Connecting the Dots with Shawn Young


In this edition of Connecting the Dots, we are going to continue with the theme established in the last newsletter.  If you remember, we met Marilyn Cappel Ruthman, who graduated from St. Joseph Academy in 1949.  She and her daughter, Jennifer Ruthman Norrish '86 were kind enough to share copies of the Chimes newsletter with us.  Like so many times before, one story develops into another related story.  This story is going to take us back further than we have ever gone before, to the very earliest days of St. Joseph Academy. 
 
About a month ago, I ran into Dennis Niehoff '67.  He was telling me that he really enjoyed the article on the Chimes, and wanted to know if I could help him. He and his brother Dan '67, and Dan's daughter Brooke '99 wanted to make a contibution to the Sacred Heart Statue fund that was mentioned in the last newslettter.  He informed me that his mother Marie Lambert was in the Class of 1927, and his mother-in-law is Jeanne Mather from the Class of 1950, and they wanted to contribute. He went on to tell me that he had a yearbook from 1927 for his mother, but wanted to find the 1950 yearbook for his mother-in-law.  I told Dennis, that to the best of my knowledge the oldest yearbook that I have is from 1966, and that I had never heard of a yearbook from St. Joseph Academy.  But, I let him know that I would check with my sources and get back to him.

So I called in the dream team: Sr. Joan Hartlaub '50, Sr. Janet Roesener '52, and Sr Judi Keenhen '59 ( the archivist for the school and for the Sisters of St. Joseph). Sr. Janet and Sr. Judi said they had never heard of a yearbook, Sr. Joan commented that she had hear of it, but reminded me that she was born in 1932, and this was well before her time!  Armed with this information, I reached back out to Dennis to let him know that I was striking out. 

Dennis suggested that we have a meeting up at Salem Gardens. That happens a lot, and I never turn it down!  So I go up to Salem Gardens and meet with Dennis, Dan, and Brooke one evening.  To my amazement, Dennis pulls out a copy of the 1927 yearbook called JOAN.  We have not been able to find out what that stands for at this point. He does not have the original.  He remembers that he and his mother were at the event in 1999 when the Sisters of St. Joseph were turning the school over to the Archdiocese. He said their were speakers from every decade of St. Joseph there, and each decade got to reminiscence about what things were like for them at the Academy. At this event, someone gave Dennis the origional, and he went out and made copies and returned it.  Now, I have made a copy of his copy, and I am sharing it with you! It takes us back to the days when the senior class had three graduates!  The Academy was kindergarten grade through twelfth grade, and each student got to submit something to put into the yearbook.  The pictures are priceless! The yearbook is over 100 pages long, so I had to break it into sections so that most people would be able to open it. 

Being a lover of history, I am now on a crusade for the archives for St. Jospeh Academy.  If you have any additional Chimes newsletters, or if you have any copies of JOAN, please let me know.  But the real focus is the restoration of this statue, that is what got all of this started in the first place!  We have already raised over two thousand dollars, but we are still in need of more to complete this project.

Here is how you can help. To donate to the Statue Fund -please click here.

If you have any copies of JOAN or Chimes, or anything else that you can donote to the archives, please contact me at syoung@mcnhs.org.

Enjoy the 1927 JOAN Yearbook

Classes and Writing Samples

Calendar and Clubs

Yearbook Ads
Welcome to our Newest Alumni!

Archbishop McNicholas High School graduated 156 students on Monday, May 20 at Aronoff Center for the Arts.  Valedictorian  Myles Bailey  and salutatorian Madison Boeckman  spoke to the families and friends of graduates during the ceremony.

Each year, the graduating class selects a faculty member to speak at graduation. For the third year in a row and the fourth time in five years, seniors selected Mr. Jeff Mulvey. 

