Registration for the next Stanner Alumni Reunion is now open! Class Years ending in 4 and 9 will reunite at Molloy on Saturday, November 2, 2024. These include the Classes of: 1959, 1964, 1969, 1974 (50th Anniversary), 1979, 1984, 1989, 1994, 1999 (25th Anniversary), 2004, 2009, 2014, and 2019. We also welcome all alumni of St. Ann’s Academy. Click Here or the flyer below to visit our Reunion homepage.
*Note: Today’s newsletter features several stories that we couldn’t quite fit into our recent editions. As you may have noticed, our “Beehive” was buzzing with activity this spring! It’s been a busy year overall, and we are so grateful to you for following along with Molloy news throughout the year. As we enter the summer months, The Beehive will slow down as we focus on other projects. In the meantime, please feel free to continue sharing news and updates with us at beehive@molloyhs.org. Once again, THANK YOU for showing your support for our amazing students and faculty and all they achieved during the 2023-24 year!
In Case You Missed it: The Graduation Issue on June 14, 2024
Sean Green ’25 Competes At Olympic Swimming Trials!
Sean Green ‘25 has returned from the Olympic trials in Indianapolis, and his family, friends, and school couldn’t be more proud! Sean finished 11th place in the country in both the 400 freestyle and the 400 individual medley, coming ahead of some fierce, older competition. He finished top 8 in the 800 freestyle, which qualified him to swim in the finals for that event! Although he finished 8th overall, he succeeded in dropping his personal best time by 11 seconds! The trials were an experience of a lifetime, and we can’t wait to see what the future has in store for Sean and his swimming career. Go Sean!
Molloy’s Virtual Enterprise Program Earns Bronze Level Status
Congratulations to Molloy’s Virtual Enterprise Program for receiving Bronze Level Status in VE’s Circle of Excellence! One of only 27 programs to receive this recognition, Molloy’s VE classes have developed and expanded to being nationally recognized in just six short years!
To be considered for the Circle of Excellence, VE programs must meet certain parameters. Firms must register their business, participate in elevator pitch competitions, participate in trade shows, receive virtual funds from angel investors, develop a risk management plan, create a corporate social responsibility policy, generate a board of director’s quarterly report, and more! Our Stanner entrepreneurs completed enough to be considered for Bronze, and we couldn’t be more proud!
Mr. Joe Touzin, Molloy’s VE teacher, shares, “I believe the program adequately prepares students for what life is like in the business world. It prepares them for college, job interviews, and more.” We look forward to an exciting future for Virtual Enterprise at Molloy. Go Stanners!
Campus Ministry: Courtyard Revamp & Volunteerism Continues In June
St. Ann’s Courtyard: This spring, Molloy received a grant from the Marist US Province to renovate the garden in the St. Ann’s Courtyard, which is located next to our theater. This work is in conjunction with Laudato Si, Pope Francis’ 2015 Encyclical on the moral responsibility humans have to care for the environment and the inseparable relationship between nature and humanity. After receiving the grant, Molloy’s Campus Ministry team began working with student volunteers to revamp the courtyard, digging out old roots, cultivating areas for planting, and prepping for the installation of new lighting and pathway upgrades. The work has come a long way in just a few short weeks, with final touches to be done in September. Once completed, the courtyard will feature garden beds for vegetables and flowers, a drip irrigation system, solar path lighting, a bird bath with a solar powered pump, lots of perennials that will grow and flower each year, and a peace pole. The Beehive looks forward to showing you the final product this fall!
Students Volunteer at Food Pantry: Last weekend, a group of Stanners volunteered at the Harding Ford Vision Food Pantry in Jamaica, NY, a choice food pantry which serves close to 1,500 people every week. After putting a call to action out to the community, and in the spirit of St. Marcellin Champagnat, students came out in force to serve at the pantry. Molloy students continue to live out our mission of making Jesus Christ known and loved in our world!
Speech & Debate: Year in Review
Molloy’s Speech and Debate Team had a busy year, with many Stanners earning distinguished highlights! Coached by Dr. Jonathan Mangar ‘09, Mr. George Reed, and Mr. Ryan Curran ‘22, the team has competed in prestigious tournaments and qualified for various championships.
