Catch up on any past issues, articles, or photos you have missed by visiting our ‘BTL Newsletter library at hudsoncatholic.org/BTL |
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YOU ARE THE HAWK!
On June 21st, we roared across our $250,000 goal line for the annual appeal for
1964: the Fund for Hudson Catholic
Honors go to Peter D'Angelo
whose gift of $6,000 brought us there!
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Louis Ken-Kwoffie ’88,
Boys Varsity Soccer Coach,
Wall of Honor Inductee
Has Passed Away
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Hudson Catholic is once again in mourning over the sudden loss of one of its beloved grads and leaders, Mr. Louis Ken-Kwoffie. Louis was installed on the Wall of Honor in the Rocky Pope Gym in 2017 for a storied career under the tutelage of fellow Wall of Honor Inductee and Hudson Catholic Hall of Famer, Mr. John Cruitt.
After Hudson Catholic, Louis went on to run the pitch at Montclair State University. His talents led him all the way to the professional ranks, for the New Jersey Stallions in 1996, and in that year, to the pinnacle of U.S. professional soccer, for one game with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars of the MLS, Major League Soccer. He played for the Stallions through the 1999 season, and also played in the Netherlands with Sparta Rotterdam.
More than 30 years after leading the Hawks to multiple soccer championships, Louis returned to the Hawks Nest to serve as the Boys’ Varsity Soccer Head Coach for the past three seasons. Prior to that, Louis coached Ramapo College, and he also coached youth soccer at the North Caldwell Soccer Club.
Upon learning of Louis’ passing, Coach Cruitt delved into his memory banks and his heart. “Every year that Louis was on our varsity team we won the conference championship,” he said. “He was probably the most likable and indefatigable player on the team. He was always full of spirit. He loved to win, and he poured his heart out on the field every single game. He was also a rallying point for the other players because his spirit was so genuine. His enthusiasm was so high that people tended to rally around him.”
President-Principal Terry Matthews stated: “Louis will also be remembered for visiting his family in Ghana during the offseason and his steadfast efforts to be proactive for his home country. He was very committed to the people of Ghana. He would do a number of charity drives while he was here, helping people back in his country. He led by a good example; he was much more than soccer.”
Athletic Director Nick Mariniello added “Louis spent time in Ghana coaching soccer before returning to New Jersey to coach at Hudson Catholic. He was a gentleman ... a very, very good tactician in the game of soccer; very, very passionate about his craft. His passing is extremely unfortunate.”
Louis, as with all departed members of the Hudson Catholic family, will be remembered in our Alumni Mass of Remembrance on Sunday, November 6th at the LaSalle Chapel on the Hudson Catholic campus. May he Rest in Peace.
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Summer has finally arrived! I wish I could tell you that summer is the best time of year for Hudson Catholic, but I’d be lying. Believe it or not, a school is a pretty lonely place without the students. The life young people bring to a building is absolutely amazing. In my speech at Graduation, I stated that teachers live a life of privilege because we are allowed to be there during the four most important years of a person’s life. I believe those words with all my heart. There is no time in a person’s life where he/she will undergo more physical, spiritual, social and intellectual changes in such a compressed 4-year period. It is a gift to be able to be there during this transformative time. At the beginning of every year, I tell our teachers that the students have not changed. Rather, the adults have. The students are 13-18 years old forever in high school. We get older. But the beauty of working with young people is that they don’t allow you to get old too quickly. They keep us young and they teach us something every day. I wish that each of you had the opportunity to be as blessed as I am at Hudson Catholic. |
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A View From Our Counseling Office
On June 16th, Ms. Ariana Arthurs, a Counselor in our Guidance Department, accompanied rising seniors, Cory McCall and Angelina Rivera, on a trip to Villanova University, where they will attend a year from now, courtesy of full academic scholarships awarded by the O’Toole Family Presidential Scholarship Committee.
During their information session, they were introduced to Mr. Michael Gaynor, a member of the O'Toole Family Presidential Scholarship Committee, who was completely blown away by our students. Mr. Gaynor came away confidant that Cory will end up being his doctor in years to come! He also reiterated how important effective recommendations are to our students' applications and the role they have in advancing them to the interview stage.
Cory and Angelina are both evidence that our teachers’ and counselors’ work on their students’ behalf truly has an impact on their futures.
