REACH REGIS HIGH SCHOOL
WINTER 2013 | 2 DIRECTOR’S COLUMN | 3 REACH CLASS OF 2012 | 4 REACH PARENTS HELPING TO RECRUIT NEW STUDENTS 4 EVENTS CALENDAR | 5 MEET YOUR MENTOR DAY | 5 WELCOME REACH CLASS OF 2015 | 6 A COLLEGIAN’S REFLECTION ON CAMP REACH 7 2012 SUMMER AWARDS | 7 2012 SUMMER STAFF | 8 THE REACH CLASS OF 2008 ENTERS COLLEGE
From the Director
Breaking New Ground We are pleased to announce that REACH’s biannual newsletter is back and newly improved, after taking a year off to make way for the production of our 10th Anniversary Report. If you didn’t receive the anniversary report in January 2012, you can still find it on the REACH website at www.regis.org/reach. During the last year, REACH continued to expand its reach. The Class of 2008 graduated from high school in the spring and entered college in the fall. Members of this class are the first REACH alumni to touch down at Bowdoin College, Brown University, Bucknell University, Carnegie-Mellon University, Columbia University, Le Moyne College, New York University and Siena College. The Class of 2012 finished out their REACH commitment in the summer and entered high school in September, setting new program records: 43% earned a Regis scholarship, 96% enrolled in a Jesuit high school and altogether they won 4-year financial awards totaling $1.8 million. Finally, we welcomed 35 new members into the Class of 2015. A number of these students are the first to be admitted from their respective grammar schools: Bronx Charter School for Children, Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Academy, Our Lady of Angels (Bronx), P.S. 14: Fairview School, P.S. 172: Beacon School of Excellence, P.S. 175: Henry H. Garnet School, St. Anselm (Bronx), St. Joan of Arc (Queens) and The Equity Project Charter School. More detailed information on each of these classes is shared throughout this report. Since our last publication, not only have the faces of our students changed, so have the faces our administrative team. With much regret we said good-bye to two parttime members of our team, Mr. John Russo and Mr. Kevin Lardner, both graduates of the Regis Class ‘97. Mr. Russo had worked in REACH since the summer of 2005, serving as an English/Language Arts teacher and advisor for our 1st year students. Since 2007 Mr. Lardner had served as the English/Language Arts teacher and advisor for our 2nd year students, as well as the coordinator of our mentoring project. In addition to these primary responsibilities, they both contributed to the day-to-day operations of REACH in other significant ways. Though we were sad to see them leave, we are delighted that they have become first-time fathers and excited to see them pursuing new paths in education. We remain grateful for their service to REACH and are often reminded of their many contributions. Going into the summer, REACH reorganized its administrative structure and welcomed a new member to the team. Mr. Brian Daley remains a full-time REACH employee, taking up the mantle of Assistant Director with primary responsibilities for student recruiting and admissions. Mr. Doug Eickman has grown into his role as the Academic Dean for Mathematics, while he continues to teach in the high school program as a member of the Regis Math Department. We created a new Academic Dean for English/Language Arts position and hired Regis alum and longtime REACH summer employee, Mr. Kyle Mullins. Mr. Mullins comes to us most recently from Boston College where he completed his Master’s Degree in American Literature. In addition to his REACH responsibilities, Mr. Mullins teaches in the high school program as a member of the Regis English Department. I remain the REACH Director and am thrilled to work with such a dedicated and talented team.
