the official magazine of St. John Vianney High School Spring 2012

Vianney

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American

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On the cover: This semester, Vianney launched an American Sign Language class as a foreign language option. Sophomore Andrew Glasscock (left) and freshmen Andrew LaMartina and Greg Prante practice counting.

BLACK & GOLD SPRING 2012

Dr. Tim Dilg has one Vianney semester in the rearview mirror, having taken the wheel from Mr. Larry Keller, who retired last spring after 16 years as principal. Here’s what Dr. Dilg had to say about his experience so far:

What has surprised you at Vianney?

I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the amount of support everyone shows for Vianney. Lots of schools talk about family spirit, but we really do live it here.

Parents are so committed to things like the auction, our sports teams or even serving in the cafeteria line. Our kids are involved with service outside of school, but also inside through things like Ambassadors, Griffin Guides or just taking down chairs after an assembly. And our faculty! They’re pushing themselves not just in the classroom 7:45 to 3, but also after school at events and the clubs they moderate.

It’s clear to me that everyone is really committed to Vianney’s success.

Is there an experience you’ve particu-larly enjoyed?

I’ve really enjoyed all the activities our Student Council has pulled off, with Halloween and the 12 days of Christmas and pep rallies. The guys do a great job. On a smaller scale, I en-joyed accompanying our theater kids on the Charlie Brown tour and getting to spend a day with them and see them in a different light.

Before coming to Vianney, your ex-perience had been in coed schools. Aside from the obvious, is there a big difference?

Really, no. I will say I’m surprised at how quiet it is around here during the school day. It was actually a little noisier at Springfield Catholic, which is half Vianney’s size.

But at the end of the day, kids are kids and good teachers are good teachers, so no, not a big difference.

You’ve been promoting the use of social media for Vianney. How do you see that shaping how we communicate?

I view it as the new age e-mail. E-mail really changed the way we communicate, and social media is changing it again. It allows Vianney to push out a lot of information, but it allows the user to select how they want to receive it. I think we’ll be using social media to reach more and more people as time goes on.

A Brief Conversation with Principal DilgThe typical Vianney mom may have one, two or maybe three Griffins. And then there are those Vianney moms who have about 630.

These are the moms who volunteer their time and talent to benefit not only their own son or sons, but all the Griffins at Vianney. Like most Catholic schools, Vianney relies heavily on the talents and willingness of scores of volunteer moms to keep things running smoothly.

“If we didn’t have so many willing moms — and dads, of course — things would be very different at Vianney,” said President Mike Loyet ’77. “Volunteer moms give us so much in so many ways. As a Marianist school admin-istrator, I can’t help but feel they are a great example of Mother Mary’s grace on earth.”

These are just some of the roles moms fill at Vianney: Front desk receptionist Fundraiser Griffin Gear Store cashier Griffins’ Café server Auction — everything from decorations to banking to bartending! Phone-a-thon caller Christmas tree decorator Media center moderator

“I have 39 moms working in the Café,” said Griffins’ Café manager Ms. Chris Amelung. “I don’t know how we’d do it without them.” Each mom works an average of two lunch shifts per month. In all, Ms. Amelung esti-

mates that these women give Vianney a total of 942 hours per year.

Longtime teacher and administrative assistant Ms. Judy O’Connell oversees the work of about 15 volunteers in the Gear Store and at the front reception desk. Plus she helps coordinate the activities of the Vianney Alumni Mothers Club. “My alumni moms are just terrific,” Ms. O’Connell says. “They are so loyal, and they really make a difference for our boys.”

Among the Alumni Mothers Club activi-ties are a Christmas poinsettia sale, a spring flower sale and a Christmas cookie sale. Proceeds from these efforts are used to buy textbooks for Griffins who need this financial support. Between the Gear Store, front desk and Alumni Mothers Club activities, the involved moms give about 800 hours per year to Vianney, Ms. O’Connell estimates.

“The volunteer moms give the gift of their time, but they also demonstrate to our boys the importance of service,” President Loyet said. “That says a lot about who we are as a Marianist family. We are really blessed.”

Where Would We be Without Vianney Moms?Alumni Mom to be Inducted into Hall of Fame

Pint-sized Fran Bader raised sev-en children, six of them boys, all of them Griffins. Between August 1987 and May 2010, there was only one year when Fran Bader didn’t have a son or her eldest grandson at Vianney.

