Towerette Summer Issue 2023

SummerIssue2023

Letter from the Editor

Katherine Ziwot ’25

The end of summer is bittersweet. After looking forward to trips to the beach, summer blockbuster movies, and crackling fireworks all year,somehowithasallgonebyintheblinkofan eye.Tanlinesbegintofade,nightsgetcolder,and we are forced to start the assigned reading we promised would be done by now. Maybe it’s just me,butIfeellikethatfinaldayofsummeralways creepsuponme.Augustfliesbyandsuddenlymy alarmclockisyellingatmebeforethesunisup.

Don’t get me wrong, I love winter and fall and spring, but something about the summer is just better. Maybe it’s the extra sun and warm weather, but I’d like to think it’s because of the happy moments we take time to savor. Whether with friends or family or even your dog, summer is a time to relax and connect with everyone you loveandmakememoriesthatwilllastalifetime.

But the end of summer also means reconnecting with school friends, fall fashion (who doesn’t love a cozy sweater?), and counting downthedaysuntilsomeofourfavoriteholidays. Although going back to school might not be on the top of everyone’s list of “favorite things,” returning to routine and taking the next step in our journey at Villa can be like coming home. Home can mean a lot of things, but to me, home is a gathering of people. Villa is the place where wecanallbetogetherandformacommunityand family.

With this summer issue of Towerette, we hope to bring you home as well as reflect on this past summer. We can’t wait to see you soon for anothergreatschoolyear!

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

St. Lucy Filippini

Welcome Back Villa!

Photos by Mrs. Grabowski

Sophie Lewandowska ‘25

As the school year quickly approaches,let’sreminisceonallofthesalt airandsummerfuntheVillagirlshadthese pastfewmonths!

Lily Meier ‘25 participated in a medical pre-college program at Georgetown University, an enriching and hands-onexperienceinwhichshewasable to learn firsthand from medical students andgainknowledgeonaspectsofmedicine. She took part in a donor research lab, which she described as a “once-in-a-lifetime experience, especially as a high school student, to be able to deal with real, donated human bodies.” Additionally,tookpartinacastinglabalong with other patient simulators for a firsthand experience in the surgical side of medicine. This program opened her mind to the world of medicine and anatomy and wasthehighlightofhersummer.

On the other hand, Miranda Aviles ‘25 immersed herself in the traditions and cultures of Italy and Greece. She visited many different archaeological sites in Greece and Italy, her personal favorite being Delphi. Having learned about various myths and the Oracle of Delphi in history class, she said that “it was a magical experiencetoseethesitewithmyowntwo eyes.” In Italy, she was immersed in Italian culture, whether it was the food she ate or the songs she heard. She was able to apply her Italian language skills, which she learnedatVWA,andpracticespeakingwith the locals. Not only was she able to appreciatethelanguagemorenowthatshe is able to speak it, but she was able to experience Italian culture from a more personalperspective.

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Photos by Miranda Aviles ‘25

Photo provided by Lily Meier ‘25

Vacation Ventures, cont.

Jesse Kramer ‘24 traveled to Lima, Peru this summer for the International Student Leadership Conference (ISLC). She spoke with young leaders from 23 different countries around the world and took on a large role in representing VWA by selling extra shirts from Villa’s Operation Smile Powderpuff Game, as wellasspreadingthelegacyofMr.JimHolland by explaining all his great works to various people and countries. She, too, was able to practice her language skills by speaking Spanish with other students from Latin American countries and the staff at the conference. Jesse took on a leadership role as anATL,orassistantteamleader,foroneofthe 12teamsattheconferenceandlistenedtoover a dozen speakers who spoke on various topics, including different ways of leadership, ways to connectpeopleasateam,thesurgicalstepsof fixing a cleft lip and cleft palate, and ways to fundraise these free surgeries. A personal touchwaslisteningtostoriesfrompeoplewith cleft lip and cleft palettes, as it truly touched her heart and made her realize how impactful the work she has done really is. Her most memorable moment was “talking with other students about their different traditions and customs and even seeing some of those cultural aspects at the conference, such as dancing,snacks,andjewelry.”

With the last bits of summer slipping through our fingers, it’s amazing to see how these summer endeavors will keep making an impact on these Villa girls’ lives and school year!

Brand New Summer Experience!

