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News From the Head of School By Lauren Lek, Head of School
Dear Parents, Guardians & Friends,
As another school year draws to a close with just four short weeks remaining, we honor and celebrate the Class of 2016 as they begin their final month of classes, exams, athletic events, dances, and activities at the Academy of Our Lady of Peace. We are very proud of their accomplishments and salute all parents for their support and encouragement. Congratulations to all!
For the seniors, it is a time of sad goodbyes and exciting, new beginnings. With such a myriad of activities coming up for the end of the year, I urge all parents to leverage our website for graduation event information and support.
This month is full of special events including the Senior Farewell Assembly on May 12, followed by Grad Night that evening and Senior Prom on Saturday; Evening of Excellence for grades 9-12 on May 19; Community Day and Mass on the Grass on May 20; and ultimately Baccalaureate Mass on May 25 and Graduation on May 26.
May Gods blessings be with them as they graduate from OLP and embark on an exciting future. On behalf of the Board of Directors, the faculty, staff and administration, I bid farewell to the Class of 2016 and wish them great luck and much success!
We are also very excited to welcome the Class of 2020 to the OLP family. We have already spent some time together on Registration Day in March and Spring Welcome Night in April. We look forward to many happy years together as partners in the education and formation of our young women.
To all of our parents, thank you for all you have done this year in our partnership to educate the hearts and minds of our students. We invite all of you who have given your time to join us at our Volunteer Recognition Brunch on Tuesday, May 17 at 8:30 am in Carondelet Hall. This follows Morning Mass at 7 am and Parents in Prayer at 7:45 am in the Chapel, which you are welcome to attend as well.
God bless our OLP family. I wish everyone a pleasant and restful summer and look forward to seeing all of our incoming first year students and their parents on Wednesday, August 10!
God Bless,
Dr. Lauren Lek
Head of School
May Updates By Jessica Hooper, Assistant Head of School
Dear Parents, Students, & Friends of OLP,
I recently had the privilege of attending the annual senior retreat where one of the speakers referenced a song from the Broadway Show, Wicked. In the song, For Good, Elphaba sings, So much of me, Is made of what I learned from you, You'll be with me, Like a handprint on my heart, And now whatever way our stories end, I know you have rewritten mine, By being my friend... I immediately thought of the Class of 2016. As a community, we feel so fortunate to have known you for the last four years. You will always be in our hearts and have left an indelible mark on the history of OLP. We are excited to celebrate your class and your achievements in the month to come. Click here to check the Class of 2016 webpage for information related to their celebratory events.
Parents, we are excited to announce a new program of study for the 2016 - 2017 school year and hope that you will join our faculty in reading a recently released book by Dr. Lisa Damour. A New York Times Bestseller, Lisa Damour, Ph.D., is the director of the internationally renowned Laurel Schools Center for Research on Girls. Dr. Damour pulls back the curtain on the teenage years and clearly articulates the path of development from teenage years to adulthood.
We encourage you to pick up a copy of Untangled: Guiding Teenage Girls Through the Seven Transitions into Adulthood. We are excited to announce that Dr. Damour will be joining us on Thursday, December 1, 2016 for a parent presentation that evening and then providing a day of professional development for the faculty the following day. Come this fall we will be supporting the development of Parent Book Clubs with the partnership of our OLP counselors to discuss the book and the issues it addresses. We are committed to a holistic approach to education and as such are eager to learn how we can best support our students social and emotional intelligences alongside their academic experience of high school. We hope that you will join us in this important work!
With May comes AP testing, which will be taking place throughout the day on campus from Monday, May 2, 2016 - Friday, May 13, 2016. Soon after students will have final exams between Monday, May 23, 2016 and Wednesday, May 25, 2016. All students will be dismissed at 11:30 am on the days of final exams. Please keep our students in your thoughts and prayers as they prepare to demonstrate their knowledge.
I look forward to recognizing the achievements of our students at our Evening of Excellence awards ceremony on Thursday, May 19, 2016 at 6:00 pm in the Holy Family Event Center. During the school day on Wednesday, May 18, 2016 we will have a schoolwide Academic Assembly at 11am. Please note that families will receive notification this week via email if your daughter(s) will be recognized or receiving an award at either ceremonies. In closing, Happy Mothers Day to all the mothers of our students! I know that for me, all that I am or hope to be I owe to my mother. I am certain that this sentiment is shared by our students. Thank you for sharing the gift of your precious daughter(s) with us each and everyday.
God Bless,
Mrs. Jessica Hooper
Assistant Head of School
OLP Welcomes New Bishop at St. Joseph's Day Mass
By Diane La Costa '08
Bishop McElroy joined the OLP community on Wednesday, April 27, to celebrate Mass in honor of St. Josephs Day. The bishop shared that he loved the warm welcome" he experienced during his first visit to our campus.
