Two Weeks Away!
This Week – Benefiting the Girls Leadership Scholarship Fund
This Week!
The Stanner Players Present: Mamma Mia!
Photos by Krystal Valentin ’25
From April 18-21, the Stanner Players proudly presented the hit musical Mamma Mia! Directed by Ms. Shannon Winters ‘06, the show exemplified the hard work, talent, and dedication of our theater department! Ms. Winters shares, “I am so pleased to have had Mamma Mia! be the first show in my 10 years as director which sold out the entire weekend! Even in spite of technical difficulties for the second half of Saturday’s show, the cast and crew were professional and knocked their performances out of the park. Audiences were excited to sing and dance along with their favorite ABBA songs, and I’m so glad that this show was a success!”
Jada Chico ‘24 played Donna Sheridan, a hotel owner getting ready to host her daughter’s wedding. Her daughter Sophie, played by Sofia Crino ‘26, is using the wedding to find out who her father is. Both actors did a remarkable job singing the musical numbers, dancing, and making the iconic ABBA songs come to life! Sofia said “playing the role of Sophie was truly a dream!” She continues, “Sophie is such a bubbly and free-spirited young woman, and stepping into her shoes and embodying her character has been so rewarding! Theater is one of my biggest passions and I am so grateful to have been able to portray her in a modern and fun way. This show has been an unforgettable experience that I will cherish forever!” As a senior, the musical was bittersweet for Jada. She says, “Leaving the Stanner Players is one of the hardest things I have to do this year, but going out by playing Donna and having a sold out weekend was the best way it could’ve gone! My time portraying her only brought me joy, and I want to thank the cast, crew, directors, and especially Ms. Winters for being so supportive of me. I’m so thankful everyone could ‘dance and jive’ while ‘having the time of their lives’ with us!”
Congratulations to the Stanner Players, Ms. Winters, and her support team for an amazing, sold out weekend!
Spirit Week 2024!
During the week of April 22-26, Molloy celebrated its annual Spirit Week! Stanners had the opportunity to participate in various dress downs, as well as fun events, activities, and contests, showing their school spirit in everything they did! Each event/activity garnered participation points, with the grade accumulating the most total points earning a dress down day later this year. Spirit Week is a great way for all students to get involved around school while making lasting memories.
Stanners attended school matching each day’s theme, including fun costumes on Anything Goes Day, pajamas on Pajama Day, their class-year color on Color Day, and traditional clothing representing their various heritages on Cultural Day. In addition to the dress downs, students performed in a Lip Sync Battle, played in the annual Spirit Games, competed in Club Contests, and celebrated their heritage at the Festival of Cultures! Campus Ministry also got involved, inviting students to help dig out sections of the St. Ann’s Courtyard to prepare it for upcoming renovations. The courtyard will soon feature new seating areas, landscaping, and other installations to create a more inviting, student-friendly space.
During Spirit Games, the four class years participated in relays, an accuracy competition, a soccer shootout, a basketball shootout, and a race, all to earn Spirit Week points for their respective grades. The games ended with the epic tug-o-war battle, where the seniors came out on top! During the Festival of Cultures, students served homemade cuisine and performed popular songs and dances native to their various countries and heritages. Some even participated in our first-ever Festival of Cultures Fashion Show!
Principal Dr. Penikas was elated by the response from students and faculty throughout the week. “Spirit Week 2024 was an inspiring display of Stanner spirit, creativity, and enthusiasm. The students did a great job participating in all the activities and the organizers created fun and special events. I want to thank everyone for their incredible participation and energy, as it really showcased what a tremendous Marist community we have at Molloy!”
Director of Student Activities Ms. Murdocca shares, “Spirit Week was a resounding success – the students were eager to dress in the themes and participate in the events. The senior Spirit Leaders put forth tremendous effort and energy to make sure the whole Stanner community could be involved, and the whole building was abuzz with a transformative and positive energy. Thank you to everyone for your support for this fun and exciting week.”
A huge thank you to Ms. Murdocca for organizing the entire week, Ms. DeNoto and Dr. Mangar ’09 for running the Festival of Cultures, and the club moderators that hosted contests and competitions. This year’s Spirit Week was truly one for the books!
A full photo gallery from Spirit Week 2024 will be shared later this week on Flickr!
