Fall Issue of the Towelette

“What great work the Lord has entrusted to us women.”

St. Lucy Filippini

Fall 2022

VOL. 54, NO. 2

Letter from the Editors Hannah D’cruz ’23 and Ava Simmons ’23 Welcome to the fall edition of the Towerette!

As we started this new year together, you might have noticed some changes around Villa. Yes, the stairs are different, but there are also fresh faces and voices leading the Villa family. Our staffers have taken some time to get to know new teachers and members of the Student Council Executive Board, who have so much to share with us. We are excited to spend the year with them!

We also want to highlight some of the events that have brought our community together this fall, from the Bishop’s opening Mass to a celebration for Sr. Helen on her Golden Jubilee. Diversity CAFE has been getting students involved in new activities, and summer sports teams have continued to flourish during these first months of the school year.

With our host of clubs, academics, and sports teams flourishing to begin the new school year, Villa girls are ready to embrace our 2023 mission statement. The turning of the leaves also means the turning over of a new school year, and with that comes new opportunities for all. Whether you’re ready to try your hand (or foot) at a new sport, join a new club, or get involved with student government, there is a place for you! We encourage you to take advantage of all that Villa has to offer this year, and make the most of another year brimming with possibilities at the Academy.

If you’re still interested in joining Towerette, reach out to Mrs. Pasko (paskok@villawalsh.org) or any of the editors. Look out for upcoming photo contests!

Photos by Martha Smart ’25 and Delaney Yosh ’25

Current Events Opening School with the Word of God: Bishop’s Mass Bella Cantave ’24 and Emily Costello ’23 On September 16th, the Villa Walsh community celebrated the annual Bishop’s Mass for the opening of school. We were grateful to have in attendance Sister Patricia and Sister Betty Jean. In addition, a very special guest in attendance was Mr. Holland’s mother. This year’s mass was offered to Mr. Holland and his memory.

Bishop Kevin Sweeney, along with Father Michael, led a beautiful Mass to begin this school year. In his impactful homily, the Bishop told us about his own Catholic high school experience, and about how he always thought the Bishops’ Masses were boring. Therefore, he decided to start our school year off on the right mentality.

His homily related the Word of God to our lives as women and as high school students in order to get through to us and help us see Mass, not as the way he used to see it, as boring, but the way he sees it now, as “the opportunity to see the Word of God come to life.”

He spoke of the women portrayed in this week’s Gospel, Luke 8:1-3; how Mary Magdalene, Susanna, and Joanna defied rigid social custom and took part in God’s plan for Salvation through their own means. We learned we can all relate to and take inspiration from the Word, even as women and even though we are young. He instructed us to respond to Jesus’ call to friendship, both with Himself and with our peers, in order to rid ourselves of the “temptation,” of thinking we are not good enough.

The Gospel relates to our high school experience, and Bishop Sweeney gifted us the perfect mindset to integrate God into our everyday experiences. We can move forward with His Word to guide us, responding to His call throughout the way.

Once the mass concluded, students gripped the edge of their seats hoping for the words that they wait patiently for every year.

“Oh, yes, you all will have a bishop’s day off on March 20th, 2023.”

Cheers and tiny applause erupted from the seats, every student had a grin from cheek to cheek on their face. Leaving the chapel, everyone’s spirit was renewed and the Word of God was in their hearts for a perfect start of the year.

Photos by Maureen Simonet ’23

Blast from the Past: Revisiting Summer Sports

Current Events

Laurel Hamilton ’24 The beginning of a school year is always exciting! However, new classes and being reunited with friends weren’t the only things to look forward to.

The fall also meant the beginning of another great year of VWA sports, even though all our teams had already been training throughout the summer months.

At the end of summer break, I texted some of Villa’s fall team captains to get the inside scoop on their training.

In their responses, they were all optimistic about this season.

Ava Simmons ’23, co-captain of the volleyball team, fondly known as VWAV, wrote, “Volleyball summer training has been awesome! We have had summer sessions twice a week, and we also organized a beach volleyball outing. It has been so fun meeting all of the new players and getting ready for the upcoming season. I am confident that the Freshman, JV, and Varsity teams will rise to the occasion and be competitive. VWAV has been diligent in accomplishing the two most important components of summer training: practicing hard and consuming large amounts of ice cream.”

Avery Walsh ’23, tennis team co-captain, wrote, “Our preseason has been off to a great start.

The talent across all four grades is incredible! At the moment, we are in the midst of our “challenge matches” to determine the regular season’s positions. I am so excited to see what this season holds, especially since it is going to be my last one playing at Villa”.

Francesca Kearns ’23, co-captain of soccer team, VWAGS, wrote, “True leaders always practice the three R’s: Respect for themselves, Respect for others, and Responsibility for their actions. Summer training has been going really well! My goals for preseason were to bond the team and to have everyone gain a sense of trust and respect for each other. I want this team to be really tight and for us to come out strong at the start of the season! We have a really great group of girls who have already shown so much dedication to the program and have shown a lot of hard work by showing up to almost all of the summer sessions. It makes me so excited to be able to

be one of the captains for this team and I can’t wait to see all that we do this season!”

Vicky Wong ’23, co-captain of Villa’s cross country team told me “The feeling of getting back into the season is such a love-hate relationship, but I am so excited to see what this season brings. Last one, best one!”

After hearing about the eventful summers all our talented teams have had, it’s no surprise that they’re crushing it out on the field/court/course!

Good luck to all our fall sports as they enter the tournament season!

Diversity CAFE Salsas into School Year Isabella Cantave ’24 Since the beginning of the school year, Diversity CAFE has been eager to get started, especially with fun activities planned during the summer. Diversity started the year by celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month. The first few club meetings were dedicated to planning events and learning more about Hispanic culture.

Diversity CAFE kicked off its first full event at Septemberfest, where with the help of our newly formed PDIC parents, it shared Hispanic food while playing music and engaging participants with arts and crafts. It was a great way to spread knowledge about the Hispanic culture, while enjoying the sunny day and many sports.

To close out Hispanic Heritage Month, Diversity CAFE decided to involve the school in an activity. With the help of Mr. Cantave and PDIC parents, we brought Mr. Cantave’s dance instructor “Christina” to Villa during lunch to teach students salsa. All the students learned the history of salsa and its basic steps. The activity was then followed by two special performances including Christina and Mr. Cantave showcasing their advanced skills.

Diversity CAFE is excited by the success of its first month, and we are excited to continue weekly meetings on Tuesdays in Room 11!

Villa Voices Summer Memories Martha Smart ’25 and Delaney Yosh ’25 What was the most exciting thing you did this summer?

I went on a 2-week high adventure backpacking trek at Philmont Scout Ranch.

What was your favorite activity you participated in while backpacking?

Honestly, just waking up each day to watch the sunrise and going to bed after watching the sunset was my favorite part. Mother nature is more beautiful from the mountains.

What is one lesson you learned from your trip?

It’s a cliche but during those 2 weeks it became a living reality: don’t give up. Almost every day was a 10-miler and there was always another mountain to climb or hailstorm to get through. But, every step was worth it, especially when we were snuggled up in our tents each night reminiscing about the day.

Would you recommend backpacking to someone else, and why?

Yes a thousand times yes. There are just so many valuable lessons you can learn about yourself and life in general when you're “in the wild” and survival is the only thing that matters.”

Who or what led you to take this trip?

My brother actually took the same exact trek in 2019, but I never thought of going until the start of this year. I’m always up for adventure and like to prove that whatever he can do, I can do (better).

What was your favorite memory from this summer, and why?

Other than the beautiful scenery I got to take in during those 2 weeks in New Mexico, I would say finishing the trek with my crew was the most amazing feeling of my summer and maybe even my life! Words can't describe the amount of joy that last step brought.

Vicky W o

ee ’25

Ines Lem What was something fun you did this summer?

I went to Croatia for my sibling and family friends’ senior graduation trip and for the first few weeks we stayed in Split, Croatia.

What was your favorite part of this trip?

My favorite part of Croatia was probably this day-long boat trip that I did, and we visited different islands throughout the day.

What are some other activities you did on your trip?

We went cliff jumping and were able to snorkel which was really fun, and something I had never done before.

ng ’23

sta ’25

Leah Co

Could you tell us about the most interesting thing you did this summer?

Probably Georgetown Medical Camp.

What was your favorite part of the Camp?

Learning all about the different aspects of medicine and all of the labs, especially the cadaver lab because it allowed me to witness the human body in a new light that most people never get to experience.

What was the most memorable experience you took away from this?

Everything that I learned, not just about the medical field but about independence and really just seeing if medicine was something that I was really interested enough in to pursue as a future career.

Also the friends that I made through the camp.

Villa Voices Meet Mr. Sumliner!

Erin Lyons ‘25 and Angelina Rizk ’25 This month we had the honor to interview one of Villa’s newest teachers, Mr. Sumliner, who teaches Algebra II and Algebra II honors and Precalculus Honors classes. In this interview, we learn how Mr Sumliner shares his life through mathematics.

What is your favorite candy?

My favorite candy is Raisinets.Do you have any hobbies besides teaching math?

Besides reading, I like puzzles. I also watch many sports. In fact, my father saw Babe Ruth play!

What is your favorite math joke?

There are so many math jokes it's hard to pick. One of my favorites has to be: what do baby parabolas drink?

Quadratic formula.

How is teaching at villa different from other schools?

This is an easy one. Here at Villa, everyone is extremely friendly and the students are very well behaved. Everyone is nice about coming in and greeting me, leaving and always saying goodbye or thank you. Everyone is focused. I also love the small class sizes. It is a pleasure to teach the students here.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Stuyvesant Town, a housing development in Manhattan. David Axelrod (CNN) and Paul Reiser grew up there as well.

Who is one person you look up to and why?

