Karen Dwyer, Advancement Officer | kdywer@burkecatholic.

org

B C A LU M N I N E W S L E T T E R
ReVitalize - ReEngage - ReConnect
Office of Admissions, Alumni
and Advancement August 2020
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT UPCOMING EVENTS
Jean Brown (‘01) BC PARENT CLUB FACEBOOK TRIVIA NIGHT #2
My own path is a twisty one. I FRIDAY August 28th 7:00pm
studied political science and writing Join Mrs. Teresa Giordano and Mrs. Karen Dwyer on the John
in my undergrad at S. Burke Catholic Parent Club Facebook Page for a night of
Loyola University in Maryland, and interactive trivia. Test your knowledge of a variety of subjects
then went on to study public policy
for a chance to earn points and win prizes.
for my Master’s in Montreal. The
experiences other than education
that were also important to me: BURKE CATHOLIC GOLF OUTING
studying abroad in Thailand (where FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 18th
I met my Canadian husband) then
11:00am Registration, 12:00pm Start @ Mansion Ridge, Monroe, NY
returning there to teach English,
other travels when I could afford
Mansion Ridge will once again host the annual BC Golf Outing
them, starting a retail store, work- this September. There will be prizes and all types of fun
ing for a family non-profit, and being a mom. I now live in Toronto throughout the entire day in support of BCHS. Ticket sales
with my husband and two kids. What was your experience like at and further information are available on the Burke Catholic
BC? Of course, I remember dress code violations (usually from Ms. website. burkecatholic.com.
DeCrosta) and getting in trouble when we made up a bingo sheet of
Mr. Turner’s catch phrases, but mostly what I recall about my time at
Burke Catholic was how full it was. And that suited me. I participated
in sports (soccer and track), where I made many of my first friends
at Burke, drama club, National Honors Society, Model UN, and I sang
wherever they would let me (including in the middle of one of Mr.
Debold’s chemistry lessons). Despite my tendency to procrastinate,
I did work hard; I’m still proud of being awarded the English medal
when I graduated in 2001. Most importantly, I made friends with
caring, funny, and interesting people. What do you have to say to
our inspiring artists? I hesitate to call myself a writer, sometimes.
It’s a weighty title to me, but I’m learning that it’s best to release the
pressure of thinking a writer is someone who makes a living solely
through writing and publishing. There are many careers within and
around the industry itself, and many editors, agents, or teachers are
also authors themselves. Lots of writers have other careers, too. And
that’s all ok. “Tradition” is pretty well dead in the “writing” industry,
which frees us up to do it our own way. The main thing is that we
not be afraid to keep writing. Read a lot, too. Where can people find
your work, keep up with your career, and support your art? My first
published book is newly released, a memoir I co-wrote with my mom,
Ginny Brown, about my sister Kirby’s surreal death at a self-help
retreat in 2009. “This Sweet Life: How We Lived after Kirby Died,”
is available on Amazon or through local booksellers. It has been de-
scribed as a “must read” for anyone interested in self-help,
self-improvement, or wellness. It is also something of a guide for
anyone experiencing grief, especially since my mom is a licensed
therapist. I write articles and create other content for our non-profit,
SEEK Safely, which aims to empower self-help consumers to stay safe
as they navigate the unregulated self-help industry.
(re)connect with me!
www.jeanbrown.ca
www.seeksafely.org
@jeancbrown on Twitter

