The Official Magazine of St. John Vianney High School Spring 2013

The Official Magazine of St. John Vianney High School Spring 2013

The Official Magazine of St. John Vianney High School Spring 2013InsideNational Champs! ....................................................................................5Vianney Chess team wins 2nd National Title in three years17 Strong ...................................................................................................6Volleyball wraps up 17th State Volleyball Title in 25 years with huge win over Westminster in theClass 3 Volleyball ChampionshipTop 50 ......................................................................................................13Cardinal Newman Society Bestows National Honors on Vianney for Excellence in AcademicsALUMNI PROFILEMike Check ............................................................................................14KMOV’s Mike Colombo Building Name, Reputation in Hometown NewsDuty, Honor, Country ...........................................................................16Vianney Continues Tradition of Sending Graduates to Service AcademiesThe Black and Gold Magazine is a productof St. John Vianney High School, 1311 SouthKirkwood Road, in Kirkwood, Mo.To submit items for the Black and Gold,contact the editor, Rob Staggenborg, Directorof Communications, at rstaggenborg@vianney.com or call (314) 965-4853 ext. 270.PresidentMike Loyet ‘77PrincipalDr. Tim DilgAssistant Principal – AcademicsDennis MatreciAssistant Principal – Student AffairsScott Brown ‘84Director of AthleticsTerry CochranDirector of Finance and FacilitiesWendell DePhillips ‘71Director of AdvancementPeter Cerone ‘93Director of AdmissionsTom Mulvihill ‘04Director of Constituent RelationsMolly WalshDirector of EventsMark Schuermann ‘03Editor, Black and GoldDirector of CommunicationsRob StaggenborgDesignLopez Needleman Graphic Design, Inc.COVER STORYAll in the Family ....................................................................................18Families of Loved Ones Honor their Legacies with Memorial ScholarshipsFACULTY PROFILEMr. Charlie Eisele ..................................................................................22Vianney’s Iron Man of 51 Years Closes Out Exemplary CareerStay in touch at www.vianney.comFor Vianney updates and other features,follow Vianney online at www.vianney.comor follow us on Twitter @vianneygriffins

BLACK & GOLDSchool NewsJerry Stevison acknowldges the crowd at the JimFarrell track meet in May. Stevison is retiring fromVianney after 39 years of service.Coach Stevison Honoredfor ServiceMr. Jerry Stevison who has taught at Vianneyfor 39 years, was honored by the Vianney Trackand Field program at the annual Jim FarrellInvitational Meet at Vianney.Mr. Stevison retired from Vianney at theend of the school year. During his time atVianney, he served as a teacher and coach.His teaching career spanned 45 years in all,which included stints at CBC and Priory aswell. He returned to Vianney in 1978 and hasbeen here since.“The thing that I found very appealing herewas the faculty,” he said. “The lay faculty, likethe majority of coaches, all were wonderfulpeople. And the Brothers were just terrific.I enjoyed coming to school each day andworking with them. They run a great, disciplinedclassroom environment. The kids werenice, good kids, and the parents were verysupportive. That was what stuck with me.”Mr. Stevison coached football for 45 years,wrestling about 15 years and track for morethan 40 years.“Football was the sport I always enjoyedcoaching. Track was excellent too, butfootball was a different type of sport. Butboth were enjoyable.”In 2004, Stevison was inducted into theMissouri Football Hall of Fame. He plans ontaking time to travel with his wife during hisretirement. They’ve visited all 50 states andmany of the Canadian provinces.“We are going to travel some more,” hesaid. “We are going to drive and stop in anumber of places. I’m looking forward to itvery much.”Ryan Murphy namedto the 2013 Missouri100 ScholarsSenior Ryan Murphywas selected for the 2013Missouri Scholars 100, astatewide program thathonors 100 of Missouri’stop academic studentsin the graduating classof 2013.Students were recognizedRyan Murphy at a luncheon in Columbia,Missouri, in April.Schools across Missouri nominated candidatesfor this statewide recognition. The selectionwas based on a number of factors, includinggrade point average, standardized test scores,school involvement, citizenship, and performancein academically rigorous courses.Jim L. King, Executive Director of theMissouri Associate of Secondary SchoolPrincipals, which sponsored the awardprogram, described the honor: “StudentsJack Lyons Receives Distinguished Achievementfor Excellence in Science AwardJunior Jack Lyons has received the Distinguished Achievement forExcellence in Science Award from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.This award recognizes the most outstanding junior level sciencestudents enrolled in the St. Louis metro area.Jack is ranked at the top of his class and has completed five sciencecourses at St. John Vianney High School. Jack plans to take two morescience courses his senior year and study Mechanical Engineeringin college.Jack Lyonswho were selected for this program havetaken a rigorous course of study and havemaintained the highest academic standards.The Missouri Association of SecondarySchool Principals celebrates the achievementand success of these students and theirschools.”Matt Brown Wins RisingStar AwardCongratulations go outto senior Matt Brownwho was named thewinner of the 2013Rising Star Awardpresented by theSt. Louis AmateurBaseball Hall-of-Fame.Brown was presentedthe award on April 18at the Hall-of-FameBanquet held at theWestport SheratonChalet Hotel.Brown wasannounced as one of the finalists for theaward in December. He was named as thewinner over a select group of players fromthe St. Louis Metro Area.Matt set career marks at Vianney as one ofthe most prolific hitters in school history intotal bases, home runs and several other keyoffensive categories.Vianney Shows Supportfor Kenyan SchoolThrough their charitable generosity anddedication to service Vianney students justfinished a project supportingthe MarianistMissions in Africa.The Golden Griffinswill send $2,547 toOur Lady of Nazareth,which will ensurethat 20 Kenyan students receive food and aneducation next year. Special thanks to GriffinLIFE and Mr. Matt Dailey for spearheadingthis project.4Visit us online! www.vianney.com

SPRING 2013Vianney Chess Team Wins National ChampionshipTitle is school’s 2nd Chess Title in 3 YearsVianney’s Chess Team won its second National Chess Championship inthe K-12 Division in the Super-National Chess Tournament in Nashville,TN in April. The title was Vianney’s second in three years, having wonthe 2011 Chess Championship as well.Vianney was led by a team of Tim Ellebracht with 6 wins and 1 draw,Alex Moellering who went 5 wins, no losses and two draws. Jack Lyonswith two wins, a draw and a loss, and Andrew Krekeler and JordanHoover posted four points each. The Varsity Chess Team was led bycoaches Ed Baur and David Petersen.Baur taught and coached the chess team at Vianney from 1991through 2007. He has continued his involvement with Vianney’s chessteam after retirement. He’s been a member of the Missouri ChessAssociation’s Board of Directors for 14years, and served as president for six ofthose. He is the author of an instructionalchess book, “Griffin Chess,” and he alsotaught at the St. Louis CommunityCollege. Chess, put simply, is in Baur’s blood.Vianney ended up winning by justone point. The second place throughthe fourth place teams ended up in a tie.Crossroads School from St. Louis was oneof the schools that tied for second place.“It was a matter of making the right movesThe chess team was honored at anat the right time,” said David Peterson.all-school assembly.“We’re definitely excited that the starsaligned and luck was with us and all the work paid off.”Two years ago when Vianney won, the tables were turned, Mr. Baur explainedin an article in the St. Louis Review about the championship. “We had a wonderfulfirst round. We were leading the whole tournament and almost drove off the cliff thelast round. This time was just the opposite. I was uneasy about it. At the end of thesixth round, we pulled a half point ahead. Then we had a good last round and endedup winning by a full point, which is very unusual.”The varsity team was made up of seniors Tim Ellebracht, Jordan Hoover, NickyHart, Al Faust, Tim Booth and Christian Duvall. Juniors on the team were AlexMoellering, Jack Lyons, Nikita Thompson, Trevor Vogan and Aaron Reynolds.The school’s JV team also had a great showing with a 7th place finish in a verycompetitive division. Matt Kleine, Dan Owensby, Nathan Mittenzwey, and NickKreitner headed their effort.Vianney’s Varsity Chess teamwith the National Trophy.The chess team in action.Follow Vianney on Twitter @vianneygriffins.com5

