REACH

REACH 

REGIS HIGH SCHOOL 

WINTER 2013 | 2 DIRECTOR’S COLUMN | 3 REACH CLASS OF 2012 | 4 REACH PARENTS HELPING TO RECRUIT NEW STUDENTS 

4 EVENTS CALENDAR | 5 MEET YOUR MENTOR DAY | 5 WELCOME REACH CLASS OF 2015 | 6 A COLLEGIAN’S REFLECTION ON CAMP REACH 

7 2012 SUMMER AWARDS | 7 2012 SUMMER STAFF | 8 THE REACH CLASS OF 2008 ENTERS COLLEGE

From the Director 

Breaking New Ground 

We are pleased to announce that REACH’s biannual newsletter is back and newly 

improved, after taking a year off to make way for the production of our 10 th 

Anniversary Report. If you didn’t receive the anniversary report in January 2012, you 

can still find it on the REACH website at www.regis.org/reach. 

During the last year, REACH continued to expand its reach. The Class of 2008 

graduated from high school in the spring and entered college in the fall. Members 

of this class are the first REACH alumni to touch down at Bowdoin College, Brown 

University, Bucknell University, Carnegie-Mellon University, Columbia University, 

Le Moyne College, New York University and Siena College. The Class of 2012 

finished out their REACH commitment in the summer and entered high school 

in September, setting new program records: 43% earned a Regis scholarship, 96% 

enrolled in a Jesuit high school and altogether they won 4-year financial awards 

totaling $1.8 million. Finally, we welcomed 35 new members into the Class of 

2015. A number of these students are the first to be admitted from their respective 

grammar schools: Bronx Charter School for Children, Most Holy Redeemer 

Catholic Academy, Our Lady of Angels (Bronx), P.S. 14: Fairview School, P.S. 172: 

Beacon School of Excellence, P.S. 175: Henry H. Garnet School, St. Anselm (Bronx), 

St. Joan of Arc (Queens) and The Equity Project Charter School. More detailed 

information on each of these classes is shared throughout this report. 

Since our last publication, not only have the faces of our students changed, so have 

the faces our administrative team. With much regret we said good-bye to two parttime 

members of our team, Mr. John Russo and Mr. Kevin Lardner, both graduates 

of the Regis Class ‘97. Mr. Russo had worked in REACH since the summer of 2005, 

serving as an English/Language Arts teacher and advisor for our 1 st year students. 

Since 2007 Mr. Lardner had served as the English/Language Arts teacher and advisor 

for our 2 nd year students, as well as the coordinator of our mentoring project. In 

addition to these primary responsibilities, they both contributed to the day-to-day 

operations of REACH in other significant ways. Though we were sad to see them 

leave, we are delighted that they have become first-time fathers and excited to see 

them pursuing new paths in education. We remain grateful for their service to 

REACH and are often reminded of their many contributions. 

Going into the summer, REACH reorganized its administrative structure and 

welcomed a new member to the team. Mr. Brian Daley remains a full-time REACH 

employee, taking up the mantle of Assistant Director with primary responsibilities 

for student recruiting and admissions. Mr. Doug Eickman has grown into his role 

as the Academic Dean for Mathematics, while he continues to teach in the high 

school program as a member of the Regis Math Department. We created a new 

Academic Dean for English/Language Arts position and hired Regis alum and longtime 

REACH summer employee, Mr. Kyle Mullins. Mr. Mullins comes to us most 

recently from Boston College where he completed his Master’s Degree in American 

Literature. In addition to his REACH responsibilities, Mr. Mullins teaches in the 

high school program as a member of the Regis English Department. I remain the 

REACH Director and am thrilled to work with such a dedicated and talented team. 


ADMINISTRATIVE 

TEAM 

Mr. Todd Austin 

Director 

Mr. Brian Daley 

Assistant Director 

(Recruiting and Admissions) 

Mr. Doug Eickman 

Academic Dean for Mathematics 

Mr. Kyle Mullins 

Academic Dean for English & 

Language Arts 

CONTACT 

INFORMATION 

God’s love and grace lead us onward. 

