The Visitor: Commencement 2021

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

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ST. LOUIS, MO PERMIT NO. 1468

3020 North Ballas Road St. Louis, MO 63131

About the Publication The Visitor is the official publication of Visitation Academy.

The magazine is published by Viz’s Advancement Office and is sent to alumnae, parents, and friends of the school.

Visitation Academy is an independent, Catholic school that encourages students to develop their unique gifts in an environment that values excellence in scholarship, spirituality, leadership, and service. Viz proudly offers a coeducational early childhood program and all-girl environment in Grades 1-12.

The Lower School educates Toddler through Kindergartenaged boys and girls in the Montessori method while also providing the area’s only all-girl program in Grades 1-5.

A welcoming environment, small class sizes, and the integration of technology throughout the curriculum provide a strong educational foundation.

The Middle School builds a bridge from childhood to young adulthood. The Middle School curriculum is centered on the developmental readiness, needs, and interests of girls in Grades 6-8.

The Upper School offers a rigorous, four-year college preparatory curriculum for young women in Grades 9-12. A vibrant fine arts program, numerous service opportunities, and more than 32 clubs and organizations complement the Academy’s commitment to academic excellence.

Viz girls are poised, intelligent, self-assured young women, positioned for success in our classrooms, in college, and in life. For more information regarding admission to Visitation Academy, please contact Sharon Conley Spellman ’89, Director of Admissions, at 314-625-9102.

3020 N. Ballas Road St. Louis, MO 63131 314-625-9100 visitationacademy.org Copyright© 2021 Visitation Academy All rights reserved.

Inside

This Issue

1 2 3 22 48 69 72

From the Head of School

From the Chair of the Board of Trustees

Commencement 2021

School News and Events Recap

Athletics Recap

Alumnae News

Tribute to Sister Isabel Clark, VHM

Formal Commencement photos of the 2021 graduates courtesy of Wagner Portrait Group.

David Manuel Colón Head of School Jenny Lucas Chief Advancement Officer Colleen Porter Editor and Communications Specialist

Ad Astra (To the Stars)

Congratulations,

Class of 2021!

SCHOOL FACEBOOK: facebook.com/VizAcademy ALUMNAE FACEBOOK: facebook.com/VizAcademyAlumnae

SCHOOL TWITTER: @VizAcademy @VizAthletics @VizLowerSchool

SCHOOL INSTAGRAM: @VizAcademy @VizMiddleSchool @VizLowerSchool

ALUMNAE LINKEDIN GROUP: Visitation Academy Alumnae

NON-PROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE

PAID

ST. LOUIS, MO PERMIT NO. 1468

3020 North Ballas Road St. Louis, MO 63131

About the Publication The Visitor is the official publication of Visitation Academy.

The magazine is published by Viz’s Advancement Office and is sent to alumnae, parents, and friends of the school.

Visitation Academy is an independent, Catholic school that encourages students to develop their unique gifts in an environment that values excellence in scholarship, spirituality, leadership, and service. Viz proudly offers a coeducational early childhood program and all-girl environment in Grades 1-12.

The Lower School educates Toddler through Kindergartenaged boys and girls in the Montessori method while also providing the area’s only all-girl program in Grades 1-5.

A welcoming environment, small class sizes, and the integration of technology throughout the curriculum provide a strong educational foundation.

The Middle School builds a bridge from childhood to young adulthood. The Middle School curriculum is centered on the developmental readiness, needs, and interests of girls in Grades 6-8.

The Upper School offers a rigorous, four-year college preparatory curriculum for young women in Grades 9-12. A vibrant fine arts program, numerous service opportunities, and more than 32 clubs and organizations complement the Academy’s commitment to academic excellence.

Viz girls are poised, intelligent, self-assured young women, positioned for success in our classrooms, in college, and in life. For more information regarding admission to Visitation Academy, please contact Sharon Conley Spellman ’89, Director of Admissions, at 314-625-9102.

3020 N. Ballas Road St. Louis, MO 63131 314-625-9100 visitationacademy.org Copyright© 2021 Visitation Academy All rights reserved.

Inside

This Issue

1 2 3 22 48 69 72

From the Head of School

From the Chair of the Board of Trustees

Commencement 2021

School News and Events Recap

Athletics Recap

Alumnae News

Tribute to Sister Isabel Clark, VHM

Formal Commencement photos of the 2021 graduates courtesy of Wagner Portrait Group.

David Manuel Colón Head of School Jenny Lucas Chief Advancement Officer Colleen Porter Editor and Communications Specialist

Ad Astra (To the Stars)

Congratulations,

Class of 2021!

SCHOOL FACEBOOK: facebook.com/VizAcademy ALUMNAE FACEBOOK: facebook.com/VizAcademyAlumnae

SCHOOL TWITTER: @VizAcademy @VizAthletics @VizLowerSchool

SCHOOL INSTAGRAM: @VizAcademy @VizMiddleSchool @VizLowerSchool

ALUMNAE LINKEDIN GROUP: Visitation Academy Alumnae

Sister Mary Virginia Schmidt, VHM December 8, 1929 - June 12, 2021 On Saturday, June 12, 2021, at the age of 91, Sister Mary Virginia Schmidt, VHM, member of the Visitation Monastery of Minneapolis, peacefully entered eternal glory. The Minneapolis Sisters shared the following: “Sister Suzanne was with Sister Mary Virginia in Intensive Care. She took a breath and peacefully was gone. She was born on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and died on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart.”

Mary Virginia Schmidt was born and raised in Mexico as the only daughter in a family of five brothers. When she was 14, she was sent to be educated by the Visitation Sisters at the Academy of the Visitation in St. Louis. Her mother and aunts also attended school at the Academy, and Sister Claude Agnes, her aunt, was there watching over her. She graduated in 1948 and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree at Manhattanville College in New York. After resisting for years, Mary Virginia decided to give in to her heart’s calling her senior year in college. She entered the Visitation Monastery in St. Louis because in her words, “The Sisters I had in high school were the ones I knew and loved best. They had a lovely, gentle, and unpressured spirit that drew me once I finally made up my mind to try the religious life.”

Mary Virginia was professed as a Sister in the St. Louis community on June 7, 1954. At the Academy, she taught fourth grade, then Spanish and theology in the Upper School. She also served as the Campus Minister. In the monastery, she was particularly attentive to the liturgy. In these years, she continued her studies at St. Louis University and St. Xavier College, earning two master’s degrees. She was part of the first group of individuals who began the Charismatic Renewal in St. Louis and helped the group, which met at Visitation weekly, for many years. In her classes on social justice, there was study and then there was activity.

She took two groups of students to Haiti in the mid-1980s, and when local leaders in areas throughout St. Louis called for volunteers, she would assist when she could and encouraged students and faculty to do the same.

She was one of the founders of the Minneapolis Monastery of the Visitation in 1989, whose ministry was and still is to live with and pray with the poor. Her knowledge of Spanish, the liturgy, and her wonderful warmth and smile were shared for nearly 32 years with the people who came to know the Minneapolis Sisters.

The Visitation Academy

Class of 2021

Front Row (Left to Right): Anna Snyders

Row 2 (Left to Right): Ana Alea

Row 3 (Left to Right): Shivashri Ananthamurugan

Row 4 (Left to Right): Elizabeth Craig

Laurel Spellman

Abigail Goodson

Hannah Wiemann

Ellie Hillenbrand

Katherine Thoman

Catherine Bartling

Amber Shuman

Bridget Stebelman

Katherine Friemel

Christina Thoman

Sophia McLellan

Riley Ehlermann

Taylor Slade

Claire Myers

Kaitlyn Berger

Annabel Riet

Julia Joseph

Nicole Hansen

Lily Bodnar

Genevieve Laughlin

Anne Wilkinson

Madeline Blazevic

Christine Honigfort

Annelise Keeney

Olga Forshaw

Olivia Helfrey

Emma Ford

Zoe Shepherd

Victoria Brown

Laila Jones

Martha Seaton

Allison Heim

Isabella Apted

Vivian Dueker

Madeleine Wagner

Audrey Dino

Audrey Estep

Sophie Sepko

Evelyn Revel

Claudia Olivos

Ainsley Martin

Karen Schmiedeler

Caitlin Williams

Concetta Squitieri

Elsie Ames

Katherine Hanlon

Sophia Rose

Caroline Gaughan

Anna Cichelero

Madison Slade

Megan Everson

Eshanika Manchanda

Eleanor Schwartz

Catherine Dressel

Leslie Viveros

Amari Norman

Isabella Leonard

Juliette Essma

Mary Grace Cantalin

Mary Kathryn Corrigan

Kirti Madhu

We ask that you keep Sister Mary Virginia Schmidt and all the Visitation Sisters that she lived with through the years in your prayers.

Cause for Celebration We made it to Commencement 2021! If you are like me, I am sure there were times when you thought this day might never come. When COVID hit back in March of 2020, it brought our lives to an abrupt halt. The isolation from everything and everyone made days feel like months and the months felt endless. It was and still is very easy to get caught up in the negatives of COVID. I would like to take this opportunity to offer a different perspective and talk about a few of the positives of this unprecedented year.

From the of

Head School

First and foremost, after a brief, staggered start, all three divisional schools were on campus for face-to-face instruction the entire year. While this remarkable accomplishment was not without a few bumps along the way, we faced them together. We lived through a pandemic. We tackled daily obstacles.

We found new ways to connect. In the end, this amazing Viz community rose to every challenge together. That really is the bottom line: we did this together.

We have grown closer and stronger because of this shared experience. (As an added bonus, we got to know each other’s kids, spouses, pets, and home décor on a whole new level.)

I think this year’s Field Day showed just how much we truly enjoy being together. Smiles, laughter, and genuine happiness were on full display. And the fact that we were able to end the year with our first, all-school, in-person Mass was such a gift! It was a wonderful reminder of how important it is not only to embrace this year’s theme of living in the present moment, but to embrace the opportunities we have to live in the present moment together.

Sadly, in this present moment, we must say goodbye to the Class of 2021. I am so incredibly proud of the grace and resilience this class demonstrated throughout this crazy year; qualities that will serve them well throughout their lives. The end-of-the-year celebrations in their honor - including the first-ever senior spirit week and final walk through the halls of Viz as our younger students cheered and clapped - were so well-deserved.

Congratulations, Class of 2021! As you go forth from Visitation Academy, look back at this year and remember that even though your individual paths may pull you apart, you will always be together because you are part of the Viz family.

Yours in Christ,

David Manuel Colón Head of School

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From the of the of

Chair Board Trustees

Greetings to My Fellow Alums!

Congratulations to the 65 graduates of the Class of 2021! By the time they read this letter, they will have joined the proud sisterhood of Visitation Academy alumnae. I am excited to welcome them as the newest inductees! I realize this graduating class has barely left the hallowed halls of Viz to begin the next chapter of their lives, but I would like to share some ways that alums, both old and new, can get involved. Leadership and participation in Alumnae Association and Viz-sponsored events is vital to the future of our beloved alma mater.

Let me start with two opportunities introduced this past year: strategic planning and alumnae professional panels. While we are well into the strategic planning initiative, this will be an ongoing process, and input from alums about their personal experiences is crucial. (Read more about this initiative on page 47.) It is never too late to have your voice heard, so I invite you to contact David Colón, Head of School, to share your thoughts and perspectives. To date, two alumnae professional panels have been held, one in March focused on networking and interviewing and one in May focused on leadership. More are planned for next year, and I know Viz is always looking for panelists willing to share their career knowledge and expertise. Please contact Ms. Lisa Kohler ’02, Director of Community Relations, for more information.

I also invite you to consider mentoring opportunities. In early 2021, Viz launched a virtual career speaker series. Mary Chivetta ’10, Optometrist for St. Louis Veterans Affairs, and Rose Donahue ’04, a Clinical Psychologist in Pediatric Neuropsychology, were the first guest speakers, Zooming into advisory periods with Upper School and Middle School students to talk about their chosen career paths. I am sure many of our alums have great advice to offer about their respective careers that Viz students would love to hear.

The 2021 reunion will be held on October 9, and I hope to see you there. While the milestone Classes of 1971 and 1996 will be highlighted, we want to honor all of our alumnae during the event. And class reps are always needed to help with the planning of alumnae events.

Salesian spirituality is built on heart-to-heart relationships. Active participation from all Viz community members is key to creating these connections. I look forward to seeing you at an alum event this year!

In sisterhood,

Carrie Luepke Hermeling ’79 Chair, Board of Trustees Class of 1979 at Alumnae Reunion 2019

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By the

Numbers 65 68% 23% 37 3 3

Graduates of the Class of 2021 Earned Scholarships and Grants With a Four-Year Value of More Than $12,178,280 Percentage of Students Who Scored 31 or Higher on the ACT Different Schools in 20 States, Plus the District of Columbia and Scotland Charter Members in the Class

National Merit Commended Students

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Matriculations 2021

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Ana Alea Washington University in St. Louis

Mary Kathryn Corrigan University of Central Florida

Katherine Friemel University of Tennessee-Knoxville

Elsie Ames University of Arkansas

Elizabeth Craig University of Colorado-Boulder

Caroline Gaughan University of Southern California

Shivashri Ananthamurugan Saint Louis University

Audrey Dino Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Abigail Goodson University of Edinburgh

Isabella Apted Colorado State University

Catherine Dressel Skidmore College

Katherine Hanlon University of Missouri-Columbia

Catherine Bartling Texas Christian University

Vivian Dueker University of Alabama

Nicole Hansen American University

Kaitlyn Berger University of Missouri-Columbia

Riley Ehlermann University of Missouri-Columbia

Allison Heim Loyola University Chicago

Madeline Blazevic Southern Methodist University

Juliette Essma Saint Louis University

Olivia Helfrey Indiana University-Bloomington

Lily Bodnar University of Notre Dame

Audrey Estep Saint Louis University

Ellie Hillenbrand Saint Louis University

Victoria Brown Northwestern University

Megan Everson Vanderbilt University

Christine Honigfort Saint Louis University

Mary Grace Cantalin University of Missouri-Columbia

Emma Ford University of Tampa

Laila Jones Auburn University

Anna Cichelero Loyola University Chicago

Olga Forshaw Saint Louis University

Julia Joseph Boston University

THe Visitor

Annelise Keeney Miami University

Annabel Riet University of Missouri-Columbia

Laurel Spellman Santa Clara University

Genevieve Laughlin Auburn University

Sophia Rose Rhodes College

Concetta Squitieri University of Missouri-Columbia

Isabella Leonard Tulane University

Karen Schmiedeler Saint Louis University

Bridget Stebelman Indiana University-Bloomington

Kirti Madhu Saint Louis University

Eleanor Schwartz Elon University

Christina Thoman Texas Christian University

Eshanika Manchanda University of Missouri-Kansas City

Martha Seaton University of Missouri-Columbia

Katherine Thoman Miami University

Ainsley Martin Southern Illinois UniversityCarbondale

Sophie Sepko Arizona State University

Leslie Viveros Saint Louis University

Zoe Shepherd University of Georgia

Madeleine Wagner Boston College

Amber Shuman Loyola University Chicago

Hannah Wiemann University of Missouri-Columbia

Madison Slade University of Kansas

Anne Wilkinson Texas Christian University

Taylor Slade University of Kansas

Caitlin Williams University of Wisconsin-Madison

Sophia McLellan University of Missouri-Columbia Claire Myers University of Arkansas Amari Norman University of Oklahoma Claudia Olivos Saint Louis University Evelyn Revel Miami University

Anna Snyders University of Miami

visitationacademy.org | 5

Karen Christine Schmiedeler

Valedictorian Address

Awarded to the student who has earned the highest cumulative grade point average over four years.

After six years at Visitation Academy, I have many good memories, but one of the best was when it was first announced that we could wear any Viz sweatshirt to school, every day. Understandably, I was overwhelmed with the possibilities, because like many of you, I have a lot of Viz sweatshirts (15 to be exact). It was like an exciting new extension of Spirit Monday when we could wear any Viz shirt (of which I have 29). Over the years, we accumulated quite a pile of Vizthemed clothing; a pile that often leaves me wondering - how did I end up with so many?

I’m sure many of us can relate to this. We collected t-shirts and sweatshirts for field day, prom, spirit week, fall fest, and every event in between: a rainbow of colorful designs, our memories of Viz woven into the fabric. Just as we take pictures and write in journals, we want to give our memories a place to live; somewhere we can easily find them and return, for a moment, to the past. Humans go through life as collectors of memories, constantly learning, changing, and growing - sometimes pausing, as we do today, to reflect on our experiences and look forward to our future. Our memory collections are our source of knowledge and identity. Our memories make us ourselves.

Karen Christine Schmiedeler

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So, we collect these moments in the ways we can. For me, my field day shirts hold memories of tug-of-war, talent shows, and cotton candy. A fall fest sweatshirt reminds me of Señora Villmer’s Zumba routines and watching fireworks on the field. Not only do we remember the events themselves, but also the people we shared them with. It wouldn’t have been nearly as fun to watch the solar eclipse alone or without the sage commentary of Mrs. Enger.

The magic of mushroom ball would be lost without other people to join in the fun. That is why I am so honored to share my high school memories with

this Class of 2021. Together, we remember the infamous thermostat-thermometer retreat, watching "What Would You Do?" in theology class, and recreating the Last Supper in the junior hallway during spirit week.

