MESSMER TODAY Sum - Messmer Catholic Schools

VALEDICTORIANAND CO-SALUTATORIANS OF THE CLASS OF 2011Valedictorian Giovanni Rodriguez, center, & Co-Salutatorians Jade Hendricks, left, & Crystal Marmolejo, rightMESSMER HIGH SCHOOL’S 2011 VALEDICTORIAN, GIOVANNI RODRIGUEZ,AND CO-SALUTATORIANS CRYSTAL MARMOLEJO AND JADE HENDRICKS,HAVE EARNED THESE IMPORTANT DISTINCTIONS BY VIRTUE OF THEIRDETERMINATION, HARD WORK AND FOCUS. FOLLOWING ARE EXCERPTSFROM THEIR ADDRESSES TO THE CLASS OF 2011.Co-Salutatorian Crystal Marmolejo hasa cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)of 4.033. She has received over $30,000in scholarship offers, and will attendMilwaukee School of Engineering where shewill study Construction Management.“Four years ago we walked through thefront doors of Messmer. Four years agowe met people who would become ourclassmates and friends, the class of 2011.Four years ago we laid the foundation forthis day.The friendships made, the work done,the time spent together, the bonds thathave provided our foundation: Theseare the things upon which we have builtand will continue to build. After our fouryears, we carry that Messmer stamp.We do not know where the future maytake us—what will happen in our liveslater on, or the opportunities we willhave. But I do know Messmer will alwaysremain in our lives.Now that graduation is here, we feelslightly nervous about what mightcome, and excited about the next leg ofour journey—not seniors anymore, butfreshmen once again.”Co-Salutatorian Jade Hendricks has acumulative GPA of 4.020. She has received$412,316 in scholarship offers, and willattend Fisk University in Tennessee whereshe will major in Business Administration.“On the next leg of our journey, wehave already made a great start. We aresitting here, ready to graduate. We arehere for some simple reasons—hardwork, dedication, and persistence. Thosequalities have brought us here, and theywill carry us where we hope to be.We have full lives ahead of us, and withwhat we have learned, we will continueto seek, to strive, and not to yield. Todaybrings us one step closer to our dreams.We need to keep those goals in mindalways, no matter what twists or turnswe meet on our journey. And throughit all, we have had each other; we havehad Messmer to help guide us; and wehave had our families standing behind us,pushing, pulling, making it all possible.So, seniors, in the words of HenryDavid Thoreau, ‘Go confidently in thedirection of your dreams. Live the lifeyou have imagined.’ Congratulations, ourday is finally here.”Giovanni Rodriguez has a cumulative GPAof 4.279. She has received over $177,868in scholarship offers, and will attend theUniversity of Wisconsin – Madison whereshe will major in Biology.“Look around; we are not the samepeople as four years ago. We have changedthrough time, through our work, throughall we have experienced. We have made itthrough high school, we have prevailed.Messmer. A community. A family.Like all families, we continue to growand change. We may not be perfect yet,but we continue to work to completeourselves. We have put down a solidfoundation at Messmer, and on it we willcontinue to build.We have worked to hone the tools andskills for success. Now we need to usethose tools, to continue to grow, and notto be afraid. As Marianne Wiliamson putit so aptly in a poem, ‘Our deepest fear isnot that we are inadequate. Our deepestfear is that we are powerful beyondmeasure. It is our light not our darknessthat most frightens us. We were born tomake manifest the glory of God that iswithin us. It’s not just in some of us; it’sin everyone. And as we let our own lightshine, we help other people to do thesame.’And in the end we owe all we are andall we hope to become to God. Let hislight shine in us, letting the world knowwho we are—the class of 2011.”MESSMER TODAY 5

Eighth Grade ValedictorianBrigitte Rios:“I’m ready for the next challenge”Throughout her time at St. Rose and St. Leo Catholic School, Brigitte Rioshas excelled academically. Not satisfied with “good enough,” Brigitte takesthe next step in her studies and uses her knowledge to inspire others. Herfaith shines through in her life at school and at home. Brigitte plans toattend Messmer High School in fall of 2011, where we are certain she willcontinue to be a leader. We recently asked Brigitte about her grade schoolachievements, as well as her plans for the future. Following is an excerptfrom that discussion in May.Q. How does it feel to be almost done witheighth grade, your last year of grade school?BRIGITTE RIOS: Being almost done withmy eighth grade year, I feel sad for thememories I will leave behind but I alsofeel excitement to start a new chapter ofmy life.Q. What were some highlights of your eighthgrade year? Did you have a favorite subject?BR: This year I enjoyed the facultyvs. students volleyball game, and oureighth grade trip to Devil’s Lake. But Imost enjoyed spending time with myclassmates. My favorite subject is mathbecause I love to solve problems.Q. Do you have a teacher or administratorwho you believe has really been inspirationalto you?BR: My eighth grade teacher Mr.Markiewicz has been inspirational to mein so many ways. He has taught me neverto give up, that it is better to try thannever have tried at all, and with a sense ofhumor, class can be fun!Q. You are St. Rose and St. Leo’s valedictorian;that’s quite an accomplishment! How do youfeel about the honor?BR: Becoming the valedictorian for St.Rose and St. Leo took great dedicationbecause I had to focus and study to aceall the tests, and there were lots of otherpeople competing for this position.My family is very proud of me for myaccomplishments and for the effort thatit took to get to this place.Q. How do you think you’ll feel ongraduation day? Will you be nervous to giveyour valedictory address?BR: On my graduation day, I will befilled with emotions. I will be happy,sad, excited and scared, but I’ll mostlyfeel accomplished. I will be very nervousto give my address, but I’ve had a lot ofpractice so I feel confident in myself.Q. Do you plan to attend Messmer HighSchool? If so, what made you decide tocontinue your education at Messmer?BR: For my high school years, I amplanning to attend Messmer HighSchool. Messmer is a great school andI want to continue receiving a greateducation like I have experienced duringmy years at St. Rose and St. Leo.Q. How do you think it will feel to be in highschool? Are you ready for the challenge?BR: In high school, I think the teacherswill search for students’ best, but thestudents also need to make their owndecisions.I am ready for the challenge andeverything that’s ahead for me.6MESSMER TODAY

