PDF - Divine Child High School

DC Falcon
FLYING FAST
Courtney Brewis '09
Wins Detroit Marathon
Winter 2014
Falcon
Once a
Falcon
Always a
4
10
High School News
High School Athletics
IN THIS ISSUE
Message
from the
4
10
12
PASTOR
Dear Alumni,
I
pray
that
your
Christmas
was
filled
with the gift
of
Christ’s
love and new
life. We are
very blessed
as Catholics to have the opportunity
to celebrate the Mass of Christ:
the real presence of Jesus Christ
presented to us in the bread and
wine. The Eucharist is the “source
and summit” of the Catholic Church.
Even though we may not feel it, our
soul is nourished when we receive the
Eucharist. The soul is strengthened,
emboldened and enlivened to do the
12
19
Feature Stories
High School News
High School Athletics
Feature Stories
winter 2014
19
22
24
Alumni Profiles
Alumni Profiles
Alumni News
Alumni Events
work of God: to spread the Good
News in this New Year!
Gratefully, here in our Divine
Child community, we have been
entrusted with continuing to spread
the mission of the Good News. One
aspect of this mission is our campaign
to update our facilities. Our school
buildings will undergo various
renovations, and we will continue to
be on the cutting edge of Catholic
education, a root of evangelization.
It is my hope and prayer that each
one of you who have benefited from
the spiritual, academic, athletic and
social aspects of our fine institution
will help us so that we will continue
to bring the Good News to those
who follow in your footsteps. It is our
duty and responsibility to help others
grow in their faith by having a superb
educational environment and a
beautiful church in which to worship.
We have a plan for the Church
of the Divine Child to continue to be
an anchor in our neighborhood and
to let the world know that we are
proudly Catholic and our mission to
bring the Good News is alive. Please
prayerfully consider helping us in this
important endeavor.
I pray that the Divine Child, who
came into the world to show us how
to be a people of charity and service,
will fill your hearts with His wonder
and love all through the New Year!
Blessings of Joy,
Fr. Jim Bilot
Pastor
“If we walk in hope, we have joy in our hearts.
Let us be lights of hope”
~Pope Francis
Message
from the
PRINCIPAL
I
often
say
that
high
school
combined
w i t h
adolescence
is the most
difficult four
years
of
our
socialemotional
life. I cannot say that students don’t
struggle at Divine Child, but I can
honestly say that thanks to our
Bernardine Franciscan roots, we
continue to develop programs that
allow us to meet students where they
are at and provide a way forward
that is lit with hope.
We have always recognized that
high school student life at DC is
difficult, and we continue to work
to ease the challenges students face.
One of the initiatives that I believe
has categorically changed student
life at DC is the Instructional
Support Program. In my day, back
in the late 1980s, we offered few
accommodations and no ongoing
support for students with diagnosed
learning differences. This academic
year alone, we have no fewer than
60 students across four grades in
our Instructional Support Program
who are benefiting from targeted
interventions aimed at promoting
their autonomy. Furthermore, we
have weathered tragedies this year
and in the recent past, and we are
blessed to have on our staff a social
worker who complements the
guidance offered by our class-level
counselors (including a dedicated
Freshman counselor). Our students
do not have to struggle in silence. They
are, in fact, invited to begin healing
when they hurt. Our Freshmen
are paired with upperclassmen
through our successful Link Crew
mentor program and are provided
a meaningful transition into ninth
grade. This minimizes the freshman’s
sense of feeling lost. Additionally, we
are attending to the skills that our
students need to meet the challenges
of a 21st century college preparatory
curriculum. It begins with reading
comprehension and vocabulary. In
our first semester Freshmen Seminar,
we are challenging our Falcons to
name the actual tasks that they have
difficulty completing and holding
them accountable for the mastery of
core skills.
When I see your heavens,
the work of your fingers, the
moon and stars that you set
in place - What is man that
you are mindful of him, and
a son of man that you care
for him? Yet you have made
him little less than a God,
crowned him with glory and
honor.
Psalms 8:4-6
I have spent much of the fall
reflecting on Psalm 8:4-6; wondering
what God has in store for this
Catholic college preparatory school.
I can imagine a DC that is even
better than what we have currently.
If our doors are still open, it is
because He is not done with us yet.
In order to know, love and serve God
better, we have to be willing to name
our real strengths and continuing
challenges. Our tuition model, which
offers the best value in our area,
challenges us to do more with less.
Providing children with a Catholic
college preparatory education is
a challenge for our families and
we are committed to keeping our
tuition low. The zip codes from
which we have historically drawn
the bulk of our students no longer
yield the same number of applicants
or matriculants. At one time, the
majority of our students lived in our
local Dearborn community. Now we
attract students from 47 different zip
codes. Finally, we continue to work
on developing a relationship with
our alumni base. Asking alumni to
contribute financially to maintaining
the standard of excellence to which
we strive is a difficult challenge, and
we are open to your ideas that can
help make the case for support.
I do believe that God spared us
when other Catholic schools closed
over the last two decades. It may be
that He wants us to develop more
fully this idea of a quality experience
for every student and an academic
program that celebrates all the gifts
that God bestows. It may be to give
us the opportunity to become even
more hospitable, even more loving
in our daily practices, even more
faithful in our public witness to our
Catholic faith. I am proud of the
Divine Child that we are and have
been, but I am even more excited
about the Divine Child we have been
given the opportunity to become.
Warmly,
Damian L. Hermann '89
www.divinechildhighschool.org
3
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
Junior Ring Day Blessing
The annual tradition at Divine Child continued as Juniors had their class
rings blessed during a prayer service by Fr. Bilot and Fr. Kopson on October
17, 2014. The class rings are blessed for a reason similar to why a couple has
their rings blessed at a wedding. A bride and groom say to each other: “take
this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity. In the name of the Father, and of the
Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” It is a sign of love and fidelity to one’s spouse and
to God.
For our students, rings are blessed as a sign of fidelity to God and to their
Catholic education, and a commitment to love and to grow in Christian virtues.
The rings have a cross on them—they point to Christ, to the Divine Child, and
to spending time here, and beyond, growing in their own personal holiness and
serving others.
Seniors wore their graduation gowns for the first time.
Students Surpass Pledge: Faith in Action “Super Goal” of $140K
As of 12-16-14
Congratulations to our High School students who raised more than $142,000 during this year’s Pledge: Faith in
Action campaign! Thank you to all of the friends, family members, teachers and neighbors of Divine Child students who
generously supported this effort. An excellent Pledge: Faith in Action video featuring many Divine Child students and
faculty can be found on our online giving page at dcpfia.org.
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
Welcome New
High School Staff
The Alumni Association is built
on a strong foundation of dedication
and a belief in the motto Once a Falcon,
Always a Falcon. With this in mind,
the Association actively promotes
the family tradition of continuing a
Divine Child High School education.
This year, the Alumni Association
generously awarded the Falcon
Legacy Scholarship to Claudia
Stoops, daughter of Kevin '87 and
Rosetta (Cimino) Stoops '87 and
Joseph Hermann, son of Damian '89
and Kristin (Szpunar) Hermann '89.
The Falcon Legacy Scholarship
is awarded to incoming freshmen
whose parent or parents graduated
from Divine Child. Candidates
are selected based on high School
Placement Test scores, a written
essay, and a panel interview. The
Falcon Scholar, open to all incoming
freshmen who have achieved high
academic excellence and maintain
ongoing Christian service, was
awarded to Frida Galaviz and Luke
Ciarelli, son of James Ciarelli '86.
Falcon Scholars are also evaluated
based on test scores, a written essay,
and an interview.
Back Row (L-R) Matt Moore '04, Vance Nannini, Rob Lowney and Erich Heiden
Front Row (L-R) Bernadette Bacero '08, Laura Fanning, Lexi Clippard and Yvonne Schuck
Cameron Taylor
Emily Fraser
National Merit Scholarship Competition
We are proud to announce that Divine Child High School has 5 seniors
selected for the 2015 National Merit Scholarship Program. They are:
Commended: Paula Babula, Dane Miller, David Rose, Joseph VanBuhler (son of Mary Francis (Gallagher) VanBuhler '87)
Semifinalist: Joshua Hejka
These students are recognized for the exceptional academic promise
demonstrated by their outstanding performance on the PSAT qualifying exam.
