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The OLMA Overview -- May 12, 2017
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This week was another busy one -- and flew by! It started out with two days of service in Camden, NJ. Two groups of juniors spent Monday and Tuesday helping the hungry and homeless, planting flowers and brightening the days of many school children. I got to see them in action on Tuesday and was very proud of them. They clearly enjoyed themselves -- proving that service is both rewarding and fun.
While we're on the topic of service, Interact packed up its final batch of lunches for distribution to area residents who turn to Vineland soup kitchens for meals. From September through May, students, faculty, alumnae, and family volunteers provided 640 full lunches for people in need. One of Interact's final projects of the year happens today. The club is sponsoring a "Purple Day" in support of Polio Plus -- a Rotary International project aimed at eradicating this awful disease from the face of the Earth.
On Wednesday night, we honored our senior Lacrosse players -- Brianna Bataglia, Ashley Mannion and honorary senior and exchange student, Marina Dolz. We are incredibly proud of them and all of our student athletes. I hope you will join us in honoring them at our Athletics Banquet on June 6.
Finally, Just before we dismissed for Prom last Thursday afternoon, we had a special assembly to announce this year's Valedictorian, Elizabeth Emberger and Salutatorian, Elizabeth Lam. You will see more about them below, but they are both amazing students and terrific young women. While we were together, we also recognized a group of "Unsung Heroes" -- students who stay mostly behind the scenes doing wonderful things for their classmates and friends. They were nominated by their peers and exemplify sisterhood in every way.
Next week: Senior exams. The countdown is on. Have a wonderful weekend. -- Mrs. Coyle
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Student Spotlight
Meet Jenna Troyano, Class of 2019
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A very bubbly Jenna Troyano remembers planning for high school very clearly. "I had my choice of high schools, but when I visited OLMA, I could really see myself here," she said. Of course, my mom is an OLMA alumna, so I knew where she wanted me to go. She didn't push me, though. OLMA was my choice and it was the right one.
As a rising junior, she's almost ready to begin the process all over again -- this time for college. "I can't believe I have to start that search next year," said Jenna. "It seemed so far away, but this year flew by so quickly.
Freshman year felt longer because I was making a new transition, but sophomore year was a blur."
Blurry or not, Jenna has accomplished quite a bit in the first half of her high school career, which started with trying lacrosse, a sport she knew nothing about. "I tried it and played for the season, but decided that it wasn't a good fit," said Jenna. "I'm glad that I did it, though. Trying new things is easy to do at OLMA." Volleyball, on the other hand, was a love-at-first-serve experience. "I love the sport and always look forward to practice," she said. "I'd play every day if I could."
Jenna hasn't made any final decisions yet on what she'll study in college, but is pretty sure that it will involve medicine in some way. "My grandmother was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis when she was 29 years old," said Jenna. "She has inspired me to pursue a career in medicine as a way of helping people, just as her care givers have done for her. She has also taught me a lot about perseverance. MS or not, my grandmother is always on the go. It's hard, but she never gives up."
While medicine may very well be in Jenna's future, she might also want to consider a career in business. She was a member of the team of OLMA students who stole the show at the Stevens Institute's Trading Day held a few weeks ago. "When Mrs. Szawlewicz asked us if we were interested in doing the competition, I volunteered right away," she said. "Since we were brand new to the stock market, we didn't expect to do very well, but we did our best to prepare and figured that it would be fun and a good experience."
That it was. "When we walked into the trading area, all we saw were boys," said Jenna. "We knew we'd be outnumbered, but we were some of the only girls in the room. That was a little nerve wracking, but we showed them." Jenna and her teammates were in the lead all day until the very end when one of their stocks took a dip, resulting in a second place finish out of 22 teams. "We were thrilled and left that day feeling good about what we accomplished," said Jenna. "It was so exciting and we learned a lot. We also left that day with a lot more confidence.
Jenna plans to build upon that confidence this summer as she attends a National Youth Scholars Medical Conference in Boston, MA. "I can't wait to go," she said. "I plan to learn a lot and meet new friends." Jenna will also earn herself two college credits -- not a bad way to begin her junior year.
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OLMA Names Top Two Scholars
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Congratulations to the Valedictorian, Elizabeth "Berger" Emberger, and Salutatorian, Elizabeth "Lammy" Lam, of the Class of 2017!
Berger will attend University of Maryland Baltimore County in the fall. She will, no doubt, take it by storm. In her four years at OLMA, Berger has earned all As or better with a GPA of 4.93. She plans to study mechanical engineering and would love to work at Disney one day as an Imagineer. During her OLMA career, Berger participated in crew, soccer, French Club, NHS, and Student Council. She is currently the Vice President of her class and the winner of the "Congressional Award" from the US Congress. Among other things, the award required more than 400 hours of community service. She has a license in Scuba and plans to earn her pilot's license by the end of the summer.
