Tag Archives: Tag: Graduation

Back to School Letter from Dan McAuliffe

| August 26, 2021

Dear Shepherds Friend,

Welcome to the beginning of a new school year! This is an exciting time as Shepherds welcomes sixteen new young people to our Shepherds’ Class of 2025. We’ve all been highly impressed and encouraged the by way this class of students has bonded in two programs held this two summer – Shepherds’ Cougar Camp for Kolbe Cathedral freshman in August and the Notre Dame’s Summer Xperience held earlier this summer.

It is also an exciting time because our recently graduated Class of 2021 is launching into the next phase of their academic careers. We’ve had a few of these Shepherds graduates stop by our office and it’s been wonderful to see the excitement and confidence they have about their futures. Seeing our graduates achieving their dreams makes all of us at Shepherds very proud of them.

In this newsletter you will see two stories reflecting our past. These stories highlight the enduring nature of what the Shepherds program provides both the student and the mentor. One is about former Shepherds Board Member and Mentor, Ruby Melton. Ruby and her mentee, Ernie Santiago NDWH ’18, remain close friends as he finishes up his degree in nursing at Quinnipiac University. Another look back comes from KCHS ’16 alumnus Jason Howell. In a recent Zoom interview, he discusses the importance of his mentor for life, Tom Luciano. These stories reassure me that we are succeeding in our mission.

As we begin the new school year full of great hope and anticipation, we are obviously still saddled with the COVID-19 pandemic. Our school partners are doing a wonderful job ensuring the academic environment is as normal as possible during this time. We are grateful for their hard work.

While the school year ahead may have some bumps in the road here and there, Shepherds is confident that together with our school partners, our Shepherds Mentors and Students, we can navigate the challenges ahead. “Adapt, Innovate, and Overcome” remains Shepherds’ motto this year and it reflects a deep commitment to our mission of Changing Lives…One Student at a Time – no matter what curves life throws our way. Thank you for your many and generous contributions of time and treasure, and most of all your caring!

Stay safe, well and let’s enjoy the future!

Dan McAuliffe

Congratulations to the Class of 2021

| June 15, 2021

The Shepherds Class of 2021 is filled with 17 talented students: a salutatorian, a senior class president, many honor roll students, competitive athletes, engaged community members, entrepreneurs, and above all, high school graduates. These graduates have amazing plans for themselves post-graduation. Watch the video above to find out more.

Shepherds wants to continue to help close the opportunity gap in Bridgeport and New Haven. We are asking for your financial support to help us make an impact in your own backyard.

A donation in support of a Shepherds Student’s education TODAY will have a lasting impact on that student’s TOMORROW.

Please consider a donation in any amount. We are so thankful for you and so are our students.

Shepherds Senior Celebration for Kolbe Cathedral High School

| April 15, 2021
Shepherds is thrilled to announce that both Kolbe Cathedral and Notre Dame High School will have in-person events to celebrate the accomplishments of Shepherds Seniors.
Due to COVID considerations, this year’s celebrations will be limited to no more than two adults per student household, the student and their mentor. Unfortunately, we will not be able to invite the full communities this year, but we hope to live-stream the event so everyone can participate.
Invitations and further details will be sent out via invitations.

Shepherds Senior Celebration for Notre Dame Students

| April 15, 2021
Shepherds is thrilled to announce that both Kolbe Cathedral and Notre Dame High School will have in-person events to celebrate the accomplishments of Shepherds Seniors.
Due to COVID considerations, this year’s celebrations will be limited to no more than two adults per student household, the student and their mentor. Unfortunately, we will not be able to invite the full communities this year, but we hope to live-stream the event so everyone can participate.
Invitations and further details will be sent out via invitations.

April Letter from Dan McAuliffe

| April 15, 2021
director announcement

Dear Shepherds Friends,

The month of April normally brings many positive themes to our attention –  longer days, warmer sun, birds chirping early in the morning, and a budding optimism for the coming months. This year obviously brings all those normal occurrences but with the added cautious optimism of a world recovering from a pandemic health crisis.

