EIGHTH-GRADE CADET Brandon Villareal called out the cadence.
“Left, left, keep in step,” he cried. “Oh, yeah,” about 100 boys responded, as they marched in formation across the asphalt parade area.
St. Catherine’s Academy, a unique Catholic military-style academy and boarding school in Anaheim for 135 boys, staged its centennial celebration on a postcard spring day last month.
ST. CATHERINE’S ACADEMY CADETS PARTICIPATE IN A PRESTIGIOUS DRILL EVENT ON MARCH 29 DURING THE SCHOOL’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION. PHOTOS BY ALAN WENDELL/DIOCESE OF ORANGE
A crowd of about 350, including generations of alumni and their families and families of current cadets attended the gathering, each greeted with “Welcome Back Home,” from members of the school staff.
“It still lives with me every day,” said Lee Lantz, class of ’62.
He arrived in the seventh grade as a student with failing grades and lazy habits. “Every time I drive by it all comes back,” he said, while thumbing through old yearbooks and memorabilia from the school. While at St. Catherine’s, Lantz learned the discipline and habits he needed to succeed.
STAFF SGT. TYR MAY ADDRESSES ST. CATHERINE’S ACADEMY CADETS BEFORE THE START OF THE SCHOOL’S CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION ON MARCH 29.
“My grades went straight up,” he said.
Originally opened by the Dominican Sisters of Mission San Jose in 1889 as an orphan asylum for girls and later boys, over the years St. Catherine’s transformed into a boys military academy in 1925 led by Capt. Daniel Healy under the auspices of the sisters.
“This wasn’t necessarily meant to be a military school originally, but the military is so good at making leaders with good morals and values,” Head of School Bridget Ronan said of the transition.
Today, St. Catherine’s is the only private, Catholic, military-style day and boarding school for boys in third through eighth grades in the United States. St. Catherine’s also offers instruction beginning at TK. There are 36 boys who live on campus either five or seven days a week. The numbers are down from about 160 students in the wake of the pandemic. The school can accommodate about 200 and is seeking applicants.
In 2007, “military” was dropped from its name and St. Catherine’s is a self-described “Catholic school with a military tradition.”
GROUP OF CADETS POSE FOR A PHOTO DURING ST. CATHERINE’S ACADEMY CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION.
Academically, it has a rigorous curriculum that meets or exceeds Diocese of Orange and the state standards, with English learning available for international students. Classes average 15 students per teacher, with Dominican sisters leading a number of classes.
When asked who the toughest teacher was, cadets instantly respond “Sr. JoAnn,” the eighth-grade math teacher for the last 20 years.
There are weekly Sunday Masses on campus, conducted by Fr. Michael Pontarelli, also an alumnus from the class of ‘69.
The school has two former Marine military advisors, Staff Sgt. Tyr May, military director, and assistant Cpl. Nico DeTour, a school alumnus, class of 2003.
“We kind of ‘kiddify’ it for our boys,” May said of the military training. “We teach them to put each other first.”
Added Ronan: “A lot of people hear ‘military school for boys’ and think it’s for bad kids. It’s not that. We help students discover their gifts and get to know themselves. They really do become leaders.”
St. Catherine’s is not affiliated with the Jr. Reserve Officers’ Training Corps, a federal program sponsored by the U.S. Armed Forces. The military instructors teach not only marching and drills, but also leadership, and the “Fourteen Leadership Principles of the Marine Corps.” The cadets also learn a variety of survival, camping and outdoor skills.
As part of its movement away from militarism, the school closed its rifle range, and the boys now use canes rather than rifles in close order drills.
The campus sits on 8 acres next door to St. Boniface Catholic Church and includes a convent for the sisters. There is a rec room, study hall, dining room, gym and classrooms. The is also a sports field and an obstacle course which is being refurbished after a successful fundraising effort. The school offers sports in the Parochial Athletic League (PAL), music instruction and other activities. And no video games or electronic devices are allowed.
Most importantly, according to school officials, are the values and faith imparted.
“We are giving boys strong male role models and helping them into becoming young men,” Ronan said. “Today, society has lost a lot of those values.”
The school’s motto is “Making of Men.” For May, the school helped remake him.
“I felt an emptiness when I left the Marines,” he said. “In 1998 I saw an ad (for St. Catherine’s) and thought, ‘Oh, my gosh, this place is for me.’ I’ve been here ever since.”
He understands many parents fear the image of the hard-as-nails drill instructor disciplining their children. However, May said he melds the military attitude with compassion and empathy. But undergirding the school are the core principles May said at the centennial.
“We still have foundational discipline,” he said. “Motivation comes and goes, but discipline gets you where you need to be. We’re trying to make you proud alumni.”
Anyone interested in learning more about St. Catherine’s Academy or taking a campus tour can contact the Admissions Office, (714) 772-1363, or by email to [email protected]