Joshua Hejka, Semifinalist
www.divinechildhighschool.org
5
Homecoming 2014
Made in Detroit
Liturgy
J. Mike Courage '98, Asst. Principal, Fr. Jeff Allan '97 and
Eric Haley '98, Asst. Principal
Fr. Jeff Allan concelebrates with Fr. Bilot
Pep Rally
Freshmen win Spirit Award
Teachers vs. Seniors Tug-of-War
Divine Child Pom-Pon Team performs at Pep Rally
6
Once A Falcon
Winter 2014
This year for Homecoming, DC
went back to its roots with a Made
in Detroit theme. Throughout the
week, students celebrated Motown
music and other Detroit artists, while
enjoying Vernors floats and cheering
on all the Detroit sports teams. They
wrapped up Spirit Week with a high
energy pep rally where all the students
sported their T-shirts from the Made
in Detroit Company! Saturday
brought an exciting football game,
the presentation of the Homecoming
Court and the announcement of
this year's Homecoming Queen. Do
you remember the long-standing
tradition of how the court finds out
who becomes Homecoming Queen?
Each girls receives a long-stem rose
box. The girl who receives the white
rose has been chosen by her fellow
classmates to represent this year's
queen. Congratulations, Rose Hart
who
was
voted
Homecoming Queen
this year!
Saturday evening,
students
danced
the night away and
ended the evening
with goody bags filled
with Detroit products
by Sanders, Faygo
and Better Made.
Thank you to all the
volunteers who make
this such a special
week for all!
Game
Parade
Homecoming Court
Homecoming Court (pictured L-R) Megan Schroeder, Natalie Cantalino, Rose Hart,
Kaelah O’Brien, Hailey Case, Juliana Latour, and Elyse Seitz.
Homecoming Queen Rose Hart and
her dad, Robert Hart.
www.divinechildhighschool.org
7
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
Band/Choir
It was a fun filled musical
semester in the band room. The DC
Choirs, DC Jazz Ensemble and the
DC Symphonic Band welcomed
the Christmas Season for over 400
audience members at the annual
Christmas Concert on December 14.
All the ensembles did a great job!
Theater Update
The Theater Department would
like to thank all alumni who supported
the benefit concert of Les Misérables in
October. In August, floods severely
damaged the stage, costumes,
curtains, and props. Thanks to the
generosity of the Mayor of Dearborn
and the Ford Performing Arts Center,
Divine Child was able to utilize the
Michael A. Guido Theater to host a
benefit performance. Many thanks to
Mayor O’Reilly and the Ford Center
personnel. Divine Child raised over
$14,000 from the performance to
benefit the Theater Program.
The
Theater
Department
performed a rendition of Jane
Austen's Pride & Prejudice as this
year's Fall play. Thank you to family
and friends for all your support!
Announcing: Spring Musical
Divine Child's 2015 Spring Musical
is Fiddler on the Roof. The show is
filled with exciting roles and many
opportunities for student involvement,
on and off the stage. The pit orchestra
alone will have over 20 members for
the show! Congratulations to the cast
who just completed auditions.
March 19 - 22, 2015
Thursday, Friday and Saturday
7:30 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday
2:30 p.m.
The Choir performed with
country music legend Kenny Rogers
during his Christmas Concert held
at the Fox Theater on December 6.
The students performed wonderfully
with many compliments from Kenny,
his producers and the audience
members.
The Band
is
gearing
up for its
February
trip to Walt
Disney World
in
Orlando,
Florida. The
Band will be
marching down Main Street at the
Magic Kingdom on February 27,
2015. Over 500,000 people from
around the world will witness Divine
Child's musical talent!
8
Once A Falcon
Winter 2014
For questions regarding our
Fine and Performing Arts Program,
please call Mr. Bush at 313.562.1990
Ext. 220 or e-mail at: bush@
divinechildhighschool.org.
Please contact the Advancement
Office for more information on
donating specifically to the Theater
Program: 313.216.0891
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
La Sociedad Honoraria Hispánica
The Spanish Honor Society visited Detroit Public Schools’ Academy of
the Americas to share the day with 5th graders. The students celebrated all
things made in Detroit. To represent the auto industry the students decorated
cardboard cars in the themes of Detroit professional sports teams and then
raced them on the playground. They also decorated T-Shirts, shared lunch in
the cafeteria, tasted Better Made products, Sanders toppings and made Vernors
floats. It was a fantastic day of fellowship between bi-lingual Detroit Public
School students and Divine Child Spanish learners. The Society celebrates
different themes quarterly. Their next trip includes the study and functions of
simple machines.
DCHS Support
Sweet Dreamzzz Program!
Scores for Class of 2014
The composite ACT Exam score for
the Class of 2014 was 24.2, more than 4
whole points above Michigan’s average
score of 20.1. The National average is
20.9.
The K-5 students at Bennett Elementary School in Detroit will be going
to sleep with sweet dreams after participating in the Sweet Dreamzzz R.E.M.
(Rest. Educate. Motivate.) Sleep Program. Divine Child High School students
made fleece blankets for the preschoolers in the program and volunteered for
both set-up and distribution. Over 450 children and 40 parents learned how a
good night’s sleep contributes to better health and improves learning.
Divine Child Link Crew
This year the Divine Child Link Crew welcomed our newest Falcons - the Class of 2018. Beginning with Freshman
Orientation in August, first semester has been busy with monthly activities between the Link Leaders and the Freshmen,
including a Tailgate, Homecoming Float Frenzy, Halloween Boo Bash, and Christmas Chain Competition.
Divine Child Link Crew offers a unique opportunity for our Juniors and Seniors to mentor incoming Freshmen in a
fun and supportive atmosphere in order to increase freshman year success. Members of the Junior and Senior class are
trained to be year-long Link Leaders who act as positive role models, motivators, mentors and teachers helping guide
the Freshmen to discover what it takes to be successful during this pivotal transition to high school.
www.divinechildhighschool.org
9
Athletic Scholarship Signings
On November 12, 2014, Divine Child had the largest athletic signing in history with six DC Senior athletes.
Congratulations to the following athletes who officially accepted their Athletic Letters of Intent and Scholarships: Riley
Blair, Brett Boes, Collin Goslin, Josh Hejka, Laura Kastler, and Jonathan Lapshan.
Riley Blair
Basketball
Ferris State University
Collin Goslin
Baseball
Michigan State University
Laura Kastler
Competitive Cheer
Alma College
Brett Boes
Golf
Wayne State University
Josh Hejka
Baseball
Johns Hopkins University
Jonathan Lapshan
Baseball
Hillsdale College
Tony DeMare Named 2014 Michigan Hall of Fame Inductee
h
ions
ips
mp
ha
sh
Before the July 10 Michigan High School Baseball East-West All-Star Game at Comerica Park, Divine Child
Athletic Director and Varsity Baseball Coach Tony DeMare was recognized in a pregame, on-field ceremony as one of six
Michigan Hall of Fame inductees for 2014. He was also honored the night before at a MHSBCA banquet in Chesterfield,
Michigan. DeMare is a member of the CHSL Hall of Fame and his resume includes State of Michigan Coach of the
Year honors, National Midwest Regional Coach of the Year, Division 2 Coach of the Year three times, CHSL Coach of
the Year five times, Regional Coach of
a th o l i c L e a g
the Year five times and CHSL Athletic
4 State Cham
ue
5C
pio
C
Director of the Year in 2009.
n
As Divine Child's Athletic Director,
DeMare took over the Falcons’
baseball program in 2000 and has a
397-171 record. In 15 years with the
team he has four state titles, five CHSL
championships, six regional crowns, six
division titles and 15 consecutive district
trophies. Forty-six of his players have
gone on to play in college and seven
have reached the professional ranks.
ips
HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETICS
Divine Child Athletics has had a
terrific start for the new school year,
as our Fall Sports Teams enjoyed
considerable success and represented
Divine Child well. Collectively, the
teams won 2 District Championships
and 2 Regional Championships
in addition to winning 2 division
championships and appearances in
the Catholic League Championship
games.