The Class of 2021 is strong and passionate, but always ready to show kindness and unite in acts of thoughtfulness.

Our class has a wide diversity of talents that will take us in many different directions: engineering, business, science, theater, and so much more. Our paths will soon diverge, but the future is not as mysterious as it may seem. American theologian Leonard Sweet once said that "The future is not something we enter. The future is something we create."

Every day, we build our future.

But we do not do this alone. As we enter the next chapter of our lives, we have the opportunity to thank our parents, teachers, coaches, counselors, and all of the influential people in our lives who have helped us create our futures.

This includes our classmates with whom we have shared our years at Visitation. In ways we may not yet realize, we have helped shape each other’s lives. So, when I put on my senior sweatshirt, I will think of the Class of 2021 and smile, remembering how each of you inspired me. Connected in our memories, we now move forward to write our futures and continue reaching "to the stars." Thank you.

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Caroline Lily Gaughan

Salutatorian Address

Awarded to the student who has earned the second highest cumulative grade point average over four years.

Good evening to our beloved Sisters, Board of Trustees, administrators, faculty, staff, family, and friends. I am honored to be standing here tonight as the Salutatorian of the Class of 2021, and I welcome you to Visitation Academy’s 188th commencement ceremony.

Graduating from Visitation Academy is an immense achievement. My classmates and I have spent countless hours completing assignments and projects, studying for tests and quizzes, and preparing ourselves for the next steps in our lives. The diplomas that we receive later tonight symbolize a successful completion of high school. However, TRUE success cannot be determined by a single piece of paper. Instead, true success is measured by our character, our actions, and the impact that we have made in each other’s lives.

Our time at Visitation and the teachings of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal have shaped who we have become today. Every year in theology class, we discuss St. Francis de Sales’ Little Virtues and the importance of living out these virtues in everything that we do. As a class, we have learned many lessons and continue to practice many virtues together. The ones I believe that make us particularly successful – as a sisterhood and in life – are kindness, understanding, joy, and perseverance.

Caroline Lily Gaughan

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As children, we are taught to love our neighbors as ourselves. I see simple acts of kindness everywhere and every day, whether it be in a person’s smile or actions.

By being kind, we can change the course of a person’s day. We must not take for granted when Christine Honigfort boosts the confidence of the whole AP statistics class before a big test, when Martha Seaton runs up to you in the halls just to say “hi” and to give you a hug, or when Lily Bodnar selflessly catches you up on what you missed during class while you were out sick. The kindness that my classmates have shown me has profoundly impacted my life.

Understanding can be a difficult task. It is deeper than knowledge, for to understand one another, we must place ourselves in each other’s shoes. In the Visitation community, no one practices understanding more than our amazing teachers. I cannot thank my teachers enough for their compassionate understanding of my attendance record. As a class, we have had our many ups and downs. In fact, many would describe our class as special or different. However, as we graduate today, we have grown to understand and appreciate our differences, and as a result, we have become each other’s family.

According to an article in The New York Times published in 2019, joy appears “when your heart is another.”

When I first read this, I took a step back to reflect about the joys that the Class of 2021 has brought me. I derive joy in the smiles, laughter, and achievements of my classmates. I find joy when Caitlin Williams and I begin to talk in posh British accents in class, when Maddie Wagner laughs over the most random things in French, and when Karen Schmiedeler was announced as our class Valedictorian last Thursday. We have ALL brought joy to one another at some point during high school. Maybe, this was during senior prank week, where we dressed up as fraternity bros, raided the hallways, and attempted to bring our dogs to class. While there are too many joyous moments to count, each has enriched our lives and the lives of those around us. We only get one life, so we must find joy in everything that we choose to do and to be a part of.

There is no doubt that our class has had to persevere through many difficulties this past year. Tonight, we will be bestowed with the gold Visitation crescent, which originated during a time of much turmoil. The crescent not only symbolizes the mark of a Visitation education but also victory. Being in this gym tonight where our loved ones sit and memories of freshmen lock-in festivities, homecoming games, and “s’line” practices still gleam, I would say that we have come out of these past four years with much success. We have been empowered with the knowledge, skills, and virtues to thrive in our futures. We have transformed from a dysfunctional group of freshman to a strong and determined senior class – as seen by our many GroupMe debates and class meeting chaos over chips during sophomore year.

In the past, we have embarked and bonded on class trips to Memphis and Birmingham. Although we are traveling to different colleges in a few months, our crescents unite us on our final class trip – a journey of excitement and new beginnings – a journey filled with kindness, understanding, joy, and perseverance. Thank you.

visitationacademy.org | 9

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THe Visitor

Valedictorian Awarded to the student who has earned the highest cumulative grade point average over four years.

Charter Members of the Class

National Merit Commended Students

Allison Grace Heim

Megan Alison Everson

Amber Maureen Shuman

Caroline Lily Gaughan

Concetta Sharon Squitieri

Karen Christine Schmiedeler

Karen Christine Schmiedeler

Salutatorian Awarded to the student who has earned the second highest cumulative grade point average over four years.

Archbishop John L. May Service Award Given in remembrance of Archbishop May’s dedicated Christian service, this award recognizes the outstanding leadership and community service of high school seniors in the St. Louis area.

Caroline Lily Gaughan visitationacademy.org | 11

Missouri Seal of Biliteracy Recipients - French

Ana Victoria Alea

Megan Alison Everson

Caroline Lily Gaughan

Nicole Anneliese Hansen

Annabel Elizabeth Riet

Missouri Seal of Biliteracy Recipients - Spanish

Kaitlyn Marie Berger

Anna Katherine Cichelero

Katherine Susanne Friemel

Christine Ann Honigfort

Laila Reilly Jones

Eshanika Manchanda

Sophia Louise McLellan

Claudia Gabriela Olivos

Karen Christine Schmiedeler

Sophie Ellen Sepko

Amber Maureen Shuman

Anna Palmer Snyders

Leslie Del Carmen Viveros

Hannah Marion Wiemann

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THe Visitor

The Harold F. and Catherine A. Faught STEM Scholarship

Sister Mary Aimée Dilschneider Alumnae Essay Award

Generously established in 2019 by Mrs. Catherine A. Faught, this $5,000 college scholarship is awarded to a student who has demonstrated academic excellence and outstanding leadership in the areas of STEM.

Sophie Ellen Sepko

Audrey Margaret Dino

Sister Cecilia Carroll, VHM, Award in Music Established by Rodger and Jean Marré Faherty ’55 in loving memory of Sister Cecilia Carroll, VHM, this $1,000 award is given to a deserving senior who has displayed outstanding musical talent.

Eleanor Mary Schwartz

This award is presented in honor of Sister Mary Aimée Dilschneider ’35, VHM for her years of dedication and service to the Alumnae Association. The recipient best describes what Visitation Academy means to her and how her experiences as a Viz student will enrich her future.

Alumnae Award The Alumnae Award is given to one member of the graduating class who best exemplifies the Visitation ideals. She is true to the Salesian spirit of The Visitation and truly Lives Jesus.

Martha Rose Seaton

St. Jane de Chantal Service Award Nominated by her classmates, the recipient of the St. Jane de Chantal Service Award is a young woman who exhibits true apostolic service both within the Visitation community and in her wider community.

Kirti Madhu

St. Francis de Sales Virtue Award Nominated by her classmates, the recipient of the St. Francis de Sales Virtue Award is a young woman who best lives out the Salesian virtue of the year. This year’s virtue was hospitality.

Laurel Elizabeth Spellman visitationacademy.org | 13

Salesian Leadership Award This award recognizes a student or students who demonstrate exceptional dedication to building our school community through spiritual leadership and service in a manner that promotes gentleness, joy, respect, and hospitality.

Madeline Marie Blazevic

Catherine Anna Dressel

Riley Ann Ehlermann

Megan Alison Everson

Katherine Susanne Friemel

Allison Grace Heim

Ellie Christine Hillenbrand

Christine Ann Honigfort

Annelise Jane Keeney

Genevieve Cecelia Laughlin

Perfect Score on ACT Exam Martin Luther King, Jr. Model of Justice Award

Kirti Madhu

Martha Rose Seaton Megan Alison Everson

The Martin Luther King, Jr. Model of Justice Award is an annual award presented to students of the Archdiocese of St. Louis who have demonstrated, through their attitude and their work, a commitment to serving humanity in the broader community. These students have made justice a central part of their lives and have committed themselves “to the noble struggle for equal rights.”

Principal’s Award

Zoe Mathis Shepherd

Chosen by the Principal and Assistant Principal in collaboration with the faculty, this young woman demonstrates a consistent dedication to the Visitation community and serves as a role model to all in a quiet, gentle, and humble manner.

Leslie Del Carmen Viveros

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THe Visitor

Sister Mary Aimée Dilschneider

Alumnae Essay Award This award is presented in honor of Sister Mary Aimée Dilschneider ’35, VHM for her years of dedication and service to the Alumnae Association. The recipient best describes what Visitation Academy means to her and how her experiences as a Viz student will enrich her future.

Sophie Ellen Sepko The quote “Be Who You Are and Be That Well” is a sentence that has been engraved in my mind since sixth grade. For seven years now, I have seen this quote hung up around the halls, have heard it said by every single teacher, and have replayed it over and over in my head until it is stuck like the trending pop song constantly on the radio. I can restate it without thinking, write it forwards and backwards, and probably even say it in my sleep. However, up until this year, that quote was just words and nothing more to me. It was not until this past fall, during the college application process, that I actually began to see the meaning this quote had in my life. That is because, all along, I had placed my entire focus on the “Be That Well” part to the point where I had completely missed out on the “Be Who You Are” part.

I had put so much of my focus, energy, time, and effort on DOING everything well instead of BEING who I am well. Running for every executive position. Studying for hours on end to ace every test. Skipping out on social events to do every homework assignment. Racking up as many community service hours as possible with more focus on the HOURS instead of the COMMUNITY. Waking up early to make every club meeting. Overworking myself to ensure I was in shape for every game.

When putting this all on my resume, it seemed perfect on paper. That was when I realized, this was not even close to who I am. Everyone knows that I am not perfect, not even near it, and never will be because nobody is. The “Spanish club president” title on my resume did not show the times where I ran for student council two years in a row and did not get voted on. The high GPA did not show the numerous math tests I failed freshman year and had to take them home to be signed by my mom. The high ACT score did not show when I got lower than the monkey’s score on the pre-ACT we took freshman year.

The “junior varsity field hockey captain” did not show all of the games we had lost that season. Everything written on my resume was distorted and did not show the extent of what I am capable of, what I am not capable of, my mistakes, my failures, or my weaknesses. Everyone gives out a perfect image of themselves to the colleges because of fear of denial or acceptance.

However, wasn’t that what Visitation has been trying to teach us all along? To just be who we are and that should be enough for everyone else because it is enough for God, our Creator? How was I afraid of not being accepted by others when all Viz has done is accept me for who I am? What I did not recognize before, that Viz knew all along, is that a title, a name, a test score, a grade, a project, a number, a placement, a loss, a failure, or even a win or success, does not define who I am. Who I am is within and cannot be defined by an outside source or anything written on paper.

Viz has taught me that just because I did not get the executive position does not mean that I am not a leader.

Viz has taught me that just because I fail one math test does not mean that I am a failure. Viz has taught me that just because I do not know the answer to the question when a teacher calls on me does not mean that I am dumb. Viz has taught me that just because I lose a game does not mean that I am a loser. Viz has taught me that just because I mess up does not mean that I am messed up as a person. Viz has taught me that my mistakes and weaknesses do not define me or make me any less of a person, but they are rather what makes me human and what makes me: ME. Viz has taught me how to accept my weaknesses and learn how to overcome them. Viz has taught me that I am bigger and better than my faults and they do not have to outshine the strength and good inside of me. Viz has let me see both the good and bad within myself, but most importantly, Viz has taught me that who I am is good enough. Good enough for the college admissions, good enough for my parents, good enough for my teachers, good enough for my friends, good enough for God, and most importantly, good enough for myself.

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Outstanding Student Leader

St. Louis Post-Dispatch Scholar-Athlete

The Outstanding Student Leader is a student who has demonstrated leadership ability and service to our school community in an exemplary manner.

Anna Palmer Snyders

Sophia Louise McLellan

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete program honors one young man and one young woman from each St. Louis area high school. To be eligible, the student must not only be an outstanding athlete, but also must be in the top 25% of their class.

Visitation Student Leadership Award This award is given in recognition of a student or students who consistently demonstrate effective leadership to the school community in a manner that is not always publicly recognized.

Madeline Marie Blazevic

Mev Puleo Service Award

Shivashri Ananthamurugan

Given in remembrance of a graduate of the Visitation Class of 1981, this award recognizes a senior who embraces life as Mev did. Suggested by the faculty, the recipient demonstrates journeying with the poor while recognizing the face of God in all and working toward the realization of justice and peace in the kingdom of God.

Susannah A. Kilmer Zest for Life Award

Katherine Susanne Friemel

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Given in remembrance of a graduate of the Visitation Class of 1994, this award recognizes a senior who embraces life as Susannah did. Nominated by her classmates and voted on by the faculty, the recipient demonstrates strong academic achievement, loyalty and devotion to friends, and the ability to meet life’s challenges.

Ellie Christine Hillenbrand

Madeleine Grace Wagner

MWAA Skippy Keefer Award Given annually to a senior female athlete within the MWAA league who exemplifies the qualities of athletic participation and excellence in sportsmanship.

Annelise Jane Keeney

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Year in Review: School News and Events Recap TOP 20 OF 2020

B A True Cover Story Putting together a yearbook is no easy feat. There are a number of steps in the process, all of which are important, but arguably one of the most impactful steps is the cover design. After all, the cover is the first thing the reader sees.

What a huge triumph it was that the 2019 Visitation Academy Crescent yearbook cover received national recognition. Herff Jones, a manufacturer and seller of educational recognition and achievement products and motivational materials, annually publishes “The Best of Herff Jones.” For the second year in a row, the Viz yearbook cover was selected and showcased in the company’s national “best of” publication, Portfolio, and its online website gallery. Viz learned this exciting news in the summer of 2020 and received equally exciting news about the 2020 edition of Crescent in May 2021. This edition also was included in Portfolio, highlighting outstanding student-produced work in 2020 yearbooks across the nation.

Congratulations to our hardworking yearbook staffers. You are winners in our book every year!

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Something to Talk About

Abby Strait (Class of 2022) was awarded a U.S. Department of State National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) scholarship to study Chinese (Mandarin) for five weeks during the summer of 2020. She was selected from a competitive pool of approximately 3,000 applicants from across the United States to participate in the NSLI-Y Virtual Summer Intensive Program.

Typically, students receiving this scholarship participate in an overseas immersion program, but the in-person exchange program was paused due to the pandemic.

The virtual exchange connected participants with teachers, international peers, cultural organizations, and communities where the target language is spoken. Abby is the second student from Viz to receive this award.

Congratulations to Abby!

Mary Goudy (Class of 2025), pictured to the right with her sister Katie Goudy (Class of 2030), competes on a figure skating team that is part of Metro Edge Figure Skating Club. The competitive teams are called Synergy, and Mary is on an intermediate level team.

To participate, Mary had to pass skill tests that are governed by U.S. Figure Skating, the same organization that governs the skaters at the Olympics. She

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skated with Synergy in third through fifth grades, then ’retired.’ In the winter of 2019, Mary decided to make a comeback, and by winter 2020, she was on track to pass three U.S. Figure Skating tests inside of a year. Usually it takes six months or more to pass just one test. Taking that much time off and coming back to make a team is a huge accomplishment! Mary practices with her team twice a week, takes private lessons, and has additional individual practice every other day of the week. This past skating season, her team participated in two competitions and won gold medals at both events. Way to go Mary!

Two other Viz girls also skate with Synergy. Kyan LaMear (Class of 2023, pictured left) is on the highest level Synergy team, and Mary’s sister Katie, who is a third grader at Viz, is on one of the lower level teams. Kyan and her teammates also were named by U.S. Figure Skating to the International Selection Pool (ISP) for the 2020-2021 season, one of only nine junior teams in the country to have this honor.

Libby Mooney (Class of 2025) participated in a gingerbread house competition which is sponsored every year

by Main Street Church in St. Charles as part of the larger St. Charles Christmas Traditions celebration. Libby and her family had gone to this event several years and always enjoyed seeing the very creative gingerbread houses. Libby decided she wanted to take part in the competition, doing all of the research and groundwork to see what was needed to enter. The 2020 theme was Together for Christmas, and there were four categories of competition: adults, teens, kids, and professionals/ businesses. Libby competed in the teen category, designing a gingerbread village featuring cabins in the woods where families could spend a COVID-safe Christmas. Her scene also included a river, a forest, kids making a snowman, people gathered around the campfire, plus a lot more. Libby put in about 32 hours over two weeks to make the entire scene, and her hard work paid off. There were awards given to the first, second, and third place winners in each category as well as three additional awards given regardless of competitive category. They were Faithfulness to the Theme of Together for Christmas, Demonstrating the True Meaning of Christmas, and Great Use of Color.

Libby’s gingerbread creation was selected for the Faithfulness to the Theme of Together for Christmas.

Nice work, Libby!

