Bruin alumni and friends return to celebrate Homecoming

‘There’s no place like Homecoming’           

PERU– St. Bede’s alumni and friends from far and near reunited over the weekend for the academy’s largest weekend celebration of the year. The annual Homecoming weekend was full of celebrations and recognitions – not to mention the Bruins beat the Elmwood Park Tigers 49-26.

The traditions kicked off on Wednesday evening with the annual girls’ powder puff football game on campus. Then, on Friday evening, St. Bede paraded downtown Peru before the annual variety show in the Abbot Vincent Gymnasium.

Saturday morning after the annual Jim Lattin 5K Run/Walk, the St. Bede Athletic Hall of Fame inducted posthumously St. Bede coach and teacher Ken Anderson, Emily (Arkins) Balestri ’02, Caitlin (Gidcumb) Colling ’06, Ralph Levaccare ’73, Richard “Dick” Verruchi ’66 and the 1972-73 football team.

The Class 1A State Champion Softball Team reunited on the Abbot Philip Davey Field where a recognition ceremony and ring dedication took place among friends, family, fans and former softball players. Four women alumnae, who were players on the first softball team at St. Bede, also were also recognized and received an honorary state championship medal for being the trailblazers in the sport at the academy. Those women were Sam (Lijewski) Pump ’79, Margaret Comiskey ’77, Patricia (Perona) Collins ’76 and Hilde (Luther) Grivetti ’76.

Presenting this year’s game ball at the start of the varsity football game was 1948 graduate Eugene Kunkel, who was celebrating his 75th class reunion. His niece, Rosemary Kunkel-Wall, a graduate from the class of 1973 and one of the first females to graduate from St. Bede Academy, flipped the game coin.

The halftime show featured the Class of 1973 who were escorted by the St. Bede cheerleaders to acknowledge becoming the newest Golden Bedans and recognizing their generous 50th reunion class gift to the academy.  

The Class of 1973 raised funds to renovate a classroom on the first floor of the academy in support of St. Bede’s Legacy Project.  

“This generous gift fulfills a significant project.” stated Julia Yaklich, director of mission advancement and major gifts. “We are blessed that our 50th reunion classes continue to honor their experience at St. Bede by ensuring that today’s Bruins have access to the same life-changing education and experience that they did.”

Alumni and friends had the opportunity to tour the newly-renovated academy building. St. Bede is currently raising funds to complete the final phase of the renovations. The project, which encompasses complete renovations of two floors within the academy, is on track to be completed in 2024 with about $700,000 of $13 million left to raise.

The popular 7th annual BruinsJam took place following the football game on Saturday, which included a lineup of performances by St. Bede alumni.

On Sunday, the St. Bede Alumni Association held its annual Bruins Brunch in the Perino Science Center and presented Fr. Larry Snyder ’68 with the Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award. In addition, as this year marks the 50th anniversary of admission of women to the academy, the alumni association presented an award to all women graduates of the academy. Accepting the award were three of four of the first-female graduates of St. Bede Academy in 1973 – Debb (Garncarz) Ladgenski, Rosemary (Kunkel) Wall and Lissa (Harrison) Balda.

Save the date for St. Bede’s 2024 Homecoming, which will be held Oct. 18-20.                                

St. Bede hires first-ever school social worker

This school year, St. Bede has welcomed its own Megan (Considine) Theisinger '09 to the Academy's new role as school social worker. Theisinger comes from a long line of proud Bruins dating back to the class of '54. In her new role, Theisinger will work to advocate and be a support for all students, especially those with social-emotional needs impacting learning. Her job will be to intervene and problem-solve so that students not only are taught the skills they need, but also do not fall further behind in academics.

"It's important for students to have access to a social worker because of the rise in mental health needs in teens and adolescents. I think it's important to have this role in a school to be proactive and intervene quickly," she said.

Theisinger explained teens have a lot to navigate between schoolwork, teachers, extra curriculars, friends, etc.

"It can be a lot to juggle, especially when you add traumatic life events such as loss of loved ones, depression and anxiety. Students are challenged with lots of pressure and I am eager to be a friendly face to help them through it," she said.

