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The Knights’Pages SPRING 2013

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Letter from the

Chairman

the knights’ pagesSpring 2013

Bishop o’ConneLL high sChooL6600 Little Falls RoadArlington, VA 22213703-237-1400www.bishopoconnell.org

aDministrationKathleen Ryan PrebblePresident

Joseph E. Vorbach III, PhD ’83Principal

Rev. Phillip M. Cozzi ’94Chaplain

Sr. Catherine Hill, I.H.M. ’66Dean of Academics

Erin O’MalleyDean of Faculty and Counseling

Meghan LonerganDean of Students

aDVanCementKim AubryMajor Gifts 703-237-1447kaubry@bishopoconnell.org

Jennifer Brown ’02Constituent Relations703-237-1437jbrown@bishopoconnell.org

Cindy KrechAnnual Fund703-237-1446ckrech@bishopoconnell.org

Kat Ogdoc ’06Database Manager and Advancement Support703-237-1445kogdoc@bishopoconnell.org

CommUniCationsMary Jane SpurlockDirector of Communications703-237-1425mjspurlock@bishopoconnell.org

COVER PHOtO – the boys basketball team celebrates their WCAC title (photo by Brian Kapur, KapurPhotography.smugmug.com)

Members of the O’Connell Community,

It has been a busy and rewarding second semester at O’Connell. Seniors and their parents are beginning to hear from all of those colleges to which they applied, and the class of 2013 has already collected scholarship offers totaling millions of dollars. This is quite a tribute to our students and their academic achievements and to our faculty for helping to make those successes possible.

Congratulations are also in order for members of our sports teams and performing arts programs who have competed successfully, and who have brought great pride to the O’Connell community. There are teams with tournament and league titles, teams with national recognition, and instrumental and vocal ensembles with a whole list of accolades and awards.

As we close out another school year, we are saying good-bye to our school’s presi-dent, Kathleen Ryan Prebble, who has tirelessly served this school and our students for the past three academic years. She has accomplished a great deal in a very short period of time, and we are truly grateful for her efforts across a very broad range of areas.

Bishop O’Connell is fortunate that Dr. Joseph E. Vorbach will serve as our new Head of School, beginning this summer. Never have I known anyone more dedicated to the mission of this school than this distinguished graduate of the class of 1983. Please join me in giving him your full and complete support.

Much has been done, but there is so much more to do.

Respectfully and enthusiastically yours,

Kevin Di Gregory Chair, Board of Governors

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message from the

President

mission statement

Our mission is to provide

students an education rooted

in the life of Christ and to

foster the pursuit of excellence

in the whole person.

taBLe of Contents

The Time is Now 4

School News 6

Superdance 2013 10

Annual Giving 12

12th Annual Gala and Auction 13

Why We Give 14

Reunion Wrap-Ups 16

Athletic Hall of Fame 17

Alumni Roll Call 18

Alumni Achievement Awards 22

Upcoming Reunions 23

Dear parents, alumni and friends of O’Connell,

In April of 2011, a group of Bishop O’Connell leaders and supporters gathered to launch a much-anticipated initiative to fund the revitalization of the school. Called The Time is Now, this initia-tive promised to be the most transformative undertaking of the school since its founding in 1956. In fewer than two years from the launching of The Time is Now, much has been achieved:

77 Over $6.5 million in pledges and support have been directed to fund the initial priorities of the initiative.

77 More than 200 alumni, parents, grandparents and friends of O’Connell have stepped up to make a commitment to The Time is Now.

77 Nearly all of the projects identified as top priorities in 2011 have been funded—and many have been completed.

77 Several Phase II projects have been funded and completed already—well ahead of our projections.

The difference in our campus is almost breath-taking. Yesterday, I walked over to see our nationally-ranked softball team playing at Tuckahoe Park. On the way I observed the track team practicing on our brand new 6-lane track, lacrosse players on the new synthetic turf field and a baseball game in progress on the reoriented and renovated baseball field. Earlier in the day, as part of my regular routine, I walked by the banner announcing O’Connell as an Intel Finalist School, which is displayed outside our new state-of-the-art chemistry lab. Over the weekend, I enjoyed the wonderful spring musical production of Cinderella, in comfortable, newly recon-structed blue seats in the auditorium.

The initial success of The Time is Now speaks to the generosity of the O’Connell community, the strength of the school’s mission and the boldness of its vision for the future. During every conversation, with every donor and perspective family, I explain that while we are transforming ourselves externally, we are using the same standard of excellence internally. Last March our faculty committed to a “Standard of Professional Excellence” that impacts our classrooms on a daily basis. Our partnership with Marymount University now includes dual enrollment/dual credit classes with 65 students participating. Our Global Studies Program involves more than 100 students who will receive a special Global Studies endorsement on their transcripts. More and more students are engaged in classroom activities using mobile technology. This summer O’Connell will become a Project Lead the Way school as our science department implements the Pathway to Engineering Program for high schools. Our focus on STEM is clear as we plan to renovate an additional five science labs this summer. Our counseling program now includes a dedicated College Counselor. I have been thrilled to be part of this adventure to move O’Connell to a new level of “awesomeness.”

We are at an excellent time in the school’s history to grow and expand. As I pass the baton to Dr. Joseph Vorbach, the next Head of School, I am confident that the spiritual and academic “DNA” of Catholic education at Bishop O’Connell is solid. I am particularly grateful to the strong Board of Governors that I have had the pleasure to work with over the past three years, the supportive faculty and parents, the very spirited students and the generous donors who are committed to ensuring that Bishop O’Connell becomes a beacon of excellence in Catholic education.

Sincerely,

Kathleen Ryan Prebble

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strategiC initiatiVe

The Time is Now

Launched in April 2011, The Time is Now is a bold strategic initiative designed to revitalize and transform the school.

In the two years since the launch of The Time is Now, over 200 supporters have committed almost $6.5 million in support of this initiative. Nearly all of the projects identified as top priorities in 2011 have been funded—and many have been com-pleted ahead of schedule.

recent Developmentsstem programs - We are committed to strengthening and building on our STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) curriculum to prepare students for success in college and beyond in STEM-related fields. Recent STEM programmatic improvements include two new state-of- the-art chemistry labs and the addition of engineering coursework into the curricu-lum.

athletics - In partnership with Mary-mount University, the baseball diamond at Harry “Jake” Jacobs Field has been reoriented and renovated with new sod, an irrigation system, new fencing, a warning track and batting cages. Bleachers, dug outs, a press box and other improvements will be will be added as funds allow.

auditorium - The largest gathering space at O’Connell for assemblies, performances and the celebration of Mass, received a much-needed upgrade with beautiful new seats in the lower section.

the next funding priorities—phase iiThese Phase II improvements will require an additional $8.4 million investment in facilities and programs:

77 Continued investment in our STEM cur-riculum and renovations to our science labs

77 Completion of the outdoor athletic fa-cilities renovations with upgrades to the baseball field and a new outdoor conces-sion stand

77 Additional improvements to the auditori-um, including new balcony seats, lighting, sound and technology systems, and stor-age space for props and scenery

77 Relocation and expansion of the Muller Academic Support Center

77 General building renovations to improve energy efficiency include replacement of HVAC systems and new classroom windows

We are thankful for the many individu-als, families and businesses who have partnered with us through The Time is Now strategic initiative. If you would like to know how you can help with these important efforts, please contact Kim Aubry at kaubry@bishopoconnell.org or call 703-237-1447.

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thank You to our supportersAs of March 31, 2013, the following individuals have generously pledged their leadership support, or made an outright gift, to The Time is Now strategic initiative.

