February 2014 The Annunciator

Find us on the web at www.school.annunciationcrestwood.com

Annunciation Molds Today’s Teachers Lillian Casi Stein ‘49 was a 1st through ion. She also found it incredible walking 4th-grade teacher for 24 years. Early in her down the same hall everyday that she did as career, she taught 1st grade, where she a child! loved seeing the youngsters who couldn’t Looking back, Miriam doesn’t know how Inside this issue... read or do simple math, blossom into read- she juggled parenting, teaching and going to ing and being able to do simple addition school for her master’s at the College of New Parent Crisis 3 and subtraction. “In those days,” Lilian New Rochelle all at the same time. says, “few children went to preschool, and Her favorite teacher at Annunciation was Crestwood Country Club 4 kindergarten was more like preschool.” her 8th grade teacher Sr. Marianne. Miriam Museum Designer 5 She then stayed at home to raise her says, “she was very kind and made everyone children during which time she did substi- feel important.” Bits of Crestwood 6 tute teaching. When her children were old Miriam and her husband, Tony, moved to Around the School and 7 enough to go to school themselves, Lilian Weeki Wachee, FL ten years ago. She loves Parish returned as a teacher at the Valley Cottage the weather there and stays very active. School, part of the Nyack, NY school sys- The Annunciator Asks 8 tem. She taught there for 19 years in the Angela Donovan ‘57 graduated from Free Time? - Then 15 2nd, 3rd and 4th grades. “I loved being and The College and Now with these youngsters and watching their of Mt. St. Vincent before receiving a Master minds develop not only with the important of Arts in teaching from Manhattanville Col- Milestones 18 skills, but also creatively. Some children lege in 1966. She then began a thirty-two needed a confidante as they came from Class Notes 19 year teaching career in the Mt. Vernon (NY) homes that did not provide necessary love Public School District, retiring in June 1999. Class Trip Memories 21 and understanding. I enjoyed teaching so During those thirty much that I have influenced my daughter, -two years, Angela A Spokesman is Born 22 Cara, to be an art teacher in Georgia.” taught pre-K for 9 Lilian says that Sr. Marianne was her years and kinder- Annunciation Elementary School favorite teacher because she was delightful. garten for 23 years. She adds, “All of the sisters were excellent.” After retiring, 465 Westchester Avenue Angela did some Crestwood, NY 10707 Miriam O’Donnell Quinlan ‘56 re- substitute teaching ceived a Bachelors degree in psychology in the Yonkers from Immaculata College in Pennsylvania public schools be-

in 1964 and then went to work for Eastern fore returning to The Annunciator Editorial Board: Airlines in City. She was mar- teaching for three Richard Burke ‘48 ried in 1968 and eventually left the airline. years at the Asbury Angela Donovan Patrick F.X. Brennan ‘53 She stayed home, raising their three boys— Nursery School in Tom ‘89, James ‘90 and Matthew ‘96—until Yonkers, NY, where she taught a three-year- Chris Grealy Brown Daly ‘62 1989 when Miriam was hired by then prin- old class. She now volunteers in the Mary Theresa Gill McCombe ‘75 cipal Sr. Anne Massell. Yonkers public school, helping out in the John Sullivan ‘82 She taught 2nd grade at Annunciation 1st-grade class taught by her sister, Grace for the next fourteen years. She especially Marie Villani-York ‘93 Donovan Feighery ‘67. loved preparing the children to receive the Angela says, “The teacher who made the

sacraments of Penance and Holy Commun- Continued on page 10 Page 2 The Annunciator

Reunion 2014 News

SAVE THE DATE Saturday, May 3, 2014

Classes of 1964, 1969, 1974, 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994 and 1999, your reunion has been set for Saturday, May 3, 2014.

Please make sure that we have your email so that we can provide you with information about plans as they become available. Send your name, year and mailing address by email to [email protected]. Now is also the time to reach out to your classmates and let them know that you want to see them there!

Letter from the Pastor Letters to the Editor Dear Alumni, To the Editor, I just want to say how much I always enjoy reading As I write this letter, we are celebrating Catholic the alumni newsletter. There is always a classmate or Schools Week. The theme of this celebration is friend that I enjoy reading about, as well as the stories Catholic Schools: A community of faith, knowledge that seem to take you back to a time when life was much and service. How true that slogan is of Annunciation simpler. School over the years. We have been, and will con- In the last edition, it was great to see the photo of the tinue to be, a community that grows in grace, wisdom undefeated CYO baseball team coached by Chris White. and charity. Chris and I were teammates for thirty-one years on the Crestwood Baseball/Softball team in the Yonkers Rec- In this issue we will read about some of our reation League, and there is no finer person. alumni who give back to society by being educators. John Balletta ‘71 We all know how important a good education is, and so often we remember those teachers who have touched our lives by their dedication and service. An- To the Editor, nunciation School is proud to have an early educa- I always enjoy reading the newsletter! It’s a great way tional role in the development of these men and to stay connected to Annunciation. women! Kristina Remy ‘96

To all of you, thanks for your support and prayers and be assured of my prayers for you. To the Editor, Sincerely, The October newsletter was awesome as usual. Lots of great and varied information. We especially loved the tribute to the retired AES faculty and “The Annuncia- tor Asks” feature. Thank you so much. The Vitiellos PageFebruary 3 2014 Page 3 A New Parent Faces A Child’s Medical Crisis By Kara Duffy Mylod ‘97

