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TODAY NEWS FOR ALUMNI, PARENTS & FRIENDS | SUMMER 2022

T DAY

In This Issue

Summer 2022

TODAY Magazine is published for the alumni, parents and friends of Saint Joseph High School, Metuchen, N.J.

School Leadership

Features 4

Graduation

Falcons & Friends

John G. Nolan, Jr. - President Anne Rivera - Principal Miguel Cabrita ‘91 - Assistant Principal/

Four years of hard work and excellence really pay off. See what stood out to this year’s valedictorian and salutatorian.

Director of Admissions Jessamyn Bergin - Dean of Studies Brian Jenkins ‘98 - Dean of Students Mark Southern - Director of Guidance

Office of Advancement

High school friendships come in many shapres and sizes. Learn how three students changed the lives of others without even knowing it.

Nancy Alfano - Director of Advancement John Eppensteiner ‘02 - Director of Alumni Relations Tim LeCras - Director of Communications and

Marketing/Editor of TODAY Dylan Hollender ‘17 - Communications and

Stepping onto the Mat and into Glory After a more than two decade hiatus, the wrestling program is back and better than ever.

Marketing Coordinator/Designer of TODAY Send us your comments and suggestions. By mail to: Today Magazine Office of Advancement 145 Plainfield Avenue Metuchen, NJ 08840

By email to: tlecras@stjoes.org

By phone:

News Around Saint Joe’s 7

In Honor of Heroes

Saint Joe’s Achieves NJAIS Accreditation

A New Era of Falcon Football

(732) 549-7600 x. 270

Cover: Class of 2022 Valedictorian Aayush Agnihotri and Salutatorian Matthew DaSilva, Photo by Dylan Hollender ‘17

Facing Page: Valedictorian Aayush Agnihotri and

22 Giving Day 2022

members of the Class of 2022.

Valedictorian/Salutatorian, Photo by Chris Harring ‘05

24 The Saint Joe’s Journey

Falcons & Friends, Photo by Dylan Hollender ‘17

Wrestling, Photo by Kelly Alejandro, ‘23 Parent

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From the Brothers’ Residence

A Letter from John Nolan Dear Falcon Family, I hope my message finds you happy, safe, healthy and enjoying the start of summer. Last Fall we announced the kickoff to the “60 Years of Brotherhood” campaign on campus. I am happy to say that there might not be a better year in the history of the school than the one we just closed out a few weeks ago. We are incredibly proud of the 114 men that make up the Class of 2022. As a class, they were awarded over $34.8 million in scholarships, with the average claimed scholarship being $96,903. Additionally, 81 percent received a scholarship in excess of their fouryear Saint Joseph High School tuition. Congratulations to Aayush Agnihtori and Matthew DaSilva for being named this year’s valedictorian and salutatorian. They will be attending Cornell University and Brown University, adding to a long list of former Falcons that attended Ivy League schools. Since we last spoke, our athletics program has had several major accomplishments to be proud of. Our wrestling program won a district title for the first time since 1977, and sent six wrestlers to the NJSIAA Individual Wrestling Championships in Atlantic City. Senior Nico Calello placed sixth in his weight class. In the pool, the swim team’s relay squad became three-time All-Americans. This Spring, our baseball, lacrosse and volleyball teams each won the Greater Middlesex County Red Division Championship, with volleyball taking home the GMC Conference Title. The Spring Track team took placed sixth at the 2022 Meet of Champions, while senior Amari Campbell placed third in the long jump. Tanner Tighelaar ‘23 and Matthias Topping ‘23 raced on the Schuylkill River to earn their spot in the grand finals to win the Boys Jr Doubles at the 95th Stotesbury Cup Regatta, the world’s largest scholastic regatta. During the regatta, Tighelaar and Topping won the Undine Cup. On top of all the team-wide accomplishments, 26 of our winter and spring studentathletes won All-Conference honors, while 46 were named to an All-Division team. 24 student-athletes from the Class of 2022 will play collegiately in the Fall. The Office of Advancement has been very busy over the last few months with Saint Joseph Giving Day in March, a Regional Alumni Event in Washington D.C. in April and our 2022 Falcon Golf Classic in June.

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I am proud to say that our community set a new Giving Day record with more than $180,000 raised during this year’s fundraising event. I would be remiss if I didn’t give a special shout out to the 33 members of the Class of 1979 who participated in Giving Day, which was the highest rate of participation across all of the classes. We were so excited to travel down to our Nation’s Capital back in April to cheer on our varsity baseball team during their doubleheader matchup with Georgetown Prep. The boys definitely appreciated the presence of our alumni and friends and we had a fabulous time engaging with them over brunch and an evening cocktail reception. Several other trips are in the planning stages for next year, including visits to California and Florida, so be on the lookout for save the dates once plans are finalized. We also can’t forget about the phenomenal job that our Parents Club did organizing the 47th Annual Basket Raffle and the Super 50/50. A special shout out to Maureen Quigley and Vin Sollecito, along with co-chairs Andrea Lacy-Wilson and Keisha Burnett for putting together these two tremendous fundraisers for the school. This year’s Annual Falcon Golf Classic was a resounding success, raising more than $45,000 for the school all while honoring longtime Partner in Mission Ryan Lechner with this year’s Father Andre Coindre Service Award. Ryan has been with Saint Joseph High School for close to 20 years. He is an invaluable asset to Saint Joe’s and words can’t express how happy we are to have him on our team. In the coming weeks, you will see our latest fundraising campaign for an official E-Sports Team and Gaming Lab. I have learned very quickly in the last few months that video games are not what they used to be. Surprisingly, over 180 colleges and universities are offering varsity-level e-sports programs on their campuses, scholarships included. We can’t wait to offer a similar environment for our students to gain teamwork and leadership experience. As we close the books on the 2021/2022 school year, preparations for 2022/2023 are already underway. We are expecting close to 140 members of the Class of 2026 to join us in August. Our events calendar is also filling up fast, with Homecoming scheduled for the weekend of October 7 and 8, the Third Annual Green Tie Gala on November 5 and Giving Tuesday on November 29. We hope that you join us in celebrating Saint Joseph High School this Fall. Once again, thank you for your continued support of Saint Joe’s. We are extremely grateful and our school wouldn’t be the same without you. Gratefully,

