, a pioneer in parochial education.

1958:

The first class of freshmen from 1954 became Seton’s first graduates in 1958.

Throughout its first years, Seton was building the population of the school adding one grade level per year. Many students came from important and influential families in Chandler’s history.

Seton High School

Seton High School

1966:

Seton faculty and staff worked hard to keep Seton students on the forefront of essential subjects. Students always learned the core subjects of English, math, science and history. At this time, Seton also offered bookkeeping and shorthand, business, home economics, and typing classes.

1969:

As the school continued to grow with the support of its families and community, campus expansions were made and a multipurpose building/gymnasium was built. This created indoor space for sports and a stage for performances that were previously performed outside.

1973:

Seton became a Diocesan school in the Diocese of Tucson under Bishop Francis Green (the Diocese of Phoenix did not yet exist). The school continued to expand its population and loyalty, growing a sense of pride from all students and families.

School

Seton High School

Seton High School

Seton Through The Years

1980:

Devastation hit Seton when most of the original campus was destroyed by arson. Families stood and watched as crews tried to save the school. Portable classrooms were brought in so classes could continue just a few short days later and classes continued in these portables for the next two years. The community rose up to save Seton and demonstrate its importance to the Diocese. Volunteers and students cleared what was able to be saved from the classrooms and held fundraisers including bake sales and brick sales to help rebuild the school.

1981:

The first of the Irish Christian Brothers came to Seton. Brother Mark O’Leary was principal during this trying time in Seton’s history and helped usher us into the next phase.

Many more brothers joined him in future years including beloved Brother Dan Casey.

Seton High School

Seton High School

Seton High School

1983:

Once the decision was made to keep Seton open, it was also decided to relocate to a larger area that would allow expansion and growth. Seton opened its doors on its new campus on Dobson and Ray.

1987:

For the first time in Seton’s history, we had a cafeteria on campus, a place out of the sun where students could eat lunch. It was also used as a gathering space for many other activities including Masses, assemblies, plays, and dances. Due to its flexibility, the building was lovingly nicknamed the “Cafechurchatorium.”

1990:

Seton continued to grow but community stayed important. Seton began a program called SALSA, which operated similar to a homeroom, students of all grade levels gathered together with teachers for small group discussions and projects. Mrs. Diane Collins’ SALSA group used this time to write the first two verses of Seton’s fight song!

High School

Seton Tri City High School

Seton Tri City High School

Seton Through The Years

1996:

Seton sports were once again played outside and in borrowed facilities as we built up our new campus. With the help of many families and Monsignor John McMahon, whom the gym was named after, Seton built a gym on the new campus. During its final stages of construction, the site was vandalized which was a high cost to repair and delayed the opening by months. But again the Seton community came through to assist with its completion.

1999:

Girls sports were having a run of championships at the start of two longtime coaches’ careers. Girls basketball with Coach Karen Self won its 3rd state championship in a row and Softball, with Coach Jerry Mullin won its 4th consecutive state championship. These successes have continued through the years of Seton sports.

2002:

Seton was growing and beginning to compete with other big name schools in the state. With the help of parents and generous donors, Seton began a robotics program borrowing space from the library and wherever they could find it. This ushered in new opportunities for students and opened the doors for future programs. At this time Seton also purchased 13 adjacent acres to its campus to allow for further growth.

Seton Catholic High

Seton Catholic High School

Seton Catholic High School

2008:

Seton built and opened a new larger chapel. Its beautiful dome and architecture was adopted into the school’s new logos. Paying homage to our history, the Sisters of Charity emblem is displayed throughout the Chapel, including the pews and altar. The stained glass rose window high above the altar was lovingly designed by students. The chapel became the honored spot of May Crownings and daily Masses.

2009:

Sr. Joan Marie, who had been a constant figure at Seton for over 40 years, retired and moved back to the Sisters of Charity Mother House in Pennsylvania. Her sweet singing voice and strong influence on Seton will be fondly remembered for many generations.

2010:

After removing the football field to make way for our chapel, the new football stadium was completed and home games came back to campus. In the following years, we added an all-weather track, concession stand and restrooms.