BLACK & GOLDAP Biology StudentsWelcome Noted Expertand AuthorA selected group of juniors and seniors inthe AP Biology class had a chance to meetProfessor Jerry Cox, a noted expert, entrepreneurand author in the area of biomechanicalProfessor Jerry Cox meets with students.research and a retired professor with WashingtonUniversity in St. Louis.Professor Cox is considered one of theforemost authorities in the world regarding thefield of biomechanical research, Bill Alexander,biology teacher, noted. He is highly publishedand holds several patents on biomechanicaland bionic apparatus. He holds threedegrees from the Massachusetts Instituteof Technology.“Professor Cox is a giant in the field ofbiomedical research and is amazingly humbleabout the contributions he has made to theworld,” Alexander said.According to his official WashingtonUniversity biography, Professor Cox has beenat Washington University since 1955. In the1960s, he founded the Biomedical ComputingLaboratory, which pioneered the applicationof computers to applications in medicine. In the1970s, he became the founding chairman of theDepartment of Computer Science, and guidedthe department’s development and growth formore than 15 years, the biography notes.Professor Cox is a fellow of the Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE),the Acoustical Society of America (ASA)as well as the American College of MedicalInformatics (AMIA). He is also a memberof Eta Kappa Nu, Sigma Xi, Tau Beta Pi,NAS, and ACM. Washington University hasawarded him with multiple honors, includingthe Distinguished Faculty Award and theEliot Society Search Award. The theme ofProfessor Cox’s research has been applicationsof advanced technology to practicalbiomedical problems.Vianney Volleyball Captures Record 17th State TitleCongratulations to St. John Vianney’s Griffinvolleyball team, which captured its record 17thMissouri State Class 3 Volleyball Championshipin St. Louis, MO in May.Vianney has set the standard for boys’ volleyballin St. Louis and across Missouri by winning 17 statetitles in just 25 years of fielding a boys’ volleyballteam. Coach Jeff Gabbert led the Griffins to a26-7-1 record and a win over Westminster ChristianAcademy of Town and Country, Mo. in the finals.The first game of the final was a nip-and-tuckaffair, with WCA and Vianney trading points.Vianney would end up winning the first game inthe best-of-three set 27-25. In the second game,the Griffins controlled the tempo and using an8-3 run early in the match, took the second gameby a score of 25-20.Vianney closed its season by winning 12 gamesin a row.Brother Wally Celebrates70 Years asa MarianistCongratulations toVianney’s own BrotherWalter Ebbesmeyer,who is celebrating 70years of professed life.Brother Wally washonored at a specialJubilee Mass by theBrother WalterEbbesmeyer, SMSociety of Mary on April 27, 2013 at OurLady of the Pillar Church.Brother Wally, as he’s known around Vianney,taught students from 1945 through 1988 at thegrade school, high school and university levelsin St. Louis, Texas, Milwaukee and Illinois.He was featured as one of the Marianists’special Jubilarians in the electronic communication,Family Online, a national publication.Earlier this year, Brother Wally was invitedto speak to the student body during a specialassembly.“A long time ago, I saw a movie that I likedvery much. It was called Stand and Deliver.I like that title very much because I think allof my life, that has been my motto. I have alwaysfelt that when you see that there is somethingto be done, then do it! Don’t put it off untiltomorrow. Do it today,” he said.“It makes me proud to be here at Vianneybecause this school reflects so well what itmeans to be a Marianist school,” he added.Old Towne FentonHonors 2 SeniorsVianney Seniors Nicholas Allen and PatrickNoble were recently honored by the Old TowneFenton Daughters of the American Revolution(DAR). The Olde Towne Fenton DAR honoredfive high school seniors in all at its April 6Scholarship and Awards Presentation.Allen was presented with a Good CitizensAward, and Noble washonored with the OldeTowne Fenton Chapter,Missouri State SocietyDAR ScholarshipEntrant award.Each year theDaughters of theAmerican Revolutionsponsor a Good Nicholas Allen6Visit us online! www.vianney.com

SPRING 2013Citizens Award andScholarship Contest,intended to encourageand reward the qualitiesof good citizenship.Each Good CitizensAward recipientwas presented with acertificate, a pin, a wallet Patrick Noblecard, an Amazon giftcard, and a monetary contribution to helpdefray college expenses. Nicholas Allen wasalso presented with a $300 Chapter scholarshipand the opportunity to compete foradditional recognition at the state level.Principal PensArticle for NationalCatholic MagazineVianney Principal Dr. Tim Dilg’s article onschool leadership was recently published inthe National CatholicEducation Association’sMomentum magazine.You can access a PDFof the article in theNews section of theVianney website —vianney.com — forDr. Tim Dilg April.The article, entitled“Leading for Excellence” focuses on traitsCatholic school leaders need to embrace tobuild excellent communities. “To create anexcellent Catholic school, the leaders mustbe excellent themselves. They must not onlybelieve in, but manifest in their actions, a passionfor the school’s mission, its vision and itsvalues,” Dr. Dilg wrote.Dr. Dilg has been Vianney’s principal fortwo years. In 2009, he received a doctorate ofeducation with an emphasis in educationalleadership from St. Louis University.School excellence, he wrote, “requires acommitment to a strong Catholic mission toeducate students for spiritual, academic andpersonal excellence. It also requires hiringexceptional staff with high standards andimmersing the school community with dailyexamples of excellence. Then, the overwhelmingpride from being part of something greatcomes. Your heart will pound with excitementwhen you realize that your school communityis working to the beat of one heart and onemission to lead your school to excellence.”Vianney’s New Director of CommunicationsVianney recently welcomed Mr. Rob Staggenborg, APR as the newDirector of Communications in Apri1 2013.“Rob comes to Vianney with a wealth of PR and communicationsexperience,” said Pete Cerone ’93, Director of Advancement at Vianney.Rob has served as a PR practitioner, media producer, business journalist,non-profit development and communications consultant, and mostrecently the Director of Communications for CBC High School, aposition he helped create nearly 15 years ago.“I am quite excited to join a truly professional learning communitylike Vianney. From my view, this school has so many tremendous thingsMr. Rob Staggenborggoing. These include being nationally recognized for academics; sendingkids to the service academies and having nearly 100 percent of their seniors go on to college.That is impressive and not a record many schools in St. Louis can stand behind. I’ve enjoyedworking with the local media to communicate all of the great things happening at St. JohnVianney High School. I’m especially grateful to the number of students, families, alumni, facultyand staff members and the Marianist community for making my transition here so smooth.”Rob’s professional background is in journalism, public relations, media relations, photojournalism,design and social media. He spent the first portion of his professional career as a businessjournalist and news reporter for the European Stars and Stripes, the Suburban Journals, and theSt. Louis Business Journal. Additionally, Rob is a native St. Louisan who is professionallyaccredited (APR) by the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA). He has served onnumerous non-profit boards, including PRSA-St. Louis and the Community Services PublicRelations Council. He served as well as a task force member on the national PRSA Accreditationmarketing committee, and most recently as an Assembly Delegate for the InternationalPRSA Conference.2013 Night of the Griffin Auction RecapMore than $296,000 was raised at the annual event.The toasts were well-deserved following ahugely successful Night of the Griffin Auctionin February.More than $296,000 was raised at the annualfund-raising event. One of the most significantturns of the evening came during the Fund-a-Need portion. Vianney donors stepped up ina huge way, raising $112,000 for studentscholarships. That set a school record for theFund-a-Need, said Pete Cerone ’93, Directorof Advancement.A special thanks goes to Auction ChairsDebbie McGuire and Kim Tackes for theirwonderful work in organizing this year’s event. Vianney President Mike LoyetDuring the oral auction portion of the event,a trip to Chicago netted $13,000 as the top bid. The trip, donated by Doug Zinser ’92 andhis wife, Andrea, was no ordinary Chicago trip, however. The winning bidder got a privatejet for 8 to the Windy City to see the Cardinals take on the rival Cubs. Once the jet touchedground, the package included a limo from the Pal-Waukee Airport near Chicago to theHyatt downtown for a two-night stay and tickets to the game, said Mark Schuermann ’03,Director of Events.Vianney is already making plans for next year’s Night of the Griffin Auction on February 15,2014. If you would like to volunteer to help plan the event, or if you would like to donate anitem, contact mschuermann@vianney.com or call him at (314) 965-4853 ext. 144.Follow Vianney on Twitter @vianneygriffins.com7

BLACK & GOLDPaul Day Named Vianney’s Football CoachVianney is proud to announce that Paul Dayis the new Head Football Coach of theGolden Griffins.Day has 20 years of head coaching experienceand has spent the last 15 years as the HeadCoach of Fort Zumwalt West. During histenure at Fort Zumwalt West, Day has won:• Seven Conference Championships (2001/2002/2005/2006/2007/2008/2011)• Six District Championships(2001/2002/2003/2007/2010/2011)• Been to the State Quarterfinals 4 times(2007/2008/2010/2011)• Was a State Semifinalist in 2010Coach Paul Day• In addition he has been named:• St. Louis Coaches Association- Coach of the Year (2010)• St. Louis National Football Foundation Coach of the Year/ Program of the Year (2010)• Conference Coach of Year (2006, 2007, 2008, 2011)• District Coach of Year (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011)He’s helped 51 student-athletes qualify for college scholarships and helped produce 328Academic All-Conference Players.“Our vision and mission are winning conference championships and advancing to thepostseason on a regular basis and we feel like Paul Day brings the experience and skills tohelp us achieve our goals. When you look at the success that Paul has enjoyed and you pairthat with his qualities as a man, we feel like he is the perfect fit to be our head footballcoach,” said Terry Cochran, Director of Athletics.“Coach Day is dedicated to the success of our student-athletes both in the classroom andon the football field,” added Dr. Tim Dilg, Principal. “It became very clear to me early inthe interview process that Paul was a great leader of men. Our student-athletes deserve theopportunity to work with a leader of his quality. Paul will enrich their lives and establisha culture of success on the field.”Day joined Fort Zumwalt West in 1998 after spending five years as head coach ofOwensville High School where he won:• Two Conference Championships (1994, 1997)• Two District Championships (1994, 1997)Day has been married to his wife, Jennifer, for 25 years and is a man of strong Catholicfaith. They have three children: Jessica, Joe and Tanner. Day has a masters in administrationfrom Lindenwood University and a bachelors of science in physical education.Junior Matt Mueller Wins State Golf TitleCongratulations to Vianney Junior Matt Mueller who is a Co-StateGolf Champion in Class 4. The state tournament was played at verywindy Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield.Matt posted scores of 72 in the first round and a 74 in the secondround for a total score of 146. Matt tied with Rockhurst High School’sPatrick Byrne for tops in the state. Byrne also finished with a 146.This is a huge honor for Matt and the golf program at Vianney.Congratulations on a GREAT tournament and being a State Champion.Marianist AwardsCelebrate Characteristicsof Marianist EducationStudents and faculty were recognized at theannual Marianist Awards assembly for theiraccomplishments, dedication, attitude andabove all, how they live the Characteristicsof a Marianist Education.As Dr. Tim Dilg remarked, it also doubledas the “Swim Banquet,” with seven of the tenstudents receiving the prestigious MarianistAward being members of the swim team.Regardless of the activities they were involvedin, however, each student honored made adistinct impression on the Vianney communityas a whole, he said.Two faculty members took home the awardas well: Janet Cochran in the Business Office forher role in working with families, contributingservice and proudly sending four sons throughVianney (number five starts next year); PatWheadon was also honored for his work inthe religion department, furthering the missionof our school in the community and being ashining example of a faith-filled adult life.Many other awards were handed out duringthe assembly, including the Order of theGriffin. This is the second highest Marianisthonor bestowed to students, and the highesta freshman can receive. Twenty-six studentstook home this award, including seven freshmen.Also recognized were faculty membersreaching milestones of service to the school.One of the major highlights were standingovations given to three of our longest-servingmembers of the faculty: Colleen Judge andJerry Stevison, both having worked tirelesslyfor more than 35 years, and Judy O’Connell,who has dedicated 40 years to Vianney.President Mike Loyet was also presentedwith a Marianist Award for his work in leadingthe school and placing an emphasis onthe Characteristics of Marianist Education inall aspects of Vianney.Marianist Award Winners: (Students)Seniors: Chris Roseman, Kevin Ogle, SamReynolds, Brendan KellerJuniors: Jack Lyons, Matt Rath, Ben Dombrowski,Kyle Williams, Zach RosemanSophomore: Dominic BiffignaniMarianist Award Winners: (Faculty and Staff)Janet Cochran, Pat Wheadon8Visit us online! www.vianney.com

