NEWS FOR ALUMNI &FRIENDS OF AQUINAS HIGH SCHOOL
THE DUMB OX
FALL/WINTER 2021 EDITION
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
CONTENTS
Welcome to a new era at Aquinas High School! As I recently 1. Letter from the President finished my 21st year at Aquinas I found myself transitioning 2. Important Dates into a new role, that of President. I am extremely excited to 3. Charting a New Course see what this new position holds and the wonderful things that 5. A Sit Down with the we can achieve together. As everyone knows, the best thing President about Aquinas is our students. Over the years I have had the 7. Athletics- Sports Hall of honor to teach and form relationships with over 2500 students that we are now proud to call Falcon Alumni. In wanting to Fame continue to strengthen these relationships it was necessary to 8. Athletics- CIF Champions establish a means of communication that would bring joy to all 9. Alumni Spotlight-Leaving a our community. In response to this need we are proud to Legacy launch The Dumb Ox, the magazine for and about the Aquinas 12. On Campus- Fall Semester community. As many of you know “the dumb ox” was a highlights nickname given to St. Thomas Aquinas during his youth. We all know that Thomas Aquinas was a large man, but his 13. Campus News- Breaking nickname came not from his lack of intelligence, but from his New Ground silence and focus on his faith. St. Thomas Aquinas went on to 16. Class Notes become arguably the preeminent scholar of the church and the 23. In Memoriam patron saint of education. It is his faith and his relentless pursuit of truth that we should all try and emulate in our own 24.Together We Can Campaign lives.
As you read through these pages it is important to remember our mission statement “…to form, through Catholic education, Administration young men and women to be servant leaders in the light and Most Reverend Alberto truth of the Gospel of Jesus” and to understand and take pride Rojas, Bishop of Diocese of in the wonderful differences that Aquinas alumni are making San Bernardino all over the world. Dr. Sam Torres,
Superintendent St. Thomas Aquinas…pray for us!
Dr. Chris Barrows,
President Dr. Chris Barrows Dr. Amanda Egan, Principal President Aquinas High School Mr. Ron Simmons, Assistant Principal Discipline and Student Services
Aquinas High School Distinguished Alumni Scholarship Dinner Save The Date: March 26, 2022
Mr. Patrick Pavlian, 1969
Dr. John Carlson, 1987
2021 Honorees
Ms. Michelle Philo, 1997
Mr. Cameron Nelson, 2001
Mr. Bill Lemann, 1969
Join us for a special evening to honor this year's Distinguished alumni, while also raising important funds for Scholarship to help continue to provide a quality Catholic education for students in the Inland Empire
CHARTING A NEW COURSE
Dr. Amanda Egan, Class of 2000
When I graduated from Aquinas High School in the year 2000 the thought did not cross my mind that I would return to my alma mater to eventually teach. In fact, my career goal was to be a journalist, not a teacher. However, God had different plans. I was called back to serve at Aquinas in 2007. I had earned a degree in print journalism and even had my “dream job” of being a sports journalist for a popular newspaper group. My love of sports and writing started young and continued to University where I played soccer and softball and was an editor for the school newspaper. However, my professional days as a sports journalist were short numbered. I was not fulfilled, so I continued in college finishing a master’s degree and credential. When a teaching position appeared on the Aquinas website my dad encouraged me to apply— so I did, and now here I am, 15 years later. During my 15 years I have served many roles. My roles include: English teacher, School Newspaper Advisor, ESL teacher, Varsity Girls Soccer Coach, School Counselor, Law Academy Coordinator, International Counselor, Assistant Principal, and Principal. I have been blessed with the opportunity to work at Aquinas full-time and be able to complete an additional master’s degree, credential, and doctorate degree. I can say with immense enthusiasm that Aquinas High School prepared me well. As Principal, I often reflect on my years as a student, teacher, and the other roles I held. These reflections truly help guide me in my daily work. One common theme that stands out for me is that Aquinas has always felt like home. When I was a student I could rely on my coaches, teachers, play directors, and so many more to guide me spiritually and academically. I made life-long friendships and still connect with my classmates’ today. Students continue to echo the sentiment, 20 years later, that Aquinas is like a family. I cherish that aspect of our school because the research is clear, if students have strong relationships with their teachers, their achievement will increase. Out of all my roles, I value the teacher role most. I had the ability to reach 150 students in one single day. That is powerful. It was not easy as I had several hours of planning and grading to do each evening and weekend, but the reward was ARBUTUSCOFFEE.CO immense.
