January 2008 Issue - De La Salle Institute

De La Salle Magazine January 2008

President’s MessageDe La Salle MagazineJanuary 2oo8De La Salle Magazine ispublished quarterly byDe La Salle Institute’s Officefor Advancement. The purposeof the publication is to unitethe Christian Brothers, alumni,students, parents, faculty,staff and friends togetherin De La Salle’s mission ofexcellence in education.Send us your thoughtsLetters to the editor areencouraged and appreciated.Letters must be signed and havean address and/or telephonenumber. Letters to the editormay be published and edited forlength and clarity. Please sendcorrespondence to: De La Salle InstituteAttn: De La Salle Magazine3455 S. Wabash Ave.Chicago, IL 60616 Phone: (312) 842-7355 Fax: (312) 842-4142 E-Mail: webmaster@dls.org Website: http://www.dls.orgMission StatementDe La Salle Institute is anindependent Catholic secondaryschool rooted in the traditionof Christian education begunby St. John Baptist De La Salle.Founded in 1889, its mission hasbeen, and is, to foster a desire forexcellence in education. Youngpeople from a variety of ethnicand economic backgrounds aregiven the opportunity to fullydevelop their abilities so theymay be active, contributingmembers of our complex,changing society.De La Salle MagazinePhotos byMary Ellen LesniakRoot StudiosMichael K. WalshStories written byIris Gist CochranTom Lyons ‘43Tolton Center StaffMichael K. WalshLayout and design byJeff MarienthalEditor-in-chiefMichael K. WalshOn Cover — Mural ofSt. John Baptist De La Sallecreated by De La Salle – LourdesHall Campus art teacherPaul Granat ’92.Dear De La Salle Graduates and Friends:“A meteor is a spectacular burst of light caused by some phenomenalclash of energy in the sky. Although that burst may only last a moment,once seen, its image remains etched in the mind forever.“Within the pages of this magazine are examples of images that willshine forever as bursts of light caused by Meteor energy. You will bereminded about Br. Michael Quirk’s 24 years of dedicated service toDe La Salle Institute. Although Br. Michael officially completed his termas President in December, the positive impact he has made as a Catholicand Lasallian role model, leader, visionary, and educator will continueto inspire us in the future.“You will learn about the personal sacrifice made by our students tobrighten the lives of children who suffer from illness. You will view themost recent artistic impression a former student and current facultymember has created to remind us of our Lasallian identity. These arejust a sampling of memorable imprints created by Meteor spirit.“Twenty years ago, I was fortunate to become the new member of De La Salle Institute—acommunity of faith, a community of service, a community of learners. That was the day Isigned my first contract and officially became a Meteor. At the time, I did not completelyunderstand what being a Meteor would mean. Somehow, though, I knew it would be morethan just a name or a title. I knew it would be both a privilege and a challenge.“Throughout the years, I have been trusted with numerous and varied challenges in theform of new positions, heightened responsibilities, and increased learning opportunities.More important, I have been privileged to learn from and work with phenomenal educators,administrators, students, parents, and alums, many of whom are still closely connected toDe La Salle.“Twenty years ago, I did not fully understand what it means to be a Christian educator in aLasallian school. I did not know much about De La Salle Institute. I knew even less about St.John Baptist and the Brothers of the Christian Schools. Further, the concept of a worldwideLasallian Community was completely foreign to me.“However, I have experienced Meteor life as both a faculty member and a parent. I have hadthe opportunity to learn from the Christian Brothers and the lay faculty and staff, and I havewitnessed firsthand what St. John Baptist De La Salle meant by “touching hearts.” Twentyyears later, I am grateful for the knowledge I have gained, for the relationships I have built,and for the opportunities I continue to have.“Twenty years ago, I never dreamed I would be writing this message, and I am thankful forthe recognition and continued support of the Board of Directors, the Christian Brothers, andthe De La Salle administration, faculty and staff. Today, it is with great honor, pride, andhumility that I begin my service as interim President of De La Salle Institute.”Diane Brown has served De La Salle in a variety of capacities since coming to the Institute in1987. She has been an English teacher, the chairwoman of the English Department, the Dean of theLanguage Arts Division, the Associate Principal for Academics at the Lourdes Hall Campus and thePrincipal of the Lourdes Hall Campus.For the next seven months, Brown will represent De La Salle in another capacity, serving asthe Institute’s interim President until August 1, 2008.Brown, who holds degrees from Western Illinois University and Northeastern Illinois University, iscurrently enrolled in the Doctoral Program for Educational Leadership for Teaching and Learning atLewis University. Her son, Michael Gazda, is a 1998 graduate of De La Salle. January 2008

Faculty NewsPaul Granat’s Work of ArtEnter the commons atDe La Salle’s Lourdes HallCampus and you will findSt. John Baptist De La Salle waitingthere.While the saint for whom theInstitute was named isn’t physicallyin the multipurpose facility, hispresence is certainly felt, thanksto a beautifully constructed muralhonoring him that is hanging on thecommons’ south wall.The man responsible for the creative and brilliant artwork isDe La Salle art teacher Paul Granat ’92. Granat, who attendedthe University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, majored infine arts with a concentration in painting. He has been teachingat De La Salle since August 2005.The list of classes taught by Granat at the Lourdes HallCampus includes Intro to Art, 3D Sculpture, Advanced Drama/Theatre, Intro to Drama/Theatre, Advanced Placement StudioArt, Advanced Art and Studio Art.Granat, who also painted the tribute to St. John BaptistDe La Salle on the arch in the hallway near the main entranceat the Lourdes Hall Campus, offers his thoughts and insight onthe work of art that graces the cover of this issue of De La SalleMagazine:“I was approached by Br. Mike (Quirk) and Ms. (Diane) Brownlate last spring to continue with the Lourdes Hall beautificationproject,” Granat said. “The discussion covered many areasof the school, but we agreed that the commons was a priority.The new commons was a stark white and in desperate need ofpersonality and a canvas mural would be the most appropriatemeans of achieving this.“The color choices were intentionally limited to shades of blue,white, and gold. I wanted the mural to function with the spaceand not visually dominate the Lourdes Hall Commons. Thesize of 20’x16’ would draw the viewer in. The most contrastwould be applied to the texture of the painting by using variousmaterials like spray paint, polyurethane, oil paint andacrylic paint.“Br. Mike and Ms. Brown gave me artistic license, which is arare opportunity when it comes to commissioned work. It alsogave me cautious responsibility for all aspects of the canvasmural. The theme, of course, had to deal with all things “D.”Accordingly, I decided on a montage of the multiple symbolsassociated with De La Salle and having De La Salle himself asthe focus.“The mural is from the ceiling to the floor, which allows it tobe viewed from more than one perspective. From a distance,the highlights of the face are a stark white, similar to thewalls of the commons. The shadows of the face from thesame vantage point seem to be made of high-gloss tile thatare a medium phthalo blue. When the audience approachesthe mural, it is revealed that the tiles are actually pages fromDe La Salle’s book, ‘The Conduct of Schools.’ The multipleperspectives engage the viewer from a distance and on amore intimate level.“This was my first opportunity to work on such a large scaleand it was quite rewarding. The administration of De La SalleInstitute has offered me other projects for the beautification ofthe Lourdes Hall Campus and I am excited to continue the process.As for the mural, it was laborious, but an enriching experiencethat took over 150 hours. After viewing the painting inits intended space, I might invest some more time adding otheritems and refining the mural.”January 2008

Faculty NewsFarewell & Thanks, Br. MichaelOn December 1, 2007, approximately 300 peoplegathered in the Hilton Commons on the InstituteCampus to bid farewell to Br. Michael Quirk, FSC,whose 24 years of service—which included the last 19 yearsas president—came to a conclusion on December 31 asBr. Michael moved on to another opportunity. Br. Michaelwill now hold the title of De La Salle’s President Emeritus.The evening allowed those associated with De La Salle tothank Br. Michael for his vision, leadership and friendshipover the last two-plus decades. As a token of appreciation,Br. Michael was presented with a new mountain bicycle,along with many other gifts.Happy riding, Br. Michael, thank you for all you have donefor everyone at De La Salle and best wishes on your newendeavor!Clockwise from top:3rd Ward Alderman Pat Dowell and Br. Michael;Br. Michael and John Lorenz ’95;Driscoll Catholic HS PrincipalFred Muehleman and De La Salle’s Directorof Development, Iris Gist Cochran;The Hartnett Family Greets Br. Michael;Br. MichaelJanet Galvin, Anna Marassa, Br. Michael,Diane Geers January 2008