John G. Nolan, Jr. President

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Saint Joe’s Salutatorian DaSilva: Campus ‘Felt Like Home’ By: Tim LeCras

The second that Matthew DaSilva stepped foot on the campus of Saint Joseph High School five years ago he immediately felt something special. From his first campus tour to his time as “Freshman for a Day,” DaSilva knew the choice was easy. He was going to spend the most formative years of his life at Saint Joe’s. Sure there were other private schools in consideration, mainly Saint John Vianney and Christian Brothers Academy, but Saint Joseph High School was different. It felt like home. “When I came to Saint Joe’s and participated in the ‘Freshman for a Day’ program, everything felt different,” DaSilva said. “I came here and I loved the atmosphere a lot. I had such a good day. The teachers were amazing and my ‘Freshman for a Day’ was great. After my initial experience at Saint Joe’s, I just knew this was the perfect school for me.” DaSilva knew right away that he wanted a four-year course load that would culminate in the most demanding classes, including AP American Literature and Discrete Math. Based on his older sister’s experience in an AP class during her freshman year in high school, DaSilva recognized what it would take to be successful in challenging classes. “One of the great things about Saint Joe’s is the curriculum is a progression,” DaSilva said. “They start you out your freshman year and set you up for a path of success, each year building on a progression as you move up. The courses lead into each other which helps build a strong infrastructure of understanding as the courses become more challenging each year.” The course load was no match for DaSilva. In four years, he accumulated 11 Academic Excellence awards and a perfect score on the math portion of the SATs and ACTs. When all is said and done, DaSilva will have taken 12 AP tests in four years. “Matthew conquered an extremely difficult course progression and is a role model for what can happen during a student’s journey at Saint Joe’s with the right mindset and motivation to succeed,” Saint Joe’s Principal Anne Rivera said. “I hope that our current and future students at Saint Joe’s use Matthew’s experience as a roadmap to their own success.” Over the last four years, DaSilva has become one of the most well4 | TODAY SPRING 2022

rounded students that has walked the halls of Saint Joseph High School in recent times. DaSilva has not only thrived inside the classroom, but outside as well. From playing three years of soccer and co-founding the Mock Trial team to a successful run with the Math League, DaSilva made the most out of his tenure at Saint Joe’s. When it came time to find his next adventure, DaSilva knew exactly what he was looking for. Walking around the Brown University campus in Providence, Rhode Island, DaSilva found home again. After being accepted via an early decision, DaSilva’s college search quickly came to an end. The only thing left to do for the Sayreville native is to sit back and celebrate. As Salutatorian, DaSilva delivered one of the two student speeches at Graduation. His message to the Saint Joseph High School Class of 2022 was simple: “Remain true to yourself and your values while allowing yourself room for growth. Do not fear the inevitability of change and instead embrace the new experiences you will encounter.”

Saint Joe’s Valedictorian Credits Extracurricular Activities for His Academic Success

By: Tim LeCras

There was very little doubt in Aayush Agnihotri’s mind when it came to choosing where he wanted to attend high school. Aside from the wide array of academic offerings and extracurricular activities, there was a deeper connection to Saint Joseph High School that only a select few understand the legacy connection. After seeing his older brother, Aniket ‘19, flourish at Saint Joe’s, Aayush knew he wanted to become a part of the Saint Joseph Brotherhood. Five years later, Aayush stands in a more exclusive club. Today, Aayush is one of just 60 class valedictorians. “When I first heard, I was taken aback. [Salutatorian] Matthew DaSilva and I were expecting it, but hearing someone else say it is obviously going to be completely different than us thinking it,” Aayush said. “I texted my mom and family, they were congratulating me. Then when the school posted it to Instagram, people slid up in my DMs and also congratulated me. I was feeling hyped up and excited.”

