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Inside 3 Celebrating the Lord’s Day
Our Girl Scouts Daisy Troop:
4 Saints in the Making by Nathan Frankart
5 Faithfully Fit Yoga: Sharing in Prayer, Meditation and Gratitude
6 Class of 2022: Our
St. Joseph and Nativity of the BVM High School and College Graduates
St. Joseph Parish 200 Saint Joseph Drive Amherst, OH 44001 (440) 988-2848 stjosephamherst.com Nativity of the BVM Parish 333 South Lake Street South Amherst, OH 44001 (440) 986-7011
JULY 2022
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Building Friendships and Serving Community
or Tracy Torres, fond memories of being a Girl Scout as a child prompted her to start a Daisy troop with her daughter for the young girls of St. Joseph School. When the group started in the fall, six girls were taking part — now there are 14. “I was a Girl Scout growing up,” Tracy says. “I have so many great memories from this great program that it was something I wanted for my girls as well.” The troop meets every other Monday and also participates in events and
activities as they are able. The life lessons that these children are learning through this program are invaluable for not only teaching them but also growing them to be better Christians. Daisies participate in many activities to earn their “petals,” the building blocks of service and knowledge. To earn their “petals,” the girls must participate in different activities corresponding to each theme. These activities have included learning to make maple syrup, learning continued on page 2
Our Girl Scouts Daisy Troop: Building Friendships and Serving Community
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Jujutsu self-defense, making pizzas and delivering them to others, and making Valentine’s Day cards that they gave to the Sprenger nursing home in Lorain. The troop collected over 100 coats for the coat drive this year as well as collecting over 100 bags of food for the food drive. The troop brought in coolers of water bottles and handed them out to the runners for St. Joseph’s Trojan Trot. They also made signs and cheered on the runners during the race. An important part of learning to care for others is taking initiative in deciding who they want to serve and how. As the girls raise funds for different activities, together they decide who they want to help with these funds. “This year, they decided that they wanted to help dogs and police officers,” Tracy says. “So we came up with a couple
of service opportunities for them to do that. They collected blankets and toys to donate to the new animal hospital. They also donated about $350 to the canine unit to provide safety kits and badges to the dogs. They got to go and watch the officers and dogs do their training runs.” Despite the late start in the fall, the girls earned all of their Daisy “petals” this year. They are currently working on a big project to obtain a parcel of land to use for a garden to sell and donate produce. Six of the girls in the Daisy troop will bridge from Daisies to Brownies this year. “Girl Scouts is about tradition,” Tracy says. “These young girls learn to serve their community and make the world a better place. They learn to respect themselves and others. It is about fun and friendship and caring for others.”
“These young girls learn to serve their community and make the world a better place. They learn to respect themselves and others. It is about fun and friendship and caring for others.” — Tracy Torres Those interested in learning more about the Girl Scout troops at St. Joseph may contact Tracy Torres at torrestracy36@yahoo.com or 440-420-3235. page 2
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A Letter from Our Pastor
Celebrating the
Lord’s Day Dear Members of St. Joseph and Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parishes,
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eople filled the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist on May 21 for the Rite of Ordination of Priests, and many more watched a live feed of the liturgy on the diocesan website. Bishop Edward Malesic, the Bishop of the Diocese of Cleveland, was the celebrant for this liturgy. It was a joyful day as three men were ordained to the priesthood for service to the Diocese of Cleveland. But, as you can see with these ordination numbers, we are not keeping up with the number of priests who retire or die each year. We are feeling the effects of this in our St. Joseph and Nativity Parishes with one priest, namely myself, to serve both parishes. We need priests. We cannot have Mass without a priest. That is why Jesus has given His priests a share in His own priesthood: so that we could continue to do what He did at the Last Supper when He gave Himself to us in the Eucharist and told us to “do this in memory of Me.” (I celebrated the 47th anniversary of my ordination to the priesthood on June 14.) As a Church and as parishes that are hopefully moving out of this pandemic, we need to reclaim Sunday