Literacy mattersThird grade reading scorespredict high school graduation ratesby Kevin HughesToday’s educational conversations are filled with discussions surroundingstandardized test scores and student proficiency levels related to literacy orreading. Schools are evaluated for effectiveness based on these high stakestest scores, begging the question, “Do these scores really mean anything forour students?” The simplest answer is, “They certainly matter!”Numerous studies have reported thata student’s ability to read by the end ofthird grade is a major indicator of highschool graduation. That’s right—scoresin third grade indicate the likelihood ofa student’s ability to graduate from highschool nine years later.Many schools have a literacy-focusedcurriculum from kindergarten throughthird grade, and literacy instruction thenstops after this. By the end of third gradeit is assumed that students have learnedto read, and they can now “read to learn”on their own.The fact is that many students have notmastered the skill of reading to learn ontheir own. Because of this, gaps beginto form and expand in terms of thestudents’ actual literacy ability, wherethey should be performing according tovarious proficiency levels on standardizedtests and other measures. This translatesinto students learning less and less fromfourth grade on.Ultimately, those students who cannotread to learn by third grade have a fargreater chance of not graduating on timeor at all from high school.Recognizing this problem, Messmerhas taken steps to make sure this literacyachievement gap does not expand at ourelementary schools. After conductingthorough research on various literacyprograms, and taking into accountmany stakeholder perspectives, weimplemented the program Lead 21, atransformative curriculum for literacyinstruction in kindergarten throughgrade five.Lead 21, produced by McGraw-HillEducation, was chosen based on itsability to provide:• differentiated instruction tailored toindividual student needs• meaningful and interesting readingselections• literacy instruction agenda beyondthird gradeBut we believe that literacy instructionshould not stop at grade five. Messmersupplemented Lead 21 with Expert21, a literacy program for grades sixthrough ten produced by Scholastic.These curricular decisions demonstrateintentional efforts to make sure Messmerstudents leave the elementary school yearsprepared for the rigors of high school.Along with the new curricula, Messmerhas focused numerous professionaldevelopment sessions for its teachers onthe topic of literacy instruction to ensurethe best possible implementation of theliteracy program and students’ literacylearning as a major point of emphasis.Using the test scores from the newliteracy program, we have been able toprovide data-driven and individualizedinstruction to our students. Rather thancontributing to the increasing numberof students not mastering literacy skillsin the early years and not graduatingfrom high school, we are making sureour students are on a path to high schoolgraduation and higher education success.If interested in learning more about third grade readinglevels and high school success, the Annie E. CaseyFoundation published a “KIDS COUNT” special reportentitled, “Early Warning! Why Reading by the End ofThird Grade Matters.” or “Double Jeopardy: How ThirdGrade Reading Skills and Poverty Influence High SchoolGraduation.” These articles may be found at:www.aecf.org.MESSMER TODAY 7

LorGUIDing studentsON the PATH to collegeGuidance Counselors Lora DeFranco, Ken Klatkiewicz, Phil Stollenwerk and Amy GibsonPreparing students for college is at the core of Messmer’s mission. Being acollege preparatory school means above all that we expect our students willgo on to post-secondary studies. We design our curriculum requirements tomeet that goal, and we ensure that all students have the tools necessary tonavigate the complexities of college preparation.Integral to the goal of preparingstudents for college is Messmer HighSchool’s Guidance Department. The fourguidance counselors work collaborativelyto ensure student success. Each counseloris paired with a class and follows thestudents in that class from their freshmanthrough senior years. This provides theopportunity for students to truly get toknow and trust their counselors, and itallows the counselors the opportunity tounderstand students’ strengths, as well asareas in which they may need additionalsupport.The counselors have establishedeffective procedures and methods forkeeping all students on target, evenbefore their first day of school.Many students enrolled as freshmenparticipate in Messmer 101, a four-weekclass offered in the summer before theirfreshman year. Messmer 101 teachesstudents study skills and planning forcollege.During students’ freshman year, theclass counselor visits all classrooms toreinforce the importance of study skills,expectations inside and outside of theclassroom, as well as what studentsshould be doing each year to prepare forcollege.“The guidancecounselors helpedme with collegeapplications, financialaid and applying forscholarships. Theguidance departmenthas preparedme well.”–Nijah RobinsonACT scores are of paramountimportance in college acceptances andscholarship offers. During sophomoreyear, students take the PLAN Test—thepractice ACT. This practice test providesgood indication of how each student willperform on the ACT.Junior year is very important in collegepreparation. At Messmer High School,all juniors are enrolled in an ACT prepclass and sign up to take the ACT.Transportation is also provided to ACTtesting centers twice a year to eliminateall obstacles to taking the test.After students take the ACT, they areencouraged to begin applying to collegesand universities. Exposure to colleges isimportant in helping students understandwhich schools might be a good fit forthem. Students are able to meet withvisiting school representatives frequentlyduring the school year. Guidance alsoorganizes field trips to colleges anduniversities in order to truly give studentsa feel for campus life.During senior year, guidance hostsCollege Financial Aid Night for parentsand students. The meeting is a chancefor families to understand what formsof financial aid might be available, andhow to begin applying for scholarshipsand grants. Guidance also facilitatesindividual financial aid advising witha financial aid lender throughout theschool year.Class of 2011 senior Nijah Robisonexplains, “I am the first person in myfamily attending college. The guidancedepartment has helped me withcollege applications, financial aid andapplying for scholarships. The guidancedepartment has prepared me well, and Iam attending the University of Kansasthis fall.”The end result? Over 85% of ourgraduating seniors go on to collegesand universities across the country. Weattribute this to both the great workbeing done in classrooms to preparestudents for the rigor of college, as well asthe focus and direction our outstandingguidance counselors are able to provideto our students.8 MESSMER TODAY