That would be my father. My father was always a very honest person and had a very good work ethic.

I’d like to think he passed on those traits to me.

What is your favorite color and why?

My favorite color is red and it always has been. Maybe it's because I am well-RED and I love to read.

Finally, what is the overall goal you want your students to achieve this year?

My overall goal is to have each student reach her potential. I try to do anything I can to help a student, whether it be extra help, answering questions in class, or just having a friendly chat outside of class time. I want each student to feel good about herself with regard to her math and study skills and how to apply them going forward in future courses.

What’s your favorite animal and why?

It would have to be sheep. When I went to petting zoos I always would look for sheep and feel their wool.

When I went to Ireland, I saw sheep everywhere. I have sheep in my classroom whom the students voted on the names: Shawn and Toby. I even have my sheep keychain that is always in my pocket.

Was math always your favorite subject?

Absolutely. Without a doubt math was my favorite. I applied myself to all the sciences as well, especially physics and chemistry.

What is your background in mathematics?

I went to a special high school in NYC which specialized in math and science. I was a math major in college. I was in pension-consulting firms and insurance companies and became an Associate of the Society of Actuaries. I have been a math teacher for many years and have consistently taught SAT classes and tutored. I live and breath math!

Photo by Erin Lyons and Angela Rizk

Villa Voices Meet Mrs. Manley!

Nina Mody ’25 and Alex Rezza ’25 We sat down to talk with Villa’s director of curriculum, Mrs. Manley! We talked about her goals at Villa as well as some fun facts.

What’s your favorite part about Villa so far?

My favorite part about Villa Walsh so far is of course all of the students, but I also really enjoy working with our teachers and sisters. They are all amazing.

What was your favorite part about watching your daughters grow up at Villa?

There were several things I loved watching them do, but my favorite memory was remembering when they came home so happy. I loved seeing them excited doing things they enjoyed. I was able to watch them grow with all of their great friends and hear them laugh. The friends they made here were wonderful. I will always thank Sr. Patricia and Sr. Elaine for making the environment so amazing for them. Apart from their friendships, I was so happy that they got involved in the school's athletics. They were always smiling on and off the court, field or pool! I also enjoyed when they were in the Christmas tableaux and the way they all helped serve the Villa community in clubs and with many service projects.

What are some of your goals for Villa this year?

I feel strongly about my goals for Villa Walsh. My main goal is to make sure all the girls feel connected in our school. Relationships are very important to me, so I think it’s important for students to know their teachers, myself, our sisters, and guidance. We all care about you so much! Also, I want you girls to feel empowered, to make good choices, to share what you’re interested in, and feel comfortable sharing your gift and talents.

What is something about yourself that students might not know about you yet?

When I was in high school, I was the president of my class.

What is your favorite holiday?

This is hard because I have a lot of favorite holidays.

I would say my favorite religious holiday is Pentecost because we celebrate sharing each other's gifts. My favorite holiday to celebrate with family and friends is Christmas.

What is your spirit animal?

That's a hard one, I’m not sure, but probably anything that is really kind.

If you could have dinner with one person, dead or alive, who would it be?

There's so many people that I would love to sit with.

I would have loved to sit with the Queen of England. Also, the Pope, Julie Andrews or Dolly Parton. And Sister Patricia, I would love to have her over for dinner!

What does success mean to you?

Success means when you’re using the gifts God gave you and sharing them with others in the world!

What is the best piece of advice you have ever been given?

That's a tough one, because I think it's important for you to surround yourself with people who elevate and celebrate you. So you want to be around people who are positive and want to help you be better, and who celebrate when good things happen. I have been blessed: I had great parents and my father would always say I have the best friends. I have a great family so I get a lot of good advice from all of them. It's important to be yourself, because that's the best human being you can be. Lucky for us, Villa is the place to share our gifts.

Villa Voices Meet Ms. Solazzo!

Sophie Lewandowska ’25 and Alex Rezza ’25 This year, we are excited to have Ms. Solazzo as our new Middle School theology teacher and Campus Minister at Villa, and as a returning alumna! We interviewed her as a welcome to our school, and to get to know her more. We loved learning about her goals and aspirations.

How are you liking Villa so far, especially with being an alumna?

It’s definitely been an adjustment to flip from being a student to working as a teacher. But I have loved it and it has been fun working with some of the teachers that taught me, and it’s been nice to get to know them on a more personal level. It has been so nice to come back to the community!

What made you want to pursue theology?

When I was younger, back in school, I had always had an interest in theology, mostly because of all the history and tradition that came with it. In college, I majored in Speech-Language-Hearing sciences. I had a minor in Catholic Studies, but I did that more later on because I started working for the Campus Ministry at my college. I really loved that experience and had a great passion for theology.

What are your aims and objectives for Campus Ministry this year?

I have a few: to expand the program -- I know that last year was the first year Villa actually had an organized Campus Ministry, and I really want to just set its foundations and get more students involved in learning what it's about. I also want to listen and work with students to give you all that you are looking for!