As of January 1, 2008, Sr. RosemarieMorowczynski—also known aroundDe La Salle as “Sister Rosie”—becamethe interim principal at the Institute’s LourdesHall Campus, temporarily taking over forDiane Brown, who is serving as De La Salle’sinterim president.Sister Rosie, who will hold the interim principal title untilJune 6, moves into her short-term position possessing quite animpressive resume. She spent 25 years at Lourdes High Schoolas an administrator and also taught classes in Accounting,Recordkeeping, Consumer Education and Business. Sr. Rosieholds both her Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from LewisUniversity and also earned her teacher’s certification there.At De La Salle’s Lourdes Hall Campus, Sr. Rosie teachesAccounting, Consumer Ed/WP and Business Finance. She also isthe chairperson of the discipline board at Lourdes Hall.Here’s an opportunity to learn more about the veteran educatorwho lists Sudoku, tenor Andrea Bocelli and Notre Dame footballamong her favorite things:1. Why did you want to teach?“I have always wanted to teach because I love working withyoung people.”2. What are the rewards you derive from teaching?“The satisfaction of knowing I can touch the lives of young peopleand hopefully, help make them better Christian grownups.”3. Who are/were some of the primary influences in your life?“My mother.”4. What makes De La Salle special?“The spirit of St. John Baptist De La Salle is prevalent throughoutthe halls. I am at the Lourdes Hall Campus and I love beingFaculty NewsGetting to Know Sr. Rosie MorowczynskiScholarship OpportunitiesFunding a scholarship is very importantto us at De La Salle Institute, and particularlyimportant to our young menand women who stand to benefit. Afterteachers’ salaries, student financial aidis our second-largest expense. Everystudent, regardless of their financial oracademic status, is eligible for the JohnWalter Clarke ’12 Scholarship that providesa 20-percent discount to all families.Altogether, more than $3.3 million instudent financial assistance is awarded toDe La Salle families each year.De La Salle’s scholarships fall under twobasic categories: annual and endowed.Annual scholarship funds are establishedon a yearly basis at the request ofthe donor with a gift of $1,500 or more.Endowed scholarship funds aredesignated to be held in perpetuitywith investment income only to bepaid out as a scholarship award.Endowments can be establishedwith a minimum commitment of$25,000. This amount can be paidin one lump sum or paid in annualinstallments for up to five years(i.e. $5,000 per year).For more information about fundinga scholarship, please contact Iris GistCochran, Director of Development, at312.842.7355 ext. 152 or cochrani@dls.org.there. The faculty, staff and students are very warm and friendly.I also feel the Franciscan Spirit and the memories of LourdesHigh School are still around.”5. How do you feel about being the interim principal?“I am looking forward to it. It will be challenging. I have a greatrole model—Ms. Brown. I have had 25 years of administrativeexperience at Lourdes High School, but each new experience isunique in its own way.6. What/who sparked your interest in sports?“My mom and dad both.”7. You’ve been seen at theLourdes Hall Campus with aNotre Dame coffee cup. Areyou a big ND fan?“Very much so. Sr. Ann Mary(Wundrach’s) brother-in-lawgraduated from Notre Dameand gives us tickets each year. Ido have to put in a good wordfor Purdue, however, since mynieces and nephew graduatedfrom there and I go to Lafayetteto visit my family.”8. Favorite Chicago sports team(s) and why?“The Bears - I love football; it’s the most fast-moving sport. TheWhite Sox—the only real Chicago baseball team. I was born andbred a White Sox fan and I have been a South Sider most of mylife.”9. Best advice someone has given you?“Let go, Let God.”10. Three people you’d like to have dinner with?“Jesus Christ, St. Francis of Assisi and any of my friends.”January 2008

Faculty NewsWhere Are They Now?Perhaps one of the most popular teachers in the history of De La Sallewas Larry Wenshutonis ’60, affectionately known as “Wensh.”Wenshutonis, who retired from De La Salle at the conclusion of the2001-02 school year, began teaching at the Institute in 1966 andtaught physics and math. Wenshutonis was lauded by the De La SalleAlumni Association at the 2007 Alumni Banquet as he received theDistinguished Service Award.As part of the “Where Are They Now?” feature on former De La Sallefaculty and staff, De La Salle Magazine caught up with Wenshutonis,who is enjoying retirement in the western Chicago suburb of IndianHead Park with his wife, Mary Pat. We asked “Wensh” about some ofhis fondest memories of being at De La Salle and here’s what he hadto say:“Typically, I indoctrinated the incoming freshmen in the ways of35th and Wabash. I remember speaking at my first pep rally fora basketball game against the Mustangs of St. Rita. I rememberreferring to them as the “school at 63rd and Claremont withthe GIRL’S name” and that seemed to whip the Meteors into afrenzy. It was the beginning of many such happenings. I was atotal fanatic when it came to Meteor sports.“I am incredibly honored when any of my former (students)comes up to me and says, “Remember me, Mr. Wenshutonis?”They are always grateful for what you attempted to do for themin and out of the classroom. And I am always surprised howhappy there are to see me and, in turn, so am I. It’s funny how Ican remember that a given student sat in the third row, seconddesk, and sixth period. The names occasionally escape me; afterall, there are about nine thousand of them.“I’ve always felt that I was meant to be a Meteor and teach theMeteors. I never planned to go to ‘De’ until I met a neighborhoodbuddy of mine while in 8thgrade. God knew what he was doingin that maneuver. I was hooked thefirst day and never looked back. Itwasn’t a job but a providential calling.I truly love the Institute!“As a chubby frosh at De, I wasscared to death of being hazed asa ‘Benny.’ Those were the days oflethal corporal encouragement andit was administered by some of thefinest Brothers and laymen anywhere. Every Meteor was givena strong male image to emulate together with a solid Christianethic. There were no “lollipops” at the Institute. The strong suitof their educational philosophy was to do justice to every student—nomatter where they finished in the academic spectrum.And this continues today!“When I taught, I felt not what I said was important, but howit was said. Incorporate style with substance; that moves theMeteors. If you get lazy in your delivery, so will your students.Be prepared and stay on their case. They’ll be happy afterwards,but perhaps not during!“I regularly keep up with DLS by attending its functions. I amalways in touch with many of my fellow teachers, even now inretirement. Most of my best friends have some relationship withDe La Salle.“My wife, Mary Pat, and I are very lucky to do a lot of traveling.My health has been good and I am grateful for all of this. As forreading, well, I am a fanatic and the murder mystery is supremewith me.”In Memory of Brother John Johnston, fscBrother John Johnston, FSC, theformer superior general of theDe La Salle Christian Brothers, diedOct. 11 in Memphis, TN at the age of 73.Brother Johnston had a long and distinguishedcareer as a Christian Brother thatspanned 56 years. He attended ChristianBrothers College in Memphis and St.Mary’s College, in Winona, MN. Heserved as a teacher, administrator, andDirector of the Order’s Student Brothers.In 1971, he was appointed Provincialof the St. Louis District of the ChristianBrothers. In 1976, he became VicarGeneral of the Institute of the Brothersof the Christian Schools Order in Rome,and in 1986, he became the SuperiorGeneral of the De La Salle ChristianBrothers throughout the world. AsSuperior General, Brother John oversawthe Christian Brothers who were workingin the 81 countries in which the Brothershave educational institutions.Br. John served at De La Salle from1958-59 and lived in the De La SalleCommunity from 2000-01.He is survived by three brothers, EdJohnston of Nashville, TN; M. JosephJohnston of Woodbury, MN; and the Rev.Michael Johnston of Nashville.De La Salle extends its deepestsympathies to the Johnston family. January 2008

