JUNIPERO SERRA HIGH SCHOOL ALUMNI NEWSLETTER 
The Padre Whisper

September, 2018 - Vol 5, Issue 9
Bob Greene '85
Director of Alumni Relations
In This Issue
Homecoming and Reunion
St. Serra
Padre Football
Celebrating 75 Years
Remembering Blake Bottarini
Biology Internship
SCU Professor Visits
Alumni Board
Serra Social Media
Upcoming Events

September 21
Alumni Father-Son Mass
October 19 and 20
Homecoming and Reunion

November 10
Monte Carlo Night

November 21-23
Fall Alumni Games

Alumni Board Members
Mike Klobuchar '90 (President)
Tushar Zalpuri '11
Andre Monney '03
Kris McAlavey '03
Joel Caceres '87
Marty McCormick '57
Noel Sy
Perry Carter
John Langridge
Adam Stoye '08
Mike Hannon '90
Ray Baldonado '07
Brian Earley '85
Jonathan Allen '01
Bob Greene '85 (Alumni Director)
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Alumni News
2018 Homecoming and Reunion
Serra's 2018 Homecoming and Reunion Weekend will be held on October 19 and 20. The annual night football game will be played against St. Ignatius. A free alumni barbecue will precede the football game. 

The reunion on Saturday, October 20 will be for the classes of '48, '53, '58, '63, '68, '73, '78, '83, '88, '93, '98, '03 and '08. Please CLICK HERE to make reservations. If you would like to help Serra with the festivities, please email Bob Greene '85. We appreciate any and all assistance for this big weekend of events!
Saint Junípero Serra
Serra will dedicate a statue of Saint Junípero Serra at 5:30 p.m. on October 20, the day of our 2018 Reunion Gala. This statue was commissioned by Dennis Lucey '58, who will be in attendance at the dedication and blessing. The new statue will be placed in Alumni Courtyard, adjacent to the Center for the Arts and Sciences. 

"The statue symbolizes who Saint Serra was and how he made a positive difference by establishing the missions," Dennis said.
Padres on the Gridiron
      
Serra now boasts three alumni on NFL rosters: Tom Brady '95 (Patriots), David Bakhtiari '09 (Packers), and Matt Dickerson '14 (Titans) were all present on opening-day rosters. Dickerson played for UCLA in college and was signed by the Titans as an unrestricted free agent after the 2018 NFL Draft. The college ranks are also dotted with Padre alumni, with several graduates facing off against one another this fall. 

Notably, the Nunn brothers, Leki '16 and Patrick '18, met up in Pullman, Washington when San Jose State traveled to play Washington State. Leki is a slot receiver for the Spartans and Patrick plays safety for the Cougars. In addition, Nio Mafi '18 and Kwami Jones '16 met up at the Rose Bowl on Saturday night when UCLA and Fresno State faced off. Below is a list of Padre alumni currently playing NCAA football. Look for them on TV this fall!

Andres Atkins - Luther College
Vince Camp - University of Maine
Peter Comaroto - UMass 
Lucas Hackett-Provenzano - Pomona College
Kwami Jones - Fresno State
Kelepi Lataimua - Cal Poly 
Kava Maka - Colorado State  
'Atonio Mafi - UCLA
Jack Munsey - Missouri Western
Leki Nunn - SJSU 
Patrick Nunn - Washington State
Chris Park - Columbia University
Easop Winston - Washington State
Around the Halls
Serra Celebrates 75 Years
The 2018-2019 school year is a landmark year for Serra High School. Following decades of excellence and innovation, we arrive here in September, 2018 celebrating 75 outstanding years of education in San Mateo.
For many of us, Serra is part of our extended family. The Padre community is rich in diversity and passionate about supporting one another. We gain strength from each other. Our community is constantly growing; maintaining a steadfast part of the San Mateo community's fabric since our founding in 1944.

Here at Serra, we wish you and your families all the best in this nascent school year. We are privileged to embrace you and your family as part of our Serra community. We ask that you keep our community of students, parents, teachers, staff and alumni in your prayers as we celebrate all that Serra is now, and all that it is to become in the decades ahead.
In Loving Memory of Blake Bottarini '19
It is with profound sadness that we grieve the loss of Serra senior Blake Bottarini, who passed away a few weeks ago in a tragic car accident. Blake is remembered as a kind and caring young man. 

Counselors and Campus Ministry staff members have be available to support students and their families, and we held two student-led prayer services in memory of Blake. As a Catholic school community, we pray for the repose of Blake's soul and for the healing of his family, especially his mother, father and twin brother, Evan '19.
Serra Senior Participates in Stanford Biology Internship
This summer, Serra senior Raymond Zhang participated in a biology internship at Stanford University, where he studied the effects of mercury on the ecosystem at the soil level with a Ph.D. student, Sergio Redondo.

"The majority of the work took place at the Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve," Zhang said. "We collected invertebrate samples and brought them back to the lab for DNA extraction. In the lab, Sergio taught the interns research techniques and procedures."  When he heard about Zhang's interest in biology, Serra theology teacher Gary Meegan, Ed.D. reached out to Stanford postdoctoral scholar Katie Solari, the daughter of former Serra science teacher Rob Solari.

"Raymond is one of those students who has not only a thirst for knowledge, but is also not afraid to go out and search for it," Meegan said. "He has a passion for finding both why and how the world is the way it is."

Zhang maintains a 4.32 weighted grade point average. He also is a member of Serra's varsity cross country and track teams. Last Friday, he finished second in the first meet of the cross country season at Crystal Springs.

Next year, Zhang plans to major in molecular biology or biotechnology when he is in college.

"My experience at Stanford gave me a glimpse of what the life of a lab researcher is like," Zhang noted. "I gained a solid understanding of the general routine and procedures of a laboratory experiment. It's an interesting job and the findings, whether they are desired or not, make everything worth it."
Santa Clara Professor Visits Civil Engineering Class
Last week, Serra was honored to host Dr. Reynaud Serrette, a professor of civil engineering at Santa Clara University. Dr. Serrette delivered a presentation to Serra's new Civil Engineering and Architecture class. He discussed the merits of the engineering field and the idea that "everything you see has been touched by an engineer." Dr. Serrette encouraged students to embrace sustainability, which he defined as "leaving the world a little better than we found it."  He also introduced the Padres to engineering specialties beyond civil engineering, including environmental, structural, and geotechnical engineering.

"Engineers take science and make it work," said Dr. Serrette, who received his Ph.D. from Cornell University and is currently the chair of Santa Clara's Department of Civil, Environmental and Sustainable Engineering.

Dr. Serrette finished his presentation by espousing the benefits of STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics), which focuses on the of scientific specialties while maintaining a deep appreciation for beauty in the world. He implored students to always believe they can achieve and to not let anyone tell them, "You cannot." Serra will work with Dr. Serrette and Santa Clara University graduate students throughout the duration of the school year to provide Serra students with rare educational opportunities for high schoolers.
Alumni Board Reps
Area you interested in having input on alumni activities and events? Contact Alumni Director Bob Greene '85  for information about joining Serra's Alumni Board. We are currently looking for reps from classes of the '70s and '80s, but all are welcome. In addition to organizing events, we meet monthly at Windy City Pizza in San Mateo. We hope to hear from you!
Follow Serra on Social Media
Remember th at you can keep up with what's happening at Serra through social media. Serra's Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Link edIn accounts are updated regularly with school and alumni news.  





Once a Padre, Always a Padre!