Todd Austin 

Director 

212-288-1100 

212-794-1221 

reach@regis.org 

www.regis.org/reach


Class of 

2012 

These young men have 

enrolled in the following 

high schools, earning 

a combined total of 

$1,808,000 in 4-year 

scholarships and grants: 


Justin Apun, Daniel Deacon, Cesar 

Diaz, Richard Gonzalez, Prince 

Hunt, Carlos Navarette, Nicolas 

Ortiz, Kevin Quiah, Hector Reyes, 

Oliver Rozario, Jeffrey Suliveres, 

Carlos Ventura 

XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL 

Luis Arias, Vidal Baez, Adrian 

Filpo, Edward Gonzalez, Anthony 

Miguez, Mark Pillco, Andrew Rivera, 

Bernabe Villegas, Gianni Villegas 

FORDHAM 

PREPARATORY SCHOOL 

Derrick Capa, Justin Gomez, Geffrey 

Ogando, Daniel Pena 

THE LOYOLA SCHOOL 

Chris Gathers, Ericson Hernandez 

CARDINAL HAYES 

HIGH SCHOOL 

Louis Rosario

REACH Parents Helping to 

Recruit New Students 

By Brian Daley 

We say it and hear it often: “REACH 

is a family program.” Without the 

support and love of their families, our 

students could not do what they do. 

But the same could be said for our 

staff. From the beginning, the REACH 

team has relied upon the assistance of 

our families on important occasions 

throughout the year, particularly 

admission events. On Information 

Night, Exam Day and Interview Day 

our families provide hospitality and 

encouragement to interested families, 

and we are consistently told that 

meeting and speaking with current 

REACH students and parents are 

among the most convincing reasons for 

applying. 

Nevertheless, reaching out to families 

who are not familiar with Regis or 

Catholic schools in general does present 

its challenges. Last year we had a 

record number of nominations (211), 

but over half of them did not apply—a 

large percentage of these students were 

enrolled in public schools. We did a 

survey of our nominators to learn why; 

close to 60% of the respondents said that 

it was because of concerns expressed by 

the parents. The most common concern 

was that parents were not comfortable 

with their children going away for 

three weeks, followed closely by parents 

not being comfortable with their sons 

commuting to Regis. 

Chaired by Ms. Yvonne Alier, Ms. 

Rosemary Apun, and Mr. Abelardo 

Zeron, the RPC is currently supported 

by over 50 parents, representing all 

current classes as well as alumni parents. 

The mission of the committee is to help 

recruit families who can benefit from 

REACH in the same way that previous 

families have. The plan is to have our 

REACH parents contact nominated 

families in the winter months to say 

congratulations and to encourage them 

to follow through on the application, 

and to answer any questions they might 

have along the way. 

When asked what inspired her to join 

the RPC, Ms. Apun remembered back 

to when her family was applying: “We 

really didn’t know anyone, and we 

didn’t know much about REACH. 

This program has benefited our sons 

so much that we want others to know 

what it can do for their sons. It’s a 

challenging process and we want to help 

them navigate the obstacles. We want 

to tell these families that the rewards are 

bigger than they can imagine.” 

Events Calendar 

DECEMBER 

15 Christmas Party 

22 Alumni ’09-’12 Reunion 

JANUARY 

6 Alumni ’05-’08 Reunion 

24 Notifi cation of Regis 

Scholarship Winners 

26 Winter Meeting 

FEBRUARY 

1 Nomination Deadline 

5 Memorial of Pedro Arrupe 

6 Feast of St. Paul Miki 

14 Information Night 

MARCH 

2 Spring Saturday 

Session Begins 

23 Entrance Exam / 

Application Deadline 

MAY 

11 Interview Day 

12 Memorial of 

Matteo Ricci 

22 Spring Recognition 

Ceremony 

JUNE 

9 Candidate Orientation 

To address this issue, we have organized 

the REACH Parent Committee (RPC) 

so we can personally connect REACH 

families to families of nominated 

students at the very beginning of the 

admissions process. REACH is new, 

different, sometimes confusing, and 

maybe even a little scary. What better 

way to assure parents of nominees than 

to have a current REACH parent talk 

to them?

A Report on Meet Your Mentor Day 2012 

By Wilfred Guerron ’09, Regis ’13 

REACH Alum and Current Mentor 

On a chilly Saturday morning only 

a few days after Hurricane Sandy 

had wreaked havoc on the city, an 

eager group of 35 first-year REACH 

students waited in the Great Room at 

St. Ignatius Loyola Grammar School. 

As Mr. Mullins was explaining the 

unique experience and relationship 

they were about to embark on, a similar 

discussion was being held downstairs. 

In the cafeteria, 37 Regis sophomores 

listened to Mr. Austin as he went over 

the activities planned for the day and 

the responsibilities each will have as 

REACH Mentor. As their discussions 

came to a close, each having their own 

thoughts about how the day would 

unfold, “Meet Your Mentor Day” 

officially began. 

