The Academy of Holy Angels presents alumni awards annually. You are invited to nominate alumni for any of these awards!
Click HERE to nominate an alum for one of our awards
On Tuesday, March 21, over 160 guests had the opportunity to celebrate the contributions of many AHA community members at the 2023 Donor & Volunteer Recognition Event. President Tom Shipley shared, “This event and all of you here tonight are very special to us. Tonight offers us a public opportunity to acknowledge those who have made a significant difference in the lives of so many students and teachers at Academy of Holy Angels and those who have positively impacted our great school for years to come.”
The annual reception formally honors several community members for their generosity, service, volunteer efforts, and leadership. Each year, members of the St. Joseph Court and the AHA Legacy Society are also recognized for their lifetime philanthropic support of the school.
GARY RUFSVOLD
ST. JOSEPH AWARD
Gary Rufsvold is the 2023 St. Joseph Award recipient in honor of his 50 years of service at Academy of Holy Angels, for establishing AHA’s interscholastic athletic program, as the school’s first athletic director and first boys basketball coach. The award is a lifetime achievement award that recognizes a non-alum who has demonstrated exceptional leadership and outstanding contributions to Holy Angels, to their profession, and to the community.
KARL TOURVILLE ‘80
ANGELUS AWARD
Academy of Holy Angels honors Karl Tourville ‘80 with the 2023 Angelus Award. Karl was recognized for his exceptional professional and civic accomplishments and for his generosity in establishing the Tourville Family Risen Christ Scholarship. This scholarship provides access for many of AHA’s highest need students.
The Angelus Award is a lifetime achievement award for alumni who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made outstanding contributions to the school, their professions, and the community.
GABRIELLE DOMINIQUE ‘13
RISING STAR AWARD
Gabrielle Dominique '13 received the 2023 Academy of Holy Angels Rising Star Award. Gabby was recognized for her remarkable work as a performing artist, actor, choreographer, dancer, and teacher
POSSUMUS AWARD (4 winners listed below)
The Possumus Award is presented to volunteers whose service efforts and positive energy have enriched the Holy Angels community. The Latin word Possumus means ‘We Can’ and is the motto of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the founders of AH
Tim and Carrie Cleary, parents to Kathryn ’12 and Megan ’15, were recognized for their service on the Board of Trustees, the Our Call: To Lead & Serve campaign cabinet, as team parents, and volunteering to lead Starfest and support the College & Career Center.
John and Kathy Orner, parents to Joe St. Mane ’08 and Jacob Orner ‘14, were recognized for their key role in the development of AHA’s academics, athletics, fundraising, finance and investment programs, as well as their role in starting the school’s first robotics team and STEM Diploma program.
Jeff and Tressa Patrias are parents to Brittany Patrias Letcher ’09, Thomas Patrias ’12 (married to Mary Margaret Duffy ’13), and Jeffrey Patrias ’14. They were recognized for their leadership on the Board of Trustees, for their successful fundraising efforts with both Starfest and Steak Fry, and for their involvement in many of their kids’ activities and interests.
On Friday, September 30, as part of the 2022 Homecoming Week, five new community members were inducted into the Academy of Holy Angels (AHA) Activities Hall of Fame. The Activities Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding participants in AHA sports and activities who, through their citizenship and achievements, have brought honor to themselves, their school, and the community. Congratulations to the 2022 inductees!
Pictured below (left to right): Kelly Graczyk Newlin '97, Randy Nelson, Jay Barribal '06, Fred Wroge, Kerry Graczyk Marshall '93
Jay Barribal '06
In recognition of his outstanding hockey and baseball careers. Jay played a leadership role on the Class AA State Hockey Championship team in 2005, earned First-Team All-State hockey honors twice, and received the Metro Hockey Player of the Year award in 2006.
Kerry Graczyk Marshall '93
In recognition of her outstanding dance career. In high school, Kerry was a State medalist four times. As Holy Angels coach, Kerry led the Starliners to the State Tournament multiple times with her team finishing 2nd in high kick in 2010 and 3rd in 2011.
