INSIDE A Day of Honoring Mary Brings Joy in Service ND Theatre Benefits from the Talents of Mark Halstead ’80 The Magazine of Notre Dame High School Lancers Win First Basketball Title After 61 years SUMMER 2018 LEARNING WITH PURPOSE ND’s Strategic Vision Moves Boldly Forward Summer 2018 Contents From Our Principal Dear Friends, To say that it was an exciting school year would be an understatement! 02 Our Lady Day 04 Strategic Plan A year that began with the implementation of our numerous Day of service and fun for all First year successes for Strategic Plan initiatives Raising the Bar: ND2020 culminated with the 127 members of the Class of 2018 receiving their diplomas at graduation and over $17 million in scholarships and grants to college. In between, students continued to grow in character, faith and intellect on a daily basis. As you read through Impact, we will share some of the highlights of the year with you - from a group of students using 3D printers to build prosthetic devices for children in need to our tremendously successful first Our 07 The Arts: ND Theatre 08 Basketball Lady Day to winning state titles Benefiting from the creative We’re #1 at last! in basketball, baseball and golf. talents of Mark Halstead ‘80 As always, I am so proud of our community for all that they have accomplished and how well they have represented our school. All the best, Christopher Cipriano PRINCIPAL 11 Alumni News 12 Growing ND ND grads give back Gala 2018: Celebrating success IMPACT MAGAZINE STAFF Contributing Photographers: POSTMASTER ON THE COVER The Magazine of Editor: Theresa (Saia ’79) Marzik, Amy Mortenson, Brian Pounds | Send address changes to: Ben Clark ’19 applies his Notre Dame High School P’04,’06,’10 CT Post, Christina Rodrigues ’12 Office of Advancement/ passion for environmental 220 Jefferson Street Design: Keating Associates, Inc./ Alumni Relations science at Lake Mohegan. Fairfield, CT 06825 ann-design IMPACT Magazine Notre Dame High School Visit us online at Contributing Editors: 220 Jefferson Street www.notredame.org Nina M. Riccio and Sandi Shelton Fairfield, CT 06825 twitter.com/NDFFLD facebook.com/NDFairfield ©2018 Notre Dame High School SCIENCE AND DANCE Programs Awarded Grants school news NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL recently received two grants from Foundations in Education, a non-profit Manjot Singh ’19, Science Teacher Kathy Almeida and Alexys Ryan ’19 initiative created to assist the Diocese of Bridgeport’s mission to support Catholic education. She will use the $4,800 award for a new portable sound The first, “Community Building with 3D Printing,” was system as well as costumes for future performances, including awarded to Kathy Almeida, chair of the Notre Dame Science tap shoes, jazz shoes and props. Department and moderator of the school’s STEM Club. The “Dance is inherently appealing to young people and $12,000 awarded helped purchase three 3D printers, which is a vehicle where we can connect with our youth and help students will use for the “The Helping Hand Project,” which them find themselves by using their God-given talents,” said focuses on providing prosthetic devices for children in need. Hong. “One of the ways Notre Dame is unique is through its “I am very excited to be able to implement 3D printing approach to a holistic Catholic education by integrating a into our science curriculum and service projects,” said strong arts program into the curriculum.” Almeida. “Imagine being able to print a 3D human organ, Megan Loiz, a sophomore dance student, said that the fossil, airplane engine, robot, or prosthetic device for a needy improved sound system is going to make it possible for the child. In addition, our students will have the opportunity to students to hear the music while they’re on onstage, which will think outside the box as they design and create solutions to help them work together more easily. “We were all so thrilled real world problems using this innovative technology.” when we heard the exciting news,” she said. Sally Hong, Notre Dame’s dance teacher, received the second grant, called “Performing Arts in Catholic Education.” BY SANDI SHELTON Paris in the Springtime SIX VERY LUCKY NOTRE Their favorite part? “Well, Notre Dame Cathedral is DAME students and their breathtaking,” said junior Andrea Rueda, who was on her two language teachers, second trip to France with the spring tour. Mary Guarino and Elizabeth “I spent a really long time just walking Anderson-Zaczkowski, spent around and looking. I loved learning the spring break week in Paris, history of how they built it.” France, on a trip that Spanish Guarino said she couldn’t have asked teacher Guarino described as for a better group of students. All