MS. MARILYN MATHAYA REFLECTION ON A LEGENDARY TEACHERby LeRoy Fullwood ‘97Ms. Marily Mathay with her former student, LeRoy Fullwood ‘97Marilyn Mathay has been a math teacher at Messmer High School since1986. In those 25 years, she has taught thousands of high school studentsthe fundamentals of mathematics, but her legacy reaches far beyondpolynomials and logarithms. Mr. LeRoy Fullwood ‘97, Assistant Dean ofStudents at Messmer High School, reflects upon the lessons he learned as astudent in Ms. Mathay’s class.I had the honor of being enrolled inMs. Marilyn Mathay’s class when I wasa Messmer student. From day one inher class, she made it very clear to everystudent that our education was moreimportant than the latest gossip. It wasmore important than our immaturity.And it was definitely more importantthan our dislike for mathematics—ifyou were indeed silly enough to dislikemathematics.“I was one of the silly students whoactually disliked pre-calculus, but mydislike was outweighed by my love forlearning instilled by my parents.Ms. Mathay nurtured that love, as allgood teachers should.”–LeRoy Fullwood ‘97Although Ms. Mathay may have madeus aware of her expectations verbally, itwas her actions, not her words, whichleft the indelible impression on each ofus who sat in those desks. She demandedwe put in hard work and dedicationto improve in class. She demanded itthrough her presence. She arrived toMessmer early everyday. She stayed lateevery night.Ms. Mathay stayed late because sheknew we needed help with our work. Shestayed late because she wanted to makesure every student who cared to improvedid just that. I know I speak for nearly allof Ms. Mathay’s students past and presentwhen I say it only felt natural to put inlong hours to improve upon mathematicsskills.I was one of the silly students whoactually disliked pre-calculus, but mydislike was outweighed by my love forlearning instilled by my parents. Ms.Mathay nurtured that love, as all goodteachers should. Ms. Mathay had thepatience to meet with me before school,during my resource period (resourceroom in those days were held everyday).during my free class period and afterschool.I viewed pre-calculus as a worthyopponent trying to bring down mygrade point average, and me! Ms.Mathay helped me believe I could beatmy opponent. She is also the one whohelped realize the opponent was not precalculus,but only my self-doubt in myfull potential as a student.But I do not consider the mathematicsI learned nearly as important as the lifelessons I practiced during my senioryear. These lessons I will carry with methroughout my life:1. You do not quit something becauseit is hard.2. If you want something, put in thetime and effort to achieve your goal.3. There is great reward in knowing yougave something your all, regardless ofthe outcome of your efforts.Ms. Mathay did not tell us these things;she lived them. She continues to be ashining example to the students and staffof Messmer High School. If you speakto alumni that graduated in the 80’s,90’s or even as recent as June they willall tell you the same thing. No one hasdedicated more time and been more of aninspiration than Marilyn Mathay.In my work with students today, I hopeand pray I inspire them and hold themto the same high standards I was held tomany years ago.MESSMER TODAY 9

SCHOOL NEWSKindergarten graduationIn what has become an annual tradition,our five-year-old kindergarten students atboth Messmer Prep and St. Rose and St.Leo Catholic School dressed in their finestdresses, shirts and ties to mark a majorevent—graduation from kindergarten! Thestudents were proud to be honored in thisspecial ceremony. Many eagerly anticipatethe new experiences they will have next yearwhen they can go to school and sit in realdesks all day!volunteerSPOTLIGHT:Terri MaltaTerri Malta has been a volunteer atSt. Rose, and now St. Rose and St. LeoCatholic School, since 2004. In thoseseven years, she has done anythingand everything to help support studentlearning, from working one-on-onewith students to help them understandconcepts, to grading papers andlaminating artwork for displays. Ms.Terri, as the students call her, says she ishappy to help any way she can, but ofcourse working directly with students isher favorite role.Ms. Terri was inspired to becomeinvolved when a St. Rose schoolrepresentative visited her parish, St.Dominic in Brookfield. At the time sheworked as a Registered Nurse and shedecided to support student learningthrough financial gifts. When sheretired, she decided to play a muchmore active and personal role. Sinceshe began volunteering, Ms. Terri hastypically assisted students and teachersin the school three full days per week.In addition to her time commitment,Ms. Terri has also encouraged a friendto volunteer at St. Rose and St. Leo,and that friend in turn encouragedanother friend—a domino effect ofvolunteerism!Ms. Terri thinks of herself as agrandmother to the students. Shereceives hugs and waves from studentswho appreciate the extra attentionshe is able to provide. Her goal is toencourage the students and help themunderstand that God gave everyonegifts. She tells them, “Learning takeshard work. It’s not always easy. It’s notlike you can open your head and thingspour in. You are here to learn and workhard.”Though well-earned, Ms. Terrishies away from any praise shereceives regarding her extraordinarycommitment. She is motivated not byrecognition, but truly by her faith.Ms. Terri explains, “Your life is notyour own. You are here for otherpeople. Love God, and love yourneighbor. We are all here to do good.”10 MESSMER TODAY

