St. Benedict's Prep Middle Division 2018 Yearbook

ST.BENEDICT’S PREPARATORY SCHOOL

Middle Division 2018

We are the
Middle Division

For the past 150 years, St. Benedict’s Prep has been
moulding your men to excel in all aspects of life, but
late in the 2016-2017 school year, it was announced
that St. Benedict’s Prep would be preparing more than
high school boys to excel. The school would merge
with St. Mary’s School, adding a whole new student
population.

Before the merger, St. Mary’s School educated male
and female students from kindergarten through eighth
grade, while St. Benedict’s offered classes for boys
from seventh through twelfth grades. According to
the Head of the Middle Division, Mr. Jim Duffy, over
the past three years conversations have been held about
merging the two schools because of multiple reasons.
These reasons include financial issues in St. Mary’s,
and the fact that both schools are already sharing the
property. This led the administrations of both schools
to question, “why not merge them together?” Overall
this decision made some people excited for a change.
Others were not very happy because of those exact
changes. However, there was a strong belief among
most that simplifying the system made sense. Mr.
Duffy added, “It was simpler to have one name instead
of two different institutions.”

Since the merger, the newly created Middle Division
is kept separate from the Upper Division, with its own
Convocation and separate daily social interactions.
The Middle Division, as it is currently configured,
is regarded as an experimental model that is being
analyzed for its effectiveness, Mr. Duffy said. The
Middle Division is designed to support several key
aspects of education, such as leadership. The structure
is also designed to encourage female students to pursue
important roles as well as athletic opportunities. The
idea is that by being able to blend the most positive
aspects of St. Mary’s with SBP’s Lower Division, male
students can continue on to the Prep Division at SBP,
and female students can easily move to a competitive
high school that will similarly prepare them for college.
The Middle Division is still in the making, which
means that a lot of its setup is subject to change.

-- Kolby Samuels, 8th Gr.
as reported in The Benedict News Magazine

Spring 2018

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at Graybee Olympics, final day of First Term 2017
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Thanksgiving 2017

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SeJsanquauryi1c9,e2n01t8ennial Kickoff
Convocation

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Athletics

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A Benedict’s First: Troi Takes On
Middle Division Leadership

Benedict News Staff Writer Ahmad Henderson recently sat
down with Troi Slade, the Middle Division Leader, and
discussed the topic of Middle Division Leadership. The eighth
grader is part of the Middle Division, which is new to the St.
Benedict’s system. She is not only the school’s first Middle
Division Leader but she is the first female to hold a leadership
position in St. Benedict’s history. She will be attending
Benedictine Academy next year.

On the Sesquicentennial:
Troi Slade: To me, the Sesquicentennial means that St.
Benedict’s has maintained the title of being able to get
young boys and men ready to take on college and take
on their lives after SBP. And now, with girls being
added in (to the Middle Division), it makes it a great
honor and privilege to be a part of a community that
has been thriving for so many years. I can’t wait to
see what the future holds for the school and I can only
imagine all the opportunities to come.

On being the first Middle Division Leader:
TS: It feels really good because I am making an historic
journey and a step to something different. When I
first started, I thought it was going to be World War
III. I was really nervous and I thought I would do
everything wrong and mess up. Now it is starting
to get easier because I am surrounding myself with
people I know that can help me and push me in the
right direction.

On students cooperating with the Middle Division Leader:
TS: It really depends on the day. Sometimes
everything goes well and the whole day goes fine.
Other days they don’t want to listen. That’s not just
for me but for the teachers as well.

Does being a female leader at a school that is mostly boys
affect your leadership style?

TS: No, the girls are taking over and taking more
charge.

-- as reported in The Benedict News Magazine
Spring 2018

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Fr. Valerian UP FOR A CHALLENGE?
Kanetski, O.S.B.
If your life was transformed by
Fr. Joe Dunstan the Group System, consider
Smith, O.S.B. honoring the 150th anniversary of
St. Benedict’s Prep with a gift to
Frank Hill The Sesquicentennial Scholarship
Challenge.

Help sustain Gray Bee traditions
like the Group System for
generations. Make your gift at
sbp.org/giving and note your
group in the comments section.
The group with the most gifts will
receive a special commendation
on Facebook and Instagram.

Fr. Boniface
Reger, O.S.B.

Fr. John Doyle,
O.S.B.

