Legacy of love: From student to parent, O’Gorman alum shares full-circle perspective

This paid piece is sponsored by Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

By Mike Heineman, O’Gorman High School class of 1996 and alumni parent

Almost everything great in my life is in some way tied back to Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools. I met my wife, Susie, class of 1996, at O’Gorman. Many of my friends as an adult are friends I met at O’Gorman. We have three kids that I feel are prepared for life because of the teachers, priests and administrators from our schools. I am grateful for the impact O’Gorman has had on my life; therefore, I want to make sure I help where I am able so we can continue to be a positive influence on families.

When Father Rutten asked me to be the representative from St. Mary on the school board for Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools, I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it. After thinking and praying about it for a couple days, I had to decide which was harder: Attend hours and hours and hours of meetings over the next four to eight years of my life, or tell Father Rutten “no” — so I have been a school board member for the past three years, and I am so thankful for the opportunity. It has given me the chance to see the dedication and faithfulness of our teachers and administrators. Being able to work alongside other people who love O’Gorman and what our school system stands for to ensure that we thrive in the future has been the most rewarding aspect for me.

Fond memories

One of the aspects that I love about my O’Gorman experience can be summed up by a recent parent-teacher conference I attended. We first sat down to discuss our boys in calculus with Mr. Lindemann, then we moved on to U.S. history with Mr. Krier. Mrs. Bradfield was next with personal finance; and lastly, we stopped to chat with Mrs. Mahoney, our principal. These are all teachers, coaches and administrators who have been at O’G since Susie and I went there. These are people that I trust, am familiar with, and I know how my kids will be taught and treated well because I have been a student in their classrooms.

My favorite memory of O’Gorman happened before I took a class. It was at the incoming freshman class dance the summer before school started. I was sitting against a pole in the lunch room because dancing hasn’t always been my thing. My buddy, Ryan Martinson, brought a girl over to introduce to me and she said, “Hi, I’m Susie Baer.” Nine years later, Susie and I got married, and seven years after that, we sent our first child to a Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools preschool at St. Mary Elementary.

Importance of mentorships

The O’G experience that my kids have had is one that makes me very grateful. Our oldest son, Will, who graduated this spring, was a little lost as a freshman and was looking for his “thing” to do in high school. One of the boys that he knew from soccer, Lucas Wagner, had heard about this and invited Will to come into the weight room one day after school to lift. The coaches there changed his life. They gave him confidence and encouragement. The powerlifting coaches — Vinnie Olson, Nolan Cleary and Colin Fromelt — transformed Will from a quiet kid who was unsure of himself into an outgoing, confident young man.

Our middle son, Zach, is an incoming junior and a soccer player. One of my favorite things about the soccer team is how the upperclassmen take the younger eighth graders, freshmen and sophomores under their wings. Transitioning into high school can be a very scary thing, but to have these older boys watching out for you and treating you like a peer and not a little kid has been so important to Zach. His eighth grade year, Mason Fritz, a senior at the time, really set the tone for Zach about what it meant to be a part of the O’G soccer team. Wesley Zimprich watched over him his freshman year, and Nick North mentored Zach in his sophomore year. I am looking forward to Zach carrying on this great tradition of leadership now that he will be an upperclassman and impacting the next group of young players like the older boys did for him.

Hannah just completed sixth grade at St. Mary Elementary. This fall will be the first year Susie and I won’t have a student at St. Mary in 15 years. My best memories of my kids at St. Mary definitely happened at the school Masses: watching them altar serve at Mass, saying the reading or bringing up the gifts. They are lucky enough to celebrate God with their friends and classmates, and that is truly a gift. When Hannah comes home from her day to tell me how many siblings Father Doty has or where Father Rutten’s favorite place to eat is, it makes me feel lucky that she gets to interact with amazing priests in our schools.

Quick plea to parents with kids at our schools

Today, with so many more schools in Sioux Falls, parents have more choices on where to send their children to get an education, and many students themselves are making those choices. I know from my recent volunteer time that the top two avenues people hear about our Catholic schools are from our parishes and friends. My plea to you is this: When you are talking with parents whose children attend other schools and they inquire about O’G, please tell them why you send your kids here and what you love about it. Offer to show them around, or invite them to a game or to visit with our admissions staff. Give them the opportunity to see what we all love about Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools.

If you are O’Gorman alumni with school-age children who are not in the system and are thinking of a change, please reach out to the admissions office at [email protected], and they can put you in touch with me. I would love to talk with you about Bishop O’Gorman Catholic Schools and why we choose Catholic education for our children!