REACH ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM Mr. Todd Austin Director Mr. Brian Daley Assistant Director (Recruiting and Admissions) Mr. Doug Eickman Academic Dean for Mathematics Mr. Kyle Mullins Academic Dean for English & Language Arts
CONTACT INFORMATION 212-288-1100 212-794-1221
[email protected]
God’s love and grace lead us onward.
www.regis.org/reach
Todd Austin Director
REACH Class of
2012 These young men have enrolled in the following high schools, earning a combined total of $1,808,000 in 4-year scholarships and grants: REGIS HIGH SCHOOL Justin Apun, Daniel Deacon, Cesar Diaz, Richard Gonzalez, Prince Hunt, Carlos Navarette, Nicolas Ortiz, Kevin Quiah, Hector Reyes, Oliver Rozario, Jeffrey Suliveres, Carlos Ventura
X AV I E R H I G H S C H O O L Luis Arias, Vidal Baez, Adrian Filpo, Edward Gonzalez, Anthony Miguez, Mark Pillco, Andrew Rivera, Bernabe Villegas, Gianni Villegas
FORDHAM P R E PA R AT O RY S C H O O L Derrick Capa, Justin Gomez, Geffrey Ogando, Daniel Pena
T H E LOYO L A S C H O O L Chris Gathers, Ericson Hernandez
C A R D I N A L H AY E S HIGH SCHOOL Louis Rosario
REACH Parents Helping to Recruit New Students
Events Calendar DECEMBER
By Brian Daley We say it and hear it often: “REACH is a family program.” Without the support and love of their families, our students could not do what they do. But the same could be said for our staff. From the beginning, the REACH team has relied upon the assistance of our families on important occasions throughout the year, particularly admission events. On Information Night, Exam Day and Interview Day our families provide hospitality and encouragement to interested families, and we are consistently told that meeting and speaking with current REACH students and parents are among the most convincing reasons for applying. Nevertheless, reaching out to families who are not familiar with Regis or Catholic schools in general does present its challenges. Last year we had a record number of nominations (211), but over half of them did not apply—a large percentage of these students were enrolled in public schools. We did a survey of our nominators to learn why; close to 60% of the respondents said that it was because of concerns expressed by the parents. The most common concern was that parents were not comfortable with their children going away for three weeks, followed closely by parents not being comfortable with their sons commuting to Regis. To address this issue, we have organized the REACH Parent Committee (RPC) so we can personally connect REACH families to families of nominated students at the very beginning of the admissions process. REACH is new, different, sometimes confusing, and maybe even a little scary. What better way to assure parents of nominees than to have a current REACH parent talk to them?
Chaired by Ms. Yvonne Alier, Ms. Rosemary Apun, and Mr. Abelardo Zeron, the RPC is currently supported by over 50 parents, representing all current classes as well as alumni parents. The mission of the committee is to help recruit families who can benefit from REACH in the same way that previous families have. The plan is to have our REACH parents contact nominated families in the winter months to say congratulations and to encourage them to follow through on the application, and to answer any questions they might have along the way. When asked what inspired her to join the RPC, Ms. Apun remembered back to when her family was applying: “We really didn’t know anyone, and we didn’t know much about REACH. This program has benefited our sons so much that we want others to know what it can do for their sons. It’s a challenging process and we want to help them navigate the obstacles. We want to tell these families that the rewards are bigger than they can imagine.”