This year, Molloy officially became a NSDA Member School, specifically under the New York City District. Molloy’s first ever NSDA members are Camila Burga-Alcon ‘25, Joseph Castaño-Medina ‘24, Micah Gagarin ‘24, Moises Nunag ‘25, and Lucia Vucetic ‘24. Lucia obtained a bid to the Tournament of Champions, being the first-ever student on the Molloy team that has done this!
Five students on the 2023-2024 team qualified for the New York State Championships: Camila Burga-Alcon ‘25, Sofia Maroulis ‘25, Moises Nunag ‘25, Anya Satyanarayana ‘27, and James Vanegas-Molina ‘27. Camila and Moises competed in the Intermediate Public Forum, and were one ballot away from advancing to elimination rounds. They were one of the very few teams who qualified and represented Brooklyn-Queens at the tournament. Camila and Moises were also the first ever students to compete in the NSDA District qualifying tournament, being one ballot away from advancing to elimination rounds.
Excitingly, members of this year’s team also competed at the National Catholic Forensic League Tournament in Chicago, Illinois. This was the first ever time the Molloy Speech and Debate Team has ever gone to NCFLs in person, participating online in 2021. Camila Burga-Alcon ‘25, Lilly Kacziba ‘27, Sofia Maroulis ‘25, and Moises Nunag ‘25 competed. Camila and Moises competed in the Public Forum Debate. Enda Connolly ‘27 qualified in Lincoln Douglas Debate, in addition to Lilly and Sofia. The team competed at the Yale Invitational as well, allowing students to experience national-level competition.
Stanners Earn Coveted Math League Awards
Congratulations to members of Molloy’s Math League, who earned several awards this spring! The Catholic Math League is a national math competition that offers contests for students in grades three through Advanced Math. Top performing students at each participating school receive certificates, top students in each division earn trophies, and top schools can earn recognition plaques in various disciplines. This year, Molloy’s team, competing in Division 2, took home first place in both Algebra 2 and Geometry, earning Molloy a plaque for each achievement. Michael Lee ’27 earned a trophy by winning first place in Geometry in Division 2, while Salvatore Lamendola ’25 was ranked fifth nationally in Algebra 2! Molloy as a team ranked third nationally in Algebra 2!
Spanish Club Hosts Career Panel
On May 30th, Molloy’s Spanish Club hosted a Hispanic Career Panel! Panelists included: Mr. Michael Peña, a Marketing and Video Production Manager at Microsoft; Dr. Jackie Nunez, a forensic pathologist working for the medical examiners of NYC and Connecticut; Ms. Amanda Amore, the Regional Distribution Manager for Nespresso; and Ms. Sondra Seecharan, Retail Marketing Manager for Nespresso.
Panelists answered questions from students regarding their college and career paths, their day-to-day responsibilities, how they take care of their mental health, and how being Hispanic has benefited them in the workplace. Jackie shared, “In your struggles, you learn your strengths,” and Amanda said, “If you don’t know what you want to do right away, that’s okay, because you will eventually find your passion.” Sondra and Michael agreed that it was important for people with diverse backgrounds have representation in their fields, because “there are opportunities for us to have a voice, and we need to take them.” Jackie elaborated by saying that she was grateful she could use her knowledge of Spanish to communicate with Hispanic families when others in her field could not, and Michael said that he appreciates being able to pitch ideas that are representative of his culture.
Thank you to all who put the panel together, the Stanners who asked poignant questions, and our panelists for taking time out of their schedules to speak to our students!
Students Write to Marist Pen Pals in Spain
by Ananda Dhanpat ‘25
Have you ever spoken to someone across the world without stepping out of your classroom? Recently, the students from Full Immersion Spanish 3 class, La Clase de Español 3 Inmersión Total, had an exciting opportunity to connect with students from our sister Marist school, Maristes Valldemia, in Barcelona, Spain. Over the past few weeks, the Spanish 3 students have built a pen pal relationship exchanging emails bilingually with those students. We have embarked on a new milestone as this has been the first pen pal exchange program at Molloy. With this opportunity, students had a chance to enhance their Spanish language skills and gain valuable cultural insights from those living in a different country.
