Fall 2014 Messenger W: Pages

THE MUSTANG MESSENGER 1
Fall Mustang Messenger 2014.indd 1 11/12/14 12:03 PM

2 THE MUSTANG MESSENGER
ADVANCEMENT OFFICE
Director of Institutional Advancement
L'oreal Edmondson '98
Director of Annual Programs
Alice V. Case
Director of Web Communications
Janice Conlon Cuellar LR '69
Director of Alumni Relations
Michael Jones '96
Director of Special Events
Melissa Antonio Huar LR '91
Director of Communications
Robert Feasley
Please contact: Advancement Office
301.735.8401 ext. 134
Issue Title: "Geared to the Future"
On the Cover: "The Future of Bishop McNamara
High School Visualized"
PRESIDENT/CEO
Marco J. Clark '85
PRINCIPAL
Dr. Robert Van der Waag
Bishop McNamara High School
Advancement Office
6800 Marlboro Pike
Forestville, Maryland 20747
(p) 301.735.8401
(f) 301.735.0934
The Mustang Messenger is published
three times each year. We welcome
comments, suggestions, and information.
"With a curriculum
designed in the present,
based on the past, and
geared to the future, Bishop
McNamara High School will
create its own history."
Catholic Standard Reporter
Norman McCarthy (May 15, 1965)

Fall2014 CONTENTS
4 President's Pen
5 Homecoming
6-11 Around Campus
Bishop McNamara 100 Years Later
Campus Chatter
50th Anniversary Event Information
12-13 Academic Excellence
Tierra Jolly '00: Fighting for Ward 8
14-19 Talent in the Arts
Victor Bah: An Unlikely Story
Tri-M Music Society Induction
20-25 Athletic Pride
Girl Power
Mustang Fever
26-27 Faith and Service
Devotion
28-35 La Reine & McNamarAlumni
'Like Mike': Michael Brooks '97
Alumni News
Memorial Garden
In Memory of
CFC: 62489 United Way: 8895
Maryland Charities: 6137
©BMHS All Rights Reserved

Dear Bishop McNamara and La Reine High School Family and Friends,
The late Cardinal Patrick O'Boyle, Archbishop of Washington from 1948-1973, proclaimed that the occasion of the opening of
Bishop McNamara High School was a "cause for profound rejoicing throughout the Archdiocese." As we celebrate our 50th an-niversary
in 2014-2015, the cause for rejoicing couldn't be greater. From our humble beginnings in 1964, when we opened our doors
with 337 students in freshman and sophomore classes, 10 Holy Cross Brothers, and two lay faculty members, to where we are today
with a record enrollment of 885 students and a faculty and staff of nearly 125, the vision and dreams of our founders, the Brothers of
the Congregation of Holy Cross, have surpassed all expectations. Truly, there is great cause for rejoicing!
As we begin this historic and landmark year in our School's history, we are reminded that our most important mission is that given
by Christ to His Apostles — to go and teach. Grounded firmly in our Holy Cross heritage, the way that we taught in 1964 is the
way that we teach today — as educators in the faith, with hope to bring. Holy Cross education stands strong on four foundational
themes — Being Family, Building Respect, Educating our Minds and Hearts, and Bringing Hope. Uniquely here at Bishop McNa-mara,
we also carry forth the vision of the late Bishop M. McNamara, for whom this school was named, to reflect the image of Jesus
Christ to the world. It is from his words that our school motto, "To Think with Christ," was created and continues to guide all that
we do today.
At our dedication ceremony in 1965, Catholic Standard reporter Norman McCarthy wrote that Bishop McNamara High School,
"with a curriculum designed in the present, based on the past, and geared to the future, will create its own history" (May 15, 1965).
As we now begin the next chapter in our school's history, we are blessed by our proud past, thriving present, and hope-filled future!
With our growth and expansion over the years, a relevant and rigorous college-preparatory curriculum, the initiation of an iPad 1:1
program and technology integration, a thriving and comprehensive fine arts program unlike any other in the country, strong and
proud athletics, and a commitment to serve the poor and marginalized, the future for this school couldn't be brighter. Most impor-tantly,
however, we are blessed to continue to have bright, talented, and passionate students under the guidance and mentorship of
some of the most dedicated and caring professionals in Catholic education committed to the worthy mission of Holy Cross educa-tion.
I will close as Cardinal O'Boyle did 50 years ago: "May God bless all who labor here — and all who come to learn. And may the
fruit of this labor and learning enrich our country, the church, and all the world!" I look forward with great optimism to what the
legacy of Bishop McNamara High School will be for the next 50 years. Surely lives will be changed, miracles will happen, and this
Holy Cross "work of resurrection" will continue to bring hope to the world. Truly, the best is yet to come!
Gracefully yours, in Holy Cross,
Marco J. Clark '85
President/CEO
@mustangprez

he word "tradition" comes from
the Latin word "traditio." Traditio,
historically, means to pass on. As
a Ph.D. and theologian by training, it has
been my academic career to study tradition
as it pertains to historical action and events.
It has also been my impetus in thinking of
the 50th Anniversary of Bishop McNamara
High School in broader terms, as it defines
itself by a tradition of excellence, a tradition
of thinking with Christ, and a tradition
of innovation. To look forward to 2064,
when this school will celebrate 100 years of
education (and I'll be 90 years old) we must
first look at the school's first days.
Since our founding in 1964, the philosophy
of Bishop McNamara has promoted
Christian education in the spirit of the
Blessed Basil Moreau, C.S.C., Founder
of the Congregation of Holy Cross.
Sponsored by the Brothers of the
Congregation of Holy Cross, Bishop
McNamara has remained dedicated to the
"harmonious development of the whole
person," which was the challenge given by
Brother Ephraim O'Dwyer, C.S.C., then
Provincial of the Brothers of Holy Cross,
Eastern Province. This challenge echoed
the educational philosophy established
by Fr. Moreau, which stated, "We shall
always place education side by side with
instruction, the mind will not be cultivated
at the expense of the heart."
Built on a site adjacent to Mount Calvary
Catholic Church on Marlboro Pike in
Forestville, Maryland, Bishop McNamara
is the result of the vision, as was La
Reine High School, of Msgr. Peter Paul
Rakowski, to build a Catholic high school
for boys, and one for girls in the southern
part of Prince George's County. To that
end, in 1962, His Eminence, the Most Rev.
Patrick Cardinal O'Boyle, Archbishop of
Washington, extended an invitation to the
Brothers of Holy Cross to administer and
staff the new high school, which would
serve the county and parts of Washington,
D.C. Ten Holy Cross Brothers and two lay
teachers set the course for these boys to
develop into young men of character.
In 1964, Bishop McNamara came to be
in a turbulent time. Located seven miles
away from the steps of the Capital, the year
this school opened its doors was the year
that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. won the
Nobel Peace Prize, the Civil Rights Act
of 1964 authorized federal action against
segregation, and the year that President
Lyndon B. Johnson announced the 'War on
Poverty.'
The 10-year anniversary of the school, in
1974, came the same year during which
Nixon resigned and Hank Aaron broke
Babe Ruth's homerun record. The 20-year
anniversary of our school was celebrated
during George Orwell's prophetic 1984
year, during which Macintosh deliberately
defied the idea of oppression and loss of
individuality. In 1994, we celebrated our
30th anniversary while Nelson Mandela,
imprisoned for 27 years, was released from
prison and elected president and, during
our 40th anniversary, we bore witness to the
Battle of Fallujah in Iraq and the Middle
Eastern conflict. In 2014, 50 years later, we
celebrate the momentous milestone while
educating our children about the Israeli-
Palestinian conflict, the scares of Ebola,
and the ever-increasing role of technology
in our lives.
In the 50 years since the school began,
the vision of the founding brothers, who
stayed up well into the night putting desks
together for the first day of school, has not
diminished. While companies, leaders,
social movements, and organizations
that dominated market places, political
races, and social consciences have long
since disappeared, Bishop McNamara
has not only persisted, but also thrived.
By remaining true to Fr. Moreau, the
school has continued to provide an elite
education, taught and accepted students of
every demographic side-by-side, and never
forgotten its founding mission and goal of
education through personal and spiritual
innovation.
When Bishop McNamara opened its doors
50 years ago, it was an integrated school
amidst national turmoil. When Heather
Gossart was named the President/CEO in
1996, she was the first laywoman chosen by
the religious order to ever head a school.
When we began piloting our iPad 1:1
program this year, we sought to lead the
burgeoning national desire for students
well educated in science, technology,
engineering, and mathematics.
The expansion of our school, from the
cornerstone laid in 1964 to now, and
towards the next 50 years, has always been a
vital part of our history. Just as the students
and teachers that have walked our hallways
have left indelible marks upon the culture
and future of our school, our buildings are
a physical manifestation of the opportunity
we provide for our students to learn and to
excel.
In the next 50 years, as you might gather
should you take a walk through the main
concourse of our school building, Bishop
McNamara will restructure significantly.
This move, funded by a comprehensive
capital campaign by our school's leadership
T
The cafeteria planned will
allow for a more open,
friendly setting for the
student body. The
environmentally friendly
structure will provide a
setting as progressive as the
meals served.

will, at its completion, nearly double our space and capacity as an
educational institution. With the addition of the La Reine Science
Center, our department that features two Ph.D. teachers will have
unprecedented resources at their hands. With the addition of the
student commons center, our students will be able to congregate in
an informative and enjoyable atmosphere. With the addition of a
memorial garden, our entire community will be able to gather and
reflect upon our remarkable history in a peaceful, safe environment.
While these changes will long outlast my tenure, I know from my
experience at 6800 Marlboro Pike that the changes will only be
physical in nature. The same spirit that guided us these past 50
years will persist in the students, teachers, and administrators that
have elevated the School to the position it has gained today. I know
this because, in my time as an educator at Bishop McNamara and
elsewhere, never have I experienced an institution that is more
devoted to its mission, nomenclature, and tradition.
We know, as a collective community, who we are, where we come
from, and where we are going. As is tradition to say every morning,
"We are Bishop McNamara.
We are Holy Cross.
We choose through our
words and actions to build
family, show respect, educate
our minds and hearts,
and bring hope.
We choose to
Think with Christ."
The La Reine Science Center will provide
an homage to La Reine High School with a
dedicated wall of history as well as
state of the art resources for the students.