Aayush came to Saint Joe’s from a public school in South Plainfield. While not uncommon, it led to more opportunities for Aayush to choose from. When push came to shove, he chose the school that offered the most opportunities, not just academically, but socially as well. Since I wanted to play soccer and track at Saint Joe’s that drew me away from other schools. Like academics, the extracurricular opportunities at Saint Joe’s provide endless opportunities for growth. That was my deciding factor.” Following a freshman year that included typical “freshman” activities, Aayush took advantage of a unique opportunity at Saint Joe’s - the ability to create a new club. Thus, the Saint Joseph Technology Student Association was born. “What I’m really most proud of is in the TSA’s first year we won states and went on to nationals and placed third,” Aayush said. “It was a team effort. What I’m really proud of is how we came together to do it: delegating work, reaching our individual goals.” The fact that his experience launching the Technology Student Association is the highlight of Aayush’s Saint Joe’s career tells you all you need to know about his overall high school experience. Aside from the top accolade of being named the Class of 2022 Valedictorian, Aayush received almost every academic award and accolade available to students at Saint Joe’s, including Academic Excellence Awards, National Honor Societies and AP Scholars. “Since day one on campus, Aayush has thrived to succeed and create his own path,” Saint Joseph High School Principal Anne Rivera said. “We are very proud of the journey he took here at Saint Joe’s and can’t wait to see what comes next.” When you look at Aayush’s academic resume, one thing stands out - his love for computer science and technology, which might be a family gene, as his parents are computer science professionals and his brother is currently studying it. So, it’s no surprise that Aayush will be studying computer science at Cornell University in the Fall. While it might seem that following in the footsteps of family is top of mind, Aayush used his time at Saint Joe’s to carve out his own path towards being a Saint Joseph Man. That was his message to the Class of 2022 during his Valedictorian address at graduation.

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CLASS OF 2022 PROFILE

$34.8 Million

Average Claimed Scholarship per Student

$96,903

Scholarship Dollars College Acceptance

81%

100% Total Average Scholarship

Received

Awarded Per Student

Scholarships Totaling in

$316,395

Excess of their 4-Year Saint Joe’s Tuition

1 National Merit Scholar 9 91%

National Merit

Scholar Commended

Received a Scholarship

Students

371 24

AP Exams Taken Athletes Across

7 Sports Play at the

County, Division &

Collegiate Level

State Titles

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In Honor of Heroes Two members of the Class of 2022 were honored with a special scholarship during Senior Awards Night for attending a United States Service Academy next year. John Smolenski and Varad Donwad were awarded The Walter C. Callari Lead By Example Award by Ryan Granito ‘19 and his mother Mary. The scholarship is named in honor of Captain Walter C. Callari, Ryan’s grandfather. Captain Callari’s life was dedicated to Catholic education for his seven children, love for his country and service to others. Smolenski will be attending the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York, while Donwad will be heading to the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.

Fellow senior Aidan Pierce was awarded the Kevin Reinhard ‘05 Memorial Scholarship. As a member of the United States Marine Corps, Reinhard was tragically killed in a 2012 helicopter crash a few weeks prior to his deployment. Pierce will be a member of the ROTC at Virginia Tech in the Fall.

2022 Class Chairs Announced Seniors Michael Altobelli and Michael Weikum were awarded the Class of 2022 Alumni Award during Senior Awards Night in May. The awards honor two members of the graduating class that exhibit leadership and a strong affinity for Saint Joseph High School. On top of the award, Altobelli and Weikum were invited to be the Class of 2022’s Class Chairs.

graduating class connected with each other and connected to the school. They are critical partners in helping to support the mission of Saint Joe’s by promoting the Saint Joseph Annual Fund, encouraging participation in school and alumni events, helping to organize class reunions, and sharing their ideas and expertise with school leadership. Altobelli will be attending Northeastern University in the Fall, while Weikum is heading to the University of Rochester.

Class Chairs serve as the lynchpins for keeping their

National Merit Award Class of 2022 Salutatorian Matthew DaSilva was awarded a National Merit Scholarship in late April. The $2,500 scholarships are awarded to finalists from each state who show distinguished performance and high potential for future academic accomplishment. “We are incredibly proud of Matthew’s accomplishments inside and outside the classroom,” Principal Anne Rivera said. “Matt exemplifies everything that the National Merit Scholarship Corporation looks for, including academic excellence, leadership and community service. We can’t wait to see what is in store for Matt’s future.” DaSilva was awarded the scholarship by a committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors who reviewed academic records, including course difficulty and

subjects studied, scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, along with contributions and leadership in school and community activities, an essay and recommendation from a Saint Joe’s Partner in Mission. DaSilva will be attending Brown University in the Fall. TODAY SPRING 2022 | 7

Building Friendships Through Formation High school friendships come in many shapes and sizes, the friendships formed at Falcons & Friends are different. They are life lasting, meaningful and more powerful than a pandemic. Learn how three students changed the lives of others without even knowing it. By: Tim LeCras

A typical high school-aged boy is not one to step out of their comfort zone. They typically don’t stay late after school to volunteer their time and they definitely don’t parade around a room singing Christmas carols and dressing up as Santa Claus with their closest Friends. Thomas Freda ‘22 and the rest of the students that participate in the popular Saint Joseph High School club “Falcons & Friends” are not your typical high school students. The ideas of community service and helping those in need are ingrained in the minds of Saint Joe’s students from the time they step on campus their freshman year. Each month Freda gathers 75 of his fellow Falcons for a night of fun and games, though they are not the benefactors. Their “Friends” are. But these aren’t your classic high school friend circles. Their “Friends” are a group of local special needs and disabled people enjoying a night out. “The idea was for the ‘Friends’ to get a lot out of it, which they still do,” Freda said. “But also there is a second part to it 8 | TODAY SPRING 2022

and that’s the students here. Up until now, I never really saw people my age embrace people with disabilities and now it’s become a culture that we have built here at Saint Joe’s, which is really heartwarming and awesome.”

