ROOTED IN FAITH, TRADITION, AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE |
|
A MESSAGE FROM OUR PRINCIPAL
What a wild February we’ve had! I’m currently writing this at what I hope is the tail-end of some wild weather. With a few scheduled days off, a snow day, and several eLearning days due to inclement weather, our students haven’t been in the building for almost two weeks! The fact that our student body hails from 32 different zip codes is both a blessing and a curse. I love that so many of our students come from various areas and backgrounds, but the weather can impact our students differently. The ‘burbs, gravel roads, across the river, down 44...we’ve got it all! That sometimes means that what’s safe for one isn’t safe for another, but we’re making the most of it. I love a good snow day, but I’m anxious to get back to school.
At the start of the month, we got to send out acceptance packets to the SFBRHS Class of 2025! We are thrilled to welcome our future freshmen to Borgia. We are lucky to have students coming to us from at least 13 different grade schools. Although the Future Freshman Welcome Night has been postponed a couple of times due to weather, we’re excited to get them in our school to register for classes, take school tours, and visit the activity fair where they can find out more about all the ways they can get involved at Borgia.
It makes me think back to when I first registered for classes at Borgia. I remember Freshman Registration Night vividly. My mom and I sat down with Mr. Tim Buchheit, Borgia alumnus, and longtime speech teacher and theatre director (and brand new Educational Theatre Association Hall of Famer!), at a table in the gym to discuss my courses. I registered to take German, which set me on a course to meet Frau Sandy Siess, beloved SFBRHS German teacher, which led me to become a German teacher myself, which, thankfully, brought me back to Borgia as principal. It’s crazy to think that a seemingly small decision I made as an 8th grader changed my life forever! With that in mind, I can’t wait to meet our future freshmen and help them continue down a path that will change their lives forever.
Speaking of changing lives forever, our Advancement team has highlighted the #SFBLoveStory this month on our social media accounts. So many of our alumni met their one true love as a Borgia High student. I wonder how many of our current students are dating their future spouses?
I hope this newsletter finds you warm and safe. I pray that you have a blessed Lenten season. Please know that we continue to pray for our alumni in our daily prayers at school, and I ask that you include our current students and staff in yours.
Pam (Ruether) Tholen '02
|
|
CELEBRATE THE KNIGHT GALA
Saturday, April 10
|
Our annual Gala, Celebrate the Knight, is going virtual on Saturday, April 10, 2021. Each year, the Borgia community comes together to celebrate our school while raising funds for our mission. Although we cannot be together in person this year, we can still come together virtually as a community to show our support. We have digital festivities planned, including an online auction, inspiring giving opportunities, a live stream event, and more!
Over 62% of our students receive tuition assistance as a result of this event, so it is important that everyone helps in some way to make this successful. We love offering items from our local businesses! Please consider patronizing them first, but also check out our wish list of items at Amazon here. If you own a business or your employer is willing to be a sponsor or donor, please let us know! Supplies and other specialty items are needed as well. Thank you to all of our wonderful supporters. Our event continues to be successful year after year because of you!
|
See below for more information on donations or sponsorship opportunities or to purchase raffle tickets! If you have any questions, please contact Anne Lober, Director of Advancement Services and Special Events, at 636-239-7871 x122 or anne.lober@borgia.com.
|
Check out our very own Spirit Shop for gifts and apparel for you and your family! |
|
Our Borgia Mega Raffle is sold exclusively online this year until March 1. Purchase 4 tickets for $100, get a 5th ticket free! Every ticket purchase helps support Borgia's mission! |
Thank you to all who have participated in this year's Borgia Annual Fund Drive. The endorsement of our alumni is a critical factor toward this fund's success, which enables Borgia to be an excellent school rooted in faith, tradition, and academic excellence.
As an alum of Borgia, your support is so important. Your generosity is a vote of confidence to all of our donors that we are continuing to provide excellence in education – now and in the future.
Our current students are the most direct and immediate beneficiaries of all Annual Fund gifts.
|
How can I donate?
Please enter our secure website at www.borgia.com to join your fellow Borgia alums in making a gift to the Annual Fund. Pledges are welcome. Remember that your gift can be doubled if you or your spouse is associated with a matching gift company.
If you have any questions, please contact Donna Grahl, Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, at 636-239-7871 ext. 131 or donna.grahl@borgia.com.
