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GOOD NEWS FROM PERALTA PARK 1

SAINT MARY’S COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL welcomed its newest alumni on June 7, when the Class of 2015 became the school’s 152nd graduating class. The ceremony was held at Zellerbach Hall on the UC Berkeley campus. Forty-five Golden Grads, members of the Class of 1965, joined in the celebration.

The commencement ceremony was the culmination of several days of graduation festivities, including a senior day at Cali-fornia’s Great America Theme Park and the Baccalaureate Liturgy, which was held on campus on June 6.

The values of inclusion and diversity were

key themes in both the salutatory and vale-dictory addresses, given by Sofia Bermudez-Eredia and Peter Sekona, respectively. (See pages 6 and 8 for text of the two speeches.) The student speakers also gave homage to Herman Shum, former Vice Principal for

G R A D U A T I O N 2 0 1 5

Congratulations, Graduates!

Members of the Class of 2015 celebrate following the Senior Presentation, one of their final days as students at Saint Mary’s.

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2 GOOD NEWS FROM PERALTA PARK

Student Life, who died in a bicycle accident in December.

“As a community of support, love, prayer, and strength, the spirit of Mr. Shum and his guidance lives in each and every one of us,” Sekona told his classmates, faculty, family, and friends. Shum’s death was particularly difficult for the seniors, who had gotten to know him as both a teacher and as the Vice Principal.

Representing the Class of ’65, Golden Grad Dr. Tom Brown spoke to the seniors and as-sembled guests at the Baccalaureate Mass.

“As the newest members of our [alumni] family, you have a responsibility and an op-portunity to practice the values you learned at Saint Mary’s: to care for others and to be the answers to the prayers of the helpless and hopeless,” said Brown. “Don’t just strive to make a difference,” he added. “Commit to be the difference in the worlds in which you live your lives.”

Before the ceremony, Brown spent a few minutes with the graduates, welcoming them to the generations of Saint Mary’s alumni. He recalled being on campus for Career Day and reminisced about his own graduation, 50 years earlier.

“There were no women here in 1965,” said Brown. “For 125 years Saint Mary’s had only sons. At long last, we have daughters, too.” Among the “daughters” in the Class of 2015 is Brown’s own granddaughter, Briahn, the first female in the Brown family to graduate from Saint Mary’s.

For the students, the graduation celebra-tion was a time to look back at their four years of academic and personal growth and to celebrate the friendships formed.

“I don’t think it has all hit me just yet,” said Roman Grace. “I am going to miss everyone and the good times we shared.”

Senior Jack Soldavini was joined by Kevin Franzoi, who traveled from Italy for the ceremony. Franzoi attended Saint Mary’s as an exchange student in 2014 and was struck by the “family feel” of the school community. “I had to come back for graduation,” said Franzoi.

“It’s been an incredible four years,” added Soldavini. “I couldn’t have asked for anything better.”

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0 The Kim Family, including Christy ’16, celebrate Jane’s awards following the Senior Presentation.

2 Graduate Brian Nguyen is congratulated by his sister, Adrianne ’17.

0 Mark Wight and his brother, Christian ’16.

0 Uchechi Nna-chi and her sister, Nenechi ’17.

1 Ben Schrider with his sister, Natalie ’18.

Saint Mary’s Families Celebrate!


1 Daniel Hibbard-Lubow received both the General Academic Excellence Award and the Brother Alfred Brousseau, FSC Award for mathematics.

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Class AwardsThe following members of the Class of 2015 were honored for their academic and athletic accomplishments and their commitment to service.

The Saint John Baptist De La Salle Certificates Of Academic DistinctionEnglish: Elena Louise Stenger and Matthew

Hyun-June KimSpanish: Sofia Bermudez-Eredia and

Meghan Natalia BrennanFrench: Mieko Inge Kurata Anders and Kylie

Matthews ParamoreSocial Studies: Isabel Anna Havens, William

Jerald Klein, and Sarah Antoñia StengerReligious Studies: William Jerald Klein and

Megan Anne McKiernanMathematics: Taylor Hanis Conran and

Diego Ricardo JaraScience: Marielle Chai Gardner, Daniel

Walter Hibbard-Lubow, and William Jerald Klein

Philosophy: Marielle Chai Gardner and Sarah Antoñia Stenger

Visual Arts: Soraya Rose ShockleyDrama-Performance: Megan Anne

McKiernanDrama-Technical: Richard Fuguei Fong Instrumental Music: Jane J. KimChoral Music: Stella Mira Van Den EedenDance: Ron Angelo William Smith

Saint Mary’s Talent And Service AwardsInspirational Athletes of the Year: Rhegille

Jazmeen Baltazar, MaAné S. Mosley, Ro-man Christopher Grace, and Benjamin Hawk Schrider

Athletes of the Year: Chloe Danielle Jenkins and Ron Angelo William Smith

Bobby N. Barrett Award for Music: Elena Louise Stenger

Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina Award for Choral Music: Carmen Julia Bloom

Katherine Dunham Award for Dance: Gabriella Fernandes Brito

Virginia Woolf Award for Creative Writing: Jessica Ashley DeWitt

Aldus Manutius Award for Journalism – Yearbook: Rachel Michelle Gee

Salutatorian: Sofia Bermudez-Eredia Valedictorian: Peter Sekona Academic AwardsPablo Picasso Award for Visual Arts:

Jessica Ashley DeWittPaul Robeson Award for Performing Arts:

Richard Fuguei Fong

Brother Alfred Brousseau, FSC Award for Mathematics: Daniel Walter Hibbard-Lubow

Dante Alighieri Awards for World Languages, French: Gabriella Fernandes Brito

Dante Alighieri Awards for World Languages, Spanish: Eduardo Ramirez

John Henry Cardinal Newman Award for English: Jane J. Kim

Eleanor Roosevelt Award for Social Studies: Soraya Rose Shockley

De La Salle Award for Religious Studies: Catalina Diomedes Jackson-Urueña

Galileo Galiliei Award for Laboratory Science: Amy Manzanita Tarczynski

General Academic Excellence Award: Daniel Walter Hibbard-Lubow

Highest School AwardsDei Verbum Award for Faith: Sarah

Antoñia StengerGaudium et Spes Award for Service:

Benjamin Hawk SchriderLumen Gentium Award for Community:

Amy Manzanita Tarczynski

2 State triple jump champion Ron Smith received the Athlete of the Year Award and an achievement certificate in dance.


Private Colleges

Academy of Art University

American University

Azusa Pacific University

Beloit College*

Berklee College of Music

Boston University

Briar Cliff University*

Brown University*

California Institute of the Arts*

Carleton College

Chapman University

Claremont McKenna College

Clark Atlanta University

Columbia College Chicago

Concordia University-Irvine

Cornish College of the Arts

Creighton University

Denison University*

Dillard University*

Dominican University of

California

Eckerd College

Eugene Lang College

Expression College*

Fisk University*

Fordham University

The George Washington

University*

Georgetown University*

Gonzaga University*

Grand Canyon University*

Hampton University

Harvard University*

Hawaii Pacific University

Hofstra University

Howard University*

Lewis & Clark College

Linfield College

Loyola Marymount University*

Loyola University Chicago*

Loyola University New Orleans

Manhattan College

Marquette University*

Marymount Manhattan College

McPherson College

Menlo College

Mills College

Mount Holyoke College

The New School

New York University*

Northeastern University*

Notre Dame de Namur

University*

Occidental College*

Pace University, New York City

Pacific University

Pitzer College

Quest University Canada

Reed College*

Saint Mary’s College of California*

Santa Clara University

Seattle University*

Seton Hall University

Southern Methodist University

Spelman College*

St. John’s University – Queens*

Swarthmore College*

Syracuse University

Tulane University

Tuskegee University

Ursinus College

University of St. Andrews

University of Connecticut

University of Denver

University of La Verne

University of the Pacific

University of Portland

University of Puget Sound*

University of Redlands

University of Richmond*

University of San Diego

University of San Francisco*

University of Southern California*

University of Vermont

Vanguard University of Southern

California

Whitman College

Whittier College

Willamette University

Xavier University of Louisiana

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College And University Acceptances

*Attending

0 Senior members of the football team gather at the Cross for a photo. Back, left to right: Noah Richards, Erik Phillip, Peter Sekona, Nelson White, Aaron Mercadel, and William Skipwith. Front, left to right: Ben Schrider, Sean Brown, and Roman Grace.

1 Elena Stenger received the Bobby N. Barrett Award for Music and a certificate in English.

2 Jessica DeWitt received school awards for visual arts and creative writing.


University of California

Berkeley*

Davis*

Irvine*

Los Angeles*

Merced*

Riverside*

San Diego

Santa Barbara*

Santa Cruz*

California State University

Bakersfield

Cal Poly Pomona

Cal Poly San Luis Obispo*

Channel Islands

Chico

East Bay*

Fresno

Fullerton

Humboldt State University

Long Beach*

Los Angeles*

Maritime*

Monterey Bay*

Northridge*

Sacramento*

San Bernardino

San Diego*

San Francisco

San Jose*

Sonoma*

Public Colleges and Universities

in Other States / Countries

Alabama A&M University*

Arizona State University

Colorado State University

Fayetteville State University

Langston University

McGill University

Michigan State University

Montana State University,

Bozeman

Morgan State University

Norfolk State University

North Carolina A&T State

University

North Dakota State University*

Northern Arizona University

Oregon State University

Pennsylvania State University

Southern Oregon University

Troy University

University of Arizona

University of British Columbia

University of Colorado, Boulder

University of Northern Colorado*

University of Hawaii at Manoa*

University of Miami

University of Massachusetts,

Amherst

University of Mississippi*

University of Montana, Missoula

University of Nevada, Reno*

University of Nevada, Las Vegas*

University of New Mexico

University of Oregon*

University of Texas, Arlington

University of Utah

University of Washington

Western Oregon University

Western Washington University

*Attending

0 Left to right: Morgan Ortiz, Sabine Mihalovich, and Richard Fong share a proud moment following graduation.

0 Max Headley with his dad, Mark, Saint Mary’s Director of Buildings and Grounds.

1 Alumni from Saint Joseph’s School in Pinole stand together once again following their graduation from Saint Mary’s. Back row, left to right: Kevin Soria, Erik Le Tendre, Mark Wight, and Edwin Kim; front row, left to right: Larissa-Mae Honorio, Dominique Villaroman, Rhegille Baltazar, and Christa Guevarra.


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Valedictory Address

GOOD MORNING, SAINT MARY’S Board of Trustees, Brother Edmond, ad-ministrators, faculty and staff, families and friends, the men of the Class of 1965, alum-ni, and especially, the Saint Mary’s Class of 2015. It has been a journey to remember and each of you should be honored to be in that gown today.

I am a Tongan American from the dirty parts of Richmond, California, but beyond that I am a Sekona. In our family, we have hard-working fathers, loving mothers, kind cousins, sacrificing aunts, caring uncles, priests and deacons who look after all, Crips with the biggest hearts, NFL players, and

musicians. But we do not have valedicto-rians. Well today, we do. I am very proud and honored to represent Saint Mary’s Col-lege High school, my graduating class, and my family.

When I began to craft this speech, I looked at many aspects of the school and what caught my eye was the Saint Mary’s Mission Statement. It reads as follows:

As a Christ-centered community striving to live the mission of Saint John Baptist de La Salle, Saint Mary’s College High School is a Catholic school where diversity and inclusion are essen-tial and quality education is our active ministry.