Seton Catholic High School

Seton Catholic Preparatory High School Seton Catholic Preparatory High School

Seton Through The Years

2011:

While many schools were reducing their arts department, ours flourished and expanded with the opening of the new Fine Arts Building. This building included many classrooms, art space, a dance room and theater. We were able to allow larger audiences to see our performances which include plays, musicals, and many fine arts nights throughout the year showcasing the talents of our students.

2017 (SPRING):

Student Council created our House System which was implemented the following year. The House System, which replaces Student Council and mimics the structure in some European schools, allows students more opportunities to be leaders and have a say in school activities. Each House has junior and senior leaders. Each House has students of all grades participate in volunteering and service, games, and community building activities for our school and the wider community.

The Houses are named after saints. Students remain in the same House for their duration at Seton. This system resembles programs Seton had in its earlier days as well.

2017 (FALL):

Seton was awarded the National Blue Ribbon Award for outstanding academic outcomes! Proud of our accomplishments, this allows us to proclaim in a very official capacity the hard work that our students, faculty, and staff have put forth over many years to truly be the best Seton that we can be.

Seton Catholic Preparatory High School

Seton Catholic Preparatory

As we celebrate 65 years, we also are planning for the future of Seton Catholic. Principal Victor Serna worked with the Leadership Team and Board of Trustees to develop a 10-year vision centered on two key focus areas:

• Support Seton’s mission to provide an outstanding academic education within the Catholic faith tradition

• Ensure sustainability and vitality in everything we do. It is not enough to just get by; Seton must thrive, be financially fit, and be a leader in the community.

YEAR VISION: SETON AT 75

With the above in mind, our vision has specific outcomes:

• Be known for creating leaders in our community and Church;

• Celebrate the extraordinary academic outcomes of ALL students who seek a Catholic, college preparatory education. (See ARC article on page 9 for more information on this plan.)

• Build state-of-the-art teaching, learning, and community venues in fulfillment of our Master Plan.

With numerous capital projects in the Master Plan, criteria were created to prioritize potential projects.

The Academic Learning Program, slated to begin next school year, is for diploma-bound students with documented mild to moderate learning disabilities or other health impairments.

PROJECT COMPARISON CHART

CAMPAIGN TIMELINE

While a new academic building addresses many concerns, we also need to renovate the historic campus and add a new multi-purpose Event Center. The Event Center will become the central meeting place for our community. Here we will celebrate Mass and events, and the space will provide much needed additional athletic space.

The hard truth is that the cost to do both projects is not within our current reach. Therefore, we will renovate the Historic Campus over the next three summers and then set our sights on the Event Center.

The following timeline depicts both milestones and moments to assess our progress.

We will need your help and hope you will join with us as we continue the legacy of Seton Catholic. If you have questions or want to learn more, please contact Victor Serna or Jim Pogge, our Director of Advancement.

PROJECT BREAKDOWN

Event Center

• Civic and Community Events

Concerts and Performances

• New Competition Venue

• Sacred Space

• School Events and Meetings

Renovations

• Exterior and Landscaping

Interior and Furniture

• Main Entrance

• Gymnasium

• Historic Campus Classrooms

• Quad and Restrooms

ATHLETICS

VARSITY GIRLS

VOLLEYBALL

LADY SENTINELS NET NEW VOLLEYBALL COACH

James Johnson ‘87, longtime assistant coach for Seton Catholic varsity girls volleyball, wrapped up his first season as head coach for the Lady Sentinels with a 19 and 5 record. Johnson took the reins from Patti Schoenhardt who stepped down during the offseason after a successful four-year stint as head coach. Johnson has coached club, school and YMCA volleyball. A Northern Arizona University graduate, Johnson is also an assistant chief with the Mesa Fire Department.

The Sentinel Shield served Johnson a few questions prior to the start of the 2019 season:

SS: Did you play volleyball when you attended Seton?

JJ: Boys volleyball was not around way back when I was attending Seton. However, I played four years of baseball and one year of basketball.

