Summer 2011 - Bishop O'Connell High School

The knights’ pages
Summer 2011
BISHOP O’CONNELL
HIGH SCHOOL
6600 Little Falls Road
Arlington, VA 22213
703-237-1400
www.bishopoconnell.org
ADmINISTRATION
Kathleen Ryan Prebble
President
Joseph E. Vorbach III, PhD ’83
Principal
Rev. Phillip M. Cozzi ’94
Chaplain
Sr. Catherine Hill, I.H.M. ’66
Dean of Academics
Meghan Lonergan
Dean of Students
ADVANCEMENT
Gerry Vent
Director of Advancement
703-237-1445
gvent@bishopoconnell.org
Cindy Krech
Associate Director of
Advancement
703-237-1446
ckrech@bishopoconnell.org
Michelle Kannan
Alumni Relations
703-237-1437
mkannan@bishopoconnell.org
Kim Aubry
Advancement Services
703-237-1447
kaubry@bishopoconnell.org
COMMUNICATIONS
Mary Jane Spurlock
Director of Communications
703-237-1425
mjspurlock@bishopoconnell.org
Letter from the
CHAIRMAN
Board of
Governors
Dear Parents, Alumni and Friends,
I recently had the privilege of participating in our commencement exercises for the class of
2011, as faculty, family and friends came to provide enthusiastic support to our 344 graduating
seniors. Congratulations to all of the class; we welcome you as the newest members of the
Bishop O’Connell Alumni Association. It was an impressive day at the National Shrine
of the Immaculate Conception. We heard the remarkable words from our valedictorian,
salutatorian, and retired U.S. Marine Corps Gen. James Jones, former Commandant of the
Marine Corps, National Security Advisor, and Bishop O’Connell parent (class of 1992). We
also had the honor of welcoming members of the class of 1961, the first graduating class, who
held their exciting reunion the following weekend.
Among the announcement of honors achieved, and scholarships received (valued at $11
million in this class alone), what struck me most was the consistent message of the desire and
need to give to the community and to continue to spread our faith through our actions and
deeds. And, as intoned by General Jones, strive to be the best and never give up.
It was a little more than ten years ago that I received a call from Al Burch, principal at
the time, and Monsignor James McMurtrie, asking if I would help DJO by organizing a
capital campaign. Fearful of the time commitment involved, I cautiously said “yes.” I did so
because I recalled that it was while I was a student at Bishop O’Connell High School that
those values of giving to the community and living our faith ever day through our actions
were ingrained in me.
We set about to achieve our goal of creating a culture of giving, not only for our students and
current parents, but for our alumni, parents and friends. And what a culture we have today.
I am pleased to tell you that, in the period 2000-2010, our fundraising activities for DJO,
through our capital campaign, the annual fund and our significant fundraisers—the golf outing,
and the gala—raised nearly $12 million in revenue for the school. Even more remarkable,
our internal fundraising activities from the PTO, athletic boosters, and student fundraisers
such as the annual Superdance, raised nearly $8 million over that same ten year period.
Our culture of giving is growing! In the year 2000, our Annual Fund took in less than $50,000.
In the school year just ending, the Annual Fund will collect nearly $500,000.
As the school year comes to a close we are preparing some of the most significant renovations
to the school facility since its opening in 1957. And we are working pledges and donations this
year to add to our ten year numbers above. But we cannot rest on our laurels. We must challenge
ourselves to increase our efforts by another order of magnitude if we are to afford the
costs of renovating our 50-year old facility, pay a living wage to our faculty, and provide appropriate
financial aid as we continue to support the need and success of Catholic education.
That means we need you, our alumni, to once again embrace our mission and rejoin the
DJO culture of giving. As a tribute to our first graduating class (the class of 1961), our 51st
graduating class (the class of 2011), and to all of you in between, we hope you will say
“Count me in!” You will soon hear more about our Time is Now initiative and we hope you
will consider what you can do to allow us to continue to make big things happen on Little
Falls Road every day!
Sincerely,
COVER PHOTO: Dia Barber ’11
savors her graduation moment.
Kevin J. Fay ’73
2

Message from the
President
Table of Contents
Dear Parents, Alumni and Friends,
“Big things happen on Little Falls Road every day.” These words of Kevin Fay ’73 have
become an exciting reality as we officially begin construction of a multipurpose, synthetic
state-of-the-art turf field and six-lane track surrounding it. This long-awaited renovation of
the athletic fields has been championed by the volunteer efforts of Kevin Fay, our outgoing
board chair and an involved alumnus and legacy parent, and we are truly grateful for his
dedication.
There is a lot happening now. The positioning of the rectangular athletic field is being
realigned to allow for a regulation width soccer field. Six sports, including football, soccer,
lacrosse, field hockey, cross country and track and field will use the athletic fields at the
varsity, junior varsity and freshman level. Other sports teams as well as PE classes will use
the track and turf for conditioning. This newly turfed field will allow O’Connell’s athletic
program to maximize the use of the field on a year-round basis. The project will replace the
existing rectangular field and track that was completed in 1964.
These renovations should be finished before Thanksgiving. Even though construction is
already underway, the funding of this project is not complete. To date, Bishop O’Connell has
received almost $4 million in gifts and pledges towards the renovation of the athletic fields
and other projects that include enhancing classroom technology, renovating the auditorium
and updating the science labs designated in our strategic initiative, The Time Is Now. We
will continue to solicit donors to help fund these very important projects.
We have worked hard to fully understand the current and future needs of Bishop O’Connell
in order to strategically position ourselves for the future. Through surveys, focus groups and
one on one conversation, the input of our current and past families as well as alumni has
become an invaluable part of our planning process.
It is abundantly clear that the spirit of O’Connell is strong, our foundation is deep and our
future is bright. It is also apparent that we cannot move forward without the help of our
entire community. We are extremely grateful for the many supporters who have already
stepped to the plate either through the annual fund or The Time Is Now initiative. Our
Parent Teacher Organization, Athletic and Music Boosters, Used Book Sale volunteers and
the many other volunteers who give so selflessly provide essential dollars and services to
help fund many activities and projects that make Bishop O’Connell an exciting and dynamic
high school. To all who have helped throughout the year—Thank You!
Breaking Ground on
Field Project 4
School News 6
Tribute to Steve Trimble 9
Superdance 2011 10
Graduation 2011 12
Annual Giving 14
The Time is Now
Kick-off Event 15
Why We Give 16
Connolly Memorial
Golf Classic 18
Legacy Brunch and
Grandparents’ Event 19
All-Alumni Reunion
Weekend 20
Class Reunion Events 21
Alumni Spotlight 22
Alumni Roll Call 23
Upcoming Events
and Class Reunions 27
Sincerely,
Kathleen Ryan Prebble
MISSION STATEMENT
Our mission is to provide
students an education
rooted in the life of
Christ and to foster the
pursuit of excellence
in the whole person.
3

School News
Programs
and Plans
Athletic Fields Renovation
Breaks Ground
Bishop O’Connell is breaking ground on
the long awaited and much anticipated
renovation of its outdoor athletic facilities.
The renovation is the first part of a series
of initiatives that the school is launching to
build on our 54-year tradition of excellence
in serving our students and our community.
The project officially got underway on Aug. 15, 2011. O’Connell began planning this project in
partnership with the architectural firm SHW Group in Reston. SHW Group has been working
with the school for two years to help make this project a reality. The school has secured R.A.D.
Sports, an industry leader specializing in the construction of athletic facilities, as its construction
contractor. The consulting firm of Gale Associates will be providing the school with
comprehensive land planning and site engineering services for this project.
The project will bring state-of-the-art amenities and a synthetic turf field to our school. It
includes the relocation of the O’Connell rectangular field, addition of athletic turf and installation
of a new six-lane competitive track, new bleachers and press box. It is anticipated that the
project will take three to four months to complete. Games this fall will be relocated to other
fields, but the O’Connell baseball field and fields at Tuckahoe Elementary school will be available
for practice for fall sports.
Save the Date for our Groundbreaking Celebration!
The school will formally celebrate its groundbreaking on Tuesday, Sep. 13 at 10:00 a.m.
following our opening school Mass officiated by Bishop Paul S. Loverde. All parents, alumni,
parents of alumni, and friends and neighbors will be invited to join us for our groundbreaking
festivities. For more information, please visit www.bishopoconnell.org/fields.
Doug Gehley ’72 Leads the Design Team for New Athletic Fields
Doug Gehley graduated from Bishop
O’Connell in 1972, but continues to stay
actively engaged in many aspects of the
life of the school. After completing his
undergraduate degree at the University
of Virginia, he went on to get his Masters
of Architecture at Virginia Tech in 1977,
before beginning a design career that has
taken him to every corner of the country,
with every kind of structure, from residential
to government satellite operation
centers, law schools to Montessori playgrounds.
Most recently Gehley has focused
on educational facilities, both higher ed
and K–12 schools. He is currently a Vice
President at SHW Group in Reston.
Gehley’s interests revolve around all
things green; sustainable design is
a passion, and he makes sure that
every project that goes out the doors
has been reviewed to ensure that
maximum energy savings has
been achieved and all products
specified do no damage to the
environment.
This work has
brought him full
circle back to
the origins of his
interest in design
and architecture at
Bishop O’Connell.
It was those mechanical
drawing
classes taught by
Mr. Frey that first
gave him the inspiration to pursue this
career. According to Gehley, “Mr. Frey
was one of the most thoughtful, professional,
and demanding teachers I had at
O’Connell, although there were many
more like him at the time. He tweaked
my lazy streak by letting me think I could
make a living by ‘just drawing.’” he added.
Gehley is thrilled to be leading the design
efforts for the new Athletic Fields Renovation
project at O’Connell, a project that
will bring state-of-the-art amenities and
two synthetic turf fields to our school and
make it the envy of the WCAC conference.
“I have been working with the past and
present presidents of O’Connell for over
two years to help make this project a
reality,” says Gehley. “It has also brought
me closer to other alumni who are also
playing a big part in pushing this project to
completion, particularly Kevin Fay ’73 and
Mark Goetzman ’77.”
According to Gehley, “This project will
transform the image of O’Connell for
those who see our school as they drive by
occasionally but especially for those who
live in the neighboring community. And
it will definitely transform the lives of
our students who use our track and fields
everyday and compete for championships
in an elite conference.”
“Most of all,” he continues, “I hope that
the new facilities will allow every student,
every teacher and every visitor the chance
to do their best, reach for the highest goals
and compete with dignity and the highest
sportsmanship. I look forward to seeing
you all at the first game.”
4