1 | BC ALUMNI NEWSLETTER | AUGUST 2020 burkecatholic.com

 WHAT’S NEW @ BC
BC will welcome back students and staff this fall
for full 5 day, in person instruction. Through tireless
work and planning, along with campus reconfigur-
ing and the upgrading of existing health and safety
measures, BC is confident to offer a full, in person
schedule to our students in September. Please
visit the BC website (burkecatholic.com) to view
the Re-Opening Plan for the 2020-2021 Academic
Year. Feel free to email any inquiries to Mr. Douthit
(BC President, jdouthit@burkecatholic.org) or Mrs.
Clark (BC Principal, jclark@burkecatholic.org) about
our Re-Opening Plans.
BC announces a new Student Union. As part of
the ReVitalize BC Campus Campaign, BC has begun
work on a new Student Union. Formerly the Library,
the new Student Union will still offer the opportu-
nity to study, research and relax while modernizing
a special place for our students. The open-space
Student Union brings new life to an already busy
part of our campus.
The BC Parent Club 2020 events will go on! Check
back next month for a full list of BC Parent Club
events for the rest of 2020. The New Parent Cocktail
Party, Thanksgiving Pie Sale, Poinsettia Sale will hap-
pen as planned. We are excited to announce a new
format for the Christmas Boutique and Ugly Sweat-
er Jingle Jog for this year soon! The BC Parent Club
is working hard to find ways to safely gather togeth-
er this year. For information or questions regarding
the BC Parent Club please reach out to Mrs. Karen
Dwyer (kdwyer@burkecatholic.org).
Follow BC on Social Media for frequent, up-to-
date content!
facebook.com/burkecatholichighschool
twitter.com/burkecatholichs
instagram.com/burkecatholichs
2 | BC ALUMNI NEWSLETTER | AUGUST 2020
VOICE OF EAGLES PAST
My name is Kenny Murray (BC Class of 2009) and I am a former Burke
(and Sacred Heart Monroe) student. I can honestly say that Sacred Heart
and Burke set me up for a great life after school. I ended up going to Siena
College, becoming a Peace Corps volunteer in West Africa, working for a
great company in NYC, becoming an English teacher in China, and returning
back to the US a few months ago. I hope that I will be able to share my
experience to inspire some students to pursue challenging life experiences
in the future.
Within the past few years, I have
started to become very thankful that
my parents sent me and my brother
to Catholic schools. The traditional
and religious education gave me a
good internal compass that helped
me approach people in a loving
way. Also, a strong foundation in
faith showed me that God was/is/
will be there for me (and all others)
throughout the good and bad times
in life.
In Burke, Dr. Leitner (my Latin teach-
er) nominated me to go on a Medical
Mission to the Dominican Republic
with Mrs. Clarke (a former guidance counselor). This trip changed my life.
I saw real poverty and had profound mental shifts on this trip. I could not
believe how happy some of the families/children were when I gave them
Beanie Babies. They were basically worthless in the US in 2008, but it was as
if I had handed the people bars of gold.
I also saw that, even though I did not speak the same language and I was
raised in completely different circumstances, I was not that different than
the people there (on a fundamental human level). After working hours on
the trip, the volunteers went down to the local beach to swim in the water.
We were all sticking together on the local beach when we noticed this
awesome Wave Dock. It looked like a lot of fun, so we all went over to the
dock and stood on it as the waves came in. We were still separated, in our
little foreigner group, when I noticed a group of teenagers wrestling at the
end of the dock.
These teenagers were having a blast as they squared off and tried to push
each other off the dock into the water. I watched from the beach end of
the dock with fascination. It looked like a lot of fun! One teenager who was
the same age as me noticed that I was watching their group and he quickly
threw his latest competitor off the dock. After all of his friends were in the
water, he motioned for me to come over. Although, I didn’t understand his
language or what his life was like, that gesture was universal: he was saying
“you’re next.”
At first, I hesitated. But then, I just started walking down the dock towards
him. I arrived at the end of the dock and he began to crouch in an athletic
position. I mirrored his athletic position and then we started trying to push
each other off the dock. He had a lot of natural strength and I had some
strength (and weight), so there was a lot of struggle. Eventually, we both got
to the edge and, as I pushed him off the edge, he pulled me into the water.
