ANNUAL REPORT for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2019
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ST. RITA OF CASCIA HIGH SCHOOL ANNUAL REPORT for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2019 TRUTH UNITY LOVE Veritas Unitas Caritas ADMINISTRATION President TRUTH UNITY LOVE James Quaid, Ph.D. VeritasUnitas Caritas Chairman of the Board Ernest J. Mrozek, ‘71 Vice President of Academics Wes Benak, ‘81 Vice President of Student Life CONTENT Josh Blaszak ‘02 Vice President of Finance SCHOOL NEWS Eileen Spulak OFFICE OF INSTITUTIONAL ADVANCEMENT page 1 | A Message from Jim Quaid Director of Institutional Advancement page 2 | Fall Sports Wrap Up Jim Juchcinski ‘97 Director of Annual Appeal and Major Gifts page 4 | The Caritas Project John Schmitt ‘84 Associate Director of Advancement & page 6 | St. Rita Welcomes New President Director of Advancement Communications Laura Fleck page 8 | Students Explore Career Opportunities Database Manager & Director of Special Events Mary Gal Carroll Beyond the Classroom Director of Alumni & Donor Relations page 10 | Faculty Spotlight: Robyn Kurnat Rob Gallik ‘10 BOARD OF DIRECTORS ALUMNI/ADVANCEMENT NEWS Ernest Mrozek ‘71 (Chairman) Victoria Barrios page 12 | Career Day James Brasher ‘71 Bernard DelGiorno HON Lawrence Doyle ‘68 page 14 | Mustangs in the MLB James Gagnard ‘64 Thomas Healy ‘83 page 15 | A Message from Jim Juchcinski ‘97 Catharine Hennessy David Howicz ‘84 Nicholas LoMaglio ‘04 page 16 | Keeping Track Donald Mrozek ‘65 Clare Napleton page 17 | 1905 Guild Charles Nash ‘71 John O’Neill ‘79 page 18 | Summary Financial Statement Fr. Anthony Pizzo, O.S.A. Timothy Ray ‘87 Br. Joe Ruiz, O.S.A. page 19 | Honor Roll of Donors Stephen Schaller ‘83 Fr. Bernard Scianna, O.S.A. ‘83 page 32 | In Memoriam Dina Scianna Ronald Skwarek ‘70 Renee Sykes Charles Volpentesta ‘92 Andrew Youpel EMERITI BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ronald Abramowicz ‘60 Anthony Colosimo ‘63 Dr. John Donahue Michael J. McArdle ‘54 Fr. Thomas McCarthy, O.S.A. ‘83 Donald A. Petkus ‘58 Arthur Velasquez ‘56 A Message from the Head of School Dr. James Quaid, Ph.D. Dear Ritamen, Families and Friends, I began my new position as president of St. Rita High School after Thanksgiving this year. It was a special Thanksgiving for me because I was especially grateful for being given the opportunity to work at a wonderful school and to be part of a tremendous tradition. Catholic education has been going through some challenging times. Nineteen years ago, there were 267 elementary and 48 secondary schools in the Archdiocese of Chicago. Ten years later, we were down to 215 elementary and 40 secondary schools. This year began with only 172 elementary and 32 secondary schools. Unfortunately, many of the schools that closed lost sight of their mission. Here at St. Rita, the belief in the mission is alive and well: St. Rita aims to form each student as a whole person: spiritually, intellectually, emotionally, physically and socially, and to provide its young men with the necessary skills to succeed in college and in life, leading to life-long learning and personal awareness. St. Rita High School has been blessed with a dedicated faculty and staff, supportive parents, caring alumni, a talented Board of Directors, generous donors and the Augustinians, who live the core values of Veritas, Unitas and Caritas. The graduates of St. Rita have done much to make this world a better place because they have served others by sharing their talents for the greater good. God bless you all for your support and for helping this great tradition continue. I look forward to working with you all. In Truth, Unity and Love, James Quaid, Ph.D. President of St. Rita High School 1 school news FALL SPORTS Wrap Up The 2019 Fall Sports Season produced many great wins and unparalleled success across the board with the varsity football team winning the Catholic League Green championship and advancing to the IHSA Class 5A State Championship Game while the varsity soccer team won their first regional championship since 1990. Also, the young varsity golf team advanced two golfers to the sectional meet while the cross-country team enjoyed their most success in the history of the program. The defense, led by 1st-year defensive coordinator Terry Quinn ‘83, would produce three shutouts on the season as they were the driving force behind the Mustangs nine-game winning streak. Sophomore running back Kaleb Brown burst onto the scene for the Mustangs, winning the Tony Lawless Award as the top player in the CCL Green. On the season, Brown scored 39 touchdowns and had over 2,000 yards from scrimmage while securing scholarship offers from Notre Dame and Michigan amongst many others. Brown was joined on the all-conference team by senior offensive tackle Trevor Tovey, junior offensive tackle/guard Bodie Turner, senior punter Joe Polselli, senior defensive end Michael Milton, senior defensive backs Tommy Hixson and Zenin Hall and junior linebacker Michael Gaughan. Second team honors went to Mykhai Harris, Chris McDevitt and Kyle James. Football The 2019 football season began with a thrilling 31- 14 win in the home opener over the defending IHSA Class 5A state champion Joliet Catholic Hilltoppers. The “Fighting” Mustangs then hit the road for three straight losses at Class 6A state semifinalist Richards, defending 8A champion Loyola, and Class 5A runner-up Montini. Sitting at (1-3) with a state playoff berth hanging in the balance, Head Coach Todd Kuska ‘90 and his team stormed to nine straight wins, clinching the Catholic League Green championship with a regular season-ending 7-0 home win over Notre Dame and advancing to the Class 5A State Championship Game where their dream season would end with a 42-28 loss to 8-time state champion Rochester. 