While a new position at St. Bede, social work is not new territory for Theisinger. In addition to working at The Center for the Homeless in South Bend as part of her internship at Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, IN, being a Foster Care Caseworker at the Center for Youth and Family Solutions in LaSalle and working as a Hospice Social Worker at St. Margaret’s Health, she interned as a School Social Worker at LaSalle Elementary during her time at Aurora University, where she earned a master of science degree in social work, and just completed her sixth school year as a School Social Worker within the Streator Elementary School District.

"My experiences working with trauma, anxiety, depression and social skills coupled with my Catholic education and faith have well-equipped me to dive in at St. Bede," she said. "It is so special to be back here. I loved growing up here with my mom, sisters, grandparents and aunts and uncles (all proud alums). This was my favorite spot to spend on a Friday night when I was little. I don't think I would have made it through high school without the support of some amazing people in a variety of roles at St. Bede checking in on me, believing in me and cheering me on. I always had people here that I could count on as a support. I became a school social worker to be what I needed when I was younger. This is an opportunity to be the same support to St. Bede students that I had when I was a student here."

If you or your student is seeking Mrs. Theisinger’s assistance, they can call her at 815-250-0343, or via email at mthesinger@st-bede.com.

St. Bede Academy hosts 21st annual Carus Science Camp

Peru – St. Bede Academy hosted the 21st annual Carus Science Camp July 17 – 21. The Carus Science Camp is designed for incoming 6th-grade students and focuses on understanding the fascinating world of chemistry, exploring local science-related careers and promoting science literacy among the students.

To date, more than 600 students have graduated from camp. The camp is a popular destination for students in LaSalle, Bureau and Putnam counties.

This summer, Dan Fitzpatrick, science teacher at St. Bede Academy, directed the camp with the help of Angelique Depenbrock, science teacher at LaSalle-Peru High School.

Throughout the week, the students not only learned valuable scientific principles but also discovered the wide array of science-related careers that exist right in the local community. We hope this experience has inspired them to consider pursuing their interests in science and contributing to the advancement of knowledge in the future.

Each day was filled with exciting activities that allowed the students to delve into various scientific concepts and gain hands-on experience.

“The summer camp at St. Bede Academy was an unforgettable adventure filled with learning, exploration and fun. It was a privilege to witness the students' enthusiasm and curiosity grow, and I am confident that the knowledge and experiences gained during this camp will leave a lasting impact on their academic journey,” said Fitzpatrick.

On the first day, students embarked on a journey to discover elements through captivating lab experiments. The students were delighted to perform flame testing, reveal fingerprints with iodine, make liquid nitrogen ice cream, witness liquid oxygen demonstrations and explore carbon filtration techniques. These activities sparked their curiosity and set the tone for the rest of the week.

On the second day, the students took a field trip to the city's drinking water and wastewater treatment facilities. Students had the chance to see the water treatment processes in action and conducted water testing themselves. It was a valuable opportunity for them to understand the importance of clean water and the efforts that go into ensuring its quality.

The third day was dedicated to exploring local history and its impact on technology. The students enjoyed a mule-pulled boat ride along the historic Illinois-Michigan Canal, which allowed them to connect with the technological changes that shaped the area. Additionally, the students collected macroinvertebrates at different locations to assess water ecology and played ecological games that reinforced the camp's overall theme.

On the fourth day, the students put their problem-solving skills to the test with an orienteering mystery riddle, using maps of our school grounds to navigate and solve challenges. To ignite their passion for rocket science, they built their rockets to launch with compressed air. The excitement was palpable as they eagerly awaited the moment of takeoff.

And finally, on the last day, students had a friendly competition with student rockets, Alka seltzer rockets and 2-liter water bottle rockets, reaching impressive heights in the air. The support of the camp’s sponsor, Carus Chemical Company, played a significant role in making this day even more special.

St. Bede Academy announces honor roll for 2022-23 fourth quarter

PERU ‑ St. Bede Academy in Peru announced its honor roll for the fourth quarter of the 2022-23 school year. Nick McLaughlin, principal of St. Bede, recognizes those students who attained the academy’s spring honor roll and is proud of their accomplishments.