Josephine Kalshoven '15 and Mary
Korendyke '15 were named Commended
Participants in the National Merit
Scholarship Program. Josephine and Mary
placed in the top five percent of over 1.5
million students who took the Preliminary
SAT/National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT)
and entered the 2015 National Merit
competition.
Breana Ross '15 was named a Semifinalist
in the 2015 National Achievement
Scholarship Program. Breana is one 1,600
Black American high school students to
achieve this honor based on the results
of last fall's Preliminary SAT/National
Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/
NMSQT). Jordan Hinkle '15, Akosua
Johnson '15, Laken Smothers '15, and
Jordan Wells '15 were named Outstanding
Participants in the National Achievement
Scholarship Program. Jordan, Akosua,
Laken and Jordan were among the top
three percent of more than 160,000 Black
American students who participated in
this year's National Achievement Program
competition.
Monica Stanley, faculty member at Bishop
McNamara, welcomed her second son,
Dylan on October 12, 2014 at 3:25 p.m.
He weighed in at 6 lbs. 4 oz. and 21 inches!
Monica and baby are doing very well.
Congratulations Raymell, Monica, and
Cameron regarding the birth of their new
son and brother.
Father Jeffrey Samaha was named a
Top U.S. Executive for 2014 by National
Council of American Executives. Father
Samaha celebrates Mass in Moreau Chapel
every Tuesday morning for the Bishop
McNamara Community.
Nicole Yeargin '16 is the only girl in the
highly competitive Washington Catholic
Athletic Conference Football league, and
probably the only girl ever to have played
football in the league. Nicole, a former
gymnast and a current Mustang Girls'
Soccer player, is a newcomer to football.
She started training in June and was able
to secure a place on the varsity football
team in August. But Nicole, a seasoned
competitor, is described as "a hard-nosed,
fearless athlete" by her Mustang Soccer
coach, Edgar Rauch '94. She admits she
will have to work hard to achieve balance
as a two-sport student-athlete, and all of
the Bishop McNamara community will be
rooting for her!
This summer, Josephine Kalshoven '15,
Rachel Leader '15, and Michael Haynes
'16 participated in a summer camp hosted
by the Federal Bureau of Investigation,
providing students with hands-on
experience and real-world simulations of
the job and tactics of the FBI. The Future
Agents in Training Program teaches
young people how the Bureau deals with
terrorism, drug cartels, interrogations and
other crimes. The program is designed to
help students determine whether or not
a career in crime-fighting is something
that they are interested in for a career.
Michael explained that he signed up for the
program to "branch out and to push myself
to see what I can accomplish and get more
exposure in the FBI field because I want
to major in forensics. I liked the criminal
investigation details of the field especially."
According to Josie, "It was a fantastic
opportunity that we were able to go to
Hogan's Alley, the official training location
for actual FBI agents, and we were able to
have a hands-on experience that was second
to none." Rachel added that "spending the
week at the Washington Field office with
real FBI agents, going to the FBI Academy
and the FBI headquarters made me take a
deep breath, sigh, and be content knowing
that this is where I want to be."
Religion Department Chair, Adam Greer,
was recently awarded the National Society
of High School Scholars Educator of
Distinction Award.
From June 15-19, the Bishop McNamara
Campus Ministry, along with 65 students,
members of the faculty and alumni
volunteers, traveled to Notre Dame of
Maryland University in Baltimore to
participate in the Youth Leader Conference.
The Youth Leader program is a team
approach to Christian leadership formation
for youth that integrates Christian
spirituality and ministry skills. The purpose
of the conference was to empower young
people in their service to their peers and
the school community, as well as in their
leadership roles throughout the rest of their
lives.
Mustang
Moments
Nicole Yeargin '16 is the first female football player in the Washington Catholic Athletic Association

For further information, visit www.bmhs.org
December 17, 2014
Alumni Holiday Party
January 17, 2015
Athletic Hall of Fame Induction
January 25-31, 2015
Catholic Schools Week
February 11, 2015
Founder's Day Liturgy
March 1, 2015
La Reine Reunion: "Queen of Hearts"
May 1, 2015
Mustang Cup Golf Tournament
May 23, 2015
Commencement Exercises
May 28, 2015
Caritas Awards Night
50th Anniversary Events
LRHS Class of 1975: La Reine Class of 1975 is planning its 40th
reunion in 2015. Looking for ideas, planning committee members, and
your interest in attending the reunion and planning session. Please leave
a message on the Class of '75 reunion phone line at (202) 681-4345 or
send email to lrhs75@hotmail.com to show your interest.
BMHS/LRHS Class of 1989: In planning phase, looking for committee
members. Contact Angela Morton '89 at amdjem@gmail.com.
BMHS Class of 1995: Planning phase. Please contact Erica
Counts-Logan '95 at enclogan@gmail.com
BMHS Class of 2005: The class of 2005 will celebrate their 10-year
reunion Saturday, May 2, 2015 on the Bishop McNamara High School
campus in Alumni Hall. Please contact reunion coordinators Adriane
Taylor '05 at adrianetaylor227@gmail.com or Kristian Owens '05 at
kristian.owens@bmhs.org for more details.
BMHS Class of 2009: The class of 2009 is planning their five year
reunion! If you would like to help, contact Director of Alumni Relations
Michael Jones '96 at Michael.Jones@bmhs.org.
If you are planning your reunion, contact Michael.Jones@bmhs.org
or 301-735-8401 Ext. 111.
Reunion Information

ierra Jolly '00 is a social studies
teacher at Bishop McNamara
High School and Ward 8 member
of Washington, D.C.'s State Board of
Education. She is moved by an intrinsic
sense of right and wrong, as well as the
desire to live a life that manifests the love
of Christ in other people.
"Growing up, I was always taught to be
true to myself," Jolly said. "I wasn't like
most kids, and I knew that. My parents
recognized that as well but rather than push
me to conform, praised my individuality
and pushed me to follow my dreams."
This sense of self-assuredness led her to run
for the Washington, D.C. State Board of
Education despite never having held any
sort of public office. "I have been called to
pursue right and wrong my entire life, and
this move, I felt, was the right thing to do."
Her story began at Bishop McNamara,
where Jolly rejoiced in being surrounded by
people who used their faith to shape their
view of morality. "The peer and campus
ministry truly resonated with who I was
and who I am today," she said. Guided by
ministry, she found her calling as a teacher.
"I always thought I wanted to be a teacher,
but the instructors at Bishop McNamara
reaffirmed my desire."
She received her master's degree from
American University and was approached
by a recruiter from Teach for America. She
signed a two-year contract and shipped
off to New Orleans, where she worked in
schools designated as "disadvantaged."
The experience was profound for Jolly,
who felt the problems of the New Orleans
educational system mirrored those of her
native Ward 8 in Washington, D.C. "The
setting was different, but the problems the
kids were having were the same," she said.
"I did my best to reach them as a teacher
and mentor, but soon realized that to effect
policy, I had to control policy. " For Jolly, it
would take more than being an educator;
she had to become a politician.
Jolly enrolled in and began working towards
her Ph.D. at Tulane University and moved
home to South East, D.C. "My whole life I
wanted to run for public office."
Jolly initially chose to try to pursue a seat
on the Ward 8 Advisory Neighborhood
Commission (ANC). The ANC is a body
of local government created through
referendum in 1974 to consider a wide range
of policies affecting their neighborhoods,
from parking to liquor licenses. Only days
before she was set to put in her bid for an
ANC seat, the representative for Ward 8
on the State Board of Education vacated
their seat. "I thought about it intensely and,
a week before the deadline to get on the
ballot, I decided to 'woman up,'" she said.
As an educator and native Ward 8 resident,
Jolly felt uniquely attuned to the problems
facing the children. What she hadn't
T