SS: What led you to coaching girls volleyball?

JJ: My oldest daughter wanted to play volleyball, and at the time, (Our Lady of) Mount Carmel School did not have a coach. The athletic director asked if my wife wanted to coach. She quickly said, “My husband would be happy to do it,” so that’s when it started.

together to work as a team has been our focus.

SS: What is your greatest strength as a coach?

JJ: I surround myself with great people. Just as I expect our athletes to work as a team, we have to work as a team when we are coaching.

SS: How do you motivate your players?

JJ: I work hard to stay motivated myself and try to lead by example. I have been coached and mentored by some wonderful people who were extremely motivated to do the right thing. That’s been very inspiring.

SS: The Lady Sentinels were region section champs three years in a row: 2016, 2017 and 2018. What was your coaching strategy for 2019?

JJ: We’ve leveraged practice to compete at a high level, adapt and adjust to challenges and develop strong teamwork. Although we graduated 12 seniors last year, we have many talented athletes who were ready to fill those shoes on day one.

SS: What are some things you’d like to improve from last season?

JJ: I want to continue developing team chemistry. We work hard on this every year. We have talented athletes and bringing them

SS: Is volleyball gaining popularity among girls? If so, why are more young women showing interest in the sport?

JJ: I think so. Volleyball is such a quick, exciting, fast-paced sport that develops a well-rounded athlete. Players gain a great understanding of teamwork, plus it’s a great workout. This is what’s intriguing to young women athletes.

SS: Three of your children attended Seton. Did you have the experience of coaching any of them?

JJ: My oldest, Halle, graduated in 2016. Riley and Ryan graduated in 2019. I was truly blessed to coach both of my daughters in volleyball at Seton. With Ryan, it was actually nice to strictly be a parent watching him compete in baseball and basketball at Seton.

SS: Wow, multiple Sentinels in the family! Why did you decide to send your kids to Seton?

JJ: I was fortunate to graduate from Seton. I truly enjoyed my high school experience, and I wanted the same opportunity for my children. The family environment, faith, structure, and leadership Seton provides is priceless.

Girls Varsity Basketball Coach James Johnson (right), with assistant coach Brian Milhone, and team members Nicole Engelbert, Gracie Shearan, Ally VanDevender, Delaney Shearan

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING SETON TEAMS AND ATHLETES!

Football

All-Region First Team

Keyshon Upchurch, Defensive Back

All-Region Second Team

Mike Krohnert, Offensive Line

Mikey Castro, Running Back

Josh Hansell, Defensive Line

Sam Zadel, Linebacker

Dominic Cosentino, Kicker

Josh Hansell, Punter

Honorable Mention

Girls Volleyball:

All-Region First Team

Christina Kuras -- Hitter / MB

Rachael Martinez -- Libero

Delaney Shearan -- Setter

All-Region Second Team

Catherine Schwab -- Hitter / MB

Honorable Mention -- Ally Van Devender --Setter

Coach of the Year -- James Johnson

Player of the Year -- Delaney Shearan

Defensive Player of the Year - Rachael Martinez

Joey LaLicita, Quarterback

Isaac Faulkner, Linebacker

Matteo Ortiz, Offensive Line

Swim / Dive Team:

Overall girls placed 13th out of 30 teams.

Overall boys placed 4th, (missed 3rd place by 6 points) out of 34 teams

James Karam broke Seton’s school record on Fri. with a :58.70 and AGAIN on Sat., with a :58.41

Cross Country:

Cross Country-Boys team finished 3rd out of 14 teams and qualified for state.

Girls team finished 7th out of 12 teams and missed spot to State meet.

Ellie Sericati earned an individual spot to the State Meet

Spiritline:

Spiritline-Pom Line qualified for the State Tournament

FINE ARTS Spotlight ZACH BARTO

A solid 215 pound, 5 foot, 9 inches tall lineman, Zach Barto cuts an imposing image of a football player. Few would guess the Seton Catholic senior is also an accomplished dancer who has competed in national competitions and toured internationally with a youth dance group.

