AP Scholars with Honors - Rockhurst High School

ROCKHURST HIGH SCHOOL
ROCK
John W. Whitaker, ’69, presented Rev. Thomas A. Pesci, S.J., with a stole at the “Hail
and Farewell” dinner as a parting gift from the Rockhurst Board of Trustees.
Rockhurst community says
farewell to Father Pesci
It was an evening with a packed
agenda. Celebrate 90 years of
Jesuit education at Rockhurst High
School. Welcome the upcoming
arrival of a new president, Rev.
Terrence A. Baum, S.J. Bid
farewell to outgoing president,
Rev. Thomas A. Pesci, S.J.
More than 500 Rockhurst
alumni, parents and friends
attended the “Hail and Farewell”
dinner to celebrate the school’s
history and commemorate the
changing of the guard.
The Board of Trustees honored
Pesci’s 10 years of accomplishments
with the announcement of
the naming of the school’s front
atrium to “Pesci Atrium.”
Under Pesci’s leadership
Rockhurst successfully completed
a $19.5-million capital campaign
that resulted in the complete
renovation of the campus,
including the addition of a chapel
on the front of the school, a new
football stadium, and baseball and
soccer fields. Enrollment has
increased from 600 to 1,031.
“It is easy to look at the
physical things, like the renovations.
But I like to pride myself
more in the success of the faculty,
the success of Kairos retreats and
the growth of co-curriculars,”
Pesci said.
NEWS / Winter 2004
AP scholars
are honored
Rockhurst High School
students who successfully
completed advanced placement
courses for college credit were
honored for their academic
achievements with the 2003 AP
Scholar Awards.
The awards were given to
students and 2003 graduates.
National AP Scholars are:
Edward Keenan, Jeff Nagy and
Duo Yang.
AP Scholars with Distinction
are: Michael Amini, Andrew
Clement, Andrew Crutchfield,
Edward Keenan, Brian Koenen,
Michael Moritz, Mark Munninghoff,
Jeff Nagy, Braden O'Halloran,
Tyler True and Duo Yang.
AP Scholars with Honors are:
Steven Baugh, Andrew Beisser,
Timothy Hanna, Nicholas
Mabry, James Maliszewski,
Brennan Metzler, Matt Nocita,
Alex Nordholm, James Stacy,
Timothy Sullivan, Matthew
Sweeney, James Utley and
Thomas Wytock.
AP Scholars Award winners
are: Patrick Allegri, Michael
Dow, Marc Eskew, Matthew
Judge, Michael McShane,
Zachary Royer, Jason Sabaugh,
Andrew Turner and Dane Vrabac.

Register now
for Rockhurst
placement test
Rockhurst High School will
administer its placement exam on
Jan. 10 for 2004-05 enrollment.
All eighth-grade students
interested in applying for
enrollment at Rockhurst are
required to take the standardized
high school placement test.
Check-in is at 8 a.m. in McGee
Hall. The day concludes with a
complimentary lunch. There is a
$10 test fee.
Enrollment applications are
due by Jan. 15, and freshman
orientation is March 25.
For more information,
contact the Admission and
Financial Aid Office at
816-363-2039, ext. 558, or visit
the Rockhurst web site at
www.rockhursths.edu.
Financial aid
available for ’04
Incoming freshman and current
students are eligible to apply for
financial aid for next year.
This school year, 33 percent of
students receive financial
assistance.
“Part of our mission is to assist
families who might not be able to
afford a Rockhurst education,”
said Jack Reichmeier, director of
admission and financial aid.
The application deadline is
April 1. For more information,
contact the Admission and
Financial Aid Office at
816-363-2039, ext. 558.
The Ultimate Frisbee Club at Rockhurst has ultimate fun. Photo: Prep News
Sports, music, dances and play
make semester fun at Rockhurst
Cross country team
finishes seventh at
state. Photo: Prep News
The Rockhurst Theater Department presents the
musical, Guys and Dolls, in the fall production.
Photo: Quarry Yearbook
(Above) The Rockhurst choir performs under the
direction of Ryan Olsen. (Right) The Hawklets soccer
team finishes third at state. Photos: Quarry Yearbook
The 2003 Rockhurst Homecoming queen candidates pose with their Rockhurst
escorts. Photo: Prep News

