Congratulations to MollyMcHugh’23 for receiving a merit-basedscholarshiptoFordhamUniversity!
Congratulations to Ava Simmons’23 for receiving two merit-based scholarships to Fair eld University andeUniversityofSouthCarolina!
Congratulations to Emily Toth’23 for receiving a merit-based scholarship to e University of Alabama!
DECEMBER2022-JANUARY2023
• Research scholarships! Some national sources include: www.fastweb.com and www.collegeboard. org. ere is also scholarship information on the Guidance webpage and individual college websites.
• Students are also encouraged to look for scholarship opportunities through their residentialhighschooland/orlocallibraryforadditional opportunities.
• Any senior who would like to review or discusscollegedecisionsshouldpleasestopbythe guidance office.
Villa Walsh Academy has earned the College Board's AP Computer Science Female Diversity Award for expanding young women’s access to AP Computer Science A (CSA). is award acknowledges 1,105 schoolsfortheirwork toward equalgenderrepresentation duringthe2021-22schoolyear.VWAisone of only 209 schools to be recognized for achieving this importantresultin APCSA.
Sophomore students have been meeting with Mrs. Devins to discuss PSAT results, the school year, and their future goals, both academically and socially. Students also had the opportunity to view their high school transcript, as well as see the importance of beinginvolved inextracurricular activities.
e Class of 2023 is encouraged to notify Guidance with college decisions. While we know the waiting part of hearing back from colleges can be challenging,weaskforyoutokeepthe faith.
• Students should also update the Guidance Office with anyscholarship awards.
• Students should have completed their diploma nameformandreturnedittotheGuidanceoffice.
Career Day is scheduled for ursday, March 30, 2023. e student planning team is beginning to coordinate this day, and we are very much looking forwardtowelcomingouralumnaebacktoVWA!
For all students and families – please remember to utilize the guidance webpage forresources,including summer programs, pre-college opportunities, and scholarships.
ward to the face-to-face good they can do in the new year.
Peer tutoring remains available for all students who feel they could bene t from some additional help withaclass.esignupforrequestingandproviding peer tutoring can be found on the door of the guidanceoffice.PleasestopinoremailMrs.Devinsifyou haveany questions.
Six Villa Walsh speakers competed and helped to host the Paterson Catholic Forensic League on Saturday,January14,heldhereatVillaWalshAcademy. CierraWolckenhauer'25,AudreyWilbanks'25,and Ava Bentz' 26 received scores over 27 points which earned them honorable mentions. Excellent speeches were also given by Miranda Aviles'25, Sarah Chambeau'24, and MadelineKnagenhjelm'25. Our thanks to the parents, teachers, and family members who helped with hosting and judging during the meet: Mr. Todd Smith, Mr. Charles Wilbanks, Mr. Fernando Aviles, Mrs. Tara Wolckenhauer, Mrs. Trisch Lagana, Mrs. Karen Cunico, and Mrs. Maria Manley. We look forward to the next Forensics meet whichwillbeheldatMorrisCatholicHighSchoolnext Saturday.
Two Villa Walsh speakers competed in the Paterson Catholic Forensic League on Saturday, January21,heldatMorrisCatholicHighSchool.Cierra Wolckenhauer'25receivedaperfectscoreof30points for her performance in the Drama category which earned her a very special distinction at the meet. She was the only one speaker of all who attended the meet to achievea perfectscore. AudreyWilbanks'25 also gave a great speech in the Declamation category. Special thanks to Mrs. Wolckenhauer who served as a judge. We look forward to the Grand Tournament whichwillbeheldatDePaulCatholicHighSchoolon Saturday,February25.
On December 17, more than 30 Villa Walsh students shared their Christmas kindness by participatinginaChristmaseventatSt.Margaret’sChurchin Morristown. Villa Serve students took part in a holiday gathering for children and their families by sharing candy canes, cras, stories, tattoos, and more to help in strengthening families and their faith formation. is was a lot of fun and a meaningful event for those families as well as our students. A special thank you goes to Teresa Prendergast and Villa Walsh alumna, Suzanne Toscano'86, for inviting Villa Serve and organizing this event. In addition, a thank you goes to Villa WalshFacultymembersMrs.AnnelieseYombor,Mrs. Laura Williams, Ms. Angela Solazzo, Mrs. Kim Cheifer, Mrs. Pam Moyer, Sister Josephine Palmeri , M.P.F.andsenior, HannahD’cruz for alltheirhelp.
is year Villa Serves continued their mission to “make a difference in the lives of others” by collectingWalmartandShop-Ritegicardstobedistributed tofamilies inneed.Families were vetted and distributionofgisweremadethroughMary’sHands in time for Christmas. anks to the kindness and generosityoftheirVillaWalshFamilies,theywereable to provide over $1,700 dollars in gi certi cates for foodandothernecessities.Aspecialthankyougoesto DelaneyMcKee‘23 for herleadershipinthiseffort.
