Our ND "seniors in the spotlight" - Jill Marshall, daughter of Paul Marshall and Maureen Torrey Marshall of Elba and Kevin Francis, son of Mark and Cindy Francis of Batavia - both recently received the prestigious Ronald McDonald Game Sportsmanship Award for their respective teams during the Saturday, March 28, 2009 Ronald McDonald High School Basketball All Star games held at R.I.T. It is a rarity that two student athletes from the same school are selected to represent their [Genesee Region] league and school in this annual showcase of local basketball talent, much less receive the same prestigious award as a result of their performance in this contest! Congratulation on jobs well done!

Kevin Francis is a very talented student-athlete and has been a stalwart member of our Fighting Irish Football, Basketball and Baseball programs throughout his high school career. He has been a member of our Section V Class D Varsity Football Championship team as a Sophomore and Section V Class D Varsity Baseball Championship team as a Junior earning Sectional [Section V – Rochester Region] patches during both of these seasons. He played a key role in the success of our Fighting Irish Baseball team last year which captured the NYS Far West Regional championship and advanced to the NYSPHSAA “Final 4” at SUNY Binghamton last June. Kevin earned a spot on this year's 2009 Section V Class D- All Star team for his exemplary play during our recently concluded season. Regardless of the sport, Kevin can always be counted on to play hard and give it his all. He consistently plays within the parameters of the rules and lets his performance on the field or court “speak for itself.” Kevin has been a very unselfish team member throughout high school and makes everyone else that much better by his presence in a line up. He was selected to receive the "Birdseye Player of the Year" in the Genesee Region by a vote of league coaches in addition to being selected to play in this year's Ronald McDonald High School Boys All Star Basketball contest!

Kevin is also the type of student who is capable of “stepping up” and taking on leadership roles. A two time Genesee Region All-Star in both football and basketball, Kevin is a leader by example both on and off the field of play. He has captained each varsity sport that he has competed in during his Junior and Senior years at Notre Dame. He is a role model for all of the younger student-athletes in our athletic programs. 

An individual who enjoys spending time helping others, Kevin has volunteered to assist others through his involvement with Salvation Army bell ringing at Christmas time, reffing grade school basketball games and assisting veterans at the Batavia Veterans Administration Hospital and Home.

Kevin is considering attending St. John Fisher College in Rochester, SUNY Fredonia and D’Youville College in Buffalo and is interested in pursuing a degree in business administration. He also has aspirations of continuing his football and/or basketball career at the collegiate level.

Jill Marshall has a never-ending thirst for knowledge and exhibits an outstanding work ethic on a daily basis at Notre Dame. She is the type of student that any instructor would love to have based on her appreciation for education and willingness to work hard to achieve her goals. She is the type of individual who is not afraid to challenge herself academically having spent the second semester of her Junior year as a Page for United States Representative Louise Slaughter in Washington, DC, as well as having taken summer courses at Cornell and Georgetown Universities.

A very well rounded individual and member in good standing of the National Honor Society, Jill served as her Class President during her 9th, 10th and 11th grade years at Elba. She is currently a contributing member of our Notre Dame Environmental Club, as well as our ND Mission Club and SADD organization during her senior year, as well as a member of the Genesee County Youth Court, a position to which she was appointed in December 2008.

A very talented student-athlete, Jill has been an integral part of our highly touted Fighting Irish Varsity Girls Cross Country and Basketball teams during the 2008-2009 school year. She has received numerous individual Genesee Region honors in Basketball and Soccer, as well as Section V NYSPHSAA All Star recognition in both Cross Country this past fall and in Basketball twice - once at Elba and this season at ND. She [like Kevin Francis] is the consummate team member, sacrificing individual recognition for the success of a team victory and was a fitting representative to this year's Ronald McDonald High School Girls All Star game from the GR league. She makes everyone better just by being in the lineup. She is a leader by example and has achieved prestigious NYSPHSAA student athlete status (minimum 90% team average) during each varsity sports season she has played during her combined high school career at Elba and Notre Dame.

Jill plans to continue her education at Cornell University while pursuing a degree in the area of nutritional science next fall.

The Notre Dame Family is proud to salute Kevin Francis and Jill Marshall as our spotlighted seniors for the month of April 2009 and wish them the best of luck next year at the collegiate level!!!

Pictured: Jill Marshall ‘09 and Kevin Francis ‘09

www.ndhsbatavia.com

2009 Genesee County Youth Bureau Award Recipients

L to R: Sean Zawicki ’09, Craig Houseknecht ’09 and Kate Spadaccia ‘09

www.ndhsbatavia.com

Stephanie Lapple ’10, daughter of Dr. William and Angela Lapple of Le Roy did it again!