She was a Café volunteer for 15 years, she organized the hospitality rooms for 15 years worth of wrestling tournaments, and she was a driving force behind the creation of the Alumni Mothers Club. She remains a reliable and undauntedly cheerful front-desk volunteer.

In April, she will take her place as the first female member of the St. John Vianney High School Hall of Fame.

Fran Bader

Gearing up for the lunch rush are Vianney moms Julie Basler, Sue Nickels and Linda Ederle. They are among nearly 40 volunteers who serve lunch in the Griffins’ Café.

Sometimes, a mom’s commitment to Vianney continues after her last Griffin has graduated. Ginny Hartman (Mark ’89, Chris ’00 and Tony ’01), is a regular front- desk volunteer and President of the Alumni Mothers Club. Alumni mom Melissa Sczcepan (Andrew ’11), continues to volunteer

in the Griffin Gear Store.

Vianney Accepts 165 for the Class of 2016Enrollment remains strong for next fall, as Vianney has accepted 165 students for the class of 2016. While the actual number of freshman will likely be a little higher or a little lower come August, we are pleased with these numbers.

The graduating class of 2012 has 147 Griffins; we expect overall enrollment next year to be around 635.

Among the accepted new students are 25 sons of alumni. This is consistent with our current overall average; about one out of every six Griffins is a “legacy.”

2012 Marianist AwardsAs the cap to Marianist Heritage Month in January, Vianney presented 18 Griffins with the 2012 Marianist Award. This award recognizes sophomores through seniors who best exemplify the characteristics of Marianist education in their daily lives. It is an award for which more than 460 boys are eligible, but which only a very select few receive.

In addition, Mr. Charlie Eisele was recognized for 50 years (!) of service and Fr. Don Cahill, S.M. received a faculty/staff Marianist Award.

Alumni who had sons receive Marianist Awards included Ken Pleimann ’80, Steve Cochran ’80, Steve Dreyer ’82 and Scott Brown ’84.

Front row (from left): Kenny Pleimann, Joe LaMartina, Ian Wohlstadter, Billy Mahfood, Quinn Cochran, Alex Moellering. Middle row: Chris Dough-erty, Cullan May, Lelis Djona, Mike Witwer, Drake Cantu. Back row: Paul Scheipeter, Joe Somogye, Ian Harding, Matt Brown, Chris Brown, Tom Drazen and Matt Dreyer.

Dr. Tim Dilg

BLACK & GOLD SPRING 2012

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BLACK & GOLD SPRING 2012

Without a doubt, it is the quietest class at Vianney.

The students sit, watching intently, expres-sions of puzzlement eventually washed away by slight nods of comprehension as the teacher repeats the request. With her hands.

It’s a typical scene in Vianney’s American Sign Language class, which is new this se-mester. The ASL program was created to give Griffins another “foreign” language option. Vianney is the first Catholic high school in St. Louis to offer ASL.

In recent years, a number of states have passed legislation permitting high schools and universities to accept ASL as satisfying language requirement for hearing as well as deaf students. The Americans with Disabili-ties Act of 1990 underlined the importance of being able to communicate with deaf and hearing-impaired citizens, and made know-ing ASL a valuable skill.

“Learning sign language is really different than anything I’ve ever done before,” said

freshman Andrew Kurt. “It’s harder to memorize the signs than I thought it would be, but I think by the end of the semester I’ll be able to put sentences together.”

The class is taught by a deaf instructor, Ms. Ella Eakins, who is assisted by Ms. Kara Simmons.

Following the instructor’s lead, freshman Matt Schneider runs through the ASL alphabet.

Griffins Sign Up

Freshmen Dan Plogger, Dominic Biffignani and Andrew Kurt practice American Sign Language letters. Freshman Greg Prante and interpreter Ms. Kara Simmons are behind the boys.

John Adams ’88 touched base with Vianney via Facebook after seeing a post about the ASL class. Adams has worked full-time as an ASL interpreter since 1998. He said he became intrigued with sign language as a child.

“My first exposure to sign was on Sesame Street. I thought Linda Bove was amazing,” he laughed. (Those who watched Sesame Street between 1972 and 2003 may remember the deaf actress, who was a regular feature on the show.) Adams initially pursued a theater career, but has found his calling in ASL.

“It’s a really rewarding career,” Adams said. “Like anything else, it can be frustrating at times, but mostly it’s wonderful.” Adams works for a company called Deaf Inter-Link and has provided interpretation services for a variety of corporate, government and health care clients over the years. He also serves on the licensure board for the Missouri State Committee of Interpreters.

