Legacy Gift Society

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Hudson Catholic

Legacy Gift Society

formed as

A Vehicle for Planned Giving

For decades we have considered ourselves a ‘young school’. But as time has marched on, we have entered middle age. With 55 graduating classes in the books, Hudson Catholic has now survived many other Catholic high schools that opened their doors before us, such venerable names as Essex Catholic, Marist, St. Anthony’s, St. Joseph’s WNY, and Queen of Peace

We now have a good number of classes whose members have either taken or are coming up on retirement or early retirement. When that day arrives, it generally means that we’ve fulfilled our most important obligations to our family -- the house, college bills and weddings are paid.

This presents as a good time to consider the legacy that a graduate may wish to leave at the school that truly made a difference in their life. To that end, Hudson Catholic is now able to provide a vehicle that can help achieve that aim.

Today, we proudly announce the formation of the Hudson Catholic Legacy Gift Society. In deed, it is designed to secure meaningful gifts, ensure the honoring of a member’s intentions, help us grow an endowment fund to secure the school’s future for many years to come, and create a ‘society’ in which members will be rightfully acknowledged and thanked for their generosity and support.

If you are in the first ten graduating classes, you may consider the simplest way to ensure that Hudson Catholic will continue to advance its mission for years to come by designating Hudson Catholic as a beneficiary for a defined gift in your Will, Life Insurance Policy, Retirement Account, or Donor Advised Fund. Gifting Appreciated Securities is also a very effective way, and a tax-advantaged strategy, to accomplish the same objective, during your lifetime.

All bequests will consolidate into the Hudson Catholic Endowment Fund to build toward a $12 million goal, and warrant your entry and permanent inclusion in the Hudson Catholic Legacy Gift Society.

If you have planned your giving in this manner, or plan to do so, we are grateful for your thoughtfulness and generosity. And if you have named or intend to name Hudson Catholic in your estate plan, please let us know about it, for appropriate acknowledgement and planning purposes.

You can learn more about the Hudson Catholic Legacy Gift Society at hudsonatholic.org/legacy

Contact Gary Ferrari ’73, Chief Advancement Officer

to discuss your intentions and legacy

Key Dates

on the 2022 - 2023 Hawk Calendar

School Events

Aug 27 Hawks at the Shore

Sept 29 Black & Gold Golf

Nov 19 Just a Jersey Guy

Mar 29 Hall of Fame / Gala

April 7 Day of Giving

Varsity Football

(dates / times TBA)

Paramus Catholic

Montclair Immaculate

Monsignor Farrell @Rutgers

Columbia

Morris Catholic

DePaul

Delbarton

Pope John

Immaculata

From the President

As the summer turns to fall, the halls of 790 Bergen Ave will once again come alive with the sounds of teenagers. I don't think there's anything that brings me more joy than the energy our students bring to Hudson Catholic. My wish is that each of you gets to experience that same feeling at least once. That is why I want you to know that Hudson Catholic is, was and will always be your home. You are always welcome on campus. Please feel free to stop in, announced or unannounced, if you are in the area. You can see some of the changes made to the campus, but you'll also see what remains the same. I'll guarantee you'll be transported back in time...just hopefully not back to the Dean of Discipline's Office! If you can't make it to school, go on our website and check out the athletic schedule to see if we might be playing near you. It's important that our alums stay connected, and it's equally important for our current students to connect with the men and women who have come before them. Hawks fly far and wide, but they can always return to their nest. I look forward to seeing you.

Hawks at the Shore

hudsoncatholic.org/hats

Last Day to Register is Today

Saturday, August 27^th, 3-6pm

The Friendly Sons of The Shillelagh

16^th Avenue, Belmar

Open to all alumni and their guests

$85 per person -- hot / cold buffet, open bar

SPECIAL GUESTS

Brother Tim Ahern -- Mr. Jack Campion

LOOK WHO'S COMING

Are you wondering who will be there? Go to hudsoncatholic.org/hats to see.

Is there someone from your class you are looking for? Maybe this list can help you decide to go. On the other hand, adding your name to the list might help others decide the same thing. Either way, plan to see and be seen at our Belmar-based event.

Be The Hawk (at the Shore)!

Reunion ‘72

Sunday October 23,2022

6:00PM-10:00 PM

Galloping Hill Golf Club

Kenilworth NJ 07033

Communicating With You

We send a variety of emails to you on a host of subjects that may or may not be of interest to you. Some just read the headline and delete if the subject is not of interest. And that's okay. But we all can agree that Hudson Catholic is on the move! And we are bringing together classmates again, after years of being out of touch. And so we want to share the news and let you know about all the great things happening at McGinley Square and among our alumni ranks.

We think you would agree that having the choice of reading about the topics that interest you is far better than not hearing from us.

So if our email cadence should cause you any irritation, please understand that our communications are the means for us to stay in touch with 7,500+ graduates and hundreds more friends, and ultimately provide the lifeblood of support that every school needs to survive, sustain, and thrive into the future.