Campus NewsThrough Our Hearts, May Our Spirits SoarWhen Archbishop Quigley PreparatorySeminary closed at the conclusion of the2006-07 school year, its students werefaced with finding a new place to continuetheir studies.Of that group of young men, 42 chose toattend De La Salle. They arrived at theInstitute from Chicago’s Northwest Side,from the South Side and from the Loop. Someare sophomores, some are juniors and someare seniors.While they come from different neighborhoodsand backgrounds, these young men nowhave one important thing in common: theyare Meteors.Here are the reflections of five former Quigleystudents and two former Quigley teacherswho now call the Institute home.Left to right: Charles Heinrich ’09, John Zackrison ’10, Daniel Huicochea ’08, Jeffrey Jackson ’08,Alexander Huicochea ’09.Daniel Huicochea ’08 attended Good Shepherd grade schooland also is from Good Shepherd Parish. Huicochea is enrolled in theCollege Prep Program and is involved in a variety of extracurricularactivities at De La Salle.“It was difficult to accept the fact that Quigley was closingdown. It was my junior year and I had only one more yearuntil I graduated from the school I loved. But I am grateful thatDe La Salle has accepted me into its family.“I am happy for all the efforts of the faculty and staff andstudent body for making the entire group of Quigley transfersfeel at home and be a part of their family. Here at De La Salle,they provide the challenging academics that Quigley providedme; I commend the teaching staff for their approach andeducating styles.“I am very happy to have found De La Salle, especially thatit has strong tradition in the Catholic faith. I have foundmany ways of being involved at De La Salle. Out of the manyextracurricular activities, for instance, I am involved with thePeer Ministry, and Lasallian Youth, and sports such as trackand field.“I know that De La Salle has prepared me to face the challengesthat I will encounter in higher education, and in life itself. Iknow that being at De La Salle will contribute in my pursuit ofmy vocation into the priesthood.“Blessings come in many different ways, and one of thoseblessings is being able to be a part of De La Salle.”Charles Heinrich ’09 attended Our Lady of Victory gradeschool in Chicago. A member of the De La Salle band, Heinrich isenrolled in the Honors Program.“Like the rest of my fellow transfers from Archbishop QuigleyPreparatory Seminary, I was without a doubt deeply saddenedand angered at the loss of my home, my high school. Thesefeelings can only be assumed to be natural. But despite this,I found solace in the fact that one school was reaching out tome and accepting me in this tumultuous time. That school wasDe La Salle Institute.“The administration here has really gone out of its way tomake me feel like a welcomed member of the community andtheir assistance in my transition has truly been appreciated.The faculty are some of the most amiable I have met. Whetherit is in or out of the classroom, they are always willing to talkto me about what is on my mind. I have made many friendshere who I could have never met anywhere else and they haveaccepted me for who I am (which is no small feat). I am glad Imet them.“Change is by no means always a pain-free experience. Losingsomething or someone that you have been acquainted with fora long time often brings a pain down into your heart. But thatpain is eased when others are there with you. Eventually, withthose others, you find the strength to overcome that pain—be itgreat or small.“On my behalf, I would like to thank De La Salle for beingthat other, for helping me when I needed it. For though itwas Quigley’s motto last year, may it apply to all our years:“Through our hearts, may our spirits soar.”January 2008

Campus NewsThrough Our Hearts, May Our Spirits Soar (continued)Alexander Huicochea ’09 attended Good Shepherd gradeschool and also is a member of Good Shepherd Parish. Huicocheais enrolled in the College Prep Program and participates in a varietyof activities and sports. He is the younger brother of DanielHuicochea ’08.“I went to Quigley for my freshman and sophomore yearsand enjoyed the two years that I spent there. I transferred toDe La Salle because of the closing of Quigley and it was veryhard transferring from one school to another because I did notknow the faculty or students at De La Salle.“I have received many opportunities at De La Salle such asplaying on the varsity football team and we had a great season.I am also in a few clubs such as Lasallian Youth, Science Club,and the Guitar Club.“De La Salle is also preparing me for the future; it is as challengingas it was at Quigley. What I like about De La Salle isthat they challenge you to your potential and the faculty andstaff has helped prepare us for college and our future.“The faculty and staff at De La Salle have been nice to us all,making us feel at home and happy to be at De La Salle. I havenot yet decided what I want to be in my future, but De La Sallehas been helping me sculpt my future and helping me make adecision on a career by preparing me for the hardships in life.”John Zackrison ’10 attended F.X. Warde grade school andis from Holy Name Cathedral Parish. Zackrison is enrolled inthe Honors Program and is a member of the cross country andtrack teams.“Last year, as a freshman, I attended Quigley. It was a wonderfulschool and I learned as much there as I did all throughoutgrammar school. Unfortunately, it closed due to lack of funds.I found myself without a high school and in need of repeatingthe process of finding a high school all over again. De La Sallewas the only high school that really seemed to understand thecircumstances we had been forced into and took it upon itselfto be more than hospitable to the Quigley refugees, so to speak.“It was not without trepidation that I entered this year, dauntedby the fact that I was going to, in essence, be repeating myfreshman year, not knowing teachers, classmates, teammates,etc. But I was pleasantly surprised to find that many Quigleykids had transferred here, not to mention a few teachersas well.“It wasn’t long before I no longer felt like an outsider and that Iwas accepted into the De La Salle community. I ran cross countryalong with a couple of other Quigley transfers and foundthat it was a tight-knit, fun-loving team that was extremelytalented. They were more than happy to have us join and weforged friendships that have endured beyond the cross countryseason. I have just begun indoor track and am excited to bepart of such a fantastic team and they in turn seem to be excitedto see just exactly what I can do.“Accommodating as many Quigley students as they did couldnot have been easy. We who attended Quigley know that andare extremely grateful. I know that I could have chosen a numberof schools, but I am very glad that I chose De La Salle andhave a chance to be a Meteor.“De La Salle is a top-rate establishment that produces fineyoung men and women. I would like to take this opportunityto thank the administration and students of De La Salle forboth letting us in, and for allowing us to keep a small part ofQuigley alive.“As we who are both from Quigley and De La Salle like to say,‘In the ashes that burn inside the Meteor, the Phoenix lives on.”Jeffrey Jackson ’08 attended St. Columbanus elementaryschool on Chicago’s South Side. A member of the De La Salle basketballteam, Jackson is enrolled in the College Prep Program.“Since I came to De La Salle, I have been treated with respectand care. This was a hard transition for me, going from aschool which had 230 students, to a school that has over 800students. I have to say the people here made it much easier forme to adjust.“I am currently on the basketball team. The environment is liveand I enjoy it very much. The coaches are ready to coach andthe players come ready to play. Here I learned that by workingas group, you can achieve any goals. A fist is stronger then asingle finger.“Whether my shirt reads Quigley or De La Salle, both are asign of excellence. The school spirit here is awesome and theacademics are great. In any sports, we believe in the motto that“Together, we attack.” At the same time, we are reflecting ourChristian faith. Live Jesus in our hearts forever.”Mary McGann has been teaching for six years, having servedat Bishop Hartley High School in her hometown of Columbus, OHand Quigley Prep in Chicago.She holds degrees from MarquetteUniversity and Saint LouisUniversity. McGann teachesSpanish and Honors Spanishat both the Lourdes Hall andInstitute Campuses.“Throughout my first fewmonths here at DLS, I havehad the opportunity to workwith some wonderful people.The students I’ve encounteredhere are energetic, enthusiastic,and show a great deal of pridefor their school.“De La Salle seems to be a place that is filled with school spirit.The students here love their school and do everything they canto support the school’s teams and other activities. January 2008

