Greensburg Central Catholic alumni to be honored at auction

Jan. 22—A Navy submarine officer, an English teacher at a school for migrant children and an attorney whose nonprofits have served thousands of children form the latest class of distinguished alumni of Greensburg Central Catholic High School.

The 2023 Distinguished Centurions are: Lt. Comm. Christopher Jessel (Class of 2004) of Norfolk, Va., honored as a young alumnus; Elise Nicoletti (1983) of Fresno, Calif., recognized in the service category; and Shari Shink (1966) of Wheat Ridge, Colo., honored for achievement.

A West Newton native, Shink earned degrees from Rutgers Law School and from the University of Pittsburgh, where she studied psychology. She was recruited to run a federal project studying quality legal representation for children, based on her work as an attorney in Pittsburgh.

A case representing a 2-year-old boy led her to form a nonprofit that evolved into the Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center. For 35 years, she served as executive director of the organization, which advocates for youths who have experienced trauma or instability and has had an impact on more than 15,000 Colorado children.

She retired from the center in 2020 and went on to form another nonprofit, Cobbled Streets, which provides opportunities for children in foster care to develop new skills and connections. She was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 2016.

Shink said she and fellow GCC students were taught to "pursue our ambitions, but not at the expense of others, to strive for success, but not without compassion for those less fortunate ... to be strong in our convictions, but humble in their expression."

After earning her secondary education degree at West Virginia University, Nicoletti moved from her native Greensburg to California, where she teaches migrant children in the Central Valley.

She has since earned a master's degree and chairs the English department at Los Banos High School. She was active in GCC music programs and has continued that interest by starting a children's choir at her church and playing for Masses at the Catholic school her two children attended.

She volunteers at her home parish and serves as a lector at St. Paul Catholic Newman Center.

A native of Latrobe, Jessel joined the ROTC program while attending the College of Holy Cross, where he earned a political science degree. He holds a master's degree in engineering management from Catholic University of America.

He has advanced from an ensign to executive officer of the submarine USS Montana. He is a member of the Knights of Columbus and takes part in their volunteer efforts.

He and his wife, Amy, have three children.

The three alumni will receive Distinguished Centurion Awards during a Kentucky Derby-themed Run for the Roses & GCC auction set for 6 p.m. Feb. 17 at Antonelli's Event Center in North Huntingdon. It will feature games, dancing and "a night at the races."

Tickets cost $70 and are available by visiting gcchs.org or bidpal.net/roses or by calling 724-834-0310, ext. 4201.

The first Distinguished Centurion Award was presented in 2002, to Robert DePasquale (1971), a professor of business administration at Saint Vincent College. He has served on the boards of many local organizations, including Adelphoi Village and the Eastern Westmoreland Junior Achievement Advisory Council.

The 2022 Distinguished Centurions were:

—Achievement — Pharmacist Ed Christofano (Class of 1992) of Mt. Pleasant, who operates three Hayden's Pharmacy locations in Westmoreland County along with the Youngwood Corner Market. He was named 2018 Citizen of the Year by the Mt. Pleasant Rotary.

—Service — Barbara Zello-Hanchock (1979) of North Prince George, Va., a registered nurse and clinical coordinator of the electrophysiology department at the Richmond VA Hospital. She helped found Sisters of the Heart, a ministry at St. James Catholic Church in Hopewell, Va., that provides crafts and music for nursing home residents.

—Young Alumna — Teacher Renee (Marko) Powell (2005) of Bridgeport, W.Va., who has partnered with a construction industry engineering firm to enhance STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) programs for her fourth-grade class at Big Elm Elementary School in Shinnston, W.Va.

(Editor's note: This story was updated.)

Jeff Himler is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Jeff by email at jhimler@triblive.com or via Twitter .