Around the School
Class of 2016 By The Numbers
On Wednesday, September 5th, Archbishop Molloy High School welcomed the Class of 2016 for the very first time. Some 120 years after the first students began their studies at St. Ann’s Academy, a new crop of freshmen began their journeys as Stanners, experiencing many of the little moments that many endure on their first day. Do you remember bringing a blank check to the bookstore? What about tucking your shirt in perfectly, or tying your tie just right? Do you remember the Marist Brothers and lay Faculty directing you every which way, or when they helped you open your locker for the first time? For the Class of 2016 it was all surely a blur, but they will always remember their first day of high school. While some things stay the same, others change dramatically with each passing decade. The dress code changes, the entry exams are retooled, and the distance in which students travel from their homes to Molloy expands every year. The Class of 2016 represents a diverse group that is well adapted to the many challenges that education presents today. The Class of 2016 is surely ready to take on Molloy’s tough curriculum as well as continuing our great Stanner legacy. For more on the Class of 2016, click the image to the right. You can view some other scenes from the first day of school below:
Coaching in the Marist Tradition
How does a coach bring out the best in their athletes? How does the relationship between coach and player affect performance? How does the Marist Tradition enter into it? Christopher McKeon, Athletic Director of Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, and Br. Kevin Handibode, FMS, recently spoke to Molloy coaches, as well as those from other nearby Marist schools who are preparing for the new year, to address these questions as part of the Marist program “Sharing Our Call.” Coaching is a special skill; a delicate balance of authority, direction and encouragement – and it is not easy to master. Still, when a coach struggles to find success, remembering his or her place in the Marist tradition through introspective reflection may help center them. “What makes it different to coach in one of our schools? A Marist coach does so not just for sport, but for life,” Chris explained in his opening remarks. “Wins and losses take care of themselves, but a coach who shows they care, who applauds success and who talks athletes through tough times will be remembered by their athletes 10 years later as a great coach.”
St. Marcellin Champagnat’s approach in the way of Mary is one of simplicity, hard work and helping those in need. This is what the Marist Brothers, and in turn all lay Marists, have been tasked to do. As individuals rooted in this tradition, Molloy coaches must also incorporate the Marist philosophy into their style of coaching. Br. Kevin made it clear that leading by example is where it all begins. “It is very important to love and respect all students equally,” remarked Br. Kevin. “Equality is the hallmark of Marist schools; it is how a family spirit is developed. Coaches are teachers outside the classroom, and the respect they show all of their athletes is then returned to them.” This respect can stem from a coach expressing how proud he or she is of an athlete’s performance – win or lose – or it can be a result of what the coach doesn’t do, such as refraining from swearing, banging on lockers and other physical displays of frustration. “It is easier to praise and encourage than to discredit,” said Br. Kevin, who pointed out that tearing down an athlete will hurt them tremendously, and it will certainly be remembered negatively. In summation, Br. Kevin was blunt. “Be welcoming to all and stay true to your convictions and to the values and moral principals of the Marist Brothers.” Molloy coaches have always fostered a culture of winning. Of course it all begins with Jack Curran, the winningest baseball and basketball coach in New York State, but it trickles down to every individual leading Stanner athletes. Molloy has been an athletic powerhouse for decades because of its athletic talent as well as its leadership – all in the Marist Spirit.