Fr. Bernard
Peters, O.S.B.

Sr. Clare Christi
Grussenmeyer, S.S.J.

Fr. Philip Hoover,
O.S.B.
Middle Division students selected

four new namesakes for their
groups after much research and
discussion last summer. The
Fr. Nicholas Balleis, OSBSr.Philomena
Spiegel, O.S.B.
Benedictine monks and religious

sisters were chosen for their role
in establishing and expanding St.
Fr. Nicholas Balleis, OSB was an Austrian monk whoFr. Rupert
came to the United States to work with German-speakingSeidenbusch, O.S.B.
Mary Parish and St. Mary School.
With the addition of the Middle

Fr. Nicholal Catholics in Newark, New Jersey. He establishedDivision, the Group System now St. Mary
Balleis, O.S.B.
numbers 22 groups.

Parish and was responsible for having the church moved to its

current location. Fr. Nicholas began one of the first Catholic

schools in New Jersey, and helped to get the attention of

Archabbot Boniface Wimer so that monks would come from

St. Vincent Abbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

2017-2018 Group Leader: Jaden Oates
Assistant Group Leader: Luke Lesny

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Fr. Nicholas Balleis, OSB NB

Agyare, Justin
Allison, Zora
Bertrand, Rashaun
Brooks, Jonathan
Dasher, Jayden

Efremenko, Ilya
Etta-Ashu, Egbe
Grant, Taylor
Green, Brandon
Hixon, JaQuan

Jenkins, Nyeem
Julien, Savion
Lesny, Luke
Oates, Jaden
Osorio, Jason

Parker, Grant
Peake, Sir-Charles
Petit-Frere, Cedelyne
Pierre-Louis, Xavier
Ramos, Isaiah

Riche, Stephan
Robinson, Asher
Robles, Jose
Scarpone, Camilo
Sierra, Julian

Slade, Troi
Sweeney, Sarah
Villar, Sergio
Wallace, Kiru
Walrond, Michelin

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Fr. Joe Dunstan UP FOR A CHALLENGE?
Smith, O.S.B.
If your life was transformed by
the Group System, consider
honoring the 150th anniversary of
St. Benedict’s Prep with a gift to
The Sesquicentennial Scholarship
Challenge.

Help sustain Gray Bee traditions
like the Group System for
generations. Make your gift at
sbp.org/giving and note your
group in the comments section.
The group with the most gifts will
receive a special commendation
on Facebook and Instagram.

Fr. Boniface
Reger, O.S.B.

Frank Hill

Fr. Bernard
Peters, O.S.B.

Fr. Rupert Seidenbusch, OSBSr.ClareChristi
Grussenmeyer, S.S.J.

Middle Division students selected
four new namesakes for their
Fr. Rupert Seidenbusch, OSB served as the Pastor andSr. Philomena
groups after much research and
discussion last summer. The
Prior of St. Mary’s Church, and helped the current churchSpiegel, O.S.B.
Benedictine monks and religious
sisters were chosen for their role
in establishing and expanding St.
to be completed. Fr. Rupert arranged for the purchaseFr. Rupert
of three lots on High Street next to St. Mary’s Church;Seidenbusch, O.S.B.
Mary Parish and St. Mary School.
With the addition of the Middle

these lots are now the site of theDivision, the Group System now Newark Abbey and St.
numbers 22 groups.

Benedict’s Prep. He would later become the first Abbot

of St. John’s Abbey in Collegeville, Minnesota.

2017-2018 Group Leader: Joseph Jumbo
Assistant Group Leader: Marcilio Soares

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Fr. Rupert Seidenbusch, OSB RS

Abreu, Joshua
Adjei, Liberty
Anthony, Austin
Arce, Joshua
Boyce, Esquire

Carson-Glass, Sean
Cooley, Kelvin
Garcia, Erick
Hayden, Ja-Keem
Hernandez, Rommel

Hunter, Gary
Johnson, Mekhi
Jumbo, Joseph
Kotei, Sharon

Parimon, Ashyah
Pico, Lucas
Rajasegar, Krithik
Rojas, Brian

Soares, Marcilio
Tutillo, Alexis
Valdez, Joheydi
Vintimilla, Elvis

Walker, Al-Zahir
Whitlock, Quinton
Williams, Aniyah
Yaro, Peter

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Fr. Joe Dunstan UP FOR A CHALLENGE?
Smith, O.S.B.
If your life was transformed by
the Group System, consider
honoring the 150th anniversary of
St. Benedict’s Prep with a gift to
The Sesquicentennial Scholarship
Challenge.