SCHOOL NEWSMessmer Prep field trip toWisconsin state capitolStudents in fourth grade develop anunderstanding of American Governmentas part of a social studies learningobjective. To support class studies, fourthgrade students from Messmer Preprecently participated in a field trip tothe Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison.Teacher Beth Krebs describes, “It wasfun to see the students get excited as weapproached the Capitol and they got thefirst glimpse of the impressive Capitolbuilding.”The students began the day with atour of the Wisconsin Veteran’s Museum,completing a scavenger hunt on a searchfor artifacts they had learned about inclass. Next, the group toured the Capitolbuilding. Students were able to gointo most of the rooms in the Capitol,including the Senate and AssemblyChambers and the Governor’s Office.Some were even allowed to sit in as theSupreme Court met. Ms. Krebs explains,“This was very exciting as our SocialStudies textbook has a picture of theSupreme Court Justices, most of whomwere present during our visit.”The students enjoyed their trip, takingfrom the day a richer understanding ofWisconsin history and government.Bon AppétitEight Messmer High School studentsearned a place at Bartolotta’s Lake ParkBistro lunch table when they fulfilledtheir pledges to improve their grades.Dasia Cummings, Victor Drake, BryanJordan, Gabrielle Leachmon, DarrellRobinson, Marisia Tillman, Bria Thomasand Renee Wilburn signed pledges inthe fall and attended after school studysessions where they practiced study skillsand received tutoring. A week before theluncheon, students received lessons indining etiquette.Student Success Coordinator RoseRichard, Guidance Counselor PhilStollenwerk, and Tutor Sonja Richard,accompanied students.Jennifer Bartolotta of the BartolottaRestaurants Corporate Office welcomedstudents and offered to pick up thecost of next year’s lunch if studentsmaintained or improved their grades.Bartolotta also offered to save two placesfor Messmer students at her upcomingbusiness etiquette seminar with RockwellInternational.Renee Wilburn and Bria Thomas with tutor Sonja Richard(above) and Victor Drake (below) enjoy a celebratoryluncheonYouth Health Service CorpsYouth Health Service Corps is anational program for high schoolstudents interested in pursuing a careerin health. Students are trained to becomevolunteers in various health care settingsfor the underserved in their community.Students receive awards and recognitionfor their hard work and dedication to theprogram at the end of every school year.Once a month Youth Health ServiceCorps members at Messmer meet andlearn about different health care careersthrough hands-on presentations fromprofessionals. This year an art therapist,medical technologist, and respiratorytherapist spoke to the members and hadthem practice some skills related to thefield.Broadcast MediaStudents visit the Milwaukee Journal SentinelThe Messmer High School BroadcastMedia class had an exciting yearproducing a school blog, the schoolnewspaper, and video newscasts. The firstsemester class also created a documentaryentitled Vigils and Hope, which followedMessmer students as they participatedin Milwaukee’s homicide prayer vigils.The students and adult participants wereinterviewed about the experience and thefilm was entered into a national contest.The school community was especiallyresponsive to the blog which featuresup-to-the-minute school news includingMESSMER TODAY 11

SCHOOL NEWSphotos and videos, and serves as a greatyear-in-review.Broadcast Media students werefortunate to be visited by many speakersfrom the Milwaukee journalismcommunity who imparted their realworldinsight and knowledge. Field tripsto print and broadcast media facilitiesgave the students exciting looks at theinner workings of local news operationsand helped them put context to whatthey were learning in class.Senior Chabeli Romero describes,“The class is a great way to find yourselfthrough communications, whether ornot you are thinking of journalism asa career.” The course is taught by Ms.Maripat Wilkinson.Scholarship winners attendluncheon with local dignitariesGiovanni Rodriguez, Kevonna Nathaniel, Jade Hendricksand Crystal Marmolejo receive recognitionOn May 17, thirty Wisconsin highschool seniors received scholarships ata luncheon, attended by Mayor TomBarrett, Common Council PresidentWillie L. Hines, Jr. and other Milwaukeearea dignitaries. Messmer High Schoolseniors Giovanni Rodriguez, KevonnaNathaniel, Jade Hendricks and CrystalMarmolejo were among the awardrecipients.In honor of the recipients,McDonald’s arranged a recognitionevent at Milwaukee’s City Hall followedby a lunch at the InterContinentalMilwaukee Hotel that included specialtransportation to and from school vialimousine and a special opportunity tomeet and dine with dignitaries from thecommunity.“The scholarships are a great way tocontribute to our community’s future,”said Robert Pyles, local McDonald’sowner/operator and president of thesoutheastern Wisconsin co-op. Presidentand Messmer High School Principal Br.Bob Smith joined the students and theirfamilies at the event.Messmer hosts fifth annualfundraising dinner forWaukesha WestMessmer High School hosted the fifthannual spaghetti dinner to raise funds forWaukesha West High School’s AcademicDecathlon team. This year, over $2,500went directly to funding the team’s travelexpenses. The team just returned fromNational competition, winning its eighthconsecutive Division II National title andfinishing third overall in the nation.In 2007, Messmer High School’sNational Honor Society (NHS)members stepped in to help fundraisefor the Waukesha West AcademicDecathlon team when they learned theteam had insufficient funding to travelto the national competition in Hawaii.That year, Messmer’s students planned,organized and ran a spaghetti dinner inMessmer and Waukesha West students celebrate theirachievementWaukesha that raised nearly $12,000 forthe team’s travel.A special bond developed betweenthe two schools, and the tradition hascontinued five years running. WaukeshaWest students and families have returnedtheir support the last five years bysponsoring tables at Messmer’s ownannual fundraising event to benefitstudent scholarships, solidifying theunlikely and remarkable relationshipbetween the schools.Duane Stein, Waukesha West’sAcademic Decathlon Coach explains,“This is some ‘magic’ that is happeningin our schools today. A city school anda suburban school supporting each other.”Heart of the NationStudents in Messmer High School’schoir lifted their voices in song in Massesrecorded for Heart of the Nation, anorganization which seeks to renew,reawaken and support the faith ofCatholics through televised and onlineMasses. The Masses are available forstreaming on the Heart of the NationWebsite, and were also televised onSunday mornings throughout Lent onWITI Channel 6.Broadcasts are archived at www.heartofthenation.org.Business simulation challengesstudentsThe Junior Achievement of WisconsinBusiness Challenge is a businesssimulation competition that challengesstudents to apply skills in managementand knowledge of economics in order towin. 32 teams from 24 different schoolsin the Milwaukee area participated in thiscompetition.Messmer High School studentsCierra Childs, Sabatia McGee, and12 MESSMER TODAY

