RAVENVOLUME X NUMBER 2

The Magazine of ST. RayMond high School foR BoyS

With faith...

Prayers for the victims of Sandy Hook Elementary School

As we express gratitude to God for all that our St. Raymond Parish family has been given, it is in the responses from our community and from those all over the country to the recent events of Hurricane Sandy and the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, that enable us to recognize that Jesus is still truly living in our hearts, forever.

The entire St. Raymond Parish extends its heartfelt prayers to all those affected by these tragedies. We will continue to remember them by asking for blessings of hope, love, and peace from our savior, Jesus Christ.

Supporting Hurricane Sandy Relief Efforts

In tHE wakE of tRagEdy, St. Raymond PauSES, PRayS & RESPondS

A St. Raymond sophomore lost his entire home on City Island during Hurricane Sandy. In true Raven fashion, administration, faculty, staff, and students united to help his family by raising money and donating supplies to support one of their own. In wake of the devastation from Hurricane Sandy, Br. Richard Galvin, FSC ’82 traveled with a group of students to Coney Island, Brooklyn with a car full of essential supplies to replenish the Reaching -Out Community Services mobile food pantry—which was depleted of items needed to help those in the area.

Other faculty members and students lent a hand after the storm at volunteer events organized by City Harvest, Rockaways Rebuild, and “Restore the Shore.”

The week following the loss of twenty-six students and teachers in Newtown, CT, St. Raymond prayed at a candlelit vigil remembering the souls who so tragically lost their lives. The school community continues to pray for those lives and for all of the family, loved ones, and friends that were affected by the shooting.

Let us always remember we are in the holy presence of God and that He may be the light

to get us through these difficult times.

In the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, St. Raymond High School heightened its own security by installing a state-of-the-art video surveillance system. The front doors are locked, and all visitors must be electronically permitted to enter the school by our security guard before being directed to the main office.

Dear Alumni and Friends of St. Raymond,

We hope that you survived the winter chills and the February snow storm! Spring cannot come quickly enough for all of us.

We continue to enjoy the blessing of our new School Annex Building. Students are becoming very comfortable in their new “home” and our teachers are most appreciative of the space, the new facilities, and the many advantages of a state-of-the-art building for teaching, for music and art, for technology, for group guidance, and even for outdoor rooftop hoops – during free periods only!

We were very proud of our student response to the needs of the victims of Hurricane Sandy during November, their continuing involvement in the food pantry at St. Anthony’s Parish, and their collection of canned goods and dry foods for the Catholic Charities Feeding Our Neighbors Campaign in January. Over and over again our students are asked to be of service and they always rise to the occasion in the spirit of St. John Baptist de La Salle. Of course, they have great role models

with our own dear Brothers who staff the school!

We have all been saddened by the closing of so many of our Catholic elementary schools in the Archdiocese, but here at St. Raymond we are grateful that our schools are thriving – the Girls Academy, the Elementary School, and the Boys High School are all at near maximum enrollment. I mention this because so many of you have connections with the schools. You can be assured that any gifts or donations that you make are going not only to a great cause, but to schools that will continue to serve our young people with a priceless Catholic education.

Once again, know that you are always welcome to visit St. Raymond High School for Boys and meet the wonderful young men who are the next generation of Ravens. We sincerely ask for your prayers and your financial support as we provide excellence in religious formation, extracurricular activities, and academic expertise.

Sincerely,

Monsignor John Graham, St. Raymond Parish Pastor

the Parish Pastorfrom

Dear Alumni and Friends of St. Raymond,

Greetings from St. Raymond High School for Boys! We are happy to announce to you another successful school year. Our students have achieved significant academic success, participated in many extra-curricular activities, and are able to continually experience a positive Lasallian, Catholic environment in the building.

Our teachers are actively engaging in professional development opportunities associated with the Common Core Learning Standards (CCLS). The Common Core Learning Standards are new national benchmarks meant to ensure that all students are prepared for college and life after high school. We plan to implement the CCLS across our entire curriculum in the 2013-2014 school year. This significant change to our curriculum indicates our commitment and enthusiasm in providing the most current educational benchmarks for our student body.

You will also be able to see throughout the pages of this RAVEN magazine many of the wonderful activities that our student body has participated in recently.

We are ever grateful for your support of our school community and its programs. You will notice that our Raven Fund has been increasing significantly every year. This fund allows us to continue providing quality programming to our students while at the same time keeping our tuition reasonable – allowing access to many students who desire a strong Catholic education. The donation of your time, talents, or treasures is very important to us and helps to keep the mission alive. So, thank you.

I hope to see you at an upcoming Raven event soon, whether it be the De LaSalle Leadership Dinner, Career Day, Alumni Hockey Game, or a class reunion.

God Bless,

Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, Principal

the Principalfrom

St. Raymond has a long-standing relationship with St. Anthony’s Soup Kitchen. For the past eight years, twice a month, Lasallian Youth Group

members and Br. Richard Galvin, FSC ’82 work in the center’s kitchen preparing hot meals. The St. Raymond team also assists with preparation and assembly of goodie bags, the setting of tables before meals, and the serving of coffee and juice to families in need.