The Start of Something Special Spending time around people with special needs is not something new to Freda. Along with his older brother and Falcons & Friends co-founders Eric ‘20 and their friend Alessandro Pugliese ‘21, their lives have been entrenched in the world of special needs advocacy. The Freda brothers’ uncle, Paul, has special needs, as does Pugliese’s younger brother Michele. Thomas, Eric and Alex’s desire to connect Paul and Michele to high school students is what led to the official formation of “Falcons & Friends” in 2019. Following a conversation with Saint Joseph High School’s Director of Campus Ministry Tracey Coudriet, the trio developed the footprint for Falcons & Friends. Now, they just needed some help in the form of

Thomas Freda ‘22 and one of the Friends lead the group in stretches before an evening of fun and games. Photo from Dylan Hollender ‘17.

their fellow Falcons. It took a lot of prodding early on from the Freda brothers and Pugliese, but after a few events, 15 Falcons quickly turned to 75. “Once the students here got to see what it was like, they enjoyed it,” Thomas Freda said. “They didn’t want to sign up just for service hours, they genuinely wanted to come back and help. It’s rewarding.” From a “Friends” perspective, the growth has been unimaginable. What started as a handful of participants, mostly those connected to Uncle Paul and Michele, has transformed into a group of “Friends” that no one saw coming, with more than 30 “Friends” running around the gym each month. “Our goal is to get people with special needs more involved, not just with sports, but coming to the school more often and meeting more students is extremely important,” Saint Joseph rising senior Christian Cuccia said.

Going Outside Your Comfort Zone Daniel Bachenski, a Saint Joe’s rising senior, was on the fence about joining Falcons & Friends. After receiving a text from Thomas before the September 2022 event, he decided to give it a try. “The first time I was there, I was like ‘How do I talk to the Friends?’ I’m not going to know how,” Bachenski said. “Then Audrey came in. She’s one of my really close friends. At first, I had to work hard to convince Audrey to go play. After a couple of times of playing around, she got used to me.” Similar anecdotes like Bachenski’s are all across Saint Joe’s Maglio Gymnasium, where many of the monthly events take place. However, those relationships took a major pause when COVID-19 rolled through. Daily routines, which are so important for people with special needs, evaporated into thin air. Time at community centers dissipated and access to family and friends was also limited or nonexistent, specifically for special needs adults who live in group homes. TODAY SPRING 2022 | 9

Falcons & Friends

The Falcons & Friends group from May’s event Photo from: Linda Freda

Freda and the rest of the Falcons had to come up with a way to continue the program in the digital age of Zoom. So, in December 2020, in the Campus Ministry room at Saint Joe’s a Zoom Christmas Party was held. Annual holiday traditions were shared, stories were told and there was even a visit from Santa Claus to each of the Zoom rooms. But, what made the party special was what wasn’t planned - a Christmas Carol sing-a-long. “You think of a typical high school boy who is 15, 16, 17 years old, they’re not going to want to sing and dance in front of their friends, even I didn’t and I started this,” Thomas Freda said. “At the end of the day, we were all doing it. When everyone of the Falcons started to step outside their comfort zone, you can see the reactions from our Friends on the zoom. It was all worth it. It was really cool to see some of the high schoolers put their egos aside and do it for their Friends.”

Creating a Lasting Legacy As the remaining co-founder of Falcons & Friends, Thomas Freda, graduated in May, the legacy that the original three created will continue on. 10 | TODAY SPRING 2022

Cuccia and Buchensky are tabbed to be the co-leaders for Falcons & Friends next year. They have no plans to slow down. According to Cuccia, while they want to keep a two Falcons to one Friend ratio, they want to see the amount of Friends increase.

“Danny and I are really excited to take the program over,” Cuccia said. “I want to continue to see a large number of Falcons sign up each month and see the amount of Friends grow as well. I don’t want to keep anyone out of it. Our Friends love coming here, running around and not worrying about anything outside of their homes and stuff like that. We have to keep doing what we’re doing right now.” If you are interested in learning more about Falcons & Friends, email Director of Campus Ministry Ms. Coudriet at tcoudriet@stjoes.org

School Recap 2021-2022 Sophomore Excels in National German Exam Sophomore Thomas Ogrodnik was named one of the country’s Top 100 German Students by The American Association of Teachers of German. Placement is based on the AATG/PAD National German Exam. Over 20,000 high school students studying German in the United States are administered the exam each year. According to Saint Joseph High School German teacher Petra Jones, “this is a tremendous achievement for a sophomore with only two years of German instruction.” Students who place in the 90th percentile or higher are able to apply for one of 58 full-ride scholarships to study in Germany for three weeks during the Summer. Ogrodnik was named as an alternate this year, with hopes of winning a scholarship during his junior or senior year.

