Spring 2010 Issue - Catholic Central School

Alumni Gatherings: CC President Makes the Rounds—Around the United States!
You might say that Catholic Central’s President began the year by hitting the ground
running—or driving—and flying! Kenith
Britt had a plan to visit Catholic Central
alums by organizing special“Alumni Gath-
erings” across the United States in areas
where there are large concentrations of
Catholic Central graduates.From Columbus, Ohio to Washington, D.C., and on to
Tampa, Florida and Phoenix, Arizona,
these “gatherings” are reuniting dozens of
former classmates and fellow alumnae as
they reconnect with Catholic Central.More
trips are planned so look for an invitation
to a “gathering” near you!
Non Profit
Organization
U. S. Postage
Catholic Central Jr/Sr High School
1200 E High St
Springfield, OH 45505-1124
www.ccirish.org
PAID
Dayton, Ohio
PERMIT No. 377
THE
CENTRAL
CONNECTION
Issue No. 4 | The Publication “Centered” on Keeping the Catholic Central Community Connected! | April 2010
Green Jackets:
Green Blazer Awards
Each year, the Catholic Central Booster Association recognizes individuals who have
provided outstanding long-term service
to Catholic Central and Catholic Central
Boosters.Catholic Central Boosters provide
concessions and sponsor numerous fund
raising events throughout the year in support of Catholic Central athletes and programs. Green Blazer recipients must have
volunteered their talents and time for at
least 10 years.The Green Blazer Award is a
coveted honor that recognizes outstanding achievements.
Catholic Central Alums Help Charity Event Grow Despite Economy
Story written by Bridgette Outten, News-Sun Staff Writer
SPRINGFIELD—A local charity group
geared toward young adults and professionals raised $6,000 at a recent
benefit, the most in its three years of existence. “The fact that we raised $6,000
with such a tough economy speaks so
highly of our community,” said Katy
Hilbert, one of the organizers of the
Toast to Giving charity event and silent
auction.
decided to have a party with a purpose and
involve others in their age group, which was
22 to 30.
The first year, the group raised $3,000 and
last year the event netted $5,000, Hilbert
said. Each year, Toast to Giving chooses a
charity to donate the proceeds.This year, the
donations will be divided between the
American Cancer Society and the Honor
Flight Network.
The 2010 Green Blazer Award winners are:
John Crispino, George Woods, and Catholic
Central’s Development Director Julie Valentine.The three recipients were recognized
earlier this year during halftime at the Central boys’basketball game.Congratulations
and thanks to all of you for your service to
Catholic Central!
Technology In The Good Ole Days!
“ It especially speaks so highly of the
young professionals of Springfield. We
have made it our mission to get people
in their 20s involved in philanthropic activity,” Hilbert said.
“We hold the mission very close to our hearts,
we want to make a difference in our community, we want our generation to have
a voice and be able to create change,”
Hilbert said. “With Toast to Giving we have
become the change we wanted, we are conThe event was started in 2007, when a
fident that our voices are being heard.” For
group of friends—Hilbert, Amy Hilbert,
more information or to donate, log on to
Lauren Purnell, Emily Wendt, Stephanie
www.toasttogiving.org.
Cline, Aaron Halloran and Kelsey Fent—
.............................................................
Annual Fund Helps Central Students
(L to r): John Crispino, Julie Valentine and George Woods.
New Archbishop Celebrates All-Community Mass
Every gift counts! Catholic Central is nearing the end of the 2010 Annual Fund Drive.The
Catholic Central Annual Fund is designed to help raise money for tuition assistance for
families in need. For the first time in the history of Catholic Central, 100% of the faculty,
staff, and board have made a gift to this year’s Annual Fund.
In celebration of our 80th anniversary, one of our goals is to have 800 new donors to the
Annual Fund. No gift is too small or too large.To be one of the new 800 alumni to support
a child's education, you can now contribute online at www.ccirish.org or mail to Catholic
Central, 1200 E. High St., Springfield, OH 45505.The 2010 Annual Fund ends in June. May
God bless you during this Easter season.
