Fall 2015 - Nativity Jesuit Academy · Fall 2015. A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT. PRIDE POINTS . Q&A...
Transcript of Fall 2015 - Nativity Jesuit Academy · Fall 2015. A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT. PRIDE POINTS . Q&A...
Fall 2015
A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT PRIDE POINTS
Q&A WITH NATIVITY PRESIDENT SUE SMITHA green construction paper card holds a place of pride in
Nativity Jesuit Academy President Sue Smith’s new office.
Soon after she arrived in August, students presented her
with the card that reads, “Welcome to the pack, Ms. Smith!”
Inside, the boys scrawled personal notes.
“I’ve been very welcomed here and really feel part of the community,” she says.
Although Smith is new to
her role, Nativity is familiar
territory. She became
acquainted with Nativity’s
launch while working at
Marquette University High
School and served six years on
Nativity’s Board of Trustees.
A lifelong Catholic, she has
spent most of her career in
Catholic education, including
18 years at Marquette High
and eight years at Alverno
College. Most recently, she was vice president of marketing
and communications for the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
Q. YOU EARNED YOUR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY AND YOUR MASTER’S FROM LOYOLA UNIVERSITY IN CHICAGO. WHAT INFLUENCE HAS JESUIT EDUCATION HAD ON YOUR LIFE?A. “Jesuit education has been transformational for me.
I was a public school student until I went to Marquette
University, and I think I was just so open to that very
enriching environment. The kind of conversations you’d
have with classmates was at a different level around faith and
philosophy and how you approach your life and what kind
of person you want to be — those kinds of conversations I
didn’t have in my prior schooling. And the education itself
provides the foundation for that kind of exploration. I know
it made me approach my life very differently, what I wanted
to do with the gifts I was given, the kind of service I wanted
to do in my career.”
Q. YOU WERE AT THE GREATER MILWAUKEE FOUNDATION BEFORE THIS. WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO MOVE BACK TO EDUCATION? A. “One part of education that I really love is you see how
the education impacts an individual student and their
families. Parents are just as impacted by a Jesuit education
because they see their
son or daughter get
transformed and they
get exposed to the
transforming qualities
that a Jesuit education
has. There’s something
about being very close
to seeing education in
action and knowing
how it can change an
individual’s life — it’s a
lasting change. It’s
really energizing for me
to be in a faith
environment as well.”
Q. WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE SCHOOL MOVING FORWARD? A. There’s a real desire for the school to serve the community
in an even greater way, and we have plans to grow because
we feel we can serve more students. We’ve grown to 158
students. We added a K4 kindergarten class last year and a
fourth grade class this year, and in a very short time we’ll fill
in the entire K4 through 8th grade academy. The idea is that
the earlier we can educate students, the better chance we
have that they will be the strongest eighth grade graduate
and successfully transition into high school. I’m really excited
to be a part of the growth, balanced with making sure we
maintain the mission as we grow, what makes us unique
and special. We’re focused on the care of each student, their
formation in Jesuit education and their preparation for high
school. We really want to maintain that key focus.”
“Parents are just as impacted by a Jesuit education because they see their son or daughter get transformed and they get exposed to the transforming qualities that a Jesuit education has.”
BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR:John A. Mehan – Public Finance, Robert W. Baird & Co.
BOARD MEMBERS:Joaquin Altoro – Vice President, Town Bank Jaime Alvarado – CEO, APM Milwaukee, Inc.Terry D. Briscoe – CEO, National Insurance Services, Inc. Sandra Chavez – MATC Brian Dix – Northwestern Mutual Sandi Esquivel– Tech Research Analyst, Northwestern Mutual Eric J. Fors – VP General Manager, Triad Construction, Inc. Doug Leonhardt, S.J. – Superior, Jesuits of St. Camillus, Board of Members Fran Maloney – Assistant Principal, Marquette University High School Dan McDonald, S.J. – Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus; Board of MembersDavid Murphy – VP Marketing, Marquette University Chad Neumann – Senior Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers Jeffrey Ruidl – Real Estate Department, Northwestern MutualWarren J. Sazama, S.J. – President, Marquette University High School; Board of MembersJay Schwister – Managing Director, Robert W. Baird & Co.Sue Smith – President, Nativity Jesuit Academy
EMERITI BOARD MEMBERS:
Anthea (Tia) L. Bojar, Ph.D. – Dean Emerita/ Consultant, Cardinal Stritch UniversityJoseph L. Delgadillo – Owner, Consultant George J. Gaspar – Retired Managing Director, Petroleum Research, Robert W. Baird & Co.William T. Johnson, SJ – NJMS Co-FounderDonald W. Layden, Jr. – Quarles & Brady, LLC; Warburg Pincus, LLC Bob Monday – Ronald McDonald House Scott A. Roberts – President and CEO, Ziegler Capital Management, LLCJohn L. Stanley – President, The Legacy Group Julie A. Tolan – President, CEO; YMCA Robert J. Wisniewski – President & CEO, Trade Press Media Group, Inc. Michael W. Zielinski – Assistant General Counsel, Northwestern Mutual
100% of seniors graduated in four years and 100% have been accepted to post-secondary education.
