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| Volume #1 Issue #4 Date: May 2017
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Singing Praises for Choir's All-State Voice
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|  | Junior Tom Latz (center), an All-State
singer, played the role of "Joseph" in the
Blackfriars Guild's spring musical. |
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Congratulations to Tom Latz ’18, who earned a place as a Bass 1 in the ILMEA (Illinois Music Education Association) All-State Choir. The event took place in Peoria in January. The junior student was one of approximately 300 high school singers chosen from across the state. Latz, along with three other Fenwick singers, also qualified and sang with the District 1 ILMEA Senior Chorus at Elmhurst College last November.
“ILMEA is an extremely important and well recognized organization known around the country for its excellence in choral, band and orchestral music,” says Bridget Kancler, Co-director of Fenwick’s Chorus and a teacher in the school’s Expressive Arts Department. “Preparation is difficult, requiring many hours of both teacher-guided and student-motivated work. Tom truly earned his place.” In a more recent performance, the talented Latz played one of the lead roles last month in Fenwick’s musical production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”
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| 'Fore!' More Evans Scholars Named
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|  | Fenwick's seven Evans seniors for 2017 (from left):
O'Bryan, Luis Murphy, Torres, Owens, Grayson, Javors and Liam Murphy. |
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The Western Golf Association (WGA) has released the names of four additional Fenwick High School seniors who will receive the Chick Evans Caddie Scholarship for the 2017-18 school year: Robert Grayson (Chicago; Riverside Country Club), Garrett Javors (Riverside; Riverside Country Club), Luis Murphy (Elmwood Park; Oak Park Country Club) and Dennis O'Bryan (Riverside; Riverside Country Club). The Evans’ awards for classmates Liam Murphy (Chicago; Park Ridge Country Club), Fines Owens (Berkley; Riverside Country Club) and Marco Torres (Berwyn; Skokie Country Club) were announced in January.
These seven soon-to-be graduates join 17 other former Fenwick students presently enrolled in college as Evans Scholars: - seven at the University of Illinois - Dominic Daley ’16, Zachara Danna ’13, Patricia Ebersold ’15, Valente Herrera ’13, Lucas Kotnik ’15, Robert Morales ’15 and Konrad Wilk ’15
- five at Marquette University – Sergio deLeon ’13, Angel Rivera ’14, Dominique DiMatteo '14, Lesya Shenyuk ’15 and Adrian Wenc ’15
- two at Indiana University – Michael Hanrahan ’14 and Kyle Malone ’14
- two at Northwestern University – Dylan Gresik ’16 and Connor Murray ’14
- one at the University of Michigan – Bailey Forde ’16
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| HOLA Collects $10,000 in Food for St. Pius Pantry
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Student members of HOLA (Hispanic Outreach-Latino Awareness) recently participated in a service trip to St. Pius V Parish in Chicago, delivering food collected at a school-wide drive. Under the guidance of English teacher Laura Gallinari (center), the Fenwick community donated nearly $10,000 worth of food to support the church's pantry and soup kitchen, which provide more than 45,000 meals/meal equivalents per year to families and individuals in need on Chicago's Lower West Side.
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| New School Record in Long Jump
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Fenwick's Boys Track and Field team has a new record holder: Senior athlete Anthony Pasquesi '17 broke a 41-year-old school record last month.
Pasquesi set a new long jump record of 22 feet, 8.5 inches, erasing the old record of 22 feet, 6 inches. His performance was among the top five in Illinois this year.
Way to leap, Anthony!
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| Synthetic Turf for Priory Soccer Field
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| Fenwick broke ground Saturday, April 22, on a new, artificial-surface soccer field situated in River Forest, IL, and is part of Dominican University’s 30-acre Priory Campus at Harlem Avenue and Division Street. “This is an exciting day for Fenwick,” exclaimed President Fr. Rick Peddicord, O.P. “Our boys and girls’ soccer teams will no longer have to worry about tearing up wet grass with their cleats. This artificial surface represents state-of-the-art technology, and the Friars expect to see a lot of victories on our new home field!”
