The Beehive – 9/22/17

Summer Renovations Realized – Part One

This past summer, Molloy performed an abundance of capital projects focused on modernizing our 6 acre campus. These projects and campus-wide upgrades are made possible thanks to the generosity of our community toward our annual Fund For Molloy campaign, as well as to our Walkathon in fall 2016. The kindness of Stanners everywhere continues to make it possible for Molloy to feature state-of-the-art facilities and create a safe and ever-evolving learning environment for all. Since there were so many upgrades this summer, we will break up our reporting into two Beehive articles. This week in part one, we highlight a few key improvements that, while not massive overhauls, are critical to maintaining an efficient campus. (Pictured above: renovated Capt. Anthony Marsloe Gymnasium)

First, as was highlighted in June, the Main Street entry walkway, which we are now referring to affectionately as the “Main Street Mews”, was ripped up and replaced with freshly paved concrete (pictured above). The pathway is now wider, is lined with new landscaping and shrubbery, and extends into a portion of the front lawn. The newly expanded section features two benches and is surrounded by a memorial garden. One of the benches, as well as the garden’s butterfly bushes, were dedicated to the late Karina Vetrano ’04 during our Walk/Run event on June 24th. These upgrades were in part cosmetic, but more importantly the memorial garden and benches are now fixtures on our campus and free for students, faculty, and visitors to use and enjoy. The garden also prominently features the existing statue of St. Marcellin Champagnat, keeping Molloy’s Catholic Marist identity visible.

Elsewhere, Molloy’s main elevator, located in the center of the building, has been completely replaced. This was a necessary upgrade in order to keep our commitment to a safe, efficient, and modernized campus. The new elevator features an updated mechanism, new paneling, lighting, and flooring, and is more responsive than the original model. This improvement will make accessing Molloy easier for faculty, students with mobility issues, and the Marist Brothers who live on the fourth floor. Another important installation came in Molloy’s kitchen, where a new freezer was installed to replace the previous aging model. The new freezer is expected to function more efficiently and reliably for the Culinart Food Services staff.

When refurbishing a space, a fresh coat of paint often goes a long way. In addition to the annual painting of door frames and ceilings, both locker rooms and the Capt. Anthony Marsloe Gymnasium were all completely repainted. The Marsloe Gym had accumulated hundreds of scuff marks on its walls as a result of years of use by Stanner athletes, but now the room is brighter and more inviting. Scaffolding on the ceiling was also painted a new shade of blue to further improve the space. The Marsloe Gym also saw its court refinished for the first time in many years, with brand new graphics providing the finishing touch.

(Pictured above left: Stanners sitting at Molloy’s new lunch tables in 2017 | Right: Stanners standing for lunch circa 1980s) Many old-school Stanners will recall standing up to eat their lunch during every lunch period. This tradition of course ended in the early 1990s (to the dismay of many traditionalists). For decades, students stood for lunch because the Marist Brothers believed excluding chairs was a more efficient way to conduct the lunch period; less objects to move around makes a room easier to maintain. When Molloy first introduced its lunch tables, these ideals were still honored. The tables featured built-in communal benches to avoid using hundreds of individual chairs, and each table folded up and rolled on wheels for quick and easy storage. After nearly 25 years, all lunch tables have now been replaced with new models. While the new tables (38 in use, 2 extra) look nearly identical to the originals, their finish is a slightly brighter shade and they weigh less, the latter making moving and storing them much easier. The original tables have since been donated to another local school.

Look out for Part 2 of the Summer Renovations article in our October 6th issue of The Beehive!