Life doesn’t necessarily get harder head, he was concerned with the as we get older, but the accumulation shape of it. That was the first time of negative experiences can certainly we heard the word craniosynostosis. make it seem so. I have dealt with a Our lives changed at that very few unfortunate events in my life that moment. We felt helpless. It was a have shaped me as a person, but a most overwhelming and emotional recent one has affected me in a way day. The next few weeks were filled that can’t be compared to previous with doctor’s appointments, CT ones. scans, worrying, crying, and planning. I am a mother now. The most We met with a plastic surgeon who difficult, yet rewarding, thing I have encouraged us to operate. Even ever done. In September of 2013, our though Finn wasn’t experiencing any 15-month-old son, Finn, was diag- obvious symptoms, we knew his nosed with craniosynostosis (kray-nee- brain had a lot more growing to do, o-sin-os-TOE-sis), a condition in and we wanted to make sure it had which the borders of the bony plates room to do so. Some of the side Kara, Brian and Finn Mylod in a baby’s skull close prematurely. effects of craniosynostosis are intrac- These borders, which are called su- ranial pressure resulting in develop- tures, normally close by the time the child is two or three mental delays, seizures, migraines, and vision problems. We years old. Anything earlier than that can cause a skull to talked to a few parents who had been through this, and they grow unevenly and may lead to a number of serious prob- all said that the benefits of surgery far outweighed the risks lems since the brain continues to grow. associated with it. As hard as it was to think about our baby There are different types of synostosis. In Finn’s case, in pain, we knew we had to operate . the sagittal suture that runs along the top of the head had On November 12, 2013, Finn went in for surgery. Finn fused. Sagittal synostosis is the most common type of cra- had a full CVR, or cranial vault reconstruction. Handing niosynostosis which, believe it or not, occurs in 1 in 2,000 him over to the operating room nurse was one of the hard- births. This statistic was astounding to me. I had never est things I have ever done. My husband, Brian, and I heard of it until Finn was diagnosed. hugged each other tight and waited. While we were kept Our journey began on September 18, 2013. Finn went in informed as the surgery progressed, it wasn’t until four to see Dr. Andrew Reisner, a pediatric neurosurgeon at Chil- hours later that we were able to see him. It was heartbreak- dren’s Healthcare of Atlanta, after his pediatrician became ing to see Finn bruised and swollen, but we knew he was a concerned with the size of Finn’s head. The pediatrician fighter. We were also comforted by the fact that Finn’s re- was worried that his head was too large and wanted to rule covery nurse was named Chris. Christopher Finn is named out hydrocephalus (fluid in the brain.). I wasn’t overly wor- after his uncle Chris who passed away on September 11, ried, because I had a big head when I was a baby! 2001. We knew then that this was Finn’s guardian angel’s We went for an ultrasound, and the technician perform- way of telling us that Finn was going to be okay. ing the procedure had a hard time finding the fontanelles I have a greater appreciation for my own parents after all (soft spots) on Finn’s head. My heart sank. I had a feeling of this. This is a part of parenting that is difficult, if not im- we were looking at something more serious, but I tried not possible, to prepare for. I am happy to report that the hard- to worry. After all, Finn was a great baby, very healthy and est part is behind us, and Finn is doing wonderfully, though was reaching all of his milestones. he will be followed by doctors until he is five years old. We took our results to the neurosurgeon, and he exam- I truly feel that my new purpose in life is to help others ined Finn thoroughly. He measured Finn’s head, as well as who are going through this and to spread awareness about mine and my husband’s. He saw no fluid in Finn’s brain and craniosynostosis. I have started a blog to document Finn’s was more than pleased with his fine and gross motor skills. journey (http://finnscranialadventure.blogspot.com/) and to He told us Finn just had a genetically big head. Unfortu- share our story with others. It will also be wonderful for nately, that wasn’t all. Just when we thought the appoint- Finn to have something to look back on. We hope this is ment was wrapping up, he asked if we could go back to the the hardest thing he will ever have to endure in his lifetime. hospital for x-rays. While he was fine with the size of Finn’s Page 4 The Annunciator Where Was Crestwood Country Club? At one time Crestwood was and Summit Place (now known as home to a private club called Crest- Hollywood Avenue). By the 1907 wood Country Club. Recently, John map, this 8 acres is clearly labeled Beach, who lives in Colonial ‘Crestwood Country Club, Lessee Heights and is a member of the of the Est. of George Pollen.’ The Crestwood Historical Society, entrance to the club was from shared his research into that club Scarsdale Road via an oval shaped with members of the “Crestwood driveway and the acres spread Memories” Facebook page. John’s north to Vista Street near P.S. 15’s research is fascinating, and we thank building. The map also shows John for the permission to reprint how it blocked Westchester Ave- his research. nue and Carpenter Avenue from “There are many old maps of the being connected. This land ended early Crestwood area. Most early Children at the Crestwood County Club prepare at the easterly line of Hollywood maps show only the large tracts of for a foot race at Hollywood Avenue and Vista Avenue, but in the 1929 map, you land ownerships. The largest and Street. see this area, where the club was, possibly the oldest land tract was is shrinking, allowing more prop- the Sherwood Farm, but newer maps show this area slowly erty for P.S. 15 and the connection between Westchester and dividing up into a more recognizable Crestwood as we know Carpenter Avenues. it today. On this 8 acres, the Crestwood Country Club was estab- Something interesting was beginning to show in the 1881 lished in 1903, when they applied for their charter of incor- Yonkers Map. It was a square piece of land being of 8 acres, poration. It was not only a social/athletic club, but also, I located inside another 127 acre parcel. The larger piece was soon realized, an organization that represented the families the land of Jacob R. Merritt (connected to the Sherwood of Crestwood and challenged the city, county, Parkway family lineage). Commission and even the New York Central Railroad on Now this smaller 8 acres caught my eye mostly since it issues concerning their well-being. Another article I have appears to be closely situated on Scarsdale Road and extends uncovered, describes a gala clambake affair at the country eastward to about where Hollywood Avenue would later be. club in 1908, where participants were transported by stage to It is labeled ‘Est. of G. Pollen.’ who was a wealthy merchant trains and trolleys. The club even had a bowling alley that who lived in and . He had a son and a welcomed local league competition. daughter, Ann Eliza, who married Samuel Leggett in 1849. The club ended in 1909. I thought it strange to have the They later moved onto her father’s estate in Yonkers Park club last only six years. Perhaps it might have been a finan- (as Crestwood was previously known). They had 5 children cial burden for such a tract of land and that big house. But but sadly, on May 14, 1873, Samuel’s body was found in the perhaps there was another reason. During the time the club barn with several bullet holes. ‘This murder was never was in existence, the underlying land had been in a court cleared up, but as he was financially embarrassed at the time, conflict. It is interesting to note that, when the club closed, and had been depressed in spirits for a long time previous, the property was sold to Andrew Hartmann, who was a civil the theory of suicide was accepted as the true one,” wrote engineer who worked for the City of Yonkers Planning on March 15, 1878. Committee. Hartmann, who also built the Queen Anne- Ann Eliza’s troubles continued with the death of her fa- style home at 6 Hollywood Avenue, was one of several engi- ther on May 14, 1877. She was left with the Yonkers prop- neers involved in the planning and layout of the Crestwood erty, grand house, barn and a large sum of money, but never community. had the chance to enjoy it. Some months later, she was mur- Today, Hartmann’s purchase of this property might be dered on March 15, 1878 in that grand house by Theron considered a conflict of interest, since he was also a found- Merritt who was said to be a disturbed jealous lover who ing member of the club. By 1929, the map shows that many then took his own life. parcels had been sold along Scarsdale Road, Carpenter Ave- Maps from 1891 and 1901 continue to show this 8 acre nue, Westchester Avenue and Hollywood Avenue, and one property and what was now shaping up to be Crestwood. has to wonder how much Hartmann profited from his smart Almost all of the new streets had early names, and the 8 move. On that same 1929 map, there still seems to be a acres began to fit to some these newly named streets, in this building on a leftover empty lot which might have been the case to Hollywood Place (now known as Hartmann Place) old club. That building no longer remains today.” February 2014 Page 5 Mortati’s Designs Enhance Museum Experience

Design takes many forms. Some new neurosciences building for are more familiar—interior design, the University College of Lon- graphic design, and architectural de- don.” sign might readily bring to mind the Some of her projects can be job description for the person behind quite whimsical. Her work for the such a design. Some are less familiar Walker Art Center’s Internet Cat but important nonetheless and might Video Fest in the summer of 2013 make it a bit harder to imagine ex- was one such project. For that actly what the person might do in a event, she designed a mobile job with the title product designer, video cart where festival attendees urban designer or museum exhibit could record their interpretation designer. of the sounds their cats make. Maria Mortati ‘79 can tell you ex- The resulting video compilation is actly what a museum exhibit designer both interesting and entertaining, does. Her work, which has spanned especially for cat lovers. more than a decade, engages her in In 2011, Maria decided that diverse projects ranging from formal having her own firm would allow museum exhibitions to short-term Maria Mortati her to focus on invention and artistic interventions. She collabo- implementation rather than pro- rates with museum staff, boards and local communities as ject management and dissemination, which began to domi- she creates museum exhibitions or plans for new projects. nate her responsibilities at the firms she worked for. “I Maria holds a bachelor in fine arts in studio art from the learned a lot at all my firms, and they were great experiences. University of Colorado and a master’s of fine arts in design Having my own company is fun in that I have greater lati- from Stanford University. Her prior work experience is tude in terms of what types of projects I take on, and how quite varied. She worked for an advertising agency in Ice- far I can go with them. It also means that the threshold be- land in the late 1980s. After college, she spent about a dec- tween not enough and too much work is always tricky.” ade working multimedia and interaction design. For exam- Maria is a frequent panelist and lecturer. She teaches ple, in the 1990s, she worked for Silicon Graphics, an public interaction design in the MFA Design program at the American manufacturer of high-performance computing. California College of the Arts. She has written articles for She also worked for the Exploratorium, a science museum in museum journal Exhibitionist, and she blogs on various as- San Francisco, as well as some local San Francisco area mu- pects of museum participation and design. Her projects in- seum exhibit design firms. It was in these studios, that clude work for the Baltimore Museum of Art, Dallas Mu- Maria was able to get a chance to work on larger projects seum of Art, Children’s Creativity Museum in San Francisco, and take on many different responsibilities. and Fort Collins Museum of Discovery in Colorado. Maria says, “At Stanford, I was transitioning from multi- “I’ve learned that while I may think what I do is not media and interaction design to installations and exhibitions. rocket science, it makes a big difference to people in the in- I was thrown in with mechanical engineers and became in- stitutions I work with that I understand how they work and terested in fabrication, kinetics and interactives in the real how to get creative projects into or through their infrastruc- world vs. the virtual world. Museum exhibitions seemed a ture. It’s hard to do innovative work when you are an insti- natural progression from human/computer interaction de- tution.” sign.” Her advice for people who love museums and think they Because museum work is based on “accrued experience,” might want to work in that environment is, “Museums are Maria says, “The project I’m working on now is usually my complex entities, so the best advice I can give is to volunteer favorite—it’s always more challenging than the last. Cur- first and get a sense of what you’d want to work in. Then, rently, I’m working on exhibits and programs for a ‘food read up a bit on the current thinking and best practices for truck’ styled ranger station for the Golden Gate National that area of the museum world.” Parks Conservancy and a series of street-level exhibits for a Page 6 The Annunciator