SCHOOL NEWSKaela McBeath worked together as ateam, and Puertokae LaGrant, TiaraAllen, and Charon Gregory made upour second team. These students earnedthe chance to compete at this event bywinning classroom competitions in theIntroduction to Business course.Each team was paired with a mentorwho helped guide the students throughthe two rounds of competition. Thisis the first year that both of our teamshave qualified for the “red division” byplacing in the top half of their respectivedivisions. Cierra, Sabatia, and Kaelafinished third in their division and werevery close to competing for scholarshipdollars. They also finished third in theirdivision of eight in the second round.In addition to the business simulationgame, there was a marketing competitionwhere teams were asked to create aradio advertisement promoting Kohl’sDepartment Stores’ effort to “go green”.Our Messmer teams placed first andsecond in the marketing competitionand the first place team (Cierra, Sabatia,Kaela) won Kohl’s gift cards for creatingthe best advertisement!Science students receive letterfrom President ObamaStudents in Ms. Korrin Schriver’sBiology Class were honored—and a littlesurprised!—to receive a letter from thePresident of the United States. PresidentObama responded to the students with aletter and a signed photograph after theywrote to him to share their opinions ongovernment policies around protectingnatural resources.The President urged students to getinvolved at a local level writing, “Hearingfrom engaged young people like you givesme great hope for the future.”Students pround to receive letter from President of theUnited States of AmericaProm King Sam Briggs andQueen Claudijah LeverStudents Modeling a ResearchTopic (SMART) Team memberswith their research poster at theMedical College of WisconsinSt. Rose and St. Leo studentslearn how to bowlMessmer Prep studentsdescribe their biome dioramasSt. Rose and St. Leo students displaytheir science projectActive Seniors Supporting InfluencingStudents Transitioning (ASSIST)participants —a partnership withMilwaukee Bucks, Eastcastle/NewcastlePlace and Messmer High SchoolMessmer Prep student honors hermother at Mother’s Day BreakfastMESSMER TODAY 13

SCHOOL NEWSFAITH AND SERVICERobert F. Purcell, S.J. Gesu Parish Peacemaker AwardsChurch of the Gesu annually recognizes a select group of middle and highschool students with the Robert F. Purcell, S.J. Gesu Parish Peacemaker Award.Award winning students are honored in a Mass dedicated to furthering peaceand justice. Messmer High School senior Chabeli Romero and St. Rose andSt. Leo eighth grade student Cindy Cortes were among this year’s awardrecipients. Following is more information about these extraordinary youngwomen.Cindy Cortes (left) and Chabeli RomeroCindy Cortes, 2011 Robert F. Purcell, S.J.Gesu Peacemaker Award RecipientCindy Cortes leads by example.She values her education, works hardand stays focused. Because of hercommitment to education and hardwork, Cindy is an honor student.By modeling peacefulness and focusin the classroom and beyond, Cindyhas demonstrated to others how to usecommunication to resolve problems.Cindy’s family highly valueseducation and faith. To her youngersiblings, Cindy has passed on the valuesof being active in church, showingkindness to others, and seeing the goodin all people. Cindy demonstratesthe true meaning of turning the othercheek, demonstrating to others thecorrect path. Cindy attends St. Roseof Lima Catholic Church and plays anactive role in her parish.Chabeli Romero, 2011 Robert F. Purcell, S.J.Gesu Peacemaker Award RecipientA senior at Messmer High School,Chabeli Romero has been a positiverole model as a peacemaker for thepast four years. This year, Chabelimobilized student participation inimmigration marches with the groupYouth Empowered in the Struggle. Thestudents raise their voices and live Jesus’message to welcome the stranger, “For Iwas hungry and you gave me food, I wasthirsty and you gave me drink, a strangerand you welcomed me.” Matthew 25:35With homicide pervasive inMilwaukee, Chabeli saw the need foraction. She assisted in planning a prayerservice to remember those who losttheir lives, and heightened awareness ofvigils that are held at homicide sites inMilwaukee.Fire destroys student’s home,but not her faithMessmer High School student AyannaMurrell and her mother, Akella Kency arehappy to be alive and recovering after afire destroyed their apartment buildingthis May. When the flames erupted,Ayanna and Ms. Kency found themselvestrapped in their apartment. They jumpedfrom a third floor window to avoidthe flames. Ayanna was taken to thehospital, where she received 45 stitches.Ms. Kency broke several bones and hashad a painful recovery.While in the hospital, Ayanna calledMessmer to thank her theology teacher,Anne Haines. Ayanna explained that shewas afraid to jump from the window, butas she looked down at the height, shesaw that she was wearing the rosary thatMs. Haines had given to her students.Ayanna described clutching the rosary,and as she did so, being filled with thefaith and courage to take the leap thatwould save her life.During her recovery, Ms. Hainestold Ayanna, “I hope you have felt ourprayers.”Ayanna responded, “I have. I have notfelt any pain!”Ayanna and her mother lost all oftheir personal possessions in the fire. Inresponse, staff members led fundraisingefforts to assist the family. Studentand private donations totaled $500. Inaddition, Messmer put out the call fordonations of furniture, and our Messmerfamily responded. Messmer staffmembers also volunteered their time tocollect and move donated furniture intoAyanna and Ms. Kency’s new apartment.Ayanna and Ms. Kency are verygrateful for all of the prayers and supportthey have received from the Messmerfamily.Robert F. Purcell, S.J. Gesu Parish Peacemaker Award Recipients14 MESSMER TODAY

SCHOOL NEWSARTSStrong representation inOrchestra by Messmer gradeschool studentsMessmer grade school students participate in MYSOMilwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra(MYSO) is a youth orchestral trainingorganization designed to offer thehighest level of training and performanceexperiences to motivated youth acrosssoutheastern Wisconsin.Eight Messmer grade school studentsparticipate in MYSO. The studentsare part of an intensive string trainingprogram providing private instructionand orchestral training in violin, viola,cello and bass to City of Milwaukeestudents with little or no experienceplaying a string instrument.But while the program is forbeginning students, the requirementsfor consideration and the programexpectations are intense. Acceptedstudents must travel to MYSO threetimes per week for personal instructionand masterclasses. Students are alsoinstructed to practice at home for at leastan hour a day.Sarai VanLeer, a Messmer Prepstudent in fifth grade, has accepted theresponsibilities associated with beinga part of the program because she isenthusiastic about playing the violinand because of all the fun she has whileplaying.Sarai understands that beyond learningto play the violin, being a member ofMYSO has also taught her how to makegoals and reach those goals successfully.She explains, “It can be stressful at times.You just have to put your mind to it!”Music teachers at both MessmerPrep and St. Rose and St. Leo haverecommended students for the program.Messmer’s MYSO students:Nasya Miller – cello, grade 3Dexter Love – viola, grade 3Mercedes VanLeer-Machiocote – cello, grade 3Jocelyn Campbell – violin, grade 4Kaliph Cox – viola, grade 4Mystique Evans – cello, grade 4Sarai VanLeer – violin, grade 5Josie Thompson – violin, garde 5Malik Griffin – violin, grade 5Paint, a saint, and the art studentThis year’s Fine Arts Night mural was completed by two sections of paintingclasses at Messmer High School. Painting students created eleven largereproductions of the artist Giotto’s famous frescoes depicting the life ofSt. Francis of Assisi. During the span of six weeks, students explored theconnection between art and religion in a very hands-on way.The unit objectives included working collaboratively to demonstratemastery in drawing from a grid and in mural painting techniques. Studentslearned about St. Francis, Giotto and fresco art. The class participated indiscussions about the life of St. Francis and the symbolism present in eachpanel. Students also wrote a reflection paper about the experience.Although St. Francis lived over 800 years ago, the story of his life containsthemes of discernment, compassion, peacemaking, leadership andreverence for creation that transcend time.MESSMER TODAY 15

