As the sun showers the Villa rassfield with its beamin rays, lau hter dri ts throu h the air as it mixes with the rustlin o raduation owns. It’s a scene that eels bittersweet and surreal, a final chapter un oldin in a place that once elt endless.
What was a season o firsts—first time steppin onto campus, first semi, first retreat—has quietly trans ormed into a seasono lasts.Lasttimerushin tobeatthe bell,lasttimetrekkin upthestairs,andlast oodbye in the parkin lot. Each o these fleetin moments stitched to ether the abric o a year where seniors learned to balance ri or with internal peace and excitementwithnostal ia.
The seniors stand on the ed e o somethin new, carryin with them the wei ht o memories and the bri htness o their utures. On June 1st, they will walk acrossthefieldsnotonlytoreceivea
diploma, but to step into the world as the beaconso li htVillahasshapedthemtobe. To the Class o 2025: May you carry Villa’sli htwithyouwhereveryou o—bold, bri ht,anduna raid.The rassfieldwillmiss your ootsteps, but the world awaits your mark.
ClaraAinsworth CarnegieMellonUniversity
MirandaAviles NortheasternUniversity
BhavishyaBoga PennStateUniversity
KaylaCastellano VirginiaTech
OliviaChang BostonUniversity
AnnaCollins RutgersUniversity
MariaCostello
NovaSoutheasternUniversity
LeahCosta BostonCollege
NoraDam CollegeoftheHolyCross
MargaretBoler ColumbiaUniversity
AbriannaEsposito SacredHeartUniversity
RiordanFarley UniversityofRichmond
LynetteGao StevensInstituteofTechnology
BrookeHetherington VillanovaUniversity
AmaliaHronides NewYorkUniversity
ElizabethKandziolka MarylandInstituteCollegeofArt
MadelineKnagenhjelm LoyolaUniversityMaryland
NoraKraft GeorgetownUniversity
InesLemee EmoryUniversity
LeiaLange NortheasternUniversity
SophieLewandowska CollegeoftheHolyCross
SofiaJordao VillanovaUniversity
ErinLyons VillanovaUniversity
CeciliaMaione ParsonsSchoolofDesign
AgustinaMartinez-Ferretti CatholicUniversity
KylieMazzei ElonUniversity
LilyMeier VillanovaUniversity
MarissaNoonan BucknellUniversity
MaliaNugent U.S.AirForceAcademy
KaitlynPavagadhi UniversityofNotreDame
IsabellaPizzo UniversityofNotreDame
SkylerPela VirginiaTech
AveryPoruczynski UniversityofNotreDame
NinaMody HamiltonCollege
CoraReardon UniversityofSouthernCalifornia
AlexandraRezza ProvidenceCollege
AngelinaRizk RutgersUniversity
MarthaSmart UniversityofNotreDame
SadieSmith UniversityofMiami
AubreyToth UniversityofGeorgia
AudreyWilbanks Hobart&WilliamSmithColleges
CierraWolckenhauer CatholicUniversity
RoisinYosh UniversityofDelaware
DelaneyYosh RutgersUniversity
MeganYoung UniversityofTennessee
ClaudiaSteinberg LehighUniversity
KatherineZiwot WashingtonUniversity
Valedictorian
Favorite Sport Moments :
I loved when in Winter Track Coach Yomborhadtoturnthebusaroundonthe way to a meet because we le t people at Villa! The music was blastin and we ended up drivin into a ditch! It was very unny and we ended up ettin to the trackmeetontime!
-Aubrey Toth
My avorite sports-related memory was winnin the Non Public B State Championshiptitlein2023(junioryear) by just one point a ainst our rival team thathadbeatusthelasttwoyears.This moment was so thrillin because in cross country, it is hard to tell which teamwillwintheraceuntilalltheplaces and times are added up; we basically had no clue we were oin to win until the results were printed and posted a ewminutesa ter.
