Dominican High School, Whitefish Bay, held a sponsorship transition ceremony in November. The school, founded by the Sinsinawa Dominicans in 1956, will now be sponsored by Dominican Veritas Ministries. (Photo courtesy of Dominican High School)

The Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa undertook a courageous and difficult task to make sure the schools they sponsor, including Dominican High School in Whitefish Bay, will continue as Dominican ministries into the future.

The sisters, who sponsor five schools in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Illinois, joined with four other Dominican congregations in the country to create Dominican Veritas Ministries, a Pontifical Juridic Person that will ensure the schools’ Catholic and Dominican identity will continue into perpetuity.

“The sisters developed a path to allow their mission to continue, even as their numbers decline,” said Leanne Giese, President of Dominican High School. They are following the footsteps of Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli, who founded the Sinsinawa Dominicans and also built schools around the country.

“This was a tremendous achievement,” said Kristin Melley, Executive Director of Dominican Veritas Ministries. “They bravely looked the future in the eye and said we care about our ministries.”

The designation of Pontifical Juridic Person allows DVM to be a canonical sponsor of the participating ministries. Obtaining this designation required permission from the Vatican. The process began in 2016, as the congregations contemplated how they could move their missions forward while keeping their Catholic and Dominican identity. On Dec. 8, 2022, the request was approved. A year later, on Nov. 16, Dominican High School had a sponsorship transition ceremony to honor, celebrate and thank the sisters for their forethought and continued support.

Several other PJPs have come from a single congregation or province but this was the first to bring five independent congregations with their own missions and histories together. “They came together to imagine a meaningful response to this moment they all share,” said Melley. The Dominican Sisters of Houston, Adrian, Sinsinawa, Peace and Springfield have formed a new canonical entity in Dominican Veritas Ministries while maintaining their own canonical status. They remain separate civil corporations with their own identities and boards of directors.

As a result, Dominican High School is no longer sponsored by the Sinsinawa Dominicans. “They are our founders, but now our sponsor is Dominican Veritas Ministries,” said Giese. “Dominican (High School) will remain a separate civil corporation and will continue to be governed by our board of directors. Most importantly, there will be no change nor impact on the faith formation and college-preparatory education we provide our students.”

Dominican Veritas Ministries plans a new experience for sponsorship that connects each unique ministry. “A Dominican education can be approached in different ways. The schools are unique but also have much in common,” said Melley. “Now they can collaborate and help each other out in what continues to be a challenging culture. The leaders of the school will be connected and approach challenges with support from one another and a wider community of professionals and Dominican educators.”

Dominican Veritas Ministries will offer ongoing formation for school leadership, including presidents and boards of directors. They will help each school remain distinctively Dominican. They hope to tackle the question: What makes us Catholic and Dominican?

The Dominican order, also called the Order of Preachers, was founded by St. Dominic in 1216 with the mission to proclaim the Gospel to every corner of the world. St. Dominic envisioned a “family at the service of the Church to preach Jesus Christ and his mercy.” The Dominican motto is Laudare, Benedicere, Praedicare — to Praise, to Bless, to Preach.

Dominican priest Fr. Samuel Mazzuchelli was born in Milan, Italy, and came to America in 1828 at the age of 22. As he traveled the Northwest Territory, he established parishes and religious congregations, including the Dominican Sisters in Sinsinawa, in Grant County. In 1993, he was declared Venerable by Pope John Paul II.

As part of their ministry, the Sinsinawa Dominicans sponsor educational institutions based on the five values of truth, justice, community, compassion and partnership. While Dominican High School is no longer officially sponsored by the Sinsinawa Dominicans, these values are still an important part of the school.

“The Sinsinawan values will always be symbolic to Dominican High School, because they will forever be our founding congregation,” said Giese.

Dominican High School began in 1956. “The original plan of excellence created by the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa included a college-preparatory curriculum with the perfect combination of academic rigor and high expectations, infused throughout with our Catholic faith and traditions,” said Giese.

Now 67 years later with 335 students, the school in Whitefish Bay continues to offer a rigorous program of study and exemplifies St. Dominic’s vision of a family at the service of the Church. Dominican High School was recently awarded Exemplary Recognition in Mission and Catholic Identity by the Archdiocese of Milwaukee Catholic Schools.

Susanna Hundt took sixth place at the state girls tennis meet as a freshman at Chesterton Academy of Milwaukee. (Photo by Larry Hanson)

After finishing sixth in singles at the WIAA Division 2 State Tennis Tournament, Chesterton Academy of Milwaukee freshman Susanna Hundt knew exactly where she stood in relation to the five girls who finished ahead of her.

State champion Angela Wang, a sophomore at University School of Milwaukee, will be moving up to Division 1 next season. The other four are seniors.

“It’s definitely more pressure, but I won’t worry about that too much,” said Hundt, who travels from her family’s home in Elm Grove to the school in Menomonee Falls.

More miles were added during the fall season because she was only the player from Chesterton on her co-op team with St. Joan Antida, Milwaukee.

Jeff Mrochinski is the athletic director at St. Joan Antida and serves as the girls tennis coach for the Jaguars. Chesterton Athletic Director Tammy Streitmatter approached Mrochinski, indicating she had a freshman who was interested in tennis and wondering if he would be interested in a co-op arrangement.

