Snapshots: 25 Years of Xavier High School

- Below are "snapshots" of the MANY people and moments that are part of the shared history of Xavier High School.
SNAPSHOTS: 25 YEARS OF XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL
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  Jeff Henderson (former LaSalle HS Principal & Regis-LaSalle Chief Administrator), a guiding force behind the creation of Xavier High School, is the school's first principal. Mr. Henderson would eventually move on to serve as the Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Dubuque in 2004, but remains deeply engaged and supportive of Xavier to this day. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412332982_896813742139742_4104674812622252561_n.jpg _parent
  
  A Mass is held in the Ron Thillen Gymnasium along with a blessing of the various parts of the building by Archbishop Jerome Hanus. This event commemorated the completion of Xavier's construction and the beginning of its mission. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412411384_896814408806342_2704495752673624703_n.jpg _parent
  
  First Homecoming King & Queen: Roberto Pino (X99) and Laura Nelson (X99) prepare to light the bonfire. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412330533_896813648806418_636017931895647373_n.jpg _parent
  
  Xavier's first fall drama production "Evening of Melodramas" was a series of plays held in classrooms due to the theatre not being ready. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412352284_896813678806415_2269501617744903822_n.jpg _parent
  
  Xavier holds its first graduation commencement ceremony on May 30, 1999. There were 155 students in XHS Class of 1999. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412335922_896813635473086_3147926358731059192_n.jpg _parent
  
  Bernie, the Saint Bernard mascot of Xavier High School, officially arrives! /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412343526_896813592139757_7637393556574490324_n.jpg _parent
  
  The Xavier Dance Team (then known as the "Xavier Poms") wins state in Class VII Pom. XDT would go on to earn 21 1st Place finishes at the ISDTA championships over the next 25 years. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412332880_896814452139671_4172385292813703381_n.jpg _parent
  
  The University of Wisconsin marching band performs their "Fifth Quarter Routine" following Xavier’s overtime season-finale victory over CR Kennedy at Saints Field. The Wisconsin band was being hosted by band parents while the band was in the Corridor for the Iowa-Wisconsin football game in Iowa City that Saturday. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412378139_896813765473073_7928105563409854429_n.jpg _parent
  
  Michael Shedek (X01) wins state championships in wrestling during the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 seasons (Heavyweight class). /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412302865_896813572139759_4798804702277863936_n.jpg _parent
  
  XHS Girls Basketball wins Xavier’s first team state championship. This would be the first of 47 IHSAA/IGHSAU titles over next 25 years. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412346990_896813755473074_1992551817423033443_n.jpg _parent
  
  Former Dubuque Wahlert Athletic Director/Hall of Fame volleyball coach, Tom Keating, is named the second principal of Xavier High School as Jeff Henderson moves on to serve as the Superintendent of Schools for the Archdiocese of Dubuque. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412299568_896813845473065_6757693068986734240_n.jpg _parent
  
  David Drahozal (X07) returns the pivotal “Immaculate Recovery” 95 yards to defeat Bettendorf in the waning minutes of the Class 4A state semifinal. The Saints would go on to defeat Southeast Polk in the championship game to secure the 2006 "Big Class" state championship -- they remain the smallest school/roster to win a football championship in Iowa's largest class. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412321665_896813878806395_6609222125537195814_n.jpg _parent
  
  XHS students help city get back on its feet after the historic “Flood of 2008, ” which ravaged the city, essentially dividing the city in two, with I-380 serving as the only way to get to the other side. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412282214_896813865473063_7846677886563725292_n.jpg _parent
  
  Fr. Dustin Vu arrives as Chaplain of Xavier High School. Fr. Vu would go on to be instrumental in the faith development of Xavier Saints over the next decade. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412357651_896813958806387_5041560483846394795_n.jpg _parent
  
  Xavier begins to offer the Kairos Retreat for juniors. The Kairos Retreat aims to create an environment away -- a moment in God’s time -- in which participants may be awakened to the ever-present love of God. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412326938_896813605473089_8224761797102389224_n.jpg _parent
  
  Future American Idol contestant, Gabe Brown (X09) performs at Xavier's first “Battle of the Bands” competition. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412297169_896813975473052_7426899367261459754_n.jpg _parent
  
  Xavier Track & Field state champion (200M Dash & 100M Dash), Patrick Lewis (X09), wins the 2009 Drake Relays in the 100M Dash. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412312419_896813928806390_943178576732683191_n.jpg _parent
  
  Xavier moves to a uniform dress code. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412327382_896814052139711_2109087615227566208_n.jpg _parent
  
  Xavier introduces its 1:1 Digital Learning Environment, which consists of providing iPads for all students. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412291222_896813615473088_8509692743006346283_n.jpg _parent
  