Bits of Crestwood: Cars, Cars and More Cars By Mark L. Maiello ‘71

Growing up in Crestwood in the 1960s meant you were particular car’s safety). One morning we found a Pontiac part of America’s car culture. Muscle cars and pony cars GTO or Tempest (they look the same) on our front lawn. were born in that era. Oldsmobile 442s, Pontiac GTOs, Unbeknownst to us, the driver swerved off the road while Ford Mustangs and Chevy Cameros were coveted status we all slept; he or she walked away leaving us with a morn- symbols, as were other cars like Lincoln, Cadillac and Ford ing mystery—and a ruined front lawn. Another misadven- Thunderbirds (the latter had a real sweet design in 1961). ture occurred when a friend disengaged the transmission of Our little neighborhood on Crestwood Avenue his mom’s car that was parked on our sloping driveway. It bounded by Juana Street to the north and St. Eleanora’s quietly rolled across the street and hit a stone buttress, ruin- Lane to the south boasted some of the most popular cars ing it and the car’s rear bumper (the friend was OK but ran of the time. I can recall at least two Thunderbirds in for it to escape his mother’s wrath). nearby driveways, a gorgeous blue ‘61 model, the other a I like to think that my dad was ahead of the curve when more elegant design of the late 60s/early 70s. Cadillacs it came to car-buying trends. There had been a Plymouth graced a few driveways too. Usually of the staid Coupe in our past (the body rusted very badly), a Buick LeSabre d’Ville or Sedan d’Ville style (no convertibles that I can (the gas gauge never worked), a Buick Electra 225 (a beauty remember), they still impressed with their incredible size that was really a pretty good car but a bit of a gas guzzler), a and those iconic tail fins. Cadillac Sedan d’Ville (not that bad either but it was a used Before I go too far, I have to mention station wagons. car with used-car issues), a Chevy Vega (I used it for com- For anyone who has never heard muting to college; the hood the word before, think Subaru paint bubbled off, and one Outback—without the head- night, I destroyed the rear room or four-wheel drive. They axel by running it over a were the forerunners of the SUV curb) and a very plain and the minivan—the large- brown ‘77 Olds Cutlass (the family, cargo-hauling battleships engine would cut out on of the 50s, 60s and 70s. When turns; it was the antithesis of you needed to tote home the the Olds 442). Christmas tree, the four kids and By then my dad had real- the dog, you used the station ized better cars were being wagon. For a while, my dad built overseas. Before long, drove one: a depressing early 60s a Toyota Camry and later, grey Ford Fairlane that took a A 1968 cream-colored Olds 442; not unlike the car when Dad was more suc- beating but kept on trucking. owned by the author’s family. cessful, a Mercedes Benz On the sunnier side of the joined the long list of cars street, there were the sports cars like the Dodge Challenger, that made our driveway home. My dad’s last car was an- a gorgeous example of which resided in a neighbor’s drive- other Mercedes he leased rather than owned. It was the way. It was paired with a ‘68 Pontiac GTO, the model year trend of the future. car enthusiasts love for its audacious plastic nose bumper. I resisted the disloyalty at first, owning a Ford Taurus Our driveway featured a ‘68 Oldsmobile 442 in gold with a for 100,000 miles, but I soon joined the crowd purchasing black rally stripe along the flanks and a roof covered in Nissans and Hondas. I still follow automobile develop- black vinyl. The 442 and GTO rumbled at idle betraying ments and am pleased that U.S. car makers are building their big horses beneath the hoods. We had some good much better products these days, but it will take a lot of times comparing the features of cars in those days. quality data to bring me back. That said, in my home office There were also some misadventures as well. There was sits a very accurate model of the 1968 Oldsmobile 442, a the time that my dad’s Buick Special was rear-ended one car I never drove but one that I will always love. For de- night when parked in the street in front of our house (the spite its rock-hard sports suspension, less than great quality driver made it, but the car did not). Then my mom and (there were electrical problems), it turned a lot of heads, brother spun out on the Bronx River Parkway after a tire handled better than others in its class, and it accelerated as blowout in our ‘64 Chevy Corvair (all were OK; Ralph advertised: like a rocket. It was the car I grew up with in Nader would make his name admonishing GM about this Crestwood. February 2014 Page 7 Around the School and Parish Students Help at Westchester Food Bank Fundraiser

On October 19, 2013, fifteen Annunciation students assisted at the Westchester Food Bank’s annual fundraiser, “An Evening of Good Taste.” The Annunciation Ladies’ Guild had been approached with a request for volunteers. Prior to the event, the children were instructed in how to solicit donations for the “lunch box” food pro- gram. Overall the students raised $8,600 during the three-hour event. The children were complimented on their poise, manners and very persuasive “selling” skills. The total raised through their efforts far exceeded the food pantry’s expectations and previous year’s sales. We are so proud of how they represented Annunciation School! The students who participated were Ryan Tannian, Jack Brennan, Sarah Bergen, Sean Tobin, Jack and Danny Breen (sons of Kim White Breen ‘86), Regina Potenza, Hannah White, Mikaela and Ali Walsh (daughters of Brian Walsh ‘82), Courtney McGrath, William and Graydon Crabtree (sons of Will Crabtree ‘86), Christiana Santos and Margaret Taylor.

Anti-Bullying Assembly Held

Students listened intently to an anti-bullying pro- gram that came to the Annunciation School gym on November 7, 2013. The program was paid for with a portion of the funds donated by the Class of 1983 in memory of their classmate, Irene Ber- tolini. The program kept the children’s attention, and they enthusiastically answered questions about how they would approach various bullying scenarios while learning about how to help some- one who is being bullied. Page 8 The Annunciator “The Annunciator” Asks: Have you Lived in More Than One Crestwood House?

We generally remember our nue where she now lives (also known home in Crestwood with warm and as the “the Dolan house”). On Face- open hearts. Elizabeth O’Connor book, she connected with another ‘66 lived in only one house in alumnus, Elizabeth Carlock Stano Crestwood—47 Crestwood Ave- ‘59, who also lived at 427 West- nue—but says, “A part of my heart chester Avenue. In addition, Eliza- is still in that house.” Mark Aval- beth had lived at 11 Manhattan Ave- lone ‘67 says that his father built nue and at 485 Westchester Avenue their family home at 81 McArthur with the Martin family. Elizabeth Avenue in 1958. He acknowledged says, “I miss Crestwood and am very that “it is very hard when your par- blessed to have grown up in such a ents pass, and you have to sell the wonderful community.” 427 Westchester Avenue was home to the house.” And even when sold for Judee Arnstein ‘68 lived at 105 Carlock, Dolan and Vezza families over the many years, the house, though it Crestwood Avenue (also known as years. had new owners, was referred to by “the Weireter house”) and also at 37 others as “the Avallone house.” Ridge Street. More than a handful of people have lived in multiple Thomas Schultze ‘75 says that technically he lived in two houses in Crestwood. Not only did the question posted to houses since 33 Hollywood Avenue was connected to 36 the Facebook page reveal some migrations around the Crestwood Avenue. That house, which had a very large neighborhood, as well as some in and out and back into the yard, was recently knocked down and replaced by two neighborhood, but it identified two Facebook members who houses. have both lived in the same house (at different times)! Vince O’Leary also lived in two, moving from 212 Man- Mary Theresa Gill McCombe ‘75 has lived in three Crest- hattan Avenue to 424 Hollywood Avenue. wood houses. She started out at 230 Pennsylvania Avenue, Peter Marsalisi ‘76 lived in two houses. One was on where her parents still live, then moved to 48 Margaret Ave- Chauncey Street and the other on Westchester Avenue, and nue also known as “the Hardy house” when she got married Mary Spero Salisbury ‘73 lived at 219 Pennsylvania before and finally to 51 Lindbergh Place. moving two doors down to 213 Pennsylvania where her Mary Campbell Caldwell ‘61 also lived in three houses brother, Peter ‘83, still lives with his family. when she counts the time that she spent with her grandpar- Mary Aiello Jackson ‘67 lived at 37 Avondale Road until ents. The first house was 131 Chittenden Avenue before her 6th grade when her family moved to Eastchester. The Jack- family moved to Japan. When they returned from Japan, sons then moved back to Crestwood and settled in at 505 Manhattan and London, they re-settled at 259 Hollywood Westchester Avenue. Avenue (also known as “the Amend house” and currently The winner of the title “person who lived in the most “the Tarpey house”). Mary also spent lots of time at 242 Crestwood houses” might be Betsy Kaus Comizio ‘68 who Westchester Avenue where her grandparents and aunt lived. says that the Kaus family lived in five different houses in Diane Doyle Vezza ‘75 is on her third house, having Crestwood—164 Pennsylvania Avenue, 426 Scarsdale Road, grown up at 68 Vermont Terrace before moving as a teen to 62 Crestwood Avenue, 185 Hollywood Avenue and then 65 530 Westchester Avenue and then to 427 Westchester Ave- Crestwood Avenue!