“The Hundts were excited about the opportunity from the start and actually saw the ethnic and socio-economic diversity of our program as a positive opportunity for Susanna,” Mrochinski said. “Peter and Ashley Hundt, Susanna’s parents, were incredibly supportive through the whole season. It was startling how smooth the transition was from a social perspective with Susanna and her SJA teammates. I honestly believe our shared Catholic faith and Christian values allowed our players, coaches and families to become a uniquely bonded team.”

She said the St. Joan players accepted her from the start.

“It was honestly really fun,” Hundt said. “They’re very different, but they’re very fun and loud. They’re going to say whatever they think, whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing.”

“I was slightly worried about being accepted, but it wasn’t a problem at all,” Hundt said.

“I have been blessed as a coach in that Susanna has utilized her God-given talents to model and teach her teammates tennis tactics and skills in order to improve their games too,” Mrochinski said. “The way Susanna has bonded with her teammates has been awesome, and it has worked out as well as me and the rest of the coaching staff could have imagined. One of the most rewarding aspects of the season was to hear Susanna’s teammates screaming and cheering for her at the state tournament to the point they were hoarse at the end of the day.”

Hundt said the atmosphere was so different at the state tournament, with all the cheering and screaming, that it took a full match to get used to it.

Mrochinski has coached high school tennis for 23 years, winning state team titles at Catholic Memorial High School for boys (2021) and girls (2019); he also served as an assistant coach for 10 years at Marquette University High School while the Hilltoppers were collecting seven team championships.

Because Hundt wasn’t a regular on the USTA youth circuit in recent years, she kind of flew under the radar, but Mrochinski had spoken with Scott Carson, the Director of Tennis at Western Racquet Club, last spring. Carson said she was a strong player, so Mrochinski got on the phone, trying to line up opponents that would test Hundt and prepare her for the state tournament.

In her first match of the season, Hundt defeated a two-time state qualifier 6-0, 6-0.

“In one of the last matches of the season, Susanna defeated a 2022 state medalist 6-3, 6-1, which made us all believe she could do something special if she qualified for the state tournament,” Mrochinski said.

Hundt finished the season 23-3, winning three of her five matches at the state tournament.

“Susanna surprised everyone all season since she was not well-known in the high school tennis scene,” Mrochinski said. “I told her now she is ‘on the map,’ and people will start sharing notes on how to play against her. I know Susanna will handle being known very well. Susanna’s toughest match at state was actually her first match, since she was playing in a situation that was new to her with the crowds and the expectations. Susanna played better and stronger with each match after that first-round win, and her confidence grew each day. I think Susanna likes the expectations that will be on her. This may sound funny, but I think it makes it more interesting for her and motivates her to prepare and improve in the off-season.”

Sophomore running back Tommy Novotny had 167 yards and two second-half touchdowns on 38 carries Nov. 17 as Marquette defeated Franklin, 27-10, in the WIAA Division 1 State Football championship game at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison. (Photo courtesy of Glen Barkow)

The day before Marquette University High School defeated Franklin, 27-10, to win the WIAA Division 1 state football championship, Fr. Ross Pribyl, S.J., celebrated the school’s Thursday liturgy and gave a homily about dealing with pressure.

However, the following evening, the Hilltoppers played with a fearlessness, physicality and reckless abandon that suggested they didn’t even realize there was any pressure.

To be fair, Marquette (12-2) became just the fourth team in state history to win Division 1 with two or more defeats, using a stout defense, an impressive running game and just enough big plays to cruise to victory past the previously unbeaten Sabers (13-1) on Friday, Nov. 17, at Camp Randall Stadium in Madison.

“In the week prior, nobody was giving us any credit whatsoever, so we just kept to ourselves,” MUHS Coach Keith Klestinski said. “We kept working. We knew all year we had played a physical brand of football and we felt we were going to give them a type of game they hadn’t seen. I don’t think anyone pressured them the way we pressured them, and nobody shut down their all-state running back who was the player of the year like we did.”

Klestinski cited Fr. Pribyl’s homily as one of the major highlights of the week leading up to the game, saying it really fired up his team.

“He really set the tone for us,” Klestinski said, noting the Mass wasn’t mandatory, but every one of his players was in attendance. Fr. Pribyl is Associate Director of Campus Ministry and a teacher at MUHS.

The championship was Marquette’s second as a member of the WIAA and first since 2009.

“It’s just a great group of kids,” Klestinski said. “The senior class this year is just a great group of leaders. They get it. They’re good kids. They do things the right way. They put in the work, and they’re just a great model for the rest of the kids in our program.”

One of the Hilltoppers’ two losses during the season was a 50-21 defeat at the hands of Greater Metro Conference rival Sussex Hamilton. After giving up those 50 points, Marquette pitched three shutouts in a row and gave up just 39 total points over the final eight games.

“If you can answer that question (of how they gave up 50), I want the answer,” Klestinski said. “I think what it did was it really took our kids and focused them, and took them to a new level, just understanding you can’t just walk in and win a game. Even though we have a good team, we’re going to have to work for everything we get this year.”

After going into halftime tied at 10-10, Marquette’s defense left its stamp on the game. The Hilltoppers held Franklin to just 50 yards of total offense after the break.

For the game, Marquette limited Franklin’s Terrance Shelton, the state’s big-school offensive player of the year, to just 24 yards on nine carries while forcing the Sabres to pass an uncharacteristic 37 times.

