The Chronicle - 24 page

Winter 2006
the
CHRONICLE
OF STRAKE JESUIT COLLEGE PREPARATORY
a
Spirit
winning
At Jesuit, athletics
and athletes are all
about winning,
in life.
Houston, Texas
Table of Contents
Features
A Winning Spirit.
p. 4
...we leave as brothers
p. 12
Alumnus of the Year
p. 20
Departments
President’s Message 3
School News 8 - 10
Principal's Perspective 11
Development 14 - 15
Spirituality 17
Athletics 18 - 19
Alumni News 20 - 21
Class Notes 22 - 23
In Memoriam 23
Births 23
By George 24
Winter, 2007
Vol. 38, No. 2
Editor
Rick Rivers, Director of Communications
Contributors
Fr. Daniel K. Lahart, SJ
Mr. Richard Nevle
Fr. Flavio Bravo, SJ
Vince Santos ‘83
Jacob Walker ‘10
The Chronicle is published four times a year by
the Development Office of Strake Jesuit College Preparatory, 8900 Bellaire Boulevard,
Houston, Texas 77036-4699. Application to
Mail at Periodicals Postage is Pending at Houston, Texas.
President
Fr. Daniel K. Lahart, SJ
Principal
Richard Nevle
Director of Development
N.J. Santarcangelo ‘67
With a capacity of over 2,400, the Crusaders new basketball home in the new
Athletic Center Complex received rave reviews when it opened this fall.
THE COVER: Jesuit senior Todd Miller escorts
this ‘buddy’, Kamal Lanin-Wade, onto the field
at Rice Stadium for the inaugural Challenger
football game.
Strake Jesuit Fantasy Auction
April 21, 2007
Marriott Sugar Land Town Square
For information on sponsorships, donations, or tickets
go to www.strakejesuit.org and click Fantasy Auction in the Quick Links box.
President’s Message
Fr. Daniel K. Lahart, SJ
President
Dear Friends,
I often walk around the campus after classes have ended to see the various activities going on. It is great fun to wander through our new athletic areas and see so
many students involved in so many sports. Hundreds and hundreds of young men
practicing or working out. They now have a new home that complements the quality
athletic programs we have long had.
The excitement builds on game nights. The crowds at football and water polo
games, swim meets and wrestling matches have never been so spirited – or so at
home as they have been this year.
As the cover story describes, athletics at Strake Jesuit are about more than
merely winning games. Competitive sports play an integral role in our mission to train
boys to become Men for Others.
Over the last two weeks we have been meeting with our architects, SHW Group,
to begin to plan the next and final phase of Vision 2008. Having completed the athletic
center, the HVAC central plant, the maintenance building and other infrastructure
items, we are now prepared to turn our attention to the heart of Vision 2008 – the new
dining hall, student activity center and chapel.
The new building, which will incorporate the old basketball gym as the dining hall,
will house student activities (newspaper, yearbook, speech and debate, SJET, student
council), the Spirit Shop, lounges, classrooms, and game areas. Anchoring the building on the south end (towards Moran Hall) will be the Pastoral Ministry Center and
Chapel.
This building will become the literal and figurative center of the campus. When
students are not in class or involved in athletics, drama or music, this is where they
are likely to be. We are designing the space to facilitate the interaction between students, and between students and faculty. I’m not sure we have ever designed a building that will be as important to the life of the school as this one will be.
The construction of this facility also opens up space in other buildings on campus.
The library, for example, will have significantly increased space available once the
chapel, SJET and the SJET classroom relocate. This will allow us the opportunity to
renovate and rethink the library spaces, updating them for 21st century learning and
studying.
Of course none of these projects will be possible without adequate funding. In
an effort to reach out to all our alumni and their parents, we have recently completed
a video which you should have received by the time you read this letter. I hope you
will watch the video and relive your own experiences here on Bellaire Boulevard.
Many alumni tell their stories of how Strake Jesuit has touched their lives; I am sure
it has touched yours as well.
As I mention in the video, our recent campus additions are the results of hundreds
of individuals and organizations. We now need the support of thousands to make
our next dream a reality. I hope you will consider a gift to The Greater Glory Capital
Campaign. The Campaign touches the life of every student now on our campus – and
will influence the lives of students for generations to come.
If you haven’t been to campus lately, please visit the next time you are in the
neighborhood. The trees continue to grow larger; the buildings continue to get better;
the students seem younger – as do their parents. But the heart of Strake Jesuit does
not change. We continue to educate boys to become Men for Others, men who when
they graduate are intellectually competent, religious, open to growth, loving and committed to doing justice.
I am very grateful to the many alumni, parents and friends who support our mission. Please continue to remember our work in your prayers. I promise you the
prayers of the Jesuit Community each day in our masses. May these holy seasons
of Advent and Christmas be a time of true grace for you and your family.
www.strakejesuit.org
The Chronicle 3
a
Spirit
winning
by Vince Santos ‘83
“To assist young men in their formation as leaders and as Men for Others through a program
of rigorous college preparation in the tradition of the Society of Jesus.”
Strake Jesuit Mission Statement
T
here is a spirit at Strake Jesuit, a spirit that is embodied in that Mission Statement.
Nowhere is that spirit more alive than in the school’s athletics.
With 80% of the students at Jesuit opting to participate in athletics, it is easily the
most popular extra-curricular activity at the school. With that high visibility comes a large
responsibility. It is a responsibility that athletics not just be a part of the school, but in fact
to be an extension of the school and its mission.
4 Winter 2007
www.strakejesuit.org
Thanks to the ongoing success of The Greater Glory Capital
siblings and grandparents, cheered them on. By the time the after-
Campaign, the realization of decades of dreams for enhancements
noon was over, the Jesuit football players had helped make these
to the school’s athletic facilities has come true. In just a few short
kids’ dreams come true by making sure that every participant
years, as a result of the support
crossed the goal line for that
of members of the Strake Jesuit
“Athletics are not just about winning. They are
coveted touchdown. No score
community, there has been a
about learning about teamwork, cooperation,
was necessary, as it was easy
complete transformation to the
“look” of athletics at Jesuit.
For their part, the Cru-
sportsmanship, and personal achievement
within the framework of a Jesuit education.”
to see that everyone involved
was a winner.
One spectator was moved
saders have been up to the
to write in a note to the school,
challenge while competing in
Fr. Daniel Lahart, SJ “I was so touched by the stu-
the UIL against much larger 5A
dents’ interaction with the chil-
schools. They have claimed district titles in cross country, golf and
dren. Your school should be very proud of these fine young men! I
water polo and earned berths in the state playoffs in those sports
hope that my 9-year old turns out like them someday.”
as well as in football and soccer.
On the heels of that experience, in December the soccer
While the magnificent new facilities and the many successes
team participated in an event at Reliant Stadium
offer much to be proud of, they are just a manifestation of what athletics is all about at Jesuit. As school President Fr. Daniel Lahart,
SJ explains, “Athletics are not just about winning. They are about
learning about teamwork, cooperation, sportsmanship, and personal achievement within the framework of a Jesuit education.”
Principal Richard Nevle is mindful of the fact that the “wins” in
and of themselves are but a part of the story. “Athletics are also
about sharing experiences,” he points out, “and helping one another to grow and develop.” Long after the wins, losses, and statistics have become a blur, it will be the lessons learned and the
memories of having competed for and with someone that will sustain the test of time. For the most part, you can ask any former
athlete to tell you about their “glory days” and invariably you will
hear more about a particular play than a whole game, a road trip
story as opposed to an outcome, or a pep talk rather than a score.
It’s because the memories made from bonding last a lifetime.
The commitments to character, teamwork, competition and respect for the opponent have remained a Strake Jesuit constant.
As the theme of The Greater Glory Capital Campaign reminds us,
a Jesuit education has always focused on positively impacting the
complete person - heart, mind, body and soul.
One of the hallmarks of a Jesuit education is the commitment
to community service. As stated in the Grad at Grad, a Jesuit graduate “has been exposed to the needs of some disadvantaged segments of the community through community service programs and
has gained some empathetic understanding for their conditions of
living.”