The Lord continues to bless our school with amazing opportunities and access to outstanding individuals and groups who believe in our mission, “to form, through Catholic education, young men and women to be servant leaders in the light and truth of the Gospel.” It is inspiring to observe and engage with alumni and others who believe in Aquinas as much as I do. We both have hopes and dreams for the school. I remember the day in late Spring when I was asked if I would be interested in interviewing for the position of Principal. Wow! That caught me off guard. Of course, I said yes and immediately started thinking of my vision and goals that I should start typing in the notes section of my iPhone. And then the real work began. Beginning a Principalship as students returned from a 1.5 year lockdown was challenging. However, we have persevered, and much is improving now that students have been back in a regular routine for a semester. The short term daily goals I strive for and ask the faculty and staff to strive for are: First, see God in all things. Second, focus on the social, emotional, and physical wellness of yourself and the students. Third, build strong relationships with faculty/staff, families, and students. Fourth, focus on creating and teaching relevant curriculum.
I want students, faculty, staff, families, and alumni to feel like they are at home at Aquinas. I want them to feel like they are part of the Falcon family. In total, I have been on Falcon turf for 19 years, and I want others to be blessed by this community like I have. St. Thomas Aquinas…Pray for us!
A SIT DOWN WITH THE PRESIDENT In Aquinas’ history it has only had three presidents, the most recent change happening this past July. While this is a new position for Dr. Chris Barrows, he is certainly not new to the Aquinas campus. We sat down with him so that we could learn a little more about Dr. Barrows and how he envisions his time as President of Aquinas.
Could you introduce yourself and tell us more about you? My name is Dr. Chris Barrows and I am in my 22nd year at Aquinas. When I began at Aquinas I was the underclassman counselor, AP Psychology teacher, and the Boy’s Soccer coach. Since then I have held positions as the bookstore manager, Girl’s tennis coach, Academic Dean, Dean of Students, and Assistant Principal. I served as the Principal for 11 years before assuming the role of President on July 1, 2021. I earned my B.S. in Psychology with a minor in counseling from California Baptist University where I also played soccer. Upon graduation I returned to CBU to earn my M.S. in Education. I received a certificate in Catholic School Leadership from Loyola Marymount University and received my Doctorate in Education from the University of Southern California.
What was the most special part of Aquinas to you in each of your capacities…teacher, counselor, etc? What has been the most special to me, in each of these roles, was the ability to form relationships with the students in a number of different capacities while having an impact on the school as a whole in a number of different ways. As a coach the relationships you form with your players is a little different than the ones you form with your students as a teacher. They are all great and rewarding, just different.
What are your main priorities as President? Your short term goals, goals over the next 5 years? As President I look forward to continuing to grow our campus, not just students, but through facilities and opportunities. As we grow programs the need for more state-of-the-art facilities is needed. When I arrived here 22 years ago the campus was dilapidated and run down. To see where we are now and to know that the students are proud to say that they attend Aquinas is something that is very encouraging to hear. We have seen Aquinas become one of the best educational institutions in the area and that is something that our community needs and deserves. We will continue to focus on Aquinas’ role as a place for change in the world and the impact it has for positivity moving forward.
What are you most looking forward to in this role? The new challenges that lie ahead. As Principal there are a certain set of things that you deal with on a fairly constant basis. It was time for me to move on to a new set of challenges and that is something that I am looking forward to.
What would you want alumni to know about you and/or your goals for Aquinas? Our Alumni and our community iareour strongest attributes. Being here for over 20 years I have been able to establish some wonderful relationships with many of our families and Alum. However, there are many Alum that I do not know and I look forward to reaching out to them, them reaching out to me, and to establishing, building and strengthening relationships with all Alumni. One of the most special things about Aquinas is our sense of community and that community doesn’t end when students graduate, in fact that is just a milestone in our connection. The wonderful opportunities that grow upon graduation can be even more rewarding. I encourage all Alumni to come by whenever possible, to call me anytime, and to know that they are always welcome back. Our Alumni are still a huge part of what we do today and their input on our future is always welcome.