Nativity Jesuit Academy graduates average a 23 ACT composite score as compared to the National Hispanic average of 18.
Enrollment has grown from 80 to nearly 160 students.
Of all Choice Schools, Nativity scored second highest on Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination. social studies and science exams, second only to Marquette University High School.
In the past two years, we’ve added primary grades K4, K5 and 4th grade. Over the next three years, we will become a full K – 8 academy.
Student population is 100% Latino.
75 Nativity Jesuit graduates attend Marquette University High School, St. Lawrence Seminary, St. Thomas More, Dominican and Pius High School.
Students welcome Ms. Smith to the pack with a handmade card.
Class of 2015 (graduated Nativity 2011) earned $229,649 in private or institutional college scholarship awards, with Nativity’s first-ever graduate attending Northwestern University on nearly a full scholarship, including room and board!
A WORD FROM THE PRESIDENT PRIDE POINTS
Q&A WITH NATIVITY PRESIDENT SUE SMITHA green construction paper card holds a place of pride in
Nativity Jesuit Academy President Sue Smith’s new office.
Soon after she arrived in August, students presented her
with the card that reads, “Welcome to the pack, Ms. Smith!”
Inside, the boys scrawled personal notes.
“I’ve been very welcomed here and really feel part of the community,” she says.
Although Smith is new to
her role, Nativity is familiar
territory. She became
acquainted with Nativity’s
launch while working at
Marquette University High
School and served six years on
Nativity’s Board of Trustees.
A lifelong Catholic, she has
spent most of her career in
Catholic education, including
18 years at Marquette High
and eight years at Alverno
College. Most recently, she was vice president of marketing
and communications for the Greater Milwaukee Foundation.
Q. YOU EARNED YOUR UNDERGRADUATE DEGREE FROM MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY AND YOUR MASTER’S FROM LOYOLA UNIVERSITY IN CHICAGO. WHAT INFLUENCE HAS JESUIT EDUCATION HAD ON YOUR LIFE?A. “Jesuit education has been transformational for me.
I was a public school student until I went to Marquette
University, and I think I was just so open to that very
enriching environment. The kind of conversations you’d
have with classmates was at a different level around faith and
philosophy and how you approach your life and what kind
of person you want to be — those kinds of conversations I
didn’t have in my prior schooling. And the education itself
provides the foundation for that kind of exploration. I know
it made me approach my life very differently, what I wanted
to do with the gifts I was given, the kind of service I wanted
to do in my career.”
Q. YOU WERE AT THE GREATER MILWAUKEE FOUNDATION BEFORE THIS. WHAT MADE YOU WANT TO MOVE BACK TO EDUCATION? A. “One part of education that I really love is you see how
the education impacts an individual student and their
families. Parents are just as impacted by a Jesuit education
because they see their
son or daughter get
transformed and they
get exposed to the
transforming qualities
that a Jesuit education
has. There’s something
about being very close
to seeing education in
action and knowing
how it can change an
individual’s life — it’s a
lasting change. It’s
really energizing for me
to be in a faith
environment as well.”
Q. WHAT ARE THE PLANS FOR THE SCHOOL MOVING FORWARD? A. There’s a real desire for the school to serve the community
in an even greater way, and we have plans to grow because
we feel we can serve more students. We’ve grown to 158
students. We added a K4 kindergarten class last year and a
fourth grade class this year, and in a very short time we’ll fill
in the entire K4 through 8th grade academy. The idea is that
the earlier we can educate students, the better chance we
have that they will be the strongest eighth grade graduate
and successfully transition into high school. I’m really excited
to be a part of the growth, balanced with making sure we
maintain the mission as we grow, what makes us unique
and special. We’re focused on the care of each student, their
formation in Jesuit education and their preparation for high
school. We really want to maintain that key focus.”