SPRING 20132013 Honors Convocation AwardsValedictorian - Drake Cantu - Grade PointAverage of 4.339Salutatorian - Christopher Roseman - GradePoint Average of 4.286Griffin of the Year - Sam ReynoldsDr. Tim Dilg and Griffin of the Year, Sam ReynoldsThe Black Circle Award is the one of highestawards a student can earn for participationin school activities. It is awarded to thoseseniors who have accumulated 400 activitypoints by the end of their senior year. Theseawards went to: Allen Bitzer, Alan Foley, Jr.,Alec Schroff, Nick Hart, Jim Brady, DarenHembrador, Connor Peth, Chris Roseman.Gold Circle Awards are given for participation inthe program of activities. These are awardedto those seniors who acquire a minimum of300 activity points by the end of their junioryear. This is the highest award that a personcan receive from Vianney. The followingseniors earned awards: Michael Allen, NickAllen, Matt Brown, Drake Cantu, MattDreyer, Brendan Keller, Shane Knox, KevinOgle, Sam Oldani, Bryan O’Leary, ConnorO’Leary, Sam Reynolds, Joe Somogye,Michael Witwer, and Brad Woodson.Vianney Service Awards: The Campus MinistryProgram has created a series of awardsto recognize students who perform ChristianService above and beyond the expected minimumsof the program. The young men whoreceived Vianney Service Awards, namedin honor of Blessed Father Chaminade andthe Marianist Martyrs. They all performed aminimum of 150 hours of Christian Servicewhile they were students here at Vianney.They are: Ray Ablan, Nick Allen, RobertBradley, Tim Ellebracht, Jake Hayden,Brendan Keller, Connor O’Leary and BradWoodson.Special Award for Community Service:Mercy Health Center, the Mercy Blood DonorProgram and our Campus Ministry wish torecognize Nick Allen and Kyle Barnes fortheir outstanding commitment to and serviceduring blood donor drives here this year.Principal’s Leadership Award is presentedthrough the National Association of SecondarySchool Principals. This goes to an individualwho displays leadership traits as well as academicexcellence throughout his high schoolyears. This year’s award went to Joe Somogye.St. Mary’s University Scholarship Presentations:Representatives from St. Mary’s Universityin San Antonio came to Vianney topresent scholarships to two of our graduatingseniors — Tim Ellebracht and Joe Somogye.Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete Award:Brendan Keller was previously honored atan all-city ceremony.Bro. Joseph Lanfer Award: Awarded annuallyby the Vianney coaching staff, this year’saward went to Matt Dreyer.US Army Scholar Athlete: The United StatesArmy Reserve Scholar-Athlete award ispresented annually to a graduating seniorwho has consistently demonstrated the veryhighest of academic achievement in hiscourse work and has exhibited exceptionalathletic talent and contribution to his team.This year’s recipient was Brad Woodson.George Washington Carver Award for thetop 10% of the class is given by the StateDepartment of Education. These are the top14 students in the senior class this year. Theyare: Drake Cantu, Chris Roseman, Nick Allen,Brendan Keller, Branson Kellen, KevinOgle, Matt Dreyer, Ryan Murphy, VinceRiggio, Connor O’Leary, Alec Schroff, MichaelWitwer, Austin Hanse, Patrick Nobleand Connor Peth.Archbishop John May Service Award: TheArchdiocese of St. Louis has instituted theArchbishop John May Service Award. Thisaward is presented to the student chosen bythe school who has extraordinary achievementin service. This award is presented ina separate city-wide awards ceremony. SamReynolds was Vianney’s recipient.The Archdiocesan Commission on HumanRights honors students who perform anoutstanding amount of community servicewith an award named in honor of Dr. MartinLuther King, Jr. in January each year aroundthe time of Dr. King’s birthday. This year’srecipient of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Award was Brendan Keller.Perfect Attendance: This award literally tookfour years to earn. It is the type of recognitionwhich we as a school take special delight ingiving. It is not given every year. Accordingto the school records, Shane Knox has notmissed a single day or been tardy to schoolin four years.Chris J. Fiala Memorial Award for the studentwho showed great academic improvement,service and school spirit this year wasawarded to Matt Brown.Faculty Honors: Vianney recognized severalfaculty and staff members who are retiringthis year and thanked them for their manyyears of dedicated service to St. John Vianney.They are: Mr. Jerry Stevison (39 years);Ms. Judy O’Connell (40 years); Mr. CharlieEisele (51 years).Judy O’ConnellFollow Vianney on Twitter @vianneygriffins.com9

BLACK & GOLDAlumni NewsVianney Soccer Alum Erik Ustruck ‘03 signs with Orlando CityOrlando City, a pro soccer club inFlorida, announced it hadre-signed defender Erik Ustruck,a 2003 Vianney graduate.Ustruck continues to solidifyOrlando’s defense heading into the2013 season.“We’re delighted that we broughtErik (Ustruck) back to the club,”said Orlando City Head CoachAdrian Heath.Orlando City shored up itsbackline by bringing back a familiarface in Ustruck. Ustruck playedhis college soccer at Santa ClaraUniversity, making seven appearancesfor the Under-20 NationalTeam during his time in school.He then began his professionalcareer after being drafted by theHouston Dynamo in the 2007MLS Supplemental Draft . Thedefender was eventually loaned tothe Austin Aztex, connecting withErik Ustruck ‘03 (left) works against a Sporting Kansas City defender.PHOTO: NICK SMITHthe team and Head Coach AdrianHeath before signing with F.C.Tampa Bay in the 2010 offseason.After a short tenure with F.C.T.B.,he rejoined Heath in Orlando,becoming a regular on the 2011and 2012 USL PRO Championshipsquads. Last season, Ustruckappeared in 17 matches for theLions, logging seven assists in 907minutes played.The USL Professional Division,commonly known as USL Pro, isa professional men’s soccer leaguein the United States that began itsinaugural season in 2011. USLPro is sanctioned as a Division IIIProfessional League by United StatesSoccer Federation (U.S. Soccer),placing it under Major LeagueSoccer (Division I) and the NorthAmerican Soccer League (DivisionII) in the hierarchy.Vianney Alums Make 2013 Career Day a SuccessVianney hosted a Career Day with opportunities for students to learn more about the career paths of their teachers, participate in a CatholicCollege Fair, and hear special presentations from local career, college, and religious vocation advisors. The highlight of the event was in theafternoon when Griffin alumni, along with other Vianney family, came back home to share their stories with current students. Speakers fromthe 2013 Career Day included:• Pharmacist - David Rau ‘82• Landscapers - John Van der Pluym ‘08 and Billy Feicht ‘06• Production Coordinator - Sean Book ‘08• Newspaper Reporter - Joe Holleman ‘76• Electrical Engineer/Geospatial Engineering - Keith Short ‘90• Recreational Therapist - Mike Mantia ‘92• Sport’s Trainer - Ted Yemm ‘93• Chemical Engineer - Mike Johnson ‘01• Private Banker - David Ringwald ‘86• Certified Fitness Nutrition Specialist - Dan Nobel ‘69• Graphic Arts Manager - Tim McVey ‘76• Police Detective - Jim Whyte• Physical Therapy - Greg Nicholas ‘93• Artist - Dan Belcher ‘86• Special Agent - Dan Allgeyer ‘03• Physician - Dr Jim Cahalin ‘77• Attorney - Tom Lang ‘64• President of St.Mary’s High School - Fr. Mitch Doyen ‘79• President-Ronald McDonald House - Dan Harbaugh ‘78• Private Banker - Bill Deckelman ‘89• Musician - Jeff Nations ‘03• Firefighter/Paramedic - Kevin Smith ‘91• Assistant Airport Director - Gerald Beckmann ‘83• Network Engineer - Doug O’Donnell ‘07• Health Systems Administrator/Pilot - Harry Schmidt ‘83• Sport’s Reporting/ Broadcasting - Mike Colombo ‘04• Attorney - Chris Geldmacher ‘91• Mechanical Engineer - Steve Wendl ‘86• Radio Broadcaster - Mark Klose ‘71• Director of Sales - Rick Davis ‘79• Firefighter - Kevin Reis ‘82• Radio Producer/Sports Reporter - Willie Springer ‘04• Veterinarian - Dr. Mark Lux ‘75• Aerospace Engineer - Joe Wolf ‘79• Restaurant Owner - John Armengol ‘88• Public Accountant - Tim Crawford ‘0110Visit us online! www.vianney.com

