Features September <strong>25</strong>, <strong>2012</strong>11Photo from the 1989 Medallion yearbookMath teacher Mike <strong>Thomas</strong> checks out a student’sprogress in 1988. The first year requiredteachers to take on a wide variety of tasks.<strong>Thomas</strong> is now the coach of an undefeatedfootball team, but <strong>25</strong> years ago he was the coachof a winning volleyball team and a dominant girls’basketball program.Photo from the 1989 Medallion yearbookTeacher Lisa Nash grins while giving students a test in 1988. Nash was a state record-setting hurdler at the old St. Joseph <strong>High</strong> <strong>School</strong> in Shawnee,then a first-year foreign language teacher at <strong>Aquinas</strong> during its final year. She became one of the first teachers hired at the new <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Thomas</strong> <strong>Aquinas</strong>.Since the new school opened in 1988, she became Lisa Stoecklein and the chairwoman of the Foreign Language Department. Her son Tyler is afreshman on the <strong>Saint</strong>s varsity soccer team.“I did not wonder if the schoolwould last. I wondered how thenew faculty would work together.”- Greg Wilson,Latin teacher“I looked forward to a better workingenvironment with an upbeatand excited staff surrounded byoptimism.”- Craig Ewing,English teacher“I was happy to get a job at thenew school and was very excitedto get in from the beginning. It wasa big deal.”- Lisa (Nash) Stoecklein,Spanish teacherClipping from the 1989 Medallion yearbookJournalism teacher Sue Waters advises her studentson how to use the school’s only two computers. Mostwork was done with darkroom chemicals, knives, rulersand glue. Waters knew the first yearbook, named“The Big One,” had to be special. In the first yearbookshe is quoted, “It has to be good; it has to be so muchof a history book. People are going to look back andask what it was like when those kids first started here.”Most of the photos in this edition of The Shield arefrom “The Big One.”Photo from the 1989 Medallion yearbookBusiness teacher Mike Sullivan advises juniorAndy Hodes during Keyboarding class in 1988.Sullivan was also a Student Council moderatorwhen <strong>Aquinas</strong> started and is now known as Dr.Sullivan, principal of student services.
12 September <strong>25</strong>, <strong>2012</strong>FeaturesFirst <strong>Saint</strong>s came from many places for many reasonsFor band or for brother,students had many motivesto attend the new schoolMADISON PETRACEKManaging Editor<strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Thomas</strong> <strong>Aquinas</strong> attractedstudents and teachersfrom 56 different schools, includingBishop Ward, Bishop Miege,and the old <strong>Aquinas</strong>.Coming into a new schoolduring junior year and onlyknowing one person can benerve-wracking, but for 1990graduate John Michaels, fatherof senior Dylan Michaels andfreshman Marianne Michaels, theopportunity to be part of somethingnew was exciting. John’sfavorite memories of high schoolwere being crowned HomecomingKing and being elected seniorclass president.“It was a great feeling comingin knowing one person and endingup with those honors, but tome it says more about the cultureof the school than it does aboutme,” Michaels said.Michaels began his highschool experience at BishopWard. He transferred to followhis passion for music. DennisHord, Michael’s music teacher,was leaving Bishop Ward to runthe fine arts department at <strong>Aquinas</strong>,so Michaels followed.Lori Field Eckerberg, a1992 graduate, has her brotherto thank for influencing her tocome to <strong>Aquinas</strong>. Eckerberg’seducation, until high school, waspublic. She was a student at IndianWoods Middle <strong>School</strong>. TomField, a 1991 graduate, attendedBishop Miege his freshmanyear and transferred once <strong>Saint</strong><strong>Thomas</strong> <strong>Aquinas</strong> opened.“I came to <strong>Aquinas</strong> becausemy older brother was goingthere. He had attended Catholicschool for several years and lovedit,” Eckerberg said. “I reallywanted to go to a Catholic <strong>High</strong><strong>School</strong> instead of a public one.I really liked the idea of being apart of a Catholic <strong>High</strong> <strong>School</strong>with a family atmosphere and anexcellent educational environment…If he (Tom Field) hadn’tswitched,then Iwould haveattendedMiege.”<strong>Aquinas</strong>may havebeen new,but theacademicsand activities set a high bar fromthe beginning. Both Eckerbergand Michaels felt they received aquality education.“Without question and withseveral staffmembers stillthere todayit was easyto make thesame choicefor mychildren,”Michaelssaid.From the start, <strong>Aquinas</strong> hadsports and activities for studentsto participate in. Michaels feelshe and his classmates started agreat music program.“<strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Thomas</strong> <strong>Aquinas</strong>transferred a great student bodyand staff from the old <strong>Aquinas</strong>and built around it,” Michaelssaid. “We didn’t have the trialsand errors. You have to give alot of credit to the old <strong>Aquinas</strong>group.”Pros and cons come hand inhand with opening a new establishment.“We got to be the leaders ofnew traditions, everything in thebuilding was brand new, and wegot to be part of a school familyenthusiastic about making a greatstart in academics, sports, andschool activities,” Eckerberg said.Michaels’ class turned thedisadvantages into advantages.“We didn’t know each otherso we took time to reach outand meet new people, try newthings. I graduated <strong>Aquinas</strong>with so many different friendsfrom different groups. Therereally weren’t“It was easy to makethe same choice for mychildren.”- John Michaelsalum, father of two <strong>Saint</strong>sany cliques.Everyone hadthis really greatbond becausewe were startingtogether.Like it or notwe neededeach other,”Michaels said.As students walk around the<strong>Aquinas</strong> building, they may noticethe first senior class and thefirst freshman class left behinda gift and“We got to be the leadersof new traditions, everythingwas brand new.”- Lori (Fields) Eckerberg,1992 graduatemade theirmark on theschool. Thenames ofthe studentsin the classof 1989 areengraved inthe bricks inthe Courtyard.“My class (1992) was alsohonored by having our namesengraved in the bricks in thecourtyard. It is fun to go checkout our names when visiting theschool,” Eckerberg said.Creating traditions is anexciting opportunity for studentsat new schools. The class of 1990created dinner theater and thebasketball pep band. The belovedfather/daughter and mother/sondances were started by the classof 1992.“My cheerleading squad choreographedthe motions for the‘<strong>Saint</strong>s Go Marching In’ drumchant that I noticed a few yearsago was still being performed,”Eckerberg said.1989 Medallion yearbookJunior John Michaels starts Chemistry class in 1988 by entertaining hisclassmates with a song. When music teacher Dennis Hord left Bishop Wardfor <strong>Saint</strong> <strong>Thomas</strong> <strong>Aquinas</strong>, Michaels came along. Michaels became the seniorclass president, Homecoming King, and father of two current <strong>Saint</strong>s.1989 Medallion yearbookJunior Charles Gilbert gets his Hush Day sticker from senior Sue Donovan in1988. Boys held on to their stickers until a girl made them talk, then the girlcould take the sticker.
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