Summer 2012 Issue - De La Salle Institute

METEOR
SPORTS
UPDATE!
(See p.18)
magazine
A publication for alumni and
friends of De La Salle Institute
Congratulations
CLASS OF 2012
Meteors attending America's best colleges and universities
Summer 2012

De La Salle Magazine
Summer 2012
Editor
Michael K. Walsh
Photography
Root Studios
Jaclin Szafraniec
Michael K. Walsh
Contributing Authors
Iris Gist Cochran
Margaret Grabowski ‘06
Margaret McEldowney
Michael K. Walsh
Designer
Design BIG Dreams
Printer
Andrews Printing
De La Salle Magazine is published
three times a year by De La Salle
Institute’s Office for Advancement.
The purpose of this publication
is to unite the Christian Brothers,
alumni, students, parents, faculty,
staff and friends together in De
La Salle’s mission of excellence
in education. All submissions or
comments should be directed to
dmagazine@dls.org.
To receive this magazine
electronically, please send an email
to dmagazine@dls.org.
Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!
In case you are wondering why I referenced the classic movie, “The Wizard of Oz”, in the opening paragraph of my
letter, it’s because of the excitement that the De La Salle community is experiencing in terms of the excellence provided
by the 118 young women and 140 young men comprising our Class of 2012.
As is typically the case, our graduates will be attending some of the top colleges and universities across the country. In
terms of scholarship dollars earned, the Meteors of the Class of 2012 have the potential to earn $15.2 million over the
next four years.
Next fall, we will have a Lion in our midst, as one of our students from the Lourdes Hall Campus for Young Women
has earned a scholarship that figures to be worth $250,000 over the next four years to attend Columbia University, a
prestigious Ivy League institution in New York City.
And we will have a Tiger among us, as eight De La Salle students were accepted at the University of Missouri in
Columbia and one of them will attend that particular bastion of higher learning known for its journalistic distinction
among other fields of academics.
Let’s not forget the Bear, as another student from the Lourdes Hall Campus has earned a scholarship to Morgan State
University in Baltimore, an institution known for academic excellence in the African-American community.
Along with those students, we will also have Blue Demons (DePaul), Fighting Illini (University of Illinois at Urbana-
Champaign), Scarlet Hawks (Illinois Institute of Technology), Badgers (University of Wisconsin), Titans (Illinois
Wesleyan University) and Wolverines (University of Michigan) to name but a handful of the outstanding colleges and
universities at which our Meteors will study in the fall.
In addition, we also have three students who were chosen Evans Scholars and will be attending college on full
scholarships, thanks to the immense generosity of our friends at the Chick Evans Foundation. Our Evans Scholars, who
will be attending Wisconsin, Illinois and Northern Illinois, have earned scholarships totaling $376,000 over four years.
If that weren’t impressive enough, we also have a Golden Apple Scholar, who will be attending the University of Illinois
at Urbana-Champaign with the goal of becoming a teacher and someday coming back to De La Salle. His scholarship
will be worth $28,000 over four years.
With the 2011-12 school year having recently drawn to a close, De La Salle
would like to thank everyone who helps to make our school a place where
great futures do indeed begin. As a result of the munificence of our alumni and
our donors, De La Salle continues to provide an excellent college preparatory
education to the young women and men who aspire to high levels of success.
May you and yours have a wonderfully relaxing and safe summer as we look
forward to the beginning of the 2012-13 school year and celebrating the 10th
anniversary of the opening of our Lourdes Hall Campus for Young Women.
Thank you for all of your support and interest in De La Salle!
St. John Baptist de La Salle, Pray for Us!
Our Lady of Lourdes, Pray for Us!
Live Jesus in Our Hearts, Forever!
Rev. Paul E. Novak, OSM
President
De La Salle President Father Paul Novak
MISSION STATEMENT
De La Salle Institute is an independent Catholic secondary school rooted in the tradition of Christian education
begun by St. John Baptist de La Salle. Founded in 1889, its mission has been, and is, to foster a desire for excellence
in education. Young people from a variety of ethnic and economic backgrounds are given the opportunity to fully
develop their abilities so they may be active, contributing members of our complex, changing society.
INSTITUTE CAMPUS FOR YOUNG MEN
3455 SOUTH WABASH AVE • CHICAGO, IL 60616-3885
P 312.842.7355 • F 312.842.4142
LOURDES HALL CAMPUS FOR YOUNG WOMEN
1040 WEST 32ND PL • CHICAGO, IL 60608-6507
P 773.650.6800 • F 773.650.9722
www.dls.org
TOLTON ADULT LITERACY CENTER - EAST CAMPUS
3647 SOUTH STATE ST • CHICAGO, IL 60609-1951
P 312.747.3471
TOLTON ADULT LITERACY CENTER - WEST CAMPUS
115 SOUTH PULASKI RD • CHICAGO, IL 60624-2823
P 312.746.7744

TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACADEMICS
Reflections from the Valedictorians and Salutatorian of the Class of 2012 2-3
Graduation Scrapbook 4-5
Colleges and Universities the Class of 2012 Will Attend 6
Seventeen Illinois State Scholars Honored 7
Alyssa Sandoval ‘12 Lauded by IHSA for Academic Achievement 7
Meteor Band Program: Best Brass 7
De La Salle Recieves AdvancED Accreditation 8
DyKnow Software to be Used in Classrooms 8
Alexis Ochoa ‘14 Sings Professionally With Lyric Opera 9
FEATURE STORY
Meteor Water Polo and Swimming Programs Enjoying Success 10-11
FAITH, SERVICE & COMMUNITY
Members of the Tolton Community Lauded by Secretary of State 12-13
Tolton Fundraiser: A Huge Success 13
PARENT PLACE
Important Dates for 2012-13 School Year 14
Parent Association Highlights 14
Freshman Orientation Information 15
Summer Camps Offered at De La Salle 15
Sweet Home Chicago 16
Sr. Rosie Morowczynski Enshrined into GCAC Hall of Fame 17
Lourdes Hall Campus 10th Anniversary 17
Alumni Career Day 17
ATHLETICS
James Buss ‘12 Wins State Championship in Wrestling 18
Winter Sports Recap 18
Spring Sports Update 19
Meteors Honored by IHSA for Academic Excellence 20
Colleges & Universities Where Members of the 20
Class of 2012 Will Play
DEVELOPMENT
Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation 21
De La Salle “Miles for Meteors” Program for the Chicago Marathon 21
Fifth Annual Great Futures Gala Recap and Photos 22-23
Honor Key Nomination Form 24
De La Salle Fall 2012 Wish List 24
Planned Giving: Continuing Your Legacy 24
De La Salle and Lourdes Deceased List 25
De La Salle and Lourdes Alumni Updates 25-27
D-Final Event Recap 28
Phonathon Thank You 28
Meet De La Salle Alum Ernest Monaco, DDS '85 29
De La Salle Institute
Board of Directors
2011–2012
Chairman
Mr. Paul D. McCoy ‘68
Vice Chairman
Mr. Prentiss J. Jackson ‘67
Members
Mr. William S. Aldrich
Mr. Marshall A. Blake
Mr. George A. Bonomo ‘59
Ms. Mary L. Burke
Mr. Victor M. Chavarria ‘69
Mr. Eugene L. Ferretti
Mr. Michael J. Glennon ‘84
Dr. Robert O. Graham ‘64
Honorable Patrick M. Huels ‘67
Sister Mary Alice Jarosz, SSJ-TOSF
Brother Michael Kadow, FSC
Sister Valerie Kulbacki, SSJ-TOSF
Mr. La Rue Martin, Jr. ‘68
Mr. Joseph D. Parente ‘84
Mr. Michael J. Passarelli ‘90
Mr. Thomas J. Sargant ‘62
Mr. Michael A. Tadin ‘69
Mrs. Cathryn P. Taylor
Mr. Thomas L. Taylor
Mr. James A. Vanek ‘64
President’s Council
Honorable William J. Aukstik ‘64
Mr. Michael G. Bansley ‘53
Mr. Michael F. Hickey ‘56
Mr. James R. Woodrow ‘53
Extollo Educational
Foundation
Board of Directors
President
Brother Michael Quirk, FSC EdD
Vice President
Mr. Michael F. Hickey ‘56
Secretary/Treasurer
Mr. Joseph J. Hartnett ‘73
De La Salle Magazine 1

IN THE
CLASSROOM
Valedictorian Reflections
ROBERT POPP & ANDREW MACIAS
The co-valedictorian for De La Salle’s Class of 2012 at the
Institute Campus for Young Men, Robert Popp attended St.
Gabriel Grammar School and also is from St. Gabriel Parish.
Popp, who concluded his academic career at De La Salle with
a 4.957 grade-point average in the Honors Program, will attend
the University of Dayton in the fall.
Here is Popp’s reflection as to what being the co-valedictorian of the
Class of 2012 at the Institute Campus means to him:
Looking back at my years at De La Salle, I have nothing but great
memories. From just the normal days in the classroom, to the trip
I took with my history class to the battlefields of the Civil War,
every day at ‘D’ was a blessing.
When I was younger, the choice of what high school to attend was
apparent to me. Every man in my family, from my grandparents
to my brothers, had been through the halls of ‘D’ and it was
tradition for me to follow. Now that my time is up at the Institute,
I am glad the choice had been made for me.
The experiences I had at ‘D’ and the lifelong friends I have made
would have not been possible at any other high school in Chicago.
That is because ‘D’ has its own unique
atmosphere, where grades come first, and
after that is settled, the community comes
to life.
Whether it would be through sports,
drama, student government, or any club
you can imagine, after-school activities
at ‘D’ make you participate in things you
would normally not. This led to me finding new hobbies such as
bowling and volleyball and meeting even more people.
All in all, my experience at ‘D’ made me want to find that same
type of community and uniqueness in a college, and that is why
this fall, I will be attending the University of Dayton, where I will
major in pre-medicine.
Like ‘D’, Dayton is extraordinary when it comes to community
and school spirit. The academics are well-founded and Dayton’s
student body is vibrant. Yet because of my experiences at D, I
know it will be nothing I cannot handle, and I know my choices
will lead me down the right path.
The co-valedictorian for De La Salle’s
Class of 2012 at the Institute Campus
for Young Men, Andrew Macias attended
St. Barbara’s Elementary School and is
also from St. Barbara’s Parish. Macias
concluded his academic career at
De La Salle with a 4.957 grade-point
average in the Honors Program. Macias
will attend Lewis University in Romeoville,
IL in the fall.
Here is Macias’ reflection as to what being the co-valedictorian of
the Class of 2012 at the Institute Campus means to him:
At the time, choosing to attend De La Salle did not seem like
a momentous decision. My sister went to De La Salle and it
seemed logical that I would also attend.
Looking back, I now realize what a tremendous impact attending
De La Salle has had on my life.
I am grateful to De La Salle for the education I received. The
curriculum was challenging; however, the teachers are excellent
and willing to help students understand. Because of the
education I have received, I feel prepared for the challenges that
await me in college.
Aside from this, I am also grateful for all the other lessons I
will take away from De La Salle. Lastly, I am very grateful for
all the teachers I encountered and all the friendships I formed
at De La Salle.
I feel like my experiences at De La Salle have thoroughly
prepared me for the next segment of my life as I will attend
Lewis University. A determining factor in attending Lewis was
that like De La Salle, it is a Lasallian school. The education
and lessons I have learned at De La Salle have inspired me to
pursue a career in medicine. Having attended a Lasallian school
for four years, I have truly come to appreciate the value of a
Lasallian education.
2 Academics

