veritas magazine - spring/summer 2010

The Magazine of Bishop Montgomery High School

V E R I T A S

UNITED WE SERVE

We Salute Our Alumni in the Military

SPRING/SUMMER 2010

Sincerely,

Rosemary Distaso-LibbonPresident/Principal

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT/PRINCIPAL

Dear Friends of Bishop Montgomery,

Mary’s prayer, the Magnifi cat, is her response to the Angel Gabriel’s news that she will be the mother of Jesus, the Savior. She begins: “My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior. For He has looked upon His handmaid’s lowliness; behold, from now on will all ages call me blessed. The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is His name.”

Who is this Mary? Who is this person who responds to the Angel Gabriel’s news not with fear but with joy? Who is this person who in this extraordinary moment “sees” God’s promise, sees her role in that promise and welcomes it?

We see her in other small moments throughout the Gospels—the fi nding of Jesus in the Temple, the wedding feast at Cana—each time she is the same person who proclaimed the Magnifi cat. She is the person who is direct, strong, full of faith, and love. In each instance, these things are clear—she knows her Son, she sees clearly who He is, and loves Him with a quiet strength that carries her through not only the times when Jesus is followed and adored, but also those times when there seemed to be no good news at all, only pain. She is the quiet person in the background who says yes to God’s call. This is a woman of steely resolve whose faith and love are tested over and over again. In Mary, we see a woman who welcomes and lives her mission with courage and quiet grace.

I often remind our students that though they are here at Bishop Montgomery to pursue their academic education so crucial to their development as thinking human beings who will contribute to the many communities to which they will belong after they leave, what is even more crucial is how they learn to use their knowledge to serve those communities. We are each called to put our faith into action, to be about doing and not just about speaking, to pray and to live those prayers through commitment to social justice. Our students live this call every day and every day I learn of how our graduates continue to identify and live their call to holiness.

In this issue of Veritas, we see graduates who, like Mary, welcome and live their mission, also with courage and quiet grace. We offer this issue of Veritas not only as a celebration of the men and women that you will meet within its pages, but also as an expres-sion of thanksgiving for their example and service. Our gift to them is our continued prayer for them, for their mission, and for their safety.

Please remember, too, that all of you, who offer us your love, your faith, and your support, continue to be in our prayers as well. You are partners in all of our endeavors. We are grateful.

COVER STORY

United We Serve: 5Alumni in the Military

SPIRITUALAlumna Assists in Haiti 10

SOCIAL Student Service Awards 19Juniors Tour D.C. Colleges 20

PHYSICAL Athletic Wrap-Up 16New Football Coach 18

ACADEMICAcademic News 13Commencement 2010 14

DEPARTMENTS Dates to Remember 4Development 22Class Notes 24Reunions & Events 27

Spring/Summer 2010 • 3

Contents

www.bmhs-la.org

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Bishop Montgomery High School 4 • Veritas

FEEDBACK

Dates to Remember

V E R I T A SThe Magazine of Bishop Montgomery High School

The Latin word Veritas is defi ned “truth.” In Roman mythology, Veritas was the goddess of truth, a daughter of Saturn and the mother of Virtue. Veritas is also the name given to the Roman virtue of truthfulness, which was considered one of the many virtues any good Roman should have possessed. “Veritas” is included in many university mottos as well, including Yale University’s Lux et Veritas (Light and Truth). Veritas is also the motto of Harvard University, and the Dominican Order of the Roman Catholic Church. The BMHS motto is “justice, truth, honor” and the case can be made that all pursuits, if they are valid, must fi rst be rooted in truth. We, as a school community, certainly strive to achieve that goal.

VERITAS magazine is published two times a year by the Development Offi ce of Bishop Montgomery High School. For more information or to send comments or suggestions, please contact:

Andy Marafi noDirector of Development

Bishop Montgomery High School5430 Torrance Boulevard

Torrance, California 90503

(310) 540-2021 ext. [email protected]

www.bmhs-la.org

Publisher: Rosemary Libbon, Principal

Editors: Andy Marafi no, Director of Development Dione Dierks, Asst. Director of Development Amy Traxler, Asst. Director of Development John Hong, Publications Director

Photography: Ron Alpine, BMHS Yearbook, Vince Carreon ‘99, Bridget Fitzpatrick ‘88, Bob Knight Photo, LifeTouch, John Metcalf ‘65, Pt. Loma Nazarene University, US Air Force, Daniel Schiavi ‘97, Laura Valleni-Basile ‘87, Jaylen Wimbish ‘11, Mike Williams ‘72

Contributors: Mike Williams ‘72 Printer: Shanahan Printing & Graphics, Inc.

For more information, go to www.bmhs-la.org or check the school calendar located

in the student agenda book.

September 24: Homecoming Football BMHS vs. Laguna Beach 6:00 pm

November 2: Undergraduate Awards BMHS Gymnasium 9:00 am

November 30: UC and CSU Application Deadline

December 3: Open House Students 1:00 - 3:00 pm Families 5:00 - 7:00 pm

December 13-15: Fall Semester Final Exams

February 12: Black & Gold Night

Send us news of your new job, marriage, birth, latest adventure, or other event for publication in VERITAS.

Send in your news: by e-mail to

amarafi [email protected] or by mail to:

Development Offi ce Bishop Montgomery High School

5430 Torrance Blvd., Torrance, CA 90503

December 5: Mothers’ Club Christmas Luncheon 11:00 - 2:00 (SAC)

COVER STORY

Spring/Summer 2010 • 5 www.bmhs-la.org

UNITED WE SERVEBMHS Alumni Serve in the Military Around the Globe

In the long and wonderful history of Bishop Montgomery High School,

thousands of graduates have gone on to lead successful lives serving

the communities in which they live. BMHS graduates have excelled in

careers in athletics, business, education, entertainment, homemaking,

law, medicine, and a host of other professions which allow them to

use their talents to make the world a better place. Amongst the BMHS

alumni community, there is another sizable group that has chosen mili-

tary service and many are still active today, at home and overseas.

THANK YOU!

Our list currently has the names of over 100 alumni who have served

in the military. We are also presently aware of two Knights who lost

their lives while serving on active duty in our nation’s military: Dennis

O’Neill ‘61 and Francis Snee ‘67, both of whom died in Vietnam. If you

served or are still serving, or you know someone who is/was a member

of the U.S. Armed Forces, please contact the Development Office at 310-

540-2021 ext. 246 or e-mail Andy Marafino, Director of Development,

at [email protected].

In the last few years, BMHS compiled a list of alumni who have chosen

to serve in our country’s armed forces. It is our goal to make this list as

comprehensive as possible as a way to acknowledge all graduates who

have sacrificed for our country. It is just one small way that we can say

“Thank you.”

The following stories tell of just a few of the many alums who have

served or are serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines or Coast

Guard. These graduates embody the sacrifices required to serve our

country. However, there are many more stories to tell and, over the next

several years, we will try to tell as many as we can of other alumni in the

military, here in these pages and on our website.

6 • Veritas Bishop Montgomery High School

Col. John Breeden ‘83 - United States Air Force

For some people, it is apparent early on that they are going to be successful wherever life

takes them. Colonel John Breeden ‘83 is not only successful in his own life, but he leads

others to be successful as well. While at BMHS, Breeden was an excellent basketball player

and served as ASB President his senior year. Upon graduation, he received an appointment to

the United State Air Force Academy where he earned his degree in history and began a life in

service to our country. After Squadron Officer School in 1993, Breeden received his Master’s

degree in management from Troy State University (1996) and continued on to Air Command

and Staff College (2002) and Air War College (2006) at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama.

His education has spilled over into his faith, as he will be ordained a deacon for the Diocese of

Las Vegas in June 2011 after five years of formation. He is married to his high school sweetheart,

Katie Brizzolara ‘83, and they have three children, Chad, 21, Chelsea, 18, and Chase, 16.

“The military has been a great life for my family and me. It may surprise many, but the military is filled with a majority of faith-filled men and women

with integrity, a commitment to excellence and a servant’s attitude. Being able to serve alongside these people has been the highlight of my almost 23

years of service. That being said, my words of wisdom to pass on would be the four F’s: Faith, Family and Friends and Fun. Keep God in your lives,

cherish your family and friends, and find a job that is fun and makes you smile and yours will be a Happy, Holy and Healthy life whether that path takes

you to the military or not.”

When asked what he appreciated most upon returning home after being overseas, Breeden answered: “The only thing on my mind when I return home

is reconnecting with my wife and children. Next to putting one’s life on the line, the time away from family is the biggest sacrifice one who serves in the

military makes. No one I know serves for the glory or the great riches to be obtained, but they do serve for you and this great country and I know every

service member appreciates a simple ‘Thank you for serving’ at any time.”

Breeden has earned several major awards and decorations, but is most proud of three in particular: the Air Medal I he received for MQ-1 Predator

operation in the initial stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom; the 1998 Air Combat Command Anthony C. Shine Award Nominee for proficiency and

professionalism in flying a fighter; and, the 2004 Air Force Reserve Command Lance Sijan Leadership Award Nominee in the Senior Officer category.

Upon graduation from the Air Force Academy, Breeden began Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot

training in Texas and was assigned an A-10 Warthog, which he flew from 1989-2001 in Europe,

North Carolina, and the Republic of Korea. He also served in several leadership capacities dur-

ing this time, including instructor pilot at the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom and

Chief Weapons and Tactics and Flight Commander at Osan AB, Korea. Since 2001, Breeden

has served in the Air Force Reserves and is currently the Reserve Advisor to the Commander,

9th Air Force/U.S. Air Forces Central at Shaw AFB, South Carolina. In addition to flying A-10 Warthogs, Breeden flew MQ-1 Predators in support of

Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, serving as the Director of Operations, 46 Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron.

The late 1960’s and early 1970’s were a time when many young American men faced difficult

decisions about the selective service. One of those young men was Army Staff Sergeant

John Metcalf ‘65. “To be honest, I frittered away a year and half of college education and was fac-

ing the draft,” explains Metcalf. “I decided to enlist and choose the specialty I would serve in as

opposed to being drafted into the infantry.” For three years, Metcalf served at a variety of stops,

including Fort Ord (CA), Fort Knox (KY), Fort Carson (CO) and Fort Hood (TX). “I [also] spent

one year in Vietnam as a tank commander and Intelligence Sergeant at Con Thien (Demilitarized

Zone) and Lai Khe (Rocket City).”

At the end of his three years of service in the Army, Metcalf declined a battlefield commission

in Vietnam to return to civilian life, but not before earning several awards and commendations

for his service. He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Air Medal, a Vietnam Campaign Medal with five Battle Stars, a Viet Nam Service Medal, a Good

Conduct Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation and the Viet Nam Cross of Gallantry Unit Citation.

Staff Sgt. John Metcalf ‘65 - United States Army (Retired)

COVER STORY

see Metcalf on page 7...