Congratulations to the following graduates for the awards they received at Sunday's ceremony:

Archbishop McNicholas Award
 Jillian Tore
John Sheehan

Christian Leadership
 Carly Fehr
Vincent Ramundo

Rasper Service Award
 Georgia Cheek

Outstanding Service
Christina Brunner
Nathaniel Chambers
Elizabeth Huber
Bryce Kellerman
Thomas McDermott
Lilly Osterday
Matthew Pryor
Danielle Robben
Margaret Schoolfield
Olivia Tore

Make a difference, and join the McNicholas High School "Explore" Program.

We're looking for alumni speakers/volunteers, to visit with students in the classroom, to share and provide real-world, or hands-on learning experiences, including career advice, skills or passion/hobbies.
The "Explore" sessions are scheduled on Thursdays, on the following dates:


September 12, 19, 26, October 3, November 7, December 5, January 9, 16, 23,  February 6, 13, 20, March 5, 26, April 2, 23 and May 7.
All sessions begin at 1:15 p.m. and end at 2:10 p.m
For more information, please contact Patti Benigni Dold '71, at padold@aol.com .

Alumni Bowling rolling into its 6th year

The McNicholas Alumni Association will be running a mixed-couples bowling league again this winter.  This mixed-couples league will begin on September 14.  We will be bowling the second Saturday of each month at Cherry Grove Lanes. The arrival time is 8 p.m.,we usually start bowling around 8:30 p.m. We bowl 2 games per night.  The cost is $95 per person, or $380 for a team of four for a total of 8 weeks of bowling. Currently we have 44 people in the league.  Cherry Grove Lanes has allowed us to expand this year up to 56 bowlers, so we are looking for 12 more people. Sign-ups will end September 1 or when all spots are filled.  If you cannot get a foursome, we might able to pair you up! 
 
If you are interested, please contact Alumni Manager, Shawn Young at 231-3500 ext. 5850 or email.
 
You do not need to be an expert bowler-I am proof of that! This is about getting out and having some fun this winter.

Hall of Fame nominations

The McNicholas community is asked to nominate former athletes and coaches for a variety of recognitions:.
  • Hall of Fame - induction of former athletes for outstanding achievement in their high school athletic endeavors
  • Good Fellow Award - for outstanding support of McNicholas athletics
  • Honored Teams - to be recognized at the annual sports evenings for team accomplishments
  • Sr. Roberta Baumgartner Women's Sports Award - for outstanding dedication to the development of competitive sports for women
Criteria for Nomination to the McNicholas Hall of Fame
  • The athlete must have graduated from McNicholas at least five years prior.
  • The athlete must have demonstrated the highest standard of sportsmanship during his/her years of athletic participation while at McNicholas.
  • The athlete must have excelled in athletics during his/her years of athletic participation at McNicholas, ie. all-league, all-city, all-state recognition.
  • McNicholas accepts nominations of former coaches and administrators. Nominees must have served McNicholas athletics for a minimum of 10 years and must be inactive for at least 3 years prior to induction.
  • Collegiate or adult athletic participation is not a primary part of the criteria for selection.
It is preferred that nominations come from the community rather than the selection committee members. An individual making a nomination is asked to provide an address and phone number in case additional information supporting the nomination is required. No anonymous nominations will be accepted.  Deadline for nominations is September 1 of the year prior to the event.  Click here to submit a nomination electronically.



Open to all men and women 21 years and older
Rocket moms/dads, sisters/brothers, aunts/uncles, grandmas/grandpas, neighbors, alumni, and friends!

$25 per person
Includes beer, wine, pop & appetizers

Amazing raffle items
Free Gift at the door with pre-registration


Proceeds benefit the McNicholas Football program

Alumni Soccer

alumni soccer 3
It is once again, time to dust off your cleats and grab your old warm-up jersey for the annual McNick Alumni Soccer Game in Paradise on Saturday, July 13. This year we are moving to the evening! Both men and women soccer alumni are invited. This is a family-friendly event, so bring the whole gang of Rockets along for the fun. Please arrive by 5:30 p.m. to pick teams. Bring a light and dark shirt. Depending on turnout, we will play two or three periods so everyone can get time on the field. Hot dog grill out to follow, courtesy of McNicholas Alumni Department. 
To register -  please click here. Contact Wade Johnston '08 if you have questions. 
 