Alumnus Works as ASL Interpreter

Zipping through the air harnessed to a nar-row cable 250 feet above woods and ravines may sound terrifying to many people.

To Mike Seper it sounds like:

A. An outrageous amount of fun andB. A cool way to make a living.

Seper opened his business, Eco Zipline Tours, in 2010. The operation is located in New Florence, Mo, just outside of Hermann and not far from Interstate 70.

Seper’s inspiration for the business came dur-ing the years he lived in Hawaii while attend-ing the University of Hawaii. “At the time, the only zipline course in the U.S. was on Maui,” Seper said.

Armed with a degree in Entrepreneurial Studies and a passion for ziplining, Seper eventually made his way back to Missouri. “The business start-up was tough,” he said. “I maxed out every credit card. It was right

at the start of the downturn and everyone told me it wouldn’t work.”

He proved them wrong.

“Business has been just amazing. We have to turn people away,” Seper said, the pleasure obvious in his voice. He notes that Eco Zipline Tours has received top ratings from reviewers on the TripAd-visor travel website.

“Our business is in a great location, since folks who are com-ing out to visit the Hermann-area wineries are often looking for something else to do. Plus the scenery is just beautiful,” Seper said. The rugged nature of the

local terrain makes it unsuitable for many purposes but great for a zipline course.

Eco Zipline Tours is open from April through the late fall. “All summer long we are really busy,” Seper said. “We often book up three weeks in advance.”

Seper’s business currently in-cludes a four-line course that totals about 1,000 feet in length, as well as a 10-line course that

totals more than a mile. “Nearly anyone can zip,” said Seper. “We had a 91-year-old great-grandma come out with her kids, grandkids and great-grandkids. Everyone rode and everyone had a ball!”

Seper currently is looking at property in Washington State for a possible second location, and he’s also writing a book about his adventures. You can learn more about his zipline business at www.ecoziplinetours.com.

Class of 2000 alumnus Mike Seper’s career and passion is zipping along with his zipline company near Hermann, Mo.

Mike Seper ’00 Soars with Zipline Company

The St. John Vianney High School Hall of Fame recognizes those who have demonstrated outstanding accomplishment in their profes-sional field, in their community or in service to St. John Vianney High School.

Hall of FameInduction Ceremony and DinnerApril 29, 2012

St. John Vianney High School

2012 Inductees

Mrs. Fran BaderMom to six Griffins, volunteer, Alumni Mothers Club member

Fr. Don Cahill, S.M.Longtime Vianney teacher and volunteer

Mr. Mark Klose ’71 Alumnus, radio per-sonality, volunteer

Dr. David Mueckl ’78 Alumnus, Archdi-ocesan executive, recognized by Pope Benedict for service

Mr. John Shea ’73Alumnus, community volunteer, Extreme Makeover – Home Edition builder We invite you to join us in celebrating these honorees and the Marianist spirit they embody.

Watch the Vianney website for details, or contact Mr. Mark Schuermann ’03, at mschuermann@vianney.com or 314.965.4853, ext. 144, to make reservations.

BLACK & GOLD SPRING 2012

(Eugene Coyle High School)As a graduate of Vianney’s predecessor school, Phil Finder

was pleased to be cheering on the basketball Griffins at their game against Lafayette in December. Finder joined about a dozen Coyle colleagues to witness the Griffin victory. Phil’s Vianney connections are myriad, with brother Tony ’62, sons David ’81 and Mike ’87, and nephew Jim Finder ’84 all Griffins. In addition, his brother Fred (a fellow Coyle grad) was a Vianney assistant football coach in the 1960s.

Anthony Garofalo has enjoyed a long and successful run as an athletic trainer. His career has

included time as the head athletic trainer for the Chicago Cubs, and he worked two major league All-Star games. He’s met prominent people ranging from then-Vice President George H.W. Bush to Hall of Famer Bruce Sutter. He is a founding member of the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society. The former Griffin of the Year now works for AthletiCo in the Chicago area.

The name Neil Fiala usually is associated with baseball. He played in the majors, coached

the River City Rascals minor league team and is currently head coach at Southwest Illinois College. Last fall, however, he made his mark as a runner, winning the 50 and older men’s division in the 6K Cardinal Care Run. Fiala placed 24th overall among hundreds of runners; he was recognized at the Cardinals Care Winter Warm Up in January.

