Connelly Contact SUMMER 2019 ISSUE
Inside:
GRADUATION END OF YEAR AWARDS LEADERSHIP AT HOLY CHILD TEACHING & LEARNING COMMUNITY GIVING BACK TO HOLY CHILD ALUMNAE CLASS NOTES
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A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO Contributing Writers Karen Craig, Kyra Hickey '19, Halo Lyman '21, Meg Russell, Lauren Walter Contributing Photographers Madie Bromiley, Adam Hirsh, Linnea Farnsworth, Stone Photography Editors Nora Fitzpatrick, Jackie McCarthy Communications Department Madie Bromiley, Caitlin Chalke QR Codes If you see a QR code like the one to the left - scan it with your phone's camera.
WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING ABOUT HOLY CHILD “Holy Child provided a nurturing supportive environment for my daughter to identify her strengths, develop confidence, and her own voice.” “It’s impossible to put a value on the impressive growth that happened in our child over the 6 years, but we are most proud of how she has grown academically as well as spiritually and emotionally. That is invaluable!” “Holy Child focuses on the individual and meeting each student where they are to develop their strengths and strategies to deal with challenges.” “Holy Child is a faith-based, challenging yet nurturing community that seeks to empower its students to translate the gift of their education into positive action in the world. The school has the unique ability to meet each student where she is and to help her maximize her potential. Academic support is accessible. Opportunities to try out new interests are plentiful.” *Quotes from a recent year-end parent survey
CONTENTS
CONNELLY CONTACT | SUMMER ISSUE
4
Letters from the Head of School & Board of Trustees Chair
30
Leadership at Holy Child
6
By the Numbers
45
The Value of Networking: Holy Child Style
33
8
My Time in Ireland: A Reflection
48
Graduation
39
Faculty Spotlight
Athletic Awards & College Athletes
24
Campus News
Letter from Alumnae Council
46 Faculty News
18
54
42
Teaching & Learning at Holy Child
Learning Outside of the Classroom
50
Camp Cornelia: A Place to Learn and Serve
52
Mayfield Society
56
Alumnae Weekend Recap
58
Alumnae Spotlights
64
Class Notes
A LETTER FROM THE HEAD OF SCHOOL
FROM THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES CHAIR
Dear Holy Child Community,
Dear Holy Child Community,
This summer marks the fifth anniversary of when I first arrived on campus to begin my new position as Holy Child’s eleventh Head of School. Over these five years, our faculty, staff, and administration has continually taken time to reflect upon the mission set forth by Cornelia Connelly and consider what sets our school apart. One word that repeatedly comes to the forefront of discussions is community.
For the past nine years I have had the privilege of participating at Holy Child on a number of different levels and I have grown to realize and appreciate the various dedicated people who make up this unique community.
The strength of the Holy Child community is an attribute that is clearly cherished by everyone who is a part of it, and this dedication to our school and each other is demonstrated on a daily basis. We see it in our teachers who use their free moments during the day to help students tackle concepts they may be struggling with. We see it in our students, who help each other with their coursework and support their friends in extracurricular endeavors. We see it in our parents, who volunteer their time and share their unique talents with us as well through their generous contributions that help fund the outstanding programs we offer. We see it in Holy Child’s commitment to service and social responsibility that is fulfilled in their “Actions not Words.” We celebrate each other’s achievements and milestones and lift each other up in times of trouble. The past five years have been filled with exciting new opportunities, occasional challenges, and significant growth. Through it all, our community’s commitment has been an unwavering foundation of support as Holy Child evolves to meet the needs of students in the 21st century. I continue to be amazed by the spirit of this community, and am always grateful to be a part of it. Sincerely, Dr. Shannon Gomez Head of School
The mission of Holy Child and the other 29 schools in the Holy Child worldwide community centers on the foundation set by Cornelia Connelly: to teach the entire student with individualized love and attention to each student’s needs. Cornelia’s unique approach to teaching has been cultivated and carried on by the nuns of the Society for the Holy Child Jesus. Without the dedication of this religious community, the mission of Cornelia would have been lost to the world generations ago. Though the tenor of our community is set by the Society, each school has its own manner to carry out Cornelia’s mission. Head of School Shannon Gomez has established a nurturing and professional educational environment to guide the students and faculty. The care, leadership, and foresight set by Dr. Gomez is reflected in the faculty’s daily attention and interaction with their students on a personal basis recognizing each as a unique person, capabilities and needs. Last year during the AIMS accreditation process, the visiting committee commented on how distinctly respectful and happy the students appeared as they interacted with them. Those student attitudes do not happen by chance but are the result of the faculty and administration appreciating and carrying out the educational approach of Cornelia Connelly. I would be neglectful if I did not recognize the time, dedication, and professional efforts that are provided by our Board of Trustees. These men and women, working closely with Dr. Gomez, have the duty to oversee the current and long-term welfare of our school to ensure the future generation of students will continue to thrive under the paths established by Cornella Connelly. I welcome this opportunity to extend many thanks to each of these groups of people who play such a critical role in making the wonderful community that is the Holy Child experience. Sincerely, Paul Sullivan, P '17 Board of Trustees, Chair
BY THE NUMBERS
“What one is called to do, she is called to do with all her might.”
- Cornelia Connelly
College Acceptances FOR THE CLASS OF 2019
Adelphi University The University of Alabama American University Arizona State University The University of Arizona Auburn University Bellarmine University Belmont University Boston College Bowie State University Brown University University of California, Los Angeles University of California, Santa Barbara The Catholic University of America College of Charleston Christopher Newport University Clark Atlanta University Clemson University Coastal Caroline University University of Colorado at Boulder University of Connecticut Davidson College University of Dayton University of Delaware Denison University Dickinson College Drexel University East Carolina University Elon University Emmanuel College Endicott College Fairfield University Fordham University Franklin & Marshall College George Mason University The George Washington University University of Georgia Gettysburg College Hampton University University of Hartford High Point University Hood College Howard University Indiana University at Bloomington James Madison University University of Kansas
Keene State College University of Kentucky Kenyon College Liberty University Louisiana State University Loyola Marymount University Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Maryland University of Lynchburg Lynn University Marist College Marquette University University of Mary Washington University of Maryland, Baltimore County University of Maryland, College Park University of Maryland, Honors College Marymount Manhattan College Marymount University University of Massachusetts, Amherst McDaniel College Miami University, Oxford University of Miami University of Michigan Michigan State University University of Mississippi Molloy College Mount St. Mary's University - Maryland Muhlenberg College University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of North Carolina at Wilmington University of Notre Dame Oglethorpe University Ohio Wesleyan University Pennsylvania State University University of Pittsburgh Providence College Quinnipiac University Radford University Randolph-Macon College Regis College Sacred Heart College Saint Anselm College Saint Joseph's University Saint Vincent College Salisbury University Salve Regina University
University of San Francisco Seton Hall University Sewanee: The University of the South Spelman College Spring Hill College St. Mary's College of Maryland Stevenson University Stonehill College Syracuse University The University of Tampa University of Tennessee, Knoxville Texas Christian University The University of Texas, Austin
Towson University Tulane University University of Vermont Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Tech University of Virginia Ursinus College Washington College College of William and Mary Winston-Salem State University University of Wisconsin, Madison Xavier University
Read more about a few of our graduates and why they chose their respective college.
Graduation Awards
Graduation awards are presented to the seniors who have exhibited the most devotion to and involvement in the Holy Child community.
Goal 1: Faith Maria Manuel
Goal 2: Community Giovanna McBride
Goal 3: Curriculum
Charlotte Bell and Colby Fagan
Goal 4: Justice Caralie Price
Goal 5: Dignity Muriel Fayemi
Goal 6: Fulfillment Corinne Wright
The Public Service Award Julia Strittmatter
The Student Government Award Charlotte Bell
The Prize for General Academic Excellence Rachel Russell
The Award for Leadership in Christian Social Action Bailey Skeeter
The Karen Elizabeth Noonan Award Verity White
The Cornelia Connelly Award Josie Ziemski
The Kosch/Craig Award Lily Hagerup
The Alumnae Association Award Giovanna McBride
The Christian Valor Award Maya Herishen and Kyra Hickey
The Sr. Connie Craig Award Winifred Beaudet
The Archbishop's Award for Catholic Citizenship Maryjane Okonji
The Mary C. Crivella Prize Rachel Russell
Read the award descriptions on our website.
Student Speaker
Watch our graduation video now!
SPEECH BY RACHEL RUSSELL '19, UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN '23 "GOOD MORNING PARENTS, esteemed faculty and administration, honored guests, Board of Trustees, Class of 1969, Doctor Ellen Stofan, and fellow graduates. On behalf of the graduating class of 2019, I welcome everyone and thank you for celebrating this special day with us.
Fellow graduates, I invite you to look around and soak it all in. Ingrain into your minds and hearts who is seated adjacent to you, how grown up and mature everyone looks, how you feel. This, among your Kairos, college graduation, wedding day, is an experience that you will reminisce on for the rest of your life. I’m sad to say it, but this will also most likely be the last time all 52 of us will be together in one place. On this solemn and joyous occasion, I would like to address three points: a debt of gratitude, how we’ll measure these years, and moving forward. First, a debt of gratitude. We have worked so hard to stand here in our white gowns at the conclusion of our high school years; therefore, we must acknowledge that we did not do it by ourselves. Credit must be given to those who have assisted us along the way, for we owe them a great debt of gratitude. To our teachers, thank you for your endless availability, your enthusiasm and confidence in our success, and your undying propensity to vouch for the infamous Jane Schaffer. Rather than returning home to spend more time with your families, you have sacrificed time outside of class so that we could meet with you until we fully understood the content at hand. You have adjusted your lessons to be dynamic and interactive to better accommodate our learning styles. You insisted that we worked to our fullest potential by setting the bar high, because you knew we could achieve it. Your flexibility, patience, and understanding will forever serve as exemplary qualities for us to follow. To our parents, first and foremost, thank you for your unconditional love. You managed to drag our deadweight bodies out of bed every morning and even detoured out of your commute to drive us here and back home every day. You happily attended our musicals, presentations, Evenings of the Arts, and sports games. You offered constructive feedback to whichever talent or assignment we tackled, but you didn’t meddle too much as you allowed us to critically grow and solve independently. You never wavered. To our siblings and friends, thank you for offering total comfort and support in our endeavors. The relationships we have formed with you are ones we will keep forever, and I can say that firsthand, being a younger sister of a Holy Child alum. To our coaches, counselors, and advisors, you have made us more well-rounded, as you have made school not just all about academics. You have transformed us into cooperative, collaborative, flexible, considerate, sportsmanlike, and confident young women, equipped to take on the real world. To the remaining campus staff, thank you for the countless, thankless tasks that you performed on a daily basis. Holy Child would not have operated as smoothly and safely if it weren’t for all of you. Without these remarkably influential people in our lives, we would not be sitting here, right now, eager to receive diplomas as testaments to our hard work and grit.
Second, how we will measure these years. Although life will require us to focus on the present moment, we will find ourselves pondering about the past. So, how do we measure the time we’ve spent at Holy Child? A little more than four years ago, most of us chose Holy Child as our high school. It seems like yesterday. We were tiny little freshman, unaware of school norms, particularly Spirit Week’s intensity. When sophomore year flew by, we began to figure it out and were certainly a lot more in the know about school happenings. I’ll never forget the thrill of defeating the juniors in Spirit Week as tiny sophomores. Then, Kairos began junior year with a much deeper, universal understanding of one another. We had never been so bonded, so close-knit. Finally, senior year arrived. As leaders of the school, we executed senior traditions perfectly, and we, at last, won Spirit Week! By this time, we became women of resilience, surviving standardized tests, the college admissions process, and the shenanigans of prank day. Some of our success can be attributed to our unique coping mechanisms, like hugging each person during every Mass offering of peace rather than a stoic handshake. This simple sign of happiness was one example of conveying Cornelia’s famous saying, 'Actions not Words.' In reality, one point that I am sure of is that the class of 2020 has abnormally large shoes to fulfill. Third, moving forward. The surreality of the future is no longer distant, nor surreal. It is now, and it begins now. Ensure that you dare. In whatever you do, ensure that you dare to pursue something you truly love. Your success and greatness will never be measured by monetary value, nor recognition. Greatness and success are defined on the basis of the strong relationships we make, and the lives around us that we affect, so dare to attain them. Just like we dared to make the closest bonds with one another here on campus. There are so many components of your life that will change, no matter what, and most of them are entirely out of your control. Especially given such a time prone to change during our lives, we will still always be daughters of our parents. Sisters of our siblings. And alumna of Connelly School of the Holy Child. That can never change. All 52 of us bearing unique stories and passions chose this place. So many values and traditions have been instilled in us that will shape our constantly changing lives. Holy Child has allowed us to take risks, make mistakes, encouraged us to work together, and grow in self-confidence. And one last matter I have for today: in moving onward with your new life, don’t forget to stay true to your HC roots. Value the education that Holy Child has empowered you with. Albert Einstein once wisely stated, 'Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.' In a decade from now, we probably won’t remember conducting acid-base titrations, or finding derivatives of trigonometric functions, but we will instead recall that Holy Child taught us not merely what to learn, but especially how to learn. Just know that God will only ever give you what you can handle. And always live the fourth. Words cannot describe my gratitude. My gratitude that stems from the belief that God put each and every one of you into my life to make me laugh more, dance more, cry joyously more, learn more, and love more. It’s certainly not a goodbye, but a 'see you sometime soon.'"
About the 2019 Commencement Speaker DR. ELLEN STOFAN is the John and Adrienne Mars Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. She is the first woman to hold this position. Dr. Stofan has extensive experience in space-related organizations and a deep research background in planetary geology. She was chief scientist at NASA from 2013 to 2016, serving as the principal advisor on NASA’s strategic planning and programs, and helped guide the development of a long-range plan to get humans to Mars. Dr. Stofan worked on various strategies for NASA to support commercial activity in low Earth orbit as it transitions from the International Space Station as well as plans to send humans to the moon and Mars in the mid-2020s. She supported NASA’s overall science programs in heliophysics, earth science, planetary science, and astrophysics. While at NASA, she worked with President Barack Obama’s science advisor and the National Science and Technology Council on science policy. Stofan’s research focuses on the geology of Venus, Mars, Saturn’s moon - Titan, and Earth. She has been published extensively and has received many awards and honors, including the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal. Dr. Stofan was named one of “CNN’s Extraordinary People of 2014.” She has co-authored the books Planetology: Unlocking the Secrets of the Solar System and Next Earth: What Our World Can Teach Us About Other Planets, both published by National Geographic.
“It isn’t about landing on the Moon, or doing something no one has done before. Your moonshot is about doing something that feels completely beyond your reach, and understanding that all superhuman-seeming achievements are really a collection of normal people and lots of small steps. Moonshots are about having a vision, and courage to pursue it, and graduation day is a great day to consider big things, because your vision goes further from a high point. You have achieved something notable. Look far today, because anything you can imagine in a heady moment like this is achievable.”