COVER STORY

Lt. Vincent Carreon ‘99 - United States Navy

When Navy Lieutenant Vincent Carreon ‘99 graduated from UC

Santa Cruz in 2003 with a degree in physics, he decided to go into

the military because he had a strong desire to serve his country. Yet, there

was something else pulling at him as well. “Flying cool fighter jets helped

[make my decision],” he says with a chuckle. And that is exactly what he

has excelled in during the last seven years in the Navy, flying 30 combat mis-

sions over Iraq, logging over 1,000 flight hours and completing 800 Super200

aircraft carrier landings.

When asked what words of advice he has for anyone who joins the military,

Carreon encourages all to make the most of the opportunities that are af-

forded to military personnel. And he is living proof. Since 2004, Carreon has

completed Officer Candidate School and two years of flight training (earn-

ing his wings in 2006) and he has been designated a Naval Flight Officer.

In 2007, Carreon was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron Eleven flying the

F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter where he served for three years. While in this squadron, he deployed to Iraq, flying combat missions in support of

Operation Iraqi Freedom while onboard the USS Harry S. Truman. “Aside from flying in the squadron,” says Carreon, “my duties included serving as the

Line Division Officer where I was the in charge of 40 sailors responsible for the daily maintenance of our 11 F-18s.” This March, Carreon was assigned to

Strike Fighter Squadron One Zero Six where he serves as a flight and tactics instructor flying all variants of the F/A-18. “My job is to train newly winged

Navy and Marine Corps aviators how to fly and fight the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet,” explains Carreon.

As a Naval fighter pilot, Carreon has seen things and traveled to places he never thought imaginable. “I’ve flown fighter jets into combat, sailed into

exotic ports, and made friends that will last a lifetime,” says Carreon. Additionally, one of the “perks” of his job came in 2008 when he was selected to

participate in Naval flyovers at both the Daytona 500 and the ceremony commemorating the FBI’s 100th anniversary in Chicago. In his service to our

country, Carreon has received several awards and commendations, including being named a top graduate at flight school and earning the Air Medal for

meritorious achievement during combat operations.

When asked what he appreciated most upon returning home after being overseas, Carreon answered: “I honestly feel a little embarrassed by the atten-

tion given when we are home. That being said, the little things while on deployment far from home make all the difference. A package of goodies or a

letter from home makes those long months far away a little more bearable.”

Continuing his words of advice for those interested in joining the military, Carreon reflects on the choices he has made and the opportunities that he has

had during his time in the Navy. “It’s an honorable profession,” states Carreon. “Whether enlisted or as an officer, you will be making a difference... The

military will give you nothing but opportunity, but, it’s up to you to make the most of it,” continues Carreon, “The GI Bill will pay for college (Carreon

is also currently working towards earning his MBA from Duke University where he will graduate in 2011), the training you will get is second to none,

and the experiences you’ll remember for a lifetime.”

When asked about what he feels is most appreciated by servicemen and women upon their return from duty, Metcalf’s response was simple, yet

powerful: “What is most appreciated, without a doubt, is a ‘Thank You’.”

Upon his return to the United States, Metcalf attended Harbor College and West Los Angeles College and earned his degree in Criminal Justice.

Needless to say, he has put his degree to good use. Prior to retiring a few years ago, Metcalf served 28 years with the Los Angeles Police Department,

primarily as a detective and a detective supervisor. Unable to sit still for very long, Metcalf returned to work two years ago with the LAUSD’s Office of

the Inspector General as a senior investigator.

Metcalf continued...


Staff Sergeant Daniel Schiavi ‘97 served in the United States Army for eight years before

retiring in April 2010 because of a knee injury. Since retiring, Schiavi, who now resides

in Georgia, has been traveling around the country and visiting friends. He is also earning his

Master’s degree in forensic science and criminal justice from American Military University.

He has two children, daughter Kayla Michele, 10, and son C.J., eight.

Sgt. Daniel Schiavi ‘97 - United States Army (Retired)

When asked what he appreciated most about returning home after being overseas, Schiavi replied, “What I appreciated the most was just being [back]

on American soil after combat and seeing familiar faces and loved ones.” His advice to those who are interested in joining the military? “Just give it your

all and don’t quit,” says Schiavi.

During his eight years of service to our country, Schiavi was awarded many medals and commendations, including two Bronze Stars for actions in Iraq.

The Bronze Star Medal, awarded for bravery, acts of merit, or meritorious service, is the fourth-highest combat award of the U.S. Armed Forces. Ad-

ditionally, he earned three Army Achievement Medals, two Army Commendation Medals, three Army Good Conduct Medals, two Overseas Ribbons,

and an Iraq Campaign Medal.

While in the army, Schiavi served two combat tours in Iraq. From January 2005 to January

2006, he was stationed at Camp Liberty in Baghdad. In March 2007, he was deployed to

Baghdad once again, this time serving at Camp Victory until August of 2008. His specialty

was in Infantry and Artillery and he was also Sniper Qualified and Special Forces Selected,

though he was unable to serve on Special Forces due to his knee injury. On his first tour of

duty in Baghdad, Schiavi served as personal security for a one-star general. On his second

tour, Schiavi was a personal shooter for a one-star general.

COVER STORY

Sgt. Jason Silva ‘02 - United States Marine Corps

Ask most military men and women to explain why they chose to join the Armed

Forces and they will tell you that they wanted to be a part of some bigger than

themselves. For Marine Sergeant Jason Silva ‘02, his answer would be the same,

but with one caveat: “Given the chance to do it all again,” he explains, “I would have

joined right after graduating from Bishop.” After completing a semester at El Camino

College, Silva, who plans on completing his degree one day, joined the Marines to

be a part of a special organization. It is a decision he knew in his heart was the right

decision for him and his family.

For the last five years, Silva has served in several capacities. He currently serves as

the Admin Chief for the Fleet Introduction Team Detachment West, Marine Corps

Air Station at Camp Pendleton. His unit serves as a liaison between Marine headquarters and the civilian contractors in charge of the UH-1Y Venom

(huey) and AH-1Z Viper (cobra) helicopters. Prior to his current position, Silva received orders in 2007 to report to Camp Pendleton’s 11th Marine Ex-

peditionary Unit. While at the 11th MEU, he served as the Operations and Training Non-Commissioned Officer in Charge for a western pacific deploy-

ment aboard the USS Tarawa. While on deployment, his command was in charge of carrying out various humanitarian operations and joint exercises

in Guam, Bangladesh, Singapore, Kuwait and Djibouti, Africa. It is these projects of which Silva is most proud. While in Bangladesh, Silva was part of a

humanitarian effort after a typhoon devastated much of the country. “The unit I was with provided water, food and shelter to aid the people that were

effected by the typhoon,” explains Silva. Because of their efforts, his unit was awarded the Humanitarian Service Medal. Perhaps the proudest project

he has been a part of was while his unit was in Djibouti, Africa. “We had the opportunity to provide medical and dental aid to a small village as well as

donate sports equipment and picnic benches with sun shades to a school,” explains Silva. “The look on the children’s faces was priceless and it made

me thankful for everything that I have in my life.” For Silva, “everything” means his wife, Sheena Chew-Silva ‘02 (pictured above) and their children,

Hayden and Logan.

In the short time he has been in the Marines, Silva has received many commendations and honors, many of which celebrate the service projects for which

he has been involved. These honors include the National Defense Service Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Global War on Ter-

rorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Sea Service Ribbon. Additionally, Silva has earned a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and the Marine

Corps Good Conduct Medal.see Silva on page 9...


When asked about words of advice for anyone considering the military, Placencio offered a thoughtful reply: “[The military] is an excellent opportu-

nity and it will change your life forever. We commit ourselves to our country, and to do that is a very honorable duty. Respect all and have a continued

devotion to duty. Even if you feel like you can’t go on, keep trying because you will be amazed at the things you do that you never thought you could.

Being away from family and your home can be very hard, but you will find home and family in your fellow military brothers and sisters. There are al-

ways people there ready to help. You ARE doing your part to save lives and protect our country and no matter how small, every effort matters.”

Amber Placencio ‘00 - United States Coast Guard (Retired)

At the end of high school, Amber Placencio ‘00 wanted to get out of her comfort zone and

make a difference. “I wanted to do something big with my life,” she says. Her love of the

ocean and her desire to help people led her to enlist in the United States Coast Guard, where she

served for six years from 2000 - 2006, including posts in Mississippi, San Pedro, and Long Beach.

While in the Coast Guard, Placencio was trained and certified in a variety of areas, including

search and rescue training, first aid and CPR, maritime law enforcement, port security training,

overseas deployment training and chemical warfare training. At the conclusion of her enlist-

ment, she worked as an engineer servicing and maintaining engines for various Coast Guard

vessels.

While in the Coast Guard, Placencio was involved in several special projects. In 2003, she was

set to deploy to Iraq with her unit but was forced to stay back due to a severe injury. Never

wavering, Placencio assisted her unit in preparation for Iraq by staying involved in crewman

overseas training and preparing equipment to be flown overseas. “During the deployment, I as-

sisted the administration and operations departments sending care packages and relief ship-

ments to the troops overseas,” explains Placencio. She also served on boat crews immediately

following the 9/11 tragedy, keeping watch over the country’s ports. Over the course of her six

years of service, Placencio received several awards and commendations, including the Coast

Guard’s Commandant’s Letter of Commendation, a Meritorious Unit Citation medal, recognition for serving as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom and

a Good Conduct award.

Since being discharged, Placencio has been very busy with both school and work. She earned a certificate in Medical Billing, Insurance and Coding

from Bryman/Everest College and she is currently using the remainder of her GI Bill to get her BA in business. Placencio works as the import manager

at a freight forwarding company near LAX. “My years in the military prepared me for the security of this type of job,” she explains. “We have to be TSA

compliant, and be diligent about security... for our nation through the air and ocean shipments we handle.”

COVER STORY

When asked what he feels are the things most appreciated by servicemen and women once they return home, Silva pointed to those close to him:

“Knowing that we have the support of our friends and family is the greatest thing that I personally appreciate,” says Silva. “It is because of the individu-

als that will be reading this profile that I am proud to put on my uniform everyday and be a part of this great nation. I would like to thank my wife,

Sheena, and my two beautiful children, Hayden and Logan. Without the support from you guys I would not be able to carry on.”

When asked what words of advice he has for any future BMHS alumni who are planning on joining the military, Silva replied: “Nothing worth having

ever came easy. The hard work that you put in at Bishop is only the start of what lies ahead. With a positive mental attitude and determination you

can accomplish the most grueling task thrown your way. I am proud to say that anyone in the Armed Forces past, present or future will forever be my

Brother or Sister!”

Silva continued...

THANK YOU!


CHRIST-CENTERED

On January 12, the catastrophic magnitude 7.0 earthquake that struck Haiti left

an already impoverished country devastated. Buildings collapsed, over 200,000

persons perished, and millions of men, women and children were left with no homes,

no food, and no sanitation.

