2012 Distinguished Alumni Award - Our Lady of Good Counsel High

2012 Distinguished
Alumni Award
Al Checchi ’66 | The Change Maker
www.olgchs.org l Spring 2012
A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School
Dear Friends,
A publication of
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School
A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School
17301 Old Vic Boulevard, Olney, MD 20832
240.283.3200 • www.olgchs.org
e shelves in my office contain many books.
ere’s Collins, Covey and Drucker, the stuff of
college business classes. ere are books about
heroes like St. Ignatius, Shakespeare and Shackleton.
ere’s no shortage of leadership advice.
OUR LADY OF GOOD COUNSEL
PRESIDENT
Paul G. Barker, Ed.D.
PRINCIPAL
Patrick Bates ’70
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Chairman: Hank Deily ’72
Mr. Robert Alesi
Dr. Paul Barker
Mr. Bradlee Bolino ’71
Mr. Michael Devlin ’77
Mr. Robert Dickman
Mr. Sean Fitzpatrick ’96
Mr. Dan Gillespie ’70
Mr. Robert Hass
Ms. Katherine Liola ’97
Mr. Andrew Maurano ’97
Bro. Richard Mazza, C.F.X.
Mr. Kevin McCormack ’86
Mr. Charles J. Morton ’83
Ms. Rita O’Donnell
Bro. J. Conal Owens, C.F.X.
Sr. Sharon Slear, SSND
Mrs. Susan Splendido
Mr. Martin Stanislav ’82
Dr. Patricia A. Thomas ’93
Mrs. Beverly Wharton-Lake
Ms. Nancy Wheeler
ADVANCEMENT OFFICE STAFF:
EDITOR, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND PR
Stephanie Wilson
CHIEF ADVANCEMENT OFFICER
Jane DiGirolamo
DIRECTOR OF CORPORATE AND
FOUNDATION RELATIONS
Adam Trice
Our feature story highlights the remarkable story of
Al Checchi ’66. In his recently published book e Change Maker: Preserving the
Promise of America and in his recent remarks to students, Al acknowledged the
profound influence of Good Counsel in forming the leader he has become in
business and politics. Al is not alone. In meetings with alumni here in the metro
area as well as at gatherings in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Baltimore and
Chicago, again and again we have heard successful graduates give credit to the
Good Counsel years for the formation of their core values.
Visible reinforcements of the Xaverian Brothers’ virtues of humility, trust, zeal,
compassion and simplicity are painted in our hallways. We celebrate them in a
beautiful song composed by teacher Stan Spottswood ’81. Most of all, our teachers
and staff are ever alert to ways to draw daily connections between those five words
and what happens in our classrooms, in the way we greet and treat one another,
and in how we judge the rightness of what we do.
We also provide settings in which students learn to lead. Most compelling are the
opportunities to serve as retreat leader. Several times a year we consecrate generous
young men and women going out to minister to their peers. Fr. Barry Gross places
their leadership in the context of following in the footsteps of Jesus, teacher of us all.
I was privileged to attend the February Fire Junior Retreat. After months of training,
our senior leaders were ready. Whatever their nerves in approaching their small
groups and delivering a talk, it was clear that taking on a role that was challenging,
purposeful, individually meaningful, and in which they would be required to exercise
choice, control and discretion, leaders were being formed. We adults needed to
be there, of course, but at some level we were superfluous. e senior leaders
established the climate of trust, openness, safety, seriousness, support and caring
that made those three days a transformative experience for all who attended.
I understand why our alumni remember this retreat so vividly.
DIRECTOR OF ALUMNI & PARENT RELATIONS
Monica Augustyn ’06
ADVANCEMENT MANAGER
Debbie McKinney
MARKETING AND PR ASSISTANT
Ali Kelley
PRESIDENT’S ASSISTANT
Jeanette McCarthy
One final thing, invariably mentioned by our graduates as providing impetus for
their success, is the example of their teachers. ey talk with reverence of Burns and
Essig, Kolar and Dalphonse, Serafino and Slocum. ey recall, too, titans from our
past – names like Guida and Trick, Raimo and Jayaraja. And of course the Xaverian
Brothers – names like Br. Barry, Br. Ivo, Br. Charles and Br. Bonaventure. Boys and
girls long since grown into men and women recall their teachers as persons of faith,
intellect, passion and love.
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Joe Cabigas ’82
Tom Hilton ’64
Submit comments, contributions and
address updates to [email protected].
.
Students at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School are seldom assigned books on
leadership, but we cultivate leaders. What helped Al Checchi almost 50 years ago,
remains the same today. A climate suffused with Catholic values, rich opportunities
to lead and the compelling example of teachers, combine as an effective “how to”
guide for young people on the path to being the leaders of tomorrow.
Warmly,
Sponsored Schools
Paul G. Barker, Ed.D.
President
In March, cast members from the Spring Production
of Crazy for You packed the theatre at Sandy Spring
Friends School and staged eight fabulous performances.
IN THIS ISSUE
Al Checchi | The Change Maker
Three Swimmers’ Quest for Gold
Grand Celebration | Hometown U.S.A.
www.olgchs.org
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2012
Distinguished Alumni Award
Al Checchi ’66
Our Lady of Good
Counsel High School is
proud to recognize our distinguished
alumnus/alumna with an award presented
annually to a graduate whose life personifies
the spirit and values our school seeks to instill
in its students. e Distinguished Alumni
Award honors those who demonstrate a
commitment to faith, service and Good
Counsel; who have achieved professional
success and who have made significant
contributions to society through leadership,
volunteerism and philanthropy.
Mr. Alfred Checchi ’66, our third recipient,
received this honor on ursday, April 26, at
the Feast of Our Lady of Good Counsel Mass
in the Kane Center. Following the Mass, a
luncheon was held at Manor Country Club
to honor Al.
Craig Vincent ’12, Good Counsel SGA President,
introduced Mr. Checchi to the entire student body with
these words:
The recipient of this year’s Alumnus of the Year Award
is Mr. Al Checchi, Class of 1966.
Al was born near Boston but grew up in Montgomery
County and came to Good Counsel from St. Michael’s.
He began at the Wheaton campus on Georgia Avenue
in September 1962.
At Good Counsel, Al was an outstanding student – a
member of the National Honor Society and a National Merit
Commended Student. He even found time to become a
Certified Montgomery County Great Books Discussion
Leader while still a high school student. He was Assistant
Editor of the school newspaper The Talon and worked on
The Falcon yearbook. He participated in JV Basketball,
Varsity Track and played football all four years; he was the
starting halfback on the Varsity Football team. For all those
commitments, Al still found time to be involved as a leader
in student government. He always
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had an interest in politics. Al was Class President and
Student Activities Council President; in fact, Al was elected
president of every class from the fourth grade through
high school. Not content to serve only at Good Counsel,
Al was also President of Montgomery County Student
Government Day and Treasurer of the Montgomery County
Association of Student Governments.
Between freshman and sophomore year here at Good
Counsel, 15-year-old Al accompanied his father to the
Lincoln Memorial to witness the greatest civil rights
demonstration in US history, the legendary “I have a
dream” speech of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In his recent book (published in September), Al describes
his time at Good Counsel as a powerful influence on the
man he became. He also describes one summer night two
years after graduation with his best friend and quarterback
from his Good Counsel football team, Bobby Rafferty.
After playing golf together, Bobby had insisted that Al ride
shotgun; Bobby was squeezed into the back seat of his
brother’s car. Minutes later, a car ran a stop sign and
slammed into their Volkswagen Bug. Bobby was killed
“Good Counsel helped form me into the man I am today.”
instantly. That event remains one of the formative
experiences of Al’s life. Upon graduation Al attended
Amherst College in Massachusetts, a college he chose
because he heard it was the most difficult to get into.
He graduated in 1970 with economics and American
studies majors. He later attended Harvard where he
completed an MBA.
Al entered corporate America where he promptly
distinguished himself. At Marriott Corporation,
headquartered not far from [Our Lady of Good Counsel
High School] in Bethesda, he rose quickly as he developed
approaches that moved the corporation from hotel
ownership to more lucrative hotel development and
management at home and abroad.
In his 30's, he helped investors acquire a major stake in
Disney. And, while only in his early 40’s, Al organized a
$3.65 billion buyout of Minnesota-based Northwest
Airlines; he served as co-chairman of the airline for a
number of years.
Al is perhaps best known on the national stage for his
unsuccessful 1998 campaign for the Democratic Party’s
nomination for Governor of California. He ran against
Lieutenant Governor Gray Davis and US Congresswoman
Jane Harman. He was a staunch advocate for education
reform, proposing a 10% across-the-board cut in all state
bureaucracies to pay for more teachers, computers,
books and universal preschool and after-school programs.
Though he led in early polls and used a large amount of
his personal wealth, Al came in second to Davis who
went on to become Governor of California. Davis was
subsequently recalled by the voters of California and was
succeeded by someone you probably know of, Governor
Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Today, Al remains as passionate as ever about what our
nation can be. He blogs regularly about the current political
climate on the Huffington Post website. He has recently
published a book, The Change Maker: Preserving the
Promise of America. He argues for getting away from
today’s partisan politics and the adoption of common
sense policies aimed at creating the greatest good for
the greatest number.
Al is married to his wife Kathryn, and has three children.
Aside from his many business pursuits, Al spends a lot of
time with his family and his grandchildren, which are his
delight.
In Today’s World, The Loving, Good person,
Even alone can make a Difference.
This message was introduced as Good Counsel’s
philosophy of education in the late seventies, well after
the time that Al Checchi walked the halls of our school in
Wheaton. Yet, this phrase which defines our Xaverian
heritage, is the core belief of this year’s Distinguished
Alumnus recipient. The philosophy, entwined with the
teachings of our Xaverian Brothers—the call to serve
others and to make our world a better place—truly
describes the path that Al Checchi has chosen for his
own life.
As a very prominent and storied leader in business, politics
and public service, one would expect our honoree to be a
hard, calculating and self-absorbed personality. Yet, what
is so striking about Al Checchi upon meeting him, is his
modesty and his passion and clear vision for making our
world a better place. Al’s affable, pragmatic and
charismatic personality, undoubtedly, have been the
fundamental traits that have earned him respect by his
co-workers and constituents alike.
Al took his seat in the front row among our entire student
body during GC’s large assembly on April 26. Flanked by
Dr. Barker and several Good Counsel classmates, one
could not help noticing that Al shifted his focus many
times from his colleagues and craned his neck to capture
the 360 degree view of the future leaders of tomorrow.
He was seemingly captivated by those who will carry on
the Xaverian tradition.
Al had come home to a fraternity of sorts. He was “one
of us”—a GC family member who truly understands the
culture of Good Counsel and the worthiness of a GC
education. After receiving his Distinguished Alumni Award,
students, alumni, faculty and staff members sat transfixed
with Al’s words outlining his journey that began in the
halls at our former Georgia Avenue location.
Although Al was honored to receive the Distinguished
Alumni Award, he was also very gracious and reverent
to his fellow classmates. “I’m being singled out as an
outstanding alumnus, but virtually all of the people I
remember at Good Counsel—my friends—would qualify for
the award also. Basically, we were all cut out of the same
mold. We had similar values that were inculcated in us.”
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environments, was a sense of responsibility for the people
around me—a view that the job of a leader is to knit
people together and have them understand where their
mutual interests lie, rather than what divides them. This is
what I tried to do in business and in the public arena.”
“Everything I became and learned about leadership,
I got from Good Counsel.”
Al’s long track record of successful leadership,
management and service took root at Our Lady of Good
Counsel High School. When asked how Al accomplished
so much, he recalled a saying that was painted on the old
gym wall: We supply everything but the guts. “That says
it all,” said Al. Those words have always stayed with him
both on and off the field, in the boardroom and on the
campaign trail.
WaLKInG THE TaLK
At the conclusion of his speech, Al was met with a
thunderous applause, from students and adults alike,
who were anxious to shake his hand.
THE RooTs oF LEaDERsHIp anD sERVIcE
Al Checchi gives gratitude for his formative years at
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. “As far as I’m
concerned, I got the basics at Good Counsel. I learned
to read, to write, to think critically because of [my
involvement in] the Student Government—this is where
I learned to speak publically,” said Al. “If I look at my
activities when I was in high school, my first entrepreneurial
experience was at Good Counsel. We wanted to raise
money for the student government, so we put on a
concert—a hootenanny. It was professionally done, from
the lighting to the sound, to organizing the event and
selling advertising. It was a smashing success! I think what
really impressed me was how many skills we learned.”