“Parents are just as impacted by a Jesuit education because they see their son or daughter get transformed and they get exposed to the transforming qualities that a Jesuit education has.”
BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR:John A. Mehan – Public Finance, Robert W. Baird & Co.
BOARD MEMBERS:Joaquin Altoro – Vice President, Town Bank Jaime Alvarado – CEO, APM Milwaukee, Inc.Terry D. Briscoe – CEO, National Insurance Services, Inc. Sandra Chavez – MATC Brian Dix – Northwestern Mutual Sandi Esquivel– Tech Research Analyst, Northwestern Mutual Eric J. Fors – VP General Manager, Triad Construction, Inc. Doug Leonhardt, S.J. – Superior, Jesuits of St. Camillus, Board of Members Fran Maloney – Assistant Principal, Marquette University High School Dan McDonald, S.J. – Wisconsin Province of the Society of Jesus; Board of MembersDavid Murphy – VP Marketing, Marquette University Chad Neumann – Senior Manager, PricewaterhouseCoopers Jeffrey Ruidl – Real Estate Department, Northwestern MutualWarren J. Sazama, S.J. – President, Marquette University High School; Board of MembersJay Schwister – Managing Director, Robert W. Baird & Co.Sue Smith – President, Nativity Jesuit Academy
EMERITI BOARD MEMBERS:
Anthea (Tia) L. Bojar, Ph.D. – Dean Emerita/ Consultant, Cardinal Stritch UniversityJoseph L. Delgadillo – Owner, Consultant George J. Gaspar – Retired Managing Director, Petroleum Research, Robert W. Baird & Co.William T. Johnson, SJ – NJMS Co-FounderDonald W. Layden, Jr. – Quarles & Brady, LLC; Warburg Pincus, LLC Bob Monday – Ronald McDonald House Scott A. Roberts – President and CEO, Ziegler Capital Management, LLCJohn L. Stanley – President, The Legacy Group Julie A. Tolan – President, CEO; YMCA Robert J. Wisniewski – President & CEO, Trade Press Media Group, Inc. Michael W. Zielinski – Assistant General Counsel, Northwestern Mutual
100% of seniors graduated in four years and 100% have been accepted to post-secondary education.
Nativity Jesuit Academy graduates average a 23 ACT composite score as compared to the National Hispanic average of 18.
Enrollment has grown from 80 to nearly 160 students.
Of all Choice Schools, Nativity scored second highest on Wisconsin Knowledge and Concepts Examination. social studies and science exams, second only to Marquette University High School.
In the past two years, we’ve added primary grades K4, K5 and 4th grade. Over the next three years, we will become a full K – 8 academy.
Student population is 100% Latino.
75 Nativity Jesuit graduates attend Marquette University High School, St. Lawrence Seminary, St. Thomas More, Dominican and Pius High School.
Students welcome Ms. Smith to the pack with a handmade card.
Class of 2015 (graduated Nativity 2011) earned $229,649 in private or institutional college scholarship awards, with Nativity’s first-ever graduate attending Northwestern University on nearly a full scholarship, including room and board!
after-school study hall and ongoing
mentorship program helped pave the
road for the boys’ high school success.
“My transition was really smooth,”
Adalberto says.
“When Nativity asks families to help
cook for the benefactors, we do
it gladly because they helped us a
lot,” says Mrs. Carrillo, who has also
volunteered as a mentor for families
new to Nativity.
Erik decided to continue his Catholic,
Jesuit education at Marquette
University, where he’s majoring in
civil engineering. But he’s never far
from Nativity, and not just when it’s
time to pick up his sister. For the past
three years he has volunteered as a
counselor at Camp Thunderhead. “I
was super excited to be a counselor.
I really wanted to go back and
experience camp again,” he says.
Erik also helps with the retreat for
the incoming fourth graders, coaches
soccer and assists the school’s
team for the national Future City
It’s been eight years since Erik
Carrillo’s own days at Nativity Jesuit
Academy, but when the Marquette
University senior arrives to pick up his
5-year-old sister from kindergarten, it
still feels like home. “I still see a lot of
those same families,” he says.
