Greetings! I hope this letter finds you happily enjoying the summer with family and friends and that your connection to our beautiful school continues to bring you pride and fond memories. As we reflect on another remarkable year, I am delighted to share this edition of Coeur à Coeur, which highlights the events and accomplishments that exemplify the spirit, excellence, and traditions that continue to define our community.
This year, we are especially proud to recognize the members of the Class of 2026 who earned the distinction of Global Scholar. Through rigorous coursework, advanced language study, meaningful service, and sustained engagement with global issues, these students have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to understanding the cultures, perspectives and challenges that shape our interconnected world. Their accomplishments reflect the values of intellectual curiosity, compassion, and leadership that are at the heart of a Woodlands education, and we are delighted to share their reflections on this transformative experience in the pages that follow.
In this issue of Coeur à Coeur, celebrate with us the extraordinary success of this year’s graduating class in the college admissions process. Our seniors earned acceptances to an impressive array of outstanding colleges and universities, a testament to their academic excellence, leadership, service, and resilience. They achieved this with the support and guidance of our remarkable faculty and staff, who are committed to the success of each student.
This spring, one of our most cherished traditions — the Junior Ring Ceremony — marked the transition of student leadership to the Class of 2027. This special milestone signifies an important moment in each student’s journey, symbolizing commitment, sisterhood, and the values that unite generations of graduates. Watching our students receive their rings reminded us that while each class leaves its own unique mark, it also becomes part of a legacy shared by all who have come before.
Alumnae, parents of alumnae, and current families, you remain an essential part of that legacy. Your accomplishments, generosity and continued engagement inspire our current students and strengthen the bonds that connect our entire community. I hope you will enjoy the photos from Congé ‘26 and mark your calendar for next year’s event, to be held on Saturday, May 1. We are grateful for your ongoing support and hope you will continue to celebrate these milestones with us, whether by attending events, sharing good news about our students, or simply staying connected.
Thank you for remaining such an important part of the Woodlands story. We look forward to sharing many more achievements and traditions with you in the years to come.
With warm regards,
Susan Tyree Dempf, Ph.D. HEAD OF SCHOOL
Going for the gold in NYC
Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart earned Gold Level rankings across every category at the WorldStrides Music Competition, held at Riverside Church in New York City from April 10-12. Three musical ensembles from Woodlands performed in front of nationally acclaimed adjudicators and learned from the feedback they received during this “Big Apple” event, which drew participants from across the country.
Woodlands Academy’s two choral entries competed in Class 2A. The student-led Microscope choir brought home a Gold plaque, as did the Kaleidoscope choir, under the direction of Woodlands’ music teacher Claudia Vining.
The Woodlands Academy Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Woodlands orchestra director Kurt Johnson, competed in Class 1A and returned home with a Gold award as well.
In addition to these ensemble accolades, two Woodlands Academy students won prestigious individual honors at the WorldStrides Music Competition. Annabelle Hayes ’26 and Madeline Lillis ’27 each earned Maestro Awards from festival adjudicators. Maestros recognize extraordinary musicianship demonstrated during the competition.
While in New York, Woodlands’ musicians visited their sister school, Convent of the Sacred Heart – 91st Street, where the
Woodlands choir performed for the school, met members of 91st Street choirs, and teamed up to sing a collaborative piece combining choral groups from both schools.
“It has been an absolute joy to work with the girls leading to this fantastic opportunity to compete in the New York City WorldStrides competition,” said Vining. “I am proud of the choir’s commitment and devotion to their craft. Their beauty and skill level that was on display was well recognized by the judges.”
The trip also included a full New York experience: seeing “Wicked” on Broadway, touring Radio City Music Hall, taking in the view from the “Top of the Rock,” exploring the Museum of Broadway, visiting Central Park, attending Mass at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, and enjoying some classic food truck favorites.
This trip was the latest in a string of top-tier award-winning performances by Woodlands Academy vocalists and instrumentalists at competitive festivals held in different cities each year.
Music performed at the New York City event was also featured during Woodlands’ annual Fine Arts Evening in May.
Woodlands students conduct research at Argonne
Four Woodlands students received real-world chemistry experience in one of the nation’s leading research centers.