I have now taken part in four “Meet 

Your Mentor Days,” as a REACH 

student, a REACH mentor and a 

member of the Mentor Leadership 

Board. Each time has been different 

from the last, but all share the same 

moments of great anticipation: the 

mentor hears his name called and 

begins to move to the front of the room 

looking for some sort of sign as to 

whom his mentee might be, while each 

REACH student shifts nervously in his 

chair waiting for his name to be called. 

When the student’s name is called and 

the match made, gasps of surprise and 

a round of applause break through the 

pregnant silence. A handshake seals the 

deal; then anticipation builds again for 

the next introduction. 

Throughout the morning the mentors 

and their mentees are inseparable. They 

participate in ice-breakers and small 

group discussions, slowly beginning to 

learn more about one another. They 

have conversations about an array 

of topics, always led by the REACH 

students with their mentors giving their 

two cents when they have a chance. 

At snack time everyone can be seen 

laughing and swapping stories while 

sipping on boxes of apple juice and 

munching on bags of chips. The smiles 

worn by the mentors and mentees 

express the joy and excitement of the 

new pairings. 

No mentor or mentee will forget this 

day. They spend the first of many days 

getting to know someone who shares 

similar interests, understands the fun 

and challenges of REACH life, and 

knows what being a good friend is all 

about. I still talk to my own REACH 

mentor from time to time, which 

has inspired me to keep a strong and 

growing relationship with my own 

mentee. I know firsthand that the bond 

formed on this day has the potential to 

grow everyday into something more and 

more special. 

Welcome REACH Class of 2015 

Grammar school attended and Regis mentor listed below each name 

Enrique Abreu 

St. Elizabeth (Manhattan) 

Michael Faucher 

Christopher Alvarez 

M.S. 51 William Alexander 

(Brooklyn) 

Ariel Camilo 

Alexander Alvarez 

Our Lady Queen of Angel 

(Manhattan) 

Ariel Sanchez 

Johan Bueno 

Incarnation (Manhattan) 

Sean Phillips 

Marques Campbell 

Annunciation 

(Manhattan) 

Patrick Ndukwe 

Raymon Cato 

St. Sebastian (Queens) 

Jared D’Sa 

Franklin Cevallos 

Our Lady of Angels 

(Bronx) 

Brendan Powell 

Diego Cordova 

M.S. 228 Jonas Bronck 

(Bronx) 

Justin Sansone 

John Cortez-Loja 

Sacred Heart (Bronx) 

Andreas Nolan 

Wilkin De Los Santos 

KIPP Infinity Charter 

(Manhattan) 

Joshua Mesfi n 

Nelson Elgue 

Our Lady of Fatima 

(Queens) 

Tim Foxen 

Moises Espinal 

St. Anselm (Bronx) 

Kieran Talty 

Gabriel Gomez-Tirado 

Our Lady of Angels 

(Bronx) 

Frederick Kauber 

Tyler Graham 

St. Brendan (Bronx) 

Edward Natkin 

Stanley Grullon 

Ascension (Manhattan) 

William Lajes 

Jonathan Guillen 

TEP Charter (Manhattan) 

Conor Dillon 

Milton Guzman 

Ascension (Manhattan) 

Monserrate De Leon 

Enmanuel Hernandez 

I.S. 61 Leonardo DaVinci 

(Queens) 

Padraig Comer 

William Hernandez 

Our Lady Queen of 

Martyrs (Queens) 

Griffi n Hornung 

Brian Hernandez 

St. Joan of Arc (Queens) 

Michael Scacalossi 

Edwin Hernandez 


(Manhattan) 

Paul Torre 

Bryan Hidalgo 

I.S. 5 (Queens) 

Evan Nagel 

Joshua Jimenez 

Columbia Secondary 

(Manhattan) 

Gabe Nacion 

Robert Lucero 

Bronx Charter School for 

Children 

Breidy Cueto 

Deuri Marte 

Our Lady of Sorrows 

(Queens) 

Elliot Sanchez 

Antonio Martinez 

St. Frances 

Cabrini (Brooklyn) 

David Sniff 

Jesus Mendez 

St. Athanasius (Manhattan) 

Daniel Sullivan 

Oscar Mendoza 

M.S. 51 William Alexander 

(Brooklyn) 

Brandon Baldovin 

Julio Montero 

Annunciation (Manhattan) 

Bernie Tyson 

Fernando Nova 

Incarnation (Bronx) 