Campus News“The faculty has also been extremely supportive and helpful.They are a dynamic group with a great deal of knowledge andcharisma. Like the students, the faculty also has a great senseof school spirit.“De La Salle seems to be a place with an energetic atmospherewhere both faculty and students take pride in being a part ofthe school.”Bill Bingham teaches avariety of classes at De La Salle’sInstitute Campus, includingHonors British Literature, PublicSpeaking, World Literature Studiesand Integrated Fine Arts Study. Inaddition, Bingham also guides theQuigley Cohort, which consists ofthe 42 young men who transferredto De La Salle for the 2007-08school year as Quigley PreparatorySeminary closed.Bingham has prior ties to the Institute as his father, William J., is agraduate of the Class of 1943. Here is what teaching at his father’salma mater means to him:“After teaching at Archbishop Quigley for 17 years, I looked forwardto my new job with a combination of optimism, pride andmore than a little apprehension. De La Salle and the ChristianBrothers have had a reputation and an influence of which I havebeen aware my whole life.“My father, all my uncles and numerous cousins are proudalumni (I learned the Meteor fight song at an early age!) I knewthat the school at 35 th and Michigan had a rich tradition of academicexcellence, athletic prowess and character.“However, I also knew that it would be no small adjustment,moving from the Quigley family to the much larger De La SalleInstitute. I was also concerned about the many students whowere transferring from AQPS to DLS. I am glad to report that,for most of us, the transition from being a Phoenix to being aMeteor has been successful and relatively painless.“Thanks to many friendly students, an involved administrationand helpful faculty members, the ex-Quigley boys havebeen welcomed into the De La Salle community. I am gratifiedto see them succeed academically as well as become activemembers of the many teams, organizations and clubs that areavailable here.“Most of all, I am grateful for the support and guidance I havereceived from my colleagues on the faculty. Everyone—from theoffice and maintenance staff to my fellow teachers—has donetheir best to make me feel welcome. These dedicated womenand men have been very generous with their time and talents.“They have been very patient with the “new kid” as theyanswer my endless questions, give me important advice andpass on information. I trust that they will continue to be avaluable resource as I continue to adjust to my new environmentand duties. I hope they realize how thankful I am fortheir help.”DLS Food and Toy DriveThe Santa’s Helpers Crusade 2007 enabled students, faculty and staff at De La Salle’sInstitute and Lourdes Hall Campuses to show their caring and concern for others bybringing in food, clothing, blankets and toys for needy families in Chicago.Among the beneficiaries of theMeteors’ munificence was thefood pantry at St. James Parishlocated at 29th and Wabash. Thehomerooms at each campus thatbrought in the greatest amountsof food and clothing were awarded$100 to donate to their favoritecharities.Serving as the sponsors for theSanta’s Helpers Crusade 2007were the City of De La Salle, PeerMinistry, Lasallian Youth and theNational Honor Society.Great job, Meteors!De La Salle’sAnnualPhonathonThe 2008 Phonathon begins onMonday, March 3, 2008 and runsthrough Thursday, March 22,2008. A fellow Meteor will be callingyou to ask for your support of our studentfinancial assistance program. Wehope you will respond generously andgraciously. Thank you.January 2008

Campus NewsMeteors Participate in Locks of LoveAs is typically the case, the youngwomen and faculty of De La Salle’sLourdes Hall Campus responded whencalled upon to assist those in need.In late November, 10 De La Salle-Lourdes Hall students and one facultymember participated in a ceremony toprovide donations for Locks of Love.Locks of Love is a public non-profitorganization that provides hairpiecesto financially disadvantaged childrenunder age 18 suffering from long-termmedical hair loss from any diagnosis.The mission of Locks of Love is toreturn a sense of self, confidence andnormalcy to children suffering fromhair loss by utilizing donated ponytailsto provide the highest quality hairprosthetics to financially disadvantagedchildren. The children receive hairprostheses free of charge or on a slidingscale, based on financial need.Participating were students JackieArgenbright; Elisha Calderon; PatriciaCervantes; Taylor Drechney; AdoracionGarcia; Deanne Hailer; Reyna Salazar;Sarah Therriault; Colleen Williamsand Maricruz Zarco and teacherSophia Smith.De La Salle congratulates all the womenwho participated and thanks them fortheir selflessness, courage and commitmentto the welfare of others.10 January 2008

Campus NewsNew Development StaffDe La Salle welcomed two new members to its Developmentstaff as Lee Ann Eiland was hired as the DevelopmentCoordinator in August 2007 and Michelle Aukstik was hiredas the Marketing Coordinator in October 2007.Eiland (pictured, left), who attended the University of Illinoisat Chicago, brings eight years of experience in developmentand fundraising to the Institute. She previously worked forCatholic Charities, Mount Sinai Hospital and the ResurrectionDevelopment Foundation.Aukstik (pictured, right), who holds degrees from EasternIllinois University and Governors State University, workedfor the Illinois House of Representatives, managing StateRepresentative Kevin Joyce’s District Office from 2003-2007.The Annual Fund ProgramAt a time when charitable giving continues to prove crucialin the accomplishment, advancement and survival of privateCatholic schools, the Annual Fund Program remains thevery foundation of De La Salle Institute’s entire developmenteffort. It helps to create tradition while working toward acommon goal: the betterment of education for the students ofDe La Salle, the future leaders of our society. Annual givingsupport enables De La Salle to:✜ Offer scholarships so that no family is refused aDe La Salle education solely for financial reasons✜ Provide technology so that all our students are trained andskilled using the latest cutting-edge equipment✜ Make capital improvements so that De La Salle can providea favorable learning environment for its students✜ Promote athletics so that our student-athletes are well preparedto compete at the highest levelsThe Annual Fund goal this fiscal year is $680,000 (1,250donors) so that we never deny any student an education atDe La Salle strictly for financial reasons. If you need additionalinformation, please contact Iris Gist Cochran, Directorof Development, at 312.842.7355 ext. 152 or cochrani@dls.org.Thank you for your investment in our students!She also spent five months in public relations for the AmericanAcademy of Dermatology.Congratulations to both Lee Ann and Michelle andwelcome to De La Salle!Corporate Matching GiftsBy their individual gifts, alumni and friends secure importantfunds for De La Salle Institute. Last year, matchinggifts increased donor contributions by more than $56,000 inadditional support. Many companies offer matching gift programsto encourage their employees to contribute to a favoritecharity. You can double or even triple the value of yourgift if your employer or your spouse’s employer participatesin a matching gift program. Many programs also match giftsmade by their retired employees. Please contact the HumanResource office at your or your spouse’s place of employmentconcerning the availability of a matching gifts program. Theywill provide you with a form to apply for a matching gift.Fill out your portion of the form and send it with your gift toDe La Salle. We will do the rest.Make Your Gift Online!Now you can make your gift online. Designed to make thingsquicker and more convenient, simply visit De La Salle Institute’swebsite at www.dls.org and look for the gifts processing link foundon the Advancement/Online Giving Tab. Follow the prompts andyou are on your way to giving made simple.Coming Up Next . . .Catholic Schools Week . . . . . . . Jan. 28–Feb. 1, 20086 th Annual Father-Daughter Dance . . . . Feb. 16, 200817 th Annual Mother-Son Dance . . . . . . . Feb. 17, 2008President’s Day (No School) . . . . . . . . . Feb. 18, 2008Foreign Language Week . . . . . . . . . Feb. 25–29, 2008Parent Association Fashion Show . . . . . . Mar. 9, 2008Spring Drama Production . . . . . . . . Mar. 13–15, 2008Easter Sunday . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mar. 23, 2008De La Salle Golf Outing. . . . . . . . . . . . . Jun. 25, 2008Alumni Banquet. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nov. 21, 2008January 2008 11

