De La Salle Collegiate High School
Encyclopedia
De La Salle Collegiate High School is an all-boys Catholic
high school
run by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. Founded in 1926, the school was located on the east side of Detroit before moving to its current location in Warren, Michigan
in 1982. The school is dedicated to the Catholic education of its diverse students, including the poor
and disadvantaged. It is a college preparatory school inspired by the spirit and tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle, where learning takes place in the presence of God
. Each student is encouraged to develop his faith, character, intellect, and morality. This mission is embodied in the school’s motto: “Builders of Boys, Makers of Men.”
The school's most notable rivals in terms of athletics are Brother Rice High School
in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
, Detroit Catholic Central High School
in Novi, Michigan
, Saint Mary's Preparatory in Orchard Lake, Michigan,and U of D Jesuit High School in Detroit, Michigan
.
The school’s DLS logo was designed in the late 1960s by Sam Viviano
, Class of 1971, current Art Director for Mad Magazine. It is primarily used by the sports teams.
When the school first opened in 1926, a riverboat pilot (captain) was the school's mascot. In 1937, the school changed its mascot from the riverboat pilot to the present day airplane pilot, designed by Matt Sikora.
The student newspaper is called The Co-Pilot and is usually published by the journalism class.
The alumni newsletter is called The Collegiate and is published three times a year by the Office of Advancement.
During the school day, students with open mods are to be in one of the following places:
Classroom formal and informal prayers usually close with the following:
Reader: “St. John Baptist de La Salle.”
Response: “Pray for us.”
Reader: “Live Jesus in our hearts.”
Response: “Forever.”
The lyrics are as follows:
The lyrics are as follows:
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
run by the De La Salle Christian Brothers. Founded in 1926, the school was located on the east side of Detroit before moving to its current location in Warren, Michigan
Warren, Michigan
Warren is a city in Macomb County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The 2010 census places the city's population at 134,056, making Warren the largest city in Macomb County, the third largest city in Michigan, and Metro Detroit's largest suburb....
in 1982. The school is dedicated to the Catholic education of its diverse students, including the poor
Poor
Poor is an adjective related to a state of poverty, low quality or pity.People with the surname Poor:* Charles Henry Poor, a US Navy officer* Charles Lane Poor, an astronomer* Edward Erie Poor, a vice president of the National Park Bank...
and disadvantaged. It is a college preparatory school inspired by the spirit and tradition of St. John Baptist de La Salle, where learning takes place in the presence of God
God
God is the English name given to a singular being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism....
. Each student is encouraged to develop his faith, character, intellect, and morality. This mission is embodied in the school’s motto: “Builders of Boys, Makers of Men.”
The school's most notable rivals in terms of athletics are Brother Rice High School
Brother Rice High School (Michigan)
Brother Rice High School is a Roman Catholic all-boys non-residential college prep school with approximately 700 students located in Bloomfield Township, Michigan . Until 1993 its address was in neighboring Birmingham, Michigan's postal district. In 1993 the U.S...
in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Bloomfield Hills is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan, northwest of downtown Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 3,869...
, Detroit Catholic Central High School
Detroit Catholic Central High School
Detroit Catholic Central High School is a private, Catholic, all-male, college preparatory high school in Novi, Michigan. Founded in 1928 in Detroit, Michigan by the Archdiocese of Detroit, the school is operated by the Congregation of St. Basil...
in Novi, Michigan
Novi, Michigan
Novi is a city in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the population was 55,224, an increase over the 2000 census count of 47,386. The city is located approximately northwest of the center of Detroit, and northeast of the center of Ann Arbor. The city is located...
, Saint Mary's Preparatory in Orchard Lake, Michigan,and U of D Jesuit High School in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
.
