201 connelly logo
2018 Academic Decathlon
Connelly at a Glance February 19-23, 2018
In This Issue
Presidents Day Holiday - NO CLASSES
Stuffed Animal & Toy Drive
Academic Decathlon
Connelly Hydro Power Rangers
Connelly Coders
Mobile App - Starbucks Giveaway
ASB & Class Officer Petitions
National Honor Society Applications
Progress Reports
Save the Date
Youth Art Month
Thank You Volunteers
Student Highlight - Brenda Ceja
Girls Who Code Summer Program
Transportation Shuttle Info
College Corner
OC Catholic Featured Athletes
Parent & Student Sections on Website
Practically Painless Fundraisers
Social Media Links
Presidents Day Holiday - NO CLASSES
presidents day image
In observance of Presidents Day, there will be no classes on Monday, February 19. Enjoy the long weekend!
Stuffed Animal & Toy Drive for Mission Trip
Taryn Diep
Taryn Diep '19 is collecting small toys and stuffed animals for a mission trip to Vietnam.
Dear Connelly families, if you have small stuffed animals (7-8" tall) and small toys to donate to Vietnamese children in need for a mission trip that Taryn Diep '19 will be going on in just a few short weeks, please bring them in! Taryn will be serving with Project Vietnam Foundation, which is a non-profit humanitarian organization that is working to create sustainable pediatric healthcare in Vietnam while providing free healthcare and aid to impoverished rural regions across the country. Taryn's family will be providing a pizza party for the class with the highest donations! The deadline for this toy drive is Friday, February 23, but please do not wait until the last minute to bring them in. Donation boxes are located in front of the school office.

To read more about Taryn's trip and PVNF, please click here.

Academic Decathlon
V Wareham award
Veronica Wareham '18 receives OC Decathlon award
Congratulations to Connelly's Academic Decathletes! Our students competed in Division 2 against several high schools throughout Orange County. Like its ancient Greek counterpart, Academic Decathlon is a ten-event contest where A, B, and C-level high school students work as teams to compete in the areas of language and literature, science, mathematics, social science, economics, art, music, essay, interview, and speech. Each team aspires to compete at the state or national level.
The purpose of Academic Decathlon is to develop and provide academic programming, curriculum, and assessment to promote learning and academic excellence. Students of all achievement levels participate in a variety of rigorous and challenging academic events while building teamwork and a competitive spirit.
In addition to other awards, Team Captain, Veronica Wareham,  also won the Janet Hooper Challenge Award, who was nominated by her coach. This award is given to only one decathlete in the county, and comes with a $1,000 scholarship!
Click here for complete story, including names of team members and awards received.   

OC Dept of Education. "Academic Decathlon 101." Orange County Department of Education, 15 Feb. 2018, www.ocde.us/Decathlon/Pages/Academic-Decathlon-101.aspx.
Hydro Power Rangers
Leeyen fixing car
Leeyen Peralta '19 wrenches on the Hydro Power Rangers' car.
We applaud our Hydro Power Rangers for participating and completing the Hydrogen Horizon Automotive Challenge at CSU Dominguez Hills this past Saturday, February 10. The students took part in a 4-hour endurance race against 20 southern California schools and were recognized for their tenacity and perseverance. They faced many mechanical challenges, but never gave up, working feverishly - determined to drive their crippled car on the track for the final minutes. Although they did not place in the top ten, they were committed to finishing the race, and finishing with a cheerful attitude, which brings to mind the Bible verse found in Hebrews 12: 1-3 "...and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith." Hydro Power Rangers, we praise you for running the race with perseverance.
Connelly Coders
Connelly Coders - Brigid
Brigid Reilly '20 expertly drives the Coders' robot through the course.
The Connelly Coders competed in the Inland Empire VEX Robotics Tournament at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside on February 10, 2018. Brigid Reilly '20 and Ellie Vidovic '21, expertly drove their robot to a 5th place finish out of 32 teams! Senior, and team captain, Maggie Laton '18, programmed the robot. This competition wrapped up an amazing season of robotics competitions for the Connelly Coders!