Each year Villa Serves has also “adopted” children through Christmas is For Children, an organization that provides the “love, care, and joy that makes up thespiritoftheholiday”byprovidingChristmasgis forchildreninneed. ankyou,VillaServes,foryour generosity inbringinggisforour“adopted”kids.
Nourish NJ is an organization whose mission is to createlastingsolutionstoproblemsofhunger,homelessness and poverty. ey offer food, among many otherservices,freeofcharge. VillaServesandDiversity Cafe joined forces and held a drive for “hearty” soupswhichweredistributedbynourish.NJ.
Villa Serves looks back in the rearview mirror at the service opportunities of 2022. As the constraints on activitiesare slowlyliing,theyarealsolookingfor-
Diversity Cafecelebratedthevaluesandidealsof Dr.
Martin Luther King by promoting a “Day On, not a Day Off” with a service activity involving their baking skills. Students baked items that were sold during the lunches and raised over $200 dollars that was donated to the King Foundation. Announcementsweremadeduringthemorning,and importantmessagesfromDr. King weresharedwith eachpurchase. WecontinuetohonorthespiritofDr. King in our belief that “the time is always right to do what is right”. In addition, Diversity Cafe is working with the Parent Diversity and Inclusion Committee (PDIC) as we plan special events for Black History Month.
Villa Walsh’s eology Department hosted its annual Advent Day of Adoration and Reconciliation on Friday, December 2, in Holy Family Chapel. e Advent Day of Adoration and Reconciliation offered students, faculty, and staff the chance to enter into silence before the Blessed Sacrament at the beginning of Advent, an oen most-needed “pause” in our very busy lives. Students spent their eology classes in quiet re ection, and participated, if they wished, in the Sacrament of Reconciliation with priests from local parishes who came to campus throughout the day.
e Villa Walsh Academy community began the last day of classes before Christmas break in St. Lucy Chapel to celebrate Mass, coming together in worshiptogivethanks toGodforthe giofHisSon, Jesus. e Mass, celebrated by Rev. George Hundt of St. Vincent Martyr in Madison, set a prayerful tone for the day, which was to include fellowship, joy, and service at the Christmas celebration. Special thanks to Ms. Beth Vecchio and Villa’s Chorus for leading the congregation in song, and to the freshman Class of 2026 for reverently conducting the various parts of the liturgy, including the CalltoWorship,readings,petitions,crossandcandles, offertory gis and programs: Johanna AguilarYazez‘26, Valentina Calipa‘26, Elodie Cooney ‘26, Kristina Dangler‘26, Blythe Dudley‘26, Ellie Di Domenico‘26, Libby Farmer‘26, Erin Jacobs'26, Amelia Kleinle‘26, Emma Naughton'26, Angelina Santorelli‘26, Giselle Scannella‘26, Verra Scorsune‘26, Cameron Shull ‘26, Alexis Sica‘26, Karina Siegel‘26, and SabrinaWaivada‘26
Students gathered in St. Lucy Chapel on ursday, December 8, to celebrate Mass in honor of Our Lady’s Immaculate Conception. A holy day of obligation, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception commemorates God’s great gi of grace to preserve our Blessed Mother from original sin in preparation for her role as mother of our savior, Jesus. e Chorus, ledbyMs.BethVecchio,ledthecongregationinsong and worshipduring the liturgy, which was celebrated by Monsignor Sylvester Cronin, pastor of St. James Church in Basking Ridge. Special thanks to Sr. Helen Sanchez, M.P.F., who prepared our seniors from the Class of 2023 by serving the alter, carrying cross and candles,offeringreadingsandpetitions,andbringing up the gis at the Offertory: ErinAroneo‘23,Mary Bowers‘25SiobhanBracken‘23,LiaDyer‘23,Abigail Freshwater ‘23, Maeve Kenny ‘23, Madison Molinari ‘23, Delaney McKee ‘23, Magrgaret Noonan‘23, andEmilyToth‘23
