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FALL
2015
2
Abbot’s Letter
6
Facilities Update
7
Class of 2019
Michaeleen
Come join us for
the 60th Anniversary
Diamond Jubilee
Fall Festival!
On Sunday, September 20th
from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm
enjoy fun for the whole family.
Mount Michael Benedictine is
proud to be partnering with
Special Olympics again. You
won’t want to miss the Parade
and Opening Ceremonies,
beginning at 11:00 am. Help
us celebrate sixty years of
honoring and supporting our
monastic community!
Introducing the new
school logo displayed above,
highlighting The DJ Sokol
Learning for Life Building. Thank
you to the Sokols and our other
donors for their generous support
of Mount Michael Benedictine.
Letter from the Abbot
This summer I had the good fortune to travel to the fabled city of
Istanbul. From north to south, Istanbul lies between the Black Sea
and the Sea of Marmara, linking the whole of Eastern Europe to
the Mediterranean. East to west, it is the bridge between Asia and
Europe. Astride trade routes north to south and east to west, riches
from around the world flow into and out of the mighty city.
Istanbul’s ascendance to
prominence began when the
Roman emperor, Constantine the
Great, made the city the capital of
the Eastern Roman empire in 324
AD. Until then an unremarkable
Greek colony known as
Byzantium, the city was renamed
Constantinople after the emperor
himself. The Roman capital was so
preeminent that its current name,
Istanbul, derives from a Greek
phrase meaning “into the city.”
You did not have to name the city.
There was only one possibility, the
great city of Constantinople.
Prior to Constantine, the Romans
had sporadically persecuted
Christians. But Constantine
embraced Christianity on his
deathbed and enabled Christianity
to become the religion of the
empire. The emperors who
succeeded him in Constantinople
were with few exceptions also
Christian. As befits the capital of
an empire, the emperors favored a
church to mirror the city’s splendor.
In the year 532 AD, the emperor
Justinian had a magnificent church
built called Hagia Sophia (Greek
for Holy Wisdom). Despite waves
of conquerors, earthquakes,
fires and other catastrophes, the
awesome edifice still stands about
1500 years later. For a building
which does not rely on steel,
Hagia Sophia is unparalleled. The
expansive dome at the center
of the church rises some 180
feet from the pavement below.
By comparison from its base to
the torch, the Statue of Liberty is
only about 150 feet tall. It would
easily fit inside Hagia Sophia.
It is a testament to Roman
engineering. When Justinian
walked into his new church for its
dedication, he reportedly remarked,
“Solomon, I have outdone you.”
He was referrring to the temple in
Jerusalem which Solomon had built
to house the Ark of the Covenant.
Constantinople was the capital of
an empire whose fortunes waxed
and waned for some 1100 years.
2
In 1453, the Ottomans under the
sultan Mehmed II conquered the
city and transformed it into the
capital of a Turkish empire. Once
the city was taken by the Turks,
Hagia Sophia was converted into
a mosque. Following World War
I, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk headed
up the struggle to found the
Republic of Turkey. He introduced
democracy to the nation. He
also undertook to secularize the
country. To avoid conflict between
Christians and Muslims, Hagia
Sophia was converted into a
museum. So therein lies a tale.
There are few structures
constructed by humans which
survive as long as has Hagia
Sophia. There are fewer still
serving the purpose for which
they were originally built. There
is sadness that Hagia Sophia
no longer exists as a church.
Imagine how we as Catholics
might react if St Peter’s in Rome
was converted into a museum.
The lesson I believe is that we
cannot take the transmission of
our faith for granted. It is too easy
to assume that what we have
known in the past will perdure into
the future. That suggests at least
one important objective as Mount
Michael Benedictine undertakes
another school year. The young
men who come through our doors
not only learn lessons which enable
them to be successful adults,
they also learn about their faith
and its importance. These young
men will be the living stones of a
church that will endure into the
future. We believe that because
of the education they receive at
Mount Michael, future generations
will continue to gaze in awe at the
beauty of the church for which
Jesus Christ surrendered his life.
Announcements
June 15, 2015 to August 15, 2015
Mass Information
If you find that your pastor is
unable to conveniently take
care of Masses you wish
to have celebrated for your
particular intentions, Mount
Michael Abbey welcomes the
requests for such intentions.
We will see to it that the
Masses are celebrated as
promptly as possible.
The offering you make
should correspond with that
suggested by the diocese
in which you reside. Your
pastor will be able to inform
you of what the stipend of a
particular diocese may be.
BABIES
IN REMEMBRANCE
Joe Kmiecik ’03
and Nora Kmiecik
welcomed their
second child,
Clement Joseph
Kmiecik on April 29,
2015.
Sylvester H. Baker, Association Member
Catherine Caggiano, Grandmother of Patrick
‘07 and Matt ‘09 Witt
Madeline Cox, Grandmother of Aaron ‘05, Sean
‘06 and Joshua ‘10
Lucille Daly, Grandmother of Ryan Daly ‘07
Alex Engelkamp ’11 and Hillary Engelkamp
welcomed Abraham “Abey” Alan Engelkamp
on June 18, 2015.