“I think they wanted to run on us, but I think they found out really early that we were going to be the more physical team,” Klestinski said. “We wanted to win the line of scrimmage. All year our kids have put in the time in the weight room.”

Klestinski noted the team’s dedication to the weight room began in the summer, when his players lifted two hours a day, four days a week and continued through the season, culminating in the team’s last hard lifting session just two days before the championship game.

The Hilltoppers put Franklin quarterback Joey Kallay under extreme pressure the entire game, sacking him six times and recording seven tackles for loss. Mitchell Nigro led the defense with eight tackles and 2.5 sacks.

In addition, senior defensive back Murphy Monreal had four pass breakups and an interception in the second half.

Offensively, Marquette was extremely balanced, rushing for 153 yards and passing for 155.

The offense leaned heavily on sophomore running back Tommy Novotny who, at 5-foot-9, 169 pounds, carried the ball a staggering 38 times for 167 yards and two second-half touchdowns. Novotny’s scores came from 1 (with 3:26 left in the third quarter) and 2 yards (with 10:54 left in the game) away. He also caught two passes for 40 yards.

“He’s got a really strong frame, and he’s just a tough kid,” Klestinski said. “He’s made such a big jump from freshman year to sophomore year. This year, his field vision has just gone off the charts.”

Senior quarterback Peter McDevitt went 11-for-19 passing for 155 yards and opened the scoring with 2:04 left in the first quarter when he hit a streaking Cam Russell in stride down the left sideline for a 44-yard score. Russell had 64 yards on three catches to lead the Hilltoppers, while Thad Hoffman and Peyton Roby-Brown also had three catches.

Members of DSHA’s girls golf team pose with the state championship trophy, the first in school history. (Submitted photo)

When Dave Himm was hired as the girls golf coach at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School, Athletic Director Peggy Seegers-Braun gave him a tour of the school.

When they stopped in the gymnasium, Himm looked around at all the state championship banners hanging on the wall.

“She said that golf never had one, then she pointed to one empty spot on the wall and said that would be a good place for the first,” Himm said.

On Oct. 10, Himm’s Dashers squad completed their mission to fill that blank space, edging Waunakee by two strokes to win the school’s first state championship at University Ridge Golf Course in Verona.

That was part of an impressive fall season by DSHA, which won four state championships (girls golf, volleyball, rugby and tennis doubles), had a runner-up (field hockey) and sent individuals to state in cross country and swimming and diving. All seven of the school’s programs were represented at the state tournaments.

While individually, those teams have had success at one point or another, Seegers-Braun said she can’t remember a season when it all came together for every program in her department at the same time.

“I think DSHA has always been blessed with great student-athletes, and we have a great coaching staff who are able to form meaningful relationships and get the best out of our student-athletes,” Seegers-Braun said. “You can have talented athletes, but unless they are willing to play together and for each other, have everyone on the team embrace their role, and all pull in the same direction, you may not experience the success they are capable of.  We have been working really hard the last few years on the concept of ‘great teams have great teammates’ and what that looks like, as well as ‘Success is a Choice,’ and we are choosing to be successful in all the things that lead to success.”

Girls Golf: Breaking through

In just his second season, Himm took a team that had finished sixth of seven teams in the Greater Metro Conference in 2021 and brought th

After the first day of the state tournament, DSHA and Waunakee were tied for second place at 325 strokes, one stroke behind Westosha Central.

Ava Roesch, who led the Dashers with a two-day total of 76-75—151, finished birdie-par-birdie, going 2-under par for the final three holes.

Rounding out DSHA’s lineup were Zoe Gryniewicz (79-80—159), Kate Krueger (82-80—162), Hannah Strachota (88-81—169) and Emma Bruckman (103-96—199).

“It’s still like a dream,” Himm said. “It’s a fantastic feeling. I told the girls afterwards that they will forever be linked together because of that.”

In 2022, the Dashers had made it to state, but Himm said he thought they were happy to be there after being the first DSHA team to qualify in 11 years.

“We have a group of fantastic girls, and they are incredibly talented,” Himm said. “They work very hard, and they were hungry for more than just being second and getting to state.”

Volleyball: Twice as nice

In the state championship match against Oconomowoc, the Dashers found themselves trailing two sets to one, their hopes of repeating as state champions hanging by a thread.

DSHA took the fourth set and opened up a nice cushion early in the fifth set to claim their second consecutive, defeating the Raccoons 25-14, 20-25, 25-27, 25-22, 15-8. The win left the Dashers with a 48-1 mark for the season, including four wins over Oconomowoc for the year.

“We were able to learn their tendencies and recall strengths of their players to help us prepare for playing them in the state finals,” DSHA Coac

h Caitie Ratkowski said.

The only loss came to Mother McAuley of Chicago, which has won the last two state titles in Illinois, at the Asics Challenge Tournament in Chicago. The Dashers did bounce back in that event to beat eventual Kentucky state champions Assumption in two straight sets.

“I would say our strength was in our experience,” Ratkowski said. “We returned 10 players to our roster from the 2022 state championship team, and seven seniors that led the team this year. We had our strong core of Sophia Wendlick, Madison Quest, Jordan Czajkowski and Olivia Durst return as our starters, and they were our impact players in last year’s state tournament. To have that core of on-court players return, in addition to the experienced senior class returning, that combined for our team’s strength this season.”