On Friday, January 13, the Villa Walsh Community closedthejubileeyearmarkingthe350thanniversary ofthebirthofourfoundress,St.LucyFilippiniwitha specialMass inthechapelnamedforher.eliturgy, celebrated by Rev. Richard Carton of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Stirling, emphasized the in uence of St. Lucy’s charism of teaching and service here and around the world, and the countless lives affected by St. Lucy’s cooperation with God’s will for her life. Villa’schorus,ledbyMs.BethVecchio,sangaspecial hymn in Italian,“Astrodi Luce,” which is close to the heartofeveryFilippiniSister.SpecialthankstoVilla’s students in grades 9-12 who helped with the various parts of the liturgy, including:Abigail Freshwater ‘23, Brigid McGlone‘23, Claudia Aragon‘24, Jesse Kramer'24,So aJordao‘25,ErinLyons‘25,Kayley Bascom‘26,BridgetBoler‘26,CaraFitzpatrick‘26, and MiaMagnier‘26
StudentsfromVillaWalsh’s7thand8thgradestook
a break from their studies for a day of retreat at the parish of Christ the King in New Vernon on Tuesday, January 24. In addition to participating in community-building activities, the students joined with the parish’s daily Mass, celebrated by Rev. Brian Sullivan, who also offered the Sacrament of Reconciliation. e theme of the retreat was on “Real Loving” and included presentationsfromSr.HelenSanchez,M.P.F.andMrs.
LauraWilliams,both ofVilla’seologydepartment. e students created special greetings for St. Valentine’s Day for our retired Sisters in St. Joseph Hall, to remind them howmuch they are loved andvalued in our Villa community. Spcial thanks also to Villa’s schoolcounselorMrsOlgaNegrinforaccompanying ourstudents ontheirdayofretreat.
alliances are tasked with creating a robot that can retrieve game pieces, such as plastic cones or cubes, from a substation and place them into the grid. Villa STEMinists will provide the game pieces to the robots from outside the arena and try to score as manypointsastheycan beforethe time runsout.
Forming strong alliances at competitions is a crucial part of gameplay, as the robot will need to create an alliance with other teams to collect game pieces and score. For this reason, the team has expanded and created a new Scouting subteam! is new subteam specializes in meeting other teams at competitions anddecidingwhotheywanttocreateanalliancewith. ey can’t wait to see this new subteam in action. Best oflucktoSisters1stastheyprepareforthe2023 competition season!
Congratulations to Mary Margaret (Maggie) Kovachik'23, whose original Spanish poetry was publishedinALBRICIASMagazine,nationalquarterly of LA SOCIEDAD HONORARIA HISPANICA (SpanishHonorSociety).ereareover2,000chapters of this national language honor society, for students who excel in the study of Spanish. Each moderator is allowed to send 3 entries per issue. Maggie's poem wasoneofthosechosenforthecurrentissue. Shewill beeligiblefortheyearlyBESTOFALBRICIASaward. Felicitaciones!
FALLSPORTS SoccerVarsity
e Villa STEMinists have been working extra hard these past few months. On January 6th they hosted the second annual Blood Drive. Assisted by the amazing doctors and nurses from the New York Blood Center, they broke the goal of thirty pints and collectedthirty-twopints!eircontributionisgreatly appreciated, and they hope to repeat this event’s successinthefuture!
e next morning, the team gathered in the newly renovated Robotics Lab to watch this year’s challenge and mark the official start of the 2023 Season.
e team is now working diligently to design and programanindustrial-sizedrobottobringwiththem to their rst competition weekend on March 1112th.Inthe“ChargedUp!”challenge,twocompeting
e VWA soccer team received the Gold version of the 2022 United Soccer Coaches High School Team Ethics and Sportsmanship Award, which recognizes teams that exhibit fair play, sporting behavior, and adherence to the laws of the game. On Sunday, January 22, 2023, Colleen (Jackie) Walsh'24 was honored at the New Jersey Girls Soccer Coaches Association (NJGSCA) All-State banquet held at the Pines Wood Manor in Edison. Jackie received State Recognition for being one of the top players in the NorthIIregion.CongratulationsJackie!
NOTE: Asectionofthe following paragraphdidnot appear correctly in the VWA November issue of the newsletter: e Varsity soccer team nished their season with two strong performances in the NJSIAA StateTournament.
e team traveled to the #8 seed Hawthorne Christian on October 29th for the rst state game, where they upset the home team with a 4-0 victory.GoalsgamefromMargaretBoler’25,Ashlee Martin’26, and two from Colleen Walsh’24. Francesca Kearns’23 and Giselle Longo’26 secured theshut-outinnetfortheteam.