  There is a changing of the guard in the lunch room from retiring Marge Carson (famous for her biscuits and gravy) to the 'Xtraordinary Lorraine Gaffney (pictured here with longtime food service staff member, Sandy Fetzer, who has been at Xavier since the beginning). /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412317984_896814072139709_3393979946454923181_n.jpg _parent
  
  The XHS Girls Soccer team wins a record eight consecutive state titles. Between 1998 and 2023, the girls program would win 10 total state titles, while the boys would go on to win eight. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412327671_896814138806369_5690713051265426169_n.jpg _parent
  
  XHS Boys Soccer head coach, Amir Hadzic, gets some serious air as he celebrates with the team after the Saints defeat defending champion, Norwalk, in overtime of the state semifinals. The Saints would go on to win the 2015 Class 2A title. In 2021, Coach Hadzic would move on from his coaching role at Xavier after serving as the XHS Boys Soccer coach for 15 years and leading the Saints to 13 state tournament appearances and five state titles. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412326928_896847885469661_5996097826290286276_n.jpg _parent
  
  The first "season" of Xavier's fundraising event, "Dancing with the Saints" is held at the Collins Road Marriott ballroom to an audience of 400+. This annual event would go on to raise more than a million dollars over the coming years to address various needs at Xavier and throughout Xavier Catholic Schools. It now hosts more than 1,100 guests at its sold out live events at the DoubleTree in downtown Cedar Rapids. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412312511_896814155473034_3197088921180549364_n.jpg _parent
  
  XHS students once again answer the call to protect the city from flood waters. With the flood threat occurring in late September and school already in session, Xavier dismissed classes early so that students could fan out across the community to help with sandbagging and other flood preparation/mitigation efforts. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412380878_896814195473030_4229479243350553591_n.jpg _parent
  
  XHS Campus Ministry launches the XCEED (Xavier Catholic Extraordinary Encounter Day) Conference for students. This conference offers a wide variety of "impact sessions" for students to select from and several keynote presentation to help them deepen and share their faith. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412315990_896814212139695_2570634089733595201_n.jpg _parent
  
  Saints Field receives a new playing surface. Gone is the significant crown that the field had come to be known for (which was the same height as that of Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI at the time of its installation) and in its place is artificial turf, complete with Xavier colors/branding and competition lines for football and soccer. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412275076_896814112139705_3406298117382239609_n.jpg _parent
  
  Alumnus/former XHS teacher/coach, Chris McCarville (R97), returns home to serve as Xavier High School's second president. Xavier switched to a President-Principal model in 2018 with Tom Keating moving from the principal position to serve as Xavier's president and Angela Olson moving from her associate principal to serve as principal. Tom Keating would go on to serve as the Executive Director for the Iowa High School Athletic Association. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412326687_896814242139692_6890378335819868948_n.jpg _parent
  
  Unable to offer a traditional commencement ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic, XHS principal, Angela Olson, personally delivers diplomas to homes of every 2020 XHS graduate. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412336212_896814298806353_8386250155182812359_n.jpg _parent
  
  Xavier launches its school-wide “Community System” to boost connection with God and each other. The system is comprised of five separate “communities,” each of which features a cross section of 9-12 Grade students, teachers and staff. The communities themselves are named after various saints: St. Catherine of Siena, St. Juan Diego, St. John Paul II, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and St. Pio of Pietrelcina (Padre Pio). Communities participate in a variety of activities together such as service projects, celebrating Masses and at pep rallies, and have time built in to the normal school day schedule to interact and learn about one another. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412321461_896814275473022_9201115193986056090_n.jpg _parent
  
  Recognizing the importance of having students learning in the building during the pandemic, Xavier implements health & safety precautions and modified schedules to keep in-person learning and activities in tact throughout the school year. The state of Iowa lifted event attendance restrictions that had been in place over the course of the year just prior to the 2021 graduation ceremony in May. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412309548_896814318806351_9143992941789776796_n.jpg _parent
  
  XHS Boys Tennis win their fifth state title over a seven year period under the direction of Coach Jim Potts. During this same stretch the girls program also won two titles with multiple runner-up state finishes with Coach Matt Foxhoven (X06). /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412294722_896840532137063_4115597396688165493_n.jpg _parent
  
  Former All Saints principal (and XHS parent), Lynn Holverson, is named Xavier's fourth principal. Angela Olson would move on to serve as Head of School at Regina in Iowa City. /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412297180_896814355473014_7959039694465761115_n.jpg _parent
  
  25 years down the road ... still there! /photoalbums/snapshots-25-years-of-xavier-high-school/412351241_896814382139678_7732519842310401448_n.jpg _parent
CELEBRATING 25 YEARS OF XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL!
- To learn how you can help us celebrate 25 years of Xavier High School and view more content about this special milestone, head to XavierSaints.org/25.
  
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