Connelly Coders:
Monica Hernandez
Maggie Laton
Izzy Lorthioir
Gabriela Mercado
Noelle Mourani
Brigid Reilly
Lola Searcy
Sophie Strong
Ellie Vidovic
Download Mobile App for Chance to Win Starbucks Gift Card!
Starbucks giveaway flyer
If you haven't downloaded our mobile app, what are you waiting for?! T he app allows you to easily:
  • Stay informed on the latest news and updates
  • Contact the school office, teachers or staff
  • Access the school's calendar, newsletter, block schedule 
  • Submit electronic forms and much more... 
There's still time to download the app and enter the giveaway for a $25 Starbucks gift card. Just click on the "Giveaway" button to enter! If you have already downloaded the app, you can enter too! Last day to enter the giveaway is Monday, Feb. 19. Winners will be drawn at assembly on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

To download the app, search for Cornelia Connelly School in the Google or Apple App Stores. Also, be sure to enable Push Notifications in order to receive pertinent reminders and updates from the school. 
ASB & Class Officer Petitions
Connelly ASB
ASB and Class Officer petitions for students in grades 9-11 will be available  Tuesday, February 20, outside the Activities Office. Please see Ms. Ernest for more information.
  • ASB officer applications are due to Ms. Ernest Friday, March 2, by 3 p.m.
  • Class officer petitions are due to Ms. Ernest Tuesday, April 10, by 3 p.m.
National Honor Society Applications
 NHS logo
Students in grades 10-12 who have been at Connelly for at least one semester and have a cumulative GPA of 3.7 or above are invited to submit an application for the National Honor Society. The applications, along with the list of eligible students, are available on Edmodo ( Students, please print applications from Edmodo). Completed applications must be submitted to Ms. Eser by 3:30 p.m. on Friday, February 23. Please note that at the time of submission of the application, all service hours must be up to date. See Mrs. Townsend in the Campus Ministry Office if you have any questions about your service hours. Please refer to pages 32-33 of the Student-Parent Handbook for details on the selection process for National Honor Society.
Progress Reports Date Change
progress report
Attention parents: Please note that the date for progress reports availability has changed to Tuesday, February 27.
Save the Date: Galaxy of Stars
2018 Galaxy save-the-date
Saturday, March 17, 2018
6 p.m.
Los Coyotes Country Club, Buena Park

The proceeds from this event benefit the wonderful young ladies that call Connelly home. At Connelly, we have a culture of participation that can be seen and felt on campus. This culture of participation requires that each family donate at least $200 to this event. You can purchase two dinner tickets ($200) or buy or sell $200 in ads or raffle tickets. You don't want to miss this event! For more information, please visit the
Galaxy page on our website.

For more information, please go to the
Galaxy page on our website.
Youth Art Month
YAM
Each year the Orange County Department of Education, in conjunction with the California Art Educators Association, sponsors a competitive art contest for all schools in Orange County titled Youth Art Month (YAM).  Hundreds of pieces of artwork are submitted. Ten of our Connelly artists will have their artwork exhibited through March 1 at the OC Dept. of Education in Costa Mesa. Congratulations to our ten finalists for this year's YAM contest: Class of 2018: Amy Borbridge, Lauren Conser, Aimee Jimenez, Elise Marshburn, and Shangning Yi; Class of 2019: Channing Lee; Class of 2020: Jessica Ortiz, Theresa Perry, Brigid Reilly, and Paige Showalter. The awards ceremony for YAM will be held on March 1 at the OC Department of Education. Congratulations to all of our amazing artists!
Thank You Volunteers!
Thank you volunteers
Father-Daughter Dance
Stacy Gonzales, co-chair
Espie Van Beek, co-chair
Bernadette Baclig
Christina Hernandez
Vivien Savellano

