​In Our Thoughts
J.B. Carnahan, long-time radio personality, grandfather of alumnus Derrin Resa ‘06, and HIPOW volunteer, passed away in November. 

Stork Announcements
Ben Otis ‘07 and wife Olivia welcomed son Cameron in October 2018.   
Sayrah Mitchel ‘07 and husband Davin welcomed daughter Amelia in November 2018.
Amanda (Welton) and Carl Thomas (both ICS alum) welcomed baby boy Klaus on September 9.
Michelle (Harr) VanBruggen ‘08 and husband welcomed baby boy Caiden in October.
John Butcher ‘05 and his wife Heather DiLuzio welcomed baby Katherine “Katie” Elizabeth. The family resides in New Mexico.

Weddings & Engagements
Jackson Wallace ‘15 is engaged to Kaelee Knoell.
Katie Ganley ‘08 said “I do” to Collin Reuter. The couple resides in Fairbanks.
Congratulations to alumni PACE teachers Amanda Heath and Sam Cartan on their marriage in July. The couple lives in Portland.
Monica Clark ‘11 married Matthew Kelly in August. The couple resides in Seattle.
Christin Davis ‘10 married Austin Hinzman in July. The wedding took place in Gig Harbor. 
Will Burcell ‘12 married Annette Byers from Tampa, Florida in October.
Talia Lundgren ‘12 and Kevin Steffens tied the knot in August.

Dreading the thought of more toys this holiday season? Families can invest in 529 savings plans and use the savings for K-12 tuition or college tuition and expenses. CSF tuition is an eligible expenditure. 
How does a 529 plan work? 
529 plans allow investors to save for education tax-free. The principal is post-tax (meaning your contributions are taxed before they are invested), but all interest and accrued earnings are tax-free if used for eligible expenditures. Friends and family members can contribute to 529 plans. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving.
To find out more about the Alaska 529 plan, visit UACollegeSavings.com or call 1-866-277-1005.

We encounter Christ
We become Scholars
We are Family

For many, the first sentence of the above motto might be the most distinguishing aspect of our school. While I hope to have made a compelling argument for our students becoming scholars, certainly Christ as the reason for these schools is more unique to us than most other schools in our community. However, I would argue the last sentence is just as unique and distinguishing as the first.
I found myself last week thinking of the “We are Family” aspect of our school and looking for ways to convey what this actually means and how this is a facet of our school that not only makes this a special place, but separates us from other schools. In doing so, I was flooded with memories that brought both smiles and tears to my eyes, on a consistent basis.
I know how I feel about the concept of Monroe and Family, but I struggled to come up with one specific thought or moment. I sought out the opinions of others to help in this process. I wanted to ask some of the students who have graduated and moved on into the world what they thought of Monroe as Family.
I thought calling some of my past basketball players would be a good place to start. Every person I communicated with shared something special. Here is what they had to say (Note: Some of the quotes have been edited to fit the space. If you would like to submit a testimonial, email foundation@catholic-schoools.org):

“When I think about Monroe as a Family, it reminds me of the time after a basketball practice when you told us about how most people make their lifelong fiends in college, but at Monroe the friendships you build are going to last a lifetime. After five years away fom Monroe, I know that this is true. I have not only great memories to look back on but also a huge network of people that I truly consider to be Family. Not just classmates and teammates, but teachers, staff and the families of people associated with Monroe. Going to school in Washington, I can’t fly home for Thanksgiving dinner. The Gambardella Family has opened their home to me for Thanksgiving the past four years. Things like that don’t typically happen at other schools. Going to Monroe built relationships with people that genuinely care about me and want to see me succeed. What more could I ask for from Family? “ — Conor O’Kelley

“When I think of Monroe, I think of how welcoming everyone was to me and how as years went on, the connection and relationships between me and my fellow classmates grew. Today, we are all so close. I also think of my Senior Buddy and how I thought of him as another little brother.” — Isaac Garcia

“I remember when I was a Freshman and the bus route was not an option for me. I walked to school, from the south side of Fairbanks, from August to mid-September until Scooter saw me walking one day and said he would pick me up every morning...keep in mind, I wasn’t exceptionally close with Scooter yet. Scooter picked me up every day for the rest of the school year. I told him, ‘Thank you so much bro, would you like some gas money?’ and he said, ‘We’re Family here at Monroe, glad you came.’” — Ryan Brantley

“I remember my senior year playing basketball. I had a classmate, Ola Carnahan, who never played basketball, but always took the time to wish us luck before every home and away game. I remember my dad sitting on the bench coaching - which was an upgrade from his usual position in the crowd. I remember my teammates who are still my friends to this day. Looking back, I see how I was a part of something much bigger than a school. I was a part of a community that supported me unconditionally. For the rest of my life, this is my Family.”
— Maija Hajdukovich

“For me, the Family that is Monroe, went beyond just my peers, but extended to
my teachers and coaches. Having Mass together as a school was special, not only
for me, but for my teammates and friends around me. Monroe taught me that it
isn’t about me.”
— Jalon McCullough

All of the above thoughts are special and help support what I already know; Monroe is not simply a school, but a Family. In the end, when I think of Monroe as Family, I think how blessed I am to be a part of this Family. I think of how lucky I am and how grateful I am. Perhaps, when all is said and done, this is what I think of most…and I smile.

​Excerpt from the Full Curl by Frank Ostanik, CSF Athletic Director. You can follow Coach O on Twitter @thefullcurl. He’s up to 411 followers. 

Thank you to everyone who played a role
​This year’s 50th Annual HIPOW Auction & Dinner in support of the Catholic Schools of Fairbanks was an incredible success. Tickets to Saturday night’s dinner sold out three weeks in advance. New volunteer committee leads stepped up to coordinate the Saturday dinner and did a fabulous job–Lori Packee (AM Prep), Dawn Martin (PM Prep & Plating) and Jacinda Rojas (Dishwashing). We welcomed a new chef, Doug Campbell with Midnight Sun Catering, who worked alongside our volunteers to serve 600 meals.
HIPOW co-chairs, the Sundborg Sisters–Kim Brandenburg, Jacyn DeBaun, and Cat Sundborg–and Roger & Andrea McGill brought unparalleled energy to the event. Roger and Craig Compeau put together a special HIPOW 50 song. Thanks to Emily Peterson-Wood, you can listen to the song on YouTube (search “HIPOW 50.”) 
Nancy Cook Hanson was recognized for her service to the schools with a check presentation for the Nancy Cook Hanson Tuition Assistance Fund for the Catholic Schools of Fairbanks. 
Kendall and Gene’s both donated vehicles to the event. This was the 50th vehicle Gene’s has donated to HIPOW. We are grateful.
Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Thank you to everyone who donated items, attended the event, volunteered, and/or bid in the auction. As Thanksgiving approaches, we have much to be thankful for. THANK YOU!