Gift Challenge – The Lou Santos Scholarship

As you may have heard earlier this year, or read in our recent Stanner Life publication, Archbishop Molloy High School has announced the establishment of The Lou Santos Scholarship. Mr. Santos, who was inducted into the Stanner Hall of Fame in March 2017, has impacted countless lives during his over 40 year career at Molloy. His legacy as a teacher, coach, mentor, friend, volunteer, and philanthropist have been well documented. He has lived the Marist Charism throughout his life and career, always putting the needs of others before his own, and selflessly giving of his time and energy to ensure that those less fortunate can be cared for. Mr. Santos is a truly inspirational figure in the history of St. Ann’s / Molloy, and a scholarship in his name is well deserved. The Lou Santos Scholarship will benefit deserving Catholic students with economic hardships in New York City.

Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous benefactor, new gifts made to The Lou Santos Scholarship will be matched 1:1, dollar for dollar, up to $50,000! This means that your generous gift will not only honor Mr. Santos, but it will go even further toward helping young students in need. Visit www.molloyhs.org/donate/ to make a gift, or contact the Stanner Alumni Center at 718.441.9210 or alumni@molloyhs.org for more info.

Alum Sponsors Award at Brooklyn Elementary School

At the graduation ceremony for Queen of the Rosary Catholic Academy (Williamsburg, Brooklyn) on June 16, 2017, Robert Dittus ’81 and family presented the St. Marcellin Champagnat Award to two outstanding graduates who are now currently enrolled at Archbishop Molloy High School as freshmen. This year’s $100 award was presented to Neyde Estrada and Anthony Montano. In Bob’s words, “This award is especially meaningful to our family, as three family members graduated from Molloy and went to Catholic grammar school in the Williamsburg area including myself, my daughter Sharon Dittus AMHS ’10, who is currently a staff member at Queen of the Rosary, and my son Robert Dittus AMHS ’15, who is part of the first official Q of R graduating Class in 2011.” (Pictured left to right: 8th grade Q of R teacher Mary Gering, Sharon Dittus ’10, Neyde Estrada ’21, Anthony Montano ’21 & Robert Dittus ’81)

A description of the award states candidates should possess a propensity for lifelong learning, hard work, tolerance and integrity, hold a sense of community, and actively help those most in need. The St. Marcellin Champagnat Award will be presented by the Dittus family to any member of the Queen of the Rosary graduating class who will be attending Archbishop Molloy High School.

Neyde Estrada served as student council president, a classroom monitor, and was also a member of the Aquinas Society while maintaining honor roll status. She attends ballet school and enjoys traveling. Anthony Montano is an honor roll student with a particular interest in Math. He served as a classroom monitor and was always willing to assist when needed. Anthony enjoys sports and plays baseball and basketball. The first Champagnat award was presented in 2015 to Luigi Albano ’19, currently enjoying his junior year at Stanner High.

Around the School

Molloy Open House – Volunteers Needed!

• When: Sunday, October 15th, 11:00AM-4:00PM
• Who: Our community + Alumni Volunteers
• Contact: admissions@molloyhs.org

Archbishop Molloy High School’s annual fall Open House is set for Sunday, October 15th from 11:00AM to 4:00PM. Open House is a wonderful opportunity for elementary school students and their families to visit Molloy, tour our campus, and learn about our Catholic Marist tradition. Guests will have the opportunity to meet students, administrators, teachers and coaches, receive information about Molloy’s competitive curriculum, enjoy musical and dance performances by talented Stanner club and band members, and see why Molloy has built a reputation as a top-tier learning environment.

ATTENTION ALUMNI! Volunteers are needed at Open House! Alumni volunteers will fill several different roles during the day, including greeting and directing prospective students and their families, and speaking with visitors about their own unique Molloy experiences. Please contact the above email if interested. A reminder to all alumni who attend Open House: remember to stop by room 124 and say hello to the staff at the Stanner Alumni Center!

AP Scholars Announced (Class of 2017 Included!)

