Alumni News from Fenwick
Alumni News from Fenwick
Volume #2             Issue #4              Date: December 2017 
Illinois Tax Credit Scholarship Program
The “Invest in Kids Act” allows individuals and corporations to donate to Scholarship Granting Organizations – and, in the case of individuals, direct their gift to Fenwick –and receive a credit on their Illinois state tax returns of $.75 for every $1.00 donated, up to a maximum allowable credit of $1,000,000 ($1,333,000 gift amount). Please click here for a comparison of the tax consequences.
We estimate that 184 Fenwick families will qualify for some level of scholarship under the state program. Last Friday, December 1st, the state of Illinois began taking applications from entities to become Scholarship Granting Organizations (SGOs). Over the next several days, we will learn which SGOs have been approved to take donations, but we expect there to be several, including the following:
  • Empower Illinois (the Chicago and Joliet Arch/dioceses’ “preferred” SGO)
  • The Daniel Murphy Scholarship Foundation
  • Big Shoulders Fund
Taxpayers must identify a SGO when applying for tax credits. We will distribute further information as SGOs are approved. 
Also, a taxpayer must establish a “My Tax Illinois” account for filing either individual or business income to apply for the credit. We strongly encourage you to do that by the end of this week as this process can take up to two weeks. Please do not wait until year-end to establish this account.
Click here for more information.
Alumni Spotlight: Phil Caputo '59
Alumnus Phil Caputo wrote his Vietnam War memoir 40 years ago.
The best-selling autobiography was reissued this summer.
Caputo's senior-year photo at Fenwick in 1959.
Phil Caputo is a Fenwick Friar, Class of 1959. He also graduated from Loyola University Chicago with a B.A. in English. Later in life Caputo became an award-winning investigative journalist and, after that, a New York Times (NYT) best-selling novelist. In between, “PJ” Caputo served as a U.S. Marine Corps second-lieutenant on the ground in Vietnam. He was one of some 2.5 million American troops — men and boys — sent to help fight the war against communism in Southeast Asia. He thought his U.S. Marine Corps mission would be one of glory, and he admits to being unprepared for the gore of it all.
Over the course of four decades, the book has had staying power, the author says, because its overtones of changing perspectives still resonate with readers young, old and middle-aged. “We have seen how the Vietnam Era, which includes the tumult of the Civil Rights and Feminist movements, is the source of most of the divisions experienced in our country today,” notes Caputo. “It’s like a windshield crack that spreads if not attended to -- where was the initial break?” he asks metaphorically. “I trace it back to Vietnam and the delegitimizing of the United States’ government,” which lost much of the trust that the American people had in it, he added. The Vietnam Era is the epicenter of that thought process, Caputo contends.
Faculty Focus – Brigid (Baier) Esposito '96
Mrs. Esposito is in her 14th year of teaching science to Fenwick students.
What is your educational background?
BE: I am a Fenwick alum and member of the 1996 first co-educational class. After high school, I attended Washington University in St. Louis and completed degrees in Chemical Engineering and Systems Science. In college, I developed a passion for service through active participation in the Catholic Student Center. I worked two wonderful co-operative experiences at DuPont (making soy protein) and Proctor and Gamble (making Cascade) and enjoyed both experiences immensely. After college, I decided to pursue my passion for education by participating in the Notre Dame ACE (Alliance for Catholic Education) program. Through that program, I taught in a Catholic high school in St. Petersburg, FL, for three years and earned a Master’s in Education.  After returning to teach at Fenwick, I attended night school and finished my Master in Applied Physics at DePaul University. 
What are you currently reading for enjoyment?
BE: I have a five-year old and an eight-year old boy so, more often than not, I find myself reading parenting books in my downtime. I am currently reading UnSelfie: Why Empathetic Kids Succeed in Our All-About-Me World by Dr. Michele Borba.
Collegiate Friar: Annie Trucco '16
Annie Trucco '16 is a sophomore at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, where she is double-majoring in real estate and Italian.
Name: Annie Trucco
Fenwick graduation: 2016
Hometown: River Forest
Grade school: St. Luke Parish School

Current school: University of Wisconsin - Madison 

Current Major: Real Estate and Italian (double major)

Career aspirations: Right now I am interested in the development side of real estate. My dream job would be to work with a development firm that brings historical buildings back to their original functionality. 

Fenwick Achievements/Activities: I was a Write Place tutor and member of the Italian Club. I also was captain of the Girls' Varsity Volleyball team for two years. 

