The Paw

This week's Alumni Spotlight highlights Lisa Patt-McDaniel (Class of 1983), who is the Chief Executive Officer at Aspyr Workforce Innovation.

Why do you support Lake Catholic?

I support Lake Catholic because I believe my education there set me up to be successful, and I want that for future generations. I believe a Catholic education stands out because it integrates faith alongside traditional academic subjects. But just as important are the relationships and bonds formed with my classmates in ways I would not have anticipated in 1983 - a testament to the time we spent together in a culture that nurtured us.

What specific areas or missions are you drawn to at Lake Catholic?

I did many things when I was a student - cheerleading, student government, the newspaper, choir, LC Singers, and theater. I wonder when I had time for academics! I think I was most drawn to the retreats and faith formation, especially my junior and senior retreats. As a teenager, you are trying to figure life out, and those retreats taught me that none of us had quite figured life out, but we could try to figure it out together.

What do you wish others knew about Lake Catholic?

I wish they knew that the impact of being part of the community is not over when you graduate. Rather, it really does last a lifetime!

What is your favorite memory of Lake Catholic?

I have so many great memories, but one of my favorites is traveling in the school van to basketball games with Amy, Lynn, Missy, Debbie, and Amy P, carrying on the traditions passed to us from cheerleading squad to cheerleading squad, singing songs, sharing secrets, and laughing hard. That sense of tradition connected us to each other and to Lake Catholic as a whole.

What are you currently up to? What's new and exciting that you have going on now?

Through my work with Aspyr, I get to work with a talented team to help people get the important skills they need to obtain well-paid, high-quality jobs that can sustain a household and help great employers source the talent they need to be successful. I feel lucky to do work that is a direct expression of the faith that was nurtured during my time at Lake Catholic! I live in Dublin, Ohio with my husband, Dana. Our daughter Caitlyn is getting married in Italy this spring, so we are pretty excited about that! Our daughter Colleen is also recently married. I am writing this from Scottsdale, AZ where we are spending a week at Spring Baseball (Go Guardians!).

If you're interested in being a part of our Alumni Spotlight, or would like to nominate someone, please reach out to our Director of Alumni Relations Bill Weaver.

This week's Alumni Spotlight highlights Jim Slike (Class of 2007), the Music and Performing Arts Department Chair at Lake Catholic.

Why do you support Lake Catholic?

In terms of Lake Catholic's impact on me in the past, this school is responsible for educating me, providing me with opportunities to grow in many life skills, and giving me an excellent place to grow in my career in education.  In terms of Lake Catholic's impact in the future, I see first-hand how that same work is being done for the current students in whatever future endeavors they have.

What specific areas or missions are you drawn to at Lake Catholic?

The majority of my time was and is spent in the Music and Performing Arts department, not only as a vehicle for self-expression and creativity, but as a training ground for professional teamwork, problem-solving, and community building. I believe that it is a strength of our whole community as our school continues to grow.

What do you wish others knew about Lake Catholic?

Lake Catholic's faculty and staff has recently been, and will continue to be, infused with new and exciting talent that will continue to drive the growth mindset that we have adopted here. The launching of our Strategic Plan shows that not only are we introducing perspectives from those who are new to Lake Catholic, but we are also reintroducing those who have been part of Lake Catholic in the past, and are returning to help with this new and exciting plan.

What is your favorite memory of Lake Catholic?

As a student, my involvement in the Marching Band and the Spring Musical each year were easily my most valued experiences.  

What are you currently up to? What's new and exciting that you have going on now?

Raising my young family with my wife Erica, and our three children, Maxwell (7), Simon (4), and Noelle (2). Working here at Lake Catholic to ensure the success of our music and performing arts programs in carrying out the mission of the school, and also serving on the Instructional Leadership Team to support all the faculty in its efforts. Also serving as a musician in areas outside LCHS, including the music ministry at Immaculate Conception Church in Madison, and the professional jazz group, Madtown Jazz. I have also recently joined the Board of Directors for the Rabbit Run Community Arts Association.