AnonymousRichard L. Abood ’74Elizabeth AboodAES CorporationSydney and Gloria AlbrittainMichael Albrittain ’80 and

Kristine AlbrittainW. Sydney Albrittain ’83 and

Whitney AlbrittainPeter F. AllgeierKathleen M. Almy ’70Brian B. Anderson ’85 and

Kelly MarshMark and Valerie AndreottaSue and Gary AndresWilliam and Joanne ArmorWilliam A. Bagot ’70Farras and Zayn BakirBruce and Joan BarrowTerry M. Belt ’84 and

Sarina Termini Belt ’85Thomas and Andrea BenderTed and Lisa BennettPeter Bergmann/

Bergmann’s Cleaning, Inc.Mr. John BernhardtSuzanne Sniscak Blevins ’70Arthur and Wendy BonairGeorge Boras ’83 and Susan BorasJulianne Rish Bourne ’83 and

James BourneAlbert Bracht ’70Marc A. Brammer ’70Theodore A. Breiner ’72 and

Maureen Daunt Breiner ’71 John Brough ’82 and Karin BroughAndrew and Denise BrownRichard W. Brown/

Bethesda Blues, LLCKevin T. CallaghanBrendan E. CallahanSylvia Totten Carlson ’70William Carpenter ’76 and

Deborah CarpenterGregory F. Carroll ’73

Suzanne and Richard CarrollJames CartwrightLarry and Barbara CaudleW. Rance CleavelandThomas and Pamela ClineThomas H. Conaty ’64Timothy A. Cope ’68Timothy M. Corbett ’70 and

Kathryn Giebel Corbett ’70Luis Felipe and Ana Maria CordobaDavid M. Cotter ’92David and Susan CourtneyJeffrey Craigmile and

Cristina Pola Craigmile ’83Peyton and Leslie CrossErick CrouseMeghan CurtisJoseph and Cheri CusumanoRodney and Teresa DadeEva Herbst Davis ’83Skip and Joanie DawsonJohn Depenbrock ’61 and

Anne DepenbrockJohn and Kathleen DickmanKevin and Gerry Di GregoryTina Marrocco Dodge ’84David C. Dominy ’93Steven J. Donovan ’86Mike DoughtyPat DriscollBill Duryee ’61 and Patricia DuryeeDennis E. Dwyer ’61Jonathan D. Dwyer ’93Thomas J. Fadoul ’70Teresa Langen Fahlgren ’83Fannie Mae Michael A. Farrell ’70Timothy P. Farrell and

Kathleen Barry Farrell ’80Brian M. Fay ’72Kevin J. Fay ’73 and Nancy FayStephan E. Fay ’71 and

Ann Marie Morris Fay ’71Robert and Karen FornaroRosemary T. FoxEric FracassoKirk and Maria GalianiJoseph and Jerry Gargiulo Jr.Renee Walsh Garnett ’83Ronald J. Gilbert ’65 and

Sue Boyles Gilbert ’65Dan and Michelle GillickNicholas J. Giuliani ’77Brendan D. Giuseppe ’84Mark Goetzman ’77 and

Martha Holroyd Goetzman ’80

Lily Fernandez Griffin ’83 and Thomas Griffin

Patricia Pettit Griffin ’70Bruce GudenbergTimothy E. Guinan ’93Constance Culosi Gulley ’83 and

Steven GulleyDalton and Nan GustafsonEdward and Anne HallAlbert Halprin and

Janice ObuchowskiAbdel-Rahman HamedJoseph M. Harrington ’67Parker Harrington ’75 and

Rosemarie HarringtonPaul Hartmann ’70 and

Barbara HartmanJames and Judith HathawayJames W. Hathaway ’93Michael J. Hayden ’74 and

Julie Naylor Hayden ’74Caitlin HealyKevin and Sally HealyKevin J. HealyMary Jane Healy ’83Mark A. HenryJane Hayes Hohmann ’70Karen O’Malley Holland ’70Ralph E. Horvath and

Cathleen CampbellJohn K. Hughes ’70Alexander Inglese ’72 and

Karen Carter IngleseMichael A. Ingrao ’72William J. JacarusoWilliam R. Jacobs ’82Claudia S. Jadrijevic ’86 and

Bruce DeBloisRobert D. JentgensPaul Johnson and Judy DunnMark D. Jones ’83Maggi Hanlon Keating ’85William and Dawn KerrMark T. Kimmitt ’72Joseph H. Kimmitt ’68Robert M. Kimmitt ’65Richard Kingman ’70 and

Ann Reilly Kingman ’71Donald and Marie KlawiterJoseph R. Koons ’64 and

Nancy Hayhurst Koons ’65George B. Korte ’67Richard G. Kramer ’66Gerald KundeRobert Kurtzke ’77 and

Leala Kurtzke

Tara Laposa ’93Gretchen LaundonLarry and Colleen LeberEric W. LeonardSusan C. LeousMary Flaherty Lewis ’70Donald P. Libera ’70Jennifer Borntraeger Loucks ’74Richard M. Loughery ’70 and

Phyllis Mayo Loughery ’70Michael D. Lubeley ’65Donald T. Lynch and

Kimberly BurnettJohn and Peggy MaddoxElizabeth Von Drehle Madeira ’83Marymount UniversityRobert J. McCahill ’71 and

Robyn Boyle McCahill ’71Douglas and Michele McCormickJames and Dawn McDonaldTerrance McGovern and

Margaret Hogan-McGovernMichael J. McGuire ’00Tom McKean ’73Donald Mellen and

Anne Pida Mellen ’70Christopher J. Melnick ’84Brian K. Mercer ’72James W. MercerGus Meruvia ’77 and Staci MeruviaMicrosoft CorporationKatherine P. MuthRobert and Mary Ann NirschlO’Connell Alumni Class of 1989O’Connell Alumni Knight PartyO’Connell PTOKathleen Boylan O’Keefe ’83Kelly Olszewski-HertelOppenheimer Funds, Inc. Reverend John P. Peterson ’81Helen Wilkinson Petrakes ’80Pharmasap, Inc.Thomas R. Poos ’70Kathleen R. PrebbleTodd J. Preti ’83James A. Puglisi Sr. ’74 and

Mary Elizabeth PuglisiTimothy C. Puglisi ’74Marie QuinnDaniel and Mary Kay ReillyKevin Reilly ’77 and Sharon ReillyRobert B. Richards ’66Robert N. Riviello ’62Edward G. RodriguesRui Rodrigues

Robert and Jeanne RucksMichelle Lalle Rush ’70Eduardo and Megan SalasAnne E. SchaffnerScitor CorporationKevin S. Scully ’70Ronald and Kathleen ScullyJeannie Jreige Semaan ’86 and

Marcel SemaanJohn and Andrea ShankReilly M. Shaughnessy ’76Paul Sheridan ’89 and

Rachel SheridanSHW Group, Inc.Siemens CorporationHarold SmarrNeil SolomanAmber SouthChristopher and Jodi St. GeorgeSamuel and Marian StarrThomas Stevens ’68 and

Lindy StevensDavid and Karen StuverWilliam and Jamie TanisTimothy and Marie TaylorDennis L. Telzrow ’63Evan ThomasThomas E. Tiernan ’72Melissa TierneyRev. Stephen J. Tisinger ’70Karen M. TraceyMichael Underwood and

Lisa Mercer Underwood ’74JoEllen Urban ’82Joshua Vance ’88 and

Amy Every Vance ’89Michael P. Vandermark ’82Stavros and Berit VeletsisJoseph E. Vorbach III ’83 and

Colleen VorbachPatricia DeIuliius Walker ’70Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley,

Emrich, P.C.Martin Walsh ’62 and Nan WalshPatrick J. Walsh ’62 and

Margaret WalshJean Winslow Whitesell ’73Gregory and Donna WilsonJeffrey R. Winslow ’70 and

Janet Greenwald Winslow ’71Douglas I. WoodDon and Stacey WoodKevin P. WuestRaymond Zdancewicz ’74 and

Sandra ZdancewiczDonald and Catherine Ziegler

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Dr. Michael E. Mann

Coast guard Commandant Visits global studies programAdmiral Robert J. Papp, Jr., Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard, visited Bishop O’Connell for an afternoon discussion with students enrolled in the Global Studies program. He presented the Coast Guard’s role in events that were familiar to those in the room, including the recent rescue of crew members aboard the Bounty during Hurricane Sandy. He also talked about the U.S. Coast Guard as a role model for maritime services in countries around the world. Admiral Papp shared photos and stories of a recent trip that took him to Malta, Bahrain, Singapore, Guam and finally Hawaii, before returning to headquarters in Washington, D.C. The students asked questions about the future of the Coast Guard and his career highlights. He encouraged the students to “find a way to serve,” and to find something for which they have a passion. He said he never considered the Coast Guard a job, but rather a privilege to sail the seas and to serve his country. Find out more about the Global Studies Certificate Program at www.bishopoconnell.org/global.

robotics program gets a BoostThanks to a $1,000 sponsorship from Lockheed Martin’s STEM Education Outreach program, O’Connell’s robotics club has registered as a “FIRST Tech Challenge Team.” The FIRST program allows high school students to design, build and pro-gram robots to compete against other teams at the local, state and regional level. The club meets regularly after school, map-ping out goals for this year, and making plans for competing in the 2013-2014 school year. The students are guided by science teacher, Anthony Rennekamp, engineering teacher, Paul Gerton, and O’Connell alumnus and MIT graduate, Samantha Palazzolo ’06. Don Brobst, senior mentor for the Washington-area FIRST program, recently visited the O’Connell robotics program to demonstrate a typical robot and familiarize the stu-dents with the program elements. “This program encourages high-quality work,” he told the student. “Equally important to the actual level of competition is teamwork and cooperation within and among teams.”

speech and essay Winners and VfW teacher of the YearO’Connell students swept several local speech and essay competi-tions this year. In February, three freshmen claimed the top three prizes at the Alexandria Sunrise Optimist Club essay contest. Clare Adams took 1st place, Maureen Duesterhaus took 2nd place and Katherine Katz took 3rd place.