Memorial & Tribute
Information
Often inquiries are made
about our memorials and
tributes for relatives and
friends, living or deceased.
At Mount Michael one can
enroll families or friends in
our memorial and tribute
foundation. This consists of
daily remembrance at the
Eucharist and the Divine
Office by the monks of
Mount Michael Abbey.
Upon enrollment, we will
notify the family with a card.
The suggested offering for
this memorial enrollment is:
INDIVIDUAL
One Year $50
Five Years $100
Lifetime $250
FAMILY
One Year $100
Five Years $200
Lifetime $500
Art Givens, Grandfather of Mount Michael staff
member Amy Masek
Rosemary I. Grove, Friend of Mount Michael
Mass Intentions $10.00
Please address such requests to:
Mass Intentions
Development Office
Mount Michael Benedictine Abbey
22520 Mount Michael Road
Elkhorn, NE 68022
Dwayne Donahoo, Friend of Mount Michael
MARRIAGES
Aaron Menzel ‘09 married Rachel Steenson
on at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church on
July 4, 2015.
John Kritenbrink ’04 married Lindsey Kline
at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church on
July 25, 2015.
John A. Gubbels, Father of Thomas Gubbels ‘86
Joyce E. Hassing, Grandmother of Daniel
Hassing ‘02
Arnold E. “Arnie” Hausner, Friend of Mount
Michael
Charles F. “Charlie” Heider, Friend of Mount
Michael
Toni Joerz, Wife of Scott Joerz ‘77
Randy R. Leaders, Friend of Mount Michael
Colleen Marie (Fitzgerald) McNamara, Friend
of Mount Michael
Dr. Robert R. “Bob” Prososki, Uncle of Eric
Carlin ‘07
SAVE
THE DATE
Groundbreaking
September 29, 2015
Homecoming
October 16, 2015
Fifth Quarter following
the game in the Armory
Breakfast with Santa
December 20, 2015
Night of Knights
April 9, 2016
3
Jonna Robinson, Friend of Mount Michael
Thomas A. Sander, Father of Nathan Sander ‘99
Mamie Severa, Grandmother of Jimmy Severa
‘18
Rev. Robert J. Smith, Friend of Mount Michael
M. Catherine “Katie” Sommer, Friend of Mount
Michael
Betty Thiele, Grandmother of Matthew Thiele ‘18
Patricia (Peterson) Vitzthum, Friend of Mount
Michael
Marcella Wisnieski, Grandmother of John
Wisnieski ‘01
If you would like to include
an announcement in an
upcoming issue of the
Michaeleen, please contact
Francesca Swalwell
402-238-1447
[email protected]
1
One of our goals has to do with enrollment
management. We began this school year with 242
students. This number was part of our goal. We ended
the 2013-14 school year with 231 students and the
2014-15 school year with 237 students. We would like to
retain as many of the 242 students this year as possible. While
Mount Michael is not for every young man, we hope to see as
many retained as possible. We are poised to have the largest
enrollment in school history.
Head of
School
2
Another goal has to do with our finances. For the past
five years we have ended the year in the black and been
cash positive. This takes a tremendous amount of effort
on the part of our departments, managers and staff. We
need to be good stewards of our funds and I am proud of how
we have sustained this commitment to conservative, though
necessary, spending. This goal strives to continue the fiscally
responsible goal of staying positive with no deficit spending. With
the new DJ Sokol Learning for Life Building now on the horizon it
is very important that we continue to keep costs under control.
Summer 2015 saw a tremendous amount of projects and growth
on the Mount Michael Benedictine campus! For several months
now we have been raising funds to install a fiber optic line that
would come directly onto our campus. This summer this goal
became a reality. For many years the internet was brought onto
campus by use of a dish-to-dish line of sight system with D.C.
West High School. Of course, this system was prone to disruption
due to weather and other anomalies. The new fiber optic line will
provide Mount Michael with a larger broadband capability, phone
and cable lines. We want to thank our many generous benefactors
and donors for making this possible. This summer also saw the
completion of a new track. As many of you may recall the track
around the football/soccer field was in poor shape, needing
some major work. Again, through the generosity of donors the
money was raised to complete this project. A special thanks to
Zach Nelson, class of 1979, for making the new track a reality!
New concrete work was also done around the track and field,
completing the work on the Nate LaFave Memorial Field. Also this
summer saw two major overhauls of both the gym floor and our
tennis courts. The surfaces of the gym court and the tennis courts
have been completely redone and look brand new. The students
and spectators will know the difference immediately! We want to
thank our facilities and maintenance crews, under the direction
of Mr. Jim Lewis, for all of their hard work and efforts over the
summer months in prioritizing and completing these projects.
On August 13th we began a new school year.
With a new year began a new set of goals and
objectives that we have set forth for the year.
I wanted to briefly go over some of our Mount
Michael Benedictine goals for this school year.
3
A third goal focuses on student life. We want Mount
Michael to be the greatest high school experience for
a young man. We will be reviewing and analyzing our
current programs (day, 5-day and 7-day) to see their
effectiveness and ways to improve. We began this process
last spring with a survey on our extracurricular programs. This
year there will be some direct changes on how some of our
programs operate.