Multiple students have shown to love this newfound opportunity to connect their knowledge of Spanish with those actually living in Spain. Jessica Veerapen ‘25 said, “It was a fun experience to participate in something new like this.” Another student, Frank Hartmann ‘25, shared “The pen pals got me more interested in learning Spanish” and it “added a fun aspect to the class.” This opportunity was not only beneficial for our students, but also for Maristes Valldemia, because it allowed those students to be able to practice their English skills.
The idea of pen pals is not a new concept; the idea found its roots in the 1920s when it served as a primary form of communication. Throughout the years, the mode of communication has transitioned from handwritten letters to modern-day emails. Due to the advancement of technology, we’re now able to connect with others in distant corners of the world to share insights and experiences.
Senior Graduates From DIME Program
Congratulations to Miles Jones ’24 on recently graduating from the DIME Program (Diversity, Investment, Management, Engagement)! DIME is a 501(c)3 foundation “committed to empowering 11th and 12th grade students with the knowledge and tools to build long-term wealth. By learning how to manage a stock portfolio through the program, participating students are well ahead on their financial journey.” This year, the DIME program will award its graduating students a total of $11,000 in ETF stocks and $40,000 in college scholarships. As a graduate of the program, Miles will receive $1,000 in ETF stocks and a $10,000 college scholarship at the program’s awards dinner during an all-expenses-paid event in New York City (for select students).
Italian Class Field Trip to SoHo Art Museum
This spring, Italian teacher Ms. Federico accompanied seniors in her Italian 4 class on a trip to the Center of Italian Modern Art (CIMA) in SoHo to see the exposition dedicated to a Nanni Balestrini, a famous Italian artist and writer. The director of CIMA gave Molloy’s students an amazing private tour, during which students were able to see, discuss, and enjoy various art and writing. After the tour, students worked on some activities in Italian language related to the pieces they saw. Balestrini mostly created collages from pieces of newspapers, trying to collect the feelings and issues of his generation, and so the students worked similarly to create collages from Italian newspapers. The student’s collages drew from various inspiration, including their Molloy experiences and their Italian-American heritage. Afterward, the day concluded with lunch at Eataly! Thank you, Ms. Federico, for offering this great learning experience outside the classroom!
Girls Track & Field Ends Amazing Season W/ Adidas Outdoor Nationals
In a season where many school, meet, and personal records were broken, Molloy’s girls Track & Field team left their mark on one more event to close a memorable year! Last weekend at the Adidas National Championships, the girl’s Shuttle Hurdle Relay team of Camille Munoz ’25, Brianna Poliseno ’25, Maria Badalamenti ’25 and Juliette Locurto ’27 placed 4th for All American honors! In the Distance Medley Relay the team of Kylie Liriano-Montalvo ’25, Juliette Locurto, Maria Badalmenti, and Aoife Garvey ’25 placed 2nd for All American honors! Finally, over two grueling days, Camille Munoz took 2nd in the heptathlon. This not only earned Camille All American honors, but it puts her as the most awarded Molloy athlete ever at the National Championships! Overall, Molloy placed 5th as a team at Adidas Nationals – amazing!
Juliette Locurto also competed in the freshman Long Jump where she missed a medal by mere centimeters. Saige Swift ’25 competed in the Triple Jump, and recent graduates Jenna Wright ’24 and Eva Gonzalez ’24 competed in the 400m.
Coach Dylan Dombrowski ’07 shares, “What an amazing year for our Stanners. In the previous 23 years, Molloy had won 11 medals at the National Championships. This year alone we won 18!” Congratulations to the girls for ending their amazing season on another incredible high note!
Softball All-State Honors
Congratulations to varsity softball players Ava Herschkovitz ’24 and Marylou Piazza ’24, who have received New York All-State honors! Ava earned 2nd Team All-State, while Marylou earned 4th Team All-State! Ava is committed to playing softball at Adelphi University, while Marylou will play softball at Iona University. (Graphics by Molloy’s Sports Management Club.)