Wendlick, a senior who will play at Creighton University next season, was named first-team all-state along with juniors Quest and Czajkowski. Durst, a junior, was second-team all-state.

Quest has committed to play at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Czajkowski at Belmont University and Durst at Michigan State. But first, those three will be looking for a third straight championship in 2024.

Girls Tennis: Complete domination

When senior Molly Jex and sophomore Lizzie Stuckslager won the WIAA Division 1 Girls Tennis doubles championship in 2022, they made

em to the top of the mountain.

it clear they wanted to come back and defend their crown.

At the time, DSHA Coach Melissa Gebhardt said she would have to wait and figure out what was best for the team.

In the end, Jex and Stuckslager easily defended their title, going 22-0, dominating the state tournament and winning the championship match in just 47 minutes, defeating Middleton 6-1, 6-2. In five matches, they lost a total of seven games and had two 6-0, 6-0 victories.

The closest they came all season to losing a set was a 7-6, 6-0 dual meet victory over Brookfield East.

“Lizzie and Molly handled the pressure of being the No. 1 seed and defending their title like the two champions they are,” Gebhardt said. “They went into the tournament confident, and took the experience and knowledge they gained from 2022 and carried it with them into 2023. They were focused and had the ‘eye on the prize.’ They played their game and never let down, and with each round became more and more confident, and raised their level of play so they could achieve their goal of becoming back-to-back state champions.”

Jex, who is looking to play hockey in college, was invited to play in the Junior Admirals program this fall, allowing Stuckslager to occasionally work on her singles game, which is where she might end up playing the next two seasons.

Rugby: Stingy defense

It wasn’t until the state championship that DSHA’s rugby team even allowed a point. However, it wasn’t enough to derail the Dashers’ pursuit of their second consecutive title or 20th in program history, defeating Catholic Memorial 38-7 to finish undefeated at 6-0.

“We have traditionally played good defense; it’s part of our success,” Coach John Klein said. “Our success comes down to our fitness, our hard work, just the way we go about conducting our business on a daily basis.”

The Dashers had a group of eight seniors who were in their third year as starters and another who was in her second.

“The key to our success was our family atmosphere and the experience of our seniors,” Klein said. “We were ready to go right from the start.”

The group’s success may continue in the future, if Klein has assessed his underclassmen correctly, noting he also has a strong corps of sophomores and juniors ready to pick up the torch.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had to regroup, and we don’t typically allow ourselves to have a down year,” he said. “The expectation is always to be the best that we can be as a team, and hopefully that’s good enough to reach incredible goals.”

State qualifiers

The Dashers’ field hockey team lost to Arrowhead 3-2 in the state championship match Oct. 21 to finish the season 9-1-1. DSHA had allowed just six goals all season heading into the state tournament, including a 4-3 overtime win over Arrowhead late in the regular season.

In the state cross country meet, sophomore Ava Johnsen finished 23rd with a time of 19:17 over 5 kilometers.

In the swimming and diving state meet, sophomore Kendall Rummel finished sixth in 1-meter diving and senior teammate Allison Brennan was one spot behind. The Dashers’ 200 medley relay team of freshman Jane Johnson, senior Lauren Correa, senior Rose Kachelski and sophomore Maggie Brzezinski was 15th. Johnson finished 19th in the 200 freestyle, 15th in the 500 freestyle. Correa was 15th in the 100 breaststroke. In the 200 freestyle relay, the team of Correa, freshman Katie Dean, Johnson and Brzezinski was 17th.

Sometimes all of that success has a snowball effect.

“I also believe that success breeds success and when teams are successful it helps other teams believe they can be successful as well,” Seegers-Braun said. “It is part of our culture and is one of our core values to strive for athletic excellence.  I believe we achieved athletic excellence this fall.”

Members of Boy Scout Troop 334 fold the U.S. flag Friday, Nov. 10, at the conclusion of a ceremony honoring veterans at Catholic Central High School, Burlington. (Photo courtesy of Catholic Central High School)

Marna Boyle traced her fingers around her late brother-in-law’s military photos on the wall of Catholic Central High School, Burlington, following the military honors tribute held at the school Friday, Nov. 10.

The school’s Wall of Honor Tribute included more than 60 local veterans, including Fr. Patrick J. Boyle, S.J., who served as a paratrooper and chaplain in the U.S. Army from 1961-75. He achieved the rank of colonel

“He was the most decorated chaplain in history,” said Marna Boyle, who attended the event with her daughter, Ellen Kmecak. “He was so handsome, and we were very proud of him. He also received two Silver Stars and a Bronze Star for his bravery in battle. He taught moral theology at (University of St. Mary of the Lake in Mundelein, Illinois) for many years. He died at St. Camillus Home in the Jesuit community there last year and his funeral was a year ago today.”

Next to Fr. Boyle’s military photos was Marna’s son, Col. Gerald Boyle, who recently retired from the U.S. Army.

“Because of what is going on now in the Middle East, he is doing a lot of contract work,” said Kmecak, his sister. “I hope he can enjoy his retirement one day soon.”

To honor those who have served in the U.S. armed forces, the Catholic Central Military Honors Tribute included the Burlington American Legion Honor Guard and Boy Scout Troop 334. Also taking part was the school choir and band, which performed patriotic music. The audience included family, friends and veterans from Catholic Central families.

Army veteran and CCHS Principal Brian Shimon explained the ceremony was conducted in the manner of a military funeral.