2 school news Soccer The varsity soccer team led by Head Coach Bob Kellam ‘92 won their first regional championship since 1990 with a 2-1 Cross Country victory at Brother Rice. The “Kicking” Mustangs would finish the 2019 campaign (16-4) which would surpass last year’s (16- Head Coach Dave Letourneau ‘07 and the varsity cross- 6) record as the best in program history. They also captured country team were led this season by junior Saul Garcia who the Markulin Cup with their 2-1 regular season win at Brother Rice and the Augustinian Cup by means of their 7-5 (PKs) win at Providence. Senior Langston Bedgood led the way for the Mustangs earning the Tony Lawless Award as the top player in their division of the Catholic League. He also was named Southtown and Chicagoland Soccer first-team all-area. Bedgood was joined on the all-conference team by Kenya Sumpter, Brendan Breslin, Chuy Flores, Tyler Padilla, and Julio Walton. Golf posted a personal and team best time of 17:24 in the season’s The varsity golf opening weekend at the St. Ignatius Invite hosted by Lewis team had a good University. year this fall As a team, the “Running” Mustangs advanced to their second with a (5-4) team straight sectional qualifying at the Ridgewood High School record. There Regional. At the regional, Garcia posted a six-minute mile were several great leading the Mustangs to their sectional bid. Also, leading the performances cross-country team this season were senior Peter Viz, junior throughout the Tom Rooney and freshmen Ian Meza. course of the season, including a second place finish at the Crete- Monee Invite, a For all your fifth-place finish Mustang news in the Southside St. Rita Shootout, visit and a fifth-place stritamustangs.com finish at the IHSA Regional Tournament. The “Swinging” Mustangs were led by junior MVP Liam McKillop, who was an IHSA Sectional qualifier as well as fellow sectional qualifier, sophomore Jonathan Henze, and junior Ethan Rios, who was named the team’s most improved player. 3 school news THE CARITAS PROJECT Asa Catholic community, students at St. Rita of Cascia High School overten months – junior to senior year – that makes a significant arecalled to participate actively in their Christian identity by serving contributionto the community. A substantial number of hours are thosemost marginalized. The Caritas Project is intended to do demandedof students involved; this includes the brainstorming, justthat; with having Ritamen as agents of change in our city and planning,preparation and implementation required to bring the communitieswe can make the world a better place. It is the ultimate projectfrom infancy to its conclusion. It demands students to be call to put faith into practice. problem solvers - to initiate not just participate. Caritas– Latin for love – is one of the three Augustinian core values Inaddition, the in-depth evaluation process calls for students to atSt. Rita along with Unitas (Unity) and Veritas (Truth). The rigor and carefullydocument evidence of their work. This is submitted in the timelineof the project calls on our Ritamen to recognize their own formof a portfolio binder. Also at the project completion, students uniquegifts and talents and develop them to their fullest potential. writea reflective essay and make a formal presentation to a faculty/ Thisis the ultimate mission of the Campus Ministry Center which staff panel. The purpose of the evaluation process is to teach oversees the Caritas Project. organizationand time management skills as well as practice putting up a defense during the presentation. TheCaritas Project is an independent or team endeavor completed SINCE 2017 Past Caritas projects include… < Creatingcare packages for 1st Responders/Military 28,600 hours of service < Sharingtime & talent with seniors in retirement homes/ assisted living centers More than $63,000 raised < Fundraisersto support the Live Like John Foundation < Communitytoiletry drive to benefit an area homeless 243 service projects shelter < Parishfood drive to benefit a community food pantry Countless lives affected < Organizinga benefit dinner to support American Diabetes Association < Hockeytournament to benefit the 100 Club of Chicago Questionsor suggestions regarding the Caritas < Basketball clinic for underprivileged children Project can be directed to: < Sock, hat and glove drive to protect the homeless Mr.