summer 2012 bulletin

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Graduation SpecialHonoring the Class of 2012.

Service LearningStudents turn awareness into action.

Where We Go From HereThe path to a lifetime of learning and personal growth starts here.

125th Anniversary KickoffSacred Heart education in the city marks major milestone.

The Bulletin allows Convent & Stuart Hall to stay connected with current families, alumni, friends, faculty, and staff.

Follow our Online Community, on sacredsf.org, under News.

Join the Conversation

| photos by heather cenzer |

FeaturesA Look BackMarilee Hearn ‘63’59 reminisces on eve of the school’s 125th anniversary.| By Jessica Bullock |

Au Revoir, Bon Chance and Bonjour, Bienvenue We bid adieu to our departing administrators and faculty, and welcome the newest members of the school community. | By Jessica Bullock |

Framework for the Future Surpasses GoalThanks to the community’s generosity, the largest campaign in the school’s history eclipsed its $22 million goal. | By Stefani Blair |

Alumni Spotlight: Sabrina Buell’95 works in arts. | By Isabelle Pinard |

Community News 4The Bulletin Board 12Sports Shorts 14Art 16Alumni 42 Class Notes 44In Memoriam 46

Bul let inCONVENT & STUART HALLSUMMER 2012, VOLUME 34, NO. 2

Liturgical LearningMiddle Form students take the reins on religious practice in new Campus Ministry course. 20

Pyramid in PixelsHow educators are using modern gaming technology to teach students about the ancient world. 20

You Are Your Own CreatorStudents discover literature’s creative and reflective capabilities. 21In FocusThe new elective period is helping high school students develop a passion for photography. 22

Departments

In the Classroom

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You Get What You GiveStudents turn awareness into action and gain a lifelong commitment to their communities through service learning and volunteering. | By Jessica Bullock |

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C o n v e n t & S t u a r t H a l l 3

newsCommunitystaff

She’s a fixture at reunions, a friendly face at alumni Noëls and was recognized for her dedication to the community at this year’s Convent High School alumnae luncheon. Marilee Hearn ‘63’59, one of our many active and engaged alumni, remembers Convent when its halls were silent, girls walked in rank and curtsying was de rigueur. Many things have changed since Marilee graduated, but the core values of a Sacred Heart education persist. Marilee’s devotion to the community comes from the fact that “my Sacred Heart education has been invaluable…thanks to my education I have a deep reservoir from which to draw strength.”

Convent allowed Marilee to find her voice—literally and figuratively. One of her fondest memories was performing in several plays in the Little Theater. Marilee says, “Being shy and wanting to help backstage, it was very difficult for me to be pushed into playing a character with a speaking part.” The RSCJs persuaded her to join the cast and, much to her chagrin, “I performed in a male role, of course, given that I was one of the tallest in my class.” Despite the reverse Shakespearean gender bending, Marilee “found the experience to be liberating” and willingly continued to act in productions.

Another of Marilee’s memories involves an

inopportune case of uncontrollable laughter. She recounts, “Early one morning, shortly after the school day had begun in elementary school, it was announced that one of the Religious had gone home to God and all of the classes were to pay their last respects and pray for her. Each class filed past the open casket in Our Lady’s Parlor [now the Reception Room] and took its place on either side of the room. When it was my class’s turn, I walked past the casket while avoiding looking into it and proceeded to kneel down next to my classmates. While kneeling, I made the tragic mistake of watching the facial expressions of the girls as they gazed into the casket. Those dramatic changes in their expressions triggered a reaction that I could not control. Gales of laughter erupted from my body and my knees refused to support me. I totally lost it! Seconds later, I was helped up off the floor and escorted out of the room by two Religious. Trying to apologize to the nuns for my reaction, I attempted to explain that it was the intensity of the occasion, rather than the deceased Religious, to which I was reacting. Their understanding was an enormous consolation, while the remedy was not ––I was instructed to report to Our Lady’s Parlor after lunch to keep vigil for 30 minutes.”

Marilee can now look back on those less-

A Look BackAn alumna shares memories from her days at Convent.

Communications &Marketing DirectorStefani [email protected]

Publications & New MediaJessica [email protected]

Creative Services ManagerHeather [email protected] Alumni CoordinatorRoxanne [email protected]

Contributers:Kyle Chew'12Elena DeSantisJason SteinbergMarian Zizzothe broadviewLori SaltvietJaime DominguezSamantha RogersMichael SilkDennis EstradaCaitlin Kavanagh

Correspondence and change of address may be sent to:

Convent & Stuart Hall2222 BroadwaySan Francisco, CA 94115Tel: [email protected]

Printed by Rick Weaver, The Printing Business

100% recycled paper

My Sacred Heart education has been invaluable…thanks to my education I have a deep reservoir from which to draw strength.”

– Marilee Hearn ‘63’59

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4 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

In July 1887, Mother Mary Keating and five Religious of the Sacred Heart arrived in the city by the Bay, establishing the first Sacred Heart academy west of the Rockies. They rented twin Victorian homes on Bush Street (between Octavia and Gough) and enrolled 30 young women that August.

Since then, the school has moved, grown and transitioned—all while holding true to the educational mission of the Society of the Sacred Heart. Celebrate this milestone with us.

| photo by marian zizzo |

September 6, 2012: 4-School Blessing with Special Birthday Celebration for Current Students

November 2, 2012: 125th Gala Dinner

November 3, 2012: All Classes Alumni Reunion

November 4, 2012: Neighborhood Open House and Tours

November 18, 2012: Feast of St. Philippine Duchesne

Winter 2013: Commemorative 125th Issue of the Bulletin

than-pleasant moments from her youth with a laugh, recognizing that it’s the sum of her experiences, good and bad, that have made her the person she is today. Marilee continues to give back to the community by serving as the Broadway Alumnae of the Sacred Heart (BASH) Vice-President for Advancement, a member of the Children of Mary Sodality and a RSCJ Associate. Her inspiring efforts at forging community solidarity and guaranteeing the continuity of Sacred Heart education will have wide-reaching effects for present and future generations of Convent & Stuart Hall students.

Many things have changed since Marilee was a student. The classrooms are no longer presided are over by RSCJs, the buildings have undergone remarkable improvements and pedagogical and technological innovations are consistently implemented. Yet, the Sacred Heart values of the past "remain strongly recognizable today,” says Marilee.

Whether a student finally masters the C major scale on his trumpet, gets an A on her chemistry test or a teacher gives birth to her first child, every day, hundreds of stories take place at Convent & Stuart Hall. The school’s rich heritage comes from the stories of courage and triumph (and yes, occasional embarrassment) that populate our past and inform our future. As we look back on 125 years of Sacred Heart education in San Francisco, we simultaneously look forward to a future brimming with promise.

125Schools of the Sacred Heart | San Francisco

Fall Events to Commemorate Milestone

Every spring BASH hosts a luncheon for graduating Convent seniors and their mothers to promote them into Alumni Association. Pictured at right, Marilee Hearn '63'59; BASH President Vicki Glick Watts '84; and senior Colleen Scullion, recipient of the Alumnae Award for Generous Service.

Alumnae Luncheon

School Celebrates 125 Years


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newsCommunity

Original Redwoods Data to Help Conservation Biologists Around the World Students share data on redwood tree genes with scientific community.

Convent High School students in Ray Cinti’s Conservation Biology of the Redwoods course have determined the DNA sequence of a gene from redwood trees that has never before been seen by the human eye. The DNA sequences, including one for a rare albino redwood, were uploaded to The National Center for Biotechnology Information GenBank database, where they will be accessible to researchers around the world. This knowledge will contribute to an understanding of how to sustain redwood forest ecosystems in California and help prevent the loss of biodiversity. This will be an ongoing study that will allow girls to gain biotechnology and laboratory design skills, while contributing to future conversations about redwood conservation.

The students have the opportunity to study the genetic structure of these ancient trees thanks to grants from the Save the Redwoods League. The girls collect and analyze data, while engaging in scientific debate alongside professional scientists. DNA extraction helps uncover gene sequences in the redwoods of the Muir Woods Grove population, which allows conservation biologists to understand the degree of diversity within this local population.

“What is so wonderful is they discovered more than just their data but the true joy and excitement that is derived from learning something new,” Ray says. In addition to class time, the girls traveled to the Redwood Forests in Muir Woods Grove to collect needles and extract DNA from the trees. Actual data illustrated below.

What is so wonderful is they discovered more than just their data but the true joy and excitement that is derived from learning something new.”

– Ray Cinti, Convent High School, Science Department Chair

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Kelly Whalen, mother of a rising fourth grade boy and a rising first grade girl, will serve as the next President of the Parents Association. Since joining the Convent & Stuart Hall community four years ago, Kelly has been active in a number of ways: as a Room Parent, an Annual Fund Co-Captain, an admissions tour volunteer, a library volunteer, a coach for girls soccer and basketball and a cooking teacher in the After School Program. She has also served on the Parents Association

Board for four years, chairing the eScrip program and the Holiday Gift Wrap sale, both of which support the school and its programs.

The Parents Association is a vital part of the community, as its corps of volunteers raises significant financial support for the school, in addition to offering programs and outreach that allow our parents to support each other. Kelly will serve a term of two years and succeeds Joy Libby, who also served two years.

Next Parents Association President Well Versed in Volunteerism

| photo courtesy kelly whalen |

6 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

Storytelling is deeply enmeshed in human existence because we acquire templates for our actions through the inspiring or cautionary tales of others. Stuart Hall High School’s Values Day on January 6 used the stories of Pat Tillman and Mark Bingham as prompts for exploring character and choices. Tillman was a successful NFL player who, in the wake of September 11, 2001, sacrificed his career on the playing field to enlist in the U.S. Army and was later killed by friendly fire. Bingham courageously helped bring down hijacked Flight 93 on September

11. Both stories illustrate how mature decision-making relates to character development.

The guys watched The Tillman Story film and Bingham’s mother, Alice Hoagland, came to campus and gave a powerful talk that “was both inspiring and challenging to our young men as they consider the cost of discerning difficult choices authentically and following through on commitments as necessary stepping stones on the path to a mature male character and healthy adulthood,” says Sergio Vasquez (Stuart Hall High School, Theology).

Thanks to the powerful collective efforts of our community, you raised nearly $1.5 million for this year’s Annual Fund. These donations affect our students and teachers everyday, in all aspects of student life throughout the school year.

Gifts to the Annual Fund facilitate our students’ success in classrooms, on athletics fields, in the computer lab and beyond. Your support also ensures the gift of a Sacred Heart education through financial assistance and provides professional development opportunities for our teachers.

We are inspired by the generosity of the many who showed their commitment to sustaining and improving our school. Family participation increased in 12 of the classes that comprise our four-school community. Six different classes achieved 100% family participation, and Stuart Hall for Boys Grade 8 deserves special recognition for setting a school-wide record of 100% family participation seven different times. The 212 members of the Director’s Club who gave leadership gifts contributed more than $1.1 million. Congratulations and thank you to all the parents, alumni, grandparents, alumni parents, faculty and staff and friends for your unwavering support.

Stuart Hall High School Students Explore Character and Choices on Values Day

Generous Donors Raise Nearly $1.5 Million for Annual Fund

| photo by kyle chew'12 |

For more information on Convent & Stuart Hall's Annual Fund visit http://www.sacredsf.org/support/annual_fund.