“I get a lot of grief from the guys on the team about dancing, but I know they secretly love that I can do it and support me,” Barto says.

In fact, when Barto busts a move at pep assemblies as a member of Seton’s premier Company Dance, his teammates unleash boisterous cheers.

To describe Barto as a versatile dancer is an understatement: His dance repertoire includes hip-hop, tap, ballroom, jazz, musical theater and “a little ballet – still.”

His passion for dance began as a toddler, when he would accompany his older sister, Amber, to dance class. When he started to fuss, his grandmother would place his stroller in the middle of a tap class, and the sound of taps on hardwood seemed to soothe him.

When he was in elementary school, he joined the Tempe Dance Academy (TDA), one of the oldest dance schools in the Phoenix area. Many of TDA’s students have gone on to perform on Broadway, in film, music videos and cruise ships.

Three years ago, Barto was part of a TDA tour that performed in France, Italy, Switzerland and Germany. Additionally, he performed at the New York City Dance Alliance annual competition for eight consecutive years, starting at age 7.

“I never won that competition, but it was very cool just to go there and compete,” he said.

The California native has appeared in two Seton winter musicals: Kiss Me Kate and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. His favorite performance is TDA’s “Spirit of Christmas” because celebrates religion and the spirit of Christmas.

One would expect that the teen’s favorite performers are hip-hop artists who are judging TV dance competitions or burning up social media.

“I’m old school,” Barto proclaimed, saying he admires classic hoofers such as Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire and Frank Sinatra. “Tap is very rhythmic. It’s something you can do anywhere. You don’t need a fancy ballroom or stage.”

Barto is also a certified scuba diver. His physicality resulted in a fairly recent injury, which surprisingly did not occur under the sea or on the football field.

He fractured a toe rehearsing a complicated move with his dance partner. Barto tossed the young woman in the air and accidentally dropped her on his foot while she was wearing “character shoes,” theatrical footwear distinguished by 3-inch chunky heels.

He continued to walk and dance with a shattered toe for more than a year before his doctor decided he needed surgery to repair bone spurs caused by the injury.

Despite his talent, he is not interested in pursuing a career in dance. Barto plans to attend college after graduating from Seton, and following a stint in the military, hopes to attend medical school to become a surgeon.

Even with the hands of a surgeon, Barto will always be a dancer at heart.

“When I dance, I feel happy,” he said. “Everything going on melts away.”

HALL OF FAME

FIVE HONOREES INDUCTED HOMECOMING WEEKEND IN SEPTEMBER

DR. TOM FOSTER ‘69

Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame

Dr. Foster enlisted in the Army and saw the value of the education he received at Seton as he was able to excel during his Army training. After his time in the service he went into education teaching at Mountain View High School, and then became an adjunct professor at Mesa Community College. He had a long career at MCC and Chandler-Gilbert Community College including teaching 17 different unique courses, was a Business and Computing Studies Division Chair, and contributed to online learning, Veteran services, and technology literacy. Upon his retirement was designated Professor Emeritus by Maricopa Community College District. Tom is happy to spread the word about the quality of education he received at Seton and how that knowledge and experience has allowed him to positively affect others.

JACK MARSH ‘05

Distinguished Athletics Hall of Fame

Jack Marsh was an inspiring tennis player who never lost a single match his entire career at Seton Catholic. He was the first 3A player to win four consecutive individual state championships. Jack was ranked as high as sixth in his age group in the US Tennis Association’s Southwest Section and he also helped lead his team to two team state championships his sophomore and senior years.

PATRICIA COLLINS

Distinguished Service Hall of Fame

STEVE SAVILLE ‘79 †

Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame

Steve attended college at Northern Arizona University and received his degree in journalism/public relations. After college he stayed up north and served others in the community working for various magazines and publications including the Lumberjack, NAU’s student newspaper, and worked as president and publisher of both the Mountain Living Magazine and Flagstaff Live. He was named Outstanding Alumni of the School of Communication and was the commencement speaker for the school. He was also a humanitarian and dedicated much of his time and his life to various organizations including YMCA, United Way, Big Brother, and was the Endowment Chair with the Flagstaff Family Food Center and Food Bank. His love for people was evident in his actions as well as his presence.