Just up the road at the Arlington Optimist Club essay contest, three other freshman students took top honors: Claire Stemberger was awarded 1st place, Stephanie Salinas, 2nd place, and Isabel Fernan-dez, 3rd place.

At the John Lyon VFW Post 3150 Voice of Democracy oral essay contest earlier this year, freshman Virginia Schilder won first place, junior Rhett Nugent won second place and freshman Isabel Fernan-dez won third place. The O’Connell community was also honored when Post 3150 named English department chair, Diane Cerniglia, as the Teacher of the Year. Read about all of this year’s essay and speech competitions at www.bishopoconnell.org/essays.

School News

John Lyon VFW Post 3150 awards

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students take a stand against BullyingCourtesy of student correspondent Mary Barna

This year at Bishop O’Connell a bullying-prevention team, called “DJO Upstanders,” has been put in place not only to create awareness of the problem of bullying, but also to encourage students to “stand up” against it.

DJO Upstanders is made up of 30 members of the O’Connell community — students, parents and staff — who helped frame the program. In October, the team hosted a Stand Up to Bullying assembly with a message for students not to just stand by but to stand up for what is right. The term “upstander” was used to describe people who report acts of bullying they witness.

Special guest speaker for the assembly was Paul Hewitt, basket-ball coach at George Mason University in Fairfax, who gave an in-spiring speech to the students about the importance of respecting each other. There also was a contest for students to make “Stand Up to Bullying” videos, which were shown to the O’Connell com-munity at the assembly.

Erin O’Malley, dean of faculty and counseling, serves as the moderator for DJO Upstanders. “It is exciting to see how many individuals are participating in the efforts this year,” she said. “The students have quickly embraced this program with enthu-siasm and support. We have many new plans and programs in the works for the upcoming months and even for next year.”

Dantzler is intel finalistSenior Alexa Dantzler is one of 40 high school students around the country to be named a 2013 Intel Science Talent Search (STS) finalist.

“This is such a special honor, and we are thrilled that Alexa’s hard work has been recognized at this level,” said science department chair Doreen Curtin.

Dantzler’s project, entitled “Quantification of Perchloroethy-lene Residues in Dry Cleaned Fabrics,” began as a freshman science fair project at O’Connell, and has continued to grow in scope and detail. Early in her research she recognized the need for more accurate measuring devices to improve her project, and was able to team with Dr. Paul Roepe and two graduate students in the Chemistry Department at Georgetown Univer-sity. The results of some of this work were published last year in the Journal of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry.

As an Intel STS finalist, Dantzler spent seven days in March in Washington, D.C. at the national STS competition. The week’s activities included two days of intense judging, some media training, and a public exhibition at the National Geographic Society. Participants met with Intel Innovators, Einstein Fel-lows and past STS winners, and visited Capitol Hill and the White House, where they met President Barack Obama.

Dantzler was honored by her peers to be selected as the Glenn T. Seaborg Award winner. As the Seaborg awardee, she was asked to speak on behalf of the finalists at the black-tie awards dinner held at the National Building Museum on the last day of the competition. She began by thanking Intel and the Society for Science & the Public for making the week possible.

“During this week, we have taught and inspired each other, and are consequently now more enthusiastic about science and our roles in the scientific community,” she said in her remarks.

“We will continue to question our world because questions fuel initiative and initiative leads to answers…We have diseases to prevent and cure, new energy to harness and save, efficient tech-nology systems to build, and diagnostic tests to improve, among other things. We have no time to lose. While the world awaits us, it also needs us. Let the research never stop and let the curiosity and inspiration continue to be planted and flourish.”

As a finalist, Dantzler was awarded $16,000 from the Intel Foundation. Earlier, when she was named a semi-finalist, the school was also awarded $1,000 from the foundation in order to continue the development of STEM programs.

Alexa Dantzler is joined at the awards dinner by two of her mentors— Dr. Paul Roepe and Doreen Curtin.

thanksgiving with the missionaries of CharityFor most students at Bishop O’Connell, the Thanksgiving holiday weekend began on Wednesday, a planned day off for the school. But one group of seniors joined Christian Service Coordinator Mannikka Heard for a special day of service. The group traveled to Northeast Washington to lend a hand at the Gift of Peace home which is run by Mother Te-resa’s Missionaries. Some students helped with yard work, while others worked in the kitchen, preparing for the afternoon meal service.

In the meantime, O’Connell’s Art Department Chair Joe Crivella was busy shopping for Thanksgiving staples for the Missionaries of Char-ity’s work. For more than 15 years, he has coordinated the “Turkey Blitz,” a two-week fundraising drive at school which helps the sisters at the Gift of Peace home feed a growing number of families in need. This year, armed with over $3,000, he was able to deliver four over-flowing pallets of provisions that would feed 150 families in total, 30 more than last year.

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Bishop O’Connell theatre program staged the musi-cal “Meet Me in St. Louis,” for three performances in November. This rare treasure is based on the heartwarm-ing movie by the same name. Memorable musical numbers included The Boy Next Door, A Raving Beauty, The Trolley Song, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, Whenever I’m with You and A Day in New York.

In December, musical en-sembles joined forces with student readers to present a special Christmas pro-gram—an Evening of Carols

and Readings. Members of the community enjoyed beautiful Christmas music combined with readings and prayers, as our students guided the audi-ence through the story of the promise of the Messiah and the birth of Jesus.

The theatre program staged a special black box presentation of “The Billion Dollar Saint” in February. In this farce, St. Francis of Assisi found himself visiting a Jesuit Uni-versity instead of a Franciscan Monastery, and managed to convert the football team to the simple way of life, setting off a comedy of misunder-standings.

Later in the month, the music program presented Broadway Desserts, an elegant evening of Broadway musical selections and delicious desserts. As a special feature this year, students voted for their favorite I.H.M. Sister to be serenaded by the men of the concert choir. Sister Tracey Uphoff and Sister Maureen Christopher Dusterhoff tied for this honor!

Young men’s executive ClubA group of young men from Bishop O’Connell recently took an after-school field trip to Tysons Corner to visit a retailer called “The Art of Shaving.” The students were greeted by the store’s manager, Christo-pher White, who discussed some of the finer points of shaving, and showed them around the upscale barbershop and spa. This was the first of many field trips and seminars sponsored by the newly formed Young Men’s Executive Club at O’Connell. According to the club’s moderator, David Owens, “the purpose of the club is to help young men learn simple courtesies that may seem trivial and old-fashioned, but they are foundational in a civil society.”

a Busy Winter season for the performing arts

o’Connell and marymount finalize Baseball field agreementOn January 30, Bishop O’Connell President Kathleen Prebble and Marymount University President Matthew D. Shank met to finalize the agreement for joint use and maintenance of O’Connell’s new baseball field. The meeting took place in Presi-dent Shank’s office, which is filled with baseball memorabilia. His love of the sport stems from his days as a college player.

President Prebble said, “It’s exciting for us to add another level to our partnership with Marymount. We have an academic partnership for dual enrollment, and now we are partners in athletics. It will be great for our families and neighbors to be able to come watch a collegiate game.”

President Shank noted, “We are delighted that Marymount and Bish-op O’Connell have such close ties. Bishop O’Connell is an excellent school that produces outstanding graduates—many of whom choose to continue their educations at Marymount University. By working together, we benefit the students at both of our institutions, as well as the wider community.”

For more information on Marymount University, visit www.marymount.edu.

