If you read nothing else in this publication,

read this!

We Hate to Ask, But We Must

A personal note from

Chief Advancement Officer, Gary Ferrari

This biweekly digital magazine serves many purposes. We utilize it to communicate with you about happenings at today’s Hudson Catholic, events that may be of interest to you, updates on alumni, and so on. All at once, we promote Hudson Catholic, steward our supporters, cultivating new donors, and, yes, ask for gifts to buttress our school and benefit, directly or indirectly, the 530 reasons we do this - our young Hawks. 

Some people tell us we ask for money too often. And they would be right. We do.

Not because we want to.

Hudson Catholic is not the some heavily endowed prep school or university situated on rolling hills in an affluent suburb. It is not endowed at all. Which means we always have, and still, go from year to year, hand to mouth. This defines us as a ‘poor’ school, comparative to how other schools are financed and secured.

This is not unexpected or uncommon of a school that operates in an urban environment. We embrace it. We don’t whine about it. And we push ahead, to great things for our students and graduates in the face of such challenges. We are gritty. We are Jersey City people. We are Hawks. This is what we do. In this case. And all through life.

We are unquestionably the classic Lasallian mission, educating students who are the children of lesser means and generating outsized outcomes against expectations.

As CAO, I work for the 530 students entrusted to our care. 80% of them need financial assistance to attend HC. Without it, their attendance would be threatened. And a tough world just gets tougher. And because we propel them, as we were propelled by our education into heights and achievements that young kids can never even conceive of, we ask for money. Without apology. Although we certainly attempt to do it in a way in which you do not feel strong-armed or shamed.

Each and every one of us reading this is capable of providing a gift of education to our young Hawks, whether it be $10 or $10,000. It then becomes a matter of what is in your heart -- for the school that gave us so much in setting us on course in our lives, and for some of us, like me, gave us EVERYTHING.

This is why we love our faculty. And why we still and always will love our Christian Brothers. Surely there is one among them who you might wish to honor or remember, in whose name you might care to make that gift.

We once raised $500,000 in three weeks, and $1.5 million overall, to secure our school’s future. Fifteen graduating classes later to show for it, we have added 1,700+ to the rolls of Hawk Alumni, including 580 Alumnae, many athletic championships, stage productions, and student field trips, kept the chatter alive in the cafeteria (if those walls could talk!), and enabled the acquisition of thousands of college credits, millions of dollars in college scholarships, and an untold number of careers.

In comparison, what we ask for to help sustain our annual operations is small. But it is vitally needed, So……..we ask you again.

And the next time the thought should cross your mind that “all we do is ask for money,” perhaps a more appropriate thought might be “What can I do to help these kids.”

We are Lasallian men and women -- OF SERVICE TO OTHERS. I stand proudly behind that, and so should you.

BE THE HAWK!

Class Giving Tallies for 2022-2023

C'mon '90, '95, '97, get in the game!

Hey '93 & '99, what's up with that?

To the Oughts: You can do better than that!

'14 to '17, this is the time to make a habit of supporting Hudson Catholic annually, even in small amounts.

'18 through '22, you get a hall pass, for now.

This is HUDSON CATHOLIC we are talking about!

The Home of The Hawks!

Each and every alum is needed to help pull the weight of the vessel that delivers decent, god-fearing, and productive members of society!

Brother William Winter, FSC

1934-2023

Rest in Peace

Brother William Winter, FSC, a member of the Hudson Catholic community and faculty in its first decade, passed away on May 15th.

Brother William served on the faculty for seven years, from 1972 to 1979, teaching reading skills, heading up the Studying Improvement Program, and moderating the High School Set Column. Seventy one years a Christian Brother, his service included La Salle College, two Central Catholics -- Canton, OH and Pittsburgh, PA, and St. John's College High School in D.C., among other assignments. Brother William retired to La Salle Hall in Beltsville, MD in 1998, and moved to De La Salle Hall in Lincroft in 2022. He passed at Red Bank Medical Center.