2021ATHLETIC HALL OF FAME Athletics On October 6th, Falcons gathered together to celebrate the athletic achievements of some of our alumni during the 7th Annual Aquinas High School Athletic Hall of Fame Dinner. Each year inductees are selected based on their athletic accomplishments during and after their time at Aquinas. This year the 2021 inductees were: Megan Majewski( Scafiddi) class of 2003 for her achievements in Volleyball, Basketball, Softball and Cheer; Ed Ballard, class of 1980 for his athletic accomplishments in Aquinas Baseball; Barney Dittenhaver was posthumously honored for his work in coaching Aquinas Boys Basketball; The 2005 CIF and State Championship football team for their record setting CIF and state wins. These honorees were added to the growing list of Aquinas Athletics Hall of Famers.
Ed Ballard '80 2021 Inductee
Megan Majewski'03 2021 Inductee
Barney Dittenhaver 2021 Inductee
2005 CIF and State Championship Football Team 2021 Inductee
FALCON FOOTBALL Athletics
CONGRATULATIONS FALCON FOOTBALL!
This fall football season saw hardwork and dedication rewarded. The football team won its fifth CIF title in the school's history, winning the CIF-SS Division 7 championship. The team also took home the CIF 3 AA Regional Championship. This is the third title under coach Jordan Brusig, who is an alumni from the class of 2005. A huge congratulations to coach Brusig and the entire Aquinas High School football team!
LEAVING A LEGACY Alumni Spotlight
Teachers have the power to inspire, to motivate, to change lives. For so many at Aquinas, that is exactly what Fr. Earl LaRiviere did. He left an indelible mark on so many young men at Aquinas High School during his tenure there from 1959 to 1969. In 2018, a group of former students of Fr. LaRiviere set out to create the LaRiviere Society as a way to honor Fr. Earl’’s legacy and to help inspire future generations of Falcons. The initial goal was to raise $50,000 to create a memorial grotto on the campus so that current students, teachers and families of Aquinas could learn a little about this towering presence of a man, who was such a force in students’ lives. The second part of the group’s goal was to honor excellence in teaching and create a unique student scholarship. Both goals were realized in the spring of 2019 with the dedication of the Fr. Earl LaRiviere memorial grotto and inception of The LaRiviere Scholars Program. In its inaugural year, LaRiviere Society pledged $2,000 each in scholarships for three LaRiviere Scholars and a $500 Scholarship to an Aquinas teacher who demonstrated some of the values of Fr. Earl through their excellence in teaching. Since the program began in 2019, the LaRiviere Society has disbursed over $20,000 in funds to students entering their senior year who display some of the following characteristics: a solid citizen, an avid learner, and a moral model. The group also selects one teacher per year who demonstrates excellence in teaching and awards them $500.
In the three years that the LaRiviere Society has been in existence, 13 students have been recipients of the Scholarship program. Each student displayed remarkable academic achievements and were active in their school and community. We wanted to follow up with some of them to see what they had been up to since graduation and if they were still modeling some of the values that Fr. Earl was so remembered for; namely Integrity, Justice, and Dignity.
Juan Velasquez- Juan was a 2020 LaRiviere Scholarship recipient. While at Aquinas, Juan was on the water polo team and was the swim team captain. He was a part of Campus Ministry, and the President of a Club aiming to make improvements around the school. Outside of Aquinas, he was a co-chair on the Youth Grantmakers Committee of San Bernardino, volunteered at St. Bernadines Hospital, and enjoyed playing the piano. Juan was accepted and began his college education at Columbia University, in New York City. Juan was also accepted into the Global Medicine student organization at Columbia University. This is an international student organization that participates in activities geared towards studying and improving global health. In addition, Juan has continued to volunteer and most recently made and distributed lunch packs to the homeless in Manhattan with the help of his fellow students and friends. Although his classes are challenging, he is really enjoying his courses. He has also decided to major in medical humanities and is taking the premedical curriculum with the hope that he will eventually go to medical school. He is adjusting to the New York weather, using the subway, making new connections. All in all, Juan is doing very well. Juan is thankful for the Aquinas community and the LaRiviere Society for their help and guidance in helping him achieve his goal and laying the foundation for his future.
Gabriela Zendejas- Gabriela (Gabby) was also a 2020 LaRiviere Scholarship recipient. While at Aquinas she was on the Varsity Girls Tennis team and the Varsity Cheer squad. She was involved in multiple clubs such as the International Club, Broadcasting Club, and the Environmental Club.She was also a member of the Presidential Ambassador Program, Campus Ministry Team, National Honors Society, and was picked for a Kairos Retreat Leader. Currently, Gabriela is attending the University of San Diego and completing her first semester this month. She believes her journey at Aquinas High School definitely played a role in the successful transition to college and absolutely loves being a Torero! Being named a La Riviere Scholar while at Aquinas will remain a momentous highlight in her life not only for the financial support the scholarship provides but so importantly what it means to be a “La Riviere Scholar” and be recognized for the values of Father Earl La Riviere.