-Ines Lemee
We had a surprise e scaven er hunt in so tball. It allowed us all to bond while also bein rewarded with un a ter practice.
-Roisin Yosh
Favorite Academic Moments :
My avorite academic memory was the baby project we did in psycholo y this year. We were learnin about childhood development and we had to carry a “baby” around and care or it. We had to observe them throu h their yearso development. It was such a unanden a in activity.
-Kylie Mazzei
When we were in physics class and Dr. Thomas showed us a video o a man in a car who was bein zapped withthousandso voltso electricity. This is my avorite because it was a really unnyvideoandmy riendand I ottolau haboutitto ether.
-Anna Collins
My avorite memory was makin s'mores and slime with Mrs. Price a ter the AP exam. The entire class was a bit burnt out because o how hard the class was, so it was an enjoyableexperiencetofinallyrelax.
-Lynette Gao
Photo Credit: Villa Walsh Academy Insta ram
Photo Credit: Villa Walsh Academy Insta ram
Favorite Annual EventS:
Father-Dau hter:mydadandIbecame very competitive a ter winnin the reestyle trophy my 8th rade year dancin to “Footloose” by Kenny Lo ins (virtual ather dau hter). We worked so hard to win another award durin hi h school, ettin soclose so o ten. My best memory was finally ettin towinthePolkaTrophywithmy dad in my senior year. It brou ht it ull circle ormydadandme.
-Cierra Wolckenhauer
September estalways eelslikesucha reat kick-o to the school year and it's un to make plans to spend the wholedaywithyour riendsa teralon summer o not seein them consistently.
-Martha Smart
My avoriteannualeventisthe ashion show because it always so un to see the school and student body come to ether in a di erent settin . As someone who loves and is passionate about ashion, I find the themes super un.
-Ines Lemee
Remember that Time .
. .
My avorite memory at Villa was the senior retreat at the St. Lucy Retreat house. This was because the whole radefinallycameto etherasa amily. We drove on a bus to ether, ate to ether,played ames, oticecream, slept to ether, and prayed to ether. Thiswasa ulfillin timeo excitement and ondmemoriesIwillnever or et.
-Amalia Hronides
I loved semi and prom each year becauseIloved ettin dressedupwith my riends and spendin time with them.
-Cora Reardon
Favorite Performing Arts Moments:
My avorite per ormin arts memory waswhenwedid The Music Man.Itwas my first musical in hi h school and I was super nervous but I had a reat time with the cast, who made the experienceevenmoreamazin .
-Leia Lan e
Ridin thehoverboarddownthecenter isleasGlinda ortheWizardo Oz.
-Katherine Ziwot
My avorite per ormin arts memory is dancin with Leia Lan e durin the Saturday (recorded) per ormance o The Music Man.Iaccidentallykickedmy hat o the sta e, so Leia and I had to pantomime PANIC until I received it back.
-Madeline Kna enhjelm
Photo Credit: Villa Walsh Academy Instagram
Most Likely to Go Viral
Clara (CJ) Ainsworth
Sadie Smith Amalia Hronides Roisin Yosh
Cecilia Maione
Olivia Chan Ines Lemee An elina Rizk
Amalia Hronides Cora Reardon
Best Smiles
Cierra Wolckenhauer
Katherine Ziwot
Nora Dam Nina Mody Brooke Hetherin ton Sofia Jordao
Best
Study Buddies
Li e o Pi: A Tool For Colle e
Bhavishya Bo a ‘25
Academics and books are one aspect o colle e.Usin theexperiencetoprepareonesel or the world is another. Li e o Pi, by Yann Martel, centers around the amazin journey o Piscine Molitor Patel, known as Pi. Pi survives a shipwreck and an encounter with a ben al ti er or 227 days. Li e o Pi hi hli hts themes like aith,survival,andanunderstandin o reality.
