Oldenburg Academy Spring Magazine 2024

Oldenburg Academy of the immaculate conception

Spring 2024

In this issue: Administrative Staff

PRESIDENT

Annette Hunger

PRINCIPAL

02

03

04

09

Oldenburg

Angela Parmer

DIRECTOR OF ADMISSIONS

Molly Oesterling Freeland ‘94

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

Geraldine Moster Kuntz ‘81

DIRECTOR OF GUIDANCE

Laura Geis

ATHLETIC DIRECTOR

Michael Higdon

Board of Trustees

Matthew Bohman ‘10

Sr. Jeri Fuhrmann, OSF ‘67

Deb Eckstein Grieshop ‘84, Treasurer

Suzi Johannigman

Diana Kinker

Sr. Jan Kroeger, OSF

Sr. Barb Leonhard, OSF ‘67

Jonathon Maple ‘07

Patty Mauer

Sr. Delouise Menges, OSF ‘67

Keith Moenter, Chair

Rebecca Rahschulte, Secretary

Todd Reed

Amy Streator

Anne Heile Suttmann ‘97

Megan Westerfeld Walke ‘97, Vice Chair

Nathan Wanstrath

Neal Wessling

Cover Photo Credits: David Lohmueller

Magazine Layout: Elizabeth Schulte ‘17

Magazine Contributers: Amy Grills, Michael Higdon, Annette Hunger, Angie Parmer, Debbie Holtel Lamping ‘73, Helen Yane ‘95, and Jason Walke

Photo Credits: Metz Photos, Rich Fowler; Brush and Palette Frame Shop, Susan Meer Gigrich ‘87, David Lohmueller, and Elizabeth Schulte ‘17

oldenburgacademy.org

From the President

Dear OA Family,

HE IS MAKING ALL THINGS ewn

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to travel with a group of OA students, three teachers, and a few parents to Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland. To say the least it was an amazing experience. While we were waiting to board our plane for Germany, I had a brief conversation with a lady in the airport who inquired about our group and where we were traveling. She asked me if we were on a trip or a journey. I paused for a moment, not sure how to answer her question. Seeing my hesitation, she smiled and said, “A trip is a destination, but a journey is one of discovery.” I smiled and responded, “Then, we are on a journey!”

And what a journey the past few months have been at OA! I encourage you to take a few minutes to flip through our Spring Magazine and discover the many wonderful happenings, experiences, and successes of our students, teachers, alumni, and family of OA supporters.

From the innovative business pitch and STEM contests to both the gold medal honors in music and art, the outstanding winter sport seasons in basketball and swimming, which included regional and state competitions, our students have discovered and shared their strengths, talents, and passions. Incredible opportunities like the RISE Leadership Summit, the March for Life, and the Assisi and Rome Pilgrimage, created a journey of inspiration and growth for our students.

Without a doubt our 35th annual OA Dinner Auction - Camp OA - was a source of inspiration for all of us!

Through your overwhelming generosity, we raised a record-setting $176,000 to support the mission of OA! Amazing! Be sure to check out the photos from the evening as well as the photos on our alumni news pages - so many wonderful milestones to celebrate!

And the journey continues as we prepare for the many awesome events of the 4th quarter. We invite you to join us in support of our One Day @ OA - Day of Giving - on May 3rd. The day-long celebration includes our art show, spring concert, and a food truck!

Check out all the upcoming OA events and activities on our social media platforms and website. Stay in touch with us and share the great discoveries of your life’s journey!

Easter Blessings to you all!

President

From the Principal

As we approach the end of another remarkable school year, I am so excited to share the many highlights of our school community. I am filled with gratitude and pride for all that has been accomplished over these past few months at Oldenburg Academy. As I reflect, I am reminded of the countless moments of growth, the many achievements of our students, and the celebrations that have occurred. Throughout this year, we have witnessed extraordinary acts of kindness, compassion and service. I am in awe of our collective generosity and willingness to unquestioningly step up and step in.