Janel Pido- Janel was also a 2020 recipient She was on varsity volleyball
since her freshman year as an outside hitter. She was also involved with varsity track. Outside of school, she competed internationally in taekwondo and is a USA Taekwondo athlete. She was a member of campus ministry. Janel is attending Southwest Baptist University in Missouri which is an NCAA division 2 school. She received an athletic scholarship for volleyball. She is an outside hitter/defense specialist. She participates in FCA ( Fellowship of Christian Athletes). She loves college life and she’s able to maintain good grades and play the sport that she loves the most. She also received the Presidential distinguished scholar award which is the highest academic scholarship that they can give. Her major is Nursing.
Malosi Siania- Malosi was one of the inaugural scholarship recipients. During his time at Aquinas, he was played for the Aquinas Football team and was also part of the Engineering Academy. Malosi is in his Sophomore year at Pacific University in Forest Grove, Oregon. He is currently changing his major from Engineering to Psychology with an emphasis in Criminal Psychology. Malosi is on the football team. He is also a member of the Na Haumana O Hawaii student organization that promotes and radiates the spirit of Aloha to preserve and perpetuate his unique cultural heritage.
Lauren Lazos -Lauren was also a 2019 recipient. Lauren was actively involved in the youth ministry at Our Lady of Assumption. She said that becoming a LaRiviere scholar “motivated me to continue to work even harder help grow as an individual and help my community.” Currently she is attending the University of La Verne on a Presidential Scholarship. Lauren is majoring in computer science with a concentration of information sciences. She has maintained a GPA of 3.96 to remain on the Deans list for the past 3 semesters. Last semester, she was recognized and given an academic reward for demonstrating a high GPA while also being involved in extracurricular activities to enhance the computer science department at La Verne. Lauren is currently working as an Academic Technology Specialist on campus where she assists students and faculty with any technology related questions and needs. In addition, she works with students to help teach them how to 3D model as well as how to work with 3D printers, resin printers, laser cutters and more. Lauren is a proud member of both the computer club and WIT (Women in tech) club on campus.
Each alumni spoke highly of their time at Aquinas and reflected back on the impact their teachers had on them. These sentiments echoed those of so many alumni who fondly remember Fr. Earl LaRiviere. It is in this spirit that the LaRiviere Society works to not only provide financial support, but also honor Fr. Earl’s contributions to our lives, which we'll hopefully pass on to the next generation of "gentlemen, scholars, and saints."
To help ensure that the legacy of Fr. Earl LaRiviere lives on and supporting student scholarships for years to come, the group has established an endowment fund. For more information, visit the website at: larivieresociety.org.
FALL SEMESTER HIGHLIGHTS On Campus
BREAKING NEW GROUND Campus News
Aquinas always strives to create a wide array of curriculum that provides academically challenging courses for students and also prepares them to live out the school’s mission to be leaders in the light and truth in the gospel of Jesus. That is why the school’s newest course, Sustainable Agriculture, was a perfect addition to the school’s rapidly growing course list. This integrated class combines an interdisciplinary approach to laboratory science and research with agriculture management principles. When the academic team reviewed potential classes that would be a beneficial addition, the sustainable agriculture class was a natural fit. As a catholic institution, one of the main principles is to find ways to care for others. Therefore, a class that teaches students ecofriendly farming techniques and gives students the opportunity to give back to those in the local community with the crops they grow was the perfect choice.. The addition of this class is timely as well. In 2015, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Purdue predicted that the agriculture and food-science industries would need about 57,900 college grads a year through 2020. But as of 2015, college agriculture programs were only graduating about 35,400 qualified candidates a year. By adding this course, Aquinas becomes one of the few high schools in tthe nation to offer such a relevant and much needed class. Using skills and principles learned in the course, students will connect the labs and projects with industry activities to link real world encounters and implement skills demanded by both college and careers. To help understand this exciting new course, we interviewed Mr. Tod Post, the class teacher and some of the current students.