“Sweet Memories” was the headline of a St. Louis Post-Dispatch article featuring the

work of baker Chris Leuther. Leuther owns the Party Pastry Shop in Fenton, and has made a mission of collecting, preserving and using recipes and equipment from historic St. Louis bakeries such as Lake Forest.

He’s been chairman of the St. Louis Democratic Central Committee since 2004. Now

Brian Wahby has thrown his hat in the ring for the office of St. Louis City treasurer. His first test will be the Democratic primary in August. Another, possibly less-serious contender for the office, is Joe Holleman ’76, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s “Life Sherpa” columnist.

We heard from John Adams via Facebook that he’s pleased his alma mater is offering an

American Sign Language class. (See p. 4.) John works as an ASL interpreter for a St. Louis company called Deaf Inter-Link.

Tim Sedovic and his wife Karen are living in Quincy, Ill., with their daughters, Annabelle

and Elise. Tim is a loan officer for Central State Bank.

Jason Furrer now has a position as an assistant teaching professor at the University of Missouri –

Columbia. He reports that he’s already had a few Griffins in class – including Lane Dunne ’09. Incidentally, Lane was also taught by Jason’s dad, a fellow alumnus, longtime Vianney faculty member and principal, Larry Furrer ’68.

As a head coach for high school girls’ club soccer, Tony Schmitt was pleased to help guide many

of his team members through the college recruiting process. A story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted 15 girls from Tony’s roster who were signing to play college soccer.

And just a short way north of Vianney, Joe Schoen is teaching music at Tillman Elementary

School in Kirkwood. He is also the music director at the Catholic Student Center at Washington University.

David Ventimiglia married Janel Mason last fall in Scott City, Mo. Dave received

a degree in finance from Lindenwood University and is an account specialist with Charter Communications.

“This Party Will Be Fun” is the name of the new EP released by Jeff Nations and his band,

Various Hands. The group recently finished their first tour. Look for them at Facebook.com/VariousHands.

In January, Southern Illinois University - Carbondale football center Bryan Boemer

was awarded the 2011 Rimington Award, given to the top center in the FCS. Bryan has been named a first-team All-American by the College Sporting News and the American Football Coaches Association, and he earned

second-team All-America honors from the Associated Press. He is a three-time All-Conference offensive lineman.

What a great way to wrap up a senior season! Missouri Baptist University lacrosse goalie Ben Hughes was named a First Team All-American in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association. Hughes also was named a MCLA Scholar-Athlete.

A former Griffin of the Year, Mike Horn, was the student speaker at Fontbonne University’s

December commencement. He will graduate summa cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in biology.

1968

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Classmate Update

1957

1981

1974

1984

1988

1995

2003

2008

It’s great to hear from alumni! Please send your news to Tim Peniston, Director of Constituent Relations, at tpeniston@vianney.com, or by mail to the school address.

In MemoryMary Lu Adams – Mother of Griffin diving

coach Mark Adams, and grandmother of Tim ’04 and Tom ’08.

Carol Alexander – Mother of Bill Alexander, faculty member.

Audrey Alles – Mother of Tom Stevision, retired staff and grandmother of Joe ’94 and Tom ’05.

Frank Carraher – Father of Dennis ’64 and Patrick ’64.

Elizabeth Cullen, Mother of Meghan Ploesser, staff

Janith Giegling – Grandmother of senior Josh Giegling.

Jim Greubel ’83 – Brother of Bob ’77, Bill ’80, Ed ’86 and uncle of freshman Andrew.

Tom Horan – Son of Robert Horan ’75.William Krumrey – Father-in-law of Dave

Gauvain, faculty.Dylan McSpadden ’03.Vince O’Brien Sr. – Father of Vince ’71. Clay Pfeiffer ’11 – Son of Dan Chinnici ’92.Mary E. Sly – Mother of Pat Sly ’68 ,

mother-in-law of Charlie Hoffman ’67 and grandmother of Matt Hoffman ’87 and Todd Hoffman ’89.

Genevieve Tevlin – Grandmother of Carrie Mitchell, faculty.

Mark Uptegrove ’80.

Stay connected to Vianney! Be sure to check out our Facebook page at Facebook.

com/vianneygriffins, or just click on the Face-book icon on our homepage.