Photo by Sophie Lewandowska and Alex Rezza

What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome in your life to get to where you are today?

To be honest, I would have to say that I’ve definitely grown a lot with my mental health. As a student, I had to work through that, combined with work and stress. I’ve had to learn to accept the fact and ask for help when I needed it, so that has been one of the biggest struggles in my life so far.

What would you say your life motto is?

Right now, my life motto is that “nothing’s permanent.” This was inspired by a past VWA teacher, Ms. Pizzigoni, who shared that bit of wisdom with my class at Villa when I was here! If you do something, you can always change and grow. One decision you make isn’t the end of the world -- you can always back up and work through it.

Finally, if you could meet anyone, dead or alive, who would you meet and why?

This might just be because I’m a religion teacher, but if I could meet anyone I would have to meet Jesus. I would want to see him first-hand in my own eyes. Who knows, maybe it would even be nice to have dinner with him!

Villa Voices Meet Ms. Rebekah!

Maureen Simonet ’23 I’m very excited to introduce our new Computer Science teacher, Ms. Rebekah, who teaches Introduction to Web Design with HTML, Introduction to Java, AP Computer Science A, and Advanced Java. I was interested in both what she does within the Villa community as well as what she likes to do outside of it. I’m happy to say, her answers delighted me.

How are you liking Villa so far?

This is an incredible place to teach. I love it here. I’ve taught in eight schools in the past, so I have a lot of experience. Compared to the other schools, I think this is the best place I’ve ever taught. Students here really want to learn and are excited about what we're doing.

Where did you work before you joined the Villa community?

For the last five years, I've taught online AP computer science courses for PA Homeschoolers AP Online Courses. I started teaching there just after my daughter was born, leaving in-person teaching to stay home with her. I started with about 25 students in one course my first year and had 120 students in 3 courses last year. My students from around the world and my newborn daughter at home were my reason to learn computer science and my motivation to stick with it when it was challenging. Now my daughter is in kindergarten, and I am thrilled to be teaching in person again!

What’s your motto?

I tell my daughter going into school every day: “Be kind and listen to your teachers.” I think that would be a good motto for all of us even as teachers, because there are people in my life that I need to learn from, and there are lessons I can learn all over the place. I emphasize that my students need to have a growth mindset. Computer science is a subject where we try and we fail and we try again, and there’s always going to be bugs in your code no matter how good you get at coding. I think that's true for life in general too.

What do you love to do in your spare time?

When I’m not with my five year old playing Candyland and other board games, I’m in a women’s over-thirty team for soccer. My preferred position is goalie, but we have two other goalies, so I play forward or defense whenever I can. I also practice Muay Thai. I’m not very good at it, but I’m listening to my teachers and I’m learning. I feel stronger, powerful, and I think it’s a lot of fun, and a great way to connect with other people, too.

Describe your ideal vacation.

I have always wanted to visit the Hagia Sophia in Turkey, which hasn’t been the safest place to travel to for a while, so I haven’t had the opportunity. But someday I’m going to travel there.

Do you remember the moment you knew what you wanted to do as a career?

I’ve wanted to be a teacher since I was a child. I grew up the oldest of four in my house, and I was always teaching my siblings things and taking the role as a leader, helping with homework and school activities, always excited to help them learn whenever I could. I'm naturally extroverted, communicative, calm under pressure, and excited to help others to reach their goals. In that way, I've always been a teacher of students first and a teacher of subjects second.

Villa Voices Get to Know Our Treasurer Get to Know Our Vice-President Ellie Treacy ’24 I met with Avery Walsh ‘23, our Vice President, to learn about her and her plans for the Villa community. She’s excited as she takes on and adjusts to this new position.

What are your goals for this school year?

Even though our school community is already great, there is always more room for improvement. I would love to create an even more inclusive and accepting environment that truly represents everyone.

Where would you most like to live?

New York City! I feel very connected to the city as I was born there. The hustle and bustle of its environment really draws me in. Some people may be overwhelmed by it all, but I love it and the hardworking and eclectic community it creates.

Marissa Noonan ’25 We rely on our executive board to lead us through events, and help shape our school year.

The treasurer on this year's executive board is Maeve Kenny ’23. Maeve is excited for the school year and happy to have the opportunity of being a leader at Villa.

How do you feel about the start of the school year?

I am excited to be back with everyone else and all my friends. I’m very happy to be here.

What advice would you give to incoming freshmen for high school?

I would say to them just be yourself and look to the future. Always try hard, and try to make a lot of friends.

Make sure to take part in all the awesome activities at Villa Walsh.

What do you most value in your What's your favorite thing Photo by Allison Wilbur ‘23 friends and family? about Villa?

I really value trust and keeping honest relationships with The school spirit here at Villa is my favorite part those around me. Humor is also a really important value of Villa. to me, and I’m drawn to people who just create fun and positive atmospheres.

Why did you run for treasurer?

I ran for treasurer because I wanted to play a Who is your favorite writer? bigger role in our school’s community.