Adelina Johnson (Class of 2030) has been skiing since she was three years old and has raced competitively as part of the Hidden Valley Ski Team since she was five. This past winter, Adelina and her family made a seven-hour drive to Wausau, Wisconsin so she could compete in the Bader State Games. Adelina competed in both Giant Slalom and Slalom, and despite the foggy, icy, and windy conditions, she took first place and was awarded a gold medal in the U10 division in both races. Wow! During ski season, Adelina practices every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday and competes regionally with athletes from Iowa, Illinois, and Wisconsin and also nationally at mountains in Colorado and California. Skiing is a sport shared by Adelina’s entire family as her brother also competes at a national level, her dad is a race coach of the ski team, and her mom is a member of the Hidden Valley Ski Team Board of Directors.

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On the Road with St. Francis and St. Jane

This past summer, Viz introduced a fun, new program in the Lower School: The Tiny Traveling Saints. Students were invited to host miniature versions of St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal for week-long periods.

During the tiny saints stay, students were encouraged to take them on adventures at home, around town, and on vacation as well as read about these special founders and pray with them each night.

The St. Francis and St. Jane miniatures traveled from home-to-home throughout the 2020-2021 school year, visiting with a total of 35 Lower School families as well as the homes of some faculty and staff. Their diverse adventures have been well-documented. Many students shared photos from their time with the saints and wrote about their personal experiences in a collective travel book.

Here are just a few of the many stops the saints made along the way: Botanical Gardens; Dr. Albert’s family farm; basketball, soccer, and baseball games; and Fuzzy’s Tacos. They even made an appearance at the second-graders First Communion celebration held in August 2020.

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Year in Review: School News and Events Recap TOP 20 OF 2020 Found Our Niche F We’ve

For the sixth year in a row, Visitation Academy was ranked number one in the category Best All-Girls High School in Missouri by Niche.com, a U.S.-based ranking and review website. Here are just a few of the reviews Viz received on Niche:

Sweet Home E Home

After what seemed to be an eternal spring followed by a much-needed summer break, the Viz campus once again was filled with the laughter and smiles of Viz administrators, educators, and students. Thursday, August 20 marked the start of a new school year and the first of three returns as Lower School students were welcomed back for face-to-face learning.

To ensure the safety of all students and a smooth transition back to in-person instruction, the Middle School and Upper School began the year in distance learning, but thankfully were able to return to campus on September 8 and September 14, respectively.

Though not yet able to return to campus for classes themselves, Upper School students made sure to show their support and enthusiasm on the day the Middle School returned, treating them to the traditional “Morning Mayhem,” complete with cheers and signage.

The administration added some signage of their own to welcome all students back to campus.

“Viz has a wide range of classes and highlyeducated faculty. I have loved my years at Viz so far, and I am so glad to have found such a great community. I am very proud of the education I have received at Viz and feel prepared to take on college!”

“I have loved my experience at Viz. I know that I will graduate being prepared for college with a strong academic background.”

“I love Viz. I’m a graduating senior this year, and I can’t imagine having spent the last eight years anywhere else. All of the people I have met at Viz are passionate, driven individuals who strive to make the world a better place. Beyond that, I believe that Viz has prepared me academically and socially to succeed in college.”

“I have had an excellent experience at Visitation Academy! I have an amazing support system, those who go above and beyond to see that each girl reaches her fullest potential. Thank you, Viz faculty!”

Thank you to those who shared their Viz story on Niche! The feedback and positive word-of-mouth are appreciated.

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G All Things Virtual As was stated in a previous story, not all students and faculty were back on campus for the start of the school year.

Even when all the divisional schools were able to return to in-person learning, for safety purposes, there was still a need to maintain social distancing. For these reasons, virtual became the new reality for many campus activities.

Direction of Intention - The Upper and Middle School begin each school day with the Direction of Intention as it is read over the public announcement system by a Viz student. To continue this daily tradition while students were in distance learning, individuals from across the Viz community were invited to record the Direction of Intention via Flipgrid, then each morning one of the recordings was selected and posted on Viz social media accounts for all to enjoy.

Virtual Masses and Prayer Services - Participation in Mass and prayer are important elements of the religious formation of Viz students. From the Opening School Prayer Service in August to First Friday Masses to special Masses to celebrate feast days, Founders’ Day, and more, these opportunities were made available, with some students attending in person and others attending virtually. A huge thank you to Mr. Jonathan Hartley, Visual and Fine Arts Technical Director, for his role in making this possible for the Viz community. Read more about the sixth-grade, livestream broadcasting team on page 34.

Virtual Open House - How do you show potential families all that Viz has to offer while in the middle of a pandemic? You hold a virtual Open House. On Sunday, November 8, pre-recorded videos for both the Middle School and Upper School were available for viewing on YouTube. The videos featured talk show format interviews with Head of School David Colón, the divisional principals, educators from each subject-area department as well as a real-time question and answer session. The Lower School also created and posted its own virtual Open House videos on the Viz website to showcase what it’s like to be a student in the Lower School.

Virtual Video Tours - In addition to the Open House, the Viz Admissions team typically conducts tours and Viz-Its so interested students and families are able to meet and interact with educators and students on the Viz campus. While this could not happen in the traditional way, Viz created alternatives so potential students would not miss out on this important experience. Four, short videos that highlight each program - Coed Montessori, Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School - were created to show why Viz is uniquely Viz. Additionally, scheduled on-campus visits were allowed after 3:30 p.m. on select days.

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Year in Review: School News and Events Recap TOP 20 OF 2020 Our Community H Connecting

Though the continuation of St. Louis County health and safety restrictions forced the cancellation of many cherished annual events at Viz, the community made the most of the available opportunities to come together - some tried and true, some totally new, and some creatively reimagined.

14th Annual Golf Tournament - A caravan of carts filled with eager golfers hit the links at Persimmon Woods Golf Course on September 14 for a fun and relaxing day on the course. A huge thank you to all the players and tournament sponsors.

Walk in the Park - The Mothers’ Club invited the community to lace up their shoes, grab some coffee, and meet at Des Peres Park for a sociallydistant walk on September 3. The Visitation Alumnae Association followed in their footsteps, organizing a walk of their own in lieu of a formal September meeting.

Alumnae Reunion - Vivettes from near and far gathered virtually for a weekend of fun-filled events that included Viz Virtual Trivia hosted by Sister Marie Therese and Sister Mary Grace, Zoom happy hours to celebrate the Class of 1995’s 25-year milestone and Class of 1970’s 50-year milestone (both included a pop in from Head of School David Colón), a Facebook Live Couch Concert featuring our Minnesota Vis friend, Mr. Ross Bell, and a livestreamed reunion Mass.

The Class of 1970 celebrated its 50-year reunion, marking this milestone in a big way. In recognition of this special year, graduates participated in a class challenge which resulted in a very generous monetary donation to the school. Thank you, graduates of the Class of 1970! Read more about this gift and Alumnae Reunion weekend on page 69.

I A Fitting Tribute The writing is now quite literally on the wall as the Sister Mary Grace McCormack Reading Room signage was installed in the St. Louis Visitation Archives. In addition to the signage, a plaque with the following fitting tribute also was installed, honoring Sister Mary Grace as the historian of the Sisters: Sister Mary Grace McCormack, VHM Fourth generation Saint Louisan Alumna Last professed at Cabanne Teller of stories of places and people—in Scripture, English, and the Visitation Order Keeper of treasures Editor of Salesian books Teacher and Counselor The Sister Mary Grace McCormack Reading Room is open for use by appointment. Come explore the diverse collection of materials which include everything from the 1618 Treatise on the Love of God by St. Francis de Sales to a 2021 issue of Paper Moon. The St. Louis Visitation Archives has a collection that is almost as old as the Visitation Order itself. Not only does it tell the history of Visitation Monastery and Academy, but provides a glimpse into local, national, and world history from 1833 to the present.

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Improvements J SySTEMatic

Visitation Academy was awarded a very generous STEM grant from the Guth Foundation in 2019. After surveying STEM needs throughout the school and discussing several options, three projects - covering very different areas of STEM in order to appeal to and benefit a wide array of students - were selected for implementation during the 2020-2021 school year.

Food Science - The study of the physical, biological, and chemical makeup of food is a rapidly growing field that utilizes skills in chemistry, physics, engineering, nutrition, math, and more. Recognizing this growth in future career opportunities, a food science kitchen was added in the Upper and Middle School makerspace in 2017 and has been a great success with Upper and Middle School students and faculty.

The Lower School wanted their own food science kitchen, but in a size and with materials more friendly to Montessori- and Lower School-aged students. Thanks to this award from the Guth Foundation and some reconfiguration of space in the Lower School Innovation Space classroom, this wish has been realized. With the addition of plumbing and electrical work; some major purchases, including a food prep sink and a stainless steel island; and purchases of appliances large and small (refrigerator, cooktop, oven, hood, dishwasher, microwave, mixers, blenders, and more), the Lower School food science kitchen opened the first week of December 2020. The food science kitchen is used in all Lower School grade levels for enrichment and cross-curricular activities.

Living Wall - A Living Wall is an innovative way to incorporate nature and its many benefits into the school, while at the same time providing students new opportunities in science and engineering. While all Viz students benefit from exposure to the Living Wall, students in life science courses will gain hands-on experience monitoring and adjusting the care of the plants.

Students also will be able to use the plants in the wall to investigate a variety of topics like photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and plant hormones.

Lower School Food Science Kitchen

Living Wall

St. Louis is becoming a leader in biotechnology and agriculture; the skills Viz students learn with the Living Wall will help them gain valuable knowledge and confidence in the plant science field.

Tech Theatre - Tech theatre is one of the most popular theatre classes at Viz, encompassing all that goes into making a staged production: set design, lighting, sound, etc. While tech theatre may not immediately come to mind when talking about STEM, virtually every aspect of tech theatre requires knowledge and skills in science, technology, engineering, and math.

The new LED wall is 18.9’ x 9.45’ and consists of 16 modular panels which can be arranged to fit the unique needs of each set design project.

Tech theatre students learned how to assemble and dismantle the LED wall system – which includes attaching the 16 panels to each other and wiring and unwiring each of the 16 individual panels so that it functions as a complete wall. Included in the installation process is learning the engineering of hanging the wall from various structures with proper supports. Students also learned how to choose camera angles and camera focus to create a balanced and aesthetically pleasing look on the wall.

Tech theatre students, along with other students involved in the theatre program, built a frame for the LED wall for the December 2020 Upper School musical production, Bright Star. You can read more about the use of the LED wall in the following story on page 28.

Tech Theatre LED Wall

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Year in Review: School News and Events Recap TOP 20 OF 2020

K S etting the Scene Once the LED wall frame was built, it was time to focus on content for the wall. Fourteen students in Mrs. Molly Bryant’s graphic design class were tasked with creating a total of 20 different scenes with animation to be used as backdrops for the Upper School musical.

In the past, design students only had the opportunity to design for small screens, so designing for a large digital display was a totally new skill that had to be learned. The students did not disappoint!

The finished product was amazing and the show, which was held in DeChantal Hall (read more below), received rave reviews.

L Extreme Makeover Mr. Hartley, with the assistance of several students, transformed the multipurpose DeChantal Hall into a theater, complete with a huge stage to allow for socially-distanced performances. Actors from the Upper School production, Bright Star, used the larger space to rehearse in smaller groups and made adjustments to the whole performance to make it safer for all involved.

In addition to the massive stage, the transformed space included curtains and real sets, lights, and sound. The larger stage also allowed for the previously mentioned LED wall, and the show backdrops for the wall designed by graphic design students helped make scene transitions safer. Eighth-grade students made drop-waist costumes which were designed to double for two different time periods, eliminating the typical quick costume changes during which actors would need to be very close together.

The DeChantal Hall theater also was used for the Lower, Middle, and Upper School Christmas and spring concerts so choir members and dancers could be adequately spaced during performances.

Additionally, the transformed space was the setting for the livestream of Safari: Viz-a-thon 2021, the Middle School’s performance of Freckleface Strawberry: The Musical, and the Lower School’s Frozen production.

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M Class Is in Session From the Montessori to the Upper School, students were actively engaged in learning throughout the first semester. Here’s a look at just a few of many interesting projects and activities that were completed.

An Animoto Show - Students in fourth and fifth grade received some hands-on experience with video making using Animoto, a cloud-based video creation service. Using Animoto templates, the students created their own “All About Me” videos to share with classmates and teachers as a way to get to know one another better.

Creative License - Mr. Schweizer challenged Upper School students in his photography class to think outside the box, giving them free rein in the Chapel. Each student submitted their five best photos for consideration and critique by fellow classmates. Catherine Dressel (Class of 2021) offered an interesting photographic perspective.

Safety First - West County Fire and EMS visited the Montessori to talk to students about a very important subject - fire safety at school and at home - and showed the students how many of the items on their fire truck and ambulance work. Mrs. Kelly Cobb from Safety Town also treated the students to a story, "No Dragons for Tea," which uses funny, rhyming verse and spunky illustrations to show kids that learning about fire safety doesn’t have to be scary. The story ends with "The Dragon’s Fire Safety Rhyme" - a fun and easy way to help kids remember what to do in case of fire.

Pumpkin Projectiles - To show how some chemical compounds are highly reactive to water, students in Upper School honors chemistry combined calcium carbide and water to produce acetylene gas in a pre-carved pumpkin. Because acetylene gas is volatile and highly flammable, when the gas was lit on fire, the pumpkin literally carved itself as the pressure increased so much that the carved pumpkin pieces flew out.

Popular Vote - Even our Kindergarten students got a taste (in more ways than one) of the democratic process this election year.

Students learned about voting and were given the chance to exercise their right in a stiff competition between popular snacks.

It was a close race, but ultimately, Cheez-Its came out on top.

NASA Know-How - Third-grade students took their STEM knowledge to another level when they learned about designing and coding project mission badges from Aimee Crane, NASA’s Artemis Program Communications Specialist. The Hour of Code project was organized in honor of Computer Science Education Week.

Crystal Creations - Eighth-grade science students analyzed how heat affects the solubility of certain solutes, specifically the effect of heat on the solubility of Borax soap in water. The chemical reaction resulted in Borax crystals which the students used to make some pretty amazing creations. Ms. Hartenbach’s class used the crystals to make Christmas ornaments, while Mrs. Morrissey’s class turned out such things as a crescent, a cross, and a Viz logo. These items made

by CJ Smith, Katie Gasper, and Anna Howard were gifted to the new Archbishop of St. Louis when he visited campus in January 2021.

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ew Diversity Curriculum Launched in the Middle School NN Educating the Mind and Heart in the Visitation Tradition is the guide for Visitation Academy here in St. Louis, as well as the other Visitation Schools in the United States that are part of the Visitation Salesian Network.

There are six goals which are based on the principles of Salesian spirituality. Goal three clearly states, “Visitation schools build faith communities which call their members to understand the value of diversity and to respect the dignity of each person.” This is a responsibility that Viz takes very seriously.

In summer 2020, a faculty and staff study group was organized to explore and discuss topics around diversity.

This was when the idea for diversity programming for Middle School students was born. As a Salesian, Catholic

school, it is critical for students to feel empowered to go forth from Visitation to build a more just world as demanded by the Gospels and Catholic Church and in accordance with the Viz charism of Living Jesus.

The curriculum, designed for students in Grades 6-8, relies heavily on lessons and materials put forth by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Catechism, and other Church documents that lay out the Church’s view on Catholic social teaching and social justice. The lessons also weave in the Salesian charism with teachings from St. Francis and St. Jane. The everyother-week lessons were organized around four modules Identity, Diversity, Justice, and Action - and co-facilitated by advisors and Upper School students who partnered with each Middle School advisory.

O E ntrepreneurship in Action Since the Ellen Thomasson Malecek Entrepreneurial Leadership Program (ETMELP) was introduced in 2015, Viz students have been embracing this unique opportunity to develop the critical skills necessary to be a successful entrepreneur. Mrs. Sue Andrews, Instructional Technology, took over as head of the program in 2019 and introduced a few changes to the program, including the creation of two separate classes: entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial leadership. Having two courses allows Viz students to grow their initiatives over the course of two years, developing innovative programs that will thrive at Visitation and in the community in future years.

One such entrepreneurial idea that came to fruition in 2020 is the Peace in Wellness initiative created by Ellie Hillenbrand, Madeline Blazevic, and Maddie Wagner, all members of the Class of 2021.

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This team began work on this idea in the fall of 2019 and launched the Peace in Wellness website in late 2020. The website - www.peaceinwellness.org - includes resources to help with time management, spiritual wellness, physical wellness (nutrition and exercise), self-care, and mental health. This group of young women also launched the Viz Family Partnership Program the same month. The idea for the program came from Ellie Hillenbrand’s personal experience with friends and family in quarantine. The program paired two Visitation families living in close proximity to one another. If one partner family was forced to quarantine, the other partner family stepped in to pick up and deliver school materials, groceries, and other necessities.

Additionally, older Viz students provided virtual tutoring to younger students in their partner family if needed.

ew Look for the New Year PN Visitation Academy’s new school website launched in early December, just in time for the start of the new year. In addition to a fresh look and feel, the website includes some new functional features that help communicate all the wonderful things Viz has to offer. These include an all-inclusive social media feed that covers the action across the divisional schools and a “What’s Happening at Viz” section on the home page with current school news as well as important upcoming event dates.

The website is an important recruitment tool, so one of the top priorities was to reorganize and condense the existing website content to make it easier for visitors to navigate and search the website and ensure higher visibility of key information. Another important tool that was completed around the same time as the website: the four, short Admissions videos about each of the Viz programs which were highlighted in the All Things Virtual story on page 25. All four videos are available for viewing on the website and can be found under Academics tab on the main landing page for each divisional school.