ACADEMICS
Valedictorian & Salutatorian Reflections
LAUREN RUBIO & LAUREN DILGER
The valedictorian at the Lourdes Hall Campus for Young Women, Lauren Rubio
attended St. Jerome Grammar School and is also a parishioner at St. Jerome.
Rubio graduated with a 4.891 grade-point average in the Honors Program at De
La Salle. She will attend Saint Xavier University in Chicago in the fall.
Here is her reflection as to what being the valedictorian for the Class of 2012 at
De La Salle’s Lourdes Hall Campus means to her:
An unknown author once said, “Beginnings are scary, endings are usually sad;
it’s what you do in between that counts the most.”
As I ponder the meaning behind this quote, one place comes to mind: De La Salle Institute. I
say this because De La Salle is the place where I have learned to grow, the place where I have
gained a second family, and ultimately, the place where I have become aware of the person I was
destined to be in life.
As I plan for the future, attending Saint Xavier University in the fall in hopes of becoming a
pediatric nurse, I hope to take all of the knowledge and wisdom I have gained at De La Salle and
use it in my everyday endeavors.
I will miss De La Salle a great deal – especially, the faces of those whom I have gotten so close
to over these past several years – those whom I have grown to consider family. Wherever life
takes me, I will forever be grateful for the teachers who have taught me everything I know today,
as well as my fellow peers who have given me a level of confidence I know can never be taken
away from me.
Thank you, De La Salle, for giving me four years of wisdom, care, and love that will forever be
implanted in my heart and mind.
The salutatorian at the Lourdes Hall Campus for Young Women, Lauren Dilger attended Kinzie
Elementary School and is from St. Daniel the Prophet Parish. Dilger, who graduated with a 4.848
grade-point average in the Honors Program at De La Salle, will attend Grand Valley State University
in Allendale, MI in the fall.
Here is her reflection on what being the salutatorian for the Class of 2012 at De La Salle’s Lourdes
Hall Campus means to her:
It is said that time flies when you are having fun, but I never expected that graduation would come so
fast. The past four years at De La Salle have meant more to me than I ever could have expected. They
were filled with many memories, friends, and experiences.
De La Salle has given me more than a great education. It has taught me to challenge myself. I was
always pushed to do beyond my best because my teachers saw potential. The challenges I have faced have made me a
stronger person in all aspects. I have made great friends with whom to face these challenges. De La Salle has given me
a second home and family over the past four years.
De La Salle taught me that I can achieve the dreams I have – no matter how outrageous they are. I will be attending
Grand Valley State University in the fall. I plan to obtain a dual degree in Finance and Human Resource Management.
Taking the skills I learned from De La Salle and Grand Valley State University, I hope to end up working within the
National Hockey League’s business department.
It is sad to see the time spent at De La Salle come to an end, but I know that the future is just beginning. I am happy to
say that I am forever a Meteor.
Academics 3

1. 2.
3.
4. 5.
1. Breandan Rook ‘12 is a happy man after
receiving his diploma
2. Sean Harling ‘12, Lamar Houston ‘12, William
Izzo ‘12 and Joseph Jackowiak ‘12 share a
bonding moment before the ceremony
3. Co-valedictorian Andrew Macias ‘12 delivers
his well-written address
4. Co-valedictorian Robert Popp ‘12 thanks his
parents, family and teachers for their support
6. 7.
5. Vicente Solis ‘12 and Jeremy O’Brien ‘12
distribute the Eucharist during Mass
6. Jordan Carter ‘12 is officially a proud alumnus
of De La Salle
7. Jorel Holmes ‘12 is another successful Meteor
graduate
8. Casey Brandtonies ‘12 joins his mother,
Peggy L’83, father, Larry ’80, and De La Salle
Institute Campus Principal James Krygier in the
sanctuary at Holy Name Cathedral
4 Academics
4 Campus Scrapbook
8.

CAMPUS SCRAPBOOK
2.
3.
1.
4.
5.
8.
6.
1. Katie O'Leary ‘12 was the winner of the St. John Baptist de La Salle Award for the young women.
2. Adriana Garcia ‘12 is all smiles as she awaits the commencement ceremony
3. Yamari Gonzalez ‘12 shares a moment with Dean of Social Sciences John Brogan
4. Katie O’Leary ‘12, Melissa Guzman ‘12, De La Salle faculty member Bob Klebes, Jessica
Arriaga ‘12, Lauren Dilger ‘12 and Anel Gonzalez-Ruiz ‘12 gather for a photo
5. Julie Galvin ‘12 and her mom, Janet Galvin ‘L81
6. JaVonna Smith ‘12 gets a hug from her proud dad, John Smith ‘94
7. Valedictorian Lauren Rubio ‘12 is all smiles as she prepares for her address
7.
8. Olivia Estrada ‘12 receives her diploma from Lourdes Hall Campus Principal Diane Brown
Campus Academics Scrapbook 5

PREPARING FOR GREAT FUTURES
Colleges & Universities the Class of 2012 Will Attend
Proving that their De La Salle education has indeed prepared them well for their great futures, the members of the Class of
2012 will attend 83 colleges and universities across the country beginning this fall. And in doing so, the Meteors will put to use
scholarships of approximately $15.2 million.
De La Salle congratulates all of the young women and young men representing the Class of 2012 and wishes them great success in
their chosen fields.
Alabama State University
Alcorn State University
Augustana College (IL)
Carthage College
Clark Atlanta University
Coe College
Columbia University
DePaul University
Goshen College (IN)
Howard University
Illinois Institute of Technology
Illinois State University
Illinois Wesleyan University
Lewis University
Loras College
Louisiana State University
Loyola University Chicago
Marquette University
Michigan State University
Morehouse College
Quincy University (IL)
Saint Mary’s College (IN)
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
St. Norbert College
School of the Art Institute of Chicago
Southern Illinois University – Carbondale
Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville
Tennessee State University
The Illinois Institute of Art
University of Dayton
University of Dubuque
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Iowa
University of Michigan
University of Missouri – Columbia
University of St. Francis (IL)
University of Wisconsin – Madison
University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee
A sample of the colleges and universities
in which the Class of 2012 has enrolled:
6 Academics

ACADEMICS
17 ILLINOIS STATE SCHOLARS JOIN THE RANKS
Since 2001, De La Salle Institute has had 174 students
attain the prestigious accolade of being named Illinois
State Scholars.
During the 2011-12 school year, nine students from the
Institute Campus for Young Men and eight students from
the Lourdes Hall Campus for Young Women were lauded
for their excellence in the classroom.
“This is a tremendous honor for the students of De La
Salle,” De La Salle President Fr. Paul Novak, OSM said.
“Our students and faculty place a great deal of emphasis on
academic success. These students have worked very hard
and ought to be very proud of this accomplishment.”
Alyssa Sandoval ‘12
LAUDED BY IHSA
Lourdes Hall Campus Illinois State Scholars
Front Row: Connie Liu ‘12, Melissa Guzman ‘12, Lauren
Rubio ‘12, Kristin Joyce ‘12, Caterina Hernandez ‘12
Back Row: Madison Rhymes ‘12, Jessica Arriaga ‘12,
De La Salle-Lourdes Hall Campus for Young Women
Principal Diane Brown, Lauren Dilger ‘12
Institute Campus Illinois State Scholars
Front Row: Norberto Ramos ‘12, Andrew Macias ‘12,
Adam Nauseda ‘12
Back Row: Jared Philp ‘12, Nick Klupchak ‘12,
Robert Popp ‘12, Adam Klupchak ‘12, Joseph Jackowiak ‘12,
John Ramirez ‘12
De La Salle proudly announces that Alyssa Sandoval ‘12 was named to the Illinois High
School Association’s Honorable Mention All-State Academic Team for the 2011-12 school
year.
Nearly 450 students were nominated from across the state of Illinois and Sandoval was one
of 50 students selected by the evaluation committee for Honorable Mention recognition.
Sandoval graduated with a 4.228 grade-point average and was No. 18 in the 118-member
Class of 2012 at De La Salle’s Lourdes Hall Campus for Young Women.
In addition to excelling in the classroom, Sandoval also was a member of the cross country and soccer teams, peer
ministry program and Spanish Club.
Congratulations, Alyssa!
Best Brass
In the last few months, De La Salle’s band has received well-earned recognition for its overall excellence.
Nine Meteors participated in the All-Catholic Honor Band Festival held at the VanderCook College of Music in
Chicago. Representing De La Salle were Romero Board ‘12; Damone Coachman ‘14; Michael Fuchs ‘13; Jaymore
Hicks ‘12; Vanessa Melero ‘13; Adam Nauseda ‘12; Quentin Patten ‘13; Isaac Pizana ‘13 and Aaron Shariq ‘13.
De La Salle also participated in the State of the Art Competition at St. Viator
High School in Arlington Heights, IL. The State of the Art Competition is
an annual event for Catholic high school concert bands.
Of the 20 schools competing, De La Salle finished third in Class A, which
marks its first third-place finish in 12 years. In addition to receiving an
award in that particular category, De La Salle also won “Best Brass” for
the initial time in the 32-year history of the State of the Art Competition.
The Meteors wrapped up the State of the Art Competition by garnering
an “Excellent” certification for scoring over 80 points. The Meteor band
is directed by faculty member Larry Pawlowski.
Congratulations, Mr. Pawlowski and the Meteor band!
Academics 7

