Special Report: INTERSESSION REVIEW Coverage Begins Page 1 St. Augustine High School 3266 Nutmeg Street MarchSaints 2013 YOUR MONTHLY REPORT ON THE ST. AUGUSTINE Scene HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE Vol 34 no. 3 San Diego, CA 92104-5199 619-282-2184 Alumni Profile www.sahs.org Michael Inzunza (’91) Describes and Embodies The Importance Of Being a Saintsman By Edwin Hearn, President, St. Augustine High School INTERSESSION HIGHLIGHTS – The following collection of Saintsmen are participating in the school’s fifth annual Intersession program, where participating students serve intern- ships across the county. They’re posed with Sheriff Lt. Maria Wood, who is in charge of the San Diego Sheriff Department’s ASTREA unit, which includes supervision of pilots, mechan- ics and professional staff. Visiting the unit are (Left to right) Robert Aragon, Taylor Ahearn, Steven Grosse, Chris Lenox and Connor Filley. For more on other Intersession internships go to pages 8 and 9. For more info on the ASTREA program go to http://www.sdsheriff.net/ astrea/index.html. Michael Inzunza and in 1991 Intersession: Dozens of his month’s alumni spotlight is on Mi- chael Inzunza (’91), who has taught at New Ways to Learn Saints for the past eight years in a va- Triety of academic areas, has coached track at Inventive Mid-Year Enrichment Classes Differentiate Saints both Saints and the Academy of Our Lady of Peace and is the founder of The Loyal Sons, verheard on the floor of Dougherty a jillion people here and it’s too noisy. I a community service group for students. Gym during Intersession Expo: don’t think we’ll be able to hold people’s Currently, he is the Director of the As- “You know what, Greg? There are attention for very long.” sociated Students and moderates the school’s O “You’re right, Jim. They’re all hav- yearbook. Michael, his wife, Alejandra and ing a good time looking at the exhibits. two daughters, Isabella and Sophia reside in Dear Parents and Friends Let’s just hang loose.” Chula Vista. So while Mr. Hecht and Mr. Horne hung loose, the hundreds of attendees at Question: What is your most memorable Intersession 2013: Where this year’s Intersession Expo roamed and moment at Saints? chatted and ate and pointed and asked Answer: Where do I begin? Fr. John Sanders Interest and Education Meet and answered and explained and de- was always such an understanding priest and scribed what happened at St. Augustine friend to all of us. I wrote an article for the s you undoubtedly know, it is rare to have a student newspaper, Augustinian, protesting student crave more calculus. But as we found High School during the month of Janu- the Desert Storm war in Iraq encouraging out last month, boys love having the chance to ary. the entire student body to walkout of class, Aenrich their Saints Experience and their college prep This is the fifth year that Saints march to the football field and sit in on the curriculum by engaging in a variety of interest based has conducted Intersession courses, a 50-yard line. Well, I was the only student courses. four-week session of special curriculum who showed up and Fr. John brought his Administrators charged with the task of de- between the semesters. Teachers have lunch and sat down with me throughout fifth veloping high school curriculum often succumb to the chance to teach the way they want to block sharing his thoughts on injustice in the pressures to choose subjects and advanced placement teach. Students have the chance to learn Principal James Horne world. I never forgot that. opportunities that are perceived to be more useful as re- the way they want to learn. Seniors have I also remember tagging along Coach gards entrance to college. However, our educational philosophy encourages the chance to intern with business profes- Downey as a freshman to all the track meets us to push beyond the constructs of curriculum fashioned by requirements for sionals. The Expo is a giant show-and- hoping to get a chance to run with the varsity university entrance. And while recent struggles in the economy and associ- tell at the end of the session. Where did starters. As it turns out, a senior rolled his ated budget cuts mean that courses in the arts, music, and other elective stud- this all come from? ankle during warm-ups and coach put me ies are marginalized in many schools, Saints has pioneered an effort to give Becoming part of the school’s iden- in as the third leg of the 4x400. We ended students more. tity up winning the relay and coach eventually Film production, automotive mechanics, game theory, careers in sports, “A lot of preparation over a number awarded me MVP of the team as I finished sailing, cooking, and digital