Relief efforts began immediately and within 24 hours emergency response teams, in-

cluding military and medical personnel from around the globe, arrived in Haiti. For

Florida neonatologist and BMHS alumna, Laura Valleni-Basile ’87, the call to provide

medical aid for thousands of earthquake victims was one she could not ignore. Work-

ing through Heart to Heart International, a non-profit organization whose humanitar-

ian mission brings medical relief to countries in need, Laura spent 10 days among the

ruins of Port Au Prince, Leogane, and other Haitian communities, offering her exper-

tise, her aid, and, most importantly, her compassion, to a population that had just lost

everything.

Lending a Helping Hand -- and Heart

During her week and a half in Haiti, Laura shared her experiences and observations

on a Facebook blog she titled Degaje: “The updates in this manuscript are real and raw;

often posted from the back of a tap tap (truck with a cover, open entrance in the back)

as I clung to the metal side gratings.” Below are excerpts from her posts.

DegajeLaura Valleni Basile ‘87, MD, MSPH - Neonatologist

January 29 at 2:48pm

Preparing to leave for Haiti tomorrow to join Heart to Heart Interna-

tional’s medical team.


Dominican Republic airport… Medical and rescue teams from around

the world. Will sleep for 2 hours... Have to get to the Dominican

Republic / Haiti border in time to meet the convoy - safest way to be

escorted in. Plan is to start seeing patients by early afternoon. Amazing

people, humbling stories.

January 31 at 6:59am

In Haiti. Speechless.


…Flattened buildings… US tanks, impossible roads, animals meander-

ing, trash fire pits burning, children playing, children hungry asking for

food, parents seeking care, tent cities, beautiful strong Haitian people.

Laura Valleni-Basile ‘87 volunteers to help Haiti earthquake victims.


Will be seeing patients at our clinic at the soccer stadium starting early

a.m. Part of the team will go to our clinic in Leogane - the epicenter. The

congregation sang at Sunday service in Haiti today “because He lives, I

can face tomorrow.”

February 1 at 8:22am

Downtown Port au Prince going to see patients all day at soccer

stadium. Absolute destruction. Unimaginable conditions.

February 1 at 9:25pm

Grace, strength, impoverished, faith, resilience...hope for a better

future. Saw 100s of patients working with people from around the

world. I’m mainly seeing babies (the youngest was 8 days old) and kids

but also debriding wounds on all ages. Children without parents, baby

being breastfed by aunt now, mentally disabled boy with seizures and

gangrene toes who lost his father...broken bones for weeks just getting

care now...


Nearly every building in the downtown vicinity is damaged. The dust

is so thick the leaves are gray… People lined up to be seen at the soccer

stadium...


…Nutrition a huge problem - especially for orphaned babies being

cared for by friends/relatives. Need for post-op care, prosthetics for

amputated limbs, physical therapy.


Saw several weak babies today who lost parents and are only being fed

2-3 times a day. Great need for formula.

ABOVE:Inside Port Au Prince’s National Soccer Stadium’s temporary tent city, Dr. Laura Valleni-Basile ‘87 treats a four year-old girl.


The UN has formed a task force to address infant/child nutrition.

Anything we can get will help. Food/water distribution is under tight

security due to the desperation of the people and potential for injury.

We need it to save infants in the immediate time period.


CHRIST-CENTERED


Will trade out with Heart to Heart team members tomorrow in

Leogane [the epicenter]… Leogane is flattened - approximately 90% of

the buildings are… down. The Mennonites have been hosting our group

in their compound. Will be sleeping under the stars tomorrow night (in

the mosquito net!)


Riding in a tap tap. (Google it!) Picture a bobble head and that is us

in the back holding on to medical supplies and backpacks riding over

broken road. Will be in Leogane… working in two clinics Heart to

Heart set up.


Still making our way. Should take 30 minutes already 2 hours… make-

shift shacks line up street center dividers, people must bathe and use

the bathroom in the open. When you think it can’t possibly be any

worse, it is.


In Leogane. Every building is damaged, most destroyed… Former pre-

term baby now 3 months dehydrated, malnourished, weighs 4 pounds.

3 [year old] lethargic, dehydrated, septic. Term baby, thick meconi-

um, mom labored for 2 days. Could not resuscitate successfully – no

epinephrine, no ventilator, no aspirator, only adult ambu bag...


Tired this morning… It rained… The ground shook a few times over

night! …Expect to see about 120 patients… today.


Busy day... Tuberculosis, malaria, dengue fever, parasites, gangrenous

feet sent for amputation, post amputation wound care, malnutrition,

anxiety, headaches… STDs, most awful case of tinea capitis...


Most heart wrenching day. Japanese ambulance with Dr. Brett (US

doc) is picking me up to help manage premature baby and get to hos-

pital that has an Italian neonatologist and pediatrician. Earlier today

8 [year old] child walked in with deep foot laceration, filthy clothes,

tinea capitis, needs to take food to tolerate the medicine but has none.

Another child, with a grandmother- no one knows his age.


Hand bagged baby for 2 hours then [oxygen] ran out. No more flow

to anesthesia bag thus couldn’t bag. Baby worsening… thus extubated.

Retracted but pink, good [heart rate].


Continue to crawl in traffic. At 3.5 hours, ask US Army if have

[oxygen]- no, but one look at infant and called in a convoy through

secured back road. Arrived at St. Damien Hospital after 4 hours of

travel.


[Emergency room] and [operating room] with US docs. Upstairs -

Italian docs running Peds… Baby pink, improving resp… Received 2

incubators yesterday....


…Mom needs antibiotics - we have it… Give mom money for food and

ride home once baby ok. Gastric tubes available. No… breast pumps

- might get one tomorrow - mom needs to make milk for this baby but

baby [too] little to nurse - probably 30 weeker.


Heart to Heart came to hospital to pick me up. People from around the

world coming together for a common purpose. This baby would be so

easy to take care of in US with very good outcome potential. Worry

also about IVH (bleeding in brain) – [was a] very bumpy ride, held

baby as still as possible.


Japanese ambulance actually was a car... Dr. Brett (med/peds) had the

[premature] baby and was bagging with anesthesia bag… Handed me

the baby and we left for Italian-run pediatric portion of St. Damien’s.

Should take half hour to get there but took 4 hours...


“Degaje.” Find a way. (Loose translation – do whatever you can with

very little/make the most of what you have)


On our way to the soccer stadium. Busy Sat morning. Baby at

hospital doing ok. Women in her 20s fell off tap tap, one of our team

members attempted resuscitation, crowd around bewildered. She died.

A vendor covered her with a grass mat, placed rocks over and everyone

continued on with their day.


At the stadium safely. Setting up to start seeing patients. At least 200

people lined up.


The smell today is awful, unbearable but we have no choice. The lack

of sanitation is worsening. Flies all over our medical field and patients.

Many older wounds today with maggots. Took one 5 mo baby to the

hospital… mom died thus no breastmilk and family has scarce food.

Child was listless, pedal edema, staph scalded skin, dehydrated.

ABOVE:Valleni-Basile with preemie and his mother at St. Damien’s in Petionville.


CHRIST-CENTERED


Now in a tap tap taking a maybe 2 pound baby to the hospital. Was

born… at least 2 months early… Mom trying to manually express

breast milk and feed with a dropper. They live on the street. Baby is

dehydrated, failure to thrive but strong cry. Taking to my new Italian

neonatologist friend.


Neonate from last night doing well, started gavage feeds. New baby I

just brought is febrile, hungry but stable. Will start antibiotics, gavage

feeds.


Another amazing day. Worked the NICU… did the best with what

we had. These premature babies are hearty! Share monitors, share

isolettes (incubators), IV fluids without pumps, no special fluids… can

gavage feed, have antibiotics. Moms stay on cots by their babies. Some

babies abandoned.


The 2.2 pound baby that was born 2 weeks ago and lives on street that

I brought to St Damien’s looked great! An Italian pediatrician is here

to help moms breastfeed said this mom is very “clever” with getting

her baby to eat.


20 month baby boy playing next to his mom. Happy, smiling, playing

a game with us making smacking/kissing sounds with his mouth. Both

arms amputated, sister killed in earthquake, mother adores him, she is

asking for him to be adopted so he will have a better life.


Nursing school next to General Hospital collapsed with about 500

nursing students. Pulling out mummified bodies.


Packed up. Taking 7:30 am US Embassy bus to the Dominican

Republic in the morning.


Thousands of people lined up at US Embassy hoping to be allowed

into US.


As I am leaving Haiti I am finally able to cry. I am leaving behind so

many babies and children who will not survive and are in such misery.

My job is to try to save babies and here there are so many who will not

be. As a mother, it is unbearable to imagine not being able to provide

for my dying, starving child.


I returned from Haiti today and cannot adequately express to my

family what it is like, nor do I feel I should. As my 3 children run around

the house laughing and wrestling so many in Haiti are in misery. For

every child I was able to help, thousands go without. Children under

one year of age are particularly vulnerable. Many have lost mothers thus

no more breastfeeding. Other women are trying to breastfeed infants

that aren’t their own. Ready-made formula is not available for most. In-

fants are being fed whatever food that can be scrounged up. On Satur-

day, I carried a 5 month old with kwashiorkor to General Hospital – he

could not make a sound when he tried to cry. A mother brought a 1 kg

premature baby to our clinic who was already 2 weeks old… those little

ones are amazingly strong… Children walk in for medical care alone

– and receive care without an adult they know being present. Those

that have been to Haiti know the sorrow in the eyes of so many, know

that the needs are bigger than all of us...We also know we must go

back again and again. We must keep Haiti in the forefront of people’s

minds. The hurt, the needs, the tasks are huge – but not impossible.


About to start my first 24 hour+ shift since returning from Haiti. Such

a contrast - here everything we need...is at our fingertips.


Marie Ambroise Thigpen, MD (Haitian American, Neonatologist):

We’re definitely blessed to live in the US.


The NICU/ nursery/ postpartum with so many needs, low on supplies.

Went back to the hospital with a truck load of supplies from Heart to

Heart International. Medicines, gloves, diapers, soaps, tape, hygiene

kits for moms, hydration solution... It was better than any Christmas

present!

About the Author

Laura lives in South Florida with her husband, Dave, three children, Sarina, 13; Nicholas, 10; and, Sofia, 3 and many pets. The oldest of four girls who grew up in Southern California, Laura graduated from Bishop Montgomery in 1987 and earned a B.S. in Biology at the Uni-versity of California, Riverside. At the University of South Carolina, she received an MSPH and M.D., and also completed her pediatric residency. She is a double-board certified physician in pediatrics and neonatology and works full time in the neonatal intensive care unit of several hospitals in the Palm Beach area.

Laura completed a three-year neonatology fellowship at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. In 2004 and 2005, with Heart to Heart International, she taught a systematic approach for saving newborn lives to medical providers in China and Tibet. Laura is also the author of a library of research articles published in various medical journals.

For Laura’s complete blog and more pictures,

visit http://degajehaiti.shutterfly.com. Password: degaje.

ABOVE:Haitian children greet Valleni-Basile before she heads to work at one of Heart to Heart’s makeshift clinics.