Can you tell me a brief overview/description of the agricultural class? Agriculture is a hands-on, interdisciplinary science course in which students learn the science of growing plants. They learn about how plants grow, soil conditions, weather, climate, plant propagation, etc., but by doing. We have just finished preparing our garden (removing grass, digging hills and furrows) and are now actively planting vegetables and flowers and are preparing to grow fruit trees. The outside activities are accompanied by lessons that explain the science behind what we are doing. Also, since I teach Latin and have taught Greek, I include Botanical Latin, which is heavily based on classical Latin and Greek vocabulary and grammar. We will also include botany, biology, history (including World History and local history), theology/ Biblical studies (so many of Jesus’ parables were agricultural references) and even botanical illustration.
What are your goals for this class both short term and long term? In the short term, I hope to prepare and plant our garden. In the long term, I hope to expand so that we beautify our whole campus. I also hope to fine tune how to integrate all of the various disciplines that are included in this class.
If you know, how many other schools in the area offer this class?
I don’t know if any schools offer a course like this currently. I know that at one point SBHS had either a Future Farmers of America or 4-H program, but that was decades ago. St. Jeanne de Lestonnac has a very developed agriculture program. However, our course is interdisciplinary, so this aspect makes our course unique.
What do you hope students gain from taking this course?
I hope that students will leave here with a love of nature and growing plants. If they are enthusiastic and love growing plants, they will want to continue to do this when they leave here. This could lead them to college majors (especially at schools like UC Davis, UCR, Cal Poly Pomona), careers, or simply to a better appreciation of the world around them. Just being outside, away from technology, is a great way to relax and listen to the whispering voice of God.
What is the best part of teaching this class/ the most challenging? Currently, the most challenging part of the course is just gathering the resources we need, whether it’s garden tools, planting supplies, seeds, trees, etc. The second challenge is trying to fit in everything that I want to teach into the time I have. Much of what we do is hands-on, dirty work. This type of work is best accomplished during a block schedule. We only have one block period a week, so this limits what we can do
What would you want readers to know about this class that we haven’t covered?
I think the one thing that I would like are readers to know is that a class like this requires mental and physical work, discipline and especially patience. The current groups of students will not see the fruits (literally) of some of their labors. Future students will harvest fruit from the trees that the current class plants. What we do now will benefit others in the future, not ourselves. Also, the annual crops takes months to grow. You have to see the big picture and be forward looking when you grow plants.
What does a typical day in this class look like? a. Non-block days: lectures about plant science, in class labs, planting seeds in starter pots. b. Block days: Digging, digging, weeding, digging, planting, starting to harvest, digging.
I didn’t chose the agriculture class by choice, but was placed in it after other sciences were full. However, I am glad that I didn’t take any other science because this class is very entertaining and hands on. After high school, I intend to study to be an interior designer. I’ve always loved the idea of botanical decorations and being placed in this class has taught me so much in regards to plant life. The most exciting and hardest part about this class is the garden we all worked hard to dig and now seeing it come to life is mesmerizing. By the time I finish this class, I expect to know much more about farming and tending to plants. I’ve already learned how complex a plants life is and the impact they have on the local surroundings. I cannot wait to continue learning and planting in it. -Amaris O. Aquinas Junior
The most exciting thing is to see the fruits of one's labors. Or in most cases the vegetables of one's labors. It’s fun to see what you’ve made with your hard work. The most challenging is the physical things. I’m not weak nor strong and this class is at the end of the day. This means it’s really hot. Shoveling in heat isn’t the most fun thing to do and is pretty tiring. Regardless I still like this class. -Emilio L. Aquinas Senior
CLASS NOTES 1965
Jim McGuire - Just visited for his annual 3 week adventure to Italy's Friuli-Veneto-Giulia region, the tenth of their annual series.
1966 John Talbot - met up with several alumni who are members of the La Riviere society for a party in San Antonio Texas on November 12th. There was live music by famous tejano Grammy winner Santiago Jimenez.
1968 Michael Turelli- Michael was elected to the National Academy of Sciences USA in Spring 2021
1969
Claudia Peyton- Retired from California State University Dominguez Hills Dean, College of Health, Human Services and Nursing.
1973
Marion Jones - Retired from Radio Shack after 35 years and has been married to his wife, Kathryn Jones, for 20 years. Patrick Schmidt- Retired from Wycliffe Bible Translator in 2020 after 36 years of service in Ghana and Cameroon, Africa
1975 Bill McCaughey- Bill is the owner of Innovative TDM Solutions - celebrating their 33rd year in business
1978 Thomas MacLennan- Retired in October after losing his wife of 29 years last spring.
1980 Sean O’Malley- Continues to manage an international design firm in Laguna Beach; planning new cities and remaking existing ones! Involved with the integration of new micromobility technologies and open space resiliency as it relates to fire and flood mitigation. Kelly Byce- moved from San Diego to Houston Texas in July of 2021.