AdvancedED accreditation:
"Highly Functional"
On February 6, a team from the AdvancED accreditation
service visited De La Salle Institute. During the daylong
process, the Quality Assurance Review (QAR) team was
given a school overview, toured the classrooms at both the
Lourdes Hall Campus for Young Women and the Institute
Campus for Young Men and interviewed members of the De
La Salle faculty and leadership team, as well as community
stakeholders and students.
Accreditation is a voluntary method of quality assurance
developed more than 100 years ago by American
universities and secondary schools, and designed primarily
to distinguish schools adhering to a set of educational
standards. The accreditation process is also known in
terms of its ability to effectively drive student performance
and continuous improvement in education.
While accreditation is a set of rigorous protocols and
research-based processes for evaluating an institution’s
organizational effectiveness, it is far more than that.
Today, accreditation examines the whole institution—
the programs, the cultural context, the community of
stakeholders—to determine how well the parts work
together to meet the needs of students.
During its assessment, the QAR team is asked to determine
the level of accreditations, find commendations for the
school, and provide required actions for improvements,
which schools have two years to fulfill.
Upon concluding its assessment of De La Salle, the
QAR team determined that the historic secondary school
had achieved the top rating – Highly Functional – in the
standards of Vision and Purpose, Documenting and Using
Results and Commitment to Continuous Improvement.
De La Salle received the second-highest rating of
Operational in the remaining four standards of Governance
and Leadership, Teaching and Learning, Resources and
Support Systems and Stakeholder Communication and
Relationships.
The accreditation is valid for a period of five years. De La
Salle has been accredited since 1923.
“On behalf of everyone at De La Salle, I would like to thank
those involved with AdvancED for visiting our school and
providing their valuable input and insight,” De La Salle
president Fr. Paul Novak, OSM said. “Doing as well as we
did is a credit to the faculty, staff, students, administration
and stakeholders of De La Salle.
“We feel very confident in our providing a high-quality
college preparatory education to the young women and
young men who are enrolled at our school. The findings
of the QAR team validate our belief in the excellence and
strength of De La Salle and also indicate to us what we must
do to make our school even stronger in the years ahead.”
$25,000 GRANT PROVIDES
New DyKnow Software
In February 2012, De La Salle was notified that it will receive a
federal grant to obtain DyKnow software for its faculty members on
both the Institute and Lourdes Hall Campuses.
The DyKnow Monitor Project is a software tool and professional
development training program that aims to protect instructional
time in order to support student learning by empowering teachers
to prevent student non-curricular computer use. When the software
is installed on teachers’ Tablet PCs and professional development
training is provided on how to use the software to enhance
instructional strategies and classroom management, teachers will
have the capabilities that guarantee that the instructional climate of the
classroom has improved from a classroom management standpoint.
This capability will increase student and teacher interaction during
coursework and also will enhance teaching and thus have a positive
impact on student achievement.
Associate Principal, Dr. Jorge Peña, used the software in his
Advanced Placement American Politics class during the spring of
2012. Thanks to a variety of means, he was able to safeguard his
students from inappropriate applications.
“I was able to send a message with a discussion question to the
students to determine whether or not they were on the network,” Peña
said. “We also had quick polls with instant results, we used the chat
feature to have the students give replies to discussion questions and
sent questions in Word documents to the students. They completed
them and send them back to you.
“The implementation of the
DyKnow Monitor Project will
promote the active involvement
of students in the learning
process,” Peña said. “The
professional development
training will ensure that all
student technology use supports
the curricular and instructional
program of the school.”
8 Academics

ACADEMICS
Alexis Ochoa ‘14
PERFORMS WITH LYRIC OPERA OF CHICAGO
One of De La Salle’s sophomores
from the Lourdes Hall Campus
for Young Women continues to
grace the stage at Lyric Opera
House of Chicago.
Alexis Ochoa ‘14, who performed
in her first opera at age 9, trains
in classical music and currently
acts as a supernumerary for
Lyric Opera.
“In my first opera, I was part
of the children’s chorus,” Ochoa said. “Today, I’m a
supernumerary, which is basically like an actor or an extra.”
Ochoa got involved with opera when she was in 4th grade
and attended an opera camp at Sherwood Elementary School
with some childhood friends.
“The vocal teacher whom I worked with at the opera camp
recommended that I audition for a part in the Children’s
Chorus at the Lyric Opera House,” Ochoa said.
After Ochoa sang “America the Beautiful” for her audition
song, she got the good news.
“I got accepted and participated in my first opera, ‘Der
Rosenkavalier,’” Ochoa said.
“Der Rosenkavalier” or “The Knight of the Rose” is an opera
by Richard Strauss to an original German libretto by Hugo
von Hofmannsthal. At one point in the opera, a group of
children sings to the Baron Ochs, pleading to him, with one
word, for acknowledgment.
“Der Rosenkavalier” is an opera in three acts and is a lengthy
production for a 9-year-old to participate.
“I remember the show being over at 11 pm.” Ochoa said. “I
got to go to school later in the morning, as long as I kept up
with my work.”
And so began Ochoa’s journey toward being a performer.
“I love performing,” she said. “Even if I don’t end up
pursuing a career in singing when I’m older, I’d definitely
like to do something with the arts and around the stage.”
Ochoa continues to try out for Lyric Opera performances and
was a part of its productions of “The Marriage of Figaro”,
“The Magic Flute”, and “Aida.”
“My favorite opera would probably have to be the one I sang
in, Der Rosenkavalier, because it was definitely the most
exciting,” Ochoa said. “I feel like I played a bigger part in
the opera.”
Ochoa has played a big part in Gallery 37’s youth program,
at After School Matters. Ochoa performed with Chicago
Opera Theatre Teens at the Cultural Center and at the wake
of Maggie Daley, who was the founder of the After School
Matters program.
With all of her time dedicated to performing at Lyric Opera
and continuing with voice lessons to maintain her beautiful
soprano voice, Ochoa also excels inside of the classroom at
De La Salle.
Ochoa is ranked No. 17 out of 111 students in the Class of
2014 at the Lourdes Hall Campus with a 4.0 grade-point
average. Next year, she will be inducted into the French
National Honor Society and also will become a peer minister.
De La Salle – Lourdes Hall Campus student Alexis Ochoa ‘14 in full
makeup for a role in ”Aida” with the Chicago Lyric Opera
s
Academics 9

s
De La Salle Aquatics:
A DEEP POOL OF TALENTED METEORS
Name a sport in the De La Salle boys
athletic program and you have no trouble
finding success stories both on the team and
individual levels.
Whether it’s baseball, basketball, football,
soccer, wrestling or any of the other sports,
‘Meteors Win!” is not only a rallying cry, it’s
also a statement of truth.
In the spring of 2012, De La Salle was able
to add another team to its list of winners: the
boys water polo team. The Meteors were
10-7 overall and recorded triumphs over
programs such as St. Rita, Mount Carmel,
St. Viator and Lane Tech. De La Salle’s
season ended with a loss in the Illinois High
School Association’s UIC Sectional after
a victory over Whitney Young to begin the
postseason.
Under the direction of head coach Heriberto
Garcia, the young men’s aquatics program
at De La Salle has been in existence for four
years with both the swimming and water
polo teams.
Garcia has been the head coach since the
inception. Garcia also has coached for the
Chicago Park District for the last 15 years.
Omar Gomez ‘15 met Garcia when he began
swimming in seventh grade in the Chicago
Park District program.
“I have learned everything from him,”
Gomez said. “He was my coach when I
started in seventh grade and will be in the
years to come. He taught me how to play
smart and use my head instead of the muscle.
“Before I met Coach Garcia, I was already
thinking of coming to ‘D’ and to me, it was
a perk that came with being a Meteor which
I’m very proud of.”
While he was a competitive athlete, Garcia
was a swimmer and water polo player at
Queens College in New York for four years.
Garcia also coached Queens College’s
grade-school program for three years.
Garcia brought his knowledge and love of
swimming and water polo with him when he
came to De La Salle and helped found the
swimming and water polo initiatives.
“During the first two years (of De La Salle’s
program), people were like, ‘You have a
program’” Garcia said. “Now, people are
like, ‘We heard you have a program and you
guys are competitive.’
“We’ve received plenty of compliments from
parents I know through the (Chicago) Park
District. It’s nice to see this program come
alive. It’s come a long way.”
During the 2011-12 school year, there were
22 young men in De La Salle’s swimming
program and 16 in the water polo program
with teams on both the junior-varsity and
varsity levels.
“The program has grown much stronger,”
Garcia said. “It’s refreshing. The first year
was a thrill to get one win and now four years
later, it’s nice to talk about our potential to go
downstate.”
Helping make that jump much easier is the
depth and variety of the talent pool – pun
fully intended – from which Garcia is able
to draw student-athletes who would like to
attend and swim for De La Salle.
The experience level of Meteor swimmers
ranges from beginners to young men who
have swum at the club level since they were
in grade school. Swimming at De La Salle
has also allowed the Meteors to have high
aspirations for their futures.
One of this year’s top
senior swimmers and
water polo players,
Austin Siegel
‘12, will attend
Louisiana State
University where
he hopes to walk
on to the Tigers’
swimming team.
s
Omar Gomez ‘15 competes
against his Lane Tech opponent.
“The best thing about our team is the
diversity,” Garcia said. “We have kids from
Western & Montrose who have swum at
Welles Park and we have Midway kids, we
have Pilsen kids and we have Bridgeport
kids. We go as far west as the I-294 border.
“We’re getting a big pull of kids which is
nice and the kids get to interact with each
other. It’s great to know as a program that
we’re reaching all ends of the city.”
Another Meteor who participates in both
swimming and water polo is Diego Leanos
‘15, who started swimming at age 4 in the
Tiny Tots Learn to Swim Program at Harrison
Park in Chicago. Leanos then moved up to
the Harrison Park swim team when he was
older which led to Leanos beginning to play
water polo in the fifth grade.
While Leanos is one of De La Salle’s more
experienced swimmers, teammate Nathaniel
Gutierrez ‘15 has only been swimming for
about eight months.
“Though I have not been swimming for
long, it still is a very fun sport to do,”
Gutierrez said. “I feel like I am improving
every practice.
“At first, I did not know there was a swim
program before I attended De La Salle,
but after I found out, it was the only sport
I wanted to try out for because I really like
being in the water. It made me realize that
I will stick with swimming for the rest of
my life.”
Goalkeeper John Koziol ‘15 looks to
distribute the ball to his teammates.
10 Feature Story

FEATURE STORY
De La Salle Aquatics:
A DEEP POOL OF TALENTED METEORS
One of the advantages of being in
existence for only 10 years is that as
De La Salle's Lourdes Hall Campus
grows, so do the opportunities
provided to its students.
With this in mind De La Salle
established a swimming and water
polo program for the young women
two years ago.
The girls swimming program, in its
second year of existence, is led by
Theresa Donnelly, who has been a
competitive swim coach for nearly
20 years at a variety of levels. Many
of the swimmers she has coached
have gone on to swim in college.
Donnelly also coaches the Meteor
girls water polo team, which has
been a junior-varsity program in
both years of its existence.
“The primary benefit of being a
member of De La Salle’s swim
team is learning the value of being
a member of a team,” Donnelly said.
“Participating in swimming also
has great physical benefits, building
endurance and stamina.”
During the 2011-12 season, there
were 17 student-athletes from the
Lourdes Hall Campus who were on
the Meteor swim team, with only
two of the swimmers being seniors.
One of the athletes who began her
competitive swimming career at De
La Salle is Destiny Guerrero ‘14.
Cat Jewers ‘12, Delilah Earley ‘14,
Wanda Fernandez ‘14, and
Destiny Guerrero ‘14 receive
instruction during practice.
s
s
Hannah Tassone ‘15 hones
her backstroke skills.
“Swimming had a huge impact on why
I chose De La Salle,” Guerrero said.
“I knew it was ‘D’s’ first year with a
swim team, so I felt more comfortable
trying out for the team as a new
swimmer. I didn’t feel like I was
going to be bad at swimming because
everyone else who joined felt the same
way as me.
“I have learned the proper way to
perform each swimming style and
I’ve learned that it’s not always about
winning. It’s about having fun with
your team and enjoying every moment
you have with them.”
One of Guerrero’s classmates, Sydney
Sheppard ‘14, is also glad she made
the decision to participate in De La
Salle’s aquatics program.
“I was never on a swim team
before,” Sheppard said. “I just started
swimming on a team the beginning of
my sophomore year, and I love it! ”
In the fall of 2011, the Meteors girls
swimming program received the
Illinois High School Association’s
Team Academic Achievement Award
for maintaining a grade-point average
of 3.0 or higher during its season.
“Statistics have proven that a busy
student makes a better student,”
Donnelly said.
Tryouts and practice for the 2012-13
girls swimming team will be held the
first week of the new school year. The
Meteors swim at the Valentine Boys
& Girls Club at 3400 S. Emerald in
Chicago.
Feature Story 11