So, Faculty, Counselors, Staff, and Administrators, a great big thank you for all that you do for our students!
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Hawks at the Shore
Saturday, August 27th, 3-6pm
The Friendly Sons of The Shillelagh
16th Avenue, Belmar
Open to all alumni and their guests
$85 per person -- hot / cold buffet, open bar
Payment in advance only hudsoncatholic.org/hats
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Event Sponsor:
Investors Bank
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Register to play, or sponsor, at hudsoncatholic.org/bggolf |
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Difference Maker:
The Student/Partner Alliance
Annual Report is Revealing
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Our largest benefactor in 2021-2022, the Student/Partner Alliance (S/PA), released its annul report recently, replete with photos and features of Hudson Catholic students and mentors.
The S/PA is a New Jersey non-profit organization, which provides economically disadvantaged, but motivated youth from NJ’s urban cities with private high school tuition assistance and mentoring support to help them to earn their high school diplomas and pursue college opportunities.
It has often been said that the best investment in education that non-profit organizations, family foundations, and individual donors can make is at the high school level, where donations can make a greater difference in the quality of delivery and the educational formation of the student, more so than at the college level. For instance, think of the impact that can be made in the life of one student by enabling them to attend and receive a transformational educational experience at a Catholic high school in the urban environment, compared to making that same donation to a university with a huge endowment. Hudson Catholic, or Yale? No contest, as far as a difference maker. Without a Hudson Catholic foundation, entrance to a Yale is not possible.
At Hudson Catholic, many of our students are from lower-income families -- 80% of our student body enters in need of financial assistance. Many are trying to become the first member of their family to go on to college. Resources directed to Hudson Catholic can be the difference maker in those hopes and dreams. Our alumni ranks are filled with stories of being the first in their families to attend college and earn a college degree.
As inspiring as the students at our school may be, they cannot overcome every obstacle put in their path. This is where an organization such as the S/PA comes in, with 100% of Partner contributions going toward student scholarship support. They have awarded over 2,300 scholarships since 1993. THAT is a lot of life changing!
Hudson Catholic is one of five schools supported by the S/PA. Among this school population, 90% of S/PA students come from homes with family incomes of less than $45,000, and 70% of S/PA students come from single parent households.
Editor's Note: The writer of this article once fit the exact profile of the S/PA target group - raised in a single parent household, income below the poverty line, and the first in family to attend college full time. There was no S/PA back in the day -- there was a parish (St. Paul of the Cross) that came to the financial rescue. This is my story. And why I am forever grateful to Hudson Catholic, the Christian Brothers, and many people who I did not know who cared enough to support and build Hudson Catholic back in the day.
LETS’S KEEP IT GOING!
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Fame-ous Hawks
Enshrined in Halls of Fame
(no, not OUR Hall of Fame!)
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The Hall of Fame that honors the most Hawk alumni, with the exception of the Hudson Catholic Hall of Fame itself (18 inductees), is the Hudson County Sports Hall of Fame - with six Hawks -- Wayne Witkowski ’71, Al Long, 73, Jim Spanarkel ’75, Mike O’Koren ’76, John Nagel ’77, and Tom Downes ’78 -- and four Coaches -- George Blaney, Joe ‘ Rocky’ Pope, Bill Gargiulo, and Mike Zadroga.
The Hudson County Track Coaches Association (HCTCA) Hall of Fame enshrines five Hawks: Al Long (1997), John Nagel (1999), Paul Lenczuk (2002), Tom Downes (2012), and Matt Hogan (2013).
The New Jersey State Coaches Association includes John Nagel (1997), John Cruitt (2001), and Paul Lenczuk (2002).
Jim Spanarkel is also honored in the Duke University Hall of Fame (1990). Wayne Witkowski's first election was to the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, as a writer, of course (1995). John Nagel is a member of the St. Peter's University Athletic Hall of Fame for special achievement (2005). Detective Marc Dinardo ’89 in enshrined in the New Jersey Hall of Fame (2010). And Darlington Okerulu ’02 was recently installed in the St. Anselm College Hall of Fame (2022).
That is 15 individual inductions in 9 Halls of Fame. The Hawk most honored with enshrinements in Halls of Fame appears to be John Nagel, with four.