Beyond volunteering their time, the Lasallian Youth Group actively assists St. Anthony by collecting non-perishable food and money for their pantry.

On December 22, 2012, St. Raymond students visited the soup kitchen to serve a holiday meal and participate in the annual Christmas party. Students took time from their weekend to make someone else’s Christmas bright. Junior Julio Pena (shown here) dressed as Santa Claus and distributed toys.

Spending time at St. Anthony’s and supporting the soup kitchen provide students a valuable lesson about service, immersion, and integration. It also enables the young men to gain a perspective other than their own, while showing care and compassion to those less fortunate.

Should you wish to donate any non-perishable food or clothing items to St. Anthony’s Soup Kitchen, please contact Christina DeCrescenzo for additional information at cdecrescenzo@straymondhighschool.org.

NewsSCHOOL

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Serving the Community at St. anthony’s Soup kitchen

St. Raymond Participates in the 40th annual ‘march for Life’

St. Raymond participated in the 40th anniversary of the national March for Life in Washington, DC. Four student

groups participated from St. Raymond Parish — St. Raymond Academy for Girls, St. Raymond High School for Boys, St.

Raymond Elementary School, and St. Ray’s Life Teen Group. Along with students from Sacred Heart Elementary School in Highbridge, the students rallied to raise awareness of the 55 million lives that have been lost to abortion and to honor the 40th anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

“We have gathered our boys at St. Raymond together to peacefully demonstrate that Pro-Life practices must be upheld in order to protect our fellow brothers and sisters,” explained Br. Richard Galvin, FSC ’82. “It is our duty to protect the lives of children that have yet to be born and give them a voice that is heard.”

Along with students from other Lasallian sponsored schools across the nation, the St. Raymond group marched from the National Mall up Constitution Avenue to the Supreme Court Building on Capital Hill holding a “Lasallians for Life” banner.

Students participated in the The Youth Rally and Mass for Life, sponsored by the Archdiocese of Washington. The Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Cardinal Wuerl of Washington, DC and was concelebrated by local priests and His Eminence, Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

While in Washington, DC, students also visited the Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam Memorial, and the Martin Luther King

Memorial to honor those great individuals who helped shape our nation. Additionally, the group gathered for prayer at the White House and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, asking for courage and strength to help end the abortions of innocent children.

Pictured above are “Lasallians March for Life” participants (left to right) Jonathan Hodge ’16, Julio Pena ’14, Christopher Chavez ’16, Nicholas Rudolph ’14, Henry Gomez ’14, Cesar Lagares ’15, Rene Henriquez ’15, and David Afram ’14.

St. Raymond High School recently participated in the New York Archdiocese Feeding Our

Neighbors contest. In conjunction with Power to Learn, MSG Varsity, and Catholic Charities, the contest provided participating schools with a chance to earn up to $6,000 for in-classroom learning initiatives by sponsoring a canned food drive.

Feeding Our Neighbors is an Archdiocesan initiative to support New York City food pantries, a response to His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan’s call, “We must feed the hungry in the name of Jesus, a high honor. We need to make sure that none of our neighbors are ever turned away when they look to the church for help.” Br. Richard Galvin, FSC ’82 echoed those words, saying, “It’s a benefit not only to our school programs, but to our boys.”

Dimerson Nunez ’13, Mehedi Ahmed ’13, and Andre Stephenson ’13 proudly stand with some of the cans collected.

St. Raymond Competes to Feed Our Neighbors

St. Raymond High School has long been dedicated to fighting hunger and routinely donates food and money to local food pantries and soup kitchens. The Archdiocesan Feeding Our Neighbors contest was a natural extension to this commitment.

Spearheaded by Br. Richard, the school collected 1,513 pounds of non perishable cans and bagged food items throughout the month of January.

The Feeding Our Neighbors contest winner will be determined by the school that collects the most amount of food by weight.

No matter the outcome of the contest, the goal has already been met: students answering the call to feed those who are in need.

The Magazine for St. Raymond High School for Boys 5

Students mentor with morality Skits

Students from St. Raymond High School for Boys performed morality skits on January

31 to help St. Raymond eighth grade students better prepare themselves for the sometimes overwhelming scenarios that can arise in high school. Teaming up with students from St. Raymond Academy for Girls, students performed five skits of difficult situations on stage at the Msgr. Tierney Auditorium at St. Raymond Elementary School.

Ranging from peer pressure to personal and school-related issues, the St. Raymond seniors took their roles seriously and impressively. The eighth grade students were receptive and engaged, meeting with the cast members after their performances to reflect on what they had just learned. The annual program aims to alleviate any uncomfortable circumstances that the eighth graders may face when they enter high school.

Christmas Concert and art Show

As the school rejoiced in the holiday season, the St. Raymond Glee Club entertained parents, teachers, and students at the annual

Christmas Concert — which included a melody of holiday favorites. Music teacher Mr. Silvestre Padron conducted the performance, and the Glee Club was joined by professional guest musicians Carin Cuellar on violin, Samuel Marchan on viola, and Carlos David Bernales on piano.