photography are areas of the school curriculum of years has gone into getting Interses- the season on the varsity roster. I keep that not likely to position a student for college entrance, but our students have indi- sion off the ground,” notes Mr. Hecht, trophy in my office right next to my wife’s cated they are not short on interest in these offerings. We want to help students assistant principal for academics. “I tip photo. develop a passion for learning, and sometimes that is difficult to accomplish in my hat to the faculty members and ad- traditional college prep classes. Our Intersession has sparked a curiosity and Continued on page 4. Continued on page 8 inquisitiveness in our students that has energized campus and stimulated their desire to learn. Photo essay of Saintsmen interning around town. See Page 8 New Principal At AOLP Each year as we prepare for the start of Intersession, the faculty and staff at Saints are reminded that one of the purposes of this unique semester of study cademy of Our Lady of Peace recently named Lauren Clark is finding ways to tie curriculum to interests central to the lives of high-school Lek Head of School. She will join the 130-year-old school age boys. We believe we have achieved great things with this unique term of this summer. A She is currently serving as the Principal at Moreau Catholic High study and owe a debt of gratitude to our administrators, faculty, staff, parents, internship partners and several guest speakers that make it all a huge success. School in Hayward, CA, where she was the eighth Principal and first THANK YOU! alumni Principal at Moreau. Mrs. Lek graduated from UC San Diego with a B.A. in Literature, Yours in the Spirit of Catholic Education, St. Mary’s College with an M.A. in Educational Leadership and has completed all coursework toward her Doctorate in Educational Technology Leadership Unitas Veritas Caritas Unitas Veritas from Pepperdine University. “I am truly honored to be joining the community at the Academy of Our Lady of James Horne Peace,” she said, “The school’s commitment to providing an exemplary education for Principal Continued on page 10. Save The Date For Sober Augustine: Arrival at Tagaste Grad Night Graduation event will be and Hippo, North Africa here before we know it he exciting time of graduation is just around By Fr. Bob Gavotto, O.S.A. (‘55) the corner for our seniors. To add to the fun of Saints Chaplain graduation we are planning Sober Grad Night forT Saints and OLP graduates. Sober Grad Night is As we continue our series an Austin Parents Association sponsored and chaper- on the history of Augustine, oned event. The goal of the event is to provide a fun, we pick up the story in Italy. safe, supervised and sober graduation celebration for After delaying almost two all Saints and OLP graduating seniors. We know that years there and seeing early our seniors will want to celebrate with their friends on efforts at Christian monasti- the night of their graduation. We want to make that cism, Augustine returned to celebration spectacular--and safe. the African city of Tagaste Graduation is a most significant event in our late in 388 A.D. To do so, students’ lives and it is a “party night”. There are so he sold the remainder of many unfortunate stories and facts related to graduation his late father’s estate and and impaired driving. We want to ensure we provide gave the proceeds to the poor, keeping the house a place for Saints and OLP grads to party with their for his own use. He gathered around himself fellow grads while enjoying in a drug and alcohol free in community with Adeodatus, Alypius, one or environment. If just one alcohol related arrest, injury or two other acquaintances and Possidius, whose worse yet, death is prevented by this alcohol free cele- “Life of Saint Augustine” provides a first-hand bration then the extensive effort to plan and fund it will description of the ideals and lifestyle of the have been well worth it – for our graduates, our families original Augustinian communities. and the community in general. If we can gather the The next three years at Tagaste were devoted resources to make the Sober Grad Night spectacular, to prayer, reading and manual labor. Augustine more students will attend and more students will spend knew there were two forms of monastic life: that the evening of their graduation safe and sober. of the hermit in the desert, and that of the com- munities he had seen in Rome and Milan. He GRAD NIGHT, JUNE 1 had no hesitation in opting for the latter, for his The event will take place at Kearny Mesa Bowl, 7585 call from God was not to the harsh self-denial of Clairemont Mesa Boulevard, graduation night (June a solitary hermitage.