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News Stories:Featured Stories: Jon Ford Unsung Hero
St. John’s Jesuit junior
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School NewsTwo SJJ Students Score High in National French Test
Three Titans Will Row In CollegeThree St. John’s Jesuit High School varsity rowers have committed to row in college: Christopher Ulrich for Georgetown University, Taylor Valentine for the University of Wisconsin, and Byron Gregory Thompson III for Stanford University. Ulrich is captain of the varsity rowing team and has rowed for four years, three on the varsity team. He is a member of the Titan Pride Core Team that organizes programs that raise alcohol and drug awareness. He was on the Prom Committee. He is in the Ambassador Society, a peer tutor, and a member of National Honor Society. He was a Kairos and sophomore retreat leader. In addition to crew he also plays CYO basketball and intramural basketball. He has performed Christian Service at Seagate Food Bank packing food boxes, Helping Hands washing dishes, Sunset Retirement Home playing bingo, and March of Dimes walking to fight birth defects.
Thompson is on the Christian Service Core Team, Campus Ministry Core Team, Ambassador Society, and Integrity Committee. He is in the National Honor Society. He served as a freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior (Kairos) retreat leader. He writes for the school newspaper the CAVALIER. He plays guitar and participated in Titan Battle of the Bands. In addition to rowing he is a varsity starter on the Titan Lacrosse Team and played freshman and CYO basketball as well as intramural soccer. Actively involved in Christian Service, he helped preschoolers at Glendale-Fielbach Elementary, played with toddlers at Mom’s House, worked at Padua House, and was a peer tutor. He served in the Guatemala City Dump for ten days working with children who live in the dump last summer. Students Face Ups & Downs of Engineering Class
Jonathan Ford Named 2008 Unsung HeroSt. John’s Jesuit High School junior Jonathan Ford was named a 2008 Unsung Hero by the National Association of Negro Business & Professional Women’s Clubs, Inc. Maumee Bay Club. According to Mrs. Trevor D. Black, chairperson of their annual Founders Day, presented Ford with the plaque, “You amaze and inspire people with your ability to accept challenges and life’s obstacles making your community better for others as well as yourself.” Ford has conquered numerous challenges to become a leader both at St. John’s Jesuit and in the community. Despite low grade point average (G.P.A.) his freshman and sophomore years, through hard work and determination he is carrying a 2.95 G.P.A. for his junior year. He is setting his goals on college and recently went on a tour of Black Colleges and Universities over Easter Break.
St. John’s Jesuit Performs Les Miserables at Valentine TheatreOver 75 student performers from Saint John’s Jesuit High School, Notre Dame Academy, and other local schools are busy practicing in the newly renovated McQuade Theater to dazzle you with their vocal skills in Les Miserables School Edition. There will be four performances at the Valentine Theatre: Friday, April 11 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, April 12 at 2:00 and 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday, April 13 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased through the Valentine Theatre Box Office by calling 419-242-2787. All tickets are $10.00 plus a $1.00 handling fee from the box office. Click here to see the latest posting! Les Miserables, known as Les Mis, is one of the longest-running West End musicals. A Tony award-winning musical, it includes such haunting melodies as ON MY OWN, DO YOU HEAR THE PEOPLE SING? and MASTER OF THE HOUSE. Director Damian Rodgers (‘86), along with the students, carries on a proud tradition of St. John’s Jesuit musical theater at one Toledo’s most outstanding facilities. They promise an evening of fun and delightful entertainment.