as “the Lord’s Day,” a New Testament title for Sunday which is found in the Book of Revelation 1:10. Sunday is not just a day like any other day — with the addition of Mass. Sunday is the day of Jesus’ resurrection, it is the day of Jesus’ appearances after He rose from the dead, and it is the day when the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles and the Church at Pentecost. For Christians, the Sunday gathering for the Eucharist replaced the Jewish Sabbath observance. “Christians are those who keep the Lord’s Day, not the Sabbath,” writes St. Ignatius of Antioch. Because participating in Sunday Mass each week is such a great privilege, it is also a great responsibility and carries with it a serious obligation. We read in the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “On Sundays and other holy days of obligation the faithful are bound to participate in the Mass. The precept of participating in the Mass is satisfied by assistance at a Mass which is celebrated anywhere in a Catholic rite either on the holy day or on the evening of the preceding day” (#2180). “The Sunday Eucharist is the foundation and confirmation of all Christian practice. For this reason the
faithful are obliged to participate in the Eucharist on days of obligation, unless excused for a serious reason … Those who deliberately fail in this obligation commit a grave (i.e. mortal or serious) sin” (#2181). Summer vacation is not a valid reason to miss Sunday Mass. In fact, our summer leisure ought to give us more opportunity to appreciate celebrating the Eucharist on the Lord’s Day. To find a church while traveling, you may enter our parish website at www.stjosephamherst.com and then click on “extra links” at the very bottom of the home page. Then click on “Mass time for travel” and you will be connected with masstimes.org. This is a handy way to get to Mass while out of town on the Lord’s Day. Please enjoy the pictures and the articles in this issue. And thank Jesus for sharing the gift of His priesthood with us so that we may celebrate the Eucharist each and every Sunday, the Lord’s Day. Gratefully in Christ,
Fr. Timothy J. O’Connor, Pastor page 3
Saints in the Making By NATHAN FRANKART
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eace of Christ to you! As is usually the case for my summers, I have been traveling! Most recently, I got a rare opportunity to travel to the Diocese of Wichita for a very special event — a pilgrimage to Pilsen, Kan. Pilsen is, in every sense of the word, small. It has no lights, stop signs, school or corner store. The only structures are houses and the church. It’s not even incorporated! So what does Pilsen have that would inspire me to take a 14-hour road trip and endure a 60-mile walking pilgrimage to it from Wichita? It very well may be the birth town of a saint someday. Servant of God Fr. Emil Kapaun, an Army Chaplain who died in a POW camp during the Korean War, has become a symbol and inspiration to the Catholics of Wichita. His dedication to serving the men entrusted to him in the camp transformed the hearts and minds of the soldiers whom he served. Eventually, the stories from the POWs led to the opening of his cause for sainthood in 1993. After being introduced to Fr. Kapaun by my spiritual director, I found what I believed to be a spiritual friend in his witness and story. I knew that I had to see his tomb, located in the page 4
cathedral for the Diocese of Wichita, and his home church, located in Pilsen. Together, myself and 300 other people from 25 different states walked across Kansas roads enduring heat, humidity and storms, praying that Servant of God Emil Kapaun may intercede for our intentions, and for the furthering of his cause to sainthood. Fr. Kapaun, like Pilsen, was not extraordinary in appearance. His life was not marked by miracles or conversion, but rather has been
exemplified through his heroic witness to Christ and his love in the prison camps. We may not be placed in extraordinary circumstances, or in positions of great authority. But if we enter in our daily lives with that same desire for holiness and service, it will not matter the size of our town. When we live out the Gospel, we are telling the story of salvation and the love of God. The soldiers of Korea told that story to the world because it was told to them by the life of Fr. Kapaun. May we all do the same!