Annunciation Church and Annunciation School are on Facebook! You can find more fun and interesting stories plus a whole new conversation on our Facebook pages. Don’t miss out on all the news! February 2014 Page 9

The Church—Then and Now

Left: A postcard depict- ing the proposed church signed May 10, 1956 by Father Dugan (from the Archdiocesan archives). Right: The bell tower was built with a flat roof instead. The rear of the church was also built differently.

Right: The church under con- struction in a photo from the Archdiocesan archives. Below: The church from the same perspective is less visible due to the property being more heavily wooded.

Catholic Schools Week

It was Pajama Day and snack time in the Pre-K on Wednesday, January 29, dur- ing Catholic Schools Week.

You can find us on the Web at http://School.AnnunciationCrestwood.com Page 10 The Annunciator

Teaching Teachers Continued from page 1 published author. I remember that feeling when I edit my students’ writing today,” she says. biggest impression on me was Sister Francis Xavier. She was very strict and really meant business. There was no fooling Joanne Pondiccio Sullivan ‘66 is recently retired from around in her class! Another favorite teacher was Sister teaching at Yonkers Middle/High School (NY). Over the Marianne. She was so gentle and kind and was also very course of 36 years of teaching, Joanne taught at both the friendly and a good teacher. The qualities of both these elementary and junior high school levels. She loved teach- teachers helped to form my teaching career.” ing and was passionate about her job. She shared that pas- sion by supervising many student teachers and mentoring Although retired now from classroom teaching, Marianne other teachers. Henshaw Fleming ‘63 taught religious education in both Joanne, who is a resident of Valley Cottage, NY, is cur- Catholic and state secondary schools in rently working part-time at BOCES in the GED and Eng-

England for 27 years. Religious educa- lish as a Second Language programs in Nyack, NY. She tion is a required subject in all schools notes that over the course of her teaching career, testing and includes the study of the six major has become a fixation. “Kids aren’t allowed to be kids. world religions and the philosophy of They are always getting ready for moving on and being religion and ethics. measured and evaluated instead of being taught and learn- Marianne has a degree in religion ing to love learning for the sake of learning.” from in Pur- chase, NY and an master’s in theology Antonella Schirripa Castanaro ‘68 received a B.S. in from the University of Durham, Eng- French from and a graduate degree land. She trained as a teacher in Dur- in education from . She is certified to teach Marianne ham and was pleased to be able to teach French, Italian and social studies. Henshaw Fleming all children regardless of their faith back- When Ann was a stay-at-home mom, she started doing ground, including those with no faith long-term substitute teaching. Enjoying this, she decided to background, so that they could gain a deeper understanding teach full-time and has been teaching at St. Eugene’s of why religious faith is so important to different people— School in Yonkers, NY for nineteen years. Muslims, Jews, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs as well as Christians Ann likes teaching because, “it is not just about the sub- of all denominations. ject matter, which of course, you hope the students will master. It’s about engaging them in the process of learning Patricia DeStasio Greiner ‘65 teaches 2nd grade in Aus- and enjoying the process. Students spend the bulk of their tin, TX at Canyon Creek Elementary School. Initially, she day in school with their teachers, and it’s important that received a degree in business administration and worked in they learn, are challenged, and that field for a time. After staying home and raising her three like to learn!” Ann says, “It is children—Christopher, Laura and Matthew—Patty decided encouraging to see the great to return to school for a teaching degree. She completed strides that the students make in most of her coursework at SUNY New Paltz, but just as she their academic and social lives. It was ready to do her student teaching, her husband, Bruce, is also rewarding to see them received an international assignment. grow in faith.” Patty and her family lived in Germany for two years be- Ann has seen the teaching and fore returning to the U.S. and settling in Austin. It was there school environment change a lot that she completed her degree. She has now been teaching in her almost 20 years at St. for 22 years. Says Patty, “I love my kids, colleagues, principal, Eugene’s. The effects of technol- and my community. I really have been blessed.” She is now ogy and changes in the family struggling with whether to retire or continue working adding, Ann Schirripa dynamic have been the biggest “Teaching is my joy!” Castanaro changes. However, she notes, in Patty’s favorite Annunciation teacher was Sr. Margaret the most important ways, Marie who taught 2nd grade. “Our class was in the basement “teaching and schools have stayed the same. We still of the church during school renovations. She told me a story strive for excellence and hope that our influence will result I wrote about my mother was lovely and made me feel like a Continued on page 11 February 2014 Page 11

Teaching Teachers Continued from page 10 the rough. If we’re able to help the students address their behavioral issues, they have a good chance of getting their in intelligent, compassionate and creative future citizens of lives back on track. Being a part of that can be extremely the next generation. We hope our students will realize their rewarding.” best selves and appreciate their unique talents.” Mark notes that ACES has a number of remarkable suc- Ann says that her favorite teacher was Mrs. Lucian, who cess stories. “We have had students who have had numer- created a cheerful classroom environment and had a great ous psychiatric hospitalizations and arrests who have gone sense of humor. on to complete college and embark on successful careers. My colleagues are incredibly dedicated and compassionate Tom Byrnes ‘69 has em- people. Some have worked with this population for over barked on a new career as a twenty-five years and still come to work each morning with teacher after a 35-year career at a passion you rarely see in other fields.” IBM as a world-wide marketing ACES has a very strong vocational component to its communications manager. He is program and the school’s social worker has helped establish now a full-time professor teaching over twenty-five work sites where ACES’ students get real- marketing at NC State. He is also life, paid work experiences. They are currently working on a part-time adjunct at the Wake a partnership with Habitat For Humanity and are hopeful Tech Community College. Tom, that they can find funding to make it a regular part of their who is a resident of Raleigh, NC, vocational program. Mark points out that “the more au- says that his favorite teacher at An- thentic the experience we can offer our students, the more nunciation was Miss Brophy (6th likely it will be to engage and motivate them to succeed.” grade). “She was fresh out of col- Tom Byrnes Mark says, “Like almost anyone who grew up in Crest- lege, fun to be with and had us wood, I feel incredibly fortunate to have had such an idyllic singing songs almost every day (If I had a Hammer).” childhood. It is the glaring missing piece in the lives of most of my students. I had great teachers at both Annun- Mark Dougherty ‘72 began teaching 22 years ago after ciation and at Iona.” Mark’s favorite teacher was Mr. working at IBM for 11 years. He went back to school and Tavolacci who, he recalls, “would just pace across the front received a master’s degree from Manhattanville College in of the classroom and turn history class into a storytelling special education and later earned a master’s from The Uni- hour. He’s one of the reasons I always wanted to teach.” versity of in bilingual education. Mark worked as a special education teacher with students with behavioral Barbara Menzie Procario ‘73 is currently a 7th-grade issues in the Bronx, NY and Hartford, science teacher at Van Wyck Junior High School in Wap-