With community support and faith grounded

in love, Saint Mary’s students pursue a life of virtue and scholarship that extends beyond the completion of a college-preparatory curriculum to assuming societal roles of responsibility and service.

I read the Mission statement over and over again. I was taken back as I thought, “This is the Mission of Saint Mary’s College High School. This is the creed.” This school com-munity strives to live the Mission, in which diversity and inclusion are essential and quality education is a ministry. The evidence of quality education is obvious. All of us are moving ahead in higher education. We are ready; we are prepared.

Reflecting on the Mission statement, I real-ized that formal education is the easy part. It is the rest of the Mission that requires hard work. For the most part, the Saint Mary’s community is unified and our members continually learn from one another through all of our differences. Educating ourselves and embracing these differences makes us stronger. However, the anger and evils of the world do enter the gates of Saint Mary’s.

On the evening of April 29, two of our beloved community members, and the mother of one, were verbally attacked with racial slurs. Because of this incident, I thought that night, along with many of my classmates, that as a school with many students of color we needed to make a statement. And we did. The next day, we brought forth a student-led seminar at the Cross, the center of our school.

At lunch, our seminar was brought to life by students. At the Cross, I witnessed students and teachers taking the mic as if it were a water bottle and they had been dying of thirst. We saw, felt, and heard their feel-ings, stories, and heartbreaks. I spoke from my heart, as well. I put so much of my own energy into this and to see voices rise with the desire for justice and change meant the world to me. School continued that day with a lot of emotion, and the knowledge that more discussion had to happen.

After the seminar, I was invited to an informal meeting with a group of young

Class Valedictorian Peter Sekona will be attending UC Berkeley in the Fall.


women from Saint Mary’s who rightfully felt that the “Powder Puff” football game, to be played on Founder’s Day, made light of women, ridiculed their knowledge of sports, and contributed to some men viewing women in a derogatory way. I was asked to help the game be taken more seriously and I said we would do our best to be respectful, as well as to have fun.

In some ways, those two days felt like the longest days of my life. I sat on my couch at midnight in tears, feeling frustrated. I knew the battles we fought are still going to need to be fought throughout my life. Those two days were reminders to all of us that there are many causes and issues in the world that need great attention. I believe it’s a fight -- a good and important fight -- that might never end.

Once I accepted this reality, I lifted myself up, wiped my tears, and recommitted myself to the never-ending fight for justice in the world. The day we stop fighting is the day we lose our humanity. Our generation, like past generations, has been exposed to injustice. We have witnessed it, we have dis-cussed it, and we have felt it. Fighting racial problems, sexual orientation issues, poverty, human and social injustices, world hunger,

and cyberbullying, has to be a priority. The work was started by previous generations, but now it is our generation’s turn to take it to the next level. It is going to be hard, and it may feel futile and hopeless, but we must do it. We are a strong class, and an even stron-ger community, which knows how to deal with difficult situations and the reality of life.

For example, let me take you back to December 27, the day Mr. Herman Shum, our vice principal and supporter, was killed in a cycling accident. We were in one of the darkest and heaviest periods of our four years at Saint Mary’s. But, as a community of support, love, prayer, and strength, the spirit of Mr. Shum and his guidance lives in each and every one of us. With community sup-port and faith grounded in love, we knew we would survive this tragedy and grow from it.

Thank you Mr. Shum, for all you have given us.

I am here to remind you all that Saint Mary’s Mission was instilled in each one of our lives, in each one of our dreams. My brothers and sisters of the Class of 2015, in a world that seems dark and rough, we are the generation of hope. As we graduate and enter the larger world, let’s continue to fight for what we have been taught, fighting for the poor and disenfranchised, and to never forfeit who you are and what you do in the world. You, as an individual, do count. Never close your eyes to the rights, values, hopes, freedoms, and beliefs because of opposing thoughts. Saint Mary’s has given each of us the tools we need to take on the everlasting fight for positive change. Don’t shy away from kicking down the doors of oppression, or breaking down the walls of fear, because good things will come for us and for the world.

So live, laugh, hope, dream, cry, smile, and march with the desire for change. But also, don’t forget to jump through the sprinklers, fly with the clouds, and do not forget to pray. The true reward of change will not come in the form of money; it will not come in fame; and it will not come in

prestige or virtue. It will not be viral video on YouTube; it will not show up on a reality show. The true reward will come in the grin of a child born into poverty and given a new opportunity and hope, in the chuckle of an elderly person whose biases have changed, in the love of citizens throughout the world who feel less oppressed because of stronger cultural understanding and knowledge.

Class of 2015, I believe in all of you. I have great hope for our generation, and I believe that everyone in this room has the power to make positive change for the world. The values that were taught and in-stilled in us by our families and here at Saint Mary’s give us the strength to participate in the never-ending fight of humanity’s growth.

Parents, families, administration, faculty and staff, thank you! Thank you for the val-ues and all that you have taught us.

After today, with diploma in hand, when we feel loss of purpose, or feel that our voice is silenced, or that our efforts at change are futile, look at that Saint Mary’s diploma and remind yourself of the everlasting support that comes from Saint Mary’s and its Mis-sion. We are the hope!

Congratulations, Class of 2015. My heart and love go out to all of you. And thank you to all in this auditorium for being here with us.

7 Micahias Tessema (left) and Joanna Smale pose for photos following graduation.

0 Gabriella Brito receives her diploma from Brother Edmond.


GOOD EVENING SAINT MARY’S: Trustees, administration, faculty, parents, Golden Graduates from the Class of 1965, and the Class of 2015.

For a long time, it seems that I could not wait to graduate. I could not wait to leave high school. I could not wait to live on my own. I could not wait for all these things. I could not wait to change the world. But, as I look at all your faces right now, I realize. I can wait.

As I was writing this speech, I thought about who we are as a class. Are we the generation that is obsessed with technology, social media, and as many might say, our-selves? Possibly in some aspects, we are.