Straight Talk About Teen Sex Presented by National Speaker on May 5“Straight Talk About Teen Sex and Substance Abuse” will be presented by internationally recognized guest speaker Pam Stenzel on Monday, May 5 at 7 p.m. at St. Joseph Church, Main Street, Sylvania. The presentation, targeting teens and their parents, addresses head on the risks involved with sexual activity, the heavy price that teens can pay as a result of their choices, and the emotional, spiritual and physical benefits of waiting to have sex. Pam has the facts and knows how to deliver them to parents and teens with faith as the foundation for personal choice. With a psychology degree from Liberty University, Pam founded Enlighten Communications, an organization committed to the betterment of families and children in America, and leads informed discussions about sex and abstinence to more than 500,000 teens each year in her travels domestically and abroad. Tickets are $5 each. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 419-882-6670. Please note that presentation content is appropriate for parents and high school teens only. St. John’s Jesuit Wins Toledo area Quiz Bowl ChampionshipSt. John’s Jesuit High School won their second straight Toledo Quiz Bowl Championship on February 25. The team had a 13 -1 season including their championship final. In the final match they defeated the Toledo School of the Arts 500 – 350 then proceeded to beat St. Francis de Sales 640 to 160 to capture the crown. The team is now preparing for Regional Competition on April 26 and will represent Toledo. Members of the winning team are seniors Steven Dezort, Jordan Anthony Brown, and Gautham Senthilkumar; juniors Ethan Keating, Mike Stainbrook, Kevin Litzenberg, and Muneeb Rehman; sophomores Roberto Salas, Larry Baibak and Drew Brown; and freshman Alec Korte and Mark Antiporda. Faculty member Dr. Angileen Gilbert is team moderator.
Car Raffle Winners Set!Henry Hirzel of, appropriately, Luckey, Ohio, won the 2008 Dodge Caliber in the Raffle. To see the list of the 14 other prize winners, click here. Thanks to all who participated in this important fund-raising event.
Titan Football Dynamic Duo Signed to Play for Georgetown Hoyas
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Padua Center programs are based the principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba): unity (Umoja), self-determination (Kujichagulia), collective work (ujima), cooperative economics (ujamaa), purpose (nia), creativity (kuumba), and faith (imani). Opening the neighborhood center has required a variety of service opportunities for St. John’s Jesuit students from helping to refurbish an older facility to providing services the neighborhood needs. The young men have given freely of their time and talents to do whatever has needed to be done starting last summer with Andrew ‘09 and David ‘09 Gaillardetz who served in the summer camp. “David came every day to summer camp. Andrew came several days a week while working on the playground for his Eagle Scout project. Jake Moritz ‘08 helped landscape,” explained Sr. Virginia Walsh, director of Padua Center. |
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St. John’s Jesuit senior Thomas White |
Alex Chrysanthou ‘08 tutors weekly at Padua Center during the school year with fellow classmate Thomas White ‘08.
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This fall, students helped with the renovations of the building from scrubbing walls to scraping to that final coat of paint. On their day off Joe Miller ’08, Mike Quinto ’09, Byron Thompson’08, and Daniel Vetter ’08 spent time serving the center scrubbing, scraping, and painting some of the rooms under the direction of Phil Skeldon, Christian Service director and Kim Hall, Christian Service coordinator. “We are extremely appreciative of Mr. Skeldon. He has the young men take their own initiative and lets their natural leadership happen,” said Sr. Virginia. “One of the things it has been neat to see is the young men giving so much of their time to help others. Spending time in life to get ahead, you don’t see it in these young men,” she added. |
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St. John’s Jesuit senior Bart Thompson
spent time prepping and scrubbing |
“An important part of Jesuit education is encouraging ‘compassion of heart.’ The service work our young men provide to Padua Center is much more beneficial to them than it is to Padua Center. We are privileged to be a small part of the very important work they are doing,” stated Tim Malone, principal.
St. John’s Jesuit High School senior and swimmer Jacob (Jake) Epperson signed to swim for the University of Tennessee on November 14. The University of Tennessee is a Division I school and part of the South East Conference (SEC).
“I selected Tennessee because I immediately connected with the coach and the team. It is a young team and predicted to become one of the conference leaders,” according to Epperson.
He will be competing November 30 – December 2 in the American Short Course National at Georgia Tech in the Breaststroke and Individual Medley that is a precursor toward the Olympic Trials. Epperson’s goal is to compete in the Olympics.
Epperson has set seven St. John’s Jesuit school records since freshman year.
He is one of the top swimmers in northwest Ohio and has been ranked in the top 20 in the nation for his age group in the breaststroke for the past several years. Last year he helped the Titans place sixth in the State. At the State Competition he earned outstanding individual honors in the 200 Individual Medley as state runner up, breaking his own school record with a time of 1:51.95. He was also state runner up in the 100 Breaststroke with a time of 57.44.
He competed with his teammates in two races the 200 Medley Relay that placed seventh and the 400 Free Relay that placed ninth.
In the off-season he swims for the Sylvania Tsunami Swim Club.