After the concert, guests viewed more than 25 pieces of sculpture on display, created by the senior illustration class. This past semester, students in Mr. Ed Mouzon’s ’82 art class participated in the Creative Classrooms Visual Arts Program — an initiative of The Partnership for Inner-City Education that promotes art and literacy in inner-city Catholic schools. Over ten class periods, artist and sculptor Mark LaRiviere visited the students, providing experiences to encourage hands-on learning and critical thinking. The art show represented the culmination of the class’ work with LaRiviere.

St. Raymond Glee Club members perform at the annual Christmas Concert.

Christopher Amoako ’13 and Nicholas Ramgahan ’13 during a skit.

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Sebastian Yumiseba ’13 (left) and Andre Stephenson ’13.

St. Raymond Scholar Chosen to attend Presidential Inaugural Conference

Thousands of high school students eagerly awaited letters of acceptance into the High School Presidential Inaugural Conference held in January, but only three New York State students were

accepted into the program. Freshman Christopher Heralall was one of the lucky three and the only Bronx representative selected to attend the conference in the nation’s capital.

Conference participants attended exclusive events like a black-tie gala, political presentations, informational sessions on the presidency, panel discussions, and visits to local monuments. The conference also included meetings with Dr. Condoleezza Rice, former US Secretary of State and National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama, and General Wesley Clark, former NATO Supreme Allied Commander, four-star general, and 2004 presidential candidate.

“The conference taught us we are called to do something special,” fifteen year old Heralall said. “We should dare to lead our nation forward with all of the blessings we have in our lives. It made me think that even though I am only one person from the Bronx, I can be the one big change to help our world to be a better place.”

At the culmination of the trip, Heralall was able to attend the 57th Inauguration of the United States of America, for President Barack Obama, leaving a lasting memory that he will never forget.

two Seniors Participate in Phage Phinders Internship

St. Raymond seniors Andre Stephenson and Sebastian Yumiseba had a special opportunity to intern at the Price Research Center at Albert

Einstein Medical Center this past summer. The students gained invaluable hands-on experience that can be applied to their course work at St. Raymond and beyond.

Stephenson and Yumiseba were among 11 high school students from New York that participated in a laboratory headed by Dr. Bill Jacobs, a scientist that has devoted his life to finding a cure for Tuberculosis by finding phages. Phages are microorganisms that infect bacteria and then reproduce, similar to the way the HIV virus works. Tuberculosis is one of the leading causes of death in the world, infecting one-third of the world’s population. The students worked with Dr. Jacobs in the lab to find phages, calculate numbers of bacteria to each phage, and find colonies of forming units. The lab at Albert Einstein was established in 1987 and the first phage Dr. Jacobs discovered, called the “Bronx Bomber,” has been featured in 13 scientific publications.

Both Stephenson and Yumiseba live in the Bronx. After graduating from St. Raymond, Stephenson hopes to attend Boston University and Yumiseba, Amherst College. Both students are interested in medicine.

In recent years, St. Raymond students have also participated in internships through the Einstein Enrichment Program and the ACE Mentor Program.

ARE you linkED in to ouR SCHool AnD otHER RAvEnS tHRouGH SoCiAl nEtwoRkinG? St. Raymond’s online presence is growing, growing, growing. Be sure to visit these sites to stay in touch with your alma mater and your fellow alumni.

Search for St. Raymond High School in groups on linkedin.

like the St. Raymond High School for Boys page on Facebook.

Follow StRaymondRavens on twitter.

Subscribe to the StRaymondHSforBoys channel on youtube.

GEt ConnECtED to St. RAyMonD HiGH SCHool FoR BoyS

The Magazine for St. Raymond High School for Boys 7

tri-State Italian american Scholarship Recipients

Dominique Gomez ’13 (left) and Elijah Lewis ’15 with Edward Cardinal Egan at the Tri-State Italian American Scholarship Ceremony.

Two St. Raymond High School for Boys students were honored on January 4 for receiving the annual

Tri-State Italian American Scholarship. His Eminence, Edward Cardinal Egan presented certificates to senior Dominique Gomez and sophomore Elijah lewis at a ceremony held at the Catholic Center in Manhattan.

Students are nominated by their principals and scholarships are awarded based on academic performance and financial need.

Since 1988, the Tri-State Italian-American Congress, a non-profit organization, has provided educational opportunities for Italian-American children and has supported organizations, charities, and programs that benefit Italian-Americans. They began awarding scholarships ten years ago and have contributed more than five million dollars to students in New York City and Westchester County. This year, 220 elementary and high school students from Archdiocesan schools were awarded scholarships.

Student attends national youth Leadership forum on national Security

St. Raymond senior Alan outeiral attended the National Youth Leadership Forum on National Security in Washington, DC this past October. The forum offers educational leadership opportunities on a variety of topics and career fields.