Although Al Checchi concedes that during his time at
Good Counsel the academic and extracurricular offerings,
such as the arts, were much fewer than today, Al was very
prepared to go on to college. “I didn’t encounter anything
more challenging in college that I couldn’t handle. In fact,
the man that I was graduating from Good Counsel, is the
man I am now.”
Al still remembers quotes he studied in English class. He
believes he became a businessman from his experience
producing and executing the hootenanny. And his
yearning to serve the public began in high school, during
a very pivotal time in our history. “It was an amazing
and historic period of transition in America,” said Al.
“The world that was there when I graduated high school,
to the world I graduated from college, had so much
change.” Learning the fundamental Christian principles—
the sense of community indoctrinated at GC—and how
they are applied to government, along with his activities
as a student leader, gave him a lifelong interest in the
public sector. “I’m being honored for the things I learned
at Good Counsel.”
“Everyone had a sense that ‘no man is an island.’ GC built
an awareness of community,” said Al. “What motivated me
throughout my career in the business or the public service
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Al Checchi’s book The Change Maker: Preserving the
Promise of America, ends with a call for citizens to take a
leadership position—a place where the government ought
to go—“because our country is not getting it from the
politicians.” Since writing the book, Al has written
approximately 25 articles for the Huffington Post, in which
he tries to present a non-partisan and substantive view
on public policy.
Al is currently drafting an amendment to the US
Constitution. He is working with Erskine Bowles and
Alan Simpson, co-chairs of President Obama’s Deficit
Commission, to compose a constitutional amendment on
public debt. He is vetting with Simpson-Bowles, but he
also plans to bring it to the Harvard and Yale Law Schools
to have their constitutional scholars scrub the language.
“I would expect to spend the next year or so trying to
push for its ratification,” said Al. When asked about his
efforts to amend the Constitution and likening it to moving
a mountain, Al says, “Yes, but I’ve done that my entire
career. Almost everything I did, people said ‘you can’t do
it.’ I’ve assessed this, and I think it can be done.” Whatever
skills and experiences he’s had, have come to bear on
this. The amendment process involves talking to various
constituencies, explaining why a change is in their best
interest and receiving the required two-thirds vote of
Congress and ratification by three-fourths of the
States (38 of 50 States). “Given what I am proposing,
I think it is entirely doable,” asserts Al. “We have amended
the Constitution 27 times, so it can be done.”
InVEsTInG FoR THE FuTuRE: GooD counsEL
ToDaY
Al Checchi firmly believes that education is the most
important element outside of family for advancement of
the individual and society. “The high school period—a
time that a person is physically and mentally maturing
and preparing for college, is probably more critical than
college itself,” contends Al. “And so, anyone who is
concerned about the future, the next generation or future
generations, would want to focus on making an investment
in the high school years. Good Counsel happens to have a
lot going for it—and is doing it right, as experienced by all
the rest of us. That’s a great investment. You’re investing in
a winner.” ◆
A Day in the Life of the Hotdog Man
Carl Leverenz
It’s 6:00 on Sunday morning, and Carl Leverenz (a.k.a.
“The Hotdog Man”) is in the kitchen at Our Lady of Good
Counsel High School cooking up batch after batch of his
legendary “Big Daddies” (gourmet cookies). What began
as a volunteer role at the Georgia Avenue school back in
1991 became a part-time job on the Olney campus.
After 36 years as an elementary PE teacher for the
Montgomery County public school system, Carl was
thinking about retiring when President Art Raimo
invited him to come to the new school as the part-time
concessionaire. Carl agreed as long as he could use the
concession operation as a way for the clubs and athletic
teams to raise money. Carl insisted that all teams, clubs
and organizations would benefit from working in the
concession stand.
“Well, it’s not really part-time,” admits Carl. The concession
is open every day after school and for all home games,
including weekends. Carl also does all of the planning
and ordering of food, manages the income and schedules
the teams and student groups who want to raise funds
for their programs. “I really love the students, and I get
a sense of purpose by helping them raise money,” he
explains.
Carl was born in Buffalo, NY, but attended Springbrook
High School in Silver Spring. He was a walk-on on the
Frostburg University football team where he was inducted
into the Hall of Fame and named an All-American player.
He volunteered in the concession at St. Bernadette’s
School and later volunteered in the GC concessions when
his sons, Will ’95 and Chris ’97, attended Good Counsel.
In the fall, Carl adds his famous pulled pork barbecue to
the menu featuring his secret sauce. Carl monitors the
cooking through the night and pulls the pork the following
day. The original outdoor stand consisted of a pick-up
truck, trailer, canopy and coolers. “I asked Art if we could
build a permanent outdoor cooking pavilion,” he explains,
“but he told me there was no money to do that. We were
able to raise $12,000 selling cookies, and an outdoor
cooking pavilion was erected.” Andy Cocozzella ’73
donated the stonework and slab for the pavilion, which
is used continuously for home games throughout the fall
and spring seasons. John Poulos ’77, Grounds Manager,
designed and oversaw its construction.
Carl’s focus is now on an upcoming triathlon, which will
take place on June 24 in Philadelphia to benefit the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. His team of Good
Counsel compatriots, Theresa Smith, Maryellen Morrissey
and Pat Riely, will compete in a one-mile swim, 25-mile
bike ride and 10K run.
“I’m not sure how I talked myself into this,” he says with
his wry smile. “I have two artificial knees and I’m not a
youngster. My mother died of leukemia, and my son’s
girlfriend has been diagnosed with the disease as well.
Our team has been training hard. We meet at 4:30 a.m.
to swim most mornings and work out as a team.”
In reference to his part-time job at GC Carl concludes,
“I am really happy to be able to support the students at
Good Counsel. Sure it’s long hours, but it’s a joy to be part
of the Good Counsel family.”
We thank you, Hotdog Man, for your time and dedication to
the Our Lady of Good Counsel High School community! ◆
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Leading the Way in STEM Education
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Lockheed Martin, Booz Allen Hamilton, Northrop
Grumman, Google, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. What
do these top organizations share that is critical to the
education of our students and success of our nation?
They share the knowledge of STEM, an acronym for
science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Many educators, legislators and business leaders agree
that in order for the U.S. to remain competitive in an
ever-expanding global economy, STEM education needs
to be a key priority within our schools’ curricula.
In order to remain ahead of the curve, Our Lady of Good
Counsel High School will launch its first STEM program
titled Project Lead the Way: Pathway to Engineering
Program this Fall. The school will offer the program to a
group of 15 freshmen and five sophomore students. The
overarching goal of the program is to spark students’
interests and develop their abilities in STEM education
and careers, particularly engineering.
The STEM program is part of Project Lead the Way, a
nationwide program that introduces high school students
to the basic principles of engineering. It uses a projectbased curriculum in which students learn through solving
engineering problems using industry-standard software
and hardware. Through a four-year curriculum, students
will take courses such as Principles of Engineering, Digital
Electronics and Civil Engineering and Architecture. The
STEM curriculum will provide project-based learning,
critical thinking and problem-solving lessons allowing
students to create, design, build and collaborate while
applying new math and science knowledge.
The first cohort of STEM students will begin its journey
with the Introduction to Engineering Design, where
teachers will expose students to the design process,
research and analysis, teamwork, communication methods,
global and human impacts, engineering standards and
technical documentation. Students will also use 3D solid
modeling design software to create solutions to solve
proposed engineering problems.
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“We intend to expand the STEM program to include many
more students as well as incorporate industry partners
that can provide our students with internships and
research experiences relevant to today’s careers,” states
Rick Miller, Science Department Resource Teacher and
STEM Program Coordinator. Over the years, Mr. Miller has
been a key advocate for STEM education, and his support
has been instrumental in getting Good Counsel on board
with Project Lead the Way.
At the 2012 Grand Celebration event, our faculty, staff,
parents, alumni and Good Counsel community provided
more than $39,000 to support classroom and teaching
resources for our STEM program. We look forward to
watching our STEM learners blossom in this new
endeavor. ◆
Speech Team’s Stellar Performance Tops the State
This past season, marked another outstanding
performance by the Our Lady of Good Counsel High
School Speech Team. During President’s Day weekend,
the GC Speech team flew north for the 38th Annual
Harvard National Invitational Forensics Tournament. This
is considered to be the most competitive national speech
tournament in the country. The three-day competition
featured 3,500 students from 44 states and five countries.
Top performances were turned in by the following GC
speech team members: in the category of Dramatic
Performance, against a field of nearly 450 competitors,
Kiera Muckenhirn ’12 finished 10th in the nation with her
rendition of The Last Flapper, by William Luce; Neal
Davidson ’14 finished 25th with The Last Rung of the
Ladder, by Stephen King and Alix Philogene ’12 finished
40th with King of the World by David Remnick. In the
category of Duo Performance of Literature, against a field
of nearly 300 competitors, the senior team of Bradley
Raynor and Kiera Muckenhirn finished 15th in the nation
with their performance of The Boy Who Fell Into A Book.
Additionally, finishing in the top 20 percent of their
respective events were the junior team of Dan Riley and
Troy Sinha in Duo Performance of Literature for 3:59 AM:
Drag Race; the senior team of Jordan Slattery and Andrew
Tarquino for The Kissing Scene; and Oumou Traore ’14
in Humorous Interpretation for The Colored Museum.
Finishing in the top third of their respective events were:
Vincent Troutner ’13, in Original Oratory with a speech
about video games; Craig Vincent ’12 in Original Oratory
with a speech about immaturity; Alix Philogene ’12 in
Original Oratory with a speech about hate crimes; and
Andrew Tarquinio ’12 in Dramatic Performance for his
rendition of Barrymore by William Luce. Also competing
were freshmen Caroline McKee and Megan Lomax;
sophomores Cassidy Burke, Brian Kelley, Sasha Lenus,
Amira Kingori, Abby Wyatt, Amanda Nwaba and Matt
Hollister; juniors Sydney Speizman, Audrey Fangmeyer,
Cookie Byrne, Sierra Decker and Sylvia Samoyoa; and
seniors Esteve Jimenez, Trent Emery, Rubi Perez-Howard
and Erin Kelley.
On March 17, Good Counsel hosted the WashingtonArlington Catholic Forensic League (WACFL) Metro Finals
for Speech, with 40 schools from Prince George’s County,
Montgomery County, Washington, D.C. and Virginia. Good
Counsel continued their dominance by placing first and
winning the State Championship for the fifth consecutive
year. Many students had remarkable performances,
with two GC students winning three of the six state
championship events; Neal Davidson ’14 in Declamation
and in Oral Interpretation of Literature and Kiera
Muckenhirn ’12 in Dramatic Performance.
From the WACFL Metro Finals, the Good Counsel Speech
team qualified the most number of students—31 total—for
the Grand National Catholic Forensic League Tournament,
which was held on Memorial Day weekend.
At the Grand Nationals, six team members finished among
the nation's elite as National Finalists. Tanique Philogene
and Sasha Lenus finished in the top ten in the nation in
Oratorical Declamation, Kiera Muckenhirn and Andrew
Tarquinio finished in the top 15 in the nation in Dramatic
Performance, Jordan Slattery finished in the top 30 in the
nation in Oral Interpretation of Literature and Bradley
Raynor finished in the top 40 in the nation in Dramatic
Performance.
The speech team certainly captured a number of
honors for the record books. Congratulations to all of
the orators! ◆
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Debaters of
Distinction
The Our Lady of Good Counsel High School debate team
ended their 2011-2012 season with great success. Winning
first place in the Public Forum Debate in the WashingtonArlington Catholic Forensic League (WACFL) and holding
the distinct honor of debate league champions, were the
pinnacles of their year-long efforts.
The twelve active debaters put in long hours after school,
meeting three days almost every week leading up to the
tournament. Participation was required in all five of the
league tournaments and the Metro Finals Tournament,
which meant that each individual debate team had to
prepare and debate the pro and con sides of six different
national topics.
The overall team record for the five league tournaments
was 56 wins and 20 losses. No individual team for Good
Counsel posted a losing record in any league tournament.