Student Highlight - Brenda Ceja
Brenda Ceja
Brenda Ceja '18
Please join us in celebrating and congratulating one of our Connelly Seniors, Brenda Ceja, on her Early Decision Acceptance to Harvard! Check out the most recent edition of the Connelly Chronicle for more insight on where Connelly Girls are looking to go to college (and to see what else is happening on campus!). Interested in more Connelly Chronicle updates? Click here to view archived editions of our campus newspaper. 
"Connelly has always pushed me to seek as many opportunities as I can. Our community supports each student to be our best selves." -Brenda Ceja, Connelly Class of 2018 
Girls Who Code - FREE 7-Week Summer Program
Girls who code logo
Girls Who Code is offering a FREE 7-week summer program that teaches 10th-11th grade girls (rising juniors or seniors) the computer science skills they need to make an impact in their community and be competitive in the job market of the future.
In the Summer Immersion Program, students will learn about:
  • Careers - They'll meet female engineers and role models and get an inside look at technical roles in the world's top companies, like Amazon, AT&T, and Twitter.
  • Skills and Impact - They'll learn to code through real-world projects in art and storytelling, robotics, video games, websites, apps, and more. Plus, they'll create a final project that solves a real-world problem they care about!
  • Sisterhood - They'll learn in a supportive, all-female environment and make lifelong friendships with a diverse community of thousands of girls.
No experience required!
Free to apply and free to attend!
Stipends to cover transportation and living expenses available to those who qualify!
Programs will be hosted in various cities across the U.S.

Encourage girls you know to apply at  www.girlswhocode.com/sipapply. The early acceptance deadline is  February 16, 2018 at 11:59 PM PST. All applications are due March 16, 2018 at 11:59 PM PST.   
Connelly Transportation Shuttle News
Connelly transportation shuttle
Our Student Shuttle Program is an affordable service that provides a safe, convenient way for your daughter to attend Connelly. In addition to the round trip and one-way option, we also have a "drop-in" option possibility. For more details, including pricing, please click on the links below.
Wanted Shuttle Driver
We are currently looking for a driver for Monday through Friday for the Huntington Beach/Anaheim route. If you know someone who would be interested, please contact the school at 714-776-1717 or Pauline St. Amant at 714-403-2435 for more information. 
Servite Students Welcome to Use Shuttle Service 
There is space on the Irvine/Tustin/Anaheim Shuttle for any Servite student in need of transportation as well as any Connelly student. There is a one-way option to ride.  Please let others know about the shuttle service! 
College Corner - Scholarship Information
scholarships
Family Connection/Naviance has new scholarship postings throughout the year. Check the program on a regular basis for new listings. Here are a few of the scholarships below:

Junior League of Orange County, California, Inc. Educational Scholarship Program
Award Amount: Up to $4000
Deadline: February 28, 2018
Junior League of Orange County California, Inc. (JLOCC) is a women's volunteer organization committed to improving the lives of the under-served in the Orange County community through the effective action and leadership of its trained members. This year, up to $4,000 will be awarded to deserving students who are striving to pursue a college degree. Eligible applicants must:
  • Be a graduating high school senior or a post-secondary student
  • Have a grade point average of 3.0 or above
  • Be a citizen or permanent resident of the United States
  • Click on the scholarship name for more info. 
Award Amount: 1st place: $500, 2nd place: $250, 3rd place: $250
Deadline: March 1, 2018
The California Department of Education is pleased to support the 2018 Directing Change Program and Student Film Contest sponsored by the California Mental Health Services Authority. This Film Contest invites students to create a 60-second film in one of two categories: "Suicide Prevention" or "Mental Health Matters." First, second & third place winners will be selected in each category from 5 regions within CA. The first-place winning film from each region, in each category, will move on to a second, statewide round of judging. A new judging panel will review and score the films and determine the first, second, and third place statewide winners. The winners will be announced at the award ceremony at the end of the school year. In addition, the Directing Change team will select up to 3 films in each category to move onto the statewide round of judging.

AFSA Scholarship Program
Award Amount: $5000
Deadline: March 15, 2018
The AFSA Scholarship Program offers over $260,000 in college aid to 90 children of AFSA members whose parents are/were Foreign Service employees. They provide need-based, financial aid scholarships to undergraduates and academic merit awards, art merit awards, and a community service award to graduating high school seniors. This robust AFSA member benefit has disbursed more than $4 million to 2,200 students in the last 25 years. 