1993

1994

1997

1999

As far as we know, Riley Schmidt (known in his Vianney days as Chris Schmidt), is the only Griffin ever to grace the cover of Entertainment Weekly magazine. Schmidt starred last season in the popular FX series American Horror Story.

In his role as the creepy “Rubberman,” Riley was covered head to toe in a shiny black latex suit. He had no lines, but he gained considerable notoriety and shared the stage with top actors, including Jessica Lange, who won a Golden Globe Award for her role in the series.

After leaving Vianney, Schmidt studied journalism at the University of Missouri - Columbia. But upon graduation, he decided to follow his real dream. He moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. His first significant role was on an NBC soap opera called Passions. He also had parts in NBC’s ER and the A&E series, Cold Case Files.

Then, last June, he was called to audition for an unusual role. “The audition was bizarre,”

Schmidt said. “I knew it would be in costume, and basically they said to me, ‘walk around like you’re in a rubber suit.’ They called me

the next day and told me I had the role.”

Schmidt said the latex suit was specially made to fit only him. “They took 30 or 40 measurements of me to make it fit just right. It’s like wearing a second skin,” he said. Getting in and out of the suit required an assistant and special military-grade lubrication for “sticking places” like his knees and elbows. To complete the

costume, he wore custom-made black contacts. “They are about the size of quarters!” Schmidt said.

Interestingly, Schmidt was not on stage in his Vianney days. “I tried out for one Vianney play — it was ‘10 Little Indians.’ I didn’t get a part,” he said. Schmidt ended up being on the stage crew, running lights and sound. Maybe it didn’t seem like much, but it was a start.

Now, he enjoys some deserved optimism about his acting career. “The Rubberman role was a breakthrough for me,” he said. “There’s not

a whole lot that could be more fun than being part of something like American Horror Story… It’s the highlight of my career so far, and I’m confident it will lead me to other roles.”

You can learn more Schmidt’s career at www.mrrileyschmidt.com.

Riley (Chris) Schmidt ’94 stars as “Rubberman”

Class of 1994 alumnus Riley Schmidt as American Horror Story’s Rubberman was featured on the cover of Entertain-ment Weekly.

Riley Schmidt, sans Rubberman costume. In his Vianney days, he was known as Chris Schmidt.

The Classmate Updates (see p. 7) on Anthony Garofalo ’68 and Mike Horn ’08, both Grif-fins of the Year, got us thinking: What are other Griffins of the Year up to?

The Griffin of the Year is at the top of the list of prestigious honors at Vianney. These are the men — chosen by their classmates and their teachers — who best represent what Vianney is all about.

We’d like to hear what other Griffins of the Year are doing. If you received this honor, or if you remain in contact with a friend who did, please get in touch with us and let us know about the path since graduation. We hope to

be able to include a feature story in the sum-mer issue of Black & Gold.

There are many ways to define success, and we are not necessarily looking for news about how these Griffins set the world on fire. Just tell us: What’s up now? How did Vianney help form who you are?

Please send news to Carol Dexter at cdexter@vianney.com, by mail to the school address, or contact her by phone at 314.965.4853, ext. 270.

Attention Griffins of the Year: What’s Up Now?

2007The First Griffin of the Year: Bill Scharf ’61

BLACK & GOLD SPRING 2012

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The 2011-12 Vianney basketball team entered the season with high expectations, with all five starters and several key reserves returning. At the team retreat in November, assistant coach Ty Cochran ’05 spoke to the team about becoming a “select few” and how it could make its mark in the Vianney basketball record book.

The season started off well as the Griffins captured the Jerry Boeckman Memorial Tournament with a 63-54 victory over Bel-leville West in the championship game. The team became a “select few,” as this was just the third time (1977, 2003) that the Griffins won their own tourney.

In December, the Griffins faced three straight confer-ence opponents. They secured a big road victory over then-No. 2 De Smet 64-61. The win made casual fans aware that Vianney was a team to watch. The Griffins then knocked off CBC 59-56, marking the first time Vianney had started a season 5-0.

The wins continued to come with victories over Chaminade and Jackson before Christ-mas. At Meramec Holiday Tourney, the No. 2

seed Griffins dispatched Park-way West 54-34, beat Lafayette 58-47, and defeated previously unbeaten Webster Groves 73-67 to move into the finals for just the second time in school history. In the championship game, Vianney defeated CBC 66-57 to earn its first Meramec title, becoming “the only few” with that accomplishment.