TIFFANY TATE-ECKES ‘08-’09 †

Distinguished Athletics Hall of Fame

Tiffany began her coaching career at Seton Catholic in our 08-09 season as a freshman basketball coach. It was quickly obvious that her talents and competitive fire needed to be utilized at a higher level, and the next season she helped coach at the varsity level. Tiff had cystic fibrosis and through her ability to fight, overcome, and persevere, was able to teach our girls the same characteristics. She pushed our girls to always give their best no matter what obstacle they faced. She was an inspiration with the grace she accepted her medical struggles and always pushed them to be the best version of themselves. Tiff helped coach nine seasons and helped earn seven state championships as a part of our girls basketball family.

Pat has had a long career with Seton beginning as LIbrarian, then to Principal and now she works in our archive. Pat was Principal from 2005-2017 and during her tenure she helped the campus grow in multiple ways. Our football field moved and she oversaw construction of our St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Chapel and our Fine Arts Building which includes our Black Box Theater. With this growth, we were able to significantly expand our offerings of Fine Arts classes while other neighboring schools were having to cut back. Pat’s efforts to make Seton well-known and rise to a new level certainly paid off as she concluded her tenure as Principal with Seton being acknowledged as a National Blue Ribbon School.

ALUMNI ADVISORY COUNCIL

ALUMNI ADVISORY COUNCIL

This is a committee of alumni who support the Alumni Relations Office in fostering relationships with alumni, supporting alumni events and creating positive alumni experiences in relation to the mission of the school. We are always welcoming new members to join the Council in July or to serve on committees within the Council.

If you are interested in being a part of this important alumni position, please contact Maggie Brown at MBrown@setoncatholic.org.

Meet your 2019-2020 Alumni Advisory Council

Matt Kochis ‘97 President

Nicole Harrison ‘88, Vice President

Eric Barkyoumb ‘04

Ben Fredlake ‘03

Felicia Grajeda ‘13

Kim Mickle ‘97

Marc Olivier ‘88

Geoff Smitham ‘98

Anthony Wallace ‘11

We are currently searching for individuals who would like to serve as a Class Captain. This would include sharing alumni events and other information with your fellow classmates a few times a year. This is a high impact way to help out our mission without a huge time requirement. If you are interested contact Maggie Brown at MBrown@setoncatholic.org.

Matt Kochis ‘97 President

Nicole Harrison ‘88 Vice President

Eric Barkyoumb ‘04

Anthony Wallace ‘11

Geoff Smitham ‘98

Marc Olivier ‘88

Kim Mickle ‘97

Felicia Grajeda ‘13

Ben Fredlake ‘03

ALUMNI CALLOUT

Carly Cabel ‘13

Seton alumna chosen to work on colon cancer research

Seton alumna Carly R. Cabel ‘13, was chosen to assist in a project comparing the results of two studies which attempted to identify new colon cancer treatment methods. The two studies, one conducted by researchers at Vanderbilt University and Dartmouth College and the other by a Harvard Medical Center team, had arrived at different conclusions. This prompted a doctor of the original study to contact Cabel’s professor, Curtis Thorne, PhD, at the University of Arizona Cancer Center to further explore the findings. Dr. Thorne called upon Cabel, one of his doctoral students, to assist in the project.

Cabel, who holds a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology from UA and was the recipient of the John and Betty Anderson Memorial Fellowship, was tasked with a majority of the project’s work. The fellowship supports first-year graduate students who have elected to pursue a career in cancer research.

For her experiments, Cabel relied on a high-throughput microscope called the Operetta CLS, cutting-edge technology available through UA’s Functional Genomics Core, to take thousands of images of colon cancer cells. She then analyzed millions of cells captured in the images using custom software developed by Elaheh Alizadeh, PhD, a postdoctoral research associate in the Thorne lab at the UA.

For Cabel, her first published work is a rewarding step in the journey to pursue a PhD and a career in cancer research.