SPRING 20131978Tom Dapron’s family is prayingfor his daughter, Abby, who hasbeen on a Mission trip that willtake her to Honduras, Thailand and South Africa.Please keep Tom’s daughter in your prayers.1983Bob Hanneken won the amateurdivision of the 54th Publinx GolfTournament Open at ForestPark with a four-under-par 66. According toan article on stltoday.com, Hanneken did notpick up golf until around age 30. “I played alot of soccer (at Vianney and the Universityof Missouri-Rolla) when I was younger,’’ heexplained. “I picked up golf because that’swhat most of the guys at work were doing,and really ended up enjoying it.’’1989Congratulations to AnthonyBayers and his wife StephanieBecnel Bayers, who are pleasedto announce the birth of their first child,Sophia René Bayers, born March 23, 2013 inNew Orleans, LA. Sophia weighed in at 7 lbs,14 oz., and was 20 ¼ inches long.1993Congratulations to Pete Ceroneand his wife, Jennifer, who arethe proud parents of a baby boy,Crosby, born March 18, 2013. Crosby weighedin at 5 lbs, 8 oz, and was 19 inches long.The University of Missouri announced thatformer Michigan assistant coach and Vianneygraduate, Shannon Welker, has accepted theposition of Head Women’s Gymnastics Coachat Mizzou. Welker is the third head coach inMizzou gymnastics history, and brings awealth of experience to Columbia afterspending five years as an assistant coach atthe University of Michigan and nine years asthe head coach and program director at theSt. Louis Gymnastic Center. Welker hascoached five gymnasts to 12 All-Americanhonors while at Michigan including the 2013NCAA National Floor Champion, JoannaSampson. He also produced three NCAARegional Championship floor title winnersand back-to-back NCAA Regional Championson vault. Four of his gymnasts won event titlesat the Big Ten Championships, and Welkerassisted the Wolverines to three NCAANational Championships.Steve Czarnecki, the Executive Director ofUSA Racquetball, was thrilled to come backGRIFFIN GROOMSMENWhen 2006 grad Joe Muenster got married in March, his wedding took on a Vianneyflair. Five of his groomsmen were Vianney grads.to his hometown to watch championshipevents at the Missouri Athletic Club and atVetta Sports-Concord, to watch the 26thNational High school racquetball Championshipsin late February. Czarnecki penned an articlefor USA Racquetball Magazine about hisexperience. “Being at the Championshipbrought back great memories, including myfirst exposure to USAR back in 1992.”1999The Crestwood-Sunset HillsChamber of Commerce honoredits 2012 Chamber Award Winners,including the Rotary’s Paul Harris FellowshipAward winner Brian Kohlberg. Brian is a pastPresident of the Vianney Alumni Association andhas chaired alumni events such as homecominggatherings, Alumni Golf Tournaments, TriviaNights and Vianney’s Spring Picnic. Brian isCo-Founder and Director of Sales andMarketing for Manufacturers’ Inventory.2004Bradley Peters recently marriedJennifer Harp on March 9, 2013in New Town in Saint Charles.Bradley currently works for the State ofMissouri’s Department of Mental Health asa case manager. The wedding party includedDan Flynn ’04 as the best man, Shawn Peters’01 as a groomsman, and Matt Slama ’04 whowas an usher.2005Ryan Kleffner recently graduatedwith two degrees fromSoutheast Missouri StateUniversity. He graduated with a Bachelor ofScience (Summa Cum Laude) in ComputerScience with an emphasis in Chemistry, anda Bachelor of Science (Summa Cum Laude)in Computer Information Systems with aminor in Mathematics. Ryan started workingat Edward Jones in its Information Systemsdivision as a programmer analyst four yearsago and is now nearing Senior ProgrammerAnalyst status.Capt. Andrew Hendel is currently stationedat Moody Air Force Base, GA, where he isassigned to the 38th Rescue Squadron. Andrewis a Combat Rescue Officer, having beendeployed to Kuwait. Andrew’s wife, Chelsea,is also on active duty and is stationed atMoody AFB.2007First Lt. Alex Hendel iscurrently deployed with hisArmy unit from Fort Stewart,GA to Forward Operating Base Shank inLogar Province, Afghanistan. Alex is both aninfantry officer and an Army Ranger and willbe deployed until December 2013. Alex’swife, Beverly, is also on active duty and isstationed at Fort Stewart as well.Follow Vianney on Twitter @vianneygriffins.com11

BLACK & GOLD20092010James Gladstone has joinedVianney as Media and LiteracyCoordinator and as a FreshmanLeadership teacher. James will be working inthe Media Center developing curriculum fordigital literacy and digital citizenship. In thisposition, James will develop lessons to helpour students effectively and critically navigate,evaluate and create information using a rangeof digital technologies. He will help studentsexplore a wide variety of topics, includinghow people find, use, summarize, evaluate,create, and communicate information whileusing digital technologies.John Hogan was featured in a news story onFox 2 in St. Louis about post-concussionsymptoms. John played collegiate baseball forAustin Peay State University in Tennessee.His promising collegiate career was cut shortafter a collision during a game. The newsstory focused on John’s long road to recoveryfrom the concussion and his hope of keepinghis baseball dreams alive.Tyler Parks was named to theNorth American Hockey League’s(NAHL) roster for the NAHLTop Prospects Tournament, which was heldin February in Troy, MI. Tyler played goaltenderfor the Minot (ND) Minotauros. He committedto play NCAA D-1 Hockey for the St. LawrenceSaints, becoming the first player from theMinotauros to commit to a Division 1 program.John Schenk was featured inthe April 8-14, 2013 edition ofthe St. Louis Review for hiswork in starting Teens 2 Teens. The group,which he founded, is a faith-based, peer-topeermentoring ministry that serves teensfacing hardships. To date, more than 16 localCatholic high schools in St. Louis havesigned on to participate in the ministry. Thework, according to the Review article, isguided by an adult-based board of directorswith backgrounds in accounting, law, mentalhealth care, education, clergy, youth ministryand a teen board.2012Alumni Association Hosts Local BrewmasterThe Vianney Alumni Association hosted a special night with a local brewmaster for morethan 50 people in mid-May.The event was coordinated by Jeff Welker ’87, Retail Sales Director for AB-InBev and athird generation employee of the brewery. Welker brought Mike Amad, a certified brewmasterwho had been with AB-InBev for more than 30 years. Amad, pictured, led the discussion,which centered around the brewing process, the science of beer glasses, ingredients andvariations used to make specific types of beer. Welker talked about various brands of beerAB-InBev has recently brought to market.Earlier this year, the Alumni Association sponsored an evening with Cardinals broadcasterDan McLaughlin as part of its ongoing speakers series. Look for details on the next event onFacebook, Twitter and the Vianney E-Griffin.COLLEGE ATHLETICSIGNINGS: Vianney baseballseniors Alex Hoffman, JimBrady and Ryan Wood, signed NationalLetters of Intent to play collegiate baseball.Alex will be attending Truman State Universityand Ryan will be attending University ofIndianapolis. Jim will be attending LindenwoodUniversity. Vianney baseball’s Jack Klagesearlier signed an NLI to play at Mizzou, andMatt Brown previously signed an NLI toplay at Arkansas. Brad Woodson and SeanO’Brien of Vianney’s Final Four Basketballteam, signed NLIs to play at the University ofCentral Missouri. Alex Burton, a Vianneyfootball player, signed an NLI to play atSt. Ambrose University.2013SOCIAL MEDIAIf you want to stay connected to Vianneywith regular updates on news, events andother great online features, be sure tofollow us on Twitter, “like” us on Facebook,join us on LinkedIn, watch us on YouTubeand catch us online.TwitterFollow us @Vianneygriffins- our Main school accountFollow us @GriffinsAD- our Vianney Athletics accountFollow us @Vianney_CM- our Campus Ministry accountFollow us @VianneyGuidance- our Guidance Department feedFollow us @dgsoccer4- Vianney Soccer accountFollow us @VHSHockey- Vianney Hockey accountFollow us @Vianneybaseball- our official Vianney baseball accountFollow us @VhighVolleyball- our official Vianney Volleyball accountFollow us @VianneyFootball- Vianney Football accountFollow Coach Kevin Walsh @coachkwalshFollow Principal Dr. Tim Dilg @tdilgFacebookFacebook.com/vianneygriffinsLinkedinSearch for St. John Vianney High Schoolin the companies tabMike Amad, a brewmaster with 31 years of experience, leads the dicussion.YouTubeVianney’s Channel is youtube.com/VianneySTL12Visit us online! www.vianney.com