If you or someone you know have been honored with enshrinement in a Hall of Fame, please drop us a line at advancement@hudsoncatholic.org to let us know about it.
We’d like to keep track of all our Fame-ous Hawks.
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On Saturday, June 17th, the St. Joe's Courts on Pavonia Avenue officially became known as the 'Mike O'Koren Courts', with the designation being made to honor #31, Mike O'Koren '76, who grew up playing ball there against Jersey City's fiercest competition. In usual fashion, a bevy of his Hawk brothers were on hand to make the special day special.
On hand were Mark DeCorso '74, Jamie Waddleton '89, John Ryan '77, Larry Costanza '76, Mike O'Koren, Pete Parzych '75, Robert Leonard '78, Anthony Orrico '76, Ed Chiemielewski '76, President-Principal Terry Matthews, Steve Cuccinelli '75, Joe Castagna '74, and Bob Quirk '73.
Congratulations, Mike, you make us proud!
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Hawks, a Pony, and a Whale(n)
Brian Altano '74, in his "Raconteur of New Jersey" stand-up comedy show mentions John Maresca ‘73 and Don Hanbury ‘73 as members of the Hawks, the team that won the "prestigious" Jersey City Pony League summer baseball league title and "Mayor Whelan Award" in 1971 just as Whelan, on his last day in office, was receiving a police escort to Rahway State Prison. There are six Hawks in total in the accompanying team photo, including Mark Bevacqua '74, Peter Morales '74, and Rich Kocienski '74.
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A Grateful Hawk
Reflects on Who ‘made’ His Hudson Catholic Experience
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Recently, along with a generous gift to the annual fund, Saleem Kahn ‘98 offered these memories about his Hudson Catholic experience.
“My gift is the least I could do. I plan to continue giving yearly going forward as my budget permits. I can't say enough about how Hudson Catholic has helped me thrive in my college years and adult life.
Anecdotally, there were two teachers and one coach that greatly impacted the trajectory of my life. Mr. Jim O'Donnell was my English teacher for three years and taught me how to think critically and have a devotion to speaking with a clear and confident voice. Learning these skills early on has had a tremendous impact on my career.
The late Mr. Thomas Gentile was my history teacher for three years. He truly taught me how to take an analytical approach and look at every perspective when analyzing a situation, whether it be history or otherwise.
Coach Paul Lenczuk was my track coach for four years. I didn't realize it until later, but he taught me how to be disciplined, focused and to maintain a relentless drive. I still use those skills to this day and I still happen to be a runner!
Feel free to share this with Mr. O'Donnell and Coach Lenczuk, if you like." Saleem, we just did!
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Face the Nation. Robert Benincasa ’79 is a reporter and producer at National Public Radio (Gannett), having spent his career as a journalist since 1989. He is part of an Investigations Team that conducts data driven investigations. His stories and projects involve the analysis of data, typically using SQL Server and Python applications.
A great example of how this comes together, among a team of two reporters, two editors, a professional fact checker, and a copy editor collaborating over a period of year to a year and a half before the end product gets on to the NPR radio airwaves, is what developed into one of Robert’s most gratifying professional experiences -- an investigation into, and story about, air testing performed in the coal mines of Appalachia, that identified abnormally high levels of silica dust which gets trapped in the lungs and causes a severe form of black lung disease, leading to the US Department of Labor responding to the problem.
As reported in BTL v44, Robert first attended Hudson Catholic as a five year old. That’s right, 5! Not quite a child prodigy, in 1966, he was a kindergartner at PS 11 on Bergen Avenue at Academy Street, when the school building burned and their classes were relocated throughout the city, with kindergarten landing at Hudson Catholic. At the time, Robert’s 15-year old brother, Frank, was enrolled at Hudson, in the Class of ’69, so two brothers, ten years apart, attended Hudson Catholic together! Robert left Hudson Catholic as a 6 year old, only to return as a freshman in the fall of 1975 as a member of the Class of ’79.
