ROOTED IN FAITH, TRADITION, AND ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE
A LETTER FROM OUR PRESIDENT
Dear Alumni,

It seems like it was just a week ago that we kicked off the 2022-23 school year, yet, here we are, weeks away from celebrating the graduation of 96 seniors! The school year has truly gone by in a blur.

A highlight of the year for me has been the introduction of our Alumni Panels, on which Borgia graduates from a variety of career fields have a lunch hour conversation with our current students about their vocations and the paths they took to get there. Discussions about working in health care, education, law enforcement, business, the trades, and more have been very well received by our students. This has impacted my family directly. My sophomore daughter attended the healthcare discussion and was inspired to set up a shadowing experience with one of our alumni medical professionals at Mercy Washington this summer. I am especially grateful for our dozens of alumni who returned to campus to give up part of their day to help inspire the next group of Borgia graduates. Thank you!

As we head into a busy May on campus - National Honor Society inductions, Senior Awards ceremony, Senior Farewell Mass, Baccalaureate, and then graduation - I want to again thank all of you for your impact on our school, our students, and our community. God bless!

Sincerely,

Matt Schutte
President
ADVANCEMENT NEWS
Mega Raffle
This is your last chance to purchase your Mega Raffle Ticket! We will announce the winners Friday morning, April 28, at 8 a.m. You can watch the drawing live at https://www.youtube.com/@borgiaktv
The Borgia Annual Fund
Earlier this year, we invited you to support us in the mission of St. Francis Borgia High School. Looking toward the end of the current school year and beginning preparations for the next remind us of the importance of our ANNUAL GIVING PROGRAM. While our mission is timeless, we, nevertheless, want to ask you, again, to support us.

We need your partnership to continue our tradition of excellence. Our students have extraordinary potential, and we all play significant roles in the global community through the power of the Catholic education we offer. Show your belief in Borgia through the support of our mission. Borgia stretches every dollar to maximize its impact on our students. The size of your donation is less important than the act of giving itself. Please make your gift to the Annual Fund today.

We can only accomplish our mission if we work together. If you are in a position to help, please make your gift by clicking the button below, scanning the QR code above, or texting borgia-annual-fund to 243725. You may also send a check to 1000 Borgia Drive, Washington, MO 63090.

Thank you in advance for positively impacting our present and future.
The Borgia Community Partners Program
St. Francis Borgia High School's Community Partners program is a one-stop shop for marketing opportunities that are valuable to our business supporters while providing the critical resources for Borgia to continue successfully serving our students. This program is designed to provide businesses with true marketing value through various multi-platform media. Borgia is proud to offer advertising opportunities for local businesses through various sponsorship levels. (See below)

The Community Partners Program provides an opportunity for businesses to:
  • Support St. Francis Borgia High School's mission
  • Gain prominent exposure for their company or organization
  • Take part in a convenient, one-time annual sponsorship process
  • Enjoy special perks, including VIP event tickets

This sponsorship program provides access to an extensive network, in-person and online, reaching thousands of people in the Borgia community and beyond.

Borgia High School has a longstanding commitment to keeping Catholic education affordable. This commitment creates a gap of over $2,800 per student between the actual cost to educate and the tuition that we charge. This gap and the fact that 63% of our students receive tuition assistance are significant challenges. This $1M budget deficit is covered through the support of generous donors and businesses.

If you have questions or would like additional information, please contact Matt Schutte, President, at matt.schutte@borgia.com or Donna Grahl, Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, at donna.grahl@borgia.com.
Project Graduation
The planning for Project Graduation at St. Francis Borgia High School is underway, and we are appealing to individuals, businesses, and organizations for support for this very worthwhile endeavor. 

This year, graduation will be on Thursday, May 18. Immediately following graduation, the students will bus to a designated facility for a supervised, all-night party that includes fun, food, and prizes in a drug, alcohol, and smoke-free environment. Student participation in the past at this event has surpassed 98% of our graduating seniors.

This program's success depends on donations to help underwrite the cost of the evening or items/gift cards that can be used as prizes for the students.
Monetary donations can be made online by clicking the button below or with a check payable to "SFBHS Project Graduation" and sent to:

St. Francis Borgia High School
ATTN: Project Graduation
1000 Borgia Drive
Washington, MO 63090
 
We would appreciate receiving donations by May 10, 2023. Anyone with items or gift cards to donate may call Tracy Alferman @ 314-520-6790 or Carin Kleekamp @ 314-570-5630 to arrange pick up.
 