The team won medals in all five tournaments, totaling
seven medals—four of which were perfect (four wins
and zero losses). The varsity team of Sarah Moore ’13 and
Mark Metrey ’13 won two varsity medals. Several junior
varsity teams collectively won five junior varsity medals.
Eleven of the twelve Debate team members qualified for
the Metro Finals Tournament, where GC entered four
teams consisting of one varsity and three junior varsity.
At the tournament, Abby Salinas ’14 and Michelle
Odonkor ’14 won plaques for finishing third among
the 28 junior varsity finalist teams, taking them to the
semifinal round.
For the varsity team, Mark Metrey and Laura Opont ’14
won the Eleanor E. Wright Award which is conferred to
any debater who competed in all five league tournaments
and who qualified and competed in the Metro Finals
Tournament. Mark and Laura were two of only four
debaters to win this award out of the hundreds of
debaters across all the schools that competed in the
league competition this year.
All in all, as league champions, 2011-2012 was a season of
significant success for the Our Lady of Good Counsel High
School Debate team. ◆
Congratulations!
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El Salva
Veteran
As students and faculty from Our Lady of Good Counsel
High School chipped rocks from the ground to even out a
new schoolroom floor; lugged water in five-gallon buckets
almost a mile straight up a narrow, rocky trail to a tiny hut
in a dusty village or fell laughing in a heap of children
during an impromptu piñata party, the goal was the same:
to be the hands, feet, eyes and heart of Christ in several
impoverished villages in El Salvador for one week this
past January.
For the third year in a row, twenty seniors and five faculty
members from Good Counsel spent a week living and
working with Project FIAT (Faith in Action Together)
in several different communities on the outskirts of
San Salvador, El Salvador. Under the guidance of the
Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, these students
and their teachers worked on construction projects ranging
from helping a resident of the village of Zaragoza build a
small cinder-block home for himself and his family, to
completing a daycare center in Las Delicias begun three
years earlier, to laying the concrete foundation for a small
schoolroom in Caserío Ranchero Quemado in the hills
northeast of the town of Ilobasco.
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School seniors and faculty
unload sand for concrete mixing.
Good Counsel seniors mix concrete for a new
schoolroom in El Salvador.
Most important were the relationships formed during that
week. Senior Mary Clare McNamara said, “I never thought
I could form such a strong bond with so many people in
spite of the language barrier. The Salvadoran people’s
sense of community and how they welcomed us really
affected me.” Bridget Bauman, another Good Counsel
senior, observed, “That last day, when 5-year old Javier
hugged me and kissed me on my cheek and told me I
was his ‘mejor amiga’ – his best friend – it struck me how
important the relationships were that we made that week.”
Campus minister and English teacher Sean Hanel’s remarks
express perhaps the most lasting impact of this service
mission for all its participants: “The life lessons I learned
from working alongside the people down there who give
themselves up to the service of others every day, all year,
year after year – that means more to me than anything we
did as far as painting or building. How they live their lives
as examples of Christ’s love will stay with me for the rest
of my life.” ◆
GC faculty member, John Sullivan, and senior students
(l to r) Mary Claire McNamara, Gabby Rosazza,
Rubi Perez-Howard, Pat Rowe and Mia Matan with the
neighborhood children from the village of Zaragoza.
on campus 9
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The day after Easter, in what would be a beautiful spring week,
18 Good Counsel students and five parents and faculty members
left for Charlottesville, Virginia. During a busy week, the group
worked for Habitat of Charlottesville and Camp Holiday Trails.
Habitat builds housing in partnership with people who cannot
afford traditional mortgages. The partners provide sweat equity,
and in turn, get good housing at reasonable rates. The group
worked on a large project that included a multi-family high-rise,
duplexes and single family homes. Hanging drywall,
installing a path and landscaping were among the jobs.
Camp Holiday Trails is a 55-acre residential camp for families
and youth with serious medical challenges. The GC group
worked with camp staff to get things ready for the opening
of the 2012 season – a weekend retreat for families with
cancer patients. With lots of elbow grease and strong
backs, the team cleaned cabins, shined the dining hall,
trimmed bushes and painted fences.
Evenings were spent at a church retreat house where the
students cooked dinner each night. Four vans – four nights –
four dinners. Each van planned a menu, grocery shopped and
cooked a great meal for all. And there was free time which
provided for a few visits to the University of Virginia, downtown
Charlottesville, a few visits to ice cream shops and a night hike
to stargaze. Next year we will remember flashlights – although
there is an app for that! It was a great Easter service break
with friendships forged and memories made. ◆
Good Counsel Holds Baby Goods Drive to Support Life
By Maria DeGraba ’13
Each year, hundreds
of students from Our
Lady of Good Counsel
High School attend
the Mass and March
for Life. This year, as a
member of Students
for Life, I wanted to
expand our
contribution to the
pro-life cause in a way that would directly touch individual
lives. I thought it would be wonderful to help support the
women who choose life for their babies by having a
diaper and formula drive at our school.
The idea was supported by our Students for Life
moderator and faculty member, Thomas Kolar, and the
administration of the school. Fellow junior, Jackie Sheehan,
also a Students for Life member, was instrumental in the
organization of the drive and suggested that we could
support Centro Tepeyac, a crisis pregnancy center in
Silver Spring. We decided that the baby goods drive
would be held on the day of the March for Life.
10 on campus
The drive was even more successful than we had hoped.
Baby supplies continued to arrive during the week
following the March. At the end of the week, the members
of Students for Life sorted the donations and discovered
that we had collected more than 300 items including an
estimated 45 pounds of baby food. We also collected
packages of diapers, large boxes of new baby clothes and
bins of baby food.
On the Friday following the March for Life, we loaded two
vans and one car with the donations for Centro Tepeyac.
We were greeted by Isabella Sacasa, the office manager at
the center, and she said that our contribution was one of
the biggest donations they had ever received. She thanked
us and told us how much our donations would help
women in crisis pregnancy situations.
We are hoping to make the drive an annual event at Good
Counsel because it is truly beneficial to Tepeyac’s mission.
We hope that our example will help to inspire Catholic
schools everywhere to hold drives to support other crisis
pregnancy centers in addition to Tepeyac. ◆
Crazy For You was an amazing show and incredible
experience. We will all miss Mr. Rinke—he created
a show that was more than high school
standards. –Claire McCormack ’13
Crazy For You
The Our Lady of Good Counsel High School’s Fine Arts Department
was pleased to present eight performances of the spring musical, Ken
Ludwig’s Crazy for You, at the Sandy Spring Friends School Performing
Arts Center in March.
Crazy for You is the story of Bobby Child, a well-to-do 1930's playboy,
whose dream in life is to dance. Despite the serious efforts of his mother
and soon-to-be-ex-fiancée, Bobby achieves his dream after being sent
to a small Western town to foreclose on a rundown theatre and meet his
true love. Many memorable Gershwin tunes were sung, including I Can't
Be Bothered Now, Bidin' My Time, I Got Rhythm, Naughty Baby, They
Can't Take That Away from Me, But Not for Me, Nice Work if You Can
Get It, Embraceable You and Someone to Watch Over Me. Crazy for You
was a high energy comedy, including mistaken identities, plot twists,
fabulous dance numbers and classic Gershwin music!
Crazy For You taught me so much, and it was such
a thrill to tap dance on stage with my fellow
actors! –Jillian Wessel ’13
Crazy For You was a remarkable experience I will
never forget! The curtain will never close on the
memories. –Christopher White ’12
Hilary Rinke, GC Fine Arts Teacher, directed the show involving nearly
100 students and supported by two acting casts. Students worked in
every capacity including lighting and sound, props and set design,
acting, costume design, stage management, sound design, publicity
and house management. GC Fine Arts Department Chair, Dr. Richard
Slocum conducted the orchestra, and Fine Arts teacher, Kristina
Friedgen choreographed the complex and entertaining dance numbers.
Be sure to look for the Good Counsel fall production of The 1940’s
Radio Hour, a play centered on a small New York radio station with
many unforgettable characters dreaming of making it big. ◆
on campus 11
Fathers’ club Day of service
On Saturday, April 21, the Our Lady of Good Counsel High School Falcon Fathers' Club invited current fathers and their
students to participate in a Fathers' Club Day of Service. A group of 80 dedicated fathers and students cleaned up the
Triadelphia Recreation Area in Brookville, Maryland. They removed invasive weeds from trees in order to help them
survive and thrive, cleaned up the park area, mulched trees and many other tasks. The day was a great success, and
the weather cooperated. We look forward to next year's Day of Service for dads and students.
A special thanks to Fathers’ Club co-chairs Brandt Boyle and Greg Brake for organizing this event (pictured on left).
5th Annual
Falcon 5K Run/Walk
On Saturday, May 5, Our Lady of Good Counsel High
School hosted its 5th annual Falcon 5K Run, raising
$9,500 for financial aid for students. The race is organized
by the Alumni Office with the help of the XBSS team.
Over 215 students, alumni, parents, faculty and staff
participated in the run/walk under bright, sunny skies.
The race began at Our Lady of Good Counsel High
School and extended throughout the paths of the
Hallowell neighborhood in Olney. Anyone who was
driving or walking around Olney could not miss the large
group of runners and walkers wearing the neon orange
t-shirts! This year, five energetic runners, under the age
of 12, enjoyed the ½ mile Fun Run, which took place on
the Kline Stadium track.
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School would like to
thank Kevin Graves ’02, who dedicates his time and energy
to make this race a success each year. Also, a special thank
you to the following faculty and staff volunteers: Ana
Lopez, Lauren Costello ’96, Cathie Garafalo, Will Knotek,
Bob Handler, Jeanette McCarthy, Debbie McKinney, Jane
DiGirolamo, Adam Trice, Ali Kelley, Stephanie Wilson,
Joey Cabigas ’82 and Carl Leverenz. ◆
12 on campus
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Senior Class Gift
Continuing the Tradition
On Thursday, March 29, the Class of 2012 gathered in the
Dining Hall to share a special evening, which kicked off
the final six weeks leading to graduation. Nearly 91% of
the 280 class members attended this special Senior
Dinner to raise funds for a scholarship awarded to a junior.
Juniors who volunteered to serve on the Junior Planning
Committee were eligible for the scholarship. They were
responsible for planning the program for the evening.
Last year, the class of 2011 was the first senior class to
have the greatest number of participants donate to the
Senior Class gift until the class of 2012. This senior class
raised over $3,000!
The candidates also must have displayed great effort in
the planning process for the Senior Class Dinner by
attending weekly meetings, performing tasks assigned
and reporting his or her responsibilities.
All of the junior candidates were extremely qualified for
this scholarship. After much deliberation, the Senior Gift
Committee selected Silvia Samoyoa ’13 as the second
Senior Gift Scholarship recipient. Silvia volunteers in the
tech department for theatre, working in many aspects
including hair, make-up, costumes, set design and
publicity. She is a member of the Speech Team, serves as
the wrestling team manager, is on staff for the GC Talon
newspaper, serves as the treasurer for the Latino Student
Association (LSA), volunteered on the Camden service
trip and was also active in the Habitat for Humanity
service trip. ◆
Members of the senior class also served on the Senior Gift
Committee to help select the recipient, who best reflects
the criteria for the scholarship. Candidates must
demonstrate commitment to activities within the Good
Counsel community as well as outside involvement,
emphasizing the education of the whole person and
embodying the Xavieran values of humility, trust, zeal,
compassion and simplicity, upon which the school is
founded. Candidates must reflect a high level of
commitment to scholarship, leadership and service.
Senior Gift Scholarship recipient, Silvia Samoyoa ’13 (left)
pictured with Alumni Director, Monica Augustyn.
on campus 13
Grandparents’ Day
On the lovely spring morning of April 4, we welcomed
over 250 grandparents to experience GC with their freshman
and junior grandchildren. Grandparents’ Day began with Mass
in the chapel, followed by a breakfast buffet. Grandparents
joined their grandchildren in their first and second period
classes. They met teachers, played interactive games and
experienced firsthand their grandchildren’s daily schedules.
Some students had the opportunity to take their
grandparents on a tour of the school.
One of the highlights of the day was the special performance
by our Fine Arts Department. Captivating the audience with
their talents, fine arts students presented A Spring Musical
Medley, where they showcased selections from our spring
production of Crazy for You and music by our Women’s and
Men’s Choruses and Jazz Ensemble.