As Pi endures his hardships, he learns to stay resilient and have aith. Similarly, colle e has its many challen es. Remainin aith ul and resilient can help one break throu h the challen es. These qualities are also tied to survival. Survival is another theme in the Li e o Pi. Pi’s resilience and aith helped him survive twomajorevents.Thesetwoqualitiescanhelpa colle estudentsurvive.
Colle e is a time to explore and shape one’s identity. Havin an identity is what makes everybody unique. Colle e is also a time to mature throu h experiences and trans orm into resilient bein s. Pi’s journey trans ormed him reatly. He adopted an understandin o the world.Healsoshapedwhathetrulyvalues,thus ormin hisveryidentity.
Li e o Pi mirrors the essential tools one canuseto etthrou hcolle e.Thesetools-resilience, aith, identity,andsurvival-can also help us prepare to survive anythin in this world. A ter all, colle e is a place to build on your identity and prepare ortheworld.
Future CEOs
Best Duo
Martha Smart Nora Dam
Isabella Pizzo Ines Lemee
Margaret Boler Marissa Noonan
Anna Collins Malia Nugent
Must-Watch Senior Movies
Isabella
White ‘26
Seniors: raduationis astapproachin .Amid the daze o summer plans and preparin or your first year o colle e, it's important to take a much-needed breather. So, be ore you leave the nest,nestleintoacozyspotandenjoytheseclassic hi hschool raduationmovies.
One incredible A24 film is Booksmart. This witty comedy ollows two Ivy-Lea ue bound hi h schoolseniorswhohavededicatedtheirli etotheir colle e acceptance. Feelin as thou h they have missed out, they set out on a one-ni ht mission to ulfilltheirwildest,juveniledreams.
I you object to any o these films… try Le ally Blonde. Whether it's your first or fi teenth time, this film is an empowerin reminder o ambition and irl-power. Elle Woods, post-breakup, isdetermined to win her love back by applyin and enrollin at Harvard– settin her up or an unexpected journey. Elle, initially jud ed by her peers or her bubbly demeanor and lamorous appearance,findshertruepotentialasbothbeauty andbrains.
Lastly,wehaveeveryone’snostal ic avorite: Hi h School Musical 3. As we have rown up with them,iconiccharactersGabriella,Troy,Sharpay,and more Wildcats have finally reached senior year. In the whirlwind o bi colle e decisions, these characters prepare or their final musical. This eel- ood film is the per ect amily avorite or sin -alon s, dance parties, and reminiscin about childhood!
Whether you’re in middle school or on the brinko leavin orcolle e,takea moment towind down and enjoy these films! And or you seniors, hope ully these movies provide the per ect amount o com ort and excitement or this next chapter o yourli e!
Move with Motivation
Sarah Shalhoub
’28
Ourearliestancestorsreliedontheirabilityto run or survival. Fast orward to today: we are no lon er runnin rom saber-toothed ti ers. Now, runnin representsaconsciouschoice,somethin we do or ourselves and our health. Think o it as your personal happiness hack: every stride and sprint unleashes a rush o endorphins, natural mood boosters that reduce the level o stress placed in yourbody.
TheVillaWalshtrackteamcanattesttothat. Leia Lan e ’25 says, “Idefinitelydo eelalotbetter a ter exercisin because it takes my mind o o everythin oin on in my li e.” You may have done badlyon your math testearlier in thedayor have to fi ure out an outfit or an event this weekend, but when you run, all you think about is the journey and theendpointyouaretryin toreach.
A 2023 study in the Journal o A ective Disorders demonstratedthatre ularrunnin wasjust as e ective in reducin symptoms as antidepressants. Erin Lyons ’25, whohasparticipated in cross country, winter/sprin track all our years says, “When I am havin a bad day, I o or a run. Runner's hi h allows me to be in a better mood and putallmyworriesbehind.”
The best part about bein a runner is the community.Intrackandfield,wehaveshared oals, rom personal bests to team victories. The atmosphere, especially here at Villa, is incredibly supportive and upli tin durin both workouts and just li e in eneral. Abby Wri ht ’28 says, “I am so lad I joined Villa track because the community alwayssupportsmewhilechallen in mephysically.”