Stanner-A-Thon Closes Out Epic Spirit Week
This year, Spirit Week concluded with Molloy’s annual Stanner-A-Thon for the first time. Formerly known as the Walk-A-Thon, the Stanner-A-Thon is Molloy’s annual community fundraiser in support of important campus upgrades / capital projects. The event includes a 3-mile walk around Briarwood for grades 9 through 11 as well as a variety of fun events for the senior class. The Stanner-A-Thon promotes community and encourages students and our Stanner families to work toward the common goal of bettering our school for all.
Seniors had the opportunity to sign up for Basketball Free Throw, Dodgeball, Family Feud, Game-A-Thon, Quiz Bowl, Theater-A-Thon, a Wellness Workshop, and the Br. Leo Walk to the World Trade Center. Each event was unique and offered a different experience to serve the interests of the Class of 2024. Perhaps the most unique offering is the Br. Leo Walk, an over 11-mile trek from Molloy all the way to lower Manhattan. This walk, which first started 20 years ago, is inspired by the memory of the late Br. Leo Richard, founder of Molloy’s SMILE program. Br. Leo was known to take long walks and use them as opportunities to connect with and better get to know people. The walk is organized annually by Guidance Chairperson Mr. Dougherty ’91, who was counseled by Br. Leo. This year, over 80 seniors participated in the walk – the most ever!
In all, the Stanner-A-Thon provided a great way to put a cap on a very memorable Spirit Week. Thank you to all students, faculty, and staff for your contributions to this amazing week!
Stanners Represent Molloy at Citywide Honors Music Festival
Congratulations to violin players Ariana Ashby ’24 and Katerina Martinez ’25, who were selected to participate in the 2024 NYC High School Honors Music Festival as performers in the Symphonic Orchestra! This event, hosted on March 16th by the Music Educators Association of New York City (MEANYC) at Grand Street Campus High School in Brooklyn, showcased the talents of outstanding musicians from across the city.
Ariana and Katerina were selected based on several criteria, including but not limited to school grades, years of experience, NYSSMA adjudication score, playing range, and participation in outside programs. They have been delighting Molloy audiences at school concerts for several years, and we are so thrilled that they were able to perform at the festival together and represent Molloy on a citywide stage!
TACHS Prep Course: Register Now
Catholic high schools in the Brooklyn-Queens Diocese use student results from the TACHS Exam as one of their primary criteria for admissions. To help prepare students to excel on the TACHS, we are excited to offer students in 7th and 8th grades an opportunity to take a TACHS Prep Course at Molloy! Taught by our experienced Math and English faculty, students will review the math, reading, writing, grammar, and vocabulary skills needed for the exam and learn test taking strategies to help them work more efficiently and with greater confidence. Seats are limited, so register early to ensure placement. | Click Here to Register
Summer Enrichment Program: Register by May 20th!
Molloy is offering its annual Summer Enrichment Program during the summer of 2024! Our program provides a unique and exciting opportunity for academically dedicated rising 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th graders to enjoy fun activities while learning about topics and ideas in which they are interested.
Students select a “major” and a “minor,” attending both classes every day during each session. Participants can choose from courses including Computer Science, Creative Writing, Video Production, Theater, Chess, STEAM/Energy, and more! Each course will be taught on our campus by a member of Molloy’s knowledgeable faculty.
Don’t miss out on the opportunity for your child to make new friends, explore their passions, and have an amazing summer experience at Molloy! Register by May 20th to secure your child’s spot. Visit www.molloyhs.org/summerprogram/ for more information.
Juniors Ready to Lead
On April 16th, Molloy’s Class of 2025 participated in the Junior Leadership Liturgy! The event marks their first step toward becoming leaders at Molloy, pushing them into a role of responsibility, kindness, and prestige. The liturgy was also when the Class of 2025 received their leadership pins and class rings.
The night began with opening remarks from senior Abigail Long ‘24, who symbolically passed the baton to the juniors. She told them to “strive to be the person their freshman selves would want to see in the hallways if they had gotten lost,” and to always choose kindness. Celebrant Most Reverend Raymond Chappetto encouraged the Class of 2025 to reminisce about the last three years of high school. He told them to think of their successes and the people that helped get them to where they are now. “You will be the people the rest of the school looks up to,” said Rev. Chappetto, “just as you looked up to the upperclassmen before you.” He concluded his homily by telling everyone that “leadership is simple, but profound,” and that the “best leaders use their God given gifts for the service of others.”