15 Christmas Party 22 Alumni ’09-’12 Reunion
JANUARY 6 Alumni ’05-’08 Reunion 24 Notification of Regis Scholarship Winners 26 Winter Meeting
FEBRUARY 1 5 6 14
Nomination Deadline Memorial of Pedro Arrupe Feast of St. Paul Miki Information Night
MARCH 2
Spring Saturday Session Begins
23 Entrance Exam / Application Deadline
M AY 11 Interview Day 12 Memorial of Matteo Ricci 22 Spring Recognition Ceremony
JUNE 9 Candidate Orientation
A Report on Meet Your Mentor Day 2012 By Wilfred Guerron ’09, Regis ’13 REACH Alum and Current Mentor On a chilly Saturday morning only a few days after Hurricane Sandy had wreaked havoc on the city, an eager group of 35 first-year REACH students waited in the Great Room at St. Ignatius Loyola Grammar School. As Mr. Mullins was explaining the unique experience and relationship they were about to embark on, a similar discussion was being held downstairs. In the cafeteria, 37 Regis sophomores listened to Mr. Austin as he went over the activities planned for the day and the responsibilities each will have as REACH Mentor. As their discussions came to a close, each having their own thoughts about how the day would unfold, “Meet Your Mentor Day” officially began. I have now taken part in four “Meet Your Mentor Days,” as a REACH
student, a REACH mentor and a member of the Mentor Leadership Board. Each time has been different from the last, but all share the same moments of great anticipation: the mentor hears his name called and begins to move to the front of the room looking for some sort of sign as to whom his mentee might be, while each REACH student shifts nervously in his chair waiting for his name to be called. When the student’s name is called and the match made, gasps of surprise and a round of applause break through the pregnant silence. A handshake seals the deal; then anticipation builds again for the next introduction. Throughout the morning the mentors and their mentees are inseparable. They participate in ice-breakers and small group discussions, slowly beginning to learn more about one another. They have conversations about an array of topics, always led by the REACH
Welcome REACH Class of 2015 Enrique Abreu St. Elizabeth (Manhattan) Michael Faucher
Diego Cordova M.S. 228 Jonas Bronck (Bronx) Justin Sansone
Christopher Alvarez M.S. 51 William Alexander John Cortez-Loja (Brooklyn) Sacred Heart (Bronx) Ariel Camilo Andreas Nolan Alexander Alvarez Our Lady Queen of Angel (Manhattan) Ariel Sanchez
Wilkin De Los Santos KIPP Infinity Charter (Manhattan) Joshua Mesfin
Johan Bueno Incarnation (Manhattan) Sean Phillips
Nelson Elgue Our Lady of Fatima (Queens) Tim Foxen
Marques Campbell Annunciation (Manhattan) Patrick Ndukwe Raymon Cato St. Sebastian (Queens) Jared D’Sa Franklin Cevallos Our Lady of Angels (Bronx) Brendan Powell
Moises Espinal St. Anselm (Bronx) Kieran Talty Gabriel Gomez-Tirado Our Lady of Angels (Bronx) Frederick Kauber Tyler Graham St. Brendan (Bronx) Edward Natkin
No mentor or mentee will forget this day. They spend the first of many days getting to know someone who shares similar interests, understands the fun and challenges of REACH life, and knows what being a good friend is all about. I still talk to my own REACH mentor from time to time, which has inspired me to keep a strong and growing relationship with my own mentee. I know firsthand that the bond formed on this day has the potential to grow everyday into something more and more special.
Grammar school attended and Regis mentor listed below each name
Stanley Grullon Ascension (Manhattan) William Lajes Jonathan Guillen TEP Charter (Manhattan) Conor Dillon Milton Guzman Ascension (Manhattan) Monserrate De Leon Enmanuel Hernandez I.S. 61 Leonardo DaVinci (Queens) Padraig Comer William Hernandez Our Lady Queen of Martyrs (Queens) Griffin Hornung Brian Hernandez St. Joan of Arc (Queens) Michael Scacalossi Edwin Hernandez KIPP Infinity Charter (Manhattan) Paul Torre Bryan Hidalgo I.S. 5 (Queens) Evan Nagel
students with their mentors giving their two cents when they have a chance. At snack time everyone can be seen laughing and swapping stories while sipping on boxes of apple juice and munching on bags of chips. The smiles worn by the mentors and mentees express the joy and excitement of the new pairings.