If you're interested in being a part of our Alumni Spotlight, or would like to nominate someone, please reach out to our Director of Alumni Relations Bill Weaver.

Art Students Turn Service-Learning into Valentines

One of the Lake Catholic core values is “a willingness to serve.” The sign that you see when you leave the school parking lot reads “Exit to Serve.” All students must complete 50 hours of service to graduate and have 80 hours to qualify to wear the Service Cord at commencement.

Service is woven throughout the fabric of the Lake Catholic school year – service projects on and off campus, Turkey Day, Meal Ministry, Pallbearer Ministry, and the list goes on and on.

Service-learning though is another form of service – one that second-year art teacher Carolina Kane hopes to bring more of to her classes with the hope that it spreads throughout the school.

“I’m trying to bring service-learning into what I do in my classroom,” Kane said. “It’s actually a goal of mine. I want it to be incorporated into my curriculum. It’s what I did when I worked at John Carroll, and I want to bring that type of service here.”

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Freshman English Classes Benefit from Cross- Department Collaboration

Sometimes a lesson in one of your high school classes was just that, a lesson - something you needed to learn and know, something you had to study for a test, something you would use in future lessons.

Sometimes, though, a lesson is much, much more than that.

Miss Tabitha Halcomb’s freshmen English classes each read Night by Elie Wiesel. The 1960 memoir is based on Wiesel’s Holocaust experiences with his father in the Nazi German concentration camps at Auschwitz and Buchenwald in 1944–1945, toward the end of the Second World War in Europe.

According to Halcomb, the text heavily addresses indirect and direct characterizations, symbolism, and themes. So, that might be enough for a freshman English class, especially considering the subject matter itself.

But there’s more to it for these two sections of English 9.

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Lake Catholic Master Chef Receives Her Coat

Junior Grace Stenger, the winner of the inaugural Lake Catholic Master Chef competition, was able to don her very own personalized chef coat earlier this week. The fitted chef coat was the prize for winning the competition between the two Food and Nutrition classes from the first semester.

Stenger and her sous-chefs, Bella Leffel and Molly Monroe, defeated Tristan Negrelli and his sous-chefs, Brayden Mann and Aiden Webb, in a close competition. After a very close first two rounds (Chef Grace’s stuffed mushroom appetizer and Chef Tristan’s pasta with Alfredo sauce winning close calls), it was Chef Grace’s apple crisp dessert that won her the personalized, embroidered chef coat.

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Thirteen Student-Athletes Sign Letters of Intent

The gym was packed earlier this week as 13 student-athletes signed their National Letters of Intent to continue their athletic careers in college. 

As family and friends looked on, each Cougar was recognized by a coach before putting their pen to paper and signing their letters. 

Congratulations to: Max Barnes (Football at John Carroll University), Avery Budrys Rini (Volleyball at Point Park University), Jayson Cummings (Football at Walsh University), Jazmin Moses (Lacrosse at Point Park University), Cross Nimmo (Football at Western Kentucky University), Patrick Radigan (Baseball at Ashland University), Brandon Rangel (Soccer at John Carroll University), DJ Sears (Football at Baldwin Wallace University), Shea Sievers (Baseball at Hiram College), Carmella Sowers (Basketball at John Carroll University), Frankie Trinetti (Football at Baldwin Wallace University), AJ Trobenter (Baseball at Cuyahoga Community College), and Alexa Udavicic (Lacrosse and Cheerleading at the University of Mount Union).

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Students of the Month Named by Guidance Department

Congratulations to the Guidance Department’s Students of the Month for January - Gianna Huszczo, Sasha Bober, Connor Brugh, and Nick Evangelista. 

These students were nominated by faculty and staff and have been recognized by the Guidance Department for having gone above and beyond for their teachers, a fellow student or the school at-large. 

Congratulations to all four!

This week's Alumni Spotlight highlights Aaron Leovic (Class of 2020), who is the Former Lead Sports Performance Coach of the Dive Team at Duke University, and now pursuing his Master's Degree at John Carroll University.