4
We have also set a goal to improve our facilities,
including the planning of the new school building, The
DJ Sokol Learning for Life Building. This construction
will be very historic and transformational. Much time
has already gone into the planning over this past summer. It will
continue throughout this school year with our groundbreaking
and initial construction. Please watch our website for updates on
this major project!
>5
With the addition of both the new fiber optic line and the
hiring of Dr. Tom Rzemyk as our technology coordinator,
Mount Michael is poised to be a leader in technology
for college preparatory programs. This is our goal: to be
a leader in technology. Dr. Rzemyk will be busy this year in
assessing our current and future needs along with the planning
for the new building. It is an incredible time in our history as we
look to the future.
In closing, I want to thank all of you for your continued support. In
our 45 year history as a Benedictine college prep boarding school
we have educated hundreds of young men who now live and
work all over the world. We are very proud of their achievements
and accomplishments. Please know that we could not sustain our
outstanding programs without the support of you, our friends and
benefactors. Thank you for all you have done over the past and
will do in the future. I hope you have a wonderful school year as I
know we will.
6
As we continue the planning of the new building the
efforts of our development/advancement office will
continue to raise funds for the capital campaign. With
the generous gift from the Sokol family it brings our total
funds to a little over seven million dollars. This is tremendous;
however, more funds still need to be raised. Another goal for us
will be the continued raising of funds to complete the new
school building. I ask that you seriously consider a gift to our
Capital Campaign. Your gift will help us complete what promises
to be one of the finest school buildings in the state of Nebraska.
Take care and God bless,
David J. Peters, Ed.D Head of School
4
Student News
2015-16 SCHOOL
YEAR BEGINS
NATIONAL SPANISH EXAM
COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP
The Mount Michael Benedictine
community kicked off the new school
year with the annual Mass and picnic
on Sunday, August 9.
David Choi ’15 earned one of sixty
scholarships available nationwide to
members of the Class of 2015 who
took the National Spanish Exam.
Congratulations, David!
A crowd of 800 plus, including students,
their families, faculty and staff joined
together to celebrate the start of school.
This year Mount Michael welcomes
students from Nebraska, New Jersey,
Missouri, New York, Pennsylvania,
New Mexico, Minnesota, Kansas, Florida
and Texas, as well as international
students from China, South Korea,
Australia, Vietnam, Belgium, Mexico,
Germany, Nigeria and Japan.
KNIGHTS NAMED AP SCHOLARS
Congratulations to the twenty-four Mount
Michael Benedictine students who were
named AP Scholars in recognition of
their high test scores on the AP tests this
spring. Jonathan Collins ’15 was named
a National AP Scholar, meaning he had
an average score of at least 4 on all AP
exams taken and scores of 4 or higher on
eight or more exams. Way to go Knights!
5
LEGACY KNIGHTS
Mount Michael Students Whose
Fathers Attended “The Mount”
Left to Right: Ben Murray
’17, Evan Murray ‘12, Steve
Murray ’80, Nicholas Akers
’19, Joe Akers ’79, Niko Britt
’18, Jack Morrissey ’16, Steve
Britt ’79, Brian Morrissey ’84,
B. J. Wilson ’84, Bob Recker
’84, Andrew Wilson ’19, Jake
Recker ‘13, Joe Recker ’18,
Hudson Hohman ’18, Dave
Hohman ’83, Matt Gloeb
’82, Garrett Gloeb ’18, Gavin
Copple ’19, Justin Copple ’98.
Not Shown: Patrick Collins 19,
(Charles Collins ’85), Emmet
Kenney ’18, Connor Kenney ’16
(Sean Kenney ’84) Nolan Gottsch
’18, (Mickey Gottsch ’83)
Events &
Development
FINANCIAL
UPDATE
Now is the Time Campaign
Nearly four months have passed since the Sokol family made a
transformational gift of $5,000,000 for a new classroom building.
The new facility, to be called The DJ Sokol Learning for Life Building in memory
of DJ Sokol ‘99, will provide state-of-the art classrooms for Mount Michael
Benedictine students. See the update below for more details provided by
Jim Lewis, our Director of Facilities. The Sokol family would like their gift to
be matched by other generous Mount Michael benefactors in order to realize
the dream of the new school building. This is how you can help; any gift of
any size will count. Many of you have already gifted to Mount Michael for our
capital campaign. Please consider a second gift. If you have not yet had the
opportunity to share your treasures with us, Now
is the Time! The groundbreaking ceremony for the
new building is scheduled for Tuesday, September
29th at 6:00 pm. The date is the patronal feast of
Mount Michael Abbey and School, the Feast of the
Archangels. I look forward to seeing you there.
Kimberly A. Volpone
Director of Advancement
FACILITY
UPDATE
The DJ Sokol Learning for Life Building
With a gift secured from the Sokol family, planning began in
earnest for a new classroom facility.
The design team of Prochaska & Associates and BCDM Architects interviewed
faculty and staff to assess needs. The design team along with faculty and
staff toured local schools and colleges where new facilities with a STEM
(Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) focus have recently been
completed. The final stages of the Schematic Design phase for The DJ Sokol
Learning for Life Building are now underway. It is hoped that plans for the
building can be finalized in the near future.