Senior Named National Merit Scholarship Recipient

Recent graduate Annette Martin ‘10

, right, was named a National Merit

Scholarship recipient this spring by the

National Achievement Scholarship Program.

Martin is one of only 700 students in the

United States to be awarded a $2,500 scholar-

ship. She was also a Class of 2010 valedictori-

an and will attend Carleton College (MN) in

the fall. Carleton College is ranked the eighth

best liberal arts college in the country by U.S.

News & World Report.

Undergraduate Awards Ceremony Honors Many Students

Twice each year, BMHS honors the aca-

demic achievements of its students at

the Undergraduate Awards Ceremony. The

fall ceremony honors students for their suc-

cess the previous spring semester. The spring

ceremony honors academic success from the

current fall semester and is the first ceremony

attended by the freshman class. It is an excit-

ing moment for the freshmen and all of the

students who are recognized in front of their

parents and peers.

At the ceremony, a variety of academic awards

are given, including Principal’s Honor Roll

and department awards, as well as recogni-

tion of National Merit Scholarship recipients.

One of the highlights of the ceremony is the

announcement of the Students-of-the-Se-

mester for the previous grading period. Each

semester, BMHS recognizes one boy and one

girl from each class who excel in a challenging

academic program. The fall 2009 Students-of-

the-Semester were:

Class of 2013

Austin Walcher and Lisa Bell

Class of 2010

Andrew Petersen and Kelly Hashimoto

Class of 2011

Martin Fabbri and Daisy Franco

Class of 2012

Eric Hambly and Nikki Windisch

Beginning in the 2009-2010 school year,

BMHS Principal Rosemary Libbon invited a

current senior to be the featured speaker at

the Undergraduate Awards Ceremony. On

March 30, at the most recent ceremony, Kyle

Olsen ‘10 (right) praised his teachers for all of

their guidance and he acknowledged the sac-

rifices that students make in order to achieve

success in the classroom.

“Throughout all of my classes during my high

school career, I have never encountered a

teacher who was unwilling to meet with me

before or after school to go over a concept I

was unsure about, or give me a sense of direc-

tion for a particular assignment,” said Olsen.

“To all of my teachers, I am forever grateful.” stresses both academic and moral education,”

said Olsen. “By taking the initiative to earn

good grades in high school and gain new in-

sights from each academic course,” Olsen told

his peers, “you are opening so many doors and

providing yourself with so many more oppor-

tunities in life.”

As a National Merit Finalist, Martin rep-

resented less than 1% of the nation’s high

school seniors who took the PSAT in Octo-

ber of their junior year. Last fall, Martin was

named a National Merit Semi-Finalist - one

of the 16,000 highest scoring students in the

country (less than 1%), out of 1.5 million who

took the exam.

Perhaps Olsen’s most important message to

his classmates was to appreciate the opportu-

nities that have been provided to every Bishop

Montgomery student. “I have been so fortu-

nate to be a member of a community that

BMHS Represented at Boys’ and Girls’ State

This summer, BMHS was well represented at both Boys’ State at CSU Sacramento and Girls’ State at Claremont-McKenna College. Beginning June 19, juniors Devon Cannata ‘11 and Zane Miyamoto ‘11 spent a week at Boys’ State learning the rights and responsibilities of franchised citizens. The training centered on the structure of city, county and state gov-ernments. Fellow classmate Tim Parr ‘11 was an alternate from BMHS.

ACADEMICALLY DEDICATED

The lone BMHS representative at Girls’ State was junior Blaire Frei ‘11. Girls’ State, held from June 26 - July 2, strives to provide high school-aged girls with the opportunity to learn more about how government works at various levels and provides hands-on experi-ence. Siena Rizzo ‘11 was a Girls’ State alter-nate from BMHS.

ABOVE:Kyle Olsen will attend College of the Holy Cross (MA) in the fall.



Under sunny skies, the 282 members of the Class of 2010 convened for one last

time at their commencement on May 28. Though a couple of strong gusts during the ceremony threatened to blow a few caps off of the graduates’ heads, the wind could not be-gin to put a damper on the excitement among the seniors and their 2,500 friends and family members who had gathered to witness this momentous celebration.

For many students in the class of 2010, graduation day was a long time

coming, but for Bishop Montgomery High School, it was a day 50 years

in the making. This special class of graduates secured a unique place in

the Knights’ history books as BMHS’ 50th graduating class. To com-

memorate the occasion, graduates donned gold stoles over their black

gowns. The stoles were inscribed with the school’s “M” logo and “Class

of 2010.” At the conclusion of the ceremony, Principal Rosemary Lib-

bon invited the graduates

to present their stoles

to people who had been

meaningful in their lives-

- to give them as a gift of

gratitude.

In addition to the 50th-

anniversary stoles, many

students also wore honor

cords, signifying the aca-

demic honors they were

awarded after four years

at Bishop Montgomery.

For GPA honors, students

wore blue, white or red

cords to indicate their

achievement of summa

cum laude, magna cum

laude or cum laude hon-

ors, respectively. Some

students also donned gold

cords to signify their mem-

bership in the California

Scholarship Federation.

Around the necks of twelve students, Vice Principal Yvette Vigon ’87

hung large medals during the ceremony. Ten of the students-- Eliza-

beth Arevalo, Kevin Di Pasupil, Erika Holmbeck, Anthony Lubbers,

Annette Martin, Edward McLaughlin, Viraj Panchal, Andrew Pe-

tersen, Teresa Puente, Leslie Salisbury, and, Stephanie Zamora--

were honored as class valedictorians; one senior, Taryl Crabtree, was

honored as class salutatorian; and, another student, Leslie Salisbury,

received two medals signifying the rare honor of being selected as one

of the class’ valedictorians and salutatorians.

These students, along with the rest of their classmates, will head to

college this fall, joining freshman classes at schools including Tufts,

Cornell, UCLA, Cal, University of Virginia, Boston College, and The

United States Naval Academy. And, though some of these grads will

travel across the country to begin a new chapter in their lives, and oth-

ers will stay close to home, it is certain that all of the graduates in the

Class of 2010 can always call Bishop Montgomery home.

GRADUATION 2010

ABOVE:Members of the Class of 2010 celebrate after receiving their diplomas.

ABOVE:Leslie Salisbury ‘10 delivered the salutatory address at the 2010 Commencement.

The Class of 2010, the 50th graduating class, joins the ranks of BMHS alumni.

Class of 2010 Valedictorians Elizabeth Arevalo - Notre Dame Kevin Di Pasupil - UC Berkeley

Erika Holmbeck - UCLA Anthony Lubbers - UC Berkeley

Annette Martin - Carleton College (MN) Eddie McLaughlin - UCLA

Viraj Panchal - USC Andrew Petersen - Loyola Marymount

Teresa Puente - Notre Dame Leslie Salisbury - Washington University in

Saint Louis Stephanie Zamora - Loyola Marymount


Class of 2010 College Matriculation100% of Seniors to Pursue Higher Education

• 282 Seniors • 227 (80%) Seniors attending 4-year institutions • 53 (19%) Seniors attending 2-year colleges • 2 (1%) Seniors attending vocational schools • 282 (100%) Seniors attending college • 254 (90%) Seniors who applied to 4-year institutions • 240 (94%) Applicants accepted to 4-year institutions• 101 (36%) Attending Cal State System• 37 (13%) Attending UC System• 37 (13%) Attending Private California Colleges• 55 (20%) Attending Junior Colleges/Trade Schools• 52 (18%) Attending Out of State Colleges

*Boston College Boston UniversityCal Poly SLO *Carleton College (MN)*Claremont-McKenna *Cornell University *Drexel University *Georgetown University *Harvey-Mudd College *Holy Cross Loyola Marymount University *University of Michigan *New York University *Northeastern University *University of Notre Dame Penn State *Pitzer College

*Purdue University *Reed College (OR) *University of Rochester *Saint Louis University *Tufts *UC Berkeley *UC Davis *UC Irvine *UCLA*UC San Diego *UC Santa Barbara *United States Naval Academy University of San Diego *USC*University of Virginia *Washington University in Saint Louis

Members of the Class of 2010 were accepted to:

* ranked in US News & World Report Top 100

ABOVE:2010 Veritas Award recipients, from left, Sam Hickerson ‘10, Sara Tobias ‘10, and Melissa Jaquez ‘10.

GRADUATION 2010

The Veritas Award, formerly known as the

Outstanding Graduate Award, was re-named

in 2010 and recognizes those graduates who

personify the Bishop Montgomery motto of

“justice, truth, and honor.” Each year at gradu-

ation, three seniors are honored for their com-

mitment to living the school’s motto; they are

students who selflessly give to their school

community and the communities in which

they live. These students are true examples

of what it means to be a Bishop Montgomery

graduate.

Class of 2010 Veritas Award Recipients

While at Bishop Montgomery, Sam Hicker-

son ‘10 was involved in many activities which

allowed him to serve those less fortunate. As

a member of the Habitat Club, Hickerson

participated in the walk to end homeless-

ness held in Exposition Park in Los Angeles.

He also served food to the homeless at each of

the Habitat Club’s monthly trips to the Long

Beach Rescue Mission. In addition to these

activities, Hickerson served as a Kairos re-

treat leader. Hickerson will attend Northern

Arizona University.

As the ASB President during her senior year,

Melissa Jaquez ‘10 served the school commu-

nity in numerous capacities. Besides leading

the morning announcements, Jaquez served

as a student spokesperson at events such as

Open House and she served as a peer tutor

through CSF. Outside of school, Jaquez pro-

vides swimming lessons to children with spe-

cial needs and volunteers to feed the home-

less. She will attend USC.

It is safe to say that Sara Tobias ‘10 was the

model student while at BMHS. At the senior

awards ceremony, she received an award for

perfect citizenship in addition to her academ-

ic honors. Tobias also received one of three

Concordia Club Scholarships for her work

in this campus service club. Additionally, To-

bias volunteers her time at St. James School’s

Extended Care Program. Tobias will attend

Concordia College.


A young boys’ basketball team finished sec-

ond in the tough Del Rey League and ad-

vanced to the CIF playoffs for the 21st consec-

utive year under head coach Doug Mitchell.

The Knights (16-9) had a starting line-up

that included two freshmen, a sophomore

and two juniors. In addition, several other

underclassmen provided valuable minutes

for the Knights. Leading the way was junior

Tyler Harvey ‘11, who was a 1st Team All-Del

Rey League selection and a 2nd Team All-

CIF pick. Alphonso Lester ‘10 was named

1st Team All-Del Rey League. Two freshmen,

Leon Jacobs ‘13 and Larry Taylor ‘13, were

2nd Team All-Del Rey Leagues picks.