Q S alesian Spirituality in Action During the month of November, the Catholic Church asks its members to pray for souls of the departed. Students in Grade 8 decorated soul cards to represent loved ones who had passed away, and the cards were hung on the classroom bulletin board. Students took turns sharing stories about their loved ones each day, and the class took it as their duty to pray for souls in purgatory.

Around that time, parents of faculty and staff members Mary Bodlovich, Rita Greiner, Greg Schweizer, and Sharon Spellman passed away, so the souls of their loved ones were included in the classes’ daily prayers. The girls reflected on how hard it must be to lose a parent around Christmas and were inspired to act. They made little albums for each of these faculty and staff members. The

girls’ idea was that whenever they missed their loved one, they could read their album which was filled with messages of love. What a shining example of living the Little Virtues of kindness and thoughtful concern for others.

R A Day of Fun…Just Because Just Because Day is an annual tradition in the Viz Lower School that celebrates the students’ hard work and determination and gives them a little break from the normal day-to-day school routine…just because. What better way to begin Thanksgiving break than with this year’s “It’s S’More Fun at Viz LS” Just Because Day. Students from the Montessori through Grade 5 all made a special s’more craft. Montessori students were served a special s’more-themed snack while students in Grades 1-5 actually made s’mores in the new Lower School food science kitchen. Other special activities for the day included a scavenger hunt on the nature trail and a campsite reading.

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S Answering the Call to Serve While the month of December was filled with service opportunities, service is always in season at Viz, and our students and community selflessly embraced all the available chances presented.

Viz students engaged in a variety of service projects this past fall that included freshmen creating smile notes for children in hospice; the Spanish Club sponsoring a Spanish Week toothbrush drive for the Peruvian American Medical Society; Campus Ministry Club sponsoring a candy drive for the Ville neighborhood’s Halloween celebration with St. Matthew the Apostle Catholic Church; and making bagged dinners for the St. Augustine meal program.

Leading into the holiday season, the community also generously supported several additional service initiatives: No Hunger Holiday Turkey Drive - For a fourth year, the Upper School National Honor Society sponsored a turkey collection to support No Hunger Holiday, which provides needy families with the necessary food to prepare a complete Thanksgiving dinner in the comfort of their own homes, giving them the opportunity to enjoy Thanksgiving with their families, just like everyone else does. Students across the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools were asked to bring in either $5 or a frozen turkey in exchange for a dress-down day. This was the most successful turkey drive to date with a total of 97 turkeys and $2,500 collected.

Wellston Center Christmas Club/Chores for a Cause In the weeks before Thanksgiving break, Middle School students partnered with the Visitation Mothers’ Club to participate in a drive for the St. Augustine Wellston Center’s Annual Christmas Club. Students were challenged to offer acts of service outside of their normal routine for their families and/or teachers in exchange for a donation for the Wellston Center.

Collectively, Middle School students raised over $760 completing acts of service for their families. Additionally, Middle School students completed 83 acts of service for teachers, raising over $400. The students used the funds raised to shop online and pick the gifts they

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wanted to donate to the Wellston Center Christmas Club. These gifts, coupled with the donations received from many Middle School and Lower School families, filled a moving truck.

100 Neediest Cases Christmas Campaign - Once again, the Upper School participated in this longstanding program, adopting 22 families this year. Each advisory was asked to sign up for one family, with some advisories teaming up to take care of the larger families.

Even though students were not able to purchase physical gifts, they were asked to purchase gift cards for each member of their adopted family and to make individual Christmas cards for the families. The goal of this program is giving local area families a brighter holiday, and thanks to the generous efforts of the Upper School, Viz donated upwards of $6,000 in gift cards to support this essential cause.

Bear Hugs - Middle School and Upper School Campus Ministry sponsored a stuffed bear collection to benefit Bear Hugs, an annual drive that provides stuffed bears to children at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital around Christmas. Viz’s own Middle School Principal, Mrs. Angie Jung, was inspired to start this program after her son spent a week at Children’s Hospital when he was six years old. Middle School and Upper School students were asked to bring a stuffed bear in new condition or $5 to contribute to Bear Hugs in exchange for a dress-down day.

The Visitation community collected 150 teddy bears and stuffed animals, along with over $1,000 to purchase even more stuffed animals. That’s a lot of bear hugs and smiles for the sick children at St. Louis Children’s Hospital and Cardinal Glennon Children’s Hospital!

T F urry Friend Louie, the adorable, two-year-old Australian Labradoodle owned by Ms. Lisa Studnicki, Viz’s Lower and Middle School Athletic Director, is always a welcome site on the Viz campus. His visit the week before Christmas break was no exception.

Louie made the rounds, bringing his own special brand of furry joy to students in the Montessori, Lower School, Middle School, and Upper School.

This is the third year that Louie has visited campus the week before Christmas break. Typically, Lisa brings Louie in to help relieve the stress of exams. First semester exams were canceled, but judging by all the smiles, students were thankful Louie’s visit was not.

Lisa has plans to train Louie to become a certified Touch Therapy dog. Therapy dogs and their owners visit hospitals, cancer treatment centers, nursing homes, schools, and other facilities to provide comfort and bring smiles to the residents/patients. Their job can be simple (like brightening the day of everyone they encounter) or specific (acting as an effective motivational tool during physical therapy sessions).

The benefits derived from therapy dogs are not just anecdotal as research has shown that visits with these well-trained dogs can lower blood pressure, reduce the amount of medication needed, and diminish overall physical pain. Louie is certain to become the “top dog” in this capacity.

U A Show of Appreciation The Mothers’ Club and Fathers’ Club are two vital Visitation Academy organizations that are always finding ways to provide for and support the collective Visitation community. Viz faculty and staff members were on the receiving end of their thoughtful generosity during the month of December as they were gifted unexpected treats from both parent groups.

The Fathers’ Club dropped off mini Bundt cakes from Nothing Bundt Cakes, which was a truly sweet surprise! The Mothers’ Club left their own special “calling card” in the form of Dierbergs gift cards. The show of appreciation was enjoyed by all. What a great way to kick off the season of giving!

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Year in Review: School News and Events Recap Not to Be Outdone, Here’s the Top 21 Stories of 2021

B Founders’ Day First While the celebration of our beloved founders St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal is an annual event at Visitation Academy, this year’s celebration was marked by an exciting first. On January 22, The Most Reverend Mitchell T. Rozanski, the new Archbishop of the Archdiocese of St. Louis, visited the Viz campus for the first time.

In addition to serving as celebrant of the Founders’ Day Mass, the Archbishop visited and took pictures with selected students and spent time with Sister Marie Therese Ruthmann ’50, Sister Mary Grace McCormack ’60, and Sister Veronica Haronik as well as Association of Christian Faithful members Mary Ann Schwartz ’83 and Ginny Starke ’76.

A basket with an assortment of items chosen to help convey the history and mission of Visitation Academy was gifted to the Archbishop. Based on the lovely thank you note he sent, the Archbishop enjoyed this meaningful gesture.

C Livestream Goes Mainstream COVID made even the most routine things at Viz, like attending Mass, a challenge, but not one that could not be handled. Livestream broadcasts became an essential way to create a sense of normalcy and bring the community together for Masses, school concerts and shows, sports, and more. As you might imagine, at a school like Viz, the number of these events is substantial.

Mr. Hartley put out a Viz-wide call for assistance early on in the school year, and students in the sixth grade answered.

Beginning in October, a team of four, sixth-grade students volunteered their time to help Mr. Hartley with the livestreaming of these important events. Mr. Hartley was always available to help if needed, but each of the girls took on and learned a specific role and ultimately handled several of the livestream broadcasts throughout the year on their own without help. Abby Hogan served as broadcast manager, overseeing and directing the entire operation; Heidi Thomasson was the main switchboard operator; and Delaney Aegerter and Maymuna Mohyuddin operated the cameras.

Since there was a left, center, and right camera, this job really required a third person. Thankfully, Adelaide Kramer joined the team late in the year to fill the last camera position. Essentially the girls were running their own mini television studio. A wireless communication system allowed them to talk to one another throughout each broadcast, ensuring a smooth run of show. In total, Mr. Hartley and his team livestreamed 34 events from October to the end of the school year.

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While no one could have predicted that livestreaming would become such a necessary tool, it is likely that this platform will continue to be used at Viz in the future. The technology and skills required provided a wonderful teaching opportunity that might not otherwise have been available.

D P rayerful Preparation In the Catholic tradition, a novena is a nine-day prayer offered to a special Saint or devotion for a special intention.

The school community was offered the opportunity to participate in a novena to St. Francis de Sales in honor of his feast day which was celebrated on January 22.

Students, faculty, and staff were asked to think of an intention that was significant or important enough to pray for during the novena. Each day of the nine-day novena, an announcement was made during advisory period, prompting participants to recall their special intention before praying a selected series of prayers.

St. Francis also inspired another opportunity during the season of Lent. COVID brought many challenges, including making it difficult for Viz students to do service in the community as they usually would.

In response, the Upper and Middle School Campus Ministry team put together a 40-day Lenten Service Challenge. Each morning, Campus Ministers (including Dr. Kristen Goldkamp pictured above) offered a daily challenge for students to focus on, which could be done in little ways at school or at home. The service challenges focused on the selected Lenten quote from St. Francis, “Love is the movement of the heart toward the good," and encouraged members of the school community to bring their hearts closer to God through love of others.

E C atholic Schools Week Celebration The Lower School embraced Catholic Schools Week with a variety of activities centered around the theme, “We Love Our _______.”

The week kicked off with “We Love Our School,” and students were invited to sport their favorite Viz spirt wear. To celebrate “We Love Our Sisters” day, students made cards for the Sisters and ACF members, and STUCO members Bridget McDonagh (Class of 2028) and Megan Cook (Class of 2028) interviewed Sister Marie Therese. Sister Marie Therese spoke about why she became a Visitation Sister and her 55-plus years of experience teaching theology and English. She also gave advice on Living Jesus. The fun continued with “We Love Our Students” and a wacky Wednesday dress-down day. To show how much “We Love Our Parents and Community,” students paid a dollar to dress out with proceeds benefitting Our Lady’s Inn. The week concluded with “We Love Our Teachers” and a special lunch to express appreciation for the amazing Viz faculty and staff.

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Laura Iffrig Feldmaier ’02

Natasha Das ’04

Kelsey Yelich ’13

Caroline Wright Turnipseed ’09

Cassandra Sanford

Alicia Fronckiewicz Elsner ’91

Meg McKee Brown ’95

F A Welcome Return Four distinguished Viz alumnae - Laura Iffrig Feldmaier ’02, Natasha Das ’04, Kelsey Yelich ’13, and Caroline Wright Turnipseed ’09 - pooled their collective expertise to form the first-ever Viz Young Alumnae Professional Panel.

With diverse backgrounds that include corporate recruiter for Barry-Wehmiller Design Group, attorney at Stinson LLP, HR coordinator at American Integrity Insurance, and marketing executive and owner of CWT Consulting Group, these accomplished women came together virtually on March 11 to share their individual perspectives and insights on interviewing and networking, using social media to one’s professional advantage, and clear workplace communication strategies. The panelists also fielded questions and provided career advice to participants.

A second panel to discuss “Lessons in Leadership” was held on May 13. For this session, participants talked with Cassandra Sanford, current parent, member of the Board of Trustees, and co-founder and CEO of KellyMitchell Group; Alicia Fronckiewicz Elsner ’91, current parent, Crescent Mom, member of the Board of Trustees, and President/General Manager of KSDK-5 On Your Side; and Meg McKee Brown ’95, Vice President of Human Resources at Cambridge Air Solutions.

More events like this are planned for the future. With more than 1,500 graduates since 2000 alone, you never know who the next set of Viz professional panelists might be.

G Student Standouts Congratulations to these amazing students for their outstanding accomplishments: Emma Behrman (Class of 2022), Avery Porter (Class of 2022), and Paige Trautman (Class of 2022) (pictured from top to bottom) received recognition from the Archdiocese of Saint Louis for their winning Annual Catholic Appeal Stewardship Essays. Paige won a first place award, Emma won a second place award, and Avery won a third place award.

Emma Behrman also took second place in the Robert J. Stuckey essay contest sponsored by The Friends of the University of Missouri Libraries for her essay entitled The Asian Main Character. This annual contest is open to Missouri high school students in Grades 9-12. Only one entry is accepted from each school, and entries must address one or more aspects of book reading.

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Carley Pohl (Class of 2023) and Katherine Williams (Class of 2023) (pictured from top to bottom) won second and third place, respectively, in the Sophomore Vocation Essay Contest sponsored by the Serra Club of St. Louis. Their “honest and heartfelt” essays about faith in the time of COVID were chosen from a pool of nearly 400 entries.

Caroline Gaughan (Class of 2021) was a 2021 Aspirations in Computing award recipient, earning a 2021 National Honorable Mention as well as being named a 2021 Affiliate Winner by the Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois affiliate.

Carol Bahr (Class of 2026) participated in The Write Stuff Contest held by the St. Louis County Library, a writing contest for students in grades 3-12. Her story, A Blank Canvas, won second place in the middle school category.

The St. Louis Poetry Center holds an annual poetry contest, the Beverly Hopkins Poetry Contest for High School Students, and three Viz students were finalists in this year’s competition: (pictured from top to bottom) Anna Padousis (Class of 2023) for her poems Gypsy and Dollgirl, Julia Joseph (Class of 2021) for her poems Days Again and The Child, and Ainsley Martin (Class of 2021) for her poem To My Future Husband.

Emma Robb (Class of 2023) was named to the Congress of Future Medical Leaders. Nominations for this honors-only program are based on academic achievement, leadership potential, and determination to serve humanity in the field of medicine.

Invited students must have a demonstrable GPA of 3.5 or above and want to become physicians or go into medical science.

H S econd Semester Service Student Council organized and sponsored a food drive from Wednesday, January 6 through Wednesday, January 13 to support the St. Louis Foodbank and its mission of “Fighting Hunger, Feeding Hope!” To maximize the impact of the drive, Viz partnered with Priory in a friendly competition.

The school that collected the most food in weight was awarded a trophy and bragging rights. There also were class competitions between the grades with a Middle School winner and an Upper School winner. Viz came out on top in the competition with Priory, collecting a total of 6,381 pounds of food. In the end, it was the St. Louis Foodbank that truly was the winner as 7,920 pounds of food were collectively donated as a result of the drive.

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Year in Review: School News and Events Recap Not to Be Outdone, Here’s the Top 21 Stories of 2021

•

In celebration of Catholic Schools Week, the Lower School and Respect Life Club sponsored a collection and Lower School STUCO hosted a dress out day for monetary donations, both to support Our Lady’s Inn. Approximately 4,500 items and $338 were collected for this very worthy cause.

To help brighten the day of residents in local area assisted living and nursing homes, Upper School students were invited to make handmade Valentine’s Day cards. Campus Ministry provided all of the craft supplies needed, and students who wished to participate in this optional activity used time during their advisory period to get creative and show their love for those who may be feeling lonely.

The third grade class started its own non-profit business called the Crescent Crew, adopting the motto, “Helping others like St. Jane.” The Crescent Crew chose Circle of Concern Food Pantry for its first spring service project, hosting a dress-down day for $1 per student on the St. Louis Cardinals opening day to raise money to help make birthday bags for kids in need. The Crescent Crew created an adorable promotional video to help get the word out, and when all was said and done, they collected a total of $635. Now that’s something to celebrate!

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I Getting it Done at Safari: Viz-a-thon 2021

Thanks to Safari: Viz-a-thon 2021 event chair Allie Zumwalt, Upper School vice chair Sarah Reed, Middle School vice chair Tracy Pursifull, and Lower School vice chair Heather Bartlett; our generous auction sponsors; and all of the Viz community members from near and far that tuned in to the first-ever virtual event, the night was a huge a success! With a record participation of over 580 registrants, including 164 alumnae, a whopping $467,000 was raised to support the school, including $162,000 for Fund-A-Need: Tuition Assistance.

There are countless people - students, parents, faculty and staff, alumnae, friends of Viz - that contributed their time and talent to make this livestream event the best it could possibly be. From the hilarious opening segment to the heartwarming stories from students, alumnae, and the Sisters, to the bidding wars over the adorable Viz puppy and the coveted VIP parking space to the live interactions with community members that were enjoying the broadcast from their homes, it definitely was a night to remember.

J T ouching Testimonial During the Safari: Viz-a-thon 2021 livestream on February 28, Cameran Jones ’16 gave a very honest and heartfelt speech about the importance of the tuition assistance program at Viz. In fact, it was so inspiring, it is worth repeating.

Good evening, Visitation community. My name is Cameran Jones, and I am an alumna from the Class of 2016. I am currently at Washington University School of Medicine as a clinical research coordinator in the Advanced Heart Failure Transplant program. I am preparing for medical school with the aspiration of becoming a pediatric cardiothoracic surgeon.

You are all here tonight because you love Viz – as a parent, a student, or an alumna like me. But what you may not know is that one of the most critical needs at Viz currently is tuition assistance. Today, one in five families benefit from some kind of tuition assistance.

This adds to the richness of our community, and most importantly, helps us fulfill our mission to educate children and young women and to receive and share Jesus as Mary did in her Visitation to Elizabeth.