We are proud of all of our
student-athletes and coaches. Thank
you for providing a memorable Fall
Sports Season!
Volleyball
Varsity won the District (16th overall) and Regional Championships
(2nd Regional in 3 years). Freshmen and JV teams both enjoyed fine seasons.
Football
Varsity finished as Catholic League Runner-Up, qualified for the State
Playoffs and made it to the District Championship game. The JV Football team
won the Catholic League AA Division.
Boys’ Cross Country Won
Regionals, their 2nd in three years
and 5th in the last 6 years.
Girls’ Cross Country
Finished as Catholic League
Championship Runner-up and fifth
place in Regionals.
Boys’ Tennis The Team finished as
Catholic League Runner-Up.
Boys’ Soccer Varsity finished
as Catholic League Runner-Up and
won the District Title. JV won the
Catholic League AA Division and
Freshmen had a fine season.
Girls’ Golf
Qualified as a team
for the State Finals.
36
A Perfect The words “excellent”
“special”
and “unique”
are thrown around quite a
bit these days, especially
when it comes to athletes.
But what about “perfect?”
Divine Child cross country
runner Dane Miller could
be considered excellent and
special when it comes to
running. But when it comes to
academics, he’s perfect.
And there is no debating
perfect - either you are or
you’re not. The senior scored
a perfect 36 on his ACT
earlier this year. That’s a good
place to start when talking
about Miller, who is clearly
a numbers man. He works
hard to decrease numbers in
his running while looking to
increase his stats in the classroom.
But back to the starting line. A 36 on the ACT?
“My father played a big part in preparing me” said Dane,
the son of Linda and Richard Miller. “Starting in sixth
grade, my dad bought me test prep books for the High
School Placement Test. I worked 15-20 minutes a day to
get ready. This carried on even after I entered high school
and I prepared for the PSAT and the ACT the same way.
Leading up to the ACT, I just took practice test after
practice test and reviewing the ones I got wrong. My
biggest piece of advice is to not stop trying. I got a 36 on
my ACT the fourth time I took it and had a 32, or fourpoint leap, from my prior test taking.”
How unique or special is a 36? According to national
results, less than one-tenth of 1 percent of students who
take the ACT earn the top score. In 2014, only 1,407 of
nearly 1.85 million students earned a composite score of
36.
Miller, 16, who was born in Garza Garcia, Mexico,
now lives in Dearborn. He has a 4.6 grade-point average
at Divine Child. Academics have always been important to
Miller and his family. “Since I was about 3 years old, my
parents enrolled me in Kumon, an after-school math and
reading program,” he said. “My parents set a standard for
working hard and provided me with necessary academic
tools for the future.”
12 Once A Falcon
Winter 2014
Dane Miller '15
Dane’s oldest brother, Duncan '09, was Valedictorian
at Divine Child and received a scholarship to the University
of Michigan and is now attending graduate school at MIT.
“He set the bar high for me and my other brother Griffin
'13, who is a sophomore engineering major at University
of Michigan, and showed us what we could do if we put
our mind to something,” Dane said.
Dane '15, Linda, Duncan '09, Richard, and Griffin '13 Miller
Balancing sports and school work has been pretty easy
for Dane. “Working around sports has never really been a
problem for me,” he said. “I have been playing sports for as
long as I can remember. I swam during the summer, played
soccer year round and ran cross country and track for the
DC grade school.”
Like academics, running was part of the Miller
family tree and Dane took a branch and ran with it.
He was All-Area in track last year and helped lead
the Falcons back to the state finals in cross country.
“Dane ended the season as my number one runner posting
a season best of 16:57,” said DC coach Robert Glenn.
“Every cross country team needs a leader, what I call a
front runner. Dane is a front runner both in the classroom
and on the cross country course.”
Miller was the Falcons’ top finisher at the state finals
at MIS in Brooklyn and helped the Falcons land in 22nd
place overall. His sixth-place finish helped lead DC to
a regional title at Lake Erie Metropark the week before
states.
“The fact that I’m 6-foot-2 and have very long legs
helps, but also my ability to push myself to the limits,”
Miller said explaining his success. “My coaches are also
able to inspire me to give it my all on the cross country
course.” Being part of the cross country team at DC has
been more important than any trophy or ribbon or medal
he’s earned over the years.
“I love the guys on the team and the camaraderie
we all have,” he said. “My two coaches are really great
and inspiring and help us to be not only faster runners
but better people in the real world. I enjoy setting goals
for myself and working hard to achieve them with my
teammates.”
Miller was All-Area as a sophomore and AllArea, All-Catholic and All-Academic as a junior.
As a senior, he was All-Area, All-Catholic, AllRegional and All-County honorable mention. And,
of course, he was Academic All-State again this year.
Miller attended Dearborn Heights Montessori Center until
high school and decided to go to Divine Child “because
it was one of the best local schools around,” he said.
“My favorite part about Divine Child is probably the
community,” he said. “The students have an enormous
amount of spirit. We all come together to support our
football team and cheer our hearts out at our pep rallies.”
He would certainly suggest DC as a school of
choice for students looking for a challenging
and
rewarding
high
school
experience.
“I came from a grade school with a graduating class
of about 15 students so I was pretty nervous going into
a school with 800 plus students,” he said. “However,
everybody was so welcoming and kind to me that
I had no trouble becoming a Divine Child Falcon.”
He will next become a Michigan Wolverine.
“My future plans are to follow my brothers to the
University of Michigan and to hopefully become
an electrical engineer,” he said. “I haven’t really
thought past college yet but I’m always on the
look out for any opportunity that I come across.”
Sounds like the perfect plan. ~Terry Jacoby, MIPrepZone
Dane with current DC Principal, Damian Hermann '89
and former DC Principal, Peggy (Soma) Knuth '72
Investing in Excellence
Capital Campaign
Academic, Athletic and
Performing Arts Projects
Investing in Excellence is intended to provide our
students with state of the art educational, athletic, and
performing arts facilities. The Capital Campaign projects
include the renovation of the High School Science Wing
and Elementary School science lab, replacement of the
47-year old High School Auditorium seats, construction
of a new outdoor activity complex with a multi-purpose
synthetic playing surface and eight-lane running track,
and renovation of the Elementary School boys' locker
room and surrounding space.
Plans are already underway to begin work this
spring in the Elementary School boys' locker room and
surrounding area, which will serve as infrastructure
preparation for the Athletic Complex. In addition,
installation of the new Auditorium seating is scheduled
to begin this summer in conjunction with repairs to the
Auditorium necessitated by the August 2014 flooding.
More information regarding the Campaign will
become available as we move to the public phase in
early 2015. The Campaign is being led by an exceptional
group :
Randy Doran, Executive Chair
Jim Demmer '75, Vice Chair
Mike Foye '63
Peggy (Soma) Knuth '72
Mary Kosch, Vice Chair
Cam McCausland '83, Vice Chair
Gary Stanford '71, Vice Chair
To learn more, contact
Kristin Hermann, Director of Advancement
[email protected] • 313.216.0893
www.divinechildhighschool.org
13
Mini Falcons
Bringing Future Stars Together
Baseball has
its minor leagues
and Divine Child
has
its
Mini
Falcons.
While
high
school
coaches
are
focused on the
present,
many
at the Dearborn
Catholic School
cannot help but
look to the future.
Denise Brewis, Divine Child’s
Administrative Assistant in the
Athletic Department, came up with
Mini Falcons as a pet name for all
the younger children of the coaching
staff. “When we started to realize that
so many of our coaches were starting
families, we thought it would be fun to
get them together to showcase them
all at once,” said Brewis, who helped
organize the photo shoot of 18 adults
and 15 children five and under!