Administration & Faculty Update
As several veterans of Molloy’s faculty and administration departed last spring, a few familiar faces as well as some new ones have stepped in to pick up where our dedicated former faculty left off. Principal Br. Thomas Schady, FMS, and President Richard Karsten ’81 are pleased to welcome Mr. Ed Cameron and Mr. Dennis Vellucci as Assistant Principals for Academics, joining incumbent Ms. MaryAnn Safrey in this very important and defining role. In accepting this new position, Mr. Cameron vacated his prior responsibilities as Director of Student Activities. Thankfully, student-favorite Mr. Jim Sheldon ’88 has stepped in to accept this position, which is crucial to the success of afterschool activities at Molloy. Along with Assistant Principal for Students Mr. Ken Auer and Administrative Assistant for Students Mr. Ed Shannon ‘84, Molloy boasts an experienced and dedicated administration that puts Molloy’s students above all else. Elsewhere, several new teachers and staff members enter the fold, including Mrs. Daniela Jelcic who joins the Religion department, Ms. Kelly Edelman joining the English department and Ms. Kristin DeSantis joining Guidance. In addition, Mr. Will Armstrong is now an important part of Molloy’s Finance team, Br. Joseph Sacino, FMS, arrives to provide his services to the Finance department as well as the Social Studies department, and Ms. Laura Sawyer ’07 returns to Molloy as IT Communications Coordinator. Molloy welcomes all of its new faculty and staff members and wishes them the very best as they begin their 2012/13 school year.
Upcoming Events
An Evening with the Honorable Charles J. Hynes ’52 
Register Online Now! The Molloy Lawyers Alumni Network is very pleased to welcome the Honorable Charles J. Hynes ‘52 to Molloy’s Ralph DeChiaro Theater for a special evening on Tuesday, October 23rd. The Stanner Hall of Famer will share his wisdom with fellow alumni and guests, speaking about his work as the District Attorney of Kings County as well as how his faith and experience at Molloy helped shape his career. A cocktail reception will precede and follow the program. This is an amazing opportunity to learn from one of our most distinguished alumni. Please register online by October 19th at alumni.molloyhs.org. A single online reservation is $15 while a registration at the door the day of the event will be $20.
Molloy Softball Alumni Reunion
Hey we miss you! Come home, come home! On Saturday, October 6th, Molloy will host a special 10th Anniversary Reunion for its softball alumni. Whether you logged 4 years, 1 year or 1 month playing for Coach Lou Santos or Coach Maureen Rosenbaum, you are invited to attend this very special event. Coach Santos also extends an invitation to all parents of softball alumni, remarking, “They are our greatest fan base, and we would love to have them attend.” Festivities will get underway at 3:00pm with games and activities including a batting cage and soft hand egg toss, followed by the serving of cold and hot food at 4:00pm. Beer and wine will be available at 5pm for attending parents and alumni ages 21+. Softball alumni t-shirts will also be available (though supplies are limited). Admission to this event is $20 per person. Ten years ago Molloy’s first softball teams began making an impact on the CHSAA. They are still going strong, having won Diocesan, City and State Championships as recently as 2011. Please join us on October 6th and show your pride for being a Stanner softball player.
Stanner Alumni Reunion – Class Years Ending in 2 and 7!
Register Online Now! The Stanner Alumni Reunion is quickly approaching! Our alumni community will come together on Saturday, November 3rd here at Molloy to for an evening full of dinner, dancing, cocktails, stories and more. Most of our alumni are easy to track down as we approach our annual reunion, but sometimes it takes a little more digging to find some Stanners. Thankfully the Stanner Alumni Center works with many class officers who volunteer their time in an effort to find and recruit their classmates to attend the reunion. Class officers are extremely important, as they provide an additional resource of information as well as an extra set of hands to pick up the phone and make a call. Sometimes hearing from a close friend is all it takes to encourage a Stanner to travel from California to New York just to reunite. If you or one of your classmates is interested in acting as a class officer and helping us recruit attendees for the reunion, please call 718.441.9210. This year, classes ending in 2 and 7 will come together, including 1942, 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967, 1972, 1977, 1982, 1987, 1992, 1997, 2002 and 2007. The evening program is as follows:
5:00pm – Mass of Remembrance (Ralph DeChiaro Theater)
6:00pm – 25th, 50th & 60th Anniversary Medal Presentations (Ralph DeChiaro Theater)
6:45 pm – Cocktails, Dinner & Dancing
Single admission to the reunion is $100 while a couple can register for $150. The class of 1962 will enjoy complimentary admission along with a guest in honor of their 50th anniversary. The class of 2007 will receive a special reduced rate of $50 for a single admission and $100 for a couple’s admission in honor of their 5th anniversary reunion. Click here and find your class year to register online, or call the Stanner Alumni Center at 718.441.9210. Be sure to call us with any questions regarding hotels and other travel accommodations as well. We hope to see you on the 3rd!