School News
Scholarship
Spirit
Service
Scholarship
Students Shine in
Essay Contests
Senior John “Matt” Retterer is looking
forward to his all-expense paid trip to
Durham, N.C. earned by winning the state
oratorical contest hosted by the Virginia
Society, Sons of the
American Revolution.
Retterer and
his Bill of Rights
speech initially
placed first at the
George Mason
Chapter of the
Sons of the American
Revolution on
February 7, and then again in a very competitive
field at the state level on February
26 in Richmond.
Retterer follows big footsteps, as last year’s
national winner was Bishop O’Connell’s
own Kristin Bowers, class of 2010, who
received a standing ovation when she
presented her winning oration “It’s Only
Common Sense” at a luncheon at the
national gathering of Sons of the American
Revolution.
Science Fair Successes
Seven Bishop O’Connell sophomores
participated in this year’s Northern Virginia
Regional Fair, all, of which, received
recognition for their work. Emily Lodge
received a first place in her Microbiology
category and a third place in the overall
“Best of Fair” competition for her project,
“The Effectiveness of Antibiotic Combinations.”
She was also named as an alternate
to attend the INTEL International Science
and Engineering Fair in Los Angeles, Calif.
later this year.
Four other
O’Connell students
won first place
in their categories:
Anne Marie
Baxter (Medicine
and Health) for
“Presence of Endotoxins
in Produce
from Around the
World,” Michael
Bonini (Medicine
and Health) for
“Accuracy of Glucometers,”
Alexa
Dantzler (Chemistry) for “The Study of
Perchloroethylene Residue in Dry Cleaned
Clothes,” and Victoria Nguyen (Biochemistry)
for “Total Antioxidant Measurement
of Green Teas.”
Two other O’Connell students were also
recognized in their categories: Sophia
DiBenigno (Medicine & Health) was
awarded second place for “The Effect
of Caffeine on Daphnia Magna Heart
Rate,” and Sanchita Gupta (Physics) was
awarded third place for “The Effect of
Salinity on Bouyancy.”
In addition, our students received recognition
by national scientific societies
including: the Patent and Trade Office, the
Society of Toxicology, the U.S. Air Force,
the Public Health Service and the Central
Intelligence Agency.
Students Participate
in Italian Language
Opportunities
Bishop O’Connell students ventured out of
the classrooms this spring to attend several
Italian cultural events in the Washington,
D.C. area. Members of Joan McCarty’s
Italian I class attended an Italian-language
Mass at Holy Rosary Church. Mrs. McCarty
has been taking her student to the Italian
Mass each spring for more than ten years.
“Our students are always pleasantly
surprised at how much of the Italian Mass
they understand,” said Mrs. McCarty.
“They enjoy participating in the service
and appreciate the warm welcome from the
church members and Father Tomasi.”
Our world language students were also
able to attend the National Council for
the Promotion of Italian Language in
American Schools (COPILAS) gala to
honor Italian Ambassador Guilio Terzi
for his contributions and unrelenting
support for the study of language and
culture in schools and the reinstatement
of the Italian Advanced Placement
Examination. Dr. Daniel Stabile, O’Connell
guidance counselor and president of the
National COPILAS, organized the event
and presented Ambassador Terzi with the
“Extraordinary Leadership Award.”
Students and faculty members were able
to meet and talk with the ambassador,
who thanked them for their interest and
wished them well in their continued study.
5

Bird Watching
Students from Bill Carpenter’s Biology I
course stepped out of the classroom last
month to experience the art and science of
bird watching for the first time.
Fellow science faculty member Nolan
Britt, along with Northern Virginia Teen
Club founder Fred Atwood and other teen
bird club members, met with Carpenter
and 14 freshman and sophomore biology
students from O’Connell along the
Potomac River near Belle Haven in
Alexandria. The group later traveled to
nearby Huntley Meadows Park. They
observed various birds, ranging from a
Great Blue Heron to a Swamp Sparrow.
Most of the students never had been
birding before and they were surprised by
what they saw on the trip. Both Britt and
Carpenter were thrilled by the amount of
enthusiasm that these first-time birders
displayed.
Field Trip to
Shakespeare Center
English teachers Diane Cerniglia and
Jeanette Schmitt accompanied their
sophomore honors English classes to the
American Shakespeare Center at Staunton,
Va. this spring to see a performance of
Macbeth. Giving students the opportunity
to see the play performed before a live
audience in a theatre modeled after
Shakespeare’s own indoor theatre, the
Blackfriars, was a fitting culminating
activity to the study of Macbeth in class.
Students and teachers agreed that the
performance was outstanding and that
seeing the play enhanced the students’ understanding
of Shakespeare’s use of action
and language.
Spanish Speaking
Seminar on
Human Rights
Earlier this year, Spanish teacher, Faryde
Yanine, arranged for two of the Spanish
Speakers classes to participate in a very
special lesson on human rights. Nico Papaheraklis,
president of the local Youth for
Human Rights chapter, came to O’Connell
to give a presentation in Spanish to the
students gathered in the school library.
The lesson was taped by the Spanishlanguage
TV network TELEMUNDO, with
participation by Nitza Soledad Perez, the
local news anchor for Telenoticias.
O’Connell Staff Retirements
John Gutter
John Gutter has
served the O’Connell
community for 28
years, most recently
as the Assistant Principal
of Student Life.
A Vietnam Veteran
who was wounded in
combat coming to the aid of a fallen comrade,
Mr. Gutter retired from the Marine
Corps as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1983 and
has been involved in student development,
facilities management, and coaching at
our school. According to Principal Joseph
Vorbach, “He has made important contributions
to the personal development of
thousands of students while also lending
his project management experience to the
major building projects that have been
undertaken over the past three decades.”
Pat Follin
Pat Follin has been a
smiling face to DJO
students for 25 years,
supporting library
services, and more recently,
also helping out
as a receptionist in the
center office. Many say
that Ms. Follin is the “sweetest” person
at our school. She says that the students
haven’t really changed at all over the years.
“They are a happy and spirited group of
students that make it a pleasure to be a
part of this community.” Although Ms. Follin
is retiring, she plans to stay connected
to the O’Connell community and continue
to attend school events.
The Spanish-speaking students were
engaged by both Papaheraklis and Perez,
taking turns answering questions about
the global issue of human rights. The segment
was broadcast on May 4 during the
afternoon and evening news hours.
Darrell and Barbara Snyder
More than one generation of O’Connell
students have known both Coach Darrell
Snyder and his wife, Barbara. For 37 years,
Coach Snyder has not only served as the
Athletic Director, but he has also been a
mentor, teacher, coach and friend to thousands
of students who have walked these
halls. For the last 25 years, Barbara Snyder
has served our student population in a
different capacity, as the office assistant in
the Student Life office, where her pleasant
voice and caring disposition made any
visitor feel at home. In the evenings and
on weekends, both Darrell and Barbara
have been a constant presence at both
home and away athletic events, cheering
our DJO teams on! On May 1, the school
community gathered for an afternoon celebration
to honor the Snyders and cherish
the many memories that have been made
over the years.
Diane Cerniglia (far right) expresses appreciation
to Barbara and Darrell Snyder during the May 1
celebration.
6