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Basketball program gives BackBefore the Christmas holi-day all three boys basketball teams—freshmen, JV and varsity—worked together to provide necessities and gifts for three families in need. The teams supported the work of House of Hope in Glen Burnie, Md., and together they donated winter clothing, toiletries, diapers, toys and gift certificates for local department stores and restau-rants. When all was said and done, their donation baskets were overflowing, and they were able to pull together extra boxes of items to give to Baltimore City Department of Family Services.

“God has certainly touched these fine young men,” said a note from Pastor Judy Kelly from the Community United Methodist Church of Crofton, Md., which benefitted from some of the extra baby-related items. “What a wonderful example of giving!”

royalettes earn national rankingThe 21-member Royalette Dance Team traveled to Orlando, Fla. early in February for the National Dance Team Championship, sponsored by the Universal Dance Association (UDA). Teams qualify to compete at this event based on their performances over the summer at dance camps all around the country. For the Royalettes, this year’s championship was one for the record books. From a field of nearly 50 large varsity teams from around the country, the O’Connell team’s Pom routine performance in the opening rounds earned them a spot in the finals for the first time in the team’s history.

Under the leadership of Chrissy Salvador ’95 and Kelsey Timmerberg ’04, the team has been performing throughout the school year at pep rallies, football and basketball games, and other special events. For Nationals this year, the Royalettes performed in both the Jazz and Pom categories. The Jazz performance earned them a Superior rating and semi-finalist status. But, it was the Pom routine in the end that earned them a spot in the finals, where they ultimately placed 21st in the nation.

Boys Basketball Claims WCaC and alhambra tournament titlesThe boys basketball team, coached by Joe Wootten, came into this year’s Washington Catholic Athletic Conference (WCAC) tournament as the number two seed. In early tournament play, the Knights defeated Good Counsel of Maryland in the quarterfinals, before needing two overtime periods to prevail over Paul VI of Fairfax in the semifinals. O’Connell faced St. John’s College High School of Washington, D.C. in the WCAC championship game, where the Knights rallied to an emotional 58-53 win before a near capacity crowd at American University.

Several weeks later, O’Connell was invited to participate in the prestigious Alhambra Catholic Invitational Tournament (ACIT), which brings some of the best Catholic high school basketball teams to Cumberland, Md. each year in March. This year’s field included WCAC rivals, as well as teams from the Baltimore area, Richmond and Indiana.

In hard-fought tournament play, Bishop O’Connell defeated Mt. Saint Joseph and La Lumiere before prevailing over Benedictine College Prep in the championship game.

“This championship capped off an unbelievable year—30 wins, two major championships, and a great group of guys,” said Coach Wootten. “I am so proud of them. They were determined, coachable, and sim-ply got better every single day.”

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For the 38th year in a row, students from Bishop O’Connell High School came together for a 12-hour dance marathon to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF). Driven by the desire to help find a cure for this disease that has affected O’Connell families and tens of thousands others around the country, students col-lected donations and pledges from neigh-bors, friends and family, and then danced

the night away to a the music of live local bands and talented DJs.

A few first-time acts brought new energy to the crowd at Superdance. O’Connell alumnus, Dylan Vorbach ’11, performed with “Gentlemen of the College,” the old-est a cappella group at William and Mary. The group was headed north for spring break gigs in Pennsylvania, New York and New England, but stopped by to sing a few

38th annUaL

Superdance

2013 superdance committee members

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songs. “You could hear a pin drop when the ’Gentlemen’ took the stage,” said one of the chaperones.

Faculty members also pitched in to boost the entertainment line-up. Science teacher, Nolan Britt, performed with The Blue Jays, and music teacher, Laura Van Duzer, rocked the gym with The Understudies.

Before the midnight hour, 99.5 DJ Chris Styles took over the entertainment and

Alumni Pitch InO’Connell alumni come back to the school to support Superdance every year, and to take a trip down memory lane. The Superdance committee sets up a special alumni room decorated with t-shirts from past events. There alumni and their families met up with old friends, enjoyed a snack and browsed through old yearbooks.

Just a few miles down the road, a group of 2002-2003 graduates organized an off-site alumni gathering as another way for alumni to show their support for those suffering with Cystic Fibrosis. At Arlington Rooftop in Clarendon, more than 250 alumni, family members and friends joined forces to support Danny Bessette ’02 and his personal fight against this disease. Danny recently spoke to O’Connell students letting them know that he was facing a double lung transplant in the near future.

“I am amazed by the generosity and support that was shown on Saturday to Danny and his family,” said organizer Libby Muldoon ’03. “It is incredible to be part of the O’Connell community and to see this event continue to grow.”

The alumni event raised more than $5,500 to be donated to the Children’s Organ Transplant Association (COTA) in honor of Danny Bessette. Follow his progress at www.cotafordanielb.com.

Wrapping UpThe final numbers for Superdance are still being calculated as donations continue to stream in. At the end of the night, the students reported a prelimi-nary total of $112,000 which they hope will continue to grow.

To read more about Superdance, visit www.superdance.org.

brought new excitement to the gym. “Chris Styles engaged everyone in the room and helped cap off a great event,” said senior Michael Bonini.

The final song at Superdance is always Billy Joel’s “Piano Man.” This year the entire student body made a large circle around the gym floor and swayed shoulder to shoulder as the dance came to a close. “In the end, it was one giant group hug,” said senior Shanna Ferrari.

Danny Bessette ’02 (far right) with his wife, Jackie heppes Bessette ’03,

and his parents (far left), John and pat Bessette.

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Peter St. George ’12

Stephanie Gulley ’12

Annual GivingEvery gift, whether large or small makes a difference in the lives of our students. Please make your gift before the end of our fiscal year, June 30, 2013. Contact Cindy Krech at 703-237-1446 or ckrech@bishopoconnnell.org for more information.

planned giving Planned giving is a way for you to make a gift to help Bishop O’Connell while securing the financial needs of your family and loved ones. Donors are encouraged to consult their tax planners or attorneys as well as the Advancement office so that the proper vesting language is used to ensure the funds to the school.

Often a planned gift may provide for loved ones and the school as well as create tax benefits for you. You can make a current planned gift such as giving stock to the Annual Fund or a deferred planned gift. Deferred planned gifts include establishing a trust or annuity, giving stock, real estate or life insurance; naming the school as a ben-eficiary of your pension plan or remember-ing Bishop O’Connell in your will.

Support from young alumni at any level is important to Bishop O’Connell. Eligibil-ity in the Young Alumni President’s Club is determined each year, based on year of graduation and gift amount:

77 Class of 2003–2005, 8–10 years since graduation, $500 or more

77 Class of 2006–2008, 5–7 years since graduation, $100 or more

77 Class of 2009–2012, 1–4 years since graduation, $25 or more

Young Alumni President’s Club members enjoy:

77 Recognition on the list of leadership– level donors in the annual report.

77 Networking opportunities with current President’s Club members at special events.

Join the Young alumni president’s Club

annual fund—spring matchcoaching, programs and opportunities the school provides.

There’s no better time than NOW to give to the Annual Fund!

77 Donate online at www.bishopoconnell.org/give

77 Return the enclosed envelope with a check payable to Bishop O’Connell High School or with credit card information

77 Find out if your company matches your do-nation at www.bishopoconnell.org/matching

77 Donate through your employer with United Way #8273 or DFC #65190

Anonymous alumni have stepped forward with a challenge to our community. This spring, they will match—dollar for dollar –all unrestricted gifts to the Annual Fund up to $25,000. We need your help to maximize these generous matching funds.

By giving to O’Connell you are not only making a significant difference in the qual-ity of our everyday programs and services to students, but you are also making a powerful statement about the importance of O’Connell in your family’s life. By saying “Yes!” to O’Connell you are saying “Yes!” to the excellent quality of the teaching,

Join The President’s ClubAnyone who makes a gift of $1,000 or more to Bishop O’Connell in a fiscal year becomes a member of the President’s Club. Commitments may be spread out over multiple payments through the year. These investments demonstrate the highest level of commitment and lay the foundation for O’Connell’s success.

President’s Club members enjoy:

77 An invitation to the President’s Club reception in recognition of their leadership.

77 Recognition in the annual President’s Report.

77 An exclusive tie or tote embellished with the O’Connell logo.

77 Invitations to special events throughout the year.

We are grateful to the alumni, parents and friends who over the years have stretched in their support of our mission and become members of the President’s Club.