Saint Joe’s Achieves Exclusive Private Accreditation Saint Joseph High School was awarded accreditation by the New Jersey Association of Independent Schools, a non-profit, voluntary membership association focused on educational, ethical and professional excellence of independent schools. This marks the first time that Saint Joe’s was awarded the NJAIS accreditation. “The school leadership team and our Partners in Mission deserve a tremendous amount of thanks and gratitude for this honor bestowed on Saint Joseph High School,” President John G. Nolan, Jr. said. “Without their dedication and commitment to the Saint Joe’s community, none of this would have been possible. This accreditation, and the process the school embarked on to receive this honor, put Saint Joe’s into a class of its own. The future is very bright for current and future Falcons thanks to this accreditation.” With the NJAIS Board of Directors’ approval, Saint Joseph High School becomes one of 90 NJAIS accredited schools in New Jersey. The NJAIS accreditation is for 10 years, with a five-year report and site visit required in the Fall of 2026 and a Decennial visit in the Fall of 2031.

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Senior Student Life

5. 7.

6. 12 | TODAY SPRING 2022

A Year to Remember

10. 11.

1. Attendees of the Senior Prom saw the beautiful New York City skyline from across the river at the Liberty House in Jersey City. 2. The Class of 2022 got one last joke in before classes ended: an event-filled birthday party for Dean of Students Mr. Brian Jenkins ‘98. 3. Falcon Parents surprised their seniors by arriving on campus and decorating their cars and hosting a lunch as they approached graduation. 4. Senior Cup was a day of great fun and games. The Cup winners, Miniscalco’s Minutemen, get hyped up for a round of kickball. 5. While representing many different colleges with their sweatshirts, our seniors will always cherish their time together at Saint Joe’s. 6. Volleyball in the gym requires team work if you are going to win the Senior Cup! 7. Seniors and their dates enjoying an evening of food, dancing and socializing with their friends at prom.

12.

8. What’s the Senior Prom without a bit of dancing? 9. Awards Night was the perfect opportunity to honor our seniors for all their hard work and accomplishments. 10. We are very proud of all the great colleges and universities our graduates will be attending in the Fall!

13.

11. A snapshot from Awards Night, where seniors get acknowledged for going above and beyond. 12. Dressing to impress warrants a backdrop like this! 13. An evening of fine dining is best enjoyed with the company of your fellow Falcons. 14. Hard work in academics and extracurriculars pays off when you get invited to Awards Night.

14.

15.

15. Senior Cup: the Ultimate Final Showdown.

TODAY SPRING 2022 | 13

Nico Calello ‘22, Photo from Kelly Alejandro.

Stepping onto the Mat and into Glory By: Ben Chadwick ‘23 and Tim LeCras

It was unusually quiet in the Saint Joseph High School hallways on a Friday afternoon in early March. The school, however, wasn’t empty. Peering into one of the many classrooms, you would find the students and teachers glued to their TVs. They weren’t watching a movie or a video for class, instead, they were watching their classmate Nico Calello compete against the best wrestlers in New Jersey for the second time in two years during the 2022 NJSIAA Wrestling Championship Quarterfinals at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. The March 2022 event capped a two year run into the record books for Calello. His third place finish in 2021 and sixth place finish in 2022 capped an amazing two years as a Falcon, which included countless regular season, GMC Tournament, District and Regional match victories and two podium finishes in the state championships. More importantly for the Saint Joe’s community, he put the Saint Joe’s wrestling program on his back and put the Falcons back on the wrestling map. How did it happen? It started with a program rising from the ashes.

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Rising from the Ashes Long before Nico Calello became a dominant force on the mats of Woodburn Hall and Maglio Gymnasium, someone needed to rejuvenate a program that the school eliminated following the 1992/1993 season. 25 years after the decision to end the wrestling program, former Saint Joe’s president Justin Fleetwood and athletic director Michael Murray made the decision to bring the program back from the ashes. Head coach Michael Carbone was the first piece of the puzzle. Following a long career at Woodbridge High School, Carbone embarked on what could easily be the biggest challenge of his life - building a program from scratch.

“When I came to Saint Joe’s, I wanted a full staff and stressed having something the kids can call their home, not just rolling out a mat in the gym,” Carbone said. “I knew the first year was going to be tough and I told [athletic director] Mike Murray to not judge me on years one or two, judge me on years three and four, because ‘you’ll see where we’re going.” Once Carbone was in place, his first true task was putting a squad together. Anthony Bistany ‘22 was the first official “commit” to the program. He was followed by David Rosenfarb ‘22 and Giovanni Alejandro ‘23. Carbone and company turned a 5-15 record in the program’s inaugural season into an impressive 16-9 record at the end of year two. Despite the success, the program needed a lynchpin to put them over the top. That turned out to be Nico Calello.

David Rosenfarb ‘22, Photo from Kelly Alejandro.

Finding the Lynchpin Nico Calello was introduced to wrestling at an early age thanks to his father, Pasquale Calello.

“My dad would take me to high school matches as a kid,” Calello said. “This really got me interested in the sport and made me want to get into it.” He started wrestling competitively as a 5-year-old. From an early age, it was clear that he had the potential to turn into something great. As a fifth grader in Edison, he went 13-1 in the 70-pound weight class. When it came time for high school, Calello decided to attend Watchung Hills Regional High School, where he dominated the mat as a sophomore, going 25-3 during a split season in the 106- and 113-pound weight classes. Despite the success, he made the decision to transfer to Saint Joseph High School.