This photo came from a Catholic Central yearbook.
Do you know the year?
Email to [email protected], or call 937-328-7425, Ext. 123.
We Want to Hear From You!
The Catholic Central School Board of Trustees:
Would you like to be a part of the Central Connection? If your class
is planning a reunion, let us know.Submit a memoriam, tell us about
your family, your job or just life in general. Send your information
electronically to: [email protected] or [email protected]. For a
listing of upcoming events, visit our website at www.ccirish.org. For
further information, call Kathy Sahle at 937-328-7425, Ext. 123.
Brian Grimone, Chairperson
Pamela Cross Young, Ph.D., Vice-Chairperson
Teresa Yontz, Secretary
Christine Lough, Treasurer
The Central Connection is a publication of Catholic Central School.
You may also mail information to Kathy Sahle, 1200 E. High Street,
Springfield, OH 45505. (937) 328-7425, Ext. 123
Matthew Schaeffer
Bill Mullen
Robert Kampman
Shane Latham
Steve Sharp
Peg Haemmerle
Lori Clark
Fr. Gregory Konerman
John Derr
Michael Stannard
Kevin Koehler
Catholic Central President: Kenith Britt
Catholic Central Jr./Sr. High School Principal: David Perin
Catholic Central Elementary School Principal: Mary Callahan
An early morning snow did not hamper travel for Cincinnati Archbishop
Dennis M.Schnurr on February 2, 2010.The newly appointed Archbishop celebrated an All Community Mass to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of
Catholic Central High School and the school’s 160 years of providing Catholic
education in the Clark and Champaign County region.The
historical event—the first of its kind—was held at the
Clark State Performing Arts Center, Kuss Auditorium, in
downtown Springfield.
Catholic Central’s entire student body, encompassing
grades kindergarten through 12, attended the Mass in
honor of the nationally recognized Catholic Schools Week.
Joining the students were more than 450 members of the
Catholic community as well as many local parishioners and
community leaders.Several priests,including Catholic Central graduates and current pastors of parishes in Clark and Champaign counties participated in the celebratory Mass,as well as members of the Knights of
Columbus honor guard. Catholic Central students played important roles in
the Mass, carrying gifts and candles, reading of the passages and providing
the liturgical celebrations of song.
The Mass was coordinated by Darlene Tempelton,chair of the Religion Department and Junior High Administrator Steve DeWitt.The choir was directed
by Music Instructor Judy Lohnes.
A community reception was held immediately following the Mass at the
Heritage Center, where administrators and pastors greeted those who attended the All Community Mass. It was a time of friendship and fellowship
that offered attendees the opportunity to reconnect with friends, acquaintances, and most importantly, the Catholic Church.
With the auditorium filled near capacity,Archbishop Schnurr presided over
the All Community Mass,which brought the community together in the spirit
of Christian celebration. It was a time of giving thanks to
God for the blessings bestowed upon our Catholic Schools,
and a celebration of the tradition that continues at Catholic
Central as we continue to grow and flourish!
Looking toward the future, the All Community Mass
marked a milestone in the history of Catholic Central,while
setting the bar for the future.A significant and integral part
of that effort is the addition of our new president, Kenith
Britt,who now stands at the helm of Catholic Central. He is
a leader who is poised to guide the school into a new era
with a strong strategic plan and a focused mission that will solidify a firm foundation upon which to plan and grow enrollment.
As Catholic Central celebrates our history and achievements, it is clear that
the financial sacrifices made by the early leaders created an ethic of understanding passed down through the generations. Over the past five years, the
school has recorded a more than 12% increase in enrollment,one of the largest
in the Cincinnati Archdiocese.
We sincerely thank Archbishop Schnurr for his time and commitment to
Catholic education,and to all those who assisted in making the All Community
Mass an historical event that will be remembered by the Catholic Central family of parents and students.Together,we will move forward as “Partners in Faith.”