Sports UpdateMeteors to Play on Chet Bulger FieldDe La Salle proudly announces that its football and soccer field will now beknown as “Bulger Field” and that a naming ceremony will be held to honorMr. Chet Bulger at the annual Blue/Gold football game on August 22, 2008.Below is a copy of the resolution that has been passed. Congratulations to Mr. Bulgerand thanks for all that he has done over the years to benefit De La Salle.Resolution of theBoard of DirectorsDe La Salle INSTITUTEWhereas Chet Bulger was a teacher, coach, athleticdirector and moderator at De La Salle Institute from1949–82 and,Whereas Chet Bulger was a professional football playerfor the Chicago Cardinals from 1942–49 and,Whereas upon retirement Chet Bulger volunteered histime in the school’s development office from 1989-93and,Whereas Chet Bulger has been a loyal and active supporterof De La Salle Institute, the Christian Brothersand the Lasallian mission of education and,Whereas Chet Bulger recently celebrated his 90thbirthday at his home in Fairfax, Virginia,Therefore, we move that the football/soccer competitionfield at De La Salle be renamed the Bulger Fieldin his honor and that such an honor be communicatedto Mr. Bulger and the entire De La Salle community atthe earliest possible opportunity and that a namingceremony be held at the Annual Blue/Gold game onAugust 22, 2008.Unanimously passed, this 10th day of December 2007in Chicago, ILPatrick M. Huels, Chairman of the BoardBrother Michael Quirk, PresidentReverend Paul Novak, President DesignateVarsity Boys Basketball 2008Jan. 18 vs. Hales Franciscan 7:30 p.m.Jan. 19 Lin-Mar (IA) @ Savanna HS 6 p.m.Jan. 25 @ Seton Academy 7:30 p.m.Jan. 29 vs. Brother Rice 7:30 p.m.Feb. 1 @ Mount Carmel 7:30 p.m.Feb. 2 vs. Lake Forest Academy 6 p.m.Feb. 15 Guerin Prep 7:30 p.m.Feb. 26–27 IHSA Regional SemisTBAFeb. 29 IHSA Regional Final TBAMar. 4-5 IHSA Sectional Semis TBAMar. 7 IHSA Sectional Final TBAMar. 11 IHSA Supersectional TBAMar. 14–15 IHSA State Finals Peoria Civic CenterVarsity Boys Wrestling 2008Jan. 19 CCL Conference Meet @ Providence 9 a.m.Feb. 2 IHSA Regionals TBAFeb. 8 IHSA Sectionals De La SalleFeb. 9 IHSA Sectionals De La SalleFeb. 15 IHSA State Assembly Hall—U. of I.Feb. 16 IHSA State Assembly Hall—U. of I.Varsity Girls Basketball 2008Jan. 17 @ Mount Assisi 6:30 p.m.Jan. 25–Feb. 8 GCAC Conference Tournament TBAFeb. 11–15 IHSA Regionals TBAFeb. 18-19, 21 IHSA Sectionals TBAFeb. 25 IHSA Supersectionals TBAFeb. 29–March 1 IHSA State Finals Redbird Arena—ISU12 January 2008

Sports UpdateSports RoundupThe 2007 fall sports seasonconcluded with De La Salle’sathletes and coaches winning avariety of awards: Senior soccer playerAdrian Guzman waschosen the winnerof the Tony LawlessAward as the ChicagoCatholic League’sPlayer of the Year.Guzman tallied 19goals and 17 assiststhis season. In addition, he was chosen tothe Illinois High School Soccer CoachesAssociation All-State Team. Meteor head soccer coach Tom Dufficyalso won the LawlessAward after guiding histeam to an overall recordof 16-8 and a 5-1 markin the Catholic LeagueWhite, good enough forsecond place. Along with Guzman, juniormidfielder Scott Mestan, senior sweeperNico Marchetti, junior forward VictorTrujillo and senior midfielder GabrielVelasquez were named to the All-CatholicLeague Team. In volleyball, senior BrianaSteffenhagen, junior Jillian Vilimas andsophomore Taylor Drechney were chosento the All-Girls Catholic AthleticConference White Division VolleyballTeam.During the season, Steffenhagen andDrechney also were named to the All-Tournament Team at the De La SalleTournament. In addition, Steffenhagenalso was chosen the tournament MVP.The Meteors concluded the 2007 seasonwith an overall record of 23-11 and wonboth the GCAC White and De La SalleTournament championships. In football, senior running backCordero Gaston and head coach DanO’Keefe both won the Lawless Awards inthe Catholic League White. Gaston, whowas also named to the Chicago Tribuneand Illinois High School Football CoachesAssociation’s Class 7A All-State Teams,finished the season with 253 carries for1,831 yards and 23 touchdowns. He concludedwith 2,033 all-purpose yards.O’Keefe guided theMeteors to a 9-3 overallrecord and a berth inthe Illinois High SchoolAssociation’s Class 7Astate quarterfinals afterrecording postseasonvictories over McHenryand Cary-Grove. TheMeteors won theCatholic League White Division by beatingSt. Laurence, St. Ignatius, BishopMcNamara and Fenwick. Chosen to the All-Catholic LeagueWhite Division first team were widereceiver/defensive back/kick returnerElliott Brown, Gaston, defensive linemanSean Graves, linebacker Dan Klupshas,linebacker Erik Krol, offensive linemanRichie Lopez, offensive linemanGil Munoz and defensive linemanJemall Suide.Selected to the All-Catholic League WhiteDivision second team were defensiveback David Bradford, linebacker NateBowman, offensive lineman Nick Goga,kicker Juan Gonzalez, defensive backAndrew Harris, offensive lineman AlKerwin, quarterback Tom Lally anddefensive lineman Michael Wiggins.Receiving honorable mention status wererunning back John Fasula, defensive backClayton Kendall, offensive lineman SalPerales and wide receiver Frank Trevino. Linebacker Dan Klupshas was chosenthe Chicago Catholic League WhiteDivision’s Most Valuable DefensivePlayer for the 2007 season. Klupshas,who played in nine games this season,was second on the Meteors with 84 tackles,including an 18-tackle performanceagainst Mount Carmel. Klupshas alsorecovered two fumbles. The 2007 football season markedDe La Salle’s first postseason appearancesince 1999 and their first outrightconference championship since 1968. Inaddition, the Meteors won the CatholicLeague White Division on the freshman,sophomore and varsity levels. Thismarked the first time in De La Salle historythat its football program won conferencechampionships on all three levels.The varsity finished the 2007 seasonwith an overall mark of 9-3 and reachedthe Illinois High School Association’sClass 7A state quarterfinals. The sophomoreswere 7-2 overall and 4-0 in theCatholic League White as were theMeteor freshmen.As for winter sports, the Meteors experiencedan ample amount of success inthe early stages of each team’s respectiveseasons. In wrestling, the Meteors placed ninthin the 21-team field at the C.O. FeutzWrestling Classic at Conant High School.The Meteors had one first-place winner, athird-place winner, two sixth-place finishersand one seventh-place finisher.Curtis Blaydes garnered first place inthe heavyweight division, while ClaytonKendall took third at 189 pounds.The Meteors’ success on the mat continuedat the 44 th Annual Russ Erb WrestlingInvitational as they placed seventh in the16-team field. (continued on page 14)January 2008 13

Alumni Newsnotes1960Lawrence Chambers is retired and livingin Manteno, IL. Contact him atlacham410@comcast.net.1963Joseph Chineworth dropped us anote that he can be contacted atjoeycmeteors@gmail.com.1965Frank Taheny is working as a horserancher and director of service andresides in Claremore, OK. He can becontacted at frankt1@hotmail.com.1966Richard Waski retired after spendingover 30 years as a teacher. He resides inGreenfield, WI and be contacted atrwaski@wi.rr.com.1967Bob Andrzejewski has spent the last32 years working for JC Penney andresides in McKinney, TX. He said he islooking forward to retirement in May2009 and spending time with his family.After graduating from De La Salle,Andrzejewski served in the U.S. Armyfrom 1968-71 and was in the FirstInfantry Division in Vietnam in 1969.Andrzejewski can be contacted atbandb@tx.rr.com or randrzej@jcpenney.com.Sports Roundup (continued from page 13)Kendall led the way for De La Salle, takingfirst place at 171. Blaydes was secondat heavyweight, Bob Doherty and BryanStagowski were third at 125 and 130,respectively, while Jacob Bugajski wasfourth at 119. In girls basketball, the Meteors begantheir season with wins over GCAC foesJosephinum, Maria, Holy Trinity, St.Benedict and Notre Dame.Among the primary contributors wereguards Angel Brooks, Justina Baker andAhysia Faines, forward Nicole Boyd andcenter Lauren Huff.Thomas Shinnick is retired from thelaw enforcement industry and lives inChicago. E-mail him at thomasjshinnick@aol.com.1969Bob Grogan is retired and lives inTinley Park, IL. Grogan, who is marriedwith three children, can be e-mailed atBobretiree2001@comcast.com.1973Charles Grund is living in Brookfield, ILwith his wife, Terri, and their three children.Grund is employed as an architectand can be contacted at cjg@gnrarch.com.1976Gary Steffenhagen resides in Chicagoand is the proud dad of Allison ’06,Briana ’08 and Gary ’10. Steffenhagenalso works as an off-ice official for theNational Hockey League at the UnitedCenter. Contact him at pucko18@aol.com.1977John Hankes lives in Batavia, IL. Reachhim at jhankes@comcast.net.1978James Hermle resides in Frankfort, ILand works in the high-rise constructionindustry as a senior superintendent forBovis Lend Lease. Contact Hermle atjim_hermle@yahoo.com.William Kappel works for the Chicago In boys basketball, the Meteorsstarted off with nine wins in their first 11games, including victories over CatholicLeague opponents Loyola Academy, St.Laurence and Gordon Tech. De La Sallealso earned first place at the LutherSouth Tournament with head coach TomWhite garnering his 200 th career victoryin a 79-30 triumph over Luther South onNovember 23.Among the key players in the first portionof the season were guards ElliottBrown, Richie Fisher, Derek Needhamand William Watson, forwards TerryBrown, Mashawn Chamberlainand Rodriquez Wright, and centerMichael Shaw.Police Department as a sergeant. Reachhim at WAK018@ameritech.net.1980Jim Finucane resides in Downers Grove,IL with his wife Lora and their two children.Finucane is employed as a cranedispatcher for Gatwood Crane ServiceInc. Reach him at jim@gatwoodcrane.com.1982Ed Grunauer resides in Chicago. Contacthim at gruney6@hotmail.com.Baudilio “Buddy” Lopez lives in Chicagoand is employed in the law enforcementindustry. He can be reached at baudiliolopez@sbcglobal.net.Joseph C. Moy is working as a real estateinvestor and financial advisor. Reach himat joseph.moy@prodigy.net.Thomas Smith is living in Houston, MN.Reach him at tcs64@acegroup.cc.1983Todd Biondo works in the insuranceindustry as a Director of MedicalLiability Claims. He resides inCollinsville, CT and can be contacted attjbiondo@sbcglobal.net.Joseph Pietrzak lives in Muskegon, MIand is employed as a vice president inthe supply chain management field. Hecan be reached atjpietrzak83@comcast.net.1988Stephen Mostacchio lives in Chicago andcan be reached atsmostacchio1@comcast.net.1991Jeremy Nolan is employed in the medicalindustry as a clinical applications specialist.He resides in Palm Bay, FL and maybe contacted atjeremynolan@hotmail.com.1992James Hunter lives in Chicago and isworking as a banking manager. Get intouch with him atJames.Hunter@wamu.net.Brian Pote resides in Chandler, AZ andcan be reached at bpote@cox.net orbpote20@yahoo.com.14 January 2008