This was one of the most tense moments of my life. We just wrestled and
struggled and, after such an intense struggle, I was half expecting him to
fight me after he got above water. As he rose from the water, he slowly
said, “good...game” in English. We both smiled and laughed. This moment
changed my life because my expectations were shattered. Before this
experience, I looked at this person and the people of the DR as an “other”
because of their differences from Americans. After this experience, I intui-
tively knew that I could relate and connect to people all around the world
(across all cultures) because we are all going through the human experience
together.
Anyway, after this trip, I fell in love with traveling. I loved seeing different
parts of the world and the way things are in each place. Over the next ten
years, I lived and worked in London (study abroad), Ghana (Peace Corps
Volunteer), New York City (in Marketing), and China (English Teacher). I love
checking out new places, hiking, eating local food, partaking in local social
activities, and interacting with local people. Also, I married a fellow Peace
Corps volunteer who I met in Ghana and we have been traveling and build-
ing our life together for the past 5 years :)
burkecatholic.com
FACULTY SPOTLIGHT
Mr. Adam Kless
AD & Phys Ed/Health
The first Friday of every month
is Faculty Friday where we put
the spotlight on one of Burke
Catholic’s fantastic faculty or
staff members!
Our Faculty Friday for the
month of August goes to Mr.
Adam Kless.
Mr. Kless is the Burke Catholic
Athletic Director, a position
he has served in for over 16
years! During this time, he has
worn many hats as a teach-
er, coach and administrator.
Amongst Mr. Kless’s many
contributions as AD, he has
overseen the formation of the girls & boys lacrosse and wrestling
programs. Last year BC hosted its first home Track & Field meet on
the brand-new resurfaced track, a major project that Mr. Kless was
heavily involved in. In 2004, as the head Varsity Baseball Coach, Mr.
Kless was recognized as the Varsity845 Coach of the Year. Alongside
his duties at Burke Catholic, Mr. Kless also serves as the Director of
Orange County CYO, a position that cements him at the center of
Catholic athletics in the county.
“Attending school and playing sports where your parent works can
be a nightmare for some – but I am lucky that I got to see my dad at
work in this way. He is a hard worker and a quiet leader. He always
does the right thing whether it is the easy path or not, he doesn’t
waiver in his convictions and he is respected by his athletes and
colleagues.”
- Ethan Kless (BC Class of 2018)
“Adam, thanks for your support over the past 15 years that I have
been coaching and teaching at Burke Catholic. You have always been
supportive of the programs I have been involved in.”
- Mr. Matthew McGinnis (Social Studies Teacher, Girls Golf and Assis-
tant Boys Basketball Coach)
“I have been fortunate to work alongside and with Mr. Kless for the
last seven years. Being a coach at Burke Catholic and having Mr. Kless
as the athletic director is truly a pleasure. Mr. Kless does a tremen-
dous amount of work behind the scenes to put our student athletes
in a position to be successful both on and off the fields. He provides
our coaches and students with all that is needed, and he truly exem-
plifies our school motto: Not Words But Deeds.”
- Mr. Aaron Hasbrouck (Dean of Students, Football and Assistant
Track & Field Coach)
“I want to thank Mr. Kless for giving me the opportunity to coach at
BC. He has been instrumental in my coaching education and growth
as a leader. Last year was particularly exciting! We kicked off our first
Track & Field meet in over 15 years and created the first XC/TF CYO
programs in Orange County. His tireless work as AD is influential. He
is not afraid to roll up his sleeves to get the job done day in and day
out. Many of the fantastic new projects and events at BC, Mr. Kless
has been pivotal in their success. He genuinely cares about bringing
the best high school experience to our student-athletes and their
families.”
- Mr. Justin DePierro (Communications Coordinator, Boys Cross Coun-
ty and Track & Field Coach)
3 | BC ALUMNI NEWSLETTER | AUGUST 2020
The Windmill
Ways to Stay Busy/Active During
Quarantine
June 4th, 2020|
Mairin McDougall
(Class of 2021)
I think almost every-
one can agree that
these past few months
could have been better.
Whether you have
been missing your
friends, missing going
places, missing school,
or missing the end of
your senior year, I think
I can speak for everyone when I say that I wish things
were normal again. In times like this it can be easy to