Through the Exemplary Student Research Project (ESRP) program sponsored by Argonne National Laboratory, Margaret Glunz ’26, Annabelle Hayes ’26, Emanay Piracha ’27, and Kirah Romero ’27, took part in an independent science research class mentored by Argonne scientist Dr. Sahana Sukumar. Woodlands chemistry teacher Dr. Valerie Rickert arranged the students’ participation in the program and worked with them throughout the 2025-26 school year.
The ESRP program connects selected schools with Argonne scientists to encourage student engagement in STEM research. After Woodlands was accepted into the program, the team was paired with mentor Dr. Sukumar to investigate how different metal ions affect the structure of insulin.
Building on previous research, the students crystallized insulin using magnesium, zinc (as a control), and vanadium, then analyzed the samples through X-ray crystallography. Viable crystals were sent to a beamline in New York for further study.
The students presented their findings at the APS/CNM User’s Meeting at Argonne on May 5, joining fellow ESRP participants and professional researchers from leading institutions, including Penn State College of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Harvard University.
Glunz, Hayes, Piracha, and Romero presented an overview of their project and their findings to the Woodlands community at the end of the school year. Their poster summarizing their research and findings will be displayed in the hallway outside the Woodlands chemistry lab in the coming school year.
Students recognized as National Merit
Scholars
Maya Whiteman ’26 (left) was named among the less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors achieving semifinalist status in the 71st annual National Merit Scholarship Program. In addition, Evelyn Maria Seliga ’26 (right) was among the approximately 34,000 high school seniors nationwide to receive a Letter of Commendation for exceptional academic promise demonstrated by her performance on a qualifying test.
Students receive Golden Rose Awards
Two Woodlands students have been honored with the 2026 Golden Rose Award. Giselle Vazquez ’26 and Nicole Waldman ’27 are among the latest recipients of this annual award, which is given to high school-aged Catholic young women in Vicariate 1 of the Archdiocesan Council of Catholic Women. The Golden Rose Award honors young women who demonstrate leadership, spirituality, service, and commitment to their parish and Catholic faith.
Vasquez and Waldman, both of whom attend church services in the Waukegan-based Most Blessed Trinity Parish, received their awards during a Feb. 7 ceremony at the Chevy Chase Country Club in Wheeling.
“I never thought I would be given an award so prestigious,” Vazquez said. “The Golden Rose Award signifies that I am on a great track to becoming an even stronger and devoted Catholic, … and I am deeply grateful to be given the opportunity to receive something this valuable.”
Vazquez’s parish service includes participating in a drive for products done through her confirmation course. “It was more than just buying essentials for others; it was the act of helping people in need,” Vazquez said. “As a Catholic, providing aid for others is what plays a vital role in developing one’s understanding (that) there are less fortunate people who need our help. It is here that I achieved a better understanding of how service can contribute to people’s lives in so many different ways.”
The Golden Rose Award recognizes the faith and works of young women in the Archdiocese of Chicago Council of Catholic Women.
“What receiving this award means to me is that I am able to share the guiding principles of my faith with others, such as respect, compassion, and love, which is something I believe to be essential to live with,” Waldman said. “I hope that with my service, I can at least show how easy it is to love one another in a time where it is easy to forget something so simple.”
Waldman has been a member of Woodlands Academy’s campus ministry since her freshman year. Her service has included setting up event tables, making holiday announcements, and assisting during Mass. She has also been an altar server during Mass and has helped conduct school prayer services.
Seniors celebrate their college commitments
From the East Coast to the West, down South, here in the Midwest, and even across the globe, the Woodlands Academy Class of 2026 is heading off to top colleges and universities this fall.
Included among them are prestigious institutions of higher learning, such as Dartmouth College, Northwestern University, Amherst College, and Georgetown University.
Members of Woodlands’ Class of 2026 also have committed to attending institutions from those nearby, such as Lake Forest College, University of Illinois Chicago, Loyola University Chicago, and DePaul University, to ones as far away as the University of Edinburgh (Scotland), University of Connecticut, Wake Forest University, Northeastern University, University of Alabama, Southern Methodist University, and College of the Holy Cross.
Several regional destinations for Woodlands Academy seniors this fall include the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, DePauw University, and Grinnell College.
Woodlands Academy seniors who had made their college choices by May 1, the traditional college decision day across the country, were encouraged to wear some of their college-themed clothing to school that day. Faculty and staff were asked to wear their alma mater’s gear to show their support for those students.
In all, 166 college admission applications submitted by Woodlands’ 26 seniors were accepted by U.S. and European institutions and the Class of 2026 was offered more than $3 million in scholarships.