Upon graduation, Robert went on to the University of Villanova for a B.A. in Psychology, then to the University of Maryland for an M.A. in Journalism. He said he was well prepared at Hudson Catholic, for meeting the challenges of these universities and of his chosen profession. His memories include how his favorite teacher, Mr. John Ferro, delivered a course called the Ascent of Man in which he covered the history of science and how scientific knowledge is acquired. From that, Robert developed an intellectually curious mindset, which formed the basis for how he would make his living in investigative journalism. A second favorite was Mrs. Rosemary Carroll who taught a photography class, where he learned darkroom skills, which garnered him a summer job at United Photo, then led to him teaching photography while a graduate student at the University of Maryland.
As a consequence, Robert believes in the LaSallian educational mission of Hudson Catholic and is happy to know that we remain true to those ideals 43 years later. He is just one more example of how many of the things he learned at Hudson Catholic stayed with him throughout his life.
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The Medium and the Messenger. Andrew Anglin '04 is Assistant Professor of Mass Media at Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas where he teaches undergraduate courses in new media, advertising, brand strategy & consumer insights, and social media in which students produce work for real-world clients. Andrew is well-credentialed with a B.A. degree in Business Administration from Furman University, MBA and M.A. in Journalism from the University of Mississippi, and Ph.D, Communication & Information, from the University of Tennessee. Prior to joining Washburn U., Andrew was a Graduate Instructor in the School of Journalism & New Media at the University of Mississippi, a Marketing & Sales Strategy Professional Intern at Walt Disney World, and a Graduate Instructor in the School of Advertising & Public Relations at the University of Tennessee. Andrew and his dad, Len ’68 form one of the first Legacy Hawk father-son duos in the annals of Hudson Catholic.
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Supply Guy. Former Alumni Leadership Program award recipient Mark Sa ’98 is a Sr. Specialist - Supply Chain Intelligence at Dun & Bradstreet, located in Matawan, NJ. Mark plies his trade in enterprise software and data for the supply chain industry, and who in the world is not familiar with the challenges presented in the supply chain domain in today’s world? Mark’s role has taken him to many cool places around the world, like Europe and Brazil.
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Know Your Hudson Catholic History
According to Wikipedia…….
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(without annotations)
It’s all right there in Wikipedia. While appearing somewhat dated, this is the ‘book on Hudson Catholic’ that exists in the public domain. So if you are not pleased with it, you can do something about it by submitting information that is subject to verification by other people in the Wiki-sphere.
The school was established in 1964 by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark, and currently serves young men and young women in ninth through twelfth grades. The high school was conducted by the De La Salle Christian Brothers of the Baltimore District, later the District of Eastern North America, from its inception until 2008; the remaining Brothers were withdrawn in the summer of 2012, leaving the school entirely in the hands of the Archdiocesan education office.
As of the 2017–18 school year, the school had an enrollment of 492 students and 24.8 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 19:1. The school's student body was 37% Hispanic, 24% Black, 16% Asian, 12% White and 9% two or more races.
History
In 1958, Archbishop Thomas Boland announced a campaign to build additional high schools throughout the four counties of the Archdiocese of Newark. To help achieve this goal, he requested the De La Salle Christian Brothers to administer Hudson Catholic Regional High School for boys, one of seven such high schools owned and operated by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. Catholic teaching and values are integrated into each educational activity, program, curricular and extra-curricular program at Hudson Catholic.
The Bergen Avenue location of the school was formerly the site of the Jersey City Armory. In the eighteenth century the site was the home of Jane Tuers, a member of the Van Rypen family and an American Revolutionary War heroine. Today the adjacent area is known as McGinley Square.
While the school was under construction in 1964, St. Patrick's Parish hosted Hudson Catholic's first class of 143 students. In the following year, students moved into the partially completed school building. On April 20, 1968, Bishop Martin Stanton officiated at the laying of the cornerstone and the blessing of the school facilities. In June of that year, Archbishop Boland presided at the school's first commencement ceremonies and presented diplomas to 109 graduates.
2008 proposed closing
On April 11, 2008, the Newark Arhdiocese announced that the school was to close on June 30, 2008, due to declining enrollment and a rising deficit. A campaign was started to save Hudson Catholic Regional High School led by alumni and the surrounding community. On May 7, 2008, it was announced at a meeting that $500,000 was raised and the school would stay open.
Post-2008
There were about 320 students in the fall of 2008. The school became coeducational in 2009.