Spirit
Beautiful Music
in New York
This spring, the
Knights music
department
competed in
the New York
City International
Festival of
Music. Members
of the school’s
Orchestra, Symphonic
Band, Percussion Ensemble, Jazz
Ensemble, along with the Concert Choir
and the O’Connell Singers, participated
in the event, coming home with four first
place trophies, one second place trophy
and one third place trophy.
Additionally, freshman Ashley Jean won
special recognition as the top student accompanist
for her piano accompaniment
of the Concert Choir. Sophomore Emma
Price was awarded “best jazz solo” for
her alto saxophone solo during the Jazz
Ensemble’s performance of “Spain” by
Chick Chorea.
While in New York the music students
attended a Broadway show, enjoyed the
Manhattan skyline on a dinner cruise, and
participated in an awards breakfast at the
Hard Rock Cafe in Time Square.
Spring Drama—“You
Can’t Take It With You”
This spring, Bishop O’Connell Theatre
presented Kaufman and Hart’s 1937 Pulitzer
Prize winning show “You Can’t Take It With
You,” a comedy about a delightfully eccentric
family whose daughter falls for the boss’
son. The audiences were entertained by the
wonderful cast of players, especially senior
Richard Nary, who stole the show with his
rendition of the Russian ballet teacher. A
special firework explosion at the end of Act
II was also a crowd pleaser!
Luke Escobar Wins
Drawing Competition
Congratulations to senior Luke Escobar for
winning first place in the drawing competition
at the 2011 Gonzaga All-Catholic High
Schools Art Exhibition in April. Escobar’s
pencil drawing, a close-up portrait of a man,
earned him accolades by the judges.
Escobar is enrolled in the AP Advanced
Drawing class at Bishop O’Connell, and
according to art teacher Joe Crivella,
he has “an innate ability for portraiture,
and his love of art and student voice rang
through in this particular piece.” Escobar’s
drawing skills will go to good use in the
future, as he plans to study architecture at
the University of Virginia in the fall.
Boys Swim Team
Top Ten at Metro
Championship
Senior Ian Decker led the Knights to a
ninth-place finish at the 2011 Washington
Metropolitan Interscholastic Swimming
and Diving Championships, held in Germantown,
Md. earlier this year. Individually,
Decker tied for fifth place with 42
points during the meet, and is headed to
Penn State to swim for the Nittany Lions
in the fall.
The O’Connell boys had a strong showing
overall in the meet, with the 200 medley
relay team, consisting of Conor Chamness,
Alex Rudolph, Don Tucker and Danny
Hughes, finishing in eighth place, and the
400 freestyle relay team of Decker, Michael
Luciani, Chamness and Jack Hall placing
eleventh. In the breaststroke, sophomore
Don Tucker finished second, and Alex Rudolph
touched the wall fourth. In addition,
freshman diver Jack Gigliotti finished the
competition in 11 th place with 312.90 points.
It was a great day for the DJO swim and
dive team! Congratulations!
Softball Team Wins
Eighth Straight WCAC
The softball team claimed top honors in
the Washington Catholic Athletic Conference,
scoring a come-from-behind 4-3
victory over McNamara in the WCAC
Championship game at the University of
Maryland. It was the Knights’ 15 th WCAC
title since the league came into existence
18 years ago (1993-94) and their eighth
straight WCAC championship. That win
also saw O’Connell eclipse the 20-win
plateau for a 19 th straight year.
The Lady Knights (22-4) were once
again one of the area’s premier softball
programs—featuring an explosive offense
led by Jessica Burk, Jillian Ferraro and
Sophie Giaquinto and the pitching of
ace Jilly Falle. That Big Three in the DJO
lineup produced 22 home runs on the
season, totaling 54 extra-base hits for the
2011 campaign. Two other noteworthy
highlights: Jessica Eidt had a 19-game
hitting streak and Amanda Ehlers played
error-free ball at second base with 96 putouts/assists
combined without an error.
By the end of the season, the softball team
tallied another exciting benchmark when
Coach Tommy Orndorff reached his 600th
career win at O’Connell. “He is the gold
standard of coaches at O’Connell,” commented
Athletic Director Joe Wootten.
“His accomplishments and his longevity
are unbelievable. There is a saying in
sports that it is hard to get to the top, but
even harder to stay there. The fact that he
has produced championship teams year
after year for 26 years is his greatest accomplishment.”
Congratulations to all
our athletes who were
named to Washington Post
All-Met teams or to
All-Conference teams.
For a complete listing for the 2010-2011
seasons, visit www.bishopoconnell.org/
allconference.
7

Arlington Better Sports
Club Recognizes
O’Connell Athletes
The Better Sports Club of Arlington annually
recognizes student athletes for
conduct, dedication and character on and
off the playing field.
At the Better Sports Club’s 55th annual
awards banquet held on Wednesday, June
Service
Students Raise $7500
for Japan
The St. Patrick’s Day tradition of “the
wearing of the green” had new meaning
for Bishop O’Connell students this
year. Because of the recent tragedies in
northern Japan, members of the student
council were granted permission by the
administration to schedule a fundraising
“dress holiday” for this special day, where
students were exempt from wearing their
school uniform, in exchange for a donation
to Japanese relief efforts.
The usual blue, grey and white halls
exploded in green and more green on Mar.
17, 2011, with more than $7500 collected
through the generosity of our students,
faculty and families at Bishop O’Connell.
These funds have been donated to
Catholic Relief Services (CRS), earmarked
especially to benefit the relief efforts and
support the victims of the March 11 earthquake
and tsunami. The Bishop O’Connell
community continues to keep the people
of Japan in their prayers.
Car Wash to Support
Medical Missionaries
The Medical Missionaries Club is a growing
service club at Bishop O’Connell,
whose goal is to provide auxiliary assistance
to the Medical Missionaries
organization located in Bristow, Va. This
non-profit collects, packages, and donates
medical supplies for clinics in developing
1 at the Arlington Knights of Columbus
Hall, five O’Connell athletes, representing
all three sports seasons, were awarded
sportsmanship awards and trophies for
their particular sports:
Sarah McCarthy—High School Girls
Cross Country Sportsmanship Award
Joshua Trimble—High School Football
Sportsmanship Award
Kate Terwilliger—High School Girls
Track & Field Sportsmanship Award
Jay Carroll—High School Boys Track &
Field Sportsmanship Award
Daniel Callahan—High School Wrestling
Sportsmanship Award
In addition, senior stand-out softball
player, Sophia Giaquinto, was named
Arlington’s Female Athlete of the Year.
countries, particularly to the Medical Missionaries
clinic in St. Thomassique, Haiti.
This year the club raised over $1,000 for
the organization through bake sales, an
iPad raffle, a locker shelf sale, and most
recently a car wash. The Falls Church car
wash was a new effort that brought the
support of parents of alumni, parents of
current students and incoming students,
as well as faculty members. It also brought
unexpected but much appreciated support
from neighboring Vocelli’s Pizza, who
graciously provided free pizza to the hard
working club members that day.
Emily Lodge
Recognized for
Volunteerism
In a ceremony in Richmond
earlier this year, sophomore
Emily Lodge was recognized as the 2011
Outstanding Youth Volunteer by Governor
Bob McDonnell.
When Lodge was nine years old, she founded
a youth soccer camp in Reston to help
raise money and awareness in support of the
Little Sisters of the Poor’s efforts to provide
care for nearly 100 elderly, low-income
Bishop Assigns
New Chaplain
On Saturday, June 11, Bishop Loverde announced
several new clergy assignments for
the Diocese of Arlington. Among them was
the assignment of O’Connell Chaplain, Rev.
James Hudgins ’88, to his new role as the
Administrator of St. Jude in Fredericksburg.
Father Hudgins has served the O’Connell
community for the past four years. “I will
miss you and all of our students,” said Father
Hudgins in an e-mail after the announcement.
“I am sorry to leave, but deeply trustful in
God’s providence, for all of us.” “Wherever I
go, I will always be a friend of DJO,” he added.
The Bishop O’Connell community
welcomes another
DJO alumnus as our new
Chaplain. Rev. Phillip M.
Cozzi, comes to O’Connell
from his most recent assignment
at St. John the
Evangelist in Warrenton where he served as
Parochial Vicar. Father Cozzi is a member of
the DJO class of 1994. He went on to study
Philophy at the University of Virginia, before
attending seminary at the Pontifical University
of St. Thomas Aquinas in Rome, Italy.
Father Cozzi was ordained to the priesthood
on June 10, 2006 at St. Thomas More Cathedral
in Arlington by Bishop Paul S. Loverde,
and served his first assignment at St. Leo the
Great in Fairfax.
“As I begin this new assignment, I will work
hard to meet the spiritual needs of the students
and faculty at Bishop O’Connell,” said
Father Cozzi. “Naturally, there will be challenges
but also moments of great joy; please
pray for me as I begin this great endeavor.”
residents of Richmond. Now in its eighth
year, “Score for the Poor” continues under
the leadership of Lodge to attract children of
neighbors, friends and family for an affordable
one-week fun camp that contributes all
of its proceeds to the Little Sisters of the Poor.
The camp’s new web site helps spread the
word, not only about the camp, but also about
the great work done by the Little Sisters of
the Poor.
“At the age of 15, this young girl is already a
seasoned volunteer, ambassador and fundraiser
for the Little Sisters of the Poor, and
quite an entrepreneur,” says Little Sisters of
the Poor Advisory Board President, Michael
Siewers. “As a parent, I can only say that she
is a fantastic role model for today’s youth, and
deserving of the Governor’s recognition.”
8