This year, parents had the opportunity to delve into the minds of their kids and get support from fellow parents and the counseling offices. The high school counseling offices hosted a Parent Speaker Series to discuss learning strategies, adolescent behavior and communication strategies. According to Annie Shawe (Convent High School

Counselor) this year’s Parent Speaker Series “broadened our thinking for the needs of our parents. Next year, we are hoping to offer more small group experiences, creating more opportunities for conversation and sharing.”

The Parents Association also organizes several Parent Speaker events this year. They screened and held discussions

for films like California State of Mind: The Legacy of Pat Brown and Miss Representation. Additional topics also included ADHD in the classroom and media safety. The Parents Association also works closely with the San Francisco-based nonprofit Parents Education Network (PEN) to bring locally and nationally renowned experts to speak to the community.

Parents Education Program Grows

Keep current with the latest News, visit at www.sacredsf.org/newsroom


Rachel McIntire (Convent High School, Fine & Graphic Arts) was awarded a 2012 Herbst Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence this spring. The award is given to teachers who engage students in critical and creative thinking, inspire the joy of learning, challenge students to achieve their best work and exhibit high professional standards.

“I am extremely humbled and honored to be recognized amongst such exceptional educators that I have the privilege of calling colleagues,” Rachel

says. “I feel that this recognition speaks volumes to Convent’s belief in educating the whole child. We recognize creativity and connectivity, we recognize personal and collective expression and value ‘speaking’ in the nuances of a myriad of languages.”

Rachel was nominated for the award based on her exemplary teaching strategies and aptitude for building rapport with students. The award includes an unrestricted grant of $5,000 to Rachel and a general contribution of $5,000 to Convent & Stuart Hall that will be used in pursuit of continuing educational goals.

newsCommunity

| photo by heather cenzer |

Adolescence is the time when individuals begin to identify and explore their passions. Specialty classes, available through Convent & Stuart Hall’s After School Program, allow students to investigate interests not typically offered during the school day.

This past spring, a record 225 students were able to explore their passions through 21 specialty classes. Diverse classes like hip-hop, Spanish, stitch craft, yoga, pottery, theater, running and LEGOs were offered to students. Specialty classes are also a way for faculty from a variety of departments to share a hobby or passion with eager students (learn more about how faculty share their interests with students on page 22).

At the end of the spring session, every specialty class shared a semester’s worth of learning with parents during an open house. More than 50 parents attended and were treated to performance by the theater troupe, songs from the Spanish class, hand-sewn crafts from the stitch craft class and a plethora of other items showcasing the developing interests of students.

Specialty Class Success

Recognizing and Rewarding Teaching Excellence

Middle Form Students Join Robotics League

Middle Form students from Convent Elementary and Stuart Hall for Boys are teaming up to learn about robotics. First LEGO® League (FLL) is a program designed to get kids excited about science and technology via exploration. Through FLL, student teams (with at least one adult coach) build and program an autonomous robot utilizing LEGO MINDSTORMS, which will compete against other teams’ robots to score points on a themed playing field. The teams explore real world problems scientists and

engineers are trying to solve and develop an innovative solution to the problem. They also build teamwork skills and most importantly, have a lot of fun.

Convent & Stuart Hall has partnered with Techspolsion to help lead our LEGO Robotics Club. The team comprises 11 Middle Form boys and 11 Middle Form girls who started learning about robotics in an after school course this past spring. They will compete against other FLL teams from the Bay Area this fall.

| photos courtesy jaime dominguez |

8 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

While many recent high school graduates experience anxiety about entering the rigorous world of college-level classes, Megan Gamino knows all about college classes—and she’s only in eighth grade. This past year, Megan attended one of the most prestigious education institutions in the world, Stanford University.

When Megan entered Convent Elementary in the sixth grade after being homeschooled, her teachers took note of her very advanced math skills. As a seventh grader, Megan completed the elementary school mathematics curriculum, including the rigorous 7:30 a.m. to 8:15 a.m. Geometry elective. Faculty encouraged Megan to continue to advance at her own pace. As a result, she enrolled in an online course, Honors Intermediate Algebra, through Stanford University’s Education Program for Gifted Youth.

8th Grader Off to Stanford University

Dominique Sheth ’08 returned to her alma mater in January to help ensure a safe and supportive environment for students at Convent High School. Dominique, a senior in the UC Davis Department of Sociology Honors Program, gave a powerful and inspiring presentation to the girls about indirect bullying (eye rolling, critiquing, social exclusion, etc.) and its prevalence amongst adolescent and teenage

girls. Then, she distributed surveys to students.

Dominique utilized the data for her honors thesis, which is a deeper, more localized look at bullying and non-physical aggression in schools. Findings from Dominique’s thesis will be shared with Convent’s faculty and administrators, which will inform the implementation of policies to ensure a safe and supportive environment for all students.

Alumna Returns for Research Study

Convent High School Essayist Profiles Courage

Convent junior Stephanie Gee’s essay on Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies Mezvinsky (D-PA) was selected as a finalist in the prestigious JFK Profiles in Courage Essay Contest. The contest tasks U.S. high school students with exploring an elected official who chose the course of action that was right, rather than what was expedient. Only 175 of the 2,078 essays submitted to the contest were selected as finalists.

Stephanie’s essay conveys the dilemma Mezvinsky faced in 1993 while she served on the bipartisan Deficit Reduction Task Force, opposing President Bill Clinton’s 1993 budget bill and its controversial tax increases. Because Pennsylvania was a swing state, Mezvinsky’s opposition to the bill most likely stemmed from her desire to be reelected. Then, Clinton personally asked for her support on the budget. Mezvinsky was the deciding vote for the bill and she voted in favor. As a result, Mezvinsky was defeated in the 1994 elections.

Mezvinksy’s story is one of sacrifice. Had she voted in opposition to the bill, she very well may have been reelected. Yet, Mezvinsky still stands by her decision. In 2009 she wrote in the Washington Post that she didn’t regret voting in support of the 1993 budget and encouraged those in similar situations to follow their conscious.

Though Stephanie’s essay was not selected as the overall winner, her achievement in this extremely competitive contest is commendable.

Tracy Sena (Convent High School, Journalism) received a Gold Key award from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA). Tracy is the advisor of the student-run and award-winning newspaper the broadview and Computer Science chair, and has been involved with many scholastic journalism programs over the years. The Gold Key is given "in recognition of outstanding devotion to the cause of the school press, encouragement to the student editors in their several

endeavors, service above and beyond the call of delegated duty, leadership in the field of education, and support of the high ideals from which the Association has drawn its strength and inspiration."

Tracy received her award on March 16 in New York City, during a trip with journalism students to the CSPA convention. The trip included a visit to the New York Times printing plant, the Sacred Heart school at 91st Street and the Sacred Heart Network's Sprout Creek Farm.

Convent Educator Receives Journalism Award

Above: Megan Gamino playing Alice in the 2011-2012 Elementary School production of Looking Glass Land.

Above: Example of Dominique Sheth's bullying research from another high school.



newsCommunity

Au Revoir, Bon ChanceGraduations are always bittersweet. Students who’ve contributed

immensely to our community are transitioning to the next phase in their lives. As they move forward, they take a piece of Convent & Stuart Hall with them and invariably, a part of them remains woven into the fabric of our community. The same is true of the beloved administrators and faculty who “graduated” with our students this year. Some retired after long, fruitful careers and others departed in search of challenging new adventures.

Director of Schools Gordon Sharafinski retired at the end of the 2011-12 school year after more than a decade with Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco. Gordon has spent 45 years in education, one-third of that time in the classroom and two-thirds as an administrator. Gordon was the founding Head of Stuart Hall High School when it opened its doors in 2000. In 2009, at the Board of Trustees’ request, Gordon led the entire four-school community as Director of Schools. In a letter to the community, Gordon says, “These last thirteen years have provided me with a wonderful opportunity to grow, right up to the very end.”

Andrea Shurley has served as the Head of Convent of the Sacred Heart High School for the past four years. Prior to leading the girls’ high school, Andrea spent seven years at Stuart Hall High School as the Dean of Studies and a member of the English faculty. She is leaving the Bay Area with her family to complete her doctorate in Catholic Educational Leadership. Andrea reminiscences, “I have learned so much and grown as a person and as a professional. Convent High School is an exceptional place filled with beloved people and I will never forget a single moment.”

Anne Wachter, RSCJ has served as the Head of Convent of the Sacred Heart Elementary School for the past 12 years. Sr. Wachter is leaving San Francisco to serve as the next Headmistress of Sacred Heart School of Halifax in Novia Scotia. Before serving as the Head of Convent Elementary, Sr. Wachter was the Middle Form Dean. Sr. Wachter stresses that though she’ll physically be leaving Convent & Stuart Hall, her “heart will always be in San Francisco.”

Past and current parents, alumni, faculty and board members gathered to toast the accomplishments of these three remarkable administrators at a party at the Flood Mansion on May 24. The city of San Francisco also honored these three administrators for their contributions to Catholic education in San Francisco at a proclamation given by Supervisor Mark Farrell SHB’88 at City Hall on May 1.

The community also said goodbye to several retiring faculty members: Keren Abra, Convent Elementary since 1998; Rae Marie England,

Convent Elementary since 1990; Jan Hanway, Stuart Hall for Boys since 1998; Joanne Oppenheimer, Convent Elementary and Stuart Hall for Boys, 1975-82 and 1987-2012; Charles Rooney, Convent High School, since 2000; and Randy Sargeant, Schools of the Sacred Heart since 1998.

Top (center): Anne Wachter, Convent Elementary Head, Director of Schools Gordon Sharafinski, and Andrea Shirley, Convent High School Head.Above: A reception was held in May to honor long time faculty members who retired. Right: Angela Taylor with students on the first day of school. | photos by heather cenzer |

10 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

Our Community

Bonjour, BienvenueAs we say goodbye to several beloved administrators, we

usher in some fresh and familiar faces. Dr. Ann Marie Krejcarek (crate-saw-rek) is the new President of Schools. Ann Marie is an educator with an illustrious and varied career. Most recently, she served as the Headmaster at Saint Andrew’s School in Boca Raton, FL. Saint Andrew’s is a JK-12 Episcopal school with nearly 1,300 students where Ann Marie spent 15 years in leadership roles as both Headmaster and Assistant Head of School.

During her tenure, Ann Marie proactively led the development and support of excellent teachers, modifications to curriculum and strategic planning. Saint Andrew’s also expanded into lower grade levels, dramatically updated its facilities, including becoming LEED for Schools certified, and received International Baccalaureate World School designation.

Ann Marie holds a doctorate from the Teachers College at Columbia University and a degree in engineering from the University of Minnesota. She spent her first years in independent school education as a high school physics teacher. She and her husband,

Randy, have three grown sons. Ann Marie says: “I am honored and humbled to be selected as the next leader of Convent & Stuart Hall. Truly the quality of faculty, staff, administrators and students is exceeded by no other school. You have my personal commitment to cherish and preserve the mission of Sacred Heart education in San Francisco. I look forward to meeting and working with each and every one of you as we journey forward together.”

Mary Forsyth, an experienced Sacred Heart educator and administrator, will serve as the Interim Head of Convent High School while a search for permanent leadership can be conducted. Mary has a long history with Convent High School, having served as a teacher and

administrator at the school for 27 years. She has also served as an administrator at Sacred Heart Schools in Atherton and at high schools in Phoenix, AZ, and Pasadena, CA. Mary is a graduate of a Sacred Heart high school and college, and currently serves as the western regional representative for Sacred Heart alumnae in the U.S.

