SCHOLARSHIP
After Tragedy,
A Legacy of Hope Twenty years ago, more than a thousand people gathered in a gymnasium to celebrate the life of a young woman – an athlete, a giver, a friend. Caitlyn (Katie) O’Bannon Fitzgerald ’00 had lost her life in a car accident at the age of 19.
If you are interested in learning more about how you can endow a scholarship to support future Falcons, please contact Savannah Renehan, director of advancement, at srenehan@olgchs.org or 240-283-3384.
In the midst of their grief, Katie’s sisters decided to create something long lasting that would help others the way she always had. The sisters – Liz Matan, Molly Nagel and Meagan Romero – and Katie’s friend Katie Kimmel ’00 embarked upon a campaign to name a scholarship at Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in her honor. “After she died, we learned how impactful she was,” Matan says. “So many people sent us notes saying Katie was friends with them or had been kind to them.” The letters came from all walks of life, she says—members of the school band, computer students, athletes and drama kids sent messages. And many of the notes were from friends Katie had made at Junior Retreat, where she had been a phenomenal listener and friend.
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THE COUNSELOR
2021
“Katie had so many connections at Good Counsel, we wanted to keep her legacy going,” Nagel adds. “Everyone loved her.” “She made time for everyone. She was just one of those kids,” Matan says. And so the Fitzgerald family used their time to write countless letters inviting friends, alumni and others to participate in a basketball tournament that would raise funds for the endowment. “Katie was all in when she was at Good Counsel; she was a multi-sport athlete. The school fostered that. Wherever the sports were, she was there,” Matan says. Basketball was Katie’s favorite sport. “So we held an annual tournament for five years starting the year after she died; a fouron-four basketball tournament. We sent out letters to anyone and everyone, and Good Counsel helped us,” Nagel says. The sisters were young at the time; Romero was just 14, and they were determined to honor Katie. Many local businesses offered to help, Matan says. Potomac Pizza provided food for hundreds
of people and others made donations. The tournament was held in the school’s gymnasium, and it grew each year. “It was a great way to come back to Good Counsel and honor her. People had a great time,” Romero says. Talented alumni basketball players, including some who had played in the NBA, took part in the tournament, and others came to see them play. “It was all about keeping her memory and legacy alive, and it was a great way to do that,” Nagel says. “We didn’t know how generous people would be. It was wonderful.” Each year, Katie’s scholarship recognizes two students who, like she did, exemplify enthusiasm for life and interest in extracurricular activities. Also, the student must demonstrate financial need. The student winners are selected by a group of teachers. “They know the students best,” Matan says. One of the 2021 recipients, Evan Fosten ’23, played against Matan’s son in a lacrosse game one weekend last spring.
