Saints SceneMay 2010 Vol 29 no. 9

NON-PROFIT ORGU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDSAN DIEGO, CAPERMIT NO. 663

YOUR MONTHLY REPORT ON THE ST. AUGUSTINE HIGH SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

St. Augustine High School 3266 Nutmeg Street

San Diego, CA 92104-5199619-282-2184

www.sahs.org

Dear Parents and FriendsRestructuring Learningand Offering Leadership

In our continuous attempt to improve the educational program we offer Saints-men, Saints will be restructuring its

school day in the 2010-11 school year to a modified block schedule. Broadly defined, block scheduling is a restructuring of the school day whereby students attend half as many classes, for twice as long. In a departure from the tra-ditional 50-minutes per class, 6 classes per

day ritual, students take three classes in 90 minute blocks. Some schools have adopted this schedule five days a week. Saints has modified its approach to a block system and will host traditional schedule 3 days/week and block schedule 2 days/week. The administration and faculty have spent a great deal of time planning and preparing for this transition and are excited about the opportunities it will provide to create college readiness, en-able project based contextualized learning and to energize class-room learning with new teaching methodologies. Furthermore, this newly modified schedule will provide time for a weekly Homeroom that will offer every student a value based leadership curriculum. As we move forward, we do so in the spirit of Augustine, who said, “always make progress....so that you may become that which you are not yet.”

Yours in the Spirit of Catholic Education,

James HornePrincipal

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Principal James Horne

Two Valedictorians—For the first time in the school’s collective recent memory two graduating seniors were named Co-Valedictorians, according to James Horne, St. Augustine High Principal. Scott Briggs (left) and CJ Curtis each earned a 4.52 grade point average. As the two graduating students with the highest GPA, Briggs and Curtis will deliver Valedictorian addresses at the June 4 graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2010. “They tied right down to the hundredth of a point,” said Mr. Horne, “we’re extremely proud to have these two outstanding sons of St. Augustine High be our Valedictorians.” Saints Scene will publish their speeches next issue.

Saints/OLP Grad NightRevamped for 2010

Dancing, Bowling, Food, Games in a Safe Place

The exciting time of graduation is just around the corner for our seniors. To add to the fun of

graduation the Austin Parents Association hand-in-hand with Saints and OLP parents announce a special all-nighter Grad Night for Saints and OLP graduates.

Grad Night is set for late evening June 4 right after Saints evening graduation festivities. It will be held at Kearny Mesa Bowl, 7585 Clairemont Mesa Boulevard between the hours of 10 pm and 5 am. “The party lasts all night long and we have the entire venue to ourselves,” says event chair Mr. Alex Dominguez, a Saints parent, who is leading a corps of eager volunteers determined to make this year’s Grad Night celebration spectacular—and safe. The price is $60 per ticket. Check-in starts at 10 pm; doors close at 11 pm, and open again at 5 am. To keep the party safe and sober, no “in and out” privileges will be allowed. If the student is going to be late or needs to leave early, parents can make a note of it on the regis-tration form. Once inside, the grads will enjoy unlimited bowling, entertainment, video games and dancing to a DJ, just to mention a few activities. Sodas and water are avail-able throughout the evening, and hamburg-ers and fries will be served after midnight. Every grad receives a raffle ticket upon arrival. In the past, grads have walked away with phenomenal prizes and cash. Breakfast will be served around 4 am and

Class of 2010 Graduation Activities

From The Heart

Alum’sReflection on

His SaintsExperience

By Rick Baca (’73)

I attended Our Lady of the Sacred Heart off of University Avenue. My first experience with St. Augustine High was in playing

our flag football games on Saturday at the high school. Little did I know that my life would be changed. The Saints High School experience is something I cherish nearly 30 years after graduating. The school has a place in my soul, as I fondly remember some teach-ers and staff members, and realize that what I have learned is a rare human experience. The Saints experience has been one of the blessings in my life. I’m a 1973 graduate, and I still try to attend the annual alumni football game, where I occasionally recognize class-mates. We age - what else can I say? Although I live in Los Angeles (Covina), when I’m in San Diego, I usually try to drive by my alma mater. Saints gave me teachers who touched my life. I fell in love with biology thanks to Mr. Wilson. I cherished looking through the microscopes, dissecting worms, frogs and cats. Father Hannon taught me how to study Spanish by encouraging us to listen to Span-ish radio stations. Coach DiTomaso taught me how to be a typist. I fell in love with algebra thanks to Mr. Hardick. Mrs. Shaw was our school mom and beanie-maker. Saints helped me to understand that the ex-perience was worth the effort and work. How amazing it is to be part of something small yet so powerful! My wife is a product of a large public high school in Los Angeles County and can’t identify with what I’ve experienced. How many schools do you know who send their alumni a newsletter? Saintsmen of today, you may not under-stand the point of attending a school that expects so much of you, but shortly after graduation, you will remember how special a place it was, and is. Your life will never be the same. In closing, I will say that Saint Augus-tine High School lives in my soul, and I am better for it. As for mom and dad, we may not tell you enough, but thanks for the sacrifice you made to send us to this spiritual place.Continued on page 6.

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May 15Senior Prom

May 20Senior Grad night

May 21Senior Ditch day

May 28Senior AwardsAssembly

May 28GraduationPractice

June 4Graduation

June 4Sober GradNight

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Augustine: A student,a Teacher, a Parent

Part NineAugustine as Parent – Father to Son

By Fr. Bob Gavotto, O.S.A., (’55)Saints Chaplain

Augustine had a son called Adeodatus [given by God]. Bright and very gifted intellectu-ally, he died prematurely, just seventeen years old, cutting short a promis-ing life. As a father, Augus-tine loved his son dearly.