Woodlands’ comprehensive College Counseling program is an important part of the school’s robust college-preparatory culture. Woodlands students are accepted into colleges and universities across the country and the world, offering them the opportunity to grow as scholars and individuals. The program features Woodlands’ unique College Skills class in which the college counselor works with students through the college process during their junior and senior years in a classroom setting. It is a prime example of how Woodlands Academy provides the personalized support students and parents need in the ever-evolving college process.
Acting Globally
Woodlands Academy’s Global Scholars Program equips students with the necessary skills and experience to be leaders in the competitive and challenging 21st century. It exposes them to different cultures, languages, and perspectives. As a result, Global Scholars come away with a deeper understanding of the complex web of cultural, religious, social, economic, and scientific issues that are the trademarks of our global world.
Students with a demonstrated interest in global issues and affairs apply for the Global Scholar program during their junior year. In
doing so, they commit to rigorous coursework and language study as well as participation in service to a global community and extracurricular activities.
By successfully completing the program’s requirements, each senior received a Global Scholars certification on her high school diploma. Five members of the Woodlands Class of 2026 completed the requirements to be named a Global Scholar. For this issue of Coeur à Coeur, we asked each 2026 Global Scholar to reflect on her project and on what the Global Scholars distinction means to her.
My Global Scholars project, “Dandelions and Their Roots,” was centered on military families and children, with an emphasis on easing the transition to moving by connecting families across borders through shared information and resources. This project had several main aspects, including research on military families and children, what other countries do to support their military families, the Month of the Military Child, and donations to Fisher House, an organization supporting veterans and their families.
Being a military child myself (go Army!), this project was close to my heart, and I can only hope I did my upbringing justice by supporting those who supported me. Over my 18 years, I have lived in six states across the United States, starting in Hawaii and now in Illinois. I am forever grateful to have been born a military child, as it has taught me resilience and adaptability, and has allowed me to come to Woodlands. With a nice push from my mom, I decided to become a Global Scholar. I grew up with a father serving this country, so it is fair that this project, centered on being a Global Citizen, focuses on serving the group that served me, something Woodlands thankfully allowed me to do. Simply put, completing this project allowed me to feel closer to my community and learn more about it.
One section of my Global Scholars project that had a significant impact was the service component. A requirement
ANNABELLE HAYES
for this program is to complete 20 additional service hours, in addition to the school’s required 70, on a project or organization related to one’s chosen topic. In my case, I worked on two aspects worth ten hours each: the bake sales for the theater performances and Bernie’s Book Bank/Northern Illinois Food Bank. Although the bake sale occurs for every theater production Woodlands holds — so for a total of six shows — I worked with Service Club and Mrs. Brysiewicz, our service head, and selected the organization the money would go to — The Fisher House. The Fischer House is a non-profit that provides free housing and food to veterans and their families while receiving medical care. We raised a total of $1,085 for this organization!
Through my research and service, even though I already greatly enjoyed being a military child myself and recognize my situation was better than most, I’ve learned more than ever about the disadvantages that can come with being a military child, such as food insecurity and educational roadblocks. It was surprising to see the lack of research done for military children apart from polls, especially since most of the concrete research I read was from the early 2010s, so the impact of the pandemic and the war in Afghanistan ending wasn’t included. However, rather than feeling disheartened by these statistics, I’ve developed a dedication to service that I truly hope to bring with me to college.
MACKENZIE LOCKHART
For my Global Scholars project, I decided to examine the current news and media climate. Identifying issues within our media landscape today and proposing potential solutions. I chose to join the program because I was so inspired by the incredible experiences I had while traveling with Woodlands. The experiences I had while on exchange and on Global Odyssey are what broadened my perspective on global news. Seeing firsthand other people’s stances on current events, combined with my longstanding interest in politics and the realization, through travel, that many global issues occur outside the US and that we are unaware of them, all inspired me to research news and modern media further and expand my knowledge on the subject.
My individual exchange to our sister school in Vienna is what initially inspired me to explore this topic. Through the global dialogue I had on exchange, I was able to have conversations with Sarah (my host sister), her family, and her teachers about global politics. I enjoyed expressing my point of view on what’s happening in the U.S., hearing their perspective, and learning more about the current events affecting people in Vienna. During this experience, I shifted my focus from the US to a global perspective on current issues. Aside from the knowledge I gained on this trip, I was also able to see the kindness and compassion people showed me, even from across the globe, deepening my love for travel.