CT, before being hired by ACES. pingers Falls, NY. ACES is one of six RESCs (Regional Educational Service Centers) Fr. David G. Monaco, C.P. ‘74 is an associate profes- in Connecticut. The RESCs were born sor of sacred scripture at the Pontifical College Josephinum out of the need for special education in Columbus, OH, where he has programming in the late 60s and early taught for three years. Dave 70s. Mark says, “We draw students has just returned from leading a from over 26 cities and towns in the theology pilgrimage to Rome New Haven area. I have always loved where he had the privilege of the challenge of working with this concelebrating the January 1st Mark Dougherty population and went back to school to Papal Mass in St. Peter's Basilica get my administrative certification with Pope Francis. about ten years ago. After serving as an assistant principal at Dave’s book, The Sentences of ACES Mill Road School, I was named principal of ACES the Syriac Menander: Introduction, Whitney High School North in 2007.” Text and Translation, and Commen- “Our students generally are of pretty average intellectual tary is now in a second printing abilities,” he continues, “but have significant behavioral issues with Gorgias Press and has been that get in the way of their learning; they are like diamonds in Continued on page 12 Fr. Dave Monaco Page 12 The Annunciator

Teaching Teachers

Continued from page 11 created such a caring, safe, and engaging environment in which to learn,” she recalls. designated as Volume 7 in the Gorgias Studies in Late and Clas- Margie lives in Huntington, NY with her husband of 25 sical Antiquity. His most recent project is an article for a fest- years, Bob. He is an engineer, and they have two children— schrift in honor of Prof. Hans-Dieter Betz of the University Kelsey and Bobby—who are both in college. of Chicago entitled, “The Rhetoric of Narrative in Acts 8:26- 40.” It is to appear as a chapter of a volume to be published Peter Dougherty ‘77 is in his 25th year teaching at the in Berlin by Mohr Siebeck Publishers. Perkiomen School, a boarding school in Pennsylvania, where Dave’s favorite teacher at Annunciation was Mrs. Seiler. he teaches AP cconomics and math. He received his under- He says, “After all these years, I still marvel at the world of graduate and graduate degrees at The University of Hartford. English literature that she opened up for us and at the train- It was during grad school, when Pete was the assistant la- ing that she gave us in English grammar. She had us reading crosse coach, that he realized that he loved working with the classics of English literature in grammar school that most younger guys. It was also during this time that he met his students do not come across until their college days, if at wife, Carol, who was already working at Perkiomen full time all.” and pursuing her graduate degree during the summer. Pete says that working at a boarding school requires that Linda DeMaria Mazurek ‘73 has been teaching since you be a teacher, coach and dorm parent. As a result, you 1982. She is now an assistant principal. Most of her experi- develop a much deeper relationship with the students. He ence as been in Catholic elementary schools. also knows that the most important thing to understand is that every student learns differently. “You throw someone a Margie Grealy Burns ‘76 has been a special education ball,” Pete says. “If they catch it, great. If they don’t, you teacher in the Locust Valley School District (NY) for eight throw it a different way until they do catch it.” years. She had previously worked in the Half Hollow Hills Pete’s favorite teacher was Mrs. Seiler who he says was School District and, for almost six years, was involved in the tough but fair. “Students don’t mind tough teachers as long early intervention program through the New York State De- as they are fair,” he says. partment of Health. As a special education teacher in that program, Margie had the opportunity to work with children When Michelle Targiano LaMassa ‘82 realized during diagnosed on the autism spectrum and their families. Her college that she wanted to be a teacher, she transferred to students were aged 17 months to 3 years. Concordia College, where she graduated with a bachelor in Margie went into special education after her son had suc- education with a concentration in early childhood. She says cessful early intervention for a speech/language delay. that she had a wonderful mentor in her aunt, Sr. Dolores Margie says, “It set the groundwork for him to become the Targiano, RSM, who always gave her excellent advice and fabulous man that he is today.” was the greatest example of what an educator should be. One of Margie’s favorite teachers was Mrs. Seiler. “I al- Michelle teaches grades 6, 7 and 8 mathematics and grade ways remember how she made literature come alive! She Continued on page 13

Help Support Annunciation School

If you appreciate the Annunciation School education that you received, please consider making a donation to the school today.

Donations by Credit Card Donations by check Via the School’s Web Site Payable to Annunciation School http://school.annunciationcrestwood.com/giving 465 Westchester Avenue Crestwood, NY 10707 February 2014 Page 13

Teaching Teachers

Continued from page 12 While a student at Annunciation, probably as young as 4th or 5th grade, Donna knew that she was attracted to 7 religion at Immaculate Conception School in Tuckahoe, teaching. She is a graduate of Lakeland High School and NY. She previously taught at Mt. Carmel/St. Anthony received an undergraduate degree in history from Mt. St. School in Yonkers, and St. Pius V in the Bronx. She is cur- Mary College in Newburgh, NY and earned a master’s de- rently working on a master’s in mathematics education gree from Western Connecticut State College. grades 5-12. Donna has been a substitute teacher in the Mahopac As a teacher, Michelle is constantly learning. She says, school district as well as at St. Joseph’s School in Croton “Learning is not limited to our subject matter and new ways Falls, NY. She is currently a 5th-grade teacher at St. Eliza- to teach, but our students teach us beth Ann Seton School in Shrub Oak, NY. In that capacity,

something new every day. The best she teaches English, composition, religion, social studies, thing about teaching is making a dif- spelling and reading. ference in the lives of your students. Donna’s favorite Annunciation School teacher was Mrs. It is quite rewarding when a child can O’Neil because she always felt comfortable around finally say that they understand how her. “She talked to me like I was a friend, not just one of to do something.” Michelle also be- her students,” says Donna. lieves that college degrees do not mean that a teacher is completely Joanna Capozzo Napolitano ‘90 began her teaching prepared for this undertaking. “We career in the Bronx, NY. She then worked in New Rochelle learn and grow from our experiences before leaving the workforce temporarily after giving birth Michelle Targiano with our students and our colleagues. to her sons. Joanna then returned to teaching at Annuncia- I also feel that I became a much bet- LaMassa tion School where she taught 4th grade from 2009 to 2012. ter teacher after becoming a mother.” A mother of twin 8-year-olds, Joanna and her husband Michelle’s favorite teacher was Mrs. Lisa Siano, whom are residents of New Rochelle. When she left Annunciation, she says, “was kind and always made sure we understood Joanna moved to the New Rochelle public schools where math. She is the teacher who made me actually enjoy math.” she continued to teach 4th grade at the William B. Ward

Elementary School. Having been interested in While completing a bachelor’s degree in finance at Iona school administration while in College, Liz Kilkenny ‘82 realized that she wanted to be a college, Joanna earned a master’s teacher. She went on to receive a master’s degree in educa- of science in teaching and a mas- tion from and a second master’s in ter’s of arts in administration and reading with certification for K-12 from supervision. She is state certified Manhattanville College. in teaching and school building She began her career in the East administration and capitalized on Ramapo Central School District (NY) in all of her credentials when she 1992, and currently teaches 6th grade. Liz became the assistant principal of Joanna Capozzo is a resident of Yonkers and has two Midland Elementary School (Rye, Napolitano sons and a daughter. She says that what she NY) in July 2013. loves about teaching is that, “each day and Joanna’s favorite Annunciation school teacher was Mrs. each year brings something new. Every day Judy Manzi who, Joanna says, “inspired me with her com- is different, and it never gets boring.” Liz Kilkenny passion for her students and her passion for teaching.” Liz says, “My favorite teacher was Mrs. Peg Connors, because she was nice to me.” Kristina Remy ‘96 has been a special education teacher for 7-1/2 years. After Annunciation, she graduated from Donna Jones Vitrone ‘89 has learned that sometimes Maria Regina High School and Manhattanville College where the only stability in a child’s life is found in school. She be- she did both her undergraduate and graduate work. She is lieves that it is important for school to be fun because stu- dual certified in regular and special education and also certi- dents need to know that you can still learn and have fun in fied to teach students from birth to grade 9. school. Continued on page 14 Page 14 The Annunciator