“I think the biggest takeaway from this is the concept of collaboration,” Cabel said. “The best groups are going to have lots of researchers working on a common goal, especially in our case with cancer. We want to get the best science and research out there for the best care, because that’s what is most important.”

This article includes excerpts from a longer article originally published in a EurekAlert News Release on July 30, 2019 and is reprinted with permission. EurekAlert! is a nonprofit news-release distribution platform operated by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) as a resource for journalists and the public. To read the entire article, visit: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2019-07/uoah-ura073019.php

ALUMNI NOTES

1981

Grace Martinez Alvarado

Sylvia Valdez Krick

Seton friendships can last a lifetime and Grace and Sylvia know that better than anyone! Their friendship began at St. Mary Basha in first grade, grew at Seton Catholic, continued through ASU and now they teach together at CTA Goodman Elementary school in Chandler where they will be until the time comes to retire. Sylvia is the media specialist/librarian and Grace teaches PE.

1996

DJ Spetz DJ started as principal for Desert Ridge School in Mesa after being assistant principal for Westwood High School! DJ has been in education for 17 years and had been at Westwood for the last 7 years. While in education, he has been a teacher, a varsity girls basketball coach, and held a variety of other positions including facilitating professional development training for school leadership throughout the country.

1999

Todd Husson Todd is currently serving in the US Army at Fort Carson, CO. He has served for the past 10 years and the last seven as an Apache pilot. He is now transitioning back to the civilian world and using his GI Bill to get certified to fly for the airlines.

2004

Dustin Schodt Dustin has been working as a director at Creative Testing Solutions. He’s been very busy as he got married in June and now he’s been selected for CEO/COO development at CTS! This is a multiyear development plan to further grow his leadership abilities and has relocated to Portland to run the lab there for about a year starting in August!

ALUMNI NOTES ALUMNI NOTES

2004

Susan White Foss Susan and family welcomed Daniel Mark to the world in March 2019. This is number three for Susan and big sister Sofia and big brother Sam are ecstatic about their new playmate!

2005

2008

Johnny Nguyen Johnny works as a real estate agent but has taken some time to compete in body building competitions! After two weeks of competitions in a row, he won 1st in Tucson for the open class earlier this year!

Megan Plichta Sterkowitz Megan is married to her high school sweetheart, Drew Sterkowitz ’07, and they have two young girls. She is a nurse at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center and recently received her Pregnancy and Postpartum Athleticism Certification. She currently coaches out of Journey Training in Tempe, AZ and runs a pregnancy and postpartum boot camp. Her goal is to help educate, manage symptoms, and respect the healing process during the postpartum period to help moms reach their fitness goals within a healthy and empowering environment. She is looking to fill the gap in the fitness industry by providing training and guidance during a transformative period in a mother’s life.

2010

Eduardo Rivera is a vowed religious member of the Congregation of St. Basil, a community of Roman Catholic priests and students for the priesthood. He was ordained a deacon and is completing his year of ministry as a deacon before being ordained a priest.

2011

Ian Wintering ‘11

Deacon Joe Ryan ‘69

Bishop Olmstead celebrated the opening Mass for our 65th school year. Ian Wintering and Deacon Joe Ryan helped celebrate with us. Ian is currently attending St. John Vianney Seminary in Colorado.

2013

Anna Schwab graduated from Barrett Honors College at ASU in 2017 and now has been accepted into Midwestern University School of Osteopathic Medicine and received her White Coat! She has already begun classes and is expected to graduate in 2023!

2010 - 2014

Bernadette Smith ‘10

Dominic Smith ‘14

Christian Nguyen ‘14

These three alumni formed a band with longtime friend MaryAnne Muglia called “The Band Ezekial”. They’ve already won a song-writing contest and were chosen for a complimentary recording session. Now that they’ve all graduated from college, they’re moving along on this journey, recording and playing here in their hometown for various opportunities including our recent staff retreat and Alumni Hall of Fame Mass during Homecoming weekend.

2014

Robert Chimel and Rachel Ladzinski Alums Robert and Rachel were recently engaged! Pictured here on a trip in San Diego, Robert said, “It was never if we would get married, it was when we would get married.”