Are we rude? I know what many of you parents are thinking. And yes, sometimes, we are. But that is merely because we are confused and crazy teenagers. Are we passionate? Most definitely. For my senior project I actually studied our class and how we think and what we believe. I held focus groups and asked a series of questions about students’ thoughts on humanity and issues around the world. I was pleasantly surprised to find out how much we know, and how confidant and open minded we are.

I believe that we are a class of “innova-tors,” as Mr. Sutphin might say. We are thinkers, problem solvers, fighters, and survivors. On another level, we are what one might call, “the brotherhood class.”

I have had personal, intense conversations with many of you and I can honestly say it is incredible how we inspire each other every day. Many classes have a hard time doing this. Many classes feel the need to put other people down in order to bring themselves up, but not our class. We care so much about each other and about how we, as indi-viduals, impact the world.

Throughout my four years at Saint Mary’s there has never been a time when I have not seen the Class of 2015 actively striving for a cause in one way or the other: whether it be through Peace and Justice, SALT, Fair Trade, or Immersion trips or through our senior

projects, which have consisted of helping schools in Kenya, learning how to build so-lar panels, or working on beach cleanups. A few people have even tried to solve the mys-tery of why we even have senior projects. And although these are individual projects, we could not have done them without each other’s help.

Many people might not know this, but for Rally Day in the beginning of this year, all the seniors coordinated a dance together. This is something that has never been done before. It required patience, attendance, and willingness. We combined all of our talents to create a moving art piece. Surprisingly, with 140 kids, it went pretty well. The suc-cess of this endeavor is most likely because throughout all of our lives we have been told to be the best we could be: Whatever and whoever that might be. I know that Saint Mary’s has taught me this. Most of the gratitude goes to God, for guiding us on our journeys; to our parents and families, for their unconditional support and love; to our teachers, for their patience; our coaches, for their motivation; and our friends, for always being there. Teachers, like Mr. Shum, repeated this over and over again. He never gave up on any of us, and the loss of Mr.

Herman Shum has only brought our class closer together.

Walking on to Saint Mary’s campus for the first time, we felt a mixture of things: fright-ened to be “shummoned,” nervous to eat the “squirrel meat” at Steve’s, excited to make long-lasting friendships. As any incoming freshman, we may have imagined the typical high school scenario made up of the jocks, the nerds, and the POPULAR kids. But those kinds of borderlines don’t exist at Saint Mary’s, especially not for our class.

This has been evident since freshman year. I remember at Freshman Orientation when we were all put into the hot, sweaty, gym and forced to stand next to each other as our principal made a long speech about commu-nity. Bemused and bewildered, we awaited the awkward transition from the principal to the senior cheerleaders, who came up to the stage to teach us a cheer. We all got so excit-ed that we lifted Amado up above our heads and raised our fists in the air chanting, “We are Saint Mary’s! Class of 2015!” Who would have ever guessed as a 14-year-old, that the rambling words of Dr. Imperial would actu-ally make sense in four years? I wonder if it

C L A S S O F 2 0 1 5

Salutatorian Address

Class Salutatorian Sofia Bermudez-Eredia will be attending the University of Oregon in the Fall.

Sofia and Principal Dr. Peter Imperial enjoy a humorous exchange after her salutatory address.


is because we knew -- even then -- that we were all diverse and different and because of that fact, that we would all be stronger.

According to Malcolm Forbes, “Diversity is the art of thinking independently together.” As a community, we welcome diversity. Not only do we welcome it. We embrace it. We love it. And we allow our selves to become intertwined as one. This is, in its purest form, respect.

Do you remember who we hung out with freshman year? What we liked? Who we-liked? Or when we were freaking out about our AP World History class sophomore year, telling ourselves that we would never get into college. I know talking about the past can bring a lot of happy and, maybe even painful, memories. High school is emotional, and some say the past is the past. Leave it there. But I beg to differ. It is the past that has made us who we are today. I know, I know, I’m sorry there are so many clichés in this speech. Ms. Peters might have edited them, but hey, I would not be the person I am without going through everything I have

been through. Without failing an exam, I would not have gotten better at studying; without losing friendships, I would not have understood what a true friend is; without constantly being rejected for roles in theatre, I would not have found the courage to keep going.

It’s like when Megan tried to jump a hurdle freshman year and realized she wasn’t a hurdler. Or when Doc threw Demond’s shoes out the window because he couldn’t keep them on his feet. I notice his shoes are still on, so that just proves my point.

Without these trials and tribulations, we would never learn to experience success and triumph.

We may have discovered our first passions here on campus. Whether that was some-thing, someplace, or someone. As a class, we have been fortunate enough to have seen the great Danae and Catalina in a dance show. We have witnessed some of the most legend-ary football players right here on our field. We can say we knew Max and Danny before they become the new Keith Haring. In the

0 Amari Cumby leads prayer at gradua-tion with (left to right): Antone Olivier ’70, Andony Husary, and Elena Stenger.

0 Victoria Mariolle, with Carlos Martin del Campo, gives the “thumbs up” before graduation.

future, we will get to witness Sofia change the way we eat. And when Soraya and Dan run for president, we can ask them for fa-vors! In the future, we can receive free tickets to see Megan in the production of Les Mis on Broadway. And do you know who will be running those productions? Richard and his glorified tech crew. Then, we can turn on our TVs and see Tony on the news sitting in front of a tree protesting for its life, and we can say, “Hey, he was part of peace and justice, and he taught me a lot!” Honestly, I can say something for each and every one of you. But I think you guys get the point. Our education at Saint Mary’s has not only taught us math and history, English and religion; it has taught us something more than that: the true meaning of diversity. So whatever you fell in love with, may that passion drive you forever.

We, the Class of 2015, are the personifica-tion of a diverse, inclusive Lasallian commu-nity. We are what Saint Mary’s is all about.