To kick off the new year, the Griffins handed Breese Central its first defeat of the season at the Highland Shootout. The Griffins were now treading uncharted waters:

A Record-smashing Season By Kevin Walsh ’91, coach

a school record 18-game winning streak; a No. 1 ranking by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch; a No. 1 ranking in the state of Missouri; and for the first time ever, a top 25 ranking in the USA Today High School Poll.

The winning streak was snapped by Cardinal Ritter in the Coaches vs. Cancer Shootout, but the team regrouped and set its focus on other goals. With a third victory over CBC 63-58 in the regular season finale, the Grif-fins completed an undefeated conference season and earned their first MCC league title, reinforcing its position as “the only few.”

When MCC honors were announced, the Griffins were well represented: senior Tony Cochran was the first Griffin basketball player to be chosen Player of the Year, senior George Suggs was named to the MCC First Team, and senior Richard Dorhauer and junior Brad Woodson earned MCC Second Team honors. The Griffins defeated Oakville and Lindbergh to earn Vianney its 12th district championship in school history. The district victories set a new record for the most wins in school history and moved Vianney into the state sectional playoffs. The Griffins were clicking on all cylinders against Class 5 powerhouse Troy Buchanan, knocking them off 65-42 to move to the Elite 8 of the Class 5 state tournament for just the fourth time in school history.

The Griffins’ extraordinary season came to an end in early March as they bowed to McCluer North 63-54. (McCluer North went on to capture its second consecutive state championship.)

It wasn’t the conclusion the Griffins hoped for, but clearly, the team lived up to Coach Cochran’s challenge of becoming the “select few” and making its mark in the record books.

Senior George Suggs looks for the pass in the game against Kirkwood. A leading scorer, George was named to the MCC First Team.

Pink and Proud Griffins Help Cancer PatientsFor the third year running, Vianney athletics helped deliver hope for cancer patients. The Griffin basketball team was joined this year by the wrestling squad in sponsoring events to benefit Hope Lodge, a residen-tial facility operated by the American Cancer Society.

In addition to the basket-ball team’s “Paint it Pink” event, the wrestlers spon-sored “Take Down Against Cancer.” Through t-shirt sales, raffles and conces-

sion stand proceeds, Vianney was able to donate nearly $6,000.Among the titles earned by the 2011-2012 Griffins was District Champions. In the front row from left, are assistant TJ Cochran, Tanner Cochran, Richard Dorhauer (with trophy) Billy Mahfood,

Quinn Cochran, Dominic Mueller and Tony Cochran. In the second row are Brad Woodson, Lelis Djona, Sean O’Brien, George Suggs, Joe Zoellner, Joe Whitman and Mike Witwer.

The Griffin basketball coaching staff included alumni Mike Paradoski ’99, Kevin Walsh ’91 and Ty Cochran ’05.

Senior Tony Cochran heads for the hoop in the “Paint it Pink” game against Lindbergh, while Lelis Djona (#10) and Brad Woodson (#4) wait for the rebound. The pink and white jerseys were donated by parents. Right: At the “Paint it Pink” basketball game in January, seniors Danny Scheetz, Tommy Dwyer, Tom Brown, Andrew Auer, Tyler Picha and Greg Evens cheer on the Griffins.

Senior Mark Smith was the driving force behind the wrestling squad’s “Take Down Against Cancer” event. He also earned a victory in his 138 lb. class. The pink and white singlets were donated by a local business.

Season AccomplishmentsBoeckman Tournament ChampionsMeramec Tournament ChampionsMetro Catholic Conference ChampionsDistrict ChampionsUSA Today Top 25 in Nation Record-shattering 27-2 seasonState Quarterfinalists

Tony Cochran: MCC Player of the Year, ESPN-HS Player of the Week, Vianney career scoring record holder

SPRING 2012

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BLACK & GOLD

Vianney is blessed to enjoy the support of so many parents, alumni and friends. The 2012 Night of the Griffin auction and dinner was again a great example of this blessing.

A near-record 525 people attended the Feb. 18 event. Considering that around 150 more were in the wings volun-teering, it is clearly the biggest “family” event at Vianney.

While the Night of the Griffin is an elegant event, it’s also an essential fundraiser for Vianney. The auction accounts for around 30 percent of our annual fundraising total. It goes a long way toward keeping education at Vianney strong. Thank you to all those who volunteered, donated or raised a bid paddle for this important event.