Alumni Newsnotes1993Herbert Keeler is working as a forensicinvestigator and lives in Chicago. Reachhim at forensics5070@yahoo.com orHerbert.keeler@chicagopolice.org.1994Henry Florez is a web designer and livesin Chicago. Contact him at hflorez@floreztech.com or visit his website atwww.floreztech.com.1995Lincoln Dwyer resides in Mesa, AZand is working in the construction andcontinuing education fields. Contact himat lincolndwyer@yahoo.com.LourdesNewsnotes1969Diane (Maslanka) Jannotta resides inDyer, IN. Reach her at icecoldkitty@aol.com.1972Diane (Seknevich) Passarelli is anaccountant and resides in Elk GroveVillage, IL with her husband and twosons. Contact her at dianepass@comcast.net.1979Mary Ann Bernal resides in Oak Lawn,IL. E-mail her at tiyalaka@yahoo.com.1981Donna (Janik) Platt is working as anoffice manager. She is married andher son, Thomas, is a member ofDe La Salle’s Class of 2011. Contact herat dplatt@rwlaw.com.1983Sandra Slenk-Laxner resides inWinfield, IL with her husband. Theywelcomed their first son, Mike, inMarch 2007. Congratulations to theentire family! She may be reached atteams2002@hotmail.com.1987Griselda (Alvarado) Granado lives inChicago with her husband and three1996Matt Ensworth is employed in the sportsmanagement field as an operationssupervisor for Ripken Baseball. Heresides in Myrtle Beach, SC and can becontacted at menswort@hotmail.com.1998Thomas Ramirez Jr. lives in Chicago andis employed as a restaurant manager.He can be reached at tommovieking@sbcglobal.net.1999Douglas Bermudez is working in the ITConsulting and Outsourcing industry forchildren. She is a registered nurse andmay be contacted at grisgranado@hotmail.com.1988Kristen Andersen is a scientist andresides in Riverside, IL. She may be e-mailed at kandersen@prescottmed.com.Agnes Bloch is a senior accountant andresides in Long Grove, IL. E-mail her atAgneblo@cdw.com.Victoria (Brankin) Bresnahan is an attorneyand partner at the firm of Meltzer,Purtill & Steele, LLC. She and her familyreside in Evergreen Park, IL. Contacther at dvbresnahan@comcast.net orvbresnahan@mpslaw.com.Erika De La O resides in Chicago andmay be reached at erdelao@hotmail.com.Kristie (Herda) French resides inChicago with her husband and twochildren. She may be reached at kristie.french@gmail.com.Kimberly (Harris) Gregg lives in Taylor,TX and is the program manager atSweet Home Baptist Church. She maybe contacted at kimharris1920@msn.com.Brigid (Gallery) Hixson is a police officerand resides in Chicago with herhusband and two sons. Contact her attbh818@aol.com.Carla Gibson is an entrepreneur andmarried with three children. She residesin Crystal Lake, IL and can be contactedPrescient Development Inc. Bermudez,who graduated from DePaul University,can be reached at douglasbermudez@speakeasy.net.Jose Ibarra is employed in the cardiactechnology field as an international salesmanager. He resides in Cicero, IL andmay be reached at joseibarrajr@hotmail.com or jibarra@instromedix.com.Ross Read is a Director of NewApprenticeship in the constructionindustry. He graduated from HamptonUniversity and currently worksfor United Services of Chicago, anorganization that recruits, trains andat cjgibson@owc.net.Teresa Gomez resides in Chicago andis working as a paralegal. She has adaughter and can be contacted attgomez@bellboyd.com.Vicki Hyzny is working as a chiropractor.Contact her at vhyzny@aol.com.Barbara Ann (Vanaria) Langys is a businessanalyst and resides in Plainfield,IL with her husband and three children.Reach her at blangys@comcast.net.Karen (Mora) Rivera is a realtor andresides in Homer Glen, IL with her husband.Her e-mail address iskrivera@c21proteam.com.Anica Roti is working as a court reporterand resides in Chicago with her husbandand family. She may be reached atam9796@aol.com.Isaura (Zavala) Servin is a senior projectaccountant. She is a resident ofPalos Park, IL and may be e-mailed atpisceslady1970@yahoo.com.Niurka (Gutierrez) Torres is an accountantand lives in Cicero, IL with herfamily.Nancy (Esqueda) Veron is employed inthe automotive industry as a graphicdesigner. She lives in San Luis Potosi,MX with her family. Reach her atnancy_esqueda@veyance.com.1995Gabriela Tejada-Rios is living in DeKalb,IL and may be reached at gtejeda1@yahoo.com.January 2008 15