He devoted a great deal of his energy to teaching his son, even dedicating to him his work called “The Teacher”, a rich source of educational insight. Augustine dialogued in depth with Adeoda-tus, as his father and teacher. We have Augus-tine’s written recollections of many of these interactions. In these, more often than offering

Fr. Bob Gavotto OSA (’55)

answers, he led Adeodatus to more questions. Rather than satisfying his curiosity, Augustine provoked and stimulated his capacity for initiative. Rather than insisting Adeodatus study from a sense of duty, he encouraged his son to do things for their own sake. While respecting his son’s originality, he subjected him to the discipline of good order. He put into prac-tice that basic principle he so often repeated in his writings: learning should begin with exploration and appreciation, and it should culminate in the discovery and joy of understanding and knowing the truth about something. Augustine’s experience in his own family seems also to have had its influence upon him. He shared with Patricius, his father, a desire for education and the intellectual life. With Monica, his mother, he eventually came to share the gift of unyielding perseverance and a commitment to love at any price. In some sense, he combined something from the character of these two: head and heart, truth and love.

[Editor’s Note: This excerpt is from Education, An Augustinian Approach, page 10.]

Next time Augustine’s own reflections on being a parent. St. Augustine, pray for us!

A U G U S T I N I A N H E R I T A G E

How a long-heldtradition came about

Mass withJunior Class

Underclass parents, take heart: You too will someday attend your son’s Junior Mass, as did the parents, loved ones and friends of the Class

of 2010. Traditionally it has been a very special event and one that evokes a wonderful sense of pride, love and affection in those who attended. This is an event to look forward to each year. The most recent Junior Mass was held in the gym last month along with the student body. After Mass, Juniors, parents and guests traveled to Tom Ham’s Lighthouse Restaurant on Harbor Island for an excellent brunch. As is tradition, the Sophomore Class and their par-ents hosted the event. Many thanks to all parents, Augustinians, volun-teers, faculty and staff involved with the Junior Mass and Brunch. Fr. John Keller (’55) O.S.A. recalls Junior Mass began as Junior Ring Mass in the early years of Fr. John Aherne’s principalship (1953-62). “Most of the boys back then bought rings, it was an occasion to raise the meaning of the rings to a higher “sacramentality” by having them blessed – together, as a class, with the entire student body, at Mass, as a sign of brotherhood and unity.” As the rings faded from popularity, Ring Mass need-ed an update. By the early 60s, the event was reformed as the Junior Class Mass with emphasis shifted away from ring blessing to the reality that the Juniors, soon to be Seniors, were to be the new leaders of the com-munity, the older brothers, upon whom responsibility for the strength of the community depended. It was at that time that breakfast after Junior Mass was added. Fr. Keller adds, “There is a certain aspect of “com-missioning” within and about the service, and of passing on the torch. The current selection of Scripture readings will bear this out – still present, however, are the themes of brotherhood & unity.”

Scenes from Annual Junior Class Mass – [Top row/left: [L-R]: Tony Jimenez, Lucas Morales, Michael Dick; [Top photo/right]: Evan Critchlow, left and Sean Davey; [Middle row/left]: Jack Corrao, Emilio Guerra, Darren Critchlow, Sean Davey; [middle row/right]: Garett Kain, Giancarlo Cortes, Ryan Villard, Jonathan Martinez; [Lower row/left]: Fr. Gary Sanders, O.S.A. and [Lower row/right: front row [L-R]: Alexander Sacco, Michael LoCoco, Grant Dexter, Jorge Garcia, Alec Henning, Eli Henning, Andrew Garcia, Felipe Hueso.

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...Road Together

Building a Better WorldBy Edwin Hearn, PresidentSt. Augustine High School

Edwin J. Hearn, Jr.

Anyone who has seen the great cathedrals of Europe can attest to their immensity and

grandeur. Comprehending the length of time it took to build these holy places is difficult. Most were built by generations of stonemasons one block at a time with great precision and order. They were truly built in

God’s time. Building a stronger endowment at Saints is and will remain the single most important priority of our fund raising efforts. A strong endowment creates a stable platform to moderate the annual tuition increases, reduc-ing the ever- increasing need for financial aid. While Saints is within the financial reach of most Catholic families, for those not able to cover all the tuition costs, Saints has been able to award financial aid allotments that provide the ability for many of our families. A recent news story about Lake Forest College in Illinois told of a gift from an alumna. Upon her passing, the school’s endowment fund received $7,000,000 from the estate of Ms. Grace Groner. According to her at-torney, Ms. Groner wanted to ensure that students from lower socio-economic backgrounds could continue to attend Lake Forest College long into the future. Groner had been a secretary at Abbott Laboratories for 43 years. In 1935, she purchased three shares of a specially issued Abbott stock for $180. Over the years, the stock split many times and each time she reinvested the dividends. Upon her death, the stock was worth $7 million. You may be wondering how this relates to St. Au-gustine High School? Last year, the Cor Unum Legacy Society was established to celebrate those alumni and

friends who have included Saints in their wills. This unique and generous group of supporters is a very im-portant building block for Saints. A planned gift to the Saints’ Endowment is placed in a restricted fund. Only a percentage of the dividend can be used for the donor’s intended purpose. For example, Ms. Groner’s $7,000,000 planned gift to Lake Forest College will generate at least $300,000 each year to be used for financial aid in-perpetuity. The original $7,000,000 gift will never be used, but will grow with the inflation rate, while generating funds for the donor’s intended purpose. For the past 88 years, St. Augustine High School has been a transforming experience for its students. Mak-ing a planned gift, even if just a small percentage of the entire estate, is a powerful family legacy as well as a motivator to others who may not have considered this type of gift. The stonemasons knew they were building a place of worship that would have a lasting presence. Just as each block had to fit precisely in its place, naming Saints in your will, no matter the size, builds a future for a Saints-man. For all who believe Saints is vital to the future de-velopment of our community, please consider a planned charitable bequest to the Saints Endowment Fund. Each block counts and is indispensable to the structure of God’s works. Your help will ensure that all future Saintsmen benefit from an Augustinian Catholic educa-tion. If you have named Saints in your will, please contact Ms. Casey Callery at 619-764-5541 or ccallery@sahs.org. This will allow Saints to celebrate your gift with membership in the Cor Unum Legacy Society.

