The School Year Winds Down;

Laser Focus on Financials

The last two months of the year mean everything to us, in terms of meeting our fundraising goal that enables us to balance the budget for the year.

We are striving to break even or deliver a surplus against an operating budget that, for the first time in school history, is fully loaded without subsidization from the Archdiocese of Newark. This is vital for the ongoing health of our school and the confidence placed in us by alumni, by donors, by our overseers, and by external philanthropic organizations.

To make this happen, we need to call on you again.

To all those who have never donated to Hudson Catholic before, we would certainly welcome your first gift. Of any amount.

To those who have been very generous in years past, but have not yet participated in the 2022-2023 campaign, repeating your gift at or above your past level of giving could mean a great deal toward our success and the ability to see some families in need through to the completion of the school year, or to graduation.

To those who have made gifts this year and work for corporate organizations, please check on whether your employer may have a matching gift program that would double your money. Ask us if your employer matches charitable gifts - we may be able to tell you the answer.

To those who have given generously of themselves already in 2022-2023, we ask you once again, because those who give tend to give more of themselves when the need is expressed.

For those who have given $250 or below to date, we ask you to consider matching your own gift, thereby making a bigger impact yet.

And to all Leaders of Hudson Catholic -- the Administration, Board and Faculty, Officers of the Alumni Association, and members of the Hall of Fame and the Wall of Honor -- we invite your full participation so that we may demonstrate to all others that we lead by good example.

On behalf of the 530 students of Hudson Catholic, for whom we work, we thank you, one Hawk to another, for always responding to a call for action.

BE THE HAWK!

The Men From LaSalle:

Bill Venezia ’70 & Lou Tatti

Announce Retirements

SPU Dual Enrollment Program, Medical Arts Program

Their Legacies

Mr. William Venezia '70

Mr. Lou Tatti

On May 5^th, Mr. William Venezia ’70, sent a bittersweet note to his colleagues stating: “After very careful consideration and much thought, I will be retiring from my position at Hudson Catholic effective the end of this school year. My five years as Director of Instruction/Special Programs caps my 49-year career as a professional educator. As a graduate of both Hudson Catholic and Saint Peter's University it was extremely gratifying for me to end my career working with both institutions. My five years at Hudson Catholic working with all of you and our students were among the most rewarding of my career on both a professional and personal level. I want to thank Terry, Sarah, and the rest of the administrative and instructional staff for the constant cooperation and support I received working here. I also would like to thank the administrative staff of both Saint Peter's University and New Jersey City University for all of their support regarding our mutual endeavors in the Dual Enrollment and the Media Arts Programs. Go Hawks, Go Peacocks!”

In response, one faculty colleague paid tribute to Bill by saying “You have opened up pathways in life to our students that would not otherwise have been possible. You were dogged on their behalf, and on them, frankly, which is precisely what they needed. They left HC prepared for next level studies and for life. I am well aware that you came to Hudson when you were sorely needed and you answered the call at a time when you thought your life might head in a different direction. But what could have been more rewarding than what you chose to do?” Another said: “Bill, you are a great Hawk. One of the greatest.”

______________________________________________________________

Mr. Lou Tatti, Special Consultant to Hudson Catholic and the designer of our Medical Arts Program, has also announced his intention to retire at the conclusion of the school year, after serving Hudson Catholic for eight years in a volunteer capacity. Lou is the 2022 recipient of the Signum Fidei Award, the school's highest honor perennially bestowed at Commencement.

They say the proof is in the end product. Well, have we got proof! Our original Medical Arts group started in the fall of 2020 with 17 aspiring sophomore ‘medical’ types. With a few who were accepted to the SPU Dual Enrollment Program, and a couple who left the program, we end the first full-track program with 12 seniors who are the first to complete their commitments to the three-year track that is the Medical Arts Program.

Here they are, along with their chosen colleges and universities, and intended fields of study.