Randy Nelson
In recognition of over 40 seasons of coaching and teaching at Academy of Holy Angels and the significant accomplishments of his boys golf program, which included eight State appearances and three State Championships (1994, 1998, 1999).
Kelly Graczyk Newlin '97
In recognition of her outstanding dance career. In high school, Kelly helped lead the Starliners to a top three State finish three times. In college, Kelly’s team at Minnesota State University, Mankato claimed two National Dance Team Titles (1999, 2000). As Holy Angels coach, Kelly led the Starliners to the State Tournament multiple times, with her team finishing 2nd in high kick in 2010 and 3rd in 2011. Kelly earned Minnesota Coach of the Year honors in 2009.
Fred Wroge
In recognition of his outstanding high school coaching career in Stars softball, which included a Class AA State Championship in 2000, a Class A State runner up in 1999, and a Minnesota State Coach of the Year honor in 2000. AHA also honors Fred for the many ways he has supported Holy Angels as an ambassador and bus driver.
Congratulations to these 5 remarkable AHA community members who were honored on October 8, 2021. They are Hall of Fame inductees Brendan Kelly '08, Lynn Olson, Bill Adams, Mary Jane Carroll Curran '71, and Rising Star Awardee Billy Koenig '99.
The Academy of Holy Angels' Angelus Award was established in 1991 to honor alumni who have demonstrated exceptional leadership and made outstanding lifetime contributions to their school, profession and community.
Here are all of the Academy of Holy Angels Angelus Award Winners
1991 Kathleen Cayley Kutler '53
1992 Elizabeth Holtby Hidding '37
1993 Jeffrey Meacham '79
1994 Mary Jo Holtby Copeland '60
1996 Annette M. Margarit '73
1997 Kathleen A. Blatz '72
1998 James Dunn '85
1999 JoAnn M. O'Neill '48
2000 Diane Palmer Lilly '65
2001 Helen Budde Weides '45
2002 Patricia Scallen Schaefer '54
2003 LaVerne Slagel Lewis '48
2004 Mary Johanna Giesen '57
2005 Kathy Hayes Meyer '53
2006 Marge Carlson Zieska '56
2007 Theresa Carr '77
2008 Rick Rodier '78
2009 Betts Giefer '45
2010 Kathy Hanley '71
2011-12 Judy Rauenhorst Doerr '70
2012-13 Martie Trader Glockner '57
2014 Joe Clubb '79
2015 Jane Foley Jaeger '53
2016 Steve Hoeppner ‘80
2017 Pam Matthews Kerber ‘73
2018 Ann Stiehm Ahlstrom ‘70
2019 John Banovetz ‘85
2021 Christine Hunt Anderson ‘71
2022 Bishop Paul Sirba '78+
2023 Karl Tourville
Bishop Paul Sirba ‘78 is the 2019-20 Angelus Award Winner
Bishop Paul Sirba ’78 was raised in Bloomington and attended Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary prior to his years at Academy of Holy Angels. Paul participated in tennis, speech, science club and yearbook. Paul was in German club and went to Germany and Austria on a trip with AHA students and Sr. Cecile Marie. He was selected to the National Honor Society as a junior.
In 1978 Paul was the Salutatorian of his graduating class as well as the recipient of the St. Thomas More Medal which since it’s beginning in 1974 recognizes one senior boy who best exemplifies the qualities of the Christian life. Paul was a talented pianist and took lessons from the Sisters of St. Joseph in the music room on AHA’s 4th floor.
Sirba was a member of several committees including the Priority and Plans Committee, Administrative Committee, and the Catholic Home Missions Committee. Bishop Sirba was also an active member of the St. Paul Seminary Board of Directors and the Episcopal Advisory Board for the Institute on Religious Life. He also served as the state chaplain of the Knights of Columbus.