s
Tolton Center Honored
BY ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE
In the spring of 2012, the Tolton Adult & Family Literacy Center
of De La Salle had three members of its community honored by
the Illinois Secretary of State as they received 2012 Spotlight
Literacy Awards at a ceremony held in Springfield, IL.
Lauded were Tolton students Lola Jones (who was profiled in
our Winter 2011-12 magazine) and Hilaria Ochoa, and Tolton
volunteer Sheela Jeevannandam.
Students and tutors are nominated by the local providers who
receive literacy grant funding from the Secretary of State/Illinois
State Library Literacy Office. Each year, ten students and ten
tutors are honored. Students received a $200 check from the
Illinois Press Association Foundation, while $200 was donated to
the winning tutor's organization.
De La Salle Magazine is honored to have stories about both Sheela
Jeevannandam and Hilaria Ochoa in this issue.
Sheela Jeevannandam has been a volunteer math instructor at
Tolton’s Bee Branch on Chicago’s South Side for the last four
years. Sheela came to Tolton after working in private industry as a
CPA and budget analyst.
After volunteering her tutoring talents at other entities prior to her
arrival at Tolton, Sheela now feels she is where she is supposed to be.
“It wasn’t until I found the Tolton Center that I experienced what it
feels like to be truly valued as a volunteer,” Sheela said. “On some
level, I really needed to contribute and (the Tolton administration)
saw this. The Tolton Center has allowed me that opportunity and
I have found it easy to invest in the vision of a very unique adult
education program.
“As a result, I continue to serve as a full-time volunteer because I
absolutely love tutoring. I feel I’m called to do this work, and I feel
privileged to work at the Tolton Center.”
A primary area of specialization for Sheela is helping prepare her
students for the math portion of the GED exam.
“Quite often, an insufficient score on the GED math test is the
reason for failure,” Sheela said. “I am presently working oneon-one
with five different students and I conduct group tutoring
twice a week for students to provide math remediation and
homework assistance.
“I like math and it’s a very rewarding experience working one-onone
with our students who are about to take the math exam. This
is a stepping stone for them, whether that is going on to college or
getting a better job.”
And when her students pass the math portion of the GED
“It’s beautiful,” Sheela said with a smile. “It’s great. We’re all
jumping up and down.”
Sheela was nominated for the Illinois Secretary of State’s Literacy
Award by Pamela Clemons, who is the Program Coordinator at
Tolton’s Bee Branch.
“Sheela is a very busy volunteer who devotes herself totally to all
her students,” Clemons said. “Any student with whom she works
can expect well-planned, varied and intense instruction.
“Sheela has the heart for doing this kind of work and she takes it
seriously…Tutors such as Sheela are the types of volunteers Tolton
continues to attract — those who are caring, dedicated and unwavering
in their devotion to not only the students, but the program as well.”
Along with helping her students pass the math portion of the GED
exam, Sheela said that she gains personal satisfaction through
other resources.
“My students teach me so much about life,” Sheela said. “It brings
me great joy to realize that I am a part of the process that has
opened up a new chapter in their lives…
“Working at the Tolton Center is gratifying work on so many
levels. I am grateful for the opportunity to learn and share the best
that I can be and to help our students to reach their GED goals
and any career aspirations they desire…I like being a part of an
institution that is driven toward this level of excellence.
“I feel I have found a home here.”
Tolton math instructor Sheela Jeevannandam and
Pamela Clemons, who is the Program Coordinator
at Tolton’s Bee Branch, celebrate Jeevannandam’s
award from the Illinois Secretary of State
12 Faith, Service & Community
Academics 9

s
FAITH, SERVICE & COMMUNITY
TOLTON CENTER HONORED BY ILLINOIS SECRETARY OF STATE
Across town from where Sheela helps Tolton’s Bee Branch students achieve their goals in
mathematics, student Hilaria Ochoa is one of the success stories in Tolton’s English as a Second
Language (ESL) program in the Little Village neighborhood.
Here is Hilaria’s story as written by Tolton ESL instructor Marie White:
“Hilaria was recently nominated for an achievement award, not only for her four consecutive
years of faithful attendance to her ESL classes, but for her love of learning and devotion to her
family. As a mother of four, Hilaria always put her children first. Hilaria comes to class no matter
what. She comes in extreme heat, walks in the rain and trudges through snow with her youngest
son, who is enrolled in Tolton's Early Childhood program.
“Hilaria and her son faithfully attend all five components of our program (ESL class, Early
Childhood, Parenting, Parent and Child Together Activities and Library Services) in addition to
attending almost all of the field trips. Additionally, her husband and four children attend these
excursions and are always involved in whatever activities we have planned for the field trips.
“Although Hilaria received a minimal education in her native country of Mexico, she does not
let this stop her. She has gone up three levels of English over the past four years. Many other
students would have been discouraged with this pace but she feels that she is learning English
at her pace and is pleased with what she has accomplished and with the English that she has
learned. She is now able to communicate with people in retail stores, ask questions at school for
her children, and, most of all, help her children with homework.
“Hilaria’s family is regularly seen at the local library and her peers depend on her for advice on
how to navigate the neighborhood and the school systems. She is often the first student to answer
correctly when questions are asked in class. Before, she used to be so shy that one would not
even know she was in the class. Now, she is an active participant. Four years ago, she would not
venture out of Little Village for fear she would get lost and not be able to find her way home.
Now, she ventures out and is not scared.
“We are so proud of Hilaria and honored to have her and her son in our Family Literacy program.”
Congratulations to everyone in the Tolton community!
Tolton English as a Second
Language Instructor Marie White
and Tolton ESL student Hilaria
Ochoa share a moment at the
Tolton fundraiser
STUDENT ARTWORK HELPS TO RAISE $4,000
On April 19, 2012, the Tolton
Center celebrated The Faces of
Tolton fundraiser held at Mi Tierra
Restaurant in Chicago’s Little
Village neighborhood. One of the
primary purposes for the fundraiser
was to celebrate Tolton’s 21 years
of existence.
Attendees spent the evening
enjoying Mexican hors d’oeuvres,
listening to the inspirational
words of The Interrupters’ Eddie
Bocanegra, a CeaseFire violence
interrupter, and learning more
about Tolton Center.
One of the most popular items in the
silent auction at the Tolton fundraiser
was some beautiful artwork created by
Tolton’s students.
In addition, students from Tolton’s
Early Childhood and Adult ESL
programs created amazingly beautiful
artwork that was raffled off at the event
with approximately $4,000 raised to
benefit the Tolton Center’s programs.
The staff and students would like
to thank everyone who came out to
support the Tolton Center on that
memorable evening. The staff and
students hope everyone enjoyed
the event and they look forward to
enjoying an evening with everyone
again in the fall.
Faith, Service & Community 13

Important Dates for
2012-2013 School Year
August
20: Freshman First Day - 8:10am
Institute Campus (IC) &
8:20am Lourdes Hall Campus (LHC)
Freshman Girls’ Parent Meeting - 6pm at LHC
21: All Students in Session - 8:10am
Institute Campus & 8:20am
Lourdes Hall Campus
Sophomore Girls’ Parent Meeting - 6pm
at LHC
29: Back to School Night - 7pm (IC & LHC)
Jr./Sr. Girls’ Parents Meeting - 6pm at LHC
Freshman Boys’ Parent Meeting - 6pm at IC
September
3: Labor Day - NO Classes & School
Offices Closed
10-14: Spirit Week
14: Homecoming Pep Assembly and Game
15: Homecoming Dance - 7:00pm to
10:30pm in Parmer Activity Center
24: Student Fundraiser Begins
October
1: Formal Dress Code Begins
5: Alumni Banquet
15: Columbus Day Observed - NO Classes
and School Offices Closed
21: Junior Ring Mass - 9am at IC
26: Staff Development Day - NO Classes
November
22-23: Thanksgiving Break - NO Classes
December
19-21: First Semester Exams
22: Christmas Break Begins
January 2013
7: Classes Resume
12 14 Feature Parent Place Story
Parent Association Highlights
The Parent Association kicked off 2012 by hosting the “Treasured
Moments” Father/Daughter and Mother/Son Dances. Students and
parents enjoyed a tropical themed evening that included dinner and
dancing. The crowd cheered on participants during the Limbo and Soul
Train competitions, and watched with a tearful eye as the senior class had
their traditional dance with their loved one.
In addition to all of the fun, The Parent Association was once again able to
help eight lucky families by giving away $2,000 in tuition reimbursements,
thanks to raffle sales. Proceeds from this event were in support of the
student assistance program. It was a night for
students and their parent or loved one to share an 1.
evening that they will treasure for a lifetime.
A variety of fundraising events have allowed the
Parent Association to help families and students
throughout the year. There are two Ricobene’s
Nights which raised enough money to purchase
fitness equipment including kettle balls, medicine
balls and other training equipment, while
continuing to help families through the tuition
assistance program.
1. Danielle Tate ‘15 and her dad share
a special moment on the dance floor.
2. Gabino Coss ‘15 and his mom enjoy
a dance together.
PARENTS WANTED
for 2012-2013 Parent Association
If you are looking for a way to get involved at D, please consider joining the
Parent Association. The mission of the Parent Association is to develop an
informed, interested and engaged body of current parents and guardians of
De La Salle students who are committed to executing activities that foster
community as well as benefit De La Salle Institute, its student body and
the parent/guardian population. The four key responsibilities of the Parent
Association are Education, Recruitment, Fundraising, and Community. The
Parent Association is always looking for leaders in these areas!
Many events during the year also need parent support such as open houses,
parent dinners, and the D-Final Event in the spring. Parents are integral
in helping to secure donations for the school, supplies and decorations for
events, as well as matching gift contributions from company volunteer
programs.
For more info on the Parent Association, visit the Parent Page at
www.dls.org or call Lee Ann Eiland in the Advancement Office
at 312-842-7355 x154.
2.