“Our DCHS Athletic Department
really enjoys seeing the little ones
in the building and at the events,”
Brewis said. “They’ve become very
close with the athletes and bring tons
of joy and entertainment.”
Johnson Family
The long roster of families that
help make up the Mini Falcons include
JV football coach Nicholas Ploucha
and wife Anne (Michael, age 4);
boys’ assistant basketball coach Chris
Johnson and wife Colleen (Vivian,
age 14 months); girls’ assistant
basketball coach Julie (Salmonson)
Kaniewski '95 (Elizabeth, age 3 and
Thomas, age 1), Tedi Belisle varsity
softball coach (Sawyer, age 2 and
Lux, age 10 months, not pictured) and
figure skating coach Leticia Romero
(Elliana Smith, age 2, not pictured).
Mary (Murray) Laney '95, girls’
basketball coach at DC and husband
Chris, an assistant coach with the
DC varsity football team, are raising
two future Falcons to follow in their
footsteps, Ellen, 4, and Niall, 2.
“Being a lifelong Falcon, it means a
great deal to me to raise my family at
Divine Child and be a part of such a
wonderful community,” said Laney,
who will begin her 11th season
guiding the girls’ basketball program.
“My kids love being at the school and
spending time in the gym. They are
already making lifelong friends with
many of the other Mini Falcons.”
Bill Sovinski '00 is the father of
Kaniewski Family with
Salmonson Grandparents
three little ones. The boys’ lacrosse
coach previously coached at Canton
Middle School and Salem High
School and is thrilled to be back
home at Divine Child. “My wife Kelly
(Simonie) Sovinski '00 and I are
alumni of DC,” he said. “My wife is
a second generation Falcon, and my
oldest is starting the third generation.
I came to Divine Child my freshman
year and even after graduation, I have
always kept up with the school and
sports programs. Since day one at
DC, I have felt a sense of family and
closeness amongst the alumni, faculty,
parents, and students.” The Sovinskis
are proud parents of Julia, age 5;
Danielle, age 3 and William, four
months. “I am proud that my children
will go to Divine Child, obtain an
excellent Catholic education, and
Laney Family
become a
part of the
tradition
and family
at Divine
Child,”
said Bill.
T h e
youngest
M i n i
Falcon
was a little
too mini to
attend this time around. DC Assistant
Principal and Varsity boys soccer
coach Eric Haley and his wife Nicki
(Lena) Haley '00 had their first child,
Oliver Leon on Oct. 6. (see page 22
for Oliver's photo op). Oliver was
born just a week before the gathering.
Oliver had “no comment” on the
decision not to be included.
Ryan Carlson has been building
up the boys’ and girls’ tennis
programs at Divine Child since 2010
and has netted great success on and
off the court. “Family is a big part of
Divine Child,” said Carlson, father
of Madelyn, age 2, and Katherine,
age 5. “They’ve always given me the
support needed to run a successful
program,” said Carlson,” and I get the
opportunity to teach young men and
women life lesson's through sports.”
The boys’ tennis team reached the
state finals last year.
Andy Dold and wife Kyle are the
parents of 21 month old Brayden.
Andy is also the boys’ Varsity
basketball coach and DCHS Director
Carlson Family
of Information Technology. He
credits his affiliation with the school
as an opportunity to "give back to the
Catholic school system and game that
gave me so much."
Sarah Leonard, pom pon coach
and husband George, parents to
Mason Elemont, 2, echoes that
sentiment. "It has been such a
wonderful experience for the last
12 years. DC has become a second
family to me. I am truly blessed to be
part of such a wonderful school."
Amber (Lopez) Genevich '98
has spent the last 16 years of her life
on the sidelines. The longtime DC
sideline and competitive cheer team
coach is quick to cheer the virtues
of working in the family atmosphere
at Divine Child. “It just makes sense
because DC is a part of me and will
always be a part of my life and the
life of my children in the way they
are brought up and the people I
surround them with,” said Genevich,
wife to Mike, mother to Harper, age
3; and Michael, age 1 ½. “Coaching
here is like nowhere else in the fact
that the people you work with are
not just your co-workers, but make
you feel at home whenever you are
around them. Before I had my own
family, DC was my extended family,”
she said. “It has made me very
happy and whole to now include my
husband and children in that group.
It is a blessing sharing my love and
passion for not only the sport but for
the community that makes this entire
experience worthwhile.”
~Terry Jacoby, MIPrepZone
Dold Family
Ploucha Family
Leonard/Elemont Family
Genevich Family
Sovinski Family
Courtney Brewis '09
Wins Detroit Marathon
Last year, Dearborn’s Courtney
Brewis was running track at Grand
Valley State with some success. Now
she is a Detroit Free Press/Talmer Bank
Marathon winner, and it comes as a bit
of a shock to her.
Brewis, who ran her first marathon
in Duluth in June, finished well clear of
the field today in 2:45:52 despite being
worried she might be caught in the
closing stages of the 26.2-mile event.
A track and cross country
competitor at Divine Child, Brewis, 23,
had set her sights at high school on one
day running marathons, but she never
really thought she could win an elite
race like the Detroit marathon.
“I'm from the Metro Detroit area
and it's just great to come out and win
this,” Brewis said after striding through
the finish line on Fort Street. “It was
Courtney Brewis with dad, Rick '75 and mom, Denise
one of my goals to run a marathon, but
winning in only my second – wow.”
Brewis asserted her dominance early over the women’s marathon field, but she still had doubts she could sustain her
pace. “I wasn't sure until the very end that I could win,” said Brewis, who ran the 5K and 10K at college. “The last half
of the race was very tough for me. I was a little worried about being caught when I turned onto Fort. But I felt good
right then and I kicked.”
Brewis thought the Free Press Marathon course was tough but rewarding if you attacked. “It's a good course, not
too many hills, but tough in the beginning,” said Brewis, who started the race with thousands of other runners with the
temperature just above freezing. “I'd heard the Belle Isle portion was tough but it wasn't too bad because the wind was
pretty low today, so that part was good.”
At Grand Valley, Brewis participated in the NCCA nationals, finishing “eighth in the 10K and I think about 12th in
the 5K,” she said. “I was pretty tired in the 5K after running the 10,” she recalled.
Brewis said the Detroit Free Press/Talmer Bank Marathon was on her agenda. “My Dad ran marathons and he ran
the half-marathon today,” Brewis said. “I've definitely wanted to run it for some time, so it's really exciting to be here
and to win.”
Brewis had to dig deep, however. “I felt pretty strong until the 15 or 16 mile
mark,” said Brewis. “But it was kind of a grind from there. It was a real learning
experience.” ~Mike Brudenell, reprinted from Detroit Free Press.
Cover photogragh taken by Kimberly P. Mitchell with
permission of use by Talmer Bank and Trust.
Rick '75, Courtney 09, Denise, Rich '07,
Mackenzie'12 and Lindsey '14 Brewis
16 Once A Falcon
Winter 2014
Running
in the Brewis
Family Genes
The Brewis family has a long
legacy and tradition with Divine
Child, particularly if it involves
running. Denise and Rick Brewis '75
actively participate and encourage
their children's love of the sport.
During Rick's time at Divine Child,
he was a member of the 1973 state
championship
basketball
team.
His wife of 34 years, Denise, has
worked in the athletic office at Divine
Child for the last 10 years. She is
instrumental in assisting the Athletic
Department to manage a successful
sports program. She was also actively
involved in organizing the Mini
Falcon photo shoot with our youngest
Falcons and their DC parents (see
page 14).
Denise and Rick have 4 children,
all of whom graduated from DCHS
and were active in many sports but
especially track and field and cross
country.
Their oldest, Rich '07 is working
with a marketing firm in Royal Oak
and recently became engaged to
Erica Crane '10. Courtney '09 is
a graduate of Grand Valley State
University, majoring in Exercise
Science, and was a member of the
GVSU Cross Country and Track
Teams. She is currently pursuing her
Ph.D. in Physical Therapy at GVSU.
Mackenzie '12 also ran Varsity Cross
Country and Track and qualified at the
State meet all 4 years. She is currently
a junior pursuing a double major in
Communications and Film and Video
at Grand Valley State University.