anticipated were the local politics involved
in any kind of political move.
To get her name on the ballot, she had to get
200 signatures of people in her ward that
supported her initiate. After 350 signatures,
she registered her name but was promptly
openly challenged as to the validity of her
signatures. A challenge to signatures meant
that each person who signed her support
form had to be vetted to see if they were
registered to vote, lived in the correct zone.
Of her original 350 signatures, 219 held up.
"I had no money to spend on the campaign,
but felt that what I was doing was for the
right reasons and that if I could prove
my earnest intentions to my fellow
Washingtonians, that would be it!"
So entrenched was some of Jolly's
opposition, however, that she had to enlist
the help of a pro bono lawyer. At question:
"my authenticity as a member of the Ward
8 community." Despite living in the same
area of Washington, D.C. her entire life
and having a family that lay roots in the
1880s, her time away in New Orleans
gave her opponent a platform from which
to condemn her candidacy. "It was truly
disheartening to have it get so personal,"
she said, "because when it came down to it,
I was in the race for the kids."
With unflinching determination, she
canvased for six hours a night, barely slept,
and attended every community meeting
she could over the course of two months
and, on election day, won with 49 percent
of the vote. "It was an extremely validating
feeling, but for me was just the beginning,"
she said. By winning a seat on the Board of
Education, Jolly became one of 24 elected
officials in all of Washington, D.C. and
the only member of the board that was
currently a teacher.
Her first meeting, she said, did not go
well. "I joined mid-session so there was
already a lot underway, but some of the first
topics we began discussing were the kids at
'priority schools.'" There were initiatives,
largely derived from percentage studies that
identified students most at risk, less at risk,
"and I found that to be hugely offensive,"
Jolly said.
Having taught in one of the schools
classified as "priority," she lobbied that
these were not percentages, but children. "A
lot of the time that we talk about students,
we talk about percentages and about how
so and so did such and such without ever
humanizing our discussion topic," she said.
"If I have any effect during my tenure, it will
be to change the way priority children and
schools are discussed in our organization."
"It won't be easy," Jolly said. "But I wasn't
raised to take the easy way out. I was raised
and educated to think with Christ, and I
believe in my personal mission to help
these kids. I'm on the school board because
no one else wanted to make things better as
much as I did."

"What brought you, of all places in the world, to Forestville,
Maryland to teach at Bishop McNamara High School?"
Victor Bah, the head of the African Dance program, smiles at the
question. He's had a long day, and not a thing in the world but time
can bring it any closer to finishing, but the question compels him to
consider. He taps his fingers on the table and readjusts his sitting
position, pensively positioning his body and forthcoming answer.
"I have asked myself that question many, many times," he says. "It's
easy to look back now and say 'oh it was meant to be' but in April
of 2001, I stepped off a flight at Dulles Airport with the clothes on
my back and a single drum under my arm to a brand new country,
school, and job with only my ambition to guide me."
A CHANCE
ENCOUNTER
The Unlikely Story of Victor Bah

n Back-to-School night this
year, when the parents of 885
students moved from classroom
to classroom, meeting their students'
teachers and learning more about Bishop
McNamara, Mr. Chris Williams, a social
studies teacher, wrote on his whiteboard
the name of every single country to which
he's traveled. A time-honored tradition, his
international touring has long since covered
the whiteboard in names of countries
that have prompted, he joked, "smaller
handwriting."
Mr. Williams always shares with the
parents his love for travel and international
work, but also the worth he seeks to instill
in his students of being a global citizen. His
favorite story, though he is far too humble
to ever mention it in more than passing,
was of a two-month work exchange he
had in Ghana in 1994, working for the
International Development Exchange.
Staying at a Presbyterian Guest House in
the middle of Kumasi, Ghana, Mr. Williams
set out one day to find a local scarf famous
to the region. "I'm pretty sure that's what I
was looking for," he said. "After 20 years,
what I was looking for wasn't important
but what I found was."
Asking for directions, Mr. Williams
met one of the locals, who gave detailed
directions in perfect English. The two
struck up a conversation and the man Mr.
Williams had met revealed himself to be
a young, intelligent, ambitious, university-bound
man interested in studying theater
and the arts as well as African culture. His
fluency in English, Mr. Williams joked, was
key to their conversation. "In all my travels
all over the world, the people that have
stuck out most have been those who spoke
English because I only speak English." The
young man was Victor Bah, then 22 years
old and headed to the University of Ghana
in the fall.
The encounter resonated with Mr. Williams
who, before leaving, exchanged contact
information with the young man. He told
Victor that he would keep in touch. In three
years' time when Victor was to graduate,
he said he would do his best to help him
get a job teaching at Bishop McNamara in
Forestville, Maryland.
Growing Pains
Victor has a near identical recantation
of their meeting. He, too, discussed
the incredible unlikelihood of meeting
someone who was so connected and
genuinely interested in creating and
fostering a meaningful relationship. Where
their stories differ in their telling comes in
Mr. Williams' parting from Ghana. "He
told me he would talk to his Principal
and President and see if he could make it
happen. He was very polite, but with due
respect, I didn't put much weight into his
words and was just sort of like 'thanks,
but I'll probably never hear from you ever
again.'"
Victor's initial reaction was not motivated
from spite or animosity, but rather from
growing up, as he put it, "self-reliant."
As a seven year old in Ghana, Victor
was present during the Armed Forces
Revolutionary Council's coup d'etat
in June of 1979 and lived through the
lingering effects. While the takeover of the
government only lasted until September
of the same year, the leader, Lt. Jerry
Rawlings, again led a coup in 1981 with
the Provisional National Defense Council
to install another oppressive Ghanaian
military government that lasted until 1992.
Growing up under a military dictatorship
meant political opposition was illegal, if
not deadly, and soldiers under Rawling's
leadership were not held accountable for
their actions. As a 10 year old, Victor had
to watch as government soldiers burned
his apartment building, along with his
family's belongings, down to the ground.
"The owner of the building was related to
a woman whose sibling was married to a
preacher that had been speaking out against
the government," Victor explained. "There
was nothing we could do or say."
The destruction of their property meant
Victor's family had to separate. His father
and mother initially paired off children but,
under the oppressive regime, his father lost
his job and his mother was quickly charged
with caring and providing for her five
children.
"I tell my students now, even at my age and
even being in America for 14 years, that I
have gone to bed more nights not knowing
what or how I was going to eat the next day
than knowing that I would find enough to
provide for myself," Victor said.
To add to his difficulty, Victor's parents
passed away while he was in the American
equivalent of High School. He moved in
with his older sister, who had a husband
and children of her own. While this meant
O
"After 20 years, what I was looking for wasn't important but what I found was," said Mr. Williams

having a roof over his head, Victor largely
had to provide for himself at a young age in
a struggling economy.
Victor found solace in theater. A cultural
center was built in Kumasi, where he stayed,
and out of sheer curiosity, Victor joined
to test his mettle in the field. He began
with a drumming class and, after a time
of providing the background music to the
actors, decided it was time to try acting as
well. "My mother was always dramatic," he
laughs, "so I came by it honestly." The stage
called to him and, before long, Victor spent
more time in the cultural center drumming,
acting, and dancing than he did nearly
anything else, other than being at school.
For all of the challenges in his life, Victor
excelled academically. In the British
educational system implemented in Ghana
during colonization, students are split into
two groups – the "A Group" and the "O
Group" – with the former representing the
best and brightest students in the country.
Even among those in the "A Group," only
a percentage is ever accepted into the three
universities in all of Ghana. "For a country
of 24 million, we had three universities so
to get in wasn't just difficult, but nearly
impossible," Victor said. "People that got
into a university usually would get married,
buy a house, and start having kids because
acceptance was just that rare."
Even more difficult was the track that
Victor chose – that of pursuing African
Dance and Theater at the University of
Ghana. In a continent defined by the
inseparable nature of culture and dance,
almost no programs are more exclusive or
elite than dance programs at the collegiate
level. Victor, by his estimate, had to beat
out over 300 applicants for one spot. "I was
never good at math, but even I know that's
less than a one percent chance to get in,"
he said.
Leaving the Country
In many African nations, "going out of
the country" specifically means to leave
the continent of Africa. Victor, in the
summer before his final year at University,
was selected to join "Abibigroma," an elite
dance troupe made up of the best dancers
in all of Ghana, and given an opportunity
to travel and perform all over the world.
His first trip, he noted with a hint of a
smile, was not "out of the country" but
rather was a tour of northern Africa funded
by the former Libyan Dictator, Muammar
Gaddafi. "I got to meet him, shake his
hand, and then as fast as I could get away
from him," he said.
His next trip was to South Korea. "Growing
up near a Presbyterian guest house, I was
used to meeting the occasional foreigner,
but to travel to Asia was like traveling to a
different world for me," he said. Victor, in
his time with the troupe, travelled the South
Eastern Pacific as well as the continents
of Europe and Asia, performing for
dignitaries, heads of state, and celebrities.
"It's funny," he says. "When I was a baby
and would watch TV, I would embrace the
television every time I saw something that
was foreign to me. My mother, seeing me do
this, would tell me, 'Victor, you are going to
see the world one day and will settle down
some place far away from Ghana.'"
Despite his international success, Victor still
struggled when he was home in Ghana. His
international travel was paid for, but little
monetary compensation was added above
the troupe's expenses. To support himself,
Victor began selling books. Growing up
reading the works of classic British and
American authors, Victor found that his
native town had no influx of literature.
By the time Victor graduated and bought
a ticket out of the country to go live with
friends he'd made traveling internationally,
he had four employees selling thousands
of books a month. "Some people, to make
ends meet, sold drugs or whatever they
could get their hands on. I realized what
people needed more were books!"
H1B Visa
Despite his skepticism after meeting Mr.
Williams all those years before, Victor
began to receive letters soon after his
encounter. To Mr. Williams' excitement,
Victor wrote back. Their relationship
continued throughout his collegiate career
until, in 1998, when Victor was weeks from
graduating, he received a letter requesting
a course syllabus for a high school African
Dance class.
"I seriously thought he was kidding,"
Victor said. True to his word, however, Mr.
Williams not only proposed the idea to
then Principal Marco J. Clark '85, but also
campaigned heavily for it. So convincing
was his testimony of this young man who
he'd spent only an afternoon with years
before that Mr. Clark joined him in his
campaign and presented the idea to then
President/CEO Heather Gossart.
Mr. Williams was sent back to Ghana to
meet with Victor again, on a more formal