Historical Event
Held At
Performing Arts
Center
Central Students Learn How to Quilt During J-Term
Catholic Central students learn by concentrating on areas usually not offered in a high
school during J-Term.While some students spent time in Ireland, others worked on service ministry and particular focus areas in this national award winning program. These
students learned how to quilt!
Bottom row (l to r): Sierra Maloney, Molly Joseph and Brooke Caserta. Top row (l to r): Lainee Haerr,
Jazmin Smith, Taylor Keys, Mitch Maletic and Emily Stewart. Not pictured: Aysha Seagraves
Foundation Receives Largest Single Gift
The Catholic Central Foundation received its largest single gift late last year.The gift will
perpetually provide scholarships for certain students to attend Catholic Central and
provide financial support to parishes for the Catholic education of their children.
Joseph A. Cocca graduated from Catholic Central with his wife Josephine B. Cocca in
1941. Both Central Catholic and the Catholic Church
were important to Mr. and Mrs. Cocca.The education
enabled them to have successful careers. As devout
Roman Catholics, the Coccas recognized the benefit
of a Catholic education and were committed to extend Catholic education for future generations.
The Cocca Education Fund allows parishes to periodically identify children at a young age to receive a
continuing Catholic education through 12th grade.
Each scholarship will be for the entire career of the
scholar at Catholic Central, provided the scholar
timely receives the Sacraments from the Church and
demonstrates progress in obtaining a Catholic education. Cocca scholars also receive assistance to participate in athletics, and to test for
and apply to Catholic colleges.
In addition to providing direct funding for scholarships, the Cocca Education Fund will
also support St. Joseph and St. Bernard parishes, the parishes of Mr. and Mrs. Cocca.The
parish support will permit the parishes to fund part of the education of their students
through Catholic Central.
The Cocca Education Fund enabled Catholic Central to increase its aggregate value to
roughly $2.3 million. Catholic Central is grateful for the recognition and support which
Mr. and Mrs. Cocca have provided to the school. Catholic Central is committed to fulfilling the objectives of the Cocca Education Fund by perpetuating the availability of a
strong Catholic education in Clark, Champaign, and the surrounding counties.
Alumni Association
Seeks Resurrection!
2010 Catholic Central Boosters Klutter Kloset is May 1 & 2
In Memoriam:
Alumnus Marty Rendon Shares Memories and Photo
Back In The Day
Early Buyers Night—for $2, you can shop Friday, April 30th from 6 to 8 P.M.
If you happen to live in the area,please consider donating your unwanted spring cleaning
“stuff”to help others in the community while assisting the students at Catholic Central.
Marty Rendon, a Catholic Central Alum, now living in Washington, D.C., recently
sent this correspondence to President Ken Britt.
Who were those three boys from the 70s?
Due to the success of the regional alumni
gatherings in Columbus,Washington, D.C.,
Florida, and Arizona this year, several
alumni have shown interest in helping to
advance the mission of Catholic Central
School. In an effort to support the Board of
Trustees and school administration, the
Catholic Central Alumni Association will be
active once again.
Thomas (Tom) Valentine—Husband of Julie,
CC Development Director, and father to
Laura and Tony. May God grant you peace,
comfort and everlasting love.
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Klutter Kloset is Springfield’s largest garage sale. Organizers are now accepting reusable
items including books, furniture, clothing, appliances, cars, tools, toys, fitness equipment,
seasonal decorations, etc.We are also seeking, as we have in the past,“kollectibles”suitable for selling at our Antique Mall booth.
For more information on how to donate, call 328-7425, Ext. 271 or send an email to
[email protected]. This huge garage sale will take place in the Jason Collier Gym at
Catholic Central Jr/Sr High School at 1200 E. High St., Springfield. Volunteer opportunities are always available.
The Alumni Association’s purpose is to
encourage involvement of alumni with
Catholic Central School and to provide opportunities for alumni to support Central.