WORDS OF ADVICE FROM DR. STOFAN We asked Dr. Stofan to give her best pieces of advice for our graduates. What is the best piece of advice you can give a young woman going to college? My advice would be to really get out there and try everything. If somebody presents an opportunity to you and you think it's not something you're totally interested in, go ahead and try it. You never know where those paths are going to lead you and you never know what skills you're going to learn that are actually going to help you later in life. What has been the biggest impact on you as a successful woman in STEM? The biggest impact on me has really been the mentors that have helped me throughout my career. They not only would provide me advice on things like, "don't just present problems, go ahead and come up with some possible solutions," but also really helping to promote me as I went through, and they helped me find new jobs. So as you go through your career, really look for those mentors, look for those people who are going to help you and look out for you as you go through your life. What is your hope for this generation of high school graduates? In this year, where we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of the moonshot, I really challenge all these girls. I think they're going to be amazing in terms of what is their moonshot. They're going to go on to help deal with climate change, help make the world a better place, to really help make this a more sustainable planet; and I'm really excited to see what they're going to accomplish. What do you see as the significance of an all-girls education? When I meet girls who have gone to an all-girls school, they are so much more selfconfident, poised, willing to speak up, willing to lean in; and I think girls education gives girls the confidence that they're going to need to succeed not just in college, but in the workplace. What motivates you to break barriers on a daily basis? What motivates me is really trying to make the world better for the next generation. What's really motivating me right now is how we change the face of science, technology, engineering, and math to look more like our population rather than just men because if we do that, we're going to tap into the talent of a whole range of people that are going to help us address the big challenges we have going forward.
See more on our Instagram highlights under 2019 Graduation.
8th Grade Promotion
The 8th Grade Promotion Ceremony celebrated 36 students that were hardworking, dedicated to their studies, service-oriented, and well-rounded young leaders. We look forward to seeing them flourish even more in the upper school. Below is an excerpt from the 8th grade student speaker. "Our 8th Grade Promotion is a time we have been dreading, but also looking forward to. A time when we look back on all of our accomplishments in the middle school, but also look forward to what awaits us in high school. These past three years, we have grown a lot: physically, mentally, spiritually, and emotionally. The theme for this year is, 'Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.' (Psalms 34:15). My interpretation of this verse is that we should let go of all negativity, everything that prevents us from being our best selves, and instead 'do good.' Then again, doing good can mean a lot of different things. It can mean being a nice person, giving someone a compliment, or just being yourself. I think that the meaning of this verse is that we should get rid of anything that stops us from being ourselves. This is such an important concept for our class to understand because we all have so many great talents, each one unique. Whether it’s in the arts, athletics, academics, or just throwing parties in the locker room, we all have something special that makes us ourselves. Over the past three years, I have realized more and more how important it is that we don’t take our gifts for granted; that we are grateful for our superpowers and we do not feel bad that we aren’t as good at something else. Because whatever that passion is, whatever that 'superpower' is, it is what’s going to jumpstart our journey into high school and beyond. Seeing that our class has already accomplished so much in the middle school, I am positive that we have a lot more to come our way. We’ve gone from loud, carefree little sixth graders to crab soccer champions! I can’t wait to see what the next four years have in store for us!"
Student Reflection by Nyla Choudry '23
8th Grade Promotion Awards The Mary Pat Siemien Award | Sofia Cerbone
The J. Robert Walsh Award | Nathalia Martinez The Head of School Award | Reese Kim The Actions Not Words Scholarship | Tanner Marshall The Cornelia Connelly Scholarship | Norah Brotons
Goal Awards Goal 1: Faith | Liz Oduro Goal 2: Community | Emma Garayta Goal 3: Curriculum | Reese Kim and Nyla Choudry Goal 4: Justice | Leah Nesmith Goal 5: Dignity | Jane Saidy Goal 6: Fulfillment | Lauren DeMarse
Performing Arts Merit Scholarships for Next School Year Excellence in Instrumental Music | Reese Kim Excellence in Vocal Music | Coco Riggins
Read the award descriptions on our website.
Athletic Awards
Holy Child had an exceptional year in athletics: Ice Hockey was added as a varsity sport and had a first all-conference in the MAGHL; JV Equestrian won the ISHS championship; Softball captured their first ISL win beating St. Andrew’s; Tennis celebrated their first win beating Stone Ridge; JV Field Hockey and Basketball both beat Visitation; 11 athletes made All-ISL; and the community celebrated five seniors who will be continuing their respective sport at the collegiate level.
Holy Child's student-athletes work hard all year, but especially during their athletic seasons. Our annual sports banquet at the end of the year is designed to recognize their efforts and contributions to their teams. The following awards were presented to athletes excelling in their respective sports. Additionally, we had several athletes honored by the Independent School League (ISL) in various sports. Congratulations to all our athletes!
MIDDLE SCHOOL Soccer Pearson Shay, Nela Sahady Field Hockey Reese Kim, Sofia Cerbone Basketball Emma Garayta, Peyton Austin Annie Lee, Brooke Entwistle
Soccer JV - Colby Roth '21, Ashley Donatelli '22 V - Caleigh Gazdag '20, Maya Herishen '19 Field Hockey JV - Lauren Zukiwski '21, Julia Grisius '21 V - Kate Distefano '21, Sofia D'Avella '20 Volleyball JV - Gigi Hanley '20, Alesia Allen '21 V - Alexis Fuhrman '19, Khaalis Harris '20 Cross Country Corinne Wright '19, Megan Lynch '20
Ice Hockey MK Stewart '19, Maggie Taishoff '20 Basketball JV - Haley Summers '22, Kelsey Rafferty '21 V - Megan Lynch '20, Bailey Skeeter '19 Equestrian Piper Martin '19, Addie Robinson '20 Swimming Corinna Gilmore '20, Angela Torrejon '20
SPRING SEASON
Fall Tennis Jayda Fomengia '20, Colby Fagan '19
Swimming Abbey Palumbo, Katie Cope
Golf Maya Herishen '19, Hailey Feaunati '22
Lacrosse Pearson Shay, Jane Saidy
Lacrosse JV - Kate Distefano '21, Liberty Topka '22 V - Lily Hagerup '19, Megan Lynch '20
Softball Brooke Entwistle, Sydney Barrett Equestrian Madeleine Naude, Kim Kirkpatrick
Spring Tennis Rachel Russell '19, Emily Boyd '19
Unsung Heroine Reese Kim
Track and Field Gabby Morreale '19, Lucia Larrea '22
Tiger Award Brooke Entwistle
Softball Alesia Allen '21, Maggie Taishoff '20
8th Grade Athlete of the Year Maggie O'Boyle
ADDITIONAL AWARDS The Raskauska's Family Varsity High Point Rider Piper Martin '19 Freshman Athlete of the Year Peyton Shreves '22
Read the award descriptions on our website.
WINTER SEASON
FALL SEASON
Wooters Tiger Club Award Maya Herishen '19 Unsung Heroine Margaret Maloney '19
ALL ISL
Field Hockey Kate Distefano '21 Sofia D'Avella '20 Soccer Corinne Kulik '20 Hanna Sellinger '19 Cross Country Megan Lynch '20
Volleyball Alexis Fuhrman '19, Honorable Mention
Basketball Caroline Ambrosi '19 Lacrosse Lily Hagerup '19 Peyton Shreves '22 Madeline Remington '20, Honorable Mention Softball Maggie Taishoff '20 Ice Hockey (All Conference MAGHL Division) MK Stewart '19
College Athletes We congratulate and wish these five seniors all the best as they continue their respective sport at the collegiate level.
Caroline Ambrosi | Sewanee: The University of the South Field Hockey Lily Hagerup | Brown University Lacrosse Allaire Kotz | Denison University Lacrosse Piper Martin | Fairfield University Equestrian MK Stewart | Liberty University Ice Hockey
Scholar Athletes
Congratulations to those athletes who have maintained a grade point average of 3.3 or better for the duration of their athletic season. Their dedication in their respective sport and in the classroom are to be commended. This year we recognize an outstanding 146 scholar athletes. Nina Aguiar Alesia Allen Caroline Ambrosi Jamie Anderson Kasey Anderson Pilar Arrendell Emily Baker Winifred Beaudet Charlotte Bell Nyla Belton Victoria Beresford Sophia Bierma Caroline Bittman Ashley Borza Kenna Brickman Emma Calis Kate Celeste Aurora Chen Riley Clark Bridget Connelly Adrianna Corral Kiki Covell Elizabeth Cresswell Eleanor Cull Dylan Davidson Madeleine Daymude Danielle Dedeaux Anne Distefano Kate Distefano Ashley Donatelli Caroline Donatelli Claire Duffy Corinne Eckel Colby Fagan Ariana Farzin Jaden Faunteroy Hailey Feaunati Hatton Feldman
Bebong Fomengia Jayda Fomengia Alexis Fuhrman Caitlyn Gac Maddalena Galli Caleigh Gazdag Jillian Geils Corinna Gilmore Kathleen Graham Nadia Green Christina Greene Julia Grisius Laura Groh Lily Hagerup Georgia Hanley Gillian Hanley Khaalis Harris Maya Herishen Mia Hugo Elizabeth Jerro Claire Kane Lillian Kannapell Grace Kernan Kelsey Kley Allaire Kotz Julianne Kucik Corinne Kulik Lucia Larrea Danielle Latham Nora Lowe Megan Lynch Maeve Magner Madison Magruder Ashley Mahoney Katherine Mahoney Abigail Maloney Margaret Maloney Jessica Manes
Allison Mansinne Piper Martin Piper Matan Rosemary McCarthy Shea McCarthy Keelan McGowan Marisol McLaughlin Molly McMahon Macie Millard Gabriella Morreale Riley Morton Emily Murphy Charlotte Nordberg Maryjane Okonji Caroline Ondeck Margaret Patterson Frida Perez Madison Phillips Claire Powell Sarah Pumphrey Meihui Qiao Kelsey Rafferty Kathryn Ramminger Catherine Redmond Teresa Reis Pereira dos Santos Nora Rembold Madeline Remington Adrianna Robinson Colby Roth Elizabeth Rothenberger Bergin Russell Rachel Russell Grace Schwenker Hanna Sellinger Peyton Shreves Bailey Skeeter Grace Skibbie
Anne Slabaugh Eleanor Smith Kayla Smith Noelle Sommerville Caroline Stanton Grace Stephens Catherine Stewart Haley Summers Marjorie Taishoff Sydney Tepper Caroline Timothy Margaret Titus Caitlyn Topercer Liberty Topka Angela Torrejon Olivia Tropea Ella Urgo Marissa Urgo Lily Valaik Maria Velasco Basterra Isabel Velasquez Pamela Grace von Seelen Kitty Wayland Isabelle Weeda Martina Wetten Verity White Lucy Williams Tess Williams Corinne Wright Lucy Wright Alexandria Zukiwski Lauren Zukiwski
ATHLETE SPOTLIGHTS Megan Lynch '20 ran her way into Holy Child's record books on the cross country team by winning the Bullis Invitational (3.1 miles) in the fall with a time of 19:15.8. Megan had a stellar season finishing 11th overall at the ISL Championships. Kasey Anderson '20 made a splash with a few record-breaking times during this year’s swim season! Kasey broke two school records at the ISL Swim Championships in January this year. Kasey broke her own record in the 200 free with a time of 1:57.07 and broke the 100 butterfly record from 2014 with a 1:00.04.
All School Closing
Each year, our community gathers to recognize the excellent work of our students at our All School Closing. All year, students strive to do their best. In partnership with their teachers, students grapple with fascinating and complex concepts as they work to understand the world in which they will inherit. During the ceremony, we recognize academic achievement and those who have set a daily example of what it means to live out our Holy Child mission and philosophy. All School Closing awards honor hard work, commitment, and excellence that runs through our halls throughout the year.
Course Awards
English Department Award | Rachel Russell '19 Mathematics Department Award | Rachel Russell '19
Visual and Performing Arts Extracurricular Awards US Musical - Production | Maggie Titus '21
US Musical - Performance | Maeve McCaffrey '19 and Elizabeth Rothenberger '22 Chorus | Muriel Fayemi '19 Dance | Caroline Bittman '21
Book Awards
Bausch & Lomb Medal | Angela Torrejon '20 Connelly Book Award | Keely McGowan '20 Harvard Book Prize | Kayla Smith '20 Holy Child Book Award for Humanities/Social Studies | Angela Torrejon '20
Physical Education Department Awards | Sydney Tepper '22 and Colby Roth '21
Saint Michael’s College Book Award for Scholarship and Service | Addie Robinson '20
Religion Department Award | Hanna Sellinger '19
Wellesley College Book Award | Kiki Covell '20
Science Department Award | Colby Fagan '19
Smith College Book Award | Colby Roth '21
Social Studies Department Award | Corinne Wright '19
Jan Norton Scholarship | Macie Millard '21
Visual and Performing Arts Department Awards | Josie Ziemski '19 (Visual Art), Kelsey Kley '22 (Vocal Ensemble), Danielle Dedeaux '21 (Instrumental Ensemble), Grace Stephens '22 (Theatre), and Marisol McLaughlin '22 (Dance) World Languages Department Awards | Muriel Fayemi '19 (French) and Maria Velasco Basterra '19 (Spanish)
Organization Awards
Onyx Staff Yearbook Recognition Awards | Katie Campbell '19, Gigi McBride '19, and Kitty Wayland '22 Leadership in Communication Award | Josie Ziemski '19 Service in Ministry Award | Winnie Beaudet '19 Special Service to the School | Facilities Team
Goal Awards
Goal 1: Faith | Teresa Weldon '25, Lucy Williams '22, Amanda Allen '22, Macie Millard '22, Dulce Romero '20 Goal 2: Community | Gracie Drummond '25, Sydney Tepper '22, Maggie Titus '21, Kiki Covell '20 Goal 3: Curriculum | Whitney Donahue '24, Lily Valaik '22, Emily Murphy '22, Jayda Fomengia '20 Goal 4: Justice | Sydney Barrett '25, Anna DeMino '22, Elyse Miller '21, Lola Hill '21, Frida Perez '20 Goal 5: Dignity | Caroline McKeon '24, Hilary Romero '24, Nadia Green '22, Peyton Shreves '22, DD Dedeaux '21, Gladys Bermudez '20, Kenna Brickman '20 Goal 6: Fulfillment | Keera Enyet '25, Chloe Wade '24, Bergin Russell '22, Abigail Maloney '21, Tess Williams '20 Read the award descriptions on our website.
WRITTEN BY KYRA HICKEY '19
Campus News
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It was an exciting year at Holy Child! Below are highlights on events from January to June 2019. Use the QR code to find out more about that event and see photos. 1. SPIRIT WEEK: Holy Child students showed their class pride during Spirit Week festivities. This year the students participated in Pair Day, Movie Day, Game Day, Group Day, and Color Day. The seniors came in first place, followed up by the freshmen in second place and the juniors in third place.