A familiar face also steps in as the next Head of Convent Elementary. Angela Taylor has served as the Lower Form Dean at Stuart Hall for Boys since 2000 and was the interim Head of School there during the 2004-2005 school year. As dean, she worked alongside all the administrative teams at Convent & Stuart Hall, and is highly regarded within the community for her collaborative nature, as well as her expertise in curriculum development and her passion for the Goals & Criteria. Angela is an integral part of the Campus Ministry Team and has represented the school as a presenter at various national conferences.

Angela began her career in education as a homeroom teacher for grades 4 and 5 in Atlanta, and then as a math and science teacher to grades 6 and 7 in Oakland and Boston. She holds a master’s degree in School Administration from the University of Massachusetts in Boston and a bachelor’s degree in Child Development from Spelman College in Atlanta.

Mary Forsyth

Ann Marie Krejcarek


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Photo Highlights of the Second Semester

1. Members of the community gathered on May 19, at Crissy Field for Miller's Mile, the school's annual Fun Run. 2. Seniors at Stuart Hall High School celebrated their induction into the Alumni Association on May 17, with a luncheon including plenty of pizza and an inspiring speech from Danyaal Farooqui'05. 3. At the Stuart Hall for Boys Alumni Breakfast on June 4, Charles Greene SHB'66 (pictured with Head of School Jaime Dominguez) emphasized the importance of staying connected.4. On April 27, the special guests at this year's Grandparents Day enjoyed a morning in Convent Elementary's classrooms visiting with students and completing fun activities.5. Convent High School seniors and their mothers attended an Alumnae Luncheon on May 30, where BASH inducted the graduates into the Alumni Association and Louise Carroll Conner'92 spoke to the girls about finding their passion.

| photo by samantha rogers |

| photos by heather cenzer |

| photo by jessica bullock |

| photo by marian zizzo |


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12 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

SurpaSSeS GoalLargest capital campaign in school’s 125 year history raises over $22 million for endowment, special funds and facilities improvements.

Just as Convent & Stuart Hall closed this academic year—one with the theme of Gratitude—Director of Schools Gordon Sharafinski announced that the Framework for the Future campaign eclipsed its $22 million goal by over $400,000, making it the largest capital campaign in the school's 125 year history.

Through this campaign, Convent & Stuart Hall worked to strengthen the endowment, provide supplemental funds and improve the facilities on both campuses. Donors gave generously to help pay for the seismic retrofit of Stuart Hall for Boys, and provide endowed funds that will create opportunities for students through the Financial Aid program and for faculty through the professional development program. Leadership gifts helped honor individuals for their contributions to the school, through establishing endowed scholarships, like the Gordon Sharafinski Scholarship Fund and the Anne Wachter, RSCJ, Scholarship Fund, and through naming classrooms and beloved spaces on both campuses.

Remarkable generosity from the community helped spark some momentum in the last few months of school. Nearly $1 million was raised

in a two-month period to help fund a state-of-the-art kitchen and cafeteria remodel for the Flood Mansion, which serves lunch daily to all K-8 students and Convent High School students. The new dining and service area will be ready for students this fall.

Additional surges of support came from two notable challenges that propelled the campaign toward the finish. A number of current and former members of the Board of Trustees offered a dollar-for-dollar match for gifts made in May and June, which ultimately led to more than $750,000 in new contributions. In addition, Stuart Hall for Boys alumnus Ron Conway SHB'66 stepped forward with a $500,000 challenge gift—bringing his total campaign contribution to $1 million—to close the campaign the first week in June.

Throughout this campaign, five families contributed $1 million or more to the campaign, and another 55 made gifts of $100,000 or more. Equally important to note is that another 800 parents, alumni, grandparents and friends gave generously to secure the foundation for another century of providing Sacred Heart education in San Francisco.

Silent Phase Co-Chairs Kamilla & John Hurley Leadership Phase Co-Chairs Julie & Greg Flynn2011-2012 Campaign Chair Maggie MackConvent Elementary School Co-Chairs Mary & Mike WolfeStuart Hall for Boys Co-Chairs Maggie & Carter MackConvent High School Chair Irene FigariStuart Hall High School Co-Chairs Mary & Tony ConradOther campaign committee members: Tony Avila, Alicia Berberich, Kelyn Brannon, Katie Budge, Robert Callan, Carol Doll, Robb Eklund, Tracy Falconer, Sarah Galivan, Pat Gallagher, Pamela Hayes, Jennifer Jeffries, Ted Judson, Kevin Kendrick, Sarah Leffert, Meagan Levitan, John Linehan, Julia McGuire, Joe Niehaus, Karen Niehaus, Claire Pesiri, Mary Rhoades, Mark Richardson, Melissa Richardson, Gordon Sharafinski, Molly Stack, Michelle Syufy, Alyce Werdel, Kelly Whalen, Marian Zizzo and the Stuart Hall High School Advancement Fundraising Co-Chairs Skip Olinger and John Warda

Million$22+

125Ensure Sacred Heart education will thrive in San Francisco for another 125 years by giving to the endowment. Find out how by visiting www.sacredsf.org/support.


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Top (left): A group of Stuart Hall for Boys soccer players celebrate a job well done and ferociously illustrate why the Lion is their mascot.Top (right): Eliza Klyce foils the competition.Bottom (right): The badminton team demonstrates poise and determination during a match.

| photo by steinberg imagery |

CUBS & KNigHTS TRACK & FiELD

Record-Setting Year for TeamThe Convent & Stuart Hall Track & Field

Team had a banner year. On May 12, the Knights won the Bay Area Conference (BAC) Championship meet, besting the defending champs, the Lick-Wilmerding Tigers, 154-153. The Cubs finished an impressive 5th overall. During the BAC Championships, a number of records were made including 41 personal bests, along with eight broken or tied school records. Freshman Bosco Bapuopeleh set new records for both the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints, sophomore Tess Holland beat both of her school records and set four school records, senior Owen Dayton placed 3rd in discus and was named the “Field Athlete of the Meet,” and sophomore Amelia Baier set a new school record in the 400m. Nine athletes qualified for the North Coast Section (NCS) Championships: Tess (first time a Cub has qualified), Bosco, Owen, senior LaBoyd Ricard, senior John Warda, junior Sterling Kirk, senior Joe Hildula, junior Matt McCrum and senior Tim Connolly. Despite their impressive performances, none made it past the trials. With a Track & Field team composed of 19 freshmen for the 2011-12 season, we look forward to continued growth and success for the team.

KNigHTS BASEBALL

Championship RepeatThis year’s baseball team became the

first in school history to win back-to-back championships. They went undefeated in

regular league play, with opponents only hitting .181 off pitching and defense. Offensively, the Knights hit .314 with .402 on-base average. Excellent performances were seen in the BCL West playoffs against University High School. In the semi-finals, against 4th place Marin Academy, freshman Stephen Everest only gave up one hit and struck out five hitters over the course of six innings. Excellent offense by senior Alex Asdourian (4 for 4 with 3 RBIs) and sophomore Gerald Reader (2 for 3 with a double, triple and 2 RBIs) helped the Knights clinch the game with a final score of 8-2.

In the championship game, Stuart Hall defeated Lick-Wilmerding 9-1, thanks to junior pitcher Ben Carrasco only allowing three hits and striking out seven in seven innings. He gave up only two walks and struck out 10 batters. Aggressive hitting and smart base-running allowed the Knights to earn an astonishing six runs in the 5th inning. Freshman Declan Ebeling led the Knights in hitting that night with two hits in his three at bats. The Knights earned an automatic bye in the NCS Division 5 Bracket, but the team lost to 4th seeded St. Vincent (NCL II Champions) in a very competitive 1-0 game.

CUBS & KNigHTS SWiMMiNg

Swimming Program Continues to Grow

At Stuart Hall, freshmen swimmers Daniel Blatman and Jeremy Huynh placed in their individual meets and broke school records, even though the team didn’t win very many overall matches. The Convent team had

better luck, with a great showing in the BAC Championship. The 200 freestyle relay team met their goal of beating Lick-Wilmerding in the championship. It was a tight race, but senior Dakota Chamberlin clinched the win with a strong finish.

CUBS FENCiNg

Fencers Attack the Competition

For the second year in a row, junior Eliza Klyce was named State Champion in fencing. With a 21-0 record at the close of the regular season, Eliza was an automatic qualifier and seeded 2nd at the start of the state championships and the defending champ. She won all her bouts in the preliminary round for seeding. In the first round, she went 6-0. She was awarded the 1st seed and earned a bye into direct eliminations. She won her next three bouts with scores of 15-7, 15-9 and 15-11. In the final bout, she faced the No.2 seed from Lowell High School and won 15-11. Eliza

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has qualified and participated in the state championships for the last three years.

Senior Captain Isabelle Pinard also had a fantastic fencing season with a solid 15-9 record in the regular season and a rank of 8 out of 38. Her solid performance at the city championships qualified her for the gold metal match. Isabelle lost only three matches during the tournament and she placed 4th overall in qualifying for the state championships.

CUBS SOCCER

Team Charges OnSeveral big wins marked the varsity

team’s season. In their first home game, they came up with their first ever win against Bentley School. From the beginning the Cubs dominated the game. In the first half junior Bianka Quintanilla-Whye took the ball up from the back line and passed it off to senior Catherine Burke who assisted junior forward Sara Svartvasmo with scoring the first goal of the game. Bentley managed

to tie the game 1-1 going into the half. With only two minutes left in the game, freshmen Christina Berardi hit the game-winning shot, and the Cubs went home with a 2-1 win.

The team also ended their season with a big win against Drew School on Senior Night. At the end of the first half, with a score of 0-0, a crossing pass came to senior Katie Rickards and she calmly kicked it back into the net. In the second half, Bianka won a 50/50 ball, shot a half field shot and scored. Drew couldn’t answer back and the Cubs ended their season with a 2-0 victory.

CUBS & KNigHTS BADMiNTON

Four Teams Go to NCS Championships

It was a great season for Convent & Stuart Hall badminton with many players and teams advancing to the championships. Senior Grant Kawahatsu (singles), junior Trenton Lowe and freshman Shing-Hoi Lau (doubles), senior Patrick Miller and junior Devin Harvey (doubles) and juniors Casey Stuart and Everet Tom (mixed doubles) all won the BAC Championships and qualified for the NCS Championships. Casey is the first Cub to make it to NCS in badminton. Our teams all played outstanding matches at the NCS Championship, though none advanced to the final round.

COUgARS SOCCER

Girls Learn the Value of Teamwork

The Convent Elementary soccer team had a challenging season with many players trying to juggle competing demands from other spring activities. In the final game of the season the girls fell short just one goal of tying their cross-street rival, The Hamlin School. Athletics Director Leilani Wagner says, “they worked hard and they worked together—that’s what’s most important.”

COUgARS BASKETBALL

Four Teams Go to PlayoffsAt the start of Convent Elementary's

basketball season, nearly every team brought home a win on the first weekend of the spring season. The successes continued through the season with the eighth grade Red team, eighth grade White team, sixth grade team (who went undefeated in the regular season) and seventh grade team making it to the playoffs. Though the teams didn’t win it all in post-season play, we couldn’t be more proud of their hard work.