Thank you for your patronage and continued support of this event. Because of the generosity of great community supporters like you, Project Graduation is possible.

 
Sincerely,
 
Tracy Alferman
Carin Kleekamp
Coordinators of Class of 2023 Borgia Project Graduation
Christopher M. Locher '99 Memorial Scholarship
Chris Locher (Class of 1999) passed away last month after a courageous battle with cancer. He was well-loved and a friend to all.

To honor his memory and to continue the good works Chris did during his lifetime, his wife, Shari, created a scholarship in his name with the Roman Catholic Foundation of Eastern Missouri to provide tuition assistance to students attending St. Francis Borgia High School.

More than 200 people have already made gifts to launch the fund, for which Shari is more than grateful. Your love has provided her with comfort beyond measure.

We are pleased to announce that the first students to benefit from the fund will receive assistance for the 2023-2024 school year.

If you have not yet made a gift to honor Chris, you make an online gift by clicking on the button below or writing a check payable to:

Roman Catholic Foundation
Attn: Michael Weisbrod
425 N. New Ballas Road
Suite 200
St. Louis, MO 63141
 
Should you wish to make a gift from your IRA or appreciated securities, please contact Michael Weisbrod at 314.918.2893 for information.
 
On behalf of Shari Locher and the St. Francis Borgia Regional High School community, we thank you for your kindness and generosity!
Catholic Perspective on the Cycle-of-Life Issues
If you are interested in the Catholic perspective on the cycle of life, bioethics, funeral planning, advance directives, and estate planning, here's your chance to learn and lunch with local experts in all fields.

Presented by St. Francis Borgia Parish and the Roman Catholic Foundation on Saturday, April 29, this conversation is free of charge, but you do need to register! Please visit rcfstl.org/the-conversation, or call 314-918-2890.
SAVE THE DATE
Men's Golf
This year's Ray DeGreeff Memorial Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, May 15, at Franklin County Country Club. This annual event is sponsored by the SFB Athletic Association, with all proceeds benefiting St. Francis Borgia High School athletes.

For tickets or information, please contact Sam Unnerstall at 636-346-6987 or borgiagolf@gmail.com.
Borgia Ladies' Golf
Our annual Borgia Ladies' Golf Tournament will be held on Monday, June 12, at Franklin County Country Club. The SFB Athletic Association also sponsors this ladies' day of golf or simply Fun in the Sun.

For questions or information, please contact Tracy Alferman at 314-520-6799.
Baccalaureate and Graduation
In celebration of the Class of 2023, please mark your calendars for these important dates.

Mass and Baccalaureate will be held on Tuesday,
May 16, at 7 p.m., in the gym.

Graduation will be held on Thursday,
May 18, at 7 p.m., in the gym.

This year's commencement speaker will be
Dr. Jackie Miller '85.

Both Baccalaureate and Graduation will be live-streamed at https://www.youtube.com/@borgiaktv

The last day of school for the 2022-2023 school year will be Tuesday, May 23.
ALUMNI NEWS
IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR CHERISHED ALUMS
Mary Lee (Brinkmann) Kimminau '47
April 12, 2023
Alfred Noelke '47
April 13, 2023

Judy (Schulte) Thomas '66
April 12, 2023

Sydney (Piontek) '15 and Daniel Jedding
Sydney Piontek '15 married Daniel Jedding on Saturday, April 15.

Congratulations to Sydney and Daniel!
Borgia Babes
Nathan Aholt '10
Nathan Aholt '10 and his wife April welcomed a daughter on March 23, 2023. Allison (Allie) Marie is also welcomed by big sister Audrey who is 20 months old.

Congratulations to the Aholt family!
Kayla (Kimminau) '08 and Chris Eckelkamp '06
Kayla (Kimminau) '08, current faculty member, and Chris Eckelkamp '06 recently welcomed their third child, Noah Thomas. Big brother Leo and big sister Hallie couldn't be prouder. Talk about a Borgia family. Noah's grandparents are Lori (Kuchem) '79 and Tom Kimminau '70 and Glenda (Ruether) '77 and Jeff Eckelkamp 74.