SPRING 2013Vianney Makes theNational Honor Rollfor AcademicsThe 2012-2013 school year has been a year of“tops,” to say the least.Vianney’s Chess Team was “tops” in thenation, winning a national championship.Senior Ryan Murphy was named one of thetop 100 Missouri Scholars. The Class of 2013’s“top” student, valedictorian Drake Cantu,earned an appointment to West Point. Ourgolfer, junior Matt Mueller, was “tops” in thestate tournament, becoming co-State Champion.Soccer, football, swimming, baseball, racquetball,volleyball, track , wrestling, and basketball allvied for “top” rankings in their respective sports.But one of the more significant “top” storiescame in September, when the Cardinal NewmanSociety named St. John Vianney to its CatholicHigh School Honor Roll. This honor is significantin that it recognized Vianney as one of theTop 50 schools in the nation for academics.“It’s no secret that we as a school have beenworking for many years to always improve ouracademic profile, so to achieve this award helpsvalidate the great work our teachers andstudents have been doing in that regard,” saidDr. Tim Dilg, Vianney’s Principal. As principalof Springfield (Mo.) Catholic High School,Dr. Dilg helped this school earn honorablemention recognition in 2008 for Academicsand then as a Top 50 school in 2010.According to the Cardinal Newman Society,there are 1,205 Catholic high schools in theU.S. The Catholic High School Honor Rollprogram looks at three areas of the school:academics, civic education and Catholicidentity. Schools named to the top 50 CatholicHigh School Honor Roll are recognized fortheir overall excellence in all three categories.Other schools, like Vianney, receive specialrecognition in a particular category by placingin the top 50 in that individual classification— in this case, for academics.Vianney is the only Catholic boys’ schoolin the St. Louis area to be recognized in thiscompetition. One other school from Missourimade the list — Notre Dame Regional HighSchool in Cape Girardeau. Like Vianney,Rosati-Kain received special recognition.“This is a significant honor for Vianney,and we are grateful to our faculty and staff,and to our parents, alumni and other donors,”Dr. Dilg said. “They have all made possibleVianney’s ongoing pursuit of excellence.”The Top 50 Catholic Schools Honor Rollwas created by the Cardinal Newman Societyin 2004 as a way to help parents evaluate thequality of Catholic high schools. It also servesto inspire these schools to pursue ever-higherlevels of excellence through constructivecompetition, Dr. Dilg added.“Since competition began in 2004, the HonorRoll has been a helpful tool for administrators,families, and benefactors in recognizing thequality of a Catholic high school,” saidPatrick J. Reilly, President of The CardinalNewman Society. “The Honor Roll schoolsare a reminder that Catholic education isgetting better every day — not only academically,but in the renewal of Catholic identity— and we are delighted to see the increasedlevel of competition among the schools thatparticipated in the program this year.”This year seven Catholic schools aroundthe nation were recognized for excellence inCatholic identity. In addition, six schools,including Vianney, were recognized foracademics; five schools were recognized forcivic education programs, and five additionalschools were recognized for excellence in twoof the three categories.“From the point of view of the CardinalNewman Society, we want to recognizeoutstanding Catholic high schools throughthe Honor Roll program,” said Bob Laird ofthe Cardinal Newman Society. “In 2012, werecognized 72 of them — 50 of those schoolsreceived the Top 50 honor and 22 of themreceived recognition for excellence in one ormore of the three categories (academic excellence,civics education and Catholic identity.”The Cardinal Newman Society (CNS) wasfounded by Catholic college alumni to promoteand defend faithful Catholic education, followingupon Pope John Paul II’s 1990 release of theApostolic Constitution on Catholic highereducation, Ex corde Ecclesiae.Founded in 1993, the mission of TheCardinal Newman Society is to promote anddefend faithful Catholic education. The Societyseeks to fulfill its mission in numerous ways,including supporting education that isfaithful to the teaching and tradition of theCatholic Church; producing and disseminatingresearch and publications on developmentsand best practices in Catholic education; andkeeping Catholic leaders and families informed.Follow Vianney on Twitter @vianneygriffins.com13

BLACK & GOLDAlumni ProfileMike CheckKMOV Reporter and 2004 Vianney Alum Mike Colombo Building Career in His HometownFrom self-described class clown to beingone of the most promising, young TV newsreporters in our town, Mike Colombo hascome a long way. A very long way.Colombo came to Vianney as a precociouskid from Dogtown’s St. James the Greater parish. Heloved to joke, but one day the jokes went too far.He and some classmates found themselves beforea disciplinary board fighting to stay in school.His fate as a Griffin came down to convincingthe group why Vianney should give him asecond chance. Colombo did so, and a yearlater he went from being on theverge of expulsion to StudentCouncil President.“My freshman and sophomoreyears, I was trying to fit in, tryingto find myself. I wasn’t as much of atroublemaker as I was a class clown,”said Colombo over a lunch in his nativeDogtown. “From where I was, to how Iended my Vianney career, was a pretty bigturnaround for me.”He credits his family, friends, coaches,teachers, and administrators at Vianney for“making it click” and helping him make themost of his second chance.Mike was a four-year member of Vianney’sbasketball and soccer programs. “I played ‘a little’basketball, and by ‘a little’ I mean I only really sawthe court a little bit,” he joked. Soccer success landedMike athletic and academic scholarships at QuincyUniversity.At Quincy, Mike started on his broadcasting path.He began working on a sports talk radio program at WQUB,Quincy University’s radio station. That led him to aninternship in the sports department at Quincy’s NBCaffiliate station WGEM-TV.“I covered whatever they didn’t want to, or couldn’t getto,” he said. “As an intern, I learned it all. I got to shoot,write, edit, practice anchor, everything. I woulddrive those long, dark roads covering localbasketball and getting back to thestation in enough time to cuthighlights and get them on air.”The internship led to a full-timejob after graduation at WGEMand a year and half later, Mikewas ready to make the jumpto a larger market. He took ajob at WHAS 11-TV, the ABCaffiliate in Louisville, KY.“That was a huge jump. I wentfrom Media Market No. 171 toMedia Market 48 in Louisville.With that came more livereporting, more hard news,a more competitive reportingenvironment, more pressureto get exclusives — all whiletrying to learn how to live in anunfamiliar place.”As a general assignment reporter there,he covered it all — crime, politics, weather,sports. One of his favorite memories inLouisville was getting to cover the Universityof Louisville and the University of Kentucky’sbasketball teams. In Kentucky, that sportsrivalry carries every bit of heat as does theYankees/Red Sox, Cubs/Cardinals, Giants/Cowboys, and others. In his two years there,he covered Kentucky’s road to the 201214Visit us online! www.vianney.com

SPRING 2013National Championship, two BreedersCups, the Kentucky Derby, NASCAR, andhigh schools sports.For his work in Louisville, Mike was therecipient of a 2012 NATAS Ohio ValleyRegional EMMY for his Feature/HumanInterest Reporting.Now, back home in St. Louis, Colombo’sachieved a goal he set for himself early inhis career, and looks forward to accomplishingmore.“I wanted to get back to St. Louis andI told myself it would happen. I knewI needed to be patient, and put myself ina position to take advantage of my chancewhen it came.That chance came when the Good Fridaystorms rocked North St. Louis County. Hewas sent from Louisville to help sister-stationKMOV with its coverage.Tom Mulvihill, a 2004 Vianneygraduate who is the school’s Director ofAdmissions, grew up with Colombo inDogtown. They played with and againsteach other in grade school, and developeda friendship. Colombo served as agroomsman in Mulvihill’s wedding. Hedescribes his friend as “someone with anengaging personality that other peopleare drawn to. His sheer work ethic andinfectious personality make him a perfectfit as a reporter,” Mulvihill said.A year later he was offered a job atChannel 4 and the chance to come home.“I saw my work during the stormcoverage as a three-day audition. I felt fortunate for the opportunityand honored to cover something that impacted so many people’s lives.”Using the power of his social media Twitter account (@Mike_Colombo), he has become one of the go-to guys for the facts of theday’s hottest headline and on breaking news stories.“I learned my work ethic from my parents. It was fostered by thecoaches and teachers at Vianney. You’ve probably heard the sayingthat the harder you work, the luckier you get. I firmly believe that,”he said.Coming home offered significant opportunities. Bolstering itsinvestigative team, News 4 introduced “Call Colombo” segmentson News 4 at five, where Mike advocates for consumers who’vebeen scammed or ripped off.Confronting the bad guys can make for some tense moments.“The confrontations you see are always last ditch attempts. Wecall, e-mail, and sometimes send letters trying to bring resolution.When they don’t respond or acknowledge our efforts, it’s our jobto hold them accountable,” he said.Working at News 4 is a blessing, and the long-standing traditionof quality news coverage the local CBS affiliate provides is somethingto be respected.“St. Louisans are loyal to their news stations. KMOV has goneVianney Alum Mike Colombo gets ready for a live shot at Lambert-St. Louis Airport.through many changes in recent years and the station ownership hasdeveloped a clear, focused plan for the future. As a station we’repositioning ourselves in so many ways - things like social media, providingcontent on multiple platforms, bringing in great talent, and knowingthe community. This is an ever-changing business, and as a station weare changing with the times.”In the tumultuous world of TV news, Mike’s concentrating onhitting the pavement and doing good work that matters to peopleday in and day out. As far as his personal life, he talks of having awife and kids someday.“The hours and working conditions of my job aren’t always conduciveto family life, and that’s a focus of mine in the future. For now, I’mworking hard every day, I’m doing challenging stories and I’m connectingwith great people, and doing all of that in my hometown. The bestpart of working in St. Louis is knowing I’m doing it for people who,like me, really love this city.”There aren’t many news reporters in town who have embracedTwitter like Mike Colombo has. Each morning, he tweetsinformation about the major news of the day, and the storieshe’s pursuing. Toss in a few colorful commentaries about localsports and celebrities, and it makes for an entertaining follow.You can access the feed on Twitter @Mike_Colombo.Follow Vianney on Twitter @vianneygriffins.com15