Nativity is a beloved family tradition
for the Carrillos. After Erik came his
brother Adalberto, who is now a
sophomore at Marquette University
High School, followed by sister Edith,
who became one of Nativity’s first
female students when she joined the
new coed 4-year-old kindergarten class
last fall.
Erik initially worried that the school’s
growth would radically change the
small, tight-knit community.
“Now I have a different opinion.
Nativity will continue to have a strong
community of students, parents,
teachers and alumni because of the
involvement and effort of so many
people that make Nativity what it is
today,” he says. “Also, growing in class
size and the addition of girls gives
Nativity the opportunity to provide a
Jesuit education early on and to more
students. I am excited to see how the
growth progresses.”
Originally from Tonatico, Terrero
in Mexico’s Distrito Federal, the
children’s parents, Inocente and Edith
Carrillo, have lived in Milwaukee for 22
swimming in the lake, fishing and
camping,” Erik says. The five weeks
of camp each summer also taught
the boys everything from the Jesuit
practice of the daily Examen to the
importance of personal responsibility
(i.e., remembering to brush their
teeth and do their laundry without
reminders from mom and dad).
When Nativity added the coed 4-year-
old kindergarten class, the Carrillos
jumped at the opportunity to enroll
their youngest child. “It was because
of the experience we had with
our older kids — they were well
prepared,” Mrs. Carrillo says.
Young Edith was thrilled to go to her
big brothers’ school. “She felt like
it was going to be home. She kept
saying, ‘It’s my school, it’s my school,”
Mrs. Carrillo recalls with a smile.
Over the years, the family has watched
Nativity change and grow. “You can
feel the difference because there’s
more kids but other than that, it feels
the same,” Mrs. Carrillo says. “All the
parents help and collaborate, and we
all know each other and are like a
family.”
When it was time to choose a high
school for Erik and then Adalberto,
Marquette High seemed like
the natural next step. Nativity’s
challenging course work, required
engineering competition. He credits
Nativity for instilling the value of
service.
“At Nativity they teach you to serve
others,” he says. “Instead of assigning
jobs to kids, they ask for volunteers.
That’s how you learn to be a leader.”
Education is important to the Carrillos,
and they would’ve pushed their
children to do their best in school no
matter what, Mr. Carrillo says. But he
thinks that at other schools his kids
may have been influenced by less
motivated students — something he
didn’t have to worry about at Nativity
and Marquette.
His wish for his children is simple: “to
have a better life,” he says in Spanish.
Now they’re finding their own
paths. Erik looks forward to starting
his engineering career after he
graduates this May, and Adalberto is
contemplating a future in health care.
“I want to work in a clinic or a hospital,
but I don’t know the specific job I want
to do,” he says. “I like helping people
feel better.”
Five-year-old Edith’s dream? “I want to
be a teacher,” she says with a shy, gap-
toothed smile.
Perhaps some day she’ll be the one
leading a class at Nativity.
Erik appreciated the all-boys
environment and even the uniform
requirement. “I like that mentality that
to go to school is like going to work,”
he says.
Some of the boys’ favorite middle
school memories include their time
at Camp Thunderhead in Mercer,
Wis. “You get to do a whole bunch
of activities that you wouldn’t get to
do around here, like skiing, tubing,
TRANSFORMING FAMILY LIVES…
years. Mr. Carrillo works for
JC Staffing and Mrs. Carrillo sews
saddles for J.H. Harness & Saddlery.
The family joined Nativity after a
chance conversation between Mrs.
Carrillo and a friend about middle
school options. The friend worked at
Nativity and encouraged Erik to apply.
Mrs. Carrillo liked that it was a Catholic
all-boys school “and they were able to
help with homework that we weren’t
able to help with,” she explains in
Spanish.Julie Steinhafel and Erik Carrillo
Adalberto at Camp Thunderhead
Erik, Inocente, Edith, Adalberto (back row), Edith (front row)
after-school study hall and ongoing
mentorship program helped pave the
road for the boys’ high school success.
“My transition was really smooth,”
Adalberto says.
“When Nativity asks families to help
cook for the benefactors, we do
it gladly because they helped us a
lot,” says Mrs. Carrillo, who has also
volunteered as a mentor for families
new to Nativity.
Erik decided to continue his Catholic,
Jesuit education at Marquette
University, where he’s majoring in
civil engineering. But he’s never far
from Nativity, and not just when it’s
time to pick up his sister. For the past
three years he has volunteered as a
counselor at Camp Thunderhead. “I
was super excited to be a counselor.