Why do you support Lake Catholic?

Lake Catholic is where my journey into my career all started - specifically Mrs. Ronzi’s Human Biology class. Without her support and support from the entire staff, I wouldn’t be where I am now.

What specific areas or missions are you drawn to at Lake Catholic?

Athletics

What do you wish others knew about Lake Catholic?

Faith, family, and love are what you learn about here and are characteristics that will grant success in all aspects of life. 

What is your favorite memory of Lake Catholic?

Playing football all four years!

What are you currently up to? What's new and exciting that you have going on now?

Currently pursuing a Master of Science in Exercise Physiology with a concentration in Human Performance at John Carroll University.

If you're interested in being a part of our Alumni Spotlight, or would like to nominate someone, please reach out to our Director of Alumni Relations Bill Weaver.

This week's Alumni Spotlight highlights Katy Baden (Class of 2008), who is the CEO at Olympus Aerospace.

Why do you support Lake Catholic?

I support LC because I feel like my time there set me up for success. I learned the value of hard work and dedication to education, which accelerated my path to success.

What specific areas or missions are you drawn to at Lake Catholic?

Campus Ministry and athletics

What do you wish others knew about Lake Catholic?

That Lake Catholic is a family that supports each other well beyond the time spent in school. It is a community that can be counted on beyond the four years as a student. 

What is your favorite memory of Lake Catholic?

Football games

What are you currently up to? What's new and exciting that you have going on now?

I live in Willoughby Hills with my husband, stepdaughter, two dogs, and two cats. I have a strong education in business with degrees from Ohio University (BA in Management and Strategic Leadership, BA in Marketing), Lakeland Community College (AAB, HR Management), and Lasell University (MBA, Master of Business Administration). While I grew up in the aerospace industry, I have been with Olympus Aerospace in a full-time capacity for the last 10 years holding positions in Quality, Tooling, Operations, and Executive Management/VP. My biggest professional goals are to unify the dierent divisions of Olympus Aerospace and to one day complete a Doctor of Business Administration degree.

If you're interested in being a part of our Alumni Spotlight, or would like to nominate someone, please reach out to our Director of Alumni Relations Bill Weaver.

This week's Alumni Spotlight highlights Dillon Stewart (Class of 2011), who is the Editor of Cleveland Magazine.

Why do you support Lake Catholic?

At Lake Catholic, I was exposed to a wide range of subjects that inspired and fostered my interests and talents, especially through art and art-adjacent classes such as photography, creative writing, journalism, and English classes.

What specific areas or missions are you drawn to at Lake Catholic?

Athletics were a huge part of my Lake Catholic experience, and football helped me learn hard work, teamwork, and how to win and lose. Almost all of my friends today are former teammates from Lake Catholic. Meal ministry was also an important way to feel involved and have an impact.

What do you wish others knew about Lake Catholic?

The importance of Lake Catholic goes beyond the classroom. The community is so strong and supportive, and the relationships, at least for me, have lasted long after graduation day.

What is your favorite memory of Lake Catholic?

It's hard to beat two back-to-back state semifinal runs as a football player. But my fondest memories are just the small, day-to-day moments, surrounded by my friends, laughing, making mistakes and learning from them, and feeling the support of the community. Oh, and meeting my future wife in sophomore math class was pretty great, too.

What are you currently up to? What's new and exciting that you have going on now?

Professionally, my mission is to bring the storytelling, voice, beauty, and quality journalism of legacy magazines into the digital age. Our team works to help Northeast Ohioans live their best Cleveland lives by telling great stories about interesting people, important news, new restaurants, and things to do. I oversee all editorial projects, including a monthly print magazine, clevelandmagazine.com, nine weekly newsletters, and daily social media content. Right now, we're working on launching a new website, expanding our coverage of Cleveland's business community, and expanding into more video coverage. I recently moved back to Mentor, and in my free time, I listen to records and play guitar with my two-year-old daughter.