In addition to earning his varsity letter each year since he was a freshman, he is involved at St. John’s Jesuit as a member of the Arabic Club and has earned honors. He also has participated in the St. John’s Jesuit daytime Christian Service Program and has served at Cherry Street Mission and the Seagate Food Bank.
He is the son of Dr. David and Grace Epperson of Ottawa Hills.
What happens when you mix 130 teenage boys with 130 kindergartners and first graders along with Santa Claus? Besides chaos -- you get Christmas – what else. This year St. John’s Jesuit High School had two sessions for the annual Christmas on Campus and expanded it to 130 kindergartners and first graders (“little buddies’) from Rosary Cathedral, John Paul II, Queen of Apostles, and St. Charles Schools. Each child experienced “Christmas” early, thanks to over 130 young men (“big buddies) on as part of the annual “Christmas on Campus.” |
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Children played games, met Santa Claus, made a holiday craft, decorated cookies, and received a present from their “big buddies.” It takes over 130 high school students to implement “Christmas on Campus” whether it is being a “big buddy,” playing Santa Claus, a reindeer, or elf, or setting up one of the many activities to entertain young children for several hours.
“Festivities are entirely planned by the Christian Service core team along with help by Titan Pride and Mrs. Barbara Ramos. Our students have ownership of the project with Student Council, Mothers’ Club, and Fathers’ Club supplying the funding. The fun part is watching teenagers interact with young children and sharing a part of themselves,” explained Kim Hall, Christian Service coordinator.
Since the tradition started over eight years ago, the program has doubled in size and over 600 inner city children have participated.
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From the minute you enter into the St. John’s Jesuit High School
new Student Union rotunda
with its life-size mural, you realize this is more than just an ordinary
school. Construction on the new addition will be completed in time for
the St. John’s
Jesuit High School and Academy Open House on November 18 from 1l:00 a.m. – 3:00
p.m. at 5901 Airport Highway.
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The new Commons area promotes today’s students’ lifestyle with healthy food options, areas of relaxation and socialization, encouragement of the fine arts, and after-school programs. Designed and formatted around a college student union, the newly renovated area features a student lounge with comfortable furniture, natural lighting, and fireplace, an eating and gathering area with a food court, a gaming area, the Sawicki Family Music Center, the McQuade Theater, and Titan bookstore. |
With so many students staying after school for activities and transportation it was essential for them to have an area to kick back and relax with comfortable chairs for reading or playing a game of cards with fellow Titans. Natural light from a full bank of windows and a fireplace makes the area cozy and conducive to relaxing for a few minutes after a busy day of academics. |
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The food area offers a wide variety of options. Gladieux Enterprises, who contracts with colleges and corporations such as Michigan, Purdue, Ohio University, Toledo Museum of Art, and Dana, worked with another local business, SOFO’s, to set up the pizza and pasta station. Quiznos provides healthy options for lunches and food for after school activities i.e. music and sports. A grill area offers breakfast as well as healthy lunchtime alternatives. Food service starts before school for breakfast and stays open until at least 5:00 p.m. to accommodate after school activities. |
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A new gaming area has ping-pong, air hockey, and foosball tables. The new Sawicki Family Music Center includes separate rooms for choral and instrumental rehearsal as well as individual practice rooms with state-of-the-art technology. The renovated McQuade Theater was designed to accommodate drama and musical productions; and serve as a multi-purpose lecture hall that will host the St. John Berchmans Lecture Series. It also feature over 100 flip-top desks for note taking. |
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The bookstore includes all the essentials a student needs to be stylish and for the school day. Over the last ten years St. John’s Jesuit has added and/or
renovated: |
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What are guys’ reactions when a teenage driver who’s been drinking kills the high school football team captain, one of the most popular young men? Students learned firsthand when four students, Rick Rattay ’08, Alex Reed ’08, Sean Burns ’10, and Jonathan Ford ’09, participated in a mock car crash.
St. John’s Jesuit administrators and Titan Pride, a school club that promotes substance-free living, along with the Toledo Police and Fire Departments and the Life Flight helicopter set-up a life-like situation involving a two-car crash with four students with various casualties.
TV-4 taped the mock crash and made a DVD that will be distributed at Parent Meetings in February and March 2008.