Andre Levroney, Jr. ’13 with grandparents Gertie and Ira Snell.
I would like to thank all whose hard work made Grandparents’ Day such a success. I enjoyed the day
and tour of the beautiful new school. Keep up the good work in molding good citizens and followers of Christ.
—Jackie Grass, Grandmother of Austin ’15
Students and grandparents enjoyed a buffet lunch in the
Alumni Gallery. President Paul Barker and Principal
Pat Bates ’70 provided a brief history of our school and
boasted about the students’ achievements at Good Counsel.
Barbara Sposato, grandmother of Andrew ’13 and
Elisabeth DeMarco ’15, described Grandparents’ Day as
“a double-the-pleasure day.” She added, “Joining my two
grandchildren for classes, taking a tour and having lunch
together was a delightful treat. The bonus of meeting and
conversing with other grandparents over breakfast scones
was interesting and informative. Thank you for planning
this sharing day. While I'm looking forward to my next
Grandparents' Day, I'm sure I'll be visiting Good Counsel
many times before then.” ◆
Joann Martin with her grandson, Garrett ’13.
14 on campus
Jordan Crow ’13 and her grandfather, Paul, participate
in classroom activities.
Grandmother Dottie Zurnedden, Celia Descalzi and
Donna Descalzi gather for a photo.
3
Good counsel
swimmers Go for
olympic GoLD!
Yes…you’ve read this correctly!
Congratulations to senior sarah Haase and
juniors Jack conger and catherine mulquin—
three Good Counsel student-athletes who
have qualified to participate at the Olympic
trials in hopes of earning a spot on the team
that will represent the U.S. in the pool at the
London Olympic Games this year! The 2012
U.S. Olympic team trials for swimming will
be held June 25 - July 2 in Omaha, Nebraska,
where the GC athletes will represent their
club, RMSC (Rockville-Montgomery Swim
Club), at one of the fastest, most exciting,
suspenseful and pressure-filled competitions
held in the United States every four years.
QUALIFYING EVENTS: Jack Conger-100 backstroke,
200 backstroke, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly; Sarah Haase 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, 200 Individual Medley;
Catherine Mulquin-100 backstroke.
Both Jack Conger and Sarah Haase grew up in the Flower
Valley neighborhood in Rockville, MD, a suburban haven
where oodles of kids roam the sidewalks, play at the park
and enjoy masterminding innocent pranks like t-peeing
houses and ding-dong-ditching. At the center, is the
community pool where the local children spend their long
days of summer. This is the place that Sarah and Jack’s
passion for swimming ignited.
“We started pre-team at Flower Valley at around [age]
five,” said Jack. Both Sarah and Jack started competing
very early, with Sarah following the path of her older sister,
Colleen ’07, who participated in the Olympic trials as well.
It was when Sarah was eight that she realized she may
possibly be a talented swimmer like her sibling. “I remember
setting a pool record in the 25 breaststroke when I was
eight, and I thought it was the biggest deal in the world,”
said Sarah. “People would tell me that I had a natural stroke,
but I didn’t really get serious until around middle school.”
GC Swimmers Sarah Haase ’12, Jack Conger ’13
and Catherine Mulquin ’13
TYpIcaL DaY FoR saRaH HaasE:
“Sarah swims six days a week, totaling nine practices
each week. On Monday, Wednesday, and Friday she
gets up at 4:12 AM, drives to Bethesda and swims from
4:45 AM - 6:15 AM, showers, eats, comes home and gets
her brother and goes to school. She then races out the
door of GC at 2:45 PM since ‘“dryland”(weight training)
starts at 3:15 PM. She swims from 3:45 PM until 6:15 PM,
showers, gets home around 7:00 PM, eats and does
homework until she collapses at around 10:00 or
11:00 PM. Saturday she has practice from
5:30-8:30 AM, eats breakfast with her teammates at
Izzy’s on Rockville Pike and sleeps from 9:30 AM
until 1:30 PM. She really tries to get ahead with her
homework on Saturday and Sunday.”
–Eileen Haase (Sarah’s mother)
Sarah Haase, during the WMPSSDL meet.
Sarah decided to join her current club, RMSC, because
she enjoyed the sport, but more so because many of her
friends from Flower Valley were swimming in the winter.
“I wanted to spend more time with my friends and beat
them!” explained Sarah.
Sarah gives full credit to RMSC for training her to become
the swimmer she is today. “Sarah got faster a lot sooner
than me,” said Jack, who currently holds the seventh fastest
time in the country this year in the 200 backstroke. “I was
ten when I broke the Flower Valley pool record, and in my
first year of club, I was faster than record holder, Michael
Robb, a local swimmer who went on to place third in the
To follow our swimmers during the swim trials,
please visit the US Swimming website at
USAswimming.org.
aTHLETIcs 15
Even as a youngster, Catherine was familiar with her future
teammates. “I swam against the Flower Valley team since
I was eight, so we all knew of each other,” said Catherine.
“I was a pretty good swimmer when I was younger,” said
Catherine, who also teasingly made a point of mentioning
that she would frequently beat Jack in meets.
Jack Conger ’13 currently holds the 7th fastest time in the
country this year in the 200 backstroke, and is seeded in
the top 25.
Catherine Mulquin ’13 qualified for the Olympic trials by
shaving her time by an impressive 1.3 seconds.
Olympic trials”. Sarah added with a smile, “Yeah, but in
middle school I was faster than Jack.”
In eighth grade, Jack quit all other sports teams and
focused on swimming. “We knew from his first day on the
Flower Valley swim team that something in our lives had
changed, but truly realized his talent in the summer of
2009, when at 14, Jack swam in his first National meet,”
said his mother, Bridget.
The two Flower Valley swimmers celebrate each other’s
accomplishments and are so close that they seem to end
the other’s sentences. Yet, they are only two of the many
talented swimmers in the tight-knit community at RMSC.
GC’s third Olympic hopeful, Catherine Mulquin, became a
member of the RMSC club at the age of six, also following
in the path of her older siblings (her sister swam for Holy
Cross and her brother swam at Georgetown Prep).
“Catherine always took instruction well,” recalled
Catherine’s mother, Marcia. “At age five, her father took
her to pick up her 12-year-old sister at swim practice.
They arrived a few minutes early, and while watching the
team, Catherine whispered that they were doing the stroke
wrong. Her father doubted her insight until the legendary
coach, Dave Kraft, blew his whistle 30 seconds later and
told the team they were doing the stroke wrong. We have
never discussed mechanics with Catherine since.”
16 aTHLETIcs
All of the GC swimmers’ families understand how
important the community of fellow swimmers is for the
success and support of each of their children, especially
with the grueling daily schedule of practices and balancing
it with the rigorous academics required at school. The
regimen is daunting, but for our swimmers, it is a way of
life. Sarah’s mother, Eileen, explains how Sarah balances it
all. “Sarah has a strong work ethic, an incredible ability to
focus, a positive attitude, sportsmanship and motivation
about her swimming goals, which have definitely spilled
over into the rest of her life. Sarah has something inside
her that pushes her to do her best, every single lap in the
pool and in school.” Jack’s mother Bridget makes a similar
assessment. “The dedication is all Jack. We are here to
support and comfort and to assure that he is fed and as
rested as possible. Jack gives up much of his social life
and personal time to devote to studies as he pursues
his dream.”
Whether preparing for the local meets such as the
METROs or preparing for national or international
competitions, it is no different. “As I have watched this
long preparation process evolve, Jack’s friendships both
locally and nationally have been crucial,” said his mother,
Bridget. “They are truly the only people who understand
the exhaustion and commitment it takes to succeed in this
sport. It is heartwarming to watch the support they give
each other from day-to-day activities, to traveling
worldwide.”
The friendships and encouragement of those who have
committed to this challenging, yet incredibly rewarding
lifestyle, are inspiring. Catherine recalled the moments
after she qualified for the Olympic trials, when she was
able to shave her time by 1.3 seconds and finish only .001
seconds under the required time. “I remember seeing
Sarah running down and cheering for me when I qualified.
We all want each other to do our best. It helps to have
support and know that we are going through this journey
together.”
Looking ahead, their futures are so bright. Jack and
Catherine are only beginning the college search, where
they plan to continue their swimming careers. Sarah has
already gone through the recruiting process and will
attend and swim for Stanford University in the fall.
All three student-athletes have had some incredible
experiences so far in their swimming careers, with the
help of all of their fellow swim mates. Many more
memories surely will be made in the next few months.
And together, with our swimmers, their families and
the Good Counsel community, we will all watch with
excitement as they continue their quest for the gold! ◆
Another Championship Year for Our Lady Falcons!
Marking their fourth WCAC Championship win in the last eight
years, the Good Counsel Girls’ Basketball team completed
another amazing year. Breaking a school record for wins going
30-5 and beating St. John’s in a nail-biting game, with a score of
79-76 was just the beginning. The Lady Falcons made history by
becoming the first team to go undefeated through 21 games of
league and tournament play. They finished the year ranked 25th
in the nation by ESPN. The team also finished 15th in the nation
by USA Today, and at one point in the season, they were ranked
as high as 8th in the nation. Finishing each of the last nine
seasons ranked in the top 20 in the Washington Post poll and
finishing this year ranked 3rd in the Washington area, were other
incredible accomplishments for the Lady Falcons.
The team was led by seniors Faith Randolph, Morgan Smith and
junior co-captains Amanda Fioravanti, Lindsey Spann and Jordan
Light. They placed six players on all-league teams, including
WCAC Player of the Year Faith Randolph ’12; WCAC 1st teamers
Amanda Fioravanti ’13 and Lindsey Spann ’13; WCAC 3rd team
player Sara Woods ’14 and honorable mention players Jordan
Light ’14 and Stacey Koutris ’14. The Falcons lose just two
seniors, Faith Randolph (University of Virginia) and Morgan Smith
(Shenandoah University), but look forward to next year with a
talented team, hoping to be the first team to win back-to-back
WCAC titles, which has not been done since 2005 and 2006.
Congratulations to the GC Girls’ Basketball team for another
extraordinary season! ◆
aTHLETIcs 17
ATHLETIC SEASON WRAP-UP
IcE HocKEY
18 aTHLETIcs
The Good Counsel Varsity
Ice Hockey team surprised
many this year by going
5-1-1 through the season,
and 2-0 in the playoffs
before losing in the
championship game. The
team was led by captain
Malcolm Combs ’13, an
All-Conference and AllTournament Team selectee, who amassed six
points during the regular season and four in the
playoffs. Senior captains Ryan and Michael Loudon
provided strong play and leadership for the
Falcons. Steven Ralston ’14 led the league in
scoring with 10 goals and 13 assists, while Chris
Sabate ’13 had eight goals and 13 assists and
Mason Leahy ’15 had 12 goals and five assists to
round out the top four in league scoring. Goalie
Olivia DeGraba ’13 stood tall in goal, ranking third
in the league with a 4.43 goals against average.
Congratulations to coaches Brent Kearney and
Jim Gunn as well, for a winning season during
their final year coaching the GC team!
The JV Ice Hockey team was led by captains Leo
Martinic ’13 and Colin Lester ’13, who provided
leadership and stability on the ice. Rookie goalie
Robbie Preller ’13 filled the space between the
pipes and improved greatly as the season went
on. Alex Arnaiz ’13, Max Gorman ’14 and Ben
Masters ’13 provided the scoring punch for the
JV Falcons. Relentless pressure by Brent Hurt ’13,
Ben Tasto ’15, Joey Kelly ’15 and Matt Via ’14
made it tough for opponents to get good scoring
chances as well. The JV Falcons look forward to
the 2012-2013 season with great expectations.
sWImmInG
Going undefeated this
year in their dual meet
season, was not the only
accomplishment for the
Good Counsel Boys’ and
Girls’ Swimming and Diving
teams. The GC girls won
their sixth straight
Washington Metropolitan
Prep School Swimming and
Diving League (WMPSSDL) Championship, and
the boys placed second. Their biggest meet of
the year was METROs. The relay team of Brady
Welch ’14, Evan Garfield ’12, Jack Conger ’13 and
Ryan Edmunds ’12 placed third with victories in
the 200 medley relay, 400 freestyle relay and
breaking a METROs record. The girls relay team of
Catherine Mulquin ’13, Sarah Haase ’12, Katherine
Cleary ’13 and Makenzie Miller ’14 placed fourth
and won the 200 medley relay. Sarah Haase
won and broke the METROs record in the 100
breaststroke, and teammate Jack Conger won and
broke both METROs records in the 50 free and
500 free. Good luck to the GC Boys’ and Girls’
Swim and Diving Teams as they look forward to
next year for another successful season.
cHEERLEaDInG
The Good Counsel
Cheerleading squad had a
remarkable season. The
team experienced a great
deal of growth, not only
with a larger squad, but new
talent. Their year had an
explosive start during the
Friday night kick-off game
against Manatee High
School (Florida) and an early homecoming pep
rally. The fall was exciting, as they supported the
football team through another championship
season. Working hard, the team put together a
thrilling winter pep rally routine and completed
another great basketball season. For the GC
squad, cheering the Girls’ Basketball team on to
another WCAC victory at the Verizon Center was a
perfect ending to their season. This year they say
goodbye to seniors Casey Rozek, Cassidy Holland,
Courtney Fletcher, Rubi Perez-Howard and Kenzi
Crow, who will all be greatly missed.