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Faithfully Fit Yoga: Sharing in Prayer, Meditation and Gratitude
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hen cultivating our spiritual life, it’s important not to neglect the connection between our body and our soul. Cindy Miller, who is a member of both St. Joseph and Nativity with her husband, Paul leads a ministry to help us nurture a healthy prayer life while promoting physical health, and gratitude for our blessings. Established as a way to help parishioners connect during the pandemic, Cindy and the Faithfully Fit Ministry offer gentle yoga combined with a practice of prayer, meditation and gratitude. “The mission of Faithfully Fit is to honor our body with gentle breath and movement and our mind with being in the present moment and our soul with the gift of meditation and prayer,” Cindy says. Cindy leads participants through simple, seated yoga poses, focusing on breathing and gentle stretching while using these movements as a way to center their minds on God and the contemplation of their many blessings. This simple approach offers physical benefits of increased strength, flexibility, and circulation while cultivating a state of inner peace. “Being more conscious of our blessings, we can go forth in life peacefully,” Cindy says. “We can serve as an instrument of our faith. As in anything in life, if we do this faithfully, we find the joy and peace we seek.”
Cindy has been a physical fitness instructor since 2000 and enjoys both what she is able to share with others through her instruction as well as the benefits from staying active herself. She has found that seated yoga, with the added focus on prayer and meditation, has helped her physically and spiritually, and she loves to share that with the faith community that is so important to her. “I love what seated yoga offers me,” Cindy says. “I can move and breathe and reflect, all within my own body and mind’s ability on each given day. I especially love seeing people improve their physical well-being and I truly know that within they feel the peace!” All are welcome to join Faithfully Fit whenever they are able. When the weather is nice, meetings will be held outdoors. The program is a holistic way to nourish your spiritual life and your body while connecting with fellow parishioners in a relaxing setting. Cindy hopes that Faithfully Fit helps parishioners grow in gratitude, peace, and closer to God. By sharing her gift for mindful fitness with her fellow parishioners, Cindy’s own faith and community have been strengthened. “This particular ministry comes naturally and comfortably for me to share with others,” Cindy says. “We all have a special talent that could be shared. We just need to find our own comfort zone.”
Be sure to check the weekly bulletin or the parish calendar for the Faithfully Fit meeting times and location. page 5
Class of 2022:
Our St. Joseph and Nativity of the BVM High School and College Graduates Adrienne Clark Adrienne is a 2022 graduate of Amherst Steele High School. She plans to attend the Conservatory of Music at Baldwin Wallace University in the fall. Adrienne will major in music therapy, hoping to pursue a career working with neurodivergent children. Adrienne participated in four years of band, three years of swim team, the St. Joseph’s Immersion Group and has been working at Texas Roadhouse for the last two years. She loves reading, swimming, singing, watching movies, and hanging out with family and friends. Nadine M. Darkow Nadine is a 2022 graduate of Amherst Steele High School. Nadine was a member of the National Honor Society both her junior and senior years at Amherst. She was also a member of the cross country team, winter indoor track, and spring track and field, holding the position of Team Captain her senior year. For Nadine’s first two high school years, she attended Seneca East in Attica, Ohio, where she participated in marching band, concert and jazz bands as well. She was also a member of both the Science Club and the Kindness Club. Nadine enjoys math, art, swimming, collecting rocks, traveling and anime. She loves her dog, Kosmo, and cat, Tao. She’s looking forward to having co-op experiences in other countries while attending the University of Cincinnati, where she will major in Mechanical Engineering, to help improve the way we live in this world. Mary Dempsey Mary is a 2022 Firelands High School graduate. Mary will attend LCCC in the Fall, where she will pursue a degree in Business. At Firelands High School, Mary as a member of the marching and symphonic bands, the cross page 6
country and track teams, National Honor Society and the Tri-M Music Honor Society. During her senior year, Mary was elected Homecoming Queen, was chosen to receive the Athletic Sportsmanship Award and was voted by her class to be the “Most Likely to Put Others First.” Will Domain Will is a 2014 graduate of St. Joseph’s School, a 2018 graduate of St. Ignatius High School and now a 2022 graduate of the University of Mt. Union, earning a bachelor’s degree in Sports Business and a minor in Business Admin. While at Mt. Union he was a Student Ambassador holding the position of Training and Recruitment Chair. He was a member of the SEA Fraternity and was the Philanthropy Chair. He participated in the business fraternity Gamma lota Sigma, where he was VP. As an active member of Student Senate, he held the position of VP of Organization and Outreach. Will was on IFC, Habitat for Humanity, the American Marketing Assoc., the Investment Team and the Pre-Law Society. This summer, Will begins employment with the Cleveland Cavaliers and has plans to move downtown very soon. Danielle Dudziak Danielle is a 2022 graduate of Amherst Steele High School. She will be attending the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to continue her academic and athletic career. She is planning to major in Education and compete with the women’s gymnastics team. Currently, Danielle is a USAG Level 10 gymnast and competed in the USAG DP Nationals in Mesa, Ariz. Jacob Frankart Jacob is a 2022 graduate of Amherst Steele High School. While at Steele, Jacob enjoyed being a part of the Marching Comets, the Madrigal Choir, Leo Club and the continued on page 7
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MLS Theater Company. Jacob is graduating with High Honors, is an Eight-Star Honor Bar Thespian, and also received the National Merit Commendation. Jacob will be attending Heidelberg University in the fall and plans to double major in Musical Theater and Computer Science.