Committees will be formed to assist the
school administration with Alumni Programs, Enrollment, and Development.
With thousands of Central alumnae impacting communities throughout the
country, this is a great opportunity to coordinate efforts to strengthen the relationship between the school and alumni.
Locally in Springfield, John Derr ’66 has
been active in the formation of the “new”
alumni association. Brian Garry ’60 has also
indicated interest to help coordinate alumni efforts in Tampa, FL and beyond.Are you
next? If you are willing to serve on the
Catholic Central High School Alumni Association or interested in helping strengthen alumni relationships in your area, please
contact President Kenith Britt (937.925.0095)
or Director of Development Julie Valentine
(937.325.9204 ext. 112).
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Oh, My! Have You Heard
What They Said About Our
Own Mr. Steve DeWitt in the
Springfield News-Sun?
Printed in the Speak Up Section on March 9, 2010.
“Thanks to CC Coach Steve Dewitt for helping dig out neighbors during the storms.
He is not only a great football coach, but a
great neighbor!”
We all wish we had a neighbor like Steve
DeWitt. It was a hard winter in Ohio!
(L to R) Parent and student volunteers: Patty and Sarah Castle, Dustin Thrash, Jesse Wolfe and Martin Fish.
Cross Country Athletes Run to Victory
Congratulations to Catholic Central’s Junior High Girls’ Cross Country Team who took
first place and earned their fourth trophy of the year by winning the Ohio Heritage Conference meet. The Cross County Team defeated the league frontrunners from Northeastern and West Liberty Salem in a surprising victory. Emily Belovich ran to a first place
finish and was nominated to First Team All League. Ragen Engel took fourth place and
was also nominated to First Team All League. Alexis Vaske took eighth place and Brenna
McCombs placed 13th. Both were nominated to Second Team All League.
.............................................................
CCJHS Football Team Wins Conference Title
The Catholic Central Junior High Football team brought home the Ohio Heritage Conference championship on October 15 in a 28–0 win over Cedarville. The team, combined of Catholic Central 7th and 8th grade boys, ended the season with a 6-1 record,
beating out several other area football teams vying for the championship.Special thanks
to Head Coach Greg Wagner, and Assistant Coaches Mark Catanzaro and Will McFadden.
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Swimmers Make Big Splash
Congratulations for an outstanding performance by our Irish Swimmers who recently
represented our school in Canton, Ohio, at the State Meet.
Patrick Greitzer
Allison Lohnes
Jeff Ross
Chip Samuelson
5th place in the 100 yd. Breaststroke
9th place in the 100 yd. Backstroke
16th place in the 100 yd. Butterfly
15th place in the 50 yd. Freestyle
The 200 yd. Medley Relay which included: Stewart Collins, Patrick Greitzer, Jeff Ross, Chip
Samuelson, and alternate Brian Bourke placed 9th overall! May the strong Irish Swimming dynasty continue for many years to come. GO IRISH!
Catholic Central Elementary
Students Rank at Science Fair
Congratulations to the following Catholic
Central Elementary School students who
participated in the Clark County Science
Fair. We are truly proud of their academic
endeavors! Students who have an * beside
their name received a Superior Rating and
qualified to move on to the District Level
Science Fair. “Way to Go” to fifth graders:
Mathis Amidon, Michael Belovich*, Libby
Bonn*, Cathryn Caldwell, Hadley Davis, Ben
Erter, Kyle Foley*, Elizabeth Garrity*, Katelyn
Grow, Cecilia Kuss-Shivler, Alex Rothery, and
Jason Watkins; and to our sixth graders:
Quentin Baker*, Spencer Evans, Liz Heck,
James Kavanaugh*, John Kelly*, Wade Patterson*, Daniel Ritter*, and Sarah Robinson*.
Hey, Ken!