I really wanted to go back and
experience camp again,” he says.
Erik also helps with the retreat for
the incoming fourth graders, coaches
soccer and assists the school’s
team for the national Future City
It’s been eight years since Erik
Carrillo’s own days at Nativity Jesuit
Academy, but when the Marquette
University senior arrives to pick up his
5-year-old sister from kindergarten, it
still feels like home. “I still see a lot of
those same families,” he says.
Nativity is a beloved family tradition
for the Carrillos. After Erik came his
brother Adalberto, who is now a
sophomore at Marquette University
High School, followed by sister Edith,
who became one of Nativity’s first
female students when she joined the
new coed 4-year-old kindergarten class
last fall.
Erik initially worried that the school’s
growth would radically change the
small, tight-knit community.
“Now I have a different opinion.
Nativity will continue to have a strong
community of students, parents,
teachers and alumni because of the
involvement and effort of so many
people that make Nativity what it is
today,” he says. “Also, growing in class
size and the addition of girls gives
Nativity the opportunity to provide a
Jesuit education early on and to more
students. I am excited to see how the
growth progresses.”
Originally from Tonatico, Terrero
in Mexico’s Distrito Federal, the
children’s parents, Inocente and Edith
Carrillo, have lived in Milwaukee for 22
swimming in the lake, fishing and
camping,” Erik says. The five weeks
of camp each summer also taught
the boys everything from the Jesuit
practice of the daily Examen to the
importance of personal responsibility
(i.e., remembering to brush their
teeth and do their laundry without
reminders from mom and dad).
When Nativity added the coed 4-year-
old kindergarten class, the Carrillos
jumped at the opportunity to enroll
their youngest child. “It was because
of the experience we had with
our older kids — they were well
prepared,” Mrs. Carrillo says.
Young Edith was thrilled to go to her
big brothers’ school. “She felt like
it was going to be home. She kept
saying, ‘It’s my school, it’s my school,”
Mrs. Carrillo recalls with a smile.
Over the years, the family has watched
Nativity change and grow. “You can
feel the difference because there’s
more kids but other than that, it feels
the same,” Mrs. Carrillo says. “All the
parents help and collaborate, and we
all know each other and are like a
family.”
When it was time to choose a high
school for Erik and then Adalberto,
Marquette High seemed like
the natural next step. Nativity’s
challenging course work, required
engineering competition. He credits
Nativity for instilling the value of
service.
“At Nativity they teach you to serve
others,” he says. “Instead of assigning
jobs to kids, they ask for volunteers.
That’s how you learn to be a leader.”
Education is important to the Carrillos,
and they would’ve pushed their
children to do their best in school no
matter what, Mr. Carrillo says. But he
thinks that at other schools his kids
may have been influenced by less
motivated students — something he
didn’t have to worry about at Nativity
and Marquette.
His wish for his children is simple: “to
have a better life,” he says in Spanish.
Now they’re finding their own
paths. Erik looks forward to starting
his engineering career after he
graduates this May, and Adalberto is
contemplating a future in health care.
“I want to work in a clinic or a hospital,
but I don’t know the specific job I want
to do,” he says. “I like helping people
feel better.”
Five-year-old Edith’s dream? “I want to
be a teacher,” she says with a shy, gap-
toothed smile.
Perhaps some day she’ll be the one
leading a class at Nativity.
Erik appreciated the all-boys
environment and even the uniform
requirement. “I like that mentality that
to go to school is like going to work,”
he says.
Some of the boys’ favorite middle
school memories include their time
at Camp Thunderhead in Mercer,
Wis. “You get to do a whole bunch
of activities that you wouldn’t get to
do around here, like skiing, tubing,
TRANSFORMING FAMILY LIVES…
years. Mr. Carrillo works for
JC Staffing and Mrs. Carrillo sews
saddles for J.H. Harness & Saddlery.
The family joined Nativity after a
chance conversation between Mrs.
Carrillo and a friend about middle
school options. The friend worked at
Nativity and encouraged Erik to apply.
Mrs. Carrillo liked that it was a Catholic
all-boys school “and they were able to
help with homework that we weren’t
able to help with,” she explains in
Spanish.Julie Steinhafel and Erik Carrillo
Adalberto at Camp Thunderhead
Erik, Inocente, Edith, Adalberto (back row), Edith (front row)
The Henkes are longtime supporters
of Catholic, Jesuit education and also
give generously to Marquette High and
Marquette University, among other
organizations.