“Unfortunately, the problem of teenage alcohol and drug abuse is widespread throughout society and the Toledo area community. No school is exempt from this problem – private or public. We wanted a demonstration that would impact our students in a big way,” according to Tim Malone, principal.
“We saw the mock crash as an opportunity to re-enforce what we already do. We’ve never had such a dramatic presentation and want the dangers of drinking and driving to hit home,” he said.
As a Catholic institution, part of our mission is to develop young men and at times deal with their problems. We take a very proactive approach to all types of counseling. We provide spiritual counseling through our Jesuit staff and campus ministry. We have academic and college counseling through professional counselors. For students that may have an abuse problem, we have a specialized consultant, who works confidentially not only with the young men but with their families as well. He works with the families because abuse problems often stem from many factors outside a school’s control.
St. John’s Jesuit efforts are among the most extensive of area schools and take a very pro-active approach:
One of the strongest clubs on campus is Titan Pride, a club that promotes alcohol and drug-free activities. Each year they provide a week of awareness activities and have speakers dealing with drug and alcohol abuse for students.
We work with a professional consultant on abuse issues, Don Adamski, St. Luke’s Hospital (419-897-8460).
We have had mandatory parent meetings before the prom and spring dance. This year the meeting will be mandatory for all seniors and juniors and their parents. For Freshman Orientation Night we have had Don Adamski talk to parents about teenage substance abuse.
We banned limousines from school activities.
We completed with the other Catholic high schools a resource guide for families several years ago.
Alcohol and drug abuse is discussed in a variety of classes including health and theology.
At school retreats issues of abuse are often discussed.
We provide opportunities for students to participate in positive activities – intramural sports program, plays and musical, dances, 50 clubs and 29 sports teams. We even have an activities’ director on staff to help students become involved in positive alternatives.
We have breathalyzers at dances.
We always have a major event during the spring for students before prom season addressing alcohol and drug abuse. Each year we have major speakers address this problem, past speakers include Jason Barber; the MADD multi-media presentation; an emergency room trauma nurse; Dr. Don Bartlett, a social worker and counselor; Matt Bellace, Ph.D., a motivational speaker and comedian; and numerous others.
We’ve tightened consequences for students who are involved in drinking and drugs.
St. John’s Jesuit High School continues to be the area leader in National Merit Semifinalists over the past 21 years. Five seniors, Nadeem Abou-Arraj, Zachary Boerger, Jordan Brown, Sean Coyle, and Jarrett Klingbeil, were named 2008 National Merit Semifinalists.
Nadeem Abou-Arraj is the son of Elias and Rochelle Abou-Araj (Toledo, 43623). He is senior class president and chair of the Spirit Committee. He was one of the initiators of the new Brother Rodriguez Respect Committee composed of students, faculty, and alumni. He is on the Ambassador Core Team and in the National Honor Society. He is the president and founder of the Arabic Club. He is on the Integrity Committee and is a peer tutor. He is captain of the Titan Lacrosse Team. |
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He was a senior, sophomore, and freshman retreat leader. He participates in the St. John’s Jesuit daytime Christian Service program and has served at Flower Hospital and Seagate Food Bank. He is active in the Walk for Diabetes and is helping to rebuild Padua House.
He is applying to Notre Dame University, Harvard University, Georgetown University, University of Michigan, and The Ohio State University.
Zachary Boerger is the son of Kenneth and Andrea Boerger (Perrysburg). He is treasurer for the National Honor Society. He is part of Tests in Engineering, Aptitude, Math, and Science (TEAMS) Engineering Competition. He is on the cross country and track teams. He played Titan intramural basketball and bowled. He played CYO basketball.
He is active in Christian Service and has participated in the St. John’s Jesuit daytime volunteer program at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center. He also participated in Easter on Campus with Cherry Preschool.
He is applying to The Ohio State University, University of Michigan, Northwestern University, Miami University (Ohio), and Stanford University and plans to study engineering.
Jordan Brown is the son of Loren and Stacey Brown (Perrysburg). He is active in the St. John’s Jesuit music program playing saxophone for the Marching Titans and serving as the saxophone section leader. He also performs in the Symphonic Band, the Jazz Machine, and the Pep Band. He was the band historian and was Outstanding Band Student his freshman year.
He is on the Quiz Bowl Team
that won the City and Regional Championships. He is in National Honor
Society and has been involved in the French,
Euchre, Guitar
and Wired Clubs over the last four years.