The athletic programs at Strake Jesuit are playing a key role
in making that commitment a reality. This was never more evident
than this fall. In November, members of the Jesuit football team
donated their time and effort for the Houston debut of Challenger
Football at Rice Stadium. Under beautiful blue skies, these young
men volunteered as “buddies” to approximately 60 physically and
mentally challenged kids by bringing an athletic experience to life
for them, perhaps for the first time. The smiles on the faces of these
brave young Challenger athletes were priceless as proud parents,
Above: The Jesuit Soccer Team lends a hand, along with members of the Houston Texans, handing out chicken for the
Houston Food Bank in November 2006 at Reliant Stadium.
Bottom; A Jesuit golf team donates their time as a team at the
Houston Food Bank.
Opposite page: Jesuit football players Sean Roberts and Travis
Jones share a moment with Tanner Frazar at Rice Stadium
this past November at the first annual Challenger football
game.
www.strakejesuit.org
The Chronicle 5
in conjunction with the Houston Texans and the Houston Food
Bank. The team was able to help hand out 36,000 pounds of
chicken donated by Tyson Foods to various hunger relief agencies
to families in need. Earlier in the year, the same soccer team traveled to Our Lady of Guadalupe school and ran a skills camp for
the students.
But these are just a couple of examples of how Jesuit athletic
teams make the school’s commitment to service a part of their own
efforts. For many years the school’s golf team, under the direction
of Head Coach Larry Finke, has donated its time to the Houston
Food Bank. They spend a day filling orders at the area Distribution
Center and in so doing get the opportunity to continue the service
tradition that is so prevalent at Strake Jesuit. This important facility
is in constant need of volunteers and the Jesuit golfers are able to
lend some able hands for a worthwhile cause.
Head Coach Chuck Kenny’s Tennis team has also been involved in the service effort, making an annual trip to Loaves and
Fishes, a Houston soup kitchen that has been providing warm
meals to our city’s needy and homeless for over 30 years. Coach
Kenny adopted this program to let his team feel what he has felt.
“I had participated with Loaves and Fishes as part of the junior
class retreat, and got so much out of it that I decided to make it an
annual tradition for our Tennis team,” he said. “It’s a true physical
manifestation of living the Jesuit Man for Others philosophy. It is my
hope that by introducing the boys to Loaves and Fishes, that they
realize how blessed they are and then they will be compelled to
keep giving back to the world around them.”
For Team Captain and Senior Tucker Shields, it’s something
that he and his teammates look forward to. “This year will be my
third consecutive time to be a part of it,” he says. “It’s such a powerful experience. It shows all of us a side of life that you don’t typically see every day.”
Jesuit Athletic Director Bill McDonald sees a two-fold benefit
that comes from the community service efforts of the school’s
teams. “When we do these projects,” he observes, “not only does
the community benefit but our teams come away knowing that they
performed charitable acts for worthy causes and they did it as a
team – together. This is a bond that they will share for the rest of
their lives.”
Not only have Crusader teams gotten into the community service spirit, the school has made the magnificent new athletic facilities available for the greater good as well. For the last two years,
since major portions of the complex were complete, Jesuit has
hosted a major Special Olympics meet. In addition, among the
many volunteers at the meet you will always find a great number
of Jesuit athletes and other members of the school community.
Top to bottom:
- Members of the Jesuit Swimming Team at the Star of Hope
Mission
- The Crusaders Tennis Team at Loaves and Fishes
- The new Crusader Stadium plays host to the Special Olympics
Athletics has often been referred to as a microcosm for life itself. By committing to a team, athletes learn about personal responsibility and accountability. They also learn about dealing with
success as well as with failure. They learn about how to succeed
while showing respect for their opponent and for the game and
about how to fail and how to overcome adversity. At Strake Jesuit,
6 Winter 2007
www.strakejesuit.org
a coach’s concern is not limited to merely guiding young men to
to do everything you could do to be the best that you can be, that’s
win a game. More, it is about developing young men to be winners
all anyone can ask.”
in life.
As every parent understands, raising a child in this day and age
“In our society,” McDonald adds, “there is always a competitive
that is healthy in mind, body and spirit is a difficult challenge. When
nature about things and athletics epitomizes this. While winning a
athletics are added to that mix, the challenge can become even
particular contest is certainly a top priority, it must be viewed in per- greater. We live in a society where professional athletes, like it or not,
spective. I think what’s important here at Jesuit is to remember that are role models. Where they are glorified to the point of worship, and
to be an athlete, to be a Man for Others, is an attainable goal and where behavior and actions that would otherwise be condemned are
it is everyone’s responsibility to help achieve it.”
often deemed acceptable if not outright praised. Jesuit shares that
For the student-athlete at Strake Jesuit, concepts like respect, challenge every day in its mission to train boys to become Men for
service, sacrifice and leadership are as necessary to grasp as any Others. The school is continuously working to make sure that its stuplay, formation, or strategy. In addition to preparing their players dent-athletes are getting the right message. That their coaches, just
for their competitive opponent, Jesuit coaches take it upon them-
as their teachers, are guiding them to make the right decisions, even
selves to prepare their players for life beyond sports. Coach Larry
in the face of pressures from their peers and a culture that is pulling
Finke, whose golf team captured back-to-back UIL District cham-
them the opposite direction.
pionships, believes that sports, like life, come down to approach
Athletics plays an important role at Strake Jesuit. Principal
more than outcome. “One of the goals we have in golf,” he states,
Richard Nevle points out that, “in a school of nearly 900 boys, athlet-
“is not to be too caught up with your score or the results, but to al-
ics helps to hold the students and their school together.” It also plays
ways work on your preparation, commit to giving your best effort in
an important role in the overall mission of the school, to train young
all things you do leading up to the competition. As long as you
boys to become Men for Others by leading and to make a positive
work on the things that you need to work on in order to improve,
difference in the world.
and as long as you give it your maximum effort in your preparation,
Making a difference. That is a Strake Jesuit tradition that will
I believe the results will be there.” After working at Strake Jesuit for never change.
over 24 years, and having given the same advice to his own son,
Coach Finke concludes that “as long as you’ve prepared and tried
Jesuit, Positive Coaching Alliance Join Forces
As part of a targeted effort to provide the most positive experience for its
athletes, Strake Jesuit has established a
teamwork, discipline, respect and goal-set-
tion, the commit-
ting through their sports experience.
tee has sched-
As a part of this alliance, a number of
uled two follow-up workshops that will be
partnership with Positive Coaching Al-
PCA workshops
for
held in February, one for parents and an-
liance (PCA). PCA, a Stanford Univer-
coaches, administrators, parents and stu-
other for the student-athletes. The
sity-based non-profit organization, works
dent-athletes were held this past fall.
school will notify parents by e-mail and
(pictured
here)
with coaches, organizational leaders and
As a part of this on-going partnership,
parents to more effectively teach young
the school has a leadership committee.
athletes not only how to win, but also
how to learn about
This group oversees the implementation of
through the web site when the date is set
for
this
next
parent
workshop.
The Positive Coaching Alliance was
set
formed in 1998 to transform youth sports
through the program. In addi-
so that all young athletes enjoy a posi-
goals
that
the
school
tive, character-building experience.
PCA offers workshops nationwide
for coaches, parents and youth
sports leaders to equip them to positively impact today's young athletes. More information on the PCA
is available on their web site,
www.positivecoach.org
www.strakejesuit.org
The Chronicle 7
school news
SCHOOL NEWS
Jesuit Students Earn Honors and Recognition
Ten Jesuit students, nine members of the Class of 2006 and
Once again, several Strake Jesuit students have been recog-
one current senior, qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award.
nized for their academic achievement.
