Father-son duo Mike Yoken ’83 and Caleb Yoken ’15 share what inspires them to give back to St. John’s.
For many alumni, St. John’s Prep is more than a school—it’s a formative experience that instills Xaverian spiritual values, forges lifelong friendships, and creates a deep sense of community.
In this Q&A, we sit down with Mike Yoken ’83 and Caleb Yoken ’15, a father and son duo who both attended St. John’s, albeit 32 years apart. Together, they share the paths that led them to the Prep, the connections that continue to enrich their lives, and their enduring commitment to giving back. Read on as they reflect on what makes St. John’s special across generations and why they’re passionate about supporting its mission today.
Tell us about how you came to St. John’s, Mike.
Mike: I had been planning to attend Danvers High School, and had even gone to orientation, when my mother told me, “You’re going to the Prep.” My father had passed away in 1972, and so I had no real father figure in my life and was largely left to my own devices. I think my mother saw value in an all-boys learning environment and wanted to make sure I got on the right path in life. So all of a sudden I landed at St. John’s being a Jewish kid. But St. John’s was what I really needed.
Fast forward to 2011—Caleb, what about your decision to follow in your father’s footsteps as an Eagle?
Caleb: It just kind of fell into place for me. St. John’s was the perfect fit for me in a different way than it was for my dad. For me—and I didn’t realize this at the time—what I was really seeking was community. Right off the bat, in my first English class in Ben Hall with Kirstin McEachern, she asked us all to turn to the person sitting next to us and introduce ourselves. That was how I met Jack Vande Water ’15, who is still one of my best friends. It just clicked.
Do you still feel like part of that community as alumni?
Caleb: Absolutely. Seeing alumni at Prep events or even bumping into people wherever you are in the world … Whether you knew each other as students or you attended St. John’s in different decades, there’s this sense that we all have this positive shared experience. The more time that passes, the more I realize how rare that is.
Mike: I agree with you. I feel like I can talk to anybody who went to the Prep. There’s an instant connection. Even the people I see maybe once a year, the Prep gives us a common respect and ground to talk to each other. It’s really special. Like Caleb said, the Prep also gave me the community that I still have.
Acknowledging you represent two generations of alumni, how did Xaverian education and the Xaverian spiritual values shape your experiences? Which aspects of the values—compassion, simplicity, humility, trust, and zeal—resonate with you today?
Mike: I continue to think about the values as I go through my life, specifically simplicity and humility. The Brothers taught me that the world is bigger than me. They instilled in me that to get to where I want to be in life—be it socially or professionally—you need other people. Not only that, but you also need to be the person who lifts up other people.
Caleb: The Prep actually lives out the Xaverian values. They walk the walk. And because of that, alumni, students, parents, everyone in the community is really able to understand the values and follow them in a positive way.
In addition to being loyal donors, you are also alumni volunteers—Caleb as a peer-fundraiser on the Head of School Council Committee and Mike as a Trustee Associate. Can you talk about your involvement?
Caleb: I was a senior at Union College and was only able to make small donations at the time, but I wanted to do more. If I couldn’t give more financially, I figured I could help get other alumni to give and play a small part that way, so that’s when I contacted the Advancement Office and got involved with the committee.
The role is really about encouraging your peers to donate, to just call them up and ask them to make a gift. I’ve had a monthly recurring gift to the Fund for St. John’s for several years now, and a big part of my conversations with people is about that type of support. I tell them, “Hey, look, this is what I do. You set it up once, and you’re all set. Why don’t you start here?” And those gifts add up year over year. But it’s also the consistency of it that makes it meaningful. The Prep has shown up for me time and again, so I plan to continue showing up for them, ideally forever.
Mike: It’s coming back to the community for me. It’s being part of something special and knowing that you’re taking the mission, values, and vision—where the School is and where it wants to go—and you’re helping it. Whether you commit your time or give back financially or both—in a big way or in a little way as we do. It’s just being involved in the game. And it’s the little things that make you feel like you’re part of it.
Turning to giving—you both have been longtime loyal supporters of the Fund for St. John’s (the Prep’s annual fund). What inspires you to give back to the School year after year?
Caleb: My senior year, I served on the Senior Class Gift Committee, and that’s where I learned how tuition dollars only go so far and that the Fund for St. John’s covers a lot of needs every year. That’s where it started for me.
I also knew that my giving didn’t have to be a lot, that whatever I could donate at that time still mattered because those dollars would be helping students to have the same experience that I had, or hopefully an even better one.
Mike: If I’m going to put my money somewhere, I want it to be a place where I believe in the mission of what they’re doing. When it comes down to it, St. John’s wants the students to be good people and to get to where they want to be in life.
I’m also proud of how St. John’s has grown. I’m proud to be contributing to the School’s future vision. Even as St. John’s evolves and flourishes, the mission and values remain the same. The Prep opened the Middle School, and the mission and values stayed the same. They opened the Mahoney Wellness Center, which is incredible, but the School didn’t change. As a donor, you’re ultimately perpetuating that mission and the successes of the students in so many forms. It’s a no brainer to support that.
PREP TALK
Key Terms About Supporting St. John’s
Fund for St. John’s: The Prep’s annual fund, which provides critical financial support to the School’s operating budget each year. The success of the Fund relies on thousands of community members donating at all gift levels.
Recurring Gift: An ongoing donation that provides continuous support on a monthly or yearly basis. After the initial setup, installments are processed automatically, sustaining impact into the future.
Trustee Associates: This group of alumni, parents, and friends, many of whom are business and community leaders, supports St. John’s Prep by volunteering their time, talent, and treasure. Trustee Associates provide valuable feedback on strategic initiatives.
Head of School Council Committee: A group of dedicated alumni and parent volunteers who encourage community members to support the Fund for St. John’s.
Head of School Council: Recognition society that celebrates donors who contribute $1,000 or more cumulatively in a fiscal year (July 1–June 30).
True Blue Society: Recognition society for alumni who have donated for five or more consecutive years at any gift level.
If you would like to learn more about giving or getting involved as a volunteer at St. John’s Prep, please contact Managing Director of Annual Giving Elisabeth Munro at emunro@stjohnsprep.org or 978-624-1417.
P.S. Read more about the Prep alumnus who started out in the Improv Club and ended up at Nickelodeon.
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