After reflecting on my travel experiences, I started to notice a frequent problem in our modern media. Our news tends to
focus so heavily on the negative news that positive progress has been overlooked. Despite all that is going on in the headlines right now, there are good people with great intentions to make the world a better place. Our media is also very centered on the United States, and we are often isolated from global news. That’s where the idea for uplifted and updated came from. My goal was to take the time to research current events from around the globe, focusing on stories with significant impact or change. These current events are meant to uplift the community and show that, amid all the bad, there is also so much good being done.
While completing this project, I conducted additional research into why our brain tends to prioritize information this way. I dove into the psychology behind this finding, which stems from an almost “survival instinct,” and our brains are wired to prioritize processing bad information. Purposeful or not, our news outlets are shaped by reporting this way. After that, I dove into a modern-day problem for journalists: censorship. Within that research, I examined three countries with very different journalistic protections: the United States, Iran, and Norway. Taking a closer look at the laws that got them to that point, and their ranking on the global press freedom index.
I found through this project our media landscape is everchanging; whether we know it or not, our news can affect how we perceive different issues, topics, and each other. And while there are problems, we can find solutions, however big or small those solutions may be; anything can make a difference.
My freshman year, after hearing the Global Scholars presentations from the seniors, I knew that Global Scholars was something I wanted to pursue during my time at Woodlands, but I didn’t yet know what to focus on. I spent hours reflecting on what issues were important to me, and it was then that the idea of access to essential resources, such as clean water, came to mind.
In local newspapers, reporters were shedding light on the dangers of lakeshore industrial sites in Waukegan, especially unlined coal ash ponds that were leaching contaminants into groundwater and posing a serious risk to the community. Lake Michigan has been a cornerstone of my life growing up, summers spent swimming, building sand castles along the shore, picnics, and countless other memories were made possible by the Great Lakes. While this interest in water conservation was sprouting, I had also always been fascinated by organizations like the United Nations and the role of law in creating a just society that respects the innate human dignity that all humans possess and deserve.
My Global Scholars work combines these passions into my overall topic of Global Water Bankruptcy, specifically, Exploring How Water Pollution Disproportionately Affects Historically Marginalized Regions and Communities, both in the United States and abroad. Yet, billions worldwide, or one in four individuals, lack access to clean water. It must be considered a fundamental human right to have access to clean water, regardless of a person’s geographic location, income status, ethnicity, or other socially defining factors.
In my future career, I hope to specialize in international regulatory law, to inspire lawmakers to focus on the essential issues society faces, such as access to clean water across borders.
SOPHIA PATINO
I will be attending Northwestern University in the fall as a Legal Studies major with minors in Environmental Policy & Culture and International Studies. I plan to hold government officials and large corporations accountable for keeping their constituents well-informed with accurate information, in order to push our government to develop stricter regulations.
I hosted a beach cleanup in partnership with the Alliance for the Great Lakes as part of my extracurricular component. This event was a hands-on way to reduce water pollution in the Chicago Lakeshore area and the wider Great Lakes water system. Over 50 people volunteered at the event, and we collected over 76 pounds of litter from the beach!
For my Capstone project, I completed a thorough comparative analysis research report on the Chicagoland Lakeshore and 15 at-risk international countries. After finishing the report, it was evident that there was an overwhelming amount of evidence supporting the claim that water pollution does indeed disproportionately affect historically marginalized communities.
Researchers from the United Nations University Institute for Water, Environment and Health argue that the world has moved beyond a temporary “water crisis” and entered a new era described as “global water bankruptcy.” In short, the global population is exceeding the carrying capacity of natural water resources, and while the entire world is feeling this burden, the social impacts are deeply unbalanced.
Water remains a shared concern across borders and political divides, a unifying force in an increasingly polarized world. We must unite as a society to craft public policy and international regulatory frameworks so that every individual has access to clean, safe water.
LUCY PETHERBRIDGE
For my Global Scholars project, I focused on child hunger, a global issue that is often misunderstood as distant, but is deeply present in our own communities.
Through my research, I learned that one in four children experience food insecurity, meaning they do not have consistent access to enough food. When I applied that statistic to my own environment, it became much more real, this could represent dozens of students in a single school community.