BLACK & GOLDDuty,Honor,CountryVianney Sends Two Seniors to Highly Competitive,Highly Selective Service AcademiesFor Vianney’s Drake Cantu, a life in the military issomething he’d dreamt about since he was a young gradeschool student. Now, after four years at Vianney, he’sready to move into military life, and in a big way. Cantuwas one of a select few American high school seniorswho received appointment to attend the U.S. Military Academy atWest Point. The Army’s select officer training school offers a challengingacademic and physical environment, but that does not rattle Cantu.His father was in the ROTC“During Drake’s time atVianney it became moreand more evident thathe was born to do somethingexceptional.”- Dr. Tim Dilgand Drake had been impressedby military veterans who visitedhis school every year when hewas a kid.“I remember a group ofveterans coming to my gradeschool when I was younger andone of the men had part of hisjaw blown off in combat. Hewas dressed up and although he couldn’t talk, you could just tell howproud he was to wear that uniform,” said Cantu. “I knew then that Iwanted to go into the military.”Cantu will get to spend part of his summer enjoying life, but comeJuly 1st, he’ll ship off to West Point with a determination to make itthrough four years of rigorous study and duty. His appointment andscholarship to West Point carries a value of more than $300,000.“This is a tremendous accomplishment for Drake as he will join aprestigious group of Americans whohave also trained at West Point,including, Dwight D. Eisenhower,Douglas MacArthur, and GeorgePatton,” said Dr. Tim Dilg, Vianney’sprincipal. “During Drake’s time atVianney it became more and moreevident that he was born to dosomething exceptional, and anappointment to West Point recognizesDrake’s strong record of communityDrake Cantuservice, excellence in academics andsports, and leadership among his peers.Vianney could not be more proud ofDrake. He is truly preparing himself to be a leader for our nation.”Another senior in Vianney’s graduating class received appointmentto the U.S. Air Force Academy next year. Michael Witwer, like Cantu,was presented with his official appointment papers at the VianneyHonors Convocation in early May. A representative of the Air ForceAcademy’s admissions office came to St. Louis to make the presentation.An appointment and scholarship to the Air Force Academycarries a value of $500,000, she said.Being appointed to a service academy is no simple feat. Statisticallyonly the best of the best among graduating seniors are even consideredfor appointments, and only a fraction of those applicants gainacceptance into the service academies. Vianney has enjoyed great16Visit us online! www.vianney.com

SPRING 2013Follow Vianney on Twitter @vianneygriffins.com17

BLACK & GOLDsuccess in placing students in the service academies. Currently, thereare three Vianney alumni who attend West Point.What does it take to gain an appointment? Knowing people in highplaces helps — letters from U.S. senators play a role, but the applicant’shigh school record in academics, leadership, and involvement in activitiesare often the most significant determining factors.U.S. Air Force AcademyThe United States Air Force Academy is a challenging environmentby design. “We pursue our mission by inspiring and encouragingexcellence in our applicants. Competition for an appointment to theAcademy is fierce,” the academy’s admissions site notes.In assessing the “whole person” the academy assesses a candidate’sacademic, athletic, character and leadership potential as demonstratedby his or her life experiences and achievements.To earn an appointment to the Air Force Academy, generally,candidates must rank in the top 40 percent of their high school class.However, the average of the most recent classes entering the academyis the top 3 percent. Adjustments are made to the prior academicrecords for students attending unusually competitive schools witha rigorous college prep curriculum or where honors and AdvancedPlacement courses are NOT weighted in the school’s calculation ofclass rank or grade point averages.For the admissions Class of 2016, the Air Force Academy received12,274 applications, accepting just over 1,000 cadets. Of those whowere accepted, 87 percent had receivedathletic letters; 66 percent of them weremembers of their schools’ NationalHonor Societies; 23 percent wereinvolved with Scouting; 19 percent ofthem were class presidents or vicepresidents in their high schools and12 percent were named valedictoriansand salutatorians of their graduatinghigh school classes.The Academy attracts top studentsfrom across the nation. To be competitivefor appointment, applicants must Michael Witwerstrive to achieve the highest grade pointaverage possible. Academically, of those accepted, 10 percent wereranked first in their class in high school, and 55 percent were rankedin the top 10th percentile of their graduating classes.West PointAt the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the mission is “To educate,train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is acommissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty,Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellenceand service to the Nation as an officer in the United States Army.”The 4,400 members of the Corps of Cadets represent every state inthe U.S. and several foreign countries. About 1,200 new Cadets enterthe Academy on Reception Day each year (about July 1st), accordingto the service academy’s admissions site.“Upon graduation, cadets are awarded Bachelor of Science degreesand commissions in the U.S. Army. They serve on active duty for aminimum of five years. West Point graduates have served the countryin a variety of capacities for more than 200 years, as military leaders,engineers, explorers on land and in space, and as leaders in businessand government.”Since it was founded more than two centuries ago, West Point hasworked to develop cadets in four critical areas: intellectual, physical,military, and moral-ethical. It isAcademically, of thoseaccepted, 10 percentwere ranked first in theirclass in high school, and55 percent were rankedin the top 10th percentileof their graduating classes.a four-year process called the“West Point Experience.” Specificdevelopmental goals are addressedthrough several fully coordinatedand integrated programs.West Point’s challengingacademic program offers 37educational majors that providea balanced education in the artsand sciences.The Physical Program at West Point includes both physicaleducation classes and competitive athletics. Every cadet participatesin an intercollegiate, club or intramural level sport each semester.This rigorous physical program contributes to the mental and physicalfitness that is required for service as an officer in the Army.West Point’s Cadets learn basic military skills, including leadership,through a demanding military program which begins on their firstday. Most military training takes place during the summer, with newcadets undergoing Cadet Basic Training the first year, followed byCadet Field Training at nearby Camp Buckner the second year.Cadets spend their third and fourth summers serving in active Armyunits around the world; attending advanced training courses such asairborne, air assault or northern warfare; or training the first andsecond year cadets as members of the leadership cadre. Militarytraining is combined with military science instruction to provide asolid military foundation for officership.Moral-ethical development occurs throughout the formal programsas well as a host of activities and experiences available at the militaryacademy. These include formal instruction in the important values ofthe military profession, voluntary religious programs, interaction withstaff and faculty role models, and a vigorous guest speaker program.The foundation of the ethical code at West Point is found in theAcademy’s motto, “Duty, Honor, Country.”From the day of its founding on March 16, 1802, West Point hasgrown in its size and stature, but it remains committed to the task ofproducing commissioned leaders of character for America’s Army.Today, the Academy graduates more than 900 new officers annually,which represents approximately 20 percent of the new lieutenantsrequired by the Army each year. The student body, or Corps of Cadets,numbers 4,400, of whom approximately 15 percent are women.A favorite expression at West Point is that “much-of the history weteach was made by people we taught.” Great leaders such as GeneralsGrant and Lee, Pershing and MacArthur, Eisenhower and Patton,Westmoreland and Schwarzkopf are among the more than 60,000graduates of the Military Academy. Countless others have servedsociety in the fields of medicine, law, business, politics, and sciencefollowing their careers in uniform,” the academy’s admission site boasts.18Visit us online! www.vianney.com

SPRING 2013All Familyin theFamily Scholarships Honor the Memories and Legacies of Loved Ones.By Rob Staggenborg, Director of CommunicationsThere are no words that can heal one’s heart from the loss of a loved one.Lt. Dan Riordan, a 2001 Vianney graduate, was lost in battle. ClaytonPfeiffer, a 2011 Vianney graduate, was lost in a sudden, tragic caraccident. Tom Cella, a 1992 graduate, passed in January 2005.For the families of these men, the healing process has been difficult,to say the least. But to honor their loved ones, these men’s family andfriends, have banded together to provide a lasting legacy. This legacyprovides a Vianney education to a new generation of Griffins. NamedScholarships exist to help provide for those deserving students whomay not otherwise be able to afford to go here.Named Scholarships can be established in honor or in memory of aspecific person. Scholarships can be established at St. John VianneyHigh School with a principal of at least $25,000. The principal remainsin the scholarship endowment with the interest funding the scholarship.This assures the fund will last in perpetuity, and is a common practicein fundraising. Each year across the U.S., thousands of memorialscholarships are created at schools, colleges and universities.At Vianney, donors are given the option of determining for how thescholarship will be awarded. Next school year,for example, the first graduating senior tobenefit from the Lt. Dan Riordan scholarshipwill walk across the stage. His need andaccompanying information was reviewed bythe family and he was selected to receive thescholarship funds. When that senior graduates,it will not only be a proud moment forhis family, but for the Riordan Family as well.The Lt. Daniel P. Riordan Scholarshipwas established in 2007. The scholarshiprecognizes students who show financial needand exhibit the qualities of faith, honor andservice. This scholarship is endowed in partby donations and supplemented annually through events like a trivianight and golf tournament.“The Vianney family was a group that touched my brother’s heartdeeply,” said Nick Riordan, Lt. Dan Riordan’s twin brother, who is adriving force behind the scholarship. “Even when he had more pressingthings ahead of him in the military, he still found time to keep inclose touch with some of the faculty members. He sent e-mails to hisold teachers. Vianney had such a profound impact on Dan.”At Vianney, Dan was involved. He earned a place in the Gold Circle,and was a Marianist Award winner his senior year. He was involvedin the Letterman’s Club, the Photo Club, track, football, plays andmusicals. He became very close to his teachers, coaches and friends.He went on to attend Southeast Missouri State University, and tookup Air Force ROTC. Later, he’d switch ‘from blue to green” and earna commission in the U.S. Army as an infantry officer. In 2006, heAbove: The late Lt. Dan Riordan.Left: Jeanine Rainey and her son, Nick Riordan.was deployed to Camp Taji, Iraq. Lt. Dan and his unitfought in many key campaigns during OperationIraqi Freedom II. On June 23, 2007, a massive IEDexplosion ended his life. Lt. Dan and four of his bravetroops were killed instantly.Shortly after his death, the normal flowers andcontributions came in, Nick recalled. There were effortsto direct donations to the Wounded Warrior project—“a wonderful organization,” Nick said. But the family wanted tofind a way to really make Lt. Dan’s legacy be felt.“We didn’t want his legacy to end there,” Nick said.“Because of the positive experience Dan had at Vianney, and for allthat Vianney did for him, we thought that creating a scholarship forother young men to benefit, would be a fitting tribute,’ he said.“Originally, we thought the donation to his scholarship might justbe a one-time thing,” said Nick and Dan’s mother, Jeanine. “Becauseof Nick’s inspiration to do something larger, it didn’t end there. Establishingthe scholarship has been part of our family’s healing process.This was a way for us to really make sure Dan’s name, his sacrifices,would never be forgotten.”“We’ve been astounded by the response of people who have beentouched by Dan and his service,” Nick said. “As is common, we expectedthe support to die off a bit, but that hasn’t really been the case.”Follow Vianney on Twitter @vianneygriffins.com19