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2. CHRIS REMINGTON DEDICATION: In January, the new fitness center was officially dedicated in memory of Mr. Christopher Remington, the late father of Madeline Remington '20. At the ceremony, Senior Hanna Sellinger spoke about Mr. Remington’s legacy and the impact he made on Holy Child. Hanna’s speech can be found on our website. 3. FATHER/DAUGHTER COMMUNION BREAKFAST: Holy Child dads joined their daughters on this cheerful morning for Mass and breakfast. The morning was a great way for the dads and their daughters to spend some quality bonding time and reflect on their relationship with Christ. Read a reflection from dad Chris Maloney (Margaret '19, Abigail '21) on our website.
5. MOTHERS CHAPEL TALK: Holy Child's Mother's Prayer Group organized a series of Chapel Talks that featured local priests discussing various topics. Visit our website to read a reflection from Mrs. Colleen Morton (Riley '21) about a Chapel Talk in February hosted by Father Carter Griffin.
4. CHINESE NEW YEAR: Our Chinese exchange students and sophomores, Mei Qiao and Aurora Chen, hosted a celebration in honor of Chinese New Year including Chinese food, the tradition of handing out red envelopes, and a special fire dance presented by religion teacher Mr. O'Dea. Happy Year of the Pig!
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7. BLACK HISTORY MONTH: This Black History Month, our Diversity Club enriched our community by sharing a wide variety of aspects of black culture. Throughout February, the clubs offered different presentations and opportunities to learn more about black history. Each morning, the Diversity Club would wake up our Holy Child students with a different song curated by a black artist from each decade.
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6. RACHEL SIMMONS: Rachel Simmons, author of Odd Girl Out, came to speak to the upper and middle school about how to manage their overthinking, push themselves to take risks, and navigate their futures as women in the workforce. Watch our interview with Rachel on our Instagram.
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8. MAMMA MIA!: The upper school debuted their performance of MAMMA MIA! as their spring musical this year, blowing away the community with their electric dance numbers and songs. 9. SENIOR RETREAT: The seniors spent their final Holy Child retreat at the same center where they attended their Kairos retreat junior year. The retreat was overnight and the girls spent the two days reflecting on their time at Holy Child and how they will move forward into their future. 10. GALA: Parents and faculty celebrated all that Holy Child has been since 1961 at this year’s Gala, which was thoughtfully planned out and run by the Gala committee and Gala co-chairs and two Holy Child parents, Pamela Hickey (Mackenzie '16, Kyra '19, Addie '23) and Susan DeMarse (Lauren '23, Megan '24).
WRITTEN BY KYRA HICKEY '19
Campus News
15. PCR OUTSTANDING YOUTH VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR: Senior Rachel Russell was awarded the "Outstanding Youth Volunteer of the Year" by PCR for all of her work with their Best Buddies Program. Alum Katie Sullivan Tyson '90 presented the award to Rachel at the PCR Gala in April.
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16. MS DAY OF SERVICE: Our middle school students put their love into action by serving the community for their annual Day of Service in April. Students served at six local sites including So Others Might Eat (SOME), Martha's Table, Nourish Now, National Center for Children and Families, Bartholomew House, and A Wider Circle.
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17. BINGO: Campus Ministry hosted Holy Child’s annual game of bingo to benefit Washington School for Girls to send them on a field trip to the Karen Noonan Center. All were invited to play for their chance to win extra credit from teachers, gift cards to their favorite stores, and other exciting prizes. 18. INTERNATIONAL WEEK FOOD TASTING CELEBRATION: Holy Child hosted a food tasting celebration to honor the many countries and heritages represented in our community. Different cuisines were offered from over 25 countries including South Korea, Nigeria, Ireland, Brazil, and more. 19. STATIONS OF THE CROSS: Our Foundations of Ministry class reenacted the Stations of the Cross with the contemplative attention of our community during Holy Week.
11. WORLD DAY OF PRAYER: Holy Child students and faculty had the opportunity to learn more about the many faiths represented in our community by attending various interactive presentations in honor of World Day of Prayer. 12. NEW ORLEANS SERVICE TRIP: Over spring break, a number of students and faculty traveled to New Orleans to work in collaboration with the local New Orleans Habitat for Humanity. One half of the group work with the RESTORE, sorting furniture, appliances, and other goods for sale at RESTORE. The second half of the group worked on site at a home currently under construction in New Orleans. Both groups worked incredibly hard and learned about the wonderful work Habitat for Humanity does for families in need.
20. THE MEMORY PROJECT: The Memory Project is a charitable nonprofit organization that invites art teachers and their students to create and donate portraits to youth around the world who have faced substantial challenges such neglect, abuse, loss of parents, and extreme poverty. This year, Holy Child art students were asked to create and donate portraits of Peruvian children. The Memory Project brings children together - no matter where you live. This project was a way to spread hope and to put a smile on each of the Peruvian childrens' faces as a way to boost their spirits.
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13. LLS STUDENT OF THE YEAR CAMPAIGN: A group of juniors participated in the LLS Student of the Year campaign this year and helped collectively to raise and donate over $78,000 to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Our students helped raise a grand total of $2.25 million alongside other students in the National Capital Area.
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14. ATHLETIC SPEAKER: Dr. John Tabacco, sports medicine specialist and team doctor for the Washington Redskins, came on campus to talk about safety in sports to our student-athletes in the spring.
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Campus News
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21. LEARNING THE ART OF STORY TELLING: Appalachian educator and story teller, Adam Booth, taught and practiced the oral tradition of learning ballads with seniors in Humanities.
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22. EVENING OF THE ARTS: The Holy Child community gathered together to celebrate the visual and performing arts. Students performed skits from plays, sang covers of songs, played varied pieces of music, presented paintings and drawings, and participated in a live art session assembled and created throughout the evening.
23. RING DAY AND PROM: The juniors and seniors wrapped up the year with a Holy Child tradition of Ring Day in which the seniors present their junior ring sister with a class ring and passed on the senior leadership to the junior class. The day didn’t end after the ceremony... the seniors and juniors danced the night away at their Casino Night-themed Prom! 24. 6TH AND 7TH GRADE RETREAT: This year the 6th and 7th grade retreat had the theme of friendship - friendship with others and friendship with God. Students enjoyed reflective small group discussions, outdoor activities, and heard from two senior student leaders about their friendships with peers and with God.
25. MOTHER'S MORNING: Holy Child Moms were invited to spend the morning with their daughters during our annual Mother's Morning. The morning was filled with reflection and prayer, and we had the May Crowning. Mom Rosina Aguiar (Sofia '18, Lucia '19, Nina '22) shared a beautiful reflection on our Blessed Mother that you can read on our website. 26. 12 ANGRY WOMEN: Directed by Technical Theatre and Acting Teacher, James Carpenter, upper school students put on a performance of "12 Angry Men" on stage in May. The audience sat on stage around the set for a more interactive experience. 27. COLLEGE SKIRTS: Seniors continued the tradition of painting their yellow skirts with the logo of their respective colleges.
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28. NASA SCIENTIST FOR A DAY: 6th grader Emma DeSalle won the "NASA Scientist for a Day" essay contest for the 5th-6th grade division. Students around the world were challenged to think like NASA scientists and evaluate where future space missions should go. In addition to having her essay published on NASA’s website, Emma won the opportunity for the 6th grade to teleconference with NASA engineers and scientists. 29. JUNIOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAM: The juniors participated in an entrepreneurship program. They competed in teams and pitched their product ideas during a Shark Tank type presentation. The juniors were asked to come up with a product or service that can help a social issue going on in the world. The winning group was Liberating Looks, an affordable and adaptable clothing line for wheel chair bound Americans. 30. SENIOR INTERNSHIP PROGRAM: Our seniors participated in an internship program as a graduation requirement. Each senior was able to intern in a field they are passionate about and perhaps discover more about what they want to do after Holy Child. Seniors worked at hospitals, law firms, classrooms, and even a fire department!
Leadership at Holy Child "Holy Child girls are given the opportunity to lead, which gives the students a voice in the community, so they can make Holy Child exactly the kind of place they want to come to every day."
At Holy Child, the students are able to take on a new role of responsibility in leadership by participating in various groups. Holy Child makes it possible for the student body to be as involved as possible in the community so that they can have a voice and gain a sense of responsibility. Holy Child offers leadership positions to both upper and middle school students on Student Government Association. This year, Holy Child’s SGA worked hard to speak for the student body, and thus, implemented some new fun treats for the students to enjoy. The upper school SGA raised enough funds over the year to host a water day for students to enjoy, which hasn’t happened at Holy Child for a few years. Student Body President Lily Hagerup said, “bringing back Water Day has been my personal goal for many years at Holy Child, because I want the grades below to be able to experience a day of much needed fun especially during a stressful time during exam preparation!” SGA met every Tuesday morning this school year to discuss different tasks and goals, and how to best implement them for the community. For example, SGA also found a new and innovative way to take care of the wonderful new spaces at Holy Child. SGA decided each homeroom should be assigned one advisory block during the year to clean the Tiger’s Den, Senior Lounge, and Connelly Commons, so we could maintain our beautiful new spaces. The middle school SGA was able to show leadership by collaborating on different service projects and opportunities throughout the year. The middle school SGA grade representatives also showed a great amount of leadership in their grade during Spirit Week, when they had to organize their grade’s themes and collaborate with each of the girls in their homeroom to figure out who would be taking each role during the week.
BY KYRA HICKEY '19 The Cornelian Chapter of the National Honor Society is also significantly involved in leadership at Holy Child. NHS hosts various events throughout the school year in order to raise money for different organizations. One of the bigger events they hosted this year was the blood drive. NHS member, Charlotte Bell, said, “the blood drive was my favorite event to organize this year, because we were able to get in touch with NOVA to help organize it and we had over 30 volunteers and were able to help save 96 patient lives!” NHS organized the entire blood drive from signing up students and faculty willing to donate, passing out permission slips, to hosting a trail mix bar day in advance to raise the iron levels in the donors blood. Another memorable event was the hair drive, where students and faculty were invited to donate up to nine inches of hair to the Children of Hair Loss Organization. Our community was able to donate over 13 feet of hair to children and young adults facing medically related hair loss. NHS met once a month during lunches to discuss events they were hosting and different service projects. Science Department Chair and NHS Coordinator Mrs. Tomon, hosted the meetings, and gave the girls much of the responsibility in planning and curating each event they hosted to raise money for different organizations. Holy Child girls are given the opportunity to lead, which gives the students a voice in the community, so they can make Holy Child exactly the kind of place they want to come to every day.
New Leadership Opportunity for Middle School Students Beginning with the 2019-2020 school year, Holy Child will be launching a middle school chapter of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS). We’re very excited to offer this opportunity to our Middle School students; it’s a wonderful way to recognize high achieving students who give back not only to Holy Child, but also to the wider community. Membership in the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) is one of the highest honors that can be awarded to a middle school student. Our chapter will work hard to bring the accomplishments of outstanding students to the attention of parents, teachers, peers, and the community. NJHS is built on the pillars of scholarship, service, leadership, character, and citizenship. Students who meet the scholarship standard are invited to apply and are selected by a faculty council, who look at examples of achievement both in and outside school. NJHS seeks to recognize students who excel overall, and not solely in academics. Aside from meeting academic requirements, in order to be selected for membership, students must demonstrate the NJHS pillars of character, leadership, and citizenship. In addition, students are required to complete 12 service hours every year. These hours are above and beyond what is required for Religion class and are completed on students’ personal time. Our new NJHS chapter is an opportunity for students to act as leaders here at school and in the wider community. At Holy Child, we’re looking forward to expanding leadership roles for middle school students.
Save the Date: Middle School Musical
Friday, November 1st and Saturday, November 2nd. Stay tuned for more information on www.holychild.org.
Faculty News Find out what our faculty has been up to the past six months!
MATH TEACHER IDA PABLO attended the US Naval Academy STEM teachers training for Fall of 2018 in September. It was offered to Science and Math teachers and the focus was on creative problem solving using Math and Science concepts.
ENGLISH TEACHER DR. MARISSA BULGER presented at the annual meeting of the South Carolina chapter of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) in January on Kiawah Island, SC. Dr. Bulger's presentation was titled "Writing Workshop for the NonWorkshop Classroom" and drew from her workshop-style teaching in Senior English.
CAMPUS MINISTER CATHERINE ALBORNOZ attended a Conference for High School Campus Ministers hosted by Catholic University’s School of Theology and Religious Studies and the Catholic Apostate Center. This February gathering of Campus Ministers from Maryland, Virginia, DC, and Pennsylvania was an opportunity for networking, sharing best practices, and learning more about the 2018 Synod on Young People.
HISTORY TEACHER ALEX BARR presented at the annual conference for the National Council for History Education. Alex's presentation was on 20th-Century Native American activism, and better incorporating Native American voices into US History courses.
ENGLISH TEACHER CHRISY JELEN attended a four day program at the AP Summer Institute for English Literature at Wake Forest in North Carolina this June. Chrisy helped launch our summer program where she is teaching an English Enrichment class to incoming freshmen. Chrisy will also teach AP Literature in the fall.
Faculty News CONTINUTED...
HEAD OF SCHOOL DR. SHANNON GOMEZ and husband, Art, welcomed their daughter, Anna Maria, on March 24th. Annie joins her siblings Artie, Liam, Marina, Finn, and Lena.
ADMISSIONS ASSOCIATE PAULINA HILL WRIGHT '05 and husband, Geoff, welcomed baby girl Georgia on June 6th.
DEAN OF STUDENTS JULIE BURKE married DJ Connelly on June 15th at Georgetown Prep. Many Holy Child students witnessed her nuptials, cheering for the new couple as they walked down the aisle.
RELIGION TEACHER LAUREN WALTER attended a threeday event called New York Encounter. The event features exhibits, presentations, and performances that seek to engage people of different backgrounds in conversation about universal human expressions of the desire for the true, good, and beautiful. The purpose of Encounter is to become a place of dialogue between faith and culture. Lauren says, “the event was a beautiful reminder of faith’s relevance in all aspects of life and a point of departure to encourage and inspire a deeper human education centered upon faith.”
ENGLISH TEACHER AUDREY SCHULTZ attended the National Council of Teachers of English. The keynote speaker was Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, author of We Should All Be Feminists (taught in AP Lang) and Purple Hibiscus (taught in AP Lit). While at NCTE, Audrey was struck by the emphasis on student choice reading – a hot topic during the conference and something that the Holy Child English Department already implements in our curriculum. Audrey says it was nice to bring new insights back and have suggestions for better integration of the program. HEAD OF SCHOOL DR. SHANNON GOMEZ received an award from the John Carroll Society (JCS) in recognition for her lifetime achievement, public service, outstanding leadership, and commitment to her Catholic faith. JCS awardees reflect the vision of faith exemplified by Archbishop John Carroll - they champion his example by living their faith fully at home, at work, and in their communities.
DIRECTOR OF TEACHING AND LEARNING KIM HOGAN presented at the CannonDesign and Steelcase Education Symposium on Holy Child’s response to the current data and trends examining college and career readiness, and how our school has been able to create programs that help students prepare for their future.