PARENT PLACE
Welcome to the Institute
CLASS OF 2016!
One of the most exciting things about starting high school is getting
to know your fellow classmates, bonding over being the newest
Meteors. De La Salle hosts freshman orientations during
the summertime so members of the Class of 2016 can
meet each other and get acclimated to the Institute
in a fun and energetic way.
There are two opportunities for members of
the Class of 2016 to participate in the threeday
freshman orientation, June 19th-June
21st or July 10th-July 12th.
Orientation starts on the students’ respective
campuses each day at 8:15am. Throughout the
three days, students will hear from the Principal
and Dean of Students of their campus, learn about
the sports and clubs available at D, watch a dress
code fashion show, as well as learn the words to the De
La Salle fight song. Students will participate in ice-breaking
activities to begin each day, in addition to playing trivia games,
having scavenger hunts throughout the buildings and relay races.
All of the fun activities for the freshmen are conducted by
current De La Salle students.
As a way to wrap up an exciting three days of
getting to know each other and the school,
everyone is invited to a barbeque in the
courtyard at the Institute Campus.
If you’re going to be a freshman at D next
year, tell mom and dad to schedule the family
vacation around your freshman orientation
dates. You’re not going to want to miss this
important event of freshman year.
For more information, contact Mike Boehm at the
Institute Campus at 312.842.7355 ext. 119 or Anna
Marassa at the Lourdes Hall Campus at 773.650.6800 ext. 181.
Summer Camps for Grade School Students
Are you looking for a place where your kids can play, learn and have fun over the summer Send them to De La Salle Institute to participate in one
of our various athletic and academic summer camps.
The Athletic Camps offered for grade school
students are:
Meteor Boys Baseball Camp
Monday - Thursday, July 16 -
19 ~ 9:00am - 11:00am, $125
Meteor Boys & Girls
Basketball Camp
Monday - Friday, June 25 - 29
9:00am - 1:00pm, 6th - 8th
Grade, $75
2:00pm - 4:00pm, 3rd - 5th
Grade, $40
Meteor Boys & Girls
Boxing Camp
Monday - Friday, June 25 - 29
and/or July 9 - 13
11:30am - 12:30pm, One
Session: $40, Two: $75
Meteor Boys Football Camp
Monday - Thursday, June 25-
28 and/or July 23 -26
4:00pm - 6:00pm, One
Session: $40, Two: $75
Meteor Boys & Girls
Golf Camp
Monday - Friday, July 9 - July
13, Noon - 2:00pm, $75
Meteor Boys and Girls
Volleyball Camp
Monday - Thursday, July
23 - 26
9:00am - 11:00am, 5th - 8th
Grade, $50
Noon - 2:00pm, 2nd - 4th
Grade, $50
Meteor Boys and Girls
Tennis Camp
Monday - Friday, June 25 - 29
9:00am - 11:00am, $75
Meteor Boys & Girls
Speed Camp
Monday-Thurs., June 18-21
and/or June 25-28
Noon - 2:30pm, One Session:
$99, Two: $175
Meteor Boys & Girls
Soccer Camp
Monday - Friday, July 9 - 13
Noon - 2:00pm, $50
Meteor Boys Wrestling Camp
Monday - Thursday, June 18 -
June 21, 11:00am - 1:00pm, $35
The Academic Camps offered for grade school
students are:
Writer’s Loft:
Writing Workshop
Monday – Thursday, Noon –
1:00 PM, July 9 - 19 $60
Algebra Fundamentals
Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM –
10:30 AM, June 18 - 22 $60
Creative Art
Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM –
11:00 AM, June 25 - 29 $60
Mandarin Chinese
Monday – Thursday, 9:00 AM
– 11:00 AM, July 9 - 26 $75
History Detectives
Monday – Thursday, 11:00 AM
– 1:00 PM, June 18 - 21 $40
Science: Dig This! -
Unearthing Fossils
Monday – Thursday, 9:00 AM
– 10:30 AM, June 18 - 28 $70
Aviation
Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM –
11:00 AM, July 23 - 27 $60
Band
Monday – Thursday, June
18 - 21
Beginning band – 9:00 AM –
10:00 AM (students with little
or no experience)
Band II - 10:15 AM – 11:15
AM (students with at least one
year experience)
$40 for those with an instrument
$70 for those who will need
an instrument – you need to
contact Mr. Pawlowski by June
1st if you need an instrument
and please specify which one
Drama
Monday – Friday, 11:00 AM –
Noon, June 18 - 22 $60
If you have an
incoming freshman
attending De La
Salle in the fall, the
following athletic
camps are available:
Girls Basketball
June 25-29, 12:30pm-2:30pm
($50)
Golf
July 9-13, Noon-2pm ($75,
includes greens fees)
Soccer
July 9-13, Noon-2pm ($50)
Speed/Track
June 25-28, Noon-2pm, ($99)
Volleyball
July 23-26, 3pm-5:30pm ($75)
Boys Football
June 25-28 & July 23-26,
4pm-6pm ($80, includes both
sessions)
Wrestling
June18-21, Noon-2pm ($35)
For more information about the grade school athletic and academic camps, contact Chuck Kuhn at 312.842.7355 ext 150 or kuhnc@dls.org.
For more information about the incoming freshman camps, contact Mike Boehm at 312.842.7355 ext 119 or boehmm@dls.org.
Parent Place 15

Spend Your Summer Learning About
"SWEET HOME CHICAGO"
Whether you’re unable to get away from work during the summer or you just
don’t have a lot of money to spend on a fancy vacation to a faraway place,
Chicago and the surrounding areas have plenty of exciting things to do for a fun
and inexpensive summer ‘staycation’.
There are a plethora of museums, theatres and historical landmarks in Chicago
that rival that of any other city in the United States or Europe. We, as longtime
residents of the city or suburbs, definitely don’t take advantage of all the culture
sitting in our backyard. For a great ‘staycation’ in our hometown, you can visit
some of these amazing venues.
As for museums, there is the Art Institute of Chicago, the Museum of Science
and Industry, the Field Museum of Natural History, the Adler Planetarium, and
the John G. Shedd Aquarium.
Be sure to check each museum’s website for updated ticket information, hours of operation and list of upcoming events as well as directions
and parking information.
There are other museums throughout the city that are situated in the different neighborhoods, like the Chicago History Museum on North
Clark Street, the National Museum of Mexican Art in Pilsen which has free admission every day, the DuSable Museum of African-American
History in Washington Park, the National Italian-American Sports Hall of Fame on Taylor Street and many more throughout Chicago.
For more information, visit www.explorechicago.com, the official Chicago tourism site.
If your family enjoys live theatre, you can check the Broadway in Chicago website at www.broadwayinchicago.com for the shows playing
at the various theatres in the city. Theatre aficionados can also tour some of the historic venues in downtown Chicago such as the Oriental,
Cadillac Palace and Bank of America Theatres.
Finally, for those who are interested in architecture, the Chicago Architecture Foundation
offers a boat tour along the river that is not to be missed (www.architecture.org)!
You can also visit all of the landmarks in Chicago such as the Willis Tower,
Navy Pier and the John Hancock Observatory, just to name a few.
The city of Chicago provides a wonderful and fun opportunity to learn
outside of a classroom setting this summer. Be sure to take advantage
and have some fun!
16 Parent Place

Celebrating 10 years of educating
women at De La Salle Institute
With the 10th Anniversary of the Lourdes Hall Campus
approaching, we look forward to hosting several
special events throughout the coming school year for
both the graduates of the De La Salle Lourdes Hall
Campus and Lourdes High School alumnae. Visit
the website for up to date information (www.dls.org)
or call Kate Rhodes at 312-842-7355 x147.
Sister Rosemarie Morowczynski, SSJ-TOSF
Is GCAC Hall of Famer
In March, 2012, De La Salle – Lourdes Hall Campus for Young
Women faculty member Sr. Rosemarie Morowczynski, SSJ-TOSF,
was inducted into the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Hall of Fame.
Sr. Rosie was enshrined along with six other individuals and two teams
and was inducted in the Fan category.
Sr. Rosie taught at Lourdes High School from 1977-2002. She began
her teaching career at De La Salle’s Lourdes Hall Campus for Young
Women at the outset of the 2002-03 school year.
While at Lourdes, Sr. Rosie spent one season as an assistant varsity volleyball coach and
also was the head coach for the girls junior-varsity softball program for one season.
Congratulations, Sr. Rosie!
(L to R): Sr. Ann
Mary Wundrach, SSJ-
TOSF 'L57, Sr. Josita
Krzeminski, SSJ-
TOSF, and Sr. Rosie
Morowczynski, SSJ-TOSF
celebrate Sr. Rosie’s
induction into the GCAC
Hall of Fame.
Alumni
Career Day
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Share your exciting career path with
the current juniors and seniors at
De La Salle. Our young men and
young women will be delighted
to learn firsthand of the variety of
professional opportunities available
to them and how your De La Salle
education prepared you. Please
consider sharing your time and story
with our students on both campuses.
Contact Maggie McEldowney at
312-842-7355 x146 to learn more.
Parent Place 17

2011-12 WINTER SPORTS RECAP
CONGRATULATIONS
JAMES BUSS ‘12
In February, 2012, James Buss ‘12 became the third wrestler in De La Salle history to win a
state title. Buss defeated Bolingbrook’s Rob Bain 5-1 in overtime in the championship bout at
285 pounds at the Illinois High School Association’s Class 3A individual wrestling tournament
at the University of Illinois’ Assembly Hall in Champaign.
Buss joins Curtis Blaydes ‘09, who won at 285 in 2009, and Tim Stringer ‘93, who won at 140
in 1993, as Meteor state champions.
Buss finished his senior season with a record of 42-0. He concludes his Meteor wrestling
career with a record of 115-7. Buss won three Catholic League
championship titles, was a state qualifier in 2010, and
placed third in the state at 285 in 2011.
“Everyone at De La Salle would like to say thank you
to James for all of his hard work and dedication over
the past four years,” De La Salle head wrestling coach
Dale Burke ’00 said. “We are extremely proud of him.”
Congratulations, James!
Boys Basketball
The Meteors concluded their season with an overall record of 17-7. As a result of the team’s success, three student-athletes were chosen
to the 2011-12 All-Chicago Catholic League basketball team.
Lauded were 6'4" guard Alvin Ellis ‘13, 6'9" forward/center Alex Foster ‘13 and 6'9" forward/center Gavin Schilling ‘13.
In addition, Foster was named to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association’s 2012 Class 4A All-State Team, while Ellis and Schilling
garnered special mention plaudits from the IBCA.
Foster averaged 12.1 points and 8.3 rebounds per game this season while also leading De La Salle with 44 blocked shots. Ellis
was the Meteors’ leading scorer with an average of 17.4 points per game. He also chipped in 38 3-pointers and 18 blocked
shots. Schilling averaged 12.1 points and 7 rebounds per game while also blocking 40 shots.
Girls Basketball
Three members of the Meteors’ varsity girls basketball team were named to the 2011-12 All-Girls Catholic
Athletic Conference basketball team.
Francesca Castagna ‘12, Renee Jones ‘12 and JaVonna Smith ‘12 helped the Meteors to an 18-9 overall record and the
Illinois High School Association’s Class 3A De La Salle Regional championship. This marked the first regional title in
women’s basketball in De La Salle history.
Smith, a senior guard/forward, averaged 14 points per game as she also was selected the GCAC Player of the Year. Smith
scored 1,139 points in her four years of varsity competition at De La Salle.
Jones, a senior forward, averaged 10 points and 13 rebounds per game this season, while Castagna, a senior guard, averaged 5
points and 6 assists per game.
18 Athletics