SCHOOL NEWSATHLETICSMESSMER HIGH SCHOOLl Girls’ SoccerThis spring, Messmer High SchoolGirls’ Soccer players and coaches havebeen on a mission to build the school’sfirst girls’ team. Much hard work hasresulted in the team’s first ever win, withtwo goals from Arionna Suttle and adefensive shutout from goalies HelenFerch and Brittany Harmon. CoachesHennicke, Uihlein and Herrera are proudof the team’s progress, and are excited tosee how far the team can go. “I have neverseen more of a team win in my life. Eachof our players stepped up and playedtheir best game. That was the difference,”said head coach Mike Hennicke. “Thisteam has learned what it takes to be truewinners: sacrifice, commitment, hardwork, and respect for each other.”l Track and FieldThe 2011 Messmer track and field teamhad an outstanding season with strongrepresentation at the State meet. DavionRichardson placed third in the long jumpfinals in Division 2 with a new personalbest mark of 22’2.75”. Michael Bonds hitthe qualifying standard in the high jump.In addition to these accomplishments,eight new school records were set thisyear in both the boys’ and girls’ 4x400.The teams consisted of Jaron Carter,Ronald Shipman, Darren Welch, andRonald Shipman, and Sylvia Washington,Ngozi Osademe, Sharone Lyons, and BriaThomas.Kenny Myatt broke the school recordin the 400 meter dash, but saw the recordbroken by teammate Ronald Shipmanat the regional. Anthony Williams setthe mark in the boys’ 1,600 meter runand Josh Marsh broke the 800 meter runrecord. Arianna Williams broke the triplejump record, and Jamal Washington setthe record in the boys’ shot put.l BaseballHighlights of the baseball season includea 16-9 victory versus Rufus King.This season, three players received AllConference honors. Myles Childs wasselected First Team All Conference as aninfielder. Myles led the league in hittingwith an astonishing .633 batting averagein conference play. He was also the teamleader in runs scored, runs batted in, anddoubles. Myles was third in conference instrikeouts as a pitcher and led the teamin earned run average, opponent battingaverage, and innings pitched. RobertHaskins earned honorable mention asan infielder and hit .357, while CalvinLawson earned honorable mention as anoutfielder.Messmer’s baseball team continuesto grow and the coaches are happy withplayers’ improvement.GRADE SCHOOLl Messmer Prep BasketballMessmer Prep had a very successfulbasketball season, led by our eighthgrade Lady Bishops, including three girlsfrom St. Rose and St. Leo. The teamcompleted the most successful season inMessmer Prep history with a 24-3 overallrecord, finishing 11-0 in the North ShoreLeague. The team won the North ShoreLeague championship, and three regularseason tournament championships. Inthe Padre Serra Tournament, whichfeatures the best Catholic league schoolsacross Southeastern Wisconsin, the teamadvanced to the championship game butfell short, taking second overall.In addition to our eighth grade girls,Messmer Prep had a record increase inparticipation, featuring a total of sevenschool teams. All teams competed in theNorth Shore League. All seven teamsimproved from beginning to end andgive us a lot to look forward to in theupcoming years.l St. Rose and St. LeoField DayStudents look forward to field dayall year long! This fun day of outdoorcompetition and events is a greatopportunity to take a break from thebooks and get active.Highlights from this year’s field dayincluded a hula hoop pass, tricky obstaclecourse, and potato sack races. Everyonehad a blast trying out the Macarena andElectric Slide in the afternoon’s dancelessons.16 MESSMER TODAY