Calello said: “I knew Coach Carbone and all of the other coaches on the staff because I was thinking of going to Saint Joe’s from the beginning of high school.” The tone of the Saint Joe’s program changed the day Calello stepped foot inside Woodburn Hall. Aside from the pedigree of a successful sophomore campaign, Calello brought a “calm, cool and collected” mentality to the program. More importantly, his “self-motivated, workman mentality” created a feeling in the wrestling room that the team had yet to experience. Carbone recalls the team’s first practice leading into the 2020/2021 season. Calello was teamed up with Bistany, Alejandro and Rosenfarb, each were in higher weight classes. Yet, he dominated them.

“He was non-stop with these guys,” Carbone said. “When you think he has to have given up, he just kept going and going. And not only was he making himself TODAY SPRING 2022 | 15

Giovanni Alejandro ‘23

Coach Mike Carbone

Anthony Bistany ‘22

Photos from: Kelly Alejandro

run through a wall and not quit, but he was also making those guys keep up with it. He was making those three better with him.”

Calello led the pack with a sixth place finish, but Alejandro also made a splash, finishing one victory short of a medal.

Achieving Success

Once the season ended, the 30,000 foot view of the program’s accomplishments started to take shape in the form of media accolades.

Calello brought a new mentality to the Saint Joe’s wrestling program and it showed in their matches. The Falcons went 9-3 during Calello’s first year with the team. By the end of the year, he found himself with a third place medal and on the podium of Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Calello and Carbone swept Greater Middlesex County “Wrestler of the Year” and “Coach of the Year” from both the Home News Tribune and The Newark-Star Ledger.

The team’s success during the 2020/2021 season set the tone for one last push for Calello, Bistany and Rosenfarb during their senior campaign. They did not disappoint. In just its fourth year since reinstating the program, the Falcons finished with a 20-4 record and a second place finish in the GMC Tournament. Four Saint Joe’s wrestlers participated in the championship rounds of the county tournament, with Calello taking first in the 120-pound weight class. The results kept getting better. The Falcons went on to win the NJSIAA District 19 tournament, their first since 1977. When all was said and done, six Saint Joe’s wrestlers advanced through Region 5 and onto the NJSIAA Individual State Wrestling Championship Tournament in Atlantic City: Calello, Alejandro, Evan Mendez, Vincent Genna, Brian Christie and Jake Tulli.

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“The awards and accolades showed that the media is paying attention to Saint Joe’s,” Calello said. “It wasn’t easy getting anyone to pay attention to Saint Joe’s in the first couple of years. It showed that we were in the wrestling circuit now.” Almost three decades after the decision to shut down the wrestling program, the unexpected happened. The once abandoned program was back and better than ever.

Seniors Wrestling in College Anthony Bistany - Stevens Insitute of Technology Nico Calello - Kent State University David Rosenfarb - Muhlenberg College

Athletics Year in Review 1.

1. Tanner Tighelaar ‘23 and Matthias Topping ‘23 raced on the Schuylkill River to earn their spot in the grand finals to win the Boys Jr Doubles at the 95th Stotesbury Cup Regatta, the world’s largest scholastic regatta. During the regatta, Tighelaar and Topping won the Undine Cup. There were 186 schools in attendance, made up of 4,808 athletes riding on 877 boats.

2. We are very proud of the 24 seniors who will be going on to compete at the collegiate level. Each student was able to make it official with signing ceremonies that took place throughout the school year. 3. Congratulations to the Saint Joe’s swimmers Tyler Knurek, Darien Betances, Richard Park and Ben Lockey for winning three gold medals in this year’s Meet of Champions. Their run in the 200M medley relay set a new meet record of 1:31.58. 4. Senior volleyball player Michael Weikum was named First Team, All-State, while teammates Scott Schmitt (Second Team) and Jacob Franco (Third Team) also earned state honors for their standout performance this season. Weikum received a Marisa Tafaro Foundation GMC Student-Athlete Scholarship for his work on the court and in the community. 5. The Varsity Track team finished in 6th place at the Meet of Champions against teams from all over New Jersey.

Congratulations to Amari Campbell for finishing in 3rd place in the long jump! TODAY SPRING 2022 | 17

A New Era of Falcon Football Preparations for the 2023 Saint Joe’s football season are well underway. First-year head coach Bill Tracy is hard at work building the foundation to turn Saint Joe’s into a powerhouse football program. Learn more about Coach Tracy’s first few months on campus with this exclusive Q&A:

What stood out about the Saint Joe’s opening? I wasn’t sure that I would apply to Saint Joseph High School simply because I didn’t know if I was ready to retire from public education. As the Administration and I took the time to get to know each other, and talk about Saint Joe’s, and what our shared vision of what athletics can and should be for student-athletes, it became obvious that Saint Joe’s was a special place.

You’ve been very successful at previous schools. How do you plan on bringing that success to Saint Joe’s? We have always tried to treat each student-athlete that we are entrusted with as if they were our own son or daughter. The quote: treat a person as they can and should be, and one day they will become what they can and should be – is kind of our base philosophy. We are here to help develop young men, to get them ready for life. When the kids see that you truly care about them, and are working hard for them, they have always come through. You win with the connections you build with people. After that, the scoreboard usually takes care of itself.