Michael Morigi 

Ramses Pena 


(Manhattan) 

Daniel Tenreiro-Braschi 

Memphis Peralta 

Our Lady of Refuge 

(Bronx) 

Esteban Angeles 

Ethan Perez 


(Manhattan) 

James Flatow 

Felipe Santamaria 

Most Holy Redeemer 

Catholic Academy 

(Queens) 

Minh Tran 

Kelvyn Vargas 

Our Lady of Lourdes 

(Queens) 

Matthew Grillo 

Universal Mentors 

Daniel Baldwin 

Alexander Koniuta

A Collegian’s Reflection on Camp REACH 

By Anthony Negrin, Regis ’08 

During my three years as a REACH 

mentor, I always heard about the 

summer session at Scranton, better 

known as Camp REACH. Regians 

would come back the next school year 

and tell me about how great of an 

experience it is to be out there with 

the REACH guys. Until you get out 

there and work, I was told, you really 

don’t have a grasp of the entire REACH 

experience. 

This past summer, I finally experienced 

Camp REACH in my role as a 

Collegian for the 3rd Year students. 

A Collegian is in charge of his 

specific advisement throughout the 

day whether that is in the dorms, 

transporting the students between 

buildings, during meals, on the rec 

field and in study hall. Obviously, I was 

very excited about this opportunity, 

but nervous at the same time. I was 

entering the lives of 3rd Year REACH 

students, seasoned veterans of this 

camp life. I knew nothing about it, 

except that I was teaching Test Prep, 

the routine of the day, and where 

recreation was being held. I was 

certainly the rookie, but the greeting 

I received from my advisement could 

not have been any better. 

Before departing from Regis, my 

advisement told me everything I should 

expect from the lifestyle at Scranton, 

including allowing them to have soda, 

which I knew was not going to happen! 

This was the beauty of being a Collegian 

for these REACH students: I was able to 

laugh and have fun with them, but they 

knew when it was time to be serious. 

As their Test Prep teacher, I was very 

impressed with their work ethic. They 

were so engaged and focused on doing 

their best each and every day. 

Over the course of the three weeks 

in Scranton, surely my patience was 

tested; yet, my love and care for the 

students grew each day. I was touched 

by the fact that these guys were already 

practicing the principles I was taught 

as a Regis student, striving to be “men 

for others” and “contemplatives in 

action.” They treated one another 

with respect and generosity. And 

every night we would prayerfully 

reflect on the day with either a song 

or a poem; the insights shared by my 

students were so remarkable that I 

would get the chills running down my 

spine. It became clear to me that these 

young men desired for themselves 

and one another a future filled with 

good opportunities and meaningful 

challenges—true indicators of the 

strength of their individual characters 

and the bonds they share with one 

another. 

Anthony Negron (far left) with a group of 

REACH students this past summer.

2012 

Summer Awards 

2012 Summer Staff 

CANDIDATES 

English / Language Arts 

Brian Hernandez (Loyola) 

Jesus Mendez (Claver) 

Moises Espinal (Xavier) 

Enrique Abreu (Pro) 

Mathematics 

Ramses Pena (Loyola) 

Felipe Santamaria (Claver) 

Ethan Perez (Xavier) 

Raymon Cato (Pro) 

General Excellence 

Memphis Peralta (Loyola) 

Wilkin De Los Santos (Claver) 

William Hernandez (Xavier) 

Stanley Grullon (Pro) 

Music: Antonio Martinez 

Latin: Felipe Santamaria 

Membership Award: Ethan Perez 

2ND YEARS 


Arthur Severino (Ricci) 

Joshua Mora (Healy) 

Pre-Algebra 

Paolo Merisier (Ricci) 

Alexpander Prasak (Healy) 


Enmanuel Cruz and Roberto Hidalgo 

(Ricci) 

Randiel Zoquier (Healy) 

Music: Jiho Chang 

Latin: Uziel Dominguez 

Leadership Award: Airam Cruz 

3RD YEARS 


Jonathan Rivera (Campion) 

Brian Reyes (Gonzaga) 

Algebra I 

Carlos Lopez (Campion) 

Gabriel Van Oordt (Gonzaga) 


Kevin O’Neale and Fernando Morales 

(Campion) 

Danny Ortiz (Gonzaga) 

Music: Jose Matos 

Independent Research Project: 