Megan Delvalle: Montclair State, Pre-Med/Biology

Jaden Germany: Blanco Barber School

Carlos Julaj: NJIT, Bio-Medical Engineering

Dawn Lozano: NJIT, Computer Science

Erica Luca: Penn State, Nursing

Serafin Lucero-Ramirez: Hudson County CC, Nursing

Noah Muid: Drew University, Neuroscience

Elizabeth Soliman: Drew University, Biology

Fady Tadrous: Montclair State, Nutrition

Mark Umali: Hudson County CC - Nursing

Alexa Veletagna: Montclair State, Biology

Audrey Were: Seton Hall University, Nursing

Upon launching into their chosen health and medical-related fields, these students will have owed a large debt of gratitude to Mr. Tatti and the three faculty who each led the classroom instruction for one year: Ms. Christina Vyzas in 2020-21 (now entering her third year at Rutgers Medical School), Ms. Lissa Perez RN in 2021-22 (an emergency services nurse at University Hospital, Newark), and Ms. Ashley Allen in 2022-23 (also teaching Science and coaching Girls Rugby). Kudos to Ms. Ashley Allen, who has done a superb job guiding the classroom through the capstone year of the program. 

Ms. Ashley Allen, Medical Arts Program instructor

Is There a Single Best Way

to Honor the Memory of

Brother Patrick King, FSC

at Hudson Catholic?

If you have an idea, we'd like to hear it. Please send your thoughts to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org

A Message From The President

Last night we held the De La Salle Banquet where we celebrated a group of seniors who embody the core Lasallian values of Faith, Service, Community and Excellence. Each senior was recognized for their involvement with extracurricular service clubs here at Hudson Catholic. It was an amazing night as our community had the opportunity to see firsthand the amazing young men and women who make up the senior class. I could not help but remember these same students as wide-eyed freshmen setting out on their high school journey a mere four years ago.

As adults, we tend to glorify our high school years, forgetting in the process just how difficult and stressful those four years actually were. The reality of high school is that you will never go through more changes – physical, intellectual, social, emotional and spiritual – than you do in that compressed four-year period of time. And yet, the young men and women we celebrated were able to manage all of that while still recognizing the importance of Faith, Service, Community and Excellence. The list of students touched on every aspect of high school life. There were members of our Football, Basketball, Softball, Baseball, Volleyball and Swim teams who were honored not for their athletic prowess, but rather for their commitment to service. Students in the Photography Club and the Chess Club were also there. My point is that none of these students allowed themselves to be one-dimensional. Instead, they recognized that each of them can make a difference, and that they needed to make a difference. 

There are 5 core principles of a Lasallian school:

• Faith in the Presence of God. The Lasallian school nurtures in its members an awareness of the living presence of God in our world. It calls all to a deeper awareness of their saving relationship with a caring and loving God and moves all to see the world through the “eyes of faith.”
• Concern for the Poor and Social Justice.  The Lasallian school calls its members to a solidarity with the poor and victims of injustice. It calls all to a life-long commitment to respond to their needs through programs of community service, advocacy, and justice education.
• Respect for All Persons The Lasallian school engages its members in a concerted effort to respect the dignity of all persons. It calls all to respect-filled relationships as the heart of Lasallian education and a key expression of their identity as children of God.
• Quality Education The Lasallian school provides an education that prepares students not only to contribute to society but to transform it. It calls all to use their knowledge and talents to critically examine and engage the world in light of the message of the Gospel.
• Inclusive Community The Lasallian school is a united community where diversity is respected and no one is left out or left behind. It calls all to recognize and embrace one another’s unique stories and qualities as unique and sacred features of the Body of Christ on earth.

As each senior received a recognition plaque for their service activities, it became clear that  Hudson Catholic continues to have these five principles at its core. More important, as this senior class heads to the next chapter of their life’s journey, it is obvious that they have truly embraced the Lasallian ideal of “Enter to Learn, Leave to Serve.”

Act II

More.... on the Naming of

The Jack Campion Stage at Hudson Catholic

Fittingly, the cast of the Hawk Theatre Group entertained Jack Campion and the attendees and, in the process, secured the honor of being the first to appear on The Jack Campion Stage at Hudson Catholic. We would like some of our entertainers to take their bows.