Steve Trimble—Coach,
Mentor and Role Model
Steve Trimble came to Bishop O’Connell in
1999, lending a hand where he was needed
with the freshman football team, and immediately
made an impact on the players
and coaches around him. For the next three
years, Trimble worked as a defensive coach
under then-Head Coach Darrell Snyder,
and after the 2002 season, when Snyder
stepped down, he was appointed to take
over the helm.
“I am excited about the opportunity to be
the head football coach,” Trimble said to
the Arlington Catholic Herald after the
announcement. “The O’Connell football
program will strive to be competitive in the
always-tough Washington Catholic Athletic
Conference year in and year out.”
“I would like to thank Darrell Snyder for
allowing me to be a part of his football staff
for the past three seasons,” he continued.
“Darrell has been an example of everything
that is right about high school athletics.”
For the next eight years, Steve Trimble
coached the Knights with his own style of
leadership both on and off the gridiron. He
was the quintessential respected coach,
mentor and role model not just for his athletes,
but also for the students who encountered
him during the day in the hallways.
“Winning was not the bottom line with
Steve,” Darrell Snyder told the Arlington
Sun Gazette recently. “Teaching and seeing
his kids improve was most important.”
Assistant coach T.J. Fitzpatrick described
the honor he felt to be able to work under
Trimble, who he said “coached with toplevel
acumen, and a steely poise, a graceful
demeanor and a calming self-assurance.”
Former O’Connell player, Eric Butler ’06
added, “On the practice field he pushed
every player to be his best, and stopped at
nothing to make sure we were prepared
for a tough WCAC schedule year after year.
On game days, Coach Trimble was a fierce
competitor, who was capable of inspiring
players to perform at a top level. He was
strong, calculated, spirited, a great mentor,
and most importantly fair with everyone he
came in contact with.”
“Steve Trimble was an important, powerful,
positive presence for our students,”
said O’Connell Athletic Director Joe
Wootten. “When the national anthem
was played at a soccer game, the football
players practicing on an adjacent field
all stopped, removed their helmets and
faced the flag. This was Steve’s doing and
reflected the way he helped young people
develop their priorities.”
Trimble also coached all four of his sons
during his tenure as O’Connell head football
coach. Jeremy ’04, Jordan ’07, Justin
’09 all went on to play football for the Army
at West Point; and his youngest son, Joshua
’11 is planning to play football for Virginia
Tech in the fall. But their successes on the
football field were only of secondary importance
to him and his wife, Gretchen, who
wanted the boys to focus first and foremost
on their education.
If there was one adjective that most often
was used to describe Coach Trimble in
the halls of O’Connell, it was the word
“humble.” Trimble rarely talked about his
own football successes, and most parents
and faculty members only knew bits and
pieces of his athletic past.
Trimble was a stand-out athlete in high
school in Cumberland, Md., where he accumulated
records and state titles with finesse.
In 1975, he led the Fort Hill Sentinels
to an undefeated season and the Maryland
Class A (now 3A) title, setting scoring
records along the way. Trimble went on to
be a four-year letterman at the University
of Maryland before his professional career
with the Denver Broncos and the Chicago
Bears. Trimble also coached at the NFL and
college levels, including at the University
of Colorado and Howard University. In a
wonderful tribute, the Cumberland Times-
News called Trimble “one of the Cumberland
area’s all-time greatest athletes.”
“Bishop O’Connell was blessed not only by
the talents and character of Steve Trimble
over the past decade,” said Principal Joe
Vorbach, “but by the gift of four outstanding
young sons that Steve and Gretchen
shared with our community as well.”
As a co-worker, Assistant Athletic Director
Tommy Orndorff said of Trimble: “There
was not a more loyal, honest, trustworthy
friend than Steve Trimble. He was just a
good, good man... a wonderful husband and
father, and an awesome friend. There was
none better! “
Baseball Coach Rick Hart, who shared an
office with Trimble said to the Arlington
Sun-Gazette, “I loved going to work every
day, and one of the reasons was Steve
Trimble. You talk about a loyal, honest and
humble man. He had a profound influence
on the kids’ lives at O’Connell. And not just
the football players. All the kids: boys and
girls.”
During his tenure at Bishop O’Connell,
Trimble tried to stay out of the limelight,
though, in 2008—the year he was named
WCAC Coach of the Year—the Washington
Post carried a story about the daily routine
of the Trimble family and their propensity
NOT to talk about football at home; and
the Arlington Catholic Herald featured a
story on Trimble’s recent conversion to the
Catholic church.
Trimble was named Assistant Dean of
Students for the 2011-12 school year, a move
that was applauded by the school’s faculty
and staff. “Steve’s presence will be greatly
missed,” said O’Connell President Katy
Prebble. “He had a keen appreciation for
the strong guidance needed by teenagers
and a special way to deliver that guidance
in a quiet yet consistent way. He was a role
model for all of us.”
Steve Trimble passed away unexpectedly
on Monday, July 11, 2011. He was 53.
9

School News
Superdance
2011
For the 36th year in a row, students from
Bishop O’Connell High School came
together for a twelve-hour dance marathon
to benefit the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
(CFF). Driven by the desire to help find a
cure for this debilitating disease that has
affected O’Connell families and tens of thousands
others around the country, students
collected donations and pledges from neighbors,
friends and family, and then danced the
night away to the music of live local bands
and talented DJs.
The line-up of bands and DJs this year was
impressive. Musical highlights included a
performance by Superdance favorite Struan
Shields, an Arlington native, now studying
music at the University of Virginia and
continuing to pursue his musical career as a
singer-songwriter. Other favorites, of course,
were science teacher, Nolan Britt and music
faculty member Laura Van Duzer who
performed with her band. The DJ talent
from inside O’Connell did not fail, as Dylan
Vorbach ’11 teamed up with Collin Brideau
Alumni band, “Soul Purpose,” plays for the alumni
gathered at Kilroy’s in Fairfax.
Young alumni come together at the Blaguard in
Adams Morgan.
’11 and Alexander Spagnoli ’11 to give the
crowd exactly what they wanted.
Katie Horwath ’14 said, “This was my first
Superdance, and I didn’t really know what to
expect. The music was great and the event
was so much fun. I’m exhausted and a little
sore from all that dancing, but I’m already
looking forward to next year’s Superdance!”
According to Robert Buckreis, Student
Council co-moderator, “Superdance was
worry-free. The student committees all
knew what their responsibilities were and
they carried these out with great enthusiasm.”
With 65 committee members fussing
over the details of Superdance, Buckreis
called this “…a true student-run event, and a
well-oiled machine.”
Alumni Events
For the fourth year in a row, O’Connell
alumni have gone above and beyond expectations
by organizing separate alumni
Superdance events at various locations
around the Washington, D.C. area. Alumni
are always welcome to come by Superdance
to enjoy the festivities first-hand. An alumni
hospitality room is set up for just that
purpose, where graduates can peruse old
yearbooks, watch slideshows and be treated
to something better than the standard pizza
in the main cafeteria.
This year, two alumni-organized Superdance
events coincided with the O’Connell
Superdance. On Friday, Mar. 25, members
of the class of 1980 hosted an all-alumni
Superdance event at Kilroy’s in Springfield.
The 100 alumni and friends in attendance
were treated to a live performance of “Soul
Purpose,” whose members include several
class of 1980 graduates, including singer Al
Camacho, guitarists Jim Wilson and Billy
Barr and drummer Tom Cocozza. Graduates
from all decades came from as far away
10

Jason Cage—A Reason
to Dance for the Cure
Jason Cage, a 1995 graduate of Bishop O’Connell, has lived his whole life with Cystic
Fibrosis (CF). In spite of his declining health, he enjoyed a full high school experience
and upon graduation, was able to pursue his lifelong dream to become a paramedic and
EMT in Alexandria, Va.
as Atlanta to reconnect and reminisce about
their Superdance days.
On Saturday night, members of the class of
2002 and 2003 hosted an event at the Blaguard
in the Adams Morgan neighborhood
of Washington, D.C. Another 100 alumni
gathered there to catch up with their classmates
to support Superdance, and more
specifically to support friend and classmate,
Jason Cage ’95, who at the time was preparing
for a lung transplant. (Read more about
Jason Cage in the box to the right.)
Libby Muldoon ’03 said, “It’s hard to believe
that my friends and I have been a part
of Superdance for 12 years—from freshman
year at O’Connell, to helping organize the
fourth annual alumni event here in Adams
Morgan!” She added, “Alumni have a soft
spot in their hearts for finding a cure for
CF. It’s incredible to be involved and see the
momentum building year after year.”
New Milestone
Reached
When all donations were counted, Superdance
2011 raised $119,447. This amount
helped the Bishop O’Connell community
reach a new milestone in dollars collected
for the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. Since
the first Superdance in 1976, O’Connell students
have raised more than $3.5 million.
To view photos and more for Superdance
2011, visit www.superdance.org.
Every year since he graduated, Cage
has returned to address the student
body at Bishop O’Connell to help
them learn more about the day-today
realities and the progress of
medical treatments for the victims
of CF. Cage’s name has become synonymous
with Superdance for the
most recent generation of O’Connell
graduates.
In the last few years, the disease has
taken its toll on Cage’s health. In August
of 2008, Cage had to have one of
Jason Cage addressing students at the 2011
his lungs removed, and even with one
Superdance assembly in February.
lung, he persevered to continue his
career as a paramedic. But in the last
year, the productivity of his breathing has significantly deteriorated.
In January 2011, Cage consulted with specialists at Duke Medical Center, to see what
medical treatments and options could be available to him. The doctors at Duke recommended
a lung transplant—a unique situation, since he only has one lung. But before
Cage could even become eligible for this complex surgery, the specialists told him that
he needed to get stronger.
Before Cage returned to North Carolina, he kept his annual date with the O’Connell
student body at the February Superdance assembly, where he moved the community
with his perseverance and fortitude. Not long after, he and his wife, Katie, made a
temporary household move to Durham, N.C., beginning a regimen of daily therapies
and monitoring at the Duke Center for Living. The O’Connell community continued its
plans for the March 26 Superdance, keeping Cage and his family in their thoughts and
prayers, and following his progress on his newly created blog.
Knowing that this move to Durham would add a significant amount of financial hardship
to Cage and his wife, faculty and staff members pooled their money to send him
a check on behalf of the school. At the same time, a group of young O’Connell alumni
organized an evening fundraiser in Washington, D.C. to benefit Cage and his family. On
March 26, while the O’Connell students danced the night away at their annual Superdance,
alumni and friends were talking about their friend Jason Cage and raising extra
funds on his behalf.
Finally, after months of waiting, Jason finally received a new lung during a long surgery
on April 27, and his doctors have been pleasantly surprised by his progress. He is currently
continuing pulmonary rehabilitation at the Duke Center for Living.
“We all have a special attachment to Jason,” said Robert Buckreis, O’Connell’s director
of activities, and a 1986 graduate. “Our students raise over $100,000 each year in hopes
of finding a cure for CF. Jason’s story inspires them to keep doing this year after year.
As a community we pray for Jason’s continued recovery, and, ultimately, we hope that
our efforts contribute to wiping out CF for all future generations.”
To follow Cage’s progress or to support him, visit http://mysite.verizon.net/vze16h8q5/
secondwind4jasoncage/index.html.
11