BoYs’ BasKETBaLL
The 2011-2012 edition of the
Falcons Boys’ Basketball
team kicked-off the season
with an old school ‘bell’
game at 3pm on December
2 and a victory over
Washington Christian
Academy. Throughout
the entire season, they
were led by a number of
underclassmen and senior Kyle Savercool.
Sophomores Byron Hawkins and Tre Thomas,
along with junior Andrew Calomeris all averaged
double figures in scoring, while freshman Trevor
Brown led them in rebounding. For their efforts,
Byron Hawkins was named 1st Team All-WCAC,
while Savercool, Thomas, Calomeris and Brown
collected Honorable Mention accolades. The team
participated in the Bullis Holiday Classic as well as
the Capital City Classic in Richmond, VA, while
competing in the WCAC—the country’s toughest
league as deemed by ESPN—which included three
teams ranked in the nation’s top 15. With so many
returning players, the Falcons’ future looks bright
as they continue their climb to the upper echelon
of the WCAC.
WREsTLInG
Despite having no seniors on the
team, this year’s Good Counsel
wrestling team experienced many
team and individual successes
throughout the season. The Falcons
finished the season ranked #10 in
the Washington Post poll and
second in the WCAC crowning five
conference champions, Matt Kelly126 lbs., Philip Robilotto-160 lbs.,
Spencer Neff-182 lbs., Kyle Snyder-220 lbs., and Jemal
Averette-HWT. Individually, the Falcons placed five
wrestlers at the state tournament with three finalists
qualifying them for the National Prep Tournament at
Lehigh University. Adam Whitesell (106 lbs., 40-21 record)
placed sixth, Jemal Averette (40-15 record) placed fourth
and Matt Kelly (54-13 record) placed second. Spencer Neff
(50-10 record) and Kyle Snyder (61-0 record) both won
state titles for the Falcons making them the fifth and sixth
state titles in school history. Kyle Snyder has finished his
first two high school seasons a combined 116-0 and has
yet to be taken down in any of those matches. In
December, Kyle won the Walsh Jesuit Ironman and Beast
of the East Tournament, two of the toughest tournaments
in the nation, as well as the National Prep Tournament in
February. Snyder is now the #1 ranked wrestler in the
nation at the 220 lb. weight class. The Good Counsel
Wrestling Team finished the season with a 19-6 dual meet
record. The team looks forward to a bright future with
every wrestler on the roster returning next year.
By Lauren Costello ’96, Director of Special Events and Student Programs
Each summer, Our Lady of Good Counsel High School offers sports camps for
both the beginner and advanced player. Camps are designed for boys and girls
interested in specialized sports, targeted to all levels of experience and run by
some of the most talented coaches in the area. The goal of our camps is to have
participants increase their knowledge and skills and leave camp loving their sports
even more. Campers receive excellent care and instruction from our varsity
coaching staff and players. For those who are new to the sport, our camps provide
well-rounded instruction at the beginner level. Advanced campers receive skillfocused, competitive experience to take their games to the next level!
Each of our camps is directed by our varsity head coaches and players.
Coaches include: Bob Milloy (Football), Tom Splaine (Girls’ Basketball),
Blair Mills (Boys’ Basketball), Mike Haight (Girls’ Lacrosse), Matt Durkin
(Boys’ Lacrosse), Jim Bruno (Girls’ Soccer), Dylan Dempsey (Boys’ Soccer),
Karen Kart (Volleyball), Carl Smith (Baseball) and Martie Dyer (Field Hockey).
Camps will be held June-August. See below for each month’s activities:
To register or for more information,
visit www.olgchs.org and click on
the “GC Sports Camps” icon at
the top of the homepage, or call
Lauren Costello at 240-283-3218.
We hope to see you there!
JunE: Boys’ Soccer | Girls’ Lacrosse | Boys’ Lacrosse | Boys’ Basketball | Baseball
JuLY: Football | Co-ed Soccer | Volleyball | Girls’ Lacrosse | Boys’ Lacrosse
Boys’ Basketball | Girls’ Basketball | Field Hockey
auGusT: Boys’ Soccer | Girls’ Volleyball
aTHLETIcs 19
24th annual Grand celebration a Huge success
With more than 400 guests in attendance and 260 live
and silent auction items to bid on, “Hometown U.S.A.”
was another grand night for Our Lady of Good Counsel
High School. The event was co-chaired again by the
dynamic duo of sharon Duffy and anna Baumgartner
who were supported by an incredible group of volunteers
including Betty Brown, Theresa Dowdall, Lisa Ferraro,
Mary Ann Flannery, Kelly Hughes, Carleen Kelley, Liz
Lannigan, Hope Marlo, Jane Martinko, Karen McKay,
Patty MacTigue, Trish Netter, Kathy Peters, Susan
Stallings, Vas Vidi and Nancy Van Winter. The event
raised more than $315,000 of critical operating support
for the school.
The guests entered a beautifully decorated and
transformed Bethesda North Marriott and Conference
Center, offering that hometown feel. New this year was
the introduction of BidPal®, an amazing hand-held device
that allowed guests to continue to increase their bids or
check the status of their favorite silent auction items just
by checking their screens. Once guests were seated for
dinner, they enjoyed a poignant video tribute to all of our
GC Hometown Heroes who are actively serving or who
are retired from the military.
Among the exciting items up for bid were: a California
wine country vacation, a cook and dine experience at
Ris Restaurant, gasoline for a year, 10 best seats for
graduation, hand-painted creations by the GC art
students and vintage art created by President Paul Barker.
Funds for Our Falcons raised $39,100 for the new STEM
(science, technology, engineering and math) program,
which will be launched with a cohort of 20 students in
the fall of 2012.
We are extremely grateful to all of our parents, alumni,
faculty, staff, students, grandparents and local businesses
for their many generous donations. A special thanks to
our Table Sponsors, Super Falcons and Fund a Teacher
Patrons. ◆
Maureen and Drew Maurano
(both from the Class of
1997) with Drew’s parents,
Linda and Richard Maurano.
20 DEVELopmEnT
The Prunka family and friends enjoy the evening.
Event
c
Anna o-chairs, Sh
Baum
gartne aron Duffy
and
r.
Barbara Phelan, Amy Bargoyne, Amanda Fangmeyer and Trish Netter.
Shane and Rebecca Neff pictured with Dr. Paul Barker.
t to the
citemen
dded ex
a
l
a
P
id
B
ction.
silent au
Save the date!
maRcH 2, 2013
for the 25th Annual Grand
Celebration. If you are
interested in volunteering for
this milestone event, please
contact Debbie McKinney,
Advancement Manager, at
[email protected]
or 240-283-3231.
The festive evening was capped off with great music and dancing.
DEVELopmEnT
21
Good counsel’s
Hometown Heroes
At this year’s Grand Celebration event, our guests enjoyed a poignant video tribute to all of our GC Hometown Heroes
who are actively serving or who are retired from the military. Good Counsel Alumni military honorees include:
Daniel Angle ’08
James V. Arnaiz ’63
Matthew Arnsberger ’07
Leonard Ascosi ’66
Mark. J. Bartels ’65
Melissa Bateman ’05
John J. Blanchard ’65
Robert J. Blanchard ’69
Thomas G. Blanchard ’67
Natalie Blandon ’00
Russell Bodine ’84
Kevin Brady ’07
Edward F. Branagan ’62
Dan P. Brodt ’65
Mark Bujno ’72
Charles S. Burch, Jr. ’70
Vincent A. Campanella ’66
Ronald Cole ’86
Andrew Colins ’08
Thomas H. Colton ’65
William Connelly ’69
Justin Considine ’95
David P. Cook ’69
James P. Corless ’70
Kevin A. Correira ’85
Phillip Corrigan ’02
Kevin M. Coyne ’65
Justin T. Cristaudo ’64
Margaret Curran ’02
Alan D. Currie ’70
Merrill Curry ’62
Peter Curry ’79
Clifford C. Czarniak ’66
Bryce Dabbs ’08
Vincent T. Dameron ’66
Michael S. Davis ’62
Ronald O. Dean ’63
J.D. DeChant ’65
Daniel A. Deckert ’71
Edward J. Dempsey ’67
William G. Dillon ’69
James Donahue ’76
William M. Donnell ’70
Robert T. Dougherty ’65
Timothy P. Dowd ’76
Maeve Drummey ’11
Brendan Durkin ’11
Patrick Durkin ’09
Shane Durkin ’05
J.D. Durrett ’63
Francesca Emanuel ’11
Richard C. Erbal ’62
Michael P. Flaherty ’84
Roger Flaherty ’66
Mark Flannery ’99
Charles S. Fletcher ’64
Christopher Flores ’02
Charles L. Flott ’66
Kevin J. Foley ’65
Joseph B. Fournelle ’67
Gabriel Galindez-Bottini ’00
Grant Gates ’08
Joseph Giacofci ’64
Frank E. Giambusso ’66
Gregory H. Grabner ’62
Kevin Graninger ’00
William E. Graves ’64
Hugh Guidi ’65
Guy A. Hanks ’65
Joseph Healy ’86
David W. Herron ’62
Gary E. Hess ’65
Robert M. Higgenbotham ’63
David Higgins ’04
Charles F. Hill ’62
Raymond L. Hilley ’67
Thomas P. Hilton ’64
Theodore Himmelberg ’85
Joseph P. Hoagland ’70
John R. Holden ’66
David L. Holt ’63
Robert A. Hosinski ’67
Mark House ’85
Kevin Howard ’86
James M. Hurney ’65
Jean Inderfurth Pietrowski ’90
John T. Jaccard ’65
Francis E. James ’62
Robert Jardeleza ’86
John P. Jervey ’70
Steve Judge ’67
Joseph Kerner ’11
Evan Kikla ’09
Peter Kilner ’84
Rolando King ’76
Daniel Knowles ’10
Murphrey Knox ’96
Sidney Knox ’93
William S. Kuta ‘63
William A. L’Esperance ’63
Pamela Lander ’07
John M. Leahy ’63
Timothy Leake ’81
David D. Lewis ’66
Robert H. Luchun ’63
Matthew MacDonald ’95
Robin J. Makin ’67
Michael W. Marceau ’67
Robert T. Marchone ’62
James E. Mattingly ’62
Keith L. Maynard ’93
John M. Mazzullo ’65
Dave McClay ’66
Paul G. McDonough ’82
Michael P. McGee ’65
John A. McGinn ’67
George E. McGovern ’67
Christopher McMahon ‘86
Michael Millios ’99
Michael E. Murphy ’68
Michael L. Murphy ’62
Sean Murphy ’10
Timothy J.Murray ’66
Thomas J. Nalen ’66
Bruce Nechanicky ’03
Tyler Nechanicky ’09
Laurence C. Novotney ’62
Timothy O’Boyle ’93
Michael P. O’Connell ’64
Patrick J. O’Lone ’69
Carl Oehmann ’67
Michael F. Oristian ’63
John Ostrowski ’85
William Ott ’85
Norman Pacholski ’93
Michael Pachucki ’01
Thomas E. Paul ’67
Edward Penfield ’69
Stephen A. Petruccelli ’67
Patrick Pflaum ’91
Patrick Phelps ’66
Elaina Ponchione ’08
Matthew Poulos ’06
Matthew Reed ’95
Christina Repicky ’06
Jeffrey M. Russell ’64
Louis P. Russo ’62
Donald J. Sauer ’64
Kathryne Schilling ’99
Lawrence J. Schnaubelt ’66
Thomas W. Schnaubelt ’65
Ryan Scholl ’83
Edmund M. Sciullo ’62
Leon Scott ’62
Thomas A. Seibel ’65
Jemel E. Sessoms ’10
F. Kevin Smyth ’66
Allan Stam ’79
Russell Strosnider ’76
Edward Sullivan ’79
Thomas J. Sweetman ’65
Edward A. Tappe ’61
Bradley Taylor ’04
Elizabeth Thomas Reeves ’93
John V. Tomaasulo ’61
Joseph P. Tumulty ’67
Cesar Valdesuso ’85
Michelle Veach ’98
Edward M. Vermillion ’67
Michael Wallace ’68
William N. Wallace ’63
Michael F. Walsh ’65
Anthony Wells ’82
Gregory H. Wessel ’63
James W. Whiteside ’63
Christopher A. Wilk ’68
Eric G. Wilk ’65
William J. Williams ’65
Paul B. Winters ’66
Frederick M. Wintrich ’64
Joseph K. Wivel ’65
Laurence Young ’86
James B. Zello ’65
Paul F. Zimmerman ’67
We would like to keep this record of service up-to-date. If any alumni are missing from
this list, please contact Monica Augustyn at [email protected] or 240-283-3214.