SAINTS SHOP FOR YOUR SAINTS WEAR

Saints Shopwelcomes volunteers

Several events coming this spring at which they can use more help.

Saints Shop hoursMonday 9:30 am to 2:30 pm.

Additional hours this spring onFridays from 12:30 to 1:30 pm.

ContactMrs. Debbie Torgeson, torgeson3@cox.net

New Beginnings And New ChallengesWelcome New Freshman Families

By John Marin, PresidentAustin Parents Association

Even though the school year is coming to a close and graduation nears for our seniors, the Austin Parents Association welcomed and introduced

our incoming parents and their 8th grade sons to their journey as Saintsmen at the recent New Family Night. Their enthusiasm to be on campus for the first time and their grateful expressions to be part of the Saints’ family is a familiar memory to all parents. The APA volunteers treated the Class of 2014 to a hearty pasta dinner in Tolle Lege plaza, where they met for the first time as members of the larger Saints community. Then it was off to the gym where they were greeted by the Saints symphonic band. They then received a taste of academic reality from Assistant Principal/Academics Mr. Tom Cudal, a fashion show of the do’s and don’ts of Saints’ gear, the tradition of Saints athletic excellence, some financial reminders and school President Mr. Edwin Hearn’s affirmation of the Saints Experience and how it will develop each of their sons into young men of character and faith. This is the start of a new period of growth and chal-lenge, not just our sons’ , but for parents as well. We have heard how we are the primary educators of our children. Teachers and school administrators can guide and educate our children during their four years in high school, but it is our role as caring, patient and involved parents that truly makes the difference in our son’s de-velopment. As our sons learn to take more responsibili-ty for their actions, and parents learn to step back and let them make mistakes, both parents and their sons begin to open the door to the demands of the adult world. Our role as primary educators is openly encour-aged and expected at Saints. You may no longer have a role as the class mom or be able to volunteer time in the classroom, but there are many ways for all parents to become involved, leading our sons by example. As

our sons learn to live the Augustinian values of truth, love and community, the Austin Parents Association allows parents to stay involved, without our sons feeling embarrassed. You’ve seen and met our volunteer Saints’ parents when you’ve visited the campus for 8th Grade tours, Open House and the Entrance Exam. They are parents who can answer your questions, make you feel at ease or just share their own Saints Experience. They are parents who love Saints and support its mission, not just for their sons, but for future Saintsmen and their

Augustinians Fr. Gary Sanders (’67), left and Fr. Anthony Wasko joined in welcoming to campus the parents, guardians and families of the Class of 2014.

parents. For more than 50 proud years, the APA has shared parents’ time, talents and treasures to provide unique hospitality and generous financial support for this great school and its community. Over the next few months, you will receive more information about how you can get involved with the APA through our Family Involve-ment program. In the meantime, a hearty welcome to the Class of 2014, and introduce us to your volunteer spirit!

Prayer For My Saintsman Son

Loving Father, Please guide my son to always do Your will; allow him to see what is really important, and remind him how much I love him. Send good and wholesome friends into his life, keep him safe, bless him with good health, and give him the courage to do the right thing when difficult or tempting choices cross his path. Make my son strong in character, rich in sympathy, and generous in spirit. Bless him with a gentle nature, and a kind heart. Let him become a man committed to the Gos-pel of Your Son Jesus. Grant him a lasting faith, and lead him to a profound love for You, his fam-ily, and himself.

Amen. Prayer by Rev. John R. Sanders, OSA (’66).

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Big Night Under

the Big Tent

Photography by Saints Alum Parent Ernie Torgeson

The green grass under your feet, the soft lights twinkling like stars overhead, the delicious prosciutto and cheese, the homemade Italian wine, and an outdoor bar that felt like a veranda on a Tuscan estate, were just the introductions to a beautiful evening for Austin Parents Association 32nd annual fund raising event last month. It was a night of generosity and support for Saints, now and into the future.

On the same football field where generations of Saintsmen have learned to sacrifice, push their physical and mental limits and to work together as a team, parents, alumni and friends of Saints gathered together, under difficult economic times, to give thanks to Saints. The choice of a tall, upright and blooming sunflower as the background for the theme of this event, was a fitting symbol of Saints’ transformation of our sons from boys to young men of character, instilled with the Augustinian values of truth, love and community. As you savored the Tuscan delicacies, the bidding grew on beautiful baskets, jewelry, vacation trips, a surf-board, vacation homes and the wall of wine. The party moved into the Tuscan dining room, with large spacious tables and an Italian buffet of garden vegetables, pastas and meats. The live auction featured Captain Ed Hearn’s bay cruise, a three day stay and wine tasting in Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe and dinner with the principal. The raffle for the Jaguar was deservedly won by Mrs. Joanne Mera, the donor of chairs, tables and tent for our auction. Leading this Austin Parent Association event since June 2009, Mrs. Denise Phillip and Mrs. Robin Diamond-Wil-liams, were the driving force in its success. Denise, Robin and their committee have worked tirelessly, making the evening an event not to be forgotten. We cannot adequately express our thanks for their time, their leadership, their example to other parents and their love for Saints and its future. The evening concluded by recognizing that the economy has resulted in a 10 percent increase in Saints’ need to provide tuition assistance to needy families. Affirming that the Saints Experience is based on joining boys from fami-lies all across the county and from Mexico, and from all social and economic backgrounds, an additional $27,000 was graciously donated to assist our families in need.