CUBS & KNigHTS SAiLiNg

Sailing for SuccessIn preparation for America’s Cup, our

very own sailors had a spectacular season at sea. Junior Ivan Balarin, freshman Will Paulsen, sophomore Francesca Dana, freshman Sarah Bunney, sophomore Taro Duncan and freshman Claire Mohun all journeyed to Santa Barbara for the Gaucho Regatta and finished 10th out of the top 30 high school programs. Next, the teams competed at the Northern California Pacific Coast Interscholastic Sailing Association (PCISA) Championships hosted by the St. Francis Yacht Club and finished solidly in 15th place. The season ended at the PCISA Silver Championship where our teams placed 19th.

KNigHTS WRESTLiNg

The Head of their Weight Class

In only its second year, the Knights wrestling program is showing impressive growth. Senior Alex Asdourian and junior Colin Shepard became the first two wrestlers in the history of the school to qualify and advance in rounds of the North Coast Section Championships. Alex, for the second straight year, went undefeated in league matches to capture the league title in his weight class and finished 16th out of more than 140 wrestlers. Colin battled tough and also came out on top in the league in his weight class and recorded a win at the sectionals.

LiONS gOLF

Players Win InvitationalAt the third annual Stuart Hall for Boys

Invitational at Harding Park, the Lions were once again triumphant against the competition. At the qualifying event, 15 Stuart Hall students battled it out on the links to determine the top four players who would go on to compete against Town School, SF Day School, Head-Royce School and Brandeis Hillel Day School. The top four golfers were seventh grader Kyle Wilkinson with 2 over par, sixth grader Gianluca Mori also with 2 over par, seventh grader Charlie Dallape with 7 over par and seventh grader Michael Tellini with 10 over par. Athletics Director Paul Harvey says, “Much fun was had by all, and some great golf etiquette and sportsmanship was evident on the course.”

At the invitational, Town and Stuart Hall were tied after all the rounds were completed resulting in a sudden death playoff. Kyle and Gianluca represented the Lions in the playoff. Kyle won the event for the Lions with a short putt on the first playoff hole.

Top (left): A group of Stuart Hall for Boys soccer players celebrate a job well done and ferociously illustrate why the Lion is their mascot.Top (right): Eliza Klyce foils the competition.Bottom (right): The badminton team demonstrates poise and determination during a match.

| photo courtesy elena desantis |



On the Town: What happens when three soldiers get a 24-hour shore leave in New York City? They look for romance on the crowded subways and streets, visit a nightclub or two and learn a little about pre-modern hominids. Set in wartime 1944, the high schools’ play, On the Town, was replete with spot-on period details, but the themes of fate, idealism versus realism and the sometimes ephemeral nature of love transcend any one time period. With an excellent stage cast and fantastic backstage crew, this musical was one of the best yet.

Beauty and the Beast: A classic of the big screen took to the stage for the elementary schools’ spring musical. The colorful cast of characters, including a singing teapot, a debonair candlestick, a not-so brutish beast and an enchanting beauty, charmed audiences of all ages. The musical numbers soared and the costuming was, as always, simply marvelous. Kudos to a very talented cast and crew for giving life to a much loved animated film.

heART Show: The halls of the Flood Mansion were even more beautiful than usual thanks to the creativity exhibited in The 4-School Art Show. This year, a new multimedia endeavor allowed guests to go beneath the surface of the art on display. Visitors who downloaded a QR Reader onto their smartphones were treated to a rare behind-the-scenes look into the making of the projects and the minds of the artists.

Gratitude Mural Goes Academic: The Gratitude mural at Stuart Hall High School has caught the interest of Laurie Gries, assistant professor at the University of Florida. Gries is tracking the circulation, transformation, and consequentiality of street artist Shepard Fairey's iconic Obama Hope image. Lucas Long (Stuart Hall senior) appropriated the Obama Hope image in his design to express gratitude for the Stuart Hall community and honor James Kessler, a Stuart Hall student who died in 2009. The mural will be referenced in an article for the journal Computers and Composition and in an upcoming book project Still Life with Rhetoric: A New Materialist Approach for Visual Rhetorics.

Out of This World: Honors Biology students explored theoretical astrobiology alongside visual art in this year’s interdisciplinary Art+Science project. The guys created paintings, drawings, prints, ceramics and digital designs that envision what life outside of our planet might look like.

The Big Picture: Kyle Chew (Stuart Hall senior) and Grant Kawahatsu's (Stuart Hall senior) video Water and Our Environment tied for second place in the 3rd Annual High School Just Video Contest, honoring videos showing how human rights, environmentalism or immigration relate to Catholic social teachings.

LA Art Tour: For the past 11 years Advanced Placement Art History and Advanced Art Portfolio students at Convent High School have ventured to Los Angeles area museums to see collections that span many decades and styles. On March 30, a group of students departed for a weekend of art in the city of angels. They visited the Weisman House, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Getty Center and the Getty Villa.

Project Convent: Students in Claire Kessler-Bradner’s (Fine Arts, Convent High School) sophomore studio elective course visited the Scrounger’s Center for Reusable Art Parts (SCRAP) for a Project Runway-style challenge. With only 20 minutes and $5, the girls gathered materials that would later be artfully assembled into a creative project of their choosing during the two-hour final.

Author’s Corner: It seems published authors (and an illustrator or two) are everywhere at Convent Elementary! Isabella Alvarez’s (fifth grader) book Saving Lucky recounts the unlikely friendship between a Weddell seal named Lucky and Abigail, the daughter of Antarctic researchers. Poet Olivia Tucker (fifth grader) had a piece included in the anthology, If the World Were My Classroom. Ellie Leider (third grader) and Healy Leider (sixth grader) illustrated The Horse Who Speaks French by authors Sarah Lyon Liley and Mama. While Ann Nunes (Convent Elementary Religion) published the first in a series of theological educational texts entitled Christian Moral Life, A Primary Source Reader for middle and high school students.

Shield Yourself: Sixth graders at Stuart Hall for Boys researched and constructed Ancient Greek shields as part of cross-curricular project under the direction of Will Jaggers (Stuart Hall for Boys Fine Arts) and Talbot Moore (Stuart Hall for Boys Social Studies).

Artistry AboundsA sampling of work from our creative community.

SHHS Art+Science

Beauty & the Beast, Elementary School Musical

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Convent SCRAP

SHB Ancient Greek ShieldsSHHS Art+Science

Beauty & the Beast, Elementary School Musical

heART Show

On the Town, High School Musical

| photos by heather cenzer|


Evening Gala Evening Gala

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Celebrate Srpring

This year, a Roaring 20s theme brought the flapper girls to Bimbo’s 365 Club for the Evening Gala and turned the Flood Mansion into a country club befitting Daisy Buchanan for the Garden Luncheon & Boutique. The assorted amusements of Family Fest were moved to the

weekend before the Evening Gala and Garden Luncheon & Boutique, lending a leisurely air to this year’s series of soirées. Chairs Jewel Casinelli and Erika Mooney were instrumental in making this glamorous event incredibly memorable for everyone.

Family festivalFamily festival


Garden Luncheon Garden Luncheon

Friday, March 23, 2012Friday, March 23, 2012

Family festivalFamily festival


Garden Luncheon Garden Luncheon

Friday, March 23, 2012Friday, March 23, 2012

Evening Gala Evening Gala

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LuncheonLuncheon

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Twenty Years of Celebrating Spring

For the past 20 years, the community has gathered for an annual celebration of spring’s arrival. Everyone enjoys fêting the school and mingling with fellow parents and faculty, but Celebrate Spring isn’t just fun and games. The annual event has raised over $6 million for

the school since its inception in 1994.

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Celebrate Srpring


in the CLASSroom

Liturgical Learning

| by jessica bullock |

New Campus Ministry class gives insight into religious practice.

As students file into chapel and take their seats in the polished wood pews, they prepare to observe faith as a series of practices. They listen to the priest offer the introductory rite, the liturgy of the Word, the liturgy of the Eucharist and the concluding rite.

Our students’ familiarity and ease with these practices comes from the numerous opportunities they have to practice faith. There’s morning prayer for students and faculty to share worship practices from various faith traditions, a space for quiet reflection during espacio, weekly liturgical singing and several Eucharistic liturgies throughout the year.

A fundamental component of exploring faith and developing a personal and active relationship with religion is giving students the opportunity to actively participate in services.

Eighth graders at Convent Elementary learned about contributing to religious practice in the new Campus Ministry Class taught by Kristin Monfredini (Convent & Stuart Hall, Chapel Coordinator). The class, offered for the first time this school year, gives the girls the unique opportunity to prepare Masses for their peers. The girls chose prayers and music for Mass and educated the community about upcoming Sacred Heart celebrations. They also

learned about recent changes to Catholic liturgies and how to incorporate them into Masses, giving them greater context for the significance of those changes within broader religious schema. Convent eighth grader Isabella Coolins learned a lot from the course. “It’s really hard to write a liturgy. You really have to commit yourself,” she says, especially since the various parts have to “make sense and fit in with everything else.” The eighth graders clearly relished having an active role during religious practices and luckily for the rising eighth graders, the course will be offered against next year.

Pyramid in PixelsEducators use video games to teach about the ancient world.

Anyone who gazes upon the Egyptian pyramids must wonder, “How on Earth were such astonishing structures constructed?” Although most curriculums approach the study of the pyramids from the position of historian or archaeologist, sixth graders at Stuart Hall are learning about the pyramids from the viewpoint of the builder. Talbot Moore (Stuart Hall for Boys, History) is using Minecraft, The National Academy of Video Game Testers and Reviews’ 2011 videogame of the year, to facilitate this learning opportunity.

convent elementary school

stuart hall for boys


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It’s a seemingly simple game—players use textured cubes to build structures in a 3D world. The game’s focus on creativity and building has garnered

critical and commercial praise along with plenty of awards, while getting the attention of educators. When teachers in New York raved about using Minecraft in their classrooms, Talbot, along with Fred Jaravata (Technology) and Nick McSpadden (Technology) took notice. These educational innovators piloted a way to look at ancient Egypt through a very modern prism.

Students spent a day or two each week in the Unkefer Computer Lab building a virtual scale replica of the first Egyptian pyramid, Djoser’s Pyramid. Djoser’s Pyramid is a step pyramid consisting of six stacked mastabas (flat, rectangular structures) stacked in decreasing size forming the familiar triangular shape we associate with pyramids. Since this was the first pyramid ever built, the construction process was experimental and marked by a series of

mistakes and corrections.The boys worked simultaneously, but

on individual computers in the computer lab. Therefore, a high level of cooperation and communication was necessary. The students mimicked the division of labor utilized by workers in ancient Egypt. Students already familiar with Minecraft were given the role of overseers, while the rest of the boys became conscripts (one compulsorily enrolled for service).

The overseers had to strategize construction and ensure that all students understood their tasks and how they fit with the larger goal. Much like the actual pyramid’s construction, a few miscalculations were made, requiring the boys to take down cubes and rebuild at certain spots. The students also contended against flooding and forces of desertification and tropification, thanks to the game’s built-in ecological conditions.

The program has been hugely successful. It was not uncommon for the boys to beg their teachers to let them work after school and even on weekends, but beyond the fun, the game offers a rich learning experience. Besides learning about the construction of Djoser’s Pyramid, the boys also learned about the importance of clear communication and coordination. Talbot says, “The game illustrates that many hands make light work,” which is only achievable through excellent leadership and effective delegation.

Since the game is saved on the school’s server, Talbot’s goal is to eventually have the entire Egyptian valley built in the virtual world. This will allow future classes to see the contributions of their predecessors as they construct their own structures—much like the ancient builders.

Pyramid in Pixels, continued.

You Are Your Own CreatorLearning about ourselves through literature.