Jesuit education had a major impact
on Brian’s life. He graduated from
Marquette High and then went to
another Jesuit school, John Carroll
University in Cleveland. “I entered
my Jesuit education as a non-Catholic
— I was raised Methodist — and I
converted to Catholicism at the end of
college,” he says. “My Jesuit education
helped establish my values and gave
me a perspective on what it means to
be a man for others.”
“It’s hard to say no to Father Bill, so
Gordy gave a gift and we continued to
give,” recalls Mary Henke, Gordon’s
widow. “Nativity fills a special need in
the community, and they educate
young boys to be leaders.”
And so began a relationship between
Nativity and the Henke family that has
lasted for more than two decades and
counting, with the Henkes supporting
needs ranging from the school’s first
library to student scholarships.
Gordon passed away in 1995, but his
commitment to education lives on
through the Gordon Henke Family
Foundation. “My father didn’t have the
opportunity to continue his education,
and he valued how important that could
be,” says Brian Henke, Gordon’s son.
Nativity Jesuit Academy welcomed 120 golfers at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club for the annual Golf Outing held on July 29. Golfers were greeted by Nativity students and enjoyed a grilled lunch on the veranda before heading out on the course.
Afterward, golfers and other guests were treated to heavy hors d’oeuvres and a short message from Nativity’s new President, Sue Smith. Students assisted with a spirited auction.
This year’s outing raised $35,000 for scholarship support. Thank you to everyone who participated and supported this event!
A special thank you to our event sponsors: Terry Briscoe, National Insurance Services, and Jay Schwister, Robert W. Baird & Co., and our dedicated golf committee: Co-Chairs Mark Frederick and Mike Wabiszewski and committee members Joaquin Altoro, Terry Briscoe, Judy Floyd, Stephanie Laudon and Robert Montemayor.
GOLF OUTING RAISES $35,000 FOR SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORTGORDON HENKE FAMILY FOUNDATION ESTABLISHES ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
Brian and grandson, Andreu
Brian, who served on Marquette
University High School’s board when
Nativity first opened, toured the
school early on and was impressed
with all he saw and heard.
“It’s an urban, Catholic school that’s
preparing students for success in
their school career and life,” Brian
says. “I’ve always been impressed with
the people I’ve connected with at
Nativity. They have a real passion for
education.”
A few years ago, Mary and Brian
Henke decided to establish an
endowed scholarship fund at Nativity.
“We wanted to do something that
would be beneficial for the school,
offering long-term support to students
in need,” Mary says. “But we also
recognized immediate needs and gave
funds to help families who couldn’t
afford Nativity’s fees.”
The Henkes are pleased to see
Nativity’s growth.
“Nativity does such a good job of
making sure the kids have a solid
understanding of material and are
proficient at each step, so if they start
young, they not only will have the
material base better, but they will also
have better study habits, and I’m sure
that will help their success in school,”
Brian says.
IT WAS A PERFECT DAYIT ALL STARTED IN 1993 WITH A PHONE CALL FROM NATIVITY’S CO-FOUNDER, THE REV. BILL JOHNSON, S.J., WHO TOLD GORDON HENKE ABOUT HIS PLANS FOR AN INNOVATIVE NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ASKED: WOULD GORDON HELP?
Elmore Moore, Harry Santiago, Joaquin Altoro, Deshea Agee , Ugo Nwagbaraocha and Ricardo Trinidad
Liz Kolb and Peggy Hauser have fun bidding!
Craig Settler hi-5’s a Nativity student after winning an auction bid!
Mike Wabiszewski enjoys the auction.
Vickie Delgadillo has a laugh at the auction.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:EVENT SPONSORS: STUDENT SPONSORSHIPS:
MR. AND MRS. JAY SCHWISTER | MR. AND MRS. TERRY BRISCOE MR. AND MRS. GEORGE GASPAR | MR. AND MRS. TIM BLEACHMR. PATRICK ENGLISH
Mary Henke at a recent NJMS Scholarship Dinner
SAVE THE DATE Nativity’s 15th Annual Golf Outing will be on Aug. 1, 2016 at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club. Homer True returns as auctioneer! Check out the website in February for early registration details.