note, to ensure that the idea, or gamble as it
was perceived at the time, could potentially
work. Mr. Williams met with Victor and,
again, was thoroughly impressed – the
bright 22 year old he had shared a friendly
afternoon with in Kumasi was an educated
world traveler with a passion and level of
ability unmatched in his field.
The process of bringing Victor to America,
however, required far more convincing
than the Principal or President of the
school. To allow Victor to immigrate, Mr.
Williams along with Mr. Clark and Mrs.
Gossart would have to secure Victor an
H1B visa – a six-year work visa. They had
to prove that they were bringing in Victor
to fill a position that no one else holding an
American passport could fill, they had to
guarantee him full-time employment, and
Victor's degree and credentials had to hold
up to American standards.
The reward for such effort, they realized,
could serve as a signature program for the
School, but the failures of such a move
could be financially perilous. Bishop
McNamara had, only years before, chosen
to join with La Reine High School to
prevent closing. "We knew what it could
become – a signature program not just in
the Archdiocese of Washington, D.C. but
in the entire region – but we didn't know
how or if it would ever become that," Mrs.
Gossart said. "We couldn't try it for a
semester or two and see if it worked – we
had to commit to Victor and the program.
It was a leap of faith."
Securing an H1B visa took three years of
applying, re-applying, and sifting through
levels and layers of bureaucracy native only
to Washington, D.C. During this time, Mr.
Williams never stopped writing to Victor.
The visa was approved in March of 2001,
only months before the fateful attacks of
September 11, 2001, where afterwards the
H1B visa all but disappeared for several
years, later to re-emerge under additional
agencies with more scrutiny. "If we'd been a
year later with Victor, he never would have
been able to make it here," Mr. Williams
said.
Victor, living in Australia at the time, was
contacted directly by Mr. Williams and
told that, if he wanted it, the position was
his. "Mr. Williams had been so important
to me during such a formative time period
in my life, I couldn't say no," Victor said.
"And everyone in Ghana dreams of living
in America one day."
And so Victor arrived in April of 2001 with
the clothes on his back and a single drum
under his arm. "How was your flight?" Mr.
Williams asked.
Sankofa
"I was brought here to create a program
unlike anything else in all of our
surrounding schools, and that is what I
charged myself to do," says Victor, back in
the conference room. "When I began, 14
years ago, I had one drum and, in my first
semester teaching, I had six kids to teach."
Word spread quickly about his program,
however. During his second year, the
number of students ticked upwards and,
with the same attitude that prompted him
to run a book-selling business while touring
internationally and finishing his schooling,
he decided to change what his class was
about. "Every dance class in America is
about movement and technique and going
through motions," he said. "But that is
not what African dance is about: I dance
not as a representation of myself, but as a
representation of my history and culture as
a proud Ashanti and African man."
He told his students on the first day, as he
has ever since, that, "If you are not interested
in African culture, this is not the right place
for you. This is a dance class, but in Africa,
dance and culture are one and the same."
His students took an interest in the
immersive teaching, but were captivated
by the crowd-pleasing, yearly performances
known as "Sankofa." In the 2007-2008
school year, Victor had to hold auditions
to get into his classes, with the number of
students swelling from six his first year to
the course-limited 90 in only a few years.

The success, though a validation of his
program, was not wrought by sheer word
of mouth. "It was very hard at first," he
said. "People did not understand who I
was, what I did, or why they should
be interested in my class but slowly,
and surely, with the program on my
back, I built it year after year." The
man who arrived with one drum to
Dulles airport now boasts over 80
drums and replenishes a wardrobe
on a yearly basis of costumes for his
90 performers that can exceed 150
dollars each.
His assistant teacher, Rebecca
Wilson '07, was a member of the
one of his first classes. So inspired
was she by her time with Victor
that, while at Drexel University,
she chose to study abroad at the
University of Ghana with the same
professors that had taught Victor
years before. Wanting to follow
her teacher's study of dance, she
had to seek individual teachers'
approval. "No one believed that an
American could dance well until I
explained to them who my teacher
had been, and showed them what
he'd taught me," she said. "Then, suddenly,
I was allowed to study in the advanced class
with the other students." The teachers not
only remembered Victor, but also praised
Rebecca for her background.
"So why, of all places in the world, did you
end up in Forestville, Maryland at Bishop
McNamara High School?"
"Sankofa," he finally says. "The word
is Akan and means to remember your
past while moving forward. The day I
stop pushing the limit of what I can do
is the day that I retire; the moment I
feel like I've arrived is the moment the
program should shift from my hands
because, for my entire life, I have never
faltered in believing things could be
better.
"I believed it when I watched Rawling's
soldiers burn down my home and
everything in it, I believed it when my
parents passed away, and I believed it
when a kind stranger believed in me
enough to bring me to America."
"And look where that has got me – in
Forestville, Maryland teaching African
Dance at Bishop McNamara High
School." Chuckling, he says, "As of
a year ago, I'm also a United States
citizen. I am truly a blessed man."
Students inducted into Tri-M Music Society
The Tri-M Music Honor Society is the
international music honor society for
middle/junior high and high school
students. It is designed to recognize
students for their academic and musical
achievements, reward them for their
accomplishments and service activities, and
to inspire other students to excel at music
and leadership.
Through more than 5,500 chartered
chapters, Tri-M has helped thousands
of young people provide years of service
through music in schools throughout the
world. Tri-M is a program of the National
Association for Music Education.
On Tuesday, October 21, 2014, the Fine
Arts Department inducted students as well
as honorary member and Distinguished
Adjunct Faculty Member, Mr. Fred Hughes
into the Tri-M Music Honor Society. The
night was burnished by several outstanding
solo and duet musical performances given
by our students and then highlighted with
a solo performance by Mr. Hughes. After
his performance, he gave a wonderful talk
about the capacity of the arts to transform
our lives. Mr. Hughes spoke thoughtfully
and passionately about the power of the arts
to enrich us by seeing one's life as an artist
whose vocation it is to pursue excellence.
The beauty of being an artist is that there
is always more to strive for while in pursuit
of it. Indeed, Bishop McNamara is blessed
to have an artist of Mr. Hughes' quality
teaching our students along with the caliber
other talented and dedicated members of
our Fine Arts Department. Thanks to Ms.
Francine Amos-Hardy for organizing the
evening as well as the support provided by
Ms. Rhoda Sutton and Mr. Conto.
Overall, this was a wonderful celebration of
the arts at Bishop McNamara and one that
edified all who attended. Congratulations
to both our students and Mr. Hughes for
being inducted into the Tri-M Music
Honor Society.
"Sankofa means to remember your past while moving forward."