The APA also expresses its special thanks to President Ed Hearn, Principal James Horne, Ms. Casey Callery, our Augustinians and the Saints’ faculty and staff for their endless support and commitment to the development of our sons into the leaders of tomorrow. It was truly a notte di generosita.

Scenes from the AnnualSaints Dinner Auction Gala

Fr. Alvin, Anne Marie Monahan, Fr. Pat Keane, Gary Monahan and Fr. Wasko

Notte di Generosita

Sunny Results from Tuscan-theme Fundraiser By John Marin, President

Austin Parents Association

Auctioneer Stephen B. Hamann with school President “Captain” Ed Hearn

Senior Reilly Marin explained that through fundraising events like the Dinner Auction portions of monies collected provides financial assis-tance to families of Saints students who are struggling though these dif-ficult financial times.

JoAnn and Sam Totah

(Left to right): Saints Families Paul & Theresa Kosen; Tim and Nicole Rayner and Seamus and Tricia Garland

Norma and Lance Dormann

Under The Tuscan Sun Dinner Auction Event in the big Tent Fr. Bob Gavotto O.S.A. (’55) offering the evening’s prayer

Coach Richard Sanchez awaits bidding for Saints Varsity Coach for a Night that was won by Leonard and Cynthia Davey

Saints 32nd Street Jazz Band in actionEvent Co-Chairs Robin Diamond-Williams left and De-nise Phillips with their sons Austin Diamond and Austin Phillips

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Big Night Under

the Big Tent

Photography by Saints Alum Parent Ernie Torgeson

The green grass under your feet, the soft lights twinkling like stars overhead, the delicious prosciutto and cheese, the homemade Italian wine, and an outdoor bar that felt like a veranda on a Tuscan estate, were just the introductions to a beautiful evening for Austin Parents Association 32nd annual fund raising event last month. It was a night of generosity and support for Saints, now and into the future.

On the same football field where generations of Saintsmen have learned to sacrifice, push their physical and mental limits and to work together as a team, parents, alumni and friends of Saints gathered together, under difficult economic times, to give thanks to Saints. The choice of a tall, upright and blooming sunflower as the background for the theme of this event, was a fitting symbol of Saints’ transformation of our sons from boys to young men of character, instilled with the Augustinian values of truth, love and community. As you savored the Tuscan delicacies, the bidding grew on beautiful baskets, jewelry, vacation trips, a surf-board, vacation homes and the wall of wine. The party moved into the Tuscan dining room, with large spacious tables and an Italian buffet of garden vegetables, pastas and meats. The live auction featured Captain Ed Hearn’s bay cruise, a three day stay and wine tasting in Baja’s Valle de Guadalupe and dinner with the principal. The raffle for the Jaguar was deservedly won by Mrs. Joanne Mera, the donor of chairs, tables and tent for our auction. Leading this Austin Parent Association event since June 2009, Mrs. Denise Phillip and Mrs. Robin Diamond-Wil-liams, were the driving force in its success. Denise, Robin and their committee have worked tirelessly, making the evening an event not to be forgotten. We cannot adequately express our thanks for their time, their leadership, their example to other parents and their love for Saints and its future. The evening concluded by recognizing that the economy has resulted in a 10 percent increase in Saints’ need to provide tuition assistance to needy families. Affirming that the Saints Experience is based on joining boys from fami-lies all across the county and from Mexico, and from all social and economic backgrounds, an additional $27,000 was graciously donated to assist our families in need.

The APA also expresses its special thanks to President Ed Hearn, Principal James Horne, Ms. Casey Callery, our Augustinians and the Saints’ faculty and staff for their endless support and commitment to the development of our sons into the leaders of tomorrow. It was truly a notte di generosita.

Scenes from the AnnualSaints Dinner Auction Gala

Notte di Generosita

Sunny Results from Tuscan-theme Fundraiser By John Marin, President

Austin Parents Association

Jean Shaw (forefront) with Jack and Mary Corrao

The daLuz Family—[Standing left to right;] Carlos da Luz (’83) and his wife Jen-nifer da Luz; Keirre da Luz wife of Chris da Luz (’84); [Sitting left to right:] – Sean Boren and wife Carla (da Luz) Boren (OLP ’87); Craig da Luz (’93) with wife Bryn da Luz; and Lila da Luz wife of Christian da Luz (’91)

Diana, Conor and Ed Hearn

APA President John Marin with faculty member Winnie Arnn

Ed Hearn with Robin Diamond-Williams and Denise Phillips

Event Co-Chairs with Committee Data Chair- Terri Shives

Joe and Barbara Sciutto Tom Graciano (’68) checks out one cool surfboard decorated by faculty member Mickey Carson’s art class.

Dr. Jerome (’64) and Rosalie Wisniew

Charles (’57) and Maureen King Surf coach Jim Shaw (’71) Dan (’77) and Julie Morrin Cheryl and Bob Kevane (’62)

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then the doors open at 5 am. Please buy your grad’s ticket early! The venue and activities require deposits. “Just about ev-ery High School hosts a Sober Grad Night and we com-pete with each other for venues and entertainers,” says Mr. Dominguez, “By buying your student’s Grad Night ticket early you will help provide the funds to ensure we have the best venue and entertainment we can find.” If you would like to help with the event you can donate your time, money or items for the raffle. Consider making a donation to fund Grad Night. Of course your donations are tax deductible. Information letters and registration forms are avail-able on the Saints website (www.sahs.org). Please note: this year financial assistance is available. For more info contact Alex Dominguez at alexjill@cox.net.