At Villa, three seniors will continue their competitiverunnin careerswithlar ercommunities. But runnin at any level —whether a quick jo or lon run—thatworks orusindividuallycanhelpus stay balanced. Joinin the track team or a runnin club is a reat way to not only stay active, but connect with others and boost your overall well-bein . Runnin is a win-win or your body and yourmind.
Get Into the Swin o
So tball is Back!
Annie Rionda ’27
Thin s:
A ter years o stru lin to fill a ull roster,theVillaWalshSo tballTeamhasmadean inspirin comeback. Followin a season o co-op withSt.Elizabeth’sandayearwithoutateam,the Villa Walsh Academy JV So tball team finished last season with a 3-6 record -- an impressive accomplishment considerin many players were newtothesport.Thisyear,theteamconsistedo returnin players: mana er Lily Meier ’25, A ustina Martinez-Ferreti ’25, Kaitlyn Pava adhi ’25, Claudia Steinber ’25, Roisin Yosh ’25, Jane Guarnieri ’26, Katelyn Hadzima ’27,AnnieRionda’27,andKatieTreacy’27.New additions Shalini Patel ’26, Nicole Ara on ’28, Lauren Doss ’28, and Samantha Innella ’28 brou ht some resh enthusiasm to the field. The peer-elected captains or this season were Kaitlyn and Claudia; with their leadership, the team was sure to have a un and success ul season.
Both Coach Hussey and Coach Ne rin expressed that last season was exactly the way they had hoped it would be. Everyone had un, worked daily on each skill, improved rom each ame, and be an the season with all o the returnin players rom last year and some new aces too. Many o the players were playin the sport or the first time, and Hussey says it's very excitin towatchthe rowthweekly.BothCoach Hussey and Coach Ne rin hope that SOVWA continues rowin and improvin while havin un, oreachteammembertoseetheirvalueand o their teammate, and to potentially be able to move up to the varsity level in the uture. Her philosophies or coachin are have un; ocus on teamwork and sportsmanship; create a positive and supportive environment where individuals andtheteamcanreachtheir oals;anddevelopa li elon loveo thesportlikeshehas!
A tera un amea ainstMountainLakes, Senior Ni ht was filled with ood plays, memories, and bubbles. The seniors were honoredbyrunnin throu halineo cheersand bubbles blown by the underclassmen. The underclassmen also decorated the roads with color ul chalk tributes, eaturin the seniors' names. A ter the ame, posters were made and speecheswere ivenbythejuniorstoremember the seniors’ commitment to SOVWA. When recallin their time playin so tball at Villa Walsh, Roisin Yosh ’25 saysthisteamhasshown her what sisterhood truly means. Claudia Steinber ’25 saysthattheVillaWalshSo tball Team has been a reat opportunity to learn the undamentals o so tball and build our skill set as a team. She says she ot close with all the irls on the team and had the best time playin catcher in her final season at Villa.We will miss allo ourSOVWAseniorsnextyear.Goodluckat colle eandweknowyouwillalldo reatthin s!
Robotics Senior Feature
Ava Sansano ‘27
Sisters 1st is incredibly proud o our amazin seniors. Bhavishya Bo a, Olivia Chan , Anna Collins, Leah Costa, Riordan Farley, Lynette Gao, Lizzie Kandziolka, Madeline Kna enhjelm, Nora Kra t, A ustinaMartinezFerretti,NinaMody,Malia Nu ent,CoraReardon,AlexRezza,An elina Rizk, Martha Smart, Claudia Steinber , and KatZiwotwillbe raduatin onJune1!Many o these youn women have been with the team since their reshman year which was also our team’s rookie year. We wish them the best o luck. Villa and Sisters 1st will alwaysbehome orthem.
As we celebrate the Class o 2025, we’re excited to spotli ht three o our Varsity team members and share their utureplans.
