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Center for Catholic Education at UD

Lalanne's 20 Year Legacy

By Lindsey Bronder

After 20 years of service in Catholic schools, the Lalanne program has been blessed to have more than 190 graduates as part of the Lalanne family. While 89% are still in education, others have embarked on different paths. Yet Lalanne’s pillars of service, spirituality, and community are still present and can be found in these alumni’s stories.

So where are Lalanne alumni now? 

sarah-budd.jpgSarah Budd (Lalanne 2007-2009 Indianapolis community)

  I am blessed to be in my twelfth year teaching in Indianapolis, Indiana. I began Lalanne teaching a 3/4 split at Saint Anthony Catholic School.  During my third year, enrollment had increased enough that third and fourth grade could be split into their own classrooms, so I began my time teaching third grade. Then in a surprising turn of events, the Archdiocese of Indianapolis made Saint Anthony a charter school. I spent my fourth through seventh years teaching third grade at Padua Academy Charter School, formerly Saint Anthony.
     It was after my seventh year that I knew I had to get back into faith based education. I missed praying with the students, going to mass, and celebrating religious feast days. I began looking for positions at Catholic schools, but I couldn't find anything that was a good fit. Then I was introduced to the Oaks Academy, a private Christian school whose mission is ethnic and socioeconomic diversity. When I found out that fourth grade humanities began the year by studying Jesus' life and the early church, I knew that I had found where I was meant to be! In August, I began my fifth year teaching fourth grade at the Oaks Academy. It is a place where I see God daily and where I am called to know and love each child that I teach.
     Lalanne was always my plan after graduation. I had teachers at Chaminade-Julienne Catholic High School that were in Lalanne, so I knew it was a wonderful program and a great way to begin my teaching career.  However, I am not sure I understood how much Lalanne would change my life. I lived with and taught with some of the greatest people I have ever known. I also fell in love with teaching those who are less fortunate and those who need to be known and loved, so that they are "seen" by someone. I will forever be grateful for my Lalanne experience. 

mceldowney.jpgBryan McEldowney (Lalanne 2003-1005 Cleveland community)

 It's hard to believe that it's been 13 years since I graduated from Lalanne. Life has taken quite a fun path since then. I moved to Cincinnati, continued teaching high school physics for five years in two different districts, coached high school and small college basketball, got married to a fellow Flyer (Anne Feight, '03) along the way, changed careers and welcomed three boys to the family - Jacob (15), AJ (13) and Wyatt (8).
     I didn't necessarily realize things would play out this way at the time, but many of the folks in the Lalanne program have had a profound impact on my life. Erin (Wysocki) Barsotti, a friend from our undergrad years as Flyers and fellow Cleveland Lalanne alumna, introduced me to Anne. Another Cleveland Lalanne alumna Erin (Gregory) Eiser and her husband Adam were instrumental in the career change. And, in my current profession, I see Detroit Lalanne alumni Brandon Longmeier several times a year.
     I recently started my ninth year in athletic communications and fifth as the assistant athletic director for communications and media services at Northern Kentucky University. In essence, my department of four full-time individuals and team of interns and student-workers oversees the public relations, media relations and serves as a stand-alone news source for NKU's athletics department. The passion I developed for education during my teaching career permeates how I lead Northern Kentucky's athletics communications efforts. From the team of approximately 15 students that staff key positions of our ESPN+ and CW Cincinnati broadcasts to a pair of student internships, serving NKU's students by providing them with relevant and valuable experience is at the heart of our department goals.
     While working in collegiate athletics is a time demanding field, it does afford a few awesome benefits. Anne and the boys traveled with me and the Norse men's basketball team to Northern Kentucky's first-ever NCAA Tournament appearance in Indianapolis in March 2017.

angela-gudz.jpgAngela (Dambrosio) Gudz (Lalanne 2002-2004 Dayton Community)

 During my time in Lalanne, I taught kindergarten at Holy Family Catholic School in East Dayton. Our Dayton Community happened to be two houses away from my school. I will never forget my days of walking down the block to and from school and living on the same street as a many of my students. I remained at Holy Family until 2006 when the urban Catholic Schools in the Dayton area consolidated. If Holy Family had remained open, I would most likely still be teaching there today. My heart belonged to the school, staff, parish and the families. One of my fondest memories of teaching in Lalanne is standing at the doors to let the students into the building each morning and saying a quick prayer as a staff.
     In June of 2006, my husband and I were married at the University of Dayton chapel. Dan and I currently live in Waynesville, Ohio with our two children Sophia (10) and Jack (7). They attend Springboro Community Schools and Incarnation Catholic Church for their religious education.  After the closing of Holy Family, I was hired at Springboro Community Schools as a second grade teacher. Since then I have taught second grade, first grade and most recently reading intervention. Two years ago, I decided to teach part time so that I would be home more with Sophia and Jack. This change has been a tremendous blessing in my life. It allows me to do the two jobs I love the most, being a teacher and a mom.
     My experiences in Lalanne shaped me to be the teacher I am today. Fostering a sense of community in my classroom and educating the whole child are just two examples of the valuable lessons I learned in Lalanne. Many lifelong friendships were made sitting around the dinner table, praying in the Chapel and laying on one of many couches in the living room after a long day of school. My faith was forever strengthened throughout this experience.

 

We love hearing from our Lalanne family! Share your news with us and be featured in a future edition of "Where are they now?" in an email to Lalanne@udayton.edu. Taken from the Lalanne Newsletter.

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