The architectural firms of Prochaska & Associates and
BCDM Architects employ Mount Michael Benedictine
Alumni, Jim Classe ’84 and Greg Stieren ’00
respectively, who are members of the design team for
the new building.
Jim Lewis
Director of Facilities
6
It is hard to believe that
September has arrived and
school has begun. With school
beginning we have completed the
fiber optic line, the track and various
other projects. Fall Festival is just weeks
away. September also begins the kick-off
of the Mount Michael Benedictine fund
drive. Please watch for an upcoming
mailing that will give you the information
of where to send your donation. Also,
when you are planning your end of year
giving, please consider a gift to The DJ
Sokol Learning for Life Building and a
gift to the Mount Michael Benedictine
fund drive. Feel free to phone or e-mail
with any questions, (402) 253-0964 or
[email protected].
Thank you for all the support that
you show to Mount Michael; your
generosity is appreciated very much!
Director of Admissions
Excellence and was on the Elkhorn Ridge
Middle School honor roll.
It never ceases to amaze me the quality of students who
come through the doors here at Mount Michael Benedictine
School and this year is no exception. Less than ten years
ago, there were about 175 students and today we stand
at 242 students representing 10 states and 10 different
countries. Mount Michael is expanding into a national and
global presence. The majority of our students, though, do
come from Nebraska, which is a testament to our local
reputation as being one of the leading college prep schools
in the region. Next time you see a teacher, monk, or any member of the faculty
here at Mount Michael, please thank them. Their dedication to education and
resistance to complacency coupled with the student’s desire to learn and their
parents’ support make Mount Michael a phenomenal high school.
Here are the newest members of the Mount Michael community,
the Class of 2019. The Class of 2019 is made up of 60 talented and
well-rounded young men. We also added six new members to the
Class of 2018 and seven new members to the Class of 2017. These
transfer students hail from Mexico, Germany, Vietnam, China,
South Korea, Belgium, New York, Pennsylvania, New Mexico,
Lincoln, and Elkhorn. Throughout the year, please welcome them
and their families to our school when you get the opportunity.
Dylan Parlor ’07
MOUNT MICHAEL
CLASS OF 2019
Temiloluwa (Temi) Adeyemo of Ibadan,
Nigeria. He is the son of Blodun and
Nike Adeyemo. Temi scored a 30 on the
ACT, 1890 on the SAT and received the
Presidential Scholarship as an 8th grader.
Temi was awarded high honors by Johns
Hopkins Center for Talented Youths and
participated in the Duke University Talent
Identification Program.
Nick Akers of St. Benedict Catholic
School. He is the son of Lois and Joe
Akers of Atchison, KS. Nick was on the
High Honor Roll during seventh and eighth
grades. In pitching and playing third base,
Nick’s baseball team won three state
championships in the past five years,
including 2014.
Chad Anderson of Elkhorn Valley View
Middle School. He is the son of Devyn and
Michel Anderson of Elkhorn. Chad received
the Elkhorn Valley View Middle School triple
jump record of 35.5” and the President’s
Education Award.
Laken Beller of St. Patrick’s. He is the son
of Dale Beller of Bennington and Shumain
Beller of Omaha. Laken was awarded the
Sportsmanship award for the 8th grade
basketball team for exemplifying the spirit of
teamwork and sportsmanship and was an
honor roll student.
Jacob Benes of Elkhorn Ridge Middle Scool.
He is the son of Vernon and Michelle Benes
of Elkhorn. Jacob received the Benedictine
Scholarship, President’s Award for Academic
7
Matthew Brichacek of St. Patrick’s. He is the
son of Tim and Victoria Brichacek of Omaha.
Caleb Burbach was homeschooled. He
is the son of Dale and Vicki Burbach of
Elkhorn. Caleb has achieved the Star Scout
in Boy Scouts, was part of the winning
baseball team in Elkhorn for 2014 (7/8 grade
level). He also won an academic scholarship
from Mount Michael.
Yichen (Tommy) Cao of Beijing, China. He is
the son of Cao Yan and Chen Yan. Tommy
was awarded the Highlight Progress award
in 2014 and Discipline Champion award for
History in 8th Grade.
Sebastian Cardenas of Our Lady of Lourdes.
He is the son of Phil Cardenas and Laura
Cardenas of Omaha. Sebastian received
triple A recognition for safety patrol, enjoys
recreational fencing and military history.
Over the summer he visited the Gettysburg
museum and battlefield.
Sooyoung (Raphael) Choi of Seoul, South
Korea. He is the son of Pandong Choi and
Youngin Rim.
Donovan Clements of Our Lady of Lourdes.
He is the son of David and Melissa Clements
of Omaha. Donovan was awarded the Knight
Scholarship and the Serra Club Altar Server
award. He earned First Honors throughout
eighth grade year and is a member of the
2015 second place Book Bowl team.
Jarrett Cline of St. Wenceslaus-Wahoo.