Help sustain Gray Bee traditions
like the Group System for
generations. Make your gift at
sbp.org/giving and note your
group in the comments section.
The group with the most gifts will
receive a special commendation
on Facebook and Instagram.

Frank Hill

Sr. Philomena Spiegel, OSB

Sr. PhilomenaSr. Clare Christi Spiegel, OSB was one of the first religious
sisters to arriveGrussenmeyer, S.S.J. in Newark, in July 1857, and was the first

prioress for the Newark community, and served in thatSr. Philomena
Middle Division students selected
four new namesakes for their

groups after much research and
discussion last summer. The
position for nearly twenty years. Sr. Philomena began theSpiegel, O.S.B.
Benedictine monks and religious
community in Elizabeth,
foundation of the Benedictinesisters were chosen for their role
in establishing and expanding St.
B. Mary Parish and St. Mary School.

currently St. Walburga Monastery and BenedictineWith the addition of the Middle

Academy.Division, the Group System now
numbers 22 groups.

2017-2018 Group Leader: Claude Knight
Assistant Group Leader: Nia Nelson

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Sr. Philomena Spiegel, OSB PS

Agbana, Ami
Bajurto, Daniel
Benanti, Alexander
Burke, Sheridan
Chevrin, Jordan

Garcia, Andres
Idlett, Jeremiah
Jandura, Jakub
Junco, Adrian
Knight, Claude

Louisville, Jason
Maphosa, Tinashe
Muid, Noah
Nelson, Nia
Page, Irianna

Porter, Jhalil
Price, Jr., Jermaine
Rodriguez, Matthew
Saunchez, Daunte
Scarpone, Diego

Serron, Andres
Smart, Javon
Subadheran, Abishek
Sweeney, Connor

Toloza, Steven
Walker, Joel
Williams, Elijah
Williams, phillip

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UP FOR A CHALLENGE?

If your life was transformed by
the Group System, consider
honoring the 150th anniversary of
St. Benedict’s Prep with a gift to
The Sesquicentennial Scholarship
Challenge.

Help sustain Gray Bee traditions
like the Group System for
generations. Make your gift at
sbp.org/giving and note your
group in the comments section.
The group with the most gifts will
receive a special commendation
on Facebook and Instagram.

Sr. Clare Christi, SSJ

Sr. Clare Christi Grussenmeyer, SSJ (Sisters of St. Joseph)

arrived in Newark in 1968 and was the first SSJ principal

of St. Mary’s after the departure of the Benedictine Sisters.

Sr. Clare Christi

AbbotGrussenmeyer, S.S.J. Martin Burne, OSB met with the General Superior

Middle Division of the Sistersstudents selected of St. Joseph in Chestnut Hill, Pennsylvania
four new namesakes for their
groups after much research and

to procure the services of the Sisters in St. Mary’s School.discussion last summer. The
Benedictine monks and religious is recognized for her participation in establishing

Sr. Claresisters were chosen for their role
in establishing and expanding St.

the SSJ traditions in Newark.Mary Parish and St. Mary School.
With the addition of the Middle

Division, the Group System now Group Leader: Fernando Duran

2017-2018numbers 22 groups.
Assistant Group Leader: Morgan Brown

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Sr. Clare Christi, SSJ CC

Adjogble, Charbel
Anthony, Vaughn
Benissan, Jonathan
Bracewell, Kyle
Brown, Morgan

Butterfield, Alexander
Canar, Cristhian
Chevrin, Christian
Cungachi, Mike
Duran, Fernando

Fils-Aime, Zoe
Jackson, Khalil
Jacobs-Wright, Autumn
Locke, Emanuel
Lopez, Geovanni

Morton, EJ
Okoro, Chigozie
Pala, Kendall
Pierre, Familson

Raveendran, Rashmi
Rocano, Charly
Samuels, Kolby
Sancho, Kenny

Sierra, Angel
Solorzano, Johnpaul
Soumahoro, Sekou
Yunga, Patrick

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Abbot Melvin Valvano, OSB
President
Fr. Edwin Leahy, OSB
Headmaster
Mr. Jim Duffy H’16
Dean, Middle Division