Bishop Sirba remained involved at Academy of Holy Angels as an alum. In 2018, as part of the class of 1978 40-year reunion festivities, he celebrated Mass at the school's annual Rock the Lawn outdoor music festival. Previously, he generously offered the use of his bishop’s residence for AHA alumni events in Duluth.
Sirba was just 13 days away from the tenth anniversary of his episcopal consecration when he died suddenly and tragically from a heart attack on December 1, 2019.
Bishop Sirba’s survivors include his mother, Helen Sirba, two brothers Rev. Joseph Sirba and John Sirba, and sister Catherine Kelly, AHA class of 1976.
The entire AHA administration, faculty, staff, board of trustees and alumni family mourn the great loss of Bishop Sirba and send our prayers to all those who grieve with our community.
Christine Hunt Anderson ’71 is the 2019-20 Angelus Award Winner
Christine Hunt Anderson ’71 is the 2020 Angelus Award winner! Chris worked at AHA for more than 30 years beginning in the development office producing the Communique and assisting with public relations. She revived the student newspaper and taught journalism and yearbook.
She then earned her Master’s in Education and English degrees and taught every grade at Holy Angels. She created a challenging and robust Adv English 9 & World Lit. curriculum and was English Chair before her retirement in 2016. Chris received the 2016 Lunde Award of Teaching Excellence that recognizes outstanding contributions to the education, faith and well-being of AHA students.
In 2018 Chris and husband Ed established the David Anderson Memorial Scholarship that provides tuition assistance to an AHA student who has an interest in social justice.
The Activities Hall of Fame celebrates the outstanding participants whom have brought honor to themselves, their school and the community through their citizenship and achievements. The Hall of Fame also recognizes coaches/moderators and community members who have made significant contributions to the AHA sports and activities programs.
Mary Jane Carroll Curran ’71 is the 2019-20 Activities Hall of Fame Award Winner
Congratulations to Mary Jane Carroll Curran '71 who was inducted into the AHA Activities Hall of Fame. Mary Jane was the 1970-71 All-School President of Student Gvmt, a member of the NHS and the Girls State representative. Her basketball team was in the Little Brown Jug tournament all 4 years and they were champs her sophomore, junior and senior years. She taught English at Christ the King for many years and for the last 22 years she has taught 6th grade English and history at Breck. Mary Jane has been awarded the Jean Wigley Teaching Excellence and the Breck Middle School Faculty Chair Awards.
Learn more about the Angelus award and its winners here
The Academy of Holy Angels' Rising Star Young Alumni Award recognizes the professional accomplishments and/or community involvement of young alumni under the age of 40 who have achieved significant success:
2021 Rising Star Winner is Billy Koenig '99
Billy Koenig ‘99 is the recipient of the Holy Angels Rising Star Award for his remarkable impact with students and his amazing accomplishments and successes as a science teacher.
Billy was the first finalist from Shakopee for the Minnesota Teacher of the Year in 2014. He was one of just 10 education ambassadors selected by Climate Generation to represent the United States at the 2015 Paris Climate Summit where he presented to the over 200 countries. Billy was also featured by KARE 11 when he took a class of students mountain hiking in Mexico to create greater awareness of kidney cancer.
Billy wrote a successful grant proposal and, once selected, built an environmental classroom outside. Billy now teaches Environmental Studies and the AP Environmental Science at the Zoo School in District 196.
Learn more about the Rising Star Young Alumni Awards and its winners here
Learn more about our Hall of Fame and its winners here.
For more information about all of these opportunities, contact the Alumni Office at 612-798-2620 or alumnioffice@ahastars.org.
On Friday, September 30, as part of the 2022 Homecoming Week, five new community members were inducted into the Academy of Holy Angels (AHA) Activities Hall of Fame. The Activities Hall of Fame recognizes outstanding participants in AHA sports and activities who, through their citizenship and achievements, have brought honor to themselves, their school, and the community. Congratulations to the 2022 inductees!
Pictured above (left to right): Kelly Graczyk Newlin '97, Randy Nelson, Jay Barribal '06, Fred Wroge, Kerry Graczyk Marshall '93
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