Throughout the magazine you will notice many references to our academics, fine arts, athletics, clubs and spirituality. Academically, our students have excelled, consistently showing a commitment to learning and personal growth. Our extra-curricular activities have thrived, providing students with opportunities to explore their interests, develop their talents, and form lifelong connections. Of course, none of this would be possible without the unwavering support and dedication of our incredible faculty and staff. Day in and day out, they show their unending commitment and passion for our students and our school.

Together, we will continue to strive for excellence, foster a culture of compassion and service, and empower our students to become the leaders of tomorrow. Thank you, each and every one of you, for your dedication, your passion, and your commitment to Oldenburg Academy.

With sincere gratitude,

Angie Parmer Principal

Thank you for your dedication to OA!

During our Catholic Schools Week Mass, five of our faculty and staff were recognized for their dedication to our OA family for their years of service! We are so grateful!

Shane Coppotelli | 5 years

Susan Gigrich | 5 years

Debbie Gregg | 5 years

Amy Grills | 20 years

Cindy Nurrenberg | 20 years

From left to right: Amy Grills, Susan Meer Gigrich ‘87, Shane Coppotelli, Debbie Gregg, Cindy Nurrenberg

Going Beyond in Academics

Oldenburg Academy Seniors Advance to Regional Business Pitch Competition

Indiana and The STARTedUP Foundation hosts the nation’s largest statewide business pitch competition for high school students. From the initial submissions, which attracted over 3,000 high school students, the pool was narrowed down to ten teams within each of the six different regions.

Both of Oldenburg Academy’s winning teams had the mission of sustainability at their core. Seniors Lilly Schebler, Sarah Lamping, and Kate Weber created the business venture Forever Flowers, which specializes in creating paper flower bouquets with a focus on using recycled materials. Rachel Lamping, Thaddeus Eaglin, and Sadie Wachsmann secured a place in the next round with their business Second Serve Threads, which designs custom pickleball racquet covers made from recycled apparel.

Both of these teams will compete in the Region 6 Regionals in Jeffersonville on April 25th with the opportunity to advance to the state finals.

Culinary Arts Class Visits Walhill Farm

This semester, students in the OA Culinary Arts class visited Walhill Farm in Batesville and worked with Chef Chris and pastry artist Amelia to create a meal! Students worked in two teams and made salad, salad dressing, red sauce, sausage, stuffed manicotti, stuffed shells, and bread.

Rising Stars of Indiana

Congratulations to the Class of 2025 Rising Stars of Indiana! Each Indiana high school was invited to recognize up to four students in the 11th grade based on their academic achievement!

ISSMA

The ISSMA holds music contests every year for middle and high school students. Contestants must participate in their school’s music ensembles and prepare a piece of music to perform before a judge in their division. The divisions reflect the level of experience and training of the students and each division increases in competitiveness, with divisions I and II being the most rigorous. All participating students from Oldenburg Academy earned the highest honor, clinching the gold medal in their respective categories. Their stellar performances highlight the dedication of the students and their instructor, Mr. Brian Kneuven ‘05.

Congratulations to these students:

Ellie Ryan | Gold in Bass Division II

Sophia Hohenstein | Gold in Cello Division II

Paige Watters | Gold in Cello Division III

Simon Nobbe | Gold in Clarinet Division II

Rylan Hill | Gold in Violin Division II

Sadie Wachsmann | Gold in Piano Division II

Ryan Hautman | Gold in Piano Division II

Luke Hopkins | Gold in Piano Division II

Lauren Richards | Gold in Vocal Solo Division II

Academy Singers | Gold in the Large Ensemble Division II

Jacob Hilbert

Zachary Hoff

Caroline Niese

Annabelle Nunlist

Rube Goldberg Competition

This year’s Rube Goldberg Competition was to create a machine to put toothpaste on a toothbrush. The students in the OA Physics classes worked hard to design and build their very impressive machine that included water, pulleys, ramps and flying cars.