What are Matching Gifts?
You can double or triple your donation if you or your spouse works for a company that matches gifts. Simply ask your employer about their Matching Gift Program and forward your personal gift along with a completed matching gift form.
|
Schnucks E-Scripts Program
If you shop at Schnucks, you could earn up to 3% of your purchase amount for St. Francis Borgia Regional High School. Click the picture above to sign up. Our eScrip school id is 6674669.
Thank you!
|
|
Did you know that almost 550 married couples are Borgia alumni? Read about many of the #SFBLoveStorys below by clicking on each photo. |
|
Karen (Pate) '60 and Steve Frederick '60
|
|
Gary Riechers '69 and Marcie Politte '77 |
|
Jean (Eckerle) '74 and Glenn Eckelkamp '73 |
|
Jill (Klenke) '84 and Tim Poepsel '81 |
|
|
Kelly (Kamler) '86 and David Harfst '86 |
|
Tracy (Trower) '89 and Martin Alferman '89 |
|
Anne (Varni) '92 and Benjamin Hanneken '89 |
|
Chantell (Marquart) '93 and Kenneth Unnerstall '90 |
|
|
Angela (Obermark) '95 and Robert Struckhoff '91 |
|
Katherine (Ballmann) '93 and Nathan Nowak '92 |
|
Rachael (Steffens) '93 and Joseph Franssen '91 |
|
Kimberly (Eckelkamp) '93 and Christopher Garbs '93 |
|
|
Becky (Borgerding) '94 and Eric Stieffermann '94 |
|
Nicole (Tullock) '98 and Mateo Flores '96 |
|
Jennifer (Meyer) '97 and Travis Maune '97 |
|
Beth (Filla) '97 and Timothy Roetheli '97 |
|
|
Christina (Schweich) '99 and Matthew Garbs '99 |
|
Danielle (Heidmann) '03 and Spencer Unnerstall '03 |
|
Meaghan (Dempsey) '05 and Jordan Faerber '05 |
|
Olivia (Maniaci) '07 and Daniel Haddox '06 |
|
|
Rachel (Holtmeier) '09 and Danny Tobben '07 |
|
Keli (Sullivan) '08 and Patrick Feldmann '08 |
|
Leighann (Sherfey) '11 and Scott Sullivan '10 |
|
Katelyn (Biermann) '12 and Andrew Roehrig '12 |
|
|
Hannah (Holtmeyer) '15 and Patrick Kimminau '12 |
|
Taylor Schweitzer '16 and Michael Sinnott '16 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rudy Schulze '50, passed away on January 24, 2021 |
Linda (Hellebusch) Wellenkamp '71 passed away on February 6, 2021. |
|
|
Ben Holtmeyer '12 married Elizabeth Stauffer on January 30.
Best Wishes Ben and Elizabeth!
|
|
Becky Boehmer '94 and Rich Marquart '81 were married on November 6.
Congratulations, Becky and Rich!
|
|
Catholic Schools Week
February 1 - 5, 2021
|
Catholic School Week is an annual celebration of Catholic education all over the United States. This year's celebration at Borgia included many fun activities for our students, and thank yous to our faculty and staff for their service and commitment to Catholic education. |
|
Some of these activities included:
- A student scavenger hunt
- Borgia Bingo
- Trivia on our KNL morning news program
- A snowman contest in which the winner, Ms. Domijan, has to dress up as a snowman
- Daily themed dress-up days
- We celebrated Mass led by Archibishop Rozanski
- Free Borgia cookies to students, faculty, and staff
- The making of Blessing Bags for the homeless
The faculty and staff also received new personalized lanyards from STUCO and Borgia t-shirts from our Administration for their constant hard work and dedication to our school.
|
|
|
JACOB LIERMAN '21 - WINNER OF THE
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR.,
MODEL OF JUSTICE AWARD
|
|
 |
We are delighted that Jacob Lierman '21 has been selected to receive the 14th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Model of Justice Award on behalf of SFBRHS.
The Martin Luther King, Jr., Model of Justice Award honors Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s dream, who sought equality and justice for all and to make the country a place where freedom and peace would flourish.
See below for Jacob's nomination for this award.
"It is my pleasure to recognize Mr. Jacob Lierman with the Martin Luther King, Jr. Model of Justice Award.