“Veterans are foundational in this city. The center of our city features a beautiful building called Veterans Terrace. If you have been there and seen some of the tributes, many of the names of the people who have given the ultimate sacrifice — their names are carved into the side of that building,” he said. “Today, we can’t let Veterans Day or veterans week go by without honoring their sacrifices and giving our thanks to the people who are sacrificing right now because we have not gotten to a world that is free from turmoil. You just have to look to the Middle East to see that there is a need for peace and a need for freedom.”

Boy Scout and CCHS freshman Max Hazard began with a prayer before he, Skandar Larson, Life Scout and CCHS senior; Noah McCourt, Eagle Scout and CCHS senior; and Nate Robson, Life Scout and CCHS sophomore, provided a history of Veterans Day.

Guest Speaker Mike Olson, VFW Post Commander, described the origins of the Tomb of the Unknown Solider.

“On Nov. 11, 1921, the remains of the Unknown Soldier were solemnly delivered to the Arlington National Cemetery, which overlooks our nation’s capital. This late, great body was carried about in the same simple carriage that once carried the body of Abraham Lincoln,” Olson said. “The name is known only to God, and he was killed while fighting for his country in the trenches of World War I. On the 11th month of the 11th hour of the 11th night, that soldier was finally laid to rest on his home soil.”

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier serves as a reminder to all Americans that the cost of freedom is great.

“On Veterans Day, we take a moment to honor our veterans — past, present and future — those who served, who are serving and who are preparing to serve the nation in the days ahead,” Olson said. “One can see the handiwork of veterans who have done great things for their country.”

Olson said soldiers in George Washington’s army were leaders in the construction of the nation’s transportation system, including the Erie Canal. Veterans of the Spanish-American War were instrumental in completing the Panama Canal. The military men of World War II vastly expanded the nation’s colleges and universities. Others participated in building America’s freeway system.

“Every day in America, veterans are making significant contributions to our communities. Emergency medicine is enhanced by the experienced, skilled surgeons past and present who learned to save lives in combat support hospitals,” he said. “Our airlines are staffed with thousands of competent pilots who received their wings on active duty. Our police forces and firefighting units are teeming with veterans, and it is not just jobs they bring; they also bring commitment, work ethic, a sense of fair play and willingness to act as a member of the team.”

Those values are the core values of Americans in uniform who continue to refresh American society. Olson added that these great soldiers are committed to their mission and steadfast in their belief that their country and the world will be safer and more prosperous thanks to their efforts.

Following Olson’s talk, the VFW Honor Guard performed a 21-gun salute and Brian Shimon played “Taps.”

Teagan Yonash, Marine Veteran and Troop 334 Scoutmaster, led the Boy Scouts in a flag folding ceremony for a military funeral and explained the meaning of each fold.

Meaning of the 13 folds

1. The first fold of our flag represents life.
2. The second fold signifies our belief in eternal life.
3. The third fold is made in honor and tribute of the veteran departing our ranks, and who gave a portion of his or her life for the defense of our country to attain peace.
4. The fourth fold exemplifies our weaker nature as citizens trusting in God; it is to him we turn for his divine guidance.
5. The fifth fold is an acknowledgment of our country, for in the words of Stephen Decatur, “Our country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be right, but it is still our country, right or wrong.”
6. The sixth fold is for where our hearts lie. It is with our heart that we pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
7. The seventh fold is a tribute to our armed forces, for it is through the armed forces that we protect our country and our flag against all enemies.
8. The eighth fold is a tribute to the one who entered the valley of the shadow of death, that we might see the light of day, and to honor our mother, for whom it flies on Mother’s Day.
9. The ninth fold is an honor to womanhood, for it has been through their faith, love, loyalty, and devotion that the character of men and women who have made this country great have been molded.
10. The 10th fold is a tribute to father, for he, too, has given his sons and daughters for the defense of our country since he or she was first born.
11. The 11th fold, in the eyes of Hebrew citizens, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
12. The 12th fold, in the eyes of a Christian citizen, represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in their eyes, God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost.
13. The last fold, when the flag is completely folded, the stars are uppermost, reminding us of our national motto, “In God We Trust.”

Catholic Memorial High School Science Teacher Sandy Rice guides students through a lab to mimic insulin production. (Submitted photo)

Catholic Memorial High School, Waukesha, is the recipient of the 2023 Excellence in STEM Award for Education as announced by STEM Forward.

STEM Forward is a Southeastern Wisconsin technical organization providing and promoting educational outreach programs in STEM, and recognized CMH as the educational institution whose curriculum, individual activities and overall STEM program demonstrated a unique approach and unparalleled commitment to promoting STEM awareness and improving STEM competency.

STEM curricula focus on teaching in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

CMH was highlighted for the extensive STEM course offerings available to students across all three strands of the Project Lead the Way STEM curriculum in biomedical science, computer science and engineering. In addition to the robust course offering, CMH offers students the unique opportunity to take their knowledge beyond the classroom and into real-world environments as a part of a senior-year internship program in the fields of information technology, biomedical science, engineering and business. The expansion of these programs has elevated the student academic experience and helps to further the future interest in careers in the STEM fields.

CMH was additionally recognized for the CMH STEM Challenge, an annual event hosted by Catholic Memorial to encourage middle school students’ interest in the STEM fields of study. The STEM Challenge brings more than 300 middle school students to CMH, where they are put into teams and mentored by CMH STEM students to learn “Memorial Propel,” and compete in STEM activities.