fall into lazy patterns where you spend more than half
the day sleeping or using electronic devices. However, I
have found several ways that I can stay busy, active, and
not bored out of my mind! One example is cooking. My
parents decided that they wanted me to start cooking
dinner once a week, and one of my favorite recipes that
I have made has been Cordon Bleu. Basically, you take a
piece of chicken, stuff it with ham and cheese, bread it,
and either bake it or fry it. I have learned how to make
other kinds of foods, and I have learned that I actually
enjoy cooking! Another way that I have stayed busy
during this quarantine has been by exercising. Almost ev-
ery day I have been going for a walk/run a mile or more.
It’s a good way to get out of your house and get fresh
air! Lastly, I have occupied some of my time during this
quarantine by listening to music. I created a new playlist,
and I listen to it whenever I need to take my mind off of
things. Through these activities I have been able to take
my mind off the situation and focus on something differ-
ent, and I would recommend trying any of these things.
Although I would rather be attending school and playing
sports with my friends, we need to make the most of
what we are handed.
The Windmill is the Burke Catholic Student run
Newspaper. For more of our students work please
visit :
burkecatholicwindmill.com
burkecatholic.com
 ADMISSIONS & ENROLLMENT TEAM
Burke Catholic is pleased to announce the estab-
lishment of the Burke Catholic Admissions and
Enrollment Team.
Burke Catholic Admissions and Enrollment Team:
• John Douthit, BC President
• Janice Clark, BC Principal
• Tracy Sullivan, BC Director of Admissions
• Anthony Cossentino, BC English Teacher
• Justin DePierro, BC Communications Coordinator
• Adam Kless, BC Athletic Director & Physical Edu-
cation Department Chairperson
• JoEllen Nemeth, BC Director of Guidance
• Melissa Ross, BC English Department Chairperson
“There are many great things happening at Burke
Catholic. This newly formed team, in support of
Mrs. Tracy Sullivan ’87, BC Admissions Director, is
composed of dedicated Administrators and teachers
that are committed to our Mission. I am extreme-
ly excited for the future of Burke Catholic.” John
Douthit, BC President.
The Burke Catholic Admissions and Enrollment
Team will highlight to prospective students, parents,
and guardians the many reasons that Burke Catholic
is the premier college preparatory institution in the
Hudson Valley.
Every prospective student, parent and guardian will
be made to feel like they are part of the Burke Cath-
olic Family and have a positive experience during
the entire decision-making process.
BC Contact Information:
John Douthit, BC President, (845) 294-5481 X165,
jdouthit@burkecatholic.org
Tracy Sullivan, BC Director of Admissions, (845) 294-
5481 X-124 tsullivan@burkecatholic.org
Please visit www.BurkeCatholic.com to schedule a
tour of our beautiful campus.
4 | BC ALUMNI NEWSLETTER | AUGUST 2020
MILESTONES
Brian Diaz, Class of 1981 Senior Director at Airbus Helicopters, Inc.
Brian is considered the Airbus resident UH-72 Lakota guru at Fort
Rucker the Army’s Aviation Center of Excellence and its Rotorcraft
school joined Rotor Radio to discuss the helicopter, its history with
the Army and how it is used to train future military rotorcraft pilots.
Listen to the podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/
learning-lakota-airbus-brian-diaz-discusses-u-s-armys
Whitney Moss, Class of 2010 married Scott Forsstrum July 30th
2020. Whitney graduated from Sacred Heart University in 2015 with
her BA in History. Whitney and Scott reside in Scotch Plains NJ.
Meridith Perri, Class of 2010 High School Sports Editor at MassLive
was recently named to the prestigious 2020-2021 Association for
Women in Sports Media Champions Class. Perri is one of just five
rising stars in this year’s Champions class. She will be paired with
mentors Alish Miller from ESPN and Orlando Sentinel sports editor
Iliana Limon Romero.
Stanley Buczek, Class of 2013 Police Officer Buczek was awarded
a Letter of Commendation from the Port Jervis Police Department
in recognition of saving the life of a 23 year old unresponsive male.
Stanley also the recipient of the Silver Traffic Safety Program Award.
Lyndsey Moss, Class of 2014 Lyndsey Received her MA in Higher
Education in Leadership from Endicott College in May. In 2018 she
graduated from Endicott with her BA in Exercise Science. Lyndsey
currently works at her alma mater as a Residence Director
Steve Cushing, Class of 2015 Graduated with Honors from Misericor-
dia University with a degree in Business with Specialization in Market-
ing. Presently an Assistant Football Coach at Wilkes University.