For our Shepherds students and community, this spring also brings the opportunity to be back in the classroom more, to engage in team sports, and for students and mentors to see each other in outdoor settings.  We again congratulate our students, their families, mentors, our school partners for the good faith effort all put into making this past year as successful as one could hope.

With that renewed sense of optimism and self-confidence, it’s time to call upon on this collective strength of the Shepherds community to help build for the school year 2021 – 2022.  As you might realize from the financial and personal repercussions of the last year, the need for a quality education in a safe environment, for a positive role model in the life of a young person and the support of an organization where the 14 year old high school student is the “franchise player” has rarely been greater.

What I am asking is simply to invite our Shepherds family to spread the word about what Shepherds does, the opportunity it provides to underserved individuals, the impact it makes “changing lives”, and the rewards it bestows on students, mentors and donors alike.  Being part of the Shepherds team does require tangible effort and resources; the rewards, however, are immeasurable intangibles!

We are now interviewing over 15 students and expect more to be seeking to participate in Shepherds’ Class of 2025.  We are seeking mentors and financial resources to meet that demand. The Shepherds’ story sells itself. Thank you for passing it along.

With your assistance we can again prove that We are Better Together, in every sense and application of those words.

Shepherds Celebrates the Class of 2020

| June 12, 2020
Shepherds class of 2020

At this time of year, Shepherds would be usually be gathering together to celebrate our seniors’ accomplishments and high school graduations. With the health crisis, we are unable to host in-person celebrations. However, that does not diminish our pride in our graduates.

Our students’ hard work and determination, coupled with support from their family, Shepherds mentor and Shepherds program, have led to this moment in time where we now commemorate their achievements.

Congratulations to the Class of 2020! Go forth and do great things!

Shepherds Alumnus Continues the Mentoring Tradition

| May 26, 2020
mentoring tradition

Gina Garzon graduated from Trinity Catholic and the Shepherds program in 2005. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics and MBA with a focus in Finance at University of Connecticut. She is first-generation college graduate and now is a a Vice President at TD Bank in NYC where she manages a portfolio of approximately $500MM in commercial real estate of various asset classes.

Gina began her banking career as a teller at local bank in New Canaan. “My mentor Kathy Pasternack helped me get my first banking job,” Gina claimed. “She is an amazing person, mentor, and friend. She has impacted my life and inspired me to do the same for others. My parents were incredibly supportive, but Kathy provided guidance and assistance they were unable to provide due to language and other resource issues”

Gina’s impressive resume doesn’t stop with her education and career. She has given back to her community. She has served on the board of Cardinal Sheehan Center and on the board of Prospanica, an organization which assists Hispanic students earn MBAs. Currently, she is mentoring a student through Big Brothers, Big Sisters in New York City. “Being a big sister to my little has been very gratifying. I am so happy to be giving back to others like Kathy helped me.”

Kathy Pasternack made a big impact on Gina’s life. You can make that same impact on another young person by becoming a mentor to a freshman this fall. Contact Dan McAuliffe at 203-367-4273 to find out more about Shepherds and our impact on academically and economically-challenged students.

Shepherds Honors Seniors from NDWH

| May 13, 2020
2020 Notre Dame Seniors

This evening, the entire Shepherds’ community at Notre Dame West Haven High School were to come together to honor the upcoming graduation of four young men: Luis, Damian, Johan and Sukeer. Due to social distancing restrictions, we will not be having those celebrations. However, we are endeavoring to honor our seniors in a way befitting their tremendous accomplishments.

Shepherds is exceptionally proud of these seniors who have come so far since their freshman year – and have robustly completed their education despite the public health challenge. Additionally, the seniors’ families, mentors, financial sponsors and the staff at our partner school, Notre Dame West Haven, should be all be recognized for their efforts to help these young men reach new heights. They say it takes a village –  and these young men have many villagers who have been supporting them the past four years.

We look forward to announcing our graduates’ plans for their education in June. Until then, congratulations to the Shepherds’ Notre Dame West Haven Class of 2020! Shepherds hopes you use the gifts of your Notre Dame West Haven education and the Shepherds program to keep reaching new goals. Go forth and do great things!

https://youtu.be/J8sVy1INGFk