25th Anniversary Andrew Harvey Memorial 5K Fun Run
by Frank Gambino ‘74
Register Online Now! In less than one month, on October 7th, Molloy will host its 25th Anniversary Andrew Harvey Memorial 5K Fun Run. In 1997 the race was renamed in memory of Andrew Harvey, a beloved Molloy student and track athlete. We are hoping for a record number of participants at this year’s milestone event so that we can not only come together as a community as we so often do, but so we can continue to keep Andrew’s memory alive in our hearts. One goal of ours is to have at least one alumnus from each of the last 25 years entered in this run – a true display of the dedication our Stanner Alumni have for their alma mater and for each other. We have a collection of shirts from previous races as well as a new shirt design for 2012, and we’d like to take a commemorative photo of 25 people wearing these shirts. We will also be taking a picture of all race participants to commemorate this event. So please mark October 7th on your calendars and help us make this year’s run a truly special day.
Non scholae sed vitae
Open up National Geographic Magazine and you may find a fascinating article about some faraway land, a place your mind has only visited with the help of books or television. Someday you may open up to a story about Andrew Kathriner ’07, a Stonybrook University alum with a BA in Biology and well over 4 years of research under his belt. Shortly after graduating, Andrew found himself working with a company specializing in micro-optics – one which has serviced Molloy’s microscopes for 20 years. It was no secret Andrew was happy to be back at Molloy during the company’s recent visit to the school – considering Mr. Stoltz ’86, Mr. Lombardi, Mr. DeMarco, Br. Aquinas and others were big influences in building his passion for science. Knowing this, Andrew’s boss made sure the proud researcher paid a visit to the Stanner Alumni Center to share his amazing story.
Andrew was approached by one of his Stonybrook professors who had been well aware of his passion. The professor presented Andrew with a once in a lifetime opportunity: an undergrad research project sponsored by the Smithsonian Institute and taking place in East Timor, a country that is part of the Indonesian island chain. While there Andrew would collect animal specimens, potentially discover new species, aid local conservation efforts and later present his findings in writing. “I couldn’t pass it up,” said Andrew, who suddenly found himself stepping carefully past 15 foot pythons, lizards gliding from treetop to treetop, and many other interesting creatures in the summer of 2010. “We found tons of new species,” Andrew explains. “That is significant because it had been 80 years since East Timor had officially surveyed its animal population. I met with the President of East Timor to discuss the country’s conservation efforts, and my group worked with the government to set up a national park as well.” Upon returning from the trip, Andrew was able to present his research through two co-authorship articles published by the Asian Herpetological Journal as well as in other peer-reviewed scientific journals.
With hands-on experience in tow, Andrew enrolled at Villanova to pursue a Masters Project. He is currently studying under and working with Professor Aaron Bauer, known worldwide for his work as a Herpetologist (one who studies amphibians and reptiles). Andrew applied for grants through Villanova and was offered full tuition as well as an opportunity to teach General Biology to undergrad students. “Teaching is a great experience. I run a lab session for 3 hours twice a week and gear it more toward field research.”
Andrew just finished up his second tour of duty in East Timor on July 15th in which he explored districts previously untouched. His team was able to collect and document dozens of new and exciting specimens. This time upon returning to North America, Andrew wound up in Vancouver to attend the World Congress of Herpetology. While there, Andrew spoke about his research in East Timor, including the presentation of a new species of bent-toed gecko that he discovered in 2010. Andrew’s upcoming plans are to graduate from Villanova in 2013 and apply to a PhD program either in the United States or abroad. While camping out, wading through rice paddies, collecting snakes and studying salt water crocodiles and ground vipers might seem like a bit of a chore to some, Andrew wouldn’t have it any other way.