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pam Benson models the beautiful pearl ring available in the live auction.

Bob & mary Beth st. John get in the spirit of mardi gras.

12th Annual Gala and Auction

More than 250 parents, alumni, faculty and friends of O’Connell donned evening attire and gathered at the McLean Hilton on Sat-urday, Feb. 9 for the school’s 12th Annual Gala & Auction. This year’s theme—Mardi Gras, A Knight of Celebration—helped transport people to Bourbon Street, where beautifully wrapped baskets and special gift items were arranged amidst masks, feathers, glowing votives and beads galore.

The evening began with a VIP champagne reception, where attendees perused the silent auction items and enjoyed some refreshments before the main event. From there, the crowd moved to the ornately decorated ballroom for a three-course dinner and a fast-paced live auction, which included enticing packages such as Taylor Swift tickets, an Annapolis boat trip with Dr. Vorbach, and a trip to Kinsdale, Ireland.

In addition to the auction, raffles, and other fundraising events of the night, there was a special appeal to help purchase more classroom tablets and mobile devices. Through the generosity the attendees, the school received an additional $19,000 for this important technology improvement.

At the end of the night, the event brought in $200,000. This money will be used to help advance the mission of O’Connell by supporting important programs at the school, including faculty development, facility renovations and, of course, technol-ogy improvements.

The Bishop O’Connell community is very grateful to the sponsors of this year’s Gala,

the generous donors who contributed unique and wonderful auction items, and to the individuals who attended and made this such a successful evening. The event would not even be possible without the tireless efforts of countless volunteers; we thank all of you for your time and energy! Special thanks to our wonderful and talented Gala co-chairs, Julie Gazala and Staci Meruvia, who guided us through months of planning to arrive at this very special and successful evening!

save the Date13th Annual Gala and AuctionFebruary 8, 2014

2013 gala sponsorsBattlefield ford

sheehy auto store

alcalde and fay

flik independent school Dining

shW group

advancement partners

Cardinal Bank

Daniel and monica stabile

DtZ, a UgL Company

raD sports

Walsh Colucci Lubeley emrich and Walsh pC

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martha holroyd goetzman ’80 and mark goetzman ’77parents of Jack ’08, margaret ’10 and emma ’12

As alums, we happily support the Annual Fund as a way to give back to a school that gave us so much both as students and parents. Undoubtedly, the education we re-ceived was great preparation for our years of college and graduate studies and we give a nod of appreciation to our parents for choosing Bishop O’Connell for us. We look back warmly and are so grateful for the relationships and friendships we made and have maintained since. We share our fond memories with all of our siblings and our three children who also attended Bishop O’Connell. O’Connell is and always has been full of great people…teachers, staff, clergy, students, families, and more! Once you join this community, you are always a member of the O’Connell family, and for that alone, we feel we have an obligation and hope we all have some desire to give something back.

We returned to O’Connell in 2004, when we started looking at various schools for each of our children, and determined with them that Bishop O’Connell was the best choice. We were happy to find that the community was the same warm, nurtur-ing, spiritual, inviting place we left in 1980, however there were many improvements to the facility, updates to the curriculum, support for the teachers and necessary fun-draising efforts needed. We were happy to be a part of some of the changes that have occurred and some of the long-term visions that are still being formulated and realized. These many goals cannot be reached for our children, our school and our commu-nity without the financial contributions of each family in some way, in particular through the Annual Fund. We all want our school to be the best it can possibly be now and in the future, and once again, we feel we each have an obligation and should

Why We Give

have a desire to participate in making these goals a reality.

We think we all need a reminder as alums and parents that Bishop O’Connell not only wants but NEEDS our help in many ways and in particular and immediately, in a financial way. There is a misperception by many that tuition alone is enough to keep the school running, updating and improv-ing and that the Diocese and individual parishes provide some financial funding. The only way to upgrade the facility, keep teachers and classrooms technologically current, maintain high standards for hiring and retaining teachers and staff, attract more families and remain educationally competitive and spiritually supportive is with the financial help, no matter how large or small.

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martha holroyd goetzman ’80 and mark goetzman ’77parents of Jack ’08, margaret ’10 and emma ’12

robyn (Boyle) mcCahill ’71 & Bob mcCahill ’71parents of Corey ’03, Casey ’06, and Colin ’08

Catholic education goes back generations in our family. Bob’s grandfather, father, and uncles were Jesuit products of Canisius and Marquette, and the Boyles of Wash-ington, D.C. saw Robyn’s father, aunt,

and uncles attend Trinity grade school in Georgetown, and St. Patrick’s and St. John’s. In keeping with this tradition, Bob, his sister and his brother attended St. Agnes School and O’Connell. Robyn,

her brother, and sister attended Our Lady of Good Counsel, with Robyn going on to O’Connell. It was at O’Connell that Bob and Robyn met, and graduated together.

After college, marriage, and starting careers, we settled in Vienna to start our family. Years later, we had the pleasure to return as active members of the DJO community for another nine years as our sons Corey ’03, Casey ’06, and Colin ’08 attended. It was with tremendous pride that we were able to present our sons their diplomas at graduation.

Our whole family benefitted from the academic programs, spiritual guidance, strong traditions, sports programs, life-long friendships, and so many wonderful memories. We were so blessed to have this opportunity and to be able to provide for our sons. (Now the pressure is on them to keep the tradition going!)

We give to continue keeping the tradition of Catholic education and service going. We give in gratitude for all that Bishop O’Connell High School has provided for our family. We give so others may share in the experience, and form their own life-long memories.

terry (turner) iannaconi ’61So many stories of O’Connell alumni giving include a long list of family members and multiple generations of O’Connell alumni. In my family the list is short. I have a niece who is the only other O’Connell graduate in the family and a brother who attended O’Connell for a short time. Notwithstanding the ab-sence of multiple generations of O’Connell tradition, my solo experience filled me with enough pride to go around.

As I think back over my early years, I recol-lect the thousands of families in multiple par-ishes and the bishops, priests, nuns, brothers and others who had the vision and sense of sacrifice to pull together the resources to produce a regional Catholic high school that a half century later is still growing and continuing to produce outstanding gradu-ates. An Internet search for the term Bishop O’Connell High School results in a burst of data that leaves me filled with pride.

I recall the talks in church many years ago about fundraising to build a regional Catholic high school. My parents, who had little to give financially, made the sacrifice to support

that building fund. As a person in the busi-ness world today I appreciate more than I ever could have as a young person the finan-cial and personal resources required to build and operate a major educational institution.

A few years ago there was a movie and book, “Pay It Forward.” The story line involved a young boy who promoted a pyramid scheme of kind acts. In the story the boy would do a kind act for each of three people and then encourage each of those recipients of kindness to do a kind act for three others and so on. In these post-Madoff days when the term “pyramid scheme” is synonymous with greed and cor-ruption, the concept of a pyramid scheme of kindness is enticing. The concept of paying kindness forward is compelling. The reason why I give is because I am compelled to return and, if possible, multiply the kind-ness of all those who paid such kindness to us in enabling us to receive an outstanding Catholic high school education.

The journey of writing this article took a delightful turn recently. As I thought of those

whose kindness helped me along the way I recalled two of the sisters in particular—Sis-ter Joanne and Sister Michelle Marie. From my very earliest days at O’Connell the nuns had been more than teachers in a classroom. Today we would call them mentors. They were women of great intellect and personal strength who shared with all of us an aspira-tion of intellectual and spiritual growth. I had the opportunity to visit with them at Camilla Hall, the retirement home for I.H.M. Sisters in Immaculata, Pa., not long before Sister Joanne’s passing. I feel blessed to have known these sisters and to know that they continue to pray for all of us.

Ultimately the reason I give to O’Connell and other organizations that serve to make the world a better place is because I can, and because there is no way to adequately pay it forward for all that I received from those who have helped me along the way. As I pay it forward I know there will be many more years and generations of O’Connell gradu-ates who themselves will, hopefully, pay it forward for the generations to follow them.

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reUnion

Wrap-Ups

The Class of 1977 met up on Friday, Nov. 30 at the Ireland’s Four Provinces for a pre-reunion bar event. Then on Saturday, Dec. 1, members of the class made a great showing at the All-Alumni Knight Party held in the school gym. Classmate Peter Warren and his band, The Fabulous Dial-tones, provided the entertainment for the evening. Class of 77 members agreed that this was a great way to celebrate their 35-year reunion, having a special table section at the Knight Party, but being able to share the experience with other classes, too.