2012 Night of the Griffin Key Stats• Attendees:525• Volunteers:240(students/parents/alumni)• Preliminarynetreceipts:$220,000• FundANeed(designatedfortuitionassistance):$82,000• Highestliveauctionbid:$4,000fortripfortwotosee Ellen DeGeneres in Los Angeles.

The Night of the Griffin Shines Again for Vianney

Scores of student volunteers help make the auction a success. Among the Griffins on serving duty were senior Danny Scheetz, sophomore Marques Caldwell, senior Tim Agne and junior Jason Hackett.

The auction gave David Ringwald ’86 a chance to catch up with Vianney Board Chairman Don Eggleston.

The Night of the Griffin is a truly special event because of the work of scores of volunteers, including Kim Tackes (co-chair), Nancy Beffa (decorations) and Debbie McGuire (co-chair).

A big crowd made it a tight fit in the field house and required extra finesse from student servers. Juniors Dan Reilly and Ryan Wood were up to the task.

The show must go on!

It would be true to say that Griffin Theatre’s production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” went on … and on … and on!

For the first time in decades, Griffin Theatre took a full-fledged show on the road, provid-ing free performances at eight area Catholic grade schools.

The run began with a traditional set of week-end performances in early February. From there, the cast and two-man crew put on two shows a day on successive Mondays, plus an extra matinee performance at Vianney for students from Annunziata and Holy Infant schools.

The set was designed to be easy to set up and break down. In fact, the troupe could have everything — including Snoopy’s doghouse and Lucy’s psychiatrist booth — taken down and loaded in the truck in about 15 minutes.

“The staging and props were simple,” said Griffin Theatre Direc-tor and teacher Mr. Al Book. “The big challenge for the performers was keeping the characters fresh and believable for six weeks.” Sustaining a character for three or four nights would be a typical high school theater experience Mr. Book

noted. The Charlie Brown performers took on a much bigger task.

“I have been really impressed with how well they’ve held it together,” Mr. Book said. “It’s been a neat opportunity for these kids, which they’ll appreciate a few years down the road.”

Four-year Griffin Theatre veteran Mitch Wise, a senior, said the most rewarding part of the show was watching the young audi-ence members’ reaction. “The kindergartners through second graders were usually the most fun, because they really understood the characters,” Mitch said. “Charlie Brown and Linus are basically their age, so I think it really made sense to them.”

Before the final performance at St. Francis of Assisi, all of the Charlie Brown cast mem-bers, including Mitch, began rehearsing for the next show, Griffin Theatre’s production of “Damn Yankees.”

The show must go on.

Good Grief! What a Tour!

The cast of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” gives the production its final bow at St. Francis of Assisi School in March. The performers included senior Mitch Wise, Meghan Rintoul (Kirkwood High), sophomore Joe LaMartina, Alicen Moser (Ursuline Academy), and seniors Ian Wohlstadter and Mike Hegger. Sophomore pianist Mike Schmidt was the accompanist, and senior Dustin Biondo and junior Alex Muenster served as stage crew.

Senior Ian Wohlstadter, who played Schroeder, dives into dismantling Snoopy’s doghouse at the close of the production. The cast and two-man crew were able to set up and tear down within minutes.

Senior Mike Hegger sings the title song for his role, “Snoopy.”

1311 S. Kirkwood Rd. | St. Louis, MO 63122 | www.vianney.com

Editor: Carol Dexter For information, please contact Carol Dexter 314.965.4853, ext. 270, cdexter@vianney.com.Back cover and basketball photos courtesyof Frank Woodson

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PAID St. Louis, MOPermit 3514a marianist college preparatory school

In mythology, the Greeks defeated Troy through their cunning use of a warrior-filled wooden horse. In St. Louis high school basketball, Vianney defeated Troy by having the better team on the court, and by having the most spirited fans in the stands. Vianney students, clad in Greek togas, turned out in force to cheer another defeat of the Trojans in February. Final score: 65-42. No wooden horse required.

The Griffins, all seniors, include, front center: Blake Mueller. First row: Sam Clark, Connor Sparrow, Dan Owens, Tommy Dapron, Danny Lohse. Second row: Tom Brown, Jack O’Brien, Danny Scheetz, Greg Evens, Aaron Bossi, Dan Brady, Paul Scheipeter. Upper right: Joey Vander Pluym, Evan Johnson, Greg Eilerman and Josh Giegling.

Classic Vianney