The Daniel S. Coelho Memorial Scholarship
Award Amount: $2500
Deadline: March 15, 2018
The Daniel S. Coelho Memorial Scholarship fund, a permanently endowed fund with the Daniel S. and Jenny L. Coelho family foundation, was created by the Coelho family as a permanent legacy to their husband and father, Daniel. To be considered for a scholarship, you must submit:
  • application
  • personal essay
  • two letters of recommendation
  • official transcript of grades
All materials must be postmarked or emailed by March 15, 2018. Earlier applications are appreciated. All material should be emailed to or mailed to the following:
Daniel S Coelho memorial scholarship fund
300 South Harbor Blvd. Suite 1014
Anaheim, CA 92805 

Award Amount: up to $1000
Deadline: March 15, 2018
Each spring, the Italian Catholic Federation receives nearly 400 applications for its yearly scholarship awards. Applications are received from students in public as well as Catholic high schools in California, Arizona, Nevada, and Illinois. To apply, students must achieve a total cumulative GPA (3½ years) of at least 3.2 and meet one of the following:
  • Are Roman Catholic and of Italian descent and live within the Roman Catholic dioceses of Arizona, California, Illinois and Nevada, only where branches of the federation are established; or,
  • Are Roman Catholic but need not be of Italian descent or live where branches of the federation are established if either Roman Catholic parent, guardian or grandparent is a member of the "Italian Catholic Federation."
First year scholarships in the amount of $400 will be awarded to approximately 200 applicants. First year scholarship winners are eligible for second, third, and fourth year awards of $500, $600, and $1,000 respectively.

Award Amount: Ranging from $1000- $20, 000
Deadline: Varies between Mar 31, 2018 - May 14, 2018
The Asian Pacific Fund administers 9 scholarship programs to help undergraduate and graduate students achieve their education goals. To apply for a scholarship administered by the Asian Pacific Fund, please review the complete eligibility criteria for each scholarship program (below), and download the application for the program(s) for which you are eligible.
Scholarships:

OC Catholic Features Connelly Athletes
We are pleased that the OC Catholic has featured many of our stellar Connelly athletes in their printed publication and online. So far this school year, they've featured the athletes listed below. Please click on the links below to read more about them.

Connelly Crest
Parent & Student Password-Protected Sections on Website
In an effort to make specific documents and information readily available to our parents and students throughout the school year, we will be using the Parent and Student tabs located at the top of our website. Please note the passwords below. 
Information currently listed in this section includes:
  • 2017-18 9th Grade Orientation & Retreat
  • 2017-2018 Student-Parent Handbook
  • 2017-2018 Parent Handbook
  • 2017-2018 Curriculum Guide
  • Service Hours Form
  • 2017-2018 Holy Child Exchange Program Application
Password: KoalaParent1718

STUDENTS Tab
Password: ConnellyGirl1718
Practically Painless Fundraisers
lets get funraising
There are a variety of practically painless fundraisers to benefit Connelly that you can participate in without even realizing it. Simple weekly shopping trips to Ralphs and/or Target can raise money for Connelly. You can also register various grocery and store cards with eScrip.com to earn a 1-4% return for Connelly. For those who like to shop online, GoodSearch.com and GoodShop.com donate a percentage of their advertising revenue to charities its users designate - so designate Connelly and we will reap the rewards! Please click on the document link below to read how easy it is to fundraise for Connelly.

Ralphs Community Contribution Program - Raise funds for Connelly each time you shop at Ralphs. The school earns 1-4% of your purchase.
PARTICIPANT REGISTRATION FOR THE NEW TERM BEGAN  SEPTEMBER 1, 2017.
Participants will be required to register or re-register for the new term at www.ralphs.com starting September 1, 2017. Step-by-step website registration instructions can be found at www.ralphs.com, click on Community, click on Ralphs Community Contribution Program, click on 'Enroll Now'. If you don't have computer access, please call 1-800-443-4438 for assistance.
connelly social media Come Socialize With Us!
Have you seen us on the social media scene? Connelly is making the social rounds! Our hardworking ASB have been busy with status updates, posting photos from events, tweeting and even making some really cool videos! Come check us out. We'll even give you the links: