Chaminade High School

Chaminade High School is a Roman Catholic college preparatory high school for young men. Located in Mineola, New York, United States, the school was founded in 1930 by the Society of Mary (Marianists), an international Roman Catholic teaching order of priests and religious Brothers. The school is named after William Joseph Chaminade, S.M. (1761–1850), who founded the Marianist order in 1817, and who was beatified by Pope John Paul II in 2000. The school continues to be operated by the Marianists and is independent of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre. The student body numbers over 1,700 and comes from Long Island (Nassau and Suffolk Counties), and neighboring New York City. The administration and faculty consists of both Marianists and lay men and women.

Students follow a traditional liberal arts curriculum, including four years each of English, Foreign Language (either French, German, Latin, Mandarin Chinese, or Spanish), Mathematics, Religion, Science (Earth Science or Oceanography, Biology, Chemistry, and Physics), and Social Studies, as well as one year each of Art, Music Appreciation, and Health. In senior year, students take an additional (advanced) year of either Art or Music Appreciation. Chaminade is known for its rigorous academic program, and average SAT scores are consistently well above the national average.^[1] Historically, 100% of Chaminade graduates are accepted into college, and each year over 99% of them chose to attend college. In 2014, all 399 graduates were accepted into college; the class of 2014 was awarded 1,390 scholarships, with 284 students being awarded one or more scholarship.

Chaminade has a large and diverse selection of co-curricular and extra-curricular activities, with over 90% of the student body participating in at least one activity. Additionally, more than 50% of the student body participates on at least one interscholastic athletic team.^[3] The school's athletic teams are nicknamed the Flyers, in recognition of the fact that at the time of Chaminade's founding, Mineola and the surrounding communities of Long Island were part of what was then a "cradle of aviation", with pioneering aviators such as Charles Lindbergh, Wiley Post, and Amelia Earhart making world-record flights from nearby Roosevelt Field. In line with Chaminade's chosen nickname the school newspaper is, appropriately, called Tarmac, a term for airport pavement.

Religious identity

All students take four years of Religion, beginning with biblical and Salvation history (Freshman and Sophomore years), followed by Christian humanism (Junior year), and Christian existentialism (Senior year). The entire student body gathers for Mass each month; additionally, the Gold Star Mass is celebrated every Fall to honor those Chaminade alumni who gave their lives in protection of the United States as members of the military services. Students have the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) every Tuesday and Thursday, while Eucharistic adoration is offered every Monday to students and faculty. A short prayer service is also offered daily, prior to the start of each lunch period.

Athletics

The following are the varsity sports offered at Chaminade:

Fall

Fall Crew

Varsity /JV / Freshman Cross Country

Varsity /JV / Freshman Football

Varsity /JV / Freshman Soccer

Freshman Swimming

Winter

Winter Track & Field

Varsity/JV Wrestling

Varsity /JV / Freshman Basketball

Varsity Bowling

Varsity/JV Hockey

Varsity Riflery

Varsity Swimming

Spring

Spring Track

Varsity /JV / Freshman Baseball

Spring Crew

Varsity Golf

Varsity /JV / Freshman Lacrosse

Varsity Tennis

Varsity Volleyball

Finances

In 1986, Philip K. Eichner, then president of Chaminade, established a permanent endowment fund for the school, which is known as the Torch Fund. Together with Gary Eck, the Director of Development at the time, Eichner envisioned a time when the school's tuition would be capped, if not eventually lowered. The Torch Fund's principal balance has grown substantially over the years and presently, the interest income earned on the principal balance serves to partially defray the cost of the school's tuition. For the 2016-2017 school year, interest income from the Torch Fund's principal balance pays $1,650 of the total annual tuition cost for each student, resulting in parents having to pay only $10,453 of each student's total tuition cost.