I really enjoy reading Maureen Dowd’s writing. She is an opinion writer for the New York Times. My dad showed What is your favorite thing about being a me her work, and she has been a favorite writer of mine treasurer? since.

My favorite thing about being a treasurer would have to be working alongside the other Who is one of your biggest role models? executive board members.

One of my biggest role models is my mom. She’s the best person I know. She brings so much positivity and really motivates me.

Villa Voices Sister Helen: The Teacher with Many Gifts If you stand near Sr. Helen Sanchez during Mass or another opportunity to sing together, you might get to hear one of Sister’s many gifts: the gift of harmony. When asked where she learned to harmonize the alto part, she pointed to the ground at her feet. “Here,” she said. We can thank Sister Elizabeth, the principal -- and chorus director -- of Villa Walsh when Sister Helen was a student here.

Everybody in the school was required to take chorus in those days, explained Sister Helen.

Not everybody, on the other hand, has devoted 50 years of her life to Villa and the teachings of St. Lucy Filippini. Sister Helen’s work this year, for instance, requires teaching not only Villa’s high schoolers, but also a Junior Sister who is following in Sister Helen’s footsteps by preparing for the final stages of her own journey toward sisterhood.

nuns’ choir as well as the school choir was a happy experience.

Later, going to college to become a teacher while finishing up my training as a Sister required balancing time and discipline, but it was well worth it. Ask my students! Teaching different grades in different schools, dioceses, and states developed talents I never anticipated in areas such as music, art, liturgy planning, and computers.

As I look back over these years, I am so amazed at how God worked through the people I met: family, friends, teachers, formators, and pastors.

Each one taught me about myself and about what it means to be a Religious Teacher Filippini. Serving my religious community here in the USA and in each country I lived in and visited made me realize how we belong to a world-wide community of believers together on a journey of faith. Thanks be to God my life has been a fulfillment of the song lyrics to “Companions on a Journey.”

So if Sister Helen looks busy and full of energy, it’s because she is: her expertise is in demand from the mansion to the auditorium, from the chapel to the classroom. When she wore a step tracker, she said, it averaged ten to twelve thousand steps per day. She goes to bed around 10:30 pm and is up by 5:00am.

Staffer Isabella Cantave ’25 reached out to this busy force of nature, asking her to reflect on her past 50 years: My 50 years of religious life have been filled with amazing experiences and challenges. If someone had said to me as a youngster growing up in Newark, “You will be a nun traveling the world,” I would have denied such a possible future. Coming to VWA in its first year (1967) as an aspirant while living with the Sisters and having a heavy academic high school schedule was a challenge. However, getting used to the Sisters’ Italian culture and belonging to the

Students Love Sister Helen!

Isabella Cantave ’25

Photo by Maureen Simonet ’23

Sr. Helen is one of the most beloved and beautiful teachers at Villa Walsh, some have said, “She is what makes Villa, Villa!” From her creative talents to her lighting technology skills. Sr. Helen can do it all! Sr. Helen’s English class, which was her first class from being back to teaching at Villa Walsh recently says,

“We love Sr. Helen!” One of the students in that class, Jesse Kramer ’25 said, ““Sr. Helen's unique sense of humor along with her care for each individual student made a fun and specialty learning environment.”

Congratulations Sr. Helen on your 50th Anniversary of religious life!

Villa Voices Celebrating with Sister Helen Photos by Maureen Simonet ’23

Reviews

A Classic Fall Film: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hocus Pocus: Scary, but Funny, Fall Film

Isabella Cantave ’24

Audrey Wilbanks ’25

Autumn. It’s that time of year again. Sitting around your fireplace watching the leaves change colors and fall from the branches. Enjoying a hot mug of apple cider with a donut, curling up to watch a spooky movie. The question is, what movie should I watch to capture the fall aesthetic? I always say, go to the classics, and my favorite fall movie is Harry Potter.

Any Harry Potter movie will do, but the best one for the spooky season is the Chamber of Secrets.

This movie follows Harry and his two friends on their 2nd year at Hogwarts: School and Witchcraft and Wizardry. It begins with Harry being visited by a clumsy elf warning him not to go to Hogwarts this year. Harry ignored the elf’s warnings and found himself going through an obstacle of troubles, but nothing as serious as when he arrived at school to deadly warnings written in blood all over the walls of Hogwarts.

The twists and turns never fail to leave me with my heart racing and an urge to binge the entire series from start to finish. Even though I have watched Harry Potter more times than I can count, this movie never fails to give me goosebumps all over my arms. It is the perfect movie to watch on a rainy day in the afternoon.

If you’re looking for that spooky movie or need something for a rainy afternoon of nothing, go back to the classics and relax on the couch. You won’t regret it!