GRADUATION
2011
51st Commencement
Exercise
Bishop O’Connell held its 51st commencement
exercise on Thursday, June 2 at the
Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate
Conception in Washington, D.C.
Class valedictorian, Carly Robinson, and
salutatorian, Audra Nakas, addressed the
students and guests, reminding them of
many fond memories from the
last four years, and inspiring
them to go boldly into the next
chapter of their lives. The guest
speaker was retired U.S. Marine
Corps General James L. Jones,
former national security advisor
and Commandant of the U.S.
Marine Corps.
The Most Reverend Paul S.
Loverde, Bishop of Arlington,
presented diplomas to the 334
members of the graduating class.
A very special group of guests were recognized
at this year’s graduation ceremony—
members of the first graduating class at
DJO—the class of 1961, who were also
invited to a post-ceremony reception at
Catholic University.
Before the final recessional, Bishop Loverde
addressed the students one last time.
“Congratulations, class of 2011,” he said.
“May God go with you!”
Carly Robinson, valedictorian.
Audra Nakas, salutatorian.
Gen. James L. Jones, guest speaker.
12

Elizabeth Rhee graduated
with the class of 2011 as a
member of the National
Honor Society. Due to an
unfortunate error, she was
not included with this group
at commencement.
Congratulations,
Elizabeth!
Baccalaureate Speaker—
Julia Wentzel Wharton ’85
One never knows what God
may call you to do in your
life, but be open to His call,
even when you think you
might fall on your face. This
was the message delivered
by this year’s guest speaker—
Julia Wentzel Wharton
’85—at the Baccalaureate Brunch for the class of 2011. Opening
an independent Catholic grade school in five weeks time was
not a task Wharton ever considered, nor one she thought
would work; but with God’s grace, she noted, “daily miracles
do happen.” The support, materials, equipment, and prayers
Kate of numerous Nirschl receives administrators, her teachers, staff and students in the
diploma with her father, Rob
Nirschl Arlington ‘80, at Diocese, her side. and especially at Bishop O’Connell were
and continue to be heartening and appreciated by the St. John
Neumann Academy in Blacksburg, Va., which will be starting
its eighth school year this fall. For more information on the
new school, visit www.stjohnneumannacademy.org.
2011 Legacy Graduates
The following students are sons and daughters of Bishop O’Connell
alumni and received their diplomas from their parents:
Madeline Leigh Albrittain
Michael Albrittain ’80
Kelsey Eileen Barger
Kara Sowa Barger ’80
Patricia Louise Barry
Richard Barry ’79 and
Mary McCloskey Barry ’79
Anastasia Helene Blow
Deborah Blow ’68
Kristina Michelle Bonfils
Theresa Walker Bonfils ’75
Madeleine Rose Bourne
Julianne Rish Bourne ’83
Daniel Michael Callahan
Dan Callahan ’82 and
Rita Williams Callahan ’82
Brieanna Jacqueline Cerda
Danny Lopez Diaz ’94
Kiersen Mariell Commons
Norbert Commons ’89 and
Giselle Laurino ’90
Eric David Engebritson
David Engebritson, Class ’78
Catherine Marie Flach
Theresa Pearring Flach ’78
Meghan Ann Gadell
Michael Gadell ’80 and
Marie Banick Gadell ’80
Lindsey Michelle Goodwin
Michelle Kirby Goodwin ’89
Leela Anita Gupta
Maria Abraham Gupta ’80
Breanne Kathleen Hayes
Kathy Wilson Hayes ’72
Kathryn Lorraine Jeffries
Maria Sperrazzo Jeffries ’77
Anthony Robert Jimenez
Roberta Illy ’77
Alexis Michelle Johnson
John Johnson ’84
Matthew McCullough Katz
Paul Katz ’79
Suzanne Elizabeth Kenney
James Kenney ’72
Svetlana Elizabeth Kilian
David Kilian ’71
Kate Nirschl receives her diploma with her father, Rob Nirschl ‘80, at her side.
Thomas Austin Macnamara
Brian G. Macnamara ’77
Michael William McKeon
Marianne Lundrigan
McKeon ’75
Nicholas Edward Morabito
John Morabito ’84 and
Maria Termini Morabito ’84
Patrick Daniel Morris
Kelli Morris Larkin ’85
Katherine Mary Nirschl
Robert Nirschl ’80
Colin Alexander Scott
Mary Anne Colton Scott ’80
Jacob Cameron Sieve
Michael Sieve ’75
Edward Graham Threlfall
Joan Kunec Threfall ’75
Eva Rose Tuszka
Martha Rozas Tuszka ’73
Emily Lisa Underwood
Lisa Mercer Underwood ’74
Dylan Joseph Vorbach
Joseph E. Vorbach ’83
Erin Marie Wald
Anne Stevens Wald ’86
Eily Patricia Walsh
George B. Walsh ’76
Catherine Anne Weaver
J. Bryce Weaver ’80
Frank Bean Whitesell IV
Jean Winslow Whitesell ’73
Daniel Patrick Zdancewicz
Raymond Zdancewicz ’74
Louis James Zinzi
Louis J. Zinzi ’62
13

Annual
Giving
Thank YOU for
supporting the Bishop
O’Connell Annual Fund
The 2010-2011 Annual Fund successfully came to a close raising over $460,000 for Bishop
O’Connell. Thank you to all of our parents, alumni, parents of alumni, faculty and friends who
helped the school meet and exceed this year’s goal. Every gift, no matter the size, is a meaningful
contribution toward students and programs supported through the Annual Fund.
Gifts to the Annual Fund are tax deductible, and are used to:
◗◗support and enhance programs and services offered to our students
◗◗provide for the professional development of our faculty and staff,
◗◗endow financial aid and tuition assistance for qualified students,
◗◗make much needed facility and technology improvements to our school.
The 2011-12 Annual Fund was launched on July 1. This year’s Annual Fund goal is
$490,000, and you can help us get a jump-start on the new year! Donate online at
www.bishopoconnell.org/give or checks can be made payable to Bishop O’Connell High
School and mailed to:
Office of Advancement
Bishop O’Connell High School
6600 Little Falls Road
Arlington, VA 22213
For more information, please contact Cindy Krech, Associate Director of Advancement, at
ckrech@bishopoconnell.org or 703-237-1446.
NEW ANNUAL FUND VIDEO
This past spring, our students and staff members got on the
bandwagon to encourage giving to the Bishop O’Connell Annual
Fund. Their efforts resulted in a short video which can be
viewed at www.bishopoconnell.org/dont. If you haven’t seen it
yet, make sure to take a look. We thank all the hands that went
into making this video!
14

Parents and Alumni
Gather to Help O’Connell
Over 80 parents and alumni gathered for
a reception on Apr. 14 to launch The Time
Is Now strategic initiative for the school.
The event was held at Top of the Town in
Arlington where guests enjoyed the panoramic
view of our nation’s capital. As part
of this strategic initiative, the event was
held as the first in a series of similar receptions
moving forward to raise support for
critical capital projects.
President Katy Prebble shared with the
guests the result of months of planning
and work that led to announcing The Time
is Now initiative on that evening. Prior to
launching this initiative, the school engaged
in and completed a planning survey
for the future. Over 1,000 parents, alumni,
faculty and students participated in the
survey. The excellent feedback from the
survey results helped shape the strategic
initiative for O’Connell’s future. Focus
group discussions with alumni, parents,
faculty and friends were also held as part
of the planning that helped shape the
strategic initiative.
During the reception, parents and alumni
enjoyed a brief video that captured the
spirit of the school and its mission and
highlighted many of the necessary capital
improvements that Bishop O’Connell needs
to address in the future. President Prebble
closed the evening saying, “I am excited
about the opportunities this initiative
presents and the enthusiastic response
people have already shown. While we
have just begun on this initiative and
have a long way to go, with the help of
people like you, we are confident that we
can achieve our goals.”
Marcel and Jeannie Jreige Semaan ‘86 chat with President Katy Prebble and Principal Joe Vorbach.
Judy Kimmitt Rainey ’73 and Nancy Fay
Sr. Catherine Hill ’66, Dean of Academics,
and former principal Al Burch
15