DIRECTOR OF VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS AND MUSIC TEACHER ELSBETH FAGER participated and worked at the 30th Anniversary Galway Flute Festival in Weggis, Switzerland this summer. The festival includes masterclasses given by Sir James and Lady Galway, along with Guest Artists' workshops on solo repertoire, technique, orchestral excerpts, chamber music, jazz improvisation, piccolo, low flutes, contemporary techniques, and more
HISTORY TEACHER KAREN CRAIG applied and was accepted as an online English teacher in May. She teaches the English language to students living in China, ages 3-12. She teaches absolute beginners – ages 3-5 and 5+ – who have no English background, as well as older students, ages 7-12 who are at varying stages of their mastery of the language. Not only is she teaching new vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation to her students, but Ms. Craig is also learning a lot about Chinese culture and about herself as a teacher.
Thank You for Your Service:
Saying Farewell to Two Holy Child Pillars As the school year came to a close, our community celebrated the service and retirement of two Holy Child community pillars; Abby Root, who has been a part of our Business Office for 20 years and Leslie Whitaker, a PE teacher for 25 years. Both have left an outstanding imprint on the Holy Child campus in many ways. Read more about what colleague and CFO Terri Sutton and colleague Suzi Montes de Oca said about Abby and what student Sydney Tepper '22 had to say about Leslie.
THEN & NOW
- Abby Root "RALPH WALDO EMERSON WROTE, 'The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful To be honorable To be compassionate To have it make some difference that you lived And lived well.' Every day Abby embodies this sentiment. While seemingly invisible, Abby is one of the many people behind the scenes that makes Holy Child the amazing school that it is. For 20 years she has given Holy Child her very best. She has quietly gone about her day, working long hours, weekends and holidays without complaint. She is the reason everyone was paid on time, the lights stayed on, and all our girls had computers and books. She was patient and helpful with every faculty member and parent. She never said no to a new task or assignment. She was kind to everyone. Her greatest achievement is not in how she paid the bills or counted the money. It is in how she showed up every day; her humility; her quiet grace; her dedication and determination to serve our community and to serve it well. Abby is the embodiment of Cornelia’s wish for all of us, “To be all that God want us to be.” Thank you Abby for 20 years of outstanding service to Holy Child. We are forever grateful for all you have done for our community and for your shining example of how we can be all that God wants us to be." Written by Terri Sutton, CFO
"Abby and I worked together for 20 years and I am grateful for her kindness, thoughtfulness and patience that she brought to the workplace every day. She was always willing to stop what she was working on, to guide us through the maze of Business Office logistics and processes. With a big sigh, we will miss you Abby!" Written by Suzi Montes de Oca, Director of Development and Stewardship
- Leslie Whitaker "IT'S AN HONOR TO SPEAK ABOUT A MEMBER OF OUR COMMUNITY who has had such an amazing impact on my life. I don’t know how many people outside of their immediate family can say that they have someone who believes in them, and their abilities, and pushes them to be the best that they can be. I am fortunate enough to say that I do. As I reflect upon the start of my journey here at Holy Child, just four short years ago, as an immature and hyperactive 6th grader, I never realized that there could be a teacher, coach, mentor, and above all else, a role model for me that would eventually change everything I was going to do within these walls for the rest of my time here at Holy Child.
BY KYRA HICKEY '19
Faculty Spotlight
Mrs. Whitaker, thank you. Thank you for being my coach, my mentor, and a lifelong teacher to me. You not only embraced my craziness and antics, but taught me that no matter what I did, as long as I believed I could and put everything I had into it, that I could accomplish anything. You taught me to believe in this school and to believe in being a tiger, it is something that I take very seriously. Mrs. Whitaker gave me the foundation to take my athleticism, my academics, my love for this school, and all that goes with it to the next level. She entertained my silliness and entertained my fun, but made sure to straighten me out when I needed it. She has always been in my corner, rooting for me and pushing me along. Whenever I step onto a field or the ice or take a seat in Math class in a Holy Child uniform, I think about Mrs. Whitaker and dedicate what I’m about to do to her because without Mrs. Whitaker, I would not be where I am today. Everything that I have accomplished and the undying love that I have for this school was instilled in me four years ago by Mrs. Whitaker. As I continue with my journey within these walls, she is someone I will never forget and although she may not always be here for every game and PE class, I hope I'll still hear her in my head, cheering me on and the constant threats of having to run laps will always be in the back of my mind, and it is something I hope everyone never stops hearing. Mrs. Whitaker is irreplaceable, and I am truly sorry for Coach Ready, because the task of finding someone to fill her spot is going to be very hard. Coach Ready and the Athletic Department please know that I have very high standards. Although you may not all realize it, we are extremely blessed to have had such an amazing person who dedicated her life to helping all of us become the amazing young women she knew we could be whether that be on a field, or on a firing line, or in the classroom. Even when you're bored to death in your archery unit or want to die during what may seem like endless sets of Whitakers, words cannot describe how thankful we all are for the many amazing things Mrs. Whitaker has done for all of us and for Holy Child Athletics. As a 6th grader, I knew she believed in me, and to this day I will never forget that. Although she may not be here for the rest of my high school career, I know that she will always believe in not only me, but in all of you, and in Holy Child. Mrs. Whitaker: wherever you are and wherever I am, please always know how much you mean to not only the people within these halls, and to the legacy of being a Tiger, but to me. I am sure that within the next three years and for the rest of my life, there will be lots of coaches and lots of teachers, but I will never forget all that you have taught me. Thank you from all of us for all that you have done for Holy Child. You will be missed."
Written by Sydney Tepper, Class of 2022
MS. JAMA HAS BECOME A FAMILIAR FACE HERE AT HOLY CHILD OVER THE PAST THREE YEARS. Her upbeat and bright personality radiate both in and out of her classroom, which makes it hard to believe that teaching wasn’t always her first interest. Ms. Jama attended Ohio State University and graduated with a degree in Business. Although she has always had a love for numbers, being a Math teacher wasn’t what she was planning on pursuing initially. Ms. Jama had a keen interest in finance, and she worked as a financial consultant right out of college. It wasn’t until a year into her first job that she realized she wasn’t happy with what she was doing. One day, she miraculously discovered her love for teaching. Her friend was a teacher at a middle school in Germantown and asked her to substitute for her while she was away. It was in that 8th grade classroom that Ms. Jama had discovered her newfound passion for teaching. Once she decided she wanted to teach, she went and got her teaching certification and continued on her educational journey. Ms. Jama went on to teach for Montgomery County Public Schools, and spent 10 years in the educational field before she joined the Holy Child community in 2016.
Ms. Jama’s teaching philosophy emulates the exact method of work her students adapt in her classroom. She pushes them to “keep trying to be the best version of themselves." Ms. Jama likes to keep students engaged through interactive activities and collaborative work. She believes in keeping students constantly moving during class time so that they are always involved in their work. Anyone who steps into Ms. Jama’s classroom will immediately notice the cheerful environment she created for her students, scattered with inspirational quotes and endless resources to help her students stay organized and motivated. Her colorful classroom isn’t just a representation of her vivacious personality, but it was done tactfully to mirror the energy that is represented in elementary school classrooms. Ms. Jama used to wonder why once students reached middle and high school they began to lose the excitement they had as young children. She likes to introduce math concepts and new lessons with the same energy that elementary teachers do in hopes that she can spark the same child-like joy in her own students. Ms. Jama believes in pushing her students to focus on the journey rather than the final destination. In the classroom, she does this by providing encouragement and various opportunities to students to improve if they receive a poor grade on an assessment. She is constantly reminding her students that one poor grade does not have to affect their final grade report. She hopes that her students apply this mindset to their lives outside of Holy Child, and that each of her students walk out of her classroom more confident in where their future is headed. Ms. Jama isn’t just interested in her students' success in her classroom, but in their personal life as well. An all girl’s private school was a big change for Ms. Jama coming from teaching at MCPS, but she has found that the small class sizes has made it easier to create personal relationships with her students. Ms. Jama is a gift to her students, and to the entire community. She has ensured that her students don’t just graduate from Holy Child with a bountiful knowledge of advanced math concepts, but also a strong sense of confidence, perseverance, and the stamina to tackle each day with a positive mindset. Ms. Jama was a recent recipient of the Novice Teacher Award from the Archdiocese of Washington. Ms. Jama helped kick off our summer program this year with an Algebra Enrichment class.
ABOUT MS. JAMA YEARS AT HOLY CHILD: 3 EDUCATION: Ohio State University, B.A. in Business COURSES TAUGHT: Algebra II/ Trigonometry, Precalculus BEFORE HOLY CHILD: Teacher at multiple MCPS schools, worked for an educational company as a consultant reviewing different SAT/ACT math sections.
Teaching and Learning at Holy Child
BY LAUREN WALTER, RELIGION TEACHER LAST SUMMER, A GROUP OF FACULTY MEMBERS GATHERED OVER THREE DAYS FOR a teacher leadership meeting to discuss teaching and learning initiatives at Holy Child. The goal of the meeting was to examine the various teaching initiatives introduced to faculty over the past few years and come up with lenses that help us focus, filter, and assess these different initiatives. This exercise would simplify a clearer vision for teaching and learning at Holy Child. After much lively and fruitful discussion, we defined three lenses, affectionately referred to as "buckets," to drive our culture of teaching and learning: deeper thinking, collaboration, and shared responsibility. Deeper thinking engages students in deeper understanding, critical thinking, and encourages a lifetime of inquiry. In an age when so much information is accessible, our goal for students is to strengthen their capacity to be discerning, thoughtful, and constructively analytical in sifting through the many ideas and resources they encounter, helping them to make important connections, formulate their own ideas, and understand their real-world implications. EdLeader 21 and the Partnership for 21st Century Learning defines collaboration as a 21st century learning and innovation skill. Collaboration involves students looking at a question or issue together and working with each other to achieve a common goal. The purpose of this bucket is to foster meaningful dialogue with one another, appreciate one another’s gifts and talents, and encourage a community-oriented focus to approaching questions. Shared responsibility seeks to build a deeper sense of responsibility for one’s self, responsibility to one another, and responsibility to one’s community. Ultimately, this effort seeks to cultivate a sense of belonging amongst students, faculty, and staff, revealing what it means to belong to a learning community and seeing oneself as an integral and invaluable part of that community. It is our goal to encourage students’ involvement and investment in one’s community, not just here at Holy Child, but also after they graduate. As faculty, we see these three buckets as ways to enhance our students’ academic learning, and every facet and phase of their life beyond the walls of the classroom. Once these areas of focus were defined, we began to consider how they would be implemented into our teaching and learning efforts for the following academic year. We discussed how we would share these buckets with the rest of the faculty during pre-service week in August. We proposed choosing one or two of these buckets and implementing a ten percent change in our teaching methods to begin to gradually adjust our culture of learning. As we set professional goals for ourselves for the academic year, we were asked to determine our buckets and how we would approach this ten percent change. Additionally, we were encouraged to use the Plan, Do, Study, Act Method to test this change over the course of the year. While this effort to hone the culture of teacher and learning is an ongoing process, with many conversations, successes, and failures along the way, teachers have sought ways to actualize these three buckets with particular teaching methods. The Harkness method incorporates all three buckets and many of our teachers have used this method this year after receiving training at Phillips Exeter Academy last summer. Harkness is a collaborative approach to deeper thinking, encouraging each student to respond as an integral member of a learning community. During a typical Harkness discussion, students and their teacher look at a common text together, asking essential questions about the text and exploring ideas together with minimal teacher intervention.
Similarly, another teaching and learning method that seeks to promote these three teaching lenses is project-based learning, in which students gain knowledge and skills as they work for an extended time period to research and respond to a real-world problem. Some teachers have also experimented with this approach. This summer, some faculty members will receive visible thinking training at the The Washington International School Summer Institute for Teachers (WISSIT). Visible thinking employs Thinking Routines that help guide students’ thinking and processing. WISSIT connects local teachers with Project Zero, a research group at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. As faculty members continue to learn about and try these various methods, our hope is that we will steadily build a culture of deeper thinking, collaboration, and shared responsibility. Ultimately, it is our goal to equip our students with what they need to face the ever-increasing complexities of our world with a sense of confidence in their abilities to be responsible, collaborative, and thoughtful women of faith and action. We see these efforts as a response to the Society of the Holy Child’s mission to “meet the wants of the age” and help students “to grow strong in faith and lead fully human lives”. We strive to achieve these ends by revealing how being a woman who can collaborate with others, be responsible to herself and her community, and thinking deeply about the real issues that face society, she will come to believe more strongly, belong more deeply, and become fully who God has called her to be.
BY MEG RUSSELL, RELIGION TEACHER
The Value of Networking: Holy Child Style
MOST PEOPLE WHO HAVE EVER BEEN EMPLOYED UNDERSTAND THE VALUE OF NETWORKING; so many of us earned our jobs, in part, thanks to the people we know and the communities to which we belong. At Holy Child, we know that our network (of families, contacts, sponsoring businesses) and our Network (schools that are supported by the Society of the Holy Child Jesus) are invaluable! As a result, we strive to be intentional and appreciative of the awesome ties to the Holy Child Network of Schools. Thanks to the efforts of Gigi McBride (’19) and her family, along with Multicultural Diversity Coordinator Ms. Katia Vargas, our students now have learning exchange opportunities to our Network schools in Killiney, Ireland and Mayfield Senior in Pasadena, CA. Reflecting on her time in Ireland this March, Halo Lyman ('21) said the exchange program, “was a great way to broaden my horizons and diversify my perspective of the world." Gigi, who studied abroad her 8th grade year, said that, “Because of the network of schools there is an ‘international sisterhood’ that you know you can go anywhere and the school will welcome you with open arms.” These opportunities not only expand the horizons of our students academically, socially, and culturally; the program is centered around the Network Goal #4 criteria which states, “The educational program has a global perspective, emphasizing the dignity and interdependence of all people across boundaries.” Our faculty and staff at Holy Child also recognize the value of networking with other Holy Child schools, on best practices, innovation, technology, and more. In total, 12 of our current faculty have visited other Network schools, and one has even traveled abroad! Engaging the mission even more deeply, three current staff members have, or are currently, participating in a Mission Effectiveness visit, learning deeply about the practices and culture of five of our US Network schools. The learning, sharing, and celebration that comes out of the Mission Effectiveness process is not just for the better of the school being evaluated, but for all of us. Perhaps the most important gift that the Network of our US Holy Child schools offers to all of us is empowerment and encouragement in living the mission our foundress, Cornelia Connelly. Thirteen faculty and staff members are currently mission trained, having attended a Mission Education weekend in Rosemont, PA. There, we not only gain valuable insight to the mission and our foundress, but also witness and share the zeal, joy, and compassion that marks education (and the educators!) at a Holy Child school. We are so glad and proud that our students participate in a network and legacy that demonstrate those incredible values.