Outeiral explored career opportunities such as American diplomacy, intelligence, and defense, as well as interacting with high profile senior civilian policy makers and military officers. “I am so honored and grateful for this entire experience,” said Outeiral. “This was an amazing opportunity that I will never forget.”

This forum was hosted at the National 4-H Conference Center and enabled Outeiral to earn college credit. He hopes to attend the University of Tampa after graduating from St. Raymond. Outeiral, a New York Marine cadet, would like to become a Marine after college. “It’s important for me to earn a degree first,” said Outeiral. “Becoming a Marine is something I aspire to be, but I also know I want to study business or economics first.”

Alan Outeiral ’13 in Washington, DC.

We are looking for any photographs you may have from your days here in the school, at events, or part of any sports teams. Please feel free to e-mail us any photos you have on your computer, or you can mail them to us and we will get them right back to you. If you have any pictures you’d like to share or have any questions, please contact Christina DeCrescenzo at cdecrescenzo@straymondhighschool.org or 718-824-5050 ext 140.

wE ARE BuilDinG ouR ARCHivES...

Still HAvE PiCtuRES FRoM youR DAyS AS A StuDEnt?

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Lasallian Educator of the year

The St. Raymond faculty annually recognizes a colleague who exemplifies the mission

and leadership of St. John Baptist de La Salle by acknowledging that individual with the lasallian Educator of the year Award. This award represents the highest honor that a faculty member at St. Raymond High School for Boys can receive. It is one of the ways the school acknowledges educators for their hard work and dedication to the students.

In order to receive this distinction, the educator must be a minister at St. Raymond for at least five years and must work in association with the school community to foster gospel values in the lives of students and staff. The recipient must also see the Lasallian School as a place of educational excellence, which shares in the teaching mission of the Catholic Church.

The St. Raymond community was thrilled to present this year’s Lasallian Educator of the Year Award to Mr. Jimmie Sturgis. Serving St. Raymond as junior and senior Guidance Counselor for the past 20 years, Mr. Sturgis has played a key role in building a bridge from high school to college and beyond for more than 3,000 students.

“It is an honor to receive this award that not many people get the chance to achieve,” Mr. Sturgis said. “If I can continue to be a person that our young men can trust, I am certain they will be able to continue to be successful and for that, I am grateful and fulfilled.”

His passion for supporting the young men of the school and being a role model for their future has played an integral part in molding the next generation of movers and shakers from St. Raymond. His ability to capture the spark in each young man and ignite it has led graduates to go out into the world with compassion and drive. Congratulations to a well-deserving educator who has gone above and beyond each day of the past twenty years.

Past Lasallian Educator of the Year Award recipients include current faculty members Mr. Michael McCauley (1989), Mrs. Phyllis Sobieralski (1998), Mrs. Judith Carew (2002), Mr. James Winkle ’82 (2005), Mr.

Edward Mouzon ’82 (2009), Mr. Robert Heckmann (2010), Br. Richard Galvin, FSC ’82 (2010), and Mr. Moses Alabi (2011).

mr. Jimmie Sturgis

Mr. Jimmie Sturgis with Msgr. John Graham.

Scholars Honored at mass of Thanksgiving

The St. Raymond family gathered on November 20, 2012 for the annual Mass of Thanksgiving. Sophomores, juniors, and seniors gathered in the main church; freshmen celebrated the Mass in the lower church. Prayers were offered for all of the individuals that were affected by Superstorm Sandy.

At the end of the Mass, the family of Damian Meehan ’87 joined Msgr. John Graham to acknowledge this year’s Damian P. Meehan Memorial Scholars. Damian was killed on 9/11 and his family established a scholarship program in 2003 to honor his memory. Since 2003, the family has generously donated more than $70,000 in scholarships to more than 50 St. Raymond students.

The school is also very grateful for the support of the Dennis M. Mulligan Memorial Foundation. Dennis Mulligan ’87, Damian’s classmate, was also killed on 9/11. His family has funded scholarships to St. Raymond students ever since. This year’s Dennis M. Mulligan Memorial Scholars are Chrismichael Berrios ’12, Henry Gomez ’14, Mittal Rana ’14, and Paul Rosario ’14.

This year’s Meehan Scholarship winners (pictured left to right) Brandon Suarez ’13, Daniel DelaCruz ’15, Jose Almonte ’14, Michael Amponsah ’15, Frank Wilson ’15, and Adrian Drysdale ’15 joined by Msgr. Graham, Damian’s mother Margaret, wife Joann, and sister Janine at the altar for the presentation.

The Magazine for St. Raymond High School for Boys 9

De LaSalle Leadership Dinner 2013

Fr. James Cruz ’83Mr. Pasquale Devito ’70

Mr. Brendan HughesMr. Peter larkin

Honoringfor their commitment, support, and dedication to Catholic

education in the Lasallian tradition,

St. Raymond High School for Boys

Thursday, April 25, 2013 ı 6:00pmPasquale’s Rigoletto Restaurant ı 2311 Arthur Avenue ı Bronx, new york 10458

If you have any questions about the dinner, please contact

Christopher Ellis in the Advancement Office at

718-824-5050 ext. 105.