ATHLETICS
SPRING SPORTS UPDATE
Boys and Girls Track and Field
The Meteors’ girls track and field team finished in a three-way tie for
ninth in the 13-team field at the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference
tournament with seven points.
In state competition, De La Salle was eighth in the IHSA Class 2A
Jones Sectional with 11 points. The 4x100 relay team qualified for
the state finals with a time of 52.12. Representing the Meteors were
Amber Carson ‘13, Jewel Jones ‘13, Kinnidi Warfield ‘15, Brandice
Wheatley ‘15 and alternate Kayla Giles ‘15.
The boys track and field team, which was seventh in the Chicago
Catholic League tournament with 42 points, finished first in the IHSA
Class 2A Chicago Marshall Sectional with 147.50 points.
Justin Tate ‘13 won the long jump, Dustin Brandon ‘13 won the high
jump and Demetrius Catchings ‘12 was victorious in the shot put.
Also winning for the Meteors were Quentin Patten ‘13 in the 110-
high hurdles and Jordan Page ‘12 in the triple jump. De La Salle also
prevailed in the 4x100 relay.
Girls Soccer
The Meteors ended their season
with an overall record of 10-10-3. Over
the course of play in the Girls Catholic
Athletic Conference, De La Salle defeated
Gordon Tech and St. Joseph while also
beating Bremen, Kelly and St. Benedict
in nonconference play.
Three Meteors received postseason
plaudits as midfielders Wendy Sotelo ‘12
and Katie Cline ‘12 were recognized by
the Illinois High School Soccer Coaches
Association. Sotelo earned IHSSCA All-
Sectional honors, while Cline received
IHSSCA Honorable Mention status.
Midfielder Selena Hernandez ‘13 also
was named to the IHSSCA Honorable
Mention team.
Wendy Sotelo ‘12
Girls Softball
The Meteor varsity softball team enjoyed success during the season as it
placed four players on the 2012 All-Girls Catholic Athletic Conference
Team. Lauded for their excellence were pitcher Kaity Krol ‘15,
outfielder Alex Garza ‘12, first baseman Kelly Crowley ‘12 and infielder
Francesca “Frankie” Castagna ‘12.
Over the course of the regular season,
the Meteors defeated GCAC rivals
Regina Dominican, Queen of Peace,
Resurrection, Mount Assisi and St.
Ignatius as well as posting nonconference
wins over Joliet Catholic Academy and
Riverside-Brookfield.
In postseason play, the Meteors defeated
Resurrection 3-0 in the third-place game
of the GCAC Red Tournament.
(L to R): Kaity Krol ‘15, Alex Garza ‘12,
Frankie Castagna ‘12 and Kelly Crowley ‘12
Boys Baseball
As of the printing deadline, the Meteors varsity had an overall mark
of 22-10. During the course of the season, De La Salle defeated St.
Patrick twice with wins against St. Rita, Brother Rice, St. Ignatius
and Fenwick anchoring the
Chicago Catholic League
slate.
Named to the All-Catholic
League Team were pitcher/
infielder Patrick Haynes ‘12,
catcher Scott McGurn ‘12,
pitcher/infielder Ricardo
Ramirez ‘13 and pitcher/
infielder Anthony Shimkus
‘12. Shimkus also was
chosen the CCL White
Player of the Year.
The freshman team won the
CCL White Conference,
while the sophomores were
20-9 overall and 9-7 in
league play.
s
s
Boys Tennis
The Meteors placed sixth in the Chicago Catholic League tournament
led by Larry Muse ‘12, who placed sixth at No. 1 singles and Troy
Gueno ‘12, who placed fifth at No. 2 singles.
The tandem of Erik Brownlee ‘12 and Kevin Wilson ‘12 finished in
sixth place at No. 1 doubles.
In Catholic League competition during the regular season, the Meteors
posted victories over Mount Carmel and St. Laurence.
Boys Water Polo
De La Salle’s varsity posted an overall record of 10-7 with wins
over St. Rita, Mount Carmel, St. Viator and Lane Tech highlighting
the resume. In Metro Catholic Aquatic Conference competition, the
Meteors also beat St. Patrick, St. Rita, Brother Rice, Loyola Academy
and St. Ignatius.
Recognized as the top performers for the Meteors this season were
Austin Siegel ‘12, Angelo Espinoza ‘14 and Roberto Rodriguez ‘15.
s
Front Row: Anthony Shimkus ‘12,
Scott McGurn ‘12, Patrick Haynes ‘12
Back Row: Ricardo Ramirez ‘13, De
La Salle baseball coach Nick Bridich
Boys Volleyball
As of the printing deadline, the Meteors were 15-10 overall
with two wins over Catholic League rivals St. Joseph, St.
Laurence and Gordon Tech along with a victory over
Montini in nonconference action.
Setter Vince Solis ‘12 and middle blocker Josh White ‘12
also were selected to the All-Catholic League White Team
for the second consecutive season.
Athletics 19

METEOR ATHLETICS
EXCELLING INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM
In keeping with De La Salle’s tradition of
blending academic and athletic excellence,
10 Meteor teams from the Lourdes Hall
and Institute Campuses have been lauded
by the Illinois High School Association
for their success in the classroom during
the fall and winter seasons of the 2011-12
school year.
The Illinois High School Association’s
Team Academic Achievement Awards
were presented to the girls cross country,
girls volleyball, girls tennis, girls
swimming, girls bowling, girls basketball,
boys golf, boys cross country, boys
wrestling and boys basketball teams.
The IHSA’s Team Academic Achievement
Awards recognize those teams that have
maintained a grade-point average of 3.0 or
better during their respective seasons.
“One of the things in which everyone at
De La Salle takes a great deal of pride is
that our young women and young men are
truly student-athletes,” De La Salle athletic
director Tom White said. “Succeeding
in both the classroom and in the athletic
arena is something to be admired because
it requires a great deal of hard work and
dedication.
“This is a testament to how hard-working
and dedicated our Meteors are.”
Congratulations!
For many members of De La Salle’s Class of 2012, their athletic careers
will continue at the colleges and universities of their choice. Here is a list
of where our Meteors will play next season:
Football
Stewart Cunningham – Carthage College (WI)
Christopher Lisenby – Western Illinois University
Jared Philp – Illinois Wesleyan University
Sal Romando – Carthage College (WI)
Zack Strock – Illinois Wesleyan University
Brandon Wright – Saint Joseph’s College (IN)
Boys Basketball
Derek Roscoe – Oakton Community College (IL)
Josh White – Eastern Illinois University
Wrestling
James Buss – Loras College (IA)
Baseball
Jabari Brown – Claflin University (SC)
Patrick Haynes – Western Michigan University
Matt Ramirez – Saint Mary’s (MN) University
Anthony Shimkus – Southern Illinois University
Girls Volleyball
Arianna Hayden – Morgan State University (MD)
Bridget White – North Central College (IL)
Girls Basketball
JaVonna Smith – Danville Area Community College (IL)
Girls Soccer
Wendy Sotelo – Concordia University (IL)
Softball
Francesca Castagna – Lewis University (IL)
Kathy Crowley – Roosevelt University (IL)
Kelly Crowley – Roosevelt University (IL)
Alex Garza – Morton College (IL)
Nikki Medina – Western Illinois University
Morgan Owens – Goshen College (IN)
20 Athletics

DEVELOPMENT
1.
Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation –
SUPPORTING OUR METEORS
Since 1998, the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation has partnered with De La Salle
Institute to further its mission of education. During its long-standing relationship, nearly
$55,000 has been received in support of the student financial assistance program.
Daniel Rice and his wife, Ada, established the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation in 1947. They felt that because
of their financial success, it was important for them to give back. More than sixty years later, the Rice Foundation,
headquartered in Skokie, has awarded millions of dollars through numerous grants to worthy causes such as education,
endangered species, medical research and fine arts.
Thanks to the generosity of the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation Scholarship, De La Salle is able to award
scholarships to five deserving young men and women annually. This grant makes a tremendous difference to our
students and their families. The Rice Foundation’s support is an affirmation of the value of a quality Lasallian education.
De La Salle is pleased to acknowledge the generosity of the Daniel F. and Ada L. Rice Foundation and Trustee, Peter
Nolan, for their care and concern for the success of our students.
“MILES FOR METEORS”
and the
Bank of America Chicago Marathon
De La Salle is proud to introduce the runners on this year’s Miles for Meteors Team! Steve Frenz, John
McDonough ‘74, Steve McNulty ‘81, Sean Patrick-Oswald and Ben Tassone ‘80 will be running 26.2 Miles
for Meteors in this year’s Bank of America Chicago Marathon! These men will be raising money to support
the scholarship fund at De La Salle while training for this impressive feat.
If you would like to support them and the students at De La Salle, feel free to visit our Miles for Meteors
page at http://www.active.com/donate/delasalle2012.
This is De La Salle’s second year participating in the Bank of
America Chicago Marathon. For years, De La Salle has provided a water station outside the
Institute Campus on 35th and Michigan for all Bank of America Chicago Marathon runners.
We will be hosting that same water station this year, but with special appreciation for our
Meteors – Steve, John, Steve, Sean and Ben – as they represent “D” in this year’s marathon!
Come support our Miles for Meteors Team and all the other runners on the morning of October
7, 2012! For more information, please contact Maggie McEldowney at (312) 842-7355 ext.
146 or mceldowneym@dls.org. We hope to see you there!
Development 21

Fifth Annual
Great Futures Gala
Honored the Sisters of Saint Joseph of the
Third Order of Saint Francis
De La Salle hosted the Fifth Annual Great
Futures Gala on April 20, 2012 at the
University Club of Chicago.
This year, the Sisters of St. Joseph of
the Third Order of St. Francis were honored
for their commitment to education and
also to celebrate 10 years of women’s
education at the Lourdes Hall Campus of
De La Salle Institute.
It was a wonderful evening that
helped to raise nearly $200,000
for the students at De La Salle.
The emcee for the event
was Lauren Jiggetts, NBC 5
Chicago news reporter, who
was accompanied by her father
and former Chicago Bear Dan
Jiggetts. The night was filled with
smiles and laughs as everyone participated in
the raffles and games throughout the evening.
De La Salle is sincerely grateful for the
generous contributions which made the Fifth
Annual Great Futures Gala such a success!
We hope to see all of you at the Sixth Annual
Great Futures Gala next year, April 19, 2013!
1.
Gala Leadership Committee
Mr. Michael A. Tadin ‘69
2012 Honorary Chair
Hon. Richard M. Daley ‘60
Gala Co-Chair
Mr. Elzie Higginbottom
Gala Co-Chair
Hon. Patrick M. Huels ‘67
Gala Co-Chair
Extollo Board of Directors
Br. Michael Quirk, FSC
President
Gala Co-Chair
Mr. Michael F. Hickey ‘56
Vice President
Mr. Joseph J. Hartnett ‘73
Secretary/Treasurer
22 Development

DEVELOPMENT
2.
3.
5.
4.
6.
1: Sr. Dorothy Pagosa accepts the 2012 Founder’s Award
and is joined by Fr. Paul Novak and Sr. Mary Alice Jarosz
2: Sr. Kimberly Mulhearn, Sr. Judith David and Sr. Madge
Karecki were among those representing the Sisters of St.
Joseph of the Third Order of St. Francis
3: NBC 5 Chicago reporter Lauren Jiggetts, the
evening’s emcee, has some fun while participating in the
Blue/Gold Game
4: Marshall Blake and his wife, Dr. Kathleen Ackman Blake,
prepare to participate in the auction
5: De La Salle President Fr. Paul Novak, OSM channels his
inner Bing Crosby prior to auctioning off a trip to the 2013
Masters Golf Tournament
6: Jesus Alvarez ’90, Robert Papineau ’93 and Eduardo Valencia
'92 let everyone know which is their favorite high school
Development 23