Not surprisingly, Lindsey '14 ran
Varsity Cross Country and Track and
advanced to the State Cross Country
meets all 4 years and track meets for 3
years. She is currently a freshman at
Loyola University of Chicago where
she runs cross country and track.
Message
from the
ADVANCEMENT OFFICE
For over 55
years,
Divine
Child
High
School
has
been
providing
students
with
an
exceptional
C a t h o l i c
education
and
fulfilling
its
mission of developing young men and
women who have gone on to pursue
lives of responsibility, leadership, and
faith in action. The mission of the
Advancement Office is to cultivate
the fiscal and volunteer support
necessary to ensure that Divine
Child High School is able to continue
doing so for the next 55 years. Over
the past 12 months we have made
tremendous progress in developing a
comprehensive advancement program
at Divine Child.
Our new annual giving program,
launched in January 2014, is designed
to better communicate Divine Child's
needs to our constituents. Rather than
reach out to alumni once a year, we
have begun to do so on a quarterly
basis. The percentage of Divine Child
alumni who give back to their alma
mater (1%) is significantly lower than
the national average for co-ed Catholic
schools (10.5%). When asked why
they don't give, many alumni told us
it was because we hadn't asked. Now
not only are we asking our alumni for
their financial support, we are asking
the same of our administration,
faculty, staff, committee members,
and volunteers. The success of this
new annual giving program will
directly impact the educational and
extracurricular programs we are able
to provide to our students.
In October, we launched the
silent phase of Investing in Excellence,
our $6,000,000 capital campaign for
the support of Divine Child Catholic
Schools. The Campaign is led by our
exceptional Campaign Executive
Committee. (See page 13 for further
details).
As part of our efforts to
encourage giving to Divine Child,
we have established a planned giving
program. The Divine Child Legacy
Society recognizes those donors who
contribute to the legacy of Divine
Child High School through their
estate plans. Charitable bequests
and gifts of marketable securities,
life insurance, or retirement account
assets are just some of the ways our
donors are able to ensure that Divine
Child High School will continue to
provide an exceptional education to
future Falcon generations.
Obviously we could not have
accomplished the above without
the active and enthusiastic support
of our volunteers. The Executive
Advancement Committee, launched
in early 2014, has been instrumental in
the development of the advancement
program.
Led by Jim Hughes,
parishioner and parent of Jimmy '11
and Jessie, over 75 volunteers are
providing support and professional
expertise to DC in the areas of
admissions, fundraising, marketing
and communications, and alumni
relations. In fact, through the efforts
of the alumni relations subcommittee,
the Divine Child Alumni Association
has seen positive growth, with over
67 Alumni, representing 37 of 53
graduating classes, becoming part of
the new Class Agent program. (see
page 21 for entire list and details of
Class Agent responsibilities).
The success of the initiatives
described above will ensure that
Divine Child is able to continue
providing the excellent Catholic
education our name is synonymous
with. I look forward to updating you
on our continued successes!
Kind regards,
Kristin (Szpunar) Hermann ‘89
Director of Advancement
The New Evangelization
Have you ever heard of the “New Evangelization”? The expression “The
New Evangelization” was used by St. Pope John Paul II throughout his
papacy. He explained that the term was first popularized by Pope Paul VI.
The “New Evangelization” is a “response to the new challenges that the
contemporary world creates for the mission of the Church” (Crossing The Threshold
of Hope). St. Pope John Paul II saw the urgent need for a “great relaunching”of
evangelization in the world today.
What is the “New Evangelization”? A quick answer to this question is a
“re-proposing of the Gospel to those who have experienced a crisis of faith.”
This is at the very heart of the Gospel message. Our Lord Jesus Christ Himself
instructed all of us to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole
creation”(Mark 16: 15). This command of Jesus is referred to as our “missionary
mandate” and the New Evangelization is the way in which we can engage in
this missionary mandate.
Jesus Christ is at the center of the New Evangelization. More specifically,
the goal of the New Evangelization is to bring an individual into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. By knowing,
deepening and living our Catholic faith, we ourselves will become evangelized. As this occurs, we will then go forth to
evangelize others (i.e., family members, friends, neighbors, co-workers, etc.).
What does it mean to evangelize? To evangelize means to tell others about Jesus Christ, His Gospel and His Church.
Who should we be focused on as we evangelize? Let's begin with our brother and sister Catholics who are no longer
living and practicing their Catholic faith.
Why do we need a New Evangelization? A research poll conducted last year revealed that 41% of U.S. Catholics go
to Mass at least once a week. Another 41% of U.S. Catholics go to Mass monthly or a few times a year. And 17% of U.S.
Catholics seldom or never go to Mass (www.pewresearch.org). There are 168 hours in a week. God requires us to come see
Him at Holy Mass for only one hour each week (not including Holy Days of Obligation). Can you give God one hour
of your time each week? According to the research poll, over 58% of U.S. Catholics say “no.” This is why we are in
desperate need of the New Evangelization!
How do we participate in the New Evangelization? Or in other words, “How am I supposed to evangelize others?”
In my humble opinion, this is the key question for us to discuss and address. The likely answer to this question is that
there probably isn’t any one simple answer. But we do know, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that we have been called
by Jesus Christ to spread His Gospel. If you are a baptized Catholic Christian, then you have been given the mission to
evangelize others, to tell others about our Lord Jesus Christ and His Catholic Church.
Many of us can, or already do, give “silent witness” to our Catholic faith. You might wear a crucifix necklace or
have a rosary dangling from your car’s rear view mirror. Maybe at the office you use a Catholic themed coffee mug. At
restaurants you might say grace before your meal. These are all great ways to “silently evangelize” others. If you do not
participate in any of these “silent” ways of evangelization, then please begin to do so. If you already participate in this
manner, then begin to participate in “verbal evangelization.” You would be amazed how much a short comment like, “I
will say a prayer for you” or “Jesus is there to help you” affects someone else
(even a non-believer). Yes, it does take courage to say something like this, but
Jesus will give you the strength if you are willing.
There are many Catholics who are no longer practicing their faith in our
parish, in our schools, in our neighborhood, and in our community. The same
holds true in our own families. We are called to reach out to these brothers and
sisters of ours, in both "silent” and “verbal” ways. Please join in the Church’s
evangelization efforts and in our own mission of bringing people to the Lord.
God Bless You,
Fr. John Kopson
Associate Pastor, Divine Child Parish
18 Once A Falcon
Winter 2014
ALUMNI PROFILE
Lights, Camera, Falcons!
Patrick Elliott '04 continues a
strong interaction with his alma mater
as the go-to guy for all Divine Child
video production. “Patrick has been
instrumental in creating an effective
and professional communication
plan through the use of video,”
says Kristin Hermann, Director of
Advancement. Just visit the High
School website and view the many
videos that Patrick and his team
from Diakonia Productions have
created. He also completed 3 videos
for the Prep Bowl, a video featuring
both Elementary and High School
students intended to be sent to Pope
Francis inviting him to Detroit and
our first Elementary School video.
These videos have been instrumental
in increasing DC's visibility and
contributing to our strong enrollment.
Patrick met his wife, Katie (Dubuc) '04 Elliott at Divine Child their senior
year and “she's still the love of my life. We are expecting our first child this
April and could not be happier.”
After Divine Child, Patrick attended the University of Michigan-Dearborn
to pursue a Pre-Med degree and follow in his father’s footsteps to become a
dentist. “In the back of my mind, I always had this idea of being a film maker and
eventually just went for it. While still attending UM-Dearborn, I enrolled in a
film program in Troy, Michigan by the name of ‘The Motion Picture Institute.’
I also switched my major to marketing to coincide with the film degree. I went
on to graduate from both institutions with distinction.”
Once out of school it was the typical two years of climbing the ladder and
making no money, but Patrick was happy with what he was doing. Then bigger
jobs came in and amazing opportunities that he never thought would happen
started to happen. Patrick worked with Ford, Chrysler, Skrillex (one of the top
DJs in the world), Eminem, and even Academy Award winners and nominees
like Bruce Dern and David Carradine as a camera operator. “Traveling all over
the country and working with such creative people was a dream come true.”