I grew up with three sisters, and my parents always wanted to be able to send us to Catholic school. It was important to them that we had access to not only the best academic experience possible, but also that we grew in our spiritual lives. On top of that, I knew as a young girl that I wanted to be the first in my family to attend college. So, as a rising seventh grader in 2010, I added Viz to the top of my list of schools to pursue.

Unfortunately, the recession of 2008 hit our family particularly hard. My parents lost their business, and their dreams of sending my sisters and me to Catholic school were looking less and less viable. But there was something inside of me that urged me to continue to pursue Viz, so I called admissions offices for all the top Catholic schools in St. Louis myself. I vividly recall the conversation I had with Viz. Ashley Giljum, the Director of Admissions at that time, encouraged me to schedule a shadow day. I knew by the end of that day that I wanted to be a student at Viz. This was where I was supposed to be.

I waited anxiously for my decision letter and tried to keep my hopes in check because I still didn’t know how we could possibly afford to make this happen. Then that letter arrived in the mail. My heart burst with excitement when I saw that I was accepted. I started to compose myself and then read my financial support letter. I was astounded. Viz, knowing everything my family was

enduring, offered me what no other school could. They offered me a home.

I was born with congenital heart disease and grew up with various heart defects. My journey as a young patient inspired me to learn more about science, medicine, and STEM, and my journey as a student at Viz shaped those interests into what is now my career.

I benefitted from extraordinary educators like Mrs. Essig and Mrs. Wilson. They took my interest in STEM and cultivated it into one of my passions. My teachers were vital in helping me to succeed academically when I became ill and missed several months of school. Mrs. Dunn and Mrs. Rednam tutored me both in school and outside of school to make sure I could keep up. Mrs. McMullen always advocated for me. She remains a personal inspiration to this day to strive for greatness with a kind heart and strong voice. This experience I’m describing is uniquely Viz - where the heart of our charism is love, for God and for one another. I experienced this firsthand in all of my relationships at school.

I know I don’t need to tell you that this past year has impacted so many of us, both within and outside of our community. But what I know about Viz is that the next generation of problem-solvers are inside of this building.

The young women at Viz today will help shape the future of our world.

I want you to consider the exponential power of your gift tonight to Fund-A-Need: Tuition Assistance. Your contribution doesn’t just help individual students like me; it helps all of the people that student will touch in her lifetime. If you believe our world needs more leaders who think critically, act passionately, and who serve with a humble heart, then I hope you’ll join me in contributing to Fund-A-Need: Tuition Assistance tonight. When you make your donation, you are inspiring and advocating for students like me. I hope you’ll join me. With all of us, it IS possible.

If you would like to make a donation for tuition assistance, please visit www.visitationacademy.org/giving.

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Year in Review: School News and Events Recap Not to Be Outdone, Here’s the Top 21 Stories of 2021

K Off to a Great Start Ms. Grace Hartenbach, Middle and Upper School science teacher, was selected as one of Saint Louis University School of Education’s 2021 Outstanding Beginning Teacher nominees! Ms. Hartenbach joined the Viz Science Department in 2020, teaching physical science to students in Grade 8 and advanced chemistry to students in Grade 10. She is a member of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the American Association of Chemistry Teachers (AACT) and holds Missouri State certification in secondary biology and chemistry.

After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry with a Medicinal emphasis from the University of Missouri-Columbia, Grace became part of Billiken Teacher Corp (BTC) of St. Louis University where she earned a Master of Arts degree in Teaching. In addition to her teaching responsibilities at Viz, she also serves as a sophomore advisor and assistant swim coach. Congratulations to Ms. Hartenbach on this well-deserved honor!

L Coming On Board The Visitation Academy Board of Trustees welcomed five new members this year: Laura Keller Baylis, Father Charles Bouchard O.P., S.T.D., Natasha Das, Kristen Dierdorf, and Beth Pollnow. All of these individuals have a personal connection to Viz and each brings a different perspective to their role on the Viz Board.

Laura, Natasha, and Kristen are all Viz alumnae from the Classes of 1986, 2004, and 1989, respectively. Fr. Charles Bouchard O.P., S.T.D. is a longtime friend of the Sisters and Viz, and Beth is a current parent. These fantastic new Board additions round out the existing group of talented individuals working together to carry out a variety of strategic, financial, spiritual, and promotional responsibilities to further the continued growth and enhancement of Viz. We also would like to welcome Andy Trachsel, current parent, who joined the Board in July 2021.

As the Board of Trustees gained new members, Sandy Koller and Ed Puzzella exited the Board at the end of June 2021. Sandy served as Advancement Committee Chair and Ed headed up the Finance Committee. We are very grateful to Sandy and Ed for their dedicated service of five and seven years, respectively. Thank you to all Viz Board members, past and present, for your support and service!

M In the Classroom On page 29, you got a glimpse into some of the projects and educational activities Viz students engaged in during the first semester. The second semester brought equal opportunities for students of all ages to discover the joy of learning. ooking Up Some Fun - Students in Mrs. Lovell’s fourth and fifth grade foreign C language classes studied traditions surrounding Día de Reyes (Three Kings’ Day), in remembrance of the Three Wise Men visiting the Christ Child. In honor of Día de Reyes and to mark the transition from Spanish to French, students headed to the Lower School food science kitchen to make Mexican hot cocoa and French bread.

The students enjoyed learning about the recipe differences that distinguish these treats from those found in the United States.

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Hopping into Life Science - After studying body systems in life science class, sixth-grade students put their subject-matter knowledge into practice, getting hands on in their frog dissection lab. Since the presence and position of the organs found in a frog are similar enough to a person, this exercise provided insight into the internal workings of the human body. The hands-on approach of dissection allowed students to see, touch, and explore the various organs, strengthening the student’s comprehension of biological systems.

Works of Art - Across the Lower School, students were challenged to channel and express their inner artist. Third grade students took inspiration from the legendary Pablo Picasso when creating their masterpieces. The artist's Rose Period, the time when his painting used cheerful orange and pink colors, was the inspiration for the analogous color palette used for their own personal paintings. The impressionist style of French painter Berthe Morisot provided creative motivation for art projects painted

by Viz second graders, while Montessori students created sunflower drawings like Vincent Van Gogh.

All SySTEMs Go! - Young scientists in Mrs. Schaller’s seventh-grade science class were tasked with designing a surface vehicle to explore a planet of their choosing in our solar system. The girls had to determine three criteria for their space vehicle, such as whether or not it would carry human astronauts, robotic equipment to explore the planet, or heavy materials for constructing a space colony. They also had to list three constraints of their vehicle’s design. Each student drew prototypes and then built out their space exploration vehicle.

Going the Extra Mile - Grade 10 English students read the book Spirit Run, a memoir about a young Mexican-American man joining a peace and dignity run from Canada to South America in an effort to understand his migrant worker parents’ struggle and gain respect and appreciation for his culture. The book was selected to help the girls better understand the struggles immigrants face in America, as well as the beautiful opportunities that can be found. Drawing inspiration from the memoir, the English teachers offered their students an extra credit opportunity - running a 5k - and several girls jumped at the chance.

Reading is Fun - The book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? is popular with students in any language.

Just ask our Montessori kids who learned this tale in French. The story goes through a series of animals in a particular order. The more kids read or hear it, the more they remember all of the animals that were in the story! Because of this exercise, they will remember the names of the animals in French, and that is très bien!

Budding Biologists - Ninth-grade students worked on a genetic engineering unit in biology class.

The students went through the process of extracting DNA from fruit. They also performed DNA testing using electrophoresis to predict the genes of family members to determine if they carried the gene for muscular dystrophy.

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Year in Review: School News and Events Recap Not to Be Outdone, Here’s the Top 21 Stories of 2021

N Just Because…Part Two On April 15, it was the Middle School and Upper School’s turn for some fun … just because. The students found out via a surprise video that the Fuller House-themed Just Because Day was about to begin.

After viewing the video, students were released from classes for the remainder of the day to participate in several “Quarantined with Your Advisory” activities. These included playing Name that Tune, Kahoot, and Heads Up; creating no-sew fleece blankets to be donated to Friends of Wings; and decorating classroom doors like the front door of a house.

There also were snacks and optional coloring sheets provided, and STUCO members popped by classes to play a friendly game of rockpaper-scissors.

O An Eventfull Spring Though they might have looked a little different than in years past due to COVID safety restrictions, several events were able to take place on the Viz campus, making it a very eventful and joyful spring.

Drive Thru Donuts - On March 11, dads of our Lower School students received a sweet treat “to go” during morning drop off. Since Viz was unable to host an in-person Donuts with Dad event, individuallypackaged bags of donuts, which also included a sweet message, were delivered to each car so students and their dads could enjoy them together at home.

Viz Moms Love Viz Kids - Students in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools were feeling the love when Viz’s amazing Mothers’ Club passed out fruit snacks and cake pops during afternoon dismissal as part of the organization’s Viz Moms Love Viz Kids program.

After this event, it is safe to say Viz kids love Viz moms just as much!

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Ringing in the Class of 2022 - Though masks and limited attendance were requirements of the day, the annual Junior Ring Ceremony and Mass took place in Buder Gym on April 9. The Class of 2022 received their class rings and were celebrated as the rising leaders of the school.

Muffins with Mom - It was the moms’ turn for some yummy baked good on May 7. Just in time for Mothers’ Day, Lower School moms received individually-packaged muffins during morning drop off with the fitting note, “Muffin compares to you.”

Field Day - Sunshine and blue skies were the perfect backdrop for Field Day 2021. After gathering for the first, in-person First Friday Mass of the year on the Viz upper field, students from the Montessori to the Upper School split up to enjoy planned activities, games, and snacks compliments of the Fathers’ Club.

Eighth-Grade Celebration Mass - Just as the juniors were celebrated as they assume their new role as leaders of the school, so was the eighth grade class on their completion of Middle School and transition to Upper School.

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Year in Review: School News and Events Recap Not to Be Outdone, Here’s the Top 21 Stories of 2021

P And the Award Goes to…

A recurring tradition on Field Day each year is the presentation of three awards to students in the Middle and Upper Schools. The first two peer-nominated awards recognize students in Grades 5-12 who have walked in the footsteps of Visitation founders, St. Francis de Sales and St. Jane de Chantal The St. Francis de Sales Award recognizes students who have embodied the year’s Salesian virtue. In 2021, the following students most fully lived the virtue of hospitality:

The third award, the Principal’s Award, was given to the following students who were chosen by the principal and assistant principal in collaboration with the faculty.

They are young women who demonstrated a consistent dedication to the Visitation community…to the students, faculty, administration, and the Sisters.

Grade 5 - Milly White Grade 6 - Mena Zarek Grade 7 - Caitlyn Hoover Grade 8 - CJ Smith Grade 9 - Mary Kate Spellman Grade 10 - Katie Cyr Grade 11 - Emma Behrman Grade 12 - Laurel Spellman

Grade 6 - Abby Hogan Grade 7 - Mikayla Woods Grade 8 - Lauren Hurley Grade 9 - Grace Fagan Grade 10 - Rebecca Selness Grade 11 - Tillie Killeen Grade 12 - Christine Honigfort

The St. Jane de Chantal Award was presented to the following students who embraced St. Jane’s commitment to care for others: Grade 5 - Gwennie Porshinsky Grade 6 - Mia Ryan Grade 7 - Kit Wilkinson Grade 8 - Kate Lovett Grade 9 - Mary Stein Grade 10 - Naomi Hammell Grade 11 - Kelly Atkinson Grade 12 - Kirti Madhu

Congratulations to all of these amazing young ladies!

Q Who, Who, Who’s Ready for a Viz Mascot?

The owl has a storied history at Visitation, emerging in 1920 in the first student-led publication, The Crescent, accompanying the “Academic Record” section. While it is very likely the owl predates this publication, it is unknown to what extent. From the 1920s onward, the owl grew in use among Visitation students, finding its way into publications and on pins, class rings, class banners, and even on blazers. The use of the owl and its association with the crescent and with wisdom continued into the early 1970s, after which it suddenly disappeared. Viz decided it was time to bring the owl back in the form of a Viz mascot. (While Viz is adopting an owl mascot, students and athletes will still be called the Vivettes, as this name is very dear to the Viz community.)

In the spring, a friendly, artistic competition was announced inviting students in the Lower, Middle, and Upper Schools to share their vision of what the new owl mascot should look like as well as their ideas on what the new mascot should be named. Stay tuned for the unveiling this fall.

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R Senior Send Offs In addition to the traditional end-of-the-year events like Field Day, Baccalaureate Mass, Commencement, and Maypole, there were a few other fun festivities held to celebrate the Class of 2021 and send the seniors off in style.

Senior Spirit Week (Monday, April 19 - Friday, April 23) - A group of seniors, with the support of administration, planned and hosted the firstever senior spirit week. This provided a great opportunity for the girls to celebrate each other and included various fun activities during advisory, lunch, and after school. The week culminated in the first-ever Reunion Zero where seniors were treated to an outdoor lunch with Jimmy Johns, cupcakes from The Cup, and alumnae t-shirts.

Red and White Sports Banquet (Monday, April 26) - All seniors who played sports during their years at Viz were honored during the Red and White Senior Sports Night. It was a great evening highlighted by a great talk from guest speaker Molly Grisham. A big thank you to all our departing athletes!

Father-Daughter Dinner Dance (Saturday, May 15) - Seniors and their fathers enjoyed a fun night together at the Ritz-Carlton, complete with dinner and dancing. While we hope we will be able to include the entire Upper School in future events as we have done in the past, we are thrilled the seniors had this special opportunity to celebrate their years at Visitation Academy.

S Filling a Big Role It became apparent during strategic planning discussions this past year that in order to fully achieve the strategic objective of enhancing academic programs and best serve Viz students and faculty, a new position was needed - Academic Dean. The purpose of this position is to help coordinate academic programs across all three divisions and all academic departments, creating an even better educational experience for students. The Academic Dean will work primarily with teachers in curriculum and professional development, while also working to better integrate STEM, entrepreneurship, diversity, and global education programs into the Viz experience.

In February, an exhaustive search to find the right individual to fill this important role began. The field was narrowed to three very capable finalists. Each spent a day on the Viz campus to interview and tour, and Viz faculty and staff were invited to meet with each candidate via Zoom and provide their feedback. One candidate emerged as the front-runner, and happily Dr. Beth Human accepted the position of Viz Academic Dean.

Beth comes to Viz from Thomas Jefferson School here in St. Louis. She has a Ph.D. in English and brings strong knowledge and experience in curriculum development.

At Thomas Jefferson, she served as the Middle School Coordinator and played an instrumental role in creating their entire Middle School academic program from scratch.

Her job required her to work across divisions and disciplines to design Thomas Jefferson’s academic programs. Join us in welcoming Dr. Human to the Viz family.

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Year in Review: School News and Events Recap Not to Be Outdone, Here’s the Top 21 Stories of 2021

T With Thanks and Gratitude There are always many goodbyes that take place at the end of a school year, and the 2020-2021 school year is no different. Visitation Academy would like to acknowledge and thank the following faculty and staff for their dedication and service to the school and our community:

Rene Iannotti, Jessica King, Spanish Spanish (1 yr at Viz) (16 yrs at Viz)

Christine Marino, Alumnae Relations & Communications Coordinator (4 yrs at Viz)

Julie Crespi, Business Lydia Deterding, Office (2 yrs at Viz) Science (3 yrs at Viz)

Emelia Osborn, Latin (1 yr at Viz)

Greg Schweizer, Music (retiring after 21 yrs at Viz)

Nichole Gosselin, Science (1 yr at Viz)

Allison Stenger, Math (11 yrs at Viz)

We appreciate all that these individuals have done during their time at Viz and pray for their continued success and happiness!

U Final Thoughts As stated in the story above, after 21 years at Visitation Academy, Mr. Greg Schweizer is retiring. Here is a parting message from Greg: Reflecting on my 21 years here at Visitation Academy, I realize how blessed, honored, and fortunate I have been to have taught in such an incredible school with an absolutely stellar faculty. I can’t tell you how many times I have walked the halls of this wonderful institution, hearing the teaching and learning happening in the classrooms. Not only are the teachers experts in their fields, the questions and answers coming from the students are impressive and display curiosity, knowledge, and the desire to learn more. Bravo to our faculty!

Seventeen years ago when I was asked to be the Department Chair, a position I held for about 15 years, I saw such great potential with the many talents of our students and so many came to me with what they would like to see in the department. When the opportunities arose, it was my plan to have a Fine Arts faculty of professionals in their fields, professional theater producer/director, professional dancer/ choreographer, professional artists, etc. I am proud that the administration agreed with my plan and allowed me to hire those incredible professionals. Not only are they great educators, but they bring their own experiences and knowledge of their fields to the classroom. The results have been astounding, the performances stellar, the artwork incredible, and the enthusiasm of the students wonderfully contagious. I am SO proud of this

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department - what we have built and what will continue and grow and flourish in the years to come.

I want to thank then Principal Dr. Maxine Adlersflugel (“Dr. A.”) for convincing me to come to Viz. Thanks to Sister Ann Madeline, God bless her soul, for hiring me, and the rest of the Visitation Sisters for their support of the arts. To Sister Cynthia Vives, the Head of School, who had the faith and confidence in me to charge me with Department Chair to push the department further.

A huge thank you to ALL the students, both past and present, for their love and support of our department. It’s all of you who made this department flourish and grow.