Alumni Newsnotesplaces individuals in construction andtrades. Read resides in Chicago and canbe reached at ross.read@gmail.com.2000Paki Latham works for FedEx as apackage handler and resides in Alsip, IL.E-mail him at Paki_Latham@hotmail.com.Richard Rezzardi Jr. resides in Chicagoand is working as a journeymancarpenter. He informed us that “thanksto my family, I was able to pursue acareer in a field that is not only growing,but also making money and providinghousing for people to live in.” RezzardiJr. can be reached at fishinghomer@comcast.net.2001John Bowen resides in Chicago andis the proud dad of Teadora. He isemployed in the guest services industryas a scheduling coordinator and can bereached at jbowen@unitedcenter.com orbowen716@sbcglobal.net.Scott Faber is an engineer in theconstruction industry. He resides inArlington Heights, IL and can be reachedat spfaber@gmail.com.Joseph Montes De Oca lives in Chicago.His e-mail address is mrjmdeoca05@yahoo.com.Joe Wodark is working in the insuranceindustry as a product operations analystand resides in Chicago. He can bereached at wodark@gmail.com or joseph.wodark@allstate.com.Keep In TouchDe La Salle Institute invites allalumni of De La Salle and Lourdes toplease keep in touch with our alumnioffice. If you are interested in attendingany alumni events or wouldlike to know what’s new, pleasecontact Bob Fiorentino, De La Salle’sAssistant Director of Development,at 312.842.7355 ext. 146 orfiorentinor@dls.org. Our doors arealways open and we hope you willcome and witness the miracles happeningon both of our campuses.2002Carmen Delgado resides in Chicago andcan be reached at tjbear812@yahoo.com.Lukasz Jaskula is a member of the UnitedStates Marine Corps and is deployed inDjibuoti until February 2008. His mailingaddress is CPL Jaskula, HMH 464 DETBRAVO, AIRFRAMES. Jaskula’s e-mailaddresses are mrluke01@aol.com andlukasz.a.jaskula@hoa.centcom.mil.De La Salle thanks Jaskula and hismilitary colleagues for their service toour country and wishes them a safereturn home.2003Michael Sanchez is working at the lawfirm of Pierce & Associates, P.C. as aforeclosure complaint drafting specialistand real estate title examiner. He residesin Frankfort, IL and may be contacted atmsanchez625@aol.com.2004Tim Kelleher is a senior accounting majorat Centenary University in Louisiana.Kelleher, who can be reached at tkellehe@centenary.edu, is also a member of theGentlemen’s baseball team.Joel Perez is enrolled at the Universityof Illinois-Urbana-Champaign. Heis double-majoring in marketingand Spanish and can be contacted atjoeyperezh@gmail.com.2005Martin O’Connor is working as ayouth leader at a center on Chicago’sSouth Side.2007Ashley Koos resides in Chicago. Contacther at ashley16147@yahoo.com orgirliegurl147@yahoo.com.Joshua Letourneau is a student atEastern Illinois University. Contact himMatthew MadiaOn the afternoonof August 16, 2007,Matthew Madia, a memberof De La Salle’s Classof 2007, was waitingfor a train at the CTA’sWashington Street stationwhen he noticed a blind man walkingcloser to the edge of the platform.Before Madia could yell for the man tostop, the man fell onto the electrifiedtrain tracks.Madia immediately went to the man’said by jumping down and pulling himto safety on the platform before thenext train approached. Madia thenwaited with the gentleman until thepolice and fire department arrived.Madia is employed by HBKEngineering and is attendingNortheastern Illinois University. As forhis future, Madia hopes to pursue acareer in law enforcement.Congratulations, Matt on yourheroic deed and best of luck!at jaletourneau@eiu.edu orterno0220@aol.com.Tony Reyes is a college student and livesin Chicago.Jimalle Ridley is attending Saint LouisUniversity in Missouri and is majoringin communications. He also is involvedwith the Billikens’ men’s basketballprogram as a manager. Contact himat jridley1@slu.edu.Courtney Sampson is enrolled atMarquette University in Milwaukee,WI and is majoring in advertising/public relations. Contact him atmaybachlover2000@yahoo.com orCourtney.sampson@marquette.edu.Remember De La Salle in Your Estate PlansHelp yourself, your family and De La Salle Institute by visiting our planned givingwebsite at www.dls.org and clicking on the planned giving page. We welcome allinquiries about planned gifts. While we receive numerous contributions throughoutthe year—all of which are significant and meaningful—the planned gift has extraspecial meaning and significance, as it is truly the ultimate expression of confidenceand trust in our mission of education.For additional information, please contact Iris Gist Cochran, Director of Development,at 312.842.7355 ext 152 or cochrani@dls.org.16 January 2008

Alumni NewsnotesMorgan M. (Mickey) Finley ’43was born in Bridgeport to Irene(nee Fraher) and Morgan Finley,a switchman for the Wabash Railroad.Following the untimely death of hismother when he was only three, Mickey,together with his sister and two brothers,was cared for by his maternal grandmother.After graduating from Nativityof Our Lord grammar school, his grandmotherwisely advised him to attendDe La Salle, telling him “the ChristianBrothers will give you a good education.”She was right!At 35th and Wabash, peppery little freshmanMickey became a popular cheerleader.Later, his basketball experiencegained at the Valentine Boys Club inBridgeport opened the door for him toDe La Salle Institute extendsits deepest sympathies tothe families of the followingDe La Salle and Lourdesalumni and friends who haverecently passed away:Mr. Edward F. Ulmer ‘24Mr. William J. Riley ‘30The Honorable John J. Sullivan ‘31Mr. William J. Kamper ‘34Mr. Joseph J. Chessare ‘35Mr. Joseph E. Ferguson ‘39Mr. Steven D. Griffin ‘41Mr. Donald J. Ossler ‘43Mr. James M. Stanton ‘44Mr. James R. O’Toole ‘46Mr. Thomas P. Quinn ‘46Mr. Thomas F. Klinger ‘50Mr. Donald R. Norris ‘55Mr. Martin H. Greinke ‘58Mr. Arthur F. Mallo ‘62Mr. Phillip “Bud” Mikalauskas ‘65Mrs. Ethel RileyMrs. Elizabeth CiambroneMrs. Laura SandovalMrs. Judith DolehideMr. Wayne GreerMorgan Finley, Class of ’43join the lightweight (for those under 5’8”)basketball team and become a ‘regular’under the watchful eyes of Coach JoeGleason. When Mr. Gleason neededspeed for the varsity’s fast-break offensein the St. George Preseason Tournament,he called on Mickey, who was the rightman for the job.Brother Gabriel became his mentor, andunder his counseling, Mickey seriouslyconsidered joining the Christian Brothers.His grandmother advised him to hold hisdecision until he graduated. In his junioryear, Mickey enrolled in the ‘CommercialCourse,’ learning typing, shorthand,bookkeeping, and other basics. Heremembers as outstanding teachers,Brothers George, Leonard, Liguori andCamillus, and particularly the bookkeepinggiant, the inimitable Brother Justus.At graduation in 1943, and with the religiouslife no longer on his radar, Mickey,like most of his classmates, enteredmilitary service. He was just 17 when heenlisted in the Navy, and immediatelyfound himself studying radio communicationsat Northwestern University andlater German communications and submarineprocedure at Casco Bay, Maine.Assigned to the USS Neal A. Scott, adestroyer escort, Morgan served onboardfrom the day it was commissioned to theday of its de-commissioning. The Scottconducted anti-submarine warfareWelcome HomeDuring the fall semester, De La Salle waspleased to welcome alumni including theHonorable William Aukstik ’64, AndrewBugajski ’99, Gregory Gilmore ’82 andMichael Passarelli ’90 to address studentsat the Institute Campus. These alumniwho came back to speak to the Meteorsfound the experience to be enlighteningand enriching, as did the students, withboth groups deriving abundant benefits.In the new year, Steve Burrows ’91and Thomas Sargant ’62 will be atDe La Salle to speak to the students. Inaddition, Burrows and Sargant have beenchosen as the De La Salle Alumni of thepatrols in the Mediterranean and theNorth Atlantic.Mickey returned to civilian life in 1946and immediately entered the politicalarena, serving as personal secretaryto State Senator Richard J. Daley. In1958, Mickey was himself elected aState Senator and served two terms inthat capacity. He then was appointedChairman of the Chicago Zoning Board,and following the unforeseen death ofhis good friend Matt Danaher, was furtherappointed Clerk of the Circuit Courtof Cook County, an office to which hewas re-elected five times, and where heserved until his retirement in 1988. Underhis watch, the Circuit Court became thelargest unified court system in the world.Mickey and Betty Jane Burke were marriedin 1950, and had two sons, Jamesand Patrick. Unfortunately, cancerclaimed Betty in 1998. James gave hisparents three grandchildren, but diedprematurely at age 47 from a taintedblood transfusion. In 2001, Mickey andJudith Seegert Farmer were joined inmarriage, doubly celebrating this occasionat Holy Nativity Episcopal Churchin Beverly and St. John of the Cross,Western Springs. Mickey and Judith travelextensively. They are in residence at123 Acacia Circle, Apt. 610, Indian HeadPark, IL, 60525. Their phone number is(708) 246-2305 and their e-mail address isfbudmor@aol.com.Month for January and February 2008,respectively.If you are an alumnus and wouldlike to visit De La Salle or speak toa class, please contact De La Salle’sAssistant Director of Development,Bob Fiorentino ’00, at (312) 842-7355ext. 146 or fiorentinor@dls.org. We wouldlove to welcome you home to De La Salle!January 2008 17