For many students, English class conjures images of stuffy professors in ubiquitous tweed jackets with leather elbow patches droning on about antiquated authors whose work has no relation to modern life. Rachael Denny (Convent High School, Literature) wants to

change this characterization and encourages her students to embrace literature as a joyful enterprise. Seniors in her English class read a series of texts from a feminist perspective and discover that literature can be about enjoyment, creativity and exploring individuality.

convent high school


Above: (Top) The pyramid engineers gather in the Unkefer Computer Lab.(Bottom) A screenshot of the construction process.

| photos courtesy fred jaravata|

Continued of following page.


An important feature of the feminist model is looking at literature as an exploration of identity. The girls read texts like Willa Cather’s Oh, Pioneers and Kate Chopin’s The Awakening. These authors are enmeshed in questions of what it means to be a woman and what it means to be an individual, which ultimately helps the girls answer these questions for themselves. Since students are formulating an understanding of their unique personhood and their role in crafting that identity, it makes sense that one of the final works they read is Mary Shelley’s classic tale of creation, Frankenstein. The girls tackle the text from the course’s feminist perspective and complete a multi-layered project showing their mastery of the novel.

Their culminating project on Shelley’s masterpiece is the Frankenfolio. It consists of a traditional written chapter analysis, a class presentation and several creative components. For the creative portion of the Frankenfolio, the girls must complete six accompanying projects like modernizing letters from the text, condensing a portion of the book into text messages, rewriting the ending of the book or writing a poem based on an emotional reaction to an event in the book. This creative opportunity lets the girls reimagine the text from their point of view and also serves the purpose of showing students that studying literature is about “being creative and having fun,” Rachael says.

The girls also have the opportunity to show their creative sides and explore their own identity in their final senior project. Drawing from their recent reading of Frankenstein and its emphasis on creation and feminist perspectives, the girls’ final project poses the following question: “You are your own creator, and the question is: What is it that you are going to create with your one precious life?” To answer this question, the girls create art that expresses what they hope to create with their lives.

The study of literature lets readers get inside the minds of a multitude of voices, leading to richer narratives of human experience. By tackling texts and reinterpreting them in a variety of ways, the girls learn to recognize that the narrative of their own lives is firmly within their control.

You Are Your Own Creator, continued.


in the CLASSroom

In FocusPhotography elective helps high school students develop their passions.

stuart hall high school

What’s your passion and how would you teach it to a group of high school students? This year, a change in the high schools’ schedule gave faculty the opportunity to answer this question.

You are your own creator, and the question is: What

is it that you are going to create with your one

precious life?"

– Final Project question

“

Above: The girls ruminate on the nature of identity.

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In years past, a designated “club period” has allowed students to explore diverse interests like hip-hop, comic books or French films. Although the club period designated time for students to delve into a hobby, the administration and faculty felt this time could be more educational, structured and, ultimately, more constructive for students. Collaboration between administrators and faculty resulted in the transformation of the club period into the co-ed elective period. A hallmark of the new elective period is its emphasis on using the talents of teachers to inspire and produce something valuable for students.

Francisco Teixeira (Stuart Hall High School, Spanish) is an accomplished photographer who completed extensive dark room photography in the 80s. The photography elective he teaches has given him an avenue to share his passion for photography with students.

Francisco helped five students

from Convent and four students from Stuart Hall “find their voice” through photography. Students “came in with the skills and the equipment” and Francisco focused on “nurturing their talent.” Some students gravitated toward a more classic aesthetic, while others were more interested in playing with contrast. Francisco helped the students find their style by pointing out trends in their photography and offering encouragement. Francisco also focused on helping students get better photographs using their cameras, rather than relying on manipulating the photographs in post-production.

In class, students learned about composition and studied the work of professional photographers. During their free time, they went out and took photographs of a subject of their choosing like architecture, amusements parks or the beautiful vistas in Europe during a recent service trip to network schools in Spain and France.

An integral part of the course

was the exhibition process. The Artist in Residence at Stuart Hall High School, Patter Hellstrom, was instrumental during this phase and assisted the students with exhibition planning, installation and offered printing and framing demonstrations to achieve a polished end product. The students’ impressive photography is displayed in the Stuart Hall High School Library where it will reside for the majority of the 2012-13 school year. The course will be offered next year and Francisco hopes to cover black & white, high speed, night and sports photography.

Left: A Stuart Hall High School photographer gets his shot.


in Focus, continued.


You

Get What You Give

How service to the community prepares students for futures of purpose.

| by jessica bullock |

Our Community

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They learn about quadratic equations, iambic pentameter and how to conjugate verbs in Latin. Although these lessons are vital to burgeoning minds, there are other teachings that inform our students’ characters and become a constant and defining characteristic in their lives. It is these lessons that will persist after students hang up their diplomas, white dresses and robes. As they prepare to embark on the next phase in their lives, whether it’s leaving San Francisco for college, entering the workforce, attending a new high school or staying on at Convent High School or Stuart Hall High School, there are unwavering values they’ll take with them into their unique futures–the guiding principles of a Sacred Heart education.

Goal III of Sacred Heart education is the instillation of “a social awareness that impels to action.” Students live out this goal every day and learn that helping others is not a choice—it’s a natural facet of a meaningful life. Through community service, fundraising and philanthropic pursuits, our students transform lives, gain a tangible connection to their community and learn enduring life skills. The spirit of service permeates the culture of our community and the identities of our students. That high school students often complete far more than the required number hours of community service hours (75 by the end of junior year at Stuart Hall and 100 hours by graduation

at Convent) and elementary students routinely identify areas of need and take practical steps to help is a testament to our students’ dedication to service.

The City is Our Service

Every week, Ray O’Connor (Stuart Hall High School, Community Service and Theology) and several seniors pile into the school’s minivan. They buckle up and Ray drives down busy one ways, dropping students off at their destinations. One student visits Redwood Elementary and reads with a second grade boy, another goes to the St. Vincent de Paul/Ozanam Wellness Center to create art with people who are struggling with addiction to drugs or mental health issues. One guy visits Rosa Parks Elementary to help students correctly identify U.S. states in the computer lab and two guys go to Project Open Hand to prepare meals for the critically ill and homebound.

One of the many benefits of attending school in San Francisco is the wealth of opportunities for service that exist within the city’s seven square miles. For many students, Convent & Stuart Hall service learning provides an opportunity to interface with the multiplicity of existences outside their immediate communities, which takes them outside their comfort zones. According to Ray, “we have the city right here and the city is our service.” By


completing extensive community service to the city and its citizens, our students gain a tangible connection to others and learn about the importance of giving back.

At Project Open Hand, seniors Alex Asdourian and Peter Holper don hairnets and nitrile gloves and spend time chopping chicken and vegetables alongside other volunteers. Their prep work ensures that 2,600 meals are available to those in need daily. There’s a camaraderie amongst the volunteers, which is why Alex considers volunteering at Project Open Hand “a lot of fun,” but volunteering also offers the guys a glimpse into the realities of life as some members of our community experience it. Additionally, they see first-hand examples of complex topics covered in class lectures.

Volunteering at Project Open Hand is about more than dicing peppers with other volunteers, it illuminates the powerful interrelationship between food, power and justice. Namely, who has access to quality food, who doesn’t and how can we overcome these inequalities? The guys who volunteer their time at low-income elementary schools gain insight into educational inequities as they relate to economic realities, while those who volunteer at recovery centers learn about the devastating consequences of addiction and the uphill battle of recovery. That volunteering is about more than fulfilling mandatory hours is the whole point of service learning at Convent & Stuart Hall.

Everyone Needs Support On March 5, 2012, the nonprofit

Invisible Children introduced much of the world to notorious Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony and his abduction of children for the purpose of enlisting them as soldiers. Despite the recent controversy regarding the organization’s founder, the world was nonetheless captivated by Invisible Children’s viral video, Kony 2012. The video revealed how Kony’s actions have impacted a nation, while simultaneously remaining off the international community's radar. While the video was most people’s first encounter with Kony, for Convent junior Alex Milton, the video was a realization of years of activism.

Alex has been an active member of Invisible Children since 2009 when speakers from the organization visited Convent. Inspired by their story, Alex organized a book drive for Ugandan kids and later created an Invisible Children club at the high school. To date, the club has raised $3,500 for Invisible Children through jewelry trunk shows, bake sales and outside donations. Alex also helped produce and write a song for the cause and is planning a music and fashion gala at Convent & Stuart Hall next year. In the future, Alex says she hopes “to remain involved in creating awareness and raising funds.”

At Convent High School, a spirit of activism and philanthropy prevails. The girls are involved in an array of charitable pursuits including the National Charity League and Aids Walk, as well as school clubs like Simple Gifts (a student-run nonprofit that puts on an annual fashion

show), Walk for Uganda and many others. In addition to their staggering philanthropic efforts, students also spend considerable time volunteering in their immediate communities. In the community service elective taught by Patricia Kievlan (Convent High School, Community Service and Resource Study), students help out on campus and in the community. The girls stuff gift bags for the Celebrate Spring Garden Luncheon, make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to distribute to hungry people or create handmade valentines to brighten a stranger’s day. Students also dedicate time outside of class to volunteer for causes they’re passionate about.

Quinn Reno (Convent senior) and Casey Stuart (Convent junior) are using art to help others gain confidence and end stigmas toward learning differences. Casey and Quinn volunteer with Project Eye to Eye, which pairs elementary students who have learning differences with high school students who have learning differences. Quinn is a passionate advocate for the organization and its mission, saying, “I never want an elementary school student to go through the struggles I went through as a student with a learning difference.” For Casey, this experience has taught her, “Everyone needs support…and that giving back to the community is the best part…through these exercises, I have become more socially aware of my surroundings and learned the importance of helping others. Every little thing you do makes a big impact. There is always something you can do. I am very grateful to have these opportunities and a community who supports me.”

| photo by jessica bullock | | photo courtesy michael silk |

Our Community

Above (left): Seniors Alex Asdourian (left) and Peter Holper (right) prep food at Project Open Hand. Above (right): Second graders visit the St. Vincent de Paul Society/Ozanam Center.

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From Awareness to Action

Students at Convent Elementary and Stuart Hall for Boys learn to translate the awareness of need into a call to action in many age-appropriate ways. Our sister school in Kyamusanala, Uganda, is one important means by which students begin to understand how our actions can have a meaningful impact on others. At this year’s annual Walk for Uganda, a four-school event, nearly 100 members of the community raised over $4,000, giving six Ugandan girls the gift of a Sacred Heart education. At the 5th Annual Pinewood Derby this past April over 130 elementary school racers raised more than $3,000 for the school in Uganda.

Fundraising efforts like these give students an awareness that is easier for them to grasp because our students can relate easier to Sacred Heart students elsewhere. Earlier this year, four fifth graders at Convent Elementary, Madison Syufy, Catherine Brooke, Sasha Growney and Kiki Apple, identified an area of need and took steps to help. After learning from Ursula Bugembe, RSCJ, that a dairy cow that provides roughly 20 liters of milk a day costs an astounding $1,200, the girls raised over $3,000 so RSCJs in Uganda could purchase a cow for their farm. Sr. Bugembe was touched by the generous spirit of these students and noted, “I was speechless reading the plan these precious souls have embraced.”

Through these efforts, students learn how their actions have the power to impact others. That these actions are bettering the lives of other Sacred Heart students makes the experience that much more meaningful. A letter of thanks from the Mission Support Coordinator in Uganda, Irene Cullen, RSCJ, underscores the affect of these fundraising efforts. In a

letter to the community, Sr. Cullen thanked the participants by stating, “I understand what a real community effort this venture was and pray your generous hearts are blessed in abundance and that you know you are making a difference.”