Wish List
As you consider your Annual Fund support
this year, here are some ways your gift will
impact the students at De La Salle. One
hundred percent of Wish List donations
directly support our programs. A donation
at any level is greatly appreciated because
every dollar counts. Please use the attached
envelope to grant a wish.
$56 will provide the monthly lease payment
for one student to use the Tablet PC
$250 will cover the cost for a student to attend
a retreat at La Salle Manor in Plano, IL
$550 will help purchase five
cheerleading uniforms
$700 will enable one young woman to participate
in the Nicaragua Science Trip this summer
$750 will provide for one theatre production
$1,000 will cover the full cost to purchase a
Tablet PC
$2,500 will help purchase a video
conferencing system to engage 8th graders in
a high school classroom experience
$5,000 will supply art materials at the Institute
and Lourdes Hall campuses for one year
$9,450 will cover the cost of tuition for one
student this year
Engaging young Lasallians…priceless
Building a Legacy
Help yourself, your family and De La Salle
Institute by joining other alumni and friends
who have provided for the school in their
estate plans. We greatly appreciate those
individuals who remember De La Salle with
a bequest or other means of deferred giving.
You not only honor your own memories and
experiences, but you also build a legacy that
will help thousands of students receive the
Lasallian education that is a long-standing
tradition at De La Salle Institute.
We welcome all inquiries about planned
gifts. To learn more about making a planned
gift to De La Salle, please contact Iris Gist
Cochran, Director of Development, at
312.842.7355, ext 152 or cochrani@dls.org.
Honor Key Award Nominations
Each year, the Alumni Association awards the Honor Key Award at the Annual Alumni
Banquet. All Honor Key recipients are graduates and/or former faculty and staff
members of De La Salle Institute who have distinguished themselves by their achievements
while at De La Salle and/or by their civic or commercial success. Nominations are
received and reviewed by the Directors of the Alumni Association. Up to three awards
will be given out at the Alumni Banquet on Friday, October 5, 2012. The Alumni Association
welcomes any and all nominations for the 2012 Honor Key Award.
If you know of a former De La Salle student, faculty/staff member, athletic director,
coach or trainer who is worthy of receiving an Honor Key, please submit their name with
the completed form below and any other attachments that may aid in the consideration of
the candidate.
Please forward your nomination(s) to the Alumni Office at De La Salle Institute by US
Mail, Fax or Email. If you have any questions regarding the Honor Key Award, please
contact Iris Gist Cochran at 312.842.7355 x152 or cochrani@dls.org.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
~ Nomination Form ~
Name: ______________________ Class Year (if applicable) _________
Address: ___________________________________________________
City: ____________________________ State: ________ Zip: ________
Phone: ___________________ Email: ___________________________
Occupation: _________________________________________________
Accomplishments (at De La Salle / in Career/ in Community Service):
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Other Awards/Recognition beyond De La Salle:
__________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________
Relationship to/with De La Salle:
___________________________________________________________
Return to: Alumni Office, 3455 S Wabash Ave, Chicago, IL 60616
or Fax to 312-842-4142
24 Alumni Connection

ALUMNI CONNECTION
Alumni Updates
Does De La Salle
Have Your E-mail Address
Please visit our website at www.dls.org
and click on the alumni relations page.
1957
John Aranza has written a new book entitled “My Bridgeport”. In the book,
Aranza “chronicles a lifetime of experiences and sensitivities to the little
village atmosphere (he) keenly sensed and sought out.” Contact Aranza at
johnaranza@sbcglobal.net.
Louis Barta is a retired vice president and general manager in the chemical
coatings industry. He lives in Darien, IL and his email address is ljb4051@
aol.com.
Algerd Monstavicius is retired and lives with his family in Incline Village,
NV. Reach him by email at monstavicius64@sbcglobal.net.
1965
Gregory Rhodes is a retired assistant United States Attorney and lives in
New Orleans, LA. He may be emailed at ghayzer@aol.com.
1966
Enrico Clausi and his wife reside in Germantown, TN. Clausi is the
Assistant Director of Army Instruction for the Memphis City School. His
email address is capopiper@aol.com.
Thomas Strzycki resides in Fort Myers, FL after serving in the United States
Air Force as well as working in the fields of marketing, education and public
safety. Strzycki and his wife have two daughters and two grandchildren. He
can be reached at t.strzycki@comcast.net.
1967
Don Meyer is an author and currently resides in June Lake, CA. His latest
book is entitled “the American War” and features Sam Kensington, a soldier
who participated in both the Civil War and Vietnam War.
Meyer has also authored “Winter Ghost - McKenzie Affair - Uncle Denny”,
“Jennifer’s Plan” and “The Protected Will Never Know - A Vietnam
Memoir”.
For further information on Meyer’s books, please visit his website at www.
dpmeyer.com or contact him by email at don@dpmeyer.com
1968
Gregory Parker and his family live in Palos Heights, IL. Parker, who is an
accountant, also is the proud father of five daughters. His email address is
gregparker3@comcast.net.
De La Salle Institute extends its deepest
sympathies to the families of the following
De La Salle and Lourdes alumni and
friends who have recently passed away:
Ms. Barbara Alberts
Mr. Joseph F. Ambrosino '53
Mr. Donald A. Backley '53
Mr. William E. Blake '53
Mrs. Sandra M. Bozzi 'L74
Dr. Michael J. Campbell '32
Mr. Joseph N. Casella '53
Mr. Leonard J. Cichowski '53
Mr. Robert L. Considine '62
Mr. Gerald M. Cull '53
Mr. John R. DiPietro '53
Mr. George J. Ewert '54
Mr. Ronald A. Feldner '61
Mr. Joshua A. Gonzalez '11
Mr. William F. Granger '59
Ms. Eva Grzegorczyk 'L95
Mr. Vernon L. Guider '63
Mr. Andre R. Harris '81
Mr. Donald E. Jeffers '56
Mr. Walter S. Klugiewicz '53
Mr. Charles W. Knock '55
Mrs. Mary Ann Koperski 'L58
Mr. John J. Kosminskas '53
Mr. James T. Markham '43
Mr. John T. McManus '53
Mr. Ronald K. Nevels '50
Mr. Leonard M. Novak '59
Mrs. Marguerite A. Perlinski 'L55
Mr. Salvatore P. Pusateri '44
Mr. Robert J. Russell '60
Mr. Earl P. Sanders '53
Mr. William F. Schacht '62
Mr. Robert M. Small '53
Mr. Frank L. Strocchia '51
Mr. William E. Tracey '60
Mrs. Joan L. Wrobel 'L53
Mr. Valentine Zabielski '53
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord, and may
perpetual light shine upon them. May their
souls and all the souls of the faithful departed
rest in peace. Amen.
St. John Baptist de La Salle, pray for us.
Our Lady of Lourdes, pray for us.
Live Jesus in our hearts, forever.
Alumni Connection 25

Alumni Updates
1969
Edwin Gierut is employed in the printing industry and lives in
Darien, IL. His email address is ed.j.gierut@rrd.com.
1971
Derrick Barry lives in Shorewood, IL with his family and is working
in the railroad industry. His email address is rien15@aol.com.
1972
Arthur Parra is a retired Chicago Police Department captain. He
resides in Chicago with his family. Parra, who can be reached at
artparrasr@gmail.com., also informed us that his granddaughter,
Alexis, will be a member of De La Salle’s Class of 2016.
Congratulations!
1974
John Griffin Jr. is a brokerage owner in the insurance industry. He
resides in South Elgin, IL and may be reached via email at jpginsu@
sbcglobal.net.
1981
Victor Megaro works in the fire investigation field as a fire marshal.
He resides in Chicago and his email address is rpdox@aol.com.
1982
Jose Aranda Jr. is an engineer and resides with his family
in Grayslake, IL. His email address is zeppelindeplomo38@
yahoo.com.
1983
Gerard Aubert has spent the last 27 years in the airline industry
working for United Airlines in the field of in-flight management. He
resides in Spring, TX and can be reached at flytex777@aol.com.
Mark Hoffman and his family reside in Bradley, IL. Hoffman, who
works as a semi-truck carrier, can be reached by email at rjsjw@
comcast.net.
Socrates Mabry is a detective with the Chicago Police Department.
He lives in Chicago and may be emailed at socrates.mabry@
chicagopolice.org.
1984
Andrew Preer Jr. has earned a degree from Huston-Tillotson
University in Austin, TX after spending 20 years serving in the
United States military.
Preer Jr. notified De La Salle Magazine that on Nov. 28, 2011,
he was inducted into the Eta Tau Chapter of Sigma Tau Delta
International English Honor Society. He added that “all of my
collegiate success would not have been possible had I not attended
De La Salle Institute. To all the Christian Brothers, teachers, and
staff, thank you very much for your instruction and discipline.”
Preer Jr. is working in the computer science industry and resides in
Austin, TX. His email address is chitownlefty@gmail.com.
1985
Brian Goodwill is a deputy sheriff in the field of law enforcement and
lives in Chicago. His email address is skymarshal_5@yahoo.com.
John Respeto is a laborer and steward in the food industry. He
resides in North Riverside, IL and can be contacted at j4r19r67@
yahoo.com.
1987
Teakoe Coleman works for the federal government as an auditor. He
lives in Woodbridge, VA and can be reached at teakcold@gmail.com.
Stephen Taylor resides in Golden Valley, MN and is working in
the field of education as an assistant principal. His email address is
Stephen.Taylor@spps.org.
1991
Wahib Manzur is a lieutenant in the law enforcement industry.
Manzur resides in Goodyear, AZ and his email address is
wmanzur@gmail.com.
1994
Juan Alvarez is a union plumber in the construction industry and
lives in Chicago. His email address is alvplumbing@gmail.com.
1995
Richard Blake lives in Chicago and works for the Chicago Park
District as a supervisor. His email address is reeblake77@yahoo.com.
Willie Hampton Jr. is an occupancy specialist in the housing field and
lives in Chicago. His email address is willhamptonjr@gmail.com.
1997
Dave Sprandel works in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning
(HVAC) industry as a member of the Union 597 pipefitters. He calls
Oak Lawn, IL home and may be contacted at davesp113@yahoo.com.
26 Alumni Connection