The Hawks performed All That Jazz -- leading vocals Myra Vilomar ’23; The Cell Block Tango -- leading vocals Salome Torres ’25; All I Care About Is Love -- leading vocals Mariano Padilla ’23; and We Both Reached for the Gun -- leading vocals Aidan Marmoroto ‘23 and Julia Ortiz ‘26. Other thespians on stage that night having Hudson Catholic ties were All Saints Catholic Academy students Abigail Degnan (6th), the daughter of our Vice Principal, Sarah Degnan-Barbi, and Elle Mullins (5th), the granddaughter of Bruce Bock ’75.

This night was such a success for our program as well. In just one year, we went from having 12 students in our musical production to 30 this year -- 20 girls and 10 boys.

Some scenes from the evening's Chicago preview

And how about that professional lighting by Larry Basinski '70?

Event Schedule

May 18th - 21st

The First Full Production on the Jack Campion Stage

June 10th

June 19th

Save The Date -- July 22nd

The Usual Place

Faculty Focus

Ms. Erin Drennan, pictured with her fiancée, Joe Eckel, is in her second year at Hudson, as a member of the English/Theater Department. She teaches Theater, Film Studies, Media Studies and our newest elective The History of Rock and Roll. Erin is also the Assistant Director of our dramatics and musical productions, a senior homeroom moderator, and will be the co-director of the new Glee Club starting in the next school year. But that will not be the only new challenge Erin takes on next year. Ms. Drennan will join the Administration at Hudson Catholic as the Director of Special Programs and Partnerships, a role developed and held by Mr. William Venezia ‘70 for years. As Mr. Venezia steps down, Ms. Drennan will oversee our partnerships with Saint Peter's University (the Dual Enrollment Program and the ACE program) New Jersey City University, Stevens Institute of Technology, and St. John's University.

Alumni Spotlight

To the oft-asked question, "How do I get in Alumni Spotlight?", the direct, Jersey City response is: 'you send me your stuff'. To: gferrari@hudsoncatholic.org



Stetson Hatter Ja'veon Ensley '16 is pursuing his MBA and playing football at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida and is excited to continue his professional football journey, having signed with Murphy Sports Group, an NFLPA Certified Agent firm representing current and aspiring professional athletes.



Thirst for Knowledge. Isabel Vintimilla '19, in her quest for opportunities in research, is starting a new role as Pharmacology Intern at AbbVie while pursuing her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry at Clark University. She has already amassed Undergraduate Research experience with the University of North Dakota, Boston University, and University of Pennsylvania. At Penn, and only three years out of high school, Isabel "synthesized an esterpyrrole starting material, an essential building block towards porphyrin-based membrane anchored probes at the cell surface. Water-soluble amphiphilic phosphorescent membrane-anchored probes (MAPs) for oxygen are being developed for longitudinal imaging inside the bone marrow." Got that?

One Hawk Family. Fred Barbi '86 has been recognized by the Jersey City Board of Education as the Dr. Ronald McNair Academic High School Teacher of the Year, the first time McNair has recognized a member of the Special Education Dept with this award. A 20-year veteran of the JCBOE, Fred teaches Children with Autism. He began his teaching career at Regional Day HS in JC, where he was also recognized as Teacher of the Year for his work with students with autism. After earning his B.S. from St. Peter's College, Fred worked on Wall Street for years, before making the transition to education. Earning an M.A. in Special Education from New Jersey City University, he has dedicated his time and talent to working with students on the high school level. He holds his NJ Teaching Certification as well as his Supervisor's certification. 

In addition to his work in public education, Frederick dedicates his time to Hudson Catholic, assisting Larry Basinski with the technical aspects of the drama and musical productions, and teaches in the our summer school program. Fred's wife, Sarah Barbi is our Assistant Principal and Director of our Theater Program. Fred's son, Joseph, is an Orange County, NJ Fire Captain, and Sarah's daughter, Abigail, is in 6th grade at All Saints Catholic Academy, Bayonne, and performs onstage at ASCA and Hudson Catholic.

Hawk Author Jack Curry '82 has gone above and beyond this time! The promotion for his new book The 1998 Yankees, seems to have 42nd Street and 8th Avenue pretty well covered.