Athletic Director Scott Thies '99 agreed: “This turf field is big for us. I’m happy for our student-athletes,” Thies remarked. The new surface installation will be finished in time for the upcoming boys’ fall soccer season, “plus other sports will be able to use it,” Thies noted, “including lacrosse and even football and rugby on occasion.” In addition to multi-use, “the biggest change will come next March,” he added, “when the weather doesn’t always cooperate, and we finally will be able to get outside to practice.”
Fr. Peddicord added that the refurbished soccer field is part of Fenwick’s Centennial Capital Campaign. A master facilities plan includes recently completed renovations to the school’s St. Dominic Chapel as well as a parking garage, among other major upgrades planned over the next 12 years. The ground-breaking ceremony included a site and project blessing from Fr. Peddicord and speeches from Thies as well as Fenwick Board of Directors’ Chairperson Kathy Kelleher.
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| Faculty Focus – Kevin Roche '05
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| What is your educational background?
KR: After graduating Fenwick, I attended the University of Illinois to
get my degree in civil engineering. I also minored in Spanish there. I also am about to get (fingers crossed!) my Master's in the Art of Teaching Math from Dominican University later this month.
What did you do prior to becoming a teacher at Fenwick?
KR: I was a technology consultant for Accenture [a consulting and professional services firm]. My main role over those two years was working with electric utilities to better engage customers with their usage information. We designed and implemented online portals and in-home devices that would update in near real time so customers would see how their actions impact their energy. We also worked on the social science side to better motivate customers to save on their energy usage.
What are you currently reading for enjoyment?
KR: I just finished this book, The Road to Character by David Brooks. It dove into emblematic lives of character over history – some known and some not – and spoke honestly about their lives showing their weaknesses and strengths and how, as the author sees it, they came to greatness. I am also reading this nerdy, fantasy book called The Name of the Wind. To be honest, I have been reading it for about a year now as it is my bedtime book (read one page and fall asleep). It is fun though and takes me to another world.
What interests do you pursue outside of the classroom?
KR: I love coaching! When I first came to Fenwick, I had no idea how much I would enjoy it. Whether it is Cross Country or Track, the girls bring such joy to my day. Who they are and what they bring to the team is inspiring. Of all the things that I have been a part of or earned over the past five plus years at Fenwick, these runners bring me the most pride. I feel honored to be able to be with these athletes at some of their highest and lowest moments. I count myself lucky to have the slightest impact on such a remarkable group of young women.
Away from Fenwick, I love being active. Going for a run in the morning or even just a walk in the evening brings me such serenity. This year I have taken up rock climbing. My brother John and I try to meet up and do it weekly. It is a great physical challenge, but more so mental. It is like solving a puzzle as you workout. Tons of fun.
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| Collegiate Friars (as of next fall)
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|  | College Declaration Day was this past Monday, May 1st. Donning their new school colors, more than 200 members of Fenwick's Class of 2017 gathered in the Lawless Gym for a group photo. Stay tuned for a final tally of where they're all going and how many millions of dollars in scholarship money these Friars have been awarded. Meanwhile, zoom in on the above image to see if your collegiate alma mater is represented! | |
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Where were you on January 26, 1986? Nearly every sports-minded Chicagoan (of a certain age) remembers where he or she was when their beloved, dominating football Bears crushed the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XX. Most of us were sitting on our couches, watching the gridiron slaughter on television. Friar alumnus and lifelong Berwyn resident Ken Geiger '49 worked as a scout with the team at the time and remembers the electric atmosphere in the Super Dome, where he sat with his wife, Sheryl.