Mr. Jared Boone Ms. Cari Martinez Ms. Tamara Munroe Ms. Sandra Nelson Ms. Linda Poveda Ms. Jenny Ramos Sr. Maureen Walsh, SSJ

Device Policy: Off-Guard

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Graduation Day

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Graduation Day - June 1, 2018
AWARDS

In Academics

Overall Academic Success:
Joseph Jumbo, Geovanni Lopez,
Troi Slade, Abishek Subadheran

Religion: Rommel Hernandez, Cedelyne Petit-Frere

Language Arts: Sheridan Burke, Egbe Etta-Ashu

Humanities: Alex Benanti, Joseph Jumbo

Math: Taylor Grant, Jaden Oates

Social Studies: Autumn Jacobs-Wright, Sekour Soumahoro

Science: Charbel Adjogble, Sarah Sweeney,

Sergio Villar

Most Improved: Irianna Page, Camilo Scarpone

Citizenship: Jermaine Price

In Activities

Basketball: Mekhi Johnson
Choir: Autumn Jacobs-Wright
Dance: Rashmi Raveendran
Debate: Autumn Jacobs-Wright, Sarah Sweeney
Engineering: Rommel Hernandez, Rashmi Raveendran
Fencing: Fernando Duran, Nyeem Jenkins,
Troi Slade, Sarah Sweeney
Golf: Sheridan Burke
Martial Arts: Ilya Efremenko, Ashyah Parimon
Music: Emanuel Locke
Soccer: Geovanni Lopez
Track: Ashyah Parimon, Sergio Villar
Wrestling: Diego Scarpone

Sister Teresa M. Shaw, SSJ Award
Troi Slade

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Liberty Adjei Charbel Adjogble

Justin Agyare-Nkansah Austin Anthony

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Vaughn Anthony Joshua Arce

Daniel Bajurto Alexander Benanti

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Esquire Boyce Kyle Bracewell

Sheridan Burke Sean Carson-Glass

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Jayden Dasher Fernando Duran

Ilya Efremenko Egbe Etta-Ashu

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Andres Garcia Erick Garcia

Taylor Grant Rommel Hernandez

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JaQuan Hixon Jeremiah Idlett

Khalil Jackson Autumn Jacobs-Wright

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Jakub Jandura Nyeem Jenkins

Mekhi Johnson Savion Julien

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Joseph Jumbo Adrian Junco-Seals

Claude Knight Emanuel Locke

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Geovanni Lopez Tinashe Maphosa

Jaden Oates Chigozie Okoro

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Irianna Page Ashyah Parimon

Grant Parker Sir-Charles Peake

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Cedelyne Petit-Frere Xavier Pierre-Louis

Jhalil Porter Jermaine Price, Jr.

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Rashmi Raveendran Asher Robinson

Jose Robles Charly Rocano

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Matthew Rodriguez Brian Rojas

Kolby Samuels Daunte Saunchez

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Camilo Scarpone Diego Scarpone

Troi Slade Javon Smart

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Sekou Soumahoro Abishek Subadheran

Connor Sweeney Sarah Sweeney

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Steven Toloza Alexis Tutillo

Sergio Villar Al-Zahir Walker

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Kiru Wallace Michelin Walrond

Quinton Whitlock Elijah Williams

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Aniyah Williams Peter Yaro

Patrick Yunga The MIDDLE DIVISION of St. Benedict’s
Preparatory School is proud to contribute

to the 150 year history of our school.
We are STRONGER TOGETHER because

our community lives the true meaning
of the words:

Whatever hurts my brother or my sister
hurts me;

Whatever helps my sister or my brother
helps me.

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Class of 2018

Saint Benedict’s Preparatory School
MIDDLE DIVISION

Middle Division 2018 Yearbook This is the first Yearbook for the Middle
STAFF Division of St. Benedict’s Prep. The
Staff is grateful to Mr. Mike Scanlan for
Zora Allison generously allowing us to use his photos in
Egbe Etta-Ashu this publication. We are also grateful to
Joseph Jumbo Dr. Dennis Lansang for his photos and for
Claude Knight serving as our advisor for this publication.

Luke Lesny - Middle Division Yearbook Staff
Irianna Page June 2018
Rashmi Raveendran
Troi Slade

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