Seniors: Hayden Arkins, Ali Arslan, Lea Asani, Addison Bontz, John Brady, Ryan Brady, Kylie Cofoid, Kristal De La Torre, Jake Delaney, Alyssa Engels, Gianna Grivetti, Lexi Heemstra, Arianna Heersink, Callan Hueneburg, Dylan Hunter, Mason Hurst, Landon Jackson, Shuxuan Li, Anna Lopez, Thomas Makransky, Abigail Michels, Ryan Migliorini, Kailey Moore, Mia Morrow, Morgan Nawa, Brendan Pillion, LilyLu RauhFernandez, Emily Robbins, Zoe Roebuck, Gavin Sandoval, Alyssa Schirz, Michael Shaw, Ava Stone, Anthony Taylor, Celeste Thompson, Madelyn Torrance, Brianna Torres, Alyssa Torri, Isabella Villalobos, Macy Zeglis and Xinyi Zhai.

Juniors: Aubree Acuncius, Alex Ankiewicz, Yigit Arslan, Samuel Bima, Johnna Bogatitus, Bella Boggio, Ali Bosnich, Macklin Brady, Maximus Bray, Ella Burris, Summer Conlin, Madelyne Dalton, Rubi De La Torre, Erin Dove, Tessa Dugosh, Ella Englehaupt, Evan Englehaupt, Aleah Espel, Daliayah Farris, Milana Gayan, Molly Gonzales, Georgina Guo, Isabella Hagenbuch, Gavin Hahn, Makenzie Hanson, Isaiah Hart, Katelyn Harth, Macy Hartt, Mariella Hermes, Teagan Hewitt, Kylie Hill, Nathan Husser,  Jeanna Ladzinski, Jadyn Martin, Ava Mueller, Kyra Newman, Olivia Orteza, Isabella Pinter, Zachary Popurella, Logan Potthoff, Anna Rudenko, Hunter Savage, Kaelyn Schwemlein, Aubrey Siebert, Ryan Slingsby, Madison Stanbary, Reagan Stoudt, Amie Tomaszewski, Vy Tran, Luke Tunnell, Amanda Wojcik and Katherine Zeller

Sophomores: Haiden Ator, Andrea Brandner, Adriana Buchanan, Qiyu Chen, Ziheng Chen,  Garrett Connelly, Jordan Coventry, Trayger Davis, Lorelei Denny, Madalyn Dittmar, Ashlyn Ehm, Bailey Engels, Yibo Fan, Dominic Fonderoli, Grady Gillan, Phillip Gray, Lacey Griggs, Mirella Haskell, Halden Hueneburg, Elizabeth Huffaker, Tyler Jordan, Yuno Kawai, Maci Kelly, Sadie Koehler, Jaxon Kozak, Ziqi Lin, Haiqing Mao, Greyson Marincic, Gavin Marquez, Jack Maschmann, Quinn McClain, Victoria Mendez, Jake Migliorini, Grace Millington, Adeline Mitchell, Aidan Mullane, Kaden Nauman, Ryan Nawa, Kaden Newman, Thu Phan,  Logan Pineda, Mason Ross, Analia Salas, Emma Smudzinski, Zixuan Song, Alan Spencer, Mina Trandinh, Elizabeth Vanko, Beatriz Vasquez, Isabel Verucchi, Samantha Wagner, Tyler Walsh, Abraham Wiesbrock, Kefei Wu, Ruyue Zhang, Solomon Zhang and Jinhao Zhao.

Freshmen: Margaret Arkins, Ava Balestri, Genavyve Barnes, Ruyi Bian,  Landon Boggio, Lily Bosnich, Noah Buck, August Burr, Drew Carboni, Chuanyang Chen, Anna Cyrocki, Emerald De La Torre, Jose De La Torre, Madeline Fabish, Gino Ferrari, Harrison Fess, Ashton Gonzales, Mae Hagenbuch, Brody Hahn, Weston Heersink, Aiden Hermes, Micah Huetteman, Jiarui Li, Fatima Mandujano, Breanna Martinez, Griffin May, Lili McClain, Ruby Michels, Sophia Ni, Jillian Pinter, Trajan Raffety, Xiangyi Ren, Carson Riva, Chipper Rossi, Sara Ruiz, Alyssa Savitch, Laney Senica, Emma Slingsby, Lillian Soliman, Ryan Soliman, Shujie Song, William Sramek, Devin Steil, Baopu Tai, Miranda Torres, Julian Villava, Xindi Wu, Hongsheng Yang, Yannis Yong, Kian Zeller, Sora Zepeda, Ruihan Zhang, Yijing Zhang and Quanbin Zhao.