Many Sisters of St. Joseph attended the Mass and were very excited to hear the whole student body sing their CSJ Vow Song. Afterward, Ms. Kamrath 71 and Miss La Costas 08 Campus Ministry class reachec out to the Sisters of St. Joseph who couldnt attend the Mass. The song sheets from the Mass, along with a personalized letter from the students, were sent to the Sisters to thank them for their influence on OLP and included prayers and wishes for their good health. We plan to continue including our lovely founding Sisters in the traditions and spirit of our school as the years go by.
The Mass ended with the presentation of the three CSJ awards, which are given to seniors who embody our CSJ charisms: Marlen Miranda '16, Woman of Courage; Rachel Rougas '16, Woman of Faith; and Fernanda Gonzalez '16, Woman of Heart. These seniors received outstanding applause and were surprised by their parents during the award ceremony. Our three seniors are pictured above left with their CSJ Sisters and above right with their medallions. Congratulations, ladies!
OLP Receives National Designation as a No Place for Hate School
By Monique Muther
On Thursday, April 21, OLP was recognized by the Anti-Defamation League as a national No Place for Hate school for the work we have done to promote critical thinking, respect for differences, instill empathy and evoke a sense of community on our campus. This was accomplished through the programs created by our Peer Trainers with their moderator Monique Muther, which included school-wide assemblies and Teen Talks on topics such as Cyber-safety, the dangers of substance abuse, peer pressure and conformity, confidence and self-image, harmful relationships and tolerance for others. Students were invited to make a Resolution of Respect by signing our No Place for Hate banner. In so doing they made a personal promise to do their best to combat prejudice and discrimination, and to speak out against all forms of hate. Congratulations OLP, for truly embracing the charism of our CSJ sisters to care for the dear neighbor with gentleness, peace and joy, and making OLP a community that is No Place for Hate.
Students Give Back Through Children's Book Project
Two years ago, teachers Katie Turner and Mike Stringer decided to give their students a meaningful group project that would satisfy course objectives while giving back to their community. The childrens book project was so successful that it has been replicated again this year, and may possibly be for years to come.
The children's book project is a collaborative effort among students from the Advanced Writing in Literature class, the National Art Honor Society, and children from the Saint Vincent DePaul preschool for children experiencing homelessness. Our students have been working together all year to create children's books for the preschool's library.
On Tuesday, April 26, our students traveled back to the preschool to deliver their children's books. They worked in small groups, reading their books and completing art projects with the children (ages 2 to 6). The preschool teachers were overjoyed to have the books for their ever increasing library, but even more importantly, they were excited to see our students engaging young children in their great love of storytelling.
On Thursday, May 5, we will be celebrating the children's book project at our first Children's Literature Community Exhibition. Our students will be showcasing their work and the Saint Vincent DePaul preschool teachers will be in attendance as our guests of honor. Please join us as we celebrate literature, art and our students' service to our dear neighbor. RSVP for the evening here.
Sports Teams Wrap Up Their Seasons
OLP Lacrosse Ends Second Year Strong
By Coach Serrano
The fastest game on two feet has come to OLP and has everyone talking! In their second year together and their first full season, Pilots Lacrosse saw almost 50 student-athletes come together to make both a varsity and junior varsity team. Even with approximately 15 players returning from the previous season, OLP lacrosse was considered a very inexperienced program. However, the players hard work and determination to learn a new sport along with the guidance and coaching from Coach Gus Serrano and his assistants, Coach Bailey Ewing and Coach Sarah Blackbourn, Pilots lacrosse surprised many teams in the county by being very competitive and winning two games against established programs. The lacrosse teams mantra has been to make some noise! and with the teams positive attitude and work ethic, they have indeed been making noise in the San Diego lacrosse community and on campus!
The lacrosse teams growth and development is apparent in every game they play. Players such as Bailey Gehler 19 and Lauren Anastas 18 have anchored the varsity teams offense that has tallied over 50 goals in 13 games so far. The varsity midfield and defense has been bolstered by the strong work and tireless efforts of players Maggie McNamara 19, Noelle Gavino 17, Tessa Rodgers 18, Alicia Barber 18, and Juliana Curtis 17, to name a few.
The junior varsity has seen the same growth and development and has been very competitive with the same established programs in the county. They even recorded the programs first victory against Ramona High School. Strong efforts by players Nicole Stepovich 19, Emily Elgas 18, Luz Magana 17, Teri Gonzales '18, Grace Kotnik 19, and the other 18 junior varsity athletes have made every game they have played competitive and exciting.