thletic Director Anthony
Johnson's office is located in the
Fine Arts and Athletics Building,
at the end of a narrow hallway. Adorning
the hallway are jerseys of the professional
athletes that have graduated from Bishop
McNamara High School. Among those
athletes are Tyoka Jackson '89, Cam Chism
'08, Jerome Couplin III '09, Brandon
Coleman '10 and, most recently, Saniel
Atkinson-Grier '09. Saniel is the first
female athlete to go pro from Bishop
McNamara High School, and her track
uniform stands in stark contrast to the
enormous football jerseys.
Her accomplishment is mirrored over in
the School's main gymnasium, where her
banner hangs next to one that proudly
boasts of the 2003-2004 women's basketball
team that went 27-1 and was ranked first
by USA Today for nine weeks. Of the four
Gatorade State Players of the Year banners,
three of them are for female athletes –
Kalika France '03, Iman McFarland '05,
and Taylor Brown '11.
"The truth is," said Mr. Johnson, "that
when we merged schools with La Reine
High School, we didn't just become a
coeducational school, but one suddenly
filled with magnificent female student-athletes."
Among the Hall of Fame plaques
outside of his office, eight belong to La
Reine alumnae.
Being surrounded by reminders of female
accomplishment on a daily basis has shaped
Mr. Johnson's view of the female athlete.
"Men's sports are generally viewed as more
dominant, but at Bishop McNamara that
has simply never been the case," he said.
"Just look at what's going on this fall – we've
got a woman's soccer team that's suddenly
vying for a WCAC title, a girl kicking field
goals on the football team, and an alumnus
track and field star who we'll probably see
in the next Olympics. Bishop McNamara is
all about girl power."
Women's Varsity Soccer
This past summer, two headlines were
emblazoned across the sports world: the
Men's World Cup and the absence of
Landon Donovan from the Unites States'
national team. The described "all-time
leading goal scorer in the history of U.S.
soccer" didn't even make the reserves.
Goalkeeper Melanie Stiles '16, center
attacking mid Anissa Mose '17, forward
Paige Stephenson '17, and defender Kayla
Foster '17 counted themselves among those
that didn't lament the former captain's
absence. Rather, they felt as if the outcry
overlooked the fact that Donovan was
nowhere near the top of the list for the
U.S. "First off," Stiles exclaimed, "Landon
Donovan isn't even the greatest goal scorer
in the history of U.S. soccer. That's just so
completely wrong – Abby Wambach is."
Stiles is right. Donovan, in international
competition, has scored 57 goals. That
is the most for any male competitor, but
doesn't even fall in the top five for female
competition domestically. Abby Wambach,
the captain for the women's team, currently
holds a mark of 167 international goals –
nearly three times that of Donovan.
Mose, Stephenson, and Foster chime in
with agreement. "Everyone went crazy
when the men's team made it to the
elimination games, but our women's team
will probably win the world cup next year!"
Mose adds. She's not wrong either.
The injustice the four see is that women in
sports aren't perceived to be as competitive,
capable, or athletic as men. They intend to
change that perception, however. Far from
the Barbie doll caricature, the four agree
that gym class is for working out, sports
are for everyone, and fitness is essential to
life. "I hate when girls say 'this is only gym
class,'" Stiles noted. "Everyone is surprised
when we're super competitive, but just
because we're girls doesn't mean we can't
go for it. Being a girl has nothing to do with
our sense of being competitive." For the
record, Stiles can squat 315 lbs. – a mark
so high even her teammates rib her for
it. "She's a monster, but that's awesome,"
joked Stephenson.
When Edgar Rauch '94 returned to coach
the women's varsity soccer team three years
ago, a year before Foster, Stephenson, Mose,
or Stiles joined the team, his first order
of business was to hold a team meeting.
Playing collegiate soccer at Shepherd
University and working with local elite
clubs had conditioned Rauch to approach
the game with a winning attitude.
His first question for the team was to ask
what their goal was for the season. During
the previous year, they had won no games,
so he was curious to learn what the girls
wanted from the upcoming season. "They
told me, after some deliberation, that they
wanted to score a goal this year," Rauch
said. "And not one goal per game, but
one goal in total." The year before Rauch
arrived, the team had not only gone winless,
but also failed to register a goal for the
entire season.
The second year was better, but also difficult.
Rauch recruited three freshmen – Mose,
Stephenson, and Foster – and got transfer
goalkeeper Stiles. While the team was
more competitive, "it was still too young,"
Rauch said. "Our freshmen class was very
talented, but they were half the size of their
competition and just got pushed around
way too much." The team ended up winning
five games, but still wanted more. "All of a
sudden we went from a team that wanted
to score a goal to a team that wanted to
be a competitive name in the Washington
Catholic Athletic Conference."
This year has been, as Rauch calls it, "a
different story." With the conclusion of the
WCAC regular season, the girls finished
12-8, including exhibition games, and
qualified for the playoffs. The team is not
a tournament favorite, but with closely
contested games against the likes of top-
10 nationally ranked Good Counsel,
it is expected to advance deep into the
tournament.
When not playing soccer for Bishop
McNamara, they compete for the Elite
Clubs National League – a collection of
the best soccer players from the state. Over
the summer, Stephenson, Mose, and Foster,
members of the Under-15 team, won the
America Cup National Championship
while Stiles, a member of the U-17 team,
finished as a runner-up.
The level of competition at the national
level, Rauch said, elevates their play as well
as their teammates' play. "By playing at that
level, they come back and are able to share
their experience with their teammates
to make everyone better. By having that
experience on the team, suddenly I have
four more assistant coaches who are
constantly holding players accountable,
helping players develop, and encouraging a
more focused team dynamic."
Stiles, a junior, has already committed to
Clemson University to play Division One
A

soccer in college. The goalie averages 10 or
more saves per game and is resolute in her
approach towards helping the team receive
the recognition she feels it deserves. "I want
to win every time I go out there," she said.
"And why wouldn't I think we could win
the WCAC tournament?"
(Wo)Men's Varsity Football
Staples in the Bishop McNamara weight
room include power racks, treadmills, and
Nicole Yeargin '16. The former gymnast
was always bigger and stronger than girls
(and often guys) her age. "I was a little self
conscious about it until I came to Bishop
McNamara and was introduced to weight
lifting by Mr. Jeffrey Southworth '05," she
said. Her love for lifting blossomed into a
full-fledged addiction as she began to feel
much more comfortable with her athletic
frame.
Her work ethic was so impressive that
Keith Goganious, the head coach for the
varsity football team, took note of the
junior's strength and invited her to come
out and try kicking a football for his team.
"I'd never kicked one before," she said, "and
to be honest I was really bad at first." Also a
member of the varsity soccer team, Yeargin
was well acclimated to kicking, but never
such an oblong object. "It was nothing like
a soccer ball," she said laughing.
Yeargin began training in June 2014 and,
by August 30, made her first extra point
against Mount St. Joseph to become not
only the first female football player in
Bishop McNamara's history, but in that of
the entire WCAC. But that wasn't enough.
"I don't want to be a good kicker for a
girl – I want to be a good kicker," she
said. Yeargin has already hit kicks of up to
35 yards in practice and, by year's end, is
aiming to hit kicks of over 40 yards.
Key to her role on the team has been
her noted toughness. Against Liberty
Christian Academy, Yeargin set up for an
extra point. She was able to get the kick off,
but due to a missed block, as she watched
the ball sail, she was leveled by a defender.
"I wasn't really watching but the next thing
I knew a guy had wrapped up my legs and
I was going down," she said. "I hit pretty
hard but then just laid there for a second
thinking 'oh my god I just got hit!'" As the
team and Coach Goganious gasped, Nicole
collected herself, and ran off the field in
embarrassment. "Everyone thought I was
dead because I'd hit the ground, but I was
fine," she said. "I was just embarrassed that
I'd been tackled!"
While her kick veered off target, her
resilience was well noted among her
teammates. "Everyone was sort of surprised
I was alright," she said. "Once they figured
out I was ok though, everyone started
ripping on me."
While the season hasn't gone quite the
way she's wanted – "I'm no Vinatieri quite
yet," she says – Yeargin is planning on
continuing to play through the rest of high
school. She hopes the in-game experience,
along with another summer of practice, will
allow her to compete at a higher level next
year. "I won't stop. I don't like when people
say girls are weak or complainers. I'm not
weak and I don't complain."
High Jump(er)
"I was such a girly girl when I was growing
up," said Saniel Atkinson-Grier '09. "I was
in cheerleading, I hated going outside, and
I was all about looking pretty. I had no
interest in ever playing sports because the
idea of sweating was not appealing to me."
"This was all until one of my cheerleading
friends approaches me and was like hey do
you want to try track and field?" Atkinson
wasn't pleased with the idea, but decided
to humor her friend. "I made my friend
promise there wouldn't be bugs," she said.
Once she started running, she realized that
she had a natural talent for it. "I started
running, jumping, and all that and I was
beating the boys," she said. "I said to myself,
'hey this is pretty fun.'"
Almost 15 years later, Atkinson still insists
that her hair and make up be right, but now
she does so in preparation for international
competition as a professional track and field
athlete. A high school Nike All-American,
Atkinson attended the University of
Georgia where she was a multiple time
All-American and NCAA finalist before
graduating and deciding to go pro.
As a professional athlete, she has traveled
all over the world competing. She has also
set the loftiest goals a professional athlete
can set: the 2016 Olympics. Competing for
Jamaica, she most recently finished seventh
at the Commonwealth Games. "The thing
about track and field, jumping, and any
event is that at the international stage it's
always outdoors," she said. "So if I can jump
in the rain and I final at the Olympics, I
could be the next gold medalist." She adds,
"and I can jump in the rain."
The difficulty she has experienced as a
female athlete has been one of sustaining
a professional athlete lifestyle while
competing in a small-market sport. "Track
and field is huge at the Olympics, but what
people don't' realize is that there are huge
competitions every year rather than every
four," she said. "And female track and field
certainly doesn't land you the money that
men's football would." The challenge,
for her and her fellow female athletes, is
marketing her skills as an athlete and her
look as a woman. "If you look at female
athletes – Serena Williams, Lolo Jones,
Allyson Felix – they're all incredibly
talented athletes, but also beautiful women.
As a female athlete, it's difficult to be
successful without having both."
Hesitating, she added, "But it's worth it.
Female athletes, especially now, have the
ability to be their own pillar of strength and
set their own limits rather than be limited
by anyone. I was born to be an athlete, and
that's what I'm going to be until I can no
longer compete."
A Continuing Tradition
As fall sports head towards their conclusion,
another girls' team is set to make a meteoric
rise: the women's basketball team. Headed
by Frank Oliver, the team that graduated
no seniors last year, finished second in
summer league play and has kept their pace
by winning all of their pre-season matches.
Practicing under the USA Today banners
that celebrate the past successes of the
program is a constant reminder both for
Oliver and his players.
"It's hard not to see those banners up
above when you're practicing and playing,"
he said. "And that's a good thing – we
know it's been done, so we know that it's
something that can be done again." As
Johnson would put it, "just another year
of sports for the female student-athletes
of Bishop McNamara High School. Go
Mustangs!"