This realization pushed me to take action. Throughout the year, I organized a food drive that collected over 700 cans, helping provide direct support to families in need. I also volunteered with Feed My Starving Children, where I packed meals that are shipped to children facing extreme hunger. That experience transformed statistics into something tangible, each meal packed represented a real person who would rely on it. In addition, I served as Service Chair at Woodlands Academy, where I worked to involve more students in service initiatives and raise awareness about issues like food insecurity.
My service trip to Lourdes, France further deepened my understanding of this issue. While there, I completed over 30
hours of hands-on service, assisting individuals who were sick, elderly, or disabled. This experience taught me that service is not just about meeting physical needs, but about preserving dignity. I began to see a direct connection between this and child hunger.
This project reflects Sacred Heart Goal Three: a social awareness that impels to action. Learning about child hunger was only the first step; the real impact came from choosing to respond. Whether through local food drives, global service, or community leadership, I have worked to turn awareness into meaningful action.
Ultimately, this experience has changed how I see both my community and my role within it. It has shown me that even small efforts like collecting food, packing meals, or educating others can contribute to addressing a much larger issue. Being a Global Scholar has taught me that creating change begins with recognizing a need, but it only becomes real when we choose to act.
The theme of my Global Scholars project was “Cultivating Cross-Cultural Communication.” Multiculturalism has been a pillar of my life, both growing up in a Filipino-Slovak biracial household, spending time in interreligious friend groups, and being an active parishioner in a demographically diverse parish. Being a student at Woodlands only made this theme of multiculturalism even more prominent in my life, as I engaged with students from all over Chicagoland and around the world. Reflecting on these experiences, I was called to move from observation to action. In a world that is becoming increasingly globalized, the way we interact with people from different walks of life is crucial. Through my Global Scholars components, I worked to positively impact the way we communicate with one another, from the middle school debate community to Chicago’s Latino immigrant community to the Woodlands community that I am grateful to be a part of.
For my service component, I volunteered for two years as a debate coach and mentor at Deerpath Middle School. I loved getting to know each of the approximately 20 debaters and refining their speaking, argumentation, questioning, and research skills. The most valuable lesson I taught my debaters was to maintain a sense of empathy and combat desensitization to challenging topics like gun violence and trafficking.
My experiences with the Woodlands Exchange Program fulfilled my global immersion component. In the fall of my sophomore year, I hosted Maria from Madrid in my home for a month, then stayed with her family and studied at her school for nearly three weeks shortly after. Later in my sophomore year, I had the opportunity to serve as a one-week night host for Raphael, a member of that year’s Vienna Group Exchange
EVELYN MARIA SELIGA
cohort. Finally, in the fall of my junior year, I acted as a day host for Isabel from Madrid. All three of these experiences have enriched both my education and personal life by building strong relationships with cultures, countries, and people that I know will last throughout my life.
The summer after my junior year, I worked 35 hours per week almost exclusively in Spanish as an intern and ESL teaching assistant at PODER, an immigrant services nonprofit organization on Chicago’s Southwest Side. Through this experience, I helped adult language learners in the Gage Park neighborhood and other predominantly Latino areas grow their English-speaking skills. The ability to communicate more fully in English enables residents to connect with their communities, secure quality employment, and become more independent.
For my Capstone component, I created a multimedia guide that contains a selection of relevant food, drinks, movies, books, art, and music from eight WA exchange locations: Australia, Austria, Chile, France, Ireland, Japan, Spain, and Taiwan. The true goal of this capstone is to prepare future WA exchange participants to engage respectfully and meaningfully with a new culture. As a WA exchange participant myself, I realized the impact of these words while I was attending Colegio Sagrado Corazón Rosales in Madrid, Spain.
The world will continue to globalize and need competent, empathetic, and cosmopolitan future leaders in every sector. I hope reading this summary has inspired you to incorporate cultivating cross-cultural communication into your broader journey of personal growth.
CONGÉ
On February 21, 160 guests gathered at the Glen View Club for our 53rd annual Congé gala, “Soirée in Salzburg.” Together, we raised $400,000 through the event, online auction bids, and donations.
This cherished tradition brought together parents, alumnae, friends, and students for an unforgettable evening. We were also proud to honor the Mary and Frank Oelerich Family for their extraordinary dedication to Woodlands Academy.