ALUMNUS PROFILE: Tom Flynn ‘62Introduction by Ron Davies ‘60Tom Flynn is arguably one of the greatest athletes to ever graduate from Messmer High School. Hewas an All Conference basketball player for three years. He was a First Team Associated Press (AP)and United Press International (UPI) All State selection his senior year including being selected as theMost Valuable Player (MVP) on the UPI team. He is the leading men’s basketball scorer in Messmerhistory. He was a three year starter in football and earned First Team All State recognition his senioryear. Tom played three years of varsity baseball. When Messmer began a track program, he joinedthe team and took second place in the state in discus his senior year.After high school, Tom earned a four-year basketball scholarship to Marquette University. He isthe only player in Marquette basketball history to have been selected as Marquette’s MVP eachof his three years on the varsity team. Tom was Marquette’s leading scorer two years and leadingrebounder one. Al McGuire named Tom team captain his junior and senior years, and he is stillthe sixth leading All-Time Rebound Leader and twenty-fifth All-Time Leading Scorer in Marquettehistory.Tom Flynn in his high school seniorphoto (above), and in a recent photoHowever, of more importance and even more impressive than Tom Flynn the athlete is Tom Flynnthe person. I can’t imagine anyone who has accomplished all Tom has accomplished throughout theyears being less impressed with himself. Tom has always been very humble. Listen to him talk abouthis mother, his family, his coaches, his teachers, his friends, and his teammates. There is alwaysone common thread; the respect Tom has and has always had for them. Tom has demonstrated hisrespect and concern for others by his actions throughout his lifetime. Tom is very proud of MessmerHigh School and we are proud that Tom is a graduate of our school. He is a wonderful role modeland is someone who all of us connected with Messmer would like our students to emulate.Following is an excerpt from a conversationwith Tom Flynn ‘62.Q. Did you have a favorite teacher atMessmer?TF: Sister John Dominic stands out in mymind. She was my homeroom teachermy senior year and Sister Immanuelcommanded the room next door. JohnDominic dropped her alias and is nowSr. Marian Blong I believe. She andImmanuel were wonderful people whoseemed to really care about the students.I also liked Mr. Neja who taught biologyand coached basketball. He taught mediscipline when I really needed thatlesson. Don Simeth as a good coachin track and the other sports too. Hehelped me a lot in sports and in growingup. There were many wonderful peopleat Messmer and they all helped me alongthe way. I have fond memories.MESSMER TODAY 17Q. Ron Davies ‘60 has many stories aboutthe fun you had in high school, and theoccasional trouble you got into with thenuns for “inappropriate behavior,” suchas having an arm over a girl’s shoulder inthe hallways. Like Ron, do you have anystories you can share?TF: I was no match for Ron Davies whowas always much more mature than I.Ron always looked out for the moraldevelopment of his friends and he wouldidentify your shortcomings to any nearbynun if he felt you were not up to his highstandards.Q. In what activities were you involved inhigh school?TF: Mostly sports – football, basketball,baseball and track. I was student bodypresident my senior year. I can’t recall alot of executive decisions I was allowedto make in that capacity but I introducedoutside speakers at the school, etc. Someof my classmates still make fun of theway I did that. It was a high honor tobe elected by the other students to thatposition. My fellow officers were MaryQuinn, Carole Dunn and Mike Munsonwho were all wonderful people andvery successful in life. Participation onathletic teams helped me immensely inmy struggle to grow up. Competitionreally prepares people for life. One learnshow to strive to win but to accept it whenyou don’t win and to try harder nexttime. You also learn how to get alongwith others and to function as a team.Q. After high school you attendedMarquette University, where you receiveda number of distinctions in athletics,including the Robert L. and William P.McCahill Award in 1966 for scholarship,

leadership and athletics (men’s basketballand track and field). Tell us about theexperience of being a college athlete.TF: I always loved athletic competitionand I was very fortunate to be able toattend Marquette on a scholarship. Igrew up following Marquette basketballand I was very proud to be a part ofit. I got to know some great people atMarquette and the competition was verygood in basketball. Travelling with theteam for games was a good experienceand I loved the camaraderie with theother athletes.Q. What were some newsworthy eventsduring your school days?TF: The biggest event I recall was theCuban Missile Crisis a few months afterI graduated from Messmer. I was sureit would lead to Armageddon and Istood in a long line at Marquette to goto confession to Fr. McEvoy, a roly polyJesuit who had been a chaplain duringWWII. Most guys liked him becausehe was “easy” and rarely gave more thanthree Hail Marys. The downside wasthat once he knew you he would getyou in a headlock if he spotted you oncampus and make you go to confessionas he walked with you. If he thought youmade a good confession he released youfrom the headlock and looked for othervictims. Fr. Mac was a saint in my viewand I could talk about him all day.Q. What is your profession?TF: After graduating from Marquette, AlMcGuire, the basketball coach kept meon as a part time assistant which paidfor my law school education. After lawschool I was accepted into the FBI as aSpecial Agent and spent 32 years as anagent, serving in Portland, San Francisco,New York City and Indianapolis. I stilllive in Indiana with my family consistingof my wife Tanja, daughter Christina,son Michael, and three grandsons, Miles,Max and Malone.Perhaps my major accomplishmentwas being accepted into the FBI, whichwas a fairly competitive process. I didhave an enjoyable career “fighting crime”to include helping convict some corruptpoliticians, bank robbers, identity thieves,etc. I also managed to arrest quite a fewfugitives from the law, including severalmurderers. I met and worked with manyincredible people in the FBI and considermyself fortunate for the experience.Q. When was the last time you were ableto visit your alma mater, Messmer HighSchool?TF: I got to see a basketball game atMessmer in January with my formerteammates, Ron Davies, Pete Salza andMike Basile. I got to meet Coach Datkaand the team. I also attended the Hall ofFame Induction in April and got to seemany old friends and teammates.Q. What advice do you have for today’sMessmer High School students?TF: Work hard and have fun. Obey therules. Seek advice from people who havedone those things you may want to do.That way you do not have to keep “reinventingthe wheel.”Q. Any final remarks?TF: I feel blessed to have had theopportunity to attend Messmer andcompete on its teams and learn fromthose wonderful School Sisters of NotreDame. They were awesome. They alsotaught me at SS. Peter and Paul gradeschool. I have lots of vivid memories ofgames and friends and teachers, coachesand good times.I am delighted that Messmer “dodgeda bullet” and is still working miracleswith young people. I am very proud ofthat and thankful for the many peoplewho made that happen and who are stillcommitted to Messmer’s survival.ALUMNI UPDATES1960sThomas Dougherty ’64 recently becamea proud, first-time grandfather to agranddaughter. Thomas started CarrEquipment Corp. in 2007, and has beenhard at work building the company.Dr. Vicki (Vernon) Lott ’69 recentlyaccepted a position as Provost atHuston-Tillotson University inAustin, TX.1970sNancy (Gerger) Malkowski ’71announces that the Class of ’71 willcelebrate their 40th Reunion at NewBerlin Hills Golf Course on November12, 2011. More info will follow.Classmates should please contact Nancywith questions. 262-251-9445 ornmalkowski4@yahoo.comGene Placzkowski ’74 has been namedRegional Quality Hub Manager - Asiaat S.C. Johnson and Son. He nowcommutes between Racine, WI andShanghai, China on a monthly basis.Mark Feilen ’79 is Co-Owner of Taylor& Dunn’s Public House in Mequon.Taylor & Dunn’s will be celebrating its6 th Anniversary this Labor Day weekend.1990sLaTisha Terry ’99 graduated with anMBA from Cardinal Stritch Universityin December 2010.2000sJustine Shorter ’08, a senior atMarquette University and GeneralManager of the university radio station,won first place in the regional SPJMark of Excellence Awards for RadioNews Reporting. The piece will nowbe entered into a national competition.Winners are announced in September.Alumni: Share your family, work andeducation updates with us!Please submit updates online atwww.messmerschools.org.18 MESSMER TODAY