He then decided it was time to start his own rental/production company
and in 2010, Diakonia Productions LLC, was formed with the idea of giving
back to the community. In the first two years, he ran an event called Hilarity
for Charity, a night of standup comedy to benefit the homeless of Detroit. “In
our second year, Dave Coulier from Full House attended and in two years we
raised over $33,000.”
John Hammelef '75 is a valuable partner of Diakonia Productions who
began working with Patrick in 2010. “He handles all of the post-production
workflow and needs of the company, such as graphic design, websites, or a
perfectly timed edit,” says Elliott. Recently, he has had a much larger role in
idea generation and directing on set with Diakonia Productions. “To be honest,
if he wasn’t by my side, Diakonia Productions would not be where it is today.”
John is married to Pam Birch for the past 21 years and has 3 children, Kelley
(Dubuc) Giles '02, Katie (Dubuc) Elliott '04, and Chris '06.
“I am very blessed to be able to come back and work with everyone at
Divine Child. It is like I never left the school. Since working with Divine Child,
many doors have opened with various alumni or parishioners that have viewed
our work. I am truly lucky to be back and working with such great people.”
ALUMNI PROFILES
In Detroit, 36th District Court Reform a Success Story
Revamping of Detroit court operations is an example of how changing
a culture is the first step toward reform.
The 36th District Court in Detroit is officially back in the hands of local
administrators. But Appellate Judge Michael Talbot '63, whose fiscal and
administrative expertise rejuvenated the court, is not far away and will be
keeping an eye on the operation until local judges prove they can sustain the
reforms he put in place.
Talbot, who was appointed by the Michigan Supreme Court in May of
2013 as special judicial administrator, will receive quarterly reports on the
budget and caseloads and provide guidance as needed.
“It should be understood that I’m a resource,” Talbot says. “If we see
any red flags, we should talk. I’m a phone call away.”
The court was in shambles when Talbot was sent in by the state Supreme Court. A report issued by the National
Center for State Courts summarized the disastrous condition of the court, which is one of the largest and busiest in the
country. The center said it was suffering from, among other things, a bloated payroll and poor customer service, and was
spending about $5 million more than its $31 million budget. It also had failed to collect more than $200 million in fines,
including traffic and parking violations. In addition, the court had a backlog of about 500,000 cases a year.
Before Talbot, the leaders in the court had the very simplistic and unrealistic attitude that what would correct all of
the problems was more money from the county.
Instead, Talbot, a state appellate judge, made some minimal staff cuts but reduced the cumbersome list of job
classifications, allowing workers to perform broader duties which Talbot says the employees appreciate. The new culture
of the court staff helped institute reforms to improve operations and cut expenses. The court is also now far more
customer oriented. “Employees who work at that court are proud to work there,” Talbot says. “They’re not embarrassed
anymore and that means they’ll respond to the public better.”
Talbot sees the court as an example for the city of Detroit as it emerges from bankruptcy. Changing the culture of
the organization is essential to putting in place reforms that will work. The 36th District Court was a classic case of a
department not needing more money but the proper handling of what was already allocated. Talbot showed that fiscal
responsibility and the appropriate use of personnel can accomplish a great deal, particularly when more cash is not an
option.~The Detroit News
Christopher Salisbury
'86 is one of four new
officers added to the
Dearborn, Michigan Police
Department.
Salisbury
graduated from Divine
Child High School in
Dearborn before attending
Henry Ford College where
he completed 62 credit
Christopher Salisbury (middle row, 1st on left) hours toward a major
Casey Baker (middle row, 3rd on left)
in criminal justice. He
graduated from the Detroit
Police Academy in August 1994 and served as a Detroit police officer
for 20 years. He worked with the department's tactical teams and
undercover units, and with a joint DEA and HUD Federal Task Force.
Casey Baker '14 is a Captain at the Dearborn Police Explorer Post
1177.
20 Once A Falcon
Winter 2014
LET’S HEAR FROM YOU!
Share your thoughts and photos
with us and you could be published!
Contact us on Facebook, Twitter, or by
email:
alumnioffice
@divinechildhighschool.org
For inclusion in the Summer 2015 issue,
please submit updates and articles no
later than 5/1/15. If sending photos,
please provide original electronic files.
Send raw or uncompressed TIF or high
resolution JPG as an attachment.
All content submitted becomes Divine
Child property and may be edited prior
to publication.
IT3 Perry Edgell '12 home on
leave showing his Falcon Pride. He
is assigned to the USS Bonhomme
Richard, part of the US Navy 7th
Fleet, home ported in Sasebo Japan.
Regina (Arcuri) Dunn '88 was
named Metro Parent Top Teacher for
2014. Regina teaches fourth through
sixth grade at Dearborn Heights
Montessori Center. One student
described her as “The Cheesecake
Factory of teachers because everyday
is rich and interesting.” Regina says
she does strive to make her lessons
exciting and engaging. “The meld
between the passion as well as the
Montessori philosophy is really easy
for me. I love being creative. I love
what the classroom permits. We just
try to attack the curriculum in so
many different methods, so that we're
reaching all the children.” While it's
important to Dunn that she prepares
her students for future education, the
time they spend in her classroom is
also focused on being good citizens
and having good character. Regina
is mom to William ('15), Maria ('16),
Angela ('18) and Cara.
John McGinnity '84, MS,
PA-C, serves as president of the
American Academy of Physician
Assistants. He has been with AAPA
for more than 18 years as a member
of the House of Delegates, a member
of the Conference Education and
Planning Committee and as an AAPA
clinical liaison for the National
Institutes of Health's National Heart
Attack Alert program Coordinating
Committee.
John is Program Director and
Clinical Associate Professor at the
Department of Healthcare Sciences
PA Program at Wayne State
University in Detroit, Michigan.
John was interviewed on C-Span
Washington Journal on November
8, 2014 where he talked about the
role physician assistants play in the
U.S. health care system and how
that would change as the nation
faces a doctor shortage in the coming
years. For full coverage of John's
interview on C-Span, visit: http://
www.c-span.org/video/?322625-6/
washington-journal-john-mcginnityrole-physician-assistants.
The following are the Class Agents
for each of Divine Child's graduating
classes. These Alumni volunteers serve
as liaisons between their classmates and
the DCAA, provide updates for the
alumni database, assist with reunion
planning, and share news happening
both in the alumni community and at
Divine Child.
1962 Dwayne Kremko
1963 Jeannette Langlois
1964 John DiCicco
1965 Sue Shinney
1966 Linda (Vincent) Throm
1968 Candy (Prechowski) Polk
1969 Greg Burek
1971 Paul Seaser
1972 Jamie (Sleziak) VanDeusen
1973 Nancy (Bartys) Ranski
1974 Edie (Esper) Beard
1975 Cindy (Nemcok) Schreiber
1977 Diane (Debono) DiFiore
1979 Cathy-Jo Ponzi
1980 Julie Marcy
1983 Lisa Rusinowski
1984 Michelle (Durkin) DeLuca
1985 Chris Kuczajda
1986 Amy (Currier) Kleinlein
1987 Dina (Marchetti) Traub
1988 Christopher Boudreau
1989 Michelle Halloran
1990 Derrick Rodriguez
1993 Steve Guibord
1994 Lesley (Bartnick) Rhodes
1997 Aubri (Marchetti) McNamara
1998 Kelly (Kaczmarek) Stetz
1999 Kathleen (Denton) Kross
2000 Colleen (Beard) Johnson
2001 Amanda Torok
2002 Kathleen Sophiea
2004 Katie Serbinski
2007 Walter Grysko
2008 Lauren (Hunt) Adamczyk
2009 Kathleen Bowerson
2011 Trish Calka
2014 Casey Baker
Still in need of Class Agents for:
1981
1995
2006
1967
1982
1996
2010
1970
1991
2003
2012
1976
1992
2005
2013
1978
If interested, please contact Scott
Dickey, [email protected] or
313.216.0892
ALUMNI NEWS
Reunions
Class of 1982 ‘Girls Night Out’ at
the Claddagh Irish Pub in Livonia,
Michigan.