An enthusiasm for fundraising was also displayed by Alena McGrew, a Convent sixth grader, who traveled to Ghana earlier this year to sing at the African Choral Festival. Her trip included visiting schools, orphanages, a rainforest and spinning kente cloth from Africa’s Ashanti Region. Alena’s sojourn was more than a chance to travel and see the world through a new filter—she turned it into an opportunity for service. Alena, along with fellow Convent sixth graders Natalie Weber, Sydney O’Neil and Nicole De Petris, organized a drive to collect sandals for Alena to distribute at the Village of Hope orphanage in Accra, Ghana.

In addition to raising money for the Sacred Heart School in Uganda, students at Stuart Hall for Boys engage in a variety of charitable pursuits. Every year, third graders raise money to buy guide dog harnesses with a canine-friendly biscuit sale. Students also volunteer their time planting flowers or watering plants in our on-campus garden, thus learning about the importance of dedicating time and energy to our planet. The fifth grade classes have an ongoing relationship with the Paropakar Orphanage in Nepal and

have, since 2004, raised over $45,000 through bake sales and a “spellathon.” The money they raise helps the orphanage purchase clothes, computers and furnishings.

The second grade classes visit the St. Vincent de Paul Society/Ozanam Center to support vulnerable and often overlooked members of our community. The boys visit the center several times a year to commemorate “birthdays,” or anniversaries of sobriety, with clients. During the celebration, the boys sing Happy Birthday and eat cake with the center’s clients. They also deliver toiletries and handwritten cards of encouragement to each person observing their sobriety. Spending time with clients at the center teaches the boys to recognize the dignity and worth in everyone, regardless of their circumstances.

What the Future Holds

A dedication to service and the community is something our students take with them as they forge paths to their futures. Nick Dietz ’08, who is now at UCLA, revealed the commitment to service that a Sacred Heart education imparts in a recent email to Ray O’Connor and Sergio Vasquez (Stuart Hall High School, Theology). Nick shared his involvement with community beautification in the

| photo courtesy dennis estrada |

Right: The Paropakar Orphanage in

Nepal, with whom Stuart Hall fifth

grade classes have an ongoing

relationship.


UCLA neighborhood of Westwood Village and said, “I learned so much under your leadership at Stuart Hall campus ministry. Thank you for teaching me the benefits of service and how to execute a social awareness, which impels to action.”

Sarah Armstrong CES’10 is another example of an alumna who developed her passion for service at Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco. At Convent Elementary, Sarah and several classmates worked with the nonprofit Hands4Others to raise more than $20,000 to fund water systems for two villages in places where drinkable water is scarce. This past September, Sarah was named to the San Francisco Youth Commission. She recently told Convent Elementary Head of School Anne Wachter, RSCJ: “I had a great freshman year [at St. Ignatius], and I really do think it was because Convent prepared me so well and taught me how to be confident…I am so grateful for everything Convent has taught me and I know my success in high school would not be possible without everything I learned in elementary school.” That students’ community service becomes a lifelong endeavor is the goal of the various forms of involvement open to students at each of the four schools.

Our students’ reveal their commitment and passion for service in innumerable

ways. Our Heart to Heart program is designed to promote friendship and understanding between our students and their peers from surrounding neighborhoods. The program offers weekly peer tutoring, Friday night programming, a benefit concert, a summer reading program and a backpack giveaway. The Heart to Heart peer-tutoring program has grown substantially due to the passion and commitment of our Middle Form and high school students who tutor kids from the Western Addition. In addition to providing tutoring assistance, the high school students prepare snack, lead art activities and help with general supervision.

Students' involvement extends beyond the school year. Many spend their summers volunteering on projects within the Network of Sacred Heart Schools or raising money for causes they’re committed to. What students gain from all these experiences is immeasurable and informs who they are and who they will continue to become. Whether students go on to expose truths as journalists, save lives as doctors or guide others as business leaders, their commitment to their community shines through and allows them to lead lives rich with purpose and meaning.

| photo courtesy lori saltviet|

Our Community

Above: High School students held a bake sale to support

the end of AIDS on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2011.

For more information on community service at Convent & Stuart Hall, visit Hearts of Service Blog at http://sacredsfservice.wordpress.com

28 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

For the sake of one child, she would have founded the

Society.

For the sake of the

Society, we carry on her

mission in San Francisco.

125Schools of the Sacred Heart | San Francisco

Help us realize the vision of St. Madeleine Sophie Barat

and the Society of the Sacred Heart by making a gift in

honor of the school's 125th Anniversary.


* acceptances as of May xx, 2012 Bold indicates matriculation

Our Community

The kindergartners are acclimating to a new and baffling school environment and the seniors are saying goodbye to a setting that has become familiar. While our youngest and oldest students are facing seminal rites of passage, every grade is handed a new set of privileges to navigate.

Some milestones are curricular and others are social. Whether students are stepping into long pants, learning to use a combination lock or beginning to craft the perfect personal statement for college applications, each rite of passage is a stepping-stone that prepares students for greater personal responsibility. We applaud our students for the courage and joie de vivre they dedicate to every challenge that comes their way.

30 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

Lower Form LandmarksKindergartners and first graders at Stuart Hall become members of the “Short Pants Club,” which gives them carte blanche to visit the Head of School, Jaime Dominguez, in his office just by knocking on the door.

First graders at Convent get their very own desks.

Second graders at Convent & Stuart Hall take the Sacraments of First Reconciliation and First Communion.

Third graders at Convent dissect owl pellets and cow eyes.

Fourth graders at Stuart Hall gain responsibilities like being ushers during weekly Chapel services, raising the flag daily and gaining eligibility to run for Student Council.

Middle Form MilestonesFifth graders at Convent learn to adjust to a new schedule and their new blue uniforms.

Sixth graders at Convent & Stuart Hall begin their Latin studies and participate in the Roman Market.

Seventh and eighth graders at Convent participate in the Rose Ceremony during the St. Madeleine Sophie Liturgy. The ceremony is a symbolic passing of leadership from the eighth graders to the seventh graders.

High School HighlightsFreshmen at Stuart Hall take World Religions and visit local religious communities including the Vedanta Society, Buddhist communities, St. Mary’s Cathedral and the Islamic Society of San Francisco.

Sophomores at Convent complete a research project and share their findings with faculty and fellow classmates at the annual Sophomore Symposium.

Juniors at Stuart Hall have completed at least 75 hours of community service by the end of the school year.

Seniors at both schools get access to the coveted senior lounges.


Convent of the Sacred Heart elementaryClass of 2012

32 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

Graduation

Sportsmanship TrophyGabriela Gupta

Doris Munsertmann AwardMcKenna Carter

Sacred Heart ScholarAlexandra Farran

Goal 1 Christian LeadershipEmma Gordon

Goal 2 Janet Erskine Stuart Award for Academic ExcellenceCorinne Sigmund

Goal 3 The Philippine Duchesne Award for ServiceIsabella Coolins

Goal 4 St. Madeleine Sophie Barat Award for School SpiritLaurel Cinti

Goal 5 Award for CitizenshipSara Cami

8th Grade Awards & PrizesConvent of the Sacred Heart elementary

Class of 2012

| photos by marian zizzo |C o n v e n t & S t u a r t H a l l 33

Class of 2012

Stuart Hall for Boys

34 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

Graduation

Highest Grade Point AverageLuke Righetti and Spencer Ferguson-Dryden

Most Improved StudentChris McDermott

General Academic ExcellenceJamie Flynn

Sustained Academic EffortMichael Flynn

Sacred Heart Scholar AwardZachary Avila

Outstanding Musician AwardMaxwell Mercier

Sophia Kent McNeil Award for Creative ExpressionDuncan McDonell

Ursula Marsten Volunteer AwardHenry Davis

The Janet Crooks-Freeburg AwardNico Alioto-Pier

The Creativity and Innovation AwardHenry Desai and Jan Wignall

The Alumni Service AwardNick Solari

American Legion AwardKevin Hanley

Pen and Letter AwardMichael Flynn

Sportsman of the Year AwardClayton Read

Chris Cardinal Memorial AwardLuke Righetti

Bill Auchincloss Memorial AwardLucius Johnson

The Dashiell Unkefer and David McSpadden Mathematics AwardJamie Flynn

8th Grade Awards & PrizesClass of 2012

| photos by jessica bullock | C o n v e n t & S t u a r t H a l l 35

Convent of the Sacred Heart High SchoolClass of 2012

Senior Awards & Prizes

Four-Year Prize for Academic ExcellenceLauren Choi and Aggie Kruse

Faculty Prize for Academic ExcellenceJordan Carter

Faculty Prize in Academic DiligenceBrooke Thomas

Ursula Marsten Award for Generous ServiceMeghan Helms

Faculty Prize for Generous Service & LeadershipLauren Choi

Goal Five Award in Honor of Ari RiordanLeslie Lambert

Maria Elena Yuchengco Service AwardQuinn Reno

Valedictorian: Aggie Kruse

36 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

Convent of the Sacred Heart High SchoolClass of 2012

| photos by caitlin kavanagh |

Graduation


Stuart Hall High SchoolClass of 2012

| photos by lori saltviet |

38 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

Stuart Hall High SchoolClass of 2012 Graduation

Senior Awards & Prizes

Janet Erskine Stuart Award for Personal GrowthSkyler Dayton

James Rowcliffe Kessler AwardAlex Asdourian

Rose Phillippine Duchesne AwardJohn Warda

Alumni Service AwardAddison Chan

Valedictorian: Brandan La


CollegeaCCeptanCes

Convent of the Sacred Heart

The American International University in London

American UniversityAmerican University in Londonarizona State universityBard CollegeBelmont UniversityBerklee College of MusicBoston CollegesBoston UniversityBriar Cliff UniversityBryant UniversityBucknell universityCalifornia polytechnic State university,

pomonaCalifornia Polytechnic State University,

San Luis ObispoCalifornia State University, Los AngelesCalifornia State University, Monterey BayChapman universityClemson UniversityColgate UniversityCollege of William and MaryColorado CollegeConnecticut CollegeDickinson CollegeDrexel UniversityEdge Hill UniversityEmory UniversityThe Evergreen State CollegeFairfield universityFordham UniversityFranklin and Marshall CollegeGeorge Washington UniversityGeorgetown universityGonzaga UniversityHobart and William Smith CollegesHofstra UniversityHumboldt State UniversityImmaculata CollegeKeene State CollegeKenyon CollegeLa Salle University

lafayette CollegeLewis and Clark CollegeLinfield CollegeLoyola Marymount UniversityLoyola University Chicago loyola university new orleansManhattan CollegeManhattanville CollegeMarymount Manhattan CollegeMerrimack CollegeMills CollegeMontana State University, Bozemannew York universityNortheastern Universitynorthwestern universityOccidental CollegeOregon State UniversityPomona Collegeprinceton universityQuinnipiac Universityregis universityrivier CollegeSaint Mary’s College of CaliforniaSan Francisco State UniversitySanta Barbara City CollegeSanta Clara UniversitySarah lawrence CollegeSeattle universitySeton Hall UniversitySkidmore CollegeSonoma State UniversitySouthern Methodist universitySuffolk universityTexas Christian UniversityTrinity CollegeTulane universityUnion CollegeThe university of alabamaThe University of ArizonaUniversity of California at Berkeleyuniversity of California at Davisuniversity of California at los angelesuniversity of California at Merced

