KnightlineVolume 15 Number 2 | Fall 2013 | www.marist.org

A newsletter for Alumni, Parents and Friends of Marist High School

Marist jumps into the 21st Century Learn more about Marist’s new One-to-One Program Read more on page 3

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Marist pitcher Josh Witherspoon commits to University of South Florida for baseballby Patrick Villanova - The Jersey Journal

When Josh Witherspoon took the mound May 4 against Paramus Catholic, the Marist lefty crafted perhaps the finest performance of his high school career. The junior struck out 13 batters, walked only one and didn’t allow a hit, all while lifting Marist to a critical 1-0 victory over the Bergen County private school.

“I feel like after that game it put me on the map. It started showing other people from other high schools who I am,” said Witherspoon. “I would have to say sophomore summer, going into junior year, that’s when I started realizing that I had the potential and I just had to keep working to go where I wanted to go.”

Witherspoon, who went 7-2 with a 1.60 ERA as a junior, helped lead Marist to a 16-11 record and an appearance in the NJSIAA, South Jersey, Non-Public B semifinals. As a sophomore in 2012, he was a member of the Royal Knights team that won the Non-Public B state championship in fairytale fashion. The Bayonne Catholic school took a dream ride through the state tournament that year, winning the final three games of the state tournament via walk-offs, including an epic 11-10 victory over Newark Academy in the state final.

“It all came down to the school. It’s a beautiful school, a beautiful location and good baseball,” said Witherspoon. “I thought it would be a good fit for me so I made the decision to go there.”

Le Moyne College Women’s basketball adds Cristina Centeno ‘08 to coaching staffLe Moyne College head women’s basketball coach Gina Castelli announced on the addition of Cristina Centeno to her coaching staff.

“I am absolutely thrilled to have both Lily Grenci and Cristina Centeno join me here at Le Moyne College,” said first-year head coach Gina Castelli. “As players they were tireless workers and respected leaders! I know that they will bring that same mentality to our women’s basketball program.”

Centeno, a 2012 graduate of Siena College with a Bachelor of Sciences degree in Business Management, was a four-year starting guard for the Saints under Castelli. A Third Team All-MAAC and MAAC All-Academic Team selection each of her final two seasons, Centeno completed her career with 343 assists, the 10th-highest total in the program’s history. A team captain her senior year and the team’s defensive player of the year as a junior, Centeno is one of only 13 players in the history of the MAAC to record career totals of at least 900 points, 400 rebounds, 300 assists, 100 steals and 100 three-pointers. She twice represented Puerto Rico, where her mother was born, in international competition. Prior to her freshman year at Siena, Centeno played for the Puerto Rico Junior National Team in the 2008 FIBA Americas Women’s Championship in Argentina. Leading up to the 2012 Olympics, Centeno played with the Puerto Rico National Team.

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Marist High School gets tech savvy, gives students new laptopsby Brandon Gould - The Jersey Journal

When the chance to revolutionize their students’ education with the Samsung Series 3 Chromebook came to the attention of officials at Marist High School, they decided to take a leap of faith.

But before Marist could take a ride into the future, it needed to lay down the tracks.

That’s where “the brains behind it all” came in, Principal Alice Miesnik said, referring to the school’s Director of Information Technology Dan Short, who helped set up wireless connections to fit the Chromebooks.

Short, a 2002 graduate of Marist, began the process of equipping the school with a wireless infrastructure in late May, electing to go with Dell SonicWall, and was quickly able to get it up and running in anticipation for the upcoming school year.

The process of designing the network for the Chromebooks – in addition to ones for teachers and existing laptops and guests – involved new wiring for 40 access points and a week of configuration.

“It was exciting and nerve-racking at the same time,” Short said. “It was a lot of work to get done in the short amount of time that we had, but we did it.”

With the $45,000 infrastructure now in place, the Chromebooks can access the school’s wireless, allowing students to take notes, read textbooks and study for tests among other things online.

The transition also became a bit easier as Short ordered management consoles for the laptops – a feature that students in the National Honor Society helped attach, just one of many roles they fulfilled to get the devices ready for distribution, Short said. It is a decision which Miesnik says gives Short the ability to be a one-man IT department.

Short relishes the role which provides him the convenience of sending out apps, setting up content filters and resetting wireless passwords all from the comfort of his office.

“I like that I can manage it all from my desk,” Short said. “I don’t have to go around on ladders and unplug wires or anything; I can just press a button.”

The Chromebooks are something Short never dreamed of when he graduated from Marist – a time at which his house was still relying on a dial-up connection, he says – but he is happy to help move the students forward into this new age of technology.

“It makes me feel really good that I am having some impact in their lives,” Short said.

Alumni Relations Office1241 Kennedy BoulevardBayonne, NJ 07002201-437-4545 ext. 166alumni@marist.orghttp://www.marist.org/alumni

In This Issue

Save the Date

Cover......................One-to-One ProgramPage 2...................Josh Witherspoon ’14 Cristina Centeno ’09Inside................2012-2013 Donor ReportPage 3....................One-to-One Program (continued)Back...................................Save the Date 3T Program

December 20Alumni Breakfast

Champagnat Challenge

April 8Taste of Bayonne

May 17Milestone Reunion

Join Us On

3T ProgramTime: Take some time out of your day and become a member of the 3T program, (Time, Talent & Treasure). Stay current with emails and all the great things happening at Marist. To become a member, visit www.marist.org today or return the inserted envelope with the correct information and EMAIL ADDRESS. With over 6,200 alumni we only have 1,900 email addresses, PLEASE help us to obtain as many emails as possible.

Talent: Marist relies on our alumni to not only volunteer their time but also their many talents. If you or someone you know has a talent that you feel would benefit Marist in some way, please contact Chris Hansen ’99 in the Advancement Office and see how you can help benefit the school.

Treasure: Donations are appreciated. No amount is too large or small. There are over 6, 200 Alumni in our database and roughly 300 graduates are members of the Treasure Program. We would like to have a 10% participation rate in this category. Lets see if we can have 620 donors by the end of June. Donate today. Help make a difference. Your support is very important for the education and students of Marist High School. To become a member today, visit www.marist.org/annualfund.