Thanks,
Wade Johnston '08

Rocket Alumni Day with the Florence Freedom

On Saturday July 20 , the Florence Freedom will be hosting "Where'd you go to school? Night!" The game starts at 6:05 p.m. Stick around after the game for a concert by the Sunburners.  Wear your Rocket colors with pride, and $2 of every ticket will come back to McNicholas. Click here for a flyer that has all the information you'll need, including the promo code ROCKET and link where alumni can purchase tickets.  We hope to see all of you in your Rocket gear on July 20!
Save the Date for the Boosters Golf Outing

Boosters will once again be hosting the annual golf outing Saturday, September 21, at Legendary Run Golf Course.  Registration and lunch begin at 11:30 a.m. with a shotgun start at 1:30 p.m.  Dinner, awards, and auction begin at 6 p.m.  Cost of this event is $125. Please contact Susan Rohlfs at 513-231-3500 x 5142 for more information. You will be able to purchase tickets starting in August. 

Alumni Association announces first Craft Fair

Calling all alumni who do crafts! Please save Saturday, November 9, for the first McNicholas Craft fair. We would like to know how many of you would like to participate. The McNicholas Alumni Board believes that there are enough alumni, parents, students, and friends of McNicholas who are talented crafters that we could fill the café and more! All items must be handmade or handcrafted. We do not accept vendors. If you are interested, the pricing structure will be: 8' X 8' space will be $30.00 by Nov. 1, 2019; 8' X 10' space will be $35.00 by Nov. 1, 2019; After Nov. 1 all spaces will be $40.00

Each crafter is required to donate one craft item per space (minimum value $15.00) to be raffled off with proceeds going to McNicholas. All other money is yours to keep. We would love to see many of you get involved with the craft show and see all of the beautiful and unique items you will be selling. If you have any questions, please contact Sister Judi Keehnen. In your message please include your name, year of graduation (if applicable) and the craft/s you will be selling.

To reserve a space on line - Click here.

Reunions for 2019 has started

If your graduation year ends in a 4 or 9, you are up for a reunion in 2019. Many reunions are already starting to take shape, and the Class of '79 got the reunion season started last weekend!. The Class of '69 has selected September 27 and 28 to celebrate its 50th reunion. As we move through summer, please check our website to see as new reunion dates are announced. 


Rocket Corner - A place for alumni service

This is a new feature for the newsletter, and it is one that I hope catches on, and that you find helpful.  Many people contact me about getting the word out about service/ fundraising opportunities that they would like to get out to the alumni community.  We would like to focus on service that you and your Rocket friends have done, or help support you in your effort to spread the word about an upcoming event to the Rocket alumni community. You can send in your request for help, or your story to Bridget Kahermanes '66 prior to the first of the month.  Bridget is the chair of the alumni service committee. 

Helping our veterans.. Peggy Kennedy '69

As a member of the Class of 1969, I feel we lived through turbulent times. Along with the dramatic assassinations of public figures, the Vietnam war was raging. Young men were being drafted, and the death toll was rising at an alarming rate. In fact, Life magazine published an article called "Faces of the American Dead in Vietnam: One Week's Toll." It was published on June 27, 1969 and became in many ways a tipping point against the war.

Although I went on to have a successful advertising and marketing career in New York, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, the thoughts of those early days always stayed with me. So much so that recently my husband and creative partner, Roger Cluxton, and I have begun to develop a documentary film that honors the soldiers still missing in action in Vietnam. It's called MIA: Stories of the Vietnam War Bracelet.

The film will tell the soldier's stories through the perspectives of their families who suffered and the individuals who wore their POW/MIA memorial bracelets. You can learn more at www.miabraceletmovie.com and see a small portion of our first interview of the sister of Sergeant Samuel E. Hewitt, USMC.

We feel a sense of urgency about the project as Vietnam Vets are dying at the rate of 350 a day. If we don't move quickly there will be few left to tell the MIAs stories or the Vietnam experience. For the film, we are seeking people who still wear the memorial bracelets so that we can capture their stories. If you know of anyone who still wears a bracelet, please let me know.