It was recently announced that 80 students at Archbishop Molloy High School have earned AP Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP exams during the 2016-2017 school year. 49 students qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP exams and by receiving scores of 3 or higher. 15 students qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average score of at least 3.25 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams. 16 students qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average score of at least 3.5 on all AP exams taken, and scores of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams. The total 80 students receiving awards for the 2016-2017 school year includes seniors who graduated in June of 2017 as well as current seniors who will be graduating in June of 2018. Current seniors have an opportunity to complete more AP courses and earn a higher level AP Scholar Award. Molloy’s administration and faculty extend their sincerest congratulations to all of our AP Scholars.

• Recognized as AP Scholars among our current seniors (Class of 2018) are: Jessica Antal, Sonalia Balli, Maeve Boyle, Carl Ferreri, Sven Larsen, Gianna Lavacca, Fiona McCaul, Uma Mohan, Natalie Ortof, Tyler Pearce, Michael Perkins, Anthony Pizzulli, Vassilia Plakas, Sarah Rodriguez, Andrew Soltesz, Mary Sullivan, Andrew Vascellaro, and Razzaan Zia.

• Recognized as AP Scholars with Honor among our current seniors (Class of 2018) are: Sally Kremer, Colleen Sledge, and Joanna Wong.

• Recognized as AP Scholars among our Class of 2017 graduates are: Karen Baldonado, Lauren Barbera, Brendan Barberides, Steven Bongiovanni, Austin Budhram, Vincent Ciulla, Maria DePalma, Erika Dioquino, Emma Dowhie, Evelin Fajardo, Jacqueline Girardin, Catherine Gleason, Clarissa Gosine, Margaret Grigg, Steven Honovic, Enrique Javier, Emily Johnson, Donna Kim, Hobie Legaspi, Kayla Lewis, Robby Mendoza, Lucas Morales, Jacob Musovic, Zachary Parial, Joseph Quispe, Cassandra Renart, Annaliese Roller, Alyson Szeto, Dorothy Watters, Julian West, and Cierra Word.

• Recognized as AP Scholars with Honor among our Class of 2017 graduates are: Paul Arango, Michael Avaricio, Patricia Cerri-Droz, Nicole Chresomales, Sandra Ilkkan, Christina Jordan, David Kemp, Esmeralda Montas, Eric Mun, Andria Padilla, Angelo Tsoulos, and James Tsoulos.

• Recognized as AP Scholars with Distinction among our Class of 2017 graduates are: Andrew Arceo, Vivian Chen, Liam Coen, Lilibeth Delassalas, Kyle Hoosein, Jillian Hubert, Caroline Jaipaul, Francesca LaPinta, Stephanie Lechki, Freddy Murgida, Pooja Patel, Calista Requijo, Anne-Marie Romain, Elena Rossi, Kelly Santiago, and Katherine VanRiper.

Tennis Player Records “Perfect Game”

The girls varsity tennis team saw a historic performance in its first game action of the year, as junior Kristina Pali ’19 recorded a “perfect game” against St. Savior on September 11th. Kristina won every point of her 8 game pro-set without losing any points. Each game was won 4-0. In other words, Kristina scored 32 straight points without losing any. Kristina’s teammates also played well in their singles and doubles matches, resulting in a perfect 5-0 score for Molloy on the day. The team followed up its dominant performance with another strong outing on September 12th, as Molloy won all five of its matches against St. Edmund’s for its second straight 5-0 day. The team is back at it today (9/20) versus Xaverian.

Upcoming Events

Stanner Alumni Reunion

• When: Saturday, November 4, 2017
• Where: Archbishop Molloy High School
• Class Years: ‘47, ‘52, ‘57, ‘62, ‘67, ‘72, ‘77, ‘82, ‘87, ‘92, ‘97, ‘02, ‘07 & ‘12
• REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED

We’ve seen a great response since online registration opened for our upcoming Stanner Alumni reunion. Let’s keep it going! If you graduated from Molloy in a year ending in 2 or 7 (not including 2017), you are invited to join us on Saturday, November 4th for a night of cocktails, dinner, dancing, nostalgia, and more. We are honored to welcome you back to high school. Here are few logistical notes as we move closer to the big night:

• 4:30pm – Early check-in begins
• 5:00pm – Mass of Remembrance (celebrated in the Ralph DeChiaro Theater)
• 6:15pm – Cocktail receptions for each class (see staff upon arrival)
• 7:15pm – Dinner, Dessert, Class Photos, Dancing, and more!
• Valet parking will be available. Discounted hotel rates are available upon request.
• We are seeking individuals who would be interested in acting as Class Officers. This role involves volunteering to call/email classmates to inform them about the upcoming reunion and possibly update their contact information.

We are expecting a large crowd, so we encourage you to reserve your spot as soon as possible. Click the button above to register online. A postcard invitation should also arrive in your home mailbox in the coming days (if you do not receive the postcard, please contact us to update your address). Please help us spread the word to your classmates.

FINAL Andrew Harvey Memorial 5K Fun Run

• When: Sunday, October 1, 2017 | 9:00AM Race Start
• Where: Archbishop Molloy High School
• Who: All members of our community
• REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED

As you may have heard in our last Beehive, the upcoming Andrew Harvey Memorial 5K Fun Run on Sunday, October 1st, will be the very last time Molloy hosts this special event. The Fun Run has been a fixture at Molloy every fall since the 1980s, and in that time we’ve seen thousands of students, faculty, parents, alumni, and friends participate. Although there is sadness that this will be our last Fun Run, longtime event organizer Frank Gambino ’74 has said he would like to see it end as a “big celebration.” Please join us on October 1st and help us give Molloy’s beloved Fun Run the sendoff it deserves.

To build up a little more anticipation for the race, we dug deep to bring you some nostalgia. Check out the recently digitized videos below, which feature vintage Fun Runs from the 1990s (1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1997, and 1998). You may see some familiar faces, or even yourself crossing the finish line! You may also recognize the voice of Mr. Jim Kinnier: teacher, camera operator, and narrator. Click full screen on the video player to enhance the experience.

A Memorial Mass in honor of Andrew Harvey will be held at 8:00AM, followed by the start of the 5K at 9:00am. Coffee, juice, cake and rolls will be served to participants and their families following the conclusion of all races. Medals will be awarded to top finishers overall and in several categories. All runners will receive a t-shirt commemorating the race. 

Alumni New England Chapter Event

• When: Wednesday, November 15, 2017
• Where: Two Roads Brewery (Stratford, CT)
• Who: Our New England Alumni (Ages 21+)
• Admission: $25 per person
• REGISTRATION NOW CLOSED

Alumni living in and around New England are invited to join members of the Stanner Alumni Center at Two Roads Brewery in Stratford, Connecticut, for a special alumni event on Wednesday, November 15th. Dinner and drinks will be part of the fun as we catch up with our many friends north of NYC.

Eric Van Zanten ’98 was on the job down at Engine Co. 215 in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn when an emergency call came in – in person. Anxious family members of a local woman had come to the station house to alert firefighters that their loved one had suddenly gone into labor in a nearby apartment. Eric joined three of his fellow firefighters en route to the apartment, where they worked together to deliver a healthy baby girl. The full story with quotes and Eric’s photo was published in the NY Post on September 15th, which you can read here.

Rosalyn Gold-Onwude ’05 recently made headlines when it was announced that she would be leaving her role as the Golden State Warrior’s TV sideline reporter. Rosalyn will take her talents to Atlanta where she will fill a similar role with Turner Sports, specifically as part of TNT’s NBA coverage. Rosalyn rose to stardom in the world of sports journalism in recent years thanks in part to her tenure in California perfectly aligning with Golden State’s dominant three-year run (which includes two NBA championships). More crucial to her success has been her raw talent as an on-air personality. Her background as a collegiate basketball player (Stanford) only adds to her credibility, and her skillset is in high demand within the industry. Rosalyn previously worked on Pac-12 Network covering New York Liberty games, and she has also previously appeared on TNT as well as NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament coverage. (Photo courtesy of Rosalyn Gold-Onwude)