Girls’ basketball, coached by Alexa John-

son, followed up an outstanding season last

year with an even better 2009-10. The Lady

Knights finished 29-8 and were the Del Rey

League tri-champions. The playoffs proved to

be an exciting time as they advanced to the

CIF Finals and the State Southern California

Regional Finals. The most exciting moment of

the season came in the CIF semi-finals against

Orange Lutheran. Trailing by three with just

seconds remaining, junior Kristen Ale ‘11

buried a three-pointer and was fouled on the

play. She calmly sank the free throw to send

the Lady Knights to their 7th CIF title game

Boys’ soccer finished the season by qualifying

for the CIF playoffs once again. They lost to

powerhouse Channel Islands, 2-0, in the first

round. The Knights, coached by Clive Hul-

bert, finished the season 8-10-3 and were led

by 3rd Team All-CIF performer Kevin Call-

inan ‘11. Callinan was joined on the All-Del

Girls’ soccer battled through a tough Del Rey

League schedule to finish 5-7-5 overall under

the direction of co-coaches Shannon Mar-

tinez and Dan Martinez. The Lady Knights

were led by senior defender Kristen Mihara

‘10, who was the team’s lone representative

on the All-Del Rey League First Team. Mihara

also was named to the Daily Breeze All-Area

2nd Team. Other outstanding performances

were turned in by Ashley Foster ‘10, Megan

Mehl ‘10, Michelle Rohrer ‘10 and Jessica

Flores ‘12, all of whom were 2nd Team All-

Del Rey League selections.

Boys’ golf, coached by Martin Von Kanel ‘80,

finished 2nd in the Camino Real League with

a 6-2 record. The Knights were led by senior

Kevin Cruz ‘10, who was the Camino Real

League MVP. Cruz qualified for the CIF indi-

vidual playoffs and will continue his playing

career at UC Riverside.

Sophomore Kathleen Dung ‘12 qualified for

CIF as an alternate in the 100 yard breast-

stroke with a time of 1:17.67. Seniors Melissa

Jaquez ‘10 and Kyla Sharpe ‘10 and junior

Jayson Madrigal ‘11 also turned in strong

performances for the Knights in the pool.

16 / Veritas Bishop Montgomery High School

PHYSICALLY KNOWLEDGEABLE

BOYS’ BASKETBALL

GIRLS’ BASKETBALL

BOYS’ SOCCER

GIRLS’ SOCCER

BOYS’ GOLF

CO-ED SWIMMING

Tyler Harvey ‘11

in program history. Ale and sophomore Dev-

on Brookshire ‘12 were 1st Team All-Del Rey

League picks as well as 1st Team All-CIF se-

lections. Junior forward Chelsey Aaron ‘11

was a 1st Team All-Del Rey League selection

and was a 2nd Team All-CIF pick. The Lady

Knights had a trio of players who were also

2nd Team All-Del Rey League picks: Tiffany

Hicks ‘10, Taylor Sansbury ‘11 and Ariona

Sampson ‘12.

Chelsey Aaron ‘11

Kevin Callinan ‘11

Rey League First Team by seniors Chris Bal-

cer ‘10 and JP Anderson ‘10. Boys’ soccer had

a trio of players who were 2nd Team All-Del

Rey League picks: Casey Anderson ‘11, Matt

Gomez ‘10 and Alex Quijije ‘10.

Winter/Spring Athletic Wrap-Up


Boys’ tennis, coached by Alex Angel, finished

the Del Rey League as co-champions. The

team qualified for the CIF playoffs where they

defeated Village Christian 16-2 in the Wild

Card round of Division V. The Knights lost to

San Dimas 10-8 in the first round. The team

was led by singles players Joseph Quimson

‘10 and Darryl Jorda ‘10 and the doubles

teams of Alex Cano ‘12 and Eric Dazet ‘11,

Alan Natsumeda ‘11 and Austin Guillermo

‘11, and Seth Stratton ‘11 and Vincent Bu-

drovich ‘11. Doubles partners Cano and Dazet

advanced to the CIF individual playoffs.

Boys’ track, coached by Brian Haynes ‘89 and

Martin Haynes ‘94, had several outstanding

performers in 2010. Walter Gonzalez ‘10

finished in third place in league in the 800m

with a time of 2:04.75. The 400m relay team of

Sedale Barkley ‘10, Matthew Simmons ‘10,

Kristian Arnold ‘10 and Nolan Plummer ‘11

finished second in league finals with a time of

43.08.

Boys’ volleyball, coached by Kevin Norman,

won the Del Rey League for the 4th con-

secutive year and finished 22-11 overall. The

Knights were unbeaten in league play and

finished the regular season ranked 5th in the

Division IV CIF rankings. They advanced to

the semi-finals of the CIF playoffs where they

fell to El Segundo in four games. They were

led by Del Rey League MVP and 1st Team All-

CIF pick Chris Heppell ‘10, Leeone Legaspi

‘10 (1st Team All-Del Rey League, 1st Team

All-CIF), Danny Geber ‘11 (2nd Team All-

Del Rey, 2nd Team All-CIF), and Jonathan

Legaspi ‘12 (2nd Team All-Del Rey, 3rd Team

All-CIF). Bob Heutmaker ‘10 and Michael

Gonzales ‘10 were also 1st Team All-Del Rey

League selections for the Knights.

BOYS’ TENNIS

BOYS’ VOLLEYBALL

BOYS’ TRACK

Girls’ softball, coached by Jimmy Legaspi,

finished 6-19 overall and in fourth place in the

Del Rey League. The Lady Knights were led

by 1st Team All-Del Rey League selection La-

rissa Sandoval ‘10 and 2nd Team All-Del Rey

League selections Jacklyn Duran ‘10, Kim

Kurata ‘10 and Kathryn Hylton ‘12. Sandoval

will continue her playing career at Cypress

College. Duran will play next year at the Uni-

versity of La Verne and Kurata will play at

Fairfield University.

SOFTBALL

BASEBALL

For only the second time in the last eight

years, the Knights’ baseball team, coached by

Andy Marafino, did not qualify for the CIF

playoffs. It was a disappointing season for the

Knights, who finished 7-17 overall and finished

in fourth place in a tough Del Rey League. Of-

fensively, they were led by senior AJ Kissinger

‘10 (.338, 2 HR, 23 RBI, 2nd Team All-Del Rey

League), junior Johnny McLaughlin ‘11 (.263,

10 RBI, 2nd Team All-Del Rey League), and

sophomores Andrew Garbe ‘12 (.350, 6 RBI,

2nd Team All-Del Rey League) and Chris-

tian Sarabia ‘12 (.303, 2nd Team All-Del Rey

League). On the mound, the Knights were led

by senior Eddie McLaughlin ‘10 (3.09 ERA,

1st Team All-Del Rey League), senior Scott

Brower ‘10 (2 wins), and junior Ryan Mur-

phy ‘11 (3.20 ERA). Kissinger led the Knights

with a 2.06 ERA. The highlight of the season

was the performance turned in by sophomore

Andy Burschinger ‘12. On March 26, Bursch-

inger threw a no-hitter in a 5-0 home victory

over Cantwell-Sacred Heart. It was the 21st

no-hitter in school history.

GIRLS’ TRACK

The lone league champion for girls’ track was

a familiar face. Annie Grove ‘12 was the Del

Rey League champion in the 3200m (12:08:35)

and she also qualified for CIF playoffs in the

1,600m with her second place finish in the

league finals (5:29:52).

Johnny McLaughlin ‘11

Kim Kurata ‘10

Chris Heppell ‘10




Hodgkiss Named New Football Coach

For many reasons, this past February was

an exciting time at Bishop Montgomery.

Students were settled into the new semes-

ter, the school’s annual Black & Gold Night

inducted five new members into the school’s

Hall of Fame, and a new football coach was

hired. Early in the month, BMHS announced

that Ed Hodgkiss would be he school’s 13th

head coach.

Hodgkiss and his wife, Beth, have twin boys

and they reside in Manhattan Beach. They are

members of American Martyrs Church. “I re-

ally feel blessed about the whole situation

Prior to coaching the Avengers, Hodgkiss

coached collegiately at Morehead State, Ran-

dolph-Macon and Fairmont State, his alma

mater. Hodgkiss was a three-year letter win-

ner at Fairmont State from 1990-1992.

Hodgkiss, a native of Maryland, is the former

head coach of the Arena Football League’s Los

Angeles Avengers. From 2002 through 2008,

he compiled a record of 57-53 and led the fran-

chise to a postseason win in 2007. Hodgkiss

also served as the offensive coordinator for

the Albany Firebirds team that won the 1999

Arena Bowl.

The BMHS community is also excited to have

Hodgkiss on board. “With the experience he

has had as a coach, Ed just seems like he’s go-

ing to be a really good fit,” says Steve Miller,

BMHS’ assistant principal. “He’s down-to-

earth and he has a lot of positive energy about

him. He’s ready and he’s excited.”

Asked why he wanted to coach at the prep

level, Hodgkiss expressed a desire to follow

in the footsteps of his high school coach, Stu

Mackintosh, whom he played for at St. Vin-

cent Pallotti in Maryland. Hodgkiss, a 2004

inductee into his high school’s Hall of Fame, is

excited about the task ahead of him. “It’s the

first time I’m working with high school kids,

and I’m looking forward to having a chance to

make an impact,” Hodgkiss said.

Athletic News & Notes• Carmelita Jeter ‘98 continued to dominate on the track in 2010. In February, Jeter won the women’s 60 meters in 7.02 seconds in the USA Indoor

Track & Field Championships in Albuquerque. Jeter’s personal best time was the fastest by an American and second fastest in the world this season.

In all, Jeter has three of the world’s top four times and the fastest four in the U.S. In May, Jeter captured the 100m in 11.09 at the Diamond League

meet in Shanghai, China.

• Rheina Ale ‘08, a sophomore at the University of San Francisco, was named to the 2009-10 All-West Coast

Conference Honorable Mention Women’s Basketball Team. The Lady Dons’ co-captain averaged 13.2 points and

4.4 rebounds.

• Liah Ector ‘06, left, a senior at Point Loma Nazarene University, was named a 2009-10 NAIA Division I Third

Team All-American. She averaged 13.9 points, 8.2 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 2.3 steals. She finished her collegiate

career with 1,025 points.

• Noelle Quinn ‘03, a member of the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, played this past off-season for Elizur Ramla in Israel, where she was named

All-Israeli League Honorable Mention. She averaged 16.6 points, 6.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game.

• Alex Davis ‘09, a freshman at the University of Minnesota, led the softball team with 10 home runs and was

named to the All-Big Ten Conference Third Team. She was named the team’s MVP and co-Rookie of the Year

and was named a University of Minnesota “Maroon & Gold” Champion.

and how it came about,” Hodgkiss said. “It’s

perfect timing in my life.”

In addition to serving as football coach,

Hodgkiss will teach health at BMHS.

• The class of 2010 had several student-athletes make commitments to Division I schools to continue their athletic careers: Danielle Butler, Hamp-

ton University (Tennis), Rachel Clark, University of Virginia (Volleyball), Unaloto Hamala, University of San Diego (Football), Kim Kurata,

Fairfield University (Softball), Collin Mack, UCSB (Track), and Matthew Simmons, Washington State (Football). Two baseball players will

continue their playing careers as well. Scott Brower will play at Colorado Christian University and AJ Kissinger will play at Cal Baptist University.