If you're interested in being a part of our Alumni Spotlight, or would like to nominate someone, please reach out to our Director of Alumni Relations Bill Weaver.

This week's Alumni Spotlight highlights Suzanne Hrusch (Class of 1986), who is the newly hired Director of External Affairs at the Cuyahoga County Board of Health.

Why do you support Lake Catholic?

I cherished the 4 years I spent at LC. I want others to have the same opportunity.

What specific areas or missions are you drawn to at Lake Catholic?

I love the sports events and catching up with my classmates.

What do you wish others knew about Lake Catholic?

I hear so many students and their parents complain that they hate school, aren't learning enough, don't feel welcome or included in school, etc. I wish they could have a high school experience at Lake Catholic and enjoy their school family the way the Class of '86 did. I encourage people to send their kids in for a visit to check out the atmosphere. My two recent visits to the school allowed me to meet some current students. They were polite, courteous, and helpful just the same way we were back in the day. Proud to be an alum.

What is your favorite memory of Lake Catholic?

I loved the pep rallies and football games--what a blast! The band, and the families rooting for the win. So exciting!

What are you currently up to? What's new and exciting that you have going on now?

After 30+ years on the enforcement side when working as a food safety health inspector, I have moved to the community engagement and communications side of the building. This retiring/rehiring gig is wonderful. No one dreads seeing an external affairs person the way they did when they are being inspected! I am learning all sorts of new skills involving TV and radio production, ideation, and program creation, and I get to work with graphic designers and other artists. 

I am also very involved in Bridge Street Outreach, a non-profit that focuses on hot meals and fellowship for unhoused people living in downtown Cleveland. It is wonderfully fulfilling to help our less fortunate neighbors.

Loving my church family at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Brecksville with lots of ladies' nights, fundraisers, meals for the less fortunate, and fundraising events.

I am also enjoying more time with my friends and family. 

If you're interested in being a part of our Alumni Spotlight, or would like to nominate someone, please reach out to our Director of Alumni Relations Bill Weaver.

This week's Alumni Spotlight highlights John Stepec (Class of 2013), who is in Building Management at Cross Country Mortgage. 

Why do you support Lake Catholic?

I support Lake Catholic because it has shaped me into the person I am today. I always loved Lake Catholic's core values because I believe that those values can help make a better future - not just for you, but for the people in your life as well! The commitment to excellence was one of the core values that stuck out to me the most during my time at Lake! I realized quickly that if you wanted to play and succeed at the highest level you had to commit to putting in the work. I was lucky enough to learn and share the field with some great leaders during my time at Lake Catholic. Guys like Marty Gibbons, Jimmy King, and Mark Baniewicz to name a few. They raised the level of competition in everything they did between workouts, practice, and even film sessions. I truly believe that having the commitment to be excellent at anything you do will help you achieve the goals you have set out for yourself. For that, I will always be grateful to Lake Catholic.   

What specific areas or missions are you drawn to at Lake Catholic?

With Lake Catholic's rich history of success in sports, I always find myself checking the local newspaper or social media accounts to see how the teams are doing. I also enjoy coming back to play in the alumni basketball tournament held every year at Lake! 

What do you wish others knew about Lake Catholic?

I wish the students would know that every faculty and staff member at Lake wants you to succeed at the highest level! If you want to play multiple sports, try out for the school musical or just join any other club. The faculty and staff are there to help guide and support you in any endeavor you decide to pursue! 

What is your favorite memory of Lake Catholic?

I had so many great memories during my time at Lake Catholic whether it was on the football field, eating lunch with my friends, or playing homerun derby on the weekends in the summer. If I had to choose just one memory, it would have to be when we started Kick-It for Cancer in my junior year! I loved that we were supporting the cause to fight cancer and doing it in such a fun way! Our team (Globo Gym) won back-to-back years in the Kick-It for Cancer kickball tournament.  

What are you currently up to? What's new and exciting that you have going on now?