BLACK & GOLDOne of the most joyous moments for Nick, his sister Suzanne, andhis mother is the opportunity to review the applications from Vianneystudents vying for the Riordan Scholarship.Each student submits an essay, which make for wonderful reads.Jeanine recalls many that have detailed Lt. Dan’s story and what thewords Faith, Honor, Service mean to them.“Many of the families who have been helped by Dan’s scholarshipvolunteer at our events and tell us how they have been touched byDan’s story,” Nick said. “We’ve developed a nice relationship withthese families.”Tom Cella Memorial ScholarshipKim Cella said Vianney has long been a Cella family tradition. It isa tradition that began before her brother Tom entered as a freshman inthe late 1980s. Their father, Tim Cella, graduated in 1965 and her uncles,Mark ’72 and Tom Cella ’68. Her other brother, Christopher, is a 1996Vianney grad as well. Tom loved his time at Vianney.“Vianney was the best four years of his life,” said Kim, Tom’s sister.“He excelled in everything he did at Vianney. He was a great student,played volleyball all four years and won state three times, and he wasvery involved in Student Council and other activities. He excelledfrom an education standpoint, from an athletic standpoint and froma social standpoint.”The Cella family with Dan McLaughlin at the Tom Cella Trivia Night eventin 2010.Tim Cella added that many of Tom’s friends at Vianney are keyorganizers behind the Tom Cella Trivia Night and scholarship effort.The Tom Cella Memorial Scholarship was established in 2005 bythe family and friends like Dan McLaughlin, a classmate of Tom’s. Thisscholarship recognizes students who show financial need, are involvedin athletics and strive for excellence in the classroom. This scholarshipis endowed in part by donations and supplemented annually throughthe Tom Cella Trivia Night hosted by McLaughlin.Tom Cella suffered a serious injury just six months after graduatingwhich left him paralyzed for 13 years. He was away at college, justmonths removed from his days at Vianney. Tim remembers the callhe received that day. “It’s that phone call that every parent dreads,”Tim Cella recalled.Tom Cella was undeterred by paralysis and lived life to the fullest.His friends regularly visited him, and he served as an inspiration toeveryone he knew, Tim Cella said.“People would go to see him in thehospital and came to me to say Tomwas making jokes, having fun. Heinspired them!”In 2005, Tom suffered a fall thatproved to be fatal. It was a life cut tooshort, too soon.Tim Cella recalls the day McLaughlinapproached the family soon afterthey put their son to rest. His idea wasto host an event to raise money for ascholarship at Vianney in Tom’s name.They decided on a trivia night event,and Dan would emcee. The event, nowin its eighth year, has been a huge success.Each year, more than 500 peopleattend the event.Vianney is part of the Cellafamily tradition. Here, 5-year oldSamuel Chier, Tom’s nephew,sports his future school colors.“Tom graduated from Vianney in 1992, and his passing was yearslater so the further we got away for those dates, we thought attendanceand interest would wane a bit, but that hasn’t been the case,”Tim Cella said. Kim added, “I give Dan a lot of the credit for keepingit going.”The Cellas have set criteria for the scholarship, but they let theschool’s Advancement Office handle many of the details. Many ofthose students who have benefited work at the trivia night events.Many of them are just like Tom when he was at Vianney, Tim said,smiling. Their scholarship goes to a student who is involved in activities,is a hard worker like Tom Cella was, and has a need. “He doesn’thave to be an A+ student, but someone who works hard for hisgrades, he said.Discussion soon turned to Griffin volleyball, one of Tom’s passionswhen he was at Vianney. Just this May, the team captured its 17thstate championship. Tom was part of three of those titles, Tim Cellasaid proudly.“The state game was on graduation day that year, and I rememberafter they won that year how Tom and his friends just couldn’t wait toget to the graduation event to tell everyone they’d just won state. Thatwas a great memory for us. … And six months later, his life changeddramatically after the accident. It was a wide swing of emotions for us– from winning the state championship to the time of his accident.”Clay Pfeiffer Memorial ScholarshipLike the Cellas and Riordans, Clay’s father, Dan Chinnici ’92, andClay’s mother, Heather Pfeiffer, are still coming to grips with the lossof their son in February 2012. And, like, the Riordans, they too knewhow much Vianney meant to their son. Clay Pfeiffer was a member ofthe baseball team, playing second base and serving as one of theloudest cheerleaders on the team. He was a master motivator, saidVianney Coach Scott Brown.“Even when he wasn’t starting, he had reason to sulk and mope, buthe didn’t. He made sure the other guys were ready to go, ready to play,ready to do what it took to win. His death hit many of us very hard,”Brown said.Even this year, as Vianney made its run deep into the state playoffs,Brown, his son, Matt, and catcher Jack Klages visited Clay’s grave often.They delivered game balls, and many silent prayers.20Visit us online! www.vianney.com

SPRING 2013His enthusiasm and hard work earned him a chance to play forMissouri Baptist University, where he enrolled in college. Claywanted to major in education so that he could realize his dream to bea teacher and baseball coach one day.“For the most part, Clayton was a quiet, blue-collar kid. Things likesports and school never came easy for him,” Chinnici said. “Healways had to work harder, and put more time in than others that hadmore natural ability.”“One thing about Clayton was that he never backed down from achallenge, and he was not afraid to set high goals for himself — mostof which he was able to reach. Hewas very committed and loyal to thethings he truly loved: friends andbaseball. His dream from the timehe was in 3rd grade was to go toVianney and play baseball there, sothat dream was fulfilled. He alwayshad a very quiet hunger about him, andwas always very motivated for success.”“Clay loved working with kids, andvolunteered a lot of his time coachingthem and passing along his knowledge.Clay was a leader, not because ofwhat he would say or how he wouldsay it, but by the example he set inthe way that he carried himself.To help fund ascholarship in Clay’sname at Vianney, thefamily is organizing its2nd Annual ClaytonPfeiffer Memorial GolfTournament at PevelyFarms on August 3rd.A full 100 percent of theproceeds go to Vianney.Last year’s tournamentOther Family Scholarshipsat VianneyRobert Wm. Bosslet Jr. ScholarshipKathleen A. Gau Memorial ScholarshipJack Glaser Memorial ScholarshipBrian Gruender Memorial ScholarshipDaniel L. Ringwald ScholarshipPatrick & Peggy Sly ScholarshipTom Valenti Memorial Scholarshipsold out very quickly, and organizers were forced to turn away manypeople that were interested in participating. In addition to golfers,tournament organizers are in need of sponsors, donations for prizes,and items for the auction.“Last year’s tournament was a huge success, as we were able to raiseenough money to establish the scholarship at Vianney. Now we haveto keep it going,” Dan said, adding sponsorship was their largest sourceof revenue.“Those that did sponsor last year, we are hoping they will renewtheir sponsorship for this year,” Dan said.Learn more about Vianney’s Scholarship programs by calling PeteCerone ’93 at (314) 965-4853 ext. 118 or e-mail him at pcerone@vianney.comWant to Start Your Own Memorial Scholarship at Vianney?The success of any family scholarship liesbehind the work family and friends arewilling to put into it, said Nick Riordan. Tomaximize the effectiveness and longevityof a family scholarship fund at Vianney,Nick offers these hints:1. Be well organized. Donors will supportyour effort if they see events as beingwell-run, well organized and professional.“If you are having a trivia night, for example,you have to give people a reason to comeback year after year. If the event is organizedpoorly, they may not come back.”2. Have a clearly defined, clearly statedgoal. This is probably the most importantrule. If your event is to raise money for ascholarship that makes a Vianney educationaccessible, for example, state that clearly.If money raised goes to Vianney and anotherorganization, be sure to make that clearas well.3. Use the resources of Vianney’sAdvancement Team. The school has afully staffed Advancement Office that is awealth of information. The team has accessto alumni class lists, parent lists and more.“Use those resources,” Nick said.4. Be transparent. Keep tight recordsso you as an organizer know where everydollar coming in is going and what it isbeing used for.5. Communicate and brand it. Use freeand paid services to help get the word out.Social media sites like Facebook, YouTubeand Twitter are free and easily accessiblefrom anywhere in the world. Some familiesmay opt to create websites to give contributorsa place to go for event information,registration forms and other importantcommunications. The Riordans developeda Lt. Daniel Riordan Scholarship logo thatis used on all communications — printedand digital. The branding helps peopleidentify with the campaign easier and makesthe family scholarship appear to a professionallyrun organization. Logos can bedeveloped at home, or there are paidservices on the Internet to help developartwork. Some graphic designers may bewilling to do the work pro bono if you sellthem on your cause.6. Enlist others. Too many times afamily member feels the need to take it allon, and that the success or failure of anevent or campaign is solely up to thatperson. Don’t do it. Look for friends withbackgrounds in accounting, or perhapscommunications, or event planning. Askthem to handle those details. Know yourlimits and be prepared to share duties withothers who have natural talents in thoseareas. “And once you give them thosejobs and duties, back off them and letthem do what they are good at,” Nick said.7. Thank people. Whether they arefirst-time volunteers or people who showup every year to pitch in, make sure youas the family member organizer showthem your appreciation. And for donorsand sponsors, be sure to write thank youletters soon after the event and let themknow how much their assistance meansto you and your family.8. Protect your list. In some cases,other organizations may contact you witha request to share your e-mail communicationlists with them so they may sendout information. That is not a good idea,said Nick Riordan. “You never want totrivialize your communications to yourdonors or confuse them. If they seesomething come across their e-mail, theycould delete you and then that donor islost forever. Always be sure to respectyour e-mail list and never pass it out oralong to others.”Follow Vianney on Twitter @vianneygriffins.com21