The introduction to “Memorial Propel” is one of the many reasons why the STEM Challenge has been so beneficial. Memorial Propel is the CMH-trademarked design-thinking process that guides students through problem solving and was developed with the goal of engaging students of all ability levels to think creatively, critically and collaboratively while learning to communicate effectively.

“At Catholic Memorial, we encourage our students to think creatively and innovatively, approaching projects with an open mind,” CMH President Donna Bembenek. “Our nationally recognized STEM program students the opportunity to elevate their knowledge through hands-on classroom experiences and into the real world during their internship experiences.”

Catholic Memorial received its award at the 20th annual SySTEMnow conference Nov. 1.

St. Thomas More High School’s MORE Robotics team is gearing up for its 2023-24 season, which begins with its first competition in January. (Submitted photo)

On any given weeknight or weekend, a group of St. Thomas More High School teens cluster around tables strewn with wires, wrenches, gears, drills and laptops. As they work, a robot rises in their midst.

Comprised of students in grades 9-12, MORE Robotics is a member of For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, a global nonprofit organization that motivates young people to pursue education and career opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Since the team began in 2006, MORE Robotics has advanced to the world championship 12 times and won the Impact Award, which honors exceptional community, at five competitions.

In her third year of robotics, April Reyes plans to major in engineering in college. Since joining the team, she has noticed changes in herself.

“I am better at using power tools, working with others and designing,” she said.  “I never really thought I would have been able to help build a robot. (Mentors) show you how to get out of your comfort zone and try new things.”

Serving as the team’s official safety captain, Reyes also builds, designs and writes papers. The program is challenging and requires dedication from the students, who learn to juggle robotics with family, jobs, homework and other extracurricular activities.

“I think the most difficult part would be during build season because we are all just trying to get our work done. Sometimes it doesn’t come out good, and then we have to plan new things to make it work,” she said. “The most fun part of the program is going to competitions and meeting new people and seeing the different ideas that people have to challenge.”

According to Kevin Russell, Director of Marketing and Communications for St. Thomas More, last year’s team had 12 members from all four grades.

“The number is expected to grow this year based on the success of last year’s team and the summer camp that the team held in August for middle school students,” he said. “Last year’s team had 15 professional and collegiate mentors work with the students at some point during the season. Mentors were from Rockwell, Aurora Healthcare, Turn-Key Solutions, MSOE and the U.S. Army.”

Each year has a theme and scoring system that is set by FIRST Robotics. This year’s theme is “Crescendo.” The official competition kickoff event takes place Jan. 6, and following that date, the teams decide how to build their robot, so it performs best in the competitions. Last year’s theme was “Charged Up.”

In addition to building the robot, students must also manage the business side of the team, designing their team brand, promoting their efforts to the community, raising funds and recruiting future teammates. Along with replenishing and upgrading basic equipment and tools, the team must raise $5,000 to compete at the Wisconsin Regional at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena.

The Wisconsin Regional represents one of nearly 200 national and international qualifying events for the FIRST Robotics Competition. The highest-performing teams at each qualification event advance to the FIRST World Championships, which requires another $5,000 participation fee, plus lodging, transportation and other travel expenses.

Russell explained that most of the funding is derived from sponsorships and grants, but also from individual donors.

“The school provides fundraising support for grant opportunities, but the business sponsorships are generally solicited by the team members themselves. DPI does award a grant to all Wisconsin schools who apply to cover part of the costs — that grant is usually around $3,500 to $4,000 depending on the number of schools that apply,” he said. “The team also holds fundraising events at local restaurants that award a percentage of the day’s sales to nonprofits.”

As the MORE Robotics Lead Mentor, Karl Akert knows a thing or two about robotics. He participated in the program as a St. Thomas More High School student and began mentoring the program in 2016.

A firmware engineer with Rockwell Automation, Akert develops embedded software for their motion control products. On the engineering path since middle school, he taught himself HTML and JavaScript from online resources. Akert’s interest in technical problems is why he chose St. Thomas More for high school, due to the Project Lead the Way engineering courses.

“Participating in MORE Robotics in high school was a good opportunity to practice engineering design and teamwork outside of a classroom setting,” Akert said. “However, as with most things in life, the biggest impact are the people and friends I have made from my time with MORE Robotics.”

Working with the students and helping them fuel their eagerness is one of the most enjoyable, yet thought-provoking, aspects of mentorship.

“We are challenged to keep providing tasks and information outside of build season. However, during build season, it is more about making sure everyone is working as a team and that no one is stuck, as designing and building a robot is a creative and taxing process,” Akert said.

In fact, the entire program is designed to be stimulating for students and to stretch and grow their abilities.

“We then have about seven weeks to build our robot in preparation for our first competition. During the competition season, we have the opportunity to learn from other teams and refine our design,” said Akert. “Our goal is to perform well enough at a regional competition to make it to the championship event.”

Students at St. Anthony High School can partner with Viterbo University to earn up to 60 college credits during high school. (Submitted photo)

Thanks to a collaboration with Viterbo University, students at St. Anthony High School can graduate halfway to earning their four-year college degree.

The no-cost program allows participants the ability to gain educational experience at St. Anthony in conjunction with attending classes through the La Crosse-based liberal arts college. Upon completion of the 60 necessary credits, students will receive their associates of science and education degree, which they can use toward becoming a teacher.