I currently still live locally in Northeast Ohio. When I'm not working you can find me training for marathons or any other physically challenging races. I'm also in the middle of planning a hiking trip for this upcoming summer to Glacier National Park with some college buddies that I'm excited about. The most exciting news by far is my sister Katie (class of 2009) just had her first baby girl, which officially makes me an uncle!  

If you're interested in being a part of our Alumni Spotlight, or would like to nominate someone, please reach out to our Director of Alumni Relations Bill Weaver.

This week's Alumni Spotlight highlights Katie Morgan (Class of 2024), who is a freshman at Ohio State.

What are you currently up to? What's new and exciting that you have going on now?

I’m majoring in Health Sciences on the pre-med track. I joined a Catholic faith group through “buckeyecatholic” 

How did Lake Catholic prepare you for life after high school?

Lake Catholic prepared me for college coursework along with building friendships and meeting new people, but most importantly it taught me how much my faith means to me.

What specific areas or missions are you drawn to at Lake Catholic?

I was involved in spiritual life, athletics, and student government.

What do you wish others knew about Lake Catholic?

That the school is like a family.

What is your favorite memory of Lake Catholic?

My favorite memory at Lake Catholic is the Friday night lights.

Any words of wisdom for current and future Cougars?

Enjoy every minute of your time at Lake Catholic.

This week's Alumni Spotlight highlights Andrew Brown (Class of 2005), who is an attorney at Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP.

Why do you support Lake Catholic?

I support Lake Catholic because it was instrumental in shaping my identity. The school's values of commitment to excellence, personal integrity, and dedication to service were instilled in me during my years at LCHS, and they guide me to this day. Lake Catholic's focus on striving for excellence planted a seed that inspires me to continually challenge myself in all aspects of life. Prioritizing integrity taught me the importance of examining my morals and standing by what I believe is right, even when it's not the easiest or most popular thing to do. And Lake Catholic's emphasis on service continues to inspire me to give back and consider how best to live in service to others, both professionally and personally.

What specific areas or missions are you drawn to at Lake Catholic?

I have a special affinity for Lake Catholic's performing arts department, where I spent many hours in the marching and concert bands, show choir, and theatrical productions. These opportunities on the stage taught me confidence, creativity, humility, leadership skills, teamwork, and the profound importance of practice and dedication to the achievement of excellence.

What do you wish others knew about Lake Catholic?

I would encourage current and prospective students to be open to all of the opportunities and challenges that Lake Catholic offers -- academics, athletics, arts, spiritual life, leadership training, service, and community. It is never too early or too late to get involved and explore your interests.

What is your favorite memory of Lake Catholic?

I have many great memories from my four years at Lake, and it would be hard to pick just one favorite. To name some standouts: studying with great instructors, performing in the music and theater departments, giving at blood drives, cheering on championship sports teams, going to dances and pep rallies, being on retreats, attending career day, competing in the annual world language Olympics, presenting at regional science and history fairs, appearing on the school's mock trial team, serving as an LC Ambassador, tutoring at Bellflower Elementary, and making lifelong connections all along the way.

One evening during my career at Lake, I found myself calling home from the bank of pay phones outside the offices off the main hall to get a ride after the day's classes, extracurriculars, sporting events, and social activities had let out. I realized I had been at school since before 7 am, it was way past dinnertime, and I had another full day ahead of me. I remember feeling like I was brimming with happiness. Lake offered me numerous avenues to engage, and I am grateful for each of those long days full of challenge and opportunity.

By the way, they still have the pay phones, right?

What are you currently up to? What's new and exciting that you have going on now?

I am living in New York with my wife and our daughter. I recently graduated from the City University of New York School of Law, and I was admitted to the New York State bar in March 2024. 

After fifteen years of serving in various analyst and management roles for the Episcopal Church's national employee health benefit fund, I am starting a second career as a litigator in the general liability practice of Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP.

If you're interested in being a part of our Alumni Spotlight, or would like to nominate someone, please reach out to our Director of Alumni Relations Bill Weaver.