Class of 1994: Laura (Silvestri) Del
Pup, Amy (Schramek) Oechsner,
Michelle (Glud) DeVries, and Lesley
(Rhodes) Bartnick.
Class of 1989 celebrated their 25
year reunion on November 22,
2014 at the Amantea Restaurant
(owned by Sam Porco ’89) in
Garden City, MI.
Class of 1999 celebrated their 15
year reunion on November 29,
2014.
Class of 2004 celebrated their
10 year reunion on November
28, 2014 at the La Pita Bar and
Banquet Center in Dearborn, MI
Class of 2009 celebrated their 5
year reunion on November 29,
2014 at Bailey’s Pub & Grille in
Dearborn, MI.
Save the Date
Class of 1994 celebrated their 20 year reunion at Park Place in Dearborn.
Members of the class enjoyed dinner, drinks, and dancing while catching up
with their classmates.
Congrats to Leslie Rohr '00 on the
new addition of Jake to your family!
22 Once A Falcon
Winter 2014
Congrats to Nicki (Lena) Haley '00
and Eric Haley '98 who welcome
Oliver Leon - 6.8 oz.
Class of 1965 is having their 50th
Reunion on Saturday, June 27,
2015 at the Dearborn Inn. Please
contact Sue Shinney at 313-5627461 for more information.
Class of 1975 is having their 40th
year reunion on Saturday, August
8, 2015. Please contact Maria
(Tell) Piotrowski @ mariabt117@
yahoo.com for more information.
Class of 1980 35 year reunion
planning stages to-be-determined.
Class of 1985 30 year reunion
planning stages to-be-determined.
On April 3, 2014, John and Johanna
(Sovinski) Zwally '05 welcomed
Samuel Joseph, “Sammy” into the
world weighing 7.6 oz.
ALUMNI NEWS
Over the past year, Fr. Bilot has married at Divine
Child Parish nine couples of which either one or both of
the participants are Divine Child High Schoo alums.
As Fr. Bilot often mentions at the wedding receptions,
“This speaks of how important it is to be a part of a Catholic
Church and be an active member. It also speaks of the
importance of Catholic schools. It is through faith, parish
and the community that these couples all came together.
And they are together as friends. If it were not for Divine
Child Parish and Schools we would not be here tonight.”
Congratulations to the following couples on their
recent Sacrament of Marriage:
Megan Nieckarz '05 and Jarod Micallef '05
Megan Shmyr '08 and Jonathan Solace '07
Jessica Blazo '03 and Stephen Rademacher '03
Kristy Fraser '05 and Andrew Smyth '05
Elizabeth Schultz '02 and Jim Zech
Diana Brudzewski '02 and Michael Flis '03
Courtney Curran and Bryan Opalko '02
Meghan O'Connell '08 and Aaron Dolkowski '07
Renee Cser '07 and Tim Sarb Jr. '07
On May 14, 2014, Marjorie Sovinski '97 became
engaged to Halford Theodore “Ted” Haskell. The couple
reside in Annapolis, Maryland and plan to exchange their
wedding vows at the U.S. Naval Academy Chapel on April
11, 2015.
On May 23, 2014 Michael and
Angela (Sovinski) Bustamante
'06 welcomed Evelyn Grace,
weighing 8.1 oz.
Bill and Kelly (Simonie)
Sovinski ’00, are proud to
announce the birth of their
third child and first son,
William (Liam) Charles
on May 27th, 2014. Liam
weighed 9.13 oz. His older
sisters Julia (5) and Dani
(2) are very happy to have
a little brother.
Jessica (Blazo) Rademacher '03 and Steve Rademacher '03
married October 4, 2013
Jessica and Steve are Divine Child “high
school sweethearts.” They both graduated from
the University of Michigan-Dearborn. Steve is an
electrical engineer at Detroit Edison and Jessica
teaches first grade at Detroit Premier Academy.
Meghan (O'Connell) Dolkowski '08 and Aaron Dolkowski '07
married October 11, 2014.
www.divinechildhighschool.org
23
ALUMNI EVENTS
22nd Annual Falcon 5K Run
The 22nd Annual Falcon 5K was held on August 9, 2014. The run is
dedicated to the memory of Mark Carpenter ‘68, former DC track coach.
Hundreds of runners and walkers of all ages and abilities participated in this
event, which started at Levagood Park. The three events included the Tot Trot,
1 Mile Fun Run, and the 5K Run. This year’s winners were Nick Soter '12
coming in 1st in the men’s race, with Tim Horst in 2nd and Alex Salinas '07 in
3rd. Michelle Kerr '12 won the women’s race, Lindsey Brewis '14 was 2nd and
Kelly Valente came in 3rd place.
The Falcon 5K is a fundraiser for the Dearborn Divine Child High
School Girls’ Cross Country Team and the Divine Child High School
Alumni Association. Thank you to Jim Demmer ‘75, of Jack Demmer Ford
Automotive Group, and our many other generous sponsors for supporting this
annual event!
In Memoriam
The Divine Child community joins in prayerful remembrance of
those who have died. Our deepest sympathy and prayers go out to
the families and friends of:
Karen Battle ‘74
Bethany Galdes ‘15
Shirley (Kinsel) O'Brien ‘63
James Olah ‘85
Bernadette (Gondek) Oyster ‘78
“Happy are those who have died in the Lord; let them rest from their labors
for their good deeds go with them.” Revelations 14:13
24 Once A Falcon
Winter 2014
as of December 12, 2014
•
•
•
•
•
31st Annual Msgr. Kucyk’s
BIG EVENT
Raises Money for New School Bus
On November 6, 2014, the Divine Child Men’s Club proudly hosted
the 31st Annual Msgr. Kucyk’s “Big Event,” a casino-style evening that
brought together close to 250 men from our parish and schools for dining,
fellowship and fun. Over the years, this event has generated more than
$600,000 to support athletic programs at Divine Child Catholic Schools.
This year approximately $14,000 was raised to help purchase a new school
bus for the athletic teams.
Men’s Club President Jack Szpytman was happy that so many
stepped up to support the Big Event this year. “We more than doubled our
attendance from last year and raised additional revenue with sponsorships
and contributions from several generous local businesses,” explained
Szpytman. “Good food, good friends and the chance to win a little money
made for a good evening, all for the benefit of the students of Divine Child
Catholic Schools.”
The Men’s Club would like to thank
everyone who helped make the evening
possible, including this year’s venue, the
St. Mary’s Cultural Center, and especially
the following sponsors and donors!
Sponsors
Korte’s Collision (Black Chip Sponsor)
National Wholesale Printing and Porter’s
Towing (White Chip Sponsors)
Donors
Caputo Animal Hospital
Dearborn Insurance Agency
Law Office of James Jernigan, PLLC
Mexican Fiesta
Painters Supply
Say It With Flowers
Todd’s Pharmacy
Village Ford
Western Country Club
The 4th Annual Divine Child Golf Classic was held on August 15, 2014. This year’s scramble
was hosted at the Dearborn Country Club. Thank you to all the alumni and friends who participated.
Special thanks to our Event Sponsor, Dr. Ken Mankowski '86 (Creekside Neurology Services), our
Gold Sponsor, Tom Barszczowski '97 (Packaging Concepts and Design), Hole and Gift Sponsors.
This year’s champions were Bryan Beuckelaere '92, Fran DePlanche '91, Cliff Lessnau '91 and
Ben Loiselle '92. The event raised nearly $19,000 for the Divine Child Alumni Association Falcon
Legacy Scholarship Fund, which awards two-half tuition scholarships each year to incoming
freshman children of DC Alumni.