Class Updates
Molloy Graduates Dedicate Church Flagpole to a 9/11 Hero
By Adam Sasiadek ’02
On Sunday, September 9th, 2012, Adam Sasiadek ‘02 and Brian Hilley ’02, members of the Olympia Council of the Knights of Columbus, led a flagpole dedication ceremony at Mary’s Nativity Church in Flushing, New York in honor of firefighter Michael J. Cawley ‘87, who perished at the World Trade Center on 9/11/01. Adam Sasiadek is the Grand Knight of Olympia Council and Brian is the immediate Past Grand Knight. They were both students at Molloy on September 11, 2001, and together they helped organize the dedication event to honor Michael Cawley. Michael’s parents, who have established a foundation that provides scholarships to Molloy students, attended the Mass and dedication ceremony, along with Michael’s family and friends. At least 30 members of the FDNY in full dress uniform were also in attendance, including members of Rescue Company 4, which is the company that Michael worked with.
Most Stanners are probably familiar with Mary’s Nativity Church. It is where Molloy has its Graduation Mass each year. Since the church did not have a flagpole, Olympia Council donated one to the parish and arranged its installation. In a moving ceremony, the American flag, the POW-MIA flag, and the Vatican flag were raised for the first time at Mary’s Nativity on September 9th. A member of the FDNY raised each flag. As Adam read a brief description of Michael Cawley’s heroism on 9/11. Next to the flagpole is a memorial stone, which dedicates the pole to the memory of Michael Cawley and all those who died on 9/11. In Adam’s words, “May we remember our Stanners who were lost: Richard D. Allen ’88, FDNY, Thomas J. Ashton ’97, Joseph J. Berry ’64, Michael J. Cawley ’87, FDNY, Batt. Chief Thomas P. DeAngelis ’68, FDNY, William A. Gardner ’73, Scott Larsen, parent, FDNY, Ralph M. Licciardi ’89, Lt. Robert B. Nagel ’63 FDNY, Lt. Robert M. Regan ’71 FDNY, Mr. Mark Rosen, parent, Robert L. Scandole ’83, Capt. Patrick J. Waters ’74, parent, FDNY, and Timothy M. Welty ’85 FDNY. Let us also remember all those injured or in any way affected by the attack of 9/11, and that each of them experiences the peace of Christ.”
’86 Grad Closes NASDAQ Trading Day
John Sanful ’86 and his organization Ice Hockey in Harlem helped close the NASDAQ trading day on August 16th by ringing the final bell at 4pm EST. In attendance were Ice Hockey in Harlem students, board members and friends along with Burst Mobile, a partnering company. John and his organization were very excited to have the opportunity receive this special recognition. “It is just another special moment during our yearlong initiative celebrating Ice Hockey in Harlem’s 25th anniversary,” says John.
Patrick Burke Esq. asks the Stanner Community to pray for Ms. Anna T. Hughes. Ms. Hughes left a gift to Molloy, and she wishes her gift to “be used to support Catholic education in New York State.” Archbishop Molloy High School, recipient of this gift, will in accordance with Ms. Hughes’ wishes use this gift for the benefit of its students educational activities, or otherwise improve the students’ educational experience.
We are saddened to share news of the passing of Martha Corey-Ochoa, daughter of George Ochoa ’77. Please keep Martha and her family in your prayers during this difficult time.
We received news that Thomas Lenihan, St. Ann’s Academy Class of 1952, passed away on June 18th. Thomas was very involved with the Stanner alumni community and visited the school often to take part in the St. Ann’s Communion Breakfast whenever possible. Please pray for Thomas.
We ask that the Stanner community please pray for the repose of the soul of Daniel Fernandez, a junior student at St. Francis Prep who was killed in a tragic accident earlier this month. Please also pray for Daniel’s family, that they may find comfort during this great time of sorrow.
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