Bryanna Liu ’26

During my year as a cellist at Juilliard pre-college, I attended music theory and ear training lessons, orchestra rehearsals, chamber music coachings, and private lessons every Saturday from 8 AM to 7 PM – sometimes until 9 PM.Althoughmyfirstyearinthisprogramendedin June, my cello education persisted. This summer, I studied with two highly talented and esteemed cellists:SooBaeandNa-YoungBaek.Learningfrom themexceededexpectations.

Soo Bae, renowned for her “rich and romantic” style and exceptional technique, holds degreesfromboththeCurtisInstituteofMusicand The Juilliard School. Under her guidance, I discovered how to better exude confidence and expressiveness in my playing, enhancing both my musicalabilitiesandpersonalgrowth.Heradviceto “play as if you've mastered the piece for a lifetime,” yielded immediate results, for which I am tremendouslygrateful.

Na-Young Baek, a distinguished cellist with degrees from Curtis, Yale, and Juilliard, provided invaluable insights to me. With her guidance, I grasped the significance of subtleties in music. Initially daunted by the intricacies of Tchaikovsky’s Rococo Variations, Ms. Baek broke down the piece intomanageablebite-sizepiecesforme,simplifying myapproachandtotackleiteffectively.

I am immensely grateful for the lessons imparted to me by these remarkable teachers. I have grown exponentially as both a musician and a person, and I eagerly anticipate continuing to grow asacellistatJuilliardPre-Collegeinthefall!

Photo provided by Jesse Kramer ‘24

Looking Forward to Fall at VWA!

Current Events

Summer slipped away into a moment of time. Still, we’re lucky that there is plenty to anticipateatVillawhencomingbacktoschool!As a Senior, I can’t wait to experience the Fall Fashion Show, Mother-Daughter skit, and my Cross Country Senior Day. But for those coming intojunior,sophomore,orfreshmanyear,Iasked a few of our rising students to reflect back on what their favorite memories were last year. Here’swhattheyhavetosay!

Freshman: Clubs or teams are a great way to bond with your classmates while getting to playyourfavoritesportordiscovernewinterests.

Blythe Dudley ’26 says, “My favorite part of the fallwasthepre-raceprayerandtalkduringcross countryseason.Itgaveusachancetodedicatea racetoGodwhilemotivatingeachother,andwas a very motivational aspect of our team”. Your teammatesandfellowclubmemberswillbecome your friends in the classroom– so don’t be afraid toputyourselfoutthere.

Sophomores: The same sentiment rings true. Martha Smart ’24 has a similar favorite memory– winning the Morris County XC Championships!“Beingabletoseetheproductof ourwholeteam’shardworkwasrewarding,andI loved celebrating with my teammates.” As your coursework gets more difficult, don’t get discouraged. You’ll always have a strong network of people who you know will support you and helpyoutosucceed.

Juniors: while this year can be VERY stressful, there are still lots of privileges and activitiesjustforyou. MeaghanO’Malley’24 says that her favorite memory from the fall was the class trip to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. “Beingabletogoaroundbyourselvesandlookat all of the art made me feel so adult– it was definitely one of the highlights of the beginning oftheyear.”

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Laurel Hamilton ’24

Photo provided by Ines Lemee ’25

Photos provided by Catherine McCarthy ‘24

Photo provided by Laurel Hamilton ‘24

Junior Ring is a bonding class moment, and it was a favorite for Sarah Chambeau ’24. “I felt united with my class as we sang Jerusalem, My Destiny at the top of our lungs while going down thestairstotheauditorium”.Don’tgettooworried about your grades this fall. Try your best, but be sure to enjoy all of the fun experiences you get as anupperclassman.

Seniors… it’s hard to believe that we’re in our final year at Villa. It’s going to be one for the books.Thisfall,wewillbecelebratedinoursports, meet our new Little Sisters, watch our moms performahilariousskitforusatMotherDaughter, walk with our dads at the Fall Fashion Show, and enjoyourlastSeptemberfest.Ican’tbelievesenior year is already here, but I’m so excited for what ourlasttimecomingbacktoschoolwillbring.

Photo provided by Bella Cantave ‘24

Advice to 7th Graders!

Ellie Treacy ’24

Seventh Grade can be a tough year, but itcanalsobeaveryrewardingone.Orientation and your first day of classes will be moments yourememberfortherestofyourlivesandare the start of an exciting 6 year journey at Villa. You may frequently feel overwhelmed and confused as different situations or occasions arise that you may not be used to. But like anything, you will slowly get the hang of it and learntonavigateyourwaythrough7thgrade.

