Hearts of Blue & Gold: Living the Mission

A Blueprint for Leadership

This calling is evident in the lives of Dan and Courtney Hilbrich Markovich. Dan ’98 serves as chairman of BNI’s Board of Limited Jurisdiction, while Courtney ’95 leads as president of both the BNI Foundation and Friends of Hospice in the Calumet Area. “Looking back at my time at Bishop Noll, the idea of service was instilled in me as a student, especially in Theology class,” Dan said. “Teachers went beyond the classroom subjects to instill in us the concept of service to the community, volunteering and giving back.” Starting as a sophomore at the Hammond Knights of Columbus, Dan’s volunteerism expanded to the Boy Scouts Calumet Council, Nazareth Home and now the BNI board. He credits teachers like Mr. Queyquep and Mrs. Lenzini for shaping his path. “Courtney and I have always been involved in some sort of service in giving back to the community,” Dan said. “And here I am today serving on the board of BNI.” “There are so many meaningful causes that depend on volunteers. I encourage Bishop Noll students to explore the causes that resonate with them, discover where their passions and talents can make a difference, and find their own path to service. By doing so, they not only enrich the lives of others but develop a deeper sense of purpose and connection to their community.” Bernadette “Bobbi” (Peters) Costa ’56, center, attended Noll’s Centennial Gala in 2021 with her family. Her passion for service lives on through her descendants. An Unyielding Legacy Bernadette “Bobbi” (Peters) Costa ’56, who passed away this August at 88, devoted more than 50 years to volunteerism. Mother to four BNI alumni—Kris Sakalaris ’78, Kyle ’81, Kelli Lucito ’86, and Kara Meyer ’89—Bobbi served 46 years with the General Federation of Women’s Clubs and four decades on the Haven House board. During a 1990s crisis there, she worked at the women’s shelter daily for a month to keep its doors open. Bobbi’s passion for service took root during her high school years at Bishop Noll when she really “came into her own,” said her eldest daughter, Kris. Kris said she and her three siblings supported whatever cause her mom cared about — Kris also devoted more than 20 years serving on the board at Haven House. “The example that she gave all of us was something we all took to heart,” she said. “We were fortunate as a family that we had parents who gave that to us. There are six grandchildren, and I can see that also in them. They do random acts of kindness that people may not see but build their character.” Answering the Call, At Home and Abroad For Navy veteran Matthew Phelps ’03, the foundation of service built at BNI eventually took him to Ramadi, Iraq, in 2005, where he served as a Fleet Marine Force (FMF) Corpsman with the 1st Battalion, Matthew Phelps ’03 attended his son’s community helper week at his school, where he talked about the Marine Corps, read a book and highlighted the importance of community service. 5th Marines. Today in Johnston County, North Carolina, Phelps serves as Chaplain for Marine Corps League Detachment #1236—an effort that earned him Marine of the Year honors. He coordinates Toys for Tots, presents Eagle Scout awards, plants Memorial Day flags on veterans' graves, and hosts VA hospital bingo games. “I lead our prayers and check in on any members or their families who are currently in distress,” Phelps said. “Whether playing bingo with active seniors or talking to students during community helper week, service is about keeping our veterans and neighbors connected.” Rooted in Service Mary Anne (Pullen) Neiner ’74 grew up in a family rooted in Catholic education—one of six Pullen siblings to graduate from BNI between 1969 and 1983. Fifteen years ago, Mary Anne and her husband, Mark, turned a personal challenge into a lifeline. When their son, now 36, reached adulthood with autism, they recognized a critical gap: Young adults aging out of high school needed structural support to build employment skills. In spring 2011, they started vegetable seeds in their garage with four young adults, utilizing donated church land. That effort grew into Planting Possibilities, a nonprofit organization that has employed eight staff members and placed more than 50 individuals with developmental disabilities into meaningful jobs—ranging from grocery store baggers to civil engineers. Mary Anne (Pullen) Neiner ’74 and her husband formed the nonprofit Planting Possibilities to help those with developmental disabilities find meaningful jobs. “In the parable of the Sheep and the Goats, Jesus said,  ‘…whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters, you did for me,’” Mary Anne said. “We serve Jesus by serving our clients…. My constant prayer is to make good decisions, and whenever a challenge feels overwhelming, God opens a path to a solution.” It is my goal that Planting Possibilities lives beyond my earthly life. My constant prayer is that I make good decisions. There have been times when a particular problem, either money wise or in other ways, felt overwhelming. Lo and behold, the phone rings and it’s a path to a solution to the problem. I truly believe if you keep God as your partner, He will help you out! HOW TO GET INVOLVED WITH PLANTING POSSIBILITIES: Visit plantingpossibilities.org or email  admin@plantingpossibilities.org. Jasmine Renwick ’13, left, volunteers at Camp Quality Illinois, as does Eileen O’Connor ’11. Community, Connection and Camp For Jasmine Renwick ’13, service is about community. For 14 years, she has volunteered with Camp Quality Illinois, an organization letting children with cancer simply be