What most excites you about the upcoming season? What excites me most is I feel like we kind of have an open page to write our 18 | TODAY SPRING 2022

own story. Our Administration, newly formed Touchdown Club, Parents, Coaching Staff, and most importantly the kids – are really pulling the rope in the same direction. We have a chance to build from the ground floor up, to establish our Program together.

What is your favorite memory as a coach? I think my favorite memories are taking a kid, or a team, and really helping them. A kid who had to work hard to get himself into shape, and get himself skilled, so maybe he could start as a senior. Or a team that maybe won an extra game or two because they really bought into everything 100 percent. Those players and teams who really got every drop of sweat out of themselves, and simply did their level best with all they were asked to do. To me, that is what a Champion is made of.

As a man of faith, how can you use your role as head football coach to bring to life the Saint Joe’s mission? I have always felt that God directed me into teaching and coaching. That was another nice part of coming to Saint Joseph High School - to do the Lord’s work, and be able to talk to the kids about that. We pray together at the end of every workout, I really like that.

Forming young men has always been what I have tried to do, and to know that is what we are trying to do each day at Saint Joe’s feels good.

About Coach Tracy Bill Tracy was named the head coach at Saint Joseph High School in the Winter of 2022. The previous NJ.com/Star Ledger Coach of the Year (2013), Tracy has been a head football coach in New Jersey for over 20 years. Tracy started his head coaching career at Livingston High School where, he led the Lancers to the 2008 state championship. Tracy moved on to Ridge High School from 2009 to 2019, where he led the Red Devils to a 2013 perfect record and state championship. His run in Somerset County included three conference championships, eight state tournament appearances, three state semifinal games and two state finals, on top of the 2013 title. The Mountainside resident spent the last two seasons as the Offensive Coordinator at Governor Livingston High School (Berkeley Heights, NJ). Tracy was a 2014 inductee to the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches’ Hall of Fame.

Professional and collegiate eSports leagues have major licensing deals, including ESPN, Twitch and other worldwide multi-media networks. Several schools from around the country get to compete in the National Tournament at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. More than 180 colleges and universities support some level of eSports programs, even beginning to provide scholarship opportunities to members of the team. Help Saint Joe’s create a unique leadership and learning environment through the development of a state-ofthe-art gaming lab and eSports team today. TODAY SPRING 2022 | 19

Regional Alumni Events

Young Alumni Topgolf Event - Graduates from 2012-2022 gathered for an evening of games and camaraderie.

Falcon Golf Classic Honoring long time Partner in Mission Ryan Lechner, alumni and friends alike took to the course to help raise money for the Saint Joseph Annual Fund.

47th Annual Basket Raffle Hundreds of baskets were raffled off to attendees, who got to spend the night with their Falcon Family. Special thanks to the Parents Club for sponsoring this annual fundraiser.

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Washington DC Alumni Trip

Alumni near our Nation’s Capital came together to celebrate Falcon spirit and watch our baseball team take on Georgetown Prep.

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GOAL

Gi ra v i n ng is ed g D Da $1 ay y 20 18 20 ,1 22 8 8 21 ra .2 is 0 ed $1 80 ,0 00

730 Total Gifts

Gi vi

Saint Joseph Giving Day Stats Day Giving 2022

569 Alumni Donors

Thank you to all our generous donors for their support! We raised $180,000 for the Saint Joseph Annual Fund! #SJGivingDay

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More than 730 alumni, friends and families participated in Saint Joseph Giving Day 2022. Collectively, more than $180,000 was raised for the Saint Joseph Annual Fund. Each year, the Saint Joseph Annual Fund provides direct assistance to the school by funding scholarships, clubs & activities and athletics, as well as need-based financial aid to our students. Next year’s Saint Joseph Giving Day is Monday, March 20.

GENEROSITY 1. CLASS OF 1976 2. CLASS OF 1985 3. CLASS OF 1983 4. CLASS OF 1980 5. CLASS OF 1973

$19,593.02 $13,232.71 $9,763.89 $8,357.20 $7,830.30

PARTICIPATION 1. CLASS OF 1979 2. CLASS OF 1972 3. CLASS OF 1985 4. CLASS OF 1976 5. CLASS OF 1978

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Announcing the Saint Joe’s Evergreen Society

Did you know there are ways to support Saint Joseph High School that don’t affect your current lifestyle or your family’s security? • You don’t have to be wealthy to make a generous, long-lasting gift. • Make a gift right now that costs you nothing during your lifetime • Save on taxes by giving appreciated stocks, bonds or mutual fund shares • Donate life insurance you no longer need • Use a gift to reduce your estate tax exposure and eliminate capital gains Planned gifts make it possible to support the mission of Saint Joseph High School in a far more significant way than you ever thought possible. Contact Nancy Alfano, our Director of Advancement, to discuss the options which suit you best: nalfano@stjoes.org or 732-549-7600 x 208

Check out our new Planned Giving Website coming in July! TODAY SPRING 2022 | 23

Becoming a Saint Joseph Man

By Aayush Agnihotri Valedictorian, Class of 2022

One thread that binds all Saint Joseph High

Entering Saint Joe’s, I was expected to live

School students are the expectations that

up to the reputation of my brother: Aniket

come with becoming a Saint Joseph Man.