ALUMNI CONNECTION
Alumni Updates
1999
Tom Ruswick works in sales and logistics in the steel
industry. He calls Tinley Park, IL home and may be contacted
at ruz12@hotmail.com.
2003
Ronald Moore is employed in the corrections field as a Youth
Development Specialist for Cook County. He lives in Oak
Park, IL and his email address is moorrona@gmail.com.
2004
Tim Kelleher is a senior accountant for Deloitte & Touche.
Kelleher graduated from Centenary (LA) College in 2008 and
earned his Masters Degree in accounting from Notre Dame
one year later. Kelleher resides in Oak Lawn, IL and can be
emailed at tkelleher@alumni.nd.edu.
Chris Paluch is an art director and lives in Chicago. His email
address is crpaluch@gmail.com.
2007
DaVina Fairley is a sales associate and lives in Jackson, MS.
Her email address is destinikisses@gmail.com.
2009
Derek Needham was named to the All-Metro Atlantic
Athletic Conference Second Team in basketball for the
2011-12 season. Needham, who plays for Fairfield University,
was second on the Stags’ roster in scoring (11.8 ppg) and
first in assists (3.4 apg). Needham also was selected to the
National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC)
All-District I team.
Joe Nieciak is a student at DePaul University and resides in
Chicago. He is studying urban and regional planning as well
as working for an engineering software distributor as a data
account specialist. Nieciak’s email address is jnieciak91@
hotmail.com.
2010
Maceo Johnson is a student at Kentucky State University in
Frankfort, KY. Johnson, who is a student ambassador and tour
book coordinator, will be the 1st Vice President of the Student
Government Association and serve on the executive board
during the 2012-13 school year. Johnson’s email address is
Maceo.Johnson@kysu.edu.
Lourdes Alumnae Update
1979
Eva (Kozlowski) Lazzara is a pharmacist and resides with her
family in Brookfield, IL. Contact her by email at
eva_k@comcast.net.
1985
Mary (Styrczula) Ameriks is a revenue analyst and resides
with her husband in Chicago. Her email address is
maryhstyrcz@yahoo.com.
1987
Marybeth (Nieciak) Ochoa lives in Chicago with her husband
and family and is working as a pharmaceutical analyst. Her email
address is marybethochoa@hotmail.com.
Elaine Alexander works in development and donor relations for
Easter Seals in the Fox Valley and DuPage regions of Illinois.
She and her family reside in Chicago. Alexander’s email address
is ldylane68@aol.com.
Regina Sipla is a manager in the information technology field and
lives in Addison, IL. Sipla can be reached at rmsipla@juno.com.
Gina (DeGrazia) Skiera is a finance systems manager in the
aviation industry. She resides in Itasca, IL and is interested in
helping to plan a 25th Anniversary reunion for the Lourdes Class
of 1987. Skiera’s email address is gina.zia@gmail.com.
1989
Theresa (Krug) Reilly is an executive assistant and lives with her
family in Oak Lawn, IL. Her email address is theresa.reilly@
hotmail.com.
1992
Kristen Ecklund is employed in the oil and gas industry as a
human resources manager for an equity investment firm in
Houston, TX. Her email addresses are Kecklund@memorialrd.
com and Kristen.Ecklund@gmail.com.
1995
Rebecca Nadasky is a dispatcher and lives in Aurora, IL. Her
email address is beccajipsee@yahoo.com.
Alumni Connection 27

21ST ANNUAL D-FINAL EVENT
On April 2, 2012, De La Salle hosted the
21st Annual D-Final Event. The Parmer
Activity Center was filled with friends,
family and alumni to watch the NCAA
Basketball Championship game between
Kentucky and Kansas, partake in the raffles
and games offered throughout the evening
and enjoy some Meteor camaraderie.
In all, more than $39,000 was raised for the
benefit of the young women and men of De
La Salle.
We would like to thank everyone who
participated and we hope to see you at next
year’s D-Final that will be held on April 8,
2013!
Go Meteors!
Members of the Class of 1967
enjoy a reunion at the D-Final
Event. Seated from left to right
are John Scelonge, Ron Rivera,
Skip O’Donnell and Mike
Wagner. Standing behind them
are Nick Grzyb, Emmett Wilson,
Edwin “Bo” Phillips, Prentiss
Jackson and Robert Laude
s
s
De La Salle
president Fr. Paul
Novak, OSM
and assistant
principal Nick
Colletti draw the
winning tickets in
the Super Raffle
PHONATHON 2012
THANK YOU!
Twenty-three enthusiastic Meteors gathered in March to make more than 4,500 phone calls over an
eight-day period for De La Salle Institute’s 2012 Phonathon. Alumni and friends from across the
country responded generously when asked to support the student financial assistance program. De
La Salle students raised more than $38,000 in outright gifts and pledge commitments through the
generosity of many who share in our Lasallian mission of education.
The Meteors who participated in the 2012 Phonathon were: Ashley Andaverde ‘12, Romero Board
‘12, Joshua Boddie ‘13, Ben Colletti ‘15, Gabino Coss ‘15, Marissa DeCarlo ‘12, Lauren Dilger ‘12,
Dolores Duran ‘12, Ryan Flynn ‘13, Caterina Hernandez ‘12, Kristin Joyce ‘12, Jared Luna ‘15,
Michael Nowak ‘15, Horace Nowell III ‘15, Jeremy O’Brien ‘12, Vinicio Ovalle ‘12, Erica Parrilli
‘12, Lauren Rubio ‘12, Tyler Senjanin ‘13, Jamon Thomas ‘15, Ricardo Torres ‘13, Bridget White
‘12 and Kevin Wilson ‘12. These student-callers did an outstanding job for a very important cause.
Participating in the Phonathon is a great experience for De La Salle students. As future alumni, they
have the opportunity to get acquainted with alumni and friends of the Institute, share information
about the school’s most recent accomplishments, raise much-needed dollars for student financial aid
and discover what being a Meteor is really all about.
We congratulate our student-callers for their determined efforts and thank all of you who answered
the call for support of our Meteors!
28 Alumni Connection
28 Alumni Connection
Michael Nowak ‘15
helps to raise money
for De La Salle by
contacting alumni
during the annual
Phonathon
s

ALUMNI CONNECTION
Alumni Profile
ERNEST MONACO, DDS '85
As an excellent student and
athlete when he was a young
man, Dr. Ernest Monaco ’85 had
his choice of which high school
he wanted to attend.
Dr. Monaco, who graduated
from Hale Elementary School
and was from St. Symphorosa’s
Parish in Chicago’s Clearing
neighborhood, picked De
La Salle. That decision
eventually provided him the basis for a future that now
includes 3,000 patients, two offices (one in Chicago’s
Garfield Ridge neighborhood and one in Darien, IL) and
one very successful dental practice that has been in
existence since 1994.
“I knew that De La Salle was a very good school with great
academics and athletics,” Dr. Monaco said.
“We all stuck together; it was a brotherhood. And the
faculty and staff taught us good moral values.”
Among those who provided instruction to Dr. Monaco
during his days as a Meteor, he cites Larry Wenshutonis
’60, George Jaros ’64, current Dean of Mathematics and
Applied Sciences Kamaal Khazen, Dave Bavlsik, Todd
Wernet, Don Huber and Wally Sebuck as having the greatest
impact on his life.
“The math and science classes at ‘D’ were very good and
that made college a lot easier academically,” Dr. Monaco
said. “We were well prepared in English, science and math.
“One memory that I have is when I went to college and we
took our first math test as a freshman. I got an ‘A’ on the test
and it was all the same information that was taught at ‘D’.
“The majority of the class failed that test, when I only
reviewed the material. This was a perfect example of how
‘D’ prepared me for college.”
Along with the ability to handle everything inside the
classroom, the faculty and staff at De La Salle also provided
Dr. Monaco and his classmates with insight and advice
necessary to succeed outside the classroom.
“We gained independence by traveling from our
neighborhood to De La Salle,” Dr. Monaco said. “That
prepared us to go off on our own.
“It was so structured and there was so much discipline
that helped us to get through college and life. I was able to
overcome any fears and that made me very independent.”
Independent enough to start his own dental practice after
earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Health Science from the
then-Illinois Benedictine College and a Doctorate in Dental
Science from Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville’s
School of Dental Medicine in Alton, IL.
“I like to work with my hands and I like to take care of
my patients,” Dr. Monaco said. “That’s why I wanted to
become a dentist.”
Outside of the dental office, Dr. Monaco and his wife,
Kathleen, who is a chiropractor, reside in the southwest
suburbs of Chicago with their seven children, ranging
in age from 7-17. Having high-school age children has
enabled Dr. Monaco to look back with fondness at his days
as a Meteor.
Not only was Dr. Monaco an honor roll student, he also was
an Honorable Mention All-Catholic League football player
as a senior during the 1984 season.
“I remember that we won the Prep Bowl and there are the
memories of playing in Soldier Field,” Dr. Monaco said.
“We practiced on the same field where Walter Payton played.
I walked around the field and I looked at the goalposts and I
was thinking of the people who played there before we did.
That was amazing.”
As for anyone who would want their children to attend De
La Salle and have the same enriching experiences that Dr.
Monaco did, he offered this bit of advice:
“D’s a great school and you will learn to be independent
and to become a man or a woman,” Dr. Monaco said. “The
faculty and students are great and you will be prepared for
college because of everything you learned at De La Salle.
“Even when you go to college, you might see someone
there who also went to ‘D’ and you know that you have that
special bond.”
Alumni Connection 29

Office for Advancement
3455 S. Wabash Ave.
Chicago, Illinois 60616-3827
312.842.7355
Have You Considered a
Planned Gift to
De La Salle
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Permit No. 3092
Chicago, IL
Address Service Requested
Parents:
If this is addressed to your son or daughter
and he or she no longer resides there, please
contact De La Salle’s Office for Advancement
by phone or with the enclosed envelope so
that we may update our records.
Find us on Facebook!
www.facebook.com/delasalleinstitute
Follow us on Twitter!
www.twitter.com/dlsmeteors
Come Home to De La Salle This Fall!
De La Salle Institute 2012
Blue-Gold Football Game
Friday, August 17, 2012
Come join us for the kickoff of
the 2012 athletic season as the
Meteor freshman, sophomore and
varsity football teams scrimmage
at De La Salle.
For more information, please
contact Maggie McEldowney,
at (312) 842-7355 ext. 146 or
mceldowneym@dls.org.
Friday, September 14, 2012
&
Sports Hall
of Fame
Honor the newest inductees
into the Sports Hall of
Fame before the
Homecoming Game with a
pregame celebration from
5 p.m. to 7p.m.
Homecoming
Football Game
De La Salle vs.
St. Ignatius
Cheer on the Meteors to
V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!! The
sophomore game kicks
off at 5:00 p.m. with the
varsity game immediately
following at 7:30 p.m.
Inductees to the Sports Hall
of Fame will be presented
during the halftime show.
Metra…
The way to really fly to De La Salle
With the addition of the Lou Jones/
Bronzeville Metra rail station at 35th and
Federal, students can now be dropped off
two blocks from our Institute Campus.
The Rock Island Line has daily stops at the
Lou Jones/Bronzeville station, making De
La Salle accessible to suburban students.
Students from Tinley Park, Orland Park,
Oak Forest, Orland Hills, Mokena,
Alsip, Evergreen Park and the rest of the
surrounding southwest suburbs can really fly to De La Salle
on Metra.
117th Annual Alumni Banquet
Friday, October 5, 2012
On the Institute Campus
4:30 p.m. Mass & Tours
5:30 p.m. Reception
7:00 p.m. Dinner & Awards
Contact Maggie McEldowney
for more information at 312.842.7355 x146.