My Time in Ireland: A Reflection
SPENDING A MONTH IN DUBLIN, IRELAND this spring was a great way to broaden my horizons and diversify my perspective of the world. I had the best time sightseeing with my host, Ellie; walking around and shopping in downtown Dublin near Trinity College, taking the bus to meet up with friends in the seaside town of Dun Laoghaire, as well as staying home and getting to know my host family better. One weekend, we drove down to Killiney to stay with Ellie's grandmother, and spent our time appreciating the natural beauty of sights such as Torc Waterfall, as well as relics like Muckross House and Ross Castle. Getting to attend Holy Child Killiney for the time I was there was one of the most interesting experiences of my life thus far. We had the opportunity to take classes like pottery, economics, and philosophy! Not only was it exciting to get to know my Holy Child sisters across the Atlantic, but I enjoyed making friends with Ellie’s classmates and getting to know and appreciate the cultural differences that distinguish Ireland as Ireland. Eating the European version of my favorite cereal, for example, was completely different from the American version I knew. It was really cool to imagine how different my life would be if I had been raised in Dublin instead of America! Although my stay felt shorter than it was, I would not have traded it for anything else. When I was not out spending time with my Holy Child Potomac classmates or grabbing spice bags in Dun Laoghaire with the girls from Cornelia Connelly High School in Anaheim, CA, my host family gave me a very warm Irish welcome. We would often watch rugby or Gaelic football on TV with Ellie’s dad, and we even went to a rugby match in person with Ellie’s friend and her Californian exchange student! As the trip had come to an end, I realized that I would never forget it and the memories I made during my stay. I got to try different foods, learned some of the nuances of Irish culture, and I got closer to the classmates who I traveled with. Traveling to Ireland was great not only for the cultural experience of studying abroad, but also for the connections. I have kept in contact with the Irish friends I made as well as the Californian ones; it is safe to say that Cornelia Connelly brought us together and keeps us together, despite being thousands of miles apart. Written by Halo Lyman '21
"Cornelia Connelly brought us together and keeps us together, despite being thousands of miles apart."
LIFE-LONG NETWORK FRIENDSHIPS Alumna Carmel Deckelman '81 has kept in touch with her Irish exchange "sister," Janet Pigot Tarrant, since she participated in the exchange program during high school. Carmel recently reunited with Janet when she took her family on a trip to Ireland four years ago. The two, along with Katie Deckelman Grant '82, recently met up for dinner in Bethesda. Carmel says, "attending high school in Ireland as part of Holy Child’s Irish exchange program was a great experience for me and a highlight of my years at Holy Child."
Society of the Holy Child Jesus Schools Cornelia Connelly Center New York, NY
Collége de Maillé Créteil, France
St. Ita’s Catholic Girls College Sapele, Delta State, Nigeria
Cornelia Connelly School of the Holy Child Anaheim, CA
Holy Child Community School Sallynoggin, Dublin, Ireland
Cornelia Connelly School Nkaseim, Goaso, Ghana
Holy Child School Killiney, Dublin, Ireland
Our Lady of Nigeria Secondary School Ogharike, Oghara, Delta State
Connelly School of the Holy Child Potomac, MD Holy Child Academy Old Westbury, NY Holy Child Academy Drexel Hill, PA
St Leonards-Mayfield School Sussex, England The Cavendish School London, England
Priory School Mayfield Junior School of the Holy Child Birmingham, England Jesus Pasadena, CA St Mary’s Catholic College Blackpool, England Mayfield Senior School of the Holy Child Jesus Holy Child College Pasadena, CA Obalende, Ikoyi, Lagos
Dr. William Kupec Girls’ Academy Agbaduma, Kogi State Holy Child School Cape Coast, Ghana Holy Child College of Education Takoradi, Ghana St. Charles Lwanga School of the Holy Child Walembele, Upper West Region of Ghana
Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child Summit, NJ
Holy Child Secondary School Marian Hill, Calabar
Cornelia Connelly School of the Holy Child Mempeasim, Cape Coast, Ghana
Holy Child School at Rosemont Rosemont, PA
Holy Child Model Nursery/Primary School Otukpo, Benue State
Cardoso Catholic Secondary School Ajegunle, Lagos State
School of the Holy Child Rye, NY Ecole de Maillé Créteil, France
St. Anne’s Secondary School Otukpo, Benue State Our Lady of Nigeria Primary School Ogharike, Oghara, Delta State Read more about the Society on our website.
Learning Outside the Classroom
BY KAREN CRAIG, SOCIAL STUDIES TEACHER CORNELIA CONNELLY ENCOURAGED HER SCHOOLS TO "MEET THE WANTS OF THE AGE," so students would be prepared for the world they would meet once outside the walls of Holy Child. In the 21st century, one extremely important focus is global learning. Global learning is exploring the microconnections between people and places around the world. It helps us examine our values and attitude, appreciate similarities between people, and value diversity and develop skills to combat injustice and discrimination. Being able to respect and appreciate different cultural traditions and beliefs is an essential part of success. Throughout the year, students, faculty, and staff explored different communities, cultures, and traditions through our service, exchange, and diversity programs. The Student Diversity Committee helped the whole community celebrate the different cultural traditions of Holy Child. Latino Heritage Month (September 15 - October 15) began the year, teaching about Spanish-language songs, traditions, and trivia. The Day of the Dead (November 1 - 2), National French Week (November 1 - 7), and the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe (December 12). In February, Black History Month featured a fashion show focusing on African American through the decades, daily songs from influential black musicians, and speakers on being a black or African-American woman in the 1950s to today. Two international students from China shared their Lunar New Year (February 5) traditions with the school at Homeroom in the Gym, and Women’s History Month (March) showcased female leaders through student nominations and guests who came to campus to tell their stories of challenge and triumph. International Week, with the ever-popular international food fair, was a huge success, with representatives from over 20 different countries sharing their cultures and traditions. Students in both middle and upper schools have been able to attend diversity conferences to connect with their peers around the country. Upper school students took time out of their summer vacation to attend the Baltimore Student Diversity Leadership Conference (BDSLC) retreat, with a follow-up conference in November. Another group of upper school students attended the Student Diversity Leadership Conference in Nashville, TN, as part of the People of Color Conference. Middle school students also attended two local conferences this year on the topic of being leaders on the topic diversity, so they could share their new appreciation and understanding with their classmates. The opportunity to host and be hosted by students from other states and nations was also offered to our students. Over two dozen middle and upper school students participated in exchanges with Costa Rica, Spain, Ireland, and California, which allowed students to interact and learn from their national and international peers. (Read more about a student's experience in Ireland this past spring on page 46.) A Spring Break mission trip to Jamaica was also planned, so throughout the year, students raised money to help build a school for preschool age children. While an epidemic of dengue fever kept students from visiting Jamaica, the replacement trip to New Orleans with Habitat for Humanity allowed eleven students and three teacher chaperones to directly serve others within the borders of the United States. Through these activities and others, Holy Child students develop their global citizenship skills demonstrating respect, appreciation, and celebrating the traditions of others.
BY KYRA HICKEY '19
CAMP CORNELIA:
A Place to Serve and Learn
Each summer, the rising juniors are offered the opportunity to serve as camp counselors at Camp Cornelia. Camp Cornelia is a summer camp hosted by the Cornelia Connelly Center in New York which helps prepare rising fifth and sixth graders for the upcoming school year. The Cornelia Connelly Center asks for the girls from the five Holy Child schools across the U.S. to volunteer at the camp each summer. Each school sends two of their students along with a faculty member or alumnae. Last summer, juniors Khaalis Harris and Addie Robinson were our Camp Cornelia volunteers. Khaalis and Addie found out about the camp and immediately applied, Addie said it was “a good opportunity to meet our junior service requirements and help these young girls adapt the Holy Child qualities we all have before they started school in the Fall”. Despite the camp starting in late July, the girls began their preparation months in advance. They began making lesson plans, planning arts and crafts, and coordinating with the other Holy Child students who were running the camp. The girls said that they learned a lot about responsibility and time management while preparing for Camp Cornelia. Each school was paired up with another school, and they would have to coordinate lesson plans so that they could teach the young girls together at camp. Our Holy Child juniors were paired up with two girls from Oak Knoll School of the Holy Child in New Jersey. Although the girls were from another state, Khaalis mentioned that “it felt like we already had such a tight-knit bond because we were taught the same values and came from similar schools." When the girls arrived at the camp they were blown away by how similar they were to all the other Holy Child girls who came to volunteer. For the next week at Camp Cornelia, the girls would wake up for breakfast, welcome the campers, and begin the day. Each day consisted of teaching the campers lessons on art, geography, math, and the core values that Cornelia Connelly founded the society on. The girls said it was a challenge for them to teach the lessons because a lot of the campers came from areas that didn’t have access to the best education so they would have to constantly change their lesson plans based on what the campers had already learned in the past. One of the girls favorite memories at Camp Cornelia was when they were able to take the campers to the Holy Child Academy in Long Island, NY and spent the day at their pool, and they treated them to popcorn and cotton candy. The girls said it was such a rewarding experience to see how happy they had made the campers, and know they had made a small difference in their lives. Khaalis and Addie still reflect on the time they spent at the camp, and the difference they made in the young campers lives. It was very fulfilling for them to be able to see them grow into Holy Child girls by the end of the week, and know that they took part in helping them get to that place. Addie says that they “felt like they made a difference and helped them prepare to be a Holy Child girl”. The girls also are so grateful for the relationships they made during the camp, and they realized that regardless of where they live they are all Holy Child girls, which makes them all sisters.
Say Thanks Day | March 19, 2019 On March 19th our community celebrated Say Thanks Day. Our students learned about the annual fund, participated in fun activities to learn how the annual fund impacts their lives, and wrote thank you notes to our donors. Thank you to everyone who participated and THANK YOU to all who support Holy Child. After hearing about the Annual Fund and the ways the fund impacts every student, our students were tested on their AF knowledge. How’s your AF knowledge? How much do you know about the Fund for Holy Child? (Answers below) 1. Name four reasons the Fund for Holy Child is so important. 2. How many donors did the Fund for Holy Child have las year? (Hint! Hint! It is over 600!) 3. How much money did the Fund for Holy Child raise last year? What is our goal for the 2018-2019 year? 4. How many alumnae do we have at Holy Child?
THANK YOU FROM OUR STUDENTS
"Thank you for giving to Holy Child! Because of you, I have been able to attend this amazing school that has taught me to be a smart and confident young woman! As a senior, I will be moving on to Clemson University and bringing my Holy Child values."
- Adrianna Corral '19
"Thank you so much for your generous donations. Each gift makes a difference for a better experience and a better education. Each student believes, belongs, and becomes the best version of themselves because of you. Thank you!"
Mayfield Society
Tuition alone does not cover the full cost of a Holy Child education. It takes the support of the entire Holy Child community to sustain Cornelia Connelly’s vision of providing educational excellence which “meets the wants of the age.” Named after Cornelia Connelly’s oldest school location, the Mayfield Society was founded this year and recognizes those that invest $5,000 and greater in the Fund for Holy Child and young alumnae that invest $1,500, thereby serving as a cornerstone of financial support for Holy Child. The Mayfield Society represents only 6% of our donors but comprises 60% of the total support for The Fund for Holy Child.
Their generosity to The Fund for Holy Child provides resources to not only continue in our tradition of ensuring that a broad range of students have access to outstanding programs from academics and extracurricular activities to athletics and fine arts, but also enhances the student experience through new technology resources, faculty development and experiential learning. Many of the opportunities that make the Holy Child education exceptional would not be possible with this support. Mayfield Society members are recognized in various ways throughout the year. For more information on the Mayfield Society, please contact Dani Perraut DeWitt, Chief Advancement Officer, at ddewitt@holychild.org.
WHY DO YOU GIVE?
"When we learned that tuition alone does not cover the full cost of educating our daughters and that the school's leadership team relies on philanthropic support to continue to innovate in the classroom and create a more impactful student experience, our decision to join the Mayfield Society was an easy one. We are so grateful for all that Holy Child has done to help our daughters become their best selves."
- Scott Rembold, P '18, '21, Trustee
"Holy Child had a positive and lasting impact on my life, my daughter’s, and other family members, so we wanted to give back in a significant way. The Mayfield Society allows us to provide financial assistance for important initiatives as well as participate in discussions regarding future goals."
- Suzanne Matan '83, P '13
- Jaden Christina Baker '22
Learn more about the Mayfield Society on our website.
Answers: 1. (four of the following) Excellent education, faculty development, funding for field trips, sports, service opportunities, science experiments and research, scholarships, supplementary opportunities, entrepreneur program, retreats and more! 2. 650 Donors 3. $460,000/Goal this year- $565,000 and we surpassed our goal. 4. We have over 3,000 alumnae.
A MILESTONE TO A LETTER FROM THE ALUMNAE COUNCIL Dear Holy Child Alumnae Community, Happy Summer! It's hard to believe another school year has gone by. Our Alumnae Council has been hard at work and I want to personally thank everyone involved for all their efforts this year. As a Council, our number one goal is to engage and interact with Holy Child Alumnae. We believe that when you graduate from Holy Child, you are not really leaving it. Our alumnae network is a community for you to have and be a part of for the rest of your life. The Alumnae Council fosters our community of alumnae through engagement, networking with one another, mentoring students and alumnae, and giving back to our school. We hope you will join us in our endeavors! This year, our biggest event and achievement was our 2nd Annual Alumnae Weekend in late April. It was a huge success! Our committees worked tirelessly promoting the event and compiling hundreds of old photos and memorabilia to display over the weekend. We had a two-day event where alumnae came back to campus. We offered tours of the new renovation spaces and to visit classes, a Girls Night Out where we honored our Alumna of the Year – Ginger King Shaw '94. We participated in an alumnae service project, enjoyed a "Golden Years" luncheon, a lecture on the history of Holy Child courtesey of Sr. Connie Craig, Dr. Shannon Gomez offered an update on the school happenings, and we concluded with an alumnae Mass. Throughout the weekend we had close to 200 alumnae visit Holy Child. For many, this was the first time they had been back on campus since graduation! We were so pleased to reunite with old classmates and catch up with our favorite teachers. The Girls Night Out event was an evening to remember filled with wonderful food and drinks, a fire pit outside beneath string lights in the Hanley Courtyard, adjacent to Connelly Commons, and a fun photo booth area. We could not have been happier with the turnout. We look forward to our next Alumnae Weekend in April 2020 – so please, mark your calendars for April 24 and 25! You won’t want to miss it! Throughout the year, the Council’s Recognition and Outreach Committee spotlighted numerous alumnae. Each have their own unique story that we wanted to share with the community. In doing so, we hope to promote the works of our alumnae and engage the rest of our network. Our women continue to accomplish amazing feats in business, charity, and other activities. We hope to have an alumnae app and more networking events this coming school year and continue to ask all of you for support and involvement. Our Alumnae Network is only as strong as our community allows it to be. We hope that our Alumnae Council and Class Representatives can work for you to provide a place where we can engage with each other, network, and share in our accomplishments. God bless you all and enjoy your summer! We look forward to seeing you at Holy Child events this Fall. Sincerely, Lauren Phifer Robinson, 2008 Alumnae Council President
Celebrate
SAVE THE DATE!
We rejoice and celebrate with Mother Constance Anne, better known at Holy Child Potomac as Sr. Connie Craig, who took her final vows to become a Sister of the Holy Child Jesus in June of 1960. The Holy Child community will gather and celebrate Connie Craig’s Diamond Jubilee (60 years) at our Epiphany Mass on Sunday, January 5th, 2020 at Holy Child.