The future is bright for the OLP Lacrosse program. With a majority of the players being 9th and 10th graders, there is only one way to go and that is up for our Pilot Laxers!
The Pilots finish off their season with games against Mt. Carmel, Serra, and Rancho Bernardo.
First Year of OLP Archery
By Coach Lucero
It's been an eventful two and a half months for OLP's Archery Team. The team is new this year and has a dedicated group of girls on the squad. Archery is a form sport, so the team had a lot of ground to cover before competing. The girls started with archery 101: focus, concentration and understanding the principals of executing a great shot. After weeks of education they were finally allowed to loose an arrow. From that moment on, they became OLP Archers.
The team spends two days a week practicing at the far northwest corner of the school known as the Point, and on Saturday mornings, they practice in Chula Vista at the Olympic Training Center (OTC). Their first competition was the Olympic Archery in Schools state championship where the team performed well. Talk about jumping into the deep end, but the team held great composure and had a couple of match wins. In the finals, Lily Lucero 18 was able to capture the Bronze for high school girls. Since that time, the team has shot a friendly match with John Muir High School and received a warm welcome at the sports assembly last week. On April 30, the girls competed in the OAS Nationals, which drew teams from around the nation. It has been a great experience for all and many of the girls will be shooting through the summer at the OTC in preparation for next season.
OLP Swimmers Finish Off League
By Coach Witt
OLP Swim just finished off with their last dual meet of the season against Coronado High School. Although we lost this last swim meet, the majority of our swimmers swam personal best times!
Some highlights from this meet include: Becca Pierce '17, who broke 30 seconds on the 50 free (29.47); Charlotte Adema 16, who qualified for City Conference Championship for the 100 back (1:08.11) and the 200 IM (2:30.71); Emilia Perez-Rocha '18, who dropped 10 seconds on her 500 free (6:20.84) and qualified for her first individual event for CIF in the 200 free; Andrea Deinard '19, who swam a personal best for the season in her 100 breaststroke and dropped four seconds from her previous times (1:12.30); Victoria Lumanlan 17, who qualified for CIF in the 100 Fly (1:11.88); and Spencer McVeigh '16, who qualified for CIF in the 200 free with a 2:06.49.
Eleven Varsity swimmers will continue on to the City Conference League Championships at La Jolla High School. Finals are on May 6 at 5:00 pm. Come out and cheer on your Pilots!
Surf Concludes Season
By Coach Mekrut
The Surf team had a great year! With 27 surfers on the team, practices were always full of talented and dedicated Pilots looking to improve their skills and learn more moves. The season began in October and continued until mid-April with contests scattered throughout the year. With the help of the Saints, we were able to pull off some major wins, including victories over Santa Fe Christian and Horizon. The season ended with a Saints and OLP family banquet at La Jolla Shores. All and all, this was an awesome season with great memories for the surfers, coaches and the Saints/OLP team as a whole. Official practices will not start again until next October, but you can bet our surfers will be suiting up and paddling out regularly in the meantime.
Softball Heads to End of Season
By Coach Crane
With two important games this week, the OLP Pilots are currently 7-0 in Central League play, 9-8 overall, and hopeful for another undefeated season against league opponents. Recently, the young Pilots (with 10 freshman and sophomores on the 14 person roster) have shown marked improvement against difficult opponents in games away from Hickman Field. Overall, the Pilots are posting impressive numbers in many team statistics: .394 team batting average, .482 on base percentage, eight home runs, 38 stolen bases, and a team-earned run average of 3.69. The Pilots have also played well defensively in recent games. Co-captains Jaime Neyenesch 16 and Maria Balistreri 16 have provided experienced leadership and solid play. A number of talented younger players are demonstrating exceptional potential. Kelsey Way 18 and Marin Musicant 18, in addition to pitching for the Pilots, are batting .519 and .439 respectively with many extra base hits. This year's team is demonstrating that the immediate future is bright.
Sand Volleyball Looks Forward to Playoffs
By Coach Cabrera
The Sand Volleyball Pilots are having a successful season so far with a 4-3 record and wins against Bishops and Francis Parker on both rounds. We entered our last match vs. Point Loma on April 28 and begin playoffs on Tuesday, May 10.
Our Varsity athletes include Senior Captain Barbara Mera 16, Junior Captain Ivy Yahke 17, Kelli Johnson 17, Olivia Gastaldo 17, Marissa Gerrick 17, Breeze Hafenstein 18, Gabi Preciado 18 and Eden Koria 19. It is a very talented group of girls who are excited to advance into playoffs this season! Go Pilots!