1981 Michael Frymire- Works for Snohomish Regional Fire and Rescue. He has been married to Rebecca (Mama) for 30 years. They have three boys who are married and have kids.
1983 Kelli Prahar(Blum)- Kelli is the new business owner of Simplify Medical Billing, Inc. Jim Knowlton- Recently became a grandfather to a beautiful baby girl
1985
Tina Ramos-Ingold- Recently celebrated 25 years of marriage. She started working as a copywriter for the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians this past spring
CLASS NOTES 1986 Anne Grigsby- fulfilled a longstanding goal of obtaining her bachelor's degree.in 2020.
1987
Deborah McFadden- Deborah is currently living in Youngstown Ohio. She is a Loan Officer Assistant in a mortgage company.
1994 Kathleen Takaishi - is the Head Women's' Golf Coach at the University of Nevada
1998
Eduardo Vasquez- will be graduating with a Doctorate of Education from Cal State San Bernardino in December
2001 Heather Hiil - Has been working as a Paralegal for 14 years but recently became a NC Bar Certified Paralegal!
2002
2005
Camrin Flores- Recently had a new baby boy named Justice Camrin Flores. Also, earlier this year he became a Police Officer for the State of California.
2006
Jessica Asuelime- Got Married in November 2020 and started Grad School at UCLA Animation
2009
Sean Kinnally- is the Associate Director of Operations and teaching marketing at CSUSB.
2011
LeAnn and Jim Jones -On 10/21/21- They welcomed their first son to add to the Falcon family: Cooper James Jones. He was 7lbs 3 oz and 20 1/2 inches long. They are so in love and thank God for him everyday!
2012
Ali Paramo Padilla and Carlos
Padilla (c/o 2012) welcomed Noor Khodr- recently got hired as a Tribal their baby girl Emilia on June Graphic Designer for the San Manuel 28th 2021. She was 6lbs 11oz Band of Mission Indians. and 19.5inches long. They are so
in love with her!
2003 Brandon Mulcahy- Hired in May 2021 as Associate Director
2013 of Network and Technical Services at Pitzer College, in Gabriel Rodriguez is currently serving the city Claremont, CA of San Bernardino as a police officer
2005 2014 Donald Weiss- graduated from University of Mandy Gonzales-Thompson- got married to Craig California Riverside with a BS in Computer Thompson in October 2020 Science and is employed with Naval Sea
Systems Command as a Scientist
CLASS NOTES
Eric Zamora - hired as a police officer with the Montclair Police Department in April of 2020. He is working toward advancing his career in law enforcement and hopefully will soon be assigned to special details within the department. William Seltz - Completed his Masters of Education-Special Education from Grand Canyon University this year 2021 Casey Goggin- Casey graduated with a Bachelor of Science in NeuroScience from Baylor University in December of 2017 and Juris Doctorate from Belmont Law School (Nashville) in May of 2021. She Passed the Bar in July, 2021 and is working as Associate General Counsel for the Tennessee Department of Safety and Home Land Security
2015
Jacqueline Powell- Jacqueline is attending Cal Baptist Western University health sciences for PharmD degree with an expected graduation in May 2022. She and fellow alumni, Jack Enriquez, are engaged with an upcoming marriage in December.
Jasmin Valenzuela -is engaged and working on a Masters degree in education from the University of Antelope Valley to become a teacher.
Elizabeth Seter -graduated 2018 from Grand Canyon University with a Bachelor of Communications. She is Currently attending California Baptist University, graduating Spring 2022 with a Masters in Counseling Psychology within the Marriage and Family Counseling program, specializing in Licensed Professional Clinical Counseling .
Angel Perez- Has his own LLC, Envy Financial, and is working for Mass Mutual Financial
Alahnis Gurule- Completed her degree at Azusa Pacific University, Masters of Clinical Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy. She Currently is working as an Associate Mental Health Therapist for Citrus Counseling Services in Redlands working with infants and children.