Junior Tiffany Esquen ‘25 shared a brief reflection, telling her fellow classmates that they’ve each come so far, “being the person they’ve built themselves up to be.” She reiterated that it is imperative to always lend a helping hand to the underclassmen, and that being a leader requires humble service, commitment, and patience. Principal Dr. Darius Penikas closed the night by telling the juniors to let their class rings remind them of their journey at Molloy and how far they’ve come.
National Signing Day!
On April 16th, Molloy celebrated its Signing Day! 18 seniors signed a national letter of intent to continue playing their sport at their college or university, with family and friends in attendance to cheer on their loved ones! Each student athlete’s hard work and dedication was recognized as each one took a photo with their families and coaches to highlight their great achievements. Congratulations to all our outstanding college-bound athletes:
Keylon Canela (Baseball, Mount Saint Vincent) — Chris Dalton (Track & Field, SUNY Cortland) — Julian Diaz – Baseball – SUNY Purchase — Jovanna Donaruma (Softball, Adelphi) — Cait Dorry (Soccer, Catholic University of America) — Oliwia Grabowski (Tennis, SUNY New Paltz) — Eva Gonzalez (Track & Field, Adelphi) — Ava Hershkovitz (Softball, Adelphi) — Sophia Hoyt (Basketball, Mercy University) — John Paul Maaba (Basketball, St. Joseph’s University) — Caitlin Mullen (Basketball, SUNY New Paltz) — Kaitlyn Nestor (Basketball, SUNY Cortland) — Mary Lou Piazza (Softball, Iona) — Alexa Piotrowski (Soccer, Adelphi) — Sebastian Sanchez (Baseball, John Jay) — Gianna Spinelli (Softball, Fordham) — Sean Stoney (Baseball, Lincoln University) — Maria Weigand (Volleyball, SUNY New Paltz)
Stanner Track & Field Keeps Moving!
Congratulations to Molloy’s Track & Field program for their recent success! At the New York Relays, Jenna Wright ‘24, Brianna Poliseno ‘25, Maria Badalamenti ‘25, and Eva Gonzalez ‘24 broke the school record for the sprint medley! Continuing their brilliant season, at Penn Relays on April 25th, the team of Jenna Wright, Camille Munoz ’25, Maria Badalamenti and Eva Gonzalez broke the school record for the 4×400 Meter Relay! Camille Munoz also competed in the heptathlon at the New York Relays where she placed 2nd with a score of 3972! Camille broke the Molloy record, the CHSAA league record, and is now ranked 1st in New York and 4th in the country! Camille and her coach, Mr. Dylan Dombrowski ’07, now both hold the CHSAA girls and boys heptathlon records!
At the Mount St. Michael relays, Brandon Notice ‘26, Stephen Tsimisiris ‘24, Nicolas Ospina ‘25, and Garry Ryan ‘25 set a new school record in the short sprint medley! At the recent CHSAA JV Championship, the Stanners were named team champions for the first time since 1980! The team was led by Nicolas Ospina, Garry Ryan, Chris Dalton ’24, and Justin Iveco-Totaram ’26.
Varsity Softball Ranked #5 in NYS, JV Ranked 1st in JV Tier
Congratulations to our Girls Varsity Softball team, who are ranked 5th overall in New York State! The team sported a 12-1 record when the rankings were published. In addition, JV Softball was ranked 1st in the JV tier (the top competitive tier) with a record of 11-1! According to Coach Chris Chelius, “We are excited for what is ahead for both teams as we approach the playoffs.”
Please pray for Jacqueline Santacroce, daughter of Daniel McKnight ’70 and niece to Br. James McKnight ’60, who is about to start treatments in her battle with leukemia.
Congratulations to college softball star Kelsey Carr ’20, who has had a huge spring for the Seton Hall Pirates! She was named to the Big East Weekly Honor Roll after throwing the 22nd no-hitter in program history! The outstanding performance came against Drexel University, with Seton Hall winning 6-0 behind seven hitless innings and four strikeouts provided by the amazing Kelsey. She also recently reached 100 career hits, marking another milestone in her excellent college career. Photo courtesy of Seton Hall Athletics.
Alumni & Friends Enjoy Wine Tasting with Mr. Sheehan
On Thursday, April 18th, the Stanner Alumni Center hosted its Spring Wine Tasting with Mr. Jim Sheehan ’75. The selection of wines Jim picked focused on the area of Bordeaux, France. Attendees enjoyed a mix of whites and reds, fun facts about Bordeaux, and had the opportunity to win bottles from the tasting by answering trivia questions at the end of the night. Thank you, Jim, for carefully curating a wonderful selection of wines and taking the group on a fun journey through Bordeaux!