Why We Give
Mary Deely Arendt ’80
For me it basically comes down to Catholic
high school vs. public.
We live in a very unique location with access
to many extremely well rated public
and private schools. When my husband
and I were growing up, we attended both
Catholic and public schools. In our minds,
there really is no comparison between the
two. You can get the same academics anywhere,
but what you can never get from
public school is the deepening of your
Christian faith, at an age when you need it
the most. Our kids may not recognize this
now, but I am convinced that like me, they
will look back and realize how lucky they
were to have had the gift of learning to
love their faith, while making friendships
that last a lifetime.
This school, Bishop Denis J. O’Connell,
has more than 50 years of an amazing
legacy. Like so many families here at
O’Connell, my family has been a part of
that legacy since 1961 when my aunt,
Mary Ellen Deely graduated from the first
graduating class. Her younger brother
Phillip was in the class of 1962. Over the
remaining years Deelys continued to occupy
space at O’Connell until the last one
graduated in 1991. So many teachers have
remained with the school for so long, so
many alumni have returned to O’Connell
to coach and teach, so many traditions still
remain, like Superdance, the Living Rosary
and Chunky Soup drive, senior retreats,
and even the Used Book Sale. O’Connell
seems to have changed very little over the
years. Despite it’s physical challenges,
O’Connell continues to give young teens
a beautiful opportunity to grow in an environment
surrounded by prayer, service
and strong moral values.
I always knew that O’Connell would be
a wonderful fit for my own kids. There
is something about DJO that just draws
you in. The reality of having my children
enrolled at O’Connell became clear to me
when my oldest daughter reached middle
school. Living in Vienna and attending
Our Lady of Good Counsel allowed me to
reconnect with many former classmates.
I was surprised at how many of them
had older children attending O’Connell.
Although we want to leave our children
Mary Deely Arendt ‘80 poses with Dorothy Arendt and Eleanor Deely at the grandparents event.
many things in life, providing them with
the privilege of a catholic education was at
the top of our list.
My daughter Catherine’s enrollment
marks the third generation of Deelys at
Bishop O’Connell. Our relatives love to
follow Catherine’s story as she makes
her way through those same hallways. I
chuckle to myself as I hear her answer the
same questions over and over again from
her aunts and uncles:
“Is Mr. Martin still there”
“What about Mr. Steib”
“Who do you have for World History”
“How was Superdance”
As my daughter entered O’Connell, the
class of 1980 was busy organizing our
30-year reunion. How lucky I was to have
these two events happen simultaneously.
So many wonderful memories of my
own high school years came racing back
to me. It made me feel incredibly fortunate
to have the opportunities of all that
O’Connell has to offer still available to my
kid. Again, learning to love our Catholic
faith, while making friendships that last a
lifetime.
They say hind sight is 20-20 and looking
back I truly believe Catholic education is
worth the sacrifices, in paying the tuition,
in accepting the occasional frustrations
that come with less than state-of-the-art
facilities, and in transporting our children
to and from without the luxury of a bus
stop in the front yard. I believe these kids
will have a firm foundation of their faith;
it may be deeply rooted and buried away,
but it will be there when they need it, and
they will know how to retrieve it. To this
day—30 years later as my 1980 classmates
gather together to plan our class reunions,
we always incorporate a class Mass into
our reunion weekend—and we get a bit
choked up during that Mass as we offer
each other a sign of peace, and shake the
same hands we shook 30 years ago in our
little plaid skirts and v-neck sweaters.
This Is Why We Give.
16

John Gartner ’86
When I was a student at O’Connell I ran
into Fr. McMurtrie in the hallway. It had
been several years since Fr. McMurtrie
had been principal at O’Connell but he
was a big O’Connell supporter and stayed
in close touch with the school. I asked him
what he was doing there and he told me
that he was attending a conference in the
auditorium. I said, “So you have to sit in
there all day listening to a bunch of boring
speakers” He didn’t answer but pointed
to a name tag he was wearing that said,
“Msgr. James W. McMurtrie—Speaker.”
Fr. McMurtrie was anything but a boring
speaker. Once a year the entire school
would gather in the auditorium to kick off
the Superdance season and Fr. McMurtrie
would tell us about Brenda and Maura
O’Donnell and the first Superdance. It
was the same speech every year but it
never lost its punch. It was very funny
and terribly sad and filled with the same
infectious faith and optimism that Brenda
and Maura had shown in the face of cystic
fibrosis and that the rest of the O’Donnell
family still showed as they sat on the stage
behind Fr. McMurtrie. And year after
year, the students responded, just as they
respond today, not because they knew
Brenda or Maura, or even Fr. McMurtrie.
It is because they are part of a community
of students and teachers, parents and
administrators, alumni, nuns and priests
who keep an eye out for one another and
who keep God at the center of their lives.
I enjoy running into former O’Connell
classmates and teachers, and I’m happy
to give to O’Connell’s Annual Fund,
the Superdance and other fundraisers.
O’Connell has a community that is worth
hanging onto and worth supporting. After
25 years I may not remember everything
I learned at O’Connell, but that much I
haven’t forgotten.
Left to right, Charlie, David, John, Jack and Paige Gartner, with Mary in the front.
Presley
Nardella ’11—
Prayer Bears
Senior Presley Nardella created a
Christian service project that would
give back to her school. She worked
with her family to design special
DJO “Prayer Bears” specifically for
the class of 2011. These bears were
blessed by Father Hudgins and sold
to graduate families as a lasting
memory of their time at O’Connell.
The proceeds were given back to the
O’Connell community to support
the technology needs of our school.
Thank you, Presley!
17

The winning foursome (from left to right) John (Rick) Ojala, Charles Fitzgerald, Charles Wilkinson and Carl
(Gerry) Balestrieri.
2011
Golf Classic
Patrice Connolly wins the women’s
longest drive.
Joseph W. Connolly
Memorial Golf Classic
On May 6, Bishop O’Connell held its 23rd
Annual Joseph W. Connolly Memorial Golf
Classic at the Laurel Hill Golf Club in Lorton,
Va. More than 130 alumni, parents and
friends of O’Connell came out on a beautiful
spring day, raising $40,000 to support
needs-based tuition assistance at the school.
At the end of the day, alumni foursome—
Carl “Gerry” Balestrieri ’75, John “Rick”
Ojala, Charles Wilkinson ’75, and Charles
Fitzgerald ’75—won the 2011 tournament
AND the alumni cup.
Other winners that day included:
◗◗2nd place: Tom Smith ’91, Ray Williams
’91, Chris Williams ’93, Chris
Smith ’91
◗ ◗3rd place: Tie between: Husky
Properties-Connolly team and
Boyce-Carter-Milligan team
◗◗Men Longest Drive: Jim Bergan ’84
◗ ◗Women’s Longest Drive: Patrice
Connolly
◗ ◗Closest to the Pin: Rob Sobolewski
During the dinner program and awards
ceremony, tournament chair Chris
Melnick presented retiring O’Connell
Athletic Director Darrell Snyder with a
special momento not only for his years of
support to this golf tournament, but also
for his influence as a coach and mentor on
more than one generation of students and
families, many of whom were gathered in
that room.
Special thanks to our 2011 golf committee:
Chris Melnick ’84 (chairman), Peter
Furey ’76, Jimmy Wilkinson ’76, Michael
Abbenante ’98 and Joe Gargiulo.
Thank You!
2011 Connolly
Classic Sponsors
Dinner Sponsor: Battlefield Ford
Car Sponsors: Bill Page Honda, Koons
Automotive, Sheehy Automotive
Lunch Sponsor: Syd Albrittain
Golf Ball Sponsor: The Nigro Family
Practice Area Sponsor: Husky
Properties
Donors: Cystic Fibrosis Foundation,
Herff Jones, Flynn and O’Hara
Uniforms, Friends of Stuart Dean:
PPG Industries, Manolis Painting,
Bailey’s Crossroads Auto Body, Skyline
Automotive, Seminary Road Shell,
Custom Metals of Virginia, Solutex
Hole Sponsors: Walsh Colucci
Lubeley Emrich & Walsh PC, UGL-
Unicco, Alcalde & Fay, The Belt
Team, Rutherfoord, Flik, Matthews,
Carter & Boyce, Washington Financial
Group, HomeFirst Mortgage,
Bergmann’s Cleaning, DJO Class of
1989: Boyces, Cook and Milligan,
Morgan Stanley Smith Barney, Panacea,
SHW Group, Gale, Christian Wealth
Management, Rich and Suzanne Carroll,
Merrill Lynch Wealth Management,
Albrittain Group/Dittmar Realty, Cross
Capital Advisory, Double Eagle Title
Friends of the Connolly Classic:
Readak Educational Services, Fairfax
Memorial Park, Roger E. Furey CPA,
Allstate Carpets, Capitol Spine & Pain
Center, Mary Ann and Thomas Hilliard
18

Welcome Grandparents!
Bishop O’Connell opened its doors on April 7 to welcome grandmothers
and grandfathers for the annual spring grandparents event. President
Kathleen Prebble hosted an informal coffee in the school convent, that
was followed by a matinee preview in the auditorium of our spring
production, “You Can’t Take It With You.” This morning program was a
perfect opportunity for the generations to mix and mingle.
The grandmother of Ashley Cox ’13, Elaine Cox, is pictured with her
grandson Austin Cox and Ashely’s father David Cox (Ashley is not in
the picture).
Timera Kemp ’14 with her grandmother, Deborah Russell.
Alexander Mallo ’14, Grandmother Mona Huey and mother Sarah
Mallo pictured with Katy Prebble.
Celebrating Legacy Families
Each year, the Legacy Mass and Brunch honors O’Connell alumni who are now sending their own children to their alma mater. More than
100 family members gathered in the student chapel and the cafeteria on April 10 to enjoy an afternoon together. Mass was celebrated by the
school chaplain, Rev. James Hudgins ’88, and the special guest speaker for the breakfast was Dr. Joseph Vorbach ’83, our school principal and
parent of graduating senior Dylan Vorbach ’11.
Jeanette Morin ‘82 and Maria Bueno Cervantes ‘82 and their families
catch up at the Legacy Brunch.
Alumnus George Walsh ‘76 with daughter, Eily Walsh ’11.
19