State of the Arts
By Kathleen Herb 70 and Grace Newton 17
Twelfth Night: Twelfth Night, the classic comedy by William Shakespeare, had a successful run, nearly selling out each showing! Our Steampunk Edition was a fitting tribute to Shakespeare on the 400th anniversary of his death. The money made from ticket sales will benefit the department, as well as students going to International Thespian Conference.
Beauty and the Beast: Next years fall show is Beauty and the Beast, the Disney classic musical. Auditions will be after school during the first week of classes (Aug. 16-19), and the show will be performed Oct. 28, 29, and November 4, 5, and 6. Watch for the sets and costumes made by the new Technical Theatre class. Would you like to invent Maurices woodcutting machine, create a dancing spoons costume, or engineer a rose that loses its petals on cue? Then Technical Theatre is for you! (It fulfills VAPA class requirement.) See Mrs. Herb or Mrs. Abdenour for more information.
LAMDA: The Drama and Speech programs are proud of the 18 students who took the prestigious London Academy of Music and Drama exams in Acting, Musical Theatre, and Speech. They passed with flying colors, with 13 of them receiving Distinguished (honors) awards. Please see Mrs. Herb if you would like to earn your LAMDA certificate next year.
Student Spotlight: Transforming Passion Into Action
Marlen Miranda 16 made sure to leave her mark on OLP and the broader community before heading off to college. She seized an opportunity to execute a gender equality project when she became one of 5,000 applicants for the ANNpower Vital Voices Initiative, and one of only 50 young women to be chosen as a 2015 ANNpower Fellow.
Marlen began noticing gender inequality 10 years ago while living in Guadalajara, Mexico. When she moved to the U.S., she noticed how these same inequalities prevailed in the media, politics and within her local neighborhood. As a young woman who has experienced this injustice, she felt obligated to make some sort of change that would at least try to resolve this issue. Her solution was to bring young girls and professional women together for a day of learning and networking.
Marlens idea came to fruition when she received a $2250 grant and leadership training in Washington, D.C. as an ANNpower Fellow. She called her event Girls 4 Change Forum, and invited professional women from all types of sectors to participate. Her guests of honor ranged from a VP of International Business Affairs to an animal care technician and a psychotherapist.
On the day of her event, students enjoyed 30-minute rotations of learning activities and conversations. The intent was to broaden each girls mindset through education. This event was a courageous undertaking on her part because it meant Marlen had to go against traditional Machismo culture, which values men as strong breadwinners and women as homemakers and mothers. In this type of culture, young girls are not given the opportunity to discover potential career paths in the public sector. I know that everyday girls like me are seen as inferior just because they are women, Marlen explains.
Girls 4 Change was the perfect opportunity for Marlen to step out of her comfort zone, combine her two passions of education and gender equality, and make a difference in the lives of young girls. The experience taught her a lot about herself, her traditions and her perspective of the world. As Marlen says, I truly believe that we are all called to do something that will positively impact our world. It is just the matter of taking the initiative and acting upon this passion! If not me, who? If not now, when?
Alum Profile: Advocating for Women Through Theatre
Be fearless in the pursuit of your ideals and you will be rewarded. This is a true statement for Jennifer Eve Thorn 97, who is the Associate Artistic Director and Founder of MOXIE Theatre in San Diego. Jennifer founded MOXIE Theatre a decade ago with the mission to create more diverse and honest images of women for our culture using the art of theatre. With female playwrights accounting for only 22% of plays produced in the U.S., Jennifers theatre is giving female playwrights the exposure they deserve. MOXIE is run by women, producing womens stories and plays that defy female stereotypes, because Jennifer knows that when women are empowered as I was at OLP the world is better for it.
Jennifers passion for theatre was cultivated in theatre and speech classes at OLP it was here she learned that she had something to offer as a performer and public speaker. Jennifer grew from a wanna-be tough kid with dark lipstick and hair in her face to a confident young woman who understood the value of her own voice.
Jennifer encourages those who are thinking about an artistic career to find mentors through internships and apprenticeships. She personally allows young women to watch her direct at MOXIE Theatre. Never, never, never stop arming yourself with new skills, she notes. If you see someone succeeding at something you want to be good at, ask them to teach you or let you observe them working.
During the month of May, MOXIE Theatre is playing OUR LADY OF KIBEHO, a story based on true events in Rwanda. Three girls claimed to have received a message from the Virgin Mary foretelling the impending Genocide in Rwanda. These girls were then ostracized by schoolmates and labeled as disturbed until the Genocide began. Playwright Katori Hall has won an Olivier Award for this piece, and Wall Street Journal named it the most important new play of the year. OLP students and families can receive a discount and are encouraged to attend the performance on May 15, which includes a special Q&A session with Jennifer. Purchase your tickets here.
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