This year's Salutatorian is equally impressive. Lammy has earned nothing but As or better in her final grades all four years at OLMA, earning her a GPA of 4.84. She has committed to the University of Southern California -- a school with an acceptance rate of only 18%. She plans to study Biology with the goal of attending medical school. Lammy has participated in crew, track and field, NHS, French Club, Chorus, Student Council, and is currently Treasurer of her class.
Congratulations and thanks for making us proud!
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Summer Camp is Calling Your Name
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Summer is a great time to meet new friends, try a new sport and/or hone your skills for next season. This summer, OLMA is holding five different sports camps -- Soccer, Softball, Volleyball, Swim and Lacrosse. No experience is necessary and all camps are open to young women in middle and high school (see age range on individual registration forms). You can register online by clicking here. You can also call or stop by the office for a registration form. Join the OLMA Sisterhood this summer!
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Join Us In Honoring Your Daughters!
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OLMA athletes and coaches train and play hard on the field, court, pool, and track all year long -- giving their all for our school. We are both proud of and grateful for their efforts and will be honoring them on Tuesday, June 6 at the 2017 OLMA Athletic Banquet.
The event will take place in Carew Hall beginning at 6 PM and will feature dinner and awards. There is no cost for honored athletes to attend. Tickets for friends and family fans are available for $25 each.
We hope you will join us for this special evening in support of OLMA Athletics. Please RSVP and purchase your tickets via the button below by Thursday, May 18, 2017. See you there!
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Students Honor Unsung Heroes
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Heroes come in all shapes and sizes -- and many go about their heroics quietly and behind the scenes. A few months ago, Mrs. Coyle asked our students to share the names of the Unsung Heroes at OLMA that they know and love. Twelve students kept coming up over and over again. They were recognized last week amidst all of their sisters. The ceremony was both joyous and emotional.
This year's 12 Unsung Heroes included: Elizabeth Myers, Kimberly Kinkade, Catherine Thomas, Denise DiMapalis, Brianna Badger, Elena Anglani, Ally McCormick, Suk Minhas, Marina Dolz, Olivia Marrone, Elizabeth Lam, and Saleena McShea. Congratulations!
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Lacrosse Honors Senior Players
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The OLMA Lacrosse team honored its leaders on Wednesday night as they celebrated the accomplishments of its senior players. Congratulations to Ashley Mannion (below in center), Brianna Battaglia (below on right) and honorary senior and exchange student, Marina Dolz (below on left)!
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Juniors Head Back to Camden
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While half of the junior class provided service in Camden last fall, 16 others performed their Day of Service this week. They are living proof that service is both rewarding and fun. They had a blast and now have fans for life. Here are some photo highlights from their time in Camden.
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May 19 -- Last Day to Get Your Gear!
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Now available for order is a whole catalog full of OLMA spirit wear. Moving forward, we will hold 3-4 sales per year. Our current sale wraps up on May 19. Items will come and go according to season and popularity! Students can get a printed copy of the catalog by visiting Mrs. Kinkade. You can access it online and begin ordering now by clicking here. Please contact Mrs. Kinkade with any questions. Thank you!
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OLMA seniors and faculty enjoyed College Shirt Day on Wednesday. Take a look and prepare to be impressed. Their futures are so bright -- and colleges so lucky. To date, the young women pictured below have racked up an impressive $2.5 million in academic and merit scholarships, with more to come.
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Can't Wait to See You on June 3!
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Email invitations to OLMA's Alumnae "Happy Hours" Social are out! If we have your email address on file, it will be in your inbox. A link to the invitation is also posted on Facebook, Twitter and in the Alumnae section of the OLMA website.
Please take a look and RSVP by May 26. We are going to have a great time celebrating the "old days" and finding out about what's new. All current and former teachers and faculty are also welcome! See you there.
P.S. -- We are holding our next planning meeting on Tuesday, May 9 at 7 PM at OLMA. PLEASE join us if you can. If you prefer to join us via Skype, just respond to this email and we'll make it happen. Thanks.
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There's Still Time to Win Big
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Want to show your support for the Daughters of Our Lady of Mercy? It's easy. Just purchase a calendar raffle ticket for $20! You'll be doing a lot of good and getting 102 chances to win prizes over the course of 20 weeks. Tickets were sent home with your daughters. If you'd like more, please call the office and we'll send them your way.
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You can also get a preview of what's in store this winter in the calendar section of the new OLMA website. Click here to the revised "annual calendar" for Semester Two.
Past issues of The OLMA Overview are available on our website. Click here to check them out.
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Row your hearts out, OLMA Crew!
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We hope you enjoy the OLMA Overview. If you have questions or suggestions, please contact Mrs. Kinkade at 856.697.2008, ext. 140, or email her at: mrs.kinkade@olmanj.org
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