Gone but not forgotten. We only recently learned of the passing of Joe Wondowlowski '88 on August 11, 2018, that being relayed to us by Ken Such '80, who coached Joe on the Hawk Hockey team. We thought we would remember Joe with this fresh-faced photo in a Hawk uniform, and some words from Ken.

"Joe was a member of my hockey family, Though small in stature, he was a giant in heart. 'Wondo' had no limitations on the ice. He played his part with determination and passion. His enthusiastic group of followers cheered us on each game from behind the same glass panel that became known as "Wondo's Window". Joey was a key component of our back-to-back Cup Championships in '87 and '88, and our miraculous run in '86. As a senior, Joe earned the Captain's 'C' on his sweater. He had a million dollar smile and, although he lived to 48, will always remain 17 to me. I hope he is hanging with other teammates who left us too soon -- Jimmy Lombardi '91 and Cuppy (Chris) Spina '90, shooting pucks around that big rink in the sky."

A Lesson for us all. Joe Zaluski ’70. “In 1970, college counseling was not a priority. An older Brother offered me some counsel without me realizing Catholic schools likely channeled their grads toward Catholic colleges. He suggested the University of Dayton, to which I applied, was accepted, never visited, and, that August, boarded a plane bound there, while having no idea where it was located, other than in the state of Ohio. I changed majors many times, finally settling on elementary education with a minor in special education, and graduated in 1974.

I started teaching 6^th graders. I was appointed Lower School Head at Miami Valley School in Dayton in 1979, remaining there until 1988. Our family moved to a suburb of Pittsburgh, where I became Lower School Head at Sewickley Academy, a pre-k school of 800 students. Over time, I added responsibilities as Assistant Head of School. My son and daughter graduated Sewickley Academy. After 17 years in Pittsburgh, we refer to it as our “home.”

In 2005, I accepted the role of Head of School at the independent Gulfstream School of 250 PK - 8 students near Delray Beach, Florida. And after 14 years there, I retired in 2019, returning to Ohio to be near our two young granddaughters in Columbus.

After being surrounded by bright colleagues and life-long learners, retirement left a large void. What do I do with my days, how do I contribute, what’s left for me, how will I be remembered? Covid added to the challenge for obvious reasons. I keep busy now with volunteer work, and I was elected to the Board of Trustees at Sewickley Academy, requiring me to travel to Pittsburgh monthly, and I am now on the Advancement Committee at The Miami Valley School.

Though I remained in education for 45 years, I did indeed, find my fortune, though it was not necessarily of the financial nature. My fortune was being surrounded every day by children, helping them become future leaders and citizens who will contribute to the welfare of others; being among creative, innovative and bright teachers; watching children grow, develop, and mature; encouraging students to accept the differences that individuals, cultures, religions, and customs present, to exude kindness, forgive, remain gentle and understanding, step in when you see someone being wronged, and to be a DOER, and not just stand by and watch others. I hope my classmates at Hudson Catholic along with those who graduated before and after will find their fortunes..…if they haven’t already done so.”

Hawk Get Togethers

Seen on East 7th St. off The Bowery in the Village were '73 classmates, L. to R., Bill Sues, Mike Finley, and Gary Ferrari, apparently re-tracing their steps to McSorley's Old Ale House in the re-creation of a few such trips made 50 years ago!

Focus on '84

Memories

Class President was Joe Dnistrian; Valedictorian, Luis Casas. Hall of Famer Brother Kevin Stanton was our Principal. The Brother Henry Laffey Award winner was Steve Novello. Prominent athletes were Jack Cipriano and Paul Mlynarski for basketball; Claudio Ippolito, Sal Colonna, Alex Carrion, Phil Chianatta for Soccer; Bruno Bisiacchi in Hockey; Chuck DeCandia ‘83, Paul Barsa, Chick Peck, Jimmy Greene ’83 with Football; and Pat Rey, Kaz Szulc, John Bean ‘85, John Furch ‘85, Richie Flynn, Mike Wegryzniak on the County Champion Baseball team, who were the biggest underdogs since the 1980 Gold Medal Olympic Hockey team, defying all odds by beating Memorial.