Congratulation to the Eckelkamps!
Alumni Career Panels
We welcomed more alumni back on April 20 for this school year's last career panel! We love giving our students this opportunity during Knight Time to learn and ask questions of former students who have been on the same journey of discovering career paths suited to their interests and skills.

Many thanks to these former St. Francis Borgia High School students for spending time with us discussing their careers in education.

Mary (Stock) Kleekamp '03 - Educational Administration/Special Education
Lexie (Struckhoff) Pezold '13 - Early Childhood
Trini (Haddox) Wood '09 - Library
Brian Sieve '32 - Elementary/Middle School
Amy Huber '11 - Head Start/Early Childhood
Alumni Prayers
In thanksgiving for the sacrifices and contributions offered by those before us on our behalf, we at St. Francis Borgia High School offer our afternoon prayer for different members of our alumni each day.
If you have children who are graduates and still receive mail at your home, but no longer live there, please contact Donna Grahl, Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations, to update your child's address. She can be reached by phone at 636-239-7871 ext. 131 or via email at donna.grahl@borgia.com.
SCHOOL NEWS
2023 Valedictorian and Salutatorian
Tyler Dill
Valedictorian
Sam Dunard
Salutatorian
Please join us in congratulating seniors Tyler Dill, valedictorian, and Sam Dunard, salutatorian! We are very proud of both young men for their academic and extracurricular achievements and wish them much success in their journeys. We are confident that they are both destined for great things!
Borgia Gives Back
On Wednesday, April 5, we hosted our second annual Borgia Gives Back Day, on which we sent our students to 20 different locations in the area. This day of school-wide stewardship provides an opportunity for our students to continue to understand and act on our obligation to give back in gratitude for all of our blessings. The locations that we served included:

Bethel Hills, Borgia Parish Food Pantry, Franklin County Area United Way, Grandview Healthcare Center, The Harvest Table, Franklin County Humane Society, KC Hall, Loving Hearts, Mercy Hospital, Oak Pointe, Our Lady of Lourdes Parish/School, St. Francis Borgia High School, St. Francis Borgia Parish/Grade School, St. Peter's Food Pantry, VFW Post 2661 Auxiliary, Washington Area Chamber of Commerce, Washington Fire Department, Washington Parks Department, Wolf Hollow, YMCA
 
Our community offers tremendous support to our school, and Borgia Gives Back is just one small way we can show our appreciation.
Click above to view a video in celebration of the day!
Combined Choir Concert
Be sure to put this on your to-do list for May 15! This is an excellent opportunity to hear the SFBHS and School District of Washington High School choirs perform together at the St. Francis Borgia Church at 310 W. Main Street in downtown Washington.

Admission is free, and a free-will offering will benefit both programs!
We Have a Podcast!
"Where God Finds Us" is a weekly podcast hosted by Fr. Tony Ritter and Mrs. Emily Brasher. Mrs. Brasher teaches English and our Video Productions class.


Each weekly show is divided into three parts:
1) Where God has found us this week
2) Discussion of the weekly Mass readings
3) "Ask A Priest"

In a few weeks, we'll also feature student guest hosts! If you have questions you would like a priest to answer, have feedback for the show, or want to say hello, please email us at wheregodfindsus.gmail.com.

Be sure to tune in!
Congratulations, Jamie and Andrew!
Congratulations to Jamie Poepsel and Andrew Swoboda, our 2023 Prom Queen and King.

Proud parents are
Jill (Klenke) '84 and Tim Poepsel '81 and
Wendi and Ted Swoboda '85
Tuition Assistance
St. Francis Borgia is proud to have one of the lowest tuitions in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. We continue to offer high-quality Catholic education for less than other Catholic schools. We know tuition can be a struggle for many, so we partner with families who seek assistance. Currently, over 60% of our students receive some assistance.
Athletic and Activities Schedule
Welcome to another exciting year of Borgia Athletics and Activities. Together, let’s always and, in all ways, celebrate the efforts of our students, players, coaches, and teachers as they strive to make Borgia #1 in class, style, sportsmanship, and competitiveness. Go, Knights!!

Click on the logo to see a comprehensive athletic and activities schedule.
Recently married? New baby or job?
Let us know what's going on in your life so we can share it with your classmates in this newsletter!
Send information and photos to donna.grahl@borgia.com.

St. Francis Borgia High School 

1000 Borgia Drive
Washington, MO 63090

P: 636-239-7871
F: 636-239-1198