OurbelovedTechCaptainandDriver, Malia Nu ent, is o on an excitin new journey! We are thrilled to con ratulate Malia on committin to the United States Air Force Academy, where she plans to continue her passion or en ineerin in mechanical en ineerin . For Malia, “Robotics played a majorroleinhelpin mechoosemycolle e major. I I hadn’t joined the team, I mi ht never havediscovered my love or buildin , collaboratin withothers, and learnin new thin s.”She also ondly recalls her avorite moment on the team: winnin the team’s very first district tournament at Mont omery durin her reshman year. Goodlucknextyear,Malia!Wecan'twaitto seetheamazin thin syouwillaccomplish!
Robotics Senior Feature (cont.)
Ava Sansano ‘27
Bein onthebusinessteamhastrulyserved her well—hu e con ratulations to Olivia Chan on committin to Boston University to study business entrepreneurship! As our MediaTeamandScoutin /Strate yCaptain, OliviacreditshertimeonMediawithhelpin her build valuable skills in marketin , brandin , merchandise desi nin , networkin ,andwebsitebuildin .Thisyear, Oliva attended theWorld Championships in Houston, which will remain her avorite robotics memory! Best o luck next year, Olivia! We know you will continue to do amazin thin s!
Our brilliant CAD and Sa ety Captain, Lynette Gao, is tradin the robotics lab or theresearchlab!Wecon ratulateheronher commitment to Stevens Institute o Technolo y, where she will be majorin in
directlytiedtorobotics,Lynettesharedthat bein part o the team tau ht her valuable skillsinCADand3Dprintin .Sheespecially enjoyed thecreative sideo buildin thin s as a team and believes those skills will serve her well in the lab and in uture research.Oneo her avoriteexperienceson the team was winnin back-to-backdistrict eventswiththeteamthisseason.Weareso excitedtoseewhatthe utureholds oryou, Lynette,besto lucknextyear!
Baskets, Bi Sisters, and Bittersweetness!
Kendall Kiraly ‘28
Oh, how the tables have turned! Seven monthsa o,itwastheseniors,justbe innin to start the colle e process and excited or the last-year- estivities, who were buyin the baskets or their newly-picked reshman little sisters.Those reshmen,experiencin theirfirst days at Villa, nervously waited to meet their senior sisters. So quickly everythin has chan ed; it is May, the seniors have committed to colle es, the reshmen are sad to see their first year end, and it’s the reshmen buyin baskets ortheirseniorbi sisters.
Earlierthismonth,theseniorscelebrated their last lunch at Villa with their little sisters. Althou h rain pushed the celebration inside, it wasclearbythesmilesallaroundtheca ethat this did not a ect the spirit o the event. Little sister Sam Innella ‘28 proclaimed, “It was reat!” Elyse O’Sullivan ‘28 also remarked she would miss havin her bi sister around: “Bi -sister-little-sister was such a un thin to look orward to durin the year and really helped me et more com ortable with the schoolandthenewpeopleIwasmeetin .”
Basketsfilledwith oodies,blankets,and colle e ear, such as the Vir inia Tech sweatshirt Olivia Leuzzi ‘28 bou ht or her sister, Kayla Castellano ’25,floodedthetables. Brownies and cookies were brou ht in, and lau hter echoed throu hout the room rom reminiscin over unnymemories.
Yet, the event was bittersweet. For the reshmen,itwashardtoseetheirbi sisters o —theyweretheonesdroppin o Starbucksin their lockers and ivin the best and truest advice.Fortheseniors,itwashardtoknowthis was their last lunch atVilla, a ter our years o unny stories and waitin or the microwave at those very tables. They can remember bein reshmen with their own bi sisters not that lon a o. And so the roles have switched; it’s nowthebi sisterswhoarenervousbutexcited ortheirnext ouryears,andthe reshmanwho, veryquickly,willbechoosin theirlittlesisters. TimefliesatVilla,andit’smomentslikethisbi sisterluncheonthatmakeitallworthit.
