AWARD RECIPIENT
FR. MIKE HESS
DOWLING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE 1963
PASTOR, SACRED HEART PARISH
Father Mike is well known to the Dowling Catholic community through
his many years as President of the school. He joined the Dowling faculty
when the merged school opened in 1972 and became President in
1976, a position he held until 2000. He created the school’s Foundation
Board in the late 1970s.
Father Mike’s past Dowling Catholic recognitions include the CIVITAS
Award, which is the highest award bestowed by Dowling Catholic. In
addition, in recognition of his long-standing support for the school,
the south wing of the school is named the Father Michael N. Hess
Convocation Center in his honor.
Currently, he serves as Pastor of Sacred Heart and recently announced
his retirement after 15 years with the parish. He also has served as
Chaplain for the West Des Moines Police, Fire and EMS Departments for
the past 14 years.
FONDEST HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY OR EXPERIENCE:
Only four percent of our class made the Honor Roll the first quarter of
our 9th grade year. The entire class was called to the gym for a stern
lecture about our study habits. We were told that we were the worst
class in the history of Dowling in terms of our academic performance.
That talk really got my attention. After that I was regularly an honor roll
student.
The other memory relates to the great relationship that existed between
our largely priest faculty and the students. Our priest teachers were
great examples for us. That is why I am a priest today.
AWARD RECIPIENT
KATHLEEN BRIEN RICKER
ST. JOSEPH ACADEMY GRADUATE 1964
PRINCIPAL, BERGMAN ACADEMY
Over the past 40 years, Kathleen has dedicated her life to education and
has touched thousands of young lives in the process. Not only has her
career benefited students at Bergman Academy; she has been involved
with numerous national and local conferences and institutes on gifted
and talented students while also focusing on developing curricula for
students at all levels of learning.
Bergman Academy’s philosophy stems directly from Kathleen’s early
roots in differentiation: viewing each child as a unique person with
individual patterns and timing of growth. Students guided under
Kathleen’s leadership have been individually navigated with great
care. Because of her tireless work and dedication to her students,
teachers, and families, Bergman Academy is thriving and currently serves
over 220 students of different races, religions, and creeds. FONDEST HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY OR EXPERIENCE:
The BVMs [Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary], the women, the good
times! St. Joseph Academy was a wonderful experience and every year
I grow older I appreciate the commitment and dedication those women
had to our education - in and out of the classroom. As they said, ‘If you
can read, thank a teacher.’ But I say, ‘If you know the proper way to act,
thank a BVM!’
AWARD RECIPIENT
MICHAEL J. KRANTZ
DOWLING HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE 2003
CEO AND CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS, ADVENTURELAND PARK
Mike is an active community philanthropist and supporter of ten area
arts, educational and community service organizations. Mike and his
wife, Kimberly Krantz, have a son Emery Simpson (10) and enjoy their
three English Mastiffs.
“Winning the State Policy Debate Championship as a sophomore with
his partner Todd Lantz (‘02), Mike was one of the most accomplished
debaters in the history of Dowling Catholic. Mike and his partners
qualified for the Tournament of Champions three years in a row, and
he was part of the team that brought home the overall National Team
Championship in Speech and Debate in 2003. Mike went on to debate
for the University of Iowa and has been a staunch supporter of Dowling
Catholic and Dowling Catholic Debate ever since.”
TIMOTHY SHEAFF `86,
HEAD COACH, DCHS SPEECH & DEBATE TEAM
FONDEST HIGH SCHOOL MEMORY OR EXPERIENCE:
While the education received both in and outside the classroom was
top notch, the community of friends who remain with you long after
graduation are without a doubt the experience that the Dowling
community has engrained. Whether it was working with these people
many late nights on debate projects, living with Dowling peers
throughout college or working with some of these same people and
seeing their families’ grow everyday has been, and will continue to be,
some of my favorite moments.