Saints/OLP Grad Night Continued from page 1 Stepping up to the Plate; Frosh Parent Chairs Grad Night

Grad Night Chair Mr. Alex Dominguez is a retired from a career in law enforcement. He has seen first hand the tragedy of too many

foolish mistakes made by drinking and driving. Last fall, when the chairmanship of Grad Night was offered to him, he stepped up to the plate accepting the chal-lenge even though he and his wife Jill were “new” as parents of an incoming Freshman. Since then he has put together a dedicated group of volunteers, who are determined to make Grad Night a fun, safe, supervised sober graduation celebration for all Saints and OLP graduating seniors. “Graduation is a most significant event in our stu-dents’ lives and it is a “party night,” he says. “There

are so many unfortunate stories and facts related to graduation and impaired driving. We want to ensure we provide a place for grads to party with their fel-low grads while enjoying in a drug and alcohol free environment. “If just one alcohol related arrest, injury or worse yet, death is prevented by this alcohol free celebra-tion then the extensive effort to plan and fund it will have been well worth it – for our graduates, our families and the community in general. If we can gather the resources to make the Grad Night sober and spectacular, more students will attend and more students will spend the evening of their graduation safe and sober.”

The Digital Side of Christian da Luz

Interviewed by John White (Parent ’11, ’13)

Thanks for helping kick off this series on how faculty and staff

use technology, Mr. da Luz. Start by telling us about the first time you used a personal com-puter. My first experience with a personal computer was in 1983 on

a Commodore 64. I used it at St. Charles for “computer class:” BASIC commands and some educational games. What kind of computer do you like to use now, and why? Call me a PC guy. My family’s first computer was a Macintosh LCIII with a 160MB hard drive, but as I surveyed the computer landscape in the early 90s, PCs seemed to be everywhere. At Saints and SDSU, PCs dominated. Now I have a PC clone that I have pieced to-gether from Fry’s and AMC computers. I also have an HP desktop for my kids and a Toshiba laptop. What do you like to do the most on a computer? What is your favorite software? Our grade book and Saints on the Web, of course! Actually, I enjoy creating presenta-tions for my class discussions. I play some games on the computer when I find the time (I am still good for a round or two of Counter-Strike). I enjoy Adobe Creative Suite, Photoshop, PowerPoint and the Microsoft Office bundle. I also enjoy editing home videos and creating special event slide shows. Which Web browser do you prefer, and why?I use Mozilla on my laptop because it seems to run a bit faster, but my wife and kids are more familiar with Inter-net Explorer, so I run that on their computers.

What are your 2-3 favorite Websites, and why? For shopping, I like eBay and Craigslist. For sports in gen-eral I like ESPN.com, and for Fantasy Football I use roto-world.com to outpace my opponents. I enjoy meandering

through a multitude of news outlets and news-centered blogs.

What is your favorite search engine on the Web? I have to be a mainstreamer here and go with Google. It’s straightforward and has a million options.

Where do you usually get the news? For local news and high school sports information, signonsandiego.com is not too shabby. I still do receive the Union-Tribune in print, but as I mentioned earlier, I enjoy going to various sites to compare news stories.

Which blogs do you follow? I like to stay on top of the latest tech gadgets, so Engadget.com is a must. There’s also a very entertaining blog called Gadgetlab on Wired.com. I’m not currently maintaining my own blog.

How about social media and social networking? I en-joy Facebook for the ability to connect with friends, for-mer classmates and occasionally even former students. I emphasize “former:” I am easy enough to find on Face-book, but I don’t friend current students.

What is your favorite kind of music? How do you like to listen to it? I truly enjoy a wide variety of music. I like to say if it sounds good, then I will probably like it. Mainly alternative rock, classic rock and some hard rock/metal, I suppose. I listen to it on my iPod, my Blackberry, or on Slacker.com and Pandora.com. I actually still enjoy free radio for my sports and news.

Do you enjoy photography? What equipment do you use? How do you like to share your photographs? I do enjoy photography, video production and photo editing quite a bit. I guess I’m an Olympus junkie, because I’ve had six of their cameras. I currently have two Olympus digital SLRs: an E-510is and an E-10. Unlike the old days of film, you can take a million photos so that you don’t miss the perfect shot. I share only the best photos with my family and friends, usually via email.

What kind of mobile phone do you use? What do you like about it the most? The least? I’ve had Blackberrys for over three years now and I enjoy all of the capabilities and QWERTY keyboard. I’m using a Blackberry Bold 9700 at the moment; it replaced my car GPS and keeps

my life in order with appointments, bill paying, contacts and games. Of course, I enjoy using it for music more than for anything else. I wish these devices were as fast as my laptop and had a slightly larger screen.

What is your favorite technology to use in your work? What technology do you find works best with the stu-dents? I am a firm believer that many young men are visual learners, and I try to use technical tools to make it easier for students to learn. I mentioned the presenta-tions I use in class discussions, and I support my lessons with these to give students more time to see the prompts and essential questions on the slide, then process the text mentally. In other words, they have a chance to process an answer before I pose it to the class, and they gener-ally respond better on those questions. PowerPoint also allows me to show them more up-to-date photos, maps and video clips than the ones in their textbooks.

How do you feel about high technology and personal electronics in general? I am always reeling at the new-est high-tech gadgets, and even more so over the people who develop them. The human brain is incredible. Per-sonal electronics technology is no different from the first vacuum cleaners, sewing machines, early phonographs and telephones: they help to make life easier and keep people more connected than ever. What I don’t like about technology is the price tag. It can cost you a small fortune to keep up with it all.

Saints Students Take The National

Financial Capability Challenge

This year, for the first time, the United States Trea-sury Department and the Education Department joined together to create and administer the Na-

tional Financial Capability Challenge [NFCC]. The NFCC is an awards program designed to in-crease the financial knowledge and capability of high school aged youth across the United States so they can take control over their financial futures. According to the Treasury website, “The recent economic crisis and the increasing complexity of our financial system make it clear that strengthening the financial knowledge and skills of our young people is critical to their future suc-cess and to the future financial stability of our country. To better navigate their financial futures and be prepared to make smart choices, students need to learn more about earning and spending, saving and investing, using credit wisely, avoiding fraud, paying for college, and more.” On Thursday, April 1, 11 seniors from Saints AP Economics class took the Challenge Exam via a secure online connection to the Treasury website. The average score for the 11 students was 92 percent correct. The average score nationwide was 70 percent. Nine of the students scored in the top 20th percentile of students na-tionwide and will receive Award Certificates. The rec-ognized students are Scott Briggs, Ivan Cavalino, Devin Churchman, C.J. Curtis, Sean Fitzgerald, Adam Johnson, Daniel Longstreth, Cody Oei, and Alexander Prevallet-Kinstle. More information about this Treasury Department Program can be found at www.challenge.treas.gov.