Three regular season games still
remained for Bishop McNamara
entering their match against St.
John's High School, but the time
had come to issue an ultimatum
of sorts to the Mustangs defense.
The unit had allowed an average
of 46.3 points across its last four
games, jeopardizing the team's
hopes of earning one of four spots
up for grabs in the Washington
Catholic Athletic Conference
playoffs.
Mustangs senior defensive
back Ashton White said, "We
really buckled down in practice
and really took our preparation
seriously, because we know we're
a good team."
That much was clear Saturday,
when the Mustangs overcame
a halftime deficit to knock off
then-No. 11 St. John's, 31-15,
at home behind three forced
turnovers and then, two weeks
later, when the Mustangs
knocked off Bishop O'Connell
to secure their first postseason
berth since 2009.
MUSTANG
A FIGHT TO
THE FINISH

The Bishop McNamara High
School girls' basketball team
wasn't dominating summer
league games in 2013. That's
because the Mustangs, coming
off a 3-24 season, didn't even
have a summer team.
But what a difference a year and
a new coach can make. Under
second-year coach Frank Oliver,
Jr., the Mustangs came together
this offseason, and the extra work
began paying off with Bishop
McNamara finishing second
in their summer league play in
a nail-biter to perennial power
house Elearnor Roosevelt High
School.
"We're here every single day," said
rising junior Morgan Smith. "We
get to put on the floor everything
we've been working on."
In the pre-season, the girls have
been undefeated in tournament
play and kick off their season
December 1, 2014 against
Friendship Collegiate Academy.
FEVER
RETURN OF
A DYNASTY

r. Catherine Donley '08, now
known as Sr. Catherine Maura of
the Lamb, first thought about a
religious vocation her senior year at Bishop
McNamara High School. Informed by
teachers and motivated by peer and campus
ministry, "it was impressed upon me that
God was known, loved and served in and
out of the classroom," she said. Several of
her teachers, she said, gave her the courage
to grow into a Catholic, young adult.
While at the University of Maryland, Sr.
Donley led religious vocation dinners, bible
studies, and involved herself heavily with
the Catholic Student Center. The activities
she participated in, while witnessing the
faithful members of the University of
Maryland Catholic Student Center, helped
her further define her vocation.
When she graduated in 2012 with a B.S.
double major in Business Management
and Agricultural and Resource Economics,
she returned to spend a year at Bishop
McNamara as the Campus Minster for
Outreach. The experience of being so
closely related to the community's spiritual
side reaffirmed her decision to respond to
"God's call."
Sr. Donley entered the St. Dominic's
Monastery on November 3, 2014 – a
cloistered Dominican community in
Linder, Virginia. From a letter she wrote
before her cloistering:
"I may enter and discern that God is calling
me to the vocation of marriage or He may
reinforce His calling me to religious life.
I don't know what the future holds, only
Whose Hands are holding the future and
I trust in His Divine Providence. The
entire BMHS community (immediate and
otherwise) will always be in my prayers. I
ask for prayers as I more fully discern God's
will."
Kelly Kostelnik '08, a current photography
teacher at Bishop McNamara, was one of
few that was surprised by her best friend's
decision to become a cloistered nun. "Cat
was always taken with religious learning,"
she said. "Even from an early age, I had the
idea that she very well might not work the
average nine to five job like I was planning
on doing."
The life that Sr. Donley is entering is one
of intense devotion and piety. Her daily
schedule, according to general guidelines,
begins at 12:30 a.m. when the Sister
designated as "caller" knocks on each door
to summon her fellow Sisters to prayer.
Everyone returns to sleep at 1:45 a.m.
only to rise again at 5:00 a.m. to clean and
observe chores for the next hour to hour
and a half.
Morning mass begins at 7:00 a.m. and
breaks for discussion and introspection
until breakfast at 8:30 a.m. The nun's
day is purposed to return praise to the
Blessed Trinity and to sanctify each
passing moment. The thought behind the
motivating action is "All for Love" and "All
for Jesus." As such, no task is too great to
accomplish, for all is done for the purpose
of love. Many of the nuns spend large
portions of their days in activities such as
quiet contemplation, cooking, sweeping,
sewing, gardening, painting, and so forth.
Dinner is eaten at noon, preceding supper
at 5:30 p.m.
Sr. Donley is joined by Allan Ade '12
and Patrick Agustin '04. Allan, on June
19, 2014, was accepted as a seminarian
with the Diocese of St. Augustine in
Jacksonville, Florida. Allan began seminary
at St. John Vianney College Seminary in
Miami, Florida this past August with the
plan of joining the Priesthood. Patrick is
studying to be a priest in the Archdiocese
of Washington. The Archdiocese of
Washington comprises the District of
Columbia and five Maryland counties:
Montgomery, Prince George’s, Calvert,
Charles and St. Mary’s. It is the home of
580,000 Catholics, served by 140 parishes
and almost 100 Catholic schools.
"Catherine, or Sr. Donley now, and Allan
are truly doing something noble," said
President/CEO Marco J. Clark '85. "It's
a point of pride at Bishop McNamara
High School to provide a truly Holy Cross
education, where the mind is not educated
at the expense of the heart. By educating
the minds and hearts of our students, we
produce alumni like Catherine and Allan,
who are well-educated, moral people
devoted to making a difference in the world.
I and everyone who know them wish them
the best in their devotion." He concluded
with a request for the Bishop McNamara
community: "I hope you all will join me in
praying for the religious vocations of each
of these graduates as they respond to God's
call to ministry!"
"I may enter
and discern
that God is
calling me
to the vocation of
marriage
or He may
reinforce His
calling me
to religious
life. I don't
know what the
future holds,
only Whose
Hands are
holding the future
and I trust
in His Divine
Providence."
S

am Michael Jones '96, the Director of Alumni Relations, and
as part of my newly held position I've charged myself with
visiting and writing about one alumnus at their place of work
for each issue of the Mustang Messenger.
Mike is the Head trainer at CDI in Waldorf, Maryland and, with a
Harvard college degree and experience as a professional athlete in
Europe, has a unique approach to, as he'd call it, "building a better
athlete." In his own words, he told me that, "to create a better
athlete, I train them from the inside out." What exactly he meant
by this, I aimed to find out!
Mike started me out on a Bosu ball, which is a plastic ball, cut in
half and given a hard top. That's the best way I can describe it. I
can say with certainty that 20 quick squats on something meant to
engage all of your stabilizing muscles sounds tough, and is tougher.
I finished the 20, muttering under my breath, and was onto the
next exercise! Now that I was all "warmed up," Mike sent me to
do pushups, while pulling on a rope attached to a weight sled that,
when I reached, I was to grab and sprint with until I was told to
stop. This exercise was certainly a little more complicated than my
usual workout of jogging on the treadmill, but I accomplished it.
Mike and I were teammates on the Bishop McNamara football
team and I wasn't about to let him get the best of me!
Following my experience with a weight sled, I was immediately led
over to a tire that looked like it belonged on a monster truck rather
than in a gym and was handed a sledgehammer. My instructions
were simple, but effective: hit the tire with the hammer. That I
could do. I tried to throw in a few jokes, but found that when I tried
to speak, not much came out other than the occasional "oomph."
With the tire thoroughly beaten, I was moved onto my final
exercise of the day. I was to flip the tire until the tire would flip no
more. I labored like Hercules until my arms, legs, and rest of my
body said to me, "Michael, you've had enough."
And so concluded my workout. I asked Mike with as much bravado
as I could how long he'd had me working out. He pulled out his
stopwatch and, stifling a chuckle, told me I'd been running around
for 11 minutes and 35 seconds. Sitting down to ask Mike a few
questions following my workout, I could feel what he meant by
building a better athlete from the inside out in my stomach.
Writing this reflection on Mike Brooks' training methods, I've
no snappy way to conclude my writing other than to offer my
whole-hearted endorsement (and most of my breakfast) of the
training methods and fantastic education being put to use by the
salutatorian of the class of 1997. Check out the video of my story
online at www.bmhs.org!
I

'69
Charles "Chuck" Collins '69 was recently
elected as the new President of the National
Board of Directors for The Compassionate
Friends at the 37th National Conference in
Chicago.
'72
Carmelo Ciancio '72 showcased his
artwork at Artworks@7th in North Beach,
Maryland in October.
'74
Anita Knightly Brouse LR '74 a teacher at
All Saints Academy in Rhode Island, took
her science team to the World competition
and won! Anita has worked all year with
her team, known as Mindstorms Mayhem,
All Saints Academy Robotics, to win the
world prize.
'74
Jim Tippett '74 biked the Allegheny trail
from Pittsburgh to Washington, D.C.
this fall in support of Operation Second
Chance supporting our wounded Veterans.
'77
Thomas Allotta '77 has accepted the
position of Manager of Weichert, Realtors
Fallsgrove/North Potomac office located
at 14955 Shady Grove Rd., Rockville,
Maryland. He has been in the position for
2 months now, where he leads an office of
highly successful realtors. Tom would like
any alum that is interested in sales and
management positions to contact him at
thomas@allottaresults.com.
'79
Michael Belcher '79 retired from the U.S.
Marine Corps after 28 years of service
as an Infantry Officer. He is currently
on the faculty of the Federal Executive
Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia, where
he teaches leadership and organizational
transformation to senior-level government
officials.
'79
Terry Davis Benelli LR '79 was appointed
to the Mesa, Arizona City Council. Mesa
is the 38th largest city in the United States.
'84
Leon Reynolds '84 is the recipient of
the President's Call to Service Award.
Leon has served more than 4,500 hours
in communities in Charles County and
Prince George's County.
'87
Ernest Reggie Smith '87 was inducted
in the Hall of Fame for the Federal
Government Distance Learning
Association. The HOF recognizes
significant career accomplishments in
promoting and developing distance
learning in the Federal Government.
'88
Prince George's Police Assistant
Commander Captain David Lloyd '88 and
several officers from District I participated
in the Langley Park, "Transforming
Neighborhoods Initiative" community
walk. The kids had a great time meeting
and interacting with their local officers, and
even talked Lloyd into playing goalie.
'89
Phil Honore '89 was just named the
new Washington, D.C. Metropolitan
Police Department Deputy Director of
Recruitment.
Tyoka Jackson '89 premiered on the Big
Ten Network as an in-studio analyst. Tyoka,
a former Penn State defensive lineman and
a first-team All Big-10 selection in 1993,
played 12 seasons in the NFL with the
Dolphins, Buccaneers, Rams, and Lions.
He retired from football in 2007.
'93
Dr. Tiffani Webb '93 wed Mr. Timothy
Walker on August 3, 2014 at 1:00 pm. Dr.
Webb and Mr. Walker's Royal Wedding
took place at the Palace in Somerset, New
Jersey.
'97
Congratulations to Nicole Romney Dixon
'97 and Derrick Dixon '97 as they welcome
their new edition to the family, Sophia
Grace Dixon, who was born on July 17,
2014. Sophia joins big sister, Courtney.
Ed Moore '97 married Tiffany Thomas on
October 4, 2014.
'98
Diane Critchlow Davenport '98, along
McNAMARalumni
Whytnee Foriest '08 and Ricardo Silva II at their wedding!