Also, thank you to the parents for allowing us to teach your children and supporting us.

A final thank you to my wife Diane and my sons Matthew and Eric for the love and support they have given me for 21 years of long hours, rehearsals, meetings, and concerts. Their support and love are immeasurable.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

And so, the time has come to bid you all adieu. As Jack Buck used to say when he closed a Cardinal broadcast, “So long for just a while.”

A huge and heartfelt thank you to Greg for his years of service to the school, to the Fine Arts Department, and to the Viz community as a whole. We wish you well in your retirement. You will be missed.

V The Future Looks Bright As was noted in Board Chair Carrie Hermeling’s letter in the 2019-2020 Annual Report issue of The Visitor, steady progress has been made since the strategic planning process was launched back in October 2020.

A critical step in the process was gleaning six charter statements from the broader strategic themes identified during the early planning phases. From there, regular design team meetings around these six charters were held, fortified by conversation with other schools at the local, regional, and national level to identify best practices.

These meetings produced three core strategic objectives; objectives that will help us best align the power of our timeless values with a dynamic, evolving learning culture and build a plan that is a marriage of tradition and innovation: a blueprint for the Visitation Academy of the future.

1. P reserving and Growing Our Catholic and Salesian Charism using the six goals outlined in the document Educating the Mind and Heart in the Visitation Tradition as our north star to ensure our values are visible in all we do and to all in our community. This includes, in alignment with our Visitation Salesian Catholic values, crafting and adopting goals, standards, and policies that understand the value of diversity and respect the dignity of each person.

2. Student-Centered Learning by first defining a set of skills attuned to the challenges of a rapidly changing world, then empowering our faculty and students as co-designers of learning; learning that is increasingly focused on finding and solving real-world problems that intersect with personal interests and passions.

3. A Culture of Connected Growth guided by the belief that learning is profoundly strengthened by the personal connections across the broad expanse of our Visitation community and cultivated with varied opportunities for growth and evolution as a community of student and adult learners. We will develop or expand formal programs and informal opportunities—including mentoring programs—for students and teachers to interact with and learn from the diverse life experiences of other members of our community, particularly our alumnae.

We anticipate final approval of the strategic plan by the Viz Board of Trustees later this year. Thanks to the committed effort and input from the entire Viz community, the future of Visitation Academy looks very bright!

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Upper School Athletics Recap

Tennis Season Was a Smash!

There was no shortage of things to celebrate from the fall 2020 tennis season. Not only did the Varsity tennis team go to State for the second time in the past three years, but the girls also pulled off the very difficult “Triple Crown” - Singles State Champion, Doubles State Champion, and Team State Champion.

Senior Night celebration for Varsity tennis players (pictured from left to right) Tina Thoman, Shri Ananthamurugan, Annie Wilkinson, and Sophia McLellan.

Junior Varsity 1 tennis players (pictured from left to right) Elsie Ames, Kate Hanlon, Juliette Essma, and Kate Bartling had their Senior Night celebration a few days later during their match against St. Joseph’s Academy.

It was a Viz vs. Viz singles tournament final as Laura Finnie (Class of 2022) squared off against Flora Eidson (Class of 2024), but ultimately Laura came out on top, winning two sets to one. In doubles action, Sophia McLellan (Class of 2021) and sister Suzanna (Class of 2023) teamed up to defeat the duo from MICDS and took first in the doubles tournament. Collectively, the team posted a 5-0 victory over St. Pius X out of Kansas City to become Team State Champs.

What is truly impressive about the team’s run to State is that they did not lose a single game during the entire playoffs, winning 5-0 in the District Semifinal, District Championship, State Quarterfinal, State Semifinal, and State Championship.

Congratulations to Coach Ashley Hennis and the entire Varsity team on an impressive season: (in alpha order)

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Shri Ananthamurugan (Class of 2021)

Suzanna McLellan (Class of 2023)

Ingrid Azrak (Class of 2022)

Elise Newbold (Class of 2023)

Flora Eidson (Class of 2024)

Sejal Sekhar (Class of 2023)

Laura Finnie (Class of 2022)

Tina Thoman (Class of 2021)

Sophia McLellan (Class of 2021)

Annie Wilkinson (Class of 2021)

Four players were selected for the prestigious Post-Dispatch All-Metro team, which represents the best of the best from all the different classes in the state.

• First Team - Sophia McLellan and Laura Finnie (Sophia also was chosen as the Post-Dispatch 2021 Scholar-Athlete for Visitation Academy.)

JV 1 tennis team coached by Mary Pat Geldmeier: (in alpha order) lsie Ames (Class of 2021) E Kate Bartling (Class of 2021) Katherine Blazevic (Class of 2023) Claire Cunningham (Class of 2022) Caroline Elsner (Class of 2022) Isabella España (Class of 2024) Juliette Essma (Class of 2021) Kate Hanlon (Class of 2021) Lilly Hoehn (Class of 2024) Cate Holland (Class of 2022) Ella Kadyk (Class of 2024 Paola Khoukaz (Class of 2023) Faith Klakovich (Class of 2022) Margaret Malecek (Class of 2022) Anna Padousis (Class of 2023) Adri Povinelli (Class of 2024) Cat Povinelli (Class of 2024) Karlie Ryan (Class of 2022) Mattea Schwartz (Class of 2024) Rebecca Selness (Class of 2023) Mary Kate Spellman (Class of 2024) Nina Zumwalt (Class of 2022) JV 2 tennis team coached by Amy Mayfield: (in alpha order, no photo available)

• Second Team - Suzanna McLellan (Suzanna also was named as a Post-Dispatch Athlete of the Week in September.)

• Third Team - Flora Eidson

Metro Women’s Athletic Association (MWAA) AllConference Award Winners:

Sarah Bishara (Class of 2023) Clara Donovan (Class of 2023) Kaitlyn Emerson (Class of 2024) Ava Fix (Class of 2024) Anna Hippe (Class of 2023) Emma Janisch (Class of 2023) Josie Janisch (Class of 2024) Caroline Keller (Class of 2023) Ava Grace McGowan (Class of 2024)

First Team - Laura Finnie, Sophia McLellan, and Suzanna McLellan Second Team - Flora Eidson, Sejal Sekhar, and Annie Wilkinson

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Upper School Athletics Recap Performing Well Above Par

Here’s how the players fared on the fairways at State:

Tennis was not the only team that made it to State this past fall. The Varsity golf team clinched the Class 2 District title at Meremac Lakes Golf Course with a score of 355, earning a spot in State competition for the first time since 2008. Battling wind, cold, and rain, the team took home an impressive third place, which also was the first final four for the Vivettes since 2008.

• Lucy Trover (Class of 2022) medaled, placed 12th • Ava Sanford (Class of 2023) placed 21st • Grace Fagan (Class of 2024) placed 25th • Olya Forshaw (Class of 2021) had the best round of her career; placed 29th • Emma Kate Winter (Class of 2024) placed 46th

On the green with Olya Forshaw and Ainsley Martin (pictured from left to right) to celebrate Senior Night.

The golf team finished sixth out of 15 teams in the very demanding Angel Classic held on October 7 at the Lewis and Clark Golf Course at the Country Club of St. Albans. Lucy Trover placed 12th out of 75 golfers, posting an 82 for the day.

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Congratulations to the Varsity golf team and coaches Bob Cogan and Julie Jones on a great season. (in alpha order)

Shout out to Olya Forshaw for making it to State in her final year with the Viz golf program.

ate Adkins (Class of 2023) K Grace Fagan (Class of 2024) Olya Forshaw (Class of 2021) Naomi Hammell (Class of 2023) Kelsey Horsman (Class of 2024) Olivia Ketcherside (Class of 2022) Maggie Kiley (Class of 2024) Ellie Kingston (Class of 2022) Taylor Knibb (Class of 2022) Annie Lauber (Class of 2023) Ainsley Martin (Class of 2021) Isabel Messmer (Class of 2022) Maggie Middleman (Class of 2022) Emma Miller (Class of 2024) Maura Osthoff (Class of 2024) Charlize Ponder (Class of 2022) Avery Porter (Class of 2022) Ava Sanford (Class of 2023) Astrid Smith (Class of 2022) Kendall Stone (Class of 2023) Lucy Trover (Class of 2022) Emma Kate Winter (Class of 2024)

Metro Women’s Athletic Association (MWAA) All-Conference Award Winners: First Team - Ava Sanford and Lucy Trover Second Team - Olya Forshaw and Emma Kate Winter

The Field Report Seniors Maddie Wagner, Annie Keeney, Anna Cichelero and Sophie Sepko (pictured from left to right) had two reasons to celebrate on October 12. The team defeated opponent Parkway West, and it also happened to be Senior Night. The field hockey team had a good run, making it to the Sweet 16 in State competition.

Thank you to these four seniors for their hard work and dedication to the field hockey program during their years at Viz!

Congratulations to Tess Reed (Class of 2023) on her selection to the Post-Dispatch All-Metro Third Team.

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Upper School Athletics Recap

Metro Women’s Athletic Association (MWAA) All-Conference Award Winners: First Team - Maeve Fogarty (Class of 2022) and Tess Reed Second Team - Isabella Giessman (Class of 2022) and Maggie Reed (Class of 2023) Honorable Mention - Anna Cichelero, Annie Keeney, and Annie Restovich (Class of 2023)

Varsity field hockey team coached by Kristin Collins: (in alpha order) elly Atkinson (Class of 2022) K Emma Behrman (Class of 2022) Anna Cichelero (Class of 2021) Maeve Fogarty (Class of 2022) Georgia Frigo (Class of 2022) Isabella Giessman (Class of 2022) Annie Keeney (Class of 2021) Mae Phelan (Class of 2022) Maggie Reed (Class of 2023) Tess Reed (Class of 2023) Annie Restovich (Class of 2023) Kate Restovich (Class of 2023) Sophie Sepko (Class of 2021) Jenna Steinhubl (Class of 2023) Isabella Vlaytchev (Class of 2024) Maddie Wagner (Class of 2021)

JV field hockey team coached by Maddie Siener and assistant coach Emelia Osborn: (in alpha order) Cithandra Duncan (Class of 2024) Mallory Hanock (Class of 2024) Marin Hugge (Class of 2024) Abbie Jansky (Class of 2022) Willa Jansky (Class of 2024) Allie Kowalczyk (Class of 2024) Lulu LaMartina (Class of 2024) Clare Mank (Class of 2023) MaryClare Murray (Class of 2024) Lily Novak (Class of 2024) Sloane Roper (Class of 2023) Mary Stein (Class of 2024) Rachel Surber (Class of 2022) Mia Tiburzi (Class of 2024) Claire Williams (Class of 2023) Katherine Williams (Class of 2023)

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The Rundown on Cross Country The cross country team gave the competition a run for their money at Districts, finishing fourth overall. Mallory Boedefeld (Class of 2023) and Jessica Bader (Class of 2023) placed fourth and thirteenth, respectively, which qualified them to run in the State Championships held in Columbia, Missouri. Way to push it ladies!

Metro Women’s Athletic Association (MWAA) All-Conference Award Winners: First Team - Mallory Boedefeld, Jacie Tottleben (Class of 2023), and Jessica Bader (pictured from left to right)

Cross country team coached by Nick McKeever and Kurt Russell: (in alpha order) Jessica Bader (Class of 2023) Mallory Boedefeld (Class of 2023) Tillie Killeen (Class of 2022) Heidi Kraemer (Class of 2024) Anna Maschek (Class of 2023) MaryClare Murray (Class of 2024) Natalie Nunez (Class of 2022) Campbell Pim (Class of 2023) Avery Smith (Class of 2023) Jacie Tottleben (Class of 2023) Abby Van Vooren (Class of 2023)

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Upper School Athletics Recap Volleyball’s Greatest Hits The Varsity volleyball team won their third District title in a row in a thrilling, five game set against Westminster. The scores were 15-25, 25-19, 25-22, 21-25, and in the final game, Viz pulled out a hard-earned 15 to 10 victory. With this win, the team qualified to play in the State Sectional in Owensville, Missouri.

Unfortunately, the season ended there, with a loss to the Central (Park Hills) Rebels.

Metro Women’s Athletic Association (MWAA) All-Conference Award Winners: First Team - Lauren Hagan (Class of 2022) and Grace Weikel (Class of 2023) Second Team Gio Bonifacio (Class of 2023) and Mia Maddock (Class of 2023)

Varsity volleyball team coached by Shenee Boyle and assistant coaches Kristin Aduddell and Courtney Lanam: (in alpha order) Maggie Alexander (Class of 2023) Gio Bonifacio (Class of 2023) Courtney Byrne (Class of 2023) Regina Dennison (Class of 2023) Claire Fulton (Class of 2024) Lauren Hagan (Class of 2022) Mia Maddock (Class of 2023) Grace O’Grady (Class of 2022) Grace Pund (Class of 2023) Emily Stahlman (Class of 2023) Grace Weikel (Class of 2023) Maria Williams (Class of 2023)

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JV volleyball coached by Courtney Lanam: (in alpha order) Maggie Alexander (Class of 2023) Tori Brennan (Class of 2024) Lily Cofer (Class of 2024) Regina Dennison (Class of 2023) Brooke Menke (Class of 2024) Addie Normile (Class of 2024) Maya Parafiniuk (Class of 2024) Abby Roy (Class of 2024) Carlee Saur (Class of 2024) Maria Williams (Class of 2023)

Causing a Racket at State The Visitation Academy racquetball team had many successes throughout the season, including an impressive performance at the State finals.

Here’s how things played out:

Regina Dennison (Class of 2023) - Second place Varsity, Seed 5

Anna Maschek (Class of 2023) Second place JV 1, Seed 4

Congratulations to the State medalists, coaches Madeline Gauch, Jan Hanneke, and Katie McCosker, and the entire Viz racquetball program: (in alpha order)

Karlie Ryan (Class of 2022) Second place JV 1, Seed 1

Georgia Frigo (Class of 2022) and Marla Sprich (Class of 2022) (pictured from left to right) - Second place Varsity doubles. This pair also was named to the All-State Second Team.

Anna Maschek, Karlie Ryan, Astrid Smith (Class of 2022), and Kendall Stone - Third place team trophy, JV 1 (No photo available.)

Kendall Stone (Class of 2023) Second place JV 1, Seed 3

Ingrid Azrak (Class of 2022) Emma Behrman (Class of 2022) Katherine Blazevic (Class of 2023) Emily Conley (Class of 2022) Lily Conley (Class of 2022) Regina Dennison (Class of 2023) Georgia Frigo (Class of 2022) Paola Khoukaz (Class of 2023) Clare Mank (Class of 2023) Jessica Martin (Class of 2023) Anna Maschek (Class of 2023) Elise Newbold (Class of 2023) Charlize Ponder (Class of 2022) Sejal Sekhar (Class of 2023) Astrid Smith (Class of 2022) Marla Sprich (Class of 2022) Kendall Stone (Class of 2023)

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Upper School Athletics Recap “Dino-mite” Swim Season The “Dino Duo,” Audrey (Class of 2021) and Amelia (Class of 2023) Dino, fought through a challenging swim season to earn their spots at the Missouri Class 1 State swimming competition. Despite the fact that she was hampered by an injury, Audrey competed fearlessly in both the 200yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke events. Though she did not medal this year, during her four-year swim career at Viz, Audrey has competed in 13 State events, taking home four State medals.

Her sister Amelia competed in the 500-yard freestyle event, pushing her body to perform at a top level against a strong field of swimmers. We are excited to see what the next two years hold for Amelia.

Congratulations to coaches Sean Dooley, Grace Hartenbach, and Cady Villmer and the entire swim team of: (in alpha order) Jessica Bader (Class of 2023) Caroline Belt (Class of 2024) Robbie Bisch (Class of 2022) Amelia Dino (Class of 2023) Audrey Dino (Class of 2021) Kaitlyn Emerson (Class of 2024) Hope Hanlon (Class of 2023)

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Emelia Hernandez (Class of 2022) Jenna Laughlin (Class of 2021) Caylee Moore (Class of 2024) Claire Myers (Class of 2021 Lily Novak (Class of 2024) Mary Stein (Class of 2024) Paige Trautman (Class of 2022)

Hitting the High Points Congratulations to the Restovich sisters, Annie (Class of 2023) and Kate (Class of 2023) who made First Team All-District. The duo and their contributions to the Viz basketball program also were spotlighted in a February story on stltoday.com. Annie reigned in three-pointers made among female players in the St. Louis area with a total of 99. Nice shooting!

The basketball season tipped off with perennial traditions including the Visitation Academy Christmas tournament, Homecoming, and the Challenge Cup game against Ursuline Academy with Viz claiming the victory.

Though the Varsity basketball squad did not include any senior players this year, the team had an impressive showing on what would have been Senior Night, defeating MICDS by the score of 58 to 48. Equally impressive was the team’s 63 to 27 victory over rival Villa in District action, with every player on the team scoring points in the game. Shout out to Ava Fix (Class of 2024), Mallory Hanock (Class of 2024), Marcella Komorek (Class of 2024), and Mia Tiburzi (Class of 2024) who were called up for the play-offs and scored the first varsity points of their careers.