kids. After completing high school volunteer hours behind the scenes at Camp Quality, Renwick became a 1-on-1 summer companion at age 18. Today she handles marketing and photography alongside fellow alumna Eileen O’Connor ’11, who serves as medical coordinator. “The best part about Bishop Noll is the community,” Renwick said. “Everything we did to give back—whether canned food drives or jeans days—taught us to ask, ‘What can I do?’' Once I found Camp Quality, it matched exactly what had been instilled in me through faith, family and school. Mr. Bentley and Ms. Conley taught me how to be a well-rounded person and go forth and be somebody.” HOW TO GET INVOLVED: Visit campqualityusa.org/camp/illinois/ Faith and Fraternity For David Negrete ’99, the spark of civic responsibility was ignited inside his high school classrooms, taught by teachers like Mr. Tutacko and Mr. Bentley. David Negrete ’99 dedicates his time and service to the Knights of Columbus, currently serving as the state advocate for the Indiana State Council. “Those classes lit a patriotic flame in me,” Negrete said, “teaching that citizenship requires actively giving back to the community and country that s haped you.” At Noll, Negrete participated in student government, campus ministry and admissions recruiting. Following September 11, 2001, Negrete joined the Knights of Columbus Marquette Council 3631. Over 25 years, he has held numerous leadership roles, championed Special Olympics, and serves as state advocate for the Indiana State Council. At St. Mary’s Church in Griffith, he serves as catechist, pastoral council president and lector. Continued ➜ 3Blessing BNI’s Surroundings 2019 Alumna Returns as Campus Minister campus ministry “Seeing men respond to tragedy by simply asking, ‘What can we do to help?’ was a call to service for me,” Negrete said. “Noll allowed me to find my voice. It gave me the confidence to become comfortable with the man I wanted to become.” He officially joined Council 3631 on September 22, 2001, introduced to the group by Tom Wojcinski ’00. Over the past 25 years, Negrete has held numerous leadership offices, spearheaded initiatives like the Tootsie Roll Drive and championed causes like the Special Olympics. Today, Negrete views being a Warrior and a Knight as overlapping bridges. He invited former BNI Drama Club classmates and friends to join his council. “Bishop Noll holds a very prominent place in my heart,” Negrete said. “Noll allowed me to find my voice. More importantly, it gave me the freedom to accept myself for who I was. That foundation has shaped the way I have lived my faith and served others ever since.” 57 years of service to God 4 Also serving the Church and its members is Deacon Martin Brown ’79, a familiar face to the faithful at BNI, at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels and at other diocesan parishes. He reminds us that the word deacon comes from the Ancient Greek word diakonos, meaning servant, minister or messenger, and says his life of service to God and the Church began in 1969 after receiving his First Holy Eucharist. That’s when, 57 years ago, he was trained to be an altar boy at Sacred Heart Parish in Gary. He said he was “following in the footsteps of my four older brothers, with one exception: I did not have to learn Latin prayers.” He acknowledges the most visible presence of a deacon is when he is serving at Mass. However, he says, “The true work of the deacon is outside of the confines of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass as outlined in Acts 6: 1–7.” That passage is when the apostles first appointed men “of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom,” to go beyond the walls of worship to spread the Word of God throughout the community. “The commitment I made was in the Mass of Ordination when Bishop Melczek extended the Book of the Gospels to me and said, ‘Receive the Gospel of Christ, whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe, and practice what you teach.’ ” Deacon Brown lives that commitment in his day-to-day life and in many hands-on volunteer roles, among them being a dedicated mentor for local Scouting groups, volunteering in the kitchen at BNI’s Lenten fish fries, and more. READ THE FULL STORIES ONLINE!  Scan the QR code or visit bishopnoll.org to read complete extended prof iles, full Q&As, and photo galleries for all featured alumni. Seven years ago, Jalynn Edwards was navigating the halls of Bishop Noll as a senior about to graduate. This summer, she returned to her alma mater to take on a leadership role as BNI’s Campus Minister. This summer, Saul Cordero ’26 (Scout Troop 537, Griffith) left a permanent gift to the BNI neighborhood. He achieved the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout by designing, funding and building a wooden Blessing Box stationed on Hoffman Street. The box is positioned near Bishop Noll and the Albertine Home, bearing the invite, “Take what you need, leave what you can.” The structure provides round-the-clock food access to local neighbors in need. The Gospel mission at BNI is built on action. Students complete 20 service hours annually, while families complete 15. Under sponsor Mr. Ed Watrobka, the BNI Service Club partnered with the Hispanic Student Union and Catholic Charities for a Lenten food drive. To address regional food deserts, members also cleared debris and planted vegetables at Gary’s Nichols Park, turning an abandoned plot into a community garden. “I like helping out the community,” senior Camila Berumen said. Classmate Brianna Ballesteros added, “This will give me the experience of what I can do in the future as well to help.