WINTERSPORTS BasketballVarsity
e Villa Walsh Girls’ Basketball team is 13 games into the season with a 7-6 record overall and 6-3 in conferenceplay.Wearecurrentlyona4-gamewinning streak with a thriller win on January 14 at home over Morristown-Beard (35-33). Mary Bowers’23 led all scorers with 13 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. ChiaraFajardo’23 netted 9 points and pulled down 9 rebounds, while Francesca Kearns’23 chipped in with 5 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. A win over Dover High School that same week was led by Cara Fitzpatrick’26 with 10 points and 6 rebounds, and Isabella Pizzo’25 netted 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 steals. e Vikings defeated Whippany Park at home on January 19 (47-17). A unit of players led the team to victory, including Chiara Fajardo’23 and Mary Bowers’23with10pointsapiece,SheridanCaughey’23 9 points, 5 rebounds, Francesca Kearns’23 4 points, 3 steals, and Tessa Bowers’26 4 points, 5 rebounds. Next stop was a clianger win on the road against Parsippany (42-39). Delaney Caughey’24 and Sheridan Caughey’23 combined for 24 points and 13 rebounds, Francesca Kearns’23 netted 8 points, 4 rebounds,and3steals,andChiaraFajardo’23chipped in 5points, 4assists, and 4 steals. SiobhanBracken’23 hit 2 clutch free-throws to seal the win and nished with4pointsand6assists.Comecheerourteamonas wetakearoadtriptoMorrisHillsonSaturday,January 28, at 12 noon for the 1st round of the Morris County Tournament.GoVilla!
BasketballJV
e Villa Walsh JV Vikings have been storming throughthe2022-2023season,wrappingupthemonth of January with a 7-1 record. Leading the Vikings in scoring so far is Michela Vaccaro’26 with 16 points per game, and Angelina Santorelli’26 with 13 points pergame.GemmaCafasso’26andNoraDam’27both lead the team in assists, averaging 5 assists per game. So aJordao’27,MarthaSmart’27,NoraKra’25,and Avery Poruczynski’25 have led the team on the defensive end with steals and rebounds. e JV VikingshavealsogottentremendoushelpfromVarsity swingersMargaretBoler’25,eresaBowers’26,Cara Fitzpatrick’26, and freshman swing player Charlotte Stager’26. Unfortunately, injuries have plagued some of our Lady Vikings. Freshmen Giselle Longo’26andSo aKearns’26playedtwogamesbefore suffering leg injuries that temporarily sidelined them. GiselleLongo'26 was snatching 6 rebounds per game, and So a Kearns’26 averaged 12 points per game before getting hurt. We wish a speedy recovery forbothGigiandSo a.eJVVikingslooktokeepthe winningmomentumgoingandcontinuetocarrytheir successthroughouttherestoftheseason,andtheylook to make a championship run in the Morris County Tournament.
BasketballFreshman
e freshman girls' basketball team is currently 3-7. e record does not show the huge improvements the team has made so far this season. Aer a trip to the Basketball Hall of Fame, the team went on a threegame winstreak.eywerereallyinspiredaerseeing allthededicated playersin Spring eld,Massachusetts.
ere have been great plays this season by center Ava Seaman’26, guards Bridget Boler’26 and Bridget Drew’26, and by point guard Charlotte Stager’26. egirlshaveabitofabreakinplay,sotheywillutilize strengthandconditioningandyogatokeepthemselves inshape.
BasketballMiddleSchool
e Middle School Basketball team consists of the following players: Azariah Andrews’27, Olivia Barsemian'27, Rebekah Saxon'27, Eve Loughran'27, Lexi Stappas’27, Gabriella Farag'27, Mary Cafasso’28, and GalinaDangler’28
eteamishavingagreatseason,witharecordof 8
wins and 5 losses. Point Guard Lexi Stappas’27 is leading the team in points scored. Lexi had a season-high 24 points against St. Elizabeths. Eve Loughran’27 has been a force in the post, scoring a season-high 22 points against St. Elizabeths with a close win 54-47. Olivia Barsemian’27 had a gamehigh of 7 points at Boonton and has also been a force in the post. Azariah Andrews’27 has come up with many steals and had a game-high of 7 points against Briarcliff. ere is no one on the team better on defense than Rebekah Saxon’27. She had 4 points at Boonton that added to our 31-24 win. Mary Cafasso’28andGalinaDangler’28bothhadabasketagainst Mendham that contributed towards our 33-13 win. eteamplaysRiverdaleonJan.30thattheGMCJSCA TournamentinWhippany.