0 Two generations of Saint Mary’s graduates: Will Skipwith with his dad, William Skipwith, Class of 1990.

1 Left to right: Pilar Gibson, Bria Brown, Taylor Price, Joan Renee Pascasio, and Klarc Abrams pose for a photo after graduation.

7 Julian Rechtschaffen is ready to enter Zellerbach Hall.

Saint Mary’s Hail!


2 Graduation fun! Foreground, left to right: Victoria Mariolle, Catilina Jackson-Uruena, and Sandtella Van Den Eden smile for the camera. Background: Principal Dr. Peter Imperial and Dannae Husary.

0 The seniors sing “The Bells” at the conclusion of the Baccalaureate Mass.

2 Jack Soldavini, Class of 2015.

2 Celebrating together: Noah Richards and Kylie Paramore.


S T U D E N T P R O F I L E

Harvard-Bound Senior Follows Her Passions

SORAYA SHOCKLEY IS A YOUNG woman who is unafraid to go after what she wants. The graduating senior applied for an internship at Youth Radio after hearing a student-produced item on National Public Radio and led an effort to start a speech and debate club at Saint Mary’s so Panthers would “have a space to flex their academic muscle.”

The beauty of Saint Mary’s, says the Harvard-bound Oakland resident, is that whatever the idea or passion to be pursued, “there was always someone there to be a cheerleader…someone who would say, ‘let’s figure it out together.’”

That “go-for-it” attitude was in operation when Soraya partnered with classmate Jane Kim to launch a speech and debate club at Saint Mary’s. With support from Vice Principal Cathy Molinelli, the two sopho-mores researched options, recruited fellow Panthers to join, and negotiated schedules to accommodate students who played sports or engaged in other co-curricular activities. “We learned how to accom-modate others and also stick to our goals,” says Soraya. “We wanted to make sure the

team did not suffer through the accommo-dation process.”

The team competed throughout Northern California as part of the Golden Gate Speech Association and traveled out of state for in-vitational competitions. In just their second year as a team, Saint Mary’s was named the league’s best small school program. “It was one of my proudest moments,” says Soraya, who describes the debate team as “her baby.”

During her four years at Saint Mary’s, Soraya explored a wide range of activities and interests – from running cross country as a freshman to international travel during Enrichment Week, and playing The Wiz, in the musical of the same name. For parents, Leila and Everett, the chance for Soraya to follow her passions – wherever they led her – was particularly appreciated. The Shock-ley’s were enthusiastic supporters of Saint Mary’s and of Soraya’s activities, from attend-ing theatre performances and cross-county meets to driving to debate competitions. Leila even had the opportunity to serve as a debate competition judge.

The performing and visual arts programs created an opportunity to explore previously

untapped talents, says Everett, and Soraya’s work with the Social Action LaSallian Team (SALT), Saint Mary’s community service club, “nurtured her inclination to give of herself to improve the broader community.”

Soraya joined SALT in its first year, just as Saint Mary’s was launching a new communi-ty service program. She worked with others to build a club that connects students to a wide range of service opportunities, from shoreline cleanup to delivering hot meals and organizing sock and coat drives.

“We have an open forum for students to present their ideas to the club,” says Soraya, creating a space for students to shape the service activities, whatever their interests and concerns.

Soraya’s older brother, Aiden, also attend-ed Saint Mary’s and mom Leila appreciates the opportunity each of her children had to form strong friendships and the support they each received in pursuing their interests.

“Both Soraya and Aiden got what they needed from Saint Mary’s,” adds Leila. “A supportive and welcoming atmosphere, a good education, and a strong connection to community.”

Soraya Shockley ’15 with her parents, Everett and Leila.


S T U D E N T P R O F I L E

Building Community is a Family Affair

FROM HIS FIRST VISIT TO PERALTA Park as an eighth grader, Ben Stanfield ’15 knew Saint Mary’s was the school for him. Although the size of the school was impor-tant, what sealed the deal was the sense of community and support he experienced and felt. “Seeing the way members of Circle SM were welcoming and supportive really made a difference,” says Ben. “It wasn’t just teach-ers and parents welcoming us. There were actually people our age who cared.”

His intuition proved correct. As he pre-pares to head south to USC in the Fall, Ben and his parents, Scott and Cyndi, look back on their four years at Saint Mary’s with both appreciation for the community they’ve all come to know and cherish, and a commit-ment to staying connected to the school.

“I’m going to miss the school,” says Scott, who has experienced Saint Mary’s as a par-ent, a neighbor, and as a teacher. After work-ing with Principal Pete Imperial to develop a computer science course, Scott taught the course for the first year, in addition to his full-time “day job” as CEO of Vertigo Software.

Ben’s four years at Saint Mary’s were packed with experiences that both shaped and stretched him and deepened his con-nection with his classmates and the broader school community. He was a member of Circle SM and traveled internationally dur-ing his time at Peralta Park. One of his most memorable experiences he says, was playing on the varsity baseball team and winning the North Coast Section title in 2013.

An accomplished designer, Ben applied his talents to solving problems and respond-ing to the needs of the Saint Mary’s com-munity. For his senior project, he partnered

with classmate David Crosby to create a web-based tool called Formation (www.formation.us), which automates many of the time-consuming functions associated with organizing an event. Cyndi Stanfield was both the inspiration for the project and one of the tool’s first beta testers.

As she was coordinating the annual faculty appreciation day, Cyndi was emailing back and forth with parent volunteers. “I was thinking it would be really nice if there was one place where people could sign up,” says Cyndi, who was a class representative on the parent association for three years, coordi-nated the banquet for the baseball team, and worked with Lawrence Puck ’78 in the Admissions Office, among the many activi-ties she supported.