I was doing some Googling and came across this picture of my Mother (Mrs. Leandro Rendon) in 1960 in the old Catholic Telegraph Register.The photo was taken in
the hall or vestibule of old St. Teresa’s Church (which is a gym now). I remember
serving Mass with Fr. Collins and saying the responses in Latin! As you can imagine,
we are spending a lot of time at UNICEF these days focusing on the situation of
children in Haiti. The response from the American people has been generous and
overwhelming—especially in view of the economy.
I look forward to seeing you again and to seeing updates about Catholic Central. I
hope some day to have the chance to get back to Springfield to visit Central and
meet some of the students.
Wishing you peace and blessings,
Marty
But who is the guy in the middle? Well, Liz
(Turnbull) Mitchell got Kevin Brennan right!
Tom Connelly, also from the Class of ’70,
said, “The picture is of the Three Stooges!
Just kidding!” However, Mrs. Jeanne Brennan—Class of ’38—called when the mail
came to tell us her son, Kevin, is in the middle. Marilyn Clemens told her to hurry up
and call! Louise Scanlon was right behind
them!
Also, congratulations to Madisen Foster,
CCES fourth grader, who entered an art contest themed “The Future” at the Air Force
Museum. She was a winner!
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American Dream Raffle Supports
Catholic Central Students
The 2010 American Dream Raffle is underway
and the Grand Prize Drawing of $100,000
cash is May 6. Thirty new prizes have also
been added. To receive a ticket order form
with complete rules and regulations, call
Chairperson Pat Hearlihy at 937.206.4787, or
go to www.AmericanDreamRaffle.com.
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Toot Toot! That’s Our Horn!
Catholic Central has been named one of the
Top 50 Academic High Schools in Ohio, and
the Ohio Heritage Conference Academic
Champions by Gerber Analytics, an independent research firm. Go Scholars!
In case you don’t already have the answer,
several great guesses and a couple of correct answers were submitted to us, and
some very funny comments! Mike Ryan,
Class of ’70, checked in with two-thirds of
the group.They were (l) Rob Moorman and
(r) Mike Kabbes—both from the Class of ’70.
Update! 1981 Grad
Karen Murphy Still Awaiting
Liver Transplant
1960: Promotion of the Catholic Telegraph-Register during Catholic Press Month is one of the projects of the
Decent Literature Committee of St.Teresa’s Parish Altar and Rosary Sodality in Springfield.The group includes
Father Daniel C. Collins, pastor; Mrs. Leandro Rendon, head of the decent literature committee of the Springfield Deanery Council of Catholic Women; Mrs. James Brown, Mrs. Joseph Blattner, Mrs. Bernard J. Begley, and
Mrs. Richard Kuntz. Committee members not shown are Mrs.William Sullivan and Mrs. George Schreiber.
Spotlight on Alumni:
How Many Central Grads Work at Catholic Central Elementary School?
It might surprise you to know that there are numerous Catholic Central graduates who
went on to college, and then chose to return. Some say they wanted to share their
knowledge and reconnect with other students who will follow in the footsteps of so
many successful graduates that are products of Catholic Central. Others tell us they
were led to come back because they just wanted to make a difference.These CC grads
work at the elementary campuses:
Beth Allman • Shannon Bostick • Jenny Campbell • Mike Copeland
Michelle High-Gossett • Kelley Koehler • Judy Lohnes • Molly Mann
Teresa Metzger • Erin Trempe • Laura Watkins
It has been a tough going for Karen Carney
Murphy (Class of 1981). Her rigorous battle
to stay healthy continues while awaiting the
call for a liver transplant.Karen is now at the
top of the Cleveland Clinic transplant list
and will be soon be added to Clarion Transplant Center in Indianapolis. Karen, John
and the family need your prayers!
Anyone can contribute to the Karen Murphy Transplant Fund through Security National Bank in Springfield.You can also mail
checks to The Karen Murphy Transplant
Fund in care of Kathy Sahle at 1200 East
High St, in Springfield.The Murphy’s would
like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the
CC students, alums and friends who have
provided much needed help during this difficult time. Hang in there, Karen.You are truly
our hero!