The nine recent graduates from the Class of 2006 were John
NINE NAMED NATIONAL MERIT SEMIFINALISTS
Boone, Patrick Clayton, Timothy Garibaldi, Parker Holcomb,
Nine Strake Jesuit students were among the 16,000 named
Matthew Hutson, William Moran, John Passmore, Mario Portocar-
Semifinalists in the 52nd Annual National Merit Scholarship Pro-
rero, and Paul Ramirez. Current senior Patrick Mahoney joined
them as a recipient of this award.
gram announced by
the National Merit
A total of 29 Jesuit students, including 23 recent
Scholarship Corpo-
graduates and 6 current seniors, earned the AP
ration. These nine
Scholar Award. Those from the Class of 2006 are
Jesuit students now have the opportunity to continue in the com-
Christopher Adcock, Benjamin Baker, Jeffrey Christopher, Jordan
petition for some 8,200 Merit Scholarship awards, worth $33 mil-
Cox, David Dragoset, Matthew Fenelon, Christopher Harding,
lion, that will be offered next spring. The nine Strake Jesuit National
Michael Johnson, Samuel Kelder, Neil Kirkpatrick, Philip Lauinger,
Merit Semifinalists are: Gregorio Casar, Jason Chiang, Joseph
James McLean, Kevin Nguyen, Stewart Nixon, Shane O'Neal,
Clifton, Edward Goolsby, John Henken, Brian Hoskins, Patrick Ma-
Patrick Owens, Alexander Pichon, Andrew Reinhardt, Taylor
honey, Kenneth Parreno, and Nicholas Villalva
Rhyne, Phillip Sterbenz, Amir Tavoli, Luis Vallejo, and Richard
Vuong. Current seniors joining that group as recipients were Ed-
COLLEGE BOARD RECOGNIZES 45 JESUIT STUDENTS
A total of 45 Strake Jesuit students, including seven current
ward Goolsby, Michael Hackemack, David Noble, Robert Ontko,
Kenneth Parreno, and Courtland Smith.
seniors and 38 members of the Class of 2006, earned the desigELEVEN EARN NATIONAL HISPANIC RECOGNITION
nation of AP Scholar
Eleven Strake Jesuit students have been recognized by the
by the College Board
College Board's National Hispanic Recognition Program.
in recognition of their
The National Hispanic Recognition Program, established in
exceptional achievement on the college-level Advanced Placement Program (AP)
1983, is a College Board program that provides national recogni-
Exams.
tion of the exceptional academic achievements of Hispanic high
Earning the highest award of National AP Scholar, which goes
school seniors and identifies them for postsecondary institutions.
to students who earn an average grade of 4 or higher on a 5-point
The honored 11 current Jesuit students, who are among 4,700
scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or
such students to receive the honor from an original number of over
more of these exams, was recent graduate Kevin Miller '06.
175,000 students nationwide are Scholars: Gregorio Casar, Pablo
Miller joined five other Jesuit students in earning the AP
Delclos, Zachary Jannasch, Christopher Lillja, Dwayne Luquetta,
Scholar with Distinction Award. Those joining Miller as recipients,
Oliver Maarraoui, Kenneth Parreno, Eric Rodriguez, Nicolas Vil-
all members of the Class of 2006, were Joseph Bernica, Fergus
lalva and Honorable Mention: Rafael Acosta, and John Merrill.
O'Leary, Adam Perkins, William Sommers, and Andrew Werner.
Choir Members Earn All-State Selection
Eleven Strake Jesuit students were recently named to the Texas Pri-
vate School Music Educators Association (TPSMEA) All-State Choir. The
students will perform with the All-State Choir at Trinity University in San
Antonio January 25-27, 2007.
Pictured at left, the All-State Choir members are: (top left to right) Ty
Messina, Stephen Janda, Sina Balogun, Walker Smith, and Corey Chambers, (middle left to right) Matt McCann, Rheme Sloan, Andrew Loperena,
Albert Ramirez, and Mitchell Johnson, and (front) Matthew Frazier.
8 Winter 2007
www.strakejesuit.org
school news
SCHOOL NEWS
More Grandparents Enjoy 2nd Grandparents Day
The 2nd Annual Strake Jesuit Grandparents Day drew a large
crowd as over 285 grandparents came to school on Thursday, October 19. They were met by their grandsons in the Parsley Center
for Mass which was followed by a lunch in the Smith Gymnasium.
During lunch, photographers were on hand to capture the moment
for the proud grandparents and their grandsons. After two very successful years, a new tradition seems to have taken hold at Jesuit.
Plaques Now Recognize Past Award Winners
Each year the school recog-
mer of 2005, Paolo Puccino and Greg Gan-
nizes select students with an
glhoff, each members of the Class of 2005,
abundance of annual awards in-
worked in the Development Office and
cluding Valedictorian, Salutato-
around school to research the past recipi-
rian, the JFK Award, Crusader of
ents of each of the awards. Their research
the Year, and many more. But for
included original plaques that were done
many years visitors to the school,
some 30 years ago, yearbooks, other pub-
alumni who returned to visit, and
lications, and school records.
even current students did not
The result of their efforts are the
have a way to learn of the many
plaques that now hang in Moran Hall for all
of the past students who had
to see. Unfortunately, there are a few holes
earned this recognition.
that need to be filled. Whether due to lost
Until now.
Through an effort spear-headed
by the school’s Alumni Relations of-
records or other reasons, there are some
years where the student recipient could not
be determined or confirmed.
fice and with the assistance of some
That is where the alumni and alumni
volunteer alums, those days are over.
parents can help. Visit the Strake Jesuit
Now on display in the main hallway of
web site at www.strakejesuit.org, scroll over
the Moran Hall are plaques for each
New/Events and then click on Awards.
of the prestigious honors and award
There you will find a list of the ‘holes’ that
with the names of all past winners (al-
we are looking to fill. Also, there is a link to
most).
send us any information that will help fill
In a process that began in the sum-
those ‘holes.’
www.strakejesuit.org
The Chronicle 9
school news
SCHOOL NEWS
Annual Open House for Prospective Families
Set for February 1
For many Strake Jesuit students, their first visit to campus was
as a prospective student when they came with their family to the
annual Open House. This year’s event is scheduled for Thursday,
February 1 at 7:00 PM with the evening beginning in the Parsley
Center.
Following a short presentation on the current Jesuit students
will be given. The tours will visit each building where a very brief
overview of each academic area or extra-curricular activity will be
given. The tour will include the new Athletic Center Complex. Another on the tour will be the ‘athletics-fair’ where coaches from each
of the 12 sports will have a table and visitors will be able to spend
time with the athletic teams that interest them. The tour will conclude with refreshments and a chance to visit more personally with
members of the faculty and administration.
Guided school tours at Open House are conducted by current
current Jesuit students.
If you know of an 8th grade student who is interested in apply-
Other important events and dates are the Entrance Exam on
ing to Strake Jesuit for the 2007-2008 school year, they should
Saturday, February 3, 2007 at 8:30 AM, the Application Deadline
contact the Admissions Office at 713.490.8113 or by e-mail at ad-
which is Tuesday, February 7, 2007 and the mailing of decision let-
[email protected]. An application may also be down-
ters in mid-March, 2007. More information is also available on the
loaded from the school web site under ‘Admission’.
school web site under ‘Admissions.’
A Real Jesuit Tradition!
For 36 years, Spring Fling has brought the entire Strake Jesuit community
together in support of the school’s financial aid program.
Fun for the entire family!
Food - Rides - Games - Crafts - Entertainment
Sunday, March 4, 2007
Noon - 6 PM
For more information, visit strakejesuit.org and click on Spring Fling in the Quick Links box.
10 Winter 2007
www.strakejesuit.org
It is an anxious time for being a parent. Parents have always tional politics, and popular psychology became the drive wheels of
had to live with one foot planted in the world of “now” and the other curriculum content and instructional techniques. Only the fashion inpoised to step into the future. Their lives are consumed in their chil- dustry is more driven by fads than education.
dren’s immediate needs, pains, joys, wants, and longings, but at
No matter what schools did, it was never enough to satisfy leg-
the same time they must live in the shadow of a future fraught with islators who found that bashing schools was a great way to get
possibilities, opportunities and dangers. It is all too easy for a parent votes.