Formation is just one of the ways in which Ben put his talents to use to support Saint Mary’s and its partners. He worked with Brother David to design the new Saint La Salle banner that graces the entry to the school. He also created several graphics and presentations for use in school liturgies, including one for the Martin Luther King, Jr.

liturgy that combined archival photos with quotations from the civil rights leader.

This summer, Ben is putting the finishing touches on a web site he designed for Sakala, a community center for youth in Cite Soleil, Haiti. Saint Mary’s has partnered with Sakala through student and faculty immersion trips during Enrichment Week. Ben joined teach-ers Craig Sutphin and Joe Palladino in a trip to the island nation in June to upgrade the center’s technology infrastructure.

Ben’s graduation doesn’t mean an end to their connection to Saint Mary’s, say Scott and Cyndi Stanfield. First off, they live just down the street, at the stately 1889 Victorian on Albina that students and staff pass every day as they drive into campus. But proximity isn’t the reason for their continued support. “We’re part of the community,” says Cyndi, who expects to continue volunteering with the Admissions Office. They also expect to catch a few baseball games and won’t miss the Crab Feed, a favorite annual event.

“We’ll always be part of the Saint Mary’s family,” says Scott. “We just won’t have a child there anymore.”

Saint Mary’s would like to thank all families who support the school’s mission by

giving of their time, talent, and gifts. The true

joy of the Saint Mary’s Community is when we all

come together to serve and support the students

as they pursue a life of virtue and scholarship.

Ben Stanfield ’15 with his parents, Cyndi and Scott.


C L A S S O F 1 9 6 5

Celebrating 50 Years as Saint Mary’s Alums

MEMBERS OF THE CLASS OF 1965 travelled from across town and across the country to celebrate one of Saint Mary’s most beloved traditions: the honoring of the Golden Grads during graduation weekend.

Fifty-eight members of the class and their guests participated in the Baccalaureate Mass and reception in their honor. They shared stories, laughed at pictures from the school yearbook, and marveled about how the Mission of Saint Mary’s has remained constant, despite the many changes in the world -- and the campus -- since their graduation 50 years ago.

Brother Mel Anderson, FSC, Saint Mary’s principal when the Golden Grads were stu-dents, processed in with the graduates to the Baccalaureate Mass and joined them for the

dinner following the liturgy. “The weekend of activities for our fiftieth

reunion was one of the best times that I have had in my life,” writes Rich Enos in an email following the event. “I went into this weekend thinking it would be enjoyable and all expectations were exceeded beyond measure.”

Classmate Barry Healy echoes Enos’ ap-preciation. “On the way home on Sunday my wife commented that she had never heard of a school that went to such efforts to maintain the sense of community among it’s alumni,” recalls Healy. “Guys [traveled] from Hawaii, Texas, Colorado, Idaho, Arizona, Oregon, and Oklahoma. All said how glad they were to have made the trip.”

Dr. Tom Brown spoke on behalf of his classmates during the Baccalaureate Mass,

sharing his personal reflections, and those of his peers, with members of the Class of 2015 and guests.

“One day -- before you know it -- you will gather with the Class of 2065 to march alongside them as Golden Grads, as we will march with you tomorrow. One of you will rise to speak to that class of young men and women on behalf of your classmates in the Class of 2015, as I’m doing. On that day, we ask that you bring them greetings and congratulations from the Class of 1965, a group of men they never knew, but to whom they, like you, are connected for all time,” said Brown.

“We don’t leave St. Mary’s behind,” he added. “We take Saint Mary’s with us always: the friends, the experiences, the life lessons learned, and the memories.”

Saint Mary’s Golden Graduates from the Class of 1965.


0 Mike Gaboury (foreground) and Steve Gaeta follow the graduates into Zellerbach Hall.

7 Barry Healy (foreground) and Roy Kemp enter the graduation ceremony.

0 Brother Kenneth Cardwell receives his golden diploma from Brother Edmond.

2 Paul Ryan with his golden diploma.

0 Mark McClenahan shakes hands with Brother Edmond.

0 Steve Gaeta introduces Brother Mel Anderson, prin-cipal of the Class of 1965, who led the opening prayer.

0 George Barron addresses his class at the reunion.0 After the graduation, the Class of 1965 gathered with their families at Saint Mary’s for a barbeque lunch.


B A C C A L A U R E A T E A D D R E S S

Reflections of a Golden GradIT IS TRULY MY HONOR TO BRING greetings and congratulations to the Saint Mary’s College High School Class of 2015 on behalf of my brothers, now your brothers, who graduated 50 years ago as members of the Class of 1965. Tomorrow morning, we will walk proudly with you as you graduate and become the newest members of a Saint Mary’s alumni family that stretches through-out the Bay Area, across the nation, and around the world.

Tomorrow, Saint Mary’s will become your alma mater, or “fostering mother.” Your alumni brothers and sisters are of every race, color, and ethnicity; every religion and faith tradition; every gender and sexual orienta-tion. We are rich and poor, conservative and liberal, young and old, and really, really old.

In this Class of ’65, we are business execu-tives, doctors, military veterans, attorneys, a judge, a Christian Brother, and a priest. We are peace officers, a pilot, a farmer, college professors, deans and vice presidents, a psy-chologist, a recording star, blacksmith, con-tractor, landscaper, a mechanic, and more. We are also fathers, grandfathers, husbands, partners, and significant others.

As the spokesman for my class, I asked my classmates what they wanted to share with you today. They said you must use the edu-cation you gained here to treat others as you want to be treated; to create communities of love, respect, and compassion. We expect you to work hard for social and economic equality, and we challenge and encourage you to not just talk the Gospel talk, but to walk the Gospel walk.

As the newest members of our family, you have a responsibility and an opportunity to practice the values you learned at Saint Mary’s: to care for others; to be the answers to the prayers of the helpless and hope-less. Don’t just strive to make a difference; commit to be the difference in the worlds in which you live your lives. It’ll be easier if you “remember” that you always “are in the holy presence of God….”