The students recently competed on Saturday, February 24th, and based on the results, were invited to the National competition which will be held at Purdue University on April 6th. They will compete against teams across the country, including a team from China!

Artist Visits the Senior Religion Classes

In Mrs. Debbie Gregg’s Religion classes this semester, Seniors were visited by artist Mrs. Debi Black who helped the students choose a favorite Scripture verse to paint on a canvas. Students look forward to hanging these up in their college dorms and found that they had some great artistic talent! Thank you to the BAAC for sponsoring this project!

Heat Testing

This semester, Jenny Schneider’s physics class joined the Sisters’ Care of Creation Task Force as part of a class project to use thermal imaging to test the heat loss in the windows of ICA Hall. The students worked with Sr. Carolyn Hoff and Sr. Claire Whalen. The Task Force is exploring ways to be more energy efficient in the convent buildings. It was a great opportunity for our students!

DICE CHALLENGE

In December 2023, Seniors Chloe Bohman, Lily Dennis and Isabel Price won second place in the regional D.I.C.E. Challenge Business Pitch Competition for a wedding event planning website. They won $2,000 against competition from several area schools. They were recognized at the Batesville Area Chamber of Commerce’s Awards Banquet this semester for their great accomplishment!

Art Students Donate Pieces to the OA Dinner Auction

This past February, OA art students donated pieces of their original art to the OA Dinner Auction.

Thank you to Junior Jacob Voegele and Sophomores Samantha Brennan, Rachel Cigolotti, Norah Haverkos, and Donovan Wesseler for sharing their artwork.

Going Beyond in Admissions

This Summer!

Class of 2028 Scholarship Ceremony

In March, our Class of 2028 Scholarship Ceremony was held in the Feldhaus. Mrs. Hunger welcomed the 25 scholarship recipients and their families followed by a prayer led by Sr. Barb Leonhard, OSF ‘67. Jill Witkemper, class of 2025, shared an outstanding student welcome to kick off our presentation of scholarships.

Thank you to all of our scholarship donors for their continued support of Oldenburg Academy and its students.

Oldenburg Academy is excited to offer a variety of camps for elementary and middle school students! Our athletic and enrichment camps focus on a variety of interests.

New this year, we are offering a Twister Service Camp and a STEM Camp. This is a great opportunity to explore OA’s campus, make new friends, and have some fun this summer!

Scan the QR code to register or visit oldenburgacademy.org/summer-camps

Scan to register!

Save the Date!

Class of 2028 Freshmen Picnic | Friday, May 10, 2024 | 5:30-7:30 PM

All incoming freshmen and their parents are invited to join us for a picnic on May 10th from 5:30-7:30 in the Feldhaus. During this time, families will meet our athletic coaches, Fine Arts, Co-Curricular and Campus Ministry Representatives. Following the athletic coaches and club meetings, a student picnic will take place and students will enjoy pizza and games with their fellow Class of 2028 classmates!

OA’s National Honor Society will also host a Pre-Loved uniform sale and Schoolbelles will be available for families to purchase new uniforms.

We are excited to welcome you to our Oldenburg Academy family!

Oldenburg Academy welcomes transfer students! Families interested in learning more about transfer opportunities at OA are encouraged to contact Mrs. Molly Freeland, our Director of Admissions, to discuss the enrollment process, Indiana Choice Scholarship Program, and available Financial Aid!

mfreeland@oldenburgacademy.org | 812.933.4440 ext. 250

Going Beyond in Student life

Safe Passage Visit

February was Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month and members of the Safe Passage Prevention Team visited with our Sophomore students during their Health and PE class. Some topics of their discussion were healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors and recognizing warning signs and abuse. This was a great opportunity for our students!

Legacy Gala

Thank you Lily Dennis and Alena Hollingsworth for representing OA at the Archdiocese of Indianapolis Legacy Gala. Alena’s artwork was chosen from all high schools in the archdiocese to be highlighted the night of the event!