Marist Brothers’ Center at Esopus Receives Generous Donation
This spring, the Marist Brothers’ Center at Esopus (MBCE) received the third installment of a multi-year pledge totaling $30,000, which will positively impact the Center in a variety of ways. Pictured above accepting the donation is Tomas O’Riordan, the Executive Director of the MBCE, alongside faculty, staff, and students from Molloy.
This commitment is thanks to the generous supporters of the Br. Declan Murray Fund at Archbishop Molloy High School. The goal of this fund is to provide scholarship to students to attend Molloy, as well as to provide grants to impact the year-round programs Stanners have access to at MBCE. These programs include retreats, Encounters, Marist Youth gatherings, summer camps, and more. Since its founding, the Br. Declan Murray Fund has helped provide critical property renovations around the MBCE, including the purchase of essential equipment such as golf carts for transportation.
On behalf of everyone at Molloy and the MBCE, thank you to everyone who has so generously supported these efforts through the Br. Declan Murray Fund. If you would like to join this effort by making a gift, please click the button below and select the Br. Declan Murray Fund from the dropdown menu.
Kelsey Carr ’20 Inducted into NY State High School Softball HoF
Congratulations to Kelsey Carr ’20, who was inducted into the NYSSCOGS New York State High School Softball Hall of Fame! The New York State Sportswriters and Coaches Organization for Girls Sports (NYSSCOGS) honored Kelsey alongside 11 other inductees during a ceremony in Herkimer, NY on June 15th. Kelsey’s former coach, Mrs. Maureen Rosenbaum, was in attendance to help present Kelsey with her Hall of Fame plaque. Kelsey, the youngest inductee at the event, was honored based on her outstanding high school softball career as well as her continued excellence playing at Seton Hall University.
Jim Shannon ’83, founding partner and CEO of Indus Capital, recently joined Guy Adami (CNBC Fast Money) on his podcast ON THE TAPE to discuss to discuss global market trends and investment strategies. According to the podcast description, “Jim shares his extensive career background, from his time at Soros Fund Management to founding Indus Capital. The conversation covers the current state of the Japanese and Asian markets, focusing on Japan’s corporate governance reforms and the influence of macroeconomic factors such as the yen and interest rates. Jim elaborates on Indus Capital’s long-short equity approach, team structure, and regional focus.” Click the button below for more info and to listen.
Dr. James Lynch ’83 shares two of his recent “Stanner Sightings” from earlier this spring. First, Dr. Lynch recently bumped into Joe Ardito, Esq. ’86 at Franklin Square’s Annual Fair Day. Joe is the former President of the Franklin Square Chamber of Commerce. Back in May, Dr. Lynch attended the Garden City Memorial Day service, during which one of the public speakers turned out to be US Veteran James Brady ’61! According to Dr. Lynch, “Mr. Brady spoke wonderfully about his service in Vietnam and about his life story. We spoke later about his roots in Sunnyside, and I found out he was from St. Raphael’s parish, but attended Saint Theresa’s. And, of course, his father was from County Cavan, Ireland, only a few miles away from where my dad was from!” Pictured with Dr. Lynch and James Brady in the center photo is Matt Flanagan ’85, whose wife Mary is the current mayor of Garden City.
Upcoming Internship & Growth Opportunities for Students & Young Alumni
Thank you to our Council for Diversity & Inclusion for sharing these opportunities with our students and alumni network!
- Nestlé Diversity Leadership Intern Program
- College Students can apply to 10 different areas of focus within Nestlé programs
- Selected students may attend the virtual leadership symposium event August 13-15
- Programs are multi-month development programs for undergraduates conferred by June 2025
- Girls With Impact (GWI) Summer Business & Leadership Program for Young Women
- Open to young women aged 14-25
- 5 week intensive online course provided by Harvard and other professors
- Optional class times
- Nestle is sponsoring free tuition ($995) with code ‘Nestle’ at checkout
Please join Molloy in prayer for the repose of the soul of Michael Volpe, son of Thomas Volpe ’87.