ALUMNAE REGIONAL EVENTS This past spring, happy hours took place in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and New York. More than 45 alumnae networked and shared memories of Holy Child. Many thanks to Theresa Gartland ’99, Mary Stetler ’70, Liske Craig McCormley ’70, Laura Gordon Hoover ’01, Joelle Slye Flynn ’89, and Lauren Roth ’10 for coordinating or hosting these events. Next stop: Florida…stay tuned for cities and dates!
2019 Alumnae Weekend Alumnae Weekend 2019 brought a record number of alumnae back to campus to reconnect and reminisce with other Holy Child alumnae and revisit old haunts such as the Senior Lounge. At our all-alumnae Friday Girls Night Out, music played, groups posed for photos, and everyone enjoyed the food and beverages. The Adirondack chairs under the lights in the Hanley Courtyard surrounding the fire pit were occupied by alumnae telling stories from years past. Ginger King Shaw ’94 received the Distinguished Alumna of the Year award, presented to an alumna who has successfully pursued a life that reflects the values of Christian leadership and commitment to community. Saturday events included a Golden Years luncheon, a presentation about Cornelia Connelly and how we are living out her mission today given by Sr. Connie Craig. Dr. Shannon Gomez shared a school update, alumnae took part in a service project in which 420 breakfast bags were filled. Mass in the Chapel rounded out the weekend.
Put April 24 and 25 on your calendar now for our 2020 Alumnae Weekend! ALL ALUMNAE ARE INVITED! The Classes of 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985, 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015 will be celebrating milestone reunions!
MEGHAN CONNOR MILLER, CLASS OF 2006
Alumnae Spotlight
ONE OF THE POPULAR MISCONCEPTIONS of a midwife is that it’s someone who only assists a woman through an unmedicated birth in a home setting. In some cases, that’s true! But, midwives do much more than that. The practice is also becoming more and more popular as the number of women choosing to have a midwife present for their birth throughout the U.S. is rising every year. Who better to learn about midwifery from than Holy Child’s own Meghan Connor Miller?
Meghan, class of 2006, is a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) and Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner – Board Certified with the practice Dedicated to Women OBGYN in Dover, DE. As a midwife, Meghan does everything from delivering babies, to performing annual exams, guiding menopausal care and more. Just like most other midwives, Meghan works in a hospital where she supports women who use an epidural to manage their pain during birth, or who decide on a natural, unmedicated experience. “Midwife means ‘with woman.’ We form relationships with our patients and partner with them to help make important health decisions,” Meghan explains. “We are trained to take care of normal healthy women but are experts in recognizing [the] abnormal and acknowledging when referral to a doctor is necessary.” Meghan knew she wanted to be a nurse from the time she was a student at Holy Child. With help from the college counselor, she ended up choosing the University of Delaware for its strong nursing program. But, it wasn’t until Meghan was in the working world as a labor and delivery nurse that she realized she wanted to go into midwifery. After four years at Georgetown University Hospital, she landed a job at a hospital in Philadelphia where she worked alongside midwives and saw all they could do. She knew she wanted to establish more long-term connections with her patients, so she went back to school and earned her Master of Science in Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania.
Read more about Meghan on our website.
WRITTEN BY LIZ PALKA MINUKAS '04 What is something about your career that you're proud of? “Midwives who provide evidence-based care in the hospital setting have been shown to decrease the caesarean section rate. CNM’s also help to lower the rate of obstetrical intervention and therefore help in lowering the cost of healthcare without lowering the quality. I am proud to say that since increasing the number of midwives providing care at our hospital, we have seen improvements in c-section rates as well as improved patient satisfaction!” What is the hardest aspect of your job? “The hardest part of my job is managing the difficult schedule. Working day shift and night shift all in one week is physically and emotionally exhausting. Especially now that I am a new mom, the lack of sleep is even more real! I need to constantly remind myself that I need to sleep and do other things to take care of myself, so that I can take care of my patients and my daughter. They all deserve a well-rested midwife/mom, and if I do not take the time to rest, I am not doing anyone any favors. The other difficult thing is that my work is not just something that I can turn my mind off from when I get home at the end of a shift. I am constantly thinking about my patients and it is truly a 24/7 job. This is tough because it is hard to be fully present for my family when I am thinking about work." What’s your favorite memory from Holy Child? And does one teacher stand out to you? “My favorite Holy Child memory is from Spirit Week Senior year. Our “senior prank” was driving a car into the gymnasium and leaving it there for the whole school to see in the morning! More important than the prank itself was the fun I had planning and executing it with my best friends! My favorite teacher was my mom! Mrs. Connor was the science department chair and she taught my AP Biology class. At first it was weird having my mom as my teacher, but then I came to really enjoy it. She was tough, but fair! I went into nursing because of my love for science, which came from my family, but was fostered by my mom and the other science department teachers at Holy Child.” Is there anything about your Holy Child experience that continues to guide you today? “I think the one thing that stands out from my time at Holy Child is the amount of confidence I gained. I came in as a very shy girl out of a co-ed public middle school where I was afraid to say anything at all in class. I barely participated because I was always worried what other people would think, or that I would get the answer wrong and be embarrassed. The comforting, supportive environment at Holy Child is what allowed me to really thrive and improve my confidence. These skills helped me tremendously in college and have continued to help me throughout my life.” What is your best piece of advice to a Holy Child student or alumna who is pursuing her career/dream? “My best piece of advice is to stay positive when pursuing your dream. Getting to your dream career can be a difficult road. There will almost certainly be some kind of setback along the way, but it is the way you handle those challenges that will help you to continue to move toward your goal.”
SOFIA ALPIZAR, CLASS OF 2016
Alumnae Spotlight
SOFIA ALPIZAR LEFT HER HOME IN AMMAN AND called a taxi cab to take her to class one morning during her first weeks abroad. She had learned the hard way that when navigating a foreign city one can become lost. The opportunity to further her Arabic language skills was one of the reasons why she decided to study in Jordan, but she didn’t expect how vulnerable the language barrier would make her feel. This ride was different. She climbed into the taxi with a friendly, gregarious driver who immediately started asking her about herself. Where was she from? Why is she here? And, after a few minutes of back and forth, he started asking about her spiritual beliefs. As she told him that she was a Christian, he grew more excited, proclaiming his admiration of Jesus and Mary, pointing out his faith, Islam, and Christianity are more connected than one might think. Sofia was moved and overwhelmed by this small example of religious tolerance. Her taxi cab ride that day was the first of many instances of spiritual acceptance in a region so often characterized by war and conflict.
From what she’s studying in the classroom to what she’s experiencing just by interacting with those around her, Sofia’s semester abroad in Amman, Jordan is nothing short of a life altering experience. The George Washington University junior, and Holy Child Class of 2016 alumna, is tackling global issues to which very few might ever dream of being exposed to. Through her studies and this cultural experience, Sofia says she hopes to gain greater understanding of the Middle Eastern North African (MENA) region that is so often misunderstood. Sofia chose to study in Jordan to fulfill her Middle Eastern studies requirements for her International Affairs major. She also hopes to become fluent in Arabic, which is her minor. She’s in Amman with the Council of International Educational Exchange Middle Eastern studies program, which includes an extensive Arabic course, community service, cultural immersion and internship opportunities. Through her internship with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) TAKAMOL project, which focuses on gender equity and female empowerment in Jordan, Sofia is part of the engagement process with the community and policymakers to build positive interactions between men and women. Sofia is also a Global Identities Scholarship recipient, given to students with diverse backgrounds traveling abroad. She’s using this opportunity to research immigration in Jordan, which accepts a large number of immigrants and refugees fleeing conflict zones every year. Humanitarian aid work is personal to Sofia as she is a Costa Rican immigrant herself. She has spent the last three years working with immigrants at the U.S. southern border as well as with the DC government and plans to continue that work when she returns home. “As an immigrant in the U.S., I have experienced the difficulties that come with inclusion and identity in a different society, and due to this, I hope to understand and learn from immigrants and refugees and their journeys towards finding their place in Jordan,” says Sofia. Read more about Sofia on our website.
WRITTEN BY LIZ PALKA MINUKAS '04 While her studies and research are why Sofia is abroad this semester, her personal interactions with Jordanians are leaving the strongest impact on her. She has found the country to be a keystone for peace and religious tolerance, witnessing it firsthand many times. Jordan, a primarily Muslim country, represents multiple religions, including Christianity. Sofia says, “Many mistakenly believe that [Islam and Christianity] cannot live in peace in an Arab country and immediately assume that the existence of the two will result in violence. However, Jordan has proven itself to be a peaceful country filled with acceptance and respect.” Sofia says she has witnessed nothing but spiritual acceptance in her time there. Including her interaction with the taxi cab driver, she also has a Muslim Jordanian friend who expresses the same feelings, explaining how religious tolerance is an emblem of their society. “Jordanians’ religious tolerance and hospitable natures,” she says, “have moved me and made me feel at home.” This is just the start of Sofia’s humanitarian and refugee work. She has plans for the future that include working for a law firm or non-governmental organization, and then going to law school herself. She says her career goal is to help the most vulnerable populations, providing them with an equal opportunity for health and happiness. Do you have a favorite memory or class from Holy Child? “One of my favorite memories from Holy Child is from my time preparing for and participating in our chapter of the Model Organization of American States. I joined the chapter as a sophomore, and it was during this time that I started developing my interests in international affairs. MOAS helped me develop debate and teamwork skills, and sparked my curiosity for current events. My favorite classes were all of my history classes with Mrs. Lowry, Mr. Lewin, and Mrs. Roberts. For as long as I can remember, history has been my favorite subject and these teachers had a brilliant take on the topic, pushed us to think outside the box, to consider different points of view, and taught us the importance of learning from the past to create a better future.” What is your advice for a Holy Child student who is interested in pursuing a study abroad experience like yours? “It is important to always keep an open mind, to keep asking questions, and to listen to all points of view. Don’t be afraid to explore places and cultures that are different from yours. Don’t let other people’s opinions impact the way you look at the world and the societies within it; experience them yourself. Educate yourself on things you don’t understand before you make any judgments; one source is not enough. Travel and explore the world as much as you can (don’t go to resorts, get out of your comfort zone and get to know the countries for what they really are). Learn as many languages as you can; the more you learn, the more cultured you become and many doors will open for you culturally, professionally, and socially. Neither your culture nor your country are better, we’re different in every way and each one of us deserves equal respect. There’s a whole world outside of the United States that’s waiting for you to explore and learn from it."
Do you know of a Holy Child alumna with an interesting career, service project, or hobby that we should spotlight? Send suggestions to alumnews@holychild.org!
Class Representatives
Thank you to our dedicated Class Reps! If your class is missing a rep or you want to get involved with your class, please email alumnews@holychild.org.
1965 REUNION YEAR Cathy Caspar Delahay - delahay01@gmail.com
1978 Jeremy Davis Lopynski - Jeremy.Lopynski@gmail.com Marie Gilmore Williams - MarieGWilliams@msn.com
1992 Need a class rep! 1993 Elizabeth Guevara - heyguevara@gmail.com Noreen Miyake-Char - clubnor@hotmail.com Alicia O'Hare Henneberry - aohenneb@yahoo.com 1994 Ginger King Shaw - ginger@gingersnaps.co Joanna Smith-Ramani - joramani@hotmail.com 1995 REUNION YEAR Martha Nguyen - marthanguyen@gmail.com 1996 Need a class rep! 1997 Kara Hannan McGinn - karamcginn@gmail.com Tula Orum - too_la@yahoo.com
1979 Stephanie Joyce Farrell - stephaniefarrell@verizon.net
1998 Katherine Smits - kathryn.smits@gmail.com Desiree Gavilan Speicher - Desiree.G.Speicher@gmail.com
1967 Need a class rep!
1980 REUNION YEAR Jennifer Girardi McCloskey - Jennifer.McCloskey@em.doe.gov
1999 Susan Decker Raff - SDRaff@gmail.com
1968 Need a class rep!
1981 Carla Pappalardo - carlapappalardo@hotmail.com
2000 REUNION YEAR Need a class rep!
1969 Margo Colbert Keegan - auntiemib@gmail.com Suzi Hodson MacDaniels - suzimacd3@aol.com Kate Burke Walsh - kburkewalsh@gmail.com
