f Spring - Chaminade High School

Flyers Finish First and
Second in Local Triathlon
E
xhausted and, by his own admission, “slightly
winded,” junior Mike DiDonato nevertheless smiled
from ear to ear as he sprinted around the last corner
on his way to a victory in the annual Eisenhower Park Triathlon
on Sunday, April 24. Mike rose above a pack of over one-hundred
competitors, racing just behind Chaminade graduate and firstplace
finisher Damian Bergamaschi ‘03, to take second place.
The triathlon consisted of three consecutive events: a fourhundred-meter
swim, a six-mile bike ride, and a two-mile
run. “The three events alone are not necessarily difficult,”
said Mike, “but performing all three of them in a row and
without breaks requires a great deal of endurance.”
Over the summer, Mike will continue to run and condition
in preparation for the Half-Iron Man Competition, a
grueling event consisting of a one-and-a-half mile swim,
fifty miles of cycling, and a half-marathon run of thirteen
miles. “I am confident that, if I continue my workout program,
I should have no problem competing in this event
and others like it to come.”
Junior Mike
DiDonato
puts the
pedal to the
metal and
crosses the
finish line
with a
secondplace
win in
this year’s
Eisenhower
Park
Triathlon.
by Albert Malafronte ‘08
Sapiential Students Ace
Classical Language Exam
CHS Senior Wins German Essay Contest
by John McGill ‘08
German has a long history at Chaminade as the only language
taught during every one of the seventy-five years since the
school was founded in 1930. This year, John McQuade ‘05
added a new chapter to that history by winning first place in the
German-American Cultural Council Essay Contest.
Held at Hofstra University on April 28, the German-American
Cultural Council Essay Contest contest allotted John only one hour
in which to write on how decisions made in childhood affect one in
adulthood. McQuade, who needed to be a high-school senior of
German descent in order to participate in the contest, was handselected
by German III and IV teacher Bro. Richard Hartz to represent
Chaminade.
“The judges were very impressed with John,” remarked Bro. Richard.
Indeed, John took home a one-thousand-dollar scholarship
and a certificate from the German-American Cultural Council for
winning the contest. “Entering the contest was a great opportunity,
and it was a surprise and an honor for me to win it,” commented
John, pleased with his Kunsthandwerk.
John McQuade ‘05 (r.) accepts a first-place plaque
for his essay from Mr. Heinz Buck, president of the
German-American Cultural Council.
6 FLIGHT PATH
by Tyler Considine ‘08
The test has really shown me a new appreciation for the Latin
language and offered a new challenge to further understand
it,” said Magna Cum Laude winner Garrett Campbell ‘08.
On Tuesday, March 8, thirty-one of Chaminade’s Latin scholars
participated in the American Classical League Latin Examination.
Competing against both public and private schools
across the nation, twenty-one participants from various divisions
merited special honor. Test administrator Bro. John
McGrory said, “I was very pleased with the students putting
in so much work and learning a great deal about Latin culture
and language this year.”
“I have taken the test for three years, and you always want to
improve after each time you take it. This year, I did my best yet,”
said Gold Medal and Summa Cum Laude (with highest honor)
winner Rob Frawley ’06. Other top award winners included Gold
Medalist Mike Milone ‘06 and Silver Medalists Chris Durr ‘06
and Vinny Stracquadanio ‘07. Fourteen Latin students earned
the rank of Magna Cum Laude (with great honor); three other
students earned the distinction of Cum Laude (with honor). Bona
fortuna proximo anno! (Best of luck next year!)
Wisdom of
the ages:
(l.-r.) Vinny
Stracquadanio
‘07, Mike
Milone ‘06,
Chris Durr
‘06, and Rob
Frawley ‘06
demonstrated
their Latin
expertise
with high ACL
test scores.
Tarmac • July 2005