The Brothers of the Christian Schools
From the time of its founding in 1964, Hudson Catholic was staffed by De La Salle Christian Brothers, a religious congregation of men in the Catholic Church who are devoted exclusively to the education of young people. The Brothers of the Christian Schools, as St. John Baptist de la Salle's followers came to be known, lived in a prayerful community in a residence on campus.
The "FSC" designation after the name of Brothers is an abbreviation for the Latin phrase for Brothers of the Christian Schools. They take vows of poverty, chastity and obedience. They are not priests, because St. La Salle wanted them to consider teaching as their only vocation in life and as an indication of their commitment to young people. The Brothers ended their service to Hudson Catholic in July 2012.
Academics
Students who attend Hudson Catholic are required to take four years of both Religion and English, in addition to three years of Science, History and Mathematics. Only two years are required for a Modern Language and Physical Education. However students do take more than the required years of the school's set academic requirements. The average class size is 26 students.
Faculty
75% of the Hudson Catholic faculty have master's degrees, while one member possesses a Doctorate and two others a PhD. The 43 teaching faculty members share 49 Master's degrees and three members of the faculty are also adjunct professors at area colleges.
Extra-curricular activities
At Hudson Catholic, students are strongly encouraged to become involved in one or more of the extra-curricular activities and/or sports sponsored by the school, which include: Amnesty International, Biology Club, The Commentator, Drama Club, Filipino-American Club, French Club, Hawk Yearbook, Lasallian Youth Group, Music Club (School Choir), National Honor Society, Peer Ministry, Spanish Club, Student Government, Technology Club, History Club, Anime/Manga Club, Madden Club, Ebony Club, Chemistry Club, Math Club, Model United Nations, Mock Trial, and a Forensics club.
Athletics
The Hudson Catholic Hawks compete in the Hudson County Interscholastic League, which comprises public and private high schools and operates under the supervision of the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association. With 364 students in grades 10-12, the school was classified by the NJSIAA for the 2019–20 school year as Non-Public B for most athletic competition purposes, which included schools with an enrollment of 37 to 366 students in that grade range (equivalent to Group I for public schools). The football team competes in the United Blue division of the North Jersey Super Football Conference, which includes 112 schools competing in 20 divisions, making it the nation's biggest football-only high school sports league. The school was classified by the NJSIAA as Non-Public Group II for football for 2018–2020.
In addition to intramural sports, interscholastic teams sponsored by Hudson Catholic include:
· Fall Sports: cross country, football, soccer (boys and girls), volleyball (girls)
· Winter Sports: basketball (boys and girls), swimming (boys and girls), bowling, indoor track and field
· Spring Sports: baseball, softball, rugby, tennis, volleyball (boys), outdoor track and field
Guidance Counseling
The Br. David S. Baginski, FSC Guidance Center is an integral part of the Hudson Catholic campus……..one of the busiest rooms on the campus. Contained within are two Counseling Offices, the College Placement Office and The Learning Center for Compensatory Education and Supplemental Instruction. Three counselors are assigned to the freshman, sophomore and junior classes. The counselors coordinate school programs and events such as the SATs, college fairs, career days, financial aid seminars, and study skills workshops.
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Taken from a Yearbook photo, this is Mrs. Catherine Stelmach, arguably the most important teacher in the history of Hudson Catholic as an all-boys school. Without her, this newsletter could not have been composed today and, for that matter,, many careers would have been shut down before they started. She taught every boy in Hudson Catholic how to type, therefore how to 'keyboard'. 'Qwerty' is 'Qwerty' just the same. Mrs. Stelmach also provided another invaluable service to our school. She was the Moderator/Coach of the Cheerleading Squad, borrowed en masse from St. Dominic Academy for decades, which is how many of us got our Prom dates!
This photo looks like it may be circa Fall of 1969, as the boys in the photo appear to be John Bell and Joe Tanksley of the Class of '73. Typing was one of the very first classes you encountered as Freshmen entering the halls of Hudson. Today's students undoubtedly will get a chuckle from knowing this.
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22-362-0836
For anyone who may need the school's Federal Tax ID# in connection with a gift you are making or contemplating.
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“I am always doing what I cannot do yet, to learn how to do it.”
-- Vincent Van Gogh
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The Office of Advancement ~ Gary, Jill & Jenine
201-332-5970 x118
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We are grateful for our Sponsors |
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Chris Johnston, HC Director - Technologies & Football Coach |
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