He is the son of Rob and Kelly Cline of
Wahoo. Jarrett was a St. John Neumann
Scholar in the 2014-2015 school year as
well as a 2015 Mount Michael Booster Club
Scholarship winner. Jarrett was awarded
“Most Matches Wrestled” in 2014 and was a
state qualifying wrestler in 2014 and 2015.
Patrick Collins of St. Margaret Mary School.
He is the son of Charlie and Kara Collins of
Omaha. Patrick received the Mount Michael
Abbot award for superior performance
on the entrance exam, as well as First
Honors at SMM. He was awarded the Serra
Club medal and achieved Level 3 of the
Golden Cincture for his service at mass. He
participated as a member of the SMM Youth
Ministry’s Crew team. He played trombone
as a member of the Music in Catholic
School Honor Roll band for 3 years. He also
placed at Central, AMC, Math Counts and
Archdiocesan math competitions. Patrick
was a member of the 8th grade All Star
basketball team.
Gavin Copple of Millard North Middle
School. He is the son of Justin Copple and
Stacie Copple of Omaha.
Jared Cremers of St.Vincent DePaul. He
is the son of Jeff and Cathy Cremers of
Omaha. Jared has earned first honors,
second honors, and got second place in his
school’s Geography Bee.
Alex Crnkovich of St. Stephen the Martyr. He
is the son of Randy and Christy Crnkovich.
Alex was a member of the Gold Honor Roll
every quarter while attending St. Stephens.
He received the President’s Education Award
for outstanding academic excellence.
Jimmy Crotty of Otte Middle School. He is
the son of James and Rebecca Crotty of
Blair. He was awarded the Serra Club medal
for his service, Honor Roll for six semesters,
Golden Sower award all three years and
voted Student of the Month by his peers in
May 2015.
Daniel Toluwanion Davies of Lifegate
Christian School. He is the son of Delo and
Mrs. Arike Davies of Omaha. Daniel received
3rd place in Engineering at the Greater
Nebraska Science and Engineering Fair and
he also participated in the Adventureland
Festival of Bands as a baritone player, where
he received 1st place in his division. Daniel
received a Presidential scholarship. Daniel
participated in track and field where he was
a 4th place finisher in the shot put at the
Lincoln Youth Track Club Meet.
Skyler Davis of Platteview Central Junior
High. He is the son of Paul and Kerri Davis
of Omaha. Skyler achieved the 2015
President’s Education Award for Outstanding
Academic Achievement. He participated
in the Destination Imagination program,
advancing to regionals both years, and
also played basketball, ran track and swam
competitively.
Taylor Davis of Gretna Middle School. He is
the grandson of Dan and Nancy Davis and
son of Keegan Davis and Heather Magdanz,
all of Omaha. Taylor was involved in Chess
Team, TeamMates Mentoring Program,
Friends of Rachael Club, Volunteer at Camp
Kitaki YMCA Camp and leadership training.
Taylor won Duke University TIP award for
high scores in English and has been involved
in various musicals and drama activities.
Erik Degener of Buffett Middle School. He is
the son of Michael and Kayleen Degener of
Omaha. Erik graduated summa cum laude.
Sebastian (Sid) deMayo of Christ The King.
He is the son of Miles and Lynn deMayo
of Omaha. Sid received an academic
scholarship to Mount Michael.
Trevin Detwiler of Holy Cross. He is the son
of John and Caralee Detwiler of Omaha.
Trevin was awarded Serra Club, Rotary
Honor Roll, Benedictine Scholarship,
Booster Club Scholarship, Wierzhicki
Scholarship, Service Award. He was a
Student Congress Member and 8th Grade
All State Band member.
Patrick Fayad of Christ the King. He is the
son of Pierre and Maya Fayad of Omaha.
Patrick has received the Serra Club Altar
Server Award for his dedication to serving at
the altar of the Lord.
Robert Fitzgibbons of St. Patrick’s. He is the
son of William Fitzgibbons of Omaha and
Dawn Fitzgibbons of Elkhorn.
Mount Michael Benedictine School is a Catholic college preparatory
residential/day high school rooted in Benedictine values for young men
committed to excellence. Students develop spiritually, intellectually,
and socially through the comprehensive curriculum and communal
experience to become future leaders.
Cole Dorfmeyer of St. Wenceslaus. He is
the son of Rich and Jennifer Dorfmeyer of
Omaha. Cole received the Mount Michael
Booster Club scholarship and placed 2nd in
the Geography Bee at St. Wenceslaus.
Matthew Draper of St. Wenceslaus. He
is the son of Mike and Sandy Draper
of Omaha. Matthew has received the
Knights Scholarship and has earned the
St. Wenceslaus First Honors and Chivalry
Award.
Chad Duerfeldt of Lewis and Clark Middle
School. He is the son of Wendy Duerfeldt
Schutte of Bellevue and Glen Duerfeldt
of Syracuse. Chad was Trailblazer of the
Month, on the Honor Roll, a Jazz Ensemble
participant and soloist, and is a Chess Club
Master.
Sam Eberle of St. Stephen the Martyr. He is
the son of Tom and Susan Eberle of Omaha.
Sam received the President’s Award for
Educational Excellence from St. Stephen
The Martyr and the Benedictine scholarship
from Mount Michael.