six girls “one big blur of happiness.” were juniors and seniors, and they were The week-long trip included fascinated by the historical and cultural The Eiffel Tower at twilight bus tours of the Latin Quarter, aspects of Paris that they were learning. the Bastille, Champs-Élysées and the Montmartre. The group “They were beside themselves with all took a trip down the Seine and visited the Arc de Triomphe, they saw,” she said. “They all became LEFT TO RIGHT: Spanish Teacher as well as museums, cafes, and—of course—The Louvre. such good friends and were so excited Mary Guarino, Andrea Rueda ’19, They watched the Eiffel Tower light up at night. They with every one of the activities they got Caitlin Trutt ’18, French Teacher Elizabeth Anderson-Zaczkowski, learned about art at the Picasso Museum. They attended to do. I can’t wait for next year.” Medalissa Kampmann ’18, Mass at Notre Dame Cathedral. Nicole Posade ’18, Alex Lucke ’18, BY SANDI SHELTON Angie Guzman ’18 1 LEFT TO RIGHT: Manjot Singh ’19, Kaylan Walcott ’19, Anabella McDonough ’19, Chris Taylor ’19, Angelica Zacarola ’19 A DAY OF HONORING MARY Brings Joy in Service On December 11, Notre Dame students joined in the first annual “Our Lady Day,” a school-wide day of activities to honor the Blessed Virgin Mary, the patroness of the school. IT WAS A DAY DESIGNED and coordinated “It was faith in action. It’s always really nice by Notre Dame’s Director of Campus Ministry, for the students to connect the things we teach, Jessica Medoff, who said she created the event and to put a face to the people we can serve and to help students see more clearly just how the to realize the different opportunities for giving lessons they learn in classes can be brought to that are out there,” Medoff said. real life. She said she wanted to use the Christmas The day began with Mass in the Sacred Heart season to celebrate fellowship, generosity of Chapel of the Holy Spirit, which was led by Fr. spirit, and faith. Ed McAuley ’65. Because Mary is “Our Mother,” Tamauri Attaud ’18, Connor Steer ’19 In addition to being entertained with music Medoff invited the mothers of current students and games and an inspirational speaker, the to sit in the front pews with their children, where students were given the chance to work on a they were given flowers and prayer cards. service project, packaging 10,000 meals of rice Attendees were treated to a special musical and protein to be sent to undernourished children performance by Mixed Company, an a cappella in Africa and South America by an organization group from Yale, along with a performance by called Rise Against Hunger. Notre Dame’s band and choir. Later, ND students They also designed and made Christmas presented a special Our Lady Day video during cards, rosary beads, and nativity scenes, which homeroom. were then donated to nursing homes in the area. Medoff also arranged for a speaker known 2 TOP LEFT: Andrew Prpich ’19 and Eric Araujo ’19; TOP RIGHT: Students and their moms enjoy the celebration of Mass.; BOTTOM: Honoring ND’s moms. as “Rob the Drummer” to give a talk about character unique experience during a school day.” and intellect. His message and music emphasized the A highlight, he said, was the announcement of importance of the arts and using energy for positive the Marion Awards at the end of the day. “I loved things and making good choices. spotlighting those students and staff who serve Even the special luncheon honored Mary by others in such a special way,” he said. “I am so featuring selections from Mexico, Ireland, France, Italy appreciative to Jessica Medoff for all her hard work and China, all places in which she has appeared. in organizing this, and I certainly look forward to next At the end of the day, students, faculty and year’s celebration.” staff were recognized for their faith, outstanding Deacon John DiTaranto, Notre Dame’s Chaplain, moral character, patience and generosity with the was involved in the planning and said the day was presentation of Marion Awards. incredibly successful. One of his favorite parts came “It really was a full day of activities that during the closing assembly, as students lined up celebrated who we are and our dedication to our with blue and white balloons, which they lifted up as faith,” Medoff said. She said the plan is to have this they prayed decades of the rosary in several become an annual event, a chance to bring the languages. “It was a beautiful representation of our school together and perform service projects and community of faith,” he said. reflect on the meaning of giving. BY SANDI SHELTON Our Lady Day had another positive effect, too. It amplified an important aspect of Notre Dame’s new strategic plan, Raising the Bar: ND2020.