Fenwick teacher who had the most influence on you: While every teacher at Fenwick influenced me in so many positive ways, Ms. Visteen inspired me to be confident in myself and my beliefs. She also made me a much better writer! 

Fenwick class that had the most influence on you: AP Government was one of my favorite classes at Fenwick. Not only do I think it is important to understand our government, but Ms. Logas’ passion for the material gave me an appreciation for rights and institutions that I had previously taken for granted.  

Best Fenwick experience/the one you would like to live again: The Regional Championship game my senior year at home against Trinity is one of my favorite memories of all time. Winning was awesome, but my favorite part was the huge student student section that showed up to cheer us on. 

Fenwick experience that changed you the most: I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to take Italian at Fenwick. Ms. Hennessey and the little group of Italian students that were in class together for four years were so special that I decided to try an Italian class my first semester at Wisconsin. I have met so many incredible people in the Italian program here and have declared a double major in the language. Italian has played a huge role in my positive experience at Madison, and it would not have been possible if I didn’t have the opportunity to study Italian in high school. 
Regional "Alumni & Friends" Events
In San Francisco (from front left): Fenwick VP of Institutional Advancement Chris Ritten, Bob Rigney '51, Hansi Rigney, Diana Angelini '11, Jeanette Vecchio '09 and Colleen Lintz '04. Back row: Gino Rooney '09, Brian Korinek '03, John Rooney '11 and Michael Smith '09. (Not pictured are Pat McMahon '58, Richard Pivnicka '64 and Barbara Pivnicka.) 
Friar Nation” isn’t a phrase used solely to describe the Chicago-area Fenwick community’s excellence, pride and tradition.  There is literally a community of Fenwick Friars around the country who share the same affection, affinity and pride in our school.
In November, regional Fenwick Alumni and Friends gatherings took place in Minnesota and San Francisco.  On November 9th, approximately 20 members of Friar Nation convened in a suburban Minneapolis restaurant to renew old friendships, meet new friends, enjoy each other’s company and have a Q+A with Vice President of Institutional Advancement Chris Ritten. 
Along with Dr. Dave Dvorak ’82, who helped organize the gathering, it was a fun and successful evening attended by:  Bob ’70 (father of Fenwick Spanish teacher Sam Carraher) and JoAnn Carraher, Tom Cremons ’69, Pat ’86 and Katie Doran, Jack Farrell ’59, Dan Marotz ’12, Dr. Tom Marr ’60, Bill Moran ’77, Bob Pelka ’63, Tom ’56 and Mary Pokonosky, Brian Schiewe ’87, recent Fenwick Hall of Fame inductee Joe Selvaggio ’55, Marty Stachnik ’70, Chuck Tracy ’63, and friends Peter and Mary Ritten and Fr. Joe Gillespie, O.P.
A week later in San Francisco, Henry Pontarelli ’77 and his wife and business partner Lisa Wise hosted a Fenwick gathering in their cool office space that doubles as an art gallery (with a beer tap included!).  Diana Angelini ’11 was instrumental in gathering some younger alums and there was a 60-year span in graduating class years among the dozen or so alumni in attendance. 
Other attendees included:  Bob Rigney ’51 and his wife Hansi, who is a world-class age group marathoner, Brian Korinek ’03, Colleen Lintz ’04, Pat McMahon ’58, Rich ’64 and Barbara Pivnicka, brothers Gino ’09 and John ’11 Rooney, Mike Smith ’09 and Jeanette Vecchio ’09.  Chris Ritten also attended as he travelled from Reno through Sacramento and around the Bay area visiting alumni.
In 2018 other “Friar Nation” Alumni and Friends Events are taking place in Naples, FL, on February 6th; Dallas, TX, on February 22nd; and Phoenix, AZ, on March 20.  Stay tuned for more in the spring!
50th Annual Banua Show Is January 27th!
Calling all Roger Finnell Impersonators! The 50th edition of Fenwick's Banua show will be celebrated on Friday, January 26th, and Saturday, January 27th, 2018.  This year, we are inviting all Banua and Blackfriars Guild alumni to join in the fun. Roger Finnell has graciously agreed to welcome back any and all Finnell impersonators from the past for a “Finnell-off” skit during Saturday’s performance only.  If you are up to the challenge, please email jiarrobino@fenwickfriars.com
 
Banua Reception: Prior to the 7:30 p.m. show on Saturday, please join Mr. Finnell for a cocktail reception at 5:30 p.m. in the Library welcoming all Banua and Blackfriars Guild alumni, current parents and friends.  Please RSVP.
 