Sebastain Esquivel of St. Patrick’s. He is
the son of Randall and Maria Esquivel of
Elkhorn. Sebastian was awarded the Silver
medal on the National Level 1 high school
Spanish exam, ranking number 3 in the
state. He was also awarded the Presidential
Physical Fitness Award, a program of the
President’s Council of Fitness. Sebastian’s
GPA was 4.0.
Leihao (Harry) Fang of Beijing, China. He is
the son of Fang Venyong and Miao Beilei.
8
Shintaro Fujita of Singapore. He is the son of
Taisuke and Rie Fujita.
Joe Geary of St. Vincent de Paul. He is the
son of Michael and Carol Geary of Omaha.
Joe completed the Duke Summer Program
as a Duke TIP Scholar and has earned the
Life Scout Rank in Boy Scouts.
Riley Goddard of Mary Our Queen. He is
the son of Brock and Denise Goddard of
Omaha. Riley received the Serra Club Server
award, Principal’s Honor, Exemplary Self
Discipline, qualified for the State Robotics
competition and was awarded the Frassati
Spirit Award for volunteer service at Mary
Our Queen School.
Joshua Hering of St. Vincent de Paul. He is
the son of Lisa Hering of Omaha. Joshua
received a superior concert rating for his
clarinet performance in the Catholic Schools
Solo/Ensemble Festival.
Joe Hitzemann of St. Stephen the Martyr.
He is the son of Kevin and Linda Hitzemann
of Omaha. Joe participated in soccer,
basketball and track. He did set a class
record in the distance medley relay last year
and their school took 2nd place in the PAL
Super Meet.
Garrett Hustedt of Russell Middle School.
He is the son of Matt and Jenny Hustedt of
Omaha.
John Paul (JP) Jensen of St. Margaret
Mary. He is the son of Tom and Gerianne
Jensen of Omaha. JP achieved 2nd Place
Extemporaneous at the Marian speech
meet, 2nd Place Extemporaneous at the
Millard North speech meet, Serra Club
Altar Service Award, 1st Place Individual
8th Grade Math at the Archdiocesan Math
Competition, 1st Place Team 8th Grade
Math at the Archdiocesan Math Competition,
1st Place Team Bryan High Quiz Bowl, Duke
University Talent Identification Program,
First Honors (1st & 2nd Semester), Mount
Michael Scholarship and the President’s
Education Awards Program for Outstanding
Academic Excellence.
Cole Kalkowski of St. Bernard. He is the
son of Chris and Marsha Kalkowski of
Omaha. Cole was named the St. Bernard’s
Rotary Scholar and was awarded the St.
Bernard Booster Club Scholarship for high
school based on his years of basketball and
soccer playing. He has been on the High
Honor Roll every quarter of junior high.
Levi Kicken of Gering Jr. High. He is the son
of Louis and Amy Kicken of Gering, NE.
He was inducted into the National Junior
Honors Society and received a “superior”
rating from his tenor sax solo at the western
Nebraska district music contest. Levi
also received the Nebraska state “squire
of the year” award at the 2015 KC State
Convention.
Carson Leahy of St. Vincent de Paul. He
is the son of David and Christina Leahy
of Omaha. Carson was on the Honor Roll
for all 4 quarters of his 8th grade year and
earned the President’s Education Award
for Outstanding Academic Achievement.
Carson was also a Rotary Club of Omaha
Honor Roll recipient.
Ziyu (Zane) Li of Qingdao Shandong, China.
He is the son of Fengxi Li and Tiangli Dou.
Colin Mallisee of St. Vincent de Paul. He
is the son of Bob and Stephanie Mallisee
of Omaha. Colin received the St. Raphael
scholarship from Mount Michael, St.
Vincent DePaul Parish Guild Scholarship,
President’s Award for Educational
Excellence, St. Vincent Honor roll all 4
quarters of 8th grade, and Duke TIP
Summer Studies participant for 2 years.
Cole McCoy of St. Vincent de Paul. He is
the son of Steve and Sandra McCoy. Cole
was the editor of the Eagle Eye channel,
which was the school’s news channel. He
represented his school as a member of the
soccer, track and basketball teams.
Quinton Mohr of St. Stephen the
Martyr. He is the son of David and Nina
Mohr of Gretna. Quinton has received
the Presidential Education Award for
Excellence, 4th Quarter Gold Honor Roll at
St. Stephen the Martyr, Spirit of St. Stephen
Award, Merit Award from 21st Academy Art
Show & Contest and the Knight Scholarship
from Mount Michael.
Aidan Pace of Cathedral of the Risen Christ
School. He is the son of Michael and Heidi
Pace of Lincoln. Aidan has earned the
Eagle Scout award from Boy Scout Troop
54. He attended Camp Philmont in New
Mexico this past June as well. He was a
Soldier of Saint Sebastian, which honors
altar servers. Aiden also participated in Pius
X trapshooting.
Sam Peters of St. Wenceslaus. He is the
son of Dave and Nancy Peters of Omaha.
Sam received the Serra Club Server Award,
Honor Roll every semester, Academic
Scholarship to Mount Michael, as well as
participated in the Drama Club, basketball
and track.