Jason McKelvey ’92, Steve Guibord ’93,
Aaron Markavich ’92, Jeff Zelazny ‘92
Chris Kuczajda ’85, Gordon Dickey,
Joel Fabris ’95
Debbie Evans, Sheree Smith,
Debbie Masta and Jeanie Fraser
Joe Schramek, Conrad Madaleno ’62,
Christine Dagenais, Jack Rychlicki ‘63
Anthony Balaj, John Bonasso, Ken
Mankowski ’86, Todd Pado ’86
www.divinechildhighschool.org
25
Welcome New
Elementary School Staff
Carolyn Forrest
Religion, Jr. High
Ross Tuscany
Social Studies, Jr. High
Leanne Senatore
Religion and English, Grade 4
DCHS Enrollment Increases Again
Interest Strong
Shannon Leonard
Language Arts, Grade 6
Divine Child High School opened the 2014-2015 school year with 848
students, an increase of 25 students over last year. This year’s Freshman
class has 226 students and our high school student body is 90% Catholic.
Our students hail from 48 different zip codes, are members of 45 Catholic
parishes, and previously attended over 90 Catholic grade schools, private
schools or public middle schools.
A number of families are finding out that our Divine Child Elementary
School gives many students a head start for high school. Our elementary
school students now represent 31 different zip codes throughout the area
and our elementary school student body is 98% Catholic. If you have a child
who is of elementary or middle school age who would be a good candidate
for Divine Child, please contact Matt Saxer, Director of Admissions, at
313.216.0891 Ext. 268 or [email protected] for more information.
Elementary and middle school applications are now being accepted, and
prospective middle school students can shadow for a day by contacting
Mary Sarb at 313.562.1090 Ext. 324.
Megan Riherd
Latin
“Falcon for a Day” Shadowing Program
Prospective students interested in attending Divine Child High School can spend a school day
with us. The visit includes observing classes, touring the school and enjoying a complimentary
lunch, all with a Falcon Student Ambassador. Full day visits are scheduled from 8:00 a.m. until
2:15 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity to meet our students and teachers, view our facilities,
and experience firsthand much of what makes Divine Child great. Please call Matt Saxer, Director
of Admissions at 313.216.0891 Ext. 268 or [email protected] to register.
Eighth graders can shadow for a day most school days, and seventh graders may shadow in the spring. We also
offer many athletic camps and enrichment programs in the summer months to students as young as third or
fourth grade.
26 Once A Falcon
Winter 2014
HIGH SCHOOL MISSION
Divine Child High School is a Catholic
high school centered in Gospel values and
Christian tradition. The school is rooted
in a long-standing tradition of excellence
and in an educational partnership with
students, parents and the community. We
are committed to providing opportunities
that nurture each student’s academic,
creative, social and spiritual growth. We
are dedicated to developing youth who
pursue lives of responsibility, leadership
and faith in action.
Divine Child
Alumni Association
Board Officers:
President: Cheryl (Oros) Nelson ‘75
Vice Pres: Natalie Noeske ‘82
Treasurer: Mike Vecchioni ‘72
Secretary: position open
Member Jennifer Topolski ‘85
at Large:
alumnioffice@
divinechildhighschool.org
Contact us:
1055 N. Silvery Lane
Dearborn, MI 48128
Kristin (Szpunar) Hermann ‘89
Director of Advancement
313.216.0893
[email protected]
Scott Dickey ‘85
Alumni Relations Coordinator
and Editor
313.216.0892
[email protected]
Karen Kruszka
Director of Marketing and
Communications
Once a Falcon magazine is published semiannually by the Divine Child Alumni Association
for graduates, parents of graduates and friends
of Divine Child High School.
OUR HERITAGE
Since 1950, the Church of the Divine Child has been a strong Catholic
presence in Dearborn and today remains one of the largest and most
vibrant Catholic parishes in the Archdiocese of Detroit, serving over 2,500
member families. Together, Divine Child Elementary School, founded in
1953, and Divine Child High School, founded in 1958, have grown to host
one of the largest co-educational Catholic school enrollments in Michigan.
With a heritage spanning 56 years, Divine Child High School
has imparted “goodness with knowledge” to generations of students
and continues to provide a Catholic education emphasizing spiritual,
academic, athletic, social and creative excellence. Nearly 10,000 alumni
have gone forward to build success on these values. Today, approximately
850 Divine Child High School students enjoy the opportunity to study
numerous academic disciplines, compete in 25 sports, and participate in
many extracurricular activities, all built on a strong spiritual foundation.
HAVE YOU MOVED?
We are constantly striving to keep our database up-to-date.
If you have a change of address, email or phone number,
please contact:[email protected]
Contributors: Rev. James Bilot, Mary Blicharz, Sr. Cecilia Bondy,
Denise Brewis, Rick Brewis '75, Mike Brudenell, Detroit Free Press, Bob
Bush, Sara Calupina, David Coates, Detroit News, Beth Dalbey, Dearborn
Patch, Serge Danielson-Francois, Tony DeMare, Meghan (O'Connell)
Dolkowski '08, Lil Dominiak, Paul Egan, Detroit News, Patrick Elliott
'04, Damian Hermann ’89, Kristin Hermann '89, Melissa (Sinkevics)
Hutchinson '90, Terry Jacoby, MIPrepZone, Kathryn Koehler, Melissa
Knepshield, Fr. John Kopson, Karen Vuono Kruszka, Donna (Marchetti)
Kuczajda ‘88, Michael Martinez, Detroit News, John McGinnity '84, John
McTaggart, Dearborn Patch, Linda Miller, Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit
Free Press, Patricia Montemurri, Detroit Free Press, Marilyn O’Brien, Tom
O'Brien, Mary Pat O'Malley, Pat Pauline, J. Patrick Pepper, Dearborn
Press & Guide, Carolyn Primeau, Jessica (Blazo) Rademacher '03, Jude
Ripley, Scott Salowich, Dearborn Press & Guide, Mary Sarb, Matt Saxer,
Yvonne Schuck, Katie Sophiea ’02, Sue Suchyta, Times-Herald News,
Talmer Bank and Trust, Ricardo Thomas, Detroit News, Bill Williams,
Detroit News, Frank Wladyslawski, MiPrepZone.
Divine Child High School
Advancement Office
1055 N. Silvery Lane
Dearborn, MI 48128
Like us on Facebook
facebook.com/DivineChildSchools
Follow us on Twitter
twitter.com/DivineChildSch
Visit us on LinkedIn
linkedin.com/in/DivineChild
CatholicSchools
24th Annual
Divine Child Catholic Schools
Gala and Auction
Red Carpet
March 14, 2015 · Dearborn Inn
Mark your calendars for the 24th Annual Red Carpet Gala and
Auction to be held on Saturday, March 14, 2015.This event brings
together alumni, parishioners, school families and friends of Divine
Child for an evening of fun and bidding all for the benefit of Divine
Child Catholic Schools.
We are excited to announce that brand new this year, the Gala
will be held at the historic and luxurious Dearborn Inn. This unique
setting will provide a memorable experience for attendees and bring
new enthusiasm to one of our schools’ largest fundraisers.
As an integral part of this year’s event, we proudly recognize
Bob and Nancy Zakar (parents of Katie ’99 and Christine ’02) as our
Honorary Auction Chairs, along with our 2015 Auction Committee
members: Shirley Randall, Erin (Desmond) Davis ’96, Patty (O'Donnell) Griffin ’87, Ann (Murray) Slusser ’85, Julia
O’Donnell, Nikki Rinke, Cyndy Parrelly, Kathryn Finley, and Roger and Sharon Schultz. For more information about
the 2015 Auction, please contact the Advancement Office at 313. 216.0891.
Winter Open House
Sunday, February 8, 2015, 2-4 p.m.
High Sch
Dedicated to Excellence . . .
oo
l
9
-1
Spiritually, Academically,
Athletically, Socially,
and Creatively
2
Elementary
Sc
ol
ho
K-8
www.DivineChildElementarySchool.org
25001 Herbert Weier Drive
Dearborn, MI 48128
www.DivineChildHighSchool.org
1001 North Silvery Lane
Dearborn, MI 48128
Admissions: Contact Matt Saxer, 313.216.0891 Ext. 268 or [email protected]