Mr. Christian daLuz (‘91)

Journey to Calvary—Participating in the 19th annual Walk with the Suffering Good Friday Stations of the Cross in Downtown San Diego were students from St. Augustine High and the Academy of Our Lady of Peace, [left to right]: Ryan Neck (’13), Nick Klotz (’10), Cole Rougas (’13), Andrea Gabbbard (OLP ’11) and Sabastian Alberdi (’13).

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Saints Discus ThrowerEyes Future Olympics

By Bob Weber, Saints Faculty Member

The discus throw is among the most ancient of Olympic sports. It is also the most technical, re-quiring not only strength but also balance, agil-

ity, and coordination far beyond that possessed by most people. It is a proven fact that a thrower with proper form will beat a thrower with equal or even slightly superior strength every time. Of course, the ideal discus athlete will possess both strength and technical prowess, and will excel in the sport. Seventeen-year-old Saintsman senior Tom Hart is just such an athlete. Tom began throwing discus in his freshman year, after head track coach Jerry Downey suggested that the 400 meters was not the event for him. Tom immediately took to the sport and fell in love with it, and has been excelling ever since. He broke the 9-year old Saints discus record of 162 feet in his junior year, and has broken his own record at nearly every meet since then. Currently ranked #1 in California and in the USA with a throw of 181 feet 7 inches at last Saturday’s Bronco Relays, Tom is well on his way to achieving his goal of 200+ feet by the end of the year. While Tom does possess much natural talent, he does not take that for granted. He follows a tough year-round program of conditioning, weight training, and throwing, averaging nearly 20 hours per week in the gym and on the field. He also watches hours of video, analyzing the techniques of the throwing greats and carefully reviewing his own technique to make corrections and adjustments when necessary. Tom is careful about what he eats, too. “I just stick to eating organic foods and avoiding processed foods,” he says, and the results speak for themselves. Tom’s goals are ambitious, but certainly within reach. “I definitely plan to continue throwing in college,” he says. “If I had the choice to go to any college I would choose the one that would give me the greatest possi-bility of progressing to the next level of throwing, the

Olympics. Those colleges would be would be USC and UCLA. Either college I would enjoy attending.” In ad-dition to winning Olympic gold, Tom says, “My ultimate goal on the field would be to break the world record.” But in true Saintsman fashion, Tom is appreciative of his experiences here and desires to give back. “As a career choice,” he says, “I would greatly enjoy doing something in the healthcare industry or simply returning some of the knowledge I have gained to other throwers and athletes.”

Newest SaintsEagle Scout Helped

Create Outdoor Spacefor Monastery

Willie Fleming, Class of 2010, adds to the long

list of Saintsmen who have earned the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout. Willie be-gan his scouting career as a Tiger cub in the first grade at St. Patrick’s School in North Park, and has been continu-ously active for 11 years.

Crossing into Troop 53 in 2003, he has enjoyed countless nights of camping, scout meetings, com-munity service, and fulfilling his requirements with Scout Master, Hank Levien. The Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project is the opportunity for a Scout to demonstrate leader-ship of others while performing a project for the benefit of his community. This is the culmination of the Eagle Scout candidate’s leadership training and requires a significant effort. The project must benefit an organization other than the BSA. Wil-lie’s project was to restore the outdoor living area of the St. Augustine Monastery. The goal for this project was to design and create an inviting outdoor living space for the priests resid-ing at the Monastery. Willie’s volunteers included fellow scouts, Saintsmen, and Saints parents who provided tools and woodworking skills. The results of the project include more shade, a storage area, handcrafted planter boxes, several badly needed repairs, and privacy from the very busy driveway it shares with the school. Willie would like to thank the Augustinian community for working with him on this project.

Willie Fleming (‘10)

It’s Easy To Contributeto St. Augustine!

Now that your son is a proud Saintsman, please consider adding St. Augustine to an existing eScrip account that you had established at his previous school!

eScrip allows you to target contributions to up to three organizations. The amount of your contribution will be divided equally amongst the organizations you choose. It’s easy to add St. Augustine to your existing account!

■ Go to www.escrip.com

■ Click on “my escrip”

■ Login with your existing username and password. If you don’t remember your password, it will guide you through a process to remind you.

■ Click on “change my groupselection.” Add or delete any groups you would like (up to 3 groups are allowed).

■ Saints’ group ID is #137716597

Saints discus thrower Tom Hart (’10)

If you would like to volunteer for the Sober Grad Night event on June 4, 2010, please consider the following duties for volunteers.

Contact:

Alex DominguezSober Grad Night Coordinator

760-845-6691 or Alexjill@cox.net

VolunteersNeeded

Grad Night

To make this year’s Grad Night truly significant please consider making a donation of your time, money or items for the raffle.

You can drop off your donation at the school office or arrangements can be made to pick it up.

With cash donations we can purchase raffle items likeNixon Watches, Xbox 360’s or PlayStation 3’s; or gift cards for iTunes,

In and Out Burger, Tilly’s, Pac Sun, Amazon.com, Best Buy,Bed Bath and Beyond, Borders, Container Store and Starbucks.