SwimmingVarsity
e swim season is in full swing. e Vwimmers are 7 meets into the season. e team performed great at the Morris County Championships on January 21st. Victoria Wong’23 and Madison Molinaro’23 made individual cut times in the 100 breaststroke, 50 freestyle, 100 butter y, and 200 individual medley. On top of that, this season, our swimmers have set new personal records: NevinMahoney’23 in the 200Freestyle and Kylie Mazzei’24 in the 50 freestyle. We are now down to our nal two meets of the regular season. Chatham on February 1st and Morristown Beard on February 3rd.ComewatchusVwim!
WinterTrack
For the Winter Track Team, most of the month of December was spent training hard for a busy month of competition in January. e Villa runners, jumpers and throwers got their feet wet at several invitational meets at Drew University during the Christmas Break. Some notable performances at the PassarelliInvitationalwerea4thplaceinthepolevault for senior captain Abigail Freshwater’23 and a 5th place inthe 3200mforInesLemee’25
At the DeSchriver Invitational junior captain Jesse Kramer’24 threw a season best in the shot put with 26’3”andAvaBrancatella’24 placed 3rdinthe300m.
At the Morris County Relays, the Villa distance medley, consisting of Blythe Dudley’26, Abigail Freshwater’23,DelaneyYosh’25 and InesLemee‘25 earned amedalbyplacing 6th.
On January 11, the Villa squad traveled to the Toms River “Bubble” for the NJSIAA State Relays. Even though the team had to deal with some last minute line-up changesduetoinjuries, everyone gave ittheir best,nothingwasleoutonthetrackorinthepitand VillaearnedtheNon PublicBState RelayChampionship!Congratulationstoeveryonewhowaspartofthe effort - on the track or cheering from the sidelines. It wasatrueteam-accomplishment!
Coach Yombor and Coach Ladolcetta are proud of the hard work and the accomplishments of captains AbigailFreshwater’23, and JesseKramer’24, senior Ava Simmons, juniors Ava Brancatella, Colleen Walsh, Emily Poruczynski, Natalia Tole, sophomores Kayla Castellano, Amalia Hronides, Cora Reardon,SadieSmith,InesLemee,ErinLyons,DelaneyYosh and AubreyToth and freshmen Clodagh BatesonandBlytheDudley.
e team is looking forward to exciting State Championship competitions on February 17 and February22.SomeofourathletesarehopingtoqualifyforthemeetofChampionsonMarch5,2023.Keep upthegoodworkWinterTrack Team!
e Villa Walsh Athletic Department and Coaching staff choose a student-athlete each year to represent VillaWalshattheNationalWomenandGirlsinSports Day event at Seton Hall University. Criteria such as leadership, multiple sport participation, sportsmanship,andcharacterareconsideredinthenominations. Congratulations to this year’s senior representative, Volleyball and Basketball Co-Captain Sheridan Caughey’23, for being selected to represent Villa Walsh Academy at the National Girls and Women in Sports Day celebration at Seton Hall University on February 18, 2023! Sheridan will be honored at halime of the Seton Hall Women’s Basketball game alongside other outstanding female New Jersey high school athletes and 2 and 4-year college athletes. CongratulationsSheridan!
At the January 20th meeting, the ALC welcomed VWA Veteran Basketball Coach, Coach Margo Connors, who spoke to the council and shared her
experiences as an athlete and coach.CoachConnors was a member of the WNBA promotion team and a Women’sBasketballCoachatLafayettebeforecoaching at VWA. Coach Connors discussed the importance of giving back to your community, the importance of women supporting women, and her opportunities to doboth throughhercurrentjobwith Microso.
e next Booster Club meeting will be on Monday, February 6th, from 7:30-8:30 pm in the Sr. Doris Lavinthal Athletic Center. All parents are welcome andinvited toattend!Wehopetoseeyouthere.
Monday February6 BoosterClubMeetingat7:30p.m.intheSr.DorisLavinthalAthletic Center. Allareinvited.
Wednesday February8 MentalWellnessDay
Mon-Thur February13-16 SpiritWeek
Friday February17 Presidents’HolidayWeekend-NoClasses
Monday February20 Presidents’Holiday-NoClasses
Tuesday February21 Classesresume
Wednesday February22 AshWednesdayLiturgy,9:15inSt.LucyChapel