With spooky season upon us, it is perfect to have a fun fall movie to watch. Hocus Pocus is a great one -- it takes place in Salem Massachusetts on Halloween night. This 1993 movie, found on Disney Plus, starts out in 1693 in Salem Massachusetts. Young Thackery has just realized his sister has been taken by a coven of witch sisters, who steal the girl's “life force.” Eventually the townspeople realize what has happened, and the witches are sentenced to be hung.

While awaiting their death, Winifred (Bette Midler), the main witch, casts a spell: one Halloween night sometime in the future, when a black flame candle is lit, she and the other witches (played by Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) will come back to life.

Flash forward to 1993: Max Dennison (Omri Katz) is trick-or-treating with his little sister Dani (Thora Birch) and his crush Allison (Vinessa Shaw). He tries to impress Allison by lighting the black flame candle, which unfortunately awakens the three witches. Now it is up to Max and his friends (along with a magical cat) to save Salem and stop the witches from becoming immortal.

This movie is very interesting because parts of it were actually filmed in Salem Massachusetts, where it takes place. The story is slightly based on the real history of Salem’s witch trials, where more than 200 people were accused of witchcraft.

An important theme in this movie is that you are never too old to believe in the impossible, which is shown through Max doubting the existence of the witches. I was inspired to watch this movie because I was looking for something scary yet funny, and this timeless film seemed perfect.

So, if you are looking for a great movie to watch this fall season, I highly recommend Hocus Pocus: a story of courage, fighting evil, and believing in the impossible.

Villa Voices What’s Hip? Bigger than Before Annie Connor ’24 New York Fashion Week kicked off the transition from sunny days to chilly air. This widely-known event takes place at the beginning of September and February of each year; September introduces Fall-Winter pieces while February showcases Spring-Summer pieces. Every fashion fanatic can’t wait to see what trends will surface in the months following the range of high fashion outfits that walk the runway -– and this season’s forecast definitely calls for cold weather with a chance of baggy streetwear.

In recent years, a strong leaning towards loose-fitting clothing, whether it be in pants, shirts, jackets, and even sunglasses, has been noticed by those who constantly pay attention to upcoming shifts in the world of fashion. A common theme among designers in New York Fashion Week this year was the oversized, flowy, grunge, urban style. These looks included large coats of a variety of patterns, tracksuit jackets, leather, funky accessories to add a pop of color, and more. Today we also see an emergence in gorpcore, which may be a new term for many readers. Gorpcore summarizes the look of utilitarian apparel inspired by the outdoors. It puts familiar brands Patagonia, North Face, and Canadian Geese on a whole new level. Designers like Coach, Fendi, Tommy Hilfiger, exemplified this core in their NYFW outfits through utilitarian structure and puffer jackets.

The mesh of funk and modern into streetwear and function and style into gorpcore has generated a fad amongst the younger generation, like us students at Villa Walsh, and in leading fashion figures like Bella Hadid who always sports hip apparel. Bella, like many other icons, help in jumpstarting these trends and draw in a larger audience to see these shifts. So calling all Villa girls: start pulling out anything baggy or modern you own because it's coming in hot -well, in our case, cold.

Tommy Hilfiger, NYFW SS23

Luar, NYFW SS23

Fendi, NYFW SS23

Coach, NYFW SS23

Anticipating Taylor Swift’s Midnights

Reviews

Olivia Terpin ’23 Are you a Swiftie? Well, good news: Grammy-award winning artist Taylor Swift has announced she’ll be releasing a album on October 21. Swift is one of the most idolized artists in the entertainment industry, with 11 Grammy awards and 42 nominations.

Her diverse work throughout her career touched upon different genres, including country, pop, and folk.

Although we don’t know the new album’s genre, we do know it will include 13 songs -written at midnight. Swift has described it as “the stories of 13 sleepless nights scattered throughout my life.” Everyone has experienced something similar, explaining why so many love her music.

A great number of Villa girls are fans. Molly McHugh ‘23 praises Swift: “Her writing is just so immersive and is able to transport the listener to her world.” Brigid McGlone ‘23 agrees, adding, “Her songs are a great representation of human emotion and human experience, and are portrayed in a very relatable way.”

Taylor Swift entered the music industry at age 16, and has experienced events as a high school girl would. “She knows what it’s like to be a young woman,” Avery Walsh ‘23 says, “and she knows how to portray it well through writing”.

Swift is also a great role model for Villa girls, advocating for women’s rights and supporting female celebrities’ successes. Because of her own success, she was constantly criticized, but nevertheless stood strong. She’s spoken out for young girls to do the same. Swift recommended at the 2016 Grammy Awards to “focus on the work and you don’t let those people sidetrack you … you’ll look around and you’ll know it was you and the people who love you who put you there.”

Swift provides a great example for young women to follow by encouraging them to remain strong when faced with challenges. Hence, all the more reason to support her work. Stay up until 12 on October 21st for Midnights!

Book Review: The Siren Katherine Ziwot ’25 For lovers of Hollywood movies and bright summer days, The Siren written by Katherine St. John, and published in May 2021 by Grand Central Publishing, is the perfect quick read for you. It tells the thrilling story of three women working on a Hollywood movie set.