Funds raised during the Paddle Raise have been designated for the repair and restoration of Woodlands’ Chapel of the Sacred Heart, a place that holds special meaning for the Oelerich family—including their five alumnae daughters—as well as generations of Woodlands students.
“The Chapel of the Sacred Heart is a place of incredible importance to the school,” noted Frank’s wife, Mary Oelerich, in remarks to the evening’s attendees. “From her first day of school to her last at graduation, and countless Masses, prayer services, meetings, and honors assemblies in between, the chapel is a consistent reminder of God’s love and the beautiful sense of community for the Woodlands Academy student.”
These gifts will help restore and preserve the beauty of the Chapel, enhance its function as a sacred space, and strengthen its role as the spiritual heart of our community. Restoration work funded by the Paddle Raise is already underway and will continue throughout the summer, ensuring this treasured space will inspire generations of Woodlands students to come.
Thank you to everyone whose generosity and participation made the evening such a success. Special kudos to our talented student musicians, whose performances captivated our guests throughout the celebration.
JUNIOR RING CEREMONY
Junior Ring Ceremony, one of the most significant days of a girl’s time at Woodlands Academy, marks the turning point in a student’s experience at a Sacred Heart school. The class rings and Philippine Duchesne medals presented at the March 13 ceremony, planned and hosted by the senior class, are reminders of the strong bond students feel within the walls of Woodlands Academy and the entire Sacred Heart community.
Sophia Patino ‘26, this year’s WACOR (Woodlands Academy Council of Representatives) vice-president, opened the ceremony with a message to members of the junior class: “Juniors, today is a celebration of you, your accomplishments, the memories you have created, and the friendships and connections that continue to shape your Sacred Heart experience.”
Rings presented during the ceremony bear the Sacred Heart symbol of two embracing hearts: signs of love, friendship, and unity. Each junior wears her ring with the hearts facing in toward her heart. Once she graduates, she turns the ring around as a challenge to reach out to others and share Sacred Heart traditions and values.
Nyah Watson ’27 officially accepted the rings on behalf of her fellow junior class members: “Let these rings remind us not just of the sisterhood we share, but of our responsibility to bring these gifts to the world and make it a better place.”
ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION
INDUCTION CEREMONY
Prior to their graduation, the members of the Woodlands Class of 2026 were formally inducted into the Woodlands Academy Alumnae Association at a special ceremony on May 20.
Alumna Giuliana Popoff ’25 welcomed her former classmates into the Alumnae Association, telling them, “Within the safety of the walls here at Woodlands, you were given the wise freedom to find out who you are, and to be that person….Soon you will leave this place, but I hope you all remember what you have learned here: Sacred Heart women speak up, and we speak out. Let your voices be heard because the world is listening.”
MacKenzie Lockhart ’26 provided the student reflection, telling her fellow soon-to-be-alumnae, “I am leaving Woodlands the person I hoped to be as a freshman. I may not always get it right; however, at the end of the day, I know who I am, what I believe in, and what I wish to accomplish.”
Sarah Georgi ’88, P’26, offered an alumnae reflection, noting that “Woodlands has prepared you to enter the world as women who will share your strengths with others and help make it better. As a Woodlands senior parent, I feel fortunate to have watched…you grow and mature over the past four years. You have lifted one another up, you have celebrated one another’s successes, and stood by each other. I promise that will not change.”
PRIZE DAY
Woodlands students—and one teacher—were recognized for numerous achievements this school year during the Prize Day honors ceremony on June 2, the 167th annual distribution of awards.
“Prize Day is a special Sacred Heart tradition that dates back to the first Sacred Heart Schools over 200 years ago,” said Associate Head of School for Academics Rocco Gargiulo in his opening remarks. “Today, on Prize Day, we gather as a community and take time to proudly celebrate each other—our academic achievements, our hard work, and our good choices.”
Highlights included presentation of the 2025-26 Woodlands Award, the highest honor a Woodlands Academy student can attain. Based on the votes of faculty and students, this award recognizes outstanding service, leadership, character and scholastic development. This year’s recipient is senior Evelyn Maria Seliga.
The Distinction in Studies Award was presented to Margaret Glunz and Evelyn Maria Seliga for maintaining the highest scholastic average during her four years of high school. They are the Class of 2026 co-valedictorians.
Maya Whiteman, who is this year’s salutatorian, achieved the second-highest grade point average after four years of high school.
The Frances de la Chapelle Excellence in Teaching Award was presented to theology teacher Christine Zapf.