The Class of 2002 held their 10-year reunion Nov. 23 at the Clarendon Ballroom. There they reconnected over mini ap-petizers and drinks. The main event began at 7 p.m., but when the official party was winding down, a core group continued to socialize at other venues in the area.

Boys Lacrosse alumni event

The boys lacrosse alumni held a corn-hole tournament on Feb 16, 2013 to raise funds and reconnect with the program. More than 50 people showed up to eat, drink and throw bags to benefit the O’Connell lacrosse program. It was a great mix of current players’ parents, alumni and friends of the program. Colin Malone ’03 and John Hathaway ’03 won the tournament. In the end, thy raised almost $1,000, setting the bar high for future events. Special thanks go to Fireworks Pizza and John Murphy for sponsoring the food and beverages.

fred Benevento ’69Football, Basketball, Baseball, Track, also Coach of Girls Track and Football

Fred was Athlete of the Year his junior year after earning MVP honors in three sports, and five varsity letters, which he repeated his senior year. He returned to O’Connell as a football and girls track coach from 1975-1985.

mike garcia ’72Wrestling

Mike, a fierce competitor, was one of O’Connell’s best wrestlers in its storied wres-tling history. In his senior year, Mike won first place in the Virginia Independent Schools Tournament and also captured the champion-ship in the prestigious St. Albans Invitational Tournament.

Jason palumbo ’88Football, Wrestling, Track

Jason truly gave it his all on the football field, wrestling mat, and track for O’Connell. In football, he was leading the area in rush-ing and touchdowns his senior year before a season-ending leg injury. Jason earned a schol-arship at the University of Wyoming, where he became a top wrestler in the WAC conference.

Lauren aste polek ’91Tennis, Softball

Lauren earned 14 varsity letters in four sports at O’Connell. She played at #1 singles in tennis and was the team MVP her senior year. In softball, Lauren started every game for four years and was a team captain and a first Team All-Met her senior year. She also lettered in swimming and winter track three years each.

Delaunta Cameron ’94Football, Basketball

From his football linebacker position, Tay led the team with over 100 tackles and on offense rushed for over 800 yards and 10 touchdowns. He became an All-ACC linebacker at Georgia Tech and played with two NFL teams. Tay was also a four-year letterman in basketball, where he was selected as MVP of the Virginia Indepen-dent Schools State Tournament his senior year.

Bob klubaBoys & Girls Tennis Coach

Bob was a part of O’Connell for many years, coaching the boys’ team for 25 years (1987-2010) and the girls’ team for 22 (1989-2011). During his tenure, the girl’s team won confer-ence championships seven times including four consecutive years from 1997-2000 in which they amassed an undefeated 62-0 record.

Athletic Hall of FameOn April 13, six alumni and one team were inducted into the Bishop O’Connell Athletic Hall of Fame. More than 50 family members, former coaches, teachers and friends gathered in the gym for a lively evening of awards and great stories.

Congratulations to the 2013 Athletic Hall of Fame honorees:

1991 softball team

With a 21-1 record, this team set the standard of excellence for future soft-ball teams at O’Connell. Coach Tommy Orndorff ’s team boasted three first team All-Mets, plus a second team All-Met pitcher that lead the team to the top of the Washing-ton area. The senior class four-year record was 68-10 with three CGAA championships.

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John maguire ’63 received Electrical Engineering degrees from Cornell in 1967 and Ohio State in 1968. He just retired this past year from Georgia Tech in Atlanta after 22 years.

Lenny iddings Lianee ’66 is delighted to announce the publication of her fourth book of poetry, The ABC’s of Memory. Published by Script Works Press, the book probes the American psyche by examin-ing such icons as Mr. Potato Head, Mary Worth, and Wonder Bread. The book also shows little life moments of ordinary people. Lenny’s book can be found on Amazon.com.

Jim sonnhalter ’66 is proud to announce the birth of his fifth grandchild. His young-est daughter gave birth to her first child in August. It was a bouncing baby boy named Austin David Flannigan.

Brian C. murphy ’66 recently completed six months of service as a Legal Education and Justice Advisor at the U.S. Depart-ment of State, based in Kabul, Afghanistan. Back in the U.S.A. for three days, he de-parted for Bulgaria, where he was invited to serve as a judge in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competi-tion. Years ago, he served as a Fulbright lecturer in law in Bulgaria. He has now been recommended for a second Fulbright law lectureship, this time in Macedonia for the 2013-2014 academic year.

Jacqueline sweeney ’68 has published 38 books and has a new one coming out this fall with Scholastic. The title is Poetry Playlets, aimed at students in grades 3-6. She also has a new novel for children aged 8-12. Find out more on her web page at jacqueline-sweeney.com.

rick Deutsch, ’67 has written One Best Hike: Yosemite’s Half Dome—currently the only guidebook to this extremely strenuous hike. It has already sold 10,000 copies. Rick lives in San Jose, Calif. and has done the hike 35 times.

rudolph garcia ’69 retired in 2005 after working 30 years as a Foreign Service as a telecommunitions/IT specialist, living in a dozen countries. In total, he has visited or lived in almost 85 countries! He is now putting his daughters through local college in Colorado Springs.

Jim kenney ’72 recently marked 35 years in Civil Service. He also is a columnist for www.DCSki.com. Read about his son, Vince kenny ’09, on page 21.

Cynthia Donavin ’74 moved to New York City after graduating from DJO, and became a professional ballerina with the Joffrey Ballet. She danced pro-

fessionally for ten years throughout the United States and in Europe. She returned home to finished up a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology at the University of Maryland, and a master’s degree in Arts Management at George Mason University. She is the founder and executive director of the Clas-sical Ballet Theatre in Herndon, Va. She is married and has two great children.

Jimmy felter ’76 is the producer, editor, and writer for “The Incredible Dr. Pol,” which currently airs on Nat Geo Wild, and is breaking all time ratings for the channel. 2012 also marked the release of the feature documentary “Harvest of Empire” based on the ground breaking book by Juan Gonzales that chronicles the last 100 years of American immigration. Felter served as the producer, editor, and director of photography for the film, which won the International Documentary Associations “2012 ABC News Video Source for Editing” award. In 2006, Felter founded Voice of Haiti, an organization working with the Haitian government to help provide clean water to an expanding number of residents of southern Haiti.

aLUmni

Roll Call

Rick Deutsch

Cynthia Donavin

Jimmy Felter

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eileen mcCarthy grant ’76 is the direc-tor of group exercise at Skyline Sport and Health in Falls Church. She is also planning a trip to China with her two sons (aged 20 and 16) to visit her daughter (Rosie, age 23). Rosie has been in China since June 2012 and is teaching English at a foreign language school in Qingdao.

Carlos Cervantes sr.’79 received the esteemed Conrad Egan Excellence Award for Service from the Fairfax County Hous-ing and Community Development in 2012. This is the highest award given from Fair-fax County Redevelopment and Housing Authority recognizing outstanding service to FCRHA residents, partners and clients.

emmett Duffy ’78 was recently selected as one of the Commonwealth’s outstand-ing faculty members by the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia. Duffy has been a Professor of Marine Science at William & Mary since 1994 and has established in international reputation in marine ecology, with his current research focusing on the importance of biodiversity in the Chesapeake Bay and other areas of the world.

simonne Valenti Zarbin ’81 is proud to announce the birth of her daughter Ava. She entered the world on October 10, 2012.

fr. edward horkan ’86 was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Arlington in 2003, and is now at St. James parish in Falls Church.

tina santoro Ward ’87, became a grandmother October 2011. Kennedie Reese Ward is now 16 months old.

todd maxey ’87 mar-ried Joanne (Jo) Fazzio in 2001. He is now the proud father of two stepdaughters, Stacy and Kim, and grandfather to two granddaughters, Kaylee and Anastasia. Todd is currently the owner of TJ Maxey

Enterprises, where he and his wife own a mixed use office building.

Catherine svercl ’92 designed a home remodel project that won a silver award in the energy-efficiency retrofit category of Qualified Remodeler’s Master Design Awards for 2012. She also received several green certificates for this project.

John habib arsala ’95 spent five years at the United Nations and has recently taken a position with an alternative asset manage-ment firm in New York. He and his wife, Catherine, are celebrating their 7th anniversary this year, and his son, Sebastian, has just turned four.

patrick opitz ’97 received a certification in Sustainability Management and is now working at WDC Solar to help make solar power affordable to low income communi-ties in the Washington, D.C. area.