ROCKHURST HIGH SCHOOL WINTER 2004
ALUMNI NEWS
Martin P. O’Laughlin, M.D.,
’73, recently joined North
Kansas City Hospital from the
staff of Duke University.
Martin is one of the few
physicians in Kansas City with
the skill to perform ASD
closure procedures, which
allows operating teams to
execute intricate heart surgeries
without opening the chest by
use of a Amplatzer device that
is inserted through the leg.
This futuristic procedure is noninvasive
and may someday
replace open-heart surgery.
John P. Kelley, ’87, was
commissioned as a Second
Lieutenant in the U.S. Army
Reserve in November. John’s
reserve unit is the 450th
Transportation Battalion
in Manhattan, KS. When
not on active duty, he is a
building codes official for
the City of Overland
Park, KS. He also serves
on the Pastoral Council of
Guardian Angels Parish,
leading young adult
ministries.
Ryan P. Barr, ’90, has
competed in four Ironman
Triathlons over the past
few years, most recently
finishing with a time of
10 hours, 51 minutes, 32
seconds during the 2.4 mile
swim, 112 mile bike and 26.2
mile run competition.
Edward J. Reardon ’33 and Janet Cauley Stephenson celebrated just before
their induction into the Rockhurst Sports Hall of Fame on Oct. 24. Reardon was
recognized for his grid iron play at Rockhurst and Stephenson as a "super fan"
with over 75 consecutive years of attendance at school sporting events. The
other inductees were former Missouri Gov. Joseph P. Teasdale ’53, Louis
Robert Bauers ’63, Christopher J. Muehlbach ’73, and Mark R. Teahan ’78.
Richard M.
Thomas, ’90,
is working
with the
Federal
Bureau of
Investigations
Crime and
Research
Laboratory in
Quantico, VA.
Richard
received his
bachelor’s
degree from
Northwestern
University in
1994, his
master’s degree from Penn State
University later that year, and
his Ph.D. from Penn State in
2001.
Alumni are
invited to a
Day of
Reflection
on Feb. 21.
To register, contact
Laurence Freeman, at
816-363-2039, ext. 571 or
lfreeman@rockhursths.edu.
Nicholas P. Krump, ’93, is a
senior program director for the
Phoenix regional operations of
“Teach for America” in
Phoenix, AZ. This national
program places high-achieving
recent college graduates from all
academic disciplines in selected
urban and rural classrooms in 18
regions across the country. Nick
received a molecular biology
degree from William Jewell
College in 1997 through the
school’s exchange program at
Homerton College in
Cambridge, England. He began
a teaching career in Washington,
D.C.’s inner city junior high
schools. He has completed
fellowships at Washington’s
Carnegie Academy for Science
Education, and served as

executive director of Phoenix
Scores working to improve
writing skills among at-risk
youth through the game of
soccer. He was profiled in the
Christian Science Monitor.
Aaron W. Whiteside, ’93,
recently opened the fifth
“Peanut” bar in Gladstone, MO.
The Peanut is one of the oldest
bar and grill chains in the
greater Kansas City area.
Anthony G. Vontz ’00, was
named to the Pacific Coast All
Star Rugby team and NCAA
Division I First Team All
America by USA Rugby. As a
result, he competed with the
USA All-America Team in New
Zealand last summer, where the
team played several games and
attended the Adidas Rugby
Institute in North Palmerston,
New Zealand. Tony is a junior
at the University of California -
Berkeley.
In loving memory
ALUMNI
Edward Lee Baty ’36
Robert E. Bailey ’40
Charles H. Donnelly, Sr. ’43
Donald J. Flanagan ’51
Damien E. Flores ’98
FRIENDS
George W. Bryde
J. W. DeCamp
Arnold J. Haake, Sr.
Margaret C. Kaegi
John Kass
William Kuechler, Sr.
Kathryn M. Metzler
Anne A. Mullin
Rosalee Jarvies Mullin
Margaret Brohan Redlich
Dorothy Shine
Alumni association seeks
365 class agent volunteers
As part of a reorganization, the
Rockhurst National Alumni
Association is looking for 365
volunteers to serve as class agents
from the classes of 1940-2003.
Class agents will work with
alumni decade managers, class
captains and the Rockhurst
alumni and development staff to
educate ambassadors for the
school and promote involvement
Birth announcements
• David M. Paul, ’81 and Heidi, a
daughter, Grace Nancy.
• K. Scott Gibbar, ’86 and Kristin, a
daughter, Emma Kaylin Gibbar.
• Mark M Spiecker, ’89 and Shelley,
a daughter, Madeleine.
• Joseph A. Ravasini,’92 and Julie,
a daughter, Katelyn Marie.
• David J. Przybylski, ’93 and
Mieke, a daughter, Anne Marie.
on a grass roots level, explained
Laurence Freeman, director of
Alumni Affairs.
“We need alumni who will be
agents of change,” Freeman said.
“We are in a position to be
proactive, and we want to
involve as many alums as
possible who are willing to give
a couple hours a month.”
Class agents will be
responsible for social events,
fundraising activities and
educating other alumni about
Rockhurst. Contact Freeman at
816-363-2039 ext. 571 or at
lfreeman@rockhursths.edu.
Marriages
• Samuel E. Gromowsky, ’85, and
Stacia Ann O’Connor, Nov. 15
• Ryan P. Barr, ’90, and Valerie
Osborn, Dec. 29.
ALUMNI NEWS
Please use this form or e-mail lfreeman@rockhursths.edu with news or address changes.
HOME INFORMATION:
Name:______________________________Grad year:_________
Spouse’s name:______________ ___ Number of children:______
Home phone:________________E-mail:____________________
Address:______________________________________________
City/State:______________________________Zip:___________
BUSINESS INFORMATION:
Company:_____________________________________________
Work phone:_________________Position:___________________
ALUMNI NEWS:________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________