Heather Heild

Heather is attending medical school at Tuoro University, NV. Recently she officially received her white coat as a student doctor! She is on track to graduate in 2023 with her MD!

2014

Claire Evans Rauguth Claire married Jonah Rauguth at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on February 16, 2019. Claire graduated Summa Cum Laude in Communication Arts at Benedictine University. It was here that Claire met Jonah while working on the Peer Ministry Team. Claire is teaching kindergarten at Archway Classical Academy Cicero in North Scottsdale; Jonah is a financial advisor at Immaculate Wealth Management in Mesa, a family owned business. Claire and Jonah reside in Queen Creek.

2015

Sahil Sandhu Sahil was granted an English Teaching Assistantship Fulbright to Tajikistan to teach English at one of the American Spaces (Khujand). Along with English, Sahil plans to teach STEM-related classes as there is a high demand for that. He also has been allotted grant money to study Tajik and Russian so his schedule will be very full!

2016

Abbey Schroeder has an exciting new job at US Senator Martha McSally’s Congressional office as the young women’s outreach coordinator. She is one of the first in this position in the country and credits her interest in politics to her teachers here at Seton.

2017

Lindsey Grootegoed Lindsey has made the Phoenix Mercury Hip Hop Squad! The team will perform at the Mercury home games as well as other appearances!

2018

Roman DeCaro Roman recently went to Jamaica with classmates from Arizona State University to serve the severely disabled with the Missionaries of the Poor in Jamaica. He helped residents bathe, played games with them and sang to them. Roman said this experience helped grow his relationship with the Lord. The entire team had an amazing experience and hope to travel back to Jamaica again to serve with the brothers in their cause.

Sophia Promponas Sophia is attending St. Mary’s College in South Bend and enrolled in a dual degree with Notre Dame. Sophia has been in competitive Irish dance since she was 9 and she’s currently dancing for Mayer Irish Dance in Indiana/Illinois and is a member of the Notre Dame/St. Mary’s Irish Dance Gold Team! They performed the halftime show at one of Notre Dame’s basketball games!

Do you have alumni news to share? We want to hear from you! Please email your information to SetonAlumni@SetonCatholic.org. Alumni Notes may be edited for length and clarity or held for social media. We welcome photos, but please make sure they are high resolution. We can’t wait to hear from you!

2019

Vince Wallace and Michael Van Bruwaene are currently playing football for Lake Forest College in Lake Forest Illinois!

Dominic Pastore, Matthew Martinez, Colten Christiensen, Nick Wade all received football scholarships to attend and play for Clarke Catholic University in Dubuque, Iowa.

IN MEMORIAM

If

Barbara Phillips Grant, ‘66

June 2018

Dennis Walsh ‘69

February 2019

Rosalia Mendoza ‘80

July 2019

Daniel Rideout

Seton parent

August 2019

Dr. Charles Myler

Past parent

Joe Campanella

Past grandparent

Jim Estrada

Seton grandparent

August 2019

Florence Duviau Seton World Language Teacher

October 2019

Stephanie Serrano, ‘72

October 2019

Gene Lee

Seton Past Parent

October 2019

Joanne Girvan Hay ‘65

November 2019

Ashlee Hoffer Russell ‘05

December 2019

The Seton Catholic Prep community extends its deepest sympathy to friends and family members of the deceased. May they rest in peace in the arms of the Lord.

A Lasting Legacy

Seton Catholic Preparatory mourns the passing of a dear friend and member of our community, Joseph Campanella. Mr. Campanella was a true believer in Seton Catholic’s mission. It was through his advice, service, and support that the Seton Catholic community was able to accomplish the physical growth of the campus, to what it is today.

A retired chief operating officer and founder of Campanella Enterprises, Mr. Campanella’s leadership was a major influence in kicking off the development of the new campus. Under Mr. Campanella’s caring leadership, the Capital Campaigns resulted in our beautiful Chapel, the Fine Arts building, and the Athletics’ Concession building.