Tolton Adult Educational Centerof De La Salle InstituteTolton UpdateThe Tolton Adult Literacy Center is anadult-education program that providesemployability skills, family literacy andchild services in low-income communities inthe Chicagoland area, without fee. Servingapproximately 800 people a year from variousbackgrounds, Tolton has been recognizedas a leader in adult education at local, stateand national levels.The Tolton strategy is to empower povertylevel adults through academic achievement.This strategy recognizes that breakingthe illiteracy cycle must begin with theadult who is the center of the family andcommunity structure.Tolton’s mission is to provide excellent alternativeadult education experiences within acaring community where “everyone teachesand everyone learns.” Fr. Augustus Tolton,for whom the Tolton Adult Literacy Center isMesirow and other scholars have writtenabout the transformative power ofeducation. This reality is clearly witnessedin the lives of the Tolton Center’smost recent GED graduates, RoshondaSmith and Katina Embrey, who werehonored in a graduation ceremony onDecember 17.Katina, age 33, was widowed in hermid-twenties and subsequently battleddepression. Realizing that she neededsomething to live for, Katina opened herheart and home to foster children.“They needed somewhere to be andsomeone to love them and I neededa family,” Katina explained. Today,Katina’s family consists of six children—two10-year-olds, a 9-year-old,an 8-year-old, a 4-year-old, and a 3-yearold.She has adopted the oldest threechildren, and the adoption of the othersis in process.Katina regrets that she dropped out ofhigh school because of what she terms“stupidity.”She was motivated to come to the FamilyLearning Resource Center because shewanted to show her children the importanceof education and earn a secondarynamed, was the first African-American priestin the United States. He overcame manyhardships to have a great impact on the livesof many disadvantaged people.Among the programs the Tolton AdultLiteracy Center offers include:• G.E.D., Pre-G.E.D., Basic Skills andLiteracy• Employability• Child Services• Family Literacy• English as a Second Language (ESL)Founded by De La Salle Institute in 1991,Tolton has grown over the years. In 1998, apartnership with Chicago Public Librariesled to the development of two Tolton sites:One located on Chicago’s South Side at thecredential. The pride on her children’sfaces as they watched Katina receiveher GED diploma was equaled only byKatina’s new-found confidence in herselfand in her own potential.“Now I know I can succeed,” Katinasaid confidently. “I can do so much, andI will.”Geoff Johnson of De La Salle’sCounseling Department has met withKatina, provided guidance in selectinga four-year college, and will assist in theapplication process. Katina speaks highlyof Tolton’s adult educators and calls herexperience with her teachers “amazing,motivating, encouraging, and supportive.”Chicago Bee Branch Library, located at 3647S. State and a second site on Chicago’s WestSide at the Henry Legler Library, located at115 S. Pulaski. A third site is also located onthe West Side within the Alain Locke CharterAcademy at 3141 W. Jackson. There are alsotwo Tolton sites on the Southwest Side at theChicago Toman Branch Library at 2708 S.Pulaski and Our Lady of Tepeyac School at2230 S. Whipple.For more information about the Tolton AdultLiteracy Center, please contact De La SalleExecutive Vice President Lawrence Blakley’83 at (312) 842-7355 ext. 142 or blakleyl@dls.org or De La Salle Director of AdultEducation Susan Perez at (312) 746-7744.The following items were written by Toltonstaff members about students whose liveshave changed for the better since their enrollmentin Tolton Adult Literacy programs:As for Roshonda Smith, it was hermother who first enrolled as a studentat Tolton’s Legler Library site. Eventhough her mother did not stay long inadult education, her actions motivatedRoshonda to enroll. Roshonda droppedout of school in the eighth grade andcame to Tolton at the age of 16 with afifth-grade reading level.Roshonda knew she had a lot of learningto do. In part, this realization came froman experience of a job interview thatbrought her face-to-face with her ownharsh reality. She recalls the interviewer’sblunt honesty: “No diploma, no workexperience and no skills. What can we dowith you?”Roshonda then came to the ToltonCenter. As she began to experience successin learning and saw her scores goup, her motivation to learn and increaseher skills and scores continued to grow.“It was like a contest with myself to seeif I could beat myself and keep goinghigher,” Roshonda said. “Learningbecame fun.”That was evident in Roshonda’s impressiveexam results. Her scores across theboard on her last TABE (Test of Adult18 January 2008

Tolton Adult Educational Centerof De La Salle InstituteBasic Education) were 12.9+. Roshondatook this confidence with her to the GEDTest and passed with flying colors.At Roshonda’s graduation, Janet Wright,one of her instructors, spoke of her asthe teenager with attitude who becamea confident young woman with hope forthe future.“Now I love to learn, and I like challenge,”Roshonda beamed.Roshonda will take her love of learningand challenge with her to preparefor a nursing career. Roshonda learnedof Tolton when her mother enrolled.Roshonda’s success has now motivatedher mother to reenroll for the Januarysession. Tolton instructors know thatchange often happens in steps and theyare eager to help Roshonda’s motherexperience success and joy in learning.In other Tolton news, Toltonstudents Maria Hernandez (pictured onright), Amalia Lopez and Maria Marquez(pictured on left) became United Statescitizens this year. Maria Marquez hasbeen enrolled in the Tolton program fortwo years, while Maria Hernandez beganthe program this September.Also, over 30 Tolton students at the OurLady of Tepeyac and Toman Library sitesreceived their first library cards this year.Congratulations to all the Tolton studentsand teachers!Toys for ToltonFor 15 years, Ebert Photography of Oak Park hasprovided Tolton families with Christmas toys. Toysare collected during the summer and customersreceive a discount in exchange for a toy. Bob Ebert,who took over his father’s business, initiated the“Toys for Tolton” drive.Bob is an avid supporter of Tolton’s work andno stranger to the practice of generosity. When amember of his faith community needed a kidney,Bob responded with the gift of one of his own.Recently, Bob hosted a party to raise funds for fieldtrips for Tolton families.Several years ago, Bob retired and his son, Jeff,took over the business. Jeff has continued the“Toys for Tolton” program. Mary Ellen Lesniak,the Tolton Family Literacy Coordinator, presentedEbert Photography with a certificate of gratitudewhen toys were picked up for this year’s distribution.Over 30 children received toys this season as aresult of Ebert Photography’s munificence.De La Salle would like to thank Ebert Photographyfor its wonderfully generous contributions toTolton and for its consistent support.For more information on Ebert Photography, pleasevisit their location at 227 South Marion Street inOak Park, IL, call them at (708) 386-6222, contactthem via e-mail at ebertstudio@sbcglobal.net orcheck out their website www.ebertstudio.com.January 2008 19

17th Annual D-Final EventApril 7, 20086 p.m.Parmer Activity CenterThe 17th Annual D-Final Event will once againbe the place to be for the NCAA Men’s BasketballChampionship Game. There is no better way to watch thegame than on four huge screens among classmates andfriends of the Institute. Tickets are $35 if purchased beforeApril 7, 2008 and $40 at the door. Reserve a table of 10 for$350. The ticket price includes all the food you can eat, all thebeverages you can consume, and all the extras that make theD-Final Event the only place to be for the big game.Super Raffle Tickets are available, but they will move quickly.Tickets are $50 each. The Grand Prize is $14,000 and 74additional cash prizes will be awarded as well. Reserve yourtickets today or obtain sponsorship information by contactingBob Fiorentino ’00, Assistant Director of Development, at312.842.7355 ext. 146 or fiorentinor@dls.org.Among the advantages of being an event sponsor are freeadmission tickets, corporate or business advertising, mentionof your name in our D-Final press releases, and event sponsorshiprecognition in our event program and our AnnualInvestors Report.All funds raised by the D-Final Event go toward theDe La Salle Meteor athletic program. We thank you foryour support and hope to see you there.For entrance or Super Raffle Tickets, more information,or if you wish to volunteer for the event, please contactBob Fiorentino.De La Salle InstituteOffice for Advancement3455 S. Wabash Ave.Chicago, Illinois 60616-3827312.842.7355Non-Profit Org.U.S. PostagePAIDPermit No. 3092Chicago, ILAddress Service RequestedParents: If this is addressed to your son or daughterand he or she no longer resides there, pleasecontact De La Salle’s Office for Advancementby phone or with the enclosed envelope sothat we may update our records.