Lauren M. Hughes Lauren is a 2022 Honors graduate from Amherst Steele High School and plans to attend the University of Cincinnati and study Health Sciences. She will spend the summer as a lifeguard at Cedar Point before becoming a Bearcat in the fall.
Emma Giacobbe Emma is a 2022 graduate of Amherst Steele High School. Emma was a student in the Med Tech program and CCP where she earned 48 college credit hours. Emma was also a member of the band’s color guard. This fall, Emma will be attending Kent State University majoring in Exercise Science and begin to pursue her doctorate in Physical Therapy.
Sydney Huynh Sydney is a 2022 graduate of Amherst Steele High School. In the fall, Sydney will be attending The Ohio State University to study Biology and hopes one day to be a doctor. Sydney participated in gymnastics, was a cheerleader, enjoys fitness and going to the gym daily, and loves her two cute pet bunnies.
Nicholas Glahn Nick is a 2022 graduate of Amherst Steele High School. During his time at Steele, Nick participated in cross country, indoor track and field, and outdoor track and field for four years. Nick was Captain of the track team both his junior and senior year. Nick played trombone for concert and jazz band, and was a member of Student Council, the Leo Club and the National Honor Society. Nick graduated with Honors and has plans to attend The Ohio State University this fall to major in History. Afterwards, Nick has hopes to attend law school. Kyle Hall Kyle is a 2014 graduate from St. Joseph’s, a 2018 graduate of St. Ignatius High School and now a Class of 2022 graduate from The Ohio State University. Kyle graduated Cum Laude with a bachelor’s degree in Biology. He will be staying at OSU to obtain his master’s degree in Health Administration and then plans to go to medical school.
Virginia K. Hughes Virginia is a 2022 graduate of St. Louis University earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Entrepreneurship. She intends to travel the country this summer before taking a sales position at a Fortune 500 company in St. Louis. Virginia enjoyed her four years at SLU despite COVID-19, was an editor and contributor for her campus publication and an officer in the Changing Health Attitudes Actions to Recreate Girls (CHAARG) chapter at the university. Rachel Jackson Rachel attended St. Joseph’s School from kindergarten through eighth grade, then graduated from Firelands High School Magna Cum Laude. While at Firelands, Rachel took classes through LCCC which allowed her to get ahead at Ohio University, where she recently graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, and a minor in Chemistry. Rachel started her post-graduate career at Charter Next Generation in May, as a technical development engineer. Some of Rachel’s hobbies include reading, hiking, playing with her dogs, and watching hockey. continued on page 8
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Austin Jones Austin graduated Summa Cum Laude from The Ohio State University with a BSA degree specializations in Finance and Economics. While at OSU, Austin was a member of the Buckeye Capital Investors, Common Cents Investment Group, The Investment Banking Program and a SLDS tutor. Post-grad plans — Equity Research at the Cleveland Research Company, followed by JD/MBA dual degree program.
was always part of an athletic team, starting with CYO at St. Joseph’s and continuing on with football, basketball and baseball while at E.C. Daniel was asked to play football for Heidelberg, which he did freshman year and then discontinued his sophomore year. Daniel studied Criminal Justice and received his degree in May 2022. At the university while a freshman, he was hired to work security, a position only held for upperclassmen! Daniel is pursuing a career in law enforcement.