Class of 2009
                                               
 Taylor Alexander                                           
 Christopher Bogan                                          
 Valerie DiSalvo                                            
 Kevin Francis                                              
 Kristen Francis                                            
 Michael Geer                                               
 Angela Jazwiecki                                           
 Christopher Kroh                                           
 Richard Lair                                               
 Amy Miller                                                 
 Katie Spadaccia                                            
 Stacy Squire                                               
 Brianna Way 

Class of 2010      
 
 Woodams Clark                                              
 Ashley Fix                                                 
 Lyndie Gallo                                               
 Megan Hanley                                               
 Zackary Klein                                              
 Erik Miller                                                
 Thomas Rapone                                              
 Hannah Scott-McGrail     

Class of 2011

 Tia Arnold                                                 
 Alexander Berardini                                        
 Rick Conklin                                               
 Jordan DiFilippo                                           
 Elizabeth Geandreau                                        
 Sean Kota                                                  
 Johnathan Maye                                             
 Tyler Pingrey                                              
 Emily Pringle                                              
 Walter Richardson                                          
 Devin Sherman        

Class of 2012      
 
 Patrick Aina                                               
 Brendan Brown                                              
 Luke Calla                                                 
 Danielle Constantino                                       
 Jenna DiFilippo                                            
 Jared Midwick                                              
 Jack Nenni       

Class of 2009                                         
 
 James Barcomb                                              
 Gregory Barr                                               
 Henri Burdett                                              
 Ashley Calarco                                           
 Brad Cohen                                                 
 Maura Cupicha                                              
 Elizabeth Fischer                                          
 Craig Houseknecht                                          
 Eric Houseknecht                                           
 Matthew Jackson                                            
 Jill Marshall                                              
 Brittany Morelli                                           
 Shea O'Connor                                              
 Emili Ripley                                               
 Kevin Schildwaster                                         
 Paige Scofield                                             
 Eric Shormann                                              
 Melissa Smith                                              
 Joy Snyder                                                 
 Lee Ann Tindell                                            
 Nicholas Wetherwax                                         
 Sean Zawicki      

Class of 2010   
 
 Michael Aina                                               
 Haley Alexander                                            
 Rachel Berggren                                            
 Nicholas Bochicchio                                        
 Katherine E. Cochrane                                      
 Jonathan Corona                                            
 Nathan Flumerfeldt                                         
 Daniel Follett                                             
 Jacob Griffin                                              
 Tawney Gustison                                            
 Nichole Hart                                               
 Erin Kruppner                                              
 Stephanie Lapple                                           
 Alex Sandra Morgan                                         
 Kevin Pawlak                                               
 Trisha Pike                                                
 Elizabeth Skalny                                           
 Elise Smith                                                
 Katherine Stewart                                          
 Matthew Thompson                                           
 David Wolcott                                              
 Gianni Zambito  

Class of 2011
 
 Kristen Antolos                                            
 Larry Bartlett                                             
 Anthony Bochicchio                                         
 Kaitlyn Coleman                                            
 Megan Condidorio                                           
 Tamara DePalmo                                             
 Douglas Decker                                             
 Sophia DelPlato                                           
 Conlan Edwards                                             
 Kyle Fancher                                               
 Nicholas Flumerfeldt                                       
 J. Mitchell Francis                                        
 Nicole Guilds                                              
 Katherine Hilburger                                        
 Allyson Kehl                                               
 Eric LoMonaco                                              
 Russell Marchese                                           
 Morgan Midwick                                             
 Syndey Moag                                                
 Lucy Norton                                                
 Akash Patel                                                
 Michael Pontillo                                           
 Justine Saraceni                                           
 Joshua Shenck                                              
 Vinzenz Stadler                                            
 Thomas Whelehan                                            
 Dalton Worgo      

 Class of 2012  
 
 Marshall Argenta                                           
 Natalie Brown                                              
 Steven Cochrane                                            
 Qurratul-Ain Dar                                           
 Mackenzie DeCarlo                                          
 Elaina Dickinson                                           
 Andrew Fischer                                             
 Benjamin Flumerfeldt                                       
 Beau Hassett                                               
 Teresa Jackson                                             
 Tyler Kessler                                              
 Kiarra King                                                
 Rosalie Mortellaro                                         
 Daniel Motz                                                
 Quincy O'Connor                                            
 Brett Perfitt                                              
 Brittany Perzia                                            
 Carly Pike                                                 
 Emily Reese                                                
 Matthew Sausner                                            
 Lauren Stansberry                                          
 Kendra Wall                                                
 Meghan Zickl          

ND Faculty and Staff members spent their November 10, 2008 Staff Day doing exactly what we expect all of our students to do - expanding their comfort zones and participating in service activities in the City of Batavia.

It would have been very easy for our December “Senior in the Spotlight” to “throw in the towel” and point to his athletic injuries as a reason for feeling sorry for himself. Not so for this month’s spotlighted senior.  A talented runner and swimmer, Sean Zawicki, son of Dr. Joseph and Mrs. Ann Zawicki of Elba injured his ACL during his Sophomore year track season causing him to miss his entire Junior year Cross Country season. After following a rigorous off season rehab schedule, Sean was poised to rejoin our champion Boys Cross Country team for his senior season only to be sidelined once again, this time for stress fractures to both legs! As he had done as a Junior, Sean continued to attend all practices and meets even though he could not participate. It was only fitting that he was finally cleared to run in the final two meets of his senior year –Genesee Region Counties and the Section V Class D meet at Marcus Whitman High School. It was also only poetic justice that Sean’s performance at Sectionals helped us secure our 3^rd consecutive Class D Boys Championship and an opportunity to represent Section V in this year’s NYSPHSAA meet in Long Island where we finished one point short of 2^nd place!