Bryana McCartney, Class of 2016 Bryana has started masters pro-
gram at Marywood University Distance Dietetic Internship Combined
Masters Program for Fall 2020 - focusing on pediatrics & maternal
nutrition.
Meghan Geissler, Class of 2018 In May Meghan opened Peace of
Mind Facility Services. Performing antimicrobial facility disinfecting of
office spaces, schools, gyms and more.
BCHS Welcomes
Gillian (Carr)
Farrell (BC
Class of ‘93) to
her new role
as Registrar,
Gill is mom to
Caroline, Rory
and Cate. Rory
is excited to
join the Eagle Family this September as a Freshman. As a
graduate of Sacred Heart Monroe and Burke Catholic Gillian
has a deep commitment to Catholic Education. She brings
her love for Burke with her in her new role. Gillian comes
from a long line of Burke Eagles - her brother Bob Carr ‘ 83
and her sister Audrey (Carr) Clarke Director of Guidance and
Assistant Principal of PPS from 2001-20012. We are blessed
to have Gillian as part of our Burke Catholic Team.
burkecatholic.com
 Seas Your Moment Travel
MENTOR/INTERNSHIP
& JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Jeanine Branhamm Hall
(BC Class of 2000)
• Gurda, Brady and Associates is seeking law school stu-
I’ve decided to combine my
dents for paid internship. Position would work remotely
passion for travel with my
and focus on legal research and drafting legal memoran-
knack for planning and doc-
dums. Applicants should send resumes to rory@gurdab-
toral-level organizational skills
radylaw.com. (Rory Brady, ‘96)
to provide you with highly
customized travel services.
• Jeanine Grillo (BC Class of ‘12) is a graduate of St. Thom-
as Aquinas (2016) and works as a Senior Associate for
My passion lies in family and
Innovation & Enterprise Solutions at KPMG. She has
group travel, including cruises,
been working with students through KPMG’s University
all inclusive resorts, momca-
and Internship program and also offers her services inde-
tions, and Disney. I’m happy
pendently. Jeanine is ready to help young professionals
to help you with anything
navigate the job market and coach them early on in their
from local vans and hotel to
careers.
VRBOs and European excursions!
Contact info:jgrillo@kpmg.com
I’m excited to help you ‘seas’ your moment and travel with the
• Christopher Geissler (BC Class of ‘97)
ones you love!
Midas - BRG Automotive - Join our team as one of the
largest destinations for automotive services. Midas is
#seasyourmomenttravel
dominating the industry in developing career paths and
building relationships within the communities they serve.
http://seasyourmomenttravel.com
For more information and to apply visit:
phone: (845) 978-5457
https://midas-geissler.careerplug.com
Instagram: @seasyourmomenttravel
• Ferguson Productions is seeking part-time administrative
support for their busy events office to start immediately.
Strong Computer experience and customer service skills
required.
Responsibilities will include answering phones and re- FORMULA FOR SUCCESS
sponding to voicemails, filing, processing mail, computer
data entry, greeting clients and guests and other related SCIENCE LAB CAMPAIGN
administrative tasks.
Ideal candidate is dependable, adaptable, people-orient- Burke Catholic is pleased to announce the new
ed, highly organized and thrives in a fast-paced environ- Science Lab renovation is finished!
ment.
Hours will be 2 days per week, 4-5 hours per day. Addi-
tional hours may be available. Compensation is hourly, Our students and staff will be able to learn and
based on experience. This position has the potential to teach in a full hallway of modern, state-of-the-art
grow into a full-time job. STEM labs this Fall.
Please send your resume to:
faith@faithferguson.com This was achievable by the incredible
(Faith Ferguson, ‘81)
generosity of the BC Community.
• The Stagecoach Inn, located in Goshen New York, one of
America’s oldest and finest Inn’s, is seeking a creative, Thank you!
high-energy Station Chef to add to their culinary team.
If you’re interested in joining one of the Hudson Valley’s Stay tuned for an exciting new campaign
best hospitality teams, contact us at GreatJobs@stage-
coachny.com. announcement as we continue to improve the
(Faith Ferguson, ‘81) BC Campus for our students and families.

Share your mentorship opportunities with your fellow BC Non Vox Sed Votum
alumni by reaching out to us.
Email kdwyer@burkecatholic.org.

5 | BC ALUMNI NEWSLETTER | AUGUST 2020 burkecatholic.com

 Once an Eagle
Always an Eagle

Non Vox Sed Votum

John S. Burke Catholic High School
Office of Admissions, Alumni and Advancement
80 Fletcher St, Goshen, NY 10924
(845) 294-5481

burkecatholic.com
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