SENIOR EDITION
ReeseEscobar’27,MadelynKolb’28
EditorinCheif SectionLeader
Senior Olivia Ward 26 has been named this year’s Valedictorian
She has career goals of receiving a Ph D in Mathematics after undergrad and would like to work as a mathematician and college professor
She advises her younger self to always try new things and always self-advocate Throughout her high school career, Ward balanced academics with extracurricular activities through time management
“I definitely improved during high school, and I am still working on it today; however I try to create daily to-do lists, complete assignments sooner rather than later and use my calendar to keep track of everything going on,”
Ward says Senior Madelyn DiBonaventura
26 has been named the class of 2026 Salutatorian Being a “Villa Lifer” between her years at both Lower and Upper Villa DiBonaventura has demonstrated excellence in the classroom,
leading her to achieving this honor I always strived to try my best in all that I did Whether it was a big or small assignment, I really always tried to put my best foot forward,”DiBonaventura said Earning these titles does not come without its fair share of challenges
The hardest part for me was the occasional day or week where it became very overwhelming to balance academic and extracurricular obligations, but I always got through those moments by relying on my friends and family and breaking my tasks into smaller steps,” Ward said
Self-motivation is another aspect which determines the excellence of a student I’ve always had an internal self-motivation to strive to always do my best I believe that this intrinsic motivation has helped me to aim for success throughout my time at Villa DiBonaventura says “I believe that even though grades are important, it's not worth it to stress over every little mistake and bad grade
Student Council farewells
You should work hard and try your best but know that grades don’t define your worth and that balance is very important
You are so much more than a grade!” DiBonaventura says Ward will be attending the University of Rochester in the fall, majoring in Mathematics and Philosophy She received the Meliora scholarship and a research and innovation grant DiBonaventura will be attending William & Mary in the fall majoring in psychology She hopes to pursue a career in forensic psychology driven by the goal of helping other people Ward and DiBonaventura have both expressed heartfelt gratitude to the family members friends teachers, and mentors who supported them throughout their academic journeys They recognize that their achievements were made possible through hard work and through the encouragement of those who stood beside them every step of the way
goodbye to Executive Editor-in-Chief Maggie McHale ‘26 and Editors-in-Chief Monica Young ‘26, and Siena Fontana ‘26, whose leadership and dedication have shaped the newspaper and its community Each found meaning through the stories they told Maggie’s “Finding Your Purpose with Father Royce marked a turning point in discovering her voice Monica’s article on Sister Marie Claire honored someone deeply important to Villa Siena’s piece on Visionary of the Year winners highlighted the achievements of her peers Their favorite memories Stall Day prom and Kairos show the strong sense of community they experienced and helped create They also each gained skills in leadership communication, and confidence that will carry into their futures All three take pride not only in their own growth but in the growth of the paper and its staff
a lasting legacy on The Villa Voice, one that will continue to shape the newspaper for years to come All three take pride not only in their own growth but in the growth of the paper and its staff Whether expanding coverage, building confidence, or helping produce each issue their impact is clear They also faced challenges, from learning to delegate to solving team issues and mastering layout, but each obstacle strengthened their leadership As they move on they hope to leave behind a passion for storytelling, a commitment to quality and a platform that continues to share meaningful voices Maggie Monica and Siena leave a lasting legacy on The Villa Voice, one that will continue to shape the newspaper for years to come s
Whether expanding coverage, building confidence or helping produce each issue, their impact is clear They also faced challenges, from learning to delegate to solving team issues and mastering layout but each obstacle strengthened their leadership As they move on they hope to leave behind a passion for storytelling a commitment to quality, and a platform that continues to share meaningful voices Maggie, Monica, and Siena leave
A new chapter begins, congratulations to the class of 2026