He does Christian Service both in the school and community. He has volunteered
for Open House, the Mothers’ Club garage sale, and Christmas decorating.
He is a peer tutor for his fellow Titans. He is a teen volunteer with Hospice
of Northwest Ohio and was nominated for a community volunteer service award.
He is applying to Notre Dame University, The Ohio State University, Northwestern University, Michigan State University, and Pennsylvania State University and plans to study accounting.
Sean Coyle is the son of Brian and Nancy Coyle (Maumee). He is active in the St. John’s Jesuit Men’s Chorus and the Select Choral Ensemble serving as Men’s Chorus president. He has earned honors for his musical involvement including OMEA Solo Superior Rank and Ensemble Superior Rank. He has performed in the St. John’s Jesuit musicals, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLORR DREAMCOAT, CRAZY FOR YOU, and CHILDREN OF EDEN. He is in the Songwriting Club and serves on the Integrity Committee. He is a member of the Titan cross country team that was Second in the State.
He serves on the Campus Ministry Core Team and is active in service to the community. He has served at St. Patrick’s Historic Soup Kitchen and the Sylvania Area Family Services as part of the St. John’s Jesuit daytime Christian Service Program.
He plans to study engineering and is applying to University of Michigan, The Ohio State University, University of Maryland, Dartmouth College, and Cornell University.
Jarrett Klingbeil is the son of Dale Klingbeil and Penelope Kice (Maumee). He is executive class secretary on Student Council, serves on the Brother Rodriguez Respect Committee, and is a member to Academy eighth graders. He is a member of the National Honor Society. He plays Titan varsity football as a starting offensive lineman playing multiple positions.
He is active in Christian
service both inside and outside the school. He was a retreat leader and
participated in Easter on Campus with Cherry
Preschool.
He does Christian Service through the St. John’s Jesuit daytime
Christian Service Program at the St. Vincent Hospital Emergency Room.
He is applying to Georgetown University, The Ohio State University, New
York University, Stanford University, University of Southern California,
and John
Hopkins University.
On Labor Day, Team Titan competed against St. Francis, Notre Dame, Central Catholic, St. Ursula, and Perrysburg in a race through the mazes at The Butterfly House Corn Maze (owned by Duke Wheeler ’72) to see who had the shortest time. The contest was a combination of brain, speed, and teamwork. The Titans had all three with a winning time of 30 minutes, 59 seconds for the maze competition.
The All Sports Trophy now has a new event – Corn Maze Racing.
Team Titan was composed of Alvin Thomas ‘08, Alex Miller ’08, Alex Chrysanthou ‘08, Ron Loehrke ‘09, Chase Parrish ‘08, Matt Durst ‘08, and Kevin Schoen ‘10.
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Titans strategize to determine the best way |
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With the approval of the Rev. Robert Scullin, S.J., Provincial Superior of the Detroit Province of the Society of Jesus, the Board of Trustees of St. John’s Jesuit High School and Academy has named the Rev. Thomas Pipp, S.J., acting President for 2007-08. Fr. Pipp will become acting President on July 1, 2007. Currently, he is Vice President for Ignatian Identity and Rector for the Toledo area Jesuits for the Detroit Province.
In his current role, Fr. Pipp oversees all local and national Christian Service programs, leads the Campus Ministry department, reviews and implements the theology curriculum, chairs the Ignatian Identity Committee, and serves the pastoral needs of the St. John’s Jesuit community. He has served on the St. John’s Jesuit Board for four terms.
Fr. Pipp has been instrumental in preparing the school for a time when there would be fewer Jesuits. He has introduced many new initiatives, including the establishment of the adult lay chaplain to minister to faculty, parents, alumni parents, and alumni. He expanded the Campus Ministry Department to include more lay personnel in retreat and liturgical work. He started an adult spirituality program with classes such as “An Adult Look at Jesus Christ,” “An Adult Look at Roman Catholicism,” and “The Ignatian Way – An Introduction to Ignatian Spirituality.”
Fr. Pipp has spent summers in a variety of ministries. He has accompanied St. John’s Jesuit students on service trips to Guatemala and the Dominican Republic. He has served as chaplain of Toledo Hospital and worked with the homeless in San Francisco through St. Agnes, a Jesuit parish in the city.