Joshua Jimenez Columbia Secondary (Manhattan) Gabe Nacion Robert Lucero Bronx Charter School for Children Breidy Cueto Deuri Marte Our Lady of Sorrows (Queens) Elliot Sanchez Antonio Martinez St. Frances Cabrini (Brooklyn) David Sniff Jesus Mendez St. Athanasius (Manhattan) Daniel Sullivan
Fernando Nova Incarnation (Bronx) Michael Morigi Ramses Pena KIPP Infinity Charter (Manhattan) Daniel Tenreiro-Braschi Memphis Peralta Our Lady of Refuge (Bronx) Esteban Angeles Ethan Perez KIPP Infinity Charter (Manhattan) James Flatow Felipe Santamaria Most Holy Redeemer Catholic Academy (Queens) Minh Tran
Oscar Mendoza M.S. 51 William Alexander Kelvyn Vargas (Brooklyn) Our Lady of Lourdes Brandon Baldovin (Queens) Matthew Grillo Julio Montero Annunciation (Manhattan) Universal Mentors Daniel Baldwin Bernie Tyson Alexander Koniuta
A Collegian’s Reflection on Camp REACH By Anthony Negrin, Regis ’08 During my three years as a REACH mentor, I always heard about the summer session at Scranton, better known as Camp REACH. Regians would come back the next school year and tell me about how great of an experience it is to be out there with the REACH guys. Until you get out there and work, I was told, you really don’t have a grasp of the entire REACH experience. This past summer, I finally experienced Camp REACH in my role as a Collegian for the 3rd Year students. A Collegian is in charge of his specific advisement throughout the day whether that is in the dorms, transporting the students between buildings, during meals, on the rec field and in study hall. Obviously, I was very excited about this opportunity,
Anthony Negron (far left) with a group of REACH students this past summer.
but nervous at the same time. I was entering the lives of 3rd Year REACH students, seasoned veterans of this camp life. I knew nothing about it, except that I was teaching Test Prep, the routine of the day, and where recreation was being held. I was certainly the rookie, but the greeting I received from my advisement could not have been any better. Before departing from Regis, my advisement told me everything I should expect from the lifestyle at Scranton, including allowing them to have soda, which I knew was not going to happen! This was the beauty of being a Collegian for these REACH students: I was able to laugh and have fun with them, but they knew when it was time to be serious. As their Test Prep teacher, I was very impressed with their work ethic. They were so engaged and focused on doing their best each and every day.
Over the course of the three weeks in Scranton, surely my patience was tested; yet, my love and care for the students grew each day. I was touched by the fact that these guys were already practicing the principles I was taught as a Regis student, striving to be “men for others” and “contemplatives in action.” They treated one another with respect and generosity. And every night we would prayerfully reflect on the day with either a song or a poem; the insights shared by my students were so remarkable that I would get the chills running down my spine. It became clear to me that these young men desired for themselves and one another a future filled with good opportunities and meaningful challenges—true indicators of the strength of their individual characters and the bonds they share with one another.
2012
2012 Summer Staff
Summer Awards C A N D I DAT E S English / Language Arts Brian Hernandez (Loyola) Jesus Mendez (Claver) Moises Espinal (Xavier) Enrique Abreu (Pro) Mathematics Ramses Pena (Loyola) Felipe Santamaria (Claver) Ethan Perez (Xavier) Raymon Cato (Pro) General Excellence Memphis Peralta (Loyola) Wilkin De Los Santos (Claver) William Hernandez (Xavier) Stanley Grullon (Pro) Music: Antonio Martinez Latin: Felipe Santamaria Membership Award: Ethan Perez 2ND YEARS English / Language Arts Arthur Severino (Ricci) Joshua Mora (Healy) Pre-Algebra Paolo Merisier (Ricci) Alexpander Prasak (Healy)