Danny Ortiz 

MAGIS Award: Brian Reyes 

FACULTY 

Mr. Joe Carroll 

Xavier ‘02 

Ms. Lee Chua 

Mr. Michael Dion 

Mr. Chris Fox 

Regis ‘07 

Ms. Terra Holman 

Mr. Colin Levitt 

Ms. Raquel Martinez 

Ms. Carol Martino 

Mr. Nick Mosca 

Ms. Jennifer Shields 

Mr. Edward Walsh 

Regis ‘06 

Mr. Ed Young 

Regis ‘90 

COLLEGIANS 

Tony Negrin 

Regis ‘08 

Pedro Ramirez ’05 

Loyola ’09 

Stephen Sanchez ’05 

Xavier ’09 

Joe Sullivan 

Regis ‘08 

Alex Wright ’05 

Cristo Rey ’09 

Bryant Ramon ‘06 

Regis ’10 

Chris Chavez ’07 

Xavier ’11 

Tim Nowak 

Regis ‘11 

Philip Suwada ’07 

Regis ’11 

Shane O’Connor 

Notre Dame ’15 (Volunteer) 

COUNSELORS 

John Balletta 

Regis ‘12 

Nidgel D'Souza ’08 

Xavier ‘12 

Daniel Echevarria ’08 

Regis ’12 

Shaquille Gonzalez ’08 

Xavier ‘12 

Mike Rogers 

Regis ‘12 

Brandon Solis ’08 

Xavier ‘12 

Ciaran Coffey 

Regis ‘13 

Wilfred Guerron ’09 

Regis ‘13 

Hao Lam ’09 

Regis’13 

Joshua Payen ’09 

Regis ‘13 

Pedro Polanco ’09 

Regis ‘13 

VOLUNTEER 

COUNSELORS 

Greg Chin 

Regis ‘14 

Thao Nguyen ’10 

Regis ‘14 

Luke Passannante 

Regis ‘14 

Warren Thimothe ’10 

Regis ‘14 


Founded in 1914, Regis High School offers a tuition-free 

Jesuit college preparatory education to Catholic young 

men who live in the New York City area and demonstrate 

superior intellectual and leadership potential. In the 

admissions process, special consideration is given to those 

who cannot otherwise afford a Catholic education. 

REACH (Recruiting Excellence in Academics for Catholic 

High Schools), a 3-year educational and leadership 

program, prepares middle school boys from families with 

financial need to earn scholarships at Regis and other 

leading Catholic high schools in New York City. 

Dr. Gary Tocchet, Principal 

Rev. Philip G. Judge, S.J., President

55 East 84th Street | New York, NY 10028 

NON-PROFIT 

ORGANIZATION 

U.S. POSTAGE 

PAID 

PERMIT NO. 314 

JERSEY CITY, NJ 

www.regis.org/reach 

The REACH Class of 2008 Enters College 

Number Crunching 

John Doe, REACH ’XX contemplates the answer to a 

math problem during a classroom algebra exercise. 

We recognize 26 members of REACH ‘08 for whom we have high school and college information: 

Raymond Alvarez 

Fordham Preparatory School 

Le Moyne College 

Xavier Gonzalez 

St. Raymond’s High School 

New York University 

Jonathan Koonce 

Beacon High School 

St. Francis College 

Brandon McKenzie 

Xavier High School 

University of Scranton 

Anthony Nguyen 

All Hallows High School 

SUNY Buffalo 

Gabriel Calleja 

Regis High School 

Bucknell University 

Shaquille Gonzalez 


Syracuse University 

Mark Maduro 

La Salle High School 

John Jay College 

Daniel Morales 

Bard High School 

SUNY Binghamton 

Dung Nguyen 


The College of the Holy Cross 

Sandy Campos 


Villanova University 

Warren Pearson 

Bishop Loughlin Memorial HS 

Siena College 

Ariel Diaz 


St. John's University 

Sean Phan 


SUNY Buffalo 

Jean-Franco Diaz 


Columbia University 

Christopher Rodriguez 


Baruch College 

Nidgel D'Souza 


Syracuse University 

Rodell Rodriguez 


SUNY Binghamton 

Daniel Echevarria 


Brown University 

Jason Roman 

St. John's Preparatory School 

Loyola University Maryland 

Ramon Espinal 

ABC Program 

Rochester Institute of Tech. 

Brandon Solis 


Villanova University 

Borge Feliz 


Carnegie-Mellon University 

Brian Trinidad 

Fordham Preparatory School 

Pace University 

Jeremiah Gipli 


SUNY Albany 

David Vargas 


Bowdoin College

REACH

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