He graduated from the University of Notre Dame with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1979. He earned his Masters in English from Northwestern University and two masters in theology degrees from the Jesuit School of Theology in Berkeley, California. He first served at St. John’s Jesuit from 1985-88. After being ordained in 1992, he returned and has been at St. John’s Jesuit ever since.
Fr. Pipp received the school’s highest honor in 2004, the Man for Others Award. This award is given to someone whose life exemplifies the spirit of giving, and past recipients include the most Reverend Bishop James R. Hoffman, Thomas H. Anderson, Sister Ann Verhesen, Wayne Milewski, Judge Richard McQuade, Jr., Scott Savage and Virgil Gladieux.
A St. John’s Jesuit High School social awareness program on the “Children in Poverty” kicked off a school wide service project to build a playground for the children staying at LaPosada, a transitional family shelter run by Catholic Charities. Since October students have contributed their change and dollars to collect the $3,000 needed to turn their dream into a reality and help the children of the shelter.
See more pictures of the day's event!
On their day off from school on March 26 students from the Social Justice Alliance Committee prepared the site for the new recreation area and on March 31 they completed the project.
One of the highlights of the area is a brick bench done by art students. Each brick has a hand carved design by a Titan art student.
The program and builders are part of the St. John’s Jesuit Social Alliance Team. Area businesses also helped including Ultra Built, a play set company; Dave Mossing, class of 1973, laid cement footers; Kuhlman Corporation donated cement; and Larry Ohlman, class of 1969, of Ohlman Markets supplied landscaping materials. Dan Anderson is donating a gas grill to the project and Jim Myers, father of Don Myers('09), was the brick mason who donated his time to building the brick bench.
Members of the Social Justice Alliance who prepared the site were Dan Kennedy, Tom Kelly, Shane Hegde, Ben Wurst, Derek Taylor, Sean Reilly, Omar Nazzal, Derek Smith, Remsy Atassi, and Tom Weindandy.
Students who will be swinging hammers and doing the brick bench are Josh Davies, Greg Obee, Muneeb Rehman, Farman Pirzada, Karl Seiwert, Jeff Barnett, Shane Hegde, Don Myers, Mike Desposito, Sean Malone, and Griffin Byers.
“After having successfully piloted for three years a seventh and eighth grade in the Jesuit tradition with an academically-challenging curriculum combined with the resources of a college-prep high school, the St. John’s Jesuit Academy will expand to 100 seventh and eighth graders – 50 in each grade by Fall 2008,” reported Fr. Don Vettese, S.J., president of St. John’s Jesuit High School & Academy. The Academy is accepting applications now for a class of 50 seventh graders.
An information evening for prospective students and their families interested in the Academy is scheduled for February 13 at 7:00 p.m. Young men can take the Academy Placement Test on either February 24 at 8:30 a.m. or February 28 at 5:00 p.m.
“The Academy’s academic success and the response of families to another educational option has been overwhelming. For Fall 2006, we had three students test for each opening. The addition over the next two years will still make the Academy enrollment much smaller than the high school, provide additional opportunities to families and offer the individual personal attention known for in Jesuit education. The continued restricted size enables these young adolescents to build strong relationships with their teachers and fellow classmates. It ensures personal attention and individual support throughout their Academy years and creates a sense of stability and cohesion that is crucial in the lives of young adolescents,” according to Fr. Vettese.
“The Academy draws students from across northwest Ohio and southeastern Michigan. Many families find it is very advantageous to have their sons work and socialize with boys from different geographic and cultural groups,” stated Fr. Vettese.
Father Vettese added, “This Academy model, although new to northwest Ohio, is operating successfully in over 160 Catholic schools in the United States. We visited other Catholic schools with 7-12 programs to adapt and build on the strongest results-oriented programs. Now other schools are reviewing our success and developing programs based on it.”
“Our Board of Trustees’ decision to expand the Academy supports the National Catholic Education Association’s (NCEA) recommendation to provide as many different educational opportunities as possible and the Diocese of Toledo’s commitment to serving the community,” he explained.
By Derek Taylor ‘07
St. John’s Jesuit High School
(Written for the CATHOLIC CHRONICLE for their January, 2007 issue)
Imagine 20,000 people holding up white crosses and chanting “Presente” as one. This is an experience that can change people’s hearts as it did mine.