Steve Novello, who was on that Baseball team, had this to say. “Joe Dnistrian, like his brother Steve ‘82 before him, was and still is among the best representatives of Hudson Catholic. Luis Casas was brilliant! Winning the Brother Henry Laffey Award was a big surprise to me, and one of the best nights of my life, as I thought there were better choices than me....until years later, one of the Brothers said I was selected because they thought I was the choice that beat all the odds and I was the ultimate representation of a student who was an athlete, and good student, a good representative of the school.....but what the Brother said about me that helped me during my career was that I was fair to everyone,,,,and that I cared about everyone and defended those who were bullied. That was a trophy in itself when he said that. On the baseball team, we had the four best coaches/supporters any team could have.....Joe Pope, Brother Tim Ahern, Brother Pat King, and Coach Pedro (Pete) Burgess.....and all of us were coached on the Freshman teams by another great coach.....Roy Berry. The best thing about that team was not that we won, but many of us still remain friends after all of these years.”

We are looking to 'Stay Connected' with Allan Arambulo, Joseph Binetti, James Carten, Luis Casas, Jack Cipriano, Sal Colonna, Chuck DeCandia, Jeffrey Garzona, James Hathaway, Claudio Ippolito, Lyndon Llanes, James Peck, Vincent Scott, Thomas Simonelli, Arturo Tolentino, Anthony Tomchak, Joseph Zozzaro. Send them to hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected or send their email addresses to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org

Korrections Korner

Mention of ‘Tom Gaynor ’92’ drew a quick rebuke from Matt Zagacki ’92, who ought to know. We knew Matt was itching to make it into Korrections Korner, and so here it is - Tom Gaynor was Class of ’82, and to him, we apologize for the error; to Matt, we say thanks for the snag of our error.

More embarrassing than that, we identified actress Rosie Perez as Rosie Rivera. No excuse for that except the writer has a friend by that name. Mea culpa.

Public Service Announcement

From time to time, we see avid and proud Hawks organizing an event and appealing to other Hawks on social media. Of course, the words ‘ Hudson Catholic’ or ‘Hudson Catholic Alumni’ are used to describe the event in posts.

Hudson Catholic, of course, encourages our Hawks to continue to build and cultivate their affinity for our school. But, for the sake of clarity, such events are not sanctioned or sponsored by Hudson Catholic or the Alumni Association as fundraising or social events, unless the title of the event should make mention of that.

We are happy to promote such events if asked, either in Building The Legacy, or with targeted mailings, if you wish. In which case, you may contact, for the school, Gary Ferrari at gferrari@hudsoncatholic.org, or the Alumni Association at hawkalumni.org

Turn Your Brothers and Sisters In!

(We Need Their Email Addresses)

We lose touch with some of our graduates who move around, go off to college, start careers, get married, etc. Help us find them again and make it harder for us to lose touch. Many on this list have siblings who are Hawk alumni, so turn them in at advancement@hudsoncatholic.org or send them to hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected to update their contact info.

FYI

advancement@hudsoncatholic.org to:

Advertise your business card here for $25 per issue

Plan a visit back to the Hawks Nest

Obtain or donate a yearbook through The Yearbook Exchange

Purchase Hawk gear online at:

https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/newjersey/jerseycity/hudson-catholic-high-school

For Hawk Chatter on Social Media:

Facebook: Hudson Catholic Regional High School Friends, a private group with 1,300 members and climbing.

Linkedin: Hudson Catholic Regional High School page

"C'est la vie" ('say-la'VEE') -- "such is life"

An expression of the French, accepting that disappointments are a part of life, and instead of complaining when things do not go one's way, simply get on with it.

Requiescant in Pace

Vita Mutatur Non Tollitur

(Life is changed, not ended)



Alec Long, father of Alexander '73

Eleanor Salinardi, mother of Philip '79

We are grateful for our Mikes!

Michael Skea '74

Your Trusted Real Estate Advisor at the Jersey Shore