If you would like to attend the dinner or place an ad in

the journal, please use the enclosed envelope.

&

Brother Daniel Gardner, FSC, PrincipalSt. Raymond High School for Boys

Monsignor John Graham, PastorSt. Raymond Parish

cordially invite you to our annual fundraising dinner

Tickets are $125 and tables of 10 are available.

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Dear Alumni and Friends of St. Raymond,

It’s been a difficult few months for so many people since the last issue of the RAVEN magazine. Five months after Superstorm Sandy, some of our students, faculty, and alumni are feeling lingering effects. So soon after the storm, thoughts and prayers of the St. Raymond family turned to the families in Sandy Hook, CT. I sincerely hope that this magazine finds you happy and healthy in 2013, as we all pray for good news and good spirits in the months ahead.

I am happy to report that in the wake of such sadness, St. Raymond has been able to persevere. Acceptance letters have been sent to potential future Ravens, and the registration forms have been flowing back in from members of the class of 2017. Our current students have achieved some amazing feats both in and out of the classroom, as evidenced in the previous pages of this magazine. These students are truly special, as are the teachers, the staff, and the building itself. You may be aware of some of this, if not all. You are a Raven. Whether you graduated months ago or years ago, you are a welcome part of the St. Raymond family.

In the three years that I have been a member of the St. Raymond family, I have had the pleasure to meet so many alumni of our school. I have heard the stories of days in the Bronx, days in Parkchester, days at St. Raymond. They have been impressive, funny, thoughtful, and inspiring. I am continually reminded that I am in a very special place. We have many alumni events planned in the coming months so I hope you’ll be able to join us soon, to be reminded of how wonderful the school is!

Finally, I am very happy to introduce Christina DeCrescenzo as the newest member of the Advancement team. Christina joins us from Iona College, where she previously served as Transfer Counselor in the Office of Admissions. Prior to that she worked at two public relations agencies in Manhattan. Christina also volunteers both locally and internationally through Iona College’s Office of Mission and Ministry. She will be assisting in all communications, alumni relations, fundraising, and event planning efforts from the school. You will get a chance to meet her soon if you have not already.

Best wishes to you and your family, and I hope to see you at an alumni event soon. Sincerely,

Mr. Christopher Ellis, Director of Advancement

NewsAdvancementthe Advancement Directorfrom

MONdAy, SEPTEMBER 30, 2013

St. Raymond High School 17th annual alumni association golf outing

30 miles north of the Bronx. The fee for the event remains at just $200, which includes lunch, golf, and dinner.

We hope that you will be able to join us on September 30 for a great day of golf, fun, and dinner, along with a raffle and live auction. On behalf of all of the past Daniello Scholarship recipients, we are grateful for the support of your alma mater!

For more information and details on sponsorship opportunities, please contact Christopher Ellis at 718-824-5050 ext. 105 or cellis@straymondhighschool.org.

Please save the date for the 17th annual St. Raymond Alumni Association Golf outing on Monday, September 30, 2013 at 10:30 am.

Last year, 84 alumni and friends of St. Raymond golfed with us during the day, and another 20 individuals

joined us for dinner. Most importantly, the group was able to raise a very impressive $25,000! These

funds enabled the school to provide scholarships to 20 deserving St. Raymond students — all made in memory of Dr. nicholas Daniello ’66, a

founding member of the St. Raymond High School Alumni Association.

The Alumni Association will be hosting this year’s outing at the Paramount Country Club in New City, NY — a Tillinghast designed private course just

(pictured above) The Fred Ill Jr. ’69 Memorial Golf Trophy and (right) Jim Martin ’68, Chris Koukounis, Ivan Soto, and Gene New ’68 at the 2012 Golf Outing.

The Magazine for St. Raymond High School for Boys 11

Thank you to all of the St. Raymond alumni, friends, and supporters who have already made a donation to the Raven Fund this year.

$201,439 has already been raised, which is the most to date in the school’s history – we are well on our way to the goal of $250,000 and beyond!

If you have not done so already, we hope that you will make a gift to support the school’s students.

The tremendous achievements of our current student body at St. Raymond High School is possible through the support of our alumni.

2012 - 2013gOal ı $250,000

ST. RAYMONDHIGH SCHOOL FOR BOYS

RAVEN FUND

A gift of $25 could purchase one set of paintbrushes for art classes.

A gift of $50 could purchase two athletic jerseys for student athletes.

A gift of $100 could purchase ten Regents test guides.

A gift of $250 could purchase one laptop for the Senior Guidance Center.

A gift of $600 could provide one month of student tuition support.

2011-2012 AnnuAl REPoRt oMiSSion

St. Raymond High School for Boys regrets the omission of two alumni from the Annual Report of the fall 2012 RAVEN. The school is grateful for the donations of Michael o’Connor and Bud nestler, both graduates in the class of 1968, to last year’s Raven Fund. In addition to making gifts to the annual fund, Michael and Bud have been very active with the alumni association, attending last year’s De LaSalle Dinner and Career Day, respectively. We apologize for this error.