Agnihotri, the editor-in-chief of the newspaper,

Whether they have come from teachers,

the Model United Nations premier delegate,

coaches, or even your own parents, they almost

and an all-around academic overachiever. I

always have been implemented so that we can

took the same courses, participated in the

thrive in this and all future environments. All

same extracurricular activities, and played the

of our parents expected us to take something

same sports as my brother. Even after trying

out of the journey; something that’s worth

my hardest to exceed those expectations and

the countless hours they spent at their jobs,

get out of my brother’s shadow, I was still only

tirelessly working so that they could afford to

referred to as “Aniket’s brother.”

send us to a top, private high school. As freshmen, we all tried to do what we were Meeting these expectations normally

expected to do, and I was no exception. But,

comes with great personal joy and a feeling

going into sophomore year, I realized that if I

of accomplishment. But, in the shadow of

wanted to get anything out of my high school

expectations comes a different feeling. A

experience, I had to branch out and try new

feeling of anxiety and nervousness in the back

things. I went and formed my own club - the

of your head, wondering if you will ever be

Saint Joseph Technology Student Association;

good enough to come close to satisfying those

not because it was expected of me, but

expectations. A feeling of despair because

because I wanted to see what I was missing

you couldn’t meet your expectations, even

out on. Through this process, I learned that

if you learned more in achieving them than

expectations didn’t matter in forming my own

you ever would have without. A feeling of

path in the world. In fact, expectations were

disappointment, because even though you met

the only things keeping me from becoming who

the expectations that were set out, it doesn’t

I wanted to be.

matter to others because you were “expected” to anyway.

Coming into Saint Joe’s, we were all offered the opportunity to become a Saint Joseph Man. We’ve all heard the phrase, but has anyone actually defined it? At first, I thought a Saint Joseph man was simply a marketing phrase used to entice prospective freshmen. After all, it sounds good and gives parents an image of a young man, wearing a suit and tie, with wellcombed hair. But as time went on, I realized that a Saint Joseph man isn’t something that you can definitively characterize. It is a way to recognize individuals who, through their struggles and endeavors, have managed to defy expectations and carve their own path in the world. It is a way to unite our similar, yet different experiences and expectations

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under one umbrella, encompassing all the blood, sweat, and tears involved with getting a Saint Joseph High School diploma. It allows us to throw away all expectations and create a lifelong brotherhood with the people sitting right next to us. Everywhere we go, we will be in the shadow of others. Whether those individuals have already completed an internship at a Fortune 500 company, developed a ground-breaking app, or been named to an All-Conference baseball team, we will have to work hard in every endeavor to set ourselves apart. But through this school and each of our individual journeys to becoming a Saint Joseph Man, we have developed the tools necessary to not only succeed, but thrive. Remember that no matter the circumstances, no matter what shadow is cast over you, remember that as Saint Joseph Men, our paths are not defined by the expectations of others. They are built through the skills and support that are only attained by being a part of this brotherhood. I stand here now as a graduating senior who is far removed from the freshman who wanted so badly to follow in my brother’s footsteps. Now, three years later, I’m no longer worried about being thought of as “Aniket’s brother” because I know that I have done something special with my time here, just as my older brother and all other Falcon alumni have done before us, and most importantly, just as all of you have done in these last four years together.

Share Your News From the Class of ‘65 Some of the Class of 1965 met together for a fun time in Boynton Beach, Florida, hosted by Al & Eileen Prendergast. Attendees (L-R) included Ronald Sheldon, Al Prendergast, John Shibles, Peter Urban, Craig Loniewski, Michael Phelan, John Oros, Edward Costello, and Patrick Hanson.

Falcons Past and Future Greetings from Croatia! Alumni Laszlo Hajdu-Nemeth ‘91 and Gyula Varga ‘89 send their warmest regards from across the seas. They are also joined by Adam Varga, a future Falcon who will be joining the Saint Joe’s Class of 2027.

Do YOU have news? Did you land your dream career? Get together with your fellow Falcons? Get married? We want to hear about it! Please email your story to alumni@stjoes.org and you might be featured in the next edition of the TODAY Magazine! Or alternatively, mail your story in to the following address:

Office of Alumni Relations 145 Plainfield Avenue, Metuchen, NJ 08840

Call of Duty Congratulations to Ethan Anthony ‘18 for achieving the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in the Field Artillery. He will be stationed at Fort Carson in Colorado. Ethan credits Saint Joe’s for allowing him to grow academically and spiritually.

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CLAS S YEAR

HOME ADDRESS

New to the Nest Saint Joe’s would like to congratulate Dan Erhardt ‘06 and his wife on their newly born son, Ryan John Erhardt. Welcome to the Falcon Family, Ryan!

PHONE

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145 Plainfield Avenue Metuchen, NJ 08840

3rd Annual Green Tie Gala Saturday, November 5, 2022 6:00 p.m. at The Heldrich Hotel New Brunswick, New Jersey Honoring

Kevin Ryan ‘85, President and CEO Covenant House International

Cocktails, Dinner, and Dancing. Entertainment by The Infernos Details to follow on tickets and hotel accomodations.