Gerald Righter of Mary Our Queen. He is
the son of Christopher and Margaret Righter
of Omaha. Gerald received the Benedictine
Scholarship from Mount Michael. He also
received a scholarship from the Catholic
Daughters of the America’s Court 2423. He
earned the Principal’s Honor for Academic
Achievement from Mary Our Queen for four
quarters. He received the Serra Club Altar
Servers Award. He is a Life Scout in Troop
448. He was awarded the Tres Bien Award
from Duchesne Academy Art Show. He
also received the Frassati Spirit Award from
Mary Our Queen.
Andrew Schneider of Our Lady of Lourdes.
He is the son of Chris and Annamarie
Schneider of Omaha. Andrew received
the award for Defensive Back of the Year
and the Iron Man award for his time on the
football team. He was also involved with the
youth group and volunteered at the library.
Andrew J. Shellberg of Buffett Middle
School. He is the son of Jay and Susie
Shellberg of Omaha. Andrew was awarded
the Rotary Honor Roll, National Honor
Society, Summa Cum Laude, Presidential
Academic Award, and Captain of the Quiz
Bowl team. He was also a Science Bowl
participant and Metropolitan Science and
Engineering Fair participant.
Dylan Snyder of St. Patrick’s. He is the
son of John and Lori Snyder of Valley.
Dylan earned a blue belt in Karate, was
a member of the PAL Championship AA
basketball team in 2014, Sportsman of the
Year in 2014 baseball, member of the 2nd
place PAL baseball team in 2014, member
of Book Club in 2014 and 2015, Tech
Academy certificate in programming, server
at St. Patrick’s in Elkhorn and St. John’s in
Valley, and is a member of the PAL 2015
baseball team.
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Reilly Walsh of St. Patrick’s, son of Bob
and Pam Walsh of Omaha, NE. Reilly
participated in Robotics for three years at
St. Patrick’s and his 2014 team made it to
the World competition finals.
Andrew Wilson of Blessed Sacrament
School. He is the son of BJ and Lori Wilson
of Lincoln. He was involved in the following
sports: baseball, track, basketball, and
cross country. He is also an altar boy,
volunteers at Matt Talbot kitchen and the
Bright Lights during the summer. He played
French horn in the school band, competed
in the Math Counts club for the past three
years and has been on the honor roll for the
past three years also.
Jeffrey Worms of Fremont Middle School.
He is the son of Evelyn Brester and Chris
and Stacy Worms. Jeffrey was in advanced
math placement in 7th and 8th grade.
Yanqing (Harry) Yin of Rizhao Shandong,
China. He is the son of Yin Xinggang and
Liu Juan.
Matthew Zarybricky of Elkhorn Valley
View Middle School. He is the son of Ken
and Meg Zarybricky of Elkhorn. Matthew
has achieved a Presidential Education
Award. This award is based upon earning
a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher during
middle school (Grades 6-8).
Nolan Zeger of Elkhorn Valley View Middle
School. He is the son of Wesley Zeger
and Heather Biga Zeger of Elkhorn. Nolan
was the recipient of the Rotary Honor Roll
Award, Mount Michael St. Scholastica
Scholarship, Honor Roll with Distinction for
three years, and the President’s Award of
Academic Excellence. Nolan was also a
National History Bee Regional Finalist.
Bokai (Kevin) Zhang of Beijing, China. He is
the son of Bo Zhang and Lily Chen.
Fangzhou (Peter) Zhang of Beijing, China. He
is the son of Zhiqiang Zhang and Yanxin Xu.
A lumni News
On Saturday, August 1st, Abbot Michael joined alumni
from the Los Angeles, California area at the home of Eric
Emanuel ’70 and his wife Priya Sopori. Among the alumni
in attendance were Tom Tokheim ’71 and his wife Nancy,
along with AC Hoffman ’00, and Nick Sachs ’97. Thank
you for hosting us, Eric and Priya. On Sunday morning,
Abbot Michael began the day with mass in the home of
Eric and Priya, pictured right to left are Eric, Atticus, Abbot
Michael, Priya, Jai and Melissa Dalziel, a friend of the
family. Abbot Michael continued his day by meeting with
Mike Noble ’87 and his family for dinner. Thank you for all
the warm hospitality shown to us in southern California.
C O N G R AT U L AT I O N S
to the following Mount Michael Benedictine
Alumni for their recent accomplishments.
Jim Clements ’95 began a new position as the Executive Director
of the Heart Ministry Center in July. In the announcement of his new
position, Heart Ministry Center wrote, “Jim’s commitment to our
Mission, passion for community service, and natural leadership style
impressed our Board and staff as an ideal fit for HMC throughout an
extensive search process.”
John Levy ’99, previous Executive Director at the Heart Ministry Center,
began a new job as the Director of Donor Philanthropy with the Omaha
Community Foundation in July. Congratulations and thank you to Jim
and John, and all the other Mount Michael Benedictine alumni who use
their considerable talents to make a difference in our community.
Alumni
Updates
We want to hear about you!
Please let us know if you have recently
been married, had a child, moved or have
been recognized for an accomplishment.