Varsity basketball team coached by Michelle Hanock, Paul Lanham, Emma Mitchell, and John Sheridan: (in alpha order) Maggie Alexander (Class of 2023) Haley Brinker (Class of 2023) Claire Fulton (Class of 2024) Avery Jacoby (Class of 2023) Ellie Kingston (Class of 2022) Emma Miller (Class of 2024) Natalie Nunez (Class of 2022) Adri Povinelli (Class of 2024) Cat Povinelli (Class of 2024) Annie Restovich (Class of 2023) Kate Restovich (Class of 2023) Lucie Schwartz (Class of 2023)

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Upper School Athletics Recap JV 1 basketball team coached by Michelle Hanock: (in alpha order) Ava Fix (Class of 2024) Mallory Hanock (Class of 2024) Josie Janisch (Class of 2024) Marcella Komorek (Class of 2024) Jane Ledbetter (Class of 2024) Addie Normile (Class of 2024) Maura Osthoff (Class of 2024) Gracie Rolwes (Class of 2023) Gabby Ross (Class of 2024) Mia Tiburzi (Class of 2024)

JV 2 basketball team coached by Bob Cogan: (in alpha order) Mallory Boedefeld (Class of 2023) Skylar Chao (Class of 2024) Regina Dennison (Class of 2023) Lilly Hoehn (Class of 2024) Heidi Kraemer (Class of 2024) Elise Newbold (Class of 2023) Claire Richart (Class of 2023) Mary Kate Spellman (Class of 2024) Niki Thoman (Class of 2023) Jacie Tottleben (Class of 2023) Isabella Vlaytchev (Class of 2024)

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Three Cheers for Our Senior Cheerleaders Katie Friemel, Zoe Shepherd, and Laurel Spellman (pictured from left to right) were celebrated on Senior Night which also included a big win for the Varsity basketball team against MICDS. These three senior cheerleaders demonstrated amazing leadership qualities while navigating a young squad through a challenging season. Thank you to these ladies for their four years of service and dedication to the Viz cheerleading program.

Cheers to the entire Viz cheerleading squad and coach Debbie Cox for always bringing the spirit to Viz sporting events: (in alpha order) Katherine Blazevic (Class of 2023) Mya Cineus (Class of 2022) Maddie Collins (Class of 2024) Mary Concagh (Class of 2024) Katie Friemel (Class of 2021) Kristina Hohlt (Class of 2022) Scarlett Kitta (Class of 2024) Zoe Shepherd (Class of 2021) Laurel Spellman (Class of 2021) Elise Strifler (Class of 2024) Amelia Ward (Class of 2024)

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Upper School Athletics Recap

A Great Kick Start The Varsity soccer teamed kicked off the spring 2021 season with a solid 5-1 victory over Webster Groves High School which proved to be the first of many high points, one of which was a three-in-one-week winning streak that was topped off with a 3-2 victory against Rockwood Summit. The team’s impressive season was punctuated by a second place finish in Districts.

Jersey Day - Players donned sports jerseys from their favorite local and national teams, representing soccer as well as basketball, hockey, and football, with Abby Jordan (Class of 2022) earning the best jersey honor.

A few other winning moments from the season included:

Senior Night - The before and after of Senior Night fun with paint. Thank you to Kaitlyn, Nicole, Olivia, Anna, and Katy for four years of hard work and dedication to the Viz soccer program!

Last First - Senior soccer players (pictured from left to right) Anna Snyders, Kaitlyn Berger, Nicole Hansen, Katy Thoman, and Olivia Helfrey as they prepare to take the field for their last, first game of the season.

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Varsity soccer team coached by Jeff Facchin and assistant coaches Annie Beekman, John Roy, and Jay Zaber: (in alpha order) Kaitlyn Berger (Class of 2021) Haley Brinker (Class of 2023) Izzy DeStefano (Class of 2022) Ava Fix (Class of 2024) Nicole Hansen (Class of 2021) Olivia Helfrey (Class of 2021) Anna Huber (Class of 2024) Abby Jordan (Class of 2022) Marcella Komorek (Class of 2024) Allie Kowalczyk (Class of 2024) Mason Lott (Class of 2022) Ruth McKee (Class of 2022)

Anne Paraino (Class of 2023) Adri Povinelli (Class of 2024) Cat Povinelli (Class of 2024) Tess Reed (Class of 2023) Annie Restovich (Class of 2023) Kate Restovich (Class of 2023) Claire Riley (Class of 2023) Lucie Schwartz (Class of 2023) Anna Snyders (Class of 2021) Josephine Strauss (Class of 2022) Katy Thoman (Class of 2021) Jacie Tottleben (Class of 2023)

All-Stars - Seniors Kaitlyn Berger and Katy Thoman (pictured from left to right) wrapped up their high school soccer careers representing Viz on the South team at the 2021 MAC High School All-Star Game. In the 37th anniversary game played on June 18 at World Wide Technology Soccer Park, the South team defeated the North team 5-0.

JV soccer team coached by John Roy: (in alpha order) Haley Brinker (Class of 2023) Skylar Chao (Class of 2024) Tess Degenhart (Class of 2024) Regina Dennison (Class of 2023) Cithandra Duncan (Class of 2024) Mallory Hanock (Class of 2024) Avery Jacoby (Class of 2023) Emma Janisch (Class of 2023) Josie Janisch (Class of 2024) Maggie Kiley (Class of 2024) MaryClare Murray (Class of 2024) Lily Novak (Class of 2024) Maura Osthoff (Class of 2024) Carley Pohl (Class of 2023) Hailey Robinson (Class of 2024) Hannah Robinson (Class of 2024) Gabby Ross (Class of 2024) Sadie Shepherd (Class of 2024) Maria Williams (Class of 2023)

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Upper School Athletics Recap On the Right Track

Three athletes on the Viz track team qualified for State Sectionals held at Montgomery County High School:

Following a long, 19-month break, the track team was excited to compete in its first meet on March 30 at Chaminade. Here’s a quick rundown of the season’s highlights:

• Abby Van Vooren (Class of 2023) - Long jump.

Abby missed punching her ticket to State by just four inches.

• Jessica Bader - 1600 meter. Jessica finished sixth at Sectionals.

• Mallory Boedefeld (Class of 2023) - 3200 meter.

Mallory finished seventh at Sectionals.

Jessica Bader (Class of 2023) finished fifth in both the 800 and 1600 meter running events at the MWAA Conference 2021 track meet held at St. John Vianney High School on April 17.

Track team coached by Kurt Russell and assistant coach Nick McKeever: (in alpha order)

Taylor Slade (Class of 2021) celebrated her final high school track meet with her teammates.

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Kelly Atkinson (Class of 2022) Jessica Bader (Class of 2023) Kylie Beauchamp (Class of 2023) Mallory Boedefeld (Class of 2023) Sophia Brame (Class of 2023) Brynn Gerty (Class of 2022) Hope Hanlon (Class of 2023) Madi Harness (Class of 2023) Tillie Killeen (Class of 2022) Mia Maddock (Class of 2023) Clare Mank (Class of 2023) Anna Maschek (Class of 2023) Suzanna McLellan (Class of 2023)

Elise Newbold (Class of 2023) Campbell Pim (Class of 2023) Claire Richart (Class of 2023) Carolina Rivero (Class of 2023) Emma Robb (Class of 2023) Ava Sanford (Class of 2023) Sejal Sekhar (Class of 2023) Taylor Slade (Class of 2021) Avery Smith (Class of 2023) Emily Stahlman (Class of 2023) Abby Van Vooren (Class of 2023) Claire Williams (Class of 2023) Katherine Williams (Class of 2023)

La-Crossing the Finish Line Last, but not least, is the recap of Varsity lacrosse. The team had plenty of memorable matches during the 2021 season including a 12-11 come-from-behind victory against Clayton High School, an impressive 20-6 triumph over Francis Howell North High School, an 18-9 take down of the team from Incarnate Word Academy, and two, 9-8 season-ending wins over Webster High School and Ladue High School. The team’s impressive run took them all the way to the final 20 in the State tournament.

Varsity lacrosse team coached by Maddie Siener and assistant coach Emelia Osborn: (in alpha order) Emma Behrman (Class of 2022) Katie Bolin (Class of 2022) Anna Cichelero (Class of 2021) Annie Dolan (Class of 2022) Vivian Dueker (Class of 2021) Caroline Elsner (Class of 2022) Emma Ford (Class of 2021) Georgia Frigo (Class of 2022) Annie Keeney (Class of 2021) Emily LaMartina (Class of 2022)

Thank you to seniors Annie Keeney, Sophia Rose, Vivian Dueker, Emma Ford, Evie Revel, Maddie Wagner, and Anna Cichelero (pictured from left to right) for giving your all to the Viz lacrosse program.

Senior Night victory lap at home following a win against Notre Dame High School.

Margaret Malecek (Class of 2022) Emma Miller (Class of 2024) Maggie Reed (Class of 2023) Evie Revel (Class of 2021) Gummy Rizer (Class of 2023) Sophia Rose (Class of 2021) Jenna Steinhubl (Class of 2023) Isabella Vlaytchev (Class of 2024) Maddie Wagner (Class of 2021)

JV lacrosse team coached by Emelia Osborn: (in alpha order) Cori Cima (Class of 2023) Mary Concagh (Class of 2024) Maggie Erker (Class of 2024) Isabella España (Class of 2024) Maeve Fogarty (Class of 2022) Macy Haley (Class of 2024) Zoe Haley (Class of 2022) Marin Hugge (Class of 2024)

Abbie Jansky (Class of 2022) Mary Kramer (Class of 2022) Ava Grace McGowan (Class of 2024) Isabel Messmer (Class of 2022) Sidney Moehle (Class of 2022) Elise Strifler (Class of 2024) Mia Tiburzi (Class of 2024) Sarah Ward (Class of 2024)

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Upper School Athletics Recap

College Signings We are excited to announce that five Visitation seniors have made commitments to continue their sports careers at the collegiate level. Congratulations to following athletes:

Cate Dressel – Rowing, Skidmore College

Kate Corrigan – Rowing, University of Central Florida

Sophia McLellan – Tennis, University of Missouri-Columbia

Audrey Dino – Swimming, Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Sophia Rose – Lacrosse, Rhodes College

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Lower School and Middle School Athletics Recap Let’s Get the Ball Rolling with Volleyball The start of the volleyball season was delayed by several weeks, resulting in a much shorter season than usual. Playoffs also were canceled due to tighter COVID-19 restrictions near the end of the season. Despite the abbreviated season and the safety requirements of the CDC and St. Louis County Health Department, including masks and social distancing for players, coaches, and spectators, the players were happy to hit the court and play volleyball with their teammates.

Lower School Volleyball at a Glance Fourth-Grade Team (4G) League Record: 17-12-1 Coached By: Head coach Mary Bower and assistant coach Susan Dill

Fifth-Grade Team (5GBC) League Record: 11-7 Coached By: Head coach Joe Cook and assistant coach Sarah Kuk Cook ’92

Middle School Volleyball at a Glance Sixth-Grade Team (6GC) League Record: 15-6 Coached By: Head coach Tracey Aegerter and assistant coaches Koby Kreinbring and Heather Kreinbring

Seventh-Grade Team (7GA) League Record: 10-17 Coached By: Head coach Todd Fulton and assistant coaches Julie Normile and Katy Schierding

Seventh-Grade Team (7GB) League Record: 9-15 Coached By: Head coach Tim McGowan and assistant coach Joseph Monroe

Eighth-Grade Team (8GA) League Record: 16-11 Coached By: Head coach Laura Parker Sprich ’94 and assistant coach Eric Staley

Eighth-Grade Team (8GB) League Record: 3-21 Coached By: Head coach Marie Riley and assistant coaches Elizabeth Ferrick, Sharon Howard, and Glen LeGros

Eighth-Grade Team (8GC) League Record: 9-15 Coached By: Head coach Steve Kadyk and assistant coach Julie Gau

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Lower School and Middle School Athletics Recap Kicking It to Soccer COVID-19 restrictions impacted the CYC soccer season similarly to volleyball, delaying the start by several weeks, reducing the number of games played, and canceling playoffs. Some of the teams’ seasons were cut even shorter because of weather and opposing teams having to cancel games due to lack of players as a result of contact tracing and/or quarantine.

Lower School Soccer at a Glance

Middle School Soccer at a Glance

Fourth-Grade Team (4GCD) League Record: 3-3-2 Coached By: Head coach Amy Lescher and assistant coaches Bruce and Heather Bartlett

Fifth-Grade Team (5GCD) League Record: 4-4-1 Coached By: Head coach David Mulford and assistant coaches Matt Carr, Felicia Johnson, Jerry McDonagh, and Tim McGowan

The Field Coverage Continues

Eighth-Grade Team (8GCD) League Record: 5-0 Coached By: Head coach Andy Trachsel and assistant coaches Ken Howard, Joshua Kramer, and Susan Coronado Nunez ’85

Middle School Field Hockey at a Glance

Due to COVID travel restrictions, four Middle School field hockey games were dropped from the regular schedule and one contest was rained out, leaving the team with a very brief season of only three games played. Even with the limited game action, the Vivettes played hard, improved their game, and enjoyed the season.

Seventh/Eighth-Grade Team League Record: 1-2 Coached By: Head coaches Taryn King and Emelia Osborn and assistant coach Kate Hennekes Clark ’04

From the Field Back to the Court COVID had the same impact on the winter basketball season in that the start date was delayed by a few weeks. On a positive note, playoffs were allowed for basketball and three Visitation teams - one seventh-grade team and two eighthgrade teams - qualified for the CYC South Central District Playoff Tournament. Coach Remmers’ 7GA squad was defeated by the team from Mary Queen of Peace who eventually went on to be crowned the Archdiocesan Seventh-Grade Girls Champion. Coach Nunez’s 8GAB team made it to the championship game against Holy Redeemer, with Holy Redeemer emerging as the CYC Archdiocesan Eighth-Grade Girls Champion for 2021.

Lower School Basketball at a Glance

Third-Grade Team (3GGreen) League Record: 1-4-1 Coached By: Head coach Charnsin Tulyasathien and assistant coach Katy Schierding

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Fourth-Grade Team (4GRed) League Record: 4-1-1 Coached By: Head coach Colleen Clark and assistant coaches Mary Bower and Amy Lescher

Fifth-Grade Team (5GC) League Record: 0-6 Coached By: Head coach Jerry McDonagh and assistant coaches Matt Carr and Felicity Johnson

Middle School Basketball at a Glance

Sixth-Grade Team (6GC) League Record: 2-5 Coached By: Head coach Susan Coronado Nunez ’85 and assistant coaches Ben and Debbie Goltschman Fletcher ’93 and Kim Freter

Seventh-Grade Team (7GAB) League Record: 4-2 Coached By: Head coach Jim Remmers and assistant coach Katy Schierding

Seventh-Grade Team (7GC) League Record: 0-7 Coached By: Head coach Matt Glisson and assistant coaches Greg Johnson, Kelly Miller, and Joseph Monroe

Eighth-Grade Team (8GAB) League Record: 6-1 Coached By: Head coach Susan Coronado Nunez ’85 and assistant coaches Ben Houseworth, Erica Peterson, and Jim Remmers

Eighth-Grade Team (8GAB) League Record: 0-6 Coached By: Head coach Sarah Mangelsdorf and assistant coaches Jim Ferrick and Kim Hugo

Eighth-Grade Team (8GD) League Record: 0-6 Coached By: Head coach Joe Keely and assistant coach Kelly Mackin

Middle School

Springing Ahead to Tennis Students from Kindergarten to Grade 8, a total of 43 from the Lower School and 30 from the Middle School, hit the courts at Viz on Mondays from April 12 - May 17 to enjoy learning and practicing the fundamentals of the game.

Kindergarten

Grade 5

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Lower School and Middle School Athletics Recap Driving On to Golf Season Nine students in Grades 2-4 and 14 students in Grades 5-8 participated in the spring CYC golf program. Younger aspiring golfers were in a training league that included four golf lessons at Steven J. Bander Driving Range.

The older girls took part in a junior league with three lessons at Bander Park Golf Center and six rounds of match play at various local golf courses. Individual and team playoffs were offered for players who qualified.

Grades 2-4

Grades 5-8

The Viz Middle School golf team made a very strong showing in the CYC postseason. Here’s the exciting replay: Annie Rothery placed third with a score of 38, Caroline Miller placed fifth with a personal best of 44, and Mia Rooney placed seventh with a steady round of 46.

On Saturday, June 12, Kiera Gustafson participated in the CYC South Central Individual Golf District Tournament for seventh-grade girls held at Ballwin Golf Course. Kiera played a fantastic round of golf and placed first with a score of 46! This finish was eight strokes better than her previous round in league play at the Ballwin course back on May 1.

The fifth/sixth-grade golf team not only qualified but went on to win the CYC Team Championship Golf Tournament held on June 19 at Pheasant Run Golf Course in O’Fallon, Missouri. Olivia McLaughlin, Caroline Miller, Mia Rooney, Annie Rothery, and Ella Stewart played a stellar round of golf, defeating Immaculate Conception of Dardenne by three strokes. Gwennie Porshinsky and Celia Pursifull, who helped the team qualify for the Championship, were unavailable to play in the tournament. Congratulations to all!

Four sixth-grade golfers also participated in the CYC South Central Individual Golf District Tournament at the Family Golf Center. Olivia McLaughlin finished in first place with a score of 36,

Kiera, Olivia, and Annie’s wins in the CYC South Central Individual Golf District Tournaments qualified them to compete in the CYC Archdiocesan Individual Championship Tournament on June 26 at Eagle Springs. Kiera played the front nine and finished in fourth place with a solid round of 52. Olivia and Annie tied for second place.

