Tag Archives: Xaverian High School

Bay Ridge People Features

Neighbors Making News: Lawyer Values Politics, Faith

August 11, 2012 – 12:35 am

Brian Kaszuba

By Paula Katinas

Editor’s Note: The Bay Ridge Eagle has been profiling “The Real Women of Bay Ridge” for several months in response to a controversial “reality” show that caused a local uproar. Now we are proud to expand our profile series to include  men — and women — who are indeed “Neighbors Making News!”

Brian Kaszuba’s lifelong love of politics and his strong Catholic faith have blended together for his job.
Kaszuba, a lawyer, is the director of special projects for the Catholic Citizens Committee, an organization that strives to make Catholics in the Diocese of Brooklyn more politically aware.
“We work in conjunction with the Diocese to help spread the teachings of the church,” said Kaszuba, a graduate of Xaverian High School and Saint Peter’s College. read more »

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Education Kids

Kassenbrock Scholarship Winner Was Eagle Intern

June 21, 2012 – 6:48 pm

Daniel Witke (left) is pictured with his father Peter at the recent Kassenbrock Brothers Memorial Scholarship Fund awards ceremony. Eagle photo by Marc Hibsher

By Paula Katinas

Bay Ridge — Kassenbrock Brothers Memorial Scholarship winner Daniel Witke had just graduated from Xaverian High School when he was asked to speak at another school’s graduation.
“I was asked to speak at P.S. 102’s graduation,” he said. “It was pretty inspiring.”
That ceremony took place on June 20.
Witke spent four months during his senior year at Xaverian volunteering his time as a tutor at P.S. 102.
He was also a volunteer tennis teacher at McKinley Intermediate School, which he found “very enjoyable.”
As if that isn’t enough, Witke somehow found time over the years to intern as a sports reporter for the Bay Ridge Eagle, covering basketball, baseball, track and other sports at Xaverian. read more »

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Education Kids

Valedictorians Thankful for High School Experiences

June 21, 2012 – 5:55 pm

Inna Lapidus

By Paula Katinas

Bay Ridge — Inna Lapidus is heading from Brooklyn to the Ivy League. As the valedictori an of the Class of 2012 at Fort Hamilton High School, she had her pick from among several elite universities. She chose Brown University.
“I chose it because it has a special feel to it. I feel like it doesn’t get the attention or the publicity other schools get, like Harvard or Yale,” she said.
At Fort Hamilton, Lapidus excelled in all of her subjects, but took a particular liking to math and is considering majoring in math when she gets to Brown. Math can lead to many different types of careers, she said. read more »

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Bay Ridge People

Xaverian’s Internship Program: A Reflection

April 19, 2012 – 12:40 pm

Pictured (left to right) at Xaverian’s “All Hands on Deck Reunion” are Bay Ridge Eagle Editor-in-Chief Rick Buttacavoli (Class of 1998), Guild for Exceptional Children CEO/Executive Director Paul Cassone (Class of 1972), Internship Director Ana Loposky, Justice Matthew D’Emic (Class of 1970), Assistant to Special Events Marie Lane and Joe Patella (Class of 1989). Eagle photo by Georgine Benvenuto

By Rick Buttacavoli

“Do you know Rick, our editor-in-chief? He’s a Xaverian grad.”

That was how it all started. A simple exchange of pleasantries between Eagle Sales Manager Marc Hibsher and Marie Lane, Xaverian High School’s assistant to special events, at a community event last October would lead to my enrollment as a mentor in the school’s groundbreaking new Intern Program at Xaverian (IPAX).

Internship Director Ana Loposky, who I knew from my time as a student at Xaverian, emailed me just a few days later with all the details. The program, designed to give honor students a chance to explore potential careers while gaining “real world” experience, was to run once a week from November 2011 through the end of February 2012.

There were two students interested in journalism, so I was asked if I could mentor both of them. I immediately agreed and both Lane and Loposky voiced their gratitude. In truth, I should have been thanking them. This was exactly the type of opportunity I had been looking for — a chance to impart whatever wisdom I had gained in my nearly 10-year career unto young men who, despite an uncertain professional climate for newspapers, still had an interest in the field I fell in love with when I was their age. The fact that I was once in their shoes — literally — made it a perfect match. read more »

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Politics

Parks Committee Wants To Work With Students

February 23, 2012 – 2:17 pm

June Johnson serves as chair of Community Board 10’s Parks and Recreation Committee.

High school students will spruce up local parks and gain educational credits toward their diplomas under a plan being launched by the Parks and Recreation Committee of Community Board 10.

Students Care for Parks is the name of the new initiative Parks Committee Chair June Johnson and her members are starting.

The goal is to get local students to plant flowers, paint benches, clear away debris and do other projects to improve the parks, Johnson said.

“In exchange, the kids will get community service credits at school. Most schools require that students earn community service credits,” Johnson said. read more »

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