History of De La Salle Collegiate
The school first opened in 1926 across from a river called Conner Creek, but Detroit City Airport opened soon after the building of the school. The airplanes taking off would often cause the building to shake, later necessitating a change in location. The first class graduated in 1929.Sports
De La Salle Collegiate is a Class A MHSAA-member school, as well as a member of the Catholic League Central Division in all sports with an enrollment of approximately 850 students from nearly 50 Metro Detroit communities and nearly 100 schools.Symbols
The school’s seal is used in relation to academics. It was redesigned in 2002 for the third time.The school’s DLS logo was designed in the late 1960s by Sam Viviano
Sam Viviano
Sam Viviano is an American caricature artist and art director. Viviano’s caricatures are known for their wide jaws, which Viviano has explained is a result of his incorporation of side views as well as front views into his distortions of the human face. He has also developed a reputation for his...
, Class of 1971, current Art Director for Mad Magazine. It is primarily used by the sports teams.
When the school first opened in 1926, a riverboat pilot (captain) was the school's mascot. In 1937, the school changed its mascot from the riverboat pilot to the present day airplane pilot, designed by Matt Sikora.
Student publications
De La Salle produces an annual yearbook called The Pilot which recounts the year’s events, activities, sports and academic achievements. It is usually distributed in the fall.The student newspaper is called The Co-Pilot and is usually published by the journalism class.
The alumni newsletter is called The Collegiate and is published three times a year by the Office of Advancement.
Class Day
The school day is divided into 16 mods, which are 23 minutes long. Science labs are three mods long (69 minutes), while regular classes are two mods (46 minutes). The school day begins at 7:45 AM and ends at 2:45 PM during most school days. De La Salle Collegiate operates on a rotating six-day modular schedule.During the school day, students with open mods are to be in one of the following places:
- library for quiet study, use of computers, or research
- student commons where students talk quietly, study, and socialize
- the cafeteriaCafeteriaA cafeteria is a type of food service location in which there is little or no waiting staff table service, whether a restaurant or within an institution such as a large office building or school; a school dining location is also referred to as a dining hall or canteen...
where students eat, socialize, and share a less quiet atmosphere
Religious notes
Prayers at De La Salle open with the phrase, "Let us remember that we are in the holy presence of God."Classroom formal and informal prayers usually close with the following:
Reader: “St. John Baptist de La Salle.”
Response: “Pray for us.”
Reader: “Live Jesus in our hearts.”
Response: “Forever.”
Academic and athletic recognition
- De La Salle Collegiate continues to receive national recognition for its academics, athletics and fine arts. De La Salle Collegiate has averaged 11 National Merit recipients annually for the last five years. In the last ten years, 99.8% of its students have enrolled in college after graduation.
- In 2001, the concert and jazz bands, as well as the show choir and men's chorus performed in ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. De La Salle’s band program was one of only two chosen throughout the United States to perform in China that year.
- De La Salle Collegiate sports teams have appeared in 15 state finals in various sports since 1982, finishing as finalists in basketballBasketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
(1982), soccer (1994), and footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
(2006 & 2008), while winning its first State Championship in 1990 in soccer. In 2011, Brennan Kelly became the first and only all-state wrestler in DLS history, taking 8th at the state tournament. DLS has won ten more State Championships (four in soccer, three in baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, two in bowlingBowlingBowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
and one in lacrosseLacrosseLacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
). The most recent state championship was won during the 2008-2009 school year when the school's baseballBaseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team won a state title en route to a 36-5 record.
- Their hockey team has consistently been among the top 10 teams in the state of Michigan for the last five years and has been to the Catholic League Championship game the past four years winning once in 2008 against Brother Rice. The team competes in the most elite league in the state, the MIHL.
- In 2009, De La Salle Collegiate had 5 athletic teams win the Catholic League Championship, setting a new school record. The 2009 football team had the best record in school history by going 13-1 losing in the State Championship. The class of '09 was the greatest sports class to go through the school. They also won a state championship in baseball.
- Sam Viviano became De La Salle's first Presidential Scholar in 1971.
- In 2010, De La Salle's second Presidential Scholar, Bernard VanBerkum, was named. Only 141 students across the country received the prestigious honor, having demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, artistic excellence, leadership, citizenship, service, and contribution to school and community.