22 DEVELopmEnT
Candy Horman
Farewell to our Long-Time Friend and Financial Leader
More than 27 years ago,
Candy Horman began her
career at Our Lady of Good
Counsel High School as the
Registrar for the school. Three
years later, in 1988, just as the
school became coeducational, she
transitioned to the role of Director of Finance, a position
many faculty and staff encouraged her to apply for, based
on her degree in accounting from the University of
Maryland. Back then, things were much different in the
world of accounting and finance. “Things were just
simpler,” says Candy. “There were no computer programs,
no email and no voicemail. It was just paper and pencil.”
Candy has been “the money person” for the past two
decades, dedicating countless hours to keeping Good
Counsel safe, sound and in good standing with auditors
and bond holders. She has also been a key financial
problem solver working directly with many staff, parents
and families when it comes to crunching the numbers
related to financial aid, scholarships and tuition account
records. Candy shares, “I’ve always tried to be caring and
fair with whomever I’m dealing with. I always assume the
best case scenario and go from there. ”
Even before beginning her career with the school,
Candy was involved as a parent while her two sons,
Jay ’85 and Tim ’86, attended Good Counsel. She served
as the treasurer for the Parents Club in 1983 and 1984,
served as a member of the Board of Advisors and was
an active parent volunteer. One of her two daughters
(Mary Beth ’93) and grandson (Brendan ’09) are also
WELcomE
alumni of the school. Unfortunately, her oldest daughter,
Courtney ’88, missed the transition to co-ed. To add to the
equation, many of her nieces and nephews are also alumni
of Good Counsel. “Good Counsel has always been a place
for everyone, whether you play basketball or the clarinet,”
says Candy.
What struck Candy the most about the school was the
“level of caring and commitment” from the people who
work here. “There is a strong belief in Xaverian tradition
and a natural camaraderie between faculty and students
that really make Good Counsel a unique place to educate
young people.” For the past 20 years, Candy has
participated as a moderator for a Junior Community
and for the Junior Retreat—a required three-day program
that allows students the opportunity to examine their
relationships with self, God and others in their lives. For
her, this was a way to get to know and maintain a level of
interaction with the students.
A special memory for Candy was Good Counsel’s 2007
move from Wheaton to the Olney campus. “It was such
an incredible experience seeing an idea finally turn into a
reality,” says Candy. “I’m so glad I could be part of the
planning and transition to such a beautiful school.”
As Candy retires at the end of the 2012 school year,
she will surely be missed by all. Her hard work and
commitment to Good Counsel has truly made a difference
in the lives of many past and current faculty, staff, parents
and students. Bon Voyage, Candy, and thank you for all
that you have done for Good Counsel. ◆
Adam Trice
adam W. Trice joins the Advancement Team as the
Director of Corporate and Foundation Relations. In this
new role, he will develop, implement and evaluate a
comprehensive major gifts program from corporations and
foundations to raise important financial contributions for
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School. He is responsible
for grant writing and management as well as the
development of a comprehensive Corporate Partners
Program. Adam has more than eight years of experience
working for both private and non-profit organizations
within the areas of business development and
grants/proposal management.
In previous roles, Adam served as the Director of
Foundation Relations for Capitol College (Laurel, MD)
and as the Student Life
Major Events Coordinator
at University of Maryland,
Baltimore County (UMBC).
Adam holds a Master’s of
Fine Arts degree in writing/
publishing design from the
University of Baltimore and a Bachelor of Art’s degree in
English/ communications from UMBC.
He and his wife, Anna, live in Baltimore County with their
newborn son, Henry, and their “gentle-giant,” Bernese
Mountain dog named, Cooper. When not at work, Adam
enjoys writing and songwriting for a local, Baltimore
rock ‘n roll band. ◆
DEVELopmEnT
23
The Norman Richards Huey, Jr. Military Scholarship
n September 2011, faculty member and English Department Chair
Melissa Huey-Burns established the Norman Richards Huey, Jr. Military
Scholarship with a gift of $5,000 to honor her late father’s record of
military service. The purpose of the fund is to provide a one-year
scholarship to a student who has a parent(s) with active or retired military
service and who demonstrates strong, ethical grounding and exhibits a
work ethic that has resulted in academic and personal success.
I
Norman R. Huey, Jr., a decorated World War II veteran, served initially as
a paratrooper and subsequently as a translator in the Pacific Theatre.
A native of Somerville, MA, and the eldest son in a single-parent family,
Norman Huey helped support his mother, sister and maternal grandparents
through a series of jobs and paper routes through high school. Upon his
graduation from Lexington High School, he received a Burrows Newsboy
Scholarship which afforded him the opportunity to attend Tufts University,
where he played tennis and intended to major in history. Once the U.S.
entered World War II, his plans abruptly changed. Mr. Huey voluntarily
joined the Army Paratroopers of the 11th Airborne and served with
distinction in the Pacific Theatre. After completing a battery of language
proficiency tests, Captain Huey was sent to the University of Chicago to
learn intensive Japanese under the auspices of the Army language program,
and he served as a Japanese translator and aide-de-camp to General Robert
Eichelberger of the Eighth Army. He subsequently returned to the U.S. and,
with the assistance of the G.I. Bill, graduated from the University of Michigan
with a degree in oriental languages. He continued in the Army Reserves
until the Korean War.
After a stint at the Frost Advertising Agency in Boston, Mr. Huey joined
the General Electric Company, where he worked until his retirement.
He invented the “Show and Tell,” an educational toy which projected slides
on the wall and simultaneously told stories. “Products for People” and
“We Bring Good Things to Life,” were among the most successful
advertising campaigns that he spearheaded for the company.
“My father was able to get his start because he was awarded the Burrows
Newsboy Scholarship,” Mrs. Huey-Burns explains. “I wanted to provide this
same type of opportunity to a Good Counsel student. I recognize the
hardships that military families experience and the risks that these families
endure so that their loved ones can serve our country. Although my father
never saw Good Counsel, two of his grandchildren, Ciara [Class of 2008]
and Conor [Class of 2013], are part of the school community. I know he
would have liked the school because of its academically challenging
curricula, commitment to service and diverse community.
“My sister, Robin, and I were strongly influenced by our father. He insisted
that we learn about other cultures and foreign languages, and in elementary
school we were tutored in French, Latin and later in Italian,” she adds.
Captain norman richard huey, jr.
24 DEVELopmEnT
After earning a bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College and a graduate
degree from Middlebury College, Mrs. Huey-Burns launched her own career
in international business development with PricewaterhouseCoopers. She
used her fluency in French, travelling to Europe and Africa when the World
Bank was her client. Eventually, she decided to give up her business career
to become a teacher, initially serving as an Assistant Principal for four years
at St. Peter’s School in Olney and currently as Chair of English Department
of Good Counsel, where she has taught for eight years. In addition to Ciara
and Conor, she and her husband, Paul, an attorney, have two other children,
Patrick, who is an Army specialist and sniper scout, and Caitlin, who is a
political reporter for Real Clear Politics.
“My father used to tell us, ‘If you don’t know where you
want to go, any road will take you there,’” Mrs. Huey-Burns
remembers. “He instilled in us a sense of taking risks and
setting goals. This scholarship provides an opportunity to
recognize and reward a Good Counsel student not only for
what he or she has achieved thus far, but also to support
the recipient as he or she continues to prepare for the
future.”
Paratrooper Huey
“takes flight.”
The scholarship was announced on Veterans’ Day at a
large community assembly to honor those who have
served in the military, including a dozen Good Counsel
faculty members who also participated in the assembly.
Eligible students completed an application and wrote an
essay on Our Obligation to Serve. Thirteen applied and
nine finalists were invited for a personal interview with the
selection committee comprised of Mrs. Huey-Burns,
Varsity Girls’ Soccer Coach and Vietnam veteran Jim
Bruno and Chief Advancement Officer Jane DiGirolamo.
“Those who have been asked or who volunteer for military
service are not only defined by their experiences, but
also change the course of our lives through the personal
sacrifices they make for the collective good,” she adds.
“They do not make these sacrifices alone; oftentimes
their children face the prospect of enduring multiple
deployments, geographic moves and other hardships.
I am honored to have the opportunity to create this
scholarship in honor of my father and very proud of
the committee’s decision to select Mark Metrey as the
premier recipient.” ◆
If you are interested in learning more about the Norman
Richards Huey, Jr. Military Scholarship or would like to make
a donation to support this fund, please contact Jane
DiGirolamo, Chief Advancement Officer, at 240-283-3234
or [email protected].
metrey ’13 Receives First Huey military scholarship
Rising senior Mark D.
Metrey was chosen as
the first recipient of the
Norman Richards Huey, Jr.
Military Scholarship.
Selected for his
outstanding academic
record, participation in school
organizations, demonstrated
leadership abilities, service to the
school and wider community, and his goals and ambitions,
Mark will receive a one-time, $5,000 scholarship for the
2012-2013 academic year.
Mark is a three-year member of the award-winning Good
Counsel Debate Team, which finished first place this year
among teams competing in the Washington Arlington
Catholic Forensics League’s public forum debate
competition. Mark has also received numerous individual
debate honors including qualifying for Metro Finals each
of his three years and being a two-time recipient of the
Eleanor Wright Spirit of Competition Award. A member
of the Good Counsel Varsity Baseball Team where he
plays second base, he was recently invited to play on
the Maryland Diamond Cutters 17 and Under National
Travel and Showcase Team.
An IB student with a strong academic record, Mark
volunteers with St. Patrick’s Camp Shamrock Summer
Program, B’nai Shalom of Olney’s Nursery School, March
for Life, Marian Assisted Living facility, St. Patrick’s
Thanksgiving Food Basket program, Bethlehem House
in DC and the Good Counsel Falcon 5K. He has also
volunteered as an altar server for his parish since fifth
grade and was recently elevated to Master of Ceremonies,
overseeing the masses where incense is used.
Mark’s father and three uncles all served in the military
and his paternal grandfather initiated the Navy’s Vertical
Launch System that is now present on every Navy
destroyer and cruiser. His maternal grandfather also served
in the Royal Dutch Navy. His father served in both active
and reserve Army units and attained the rank of Lieutenant
Colonel before he retired after 20 years of service.
Mark explains, “These men and the military’s mission of
preserving freedom for people around the world have
truly inspired me to want to serve in the military.”
Mrs. Huey-Burns concludes, “Mark demonstrates a strong
ethical grounding and exhibits a work ethic that has
resulted in academic and personal success. We are
extremely proud to select Mark as the first recipient and
look forward to following his education and career with
great interest.” ◆
DEVELopmEnT
25
Your Participation
matters
Annual Fund
On April 28, the Class of 1968 was recognized for
achieving the highest percentage of participation from its
classmates to the Annual Fund for two consecutive years.