A Funeral Mass for Brother William was held on Sunday, May 21st at De La Salle Hall in Lincroft, and the Rite of Committal and Final Commendation at La Salle Hall in Beltsville on Friday, May 26th. His final resting place is at De La Salle Cemetery in Beltsville, MD.

Brother William Winter back in the day. (Nice overhead projector!)

Pictured: Brother William, David Carbone '74; Frank Czochanski '74; Jim Mulvaney '76; William Toolan '77; Dave Verdonck '76.

Our Hawks Are EN FUEGO!!!

With Accomplishments

SPU Associates Degrees for 17 Hawks

Before receiving their diplomas from Hudson Catholic, 17 Hawks in the 3rd Cohort of our Dual Enrollment Program, received their Associate degrees at the May 19^th Commencement Ceremony for Saint Peter's University!

Our degreed Hawks and their chosen colleges are Donna Alvarez, Scranton; Deen Bhatti, Rutgers; Naijah Classen, Stony Brook; Teffani Cleophat, Montclair State, Quincy De Leon, Central Florida; Jazmine Iberios, Loyola Marymount; Angel Lozada, The New School; Aidan Marmorato, NYU; Corey McCall, Villanova; Jack Naatus, Seton Hall; Mariano Padilla, Pace; Alyssa Rivera, Rutgers; Jazmine Turijan, Holy Cross; Alyssa Valle, FDU; Myra Vilomar, Rutgers, Justice Watson, Clark; and Ryan Wilde, South Carolina.

Hawk Claims Shanahan Medal at SPU Commencement

One of our 17 Dual Enrollment Hawks is Senior Aidan Marmorato, also our Student Council President who completed his Lead role in the Hawk Theatre Group’s production of Chicago just in time to receive his Associate Degree, received the Shanahan Medal from Dr. Frederick Bonato, SPU Provost (and member of the Hudson Catholic Board of Consultors), emblematic of the highest GPA in the entire AA Program, graduating Summa Cum Laude! Topping matters off, Aidan has obtained a full scholarship to the NYU Stern School of Business!

First Dual Enrollment Program Cohorts

Graduate College This Year

The great flip side advantage that earning an Associate Degree while at Hudson Catholic has for our star students is that, two years out of high school, they are now receiving their undergraduate degree!

Cases in point: Members of our very first SPU Dual Enrollment Program cohort also received their undergraduate degrees at this SPU Commencement. Congratulations to Skye Sanders, BS Nursing; Akshaye Tamasar, BS Biochemistry; Alexa Villaver, BA Criminal Justice; Cheyenne Murray, BA Business; and Manhil Imran, BA English. And that is just five of the cohorts who elected to continue their secondary eduction at SPU. Other Hawks from among the 17 of the first D.E. Cohort are graduating from Barry U., Kean U., Montclair St., NJIT, Seton Hall, Stony Brook, Villanova and the University of the Sciences! Congrats to our high-flying, high-achieving Hawks!

More awards at SPU Commencement: Akshye graduated Summa Cum Laude and was chosen for the Most Noble Order of the Peacock for his exemplary scholarship. Alexa received the Criminal Justice Award for her leadership and academic excellence. And Cheyenne received the Eileen and Hugo Poiani Commencement Award given for academic excellence in the College of the Arts and Sciences, and will continue her studies next year at SPU toward a Masters degree.

Hawk Claims Summer Program Scholarship to

Savannah College of Art & Design

Good news comes from Ms. Ana Sullivan of the Art Dept., who reports that Kyra Ray '24, also a Dual Enrollment Program student, has been accepted into the prestigious Savanah College of Art and Design’s (SCAD) summer program and was awarded a scholarship to attend, the first such Hawk to achieve this distinction. SCAD is among the top schools for Art and Design in the nation. The seed for this outcome originated when Ms. Sullivan and Mr. John Cahill of Guidance hosted a visit by a SCAD representative a few months ago. The SCAD rep mentioned that they LOVE dual enrollment students for their ability to transition easily to college life and the study habits they develop to stand the pace of an academic college load.