In the 1980's the Texas Legislature passed House Bill 72
to see an abject unhappy future for their child whenever they wit- which was supposed to bring about a fundamental improvement in
ness a mistake, failure or apparent character flaw.
how schools did their job. The language of behaviorist psychology
Parents have always had to deal with these two worlds, but just became the standard jargon of a generation of educators–but still
as the future has brought so many possibilities, it also brings a train there was no measurable improvement. Employers complained that
of new worries as well, so much so that the concerns about things youngsters were not ready to enter the workforce.
Colleges
going wrong in the future undermine our enjoying the few years we lamented the poor level of preparation in their students and parents,
have our children at home. In the course of my career as a teacher so any effort to repair a broken system was likely to get a candidate
and administrator I have seen the level of anxiety intensify each elected. More recent national and state legislative mandates have
decade.
been no more successful than HB72.
It has not helped matters that the process of education has
The schools that have escaped the withering fire of fads are
been in a steady state of flux for nearly a half-century. I first became those which learned that technology is a tool, not a toy and that
aware of the changes that were happening in education as I began there is no substitute for study, practice, and consistency and that
high school. Two great movements were dramatically changing the teaching is more than technique, that it is also about content - it
way Americans thought about their schools and how they used takes work, hope, and trust.
them. In 1955 writer Rudolph Felsch published Why Johnny Can’t
Besides being concerned about whether their children are
Read, a book which became the clarion call for school critics. Just
learning anything, parents more than ever have to deal with the
a few years later in 1959 Harvard President Emeritus James B. Co- world of college admissions. There are plenty of really good colnant, a founding proponent of the SAT, headed up a study of Amer- leges in the country, but trying to pick the best fit isn’t easy. Having
ican high schools and found them seriously lacking. The Conant the opportunity to make more choices has actually made the job
Report challenged American educators to toughen up their curricula more difficult, and the idea of what works for a particular student is
and add more mathematics and science. Soon journalists and leg- often overshadowed by the same faddism which has made schoolislators, naval admirals and college professors were on the band- ing in America such an anxious enterprise.
wagon, but few of them had any real hope for schools. And while
What is most consoling to me as a parent, a teacher, and an
American schools attempted to respond to their critics, the Soviet observer of parents and kids is that our children grow into responUnion successfully launched Sputnik I into orbit. What began as a sible and very often successful adulthood in ways that we never
worry that Johnny can’t read became a fear that Ivan could. Just even considered during the anxious years of keeping them safe and
at the time schools were being chal-
worrying about the future. The challenge
lenged to reform academically, and to do
for parents is to have trust in the re-
their part in fighting the Cold War, a
silience of the young and to provide trust
string of court orders and legislative ac-
and stability in a world driven by anxiety
tions put the schools in charge of undo-
and change.
ing centuries of segregation.
Thus
schools were saddled with the burden of
repairing our society and simultaneously
producing a generation of scholars and
scientist who would beat the Russians to
the moon.
Education became big business
and a perennial campaign issue so that
changes in legislative majorities, interna-
www.strakejesuit.org
The Chronicle 11
...we leave as
Freshman Retreat
Most of us can recall the anxieties that came with that
move from the comfortable surroundings of junior high to the
great unknown of high school. Add to that the uncertainties of
entering a high school with a high academic reputation and
you can begin to get a sense for what it feels like to be a freshman at Strake Jesuit.
In an effort to both ease that transition and to present the
freshmen an opportunity to learn more about their new classmates with whom they will be sharing the next four years, in
the spring of 1992 the school began the Freshman Retreat.
Now 15 years later the retreat has changed little from that
first retreat, which was modeled after a similar retreat at
Creighton Prep. The Strake Jesuit freshman retreat has become so successful and well known that other Jesuit schools
have now visited to model their retreats after the one held
here each fall.
Unlike any of the other retreats that the school conducts,
the Freshman Retreat is entirely designed, planned, and executed by students. It is a unique three-day experience taking
place during the fall semester and having four main objectives: to help freshmen experience God’s love and deepen
their relationship with Christ, to allow upperclassmen to peer
minister to the freshmen, to provide each freshman with the
opportunity to explore his own feelings, thoughts, and those of
his class mates, and to introduce the freshmen to the philosophy of a Jesuit school.
The retreat itself consists of a series of activities done in
small groups of six or seven freshmen led by the Group
Leader, who is a senior or a junior. The activities include but
are not limited to: sharing ideas, visiting a nursing home, participating in discussions with other teens and parents, participating in prayer sessions and liturgical events such as mass
and reconciliation. To prepare for the retreat, the group leaders must participate in a series of Sunday training sessions
totaling more than 40 hours and a two-day group-leader retreat held at the beginning of the school year.
The pictures on these pages, from this year’s Retreat
which was held November 18-20, give you a sense of what
the Freshman Retreat is all about. In addition, one of the
freshman participants of the retreat, Jacob Walker, offers his
own reflections of his experience.
12 Winter 2007
www.strakejesuit.org
brothers.
at I would
out feeling rather down th
As an 8th grader, I started
mework, more
ends behind to get more ho
fri
my
of
st
mo
ve
lea
to
have
red Strake Jesuit, my attitou
I
n
he
W
nt.
me
on
vir
en
stress, and a new
d
becoming a Crusader. I tol
t
ou
ab
d
ite
exc
me
ho
me
ca
tude reversed. I
Jesuit was because of the
ed
lik
I
son
rea
in
ma
e
th
at
my parents th
t that
but definitely tangible spiri
le
isib
inv
an
is
el”
“fe
e
Th
“feel” of it.
s. You
therhood between classmate
bro
a
ms
for
It
l.
oo
sch
e
th
envelopes
you. The
maraderie flowing around
ca
d
an
ll
wi
od
go
e
th
l
fee
t
can jus
t builds.
ation from which the spiri
nd
fou
e
th
is
at
tre
Re
n
ma
Fresh
d most of a semesaround, you’ve already ha
es
com
e
tim
t
rea
ret
n
he
W
.
l and to make new friends
ter to adjust to high schoo
suit, but when I ar rived, I
Je
to
e
rod
I
as
us
xio
an
bit
I was a
s that
rticipate in many activitie
pa
u
Yo
.
big
ing
eth
som
s
could tell it wa
t to spend
in your class better. You ge
ys
gu
e
th
ow
kn
to
t
ge
to
allow you
e guy in my
never met. I only knew on
ve
ha
u
yo
ys
gu
th
wi
e
tim
a lot of
about them.
met, and wasn’t very sure
r
ve
ne
d
ha
I
ers
oth
e
Th
.
group
ese guys with my
ded, I would have trusted th
en
t
rea
ret
e
th
e
tim
e
th
By
life.
classities, you get to know your
Through the dif ferent activ
a
ally would. Ever yone has
rm
no
u
yo
an
th
r
tte
be
lot
mates a whole
and delings, thoughts, memories,
fee
l
na
rso
pe
r
he
or
his
d
way to guar
at
down. The Freshman Retre
de
ca
fa
is
th
s
ing
br
t
rea
ret
sires. The
e class.
your heart out to your entir
ur
po
to
y
nit
rtu
po
op
e
th
u
gives yo
you say, it
your chest, no matter what
off
s
ing
th
t
ge
u
yo
n
ca
ly
Not on
plete trust that
the entire class. This com
by
ted
cep
ac
sly
ou
im
an
un
is
t
at Strake Jesuit. That spiri
t
iri
sp
e
th
s
ate
cre
t
rea
ret
forms during the
us.
d ever yone shares on camp
represents the brotherhoo
ve as
at as classmates, and we lea
tre
Re
n
ma
sh
Fre
e
th
ter
We en
brothers.
Jacob Walker ‘10
www.strakejesuit.org
The Chronicle 13
evelopmen
DEVELOPMENT
Banners from 2006 Senior Class Gift in Place
At the end of the 2006 school
year, the Class of 2006 raised over
$16,000 in pledges from 70% of the
class members. They had already
determined to allocate their gift to
the purchase of banners recognizing past district and state championships (TCIL & UIL) for both
athletic and academic competition
teams.