The recognition took place at a Falcons’ Varsity Baseball
game against St. John’s College High School. The Falcons
beat St. John’s 1-0, while the “Boys of ’68” cheered from
the sidelines. Joining them at the recognition was their
former teacher and coach, Tom Kolar, who still coaches
first base for the Varsity team.
For two years, the street name directly in front of the
main entrance to the school bears the “Class of 1968 Way”
sign – a coveted honor bestowed upon the alumni class
which has the greatest number of donors to the Annual
Fund. Led by their Class Agents, Craig Cummins and Bill
Mooney, in 2009-10, the Class of ’68 achieved 25.2%, and
in 2010-11, they set a new record of 29.7%.
Why is participation so important? “Making a donation to
the Annual Fund, no matter what the size, really does
make a difference to our school,” explains Paul Barker,
President. “When we approach foundations and
corporations for support, often one of the first questions
they ask is ‘What is the percentage of participation from
your board, your alumni and your parents?’ These external
organizations want to know that we have a lot of support
from those who are most closely associated with our
school before they will consider us for a grant. In other
words, the more donors we have, regardless of the size
of the gifts, the more likely we will receive positive
consideration for grant funding from these organizations.”
Giving inspires giving. This year, for example, several
classes are in a competition to significantly raise the
percentage of participation among their classmates and
maybe even “steal” the street naming rights. “Major gifts
to the Annual Fund are extremely important to the
school,” continues Dr. Barker, “but a ground swell of
support from our parents, alumni, faculty, staff,
grandparents and friends makes a huge difference to
ensure that we reach our goal of $640,000. Many gifts –
even more modest amounts – add up to help us raise
these critical funds for our students, faculty and
programs. I can’t over emphasize how important the
Annual Fund is to Good Counsel. Without significant
Annual Fund support, we would have to increase tuition
significantly or cut staffing or programs.”
The 2011-2012 Fund for Good Counsel will close on June
30. Have you made your gift to support the school? Your
financial support and your participation matter and will
make a huge difference to our community. Please use
the envelope included in this issue, or visit our website
at www.olgchs.org/giving and make your gift today.
Let’s give the “Boys of ’68” some competition! Remember,
every gift matters, every year. ◆
Dr. Paul Barker, president (left) recognizes members of the Class of 1968 on the baseball field to thank them for achieving
the highest percentage of participation among their classmates for two consecutive years.
26 DEVELopmEnT
On the Road…Recaps
Our Lady of Good Counsel High School Advancement Office began hosting
a number of regional alumni gatherings in the fall of 2011 to introduce our
new president, Dr. Paul Barker, to our many alumni across the country and
to reconnect with and connect area alumni to each other. So far, regional
receptions were held in Chicago, New York City, San Francisco, Boston
and Baltimore.
If you are interested in helping to host an alumni event in your city or
region, contact Monica Augustyn ’06, Director of Alumni Relations
([email protected] or 240-283-3214).
Geoffrey Montes ’08 Melissa Greene ’07,
Meghan Cerpa ’08, Mike Devlin ’07
On Friday, January 20, alumni living in the New York, New Jersey and
Connecticut area gathered at the Penn Club on 44th Street in New York
City to enjoy an evening with fellow Falcons and President Paul Barker;
Chief Advancement Officer, Jane DiGirolamo and Director of Alumni and
Parent Relations, Monica Augustyn ’06. Many alumni reconnected with
classmates they had not seen in a while, met new Falcons who had just
moved to the tri-state area and reminisced about their time at Good Counsel.
Tim Sullivan ’89, Hugh Boyle ’98,
Josh Ott ’99, Earl Hunt ’99
San Francisco area alumni gathered at Bin 38 Wine Bar on February 3, 2012,
with Jane DiGirolamo, Chief Advancement Officer (CAO) for Good Counsel.
The group enjoyed a chance to hear news about GC and share stories from
their high school years. Pictured from left: Tom Daniel ’85; Eric Ginebra ’90;
Jennifer Fischer ’97; John Heisse ’72; Jane DiGirolamo, GC’s CAO;
Adam McDonough ’84 and Hugh O'Boyle ’66.
Ben Yhim ’87,Ed Kushlis ’76, Alex Núñez ’89
Ryan Bottegal ’06, Claire Balkam ’06
On April 19, Jamie Ryan ’82 and Chuck Morton ’83 invited Our Lady of Good
Counsel High School alumni who live in the Baltimore area for a reception at
Venable LLP. Approximately 30 alumni attended this networking event. ◆
Other “On The Road” receptions
have included Chicago in
November 2011 and Boston
in April. We look forward
to many more to come!
Brad Bolino ’71, Dennis Kane ’83 and
Attilio Campanaro ’83 enjoy the rooftop
view of the Baltimore skyline.
aLumnI 27
1984
ALUMNI TODAY
TONY CAPONE ’84
With a passion for acting and
performing, Tony Capone ’84
pursued his dream by being an
active member in the GC Theatre
Department, continuing on stage
at the University of Maryland
and then making his way to
Broadway in New York City. Now
a consultant in New York City,
Tony incorporates his acting and
directing abilities from the stage
to the business world at
Exec/Comm.
In 1980 Tony’s parents sent him to Our Lady Good Counsel High School,
which was “the best decision they ever made,” he stated. Within the first few
weeks of school, Tony was involved in the first show of the year – The Witness
for the Prosecution. In the 80’s, Tony was cast in a show at a local popular
dinner theatre during his junior year at GC, and performed eight times a week.
The Good Counsel administration allowed Tony to leave school to perform in
the matinees, and the school was extremely supportive of his dream to
become an actor.
At the University of Maryland, Tony declared an English major, “mainly by
default,” he explained. “There were outside voices saying, ‘Do you know what
your odds are of succeeding [on stage]?’ I listened to some of those voices
by studying something else, but nothing really latched on.”
After graduation, Tony went to New York City to audition, and he landed a
role in Miss Saigon. “And the rest was history,” he said. Tony appeared on
Broadway in Carousel, at Carnegie Hall and directed over 20 productions
regionally and in New York.
“There were outside voices telling me that the odds of succeeding were slim, but
those voices were never coming from Our Lady of Good Counsel High School.”
With 20 years of experience as a professional actor and director, Tony decided
to alter his career path but still use the skills he acquired as an actor. He
landed a consulting role as a professional trainer and coach for Exec/Comm.
This has allowed Tony to go from acting on Broadway, into directing, yet
again, as he coaches clients to become better communicators. Tony helps his
clients develop better communication skills by providing real life scenarios
and allowing them to respond and in a way, “act out,” their responses.
When reflecting back on his time at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School,
Tony explains, “It was the academics and the Theatre Department that gave
me the courage and confidence to go to New York City [to become an actor].
Good Counsel was not where those voices of doubt came from. It was that
sense of community that taught me about myself and how strong I was. The
school [instills] strength to all students who want to pursue their dreams.”
28 cLass noTEs
TRI-ATHLETE
KATHERINE PRANGLEY
LIOLA ’97
By day she is Senior Vice
President for Armstrong, Fleming
& Moore, Inc., providing counsel
and strategy as a financial planner
with a focus in behavioral finance.
Mornings and weekends, Katie
trains hard for her next triathlon
with the ultimate goal of
qualifying to compete in the
Ironman World Championships
in Kona, Hawaii.
“I bought my first bike in March
2010 and did my first triathlon, the
Columbia Triathlon, in May 2010 with some Good Counsel friends,” explains
Katie. “In the beginning, I trained on my own and with friends, but before the
start of 2011, I knew I had to push myself more to achieve my goals. I joined
Team FeXY [FE= iron and XY= Man] and started working with a coach.”
Katie’s regimen includes swimming, biking and running as well as yoga,
strength and core training. Her nutrition, sleep and recovery are also
monitored. Her peak weekly training, as she prepared for her first Ironman
in Arizona, was about 22 hours. “Normal” training for other races is between
10-15 hours per week.
1997
She adds, “It’s amazing how much you learn about your body – what it can
do, what it needs, how to take care of it. Training is not just about hours in
the pool, on the bike or on the road. It’s also about what you are putting
into your body, how to help it recover and your mental focus.”
Katie, who swam, played soccer, lacrosse and field hockey at Good Counsel,
became interested in triathlons when she was at Boston College. She ran the
Boston Marathon twice and was inspired by a father/son team, who ran the
Boston Marathon and then competed in the Ironman World Championships
in Kona. “I got into triathlons after achieving my marathon goal of running
10 marathons before turning 30,” she said. “I wanted a new challenge.
The culture, the intensity and the multi-discipline training aspects of the
triathlon really appealed to me.
My husband, Dave, my family and many of my Good Counsel friends have
been incredibly supportive,” Katie concludes. “Training requires a lot of early
wake up calls and other sacrifices, but like any goal you have to put in the
effort.”
Katie has now competed in 12 triathlons. She embraces the Ironman Mantra,
“anything is possible,” and she looks forward to her first race of the 2012
season, the Philadelphia Olympic Triathlon in June. Way to go, Katie!
cLass noTEs
29
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1966
1984
Donald mizell married Diana Law in 2010.
Billy Kappaz founded The Dorado Group and currently
serves as its Chairman and CEO. Previously, he was
the President and COO of K & M Engineering and
Consulting Corporation where he led the structuring
and development of numerous infrastructure projects
around the world including the first ever private power
projects in Colombia, Jordan, Vietnam, Bangladesh,
Tunisia, Ivory Coast and Senegal.
1967
Robert Goley retired from Federal service this past
December after 38 years. His extended family of nine
kids, eleven grandkids and a great-granddaughter have
been keeping him busy. Robert is also a volunteer with
the Coast Guard Auxiliary and edits thousands of
photographs.
1976
Father Walter J. Tappe is the Pastor of Saint Hugh of
Grenoble Catholic Church in Greenbelt, MD.
Joe aloi moved to Norfolk and is currently Clinical
Director of the Strelitz Diabetes Center/Chief Division of
Endocrinology and Metabolism at the Eastern Virginia
Medical School.
1977
The 2011 WCAC Football Championship game against
Gonzaga was enjoyed by all Falcons, including many
alumni who stopped by the
Picnics by Gerard tailgate,
by Daniel Wallace ’77.
Pictured here are Tom
Whalen ’77, mike Fitzgerald
’77, Dan Fitzgerald ’78,
Daniel Wallace and
Bob mcaleer ’78.
Tony Fletcher earned his private
pilot's license. Pictured is his
temporary certificate presented
by the FAA examiner who gave
him his final check ride.
GC President Paul Barker with chris Heck, President of
Business Operations for New York Red Bulls, Inc. (Major
League Soccer). Chris oversees the business and
commercial aspects of the club and Red Bull Arena.
Previously, Chris served as Senior Vice President for
Marketing Partnerships
for the National
Basketball Association.
Paul Barker, President,
and Jane DiGirolamo,
CAO, visited with Chris in
January, and he provided
a guided tour of the New
York Red Bulls Arena,
located in Harrison, NJ.
1989
1979
colonel peter curry entered the U.S.
Army in May of 1983 and served 26½
years until his retirement in October
2009.
1983
Ryan scholl is currently serving
as Commanding Officer (CO)
of the USS Ashland. Ryan has
been married to Kimberly for
24 years, and they have two
children.
30 cLass noTEs
1988
Actor mark povinelli plays Todd on the NBC series, Are
You There, Chelsea? and was in the movie, Mirror Mirror,
with Julia Roberts.
1990
peter Torti (pictured in front
of the NY Stock Exchange with
GC President Paul Barker)
is currently the Director of
Deutsche Bank Securities, Inc.
located in New York.
1991
2001
major patrick pflaum is currently
deployed in Afghanistan.
claire steinbraker Dipippo married David DiPippo on
June 25, 2011 in Corolla, North Carolina.
1993
amanda (mandi) Bullough Workman and her husband
welcomed their daughter, Kamryn Adele, on May 4, 2012.
Kamryn joins her brother, 18-month-old Charlie.
1995
Katrell mendenhall is scheduled to star in a reality show
called “Chicagolicious” on the Style Network.
matthew Reed is a current member
of the Air National Guard and has
been previously deployed to
Afghanistan and Iraq.
anastasia oristian arab graduated
from the Michigan State University
College of Osteopathic Medicine
on May 3 and will be starting her career as a resident
physician in obstetrics and gynecology at Genesys
Regional Medical Center in Grand Blanc, MI. Anastasia
celebrated this accomplishment with her 4-month-old
daughter, Ava Lynn, who was born on January 3, 2012, her
nine-year old daughter, Laila Marie, and her high school
sweetheart and husband of 10 years, PJ Arab.