McNAMARalumni
with her husband, welcomed a baby girl
on September 17, 2014: Carli Diane
Davenport!
Chioke Johnson '98 married Tanea
Johnson on August 31, 2014.
Chris Lamberth '98, based in New York
City as a classically trained actor, received
his MFA from the Theater Conservatory
at Roosevelt University in Chicago, IL.
He has worked with a variety of headliners
including, Chris Hardwick, D.L. Hughley,
Marc Maron and Maria Bamford to name
a few. Lambreth biggest achievement
was being featured in a "Fisher Nuts"
commercial that aired on ESPN2. He hosts
a weekly podcast called the "The Mundane
Festival" which is available on iTunes,
Podbean, and Stitcher radio.
Robyn Wood '98 married Tye Frazier on
September 26, 2014 at the Army Navy
Country Club.
'99
Erin McGuire '99 is writing for The Irish
Times.
On September 2, 2014 at 4:50 p.m., Kim
Folsom Surratt '99 and husband, Frank,
had their second child. Oakleigh Dawn
Surratt weighed in at 9 lbs. at birth and was
21 inches long.
'00
After offering to Ave Maria Press (operated
by the Congregation of Holy Cross) the
possibility of some slight adjustments
within their first edition textbooks in
terms of typographical structure, wording,
scriptural references, etc., Justin McClain
'00 has been hired to be one of the textbook
draft proofreaders. His first job will entail
proofing a 320-page forthcoming high
school textbook.
'02
Tara Jamison and Terrance Bright '02,
each of Alexandria, Virginia, announced
their engagement. Terrance, son of Sylvia
Fisher of Seat Pleasant, Md., graduated
from BMHS and earned an undergraduate
degree at the University of Maryland.
Each also received a graduate degree at
Georgetown University. They plan to be
married August 8, 2015.
Ben Killon-Conrad '02 just graduated
from the Howard County Firefighters
School and is currently a firefighter in
Ellicott City, Maryland.
'04
Congratulations to Michael Garrett and
Ariana DeCampo Garrett '04 on the birth
of their daughter, Giuliana Konstantine
Garrett, who was born on June 13, 2014 at
7:54 am. She weighed only 5 lbs. 1 oz., and
was 18 inches long. Giuliana was born on a
special day: Ariana's birthday and Father's
Day.
On May 30, 2014, Charis Jones '04 sang
the National Anthem at the Verizon Center
in Washington, D.C. for the Washington
Mystics.
'05
Congratulations to Alexandra Roane
'05 for placing 1st in the NPC Universe
Championship Class F. With this win,
Alexandra received her professional
bodybuilding card (International
Federation of Bodybuilding).
'06
Meagan Gillis '06 is currently pursuing
a Master's in Music Performance at the
Cleveland Institute of Music. This summer,
Meagan plans to audition for the Music
Under New York (MUNY) Program, a
group of performers who are featured
in the most popular mezzanines of the
New York Subway system. She will be
performing Ragtime Xylophone solos with
piano accompaniment.
Lynella Charles '06 recently received her
Master of Education in School Counseling
from Bowie State University. Lynella
previously earned a Bachelor of Arts in
Media Studies with a Minor in Sociology
from Pennsylvania State University.
Brittany Copeland '06 completed her
first year at Hampton University for a
Doctorate of Physical Therapy degree. Her
white coat ceremony was held on July 26,
2014. The ceremony is a rite of passage into
the medical world.
'07
Maggie DeCesaris '07 spent the summer
of 2011 on a two-month tour around
Europe. This trip inspired her to continue
to travel, experiencing the rest of the world
and its cultures. As of 2013, she has lived
in the Netherlands as a permanent resident,
loves learning the language and being
immersed in such a different way of life. In
the coming years, she aspires to continue
her travels, seeing and learning firsthand as
Maya Smith '11 exploring glaciers!

much of the world as possible.
Rashard Proctor '07 and Lysha Fuentes
'07 were married on August 2, 2014 in front
of family, friends and numerous Bishop
McNamara Alumni.
Meagan Mazzei '07 and Chris Marshall
'07 tied the knot on May 17, 2014 at St.
Mary's of the Assumption Church in
Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
'08
Caitlyn Cusick '08 and Vince
Lubetski '08 are engaged!
Vince is a third-year medical
student at the Philadelphia
College of Osteopathic
Medicine's Doctor of
Osteopathic Medicine
program, which he completes
in June of 2016. Caitlyn
passed her NCLEX-PN
(National Council Licensure
Examination for Practical
Nurses) last year and is a
Licensed Practical Nurse in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Parlor Room Theater
Company, run by Bishop
McNamara alumni Frank
DiSalvo Jr. '05, Thomas
DiSalvo '08, and Dillon
DiSalvo '10, presented "The
Nerd" by Larry Shue, a fast-paced
comedy full of laughs.
Whytnee Foriest '08 married Ricardo
Silva II on June 21, 2014 at the Hampton
University Memorial Chapel. "We met
while in college there (at Hampton) and
graduated together in 2011," she told us.
Ricardo is a retired NFL safety and current
D.C. Teach for America corps member.
Whytnee is currently a Sutherland Fellow
completing her Ph.D. in the department of
Criminology and Criminal Justice at the
University of Maryland, College Park.
Liam St. Hill '08, graduated from
Shenandoah University in June with a
Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology. He will
be accepting the position to be the head
assistant coach for the women's soccer
team at Shenandoah University starting
August 1, 2014.
'09
Leannah Amos '09 has been recognized
by Frostburg University for excellence in
academic achievement for the spring 2014
semester. Leannah has been named to the
university's dean's list, which means she
must undertake a minimum of 12 credit
hours and earn a cumulative semester grade
point average of at least 3.4 on a 4.0 scale.
This is the third straight semester of honors
for her as she pursues her degree in Exercise
and Sports Science.
Brandon Beall '09 graduated from The
University of Akron with a Bachelor of
Science degree in Computer Engineering -
Coop Education. Brandon made the dean's
list the last four semesters at UA.
In January of 2015, Meagan Beach '09
and her sister, Jennifer Beach '15 will
be traveling to Uganda for two weeks
with an organization called Compassion
International (www.compassion.com),
a Christian ministry that matches
impoverished children with sponsors.
Saniel Atkinson-Grier '09 competed for
Jamaica in the Women's High Jump final
at Hampden Park during day nine of the
Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games on
August 1, 2014 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Christopher Townsend '09 is attending
Bowie State University to pursue his
Master's Degree in Public Administration.
Christopher is also the starting
middle linebacker for Bowie
State's football team.
We have heard from Alex
Powell '09 who has completed
his first year at the University
of Baltimore School of Law.
Alex is earning very high marks
in his classes, has been chosen
to be a Teaching Assistant for
"Introduction to Lawyering
Skills/Civil Procedure" and
will be inducted into the
Royal Shannonhouse Honors
Society in the fall. This past
summer, he worked as a paid
intern at Bates & Garcia, a
criminal defense and civil
litigation firm in downtown
Baltimore.
'10
Regina "Gina" Calloway
'10 graduated December 21,
2013 from the University of
Maryland College Park with a
Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology
and Minor in Linguistics. Regina was
able to pursue various interests during her
time at University of Maryland, College
Park including the study of Korean,
participation in the Global Public Health
Scholars program, and serve as Vice-
President of the Sports and Chinese
Cultural "Terp Wushu" club. This fall Gina
began pursuing her Ph.D. in Cognitive
Psychology at the University of Pittsburgh
on a full scholarship.
Taylor Faulkner '10 graduated Magna
Cum Laude from Howard University in
May 2014. Taylor received her B.A. in
Legal Communications. She is a member
McNAMARalumni
The Parlor Room Theater Presented "The Nerd by Larry Shue"