In addition to Kurata, two other softball players will continue their careers in college: Jacklyn Duran will play at the University of La Verne and

Larissa Sandoval will play at Cypress College.

• Justin Cobbs ‘09, who was a freshman point guard at the University of Minnesota last year, has transferred

to the University of California, Berkeley. Cobbs played in 34 of 35 games for Minnesota last year, averaging 2.1

ppg and 1.3 assists.


SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE

BMHS Students Receive Service Awards

Bishop Montgomery students volunteer

hundreds of hours of service each year to

the school community and to local, national

and international communities. This year,

four students received public recognition for

the work they provided to various causes and

organizations.

Each year, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles

honors high school students with the Chris-

tian Service Award. The honored students

have distinguished themselves with their

concern for others, their willingness to give of

themselves, and their witness to faith in ac-

tion. This year, three members of the Class of

2010, Melissa Jaquez ‘10. Taryl Crabtree ‘10,

and Brynna Ledford ‘10, above, were hon-

ored at a special Mass, celebrated by Cardinal

Roger Mahoney, at the Cathedral of Our Lady

of the Angels on March 16.

Crabtree, who will attend UCLA, dedicates

her free time at Huntington Hospital work-

ing on the cardiovascular service line. She

also volunteers with those in need in the deaf

community.

Jaquez, BMHS’ ASB president this

past school year, is involved in many

service activities both in and out of

school. She provides swimming les-

sons to children with special needs,

regularly feeds the homeless, and

serves as an altar server and lector at

St. James Church. While at BMHS,

Jaquez, who will attend USC, served

as a CSF peer tutor.

Ledford, who will attend UC Berkeley, has

been involved in a variety of service activities.

She volunteers weekly at Sunrise Senior As-

sisted Living in Hermosa Beach where she is

a bingo caller. She is also a Girl Scout and has

served on the Redondo Beach Youth Council

for the last three years. In addition, Ledford

was in the BMHS Key Club and volunteers at

the VCA Animal Hospital.

Council on Service and Civic Participation.

This prestigious award acknowledges in-

dividuals who have volunteered for at least

twelve months and who have encouraged

others to serve their local communities.

For the last three years, Lippert has been

volunteering at the Redondo Beach Sea Lab,

a facility that rehabilitates marine animals

who have become trapped and injured by

the adjacent Edison plant. One of Lippert’s

main duties revolves around beach clean-ups,

but what he enjoys most about his work is

providing tours of the facility. The Sea Lab

is dedicated to educating those in the South

Bay about conservation and ocean pollution.

Lippert’s primary repsonsibility is to help

inspire future generations to care about the

environment and seek to protect its future.

“When I give tours,” explains Lippert, “I em-

phasize environmental protection because of

all the pollution that is harming plants and

animals everywhere. We are all connected to

the plants and animals of our Earth.”

All four of these young people will surely

continue to serve as Christian role models in

their own communities. They are outstanding

examples of Christian service and are won-

derful representatives of what it means to be

a Bishop Montgomery Knight.

BMHS Baseball Strikes Out Cancer

For the last two years, the players and coaches in the baseball pro-

gram have made it one of their responsibilities to raise funds for

cancer research and promote cancer awareness. “Cancer affects so many

people and some of those people are very close to us here in the baseball

program,” said head coach Andy Marafino. “We want to do our part to

support them and fight back against this disease.”

Last year, the baseball team had pink and blue ribbons embroidered on

their hats and they also sold specially made black and pink wood bats.

At the end of the 2010 season, cancer took the life of the father of one of

the varsity players. Prior to his death, the team sold black t-shirts with

“Knights” in blue. “We were fortunate enough to have a few alumni

players donate the money to pay for the t-shirts,” explained Marafino.

“It allowed us to donate 100% of the sales to cancer research.”

All the funds raised over the last two years have gone to the V Founda-

tion for Cancer Research, a charity started by ESPN and former North

Carolina State basketball coach Jim Valvano, who died of cancer in

1993. To date, the baseball program has raised over $1,100.

For more information about the V Foundation, go to www.jimmyv.org.

If you are interested in purchasing one of the black t-shirts, contact the

baseball office at 310-540-2021 ext. 246 or at [email protected].

Sizes and quantities are limited.

ABOVE:The varsity baseball team pauses for a moment of silence before their game against Bishop Amat. The team wore special shirts for cancer awareness in the last few weeks of the season.

Not to be outdone, BMHS junior Ryan Lip-

pert ‘11 was recently recognized for his volun-

teer work when he received the Presidential

Volunteer Service Award by the President’s



Two Juniors Make Trek to Washington, D.C. withNFL Superstar

In January 2010, guidance counselor Doug Mitchell received a phone call from The

Asomugha Foundation asking if there were any Bishop Montgomery students who would be potential candidates for a program that “provides high-achieving high school students of color with the opportunity to visit college campuses across the country.” After a discussion with colleagues Celeste Adams and Leticia Orozco, and after a re-view of the criteria, he had just the right students in mind.

ABOVE:Jaylen Wimbish ‘11 (left) and Daisy Franco ‘11 (right) share some time with Nnamdi Asomugha at the end of their trip to Washington, D.C.

The program, the Asomugha College Tour for Scholars (ACTS), was

launched in 2007 by current Oakland Raiders star and former Bishop

Montgomery student Nnamdi Asomugha. The program, for students

who are in their junior year, have at least a 3.5 GPA, and have a finan-

cial need, provides each recipient with an all-expense paid trip to visit

colleges in a chosen city - in this case, Washington, D.C. “The program

is really for those students who would not have a chance to do some-

thing like this,” explained Mitchell. For the counselors, finding a few

students was easy; meeting the deadline was another story.

After calling juniors Daisy Franco ’11 and Jaylen Wimbish ’11 into her

office, Adams informed them that they needed to write an essay about

the importance of education in their lives and how they could give back

to the community through their education. “That was the simple part,”

explained Adams. “The hard part was they only had five days to meet

the deadline.” After working with Adams on their essays, Franco and

Wimbish waited to hear that they had been selected and soon started

preparing for their trip with one of the top players in the National Foot-

ball League.

Asomugha, who attended Bishop Montgomery his sophomore year be-

fore transferring to Narbonne, is widely considered to be one of the top

cornerbacks in the NFL. Since becoming a first round pick by Oakland

in 2003, he has been named to the Pro Bowl three times; first team All-

Pro once and second team All-Pro twice.

When it came time to go to Washington, D.C. in March, Franco and

Wimbish did not fully know what to expect. They knew they were go-

ing with 15 other high school juniors from Los Angeles and Oakland,

and they knew they were going to visit colleges like Georgetown, How-

ard, American, and George Washington, but they didn’t expect to be

treated to many other adventures. “Everything was great,” explained

Wimbish. “I can’t even pinpoint one thing that was my favorite.” The

group visited the White House, where they bowled in the President’s

private bowling alley, and visited other national monuments. They even

learned how to use the Metro, the city’s public transportation system.

A surprise to both Franco and Wimbish was when they first met Aso-

mugha and were handed an envelope containing spending money. “I

knew the trip was all-expenses paid, but he even gave us money for

souvenirs,” said an excited Wimbish. “Once I tried to buy a bottle of

water and Nnamdi stopped me and paid for it,” added Franco.

While in the nation’s capital, Asomugha also treated the students to an

Alicia Keys concert, where they got to meet the superstar, and to a visit

to the office of Congresswoman Maxine Waters (CA). The main focus

of the trip, however, was to visit college campuses and to experience

new things. “Seeing college life in action really broadened my options,”

explained Wimbish, who plans on majoring in chemistry, physics or

computer engineering. “This was the first time I had ever been on a col-

lege campus,” explained Franco. “I want to work in international rela-

tions and in human rights and this trip really helped me know what I

am supposed to look at when I apply to schools.”

See ACTS on page 21...

What makes Asomugha stand out, though, is the work he has done

outside of football. A passionate advocate for education and community

service, Asomugha has received several honors for his work in the com-

munity. This past season, Asomugha, who graduated from UC Berke-

ley with a degree in corporate finance, received the Byron “Whizzer”

White NFL Man of the Year Award, the NFL Players Association’s

highest honor.


For Asomugha and his foundation, providing these opportunities to

young people is an important part of giving back to the community, a

fact not lost on Wimbish or Franco. “He stressed to us that we should

always try to be the best person we can be and to give back to our com-

munities,” said Wimbish. “I didn’t think the trip and the tours would

be so hands-on,” explained Franco. “But Nnamdi was really amazing.

He was with us at all times and he truly cares about us and our futures.”

In fact, the trip to Washington was not the end of the relationship be-

tween Asomugha and the students. In May, the students from southern

California met up with Asomugha in downtown Los Angeles to feed the

homeless on Skid Row.

When talking with Franco and Wimbish, it is clear that meeting Aso-

mugha and going on the trip was an experience that changed their lives

and inspired them to continue to make education and community ser-

vice a priority in their lives. “When I think of community, I don’t just

think of my own town,” said Wimbish. “I think of the whole world as

my community and I hope to be able to use my education to spread

knowledge to others.” An emotional Franco, who will be the first per-

son in her family to go to college, realized that there are so many options

out there for her: “My dream school is UC Berkeley, but I will definitely

look at going out of state as well. I want to focus on helping people any

way I can and this trip opened my eyes to the world.”

Black & Gold Night Honors Hall of Famers

ABOVE:Principal Rosemary Libbon, left, welcomes the newest class into the Bishop Montgomery Hall of Fame at Black & Gold Night.

The 10th Annual Black & Gold Night was not just a huge success

in terms of money raised for tuition assistance at BMHS, it was

also a big hit with the guests as they celebrated “Big Apple-style.” The

“New York, New York” themed night featured dinner and dancing at

the Manhattan Beach Marriott with both live and silent auctions. The

live auction was especially entertaining, as veteran BMHS teachers and

self-proclaimed comediennes Debbie Skelley and Patti Loehr served

as auctioneers. The live auction items included ten graduation tickets

with parking and special seating, autographed Kobe Bryant shoes and

a luxury Mexican vacation. The silent auction also proved to be a suc-

cess as the guests were able to shop for one-of-a-kind items including

a signed jersey of hockey Hall-of-Famer Luc Robataille, a Torii Hunter

autographed baseball, a stay at the Ritz-Carlton in Boston, and a stay at

the Laguna Riviera Beach Bungalows.

The highlight of the night, however, was the induction of five members

of the school community into BMHS’ Hall of Fame. Staff members Jan

Fitzpatrick and Maggie Wilbanks were inducted for their 25 years of

service to the school. In addition to serving as the school’s receptionist,

Fitzpatrick is also a past parent of two alumni (Bridget ‘88 and Tom

‘91) and can be found at many BMHS athletic events. “I love my job,”

explains Fitzpatrick, “because I get to enjoy all of the special things

that happen when you’re going to school, and I get to experience these

things year after year.” Wilbanks has served as the school’s attendance

clerk since 1985 and, like Fitzpatrick, is an alumni mother (twins Dan-

ny and Dennis ‘88 and Stacy ‘90). “This is my family away from my fam-

ily,” explains Wilbanks. “I call Bishop ‘the happiest place on earth’ and

I couldn’t imagine my life any different.”