1982 Need a class rep!
2001 Anjanette Cottingim Bizzarro - anjanette@fsp98.com
1983 Suzanne Hohman Matan - SuzMatan@aol.com Jennifer Slye Aniskovich - jsa@aniskovich.com
2002 Jillian Bastow - jillian_bastow@yahoo.com Beatrice Freire-Frey - Beatriz.FreireFrey@gmail.com Shannon FitzGerald Grant - SLFitz5@gmail.com Kristin Liverman - kristin.liverman@hotmail.com
1966 Carol Pender Sinwell - csinwell@cox.net Debbie Cronin Kissinger - dakissinger66@gmail.com
1970 REUNION YEAR Nancy Forbes Ephraim - NanCKE@aol.com 1971 Margot Culotta-Norton - mmctooth@aol.com Mary Anne Melo Conley - maconley53@aol.com
1984 Ann Bouchard Kerrigan - a.kerrigan@ymail.com Amy Baldwin Doherty - dohertyab@aol.com Jill Slye King - jillsking@gmail.com
1972 Mary Ann Mangold Veirs - Mmmkv@aol.com
1985 REUNION YEAR Pamela Burns - pamelab@pamshops4you.com
1973 Missy Asbill Attridge - anneattridge@gmail.com
1986 Coleen McDonald Thompson - colenjoe65@aol.com
1974 Alicia Ryan Karanian - aliciakaranian@gmail.com Suzi Norris Montes de Oca - smontes@holychild.org
1987 Jennifer Abbey Johnson - djmkc0518@gmail.com
1975 REUNION YEAR Karen Denison Clark - karenclark317@gmail.com Cheryl Becker Grandy - cherylbgrandy@gmail.com Lisa Metzger - lisammetzger@gmail.com Ann Cassidy Principe - annprincipe@gmail.com 1976 Daniele Cronin-Tewes - danielet48@yahoo.com Mary Hornish Kempf - mary.kempf@yahoo.com Suzie Stinson - patjoh104@earthlink.net 1977 Shana Gaultney Elliott - shanagelliott@aol.com
1988 Margi Vechery Braun - margihh@yahoo.com Mary Pilkerton McAndrews - marypmcandrews@gmail.com 1989 Jessica Metz Boessman - jessicalboessman@hotmail.com Laura McGuinn - laura@hotpineappleproductions.com Nathalie Young - Nyokhowat@aol.com 1990 REUNION YEAR Ingrid Ortega Froehner - jifroehner@yahoo.com Maria Ximena Rubin - ximena88@att.net 1991 Melissa Plaia Von Stauffenberg - melissavstauffenberg@gmail.com Lisa Knight Steele - Lcknight2003@yahoo.com
2003 Caitlin James - caitlinmjames@gmail.com Jenny Fitzpatrick - jfitz747@aol.com 2004 Alicia Easby-Smith Barton - aesbarton@gmail.com Killeen Hanson - killeen.hanson@gmail.com 2005 REUNION YEAR Irene Firippis - irene.firippis@gmail.com Krista Montes de Oca Kelly - krista.kelly27@gmail.com Caitlin McCarthy - caitlin.mccarthy19@gmail.com Meagan Fitzgerald Romero - meagan0819@gmail.com 2006 Rotimi Abimbola - rotimi.abimbola@gmail.com Catherine Buckingham - Cat.buckingham@gmail.com Elaine Stefanou - emstefanou@gmail.com 2007 Shea Fitzgerald - kimberly.shea.fitzgerald@gmail.com Meredith Hickman - MBHickman1230@gmail.com Meghan Kane - mekane@vt.edu Isabel Wallisch Klinghorn - iwallisch@gmail.com Sam Cooper McIntee - smcintee13@gmail.com
2008 Kim Dolmuz - dolmuz.kimberley@gmail.com Devika Nair - dnair@fandm.edu 2009 Kelsey Albanese - kkalbanese@yahoo.com Rebecca Railey Cauffman - rebecca.r.cauffman@gmail.com Lizzy Frank - elizabethmariefrank@gmail.com 2010 REUNION YEAR Ashley Paulos - ashleydhd3@msn.com Abby Sanders - abigail.w.sanders@gmail.com 2011 Charlotte Barry - CharlotteKBarry@gmail.com Meagan Glynn - mglynn331@aol.com 2012 Kaelynn Serena - kaelynn.serena@gmail.com Katie Kress - knkress@me.com Christine Troiano - Ctroiano@dimensionalmarble.com 2013 Fannie Benziger - fannie.benziger@verizon.net Heather Lamb - heatherlamb95@gmail.com Alex Phifer - kap12495@yahoo.com 2014 Maddy Hopkins - hopkins.maddy@yahoo.com Marissa MacDonald - Marissamacdonald14@gmail.com Katie Rose Marvin - kmarvin55@gmail.com 2015 REUNION YEAR Allison Bloss - abloss@fordham.edu Cece Garner - ctgarn19@g.holycross.edu Caitlin O’Berry - cberry97@aol.com 2016 Samantha Boccia - sboccia98@aol.com Lilly Paro - Lillyparo1@aol.com Isabelle Tyshing - ityshing@yahoo.com 2017 Caitlin Grant - caitling1202@gmail.com Maddy Moore - mooremaddy99@gmail.com Layo Ojo - joannaojo@gmail.com Elsa Wetten - elsawetten17@gmail.com 2018 Molly Grant - mollyg394@gmail.com Chesney Lynch - cheslynch99@gmail.com Olivia Welsh - oliviawelsh1@gmail.com 2019 Charlotte Bell - charlottecbell1@gmail.com Gigi McBride - gigimcbridge@gmail.com Rachel Russell - Rayruss818@gmail.com
Class Notes
Have news to share? Please send to alumnews@holychild.org.
1965 REUNION YEAR Cathy Caspar Delahay attended the April luncheon for graduates from the 60s. She shared that it was great fun catching up. She then attended her 50th reunion at Rosemont in June, and managed to fit in a trip to Greece and Italy in between these two events. 1966 Kathy Hogan Didden attended the Golden Years luncheon during Alumnae Weekend!
1967 Gerry Kavanagh is living in Bethesda as a retired MCPS teacher, mother of a happy 29 year-old son, and is a long-time volunteer with the Christ Child Society's Georgetown Opportunity Shop and Layette Program. Gerry stated, “I was very happy to see Ming Ivory and Lanie Robertson at our class reunion, and to read messages from so many others who were unable to attend.” 1969 Margo Colbert Keegan hosted 21 classmates at her home Thursday evening, June 6, to start their threeday 50th reunion celebration. Holy Child welcomed 17 members of this class back on campus Friday, June 7 for graduation, a luncheon, and tour of the school. Saturday, a number of these women were treated to a special gathering at the home of Rita Anselmo. Many thanks to Margo, Ruth Anne Osbourn McCormick, and Nita Somers Kavalauskas for coordinating their class’ 50th reunion! Members of the class of 1969, in remembrance of their classmate Mary Crivella, who passed away during their sophomore year, are making donations to Holy Child in memory of Mary, so that the school can purchase Surface computers for use by students who may not be able to afford one. Kathy Hubbell Domning joined members of the D.C. Area Regional Alumnae Chapter of our Pasadena, CA sister school, Mayfield Senior, for a morning of #ActionsNotWords service at The Washington School for Girls. Joannie Regan Parrish wrote, “50 years ago, I addressed the graduating class of 1969 and ended with these words from Robert Frost: ‘The woods are lovely, dark and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep, And miles to go before I sleep.’ None of us could have foreseen the different paths our lives would take, or how long we would travel. But no matter how far apart we are, we are all bound by our shared experiences at Holy Child and our cherished memories. To all of you, much love and safe travels.” 1970 REUNION YEAR Mary Stetler volunteers at School of the Madeleine in San Diego, CA. She works with 2nd graders, helping them learn to read. Liske Craig McCormley recently attended the 60-year jubilee mass celebration for her aunt, Sr. Connie Craig, in Rosemont, PA.
1975 REUNION YEAR Pat Bonan writes that this July marks her family’s 12th year back in the Bethesda/Potomac area after 30 years in the NYC metro area. She and her husband Jim elected to retire from corporate America in 2007 and raise their two daughters closer to their grandparents, cousins, etc. Time flies! Since returning to the area Pat said, It’s been great to reestablish ties with old HC friends, Sarah Casey Wallace, Joanne Lyons DeFelice, Fernanda Sacasa Howard, and Cathy Berley Leary! We picked up right where we left off!” 1976 Jenn Carter attended a productive, renewing, and enlightening week with incredible people at the Arrupe Virtual Learning Academy Summer Teacher Institute. She is also busy serving her second term as Recording Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Bethany Beach Farmers Market. Jenn just completed creating/designing the brochure for the Southeastern Delaware Artists Studio Tour’s 25th Anniversary of which she is a founding member. Go to: www.artstudiotour.com for more information. Jenn also teaches art full time at Gonzaga College High School. 1979 Leslie Paroby Lindstrom wrote, “Congratulations to all on the 40th anniversary of our graduation! If your travel brings you to Denver, let me know.” 1987 Jenifer Fuqua Regan owns the original subscription box for horses and riders called A Horse Box (www. ahorsebox.com). She has thousands of dedicated subscribers, who receive a box of grooming products, health, welfare, etc delivered to their doorstep (or barn) every month, and has owned her company for six years. She is working with major manufacturers developing new, innovative, and ecologically responsible products for the industry. Additionally, they are in the production stage of their own line of organic, gourmet horse treats. Jenifer would be happy to offer any Holy Child rider (past or present) a special gift if they would like to sign up. Jenifer can be reached at Jenregan@paddockmasters.com.
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1971 Sherry Clark Young and her husband, Seng, love living in the Shenandoah Valley. Since history has always been a passion of Sherry’s, she researches her family genealogy and has a part-time seasonal job as a docent at Abrams Delight, the oldest home in Winchester. 1973 Bobbi Andre Hayes is a partner in the Albuquerque office of Carr, Riggs, and Ingram, one of the top 20 accounting firms in the country. She works with a variety of small, medium, and large enterprises in the areas of consulting and tax services. Bobbi is also co-leader of the construction services line for CRI’s southwest practice unit, which focuses on tax, bookkeeping, audit/review, and consulting services on the unique needs of companies in the construction industry. Besides being a CPA, Bobbi also holds certifications in fraud examination, valuation, exit planning, construction financial management, and information technology. Missy Asbill Attridge traveled to five national parks/sanctuaries in Kenya and Tanzania. Missy stated that it was the trip of a lifetime and her oldest brother, Rick, and his wife, who live in Atlanta, joined her group.
1. Katie Sullivan Tyson '90 provided branding and marketing advice to Holy Child’s entrepreneurial students along with Holy Child’s Communications Director Caitlin McNamara Chalke. | 2. Leslie Paroby Lindstrom ’79 pictured with her three daughters. | 3. Kate Hannan Fullenkamp ’99’s daughter Allison sporting her “Believe” t-shirt that Kate bought for her at Girls Night Out during Alumnae Weekend! | 4. Kasey Kane Trees '80 became a grandmother of three within three months! Her son, Ryan, welcomed a girl, Nora, October 24; Hagan Trees Wilson ’04 delivered her son November 19; and Emily Trees Rothert ’08 delivered her son, January 11. | 5. Nancy Forbes Ephraim ’70 and her visitor Sr. Connie Craig.
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6. Caroline Connelly ’08 welcomed her second son, Eamon Michael, born February 14, 2019. | 7. Erin Dreux ’07 married Jeffrey Rock on June 3, 2017. | 8. 1980 classmates bid goodbye to Julie Shea Mantua. | 9. Jillian Bastow '02 and her husband, Richard Bangs, welcomed their third son, Colton. | 10. Class of 1978 in the Holy Child Chapel for their 40th reunion. | 11. Anna Jorgensen won one of just two Izaac Walton National League Conservation Scholarships. | 12. Caitlin Quinn Slaviero and her husband, Ray, are pleased to announce the birth of their daughter, Grace, on June 8, 2019. | 13. Carol Ann Luce '78 with sign at her 40th reunion on Holy Child's campus. | 14. Colleen Coughlin '07 married Mark Celenza on June 22, 2019 at Glen Ellen Farm in Ijamsville, MD. Her sister, Mary Margaret ’04, was her Maid of Honor. Erin Brennan DeBarr '07, Ali Brackett Greenfield '07, Shea Fitzgerald'07, Jenna Paro ’16, and Lilly Paro ’16 were bridesmaids.
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15. 2014 classmates Katie Rose Marvin, Betsi Micholas, Lauren Thomas, and Annie Virostek reunite. | 16. Molly Lauroesch '07 married Taylor Mammen in May 2019 with classmates Coral Stanton-Terrones, Kelsey Downing, Katie Fassl, Harry Bray, and Riley Fisher. | 17. Alisa Marino Ramminger ’80 and Jennifer Girardi McCloskey ’80 judged the 2019 Shark Tank competition during the Junior Entrepreneurship Program. | 18. Marina Alessi ’12 and Kelly Whelan ’10 teamed up for an ice hockey tournament in Ukraine. | 19. Cathyann Hanley Shreves ’89, Sandy Fegan Felatko ’78, Marie Gilmore Williams ’78, Linda Fegan Spiker ’78, and Dedie Giuliani ’79 got together at a Holy Child varsity basketball game. | 20. Elizabeth Guevara ’93 welcomed her daughter, Lisanna, in March, 2019. | 21. Ellie Kress ’17, Jen Ralston Kress ’85, UofMiami (OH) grad Jack, and Jim Kress | 22. Samantha Marsh ’08 married Mahmoud Elwaraky in Leonardtown, MD on May 4, 2019. | 23. Kylah Simmons '13 worked for BET while studying at Boston University. | 24. Kerry Parker '97 received the prestigious Golden Apple Teacher of the Year Award by the Archdiocese of Washington. Kerry teaches at St. Bartholomew School.
1992 Holly Casey Cuddington graduated from George Mason University with her Master of Education Degree in Special Education in December 2018. She teaches full time and successfully completed all of her classes at night while raising her two teenage boys. 1993 Elizabeth Guevera is thrilled to announce the birth of her baby girl, Lisanna, on March 19, 2019. She has also taken on an expanded position at Nestlé where she is Project Opportunity Lead (Diversity & Inclusion Program Manager), creating new strategies that support Nestlé internally and also supporting the greater community. The initial focus of Project Opportunity is the military community. 1994 Ginger King Shaw, Holy Child’s Alumna of the Year, inducted the class of 2019 into the Alumnae Association during this year's Baccalaureate Mass. Ginger returned to the States in April after serving a seven-month deployment in South Korea where she developed the first ever archive, which documents America’s efforts to broker peace on the Korean peninsula during 70 years of Armistice. She is Chief of the Strategic Initiatives Group at the US Army Center of Military History. 2003 Lauren Batch Crosby became an ASAE “The Center for Association Leadership Certified Association Executive” this summer. 2004 Hagan Trees Wilson and her husband, Matthew, welcomed their first child, Matthew Gander, born November 19, 2018. Nicole Belanger is Executive Assistant to the CEO of Apartment List in San Francisco. Carla Nally will be a 5th grade teacher at Sandy Spring Friends School this fall.
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2005 REUNION YEAR Paulina Hill Wright and her husband, Geoff, welcomed daughter Georgia (see photo on pg. 34 under Faculty News). Lindsey Kane, alongside fellow alum and Holy Child school nurse Cindy Gillette '79, spoke to our students about women's health and wellness during Women's History Month in March. Lindsay is a Physician Assistant at Suburban Hospital's ER Department. 2006 Katherine Cantrel is Content Management Consultant at Benefitfocus in Charleston, South Carolina. 2007 Erin Dreux Rock is the Assistant Controller at GW Medical Faculty Associates. The organization employs the physicians who teach at the medical school at GWU. Erin and her staff are responsible for all accounting related functions for the organization including financial reporting and treasury. She has been in her role for three years. Erin worked in a law-firm sector and in the public accounting setting at Baker Tilly prior to joining GW MFA. Erin lives in the Arlington, VA area and has been married for almost two years. 2008 Caroline Connelly and her husband, Sean, welcomed a baby boy, Eamon Michael, on February 14, 2019. He joins big brother, Peadar. Shelby Benkert Lacerte, based in New York, is Senior Marketing Manager for IMG Live, an experiential marketing agency that connects brands to fans through live experiences creating engaging brand activations at major sporting events like the Super Bowl, music festivals such as Coachella, and countless other national and international events. Olivia Clifton earned her PhD from Columbia University in 2018. She is a Postdoctoral Fellow at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. Emily Trees Rothert and her husband, Tommy, welcomed their first child, Rhoads Ryan, on January 11, 2019. Rachel Karanian will be Holy Child’s health and physical education teacher and the assistant varsity soccer coach this fall. Lis Warren took time from her busy schedule during Women’s History Month in March to speak to our students about her current job as Senior User Experience Designer at Optoro, a technology company with a mission to eliminate all waste from retail returns. She leads design for one of Optoro’s e-commerce products. 2009 Julia Timm Intili is a doctor of osteopathic medicine after graduating magna cum laude from Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine where she was the 2019 Class President. Julia is now an internal medicine intern at San Antonio Military Medical Center. Gabi Llerna will be Holy Child’s assistant junior varsity volleyball coach this fall. Rachel Hudson married Ben Williams on June 8, 2019.
