O'Dowd in Brief 
News for O'Dowd alumni, parents, and friends

Finding God in All Things
October 2019
DRAGON ROAR: O'DOWD STUDENTS RECOGNIZED FOR ACADEMIC HONORS
 Several O’Dowd students were recognized for special academic honors this fall through both the National Merit Scholarship and College Board National Hispanic Recognition Programs. Read more
JOE ROSS '11 GOES TO THE WORLD SERIES WITH WASHINGTON NATIONALS
A big congratulations to Joe Ross '11, who is on the roster in the World Series with his team, the Washington Nationals!
CREATING ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY: DR. REGINALD STEWART '87
Dr. Reginald Stewart '87 is a stalwart advocate of access and opportunity in higher education. Steward now serves as Iowa State University's first Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion (VPDI) and holds an adjunct appointment in the School of Education.
EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LIFE: TEACHER JAN COONROD EARNS HONORS
This October, O’Dowd chemistry teacher Jan Coonrod was honored at the 2019 California Science Teachers Association (CSTA) conference as a California state finalist for the Presidential Award for Excellence in Math and Science Teaching. Read more
EVENT IS FULL!
 Thanks to all who registered for the Transforming Lives Dinner. We have sold out! We look forward to seeing our community gather for this special event November 7. Event proceeds ensure that O’Dowd can continue to provide tuition assistance to more than 30% of its students.If you wish to support tuition assistance, you may still sponsor or donate to provide deserving students with transformative opportunities!
ALUMNI BEER GARDEN - CHEERS TO FRIENDSHIP!
A boisterous crowd of Dragons came out for a night of good cheer and fond memories at O’Dowd’s 7th Annual Alumni Beer Garden. Guests enjoyed catching up with fellow alumni and staff before the big game (and victory) against Piedmont High School. Associate Principal of Student Life Jase Turner welcomed and thanked alumni for the many ways they support O'Dowd. Read more
Campus News
TO OUR HEALTH For Health and Wellness Week, parents, faculty, and staff were invited to presentations by Hakeem Rahim, founder of I Am Acceptance. Rahim shared his personal experience with the highs and lows of mental health and provided practical tips about accepting and seeking help. Throughout the week, students led and participated in activities to help our community become mindful allies to each other in strengthening our collective well being. Learn more about Rahim's work
VOLLEYBALL POWER COVER O'Dowd Girls Volleyball was featured on the cover of SportStars Magazine at the start of the season and is currently ranked #2 in the North Coast Section (NCS). They look forward to a strong performance at the NCS Championships in November. Read more
CELEBRATION - O'DOWD'S FIRST ANNUAL BLACK FAMILY DAY O'Dowd's first annual Black Family Day, was held on campus on a beautiful Sunday afternoon this October. Student speakers Thomas ‘20 and Sariyah ‘21, singers Autumn ‘21 and Jolise ‘21 shared with families in attendance. The event is one of many ways we are celebrating our charism value "Community in Diversity" and a culture of connection this year.
SERVICE STANDOUT Dragon Varsity Rugby started the season in its 5th year of service to others! Working with Kairos Prison Ministry 's Kairos Afuera group, players helped facilitate a retreat to support families of incarcerated individuals. Among their activities, Dragons set up the retreat facility to create a warm, welcoming environment for families.
Alumni News
Tom Family Tribute Twenty-four friends and family members of the Tom family gathered at the Majestic Dude Ranch in Mancos, Colorado to celebrate Leonard Tom's 85th birthday on July 8th. Six of those gathered were also bonded as O'Dowd graduates or future graduates. Pictured here are Stephen Woo '78, Stuart Tom '79, Theresa Rush Woo '81, Daryl Tom '81, Erika Lee Deru '86, and Henry Littell '22.  
Dan Hess '05 Congratulations and welcome home! Dan's Facebook post upon returning to O'Dowd to teach: "I'm ecstatic and thrilled to announce that I am officially a full-time social studies teacher at Bishop O'Dowd High School!! I have always dreamed about becoming a teacher, and I couldn't ask for a better way to have that dream become a reality than by coming back to my alma mater, giving back to a place which truly shaped me and the path of my life, and trying to inspire my students just like I was inspired by a handful of my teachers years ago.”
Amina Scott '12 earned her B.A. in music at Loyola University New Orleans and her Masters in Music at Florida State University, Tallahassee. She leads a jazz trio and is a band leader with Noruz . Amina is also an adjunct professor at her alma mater, Loyola University, paying her talent forward to the next generation of ensembles and bass students. Listen at her website
Sebastian Hurtado ‘15 graduated from UCLA this past June and recently moved to New York City to teach 8th grade biology in the Bronx through Teach For America! 
Jordan Jackson '17 Jordan's mother Leslie shared that he earned a full scholarship and is thriving at College of the Holy Cross because of his time at O’Dowd. “I just can't say enough about how O’Dowd prepared him for life after high school.” She also loves “how Bishop O’Dowd alumni support each other!” and shared a photo of Yale soccer player Aerial Chavarin ‘16 who came out to support her fellow Dragon Jordan ‘17 at their matchup against the Bulldogs’ Holy Cross vs. Yale. 
Upcoming Events

JUST TWO DAYS AWAY! October 26 - Alumni Cross Country Meet , 10:30 a.m. Join us at Woodminster Meadow in Joaquin Miller Park in Oakland for a run! For more information and to RSVP, please email Marin Rodriguez .

JUST THREE DAYS AWAY! October 27 - Harvest Festival , 1:00-4:00 p.m. All are welcome! The Living Lab Harvest Festival, held at the Center for Environmental Studies on the O'Dowd campus, is co-sponsored by the Living Lab and the Music Department. Families of all ages are welcome! Hear several of O'Dowd's student bands perform and enjoy barbeque for purchase, and booths run by O'Dowd Eco Leaders and student clubs, including: a petting zoo featuring chickens and bunnies, and hopefully goats; face painting; rock painting; Living Lab tours; club tables including"What's the Buzz" Bee Club, Save the Uglies (endangered animals), Climate Coalition, AI Club testing a new trash app, and Latinos Unidos. There will also be a raffle for eggs and produce grown in the Living Lab, and O'Dowd alumni parent and neighbor, Miss Lyn, will bring a selection of her homemade jams for purchase.

November 15-17, 22-24 Fall Musical Godspell Prepare ye for Godspell! In this classic musical retelling of the Gospel of Matthew set in modern times, young men and women forsake their jobs and take up the mantle of Jesus Christ, becoming his disciples. Enjoy the legendary rock musical featuring a Tony-nominated score from Grammy winner Stephen Schwartz, conceived and originally directed by John-Michael Tebelak. Two weekends, evening and matinee performances. Download and print the ticket order form

November 16 Living Lab Work Day On behalf of the Creation Care team, we hope you will join us for a Service Day in the Living Lab! Students, parents, teachers and alumni are invited to join the fun--all levels of experience welcome. We will provide hats, gloves, tools, and a snack. You just need to bring yourself, sturdy shoes, and a water bottle. We will gather on the CES Terrace to start the morning promptly at 9:00am! Other service dates include: December 7, February 8, February 22, March 28, April 25, May 16.

SAVE THE DATE
January 17-19 Winter Musical Cabaret
February 1 Crab and Pasta Feed
March 28 Dragon Hoops Book Release
May 10 Alumni Night at the Theater
May 16, 2020 Grand Reunion: Party on the Quad  
Bishop O'Dowd High School