Both finished their round with a score of 41, just one stroke behind the first place finisher from Mary Queen of Peace. Kiera continued to hit the links all summer, adding to her accomplishments. She took home the first place trophy at the PGA Junior Championship at Spencer T. Olin in late July. We are so proud of all these young ladies!

Last Stop … Middle School Lacrosse The Middle School lacrosse team kicked off their season with a 12-2 win against Holy Infant. Nora Hugo (Class of 2025) had a great game in goal and Katie Crump (Class of 2025) and Molly Fesler (Class of 2026) led the team in goals. The team of 18, eight seventh graders and ten eighth graders, ended the season with a record of 4-4.

Coached By: Head coach Chris Goudy and assistant coaches Kim Hugo and J. Moore

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Alumnae News Class Act - The Class of 1970 celebrated their 50th reunion year with an incredible show of generosity. One member of the class anonymously offered to match each monetary gift, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000, in an effort to reach $50,000 to mark the 50th anniversary of their graduation. This challenge was met with a tremendous response. Over $56,000 was raised by the Class of 1970, and this unprecedented gift was donated to Visitation Academy.

We are filled with gratitude for the Class of 1970’s generosity and inspired by this wonderful group of Vivettes who have stayed connected, near and far, for over 50 years. Class of 1970, your holy friendships that originated at Viz are a testament to the love you have for each other and for your alma mater. You are a gift to each other and a remarkable example to the community.

Thank you!

Reunion Rewind - Thank you to everyone who participated in the online events to celebrate the first-ever virtual Alumnae Reunion weekend in October 2020. It was so great to link up with Vivettes near and far. We are grateful for the patience and enthusiasm displayed as we connected with our alumnae in a new way, in spite of the challenges of technology! Congratulations to all of the alumnae who celebrated a milestone reunion year, especially the Classes of 1970 and 1995!

The weekend began with Viz Virtual Trivia on Friday night, led by none other than Sister Marie Therese and Sister Mary Grace as the MCs! Congratulations to the big winners from that evening: Emily Charnowski ’08, Jenni Germanese ’70, Bo Mehan ’70, Angela Parato ’83, and Susannah Stultz ’08! Later on Friday, the 50-year milestone Class of 1970 gathered for a virtual cocktail hour on Zoom that started with a welcome from Head of School, David Colón. It was great to catch up with the Class of 1970 and toast to 50 years as Visitation alumnae!

On Saturday, the Class of 1995 celebrated their 25-year milestone together with a Zoom cocktail hour and a quick hello from David Colón as well! This was a great way for the ’95 Vivettes to warm up for the Facebook Live “Couch Concert” featuring our Minnesota Vis friend, Mr. Ross Bell, as the musical entertainment for the evening.

Sunday morning, Viz alumnae were invited to come together in prayer virtually for a livestreamed Reunion Mass with Father Charles Bouchard. Special helpers from the Middle School assisted with the livestream. Darcy McKeown, Mary Beth Schwartz, and Emily Wienert of the Class of 1995 as well as Jenni Germanese, Clare Marino, and Meme Wolff of the Class of 1970 all donned their masks to help celebrate Mass in a socially-distant setting.

Alumnae Association President Kate Hennekes Clark ’04 read a lovely reflection on the Salesian virtue for the 2020-2021 school year, hospitality. The St. Jane de Chantal Distinguished Alumna Award also was presented to Cathy Mooney ’70, who was nominated by several classmates.

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Alumnae News CLASS NOTES/PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

1960s Helen Blake Kula ’65 “When my mother, Elizabeth McDonald Blake (Class of 1927), boarded at Viz from Kindergarten through high school, she slept on a bed like this. When Cabanne was going to close, my mother bought me a bed which I slept on in St. Louis until I married.

It followed me to Kentucky and my daughter (Megan Kula Tribbie) slept on it in Kentucky and Columbia, Missouri. It followed her to Columbus, Ohio where her daughter, (Caroline Tribbie Peoples) slept on it. Her daughter, Diana Peoples, spent her first night on it recently at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. No telling where the bed will travel next.”

executors. I continue my long philanthropic involvement with Heifer International and am nearing my short term goal of raising $500K for them. Read about our Guatemalan Spice Project at https://fundraise.heifer. org/mariannemuellerleile. Being with my husband Tom Norris 24/7 has been a delicious gift too. More time to laugh, to love, and to play gin rummy.”

Peggy Perkinson ’68 is Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology.

1970s Bo Vatterott Mehan ’70 loves being a grandmother to nine grandchildren, seven in St. Louis, and still works as an estate planning attorney but is planning on retirement. She works with some family charitable foundations as well as St. Louis University and ACCESS Academies Boards. Bo says she loves her Class of 1970 book club which has reread some books originally taught

by Sister Frances Marie and Sister Marie Therese.

Celine Vatterott Woznica ’71 and her husband walked the 500 miles of the Camino de Santiago in Spain shortly before the pandemic. (Celine sends a special thank you to Sister Virginia for giving her such a strong foundation in Spanish.)

Marianne Muellerleile ’67 “Despite the difficulties and challenges of living during a pandemic, I have found many silver linings to enjoy. The most significant has been the time to take a deep journey inward. This past year has been the most spiritually gratifying of my life.

This being my 50th year as a professional actor, I have been blessed with commercial (Sling TV, Kabbage, GEICO) and voice over (Jameson Whiskey) work, shot from my home as well as in studio doing a sitcom (The Kominsky Method). I also did Zoom play readings with the New Phoenix Theatre (Oedipus Rex, Tartuffe). This unusual time has allowed me to tackle long-desired projects from scanning and organizing my career work to finally building a "death" file to ease the burden of our

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Susie Matteuzzi Brent ’74 is changing the pandemic into a “pandeepening,” Zooming with others around the world and enjoying centering prayer meditation meetings, Lectio Divina meetings, and Ikebana meetings. Susie says she is using the time to deepen a greater conscious contact with the good Lord, herself, and others.

1990s

2010s

Amy Breier Kwentus ’91 is currently a practicing occupational therapist and a physical education instructor.

Madeleine Smith ’10 received a Masters of Accounting degree from Washington University in Saint Louis and is currently a CPA working in the St. Louis office of KPMG doing sales and use tax consulting.

Amanda Yates ’92 is working for 3M in St. Paul and enjoying life with Chris, Graeme (11), and Hartney (8).

She recently completed a year-long volunteer project to refresh the brand strategy and identity for her parish church and school - Saint Ambrose. She also spends time volunteering for the marketing and advancement committees at the Wilder Foundation in St. Paul.

Virginia Leightner ’14 graduated with her Master’s in Library and Information Science.

Elizabeth Bialczak Becker ’96 has been with Mercy for almost 20 years and currently serves as the Director of Information Analysis for Mercy Hospitals in the St. Louis area.

Emily McKenna ’99 is the proud parent of Giuseppe (8) and Anna (4) and lives and works in central Vermont as the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer at a not-for-profit home care and hospice provider. Her husband, John, is an English teacher at the local public high school. They have both been lucky during the pandemic year to be gainfully employed and to have a happy and healthy family.

2000s Christine Eccleston Albo ’02 currently works as a Special Agent with Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and is assigned to Naval Base Guam. She is a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) and a certified child interviewer.

Christine usually works federal felony violations related to sex crimes, specifically rape, sexual assault, child abuse, etc. but also works white collar contract fraud cases. She is a member of Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE) and the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association (FLEOA).

Josie Patane Metzler ’03 is an estate planning attorney at Husch Blackwell while raising two-year-old twin boys, Robbie and Rory.

In Memoriam Mary Elizabeth Morris Courtney ’62 Joan Schutte Klutho ’51 Mary “Bobbie” Strauss Nangle ’56 Jacqueline McMahon Schaub ’49 Sally McKeown Schreiber ’52 Rita Rae Meinecke Seiler ’50, sister of Mary Ann Meinecke Lane ’50 Beth Mooney Stenger ’74, daughter of Joan Sullivan Mooney ’49†

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Alumnae News creatures were living in the pond there. She took girls a few miles from school when highway 270 was being widened and rocks that fell were left. They found fossils in the rocks and studied how an old riverbed had become a stone wall. She DID NOT love one creature— any snake. In the ecology park, she spied a snake ahead near the path. Suddenly the girls took a hard right and never knew the reason.

Her curiosity and knowledge about all things scientific interested her for several years, and she enjoyed participating in National Science Foundation weeks.

When she came home, we all heard about rocks, water, and the early ages of creation from a person who was so excited—one of her favorite words—about any additional knowledge.

Sister Isabel Clark, VHM April 5, 1929 - July 30, 2021 On Friday, July 30, 2021, at the age of 92, Sister Isabel Clark, VHM, passed into eternal glory. Sister Isabel was a beloved member of the St. Louis Visitation community for sixty-eight years. In addition to graduating from Visitation in 1946 (she attended Visitation from Kindergarten), she taught science to students in the fourth and seventh grade. In the fall of 2014 as the Sisters decided on their future homes, Sister Isabel moved to the Visitation Monastery in Tyringham, MA, a cloistered Visitation community, where she lived joyfully until her death.

Sister Mary Grace was in the novitiate with Sister Isabel.

Both Sister Mary Grace and Sister Marie Therese have fond memories of Sister Isabel and wanted to share some of those memories with the community.

I (Sister Mary Grace) entered the community in 1960; Sister Isabel (Barbara) had come in 1957. At that time, a Sister in her last year before final vows would be living among the large community. The novitiate was a small, separate group, and Sister Isabel was the oldest in the novitiate. She was competent and could do almost anything quickly. I had only dusting lessons from my mother. We “new” ones were a real trial to her workingwoman, independent-living self. If asked her height, she would reply, “Five fourteen,” and would laugh with us when we finally caught on.

She attended Marillac College and received her BA degree from Fontbonne after we moved to Ballas.

Her teaching certificate qualified her to teach lower and middle grades, and her passion was science. Her former students tell stories from fifty years ago: having the fourth grade come at night with blankets to lie in the back field and learn the stars in the constellations; helping arrange the path in our “back forty” as an ecology park; and using microscopes to discover what

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She supervised the care of the building and grounds (was procuratrix) for quite a few years, and when the construction began on our ’83 building addition, she was the overseer. She knew about every screw, vent, and underlying ground feature, but more difficult, how the air conditioning should have been running and the boiler producing hot water. She prayed with the workmen every morning! In addition, she was a good cook, especially when we would have a Saturday morning breakfast cookout with only sticks to cook bacon and bread and oranges to eat; she would use the empty orange halves to cook eggs. She enjoyed knitting, gardening, canoeing, bird watching, and star gazing.

Sister Isabel was a very early participant and leader in the Visitation Salesian Ministry, helping all our schools pass on the Sisters’ knowledge and spirit of our Saints to our lay faculty and to our students. She would be ready at any moment to instruct a group about how exciting Salesian spirituality is. She was one of four Sisters who also began our Associate Community here in St. Louis in 2002, and she stayed with that until she left for Tyringham. She made sure signs reading “Let us place ourselves in the presence of God” were in every classroom. She was the prayer partner of the basketball team and prayed with the girls at every game. She personally decorated a banner with the name of each girl on the team every year they went to basketball State competition or made Districts. The gym is lined with decades of them.

Please pray for the repose and eternal happiness of Sister Isabel Clark, VHM and for the comfort of our Sisters here in St. Louis and the Visitation community in Tyringham who are mourning her loss deeply.

Sister Mary Virginia Schmidt, VHM December 8, 1929 - June 12, 2021 On Saturday, June 12, 2021, at the age of 91, Sister Mary Virginia Schmidt, VHM, member of the Visitation Monastery of Minneapolis, peacefully entered eternal glory. The Minneapolis Sisters shared the following: “Sister Suzanne was with Sister Mary Virginia in Intensive Care. She took a breath and peacefully was gone. She was born on the Feast of the Immaculate Conception and died on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart.”

Mary Virginia Schmidt was born and raised in Mexico as the only daughter in a family of five brothers. When she was 14, she was sent to be educated by the Visitation Sisters at the Academy of the Visitation in St. Louis. Her mother and aunts also attended school at the Academy, and Sister Claude Agnes, her aunt, was there watching over her. She graduated in 1948 and went on to receive a bachelor’s degree at Manhattanville College in New York. After resisting for years, Mary Virginia decided to give in to her heart’s calling her senior year in college. She entered the Visitation Monastery in St. Louis because in her words, “The Sisters I had in high school were the ones I knew and loved best. They had a lovely, gentle, and unpressured spirit that drew me once I finally made up my mind to try the religious life.”

Mary Virginia was professed as a Sister in the St. Louis community on June 7, 1954. At the Academy, she taught fourth grade, then Spanish and theology in the Upper School. She also served as the Campus Minister. In the monastery, she was particularly attentive to the liturgy. In these years, she continued her studies at St. Louis University and St. Xavier College, earning two master’s degrees. She was part of the first group of individuals who began the Charismatic Renewal in St. Louis and helped the group, which met at Visitation weekly, for many years. In her classes on social justice, there was study and then there was activity.

She took two groups of students to Haiti in the mid-1980s, and when local leaders in areas throughout St. Louis called for volunteers, she would assist when she could and encouraged students and faculty to do the same.

She was one of the founders of the Minneapolis Monastery of the Visitation in 1989, whose ministry was and still is to live with and pray with the poor. Her knowledge of Spanish, the liturgy, and her wonderful warmth and smile were shared for nearly 32 years with the people who came to know the Minneapolis Sisters.

The Visitation Academy

Class of 2021

Front Row (Left to Right): Anna Snyders

Row 2 (Left to Right): Ana Alea

Row 3 (Left to Right): Shivashri Ananthamurugan

Row 4 (Left to Right): Elizabeth Craig

Laurel Spellman

Abigail Goodson

Hannah Wiemann

Ellie Hillenbrand

Katherine Thoman

Catherine Bartling

Amber Shuman

Bridget Stebelman

Katherine Friemel

Christina Thoman

Sophia McLellan

Riley Ehlermann

Taylor Slade

Claire Myers

Kaitlyn Berger

Annabel Riet

Julia Joseph

Nicole Hansen

Lily Bodnar

Genevieve Laughlin

Anne Wilkinson

Madeline Blazevic

Christine Honigfort

Annelise Keeney

Olga Forshaw

Olivia Helfrey

Emma Ford

Zoe Shepherd

Victoria Brown

Laila Jones

Martha Seaton

Allison Heim

Isabella Apted

Vivian Dueker

Madeleine Wagner

Audrey Dino

Audrey Estep

Sophie Sepko

Evelyn Revel

Claudia Olivos

Ainsley Martin

Karen Schmiedeler

Caitlin Williams

Concetta Squitieri

Elsie Ames

Katherine Hanlon

Sophia Rose

Caroline Gaughan

Anna Cichelero

Madison Slade

Megan Everson

Eshanika Manchanda

Eleanor Schwartz

Catherine Dressel

Leslie Viveros

Amari Norman

Isabella Leonard

Juliette Essma

Mary Grace Cantalin

Mary Kathryn Corrigan

Kirti Madhu

We ask that you keep Sister Mary Virginia Schmidt and all the Visitation Sisters that she lived with through the years in your prayers.

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3020 North Ballas Road St. Louis, MO 63131

About the Publication The Visitor is the official publication of Visitation Academy.

The magazine is published by Viz’s Advancement Office and is sent to alumnae, parents, and friends of the school.

Visitation Academy is an independent, Catholic school that encourages students to develop their unique gifts in an environment that values excellence in scholarship, spirituality, leadership, and service. Viz proudly offers a coeducational early childhood program and all-girl environment in Grades 1-12.

The Lower School educates Toddler through Kindergartenaged boys and girls in the Montessori method while also providing the area’s only all-girl program in Grades 1-5.

A welcoming environment, small class sizes, and the integration of technology throughout the curriculum provide a strong educational foundation.

The Middle School builds a bridge from childhood to young adulthood. The Middle School curriculum is centered on the developmental readiness, needs, and interests of girls in Grades 6-8.

The Upper School offers a rigorous, four-year college preparatory curriculum for young women in Grades 9-12. A vibrant fine arts program, numerous service opportunities, and more than 32 clubs and organizations complement the Academy’s commitment to academic excellence.

Viz girls are poised, intelligent, self-assured young women, positioned for success in our classrooms, in college, and in life. For more information regarding admission to Visitation Academy, please contact Sharon Conley Spellman ’89, Director of Admissions, at 314-625-9102.

3020 N. Ballas Road St. Louis, MO 63131 314-625-9100 visitationacademy.org Copyright© 2021 Visitation Academy All rights reserved.

Inside

This Issue

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From the Head of School

From the Chair of the Board of Trustees

Commencement 2021

School News and Events Recap

Athletics Recap

Alumnae News

Tribute to Sister Isabel Clark, VHM

Formal Commencement photos of the 2021 graduates courtesy of Wagner Portrait Group.

David Manuel Colón Head of School Jenny Lucas Chief Advancement Officer Colleen Porter Editor and Communications Specialist

Ad Astra (To the Stars)

Congratulations,

Class of 2021!

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SCHOOL INSTAGRAM: @VizAcademy @VizMiddleSchool @VizLowerSchool

ALUMNAE LINKEDIN GROUP: Visitation Academy Alumnae