Notable alumni
- Alex AvilaAlex AvilaAlexander Thomas Avila is an American professional baseball catcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball. He is 5' 11" tall and weighs 210 pounds. Avila was born in Hialeah, Florida.-Early Baseball Career:...
, Major League Baseball catcher for the Detroit TigersDetroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
(attended but did not graduate) - Joseph LoDucaJoseph LoDucaJoseph LoDuca is an American television and film score composer best known for his work writing television scores for the series Spartacus: Blood and Sand, Leverage, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, Xena: Warrior Princess, The Librarian Telefilm series, American Gothic and Jack of All Trades...
'70, Emmy Award-winning movie and television score composer. - Dan Loepp '75, is President of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Michigan.
- Brian MaisonneuveBrian MaisonneuveBrian Maisonneuve is an American retired soccer player who played as a defensive midfielder. He spent his entire professional career with the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer. He was a member of the U.S. soccer teams at both the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 1998 FIFA World Cup, earning a...
'91, former Hermann TrophyHermann TrophyThe Hermann Trophy is awarded annually by the Missouri Athletic Club to the United States's top male and female college soccer players.-History:...
winner and former professional soccer player with the Columbus CrewColumbus CrewThe Columbus Crew is an American professional soccer club based in Columbus, Ohio which competes in Major League Soccer , the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada... - J.P. McCarthy '50, former Detroit radio personality, WJRWJRWJR is a radio station in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It broadcasts a news/talk format. It is a class A clear channel station whose broadcasts can be heard throughout most of the Midwest, eastern United States and Canada at night, making it one of the most powerful radio stations in the...
Radio - Mike PeplowskiMike PeplowskiMichael Walter Peplowski is a retired American professional basketball player who was selected by the Sacramento Kings in the 2nd round of the 1993 NBA Draft. A 6'10" and 270 lb center, Peplowski played for the Kings, Detroit Pistons, Washington Bullets and Milwaukee Bucks in 3 NBA seasons...
'88, former Michigan State and professional (NBA) basketball player - Steve PhillipsSteve PhillipsSteve Phillips is a former American baseball analyst for ESPN and baseball executive. He served as the general manager of the New York Mets from 1997–2003...
'81, former New York MetsNew York MetsThe New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
General Manager; former ESPNESPNEntertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
Baseball TonightBaseball TonightBaseball Tonight is a program that airs on ESPN. The show, which recapitulates the day's Major League Baseball action, has been on the air since 1990.-Air times:...
analyst - William PulteBill PulteWilliam Pulte is the founder and chairman of Pulte Homes, one of the largest residential builders and real estate development companies in the United States, building over 450,000 homes since 1950 and operating in 53 markets in 27 states.-Career:...
'50, Chairman, Pulte HomesPulte HomesPulte Homes, Inc is a Bloomfield Hills, MI based company founded by Bill Pulte. Announced April 8, 2009, Pulte Homes has agreed to acquire Centex - creating the nation's largest homebuilding company in a stock transaction worth $3.1 billion, including $1.8 billion of debt...
; Ranked #754 on Forbes Magazine list of World's Billionaires. - Bill SheridanBill SheridanBill Sheridan is an American football coach who is currently the inside linebackers coach for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was a coach for a number of college teams, including Notre Dame and Michigan State. From 2005 to 2008 he was the linebackers coach for the New York...
'77, Miami DolphinsMiami DolphinsThe Miami Dolphins are a Professional football team based in the Miami metropolitan area in Florida. The team is part of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
' Inside Linebacker Coach, was part of the New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
' Super Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLIISuper Bowl XLII was an American football game on February 3, 2008 that featured the National Football Conference champion New York Giants and the American Football Conference champion New England Patriots to decide the National Football League champion for the 2007 season...
Champion team as a Linebackers coach. - Sam VivianoSam VivianoSam Viviano is an American caricature artist and art director. Viviano’s caricatures are known for their wide jaws, which Viviano has explained is a result of his incorporation of side views as well as front views into his distortions of the human face. He has also developed a reputation for his...