ALL-ALUMNI
Reunion
Weekend
2011 Alumni Awards
Over 65 alumni, family and friends
gathered in early June to honor fellow
alumni at the first alumni awards banquet.
The Distinguished Alumni Award was
presented to Joe (’64) and Nancy (’65)
Koons. The Young Alumni Achievement
Award was presented to Grace Abi-Najm
Shea ’93 and Knights Service Awards were
presented to Laura Tartaro-McGowan ’75
and Jason Cage ’95.
It was an emotional night for all. Candy
Cage accepted the Knights Service Award
on behalf of her brother, Jason Cage, who
is still recovering from his recent surgery.
She spoke of his great love for O’Connell
and how the support from the school has
been a blessing to Jason, who suffers from
Cystic Fibrosis. The alumni are thrilled to
be able to honor Jason. His appearances
at Superdance assemblies are too numerous
to count, and each time he inspires the
students assembled with his motivation and
perseverance. (Read more about Jason Cage
on page 11).
O’Connell art teacher Joe Crivella introduced
the second Knights Service Award
recipient, Laura Tartaro-McGowan, who
not only graduated from O’Connell but
enrolled her children here and served for
many years as a volunteer, and as PTO president.
Though Laura had many outstanding
accomplishments, Laura considers her two
greatest accomplishments to be her children.
“I always knew that they belonged at
O’Connell” she said emphatically.
destined for great things,” Grace’s love of
service in her professional life is a passion
that she picked up from her days as a DJO
Knight. The Lebanese Taverna franchise run
by Grace and her four brothers and sisters
donates to countless charities, including
Bishop O’Connell.
The Distinguished Alumni Award was presented
to Joe and Nancy Koons by former
O’Connell principal, Al Burch. Joe and
Nancy both spent their time at O’Connell
busy with sports and various activities.
Although to many, their achievements in the
business world are plain to see, according to
Joe, their greatest successes have been their
ten children who all graduated from Bishop
O’Connell. There is little doubt that their 18
grandchildren (soon to be 20) are destined
to follow in the family footsteps to become
Knights. Joe and Nancy have always put
Bishop O’Connell in the forefront of their
philanthropic giving.
Nancy and Joe Koons, 2011 Distinguished Alumni
All Alumni Mass
and Brunch
The All-Alumni Reunion Weekend culminated
in an alumni family Mass and
brunch back at the school. More than
50 alumni, family and friends gathered
for Mass led by Fr. James Hudgins ’88.
He was assisted on the altar by Deacon
Jim Fishenden and Dennis Dwyer, both
members of the class of 1961. The Mass
was followed by a light brunch in the
cafeteria. A wonderful time was had by all
who attended.
2011 Alumni Award recipients (from Left to right): Candy Cage, Laura Tartaro-McGowan,
Grace Abi-Najm Shea, Nancy Koons, and Joe Koons posing with President Katy Prebble.
Grace Abi-Najm Shea received the Young
Alumni Achievement Award, presented
to her by Sister Maureen Christopher. Sr.
Maureen became quite emotional as she
recalled that Grace took not one, but two
classes with Sr. Maureen her freshman year.
According to Sr. Maureen, “This made it
clear that Grace was a special young lady
All-Alumni Mass in school chapel.
20

Class Reunion Events
Members of the Class of 1961
Class of 1961
The Class of 1961 celebrated Bishop
O’Connell’s first 50-year reunion. The
celebration began on June 2 when the ’61
graduates were invited to join the class
of 2011 at the National Shrine for their
graduation. Following the graduation
ceremony, there was a special reception
on the campus of Catholic University for
those 1961 graduates.
The fun continued on Friday night with
a class party at the Key Bridge Marriott.
Some of the alumni from the class of 1961
had not seen their classmates in 50 years!
The main event took place on Saturday
night back in the DJO cafeteria. Over 90
alumni from 1961 were joined by family and
friends from the class of 1962 for an evening
of fun and fellowship. The DJ played
some of their favorite songs from their high
school days and the classmates reminisced
over old pictures and memories. The class
also planned a small memorial for those
classmates that had passed away.
The weekend ended at the All-Alumni Reunion
Mass and Brunch in the O’Connell
chapel and cafeteria. Deacon Jim Fishenden
and Dennis Dwyer both ’61 grads
served as readers.
From left to right, Denise Doyle Hughes ’62, Frank Hughes ’61, Betty Depenbrock Martin ’62, Herb Martin,
Anne Depenbrock, John Depenbrock ’61.
Class of ’95
Organizes
Fundraiser
On Monday, May 23 at Public House
No. 7, the class of 1995 hosted a
fundraiser for classmate Jason Cage.
They raised over $3,000 that night
and through online donations from
those who couldn’t come to the event.
The event was sponsored by Driven,
Inc. and Koons of Annapolis.
Top row: Dennis Dwyer ‘61, Mike Tierney ‘61, President Katy Prebble. Bottom row: Sara Josephson ‘62,
Sharon Chapman ‘62, Christy Kawabata ‘61.
21

Alumni Spotlight
Atheni Asihel ’03
Atheni Asihel was raised in northern
Virginia in an Eritrean-American home.
During her time at Bishop O’Connell,
Atheni stayed involved with the student
council and was even president of her
class in her freshman year. Atheni was also
very involved in Superdance each year
and remained inspired by the O’Connell
movement to support the Cystic Fibrosis
Foundation. After O’Connell, she attended
Loyola University in Chicago to pursue a
degree in international studies. Upon her
return she started a downtown event in
conjunction with Superdance, to reunite
alumni for the Cystic Fibrosis cause. This
new tradition is now in its fifth year.
Atheni’s first international service learning
experience was while she was at
O’Connell. She was one of two sophomores
selected to go with Mr. Chris
Scrable on the annual service trip in the
Dominican Republic, where she developed
an interest in the Peace Corps and foreign
service. During her time at Loyola, Atheni
served on the Unified Student Government,
which allowed her the opportunity
to serve on the dean’s advisory council.
She also volunteered with many community
service organizations including a
weekly mentorship program for underserved
Chicago youth.
Atheni currently works in Washington
D.C. for Teach for America. Individuals
working for Teach for America commit to
teaching for two years in low income communities.
Atheni’s desire to be an active
Atheni Asihel with her kindergartners.
participant in her community is a part of
the very fiber of her being. With a family
of political activists and a strong background
in faith and service from O’Connell
that carried her through college, it is no
surprise that Atheni has turned into such a
remarkable young woman.
Bob and Paola Pizzano ’81
Not many people have the passion and
devotion of Bob and Paola (Egge) Pizzano,
both members of the class of 1981. They
have kept themselves busy in their professional
and personal lives, with Bob running
his company, Pizzano Contractors, and
Paola keeping busy maintaining a household
with eight children.
Three of the Pizzano’s children were born
with developmental challenges and one of
them, Joey, died in a drowning accident at
the age of six. After Joey’s death, Paola and
Bob started the Joey Pizzano Memorial
Fund (JPMF) in the hopes of making a difference
for other children like Joey.
After more than ten years of planning and
fundraising, the Pizzanos celebrated this
spring with the opening of Our Special
Harbor, a 7,000-square-foot, zero-waterdepth
“sprayground” in Joey’s honor. Joey
loved the water, and the Pizzanos often
went to the Chesapeake Bay to spend time
together as a family. It was a special place
for them and so when they built their
“spray ground,” they hoped that other families
would adopt it as “their special place.”
The foundation also has a program called
JPMF Splash which is dedicated to providing
funds and classes for water safety
education classes. Many children with developmental
delays such as cerebral palsy
are encouraged to engage in water activities
Our Special Harbor
and therapy. JPMF Splash is a program
that pairs children up with one person
who teaches them swim safety rules using
games. The American Red Cross’ swim
safety guide now lists the Splash program
and the curriculum and games that the Pizzano’s
created as a resource for families of
children with disabilities.
The Pizzanos have children with disabilities
and children without disabilities and so
they are sensitive to the fact that it can be
difficult to find activities the whole family
can enjoy. This is one of the many things
that make Our Special Harbor so special.
It was important to them to create a place
where families could come together and all
have a wonderful time.
“It is all about families,” Paola says. “Families
were coming up to us saying ‘now we
have something we can do with our whole
family,’ and that meant the most to us.”
Opening day celebration with Bob Pizzano
(far right) and family.
Ribbon cutting on opening day.
Our Special Harbor is located in the Lee
District Park in Franconia and is free to
families. It is funded by the JPMF, the
Fairfax County Park Foundation and a
$250,000 matching grant from the Virginia
Board of People with Disabilities. The Fairfax
County Park Foundation runs and funds
the daily operations of Our Special Harbor.
For more information on Our Special
Harbor, or to donate to the Joey Pizzano
Memorial Fund, visit www.jpmf.org.
22

Marc Lapuda ’78 held a screenwriting
seminar on May 7 in Bethesda, Md. Marc
is is a full-time Professor at Yale University
where he runs and teaches the entire
screenwriting curriculum in The Film
Studies Program. He has taught at Columbia
University’s Graduate Film School,
Johns Hopkins and the University of Pennsylvania.
He has lectured at The Smithsonian
Institution and many other venues.
Holy Spirit School in Annandale, Va.), Nicole
(a rising 6th grader at the same school), and
Luca (a mischievous 2 year old).
Erwin Rozada ’90 and Mary Kathryn
Argauer were married on Saturday, July
9, 2011, at Saint Paul’s Catholic Church in
Damascus, Md. Matthew Copsey ’90 will
be in the wedding party.
Kristina Tatusko Henry ’84 published
her second children's picture book The
Fish Tank (Schiffer Publishing, 2011).
Alumni
Roll Call
Written in haiku, the
story explores the
concepts of getting along
and living together in
peace (photo courtesy of michellegrimesguyphotography.com).
Monica Hopkins Neine ’89 and her
husband Raul Neine had their fourth child,
Valentina, on Sep. 3, 2010. Valentina joins
her siblings, Brandon (a rising 8th grader at
John Rozada ’98, is engaged to Victoria
Veselova, and will be married Saturday,
Sep. 17, 2011. The wedding ceremony will
take place at St. James Catholic Church, in
Falls Church. David Ray ’98 and Joseph
Moriarty ’98 will be participating in the
wedding.
23