Pathway to Stevens Tech

There is an old adage in which a young musician asks a New York City cabbie "How do you get to Carnegie Hall, and the cabbie's wry response is "Practice, kid, practice." Around Hudson Catholic, the question may be "How do you get to Stevens Tech?" And the answer would be: "STEM, kid, STEM," meaning Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

Well, on Friday, May 19, by special invitation, Ms. Maria Maderal, Science Teacher and H.C. STEM Club Moderator, and Mr. John Cahill, HC Guidance Counselor, accompanied 11 STEM Club students to the Stevens ACES Partnership Day to learn more about their program, the university, the merits of a STEM-related college major, and, of course, the application process. Our STEM program has been on the rise, and our STEM Club now numbers 43 Hawks.

Super 'Novas!

A nova is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently, "new" star. Hudson Catholic will continue to add 'new stars' to the constellation at Villanova University, or 'Nova.

Juniors Yaritza Huesca and Leilani Torres become the first members of the Class of '24 to 'commit' to their college of choice. They've secured full academic scholarships to Villanova, awarded by the Archdiocese of Newark, annually, among students from all high schools in the diocese. For the second year running, Hudson Catholic students have snared both scholarships, following in the footsteps of Angelina Rivera and Corey McCall who are looking forward to their Villanova experience come September! Jonathan Marte '21 also received this award, and becomes an upperclassman on campus when Angelina and Corey arrive. We expect Jonathan to organize an HC Alumni chapter on campus, to help us keep track of our Wildcat Hawks!

Another Hawk Ensnared by Hamlet

“I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly,

I know a hawk from a handsaw.”

-- William Shakespeare, Hamlet

Rising Junior Jadon Philips has been awarded a scholarship to attend the 2023 Summer Theatre Institute at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival!

Hawk Quiz Bowl in Action

Photography Club Outing has Hawk Shutterbugs on the High Line

(Former) Faculty Focus,

Achievement Personified

Ms. Christina Vyzas, former HC Faculty for the Medical Arts program (and daughter of luminary alum, Vince Vyzas '81), graduated Wesleyan University with undergraduate degrees in Studio Arts with honors, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, along with Masters in Molecular Biology and Biochemistry! Christina is now attending Rutgers Medical School has also been accepted to the the school's MD-PhD Program, which is an interdisciplinary program that includes both laboratory research and clinical training components. Physician scientists improve patient care by seeking new knowledge of disease and treatment. All told, she has completed two years of medical school and now has five years left to her studies -- three years of intense research underway in the PhD program, and two more years of medical school following that. And more great news -- Christina will receive a full scholarship for the next five years and a stipend as well! Hearty congratulations to our teacher!

The Future Is Closer Than You Think

Be a Part of it for Hudson Catholic Now

Hudson Catholic, and Advancement in particular, are in the preliminary stages of a planning effort to determine how best to proceed with raising capital and investments for renewing our classrooms and campus infrastructure, increasing our endowment, and investing in our high-caliber programs.

You received an email from Qualtrics on May 24th, containing a brief but very important survey for which we ask you to participate, frankly and thoughtfully. This survey will close on May 31 at 9:00 a.m. Please share your thoughts and impressions in the brief 16 question-survey. Your feedback will be a vital ingredient for determining the best path forward into Hudson Catholic’s strong and bright future.

Event Schedule

June 3rd

We Celebrate Our 56th Graduating Class!

June 10th

June 19th

Save The Date -- July 22nd

The Usual Place

Shine Scholars, with a Legacy!

The Tommy Shine Foundation scholarship recipients for next year are rising juniors Arianna Figueroa, a softball player and cheerleader, and Jude Wilson, who is among the top fencers in the state. Jude is a Legacy Hawk, his father being Sean Wilson '83, pictured with classmate Bob England, a board member for the Tommy Shine Foundation.