You have been blessed to at-tend Saint Mary’s in ways you will only come to understand and value in the years ahead.

For example, many, if not most, of the students you will meet in college will have graduated from high schools where everybody pretty much looks like them. Look around this room. See the di-versity of your classmates and pledge to honor these broth-ers and sisters by seeking to create inclusive communities wherever your life takes you. Stand up against intolerance of every kind; have the cour-age to say “NO” to inequality and mean it.

More than 50 years ago, my classmates and I mostly trav-elled on busses from neigh-borhoods all over the Bay Area to meet on Hopkins and walk up that path from Monterey as many of you have also done. Most of you crossed that Albina Street Bridge to enter Saint Mary’s as strangers. However, you will cross that bridge again tonight as classmates for life, friends for life, Panthers for life.

One of my classmates points out that, while everyone is born unique, most people die copies. As you go out into the world, there are those who will try to convince you that your worth is determined by the job you have, the car you drive, the designer labels you wear, or the neighborhood where you live. Remember: It’s easy to make a dollar; it’s hard to make a difference. You entered Saint Mary’s to learn…now go out and serve!

Like your teachers, parents, family, and true friends, we honor all that you have achieved and we believe in all that you can and will become. You are preparing to embark on new lives with new roles and re-

sponsibilities. You may find yourself asking, as we did, “Am I ready?” “Can I be success-ful?” Sometimes, you will even feel afraid, but keep in mind that without fear there can be no courage, and it will often take courage to stay true to yourself and to do what needs to be done.

A classmate recalls, “We lived in one of the most challenging of times; a time of revolu-tion, changing social norms, of values being questioned, and Saint Mary’s prepared us very well, although we didn’t know it then!”

Never forget that Providence is very much a part of the Lasallian tradition: God provides what you need to be in this world and dreams bigger dreams for you than you might ever dare dream for yourselves.

One classmate asks, “Why do we feel this kinship, this connection with each other? We don’t agree on politics, on the environment, on gun control, or government policies. We can’t even agree on how to barbecue when

Tom Brown ’65 with his granddaughter, Briahn ’15.


a group of us gets together!!” Some of us were not close friends in high school; others didn’t really even like each other. Another classmate offers the answer, “It’s because of relationships that began here at Saint Mary’s, when were young (like you) and that have evolved over the years to produce a close-ness that endures to this day.”

As you go through life, you will meet or reconnect with members of the Saint Mary’s Family. Occasionally you will check the website or the sports pages, to see if the Panthers have conquered Salesian again. Over the years, you will return to the cam-pus to visit former teachers, administrators, coaches, and counselors, some of whom eventually will become your close friends, possibly even your colleagues -- as was the case for me, with Brother Mel Anderson, and

my former student, Herman Shum. You will look back and remember how

you partied together to Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, Kendrick Lamar, and Sam Smith, much as my classmates and I remember dancing to Chuck Berry, the Rolling Stones, the Beach Boys, James Brown, and countless Motown stars. You will scan the Saint Mary’s news-letter to learn about the lives, accomplish-ments, and even the occasional deaths of your classmates. You will stay in touch with some classmates and come together for reunions.

Then, one day -- before you know it -- you will gather with the Class of 2065 to march alongside them as Golden Grads, as we will march with you tomorrow. One of you will rise to speak to that class of young men and women on behalf of your classmates in the

Class of 2015, as I’m doing. On that day, we ask that you bring them greetings and con-gratulations from the Class of 1965, a group of men they never knew, but to whom they, like you, are connected for all time

We don’t leave St. Mary’s behind; we take Saint Mary’s with us always: the friends, the experiences, the life lessons learned, the memories….

The Bells of Saint Mary’s, they always shall guide us.In all of our sorrows, our victories and hopes.For we will be faithful, to all you have taught us: To live for truth, to trust in God. Saint Mary’s Hail!

St. John Baptist De La Salle, pray for us.Live Jesus in our hearts, forever!

Golden graduates share a moment with recent graduates from the Class of ’15.


Campus Life

0gAP Art Show The AP Art Show gives students a chance to display their work for their families and for art lovers throughout the Saint Mary’s Community. Congratulations to all the AP artists for a beautiful display of work.

2Diversity FairThe Diversity Fair is a yearly event held dur-ing Founder’s Week to celebrate Saint Mary’s commitment to building an inclusive community. This year’s Fair included informational displays and traditional food from many of the cultures rep-resented at Peralta Park.


0Alumni Night at the Theater Continuing one of its newest traditions, the Alumni Office spon-sored the Second Annual Alumni Night at the Theatre. Alums from the Class of 1989 through the Class of 2014 returned to Peralta Park to enjoy the school’s musical production of “Pippin.”

0PippenAudiences loved the school’s production of the Broadway hit, “Pippin.” The musi-cal was directed by Antone Olivier ’70. Retired teacher Mike Henning designed and created the set and Music Director Matt Ferreira provided the musical accompaniment.

0Class of 2019Saint Mary’s Class of 2019 gathers for their first official photo after their May orientation, “Breaking Down the Barriers.” The day included activities, conversa-tions with athletic coaches, club moderators, and student leaders, and community-building time for students and their parents.


17Service DayFounder’s Week is an op-portunity for the Saint Mary’s community to celebrate the Lasallian Core Principles. One day focused on recog-nizing the many opportunities for students to serve their lo-cal communities and address social issues that affect the entire World.

7YearbooksThe distribution of the school’s yearbook has become a much-anticipated part of the Founder’s Day Celebration.

7Senior GiftJunior parents provide the Class of ‘15 with a gift on behalf of the Parent Association. Thank you to all the parents who volunteer their time to make Saint Mary’s a special place for students, staff, and families.