When the Fenwick Auditorium was finished in 1960, it was heralded as a state-of-the-art theater and even highlighted in a national magazine as “a high school with one of the most modern sound and lighting systems in the Midwest.”  Unfortunately, much of the equipment that we use for today’s school productions is original to the 1960 addition. The main speakers are 57 years old, and the outdated lighting system forces us to rent temporary equipment for each major production held in the auditorium.
 
To help celebrate the 50th anniversary of Banua, we are reaching out to current parents and alumni to help us bring our auditorium into the 21st Century. With the help of generous friends of the Blackfriars Guild, we are hoping to raise $25,000 for the first phase of our auditorium improvements, which includes new lighting consoles, stage monitors, and headsets and microphones. Our hope is to have everything purchased and installed before the 50th production of Banua in late January. To help get things started, a generous, anonymous donor has agreed to match each gift up to $5,000! If you would like to contribute, please click here and designate "Banua 50th."
Merry Christmas from the Fenwick Courtyard
Remember that Jesus is the reason ...
... for the Season!
Fenwick to Retire 3 Girls' Basketball Jerseys
Erin Lawless '03
Devereaux Peters '07
Tricia Liston '10
Hoops fans, mark your calendars for Saturday, January 13th, 2018: The jerseys of a trio of Fenwick female hardwood legends will be retired that afternoon in a pre-game ceremony before the Friars' game against Stevenson. (Tipoff is at 3 p.m.) Come back to the gym and relive the highlights of alumnae Erin Lawless '03 (#34), Devereaux Peters '07 (#14) and Tricia Liston '10 (#32).
Date Saver: 66th Blackfriars Gala Is April 20th
Save the Date for the 66th Annual Blackfriars Gala! The event will be held on Friday, April 20th, 2018, at the Drury Lane Theatre in Oakbrook Terrace. Please join us for a fun evening of dinner, dancing and an exciting live auction with fellow Friars – all are welcome! This year we will induct V. James Marino ’68 and Kenneth Nelson, M.D. ’75 into the Fenwick Hall of Fame, and present Monsignor Michael Boland with the Lumen Tranquillum Award. Reduced price tickets will be available for graduates of the classes of 2005-2017. More details will follow in the coming months; please visit the Fenwick website for updates.
Daily Prayer & Preaching Emails
Care to pray along with Fenwick students, faculty and staff on a daily basis? Now, you can obtain a copy of the prayer and meditation proclaimed every school day by a student during the the "Morning Annocuncements" at Fenwick. Sign up for the Fenwick Daily Prayer and Preaching email, which began distribution this week!
You can opt in here.
Just for Fun ...
On the chalkboard, an English teacher wrote:​ "A woman without her man is nothing." He then asked his students to correctly punctuate the sentence.
All of the males in the class wrote: 
"A woman, without her man, is nothing."
All of the females in the class wrote: 
"A woman: without her, man is nothing."
Punctuation is everything!
Let Fenwick Know!
The Communications Staff needs your help. We are researching three potential story ideas for future editions of the Friar Reporter alumni magazine:
  1.  Do you know of a Fenwick alumnus or alumna who is teaching at a college or university? (Send us their names, please!)

  2. What about Friars who went on to become civil servants, such as police officers or fire fighters? Tell us who they are.

  3. Are you part of a Fenwick multi-generational family -- grandparent, parent and child who all have graduated from FHS?
If So, Email & Tell Us!
Also, send us "Class Notes" info for the spring 2018 issue of the Fenwick alumni publication, along with any corresponding photos. Please email Cameron Watkins, Director of Alumni Relations.
Upcoming Events
Young Alumni Christmas Party & Toy Drive
Tuesday, December 12
Girls' Basketball Jersey Retirements
Saturday, January 13 (2:30 p.m.)
50th Annual Banua Show Celebration
Saturday, January 27
Naples, FL Alumni & Friends Gathering
Tuesday, February 6
Dallas, TX Alumni & Friends Gathering
Thursday, February 22
Arizona Alumni & Friends Gathering
Tuesday, March 20
66th Annual Blackfriars Gala
Friday, April 20
Alumni Giving
We are three weeks from Christmas break. By making a gift to Fenwick High School, you are helping to ensure that every class of graduates is as prepared for their college years as you were.
Make Your Gift Today

Have 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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