With the opening of the new Athletic Center Com-
plex this fall, including the new competition gym, most of
those banners are in place for all to enjoy. In addition to
the team recognition banners, two hanging at the south
end of the gym, directly above the student seating section, display the words to the school’s alma mater and
fight song.
Now an annual tradition at Strake Jesuit, the Class of
2006 is the fifth class to participate Senior
Clas Gift. This program provides an opportunity for the graduates to make the transformation to Alumni, and to leave a parting
gift to the school. Traditionally the pledges
are paid off over their first four years after
graduating, with those payments counting as
their contribution to the Annual Alumni Drive.
Early in the spring semester of 2007, the
leaders of the Class of 2007 will begin the
process of soliciting their Senior Class Gift.
14 Winter 2007
www.strakejesuit.org
evelopmen
DEVELOPMENT
New Athletic Center Earns Construction Awards
The new Athletic Center Complex at
Strake Jesuit, which was completed this
past summer, was recognized with two
construction industry awards. At the Associated Builders and Contractors of Greater
Houston's Excellence in Construction
Awards, the complex won an ICE Award in
the Institutional K-12 Category. This top
award is presented to projects based on
early September. Eligible projects had to
points earned through a series of criteria.
be located in Texas and completed be-
Texas Construction magazine then
tween Sept. 1, 2005 and Sept. 1, 2006.
recognized the Athletic Center Complex
The jury recognized projects based on
with an Excellence Award in the K-12 cat-
entry criteria including project manage-
egory. The award was announced in con-
ment, overcoming the challenges of the
junction with the magazine's annual Best
job, client service and safety. Design en-
of 2006 awards program. The annual com-
tries were judged on unity with nearby so-
petition recognizes construction and de-
cietal and environmental elements, among
sign excellence from around the state. An
other criteria. The 65 winners will be fea-
independent jury of industry experts in de-
tured in the December 2006 issue of Texas
sign and construction judged 112 nomi-
Construction.
nated projects in a variety of categories in
Excitement Builds for 2007 Fantasy Auction
The new year is a great time to start
wish an underclassman good luck. Just
thinking about the 27th annual Strake
pick your style, add the student’s name
Jesuit Fantasy Auction. “Bright Lights,
and class, and the rest is done for you.
Big Cities” which will be held at the Mar-
Underwrite - Purchase an auction
riott Sugar Land Town Square on Satur-
table either individually or in a group.
day, April 21, 2007. Proceeds benefit the
Major sponsorships are available at 4
school’s financial aid program for de-
levels from $3,000 to $15,000 per table.
serving students.
Volunteer - From pre-auction plan-
There are still many items on the
ning to the final take down, there are 33
auction wish list including vacation
committees from which to choose. One
homes, airline miles, gift certificates,
is sure to fit your interests and schedule.
sports memorabilia, jewelry, event tickets, and more. Any of these
Attend - Invitations will be in the mail mid-March, so plan now
would be great additions to the silent, big board, or live auction.
for an enjoyable evening of food, fellowship, and fun, along with
For more ideas, check the Strake Jesuit registries at Berings, Crate
lots of lively and competitive bidding.
and Barrel, Pottery Barn, Robert’s China, Crystal & Silver, Target,
January 23 is the deadline to get your donation, advertise-
or Williams-Sonoma. Items and forms can be dropped off at the
ment or sponsorship included in the auction booklet, so now is the
Hamilton Building during business hours.
time to act.
There are many other ways to support this important project:
For donation, sponsorship or ad forms, go to www.strakeje-
Advertise - Promote your business with an ad. You should
suit.org, under “Events-Fantasy Auction”. For more information or
have already received information in the mail about advertising in
to help in any way, please contact Michele Dearborn, at 713-464-
the auction booklet. Or, at only $100 each, “Crusader Classifieds”
6565, e-mail [email protected], or Sharon Venables at
are a quick and easy way to congratulate a graduating senior or
713-490-8107, e-mail [email protected].
www.strakejesuit.org
The Chronicle 15
When you
Sponsor a
student,
your gift
comes with
a face
and
a name.
Whether you have been a longtime
contributor to Strake Jesuit, or you have just been
waiting for the right opportunity to get involved,
consider sponsoring a financial aid student.
As a Sponsor, you will be able to meet the student and
watch him grow throughout his Jesuit experience.
It is a very personal and rewarding way to reach out to
a deserving young man and impact his life
in a meaningful way.
For more information, contact NJ Santarcangelo '67 in
the Development Office at 713.490.8152.
16 Winter 2007
www.strakejesuit.org
At the Beginning of the Day
by. Fr. Flavio Bravo, SJ
spirituality
SPIRITUALITY
Each morning, as soon as I open my eyes and begin to
wake up, a prayer comes to mind: “Help me O Lord, to be
mindful of your presence today.” It does not take much longer
before my mind wonders toward the tasks ahead of me. The
daily agenda can be quite extensive and often a bit over-
whelming. Allow me to share with you a few of the things that
come to mind: “I must finish grading the tests, enter grades in
grade book, return quizzes to students, write a review packet
for exam, make sure I find such and such student and talk to
him, prepare (at least mull over the readings) for a brief homily
for Mass, pay bills, call Mom, write a draft for the Ignatian Afternoon agenda, return receipts to finance office, prepare for
staff meeting, hear confessions, sub for a class, return phone
calls, reply to e-mails, etc,.” The list goes on, and on, yet I stop
myself again and come back to my prayer: “Teach me, O Lord,
to be generous.” Suddenly, the alarm clock sounds and I push
it aside: “Hush,” I said, “I am already awake!” The fact is, I am
hardly awake, and I am already worrying about not having
enough time to accomplish all that lies ahead of me.
“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done.” Prayer happens
when we are half-asleep and half-awake! Some days we are
much better at keeping our thoughts and words in line and
neatly ordered. In my experience, daily prayer rarely happens
in such linear patterns. It occurs at the most random moments,
and thus I pray each day to be attentive and responsive to
God’s gracious presence. I watch and pray. In fact, I am often
reminded of a phrase I heard one of our graduates share with
us one day at a Kairos meeting: “Prayer is like fishing, you cast
the line and then wait.” I have taken that image further in my
own life. I often imagine Jesus being the one going for a catch
each day, and I am there waiting, anxiously and expectantly,
longing to be caught in his gracious net.
And so, today, at the beginning of the day, before the
alarm clock goes off, before the agenda starts to consume my
time and attention, I want to jump ahead of all that has to be
done and sit with God. I want to—while I am still half-awake
and half-asleep—to tell God with great devotion and humility:
“Here I am O Lord I come to do your will.”
www.strakejesuit.org
The Chronicle 17
ATHLETICS
FOOTBALL
Crusaders Battle Tough Schedule, New District
ping a home game against Cy-Fair, the
year finished with a losing record and six
in the state, the Crusaders held their own
Crusaders won a big road game against
of them went on to make the playoffs with
in 2006 and posted a 4-6 record. That in-
Langham Creek, 31-28. Then, after an-
three of those advancing to the Regional
cluded a respectable 3-4 in their new dis-
other home loss to Cy-Falls, Jesuit won an-
round.”
trict, 17-5A, where they matched up with
other road game with a 29-22 win over
In that light, you can easily see why
the schools of the Cypress-Fairbanks
Cy-Springs. Then, after a close home loss
the Crusaders for looking to the 2007 sea-
School District.
to Cy-Creek and a road defeat at the
son with great expectations.
athletics
Facing one of the toughest schedules
“This year was very similar to our first
hands of Cy-Ridge,
year in the UIL when we were matched up
the Crusaders closed
with the Katy and Alief schools,” observed
out the season with a
Head Coach Ron Counter. “Hopefully, next
big home win against
year we can make it very similar to our
playoff bound Jersey
second year in that district as well and
Village, 23-13.
make the playoffs.