1Senior ProjectSenior Projects provide seniors with the op-portunity to explore an issue or area of study of their own choosing. Their work might in-volve extensive research or the commitment of significant volunteer time. In May, seniors displayed their projects, providing an op-portunity for the school community to learn and ask questions. Senior Richard Fong displayed his technical layout for his work on the Saint Mary’s production of “Pippin.”


0g7Founder’s DayFather Jayson Landeza ’79 presents the Lasallian Student of the Year Award to Senior Peter Sekona. Following the student presentation, Principal Dr. Imperial read a tribute to honor the Lasallian Teacher of the Year, Herman Shum, who died in a bicycle accident in December. Shum’s wife, Janelle, was present to accept the honor.

Recognition of Years of Service to Saint Mary’sFive Years Jennifer PetersDr. Simon A. Wesley Nives Wetzel de Cediel Mark Medeiros Sonia RyanBrother Dan Morgan, FSCNancy Anderson

Ten Years Cathy MolinelliPeter ImperialBrother David L. Caretti, FSC Fifteen Years Michael Sommers Twenty Years Carla Harkness


Career Day

SAINT MARY’S CAREER DAY IS A special part of the Lasallian Days Program for seniors and juniors. Alumni, parents, and friends of the school spend a day with our upper-division students to share information about their educational journey and career path. This year’s presenter panels provided information on the following

career topics: Technology, Law and Govern-ment, Finance, Real Estate, Entertainment Industry, Travel and Transportation, Busi-ness, Education, Engineering and Science, and Agriculture. An additional session focused on resume writing and interview skills. The day concluded with lunch for our presenters.

Presenters for the business session included Darrin Williams ’04, Ashlyn Adams ’05, Marc Guillory ’89, and Chazz Lovelace ’00. Among the many students in attendance were (left to right) Miranda O’Brien ’16, Armado Byrd ’16, Alex Estese ’15, and Julia Ward ’16. The session was hosted by Teacher Dennis Mohun.

Lauren Lee ’16 (right) joins alumni following the Career Day session on “The Law and Civil Service.” Teacher Jeff Rogers (left) hosted the session with support from Amy Tarczynski ’15, Ryan Klobas ’96, Tom Curtin ’82, James Burns ’64, and Riana Shaw ’01.


Career Day PresentersAshlyn AdamsClass of 2005, Business Owner & Screenwriter

Jim BurnsClass of 1964, Lawyer

Phoebe BooneClass of 2002, Sales & Athletics

Gary CaporicciClass of 1962, CPA

Vincent CorteseClass of 1995, Finance

Christian CurryClass of 1989, Educator

Tom CurtinClass of 1982, Law Enforce-ment & Actor

Cameron DavisClass of 2010, College Coach

Jane DavisEducation

Mark D’EspositoParent, Neurologist

Desirea EnglishClass of 1999, Early Head Start Program Coordinator

Carissa FleishmannFriend of Saint Mary’s, Soft-ware Engineer

John GantClass of 1987, Train Con-ductor - CaltrainPresident SMART/UTU Local #1732Vice Local Chair #769A

Robert GardnerParent, Resume Writing & Interview Tips

Marcus GordonClass of 1992, Director of Event TechnologyPSAV® Presentation Services

Shawn GranberryClass of 1991, CEO of Watch Now Networks, Inc.

Marc GuilloryClass of 1989, Business

Ryan KlobasClass of 1996, State Goven-ment

Gaby KochClass of 2004, Staff Coor-dinator

Frances KorkutClass of 2009, Real Estate

Simon LabovParent, Physicist

Nick LindseyClass of 1988, Travel Industry

Chazz LovelaceClass of 2000, Business

Cherly MacDonaldFriend of Saint Mary’s, Creative Developer (Tech-nology)

James Nakahara Class of 2005, Agriculture / Farmer

Marlon NorrisClass of 1989, Business

Emika OliverClass of 2002, Health

Theautis PersonsClass of 1992, Real Estate

Anthony SerioFriend of Saint Mary’s, Finance

Riana Shaw - RobinsonClass of 2001, Non-Profit Business

Hana Shirriel-DiaClass of 2005, Health Services

Stacey SyliviaFriend of Saint Mary’s

David TopeteClass of 1991, Engineering

Darrin WilliamsClass of 2004, Business Development Consultant

Dr. Fanny YepParent, Physician

Career Day Support

James Jordan Saint Mary’s Trustee & Class of 1989

Wendy McWilliamsParent

Students gather after the session on “Travel and Transportation” with presenters John Gant ’87 (back row) and Nick Lindsey ’88. Students pictured here: (left to right) Nora Potts ’15, Jamaica Greenwood ’15, Elizabeth Sanchez ’16, Laurent Mais ’15, Abigail Lidete ’15, and Omar Shabazz ’15.

Career Day provides an opportunity for students to learn about a wide range of career paths and opportunities. Many thanks to the alumni, parents, and friends who volunteer their time and share their experiences with our students.

David Topete ’91, Tom Curtin ’82, and Darrin Williams ’04 (left to right) enjoy lunch after their Career Day presentations

Phoebe Boone ’02 and Cameron Davis ’10 present on careers associated with athletics.

Saint Mary’s College High School1294 Albina AvenuePeralta ParkBerkeley, CA 94706-2599

Change Service Requested

Non-Profit Org.U.S. Postage

PAIDPermit 1232Berkeley, CA

M O R E G O O D N E W S . . .

Thanks To YouOver 1,100 donors made gifts totaling over $5 million, making a Lasallian education possible for Saint Mary’s

students! We celebrate your generosity, which will be recognized in our upcoming Annual Report.

We hope to see you this year at one of our events supporting tuition assistance.

First up: The 31st Annual Golf Invitational!

Saint Mary’s College High School’sPhil Doran Memorial Tournament

Monday - September 14, 2015Mira Vista Golf and Country Club

El Cerrito

For more information call 510-559-6227

graduation 2015 congratulations, graduates!€¦ · dillard university* dominican university of...

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