'71, Art Director, Mad Magazine - Craig WolaninCraig WolaninCraig W. Wolanin is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman who played thirteen seasons in the National Hockey League from 1985 until 1997–98.-Regular season and playoffs:-International:...
'85, former National Hockey LeagueNational Hockey LeagueThe National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
player, won the Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
with the Colorado AvalancheColorado AvalancheThe Colorado Avalanche are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver, Colorado, United States. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Avalanche have won the Stanley Cup twice, in 1995–96 and 2000–01. The franchise...
in 1996. - Jerry McCabeJerry McCabeDetective Garda Jerry McCabe was a member of the Garda Síochána, the police force of the Republic of Ireland. McCabe was murdered in Adare, County Limerick on 7 June 1996, by members of the paramilitary group, the Provisional IRA, during the attempted robbery of a post office van.-Early...
'83, former National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player for the New England PatriotsNew England PatriotsThe New England Patriots, commonly called the "Pats", are a professional football team based in the Greater Boston area, playing their home games in the town of Foxborough, Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium. The team is part of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National...
and Kansas City ChiefsKansas City ChiefsThe Kansas City Chiefs are a professional American football team based in Kansas City, Missouri. They are a member of the Western Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League . Originally named the Dallas Texans, the club was founded by Lamar Hunt in 1960 as a... - Keith Karpinski '84, former National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player for the Detroit LionsDetroit LionsThe Detroit Lions are a professional American football team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League , and play their home games at Ford Field in Downtown Detroit.Originally based in Portsmouth, Ohio and... - Chris GodfreyChris GodfreyChristopher James Godfrey is a former American football guard in the National Football League, primarily for the New York Giants. He started in Super Bowl XXI. Godfrey played college football at the University of Michigan. He also played with the Michigan Panthers of the USFL...
'76, former National Football LeagueNational Football LeagueThe National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
player for the New York JetsNew York JetsThe New York Jets are a professional football team headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, representing the New York metropolitan area. The team is a member of the Eastern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, New York GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
, and Seattle SeahawksSeattle SeahawksThe Seattle Seahawks are a professional American football team based in Seattle, Washington. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The team joined the NFL in 1976 as an expansion team...
who was a starting Offensive Lineman for the Super Bowl XXISuper Bowl XXISuper Bowl XXI was an American football game played on January 25, 1987 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 1986 regular season. The National Football Conference champion New York Giants won their first Super Bowl by defeating...
winning GiantsNew York GiantsThe New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League... - Allen Jefferson '87, former University of MichiganUniversity of MichiganThe University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
running back from 1987-1990. Had 15 touchdowns and 1089 yards from scrimmage for Bo SchembechlerBo SchembechlerGlenn Edward "Bo" Schembechler, Jr. was an American football player, coach, and athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Miami University from 1963 to 1968 and at the University of Michigan from 1969 to 1989, compiling a career record of 234–65–8...
and Gary MoellerGary MoellerGary O. Moeller is an American football coach best known for being head coach at the University of Michigan from 1990 to 1994. During his five seasons at Michigan, he won 44 games, lost 13 and tied 3 for a winning percentage of .758...
School song
The "School Song" was written by H. O'Reilly Clint in the late 1920s. It is traditional for each class to compete in singing the School Song at the first pep rally in the fall, although this traditional has fallen off in recent years.The lyrics are as follows:
- "De La Salle, we’re rooting for you,
- De La Salle, oh can’t you see,
- Everyone of us is for you,
- We’ll cheer you on to victory.
- Rah! Rah!
- To the Gold and to the Purple,
- We will pledge our loyalty,
- And may years add but fame
- To that grand old name.
- De La Salle! De La Salle!"
Alma mater
The "Alma Mater" was written, like the "School Song", by H. O'Reilly Clint in the late 1920s.The lyrics are as follows:
- "De La Salle, we pledge to thee
- Hearts inspired with loyalty
- Proudly we thy praises sing;
- Boldly may thy anthems ring.
- Purple and Gold,
- To thee we shall be true;
- Alma Mater ever faithful
- Sons for you."