Sisters Alli, Erin ’00 and Cat ’02 Blakey
are bringing their homemade pies to
Georgetown. The trio will be opening a
pie shop in Georgetown. See the full story
here http://www.thegeorgetowndish.com/
thedish/pie-girls-baked-new-reality-show.
Libby Muldoon ’03 stopped to chat with
President Katy Prebble during her recent
return to her alma mater. Muldoon addressed
the soon-to-be graduates, inviting
them to take full advantage of their new
title of DJO alumni. “Stay connected and
stay involved,” she said. “The rewards are
immeasurable.”
Veronica Ettle ’01 married Michael Chirlin
at the Comus Inn in Dickerson, Md. on
June 4, 2011. Her cousins, Irene Edmunds
‘92 and Nora Sebastian Tiller ‘88, were
bridesmaids in her wedding.
Steve Chanderbhan ’03 will be completing
his Ph.D. in Philosophy in the fall of
2011 at Saint Louis University. At the same
time, Steve will be an assistant professor of
philosophy (medieval philosophy, particularly
Aquinas; ethics) at Canisius College
(Buffalo, N.Y.).
Carrie Carpenter Philbin ’04 and J. Patrick
Philbin ’04 welcomed their first child
Jackson Patrick Philbin on Apr. 2, 2011.
Jackson is the first grandson of O’Connell
alum and teacher, Bill Carpenter ’76 and
Debbie Carpenter.
Daniel Talbot Milam, ’05, graduated last
year with a BFA from Virginia Commonwealth
University. He is currently employed
in his field with Dynamis working
on artistic projects in film and animation
for the government on the battlefields of
the Civil War.
24

Scott Miller ’05 has his undergraduate
degree in Civil Engineering from Virginia
Tech, and on Friday, May 13 he received
his Masters of Science degree in Geospatial
Engineering, Summa Cum Laude,
from Virginia Tech. He is employed at
Parsons Brinckerhoff Engineering Firm
located in Herndon, Va.
Anna Macedonia ’06 was named CAC
Swimmer of the Year. Anna is currently a
junior at Marymount University.
Grace Hill Milam ’07 and Jessica Nutter
’07 graduated from Richmond, the American
International University, London,
England on May 12. They both majored in
International Relations and Communications.
Grace Milam is the daughter of DJO
Theatre Director Elizabeth Milam.
At the end of May, Evan Melone ’07
(above, center) was commissioned into
the U.S. Marine Corps. Several days
later, Tom Baxter ’07 (right) graduated
from the U.S. Naval Academy and joined
Melone as a Marine Corps officer. Both
are headed to Quantico for six months of
training at The Basic School. John Curtin
’07 (left) joined the two for a mini-reunion.
John graduated from the University
of Virginia and will go on to graduate
school at Georgetown in the fall.
Jordan Trimble ’07 was commissioned
a 2nd Lt. in the U.S. Army Signal Corp
and he will be attending Officer Leadership
Class at Ft. Gordon, Ga. Before going
to Georgia his first assignment will be
serving as a football coaching intern at
the United States Military Academy Prep
School which is located at West Point.
25

Congratulations to Father Luke Dundon
Father Luke Dundon was ordained at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington on Saturday, June 11. Fr. Dundon is a
1999 graduate of Bishop O’Connell High School. Fr. Dundon will initially be assigned as Parochial Vicar at the Church of
Saint Philip in Falls Church.
Pictured are several of his former teachers, posing with Fr. Dundon at a reception in his honor. From left to right: Diane Cerniglia, Fr. Luke Dundon,
Annette Borges and Patrice Connolly.
Erin Marrone ’07 was a triple winner at
the University of Notre Dame’s annual
athletic awards ceremony in May. This
former DJO softball stand-out received
the Kanaley Award, the Top Gun Award,
and was the female honoree of the Monogram
Club Postgraduate Scholarship.
In Memoriam
LTC (Ret.) Lewis Stanley
Swinehart III ’61
Eugene Wood ’61
Shelia Ward ’62
Amanda Ripley ’07 graduated from Converse
College Summa Cum Laude with a
Bachelor of Fine Arts in Interior Design
with a Minor in Art History on May 14.
JT Carter ’07 was awarded Outstanding
Artist in 3D Art at his graduation ceremony
at the College of William and Mary
on May 15. Lauren Edmonds ‘07 received
the Algernon Sydney Sullivan award at
William and Mary. The Algernon Sydney
Sullivan Award, given in the form of a
medal at the commencement ceremony,
is awarded based on characteristics of
“heart, mind and helpfulness to others.”
Beth Crenshaw Farrell ’67
William Henry Finein ‘ 67
John Connell ’72
James Knight ’74
Kristine Camacho Secrist ’86
Heidi V. Kunec ’91
Frey Sherwood
O’Connell Teacher, 1971–1983
Steve Trimble
Football Coach, 1999–2011
26

Homecoming—
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Join us for Homecoming football game on
Saturday, November 5. The Knights take on Paul
VI in this diocesan match-up. The Alumni Tent
opens at noon with food and drinks and activities
for kids. Kick-off is at 1:30 p.m.
“Knight Party”— Saturday, November 12, 2011
Join your fellow DJO alums in the school gym at the first annual Knight Party—a night of
food, fun and LIVE music by the Fabulous Dialtones and food by Tom Gadell ’74. Cost is
$25 in advance and $35 at the door and includes beef, beer and band. For more information
and tickets, contact Suzanne Nirschl Brown ’77 at suzanne44brown@gmail.com, Tom
Gadell ’74 tgadell@bishopoconnell.org, Joe Yohe ’76 at jospeh.yohe1@gmail.com or Peter
Warren ’77 at peter.j.warren@accenture.com.
Upcoming
Alumni
Events
Mark Your Calendar—The 2012 All-Alumni Reunion
Weekend is scheduled for June 8–10, 2012.
Upcoming Reunions
Stay Connected
with DJO
To keep your contact
information up-to-date, visit
www.bishopoconnell.org/alumni
Don’t miss out on
any upcoming
alumni events!
Class of 1971 is planning their 40-year
reunion for the weekend of Sept. 16, 2011,
starting with a reception at DJO on Friday,
an off-campus event on Saturday and
Mass and Brunch at DJO on Sunday.
More details to follow. Please contact Bill
Crenshaw at billcrenshaw@verizon.net
for more information or visit http://
oconnell1971classreunion.eventbrite.com/
to register.
Class of 1981 will be holding their
reunion on Nov. 5 at the Hyatt Regency
Dulles. Please contact Stacey Sloan Brown
at cwbrownfamily@verizon.net for more
information.
Class of 1991 is planning their reunion
for the weekend of Nov. 5, 2011. Please
contact Anna Lisa Ramos Schneider
at anna_lisa_ramos@hotmail.com for more
information.
Class of 2001 is currently planning
their 10-year reunion for a weekend in
June. Please contact Christi Ward at
jcward09@gmail.com or Pierce Bello
at piercebello@gmail.com for more
information. To register visit
http://djoclassof2001.eventbrite.com/
Royalette Dance Team Reunion The
Royalettes invite all Royalette alums
to join them on September 24, 2011 for
their 30th Reunion! Visit http://www.
bishopoconnell.org/page.cfmp=668
more information and updates.
It’s never too early to start planning a reunion or get-together with your
classmates. Please contact the alumni office, who can help you with class lists,
publicity, ideas and much more. Contact alumni@bishopoconnell.org or call Michelle
Kannan, Manager of Alumni Relations at 703-237-1437.
27

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Coming
Events
Athletic Field Groundbreaking
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
10:00 a.m.
Join our school community to
officially break ground on our athletic
field renovation project.
Homecoming
Saturday, November 5, 2011
DJO Knights vs. Paul VI
Alumni tent opens at noon,
kick-off at 1:30 p.m.
Knight Party
Saturday, November 12, 2011
6:00 p.m. to midnight
Live music, dinner and dancing
in the gym—hosted by alumni.
Winter Musical
December 9–11, 2011
“It’s a Wonderful Life”
28
11th Annual Gala & Auction
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Mark your calendars! Our Annual
Gala & Auction will be on Saturday,
February 4, 2012 at the McLean Hilton
in Tysons Corner. It’s never too early
to get a start on signing up to volunteer
or make a donation! Contact the gala
committee at gala@bishopoconnell.org
to help out.
37th Annual Superdance
for Cystic Fibrosis
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Noon to midnight in the school gym.
Find out more at www.superdance.org.
Athletic Hall of Fame
Saturday, March 31, 2012
5:00 p.m. in the cafeteria
Legacy Brunch
Sunday April 22, 2012
10:00 a.m. Mass in the chapel with
brunch following in the cafeteria
24th Annual Connolly Classic
Friday, May 4, 2012
Join us at Laurel Hill Golf Club in
Lorton, Va. for this annual event full
of fun and camaraderie.
All-Alumni Reunion Weekend
June 8-10, 2012