The Henkes are longtime supporters
of Catholic, Jesuit education and also
give generously to Marquette High and
Marquette University, among other
organizations.
Jesuit education had a major impact
on Brian’s life. He graduated from
Marquette High and then went to
another Jesuit school, John Carroll
University in Cleveland. “I entered
my Jesuit education as a non-Catholic
— I was raised Methodist — and I
converted to Catholicism at the end of
college,” he says. “My Jesuit education
helped establish my values and gave
me a perspective on what it means to
be a man for others.”
“It’s hard to say no to Father Bill, so
Gordy gave a gift and we continued to
give,” recalls Mary Henke, Gordon’s
widow. “Nativity fills a special need in
the community, and they educate
young boys to be leaders.”
And so began a relationship between
Nativity and the Henke family that has
lasted for more than two decades and
counting, with the Henkes supporting
needs ranging from the school’s first
library to student scholarships.
Gordon passed away in 1995, but his
commitment to education lives on
through the Gordon Henke Family
Foundation. “My father didn’t have the
opportunity to continue his education,
and he valued how important that could
be,” says Brian Henke, Gordon’s son.
Nativity Jesuit Academy welcomed 120 golfers at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club for the annual Golf Outing held on July 29. Golfers were greeted by Nativity students and enjoyed a grilled lunch on the veranda before heading out on the course.
Afterward, golfers and other guests were treated to heavy hors d’oeuvres and a short message from Nativity’s new President, Sue Smith. Students assisted with a spirited auction.
This year’s outing raised $35,000 for scholarship support. Thank you to everyone who participated and supported this event!
A special thank you to our event sponsors: Terry Briscoe, National Insurance Services, and Jay Schwister, Robert W. Baird & Co., and our dedicated golf committee: Co-Chairs Mark Frederick and Mike Wabiszewski and committee members Joaquin Altoro, Terry Briscoe, Judy Floyd, Stephanie Laudon and Robert Montemayor.
GOLF OUTING RAISES $35,000 FOR SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORTGORDON HENKE FAMILY FOUNDATION ESTABLISHES ENDOWED SCHOLARSHIP
Brian and grandson, Andreu
Brian, who served on Marquette
University High School’s board when
Nativity first opened, toured the
school early on and was impressed
with all he saw and heard.
“It’s an urban, Catholic school that’s
preparing students for success in
their school career and life,” Brian
says. “I’ve always been impressed with
the people I’ve connected with at
Nativity. They have a real passion for
education.”
A few years ago, Mary and Brian
Henke decided to establish an
endowed scholarship fund at Nativity.
“We wanted to do something that
would be beneficial for the school,
offering long-term support to students
in need,” Mary says. “But we also
recognized immediate needs and gave
funds to help families who couldn’t
afford Nativity’s fees.”
The Henkes are pleased to see
Nativity’s growth.
“Nativity does such a good job of
making sure the kids have a solid
understanding of material and are
proficient at each step, so if they start
young, they not only will have the
material base better, but they will also
have better study habits, and I’m sure
that will help their success in school,”
Brian says.
IT WAS A PERFECT DAYIT ALL STARTED IN 1993 WITH A PHONE CALL FROM NATIVITY’S CO-FOUNDER, THE REV. BILL JOHNSON, S.J., WHO TOLD GORDON HENKE ABOUT HIS PLANS FOR AN INNOVATIVE NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL AND ASKED: WOULD GORDON HELP?
Elmore Moore, Harry Santiago, Joaquin Altoro, Deshea Agee , Ugo Nwagbaraocha and Ricardo Trinidad
Liz Kolb and Peggy Hauser have fun bidding!
Craig Settler hi-5’s a Nativity student after winning an auction bid!
Mike Wabiszewski enjoys the auction.
Vickie Delgadillo has a laugh at the auction.
A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:EVENT SPONSORS: STUDENT SPONSORSHIPS:
MR. AND MRS. JAY SCHWISTER | MR. AND MRS. TERRY BRISCOE MR. AND MRS. GEORGE GASPAR | MR. AND MRS. TIM BLEACHMR. PATRICK ENGLISH
Mary Henke at a recent NJMS Scholarship Dinner
SAVE THE DATE Nativity’s 15th Annual Golf Outing will be on Aug. 1, 2016 at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club. Homer True returns as auctioneer! Check out the website in February for early registration details.
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PA I D MILWAUKEE, WI PERMIT NO. 491