Taylor, a young producer, returns to the set with hopes this movie will erase the scandal that emerged from the last film she worked on. Stella, a famous actress looking to repair her reputation after multiple public meltdowns.

And Felicity, Stella’s new assistant with a past continuously contradicting her present.

With hot gossip stirring up, and a storm brewing across the sea, the women find themselves trapped on the island. The longer the three spend together, the faster they are to realize their common enemy, but, as deceptions come to light, misplaced trust may prove more dangerous than the storm itself.

Although this novel may have a slow start, it would be a mistake to put it down within the first fifty pages. St. John picks up the pace and keeps the story moving through the split POVs and the intricate lives of each woman. I love novels that keep me guessing the whole time and The Siren did not disappoint. Just when you think you have it figured out, the author introduces a new piece of information that forces the reader to retrace their footsteps back to the beginning.

This book is full of Hollywood drama and shows readers a behind-the-scenes look at the movie industry.

It is the perfect read for lovers of mystery, romance, and drama that is sure to bring you back to the sunny days of summer.

TOWER-EIGHT AND SEVEN Dear Seventh Graders, We know the struggle of being the youngest, managing homework, maintaining good grades, and keeping your socks up. But have no fear: the 8th Graders are here!

Being the youngest is scary. Tall, towering, intimidating seniors, and always in fear of being judged or confused. Don't worry though -everyone is so nice and very approachable, and since we are a sisterhood you shouldn't worry about being judged. We are all girls going through the same experience. We all know the feeling of getting left out of things like dances, sports, or even some clubs, but if you think about it then that's just something to look forward to and appreciate more when you get to experience it. We also know with being the youngest you are not completely knowledgeable about events, rules, or guidelines. This happened to us many times last year, but you can always ask upperclassmen or anyone on Student Council to fill you in. Us 8th graders can also help you with managing homework because as new students you are probably still learning the teachers' ways.

Managing homework can be one of the most difficult parts of Villa.

Having a good agenda can solve most of these problems. The agenda doesn’t have to be super detailed, just write a few keywords. You can also work on being efficient and try to complete around half of your homework before heading off to extracurriculars and you won't be stressed during or after. Another mistake we made as seventh graders was to miss out on fun school activities like sports teams or clubs due to having too much homework. Even though school is important you shouldn’t have to miss out on bonding time or fun.

TOWER-EIGHT AND SEVEN (continued from previous page) Along with homework comes a lot of studying. Maintaining good grades is a difficult task but when you use our helpful tips it will be as easy as counting to three. First of all, for studying we recommend taking good notes in class and paying attention so that when the time comes to study, you have a good layout of what to look over. Along the lines of writing notes make sure they are clear. We also recommend that you start highlighting them a few days before the test so you don’t have to cram it into one night. If you know about an upcoming test don’t wait until the last minute to start studying. We know that everyone tells you this and you are probably thinking, “No way,” but it comes with a lot of benefits. If you sleep on the information for multiple nights you are more likely to remember it in a stressful situation like in an exam room.

Studying with these benefits has an advantage and that is good grades.

It's really important to get into these good study habits now so that when freshman year comes, you will impress all the teachers.

Sincerely,

Ava Sansano ‘27 and Olivia Barsemian ‘27

Mrs. Lagana’s Plans for The New School Year Story and photos by Isabella Propper ’27 I met with Mrs. Lagana and interviewed her about the up-and-coming projects for the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades this school year. She also gave some information about what the classes have been doing during the start of the year.

What art projects have you been doing with the 7th, 8th, and 9th grades, since the start of the school year?

We started out working on the cave paintings, and we watched videos of the Altamira, Lascaux, and Chauvet, and then we recreated versions of those three caves. Each student has been working on a small piece of a “modern cave.'' After our critiques of the cave paintings, we will move on to our Monet water lily project, where students will create an individual piece and then each student will create an individual water lily for a collaborative class piece, to be auctioned off at the fashion show. We will be working on this through October and possibly through November.

We know that almost everyone, including myself, is very excited for the “Recycled Material Fashion Project.” What tips do you have to gather recycled materials for this project? What details can you provide thus far?

So, I've been collecting. Last year we painted a lot in this class. And the pallets that they used were paper plates, so I had tons of paper plates covered in paint, so you can cut them out to make different shapes and use that to decorate a recycled garment, the possibilities are endless with that.

What was the best project that you remember doing in your middle school or high school art class?

When I was in high school, one of the first assignments was to draw your house. And I spent a tremendous amount of time drawing my parents’ house where they still live, and it's still hanging in their family room, and I enjoy seeing it every time I go, because I spent a lot of time making that drawing.

Arts Update

Mrs. Lagana’s Plans for The New School Year (cont.)

Where do you get your inspiration for the art projects? Or is it an assigned curriculum?