McNAMARalumni
of Alpha Chapter, Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc. and was captain of the
Howard University Bisonette Dance Team.
Taylor has taken over as the Head Coach of
the Bishop McNamara Dance Team.
'11
Stevenson University is recognizing
Stephanie Ayres '11 for all of her hard
work and dedication on the 2014 softball
team. Stephanie helped fuel a remarkable
season for the team that totaled 10 or
more hits in eight games. Last season, the
Stevenson Mustangs went to their first-ever
appearance in a conference championship
game.
Eddie Pak '11 will be graduating from
University of Southern California next
year!
Camella Rourke '11 will be part of the
United States Air Force Academy Cadet
Summer Language Immerson Program in
Morocco, where she will study the Arabic
culture and language. Once back in the
USAFA, she will serve on the Cadet
Leadership Team for basic cadet training.
Cadet Rourke will spend the entire fall
semester at West Point Military Academy
as part of the Service Academy Cadet
Exchange Program.
Maya Smith '11 went to Juneau, Alaska
this summer for a research opportunity to
test a computer program that she wrote
that deals with the melting of ice. She
shared her experience:
"We did a starter hike to the Mendenhall
Hall glacier and next we finally hiked up
to the Juneau Ice field, climbing up almost
4500 ft. of elevation. For the next two
months, I spent my time researching and
living on glaciers. While I was there I did
Isotopic Research on different snow pits
that were dug for mass balance purposes. I
collected samples of rain, snow, and ice - all
done on Tuku Glacier. We traveled across
the Lemon Creek Glacier, Ptarmigan
Glacier, Tuku Glacier, Matthes Glacier, and
the Llewellyn Glacier. I also did surveying
work on the Demorest Glacier. I traveled
80 miles from sea level up to the glaciers
and back. I went from Juneau, Alaska to
Atlin, British Columbia, Canada!"
Alex Vinci '11 has an internship with
Global Citizens in Soho this semester. She
is on their "content" team that involves
creating articles for their web page.
Katrina Warren '11 has taken a semester
off from college to volunteer in Malawi to
assist the teachers.
'12
Anthony Brown '12 is keeping a busy
schedule these days! He was recently
recruited to write for The Baltimore Wire,
a Fan Sided Network Sports Blog and he
recently got the opportunity to meet Mike
Wise of the Washington Post.
Brittany Lynch '12 is currently a Honors
Junior Political Science major with a
concentration in International Affairs
and Psychology minor on a full tuition
scholarship at Howard University. She
serves on the Student Council and has
maintained a 3.85 GPA. This summer, she
is interning at both the National Institute
of Mental Health and the Pentagon in the
Office of the Under Secretary of Defense
for Policy.
Matt Nunez '12 was honored with one of
his photos in the new Forbes magazine.
Matt says about the picture, "That day,
students gathered to film a video for the
Harlem Shake craze, and they dressed as
outrageously as they could. I submitted
this photo because it captures the unique
spirit that makes St. Edwards such a fun
school. We do not have a football team or
a large student union to help build campus
community, so we find alternative ways of
coming together. This is what I love the
most about my school: we break the mold
of schools driven by sports or student
organizations."
Alexis Michaela Smith '12 is currently in
her third year of college at Marymount
Manhattan in New York City with a
major in Communications and a minor
in Business and Fashion. She is going to
school full time and working as well, but
has managed to be on the Dean's list every
year.
'13
Shadia Musa '13 has completed her
first year at University of Maryland,
Baltimore County as a Physics Education
major, a member of the Sherman STEM
Education Scholars Program. This program
is for students interested in pursuing a
career in STEM Education. As a part of
the program, she has served as a student
ambassador for recruitment events,
providing her the opportunity to present to
fellow scholars the importance of STEM
education and the lack of minorities
pursuing careers in the STEM fields.
Shadia has received the Undergraduate
Research Award to complete research for
the 2013-2014 school year. She works with
Dr. Susan Hoban, a physics professor at
UMBC, completing research on comets,
focusing on the composition of cometary
volatiles and creating a program in the
computer language, Python, that is able to
organize and plot data on various periodic
and non-periodic comets from NASA's
Planetary Data System. Shadia, who is a
servant leader intern teaching at the CDF's
Freedom Schools this summer at Lakeland
Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore,
met with UMBC president, Dr. Freeman
Hrabowski, and Congressman Donna
Edwards.
Felicita Rich '13 was named to the Spring
2014 Dean's List at Wake Forest University,
an honor for students who achieve a 3.4
grade point average. This is Felicita's third
semester at Wake and her third achieving
Dean's List. In addition, Felicita is in
Women's Club Golf, University Wind
Ensemble, and is part of the Catholic
Community at Wake.
'14
Ayanna Jordan '14 has won her first title,
Miss Maryland Nationwide 2015, and she
is going to Vegas next year for Nationals.
Alex Myers '14 was selected to join the Penn
State undergraduate freshman council as a
voice for 8,400 of his fellow classmates. He
is a double major in International Politics
and Communications.
Marquell Proctor '14 was featured on the
Swim Team for Frostburg University.

Memorial Garden Dedication
The pictured Bricks, Pavers, and Benches are available to purchase and
personalize in memory of your loved ones. Bricks are $250, Pavers are $500,
and Benches are $1,000. For further information please contact
L'oreal Edmondson at 240.455.9618 or Loreal.Edmondson@bmhs.org.

"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me."
John 14:1
Eugene Bell, father of Lauren Bell '10 and Lena Bell '14, passed
away in August 2014.
Danny Brown, father of Danielle Brown '04, died on July 15, 2014.
Jeanette Caracciolo passed away on August 13, 2014. She was the
mother of Cathy Cavey LR '70 and Patty (Glenn) Stewart LR '74.
Marie "Reese" Carter passed away on October 12, 2014. Marie was
a longtime employee at Bishop McNamara High School.
Barbara McDonald Cusato LR '70 of Chantilly, Virginia, passed
away on September 20, 2014.
Marie Ida DiZebba Earnshaw, mother of George Earnshaw '69,
passed away on October 8, 2014.
Elaine San Fellipo, wife of Frank San Fellipo '71, passed away on
October 19, 2014.
Hattie Lee Gavin, grandmother of Jayde Gavin '07, passed away.
Raymond F. Gleason, father of John Francis Gleason '70, Ellen Mary
Gleason LR '69, Thomas Raymond Gleason '85, Kathleen Gleason
Kirtley LR '83, Patrick L. Gleason '72, and Nancy Gleason Krejci
LR '80, passed away on July 9, 2014.
Verian Guillory and Wilfred Guillory, parents of Lisbeth
Guillory-Greene LR '81, Raquel Guillory Coombs LR '85 and James
Guillory '93, passed away on July 12 and July 16, 2014.
Willa Haley, grandmother of Charis Jones '04 and
Gregory Jones '01, passed away.
Dennis Heiston '88, husband of Colette Rohan Heiston LR '86 and
son of Donna Wildman Heiston LR '65, passed away on
October 20, 2014.
Thais Hill, mother of Greg Hill '07, Nicole Hill '08, and
Grant Hill '10, passed away.
Gregory Horner '84, brother of Daniel Horner '83, passed away on
September 9, 2014 in Kansas City.
Willie B. Inge, father of Brian Inge '04, passed away on
August 24, 2014.
Anthony P. "Tony" Laubach, long time supporter and friend of
Bishop McNamara, passed away on June 22, 2014.
Michael Lauermann, father of alumni Keri Lauermann '12 and Kyle
Lauermann '10, passed away on July 5, 2014.
Sally McBride, mother of Maryann McBride LR '71, Jane Latta LR
'72 and the late Barbara Facini LR '76, passed away on
August 22, 2014.
Mary Doris Musselman, mother of Stephen Musselman '73, Dr.
Robert Musselman '79, Thomas Musselman '83, Patrick Musselman
'84, and mother-in-law of Patricia Trainor Musselman LR' 83,
grandmother of Kyle Musseman '17, and Erin Musselman '14
passed away.
Shirley Palmer, sister of Joseph Palmer and sister-in-law of Bishop
McNamara staff, Rita Palmer, passed away on October 21, 2014.
She is also the aunt of James Palmer '78, Mary Chin Palmer LR '80,
Edward Palmer '83, and Douglas Palmer '87.
Brother Eli Pelchat, C.S.C. passed away on May 13, 2014.
Doris (Dion) Racine passed away on July 26, 2014. She was the
mother of Marie Racine Ziobro LR '72, William Racine '73, Thomas
Racine '75, Michelle Racine Baker LR '78, and Paul Racine, Jr. '82.
Donna Michele Ranere, mother of Michael Ranere '88, passed away
on October 7, 2014.
Waverly K. Roberts '11 passed away on July 4, 2014.
Lauren Mitchiner, sister of Rux Mitchiner '97, passed away on
July 31, 2014.
Major General Dr. Arthur Sachsel, father of Jeffrey Sachsel '84,
passed away on Sept. 19, 2013.
Brother Alexander Thomas Stroz, C.S.C. passed away on
October 4, 2014.
Richard John "Dick" Todd, father of Mark Todd '76, Susan Lucas LR
'77, Greg Todd '78, Tim Todd '85, John Todd '88, and
MaryBeth Beck LR '91, passed away on June 28, 2014.
Wykesha Trip Esq. LR '92, passed away on August 5, 2014.
Dell Warren, Sr., father of Dell Warren '77, passed away on
October 15, 2014.
Jeff Wencel '70 passed away on July 7, 2014.
in loving memory

OUR MISSION
Bishop McNamara High School, a college preparatory
school in the Holy Cross tradition, exists to educate
and form young men and women in and through the
Catholic faith. The school challenges its students to
think with Christ, a thought animated by the Gospel,
manifested in service and informed by academic
excellence.
BISHOP McNAMARA HIGH SCHOOL
6800 Marlboro Pike
Forestville, MD 20747-3270
301.735.8401
www.BMHS.org
Address Service Requested
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
PAID
Forestville, MD
Permit No. 2048

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