Twenty-eight St. John’s Jesuit students, the Tiffin Franciscan nuns and many Toledo area Catholics joined thousands of people from around the world to participate in the annual School of Americas (SOA) protest in Georgia on November 16, the anniversary of the deaths of the Jesuit priests murdered in El Salvador in 1989. Each year St. John’s Jesuit students join with Catholic and Jesuit schools from around the world to oppose the SOA and demonstrate solidarity and support for the people of Latin America.
An important part of the protest is learning about both sides. The SOA was established as a Cold War entity in Panama in 1946 to prevent communist insurgencies in Latin America. In the sixties it was moved to Fort Benning in Columbus, Georgia as a training facility for Latin American personnel.
In 1996 the Pentagon was forced to release training manuals used at the SOA. The manuals advocated “marking targets for neutralization including government officials, political leaders, priests, labor union leaders, political dissenters, and members of the infrastructure.” Graduates of the school have included notorious dictators Manuel Noriega and Omar Torrijos of Panama, Leopoldo Galtieri and Roberto Viola of Argentina, Juan Velasco Alvarado of Peru, and many lower level graduates. The school was closed and opened under a new name, the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (WHINSEC) in 2001.
On day one we toured a small portion of the training facility and participated in a question and answer session with SOA leaders, the pro SOA side. No follow up questions were allowed. The time spent with SOA leaders was interesting, because they truly believe that what they are doing is right. Despite the fact that the SOA has this extensive history of training men implicated in acts of violence. SOA graduates return to their Latin American countries with no means to monitor their actions except eight hours of human rights training taught at the school.
The second day of the protest, 20,000 people joined together and marched to the SOA gates in a solemn procession while a litany of names of the victims of the SOA are chanted. After each name is called, people hold their crosses in the air and chant as one “Presente,” Spanish for present, because they were all there in spirit. People at the protest represent hundreds of social justice causes from around the world but they all come together each year to participate in the largest non-violent protest since the Vietnam War.
According to Archbishop Oscar Romero, who was assassinated by SOA graduates in El Salvador in 1980, "The church would betray its own love for God and its fidelity to the gospel if it stopped being . . . a defender of the rights of the poor . . . a humanizer of every legitimate struggle to achieve a more just society . . . that prepares the way for the true reign of God in history."
One way all of us can do this is speaking up for those who can no longer speak out for themselves, as thousands did at the annual SOA protest. If not us, then who? If not now, then when? This protest means a lot of different things to a lot of different people, but to me, it means freedom. This is the true face of democracy, people speaking out against what they believe is wrong. We can’t continue to sit and ignore the problem, not when people’s lives are at stake.
Photo Captions:
St. John’s Jesuit students joined over 20,000 people to protest
the School of the Americas. Students raised crosses and shouted “Presente” at
the litany of names. Pictured (left to right) are seniors Austin Pounds,
Justin Paat, Jon Clemons, Shawn Lane, Joe Martinez, Derek Taylor, and
Chris Szalkowski.
Crosses were left at the gate by participants.
When faculty member Joan Trempe added a 3-D Animation Graphics Course to the technology curriculum – she found the perfect instructors in Bill Bierie ’07 and David Reing ’06. Bill had proved himself a standout in Computer Programming I and David was in the AP Computer Programming class.
Now Bill and David are setting the pace in Alice, the 3-D computer technology course, named after the popular literature character, Alice in Wonderland. The class creates a programming environment that allows freshmen to learn basic computer science while creating animated movies and simple video games.
Called a fresh approach to teaching computer science, Bill and David claim the graphics are similar to the animation found in movies such as “Finding Nemo” and “ANTZ.”
David will pursue computer science in college. He finds the methods of instruction and the option to design your own online scenes especially fun and a chance to be creative with Alice.
Bill who plans to study mechanical engineering finds it challenging to stay a step ahead of the underclassmen in the class.
“By working the class assignments ourselves, we run into the same problems the students will. We can make it easier for them to solve,” explained Bill.
“Today’s students have worked with computers since they were in preschool. There is a trend in more progressive educational environments to challenge them more in technology classes. Alice provides students with a visual program that tests their mathematics and text-based programming skills. Many colleges are using Alice to teach college-level introductory programming,” added Mrs. Trempe.
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