Steven Kukucka Steven is a 2022 Honors graduate of Amherst Steele High School, graduating with several college credits earned from LCCC. While at Steele, Steven was a member of the National Honor Society, the Amherst Marching Comets, and the symphonic band. He also worked part-time and was an altar server at St. Joseph Church prior to COVID-19. In the fall, Steven will attend Bowling Green State University and major in Advertising.
Mark Poalson Mark is a 2022 graduate of Amherst Steele High School. While at Steele, he was a member of the National Honor Society, played football all four years, and also volunteered in the Buddy Up Tennis program — adaptive tennis and fitness program for children and adults with Down syndrome — from eighth grade through his senior year. Mark was also an altar server at St. Joseph’s parish until COVID-19. Mark has plans to attend LCCC for two years and explore Sports Broadcasting. He is undecided at this moment as to where after that.
Zachary Machesky Zach is a 2022 Honors graduate of Amherst Steele High School. Zach was awarded the Presidential Award and honor cord. He spent his senior year of high school at LCCC — his focus is Pre-Med. Zach also has an art drawing that was selected and purchased by Akron Children’s Hospital where it now resides. Jackson Oravetz Jackson is a 2022 Honors graduate of Amherst Steele High School, receiving honor cords. Jackson received the Four-Year Academic Award, as well as the Presidential Award. Jackson was a member of the varsity golf team. Jackson plans to attend LCCC where he will study Computer Science and then transfer to a four-year college in the future. Daniel M. Peacock Daniel is a 2014 graduate of St. Joseph’s School, a 2018 graduate of Elyria Catholic High School and now a 2022 graduate from Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio. Daniel page 8
Marializ Redden Mari is a 2022 graduate of Amherst Steele High School, and attended Lorain County JVS for two years, earning her Child Development Associate credentials and about 15 college credit hours. She will be attending LCCC in the fall to pursue a career in Pediatric Nursing while she works in a childcare environment. Mari has been a member of the Oberlin Choristers since the age of 2. She plays violin (orchestra and fiddlin’) and is learning guitar. Sophie J. Shand Sophie is a 2022 Honors graduate of Amherst Steele High School. Sophie has always been very active and athletic, participating in both volleyball and softball since a very young age. At Steele she continued in those sports, as well as being a member of the National Honor Society and working. Sophie received High continued on page 9
Our St. Joseph and Nativity of the BVM High School and College Graduates Honors all four years at Steele, as well as the Presidential Award and honor cord. Sophie has plans to attend LCCC for two years and then continue on to a four-year college to study Criminology/Criminal Justice and hopes one day to get a job with National Security, like the FBI. Sophie has already begun her studies at LCCC working towards her goal, and has made the Dean’s List. She hopes to continue participating in both volleyball and softball at LCCC as well. Sophie is a member of Amherst St. Joseph’s choir and has been a member of the Compassion, the Musical for about four seasons. Mary Soboslay Mary is a 2022 Honors graduate of Amherst Steele High School, the daughter of John and Therese Soboslay. Mary received an Honors diploma, honor cord and Presidential Award, and is a member of the National Honor Society. Mary was a four-year varsity letter award recipient in swimming, is a lifelong St. Joseph’s parishioner, and was an altar server from fourth grade up through the pandemic. A visit to St. Isabel church on Sanibel Island inspired her Confirmation name. A trip to southwest Florida in her early teen years peaked her interest in sea turtles and aquatic life — she will be attending Olivet Nazarene University in Bourbonnais, Ill., to study Zoology. Paige Stiwald Paige is a 2022 graduate of Amherst Steele High School. Paige was a member of the National Honor Society, Student Council and Leo Club. She will be attending The Ohio State University in the fall, majoring in Business and Pre-Dentistry. Ryan Szczepanik Ryan is a 2022 Honors graduate of Amherst Steele High School. While at Steele, Ryan was a member of the Leo Club, varsity cross country, varsity swimming and diving, indoor track, and varsity track and field. Ryan was a four-year recipient of the Academic Award, as well as