Assisi Student Pilgrimage

Students Ellie Ryan, Lily Schebler, and Noah Schenk, along with Mrs. Charlene Weberding, our Social Studies teacher, will be joining students and chaperones from Roger Bacon High School in Cincinnati on a 9-day pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome in April. This is the seventh year that OA has participated in this amazing and life-changing pilgrimage with the Franciscan high school.

Rise Leadership Summit

Thirty-eight Oldenburg Academy students recently participated in the transformative RISE Project: Lead from Where You Are program, immersing themselves in a day of dynamic leadership training and personal development.

Led by a team of dedicated community professionals, the Rise Project aims to equip high school students with effective ways to positively influence others. Throughout the day-long program, students discussed the fundamental principles of leadership and took part in activities that underscored the importance of choices, character, and compassion in shaping their own lives and, subsequently, the communities in which they live.

“As facilitators of Project RISE”, said Gary Munchel, “we were so excited to work with the students and wanted to create a richly unique off-campus learning experience held at Jawacdah Farm. We found the OA students highly participative, enthusiastic, and very open to learning. As learning facilitators, we could not have asked for anything more.”

Senior Lily Dennis Named a 2024 Lilly Scholar

Congratulations to senior Lily Dennis, a 2024 recipient of the prestigious Dearborn County Lilly Endowment Community Scholarship!

During her four years at Oldenburg Academy, Lily has been involved in a number of activities within the community and OA. She was the Varsity Captain for Volleyball and Cheer, participated in Basketball and Track & Field, has been a member of Book Club, Adopt-A-Sis, National Honor Society, Academic Team, and Academy Ambassadors, and has participated in 4-H and All Saints Parish Youth Group. After high school, Lily plans to major in Criminal Justice with a minor in Political Science at Indiana University.

Lily Schebler

Ellie Ryan

Noah Schenk

Mrs. Charlene Weberding

Spring Break Trip to Germany

Twenty-three OA students along with eleven adults travelled to Germany, Austria, Liechtenstein, and Switzerland during spring break in March. The group visited the cities of Munich, Innsbruck, and Lucerne. Guided tours throughout the week provided historical and cultural experiences along with beautiful scenic views of the Alps.

Going Beyond in Athletics

The Winter season was a very successful one for the Twisters! We are proud of all of our Winter athletes and coaches!

Boys Basketball

The boys basketball team finished the season with a 13-12 record and were sectional champs for the third time in school history! They defeated Jac-Cen-Del 47-36 in the sectional championship. They fell in a hard fought game in the regional championship.

Forward Henry Wanstrath (pictured on the magazine cover) broke the single season rebound record with 182 and was named IBCA Underclassman All State Honorable Mention!

Girls Basketball

The girls basketball team had an excellent season under new head coach David Disbro. The girls advanced to the sectional finals and finished the season ranked 11th in 1A. They set a new school record in wins in a season with 19 and also broke the team scoring and defensive records.

Boys and Girls Swimming

The swim team had a very successful season.

On the girls’ side, the team added some new members who had never swum before and did well. They also set many personal bests. The boys side broke many school individual and relay records. The season was capped off by freshman Nash King qualifying for the State Finals in the 500 Freestyle and finishing 13th overall!

Academic All State

Congratulations to Girls Basketball Seniors Ellie Ryan, Kate Weber, and Sadie Wachsmann! Ellie and Kate were named to the IBCA Academic All State team and Sadie received an Honorable Mention. What a great accomplishment for these seniors!

Twister Spirit!

Thank you to all of our students who showed such great support for our winter athletic teams!

Archery

The archery team wrapped up a great season!

Congratulations to Annabelle Nunlist who advanced to the state competition and scored 272 at the Indiana NASP State Archery tournament on March 11th, ranking 88th out of the 332 high school girls who competed.