A member in good standing of the Notre Dame Chapter of the National Honor Society since his Sophomore year at ND, Sean has been a four year member of our Fighting Irish Cross Country and Swim teams and served as captain of each squad since his Sophomore year! He has also participated in Track and Golf, as well as being an active member of our Mission Club, Mock Trial Team and Science Club during his career at ND.

Sean received the highest recognition possible for a Notre Dame student to achieve when he was selected to receive Anima Christi recognition in May of his Sophomore year. Anima Christi [Spirit of Christ] recognition is reserved for students who demonstrate unusual acts of kindness, faith, healing, charity, humility, selflessness or service. Sean has been active in his parish at Our Lady of Fatima in Elba as an Altar Server and Eucharistic Minister and in Youth Ministry [Young Christians at Work] in the Diocese of Buffalo where he has volunteered at St. Martin DePorres refuge house painting hallways, St. Vincent DePaul serving as a soup kitchen waiter and at Bissonette House cleaning a halfway house for ex-convicts in Buffalo.

Sean has been a High Honor Roll recipient throughout his high school experience at Notre Dame, as well as having attained New York State Scholar-Athlete recognition [minimum 90% average] during each of the ten Varsity sports seasons in which  he has competed at ND. Additional honors received include the Buffalo Diocesan Spirit Award [2008], the Donna Jean Mooney Memorial Sportsmanship award for Boys Swimming [2008] and induction into the Order of the Arrow Boy Scout Honor Society.

Sean is interested in pursuing a dual major in Mechanical Engineering and Physics and is currently considering the University of Rochester, Clarkson University and Alfred University as possible college choices for next year.

Msgr. Kirby Council #325 members Jerry Grasso, Richard Canale, and Deacon John Stone lead all members present in the recitation of the rosary in a special ceremony honoring the 10^th anniversary of the Grotto at ND.  The ceremony was held on a cold October 16^thevening at 7 p.m.

Genesee Region All Stars: L to R: Volleyball – Liz Geandreau ’11 and Brittany Morelli ’09; Cross Country – Ashley Calarco ’09 [4^th straight year!] and Jill Marshall ’09. Jill also earned a Sectional patch for a 7^th place finish in this year’s Section V Class D meet in this her first year of Cross Country competition!

Nicole Mickey ’09 represented ND on the Genesee Region team vs. the Livingston County II team at Cal-Mum on Sunday, 11-9-08 in the Exceptional Senior Soccer game.

2008 GR League All Star selections from ND - L to R: Rick Lair ’09 [Lineman], Matt Thompson ‘10 [Kicker], Kevin Francis ’09 [Receiver] Craig Houseknecht ’09 [Lineman].

2008 Section V Class D Individual Awards earned during the 11-1-08 Class D Final Football game vs. Dundee – L to R: Justin Shenck ’09 [Sportsmanship Award], Rick Lair ’09 [Outstanding Offensive Lineman] and Craig Houseknecht ’09 [Outstanding Defensive Lineman].

ND Senior in the Spotlight

Ashley Calarco ‘09

Ashley Calarco ’09, daughter of Joseph and Michelle Calarco, is a very well-rounded individual and exceptional student-athlete at ND!

Assuming the role of a leader is nothing new for Ashley. The Vice President of the ND Chapter of the National Honor Society and a member in good standing of NHS since her Junior year, Ashley has also served as her Class of 2009 Vice-President for the past two years and Captain of our Varsity Girls Fighting Irish Cross Country team since her Sophomore year. She has worked as a volunteer at All Babies Cherished for the past four years and was recently commissioned as a Eucharistic Minister at ND during our opening day mass on September 5, 2008.

Ashley has earned high honor role status each marking period during her ND career, as well as perfect attendance recognition during her 9^th and 10^th grade years! She has received numerous academic awards during her four years at ND including overall highest average recognition for Mathematics, AP English , Theology and Drawing and Painting, as well as recognition by the American Chemical Society for achievement in the field of Chemistry.

An outstanding Cross Country runner, Ashley entered our recently-concluded season as the three time Section V Class D Defending Girls Cross Country Champion, each time qualifying to represent Section V in the NYSPHSAA state meet. She has received Genesee Region League All Star status and earned Track/Cross Country NYS Scholar-Athlete recognition during all four years at ND! Ashley’s bid for a 4^th straight Class D championship and trip to the NYSPHSAA meet came to an end a week prior to this year’s meet when she was sidelined with a fractured foot. In true leadership form, she made the trip to Marcus Whitman Central and vocally supported her teammates while on crutches at the recent Sectional meet.

Ashley is interested in pursuing a degree in graphic design after her June 2009 graduation from ND and is currently pursuing early admission to Syracuse University as her number one college choice.

We are all proud to call Ashley one of our own and wish her the best of luck during the remainder of her senior year and next year at college!