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graduating with honors. Ryan plans to study Chemistry at Case Western Reserve University. Hannah Todd Hannah just graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Cincinnati earning a bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, and minors in both Biology and Chemistry. Hannah has accepted the Projects and Analytics Manager position with IN8bio, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company based in Alabama. Hannah participated in Phi Sigma Rho National Sorority, American Cancer Society on campus, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Omega Chi Epsilon Chemical Engineering Honor Fraternity, Society of Women Engineers and Alpha Lambda Delta National Honor Society. Rachel Veneman Rachel is a 2014 graduate of St. Joseph School, a 2018 graduate of Amherst Steele High School and now a 2022 graduate Summa Cum Laude from the University of Dayton. Rachel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and minors in English and Pre-Law. Post-grad plans are to attend law school at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law in the fall of 2022. Rachel was on the Executive Board for the Residential Housing Assoc. (RHA) at the University of Dayton for three years, serving as President her senior year. She was also part of the Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity and a founding Exec Board Member of the Sociology, Anthropology and Social Work Student Organization (SASSO) at UD. Bridgette Wadge Bridgette recently graduated Summa Cum Laude from The Ohio State University in May with a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. She also earned a minor in Community Outreach Education and an Honors Distinction from the College of Engineering. During her time at OSU, Bridgette was a leader in the Society of Women Engineers, and a member of the University’s 2020 Homecoming Court. Bridgette was an active member of the continued on back cover
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Fr. Tim O’Connor Serving Both Parishes Mass: Monday, 9:00 a.m. - St. Joseph Tuesday, 8:00 a.m. - Nativity of the BVM Thursday, 7:00 p.m. - St. Joseph Friday, 9:00 a.m. - St. Joseph Saturday, 4:00 p.m. - St. Joseph 5:30 p.m. - Nativity of the BVM Sunday, 8:30 a.m., 11:00 a.m., 5:00 p.m. - St. Joseph Confession at St. Joseph: Thursday - Individual Reconciliation 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Saturday - Individual Reconciliation 11:00 a.m. - noon Eucharistic Adoration (Chapel) at Nativity of the BVM: Monday-Friday 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Our St. Joseph and Nativity of the BVM High School and College Graduates St. Thomas More Newman Center, where she led a student Bible study and sang in the choir. This August, Bridgette will begin working for General Mills in Belvidere, Ill. as a Manufacturing Engineering Associate. Alanna Woodworth Alanna is a 2022 Honors graduate of Amherst Steele High School. Alanna earned the four-year Academic Award, the Presidential Award and was Academic All-Ohio Honors in soccer. Alanna was a member of the National Honor Society, and she also was a four-year member of the track and field team, earning First Team All-Conference honors, two-year conference champions title, and district champion as well as a two-year state qualifier for indoor track. Alanna has played soccer since she was 4 years old and earned the All-Conference honors in varsity soccer. Alanna is a certified lifeguard at Mercy Healthplex and also works for Cedar Point Sports Park. Alanna will be continuing her
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education and soccer career at the University of Mount Union where she plans to major in Psychology. Estella Woodworth Estella is a 2022 Honors graduate of Amherst Steele High School. While at Steele, Estella earned a three-year Academic Award, the Presidential Award and is also a member of the National Honor Society. Estella was a part of the Steele News Live team two-year broadcast program. She competed as a varsity swimmer for four years, earning All-Conference Honors and was a four-year district qualifier. Estella also participated in four years of cross country and two years of track and field. Estella received the Tom Steury Student-Athlete Memorial Scholarship, as well as the Dane Johnson Memorial Award. Estella is a certified lifeguard at Mercy Healthplex and also works at Cedar Point Sports Park. Estella will continue her education at the University of Mount Union to major in Integrated Media and hopes to study abroad.
