Freshmen Find Their Marist Purpose

On Tuesday, April 28, the Class of 2029 traveled to Ossipee Lake in New Hampshire to explore what it means to be a Raider and to be Marist as part of the Freshman Retreat at Camp Marist!

Photo Album: Freshman Retreat at Camp Marist

Tuesday, April 28, 2026

Click here to view and download photos on Raider SmugMug.

Freshmen participated in a day of team building and activities as they explored the Five Pillars of Marist Identity.

"The retreat invited students, through activities and small group discussions, to reflect on their freshman year experience of the Five Pillars of Marist Spirituality," noted Mr. Timothy Hart '85, Campus Minister. "We were blessed with beautiful weather."

The Five Pillars were introduced by the Marist Province in 2015 as ideals to which all Marists, students and adults alike, should commit to.

The Pillars are:

Presence… caring for each other, seeking relationships founded on love, being attentive and welcoming with a sense of openness.

Simplicity… being straightforward and genuine, humble and modest, ‘doing good quietly.’

Family Spirit… relating to each other as members of a loving family, building community, offering the warmth of welcoming, acceptance and belonging, sharing our successes and failures, setting clear standards of honesty, mutual respect, and tolerance.

Love of Work… being generous of heart, constant, and persevering in our daily work, confident, visionary, decisive in meeting the needs of our community and encouraging each other to discover the dignity of our work with young people and with each other.

In the Way of Mary… seeing Mary as a perfect model of being Marist, tender, strong, constant in faith, open to God’s calling us to our own journey of discipleship.

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Thank you to our student leaders from the junior class!

Junior Leadership Team

The retreat was planned by eight juniors who all went to the Marist Youth Leadership Camp at the Marist Brothers Center at Esopus (NY) last summer.

• Aadi Bhardwaj '27
• Haley Costa '27
• Danika Fofanah '27
• Ethan Fortier '27
• Maddie Manry '27
• Estefania Marrochi Polanco '27
• Jaiden Padlan Andrade '27
• Carlos Quintana '27

They met all year to plan the day. All of them gave talks - four of them at our Freshman Retreat Intro Assembly on April 15 and the other four at Camp Marist.

The talks focused on Marist community; St. Marcellin Champagnat; Mary, Our Good Mother; St. Thérèse of Lisieux; and why we "remember to pray for each other."

Six the of the eight students went to Camp Marist and conducted the entire retreat.

Additional Junior Volunteers

An additional 22 juniors volunteered to help at the retreat. They served as small group leaders, led discussions, and participated in activities with the freshmen.

• Julia Alaimo '27
• Melissa Araujo Sampaio '27
• Ella Crawford '27
• Angela Dahbour '27
• Camila Diaz '27
• Brianna Diprima '27
• Diego Duverge Cruz '27
• Erina Eskandar '27
• Maya Fares '27
• Alexia Faria '27
• Erin Farrell '27
• Illyana Guerrero '27
• Olivia Gulla '27
• Nicole Guzman DeFusco '27
• Sophie Hitchmoth '27
• Adrianna Maroun '27
• Grace Mazara '27
• Haley Musumarra '27
• Charlaine Nyarko '27
• Cierra Shumba '27
• Kasándra Walsh '27
• Elena Zorbas '27

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Thank you to Campus Ministry and our faculty and staff volunteers!

Numerous faculty and staff members assisted with the day. Some were bus chaperones, some were small group leaders, some helped coordinate from campus, and all gave the gift of their time, warmth, and kindness

The Campus Ministry Team

• Mrs. Vicki Izzo Blaszak, Campus Minister
• Mr. Tim Hart '85, Campus Minister
• Mrs. Maureen Shanahan, Director, Marist Service Program Coordinator
• Br. Rene D. Roy, FMS, '59, Campus Minister
• Mr. Chris Sullivan '81, Director of Marist Mission

Additional Faculty & Staff Who Contributed

• Mr. Zach Blaszak, Director of Athletics & Activities
• Ms. Bridgette Bolduc, Science Teacher
• Mrs. Clarisol DeMontero, World Language Teacher
• Mr. Ernie DiFiore, Building Based Educator
• Mr. Brian Flaherty, Social Studies Teacher
• Ms. Hannah Gibbs '19, Assistant Director of Admissions
• Ms. Lanie (Jowett '12) Given, Science Teacher
• Mr. Patrick Hashem '10, Mathematics Teacher
• Mr. Matthew Joyal '08, Visuals Arts Teacher & Social Studies Teacher
• Mrs. Jodi Linnehan Kriner, President
• Mr. Christopher Merrill '89, Director of Strategic Communications
• Mrs. Molly (Adamopoulos '11) Moccia, Admissions Associate
• Mr. Andrew Murray, Principal
• Mrs. Karen (Salvo '00) Nigrelli, School Nurse
• Mrs. Jennifer Plouffe, Associate Director of Advancement
• Mrs. Tammy Stott, Advancement Services Manager
• Mrs. Theresa (Black '00) Taft, Alumni Engagement Manager
• Mrs. Earline Tweedie, Religious Studies Teacher
• Br. James Vagan, FMS, Spanish Teacher
• Mr. Ray Wang, Assistant Principal for Student Success

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Thank you to our Parents Guild and our parent volunteers who provided lunch for over 350 people!

The following parents volunteered at Freshman Retreat and prepared lunches, snacks, and drinks:

• Melissa Adams P'29
• Ismary Beckman P'29
• Fifa Custodio P'29
• Sally Hemmerdinger P'29
• Katie (Benhase '04PMA) Letizio P'29
• Jenn Murphy P'29
• Jen McAveeney P'29
• Kimberly McKenna P'29
• CJ Samatis P'29
• Joe Serwatka '81, P'28, Parents Guild Event Chair, Freshman Retreat

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