Teaching Teachers

Continued from page 13 She is now a school psychologist in the Lakeland Central School District (NY) having previously worked in Rye Neck Kristina says that she has enjoyed helping and teaching and Eastchester school districts, as well as the Trumbull, others from as far back as she can remember. “I have Stamford and Newtown school districts memories of teaching my brother to ride a bike, swim, etc., (CT). Aileen likes that there is no “one as well as imparting my knowledge of various subjects to my right answer when working with chil- friends. I knew I wanted to become a teacher my freshman dren. You have to give different assess- year of high school. I was having trouble in math class, ments and figure out what their particu- and my math teacher spent countless hours after school lar learning style is to be successful at teaching me strategies to approach the math topics that I school.” She loves working as a team was struggling with.” with teachers and families to best sup- Kristina, who lives in Scarsdale, port students. Aileen came to this par- NY, has worked at Pathways School ticular line of work having interned at a in Eastchester as well as The West- mental health clinic in Harlem in New Aileen Finnerty chester School for Special Children York City during her studies at Ford- Doohan in Yonkers. She currently teaches ham. Working with a school psycholo- medically fragile children at the John gist and talking with her about the field convinced her that A. Coleman School in Yonkers, al- such a career would be a perfect fit. though she has worked with stu- Aileen’s favorite Annunciation teacher was Miss Pizzuti dents on the autism spectrum as because she made the classroom such a welcoming place. Kristina Remy well as students with multiple dis- abilities. “I’ve always had a special place in my heart for students with disabilities and those who needed a different approach to THE CHURCH of the ANNUNCIATION learning,” said Kristina. Kristina’s favorite teacher at Annunciation was Mrs. Invites you to celebrate Reilly because “she made an effort to make each student feel A TIME FOR FAITH AND TREASURES special.”

Katie McNamara ‘00 teaches 2nd grade special educa- tion at the George W. Miller Elementary School in Na- nuet, NY. She knew she wanted to be a teacher in her sen- ior year of high school when she recognized that she had a strong desire to help students who struggle be more successful in school. honoring four of our Annunciation Treasures After she completed her undergraduate who have given so much of their time and talents degree at Marist College, Katie com- to make Annunciation a special parish pleted her master’s degree at the Col- lege of New Rochelle. Joann Capozzo Still a resident of Crestwood, Katie Alfred F. Kelly Sr. says that her favorite teacher was Mrs. Eileen McSherry Reilly because “she always made me feel good about school even though it Katie McNamara Msgr. James R. Moore wasn’t always easy for me.” Saturday, March 29, 2014 After graduating from and Ford- 6:30PM - Midnight ham University where she majored in psychology and mi- Westchester Manor nored in Irish studies, Aileen Finnerty Doohan ‘00 re- Hastings-on-Hudson ceived her master’s from Fairfield University in May 2011. $125 per person http://annunciationcrestwood.com/parishdinnerdance.html February 2014 Page 15

Free Time? After School—Then and Now By William Maghak ‘14 What to do in your free time is an juggling two or three sports per season. age-old question. After school, every- Each sport includes practice, possibly one needs a little time to unwind and conditioning and games. kick back, right? That has always been Today, when there truly is nothing to the case in Crestwood, as in most do, you could probably find many An- neighborhoods, but how we do it has nunciation students at the station or changed. Schultze Park. My friends, in particular, Nowadays, spare time has become a will grab some lunch at the station and precious commodity, because, frankly, then walk to the park or one of our who has it? In speaking with my father, houses, where we play basketball, football Joe Maghak ‘79, “after school” was or even video games, depending on the much simpler back then. They may weather. On warmer days, we usually opt have had an intense game of stickball at for basketball, and football is played on the park, or rode their skateboards and cooler, fall days. bikes until it was time to go home for William Maghak ‘14 and his father, Years ago, no one visited the station Joe ‘79 dinner, but it was not structured. I think just for lunch. There was no “hanging that is the biggest difference. Sure kids out” at Crestwood station, something played baseball and basketball—baseball was played in the that has become so commonplace for Crestwood kids that spring and basketball was played in the winter. The basket- they can be found there most days or nights. Additionally, it ball team was most likely Annunciation CYO, and baseball is used as a meeting point for kids from nearby areas. was probably Hillcrest Lakers, but there was no overlap. Video games are another new way to spend time. Sys- That is no longer the case. tems, such as Xbox and Playstation, offer us the opportunity Baseball now may include playing for your school team to play video games while in the same room, or “live” sepa- and Hillcrest Lakers; when that ends, summer ball starts up, rately from our family rooms. Tablets, such as iPads, allow us which is followed by fall ball. In high school, there is base- to transport our entertainment wherever we go—home, a ball conditioning in the winter to get you ready for the friend’s house, the car or wherever there is a wi-fi signal! spring season. Similarly, basketball is played in the winter As with most things, there are, of course, similarities as with your school and simultaneously on an AAU team, or well. Kids today still play basketball at their friends’ hoops. travel team. The summer may fill up with various basketball Also, if not being shuttled to a particular field for practice by camps at area high schools. Soccer, hockey and lacrosse are a parent, biking is still a popular means of transport. Music very popular sports today that were uncommon thirty years remains a traditional extracurricular activity. And something ago, and they too include various camps and clinics, travel that will never change, the highlight of any activity is just be- teams and local leagues. As is plain to see, we now end up ing with your friends! Keep Us in Mind!

If you have a bit of news to share—a birth, marriage, anniversary, engagement, job change or other fun life event, please drop us a line and send us a photo!

If you have a change of email or mailing address, please let us know. We don’t want to lose touch!

All information can be emailed to [email protected]. Please don’t forget to include your full name and year of graduation. Page 16 The Annunciator

Why was Lou Pinella October Photo Mystery Solved! at Annunciation School?

Dorothy Merolla (lower right corner) was identified as the mystery woman in this photo. Dorothy was our parish sec- retary for many years in the 1950s and 1960s. She worked closely with Msgr. Brosnan. Dorothy was the mother of Paul Merolla ‘61. The photo was taken for publication in the Golden Jubilee journal. The above photo was taken on May 17, 1988, and Lou Pinella is surrounded by the future Class of 1993. At the time, Sweet Lou was the New York Yankees’ general man- ager. In just over a month, June 23, he would again be- come the Yankees’ manager when Billy Martin was fired. Do you know why Lou Pinella was at Annunciation School? Email [email protected] with your answer.

Look at Those Uniforms! And Those Smiles!

Annunciation Basketball Winter 1978

Bottom Row: Eddie Conlon ‘79, Philip Pascale ‘78, Bryan Fay ‘79 and Chris Dillon, ‘79

Standing front row: Sam Draddy ’79, Michael Gilchrist, ’79, Frank Walsh ‘78, Jimmy Fay ‘78, and Adam David ‘79

Standing Back row: Michael Burger ‘80, Danny Sullivan ‘78, Richard Ferrari ’79, and John McMahon ‘78

Coaches were Mr. Pascale on the left and the late Doug Faul ‘68 on the right. February 2014 Page 17

Thank You to the Following Deaths School Families

Please pray for the souls of the following deceased alumni: The following school families made a commitment to pray for our deceased Annunciation alumni during the month of Thomas Flynn ‘57, brother of Raymond ‘60 and Robert November 2013. Without them, Annunciation School ‘64 would not be able to continue such a wonderful tradition. Thank you! Christian Soto ‘87, brother of Jesse ‘91 and son of Alice Wilkinson Soto ‘60 Class of 1948—The McMahon* family Class of 1949—The Varker* Family Edna Clark Rogers ‘65, sister of Virginia ‘54, James ‘56, Class of 1950—The Conlon* Family John ‘68 and Marianne ‘61 Class of 1951—The Merone and Bonanno families Class of 1952—The McCrory Family Thomas Taxter ‘99 Class of 1953—The Dolis Family Class of 1954—The O’Brien and Taylor families Terrence Kramer ‘63, brother of Thomas ‘60 Class of 1955—The Dufresne and Benedikt families Class of 1956—The Tobin and Clerkin-Lundin families We also pray for the souls of the following family of Class of 1957—The Fitzmaurice family alumni: Class of 1958—The Adams* family Class of 1959—The Harpur family William Ludt Sr., father of Peg ‘59, Bill ‘61, Rick ‘63, Ro ‘66, Class of 1960—The Hogan family Niki and Terry Class of 1961—The Sheehan* and Carr families Class of 1962—The Tannian family Jane Walsh, sister of James ‘67 and Kathleen ‘72 Class of 1963—The Petit family Class of 1964—The Sullivan family Mary Gormley, mother of Karen ‘71, John ‘74, Anne ‘80 and Class of 1965—The Kilduff, Wirchansky and Mueller the late Mary ‘68 families Class of 1966—The Downes family Angela Auteri, mother of Peter ‘65, James ‘67, Paul ‘68 and Class of 1967—The Costiglio and Simmons families John ‘71 Class of 1968—The Buff family

