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  • Don Recore, a board member of Mount Assumption Institute looks through pages of photos from past alumni reunions at the alumni office on the campus of Seton Catholic. Recore is spearheading an effort to open the former local high school's alumni office to other area Catholic high schools that have since closed or merged with Seton Catholic in Plattsburgh. P-R Photo/Andrew Wyatt

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July 2, 2010

New group for former Catholic school students

Local Catholic school alumni gather to save history

By JEREMY FISHER Contributing Writer

PLATTSBURGH — For years, the Champlain Valley was the home to multiple Catholic high schools.

Though Seton Catholic Central (formerly Mount Assumption Institute and St. John's Academy) is the only one left, alumni of all the former institutions now have a home with the Champlain Valley Catholic Schools Alumni Association.

"Our goal is to preserve the history of all the fine schools and, of course, support the students at Seton," Don Recore, alumni board member said.

Recore, an alumnus of Mount Assumption Institute Class of 1972, has been involved with the long-existing Mount Assumption/Seton Alumni Association for 17 years; he noticed that the remnants of all the former schools were fading away.

So the members of the Mount Assumption/Seton group decided to start a organization including the graduates of D'Youville Academy, Our Lady of Victory Academy and St. John's Academy as well as Mount Assumption and Seton Catholic.

"I think it is a very good idea," said Karen Larkin, a St. John's graduate. "Those who graduated know the benefits of Catholic schools. They are amazing."

The association decided to start a website through alumni networking site the Alumni Channel, helping organize its efforts to reach out to the nearly 5,000 alumni from 19 different countries that attended Catholic high schools over the years in the Champlain Valley.

"I want it to be a site where any alumni of Catholic schools in the area can be involved in," Recore said.

The website's administrator, he said the site includes classmate lists and discussion groups that can be useful for reunion planning. He also wants to include pictures, records and other memorabilia from all the former high schools on the site.

"Creating this website with the use of the Alumni Channel, it gives us a place where historical and contact information is available," said Don Moore, the board's treasurer. "For the older schools, trying to maintain contact was difficult, but this site is easier because all alumni can help us."

Moore, also a Mount Assumption graduate, and Recore said a lot of alumni are excited over the creation of the website and it has given the association an easier and cheaper means to send out newsletters to keep members updated and involved.

The association is also looking to fill its alumni room with items from the schools in the area to preserve their history.

With the consolidation of so many high schools that used to be in close proximity to each nother, Recore admits that competitiveness may factor into things.

"You're always going to have alumni who are competitive; the rivalries used to be fierce," he said. "I hope they will look past the rivalry because the schools are not there anymore."

Although the preservation of alumni contacts and school history is one main goal of the association, another is helping the current students enrolled at Seton Catholic.

"There are no dues to be a member of the website, but we do have fundraisers to provide scholarships to Seton," Recore said. "We built a computer lab for Seton, raised money for copiers and trophy cases."

He said the Mount Assumption/Seton Alumni Association has helped raise close to $100,000 for the school in the past 15 years.

Rene Demers, Seton Catholic's alumni director, hopes the alumni of the other schools will also contribute to the academy.

"Sometimes it is difficult because of the past history," Demers said. "We're hoping for that we can convince them to help out Seton because it is the only Catholic school left."

Larkin feels strongly about the importance of Catholic schools and hopes the new association will more promote a good future for the current schools rather than dwelling on the past.

"It's nice to look back at the good times, but we need to look forward," Larkin said. "It is important to sustain and nurture the Catholic schools."

Recore appreciated his time as a Catholic school student because it taught him and his classmates how to work.

"An advantage of this is teaching kids to let them know that everything is not provided in school," he said. "The best lesson for kids is to show them you need to work hard to appreciate what is earned."

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