When it came to actually participating in sports, the young Geiger was a small but feisty athlete. A friend of Johnny Lattner at Fenwick, Geiger played junior-varsity football during an era when varsity teams often made front-page news. (The Friars’ varsity lost a close game, 13-7, to Lindblom in the ’48 Prep Bowl at Soldier Field.) Standing only 5’4” and weighing 135 lbs., “I didn’t play that much in high school, but I credit my football knowledge to Fenwick,” he says. “I absorbed a lot.” In addition to playing offensive guard for the Friars, Geiger also boxed all four years. “Boxing was a mandatory part of P.E. class at Fenwick back then,” he recalls. Coaching legend Tony Lawless “would set up a ring in the old gym and pair us up. He called it the ‘Silver Gloves.’ Boxing was a good learning lesson for me.”
Collegiately, Geiger played two sports after packing on about 50 pounds and growing four more inches. He was named an All-Conference football player in the fall of 1952 at Monmouth College in Illinois, where he helped lead the Scots to consecutive conference championships his junior and senior seasons. He also played baseball for three seasons. After graduating in ’53, Geiger became a member of the 101st Airborne Division during the Korean War. He entered the U.S. Army early in the year and “came up about three months short of making it to Korea,” he explains.
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| September Pilgrimage to Italy!
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Travel to Rome, Orvieto, Florence, Siena and Bologna! The Dominican Friars of the Central Province invite you on a pilgrimage to Italy, September 13-22, 2017. Join Fr. Andrew Wisdom, O.P. and Fr. Louis Morrone, O.P. on a pilgrimage in the footsteps of the St. Dominic! Begin this spiritual and cultural journey in Rome to visit the Vatican Museums, the major basilicas of Rome, and a special celebration at the world Dominican headquarters. Then, travel to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, via Orvieto, and spend four incredible nights in this romantic city! There also will be full day-trips to Siena and Bologna to visit and pray at the sacred sites of St. Catherine and St. Dominic. Book early to reserve your spot on this celebratory trip. Call Corporate Travel Service at 313-565-8888, ext. 121, for more details. Limited space available.
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| June 15 Retirement Party for Polka, Zelasko
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Faculty members John Polka (left) and Dennis Zelasko are retiring this year after many years of service to the Friar community. In honor and celebration of them, we invite all alumni, parents, past parents and other friends to a retirement cocktail reception at Fenwick on Thursday, June 15. The party will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. in the courtyard. - Mr. Polka has served Fenwick in many capacities over the course of his 52-year career at the school, most notably teaching biology to some 5,000 students since 1965 and coaching the Friars’ cross-country and track teams.
- Denny Zelasko has been a health teacher and Fenwick class counsellor since 2006. He also served as head sophomore coach for boys’ basketball through the 2012-13 season.
Please come bid farewell and good luck to John and Denny, swap stories with fellow friends and alumni, share laughs and great memories. Particularly, given John’s long and illustrious career at Fenwick and impact on thousands of Friars and friends, there also will be a fundraising effort this summer to name a classroom in his honor over homecoming weekend this coming fall. You will hear more about this effort at the farewell reception on June 15, over the summer, and in upcoming e-communication from some of John’s former students. Please help memorialize Mr. Polka’s service to Fenwick by naming a classroom in his honor!
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| Mini Shields from Nora Fleming
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Designer Nora Fleming has created a Shield Mini for Fenwick for use on one of her plates. Show your Friar Pride and school spirit with these gorgeous keepsakes! Ten dollars from every purchase is being donated to the Fenwick Mothers' Club. Order here.
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Cocktail Reception for New Retirees:
John Polka and Denny Zelasko
Thursday, June 15 Young Alumni Association Boat Cruise
Thursday, June 22
Grandparents Day
Wednesday, October 11 Mass of Remembrance
Sunday, October 29
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College acceptance letters are landing in our seniors' mailboxes. Do you remember the rush of nerves and excitement you had when your letters came to your mailbox? The Class of 2017 is certainly feeling the same way. By making a gift to Fenwick High School, you are helping to ensure that every class of graduates is as prepared for the college years as you were.
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Got something to share with your fellow alumni? Please send all of your alumni news and happenings to Director of Alumni Relations Cameron Watkins at cwatkins@fenwickfriars.com.
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