SAT recognizes
two Hispanic
Rockhurst students
The National Hispanic
Recognition Program will honor
two Rockhurst students for their
placement on the Preliminary
SAT/National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test.
Mark Drummond and Paul
Mejia, both seniors, are among 3,300
students selected nationwide as a
scholar or honorable mention
finalist. Both students qualified as
scholars. They were selected from
124,000 students for their
exceptional scores on the PSAT and
for their academic achievements.
The award is administered by the
College Board to help colleges and
universities identify students for
educational and scholarship
opportunities.
Rockhurst to offer
RockAlert service
for cell phone users
A new RockAlert cell phone text
messaging service is now available
for alumni, parents and students of
Rockhurst.
Rockhurst will use the system
to broadcast a Jesuit thought of the
day, weekly Ignatian moment and
student or parent reminders.
The service is complimentary.
However, a fee may be charged by
individual cell phone companies.
To sign up for the service, log
on to the Rockhurst website at
www.rockhursths.edu.
Students donate to food pantries
The week before Thanksgiving,
Rockhurst students donated
thousands of pounds of food to
area food pantries.
As part of the school’s annual
"Harvest Food Drive," Rockhurst
students gave more than 10,000
non-perishable food items to the
Bishop Sullivan Center. The
students and faculty also donated
nearly $10,000 for the food
pantries at St. Francis Xavier
Tickets: $15 Dinner / $10 Liverpool
Church and St. Louis Church.
Colleen Raveill, special
projects manager at Bishop
Sullivan Center, said the
Rockhurst donation is critical
each year to meet the needs of
their clients. She said the weak
economy the past few years has
increased the demand for food,
and donations are down. This
year, an additional 22 percent
requested food assistance.
SHRIMP
DINNER 6 p.m.
LIVERPOOL
7:30 p.m.
Saturday
January 31
Rockhurst High
School
To order tickets:
816-363-2039 Ext. 581
or
www.rockhursths.edu

The Elders to perform Feb. 28 at
annual Rockhurst Irish concert
The Rockhurst fifth annual
“For the Love of the Irish”
concert will kick off the St.
Patrick’s Day
season in
Kansas City,
beginning at
7:30 p.m. on
Saturday, Feb.
28 in Rose
Theatre.
The
concert
features the
nationally acclaimed Irish/rock
band, The Elders, in concert
with John Morris, ’74, and
Eddie Delahunt.
The Elders’ music captures
the stories of Irish history using
traditional and rock instrumental
sounds. The Kansas City
group performs their
9301 State Line Road
Kansas City, MO 64114-3299
Return Service Requested
The Elders will perform at Rockhurst on
Feb. 28 in Rose Theatre.
FOR MORE INFORMATION,
Call: 816-363-2036
Visit our web site: www.rockhursths.edu
President: Rev. Thomas A. Pesci, S.J.
Principal: David J. Laughlin
Alumni Affairs: Laurence W. Freeman
Development: Randall J. Hallett
Annual Giving: Nancy A. Wormington
Admission & Financial Aid: Jack Reichmeier
Editor: Julie M. Koppen
Celtic/American mix across the
country.
“For the Love of the Irish”
concert is the
third in the
2003-04
series of
Rockhurst
“Bridging
the Gap”
productions.
The concerts
are designed
to raise
funds to help bridge the gap
between student tuition and the
actual cost of a Rockhurst
education.
Tickets are $16 and are
available in advance by calling
816-363-2039, ext. 581, or by
ordering online at
www.rockhursths.edu.
Newsletter printing supported by Trabon-Paris Printing, Timothy Trabon, ’69.
Check out the Rock
Shop collection at
www.rockhursths.edu
Spectacular “Road
to Morocco” set
for April 17, 2004
Mark your calendars for the
annual Rockhurst auction,
Spectacular 2004, on April 17 at
the school.
This
year’s theme
is “Road to
Morocco.”
For the
past several
years, the
auction has
raised approximately $500,000
annually to advance the
institution by funding school
operating expenses and
scholarship funds.
Invitations will be mailed in
mid-March. For reservations,
call Judie Scanlon, special
activities coordinator, at 816-
363-2039, ext. 580.
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Kansas City, MO
Permit #4694