1998
Kristen Bitter Worch and
her husband, Ryan, welcomed
their third child, Vincent
James, on January 26, 2012.
He was welcomed with hugs
by big sisters Grace (4) and
Hadley (2).
Pictured are: Claire DiPippo ’01, Sarah Deyhle ’01, Marie
Steinbraker ’06, Lara Steinbraker Salyer ’98, Shannon
Dorsey Young ’01, Lauren Brayer ’01 and Julie Waugh ’01.
Not pictured, but at the wedding were: George
Steinbraker ’94, Michelle Quinones ’01, Michael
Quinones ’98 and Nicole Conto ’02.
ashley Holland Vincent and her husband,
Zak, who reside in Indianapolis, IN,
welcomed their first daughter, Charlotte
Adele, on January 31, 2012.
2002
matt augustyn and his wife,
Megan, welcomed their first
child, Sophie Ann, on February
28, 2012. Sophie was 8lbs, 11oz
and 21 inches. Matt’s sister,
Monica ’06 (Director of Alumni
Relations), is Sophie’s godmother.
Matt, Megan and Sophie currently
reside in Bethesda, MD.
2003
1999
chris monroe was inducted into the George Washington
University Hall of Fame on February 18. He is currently
playing pro basketball in Europe.
Liz cowan sheil and her husband, Ryan,
would like to introduce their first child,
Braden Michael, born on March 9, 2012.
Braden was 8lbs, 6oz and 21 inches.
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31
cLass noTEs
2004
meghan stafford received her Master’s of Education
degree from Lynchburg College in January and is
pursuing a job as a high school counselor. She is also
registered to run the Marine Corps Marathon for the
second time in October and is raising money for wounded
soldiers and their families.
2006
Drew Gloster and Tyrell Jones have both signed to play
in the Professional Indoor Football League. They will be
playing for the Columbus Lions in Columbus, Georgia.
Neither knew that the other had signed for that team,
and they look forward continuing their friendship that
started at GC.
2007
nadia abascal graduated from Barnard College in 2011
and is pursuing her Ph.D. in chemistry at Yale University.
Nadia is studying organic chemistry in the labs of
Professor Scott Miller.
2008
Daniela poss was named to the Capital One Academic
All-District Women’s Basketball Team, selected by the
College Sports Information Directors of America. Daniela,
a chemistry major with a 4.0 GPA, was named to the
NCAA Division III All-District 2 team that includes every
team in eight states, mostly in the Middle Atlantic and
New England regions.
matt Dennison was accepted as a Master’s Degree
candidate at Salisbury University. His field of study is
geospatial/geoscience information systems.
Elaina ponchione, former lacrosse goalie for Good
Counsel and a member of the US Naval Academy
Women’s Lacrosse team, graduated from the Service
Academy in May.
stephen Hayes completed a great year at the main
Sorbonne in Paris, France. He graduated from American
University in Washington D.C., this May. Stephen was
on the Dean’s List at American, where he studied
international politics. Stephen also was an officer of
the school’s Debate Team.
mary swarthout was one of six athletes from The Catholic
University of America to be named to the 2012 AllLandmark Conference Teams on May 4. Mary leads the
Landmark Conference in lacrosse goals, points and
caused turnovers.
2011
maeve Drummey is currently enrolled
in the US Naval Academy Preparatory
School (graduation 2012). Maeve has
accepted appointment and received
Congressional nomination for
United States Naval Academy,
Class of 2016.
sean sutton, a freshman at UNC-Chapel
Hill, received his first ACC Championship
win in the 400 meter dash. Sean finished
with a personal best time of 46.84
seconds.
alex Honsberger completed her first year at Mount St.
Mary’s. She made the Dean’s List and is involved in the
Honor’s Program. Alex is the president of Educators for
Justice Society, a member of Best Buddies, a Freshman
Ambassador, and she will be a Resident Assistant for the
2012–2013 term.
We want to hear from you!
Please email the Director of Alumni Relations,
Monica Augustyn at [email protected].
ALUMNI BUSINESS NETWORKING
On March 15, the GC Alumni Office and Patrick Howley ’87 hosted the first Alumni Business
Networking event. With over 40 alumni in attendance, it was
a successful evening of networking and exchanging business cards.
The next event will be on Thursday, September 27 at M&T Bank,
Rockville, MD 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm. Hosted by Kevin McCormack ’86.
Save the date for
the next Business
Networking Social!
32 cLass noTEs
More information will be provided through the Alumni e-Newsletters.
If you do not receive emails from GC, contact the Alumni Office
([email protected]) to update your contact information.
We hope to see you there!
In mEmoRIam
God our Father,
Your power brings us to birth,
Your providence guides our
lives, and by Your command
we return to dust.
Lord, those who die still
live in Your presence, their
lives change but do not end.
I pray in hope for my family,
relatives and friends, and
for all the dead known to
You alone.
In company with Christ,
Who died and now lives,
may they rejoice in Your
kingdom, where all our
tears are wiped away.
Unite us together again
in one family, to sing
Your praise forever and ever.
• Embelina Banfield, mother of Donna Trotta, grandmother of Danielle ’02,
Jacqueline ’06 and Nicholas ’10
• Jeffrey Paul Beaupre ’88
• Carl E. Berger, father of Erik C. Berger ’84
• James R. Bergmann, father of Mike ’80, Brian ’82, James ’87 and Tracy;
grandfather to Patrick ’09, Timmy ’11, Katherine and Katie ’13 and Kevin ’15
• John V. Cuff ’70, father of Julie ’04 and brother of Bobby Cuff ’66
• Margaret Davitt, mother of John ’70, Emmit ’75 and Chris Davitt ’78
• Edward Dougherty ’63
• Mr. Lee Fangmeyer, father of Jeanne Crossland, Mary Jo Lanzer, Karen Swarthout,
Beth Poulos , Fr. Lee Fangmeyer ’79, Mark Fangmeyer ’80 and James Fangmeyer
’83; grandparent of Michael ’97, Daniel ’00 and Mary ’08 Swarthout; John Jr. ’03,
James ’04, Matthew ’06, Andrew ’08, Luke ’12 and Patrick ’14 Poulos; Mark ’05,
Andrew ’07, Laura Lee ’10, Michael ’13 and Matthew ’13 Fangmeyer; James ’11
and Audrey ’13 Fangmeyer; and five great-grandchildren; past board member.
• Maria Magdalena Garcia, mother of Veronica Garcia ’00 and Christina Garcia ’08
• Jesse Houston, Sr. , father of Jesse Houston ’68
• Marilyn Judge, former GC History teacher; mother of Stephen ’67, John ’70 and Larry ’75
• William Kolar, father of Tom Kolar (GC faculty), John ’71, Dan ’73, Grandfather to
Kathleen Kolar Quinn ’90 and Sara Kolar Moran ’94
• Elinor Fox Massuchi, mother of Tom Mazzuchi ’74
• Thomas McCarthy ’75
• Mary Mueller, mother of Kerry Mueller ’11
• John A. Murphy Jr. ’74
• Beth Polletto ’03, daughter of Kathy and John Polletto
• Jennie Serra, mother of Gene ’71 and Stephen ’74; grandmother of Danielle, Jennifer,
and Mary Grace
• Molly Shaffer, mother of James ’67, William ’74, and the late Thomas Shaffer ’75;
mother-in-law of Robert Leginus ’68
• Karen Rosenblatt, mother of Joe ’11 and Andrew ’13
This spring, GC created an award in Justin’s memory called The
Justin Thornton Award. It was given to a student who demonstrates
Xaverian values.
The Justin Thornton Award was awarded to nathan Incognito ’12
at an all-school assembly on April 30.
Justin [Class of 2010] was very close with many alumni from the classes of
2009–2011. Justin never spoke of his suffering from cancer, never complained
and never asked for pity, but instead he made people laugh. He fought for
his life every single day walking through those hallways of GC. It is in the
Good Counsel hallways that he fought most of his battle with this cancer,
before he could even set foot on a college campus. On February 1, 2011,
a falcon flew to heaven. His quote should always be remembered in GC
“On my rise to success, no suffering, no reward.” I am trying to explain
the importance of Justin to you because he was a role model for not
only one graduating class but three years full of students.
Justin Thornton 1991-2011
–Sarah Kane ’09, a good friend of Justin’s
The video of the award can be seen at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skGhO50Sg00
cLass noTEs
33
News and Events
Good Counsel’s
“Tip-Off Classic”
Basketball Tournament presented by
Legacy Investment & Management.
Friday, November 30
through
Sunday, December 2, 2012
AMPIONS!
H
C
E
R
U
T
U
BUILDING F
rts Camps
Eight teams (four local and four
out-of-town teams) will compete in
a 3-day championship-style
tournament.
Spo
Summer Youth
Ages 5 to 14
tball
★ Girls’ Baske
l
al
tb
ke
as
B
s’
Boy
se
★ Girls’ Lacros
Boys’ Lacrosse
r
★ Boys’ Socce
Girls’ Soccer
ll
yball ★ Footba
Baseball ★ Volle
lney, MD
igh School, O
od Counsel H
Go
of
dy
La
ur
-3218
Located at O
★ 240-283
WWW.OLGCH
S.ORG
ALUMNI
NETWO BUSINESS
RK
Upcomi
n
g events
:
ursda
y, Septe
m
6:30 – 8
:30 p.m ber 27, 2012
.
at M&T
Bank, R
ockville
Hosted
, MD
by Kevi
n McCo
rmack ’
86
REUNION
D
WEEKEN
ber 26 –
Friday, Octo
ctober 27
Saturday, O
eekend for
Reunion W
d “7”.
ing in “2” an
classes end
nions
lgchs.org/reu
Visit www.o
formation.
for more in
“ & ”
27
THURS
DAY, S
EPT.
13, 201
2
30 An
Steve Dnual
Golf To
ean
u
r
n
at Arg
a
ment
yle and
Manor
th
Countr
y Club
R
s
e
c
e
Catere
ption t
d by O
o
follow
utback
SteakH
Contac
ouse
t Monic
a Augu
august
styn at
yn@olg
chs.org
Friday, October 5
Athletic Hall of Fame
Recognition at the GC v. DeMatha
football game!
Game at 7:00 pm
Inductees for the 2012 Hall of Fame:
Cliff Brown ’66
The 1994-1995 Girls’ Basketball Team
Roger Mason ’99
Maggie Curran ’02
VENDOR
SHOW
NOVEMBER
ATTN
:
ALL A
Join U LUMNI
s!
Saturday, November 10
hosted by the
Mothers’ Club
Sunday, November 11
Annual Alumni Memorial Mass
Wedn
es
GC A
lumni day, Nove
m
N
Locat ight at th ber 23 rd
e
ed in
Bethe Barking D
og
sda, M
D!
NON-PROFIT
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO. 253
SILVER SPRING, MD
A Xaverian Brothers Sponsored School
Change Service Requested
17301 Old Vic Boulevard I Olney, Maryland I 20832
Friend Us
| Follow Us
| Learn About Us
at olgchs.org
Get Ready
for Some Football!
EVENTS
AUGUST
AUGUST 24, 2012
23
First Day of Classes
24
ESPN Live Football:
GC @ Bishop Gorman (Las Vegas)
Good Counsel v. Bishop Gorman
SEPTEMBER
8
Football: GC v. St. Joseph
Regional (NJ) @ Naval Academy
13
30th Annual Steve Dean Golf
Tournament
27
Alumni Business Network
OCTOBER
5
Athletic Hall of Fame Ceremony
Homecoming Game: GC v. DeMatha
14
Admissions Open House
18
St. Francis Society Dinner
26-27
Reunion Weekend for Classes
Ending in “2” and “7”
to Vegas?
it
e
k
a
m
Can’t
er of our
eith
e game live at
th
ch
at
w
e
m
Co
parties:
PN viewing
two local ES
ia:
In DC/Virgin
In Maryland:
Turtle
The Greene
ey, MD
ln
O
in
d
locate
RFD
C
ashington, D
W
in
d
locate
Broadcasting
LIVE from
Las Vegas
on ESPN!
For further information, please
visit our website at
www.olgchs.org/ESPN