St. Bede students recognized during 49th annual Honors Banquet

PERU - St. Bede Academy hosted its 49th annual Honors Banquet on Wednesday, April 26. Students from all classes were presented a wide range of academic and athletic excellence awards. The following were the recipients for the 2022-23 awards presented that evening:

In the English department: Freshmen Ava Balestri and Noah Buck; sophomore Solomon Zhang; juniors Ali Bosnich and Ryan Slingsby and seniors Kristal De La Torre and Ryan Migliorini.

In the Mathematics department: Freshmen Noah Buck and Yannis Yong; sophomores Greyson Marincic and Abraham Wiesbrock; junior Ella Englehaupt and senior Gianna Grivetti.

In the Science department: Logan Potthoff ‘24 (AP Chemistry), Gianna Grivetti ‘23 (AP Physics), Ava Stone ‘23 and Kylie Cofoid ‘23 (Anatomy & Physiology), Gavin Sandoval ‘23 (AP Computer Science) and Zach Popurella ‘24 (AP Computer Science Principles).

In the History department: Johnna Bogatitus ‘24 (AP U.S. History), Aubree Acuncius ‘24 (U.S. History), Greyson Marincic ‘25 (Honors World History) and Jake Migliorini ‘25 (World History).

In the Foreign Language department: Noah Buck ‘26 (Spanish I), Quinn McClain ‘25 (Spanish II), Ella Englehaupt ‘24 (Spanish III) and Landon Jackson ‘23 (Spanish IV).

In the Drama department: Michael Shaw ’23 was selected for the Otto Harth Award.

In the Art department: Catherine Lukancic ’23 was selected for the Fr. Joseph Heyd Art Award.

For athletics: Gianna Grivetti ’23 is Female Scholar Athlete of the Year, Ryan Migliorini ’23 is Male Scholar Athlete of the Year, Anna Lopez ’23 is Female Ahtlete of the Year, John Brady ‘23 is Male Athlete of the Year and Morgan Nawa ’23 and Ryan Migilorini ’23 are High School Heisman Award winners.

Illinois State Scholars: Kylie Cofoid, Kristal De La Torre, Gianna Grivetto, Madelyn Torrance and Isabella Villalobos.   

President’s Excellence in Education: Lea Asani, Kylie Cofoid, Gianna Grivetti and Madelyn Torrance.

Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership Award (HOBY): Sadie Koehler ‘25, Jake Migliorini ‘25, Bailey Engels ‘25 and Greyson Marincic ‘25.

College Board National Recognition Program: Daliayah Farris ‘24, Gavin Sandoval ‘23, Gianna Grivetti ‘23, Isabella Villalobos ‘23, Johnathon Hackney ‘23, Kristal De La Torre ‘23, Kylie Cofoid ‘23, Landon Jackson ‘23, Lea Asani ‘23, LilyLu Rauh Fernandez ‘23 and Madelyn Torrance ‘23.

Christian Service: Petranella Mitchell ’23 was selected for the Fr. Arthur Schmitt Service Award.

Daughters of the American Revolution Award (DAR): Ryan Brady ‘23

Sons of the American Revolution Award (SAR): Morgan Nawa ‘23

Freshman Academic: Noah Buck, Harrison Fess, Mae Hapenbuch, Lillian Soliman, Ryan Soliman, Trajan Rafferty and Yannis Yong.

Sophomore Academic: Madalyn Dittmar and Abraham Wiesbrock.

Junior Academic: Isabella Hapgenbuch.

Senior Academic: Gianna Grivetti.

Top 10: Macy Zeglis, LilyLu Rauh Fernandez, Isabella Villalobos, Zoe Roebuck, Ava Stone, Anna Lopez, Kristal De La Torre, Kylie Cofoid, Madelyn Torrance and Gianna Grivetti.

Freshman Citizenship: Noah Buck.

Sophomore Citizenship: Jake Migliorini.

Junior Citizenship: Johnna Bogatitus.

Senior Citizenship: Ryan Brady.

Senior of the Year: Alyssa Engels.