Messmer High SchoolAthletic Hall of FameThis April, we were pleased to induct eleven new members into Messmer High School’s Athletic Hall of Fame. Theinduction ceremony honored a group of individuals who excelled as students and as athletes. While these alumniwere honored for individual achievements, many of them recalled the names and contributions of their teammates, andthey spoke of the pride that comes from being part of a team, a family. Messmer High School proudly recognizes thenewest inductees into our Athletic Hall of Fame:Bob Bugalski ‘48, Paul Cannestra ‘77, Coach Orv Dermody (posthumous), Dan Hanrahan ‘51 (posthumous),John Kowalski ‘71, Rich Panella ‘64, Mike Schramka ‘73, Roger Schultz ‘75, Tom Schlicht ‘80,Col. Bill Sherman ‘78, Frank Wallace ‘70Roger Schultz ‘75 Frank Wallace ‘70 Coach Herm BuechelSpecial Honoree - Mitre AwardCol. Bill Sherman ‘75 Bob Bugalski ‘48Paul Cannestra ‘77 Tom Schlicht ‘80 Mike Schramka ‘73 Rich Panella ‘64 John Kowalski ‘71Build yourLEGACYwith aPlanned GiftYour gift will support Messmer Catholic Schools’ mission ineducation while providing valuable tax savings on earned income.{BequestsCharitable TrustsLife InsuranceStock TransfersGifts of Real EstateContact the Development Office at 414-264-5440 or visit messmerschools.orgMESSMER TODAY 19

ANATOMY OF A MESSMER TEACHEREyes:See the potential ineach and every child.Ears:Hear EVERYTHING—except excuses.Voice:Tool of instruction,inspiration.Heart:Full of loveand compassion.Our teachers are dedicated to educating and inspiring students. Bysupporting Messmer Catholic Schools, you give our teachers thetools and resources they need to truly make a difference instudents’ lives. Your gift has a profound impact on the quality of services we areable to provide to our students. To make your tax-deductible gift today, you mayreturn the enclosed envelope or donate securely online at www.messmerschools.org.On behalf of our students and teachers, thank you!20 MESSMER TODAY

IN MEMORIAMThe Messmer Catholic Schools Family extends its condolences to those grieving a loved one.May the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.1930sHelen H. Weber ‘30 on January 30, 2011Alfred F. Pompe ‘31 on February 4, 2011Esther M. Maikowski ‘34 on March 4, 2011Maurice “Greg” Moriarty ‘35 on May 3, 2011Marjorie Rose Gay ‘39 on January 9, 2011Vera F. Shanahan ‘39 on January 28, 2011Agnes Trawicki ‘39 on May 5, 20111940sJames F. Pitterle ‘40 on February 20, 2011Raymond M. Berg ‘40 on April 21, 2011Isabelle M. Kaelin ‘42 on March 9, 2011Janet A. Wilson ‘43 on November 5, 2010Pauline Wasileski ‘43 on April 4, 2011Dorothy M. Castelaz ‘43 on May 31, 2011Frank L. Balistreri ‘44 on June 1, 2010Betty Wendelberger ‘44 on June 18, 2010John Cogan ‘44 on March 2, 2011Albert J. Ball ‘45 on November 8, 2010Clifford J. Grogan ‘45 on November 5, 2010Gordan Joseph Mankorn ‘45 on February 26, 2011Patricia Thurow ‘46 on February 19, 2011John H. Cornelius ‘47 on December 8, 2010James J. Keller ‘47 on January 3, 2011Howard L. Heinen ‘47 on January 16, 2011Patricia A. Balsley ‘48 on April 26, 2011William C. Desing ‘48 on June 19, 2011Marc L. Provencher ‘48 on June 7, 2011Benjamin E. Coursin ‘49 on February 28, 20111950sFrederic G. Haessly ‘50 on November 29, 2010Robert J. Repinski ‘52 on June 3, 2010Marie L. Zemski ‘53 on December 4, 2010Judy A. (Collins) Welsh ‘53 on June 4, 2011James Sella ‘54 on December 20, 2010Thomas F. Walker ‘55 on May 20, 2011Anthony C. Stoeveken ‘56 on April 24, 2011Tullio P. Giuliani ‘58 on June 5, 2010Carl Horst ‘58 on October 24, 2010Joanne M. Allie ‘58 on May 28, 2011John A. Kriz ‘58 on February 13, 20041960sMary K. Wenninger ‘60 on February 1, 2011Joanne Braunreiter ‘60 on June 3, 2010Nancy K. Stewart ‘60 on June 4, 2010Rosalie Noel ‘60 on October 31, 2010Myron Kotecki ‘63 on November 30, 2010Dennis Diamond ‘64 on May 16, 2011Ronald F. Wysocki ‘65 on January 11, 2011Gerald J. Basile ‘69 on March 15, 20111970sJoseph C. Artis Sr. ‘73 on December 3, 2010James M. Klein ‘74 on March 25, 2011Phil Hullin ‘76 on May 31, 2011MESSMER TODAY 21

IN MEMORIAMJuan De Dios Torres-Conde passed awayin peace after a courageous battle withcancer on April 18, 2011 at age 17.Juan, a junior at Messmer High School, was often involved in schoolactivities. He deeply valued his education and studies. He enjoyedschool and his dedication inspired his peers and teachers alike. Juanfrequently attended Saturday Academy at Messmer High School. ThoseSaturdays, he would gather with other students, assisting his peers insubject areas in which he was strong, and seeking assistance in others inwhich he needed a little help. Juan was training for a high school triathlon insummer of 2010 when he was diagnosed with bone cancer.Juan had aspirations to become a pilot someday. He was thrilled to take his firstflight very recently. In keeping with his interest in flight, Juan enjoyed flying radiocontrolledairplanes and always looked forward to flying one more time.Juan Torres embodied the virtues of courage and wisdom. He met every turn and bumpin his life’s journey with strength, poise and grace. His joyful sense of humor never failedhim, and gave much comfort to those who mourn his loss.Eternal rest grant him O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.May he rest in peace.22 MESSMER TODAY