Other

• Chaminade's musical performance groups include three concert bands (based on level of experience and performance), a string orchestra, a pep band (for sporting events), a jazz band, a bagpipe corps, junior and senior Glee Clubs, and a vocal chamber ensemble. The school produces two plays each year, a dramatic production in the Fall and a musical production in the Spring, utilizing young women from nearby schools for the female roles.
• Student publications at Chaminade include the school newspaper (Tarmac), the yearbook (Crimson and Gold), and the literary magazine (Skylight). In 2014, Tarmac was named the number one high school newspaper in New York State by the New York Press Association. It is an international publication.
• The school's Robert C. Wright Speech and Debate Team (named in honor of alumnus and former Chairman of NBC Universal Robert C. Wright) regularly competes with high school speaking and debating teams in both the New York City Metropolitan area and nationwide.
• Chaminade owns a theater pipe organ having 3 manuals and 15 ranks, which is housed in the school's 1,200 seat Darby Auditorium. The organ consists of a Robert Morton console with ranks by Wurlitzer, Robert Morton, Austin, and Barton.^[4]
• Chaminade's Activity-Athletic Center (AAC) opened in 2007, with a main arena that holds 1,500 for basketball games and 2,500 for Masses and non-athletic events. The facility also incorporates a 1/10 mile indoor track suspended over the main arena, a wrestling room, and a 200-seat auditorium.
• A renovation of Chaminade's athletic facilities was completed in 2014. This included the replacement of artificial turf on Ott Field and the addition of turf on Thomas Field. Additionally, a new stadium was constructed to adjacent to Ott Field. Gold Star Stadium was dedicated on September 6, 2014 in honor of the school's Gold Star Alumni.^[5]
• During the summer of 2014, Chaminade opened the first 4K television studio. ETV produces morning announcements which are broadcast to the student body and document happenings around the school.^[6]
• A new day retreat center, Saragossa, has been constructed. Located next to the AAC on Marcellus Road, the retreat center serves as Chaminade's third retreat house.^[7]
• In December 2014, Chaminade installed a custom-designed cross on the west side of the Physical Fitness Center facing Gold Star Stadium. The cross, designed by artist Yan Rieger, is approximately 26 feet high and 16 feet wide, weighs approximately 2,100 lbs., and is constructed of aluminum, nickel-plated bronze, and slab glass. The “M” on the cross symbolizes Mary’s presence with her Son at the foot of the cross.

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  Chaminade's new Marianist Cross, Physical Fitness Center, and Gold Star Stadium from Ott Field.

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  Founders Hollow, Chaminade's retreat house in upstate NY.

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  Christmas at Meribah, Chaminade's retreat house in Muttontown, NY.

Notable alumni

• Luke Cummo (Class of 1998), competed on The Ultimate Fighter 2, retired professional Mixed Martial Artist^[8]
• Alfonse D'Amato (Class of 1955), United States Senator from New York, from 1981 to 1999
• Brian Dennehy, actor
• Louis Gerstner (Class of 1959), former Chairman and CEO of IBM, and The Carlyle Group
• Al Groh (Class of 1962), football player and former coach of New York Jets
• Glenn Hughes, singer, The Village People
• Stephen Karopczyc, recipient of the Medal of Honor
• George Kennedy (Class of 1943), actor
• Jim Kissane, professional basketball player^[9]
• Gene Larkin, former Major League Baseball player for the Minnesota Twins.^[10]
• Bob McKillop, head coach of the Davidson College basketball team.^[11]
• Joe Mullaney, basketball player and coach
• William "Bill" O'Reilly (Class of 1967), Fox News political commentator
• Ted Robinson (sportscaster), sportscaster
• Christopher Ruddy, CEO of Newsmax Media
• Thomas Suozzi, former County Executive of Nassau County, New York^[12]
• Robert C. Wright, former Chairman and CEO of NBC Universal and former Vice Chairman of the General Electric Company

References

External links

• Chaminade High School
• Province of Meribah

Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockville Centre
Bishops	Ordinaries Walter P. Kellenberg John R. McGann James T. McHugh William F. Murphy Present Auxiliaries Robert J. Brennan Nelson J. Perez Andrzej Jerzy Zglejszewski Former Auxiliaries Vincent John Baldwin James Joseph Daly Peter Anthony Libasci Alfred John Markiewicz Gerald Augustine John Ryan Emil Aloysius Wcela Paul Henry Walsh John Charles Dunne
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