Ellie Ryan Kate Weber Sadie Wachsmann

Going Beyond in Faith life

March For Life 2024

A group of OA students and faculty members traveled to Indianapolis to join thousands of pro-life supporters for the Mass and March for Life! While they were there, students ran into OA Class of 2023 alumni and current Seminarian Will Rees.

Catholic Schools Week

To celebrate Catholic Schools Week, there were a number of fun activities planned for the students! Every day, there were special dress out opportunities, including twin day, character day, and Jesus/Faith Shirt day! During Twister Time throughout the week, there were friendly competitions between the grade levels! They concluded the week with an all-school Mass celebrated by Fr. Jonathan Meyer.

Students also took part in a “Change War” service project to help the Food for the Poor and St. Mary’s (Greensburg) Adopt-a-Village in Honduras project of building 52 single-dwelling homes in the village of Cucuyagua in Honduras. Students met the goal of rasing $1,500 and later presented a check to the St. Marys’/Food For the Poor team leading the Adopt-a-Village project.

Adopt-A-Sis

The students in the Adopt-A-Sis program have been able to spend quality time with their Sisters this past semester during a few lunches including a Valentine’s Day lunch.

Miraculous Medals

The Feast of the Immaculate Conception was celebrated by students, faculty, staff, and members of the OA community with a Mass in the Sisters’ Chapel. During Mass, Miraculous Medals were blessed and given to all freshmen and new faculty/staff.

Ash Wednesday

On Ash Wednesday, we celebrated Mass together in the Sisters’ Chapel and received the ashes to begin the Lenten season. Thank you to Fr. Matthew Peronnie for celebrating with us and reminding us that Lent is only the beginning of our season of change and that we should strive to live the way we are practicing during Lent at all times.

DINNER AUCTION

We are simply overwhelmed with gratitude for the incredible support and enthusiasm shared at OA’s 35th annual Dinner Auction on February 24th. Thanks to your outstanding generosity, the Dinner Auction raised a record-setting goal of over $176,000 for Oldenburg Academy including over $56,000 for our STEM Department.

Thank you to everyone who helped make our 35th Dinner Auction a success. This special evening is not just a fundraiser; it is a celebration of OA’s spirit, unity, and mission. Thank you for your passion, belief, and inspiring generosity.

We are truly grateful for the support of our sponsors, donors, volunteers, alumni, parents, friends of OA, and committee members! Your belief and investment in Oldenburg Academy is inspiring.

Thank you

...

to the companies who sponsored the appetizers, dessert, games & raffles, t-shirts, beer & wine, signature drink, and paddle raiser as well as all of our event sponsors who helped make the event an incredible success!

We are so grateful !

Going Beyond in Alumni News

Kira Krause Madsen ‘17 and Tyler Madsen were married on November 11, 2023.

Rachel Schulte Hinton ‘12 and Nick Hinton were married on October 13, 2023, accompanied by alumni Sarah Schulte ‘07, Anna Schulte Blanchard ‘10, Emmalee Schulte Kessens ‘15, and Elizabeth Schulte ‘17.

Kiana Tran Moorman ‘17 and Nicholas Moorman ‘17 were married on November 18, 2023.

Regan Horan Hurm ‘16 and Matty Hurm ‘15 were married this past Fall.

After graduating from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology in May of 2023, Pierce Lonergan ‘19 currently attends Cornell University where he will be receiving his doctorate in Electrical Engineering. At Cornell, Pierce’s studies and five-year research work focus on molecular beam epitaxy of nanomaterials and nanostructures with applications in optoelectronics. Still in just his first year at the University, Pierce has had the opportunity to meet several highly respectable professionals in the field, including his advisor and author Dr. Debdeep Jena and Nobel Prize winner Dr. Hiroshi Amano (pictured).

“You can call my current position the best of both worlds, or project engineer. No day is ever the same, and I’m able to split time between the office and field. When I’m not on a site supporting day-to-day operations, I work on the preconstruction side to get the (wrecking) ball rolling for upcoming projects. I’m really glad that I chose a career in the demolition industry not only for the hands-on aspect and fast-changing environment, but also for the ability to tear down a wall after a long day at the office.”