Also inducted were past parents Greg and Doris Morton. Even though

their daughter, Michele ‘89, graduated over twenty years ago, the

Mortons continue to give back to the school that provided so much for

their family. “We believe BMHS is committed to providing the proper

religious instruction and academic instruction to all students regard-

less of their background,” explained Doris. “Because of this, we support

BMHS in any way we can.”

The final inductee was BMHS plant manager and basketball coach

Mike Murphy, who was inducted posthumously. Accepting the honor

for Murphy, who died on April 10, 2009, were his sons, Paul and Ed. “Se-

lecting Mike for the BMHS Hall of Fame was an easy choice,” explained

Black & Gold Night co-chair Amy Traxler. “Mike was, and always will

be, an important part of the fabric of this school and this campus.”

ACTS from page 20...

June 18 was a special day for BMHS at the Torrance Area Cham-

ber of Commerce 2010 Installation and Awards Ceremony held at

the Doubletree Hotel. Craig Leach ‘73, president and CEO of Tor-

rance Memorial Medical Center, received the George H. Whittle-

sey Award, which recognizes leaders “who have gone above and

beyond the call of duty in their commitment to the business com-

munity, its ideas, views and philosophy.” Leach led the planning

and permitting effort to gain approval for a new 256-bed patient

hospital tower scheduled for completion in 2014. Leach also led

the building committee for the new Student Activity Center here

at BMHS. Leach and his wife, Judi (Kruzic ‘73), are the parents of

three BMHS alumni (David ‘99, Paul ‘01, and Daniel ‘03).

The Torrance Area Chamber of Commerce also celebrated the

inauguration of Mark Waronek ‘86 as the organization’s 2010-

2011 Chairman of the Board. Waronek, who is the former mayor

of Lomita, continues to serve BMHS as the PA announcer for

many athletic events, including football, boys’ and girls’ basket-

ball and boys’ and girls’ volleyball.

Two Alumni Honored By Chamber of Commerce


Bishop Montgomery High School Bishop Montgomery High School

ADVANCING THE MISSION OF BISHOP MONTGOMERY HIGH SCHOOL

D E V E L O P M E N T

Sincerely,

Andy MarafinoDirector of Development

Welcome to another issue of Veritas magazine. In June, Bishop Mont-

gomery graduated another class of outstanding young men and women

who are ready to take on the next challenges in their lives. The 282 grad-

uates are a collection of intelligent, talented, and caring people who will

continue to represent BMHS with pride and honor. In the coming years,

we will surely hear more about their accomplishments.

Dear Friends of Bishop Montgomery,

22 • Veritas

KNIGHT PRIDE ALUMNI GIVING 2010-11Bishop Montgomery High School

relies upon the generosity of our entire school community -- alumni, parents,

past parents, faculty, staff and friends -- to assist us in providing our students

with a quality, Catholic education.

A gift of only $10 from each BMHS alumnus

would provide the school with over $150,000.

Consider making your gift to Knight Pride today!

Your tax-deductible contribution to Knight Pride is used to:*Enhance school programs - academics, music & arts, technology, athletics

*Provide facility and equipment renovations & upgrades*Provide tuition assistance to students who would otherwise not be able to afford a BMHS education

We are especially excited to bring you this issue of Veritas as a way to

honor all the alumni who are serving or have served in the armed forces

of the United States. The individuals profiled in the cover story are just

a small sample of the courageous men and women from our community

who have chosen to serve their country. This issue is just one way that

we can say ‘Thank You’ to all of our servicemen and women for the sac-

rifices they make to serve and protect our country.

As is the case every year, the summer has been a busy time on campus.

In addition to the bustle of summer school and athletic conditioning

classes, campus improvements have become a yearly ritual during the

summer months. This year, the student store and the development of-

fice received much needed face-lifts, as did the football/baseball team

room and the bleachers in Knight Stadium. None of these projects is

possible without the support of our community.

July was also a special month as two classes -- 1985 and 1990 -- held

their reunions in BMHS’ main gymnasium. On July 17, over 100 mem-

bers of the Class of 1985 returned to campus to celebrate 25 years since

graduating from Bishop Montgomery. A week later, the Class of 1990

held their 20th reunion with dinner, dancing and renewing old friend-

ships. It was great to have so many alumni back on campus!

The new school year, already upon us, is sure to be an exciting time,

especially for the members of our newest students in the Class of 2014.

We hope you enjoy reading this issue of Veritas and we look forward

gathering information for the next issue of the magazine. We thank

you, our loyal readers, for making it possible to share with you the sto-

ries of the wonderful members of the BMHS community.


BMHS/Morgan Miranda Golf Tournament

The 8th Annual Bishop Montgomery/Morgan Miranda Memorial

Golf Tournament, held on June 18 at Lakewood Country Club,

was an exciting and emotional day. Dozens of alumni, parents,

faculty, coaches, and friends gathered together to share a day of

golf and camaraderie. The dinner included many awards, prizes

and a silent auction. All of the tournament’s proceeds went to the

Morgan Miranda Scholarship for tuition assistance at BMHS.

DEVELOPMENT

1

2

3

5

6

4

1. Steve Miller, Ed Hodgkiss, Andy Marafino,

Charlie Kobayashi. 2. Mike Fay ‘83, Joe Rumsey

‘83, Kris Barr-Colin ‘83, Destry Bell ‘83, Mike Car-

roll ‘83 3. Michael Debelak ‘06, Eric Fuller ‘94, Bri-

an Monreal, Rich Petroshanoff 4. Linda Miranda,

Elaine Schiiller 5. Jason May ‘00, Matt Elias ‘00,

Mark Woods ‘00, Jake Miller, Steve Miller, Nel-

son Miranda ‘04, Lauren Holman ‘00, Andy Mara-

fino, Damien Holman ‘00, Rachel Valadez ‘00,

Juan Vega, Sam Prouty ‘00 6. David Martinez ‘94,

Yong Kim ‘94.

CLASS NOTES

Liliana Aranda ‘89 is celebrating 15 years of

her photography business, Starstruck. She at-

tended Cinta Aveda Institute in the spring

and graduated with a license in Ethiology.

She plans on opening a skin care studio in San

Francisco and establishing a line of custom

cosmetics for women.


1980’s

1990’s1970’s

Anthony Navarro ‘98 is married and has three

children. He works as a Senior Account Execu-

tive for Deco Lighting.

Elisa Maldonado ‘98 was awarded her Ph.D

in Marine Biology from Scripps Institute of

Oceanography, UC San Diego. She wrote her

doctoral dissertation on “small-scale biologi-

cal-physical interactions in marine plankton:

the effects of small-scale turbulence on graz-

ing, growth and swimming of sea urchin lar-

vae.” In January 2010, she accepted a 3-year

National Science Foundation Minority Post-

doctoral Research Fellowship in the Depart-

ment of Engineering at Harvard University.

She graduated summa cum laude from UCLA

in 2002 with a degree in Marine Biology.

It’s A Small “BMHS” WorldBMHS is considered a small school, but it is a

large community that reaches people all over

the world. Proof of this is in the following

story from 1972 BMHS graduate Mike Wil-

liams, who traveled to New Zealand this past

February.

“The next obvious question was ‘where did

you go to high school?’ Well, you can probably

guess that we both attended BMHS! Not only

that, but we both attended Nativity School.

The girl I had run into 10,000 miles from home

was Sylvia Egger [who attended BMHS in 1968

and 1969], who was visiting New Zealand with

her husband. We had dinner together and had

a great time discussing all the people we both

knew from BMHS and Nativity.”

ABOVE:Mike Williams ‘72 and Sylvia Egger reunite in New Zealand.

Paul Bellezza ‘99 graduated from USC’s In-

teractive Media MFA program and is the co-

founder of The Odd Gentlemen, a video game

studio in Los Angeles. He is the producer of

the award-winning XBox Live Arcade game

The Adventures of P.B. Winterbottom.

Reverend Mark Strader ‘81 was recently ap-

pointed as the spiritual head at St. Luke the

Evangelist in Temple City.

Mitch Tavera ‘76 was named new police chief

of El Segundo. He assumed the post on April

7, 2010. Tavera joined the agency in 1978 and

has held an array of positions, including police

officer, narcotics investigator and commander

of the South Bay Mobile Field Force Platoon, a

position he held for the last nine years.

“Myself and my wife, Cynthia, had been trav-

eling in New Zealand for three weeks and we

were staying in Rotorua, a city on the North Is-

land. We were waiting in the lobby of the hotel

for a Maori cultural show to begin and I started

speaking to another lady who was waiting for

the same show. I had overheard them speaking

and knew from the accent (or lack of) that they

were from the United States. After about 30

seconds of the usual chit-chat, the ‘where did

you grow up?’ question popped up and amaz-

ingly, we both realized that we grew up a few

miles from each other in Torrance.”

Mike Williams and his wife, Cynthia, reside in Hot

Springs Village, Arkansas.

“We couldn’t believe how the ‘what a small

world’ theory had brought two former BMHS

students together so far from home.”

Joshua Bettencourt ‘98 and Jill Duvall-Bet-

tencourt ‘98, above, were married on May 15,

2010 in Manhattan Beach.


Kristin Fierro-Gohl ‘07 and her husband wel-

comed Brooks Zachary on March 2, 2010.

Rochelle Higgins ‘07 is interning at Fox

Sports Net. At LMU, she is a member of the

“Harmony Unison of Beats” dance team and the

VP of Corporate Relations for the Latino Busi-

ness Student Assoc. She is the President of the

Tau Delta Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Soror-

ity. She spent last spring break in New Orleans

assisting Catholic Charities with rebuilding

homes destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Vicky McLaughlin ‘07 graduated from UC

Davis and is starting law school in the fall.

1965 - John Metcalf - [email protected] - Mary Pat Smith - [email protected] - Jackie Harris - [email protected] - Natalie Slawson - [email protected] - Cheri Bailiff - [email protected] - Peter Wollner - [email protected] - Bobby Cappasola - [email protected] - Celeste Adams - [email protected] - Tyre Sperling - [email protected] - Pina Pumilia - [email protected] - Ra’kenna Joseph - [email protected] - Andrea Nunag - [email protected] - Jessica Webster - [email protected] - Thania Guardino - [email protected]

The following are the confirmed class representatives and their e-mail addresses:

If you are interested in being a class representative, contact Andy Marafino at 310-540-2021 ext. 246 or [email protected].

We are looking for alumni to serve as representatives for their respective classes. The job entails communicating, generally electronically, with your classmates about news, reunions, and other special events and activities at BMHS. Not an e-mailer? Not on Facebook? Not a problem. We also welcome those who prefer traditional methods of staying in touch. It is our goal to have at least one representative from each class, but more are welcome.