Mr. Campenella believed in the value of Catholic education. Four of his grandchildren graduated from Seton Catholic Preparatory and one is currently in attendance. He embraced a stewardship lifestyle, believed all he had was a gift from God, and in turn, shared those gifts, talents, and treasures.

Seton Catholic Preparatory was blessed to have known Mr. Joseph Campanella, and to have had him as our friend and patron. It is from the bottom of our hearts that we say thank you Joe; your caring presence will be missed.

In April, Seton Catholic Preparatory mourned the passing of our friend and dear member of our community, Dr. Charles Myler For more than four decades, he served and supported the Seton Catholic community.

Over the past 20 years, Dr. Myler was a major donor to the Fund for Seton Catholic, which supported the day-to-day operations of the school. For the last 13 years, he provided an annual challenge grant to support the Fund for Seton Catholic, bringing in thousands of additional dollars in financial support and hundreds of new donors. He touched the lives of thousands of young people and helped to provide a Catholic education to many who may not have been able to afford it.

Dr. Myler’s belief in the value of Catholic education led him to send his five children to Catholic schools, including Seton. While his children attended Seton Catholic, Dr. Myler served as president of the Parent Advisory Board and willingly stepped into other capacities of leadership as the need arose.

Today, Dr. Myler’s grandchildren are joining the ranks of Seton Catholic Sentinels. One of his favorite things was attending the annual Seton Grandparents Mass. As his health failed he always enjoyed being visited by members of the administration who regularly updated him on the school’s progress.

Dr. Myler embraced a stewardship lifestyle, believing that all he had was a gift from God, and in turn, he was called to share his gifts. For many years, Dr. Myler generously supported the students of Seton Catholic Prep, St. John Bosco School, and St. Mary Basha, as well as the needs of Corpus Christi Parish.

Dr. Myler has left his touch throughout the Seton Catholic Community and his loving support for Seton Catholic Preparatory will be sorely missed. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank Dr. Myler and his family.

May they rest in peace!

you are aware of a member of the Seton community or alumni who recently passed away, please notify the Seton Advancement Office so we may remember them in this column. Please send an email to setonalumni@setoncatholic.org.

SUMMER CAMPS:

Summer camps will begin in June, dates are being finalized and will be announced soon. Please check www.setoncatholic.org for updates.

ATHLETIC CAMPS

Strength and Speed Camp

Grades 5-8

Boys Basketball

Grades K-5

Grades 6-8

Girls Basketball

Grades 3-6

Grades 6-8 (Advanced 6th Graders)

Baseball Team Fundamentals

Grades 3-5

Grades 6-8

Hitting Camp

Grades 3-5

Grades 6-8

Softball

Grades 5-8

Girls Volleyball

Beginner

Grades 4-6

Advanced

Grades 6-8

Spiritline

Grades K-5

Grades 6-8

Football

Grades 9-12

Swim Camp

Grades 6-12

ACADEMIC CAMPS

Academic

Math Skills

Grades 6-8

VEX Robotics

Grades 6-8

LEGO Mindstorms

Grades 6-8

Earth and Space Science

Grades 6-8

Chinese Culture

Grades 6-8

Composition Skills

Grades 6-8

Drawing

Grades 6-8

Animal Sculpting

Grades 6-8

Open Art Studio

Grades 10-12

Musical Theater

Grades K-5

Grades 6-8

Enrichment

English Preparation

Grade 9

Algebra Preparation

Grade 9

Algebra Review

Grade 9

UPCOMING EVENTS CALENDAR

MARCH 24

Golden Sentinels Dinner

5:00 - 9:00 pm

Seton Fine Arts Theatre

APRIL 25

Seton’s 65th Anniversary Gala Doubletree Hotel, Tempe

Proceeds to benefit Campus Renovations and Tuition Assistance

APRIL 29

New Family BBQ

5:00-8:00pm

A Welcome and Introduction to New Families

MAY 19

Graduation

7:00pm Mesa Arts Center

FALL 2020

Homecoming

Dates will be announced soon

NOVEMBER 2020

Golf Fest

Date will be announced soon

Academic