Lewis Carney ’02 and his wife Amanda wel-comed a baby girl on December 28, 2012.

kyle and kaitlin ahrens kersey ’02 have relocated to Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica with their three sons, Camden

(3), Kieren (5), and Braeden (6). They op-erate a vacation hospitality business on the Central Pacific coast, where the rain forest meets the sea. Find out more at www.greencoastrentals.com, where they offer nice discounts to DJO alumni.

James mcCrery ’83 – What’s old is newThere was a time in recent past when plans for a new or renovated Catholic church would often include a strikingly modern building design. But the trend is changing and in parishes across the country there are capital campaigns and building projects center on a return to a more traditional design.

James McCrery ’83, founder of McCrery Architects in Washington, D.C. is one of only a handful of architects in this country whose area of expertise is at the forefront of this trend. McCrery received both is Bachelor of Science in Architecture and his Master of Architecture from Ohio State University. He has been a registered architect since 1998, developing a profound interest in classical and tradi-tional architecture early in his career.

His firm has been commissioned to design a variety of traditional projects around the country for both secular and Church clients. Projects around Washington include the U.S. Supreme Court Book Store and the statue pedestal for President Reagan now displayed in the Rotunda of the United States Capitol. There is also a very long and growing list of projects for Catholic churches all around the country, including a new 150,000 square foot Carmelite Monas-tery in Wyoming and a chapel on Boston Harbor for the Archdiocese of Boston.

In 2011, after a national search and intense interview process, McCrery was commis-sioned by Rev. Michael Burbridge, the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Raleigh, N.C. to design a new cathedral campus for the diocese, with the 2,000-seat Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral at its center.

With a growth rate in the Catholic population four and a half times that of the gen-eral population, the current cathedral church—the smallest in the continental United States—is busting at the seams. This will be the first American cathedral in over 100 years to be built with a traditional Roman Catholic architectural design. Plans and prog-ress for Holy Name of Jesus Cathedral can be seen at www.holynamecathedralnc.org.

“I continue to have a great deal of admiration for the I.H.M. Sisters at St. Michael’s and Bishop O’Connell,” McCrery says of his early inspirations. “My background in Theol-ogy—thanks especially to Sister Charles Borromeo, Mr. Welsford and Mrs. Connolly—drew my interests to Catholic architecture.”

McCrery lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Faye Phillips, and his two children, James and Grace. They are members of St. Joseph’s on Capitol Hill.

John Sebastian Arsala

Kennedie Reese Ward

Ava Zarbin

Lewis Carney

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Lauren roubik ’02 and Christopher Franco were married October 13, 2012 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Baltimore. Deacon Robert Shepherd offici-

Catching Up with Jason & David fulbrook In January 2006, Jason fulbrook ’09, a freshman at the time, was diagnosed with a leukemia called Biphenotypic Acute Leukemia. It is one of the rarest and deadliest forms of leukemia because its origin as a cancer is in the bone marrow stem cells that produce all blood cell types. By a miracle, he was diagnosed early because of the blood test he took to participate in sports at O’Connell. For the next five months, Jason was in the hospital and had to undergo two rounds of chemotherapy, the maxi-mum radiation treatment, another chemotherapy treatment at Walter Reed, and then he transferred to Children’s Hospital in Washington for a bone marrow transplant. By another miracle, his brother, David fulbrook ’07 was a perfect bone marrow donor match and helped save Jason’s life.

Fast forward seven years, and the fam-ily is happy to report that both young men are doing great. David is now a second year medical student and Jason is a healthy junior at the College of William and Mary, studying chem-istry and playing rugby in his spare time. Because Jason now only has his brother’s blood in his system, he could never get the same leukemia again.

According to their father, Jim Fulbrook, the family is extremely grateful for all the support and prayers that came from the O’Connell community during Jason’s ordeal. “The Fulbrooks have a family motto,” he said. “We are more of who we are because of each other.”

terry Belt and tom reilly Join forces in real estateIt was the winter of 1980. terry Belt ’84 and tom reilly ’84 were freshmen at O’Connell and they were on the basketball team. At 6' tall, Terry played guard and at 6'2" tall, Tom played forward. When spring rolled around, they were teammates again, this time on the baseball field. Belt was one of the leading hitters on the team.

Reilly recalled recently, “I’ll never forget this one time Terry smashed the ball directly at me. I was playing first base and I’ve never seen a ball hit so hard.”

Belt laughed, “You made the play of your life on that ball too.”

Reilly responded, “That’s called self-defense!”

Their friendship continued throughout high school and in 1984, they both graduated. Belt went on to play baseball at Georgetown Uni-versity. And Reilly moved on to Brown University, where he played football. Their paths diverged at that point, but they carried with them a bond that was created both by their partnership in sports and by the foundation they were given in their years at O’Connell.

Belt graduated from Georgetown University in 1988 with a degree in finance and em-barked on a successful career in real estate. He resides in Vienna, Va. with his wife and two sons.

Reilly graduated from Brown University that same year with a double major: political science and organizational behavioral and management. His career path led him into the legal industry, where he focused on employing technology to assist in the practice of law and to promote business development. Reilly is married, has four children and is a lifelong resident of McLean. After two decades, Reilly decided to get his real estate license and quickly rose to success as Rookie-of-the-Year for his company.

In 2008, both Belt and Reilly became part of the founding agents at a new McLean office of Keller Williams Realty. Terry Belt was a part of The Belt Team (a family business that includes his parents, Jerry and Gail Belt, and sister Christy Belt Grossman ’79), and Tom Reilly continued to operate as a solo realtor in the office.

Last year, Reilly officially joined The Belt Team, as Senior Buyer Specialist. According to Belt, this was “a natural fit.” Both continue to be active in the community. Belt is involved in a number of community organizations and especially enjoys coaching youth sports. Reilly has served on the Board of Directors of the Hamlet Swim Club, as an usher at St. Luke Catholic Church.

ated. Following the reception at the Bal-timore Marriott Inner Harbor the couple honeymooned in Myrtle Beach. They live in Reston, Va.

Brandon moore ’04 married his wife, Kristina, and they purchased their first home only a few months later in Fair Ha-ven, N.J. It’s been a big year!

Christopher Franco and Lauren Roubik

Kristina and Brandon Moore

Terry Belt

David ’07, Emily ’13, and Jason ’09 Fulbrook

Tom Reilly

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In Memoriamthomas Coipuram sr.December 13, 2012Father of Thomas ’85 and grandfather of Grace ’15

John r. DavisNovember 30, 2012Father of Rachel ’02, Colin ’04, and Stephanie ’05

Victor D. Di gregoryJanuary 1, 2013Father of Chairman of the Board of Governors, Kevin Di Gregory, grandfather of Jessie ’03, Patrick ’05, Margaret ’08, and Anne ’15

Jason emma ’03December 24, 2012Brother of Max ’07

richard e. hardyJanuary 13, 2013Father of Mary Tillman ’84, Robert ’86, Kevin ’90, Michael ’91, David ’95, Timothy ’98, Anne Marie ’00, and Richard ’02

rev. John f. kurtzke Jr. CsCFebruary 28, 2013Brother of Catherine ’71, Joan ’76, Robert ’77, Elizabeth ’72, James ’79, and Christine ’85

John mouldDecember 3, 2012Father of John ’74, Rick ’75, Andy ’76, Christopher ’78, Dan ’82, and Patty ’83

alexa mcgonigal schaffner ’04 and Joe schaffner ’05 were married on the Rotunda steps at the University of Virginia on De-cember 29, 2012. Those celebrating with the Schaffners didn’t let the 40-degree weather deter them on this happy day! Wedding at-tendees included Dan turissini ’04, kevin Zdancewicz ’04, robert glorioso ’04, and rachael schaffner ’00.

patricia adkins Jasion ’06 married Brian Jasion on March 24, 2012 at historic St. Mary’s Church in Alexandria. This was the same church where her parents (Activities Office Assistant, Julie Adkins and Delaney Adkins) were married. Also in attendance were family members, Brian adkins ’16,

Betsy adkins ’12, mike adkins ’09. Both Brian and Trish are Virginia Tech alumni and have recently settled in outside of Richmond in New Kent, Va.