Pierce Lonergan ‘19

Alex Bamonte ‘19

Construction Management Technology- O’Rourke Wrecking

Ali Langferman Lamers ‘11 and Alex Lamers ‘11 with their newest baby girl Remi and daughter Wesley.

Zach Pottschmidt ‘16 and his wife Clare were married on August 12, 2023.

Make a Nomination for the annual Alumni Awards!

It’s not too early to start working on nominations for the Distinguished Alum Award, VHE Award, and Exceptional Alumni of the Arts Award!

Nominations are due in July of 2024.

Nomination forms are available at oldenburgacademy.org/alumni-awards or scan the QR code.

Alumni Homecoming

Saturday, October 12, 2024

10:00 AM to 2:30 PM

Alumni are invited to bring their spouse or a friend/guest to join in the festivities of this adult-only event!

Is your class having an Anniversary this year? If your graduation year ends with a 4 or 9, we are honoring your class with photo composites and group pictures. Come see how the campus has changed and grown. Make your class reunion special by attending OA Homecoming this year!

More details will be shared closer to the date of the event!

Volunteers are always appreciated! If you are interested in volunteering to help with the planning/setup of the event, please contact Debbie Holtel Lamping ‘73 in the OA Advancement Office at dlamping@oldenburgacademy.org.

A few hours of your time can really make a difference!

We would love to Stay connected!

Update your address, phone, and email as you continue to make changes in your lives so we can quickly contact you when necessary.

Send your updated contact information to dlamping@oldenburgacademy.org or fill out an on-line form by scanning the QR code or visit oldenburgacademy.org/alumni-association#stay.connected.

Thank you!

In loving memory...

Sr. Doris Holohan, OSF ‘53

Bernice Simmermeyer Lorenz ‘54

Sr. Lucy Driscoll, OSF ‘55

Rose Marie Koerner ‘55

Ruth Ramsdell Haas ‘55

Sr. Rachel West, OSF, Honorary Alum ... until we meet again

Support the Academy Fund

Family and community are the cornerstones of Oldenburg Academy. And, just like a family, we come together to support one another when there is a need, and your OA family has a need. We have a significant gap between the revenue that tuition brings and the cost to provide the best Catholic education and formation our students deserve. The Academy Fund closes this gap and provides unrestricted funds to address areas of greatest need within the school.

Today, we ask for your help and support.

Please join us in supporting The Academy Fund with a generous gift. Your gift is essential. A gift to the Academy Fund supports every aspect of our school. Thank you for your faithful generosity and support as we continue to advance our mission!

Donate online by scanning the QR code/button or by visiting oldenburgacademy.org/ways-to-give#academy or donate through a gift of check or cash by mailing to the address below.

Oldenburg Academy

1 Twister Circle, PO Box 200 Oldenburg, Indiana 47036

Oldenburg Ac ademyFund

Mark your calendars!

March 30, 2024

Alumni Easter Egg Hunt

April 19, 2024

Earth Day Mass and Service Day

May 3, 2024

One Day @ OA

Spring Concert

Art Show

May 4, 2024

Prom

May 10, 2024

Class of 2028 Freshmen Picnic

May 13, 2024

May Crowning

May 17, 2024

Awards Program and Senior Mass

May 21 - 24, 2024

Final Exams

June 2, 2024

Class of 2024 Graduation

June 3, 2024

Cash Raffle Early Bird Drawing

June 21, 2024

OASIS Golf Outing

July 20, 2024

Cash Raffle Drawing at Freudenfest

October 12, 2024

Alumni Homecoming

Oldenburg Academy of the immaculate conception

GO BEYOND

1 twister circle, po box 200, oldenburg indiana 47036

www.oldenburgacademy.org | 812.934.4440

@oldenburgacademy