Margaret Rossano, mother of Gina ‘76, JoAnn ‘78 and Class of 1969—Class 4B—Yaroslawa Perich Michelle ‘80 Class of 1970—Class 4A—Nora Parisi Class of 1971—The Cronin family Carol Scolaro, mother of Mary Clare ‘69, Bernie ‘72 and the Class of 1972—The Belluccio family late Paul ‘71 Class of 1973—The Boncardo family Class of 1974—Class 3A—Adrienne Brazier John Fitzpatrick, husband of Carole Tedaldi Fitzpatrick ‘78 Class of 1975—The Mancino* family Class of 1976—The Moeller family Class of 1977—The Gilchrist* family Class of 1978—The Barry family Class of 1979—The Conner* family Class of 1980—The DiPanfilo family Class of 1981—The Finneran* family Class of 1982—The Butler family Continued on page 21 Page 18 The Annunciator

Milestones Milestone Spotlight Engagements Tommy Kilduff Joins YFD Kimberly Gutekunst ‘00 and Hugh Stout III were en- gaged on Christmas morning in Hugh’s hometown of Okla- homa City, OK. Kimberly works in human resources for Hermes, and Hugh works in software consulting. The couple, who met in Manhattan in July 2012, are planning a Fall 2014 wedding.

Lacey Gutekunst ‘03 was engaged to Peter Madden on January 25, 2014 in Los Angeles, CA. She and Pete, who knew each Tommy Kilduff ‘03 has always wanted to be a fire- other when they were students at fighter, following in the footsteps of both of his grandfa- Dominican Academy and Regis thers and five of his uncles. In September 2013, Tommy High School, respectively, started joined the Yonkers Fire Department and graduated from dating after college. Lacey is an the fire academy in December 2013. He had taken the actor and singer, and Pete is a sen- firefighters’ test in the spring of 2012 and completed the ior producer for Sports Illus- physical part of the test in the fall of 2012. trated. The couple is planning a A graduate of and Catholic June 2015 wedding. University of America, where he studied history and edu- cation, Tommy says that it was at the fire academy gradua- tion in December that he really felt a part of the brother- Marriages hood.

Tommy works at Engine 304 at Station 4 on Radford Thomas Browne ‘77 married Heather Rudisill on Octo- Street in southwest Yonkers, an easy commute from his ber 18, 2013. Thomas’ brother, Michael ‘79, was the best home in Crestwood. man. His brother, Kevin ‘73 and sister Carol ‘72 walked their mother down the aisle. Thomas’ brother, Robert ‘70, played the bagpipes as the bride walked down the aisle. The reception was held at the Bear Mountain Inn. The Jose Velasco ‘93 and his wife, Ca- couple resides in Putnam Valley, NY. tarina, are happy to announce the birth of their daughter, Sabrina, on Septem- Births ber 16, 2013, at Orange Regional Hos- pital in Middletown, NY. Sabrina Hernani Castro ‘84 and his wife, Susan, had fraternal joins her big sister, Isabelle, who is 2 twin boys on December 20, 2013. Thomas Edward Cas- years old. The family returned to An- tro made his debut just two min- nunciation Church to baptize Sabrina utes before his brother, Matthew on December 29, 2013. William Castro, at White Plains Hospital. Susan is currently en- joying maternity leave from her Michael Francis Buono was born to Michael Buono ‘90 and work in the municipal bonds his wife, Lisa, on June 11, 2013, at Lawrence Hospital in Bronx- division at Citigroup in Manhat- ville, NY. The Buono family lives in Yonkers, NY. tan. Hernani is a director of quality assurance at Viterion TeleHealthcare in Elmsford, NY. February 2014 Page 19 Class Notes 1949 derful memories and stories about grow- 2005 ing up in that neighborhood. It is hard to Francis Doyle is a “reading buddy” see this go, but we are all hoping for a Brendan Grogan graduated from Mar- in his daughter’s kindergarten class. family to buy it who will enjoy it as much ist College in December 2013 with a She teaches in Sumter, SC. Frank and as we did!” 3.5 GPA. He is currently seeking a job seven members of the local Kiwanis in the field of finance. Club volunteer one hour a week and 1971 work one-on-one with the children. 2008 Frank says they are paid “with smiles Richard Hoefling is now general man- and hugs.” ager at V. Santini, Inc., a moving and Emma Dolgos plans on double major- storage company established in 1899. ing in politics and international affairs 1961 Prior to this, he was, for 23 years, a vice and history. She is a sophomore at president at Apple Maintenance Services, Wake Forest University in North Caro- On October 17, 2013, Nancy Waters Inc., a company owned by his sister, lina and a member of Kappa Alpha was named the President of the Ladies Dorothy ‘75 and her husband, Manny. Theta. In addition, Emma plays club of Charity, NY. The installation Mass Richard says, “New job, new year, new soccer for the university and is one of was held on October 19, in the Lady life. My journey continues. I hope your the two executive officers/captains for Chapel of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. A journeys continue wondrously.” the team. luncheon followed at The Univeristy Club. 1973 Sam Powers is a sophomore at George Washington University, where 1964 A new position for Yonkers City Court he is majoring in international affairs Judge has opened up this year, and Rich- with a concentration in global public Ellin Collabolletta Duggan recently ard Sweeney is hoping to be among the health. In addition, he plays defense moved to Upland, in southern Califor- candidates considered for the job. Rich- for the school’s club hockey team, play- nia. She and her husband, Kip, are ard has experience in this area, having ing teams from both fully retired now. They sold been named a Yonkers City Court Judge Duke, UNC, NC their home in Hartsdale, NY and in March 2010, finishing out a vacated State, the Naval have downsized to a lovely condo in term until the end of 2010. Academy and Upland. Ellin and Kip’s daughter and rival Georgetown her family live nearby. “We are enjoy- 1993 University. Sam ing our grandchildren, settling in and says, “Academics making new friends. We love and Anthony Casella is the director of cam- are my priority, miss our friends in NY.” To keep in pus ministry at Iona Prep in New Ro- and I am able to touch, you may contact Ellin at chelle, NY. He is also the founder of the concentrate on my schoolwork while [email protected]. Hope for Change Foundation (HFC), also being able to participate on a com- which is a unique organization dedicated petitive sports team. Playing has had a 1967 to cancer research and breast cancer very positive impact on my college ex- awareness. The idea for the foundation perience.” Kate Kearney-Patch has spent the started in 1997 when a group of high last several months renovating the school students sought to make a contri- 2012 “Kearney House”—the Crestwood bution to the community through funds house in which the six Kearney chil- raised in theatrical performances in West- On Saturday, January 11, 2014, Conor dren were raised. It is a gorgeous chester County, NY. By 2002, HFC was Lundy set a new Fordham Preparatory three/four-bedroom Colonial with a an established 501(c)3 charity. HFC has School sophomore school record for stone front located at 12 Avondale raised over $100,000 for local hospitals the one-mile run with a time of 4 min- Road. The house now has a brand- and research projects since its inception utes, 23 seconds. Mike Miano new open kitchen and hardwood and has committed over $20,000 in the (Annunciation ‘11) was only a bit be- floors throughout and is for sale. past two years to research projects related hind him, running the mile in 4 min- Kate says, “We have a lot of won- to breast cancer at White Plains Hospital. utes, 29 seconds. Page 20 The Annunciator

Can You Help Us Find These Missing Alumni? It has been an almost four year process of trying to document and locate every one of the more than 3,500 graduates of An- nunciation School from 1948 to 2013. Despite our best efforts, and searches high and low, some graduates seem to have disappeared. Can you help us locate any of the graduates named below from the 1980s and beyond? If you can help with a confirmed email or mailing address or even a hint, please share whatever information you can provide by email to Mary Theresa McCombe at [email protected]. Thank you in advance for any help!