University of California at Riversideuniversity of California at San DiegoUniversity of California at Santa Barbarauniversity of California at Santa Cruzuniversity of Colorado at Boulder University of DenverUniversity of MaineUniversity of Miamiuniversity of Michigan University of New Hampshireuniversity of notre DameUniversity of Oklahomauniversity of oregonUniversity of the PacificUniversity of PortlandUniversity of Puget SoundUniversity of RedlandsUniversity of Rhode Islanduniversity of San DiegoUniversity of San FranciscoUniversity of Scrantonuniversity of Southern California University of Saint AndrewsUniversity of Texas, Austinuniversity of WashingtonVillanova UniversityWake Forest UniversityWashington University in St. LouisWellesley CollegeWestern Oregon UniversityWestern Washington universityWheaton CollegeWheeling Jesuit UniversityWhitman CollegeWhittier College

40 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

CollegeClaSS oF 2012

Stuart Hall

American UniversityBarry UniversityBerklee College of MusicBoston CollegeBoston UniversityBucknell UniversityCalifornia Polytechnic State University,

San Luis ObispoCalifornia State University, NorthridgeCarroll College (Montana)Chapman universityColby CollegeCollege of William and MaryDePaul UniversityDickinson CollegeDrexel UniversityEarlham CollegeEmmanuel Collegeeugene lang College The new School

for liberal artsFairleigh Dickinson UniversityFlorida A&M UniversityFordham UniversityGonzaga UniversityHoward UniversityJuniata CollegeKenyon Collegelewis & Clark Collegeloyola Marymount universityloyola university ChicagoLoyola University Marylandloyola university new orleansManhattanville CollegeMarquette Universitynew York universityNortheastern UniversityOccidental CollegePitzer CollegePrairie View A&M UniversityProvidence Collegepurdue universityRegis UniversityRensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Rochester Institute of TechnologyRollins CollegeSaint Mary's College of CaliforniaSan Diego State UniversitySan Francisco State universitySan Jose State UniversitySanta Clara universitySchool of Visual ArtsSeattle UniversitySeton Hall University (College of Arts &

Science)Skidmore CollegeSonoma State UniversitySouthern Methodist universityStanford universitySyracuse universityThe George Washington universityThe University of ArizonaThe University of Texas, AustinTrinity UniversityTulane universityuniversity of California at Berkeleyuniversity of California at DavisUniversity of California at IrvineUniversity of California at Los AngelesUniversity of California at MercedUniversity of California at RiversideUniversity of California at San DiegoUniversity of California at Santa Barbarauniversity of California at Santa CruzUniversity of Colorado at BoulderUniversity of Kansasuniversity of la VerneUniversity of Miamiuniversity of MichiganUniversity of Nevada, Renouniversity of notre DameUniversity of Oregonuniversity of portlandUniversity of Puget SoundUniversity of San Diegouniversity of San Franciscouniversity of Southern California

(School of Cinematic arts)University of the PacificUniversity of VirginiaUrsinus CollegeWestern new england universityWheaton College MAWhitman CollegeWhittier CollegeWillamette UniversityWorcester Polytechnic InstituteXavier university

aCCeptanCes

Acceptances as of May 29, 2012. Bold indicates matriculation


Convent & Stuart Hall Alumni

@sacredheartsf

Induction into the Alumni Association marks the beginning of a new chapter of involvement within the Convent & Stuart Hall community. Alumni exemplify the benefits of a Sacred Heart education. They inspire current students by offering words of wisdom, sharing stories of success and by living lives of accomplishment, passion and meaning.

Class Notes is one way to stay in the know about what our talented alumni are up to. On the following pages, you’ll find out who’s a tastemaker in the fast-paced art world, who’s been brewing up their own business, who just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary and who’s on the verge of becoming a huge Hollywood star.

We’re Taking it OnlineWe highlight alumni milestones in every issue

of the Bulletin, but you’ll find a lot more online. The Alumni Page is the place to learn about upcoming alumni events, track down classmates, view class pages, take part in a discussion board, network with alumni in your industry or offer valuable advice to current students as a college mentor.

Looking for other ways to connect? “Like” Convent & Stuart Hall Alumni on Facebook and follow us on Twitter at SacredHeartSF.

Every Sacred Heart graduate receives a Trés Bíen card upon graduation. The card is a passport that grants carriers access to Sacred Heart institutions in 44 countries. Unlike the keys to a city, the Trés Bíen card is more than an honorary symbol—alumni have used their cards to see the original painting of the Mater in Rome and gain access to places in the global Sacred Heart community that aren’t open to the public.

Trés Bíen!

Our Worldwide WebOur network is global and so are our alumni! If your travel plans

include trips to any of the following locales, keep an eye out for fellow alumni of Convent & Stuart Hall living in these cities.

Allier, FranceAmsterdam, NetherlandsAthens, GreeceAyala Alabang Muntinlupa, PhilippinesBeijing, ChinaBerlin, GermanyBrisbane, AustraliaCagnes-sur-Mer, FranceCalgary, CanadaChorin, GermanyCooktown, AustraliaGalway, IrelandEdinburgh, ScotlandGeneva, SwitzerlandGrosseto, ItalyHarwich, EnglandHigh River, CanadaJavea, SpainJona, SwitzerlandKanagawa, JapanKingston upon Thames, EnglandLancaster, EnglandLeura, AustraliaLondon, England

Lovett Bay, AustraliaLower Bourne, EnglandMadrid, SpainMakati City, PhilippinesMandaluyong, PhilippinesManly, AustraliaMelbourne, AustraliaMexico City, MexicoMiskolc, HungaryMontreal, CanadaMarseille, FranceNeutral Bay, AustraliaNew South Wales, AustraliaParis, FranceParkstrasse, GermanyPasig City, PhilippinesPickering, CanadaRome, ItalySan Jose, Costa RicaScarborough, EnglandSingaporeSaint-Cloud, FranceTicino, SwitzerlandTokyo, JapanVilliersdorp, South AfricaWarsaw, Poland

On the HorizonOctober 19: Golf & Tennis Classic

November 3: The All Classes Alumni Reunion

November 28: Christmas on Broadway

December 14: Alumni Noëls

December 15: Stuart Hall High School Alumni Homecoming

We’re All Convent & Stuart Hall

42 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

alumni

Alumni SpotlightSabrina Buell’95 works in arts.

——the broadview, February 7, 2012. Reprinted with permission.

| by isabelle pinard ( senior) |

Alumna Sabrina Buell'95 has been an art dealer since she graduated from Stanford in 1999. Buell lived in New York for five years, but now she has a house in San Francisco with her husband Yves Behar, an industrial designer. Sabrina is also the mother of a 17-month-old daughter, Sylver, and a 5-year-old stepson, Sky.

How did you decide to become an art dealer?

Convent of the Sacred Heart High School allowed us to take two years of art history classes, and it inspired my interest in art. I remember going to a local gallery to write about a photographer for an assignment, and the dealer spent hours with me educating me about the work and going through pictures. It was such a wonderful experience that it sparked the excitement about being an art dealer myself one day. I thought it seemed really fun to get to talk to people about art and look at great art all day as a job. The Catholic Church has always valued the arts enormously and have been great patrons of artists, and this translated into the curriculum.

How has this career choice affected you?

The art world is an enormous part of my life. Most of my friends are dealers, artists, writers or collectors. I never feel like I’m working because anytime of day or night I love to see art, think about it and talk about it. If someone

told me that I wasn’t going to be paid any longer to do what I do, I would still do exactly the same thing, because it’s who I am and what I love.

What makes your profession unique?

The art market is a multi-billion dollar market, yet it isn’t all that regulated. Values are based on consumer confidence rather than any tangible value. I think these factors make it a unique profession.

How do you pick the artwork for your gallery?

I no longer work at Matthew Marks Gallery as of last September. I now do private dealing and advising with clients so I’m not picking art for shows any longer.

What are your plans for the future?

To keep doing what I’m doing, but especially to help build great collections in the Bay Area and to continue to work with our amazing local arts institutions to cultivate greater learning and support for arts in the Bay Area.

| photo courtesy sabrina buell'95 |


class notesConvent High SchoolConvent Elementary School

70s

Sharmin Bock '76 is working with Girls On Track to get people to walk or run for survivors of human trafficking.

80s

Amanda Scdoris Walker '91 (Stuart Hall High School, Librarian) and husband Stewart Walker welcomed their son, Oscar James Walker, on May 13. He weighed 8 lbs., 13 oz. and was 21 inches long.

Renée Pesiri '99 earned a bachelor’s degree from University of California, Berkeley and spent three years working in San Francisco before entering the School of Law at Berkeley. She is entering her third year of law school and is spending the summer working at Sidley Austin LLP. Renée lives in Jackson Square and is looking forward to watching the America’s Cup races.

00sAmanda Dilena '09 is entering her senior year at Culver Girls Academy in Culver, Indiana. She is currently the highest ranking student in her class, is a member of the cheerleading squad and is enjoying playing JV Lacrosse during the sport's regular season.

60s

Marilee Hearn '63'59 continues her commitment to the Sacred Heart community by serving as the Broadway Alumnae of the Sacred Heart (BASH) Vice President for Advancement, a member of the Children of Mary Sodality and a RSCJ Associate. Read more about Marilee on page 4.

Diana Gullette Lloyd '64 lives in Los Altos with her husband. She stays busy by substitute teaching, playing tennis and bridge, and gardening. She has three children and became a grandma last year. Diana has many fond memories from Convent and has enjoyed reconnecting with her classmates over the years.

00sElizabeth Delaney Moore '07 finished teaching English in an elementary school near Seville, Spain, in June. This fall she’ll


70s

Randy Dilena '72 is currently enrolled in Stanford University's Continuing Studies program and is attending classes in business and marketing as well as professional and personal development. In 2011, Randy and his wife Carolyn celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary.

00s

Brady Dilena '05 is entering his senior year at the University of San Diego. He is on the USD Honor Council and is an active member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

Niall Sohan '07 attended Stuart Hall from fourth grade through seventh grade. His father is a diplomat, so Niall has lived around the world. Currently, he lives in Singapore (where he’s originally

from) and is enrolled in the International Baccalaureate Programme. Niall and his family will move to Berlin at the end of the year where his father will serve as the Ambassador of Singapore to Germany. He plays piano and is currently interested in economics. Niall misses his Stuart Hall teachers and “advisory times, congé and occasional outdoor science classes.” He says his time at

Stuart Hall was, “hands down, the best years of my life so far.” Niall is hoping to attend college in California.

Adam Harb '10 has been acting since he was eight years old. He has three starring credits on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) and appears in a Sony commercial, several industrial films and numerous episodes of a popular Japanese television show

begin a master’s degree in Communication Studies program.

Marisa Aguilar Selvy '01'97 lives in Vail, CO with her husband, Kevin. Two years ago Marisa and Kevin opened their own craft brewery, Crazy Mountain Brewing Company. The brewery recently underwent a $4.1 million expansion to increase production. Currently, they distribute in Colorado, Florida, Texas and parts of California. Marisa is hopeful that Crazy Mountain Brewing Company products will be available in the Bay Area soon.

Dominique Sheth '08 just graduated from Universtiy of California, Davis after completing her honors thesis through the Department of Sociology Honors Program. Dominique’s thesis explored bullying and aggression in schools. She compiled data for her thesis at Convent High School. Read more about Dominique’s research on page 9.