God bless our Hawks and friends!

Event Sponsor:

Investors Bank

Spread The Word

Enrollment & Fundraising reach high-marks

Signs that a private school is on the move are upward trends in both enrollment and fundraising. We are that school. Having one without the other makes for rough roads ahead. We were that school, once.

And to keep it that way, we must strive, as a school and a school community to keep it that way. To keep those numbers moving in higher directions.

We are receiving more students, but with a higher percentage in need of financial aid, it simply ups the ante to the fundraising function of the school, which means we look to you, our devoted alumni and valued donors in greater numbers and in higher amounts. That is just the way it is.

Consequently, our goal for the Annual Fund in 2022-2023 is $300,000, up from $250,000. More on how we plan to arrive there in the next issue of your digital magazine, Building The Legacy.

Eight Hawks Who Reported to the Principal’s Office

It is no easy feat to ascend to the chair of the top administrative role in a school. It takes talent, desire, vision, people leadership skills, effective communications, and so many more attributes to truly become a well-rounded individual capable of steering the ship of education for hundreds of students at one time, and thousands over a tenure.

Over these many years, we have had a number of Hawks who have answered that call and accepted the baton of school leadership.The teachers and administrators who contributed to Hudson Catholic High School being a model for innovation in the 1970s may have served as a foundational frame of reference throughout the careers of some or all of our Principal’ed Hawks.

Flavio Rubano ’69 is the earliest, but not the first, Hawk graduate to serve as a Principal, and the only one to do so in the Jersey City Public School system, at PS#6, from 1998 to 2002.

Two members of the Class of ’70 laid claim to the Principal’s title. Joe Pompeo holds several distinctions among Hawk Principals. He is the only Hawk who returned to teach at Hudson Catholic before moving on to greater heights, appears to hold the title of First Hawk to become a Principal (shared with Matt McGrath ’74) in 1990, and to be the longest serving Principal among Hawks -- 22 years at Wallington High School, from 1990 to 2012.

A second member of ’70, Bill Venezia, presently Hudson Catholic’s Director of Curriculum and Special Programs responsible for nurturing our relationships with and building our entree for students into Hudson County's university level at St. Peter's University, New Jersey City University, and Stevens Institute of Technology, has been in the Principal's chair in the Morris County School District at Alexander Hamilton School from 1997 to 2001, Thomas Jefferson School from 2002 to 2008, and Frelinghuysen Middle School in 2004. These roles followed his service as a teacher and guidance counselor with the Jersey City Public Schools from 1974 to 1992 at P.S. #14, P.S. #38, P.S. #27, and Dickinson High School. Bill says he first went to work for the Pope in 2008 at Saint Elizabeth in Bernardsville, through 2018, before retiring and coming back to alma mater that same year to do the very best work of his career and life. We are extremely lucky to have him.

Matt McGrath ‘74 (pictured) served two different schools in the Principal’s chair, both public and parochial, extending over 17 of his 40 years in education. In 1990, Matt entered the ranks of Principal in the Parsippany-Troy Hills school district, first at Lake Parsippany School for six years, followed by Intervale School for four years. Then from 2013 to his retirement in 2020, Matt helmed Hoboken Catholic Academy, where he succeeded Mrs. Rose Perry, who served in that role from 2008 to 2013 following her departure from Hudson Catholic's faculty.

In his 30 years as a professional educator, John ‘ Jackie’ Hynes ‘75 was a principal and superintendent at Palisades Park High School (1997-2002), and Pearl R. Miller Middle School in Kinnelon, NJ (2002-2007 and 2011-2014). Since ‘retiring’ in 2014, Jack became ‘Jack of all trades’ by serving in an interim capacity at Kinnelon HS in 2015, at River Dell Regional High School in River Edge in 2020, and at Kiel Elementary School in Kinnelon in 2021.

And, of course, the only Hawk graduate to serve as Principal (and President) of Hudson Catholic would be Reverend Warren Hall ’81, who led The Home of The Hawks from 2008 to 2010.

The newest Principal among the ranks of the Hawks is Dario Soto ’00, recently featured in Alumni Spotlight of BTL v63. Dario just completed his first year as Principal of Crystal Lake School in Ellington, CT.

We Hawks, being protective of our young, naturally produced our fair share of leaders in that regard. We thank them for their leadership and their service.

There Are Sports,

and There Are E-Sports

The world of education is constantly changing and a healthy Catholic school is one that recognizes that God gives us all many different talents. We all have talents that we never developed simply because we didn’t have an opportunity to do so. It’s our job as educators to help our students discover their talents and then provide opportunities for those talents to develop. For some, that talent might be writing. For others, it might be Math or Science. For some it might be basketball or softball, while for others it might be theater or music. And for others, it might even be video games.