Raven fund Class giving 2012

In the last magazine, we announced the Class of 1968 as the winner of the inaugural class giving contest, with 14% of the graduating class making a donation. Their class led from start to finish during the year to take the crown.

This year the Class of 1968 is off to another great start, but there are a few other classes close behind. With plenty of time left until August 31, 2013, it is still anyone’s ballgame. Please see below for the current class giving statistics.

Place year Percent of class giving 1 1968 7.41% 2 1966 5.32% 3 1965 5.00% 4 1969 4.59% 5 1970 4.58%

Here are just a few ways that your Raven Fund donation could make a difference this year:

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NewsALUMNI

Alumni of all ages filled the St. Raymond gymnasium over the past few months to support the school’s basketball team and to reconnect with

former classmates.

On December 16, 2012, more than 75 alumni returned to campus for the homecoming basketball game against St. Peter’s. Before the game, varsity head coach Jorge lopez addressed the crowd and thanked them for attending during lunch in the cafeteria. Graduates rooted for the Ravens during the first half and then recognized a number of individuals for their contributions to the St. Raymond athletic program at halftime.

Athletic Director Mr. Ben Aguirre ’97 acknowledged two former teams that were celebrating significant milestones. 35 years ago in 1977, the St. Raymond freshman basketball team won their first city championship, and 40 years ago in 1972, the school formed its first varsity B basketball team. Returning members of both teams gathered for a reunion photograph before Principal Br. Daniel Gardner, FSC and Mr. Aguirre inducted Mr. Ron Patnosh into the St. Raymond Hall of Fame. Mr. Patnosh has been a staple of the school since 1962. Patnosh founded the school’s baseball program in 1966 and coached the team for 45 years, winning 1,080 games. Guests applauded for all the honored individuals and continued to cheer as the varsity team defeated St. Peter’s by a score of 55-47.

Alumni returned to the gym on January 20 as the varsity team took on St. Rita’s High School of Chicago – led by former St. Raymond head

coach, teacher, and student Gary DeCesare ’81. DeCesare led the St. Raymond basketball team for 16 seasons until 2003, winning New York City Championships in 1991, 1993, 2000, and 2001, and state championships in 1993 and 2001. The game was exciting throughout, with St. Raymond emerging victorious by a score of 56-52.

After the game, players and fans remained in the gym as coach DeCesare recognized the 20th anniversary of St. Raymond’s first state championship in 1993. Each player from that team was presented with a St. Raymond windbreaker, championship t-shirt, framed team photo, and news clippings from their historic season. “That really was a true team,” coach DeCesare said. “You had 12 guys that battled every day in practice.” On behalf of the 1993 team, Charlton Clarke ’95 gave commemorative plaques to coach DeCesare and assistant coach Mr. Greg Scott ’72.

The St. Raymond varsity team ended the season with an overall record of 15-9 and the CHSAA Archdiocesan title for the second year in a row. The freshman team captured the City Championship this year, their first since 2004.

(above) 1993 State Champion St. Raymond basketball team with former coach Gary DeCesare ’81. (top right) Coach Jorge Lopez, Principal Br. Daniel Gardner, FSC, Mr. Ron Patnosh, and Athletic Director Ben Aguirre ’97 at St. Raymond Homecoming. (lower right) Members of the first St. Raymond varsity B basketball team from 1972, Bob Haran ’73, Kevin Ayers ’74, Barney Ryan ’73, and Jamie Barker ’74.

alumni Support the St. Raymond Basketball Program

St. Raymond High School Represented at

A new Applebee’s restaurant recently celebrated its grand opening in Parkchester, where Raven pride is certainly present. Various pictures of St. Raymond students and alumni are scattered throughout the restaurant, joining other schools

and Bronx institutions highlighted on the walls. Next time you are in the neighborhood, be sure to stop in for a bite, and to check out the St. Raymond High School for Boys memorabilia. Applebee’s is located at 75 Metropolitan Oval.

St. Raymond represented on the walls of the new Parkchester Applebee’s.

On November 20, 2012, more than 70 St. Raymond graduates returned to their alma mater for the annual young Alumni Reunion. In this

fourth year that the school has hosted the event, St. Raymond welcomed back graduates from the classes of 2012, 2011, and 2010. The reunion offered the first opportunity for many St. Raymond recent alumni to reconnect while home from college.

The alumni shared stories and memories over pizza and soda in the cafeteria. The Thanksgiving Eve Young Alumni Reunion continues as a St. Raymond tradition.

Reunions will be held this spring for the classes of 1973, 1978, and 2003. If you are interested in planning a class reunion, contact Christopher Ellis at 718-824-5050 ext. 105.

Members of the Class of 2011 arrive for the annual Young Alumni Reunion.