Alumnae 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

Head Hawk. Former Hawk Softball standout Jillian Ward '18 has taken the reigns of the Hawk Varsity Softball Team for the current season, thereby becoming what is believed to be the youngest high school varsity softball head coach in the State of New Jersey. Welcome home, Jillian! Go Hawks!

A Diamond. Tatiana Lopez '20 has started a new position as Guest Experience rep with the Miami Marlins of Major League Baseball.





Marketeer. Katherine Boyle '18 is also starting a new position, as Influencer and Brand Partnerships Manager at Obvi, a health and beauty company.

Focus on '90

Memories

From Ray Bugarin: Class President was Jason Dembowski; Valedictorian, Michael Lubanski; Brother Henry Laffey Award ("the Hawk Award, right?"), Eduardo Pena. Prominent Athletes: 1,000 point scorer Egon Lewis (All County, alongside Danny Hurley, now of UConn National Championship fame); Honorable Mentions Ron Tredo and Mike Broderick, and Jose Colon, who received the Scholar Athlete Award (baseball and basketball) and went on to play baseball at Duke. Best Athletic Team might have been the County Champs Bowling Team anchored by Class of '90 stud bowlers Jaydee Luistro and Dante Tiongco!

Taken from The Hawk (1990 Yearbook) without context, we do not know the origin or inspiration for this photo, which features John Carroll and everybody's favorite Rock chronicler, The O'D himself, then and former faculty member Jim O'Donnell '69. Explanations to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org, please.

We are looking to 'Stay Connected' with Domingo Armenthal, Jose Colon,

Doug Maloney, Peter Manahan, Alex Rodriguez, Mario Sciancalepore. Send them to hudsoncatholic.org/stay-connected or send their email addresses to advancement@hudsoncatholic.org

On Track, and On The Record

A recent stroll through the Hudson County Track Record book revealed six individual and team records held by one male, one female, and one team among our Hawks. While many other records were once held by Hawks, because "records are meant to be broken," some have fallen while others remain in today's record books.

Hudson Catholic Wall of Honor athlete and Hudson County Sports Hall of Famer Al Long '73 holds the distinction as the Hawk who holds a County track record for the longest length of time. Al set a record time of 2:16.5 in the Indoor 1,000 Yards event in 1973, and, while it seems unimaginable, that record stands 50 year later!

In 2015, Freshman Crystal Ortiz set the County track world ablaze, nabbing four records that still stand -- the Girls Indoor One Mile at 5:06:10, and the Girls Outdoor records for 1600 Meters at 4:55.18, One Mile at 4:57.34, 3200 Meters at 10:55.40, and the 2000 Meter Steeple Chase at 7:04:41.

In team competition, the 2015 Hudson Catholic Boys' Outdoor 800 Meter Sprint Medley team of Raevon Floyd-Bennett '15, Sef Penson '16, Courtney Johnson '17, and Evander Pierre '15 ran a record time of 1:32.48 at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals.

2014 Hudson County Interscholastic League Runner of the Year Crystal Ortiz, at The Armory

Nice shirt!

That's your Chief Advancement Officer sporting a classic shirt rarely sighted on the Oregon Coast. But there it is, on the sands of Cannon Beach -- for you movie buffs, seen in the movie, Goonies.

So, fellow alums, get your favorite HC or Hawk gear and send us photos of you sporting them in your favorite places or a far off locale!

Readers Respond

After reading the article on Plantadas, Bob Sudman ’75 penned a note to Peter Morales '74. "I just read the story on your family and I can't tell you the respect and admiration I have for the courage and strength your mom, dad, aunt, you and your entire family have. Really moving and inspirational, and explains the good person you are. And your mom's words are so true, we should never take liberty for granted which, unfortunately, too many people in this country do. Really touching story."

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

Followers and Leaders

Requiescant in Pace

Vita Mutatur Non Tollitur

(Life is changed, not ended)



Thomas Hahner '68 (3/21/20)

Michael Scardigno '74 (9/9/19)

Stephen Stica '74 (1/1/16)

We are grateful for our Mikes!

Michael Skea '74

Your Trusted Real Estate Advisor at the Jersey Shore