This past year, Hudson Catholic sponsored our first E-sports Team! Yes, video gaming has taken off and we have jumped on board for the ride! Virtual sports and gaming have come incredibly far in replicating the conditions of physical sports, making elite competition more accessible than ever before. Colleges are now awarding scholarships in this field. While virtual gaming appeals to both students and adults, it cannot be ignored that for non-athletic students and non-involved students, these programs can be invaluable. Statistically, 43% of participants in E-sports programs don’t do anything else in school. There is both an academic and social benefit to students participating on E-sports teams in school.

Hudson Catholic explored two different E-sports opportunities for our students and settled on one that could be done on campus, rather than the students needing to travel to other schools. In our inaugural year, we had 6 teams of five allowing 30 students to participate and there were also spots for alternates and even more participation. The teams met 3 times a week and had a very positive experience. We are going to build a gaming room here on campus because virtual gaming is here to stay at Hudson Catholic. The Hawks now fly high in both the real world AND the virtual world!

Catching Up with Our Pioneer Girls

Cynthia Rodriguez ’10 went on to earn her Bachelor's Degree in Exercise Science from the University of Tennessee. From there, she went to work at the management level for a Physical Therapy company, following which she completely changed gears for entrée into Property Management. Having received her Real Estate License, she is presently an Assistant Community Manager for Greystar, responsible for overseeing the community’s financials and managing day-to-day operations.

About her time at Hudson and her relationship with the other girls with whom she graduated, she cherishes and remains proud of the bond she shares with a group of Hudson’s female pioneers. She recalls the transition from St. Joseph's to Hudson as being very difficult for all of the girls, and that sports played a huge personal role during her time as a high school student. Looking back on this experience, she appreciates every moment of it, as the bond and sisterhood among those girls strengthened in so many ways.

Cynthia continues to make new memories with her classmates, making it a point to check in frequently (almost daily!) and get together as often as they can. Having this type of support helped them forge through the pandemic in support of each other. Cynthia participated in the weddings of Jary Carvahal and Nicole Ivonnet. Their bond is stronger than ever!

Alumni Spotlight

A Life in Service. Michael McKnight ’78 is a retired US Army Soldier of 41 years, having retired as a Dept. of Defense Civilian. He is living in Italy!

Professor Marco Poisler ’88 (Chief Operating Officer, global energy and capital projects, at UTC Overseas) has taught Project Logistics in the University of Houston’s Supply Chain and Logistics Technology Program. He has a Master’s Degree in Transportation from SUNY Maritime, studied at the World Trade Institute in New York City, 30 years’ experience in capital project logistics, and has traveled to 90 countries.

Hearts & Minds. Bill Keegan '73 recently appeared at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center to address members of law enforcement about his organization, HEART 911's SMART Program. Developed in collaboration with Harvard Medical School and Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine, it is regarded as the gold standard for managing stress and developing resiliency in law enforcement professionals.

Advance Man. Kevin Boyle '83 recently started a new role as Vice President of Advancement for Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, PA.

Good Times & Get-Togethers

The Brothers Curry, Rob '80 and Jack '82 recently celebrated Rob's birthday with a day out at (and on) Citi Field. Jack must really love his brother, as this kind of outing cannot be good for his Yankees image.

From The Past

Mrs. Victoria Dell'Orto of our Cafeteria Staff. Photo provided by her son, Michael Dell'Orto '71, who offered that his mother worked in the HC Caf from the late 60s to the early 80s, and that Brother Al always called her 'Queen Victoria'. Can anybody name the gent way in the background?

Readers Respond

George Bailey ’80 (Bails) wrote to say: Just read the latest newsletter and very much enjoyed Mr. Gannon's insert. Great to understand history, some of which I did not know, including the long time connections.

On August 8th, a few Hawk Football Alumni gathered for an impromptu lunch, hosted by Ed Roselle ‘80. It was a fun afternoon of reconnecting with former players and coaches. We reflected on all things Hudson and Hudson Football. Many great stories and memories told and remembered. Even after all these years, the memories are clear.

The highlight for me personally was a toast that Ed gave. It was directed to the Coaches in attendance, as well as those not present. Simply stated: "We just wanted to thank you for all you did for us. You took a bunch of kids and helped mold us into young men. You taught us how to work hard, nothing is for free, earn your success, no individual is greater than the team, be respectful to teammates, staff and your opponents, be humble and thankful. These are lessons that have molded us as adults and we have taken these lessons and applied them to our lives. Coaches, we will never call you Jerry, Ed, Ken, Bill. You all will always be COACH to us. Thank you and we love you."

Thanks...HAWK PRIDE !!! George Bailey, Stuart, FL

L. to R.: Ken Such ’80, Coach Jerry Caputo, Carlo Nastasi ‘79, George Bailey ‘80, Terry Schaefer ‘78, Coach Ken Dandorph, Pat Del Piano ‘79, Coach Bill Venezia, and Tom Engleke ‘80 (Photo taken by Ed Roselle ’80)