It's not an assigned curriculum, so for the cave project, I'm trying to infuse more art history into the curriculum, and for the freshmen class, I'm following what they’re studying in social studies throughout the year. So for example, they’re studying prehistoric times, as we are doing the cave paintings. After Monet, we are going to move on to the myth project, because they are going to study Greece. It is a permanent project for freshmen, because it brings together art, social studies, and English. Last year, at the Sotheby’s auction, they auctioned off a Monet for 70.4 million. I showed it to the students, so that they would realize how valuable art is in society, so based on that, I decided we would do Monet-inspired pieces to be auctioned off at our Villa fashion show. I want students to recognize that what they're doing in the classroom, they are supposed to be thinking about what they can do with in the world after they leave art class. That's the purpose.

Peer Leadership Sophie Lewandowska ’25 Entering a new school can be intimidating, especially when it’s your freshman year of high school. However, we have a group of welcoming seniors ready to help.

Peer Leaders is a program designed for helping freshmen navigate their first year of high school, creating a safe space for them to confide and talk about any issues. Meetings are once a month in different designated areas assigned to each freshman group. It’s a great way to build new friendships with your classmates and upperclassmen!

Bernice Fernando ‘26 says, “It’s such a close-knit group of people who care for each other and embody the meaning of sisterhood!” Amelia Kleinle ‘26 adds on to this, saying, “My peer leaders are very welcoming and nice, and I know I can always say hi to them in the hallways!” The Peer Leaders feel the same way about their freshmen, with Abby Freshwater ‘23 remarking, “It’s really easy to be a peer leader, especially because I have not had one unpleasant experience with any freshman!”

The Peer Leaders are here to provide comfort and reassurance to those who may be stressed or struggling as a freshman, in any situation. As Erin Aroneo ‘23 states, “It’s such an honor to be able to lead and mentor new additions to our Villa Walsh family!”

Mrs. Cheifer’s Goals and Art Inspirations Bhavishya Boga ’25 It is wonderful to have Mrs. Cheifer as an Advanced Art and Art & Design teacher! As a sophomore who has her for my first year, I can not only learn various art techniques, but also build a better bond with Mrs. Cheifer. So I sought an opportunity to interview her about her goals for the school year, inspirations for art, and what motivated her to teach at Villa.

What inspired you to become an artist?

When I was a kid, I won a contest in first grade for an art poster to save the eagles. Also, my mother’s support, compliments, and talking about my artwork contributed to my art inspiration as well as winning that art contest in first grade.

What are your most favorite art mediums? Why? I love oil painting because I love its beautiful creamy texture and how easy it is to blend, and that you could keep working on it because it dries slowly. Also, pencil drawing is my favorite because you get a full range of values (shading from light to dark) and you feel like you have so much control with the drawing.

If you were to think about art, what is the first thing that comes into your mind?

When I just think about art, I think about my students.

I think about how art is everywhere, and that art can be found in how I cook, when I walk in nature, how I write…art is in so many areas of life, especially my students.

What motivated you to teach art at Villa?

Well, I love the idea of teaching all girls and the girls here are so multi-talented in so many areas, and motivated. They are so inspiring to be around compared to the public school I taught in. The fact that there are smaller classes, I can get to know them better and teach them more easily.

What are your goals for this year?

Oh, we have exciting goals! In our art club with Mrs. Lagana, we’re excited about the mannequin contest for the fashion show. Girls have been excitedly waiting for this since last spring. The finished mannequins will be displayed at the fashion show. I’m enthusiastically waiting to see the artwork that students are working on now. The Advanced Art students are working on God-inspired collages with drawing. Also, the Art and Design classes are all working on each area of fashion, architecture, and cartooning. Their finished art will include drawings, vector graphics, and collage.

Photos by Mrs. Cheifer

Grades 10, 11, and 12 art Top row: fashion design by Brianna Hetherington ‘24, cartoon art by Maureen Simonet ‘23 and Elizabeth Kandziolka ‘25.

Middle row: fashion designs by Cora Reardon ‘25, Lynette Gao '25, Agustina Martinez Feretti '25 Bottom row: fashion designs by Brooke Hetherington '25, Olivia Chang '25 (two images); and Cecelia Maione '25

Photos by the artists

Grades 10, 11, and 12 art Top row: Sophie Lewandowska ‘25, Abby Freshwater ‘23; Sarah Chambeau ‘24 (AP Art) Middle row: Lily Meier ‘25; Cadence Graf ‘23 Bottom Row: Nadia Pinsonault '24, Annie Connor ‘24; collage

by Julia Gitto ’24

Add advanced art collage per Mrs. C.

Photos by the artists

Managing Editors: Hannah D’cruz and Ava Simmons

Something new this year for Hannah D’cruz ’23 will be driving without supervision!

Something new this year for Ava Simmons ’23 will be trying to cultivate some culinary skills!

Something new this year for Avery Walsh ’23 will be beginning the end of her high school experience!

Something new this year for Katherine Ziwot ’25 will be learning how to crochet!

Something new this year for Mrs. Pasko will be literary circles in World Lit that explore contemporary fiction from around the globe.