BLACK & GOLDFaculty ProfileCharlie EiseleHanging It Up After 51 Years at VianneyLife was different in 1962. The average cost of new housewas about $12,500. Today that cost is upwards of $100,000.The average income was about $5,556 annually. Eggscost just 32 cents per dozen, and a gallon of gas set youback 28 cents. The Cuban Missile Crisis dominatedheadlines, as did the untimely death of screen icon Marilyn Monroe.America’s first K-Mart store opened in Michigan, and the Beatles cameout with a song — on vinyl no less — called, “Love Me Do.” It wasNOT available via iTunes download.It was 1962 when a young man from Jennings bummed a ride toSt. John Vianney High School to sign his first teaching contract rightout of college. Later, he could buy his own car to make the 60-minuteride from North County to his new job. Charlie Eisele first steppedinto Vianney in 1962, and never left. He had opportunities as teachersdo, to move on and teach in other schools. He loved Vianney, and ashundreds of alumni agree, Vianney loved Charlie Eisele.“They say, ‘How do you get the elephant out of the theater?’ and theanswer is, “You can’t; it’s in his blood,’” Eisele said, reflecting back onhis 51 years at Vianney, 35 years in the classroom. “I use the sameanalogy to talk about teaching. Teaching and schools are in my blood.So, I’m not sure how difficult it will be for me. I don’t know if it will hitme right away or when it will hit me. It will be tough, I do know that.”In January 2014, Eisele will fill his time by traveling — something heloves to do. He can rattle off the places he’s been — South Africa, China,Spain, Portugal, Morocco, El Salvador, Gibralter, Greece, the UnitedKingdom, Italy, France. Upcoming adventures will have him off toVietnam and Cambodia. He’s been a lifelong bachelor and a man ofincredible faith. His travels reflect his faith.“I’ve always liked to travel to places that have been in the news orthat hold some special significance,” he said. “I’ve been to China andTiananmen Square; Portugal and the Shrine of Fatima; I’ve been tothe Shrine at Lourdes in France. The trip to Vietnam and Cambodiawill allow me to see the effects of the Vietnam war. The war occupieda big part of my life as an adult, so I have a natural curiosity for placeslike the “Killing Fields” and other landmarks from the Vietnam War.”At Vianney, Eisele has been the jack of all trades or sorts. He’s beena classroom teacher, and admin assistant, a theater director, a speechteacher, a school administrator, a development manager and anacademic consultant. He’s served Vianney for the past 16 years in thatrole. Many Griffins will remember Eisele as the teacher who stands bythe soda fountains in the Griffin Cafe to keep a watchful eye on thelunchroom. Some have joked that Vianney will make a life-sizedMr. Charlie Eiselecutout of Mr. Eisele to perch next to the sodafountains next school year.Mike Loyet, a 1977 Vianney graduate who now serves as schoolpresident said Eisele’s popularity with alumni is evident.“Mr. Eisele is best known for his ability to bring out the best in hisstudents and for his professional demeanor at all time,” Loyet said. “Heis an excellent role model for our students to try and emulate. Hisdedication to Vianney as evidenced by 51 years of service is incredible.He will be missed in the years to come. Mr. Eisele is probably the mostoften asked about teacher from our alums. They love him.”The last two years, Eisele said, “have been my most productive, I feel.”Pressed for why that is, he proudly points to his contributions in helpingto create criteria for the Griffin of the Year award given to the mostdeserving senior student, and the Marianist Awards given to facultyand staff and students each year. As a consultant, he gets to work withteachers one-on-one to develop teaching strategies. In this role, healso conducts teacher performance reviews as well. In 2004, he washonored with election into the Vianney Hall of Fame. In the 1997-98school year, Eisele worked as co-chair with Rev. Robert Osborne, S.M.,as well as three current faculty members, on the committee that22Visit us online! www.vianney.com

SPRING 2013SAVE THE DATES!developed the application and nomination for the U.S. Department ofEducation’s Blue Ribbon School of Excellence Award that year.In 1997-98, the Kirkwood Rotary named him as its Teacher of the Year.He was awarded a Master Teacher Award by Vianney’s administration.This award is given to the teacher who best exemplifies the characteristicsof a Marianist Education.Vianney, like every other school in St. Louis and beyond, has seenits share of changes of the years. When the number of years equals 51,you can bet Eisele has experienced his fair share of change. He’s workedunder eight different principals and four presidents during his time.He said he doesn’t allow himself to get too wrapped up in personnelchanges. He said he’s met many great teachers, built many great friendsamong the faculty and staff over the years, but his focus has always beenon the students. He had chances to move on, but he couldn’t bringhimself to leave Vianney.“I’m a creature of habit. I’ve always felt comfortable here at Vianney.So I stayed.”Loyet noted that Eisele was well-liked because he was always adown-to-earth teacher who championed the cause of students whowanted to work hard to achieve academic goals. Eisele, he said, isunique in many other ways too.“One unique thing about Mr Eisele is the fact that he has workedin a Catholic high school for 51 years, at Six Flags for many years andmost recently at a funeral home as a greeter. How many men do youknow that work in a high school, an amusement park and a mortuaryall at the same time?” Loyet said.“I’ve told other teachers and staff to try to stay focused and concentrateon the positive impact they are making with our students,” Eisele said.“The kids are the most important thing in a school. We are here for thekids. I was glad to have stayed as long as they were willing to keep me.My goal was 50 years and with a little bit of luck, I was able to get to51 years.”Over his time at Vianney, he’s seen — and lived through — thegenerational differences and similarities of students. He’s alwaysfound students who were willing to be taught and who wanted toobtain knowledge. Those are values and qualities that transcendtimes. Technology has had a tremendous impact on students and howthey learn. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the advent of the Internetallowed students to access news and knowledge quickly. The danger,he noted, was that students believed everything on the Internet andlost the ability to analyze information with a critical eye.“Now with social media, the technology and access to informationat a moment’s notice is even more profound.”If you would like to make a donation to Vianney in Mr. Eisele’s name,send it to Pete Cerone ‘93, Director of Advancement. You can call Peteat (314) 965-4853 ext. 118 if you have any questions.If an alumnus, past colleague or parent who would like to dropMr. Charlie Eisele a note, he can do so by sending it to his personalaccount at eisc10@sbcglobal.netClayton Pfeiffer Memorial Golf TournamentThe Clayton Pfeiffer Memorial Golf Tournament will be held onAugust 3rd. Course. The second annual Clayton Pfeiffer MemorialGolf Tournament will be held on Saturday, August 3rd, 2013 atPevely Farms Golf Club.The entry fee for the tournamentis $100 per golfer or $400 per team.The entry fee includes lunch,dinner, contests, auction, prizes,and golf at Pevely Farms Golf Club.Please register by Saturday, July 13, 2013 to and send paymentto: Clayton Pfeiffer Memorial Golf Tournament, c/o Dan Chinnici,5030 Kennelwood Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63129. Please makeall checks payable to St. John Vianney High School (ClaytonPfeiffer Scholarship Fund).Alumni Association Golf ClassicAlumni Association Golf Classic will be held on August 24th atTapawingo. Register at goGriffin.org. Make plans to join the VianneyAlumni Association on August 24th at Tapawingo National GolfClub for the Vianney Alumni Classic.Registration starts at Noon, with an 1 p.m. shotgun start. Entryfee is $125 per golfer (or just $100 if registered and paid BEFOREAugust 9th). Your registration includes lunch by P’sghetti’s, beerand soft drinks, contests, prizes and dinner at the TapawingoClub House.Vianney Homecoming 2013Vianney’s 2013 Homecoming Events will beon Friday, September 20th with a Tailgate BBQ;a bounce house for kids, and a receptionafterwards for alumni and friends of Vianney.Varsity football will be in action at homeon the Don Heeb Field with a 7 p.m.kickoff against SLUH.Grandparents Mass & BrunchThe annual Vianney Grandparents Mass & Brunch will be heldSeptember 8, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. Following Mass, there will be a freebreakfast provided by Vianney’s Food Service Department. Therewill also be a FREE photo booth for grandparents to take photoswith their Griffin grandson(s).Parent Fall B QueThe annual “Fall B Que” event will be held on Thursday, October17th beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Vianney. This is a FREE event, andadult beverages and food are provided. The Fall B Que event is agreat chance to learn about volunteer opportunities at Vianney andmeet other parents. All current parents are encouraged to attend,meet new people and get involved.2014 Hall of Fame Induction CeremonyVianney’s 2014 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be heldon Sunday, May 25, 2014. Look for additional information inupcoming editions of the Black and Gold, on Vianney’s Facebookpage (facebook.com/vianneygriffins) and online at vianney.com.Follow Vianney on Twitter @vianneygriffins.com23

a marianist college preparatory school1311 south kirkwood roadst. louis, mo 63122Non Profit OrgUS PostagePAIDSt. Louis, MOPermit 3514www.vianney.comFreeze FrameJunior Alex Reyes places a weight on top of his bridge structure in Mr. Sean Scanlon’s Engineering Drawing class as James Sly keeps a watchful eye inthe background. This year’s bridge builder competition saw a top weight load of 55 lbs. The all-time Vianney record is 85 lbs.