Jacob is a senior at St. Francis Borgia Regional High School and is a member of St. Ignatius Loyola - Marthasville Parish. He has a 4.0 GPA and has excelled in a variety of college-level coursework. At SFBRHS, he is highly involved in and serves as a leader of many extracurricular activities, such as Student Council, National Honor Society, and Student Advancement Corps (StAC). He has served as a leader on a number of our retreats, such as Healthy Lifestyles and Luke 18.
Perhaps what sets Jacob apart from his peers is his dedication to service. Just as the namesake of his home parish, Jacob is a man for others. He works tirelessly to improve the lives of others in his school, his parish, and his community. Through his extracurriculars on campus, Jacob seeks to draw his community together and to create opportunities for others to get involved and to be a part of something special and meaningful. He creates special memories for his classmates through his work with Student Council and connects our alumni, current students, and community through StAC. Through his leadership on retreats, Jacob works to connect area 8th graders and incoming freshmen with their faith and with themselves.
While his parish is very small, Jacob has stepped up in a big way to highlight many of the great things going on, thereby serving as the social media manager. He has brought light to the special community at “St. Ig.” Mr. Lierman also serves as a role model for youth by serving as the Speech Team coach and a teacher for Vacation Bible School.
Jacob has most certainly dedicated himself into selflessly helping his fellow person. He has worked to ensure that so many groups have access to important programs, despite being small, in the country, or some other factor that might otherwise eliminate them from service. Jacob has worked to provide a strong future for not only individuals, like the unborn for whom he made a pro-life video or the young kids on his speech team, but also for entire communities, like SFBRHS or St. Ignatius Parish.
We are incredibly proud of and grateful for all that Jacob brings to our world. In his short life, he has made a powerful, positive impact on those around him, and he is very worthy of being named a Martin Luther King, Jr. Model of Justice Award Recipient".
On Jan. 17, Lierman was one of 29 Archdiocese of St. Louis students honored in a reception at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.
We are proud of the impressive service that Jacob has displayed in demonstrating love and concern for social justice.
|
|
|
|
MARIA ELBERT '21 - WINNER OF THE
ARCHBISHOP JOHN L. MAY SERVICE AWARD
|
|
Senior Maria Elbert was selected as SFB's recipient of the Archbishop John L. May Award, which recognizes outstanding leadership and community service of students in Catholic High Schools in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Maria's deep commitment to serving, with over 600 service hours thus far, makes her a standout candidate for this prestigious award. |
|
Planned Giving
Planned giving allows you to make a significant impact on Borgia, likely at no cost to you during your lifetime. Planned gifts typically also provide you or your heirs with tax advantages. Anyone, even those with a modest estate, can help secure St. Francis Borgia Regional High School's future by establishing a planned gift.
We are pleased to have the Roman Catholic Foundation of Eastern Missouri as our planned giving partner. The Foundation’s mission is to inspire giving and connect donors to Catholic ministries like our school, sustaining our mission for future generations. The Foundation helps donors identify their giving goals and maximize the impact of their gifts on the ministries they love.
To learn about the many ways you can create establish your Catholic legacy and sustain
|
|
Click on the Knights logo to view all upcoming sports schedules. If you would like notifications on games, please click on the logo and sign up under "notify me." You will receive game time changes, cancellations, and game reminders if you are signed up.
|
Borgia has spectator guidelines in place for our home events due to Covid and recommended social distancing. Away events are at the discretion of each opposing school and are shared as we know and receive them via our Borgia Athletics Facebook page and Twitter timeline.
Click on the yellow butto to review our guidelines for our sporting events.
|
|
|
|
In thanksgiving for the sacrifices and contributions offered by those before us on our behalf, we at St. Francis Borgia Regional High School offer our afternoon prayer for different members of our alumni each day. |
|
|
|
Ukulele Maker Moving to Washington
Alum Alex Ferguson '07 is relocating his lutherier workshop from New Haven to Washington. His new custom-made Ukulele shop will be located off Highway A near O'Reilly Auto Parts.
|
|
|
|
Recently married? New baby or job?
Let us know what's going on in your life, so we can share
it with your classmates in this newsletter!
|
|
|
|
St. Francis Borgia Regional High School
1000 Borgia Drive, Washington, MO 63090
P: 636-239-7871
F: 636-239-1198
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