Classes of 2010, 2011, and 2012 Reunite

The Magazine for St. Raymond High School for Boys 13

The Ravens took to the road on October 20, 2012, visiting Charlotte, NC for the first Raven Road trip of the school year. Alumni ranging from the class of 1978 to the class of 1994 gathered on a beautiful fall day to reminisce about days in the Bronx.

Although none of the alumni in attendance met before, they easily united in the shared connection of now calling North Carolina home. One graduate even attended from Texas – he was in town with his family to see the Cowboys take on the Panthers. While they now reside in a sunnier climate, all of the graduates had very fond memories of their days in the Bronx, and specifically St. Raymond. Thank you to Patrick Mcloughlin ’83 and his wife Kim for hosting the Raven Road Trip at their lovely home in Mint Hill.

On February 28, nine alumni gathered at Sullivan’s Quay Restaurant in Port Washington at a closer to home Raven Road Trip in Long Island. Graduates from the 60’s, 70’s, and 80’s gathered over food and drink to share memories about their days at St. Raymond. Many thanks to Ricardo Salaman ’77 for hosting and organizing this great event.

If you are no longer living in the Bronx but would like to catch up with fellow Ravens at a Raven Road Trip, please contact Christopher Ellis at cellis@straymondhighschool.org.

Ravens on the RoadIn Charlotte, (left to right) Christopher Ellis, Dennis O’Shields ’94, Pat Crogan ’78, Patrick McLoughlin ’83, and Jim Giuliano ’81 at the North Carolina Raven Road Trip.noRtH CARolinA

AnD lonG iSlAnD RoAD tRiPS

In Port Washington, Long Island (left to right) Thomas Gomez ’69, John Talay ’71, Charlie Mehlich ’68, Chris Talay ’79, Donald Sweeney ’77, Charles Sweeney ’74, Ricardo Salaman ’77, Joseph Brescia ’81, and Dennis Hughes ’74.

CLaSS notESHere you can see updates and happenings of your former Raven classmates. We would love to hear about what you have been doing since graduating from St. Raymond High School and all the great successes of your life! Have you taken on a new job, moved to a different city, gotten married, or had a child? Keep us in the loop and you might see your name in the next publication of our Raven Class Notes. Please email Christina DeCrescenzo at cdecrescenzo@straymondhighschool.org to keep us updated.

14

1964Harry Frank plans to retire in 2013. He has worked in the banking industry for the last 45 years.

John Purcell is enjoying retirement from Delta Airlines. He and his wife of 48 years live in Queensbury.

Pete Scarano has retired after 42 years in education. He and his wife plan to travel and spend more time with their two daughters, son-in-law, and three granddaughters.

1965Carl Greco has worked for 30 years in public accounting; he and his son, Michael own and operate a public accounting firm in Fort Myers, FL. His twin grandchildren are the apples of his eyes and he hopes to retire in the near future.

Robert Sully is retired from Con Edison. He teaches, coaches basketball, and umpires softball in Virginia Beach, VA. He has two children and one grandson.

1967Daniel Gerardi retired as a Superintendent of West Caldwell, NJ schools in July 2012 and just celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary.

1970Mike Caputo and his wife have retired and moved to Nashville, TN. Mike was formerly the District Sales Manager of Sony Electronics in Manhattan.

1973Bill Fitzpatrick was a park ranger for 25 years, and is now a home builder, actor, and ferry pilot, living in Stehekin, WA. Walter Nestler is a landscape architect and served as a board member on NYC Community Board 9 from 2006 to 2010.

1974Gerald Franklin is a Pastor and lives in South Boston, VA.

1977David Del Franco runs his own car dealership, David’s Deals on Wheels, and lives in Nashville, TN.

1978Patrick Croghan is the owner of National Aviation Services in Mooresville, NC, providing fleet services to airports across the country.

1979Stephen Gilbride is CEO of a Global Quality Assurance Consulting firm specializing in pharmaceuticals. He lives in Northern New Jersey.

1980Henry Mensch works at the Center for Imaging of Neurodegenerative Diseases. He is also in the first year of a MSLIS program at Syracuse University – a program that focuses on Digital Libraries and eScience.

Matthew O’Connor is an actor who lives on the East End of Long Island. He has been featured in movies and television shows that include Royal Pains and Law & Order: SVU, and the HBO film You Don’t Know Jack.

1981James Giuliano works at Paragon Security and lives in Indian Trail, NC.

1982Michael Devany is a client relationship manager at Pitney Bowes Management Services.

Michael Molino teaches math at St. Augustine High School in San Diego, CA. His is also the Director of Religious Education for St. Didacus Parish and has served as Youth Minister for the past four years.

Jaime Vallecia works at Morgan Stanley Smith Barney as an Information Technology Manager.

1983Patrick McLoughlin is the Vice President of Business Development for Xerox. He lives in Mint

Hill, NC with his wife and their three year old daughter.

1985John Marano is the Chairperson of Community Board 10 for the City of New York, serving out of the East Tremont Avenue office.