1980 1989 1995 2001 Denise Esposito Frank Cosmo Ann Marie Paolucci Sarah Martinez Stephen Longobardi Julie Rotondini Aju Thengumparampil Jeanette Poinsette Patrick O’Brien 1990 1996 2002 1981 Megan Fritz Matthew Salerno Jeremy Cartica Kerri Ann Franjola Christopher Ceserano 1991 1997 Antonio DeVivo 1982 Nora DiFabio Raffael Fiumara Meghan Kelly Thomas Carey Blum Kathleen Olson Nathaniel Landry Zachariya Syed

1985 1992 1998 2004 Deborah Jean Dowling Brian Coyne Paul Cusulos Frances Kuhn Theresa Hamberger 1986 1993 2005 Jennifer Meyer Jacklyn Reyes Pancrudo 1999 Mitchel Dishey-Mooney Renee Zacharia Alvin Mathew Christina Kelly 1987 Dennis Rosa Peter Gallagher 1994 2000 Erica Competiello Anna Jablonski 2007 1988 Laurie Ann Merizalde Nicole Vaccaro John Frabotta Timothy O’Sullivan 2009 Jenna Scaglione

Look in the June 2013 issue for the names of those missing from the 1940s and 1950s and in the October 2013 issue for the 1960s and 1970s. With your help, we can find everyone!

Annunciation's Linkedin Group is for alumni, family and friends of Annunciation. Join Annunciation School (Crestwood, NY) today! February 2014 Page 21

Class Trip Memories

Everyone can probably remember at least one. It was From Meg Hill Nealon ‘76: usually the highlight of the school year, and while the chil- In 1st grade, Sr. John Peter took us to the Staten Island dren could not wait, the chaperones were probably just Zoo. I have a vivid memory of the trip though I do not re- crossing their fingers that it all went off without a hitch. member if 1B, Miss Some trips were to distant cities, others were just around Pizzuti’s class, went the corner. also. Sr. John Peter Here are some memories of class trips from the past. said she wanted to go there because many of From Carolyn Mangone White ‘60: the kids had never been on a boat. We For our 8th-grade Girl Scout Troop trip, we took a bus took a school bus to and visited all of the usual Washington D.C. sites. In the end of Manhattan those days, there was a little open air train with wicker and then took the Staten Island Ferry. Amazing! I don’t seats that transported you to the Capital Building from the think that would be a class trip these days. I remember buy- House or the Senate. We were standing at the round- ing a monkey souvenir. about patiently waiting for people to get off so we could board. We suddenly heard Connie Sullivan ‘60 gasp and In 6th grade, Sr. Margretta took us on the Circle Line as yell out, “You’re Kena- our class trip. When we rounded the northern tip of Man- tor Sennedy!” It was hattan at Spuyten Duyvil and began to head south passing Senator John Fitzgerald , there in front of the rock with the big Kennedy, shortly before “C” on it were three guys mooning us! Sr. Margretta was he announced he was beside herself yelling, “Don’t look! Don’t look!” so of running for president. course we ALL looked! We thought it was soooo funny! He thought Connie’s My mother was a chaperone on this trip, and I recently outburst was funny, so he stopped to talk with us. It was asked her if she remembered this and she gave a resounding the highlight of our trip. Little did I know that I would go YES! She said the chaperones were very upset. Very funny. on to work in the Senate offices of both Robert and Ted Of course, mooning was the thing in the 70s! Kennedy!

Thank You History of the 60s: The Ladies’ Guild Continued from page 17 From the “History of the Sixties Annunciation Parish”: Class of 1983—The Spero* family Class of 1984—The Fay* family “Those monthly Monday night meetings of the Ladies’ Class of 1985—The Breen* family Guild in the 60s were life-savers for the mothers who, in Class of 1988—Class 6B—Jacqueline Reda* most cases, only got out once a month without the children. Class of 1991—The Barnes* family Silver and china service were used (provided by Harriet Class of 1992—Class 3B—Louis Capozi Dougherty). Over 100 women attended the Guild meetings. They had speakers/demonstrations; one Christmas time the Class of 1993—The McNamee* family Sisters of St. Francis sang, in fact, some of you probably still Class of 2002—The Geremia* family have the recording. At another Christmas meeting, the Class of 2010—Class 1A—Sr. Theresa Maryknoll Sisters performed.”

*Alumni families (one parent is an Annunciation alum- - The History of the 60s was recently found by Peter Spero nus) ‘83 in a collection of items belonging to his late parents. Page 22 The Annunciator

A Spokesman is Born of Adversity

In seventh grade, Ryan Gilchrist had no ber 2013, during which a check for idea that he would face one of life’s biggest $250,000 was presented to the Pediatric challenges. His parents had no idea that they Cancer Research Foundation (PCRF). would also be facing an emotional and spiri- Ryan also spoke at the PCRF’s annual char- tual test. But Ryan has overcome his chal- ity golf outing in August 2013 and was in- lenge, with the help of his family and friends, terviewed in October 2013 on radio station and has now become a spokesman for pedi- WHUD for the Children’s Miracle Network atric cancer research. Hospitals’ radiothon. Ryan is the youngest of three children of In an interesting chain of events, Ryan Denise and Tommy Gilchrist ‘77. He has has recently been asked to be an honorary been an active participant on Annunciation member of the Fordham University basket- CYO athletics for his entire school career as ball team during one of their home games. well as Hillcrest Lakers Community Club, At a fall 2013 Annunciation CYO Mass Topside Lacrosse and the Bronxville Black- and Communion breakfast, held in the hawks. He plays basketball, lacrosse and school’s gym, the guest speaker was Ford- hockey, sometimes playing multiple sports in ham University assistant basketball coach, the same season, and was a member of the Thomas Parrotta. Ryan wanted to share New York State Champion Annunciation some information about a PCRF basketball 6th grade CYO basketball team in 2012. Ryan Gilchrist ‘14 fundraiser that he was participating in at St. In 7th grade, things came to a screeching John’s University called “Dribble for the halt. When occasional stomach pain became more frequent Cure.” He had asked the CYO leadership for permission to and unbearable, his parents took him to the emergency hand out fliers to the participants at the breakfast. Coach room at Maria Fareri Children’s Hospital. Surgery to correct Parrotta saw the fliers and sought Ryan out. what was thought to be an intestinal problem resulted in a The result was an invitation to a Fordham University much different diagnosis— B cell lymphoma. home basketball game which will take place later this season. Tommy credits Al Kelly ‘72 with helping to steer Ryan in Coach Parrotta says that he reached out to Ryan because he the right direction. “Some families struggle for weeks gath- knows that a coach can have an incredible impact on young ering information and figuring out who are the best doctors people. “What I’ve always tried to maintain is that basket- to see. Al had experience in his own family with this type of ball is a kid’s game, and it should be enjoyed. When I speak cancer, and within 48 hours, we knew how to proceed.” to young people, I always remind them that playing a sport Ryan came under the care of Dr. Mitchell Cairo, a leading and being part of a team is special, and it should be treated doctor and medical researcher who has as such. When it is taken from you due to helped advance the survival odds of this type no fault of your own, it is heartbreaking.” “Adversity is like a of pediatric cancer. Monsignor Keane and He continues, “When I heard of Ryan Father Ivan rallied around Ryan and his fam- strong wind. It tears and the struggles he has had to endure and ily, providing spiritual guidance and support. away from us all but the the people who have rallied behind him, I The school family and parish members things that cannot be felt that Ryan should be applauded for his stood with and behind the Gilchrists as soon torn, so that we see our- determination, and those who rallied behind as the news broke. After 90 days of treat- selves as we really are.” him as well. His experience has been a won- ment, which included chemotherapy, Ryan derful example of community and helping was declared “cancer free” and returned to - Arthur Golden, author people through hard times.” finish 7th grade. Coach Parrotta says that he has kids of Now in 8th grade and getting ready to go to high school, his own and that Ryan’s story hits really close to home. Ryan finds himself on the speakers circuit. He has been the “The people here at Fordham University and I are really not keynote speaker at a variety of fundraising events. In No- doing anything for him. Rather he is REALLY doing some- vember 2013, he was the keynote speaker at the Maria Fareri thing for us. He is a true example of what a competitor is Children’s Hospital “Wines of the World” charity auction. and should be, and I’m sure he will provide that message to He was also the keynote speaker at the Hyundai Motor Cor- our team and program just by being here with us!” poration’s “Hope on Wheels Foundation” event in Septem-