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25. Katie Yee Scott ’04 and her husband Chris welcomed a son, Harrison Thomas, on March 27, 2019. | 26. Meagan Fitzgerald Romero '05 and her husband Lucho are thrilled to welcome their second child, daughter Carolina on June 22, 2019. She joins her 3 year-old brother Tomas. | 27. Michelle Guzman ’08 and Maggie Gergen ’08 at Sophia IglesiasCox’s ’08 wedding. | 28. Noreen Miyake-Char ’93 on the New York Stock Exchange Floor. | 29. Mary Claire Byrne ’14 received a visit from former English teacher Steve Wicker. | 30. Kathy Downing ’69 joined Mayfield Senior alums for a service project at Washington School for Girls. | 31. Meaghan Hollenbeck Richardson '05 and her husband Josh, welcomed their son, Augustus Holly Richardson to the world on June 8. | 32. Emily Trees Rothert ’08 with son Rhoads, Liz Palka Minukas ’04 with daughter Anastasia, Liz Connor ’04, Diane Norcross Feuerherd ’04, daughter Ryan held by Steve Wicker, Clare Devine ’04, and Hagan Trees ’04 at the baptism of Emily and Hagan’s sons.
2010 REUNION YEAR Michelle Famulare graduated from University of Maryland Nursing School in December with a Master in Clinical Nurse Leadership. She was chosen to be the student speaker at graduation and was one of two recipients to receive the Edwin and LM Zimmerman Award which is presented to a CNL graduate who consistently demonstrated an outstanding level of professional nursing practice in caring for patients. Congratulations, Michelle! 2011 Meagan Glynn is the Managing Editor at the George Washington Law Review. Alexandra Guntle recently earned her yoga instructor certified license. Anabela Esteves graduated from the Catholic University of America in 2015 with her Bachelor of Science in Biology. She then attended The George Washington University and received her Masters of Science in Anatomical and Translational Sciences in 2017. Since then she has been working as a Quality Assurance Associate for ScribeAmerica at Sibley Memorial Hospital and INOVA Alexandria Hospital in the ER. She began medical school at the Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine in Las Cruces, NM in July 2019. 2012 Meghan Rowan works in the cardiac ICU at Children’s Medical Center. Lindsay Wolf is an Account Coordinator at mdg, an events marketing agency in Washington, DC. 2013 Alex Phifer graduated from the University of Maryland’s Clark School of Engineering with a major in Civil Engineering and a minor in Sustainability in December of 2017. For the past year, she has been living and working in the Rockville area as a project engineer for Skanska, USA Building. She is part of a team constructing a building for the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory where most of her day is spent reviewing project submittals, processing change orders, and managing subcontractors from steel to concrete to drywall.
2013 (continued) Nicolette McCann is living in Nashville, TN working as a Coordinator for Twelve6 Entertainment, a music publishing and artist development company. She spends her days working with songwriters to pitch their songs to record labels as well as constantly searching for new talent. Laura Meissner graduated from Villanova University in 2017 and has been working at the National Institute of Health (NIH) in the pediatric Undiagnosed Diseases Program (UDP) for the past two years. Day-to-day, she works with pediatric patients with very rare genetic conditions and helps facilitate their one-week stay at the NIH. When she does not have patients, she works with the genetic counselor for the UDP and helps analyze patients’ genome and exome sequencing reports to help find their diagnosis. She will be attending the Sidney Kimmel Medical College at Thomas Jefferson University for medical school this fall. Although she is not completely sure what she will specialize in, Laura is very interested in pediatrics, and enjoys oncology/hematology and neurology. Frances Agege is a Crowdtangle Partnerships Support Specialist for Facebook in New York. Kylah Simmons recently received her master’s degree in Television Producing Management at Boston University. While working on this degree, Kylah worked on various television production crews for Viacom, BET, REVOLT TV, and ESPN. She is currently serving on a production crew for a major film. She will be traveling around the world to assist with production on-set. In the future, Kylah aspires to work within the field of production management for scripted or unscripted television series and films. Missy Lutes is an Account Manager at mdg, an events marketing agency in Washington, DC. Caroline Chiaramonte teaches first grade at Mary of Nazareth School. 2014 Maddy Hopkins is a Rotational Analyst for TD Ameritrade in New York. Emily Hunt writes that she is enjoying Indiana and her job as Advancement Coordinator at Saint Joseph High School in South Bend. Emma Pachon is a J.D. Candidate at American University Washington College of Law and is an intern this summer with the Legal Counsel of the Elderly at AARP in Washington, DC. Katie Rose Marvin is a Client Development Representative in Seismic Software’s Boston Office. 2016 Kelly Russell is enjoying her marketing and social media internship with Dormify in NYC this summer. Jenna Paro is majoring in Sociology at Fordham and interning this summer with Lesley Vecsler Communications in New York. Lilly Paro is in Boston this summer working in the marketing department at Shawmut, a construction company. 2017 Elsa Wetten traveled to Switzerland in June and is lifeguarding at a summer camp. She transferred to the University of Oregon and is majoring in environmental studies. Tori Saylor writes that Wofford is great and lacrosse is going well too. She is in ZTA and is the philanthropy treasurer.
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Congratulations Class of 2015 on your graduation from college!
2015 REUNION YEAR Congratulations to Anna Jorgensen for winning one of just two Izaac Walton National League Conservation Scholarships. Anna graduated from Georgetown University in May with a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Biology. Kate Glynn (34) graduated from Auburn with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition Wellness and a minor in Psychology. She will attend Trinity Washington for Nursing School this coming fall! She loves being back in the D.C. area and seeing how Holy Child has grown since her time here. Aoife Magner (35) graduated from Sweet Briar College with a Bachelor of Arts in Business with an Equine Management minor. Caitlyn O’Berry (36) graduated from Brown University with her bachelor’s degree in Business, Entrepreneurship, and Organizations (BEO) and Sociology. Caitlyn is an analyst in the Global Merchant and Network Services Division of American Express in New York. Allison Bloss (37) graduated from Fordham University with a double major in International Political Economy and Economics. Allison will continue at Fordham next year, pursuing her master’s degree in Economics, specializing in International Development. Caitlin and Megan Schiattareggia (38) graduated from Miami Univeristy and are off to work in Boston. Ana Melchior (39) graduated from St. John's University with a Bachelor of Science in Marketing. She will be returning to St. John's in the fall to complete her MBA and will finish in May 2020. Holley Hickman (40) graduated magna cum laude from Ohio Wesleyan University in 3.5 years with a double major in Politics and Government and Women’s and Gender Studies. In the fall, she will be attending the University of Maryland, School of Law. Bridgid Bowman (41) graduated from University of South Carolina with a major in Fashion Merchandise and Retail and a minor in Public Relations. She is in the buying department at Belk’s headquarters in Charlotte, NC. Cece Garner (42) graduated from College of the Holy Cross with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Education. Anne Overly graduated from East Carolina University this spring with her Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Darby McGee graduated from High Point University with a Bachelor of Art in Visual Merchandising Design.
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32. Joan Regan Parrish '69 enjoys a hike. | 33. Julia Timm Intili ’09 graduated Campbell University School of Osteopathic Medicine in May, 2019.
Thank you to our 2018-2019 Alumnae Council Members! Jillian Bastow ’02 Martine Bernard ’86 Caroline Mangan Connelly ’08 Kathleen Cooney-Porter ’82 Caitlin DeLaurentis ’08 Meghan Everngam ’00 Riley Fisher ’07 Joelle Slye Flynn ’89 Jessica Williams Frend ’01 Molly Grant ’18 Alexandra Guntle ’11 Lauren Straus Heller ’03 Alicia Ryan Karanian ’74
Deborah Cronin Kissinger ’66 Alli Bigelow Lumpkin ’92 Chesney Lynch ’18 Elizabeth Palka Minukas ’04 Kate Everngam Muffels ’98 Jordan Quinn ’08 Lauren Phifer Robinson ’08 (President) Ericka Rojas ’05 Christy Weschler Scango ’92 Kelly Decker Shires ’08 (Vice President) Katherine Mangan Siegel ’03 Carol Pender Sinwell ’66 Sister Connie Craig, SHCJ
Remembering
Pauline “Polly” McShain, SHCJ (June 10, 1928 – March 8, 2019)
Sister Polly was born in Philadelphia, PA, the only child of John and Mary McShain. Her father was a prominent and successful contractor, who built Holy Child's main building in time for the school’s opening in 1961. Sr. Polly received a Holy Child education at St. Lawrence Academy, School of the Holy Child in Suffern, New York, and Rosemont College. After becoming a Holy Child nun, she taught at several schools in the United States and in Nigeria, and served as our school principal from 1973-1976. Through the John McShain Charities, Sister Polly continued her parents' tradition of financial support by making a generous donation towards the construction of a second building on campus, now known as Connelly Hall, where the McShain Library is located. In 2011, reflecting on the motto of the Society of the Holy Child Jesus, Actions not Words, Sr. Polly stated, “Our lives of love and peace should speak louder than words.”
In Memoriam
Giuseppe Arcidiacono, grandfather of Amanda ’13 and Ashley ’14 Arcidiacono Dr. David Bachhuber, father of Julie Bachhuber ’85 Bob Beaudet, grandfather of Winnie Beaudet '19 Valerie C. Blanchette, class of 1993
Col. Leo Boucher, father of Kathleen Boucher-Lavigne ’04 and Maureen Boucher ’04, and husband of former Holy Child trustee, Dr. Joan Kinlan John Buckley, father of Genevieve Buckley ’89 Tom Cholis, husband of former faculty member Nancy Cholis Zina Deyhim, grandmother of Ariana Farzin '21 Anne Marie Donohoe, mother of Marybeth Feeney Jones ’02 Eufrosino “Presy” Guevara, father of Elizabeth Guevara ’93 Thomas E. Jones, father of Colleen Jones Johnson ’74, Irene Jones Pensec ’78, and grandfather of Kelly Johnson Emard ’08 Amy Bentley, grandmother of Lisa Knight Steele ’91 Tom Koch, brother-in-law of staff member Maureen Koch and uncle of Maggie Koch '18 John Manfreda, grandfather of Sarah Strachan ’17 Andy Mansinne, grandfather of Allie Mansinne '21 Sr. Pauline McShain, former Holy Child Principal Charles H. Miller, father-in-law of faculty member Jim Douglas Albert Patane, father of Rosemarie Patane Hale ’72 Daniel Russell, Sr., grandfather of Kelly ’16 and Rachel ’19 Russell Bob Shaeffer, father of former faculty member Beverly Billingsley and grandfather of Kelly Billingsley Smith '98 Peter Somers, brother of Nita Somers Kavalauskas ’69 Joe Stanton, brother of Bridget Stanton Rascher ’90 and brother-in-law of Clara Daza Stanton ’82 Richard Stone, father of Diane Stone Dyer ’77, Sandy Stone Blasey ’80, and grandfather of Katie Dyer Moreton ’05 and Caroline Dyer ’16 Ed Troha, brother of Charlotte Troha Shields ’74 and brother-in-law of Carol Tuterra, former faculty George Wassum, father-in-law of faculty member Kelly Tomon Ann Woods, grandmother of Casey ’11 and Dani ’13 Dell'Isola Barbara Wright, grandmother of Piper Martin ’19 Juanita Leyva, grandmother of Maria Leyva Fairbanks ’11 Dr. Bernita Joyce, great-aunt of Maddy Hopkins '14 and aunt of former Assistant Head of School Mary Hopkins Dr. Victor Rerucha, father of Caroline Rerucha '81, great-uncle of Maddy Hopkins '14, and uncle of former Assistant Head of School Mary Hopkins Nancy Skibbie, grandmother of Grace Skibbie '21
3, Wed All School Closing 4, Thurs 8th Grade Promotion 5, Fri Graduation
JUNE
Mother's Morning Athletic Awards Banquet Memorial Day - No School 1, Fri 14, Thurs 25, Mon
Thanksgiving Break Middle School Father/Daughter Dance Holly Ball Christmas Concert and Grandparents' Day Christmas Break
MAY
2, Mon 6, Fri 7, Sat 13, Fri 23-31, Mon-Tues
All Saints Day Mass Middle School Musical Mayfield Market Thanksgiving Break 1, Fri 8-9, Fri-Sat 23-24, Sat-Sun 27-29, Wed-Fri
NOVEMBER
DECEMBER
Stations of the Cross Easter Break Junior and Senior Ring Day and Prom Evening of the Arts Alumnae Weekend 8, Wed 9-13, Thu-Mon 17, Fri 22, Wed 24-25, Fri-Sat
APRIL
MARCH 7, Sat Gala 16-20, Mon-Fri Spring Break - No School
14, 15, 23, 26,
OCTOBER
Mon Tues Wed Sat
Columbus Day - No School Founder's Day Mass Fall Recital Open House
FEBRUARY 10-13, Mon-Thurs Spirit Week 14, Fri No School for Students/Faculty Retreat 17, Mon Presidents’ Day - No School 22, Sat Upper School Musical/Sensory Friendly Show 28-29, Fri-Sat Upper School Musical Labor Day - No School 6th-12th Back to School Night Mass of the Holy Spirit Blue/Gold Game and Tiger Club Social Tiger Trot and Mass 3, Mon 5, Thurs 13, Fri 20, Fri 22, Sun
SEPTEMBER
For additional information on ways to support Holy Child, please visit www.holychild.org/giving or email Dani Perraut DeWitt, Chief Advancement Officer, ddewitt@holychild.org.
Preseason Workouts for Fall Sports Freshmen and Middle School Orientations 9th-12th Grade Fall Sports Tryouts 9th-12th Grade Orientation First Day of School
Please consider supporting the future of Holy Child by: - including Holy Child in your will, trust, or other estate plans - naming Holy Child as a beneficiary of your retirement plan or life insurance policy - leaving assets from a brokerage or other savings account to Holy Child - making a gift of appreciated stocks, bonds, or other securities - establishing a Charitable Remainder or Charitable Lead Trust to benefit Holy Child - making a gift through your Donor Advised Fund
19-23, Mon-Fri 23, Fri 26-28, Mon-Wed 26, Mon 27, Tues
Cornelia Connelly’s mission and legacy was to create institutions in which students grow intellectually and as people of faith and service. We strive to keep Cornelia’s mission at the core of all we do at Holy Child. When you include Holy Child in your long-term charitable plans, you ensure that our school remains a place for young women to become their best selves for generations to come.
AUGUST
We invite you to give back today by making a tax-deductible donation in one of the following ways: - Online at www.holychild.org/giving - Check payable to Holy Child - Venmo @CorneliaHC
JANUARY 1-3, Wed-Fri 5, Sun 15, Wed 18-20 Sat-Mon 20, Mon 26, Sun
2019-2020 School Year
The Fund for Holy Child enables our school to provide students with an exceptional education rooted in academic challenge, joyful learning, and service to others. Gifts to the Fund for Holy Child have an immediate impact on school operations such as innovative academic programming, professional development, faith and service learning, fine arts, athletics, and financial aid. All members of our community directly benefit from the Fund for Holy Child.
Christmas Break Epiphany Mass Mass for Cornelia Connelly's Birthday CYO Tournament at Holy Child MLK JR. Day - No School Father/Daughter Breakfast
SUPPORT HOLY CHILD
CONNELLY SCHOOL OF THE HOLY CHILD 9029 BRADLEY BLVD. POTOMAC, MD 20854