Learning to find your way around the school is one of the first challenges you will experience. When I was new to Villa, I frequently found myself lost, trying to figure out whether to go up or down and , left or right. But there was always an upperclassman happy to show me to my class if I needed it, which brings me to my first piece of advice: don’t hesitate to ask for help. As a school community, we are excited to welcome new students and understand the difficulty of starting at a new school. We want to do everything we can to make this a safe and fun environment for each other, and that means helping underclassmen become familiarized withthecampusandallotheraspectsofVilla.

Anothercrucialpieceofadviceistoform smart study habits. By recognizing what works and doesn’t work for you when it comes to homework and studying, you will be able to findyourflowandbeefficientwithyourtime.I how easy it is to procrastinate, and I’m definitely guilty of it, but planning in advance and completing assignments in pieces is beneficial when it comes to handing in thoroughassignments.

Personal Perspectives

My last piece of advice I want to share with you all is that you should attend a meeting of any club that you have even the slightest interest in. The clubs that I didn’t know much about actually became some of my favorites to participate in, and I would have never realized thatifIdidn’tgotoameetingtoseewhatitwas all about. For example, I didn’t think I had any interest in the Robotics team when I was a freshman, but during sophomore year I heard more about it and joined. I was surprised that I enjoyed it so much. This also emphasizes the fact that you shouldn’t feel the need to join every club right away. Starting out with one or two or maybe none is totally fine! You are welcome to join any club at any time in your Villacareer,sothereisnoneedtodoeverything atonce.

Hopefully you gained one or two things from this list of advice and are ready to implementthemasschoolstartsinSeptember.I know7thgradewillbesuchanexcitingyearfor you and can’t wait to see you become a part of theVillacommunity!

Forensics Team Recap

Madeline Knagenhjelm ’25

As a member of the 2023 Forensics team, IcanconfidentlysayIhadanamazingtime.The season comprised of Saturday morning meets where each member would present a specific piece or two to three different judges throughouttheday.

I competed in the Extemporaneous category. I had twenty minutes to research a topic pulled out of an envelope. The time countdown made it stressful, but also exciting. My category allowed me to learn more about things I wouldn’t research on my own. Another new member, Ava Bentz ‘26, also found being a part of the team to be an engaging experience. AvalovedattendingtheGrandTournament.She spoke about the energy in that environment, with everyone working as a team to win. She can’twaittoreturntotheteam.

Returning member Miranda Aviles ‘25 enjoyed Forensics because it allowed her to practice public speaking skills and be critically analyzedonthembythejudges.Sheaddedthat public speaking is important in every career, so bydoingForensics,shefeelsconfidentinherself when speaking to a large crowd. Miranda spoke inthedeclamationcategory.Sheplacedthirdin the category at the Grand Tournament, and competedintheCatholicChampionshipMeetin Louisville,Kentucky.CongratulationsMiranda!

SarahChambeau’24 enjoyedForensicsas a returning member because of the practical and fun elements at competitions. She thought it was fun to meet new people from different schools, and also to perform a piece she appreciated. She added that the advice from judges at the meets allowed her to excel in publicspeakingwhilepresentinginclass.

Forensics is a great experience to meet new people, get to know others at Villa, and bolster your confidence in public speaking. It is a great club, and we look forward to meeting someofyouthisyear!

What Is Sisters 1st Up To? Bhavishya Boga ’25

Villa’s FIRST robotics team has been progressively growing with team members brainstorming together and coming up with different innovative ideas for the robot each season. One of the most anticipated aspects is sitting with my team to learn the season’s challenge and brainstorming a robot based on it. It is also wonderful getting hands-on experiences and forming bonds with others. After all, it is important to connect with one another in order togrow.

Through careful planning, the team uses the summer as an opportunity to get a head start on its goals for the upcoming school year. This summer, Mrs. Nugent and new faculty member Mr. Busler held two-week CAD classes to train those interested in 3D design. Being able to learn andaccomplishsomuchinafourhourclass,Iam hopeful for a successful year. Apart from learning CAD, we are also getting an early introduction to otheraspectsoftherobotsuchasaswerve.Doing so, we can get a grasp on what our robot needs andcomebacktoschoolpreparedwithideas.

Are you interested in the field of engineering? Do you want to dig deeper into technology? Come join FIRST robotics! It is a great opportunity to do so. I cannot wait to see what the team will accomplish in the 2023-24 schoolyear.