• Exterior / Interior Door • Security • Raffle • Chaperones • Check-in table • Breakfast • Decorating • Snacks

Publisher: Edwin J. Hearn, Jr. Saints President Editor-in-Chief: James Horne Saints Principal Senior Editor: Steve Chipp (’68), Alumni DirectorManaging Editor: Thomas Shess, Alum Parent (’05)Thomas.Shess@gmail.comArt Director: Carol SherwoodChief Photographer: Ernie Torgeson, Alum Parent (’08)Circulation Director: Casey Callery, Associate Director of AdvancementAustin Parents Assn. Editor: Annette FlemingContributing Writers: John White, Steve Chipp and John MarinEditor Emeritus: John D. Keller O.S.A. (’55)

Correction PolicyWhile every effort is made to be accurate, we occasionally err. We do apologize to those impacted and kindly ask that you notify the Managing Editor so we may choose to publish corrections or amplifications in future issues.

Saints Scene Your monthly reporton the St. Augustine

High School Experience

The Honor Roll

SENIORS/Class of 2010Principal’s ListGPA of 4.0 or better José Miguel AcostaAndres Benjamin Alvarez AndaChristopher Santos AveryMikkal Gregory BlickScott Alan BriggsDevin Allan ChurchmanJake John ClarkChristopher Joseph CurtisNicholas Albert DeCinoAustin Matthew DickersonSean Ryan FitzgeraldChristopher Lane FreestoneAbraham GallegosFernando Rafael Garcia- Granados VictoriaSean William GlassKenneth Howard Gouin,IIIDrake VanVliet GradyThomas David HartElliot Vincente HumphreyIan Renan HumphreyMackenzie Boone KeanePeter Atwell Bradley Martin,IIIChristopher Thoms Miller Jr.Cody Chao Young OeiEzekiel Gonzalez OliwaBryce Richard PersichettiNathan Albert PleinJairus Eclevia RacelisAnthony Reynoso RielRyan Thomas SuarezDennis Reyes TorculasJack Richardson UtzClayton Edward Van AkenPhilip Ventura

First HonorsGPA of 3.60 to 3.99Allan James BantuganSamuel Zachary BanuelosKele Edward BigknifeJaime Alberto Bonilla FimbresPeter John Cataldo

St. Augustine High School Scholar StandoutsCongratulations to the following Saintsmen for having earned a

grade point average of 3.20 or higher during the Third Quarter 2009-2010.

Ivan Louis CavallinoCarlos Antonio ChavezDaniel Alberto CruzChristopher James DanteDaniel Joseph DeitersThomas Anthony DixonJoseph Thomas ErskineKevin Matthew GuicoLuke Joseph HenningGuillermo Anthony HernandezDavid Richard KlapmeierAndrew Peter KondanAlan Trung LamPaul Anthony MaaloufPatrick James McClainGrant Thomas McNamaraLucas Robert MooreRodrigo MoraRyan Jameson MorrellPhillip Cesar OnaJason John PeroneAlexander Nicholas Prevallet KinstleEnrique Joaquin Rodriguez SantosDominic Velasco SmithMr. Jonathan Nile TaliaJoseph Connor TaylorTyler Murdock ToranoFernando Antonio TrujilloJose Manuel ValenzuelaDavid Michael VondracekSean Thomas YoungWilliam Anton Young

Second HonorsGPA of 3.20 to 3.59Miguel Alejandro AllendeJohn Erick AmarillasArthur Cody AndersonMatthew Frank AsaroCarlos Jesus BrambilaJustin Nicanor BrownTim David CooksonBryan Daniel CullenJeffrey Michael DormannDaniel Alejandro FontAnthony Peter GautilleTrevor Matthew Hopkins

Michael Thomas HoustonAdam Matthew JohnsonAsdrubal Samuel MaciasFranco Ivano MacklisMark Michael MalekMarcel Michael MansourDaniel Leif MarksColin James MorrinMatthew Michael NickellAlexander Kenneth PaduaCharles Francis SalangerPaul Thomas SchlosserJackson Trimm SusterJoseph Benjamin Thaxton

JUNIORS/Class of 2011Principal’s ListGPA of 4.0 or betterTeague Kristian AshcraftGerardo AzcarragaKevin Michael BarajasThomas More BarrettKevin Callahan BauckmanConor Patrick BeckJames Robert BirkettChristopher Burton CattTyler Christian ConnollyDarren Thomas CritchlowEvan James CritchlowSean Leonard DaveyKevin Thomas DixonMichael Sean EbelingJose Luis EscamillaRyan Monroe FolettaJorge Salgado GarciaJon Matthew KalfayanBrody James LeonardVitorio Nicklaus Guiseppe LorenziniBrian Sullivan MaloyJohn Reilly MarinBrandon Cole MartelliChristopher Logan McConnellBrian Jacob PanishMichael Day PhillipsSpencer James PoisetMichael Dylan RobertsonVito Anthony RyanPatrick Gromer SmithDerek James SnyderRaymond Sami TotahZac Spencer TuckerNicholas Daniel ValentiniRyan Lawrence WalshAdam Morgan Whalen

First HonorsGPA of 3.60 to 3.99Victor Joseph AsaroChris Jordan Perpetua BanagaCesar CardenasEvan David CrowerConnor Mac Niallais DowlingTyler Berton HodgdonJames Gonzalez JoaquinGarett Thomas KainMichael John LoCocoCarlos Cristobal MartinezAnthony Raffi OghassabianAlexis OsunaSebastian James RevelsRyan Phillip RustMatthew Richard RyanAdam Thomas SecordConnor Dean SmithJesse Ian WatsonWilliam Arthur WickettJack Brooke Winters

Second HonorsGPA of 3.20 to 3.59Eduardo AckermanDylan James ArmsteadHayden Gerard CaveDavid Alexander CookJohn Ryan CrokeJoseph Anthony DagostinoJoseph Taylor EvansJohn Wendell GeheganSean Howard HalboChristian Michael KondanAlexander Nathan Noel LowerAustin Jacob McCalleyKevin Michael-James McKinleyChase Alan Mohan MinosJoshua Albert MottaleRicardo NoriegaVijay Hitesh PatelMatthew Joseph PekinMatthew Ponteprino RushAlexander Loughrin SaccoCarlos Hiram SotoRyan James VillardPatrick Michael Wynne