Amanda Kirtley- Graduated in 2019 from UC Berkeley with a major in linguistics and a minor in Disability Studies. Then completed a second bachelors at Utah state university in Communication sciences and deaf education. Currently completing my masters in Speech and Language Pathology at UT Dallas. She will be graduating in December of this year and getting married in May of 2022.
2016
Kristen Goggin- Kristen graduated from Union University (Jackson, TN) with a Bachelor of Science in Athletic Training in May, 2020. She is currently working toward obtaining a Master's Degree in Education with concentration in Sports Leadership (also at UU). She is engaged to be married in April, 2022, to Sean Blackburn (assistant coach for the UU women's basketball team). She is also a graduate student for the UU Athletic Director and a volunteer volleyball coach.
CLASS NOTES
Tesa Mejia- will finish her Masters Program for Speech and Language Pathology at the University of Redlands in the Spring. She is working as a Speech and Language Pathologist.
Eva Polett Lopez- completed her MA with Honors in Classics from the University of Edinburgh in 2020 and has an upcoming publication; ‘Katsuki’ (set to be released in 2022).
Deantony Johnson - Deantony recently got his business license in detailing.
Chase Leibrich- Chase is attending graduate school at Chapman University in Orange, CA studying for his MFA in Film Production with an Editing Emphasis
Anastasia Finneran - Anastasia is still a full time student. After a few major changes she settled on a 3 year degree program at Valley to get her AA in Culinary Arts, focusing on Baking. She has 2 more semesters and is nearing completion. She enjoys being a full time student, but is excited to start a culinary career.
Veronica Delfin - Has been living in Huntington Beach CA the last three years. She recently received a job for a marketing company selling Clover systems all across the US!
2017
Alexis Chavez- Alexis was married on June 26, 2021 to Neil Houser. She will be graduating from the School of Nursing at Loma Linda University in June 2022.
Jessenia Maciel -graduated in the spring (May 2021) from the University of San Diego with a BA in Environmental and Ocean Sciences with a concentration in Marine Ecology. She also received minors in Chemistry and Biology. She is currently serving in the Jesuit Volunteer Corps. Her placement is at St. Matthew Catholic School, a dual language school (K-8) in Phoenix, AZ where she works as a teacher in a low income community. She is enjoying her time with the kiddos and staff while trying to actively apply to dental schools during this gap year.
Tyler McClure- Recently graduated from occupational therapy associate program at Stanbridge university and working towards masters for occupational therapy.
Cassandra Hipolito - Attending: Cal state University San Bernardino, B.A. Political Science with a minor in Pre-Law Attending: University California Riverside, Crime Scene Investigation Program Completed: Cal state university San Marcos, Victim Advocacy Carlos Aviles - currently attending Cal Poly Pomona working on Bachelor Computer Information System
CLASS NOTES 2018
Brissa Alvarado- Brissa has played Softball at Coppin State for the last three years. She was named all MEAC Conference Player for 2021 Season at Second Base. She is a senior and her major is Psychology with a minor in Political Science.
Jasper Friis- currently finishing up his sophomore season at the Junior College level and getting ready to transfer to University.
2019 Ashley Macias - Ashley is now the Owner of the family business Couture Events. She spends much of her time traveling and working Gabriel Wilson- Returned home in November from combat deployment (U.S. Army) in Afghanistan after missions in Kuwait and Qatar. He plans to pursue career in law enforcement and resume volunteering in the community.
Nora Pais- is in her 3rd year of University towards Medical school after graduating CBU Health of Science. Anthony Salinas- Currently taking courses at San Bernardino Valley Pre Nursing program with aspirations to transfer to a university to move toward an RN program.
Alycia Hernandez-currently in the COPE Health Scholars Program at Adventist Health Glendale, the Education Chair for Bruins Fighting Pediatric Cancer (BFPC), a Ballet & Books mentor and member of the UCLA Ballet Company. In addition she is part of the research team in the Arnold Lab at UCLA where they study sex differences in mice cerebellum. She is currently in her third-year at UCLA and is planning to take the MCAT this upcoming January. She will be applying for medical schools this upcoming year as well!
Matthew Castellanos Currently attending Grand Canyon University working towards Bachelors degree in Sports Management and working with MLB Minor/Major league teams that include Brewers, Indians, Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
Zyon Mathis- National Champion and State Champion at RCC & Benedictine College.
CLASS NOTES
Eliana - Tia Chavira- Tia is a student-athlete, playing Volleyball for Cal State Long Beach. She is in her junior year.
2020
Danny Taylor - Danny is on his second year at Grand Canyon University majoring in law.