Camille richards ’08 graduated from VCU School of Nursing in 2012 where she worked as a part-time research assistant for the school as well as a part time care partner at the hospital. She is employed as a nurse in the Evans-Haynes Burn Center, the oldest burn institution in the U.S. and the only burn certified center in Virginia.

Vince kenney ’09, son of kathleen and Jim kenney ’72, recently attained Level II certification from the Professional Ski

Instructors of America Association and will graduate in May with a degree in Com-puter Science from Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, Pa. Vince has accepted a software engineering position with a unit of the Boe-ing Company beginning after graduation.

melanie Delaney ’10, daughter of Jose-phine Bertran Delaney ’76, is studying abroad this year (2012-2013). Melanie, who attends Babson University, is a junior and is enrolled in the University of Seville in Spain. She loves it there and her Mom is hoping that she is learning to speak fluent Spanish! She has traveled to many places in Spain but has also made it to Morocco, Portugal, Amster-dam, Paris, London and Brussels.

Dr. Boyd hagyDecember 12, 2012Drama Director (1963-1966)Boyd Hagy taught English at O’Connell and served as the drama director in the early years of the school. He produced several memorable plays, including Brigadoon, Carnival, Call Me Madam and Harvey. He is remembered fondly by his stu-dents, who said he was always able to work with each of them as “diamonds in the rough.”

Bob taborFebruary 4, 2013Assistant Principal, Teacher, Coach (1984-2010)Bob Tabor was a retired Fairfax County Public Schools principal who came to O’Connell as an admin-istrator and coach in 1984.Bob received his master’s degree in administration from the College of William and Mary and was certified in biology, government, and social studies. He previously served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps from 1951-1953. Before leaving O’Connell for health reasons, Bob served as the Dean of Faculty, where he was a valued mentor to many faculty members. He was a wise, kind and humble man. He was loved and appreciated in the Bishop O’Connell community and will be missed.

marie naylorDecember 28, 2012Mother of Julie Naylor Hayden ’74, grandmother of Melissa ’96, Jeremy ’02, and Benjamin ’05

robert e. o’Donnell ’73February 24, 2013Spouse of Deborah ’73 Brother of Margaret ’74, William ’78, Joanne ’80, and Terrence ’81

Douglas richardson January 10, 2013Father of Katherine Jane ’14 and Nicole ’16

Brother James (Leo) rieck, fsCNovember 17, 2012Former Faculty and Coach (1962-1971)

Carol a. (poos) robinson ’61 February 26, 2013

marguerite Louise kimnach ryanDecember 7, 2012Mother of Kathleen Prebble, President

erma steibMarch 10, 2013Mother of Bart ’63 ( former faculty)

henry e. strickland Jr.December 20, 2012Father of Mary ’72, Stephen ’73, Elizabeth ’74, Michael ’76, and Kathleen ’87 (deceased)

teresa stricklerDecember 1, 2012Mother of Joan ’61, David ’65 (deceased)

Jeremy tabonesJanuary 22, 2013Brother of Jen ’07

Vince KenneyJoe & Alexa Schaffner Brian & Trish Jasion

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scott Wilson ’87Distinguished Alumni Award

Scott Wilson is the founder and principal designer of Chicago-based MINIMAL. His creative work in industrial design was recognized last year through the prestigious National Design Award by Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, which honors excellence, innovation and lasting achievement in American design. Wilson is a former design leader at Nike, Thomson Consumer Electronics, IDEO, Fortune Brands, and Motorola, and has created some of the world’s

most recognized consumer design icons. With creative projects that span industries from tech-nology, consumer products, fashion, furniture and much more, he has been described as “equal parts visionary designer and serial entrepreneur.”

Wilson’s work has been recognized with more than sixty international design awards and has been exhibited at Cooper-Hewitt, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago. He has been featured in publications such as ID Magazine’s Top 40, TIME Magazine’s Style+Design100, WIRED Magazine and Fast Company’s Masters of Design, where he was named one of their 50 Most Influential Designers in America.

James Zumwalt ’00Young Alumni Achievement Award

James Zumwalt, was awarded the Bronze Star at a ceremony in Washington last summer. Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.) presented former Navy Lt. Zumwalt with the medal, noting his “exceptionally meritorious service” in Iraq in 2010 with a Navy explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) team. Zumwalt served two tours in Iraq with EOD teams, who were often vulnerable to explosives and sniper fire. He now works for a government contractor in the Washington area.

Julia Wentzel Wharton ’85Knights Service Award

In 2003, when the only Catholic elementary school in Blacksburg, Va. closed its doors due to financial issues. Julia Wentzel Wharton—a mother of four young girls—rallied the community and established a new Catholic school for the New River Valley area. Renting a space in a vacant public school building, Wharton used her ties with schools in the Diocese of Arlington to solicit contributions of furniture, materials, supplies, donations and prayers. She took no salary

as director for the first five years to help the school get on its feet. Today, St. John Neumann Academy has 107 students in kindergarten through eighth grade and 10 teachers. It has out-grown its rental space, and Wharton dreams of building a larger facility on their own piece of land and someday adding a high school.

Join us for a special evening reception and

dinner at Bishop O’Connell High School to

honor three exceptional alumni. Tickets are $20 per person. Please RSVP by May 31 to Jennifer Brown’02 at 703-237-1437 or jbrown@bishopoconnell.org.

PHO

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Alumni Achievement Awardsfriday, June 7 at 6 p.m.

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UpComing

Alumni events

Class reunionsClass of 1963 is planning their 50-year reunion for Oct. 11-13, 2013. Check out the website for updates, class notes, and special information at classreport.org/usa/va/arlington/bohs/1963. Steve Habeger (shabeger@vt.edu) or Dave Krauss (dkrause24@comcast.net) are the points of contact.

Also, the class of 1963 is invited to be special guests at the commencement ceremony for the Bishop O’Connell class of 2013 on Thursday, May 30, 2013 at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Im-maculate Conception in Washington, D.C. A reception will follow the event. Please email alumni@bishopoconnell.org to let us know you are coming.

Class of 1968 is beginning to make plans for their 45-year reunion. Please contact Nancy Kenney at KenneyN@sec.gov with any ideas.

Class of 1973 is planning their 40-year reunion on the weekend of October 11–14, 2013 (Columbus Day weekend). Please contact the committee chair Judy Kim-mitt Rainey at jjk22101@gmail.com or the planning committee’s main mailbox at DJOClassof1973@gmail.com for details.

Class of 1978 is making plans around Columbus weekend for their 35-year

reunion. Please contact Scott Gaboury at ssigaboury@aol.com for more details.

Class of 1983 is starting to make plans for their 30-year reunion. Please email George Boras at gboras@yahoo.com to stay connected with your class.

Class of 1988 is ready to plan their 25-year reunion. Contact Joe Bullis at joebullis@yahoo.com.

Class of 1993 is celebrating 20 years this year. Please Contact Molly O’Hara Dowley at modowley@me.com to help plan the reunion.

Class of 2003 – Has it already been ten years? Please stay connected with the reunion planners to get the latest informa-tion on party plans. Please email Libby Muldoon (libbymuldoon@gmail.com), Pat Boland (ptboland@gmail.com), Sean Whitfield (spnw85@gmail.com), or Atheni Asihel (aasihel@gmail.com).

Your Reunion Starts HereIt’s never too early to start planning your class reunion! The alumni office can help you get organized and publicize your next event. Contact alumni@bishopoconnell.org for more information.

Join Us Under the tent! saturday, october 12, 2013

Come back to O’Connell and enjoy

an afternoon of friends and football!

All alumni and their families are invited

to join us for lunch under

our Alumni Homecoming Tent

before the O’Connell homecoming

football game. Find out more at

www.bishopoconnell.org/homecoming.

Questions?

Contact alumni@bishopoconnell.org.

Homecoming 2013

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NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT #6479

MERRIFIELD, VA

6600 Little Falls Road, Arlington, Virginia 22213

www.bishopoconnell.org • 703-237-1400

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

Upcoming EventsConnolly Golf Classic Friday, May 10, 2013 www.bishopoconnell.org/connollyclassic

Class of 2013 Graduation Reception for the Class of 1963 Wednesday, May 30, 2013

Alumni Achievement Awards Friday, June 7, 2013 at 6 p.m. www.bishopoconnell.org/achievementawards

Homecoming Football Game Saturday, Oct. 12, 2013 www.bishopoconnell.org/alumni