Movie Review: Does Barbie Have the Perfect Life?

Johanna Aguilar ’26

On July 21, a now very well known movie Barbie was released, catching the attention of many viewers. It has triggered many different opinions, but its message is very clear! After its release Barbie has become one of the most viewedmoviesacrossmanyplatforms.Barbiewas perceivedasaperfectdollwhohadaperfectlife, but that was far from the case. Deep inside, Barbiewasstruggling,andshedidn’tknowhowto feel about herself. She tried her best to stay happy and be the type of doll she portrayed herself as, but Barbie didn’t know why she was experiencing unusual things, such as being flat footed, having cold showers, and falling off the roofofherhouse.

All of these things were strange to see in Barbie’s world. Barbie eventually started questioning her existence in the doll realm because she didn’t feel as happy as before. Later on, Barbie decided to go to the real world alongside Ken to discover the truth on why she wasnotactingperfect(likeadoll)anymore.When she arrived in the real world, she soon realized that not everything in life was going to be easy and perfect, and that she would need to work hardforwhatshewantedtobeinlife.Barbielater discovers who she truly is as a person, and that she doesn’t have to be perfect in order to be happy;instead,sherealizesthatnoteverythingin lifeisgoingtocomeeasy.

Reviews

Barbie is a movie of self-recognition and feminism. The movie brings awareness to feminism,howwomencanhaveabiginfluencein society, and how women are often expected to act or be a certain way. When women can do whattheywant,theycanbewhotheywanttobe.

Reasons to Join Towerette!

The Editing Staff

1. Make new friends! Towerette is a great way to meet new people from every grade. By attending workshops and collaborating with friends on articles, you can connectwithpeoplewhileworkingtowardsacommon goal.

2. Learn time management! Managing your time is an importantskillthathelpsyouineveryareaofyourlife. Editorssetdeadlines,helpingwritersstayontrack.

3. Getthosecreativejuicesflowing! Writingisoneofthe simplest and best ways to express your thoughts and interests. By contributing to Towerette, you can share what you’re passionate about with the entire student body.

4. It benefits your writing skills! The more you write in the Towerette, the more you adjust to the writing process and learn new ideas from our staff. You will grow to love to write and develop your own personal style.

5. Build your resume! Participating in, and earning positionsofresponsibilityin,aschoolpapershowsthat you’re learning real-life skills like collaboration, time management,precision,andleadership.

6. Celebrate democracy! Journalism has long been considered the “fourth estate.” Remarkably, a young reporter can thus engage in the democratic process beforebeingoldenoughtovote.

7. Journalists are an endangered species. All over the world, journalists are facing increasing threats from governments trying to silence and discredit them through intimidation, violence, and misinformation. Showyoursolidarity!

8. Impress your family! Family members will have a totally legitimate, objective reason to admire you after yourbylineappearsinapublication.

9. You don’t have to be a writer! We’re looking for photographers and illustrators who can help enhance thelookofourpages.

10. Discover a new passion! Without the restrictions of school assignments or the pressure of grades, writing mightbecomeyournewfavoritehobby.

Back-to-School Fashion

I recently bought a Rolling Stone magazine, issue no. 481, published in 1986, at a record store in my town. The cover caught my eye, and I didn’t realize until I got home that the magazine featured college fashion, the focus of my previous article, and back to school, the theme of this Towerette issue. So let’stalkbacktoschoolstyle,oldandnew.

The different styles we see today are influenced by those of older generations. Many brands and stores popularized in the 20th century are still sought after in the 21st century, like Polo Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani, Levi’s, Gap, Bass Weejun, Timberland, Lee, and Footlocker, all mentioned in this magazine. Back-to-school fashiontrendsinthe80sstillexistnowadays: corduroy pants or a pair of jeans with a simple cotton shirt or sweater vest, styled with a pair of Converse or tennis sneakers. Old is the new, with the common desire for thatvintagelook.

So what will you wear this fall? Ask a parent or family member, what did you wear when you were in high school? Source inspiration from some old family photos, currenttrends,orlikeIdid,anoldmagazine. Styleisendless.

C L U B S

Managing Editor: Katherine Ziwot ’25

Editors: Annie Connor ’24, Ellie Treacy ’24, Bryanna Liu ’26

Design Manager: Laurel Hamilton ’24

Moderator: Mrs. Kristina Pasko