SOPHOMORES/Class of 2012Principal’s ListGPA of 4.0 or betterPatrick Joseph BonesDominic Joseph CarusilloMaximiliano CortesThomas Aubert DaviesCarlo Raphael Fulgencio EscuderoAustin Gabriel Farres OriolDaniel William JohnstonConnor Michael KeefeNicholas Austin KemmeDavid Evan LloydHeriberto MartinezJohn Conrad McGarryRyan Alexander MuirDaniele Giovanni NarelliBrian Thienan NguyenAlexander John PayneNathan Timothy PenickNeil Everett RensKarl Michael Cameros ReyesNicklaus Karl RuppertAlexander Tyler SwiderAndrew Sebastian VazquezDominic Arthur VetuschiJohn Patrick WilsonJason Sacamay Yudiono

First HonorsGPA of 3.60 to 3.99Aaron Daniel AndersonSpencer Riley CastilloPietro Anthony DeLucaJohn Punzalan DomporChad Alexander FitzgeraldAdrian GutierrezPeter James HulburtMichael Joseph InfantineAlejandro Ryuichi MiyaiSpencer Herbert-William MorganAnthony Patrick NavaJason NunezMatthew Stephen PalmerDerek Lee PriceNathaniel Douglas RainsAndres Eugenio RothenhauslerBlaine Patrick SafirGerard Paul Liang-Ren ShenAugustus Joseph WoestmanKevin Waylon Yim

Second HonorsGPA of 3.20 to 3.59Daniel Adam AcevedoGerald Comia AlisasisJuan Ignacio Ballinas RangelIan Amadeus BoboliaMason Anthony BrownStefan Taylor CarnahanRobert Etienne CayaEloy Celis SanchezCullen Quinn ConatySean Christian ConnorsEdwin Flores Corpus Jr.Austin Dean DiamondDaniel Clyde FariasFrancisco Joseph FelicianoRyan Raymond GarofaloDerek Roman Pharaoh GrahamJonathan Paul HeidTimothy John HilgemanLorenzo JuarezRobert Alan KinslowLars Thomas LeweckThomas Michael MezzacappaJosh Perry MillerJuan Manuel Moreno IVLuke Christopher NowlandSamuel Joseph ParadaRaul PareyonDavid Alexander PatinoDrew Alan Peterson Jr.Patrick Thomas PleinDaniel Gregory RamirezNathan Christopher RhodenBryan Joseph TarantinoLuis Carlos TrevinoStanley Andrew TrykaRyan Theodor Tweed

FRESHMEN/Class of 2013Principal’s ListGPA of 4.0 or betterAlberto AcostaGarrett Philip BarclayRobert Edmund Hubbard BaughmanJoel Sinlao BautistaKyle Grohmann-William BeddowAbelardo CorralPatrick John Dixon

Jose Armando Fernandez GuerreroAndrew Thomas GaylordDiego Francisco GonzalezDiego Francisco HealyGregory Thomas HeidTyler Berend HofsteeRobert Milton Jertberg IIIJordan Joseph De Jesus LapiraAlex Richard LarsonPatrick James LavelleJoseph Thomas MaaloufJason Luab MapaJoseph Edward McCabeMatthew Peter MedaLuis Andrés MirandaJoseph Le MoserNicholas Colwell MunozBenjamin Jackson PiorkowskiJoseph Clifford RammXavier Aloysius Nerona RedondoJuan Miguel Rodriguez- LynchCole Richard SchenewerkKevin Patrick SkinnerRyan Michael StamperEvan Daniel SudaMark Robert Wolford Jr.James Joseph Zehentbauer

First HonorsGPA of 3.60 to 3.99 Taylor Brant AhearnLeelye AshenafiMichael Athanasios BalourdasSpencer Filippone CalvertCooper Stephen DeGrawEdrick DrachenbergJames Sullivan FilleyDaniel Patrick FlanaganPatrick Cristobal GerardoSteven Michael GrosseHuy Nang HaJose Mario HankTristan JuarezRoss Gordon LemmelAndrew David MadsenRichard Henry MoomjianNicholas Stephen NadhirDarren Joseph PolandStephen Coleman RougasJoseph David SaadAustin Joseph SchmidAustin Andrew SiragusaScott Francis SzafranskiDavid Trung-Hieu TranNicholas Alexander VithaThomas Jefferson WickettAdrian Xavier Zavala

Second HonorsGPA of 3.20 to 3.59Jose Sebastian AlberdiAlbert John Comia AlisasisRobert Frederic AragonDaniel Enrique BartolomeMichael Francis CaliDamian George CarusilloDominic Manuel ChavezKyle Kentaro DalyRobert Frank De Cort Jr.Michael Thomas DeitersSpencer Edward DixonKyle Anthony EdmondsAntonio Jose Diamsay FaustinoSean Patrick FlanneryDavid Stephen Francis Jr.Josiah Amos GilbNicholas John HesslingAustin Gannon HyattFrancisco Koichi IshinoKostas Yiannis KotselasMariano Lino LagunaRobert John LeechAndrew Patrick LeyvaGregory Scott LoweThomas Andrew MacieCharles Xavier MadrugaThomas Harold McCarthyRyan Alan MerrillRyan Denver NeckMatthew Ryan NessKevin OsmanMatthew Zachary PalpallatocNicolas Alejandro QuirogaWilliam Macaspac RainesCarlo Salomon RuizAdrian Llevares SantosLuke James TotahJose Oscar ValenzuelaScott Anthony WalshAndrew Dominic WhiteJohn Daniel Yourg