General Excellence Enmanuel Cruz and Roberto Hidalgo (Ricci) Randiel Zoquier (Healy) Music: Jiho Chang Latin: Uziel Dominguez Leadership Award: Airam Cruz 3RD YEARS English / Language Arts Jonathan Rivera (Campion) Brian Reyes (Gonzaga) Algebra I Carlos Lopez (Campion) Gabriel Van Oordt (Gonzaga) General Excellence Kevin O’Neale and Fernando Morales (Campion) Danny Ortiz (Gonzaga) Music: Jose Matos Independent Research Project: Danny Ortiz MAGIS Award: Brian Reyes
FACULTY Mr. Joe Carroll Xavier ‘02 Ms. Lee Chua Mr. Michael Dion Mr. Chris Fox Regis ‘07 Ms. Terra Holman Mr. Colin Levitt Ms. Raquel Martinez Ms. Carol Martino Mr. Nick Mosca Ms. Jennifer Shields Mr. Edward Walsh Regis ‘06 Mr. Ed Young Regis ‘90 COLLEGIANS Tony Negrin Regis ‘08 Pedro Ramirez ’05 Loyola ’09 Stephen Sanchez ’05 Xavier ’09 Joe Sullivan Regis ‘08 Alex Wright ’05 Cristo Rey ’09 Bryant Ramon ‘06 Regis ’10 Chris Chavez ’07 Xavier ’11 Tim Nowak Regis ‘11 Philip Suwada ’07 Regis ’11 Shane O’Connor Notre Dame ’15 (Volunteer)
COUNSELORS John Balletta Regis ‘12 Nidgel D'Souza ’08 Xavier ‘12 Daniel Echevarria ’08 Regis ’12 Shaquille Gonzalez ’08 Xavier ‘12 Mike Rogers Regis ‘12 Brandon Solis ’08 Xavier ‘12 Ciaran Coffey Regis ‘13 Wilfred Guerron ’09 Regis ‘13 Hao Lam ’09 Regis’13 Joshua Payen ’09 Regis ‘13 Pedro Polanco ’09 Regis ‘13 VOLUNTEER COUNSELORS Greg Chin Regis ‘14 Thao Nguyen ’10 Regis ‘14 Luke Passannante Regis ‘14 Warren Thimothe ’10 Regis ‘14
REGIS HIGH SCHOOL Founded in 1914, Regis High School offers a tuition-free Jesuit college preparatory education to Catholic young men who live in the New York City area and demonstrate superior intellectual and leadership potential. In the admissions process, special consideration is given to those who cannot otherwise afford a Catholic education. REACH (Recruiting Excellence in Academics for Catholic High Schools), a 3-year educational and leadership program, prepares middle school boys from families with financial need to earn scholarships at Regis and other leading Catholic high schools in New York City. Dr. Gary Tocchet, Principal Rev. Philip G. Judge, S.J., President
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE
PAID PERMIT NO. 314 JERSEY CITY, NJ
55 East 84th Street | New York, NY 10028
www.regis.org/reach
Number Crunching John Doe, REACH ’XX contemplates the answer to a math problem during a classroom algebra exercise.
The REACH Class of 2008 Enters College We recognize 26 members of REACH ‘08 for whom we have high school and college information: Raymond Alvarez
Xavier Gonzalez
Jonathan Koonce
Brandon McKenzie
Anthony Nguyen
Fordham Preparatory School Le Moyne College
St. Raymond’s High School New York University
Beacon High School St. Francis College
Xavier High School University of Scranton
All Hallows High School SUNY Buffalo
Gabriel Calleja
Shaquille Gonzalez
Mark Maduro
Daniel Morales
Dung Nguyen
Regis High School Bucknell University
Xavier High School Syracuse University
La Salle High School John Jay College
Bard High School SUNY Binghamton
Regis High School The College of the Holy Cross
Sandy Campos
Warren Pearson
Regis High School Villanova University
Bishop Loughlin Memorial HS Siena College
Ariel Diaz
Sean Phan
Regis High School St. John's University
All Hallows High School SUNY Buffalo
Jean-Franco Diaz
Christopher Rodriguez
Regis High School Columbia University
Xavier High School Baruch College
Nidgel D'Souza
Rodell Rodriguez
Xavier High School Syracuse University
Regis High School SUNY Binghamton
Daniel Echevarria
Jason Roman
Regis High School Brown University
St. John's Preparatory School Loyola University Maryland
Ramon Espinal
Brandon Solis
ABC Program Rochester Institute of Tech.
Xavier High School Villanova University
Borge Feliz
Brian Trinidad
All Hallows High School Carnegie-Mellon University
Fordham Preparatory School Pace University
Jeremiah Gipli
David Vargas
Xavier High School SUNY Albany
Regis High School Bowdoin College