“Of
the
225
After a 38-6 win over rival St. Thomas
schools in Texas that
to open the season, Jesuit dropped a close
competed at the 5A
30-25 game at Baytown Lee and then a
level, our schedule this
42-14 non-district match-up against former
year was in the top 20
district opponent Cinco Ranch. It was then
in terms of difficulty,”
on to District 17-5A play where, early on,
noted Head Coach Ron
the road was more friendly to the Cru-
Counter. “Only one
saders than their home field. After drop-
of our opponents this
The Crusaders opened the season with a convincing 38-6 win
over rival St. Thomas at Dyer Stadium.
Senior Honored by Houston Touchdown
Club as Top Scholar-Athlete
Jesuit senior Sean Roberts, an Offensive Lineman on
the Crusaders football team, was among 25 Greater Houston area high school students honored by the Houston
Touchdown Club as a Scholar-Athlete.
The Touchdown Club of Houston hosted the Greater
Houston Football Scholar-Athlete Luncheon on Wednesday,
November 8. The luncheon honored the top 25 high school
seniors in Greater Houston who are starters in football with
the highest grade-point averages. The finalists were selected
by the presidents at the football-playing universities in Houston: the University of Houston, Rice University and Texas
Southern University.
18 Winter 2007
Senior Sean Roberts (center) flanked by Head Coach Ron Counter
(far left), his parents Stephen and Jean Roberts, and Jesuit Offensive
Line Coach Jeff Wallis ‘84 (far right ).
www.strakejesuit.org
ATHLETICS
CROSS COUNTRY
Regional Title, State Meet Berth Cap Great Season
The Jesuit Cross Country team experienced one of their most
the Crusaders won three of their last four meets.
At the District 17-5A meet, Jesuit made a big statement. The
cessful since entering the UIL. Facing top competition all season
team placed seven runners in the top 10, including six of the top
long, Jesuit posted a 2nd and two 3rd place finishes in their first
seven. Not only did the varsity win their meet, but the junior varsity
three meets. Then, peaking before the District 17-5A meet,
and freshmen squads did the same.
athletics
rewarding seasons in recent memory, and certainly their most suc-
From there it was on to Regionals where, in the past, Jesuit
has come up just short of earning a berth into the state meet. This
year, however, the Crusaders made certain they would earn that
elusive berth by winning the Regional Meet. They did so again with
their depth, placing five runners in the top 15 and six in the top 19.
Greg Casar, Robert Ontko, and Greg York were named to the Region III All-Region Team.
At their first state meet, the Crusaders battled some bad luck,
but still managed to post an impressive 8th place finish.
“Many days of commitment and long runs went into the history
making performance of the Cross Country team in 2006,” commented Head Coach Mike Kerley. “For a school the size of ours to
win the Regional title at the 5A level is amazing.”
Not ones to rest on its laurels, the Cross Country team is already laying the groundwork to build on the success of the 2006
A proud Coach Mike Kerley (center) surrounded by the Cross
Country Regional Champions from Strake Jesuit.
season. Coach Kerley has five solid runners returning in 2007 and
five or six experienced runners waiting their turn.
WATER POLO
Hosting Regionals, State Tournament Spot Highlight Season
The Jesuit Water Polo team built on
Alamo Heights but dropped their next
named 1st Team All-Region, 1st Team All
the success they experienced as a young
match to Clear Lake. They then went on to
State. His 119 goals on the season was a
team last year and posted a 23-10 overall
split their last two matches to earn a 4th
school record for one season and gave
record in 2006. They did so enroute to an
place finish.
him 302 for his career, also already a
Three
undefeated district record to earn that title.
mem-
Next it was on to the Regional tourna-
bers of the 2006
ment and the Crusaders, for once, could
squad earned spe-
claim home ‘pool’ advantage. Jesuit played
cial
host to the tournament in their new outdoor
Senior
competition pool, which had just been com-
Lombo was named
pleted a few months before. The facility, a
2nd Team All Re-
part of the new Athletic Center Complex,
gion, senior Mark
was a perfect setting for the big meet.
Hornberger
The Crusaders managed to earn a
recognition.
Santiago
was
named 1st Team
spot in the Regional finals before dropping
All-Region,
the final match to Cy Creek, the team that
Team
would eventually win the state title. The
and also set a
second place finish still earned Jesuit a
school
spot in the State Tournament.
with 70 assists,
At the State Tournament, the Crusaders opened with a win over San Antonio
2nd
All-State
record
school record with his senior season still to come.
Junior Mark Strickland
earned 1st Team All
State honors while scoring a school record 19
goals.
and junior Mark
Strickland
was
www.strakejesuit.org
The Chronicle 19
ALUMNI NEWS
lumni new
Dr. Brian S. Parsley ‘74 Named Recipient of
2006 Ignatian Award
Dr. Brian S. Parsley ‘74 was recognized as the Strake Jesuit
Alumnus of the Year and recipient of the 2006 Ignatian Award at a
reception and dinner in the Parsley Center in November. Upon receiving the honor in the building named after his parents, Bob and
Gana Parsley, Dr. Parsley recalled their influence on his life.
Each year, the Strake Jesuit Ignatian Award is presented to a
distinguished alumnus whose life 'exemplifies the academic, religious, and social values of the Jesuit tradition; outstanding generosity to the community; professional achievement contributing to
the advancement of his area of expertise, and he exemplifies a
Man for Others.'
A well respected orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Parsley is actively
involved in numerous charitable and professional endeavors.
These include assisting at St. Joseph Hospital, raising money for
arthritis research, representing his fellow surgeons on committees organized to preserve their ability to provide proper
patient care, and caring for indigent and ill patients in
Guatemala through the Faith in Practice organization. He is
also a devoted father to his four daughters.
In accepting the Ignatian Award, Dr. Parsley related
his own life experiences to those of St. Ignatius. He also related that “my experience at Jesuit was my most significant
period of time in my life."
One of four Parsley brothers who are Jesuit alums,
joining Bob ‘72, David ‘78, and Dan ‘81, Dr. Parsley honored his own parents by stating that "Dad (Bob Parsley)
was the greatest influence in my life and was truly a Man
for Others. He was a model of character and Christianity
and the kind of person I aspire to be."
Past recipients of the Ignatian Award include 1984 - Larry
Mason '66; 1985 - Marcel Frey '74; 1986 - Jim Stewart '67; 1987 Charlie Atchison '72; 1988 - Ray Albrecht '72; 1989 - Pat Moran
'66; 1999 - Tom Adolph '75; 2000 - NJ Santarcangelo '67; 2001 Mike Koch '75; 2002 - Frank Rynd '70 and Steve LePore '75;
2003 - Msgr. James Anderson '70; and 2004 - Dr. Julius "Jay" De-
Top: President Fr. Daniel Lahart, SJ congratulates Dr. Parsley as
recipient of the 2006 Ignatian Award.
Bottom: Among the past Ignatian Award recipients on hand were
(left to right) Ray Albrecht ‘72, Dr. Parsley ‘74, Marcel Frey ‘74,
Frank Rynd ‘70, and NJ Santarcangelo ‘67.
Broeck '73.
Dr. Parsley also Honored by Faith in Practice Organization
Dr. Parsley was also honored this past Parsley also served as Chair for the orgafall by Faith in Practice. The organization’s nization’s Operating Room Renovation
mission is to improve the physical, spiritual, and Expansion Campaign.
and economic conditions of the poor in
A member of the Board of Directors, Dr.
20 Winter 2007
That project was recently completed
Guatemala. The group has been active in at Obras Sociales del Santo Hermano
Pedro in Antigua, Guatemala.
its mission in Guatemala since 1993.
www.strakejesuit.org
ALUMNI NEWS
lumni new
Alums Gather to Reconnect, Catch-up
Jesuit alums took the opportunity of visits
from some of Jesuit’s administrators to their
part of the country to gather and reconnect. In
October, Fr. Lahart, Director of Development NJ
Santarcangelo ‘67, Associate Director of Development Michael Crowley, and Alumni Director
Tim Scalzitti ‘90 visited the Texas Hill Country.