Arts Update: Art in Nature
Bryanna Liu ’26
Astheschoolyearcomestoaclose,webid a ond arewelltoMrs.Chei er’streasuredsenior artists as they prepare to embark on the next excitin chapters o their lives. These students have not only filled our classrooms with color, creativity, and expression, but have also le t a lastin impression on the community throu h theirdedicationandpassion orthearts.
In recent weeks, both Mrs. La ana’s and Mrs. Chei er’s art classes had the wonder ul opportunitytoexploretheworldo artbeyondthe studio walls. Mrs. La ana’s class visited the Met Cloisters, where students immersed themselves in medieval architecture, sculpture, and the serenityo the ardens—an inspirin experience that sparked resh creative insi ht. Meanwhile, Mrs.Chei er’sstudentsjourneyedtothestunnin Grounds or Sculpture. There, surrounded by breathtakin installations and lush landscapes, studentsenjoyedadaythatbrid edvisualartand literature—an enrichin outin that blended creativitywithreflection.
These field trips o ered students not onlyartisticinspiration,butalsomemoriesthat willstaywiththemwellbeyond raduation.We thanktheseseniors ortheirartistry,yourspirit, and the joy they brou ht into our classrooms. They will be deeply missed, but we know they are ready to brin their talents into the wider world.
Artwork by Lizzie Kandziolka ’25
Artwork by A ustina Martinez-Ferretti ’25
Artwork by Avery Poruczynski ’25
Research with a Capital “R”: Year Two o AP Capstone Comes to a
Close
Sabrina Pasko ’26
Parto thetwo-yearAPCapstonepro ram (which be ins with AP Seminar), AP Research (APR) ivesstudentsachancetoexploreatopic they’re passionate about and to develop real-worldskills.
For example, I have always been interestedinbrandin andhowitcanmanipulate people into buyin a certain product. I also love skincareandothercosmeticproducts(definitely theresulto brandin strate iesworkin onme). I wanted to tie these two interests to ether and came up with a research question that did just that: How do colors on anti-a in products influenceconsumerism amon adolescent irls? Thiscourse is the per ectopportunity to answer a question or a topic you’ve always wanted to diveinto.
Tess Co ey ’26 and Cameron Shull ’26 say the course works best or those who are motivated,or anized,and enuinelyinterestedin learnin . Elizabeth Edattel ’26 said the Capstone pro ram is meant or those who want “to learn more about the world” because o the wide ran e o topics any student could study. Others a reed, sayin it’s or people who are “stron writers,” “naturally motivated,” and can “mana etimeandadheretodeadlines.”
StudentsinthecurrentAPRclasssaidthe skills they picked up in AP Seminar and Research have stayed with them across other classes and even outside o school. “I learned howtowritepro essionallyandobjectively,” Ava Seaman ’26 shared. Elizabeth Edattel ’26 also noted that because APR demands students to find and investi ate reputable sources, she is betterabletoassess“credibilityandbias.”
Students also mentioned becomin better at or anizin and plannin their time. Blythe Dudley ’26 explained how she learned to or anize her time to schedule interviews she needed with elite marathoners. Ava Seaman similarly explained that she applies her time mana ementskillstostructurin herdays. What sets APR apart rom other classes is how applicable it is to li e outside the classroom. Several students said the course helped them build communication skills, find their voice, write pro essionally and objectively, and learn how to ollow uidelines and criteria. These skills are crucial to have in the uture; APR has tau ht students to ask thou ht ul questions, reflect on their work, and confidently reach out to pro essionalsintheirfields.
ThecurrentAPRstudentssharedsome advicethey havereceivedover thepastyear, which mi ht be help ul or the Seminar students and those who are considerin the Capstonepro ram:
“Letyourpassion uel theproject.”
“Justkeepswimmin .”
“Youdon’t
need tocome up with somethin newand revolutionary; rather, see what’salreadyout there.”