Congratulations to Ivan Pereira ’03 and Theresa Basile (pictured right), who announced their engagement on September 7th. A wedding date has yet to be announced. The Beehive extends its sincerest congratulations to the happy couple! Ivan is a reporter for the free daily newspaper amNewYork, a role in which he has served in since 2012. He covers general news, City Hall, and enterprise stories. Pick up amNewYork on your morning commute and read Ivan’s work, or follow him on Twitter @IvanPer4 for the latest news from around NYC.

Joe Corello ’52 shares that although he cannot attend the upcoming Stanner Alumni Reunion on November 4th, he will be there in spirit. Joe also shares that he and his wife recently celebrated their 60th anniversary with a family cruise to Alaska.

Pictured below on a summer trip to Ireland: Kevin Eardley ’85, Damian Sciano ’85, Joe Phelan ’85, Br. Dan O’Riordan ’85, Marty Wingert ’85, Michael Wohlfahrt ’85, and Matt Abrusci ’85.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Paul Grabowski ’83. Over the years, Paul had established himself as a talented and passionate musician while playing in rock/metal bands with several of his Stanner classmates. He is survived by many loving family and friends. Please remember Paul in your prayers this week.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Michael Primozic ’06.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Jeanclaude F. Dugue ’81.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of William Datthyn ’89, who passed away September 5, 2017.

We are saddened to share the passing of Spence Frank Burton ’65 on June 22, 2017. He is survived by his adoring wife Cathy; brothers Ralph Burton (wife Renee) and Otto Joseph Samek, Jr, and many other family members and friends. Spence worked for the US Postal Service for over 35 years, and was an avid volunteer in his local community and parish (both in NY and California). For more on Spence’s life or to share condolences, visit his memorial page online. Please keep Spence and his family in your prayers.

We were recently informed of the passing of Jacques Mazoureix ’50 on March 25, 2017. He is survived by his wife, Marie, and his son Paul, to whom he was devoted. Jacques loved basketball, which he started playing at St. Ann’s Academy. His skills on the court won him a full athletic scholarship to Mount St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, Maryland, where he graduated with a BA in accounting. He served in the US Army, where in addition to his regular duties, he proudly played basketball for the US Army team. More recently, he was a dedicated and loyal employee of the Great Escape (theme park), where he worked for many summers in the retail shop. He loved interacting with people and formed many friendships while there. For more on Jacques life please visit this memorial article online. Please remember Jacques and his family in your prayers this week.

We are saddened to share the passing of Mr. Frank J. McGuire, husband of Maureen and father to Frank ’83, Patrick, Michael ’86, Christopher ’89, and Brian ’97. According to a family friend, Mr. McGuire was a proud Irishman and a loyal NY Giants and Notre Dame fan, but most importantly, he and Maureen “raised a great group of men.” Please keep the McGuire family in your prayers.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Bruna Rizzi, mother of Dan Rizzi ’74.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Yvonne DeNoto, Sister-In-Law of faculty member Dorothy DeNoto.

Please pray for the repose of the soul of Rita Friend, mother of Michael Friend ’68.

We are saddened to share the passing of James P. Delaney, father of Gerard Delaney ’71. Mr. Delaney entered Eternal Life on July 22, 2017. According to Gerard, “my father was a retired Lieutenant with the NYC Housing Authoerity Police. He was a father of nine, including myself, Jim, Susan, Francis, Patrick, Maryanne, Helen, John, and JoAnne. He was also a grandfather of 12 and a great-grandfather of 4. He was married to Patricia McNamara from 1949 until her passing in 1997. He was also a US Navy veteran of World War II and the Korean War.” Please keep Mr. Delaney and his family in your prayers.