CLASS OF 2026 GRADUATION
Members of Woodlands Academy’s Class of 2026 received their diplomas during the school’s 167th Commencement Exercises on June 3.
The senior class chose Woodlands history teacher and senior advisor Mrs. Maureen Shinnick as the ceremony’s faculty speaker. “I started at Woodlands with you four years ago, and you hold a very special place in my heart,” she said. “You are beautiful young women with kind hearts and welcoming smiles, this is true! But on the inside, you have iron cores. You are strong enough to juggle the demands of being a student and a daughter and a sibling and a friend and an athlete and an artist and a musician and a child of God and a citizen of the world.”
Evelyn Maria (Emmy) Seliga was selected by her senior classmates to deliver the student address. She did so by reflecting on the sisterhood that formed among the class. “To do good and change the world, you do not have to achieve a humongous, earth-shattering feat,” she said. “The sisterhood bond we have formed did not develop from grand gestures or fundamental changes to the fabric of the universe. It was the moments in between. It has been the highest honor to learn and grow alongside you. I couldn’t be more grateful.”
We are so proud to celebrate the Woodlands Academy Class of 2026, who will be matriculating at the following colleges and universities in the fall. No matter where our alumnae go, they will always have a home in the Sacred Heart.
Amherst College
College of the Holy Cross
Dartmouth College
DePaul University
DePauw University
Dominican University
Fordham University
Georgetown University
Grinnell College
Hope College
Lake Forest College
Loyola University Chicago
Marquette University
Northeastern University
Northwestern University
Santa Clara University
Savannah College of Art and Design
Southern Methodist University
University of Alabama
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of Connecticut (2)
University of Edinburgh
University of Illinois Chicago
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Wake Forest University
In Memoriam:
(November 1, 2025 – May 31, 2026)
Mr. Robert D. Bosau G’25
Past Grandparent
Mrs. Patricia A. Henebry ‘63 Callahan P’85
Alumna; Past Parent
Mrs. Elizabeth Ann Casey
Faculty Parent
Mr. Tawepong Chutipisalkul G’28
Grandparent
Mr. Philip Gregory Erdoes
Alumna Spouse
Ms. Mary Weiss Fauls ’67
Alumna
Ms. Veronica “Nika” Idzik ‘87
Alumna
Mr. Robert Morrison
Alumna Spouse
Mr. Michael Nuccio
Faculty Parent
Mrs. Doreen Thurlow Peterson ‘76
Alumna
Mr. Sam Yanishevsky P’25
Past Parent
AUGUST
All School Mass & Family Picnic
SEPTEMBER
Mass of the Holy Spirit & Flag Ceremony
Parents of Alumnae ‘Cocktails in the Courtyard’ Reception
Reunion Weekend (celebrating 1s and 6s)
(Note: adjacent class years are encouraged to attend.)
FRIDAY
Cocktails in the Courtyard – Welcome back to Woodlands!
SATURDAY
School Tours/Visit the Woodlands Spirit Shop
All Class Liturgy in the Chapel of the Sacred Heart
Reunion Cocktails and Dinner - Brown Hall at Lake Forest College
RSVP at woodlandsacademy.org/reunion or scan the QR code.
OCTOBER
Current Parents ‘Cocktails in the Courtyard’ Reception
Feast of St. Francis – Blessing of the Animals
Admissions Open House
Mater Admirabilis Liturgy
Fall Play
NOVEMBER
Philippine Duchesne Mass / Grandparents Day
DECEMBER Christmas Concert
Advent by Candlelight
FRIDAY, SEPT. 25 – SATURDAY, SEPT. 26
Celebrating Woodlands classes ending in 1 and 6 (Adjacent years are welcome to join, too!)
“For the sake of one child, I would have started the Society.”
More than two hundred years ago, our foundress, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, made that bold statement, and for over 160 years, we have made it our mission to value, understand, nurture, challenge, and love each of our girls as if she were the only one.
Your sustaining support of the Woodlands Fund benefits every student, every day, by supporting curricular and co-curricular programs, state-of-the-art science laboratories, and our exceptional teachers.
At Woodlands Academy, a young woman thrives thanks to your generosity. She is our mission. She is our priority. She is our future.
To make your gift to the Woodlands Fund, please scan the QR code at right, visit woodlandsacademy.org/donate, or use the envelope inside this issue of Coeur à Coeur.