00s (cont.)

90sSee story at right

Stay ConnectedSubmit your class notes online at www.sacredsf.org/alumni.

44 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

alumni

Convent High School

90s

Michael Sullivan SHB'99 is a Naval Gunnery Officer currently serving an 18-month stint as a shore spotter in Okinawa, Japan. On March 1, Michael was the guest speaker at Stuart Hall for Boys’ morning assembly.

Michael regaled the audience with stories of life on a guided missile destroyer, what military training entails and how he "would not be here were it not for the leadership and responsibility" gained at Stuart Hall for Boys.

He likened the ribbons he's earned for skills such as marksmanship to the medals the students receive in school. Since advancement in the military is the product of mastering various skills, he stressed that officers "never stop studying." The values Michael learned at Stuart Hall for Boys, including hard work, responsibility, leadership and service to others, have guided him

to live the life he always dreamt of. Michael told the boys that these values are your "guarantees for success."

The boys had many questions for Michael. They wanted to know what Officer Candidate School was like (challenging but rewarding), if destroyer ships can be bombed easily (no), how fast destroyer ships can go (in excess of 30 knots), if Michael is in charge of all the weapons on ship (yes) and if Naval Officers have to speak a foreign language to serve (no, but it's helpful).

Michael was home in San Francisco for two weeks following a seven-month deployment. His ship, the USS Kidd, rescued Iranian fisherman from Somali pirates and the boys were delighted to discover that this ship was also featured in The Transformers movie.

that films in San Francisco. In 2011, Adam was part of the Feel Good Film Festival in Hollywood and The Cinema By the Bay Festival for his work as Jimmy in the comedy Where’s my Stuff, which was shot in the Bay Area. Adam was selected to study at the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA), an intensive actor’s workshop in Los

Angeles, over the summer. Adam is entering his junior year at San Francisco University High School and recently played Sancho Panza in the school’s production of Don Quixote. At Stuart Hall for Boys, he performed in Into the Woods, Aladdin and The Wizard of Oz. In his fourth grade yearbook he’s listed as the class’s favorite actor.

Stuart Hall High School

00sJason Alarcon '06 (pictured at right) returned to San Francisco for the Bay Area premiere of How to Survive a Plague, a documentary about AIDS activism in the 80s and early 90s. Jason is the film’s Second Assistant Editor. The film was also shown at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. Jason graduated from Columbia’s film school in 2010 and won a 2nd place award from KQED for a film he made about his father’s move to the U.S. from Peru during his sophomore year at Stuart Hall. He currently lives in New York City.

Nick Dietz '08 just graduated from UCLA and continues the dedication to service he learned at Stuart Hall. He was the student co-chair for the third annual Westwood Organized MEGA Project, which brought more than 700 volunteers onto the streets to clean, pick up trash, put decomposed granite into tree wells and paint trash cans, curbs and bike poles. Nick says, “I learned so much at Stuart Hall campus ministry. Thank you for teaching me the benefits of service and how to execute a social awareness that impels to action.” Read more about Nick and service learning on page 26.

Andrew Quanci '09 is entering his senior year at DePaul University and is spending the summer completing an internship in Chicago.

Frank Duncan '10 is a pitcher at Kansas University. He was named Player of the Week in his conference and threw a complete-game three-hitter, retiring 20 batters in a row and recording a career-high 11 strikeouts, in a game against No. 23 Texas, 7-2, in Big 12 baseball.

Stephen Quanci '11 is entering his sophomore year at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.


Adam Harb SHB'10 cont.

Michael (center) pictured with Stuart Hall for Boys teachers, and fellow alumni, Andrew Lee SHB'99 (left) and Griffin Costello SHB'99 (right).


Belle Akers (Convent Elementary, Lead Teacher) for the loss of her mother, Wai Foon Moy Leong.

David Applegarth SHB’69, Mary Applegarth ‘72’68, Katherine Applegarth ‘73’69, John Applegarth SHB’73, Alison Applegarth Javor ‘74’70, Alex Applegarth SHB’74, George Applegarth SHB’76, Gregory Applegarth SHB’78 and Geoffrey Applegarth SHB’80 for the loss of their mother, Isabel McMillan Applegarth.

The friends and family of Louise Barrett, RSCJ.

Lauren Beld (kindergarten) for the loss of her maternal grandfather.

Athena Benevento ’90’86 (Stuart Hall, Lead Teacher) for the loss of her father-in-law.

Christen Bertain CES’08, Caroline Bertain CES’10 and Robert Bertain (grade 6) for the loss of their maternal grandfather; and Joseph Bertain SHB ’73 for the loss of his father-in-law, Howard Murphy.

Emily Bloch ‘12 , Sarah Bloch (sophomore) and Sophie Bloch (grade 7) for the loss of their maternal grandfather, William B. Spooner III.

Glen Bowers (Stuart Hall for Boys, Physical Education) for the loss of his father, Jack Bowers.

Molly Brown CES’10 and Emily Brown (grade 2) for the loss of their grandfather.

Kenny Buquen (Stuart Hall for Boys, French) for the loss of his sister, Marie Thérèse Buquen.

E’rika Chambers (Stuart Hall for Boys, Associate Teacher) for the loss of her cousin, Brandy Martell.

The friends and family of Athea “Petie” Meyer Miller Coyle ’54.

Alexander Davies (grade 7) for the loss of his maternal grandfather.

Patrick Dilworth (grade 7) for the loss of his paternal grandfather, Edmond Dilworth Jr.

Maureen Gilbert Dixon ’75’71 for the loss of her husband, Eric Dixon. Joseph Elftmann (After School Program Director) for the loss of his grandfather.

The friends and family of Barbara Elordi, RSCJ.

Amanda Espiritu CES’06, Caitlyn Espiritu CES’08, Chelsea Espiritu CES’10, Michelle Espiritu CES’11, and John Espiritu (grade 6) for the loss of their grandfather.

Molly Fernholz (Stuart Hall for Boys, Lead Teacher) for the loss of her uncle.

Brendan Folan (grade 5) and Justin Folan (grade 6) for the loss of their maternal grandmother, Mary Ellen Taylor.

Alexander Fong (junior) and Damian Fong (grade 6) for the loss of their paternal grandmother.

Laura Moncrief Gardner ’76 for the loss of her father, William Moncrief.

Douglas Greer ’10 for the loss of his grandmother; and John Greer for the loss of his mother, Ethel Greer.

Kevin Hanley (grade 8) and John Hanley (grade 6) for the loss of their paternal great-grandmother, Effie Garvin.

Patter Hellstrom (Stuart Hall High School, Fine & Graphic Arts) for the loss of her father, Harlow J. Hellstrom.

Denise Hurley-Dorrego ’63 for the loss of her husband, Alexander Dorrego.

FJ Husic (grade 6) and Paris Husic (grade 5) for the loss of their paternal grandmother, Hedwig Husich.

Peter Iliev (grade 2) and Nicholas lliev (grade 1) for the loss of their great-grandmother, Lydia I. Kodorova.

Joseph Jerkins (grade 7) for the loss of his grandmother, Caroline Jerkins.

Marisa Kendall (Convent High School, Science faculty) for the loss of her stepson; and Morgan Kendall ’08 for the loss of her stepbrother, Chris Orso.

The friends and family of Marie McHugh, RSCJ ’37’33.

John Meany SHB’08 for the loss of his sister, Lauren Leisure CES’01.

Emilie Morse CES’11 and Sarah Morse (grade 7) for the loss of their aunt, Carol Gordon; and grandfather, Robert Franco.

Flavio Nocito ’04 for the loss of his father, Carlo Nocito.

The friends and family of Patricia Phelan, RSCJ ’58 (former faculty of Stuart Hall for Boys).

Kelly Rojas (Convent Elementary, Lead Teacher) for the loss of her mother-in-law.

Ronella Rosenberg ‘11 for the loss of her mother, Ella Rosenberg.

The friends and family of Rita Ryan, RSCJ.

Amy Torrano (Stuart Hall for Boys, Lead Teacher) for the loss of her grandfather, Lewis Levin.

Madalyn Trouton ’10 for the loss of her mother, Marcia Trouton.

Cynthia Velante (Convent High School Librarian) for the loss of her mother-in-law, Phoebe Velanate.

The friends and family of Maria Icaza Vogel ’34.

Robert Windle (Convent Elementary, Fine & Graphic Arts) for the loss of his cousin, John McTernan.

Kenneth Wong SHB’09 and Bonnie Wong (grade 7) for the loss of their grandfather, Kow Chan.

Tatiana Gutierrez (freshman) and Isabella Gutierrez (grade 5) for the loss of their grandfather, Dr. Eugene V. Cattolica.

In MemoriamSchools of the Sacred Heart send sincere sympathy to the following:

Please send in Memoriam notes to Roxanne Civarello at [email protected].

46 B u l l e t i n | S u m m e r 2 0 1 2

Dear Convent & Stuart Hall Community,

This issue of the Bulletin is rife with stories about graduations, that ritual in schools that marks the end of one era and the beginning of the next. Each of these occasions is an exciting one, regardless of one’s age, but in some ways the formal graduation or commencement is an arbitrary occurrence. Granted, we value the defined ceremony to mark passages in schooling, but who’s to say when the most memorable transitions occur.

You may note that I frequently quote Janet Erskine Stuart, a Religious of the Sacred Heart educator and leader in the early 20th century. I find so many statements in her writings incredibly insightful. Mother Stuart writes: “It is a vain expectation to hope that self-control and unselfishness will come forth at command in a crisis, when they have not been practiced in the small occurrences of daily life. The rare crises of life reveal us to ourselves, but we are made in the small victories or defeats of every day.” Ceremonial passages, such as graduations, celebrate what our students have made of themselves in the time they have spent at Convent & Stuart Hall. They are not made in that single moment. Rather, the graduates present their cumulative products, what they have made of themselves in the everyday occurrences of their schooling. What we witness on the stage is a mere glimpse of who these young people truly are.

This issue of the Bulletin is full of stories that allow us to learn so much more about the students we spotlight. Naturally, we showcase their triumphs, but if you were to capture their attention for a few minutes in order to hear their detailed accounts of their learning journeys, they might regale you with tales of ups and downs, challenging paths to success. You would discover their small personal triumphs and defeats along the way that culminate in the more glamorous stories of final success that we capture for you.

For those of you with histories at Schools of the Sacred Heart, we hope that what you read brought back fond memories of days at school and your own personal growth. Perhaps in these moments of reflection you celebrated a private graduation that acknowledges the continuation of your path to knowledge in your life’s journey. For those of you currently involved with the school, a familiar name or face—perhaps that of your child—evoked a smile in recognition of your partnership in their journey. Whatever your connection, hopefully you found joy in what you discovered in these pages.

Sacred Heart education is meant to be a lifelong experience, so no matter where our paths may lead us, we remain children of the Sacred Heart. With this Bulletin I bid farewell to 13 wonderful years with Schools of the Sacred Heart San Francisco, these last three years as the Director of Schools. What rich years these have been for me. The education of the mind demands total dedication, but the education of the heart calls for the investment of one’s soul. The colleagues and families I have met here allowed me to grow and to challenge myself to give my best. The RSCJ, faculty and staff, students and parents offered me a glimpse of the Heart of God.

With prayers and gratitude,

Gordon Sharafinski Director of Schools

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We know you love a challenge and this year, we’re challenging every class to reach 100% participation in 125 days to honor our 125th anniversary! Mark your calendars—the challenge starts September 15 and ends January 25.

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