Julissa Bañuelos- Currently attending Crafton Hills College completing an associates degree in health sciences. Julissa will be transferring to UC Irvine in the fall of 2021.
Noelle Chavez- Noelle is earning a degree in chemistry from the University of Redlands. She is also on the track team throwing the discus, shot put, hammer throw and javelin. She was the conference champ as a freshman in the discus.
Alyssa Santos- Sophomore at Cal Baptist University majoring in Kinesiology 2nd year where she recently received an academic scholarship. Aaron Guyton-Aaron transferred from University of LaVerne and was accepted into the prestigious Morehouse College and is now attending there as a sophomore.
Tiago Pedroso- Tiago is attending university and working as a real state agent, for the family real estate agency and in the last three months sold around a million bucks worth of properties.
Mia Vigil - Mia is attending Cal Baptist University in the pre nursing program. She lives on campus, works at In N out and does volunteer work at a senior home in Corona where she conducts social hours and games for the residents.
Diego Samaro- Diego is currently in his sophomore year at the University of Redlands. Diego was named to the Deans list for his dedication in the classroom and was also recognized as Prep player of the week by his coaches on the U of R football team. While at U of R Diego is continuing to carry himself like a Falcon by volunteering his time to work on Camp Ronald McDonald so cancer patients/less fortunate kids can enjoy time in the mountains.
Isaac Rivera- Isaac is working part time at Special Need Coffee and his goal is to work at Lowes.
Terrance Fall- Terrance is playing football for BYU.
CLASS NOTES
Matthew Gaeta 2020- Matthew joined the Marines. He graduated top of his class and was meritoriously promoted to Private First Class. He is still in training for his specialty.
Elijah Gonzalez- Elijah working at Hurley PT while going to school FT. Elijah also received the Dean Scholarship his Sophomore year for his academic performance in his freshmen year… maintaining a 3.7 GPA!
Maya Gonzalez- Maya just completed her Freshman season of Division I soccer on scholarship for athletics playing 800 min in the season as a key defender (Outside Attacking Back) for the Rainbow Wahine. Academically she is a Sophomore majoring in Kinesiology.
2021
Johann Rivera- Johann was accepted into the Honor Society at UC Riverside Andrew Vargas- Andrew is currently a full time student at Chaffey Community College in Rancho Cucamonga. His major is X-ray Technician. He plans to complete the 4 year program at Chaffey and transfer to a university.
Victor Morales- Victor is attending Cal State Univ San Bernardino. He is majoring in Nutrition. He plans to obtain his Masters upon graduation.
Alexa Duran- is attending UC Riverside and playing D1 softball there on a scholarship.
Christina Salinas- Christina is in her first year full time at CBU pre nursing. She has goals to be and ICU or ER nurse. Sione Lolohea- Sione is attending school and playing football for Oregon State University.
IN MEMORIAM Stan Benkowski '63 Al Billings del Gigante '65 Mark Borden '75 Sam Carosa '75 Charles Cervantes '63 Michael Doran'65 Nancy Eich '75 Larry Falce '65 Jerry Frieling '69 Jim Hubert '65 Karen Kosmal '75 Mark Knowlton '78 Steve Knowlton '75 Salvatore Mineo '65 John Moffatt '76 James Passard '65 Dennis Phillips '65 Shirlee Pigeon Frank Quevedo '62 Charles Raderstorf '65 Antonio Ramirez'63 Dennis Wilson '63
Eternal rest grant unto them, O Lord. And let perpetual light shine upon them. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
The names listed were provided by classmates and family members.If you know of an alumni or alumni parent who has passed, please send an email to raviles@aquinashs.net
TOGETHER WE CAN CAMPAIGN
Last year our “Together We Can” campaign raised nearly $130,000 to enable us to return to school as safely as possible. This year our campaign will once again focus on our student’s safety. The 2021-22 “Together We Can” campaign will raise funds to replace the windows in the Student Services Building (A building), St. Bernardine’s Hall (B building), and the Matich Science Center (C building) along with replacing the old doors and door hardware throughout the campus. These windows and doors date back to the construction of the original school buildings in 1955 and are in dire need of replacement. By doing this we will be able to continue to offer the safest and most stable learning environment possible. Visit our website: aquinashs.net/advancement to learn more about this very important cqampaign and to make a gift today!
Aquinas High School 2772 Sterling Ave. San Bernardino, CA 92404