We also welcome organizations and individuals who would like to contribute to help fund the film. The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 97 in Dayton and the Dayton Vietnam Veterans Memorial Park have both contributed. You can contribute through our website or through our fiscal sponsor - New York Women in Film and Television. We have also received a letter of recommendation from the VP of Programming for WNET - New York Public Media.

My contact information is peggykennedyscreenwriter@gmail.com
(513) 476-8599.
With gratitude,
Peggy Kennedy '69


Alumni Updates


Any news?
Do you have news to share? Let us know what you've been doing since graduation! Update your information by completing our alumni update form on the McNicholas webpage or call the Alumni Office at 513.231.3500. ext. 5850

Fr. Paul Wilkin SDS '83 was ordained to the Sacred Priesthood of Jesus Christ through the invocation of the Holy Spirit and imposition hands on Sunday, June 23, 2019, in Milwaukee, WI. He is a Final Professed religious with the Society of the Divine Savior (Salvatorains), USA Province. Paul will continue to serve at St. Margaret Mary Parish in Milwaukee as he completes his final semester at Sacred Heart Seminary and School of Theology also in Milwaukee, and has begun looking at ministry for the future. Feeling called to ministry in Asia, Paul spent three summers in Vietnam and all of 2017 in Manila, Philippines studying Theology with other Salvatorian seminarians. He hopes to return to ministry in one of the Asian countries where Salvatorains currently serve. 

Follow at:  http://www.salvatorians.com/, Facebook: Society of the Divine Savior - The Salvatorians. Private link webpage - (Vietnam / Philippines...etc)
http://www.salvatorians.com/vocations/paulwilkinsds.cfm#detailid_360028

Augustin Huffman '16 is currently working on a feature film this summer in Syracuse, New York. McNicholas opened him up creatively and allowed him to surround himself with creative people. It is because of this, that they now have movie happening. They are currently raising funds for the movie via Kickstarter. To contribute please click here.  

In Memoriam

This list is generated from local obituaries and information received from the family and friends of our alumni and current students. Please contact the alumni office  if there is incorrect or missing information. 

Alumni

Richard Hoffman '60 ; Brother of Thomas '63, Jean Hoffman Schmidt '70, and Jennifer Hoffman Black '70. 

Mary Judith Smith Squire '61; Sister of Marianne Smith Markovich '64, and Martha (attended). 

Michael J. Baum '63; Brother of Bill '59, the late Trish Baum Roesbery '60, and Jean Baum Wise '67. 

Kathleen Wolfer Deimling '66, Wife of John '63, Sister of Mary Pat Wolfer Riehle '54, Wilbur '56, Ann Wolfer Cooper '57, and Linda Wolfer Garrison '62. 

Holly Daly Tarte '89; Sister of Kevin Daly '86. 

Brad L. Lanham '94; Husband of Jamie Wolfer Lanham '95, Brother of Kevin '04.

Distinguished Family and Friends

Lawrence W. Latham; Husband of late Sharon Thien Latham '65, Father of Timothy '95. 

Verna Gail Leder; Mother of Mark '76.

Patrick L. McGlade; Husband of Barbara Wilson McGlade '63, Father of Shannon Kapp, Grandfather of Emma Kapp '16, Sean Kapp '17, and Moira Kapp '28.

Lois A. Moran; Mother of Susan Moran Kane '85, Pati Moran Velten '87, and Mike '88.

Nancy O'Brien; Mother of Mike '75, Dan '76, Kevin '78, Debbie O'Brien LeMaster '79, Jeff (attended), Julie O'Brien Mellott '84, 
Laurie O'Brien Murray '86, and T.R. '88. 

John Suckow; Father of Megan '20.

Kathleen Stall; Mother of Jeff '87. 

Fr. William Thomas; McNicholas teacher from 1962-71.

Steven K. Zahumensky; Father of the late Steve '82, Alan '85, and Dan '86. 

Quick Links for Alumni