In Austin, they hosted about 35 alums at The
Mansion at Judge’s Hill, owned by Bill Gurasich
‘66. Then in San Antonio, some 15 alums joined
the group at the Rio Rio Cantena on the Riverwalk.
In November, they traveled to the northeastern part of the country. A reception in New
York was hosted at the offices of Jim Loughlin
‘74 where 25 alumni gathered and then it was
on to Boston where about 20 alumni gathered
at the Harvard Club where they were sponsored
by Anil Adyanthaya ‘87
Plans for additional alumni receptions are
in the works for the spring. At this time, a gathering in Washington, D.C. will be held in March
Alumni gathered in New York (top) and Boston (bottom) this fall at receptions hosted by school president Fr. Daniel Lahart.
with others to be planned. Watch your mail for
information about a reception coming to your
area.
Alumni Mothers’ Club Active, Welcome All Alum Moms
An integral part of the Strake Jesuit Community, the Alumni
Mothers' Club is a way for mothers of Strake Jesuit Alumni to stay
in touch with each other, and with the school.
Throughout the year, the Alumni Mothers' Club has various
events both in conjunction with the Strake Jesuit Mothers' Club,
and on their own. Among the annual events are the Alumni Mothers
Tea, scheduled for January 14, 2007 and the Day of Recollection
Retreat with Fr. Billac, which this year will be on Saturday, March
31, 2007. In addition, there is an on-going Bible Study group which
meets on a weekly basis throughout the school year.
All events and information about the Club’s activities are available on the school web site at www.strakejesuit.org. Simply click on
Alumni and then Alumni Mothers. In addition, invitations are mailed
to all Alumni Mothers in Houston in advance of annual events.
If you are an Alumni Mother and know of one who would be interested in participating, please contact Kay Moore, Club President, at [email protected] or Tim Scalzitti ‘90, Director
of Alumni Relations, at 713.490.8153 or [email protected].
www.strakejesuit.org
The Chronicle 21
CLASS NOTES
class notes
‘60’s
‘60’s
Alan “Rusty” Senac ‘66 for the past
23 years has served as Executive
Director of Brown & Associates Medical Laboratories, a 16-physician
pathology practice in Houston. He
was also elected to the City Council
of Beach City in 1983 and re-elected
five times and then elected Mayor
and served for 10 years.
Mark Walz ‘66 has been married
for 36 years to his wife Vivian. He
has three grown children and five
grandchildren. He has served as an
actor and director of over 80 professional stage productions and is
an Ordained Unitarian Minister with
a parish in Dallas.
The Class of ‘67 gathered in December for their annual lunch. In attendance were: (left to
right) Jim Stewart, Riock Sindelar, Jim Glenney, Bruce Duger, George Gaenslen, NJ Santarcangelo, Gene Nettles, Glen Boudreaux, Ed Murr, Jim Booth, Gray Miller, Mike Lallinger,
Mike Guarino, John Webre, Gil Naert, and Olle Lorehn.
Jim Murpphy ‘76 won election to
the Texas Senate this past November.
Ken Wise ’78 was honored as a
past Aeros stick boy who made good
before the Aeros game on Sunday,
October 8, 2006. At the same game,
former Houston Aero, six time NHL
MVP and NHL Hockey Hall of Fame
legend Gordie Howe was also honored. Judge Wise gave Gordie his
prized team autographed stick that
included the signatures of Gordie
John DeSilva ‘71 is retired from and his two sons, Mark and Marty,
Yahoo! after working for 30 years in who played with him on the old
computer technology. He is married Aeros team.
with three children and five grandchildren.
Guy Sullaway ‘78 and his wife,
‘70’s
‘70’s
Gerry Cunningham '73 was recently named the Regional Managing Director for Deloitte's Northeast
Region Consulting practice. He
joined Deloitte in 1984 and was admitted as a Partner in 1990. Gerry,
Mary, Kimberly, and Christine live in
Stamford, Connecticut and Stratton,
Vermont.
Jeffrey Cardenas ‘76 lives in
Friendswood and currently works in
aerospace in the Clear Lake Area.
Luis Delclos ‘76 spent 1976-1979
in Spain. In 1979 he returned to
Houston and earned a Bachelor of
Architecture University of Houston
and then a Masters of Architecture at
Rice University 1989. He married his
wife, Maria, in 1985 and they have
three sons. In 1989 he established
an architecture practice in Tarragona, Spain.
22 Winter 2007
Ginny, have moved to Yorkville, Illinois, a rural suburb of Chicago. He
has taken a position as Vice President of Global Operations for DA
Stuart in Warrenville, Illinois. Their
son, Marshall ‘05, is a sophmore at
Loyola-Chicago majoring in Economics and Finance.
‘80’s
‘80’s
Mike Gomez '83 and his wife,
Jenny, welcomed their first child,
Miguel Angel IV (nicknamed Quade)
who was born on August 5, 2006.
Alex Vitale '83 was married on August 6, 2006 to Elizabeth Palley near
her parents' home in Delaware. They
honeymooned in Costa Rica and
Ecuador before returning to their
teaching jobs in the fall at Brooklyn
College and Adelphi University respectively.
Chris Abel '86 left Enron in July
2006 after 13 years and purchased
an advertising business in West
Houston, Money Mailer of Ft. Bend
County and Katy.
at the VA Hospital in West Roxbury,
Massachusetts and is on the Harvard University academic staff.
Patrick LaRue ’88 and his wife, Juliana, and their 2-year old daughter,
Lauren, welcomed the birth of Bryce
Patrick on October 17, 2006.
Patrick Cox ‘89 earned a B.S. in
Math this past Summer of 2005.
‘90’s
‘90’s
Nelson Ebaugh ‘86 and his wife
Grace are the proud parents of Maureen Virginia Ebaugh who was born
on August 23, 2006.
Tom Bradley ‘90 and his wife, Jennifer, welcomed the birth of his first
child, Thomas John Hall Bradley, on
Sunday, November 19, 2006. He
weighed in at 6 lbs., 15 ounces, and
measured 21 inches.
James Ebaugh ‘87 was recently engaged to Dorothy Wawrose, of Huntingdon, Pennsylvania. He is in his
3rd year of vascular surgery practice
Edward ‘Rusty’ Ulrich ‘93 graduated from the University of Texas
Medical Branch in August 2006 with
a Masters in Physician Assistant
David Sanguesa ‘81 started his
own construction firm in Houston in
1996 building luxury homes. In 2004
he went to Miami to build high rises
with his business partner. He is still
doing triathlons.
David O’Brien ’82 and his wife,
Bridget, and their daughter Mary
Clare welcomed Cecilia Mare into
their family in May, 2006.
Ken Wise ‘78 with Gordie Howe
www.strakejesuit.org
CLASS NOTES
Alfred J. Brown
Father of Matt ‘80
class notes
- IN MEMORIAM -
William M. Donohue
Father Michael ‘66
Grandfather of Joseph ‘99, Andrew Jones ‘98, Kevin ‘01 and
Mark ‘03
Frederick C. Eckart, Jr.
Father of Fred ‘79
Cynthia Rose Gatus
Mother of Christopher ‘00 and
Andrew ‘02
John McDonald ‘98 and his bride, Holly
Virion with Bishop Rizzotto.
Studies. He is working at the
Shriners Burn Hospital in Galveston
doing burn and reconstructive surgery in addition to research.
Damian Rogan ‘95 was recognized
in Madrid, Spain in June with The
Anthony Hunt Award for the most
Promising Engineer at the annual
BEX (Building Exchange) 2006
Awards. He was honored for the design of the new research station in
Antarctica.
James Murray ‘97 has finally transitioned back to the civilian world after
8 years in the U.S. Marine Corps.
He recently started work with SAIC
in Washington, D.C as a CI/HUMINT
Analyst. Jim and his wife Jessica,
who works for the National U.S.
Chamber of Commerce, are currently residing in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia.
Muriel Brown Herrod
Mother of Craig ‘75, James ‘77
and Michael ‘80
Houston. The Best Men were Steve
McDonald ’94 and Joe McDonald ’95
and the Groomsmen included Will
Walters ’98 and John Dyer ’98.