Students are excited to be getting a jump on their future careers while still in high school, said Chief Academic Officer Lisette Rodriguez-Reed, Ph.D. It is a massive cost savings over the traditional route of a four-year college experience.

“This program sets our students up for success by allowing them to receive their first two years of college tuition free,” Rodriguez-Reed said. “They are saving thousands of dollars with this opportunity. Transportation is not an issue, as they take the classes here at St. Anthony for easier accessibility for students.”

Not only can the Milwaukee high school students earn an associate degree, employees can earn one as well.

The first cohort of the program began in the fall of 2020.

“Dr. Rosana Mateo, President, brought this opportunity to St. Anthony, and our Human Resources Manager, Evelyn Jones, manages the program,” Rodriguez-Reed said.

The two-year program begins in the student’s junior year, and they need to maintain an A to C average to remain eligible for the program. Classes are held at St. Anthony School in Francis Hall, two evenings per week from 4:30 to 8 p.m., in addition to a weekly online component for each class.

If a student fails to maintain their grades or decides to drop out of the program, they retain their credits earned, explained Rodriguez-Reed.

“There are 16 students in each cohort, eight high school students and eight employees. This year, we started a second cohort for an additional 16 students,” Rodriguez-Reed said. “When they graduate from high school, they receive their high school diploma and their associate degree. Our employees who are enrolled in the program hope to become teachers at St. Anthony.”

The degree and earned credits can transfer to other programs, depending on the major and school. The program is funded through title grant funds and supplemented by St. Anthony School where necessary.

For more information on the program, contact Evelyn Jones at jonese@stanthonymilwaukee.org or 414-384-6612.

St. Joan Antida High School’s first Destiny Day of the school year was a celebration of Hispanic culture. (Submitted photo)

Megan Otero says it to her students all the time: “We have a responsibility to learn about one another while we are learning alongside one another.”

That’s a big — and exciting — task at a school like St. Joan Antida High School in Milwaukee, where 216 students hail from 23 of the city’s 33 zip codes.

That diversity is something that “we embrace in all of the students who come to us,” said Otero, the principal at the school.

“Culture plays a huge part in our students’ identity,” she said.

The school is intentional about taking opportunities to experience and understand the ethnic groups represented at St. Joan Antida. One way they do this is through quarterly “Destiny Days,” which feature a morning of cultural education and fun paired with an afternoon of academic and social enrichment.

“We feel it is an honor as well as an opportunity to celebrate the cultural diversity of our students and staff,” said Marikris Coryell, President of St. Joan Antida High School. “By showcasing the different elements of a culture, we have an opportunity to celebrate and increase the overall understanding of diversity among us, while having a shared bond of sisterhood across us.”

The 2023-24 school year’s first Destiny Day was Sept. 13, when St. Joan Antida’s Latina Student Union organized a morning that celebrated Hispanic culture.

“We knew that we wanted it to be fun. We wanted full engagement from the students,” said Janet Delmas, co-moderator of the LSU and teacher of French, Spanish and theology at the school. “We have Mexican students, Puerto Rican students; we have people from all over Latin America, so we wanted everyone to be able to have the opportunity to see how we live our culture.”

The day kicked off with a morning assembly that concluded with a surprise Miss Universe-inspired parade of girls representing different countries and territories, sporting outfits inspired by their “homeland” and bearing its national flag. Students then formed groups by homeroom (or “den” as they are known at SJA) to rotate through eight different stations that featured interactive presentations on religion, dance, games, food, pop culture, film, business and art.

“Basically the whole school had something happening — every floor,” said Delmas.

On the third floor, students learned about religious traditions in Spanish-speaking countries and sampled rosca de reyes, an Epiphany cake that bears a hidden image of baby Jesus. In the art room, they browsed handicrafts and artistic creations from different countries while making papel picado and receiving intricate calavera body art on their hands. In the fourth floor classrooms, Latino culture was represented in films like “Coco,” “Encanto” and “In the Heights.” In the school’s new Burke ROAR Center, students heard about Hispanic businesses and entrepreneurship while receiving education on personal finance. At the danza cultural station, students Ixchel Ramirez, Kim Garcia and Jackie Rodriguez led workshops on salsa, bachata and cumbia.

An especially popular station seemed to be the Taste of Latin America, where students sampled sweet and savory cuisine, including tacos, tamales, buñuelos, flan, arroz con leche, fresas con crema, gelatina and tres leches cake, all prepared by students and staff themselves.

“I’m really proud of the students and how they took the initiative,” said Delmas. “This couldn’t have been done without the students being the leaders of their sessions. It was a huge undertaking to set everything up and make everything run smoothly. It was a lot of work.”

“I think learning is at its most powerful when it is student driven, and so to see students not only in the drivers’ seat of their teaching and learning, but also to see the way the entire school community embraced this learning opportunity with their full hearts was such a beautiful thing,” said Otero.

Destiny Days repeats every quarter at St. Joan Antida, with a different school organization at the helm for each of the morning sessions. In February, the school’s Black Student Union provided a morning of programming, followed by a Lenten retreat in the third quarter.

The afternoon portion of Destiny Days is dedicated to four core experiences the students rotate through each quarter. One group tours a business somewhere in the city of Milwaukee, another engages in an immersive service experience, a third visits a local college and the last group enjoys an activity that celebrates sisterhood.