Contact [email protected]
with your information and photos.
This summer alumni of Mount Michael Benedictine took time to
reconnect with former coaches and teachers, as well as current
students, to engage in some friendly competition! The alumni
soccer match took place early this summer and, despite quite
a battle on the pitch, fun was had by all. In late July, alumni
and current students gathered for a cross country meet. After fierce
competition on the course, Lukas Buehler ’12 took first, with Sam
VanHaute ’16 taking second place.
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In Memoriam & Honor
June 15, 2015 – August 15, 2015
Mount Michael Benedictine keeps all those in memoriam and honor in our prayers.
In Memory of James Herbert
Mr. William and Mrs. Jeanette Behrendt
In Memory of Jonna Robinson
Mr. Mike and Mrs. Peg Huss
In Honor of Dylan Johnson
Gazelle Johnson
In Memory of Tom Sanders
Mrs. Peggy Gentry
In Honor of Sean Kenney
Mr. Thomas and Mrs. Mary Beth Wilwerding
In Memory of Ernest T. Schabauer
Mr. Eugene and Mrs. Irene Lutz
In Memory of Al and Helen Kmiecik
Kmiecik Family
In Memory of Betty Thiele
Mr. David and Mrs. Patricia Dwornicki
Ms. Mary Sutton
In Memory of Susan Marasco
Mr. Merl and Mrs. Nancy Core
With the best of intentions
we strive to provide accurate
lists. Please contact the Mount
Michael development office with
questions at any time.
Phone: (402) 253-0964 or
[email protected]
In Honor of Peggy Welsh
Steve Abraham
In Memory of Ira L. Miller
Mrs. Madeleine Miller
>
You are very important to us and we treasure our relationship.
Our data base of 11,000+ changes as our constituents move.
Be sure you keep us updated on your contact information.
We’d really like to have your e-mail addresses!
How would you prefer your edition of the Michaeleen newsletter? Mail __________
Would you like to be kept up-to-date on Mount Michael events? Yes __________
E-mail __________
No __________
Send us your e-mail address whether you’ve answered “yes” to either of the above or not.
Send your answers and e-mail address to [email protected], or call (402)
253-0964
This information will not be shared with any other organization.
You may also fill out the information below and mail to Development Office, 22520 Mount Michael Rd., Elkhorn, NE 68022.
Name _______________________________________________________________________________________________________
Address/city/state/zip _________________________________________________________________________________________
Phone with area code ___________________________________
E-mail _____________________________________________
Birthdate ______________________________________________
Alum year if Alum ____________________________________
11
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Michaeleen
A Quarterly Publication of
MOUNT MICHAEL BENEDICTINE ABBEY & SCHOOL
Abbot
Rt. Rev. Michael Liebl, O.S.B.
Director of Admissions
Dylan Parlor ’07
Head of School
Dr. David J. Peters, Ed.D
Director of Development
Kimberly Volpone
Michaeleen Staff
Editor
Francesca Swalwell
Monastic Editor
Very Rev. Richard Thell, O.S.B.
Contributing Editor
Father John Hagemann, O.S.B.
Mount Michael Chapel
Visitors are always welcome
Daily Mass 7:15am | Sunday Mass 9:30am | Saturday 8:00am
Liturgy of the Hours (Monday-Saturday)
Morning Praise 6:30am | Noon Day Prayer 11:45am
Vespers 5:15pm | Night Prayer (In the Abbey) 7:00pm
St. Benedict Guest House
Gift Shop/Lunches/Teas/Dessert | Day Retreats
Brother Jerome Kmiecik, 402-206-2069
Vocation Ministry
For information about monastic life:
Brother August Schaefer, O.S.B., [email protected]
Oblates of St. Benedict Director
Prior Richard Thell, O.S.B., 402-289-2541 x1002
[email protected]
School Board Members
Mr. Tim Bastian
Mr. Bill Behrendt
Mr. Jude Beller ’92
Mr. Jeremy Belsky
Mr. Dave Beringer
Mr. Bob Goldsmith
Ms. Carolyn Jaworski
Rt. Rev. Michael Liebl, O.S.B., ’68
Dr. Barb Marchese, Ed.D.
Mr. Dan Matuszek
Dr. Thomas McKnight, M.D.
Dr. David J. Peters, Ed.D.
Mount Michael Directory
Rev. Stephen Plank, O.S.B., ’81
Mr. Todd Rohweder
Br. August Schaefer, O.S.B.
Rev. Louis Sojka, O.S.B., ’81
Mr. Mark Theisen ’68
Prior Richard Thell, O.S.B., SJSC
Mr. John Wagner ’67
Abbott Raphael Walsh, O.S.B.
Emeritus, Scott Gass, ’77
Emerita, Mary Kay Miller
Emerita, Peggy Sokol
Alumni Association
For information about meetings/events or to report news:
402-253-0953, [email protected]
Prayer Needs and Spiritual Direction
Abbot Theodore, O.S.B., 402-206-2089
School Admissions
Dylan Parlor ’07, 402-238-1457, [email protected]
Advancement Office
Kim Volpone, 402-253-0964, [email protected]