Jean Nolan Jacobson
Mother of Johb ‘70
‘00’s
‘00’s
Justin Moore ’05, Grant Jefferson
’06,and Scott Coffman ’06 met on
the football field when Justin and
Scott played for Georgetown and
Grant played for Columbia. Columbia won the game 23-21 and the trio
met up at a tailgate party after the
game on the banks of the Hudson
River.
Clarence Frank Kurtin
Father of Tobin ‘83
Margaret O’Leary
Mother of Terrence ‘72
Roger Louis Uecker
Father of David ‘79, Joseph ‘83,
John ‘85, and Steve ‘88
John Webre
Father of Johnny ‘67 and Chris ‘77
Grandfather of Jud ‘10, Richard Hite ‘01, Stuart Elledge ‘02,
and John Hite ‘04,
Paul Cleveland Willingham
Father of Paul ‘86
Ryan Gammage ‘05 and Will Callegari ‘06 are both playing lacrosse at
LSU.
- BIRTHS John McDonald ’98 was married to
Holly Virion on November 4, 2006.
Bishop Vincent M. Rizzotto presided
at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in
Cecilia Mare O’Brien in May 2006
David ‘82 and Bridget
Miguel Angel Gomez IV on
Auguswt 5, 2006
Mike ‘83 and Jenny
Maureen Virginia Ebaugh on
August 23, 2006
Nelson ‘86 and Grace
Bryce Patrick LaRue on
October 17, 2006
Patrick ‘88 and Juliana
Justin Moore ‘05, Grant Jefferson ‘06 and Scott Coffman ‘06
after the Georgetown-Columbia football game.
www.strakejesuit.org
Thomas John Hall Bradley on
November 19, 2006
Tom ‘90 and Jennifer
The Chronicle 23
Coach
Meet Mr. Dick Janse, a man who over
the course of his long and eventful coaching
career has garnered the respect and gratitude of many a young person. An honored
inductee to Texas High School Coaches Hall
of Fame, the kids know him simply as
“coach.” For every youngster that once benefited from his guidance that word “coach”
has taken on a special meaning. Indeed, it
has become for each of them, somewhat of
a term of endearment evoking fond memories of their respected mentor and of those
good old days gone by.
At age 19, Coach Janse began his career with the Kinkaid School, his Alma Mater.
Having played all the major sports during his
own high school years, he had already developed a sustained interest and fondness
for the games. His affection for sports was
likely inherited from his beloved father, Hector who was an All American at Iowa and indeed a star basketball and tennis player.
From Kinkaid, Coach Janse moved on to Marian and then to Holy
Ghost. As he recalls, “In those days I was fortunate to be able to
juggle my job with my continuing education. I was a busy kid, but
the Holy Ghost job allowed me to attend the University of Houston
in the morning and coach in the afternoon.” All was going according
to plan in the young coach’s life but suddenly things got even better. It was at Holy Ghost that Dick Janse first met his wife Joyce
Dixon. “Joyce was coaching the girls drill squad, girls volleyball and
softball,” remembers coach Janse. “Little did I know when I moved
to Holy Ghost that there I would find the love of my life.” The couple
soon married and together they have raised four children; two
boys, David and Kevin and two girls, Susan and Leigh Ann. “The
girls hold one slight edge over the boys as they are perhaps a bit
more sports savvy,” admits Coach Janse,” but all of our children
did well in sports as they have done well with the rest of their lives.”
The reader may assume that the Janse kids were well coached
not only in sports but also in life.
In 1961 Coach heard news of the imminent start of a new
Catholic high school, one to be run by the Jesuits. “I remember
that the challenge of starting a new program inspired me. Everything would be new; a new school, a new team. Everyone involved
would be in on the ground floor establishing traditions and setting
in motion forces that would continue for years to come.”
Others felt the same way. Coach Tony Carr left St. Anne’s to
join the new Jesuit school. Mr. Phil Smelko came from St.
24 Winter 2007
Theresa’s school. Mr. Smelko coached and
taught. He is best remembered as that incredibly patient man that instructed Driver’s
Ed. Coach Harry Treybig came to coach
football and to teach Biology. Coach Charles
Zielinski, the former Holy Cross Crusader
became athletic director and it was he who
first promoted the Crusader mascot for his
new teams.
In those early days, a Jesuit coach’s
duties were varied. Coach Janse coached
track, football, basketball, and baseball. He
also taught world history and P.E. “We were
an energetic, young bunch of guys; the
coaching staff and our duties were numerous. But all of the coaches, myself included,
felt that we were lucky to be doing a job that
we loved. I still take a lot of pride in the work
that I did as a teacher.” Coaching ability was
second nature for the coach but teaching
was another thing altogether. “I had to work
at it and I had to learn it,” admits Coach Janse. “It was one more
challenge but I always liked a challenge, and in the end, I believe
that I was equal to it.”
Dick Janse taught kids. He taught them how to run the race,
shoot the basket, toss a pass, throw a block, and hit a fastball. He
taught them all of that and more. He showed them that with commitment and hard work, they could be winners. But, sometimes it
is the opponent that earns the win and so it was that Coach Janse
made sure that his youngsters also learned how to handle a loss
gracefully. It is said that athletics is simply a metaphor for life. Dick
Janse saw to it that his kids prepared themselves both physically
and mentally for the years to come.
To be sure, it wasn’t all just hard work. After all, sports are
games and games are meant to be fun. The way Coach Janse saw
it, “Those High School years are special but they pass by quickly.
I wanted my athletes to get the most out those years and to enjoy
them to the fullest.”
Yes, those years are special and Dick Janse is a special person. His commitment to young people and his positive and lasting
effect can be seen today in the lives of those that he once taught.
To the memories of “those special High School years” and to
a very special Coach, I pledge my shield and my sword.
George
www.strakejesuit.org
The Video Everyone
is Talking About!
After months in production, the
school’s video in support of the The
Greater Glory Capital Campaign was
completed in December. Along with a
new, colorful brochure it was distributed
to all of the school’s past parents and to
alumni from the classes of 1965
through 2001. Early reaction has been
very favorable.
The 15-minute DVD features
interviews with alumni and parents as
well as Jesuit faculty and administrators who have touched so many lives.
In addition, scenes from the early days
at Jesuit as well as images of the school
as it has grown over the years are featured.
If you are a past parent or an
alum from the classes of 1965
through 2001 and you have not received your package or if you were
not included in this initial distribution but are interested in supporting
The Greater Glory Capital Campaign
and would like to receive a package,
please contact Director of Development
NJ Santarcangelo ‘67 at 713.490.8152 or
[email protected].
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
January
13
Prep Bowl
14
Alumni Mothers’ Tea
16-19 Kairos XXIV
21
Father-Son Pool Tournament
22
Liturgy with Archbishop DiNardo
24
Spring Fling Kickoff Luncheon
February
1
Open House
3
Entrance Exam
11
President's Dinner
13
The Next Three Years
21
Ash Wednesday Liturgy
25
Father-Son Basketball Tournament
March
3
Second Entrance Exam
4
Spring Fling
12-16 Spring Break
31
Alumni Mothers’ Day of Recollection
For up to date event information,
go to www.strakejesuit.org
PARENTS, if you are still receiving your
son’s Chronicle although he no longer
lives with you, let us know so we can
change our records and send the magazine
directly to him. If you enjoy reading the
publication but do not receive a copy of
your own, let us know that too. We would
be glad to send a copy to your son’s new
address and continue to send you one.
Contact the Alumni Office at
[email protected] or at
713.490.8153
Ark, 1974 by Alexander Liberman measures 120 x 48 x 65
inches and is composed of cast and welded bronze. It is on
loan from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston and is located
outside the foyer between the Strake Hall (200 building) and
Cameron Hall (300 building) on the south side.
Strake Jesuit College Preparatory
8900 Bellaire Blvd.
Houston, TX 77036
Nonprofit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Houston, TX
Permit No. 11441