Coming out of the pandemic, said Otero, it’s especially crucial for schools to help students learn how to be part of a community — and a community as diverse as St. Joan Antida is the perfect place to practice.

“We’re pretty unwavering in the belief that the future of Milwaukee is running through St. Joan Antida,” said Otero, noting that 90 percent of the high school’s graduates stay in the city of Milwaukee. “Programs like Destiny Days are places where we can learn about one another, where joy and learning and celebration can all coexist in a really beautiful way and help our girls move through those cultural lines in a way that is respectful and appreciative.”

Catholic Central High School

148 McHenry St., Burlington

262-763-1510

Catholiccentralhs.org

President and Principal: Brian Shimon

Admissions: Deanna Koch (262-763-1506)

Open House: Oct. 11, 5:30 to 8 p.m.

Enrollment: 127

Catholic Memorial High School

601 E. College Ave., Waukesha

262-542-7101

Catholicmemorial.net

President: Donna Bembenek

Principal: Bonnie Scholz

Admissions: Sally Wozniak (262-542-7101, ext. 568)

Open House: Oct. 15, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Enrollment: 576

Chesterton Academy of Milwaukee

N74 W13646 Appleton Ave., Menomonee Falls

262-788-8400

Chestertonacademymke.org

Headmaster: Eric DeMeuse

Admissions: Abigail Hagerman (262-788-8400)

Open House: Oct. 22, 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Enrollment: 102

Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee

1818 W. National Ave., Milwaukee

414-436-4600

Cristoreymilwaukee.org

President: Andrew Stith

Principal: Luke Harrison

Admissions: Maria Hansen (414-436-4600, ext. 2117)

Open House: Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m

Enrollment: 451

Divine Savior Holy Angels

4257 N. 100th St., Milwaukee

414-462-3742

Dsha.info

President: Katherine Konieczny

Principal: Dan Quesnell

Admissions: Meaghan Lagore (414-721-2909)

Open House: Oct. 22, 9 a.m. to noon

Enrollment: 673

Dominican High School

120 E. Silver Spring Drive, Whitefish Bay

414-332-1170

Dominicanhighschool.com

President: Leanne Giese

Principal: Vincent Murray

Admissions: Michael Mueller (414-332-1170, ext. 130)

Open House: Oct. 15, 8:30 a.m.

Enrollment: 324

Marquette University High School

3006 W. Michigan St., Milwaukee

414-933-7220

Muhs.edu

President: Fr. Michael J. Marco, S.J.

Principal: Jeff Monday

Admissions: John Meuler (414-933-7220, ext. 3046)

Open House: Oct. 22, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Enrollment: 897

Messmer High School

742 W. Capitol Drive, Milwaukee

414-264-5440

Messmerschools.org

President: Jim Piatt

Principal: Shenora Jordan

Admissions: Joanna Mistrioty (414-239-3930, ext. 1241)

Open House: Oct. 12, 5 to 7 p.m.

Enrollment: 489

Pius XI High School

135 N. 76th St., Milwaukee

414-290-7000

Piusxi.org

President: Jack Herbert

Principal: Ryan Krienke

Admissions: Jeanna Salzer Bunke

Open House: Oct. 18, 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Enrollment: 699

St. Anthony High School

4807 S. Second St., Milwaukee

414-763-6352

Stanthonymilwaukee.org

President: Rosana Mateo

Principal: Rose Martin

Admissions: Dr. Lisette Rodriguez-Reed (414-837-3300)

Open House: Oct. 4, 5 to 7 p.m.

Enrollment: 556

St. Catherine’s High School

1200 Park Ave., Racine

262-632-2785

Saintcats.org

President: Dr. Sue Savaglio-Jarvis

Principal: Michael Arendt

Admissions: Kory Borek (262-833-5517)

Open House: Oct. 19, 5 to 7 p.m.

Enrollment: 473

St. Joan Antida

1341 N. Cass St., MIlwaukee

414-272-8423

Saintjoanantida.org

President: Marikris Coryell

Principal: Megan Otero

Admissions: Kimberly McGowan

Open House: Oct. 8, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Nov. 14, 4 to 7 p.m.

Enrollment: 188

St. Joseph Catholic Academy

2401 69th St., Kenosha

262-654-8651

Sjcawi.org

President: Matthew Rizzo

Principal: Bridget Bartholomew

Admissions: Krista Schreiner (262-654-8651, ext. 105)

Open House: Oct. 23

Enrollment: 229

St. Lawrence Seminary High School

301 Church St., Mount Calvary

920-753-7500

Stlawrence.edu

President: Fr. Zoy Garibay, O.F.M. Cap.

Principal: David Bartel

Admissions: Francisco Sauceda (920-753-7518)

Open House: Contact school for tour information

Enrollment: 128

Saint Mary’s Springs Academy

255 County Road K, Fond du Lac

920-924-0993

Smsacademy.org

President: Stacey Akey

Principal: Eamonn O’Keeffe

Admissions: Shannon LaLuzerne (920-322-8012)

Open House: Contact school for tour information

Enrollment: 265

St. Thomas More High School

2601 E. Morgan Ave., Milwaukee

414-481-8370

Tmore.org

President: John Hoch

Principal: Patrick Idstein

Admissions: Tony Mane (414-481-8370, ext. 127)

Open House: Oct. 23, 4:30 to 8 p.m.

Enrollment: 546