HELP WANTED: CLASS REPS

Peter Winfrey ‘05, a 2009 graduate of Loyola

University (LA), is among 235 young people

pledging to perform 10 months of public ser-

vice as part of the National Civilian Commu-

nity Corps, an AmeriCorps program for young

adults. Winfrey recently spent eight weeks

working with Serve Green in Louisiana and

will work on other projects involving environ-

mental conservation, infrastructure improve-

ment, urban and rural development, energy

conservation, and disaster relief.

CLASS NOTES

Join the Bishop Montgomery High School Alumni group

on Facebook. We are already

2,084 members strong!

Three former BMHS student-athletes were se-

lected as El Camino College Scholar-Athletes

for 2009-2010. Alexandra Stumpf ‘07 (water

polo), Justine Zavala ‘07 (soccer) and Ra-

chel Kudron ‘08 (softball) were honored by

Scholar-Baller, an organization that recognizes

athletes who are committed to academics.

Janon Burks-Johnson ‘04 and her husband,

Josh, are expecting their second child in De-

cember 2010.

Vincent Vinzon ‘03 has recently been hired as

a DJ at Power 106 FM in Los Angeles.

Pina Pumilia ‘02 received her MBA from the

University of Phoenix in June 2010.

Jessica Boren-Dillard ‘02 and her husband,

Travis, were married on March 13, 2010.

Cristina Checa-Valdez ‘01 and her husband,

Bob, finalized the adoption of their first child,

Thomas, above, on October 22, 2009.

2000’sThe Reverend Becca Moran ‘00 was ordained

a Minister of the Word and Sacrament for the

Presbyterian Church, USA on February 6,

2010.

Andrea Nunag ‘05 owns Bacik Athletics,

LLC, where she offers brazilian jiu jitsu class-

es, personal training, and CrossFit. For more

information, visit www.bacikathletics.com.

For more information on CrossFit, visit www.

crossfit.com.

Mike Walle ‘00 and Lisa Roehl-Walle ‘00

welcomed daughter Aubrey on July, 27, 2010.

Follow Bishop Montgomery High School on:

Follow BMHS on twitter @BMHSKnights


CLASS NOTES

In MemoriamBishop Montgomery extends its prayers to the families of members of our community who have passed away:

Alumni

Susan Yoklavich-Dugan ‘67 passed away on March 2, 2010. She settled in Reno, NV and is survived by her husband, Paul, her son, James and nine brothers and sisters, including Pa-tricia Yoklavich ‘66, Mary Yoklavich-Har-vey ‘69, Barbara Yoklavich-Heric ‘70, Sarah Yoklavich-Jones ‘74 and Laura Yoklavich-Metzler ‘76.

Catherine Cafaro-Busse ‘80 passed away on October 14, 2008. She resided in Seal Beach, CA. She is survived by five sisters who gradu-ated from BMHS: Angela Cafaro-Biscan ‘78, Maria Cafaro-Fattal ‘81, Diana Cafaro-Ho-meier ‘83, Elaine Cafaro-Sansbury ‘85, and Rosanne Cafaro-Paul ‘90.

Joseph Kelley ‘82 passed away in February 2008. He was living in Camarillo, CA.

Erin Norton ‘88 passed away on February 4, 2010 at the age of 39. He attended and played baseball at El Camino College, Hancock Col-lege and Porterville College before attending Cal Poly SLO. He worked as a deputy proba-tion officer for San Luis Obispo County. He is survived by his wife, Shannan; his son Erin; his daughter, Andelyn; his father Louis; and his sister, Kelly Norton-Harrington ‘84. He was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Green-Norton ‘65.

Darrius Watson ‘89, at right as a member of the Cal State Fullerton football team, passed away on February 1, 2010 of a heart attack while running on the beach in Los Angeles. He was 38 years old. After graduating from BMHS, Wat-son played football at Cal State Fullerton from 1989-1992. Upon the program’s suspension, Watson transferred to the University of Lou-isville where he was a cornerback on the 1993 team that finished 8-3, including an 18-7 victory over Michigan State in the 1993 Liberty Bowl. Watson had a tryout with the San Francisco 49ers following the completion of his college eligibility. Prior to his death, Watson was a

Heather Kain ‘01 passed away on February 13, 2010 in Hawthorne, CA at the age of 26. She was a member of St. Lawrence Martyr Church. She completed two years at El Camino College where she was a biology major. Kain is survived by her parents, Robert and Maura.

Alumni Families

Rose Abend, mother of Rosemary Abend ‘64 and David Abend ‘65.

Raymond Archambault, father of Danny Ar-chambault ‘85.

Camille Castelao, mother of Anthony Castelao ‘82, Joe Castelao ‘83, and Robert Castelao ‘85.

Manuel Garin, father of Myra Garin-Wilson ‘80, Nancy Garin-Burns ‘81, and Noreen Ga-rin-Helvie ‘81.

Mary Herbers, mother of James Herbers ‘61, Susan Herbers-DeLay ‘64, Richard Herbers ‘67, John Herbers ‘72, Mary Herbers-Mack-ey ‘74, Carol Herbers ‘75, Debora Herbers-Doran ‘81, Kathleen Herbers ‘84.

Irene Hebert, mother of Nancy Hebert-Resn-ick ‘67, John Hebert ‘71, Paul Hebert ‘72, and Mary Hebert ‘73.

Anna O’Brien, mother of Ross O’Brien ‘76, Catherine O’Brien-Leeder ‘79 and Eileen O’Brien ‘80.

Robert O’Brien, father of Brigid O’Brien ‘86.

Steve Puccio, father of Margie Puccio-Kesh-ishian ‘81, Carol Puccio-Kennedy ‘82, Mike Puccio ‘84 and Matt Puccio ‘94.

Editha Ricardo, mother of April Ricardo ‘05.

Ellen Phyllis Ruzek, mother of Joe Ruzek ‘70 and Lynn Ruzek-Boatright ‘74.

Edward Sarmiento, father of Jill Sarmiento ‘97 and Jon Sarmiento ‘00.

Guadalupe Trevino, mother of Gloria Trevino-Johnson ‘73, Irene Trevino-Bronner ‘78, The-resa Trevino-Hardesty ‘80, Loreen Trevino-Okata ‘83 and Michele Trevino-Toddun ‘85.

Bernita Wert, mother of David Wert ‘80 and Ray Wert ‘85.

Jocelyn Zentil, mother of Bruce Zentil ‘61, Donna Zentil-Prime ‘62, Dennis Zentil ‘66, Victor Zentil ‘70 and Adele Zentil-Younkin ‘73.

Current Families

Mourad Andrawes, father of Anthony An-drawes ‘10.

Reilly Atkinson, father of Anne Atkinson ‘12.

Roy Tyler, father of Cameron Tyler ‘12 and Adam Tyler ‘14.

Faculty & Staff

Sr. Marilyn Therese Rudy, CSJ, an original faculty member, died on December 26, 2009 in Santa Monica. She taught religion, history and civics. She was the co-founder of St. Joseph’s Center in Venice where she dedicated her time serving the poor and homeless.

Mr. Mark Ule, who taught chemistry, biology and algebra from 1969-1972, died on April 25, 2010 in Ohio. He also served as the science de-partment chair and helped coach cross country and baseball.

Mary Frances Buffalo ‘63 passed away on July 8, 2010 after a long bout with liver cancer. She was a longtime resident of San Pedro and is survived by two sisters, Lillian Buffalo-Tomp-kins ‘64 and Margaret Buffalo-McGraw ‘66.

Diane Dick, mother of Dirk Dick ‘72, Camille Dick-McCray ‘73, Therese Dick-Hooker ‘75, Tim Dick ‘76, Laurie Dick-Long ‘81, Richard Dick ‘83.

physical education teacher at a junior high school in south Los Angeles. He also boxed pro-fessionally as a cruiserweight and had a record of 7-1 with three knockouts. Watson is survived by his two sisters, twin Darneika Watson ‘89 and Tangye Watson ‘92.

Analee Palazzo-Lilore ‘70 passed away on August 23, 2010. She was a resident of Carls-bad and is survived by her husband, Barry and their two children, her sister Giselle Palazzo-Keith ‘76 and her brother, Mike.

Mr. Tom Forthun, who taught music from 2004-2009, died on September 2, 2010 in Tor-rance. A member of St. Margaret Mary Church, he taught many students how to play instru-ments and was an inspiration to all on campus.

REUNIONS & EVENTS

Recent Reunions & Events

Class of 1990Class of 1985The Class of 1990 held their 20th reunion on July 24, 2010 in the BMHS

gymnasium. Over 150 people were in attendance to enjoy dinner, danc-

ing and reconnecting with friends. Special thank you to the 1990 re-

union committee members for a wonderful night. And thank you to

all the members of the Class of 1990 who returned to campus. We are

always happy to have you back at BMHS!

Class of 1975• October 23, 2010• 6:30 pm - 11:30 pm• Keegan’s Pub 1434 Marcelina Torrance, CA

Class of 1976• Contact: Nora Montoya ‘76 at [email protected]

Class of 1981• Contact: Noreen Garin-Helvie ‘81 / 408-244-8619

Classes ending in 1 and 6, contact the Development Office today!

Consider holding your reunion back on campus. Facilities and tours are available. Times and dates are subject to availability. Contact the Development Office at 310-540-2021 ext. 246 or e-mail [email protected].

The Class of 1985 held their 25th reunion on July 17, 2010 in the BMHS

gymnasium. Over 120 people were in attendance to enjoy dinner, ca-

sino-style gaming, a special 1985 slide show and sharing memories with

friends. Special thank you to the 1985 reunion committee members for a

wonderful night. And thank you to all the members of the Class of 1985

who returned to campus. You are always welcome back to BMHS!

Above (L to R): Aileen Quiazon ’90, Peter Wollner ‘90, Ryan Gagajena ‘90,

Karen Teer-Chapkhaneh ‘90, Junnie Verceles ‘90, Laura Chovan ‘90.

Left: Brian Cox ‘90 and

Erik Geierman ‘90

Above: Members of the Class of 1985 gather for a group photo at their 25th

reunion on July 17, 2010.

Above (L to R): Kristen Pesutich-Williams ‘85,

Celia Chiang ‘85, Mari Schneider ‘85.

Class of 1980• October 2, 2010• 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm• Lucky Strike South Bay• Go to the 1980 reunion page on Facebook for more information• Contact: Tim McOsker ‘80 ([email protected]) or Jan Schubert-Glusac ‘80 ([email protected])

VERITASMagazineBishop Montgomery High School5430 Torrance BoulevardTorrance, California 90503(310) 540-2021 www.bmhs-la.org

NONPROFIT ORGU.S. Postage

PAIDTorrance, CA Permit No. 317

BLACK & GOLD NIGHTSATURDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2011

Manhattan Beach Marriott

Dinner, Dancing, Live & Silent Auctions, Hall of Fame Induction

For more information, visit www.bmhs-la.orgor e-mail Amy Traxler at [email protected].

veritas magazine - spring/summer 2010

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