1986Pat Cala hosted a week-long donation drive in November 2012 to support those affected by Hurricane Sandy. He is the Co-owner of International Caterers and delivered supplies to individuals affected by the Superstorm in Queens.

1988Sean Burns has recently opened up his own tax office called Burns Rodriguez & Associates Tax Services on East Tremont Avenue.

1991Emanuel Richardson has been the Assistant Coach of the Arizona University Basketball Program for four years. Emanuel and his wife, have three children.

1994Dennis O’Shields is a Supply Chain Manager for Sysco. He and his wife live in Katy, TX.

Corey Parsons is a Producer for the fantasy sports channel at Sirius XM.

1995Socrates Palmer is a Newspaper Reporter for the Bronx Times Reporter. He is a graduate of Mercy College.

1998Jack Bluett works in advertising sales at Emmis Communications, which owns radio stations HOT 97 & KISS FM.

1999Manuel Carela is a Lance Corporal with the United States Marine Corps and is stationed in Japan.

Volume X • Number 2 Spring 2013

SAINT RAyMONd PARISHArchdiocese of New york

Monsignor John GrahamParish Pastor

School Administration

Brother daniel Gardner, FSCPrincipal

Judith CarewAssociate Principal for Academics

Andrew SediaAssociate Principal for Student Life

John MustoAssistant Principal for Student Affairs

Michael NorelliAssistant Principal for Information Services

Campus MinistryBrother Richard Galvin, FSC ’82

Campus Minister

RAVEN PublicationChristopher Ellis

Director of Advancement

Christina deCrescenzo Advancement Associate

design EP Graphic Design

Photographs Lifetouch Portrait Studio

RAVEN Magazine is published by St. Raymond High School for Boys for

alumni, parents, friends and the St. Raymond community.

Send address changes and class information to the Office of the Advancement at

2151 St. Raymond Avenue, Bronx, Ny 10462.

Spread the word: Pass this on to a friend or other alumni

interested in learning more about St. Raymond High School for Boys.

RAVEN THE MAGAzINE OF

ST. RAyMONd HIGH SCHOOL FOR BOyS

Luis Colon is a Certified Personal Trainer and has worked for the New York Sports Club for four years.

2002Juan Marte, Jr. is the Assistant Director of Co-Curricular Student Leadership & Involvement at SUNY College at Old Westbury.

Obinna Ohakam is a Quality Assurance Analyst at AXA-Equitable. He is a graduate of Syracuse University where he earned both a bachelors and masters degree in Information Management.

2004Nick Clemons works for the National Park Service (US Department of the Interior) as a Park Ranger with a direct focus on Interpretation and Education. He is stationed in Berlin, MD.

2006Abraham Steele-Jones is currently applying to

Columbia Law School. He graduated from FIT and is planning on working with Intellectual Property Law.

2007Nikholas Santana graduated from Borough of Manhattan Community College and is currently certified as a Computer Technician.

2008Andre Brooks is a Teacher at Wings Academy in the Bronx.

DeVon Howe works on the production of Spider-Man on Broadway in New York City.

2009Noel Veloz owns a clothing line called Hemincuff. He also owns a personal training business called Core Green. He will graduate from Mercy College this year.

INTERNSWANTED

Looking for a way to give back to your alma mater? Share your expertise with current St.

Raymond students. if your company would be interested in providing an unpaid internship to a current student, please reach out to Christopher Ellis at 718-824-5050 ext. 105 or cellis@straymondhighschool.org.

We are also looking for alumni to share their story at our annual Career Day from 11:30am – 1:30pm on Thursday, April 11.

Calling all Alumni!

alumni faculty members St. Raymond is proud to have nine faculty members who are alumni of the school. They are Mr. Gregory Scott ’72, Mr. John Poli ’73, Mr. John Cummings ’78, Mr. Edward Mouzon ’82, Br. Richard Galvin, FSC ’82, Mr. James winkle ’82, Mr. Ben Aguirre ’97, Mr. Damien Carparelli ’98, and Mr. Jayson villalobos ’02.

St. RaymOnd hıgh SChOOl fOR bOyS2151 ST. RAYMOND AVENUEBRONX, NY 10462

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Alumni Career Day Thursday, April 11 11:30am St. Raymond Senior Guidance Center

School Blood Drive Friday, April 12 8:00am St. Raymond Gym

Class of 1973 Reunion Saturday, April 20 7:00pm Spoto’s

De LaSalle Leadership Dinner Thursday, April 25 6:00pm Pasquale’s Rigoletto Restaurant

Alumni Baseball Game Saturday, May 11 11:00am Raven Field

Class of 1978 Reunion Saturday, June 22 5:00pm Brewski’s

17th Annual Alumni Association Golf Outing Monday, September 30 10:30am Paramount Country Club, New City

Young Alumni Reunion Wednesday, November 27 6:00pm St. Raymond Cafeteria

save the date ı upcoming events

ıf you would like more information about any of these events, please contact christopher ellis at 718-824-5050 ext. 105 or cellis@straymondhighschool.org.