If you missed this event, Jim will be back in the fall with another tasting. We hope to see you then!
Stanner Players Alumni Reunite to Support Spring Musical
On Saturday, April 20th, a group of enthusiastic theater alumni gathered for our 3rd Annual Stanner Player Alumni Reception! Those in attendance enjoyed an evening of food, drinks, and time spent catching up with friends and former castmates. The musical this year, of course, was Mamma Mia!
About 30 alumni filled in the front rows of the Ralph DeChiaro Theater in VIP seating to watch the show and cheer on the current Stanner Players. This year marks the 10-year anniversary of Ms. Shannon Winters’ ’06 directorial debut at Molloy. Ms. Winters shares, “I am so pleased to have had Mamma Mia! be the first show in my 10 years as director which sold out the entire weekend! Audiences were excited to sing and dance along with their favorite ABBA songs, and I’m so glad that this show was a success!”
Also in attendance were many alums who helped make the show possible: Assistant Director Joanna Troyanos ‘15, Choreographer Teej Garcia-Lawson ‘19, Assistant Choreographer Charlie Siguenza ‘14, and Set Designer Tatiana Egas ’22.
We hope to see our theater alumni back again for next year’s spring musical! Read The Beehive or follow @molloyhs_alumni or @stannerplayers on Instagram for future announcements.
St. John’s University Welcomes Molloy Community
Photos courtesy of St. John’s University
On Sunday April 21st, current students, alumni, and family members from Molloy gathered at St. John’s University for a special networking event! Those in attendance enjoyed a barbecue, activities, and a baseball game between SJU and Butler University at Jack Kaiser Stadium. According to an article published on www.stjohns.edu, “The event allowed current Molloy students to experience the spirit of St. John’s and learn more about the academic ties between the two schools.” The article states that between 1990 and 2023, approximately 700 Stanners have attended St. John’s University.
Principal Dr. Darius Penikas and Executive Director of Development Craig Katinas ’93 represented Molloy at the event. Dr. Penikas noted SJU’s and Molloy’s shared Catholic values, saying “We both provide students with a great education and a moral compass to be kind and faithful leaders going forward.” Craig expressed his excitement about the collaboration between the two schools. “I was really blessed with the opportunity to partner with St. John’s University because there is so much overlap of shared alumni and mission values as a Catholic institution.”
On Sunday, April 14th members of the Br. Ron Marcellin Scholarship Committee gathered at The Harrison restaurant in Floral Park to share memories of the late Br. Ron Marcellin ’52. A graduate of St. Ann’s Academy, Br. Ron believed in bringing out the best in each student. He had a great ability to relate to and mentor young people, making an impact in the classroom with his inspiring lessons and after school as a guidance counselor. Br. Ron assisted Br. Leo Richard for over 25 years as a counselor in the SMILE program. SMILE, or Something More in Life’s Experience, provides a safe space for students to speak freely and help each other navigate the challenges of teenage life.
The Br. Ron Marcellin Memorial Scholarship provides financial support for students who might otherwise be unable to attend Molloy due to extraordinary circumstances.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of St. Ann’s Academy graduate Dr. Alfred J. Francfort ’57. A member of the last graduating class of St. Ann’s Academy, he later attended Monmouth University (B.A. in 1964) and the University of Pittsburgh (PhD in 1972). Alfred served on the faculty of James Madison University as Professor of Finance in the College of Business from 1983 until his retirement in 2009. Notably, he was a Fulbright Scholar in Poland in 1987. Click the following link for a full obituary. Please keep Alfred and his loved ones in your prayers. | Click Here for Memorial Page
We are saddened to share the passing of Joan Niklaus, mother of retired faculty member Mr. William Niklaus ’80. Please keep Joan and her loved ones in your prayers.
Please pray for the repose of the soul of Vincent “Vinny” DeSanctis, grandfather of Steve DeSanctis ’01. Steve shares, “Grandpa Vinny was called Home, just a few months before his 100th birthday.”
Please join us in prayer for the repose of the soul of John J. Salajka Jr. ’61, who passed away on May 2, 2024. | Click Here for Memorial Page
Please pray for the repose of the soul of retired NYPD Lt. Robert Whitenack ’79, who passed away on April 17, 2024.
We were recently informed of the passing of John Steven Cnapich ’77, who passed away on November 26, 2023. Please keep John and his loved ones in your prayers.
